SJU Residential Life and Housing

RA Job Description

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SJU Resident Assistant Job Description: 2025-2026

The Resident Assistant is an integral role in the SJU residential experience. This position works closely with the Faculty Resident assigned to the community and with the Department of Residential Life to meet the needs of our students and help fulfill the residential mission of the institution. This is a 15-hour-per-week position as classified by student employment.

Requirements to be an RA:

  1. Current, full-time student at Saint John’s University
  2. Two semesters of college experience upon taking the position
  3. Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.50
  4. Good conduct standing with the University (A student who has been or is currently on disciplinary probation may be deemed ineligible to serve in the role)
  5. Participation in all Residential Life training programs
  6. Ability to fulfill specific RA position responsibilities
  7. Commitment for a full academic year (unless hired on a semester basis)

Responsibilities include:

  1. Attend and participate in all training and staff development workshops and seminars (i.e., Fall training, monthly in-service trainings, January training, Spring training).
  2. Attend and participate in floor and/or community meetings and all residential staff meetings.
  3. Conduct oneself in a manner that reflects the philosophy and tradition of the Department of Residential Life and Housing and Saint John’s University.
  4. Demonstrate leadership that encourages growth in community awareness and individual development.
  5. Be mindful and respectful of other people’s values and beliefs and create a culture of belonging.
  6. Practice prioritization and time management with all job responsibilities and community commitments. The Resident Assistant position is the primary out-of-class responsibility for all Resident Assistants, second only to academics. Any extracurricular activity(ies) that would necessitate more than 10 hours a week (especially during evening hours) must be pre-approved by both the RA’s Faculty Resident and the Director of Residential Life and Housing.
  7. Encourage & maintain open communication with the FR, floor, and/or building staff about community issues concerning groups of people or specific individuals.
  8. Reside and be present on the floor, especially in the evenings and on ordinary weekends throughout both semesters, to assist the community as needs arise, including routine and extraordinary maintenance and emergencies. Faculty Residents will establish expectations for RAs in their particular communities for the number of hours the RAs are expected to be on their floors and present to their residents (outside of standard duty times & responsibilities).  Typically, this expectation will be at least 10 hours per week.
  9. Serve in the duty response rotation to assist residents with after hours concerns. The RA duty response rotation is determined according to staff size and community/building needs.
  10. Perform those duties assigned by the Residential Life & Housing Office including, but not limited to, processing room condition reports and room leases, following check-in and check-out procedures (including inspection of rooms at the beginning and end of the school year and whenever the occupants of a room change), as well as carrying out regular tasks relevant to assessing the condition of the room and achieving compliance with the housing lease agreement.
  11. Support the work of the custodial staff by practicing good stewardship and attending to the cleanliness and upkeep of the building or floor.
  12. Distribute regular and special communications when requested by University departments and programs.
  13. Model appropriate behavior consistently on and off duty in all venues (including electronic) by abiding by all university and residential policies, local ordinances, and all state and federal laws.
  14. Create and implement developmental initiatives based on the residential curriculum using internal and external resources to help support the needs of your residents.
  15. Facilitate opportunities that foster connections with other residents and the campus community.
  16. Develop a community that promotes a healthy living environment and encourages respect for individuals and property.
  17. Form effective relationships with individual residents and groups of residents in your community using formal and informal methods. (i.e., intentional intervention strategies, hot bread nights, or spontaneous events).
  18. Be available, when appropriate, to assist students in dealing with personal concerns and issues.
  19. Be knowledgeable concerning referral resources such as academic advising, counseling, medical attention, security, etc.
  20. Complete assigned office hours in the central SJU Residential Life and Housing office. This centralized responsibility is determined based on community assignments.
  21. Other duties and expectations as assigned.

2025-2026 Important Dates

Please reserve the following dates for the 2025-2026 academic year. 
These dates are considered mandatory. 

Expectations may be considered based on individual circumstances and must be approved in advance by the Director of Residential Life and Housing. 

Unexcused absences will be documented and responded to in the following manner:

Contract Dates/Important Events