This document provides guidance on completing incident reports (IRs) as a resident assistant. It explains that IRs are formal documents used to document most incidents and concerns. The background, involved parties, and description sections are outlined in detail. IRs must be submitted by 9:00 AM the following day and are official documents that may be subpoenaed in court. They provide a record of incidents and are reviewed by various university officials. Completing IRs accurately and timely is important for documentation.

1. Incident Report Writing
Online Resident Assistant Training

2. What is an Incident Report?
• Formal document that must be filled out for
most incidents or concerns addressed/observed.
• Completely and clearly outlines narrative for
exactly what happened
• RAs must also document roommate mediation
efforts or conflict info by way of FYI

3. The Link to Write an IR can be
found here:
• Please save this to your desktop for easy
access. This link can also be found on
Blackboard in the Housing and Residential Life
Student Staff Course

4. Background Information
• Begin by filling out the Background
Information section
• Please put the names of all responding
RAs in this section
• Your phone number: A100’s phone
number (609-652-4332)
• Your physical address: A100
• Nature of this report: Always put
Residential Life or Residential Life FYI
unless someone is transported to the
hospital, then put Residential Life
Transport
• Urgency: Normal

5. Involved Parties
• Write the names of EVERYONE involved in
the incident.
• Note if they are Resident, Non-Resident,
Non-student, or Resident Assistant.
• You do not put yours or other responding
RAs information as that is listed in the
Background Information section
• Do NOT use abbreviations until you
introduce them fully at the beginning of
the report
• When entering the Z Number please make
it a capital Z
• If an involved party is a non-resident
please enter their home address in
hall/address

6. Questions
Do not select any of the Code of Conduct Violations, this section
will be completed by a Professional Staff Member

7. Supporting Documentation
Please use this section to add any documents that can
support your IR

8. Description of the Incident/Concern
• Start with the time and date and include the year (On February 27, 2017 at 7:30PM)
• Note exactly where the incident occurred (Housing 3, P Building, 1st Floor)
• Describe in detail what occurred, remember to use third person when describing an incident
– Ex (RA Mancuso was on rounds in Housing 3, P Building, First Floor when…)
• Be as detailed and accurate as possible
• Refer to people by their last name. If two people have the same last name, write out their
name more to clarify exactly who you are talking about. (Resident J. Smith and Resident K.
Smith)

9. When is an IR Due?
ALL INCIDENT REPORTS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN 9:00AM EVERY DAY.
• If you address an incident at 5:00am, the IR is still due by 9:00am. It’s suggested
that you write it immediately after addressing the incident so that a) it’s written
accurate as possible while still fresh on your mind, and b) it’s not forgotten or
late.

10. Why do we write IRs?
IRs are Official Documents
• Every single IR that you write is
read by:
– A CD
– Associate Director of
Residential Life
– Director of Residential Life
– Office of Student Rights and
Responsibilities
– Dean of Students
– and potentially more!
• Any IR can be subpoenaed to be
submitted to a court of law
– That’s why it’s important to
have lots of detail and write it
properly! Anyone should be
able to read it and
understand exactly what
happened and why.
• Stockton keeps IRs for 7 years!
– That’s why it’s important to
give detailed information and
add the year as well