1. Revised September 2012
Departmental Expectations for Resident Assistants
Resident Assistants (RAs) are upheld to the following expectations of their position. These departmental
expectations are meant to provide a foundation for the Resident Assistant position. Additional expectations will be
shared by your supervisor(s) to address community-specific or staff-specific needs. Community expectations will be
shared by supervisor(s) during the Resident Assistant Leadership Institution (RALI) in August. Staffs are also
encouraged to set expectations for one another, including peer-to-peer and RA-to-supervisor.
A Resident Assistant must meet the following qualifications:
 Be enrolled as a full-time student at Clemson University.
 Has attained sophomore standing by Fall 2013 (2 or more semesters must have been completed; third semester freshmen
may be eligible).
 Resident Assistants are academic role models and must maintain a semester and cumulative GPR of 2.5 at the time of
appointment and throughout the term of employment. (Some Living-learning communities may require a higher GPR.)
Should an RA’s semester and/or cumulative GPR fall below a 2.5 for the semester, the RA will be placed on academic
probation throughout the following semester. Two consecutive semester GPRs below 2.5 will result in dismissal from the
position. A cumulative GPR below 2.0 (whether the staff member has held a term of probation or not) will result in
immediate termination. Graduate students must be in good academic standing with their department or school.
Additionally, any issue of academic dishonesty may also be addressed.
 Personally adheres to and upholds the Clemson Code of Conduct and University Housing & Dining contract policies. RAs
must also have a commitment to uphold and support policies and programs of University Housing & Dining and Clemson
University.
 Residential Life is committed to leadership, sustainability and social justice. Resident Assistants are expected to display a
commitment to the awareness of these values.
 Integrity, honesty and respect are the core values of Clemson University. Resident Assistants are expected to be
knowledgeable of and uphold these values.
 Resident Assistants may carry up to 18 academic credit hours per semester. RAs may carry more than 18 credit hours a
semester with supervisor approval.
 Resident Assistants will take EDC 390: Student Development, Leadership, and Counseling for the University Paraprofessional
during their first semester of employment. EDC 390 is a 3-hour credit course.
 Resident Assistants are highly encouraged to discuss extracurricular involvement with a supervisor. RAs are encouraged to
extend their leadership in many ways, but we wish to ensure that all RAs are engaging in good time management.
 Resident Assistants may hold outside employment with supervisor approval. RAs should speak with a supervisor prior to
taking on any additional employment. Also, supervisors should be consulted in the event that an RA plans to do a co-op or
internship, or is student teaching, or doing nursing clinicals to address time in and out of the community, availability to
residents, and overall management of tasks.
Staff placement is at the discretion of Residential Life staff. The department assesses needs of each community
and the strengths and talents that an individual staff member can bring to that resident population and the staff
team, as a whole. The department considers strongly any “conflict of interest” that may affect placement,
including such things as family relationships, dating relationships, etc. that may occur on the same staff. If you
are aware of a conflict of interest regarding your placement, you have an ethical obligation to bring this to the
attention of your supervisor and/or the RA selection committee.

2. Revised September 2012
General Responsibilities
 Be able to serve as an appropriate role model and representative of Residential Life and University Housing & Dining.
 Have a commitment to contributing positively to a team environment.
 Be comfortable with confrontation and conflict through such things as conflict mediation and policy enforcement.
 RAs will be trusted with confidential information. We expect Resident Assistants to be ethical and show integrity with the
use of confidential information.
 RAs will be provided with a list of dates pertaining to the RA position and will be expected to be available and participate in
these accordingly.
 Other duties as assigned.
General Community Development Responsibilities
 Residential Life has established a curriculum to address needs of different student populations. It is expected that RAs will
implement various components of the curriculum including programming, individual interactions and other expectations
that may be tailored to specific communities, including LLCs.
 Be available to residents and have an active presence in the assigned residential community.
 Regularly interact one-on-one with residents. An RA should establish appropriate relationships with all residents.
 Have an awareness of the needs of the student population(s) in the area where the RA works.
 Has a strong commitment to working & interacting with residents. Resident Assistants are expected to build community and
assist in the personal and academic development of residents.
 Emphasize and maintain an atmosphere conducive to academic pursuit.
 Maintain or create an environment that promotes mutual respect among residents. RAs should address and/or report any
incidents of bias.
 Understand how to mediate roommate conflicts and work with residents to achieve mutually beneficial resolutions.
 Help and assist residents with concerns, and follow up with CARE or crisis situations, as appropriate or as directed. You may
also call on Graduate or Professional Staff in Residential Life to address higher-level concerns.
 Be aware of various campus and community resources that may be of assistance.
 Maintain a safe community for all residents in residential communities.
 Residential Life values socially just and diverse awareness, attitudes and beliefs. It is expected that Resident Assistants will
display these values throughout their interactions with residents in the community.
 Actively support RHA/NRHH by attending meetings, events, etc. RAs are expected to submit Of the Months (OTMs) per
NRHH Requirements.
 RAs are provided with a meal plan to be utilized as a tool in fulfilling their RA responsibilities. This includes, but is not
limited to: eating with residents in the dining halls, programming in the dining halls, bringing faculty in for meals with
students, providing secret shopper feedback to dining services, etc. RAs are required to complete a dining survey at least
once per month. (Note: Meal plans vary based on the area to where you are assigned.)
On-Call Responsibilities
 RAs should understand how to respond to emergency situations that may occur in the area; know the available resources
and when to use them.
 Weeknight On-Call: Weeknight on-call entails being accessible by phone in your residential community or area and available
for emergencies from 8:00pm to 8:00am on your assigned on-call nights. All Resident Assistants will participate in an
assigned on-call rotation each semester for their respective residential community or area. (The number of nights and
frequency of on-call responsibilities will depend on the number of staff in the assigned area.) While on-call, Resident
Assistants must be physically in building, or area of responsibility for those in apartment-style communities.
 Weekend On-Call: During the weekends, RAs serve on-call from Friday at 7:30 pm, beginning with the on-call meeting, and
ending on Sunday at 8:00 pm. Weekend on-call will entail being accessible by phone in your residential community or area
and available for emergencies; staff may leave the building or area only for the purpose of getting meals, as outlined in the
full on-call protocol.
 All communities must maintain half-staff policies. If staff will not be present in the community, approved time away is
required. Approved time away (time away is minimally defined as any time that you do not plan to sleep in the building)
must be granted by your supervisor. Approval processes may vary from supervisor to supervisor.

3. Revised September 2012
 Holiday and Other On-Call Times: All Resident Assistants will return to campus approximately ten days before the
residential community opening in the fall. All Resident Assistants must commit themselves to work through the day after
the residential community closes for undergraduates each semester. All University Housing remains accessible during Fall,
Thanksgiving, and Spring Breaks. RAs will be on-call during Fall Break, Thanksgiving Break, and Spring Break at an extra pay
rate of $50 per day. One RA will be expected to remain in the apartment area to cover Lighstey Bridge, Calhoun Courts and
Thornhill Village during the winter break, also at an extra pay rate of $50 per day.
General Facilities Management Responsibilities
 Work with staff to oversee the opening of the residential community prior to the start of the fall and spring semesters, as
well as closing of the residential community at the end of fall and spring semesters. RAs will check in residents, complete
room inspections, and complete other tasks and expectations as assigned.
 Provide resources to residents who reside in the community to report any maintenance issues that need repair to the
proper person. Respond to facilities concerns in a timely and appropriate manner.
 Conduct room/apartment and common area inspections on a regular basis.
 Know and explain all safety and emergency standards and procedures to all residents who reside in the community.
General Administrative Responsibilities
 Attend weekly one-on-one meetings with your supervisor. One-on-one meetings last approximately 30 minutes – 1 hour.
 Attend weekly staff meetings lead by your supervisor(s) and attend area meetings lead by the Assistant Director for your
area, as scheduled. Please plan to allot two hours for a weekly staff meeting.
 Keep the Graduate Community Director and/or Community Director and Assistant Director informed of incidents, concerns
and solutions related to the community and its residents.
 Document incidents thoroughly and submit within 24 hours of the incident.
 Keep open communication with the Graduate Community Director and/or Community Director and Assistant Director
including but not limited to returning phone calls promptly, checking office mailbox and email daily, and maintaining a
voicemail system.
 Each Resident Assistant will be required to work 3 hours per week at a community/area desk. If the hours at a particular
community desk are full, an RA will be assigned permanently to another desk to complete their assigned hours.
 Approved time away (time away is minimally defined as any time that you do not plan to sleep in the building) must be
granted by your supervisor. Approval processes may vary from supervisor to supervisor, but all communities are required to
maintain half-staff requirements. Please see your supervisor for more information regarding how to submit time away
requests.
 Time Commitments: Including but not limited to staff meetings, area meetings, one on one meetings, on-call
responsibilities, desk hours, training and development, administrative tasks and other duties as assigned within this position
description and/or by your supervisor.
 Participate in departmental committees and events, such as the Resident Assistant Selection Process and Resident Assistant
Leadership Institute. Resident Assistants may be invited to participate in Graduate Student Selection Process, Professional
Staff Selection Process, Recognition, Social Justice, etc. as needed.