There are four information meetings left before the application process for next year’s resident assistant closes on Friday, Nov. 21.

 “So the first step of the process is every applicant or interested person needs to attend an information meeting,” said Curtis Clark, chair of the RA Recruitment and Selection Committee. “They all take place in the Governance Chambers over in the Student Center.”

The meetings are: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23; 9 to 11 p.m. Wednesday Oct. 29; 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6; and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17.

After students attend an informational meeting they receive an email with an invitation to apply to become an RA.

“Our application is online and they’ll need to complete that online application, which is going to include some basic information, responses to two essay questions, a cover letter, resume and they have to select three references,” Clark said. “The references are required to respond to a link that is sent to their email and they fill out an online form.

Candidates then go through grade checks and are required to have a 2.5 current and cumulative GPA, then students are invited back for a five-week workshop that begins on Jan. 26, taught by hall directors and assistant hall directors.

“It’s really an opportunity to engage in conversation, learn a lot more about the RA position, learn to build relationships and deal with crisis management,” Clark said. “Once they pass that then they go into our draft, which takes place on April 2.”

Based on how many positions are open, hall directors select candidates to fill them.

 “We have students that are all kinds of different majors and they are able to navigate difficult conversations, work with a diverse group of people, and those are all things that employers are looking for,” Clark said.

RAs receive free room and board covered by the department, and they get a basic meal plan while they’re an RA.

“If they are a first-semester RA without a roommate they get a $350 stipend paid bi-weekly over the semester,” Clark said. “Then if they do have a roommate they get $700 paid bi-weekly.”

As of April last year, the decision was made that RAs would receive a permanent roommate assignment if they were in a big enough room.

“We have given them the option to hand pick their own roommate which has helped out a lot,” Clark said.

On top of the benefits, being an RA comes with several responsibilities.

“We expect our RAs to be able to build relationships with our residents, assess the needs of our community and really get out there and figure out what our residents need,” Clark said.

Resident assistants are expected to be role models, community leaders, educators, administrators, helpers and team members, according to the resident assistant page on the Kent State website. More information on the position can be found at http://www.kent.edu/housing/ra.

Any questions that candidates, applicants or other people have about the RA position can email [email protected].

Contact Carolyn Pippin at [email protected].