Resident Assistant
Davenport University
Operations
Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Posted on Nov 20, 2025
RESIDENT ASSISTANT
DEPARTMENT: Housing and Residence Life
LOCATION: Grand Rapids, Lettinga Campus
REPORTS TO: Residence Life Coordinator
SUMMARY:
The Resident Assistant (RA) maintains an environment conducive to residents’ academic success and personal growth. Responsibilities include promoting student belongingness, creating individual and collaborative programming, enforcing university and housing policies, assisting in the administrative operation of the residential area, managing maintenance and security needs of the residential area and its residents, and serving on an on-call duty crisis rotation. These responsibilities are performed in an ethical manner consistent with the University’s mission, vision, and values.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Promote a safe, secure, and comfortable environment that fosters community living and academic success. RAs are to know all of their residents and work to build connections between residents. RAs must be available - and be perceived as being available - a majority of nights in the residential area.
- Foster a sense of inclusiveness. Promote a community that is welcoming of people of all backgrounds, including those who hold opinions and ideas different from their own.
- Provide creative social programming that encourages students to connect and form positive relationships with their peers.
- Facilitate the opening and closing of the residential areas at the beginning and end of each semester. Each semester, RAs are required to return to campus prior to the opening of the residential area and stay on campus until the residential areas are closed and all duties are completed. This includes remaining on campus for a period of time after the halls are closed.
- Check students in and out of the residential areas throughout the academic year, especially during peak times. All required paperwork must be neat, complete, and submitted on time.
- Perform administrative tasks including, but not limited to, posting signs, storage duties, surveys, inventory lists, submitting maintenance work orders online, etc.
- Maintain open lines of communication pertaining to resident concerns, time off, and work load to HRL professional staff and applicable resident assistants.
- Receive approval for nights out of their residential area each semester. This practice ensures that there are enough RAs on campus in case of emergencies. In order to take these nights off, RAs must inform their RLC in writing at least 72 hours in advance and receive approval.
- Check email, mailbox, and phone/text messages daily and promptly respond to professional communications.
- Interact with their supervisors, other RAs, and students outside of formal meeting times.
- Attend all scheduled trainings, in-services, meetings and scheduled 1:1s, being prepared and on time.
- Meet weekly with the residence hall/area staff to discuss relevant housing issues and student concerns.
- Complete a self-evaluation at the end of each semester as a part of the evaluation process.
- Understand, comply with, support, communicate, and enforce the behavioral standards in accordance with the Housing Handbook and the Student Code of Conduct, doing so in a respectful manner.
- Create educational bulletin boards once per month in the area, if applicable.
- Confront and document issues within the residential areas that may be in violation of University policy or otherwise detrimental to the community (even when not “on duty”).
- Serve as the on-duty staff member for designated area. While on duty, the RA is responsible for answering the on-duty phone and responding to any issues or needs that arise. While on duty, RAs are responsible for doing multiple walkthroughs of residential buildings and should plan to spend the majority of their duty night with residents in their assigned residential area. RAs need to stay on campus while on duty and may assume additional duty responsibilities during special events.
- In Cook, Meijer, and South halls, each RA is on duty approximately one night every other week and two weekends per semester. Cook, Meijer, and South RAs on duty must also work a desk shift from 6:00pm to 8:00pm.
- In Panther Woods and Panther Ridge, each RA is on duty approximately one night every week and three weekends per semester.
- Work closely with Public Safety and the Wellness Center in incidents requiring emergency response.
- Serve as a resource for students, offering support or referrals to campus resources as needed.
- Serve as a positive role model and comply with all Universities policies in all applicable handbooks.
- Address student concerns in conjunction with other staff members confidentiality and privately. Perform other duties as assigned by the Center for Campus Life staff.
- Provide GREAT customer service, anticipating and exceeding the needs of our customers.
- Understand and abide by all external and internal regulations and policies. This includes NCAA, GLIAC and national affiliations associated within athletics or other role specific regulations.
- Demonstrate and promote the University Cultural Values.
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Full time student status is required at Davenport University (at least 12 credits – undergraduate; at least 6 credits – graduate)
- Must have a cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.5. While employed, an RA must maintain a semester grade point average of at least a 2.5.
- Living on campus in a room assigned by Housing and Residence Life is required.
- Must maintain good academic, financial, and social standing at the University and cannot be on academic probation.
- Must be invested in personal and professional development and actively work to improve job skills and grow developmentally.
- Must meet expectations as outlined by the supervisor. RAs are subject to ongoing review and formal evaluation at the end of each semester. Each RA is evaluated by his/her supervisor on overall performance, fulfillment of the duties outlined in the job description, as well as staff objectives.
- Must adhere to local, State and Federal laws.
- Must be able to participate in fall and winter staff training and in-service events unless approved in advance and in writing by a Housing and Residence Life professional staff member.
- Must be a positive role model for one’s peers and have the experience and character to enable success in developing supportive relationships with one’s peers and the accomplishment of imaginative programming.
- Must actively plan and participate in departmental programming initiatives.
- Demonstrate understanding and mature judgment in complex, sometimes emotional situations, including talking to one’s peers about concerns and confronting problematic behavior within the community.
- Must be a team player with a positive attitude, a genuine interest and willingness to help others, and possess the flexibility to respond to the unexpected.
- Required to work an irregular schedule, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
- Studied at Davenport University at least one year (a minimum of 24 semester hours prior to employment). Transfer students may be eligible to apply for RA positions if they have completed at least one full year at a prior institution AND are currently living on campus at Davenport University.
- Business office/residential area. Prolonged sitting and standing. Use of personal computer and telephone (eye and hand strain).
- Some travel between locations required (own transportation). No regular lifting requirements, occasional lifting up to 50 pounds
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Lived in Davenport University Housing a minimum of one semester prior to the role.
Davenport is and equal opportunity employer
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