Resident Assistant Recruitment Information

Resident Assistants (RA) are important and valuable team members of the department of residential education within Campus Residences. Students who serve as an RA have the opportunity to develop leadership skills, communication skills, foster strong relationships with peers, residents, and their supervisor and promote diversity and inclusion in their area. In this position, students can grow exponentially in their personal and professional life. Both undergraduate and graduate students can be RAs in the residence halls and our apartment areas on campus.

How to Apply:

Information will be posted for the next application process during the Fall 2023 semester.

Resident Assistants are responsible for ensuring safe and welcoming conditions within the residence halls and apartments. RAs work to build inclusive communities in their assigned area through peer to peer interactions, programming, and bulletin boards. While the specific responsibilities of an RA will vary from area to area and building to building, some of the responsibilities include:

• Knowing the residents of your building/hall/area in an effort to be aware of their personal, social, and academic concerns.
• Referring concerns to your supervisor and other appropriate entities on campus if someone can benefit from professional attention.
• Being visible, available, and approachable by the residents of the area.
• Holding floor socials and meetings at intervals determined by your supervisor.
• Keeping the Residence Hall Director (RHD) in the loop about trends in your community.
• Being familiar with and able to communicate/uphold housing and university policies and procedures in a positive manner.
• Sitting duty for your building/area on a rotating basis. While on duty you serve as the point person for any issues that arise in your duty area after normal business hours.
• Assessing the needs of your residents on a continual basis. Initiating, planning and organizing programs of a social, educational, cultural and recreational nature.
• Encouraging students to take responsibility for their own actions by establishing behavioral standards that promote the concept of common courtesy and consideration for others.
• Role modeling appropriate behavior.
• Assessing building prior to and post occupancy to ensure damage is rectified each year.
• Conducting Health and Safety Inspections.
• Completing administrative tasks that are necessary for the smooth operation of the building.
• Other duties as assigned by your supervisor, your area’s professional staff, or the department as a whole.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Resident Assistant Development and Recruitment Committee at CampresRASelection@stonybrook.edu. The email is monitored by committee members and you should expect a response within 2-3 business days.

Common FAQ 

• What is the timeline for RA Recruitment each year?

  The application timeline varies from year to year but our estimated timeline for 2023-2024 RA Selection is as follows: The RA Information Session will become available as of early November. The RA Information sessions will be online and in-person. An attendance quiz must be completed at the end of the info session. Completion of the RA Information Session and Module is required for your application to be considered. RA Applications will go live in early November and will be accepted until November 30 at 11:59pm. References are due by December 4th at 11:59pm. Once applications close, we will reach out to your identified references in February. While references are filling out information on your behalf, professional staff in the department will review applications. Once we have all references and application scores in early March, we will extend offers for interviews. If you are offered an in-person interview, they will occur sometime in the month of March. Once interviews have concluded, staff will make selections and offers will be extended in May/June.

• Can I apply off cycle?
  RA recruitment for the following academic year occurs each Fall Semester.  We only accept applications during the main application cycle and do not solicit or accept applications received at other points throughout the year.
• How long is training?
   Training occurs prior to each semester. Training for the Fall semester typically spans 2 full weeks, including weekends and nights, and starts in Mid-August. Training for the Spring semester typically starts a week prior to the beginning of the spring semester in mid-January. Training periods may encompass weekends, holidays, and night hours as needed. 
• Is training a requirement of the position?
  Training is an important aspect of the RA position as it serves as an invaluable opportunity to learn aspects of the position, participate in professional development, and bond with your immediate and extended building/quad teams. As such, training is required every semester while employed as a resident assistant. If you are enrolled in a course during a training period, please speak to your immediate supervisor.
• What is the remuneration for an RA?
  RAs receive a bed waiver, RA meal plan (varies depending on room type), and priority course registration after your first semester as an RA. The RA position may impact your financial aid package and you should speak to the financial aid office before accepting an offer if one is extended to you.
• Can I pick my roommates/suitemates if I am hired?

  Candidates hired for 2023-2024 are not guaranteed the ability to choose their own roommates/suitemates. RAs who are hired prior to RA room selection will have the opportunity to fill a suite/apartment/room. RAs are not required to fully fill their space and can opt to fill as many spaces in their space that they wish to. RAs that are hired after RA room selection will not have the ability to pull roommates/suitemates as those spaces are available for returning students to pick from. Additionally, please be aware that RAs can only pull students who are eligible for their community into that specific community; RAs cannot pull commuters into on campus housing, undergraduates into graduate communities, graduates into undergraduate communities, or those that do not meet eligibility requirements for a specific community (ie. West/Chávez/Tubman) into those communities.

   

   

• If I am offered a position and don’t like where I am placed, can I decline that offer and wait for another one?
  Each person will only receive one offer for the RA position. If you decline the RA position that is being offered, then you will not receive another one in a different building/community/area. Thus, if you decline the offer you will not be an RA for the following year.
• What are the requirements to be a Resident Assistant?

  RAs in Undergraduate College Communities:

  • Cumulative and Semester GPA of 2.5 for every semester employed
  • Good Student Conduct Standing
  • Full-Time Student Standing

  Undergraduate RAs in Apartments: West, Chávez, Tubman:

  • Cumulative and Semester GPA of 2.5 for every semester employed
  • Good Student Conduct Standing
  • U3/U4 Class Standing (Minimum of 57 credits)
  • Full-Time Student Standing

  Graduate RAs in Chapin, Schomburg, and West Apartments:

  • Cumulative and Semester GPA of 2.5 for every semester employed
  • Good Student Conduct Standing
  • Full-Time Standing (Dependent on Class Year)
• What does the application entail?
   

  A successfully completed application encompasses a few parts: fully answered application questions, a current resume, and the names and emails of two professional references. We highly recommend using the resources of the Career Center for assistance with creating a resume. Visit Stonybrook.edu/career for more information.

• Who should my references be? Should I ask them to write a letter?
   

  When applying, you will be required to submit the names, and emails of two professional references. References can be professional staff members, faculty members, former employers, Advisors, Resident Assistants, etc.. References should not be from parents/guardians, friends, etc.. Prior to listing someone as a reference, you should speak to them and inform them that you intend to use them as reference for your application.

   

  Please note that we are not looking for a letter of recommendation from your reference. Rather, we will reach out directly to your provided references and ask them to fill out a recommendation form with standardized questions on your behalf.

• What communities could I potentially be an RA within?

  There are 3 Undergraduate Colleges (UGC) where undergraduate students can be employed as an RA

  • Creativity, Technology, & Innovation - Eleanor Roosevelt Community
  • Social Justice, Equity, & Ethics - Mendelsohn Community
  • Global Health, Wellness, & Community - H Community

   

  There are three apartment communities on campus:

  • Chapin Apartments (Graduate & Family Housing)
  • Schomburg Apartments (Graduate Housing)
  • West Apartments (Undergraduate and Graduate Housing).

   

  There are a few several specialty living communities including:

  • Gender Inclusive Housing Communities (offered in select suites/apartments and on select floors in most residential Communities).
  • 2nd Year Living Community (2YLC) located in Lauterbur Hall
  • Scholars Housing (one building in each Community)
  • Honors College Housing (Yang Hall)
  • Women in Science and Engineering Housing (WISE) in O’Neill Hall

   

  These are just some of the communities that exist on our campus. Each community is unique and we actively seek RAs who, with training, will be able to support the diverse needs of our communities.

   
• What are some traits we value in a resident assistant?
   

  Being an RA requires the student to possess a large number of traits such as; accepting of different cultures and diversities, highly motivated, friendly and customer service oriented, cool under pressure, dedicated, professional, trustworthy, flexible, and trainable.

• What is the employment period/ period of obligation for a resident assistant?

  RAs in Undergraduate Community and West Apartments (Building A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K):

  The RA position is a 10-month position (mid-August to the end of May). The position starts prior to the start of the fall semester and extends beyond the end of the spring semester.

  Chapin, & Schomburg Apartments:

  The RA position is a 12-month position. The Period of Obligation is June 1 through May 31 of the following year.

   It is important to note that the campus housing does not close during break periods including, but not limited to, Fall Break, Winter Intersession, Spring Break, and the Summer Session. As such, RAs may be required to work during these break periods.

• I am transferring to Stony Brook, can I apply to be an RA?

  If you are a new transfer student who began in the Fall semester, you do not need to do anything special to apply.

  As long as you have an SBU GPA by the end of the Spring semester, the committee will completes grade checks for all applicants.

  If you are a transfer student who will be matriculating in the Winter or Spring semester, please reach out to the committee via email (CampResRASelection@stonybrook.edu) as those scenarios are reviewed on a case by case basis. It is important to note that all applications are due by the posted deadline.

• My GPA prior to the Fall semester does not meet the requirements, but I am confident that I will meet the requirements by the close of the Fall semester. Can I still apply?

  Yes, you can still apply. After the fall semester ends, the committee will conduct a grade check on all candidates. If your GPA meets the minimum requirements at that time, you will be able to move forward in the process.

• I am studying abroad, how do I go about submitting an application and being interviewed?

  If you will be studying abroad during the RA recruitment and selection process, please reach out to CampResRASelection@stonybrook.edu.

   

  If you are studying abroad during the fall semester, please reach out to the RA selection committee so that we can send you important information about the application process including deadlines and a recorded info session.

   

  If you are studying abroad in the spring semester, please reach out so we can schedule a virtual interview with you. While spring Study Abroad students will not have the opportunity to participate in the group process interviews, their scores will be adjusted so that they are not negatively impacted by their ability to participate in this portion of the selection process.

   

   

If you have any questions, please reach out to the Resident Assistant Development and Recruitment (RADAR) Committee at CampresRASelection@stonybrook.edu. The email is monitored by committee members and you should expect a response within 2-3 business days.