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:
Resident Assistant Informational Sessions (Featuring the Career Center)
Below is a list of our Resident Assistant Application Informational Sessions. You
must attend one (1) session in order to receive the application.
After you attend one (1) informational session, you will receive the RA Application
and directions via email within 24 - 48 hours of completion of an informational session.
You will have until Thursday, November 30th at 11:59pm to submit your full application.
You will receive a confirmation once it is submitted. No extensions will be given.
Your reference will have until Monday, December 4th at 11:59pm to complete their reference
form. However, you must include their information (name and correct email address)
within your completed application and submit that information no later than Thursday, November 30th at 11:59pm. Failure to do so will result in your reference
not receiving their reference form.
You will hear back in January in regards to your application status and if you have
moved on to our interview process.
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
The application timeline varies from year to year but our estimated timeline for 2024-2025
RA Selection is as follows: The RA Information Session will become available as of
mid-October. 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 quiz is required for your application to be considered. RA Applications
will go live in mid-October and will be accepted until November 30 at 11:59pm. Your references have until December 4th at 11:59pm to submit their reference form.
Your reference will receive the form once you submit your application by the November
30th deadline. 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 January, we will extend offers for interviews. If you are offered an in-person
interview, they will occur sometime in the month of February. Once interviews have
concluded, staff will make selections and offers will be extended in March.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Candidates hired for 2024-2025 are not guaranteed the ability to choose their own
suitemates. RAs who are hired prior to RA room selection will have the opportunity
to fill a suite/apartment. 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 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.
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.
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 West Apartments, Chávez, and 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)
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.
When applying, you will be required to submit the names, and emails of one professional or paraprofessional reference. 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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.