CP/RA Staff Selection
Myths and Realities
| Myth: | It is possible to work 20 hours a week at another job while being a CP/RA. |  |
| Reality: | CP/RA staff are allowed to have outside commitments (e.g. outside job, club membership, volunteer work, etc.) for up to 10 hours a week with approval from their supervisor. It is important to remember that being a CP/RA is a job! |
| Myth: | Being a CP//RA will cause my grades to drop. |
| Reality: | The position does require that you have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.4 to apply and that you maintain a minimum 2.4 quarterly and cumulative GPA for the duration of your employment. If problems arise, the professional staff will work with you and offer support and resources. The goal is balance, and we expect you to continue to devote time to being a successful student. |
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Myth: | I won't have any time to myself if I take this position. |
| Reality: | You are not expected to "Have your door open" 24 hours a day. Again, it is important to model a balanced lifestyle--taking time for studying, personal time, and being a CP/RA. |
| Myth: | My primary role as an RA will be that of a disciplinarian. All I will deal with are conduct issues. |
| Reality: | Actually, your job will mostly be positive and fun! You’ll spend a lot of time helping your residents adjust, providing them with resources, answering their questions, and encouraging them to relate to each other socially by planning programs and social activities. However, you will at times have to hold students accountable by enforcing housing policies. |
| Myth: | If I accept this position, I will have to give up my entire summer. |
| Reality: | Actually, student staff are required to come back 2 to 3 weeks before Welcome Week which means you cannot enroll in Summer Session 2. Usually this occurs during the first week of September. (Except in Campus Village where CPs and RAs, those with 9- and 12-month contracts, will start training the week after Finals.) |
| Myth: | I must fit a certain mold in order to be selected as a CP/RA. |
| Reality: | Actually, we select a varied group of student staff members. We look for those who are extroverts, introverts, active on campus, not active on campus, housing “veterans”, those who have never lived on campus, etc. Our goal is to select a group of leaders that best represent those that live in the complexes—this means that all will be very different. |
| Myth: | As a student staff member, I can get away with not following housing policies. |
| Reality: | As a student staff member, you will be held to a high level of adherence to policies. You are seen as a role model in and out of the community, and will be expected to act responsibly. See Behavioral Guidelines for more information. |
| Myth: | I will have no time for other activities, such as other clubs, leadership positions, significant others, etc. |
| Reality: | As was stated earlier, the key is balance. We want you to be successful in all areas of your life, so we expect that you will have other interests, activities, and people that are important to you. However, your supervisor will monitor your performance, and discussions will occur if it appears that you may be too "stretched". |
| Myth: | As an RA, you get your own apartment. |
| Reality: | Although housing arrangements differ in each complex, you will not get an entire apartment to yourself. In Campus Village, you will get your own room within an apartment, and share the apartment with two people in the other bedroom. In Mesa Court, Middle Earth, and Arroyo Vista, you will get your own room, bathroom, and living room area, with a few exceptions. |
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Myth: | It is easier to get students involved in activities in the residence halls than it is in Campus Village or Arroyo Vista. |
| Reality: | This may be a little bit true. The majority of the residence hall population is freshmen, and that group is more likely to be looking for activities. Those that live in Campus Village and Arroyo Vista are primarily continuing students who already have established friends and campus involvement areas. We can guarantee, however, that there are students looking for social connections in these areas as well. That’s why we hire you! |
