University Daily Kansan
Tuesday, November 16, 1971
3
Hall RAs' Role Broadens
By MIKE BICK Kansan Staff Writer
The role of the Resident Assistant in the University of Kansas residence halls has changed dramatically in the last two years. Formerly acting primarily as counselors to the students, he now perform a much broader role in the residence hall.
Mrs. Lorna Grunz, assistant to the dean of women, who works closely with the residence halls, said she thought this change was official not only to the residence hall but also to the residence hall's
"As a staff member," she said, "the RA has to be acquainted with the students and be sensitive to the hall. They also help us to add terms of the hall contract and provide a growth—producing in the hall, in addition to performing their particular functions."
The new roles of the RA's came about with changes in residence halls, which give students more freedom to choose for their own welfare. From this idea, the former practice of asking people for counseling purposes gave way to the hiring of fewer and unfounded roles in the residence halls.
The main duty of an RA is serving as a resource for the students in their residence hall. The number of the hall are divided among 4 students and charge of that area. The RA's still advise students but now can participate in hall government and providing information for the residents about campus and community events and acting as a liaison between them.
"People can express their interests and hopefully grow more with the interaction between the students and RA's": Mrs. Grunz said. "The principal only the way in which she operationalized. The Resident Directors of the halls used to program the functions which the RA's are performing now. The responsible for them and works close connection with the RD."
Selection for the position of RA takes place in the spring. During the time that at student applies for the position, an initial selection process the prospective RA is given as much information about the acquaintance with the responsibilities of an RA and any special needs sight encounter. Ms. Grune said.
"If people wish to inquire," she continued, "we would be happy to ask. We are interested in hearing from those who did not fulfill these requirements."
Mostly upper class students are chosen for the RA positions. However, some graduate students are not selected for the jobs she said.
"We are interested in people committed to the responsibility and ability to perform their function. Mr Gruns said, "We are interested in students who are in good standing with our university and want to sincerely help in the halls."
Kansan Photo by TOM THRONE
RA's receive a salary for their work in the residence hall. The money is paid to them directly,
unlike the system in some universities where the room and board are deducted from the pay cheek. Mr. Grunz said that the system varied in each hall and varied in the function they performed.
The RA's role in the resum-
ness is one of the primary cone-
nial concerns of
University Residence
task force set up this year has
been studying this subject and
ways to improve the RA's role.
The basic approach to this task, said Pat Green, Topka junior and member of the committee, was to take the suggestions and input in the halls concerning improvement in the role of the RA.
Number of people from the community who attended the halls to ask students for in suggestions and opinions, so committee would then report its findings to the deans' office. Another study of the committee was investigating the possibility of providing an RA training program for credit in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The program would provide prospective RA's with an intensive program that includes an idea of the function of an RA in a course also provide a better basis for RA selection and would give the prospective RA a sense of what RA should do. The course would last approximately eight weeks, she said.
Resident Assistants More Than Counselors ... Eve Unferer, resident assistant
The class would provide "some real advantages," Ms. Grunz said. The deans offices were in the building, and saw a valuable purpose in the she said. Ms. Grunz explained that the class needed extensive planning and research before it could be initiated. The planning team also would hopefully and the class would be scheduled for next year.
It was noted that the role of an RA provided a person not only with much reusability, but also with a great amount of these experiences could be good or bad, according to the situation. It has to cope with Generally, RA's experience provided many students with an insight to people and an experience not available to every student at the University, it was reported.
Miss Green, who is an RA at Hashinger Hall, said the role of an RA provides her with "a good way to meet people."
"I think that's good," she said.
"You are forced to get out and meet other students in the hall. You can also own your own wang all the time."
Hassinger hasher three RA's this year, Miss Green said. Each RA takes on a greater responsibility in hall functions.
The other RA's of Hashinger
"We all share security in the halls," she said, "but divide the rest of the duties among the three students. I am responsible for the judicial department programs started. I see what the students want in the way of guest speakers and programs. We had Dr Armitrage, the head of the department and president of the group, Growth come to us as a white back. We have also had a drug abuse program here."
are responsible for duties which include students and seeing that the students at the hall are aware of events on campus.
It was execlaimed that the rows of an RA was different in each residence hall, depending on the students who were living there. Students in each residence house only freshmen. The RA role at Corbin, according to Carol Allisson, Wichita graduate student and RA, is on a closer relationship with the clients because they are freshmen.
"Some girls are my good friends," she said, but "some are just superficial. The girls look to work in their role as not to interject myself in their relationships. If they want me, they know where to reach."
"I love the job. I am going to work on my master's thesis for a degree in guidance counseling. I teach in people here, I really like it."
A coeducational hall might present some special problems for an RA, especially if the floors are coeducational as they are in Elsworth Hall. But for Colette at R尔威斯 Hall, Jr. junior and R尔威斯 Hall, living situation does not cause any difficulties for her job.
"The communication is more open in a cood floor," she said. Things are more open and this problem present any particular problem.
'My role in the ball is more a resource person. When people want to talk and want advice, they have problems. But people don't want
a counselor image for an RA. They want someone they can identify with."
The men on Miss Koeur's floor are close to her, but don't come to talk to her as often as the girls do, she said. She said she thought comfortable taking over something with a girl
"I like the job a lot," she said.
"I learn so much. It's an amazing experience, too,
different types of work so many different types of jobs."
McColum Hall houses upper-class students and graduate students. AN RA in this position is faced with a unique problem, according to Pam Parker, Owaua, Iowa, and raA there.
Miss Parker said she found it difficult to act as a counselor to the graduate students, some of whom are 35 years old. Even she wasn't her main function, she said, she felt apart from them.
"The job is more like being here in case of emergency," she said. "We also carry out the programs of the hall, but that's not always true. You don't need as many RA'N show, except in the case of emergencies.
SRI LANKA
1934-1954
"The experience with the people and my relations with them are important. It is a good as I thought it would be."
As the roles of RA's expen in the halls, the students come into more contact with them. This helps strengthen the hall and the students with many friendships and learning experiences, it was reported
CLAUDE FRANK
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