Resident Adviser, Community Adviser, Community Mentor

Basic Function and Responsibility

To contribute to the success of students and the communities in which they live by serving as a positive role model, developing positive relationships, developing and coordinating programs and activities, assisting with academic support activities, and facilitating interaction with other members of the campus community. The paraprofessional gives priority to the duties of their position over other interests with the exception of academic work.

Characteristic Duties and Responsibilities

Resident Adviser

• Serve as a positive role model for personal responsibility and effective residence hall community living
• Develop positive relationships and effective communication with students with an emphasis on those in their house
• Fulfill on-duty responsibilities
• Assist with the general maintenance of the building by inspecting their assigned house on a daily basis and the hall when on rounds to ensure a positive living environment and take appropriate steps to resolve problems (e.g., reporting building and grounds maintenance problems, picking up litter, disposing of trash, etc.)
• Fulfill administrative duties associated with check-in, break preparation activities, survey distribution and/or collection, check-out, etc.)
• Help the students in their house establish community standards, ways of communicating regularly, and effective means for resolving conflict
• Enforce University rules and regulations and help students deal with violations
• Facilitate the establishment of a functional student government within their house and providing them with appropriate training, direction, and guidance
• Provide ongoing training for members of their house government, both individually and as a group
• Provide leadership, direction, and training for the students and student leaders in their assigned house in the areas related to residence hall community living and development
• Develop, implement, and supervise social, recreational, educational, and developmental activities (including those pertaining to academic support and career exploration) for students living within their assigned area, involving students in activity planning, implementation, and problem resolution
• Assist with the promotion of campus programs, activities, and services offered by other departments and organizations
• Provide, within the limits of ability and training, assistance to students on academic, personal, and social matters, making appropriate referrals
• Participate actively in staff meetings, training sessions, and other developmental activities as required
• Perform special assignments as directed (e.g., assist with the advisement of hall council, serve on committees, assist with administrative tasks, collect and maintain programming records, etc.)
• Participate in the recruitment, selection, and training of new Housing and Residence Life staff as directed or as appropriate
• Assist with hall staff training as directed by their resident director or the coordinator of apartment services
• Provide coverage over Thanksgiving, semester, and spring breaks as assigned by your supervisor
• Respond to emergencies as appropriate (including false fire alarms)
• Assist with the maintenance of an orderly and pleasurable dining room atmosphere

Community Mentor

• Serve as a positive role model for personal responsibility and effective community living.
• Develop positive relationships with students, with an emphasis on those in their area.
• Fulfill on-duty responsibilities.
• Provide administrative assistance to the Office of Housing and Residence Life for responsibilities involving check-in and check-out procedures, room inventories, contract terminations, and maintenance services, etc.
• Help the residents in their area establish community standards, ways of communicating regularly, and effective means for resolving conflict.
• Enforce University rules and regulations and respond appropriately to requests for assistance from students with violations of University rules and regulations and community expectations.
• Facilitate the establishment of positive relationships and effective communication among students.
• Assist with the promotion of campus programs, activities, and services offered by other departments and organizations.
• Participate actively in staff meetings, training sessions, and other developmental activities as required.
• Participate in the recruitment, selection, and training of new Housing and Residence Life staff as directed or as appropriate.
• Assist with staff training as directed by their supervisor.
• Assist with closing procedures and provide coverage over Thanksgiving, semester, and spring breaks as assigned by your supervisor.
• Provide training and assistance for the residents and student leaders in their assigned area in the areas related to apartment community development.

Community Adviser

• Serve as a positive role model for personal responsibility and effective community living
• Develop positive relationships with tenants, with an emphasis on those in their area
• Facilitate the establishment of positive relationships and effective communication among tenants
• Facilitate communication between residents and University offices/departments in an effort to increase their familiarity with services and access to them
• Inspect their assigned area on a daily basis to ensure that it contributes to a positive living environment and take appropriate steps to address all problems that are observed
• Help the residents in their area establish community standards, ways of communicating regularly, and effective means for resolving conflict
• Provide a timely orientation, to include a review of prescribed materials, to each new tenant in their assigned area to help them feel welcome and familiarize them with various University services, policies, practices, etc.
• Respond appropriately to requests for assistance from tenants, including help violations of University rules and regulations and community expectations
• Develop and maintain a means for obtaining input and feedback from tenants on an on-going, routine basis, to include providing leadership for the members of an advisory board for their assigned area
• Work with area residents to ensure that there is a satisfactory balance of social, recreational, and educational activities available to them
• Supervise activities and programs conducted by the tenants living in their area and those sponsored by tenant organizations appropriate
• Assist with the promotion of campus programs, activities, and services offered by other departments and organizations through postings, newsletters, word-of-mouth, and other means
• Provide assistance to students on academic, personal, and social matters, within the limits of ability and training, making referrals to other resource persons where appropriate
• Provide training and assistance for the residents and student leaders in their assigned area in the areas related to apartment community development
• Provide administrative assistance to the Office of Housing and Residence Life for responsibilities involving check-in and check-out procedures, apartment inventories, lease terminations, and maintenance services, etc.
• Participate in all required meetings and training programs
• Participate in the recruitment, selection, and training of new community advisers
• Assist with staff training as directed by their supervisor
• Respond to emergency situations as appropriate
• Perform other related functions as required

Supervision Received

The Resident Adviser and Community Mentor receives supervision from the Resident Director; Community Advisers receive supervision from the Coordinator of Apartment Services.

Minimum Qualifications

Resident Adviser

• Have completed one semester living on-campus (at any institution) at the time of application
• Have demonstrated appropriate maturity
• Able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Be sincerely interested in helping others be successful as students
• Have successfully completed one semester as a full-time student (at least 12 semester hours during fall and winter or 8 semester hours during summer or as a graduate student) at NMU prior to submitting the application, or be a transfer student with at least 12 successfully completed academic hours at the previous institution and be enrolled as a full-time student during the current semester at NMU
• Have a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA, and a minimum 2.25 GPA for the last semester of academic work
• Be free of any social probation imposed through the University’s judicial process at the time of application, and remain free of any probationary status
• Will not participate in a student teaching, social work field placement, or similar academic assignment while employed as a resident adviser.

Community Mentor

• Meet the minimum eligibility requirements for living in their assigned area at the start of employment: 21 years of age or older, completed 56 credit hours, or have two years of experience living on campus
• Demonstrated appropriate maturity.
• Able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Successfully completed at least 12 semester hours of academic work at NMU or be a transfer student with at least 12 successfully completed academic hours at the previous institution and be taking a minimum of 12 undergraduate hours or 8 graduate hours during the current semester at NMU.
• A minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and a minimum 2.25 GPA for the last semester of academic work.
• Free of any social probation imposed through the University's judicial process at the time of application, and remain free of any probationary status throughout their employment.
• Not participate in a student teaching, social work field placement, or similar academic assignment while employed as a community adviser.

Community Advisor

• Meet the minimum eligibility requirements for living in a University apartment at the start of employment: 21 years of age or older, completed 56 credit hours, or have two years of experience living on campus
• Demonstrated appropriate maturity
• Able to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Successfully completed at least 12 semester hours of academic work at NMU or be a transfer student with at least 12 successfully completed academic hours at the previous institution and be taking a minimum of 12 undergraduate hours or 8 graduate hours during the current semester at NMU
• A minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA and a minimum 2.25 GPA for the last semester of academic work
• Free of any social probation imposed through the University's judicial process at the time of application, and remain free of any probationary status throughout their employment
• Will not participate in a student teaching, social work field placement, or similar academic assignment while employed as a community adviser.

Additional Desirable Qualifications

It is preferable that the resident adviser / community adviser applicant have: 

• Residence hall government or other student organization experience;
• The intention to serve at least two semesters in the resident adviser / community mentor / community adviser position.

Remuneration

Resident Adviser

• A single room
• A constant meal pass (when the dining rooms are open)
• Use of a University refrigerator
• $500/semester scholarship, which will be applied to their student account
• The ability to work 10 hours per week at an on-campus job with the opportunity to increase the number of hours allowed later based on length of employment

Community Mentor

• A single room
• A constant meal pass (when the dining rooms are open)
• Use of a University refrigerator
• $500/semester scholarship, which will be applied to their student account
• The ability to work 14 hours per week at an on- or off-campus job with the opportunity to increase the number of hours allowed later based on length of employment

Community Adviser

• In-kind compensation in the amount of apartment rent, to include apartment utilities, laundry fee
• A CA meal plan, which is composed of 100 meals and $600 in Dining Dollars per semester.
• A $500/semester scholarship, which will be applied to their student account
• The ability to work 14 hours per week at an on- or off-campus job with the opportunity to increase the number of hours allowed later based on length of employment