Peer Leader: Resident Assistant
The Peer Leader Program serves to synthesize the work of these 11 offices into one developmental experience for students’ current and prospective aspirations. These roles not only allow students the platform to work with staff to create programming, resources, and peer support for the campus community but also offer students opportunities to think critically about and commit diligently to their own development and skill attainment.
Resident Assistant - Job Description & Working Agreement
The Resident Assistant (RA) position is part of the greater Peer Leader program at Carleton College. The RA position is focused on enhancing the quality of life of residents living in campus housing through regular resident interactions, intentional programming, and monitoring the safety and holistic wellness of community members. Residential Life strives to enhance student growth and educational experience through an emphasis on cultural competency, holistic individual and community development, leadership, advocacy of academic inquiry, and expression in the spirit of mutual respect. These are the hallmarks of the Carleton residential experience and provide the essential foundation for a quality liberal arts education within a diverse and dynamic community. For more information about Residential Life’s commitment to Carleton’s diverse community, please read our Inclusivity Statement.
Job Requirements
Community Development and Programming
- Develop individual relationships with residents in assigned communities through regular interactions; Know names and information about residents in assigned communities.
- Assist residents whose behavior may be indicative of personal, social, or academic concerns and report concerning behavior to their Area Director.
- Serve as a mediator in conflicts between community members and refer to the Area Director as needed.
- Communicate regularly with residents via study breaks, emails, newsletters, group messages, etc., to ensure residents have current information important to the community.
- Plan, promote, facilitate, and evaluate programs/events each term that appeal to the needs and interests of community members while also encouraging the social, emotional, and intellectual development of residents. This may include partnering with other offices on campus to meet the needs of the assigned communities.
- Foster a positive living environment by consistently communicating and enforcing community living standards.
- Enhance physical residence hall spaces through the creation of door decorations, bulletin boards, flyers, and other promotional/instructional signage, etc., to create a welcoming and aesthetically pleasing space for residents.
- Manage a programming budget in alignment with the mission and goals of Residential Life and following all spending expectations and policies.
Administrative Excellence
- Be knowledgeable about departmental and college policies, procedures, and resources.
- Facilitate administrative procedures (forms, reports, etc.) as required.
- Manage a variety of projects and balance multiple tasks/responsibilities simultaneously throughout the year.
- Meet deadlines set by the Residential Life Office/Area Director and communicate proactively if deadlines cannot be met.
- Inform supervisor of community happenings, including but not limited to: student behavior, facilities, policies, programming, etc., through Weekly Reports, bi-weekly 1-on-1s, program planners/evaluations, and additional communication as needed.
- Arrive and depart from campus as required to participate in Opening and closing duties and procedures required of Residential Life.
Safety and Well-being
- Refer and connect residents with on-campus resources (e.g., Student Health and Counseling, Academic Success Center, etc.) when they are in need of support.
- Serve in an on-duty rotation (4 - 7 nights per term) requiring presence and availability in the assigned community on evenings in which there are no classes scheduled for the following day.
- Consistently enforce college policies, including local & federal laws, in all residential areas in order to ensure community safety and the well-being of residents.
- Utilize Area Director on-call, Campus Security, and other on-call resources as needed when responding to incidents.
- Appropriately document and report policy violations and crisis situations.
- Maintain privacy when presented with personal and/or sensitive information about members of the Carleton community.
- Serve as a responsible employee of Carleton College (reporting Title IX violations as required).
- Respond to moments of crisis as needed within the assigned community/area.
- Monitor conditions of assigned communities and submit Facilities Work Requests as needed.
Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
- Actively engage in personal development related to diversity, equity, and inclusion through participating in training and educational opportunities offered by Residential Life, Carleton, and beyond.
- Foster a welcoming and inclusive environment in your assigned community by sharing what you have learned in different diversity, equity, and inclusion trainings.
- Promote diversity, equity, and inclusion educational opportunities, including events hosted by student organizations and campus offices.
- Apply inclusion and accessibility best practices when engaging with residents.
Compensation
- RAs are classified as "salaried, non-exempt," which is different from other Carleton student employees. RAs are paid with a combination of salaried and hourly pay.
- Salaried pay by stipend is distributed during the term.
- During training/development, openings, and closings, RAs are compensated with an hourly wage because these fall outside of the “academic term” work.
- The total pay for RAs in 2026-2027 has not yet been determined. It is expected to exceed $7,300 (academic year salary of $TBD over 30 weeks for all hours worked during the academic term + plus break earnings for training/opening/closing hours worked at an hourly rate of $TBD). Please note these are the amounts for RAs who work all three terms, attend all trainings, and work during all closings and openings.
Working Agreement (**See the Attached Document**)
Required Dates:
Resident Assistants (RAs) are required to participate in Training and Development as well as assist with Opening duties prior to each term’s start. RAs are also required to stay past the official Closing time each term to assist with Closing duties.
RAs will need to be able to cover some weekend duty shifts during each term. RAs must commit to attending weekly RA Staff Meetings from 7:00-8:30 p.m. every Tuesday during the term, as well as bi-weekly 1-on-1 meetings in addition to other commitments.
Application Process:
Upload the following items to Handshake by Sunday, April 5, at 11:59:00 p.m. CST.
Application Materials:
● Resume
● Cover Letter
Your Cover Letter should address the following:
- What characteristics/skills do you possess that will assist you in the role of a Resident Assistant at Carleton College?
- What impact do you believe the Resident Assistant has on building community at Carleton?
- What do you hope to gain from being a Resident Assistant?
Application Resources
We recommend that applicants make an appointment or visit SCA drop-in hours to review application materials before submitting. Appointments can be made with an SCA or a career coach via Handshake.
Carleton is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request a reasonable accommodation regarding this position, email OAR@carleton.edu or contact Sam Thayer (sthayer@carleton.edu, phone number: 507-222-4464) or Elijah Genheimer (egenheimer@carleton.edu, phone number: 507-222-4500).
By submitting the Peer Leader application, you acknowledge that there will be a review of your student records for any misconduct/policy violations more serious in nature. Contact Amy Sillanpa, Assistant Dean of Students/Director of Community Standards, at asillanp@carleton.edu with any questions.
Contact Tanya Hartwig (thartwig@carleton.edu), Associate Director of Residential Life, with questions.