Student Staff Roles in a
First-Year Experience
Living & Learning Center
Erin Ward, Resident Director
First-Year Experience Living & Learning Center
Western State College
(970) 943-2398
[email protected]
Basis for Staffing Model
Many research studies have shown the benefits for students residing in a living and learning centers
instead of conventional residence halls. Students in living and learning centers have more interaction
with faculty, a more personally satisfying social climate, better academic performance, an easier
transition and adjustment to college, and higher persistence and graduation rates than students in
conventional residence halls (Schroeder & Mable, 1994, p. 32-33).
Providing student staff positions in the residence halls also provides a learning opportunity for these
student leaders. “Teaching, assisting, and evaluating peers places students at the center of their
learning experiences” (Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, & Whitt, 2005, p. 195). Peer tutors can benefit as much
from teaching and helping their peers as their peers are benefiting from their assistance. In Student
Success in College: Creating Conditions that Matter, one of the principles that Kuh et al. (2005) found
for promoting student success was that “widespread use of student paraprofessionals enhances the
climate for learning” (p. 280). Kuh et al. studied the practices of some of the most effective higher
education institutions in the nation and found many used peer mentoring, teaching, and advising to
support students.
At Western State College, the First-Year Experience Living & Learning Center has three student staff
members, a Resident Advisor, an Academic Peer Advisor, and a Peer Mentor, that work with and get to
know each student in the residence halls, providing multiple safety nets for residents on campus.
Residents are likely to connect with at least one student staff member and have several resources for
academic and personal concerns and needs. Whatever their role, each of the student staff members in
the First-Year Experience Living & Learning Center serve as role models, advisors, and educators for
all of their residents.
Escalante Complex: First-Year Experience Living & Learning Center
Resident Director
Dolores Hall
80 Residents
2 Resident
Advisors
1 Academic Peer
Advisor
1 Peer Mentor
Colorado Hall
80 Residents
2 Resident
Advisors
1 Academic Peer
Advisor
1 Peer Mentor
Assistant Resident Director
Tomichi Hall
80 Residents
Crystal Hall
80 Residents
2 Resident
Advisors
1 Academic Peer
Advisor
1 Peer Mentor
2 Resident
Advisors
1 Academic Peer
Advisor
1 Peer Mentor
Mission of the FYE Living & Learning Center
The mission of the First-Year Experience Living & Learning Center in Escalante Complex is to
assist first-year students in making a successful academic and personal transition to Western
State College and to connect students to the campus community.
Residence Life staff work with WSC faculty, staff, and upper class students to bring exciting outof-class opportunities especially for students who wish to become engaged in the diverse
intellectual and social life of the college environment.
Professional staff and student leaders, including an Assistant Resident Director, eight Resident
Advisors, four Academic Peer Advisors, and four Peer Mentors, fulfill this mission by targeting
the nine FYE goals through providing intentional programs and overall environment to first-year
residents of Escalante Complex.
Goals of the FYE Living & Learning Center
The First-Year Experience Living & Learning Center is designed to create an environment that
optimizes opportunities for first-year students to become more immediately engaged with
Western State College of Colorado as active members of the learning community. Specifically,
faculty and student affairs staff identified nine goals to increase the academic success and
personal growth of first-year students by:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Preparing students for a successful undergraduate academic career culminating in a
baccalaureate degree at Western;
Linking students intellectually as well as socially;
Clearly stating standards & encouraging students to accept & work through academic
challenges;
Supporting students with a broad range of abilities to succeed academically;
Consistently communicating academic expectations & challenges;
Encouraging students to interact with faculty, staff, and academically successful peers;
Involving students in the intellectual & co-curricular life of campus;
Building positive intrapersonal & interpersonal relationships and peer groups; and
Helping students respond effectively to first-year transition issues.
Shared Student Leader Qualities and Expectations
Residence Life Student Leaders are…
 Active leaders and good role models
 Committed to working with students to ensure respectful living environments
 Interested in helping others and in learning effective skills for listening, intervention, and
emergencies
 Concerned with making our communities inclusive and welcoming to all residents
 Able to implement educational programs to help build strong, involved communities
 Committed to teamwork and being an integral part of residence life staff
 Interested in building and improving communication, interpersonal, confrontation, and
mediation skills
 Students who want to make a difference in other students’ lives
 Self-motivated, detail oriented, and academically successful students willing to grow, learn,
and mature while working collaboratively with Residence Life
Student Leader Expectations are to…
 Communicate effectively with Academic Peer Advisors, Peer Mentors, Resident Advisors,
the Assistant Resident Director, and the Resident Director for the Living & Learning Center
 Be respectful of all students and staff members
 Be positive role models for first-year students
 Support other staff members
 Plan and implement educational and community building programs
 Share thoughts and ideas freely
 Be open to new and different perspectives
 Be enthusiastic in promoting events
 Support Escalante Hall Council
 Program to the nine FYE goals as well as to the needs of the residents
 Have fun!
Keys to Success
Collaboration
One of the most important keys to successfully working with three different staff positions within the
same complex is collaboration. Collaboration within the staff of each building is equally as important
as the collaboration between student staff members in the same roles. Each building in the complex
has one APA, one Peer Mentor, and two RAs. Some collaboration is built into their job expectations;
for example, the APA and Peer Mentor both do a program with each of the RAs in their building. The
APAs and Peer Mentors collaborate together to bring faculty into the residence halls to better connect
students with faculty outside the classroom. Student staff with the same role often collaborate as well.
RAs often work together to put on complex-wide programs like a Superbowl party. APAs work
together to bring tutors into the complex, to plan the Dean’s List Reception, and to put on Cram Jam
during finals week. The Peer Mentors each take active roles in the complex-wide theme weeks they
have planned this year involving both active and passive programming.
Training
Training is another important part of success in the FYE Living & Learning Center at Western State
College. Having staff training as a group and also specialized training for individual staff roles is
important to helping staff members see the value in each position and the unique contributions that
they all make to helping residents make the transition to college. Everyone on staff takes an eightweek residence life course together during the spring semester. RAs come back in the fall semester
two weeks before the semester starts in order to receive training on duty and confrontation, mediation
skills, and administrative tasks. The APAs and Peer Mentors join training one week before the
semester starts, and all three staff positions are jointly trained in areas like effective helping skills,
communication, and programming. The APAs were trained in academic resources available on campus
and specific projects unique to their positions. The Peer Mentors were trained more specifically on
first-year student transition issues and on mentoring residents.
Supervision
Having consistent supervision is another valuable part of success in the staffing model at Western State
College. In the past, when APAs, Peer Mentors, and RAs all had different supervisors, communication
between staff members, even within the same building, was poor and staff members were often told
different things by different supervisors. This year the RD supervises all of the student staff within the
complex so staff are given a consistent message, and the RD is better able to help in coordinating
teamwork between staff members. A joint staff meeting where everyone is kept informed of what is
going on in the complex and what their peers are working on has also been very effective this year in
helping everyone to feel included and in showing staff members the value in positions different from
their own.
Evaluation and Assessment
The final key to the success of the staffing model for the FYE Living & Learning Center will be the
evaluation and assessment of staff, programs, and goals for the community. Current assessment occurs
through evaluations of student staff that come from residents, self-assessments, and supervisor
evaluations. Each evaluation is targeted toward the specific roles and responsibilities of each student
staff position. The other form of assessment that will be implemented this year is a First-Year
Experience Survey for all first-year students on the Western campus. This survey will be directed
toward assessing whether or not the nine goals of the First-Year Experience Living & Learning Center
are being accomplished through the programs and staffing in the complex as compared with the firstyear residents of other complexes around campus.
Resident Advisors
Roles & Responsibilities
Community Development and Programming
 Regularly available for and capable of assisting students with total college experience.
 Inform Resident Director of attitudes, interests, activities, and needs of residents.
 Knowledgeable about campus resources and their services to students.
 Work cooperatively with students to ensure a community that respects the rights and privacy of
individuals and promotes consideration of others.
 Initiate and organize educational and community building programs, targeting the 9 FYE goals and
resident needs and interests.
 Set an example in both knowing and abiding by institutional policies.
Duty and Confrontation
 Be “on duty” on a regular basis as assigned by the Resident Director.
 Consistently confront and report suspected policy violations on an Incident Report Form to the RD.
 The RA is responsible for informing and educating students about their rights and responsibilities
as students, residence hall policies, and College and residence hall standards of conduct.
Hall Operations and Administration
 Perform administrative responsibilities such as: check-in and check-out, transfer procedures, room
condition reports, maintenance work requests, damage reporting and safety inspections.
 Serve as a liaison between the Office of Residence Life and students.
 Commit to arriving early each semester to attend training and prepare buildings for the arrival of
residents and to staying late after halls close for breaks.
Projects and Programming
 Each RA is required to complete eight programs per semester, including three social programs and
an academic, diversity, hall council, wellness, and service program.
 The academic program is done in collaboration with the Academic Peer Advisor for the building,
and another program is done with the Peer Mentor.
 RAs also support hall council programming by attending the first Escalante Hall Council (EHC)
meeting of the semester and one EHC meeting or program each month.
 RAs work with other student staff to help plan or at least attend one of the three Faculty in
Residence (FIR) programs per month.
Practical Matters
 Minimum Qualifications: Sophomore standing (30 credits), full-time student (12 credits), 1 credit
hour 8 week Residence Life class, 2.75 cumulative GPA, less than 18 credits per semester
 Compensation: Paid monthly stipend that is adjusted each year to cover room and board costs,
other employment must be approved by the RD
 Time Off: Encouraged to leave campus 1 weekend each month, nights out of the building should
not exceed 20 each semester, only 50% of the staff can have a night off at the same time
 Student to Staff Ratio: Approximately forty students on each floor for one RA
 Supervision: Supervised by RD through every other week one-on-one meetings and weekly all staff
meetings, meet on off weeks with Assistant Resident Director to discuss programming
 Training: 2 week training before fall semester, monthly staff in-services, 2 day training before
spring semester
Academic Peer Advisors
Roles & Responsibilities
 Regularly available for and capable of assisting students with concerns related to academics,
especially related to general study skills like test taking and reading textbooks.
 Inform supervisor of all academic concerns and needs in their area.
 Be knowledgeable about campus resources and their services to students and function as a source
of information and referral for first-year residence hall students.
 Organize academically based programs targeting the 9 FYE goals and resident needs.
 Maintain a standard of personal conduct commensurate with responsibilities.
 Set an example in knowing and abiding by institutional policies.
 Establish regular tutoring/study group sessions to fit needs of residents.
 Find creative ways to get to know residents and to help residents get to know you.
 Connect students with faculty inside and outside the classroom.
 Advise students about approaching deadlines, registering for classes, and changing majors.
Projects and Programming
 Academic Toolboxes—Each APA assists a student affairs staff member with 1-2 Academic Toolbox
presentations each semester on topics like motivation, test taking, learning styles, etc.
 Progress reports—APAs distribute and explain 5 week progress report grades to first-year students
 Registering, dropping, and withdrawing—APAs assist students in choosing classes to register for,
teach them to use the online system, and advise them on decisions about dropping and withdrawing
from classes
 Dean’s List Reception—APAs assist in putting on a reception for all students who achieve a 3.7
GPA or higher during the fall semester
 Cram Jam—APAs hand out blue books, pencils, and fun toys at a late night breakfast during finals
week
 Faculty in Residence—Lead at least one Faculty in Residence (FIR) program each semester with
the Peer Mentor in the building to connect students with faculty outside the classroom
o Advertising should be up 1 week before the program begins
o Work with each faculty member to put on 3 programs during the week he or she is in
residence; programs can be social or educational
o Thank you note, certificate, and 10 free meals in the dining hall for each faculty participant
 Work with each of the RAs in the building to do an educational program
Practical Matters
 Minimum Qualifications: Sophomore standing (30 credits), full-time student (12 credits), 1 credit
hour 8 week Residence Life class, 3.0 cumulative GPA
 Compensation: Paid monthly stipend that amounts to $900 per semester, other employment (not to
exceed 15 hours a week) must be approved by the RD
 Student to Staff Ratio: Approximately eighty students, 40 students per floor, for each APA; each
building has an APA on one floor and a Peer Mentor on the opposite floor
 Supervision: Supervised by RD through every other week one-on-one meetings and weekly all staff
meetings
 Training: 1 week training before fall semester, monthly staff in-services, 2 day training before
spring semester
Peer Mentors
Roles & Responsibilities
 Be available for and capable of assisting first-year students with the successful transition from high
school to college.
 Meet with students individually to assist with personal adjustment including issues ranging from
relationships to homesickness.
 Inform supervisor of student needs and concerns.
 Knowledgeable about campus resources and their services to students.
 Initiate and organize programs that involve faculty and staff, facilitating community ice-breakers
and group discussions, while coordinating developmental activities for students.
 Connect residents to the campus and community by attending campus events with residents.
 Maintain a standard of personal conduct commensurate with responsibilities.
 Set an example in both knowing and abiding by institutional policies.
 Find creative ways to get to know residents and to help residents get to know you.
 Organize programs around transition issues, targeting the 9 FYE goals as well as resident needs.
Projects and Programming
 Faculty in Residence—Lead at least one Faculty in Residence (FIR) program each semester with
the APA in the building to connect students with faculty outside the classroom
o Advertising should be up 1 week before the program begins
o Work with each faculty member to put on 3 programs during the week he or she is in
residence; programs can be social or educational
o Thank you note, certificate, and 10 free meals in the dining hall for each faculty participant
 Work with each of the RAs in the building to do a program on each floor
 Complete 2 complex-wide FYE programs each semester with both active and passive
programming; examples from this year are Suicide Prevention Week, Substance Abuse Awareness
Week, and Code Rainbow. Suicide Prevention Week included:
o Flyers with warning signs, places to call for help, statistics
o 1,000 paper cutouts representing the number of suicides on college campuses each year
o Speaker came from the counseling center
o Residents had the opportunity to share experiences of how suicide had touched their lives
 Portfolios—Promote and generate interest in this scholarship opportunity for first-year students
o Portfolios have 5 sections: cover, personal development, academic achievement,
involvement/leadership, and awards and recognition
o Meet one-on-one with interested residents throughout the semester to assist with the project
o Develop group sessions like resume writing or goal setting to facilitate portfolio completion
Practical Matters
 Minimum Qualifications: Sophomore standing (30 credits), full-time student (12 credits), 1 credit
hour 8 week Residence Life class, 2.75 cumulative GPA
 Compensation: Paid $900 semester stipend that is applied directly to room and board costs, other
employment (not to exceed 15 hours a week) must be approved by the RD
 Student to Staff Ratio: Approximately eighty students, 40 students per floor, for each Peer Mentor;
each building has an APA on one floor and a Peer Mentor on the opposite floor
 Supervision: Supervised by RD through every other week one-on-one meetings and weekly all staff
meetings
 Training: 1 week training before fall semester, monthly staff in-services, 2 day training before
spring semester