BY AMELIA POSSANZA

In print | Published March 19, 2009

This year’s RA selection committee saw a decline in applicants, continuing a trend that has been occurring for the past several years. Only 75 students applied, as compared to the 91 that applied to serve as RAs for the 2006-2007 school year.

Myrt Westphal, Associate Dean for Student Life, said that the application process would not change as a result of this decrease. Currently applicants must respond to a set of written questions and submit letters of recommendation. Current RAs have a slightly different set of questions as well as a request for comments that the committee sends to the students living on their hall. After these materials are turned in, the applicants have interviews during which they are asked about their written work and to role play through possible resident problems. The committee then meets, in a session that often lasts from four in the afternoon until midnight, to select the RAs. The committee must also consider RA placement and construct teams of RAs with complementing personalities to work together in each dorm. Current RA Arly Gease ’10 said of the process, “It’s kind of intense. The first time around I was nervous.”

This rigorous process may in fact help insofar as it turns away halfhearted interest. “This was the smallest pool we’ve had, but I also think that people are self-selecting and understand whether this is the right fit for them,” Westphal said. She emphasized that although the group was small, the applicants were strong and the committee was forced to turn away students who were up to the job.

Kelly Wilcox, Assistant Director of Student Life, echoed this sentiment. “I think we were unsure going in, but now that we’ve reviewed the applications we’ve come to realize it’s a strong pool. If [the drop] means they really put the time in before applying, I think that shows respect for the process.”

As an initial response to the unexpected drop, the Student Life Team, composed of Rachel Head, Elise Garrity, Myrt Westpahl and Kelly Wilcox, extended the deadline for the RA application by an extra week. This decision only yielded about a half-dozen new applications.

Westphal doubts that there will be any significant changes to either the application process or the way that the school advertises the position to students. The Student Life team encourages RAs to tell students whom they believe would be strong to apply. In addition, they host information sessions in both the spring and the fall to inform students of the responsibilities of an RA and send emails to students eligible for the post.

Although this has not yet developed into a concern for the administration, it has been a surprise. “In our minds this is one of the most important jobs on campus and certainly the best paid,” Westphal said, suggesting that these aspects alone should draw in applicants.

In fact, these were Gease’s motivating factors. “It crossed my mind as something I wanted to do freshman year,” he said. “The experience I had on my hall and the way my RA took an interest in the freshman’s lives put it in the back of my mind.” Although the financial aspect of the job was not his sole motive for applying, it played a role in his decision as he was already on the lookout for a campus job.

Another surprising and worrisome fact for the Student Life Team is that more people have begun to decline the position once they have been accepted. This could be due to a variety of factors such as a want of better housing or too many time commitments.

Wilcox said that this summer the Student Life Team will have a chance to step back and reflect on whether changes need to be made. During the summer, the team will be better equipped to ensure that their decisions are not knee-jerk responses.

But Wilcox already has a few ideas about what is essential to keep and enhance in the RA application and selection process. “I think that the element that can always be improved is education. We want students to be informed about the role.”

RA decisions were issued Thursday, March 5 for the fifty available positions. Students must accept or decline by this Friday.

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