The Role of an RA: Students' Misconceptions Addressed
Ryan Dempsey, Staff Writer One of the hardest on-campus jobs there could ever be at George Mason University is that of a resident advisor. The job of a resident advisor is one that never really ends and is something that a lot of on-campus residents take for granted. In my three years of being an RA, I have heard a lot of common misconceptions about the job. Many residents think that RAs go around campus looking for an incident, attempting to go out of our way to bust any and every resident for having alcohol or drugs in their room. Others believe we are nothing more than arrogant snitches that are power hungry. In all actuality, RAs know we do not get paid enough to act as law enforcement, as full-time babysitters or as parents. Resident advisors are responsible for building a community within their residence halls, advising and being a resource for residents whenever they are in need and promoting a safe environment in the residence halls, which happens to also mean communicating and upholding housing and university policies. Many people at this university do not even know how much preparation goes into being an RA. First, resident advisors […]
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