Community Assistant General Position Description

South Dakota State University Department of Residential Life

 

The core of being a Community Assistant (CA) is being a strong leader…building relationships, being approachable and available, role modeling, knowing and utilizing resources, and communication.  Rewarding, challenging, and a great experience are words used to describe being a CA.  A CA provides the overall leadership for the house and hall and is the “go to” person for resident students.  Below are key points to note when looking at the CA Position.

Required Qualifications:

·         Be a full time student (minimum of 12 credits)

·         Have a cumulative GPA of 2.4 or higher

·         Be in good standing with the University

·         Be eligible to be employed in the United States

 

Developing Community:

1.       Develop relationships with your residents; help them to develop relationships with each other.

2.       Work to develop an atmosphere where a sense of belonging and respect are apparent.

3.       Be a positive role model and leader of your community.

4.       House door decs and decorations.

5.       Posting hall and campus publicity.

6.       Active and passive programming; following through with the 1^st 6 Week initiative and expectations set forth by your supervisor.

7.       Address questions and issues in a timely manner.

8.       Be active; out and about; in your house

9.       Availability and approachability.

10.    Abide by, support, and enforce Department and University policies.

11.    Abide by and support all municipal, state, and federal laws.

12.    Serve as a resource for residents.

13.    Support Hall Government.

14.    Conduct house meetings on a regular basis.

15.    Utilize House and Roommate Agreements.

Administrative:

1.       Participate in regularly scheduled hall staff meetings and individual meetings with your supervisor.

2.       Assist residents with checking and out of their rooms; including room and hall changes.

3.       Complete reports expected by your supervisor; these may include weekly reports, duty logs, etc.

4.       Encourage and assist residents with the completion of work orders.

5.       Complete Incident Descriptions as needed.

6.       Work at the hall desk as scheduled.

7.       Acquire a working knowledge of Department and University rules and policies.

8.       Respect and maintain confidentiality.

9.       Complete other administrative duties as assigned.

Safety and Security:

1.       With fellow CA staff, participate in the on-duty rotation for your hall; including rounds when on-duty.

2.       Respond to emergency and crisis situations.

3.       Call SDSU PD or professional staff On-Call as needed/situation demands.

Summary:

There is no way to list every responsibility or task needed to fulfill the CA position.  It is a position of service that involves living with those you serve.  It is important to read and interpret this position description with the “spirit” in mind rather than reading it as a detailed job description. 

 

Contract:

I have read and fully understand the terms and conditions of this job description.  I am aware that

·         The contract is for the employment period applied and hired for, and may or may not be renewed contingent upon my performance.

·         Time off/nights out of the building is expected not to exceed 15 nights per semester.  Additional time may be approved at the discretion of the Complex Director (CD) /Residence Hall Director (RHD) /Graduate Assistant (GA).

·         I am expected to arrive early for pre-semester training, and be present for all hall openings and closings.

·         I will share in the duty responsibilities with fellow CA staff in my hall.

·         Halls are open during Thanksgiving and Easter weekends, requiring one CA on-duty per hall.

·         I am required to be here for all “closed” time periods.  These regularly include hall openings and closings, and Hobo Days.  Other days may be designated as “closed” by the department when there is a need.

·         Commitment to the CA position comes before any other extracurricular activities.

·         I may be terminated from the position at any time for failing to fulfill any or all of my obligations and responsibilities, and/or

·         I may be terminated from the position at any time for violating any university or civil policies or laws.

I agree to

·         Register for and complete at least 12 and not more than 16 credit hours per semester.  Approval to take more than 16 credits must be granted by the CD /RHD/ GA.

·         Maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.4 or higher.

·         Accept another job only with the approval of the CD /RHD/ GA, and only up to ten hours per week.

·         Obtain approval from the CD /RHD/ GA to participate in extracurricular activities.

·         Not student teach or work in an internship during the period of this contract.

 

Compensation:

·         I understand that my compensation is in the form of a “scholarship” applied to my university account at the beginning of each semester of employment. 

·         I understand that I am required to provide a phone and answering machine for use with local telephone service for the assigned telephone number for my room.  The department will cover the cost of the phone service.

·         The room confirmation fee is waived.

·         If I leave the position for any reason before the end of the contract period, I understand that my compensation will be prorated and I will reimburse the Department of Residential Life for the portion of the compensation I had not yet earned.

·         If I leave the position for any reason before the end of the contract period, I may not be assigned a room in the hall in which I worked as an CA.

 

Personnel Action:

Alleged behavior which violates the SDSU Student Code of Conduct, or which violates the law, will be referred for appropriate judicial or civil action.  If the CA is found responsible for the alleged behavior, his/her employment status will be subject to review.  Insubordination or failure of the CA to fulfill the responsibilities of the position will also result in a review of employment status.

·         Probation is a specified time period in which the CA is expected to change a particular behavior and to demonstrate the ability to meet departmental expectations.

·         Suspension is an interim action which removes the CA from the position/residence hall pending an investigation of alleged misconduct.  Contingent upon the results of the investigation, the CA may either be reinstated to the position, with or without other personnel action, or be terminated from the position.

·         Termination is a dismissal or permanent separation of the individual from the CA position.  If the former CA is still covered by the Board of Regents residency requirement, he or she will be assigned alternate campus housing at the discretion of the Director of Residential Life.

 

 “It is the policy of South Dakota State University not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or Vietnam Era Veteran status in the offering of all benefits, services, and educational and employment opportunities.”