As Resident Assistants, we would like to thank you for the staff commentary “RA program in need of reform,” which brought attention to some of the issues faced by the RA program at Oberlin. We too feel that the RA program is a very important one and one that is in need of reform.

However, we’d like to correct a few factual errors in the article. First off, the information about Fall Break compensation is incorrect. In the past, when dining halls were open, RAs had their meals covered and received some flex if they stayed for the break. For this fall break, RAs received $17 for each day they were on duty, with the idea of covering food costs, which equaled either $34 or $51, depending on whether they worked two or three duty nights.

Furthermore, all RAs were actually paid their usual stipend portion for that week. The only problem here is the question of what the RAs were expected to do for food on the days they weren’t on duty.

Second, this is the first year two RAs per staff are on duty in the same night. In program houses there are now two every night, as was stated, and this is a real drain on the RAs of those buildings. However, in the rest of the halls this is only for Friday and Saturday nights because of increased problems from parties, etc. on weekends.

Final rounds on those days are at 2 a.m., and at this time we can be of the most assistance to students returning from parties who are intoxicated and need assistance from either a roommate or Safety and Security.

This is a good change because it gives the RAs the chance to support each other for heavier duty nights. RAs are not away from their rooms for very long, so rounds do not greatly interfere with our duties, but in fact, help keep the community safer and make the RAs more visible.

Nevertheless, we agree that the RA program needs reform. With the RA ExCo being cut next semester, crucial parts of our training will be lost. The ExCo prepared us to deal with the more emotional aspects of our job. We learned mediation techniques as well as how to be peer counselors.

It is this facet of the job that motivates most of us to be RAs. The ExCo provided the time to learn useful skills for all individuals as the students who took it last year, without intending to be RAs, can attest.

The training given at the end of August when all return to campus is spent heavily studying new campus policies and other administrative changes and is by itself inadequate preparation, as are the few scattered training sessions that will be replacing the comprehensive ExCo.

ResLife is increasingly moving the focus of the RA position away from peer support and community building, where it should be. We are increasingly asked to be less of a student, and more of a college employee.

The RA program is still a worthwhile one, and with the application process approaching, we would encourage students interested in the job to apply. Only by acquiring dedicated people can we maintain the integrity of the program. Otherwise, the most important parts of the job, community building and peer counseling, will be left behind in the self-imposed ResLife budget cuts.

Well over half of the RAs this year are new to the position, and all of the Resident Directors, or RDs, are new as well. Valuable experience is being lost.

Why is it that there is such a high turnover rate in ResLife employees? To our minds, such an absurdly high turnover rate displays a deep problem within the structure and culture of the RA program and in the Department of Residential Life as a whole.

The answers to this problem are complex but can be found if we all work to the best of our ability. We also encourage the campus to begin a wider discussion about these issues, and ask for those seeking change to apply to the RA position, so they can help in making a difference.

–Adam Tully
Conservatory senior
RA South
–Marshall Duer-Balkind
College sophomore
RA Fairchild
–Jacob Goodman-Miller
College sophomore
RA East
–Igor Holas
College junior
RA Fairchild
–Morgaine Gilchrist-Scott
College sophomore
RA South
–Alejandra Salazar-Salame
College sophomore
RA Kade

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