Why?
To build community in the hall and establish a residence life staff presence.
To ensure the well-being of the hall by monitoring maintenance needs and enforcing policy.
When?
Rounds occur at 8p and 10p on Sunday through Thursday.
Rounds occur at 8p, 10p, and 1a on Friday and Saturday.
*On Mondays, start the 10p rounds after the CLC or SET meeting.
How?
Grab the Rounds Keys from behind the desk.
Check the chores of the day.
Check for posters to hang in the posters bin.
Trunk Rooms:
Open Trunk Rooms at the start of rounds on Thursdays for those first 15 minutes. Anytime outside of that time frame, students pay $$$ to get in there. The money will be collected and used for an end of the year RA celebration/treat.
Yes, with the following conditions:
All suitemates must complete this application and submit to the AC/GA of that building.
All suitemates must be on board.
I recommend RAs check-in with each student individually to assess for this.
Non-adjoining rooms cannot power-suite.
A weekend-off is 2 nights you are guaranteed to not be scheduled on-in. You are welcome to stay the night elsewhere or opt for a stay-cation (but if you do the latter, I recommend you keep your door shut!) It's guilt-free time away from your floor!
You are allowed to request one weekend off per month.
You are strongly encouraged to use them!
Send the AC/GA day-long calendar appointment requests titled "[YOUR NAME] Weekend Off", and information about your time away in the description. The AC/GA will approve the request or reach out to discuss further.
Keep the goal in mind:
Experiences in residence life, even roommate conflict, are an opportunity for learning how to do relationships well. Our goal isn't to simply solve the problem for them, but to help them engage in healthy conflict and grow through the process.
First Step: Encourage Them to Talk to Each Other
When a resident comes to you with a concern, you're first priority is to simply listen well.
If they haven't spoken to each other about the issue, encourage them to have a good conversation about it and coach them through some principles on assertiveness.
Second Step: Help Them Talk to Each Other
Once you feel they've spoken with each other about the issues and the issues are ongoing, then it might be time for you to step in and help facilitate a conversation.
Speak with each individual separately before meeting all together to balance your role in the mediation.
Schedule a 1 hour meeting time. Use a neutral location such as your room or the AC/GA Office (ask your AC/GA first).
Start by articulating the goal (mutual understanding and finding a way forward), discussing your role as a facilitator, and laying out your expectations for them.
Ground rules: 1) Speak for yourself by using "I" statements. 2) Don't interrupt. 3) Avoid blaming. 4) Talk to each other, not to the facilitator. 5) If it's not going well, you'll end the meeting and reschedule.
Invite one person to share un-interrupted about their experience of the relationship. When they're done, have the other person summarize what they heard and work towards mutual understanding. Then switch. Then allow them to offer responses. Then transition focus to finding a way forward.
Set an alarm for 50 min, and when that goes off, let everyone know you have 10 more minutes.
Often, roommates will be able to find a tentative solution. Encourage them to give it a week or two. Check in with them to see how it's going.
Third Step: Seek RD Facilitation and a Potential Room Change
If things still aren't going well, then I will step in and offer another mediation and consider whether a room change is appropriate.
Residents may move out early due to discontinuation or study abroad opportunities.
Your resident should:
Alert the AC/GA
Remove all of their belongings from their room
Clean all their furniture, bathroom, and room thoroughly
Return dorm furniture to original layout (unless a roommate is remaining)
Schedule a check-out time with you (other RAs can stand-in if you are unavailable)
At the check-out meeting (5-10 min) you should:
Bring the Blue Half-Sheet Check-out Form
Check that their belongings are gone
Check for cleanliness of the room and bathroom
Check for notable damages to furniture/walls/blinds/etc
Collect the resident's room key
(If early withdrawal) Remind the resident to connect with the Center for Student Success to formally Discontinue
After the check-out meeting you should:
Bring the Blue Half-Sheet Check-out Form and Room Key to the RD Office
Email the RD with any special concerns
Before the resident checks out of their old room, the resident should complete a "Room Change Authorization" form and have it signed by the RD/AC. The resident can then present this form to the front desk to obtain their new room key and begin moving their belongings over. Once they have fully transitioned, they should then check out of their old room using the process above.