Welcome to the Department of Resident Life! We are a dynamic department of almost 90 full-time and graduate staff and over 600 student staff members. As a full-time and graduate staff member, you are vital to our continued development as a department and our continuous support of the Maryland Residential Experience. 

This handbook is designed as a place to find a common set of expectations for all our full-time and graduate staff. But it is not the only place. We have a number of guides and manuals that have more extensive advice on specific topics. These include travel guidelines, brand standards, duty manuals, emergency and crisis response guides, financial procedures, manuals for use of Maxient, StarRez, and more. Staff will also receive job-specific expectations from their supervisor related to their individual responsibilities and will receive training on job-specific or hands-on topics (e.g., expense reporting, hall/area council advising). There are also a number of university policies outlined elsewhere.

Keeping more of our policies and procedures that relate to most or all staff in one handbook allows us to  regularly review and update expectations and to clarify any confusions. This handbook is not meant to be a job contract. It is to provide employees with general information and guidelines. This handbook includes both best practices, expectations, and obligations. Accountability to adhere to these guidelines, policies, or practices will be done primarily through supervisory relationships, but may involve greater accountability when it relates to university policy or applicable state and federal policies and law. Supervisors may have additional expectations related to some of these items as well.

New to the handbook? Check out this handy Handbook Highlights document to help you navigate the handbook and find items more easily!