Staff Onboarding Support

So you just acquired a new staff member, whether that's a member of the RA/PAL staff, or the SDA staff. As a supervisor, we recommend the following suggestions before you get started with their onboarding and training process:

• Find an appropriate time/space to train your new staff member. This isn't the sort of material that will take 30 minutes to cover. Look over the processes and decide how long that will take you and the staff member to cover. Realize it will probably take more than one session to cover.

• Utilize current staff members (like your LRA or other strong RAs, if appropriate) to help explain certain process, show features of our residential areas or make meaning of content.

• Don't just tell new staff members about our processes, walk through them together. That way the new staff member has a visual understanding of what certain things will look like.

• Think ahead and print any materials you may need to provide them with, such as your duty schedule, the Staff Engagement Model, staff expectations, any useful handouts your current staff members utilize. You may also share these documents digitally.

• Ask your RLC if you need help at any point during this process! 

• Getting new RAs/PALs registered in the KeyWatcher boxes. Show the staff members how to use them, how to pull Master Keys, etc. 

• Working with Central staff to make sure that the staff member has appropriate Mercury and Nautilus card access.

The Hall Director is responsible for reviewing the following with the new staff member:

• Ensure that the student is enrolled in the Canvas Course for most of their basic information.

  • If not, please contact your RLC for more information.

• Review the position description with the new staff member.

• Review the other positions that the staff member will work closely with. This will include the role of the Assistant Director, Residence Life Coordinators, Hall Directors, Lead Resident Assistants, Student Desk Assistants, and Peer Academic Leaders (if applicable). 

• Review any Hall Director/Student Staff Expectations.

  • This should also include 1:1 and weekly staff meeting expectations.

  • Also include the fact that all staff members are expected to complete the C3 Certification through the Office of Equity and Diversity (OED) by the end of their second semester as an RA.

    • This includes 4 trainings by OED, and attending 3 OED-sanctioned events.

• Review the Argo Life Engagement Model, and what is expected monthly.

  • This includes door decs; bulletin boards/newsletters; team-based building wide programs; engagement opportunities; and resident interactions. Share best practices to reach out to residents or what has been popular with residents so far this year

  • Also cover the administrative expectations of the above, including, but not limited to:

    • Program proposals should be submitted 10 days in advance

    • Program evaluations submitted within 24 hours of program ending

    • Submitting about 5 resident interactions a week, 20 needed per month

    • Not doing two of the same engagement opportunity types in a row

  • Review expectations of assistance with large-sale programs, such as Battle of the Hall Stars, Late Night Breakfast, and large-scale diversity programming such as Tunnel of Oppression or Bring It to the Table.

• Review the role of RHA, NRHH, and Community Council, and what kind of programs/opportunities they provide for the community.

  • The Residence Hall Association (RHA) is a student organization housed within Housing & Residence Life to encourage awareness of the residential student perspective in leadership development, programming, regional involvement, and advocacy.

  • The National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) is comprised of the top 1% of residential students. They promote leadership experiences through the values of Service and Recognition. 

  • Community Council is a group of students in each residential community that are committed to programming to the interests of that community, making connections with others, and advocating on behalf of their specific residential area. Members from community council also attend RHA meetings as liaisons for their residential area. 

    • Make sure to share who the Community Council members are for the community.

• Review duty procedures, how to go on a round of the building, schedule shadowing rounds for a week or two, and work them into the duty schedule.

  • Includes show the new staff member how to do a duty log; communicate when these should be submitted.

• Review common policies and procedures, how to address those situations, and document them if need be. Use this opportunity to review a few common incident types from BCD materials.

  • Common incident types include, but are not limited to:

    • Roommate issues

    • Maintenance issues

    • Alcohol/Drinking

    • Drugs, specifically marijuana

    • Mental health Issues such as depression or suicidal ideation

    • Title IX, stalking, sexual assault issues

• Review how to write an incident report; why we write them, when they should be submitted, etc.

• Review FERPA, highlight how to respond to Title IX and bias issues. Also include information about the role of Emotional Support Animals and service animals in the community. 

  • Information on what Title IX is, and how the Title IX office handle complaints and issues may be found here.

  • FERPA Information

    • FERPA Stands for Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It was designed to help families and students ensure that they have access to educational records and to be informed when those educational records are being shared with others. When a student turns 18 or enters an institution of higher learning, only the student has the right to access that information.

    • As a staff member you have access to confidential student information. You have a duty to protect student privacy. This means that you should not be sharing any information about a student to anyone, even a parent, family member, or friend who asks for it (such as if they live on campus at all, where they might live, their address, phone number, room number, etc.). 

• Area Office Information

  • Desk hours

    • Desk is staffed from 8am to 8pm

      • Staffed with RAs, PALs, & SDAs

    • Shifts will usually run for 4 hours

    • RAs will need 4 hours/week

      • RAs will schedule first, then SDAs

    • Desk switches/shift changes

      • Switches need to be confirmed with the HD by email, RAs should switch with RAs, or do an even trade with an SDA within the same week (SDAs may not just absorb an RA’s desk shift).

  • RA Role at the Desk

    • Responsibilities include:

      • Maintaining the area office, making sure the desk looks presentable

      • Filing papers, putting away papers or filling the mailbox if there is mail

      • Lockouts

        • Informing resident of $10 charge for lock out

        • Lost keys are $100 and inform HD about lost keys so a new one can be made

        • Contact the HD if you need help

      • Hospitality rounds, filling out the Area Office Log

      • Knowing the Area Office Manual

        • This will be at the desk and can also be found online

      • Assisting with work orders

        • Mercury

    • Customer Service

      • Interacting with residents; helping residents with concerns; informing HD of concerns

      • Creating an inviting environment

      • Answering the phone

        • “Go Argos! This is (your name) in (current hall).  How may I help you?”

      • Saying hello/goodbye to residents as they enter and leave the building

  • While at the desk

    • Maintaining Area Office

      • Keep counters clean

      • Keep personal belongings underneath the desk

      • Dispose of all trash

      • If trash is full dispose of outside in the dumpster

    • Area Office Logs

      • Link - Area Office Logs 

        • Used to record how busy, things that happened

        • If someone needs to speak to HD

        • Follow up questions

        • Do a sample log together.

          • Tasks include checking laundry room (if applicable); checking kitchen area, checking that lights are on in areas

          • These are due at the end of every shift

          • Failing to do this can lead to an accountability conversation

    • Check out equipment

      • Log when residents are checking out equipment (Games or Kitchen Equipment)

        • Steps to checking items out

          • Take the resident’s Nautilus Card

          • Fill out info on equipment checkout log

          • Once they come back record return info and give card back

        • Make sure the equipment is turned back in with similar quality

    • Signing in/signing out

      • Use the Area Office Binder

        • Put time in and then when leaving put time out

  • Dress Code

    • Do wear

      • Staff shirt, or non-affiliated UWF top

      • Khaki/pastel shorts, skirts or pants, or jeans

      • Jackets or sweaters that are non-affiliated UWF brand or plain

    • Don't wear

      • Pajamas

      • Blankets

      • Bedroom Slippers

      • Earphones

      • Lack of footwear

  • Computer expectations

    • Business first

      • Student staff site forms

      • Calendars

    • Personal use second

      • Homework

    • Prohibited items at the desk

      • Earphones, personal computers, gaming systems

Useful Websites - Walkthrough Each One with the Student Staff Member

• Student Staff Site

  • Incident Reports

• Student Staff Area Office 

  • Go over this link with RA

  • Area Office Logs 

• Mercury

  • How to do lock outs

  • Check ins

  • Work orders

Final Wrap Up Items:

• • Tour Community

  • Schedule 1:1

  • Schedule Desk Shift

  • Schedule Duty Shadowing

  • Make sure that the student has all necessary keys for their residential area.

  • Add new Staff Member to any group communication apps, like GroupMe.

  • Discuss the characteristics of their community

    • What are their students like?

    • Any current or ongoing roommate conflicts or concerns to be aware of

    • What did the previous RA do that worked with the residents and did not work with the residents

• Ensure that the student is enrolled in the Canvas Course for most of their basic information.

  • If not, please contact your RLC for more information.

• Review the position description with the new staff member.

• Review the other positions that the staff member will work closely with. This will include the role of the Assistant Director, Residence Life Coordinators, Hall Directors, Lead Resident Assistants, Resident Assistants, and Peer Academic Leaders (if applicable). 

• Review any Hall Director/Student Staff Expectations.

  • This should also include monthly 1:1s and weekly staff meeting expectations.

• Review how to write an incident report; why we write them, when they should be submitted, etc.

• Review FERPA, highlight how to respond to Title IX and bias issues. Also include information about the role of Emotional Support Animals and service animals in the community. 

  • Information on what Title IX is, and how the Title IX office handle complaints and issues may be found here.

  • FERPA Information

    • FERPA Stands for Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. It was designed to help families and students ensure that they have access to educational records and to be informed when those educational records are being shared with others. When a student turns 18 or enters an institution of higher learning, only the student has the right to access that information.

    • As a staff member you have access to confidential student information. You have a duty to protect student privacy. This means that you should not be sharing any information about a student to anyone, even a parent, family member, or friend who asks for it (such as if they live on campus at all, where they might live, their address, phone number, room number, etc.). 

• Area Office Information

  • Desk hours

    • Desk is staffed from 8am to 8pm

      • Staffed with RAs, PALs, & SDAs

    • Shifts will usually run for 4 hours

    • SDAs must have 12 hr/week minumum, 20 hours max including staff meetings

      • Can't work more than 8 hours in a row and can't do more than 8 hours in 24 hours

    • Crossover hours

      • There will sometimes be desk shifts available in other buildings ask the HD for questions if you would like more shifts. You will need to communicate with your own HD and the HD of the other building for approval.

    • Desk switches/shift changes

      • Switches need to be approved by the HD via email

  • SDA Role at the Desk

    • Responsibilities include:

      • Maintaining the area office, making sure the desk looks presentable

      • Filing papers, putting away papers or filling the mailbox if there is mail

      • Lockouts

        • Putting in lock outs - getting a HD or RA to assist with the lockout

        • If neither are available use the duty phone to contact HD on call

        • Informing resident of $10 charge for lock out

        • Lost keys are $100 and inform HD about lost keys so a new one can be made

      • Hospitality rounds, filling out the Area Office Log

      • Knowing the Area Office Manual

        • This will be at the desk and can also be found online

      • Assisting with work orders

        • Mercury

    • Customer Service

      • Greeting residents, guests, other staff members

        • Maintaining safety of community by having guests wait in lobby for their hosts, instructing food delivery people to wait in the lobby, etc. 

      • Interacting with residents; helping residents with concerns; informing HD of concerns

      • Creating an inviting environment

      • Answering the phone

        • “Go Argos! This is (your name) in (current hall).  How may I help you?”

        • Used only for business

        • There is also a duty phone which will be answered the same way

      • Saying hello/goodbye to residents as they enter and leave the building

  • While at the desk

    • Maintaining Area Office

      • Keep counters clean

      • Keep personal belongings underneath the desk

      • Dispose of all trash

      • If trash is full dispose of outside in the dumpster

    • Area Office Logs

      • Link - Area Office Logs 

        • Used to record how busy, things that happened

        • If someone needs to speak to HD

        • Follow up questions

        • Do a sample log together.

          • Tasks include checking laundry room (if applicable); checking kitchen area, checking that lights are on in areas

          • These are due at the end of every shift

          • Failing to do this can lead to an accountability conversation

    • Check out equipment

      • Log when residents are checking out equipment (Games or Kitchen Equipment)

        • Steps to checking items out

          • Take the resident’s Nautilus Card

          • Fill out info on equipment checkout log

          • Once they come back record return info and give card back

        • Make sure the equipment is turned back in with similar quality

    • Payroll - Signing in/signing out

      • Use the Area Office binder

        • Put time in and then when leaving put time out

        • Update timesheet

  • Dress Code

    • Do wear

      • Staff shirt, or non-affiliated UWF top

      • Khaki/pastel shorts, skirts or pants, or jeans

      • Jackets or sweaters that are non-affiliated UWF brand or plain

    • Don't wear

      • Pajamas

      • Blankets

      • Bedroom Slippers

      • Earphones

      • Lack of footwear

  • Computer expectations

    • Business first

      • Student staff site forms

      • Calendars

    • Personal use second

      • Homework

    • Prohibited items at the desk

      • Earphones, personal computers, gaming systems

• Staff Meetings

  • Staff meetings will be around 15 to 30 minutes and are at 9pm on every Monday unless stated otherwise

    • They will consist of updates for SDAs

    • Important dates/upcoming events

    • Things of concern

    • General update of things going on in the building

• Accountability

  • Common SDA Mistakes that may lead to an accountability conversation:

    • Being late to a desk shift

    • Not showing up for a desk shift

    • Missing a staff meeting/On going training

    • Repetitive Timesheet Discrepancies

    • Improperly communicating staff changes

    • Failure to communicate concerns or needs with supervisor

  • Levels of Accountability

    • Verbal Warning

    • Written Warning

    • Probation

    • Termination

Useful Websites - Walk through each one with the student staff member

• Student Staff Site

  • Incident Reports

• Student Staff Area Office 

  • Go over this link with SDA

  • Area Office Logs 

• Mercury

  • How to do lock outs

  • Check ins

  • Work orders

Final Wrap Up Items:

• • Tour Community & Area Office

  • Schedule 1:1

  • Schedule Desk Shift

  • Schedule Duty Shadowing

  • Add new Staff Member to any group communication apps, like GroupMe.

  • Make sure that the student has all necessary keys for their residential area.