Duty Responsibilities and Expectations

Ensuring a safe living environment where policies are upheld and the rights of students are observed.

Three Reasons Why RAs are On Duty

1. It is the responsibility of the Residence Life staff to ensure that the residence halls are safe and secure environments.
2. Duty is a way to get out into the building/area and get to know residents. The more time you spend getting to know residents in your building/area, the easier your job will be once that rapport is established.
3. To ensure the rights of students to live in a quiet, respectful community, policy violations must be confronted by RAs while on duty.  In turn, students are held accountable for their action.

Duty Expectations for Residential Life Staff

• RAs need to be on time for the start of duty and must remain in the building/area until duty is over the next morning. Duty begins at 8pm and ends at 8am. The only exception to that is College East, who will begin at 10pm, due to the small number of staff and residents.
• A minimum of three duty rounds will take place each evening.  
• RAs need to post where they can be located if they are in the building, but not in their room.
• "RA on Duty" information should be posted in the building.
• RAs on duty are to be accessible by phone at all times, except when they are on duty rounds.
• It is important to be consistent, as an individual and an RA staff, when confronting policy violations.
• Assertive, not aggressive confrontations... be respectful of your fellow students.
• All duty switches need to be done in advance and you are to inform all staff members. Changes in the duty schedule also need to be posted on any duty schedules accessible to residents.
• All incident reports filled out fully and turned in by 9am the following day.
• For assistance in situations, refer to the Emergency Notification Procedures.
• Accessibility to master keys carries with it a large amount of responsibility. Master keys MUST, stay locked or in your possession at all times! Never should people who are not residence life staff members be allowed to use master keys.
• Ask your fellow staff members for help... don't forget to utilize your RD as well as Campus Safety when you are in need of assistance.
• Duty rounds need to be done thoroughly... checking each bathroom, basement room, stairwell door and outside door.
• Emergency maintenance requests after business hours should be for maintenance problems that threaten the safety and security of the residents. Contact your RD before making calls for evening maintenance requests. Such requests would include outside doors which don't lock, flooding, hazardous waste clean up, etc.
• Complete any tasks assigned by your RLC/RD.

When on duty, your primary responsibility is the security and safety of the building. While on duty rounds...

• Take a pad of paper or clipboard and pen
• Check all fire extinguishers and alarms.
• Check all bathrooms, including showers.
• Turn off extra lights.
• Close all stairwell doors.
• Check all basement rooms and close windows.
• Chat with residents and staff...be social....build community.
• Check for facilities concerns as well as safety and security problems.
• Check all public areas in your building (lounges, laundry room, computer lab, etc.).
• NOTE: Being in the opposite gender wings after visitation hours is okay, but you should only be in these wings after hours if you are doing a round or acting as a function of your job.  Please do not abuse this privilege.  Students will notice and say something.