RA Employment Agreement

RESIDENT ADVISOR EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

*Below is the 2012-13 RA Employment Agreement, which may be subject to change for 2013-14

The Resident Advisor is an integral part of residential life at Bowling Green State University. Many students will look to the Resident Advisor as a role model. As such, each Resident Advisor maintains the responsibility and obligation to always conduct oneself in a manner that is reflective of the highest standards.

General Information

• Resident Advisors will receive remuneration, which will cover the cost of a room, a Bronze meal plan, and a stipend. Stipend payments may be received in a monthly check or may be automatically applied to the RA’s Bursar account. 
• The Resident Advisor appointment is for one academic year. The RA will need to participate in an application process to determine eligibility for the Returning Resident Advisor position for the following academic year contract. 
• The Hall Director will make RA room assignments according to experience, special abilities, and expected needs of individual floors. The Hall Director may change your assignment at any time.
• The Office of Residence Life reserves the right to assign/reassign Resident Advisors to the residence halls that are best suited to their skills and abilities, or based on need.
• The Resident Advisor must obtain alternate housing accommodations when the residence halls are closed during breaks, unless given permission by the Hall Director in collaboration with the Assistant Director for that area. Resident Advisors who will be student teaching must obtain permission from the Hall Director to remain during times when the residence halls are closed.
• The Resident Advisor will be evaluated each semester and provided written feedback on his/her job performance by their supervising Hall Director/Graduate Hall Director.
• The Resident Advisor must not be currently under Residential Conduct Probation or University Conduct Probation.
• If the Resident Advisor resigns from the position, is terminated, withdraws or is removed from Bowling Green State University, the University will be reimbursed with any credits to the RA’s account covering the room and board charges for the period during which services as an RA were not rendered.
• If the Resident Advisor resigns from the position, is terminated, withdraws, or is removed from Bowling Green State University, the Resident Advisor will be required to vacate the floor/suite of the building in which the RA resides and will be assigned to a new room in a different residence hall. The housing agreement signed by the RA remains valid, unless an appeal is granted. 
• If the Resident Advisor resigns from the position, is terminated, withdraws, or is removed from Bowling Green State University, the Resident Advisor may be required to vacate any other position within the Office of Residence Life (i.e., Desk Clerk, SMART, etc.)

Expectation One: Personal Responsibility

• Serve as a positive role model and representative of the Office of Residence Life whether on- or off-campus.
• Know, understand and follow all policies set forth in the, RA Handbook, Student Handbook, as well as all applicable Federal and State laws.
• Inform the Hall Director of any current or potential problem involving a Resident Advisor and/or affecting the individual, staff, or community.
• Do not engage in insubordinate behavior, continuous negative attitudes, creating team conflicts, and documented performance issues.
• Demonstrate sound judgment at all times.
• Follow all guidelines outlined in the Office of Residence Life’s Statement of Confidentiality.
• All RAs are required to follow the University’s Sexual Harassment Policy and pass the University’s Sexual Harassment on-line training.
• Within the University Community, staff are not to have supervisory, evaluative, advisory, or other relationships with students or employees with whom they have or have had a consensual amorous relationship.
• Staff are expected to know and adhere to all University computer and network policies. Staff should only utilize those computer and technology systems for which they have been granted access and provided training. Misuse or abuse of systems and passwords may result in job action.
• Staff are expected to adhere to University policies and the Technology policy outlined in the RA Manual when utilizing social media.
• When affiliated with an Office of Residence Life event, initiative, or in the capacity of their positions, all student staff are not permitted to transport residents in their personal vehicles or ride in other residents’ cars.  If an RA has specific questions about this policy, please refer to the RA supervisor.
• When working with parents or families of BGSU residents, RAs will follow the “Working with Residents’ Parents and Families” guidelines in the RA Handbook
• The Resident Advisor must be and remain current on all financial obligations (tuition payments, fees, parking fines, etc.) to the University.

Expectation Two: Community Development

• Complete all programming and community development expectations as outlined by the Community Development Plan (CDP). This includes, but not limited to, FYAP and FAP conversations, individual floor programs and hall wide programs and initiatives.
• Establish a positive environment on the floor and in the hall by enforcing policies, documenting incidents and student issues, mediating conflicts, following up on student concerns and having individual conversations with residents using the First Year Achievement Program (FYAP) and Falcon Achievement Program (FAP) guidelines. 

Expectation Three: Academics

• Resident Advisors are students first. Resident Advisors should always strive for academic excellence.
• Resident Advisors must be full-time enrolled BGSU students. Resident Advisors may take more than 18 credit hours per semester, but only with the permission of the Assistant Director.  
• Resident Advisors must maintain a cumulative GPA of a 2.5 or above at all times. Following are the guidelines that will be following should an RA struggle with this requirement:
• RA has semester GPA between 1.5-2.49, but still has cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
• RA is placed on probation for the following semester.
• If RA’s semester GPA for the following semester is above 2.5, then RA is off probation.
• If RA’s semester GPA for the following semester is below 2.5, then RA is terminated from the position, even if their overall GPA is still 2.5 or above.
• RA has semester GPA below 1.5, but still has cumulative GPA of at least 2.5
• Hall Director and Assistant Director will review situation.  RA may be terminated or placed on probation for the following semester.  If on probation, the RA has one semester to achieve the GPA requirement or the RA will be terminated from the position.
• RA has semester GPA below 2.5 and cumulative GPA falls below 2.5
• RA is dismissed.

Expectation Four: Training and Other Time Commitments

• First Year Resident Advisors must attend the Fall RA Training beginning on Monday, August 6, 2012 and continuing through to the first day of classes on Monday, August 20, 2012. Returning Resident Advisors must attend Fall RA Training beginning on Tuesday, August 7, 2012 and continuing through to the first day of classes on Monday, August 22, 2012.
• Resident Advisors in their first year of employment must have completed the RA Training Course (UNIV 2100) with a grade of C or above the semester prior to being employed or attend the RA Fall Retreat if they were hired after the spring class. Failure to achieve a grade of C or above or attend the Fall RA Retreat may result in termination.  
• Resident Advisors must complete all assigned staff development requirements.
• Resident Advisors must return early from Winter Break for Spring RA Training on Friday, January 4, 2013 and Saturday, January 5, 2013.
• Resident Advisors are encouraged to be involved in other campus activities and organizations. However, outside commitments must not interfere with RA duties and responsibilities. Resident Advisors must remember that all extra-curricular activities come after academics and job responsibilities and should be approved by his or her Hall Director/Graduate Hall Director prior to involvement or commitment.
• Resident Advisors will not schedule classes or activities on Wednesdays, 7:30 – 9:00 PM. This time is reserved for staff meetings, in-service workshops, committee meetings, and other Residence Life activities.
• Resident Advisors are expected to support and participate in Office of Residence Life sponsored programs and initiatives including, but not limited to, RA Recruitment, diversity-related programs, and BGSU Preview Days.  
• Certain weekends during the academic year will be considered “Closed Weekends” and all staff must be on-campus during these days and no time away requests will be approved.  Closed Weekends will include the first weekend after each semester has started, Homecoming Weekend, Family Weekend, Sibs N’ Kids Weekend, and the weekend immediately following the last week of classes each semester. 
• Resident Advisors are expected to complete in-services each semester.  RAs that do not complete their in-service requirements may not be rehired and/or may be placed on probation by the Office of Residence Life.
• Resident Advisors are expected to stay late and come back early during breaks (Thanksgiving, Winter, and Spring) in order to assist with the opening and closing of the halls. Resident Advisors will remain in the hall and assist with closing until noon on (Sunday, May 5, 2013). Resident Advisors should not make travel plans without consulting with their supervisor first.   If the decision is made to keep residence halls open over break periods, Resident Advisors will be assigned days to cover the hall and will not be able to be away during the entire break period.  

Expectation Five: Duty and Time Away

• Complete all assigned duty responsibilities (including confrontation and timely reporting), as outlined in the RA Handbook and by the Hall Director.
• No Resident Advisor may consume alcohol or be under the influence of alcohol at any time during duty. Doing so will result in termination.
• Resident Advisors may not engage in additional employment or leave the residence hall while on duty, unless given permission by the Hall Director for emergency purposes. 
• For holidays and breaks, plan on staying until after the halls are closed and/or returning early to open.
• Due to the nature of the position, an RA may be expected to respond to student concerns and crisis situations when both on and off duty. Therefore, an RA is expected to sleep in their assigned building each night except for approved time off.
• The Resident Advisor may spend up to 12 nights away from campus per academic semester with the prior approval of his/her immediate supervisor.  The granting of time-off, be that either weekends or weekdays, shall be at the discretion of the Hall Director.

Expectation Six: Alcohol and Drug Usage

• Resident Advisors under the age of 21 may not consume, possess, or distribute alcohol to minors on or off campus with or without residents. Doing so will result in disciplinary action, which can include termination from the position.
• Resident Advisors, who are under 21, are not permitted to remain in a space where others are consuming alcohol.
• Drinking with underage residents is prohibited. Resident Advisors must immediately leave an event where underage residents are drinking (regardless of the RA’s age). Failure to do so may result in termination from the position.
• Resident Advisors may not be employed in positions as a bartender, bouncer, ID checker, or any position at an establishment that serves alcohol as its primary source of business such as a bar, tavern, or pub. 
• Resident Advisors, 21 years of age or older, are expected to make responsible choices when consuming alcohol, always keeping in consideration their ability to be role models for residents. Failure to do so may result in termination from the position.
• The use of any form of illegal drug is in violation of State and Federal laws and will result in termination from the position.

Expectation Seven: Use of PED and Keys

• At no time should Resident Advisors carry a Master or Key Keep key, if they are not using it. Master or Key Keep keys must never leave the hands of a staff member. The Key keep key should be kept in a safe place and the Master key should always be returned to the lock box after each use.
• Resident Advisors must use a Master or Key Keep key only as directed by the Hall Director/Graduate Hall Director, Office of Residence Life professional staff member, or the University Police.
• Resident Advisors must always document any situation when the Master Key is used, unless directed by the Hall Director/Graduate Hall Director.
• Report immediately to the Hall Director if the Master or Key Keep key is misplaced, lost or stolen.
• Resident Advisors will utilize their access to rooms/building through the use of their PED, the Master Key, lockout keys, etc. in a responsible manner always. Loss or inappropriate use of keys or PED may result in termination and/or a charge for changing affected locks.

Expectation Eight: Additional Employment and Academic Internships/Commitments

• First-year Resident Advisors may seek additional employment on- or off-campus for a maximum of fifteen (15) hours per week. This 15-hour maximum includes travel time.  Returning Resident Advisors may seek additional employment on- or off-campus for a maximum of twenty (20) hours per week. This 20-hour maximum includes travel time. All RAs are discouraged from having jobs that regularly take them away from the residence halls during evening and night hours.
• Resident Advisors may not be employed at an establishment that serves alcohol as its primary source of business.
• The RA position and its duties will take precedence over any additional employment. Failure to maintain satisfactory RA job performance may result in disciplinary action, including being asked to resign from the additional job or the Resident Advisor position.
• Academic related internships or other requirements (including student teaching related obligations, nursing clinicals, co-ops and practica, etc.) are limited to a maximum of twenty (20) hours per week, including travel time. If Resident Advisors choose to have additional employment and fulfill an academic-related requirement, the total hours for both combined cannot exceed 20 hours. Due to the time commitment of some academic obligations, it may not be possible to be a Resident Advisor. Such obligations include those that create a time conflict which keeps a student away from campus and which make it impossible to fulfill RA job expectations.  Any exceptions to this expectation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Senior Associate Director.
• To avoid a conflict of interest, Resident Advisors are not permitted to hold an Executive Board position on the Resident Student Association (RSA) while being an RA.

Expectation Nine:  Additional RA Expectations & Duties

• Resident Advisors will adhere to the RA expectations as assigned by the Hall Director/Graduate Hall Director.  The RA expectations assigned by the Hall Director/Graduate Hall Director supplement the requirements and expectations described in this Employment Agreement.
• Failure to adhere to the RA expectations assigned by the Hall Director/Graduate Hall Director will result in job disciplinary action or termination from the position.
• At certain times, Resident Advisors will be asked to fulfill additional responsibilities by the Hall Director/Graduate Hall Director and/or other Residence Life staff. Resident Advisors are expected to complete these duties as assigned.
• Residence Life staff are expected to refer all media requests to the Senior Associate Director or the Office of Marketing and Communications, as well as informing the Hall Director.
• The Resident Advisors have the right to practice the religion of their choice. Each semester, Resident Advisors should inform their supervisor(s) by the end of the second full week of classes their documented religious holiday schedule for the semester. Supervisors must permit students who miss work for the purpose of religious observance to make up this work. 
• In compliance with the American Disabilities Act, any staff member who might need special consideration or accommodation in the performance of job-related responsibilities for any sort of disability is invited to inform the Office of Residence Life.

RESIDENT ADVISOR CONTRACT

This Resident Advisor Appointment Contract (the “Agreement”) is entered into between Bowling Green State University (the “University”) and _______________ (the “Appointee’) and is for the 2012-2013 academic year at Bowling Green State University.

Location

The Appointee has been assigned to work as a Resident Advisor in _________________.  All assignments are subject to change and the University reserves the right to change or reassign Appointee to another residence hall as the University deems appropriate, in its sole discretion during the term of the Agreement.

Term

The length of employment is for the entire of the 2012-2013 academic year, which includes the Fall and Spring semesters, so long as the Appointee meets all of the terms and the conditions of employment set forth in this Agreement, as well as in the Resident Advisor job description and Resident Advisor Employment Agreement, or as otherwise requested by the Office of Residence Life or the University.

Residential Requirement

The Resident Advisor job, the live-in component of which is a critical condition of employment, requires the Appointee to live in the residence hall indicated in this Agreement or as otherwise assigned, during the entire time of the Agreement.  Room and board are provided as part of the compensation for the job.  As fully participating members of the residence hall community, the Appointee will demonstrate a commitment to residents by viewing their residence hall as the Appointee’s primary place for meals and residence, and participating in the social and educational activities.

Consideration

The University provides the Appointee compensation for the employment as a Resident Advisor in the following forms:

1. Cash Stipend:   A cash payment stipend in the amount of $560.00, which will be paid in ten (10) equal bi-weekly payments.  This stipend constitutes taxable income, and the appropriate taxes will be deducted according to the W-4 from filed with the Payroll Office.
2. Room and Board Remuneration:  Appointee shall also receive as compensation in addition to a cash stipend the following items:
   1. One Bronze Meal Plan as defined under University guidelines providing meals through the University Dining Services.
   2. One standard double room for single occupancy only in the residence hall to which the Appointee has been assigned, where Appointee is to reside while performing Resident Advisor duties;
   3. Payment by the University of the Residential Technology fee on Appointee’s behalf.
   4. Payment by the University of the Laundry fee on Appointee’s behalf.

3.  

   Note:  Appointee’s remuneration shall not be construed to constitute a scholarship, grant or gift for grant or financial aid purposes.  This remuneration is partial compensation for services rendered.  Room and Board remuneration does not constitute reportable income to the IRS where such remuneration is required as a condition of employment as a Resident Advisor.  The University is not however, an insurer that the tax laws will remain unchanged during the term of this Agreement.

   Contacting Financial Aid

   The Office of Residence Life is required to notify the Financial Aid Office of all staff appointments.  You are encouraged to consult a representative from the Financial Aid Office to learn if the room and board and any compensation received as a function of your employment will affect your specific financial aid package.

   Termination

   In the event of termination of this Agreement, all compensation shall cease as of the termination date.  Upon termination of this Agreement Appointee shall contact both the Payroll Office at (419) 372-2201 and the Bursar’s office at (419) 372-2815 to pay any outstanding housing and dining fees and to confirm financial good standing.  Termination of the Resident Advisor Appointment Contract shall not invalidate, nullify or terminate the independent Residential Acceptance Agreement that Appointee signs and to which Appointee is a party.  Appointee shall continue to be obligated to remain in on-campus housing for the full term of the Residential Acceptance Agreement unless otherwise released.

   Appointee’s terms and conditions of Appointment are also subject to the laws of the United States and of the State of Ohio, the rules and regulations of the University as embodied in the University Charter, the Student Handbook, the University Code of Ethics and all other policies and procedures of the University as authorized and approved by the University Board of Trustees.  The Appointee’s Appointment is further subject to the sufficiency and availability of University funds and/or residence hall occupancy.

   I have read and agree to the contract provisions as stated above.

    

   ____________________________________                            _________________

   Appointee Printed Name                                                                                   Date

    

   ____________________________________                            _________________

   Appointee Signature                                                                                           Date

    

   ____________________________________                            _________________

   University Hiring Authority                                                                                  Date