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Applications for 2024 are now OPEN.

Pre-College Programs Residential Advisor

The Pre-College Residential Advisor (RA) is an invaluable resource to students and an essential part of the Pre-College Residential Life experience. RAs will work in collaboration with the Assistant Director for Pre-College Student Affairs, Community Advisors (CAs), and other RAs to create a welcoming and inclusive environment, facilitate student engagement, and provide support to students when needed. Individuals who are interested in applying for this role should be prepared to take on the responsibility of caring for the safety and well-being of high school students.

Position Overview and Purpose:

The Pre-College Programs Residential Advisors (RAs) are student employees that are fundamental to the success of the Pre-College Programs. RAs provide leadership within their housing communities through engaging with students, easing the transition of being away from home, creating programming, enforcing rules, managing conflicts, and mentoring. The RA role is both independent and collaborative – RAs will need to work with each other as well as independently to accomplish tasks. These students will be residential leaders who carry out the shared vision of Pre-College Programs, engage all Pre-College students, and provide them with direction as well as guidance under the leadership of CAs and the Assistant Director.

Although the Office of Pre-College Programs is looking for a diverse group of candidates for the RA position, the following skill sets are desirable in a potential RA:

  • Leadership/Mentorship
  • Teamwork/Collaboration
  • Professionalism/Maturity
  • Independence
  • Effective Oral/Written Communication
  • Critical Thinking/Creative Problem Solving
  • Adaptability
  • Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
  • Project Planning/Time Management
  • Embodiment of the Pre-College Mission and Vision

Please Note: Act 153 Clearances including PA Criminal History Check, PA Child Abuse Clearance, and FBI Background Check are required for employment with Pre-College Programs. Failure to obtain proper clearances will result in dismissal from the position.

If hired as a Pre-College Programs RA, an individual will have the following responsibilities:

Student Support AND Supervision

  • Supervising Pre-College students and providing support to residents of the assigned floor.
  • Mediating and resolving conflicts and personal disputes among students of the assigned floor.
  • Connecting Pre-College students with proper resources on campus.
  • Checking on Pre-College students of the assigned floor daily.
  • Documenting any student-related issues or incidents.
  • Ensuring all students clean their assigned dorm rooms to their original state when moving out.
  • Participating in assigned duty schedules and managing building and floor curfew sign-ins with Community Advisors.
  • Being responsible for the safety and well-being of Pre-College students when on duty.

Community Development               

  • Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment.
  • Enforcing community standards, expectations, regulations and policies, and code of conduct.
  • Engaging with students by checking in on them, providing support, maintaining a consistent floor presence, and being approachable and available.
  • Being a positive role model to Pre-College students by providing an example of students who are involved on campus and living well-balanced lifestyles.

Program & Event Planning

  • Assisting with the logistics and taking assigned responsibilities for Early Arrival Days, Opening Day, Orientation Day, Fourth of July Celebration, and Closing Days.
  • Creating, planning, and facilitating programming/clubs for students.
  • Collaborating with CAs to plan the 3-week dance event.
  • Chaperoning off-campus trips including supervising students and coordinating transportation as assigned.
  • Organizing and managing program supplies in coordination with leadership staff.

Emergency Response      

  • Anticipating issues and helping to troubleshoot and problem-solve.
  • Working with CAs to serve as the first line of response in the event of an emergency within the residence halls by starting procedures and triaging as needed.
  • Enacting lost child protocol when needed.

Other Responsibilities

  • Participating in the various rotational duty schedules.
  • Managing curfew sign-in, keeping all records, and being prepared to launch an emergency action plan in coordination with the CAs/Assistant Director.
  • Following systems, policies, and procedures set forth by Pre-College Programs to help run the residential program effectively.
  • Creating and maintaining floor bulletin boards and door decorations.
  • Facilitating and leading floor meetings.
  • Attending all-staff trainings and meetings, floor meetings, and 1:1 meetings.
  • Working with CAs within the assigned housing community to make sure all housing facilities (student dorm rooms, assigned floors,  front desk area, kitchens, refrigerators, lobbies, bulletin boards, door decorations, and other building common areas) are cleaned, organized, and ready for the Assistant Director to do a final walk-through check by the assigned time on Saturday, August 3, 2024.
  • Working with CAs to organize and move out items left by Pre-College students. 
  • Providing CAs and the Assistant Director with feedback and updates.
  • Reporting to your assigned locations and responsibilities prepared and on time.
  • Maintaining daily communication with CAs to provide updates.
  • All other duties as assigned by CAs and the Assistant Director.

DATES:

  • Employment Start Date: Sunday, June 9, 2024*
  • Employment End Date: Sunday, August 4, 2024

TERMS:

  • Stipend Term: Sunday, June 9 – Sunday, August 4, 2024 (paid in evenly distributed semi-monthly installments throughout the term)
  • Residential Term: Saturday, June 8 – Sunday, August 4, 2024**

    *There will be some occasional planning, work, and meetings during the Spring 2024 semester.

    **Living on-campus and within the housing communities is mandatory for RAs from Saturday, June 8  – Sunday, August 4, 2024. All RAs will have to move out by 12:00 pm on August 4, 2024.

  • Meal Plan Term: There are two different meal plan terms for RAs. Please read the following carefully.
    • Pre-Program: When official RA training begins on Monday, June 10, 2024, RAs will have the following accommodations:
      • Monday - Friday: CAs/RAs will have a continental breakfast at their housing locations prior to training and will receive DineXtra on their ID cards for Lunch and Dinner.
      • Saturday - Sunday: CAs/RAs will receive DineXtra on their ID cards for Brunch and Dinner.
      • DineXtra will expire at 11:59pm on Friday, June 21, 2024.
    • During the Program: Sunday, June 23 - Friday, August 2, 2024: RAs will follow the same meal plan as Pre-College Students. The meal plan will provide breakfast, lunch, and dinner (Monday - Friday), with brunch and dinner provided on Saturday and Sunday. The main dining hall during this time is Resnik Café - CAs/RAs are required to use their weekend (Saturday and Sunday) meal blocks (brunch and dinner) at Resnik Café. The weekday (Monday through Friday) meal blocks (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) can be used at Resnik or any other dining venue on campus as “traveling meals”. Note: July 4th will be brunch and dinner at Resnik Café. In addition, CAs/RAs are provided with $14 per week (Sunday through Saturday – expiring weekly) in DineXtra funds that can be used at all dining venues on campus including Entropy and Scotty's Market.

OTHER INFORMATION:

  • Supervisor: Assistant Director for Pre-College Student Affairs
  • Contact: 412-268-6714 or pclife@andrew.cmu.edu
  • All Pre-College staff are considered on-duty unless they are on an officially approved day off. They must abide by the policies set forth during training.
  • No days off are permitted during staff training, Early Arrival Days, Opening Day, Orientation Day, Fourth of July, and Closing Days.
  • Outside Commitments: RAs must receive approval from the Assistant Director prior to engaging in any commitment outside of the Pre-College Programs.

RA Application Qualifications:

All candidates who are interested in applying for the Pre-College RA position must meet the following qualifications:

  • Need to be a rising second, third, or fourth-year student at Carnegie Mellon University
  • Achieve and maintain a minimum 2.0 QPA
  • Must be in and maintain good disciplinary standing with Carnegie Mellon University (During the selection process, a Community Standards record check will be completed.)
  • Have previous or transferrable experiences of being an RA/camp counselor and/or working with high school students.

Important Links:

Questions?

If you have any questions or concerns about the Pre-College Programs RA position, please reach out to the Assistant Director for Pre-College Student Affairs at pclife@andrew.cmu.edu.

STATEMENT OF ASSURANCE:

Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate in admission, employment, or administration of its programs or activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, handicap or disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, ancestry, belief, veteran status, or genetic information. Furthermore, Carnegie Mellon University does not discriminate and is required not to discriminate in violation of federal, state, or local laws or executive orders.

Inquiries concerning the application of and compliance with this statement should be directed to the Office for Institutional Equity and Title IX, Carnegie Mellon University, 5000 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, telephone 412-268-7125.

Obtain general information about Carnegie Mellon University by calling 412-268-2000.