Resident Advisor

Become a Resident Advisor!

Are you interested in being an RA for Spring 2025 (pending vacancies) or the 2025-2026 academic year? You have come to the right place! You will find everything here to help guide you through the application process, including a detailed position description (which includes position qualifications and time commitments), our recruitment timeline, and a list of frequently asked questions. If you have questions about something not covered here, please email us at liveandlearn@etsu.edu.

Applications for 2025-2026 will open at 12:01 AM on October 1, 2024!

As an RA, you will:

• Gain leadership skills
• Learn how to mediate and manage conflict
• Work with a diverse group of people
• Develop communication skills
• Make a difference in the lives of fellow ETSU Buccaneers

• RA Qualifications

  • Applicants must have completed at least 12 credit hours of full-time academic coursework at ETSU, or be a transfer student with 12+ credit hours earned as a full-time student at another institution, by employment start date. Credits earned as dual-enrollment, Advanced Placement (AP), or International Baccalaureate (IB) do not count towards this requirement.
    • If you are currently a new, first-time ETSU freshman, you will be eligible for the RA position starting in your second semester at ETSU, assuming that you have passed a minimum of 12 credit hours in your first term.
  • You must be a regularly enrolled, full-time student at ETSU. Undergraduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours; graduate students a minimum of 9 credit hours. Note to graduate student applicants: The RA position is not a graduate assistantship. You also cannot serve in the RA role while holding a GA, TS, or TA position. For information on available GA positions at ETSU, visit the Graduate School website at https://www.etsu.edu/gradschool/funding/gats.php.
  • You must have a minimum of a 2.50 cumulative GPA on the date of the job offer, and at the conclusion of the fall 2024 semester. You must be in good standing at ETSU. New hires will be considered ineligible if they are on academic or conduct probation at either the time of the job offer or their employment start date. Once a student has been offered an RA position, the expectation is that they do not violate ETSU conduct policies.
  • Applicants must be able to successfully complete a national background check, conducted after an initial offer of employment is made.
  • To begin employment, all applicants must have fingerprints on file with ETSU Public Safety. Prints are taken at the Public Safety office after successful completion of the background check.
  • RAs must continue to demonstrate academic progress by completing at least 12 credit hours per semester (9 for graduate students), excluding summers. 
• Applying & Timeline

   

  September 2024	Individuals interested in the RA position are encouraged to speak with current RAs, Resident Director (RD) staff, and professional staff in Housing and Residence Life, to learn more about the position.
  October 1, 2024	Applications will begin being accepted for 2025-2026 positions. Note: applications will be reviewed by committee as they are received.
  November 22, 2024	Applicants seeking Spring 2025 employment (only available if vacancies are anticipated) may be contacted for interviews.
  January 21, 2025	Priority deadline for 2025-2026 RA applicants. SignUp Genius form will be shared with applicants to schedule individual interviews.
  January 28, 2025	Deadline to confirm individual RA interview date/time via SignUp Genius
  January 30, 2025 to February 7, 2025	In-person, individual interviews conducted 8:00am-4:15pm daily. Last interview offered at 3:30pm.
  February 19, 2025	Deadline to accept or decline RA offer at 11:59pm

  **Note: Training dates in August 2025 to be determined and shared at a later time. 

• Application

  To submit an application, click the button below and log in with your ETSU username and password. Your username is the first part of your ETSU email, without @etsu.edu. 

  Flexibility is a quality that we find to be common in our most-successful team members. You will be asked if you are willing to work in any residential community at ETSU. A portion of the online application will include question prompts. We encourage thoughtful responses as they will be evaluated. 

  Apply Now!

   

  • Applications CANNOT be saved and finished at a later date. The entire application must be done at one time. 
• Frequently Asked Questons

  Please browse these common questions as you consider the RA position at ETSU. 

  Q: I have had a conduct violation at ETSU. Will this impact my eligibility for the RA position?
  A: We recognize that, sometimes, you may make a decision during your time at ETSU that is not representative of your overall experience at the University. We will review all candidates’ conduct history and inform the candidate of their status prior to interviews being scheduled. In addition, applicants cannot be on ETSU Probation for conduct or academics during the selection process, at the time of hire, or at the start of employment. 

  Q: If I am applying to be an RA, should I still make other plans for housing?
  A: If you are looking to reside in on-campus housing (in our residence halls or at Buc Ridge), and are selected for an RA position, ETSU Housing and Residence Life is able to internally adjust your assignment. We are not able to do this for any off-campus housing, and would recommend that you consider this as you make decisions regarding housing options for next year.

  Q: How many hours do RAs work each week?
  A: RAs should expect to work 20 hours per week in their residential community, consisting of both virtual and in-person responsibilities. These hours are used interacting with residents, answering the phone/responding to situations while on-call, one-on-one meetings, staff team meetings, preparing for an enacting our residential curriculum, and communicating via your ETSU email. These hours are based on the needs of the residential community, and include weekday, weekend, and holiday hours. RAs have an earlier arrival and later departure than residents each semester. 

  Q: How are RAs compensated?
  A: RAs receive a scholarship for work, at the start of each academic semester. This scholarship amount is submitted to the Financial Aid and Scholarships Office, and the Bursar’s Office, before the start of each semester. Receipt of this scholarship may impact your other Financial Aid awards, and we urge applicants to contact your Financial Aid Counselor directly to discuss what these impacts may be prior to applying for or accepting an RA position. Students who work as RAs will see the cost of their housing and dining plans on their student accounts. 

  Q: I already have a part-time job on campus. Would I have to quit to become an RA?
  A: The RA position is considered a 20 hour/week position. The student employment policy at ETSU limits student to not more than 29 hours/week, if a domestic student. This means that domestic students may not work more than 9 hours/week in any additional on-campus employment. All candidates for the RA position are encouraged to speak with the office of Financial Aid and Scholarships Office to discuss any impact that the RA position may have on existing aid packages. 

  Q: I am an international student at ETSU. Am I eligible to work as an RA?
  A: International students interested in the RA position should visit the International Student Employment website here: ETSU | International Student Employment, and complete the steps noted on the page, prior to completing an application for the RA position. All international students must be in possession of a social security number and a valid visa, authorizing you to work in the United States. International students cannot work other campus employment and serve in the RA position. You are advised to speak with the staff in International Enrollment and Services with any questions about on-campus employment. 

If you have additional questions after careful review of the above information, please contact Dr. Adrianna Guram, Associate Director of Residence Life at gurama@etsu.edu.