University Housing Services
2013-2014
RETURNING Senior Resident Advisor/Resident Advisor/Themed Community RA
Selection and Application Process
We are pleased you are considering returning as a Senior Resident Advisor, a Resident Advisor (RA)/Themed Community RA (TCRA) with University Housing Services (UHS). This is the application packet for candidates that have previously been a SRA/RA/TCRA for UHS. You are eligible to apply if you have previously been through one evaluation process with UHS. If you have any questions feel free to call any potential supervisor or talk with your current supervisor.
Hiring decisions will be based upon three items: (1) the Application; (2) the Evaluation that was completed during Fall Semester with your current supervisor (or last evaluation on file); and (3) the Individual Interview. Use the timeline listed below to assist you in completing these areas on time. It is your responsibility to make sure each is completed by the deadline. Incomplete files will not be considered for re-hire.
A. Minimum Application Requirements
1. From date of application, applicants must continually maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or better. A GPA of at least 2.5 must be maintained during each semester of employment. All applicants will be screened to ensure they meet this requirement.
2. Applicants must not have an active judicial file at any time during the selection process. All applicants will be screened to ensure they meet this requirement prior to the interview process.
3. Applicants should have demonstrated leadership experience, either on or off campus.
4. All applicants should have experience working/living with a diverse group of people.
5. All hired SRAs/RAs/TCRAs are required to get fingerprinted. UHS will cover the cost of this requirement. Instructions will be given upon hiring. Pending approval, candidate may not be able to be offered/continue in position.
6. SRA candidates must have at least one year of RA experience (preferably at SJSU).
B. Application Process – If you Apply for ALL positions, make sure to note the process and dates for each. Applicants may be interviewed more than once depending on which positions they apply for.
SRA Application/Re-Application Process – Due Date: Monday, February 4, 5:00PM
1. Please type requested information in all parts of application. Incomplete or handwritten applications will not be processed and will make the applicant INELIGIBLE to be considered for the position.
2. Applications must be accompanied by a resume and cover letter.
3. The cover letter must address the following:
a. Your interest in the SRA job description.
b. Your specific interest in the community you would like to be an SRA for.
c. Why you believe you are qualified for the SRA position.
d. Ideas that you have for the SRA position.
4. Applications will be screened by Residential Life Staff. Candidates who do not meet grade, judicial, and other qualifications will be notified according to the below timeline.
5. Applications must be submitted to University Housing Services. Please see the below timeline for due date/time. Applications that miss the deadline will not be considered and will render candidates disqualified.
Returning RA Application Process – Due Date: Monday, February 4, 5:00PM
1. Please type requested information in all parts of application. Incomplete or handwritten applications will not be processed and will make the applicant INELIGIBLE to be considered for the position.
2. Applications will be screened by Residential Life Staff. Candidates who do not meet grade, judicial, and other qualifications will be notified according to the above timeline.
3. Applications must be submitted to University Housing Services. Please see the above timeline for due date/time. Applications that miss the deadline will not be considered and will render candidates disqualified.
Theme Community RA Application Process – Due Date: Monday, February 4, 5:00PM
1. Please type requested information in all parts of application. Incomplete or handwritten applications will not be processed and will make the applicant INELIGIBLE to be considered for the position.
2. Complete the TCRA Essays
3. Applications will be screened by Residential Life Staff. Candidates who do not meet grade, judicial, and other qualifications will be notified according to the above timeline.
4. Applications must be submitted to University Housing Services. Please see the above timeline for due date/time. Applications that miss the deadline will not be considered and will render candidates disqualified.
C. Formal Evaluation
1. Returning SRAs/RAs/TCRAs are considered staff members that have gone through at least one formal evaluation from their RLC. Qualified returners will be “meeting expectations” as defined in the evaluation process (a 3.0 average in each section of the evaluation). Should candidates not have a 3.0 “Meeting Expectations” average in each section of their fall evaluation, action steps must be discussed with their supervisor and they must achieve the 3.0 average per section at the end of the Spring semester.
2. All others that do not fit in this category and have previously worked as an SRA/RA/TCRA for UHS, previous evaluations will be considered on a case by case basis.
D. Individual Interviews
SRA Interview with Professional Staff: Monday, February 25 – Friday, March 1
1. Residential Life Staff will determine which candidates to offer an SRA interview to. All applicants are not automatically guaranteed an interview. Candidates who are invited to continue in the process will be scheduled for a 1 hour interview with professional staff members.
2. Each candidate will give a 30 minute presentation following the portfolio guideline (see page 5 for more details). Immediately after the presentation, the Pro Staff Member will ask follow up questions.
Returning RA Interview with RLC: Monday, February 25 – Friday, March 1
1. Candidates who are invited to continue in the process must contact the RLC assigned to them for the interview by the date in the above timeline so that an individual interview is scheduled during this time period. Communication can be done via e-mail or phone. Interviews will last for one hour.
2. Each candidate will give a 30 minute presentation following the portfolio guideline (see page 6 for more details). Immediately after the presentation, the RLC will ask follow up questions.
TCRA Interview with Committee
1. The TCRA Selection Committee will determine which candidates they would like to interview for the various themed community.
2. The TCRA Selection Committee will contact candidates to schedule interviews.
3. The TCRA Committee will ask questions specific to the theme community in the interview.
E. Additional Information
1. All newly selected staff members may be expected to register for and participate in the 3 credit Fall 2013 Student Staff Class, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3-4:15pm. Final decisions about the class existence will be made during June 2013.
2. Several variables are considered in determining financial aid awards to students. Using Federal, State, and University formulas, the Financial Aid Office completes an analysis of your profile to determine what you can afford and what will be awarded. It is possible that the SRA/RA/TCRA award package will impact your current financial aid award. If you would like to see how the SRA/RA/TCRA award package will affect your aid, please contact the Financial Aid Office.
3. Candidates who would like to reside on campus even if they are not selected for an SRA/RA/TCRA position should follow the Room Selection Process determined by UHS and publicized on its web site. Candidates that are offered and accept a position will have their housing adjusted accordingly. You do not need to apply for housing to be considered as an RA candidate. Filling out a housing application will assist in your ability to receive housing should you not get offered an SRA/RA/TCRA position.
NOTE: SHOULD YOU APPLY FOR HOUSING FOR 2013-2014, PAY THE FEES ASSOCIATED AND DO NOT GET AN RA POSITION, YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A REIMBURSEMENT FOR ANY OF THE FEES THAT WERE ASSOCIATED IN APPLYING FOR HOUSING.
F. Selection Timeline: White Shaded – Applies to ALL Positions; Red Shaded – Applies to SRAs; Yellow Shaded – Applies to Returning RA; Green Shaded – Applies to TCRAs
Event / Date / Time / LocationReturning SRAs/ RAs/ TCRAs notified of process & Portfolio requirement / Fall 2012 / N/A / CVB – RAC
Applications Available / Thursday., December 6, 2012 / 5:00 PM / Via E-mail
Applications Due / Monday, February 4, 2013 / 5:00 PM / Drop off at University Housing Services Office (2nd Floor of Campus Village B)
Disqualification Notices
to Candidates (for academic, judicial and incomplete application reasons) / Friday, February 8, 2013 / 10:00 PM / E-mailed to candidate
Application confirmation / Friday, February 8, 2013 / 10:00 PM / Emailed to candidates. Should you not receive a confirmation email saying that your application is COMPLETE, please contact Kenrick Ali ()
SRA Candidates notified about Interview Status. Assigned Pro Staff member will be provided to those individuals offered interviews. / Friday, February 15, 2013 / By 8:00 PM / E-mailed to candidates
SRA Candidates MUST contact the assigned Pro Staff member by this date to set up an interview. / Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Those that do not meet deadline will be removed from the process. / 5:00 PM / Candidates may e-mail, call the office (leave a message if no answer) or stop by their office to schedule an interview time.
SRA Individual Interviews (It is the responsibility of the candidate to contact the Pro Staff Member they have been assigned to schedule an interview time) / Monday, February 25 – Friday, March 1, 2013 / Business Hours or scheduled time / Pro Staff Offices
Returning RA Candidates notified which RLC to contact regarding their Individual Interviews. / Friday, February 8, 2013 / By 8:00 PM / E-mailed to candidates
Returning RA Candidates MUST contact the assigned RLC by this date to set up an interview. / Friday, February 15, 2013
Those that do not meet deadline will be removed from the process. / 5:00 PM / Candidates may e-mail, call the RLCs office (leave a message if no answer) or stop by their office to schedule an interview time.
Returning RA Individual Interviews (It is the responsibility of the candidate to contact the RLC they have been assigned to schedule an interview time) / Monday, February 25 – Friday, March 1, 2013 / Business Hours or scheduled time / RLC Offices
TCRA Candidates contacted for TCRA Interview / On or before Friday, March 1, 2013 / 5:00 PM / Candidates will be contacted by the TCRA Selection Committee to schedule an interview.
TCRA Interviews / Monday, February 25-Friday, March 8, 2013 / Business Hours or scheduled time / University Housing Services
Offers and non-offers emailed to candidates / Monday, March 18, 2013 / 5:00 PM / E-mailed to candidate. Should you not receive an e-mail notifying you of the final result, please contact Kenrick Ali ()
Acceptance/Declination Due / Thursday, March 21, 2013 / 5:00 PM / On Line
2013-2014 Staff Orientation
(For hired SRA/ RA/TCRAs) / Thursday, April 18, 2013 / 7-8 PM / CVB RAC
Applications Past the Above Deadlines / On Going / UHS will continuously accept SRA/RA/TCRA Applications throughout the academic year. Should you miss the above dates, you may still submit an application. Once your application is complete with all the application materials, you will be contacted if we are interested in your candidacy. Please see page 19 for additional details.
University Housing Services
Senior Resident Advisor
Application Process – 2013-2014
The Process:
1. Performance Appraisal Evaluation Meeting with Supervisor (completed by 1/31/2013).
2. Complete a SRA/Returning RA/TCRA Application - Due February 4, 2013.
3. Create a Professional Portfolio/Presentation and schedule a 1 hour meeting with the assigned Pro Staff Member by February 15th, 5PM. Meeting MUST BE SCHEDULED by this day and time and is the responsibility of the candidate to schedule the meeting using phone, e-mail or in-person. Kenrick Ali, Assistant Director for Staff and Leadership Development will send out the list of assigned Pro Staff members for candidates to contact on February 8, 2013.
4. Staff members who fail to meet the above scheduling deadline will be dropped from the application process.
5. Meetings will occur during the week of February 25th – March 1st.
6. SRAs that need technology as part of their presentation must bring those to the meeting. Professional staff members will not be responsible for providing technological items for you.
7. Presentation should not exceed 30 minutes in length. Follow up questions will occur for an additional 30 minutes. It is important that presentations cover all items mentioned in the criteria section below. Failure to do so, will affect your candidacy. The SRA candidate may present their project in a variety of ways including a portfolio, PowerPoint presentation, website, or display to name a few. All Portfolio Projects will be assigned a score that will be included in the candidate’s overall application consideration. While creativity is encouraged, it is not a mandatory/graded part of the presentation. It is more important that the content of your presentation cover all items in the criteria. Additionally, no funds will be provided for the development of presentations. We do not encourage/expect staff to spend money on their presentation. Any funds used are at the decision/discretion of the candidate. Please use the resources that are available in your overall development.
8. Pro Staff will notify candidates as to the location of the meetings.
* ONLY staff members who are contacted for an interview will be considered. Not all applicants are guaranteed an interview.
Purpose of Professional Portfolio or Presentation:
· To assess the individual development and contribution of the SRA candidate during the duration of the term(s) that he or she has held a position in University Housing Services (UHS).
· To assess the personal motivation and ability of the SRA candidate for the following academic year.
Criteria items that must be demonstrated in project from the 2012-2013 academic year:
o Ability to maintain a 2.50 cumulative GPA and plan to successfully manage this requirement.