The Office of Residence Life Education and Housing is in the process of filling 70 positions and hopes to fill the positions by March.
Every year, ResLife sifts through 200-250 applicants to fill resident assistant positions.
Ryan Randolph is the area coordinator for Barret and Smith-Adams Halls and has a hand in selecting ADs and RAs.
Assistant directors were hired before Christmas break and went through a process similar to that of potential resident assistants.
“Assistant directors apply, and they have a Student Life interview and then an interview with us,” Randolph said. “In the past, interviews have looked really different; we did presentations one year where people did creative things – some people did pottery in front of us, some people did karate, somebody did a rap”¦ one guy got out of a straight jacket.”
The unconventionality of the interview process is a result of the ever-changing demands of residence life and area coordinator staff, Randolph said.
“We’re looking for different things, so the way we interview is going to be different,” she said. “Right now I’m looking for professional students. This is one of the main leadership roles on campus that students can do, so we want to make sure we have people who are flexible and ready to do Christ-centered leadership.”
Resident assistants must complete two rounds of interviews as well, but in a different fashion.
“Everybody applies; we do a blank cut before we do interviews – one round of group interviews and one round of individual interviews – and then we let people know right before spring break,” Randolph said.
In the past, students would go through an individual interview first, then a group interview in which they would go through potential residence hall scenarios and activities.
“This year, they’re going to do a group interviews first, then they’ll do individual interviews,” Randolph said. “Instead of sitting them in an interview to do it, we want to see how they react to other people and how, as a group, they would solve problems because part of being an RA is being a part of a team.”
The individual interview process will also receive moderate changes.
“The questions we’re going to ask are going to be slightly different this year and just the way we do the group interviews will be a little bit different,” Randolph said. “As you go on every year, you want to do better and better. We’ve got to ask them the right questions to make sure we’re picking the right students.”
Kendra Oregon, Sikes Hall RA, went through the application and selection process for the first time last year.
“It was a really good experience,” said Oregon, junior international studies major from Mesquite. “They were all really friendly and I just felt really welcomed by all of them.”
Oregon found out she got the job under false pretenses.
“I got this email saying ‘we’ve had such an awesome turnout this year, but we don’t know who we’re going to pick, so we’re going to have you come back for another interview,'” she said.
She and a group of women were asked to meet in Gardner Hall where they were told they got the position through an interactive game.
Oregon said she was excited about the outcome, but one concern she had throughout the process was what would happen if she didn’t get the position.
“That was definitely hard because my friends started looking at houses in December,” Oregon said. “I decided to apply for the RA position, so I told my friends to count me out, and if I don’t get it, I was going to find someone who needed a roommate.”
That issue was not overlooked, though, as ResLife also helps students find housing.
“We do a huge program where we bring in some of the rental places in the area,” Randolph said. “We want (students) to have ample time to plan.”
Randolph said the goal is to let students know if they will be hired by spring break.
