This topic is arguably the most important information you can internalize as an RA!!

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A. Hi! - One thing to remember is that bonding really takes time.  If your hall is
all male, expect it to take longer.

I am assuming that you are in Seattle, WA, so you may want to do a very casual, coffee and pastries/coffee and doughnuts thing and call it Cafe' RA.   You could do it in your room or in the lobby at a time when lots of people walk through.

No theme, no pressured involvement, just a chance to have coffee and chat.  If your residents are environmentally conscious, you could make it a bring your own mug and have a contest for the weirdest/coolest coffee mug.

Other low level involvement programs that take little prep time, and can be done on your floor may help.

Progressive NAchos is also fun.  One resident or ra has the plates & Chips, another has the cheese, etc and then the Salsa/Soda is in the lobby.  This event can turn your hal into an ant farm--people going up and down the stairs, depending on the time and participation.

Let me know if these ideas help.

And as always, talk to your hall director about new ideas and tried and true programs at your campus.  Your staff are your best resource.  Just know that bonding takes time.

Holly Habicht, RLC
Graduate and Family Housing Georgia Tech

A. Hi from University of Houston!

Bonding issues, huh?  I guess my suggestion would be for you to put out an interest survey on your floor.  You might want to list some programming ideas that you have and ask them if they would be interested in attending those.  Also leave space for them to write in their own program ideas. 

Do you have community bathrooms?  If you do, maybe do some creative advertising using that space, like flyers or a floor newsletter on the backs of the doors talking about upcoming programming.  

Find a couple of residents on your floor that are creative and ask them to help you with your programming.  They may be able to get some ideas from their floormates without it coming from the RA.  

How about a graffiti wall?  Put up a piece of butcher paper and leave some markers beside it.  Pose a question, possibly about what kinds of things they would like to do as a floor, and have them answer it on the butcher paper.

Think about timing when scheduling a program.  Doing a program about study skills during homecoming week might not be the best idea.... 
Do you have a floor budget?  Food will always attract some participants.  Go doorknocking the night of your program.  Call and leave funny messages about your programs on answering machines of your residents.  Do personalized invitations to your residents.

Does your school do intramural teams?  Maybe see if some of your residents are interested in any of those teams or forming teams of their own.

Hope these ideas help.  If you need anything else, please feel free to
contact me!  :)

Aimee

Aimee Zimmer
Quadrangle Area Coordinator
University of Houston

A. I have a couple of thoughts that I wanted to share with you...

1. Numbers aren't necessarily what make a good or successful program.  If you reach at least one student, the program was WORTH IT :-)!
2. How are you advertising your events?  Students are soooo busy these days.  They tend to make plans to attend things at least a week in advance.  Have something up (i.e. a poster or banner) at least 7 full days before the event.  About 3 days out you may want to do a follow up teaser like a door hanger or a personal invitation to each resident of your floor.  Finally, NEVER forget the power of face to face contact in advertising.  Make a point of getting around to all of your residents and informing them of the event. Make clear your expectations that they be in attendance.
3. Lastly, have you completed some kind of survey of your residents to see what if anything they would be interested in coming to?  What are their interests?  Are any of them interested in helping you plan something?  The more your residents are personally involved in the planning process, the more success you will find.

I hope these items give you a little food for thought.  
Best of Luck!

Adrienne Otto Frame
Residence Coordinator
Mahoney Residential College
University of Miami

A.     The question forwarded to me was basically how to get more people to programs and how to build a stronger community.  First, I would just offer some support, don't give up and just keep providing your residents with great opportunities to be involved. I would also recommend, if you already haven't, encouraging residents to keep their doors open as much as possible, and keeping your door open as much as possible. The first step in creating a good community is a sense of openness and providing as many people as possible a support and friendship network on the floor or in the hall.  Ask your residents what programs they would like to see, let them become active in the programming efforts.  Empower them to operate the community, this can be accomplished through programming and policy enforcement.  When people are loud encourage the residents to ask, in a polite and constructive way, for the noise to be lowered instead of asking you to confront the noise. I guess the main point here is providing your residents a with opportunities to be involved, and with your positive role modeling and leadership you will eventually notice improvement. 

Gregg Stewart
Residence Life Coordinator
University of Central Oklahoma

A. Hello,

I have a couple of tricks to the trade.

1.  Identify the social leaders on your floor or hall.  Get them involved.  Talk with them and do a program that you know they will want to attend.  Involve them in the creation of the program.  When people do work for a program, they will attend and bring others.  If you can get one great success under your belt using this method, that will give you credibility with everyone in future programming. 

2.  Invite people in person.  There are so many creative ways to advertise programming, and many of them are very effective, but nothing works as well as a one on one invitation.  The key is you need to be excited and sell that your program will be worth their time.  People have a hard time saying no to someone's face and will usually back up their word if they say they are coming.   The key is to have good programming when they get there so that you again build credibility.

3.  It is all about relationships.  You might want to take a step back and ask yourself "how well do I know my residents?"  The key to success for an RA is to spend all the time you can in the first months of the year building relationships with your residents.  When you do this, and do it well, it will make your whole life easier.  Your conduct problems will drop, people will attend your programs, and people will trust you greatly and use you as a resource.

4.  Do the obvious.  If you see that 6-10 people do something (like watch a TV show, sports, etc.), create a program out of it. Remember, the key is people enjoying your program so they think the next one will be just as good.  It might not seem to creative, but you are building trust and relationships.  That is more important right now then doing what you want to do.

Hope this helps,

Grant Anderson
Hall Director
Colorado State University

See also Resident Participation - Getting them to come to "serious"; programs.

 

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collages - every resident gets either a piece of posterboard (cut in the shape of their first initial is great) or a clipboard, and they decorate it with stickers and words/pictures cut from magazines. It's best to go through these after everyone is done and tell about your collage, but if you don't have time to do that, it's okay. Or, you can schedule a time to do that at a later date, maybe over pizza or a snack since you can't really eat anything while you are making the collages. If you do the posterboard, you can also have them hang the signs on their doors and then when you walk around your floor you'll find out things about them just by the signs too.

trivia sheets - one of my RAs this past year did something similar to this. She made up a trivia sheet that people filled out about themselves and then hung beside their door. Actually, she hung it beside their doors and they completed it and left it hanging there for a few weeks. After everyone completed them, the RA gathered some of the answers and made a quiz out of them which she had people take at a floor meeting and if they got the answers right they received a prize. A lot of the floor participated in this and I thought it was neat that I could walk past rooms and read the info sheets too. Some residents left the sheets hanging up all semester!!

Tracy

Answer 2

Katie,

Here are a couple of ideas that might be helpful. The first is the use of a "Resident Interview." The interview questions can be compiled by either the hall director or the RA. These questions can include anything from hometown to favorite book ever read. The RA then goes through each question with each resident. The idea is not make it seem like an interview. This can be intimidating for the resident and awkward. The RA should fit the questions into conversation to make it flow better. When the RA gets back to the room s/he writes the answers down for each resident so that there is a file for each person that the RA can refer back to. The questions may have to be asked over a period of days.

A more unstructured idea is to have the RA keep an index card or page in a notebook or journal for each resident. Then every night (throughout the year) the RA updates each index card or page with what s/he learned about each resident. Of course this task will be more time consuming during the beginning of the year.

Another idea that was developed by a fellow hall director works great for a small hall where all of the RAs get to know many residents on other floors. The game is called "The Hall Game." A game board needs to be developed that looks similar to the hall in that each room must be represented. It is best to put this "map" on cardboard and then put contact paper over it so that it can be re-used. The point is begin at the first room on the first floor and be the first to get to the last room on the top floor. Each RA and the RHD use a coin for their game token. Each person rolls a die to see who goes first. The first person rolls the die and then moves that many spaces. Each room is one space. Lounges, bathrooms, janitorial closests, stairwells, etc. are "Free" spaces. You can actually treat these any way you want. You could make one "move ahead three spaces," "move back one space," etc. When a person lands on a room they must say the name of one person in that room and one interesting thing about them (i.e. they are from Kansas, they are a bio major, etc.). I trust that what the RA says about the person is true. Usually one of the other RAs also knows this information. I don't count descriptors such as "they have blond hair".

These don't signify that you know something about that person. If the RA gets the name and something interesting correct for a person living in that room that stay on that space. A line is then drawn through that room to note that one resident has been identified. If the RA cannot name a resident or an interesting thing for someone living in the room they land on, they go back three spaces and just stay there. They do not need to identify a resident in that room. The game continues. Each time a resident is identified a line is drawn through that room and that person cannot be identified again. If an RA landed on room 15 and named resident "Bob" and said he was from Alaska, "Bob" could not be given again by an RA as a resident of the room. The other resident(s) would have to be named. When all of the residents of the room are identified that room is "closed." If someone lands on it they go to the next "open" space. The game continues until someone wins.

This game is beneficial because you can actually see who the hermits are, which residents no staff know. You can tell how well RAs are doing their job on their floor and in the building. Everyone learns more about all of the residents.

I hope these ideas are helpful. If you have any questions, especially if the game is difficult to understand, feel free to contact me directly.

Sincerely,
Gavin Henning
Property Manager - Forest Park Apartments

Katie:

Here are just a few ideas I have for your program:

Make your door decs a questionnaire, hometown, favorite foods, pets, most embarrassing moment let the resident post it and then everyone can read them.

Have residents submit their favorite desserts and then see if the dining hall can serve the desserts for a special dinner. At the dinner then have a icebreaker game to go with the dessert.

If you have apartment housing have an around the floor dinner, with each apartment making their favorite dessert.

Put together a spotlight bulletin board featuring a resident a week, with their picture and small biography.

Jennifer Kilroy-Tobin
Area Director
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas

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Hi, I am a brand new RA coming in for the second semester. I was moved into a new hall and haven't had any training yet. I've done some "shadow duties" and that's about it. I moved into the new hall before I left for winter break and while moving in, I introduced myself to some of the residents. Some of the comments I got from these residents was that they didn't know that their RAs' (yes, both of them) left and some of them didn't even know who their RAs were. This is hard because my co-RA in the hall will also be brand new with no training. We really don't know what to do or how to get started. This particular hall has been known to be very withdrawn and anti-social. What are some steps we can do to start this semester off on a good foot and to also help us gain some respect where respect seems to have been lacking?

Congrats on the new position. Mid year RAs are the most difficult positions to have. I would not ask any questions about how the RA did their job previouos to you. INstead, you should try and watch the best RA on campus and ask them and watch them "how they do it"! You might also want to contact other RAs who have done this before about how they have welcomed their residents. Having a party for yourself might be cool, ie place posters all over the floor before they return and call it a surprise party! with special guest and food. Have your RD pick up the cost, thats' the least they should do for you since you are entering mid-year. If not ask the Director of Residnece Life to pick up the cost. They will love your eagerness in trying to change the culture.

You might want to have information about what the students can expect form you posted / shared with them at the first floor meeting and speak to them about a good time for your weekly chats/conversations. All good communities/families need "conversation times, and you want this to be a good community/family.

Be open minded about how this community is supposed apathetic. It might just have been that the former RAs didn't know how to engage people. You can ask any RA on my campus when people are around me they aren't apathetic. I'm plugged "in" and so that energy gets around to others in the community. Be the same way.

If I can be of further help, e-mail me. Enojy. RAing is the best experience you can have for whatever you do. Met my wife and best friends in life form the residence life experience.

My humble opinion... Thank you for being an RA, we need more students like you!

Tom Ellett

Stacey,

It sounds like you have a challenge ahead of you. I am assuming that you will get some training at the beginning of the semester and throughout it as well. If you don't I think that you should have a discussion with your supervisor about this. Explain that you would like to be as prepared as possible to help your residents as much as possible. Then the two of you can discuss the various ways to reach this goal.

So, for your question. I think that there is one approach that will help with all of your goals. That approach is one-on-one individual contact. You are going to need to spend a lot of time doing this with each one of your residents at the beginning of the semester. This will allow them to get to know you so that they know the RA. This will help build respect because they will get to know you and realize that you care to know them. If they are anti-social or withdrawn this may help to bring them out. You can serve as that common link between other residents. While you are meeting the residents, follow up with. Don't just meet them once and then ignore them for a month or two. Especially if they are withdrawn, you will have to be the one taking the active role. Go to their room. Talk with them. Find out their interests, what they want from you, what activities would like. Every good RA is an active RA. In my experience as an RA and Hall Director, passive RAs are the least effective RAs.

Try to build your community. If the floor is withdrawn focus on making connections between individuals not the entire floor. Some times the best community is one with many individual links instead of one big happy family. Here are a couple of ways to do that. First of all, as I said earlier, you will have to get to know each one well. With the hermits on your floor, keep on trying to get to know them. Don't give up (at least wait until May to give up). Now that you know everyone you can link them with others so that they feel connected to someone. This is really important for people especially the ones that have difficulty getting to know others. The people without connections are the least happy overall and generally tend to do worse academically. If a resident comes to you with a question and you know the answer, hold off on giving them the answer right away. Try to think if there is anyone on your floor that would also have the answer. If there is suggest that the resident with the question talk with the resident who has the answer. This helps build connections and also teaches people to utilize other resources. If you don't think the person with the question will talk with the other with the answer go with her/him to meet the person with the answer. You can introduce them or get the conversation going if they already know each other. Another thing you can do is go to meals with different people each meal each day. Invite people who you don't see together. This will also help build connections.

I would avoid getting into conversations about the "old" RA. I wouldn't discuss why they left unless you think it is really needed. You want to focus on now, not the past. You want a new beginning. After a while the residents aren't really going to care why the other RA left. If many people didn't know the RA left, it might be more appropriate to have your supervisor talk at the beginning of your first floor meeting to briefly address the issue. This will quell the many questions you may be likely to receive.

I hope this has been helpful. If you have any other questions or concerns feel free to contact me directly.

Good luck and enjoy the experience,
Gavin

Dear Stacey,

Let me first off say that your is a tough situation. Being put onto a floor with no training and having been told "go be a RA" is very challenging. Here are some ideas I have to offer:

- Imagine what your idea of a "great" RA. Now, become that person. Do you imagine knwoing everyone on the floor? Do you want to help them however you can? Do you want to be a friend? Whatever you want to accomplish, you can.

- Get to know your residents by holding a floor meeting with your Co-RA. Introduce yourselfs, meet the others on the floor and encourage them to get to know one another. Have food. Everyone likes food.

- Keep your door open. What do most people do when they walk past an open door? Right, they look in. If you keep your door open, I promise you that you will meet everyone on your floor within a week.

- Go visit and offer to have people in your room. Go see "John Doe" down the hall. I suggest you stand in the doorway soas not to invade his space. This will keep the door open (see above) and you will be able to chat with him. Also, have food (something as simple as microwave popcorn) and a movie in your room. People will get the jist that you like to have people in your room.

- Be as friendly as possible. Make door decs, say hi to them in the cafeteria, bathrooms, on campus, etc. and just make yourself available.

It sounds as if you and your Co-RA have to work together, so, so all these things together. Sit down with him/her and make some goals and work towards them this semester.

In terms of respect- be a hardass when you need to. If they are being loud at quiet hours, tell them to keep it down. If you need to, then yell. You might be the "bad one" for a while, but they will come around and see that you are just doing your job.

A wise RD once told me, and I use this with my RAs to this day, is "Respect+Rapport=Results."

I hope all of this helps.

Sincerely,
Kirk J. Harris
Residence Director
Western State College


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I think the key to creating a good impression at your first hall meeting is not to bore them and act as if you have all the answers. You need to establish relationships and provide support for students. Come across as a student at USF but one that has been afforded the opportunity to be a leader in the residence halls. I guess the key is not to be something you are not. Be everything that got you to this point.

Hope that helps and good luck.
Ray

Maria,

This comment is not to make you nervous, but your first floor meeting has a major impact on the tone of your community. Don't get scared, most likely you will get more training on Floor Meetings in the fall. Here are a few things to think of over the summer.

I suggest that RAs be themselves and be confidant. You were hired because people believed that you had the skills and the personality to be a successful RA. Your question demonstrates that you are invested in this position.

You want to clearly outline your expectations to your resident. Let them know what you want to see in terms of their behavior and the community. The difficulty is that you want them to be part of the process of establishing expectations. This way they will be more invested in the expectations because they will have help create them. Otherwise, they may see the expectations as something imposed from above and not own them. I tell RAs to be direct about the policies and your enforcement of them. This is something in which the residents cannot create with you. They have already been established. But tell the residents that you will enforce the policies and that is part of your job. That way they will be less likely to test you on this. I then tell RAs to have a set of expectations for other behavior and floor community in their head or written down on a small piece of paper. Spend time with your residents asking them what kind of behavior they expect from each other and what kind of community they want. You should write these down for the those people that are visual learners. Documenting these expectations also solidifies them in people's minds. Many schools use a "Floor/Community Contract" which serves a similar purpose.

Most likely residents will mention the same expectations that you had previously comprised by yourself. If they haven't throw out those that weren't mentioned so that they get into people's heads.

These ideas should help you set a great tone for a great floor for a great year.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me directly.

Good Luck,
Gavin Henning
Property Manager - Forest Park Apartments

My advice on the subject. I would recommend just being yourself. Do a few icebreakers and let your residents know who you are and what you value. Let them know what they can expect throughout the year from you. Hope that helps. tim.

Tim Stockton Associate Director for Apartment Housing Indiana University

Smile. Be sincere. Practice what you are going to say before you do it. Do an icebreaker. Have a treat (chewy things will keep people quieter, or something like a sucker that they have to keep in their mouth). Remind them that you are there to help them, not just to enforce rules.

Good luck!

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Ben--

Wow...good question! There is actually a great deal of statistical data and research that has been done on this topic over the years. I can't say that I have a specific set of data that I can provide, but I will give you a few resources to look for:

1. The Journal of College Student Development...this journal is published regularly by the American College Personnel Association (ACPA). In the journal, you'll find all types of statistics on this topic...in a very wide range. Most universities seem to subscribe to the journal and you can do a search for the types of at your library, probably the best source would be ERIC or a Silverplatter search on CD rom. Of course, the old fashioned way of looking through the journal listings in the reference section will work too ;)

2. The NASPA Journal, put out by The National Association of Student Personnel Administrators is another good resource. Similar to the one mentioned above.

3. The websites for these organizations might also give you some leads to people that might have the information you're seeking. NASPA's homepage is www.naspa.org and ACPA's is www.acpa.nche.edu . Both of these organizations have specific "committees" (they'll use different names for it) that directly work on residential life issues and should be able to provide you with resources.

4. The Student Affairs Virtual Compass, another website at www.StudentAffairs.com might also lead you in the direction you're looking for. It has specific housing areas, as well.

I can't say for sure that any of these sites will have statistics directly listed, like the journals most likely will. If you can't seem to find the journals available in your local library, you might want to talk to your supervisor or another person in the leadership of your department...most people in the field tend to be involved in at least one of the organizations and receives the journals as part of their membership.

Best of luck! If I can help any further, please let me know!

Steve

Steve Crudup
Resident Director, O'Connor Hall
Dickinson Community
Binghamton University

"Research has shown that residence hall students have higher grade point averages, take more units, and are more likely to persevere to earn their degree." (Astin 1993)

There are stats. out there I just do not have them at my fingertips. Astin is a great place to start for basic stats.

Take care,
Mark
Mark J. Rameker
Residence Hall Coordinator
San Diego State University

Both of these books are essential in a Higher education program. Ernie and Pat's (Terenzini and Pascarella's) book summarize the research done independently by institutions or foundations from the 50's to the 70's and is organized by stimuli--ie how does being in a fraternity effect: retention, grades, development, etc.

Alexander Astin's book, What Matter's in College, is a compilation of the research HE DID in the past 25 years--his is likely the most research since it was nation wide and very, very, very clear.
Editor's Note: Both of these books are available in the ResidentAssistant.com Bookstore