Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Training Boost: How To Foster A Developmental Approach To Resident Assistant Training, Sherry Early Phd

Leadership Studies Faculty Research

While the roles and responsibilities of resident assistants (RAs) have changed over time, some things will continue to be a priority. Responsibilities such as developing relationships with residents, guiding them to campus resources, providing information, mediating roommate conflicts, documenting underage drinking, and responding to quiet hours violations remain constant. Britt Frye, assistant director for academic initiatives at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, pinpoints interpersonal and communication skills as being at the heart of these responsibilities. “These skills are used in leadership, mentorship, conflict resolution, community building, and assisting students with problems or concerns.” However, a major shift in the …