Colleges and universities across the nation have seen a recent surge in the amount of undergraduate and graduate students applying to be residence advisers.
According to a study done by The New York Times, New York University witnessed an increase of 98 RA applications in the past year.
Similarly, Clemson University in South Carolina saw a doubling of RA applications to 240, and the University of Virginia saw an average increase of more than 100 applications.
According to Katie McKeever, human resources assistant in University Housing at the University of Wisconsin, the trend is also evident at UW, which has seen about 60 to 70 more applicants in the last year.
McKeever added the economic climate likely plays a role in the increase, now that students feel the financial benefits reaped by the RAs begins to outweigh the difficult tasks often associated with the position such as mediation and event planning.
James Baumann, the director of communications and marketing for the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International, agreed the economic climate has contributed to the increase in applicants due to the free room and board and salary the RAs often receive for their work.
“Students are looking for any opportunity that’s possible to make their education all the more affordable, and [being] an RA is a good chance to make that happen,” Baumann said.
The increase in apartment-style dorms and more appealing on-campus living situations has also contributed to the surge in not only RA applicants, but also the overall desire to live in campus housing, Baumann said.
“We’re seeing an increase in the number of students choosing to live on campus versus off campus, even when it gets into the upper classes,” he said. “There’s a new style of campus housing that is more attractive for students so the whole residential experience is becoming more attractive to students and the idea of being an RA goes along with that.”
Baumann said students are increasingly aware of the leadership experience gained through serving as an RA as well.
Baumann added he thinks the job is a wonderful development opportunity for students in a variety of other areas.
“Everything from conflict resolution and learning to work with other people through time management and managing that level of responsibility students get from being an RA,” Baumann said.
Valerie Averill, national advisor at the University of South Florida for NACURH, a student-run organization that promotes on campus living, added she thinks the increased listening, helping and crisis response skills acquired by the position also contributed to the surge in applicants, more so than the current economic climate.
“It could be related to the economy because most campuses do pay for their RAs’ room and board, but I think students are more altruistic,” Averill said. “Students are really seeing the benefits to themselves. Anything your life is going to entail, the RA job prepares you for, including fine tuning all the leadership skills there are.”
— Kyra Shishko contributed to this report.
