Crown Residential Assistants

The hiring process for the 2018-2019 Crown RA staff is closed. The hiring process for the 2019-2020 RA staff will begin with info sessions around December of 2018. All information below is for our previous hiring cycle, and is subject to change. 

What is an RA?

RAs (Residential Assistants) are student leaders who live in the communities they serve. RAs are the front line responders for most resident needs, and an RA's average day may change radically depending on what time of year it is, what challenges a given community is facing, or what type of students live in a given community. RAs may be assigned to work in either the Residence Halls or the Apartments, and would report to the supervising Coordinator for Residential Education (CRE) for either community. Shane Sanchez supervises the Apartment Community, and Rachel Stice supervises the Residence Halls. Feel free to email or Shane or Rachel if you have any specific questions.

In a nutshell, RAs partner with students to develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities for lifelong engagement in caring and socially just communities! You can find the full job desctiption here.

Who makes a good RA?

RAs ultimately serve communities made up of people from all walks of life. Ideally, the Crown RA staff will be as diverse as the communities they serve. In addition to embracing diverse backgrounds, there are some basic qualifications that must be met to be considered a candidate, but here are some of the important ones to start with:

• Must be full time student for the entire year of hire
• Must maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA from the time of application throughout employment
• Must be in good student conduct standing (Good student conduct standing is defined as anything below probation, and after submitting an application, candidates must not be found responsible for any campus policy violation)
• Must have completed one year of college prior to start of position
• Enroll and pass a two-unit [leadership and training] class in the spring quarter prior to year of hire
• Complete Mental Health and First Aid (MHFA) Training/Certification - Full day (8:15-5:00 in the Kresge Town Hall) trainings offered the following dates (when hired, communicate with your supervisor which date you will attend): 
  • Saturday, April 7, 2018
  • Friday, April 13, 2018
  • Saturday, April 14, 2018
  • Saturday, April 21, 2018
  • Saturday, May 5, 2018
  • Friday, May 11, 2018
  • Thursday, June 20, 2018
  • Thursday, June 28, 2018
  • Make up day may be available by arrangement
• Be present for RA Fall training (approximately three weeks prior to student move-in)

In addition to the minimum qualifications listed above, some skills are particularly useful for RAs to have. Strong communication skills are key, as well as the ability to manage your time and commitments. Successful RAs often have experience facilitating group living (sports camp, music camp, etc), but such experience is not required.

Sometimes RAs are imagined to all be the bubbly, happy, crafty types. In reality, many different personalities are good fits for the RA team. Some RAs are boisterous, others are quiet. Some RAs enjoy large groups, others prefer one on one interactions. Some RAs are extraordinarily crafty, while others are more analytical. If you plan to apply for an RA role - just be yourself! We want to see who you are, and what your natural strengths are!

How do I apply to be an RA?

To be an RA for the 2018-2019 academic year, interested students will need to participate in the 2018 Crown RA hiring process. The hiring process includes the following bulleted items (detailed explanations/timeline below):

• Information Session (Optional)
• Submission of RA Application
• Candidate Group Interview
• Candidate Individual Interview
• Position Offers & Formal Acceptance/Declination

Information Session - Do you have questions? Come get answers! We will review the Crown RA role, review the formal job description, and provide plenty of time for you to ask questions to the CREs, and more important, the RAs themselves. 

RA Application - Crown RA applicants must submit a completed Supplemental application. Failure to complete the form (per the included instructions, as well as a printed and electronic copy) will result in a failure to move forward in our process. In addition to the Crown Supplemental application, candidates selected for hire will also submit an application through the University ER System once they have been offered a position on next year's team.

Group Process - All completed applications received by the deadline will be reviewed by the Crown CREs. Candidates who meet the minimum requirements of the position will be invited to participate in a group interview. During the group process, candidates will be asked to participate in a number of activities. Graduating RAs and CREs will evaluate the interactions during those activities to learn how candidates approach communication and teamwork. The group process date is already set (see timeline below), and participation in the group event is required.

Individual Interviews - CREs will extend invitations to candidates who move forward after the group process to individually interview for the position. These individual interviews will be scheduled around each candidate's availability over a week (see dates below) and the availability of the CREs. The individual interview will provide an opportunity for candidates to share information about themselves; specifically about personal experiences, skill sets, and how the candidate hopes to successfully serve with the Crown RA team. 

Offers & Acceptance/Decline - Finally, after all of the interviews have been completed, the CREs will send position offers to selected candidates. A formal acceptance will be required, and candidates will need to formally accept any offered position before the required date (listed below). 

Crown College 2018 RA Selection Timeline (for academic year 2018-2019):

Questions? Contact the Coordinators for Residential Education:

Rachel Stice: rstice@ucsc.edu 

Shane Sanchez: sasanche@ucsc.edu