Graduate Assistantship - GA 20 Residence Life

Graduate Assistantship – Residence Life and Housing - GAP20

Position Type: Graduate Assistantship-Pre-Professional

This form is used to collect application information for the Graduate Assistantship - Residence Life and Housing - GAP20 position. Please review the position details and eligibility requirements below before submitting your application.

This assistantship is governed by Graduate School policies on assistantships, workload, and eligibility.

Eligibility Requirements

To hold this assistantship, students must:

• Maintain a minimum cumulative graduate GPA of 3.0.
• Be registered for at least 9 graduate credits during each term of the assistantship.
• Be enrolled as a full-time graduate student in good academic standing.

Additional eligibility or program-specific requirements may apply as outlined by the Graduate School and the appointing department.

Position Overview

Assistant Hall Directors (AHDs) are part-time staff assigned to a specific residential community and partnered with a full-time Residence Hall Director (RHD).

The AHD assists the RHD in developing a positive residential community and supporting the hall's operations. Primary duties include management of the front desk operation and recycling room, including supervision of student staff, adjudicating lower-level student conduct cases, and overall facilities management. Specifically, conducting regular hall inspections, monitoring work order progress, tracking room key and fob management, as well as developing positive relationships with the custodial team are
key elements of this role. This position also serves as part of an on-duty rotation where staff are expected to respond to emergency situations and provide after hours support to students, families, and other University stakeholders.

Under the direction of a Hall Director for Residence Life and Housing, Assistant Hall Directors (AHDs) work within their assigned residential areas to create living environments that facilitate positive learning communities and support the academic mission of SUNY Oswego. AHDs play key roles in the Department of Residence Life and Housing (RLH) and the broader campus community.

AHDs provide leadership to paraprofessional staff and student leaders; partner with students to develop vibrant inclusive communities which encourage student engagement, community contributions, a free exchange of ideas, and the cultivation of skills and knowledge so that students may become citizens and leaders in our increasingly global society.

The Assistant Hall Director position is a 20 hour a week graduate assistantship that provides professional experience in higher education. Assistant Hall Directors live on campus and are available to staff and students outside regular business hours during crisis situations or other critical times. There are evening and weekend commitments outside of traditional business hours and consecutive days of work Sunday-Sunday during times of campus opening and re-opening (August and January), professional training (August and January), student staff training (August and January), and closing of residence halls (December and May).

Key Responsibilities

Student Engagement:

• Through regular active presence on floors, at the desk, and in common areas, develop a positive image and presence in assigned halls to establish connections with residents and create caring personal and community relationships.
• Assist in the facilitation of the department’s residential curriculum that intentionally supports the growth and development of students in the residence halls according to University and divisional educational goals.
• Support implementation of large-scale department and campus-wide events as needed.
• Support students in developing their interests and abilities, and encourage involvement in student leadership opportunities.
• Educate staff and students about SUNY Oswego Code of Conduct, Residence Hall policies, and fire and safety codes by adjudicating low level conduct hearings and the impact their choices have in their community.

 Supervision and Leadership:

• Serve as a member of the hall leadership team along with the Residence Hall Director and work collaboratively to create a positive residential community and staff.
• Directly supervise, train, and evaluate Student Operations Staff (SOS) individually and as a team.
• Lead monthly SOS staff meetings to discuss building operations and student concerns, facilitate team development, provide motivation and direction to the staff, and discuss ideas to improve the operations in the hall.
• Effectively manage SOS staff concerns and conflicts, respond to job-related concerns, and recommend appropriate solutions for the individual and/or team.
• Participate in department, division, and institution professional development and growth opportunities.
• Actively contribute to department-wide meetings and retreats to continuously improve the residence hall's living and learning climate.
• Participate in department-wide recruitment, selection, and training activities.

Facilities and Operations:

• Address maintenance concerns by submitting work requests, tracking the progress of submitted work requests, and communicating with Senior Associate Director for Facilities and Operations on the status of maintenance concerns.
• Respond to emergencies and perform any needed followup with students or staff.
• Make recommendations for facility improvements to the Senior Associate Director for Facilities and Operations.
• Develop a mutually supportive and collaborative relationship with custodial employees assigned to the residence hall.
• Oversee the building recycling operation to build a sustainable community. Share information about sustainable practices with residents and staff and collect data on recycling efforts in their community.
• Conduct weekly tours/inspections of assigned residence hall communities in addition to a monthly building walk-through with custodial staff.

Emergency and Crisis Response:

• Serve in a designated on-call rotation as essential personnel tasked with responding to emergency or urgent situations.
• Communicate and collaborate as necessary with appropriate stakeholders to effectively manage any student follow-up in a timely fashion.
• Assist in identifying student behavior and situational concerns using counseling, mediation, critical thinking, and crisis intervention skills and utilize referral services as needed.

Administrative Responsibilities:

• Support the Hall Director with the opening and closing of assigned residence halls at the beginning and end of each semester and during break periods.
• Ensure key security in the residence hall through weekly inventory of key boxes and fobs and report missing keys promptly to the Senior Associate Director for Facilities and Operations and/or their designee
• Develop an understanding of the Adirondack occupancy management system to facilitate room changes during on-call periods.
• Develop a basic understanding of Residence Life and Housing policies and procedures.
• Work cooperatively with other University offices such as the University Police, Auxiliary Services, Dean of Students Office, and others during emergency situations or on-call periods.
• Coordinate student operations services staff scheduling, distribution of mail, and room access (keys/codes) management for the residential community.
• Assume additional responsibilities as assigned by supervisor or other Residence Life and Housing leadership team members.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree
• Accepted into a Graduate Program
• Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
• Live on campus and be available for on-duty rotations and emergency response
  within the residential community,
• Develop and support living environments that promote learning and engagement,
• Provide high-level customer service and support to residents and families,
• Supervise and facilitate the development of student staff members.
• Educate students on university policy including adjudicating lower-level conduct
  cases.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
• Effective interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to motivate, develop, direct and train assigned staff, including coordinating and supervising work.
• Ability to foster a cooperative work environment.
• Ability to interpret, adapt, and apply guidelines and procedures.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and effectively prioritize among competing need

How to Apply: 

1. Log in to the SUNY Oswego Applicant Portal
2. Choose to Start an Application
3. From the dropdown menu, select 2026 Graduate Application
4. In the second dropdown menu, select Graduate Funding Opportunities
5. Then, click the button that says Create 
6. Under Application Type, select Graduate Assistantship for Residential Life & Housing