Description

2024 JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

CENTER FOR TALENTED YOUTH

RESIDENTIAL PROGRAM ASSISTANT (RPA)

All staff members are expected to adhere to the CTY Standards of Employee Conduct; contribute positively to the site's living and learning community; ensure students' physical and emotional safety; uphold the CTY Student Code of Conduct and enforce site rules; and perform reasonable job duties, even if not part of the job description, as assigned by their supervisors.

As a member of the residential and administrative staffs, the residential program assistant (RPA) provides logistical support to the daily operation of both the site and the residential program offices. Office responsibilities include providing clerical assistance, conducting supply runs, transporting students, covering the front desk, answering and returning phone calls, and tending to other tasks related to the smooth operation of the site. On occasion, an RPA may assist the resident assistants (RAs) in planning, preparing, and/or conducting daily residential activities and weekend events for students. All RPAs must also be prepared to assume the duties of an RA at any time. Specific RPA tasks and responsibilities vary widely with each site's and each day's demands.

For RPAs working directly in the residential life office some tasks, while similar to RPAs in the main office, will focus specifically on supporting the residential program. These may include, but are not limited to providing coverage in the residential life office, supporting the student housing process, managing scheduling and assignment of daily and weekend student activities for students and staff, coordinating with the main office and health office on supply runs and student supervision (both on and off-campus and during student arrival and departure), managing the student feedback process, tracking work-order processing by the host institution, and supporting the SRAs and DRLs in completing their responsibilities as needed .

RPAs are members of the site administration. All members of the site administration are expected to:

• Work as a team, keeping program goals in sight while managing a range of details.

• Help set the appropriate tone for the community, as described in staff handbooks and other program documents.

• Anticipate and prevent problems.

• Communicate promptly, clearly, sensitively, and securely with other administrators, staff, students, parents/guardians, the host institution, and the CTY office in Baltimore using JHU-approved platforms.

• Help the academic and residential programs work collaborate effectively with each other.

• Model professionalism.

• Represent the philosophy and policies of CTY in a manner that fosters cooperation and respect among summer staff, students, host institution staff, and full-time CTY staff throughout the program.

Supervision

RPAs that work in the main office report to the Office Manager. RPAs that work in the residential office report to the Dean of Residential Life. The Office Manager and Dean of Residential Life, in consultation with the site director, will determine the RPA's schedule as well as specific responsibilities and tasks. Once responsibilities and tasks are assigned, the RPA's work may be supervised by other members of the administrative team.

Work Schedule and Physical Requirements

RPAs work seven days per week. The daily schedule is full, demanding, unpredictable. Very hectic periods may be followed by slow ones that require the RPA to take initiative in identifying tasks to perform. Whatever their scheduled duties, RPAs at all sites are required to be available on a 24-hour on-call basis to help handle emergency situations and also to work weekends. RPAs are given two days off per session to be approved by and coordinated with the site director, the dean of residential life and office manager.

RPAs are required to travel and navigate a college/school campus with or without accommodations. This may include traversing some long distances across campus. Some lifting and moving may be required.

Additional job responsibilities of the RPA include but are not limited to:

Before Arriving at the Site:

• Carefully read the Residential Program Assistant Handbook and the Resident Assistant Handbook, and any additional resources provided by CTY prior to arriving on site. Familiarize yourself with any other program materials provided to you so that you are aware of the overall structure of CTY and the rules and regulations for students and staff.

• Complete trainings, background checks, health forms, immunization records, and other items required by JHU, CTY, the host institution, or state/local regulations.

• Access and familiarize yourself with CTY's designated communication and digital file storage systems; links, training, and login information for these systems will be provided during the onboarding process.

Before Instructional and Residential Staff Arrive:

• Arrive at the site on the date specified in your employment agreement to assist the administrative team with set-up and planning. Bring a cell phone, laptop, etc. to use during your employment. Duties during this time include unpacking site supplies from storage facilities, setting up the site office as directed by the office manager and other administrators, and supporting the office manager as necessary in planning for staff/student shuttles.

• Perform supply runs. This often involves driving site-rented vehicles, which may be passenger cars or minivans.

Before the Students Arrive:

• Participate in the RA training to prepare to assume the duties of an RA if needed. When space permits, RPAs may be housed in a student residence hall to connect to the residence life atmosphere and schedule.

Opening Day through Closing Day:

• Supervise students on shuttle runs on arrival and departure days. This includes driving students in site rental vehicles, and potentially acting as a student escort in the airport.

• On a day-to-day basis, divide time between some or all of the following tasks. The office manager or dean of residential life will determine how much time should be allocated to the various duties each day.

• Perform office duties such as managing the front desk; covering telephones; conducting supply runs; running errands; picking up and sorting mail; escorting students as necessary, and typing, filing, and photocopying. The office manager's or dean of residential life's procedures must be followed in carrying out these tasks.

• Assist with medical runs. This includes accompanying students to medical appointments on and off campus; communicating the provider's diagnosis and prescribed care to health office staff, the student's RA, the dean of residential life, and/or the office manager; and completing a Concern/Incident/Medical Report (CIMR).

• As requested by the office manager and residential life administrators, plan and conduct student activities and events, including weekend events. RPAs may take responsibility for activities on a rotating or daily basis, or they may work primarily on weekend events. The office manager or dean of residential life will determine the RPAs' schedule in conjunction with the site director.

• Attend staff meetings, such as the daily RA meeting, as requested by the office manager, dean of residential life, or site director.

• Assume the duties of the RA in the following circumstances and at any other time as requested by the site director:

• During the intersession period, beginning the afternoon of the Friday when the first session students depart and ending at noon on the Sunday when the second session students arrive, or in some cases for early arrivals or late departures.
• When an RA leaves the program before its conclusion or if circumstances cause the residential team to be short-staffed.

• Assist in ensuring the health and safety of all students by following site medical protocols covered in orientation and written materials. As requested by supervisors, assist with health office logistics such as escorting students to/from the office or filing paperwork. Assist with urgent medical situations, which may require accompanying students to the ER or to off-campus clinics, monitoring students. Assist in adherence to COVID protocols.
• Complete a CIMR to document student illness, injuries, misconduct, property damage, or any other incidents that warrant a written record. Always check with the site director if unsure.

• In addition to performing assigned tasks, take initiative whenever possible in identifying other areas or projects that need to be tended to or completed for the site to continue operating smoothly.

• Submit a Clery Act exit survey, including providing any follow-up information as requested by JHU Campus Safety and Security.

After Students Depart:

• Ensure that any equipment borrowed or rented during the session is returned to the appropriate party in good repair.

• Assist with staff departure shuttles, if necessary.

• Assist with the packing, inventory, and storage of supplies.

• Depart the site with the permission of the office manager, dean of residential life, site director, assistant program manager, and/or program manager.

• Provide the program manager for your site with an email and telephone number where you can be reached during the upcoming academic year.