Carousel Day: 2012-13 RA Applicants Complete First Round of Hiring Process

As part of Resident Life's continuing hiring process for next year's Resident Assistants (RAs), approximately 60 applicants spent last Saturday morning managing money, catching lovers in the act, and resolving roommate conflicts. "Carousel Day," so named because participants rotate through multiple activities, places RA applicants in various scenarios relating to dorm life while Resident Life staff evaluate participants' performances. The day allows students to demonstrate their interpersonal skills and management abilities in action, an important part of the RA selection process.

Much of the day's events centered on role playing. During the activity "Behind Closed Doors," applicants were placed in a situation where they caught a "student" (acted by current RAs) in the midst of various acts such as smoking or canoodling with a member of the opposite sex. The "Values, Goals, and Outcomes" activity tested applicants' abilities to mediate between and promote unity among floor members by asking them to provide solutions for hypothetical roommate conflicts and create floor events. Applicants were asked to demonstrate their money and time management skills in the "Time Market Place" scenario by deciding what items they would purchase based on perceived needs. During the "Leaderless Group" activity, groups of applicants decided what characteristics would best serve a certain floor with its specific needs, allowing students to demonstrate how well they worked together and how well they perceived needs. Throughout the day, Resident Directors (RDs), Assistant Resident Directors (ARDs), as well as a handful of RAs who will not be returning next year evaluated the applicants' progress.

While there are approximately 60 RA applicants, there are only 37 RA spots. Gabe Jacobsen, Director of Resident Life and Housing, explained that the Resident Life staff cannot realistically interview such a large number of students; Carousel Day helps ARDs and RDs decide which students will be asked to continue on in the application process. As students interact with each other, react to situations they will find in their job as an RA, and make decisions in the "moment," evaluators look for characteristics that will be essential for the RA position. Jacobsen explained that they are "looking for students that set good relational boundaries, have a high level of investment...have the ability to interact with others well, and have a lot of natural skills that might be good for roles where you have to set policy guidelines but also work with students in a developmental role." Kelsey Shaw, ARD of Gillette Hall, said, "We look for students who are good at relating with others, who are sensitive to others' needs, who have a good attitude about Houghton and college life, students who have a passion for the Lord and serving Him, and we look for those who are able to be leaders among their peers."

While there are usually 37 RA spots on campus, this number may decrease next year. Jacobsen explained that as enrollment has been down, consolidating and cutting the number of RAs will save money; by potentially leaving a floor empty, for example, expenses such as heating can be saved. The topic is still being discussed and no decisions have yet been made.

The RDs are currently conducting interviews with RA applicants; decisions will be announced February 3.