House Advisor Search

Position Description

PURPOSE:

The role of the House Advisor is to assist in enhancing the residential housing experience for students at Reed College.

The Department of Residence Life facilitates a residential experience in which students feel supported in their academic pursuits, personal growth, and participation in an interdependent community.

We envision a vibrant, safe, and inclusive living environment where every student is actively engaged. It is our intention that students develop a sense of pride and investment in Reed.

(Residence Life Mission and Vision Statement)

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Support the mission, vision, and values of Residence Life and Reed College
  • Possess a strong desire and ability to be a leader and a positive role model for students
  • Demonstrate the ability (or willingness to learn) to address and mediate conflict
  • Have strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships within a diverse environment
  • Be open to change and new ideas, and be able to take direction in a non-defensive manner
  • Maintain a non-judgmental and approachable demeanor
  • Have been enrolled at Reed College for at least one academic semester and are in good academic standing as defined by the faculty code
  • Be in good disciplinary standing in accordance with Reed College policies and the Honor Principle. Applicants may not be eligible for the HA position if they have received two or more AOD violations at Reed.
  • Be able to meet or exceed all job responsibilities listed below

HA RESPONSIBILITIES:

Community Building and Accessibility:

  • Help create a safe, healthy, and inclusive atmosphere within the area group and residence hall in order to facilitate academic and residential learning
  • Collaborate with residents to establish and uphold community expectations and norms as agreed upon during floor meetings
  • Promote self-governance in accord with the guidelines of the Honor Principle
  • Proactively address deviations from community norms and/or resident concerns
  • Articulate and uphold Residence Life policies and procedures, including those outlined in the Housing Contract
  • Maintain accessibility to residents through holding regular office hours and having a felt presence within the community
  • Maintain an approachable and nonjudgmental demeanor with residents and staff
  • Facilitate conflict resolution through direct communication with residents or by consulting with appropriate resources, such as the Resident Director, the Dean’s Office, or Honor Council.

Student Support and Referral Services:

  • Develop and practice active listening skills
  • Learn about and promote Reed College student resources
  • Serve as a non-confidential resource and referral source for students in need of personal, academic, health, or mental health support services
  • Build and maintain trust with residents by adhering to the Student Employee Confidentiality Agreement, and disclosing sensitive or private information only to appropriate individuals as needed
  • Address students who are perceived to be engaging in behaviors that adversely impact the wellbeing of themselves or the community
  • Exercise good judgment in accordance with the limitations of job training and responsibilities, providing referrals as needed
  • Refer crisis situations to the RD on call
  • Acquire a knowledge and understanding of the AOD policy and violation process
  • Serve as a support and referral source for students engaged in the AOD process

Specific Tasks:

  • Communicate directly with the supervising Resident Director regarding resident and area group issues, unless otherwise instructed
  • Assist in staffing and coordinating Orientation Week activities
  • Hold office hours (consisting of two hours in the evening) each week as coordinated with the Resident Director
  • Check voicemail and email daily, and respond to communication with others in Residence Life within 24 hours
  • Send maintenance and housekeeping requests to Physical Plant (Cc or inform respective RD when issues are urgent or go unresolved) in a timely fashion
  • Participate in hall openings and closings, including but not limited to, completion of room/common area inventories and resident check-in and check-out
  • Complete inventories of student rooms throughout the academic year as directed
  • Assist with the operations of Residence Life, including but not limited to: housing lottery, HA application process, Resident Director search, and storage
  • Attend and participate in bi-weekly area group meetings and individual supervision meetings with the RD
  • Participate in all Residence Life evaluations and assessments (including program and staff evaluations)
  • Attend and participate in all staff in-service training sessions
  • Participate in the Residence Life social media presence (i.e., blogging)
  • Coordinate residential programs as defined by Programming Committee guidelines, in collaboration with your community, fellow HAs, and Resident Director
    • HA programming requirements vary by assignment and may include but are not limited to: guided conversations with individual residents, collaboration with campus partners, participation in on-campus events, and facilitation of off-campus events and experiential and social learning opportunities.
  • Limit outside employment to 10 hours a week unless special arrangements are made with the Resident Director

ADDITIONAL LOCATION-SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

Language House HA Purpose and Specific Duties:

The Language House HA works in conjunction with the Language Scholar, the Language and Literature Department and the RD for the Language Houses to make the house a center for the language and culture that it represents.

  • Coordinate one large-scale cultural activity/event each semester
  • Collaborate in planning weekly cultural and conversation programs with Language Scholar and residents

Apartment HA Purpose and Specific Duties:

The role of the Apartment House Advisor is to oversee and manage the operational aspects of the Birchwood Apartments or the RCAs including, but not limited to, room check-ins and check-outs, equipment and supply management and conducting building and grounds inspections to report any issues with Facilities Services. In addition, the Apartment HA lives in the manager’s apartment and works with the residents of the apartments to create and maintain a positive living environment conducive to the educational mission of Reed College.

Co-Op HA Purpose and Specific Duties:

In addition to the general responsibilities of being an HA, the duties of the Co-op HA include: guiding the establishment and maintenance of a cooperative living environment and being an active participant in that environment.  Additional responsbilities include regularly (approximately 5 nights/week) cooking and eating meals together, attending to assigned chores, grocery shopping, and participating in weekly house meetings. 

Compensation

  • Reed College-provided housing and Plan B meal plan for the academic year
  • Professional development and leadership growth opportunities
  • Influence and shape the experience of Reed College students