Student accommodation at the University of Strathclyde offers students a highly independent lifestyle but moving from home to University accommodation is a big step and even practical things, like remembering to take keys with you when you are going out, can cause problems.  

 Management of Residences

Accommodation Services is based in the Lord Todd Building, in the centre of the Campus Village.  The Department manages the residences, and has responsibility for the well-being of students in residence.  Staff in the Accommodation Office and Village Office, Domestic Assistants, Handypersons and Night Porters all work towards keeping students safe and secure and giving them a positive experience while living in residence.  Residence Assistants are a part of this team.

 The Role of Residence Assistant

The principal tasks of the Residence Assistant are:

• to provide a welcome to new students at the start of term,

• to help with the ‘settling-in’ process, 

• to allow residents, who are locked out, back into their rooms.

There are 5 teams of Residence Assistants (team members live in the residence they are working in):

Team 1            Birkbeck Court                        7 Residence Assistants

Team 2            Chancellors Hall                      5 Residence Assistants

                        James Young Hall

                        James Goold Hall

Team 3            Forbes Hall                              4 Residence Assistants

                        Garnett Hall

Team 4            Thomas Campbell Court        4 Residence Assistants

Team 5            Murray Hall                             3 Residence Assistants

POSITIONS IN THOMAS CAMPBELL COURT AND MURRAY HALL ARE NOW FULL.

 Duties

1. At Arrival Weekend - Resident Assistants are expected to work from 9.30 am to 4.00 pm Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 September. 

• they will assist with issuing keys

• they will show students to their rooms, give them a tour of the facilities, pointing out the laundry, etc.

[This is a crucial time for making contact with people so only students who can guarantee they will be present on 14 & 15 September should apply.]

2. In the first two weeks of term Residence Assistants will visit each flat in their hall of residence, introducing themselves, delivering Welcome Meeting tickets and giving advice on issues such as Safety and Party Applications.

3. Residence Assistants will be on call (in rotation) every day from 5.00 pm to 8.00 am.  Depending on the size of the team, each Assistant will be on call two or three times a week. 

4. While on call they will:

i.          Remain in their Hall/flat unless called out. 

If unable to be on duty, they must make alternative arrangements for cover with the other Residence Assistants in their team.

ii.          Assist any student, who comes to them because they are locked out by:

• Confirming the person is a resident by checking their ID against a list of all students in the residence
• Taking them to their accommodation and letting them in using the master key.

The Residence Assistant pack, containing the master keys and the rooming list, should never be left unattended or given to anyone who is not a Residence Assistant in your team.

iii.         Note any problems in the Incident Report file.  The file should not be seen by any other students.

iv.        Attend meetings with staff as requested

5. In general, Residence Assistants should encourage good practice among residents by, for example, pointing out when ground floor windows are left open, flat doors and main doors are not secured, the danger of allowing strangers into the hall, etc.

Vacation

During vacation periods and holiday weekends ALL shifts must be covered so the team must make arrangements to ensure that this happens.

Duties over the Christmas/New Year public holidays are paid for at an increased rate but the Easter vacation and other public holidays are covered by the normal rate and normal rota.

The public holidays are: the last Monday in September, Easter Friday and Easter Monday, the first Monday and the last Monday in May).

Senior Residence Assistants

Each team is led by one Senior Residence Assistant.  Seniors must have one year's experience of being a Residence Assistant or relevant experience in a similar role.  In addition to their regular duties the Senior Residence Assistant is responsible for:

• making sure all duties are covered

• ensuring up to date Duty Rotas are displayed throughout the residence

• verifying the duties completed each month so appropriate payments can be made

• providing support and advice for the Residence Assistants in their team

• helping with the induction of any new Residence Assistants appointed throughout the session.

Training

All Residence Assistants must attend training sessions on Preventing and Handling Aggression, and Personal Security.  These are held at the start of term in September.

Appointment Procedure

All applications will be considered and some applicants will be selected for interview.

Any non-EEA (European Economic Area) national must have a Visa that allows them to undertake work in the UK. 

After the interviews, successful applicants will be appointed and sign an agreement with the Department of Accommodation Services undertaking to perform the duties outlined above and attend all meetings and training sessions as arranged. Those successful would have to be available to attend an orientation meeting on Friday 13^th before Arrival Weekend.  

In return for the service provided, Residence Assistants will receive £27.00 per week, Senior Residence Assistants will receive £34.00 per week.  You will be asked each month to claim the appropriate amount via Pegasus and the money will be paid monthly into UK bank accounts at the end of the following month.

If a Residence Assistant fails to cover a duty or behaves irresponsibly, Accommodation Services reserves the right to reduce payment or terminate the agreement as appropriate.

Applying

Please fill in the Application Form and return to to student.accommodation@strath.ac.uk by 9 am on 12 September.