Edinburgh Napier University
Property & Facilities
Sighthill Campus
Sighthill Court
Edinburgh
EH11 4BN
t 0131 455 3712
e
f 0131 455 3739
Resident Assistant Applicant
Dear Student
Thank you for your enquiry regarding the post of Resident Assistant. Please find attached an application form and further particulars of the post including the following:
1. Purpose of the Role
2. Code of Conduct
3. The Role of the Resident Assistant
These can be returned either by post, mail or e-mail to the address above by 11th March 2016.
We look forward to receiving your application.
If your course has a placement period, you should not complete this form as you are required to live in the accommodation for the full academic year.
If you are going into your final year or are studying a Postgraduate course, please fully consider the time you will need to commit to in order to fulfil this role.
Assessment/interviews will be held on 22nd and 23rd March 2016. Please select your preferred date on the application form. The assessment process will involve group work and an interview and will take approximately 3.5 hours.
Applicants will be notified within one week of the assessment day if they are successful or not and those successful will be informed in May of their allocated accommodation.
Kind regards,
Student Accommodation
PROPERTY & FACILITIES
STUDENT ACCOMMODATION
Further particulars of the position
Position: Resident Assistant (Formerly Senior Resident)
Location: Student Flats
Line Manager: Accommodation Officer
Duration: 22nd August 2016 to 9th June 2017 (end date tbc)
Purpose of the position
The Resident Assistant (RA) will provide advice and support for students with regard to the process of independent living and assist the accommodation team in the day to day running of the developments. The RAs will also play a role in the implementation and running of Residence Life at the accommodation, under direction of the Senior Accommodations Officer – Support Services. The RA is expected to know their students, and commitment to the job is required in order to achieve this and to fulfil his/her other duties as detailed below. Some duties are required to be undertaken out with normal University working hours.
Duties
· To attend training days and any extra training events required by Accommodation Services during the year. These training events are MANDATORY.
· To assist with the implementation and running of ResLife – each SR will be expected to assist/organise at least 2 events each trimester.
· To welcome new students in September and January and to assist during the first weekend prior to the beginning of Trimester 1 and Trimester 2.
· To provide assistance and advice to tenants about day-to-day living in the flat.
· To provide one late night reception cover per week between 5 and 7pm.
· To maintain a good standard of behaviour and cleanliness in each stair.
· To participate in maintaining the security of the building, i.e. to ensure all stair doors are fully functional and students are security conscious.
· To ensure students comply with health and safety regulations e.g. removing flyers from the vestibule and hallway, removing glass bottles from the communal areas.
· To ensure that all students comply with fire / emergency procedures and to act as Fire Warden at the development.
· To provide cover as Fire Wardens and Marshalls for monitoring the buildings and respond to any fire activations within the building – full training will be given
· To serve as a first point of contact for Police, Fire Officers and security in emergency situations.
· To serve as first point of contact for power failure and water damage within the flats and inform Helpdesk or Security.
· To conduct the weekly fire alarms checks where required (rota basis).
· To assist with weekly testing of the emergency call points in the lifts at Bainfield.
· To assist in the prevention of Legionella bacteria by running the water in vacant flats on a weekly basis, as advised by the Accommodation Office
· RAs will be expected to be available up to the last day of the tenancy in order to assist the Accommodation Officers with the close-down of the flats. RAs will work from 9am -5pm during this week. If an RA fails to attend work during this week he/she will have their contract terminated and will be liable for full rent from the 1st of May 2017.
· To check repairs have been completed within timescales and report back on any repairs that are outstanding.
· To undertake administrative tasks such as reporting of incidents, accidents, property defects or repairs, and, where appropriate, to issue replacement items such as kettles, toasters etc. and keep/manage a stock inventory of stores on site.
· Provide use of your flat for open days to be used to show prospective students the accommodation.
· Assist at Open Days as required, manning stands and providing information to students and parents (these are usually held on a Saturday)
· To meet as appropriate, with the Accommodation Officers to discuss matters of mutual interest, and with other RAs as and when required.
Further Information
Training will be given on fire drills, manual handling, emergency evacuation of disabled persons, monitoring the fire alarm system, lift call points (Bainfield) and maintenance defects where appropriate.
RAs are expected to maintain the highest standards of conduct reflecting the responsibility of their position as representatives of Edinburgh Napier University.
Remuneration and hours
For your duties, you will receive 50% off your rent.
While there are no set hours for Resident Assistants, it is expected that they complete on average 30 hours per month to meet the expectations of the role.
A typical week will involve a minimum of the fire alarm test and a 2 hr reception shift plus any ad hoc duties as required. Fortnightly maintenance checks and water testing will also be expected. Attendance at and assistance in a minimum of 2 ResLife events per trimester (outwith Freshers week) will also be expected.
Weekly duty recording sheets must be completed and submitted, these will form the basis of any reviews and a null return will indicate no duties have been completed in that week.
Full time hours will be expected for the first 2 weeks of the contract and the final lease end week.
Allocation of Flat/Development
You will be able to select a preference for where you will live if selected as an RA, and we will try to accommodate this, but final allocation is at the discretion of the Accommodation Office. We need to ensure correct allocation based on various factors so you may not get your first choice of flat development. It will not be possible to reallocate once an offer has been made.
Resident Assistants will be allocated to Slateford Road, Bainfield and Orwell Terrace.
PROPERTY & FACILITIES
STUDENT ACCOMMODATION
Resident Assistants
Code of Conduct and Conditions of Service
The position of RA is one of responsibility within the student community living in university accommodation and as such RAs live in public view and should remember to conduct themselves in an appropriate manner at all times. RAs, as with all students, must adhere to the University’s rules and regulations and the Student Accommodation Code of Conduct. RAs are also fully bound by the terms and conditions of their tenancy agreement. However please remember the following points:
Attendance
RAs must attend all training, meetings, events and working groups and be present for office cover as required and arranged. If you are ill or unable to cover for any reason, you will be responsible for arranging cover with the other RAs. Where this is not possible, as much notice should be given as possible to the Accommodation Office so alternative cover can be arranged.
Alcohol
Any RA on duty during term time must not drink alcohol or be under the influence.
During these times you may be called upon to deal with an emergency and the consumption of alcohol may affect your judgement.
At other times social drinking is permissible, however an RA should not drink to a level which would impair their judgement or endanger the welfare of other students. Remember you will lead by example.
Drugs
The taking of illegal drugs is forbidden.
Commitment and Integrity
All RAs should be committed to their role. Your integrity should be unquestionable and should inspire the trust and respect of fellow RAs and students.
Inappropriate Communication
RAs must not send any inappropriate communications of a lewd or threatening nature to fellow students or staff.
Confidentiality
As a RAs you may be party to confidential information. This confidentiality should be respected at all times. If you require advice on dealing with information contact your Accommodation Officer immediately.
Review of Performance
Whenever an RAs execution of his/her tasks is deemed to be unsatisfactory, he/she will be informed of this by the appropriate Accommodation Officer. The RA concerned will be assisted to improve his/her performance. A formal review process will take place at the end of the 1st and 2nd trimester.
In the event that a satisfactory performance cannot be achieved then the Head of Student Accommodation shall have the authority to terminate the Resident Assistant contract of service. The student concerned will no longer be asked to fulfil the duties of an RA and will no longer receive the discounts associated with the position.
The Head of Student Accommodation reserves the right to relocate an RA within any of the student accommodation sites, should their contract of service be terminated.
Ground for the termination of a service contract include but are not limited to the following:
Repeated occurrences of a missed weekly duty
Repeated failure to attend trainings, meetings as required
Improper conduct
Rent arrears
Taking holidays outwith permitted times
PROPERTY & FACILITIES
STUDENT ACCOMMODATION
The Role of the Resident Assistant (RA)
All university accommodation is set aside for those students coming to Edinburgh Napier for the first time. For many, this will be their first experience of staying away from home and in a strange city. The role of the RA is to assist new students in the process of independent living and to encourage a responsible attitude at all times so that all students in developments can enjoy peaceful use of their properties at all times. You will also assist with a social programme to encourage a community spirit within the accommodation.
The list of RAs responsibilities is not exhaustive but includes the following:
· Flat set up/key collection. From the 25th to 31st August, you will be required to work full time assisting in a variety of tasks to help prepare for the students’ arrival including spot cleaning the flats, checking inventory items, reporting repairs, issuing keys, meeting and greeting and car parking management. You will be required to assist with late arrivals so flexibility in working times is essential during this time.
· Welcome and Familiarisation role. RAs will introduce themselves during the first week of the academic term to all students in their block, stair and/or allocation.
· The RA will be able to advise students on the day to day living in their development including information about car parking and bike stores, rubbish uplift, electricity meters, operation of heating systems, students’ safety and security, CCTV cameras, entry phone systems, not letting strangers into the building, locking front and flat doors, fire safety, location of fire extinguishers and fire blankets and what to do during a fire evacuation.
· Maintenance of good standards of behaviour amongst residents, ultimately with the help of the Accommodation Officer. The RA must remind students that they are living in close proximity to other students and local residents and that everyone has a right to a safe and peaceful co-existence. The RA, with the help of Edinburgh Napier security staff, may have to put an end to parties which are causing too much noise and upset to neighbours.
· Report to the Property & Facilities Helpdesk any defects or repairs in the communal areas of the building and meet regularly with the Accommodation Officer and other Senior Residents. The RA at various developments should meet regularly for support and the exchange of ideas and problems encountered.
· RAs should help to foster a community spirit in their developments. RAs will play an integral role in our new concept of Residence Life.
· RAs will be given training as fire wardens and will assist the Accommodation Officer with weekly testing of the fire alarms. They will also act as a first point of contact for the fire service and police in the event of an emergency.
· RAs will need to be available up to the last day of the tenancy (early June 2017 tbc), in order to assist with the close-down of the flats. RAs will work from 9AM -5PM during the last week of the tenancy. Failure to attend work during this week will result in their contract being terminated and will be liable for full rent from the 1st of May 2016.
Important Dates
All RAs must be able to commit to the following dates:
Monday 22nd August – Key collection, move into accommodation
Tuesday and Wednesday 23rd and 24th August – Training provided – all day event
Thursday 25th - Wednesday 30th August - Flat Set up
Thursday 1st – Sunday 4th September – Key Collection Sessions
Monday 5th – Sunday 11th September – Week 1 Fresher’s and Welcome events
4th Jan 2017 – Flat set up for 2nd trimester, 2nd Trimester arrivals and ResLife welcome events
29th May to 4th June – Lease end week; assist with student check outs
Weekly fire tests, lift call point checks and water running to be carried out at a time that fits in with RA academic timetables – same time each week to be adhered to.
Regular meetings for Residence Life duties will be arranged as required and mutually agreeable with the RAs and Accommodation Staff.
Holidays - No RA duties expected during these times, free to go home!
Christmas: RAs may be needed until 19th December to help with flat draw down in trimester 1 and may need to return on Wednesday 4th January – this will be confirmed with you nearer the time.