Resident Directors (RDs) at Hope College oversee the development, management, and administration of a small residential hall. This is a live-in, part-time professional staff position that creates community by engaging students in a dynamic environment. We strive to create opportunities that develop, foster, and promote academic success, personal growth, intercultural competence, and exploration of faith.
The RD position runs from August-May. Specific responsibilities include:
Relationship-Building
- Develop relationships with residents, student staff, colleagues, faculty, and staff that are based in belonging, growth, dignity, respect and care
- Assess and respond to needs of colleagues, Resident Assistants, and campus community
Student Development
- Overall operation of residence hall including, but not limited to, oversight of student staff members, community development, and address of facility needs
- Confront policy violations and take appropriate, timely, and developmental-based action
- Actively seek ways to integrate in-classroom and out-of-classroom experiences within the context of a Christian, residential, liberal arts college
Community Development
- Develop and implement specific plans to create an environment that celebrates the richness of diversity and promotes the active engagement of all students
- Meet regularly with individual staff members, groups of staff members, or entire staff to solve problems, implement programs, and address emergent issues
- Mediate conflicts within floors, neighbors, roommates; utilizes a variety of approaches to effectively address emergent conflicts (e.g., roommate agreements, behavior contracts)
- Interpret policy and procedures for students, staff, parents, and others
Supervision
- Oversee and support the planning, implementation, and evaluation of educational programs by student staff throughout the academic year
- Assist in the design and implementation of pre-service and on-the-job training covering a variety of topics pertinent to residential life and student development for professional and student staff
- Manage programming budget for individual hall
Institutional Citizenship
- Assist with and/or support divisional programs and events
- Actively encourage the inclusion of faculty and academic-related topics in residence hall activities
- Engage with the life of the College (e.g., attend institutional events such as speakers, performances, athletic contests, student programs and initiatives, and worship services)
- Be present in the College community allowing for the development of planned and unplanned relationships with students and colleagues
- Serve on departmental planning committee
