IT FIGURES
by Matthew Venaas and Cate Morrison
T
he lessons of 2020 and 2021 will affect how housing departments do their work long after the pandemic is over. Perhaps no group will feel that more than student staff. Their resilience and willingness to step up, create, and adapt to support residents in different ways should be celebrated. Now, as campuses plan for a transition back to a more traditional housing experience focused on in-person connections and community development, it’s time to focus on the learning and development of returning student staff.
Differentiating and maintaining the relevance of processes for returning student staff has always been a challenge. Returning resident assistants have already experienced the job at least once, and, as is natural with many processes or experiences, they may not be as likely to be satisfied the second go-round or may be more likely to run into friction points. Data from the Skyfactor Benchworks Student Staff Assessment have shown a difference between new and returning staff when it comes to the perceptions of and experiences with the RA position. Results from the 2018-19 academic year illustrate that, generally, RAs in their first year were more likely to indicate high satisfaction with a range of aspects of their experience, as well as their overall experience. In addition, first-year RAs were more likely to plan to return to the position for the next year (78%) than those (71%) who were in at least their second year in the position (excluding those who indicated they were graduating or not rehired).
While those trends can be expected to continue, it must also be acknowledged that the RA experience during the 2020-21 academic year was much different than that in the past. The RAs who were new to the role for this last academic year operated in the position during a time dominated by prolonged anxiety and continued uncertainty. In short, it was not what they signed up for. Still, there are ways to turn those challenges into training opportunities for growth.
Approaching the new academic year, campuses will need to challenge returning staff to recognize how their experiences during the COVID-19 year enhanced their abilities. They will need to be trained how to translate their experiences to a more traditional year. In order to challenge and support the returning staff, encourage an asset-based approach. Valuing and showcasing the connections and gifts that returning staff will bring to teams can set them up for success as well as challenge them in a way that keeps them engaged and satisfied. Asking them to share their strengths and positioning them to be the connectors on the team will give returning staff purpose throughout selection and training and set them on a path for success as a returning RA.
Matthew Venaas is a research manager at Skyfactor and is a regular contributor to the Talking Stick as well as a presenter at ACUHO-I events. Cate Morrison performs client services and outreach for eRezLife Software.
