The Department of Student Life (pictured above) came under fire after changes to the Resident Assistant contracts earlier this year prompted tension between the department and RAs. Student Association Director of Inter-Residence Affairs Emily Matura is working with Student Life to respond to criticism and feedback from RAs through an anonymous Google form (Kenji Nagayoshi/staff photographer).
Assistant Residence Directors and Resident Assistants on campus received notice from the Inter-Residence Council detailing a new anonymous RA forum initiative to help them give constructive criticism without fear, according to SA Director of Inter-Residence Affairs and IRC Representative Emily Matura.
“Recently there was an article in The Lamron that voiced some frustrations RAs and ARDs had with Student Life; however, it was evident that nobody currently in the position felt comfortable being quoted in that article and having their voice heard,” Matura said. “I was aware of some tension between Student Life and the RA staff but didn’t fully realize just how bad it was until nobody wanted to comment for the paper ‘in fear of being fired.”
Matura went on to encourage RAs to speak to their supervisors about any issues they have, but if they are uncomfortable doing so they can use the form.
Director of Student Life Chip Matthews is working with Matura on the initiative and completely supports it.
“I greatly appreciate [Matura’s] creativity and her willingness to take the lead on this initiative. We are always looking for ways to generate constructive change and improvement,” Matthews said in a statement. “In fact, one of our guiding principles is the improvement of the human condition through the expansion of a caring community. Gathering feedback and information can help with this.”
Matura explains that the process is easy and consists of filling out an anonymous Google form. Matura and Matthews will then go through all the responses and send out an email response. “I think it’s a good way for RAs to start candid conversations with student life professionals,” Matura said. “I think this is something that should continue past this year.”
RAs have expressed positive feelings toward the forum and think it is a great way for them to communicate the problems that are occurring with Student Life. With the forum being completely anonymous, they no longer have to fear being reprimanded.
Resident assistant senior Melissa Hartlipp finds the initiative from Student Life to be a positive one.
“I think it’s good that we have a forum to voice our concerns and that we don’t have to be afraid of being reprimanded,” Hartlipp said. “[The college] clearly took feedback that they’re hearing from us and responded in a way that will hopefully make people feel more comfortable.”
Students, like mathematics and economics double major sophomore Dana Sorrentino, overall feel it is a positive change as well because their peers, RAs deserve to be able to have their voices heard, especially when they spend so much of their time listening to others.
“I do think it’s a good thing because a lot of the RAs are really scared to speak about the issues that they have because they are scared of being fired,” Sorrentino said. “It’s really not right for them because they put in a lot of work to help residents and they really are there for a lot of the students. It’s unjust that they feel so insecure and so scared to not be able to speak about the problems that they have being an RA.”