Welcome to the Residence Life team!

Congratulations on your selection as a resident assistant (RA) for the upcoming academic year.  The professional staff is very excited to work with such an amazing and diverse group of student leaders.  Each of you bring unique qualities and characteristics to our team, and without your hard work our office would not be able to provide a safe and meaningful residential experience to your fellow students. 

The RA role is one of the most important and meaningful student leadership opportunities available at Cornell College.  While the demands of the position are great, the skills, knowledge, experiences and relationships that RAs are able to build both personally and professionally are even greater.

During our fall training program you'll be presented with information and techniques for addressing many of the most common responsibilities and scenarios that an RA will face during the academic year.  The pages linked within this manual are designed to supplement the fall training program and to be a resource to aid you in successfully completing various aspects of your position.  While we've tried to provide all necessary information, we know that for many the best teacher is on the job experience.  The professional staff encourages you to be open to new learning opportunities and to be willing to make adjustments as needed throughout the year.  And most importantly, we recognize that training is on-going, so we encourage you to be in constant contact with your supervisor about your needs and concerns, in addition to your RA duties.

Table of Contents 

• Section 1: Mission, Values and Educational Priorities
• Section 2: Job Overview and Descriptions
• Section 3: Important Dates
• Section 4: Emergency & Crisis Response
• Section 5: Reporting Procedures
• Section 6: On-Call Coverage
• Section 7: Mediation and Confrontation
• Section 8: Community Development
• Section 9: Programming
• Section 10: Additional Resources