What are the responsibilities and job description for the Graduate Assistant position at College of the Holy Cross?
Job Summary
The Graduate Assistant (GA) for Residential Experience is a graduate student who works as a part-time (20 hours per week) employee of the Office of Residence Life & Housing. This position reports directly to a member of the Central Office within Residence Life and Housing and indirectly to an Area Coordinator/Resident Director to provide support to a residential community. The GA responsibilities include oversight of a living and learning environment that supports individual and group development congruent with the College’s mission. The GA supervises a group of Resident Assistants (RAs) and is responsible for managing the operations of a residential community, which includes community development, occupancy management, resident satisfaction, safety, and educational opportunities. The GA will provide support to department initiatives, including and not limited to, opening, closing, student staff training, recruitment, and selection.
This is a part-time role, requiring 20 hours per week during the academic year (starting August 4, 2025 and concluding May 29, 2026), and includes a stipend, housing, and meal stipend. This is also a one year appointment renewable each year at the discretion of the Director of Residence Life and Housing or their designee.
Major Areas of Responsibility
- Assist with the supervision and evaluation of Resident Assistants within the assigned student population. Conduct weekly group staff meetings and meet with individual RAs and direct reports.
- Serve as a resource to RAs in the assigned population as it relates to fulfilling requirements of their responsibilities.
- Serve as an educator and general resource in a compassionate manner when intervening with students regarding a variety of issues including college transition; academic and personal experiences; roommate and/or floor conflicts/challenges; mental health issues; safety, security and emergency procedures; and institutional and residential community policies, procedures and expectations.
- Serve as a general resource for the assigned student population.
- Attend weekly departmental staff meetings, training and professional development sessions.
- Responsible for ensuring all college policies, local and federal laws are followed in accordance with departmental and college procedures, to include those required as a mandated reporter.
- In support of our College Mission, the GA will provide customer service with fairness, respect and dignity, to both internal and external customers.
- Serve in the on-call rotation for the entire campus to respond to crisis situations or other problematic events, if needed.
- Assume all other duties as assigned in support of the Department.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree required and current enrollment in a master's level program. or professional development internship.
- Candidates should be a graduate student at a regionally accredited college or university in Student Personnel, Higher Education Administration, Counseling or other related field.
- Proficient in all Microsoft suite applications including Google Drive, Google Docs & Forms, Word and Excel, PowerPoint, Access database structure, and reporting.
Core Competencies
Collaboration: Exchanging information, ideas, thoughts and feelings thoughtfully with others in a manner that is proactive and enhances partnerships
Inclusion: Actively engaging with the values of the College by promoting a work environment that embraces diversity and demonstrating respect for the opinions and beliefs of others
Innovation: Performing one’s job with creativity and proactivity, improving procedures and problem-solving
Mission/Service Orientation: Focusing on service to others and contributing to the College’s collective mission
Responsibility: Taking ownership of one’s actions and accountability for one’s tasks and duties
Inclusion: Actively engaging with the values of the College by promoting a work environment that embraces diversity and demonstrating respect for the opinions and beliefs of others
Innovation: Performing one’s job with creativity and proactivity, improving procedures and problem-solving
Mission/Service Orientation: Focusing on service to others and contributing to the College’s collective mission
Responsibility: Taking ownership of one’s actions and accountability for one’s tasks and duties
Disclaimer
The description above represents the most significant duties of this position but does not exclude other occasional work assignments not mentioned, the inclusion of which would be in conformity with the factor degrees assigned.
The College is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and complies with all Federal and Massachusetts laws concerning Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action in the workplace.
To review our Employee Benefit Options, please go to: https://www.holycross.edu/human-resources/benefits
Review of applications will begin as received and continue until the position has been filled.
The College also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities during the hiring process in compliance with law. Please contact Merrilee Grenier, Senior Associate Director of Employee Relations and Legal Compliance, for questions or to request an accommodation via email at mgrenier@holycross.edu, or by calling 508-793-3957.
The College also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities during the hiring process in compliance with law. Please contact Merrilee Grenier, Senior Associate Director of Employee Relations and Legal Compliance, for questions or to request an accommodation via email at mgrenier@holycross.edu, or by calling 508-793-3957.
