GW to Launch Hybrid Resident Advisor Model This Fall

George Washington University will transition to a hybrid resident advisor model this fall, reintroducing RAs while continuing professional staff support across campus.

The shift builds on several years of adjustments to residential staffing. Five years ago, GW moved away from a traditional RA model during the pandemic, increasing professional staff presence in residence halls and creating hourly student roles.

As the Campus Living and Residential Education (CLRE) team reviewed residential experience feedback and met with student leaders, they learned students were looking for more peer-to-peer engagement and increased leadership opportunities.

Kyle Johnson, director of Residential Education, said that feedback was consistent.

"A lot of our student leaders were saying they want more time to connect and build more community with students," Johnson said. "They also were saying they want more leadership development."

Under the current model, many student staff members are hourly employees, which can limit the day-to-day connection with residents. The hybrid approach is meant to address that.

Beginning this fall, all first- and second-year residence halls will have live-in resident advisors who will focus on helping students ease into campus life and build meaningful connections.

"Community development will be a key part of their roles," Johnson said. "So they'll host programs, they'll have intentional conversations with students-those community elements that we see in the residence halls."

While RAs will address low-level concerns such as noise/community disturbances, larger-scale concerns such as medical emergencies will continue to be handled by professional staff and campus emergency resources.

Johnson said the RA role is designed to expand leadership development opportunities for students, which aligns with GW's Strategic Framework.

"Professional development will play a key role, giving them opportunities to strengthen their communication and problem-solving skills while supporting their peers," Johnson said.

Upperclass residence halls will follow a different model. Based on student feedback which is aligned with national trends, the CLRE team found that third- and fourth-year students typically require less day-to-day support, so those halls will be staffed by non-live-in community assistants.

Those roles will remain hourly positions (Federal Work Study or Non-Federal Work Study) and will support building operations, and other administrative needs. In total, the department plans to employ 84 student staff members next year, 70 resident advisors and 14 community assistants.

The department has started recruiting for the fall positions. Applicationsare open through Student Employment and close Feb. 28. Students can also be nominatedby current Faculty and Staff for Residential Education student staff roles through Feb. 20.

Students who are interested in supporting their peers, fostering meaningful connections on campus and contributing to inclusive residential communities are encouraged to apply.

The CLRE team has worked with the Financial Aid office to help clarify how the RA compensation package may affect financial aid. Resident advisors receive housing, a meal plan and a bi-weekly stipend. It is important for applicants to know that since housing and meal costs are included, a student's overall cost of attendance is reduced, which may lower the amount of aid received. Students who want to understand how the role would affect their individual financial aid package can visit the Student Services Hub.

As the university moves to this new model, CLRE leaders say the goal is to create more balance, flexibility and intentionality in how student staff roles are structured to best serve residents.

" Returning to this hybrid model is really to enhance the leadership development of our student staff and also to build more community in the residence halls as well," Johnson said.