Elder Residential Community Graduate Assistant

Overview of the Position 

As part of the Residential Services team, the Graduate Assistant (GA) for the Elder Residential Community works collaboratively with faculty, staff and students to foster vibrant and inclusive residential environments that contribute to the vision, mission, and strategic plan of Student Affairs. The GA is a Northwestern graduate student who serves as a part-time (20 hours per week), live-in staff member and reports to the Faculty-in-Residence (FIR). This position includes working with diverse groups of students, staff, and faculty in a highly selective and competitive academic environment.

Duties and Responsibilities

Faculty-in-Residence Engagement Support (80 percent, about 16 hours a week)

  1. Assist Faculty-in-Residence (FIR) with planning student educational and social programs. 
  2. Assist FIR with assessment, including, but not limited to program evaluation and student learning initiatives.
  3. Collaborate with departments across campus on program planning initiatives for the residential community
  4. Coordinate event details for FIR
  5. Assist FIR in overseeing programming budget
  6. Assist FIR in identifying other faculty members to formally engage with students in the community
  7. Regularly dine in residential community dining facility and attend two meals per month with students and FRI
  8. Spend a significant amount of time in the residential community engaging with students informally and formally
  9. Other duties as assigned by the FIR

Administrative Duties (17 percent, about 3.5 hours a week)

  1. Attend all GA training.
  2. Attend in-service training programs when appropriate.
  3. Attend building staff meetings when appropriate.
  4. Attend regular meetings with the Faculty-in-Residence
  5. Attend regularly scheduled meetings with the FIR
  6. Complete weekly office hours
  7. Coordinate with the FIR and Residence Director (when applicable) to ensure that staff and hall government programs complement each other and do not overlap.
  8. Develop and submit timely written reports on the progress of one’s projects and initiatives.
  9. Develop and provide content for the Residential Services website and social media initiatives.
  10. Report all crimes of which they become aware as required by the Higher Education Act, also known as the Clery Act.
  11. Report any reasonable cause for concern that a child may be abused or neglected to the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services.

Professional Development (3 percent, about one hour every two weeks)

  1. Participate in department and division-wide professional development activities.

This position description is based on an average of 20 hours per week with some work required on evenings and weekends.  Appointments are for the 2013-14 academic year only. The number of hours per week and percentage of time devoted to each area may vary from time to time. Duties and assignments are subject to change at the discretion of the department Director.

Qualifications

  • Must be enrolled in a master’s or terminal degree program at Northwestern University.
  • Experience working with high-achieving and diverse students in a fast-paced environment.

Compensation

The GA will receive a $600-1,200 monthly stipend (10 months), campus apartment and up to six meals a week when the campus dining halls are open. Please note, the candidate selected for this position will not receive any additional benefits, other than the salary, apartment and meals stated above.  We are not able to offer a tuition waiver, health insurance, or other benefits that may be available with other graduate assistantships on campus.

Application Process

Interested candidates should email a cover letter detailing their interest in and related qualifications for the position, along with a resume to:

Tiffany Gonzales, (tiffany-gonzales@northwestern.edu)

Assistant Director, Residential Services

Applications will be accepted and reviewed until the position is filled.