Professional Staff Frequently Asked Questions

Are Residence Directors allowed to have pets?

Yes, our Residence Directors are allowed to have one dog, one cat, or fish.

Are domestic partners or others allowed to live in staff apartments?

Yes, our Residence Directors are allowed to have a roommate. We do not require staff to disclose the relationship between them and their roommate.  

Do you offer domestic partner benefits?

Staff must be legally married or have obtained a civil union in order for his or her partner to qualify for coverage under University plans.  More information is available here http://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/eligibility/index.html#domesticPartner .

What is the salary for Residence Directors?

The starting salary for the Residence Director position is $35,000.  Staff typically receive annual merit increases.

How are underrepresented staff and students supported at Northwestern?

Northwestern offers support to all members of its community.  An overview of the support services available is provided here http://www.northwestern.edu/about/diversity/other-resources.html. In addition, the Division of Student Affairs recently established an Office for Campus Inclusion and Community, reporting directly to the Vice President of Student Affairs.

What are the crime rates on the Northwestern campus?

Crime statistics for Northwestern are available here http://www.northwestern.edu/up/safety/annual-report/index.html.

How often are Residence Directors on call?

Residence Directors are usually on call one week night per week and one weekend per month.  While on call Residence Directors must be able to respond to an incident within 10 minutes of being called. Because Evanston has so much to offer on and close to campus, this allows on call staff to still be active members of the campus and Evanston communities while on call.

What types of communities are available in on campus housing?

An overview of all of the undergraduate housing options available may be viewed here http://www.northwestern.edu/living/options/undergraduate/index.html.

An overview of all of the graduate housing options available may be viewed here http://www.northwestern.edu/gradhousing/housing/index.html.

What is the difference between a Residential College, residential community and residence hall at Northwestern?

There are currently 11 Residential Colleges on the Northwestern Evanston campus. These themed and multi-thematic colleges range in size from about 40 residents to nearly 300.  In addition to Community Assistants (paraprofessional staff), each Residential College has a Faculty Master, Associate Master, and Assistant Master and Faculty Fellows that work with them to enrich the intellectual, cultural, and social lives of their students and to help them develop lifelong habits of learning and responsibility. Each Residential College has a hall government and a representative on the Residential College Board (RCB), the governing structure for residential college.

There are currently two residential communities on the Northwestern campus.  Each residential community houses over 300 residents.  The Elder Residential Community is exclusively for first year students and Allison Residential Community is for all residents.  The Residential Community program provides students with an enhanced residential experience by offering opportunities for personal development and growth outside of the classroom. Residential Communities give students the opportunity to interact with faculty members in a shared living environment because each community has a Faculty in Residence. 

There are currently 12 other residence halls on the Northwestern campus. These range in size from 20 residents to well over 500.  Each residence hall offers a unique environment and design to meet various student preferences. Each residential community and residence hall has a hall government and a representative for Residence Hall Association (RHA), the governing structure for residence halls.