About the Department

• What is University Residential Life (URL)?
• What is an Area Coordinator (AC)?
• What is a Residence Hall Coordinator (RHC)?
• What is a Senior Community Assistant (SCA)?
• What are the seven areas where SCAs or RHCs can work?

About the Position

• What are the benefits of the Residence Hall Coordinator (RHC) position?
• What are the benefits of the Senior Community Assistant position?
• How will the SCA or RHC position impact my financial aid?
• What's the best way to learn about the SCA and RHC positions?
• Can SCAs and RHCs participate in co-curricular activities outside of the position?

About the Selection Process

• I will not be on campus during the winter and/or spring quarter(s), can I still apply to be a CA for the upcoming academic year?
• I will be abroad next year, can I apply now for a CA position for 2009-10?
• Who is eligible for the SCA and RHC position?

After the Selection Process

• If I am not selected for a SCA or RHC position, can I get feedback on my application and interview?
• How do I get assigned to a staff?
• Can my assignment change?
• After March 2008, how will I know if Residential Life has any SCA/RHC vacancies?
• What kind of training will SCAs and RHCs receive?
• I will not be on campus in the spring quarter. Can I still participate in the spring SCA and RHC class?

About the Department

• What is University Residential Life (URL)? (URL) strives to encourage the growth and development of each student in a variety of living environments. Our program seeks to complement the academic mission of Northwestern University by providing students the opportunity to learn social responsibility, intercultural competence, and interpersonal skills in a safe, diverse, and affirming environment.
  
  
• What is an Area Coordinator (AC)? Each of the 7 areas in undergraduate Residential Life is led by an AC who is a full-time professional staff member who lives on campus and supervises student staff. Most ACs have received a masters degree in higher education administration, counseling, or a related field. ACs are highly skilled in such areas as leadership development, counseling and referral, and multicultural education. Learn more about them.
  
  
• What is a Residence Hall Coordinator (RHC)? A RHC may be a returning staff member and/or a graduate student. Reporting directly to an AC, the primary responsibility of an RHC is to supervise, lead, mentor, and evaluate CAs on his/her staff (generally 4-6 CAs). A RHC does not work directly with residents.
  
  
• What is a Senior Community Assistant (SCA)? A SCA is a returning staff member and/or graduate student who shares the same duties as other CAs on staff but has additional responsibilities and leadership roles. As an assistant to the AC, SCAs tasks may include completing reports, monitoring staff progress on team assignments and acting as a peer resource and confidant to CAs on his/her staff.
  
  
• What are the seven areas where a CA can work? There are three areas on south campus and three areas on north campus. One area has a mix of buildings on both south and north campus.
  
  
  • South Campus
    
    Willard & Small Houses (WASH) : Consisting of 9 unique living environments, WASH includes residential colleges (Willard, Chapin, Hobart) and 2 co-ed residence halls (SMQ and NMQ), 1 all-female residence halls (Rogers House), and two exclusive use houses - one all male (626 Emerson-Phi Mu Alpha Music fraternity), and (720 Emerson-Sigma Alpha Iota Music sorority). Work with a team of 17 CAs to network with the hall governments and approximately 700 residents to develop a comfortable south campus community.
    
    Allison/PARC/RCS: The 10 CAs at Allison Hall and Public Affairs RC work together to assist the 355 residents of Allison and 110 PARC residents and their governments. Residential College Suites (RCS) consists of 3 residential colleges: Communications (CRC), International Studies (ISRC), and Jones Fine and Performing Arts (Jones). The six CAs in RCS report to a Residence Hall Coordinator and work closely with the hall government and master's staff to enhance the strong sense of community in these colleges.
    
    Foster-Walker: The 18 Foster Walker CAs work with more than 600 mostly upperclass residents to develop the unique community. Foster Walker is also home to the inter-faith living learning hall.
    
    
  • North Campus
    
    Bobb-McCulloch: The 13 Bobb McCulloch CAs work with more than 450 residents to maintain a strong sense of community amongst their largely freshmen and sophomore residents.
    
    North Residential Colleges and Houses (NRCH): NRCH consists of 3 residential colleges (Science and Engineering, Ayers Commerce and Industry, Cultural and Community Studies), two co-ed halls (584 Lincoln and Lindgren House), one co-ed transfer student hall (2251 Sheridan), one all male hall (Foster House), and one all-female hall (Goodrich house). The 13 CAs work with 8 hall governments and serve more than 500 residents.
    
    The Freshman Quad: Home to nearly 375 first-year students, the 11 CAs work with residents in three buildings (Elder Hall, 600 Lincoln and Hinman House-610 Lincoln). CAs develop and support a uniue educational program designed for new students.
    
    
  • North and South Campus
    
    Kemper/Sargent/1835 Hinman/Shepard (K1SS): This area has two buildings on north campus (Kemper and Sargent) and two buildings on south campus (1835 Hinman and Shepard RC). On north campus, the 8 CAs in Kemper and Sargent work together to serve approximately 320 residents between the two buildings. On south campus the 4 CAs in Shepard and 5 CAs in 1835 Hinman work with 180 and 229 residents respectively. Both Shepard and 1835 Hinman staffs work independently under the direction of a Residence Hall Coordinator.

About the SCA and RHC Positions

• What are the benefits of the Residence Hall Coordinator position? Financial compensation for RHCs includes room, board, and a $4400 stipend in 10 installments. RHCs are provided with housing throughout fall staff orientation which begins in late August.
  
  
• What are the benefits of the Senior Community Assistant position? Financial compensation for SCAs includes room, board, and a quarterly stipend of $750 for three quarters. SCAs are provided with housing throughout fall staff orientation which begins in late August.
  
  
• How will the SCA or RHC position impact my financial aid? The Undergraduate Financial Aid website addresses this question. For specific consultation on your specific aid package contact Ms. Patsy Emery at the Financial Aid Office. She is the liaison to Residential Life and will be able to answer your questions more specifically.
  
  
• What's the best way to learn about the SCA and RHC position? We highly encourage you to attend an information session, but the best way to learn about the position is to talk with current SCAs and RHCs. Don't just talk to one staff member. Talk to SCAs and RHCs who served on different staffs. You will find that the SCA and RHC experience varies depending on where the person is assigned.
  
  
• What are the daily and weekly duties of a SCA? Like all CAs, most days a SCA may spend an hour or two hanging out with residents, attending hall social or educational events, having meals with residents, and planning or implementing social activities with residents. In addition to weekly CA staff meetings and a one-on-one meeting with their supervisor, SCAs will assume responsibilities for other staff related administrative tasks. Most SCAs do not have to participate in the CA duty rotation on a regular basis.
  
  
• What are the daily and weekly duties of the RHC? Unlike SCAs, RHCs do not have direct responsibility for any residents in their area. RHCs spend much of their time focusing on staff supervision and evaluation (i.e. holding one-on-one meetings with each CA and leading staff meetings); coordinating staff development; and overseeing community development efforts, including hall government advising. RHCs also have weekly meetings with their supervisor(s).
  
  
• Can SCAs and RHCs participate in co-curricular activities outside of the position? SCAs and RHCs may participate in co-curricular activities provided they do not interfere with successfully completing the position. First quarter SCAs and RHCs are expected to limit their involvement to those activities approved by their supervisor. After the first quarter, your supervisor will review requests for additional time commitments on a case-by-case basis.

About the Selection Process

• Who is eligible for the SCA and RHC positions? Undergraduate and graduate students that are currently CAs who will be enrolled at Northwestern University for the entire upcoming academic year are eligible for SCA and RHC positions. Northwestern graduate students with CA experience (or similar position) at another institution may apply. School of Education and Social Policy graduate students enrolled in Northwestern's Higher Education Administration and Policy program are highly encouraged to apply. Applicants must have a 2.50 GPA at the time of hire.
  
  
• With whom do RHC and SCA candidates interview? When submitting a RHC and/or SCA application, candidates will schedule a number of interviews. Each candidate will have a one-on-one interview with the Area Coordinator(s) of the area(s) to which she/he is applying AND the Assistant Director of the area(s) to which she/he is applying.
  
  
• If I do not currently work as a CA, can someone other than a current Area Coordinator (AC) complete the SCA-RHC feedback form? Yes. Any previous Northwestern AC or a supervisor from a previous CA-like position at another institution may complete the feedback form on your behalf. If you need additional advice, contact Residential Life.
  
  
• For applicants who are not currently Northwestern students: Who should complete the SCA/RHC candidate reference form? We encourage you to ask current or former employers, faculty members, or others who have supervised you in a volunteer or paid work setting. The reference form may not be completed by any current Northwestern Residential Life staff members, other undergraduate students or family members.
  
  
• Can I apply for a SCA or RHC position if I am applying to a graduate program at Northwestern University , but have not yet been accepted for the upcoming academic year? Yes. However, preference will be given to candidates who have been accepted into their programs by the time hiring decisions are made.
  
  
• If I am not offered a SCA or RHC job, can I still be considered for a CA position? Yes. There is a space on the application that asks you to indicate your interest in the CA position.

After the Selection Process

• If I am not selected for a SCA or RHC position, can I get feedback on my application and interview? Yes. Call 847-491-3541 to schedule an appointment with Virginia Koch, Senior Assistant Director of University Residential Life. She will provide you with feedback on your application and interview.
  
  
• How do I get assigned to a staff ? After your last set of interviews, you will be asked to preference up to three areas in which you would like to work. Your preferences will be taken into consideration but cannot be guaranteed. In late January you will be notified in writing of our hiring decision and, if hired, your placement.
  
  
• Can my assignment change? On rare occasions our staffing needs change unexpectedly. In the event such changes affect your placement, you will be notified of your placement options.
  
  
• After January 2008, how will I know if Residential Life has any SCA or RHC vacancies? You can contact Residential Life and inquire about vacancies at any time. Once you have submitted an application and all required documentation, we will contact you when you are to be considered for a vacancy. Because some staff vacancies must be filled with a SCA or RHC of a specific sex (due to living accommodation arrangements), we may not be able to consider you for all vacant positions.
  
  
• What kind of training will new SCAs and RHCs receive? All new staff members are expected to complete a SCA-RHC spring training program and fall staff orientation program. New staff will receive training in leadership; community development and management; event planning and implementation; emotional and cultural intelligence; safety procedures and emergency response protocols; and University resources and referral strategies.
  
  
• I will not be on campus in the spring quarter. Can I still participate in the spring SCA-RHC training? Residential Life will make special arrangements and accommodations as necessary to each individual situation.