Meghan Harmening | Opinion Co-Editor

Being a Resident Adviser (RA) is hard work. Some nights go by without any problems, while others offer up several challenges – ethical, mental, and physical. A typical month in the life of an RA requires door decorations to be made, a few nights to be on duty, and relationships to attend to. It isn’t about a specific time or schedule but rather a lifestyle that is being watched by all students, faculty, and staff. But after looking at all of the benefits and downfalls, do RAs still get paid less than they should? Let’s take a look.

If we take the amount of money an RA gets paid – roughly 6,400 dollars per year – and divide it by the number of hours an RA works in a year – 66 hours per month or 528 per year – we land on $12.12 per hour. In addition, RAs receive their own room and 10 days off each semester. But after looking at what other schools give their RAs, do we really receive a comparable wage?

Of course, RAs receive many other benefits than just those of the monetary kind. The chance to meet a host of new people of different backgrounds and upbringings is one thing that really pulled me towards the RA position. Furthermore, the chance to plan activities and programs for different people also excited me because I would get to connect with even more people. I’m a people person and like learning about new people. By being one of fourteen on the Grand-Liberty-Swope staff, I was able to develop relationships with some of my peers that I would not have, had I not become an RA.

While I appreciate the chance to be an RA on such a small campus filled with great opportunities to create lifelong friendships, sometimes I wish there were a few more benefits attached to the position. Don’t get me wrong, I am so glad that I have nearly three-quarters of my room and board paid for, 10 days off per year, and an incredibly flexible schedule. However, the majority of RAs, that I know, who go to other schools receive a few extra perks such as full room and board, the option to receive your meal plan as a stipend, rather than taken off your bill, free parking, and bonus pay for working during January.

The fact that I’ve gotten to be an RA for the past year has been a wonderful experience full of benefits. Again, I wouldn’t take back the time I’ve spent in the RA position. However, I think that the position would be more attractive to solid leaders around campus, if more benefits were offered.

Graphic by Aaron Burns