Resident assistants like to say that doing their job is like
living in a fishbowl.
Everyone is looking at them, observing their every movement,
eyes glued to the glass, not missing a beat.
But the image of a fishbowl falls short of adequately describing
the lives of these individuals; they are not hopelessly trapped,
nor are they simply for show.
The life of an RA is much more than meets the eye, no matter
what building or floor they serve, whether they are constantly on
the floor or if they are never present in the lives of their
residents.
Looking back on this past year, RAs have worked to serve as the
backbone of on-campus residential life at UCLA.
Now, as the year comes to a close, students are being trained to
take the place of the current RAs, while this year’s RA staff
prepares to make its exit.
RAs, who are approximately one-third of the Office of
Residential Life student staff employed, organize and manage floor
information and operations, working to enrich the lives of students
on the Hill.
Making the “rounds”
To most on-campus residents, RAs may not appear to be the
protagonists of their living experience, but rather the ruling
authority: a piranha rather than a goldfish in the fishbowl.
“A lot of residents think we’re out to get
them,” said Andrea Robertson, a third-year marine biology
student and RA on Evergreen Three.
Robertson said this was simply not the case. She said she has
hardly “written up” any residents for violations.
She corrected herself, saying the proper term was
“documenting the situation.”
She chuckled at her correction, saying how ORL jargon has slowly
crept into her speech ever since she was hired.
The negative reputation some RAs may have comes from their work
“on duty,” or, as they might call it, on the
“rounds.”
When they are on duty, RAs travel their assigned buildings, on
the lookout for rule violations, such as loud noise or alcohol
use.
It is easy to spot an RA who is on duty.
They stand out like a beta fish in their “duty
blues” ““ blue polo shirts with “UCLA Residential
Life” embroidered over the left side of their chest ““
carrying a flashlight in one hand and an oversized clipboard in the
other.
A walkie-talkie sits on their hip, spouting seemingly
unintelligible garble, as they patrol the buildings they are
assigned to three times a night.
Brian Singleton, a third-year communication studies student and
RA on Rieber 4 South, made his first round on May 23 around 10:45
p.m., after his floor government meeting.
Starting from the top of Rieber South and making his way down,
he was not just looking for trouble.
He also popped into several rooms to say hello to various
residents, even checking up on a fellow RA with an injured
foot.
Swiftly walking, Singleton said rounds could last anywhere from
20 minutes to much longer, depending on any situations that may
arise.
Robertson said, although RAs are on the lookout for any
suspicious activity, detection is based on more than just
eyesight.
“Honestly, when I’m doing rounds, I don’t
really look around that much. … I’m really smelling and
listening. Those are my two main senses,” Robertson said.
They clock in for duty at 7 p.m., though that does not mean they
are constantly patrolling throughout the night.
One round through their buildings may not take long at all, and
some RAs spend much of that time doing other work, on call for any
emergencies that should arise.
Of course, RAs may come across several incidents while on duty,
all requiring documentation.
“That’s called duty curse,” Robertson said.
“Which I’ve had before,” she added, mumbling.
More than RAs
Duty shifts from one RA to the next, in order to partition the
work, and schedules are worked out at staff meetings.
Rieber’s housing staff meets on the fourth floor south
lounge.
This time of year, the room is hot and humid, oscillating fans
failing to remedy the heat.
Yet none of the staff members seem to break a sweat.
Discussing various events and announcements, RAs and program
assistants trade information about the buildings, maintenance and
other miscellaneous information.
But RAs are not all work and no play.
They ended the meeting with a “step” contest ““
like “Stomp!” without the trash cans ““ between
the RAs and the PAs.
Singleton was the choreographer for the team of RAs. They caught
on quickly, except a few who could not quite master the steps.
Edith Mukudi, the faculty in residence for Rieber, was present
to judge the event.
In the end, the RAs won, with their signature chant ““
“we will write you up” ““ echoing throughout the
building.
For RAs, it is not always work time; they are not just
colleagues, but friends.
Though they may be heavily involved with activities on their
floor or with their staff, RAs are individuals who have proven
themselves to be involved in the UCLA community.
“You can’t really get hired into the RA position if
(being an RA is) all you do,” said Leslie Schwartz, a
third-year communication studies student and RA on Evergreen
One.
Schwartz said she had wanted to be an RA since the age of
nine.
Apart from being an RA, Schwartz works at the day care center in
Franz Hall, the Center for Women & Men, Covel Commons and the
Office of Student with Disabilities.
On top of that, after deciding to learn to write grant letters,
Schwartz ended up receiving a $1,000 grant to fund and organize the
Ujima Village Art Explosion, an event where UCLA students mentored
children in a South Los Angeles housing project.
She was beaming as she spoke of it, and called it “the
biggest thing I’ve ever done in my life.”
Even though Schwartz’s schedule is filled with activities,
she stressed how being an RA can fit into any lifestyle.
“(The RA position) is basically what you make of
it,” Schwartz said.
Schwartz’s floor has an artistic theme, and she has
encouraged artistic understanding on her floor through
activities.
She even went as far as to take eight of her residents on a
five-day trip to New York City, where they saw Broadway shows, art
museums, and stayed at New York University, completely free of
charge.
Of course, some RAs take their residents places where they get
cars free of charge. Namely, “The Price Is Right,”
where Singleton took his residents on May 23.
Singleton said that one resident did, in fact, win a car, though
he was quick to mention that the resident also won night-vision
goggles, which were just as important, if not more.
Singleton, known by many for his expert jump-roping skills in a
popular skit at Spring Sing 2005, said there is never enough time
to do all the things he would like to with his floor, but he still
makes an effort to make his floor a priority.
Singleton even planned a trip to Mammoth Mountain, staying in a
cabin to go skiing and snowboarding with over 50 residents from his
floor.
Ever since his first experience with an RA, Singleton said he
was inspired to provide opportunities for new students at UCLA,
helping to introduce them into college life.
He said this job offers the chance to be “a mentor, an
adviser and a friend.”
But playing these roles does not exclude playing the role of the
authority.
Singleton said several friends of his currently live on his
floor. Though it may have been awkward at first, they now recognize
him as an RA, as well as a friend.
All of these relationships and experiences ““ with
residents, staff and members of the UCLA community ““ have
defined these RAs over the past year.
They may not have had the opportunity to do everything they
wanted, but they have all proven themselves to be leaders on the
Hill and in the community.
For now, it is time for them to leave the fishbowl for the
ocean.