Follow up Thoughts on Behavior and the RA Job: It’s a lot About Role Modeling

Introduction

Two weeks ago we published an article entitled, Quick Reflections on Behavior and the RA Job. We also queried some folks on their reflections on the article, and any other thoughts on this topic that they might have. We heard from a few folks, and wanted to pass those thoughts on to you. Not surprisingly, the majority of the comments we received relate one way or another to the very important topic of role modeling.

I want to pass this information on to you…

Understanding the Impact An RA Has On Students

One Resident Assistant who wrote in commented on the relevance of the article to his particular university, citing the fact that behavior problems with RAs on his campus have been a problem, and that some fellow RAs on his staff had been released from their positions due to certain decisions that they had made.

Does this sound familiar to any of you?

He went on to comment that not all RAs realize the kind of impact that they have on students, because after a bad decision by an RA the fact remains that in most instances students look to RAs as a kind of example. He went on to state that the simple solution is that RAs realize this and exemplify positive decisions and choices all of the time.

Other Thoughts on Partying and the RA Job

Another RA wrote in with her opinions on partying and the RA job. In her e-mail, she had the following to say…

“When I took the job as a RA I knew that I would be taking a position of high responsibility. Whenever residents, even former residents see you, you will always be a RA to them. Around the campus you are known as a RA, not just any other student. Therefore, to be the best RA you can be, you must hold yourself to a higher standard at all times, even when you aren't in the residence halls or on campus.”

“Being an RA is a life style choice, and you do not want to be viewed as hypocritical. Even if you are of age, drinking in the presence of current residents is never a good idea, because at the end of the night you will be returning to the halls after you have consumed alcohol. The most sensitive residents will view this action as being hypocritical. Although this might be ridiculous, it is easier for you to avoid the situation. As an RA who is of legal drinking age, when I go out to party with my friends I am not looking to hang out with my residents. It is very typical to encounter residents at party situations. If and when residents show up, I leave and go somewhere else.”

“The bottom line is that you need to be careful in all situations so you are not viewed as being hypocritical.”

And additional thoughts from another RA…

“Yes, you would definitely be the better role model if you did not participate in any underage drinking around your campus. Use your time instead to educate your residents on the potential dangers of alcohol use and provide alternate activities for those residents of yours who are not drinkers. Additionally, if you are 21 or over I still suggest you do not drink with your residents who are also of age. I have found that this practice is very beneficial.”

What About the Question of Going to Parties but Not Drinking?

Another RA wrote in to the site with a question about RAs going to parties and not drinking. The RA wrote:

“During this article you covered partying. In this segment, things were said about us as RA's going to parties and engaging in underage drinking but little if anything was made clear about RA's going to parties where we were not drinking. While we are still faced with the dilemma of what to do about those are us who are drinking, might it better to be setting a good example by not drinking and looking out for the safety of our fellow students?”

A well-respected professional in the field had the following advice and thoughts on this particular question:

“My own belief is that RAs need to remember that the issue of role modeling is constant and never ending.“

“In light of that, a perception might be that if a resident is present whether the RA is drinking alcohol or not they are condoning the behavior of those who may be breaking the law and I would suggest that RAs not put themselves in that situation.”

“Developmentally the other students may not have the ability to have perspective and see that the RA is not drinking, though they may be speaking with some one who has overindulged, their cup may not be see through and people THINK that they are drinking etc. Why put your credibility to the test like that???”

When It Comes to Partying You Need to Know Your Departmental Policy

Another RA wrote in with the following to say about this particular topic:

“At my university, it is very serious if you go out and party and drink underage on or off campus because there is the potential that your residents may be there – very understandably this is a serious problem on our campus”

“You need to carefully understand your department’s position on the issue of partying as an RA if you are of the legal age to consume. Some responsible people who are RAs make the choice to go to parties to have fun and not to drink. The fact remains however that when word gets out that they were at the party, their job is potentially in jeopardy.”

“It is certainly possible to go out to a party with friends and display exemplary behavior and NOT drink and still have a good time…but whether this is O.K. or not depends on your department’s policy. So my best advice is to know what your doing before you make a decision that could cause you to lose your job.”

Final Thoughts on Role Modeling:

As an RA you are a role model…all the time…whether you like it or not. You also face many challenging ethical decisions along the course of balancing your personal needs with the needs of the job.

In the next ethical decision that you face as a role model, consider the following passage from a speech at Wells College by former Vice Presidential candidate Geraldine Ferraro:

“Ethics does not boil down to a matter of black and white, legal and illegal. The hard questions come in the gray area. Too often, our current debate centers on spelling out the limits on conduct. What are the exact rules and how far can you push them? What you can do and still get away with it? When you think that way, dotting all the i’s and crossing all the t’s, it is easy to fall into the same kind of thought that creates abuses in the first place.

This preoccupation with what’s allowed, that is, the bare minimum you can do in a job and still squeak by, misses the point. What we need is not just a set of limits on behavior, but a different attitude. Let us strive instead for what I call positive ethics. That means living up to certain standards not because we have to, but because we want to. Positive ethics means concentrating a little less on what we must prevent -- and a little more on what we want to accomplish.”

The quote from Gerradine Ferraro is from the May 31, 1989 edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education, p. B-5

Special thanks to all the individuals who passed on their thoughts and comments for this follow-up article.