Name: Cody Oakes
Graduation Year: May 2014
Major: Natural Resources and Environmental Science
So you are a resident advisor at UK, how is it?I love being an RA! I think it is a really good fit for me! I love having a positive impact on people’s lives.
What do you do as an RA? The main responsibilities of being an RA are:
- making sure that all rules of the hall are enforced
- assisting all residents in every way possible
- working at least 10 hours every two weeks at the front desk
- planing and executing one program per month aimed at one of three things:
- promoting responsibility by encouraging responsibility in everyday life decisions
- appreciating diversity by discussing the importance of diversity in some way
- building partnerships by having a representative from some organization on campus talk to residents
What made you apply to be an RA in the first place? I wanted to be an RA for two main reasons. The first was to get free room and board because I am an out of state student and it is very expensive. But the main reason was so I could have an opportunity to have a positive impact on students’ lives and assistant them in any way possible.
Are your expectations of how it would be to be an RA being filled?It is very similar to how I thought it would be. I had spoken with my RA last year a lot about what all the position entailed, so I had a very good idea of what to look forward to.
Can you be an RA for more than just one year? Yes you can be an RA for multiple years. You have to live in the residence hall for at least one year before you are eligible to be an RA the following school year or semester.
What are some pros of being a RA? Perks include free room and partial meal plan, plus $50 for laundry, a paid hourly job at the front desk and making some really good friends.
And on the other hand, what are some cons of the job? Negatives include a limited number of nights I can be out of the building past 2 a.m. (16 nights). Sometimes it is time consuming at inconvenient times (for example, assisting residents with issues when you have your own issues).