Commuter Resources Commuter Student Programs :: Download position description (.pdf) :: Download application (.pdf)

General Description

The Department of Housing and Residence Life and Commuter Student Programs as part of the Division of Student Development helps students develop as leaders who are spiritually formed, critically reflective, and socially and personally responsible.

The Commuter Assistant (CA), as a peer educator and mentor, provides direction for student learning and academic success while assisting with the coordination of the programmatic facets for a co-educational community. This includes the development of inclusive communities that foster academic and personal success, helping individuals with personal needs and concerns, and focusing on the whole student. To accomplish this, the CA must be flexible and creative in meeting the commuters’ needs by serving as a peer educator, mentor, advisor, and activity planner. This position requires a serious time commitment and willingness to be available and accessible to other students. As a student member of the Housing and Residence Life Department, the Commuter Assistant is supervised by the Graduate Assistant for Student Leadership (GASL).

The Saint Louis University Department of Housing and Residence Life is committed to the total development of the commuter within an inclusive community through student government, programming, and supportive learning environments. The Housing and Residence Life/ Commuter Student program is built on a student learning philosophy that values social justice, community, spiritual and personal growth, and academic success.

Student leadership positions in Housing and Residence Life don’t keep traditional 8-5/M-F hours. Schedules are influenced by student and community needs. There will be times throughout the year when the Commuter Assistant will be expected to be available evenings and weekends. Availability during this time will be determined in conjunction with the GASL.

This description provides an outline of major responsibilities but is not an all inclusive list. Through the course of the year there will be times where staff will be called to provide duties based on the needs of the community that may not be outlined in this description. Housing and Residence Life staff need to be flexible and realize other duties will be assigned as needed.

Saint Louis University wishes to confirm and ratify the status of its relationship with the Commuter Assistant (CA) with the following agreement:

1. Upon his/her acceptance, the Commuter Assistant designated below is selected as recipient of the CA grant-in-aid award and agrees to act in accordance with provisions of this agreement as indicated by the student’s signature below.
2. It is expressly understood that the relationship between the University and the CA is not an employment relationship, but rather a grant award relationship between the student and Saint Louis University.
3. It is understood that the maximum hours to be devoted to the CA position will not exceed an average of 15 hours per week for the semester.
4. The CA must meet eligibility requirements as outlined below.
5. The CA should have additional commitments approved by his/her direct supervisor.

Responsibilities

The Commuter Assistant (CA) is a key student leadership role within the Department of Housing and Residence Life for Commuter Student Programs. Through this valuable learning opportunity, CAs have the main objective of developing one on one connections and building a sense of community within 50 to 70 first year commuter students. In addition, CAs have primary responsibility for developing and implementing programs and activities that further the mission of the Department, the Division, and ultimately the University. CAs serve as resources for the commuters, creating a “commuter community” and serve as a mentor. CAs collaborate with the Department of Housing and Residence Life and divisional professional staff to meet the varying needs of their commuters throughout the year. The Commuter Assistant is expected to assist the Area Coordinator and the GASL and other departmental staff in the development of commuter communities and implementation of learning initiatives for the entire Housing and Residence Life operation.

Commuter Educator

• Be familiar with your students and their academic needs
• Assess the personal developmental and educational needs of your students and develop creative learning opportunities and goals to meet these needs
• Engage students with ideas in interactive and passive ways promoting student learning and citizenship
• Motivate students to succeed academically and personally
• Encourage student involvement and personal growth through leadership experiences
• Support and respect the dignity of all individuals
• Help create and maintain an atmosphere conducive to studying with the commuter community
• Offer students the opportunity to learn to manage time, maintain good study habits, and take tests efficiently
• Direct students to the appropriate academic resources when you are not able to assist them (e.g. Academic Services, Academic Advisors, Professional Hall Staff, Campus Minister, etc.)

Community Development/Program Facilitator

• Initiate, plan, and organize educational programs that respond to the needs and interests of all commuters
• Facilitate community development through personal interactions, meetings, and activities
• Establish good relationships with students in the community by actively getting to know them early in the semester and making frequent contact
• Utilize the Departmental philosophy and program model to develop programs and activities for the community
• Be regularly available and accessible to address commuter needs or concerns
• Ensure every commuter is known on a personal level
• Assist the students to set goals, develop and implement action plans – engage in regular follow up
• Support Commuter Student Association, CSA, and other student organizations that assist the mission of our Department

Provide Student Assistance and Helping Skills

• Serve as a concerned, non-judgmental peer advisor, whose goal is to assist commuters in resolving problems
• Treat sensitive information confidentially
• Display interest and sensitivity to the concerns of minority groups
• Be available to assist commuters during the week, evenings, and on weekends
• Be knowledgeable about university resources to help students find their fit in the wider campus community
• Perform as a mediator in conflicts among commuters and/or staff, within the limits of personal capabilities
• Educate commuters on conflict resolution skills and mediate group conflicts
• Identify and assist commuters with personal, social, academic, or health related concerns
• Communicate with supervisor regularly about discipline, activities, and the commuter community
• Treat commuters fairly and impartially
• Refer students when necessary to University and Community resources

Respond to Safety/Security, Student Crisis and Other Emergencies

• Understand crisis protocol and respond appropriately when emergencies arise with commuter students (e.g. medical emergency, significant student issue, etc.)
• Respond positively to crisis situations
• Confront and document policy violations in a timely manner
• Attend judicial hearings if requested by hearing officer
• Educate students on the safety and security guidelines

Encourage Student Responsibility

• Respond in a positive and helpful manner when confronted with behaviors or infractions that disrupt the environment
• Understand and educate commuters about University and Housing policies and regulations outlined in the code and housing contract
• Communicate to students the community standards of behavior to create an environment characterized by respect and ethical decision-making
• Make referrals to your supervisor regarding any individual or incident which needs prompt attention

Administrative Tasks

• Complete administrative tasks in an accurate and timely fashion
• Attend assigned meetings
• Disseminate routine information to commuters (e.g. campus flyers, recruitment information, assessment/surveys, etc.)
• Respond to parent/student concerns; refer difficult cases to appropriate personnel
• Follow office procedures

Collaborating with Learning Communities (if applicable)

• Support the planning and implementation of programming for the Learning Community
• Attend Stakeholder Meetings with Academic Partners
• Collaborate with students to provide programs based on the needs and theme of the Learning Community
• Abide by the Departmental and Supervisor’s expectations of student staff with Learning Communities

Expectations and Requirements

• Be a commuter student.
• 15 hours per week assisting on CA-related meetings and activities.
• Maintain at least a 2.5 GPA (cumulative and semester) and remain in good and full-time standing at Saint Louis University. CAs must maintain a SLU cumulative GPA of 2.5 or better during employment. Failure to maintain these SLU cumulative grade point averages will result in loss of your position. Failure to achieve a semester GPA of 2.5 or better for CAs will result in probation. Failure to achieve a semester GPA of 2.0 or better will result in loss of your position.
• Maintain at least a 2.50 GPA (cumulative and semester) and remain in good and full-time standing at Saint Louis University. CAs must be enrolled as a full-time student and must be in good academic standing. Should a Commuter Assistant’s cumulative grade point average fall below 2.50, while the semester grade point average is 2.00 or above, the RA may be placed on probation for one semester. The CA will develop an academic improvement plan with their supervisor. At the end of that semester, the grade requirement must be met. If the semester grade point average is ever below 2.00, the CA will lose their position.
• Provide two hours per week in the commuter student lounge
• Attend and participate in all departmental and in-community training, development sessions, in-services, and workshops
• Participate in programming committees and collaterals
• Arrive early August and January and leave late at the end of each semester for training and end of the year wrap up processes.
• Attend all training events scheduled in March, April, August and January, and participate in student staff selection carousel process.
• CAs are required to attend weekly staff meetings and in-services. A designated time and location will be established during training.
• CAs must maintain a private land-line phone and voice mailbox (or answering machine) in their residences. (Or CA must provide their personal cell phone number if they do not use a land line.)
• CAs are selected for one academic year. There are performance evaluations conducted to determine whether an CA should continue in the position for the following year.
• CAs must be a positive role model through personal example and demonstrate a commitment and pride for Saint Louis University and Housing and Residence Life/ Commuter Student Programs through respectful language and behavior.
• CAs must uphold and abide by all Housing and Residence Life, University, federal, state and local regulations and policies.
• Demonstrates the willingness to complete other reasonable tasks requested by the supervisor and other departmental professional staff
• External activities with other organizations or holding a job is acceptable, but they must be approved by your supervisor, and outside jobs are limited to a maximum of 10 hours/week.
• Frequently, members of the Housing and Residence Life student leadership staff are involved in many facets of campus life, leadership, sports, and work. The CA position demands a significant time and energy commitment that should not detract from student academic performance. Certain leadership positions on campus may be a conflict of interest with the CA position or take too much time to also balance the CA’s responsibilities. Additional involvement must be approved by his/her supervisor. Significant time commitments such as full internships, student teaching, etc. are not recommended.

Accountability for and Termination of the Grant-In-Aid Agreement

• CAs are directly supervised directly by the Graduate Assistant for Student Leadership and indirectly by the Area Coordinator for Residential and Commuter Student Programs.
• CA’s are expected to communicate frequently with their supervisors regarding information about their commuters and all other information pertinent to the department.
• A written warning or probationary period of a determined length will be assessed towards any CA who is failing to meet the minimum requirements of the Grant-In-Aid position. The CA’s direct supervisor will determine the period and length of the probationary period.
• The CA’s grant-in-aid and award may be terminated immediately at the discretion of Housing and Residence Life if the CA fails to meet a significant expectation. Examples would include entering the student judicial process, breaking the law, failing to maintain the minimum GPA, and endangering the safety and well-being of the commuter(s).
• Additional information is available in the Grant-In-Aid discipline process.

Remuneration

• $400 per semester in Billiken Bucks;
• Stipend of $2500 per academic year made in ten (10) monthly installments.