RA/D Ethics

As a Resident Assistant/Director you will make the biggest impact upon your residents as a role model.  Being “ethical” means understanding the difference between what is right and what is wrong and behaving accordingly.  Ethical values and behavior displayed by a peer (you, the RA) who has a major impact on students is the key to achieving the goals set by Residence Life.

DO’s
  1. Abide by all University policies, rules and regulations.
  2. You have access to a master key and your ID has access to all residential buildings.  Use them appropriately.
  3. If you make a professional mistake, always be honest and take the problem to your supervisor.
  4. Use your authority appropriately, fairly and consistently in dealing with residents.
  5. Live by the same guidelines and privileges awarded all residents.  Do not arbitrarily grant yourself special considerations because “I am the RA”.
  6. You will often be privileged to inside information or confidential information.  Use this knowledge appropriately and only share it with your staff on a need to know basis.  Your immediate supervisor is on a need to know basis.
  7. Generally treat right as right and wrong as wrong.  There is very little “gray area” between what is right and what is wrong.
  8. Maintain and display a positive attitude towards our department, our division and our University.  If there is a policy or procedure you do not agree with, attempt to change it through the proper channels.
  9. Remain alcohol free for the duration of all department- sponsored events and while “on-duty” regardless of age. 

DON’Ts
  1. Arbitrarily decide to ignore those policies that you find inconvenient or unreasonable. Taking part in any illegal behavior on or off campus, results in personnel action and possible termination.
  2. Use the master key in any other way than the intended manner.
  3. Try to cover up or lie about your mistakes.  Everyone makes mistakes.  It’s hard to get support from your fellow staff members or from professional staff if you are not telling the truth or if you are withholding information.
  4. Become power – crazed or indiscriminately throw your weight around because you want to "write someone up."
  5. Take on an “I can do anything I want because I am an RA” attitude.
  6. Play the gossip game.
  7. View as right “whatever you can get away with” and wrong as anything that is “too risky of being caught”.
  8. Display a negative attitude towards our department, our division or our University.  Complain openly and in public instead of trying to solve the problem through appropriate channels
  9. Partaking in non-professional or amorous relationships with your residents.