Journal of College & University Student Housing "Housing While Black" Theme Issue - 47

Serving as a Resident Assistant While Black
when recruiting Black students as they may not be aware of opportunities to become an
RA (Healea & Hale, 2016) or may be more interested in opportunities that allow them
to engage with other Black students, rather than being part of a mixed racial group like
an RA staff (Arminio et al., 2000). Black candidates may also find the selection process
isolating when they are one of only a few Black students (Bleikamp et al., 2015).
There is also a need to better understand the experiences of Black RAs. Scholars
have critiqued the literature on the RA experience for being based on white-only or
mixed-race groups, with no attention paid to race (Foste & Johnson, 2021; Harper et al.,
2011). The few studies that have explored the experiences of RAs of color (e.g., Foste
& Johnson, 2021) or Black RAs (e.g., Hardaway, 2019; Harper et al., 2011; Roland &
Agosta, 2017) indicate that Black RAs encounter unique challenges such as being one
of only a few Black RAs or RAs of color, which can lead to feeling isolated but also hypervisible.
Black RAs encounter racial stereotypes, from being viewed as incompetent
(Harper et al., 2011) to having their authority or institutional role questioned due to
their race (Foste & Johnson, 2021). In addition, they expend energy trying to disprove
stereotypes by choosing carefully how to act around residents, peers, and supervisors
(Hardaway, 2019).
Race shapes relationships with supervisors and other institutional agents, and
Black RAs shared their discomfort when having to work with campus police (Foste
& Johnson, 2021) and when they encountered harsh or unfair treatment and higher
expectations from white supervisors (Hardaway, 2019; Harper et al., 2011). Black
RAs looked to Black peers and supervisors for support within this oppressive climate
(Hardaway, 2019; Harper et al., 2011; Roland & Agosta, 2017). Those who had supervisors
of color highlighted the usefulness of being able to engage in conversations about
navigating the complexities and racial dynamics of the position with a trusted administrator
who could relate to their experiences (Harper et al., 2011).
Research on Black RAs is situated primarily within predominantly white institutions
(PWIs), defined as institutions where whites account for 50% or more of the
student population (see, for example, Hardaway, 2019; Harper et al., 2011; Roland &
Agosta, 2017). The lack of representation among RAs-as well as residents and professional
staff-shaped participants' experiences in these studies. As the diversity of
college students across the United States increases, more and more institutions will
no longer meet the PWI classification. While the compositional diversity of these institutions
is changing, their elitist and exclusionary origins will continue to shape the
experience of Black RAs unless institutions intentionally address the unique needs of
their increasingly diverse student bodies. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore
how race shapes Black RAs' experiences at a public research university that used
to be a PWI but where students of color now make up about half of the general student
population and more than half of the residential population. We were interested in
Black RAs' experiences, starting with their motivation to pursue an RA position, their
experiences during the selection process, and their actual experiences on staff.
44 The Journal of College and University Student Housing
Journal of College & University Student Housing "Housing While Black" Theme Issue

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