journal_vol49no3 - 56

A Cog in the Machine Providing
Student Support: How an Overwhelming
Workload and Lack of Understanding
Contributes to Staff Burnout
THE MULTIDIMENSIONAL ROLE OF ENTRY-LEVEL, LIVE-IN RESIDENCE LIFE
AND HOUSING STAFF has grown even more complex in recent years. These
staff members, often referred to as resident directors, are frequently asked to
go beyond the role of RA supervisor, community builder, and policy enforcer.
Now they also serve to support students with significant mental health concerns,
manage COVID-19 response protocols, and act as a vital conduit helping campus
partners connect with students where they are most accessible-their residence
on campus. This multi-site case study explored how departments support the
well-being of their entry-level, live-in staff, recognizing significant changes in
the role over the past few decades. Individual interviews were conducted with
senior staff and live-in staff to understand their perception of the support being
offered and received. Manning's organizational frames were used in the design
of the study and informed data analysis and interpretation. Findings suggest that
the increasing number of responsibilities, the demands of crisis response, and
campus partners' misunderstanding of the role contribute to an overwhelming
situation for entry-level, live-in staff. An investment in relationship building and
compensation packages, including benefits such as pet and partner policies, can
help to support staff's ability to care for themselves. Recommendations focus on
how departmental leaders can address challenges that are contributing to staff
exhaustion and burnout.
B
urnout is not a new phenomenon within the field of residence life; research
dating back to at least the 1980s explores many of the reasons for burnout among
residence life professionals (e.g., Herr & Strange, 1985). The work that resident
directors (RDs) do with students is considered developmental in nature and is focused
on building community and serving as first responders to after-hours emergencies
(Riker, 1993), among other multiple responsibilities. Over the past few decades, the
Volume 49, No. 3 * 2023 53

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