Talking Stick - September/October 2014 - 47

enhanced their self-confidence (67 percent), their knowledge
of their own strengths and weaknesses (69 percent), and
their confidence to assume positions of greater responsibility
in the future (72 percent). In addition, the 2008-09 RAs
indicated that the position helped their understanding of
their place within their organization (65 percent).

which asks residents how satisfied they are with their RA's
efforts to get to know them. In the 2003-04 assessment,
65 percent of residents were satisfied that their RA got to
know them, 29 percent were neutral, and 6 percent were
dissatisfied. The data shows that most residents had some
relationship with a student staff member.

Basically, the results show that the impact of the
RA position on the students who hold it is not a new
phenomenon. Five years ago, RAs were just as likely to
report a range of positive outcomes for themselves. These
results may explain why the position has such an impact,
encourages students to continue their residence life career,
and is an experience that many still reflect on and talk about.

To understand the impact of that relationship, we compared
the experiences and learning of the residents who were satisfied
with their RA's efforts with those who were neutral and
dissatisfied. In comparing these groups, we found some telling
differences. Among the residents who were satisfied with their
RA's efforts to get to know them, 74 percent reported that their
on-campus experience enhanced their ability to meet other
people, compared to 45 percent of those who were neutral and
36 percent of those who were dissatisfied. Similarly, 75 percent
of satisfied residents indicated that living on campus improved
their ability to live cooperatively, compared with 44 percent
of those who were neutral and 34 percent of those who were
dissatisfied. Approximately 73 percent of the satisfied residents
reported that their on-campus experience improved their ability
to develop interpersonal relationships, compared to 39 percent
of the neutral and 31 percent of the dissatisfied. With similar
differences, 68 percent of the residents who were satisfied with
their RA's efforts to get to know them also reported that their
experience of living on campus improved their ability to resolve
conflict.

Making a difference
Another method for looking at the impact of RAs is to
examine what their residents say. More than a decade ago,
the ACUHO-I/EBI Resident Assessment began assessing
the resident experience, including how residents view RAs,
what residents learn, and whether the two are related. Ten
years ago, more than 290,000 residents responded to the
2003-04 ACUHO-I/EBI Resident Assessment.
One of the most basic pieces of data about student staff
and their impact on residents comes from a single question,

CAMPUS HOUSING CERAMIC COOKTOPS

Knob & Touch Control * 1 & 2 Burner * 3-Year Warranty * Made in U.S.A.
Manufacturer of the world's finest cooktops & grills!

Clinton, CT 06413 | 860.664.4906 | www.CookWithKenyon.com

Scan with smartphone

September + OctOber 2014

47
http://www.CookWithKenyon.com http://www.CookWithKenyon.com
Talking Stick - September/October 2014

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - September/October 2014
