Residence leadership and staff

BENNETT HOUSE

Don:

• Saarah Ali | bennettdon@mta.ca

BIGELOW HOUSE

Don:

• Saarah Ali | bigelowdon@mta.ca
   

CAMPBELL HALL

Don:

• Tabatha Carter | campbelldon@mta.ca

EDWARDS HOUSE

Don:

• Richard Bennicke | edwardsdon@mta.ca

HARPER HALL

Don:

• Heather McGlashing |harperdon@mta.ca

 

HUNTON HOUSE

Don:

• Rohil Basapa | huntondon@mta.ca

 

THORNTON HOUSE

Don:

• Richard Bennicke| thorntondon@mta.ca

 

WINDSOR HALL

Don:

• Lana & Peter Ward | windsordon@mta.ca

SMALL RESIDENCE COMMUNITY
(ANCHORAGE, BERMUDA, CARRIAGE, CHARLOTTE)

Don:

• Fatemeh Bahmani | srcdon@mta.ca

 

Dons: live-in adult staff who provide support for all residents and guidance for the residence assistant team. Mount Allison is one of the few universities in Canada to have residence dons or families living in residence to provide an extra support system and help with the transition to university life.

Assistant dons: ADs act as the RA team leader, create the RA duty schedule, liaise between RAs and Student Life, and directly support Residence Don(s) in creating a cohesive RA team.

Residence assistants: RAs aid students in their transition into university by addressing the residence community's needs, ensuring student safety, and upholding residence policies.

Academic mentors: AcMen help students transition into university life by initiating meaningful programs in residence.

Residence executives: elected positions, organize exciting residence events and trips for students.

RAs aid students in their transition into university by addressing the residence community's needs, ensuring student safety, and upholding residence policies.

Become a residence assistant

Your experience as a RA will allow you to enhance your leadership, crisis management, and conflict resolution abilities. If you are someone that enjoys interacting with people and ensuring their well-being, then this is the role for you.

Those who are successful in the role of Residence Assistant demonstrate a wide range of knowledge, abilities and skills. We are seeking candidates who are caring, have a desire to help others, and an interest in building strong residence communities.

This position is for the assertive student who has experience working with and leading groups of people, an ability to respond to concerns and situations in a responsible and diplomatic manner, strong communication skills, experience living in a university residence setting and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Those who are successful in the role of Residence Assistant demonstrate a wide range of knowledge, abilities and skills. We are seeking candidates who are caring, have a desire to help others, and an interest in building strong residence communities.

This position is for the assertive student who has experience working with and leading groups of people, an ability to respond to concerns and situations in a responsible and diplomatic manner, strong communication skills, experience living in a university residence setting and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Eligibility:

• Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.25

To apply:

• If you're interested, please contact residencelife@mta.ca for further details.
• Applications for the upcoming academic year open in January.

If hired, you must obtain by August:

• A valid standard workplace first aid certification effective the duration of your contract
• Criminal Record Check
• Standard First Aid CPR certification

Training dates (tentative):

• Spring (March)
• Online (Summer)
• Fall (late August)
• Winter (January)
• In-service (as need arises)

Term length:

Available for duty from the start of the Fall Training period, which begins late August, until the day following the last day of examinations in December and from the day prior to the official opening of residences in January until 24 hours after the last scheduled University exam in April.

Prime responsibilities:

• Uphold the aims and objectives of the University
• Uphold Residence Community Living Standards
• Serve as a role model, mediator, and mentor to students within the residence

Specific duties and responsibilities:

• Complete rounds as RA on-duty in residence as determined by duty schedule.
• Be familiar with all the students in your assigned residence.
• Encourage student participation in academic, social, and athletic events in order to promote community within the residence.
• Maintain appropriate records as directed by Student Life  
• Attend and participate in staff meetings and training sessions
• Have knowledge of and be prepared to refer students to the appropriate resource such as Don(s), Student Life, Wellness Centre, Multi-Faith Chaplain, etc.
• Lead floor/section meetings with residents.
• Report damages and take immediate steps to determine individual(s) responsible for the damage.
• Report maintenance problems immediately to fix-it and where applicable to the dons.
• Complete room and common room inventories (check-in and check-out) for students as assigned.
• Ensure that check-out procedures have been completed before leaving at semester’s end.
• Ensure that quiet hours are observed.
• Ensure that regulations in the Residence Life Code of Conduct are observed.
• Complete any special assignments given by the Don(s), director of student life, or other appropriate University official.

AD/RA's receive a stipend for their services, paid in two installments: 50% the beginning of first term, 50% the beginning of second term.

The performance of the residence team is evaluated on a regular basis throughout the year.

 

ADs act as the RA team leader, create the RA duty schedule, liaise between RAs and Student Life, and directly support Residence Don(s) in creating a cohesive RA team.

Become an assistant don

Since ADs work with entities outside their RA team, it will enhance your collaborative skills, communication, and organizational abilities, in addition to the skills acquired as a RA. If you are someone that enjoys leading students and motivating peers in creating an amazing residence experience, then this is the role for you. 

Eligibility:

• Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.25

To apply:

• If you're interested, please contact residencelife@mta.ca for further details.
• Applications for the upcoming academic year open in January.

If hired, you must obtain by August:

• A valid standard workplace first aid certification effective the duration of your contract
• Criminal Record Check
• Standard First Aid CPR certification

Training dates (tentative):

• Spring (March)
• Online (Summer)
• Fall (late August)
• Winter (January)
• In-service (as need arises)

Term length:

Available for duty from the start of the Fall Training period, which begins late August, until the day following the last day of examinations in December and from the day prior to the official opening of residences in January until 24 hours after the last scheduled University exam in April.

Prime responsibilities:

• Promote the aims and objectives of the University, to ensure that residence policies are followed.
• Being aware of and capable of performing the duties of a RA
• Serve as a role model in both academic and social standards, mentor, and mediator to students as well as the RA team within the residence
• Ensure a standard of community living which meets the collective community as well as individual needs

Specific duties and responsibilities:

• Prepare RA Duty Schedule
• Assist the Don(s) in support of team-building, facilitating an RA team synergy.
• Report, discuss, and seek resolutions candidly and confidentially through formal and informal means, on matters of residence operations, problems, issues, challenges, and programs with RA team and dons.
• Attend house exec meetings as residence life team representative.
• Advise Don(s) on matters impacting residence, residence council, and residence judicial matters.
• Assist RA team to understand and foster a community atmosphere of mutual respect.
• Report damages and maintenance problems to appropriate personnel. In the event of willful damage, take immediate steps to determine individual(s) responsible.
• Support the work of the custodial staff and facilities management in the maintenance and/or enforcement of acceptable community living standards.
• Ensure all paperwork is completed and submitted on time to appropriate source.
• Act as don in their absence in limited capacity.
• Know the students in the residence and maintain close contact throughout the year being sensitive to needs, dealing with problems, and referring students to the appropriate contact.
• Complete room and common room inventories and procedures (check-in and check-out) for students on the floor.
• Encourage student participation in academic, social, and athletic events to promote fellowship within the residence.
• Participate in professional development sessions and team meetings as called during the year.
• Assume special assignments given by the don and/or director of student life.

Assistant dons receive a stipend for their services, paid in two installments: 50% the beginning of first term, 50% the beginning of second term.

The performance of the residence team is evaluated on a regular basis throughout the year.

 

AcMen help students transition into university life by initiating meaningful programs in residence. You act as a resource base for students to help them unlock their academic and personal success.

Become an academic mentor

The position of Academic Mentor allows upper-year students an opportunity to offer academic support and mentorship to first year students within their assigned residence.

Being an AcMen means you will build on your problem solving skills, organizational/ planning abilities, and enterprising abilities to address the needs of your residents. If you are someone that sees a problem and enjoys implementing ideas to resolve such issues, then this is the role for you.

Eligibility:

• Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0

To apply:

• If you're interested, please contact residencelife@mta.ca for further details.
• Applications for the upcoming academic year open in January.

If hired, you must obtain by August:

• Criminal Record Check

Training dates (tentative):

• Spring (March)
• Fall (late August)
• In-service (as need arises)

Term length:

Available for duty from the start of the Fall Training period, which begins late August, until the day following the last day of examinations in December and from the day prior to the official opening of residences in January until 24 hours after the last scheduled University exam in April.

Prime responsibilities:

• Develop and conduct consistent residence programs to aid students in academic success and overall personal growth 
• Serve as mentor, resource to residents, and liaise with campus staff to address student concerns
• Uphold the aims and objectives of the University

Specific duties and responsibilities:

• Build and maintain positive and meaningful relationships with students in respective residences.
• Hold regular office hours (a minimum of five hours per week).
• Work in a collaborative manner with other residence life team members (e.g. Dons, RA’s) to identify and address the needs of students.
• Work independently,in collaboration with other academic mentors and under the guidance of University staff (e.g. Residence Life Coordinator, Manager of Academic Support ) to develop and implement various residential activities and programs that foster an academic atmosphere in residence.
• Foster a sense of academic and personal responsibility within residence.
• Organize and/or lead help/tutoring sessions when identified as necessary by students.
• Advise students on study skills (e.g. time management, reading, note-taking)
• Create monthly bulletin boards to educate and create awareness about specific and general academic/university life skills and issues.
• Design an appropriate meeting schedule for students.
• Advise students on academic issues, within established guidelines
• Refer students to appropriate resources for academic and personal support.
• Document student issues raised/addressed in a weekly log, and follow-up with individual students involved, and with residence life staff when appropriate.
• Be an active participant in house activities and meetings.

 

Residence executives are elected positions within each residence.

Residence executives include four roles:

• President
• Vice-President
• Secretary-Treasurer
• Social Chairs

As Residence Executives, your House Spirit is needed for organizing exciting residence events and trips for student. For more information, please speak to your residence executive.