My name is Brandon Jackson, a junior and resident assistant (RA) in Castaño. I’m writing in response to the recent changes Residential Education (ResEd) has made with the hiring of its student staff members. The changes, announced in an e-mail to current RAs Friday afternoon, were a shock, to say the least, and have left me quite concerned.

During RA training this summer, there was a great deal of rhetoric from the ResEd staff reminding us of how integral we were to the success of ResEd as a whole. It is the RAs, after all, who live and work in the residences to build the desired intellectual and educational living communities on this campus. That said, in efforts to hire the best staff, I find it disappointing that, to my knowledge, no current RA or student staff member was consulted or even made aware of these drastic hiring changes—until now. This certainly doesn’t resemble the move away from bureaucracy that some of the newest ResEd staff members spoke so proudly of during RA training. There are a number of issues in the new (and not improved) hiring system, but I will limit this letter to a few of them.

First, the announcement stressed that one of the key goals was to initiate an additional class model of RA training to take place during spring quarter—giving RAs “more time to reflect on the role and how to engage in a residential setting.” I would really like to take a look at the RA training survey data from the summer or, even better, hold an open forum to talk to current RAs to really hash out the many problems that exist in RA training. However, I’m fairly confident that the main issues did not stem from not having enough time to develop fully functional staff members. If anything, there was more time wasted in workshops and presentations that did little to prepare student staff for the many challenges that arise in the RA role.

The most sensible response to an existing inadequate training is not to create room for more insufficient training. Moreover, if there was any pro to coming back during the summer, it was that most, if not all, of my time was dedicated to becoming the best RA I could be. Adding a course in the spring as students are already taking full loads of classes, extra-curricular activities and athletics, etc., in the name of giving students “more time to reflect” simply does not make sense.

One point was offered that by making students apply by the new Dec. 3 deadline (during dead week), they would not be backed into corners concerning the Draw. I can’t speak for everyone, but I certainly don’t recall any of my peer RAs being backed into any corners greater than the one anyone who wishes to become an RA now finds himself or herself backed into. I’ve spent three weeks with residents in my current dorm striving to do everything I can to make it a place we all can call home (Casta-No-Place-Like-Home). And now it’s time to start thinking about not only where I’m living, but also staffing next year! Oh, and about going abroad? Well, I guess I have to finalize that soon too. This, of course, is not even to mention the question of if I want to staff next year—a question I was looking forward to exploring over the next two quarters in my current role as an RA.

Coming full circle, I have to ask: where was the student input in this decision? Where were the inquiries into how students would be affected by changes that will undoubtedly have many adverse consequences for those interested in becoming a student staff member? I’m pleased that ResEd is coming to current staff to get us to spread the word of the new hiring system, recognizing how deeply we are positioned into the living communities on this campus. However, I sincerely wish that we, instead of pure advertisers, were also looked upon as fruitful advisers to the Stanford Residential Education program. I certainly would have jumped at the opportunity, as would many others, had we only been asked.

Brandon Jackson ‘12

RA, Castaño