Editorial: OUR MISSION STATEMENT

With the current price of room and board costing $11,400 a year, many students are encouraged to apply for scholarships, grants and loans. In addition, Residence Life offers students the opportunity to apply for a position on campus that can eliminate all costs of room and board.

But what kind of position could offer such a huge discount on your college payment? Is it even possible to earn this kind of assistance as an ordinary student? If you apply and become accepted as a resident assistant, this is very possible.

Resident assistants, or RAs, are selected each year through an interview process that begins with an application that is available for all students to apply for. If chosen, the newly selected RA can save the entire cost of room and board.

While serving as an RA has many benefits, the pros and cons should be carefully weighed. It is not a job for everyone.

The duties of an RA are strenuous and the commitment is great. Not every student is suited to be an RA. The commitment to be an RA is one that not all students are capable of making.

Resident assistants deserve more than respect for commitment

RAs are required to be on campus before any other residents including athletes, student ambassadors, Loquitur editors and orientation leaders. They must make sure all of their residents are gone before they are able to leave for breaks and holidays. In addition, they are expected to make their residence hall an enriched experience by planning two programs a month (one being area wide and the other within their com- with other RAs in their building for a five-week rotation. Each person takes one Thursday a month and one Friday and Saturday night.

During weekdays, RAs check their assigned building every two hours from 8 p.m. to midnight. On weekends, RAs are expected to be on desk from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. and do rounds of their whole area at 8 p.m., 10 p.m., midnight and 2 a.m.

Once a week, RAs meet with