Hope you like meetings cause when you are a CA, you have to go to a lot of them.
I've been through my share of meetings for classes and clubs but I've never been to so many meetings as I've been when I became a CA. Twice a month, I have my one-on-one meetings with my direct supervisor. I tend to keep my meetings quick with him. Since I'm a returner, I got the job under control and I keep a good track of my floor.
Once a week, we have staff meetings. Staff meetings can either be fun or very boring. Most of my staff meetings are very boring. We basically attend another class once a week for two hours. We have our Senior CA time which is not necessary, in my opinion. We are given information about upcoming events, workshops and other activities for us and our residents. With our staff, we usually have a plea session about someone working open hours at the desk because we are understaffed and we've been overworked since August. Not many people can work hours or want to. Our ProStaff presents the meeting to us but we get tired of hearing them talk. And it doesn't help that we can be a very talkative staff so that takes away time that could have been used to go through the material faster.
We also have our committee meetings that we have to attend to. Each staff member is assigned to a committee whether be it leadership, staff development, facilities, etc... We have to attend those meetings and report back to our ProStaff during staff meeting. We haven't done too much in the committees but I feel that we have done enough.
In addition, we have to attend programs and meetings held by Hall Council, RHA or CCA. Hall council meetings are short, 15-30 minutes mostly and they get right to the point. They also have free food so a good chunk of the CAs do like to attend those meetings. RHA or Residence Hall Association meetings, from what I've heard, can last forever. It's basically the policy side of reslife. There are constitution updates, appointments, candidates announcing their runs for an office or a number of other things. I've either have class at that time or I have club meetings so I've never been to a RHA meeting. CCA or Council of Community Assistants present CA matters and other topics for discussion. it's a fairly short meeting, 30-45 minutes and there is a lot of discussion between everyone in the room.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Night Owl working mornings
I'm naturally a night owl. I like to stay up late and sleep in to about noon. I work better at night.
Since I was a freshmen, I always worked the graveyard shifts, 2-6am, 12-4am. They were stressful hours. I would never sleep beforehand so I would just stay up all hours of the night and sleep in the next morning. That worked okay until I got the CA postion. Since CAs have to be on duty and can't work the desk when they are on duty, I couldn't not work the late night shifts. I was alright with that, I like to sleep like any other 23 year old.
However, after working those hours for several years, I grew tired of the hours and decided to change. I work mornings now. 6-8, 8-12, 10-2pm... and 4-6 am hours. It's a little hard for me to wake up sometimes and on Thursdays I work 6 hours with a three hour break between two shifts. I still retain my night owl ways so staying up late and getting up early is very hard for me.
I'm hoping my next job I have a little bit more regular hours.. in the day time.
Since I was a freshmen, I always worked the graveyard shifts, 2-6am, 12-4am. They were stressful hours. I would never sleep beforehand so I would just stay up all hours of the night and sleep in the next morning. That worked okay until I got the CA postion. Since CAs have to be on duty and can't work the desk when they are on duty, I couldn't not work the late night shifts. I was alright with that, I like to sleep like any other 23 year old.
However, after working those hours for several years, I grew tired of the hours and decided to change. I work mornings now. 6-8, 8-12, 10-2pm... and 4-6 am hours. It's a little hard for me to wake up sometimes and on Thursdays I work 6 hours with a three hour break between two shifts. I still retain my night owl ways so staying up late and getting up early is very hard for me.
I'm hoping my next job I have a little bit more regular hours.. in the day time.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Programming: The Nitty-Gritty
Programming takes weeks of prep to do.
It all starts off with an idea. Any idea. Sometimes the simplest and greatest program comes from a random idea.
Then we have to somehow tie it to an area of like job hunting or community building. And an incentive for residents to come to your program. The incentive can be free food or giveaways. Food generally works well since anyone would come for free food. The type of food can be an issue. Pizza gets old quick but it's the easiest to get. We aren't allowed to cook food for residents but we can show them how to cook food like pancakes or any culture-associated food. We can get candy but it's not too healthy and people to have diet restrictions. Food selection can be a little tricky but once you have your idea and food selection, it's time for the paperwork.
CAs have a budget. A small budget and we have to stay within that budget. We have to write up and ERF, Expenditure Request Form. We ask the university for money for our program. We have to be detailed in requesting food items and anything else that we need. We have to know what it costs, how much, what type, what brand, etc. We put all info in the ERF and underneath, we have justify the program and why we need the materials. We have to be professional in our writing. We usually get the money that we need but the ProStaff do send back ERFs if they are not properly filled out and worded in the right manner.
If you program doesn't need food, then your paperwork is done. However, if there is food involved, then you get more paperwork to fill out. The two forms are only for food and they are the Business Meals form and the Food Waiver form. Both forms accomplish the same thing. They are stating that food will be served at an event, no alcoholic beverages will be served and it states who will be serving the food.
All forms have to be submitted together about 10 business days before the program. Once the paperwork is submitted, ProStaff will inform us once it's been approved.
After approval, we can begin to advertise the program. It can be posters, flyers, one-one time with residents and even facebook. More word, more chance that someone will come to the program.
It all starts off with an idea. Any idea. Sometimes the simplest and greatest program comes from a random idea.
Then we have to somehow tie it to an area of like job hunting or community building. And an incentive for residents to come to your program. The incentive can be free food or giveaways. Food generally works well since anyone would come for free food. The type of food can be an issue. Pizza gets old quick but it's the easiest to get. We aren't allowed to cook food for residents but we can show them how to cook food like pancakes or any culture-associated food. We can get candy but it's not too healthy and people to have diet restrictions. Food selection can be a little tricky but once you have your idea and food selection, it's time for the paperwork.
CAs have a budget. A small budget and we have to stay within that budget. We have to write up and ERF, Expenditure Request Form. We ask the university for money for our program. We have to be detailed in requesting food items and anything else that we need. We have to know what it costs, how much, what type, what brand, etc. We put all info in the ERF and underneath, we have justify the program and why we need the materials. We have to be professional in our writing. We usually get the money that we need but the ProStaff do send back ERFs if they are not properly filled out and worded in the right manner.
If you program doesn't need food, then your paperwork is done. However, if there is food involved, then you get more paperwork to fill out. The two forms are only for food and they are the Business Meals form and the Food Waiver form. Both forms accomplish the same thing. They are stating that food will be served at an event, no alcoholic beverages will be served and it states who will be serving the food.
All forms have to be submitted together about 10 business days before the program. Once the paperwork is submitted, ProStaff will inform us once it's been approved.
After approval, we can begin to advertise the program. It can be posters, flyers, one-one time with residents and even facebook. More word, more chance that someone will come to the program.
Programming: The Overview
A big part of being a CA is programming. We both loathe and love programming. We don't program for ourselves, we program for our residents.
In the beginning of the year, we have to get a feel of the residents, what their needs are and what they want. It can be a tricky thing. Some programs are a bust while others are a great success. We tend to program more in the fall, try to get residents engaged with the floor and community and steer them away from parties and other negative behaviors.
Our programming varies greatly. It can be from an ice cream party to suicide prevention program to a whole complex wide program.
Programming involves a lot of time and effort. In the beginning of the year, we are asked to make up a programming guide for the semester, programming that we want to see happen. Nothing is set in stone but it gives us and ProStaff an idea of what we want. As we get to know our residents, things may changed. CAs might be more focused on drug prevention or activities that residents can do in place of going out and drinking. Other CAs might be more focused on games and sports. It's all relative. Programming takes up a lot of planning time. We have to set a date and time that residents would go to a program, it has to be a topic that interests them or looks fun. It can be difficult to market boring program like safe sex or drug prevention. Some CAs are able to twist the topic into something fun and interesting. They are gifted like that. In my next blog, I'll discuss more details about programming like paperwork and money.
In the beginning of the year, we have to get a feel of the residents, what their needs are and what they want. It can be a tricky thing. Some programs are a bust while others are a great success. We tend to program more in the fall, try to get residents engaged with the floor and community and steer them away from parties and other negative behaviors.
Our programming varies greatly. It can be from an ice cream party to suicide prevention program to a whole complex wide program.
Programming involves a lot of time and effort. In the beginning of the year, we are asked to make up a programming guide for the semester, programming that we want to see happen. Nothing is set in stone but it gives us and ProStaff an idea of what we want. As we get to know our residents, things may changed. CAs might be more focused on drug prevention or activities that residents can do in place of going out and drinking. Other CAs might be more focused on games and sports. It's all relative. Programming takes up a lot of planning time. We have to set a date and time that residents would go to a program, it has to be a topic that interests them or looks fun. It can be difficult to market boring program like safe sex or drug prevention. Some CAs are able to twist the topic into something fun and interesting. They are gifted like that. In my next blog, I'll discuss more details about programming like paperwork and money.
Flood
Every building has it's quirks. Some buildings are known by their ghost fire alarms that only appear in the system but don't go off, other buildings are known by their growing pains when they open. Others are know by being temperamental. PV West is one of the temperamental ones.
During the beginning of the fall semester, one of our elevators broke. Being a building with well over 700 residents, it cause a lot of problems for about four months. PVW is about.. 40 years old. The elevators haven't been updated so it's very very hard to find parts to fix a broken elevator.
Eventually, about a couple weeks before finals, our elevators were fixed. They had to strip parts off one of the PV East's elevator to fix ours.
I'm digressing.
About two months ago, there was a flood in the building. When it got called in, I thought it was a simple toilet overflowing, wet carpet and that's about it.
It was a bit more.
The whole first floor flooded. The pipes backed up and it all came out on the first floor. Some rooms only backed up in the shower stalls or toilets. A few of the rooms were more damaged. The blackwater got onto the resident's possessions and walls and about three rooms had to be placed somewhere else for about 2.5 weeks.
The damage was so bad that carpet had to be removed, walls had to be torn down, everything had to be cleaned. It was an extensive process. The whole first floor had a very unique smell for a while, maintenance people were in and out for a few weeks and residents were placed all over campus.
During the beginning of the fall semester, one of our elevators broke. Being a building with well over 700 residents, it cause a lot of problems for about four months. PVW is about.. 40 years old. The elevators haven't been updated so it's very very hard to find parts to fix a broken elevator.
Eventually, about a couple weeks before finals, our elevators were fixed. They had to strip parts off one of the PV East's elevator to fix ours.
I'm digressing.
About two months ago, there was a flood in the building. When it got called in, I thought it was a simple toilet overflowing, wet carpet and that's about it.
It was a bit more.
The whole first floor flooded. The pipes backed up and it all came out on the first floor. Some rooms only backed up in the shower stalls or toilets. A few of the rooms were more damaged. The blackwater got onto the resident's possessions and walls and about three rooms had to be placed somewhere else for about 2.5 weeks.
The damage was so bad that carpet had to be removed, walls had to be torn down, everything had to be cleaned. It was an extensive process. The whole first floor had a very unique smell for a while, maintenance people were in and out for a few weeks and residents were placed all over campus.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Spring Training
Training, training and more training.
Spring training is more laxed than fall training. It's shorter but more intense. Spring training usually lasts about a week, maybe a day more. It's more of an overview of policies and procedures. While there are new CAs that have been hired over winter break and it can be rough for them, it's too horrible.
Spring training is pretty much the small as fall training, in terms of content.
We have:
Training theme
Lectures
Sessions
Staff bonding
Ice breakers
Lunch with all the CAs on campus
Policy overviews and explanations
Creative Time
Staff Games
etc etc
While there is no spring opening, CAs can take a bit more of a breather and relax before pushing through the final semester of the year. And since it is more lax that fall training, some CAs can take a short nap before afternoon sessions. It's always a plus when you can get a bit more shut eye.
Spring training is more laxed than fall training. It's shorter but more intense. Spring training usually lasts about a week, maybe a day more. It's more of an overview of policies and procedures. While there are new CAs that have been hired over winter break and it can be rough for them, it's too horrible.
Spring training is pretty much the small as fall training, in terms of content.
We have:
Training theme
Lectures
Sessions
Staff bonding
Ice breakers
Lunch with all the CAs on campus
Policy overviews and explanations
Creative Time
Staff Games
etc etc
While there is no spring opening, CAs can take a bit more of a breather and relax before pushing through the final semester of the year. And since it is more lax that fall training, some CAs can take a short nap before afternoon sessions. It's always a plus when you can get a bit more shut eye.
Fall Training
Every fall semesters, all the CAs, both old and new, must under a semesterly ritual: Fall Training.
This happens before school even starts and before residents have left to go to their new dorms. Fall training is basically training and retraining on all things CA and ResLife. Since each year a new staff is put together, mandatory staff bonding must be had. Fall training usually lasts between 1.5 to 3 weeks. 7 days a weeks. From 7am to 10pm, roughly. While there are some days where you get let out early or it's a half day, that's pretty much a CAs life until opening. Very few CAs that I've known actually like fall training. We are run ragged for three weeks and we are very tired by the end of it.
Training goes something like this:
Day one: Get to know your staff. Mandatory staff dinner.
Day two-five: Go to big room with all of the CAs. Have some sort of theme for training. Prostaff urging CAs to earn points for some random prize. Listen to some lectures. Count up points. Award most awesome staff from day before. Break out. Going over basic policies in 1.5 hour sessions. Ice breakers Staff lunch. "Fun time" with staff. Random sessions with Counseling and Consultation. Creative time. Stress Reliever. Staff dinner. More get to know your staff. In bed by 11pm. Desk scheduling. Duty scheduling. Other scheduling
Day six-twelve: JAMS and documentation. Floor set up. Make 60+ door dec and 12 posters for the floor. Possible staff skit, depends on year. More lectures. Lunch. More sessions, more ice breakers. Final tally of most points won on the last day, award ceremony. Go back to dorm.
FALL OPENING
Yes, even after being put through a lot during training, CAs have to go through fall opening. It's basically another week before classes start but with a twist: residents! Not only do to welcome residents and their family to the hall, answer their questions, but we have to take them to events like Passports and the Tiki Luau. It's good for the new freshmen and good for us.
And at the very end.. we can sleep.. for about a day. Cause as soon as classes start, we get busy again.
I never said that being a CA was an easy job.
This happens before school even starts and before residents have left to go to their new dorms. Fall training is basically training and retraining on all things CA and ResLife. Since each year a new staff is put together, mandatory staff bonding must be had. Fall training usually lasts between 1.5 to 3 weeks. 7 days a weeks. From 7am to 10pm, roughly. While there are some days where you get let out early or it's a half day, that's pretty much a CAs life until opening. Very few CAs that I've known actually like fall training. We are run ragged for three weeks and we are very tired by the end of it.
Training goes something like this:
Day one: Get to know your staff. Mandatory staff dinner.
Day two-five: Go to big room with all of the CAs. Have some sort of theme for training. Prostaff urging CAs to earn points for some random prize. Listen to some lectures. Count up points. Award most awesome staff from day before. Break out. Going over basic policies in 1.5 hour sessions. Ice breakers Staff lunch. "Fun time" with staff. Random sessions with Counseling and Consultation. Creative time. Stress Reliever. Staff dinner. More get to know your staff. In bed by 11pm. Desk scheduling. Duty scheduling. Other scheduling
Day six-twelve: JAMS and documentation. Floor set up. Make 60+ door dec and 12 posters for the floor. Possible staff skit, depends on year. More lectures. Lunch. More sessions, more ice breakers. Final tally of most points won on the last day, award ceremony. Go back to dorm.
FALL OPENING
Yes, even after being put through a lot during training, CAs have to go through fall opening. It's basically another week before classes start but with a twist: residents! Not only do to welcome residents and their family to the hall, answer their questions, but we have to take them to events like Passports and the Tiki Luau. It's good for the new freshmen and good for us.
And at the very end.. we can sleep.. for about a day. Cause as soon as classes start, we get busy again.
I never said that being a CA was an easy job.
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