The Residence Life Graduate Assistant (GA) is a live-in graduate assistant that reports to the Director of Residence Life or their designee. This GA has responsibility for assisting with leadership of a residential community and supporting the mission of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA). Responsibilities include assisting with supervision of departmental student staff, developing community, assisting with advising student organizations within Residence Life & Housing, educational and social programming, responding to student behavioral concerns, providing academic and personal support for students, assisting with the facility management responsibilities and administrative responsibilities.

This position requires an interest in working one-on-one with students, participating in department and college functions, and taking leadership roles for activities. The GA will attend department staff meetings, trainings, and professional development opportunities. Additionally, this position will assist with department initiatives, staff selection & training and assessment. Due to the nature of this position this role does require night and weekend responsibilities that are outside college business hours.

Supervision:

• Overall Supervision-Director of Residence Life
• Direct Supervision-Assistant Director or Area Coordinator

Student Staff Supervision:

• Assist in supervision of departmental student staff.
• Assist in the recruitment, training and evaluation of student staff.

Community Development & Residential Experience:

• Assist with the supervision of the day-to-day operations of the residence areas.
• Assist in development of educational, social and living learning community programs.
• Serve as an advocate and leader by providing leadership for the intentional development of the community including encouraging safer, respectful, and responsible community behaviors.
• Assist in providing leadership for the development of a residential community.
• Assist in providing leadership for the student staff.

Student Organization Advising:

• Assist in advising the Residence Hall Association(RHA) and National Residence Hall Honorary(NRHH).
• Attend and support regular executive board meetings and general body meetings.
• Assist primary advisor in management of organization's programming.

Student Behavior:

• Provide appropriate responses to violations of residence hall and college policies by adjudicating or resolving through referral and/or mediation.

Facility Management:

• Work with administrative systems for reporting and following up on facility concerns in the residence areas.
• Serve as an advocate for a safe and clean living environment. Including developing positive relationships with campus facilities staff.

Academic & Personal Support for Students:

• Provide appropriate referrals, supports, and encouragement, and access to necessary college resources.
• Serve as a positive academic and personal role model for students and staff including reasoned decision making and displaying positive attitude about academic and personal matters.
• Serve as an advocate for retention of students & maintain positive relations with faculty and staff.
• Build positive and inclusive relationships with all students including those of diverse populations.

Administrative Responsibilities:

• Participate in Residence Life Pro-Staff Member(PSM) On Duty rotation during academic year and breaks.
• Provide timely response to all requests from students, staff, supervisors, and other college personnel for information and materials as directed.
• Assist in management of hall opening and closing at the beginning and end of each academic semester and breaks.
• Assist with room selection and changes during specified periods and as necessary.
• Assist with management of Conference & Events groups in residence areas.
• Assist in management of departmental social media accounts, including taking a initiative for future growth on those platforms.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Must be enrolled in a master's level program at MCLA.
• Bachelor's degree is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in residence life or student activities on a college campus.

Position Specifics:

• Graduate Assistant must pass a background check like the live-in professional staff.
• Graduate Assistant must have a current valid driver's license.

This is a part-time, temporary, non-benefitted position running from July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027.

Compensation:

• Housing-furnished apartment is provided free of charge due to live-in responsibilities of the position. Free of charge housing provided by serving on the on-call rotation. 
• Monetary-Stipend of $10,000 paid out bi-weekly.
• Tuition-Tuition waiver for up to 6 credits each semester at MCLA only. Any additional credits and fees are the responsibility of the student to pay.
• Meal Plan-Partial Meal Plan during academic semesters.

Work Schedule:

• 35 hours of work per week, taking place in the assigned residence area or main office.
• 25 hours of scheduled work per week.
• 10 additional hours weekly of the above that occur outside of set office hours.
• Participate in on call rotation for the department.

Until further notice, in response to the Presidential proclamation, issued on September 19, 2025, imposing a significant fee on the entry of individuals with new H-1B visas, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. Should you need to request a reasonable accommodation for the application process, please email Brenda Stokes, Executive Director of Human Resources. 

Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts is deeply committed to fostering a community of excellence, equity, diversity, and inclusion. We provide equal access to educational, co-curricular and employment opportunities for all applicants, students, and employees regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, marital or parental status, veteran status, or membership in any other legally protected class. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts does not discriminate on the basis of sex in any educational program or activity that they operate, which extends to admission and employment.  

Inquiries about Title IX, Equal Opportunity, or ADA/504 and other non-discrimination policies may be directed to MCLA's Interim Title IX and Equal Opportunity Coordinator, to the Assistant Secretary of the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, or both. 

Lucas Morrill

Interim Title IX and EO Coordinator 

375 Church Street, North Adams, MA 01247 

Telephone: (413) 662-5103

Titleix@mcla.edu 

U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights  

33 Arch Street, 9th Floor Boston, MA 02119-1424  

Telephone: (617) 289-0111; FAX: (617) 289-0150; TDD (877) 521-2172  

OCR.Boston@ed.gov