The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 2 - 30

Katherine B . Boone

regarded as the cornerstone in the operation
of housing departments and the enhancement
of student learning and development" (p. 40).
This role has evolved over time and has grown
in complexity, just as the landscape of all higher
education has. "Colleges and universities are
complex organizations operating in a diverse
and ever-changing environment with shifting
values, varying states of economic prosperity,
and obscure permutations of political power"
(Bess & Dee, 2012, p. 2).
RAs are expected to serve as role models,
problem solvers, counselors, mediators,
campus resources, community builders, and
administrators in a part-time job while in
pursuit of their undergraduate degree (Blimling, 2010). The current role of the RA has not
changed tremendously in terms of the specific job description, but the demands, breadth,
and depth of the job responsibilities, as they
play out in contemporary residence halls
across the United States, have been enormously expanded. The role of the RA is an
evolving and complex one (Papandrea, 2015);
as our society has been made more challenging by drug usage, mental health issues, and
increased diversity among college students,
RAs are asked to do more tasks efficiently.
Further, students today enter higher education institutions with an increasing number
of emotional and personal challenges, and the
RA role has become more stressful as a result
(Brandt Brecheisen, 2014). For these reasons,
the ability of housing professionals to continue to attract high quality students to apply
for the RA position and keep them motivated
to remain in the position is growing increasingly difficult (Crandall, 2004).

Minimal research has been conducted
relative to the sources of work motivation for
RAs over the last decade. As more and more
challenges and responsibilities are added to
the RA role, determining what factors motivate students to desire the position becomes
even more essential. Attracting and employing
such individuals is critical in establishing and

Housing professionals want
to hire students who are able
to juggle the demands of the
position and their schoolwork,
and while these professionals
conduct rigorous selection
processes-often including
multiple interviews, an
application, and a group
role-playing component-they
do not necessarily understand
what motivates students to
become a resident assistant.

maintaining successful housing programs.
Housing professionals want to hire students
who are able to juggle the demands of the position and their schoolwork (Blimling, 2010),
and while these professionals conduct rigorous selection processes-often including mul-

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The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 2

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Journal of College and University Student Housing - Volume 44, No. 2