Building Residential Communities
Each year, the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students and the Housing Department hires Community Living Advisers (CLAs). These positions require a commitment averaging 10 to 12 hours per week. Applicants must be upper-class students (rising juniors or seniors) and should possess excellent communication, administrative and interpersonal skills. There will be mandatory training for all CLAs before move-in for returning students, and ongoing during the academic year.
Duties
The community living adviser role will serve as a resource to continuing students, foster a welcoming community, provide initial support to returning students and when appropriate connect returning students to their residential college advising teams and/or the appropriate university offices:
- Facilitate a variety of activities with the purpose of building community and fostering an inclusive environment for continuing students.
- Encourage students both to get to know one another and to take full advantage of the resources of the residential community and the University.
- Develop personal connections by hosting at least monthly programs and study breaks targeted to continuing residents.
- Address any concerns continuing students may have with other residents (i.e. roommate conflicts) and act as an initial mediator to resolve any concerns.
- Work collaboratively with fellow CLAs and regularly attend residential community events.
- Attend all monthly CLA staff meetings, Residential College Leadership Team (RCLT) meetings (if in the residential college) and one-on-one meetings with my ADSL/RLC or Dean in ODUS.
- Establishing a good working relationship with the custodian(s) if working in an upper-class dorm
- Reporting damage, unsafe conditions, violations of code and other residential concerns to the appropriate administrative office (Housing, Building Services, Maintenance, Facilities Customer Service Center, Public Safety, Dean of Undergraduate Students Offices).
- Ensuring proper use of common areas throughout the building, including resolving usage disputes, and scheduling and monitoring of activities held therein if working in the upper-class dorms.
- Disseminating information from various administrative offices to residents, including holding informational meetings, posting paper, and sending e-mail notices, etc.
Application Process
Applicants must attend a mandatory info session to get access to the CLA application.
Information regarding dates, time and location of info sessions can be found at:
https://claapply.princeton.edu
The application will be available one business day after attending an info session.
Trainings During the Year
Training is ongoing during the course of the academic year. CLAs are required to attend monthly staff meetings at which issues are discussed and problems and challenging situations can be informally workshopped. There will also be a selection of in-service training sessions throughout the year. CLAs must choose two sessions during the year.
Compensation
Community Living Advisers are eligible for an estimated annual compensation of $8,000 payable in bi-weekly installments (pay is taxable income, subject to wage withholding and reporting on the W-2. Note that international students should consult with the Davis International Center regarding on-campus employment). Students selected for this position will not participate in room draw, but will be assigned a single room in one of the upperclass dormitories. Students selected as alternate CLAs will be required to attend training, but will not be compensated unless they are asked to step into the full CLA position.