Resident Assistants are students who are selected to help foster a community of learners within RPI’s student housing facilities. The Resident Assistant (RA) position plays an integral role within the Office of Student Living and Learning. Students selected to assume this important leadership role will have a focused responsibility for creating connections among Rensselaer students living within the Residential Commons.

This number can vary from year to year depending upon class size. This academic year we have about 90 RAs.

Compensation models vary from university to university. We currently provide free single room housing along with a stipend, and a new dining plan has been added for improved competitiveness, which will give each RA a full weekly dining plan beginning in Fall ’24. Housing and dining rates change from year to year and current rates are available online. 

During his fall 2023 listening tour, the issue of RA compensation was shared with President Schmidt. We reviewed the compensation plan as part of the annual budgeting process that began in the fall of 2022 and have included a new compensation plan in the FY24 budget and beyond. This new compensation plan is being phased in, and will be fully implemented by Fall 2024.

Financial aid starts with eligibility. Eligibility for financial aid varies by the unique circumstances of individual students and is determined through a federal process that is governed by strict federal rules. When we apply financial aid, we are required to follow those guidelines.

As explained in the response to the RAs’ request for representation, we believed it was very important that all opinions on the matter were considered, and that all RAs had a voice through an election process supervised by the federal agency that handles these matters, the NLRB.  

Please see the Bargaining Update on the homepage.