Assessing the Effect of Resident Assistant Training on Implementing Programs at SUNY Buffalo Christine Matos, MPA Project· Dr. Suparna Soni –Project Advisor Resident Assistants are not only full-time students but have other roles such as parents, friends, volunteer, counselor, tutor, and law enforcers. They have a high sense of responsibility on campus and in the residence halls; they are frequently expected to interchange these roles on a daily basis as well as maintain their personal roles. The RA role encompasses creating a communal environment that is conducive to academic and student success (Letarte, 2013)Letarte, 2013 Due to these multiple facets of the position, intense training and development is required to prepare RA’s to be efficent and competent. Training is a vital and essential part of any job because it prepares individuals and allows them to gain the necessary tools and develop skills in order to perform their work to the best of their ability. When creating a system of staff education it should include a type of formal orientation program, a program where professional skills are developed, coaching, career development, and personal development (Gesme, Towle, & Wiseman, 2010).Gesme, Towle, & Wiseman, 2010 Training is an essential part of a job and plays a huge role on job effectiveness. Researchers have found that adequate training is a vital component of RAs development. Higher education institutions responded by developing their own training programs geared towards their institutional values and mission (Waldo, 1989). Due to liability issues and the multiple roles RAs have, they receive a variation of training modules specific to the needs of the residents. For instance, some institutions dedicate their training to mediation comprehensiveness while others focus on inclusiveness. Nonetheless, most academic institutions focus their training modules on conflict resolution, crisis intervention, interpersonal skills, disciplinary matters, leadership skills, cultural diversity, consultation, and counseling skills. Within the residential halls of higher education institutions across the United States, students are typically employed as paraprofessional staff members to monitor the buildings. Depending on the institution, these paraprofessionals have various titles, such as Resident Advisors, Resident Assistants, Community Assistant, Resident Mentor, Residence Don, or Community Mentor. For the purpose of this study, the term Resident Assistant (RA) will be used hereafter. Along with their interactions with the hall residents, RAs are also tasked with implementing educational and interactive programs. Programming is deemed as one of the most important duties that RAs must fulfill as they build a network among residents and strengthen a sense of community within the residential halls. This study analyzes the effectiveness of Resident Assistant training on creating and conducting educational programs. The purpose of this study is to analyze how well prepared the Resident Assistant (RA) training, at SUNY Buffalo State Department of Residence Life, adequately equips their RAs in implementing their own programs within the residence halls. References Data Analysis The researcher analyzed the overall satisfaction with the RA training in relation to programming, how confident participants felt in their ability to create and develop programs, also how versed they were on the program pillars. The data collected also gathered input and feedback to improve services and the quality when related to training. The major findings of this research are as listed: 1. overall, RAs were satisfied with training regardless of their years of employment; 2. a majority of RAs agreed that planning a program was one of the areas they wished they received more training for; 3. the three common topics that RAs provided feedback on with training was on the lack of creativity in training, having more in-depth training on the programming pillars and having more hands on experience during training when related to programming; 4. a majority of RAs felt they were adequately prepared and could facilitate and coordinate programs after training; 5. there was no difference between First Year RAs and Second Year RAs when comparing their experience with facilitating programs and how they felt about training. Literature Review Introduction and Purpose Statement Conclusion, Recommendations and Future Research Conclusions The majority of RAs, 83%, felt that they had received adequate training in order to successfully and effectively develop and facilitate programs within their residence halls in order to engage and meet the needs of their residents. However the study revealed that there were many areas that needed to be improved upon in training in order to better prepare RAs to develop programs. RAs also felt that they were not training adequately in the planning process and how to implement the learning pillars within their programs. Recommendations Based on the outcomes of the study, recommendations include: Utilize RA input when creating and developing trainings and having RAs directly involved in the training sessions Share the results of this survey with the Department of Residence Life and other administrators within the institution so they can be informed of the thoroughness of the RAs work and show their improvements for future assessments Conduct an assessment post-Fall and -Winter training in order to continuously make improvements for future trainings that will help RAs exceed in their duties Limitations of Study The limitations of this study included the timing in which the study was conducted. The survey was administered in April, three months after the conclusion of the winter training. Results could have differed due to the lengthy timeline and ability for RAs to implement what they had learned during training. Methodology Sample Selection The sampling design for this population was a single-stage sampling procedure as the researcher had access to all names of the participants and the population could be reached directly. The sample selection is also considered a convenience sample to due the accessibility of the participants to the researcher. Design The study is designed as a program evaluation of the winter RA training for the Department of Residence Life at SUNY Buffalo State. A survey was developed and distributed using a ULR that prompted participants to the Qualtrics Survey Software platform. The survey was administered from April 14 th -21 st, Instrument An 11-question survey was created using the Qualtrics Survey Software. Participants were notified of the survey through a mass sent by the Administrative Assistant of Residence Life Department containing the URL. The questionnaires were distributed to the RAs after winter training. The survey collected information related to the training, programming model and its effect on job performance of the RAs employed at SUNY Buffalo State’s Residence Life Department.. Letarte, C. M. c. l. s. e. (2013). Keepers of the Night: The Dangerously Important Role of Resident Assistants on College and University Campuses. Kentucky Journal of Higher Education Policy & Practice, 2(2), 1-24 Gesme, D. H., Towle, E. L., & Wiseman, M. (2010). Essentials of Staff Development and Why You Should Care. Journal of Oncology Practice, 6(2), doi: /JOP