Predictive Value of Performance Criteria for First-Time Sophomore Resident Assistants

Abstract

Housing professionals are increasingly compelled to consider hiring resident assistants (RAs) from a pool of applicants that includes students with less college experience than has traditionally been expected. The purpose of the study is to determine if the success of first-time sophomore RAs differs from that of first-time upper-class RAs according to performance evaluations by their supervisors. Performance evaluations of first-time resident assistants were compared to determine if any performance evaluation criteria predicted the sophomore or non-sophomore class standing of RAs post hoc. Performance evaluation data for first-time RAs were gathered from universities in the Mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. The reported performance criteria were relationships with residents, relationships with staff, residential community development, programming, and administration. The data were analyzed using binary logistic regression. Performance criteria did not predict an RA’s class standing. Supervisors of first-time resident assistants evaluated the performance of sophomore resident assistants substantially the same as their upper-class counterparts. This result will give housing professionals more confidence in selecting students to serve as resident assistants regardless of their class standing.