Please read and sign the survey below to support the provision of hazard pay for Resident Assistants at the University of Richmond.
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Resident Assistants are essential to the operations of the Office of Residence Life and Housing at the University of Richmond. RAs serve as mentors, advisors, and friends to residents, providing much-needed support and guidance during their transitions to college and throughout their Richmond careers. Through the creation and execution of programming, the enforcement of University regulations and policies, and the provision of mental and emotional support for residents, RAs ensure the safety and comfort of the many students who live on campus. In this time of crisis and uncertainty, physical distancing and social isolation, the RA role is more important than ever as students will face the many challenges that come with life during the COVID-19 pandemic, namely: loneliness, the need to find new and innovative ways to build community, and the very real and frightening possibility of the spread of the virus across our campus.

In light of these circumstances, it is imperative that RAs are able to perform our duties in an environment that ensures our health and safety. The RA role in the COVID-19 pandemic sees an increased workload and an increased exposure to COVID-19 without appropriate compensation. Therefore, we call on University of Richmond administration, College Deans, and the Office of Residence Life and Housing to hear our concerns and ensure that we can carry out our roles as RAs without compromising our security and wellbeing.

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INCREASED COVID-19 RISKS FOR RAS
RAs are undeniably at a greater risk of exposure to COVID-19 as a result of our role. Although many interactions between RAs and their residents have been made virtual, there is still the expectation of in-person interaction that often puts RAs in situations where there is an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19.

(1) As Resident Assistants we necessarily interact with our residents and other students on a near-daily basis. Such simple responsibilities as providing residents with a vacuum or speaking with a student who knocks on our door now carry an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19. Additionally, despite recommendations of physical distancing and avoiding group gatherings on campus, many RAs are still encouraged to host in-person programming. Though guidelines are in place to help limit exposure at these programs (e.g. requiring residents to sign up for in-person programs), any RA hosting an in-person program is nonetheless likely to come in contact with multiple students—some of whom we may not otherwise have much/any in-person contact with—throughout the duration of the program. The amount of contact between RAs and other students in our role creates an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19 both for RAs and for our residents.

(2) Our role as a policy enforcer, particularly while on duty, puts RAs at significant risk of exposure to COVID-19. By responding to policy violations in residence halls other than our own, we come into contact with a community we may otherwise have no in-person contact with, increasing our risk of exposure. Additionally, many of the incidents we have been responding to this semester involve large group gatherings. Contact with a large number of (often unmasked) students already places us at an increased risk. But that risk is even greater considering that the behavior of the students in these situations increases their risk of exposure to COVID-19, in turn passing that added risk on to the RAs responding.

It’s true that duty and policy enforcement is an integral part of the RA role, which we agreed to. It is, however, problematic that RAs—students at the University of Richmond—are expected to respond to calls made to URPD regarding COVID-19 policy violations so that URPD officers don’t risk exposure themselves. We should not be expected to be the only ones to assume an increased risk of exposure to COVID-19, and we should be appropriately compensated for any additional risk that we do take on.

ISSUES WITH COVID POLICY ENFORCEMENT INCREASES THE WORKLOAD FOR RAS
It’s clear that there are issues with the enforcement of COVID-19 policies on campus. Across campus there are numerous large group gatherings and students who are not wearing masks. The lax response by University of Richmond officials to students violating University COVID-19 policies while outdoors has placed increased pressure on RAs to “step up” and enforce these policies across campus. There is pressure on RAs to address any COVID-19 policy violations we see on campus, from large group gatherings to students not wearing masks. Though RAs do address situations that occur outside of residence halls, these expectations go beyond the scope of our role; we have never before been expected to be the primary authority policing policy outside of residence halls and throughout the course of the day.

If we are to be expected to take on an increased workload as policy enforcers to compensate for the lax response by University officials, we should be appropriately compensated for our time.

HAZARD PAY FOR RAS
Because of the increased risks and expectations placed on RAs this semester, particularly in our roles as policy enforcers, we request a hazard pay differential of an additional $12.50 per hour for each duty shift worked (that is, an additional $50 per duty shift, commensurate with pay for ‘break duty’).

GUARANTEED PAY THROUGH END OF CONTRACT
When the school closed last spring as a response to COVID-19, existing contracts with all RAs were honored through the end of the contract. We are, however, concerned that if the University shuts down in the fall, or if we do not return to campus for spring semester, that we may be removed from our positions and be denied our remaining pay per our contracts.

RA contracts state that staff members must be “enrolled as a full-time, degree seeking student”—which would remain true if we were to move to virtual instruction—and that RAs may be terminated “for failure to fulfill position expectations and/or responsibilities, inappropriate conduct as a member of the student staff of Residence Life and Undergraduate Student Housing.” It is unclear whether RAs could in good faith be terminated if the University were to close and move to remote instruction.

The uncertainty as to whether our contracts would be honored or terminated if we move to remote instruction at any point in the semester/year adds to the stress of financial insecurity many of us are experiencing as a result of COVID-19. Many RAs also come from lower-income backgrounds, which makes the situation all-the-more stressful as many of us rely on payment from on-campus jobs.

We request that the Office of Residence Life and Housing and University of Richmond administration guarantee Resident Assistant pay throughout the duration of our contracts regardless of whether the University of Richmond operates in-person or moves to a remote model in order to alleviate stress of financial insecurity and promote a greater trust between RA staff members and University administration.

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We trust that our concerns will be taken seriously and addressed, and that neither RAs nor any other signees will be retaliated against in any way for attempting to bring about conditions in which we are appropriately compensated for the work we do and can properly perform our roles while ensuring our own health, safety, and wellbeing.