Community Associate (CA) Position Description and Application Information

Description of the Graduate Life Office (GLO) Residences Program

The Graduate Life Office's residence program is comprised of five University residence areas in which the focus is on creating a sense of community and encouraging students to assume responsibility for the quality of their lives. The Graduate Life Office is administered by Ken Hsu, Acting Director, who is also responsible for selection of single and couples CAs in Escondido Village. Andy Hernandez, Assistant Dean, is responsible for selection of CAs in Crothers, Crothers Memorial, Lyman, undergraduate couples and families in Escondido Village. Laurette Beeson, is the Assistant Dean who is responsible for selection of CAs in Rains.

The residences are diverse in their physical facilities and in the residents housed in each. Residences include traditional dormitories; one-, two-, three-, and four-bedroom apartments with populations that include undergraduates, single graduate students, married couples, domestic partnerships, and families. We seek to provide residents with a supportive, friendly, and welcoming environment where they are encouraged to develop a strong sense of community.

The 2008-09 CA Applications will not be available until Tuesday, March 4, 2008. Check back and you will be redirected to the new URL.

Crothers Hall - 4 CAs Crothers Hall is a dormitory that houses single graduate students in both single- and double-occupancy rooms. Since priority for assignment is given to law students, CAs in Crothers coordinate many events with the Law School as well as providing social, multicultural, and educational activities for residents. Crothers Memorial Hall - 6 CAs Crothers Memorial is a dormitory that houses single graduate students in both single- and double-occupancy rooms. Priority for assignment is given to engineering students. A dorm environment can create additional challenges in building a sense of community and meeting the needs of a diverse population. The program emphasis is on building a sense of community and providing opportunities for graduate students to form friendships through social, multicultural, and educational activities. EV Family - 22 CAs EV Family CAs are graduate students and/or spouses who live in EV family courtyards and plan and facilitate welcoming activities and social, cultural, educational and recreational events throughout the academic year. There are approximately 400 families housed in EV which include over 400 children. Family CAs focus many of their activities on children and the unique needs of families. CAs are also knowledgeable about resources in and around Stanford and about campus services available to graduate students and their families. EV Singles and Couples - 55 CAs EV Singles and Couples CAs build community among the vast and diverse singles and couples that live in the Village. Single students live in town house apartments or single occupancy studios. Couples live in town house or high rise apartments. In addition to organizing events in small neighborhoods, CAs have an opportunity to organize larger events by participating in one of four committees: Community Service, Social, Sports and Outdoors, Educational and Cultural. EV Undergraduate CAs - 3 CAs EV Undergraduate CAs plan and facilitate welcoming activities and social, cultural, educational and recreational events throughout the academic year for approximately 100 undergraduates who live in EV. These include undergraduate families with children, undergraduate couples (spouse/partners are welcome to apply) and single "non-traditional" undergraduates.  Undergraduate CAs focus their activites on bringing undergraduates together and also informing them of University-wide academic and social resources for all undergrads. Lyman Residences - 6 CAs Lyman Residences, which opened in Fall 1997, is an apartment community that houses single students. Program emphasis is on providing opportunities for students to get to know each other through social, educational, multicultural, and recreational activities. Due to its proximity to Governor's Corner, an upperclass undergraduate residence, Lyman has also co-sponsored events so that graduate students and undergraduates can interact. Rains Houses - 22 CAs Rains Houses is an apartment complex that houses single students. The complex is divided into neighborhoods in which one or more students serve as CAs. The program focus is on getting students to interact and form friendships and is designed to meet the needs of a large, single graduate student population including social, educational, multicultural, and recreational events. Rains is also home to the Multicultural Theme House whose goal is to provide opportunities for students of diverse backgrounds and lifestyles to interact and learn from each other. The Theme House plans social, multicultural, and educational activities.

Advice to Applicants

• ELIGIBILITY (click here and look at the bottom of the page for an explanation on priority years: Applicants must be eligible for on-campus housing, have LIMITED PRIORITY and be planning on staying for the entirety of the school year.
  
  
• CAs in Escondido Village, Lyman, and Rains Houses may select one roommate who is also exempt from the Graduate Lottery. CAs in studios in Escondido village will not select a roommate.
   
• CAs are exempt from the Graduate Housing Lottery. If you desire to live on campus even if you are not appointed to a CA position, you (and your roommate, if applicable) must apply for housing for the 2008-2009 academic year.
   
• Time commitment is expected to be approximately 2-3 hours/week; however, the Fall Quarter opening period will require additional time for welcoming and orienting students.
   
• CAs are expected to attend all CA/residence staff meetings.
   
• CAs are expected to attend a Fall Training and Retreat.
   
• CAs receive a $300.00/quarter stipend (based on eligibility). Visa information is available here.
   
• CAs are assigned to specific neighborhoods (Rains, EV, Lyman). Specific apartment preferences will be considered, but are not guaranteed.

Description of Responsibilities of CAs

Welcome/Orientation

• CAs plan programs and activities, particularly at the beginning of the year, to help new students meet each other and meet continuing students from whom they can learn about life at Stanford and about life as a graduate student. CAs provide information about the University and its resources. and orient students to the local area.  
• CAs plan events to inform students about safety and security issues, such as accessing public safety resources, reacting and responding to earthquakes or other disasters, establishing a "Neighborhood Watch" program, Sure Escort Service.  
• CAs coordinate with other student programming organizations such as, the Graduate Student Programming Board(GSPB) and the Graduate Student Council(GSC) to plan and implement a campus-wide welcome for new students and on-going campus-wide activities for graduate students.  

Community Building/Support

• CAs plan social, multicultural, and recreational events throughout the year to encourage student interaction and provide relief from classes, teaching, and research. 
• CAs plan activities that help students learn from the diversity of backgrounds and interests of their neighbors. 
• CAs plan programs that address health and well-being in graduate school, e.g., stress reduction, procrastination, relationships. 

Leadership

• CAs serve as a resource regarding campus support services and refer students who are experiencing difficulties to the Deans for Graduate Life. 
• CAs provide information about University policies and refer questions and concerns to the Deans for Graduate Life. 

Working as a Team Member

• CAs are expected to attend and contribute to CA staff meetings. 
• CAs cooperate on residence-wide activities and share tasks. 
• CAs provide assistance and support to the efforts of other CAs.