THE BACKBONE OF MONTCLAIR STATES' RESIDENCE LIFE

Residential life is a crucial aspect of the Montclair State University's campus experience. Within each resident hall is a student-run staff that keeps this alive and well.

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Service assistants, most commonly known by the students as SAs, are the first to come in contact with these residents. Any problems that may be encountered in the building is brought to the attention of the front desk. Through their countless hours of training, service assistants are ready to take action when needed.

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John Delate, Executive Director of Residential Life on campus, has been working closely with the Montclair State community for 19 months. With close to 300 residential staff members, Delate knows how crucial the job is. "[Service assistants] are the front-line of the organization," said Delate. "We put a lot of trust in them."

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This trust, however, has been earned through their vigorous training sessions, where students learn everything from working in a team environment to handling emergency situations.

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There is a three-step process before the final call is made on which students will be best fit for the job: an application, group interview, and a one-on-one interview. "The process is extensive because they're so valuable to us," said Delate.

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Miranda Mitchell, works as a staff member in The Heights. This is her second semester as a service assistant and she is grateful for the dedicated staff surrounded her. Because of her dream of becoming a history teacher, Mitchell believes that her position as an SA will motivate her when she starts her teaching career.

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"Being able to be polite but assertive enough to make sure someone is safe is key," Mitchell explained. "It's an acquired skill that shows you can uphold the rules but still seem approachable; and that can be used when I start teaching."

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In such a close working environment with the residents, there is a sense of community that benefits the student-run operation. Whether it is personally swiping in or checking-in another guest, residents come in contact with SAs the most.

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Nicole Sicari, a freshman resident in Freeman, shared her view on how the role of the SAs in her building affects her day-to-day campus life. "Having the job [be] student run, I believe, makes the residents more comfortable," she said.

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The idea of employing students rather than security guards seems like it could lead to problems, but with the current method of hiring, the system works. Delate adds that if there is a serious issue, SAs are trained to contact the campus police in a calm and professional manner.

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Whether a situation occurs at 12 p.m. or 2 a.m., the students are ready to respond around the clock, With varied working hours, SAs are trained to be working at any time they are scheduled.

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Jessica Bacher, a resident in Blanton Hall, shared her one semester experience working the early morning desk shifts. "I never felt uncomfortable working there," Bacher said, "The staff I worked with were good people; The pay was minimum wage, but with my time spent studying or on the radio station on campus, my sleep schedule was off."

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When asked about the issue of time scheduling, Delate said there is a constant rotation of night-shifts. "It's tough, but we try our best to fit it around their schedule," he said. While there is the downside of shifting sleep patterns, the outcome is a successful and safe building.

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The role of service assistant requires a variety of different skills and the job may be challenging at times; However, Delate believes that becoming part of this SA community is beneficial.

Resident Life is currently deliberating the new additions it will be making to its staff in the coming year. Delate said that "Any student that is interest, now is the time to act."

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Whether someone is considering becoming a service assistant, or for those who continue to keep residential life secure, "I thank them for their continued support," Delate concluded.