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LLC RA Duties & Expectations

Living Learning Communities

The University Of Louisiana At Lafayette provides living and learning communities for those students majoring in Nursing, Biology, or Engineering and those interested in visual and performing Arts, business, sports and recreation, community service and leadership, honors, or travel, language, and culture. These communities allow for those students studying in complex and difficult subject matter to live together in an effort to foster more effective study habits, become more cohesive as an academic group, and provide understanding for those involved in similar situations. Ideally the Resident Assistant (RA) for these areas should be enrolled in the same or similar academic major, but it is not required.


Living Learning Community (LLC) Resident Assistant:

The LLC Resident Assistant works as part of a residence hall staff in order to create an environment that supports the academic mission and objectives of the living learning community, and provides a positive community experience for residents through programming, positive interactions, and engagement.

The LLC Resident Assistant serves as a communication link between the residents of the floor/wing, the Office of Residential Life, the Office of First-Year Experience, and the faculty/staff involved in the living learning communities. The LLC Resident Assistant will work with their Area Coordinator and the Office of First-Year Experience in the development of a purposeful academic residential community, and support the additional programming efforts provided by the academic partners in each community.

LLC Job Description:

The job responsibilities of an LLC Community Assistant are the same as other RA positions, however, some of the objectives have been modified to enhance the LLC missions and goals:

  • Implement living community programs on residence hall floor
  • Attendance at some living community events not held in residence halls
  • Communication with Associate Director of Office of First-Year Experience
  • Ideal candidate would have a strong interest/passion in the major or field of the Living Learning Community

Expectations:

  • Meet periodically during the year with Associate Director of Office of First-Year Experience
  • Updates residence hall staff on progress of the living community
  • Participates in assessment of the community
  • Supports the learning of students participating in the living learning community through promoting an atmosphere conductive to academics and learning.
  • Develops relationships with faculty/staff and actively invites them to participate in hall-sponsored activities, including programming opportunities, informal meetings with students, and group meetings. This includes: Attendance at all field trips coordinated by LLC faculty/staff and actively throughout the semester
  • Meeting and/or communicating with faculty/staff assigned to the floor at least once a month to discuss what is happening on the floor, how students are doing and upcoming events
  • Planning at least two programs to five programs per semester (traditional community development such as movies, pizza, dinners, etc.) with floor members and faculty/staff, as well as one educational program supporting the theme of the LLC.
  • Organizes activities and/or programs that meet the academic need of the community by inviting academic offices into the residence halls.
  • Serves as a role model for academic success by attending class, studying, utilizing campus academic resources, and establishing relationships with faculty.
  • Serves as a liaison between the Office of the First-Year Experience and Residential Life, the faculty/staff involved in the living and learning community.
  • Each LLC (except Honors) takes UNIV 100 together. LLC RAs are the peer mentor for that UNIV 100 class.
    • As a peer mentor, LLC RAs must attend the UNIV 100 class for their LLC.
    • LLC RA/Peer mentors do NOT attend peer mentor group or individual interviews.
    • LLC RA/Peer mentors DO attend peer mentor retreat Sunday April 15th and peer mentor training August 13-15. These do not conflict with RA training.
    • LLC RA/Peer mentors attend Cajun Connection Thursday, August 16th.
    • LLC RAs attend and conduct LLC orientation on Friday, August 17th.

LLC UNIV 100 class days/times:

  • Taste of Business                                                         MW 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm
  • Darwin (Biology)                                                           MW 2:30 pm - 3:45 pm
  • Nursing                                                                    MWF 11:00 am -11:50 am
  • Engineering                             T 3:15 pm - 4:30 pm and R 2:00 pm - 4:30 pm
  • Travel, Language, Culture                                             TR 9:30 am - 10:45 am
  • Lifetime Recreation                                                          M 2:30 pm - 5:00 pm
  • Service and Leadership                                                  TR 9:30 am - 10:45 am
  • Gateway to the Arts                                                     TR 11:00 am - 12:15 pm

 

Here is what our LLC RAs say are the benefit to being an LLC RA:

  • More bonded relationship with students inside (UNIV 100) and outside the classroom
  • Easy to connect and mentor residents
  • Love being in class with the residents and can see them as a student
  • Getting to know and help the residents academically
  • Leadership skills for other positions on campus
  • Being a peer mentor
  • Get closer to residents
  • Fun programs like Kart Ranch, ice skating, bowling, etc.

 

To learn more about the LLC program and details about each LLC, go the LLC website.

https://firstyear.louisiana.edu/get-involved/living-communities