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Syracuse University’s Office of Student Living has provided resident advisers with more protective equipment and will begin holding drop-in office hours in response to the RAs’ demands. 

A group of RAs sent a list of nine demands to OSL on Sept. 15 calling for additional personal protective equipment and hazard pay for greater responsibilities related to enforcing SU’s coronavirus-related guidelines. The RAs stated they would take “alternative measures” if they did not receive a response within a week. 

Several RAs told The Daily Orange that they haven’t noticed many major changes in their work conditions since sending the demands, but they’re pleased overall with the progress OSL has made toward meeting them.

“The Office of Student Living has been very receptive toward the demands that were provided,” said Amaar Asif, one of the RAs who helped write the demands. “Many of them have been set in motion while others have not been mentioned.”

Some RAs said that their residence halls have already started supplying them with more personal protective equipment.

Resident Advisor Demands to Office of Student Living at Syracuse University by The Daily Orange on Scribd

Zoë Selesi, an RA in Sadler Hall, said her building began providing RAs with more protective equipment at the main desks. KeAra Blanton, an RA in DellPlain Hall, said her residence hall has supplied face shields, paper towels, hand sanitizer and cleaning spray. 

In their demands, RAs also pushed for a “safe place” to express concerns regarding high-pressure situations, resident emergencies and their positions.

OSL will hold drop-in office hours Friday on Zoom from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. for RAs to address their concerns directly with members of OSL’s leadership team, said George Athanas, director of residence life, in an email to RAs on Friday.

The office has been communicating regularly with RAs regarding their demands, providing frequent email updates and giving the students more opportunities for individual conversations, Selesi said.

“I feel pretty good at where we’re at right now,” Selesi said. “Obviously with time, we’ll see the outcome of things.”

OSL has advised RAs to express their grievances to professional staff, Asif said. The office has also sent an update on several of the demands in previous weeks and has continued outreach through the RA advisory board.

The students also requested increased accountability for Department of Public Safety personnel whom RAs say don’t address violations that they report. DPS officers will now join RAs on rounds to provide an opportunity for interaction between the two groups, Athanas said in the email. 

“We believe this will further understanding of each other’s roles and help build relationships between DPS and RAs,” Athanas said.

The university will bring back joint training between DPS and RAs for each semester in January and August, Athanas said. 

OSL and DPS will also further communicate during biweekly meetings, Athanas said. DPS leadership will attend the RA advisory board meeting Oct. 9.

The university has not yet addressed the RAs’ demand for hazard pay.

The RAs suggested a biweekly hazard pay of $12 per hour for two additional hours of work per week enforcing SU’s public health guidelines. The hazard pay would also include an additional 20 hours of work from SU’s expanded move-in process, totaling a $620 stipend for each RA throughout the semester.

“RAs want to work with OSL and get these demands in place,” Selesi said. “I definitely appreciate the transparency and willingness to work with us that we’ve gotten from them so far.”

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MORE COVERAGE:

• Resident advisers wish SU provided them more support, communication
• Resident advisers demand hazard pay, more PPE
• Resident advisers say students practice social distancing in dorms

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Published on October 6, 2020 at 11:59 pm

Contact Sarah: scalessa@syr.edu | @sarahalessan