Residence Life is usually structured with planned events, a code of conduct and ethics, and a relatively large array of staff.
Residence halls vary in size and population however, they accommodate hundreds of young adults.
Residence Life is integral in the student experience at most post-secondary institutions due to a variety of benefits listed below.
This also allows students to easily create study groups with classmates and increased sense of belonging.
Residence Life focuses on the ability to ensure equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is a priority by creating environments that students are able to engage in their community.
[16] The services and support that residence life offers are impactful to the retention, academic engagement and graduation of students, more so of off-campus living or commuting.
However, on campuses with a separate Housing department it is not uncommon for that department to report to the Business Services or Auxiliary Services division or area as most of their responsibilities will be financial, legal, and physical (as opposed to the developmental nature of "pure" Residence Life).
Example reporting structures that could oversee an on-campus, institutionally owned, residence life operations are: 1) oversight of housing and residence life via the Vice President and/or Associate Vice-President of student affairs or student services.
2) oversight of housing and residence life via the Vice President and/or Associate Vice-President of finance, operations or administration.
Residence life (staffing, education and programming) are reported to Vice President and/or Associate Vice-President of student affairs.
[19] Institutions operate differently according to culture, location, organizational structure, and values- there is no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to manage residence life units.
In Ontario, Canada, the Residential Tenancies Act exempts accommodations provided by an educational institution.
The reason for this exemption is that on campus student residences are often not full calendar year rentals (duration is typically September to April) and there are student advisory groups that provide regular feedback to the residence professional staff.
In the United States, it is more common for Residence Life professionals to obtain a master's degree in their selected field as it is usually a requirement for the role.
Whereas in Canada, it is not usually a requirement to have a master's degree to be in a Residence Life professional entry-level position.
These sanctions can be educational and take a restorative practice approach or punitive depending on the nature and severity of the incident.
An educational outcome could include a reflective written piece, a workshop, or community service work.
A punitive outcome could include a small or large financial penalty or as severe as residence eviction.
They are also charged with enforcing university rules and regulations and providing general assistance to residents.
If the RA encounters a situation that is outside of their training, they are able to contact the professional staff member who is on-call to help address, typically a residence hall director.