General Summary
Residential Computing Assistants (RCAs) work together with the DCA Team Leads and the Systems Administrator and Manager of Information Systems to provide basic computing support for students living in residence halls. Areas of RCA responsibility include supporting student network connectivity and academic computing, troubleshooting basic hardware/software problems with student and ResCom equipment throughout the residence hall, and overseeing the fulfillment of all regular ResCom business relating to the hall community.
Principal Duties & Responsibilities
- Providing routine support of student networking connectivity (e.g., data jack testing), configuration (email, Web, printing, file server, etc.), and basic hardware/software compatibility
- Ensuring that all facility public and staff computers (labs, kiosks, print monitors) are available for use at all times, and documenting this status regularly
- Working with building and team leads/DCA staff to identify, report, and solve problems relating to facility computer services which affect student networking and academic support (keycard encoding issues, printing interruptions, network failures, etc.)
- Maintaining clearly visible and vocally ubiquitous postings regarding your own availability and ResCom's services and policies (especially in computer labs and other public areas). Maintain and clean rescom machines
- Helping students discover and understand how best to take advantage of the University's computing resources in their academic pursuits
- Attending quarterly RCA meetings, and bi-weekly Resident Staff meetings
- Providing building staff with routine reports on the status and nature of developments related to ResCom as directed by the Rescom Managers
- Providing the Systems Administrator with researched quarterly reports regarding new and different (or more of the same) ways in which students' academic computing needs could be best supported using ResCom resources
- Remaining on campus through end of each Final's Week, both to maintain consistent service and to assist with inevitable emergencies
- Returning to campus prior to O-Week for training, to help provide computing orientation and network setup to first year residents, and to confirm readiness of all facility computing equipment
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities associated with this position. RCAs are required to work and account for an average of 5 hours per week, with adjustments made to meet student needs as they change throughout the academic year.
Eduation & Experience Required
A demonstrated ability to provide computing support is required. This should include experience two or more of the Macintosh, PC, and UNIX-like platforms. A familiarity with basic hardware compatibility issues, and common word processing, spreadsheet, communication, and email software is also required.
Demonstrated communication skills are required. Experience should include support of a wide variety of user expertise levels. Knowledge of campus computing organizations is a plus.
Demonstrated skills in self-direction, resource marshalling, organization, and follow-through are required. All ResCom staff should expect and welcome a wide variety of intermingled technological challenges, within which rhyme and reason must be googled, imposed, or disproved conclusively by any means available.
Terms & Compensation
RCAs must maintain good academic standing with the University, and ideally, live within and maintain close ties with the residence hall community they serve.
RCAs are compensated by means of sizable credits made to their housing bills each quarter.
This is a yearly appointment.
