Even after this year's additional investment in resident assistant compensation, Ohio University is at least a year away from catching up to other public Ohio schools in benefits.
We have been working for about four years to try to increase RA compensation; it was low for the state
said Judy Piercy, assistant vice president and director of Residence Life.
A $150,000 base investment from Vision Ohio and a $70,000 boost from Residence Life's auxiliary budget provided these new benefits and are supposed to bring RAs full room and board coverage by next fall and thereafter, Piercy said.
Residence Life's auxiliary budget, which comes partly from room and board fees, provided an additional $70,000 for the second of three years this fall.
RAs campus-wide will be receiving an additional 14 percent room discount, which covers 84 percent of total costs, and $100 to $150 bonuses for returning staff members.
New RAs will continue to receive a $2,139 annual stipend, but will now pay $837 per year for housing, down from $1,431.
Ohio State University RAs are provided housing free of charge and receive a $2,880 annual stipend intended to cover a meal plan. RAs buying into the smallest meal plan at OSU, which runs discounted at $505 per quarter, could finish the year with up to $1,365 in earnings.
Our goal has been to be able to get RAs to the equivalent of room and board being covered Piercy said. When you're comparing from school to school it's usually been compared to the equivalent of room and board.
Miami University RAs receive an $8,442 base stipend that strictly compensates them for housing and the minimal meal plan based on fluctuating costs of both.
Kent State University RAs receive both room and board in addition to a $720 annual stipend.
Bowling Green State University covers its RAs' full room cost, a minimum meal plan, a technology fee of $100 to $150 per semester and provides an annual stipend of $700.
Residence Life hopes to cover room and board costs so ' with the stipend and the cost of a meal plan ' RAs can break even, Piercy said.
Because the goal of the Vision Ohio investment is to attract more qualified applicants for RA positions, Piercy said Residence Life is currently reevaluating the qualifications for next year.
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