Officials pleased with RA, GA app. levels

With the first full year of the college house system drawing to a close, officials from the Department of College Houses and Academic Services said the high number of applicants for residential advisor and graduate associate positions this year is indicative of the program's success. Although new GA and RA application rates are equivalent to what they were at this time last year, 50 percent of current RAs and GAs have reapplied for their positions, leading to a much larger total applicant pool than last year's, officials said yesterday. Last year at this time, officials were strapped for GA applicants when only 40 students applied for 104 spots. Students complained at the time about a restructuring of the benefits package for incoming graduate associates that would deduct as much as $2,000 from their stipends. Director of College Houses and Academic Services David Brownlee said he credits the high number of applicants this year for GA and RA positions to the success of the college house system. Over 170 students applied for the 100 available RA positions in the 12 college houses. And nearly 50 percent of current RAs reapplied for their positions and are likely to be rehired, Associate Director of College Houses Pamela Robinson said. Brownlee added that "the increased retention shows that we've got a system that attracts the continuing interest of people." And more than 80 GA applicants -- including 50 percent of current GAs -- have already applied for the 109 available slots, according to Robinson. Because the GA program is using a rolling application process this year, there is no deadline to apply and officials will continue to hire new candidates until they've reached their desired number. "It's a rolling application so as people's applications are reviewed and offers are made, they will continue to fill the available spaces in each of the houses," Robinson said. Applications for RA positions were due February 12 and were reviewed by the deans of the various college houses over the past month. After conducting interviews, officials offered employment to the acceptable candidates, who replied to the offers by Friday. Because the final hiring decisions are made through the individual houses, specific figures about the number of positions already filled are not available. But Robinson said she feels confident based on the strength of the applicant pool and the candidates interviewed that filling the 100 available positions will not be a problem. "Looking at the numbers in our applicant pool, we are elated," Robinson said. "Given the number of vacancies available, there will be more than enough applicants to fill the positions." Brownlee said the high number of RA and GA applicants may be due in part to the department's extensive recruitment campaign, which included recruitment tables in the dining halls and information sessions held throughout January and February, as well as advertisements in The Daily Pennsylvanian and on Resnet. Miranda Stockett, a first-year Anthropology graduate student and a GA in Harnwell College House, said she reapplied for her position because of her positive experience with the program this year. "I think it's really hard [for graduate students] to meet people outside of their departments and this way I've met a lot of other graduates who are working in the building as well as the undergraduates who live here," she said.

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