On the application, you will be asked to indicate in what type of community you believe you will work best. To assist you in making this judgment, we have provided the following descriptions of the residential living options available to you. Please review them prior to completing the application.
Please note that the information you provide here does not guarantee the type of community in which you will be placed. We try to place candidates where they indicate they will work best, but we must balance this with the need to fill all open positions and meet the staffing needs of our residence halls.
Candidates often ask us if they can specify in which cluster(s) they prefer to be placed. We do not ask for this information because we have not found it to be useful in placing candidates effectively. In placing candidates, we seek to find the best match between a candidate’s skills and talents and the needs of the residents in the various residential communities. The outcome of this process may be that a candidate is placed in a community that they might not have chosen, but that nonetheless is a great fit for them.
We encourage you to let us know—on the application and/or in your interview—where you think you will be most effective as a UGA. At the same time, we ask that you keep an open mind about your eventual placement and remain open to being a UGA in any location.
First-Year Residential Experience (All First-Year)
The First Year Residential Experience (FYRE) communities are floors made up entirely of first-year students. FYRE is a residential program that intentionally targets the needs of first-year students through the delivery of programs and resources. If you have an interest in this type of community, it is important to note that FYRE UGAs facilitate a weekly floor meeting and discussion with their residents. Many of the discussion topics are pre-determined, particularly in the fall term, based on the needs and issues typically faced by first-year students. Training and supervision are provided to help FYRE UGAs function as effective meeting facilitators. FYRE UGAs also help organize social and educational programs for residents. Some FYRE communities will be located in buildings that have upperclass students living on nearby floors.
First Year Residential Experience with some Upperclass Residents (Mostly First-Year)
These communities will have the FYRE program, as described above, and will be made up mostly of first-year students, but there will also be some upperclass students living on the floor. The upperclass residents are likely to be sophomores, but could be juniors or seniors. UGAs in these areas will implement the FYRE Program while also working to meet the needs of the upperclass residents, and will strive to foster interaction and a sense of community among all residents in the community.
Note about the following two residential living options: It is important to note that at the time that we place UGA candidates, we do not know where upperclass students will select to live in the Room Draw process, so the class-year composition of each community will vary from floor to floor. We will place candidates based on what we think is the most likely composition of that community; the actual composition may be different from what we had anticipated.
Upperclass: Sophomore/Junior Concentration
Candidates who indicate that they will work well in this type of community are likely to be placed with younger upperclass students, particularly sophomores but possibly including juniors and perhaps even some seniors. UGAs in these communities focus on developing relationships with all residents and creating a sense of community among everyone on the floor. They will provide advising and programming targeted at the needs of sophomores and juniors, such as major choices, social networking, transitioning to and from off terms, and decisions about life after Dartmouth, as well as the basic issues generally faced by all college students.
Upperclass: Junior/Senior Concentration
Candidates who indicate that they are well-suited for this type of community are likely to be placed with older upperclass students, particularly juniors and seniors (possibly including some sophomores). UGAs in these communities focus on developing relationships with all residents and creating a sense of community among everyone on the floor. They will provide advising and programming targeted at the needs of juniors and seniors, such as social networking, transitioning to and from off terms, giving back to the Dartmouth community, and decisions about life after Dartmouth, as well as the basic issues faced by all college students.
Substance-free areas are designated as places free of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. Residents who live in these communities agree not to use substances while in the building or to cause a disruption while under the influence of substances used elsewhere. UGAs placed in these communities are expected to support the substance-free lifestyle through role modeling, by establishing community standards and holding residents accountable to them, and through the programming and advising that they offer to their residents. We cannot guarantee placement in substance-free housing to candidates who indicate that they must be in this type of housing, though we will make every effort to do so.
East Wheelock Program
The East Wheelock program promotes closer interaction between faculty and students and provides a broad range of educational and social programs, such as seminars, faculty discussions, performing arts, and guest speakers. Some of the programs are organized by the student-run Cluster Council and Service Corps, the Faculty Associates who live in the East Wheelock community, and the Class Dean assigned to the cluster.
Gender Neutral Housing Program
Located on the ground floor of McLane Hall, this program provides a living/learning environment where residents learn about and explore issues of gender identity and expression in a supportive community.
Sophomore Program
Currently housed in the Fayerweathers, the Sophomore Program is a pilot program that provides advising and programming resources to assist residents in the process of selecting and declaring a major as well as other academic and personal decisions that typically arise in the sophomore year. UGAs for the Sophomore Program should have an interest in enhancing the sophomore-year experience for their residents and should be willing to support the faculty, staff, and student advisors who work in the cluster as well as the centrally-organized programs provided for residents. Given that this is a pilot program, it also demands UGAs who are willing to be innovative and flexible.
Sustainable Living Center
Located in North Hall, this housing option will provide residents with a living and learning space centered on environmental activities and topics.
Affnity Programs
For descriptions of the affinity programs, please see the Affinity Programs webpage.
For information about being a UGA in an affinity program, please refer to the webpage on Affinity UGA Positions (Step 3).
