Cullen Murray-Kemp
Staff Reporter
Students on campus have noticed a change in RA behavior this year. Some wonder if it’s a change in policy, while others contemplate if there’s a change in the RA training program.
Michael Robbins, Director of Residence Life, has heard rumors that many McDaniel students are annoyed; he is also aware of the over-all negative reactions to RA austerity this semester.
As rumors continued to swirl, Terror TV recently reported that one RA wrote up 34 McDaniel students in one night.
“There have been no more complaints than last year,” said Robbins. The only change he could think of for this year was the prohibition of grills in North Village. When asked for specific numbers linked to RA write ups this year compared to the number of write ups last year, Robbins stated there is a new electronic system that records the number of write-ups; as a result, it would be way too complicated to obtain the numbers.
Initially, Robbins said that there had been absolutely no changes in how the RAs are directed to go about their job.Yet, in a September email to the McDaniel RAs that was obtained by The Free Press, Robbins stated, “Last year our office would receive complaints [about] ‘party locations’, the noise, and why nothing was being done about them…I’ve been really glad to see you all (RAs) stepping up at the start of the year to make sure that the expectations are being enforced on campus… encourage students (non-RA) to mind their own business.”
Robbins quashed rumors that there is an official quota for the number of noise violations and alcohol “write ups” RAs are required to issue to McDaniel students.
RAs admit, however, that they are feeling the pressure to get serious and, as one anonymous RA noted, “not let anything slide this year.”
“There were a number of complaints incidents increases, many students frustrated last year about alcohol related mishaps. Now Res Life is trying to step up and take care of the problem,” said Mike Vinci-Germar, an A&W Dorm RA and junior.
Senior and second time resident of the Garden Apartments, Skyler Fultz, said he has become aware of the RAs beginning to “go overboard” with harsh governing of the apartments this fall.
Sophomore Chris Cowles recalled watching football in his teammate’s apartment when a RA knocked on the door and ordered them to turn down the T.V. He then went outside the door to see how loud it was and said he could “hardly make out the muffled referee’s whistle.”
McDaniel students continue to be upset and put-off by the stringent new RA strategy, but one anonymous RA stated, “I don’t think that enforcing rules that have always been there is such a bad thing… in the long run it’s just to help strengthen our college and community.”
