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2.1 Introduction to Community
There are a number of ways to view the term "community." There is, of course, the dictionary definition and yes, even Wikipedia has a few things to say on the matter. For those of you interested in etymology, you may find it interesting that community is the joining of two other words: Common and unity.
But no matter how many different ways the world defines it, what is possibly most important is how you define it. All of us have been a member of some community - from the large global community to our hometowns to the 30- or 60-person community you will oversee next year in your role as a Resident Assistant.
So perhaps instead of dwelling on what community is, we ask ourselves: What do we want it to be?
At Residential and Dining Services, we want our communities to be purposeful, just and sustainable. This means we want members of our communities to feel valued, welcomed and included. We want residents to respect one another and be respected. We want residents to feel comfortable to share their beliefs and listen to the beliefs of others. We want residents to understand how their decisions impact others and make choices that benefit all members of the group. We want our communities to reduce, reuse and recycle and understand why it is important to do so.
And that's where you, Resident Assistants, come in.
Community building - the process of creating and maintaining a positive and welcoming living environment - is the crux of your work as a Resident Assistant. From the very start of the year you will play an important role in shaping the culture of your community through thoughtful programming, relationship building, role modeling, addressing community concerns, and on-going problem-solving. Community building is the purpose of all the work you will do as Resident Assistants - from addressing policy violations to creating door nametags - and it will hopefully be as rewarding as it is inevitably challenging!
Please continue the reading of this section to learn about community development theories and how to apply them to your work in the residence halls.
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