Inclusion Assistant (IA)

Position Summary

Residence Life is committed to promoting inclusive community building through the intentional engagement with staff and students. Through active participation in residential learning experiences, staff and students will develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others. In addition, Residence Life will foster the development of both interpersonal and intrapersonal skills that promote meaningful relationships and personal responsibility within the residential campus. The Inclusion Assistant positions will play a key role in the implementation of these educational priorities.

The Inclusion Assistant position is an active paraprofessional leadership role in the residence halls, supporting the development and maintenance of a positive and inclusive learning environment. They serve as a role model and resource person in assisting students in their education, personal growth, and sense of belonging in the residence hall communities. Inclusion Assistants are engaged in work that provides opportunities for students to explore issues around identity, privilege, power and oppression through the demonstration and promotion of cultural empathy and humility.

The Inclusion Assistant program will be supervised by an Assistant Director in Residence Life, who will be responsible for providing their training, oversight, guidance and development. Inclusion Assistants will, however, work closely with ARDs, RDs, SRDs and RAs to accomplish these objectives.

Required Qualifications

  • Demonstrated experience and interest in developing inclusive communities
  • Demonstrated experience supporting marginalized populations
  • Experience facilitating dialogue to promote understanding and awareness of social identity, privilege, power, and oppression
  • Experience planning, implementing and evaluating programs
  • Demonstrated ability to effectively and independently manage time
  • Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, including Microsoft Outlook
  • An ability to role model ethical decision making that upholds the values of the university

Selection Timeline

Applications will be initially reviewed to ensure that all required qualifications are met. Depending on the outcome of the review you may be offered an interview. Those who are offered an interview will be notified by email to sign up for an interview on one of the days indicated below.

Interviews will consist of two parts. The Career Services Center has resources to help you prepare: https://www.wwu.edu/careers/.

  • Application currently closed.
  • Applicants who interviewed should expect to hear back by March 18.

Compensation

The following is a breakdown of the compensation of how 2022-2023 Inclusion Assistants were paid:

Compensation Items
Housing/Dining ~$7,500 in value
Meal Plan Choice of 125, 100, 80, 45* meals/quarter (*BT Only)
~$9,900 in value
Annual Stipend $1,890 total, divided between pay periods during the academic year

Please note that the exact makeup of the compensation package can vary from year to year. The exact payment for our staff is established in their staff agreements. The above information is only to serve as a general template.

Position Benefits

Our goal is to develop each Inclusion Assistant and give valuable opportunities to receive key experiences that will enhance a resume and build character.

  • Academic role modeling for peers
  • Analytical thinking
  • Relational leadership skills and community development
  • Communication and self-awareness
  • Cultural competencies and social-perspective taking
  • Leadership development
  • Personal and professional development
  • Public speaking and group facilitation
  • Teamwork experiences and collaborations
  • Time management and program development and assessment

Primary Responsibilities

  • Actively contributes and supports the Inclusion Assistant team
  • Collaborates with community staff team to assess the needs of the community
  • Engages in mandatory trainings and demonstrates a commitment to ongoing personal development
  • Facilitate intentional conversations around a variety of pre-determined topics as outlined through a lesson plan
  • Implement lesson plans, supplemental materials and system-wide activities developed as a part of the residential curriculum, University Residences Initiative for Student Engagement (URISE)
  • Actively participate in training and discussion around the URISE framework including, but not limited to, Dr. Tara Yosso’s theory on Community Cultural Wealth, strengths-based approaches to student learning, and community based learning models
  • Coordinate community specific special assignments assigned by Assistant Resident Director and Resident Director
  • Promote understanding and awareness of social identity, privilege, power, and oppression
  • Committed to self-education on issues related to social justice while reflecting intra-personally on own identity and experiences
  • As a team, create large-scale residential community programs that celebrate cultural heritage and social identity awareness
  • Engage in campus and community outreach and encourage residents to utilize these resources, making referrals as needed
  • Assist Residence Life professional staff with providing individual and community support following bias incidents
  • Encourage involvement on campus (Residential Programming Board, AS clubs, intramurals, etc.)
  • Provide educational material via bulletin boards and other passive programming
  • Develop, implement and assess cultural engagement strategies in each community
    • Diversity, equity and inclusion events twice per quarter
    • Two self-guided learning initiatives per quarter
    • Two community conversations per quarter
    • Facilitate equity and inclusion training for the Residential Programming Board Leadership Conference  as a team
    • Two campus community events per quarter
  • Demonstrates flexibility and adaptability while utilizing effective time management skills to accomplish job responsibilities
  • Has reliable attendance and completes tasks in a timely and accurate manner while being prepared for meetings and educational strategies
  • Understands and maintains confidentiality requirements
  • Utilizes basic computer skills to perform job responsibilities, including but not limited to MS Office Suite
  • Meets expectations set by the AD supervisor, SRD/RDs and Residence Life
  • Has an understanding of the paraprofessional role in relation to the larger organization
  • Attends weekly staff meetings with residence life staff and Inclusion Assistant team
  • Attends supervision meeting every other week with AD supervisor
  • Attends Residential Programming Board meetings once a month
  • Serves on campus-wide committees related to diversity and inclusion
  • Attends and engages in required training sessions, retreats, and developmental opportunities throughout the year
  • With the support of supervisor, implements and analyzes programmatic initiatives
  • Recognize that all other staff members (Residence Life, University Residences, Division of Enrollment and Student Services, WWU staff) are part of the same team, and treat them with respect
  • Exercise good judgment in upholding established policies of the University (such as sexual harassment policy) and the University Residences system; support and abide by all federal, state, and local laws and ordinances; and obey all University regulations
  • Serve as an academic role model and support students in academic needs
  • Maintain fairness and act respectfully
  • Performs other duties as assigned
  • Serve as a peer assistant to an assigned community and/or housing region of campus which may include a residence hall or apartment community.
  • Establish and maintain open relationships with diverse individuals in the hall community, regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status, creed, marital status, and sexual orientation.
  • Create and maintain an atmosphere that stimulates residents' academic, social, personal growth and development.
  • Empower student leadership and participation in Residential Programming Board, programming opportunities and campus activities.
  • Develop a healthy and inclusive community by making connections with residents.
  • Provide leadership for fostering inclusive communities through programming and intentional opportunities for dialogue.

Terms of Employment

  1. Be able to serve in the role during the tentative agreement dates listed in table under position summary.
  2. IAs are contracted for an average of 19 hours per week, the maximum allowed for student employees during the academic year. According to University guidelines, no other paid on-campus employment is permitted. Any off-campus employment or extra-curricular activities should be discussed with your supervisor.
  3. Must be willing to work evenings, weekends, holidays and breaks.
  4. Compensation package includes housing, monthly stipend, and meal plan. Candidates must live on campus for the 2023-2024 academic year. Accommodations consist of a room in a residence hall.
  5. Move into your assigned residence hall at the beginning contract date to begin mandatory training.
  6. Be available for staff meetings, supervision meetings and trainings (entire academic year). Be available on Tuesdays 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm for scheduled weekly staff meetings and additional trainings (entire academic year)
  7. Maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 while enrolled in 12–18 credits per quarter; obtain supervisory approval to enroll in less than 12 credits or more than 18 credits.
  8. Fulfill position requirements as described in this document, the position agreement, and as assigned while in the position.

Candidate Eligibility

In order to apply for this position, candidates must meet the following criteria:

  1. Candidate must be an admitted matriculating Western student and currently taking Western courses.
  2. Candidates must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5. If a Fairhaven College student, the candidate must be in good academic standing with the Fairhaven College administration. Please contact Residence Life for more information at 360-650-2960.
  3. Candidates must not be on disciplinary probation or in deferred-eviction/eviction status.

Required Application Materials

All of the following must be uploaded in order to be considered for the position. PDF format is preferred. 

  1. One-page cover letter addressing the following prompts (No less than 300 words, no more than one-page single spaced)
    • How do your past experiences and personal strengths pair well with each of the required qualifications found on the IA position website? 
    • How do your past experiences and personal strengths make you an ideal candidate for the IA position? 
  2. Resume (two pages maximum) 
  3. One-page equity and inclusion reflection addressing the following prompts (No less than 300 words, no more than one-page single spaced) 
    • State your personal values, understanding, and commitment to equity and inclusion.
    • How do you plan to interact with and support residents from historically marginalized communities, such as students of color, LGBTQ+, and first-generation students through the IA role? 

For assistance creating your application materials, we recommend utilizing the WWU Career Center and Optimal Resume. 

About Us

University Residences engages students in diverse and inclusive, healthy, safe and sustainable communities that foster academic success and personal growth. Through 16 residence halls and one apartment community, University Residences provides on-campus housing for over 4,000 of Western’s 16,000 students. More than 165 students are employed by University Residences in part-time positions ranging from entry level to paraprofessional. Questions about this job posting can be directed to Residence Life (EH 113), ResLife@wwu.edu or 360-650-2960.

Equal Opportunity & Affirmative Action

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and parenting status), disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or genetic information in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. Inquiries may be directed to the Vice Provost for Equal Opportunity & Employment Diversity, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Equal Opportunity Office, Western Washington University, Old Main 345 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); eoo@wwu.edu.