Campus Living and Residential Education will split community coordinators’ responsibilities between graduate student assistant area coordinators and area coordinators in residence halls next academic year in an effort to expand leadership opportunities and strengthen community support for students.
Officials will hire professional staff to serve as ACs and graduate students as AACs to support undergraduate resident advisers and community assistants, help mediate resident conflicts, assist in resolving family and community concerns surrounding students and help implement residential curriculum in residence halls, a University spokesperson said. The spokesperson said the change and return of the Resident Advisor program aligns with University President Ellen Granberg’s strategic framework by strengthening peer connection in residence halls while also expanding leadership opportunities for graduate students and professional staff.
“Aligning with priorities in GW’s strategic framework focused on preparing students to be strong, resilient leaders, the AC and AAC roles are designed to expand advanced leadership opportunities within the residential experience,” the spokesperson said in an email.
The AAC role will be CLRE’s first to be available exclusively for graduate students, while GW will hire professional live-in staff for the AC position. CLRE will pay AACs $22 per hour up to 20 hours a week and provide a furnished one-bedroom apartment in a residence hall, according to a job posting for an open position.
Officials will appoint graduate student AACs for a 10-month program running from July 2026 through May 2027, and students will work primarily evenings and on some weekends, with some work during weekday business hours. The jobs will not come with tuition reimbursement or a meal plan, per the AAC webpage.
Salaries for ACs, who work full-time, range between $43,000 and $56,000, according to a role description. ACs are eligible for healthcare, retirement and tuition benefits and will work Monday through Friday between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. and some evenings and weekends.
The posting says ACs will oversee one or more residence halls, supervise student staff, collaborate with campus partners and participate in a 24/7 rotating on-call system. Both roles will also oversee hall councils and help conduct room inspections, splitting hall-level student support and operations work now handled by CCs across two positions.
Officials plan to place five graduate student AACs in residential halls based on operational needs and community size, the University spokesperson said. The spokesperson also said AAC compensation will count toward a student’s total cost of attendance, which could impact their financial aid package.
CLRE will also return to a resident adviser model next semester, replacing the current community engagement assistant and community engagement advisor structure. Live-in undergraduate resident advisers will serve first- and second-year halls, while undergraduate community assistants will staff upperclass residence halls. An RA job posting says they will primarily connect residents with each other, alumni, faculty and staff and support their development by providing advice and assistance.
The posting also states ACs and AACs will support RAs through mid and end-of-year evaluations, program planning and supervisory coaching. Only full-time students are eligible to work the RA position, except for second-semester seniors who need fewer than 12 more credits for graduation. RAs will receive housing and the Block 175 meal plan at no cost and a $2,520 stipend per academic year for about 340 hours of work per semester, a value of $22,186, the posting states.
The University transitioned from an RA model to the current CC model in 2021 after students expressed concern that the complexity of issues RAs face requires professional staff. CCs have led residential curriculum, supported student leadership and peer mentoring and provided proactive outreach and individualized support to students since 2021, but those responsibilities will fall to AC and AACs next year. CLRE does not currently employ graduate students.
