More programming, outreach, and money, along with fewer D-plan restrictions, has flooded the Office of Residential Life with twice as many Undergraduate Advisor applications as last year, according to Martin Redman, dean of residential life.
Although the number of students applying has shown steady growth in recent years, 2001 saw a far more dramatic jump to a total of approximately 230 applications, compared to 117 the previous year, according to Redman and Nariah Broadus, co-chair of the staff Selection Committee and community director for the Fayerweathers and Ripley-Woodward-Smith clusters.
The marked increase owes to a number of factors; prominent among these is a hike in pay. New UGAs will be offered $1000 per term, as compared to the $900 received this year. Returning staff will receive $1100 per term.
While the difference here is not enormous, last year's figure of $900 was not announced until after applications were due. As part of the Student Life Initiative, this amount doubled the pay granted in previous years.
Broadus noted that the change in salary may have made a difference in particular for students who are looking to work while enrolled at Dartmouth, and who might have previously brushed off interest in serving as a UGA in favor of a higher paying job.
The pay is now comparable to what students would receive working 10 to 12 hours a week for Dartmouth Dining Services, Redman explained.
Both Redman and Broadus also gave substantial credit to the increased programming and efforts of the current UGA staff.
"They're doing an outstanding job, and I think residents are looking at that and saying 'I want to do what they're doing,'" Redman added.
"We've asked UGAs to be much more visible this year in the recruiting process," Broadus said. "They've been doing an excellent job of putting themselves out there."
Another key factor is the elimination of the D-plan restriction. In previous years, the Office of Residential Life has required that UGA applicants be on campus for both the Fall and Winter terms. Under the new plan, students can apply regardless of their leave-term schedule, as long as they will be on for a minimum of two terms.
This change is particularly significant for experienced UGAs interested in serving again. Since junior year is typically a time when many students take leave-terms, a strong majority of UGAs have typically been sophomores. This year, however, 35 acting UGAs have applied to serve again, a spike from 12 last year.
Broadus did note that all other factors being equal, students with more favorable D-plans may receive preference when positions are offered. However, she emphasized that current staff have worked to find successful methods to ease residents' transitions between UGAs, and that being off campus in the fall or winter "will not be a deterrent to an applicant in and of itself."
According to ORL, the rise in applicant numbers has made the process a lot more competitive. Approximately 100 students -- roughly 40 percent of the applicants -- will be offered positions for the 2001-2002 academic year.
"We have the opportunity to ask harder questions and demand a little more of our candidate," Broadus said, noting that in early reviews, she has already noticed that candidates seem to be putting more effort into their applications.
"Anytime you are able to look at a broader range of people, you have the chance to diversify and create more of a cross-section of majors, extracurriculars, races and sexual orientation," she added.
Redman expressed similar sentiments, saying that he anticipates the increase in applicants will yield a higher caliber group of UGAs, "as sort of a law of averages thing."
Though no cuts have been made yet, the first group to be weeded out will be students under academic or disciplinary probation. Next, applicants will be observed in exercises and activities conducted by current student and professional staff members on April 7 and 9th.
Broadus noted that some students may be cut following these dates based on evaluations of their exercises and applications, but most will likely proceed to individual interviews which will take place April 11-13. Current staff members will meet to debate the merits of applicants the following week.
In other changes, UGAs will be placed for the first time in The Lodge, North Hall and Maxwell Channing-Cox. These new positions accompany the elimination of Area and Hall Coordinators.
