Join the Campus Housing & Community Living Team

Instructions to Apply

• Becoming a CA/PA
  • Applications for the following fall typically open in mid November and close in early February
  • All qualified students (see requirements below) must sign up for an interview between February to Early March.
  • If you are selected to move on to the group selection process, all candidates must attend both group selection processes. Happens usually at the end of March. 
  • All applicants will then be notified of their status in early April.

  Apply for a CA/PA Position

• Qualifications for CA/PA Positions

  Required Qualifications for CA/PA Positions

  • CA/PA must have a GPA of 2.5 or higher
  • Application submitted by the due date 
  • No major college rule violations
  • Successful completion of the CA or PA application process 

  Recommended Qualifications for CA/PA Positions

  • Involvement in your residence hall and/or campus community
  • Leadership/teamwork experience
  • For PA — programming or event planning experience
• Perks of Being a CA or PA
  • Working to help build a community of their peers
  • Working amongst a group of leaders
  • Creating fun and exciting activities/programs
  • Free single room
  • Reduction in your meal plan every year you are a CA/PA. Starting at $700.

• Assistant Community Director (ACD)

  All candidates for ACD must apply for admissions into a SUNY Plattsburgh graduate program. Interested applicants should visit our Graduate Assistantship page for more information on current positions and the application process.

  Required Qualifications

  • Strong organizational, communication and time management skills
  • A valid driver's license
  • Experience with Google Drive and Excel
  • Admission into a master's program at SUNY Plattsburgh

  Recommended Qualifications

  • Involvement in your residence hall and/or campus community as an undergraduate
  • Supervision experience
  • Programming or event planning experience
  • Residential life experience or equivalent

  Perks of Being an ACD

  • Working with a team of leaders and helping them to be better and more organized leaders
  • Creating fun and exciting activities and programs
  • Free apartment with amenities included
  • Graduate-level meal plan
  • 50% tuition coverage and stipend
  • Pets are allowed with approval. The pet must be friendly and up-to-date on vaccinations
  • ACDs are permitted to have a domestic partner, so long as the relationship is committed and long term. This policy covers same or opposite sex partners
  • ACDs are permitted to have dependents
• Professional Community Director (CD)

  All candidates for Professional CD positions must apply through SUNY Plattsburgh Human Resource & Payroll Services. View current openings. 

  Required Qualifications for Professional CD

  Requirements may vary depending on position. Below are generalities. Please visit Human Resource Services for more information. 

  • Undergraduate degree
  • Supervisory experience

  Recommended Qualifications for Professional CD

  • Master’s degree
  • Application submitted by the due date
  • Involvement in your residence hall and/or campus community as undergraduate
  • Programming or event-planning experience
  • Experience working with first-year college students

  Perks of Becoming a Professional Community Director

  • Supervising a team of diverse student leaders 
  • Helping college students through their college experience
  • Plan and implement fun and interactive events 
  • Free apartment with the following amenities: Full kitchen and furnishings, private washer and dryer and two bedrooms
  • Yearly salary of $41,388
  • State-sponsored benefits (i.e., retirement, health, dental, and vision).  View the full list of benefits
  • Earned vacation and sick time
  • Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
  • $500 per semester Dining Dollar plan
  • Access to the Employee Tuition Assistance Program
  • Pets are allowed (with approval). Pet must be friendly and up-to-date on vaccinations
  • Work-life balance programs
  • Community directors are permitted to have a domestic partner, so long as the relationship is committed and long term. This policy covers same or opposite sex partners 
  • Community directors are permitted to have dependents

Details About Applying

• Can a first-year student become a CA or PA?

  No, we prefer that candidates have at least one year of college experience to be considered for a CA. First-year students can apply in the spring for a fall-semester start, as long as they meet the CA and PA requirements at the conclusion of their first year. 

• Can I transfer and still apply to become a CA or PA?

  Yes. You will have to provide a copy of your unofficial transcript for the Fall Semester, live on a college campus for at least one year prior to starting a CA/PA role and email [email protected]. 

   

• Can a graduate student apply to be a CA or PA?

  Yes, as long as the candidate meets the above criteria.

• I don't have a 2.5 GPA. Can I still apply?

  Candidates can still consider applying, however this is done on a case by case basis. Also, no candidate will be hired to be a CA until their GPA is at or above the 2.5 requirement. So at most a candidate in this situation will only be able to be placed on our alternate list. The candidate will remain on the alternate list until their GPA is at or above the 2.5.  

   

• Do I have to have community living (residence life) or campus housing experience to apply to be a CD?

  No, though having experience in the field is helpful and preferred, it is not required. As long as the candidate can demonstrate how an equivalent experience can help inform them about this role, candidates with various experiences are welcome to apply. 

• What does it mean to be on the alternative list?

  Every year we have CA/PAs who graduate, transfer, study abroad or obtain an internship for the spring semester. As a result, campus housing and community living is always looking for strong candidates to take their places for the spring semester. 

Experience & Training

• Do I need a recommendation to apply to be a CA or PA?

  The answer is yes. Candidates will be required to provide one name of someone that can act as a recommendation. Candidates will provide the name on our online application system. It is strongly recommended that any candidate reach out to their reference prior to placing their name in the online system. 

   

• What are you looking for in a CA or PA candidate?

  All candidates are evaluated based on the following six criteria:

  • Interpersonal skills
  • Communication skills
  • Ability to problem solve and make decisions
  • Organization and time-management
  • Professionalism/role modeling
  • Collaborative and teamwork skills 

  For PA’s we are also looking for students with the ability to be creative, plan events and have good public speaking skills. 

• Will I receive training for this role?

  Yes, all community living team members are required to attend training each year and participate in professional development opportunities.

• When does training start?

  Training times vary depending on the role:

  CDs

  • Fall training starts at the end of July and happens for about two weeks. 
  • Spring training starts a week prior to the start of the spring semester and is about 2-3 days. 

  All CDs must also participate in CA/PA training. 

  ACDs

  • Fall training starts around the end of August and happens for about 3 weeks. This includes CA/PA training.
  • Spring training starts a week prior to the start of the spring semester and is about 2-3 days. All ACDs must also participate in CA/PA training.

  CA/PAs

  • Fall training starts roughly about 2 weeks prior to the start of the fall semester classes and will be around a 2 week duration.
  • Spring training starts roughly about 5 days prior and will be about 3-4 days total. 

  Training timeline also includes the CA, PA and CD responsibilities as it pertains to opening weekend and check-in. 

  Candidates considering this role, should strongly consider the timeline for training. Training is a very important part of any of these roles.  As such, training is a mandatory requirement for all community living team members and they will need to attend. Chosen candidates need to plan accordingly. Only the director of campus housing and community living can grant exemptions to this requirement and very few exemptions are permitted. 

Professionals & Graduate Students

• Can someone with a bachelor’s degree apply to be a professional CD?

  Though a master’s degree is preferred, it is not required; however, a bachelor’s degree is required to become a professional CD. Candidates with relevant experience, despite their degree level are encouraged to apply.

• Can a graduate ACD or professional CD own a pet?

  Yes, ACDs and CDs are permitted to have pets, as long as they file the appropriate paperwork. Pets must be friendly, well cared for and have updated vaccinations.