Residence Life Program

Mission Statement

To develop a residence life atmosphere conducive to personal and educational growth, and respect for oneself and others. To foster among all residents, mutual trust, and an ever increasing sense of responsibility, maturity, personal worth, and ownership of the Residence Life Program. To accomplish our mission through cooperation among permanent Residence Staff, Resident Assistants (R.A.s) and all students living in residence, and through consultation and ongoing communication with relevant committees, departments, and associations external to Residence, Accommodation, and Event Services.

What is an RA?

Resident Assistant (RA) Application period open for 2022-2023 academic year.

The role of an RA is someone who lives in a residence building and is responsible for creating a positive and engaging environment for their community.

An RA on duty completes rounds of the building every hour to make sure that everyone is abiding by the rules stated in the Residence Life Handbook. While on duty the RA has a radio which gives them a direct line of communication to campus security and a BUM Pack (Bishop’s University Medical Pack) to assist in keeping a safe environment. Although, RAs are only on duty at night, feel free to knock on an RAs door during the day if you need anything.

Another way we are able to build a positive living environment is by having regular events throughout each semester. Each RA puts on two events per month and with there being between 3-6 RAs in a building that gives residents many great opportunities to meet other residents in their community and have fun! People are always worried that they won’t know when an event is or where to go but that’s the great part about Residence Life events we always advertise our events with posters, Facebook posts, door notes, and we even stop by sometimes while we are doing our rounds and tell you about the upcoming events.

One of the most important roles of an RA is making sure that residents know you are always welcomed to talk to us or ask questions. RAs are great at letting you know what kind of resources are available on campus and much more. This is my favourite part of my job. I know when I started university I had so many questions and was definitely overwhelmed so when I can help someone, even if it’s simply showing them where the laundry machine is located, I am more than happy to do so. This is a feeling that is felt by many RAs so don’t hesitate to reach out to anyone on the Residence Life team! Whether you have a question, comment, suggestion for an event, want to grab a coffee and talk, or need advice we are always more than happy to help! RAs are here to help make your transition into the Bishop’s community easy and your experience at Bishop’s the best it can be.

RA Team

Transitioning into university can be terrifying! Here at Residence Life, we know that. That’s why we’ve carefully and thoughtfully selected bright and shining stars on campus to form your team of Resident Assistants. Both individually and by building team, we’ve set you up with a group of students who are sure to make your transition as seamless as possible. Not only have our student employees gone through similar experiences that you will, they have also been through an extensive training program to ensure they’re equipped to help you through the next eight months.

These are students that have had a blast during their time in residence, who have appreciated the efforts of their own RAs and are ready to return the favour to all of you. We hope that you, too, find gratitude in their leadership efforts and latch on to the opportunity to follow in their footsteps; RA hiring starts early so keep an eye out!

Visit the Residence Halls section to meet the RA Team for each residence on campus.

Why Live in Residence?

Read our testimonials:

Residence is so much more than just a room in a building. Read what two residents had to say about their experience living in residence.