This is a developing story.
On Dec. 4, Ithaca College’s resident assistants and apartment assistants met with the Office of Residential Life for an all-staff meeting where they were told RAs would only have their room expenses covered, no longer covering board expenses. Board refers to the college’s meal plan and dining costs.
The Ithacan confirmed that board costs will no longer be covered by reading GroupMe and Teams messages between RAs and their Area Coordinators, shared by some RAs.
Students living in on-campus residence halls are required to have a Residence Plan, with costs ranging from $7,102 to $8,062 per student annually. RAs receive compensation solely through reductions in housing and meal plan costs.
Sophomore Virginia Bentley, an RA in Terraces, said they called their mom immediately after the meeting. RAs receive 80% of their room and board as compensation for their first and second semesters, before getting an increase to 100% by their third semester. Bentley is a first-year RA, and said they were waiting to get their second-year compensation increase, but is worried it will not matter after the cuts.
“I don’t know if it’s worth [the pay] with the amount of work I put into being an RA,” Bentley said. “I’m gonna have to figure out loans, I’m gonna have to figure out more scholarships … which is not something that I thought I would have to do, especially right before finals.”
The Ithacan spoke to three different RAs who said that at the meeting, Beth O’Neill, director of Residential Life and Student Conduct and Community Standards, told the RAs she was directed to cut $600,000 from the $1.5 million RA budget. In an email sent to all RAs and apartment assistants by O’Neill, she said Stanley Bazile, vice president of student affairs and campus life, will be meeting with the RA Advisory Board Dec. 8, and be holding a session Dec. 9 alongside Marsha Johnson, dean of students.
Res Life declined to comment, but indicated they would at a later time.