The mission of Residential Life and Housing is to efficiently and effectively administer a housing program in a learning centered environment that challenges and supports students to:
- Enhance self-understanding
- Value community responsibility
- Learn from their experiences
To that end, Residential Life and Housing holds the belief that student development and learning goes on outside the classroom, as well as inside the classroom. The policies, procedures and programs which are established and encouraged by Residential Life and Housing are those which enhance student learning and involvement outside the classroom.
Students are encouraged to make informed decisions on their own, take responsibility for their actions, and learn from their experiences.
The Pratt residential campus is divided into two administrative areas each with its own Associate Director for Residential Life (AD). Each residence hall is staffed by residential life personnel. Each floor in most residence halls has a Resident Advisor (also known as the RA) and every residence hall is supervised by a Hall Director (also known as the HD). Combined and in addition to central office support, each resident student has three levels of support and guidance (the AD, the HD and the RA)
The RA is a Residential Life student employee whose primary responsibility is to provide assistance, guidance, and direction to the residents on the floor. The RA’s job consists of the following major components: to be a community builder, an informal counselor/helper, a programmer/activities planner, and an administrator of the floor. RAs serve “on duty” in every hall, so that every night and weekend, an RA is available for emergencies and assistance.
The Hall Director is the primary administrator of the residence hall or group of residence halls. HDs support and coordinate the work that the student staff undertakes and augment the student experience by providing a consistent and supportive presence in the residence hall area. Hall Directors also advise each building’s Residence Hall Councils. Hall Directors are full-time masters level professionals. HD’s are the Pratt administrators that students will deal with on a day-to-day basis during their residential experience.
Associate Directors are full-time professionals with a masters degree and at least five years experience working in college residence halls and working with college students. They are each responsible for the supervision of Hall Directors and operations in a designated area of campus.