University of Notre Dame - Dome Yearbook (Notre Dame, IN)

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AUTOMATIC R.A. The ever-present detex aids the hall staff in keeping any welcome or unwelcome guests, as well as residents, from entering many dorms during specified hours. RECTIFYING THE SITUATION. Fisher residents Richard Gumerman and Edward Sheeran get to know Father Thomas better by taking advantage of the rector ' s open door policy. A FRIENDLY EAR. Freshman Matt Coyle confides in his R.A., Dan Nance, who spends time as counselor and friend to those in his section. UNIDENTIFIED WANDERING DOM ERS. Identifying himself, Tom Burke checks in with R.A. Loren Solfest before obtaining clearance to enter Planner Hall.

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House A dorm is a place to study, sleep, drink beer and break parietals in short, a home away from home. And, just like in our real homes, we tend to take the management for granted. For a hall to work as a solid unit, it must be directed by capable people. While our homes are, for the most part, run by our parents, here it is the good housekeeping of the hall staff which keeps things running smoothly. Greeting you with a warm handshake, the R.A. is the first person encountered by nervous freshmen. Whether tutoring a student in Emil til three a. m. or quietly breaking up a friend ' s party, the R.A. is the most visable part of the hall staff. Knowledgeable about everything from loft building to choosing blow-off courses, the R.A. provides both guidance and friendship. The keen competition for the job assures that only the best people are appointed. Although the screening process varies from dorm to dorm, most hopeful R.A. ' s must submit a written application and can be inter- viewed up to nine times, as in the procedure in Sorin. The previous year ' s staff and the permanent hall staff choose from among the applicants, who must have a GPA of 3.0 or better. The chosen few take their jobs seriously. Their responsibilities include acting as a disciplinarian, staying in on duty nights, and serving as a liason between the residents and the permanent hall staff. But perhaps the most challenging of an R.A. ' s roles is that of an informal counselor. From uncertain freshmen to upperclassmen in need of someone to talk to, R.A. ' s respond to both the joys and the sorrows of college life with a friendly ear. This responsibility may be the most difficult, but it is also the most fulfilling aspect of the job. Although those duties demand time and commitment, R.A. ' s feel that the rewards outweigh the inconveniences. The rector and his assistants comprise the permanent hall staff and serve primarily as authority figures. The rector strives to keep the hall running smoothly. He serves as a disciplinarian and a spiritual leader, but also as a counselor and a friend. The spiritual aspect, unique to Notre Dame, broadens the rector-student re la- tionship through retreats, hall masses and voluntary services. Staff meetings with the R.A. ' s and the assistant rector(s) open communication channels within the entire dorm. By keeping things in order, the rectors assisted by the hall staff work to make the dorm a home for its residents. W - Gerry McCafferty - Kathleen Coughlin ON CALL. Ready twenty-four hours to help a hall resident, Farley rectress Sister Jean Lenz takes the day to day calls and handles them with ease. 18 Hall Staff

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Home ' erving the home court is a challenge. By inventing ways for residents to get to know each other, to learn together and to have fun together, the elected hall officers, assisted by their hall council and commissioners, meet the challenge. The hall government takes care of many of the particulars of hall life, including spiritual, judicial and social activities both within the dorm and between dorms. The elected hall officers select the hall commis- sioners, who are responsible for every facet of dorm life including the management of the test file, hall improvements and food sales. Meeting weekly, each dorm ' s hall council consists of the officers, commissioners and sec- tion leaders. Abiding by the individual hall ' s constitution, the council votes on pertinent mat- ters and serves as a communica- tion network between dorm residents. As the dorm ' s repre- sentative body, the council also discusses the problems of hundreds of dorm dwellers and invents new ideas for social activities. As fun and rewarding as the hall council may be, the positions come with certain disadvantages. Many dorm officers have felt the frustration and panic that occurs when, after spending time and money they find that only three people want to go on the Booze Cruise ; or in the early hours of a football Saturday, they realize that neither dorm involved in their tailgater owns a grill for cooking the hot dogs. Serving on hall council is also a learning experience. Hall council mem- bers discover how to quickly repair a rented projector or how to plan the menu for an intimate hall dinner of two hundred. Despite these and other prob- lems, hall government is one of the best ways to get involved. As Teresa Ross, vice-president of Pasquerilla West commented: It ' s time-consuming but I love it! Faced with the first opportuni- ty to serve, the home court in their solidarity of purpose enable us to call our cluttered rooms and their surrounding environ- ment home. W - Gerry McCafferty - Kathleen Coughlin WE DELIVER. Fixing the perennial pizza is a common occupation for Mindy Fey of Lyons Food Sales, where ' zas are made for those late night munching needs. MOVING YOUR BUNS. A football Saturday becomes a day of hard work for Ruth Henry, Beth Fenner, Caroline Berrettini and Karen Morris as they set up the concession stand to raise money for Walsh. A- 20 Hall Government