At the start of the 2026-27 academic year, resident assistant roles at the University of Oregon will look different.
Two focused Residential Education Student Worker positions will be created from the original RA role. Effectively, the original role has been split in two, Community Assistants and Community Safety Assistants.
CAs will be responsible for helping students transition to university life by planning events and building connections. CSAs will be more focused on community safety, emergency response, policy enforcement and maintaining a secure living environment.
This “reimagining” aims to “create a more sustainable experience” for the students taking on these roles by balancing the responsibility between two people. According to the university, this will also result in the ability to hire more students.
The new roles will receive compensation differently. CAs will receive 65% credit toward a double-occupancy room and a meal plan. They will also have a roommate, which they can select or be paired with randomly.
CSAs will be given an 85% credit toward a single-occupancy room and a meal plan. CSAs will normally not have a roommate, but may be assigned one due to over-occupancy. In this case, they will be given a 90% credit toward a room.
Rooms and meal plans for RESWs are determined to be the cost of the most commonly available standard double room rate and standard meal plan assignable across UO Housing. Room and meal plan costs are updated annually.
Previously, students employed as RAs had room and board fully paid for, and received an additional stipend. Under the new roles, CAs and CSAs will only have discounted rooms and will be responsible for paying their room costs.
Matt J • Jan 13, 2026 at 11:46 am
Someone needs to waffle stomp this idea asap. Why is the university being so cheap? This is shameful.