In what may be a first for undergraduate students, resident assistants at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst unionized Tuesday night in pursuit of higher wages, more benefits and a clearer contract.
This situation would not likely occur at UW-Madison for a number of reasons, according to Laura Giles, UW-Madison student involvement coordinator for university housing.
The RAs at U-Mass. said they need to be paid more for the time put in, which amounts to nearly 24 hours a day.
\To become an RA you are really talking about a lifestyle change,"" Giles said. ""You don't clock in and clock out, you are living and working in the same place.""
RAs, or housefellows, as they are called at UW-Madison, monitor and deal with the concerns of university housing residents assigned to them.
RAs at U-Mass. cited a failure to appreciate the commitment demanded by these responsibilities in their decision to unionize.
""They don't recognize what we put into the job and they don't compensate us well,"" Pat Colvario, an RA at U-Mass., told the Associated Press.
UW-Madison seeks to avoid such problems by keeping communication open between administration and housefellows, Giles said.
Giles cited personal meetings and semester meetings with all housing employees as some of their communication options.
""We are really there as an open forum,"" she said.
This communication is the cornerstone to an appreciation of house fellow efforts on campus.
""We certainly care about [housefellows],"" said Paul Evans, UW-Madison director of university housing. ""They are very important staff.""
The appreciation and communication channels are felt by the housefellows themselves.
""I feel really supported as a housefellow,"" said Amber Olson, a housefellow at Witte Hall. ""I feel really comfortable talking with [supervisors] about anything.""
The situation for housefellows at UWMadison, however, is not the norm.
""I've worked at other institutions and Madison, above all else, is very student-centered in our decision making,"" Giles said.
A failure of communication is often the cause of unionization, making whatever impact that may exist a necessary evil.
""I think if people feel like they have tried and tried and a union is going to come in and protect a group of people, yes, it is a correct way to go,"" Giles said.
Unionization, however, is not an easy decision, she added.
""I think what could happen is that is where students start to find
easy answers, which I think could start driving the wedge between students and administration,"" Giles said.
Evans said it was important to recognize the housefellows' efforts.
""It is important for us ... to recognize at times it is a very difficult
job.\
