By Marika Garland

As next Wednesday’s deadline for Community Advisor applications approaches, the Office of Housing and Residential Life is trying to iron out changes to CA compensation.

In the past, CAs have received single rooms at no charge in addition to $1,400 stipends. As a result, however, many of these students have seen their financial aid packages decrease to effectively cancel out any money they would save from earning free rooms. The way this process works has kept several qualified students from ever becoming CAs, according to Associate Director of Housing and Residential Life Matt Troutman.

ResLife has been working with Accounting, Payroll and Financial Aid to find a solution to keep up with other colleges. “We hear from colleagues that they don’t have this issue,” Troutman said.

The College has yet to reach a definite solution, but Troutman is hopeful. “It’s promising right now,” he said. “We just don’t know the details, and we don’t know how it will affect financial aid.”

For now, Troutman encourages students to apply for CA positions even if financial aid issues could ultimately stop them from accepting employment offers. “I just want anyone that’s interested to go ahead and apply without hearing the horror stories of the financial aid stuff,” he said.

“Before people make a commitment for next year, they would be able to know a little bit more about the process. … We have a couple months to still work out some of the details, but you’ll know [how financial aid will affect you] before you have to sign a contract.”

CA applications are due by Wednesday, Feb. 8 at 4:00 p.m. Visit www.kenyon.edu/CAemployment for the application.

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