Residence Don

Within Housing and Ancillary Services (Department of Student Affairs), Residence Life and Services aims to create a community environment where all students can:

• Find a sense of belonging
  : we help students feel connected at Queen’s and provide opportunities for active engagement within the campus and Kingston communities;
• Build resilience
  : we encourage students to problem solve, think critically, accept responsibility for one’s actions, and learn and grow from challenging experiences;
• Achieve academic success
  : we help students identify and strive to achieve realistic and tangible goals that contribute to their overall academic efforts.

We encourage the personal development of our community members by fostering connection, providing a wide range of educational and academic programming, and holding individuals accountable for violations of the Residence Contract.

The contract for 2026-27 begins Monday August 24, 2026 (first day of staff training), and ends on Friday, April 30, 2027 (subject to change based on alignment with sessional dates). Employees must be able to commit for the entirety of the contract, regardless of having completed previous elements of the role (including training). The contract is inclusive of the entire academic year, including all statutory holidays and Reading Weeks (except the December University closure).

The Residence Don is a front-line resource for residence students and is responsible for the overall implementation of the three Residence Life learning goals: finding a sense of belonging, building resilience, and achieving academic success. Overall, the Don will:

• Establish a visible, available, and approachable presence as a first point of contact for residence students.
• Build rapport and 1:1 relationships with each student in the community.
• Demonstrate and support attitudes and behaviours related to promoting a community and campus that is respectful of diverse identities and backgrounds, and free from harassment, discrimination, and intimidation.
• Contribute to building safety and security through maintaining on-call and office hours.
• Act as a positive role model for residence students, fellow student staff members, and within the broader campus community.
• Facilitate informed and specific referrals to campus resources.
• Build community in area(s) of responsibility where students feel respected and connected to each other.
• Develop positive working relationships with fellow student staff members, Housing and Ancillary Services staff, and other University partners and colleagues.
• Work within University policies and take direction, as necessary, from Residence Life professional staff.

• Maintain regular weekly office hours from 8 pm-11 pm
  • Be available and visible in assigned community with door open.
  • Address individual, community, and conduct issues as needed.
  • Time can be spent hosting drop-in hours for community, having intentional conversations, conducting community rounds, completing administrative tasks, and/or facilitating programming requirements.
• Communicate all facility concerns and damages via the ARCHIBUS MRO system, and escape to RLC if ongoing/safety concern.
• Establish 1:1 rapport with each resident in the area of responsibility.
• Develop and implement a communication protocol to ensure residents are informed of information and events.
• Eat in the residence dining halls with residents regularly throughout the academic year.
• Make an effort to get to know residents in other areas of the building.
• Role model and promote inclusive and respectful behavior in area(s) of responsibility.
• Arrange follow-up conversations with students after notable interactions, as directed by Residence Life professional…