2024-2025 WUSA Commitments

WUSAs wear the name of WashU as well as Student Transitions & Family Programs. Additionally, WUSAs often hold the responsibility of being new students’ and families’ first impression of the University as a whole. WUSAs are held to high expectations and must remain in good academic and conduct standing throughout their time in the role, as determined by Student Transitions & Family Programs through collaboration with Student Conduct and Community Standards, Residential Life, the Academic Divisions, and Gender Equity & Title IX Compliance.

WUSAs will connect and form relationships with first-year, transfer, and/or exchange students, the entire WUSA League, Student Executive Board Members (Execs), RAs, Student Affairs professional staff, and more.

Communication with others is an important aspect of the WUSA role and maintaining these connections will allow WUSAs to be more successful and have support systems they can go to when they have questions or need help.

Members of the WUSA League will…

• Have networking opportunities with other WUSAs, campus partners, and STFP staff.
• Acquire a greater understanding of WashU’s processes and systems.
• Identify personal strengths and areas of growth.
• Undertake professional development and enhance skills.
• Serve as a support system for others.
• Act as a conduit between students and WashU staff.
• Relay key messages from WashU administration to first-year, transfer, and/or exchange students.
• Suggest, develop, and implement solutions related to creating a successful transition for new students.
• Collaborate with others to coordinate events to enhance the student experience.
• Engage students in community building.

Spring training is design to prepare you to fulfill your role as a new WUSA. Training includes role responsibilities, facilitation, cultural competency, new student transition trends, helping skills, and logistics.

• WUSA Training 1: April 1, 2024, from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 
• WUSA Training 2: April 8, 2024, from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 
• WUSA Training 3: April 22, 2024, from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM 

Bond with your WUSA team, prepare for Bear Beginnings: Fall Welcome, and engage with STFP staff and campus partners. Training and other activities will continue this week.

• Please confirm that your summer schedule allows for early arrival with a required return to campus by August 10, 2024 between 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
• Camp WUSA training takes place August 11 – August 15, 2024. Shifts may start as early as 9:00 AM and go as late as 8:00 PM. Breaks and mealtimes will be included in the shift.
• WUSAs will not be shifted to work more than 40-hours in a single work week.

Lead your cohort of students and assist with other events and activities. Shifts may include working panels for different schools, tabling for item pick-up, events for parents and families, and other miscellaneous tasks. You will engage with many students and families during this time!

• August 16 – August 23, 2024
  • Shift times will vary and may start as early as 7:00 AM and end as late as 11:59 PM.
  • TX WUSAs will have shifts primarily concentrated between August 20 – August 23.
  • WUSAs will not be shifted to work more than 40-hours in a single work week.

All shifts are in-person.

Lead your cohort of transfer or exchange students and assist with other events and activities. Shifts may include panels for different schools, off-campus excursions, networking meals, and other miscellaneous tasks. You will engage with many new transfer and exchange students during this time!

• Move-in is anticipated on January 6, 2025 between 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
• Training takes place January 7 and 8 during normal business hours.
• Working shifts will be primarily concentrated between January 8 – 12. Shifts may start as early as 9:00 AM and go as late as 8:00 PM. Breaks and mealtimes will be included in the shift.
• WUSAs will not be shifted to work more than 40-hours in a single work week.

Families of students across all undergraduate classes attend the weekend and partake in activities and events around campus and St. Louis.

• November 1 – 3, 2024.
  • Shift times and shift duties vary, more information will be provided at the October 16 Community Training.
  • Shifts may be prior to the weekend, during, or after the event. In total, expect to work between two to four hours in Parent & Family Weekend shifts.

Engage with the Class of 2028, transfer, and/or exchange students prior to the start of the fall semester.

• Occurs during Camp WUSA, prior to new student move-in.

TX WUSAs only: Engage with new transfer and/or exchange students prior to the start of the spring semester.

• Occurs during Winter Welcome training, prior to new student move-in.

WUSAs staying in the St. Louis area will have the option to do additional work with STFP during the summer.

Duties may include:

• Contacting new students via phone call and email
• Training preparation
• Social media initiatives
• And more!

A position description, application, and pay rate for the summer student worker role will be shared this spring.

Communicate with students consistently through check-ins and meetings. Share resources and host programming in each assigned residential community. WUSA hours are held on weekly on Thursdays until the last week of February 2025.

• Time commitment: Two hours each Thursday, consisting of 90 minutes of active engagement and 30 minutes of prep time and post-event notetaking.
• WUSAs will share information about on-campus events, St. Louis city outings, and resources including reminders about academic deadlines such as add/drop deadline, pass/fail deadline, and course registration.

Communicate with students consistently through check-ins and meetings. Share resources and host programming at various on-campus locations. TX WUSA hours are typically held bi-weekly on a day decided on by the TX WUSA Team until the last week of February 2025.

• Time commitment: Two hours every other week, consisting of 90 minutes of active engagement and 30 minutes of prep time and post-event notetaking.
• WUSAs will share information about on-campus events, St. Louis city outings, and resources including reminders about academic deadlines such as add/drop deadline, pass/fail deadline, and course registration.

Fall team meetings occur every Wednesday at a time decided on by each WUSA team.

Spring team meetings may occur on either Tuesday or Wednesdays, depending on the availability of the WUSA team’s class schedules, until the end of February 2025.

In-person attendance and participation at these team trainings are an important part of the WUSA role.

There will be three required community trainings during the 2024-2025 academic year.

• September 4, 2024, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• October 16, 2024, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
• January 15, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

These dates and times may be subject to change. Missed community trainings will need to be made up at an alternate time provided by Student Transitions & Family Programs.

Before accepting the WUSA position, we recommend you consider the following questions:

1. What is it about the job that excites me?
2. What can I bring to this role and what will this role bring me?
3. Are there any worries or concerns I have about this position or my ability to fully commit to the role?
4. What are my other responsibilities next year?
   • Do I have the time management skills to balance all my responsibilities? Other responsibilities may include classes, research positions, other leadership roles, work positions, etc.
5. Do I support the overall mission of the WUSA role and Student Transitions & Family Programs?
6. Can I be a positive support system and resource for new students?

1. Verify you are available for all important dates.
   • Consider summer plans and other commitments throughout the academic year.
   • Email transitions@wustl.edu as soon as possible if you become aware of a conflict.
2. The time commitment is a year-long student leader role:
   • FY WUSAs: Weekly WUSA Hours (two hours each week) until March 2024.
   • TX WUSAs: Biweekly TX WUSA Hours (two hours every other week) until March 2024.
   • Weekly team trainings (one hour each week) until March 2024.
   • Completion of check-ins, meetings, and WUSA Notes by stated deadlines.

• There are a few positions (listed below) that may prevent an individual from serving in the WUSA role.
  • Aspirational Peer Mentors (APM) in the Taylor Stars
  • First-Year International leader (FYI Leader)
  • Resident Advisor
  • Student Technology Coordinator
• WUSAs are unable to take summer classes that conflict with August training, unless explicitly approved via emailing transitions@wustl.edu.
• WUSAs who are fall varsity athletes must discuss with their coach the ability to serve as a WUSA.
• WUSAs are eligible to serve in the following roles at the same time as their WUSA commitment:
  • Academic Mentor (AM)
  • CS40 Executive Board
  • Peer-Led Team Learning (PLTL) Leader
  • Student Union Executive Officer

Further questions about eligibility? Please contact Student Transitions & Family Programs.

WUSAs will be paid at an hourly rate of $13.00. The WUSA position is a work-study-eligible position. 

WUSAs work approximately 150 hours from August through March.

Yes. Exceptions include academic conflicts (exams, tests, quizzes) and personal/familial emergencies (health, wellness, major events). Anticipated missed shifts must be communicated by emailing transitions@wustl.edu.

Being a mandatory reporter means you are required to “report all incidents of sexual harassment, sexual violence, sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking or other forms of misconduct that violate the USCC to their supervisor, the Title IX Coordinator, the Associate Title IX Coordinator, or to the Gender Equity and Title IX Compliance Office.”

This is an important aspect of the WUSA role.

As a First-Year WUSA, you are a mandatory reporter for the first-year students assigned to your cohort at all times, your fellow WUSAs at all times, and all first-year students when clocked in.

As a Transfer & Exchange WUSA, you are mandatory reporter for the transfer or exchange students assigned to your cohort at all times, your fellow WUSAs at all times, and all transfer and/or exchange students when clocked in.

More information will be provided during training.

WUSAs are not expected to know everything about WashU when they accept the role. WUSAs are selected for their unique ability to bring their own first-year, transfer, and/or international experiences to the table.

The training conducted throughout the spring and fall will help prepare WUSAs for the role and provide them with the information necessary to be successful. Additionally, each WUSA is able to provide their own insight into the WashU experience and can use that to make a positive impact.

If you worry about struggling with answering questions, know that you will be provided with the resources you need and can always reach out to fellow WUSAs, Execs, and Professional Staff for assistance.

If you have a scheduling conflict with one of the trainings, please email Student Transitions & Family Programs as soon as possible. Student Transitions & Family Programs works with each WUSA on a case-by-case basis to determine next steps. 

To accept your offer, submit the online WUSA Hiring Form. Please let us know if we can provide you with additional information that will help in your decision-making process. Please refer to your offer email for your specific deadline to respond to your offer.

If you confirm you are accepting the position, Human Resources will work with you to complete additional. Please review the list of acceptable documents that you must have in your possession at the time of onboarding. It is important you read and understand all the attached information. If you have any questions (or think you may have a time conflict with a specific date), please email us or stop by the office. 

To rescind your offer, please email us at transtions@wustl.edu. Please refer to your offer email for a deadline to respond.