Leadership Opportunities

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the compensation for CAs?

  All CAs are provided with room & board. 

  For the 2024-2025 academic year, CAs were offered the CA meal plan, which was the equivalent of either the Gold or Silver meal plan, depending on the CA's preference.

  CAs placed in first year communities (Baker, Evans Way & Tudbury) are provided with a single occupancy bedroom, while CAs in upper class communities (525 Huntington Ave, 555 Huntington Ave, 610 Huntington Ave, & Louis Prang Vancouver) are provided with a double occupancy bedroom, with a roommate.

• What are the hourly requirements of the CA position?

  There is no set hourly requirement for the CA position. The CA position requirements shift from week to week, depending on the time of year, floor needs, and personal planning. 

  The CA position typically requires the following:

  • A 30-minute weekly meeting with your supervisor
  • A 90-minute weekly meeting with your CA staff
  • 4-8 hours of active duty response or rounds
  • 1-3 hours of engaging with residents
  • 1-3 hours of planning or hosting programs or creating bulletin boards
  • 0-4 hours of other duties, such as following up with residents, assisting with fire drills, or addressing roommate conflicts

• How does the CA position affect my financial aid?

  Total Allowable Aid: Community Advisors (CAs) don’t have to pay for meals or housing, which lowers their overall school costs. These waived costs are not taxable, reducing your Cost of Attendance (the budget for your expenses). Financial Aid uses this budget to determine your maximum financial aid awards.

  Aid Offered: Financial Aid must adjust your aid if your awards, including loans, exceed your allowed Cost of Attendance. If this happens, Financial Aid will first reduce self-help aid like work-study, then loans, and finally any aid that doesn’t need to be repaid, like scholarships or grants. We encourage you to reach out to your financial aid counselor for more information.

  Next Year’s FAFSA: Since the value of the room and meal benefits is not taxable, it won’t affect the information you report on your FAFSA. You should not include these benefits in the Scholarships and Grants question on the FAFSA. For advice and questions about what is and isn’t taxable and how this could impact your tax returns, you should consult a tax expert for more information.

  Learn More About the Impact: It’s a good idea to talk to your financial aid counselor for personalized advice about your situation and to understand all the implications. In some cases, you may see no change in your financial aid offer.

• Do I get to choose which building I work in as a CA?

  No. CAs are not able to choose the building they live in, or provide preferences. Housing staff works diligently to create teams of CAs with varied skill sets & abilities best suited to support the needs of each community, and so CAs are not able to preference or select their building or room.

• Can I pick my roommates or suitemates as a CA?

  CAs in upper-class communities are typically able to request their direct roommate. However, this can change based on a variety of factors, including availability, accommodations, timeliness, and time of year. In addition, while rare, sometimes CA room assignments are changed before the start of the semester. In cases like this, CAs may not be able to pull their roommates into their new assignment.

  Additional information about roommate requests will be shared in the CA offer letter.

• I have a Housing Accommodation. Does this affect my ability to be a CA?

  No. Like all students, CAs can request accommodations through Student Accessibility Services. All accommodations must be submitted to Student Accessibility Services each year to be considered. For priority consideration, please submit your accommodation as soon as possible, at the latest by January 27.

• How are candidates selected for the CA position?

  The Housing & Residential Education team accepts all candidate applications for the position that meet the minimum requirements of a 2.0 GPA and good disciplinary standing with the university. Following this, the team reviews all applications, and evaluates fit for the CA position. Successful candidates are then offered an interview which they must participate in to continue in the CA process.

  Following interviews, Community Supervisors, the staff who supervise CAs, review all applications and interview materials to identify those candidates who would be the best fit for their Residential Community. These candidates are then sent offer letters for the CA position, which must be accepted by February 14th.

  In addition to the application and interview materials, we must consider the gender of the candidate, as some of our floors are gendered. We do not consider other identities, academic class status, or co-op status when making decisions.

• If I am selected, will I need to reapply for the CA position? Or am I guaranteed a position for the following year?

  All current CAs must reapply for the position every year. This process typically involves 3-4 written response questions, which Community Supervisors review to determine the best fit for our returning CAs. Community Supervisors also consider current performance in the role. While rare, there are instances in which a Community Supervisor is not asked to return to the role. Typically, however, CAs can return to the role every year they apply, until the graduate from Wentworth.

• I was offered a spot in the CA pool. What does that mean?

  That's ok! Many of our CAs were not selected in the first round of offers. Over the summer, and into the next academic year, we often have CAs leave the position due to co-op opportunities or other circumstances. We offer candidates a spot in our CA pool, which is the group of candidates that we select from for a mid-year position. We will continue to select from this pool until our next round of offers are made in February 2026.

• Can I sleep while on duty?

  Yes! 

  All of the CAs at Wentworth serve in a duty rotation with their staff. While on duty, CAs hold a phone which residents can call to request assistance. CAs also conduct three to four sets of rounds of their community. During this time, CAs walk the building to address facilities or resident concerns, and engage with residents in the community. Outside of this time, CAs are able to study, sleep, or relax, but should be prepared to respond to any calls they receive. 

  CAs typically serve on duty 1-2 times a week, and must remain in their residential community during this time.