If you were to ask me a year ago what the purpose of a resident assistant is, I probably would have said “to be the parent of the dorm.” While in many ways this statement is true, I know now that an RA's role extends deeper than the statement portrays. My second year of living on campus has allowed me to observe a few of the overlooked duties of an RA such as updating residents on resources through bulletin boards and maintaining discipline by enforcing quiet hours. Summarizing just a few of my observations, I can confidentially say that an RA's responsibility as a "parent" includes maintaining good order in the residence hall, maintaining a positive living environment, and promoting academic, personal and social growth among students. Resident