Due to a living and learning work environment that is filled with role ambiguity, resident assistants often handle situations that require clear and competent ethical decision making. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine the various aspects of ethics that affect the lives and job performance of resident assistants. Through an examination of the levels of moral development and the ethical issues faced by resident assistants, the intentionality and the quality of values education for resident assistants is hoped to be improved. One hundred and seventeen resident assistants at a mid-sized, Midwestern, public university created the sample population. All 117 participants completed the survey resulting in a 100 percent return rate.Resident assistants at Ball State University do not have a unique profile of moral development. As a group they tend to make decisions based upon the established rules of society rather than individual rights or universal principles. Results from the Defining Issues Test showed that they have a principled morality score of 37.07% in comparison to the standardized mean score for college students of 42.3%. In their work environments, they report situations involving dating or relationship issues as occurring most often. Colleagues dating their residents was perceived as the least serious out of 16 ethical situations. Situations of racial, gender, or religious intolerance were considered quite serious by the resident assistants. Out of the 117 participants, 109 resident assistants reported situations which created personal ethical or moral dilemmas. Dilemmas that included issues of the enforcement of or the belief in housing policies were reported 21 times. Director or staff conflicts involving a variety of situations were reported as an issue by 17 resident assistants. Relationships with residents that are based upon friendship and/or respect along with perceived issues of resident assistant harassment created the third largest category out of 15 categories of moral dilemmas.Resident assistants are paraprofessionals with a great amount of responsibility and are often put in situations which involve unconscious ethical decision making. Suggestions for hiring, training and role modeling are given in order to better meet the needs of resident assistants. Professionals and researchers must continue to examine the areas of moral development and ethical issues because understanding the issues that concern resident assistants is an important step in creating an ethical campus community. / Department of Secondary, Higher, and Foundations of Education
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/185080 |
| Date | January 1994 |
| Creators | Boyd, Carla Linder |
| Contributors | Ball State University. Dept. of Secondary, Higher, and Foundations of Education., Hyman, Randy E. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | vii, 179 leaves ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
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