Most of Washington University’s COVID-related policies, such as primarily online or hybrid classes, limited in-person gatherings and restricted occupancy in Residential Life housing will continue into the spring semester, according to a Nov. 18 email from Chancellor Andrew Martin and Provost Beverly Wendland.

The obstacles to normal residential life for underclassmen are an ever-present concern for their RAs, who are working to make their residents’ year memorable in the best way.

I applied for the WUSA position this past spring because I wanted to support incoming students during their transition into college; now I am navigating what that looks like in practice.

Many RAs have chosen not to return to their positions, arguing that potential health risks, lack of effective communication from Residential Life and the threat of losing housing on short notice make the position an unfair, dangerous bargain.

Following Washington University’s decision to suspend on-campus instruction on March 11, all residential advisors received an email notifying that their employment was terminated and their remaining compensation for the spring semester, which includes housing and meal points, would be canceled. RAs were given until March 15 to vacate their on-campus housing and were asked to cease communication with their residents.

For low-income students who relied on campus jobs to pay rent, students without any other residence to go to on such short notice and international students for whom going home was a great financial strain or logistical impossibility, many said the announcement to leave campus caused panic and confusion.

Since the University’s announcement Wednesday, many students have been scrambling to find alternatives to campus housing. Others, unsure of when they will have an opportunity to reunite with their belongings, came back to campus against the University’s direction, returning to dorm rooms and apartments to retrieve textbooks and clothing.

Around 300 of the 3,500 students who applied for Washington University housing this year did not receive their requested housing arrangements due to high demand for particular unit sizes. Housing groups in this predicament were asked by the Office of Residential Life to either regroup or be administratively placed in order to receive University housing in an email, Feb. 21.