Casa Hispana Student Program Assistants: On-Campus Spanish-Language Living and Leadership
Live and lead in a great house and use your organization, creativity and communication skills to build community among your peers while speaking and interacting in Spanish.
The Department of Spanish & Portuguese offers a great opportunity for students interested in developing their leadership and programmatic skills while living in a Spanish-speaking environment.
2023-2024 Casa Hispana Student Programing Assistant (two will be hired)
Job Description and Requirements
The Casa Hispana Student Programming Assistants are responsible for overseeing the functioning of the Casa, including fostering a positive atmosphere, as well as engaging in and encouraging conversation in Spanish among all residents. The Student Programming Assistants work with and report to the Casa Hispana faculty liaison.
Responsibilities:
- foster student learning and identify development tied to the mission of Macalester College and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese through the implementation of the Community Learning Model (CLM)
- communicate with the house residents in Spanish
- assist residents with language proficiency
- organize one weekly communal meal (shopping, cooking, and cleaning responsibilities are to be shared among all residents and the Student Programming Assistants)
- residents can be reimbursed for the cost of these meals and should communicate with the Department Coordinator in a timely manner for reimbursement
- coordinate cultural events or programs in conjunction with the department that further enhance the opportunity for the residents to speak Spanish and learn about the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world
- monitor communal life in the house, report any problems that may arise, and work with the departmental faculty liaison and/or with Residential Life to address any pertinent issues that cannot be resolved independently
- report on the management of the house and on cultural activities to the department in monthly meetings with the Faculty Liaison and Department Coordinator, including a semester report to be presented at a department meeting
The Student Programming Assistants and all residents of the house are responsible for maintaining a clean and livable house, conducive to a healthy learning environment. The Student Programming Assistants and the residents should collaboratively compose a list of house tasks and distribute the labor among themselves.
Residential Life will provide an initial orientation on house management to the Student Programming Assistants and the office will be available for assistance if there are behavioral problems or interpersonal conflicts in the house.
The Faculty Liaison will supervise the Student Programming Assistants and provide programming advice as needed. The Student Programming Assistants are selected in cooperation with the faculty and the coordinator of the Department of Spanish and Portuguese.
Job Requirements:
The candidates must:
- be a native or near-native speaker of Spanish
- be an upper-class student
- maintain full time student status for the duration of employment
- possess a grade point average of 3.0 or above at the time of application
- be in good standing with the college (not on academic or disciplinary probation)
Preference is given to candidates who:
- Are enrolled in Spanish courses during the year of their appointment
General Information:
- Selected candidates must also receive clearance through an enhanced criminal background check due to association with student residence housing; the selected student will also undergo a campus-based Title IX and Bias Incident check
- This position is eligible for a one year contract with the possibility of renewal for a second year with approval from the Faculty liaison, Department Chair, and Department Coordinator
Dates of Service:
- Live in Language house residence between September 1, 2023-May 12, 2024
Compensation:
Room credit (equivalent of roughly $7000 for on-campus annual housing).
The Casa Hispana Student Programming Assistants will work an average of 12* hours a week.
* Note: International students on F-1 Visas are prohibited from working more than 20 hours per week during the academic year. The total hours for all jobs combined cannot equal more than 20 hours in any given week. The PA position requires, on average, 12 hours per week. This regulation applies to each individual week of the semester, not an average of several weeks. Any week in which the student exceeds a total of 20 hours of work is a violation of their visa regulations which puts an international student’s F-1 student status in jeopardy.
In addition to their role as an PA, students are able to concurrently hold a student employment position and earn up to $2000 for the academic year. This equates to roughly 8 hours of work a week, and follows Macalester’s Student Employment guidelines, which allow students to work up to but not more than 20 hours per week (12 hours as a PA plus 8 additional hours in another position, preferably within the Department of Spanish & Portuguese).
To Apply:
Submit an application and current resume (including two references) outlining your interest in the position and highlighting previous experience that would assist you in fulfilling the position responsibilities by February 10, 2023 before 4:30pm. If you have questions please reach out to Claire Lozano ([email protected]), Professor Susana Blanco-Iglesias (b[email protected]), and Chair Cynthia Kauffeld ([email protected]).Casa Hispana
196 S. Vernon St.
St. Paul, MN 55105