On Saturday, December 17, the CURA Collective announced via Instagram that they have received a $1,000 raise for Columbia’s Resident Advisors.

On November 30, next semester’s returning RAs received an email from Tara Hanna, Executive Director of CU Residential Life, announcing that next year’s RAs will earn an honorarium payment of $14,000 for the 2023-24 academic year, an increase from the current $13,000. According to today’s Instagram post from the student-led Columbia University Resident Advisor (CURA) Collective, this raise can be attributed to CURA’s meetings with ResLife, and “Res Life attributed the push for a pay increase to CURA’s organizing.”

The RAs’ announcement of this raise in pay comes after months of organizing on the part of the CURA Collective, which has advocated for more pay for RAs, better working conditions, and increased communication from Residential Life. In late July, after meeting with ResLife throughout the summer, the RAs received changes in their compensation structure that allowed all RAs to receive equal payment regardless of whether they receive financial aid from the University.

In their Instagram post, the CURA Collective writes that more work still needs to be done, stating, “Our pay is still far from adequate when it does not cover housing—a provision needed for our job—for students without financial aid. Let’s fix more.”

RAs will be meeting tomorrow, December 18, at noon to celebrate the pay raise and discuss how they can resolve even more RA compensation issues.

Email sent to CC/SEAS 2023-24 RAs from Residential Life on November 30 at 3:36 pm:

Dear RAs,

Thank you for submitting your intent to return to the RA student leader role for the 2023-2024 Academic Year. I am excited that 95 RAs have indicated an intent to return to the role next year!

I write to let you know the RA honorarium payment next year will be $14,000 for all RAs. All other parts of the RA compensation model will remain the same as this year. This information will be captured in the student leader agreement that is issued in the spring with your placement information.

Please note the level of the honorarium increase next year is unique and is not an indication that the honorarium will grow at a similar rate in future years.

I look forward to our continued work together! Please let me know if you have any questions.

Gratefully,

Dean Hanna

Tara Hanna

Executive Director of Residential Life

Associate Dean of Undergraduate Student Life

Undergraduate Student Life

Columbia College | Columbia Engineering

Butler Library at sunset via Bwog Archives