The addition is an attempt to create a sense of belonging in one of the largest dorms.

Reporter

A new pilot program will add two CAs for each floor, making it so Young will have 16 CAs instead of eight.

CAs have always been a part of the SDSU experience. With events, long hours and responsibility for 40 to 70 residents, CAs say the job can wear them down physically and emotionally.

“We want our CAs to build relationships with our residents,” said Chris Perkins, residence hall director at Young Hall. “We want our residents to feel a connection to Young Hall …We’re here to build a community.”

Perkins said he has experience with multiple CAs per floor at other universities, including Syracuse and North Dakota State.

The ideal number of students a CA should be responsible for is about 30 but the number is at about 60 students, according to university officials. Young and Binnewies Halls house the most students on campus, with about 1,000.

The plan is to have a successful pilot for the 2011-2012 school year and then expand by putting two CAs on the floors of Binnewies and Hanson, the next two largest dorms.

“We chose Young Hall for the pilot because Chris had the experience,” J.J. Manley, assistant director for development for Residential Life, said. “Young also already has a strong community, and we’re hoping to make a stronger, more involved community.”

With more CAs per floor, CAs hope there will be more opportunities for building connections, providing better quality activities and more availability for students.

“Students decide to leave SDSU for various reasons, including that they don’t feel as if people care about them,” Manley said. “With our CAs out to build connections, students will feel like people care about them.”

There are other benefits for having more CAs on each floor.

Students will be able to get help faster since there will be twice as many CAs as there once was. If a student has a problem with their CA, there are twice as many CAs to go to for support.

More monthly activities will also be available to students.

Senior CA of Young Hall Cody Burggraff will be around as a mentor for the other CAs.

“I look forward to having two CAs per wing because I will get to know more people, work with different people and try new things,” Burggraff said. “Young Hall will have a bigger staff family, but I am looking forward to being part of that.”

Additional details for the pilot program will be worked out this summer.