Community Building

Residence Dons cultivate a welcoming community by following the Residence Curriculum and organizing events and activities that encourage resident engagement, and foster connections between residents. They maintain a visible presence in their common spaces and community and provide outreach to residents in person and through email. Residence Dons support Floor Representatives and Residence Council initiatives and promote involvement in orientation and other events or initiatives.

Student Support

Serving as positive role models, Residence Dons demonstrate responsible behavior, good academic standing, and professionalism. Residence Dons build trust and foster well-being while engaging in intentional conversations with residents, practice active listening, and provide referrals to residence and/or campus resources while maintaining confidentiality and sound judgement.

Community Management

Residence Dons uphold university and residence policies by enforcing community standards and responding to incidents promptly and professionally. They facilitate roommate agreements, mediate conflicts, and maintain harmony within the residence. On-call responsibilities include conducting rounds, responding to queries and emergencies in-person, and ensuring building safety and security. Through consistent presence and accountability, Residence Dons help create a safe and respectful living environment for all residents.

Administration

Residence Dons submit: programming proposals and evaluations, reimbursements, and incident reports in a timely manner. Residence Dons communicate regularly with Residence Staff, attend all scheduled meetings, training sessions, and professional development sessions. They also assist with move-in and move-out procedures, Fall Campus Day, Residence Don hiring, residence tours, and room inspections. In addition to on call shifts, Residence Dons are also scheduled on a rotating basis to assist with assigned Residence Don tasks within the building.

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the following qualifications:

• Hold a Standard First Aid and CPR certification valid throughout the contract period.
• Commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion that fosters a positive, inclusive, and diverse community.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Strong relationship-building skills, with the ability to connect authentically with residents and encourage meaningful engagement.
• Strong problem-solving and conflict-resolution abilities, with sound judgment.
• Demonstrated ability to serve as a positive role model and leader.
• Experience in student leadership, mentorship, or community engagement.
• Ability to manage multiple responsibilities and work independently.
• Experience in planning, organizing, or facilitating events, programs, or community-building initiatives.
• Experience living at Graduate House is highly desirable, though not required.

To be considered for this position, applicants must:

• Be a registered full-time graduate or second-entry student at the University of Toronto.
• Be available to work approximately 15 hours per week, with a mixture of scheduled dates/times, in addition to self-scheduled work (this includes to rotational overnight (5PM-9AM) and weekend (9AM-9AM) on call shifts).
• Be willing to live primarily at Graduate House Residence throughout the duration of employment.
• Have an ongoing in-person presence and in-person interaction with students in residence.
• Be able to attend all components of the mandatory training program (dates TBD).
• Be in good academic standing as most recently assessed by the University of Toronto.
• Have no outstanding Fall 2025 balance on ACORN as of December 2025.
• Residence Dons must be available to move into residence in early/mid April.

Residence Dons are welcome to accept other employment within or outside of the University, so long as it does not conflict or interfere with the fulfillment of their employment obligations in residence.

Many duties and responsibilities of a Residence Don are responsive to circumstances affecting the residence and its residents and are often spontaneous and incapable of being scheduled. Residence Dons are expected to promptly and appropriately address all such circumstances.
Residence Dons are required to remain on campus until at least the day after the last day of undergraduate exams in both December and April and should be prepared to work during reading weeks and long weekends on campus.

Each Residence Don will be assigned a room in Graduate House Residence valid during the employment contract period. In accordance with Canada Revenue Agency requirements, the value of the accommodation, as well as the meal stipend are considered taxable income.

As per the USW Residence Don MOA, Article 18, wages will be paid in recurring equal monthly instalments over the period of employment of the Residence Don equal to:

• Fifty per cent (50%) of the fee for a standard single room.
• A monthly meal stipend of $376.41 (as there is no meal plan provided)
• Notes:
  • The amount above will also have applicable deductions before the final amount is issued.
  • The amount(s) will be pro-rated for any period of residence closure (e.g. December or January, etc.) or any partial month of employment.
  • As required by Article 18:04 of the Collective Agreement, a monthly deduction will be taken from these regular monthly net wages for the cost of the assigned room (billed at 50% of the fee for a standard single room)

Learn more details on the collective agreement here