A coalition of resident assistants (RAs) have taken to Instagram to voice concerns with ResLife.

The Instagram account, known as @binghamton.ras (BRAs), was formed in early August. Since that point, BRAs have produced multiple posts and stories related to ResLife, organizing RAs and creating an outlet for them to speak out. The account is run anonymously, with one post describing the group behind the account as “a group of [RAs] supporting each other.”

The account’s administrator, an RA who wished to remain anonymous, explained the reasoning behind how BRAs is run.

“Our contracts specifically bar us from speaking to media on behalf of ResLife, however in practice this means we cannot speak to the media about ResLife at all — since they consider us as always representing ResLife,” the account administrator wrote. “Posting online and getting interviewed would typically make us prime targets for retaliation (firing). We chose to keep the account anonymous, while also emphasizing its collective nature (many RAs are involved in BRAs and many more support the account through following), so that no one could be singled out.”

One topic that BRAs have discussed on their page is the COVID-19 protocols and procedures that ResLife and Binghamton University have put together for this semester. The account placed a particular focus on the lack of an organized meal system for those in isolation. The administrator detailed how BRAs was first made aware of the matter.

“An RA who got [COVID-19] alerted us that the University had no meal delivery system for RAs or residents being told to isolate in place (stay in their rooms rather than [in] separate isolation housing),” the administrator wrote. “The RA was told to ask their friends to bring them food. While we did not initially know whether this failed policy response came from ResLife or another division of the University, we knew that we needed to draw attention to the issue.”

The account also put out a series of stories on Aug. 31, which claimed to feature several RAs voicing their concerns with the handling of COVID-19 this semester. One such RA described their experience with a COVID-19 positive resident.

“One [resident] literally came up to me in the office while on duty with only a paper mask, and got close to me saying they just tested positive and don’t know what to do,” the story reads. “It’s embarrassing that we have to be the primary communication for students getting connected to proper health services as part-time stuff.”

Most recently, the account has begun a campaign to reinstate the RA Council, an inter-community committee that offered RA representatives the opportunity to meet with ResLife administration. The administrator said this structure helped RAs communicate with both each other and with the University.

“Being kept in the dark makes it difficult to know what to ask for but we know that, at a minimum, RAs across campus need to have a voice,” the administrator wrote. “Without the Council, RAs rely on our individual supervisors to pass messages along, so results vary greatly depending on who your supervisor is. RAs are also deprived of intra- and inter-community communication, which was crucial to identifying the similarities and differences in our working conditions.”

Skylar Sharpe, an undeclared sophomore, said they believe the RAs are treated very poorly for the amount of work they are expected to do.

“I believe that the RAs at BU deserve to be treated better,” Sharpe wrote. “It is insanely unfair the lack of support they are given for such a demanding job. They are expected to be on call during all hours of the night to answer drunk freshman who can’t find their own keys.”

Sharpe also commented on the University’s protocols for students who test positive for COVID-19, and the lack of boundaries RAs have been given in those situations.

“I believe [BU’s] COVID-19 policy toward RAs is downright inhumane,” Sharpe wrote. “The school is refusing to feed their students because they are sick. I am in support of the RA Council, and there is no reason for [BU] to delay nominations indefinitely. RAs have the right to have their voices heard.”

The administrator expressed that they will continue to organize and speak out to empower others.

“There is strength in numbers, and we hope that all [BU] RAs feel empowered to share their concerns with us and get involved in our actions to make change,” the administrator said. “To our other community members — residents, former RAs, current students, student organizations, alums and more — please continue to follow, support and share our progress. Know that you too have power to address issues you face at work or school. To ResLife: We are far from finished. You must respect us, be transparent with us and work with us to create sustainable working conditions.”