Description: Reporting to the Residential Directors (RD), the Summer Colleges Aides (SCAs) are crucial in helping the Summer Colleges’ office run smoothly. SCAs interact extensively with the Head of Summer Colleges (HSC), RDs, and Assistant Residential Directors (ARDs). The job generally consists of five weekly office shifts of 4 hours each, as organized by the RDs. These shifts’ durations may be adjusted to account for operational needs of the Summer Colleges program but will generallly be no more than 20 hours/week. Shifts may be during business hours, evenings, or weekends. Shift needs are anticipated to be greatest during business hours. Other duties (common to all Summer Colleges staff members, such as all-staff meetings) mean that an SCA will work more than 20 hours/week. SCAs are also key members of the move in/move out team, assisting the HSC and RDs with logistics and on-the-ground operations.
Responsibilities:
- Customer Service: Provides exemplary customer service to students, parents, and staff, troubleshooting questions and concerns of all YSS residential summer students during the day.
- Office Setup and Organization: Assists with setting up the Summer Colleges office at the beginning of the program and packing it at the end of the program. Under the leadership of the RDs, keeps the office organized and maintains an up-to-date inventory.
- Operational Systems and Organization: Uses Summer Colleges operational systems efficiently and effectively. These particularly include the loaning of equipment and rounds forms from the colleges.
- Student Mail: Assists with student mail organization and distribution from the Summer Colleges office.
- Event Support: Provides support to RDs and the HSC with large Summer Colleges events. Helps set up for intramural sports.
- Office Software: Effectively uses basic office software such as the Microsoft Office Suite and Canva to support the operations of the Summer Colleges.
- Errands: Occasionally runs program-related errands for the Summer Colleges.
- Committees: SCAs will be assigned to committees to facilitate the smooth operations of the Summer Colleges program, such as a social media committee.
- Summer Colleges All-staff Meeting: Attends the weekly Summer Colleges all-staff meeting, which is generally scheduled on Sunday nights; this meeting must be attended in person
- Policies and Conduct: Follows all Yale Summer Session and University policies and models exemplary behavior as a member of the Summer Colleges community.
- Other Duties: May perform other duties as assigned.
Required Education and Experience: Any currently enrolled Yale undergraduate or graduate student in good academic standing or any Yale alumnus is eligible to apply. The ideal candidate will have spent one or two years in a residential college. Applicants should be mature students who enjoy working with others and who feel committed to the intellectual and social values of residential college life. The job also requires resourcefulness, friendliness, patience, integrity, good judgment, a good sense of humor, attention to detail, and energy. Previous counseling experience is a plus.
Preferred Experience: Prior office experience preferred, especially experience as a College Aide.
Compensation: The SCA receives free room and board for the orientation period and the ten weeks of the program (approximate value of $8,460), plus a tuition reduction for the equivalent of one summer course credit (value of $5,480). If the SCA decides not to enroll in a summer course, this tuition reduction cannot be converted into a stipend. Please note that as some shifts may be during the day, the SCA should share their course schedule with the RDs at the beginning of the summer in order to minimize schedule conflicts. The SCA will also receive a stipend of $2,025. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. Yale College alumni who studied at Yale on a student visa should proactively check with the Office of International Students & Scholars about their eligibility for employment in this role.
Additional Information: Summer Colleges staff must attend mandatory training sessions before the summer classes begin, and must be on campus at Yale by 4:00 p.m., Thursday, May 21, 2026, for the start of training. Training starts on Thursday evening, and is held all day on Friday and Saturday, ending with the first move-in of counselees on Sunday. This training cannot be missed, made up, or sacrificed due to conflicts with other programs’ commitments or training sessions. Inability to attend the training sessions will result in the forfeiture of the counselor position. Many graduation events at Yale and other schools fall during this period; please ensure you are available for the entirety of the training prior to applying. Summer Colleges staff duties continue through Sunday, August 2, 2026.
To be effective in their work, Summer Colleges staff should be familiar with the academic, dormitory, and dining hall regulations of Yale Summer Session. The Summer Colleges staff pledge to uphold these regulations and ensure that Summer Session students comply with them as well. This obligation is especially strong with regard to monitoring the protection of personal and university property, the residents’ right to safety and quiet, and the legal control of alcohol and other drugs.
Each session includes an all-hands-on-deck event, which all Summer Colleges staff must attend unless it falls on their assigned weekend off. Session B Transition Weekend is also considered a major weekend and requires full staff participation. Weekend-off assignments are determined by the RDs based on counselor preferences and overall program needs. All Summer Colleges staff must be in residence during registration, move-in, and move-out periods.
Summer Colleges staff may only take one course per each five-week Session. Any more coursework may only be undertaken with the written permission of the HSC.
General Conduct Statement: Yale Summer Session is an academic community dedicated to the advancement of learning and abides by similar guidelines detailed by Yale College’s Undergraduate Regulations as follow: 1) All staff and students should be committed to protecting free expression and peaceful dissent and to preserving mutual respect and charitable relations among all members of the Summer Session community. 2) Physical restriction, coercion, or intimidation of any member of the YSS community is contrary to the basic principles of the University. 3) Violations of these principles may result in immediate and permanent separation from Yale Summer Session.