Georgetown Rejected Resident Assistant Holiday Staffing Plan
The university denied a proposal to reduce the number of resident assistants required to work during holiday breaks.
Updated on Sept. 25, 2026 in Unions
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Georgetown University has rejected a proposal to reduce required holiday staffing for resident assistants for the third time. The university returned the plan to the Labor Management Committee on September 16, 2026, maintaining a policy that mandates coverage from every dorm during university breaks.
Why it matters
The rejection reflects ongoing tension between the university and its labor force over work-life balance during holidays. Resident assistants sought a return to a cluster-duty model to ensure they have holiday opportunities comparable to the broader student population.
The university remains committed to a November 2025 policy requiring at least one resident assistant to remain on duty in every dorm during Thanksgiving, spring, and Easter breaks. The rejected proposal sought a return to a cluster-duty staffing model.
The players
Georgetown University
This private research university located in Washington is the site of the ongoing labor negotiations.
Georgetown Resident Assistant Coalitions
This is the collective bargaining unit representing the resident assistants at the university.
National Labor Review Board
This federal agency is responsible for enforcing labor law and adjudicating unfair labor practice claims.
The details
The Office of Residential Living returned the proposal to the Labor Management Committee with feedback after the university denied it for the third time. The proposal was intended to allow resident assistants to have holiday opportunities comparable to the rest of the student community, but it will not be implemented for the Fall 2026 semester.
Timeline
April 2024: Georgetown resident assistants officially unionized.
November 2025: The university implemented a policy requiring one resident assistant per dorm during breaks.
May 2026: The Georgetown Resident Assistant Coalitions filed three unfair labor practice claims.
September 16, 2026: The university rejected the staffing proposal.
2026-27 academic year: Resident assistants are currently planning holiday duty schedules.
Political Context
Opponents of the resident assistants' proposal argue that the current mandatory staffing policy is essential for residential safety and administrative consistency across all campus housing. University management emphasizes that the existing policy ensures baseline operational coverage that a cluster-duty model might fail to provide during high-traffic break periods.
Resident assistants will remain subject to the current staffing requirements during upcoming holiday breaks, impacting their ability to travel or take leave. Students living in dorms will continue to have at least one resident assistant on duty in their building during these periods.
The takeaway
The rejection highlights the complexities of negotiating staffing requirements within collective bargaining agreements in university settings. Both parties must now work through the Labor Management Committee to resolve the deadlock before future academic breaks.
Further reading
For more information on current labor negotiations, visit the Unions section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Hoya.
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