On April 21, 2017, a regional director for the NLRB ordered that a union representation election must be held in a unit composed of 110 undergraduate student residential advisors at George Washington University.

The regional director ordered an election in a proposed bargaining unit of 110 Resident Assistants. The RA positions were available exclusively to the institution’s undergraduate students in good academic standing. They performed the typical functions associated with RA positions such as encouraging residents to bond/socialize, monitoring residence hall conditions, being available for peer-to-peer counseling and the like. They were compensated with a small stipend and free university housing. Most served only one or two years in the position.

It is unclear whether the decision will ultimately receive the approval of the full Board. Throughout its history, the Board has regularly flip-flopped on the question of whether students working at the university which they attend are employees, and whether they have bargaining rights.Thus, the future viability of the regional director’s theory will rest on the views of the two members to be appointed by the new president.