RHA leaders discussed the shortcomings of campus safety, dining and resident facilities with department leaders and police officials at a Town Hall meeting for students and leaders last night.
While the meeting was aimed at attracting leaders from various student groups, only a handful of the more than 30 in attendance were not members of the Residence Halls Association. Despite the limited turnout, RHA President Mike LaBattaglia was pleased with the event because he said it gave RHA senators a chance to understand the issues students are concerned with.
After passing over this traditionally annual event for the RHA last year, LaBattaglia made it a campaign promise to revive this forum in which senators have the opportunity to ask questions of leaders in the departments of Resident Life, Resident Facilities, Dining Services and Transportation Services, and for the first year, senators can speak with University Police spokeswoman Maj. Cathy Atwell.
“This is one of those things where you realize how important it can be only when you don’t do it for a year,” he said. “This really gets to the heart of the issues RHA faces – student concerns.”
With Atwell’s presence, safety took center stage. Senators brought forward concerns about the use of blue light phones and police presence in dorms.
The night also provided a rare opportunity for RHA senators to bring up issues with leaders from the other departments. Leaders fielded questions about everyday concerns including the lack of hot water in showers and troubles with parking.
While the event didn’t reveal any new information, LaBattaglia said it fulfilled its purpose of bringing RHA senators closer to issues that concern students.
“The unique thing about this is that the information might be available, but this empowers the senators with the information to spread it,” he said.
Still, LaBattaglia said the event could have been more successful if the student turnout was greater.
Atwell attributed the lack of student attendence to the timing of the event.
“It doesn’t strike them when the end of the semester is coming up and exams are real soon.”
Junior engineering major Joe Hudson was the only non-RHA member in attendance to ask a question at the forum, and he considered the event a useful outlet for his concerns about Dining Services.
“There are things that have been bugging me for years, and I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on in the university,” he said. “I’ve been worried that people aren’t asking questions.”
Contact reporter Ben Slivnick at slivnickdbk@gmail.com.
