Three student candidates running for top Residence Hall Association positions stressed the importance of strengthening relationships with administrators and reaching out to the student body at last night’s meeting.
The representatives — one running for president and two vying for the vice president position — agreed they want to make the association a more visible student group.
In two weeks, the body will vote on the top two positions and those elected will then appoint the remaining executive board members.
Public Relations and Outreach Officer Corie Stretton, the sole presidential candidate, said she plans to reach out to several other on-campus student groups, such as the Student Government Association, to make the RHA more well-known.
“It’s important to be as transparent as possible,” the junior American studies and communication major said. “People don’t know what we do, and I want to reach out to everyone.”
The vice presidential candidates — Chief Information Officer Sasha Azar, a sophomore international business major, and at-large senator Chris Mertens, a sophomore environmental science and policy major — pledged similar initiatives.
“I definitely agree and think we need to open discussions and get people involved,” Azar said.
Stretton said she also hopes to maintain a positive relationship with university President Wallace Loh and other top administrators.
“The first thing to do is email Loh — I mean, first of all, he seems like a cool dude,” she said. “Second, it’s important for RHA to have relationship with administrators. I want to be able to set up a meeting with Loh and members of his administration and have a meeting to talk to him and explain what we do and our influence on campus.”
Mertens said he plans to run an aggressive campaign and, if elected, his top priority is to make the association better known to the entire student body.
“We need to be a more well-known and well-defined organization on campus,” he said. “Everybody knows what SGA is. But with us, everyone knows our letters and not what we do or what we can do.”
Many students agreed — although they have heard of the body, many could not pinpoint what they specifically do.
“I honestly don’t know what [RHA] does,” freshman letters and sciences major Mary Cushman said. “It hasn’t affected me not knowing. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to know, I’m just not sure that I care.”
Senior architecture major Albert Palmer said if the body wants to reach more students, it should make its information more easily accessible.
“I feel like I never had very active [resident assistants], and that is more of an issue than not knowing what RHA is,” he said. “I knew it was around, but taking advantage of it has just been difficult.”
And although she said the body may face more criticism if it is better known by students, Stretton plans to embrace the critique.
“In terms of any scrutiny RHA will face, I’m willing to stand up for RHA for anything,” she said. “If anyone tries to criticize us, seriously: Bring it on.”
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