The Residence Hall Association held its first Senate meeting of the semester Tuesday night, which included announcements of upcoming initiatives and senator approval of changes to the organization’s standard operating procedures for the 2016-17 school year.
During executive board reports, RHA finance and philanthropy officer Sam Bingaman, a senior environmental science and policy major, encouraged senators to promote mental health awareness within the senators’ residence halls. Junior government and politics and finance major Dana Rodriguez, who serves as RHA student groups and organization liaison, also announced that RHA is supporting the TerpsVote initiative by encouraging students to register to vote or change address so they can vote in Stamp on Election Day alongside College Republicans and College Democrats.
RHA President and senior global health and biological sciences major Steve Chen reminded attendees of the Terp Up for Kick-Off event that will be held before the Homecoming football game this Saturday at 1:30 p.m. on La Plata Beach. The event will include music, games and giveaways.
Terp Thon also presented its mission to raise money for Children’s National Health System at the meeting and invited members to join their cause. The presentation featured a video of children diagnosed with various illnesses, which inspired the first dance marathon at Indiana University in 1991. Terp Thon is entering its eighth year and is the youngest college dance marathon event that ranked in the top 10.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have this hospital so close to us that is treating these kids,” said senior public health science major Kaiwei Hsu, who also serves as Terp Thon executive director.
Last year, Terp Thon raised more than $700,000, surpassing the record for 2015 by more than $120,000.
“This is an incredible philanthropy opportunity for you and your residence halls to help change kids’ lives,” said Terp Thon community relations chair Kevin Bock, who is a senior computer science major.
During the meeting, newly elected area and hall council senators also approved changes to the organization’s standard operating procedures.
“In the SOPS, [the senators] are our check so that the executive board doesn’t go off the board,” said RHA Vice President Sasha Galbreath, a senior government and politics major, reading from a resolution. “The Executive Board cannot pass anything without approval of the Senate.”
In an effort to move in a more sustainable direction, the revised standard operating procedures state that only reusable water bottles can be brought to RHA events and Senate meetings. In 2011, the RHA sustainability committee banned non-reusable water bottles, but it was not enforced. Galbreath said she wanted to enforce the rule because this university is heading in a more environmentally friendly direction.
The one exception to the non-reusable water bottle rule is ‘Liter of the Week’ — a recognition effort of participation and active engagement.
To orient new members to the organization, Galbreath also reviewed the attendance policy: one absence allowed with no questions asked. If a member cannot attend the Senate meeting, a proxy should be sent as a replacement. Otherwise, voting privileges can be restricted.
Galbreath concluded the meeting encouraging RHA members to exercise their constitutional right to vote in the upcoming presidential election in November.
“Do what some people cannot,” Galbreath said.
