Top RHA members defend perks of job

Many rising juniors and seniors are scrambling for fall housing, but eight of the student leaders elected to advocate for their rights won't have to share their worries.

Leaders of the Residence Hall Association have been guaranteed on-campus housing for their tenure since 2001, but this year, when all seniors and most juniors will be unable to live on the campus, is the first time the policy has really mattered. RHA members and the Resident Life Department defended the policy, which moves the eight leaders to the top of the housing waitlist, as necessary for RHA leaders to do their jobs.

"To force the body to pick RHA leaders out of those lucky enough to get on-campus housing wouldn't be fair," said RHA President Sumner Handy. Furthermore, "we didn't want not getting housing to be a deterrent to run."

Students must live on the campus to serve in the RHA, even if they are not on the executive board.

Associate Director of Resident Life Steve Petkas stressed that the leaders would not be given higher priority numbers or have a room set aside, only moved to the top of the waitlist, effectively guaranteeing them a spot.

Resident Life officials said other universities have similar programs for their RHA counterparts, and many offer even more perks such as yearly stipends. While officials acknowledged the possibility of students running for leadership positions just for the guaranteed housing, they said they were confident that the rest of the RHA would be able to detect those motivations.

"Think about how much the organization would be weakened if the senior executives weren't there to lead," Petkas said. "The whole structure is really built on the backbone of this seasoned leadership."

Petkas explained that up until 1998, RHA leaders were paid, but there was no need to ensure secured housing because there was no shortage of beds. When the RHA constitution was rewritten the next year, the stipend was eliminated.

Petkas said he recommended secured housing for RHA leaders as far back as 2001 when Resident Life began foreseeing a future housing shortage.

Resident Life also guarantees housing for varsity athletes, Resident Assistants and those in living-learning programs when they deem it essential that those students live on the campus.

"Our students may want to be represented by a junior or senior," said Deb Grandner, director of Resident Life. "This would allow them to be represented by the best person."

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