2008 Woodie Awards
RHA veterans announce bids for presidency
Derby Cox
Issue date: 4/9/08 Section: News
Armed with plans to address the housing crunch and focus dates, two students yesterday announced bids for RHA president.
At a meeting last night, Residence Halls Association presidential candidates Alex Beuchler and Matthew Verghese gave similar lines on the cure for the housing crunch and greater outreach to the student community. But they differed on the elimination of focus dates - a controversial issue for Dining Services.
Verghese, an RHA senator who is also an SGA legislator, said focus dates should stay in place for first-semester freshmen, citing their unfamiliarity with the meal plan system.
Beuchler, the vice president of RHA, advocated a daily spending cap, keeping focus dates only as a reminder.
Both candidates agreed the only cure to the housing problem - the campaign's top issue - is student activism. Each said they will lead lobbying efforts to the Board of Regents, the administration and the General Assignment. "We have to get students motivated," said Beuchler, a junior government and politics major. "There's no magic solution."
The RHA is a legislative student group that advocates for campus residents.
The candidates also touted their qualifications. Verghese, who is also an engineering legislator for the Student Government Association, said his dual role has given him a unique perspective as a "link" between the two organizations, which sometimes clash. But he said he would not pursue further involvement with the SGA if elected RHA president. He is, however, the campaign manager for SGA presidential candidate Jonathan Sachs. In the past, some campaign managers have assumed top SGA posts when their candidates won.
The results of the SGA election will be announced before the RHA election, which will be held April 22.
Beuchler said her sophomore-year experience as national communications coordinator of the RHA prepared her to reach out to students. It would also help with her plan to meet with RHA associations at other colleges such as Towson and UMBC for information on how they handle their housing issues, she said. Beuchler has been part of the RHA since her freshman year.Though their positions on housing crisis are similar, the two emphasized differences in their leadership styles.
Beuchler said she would take "more initiative" as president, while explaining her hands-off approach in the past year.
"It would be a dictatorship for me to sit up here and introduce legislation every week," said Beuchler. "I want to help [senators] write [their own] bills."
Verghese, an at-large RHA senator, has been more assertive, introducing many of his own bills, but said he would look for a "consensus perspective" as president.
"You have to come forward with a vision," said Verghese, a senior electrical engineering major. "But you have to work with a team as well."
Sophomore letters and sciences major Josef Mensah, administrative officer for the RHA, is running unopposed for vice president. He stressed student involvement and RHA senate leadership as the most important parts of his platform.
newsdeskdbk@gmail.com
At a meeting last night, Residence Halls Association presidential candidates Alex Beuchler and Matthew Verghese gave similar lines on the cure for the housing crunch and greater outreach to the student community. But they differed on the elimination of focus dates - a controversial issue for Dining Services.
Verghese, an RHA senator who is also an SGA legislator, said focus dates should stay in place for first-semester freshmen, citing their unfamiliarity with the meal plan system.
Beuchler, the vice president of RHA, advocated a daily spending cap, keeping focus dates only as a reminder.
Both candidates agreed the only cure to the housing problem - the campaign's top issue - is student activism. Each said they will lead lobbying efforts to the Board of Regents, the administration and the General Assignment. "We have to get students motivated," said Beuchler, a junior government and politics major. "There's no magic solution."
The RHA is a legislative student group that advocates for campus residents.
The candidates also touted their qualifications. Verghese, who is also an engineering legislator for the Student Government Association, said his dual role has given him a unique perspective as a "link" between the two organizations, which sometimes clash. But he said he would not pursue further involvement with the SGA if elected RHA president. He is, however, the campaign manager for SGA presidential candidate Jonathan Sachs. In the past, some campaign managers have assumed top SGA posts when their candidates won.
The results of the SGA election will be announced before the RHA election, which will be held April 22.
Beuchler said her sophomore-year experience as national communications coordinator of the RHA prepared her to reach out to students. It would also help with her plan to meet with RHA associations at other colleges such as Towson and UMBC for information on how they handle their housing issues, she said. Beuchler has been part of the RHA since her freshman year.Though their positions on housing crisis are similar, the two emphasized differences in their leadership styles.
Beuchler said she would take "more initiative" as president, while explaining her hands-off approach in the past year.
"It would be a dictatorship for me to sit up here and introduce legislation every week," said Beuchler. "I want to help [senators] write [their own] bills."
Verghese, an at-large RHA senator, has been more assertive, introducing many of his own bills, but said he would look for a "consensus perspective" as president.
"You have to come forward with a vision," said Verghese, a senior electrical engineering major. "But you have to work with a team as well."
Sophomore letters and sciences major Josef Mensah, administrative officer for the RHA, is running unopposed for vice president. He stressed student involvement and RHA senate leadership as the most important parts of his platform.
newsdeskdbk@gmail.com
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jk
posted 4/09/08 @ 10:25 PM EST
Good to know leaders like Verghese don't actually support what will help students. Having money taken away several times a semester is confusing and frustrating. (Continued…)
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