The Residence Halls Association Congress met Monday night to discuss its spring semester budget, funding requests and future events to commemorate students in the residence halls.
RHA financial coordinator Connor Wangler proposed a distribution of the organization’s $35,600.86 semester budget that the Congress approved unanimously. Wangler made adjustments to the Legislative Sector’s budget to ensure less semester rollover and to accommodate more funding requests.
“We’ve received eight funding requests this semester, which is a record for the first five weeks into a semester,” Wangler said.
Wangler proposed that Congress allocates $3,201 of the Legislative Sector’s $6,301 to the Legislative Distribution Fund, a small increase from the $2,500 allotment of last semester. The Legislative Distribution Fund is the money set aside by RHA for organizations and halls that wish to request money for events after exhausting personal funds.
The Legislative Sector’s Events and Planning Committee received $2,000, which is a decreased allocation from last semester due to an unusual amount of rollover, Wangler said.
Other changes to the budget were significant additions to the Executive Sector’s Programming and Conference budgets. RHA Week, occurring the week of Feb. 27, will host events to celebrate its members and students living in residence halls.
This week-long celebration falls under the programming section of the executive budget and will include activities such as bingo night, visits from “secret guests,” an Iron Chef competition in collaboration with Campus Dining Services and an RHA Ball at the end of the week. RHA election winners will also be announced during the week.
The Conference budget increased to $6,100 this semester in order to finance the costs for 12 representatives to attend the National Association of College and University Residence Halls Conference in Boulder, Colo., this June.
After approving the budget, the Congress yielded the floor to three budget requests. The first came from Makayla Jackson, representing the Women’s Center, who requested $1,200 to fund the rental cost of Jesse Hall and advertising costs for the “Vagina Monologues.” After several minutes of deliberation and heated debate, Congress approved a decreased allocation of $800.
Next was Emily Ronco, Schurz Hall Honors Learning Community peer adviser, who requested $215 for the hall’s annual Mr. Tiger Pageant. The money would be used for materials to make the winner’s sash and crown as well as prizes and refreshments. Congress voted to donate $115.
The third funding request, also from the Honors Learning Community in Schurz Hall, was denied.
In total, the organization spent more than 28 percent of its Legislative Distribution Fund on two of its eight current funding requests.
In order to shorten the meeting, representatives voted to table the last piece of legislation on the agenda that would give a pay raise to Speaker of Congress Kathy Rudd. This legislation will be addressed at the next Congress meeting.
Events and planning chairwoman Erin Morris also announced to Congress plans to host a “Pinterest Craft Night” on March 15 in Bengal Lair.
Pinterest is a popular online pinboard that allows users to “organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web,” according to the Pinterest website. Users can browse images on the website to gather inspiration and ideas for fun crafts or home design techniques.
“It will be a good study break for people,” Morris said. “Both guys and girls will enjoy it because girls love Pinterest and guys can come and make something for their girlfriend.”
Morris said she intends to contact the Craft Studio in
