The Residence Halls Association is working to get approval for its budget for the fall semester, which will be voted on and likely approved at the first meeting of RHA Congress next week.
The proposed budget lays out allocations for the nearly $36,000 in revenue RHA has available to spend this semester, a figure that represents an increase from previous years and will allow RHA to expand its reach in key ways.
The budget must be approved by the RHA Congress, which is made up of three separate committees that function under the RHA umbrella.
“The budget process is pretty simple,” RHA Financial Coordinator Matt Kalish said. “I worked together with the executive board to write up a budget based on what we felt would be the best use of the funds available, and then I submitted that budget to Congress, which will have the opportunity to discuss the budget and propose changes before voting on it next Monday.”
A new policy enacted this year stipulates the RHA Operations Committee must receive and approve the budget before the rest of Congress can vote it on it. RHA is planning to present the budget to the Operations Committee on Monday night.
“We give it to the Operations Committee first so they can take a more in-depth look at it,” RHA President Zack Folk said. “When it gets to Congress, the budget is more finished, and there is less of a need for the other two committees to spend as much time going through it. It makes sure that the process is effective but also efficient.”
RHA Speaker of Congress Lydia Harvengt said she hopes RHA Congress will engage actively in the approval process.
“I want them to make sure they have a lot of information and are asking questions and engaging in a good discussion with Matt so that they can make informed decisions,” Harvengt said.
Kalish, Folk and Harvengt were unanimous in their expectation that the budget would be approved.
“There has never been a budget that hasn’t been approved, and I don’t see why this year would be any different, especially because we have put so much effort into this budget and are trying to be as transparent as possible,” Folk said.
Because of changes to how student social fee revenues are distributed to floor and hall governments, RHA has about $8,000 more available to spend this year.
A large share of this money will go toward the filling of individual funding requests from students and organizations attempting to provide services or programming that will improve the experience of those living in the residence halls.
Money for this purpose is set aside in the legislative distribution fund, which is set to have its budget increased by about $2,000 if the proposed budget is passed without amendment.
“I am really excited about the fact that we will have more money to spend on funding those requests,” Harvengt said. “In the past we have received more requests than we could fill, and we are hoping that this year that won’t be as much of an issue.”
The newly formed RHA Programming Board will also receive a significant share of funding, according to the proposed budget.
“Our hope is that the programing board will use their money to put on a lot a great of events so that hall residents will feel they are getting something for their social fee and that it is being used responsibly and in a way that makes their experience
better,” Harvengt said.
The final budget will be available on the RHA website once it has been approved by the congress.