Beuchler elected RHA president
Carrie Wells
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: News
RHA Vice President Alex Beuchler was unanimously elected RHA president last night, after her challenger dropped out of the race last week.
Beuchler said she would energize students to advocate for more on-campus housing, work to eliminate required focus dates and promote communication between the Residence Halls Association and students - issues that have long been staples of presidential candidates' platforms. The 2006 race was the only contested election in the past six years.
With more upperclassmen forced to live off the campus and only one new dorm planned for the next three years, Beuchler said she would keep the university administration and the Board of Regents on their toes if they don't move quickly enough to propose new housing.
"If there's dead time when the administration isn't looking at new housing, we'll remind them," she said. A campaign to encourage students to lobby the regents, the 17 member board that sets university system policy, to fund new dorms is also a continuing goal.
"We want to get [the regents] to know who we are," Beuchler said. "We will get students' voice out there; make people aware of the opportunities they have to effect change."
Beuchler's original challenger, Resident Life committee chair Matt Verghese, said when he was nominated he was uncertain if he would be able to live on the campus next year due to a cut in his financial aid package, and ultimately decided to drop out of the race and endorse his opponent. Residence Halls Association presidents are required to live on-campus or in South Campus Commons or University Courtyards.
Verghese, who was the campaign manager for SGA president-elect Jonathan Sachs, said he has not decided whether or not he would pursue a cabinet-level position in the SGA.
Beuchler also said that she hoped to end mandatory focus dates by as early as next spring. However, she said she would keep them as informal benchmarks so that students can budget their money properly. According to Beuchler, focus dates have been derided by students for years and she said that "we shouldn't be telling them exactly how much they should spend."
Beuchler said she would energize students to advocate for more on-campus housing, work to eliminate required focus dates and promote communication between the Residence Halls Association and students - issues that have long been staples of presidential candidates' platforms. The 2006 race was the only contested election in the past six years.
With more upperclassmen forced to live off the campus and only one new dorm planned for the next three years, Beuchler said she would keep the university administration and the Board of Regents on their toes if they don't move quickly enough to propose new housing.
"If there's dead time when the administration isn't looking at new housing, we'll remind them," she said. A campaign to encourage students to lobby the regents, the 17 member board that sets university system policy, to fund new dorms is also a continuing goal.
"We want to get [the regents] to know who we are," Beuchler said. "We will get students' voice out there; make people aware of the opportunities they have to effect change."
Beuchler's original challenger, Resident Life committee chair Matt Verghese, said when he was nominated he was uncertain if he would be able to live on the campus next year due to a cut in his financial aid package, and ultimately decided to drop out of the race and endorse his opponent. Residence Halls Association presidents are required to live on-campus or in South Campus Commons or University Courtyards.
Verghese, who was the campaign manager for SGA president-elect Jonathan Sachs, said he has not decided whether or not he would pursue a cabinet-level position in the SGA.
Beuchler also said that she hoped to end mandatory focus dates by as early as next spring. However, she said she would keep them as informal benchmarks so that students can budget their money properly. According to Beuchler, focus dates have been derided by students for years and she said that "we shouldn't be telling them exactly how much they should spend."
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Uncle Rico
posted 4/23/08 @ 12:51 PM EST
To see focus dates disappear, finally...
...It almost brings a tear to your eye.
The 20-year reign of institutionalized theft is almost over. Let's pave a parking lot over its grave, to make sure it can't rise from the dead. (Continued…)
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