Organization Spotlight: RHA

The Arkansas Tech Residence Hall Association (RHA) has already hit the ground running this semester, and they are just getting started.

This student-led organization serves as a liaison between students and administrators to facilitate changes that fit an evolving student body and help resolve issues that develop in campus housing.

RHA, celebrating its 10 year anniversary this fall, is comprised of students who live in campus housing. Living on campus automatically makes a student a member. Twelve active hall governments plan programs for individual halls and represent students at RHA meetings.

As a programming board for the residence halls, RHA puts their time and effort into some of the most anticipated and most-attended events on campus, such as Tech Idol, Battle of the Halls and Crazy Hall Crawl.

RHA starts the year by welcoming freshmen with The Price is Right, which is also held last night for all students to compete and play for a new bike, 32” LCD HDTV, Wii, XBOX Kinect and many other prizes. A few weeks into the fall semester, residents have the opportunity to bond with their neighbors at the Crazy Hall Crawl. To wind down the semester, Midnight Jam gives students a chance to take a break from studying on Reading Day to play games and have fun.

The next RHA program is Black Light Casino Night Tuesday, Feb.8 in the Young Game Room.  There will be traditional casino card games, an Oxygen bar, and an opportunity to win big prizes. After the premiere of Casino Night last year, it is back by popular demand.

The biggest event of the semester is Battle of the Halls. Gwen Young, faculty liaison for RHA, said “Hall governments are already gearing up for the craziness that ensues.” She is referring to kickball games, a competition for the craziest dive, quiz bowl, hall beautification efforts, and much more packed into one week of fun competition. April 11 marks the opening day of Battle of the Halls.

“The best part of working with RHA is feeling the enthusiasm from the students. Participation in RHA is completely voluntary and the students who choose to step up and give direction to our programs really have a desire to improve our University. Like any student group, you’re only as good as your leaders. And we’ve been very fortunate to have such dedicated, driven leaders in RHA,” said Young.

To get involved in your hall government, contact your resident assistant or resident director for more information. To learn more about RHA, all residents are invited to RHA General Board meetings at 4 p.m. on Mondays in the Doc Bryan Lecture Hall.

RHA would love to hear from students. To submit questions, comments or ideas to RHA e-mail rha@atu.edu. They can also be found on Facebook by searching “Arkansas Tech Residence Hall Association.”