Members of the Residence Halls Association's General Assembly made major changes to the organization's constitution and bylaws at their meeting Wednesday.

Eight amendments were approved by the assembly in a unanimous vote on the constitution as a whole.

The two biggest changes to the constitution were the amendment to RHA's non-discrimination clause and the restructuring of the Executive Board that resulted in the loss of two positions.

In the non-discrimination clause, the word "handicap" was changed to "disability status." Also, the phrase "gender identity, characteristics, expression, size or veteran status" was changed to "gender identity/characteristics/expression."

Gender characteristics are physical traits of one gender expressed by a member of the other. Gender expression is defined as habits characteristic of one gender expressed by a member of the other.

"It's about the idea of how you present your gender to the world, and how the world perceives your gender," said Jon Hoadley, women's studies and social relations junior and member of the Alliance of Lesbian, Bi, Gay and Transgender Students.

Journalism sophomore Amy Payne, RHA's Women's Council representative, said the association is required to have a non-discrimination clause at least on a par with the university's.

"We're just trying to be more progressive, so to speak," Payne said.

The other major amendment to RHA's constitution reformed the Executive Board. General Assembly members voted to merge four board positions into two. The internal vice president, external vice president, director of human resources and director of programs now will be replaced by a vice president and a chief of staff.

"It made so much sense, we couldn't help but do it," RHA President Derek Wallbank said. He explained the transition will save RHA more than $8,000 a semester in payroll.

The board members currently in these positions will serve the remainder of their terms, which last until the end of spring semester.

RHA Internal Vice President Tom Edwards said the next step is making the ratification of amendments official, by having individual hall governments approve them. Two-thirds, or 16 of the 23 governments, must approve an amendment for it to be ratified.

In contrast, ASMSU, MSU's undergraduate student government, does a "full online referendum" to amend its constitution, in which any student can vote.