In a given weekly meeting, the members of the Residence Halls Association vote on three or four bills. This week, the total came to 14.
"I couldn't tell you if that's a record, but it's certainly unusual," RHA President Derek Wallbank said. The bills, with all the debate that surrounded them, took about four hours to consider. All but one of the bills passed.
A main focus of the meeting was to allocate money to student groups. Representatives of four groups came to the meeting requesting money from the General Assembly fund. The fund is taken from the $21 RHA tax collected each semester and is designated for funding programs of student groups.
Bailey Hall Student Government asked for $100 to put on a casino night in the hall. The government used $6,000 of its $8,000 budget to fund the event. Since the organization used so much of its own money, which also originated from the RHA tax, the assembly was quick to support the request in full.
The Asian Pacific American Student Organization requested $2,000 for its heritage month. Although an amendment was introduced to drop the amount to $1,000, the measure failed and APASO got everything it asked for.
"There were some dissenters, and their reasoning was good," APASO Co-President R.J. Quiambao said of the amendment. "I think it was nice that, as a whole, the assembly really appreciated what we're trying to do." Quiambao said the money will go toward programs that have already taken place: the Asians in Rock Tour and a screening of the movie "Lumpia."
Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. also presented a request for funds. Originally, the bill showed a request of about $1,609, but in light of recent fund-raising, they changed the amount to $1,100. Since it would have put the sorority over spending estimates, the assembly amended the bill to $500 and passed it.
The biggest source of funding controversy came from the Women in Business Student Association. They requested $2,000 from the assembly to fund an end-of-the-year event, which includes a dinner, dancing and networking opportunities for minority business students.
Assembly members were critical of the event. Budget committee chair and Holmes Hall representative Mike Playford said the committee was deceived when the group brought its proposal, saying he was under the impression it would be a networking event, not just dinner and dancing.
Eventually, the assembly reduced the amount to $500. At this point, about $3,500 remains of the $10,000 allocated to the fund.
"I think (the assembly) did what was best for RHA. We're just fortunate to receive any money," group Treasurer Jessica Boyk said. The total budget for the event is $5,700, and so far, the group has raised about $3,500.
RHA Director of Racial Ethnic and Progressive Affairs and president-elect Ernest Drake said it's the assembly's job to carefully assess what money it gives out.
"I think the assembly was doing its job making sure these programs benefit students," he said.
