The Residence Halls Association elected political theory and constitutional democracy sophomore Mark Dobson as the organization's vice president Wednesday.
"I am ecstatic," said Dobson, the Wilson Hall representative for the Residence Halls Association, or RHA, soon after finding out he earned the spot. "I want to keep representing the residence halls as true as possible."
Dobson edged out history junior Valerie Erwin and humanities and pre-law sophomore Felicia Anderson for the position.
RHA president Kevin Newman said he was happy with all the candidates, adding that one of the most important roles of the vice president is to help the individual hall governments operate.
"They also serve as an important leader of RHA with implementation and generation of programs and services, as well as play an important role in advocating RHA's positions and in running general day-to-day operations," Newman said.
Dobson said he tried to be interactive with his remarks at the meeting.
"I felt that I really connected with people," Dobson said. "People saw a side of me they don't typically see."
He said he hopes to better unite the campus community as vice president.
"I also want to make sure student tax dollars are spent responsibly," Dobson said. "Regardless, they are spent on the students who pay them."
Dobson said Erwin and Anderson were qualified, and said before the election that RHA's general assembly had a difficult decision in front of it. Erwin is RHA's Michigan organizations communications coordinator and Anderson is the RHA representative for the Brody Residents in Great Harmony Together, or BRIGHT.
Erwin said she has been involved in RHA for three years and, although she doesn't know what her exact role will be in the organization next semester, losing the position will not deter her.
"No matter what happens, RHA has been my home on campus for three years, and I can't imagine not serving in some role on RHA for my final year at State," Erwin said.
RHA President-elect Lindsay Palinsky said next year is going to be a good year.
"We're definitely going to be a family and a team," Palinsky said.
Anderson said she would have added communication and diversity to RHA as vice president, but even though she wasn't elected, she wants to come back as a representative.
