Keeping the peace in RHO
Written by Christopher Guinn, Sep 27, 2011, 0 Comments
The difference between dorms and a residence hall is the difference between a place to sleep and a community, said members of the Residence Hall Association.
The association, which has a limited budget and undefined enforcement power, encourages good citizenship in RHO through events, advocacy of resident issues and simple peer pressure.
A community is more than just living together, said sophomore Steve Goodwin, an officer of the association.
“A community is a shared experience,” he said.
Living together makes community building easier, said sophomore Allan Pinkerton, the association’s treasurer.
“You’re really close to all your classmates,” he said. “For example, being able to seek out a classmate at odd hours to get assistance with a problem … helps really bond a family.”
Small problems do occur, however, and the association, with the help of RAs, quickly and calmly tries to solve them.
When residents started finding bags of trash in the halls and stairwells, Pinkerton, playing the role of the good cop, took it to the group’s Facebook page: “Please do us all a favor and keep this Resident Hall sanitary and as clean as possible please. Thank you,” he said on the Facebook page.
Goodwin soon followed and wrote that the perpetrator, if caught, would face fines and other punishments. He also appealed to a shared responsibility: “This affects other students, can lead to infestations and increase general filth,” he said on the page.
Later in the day Goodwin posted a photo of a non-RHO resident, Bill Milazzo, throwing away the bag of trash. “If he can do this out of goodness, you can do this because you should!” he said along with the photo.
Pinkerton and Goodwin said they aren’t interested in being anybody’s parent, and encourage residents to simply take responsibility.
For their efforts, the problem ceased soon after.
It might seem minor, but trivial problems can quickly become “a community breaker,” Goodwin said.
The RHO community is built on collaboration and school spirit, Pinkerton said. When problems arise the association is learning to deal with them as they go along. “We’re kind of in baby steps,” he said.
The main goal is fostering a community spirit, Goodwin said. Welcome Week, ice cream socials and “ladies’ rant night” are “real community builders,” he said.
The association also acts as an advocate for residents. Currently they are trying to get a change machine and new washers and dryers installed in RHO.
The association is still trying to figure out how to get funding for projects, but can lobby SG for grants to pay for events, like an upcoming Halloween costume party. They also run a weekly bake sale on Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For October, which is Breast Cancer Research Month, the association is taking part in the Yoplait yogurt “Save Lids to Save Lives” campaign that donates 10 cents to breast cancer research for every yogurt lid collected. Each floor will compete for top bragging rights, and possibly a prize, Pinkerton said.
Every other Tuesday the Residence Hall Association holds public meetings for residents.
“Make your voices heard,” Pinkerton said.
The group is always looking for ideas from residents, he said. The next public meeting is on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Steve Goodwin
