New Residence Halls Association and National Residence Hall Honorary members were sworn in and inducted, respectively, on Oct. 20.
The ceremony, held in the Satellite Student Union San Fernandeno Room, included a performance of CSUN’s alma mater and had about 45 people in attendance.
After the performance, Peter Gallego, RHA vice president for finance, spoke about several goals that RHA hopes to accomplish this year, centering on creating a better life for students living in student housing.
“It was a very rewarding event, and it was great,” he said.
NRHH members are recognized by nomination for the work they do on campus, specifically in the residence halls.
There were 15 students inducted into the NRHH: Gallego, Crystal Alforque, Bianca Magdaleno, Jasmin Young, Arturo Juarez Diaz, Bethany Tucker, Katherine Wormley, Kimberly Scheyving, Dylan Gunning, Christina Shapland, Taranika Echols, Julianna Varni, Sara Corps, Alicia Salazar, and Yolanda Vasquez.
The event also acted as a swearing-in ceremony for members of the various community councils and the RHA executive cabinet. The organizations also publicly recognized “Of the Month” award winners -usually students or employees from the dorms who go above and beyond what is expected of them – for September.
“I helped organize it, and I thought it turned out pretty well,” said Joseph Umana, an RHA building senator. “The attendance was much higher than I expected.”
Mark Solleza can be reached at city@sundial.csun.edu.
“Everything went smoothly, and it was a great atmosphere just being around my friends in an event like that,” said Marchaan Dotson, director of recognition for the Park West Community Council, one of four community branches of RHA.
There are still five building senator positions vacant, as well as one RHA executive position, the director of development and involvement.
“Right now, we’re working on internal issues,” Gallego said. “We’re trying to revise the constitution.”
“I foresee great changes for the better this semester. I’d like for the services of RHA to grow, and become more readily available.”
The organization is hoping to bring about a tutoring program to the dorms for residents, Gallego said. It is also planning to make things more convenient for students. (how?)
Other members of RHA gave their thoughts on several of RHA’s goals as well.
“I’d like to have a better sense of unity within the community this semester,” Umana said. “That way, people from out of state will have more friends and they’ll feel more relaxed within the environment. It’s better if everyone feels much closer with each other.”
One of the organization’s main goals is to get more information from the residents in housing to see what they would like in the community, Dotson said.
“We’d ask them questions like what events they want, or what sort of activities they would like during the semester,” Dotson said. “Basically, we want to know what they want and to let them know that they have a say in the events that will happen within the housing community.”
RHA is also collaborating with Associated Students this semester on the university’s recycling program, Gallego said.
“We’re hoping to make that more well known and spread the news about it,” he said.
“We’re doing the most we can, in bringing out more school spirit among both the communities of housing and the campus community overall,” Gallego said. “I believe that with the diverse members and leadership we have here in RHA, we can make things a lot better this semester.”
Mark Solleza can be reached at city@sundial.csun.edu.
