Constitution of the Residence Hall Association of the. University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point

Transcription

1 Constitution of the Residence Hall Association of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Last update of the RHA Constitution: April 2014

2 Article I Name Section 1 Name The name of this organization shall be the Residence Hall Association. Hereafter it shall be referred to as RHA. Section 2 Recognition This body is a recognized student organization and follows proper procedures of the Student Involvement and Employment Office. Section 3 RHA as a body will follow Roberts Rules of Order as interpreted by the President and approved by the assembly. Article II Purpose Section 1 The RHA is designed to: A. Serve as the representative body for the on-campus student population of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; B. Provide the residence hall community with non-alcoholic educational, cultural, and social programming; C. Promote campus activities and serve as an information source for the students and staff living in the residence halls; D. Provide an outlet for hall residents to gain leadership experience through membership; E. Recognize student leadership in the residence hall system through membership in the local chapter of the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH); F. Recognize student leadership and program excellence through awards presented by the RHA Recognition Committee; G. Review, formulate, and make recommendations of the housing policies of the Department of Residential Living in accordance with Wisconsin State Statuted 36.09(5). Article III Membership Section 1 Membership A. The RHA and Hall Governments shall not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, creed, ethnic background, age, sex, handicap, ancestry, national origin, political affiliation, gender identification, or sexual orientation. B. Membership to the RHA General Assembly shall consist of the Hall President(s) and selected or elected representative(s) from each residence hall, hereafter referred to as RHA Delegates, representative(s) from Community Housing Council (CHC), representative(s) from the Student Government Association (SGA), and representative(s) from Centertainment Productions. i. All RHA Delegates shall be given voting rights if they fulfill all duties and responsibilities as outlined in Article IV, Section 11 RHA Delegates. ii. The CHC representative(s) shall be given one voting right to represent the voice of residence hall staff in decisions regarding policy recommendations and programs.

3 iii. Any representative from a non-residence hall organization shall act as an informational liaison between RHA and their respective organization and therefore will not be given voting rights. C. All RHA Delegates shall be assigned to a minimum of one standing committee. D. At-large students who wish to serve on any standing committee of RHA may do so without receiving any benefits or responsibilities of membership as outlines in this constitution. Section 2 Selection A. The Executive Board shall be selected through an interviewing process in the spring preceding the term of office. B. The RHA Delegates shall be selected by each residence hall. Each Hall Government is responsible for deciding upon the selection or election process for their delegates. C. Executive Board members may not serve as a RHA Delegate simultaneously. D. The National Residence Hall Honorary Representative for RHA shall be selected through their normal selection process. Section 3 Vacancy A. If a vacancy occurs during a term, the respective hall will elect or select a new RHA Delegate. B. Executive Board vacancies will be filled by a selection process as deemed necessary by the Executive Board. Section 4 Qualifications All Executive Board members must: A. Be a registered student at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; B. Be living in a residence hall during the term of office; C. Have lived in the halls for two semesters; D. Have an overall Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.5 and maintain a GPA of 2.5 throughout the term of office; E. Be interested in gaining experience in residence hall organizations; F. Be interested in gaining experience in planning programs and/or other activities. Article IV RHA Structure Section 1 Duties and Powers of the Executive Board A. The term of office for the RHA Executive Board shall be approximately one year, beginning May 1 st going through the end of the following academic year. B. There will be no limit placed upon the number of selected terms one may serve. C. If newly selected Executive Board members are currently living off campus or studying abroad when the contract begins, they must begin residency on campus at the beginning of the following academic year. D. The duties and powers of the Executive Board are to: i. Assist in facilitating the direction and investigation of residence hall concerns by the RHA membership; ii. Meet weekly to discuss organizational business; iii. Review all reports which shall be brought before the membership; iv. Cast a tie-breaking vote at the General Assembly meetings when necessary, performed by the President of RHA; v. Maintain accurate and up-to-date records;

4 vi. Make decisions deemed an emergency pertaining to policy, programming, executive personnel, and finances in the absence of the RHA voting membership (which is to be presented and discussed at the next convening of the General Assembly); vii. Recommend, for approval by the membership, the establishment of any special committee of RHA; viii. Follow through with the transition of new officers through the end of the academic semester; ix. Attempt to attend any Leadership Training Workshops presented by Residential Living; x. Attend all RHA Executive Board and General Assembly meetings; xi. Select the Delegate of the Month; xii. Approve all co-sponsorships done by RHA two weeks prior to the event; xiii. Attend leadership conferences to gain more insight on programs to put on for the residents; xiv. Be authorized to drive state vehicles (optional); xv. Be required to serve on one committee outside of RHA, not to be included in office hours, if appointed by the President; xvi. Keep the RHA office open Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 am to 5 pm, Tuesday from 9 am to 4 pm, and Friday from 9 am to 2 pm unless changes need to be made due to conflicting Executive Board members schedules with classes. If changes are necessary, the Executive Board will determine them that semester. a. Executive Board will schedule office hours at the beginning of each semester. b. All Executive Board members shall complete the office hours as specified in the respective position descriptions. c. If the total number of office hours per week are not completed, the Executive Board member shall forfeit voting rights until the hours are completed. xvii. Approve any expenditure is going to threaten a budget. a. If an expenditure is over half of a current budget, but does not threated the budget, then that expenditure needs to be discussed with the Executive Board. xviii. Return to campus early each semester and participate in all RHA Executive Board training sessions, as well as any centralized training for the residence hall governments and staffs. xix. Model positive behaviors appropriate to a University community and behave in a manner consistent with all rules and regulations expected of all students and employees of the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. xx. Be held accountable for the mailbox and safe key. xxi. Set up a social event for General Assembly, Executive Board, or both (optional). Section 2 Transitioning Executive Board Voting Procedures A. Outgoing Executive Board members shall have voting rights in Executive Board meetings until the expiration of their contract. B. Incoming Executive Board members shall not have voting rights in Executive Board meetings until the start date of their contract. C. Any RHA Delegate transitioning into an Executive Board position shall be responsible for finding an appropriate proxy for voting purposes in General Assembly after the start date of their contract. Section 3 President The specific duties and responsibilities of the RHA President are to: A. Appoint representation for the on-campus student body at any gathering where information pertaining to Residential Living may be gained, and to keep RHA informed of such information.

5 B. Create a list of committees which require representation from RHA for Executive Board. That would include the following: Environmental Health and Safety Committee (EHS), University Centers Advisory and Policy Board (UCAPB), and Student Government Association (SGA). C. Facilitate all weekly RHA Executive Board and General Assembly meetings. D. Facilitate all weekly meetings of the Policies and Facilities Committee (PFC), unless deemed unnecessary E. Facilitate all meetings of the Executive Board Constitution Review Committee. F. Supervise or delegate any special committees that may be formed within RHA. G. Temporarily appoint any vacant position within the RHA Executive Board. H. Familiarize the RHA Executive Board and General Assembly with the structure of RHA. I. Act as an authority to interpret the RHA Constitution on behalf of the membership, and to enforce that constitution at all times. J. Cast a tie-breaking vote in the RHA Executive Board and General Assembly meetings. K. Meet weekly with the RHA Advisor. L. Meet with Executive Board members as deemed necessary. M. Maintain an up-to-date record of ratified hall constitutions turned in by September 30 th of every academic year. i. Failure to turn in a ratified constitution will result in a suspension of voting privileges for the said hall at General Assembly meetings until turned in; ii. A roll call vote will then be required until a copy of the ratified constitution is turned in by the said hall. N. Present one leadership program during the fall or spring housing training conference. O. Meet with Assistant Director of Administrative Services and RHA Administrative Budget Coordinator to review proposed Residential Living Budget in the beginning of second semester. P. Commit an average of 10 hours per week to the position, eight of which must be held in the RHA office. RHA General Assembly and RHA Executive Board Meetings can count as one office hour each. Additional hours may be required as needed each week. Additional hours may include but are not limited to phone calls, s, RHA program attendance, one-on-ones, and committee work. Q. Keep up-to-date records of committee attendance in the committee attendance log. Section 4 Vice President and Public Relations Coordinator The specific duties and responsibilities of the RHA Vice President and Public Relations Coordinator are to: A. Carry out the duties of the President in case of absence. B. Carry out any responsibilities which the President delegates as duties of the Vice President and Public Relations Coordinator. C. Enthusiastically promote RHA as a prominent campus organization. D. Facilitate weekly meetings of the Publicity Committee unless deemed unnecessary. E. Keep up-to-date records of committee attendance in the committee attendance log. F. Energetically promote RHA programs as requested by members of RHA. G. Ensure that the following forms of publicity are used when appropriate: i. Fliers ii. Daily Ads iii. The Pointer iv. Banners v. Message Centers vi. Campus Activities vii. Master Calendar viii. Concourse Booths ix. 90 FM

6 x. STV H. Coordinate any other publicity related offers. I. Evaluate all promotions produced by the standing committees when necessary. J. Coordinate and edit the Hall Street Journal twice each semester. K. Keep all RHA related showcases up to date. L. Prepare school displays for Campus Preview days, Involvement Fairs, and similar campus organized events. M. Make RHA aware of other programs on the Master Calendar. N. Coordinate, with necessary chairpersons, all RHA selection processes. O. Serve as a liaison to the Policy and Advisory Committee for Student Organizations (PACSO) unless circumstances make this difficult. In that case another Executive Board Member will report to PACSO. P. Meet with the RHA Advisor and President as deemed necessary. Q. Commit an average of 10 hours per week to the position, eight of which must be held in the RHA office. RHA General Assembly and RHA Executive Board Meetings can count as one office hour each. Additional hours may be required as needed each week. Additional hours may include but are not limited to phone calls, s, RHA program attendance, one-on-ones, and committee work. R. Keep the RHA website up-to-date. Section 5 Administrative Budget Coordinator (ABC) The specific duties and responsibilities of the RHA ABC are to: A. Be responsible for all monetary transactions involving the RHA budget, including: i. Becoming familiar with the budgetary procedures of the Purchasing, Accounts Payable and Receivable, General Ledgers, and Payroll Offices. ii. iii. Promptly and accurately processing of all RHA billing transactions. Keeping accurate and up-to-date records of all RHA budgeted areas on disk using the computer software Microsoft Excel. B. Give an up-to-date budget report at RHA Executive Board meetings when deemed necessary by the RHA ABC or when requested by another Executive Board member or Advisor. C. Maintain a listing of RHA members who have access to the RHA State Account. D. Be responsible for access to the SFO account. E. Educate the RHA General Assembly about the RHA budget. F. Present a proposed budget to RHA Executive Board. G. Meet with Executive Board members with a budget at least once per semester and as needed to reconcile monetary differences. H. Meet with Assistant Director of Administration Services and RHA President to review proposed Residential Living Budget in the beginning of the second semester. I. Record on computer disk, publish, and distribute minutes for RHA General Assembly meetings within one week of the meetings. Minutes are distributed to: i. Director of Residential Living ii. Director of Rights and Responsibilities iii. Assistant Director for Building Services iv. Assistant Director for Business Operations v. Housing Assignments Coordinator vi. Each Residence Hall Director vii. Each RHA Executive Board member viii. The Executive Board and General Assembly files ix. Each RHA Delegate x. Executive Director of Student Development and University Centers

7 xi. President of Student Government Association xii. Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs J. Record on a flash drive, publish, and distribute minutes for RHA Executive Board meetings within one week of the meeting. Minutes will be distributed to: i. Each RHA Executive Board member ii. Each Residence Hall Director iii. Director of Residential Living iv. Current RHA Advisors v. Residential Living Central Staff vi. Chancellor of UWSP vii. Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs K. Maintain an accurate and up-to-date roster of the RHA membership. L. Take attendance at RHA Executive Board and General Assembly meetings, and enforcing the Attendance Policy as stated in the RHA Constitution. M. Provide a committee attendance log for all committees in a specified location. N. Establish a place for RHA members to record their weekly office hours. O. Coordinate the orientation of RHA Delegates to the RHA office and to how RHA runs. P. Serve as a liaison to the Segregated University Fee Allocation Committee (SUFAC) unless circumstances make this difficult. In that case another Executive Board member will report to SUFAC. Q. Review the minutes in order to provide a list of issues to be discussed as revision to the constitution at the Executive Board Constitution Review. R. Maintain an accessible General Information filing system for the RHA office, including space for the chairpersons to check their budgets. S. Commit an average of 10 hours per week to the position, eight of which must be held in the RHA office. RHA General Assembly and RHA Executive Board Meetings can count as one office hour each. Additional hours may be required as needed each week. Additional hours may include but are not limited to phone calls, s, RHA program attendance, one-on-ones, and committee work. Section 6 National/Wisconsin Communications Coordinator (NCC/WCC) The specific duties and responsibilities of the RHA NCC/WCC are to: A. Organize delegations to attend the Wisconsin United Residence Hall Association (WURHA), Great Lakes Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (GLACURH), and National Affiliate of Colleges and University Residence Halls (NACURH) conferences, including: i. Informing all delegates of all activities prior to the conference. ii. Making necessary travel arrangements. iii. Providing written evaluations of all conferences for files. B. Attend the WURHA, GLACURH, NACURH, Bringing Leaders Together (BLT), NO FRILLS, and French Dip (Transitional NCC Workshop conferences and meetings. C. Uphold all duties provided by the WURHA, GLACURH, and NACURH job descriptions; for further job description see Article IX, Section 7. D. Assist with philanthropy events for conferences. E. Serve as a voting member of the Recognition Committee and NRHH Of The Month (OTM) Selection subcommittee. F. Coordinate the bid process for WURHA, GLACURH, and NACURH recognition ( Program of the Year, School of the Year, Advisor of the Year, etc). G. Coordinate the Cornerstone Award, Delegate of the Year award, and Delegate of the Month award recognition. H. Nominate Service Pin Awards for: i. WURHA 2 year service pins and 4 year service pins.

8 ii. GLACURH 4 year service pins. iii. NACURH 4 year service pins. I. Meet with the President as deemed necessary. J. Meet with the Conference Advisor weekly, for three weeks prior to an upcoming conference, and as deemed necessary. K. Commit an average of 10 hours per week to the position, eight of which must be held in the RHA office. RHA General Assembly and RHA Executive Board Meetings can count as one office hour each. Additional hours may be required as needed each week. Additional hours may include but are not limited to phone calls, s, RHA program attendance, one-on-ones, and committee work. L. Coordinate Alumni and Friends of NACURH (AAFN) and Alumni and Friends of WURHA (AAFW) nomination processes. Section 7 Social and Contemporary Issues Chairperson The specific duties and responsibilities of the Social and Contemporary Issues Chairperson are to: A. Become familiar with the policies and procedures regarding major programming within the University and the educate others of these policies. B. Implement all RHA social and contemporary issues programs. C. Facilitate weekly meetings for the Social and Contemporary Issues Committee unless deemed unnecessary. D. Keep up-to-date records of committee attendance in the committee attendance log. E. Keep accurate and up-to-date records and evaluations of all social and contemporary issues programs. F. Produce a minimum of one social and contemporary issue program per month. G. Assist other standing committees in incorporating all social and contemporary issues aspects within their programs. H. Meet with the RHA Advisor and President as deemed necessary. I. Commit an average of 10 hours per week to the position, eight of which must be held in the RHA office. RHA General Assembly and RHA Executive Board Meetings can count as one office hour each. Additional hours may be required as needed each week. Additional hours may include but are not limited to phone calls, s, RHA program attendance, one-on-ones, and committee work. J. Serve as a liaison to the Sustainability Task Force (STF) unless circumstances make this difficult. In that case another Executive Board member will report to STF. Section 8 Special Events Chairperson The specific duties and responsibilities of the RHA Special Events Chairperson are to: A. Become familiar with the policies and procedures regarding major programming within the University and to educate others of these policies. B. Facilitate weekly meetings for the Special Events Committee unless deemed unnecessary. C. Keep up-to-date records of committee attendance in the committee attendance log. D. Implement all RHA Special Events, four per semester, including Welcome Back Dance, Family Day, Homecoming Dance, Siblings Weekend, and Spring Fest. E. Maintain accurate and up-to-date records and evaluations of all special events programs. F. Meet with the RHA Advisor and President as deemed necessary. G. Commit an average of 10 hours per week to the position, eight of which must be held in the RHA office. RHA General Assembly and RHA Executive Board Meetings can count as one office hour each. Additional hours may be required as needed each week. Additional hours may include but

9 are not limited to phone calls, s, RHA program attendance, one-on-ones, and committee work. Section 9 Fundraising Chairperson The specific duties and responsibilities of the RHA Fundraising Chairperson are to: A. Facilitate all fundraising for the RHA organization. B. Maintain accurate and up-to-date records and evaluations of all fundraising programs. C. Become familiar with the policies and procedures regarding fundraising with the University and educate others of these policies. D. Promote and implement a minimum of three RHA fundraisers per semester. E. Work with the NCC/WCC, NRHH/RHA Representative, and any other committees as needed on fundraising during the year. Any committees seeking financial assistance must actively participate during the duration of the fundraising process. F. Act as a fundraising resource for the individual Hall Governments. G. Attend the Residential Living Treasurer s Workshop, as needed. H. Facilitate weekly meetings for the Fundraising Committee unless deemed unnecessary. I. Keep up-to-date records of committee attendance in the committee attendance log. J. Meet with the RHA Advisor and President as deemed necessary. K. Commit an average of 10 hours per week to the position, eight of which must be held in the RHA office. RHA General Assembly and RHA Executive Board Meetings can count as one office hour each. Additional hours may be required as needed each week. Additional hours may include but are not limited to phone calls, s, RHA program attendance, one-on-ones, and committee work. Section 10 National Residence Hall Honorary/Residence Hall Association (NRHH/RHA) Representative The specific duties and responsibilities of the NRHH/RHA Representative that pertain to RHA are to: A. Attend and vote at all RHA Executive Board meetings. B. Attend all RHA General Assembly meetings. C. Serve as a liaison between RHA and NRHH. D. Maintain one office hour per week, to be consistent with NRHH Constitution. E. Meet with RHA Advisor as deemed necessary. Section 11 RHA Delegates The specific duties and responsibilities of the RHA Delegates are to: A. Serve as a liaison between RHA and the Hall Governments as Executive Board members of those Hall Governments. B. Attend all RHA General Assembly meetings and any other meetings pertaining to their positions and inform the ABC or their committee chair if unable to attend. C. Participate in and help plan RHA activities by serving on a minimum of one RHA standing committee, and other committees as needed. D. Submit a ratified Hall Constitution to the RHA Executive Board by September 30 th of every academic year. i. Failure to submit a ratified Hall Constitution by said date will result in a forfeit of voting privileges at the General Assembly until one is turned in. E. Publicize and organize RHA events within the residence hall and university communities. F. Report all hall programming and activities to RHA. G. Vote on recommendations made by the Executive Board and RHA committes. Co-Presidents or co-rha Delegates will share one vote, giving each hall two votes total. H. Check mailboxes either immediately before or after General Assembly and one other time during the week.

10 I. Discuss and offer feedback on emergency decisions made by the Executive Board. J. Be responsible for finding proper representation from their hall if they are unable to attend General Assembly. K. Maintain one office hour for every General Assembly meeting held with the exception of co- RHA Delegates, who will each serve 30 minutes for each week. Assistance with any RHA activity may be counted as an office hour as determined by the Executive Board. An Executive Board member must initial all office hours. L. Receive feedback from residents from their respective residence hall on issues being discussed in General Assembly. M. Present concerns in their hall by completing one feedback hour per month that is most conducive to that RHA Delegate s hall. The feedback hour shall not be spend in leadership/hall government meetings or while working front desk. The Residence Hall Director or Assistant to the Director shall sign an accountability slip certifying that the RHA Delegate has complied with this requirement. Section 12 Standing Committees A. RHA Delegates who miss two committee meetings without notifying the committee chair will lose General Assembly voting privileges until equivalent office hours are completed. B. Social and Contemporary Issues Committee i. The purpose of the Social and Contemporary Issues Committee is to coordinate programs that provide social and contemporary issue opportunities for students, faculty, and staff of the University community. The members of the Social and Contemporary Issues Committee will work with the Vice President and Public Relations Coordinator to produce promotions for programs. C. Special Events Committee i. The purpose of the Special Events Committee is to coordinate special events and to assist other committees in implementing special arrangements (comedians, bands, etc.). The members of the Special Events Committee will work with the Vice President and Public Relations Coordinator to produce promotions for programs. D. Publicity Committee i. The purpose of the Publicity Committee is to coordinate all publicity for the RHA standing committees. E. Fundraising Committee i. The purpose of the Fundraising Committee is to coordinate fundraisers to supplement the RHA budget and to assist other committees in fundraising endeavors. F. Policies and Facilities Committee i. The purpose of the Policies and Facilities Committee is to discuss, review, formulate, and make recommendations on policies, procedures, and facilities, which pertain to resident students and the residence hall community at UWSP. G. Recognition Committee i. The purpose of the Recognition Committee will be to provide periodic recognition of hall leaders, excellent programming, and all OTM awards. In addition, this committee will forward campus winners on to the regional level. The committee will consist of three NRHH members, the NCC/WCC for RHA, and two RHA Delegates. Section 13 Executive Board Constitution Review Committee A. The purpose and responsibilities of the Executive Board Constitution Review Committee are: i. To consist of all members of the RHA Executive Board as well as incoming officers. ii. To meet in a special Executive Board Constitution Review meeting, not the currently defined Executive Board meeting time, unless deemed unnecessary.

11 iii. Review once per year the entire RHA Constitution and submit any appropriate recommendations for changes deemed necessary, prior to April 1. iv. Receive, discuss, and make constitutional recommendations on issues, which are derived by the RHA membership, or resident student populations of UWSP. Any General Assembly member can submit proposed changes if done so before April 1. v. All members, except the Chairperson, shall have voting rights. The Chairperson shall vote in the case of a tie. B. Upon acceptance and ratification of any proposed changes by the Constitution Review Committee the proposed changes will then by presented to the RHA General Assembly. C. A delegate transitioning into the Executive Board will have a vote in the Executive Board Constitutional Review Committee and must send a proxy from their hall to General Assembly. Section 14 Selection Committee A. The Selection Committee shall be chosen within one week of the opening of the application process. B. The Selection Committee shall be organized by the Vice President and Public Relations Coordinator. If the Vice President and Public Relations Coordinator is reapplying for Executive Board, this responsibility must be delegated to another Executive Board member that is neither on selection committee nor reapplying for Executive Board. If there is no such Executive Board member available, this responsibility will be delegated to any person within RHA who fits the above criteria at the discretion of a majority vote of the Executive Board. C. The Selection Committee shall consist of five members total with representation from Executive Board and General Assembly. There shall be no more than three members of Executive Board serving on the Selection Committee. D. An RHA Advisor shall be present within the interview group during the selection process. The Advisor s responsibilities shall be to maintain adherence to fair and objective interview procedures and to provide appropriate feedback on any candidates. The Advisor shall have no voting rights. E. No one interviewing for a position on the RHA Executive Board will be eligible to serve on the Selection Committee. F. The members of the Selection Committee shall be required to attend a training session prior to the selection process to be implemented by the RHA Advisor. G. Each member of the Selection Committee shall be required to become familiar with all of the applications prior to the interviewing process. All applications shall be made available to the RHA Advisor to verify grade point averages and conduct standing. H. Members of the Selection Committee cannot write a letter of recommendation for RHA Executive Board candidates. Section 15 Advisors The specific duties and responsibilities of the RHA Advisor(s) are to: A. Attend and advise all RHA Executive Board General Assembly meetings. B. Meet individually with the Executive Board members as indicated in their job descriptions. C. Assess the needs of, and actively and appropriately advise the RHA membership and its affiliates (e.g. NRHH, WURHA, GLACURH, and NACURH). D. Appoint special advisors to RHA as deemed necessary (e.g. Assistant Advisor, NACURH Special Advisor, and Student Advisor). E. As the ultimate authorizing person to spending monies from the allocated RHA budget, the Advisor shall keep track of all transactions that take place until the incoming ABC is present in the fall semester.

12 ARTICLE V MEETINGS Section 1 Regular Meetings A. The RHA Executive Board and General Assembly shall have regular, weekly meetings while classes are in session throughout the academic year. The RHA President is responsible for calling the first meeting of the Executive Board and the General Assembly. Section 2 Special Meetings A. Special meetings of RHA may be called by any RHA member at any time. The purpose of this meeting shall be stated when the meeting is called. Section 3 Visitors A. In concordance with the Open Meeting Law, all RHA meetings shall be open to visitors. Visitors may speak only when they are recognized by the person facilitating the meeting. Section 4 Voting The procedure for voting at all RHA meetings shall be as follows: A. Each voting member shall have one vote. Co-Presidents or co-rha Delegates share one vote, giving each hall a total of two votes. B. Voting shall be done either by voice vote or a hand vote when deemed necessary. A secret ballot may be requested by a voting member. C. A roll call vote may be called by any voting member of RHA. A roll call vote requires that a two-thirds majority is present. A roll call vote is deemed necessary with a suspension of voting privileges. D. A division may be called by any voting member of RHA. A division requires a hand vote to be taken by the President. E. No voting shall take place unless a quorum is present. F. If office hours are not completed, then voting privileges are suspended until said hours are completed. Section 5 Quorum A. A quorum for the RHA Executive Board meeting shall be five-sevenths of the eligible Executive Board membership. B. A quorum for the General Assembly shall be three-fourths of the eligible voting membership. C. If voting membership is less than fifty percent of the total membership, quorum has not been reached. ARTICLE VI FINANCES Section 1 Residence Hall Association Budget A. The RHA budget shall be an annual part of the budget for the Department of Residential Living at UWSP. B. The total RHA budget shall be determined each year as set forth in the RHA Constitution. This budget allocation shall reflect a specific allotment of the total allocation per on-campus student distributed to the RHA and Hall Governments. C. The RHA budget is a programming revenue specifically for resident students. Any changes in the procedures or allocations of that budget must be initiated by the RHA ABC and approved by a two-thirds vote of the RHA Executive Board. D. The RHA budget must be allocated equally per resident student for each hall.

13 E. The allocation amounts per resident student for the succeeding fiscal year shall be established prior to the end of the current term of office. F. Upon the request for financial assistance by any member of the Executive Board, the Executive Board member at hand will present both the need for funds under consideration for their discussion and feedback with two-thirds vote of approval. Section 2 Committee Finances A. Standing committees of RHA shall submit a budget request for the succeeding fiscal year to the RHA ABC by the time the current ABC specifies. Section 3 Honoraria A. RHA Executive Board positions are not intended to be positions of employment or positions which are to be paid an hourly wage. Instead they are to be seen as leadership opportunities. Therefore, it has been a decision of RHA and Residential Living to subsidize the cost of a single occupancy room and a small stipend in honor of the contribution made by the Executive Board. All Executive Board members except for the NRHH Representative shall receive an annual room subsidy from the Department of Residential Living for the academic year when halls are open. B. RHA s contribution to this honoraria is taken from the allocated budget for the current fiscal academic year. Section 4 Defunct A. All funds shall be returned to the Department of Residential Living for equal distribution among all recognized residence hall governments in the event that the RHA becomes defunct. ARTICLE VII AMENDMENTS Section 1 A. The process for amending the RHA Constitution outside of Constitutional Review shall be as follows: i. Proposed amendments to any part of the RHA Constitution shall be accepted by the Executive Board in original form for consideration by majority vote of those present and voting. ii. Upon acceptance for consideration, proposed amendments shall be available for review in the RHA Office for one week prior to the debate by General Assembly. iii. All proposed amendments must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Executive Board and two-thirds of the General Assembly to become a part of the RHA Constitution. ARTICLE VIII PROCEDURES Section 1 Selection Process A. The initial timeline for the selection process shall be set by the Vice President and Public Relations Coordinator, and any additional selection activities will be determined by the Selection Committee. B. The applicant is required to participate in at least one interview. C. Applicants applying for more than one position will be required to go through one base interview. D. The interviews shall be approximately thirty minutes. Extra time is allowed on discretion of the Selection Committee. E. Upon completion of the interviewing process, the Selection Committee shall meet to discuss each applicant for the positions.

14 F. Each member of the Selection Committee shall have one vote. G. Applicants must receive a majority vote in order to be selected. If no applicant receives a majority vote the committee shall: i. Re-evaluate and re-vote on all candidates until one candidate receives a majority vote, ii. Determine by a majority vote that the applicants have not sustained a satisfactory iii. approval for the position, or Determine that applications shall be reopened, including prior applicants and setting a new timeline. H. Once selected Vice President and Public Relations Coordinator, as Chair of the Selection Committee, shall notify applicants of the decisions. If the Vice President and Public Relations Coordinator is reapplying for a position(s), thy will be notified of their status by the Selection Committee and then proceed with notifications. Section 2 Recall and Dismissal A. RHA Executive Board and General Assembly Delegates are responsible for upholding this Constitution and conducting themselves in a responsible manner. i. Failure to do so will result in a warning letter from the RHA Advisor and may result in recall or dismissal from their position based on situational circumstances. B. Dismissal shall be effective upon approval by a two thirds majority vote of the RHA Executive Board, with an explanation and opportunity for feedback to the General Assembly. C. RHA Delegates may be recalled as determined by their respective Hall Government Constitutions. Section 3 Resignation of Executive Board Members A. All resignations shall be in writing and submitted to the RHA Executive Board. B. All resignations become effective upon the date designated by the person resigning unless recommended by the RHA Advisor. C. In the event that a written resignation is not received within a reasonable period of time, the Executive Board may declare the resignation immediate. Section 4 Delegation of Authority A. House naming i. RHA delegates the authority to the residence halls to approve the first step in the house naming process. ii. The Hall President and the Hall Director must provide their signature of approval on the house naming nomination form. iii. The Hall President must submit a copy of the approved nomination form to the RHA President for informational purposes. ARTICLE IX BY-LAWS Section 1 Definition A. For the purpose of this constitution, by-laws shall explain and define in detail certain components of the RHA Constitution Section 2 RHA Delegate attendance, office hours, and feedback hours A. Attendance at General Assembly and committee meetings by RHA Delegates, as well as completing office hours and feedback hours, is vital to ensure efficient and constructive communication between RHA and the residence halls. B. The RHA Executive Board determines acceptable office hours.

15 C. Hall Directors determine acceptable feedback hours. D. The ABC must be notified prior to a meeting if a RHA Delegate will miss a General Assembly meeting. A proxy must be found by the delegate to attend the missed meeting. A proxy needs to be present to account for one hall vote. Delegates will be allowed two excused and one unexcused absence per semester unless extenuating circumstances are determined. The ABC will decide if absences are excused or unexcused, and extenuating circumstances will be deemed appropriate in the same fashion. E. If a committee meeting is missed the committee chair must be notified. RHA Delegates will be allowed two excused and one unexcused absence per semester unless extenuating circumstances are determined. Committee chairs will decide if absences are excused or unexcused and extenuating circumstances will be deemed appropriate in the same fashion. Delegates who miss two committee meetings will lose General Assembly voting privileges until equivalent make up office hours are completed. F. Delegates are required to serve on office hour for every General Assembly meeting held with the exception of co-delegates, who will serve 30 minutes for each General Assembly meeting. G. Delegates are required to serve one feedback hour for each month designated by the ABC. H. If office hours, feedback hours, or make up office hours for missed committee meetings have not been completed by the end of the month, voting privileges will be suspended for the said delegate until the hours have been completed. Written notification shall be sent to the delegate at that time. I. If reinstatement of voting privileges has not been granted within four meetings after the suspension, a dismissal letter shall be sent to that delegate and their Hall Director. That hall shall be responsible for finding a new RHA Delegate. Section 3 Alcohol Policy A. RHA will not sponsor an event that serves alcoholic beverages. B. RHA will not promote underage drinking of hall residents. However, RHA will promote healthy choices for those of legal drinking age. Section 4 Co-Sponsorship A. RHA will not co-sponsor an event that serves or promotes alcoholic beverages. B. RHA will not co-sponsor an event that charges admission to hall residents. Section 5 Hall Street Journal A. The RHA Hall Street Journal is a quarterly periodical designed to provide insight into life on the UWSP campus. The Vice President and Public Relations Coordinator shall design this periodical in an appropriate fashion. Section 6 Information Regarding Conference Delegations A. WURHA, GLACURH, and NACURH conferences will be targeted to the following groups: i. RHA membership ii. Hall Governments iii. Hall Staff Members iv. Hall Directors v. NRHH Members vi. Any other hall residents who may benefit from the experience B. In order to be eligible for the WURHA and GLACURH conferences, an individual must be living in the residence halls during the semester in which the conferences occur. In order to be eligible for the NACURH conference, an individual who will be living in the residence halls the semester following the conference will be given preference in selection.

16 Section 7 NCC/WCC Conference Job Descriptions A. The expectations and responsibilities of the University of Wisconsin Stevens Point RHA National Communications Coordinator are to: i. Serve as the liaison between RHA, NACURH, GLACURH, and WURHA. ii. Organize and submit a research or resource report to the National Information Center (NIC) once per year. iii. Ensure that RHA takes advantage of all benefits and services offered by NACURH, GLACURH, and WURHA. iv. Coordinate attendance and serve as delegation chairperson of UWSP delegates before and during NACURH, GLACURH, and WURHA conferences. v. Coordinate attendance to No Frills, BLT, and French Dip conferences. vi. Coordinate and confirm the payment for reaffiliation. vii. Assist in the planning of all conferences by sharing ideas with the conference chairperson and staff. viii. ix. Be responsible for all pre-conference materials, arrangements, and communications. Give updated reports on NACURH, GLACURH, and/or WURHA at each meeting of RHA General Assembly and Executive Board. x. Transition RHA s new NCC/WCC efficiently and effectively. xi. xii. Inform the Regional Director of any change in status, be it a new NCC/WCC or a change in address or telephone information within two weeks of when they occur. Appoint an appropriate proxy if unable to attend any business meetings. Section 8 Award Criteria and Selection A. Delegate of the Month i. The name of this award shall be RHA Delegate of the Month ii. The Delegate of the Month shall be chosen at the last RHA Executive Board meeting of each month. iii. The NCC/WCC will facilitate the process and only vote in the event of a tie. iv. Each Executive Board member, excluding the NCC/WCC, will have the opportunity to nominate any RHA Delegate. Each nomination should include a brief statement of why the candidate deserves to be considered. v. Upon the closing of the nominations a secret ballot vote will be taken. The votes will be counted by one of the RHA Advisors present at the meeting. The RHA Advisor will then notify the NCC/WCC if he/she has to cast a tie-breaking vote. vi. Once the recipient is declared the NCC/WCC will be in charge of making the award certificate. At the next RHA General Assembly meeting the NCC/WCC will announce the Delegate of the Month and present the award during Other Business vii. There shall be a Delegate of the Month for September, October, November, December/January, February, March, and April for a total of seven awards each academic year. viii. Each Delegate of the Month is only eligible to receive that award once per academic year. B. Delegate of the Year i. The name of this award shall be RHA Delegate of the Year ii. All RHA Delegates who have served throughout the year are eligible for this award. iii. The process shall be conducted by the NCC/WCC unless he/she is a candidate. Then a designee of the RHA Executive Board shall facilitate the process. iv. A ballot will be made listing the current academic year s RHA Delegates. v. A write-in can be any individual who has served as an RHA Delegate during the current academic year.

17 vi. The voting will take place under Guest Report at the RHA General Assembly meeting and the ballots shall be distributed by the NCC/WCC. vii. Every RHA Executive Board member currently under contract and any RHA Delegate with current voting rights will be allowed to vote. viii. The RHA Advisor(s) shall collect the ballots and count the ballots. No voting delegate may leave the room until it is certain there is no tie. ix. A tie results in a re-vote of the parties involved by everyone who voted for the award. x. The RHA Advisor(s) will notify the NCC/WCC of the recipient and the NCC/WCC will take care of engraving of award. xi. The recipient shall be kept secret until the announcement is made by the NCC/WCC at the Spring Residential Living Appreciation Reception. C. The Cornerstone Award i. The name of this award shall be Cornerstone Award ii. This award shall be considered the most prestigious award given by the Residence Hall Association and the National Residence Hall Honorary. iii. The qualifications for a nominee shall be listed as follows: a. Exceptional contributor to the residence hall and RHA. b. Professionalism/expertise in field. c. Positive role model. d. Willing to give freely of their time. e. Supportive and helpful in decision making. f. Demonstrates initiative. g. Motivates others. h. Acts as a dependable reliable source. i. Maintains balance between student and administrative needs. iv. Eligible candidates are as follows: a. Residential Living professionals. b. Hall Staff and Government members. c. Student Organizations. d. University Centers professionals. e. RHA Executive Officers. f. UWSP Administration. g. Any other high caliber individual. v. The process shall be facilitated by the NCC/WCC. vi. Any hall resident or Residential Living staff member is permitted to nominate an eligible candidate. vii. The NCC/WCC will provide the nomination forms and a timeline for the process. The timeline should permit enough time to receive nominations, cast and tally votes, and have the engraving completed in time for the Spring Residential Living Appreciation Reception. viii. Each nomination should include a completed nomination form and a letter(s) of support for the nominee. ix. There is no limit to the number of letters of support that can be included, nor a restriction on who can write the letters of support for a candidate. x. Completed nominations shall be turned in to a place designated by the NCC/WCC. xi. Active NRHH members, RHA Delegates with current voting rights, and RHA Executive Board members currently under contract will be allowed to cast a vote. xii. After nominations are no longer accepted they shall be placed in an area to be thoroughly read by all eligible voters. xiii. In the event that an individual is a member of both NRHH and RHA, he/she will be only allowed to cast one vote. Advisors are not permitted a vote.

18 xiv. xv. xvi. xvii. xviii. xix. xx. A ballot will be made available to voting members after they have completed reading the nominations. At the end of the voting process, the votes shall be counted by the NCC/WCC under the supervision of at least one unbiased witness. The recipient shall be kept secret until the NRHH Spring Reception where the NCC/WCC shall present the award. In the event that the NCC/WCC is a nominee the NCC/WCC shall turn over the responsibility to an individual deemed unbiased by the RHA Executive Board. Advisors or individuals submitting a nomination or a letter of support or whom themselves are a nominee will not be considered unbiased. In the event of a tie, the NCC/WCC shall conduct a tiebreaker via means he/she and the RHA Advisor deem suitable while keeping the time remaining before the reception in consideration. All individuals who cast a vote for the Cornerstone Award shall be permitted to vote for the tiebreaker. If an eligible individual for the Cornerstone Award did not vote for the award, he or she will not be permitted to vote in a tiebreaker situation. In the event of no Cornerstone Award nominations or in the event that the nominated candidates do not fit the qualifications of the award, the award need not be awarded. Section 9 USA Today Readership Program Student Representative A. Shall be a current Executive Board member. B. Shall be the liaison between USA Today and RHA. C. Shall maintain contact with the Assistant Director of Administrative Services to determine payment schedules. D. Shall check on progress of program throughout the academic year, checking with Assistant Hall Directors and RHA Delegates. E. Shall propose any program to USA Today brought forth in RHA General Assembly. F. Shall maintain a record of past program actions in case of future questions. ARTICLE X RATIFICATION Section 1 Time of Effect for this Constitution A. This constitution shall be in effect following its approval by the RHA Executive Board and General Assembly. Section 2 Override of this Constitution A. A three-fourths vote of the RHA Executive Board and three-fourths vote of the General Assembly are required to temporarily override this constitution.