Candidates face off in RHA debates

Posted to On Campus by Krissy Tripp at 11:25 p.m., Feb. 25, 2009

During the Residence Halls Association slate debate on Tuesday night, slates discussed their stances on MU related topics such as trayless dining, RHA issues such as where the organization should go and the strengths and weakness of the competing slates. Every slate said they wanted to bring improvements to RHA.

Presidential candidate Rachel Feuerborn said RHA should be a program coordinator for students so they can get involved and have fun on campus. She also said she wants to see more freshman involvement. Her running mate Lauren Thomas added that their slate also believes RHA should be an outlet for student opinions.

Blake Lawrence, a presidential candidate, said he thinks RHA should communicate more with other organizations as well as have more involvement from new students. Vice presidential candidate Jon Cleair, Lawerence's running mate, agreed with Thomas’s views of RHA being an outlet. Before he was involved in RHA, Cleair came to Lawrence with ideas to improve extended campus. The two created legislation to put Cleair’s ideas in motion. The changes they were able to bring make Cleair and Lawrence confident RHA can be an outlet for student ideas.

President Robert Wood, who is running for re-election, said being the voice of the residents, providing programs and providing leadership opportunities is his idea of what RHA should be. His running mate, Mike Crawford, said he wants the organization to grow with the class sizes.

As speaker of Congress, Lawrence said he was the first speaker in a few years to hire the cabinet he did. He said the being on the executive board has taught him about group dynamics. Cleair said though he was only a representative this year, he is also the president of Mizzou Quads.

President Wood said he’s been a resident in the halls for six years. Four of those years were spent serving RHA, but he said he was involved in hall government for all six years. He said, as president, he has extensive contacts that are useful to the position, and he plans to continue learning how be a better president. Crawford’s experience ranges from interning for state representatives to high school leadership positions.

As treasurer, Feuerborn said she would bring extensive knowledge of the budget such as how much to spend on programs. She created the budget standard to clear up prior problems with the RHA budget. As national communications coordinator, Thomas attends conferences that allow her to see how other schools run RHA. Both candidates said they wish to see more change in RHA.

The candidates were asked about sustainability, and all said they were personally for sustainability. While Feuerborn said she would only move forward with sustainability if residents wanted it, Lawrence said he plans to work more closely with sustainability organizations next year. Wood said as a resident, he is entitled to his opinions, and plans to work towards sustainability. Trayless dining was discussed, and again, Feuerborn said she would advocate whatever the students wanted. Wood said he was pro-trayless dining and encouraged Campus Dining Services to educate students about the advantages of the program. Lawrence said his slate was against trayless dining.

“We don’t have our own agendas at all,” Feuerborn said. “If you guys want sustainability, come tells us.”

Lawrence and Wood said the boost of attendance and active members was this year’s biggest improvement. Feuerborn agreed attendance has improved, but the miniscule improvements RHA has made are overshadowed by what can continue to improve.

All slates said they want to begin hiring their executive boards as soon as they are elected so they can begin working together and learning from the current executives in each position.

“I’ve got a lot of experience being the leader of a group,” Lawrence said explaining as speaker he was able to hire his own cabinet. "That’s something I plan to take to the presidency with me.”

All slates said they would like to work more with other organizations and hall councils. Feuerborn said RHA should take a closer look at how MSA runs things. She said they’re a bigger, more efficient organization that RHA can learn from. Wood countered that all student governments on campus are equal.

“We’re all here to benefit the students whether they’re undergrads, grads, African American students, or residents,” Wood said, “Those are the four main governments.”

When asked which slate they would like to win if not their own, Wood and Feuerborn chose the slate of Lawrence-Cleair. Lawrence said they would endorse the Wood-Crawford slate. Thomas said their choice was Lawrence-Cleair because Wood has already had to opportunity to change RHA and failed, but Lawrence said Wood’s experience is an asset to the position.

“Bobby hasn’t been the best president in my time here, but he hasn’t been the worst,” Lawrence said.