RHA requests dialogue, planning on future enrollment
Candidates will seek student opinion before creating platforms.
Published Feb. 9, 2010
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Residence Halls Association members raise their cards during a vote on Monday in Chambers Auditorium. RHA voted for the initial proposal to replace residence hall pagers with cell phones.
Record-breaking freshman classes for the past two years have caused the Residence Halls Association to call for discussion on future enrollment plans.
A resolution passed by RHA on Monday night requests a dialogue between student government bodies and administration on the effects similar future enrollment would have on students.
"This is a big, I guess, 800-pound gorilla on the university's back, and someone needs to do something about it," RHA vice presidential candidate Colten Ross said.
The resolution references the two most recent freshman classes, which were the two largest ever to have been admitted to MU.
"There's been an increase in enrollment," said Jared Grafman, resolution author, RHA presidential candidate and member of The Maneater staff. "We need to talk about it before it's a big problem. I'd like for RHA and MSA to be involved in the talks."
From 2007 to 2008, MU saw an increase of 800 students in freshman enrollment, which made 2008 the largest freshman class MU has ever seen. The academic year 2009 made the second largest freshman class to date.
"This resolution is basically saying that we, as the residents, realize that there's a problem," Grafman said. "We'd like to discuss what the university is planning on doing to help with this problem."
Some said capacity issues already affect students.
"I know a friend of mine who is supposed to be taking Calc II this semester, but he can't because there's not enough spots for him," freshman Daniel Young said. "He's really stressed about that. If we made stricter rules about applying to Mizzou and getting into Mizzou, then there would be more room in every class, including the journalism classes."
Both the Feuerborn-Thomas and Grafman-Ross slates say they need student opinion before moving forward with action.
"Our platform is based on what the residents want," RHA Vice President Lauren Thomas said in an e-mail. "I would like to see more discussion of their ideas on the situation."
Grafman suggested combating capacity issues by raising admission standards, raising the minimum requirements one needs to stay at MU or building more classrooms and hiring more teachers.
The Grafman-Ross slate will also focus on increasing RHA's communication with other organizations, Grafman said.
"One of the biggest platforms currently is opening RHA to more people, more organizations," Grafman said.
Ross said the overpopulation issue could be seen around campus.
"This is a problem, I mean, unless you're completely oblivious to this situation," Ross said. "You see it in dining halls with the lines. Normally I got Dobbs to eat, and I see lines backed up for example, from the grill, almost to the other side of the dining hall."
RHA discussed raising admission standards as a way to combat overcapacity issues.
Young said it wasn't likely tuition would be raised because it hasn't been a popular decision in the past.
"I think we need to find a solution to this right now before this 800-pound gorilla I mentioned in Congress becomes a 1,600-pound gorilla or the equivalent of a giant elephant smothering the university," Ross said.
The resolution passed Congress with a majority of 42 votes in favor, three votes against and four abstentions.
9:43 p.m., Feb. 9, 2010
Darrelle Edwards said:
While I think it's admirable that the Feurborn/Thomas slate wants to do what the residents want, it would be somewhat comforting to see them have opinions of their own. The best leaders are the pro-active ones that take initiative and put forth solutions themselves, rather than sitting back and waiting for someone to come to them with an idea.