Dorm government merger goes to voters

In a campus-wide referendum today, dorm residents will decide whether to unite the two student governments in the halls of residence. \nThe Eigenmann Residents Association and the Residence Halls Association have operated separately for 30 years but would be joined if members of both organizations approve the merger.\nThe referendum will be from 2-7 p.m. in each dorm and will decide whether the Eigenmann Residents Association will become part of Residence Halls Association. \nRepresentatives from Eigenmann Residents Association and RHA have met several times this semester to work out details of the proposal, said Eigenmann Residents Association President Dietrich Willke, a senior.\nThe decision to allow a referendum was passed by the RHA Presidents' Council Nov. 1 and by the Eigenmann Residents Association General Council Nov. 6, Willke said.\nWillke and RHA President Jason Dudich, a senior, have both supported the change.\n"Instead of two different residence hall organizations, we could come together as a collective group, using the resources of both organizations together." Dudich said.\nBut not everyone is sure it's a smart move.\n"We've been able to do a lot as it stands now for Eigenmann," said senior Cynthia Frazer, vice president of finance for Eigenmann Residents Association. "As of now I don't think we have any issues where we're not heard on this campus."\nSince Eigenmann was built 30 years ago, Eigenmann Residents Association has been independent of RHA, giving Eigenmann financial leeway but excluding the dorm from representation in RHA, Willke said.\nWhen Eigenmann was built, it was intended for graduate students, said Sarah Nagy, Residential Programs and Services assistant director for student involvement and orientation. She said that at the time residents felt RHA couldn't represent their needs, so they formed their own student government.\nNow 70-80 percent of Eigenmann's students are undergraduates, said RPS Executive Director Patrick Connor.\n"(Bringing Eigenmann Residents Association into RHA) is something worthwhile, considering the population has changed at Eigenmann over the last 10 years," Connor said.\nBecause a majority of the dorm's residents are undergraduate students, they will be better represented by RHA, Nagy said.\nWillke said he expects the referendum to pass.\n"Although it's a technically big change, the change in the constitution is minor," he said.\nA small number of graduate and international students living in Eigenmann are concerned their issues still aren't the same as the rest of the undergraduate population, Connor said.\nBut he believes their issues can be still be represented in a combined student government.\n"If the Eigenmann students throughout the government are doing a good job, all student voices in Eigenmann will be brought to the RHA table," Connor said.\nA referendum is required for any change in the RHA constitution.\n"If you change the constitution, it has to be approved by the student body it represents," Willke said.\nFor RHA, there will be only positive outcomes from the change, Nagy said. RHA will add about 1,000 people to its constituency, she said.\nEigenmann's government will gain a vote in RHA and an opportunity to run for RHA offices but will lose some financial independence. Its executive board will lose stipends, and some of Eigenmann's activity fee will go to RHA if the referendum passes, reducing the programs offered only at Eigenmann, Willke said. Nagy said this change in funding amounts to $3.15 going to RHA per Eigenmann resident.\nBut Willke said the change will give the combined student organizations one voice. \nNagy agreed, saying that would bring better representation.\n"I think there are really more positives than negatives," Nagy said.\nEigenmann Residents Association will not cease to exist if the referendum passes, Nagy said, because each center has its own government.\nBut Frazer is worried more about apathy in Eigenmann.\n"I haven't seen a lot of people who want to be active, but I've seen a lot of people who have gripes," she said.\nFrazer said she's worried Eigenmann students will not participate in campus-wide RHA activities, their money benefiting other dorms more than their own. \nBut despite her worries, Frazer said she sees some positive results of the change. For one, RHA has said they will be behind Eigenmann all the way, she said.