Dorm won't join RHA

The Eigenmann Hall judicial board ruled Friday that the Eigenmann Residents Association and the Residence Halls Association will not merge. \nThe board decided the Nov. 28 referendum was not valid because the minimum 20 percent of Eigenmann residents did not vote.\nThe referendum would have combined Eigenmann Residents Association with RHA, which comprises the other 10 dorms. RHA's residents passed the referendum 414-21, while students living in Eigenmann voted 25-15 against it.\nIndividuals from both organizations said they thought the referendum had passed because of a sentence in the Eigenmann Residents Association constitution that reads: "Upon approval of 20 percent of the residents voting, the amendment shall become part of this Constitution."\nBut the judicial board decided the sentence was interpreted incorrectly.\nThe board said it means that 20 percent of the residents must vote in the election, and of that 20 percent, there must be a majority to pass, junior Mark Illingworth said. As one of four authors of the Eigenmann constitution, Illingworth argued the sentence was a mistake and filed a contestment with the board.\nFriday's decision will not change the wording of the Eigenmann constitution. But the Eigenmann Residents Association is in the process of fixing errors in the document, Illingworth said.\nEigenmann Residents Association President Dietrich Willke, a senior, said he wants to see the merger happen. But it is up to the residents, he said.\n"Although I voted for the merger, I agree with the decision," Willke said. "I would feel bad if the minority of 'yes' votes can overrun the majority."\nRHA President Jason Dudich, a senior, said that the members of the judicial board have the final say in the decision.\n"I am upset by the fact that no one from the General Assembly or from the ERA executive council was present at the hearings to defend the referendum and be a witness to the board," Dudich said.\nDudich and Willke said they hope the two organizations will merge in the near future. For now, RHA continues to work with the Eigenmann Residents Association, keeping it informed. And Eigenmann will keep its nonvoting seat at the Presidents' Council, Dudich said.\n"RHA's concern is making sure that ERA has adequate representation to IU," Dudich said. "That could be done through joining RHA and becoming a voting member on the Presidents' Council"