RPS reformers meet with administration officials

Fed up with high prices in food courts and low-quality dorms, Cooperative Opposition to Residential Programs and Services is taking its concerns to the IU administrators who could offer help.\nCORPS, a new student group founded by junior Ethan Ax, has made it their goal to change RPS policies, such as unfair prices, the quality of the dorms and food services and problems with parking. \nTactics taken by CORPS so far include analyzing numbers, speaking with students to increase awareness, talking with RPS officials and researching the RPS systems of other universities, Ax said.\nAnother tactic the group used was to go straight to those in charge. Ax took advantage of IUB Chancellor Sharon Brehm's office hours to sit down and discuss the position of CORPS. \n"We talked about some of our ideas on how to improve RPS' operations and asked questions about some of their practices," Ax said. "I don't think it was very productive, but hopefully we will get more done at other meetings with RPS."\nBrehm said she enjoyed Ax's meeting but felt the issue should be discussed with others at the University. \n"I told him he needed to speak with people at RPS who could be more of an assistance to him," Brehm said.\nAx said Brehm gave him the idea that RPS worked directly with her and problems with RPS should be a concern of hers. \nCORPS also obtained RPS' financial statements and used them to suggest improvements. After having the records looked over by financial experts, Ax said he spoke with officials at RPS to discuss questions about their operations.\n"There are some financial things they could be doing better, and they admit it," Ax said. "Financially, I don't have any big complaints. It's their overall operations, issues such as infestation problems, troubles with parking that bother me."\nLooking at RPS' financial statements helped CORPS develop valuable background information to use in meetings with officials, Ax said.\n"One of the best things about going over their financial statements was that it gave us a better understanding as to how RPS works," Ax said. "I loved working with (Director of Resident Operations Administration) Bob Weith when I was on committees with him. I felt RPS has been very cooperative with us."\nWeith said he appreciates the efforts of CORPS and encourages their input.\n"I believe students ought to have their voices heard," Weith said. "They may be able to change things. If there are positive changes to be made then I am sure they will be heard."\nAx said one of his goals this year is to increase the membership of CORPS.\n"So far, student participation has been minimal, but the funny thing is, I know student complaints are high," Ax said. "Whenever I go talk to students they complain about meal points, about parking, about prices. So, I know it matters to students." \nWith more student involvement Ax said CORPS could become more of a voice of the students and therefore gain more respect. \n"Some people in the administration aren't giving us the respect we deserve because they think it is only a few students, but I know that it affects more students then they think," Ax said.\nAx said one of the problems with recruiting students is most do not realize the effect of RPS prices. \n"A lot of students don't think of meal points as money," Ax said. "Mom and dad put forth the cash, so they don't see the prices as that high, since they only have their card scanned. I know many students feel that way. But some students are just struggling to get by, and the prices affect them deeply."\nOverall Ax said he wants students and IU officials to understand that he does not want to attack RPS. He said the group has been careful about not angering those he intends to build a healthy relationship with. \n"CORPS wants to make sure we don't bring up problems that don't exist," Ax said. "We want to help RPS be more helpful to students. By working with Chancellor Brehm and looking at RPS' financial statements, I feel we have taken the right steps to take CORPS to the next level"