RHA tickets discuss goals, platforms

More than a dozen students sat in Teter Quad’s Formal Lounge Monday to meet the candidates of the two tickets running for executive positions for the Residence Hall Association.

Members of Vote Naked! and [RED]EFINE answered students questions about better programming, campus safety and condoms in the dorms in hopes of gaining support for their tickets.

“I’m excited that we have eight passionate students that are dedicating their time to improve campus life for students,” RHA’s current adviser. Sarah Nagy said. “Students actually have a choice.”

The tickets discussed their goals for the upcoming year.

“One of our goals is to redefine what it means to be RHA so that students gain more interest,” said Katherine Lambert, [RED]EFINE’s presidential candidate.

Concern over whether Vote Naked!’s controversial name made them seem unprofessional was brought up during the question-and-answer session.

“Vote Naked! is empowerment,” said Marianna Eble, Vote Naked!’s presidential candidate. ”It’s about baring it all.”

Freshman Taylor Miller attended the event in hopes of learning more about RHA. She said she looks forward to events like the Welcome Week concerts, something the tickets said they would work on improving.

Vote Naked! promised to work closer with students in order to have them know exactly what goes on with RHA, which they say might seem elitist for those not involved in student government. Lambert disagreed.

“There are no barriers,” she said as she pointed to resources like open general assembly meetings, minutes on the Web site and personal involvement with students themselves.

“These things are there but there needs to be a more open line of communication,” she said. “We need to make sure students get what they need. We need to let them know about the resources they already have and are not aware of.”

Both tickets agreed that better programming is vital to increasing student involvement. Students listened to the parties list events they were planning.

Sophomore Melinda Kashner came to support Sasha Bannister, vice president of Student Affairs candidate on the [RED]EFINE ticket.

“I knew what they are all about since I talk to Sasha, but I wanted to know what Vote Naked! was about,” she said.

Vote Naked! also discussed its platform to encourage safer sex by providing condoms in the dorms. While some students thought this was a good idea, others were concerned about the liability, cost and even embarrassment of getting condoms from a vending machine in the bathroom.

Currently, Collins Center is the only dorm that has a condom vending machine, something that, according to [RED]EFINE, is only possible because the Living-Learning Center budget covers the cost.

Vote Naked! said it believes no dorms should be held above the others and safe sex is not embarrassing.

Although this was not a topic that both tickets agreed on, both agreed that they will work hard for the students. Lambert said her motivation to improve campus life for students came from her personal experience in the dorms.

“It’s about being connected to all 11, soon to be 12, resident centers,” she said.