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Friday, March 29
The Indiana Daily Student

Residence halls talk about CAPS

The Residence Hall Association (RHA) discuss legislation, programing, and pass bills during their summit Wednesday evening in Cedar Hall. Events surrounding Little 500, upcoming RHA elections, and archiving efforts for the incoming administration were all topics of concern during the conference.

Residence Hall Association elections and mold at McNutt were topics of conversation at the RHA association meeting Wednesday. The conversation among the RHA student leaders was mostly about the betterment of student life at the IU residence halls.

RHA President Anne-Therese Ryan said the attendees should stand up on behalf of students who may feel ostracized by new legislation preventing immigration to the United States from Muslim-majority countries.

“Please just watch out for those students who might need some extra help and maybe some more positive vibes in their life,” Ryan said.

IU Residence Hall Association members were encouraged to refer these students to CAPS and spread the word that fees are waived for students affected by the immigration 
executive order.

Director of IU Counseling and Psychological Services Nancy Stockton, Ph.D. confirmed that CAPS is providing free counseling sessions for those who have been directly affected by the president’s new immigration order.

Stockton said emergency counseling slots have been set aside specifically for anyone from countries restricted by the ban in order to accommodate them quickly. Also, free workshops to help people cope with the stress of the current immigration situation are beginning Feb 9 and will be held at the IU Health Center on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 4 p.m.

Stockton said CAPS has counselors who speak 
foreign languages like Mandarin and Spanish.

Stockton said she thinks it would be beneficial to hire a counselor who speaks Arabic or other popular student languages. Until then, whenever there aren’t any counselors who speak the language of a patient uncomfortable with their English, a translator can be arranged for the patient’s counseling session.

Stressed students can always receive help from the 24-hour CAPS crisis line at 812-855-5711. CAPS also provides free stress management workshops, webinars, and mindfulness group events on a weekly basis for students, Stockton said.

Additionally, students can visit counselors at the Office of International 
Studies.

There has been an increase in people using CAPS recently, and though it is impossible to tell why, Stockton said the immigration rule has in fact been a source of stress some 
patients lately.

The recent RHA meeting not only discussed student resources like CAPS but also events and activities occurring all around campus and in the residence halls for the benefit of students.

RHA Vice President of Internal Affairs Dakota Coates said IU student government wants to partner with RHA and that one of the new ideas IUSA said they want to see implemented is the creation of new voting sites for federal and state 
government elections.

Each center president discussed this semester’s upcoming events. Ashton Center, Eigenmann Hall, Forest Quad, Spruce Hall, Union Street Apartments and Willkie Quad representatives said they will be having Super Bowl parties this Sunday. The center presidents proposed a variety of party ideas separating their quad’s party from the others, such as Baked! cookies, Buffa Louie’s wings and poker games.

A speaker from the Netflix documentary “Audrey & Daisy” will be coming to IU after Little 500 to discuss sexual assault with students, one representative announced.

Another representative reported the Wells Quad will have about 170 beds and to potentially house the Women in Science, Technology, Informatics and Mathematics Living Learning Center. She also said Wright will soon be renovated with the creation of pod bathrooms and renovation of the lounge areas.

The Student Health Committee will be focusing on student sexual health this semester, Coates said. He said he is hoping to get a health center representative on the committee to show members of RHA how to use safe sex resources so they can do the same presentation for students at the 
residences halls.

“If we’re fighting for access to safe sex resources, then we all need to know exactly what it is we’re fighting for, or what it is we’re wanting to get for students,” Coates said.

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