The Residence Halls Association is the student government in the residence halls at the University of Michigan. Since 1956, RHA has served the 10,000 students living in the numerous residence halls at the University of Michigan. The mission of the Residence Halls Association states that “ RHA is dedicated to creating and maintaining a welcoming and comforting community in order to enhance the experience of residents”. RHA is composed of more than 150 student leaders across every residence hall. The operating budget for RHA is over $300,000, a portion of which is collected through residence hall student government dues. Although completely independent, RHA maintains a close working relationship with University Housing, the Division of Student Affairs, and the Regents of the University of Michigan in order to help accomplish its goals.
The Residence Halls Association is divided into five distinct, but equally important, parts. The five components of RHA are the RHA Assembly, the RHA Executive Board, Hall Councils, Multicultural Councils, and the RHA Committees. Please see the organization chart below.
1) RHA Assembly: The RHA Assembly is the central component of RHA. This group of democratically elected representatives from every residence halls meets weekly during the school year and is the umbrella for the entire organization. The approximately forty members of the RHA Assembly pass residence hall wide legislation, have ultimate control over all residence hall student dues and the RHA budget, allocate funds both internally and externally, work to address concerns of all students in the residence halls, put on residence hall wide programming, and other misc. functions.
2) RHA Executive Board: The RHA Executive Board is composed of eight elected members, one appointed member, and two advisors. The RHA Executive Board (E-Board) is elected by the RHA Assembly annually and serves a term of one session (school-year). The Executive Board provides guidance for the RHA Assembly, takes care of the day to day operations and functions of RHA, carries out the decisions of the RHA Assembly, and assists Hall and Multicultural Councils as requested. Members of the RHA Executive Board devote an extensive amount of time towards the organization. The President serves as the Chair of the RHA Assembly and the RHA Executive Vice President serves as Vice Chair and Parliamentarian for the RHA Assembly.
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Hall Councils: Every residence hall has a democratically elected Hall Council that elects its own Executive Board and has follows its own Constitution, under the domain of the RHA Assembly. Hall Councils are recognized as the ultimate student government within their own residence hall. Hall Councils receive funding from the RHA Assembly, and use those funds to put on programming, perform hall improvements, amongst other things. Hall Councils also address concerns of residents in their buildings and can serve as legislative bodies if they so desire. Each building's Hall Director serves as the advisor for that building's Hall Council.
4) Multicultural Councils: Every residence hall has a Multicultural Council, although in some cases two buildings may share one such council. Each Multicultural Council elects is own Executive Board and follows its own Constitution, under the domain of the RHA Assembly. Each council is advised by the Minority Peer Advisor (MPA) of its building. Multicultural Councils receive funding from the RHA Assembly to create a sense of community in their residence hall across students of all races, religions, sexual orientations, educations, disabilities, etc. Multicultural Councils work to accomplish their mission through many different means including, but by no means limited to; programming, education, advertising, and town-hall style meetings.
5) RHA Committees: The RHA Assembly maintains numerous committees that are focused around everything from the RHA Budget to addressing resident concerns to putting on campus-wide programming. There are members of the RHA Assembly on every committee, and the committee is chaired by a member of the RHA Assembly. However, membership on RHA Committees is open to any resident of the residence halls. Committee chairs are supervised by the RHA Executive Vice President and receive funding from the RHA Assembly.
