Response to "A Lotto Trouble"

Response to A Lotto Trouble: http://www.diamondbackonline.com/opinion/staff-editorial-a-lotto-trouble-1.943065

I am very glad that after last Tuesday's Senate meeting, the issue of the Rising Third Year Housing Lottery has received attention. As a supporter who voted for the Lottery System at its conception as is, I must say that this year's RHA Senate did a very good job analyzing and unpacking the intended and unintended consequences of the resolution presented. After voting, many RHA members expressed interest in looking into the issue much deeper.

The statement by the Diamondback staff editorial that there is "ambivalence and lack of initiative" on the RHA's part is simply untrue. This editorial probably would not be published without the RHA taking initiative in discussing the matter first. No RHA Senator has drafted an alternative resolution because the first was presented just five days ago! They have yet to have the opportunity to meet within their respective committees and garner as much student input as possible.

Students have just begun contacting their RHA representatives about the Housing Lottery, sharing their opinions and proposing what they would like to see done e-mail, facebook, and hall council meetings.

The RHA prides itself on being the voice of resident students. The conversation pertaining to the Housing Lottery has just begun to get interesting and resident students and their RHA representatives are heavily engaged and using time wisely in order to address the issue with the utmost care.

Our next Senate Meeting is December 8, 2009 in the Benjamin Banneker Room of the Stamp Student Union.

E-mail us at voice@marylandrha.com

This post written by:
Josef Mensah
RHA President

What do YOU think?

There is SO much happening on campus, isn't there? The best part about it is that resident students can have a say on how things turn out.

Picking up the Diamondback every morning, there is always something going on and always something that the RHA can help you voice your concerns about.

Today in the Diamondback I read articles about two things:
Transportation and the gating of the Mowatt Garage from the Guilford Drive location (http://www.diamondbackonline.com/news/police-dots-install-gate-at-mowatt-garage-entrance-1.892603)

-and-

The trash accumulating after Late Night (http://www.diamondbackonline.com/news/unappetizing-leftovers-1.890999)

I'll start with the garage. I don't speak for the entire RHA when I say this (though if you want the RHA to take a specific stance, you should let us know) but I think having the security back is great. This way we don't get random people coming onto our campus from the outside and unmarked but it is a bit inconvenient coming back after ten and having to drive the whole campus to park. What do YOU think?

Now for the issue of trash accumulating outside the dining halls. The beauty of late night and why the RHA advocated for it so many years ago was that students were still hungry after dinner time and because they called campus home, a (pre-)midnight snack should be available. At Late-Nite trays are not available, but what if more students ate in more? That way we all could dispose of trash in the containers that the dining staff controls. However, there have been many times where I want to run in and run out of late night just to get something to keep me satiated while studying.

So what's your take? What do you think? The RHA Meetings have standing meetings with Department of Transportation and Dining Services. What would you want US to say to THEM for YOU?! What stance on these issues would you want us to take?

Not comfortable sharing your name? Use our Honesty Box on FACEBOOK!! (www.facebook.com/MarylandRHA)

VOICE your opinion. BE INVOLVED!

-Josef Mensah
President, RHA