Constitution – Residence Hall Association

Article 1 Name and Mission Statement

Article 2 Membership

Article 3 Executive Board and Executive Committee

Article 4 Committees

Article 5 Advisors of RHA

Article 6 Budget

Article 7 Meetings

Article 8 Elections

Article 9 Impeachment

Article 10 Regional Board of Directors Candidacy

Article 11 Quorum

Article 12 Amendments

Article 13 Hall Government Positional Responsibilities

Article 14 By-Laws

Article 15 Ratification

Article 1: Name & Mission Statement

Section 1: Name

The name of the organization shall be the Rutgers University Residence Hall Association, henceforth referred to as RHA. The legislative body of the RHA shall be the General Assembly

Section 2: Mission Statement

The Residence Hall Association (RHA) aims to improve the residential experience for on-campus students through intentional programming and feedback-based advocacy initiatives while fostering the personal growth and leadership development of its members.

Section 3: RHA Official Logo

The RHA Official Logo shall be the red RHA Circular logo with the words Rutgers University at the bottom of the circle and Residence Hall Association at the top of the circle.

All RHA formal documents, flyers, merchandise, etc. must use this logo.
Any formal documents, flyers, merchandise, etc. that uses the old logo must be updated with the new logo or must be thrown out in favor of the new logo.
The Official color of RHA shall be scarlet red Hex Number: FF2400
The Use of Residential Council logos must be accompanied by the RHA Official logo.

Section 1: General Membership

All Rutgers University students currently living on campus are considered general body members of RHA.
Only general body members may be elected as a hall government member or Executive Board member of RHA.
General body members are permitted to attend general hall government meetings and RHA General Assembly meetings, as well as participate in committee work, but do not have voting privileges in the RHA General Assembly

Section 2: Hall Governments

There shall be one hall government for each of the following Halls:
1. Barr/Allen/Mattia Halls (Collectively known as BAM)
2. Busch Engineering Science and Technology (BEST) Hall
3. McCormick, Thomas, Judson, Crosby, Winkler, and Morrow suites (Collectively known as Busch Suites)
4. Richardson/Johnson Apartments and the Undergraduate Nicholas Apartments (Collective known as Rich/Nich)
5. Silvers Apartments
6. Hegeman, Pell, Leupp, Wessels Halls, and Clothier Hall (Collectively known as the Bishop Quad & Clothier)
7. Brett, Mettler, & Tinsley Halls
8. Frelinghuysen Hall
9. Hardenbergh Hall
10. Honors College
11. Sojourner Truth Apartments
12. Stonier Hall
13. University Center at Easton Avenue Apartments
14. Newell Apartments and Undergraduate Starkey Apartments (Collectively known as Cook Apartments)
15. Henderson Apartments
16. Jameson Hall
17. Katzenbach Hall
18. Lippincott Hall
19. New Gibbons
20. Nicholas Hall
21. Perry Hall and Voorhees Hall (Collectively known as Perry/Voorhees Hall)
22. Woodbury Hall and Bunting-Cobb Hall (Collectively known as
23. Woodbury Bunting-Cobb Hall)
24. Livingston Apartments A, B, & C (Collectively known as the Livingston Apartments)
25. Lynton North and South Towers (Collectively known as the Lynton Towers)
26. Quads (1, 2, & 3)
Subsection 1: Special Population Areas
1. The following areas do not have the same structure as RHA hall governments and shall not receive funding from RHA Allocations but can still send voting representatives to RHA general Assembly meetings
  1. Johnson Apartments
  2. Buell Apartments
  3. Marvin Apartments
  4. Graduate Nichols Apartments
  5. Demarest Hall
  6. Graduate Starkey Apartments
  7. Helyar House
  8. Old Gibbons
  9. Graduate Livingston Apartments

Section 3: Voting Membership—Executive Board

Voting membership of RHA Includes all elected Executive Board members, with the exception of the RHA Executive President

Section 4: Voting Membership—Residential Councils

Should consist of one (1) Vice President per Hall/Apartment/Suite Government

Section 5: Voting Membership—General Assembly

Voting members within the General Assembly consist solely of one (1) President OR proxy from each hall government and all Executive board members, with the exception of the RHA Executive President and the Residential Council Directors.

Section 6: Voting Membership Responsibilities and Expectations

All voting members of General Assembly and Executive President or a designated proxy must attend all RHA regular General Assembly meetings.
All voting members of General Assembly or a designated proxy must represent and vote according to the interests of the residential population and/or their respective Hall/Apartment/Suite Government.
All Hall/Apartment/Suite Government Presidents of the General Assembly must serve on an RHA committee within the General Assembly.
All RHA members must be full-time residential students.
All RHA members shall maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher during their term of office.
RHA Members that fail to maintain a cumulative GPA of a 2.5 will be subjected to an academic probation within the organization, which is outlined in Section 9 of the RHA Election Bylaws.

Section 1: Executive Board

The Executive Board of RHA shall consist of the Executive President, the Executive Vice President, the Director of Leadership Development, the Associate Directors of Leadership Development, the Director of Finance, the Director of Publicity, the Director of Advocacy, the Associate Director of Advocacy, the Director of Technology, the National Communications Coordinator (NCC), and the four (4) Campus Ambassadors.

Section 2: Executive Board Descriptions

Executive President
1. Executive President Preside over all RHA Executive Board meetings Represent RHA to the greater university community Serve as the official contact and liaison of the Residence Hall Association and the RHA Executive Board Oversee all RHA endeavors and assure goals are being achieved Develop Executive Board agendas and oversee financial guidelines and processes Appoint RHA representatives and committees as needed Oversee all standing or ad hoc committees Serve as a member of the Vice Chancellor’s Student Advisory Council (VCSAC) Preside over all General Assembly meetings Meet with RHA Advisor on a regular basis Oversee Parliamentary Procedure during General Assembly meetings Coordinate Executive Board retreats in association with the Executive Vice President Meet with the Executive Vice President on a regular basis. Attend General Assembly and Executive Board meetings. If at any point the Executive President position becomes vacant, the Executive Vice President shall assume all Executive President duties and responsibilities.
Executive Vice President
1. Serve as the primary representative of the organization in the absence of the Executive President; provide leadership and direction over all procedures related to membership (e.g. impeachment practices, general membership and voting privileges); take attendance at all general assembly and executive board meetings; attend all executive board, general assembly and other meetings as needed or requested; manage the absence process, notifying the Executive President and advisors as needed or requested; take minutes at all executive board and general assembly meetings, distributing summaries of both meetings to advisors and constituents within three business days; meet with the Executive President and professional advisors on a weekly/bi-weekly basis or as needed/requested; In concert with the Executive President and advisors as needed, coordinate, plan and execute the executive board winter retreat; assist with the planning and implementation of fall training as requested by the Executive President and professional advisors.
Director of Finance
1. In concert with the Executive President and professional advisors, manage and oversee the yearly operating budget; in concert with the Executive President and professional advisors, develop individual budgets for the executive board and the organization at large as needed or requested; manage all transactions via the Student Activities Business Office (SABO) ledger system, retaining copies of all forms and receipts; provide annual training for all hall government treasurers; meet with the Executive President and professional advisors on a weekly/bi-weekly basis or as needed/requested; attend all executive board and general assembly meetings.
Director of Leadership Development
1. Provide leadership, direction and guidance to the leadership development planning committee; in concert with the committee and in conjunction with the professional advisor, design and develop the fall and spring semester leadership development day; along with the planning committee, design and develop the annual end of the year RHA banquet; coordinate and implement leadership development opportunities for the executive board and the organization at large as needed or requested; oversee and coordinate the election process for the Director of Leadership Development in training, transitioning the incumbent into the role during the spring semester; meet with the Executive President and professional advisors on a weekly/bi-weekly basis or as needed/requested; attend all executive board and general assembly meetings.
  1. Should the DLD leave their position without a DLD-IT to take over their responsibilities, there shall be special elections held to fill the position.
    1. Candidates who have helped plan/organize an prior LDD shall be preferred over other candidates.
    2. All candidates for DLD must have attended at least one LDD prior to the election that the candidate is running in.
Director of Technology
1. Manage and maintain the RHA website; with support from the professional advisor, manage and maintain the RHA Google Drive and all email accounts utilized by the executive board; oversee the technological needs and demands at meetings and events as needed or requested; in concert with the Director of University Relations, manage and maintain all RHA social media platforms; partner with the Director of University Relations, as needed to design and distribute fliers, documents and other promotional materials for the executive board and the organization at large; provide oversight and leadership of the RHA elections process, working in concert with select executive board members and the graduate advisor as needed; meet with the Executive President and professional advisors on a weekly/bi-weekly basis or as needed/requested; attend all executive board and general assembly meetings.
Director of Publicity
1. Represent the executive board and the organization at large at meetings and events across the Rutgers community as needed or requested; serve as the RUSA representative for the organization at large at meetings and events; in concert with the Director of Technology, manage and maintain all RHA social media platforms; Advocate and strengthen interest in RHA amongst the public; Improve exposure and relations of RHA to the public; Manage RHA’s public image; Revamp RHA to promote greater resident interest and involvement; Expand RHA’s interests and partnerships with other organizations; Publicize information regarding RHA operations and initiatives; partner with the Director of Technology, as needed to design and distribute fliers, documents and other promotional materials for the executive board or the organization at large; provide regular updates to the Rutgers community, and the organization at large, on upcoming events and activities; meet with the Executive President and professional advisors on a weekly/bi-weekly basis or as needed/requested; attend all executive board and general assembly meetings.
Director of Advocacy
1. Provide leadership and guidance to the advocacy committee during general assembly and weekly committee meetings; work with the committee to identify problems within the residence halls, developing a plan to address concerns as needed; work with the committee to benchmark best practices, administer survey instruments and draft/prepare proposals for suggested changes and improvements within the residence halls; appoint advocacy representatives to university wide committees where representation from RHA is required (e.g. Dining Committee, etc.); maintain working knowledge of all university policies and procedures, particularly those within Residence Life; meet with the Executive President and professional advisor on a weekly/bi-weekly basis or as needed/requested; attend all executive board and general assembly.
National Communications Coordinator (NCC)
1. Represent RHA and maintain correspondence on the campus, regional and national levels with the Central Atlantic Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls (CAACURH) and the National Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH); represent the organization at state, regional and national conferences as needed or requested; manage and direct the conference application and selection process; in the absence of the Executive President or the selected Parliamentarian, act as Parliamentarian as needed; serve as an Ex-Officio member on the executive board of the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH); oversee the election of the National Communications Coordinator in training, providing leadership and guidance in their transition during the spring semester; meet with the Executive President or professional advisor on a weekly/bi-weekly basis as needed/requested; attend all executive board and general assembly meetings.
2. Parliamentarian: Look to see that all legislative pieces are done in line with Parliamentary procedure and the overall organization
Campus Ambassador:
1. Provide leadership and guidance to the campus residential council, drafting agendas and presiding over weekly meetings; oversee all campus based RHA projects and initiatives; work with the Associate Director and council, at large, to plan and implement a wide variety of campus based programming; in concert with the Associate Director and professional advisor, manage and maintain the council budget; meet with the Associate Director and professional advisor on a weekly/bi-weekly basis or as needed/requested; attend executive board and residential council meetings.

Section 3: General Duties

To attend and actively contribute to all RHA Executive Board, regular business, General Assembly meetings, programs and Committee meetings, if in position description.
Attend designated training and planning programs prior to hall opening and during the school year.
Attend special meetings called by the RHA Executive President, or Residential Council Executive Officers, if applicable.
Serve as the Leadership Development Committee for the preparation and execution of Fall Leadership Development Day.
Assist the Leadership Development Committee with preparation and execution of Spring Leadership Development Day.

Section 4: Succession and Resignation

If the Executive Presidency is vacant, the Executive Vice President shall become Executive President. In the occurrence of a vacated executive office other than the Presidency, an election shall be held for that vacancy as described in the Elections Guidelines.
A formal resignation must be sent via email to the Executive President and the Advisor staff of RHA.

Section 5: In-training Positions

The positions of the National Communication Coordinator In-Training (NCC-IT) and Director of Leadership Development (DLD-IT) shall follow the guidelines set out in the RHA Executive Board Election Bylaws.
1. Details
  1. Each position is held by the member for 3 semesters.
  2. The position entails shadowing the current position holders and learning the responsibilities before stepping into the position.
  3. NCC-IT will fully assume their role as NCC for the National Conference.
  4. DLD-IT will fully assume their role
2. National Communication Coordinator In-Training (NCC-IT)
  1. Members will attend the following conferences:
    1. Regional Business Conference (spring semester)
    2. National Conference (spring semester)
  2. Meetings
    1. Attend meetings as decided by the NCC
  3. Director of Leadership Development In-Training (DLD-IT)
Elections Process
1. See Article 8, Section 4 for election timeline and details.

Section 6: Awarding of Pins

The Executive President, in conjunction with the Director of Leadership Development, will coordinate awarding of pins at the RHA/NRHH Leadership Banquet. The following pins and descriptions are the pins that shall be awarded at the End of Year Banquet.
1. Scarlet Pride Pin.
  1. The Scarlet Pride Pin is the highest honor within RHA that can be awarded by an Executive Board member.
    1. Each Executive Board member, except for the President, receives one pin to award to a member who is deserving of recognition.
2. Bronze Pins
  1. This pin is the highest individual honor given by the RHA or NRHH President. The pin shall be awarded to individuals who have provided leadership and direction to their campus organizations. The maximum number of pins which may be given in a year is equal to the number of regional affiliates within NACURH which is 8.
  2. The RHA President can award a maximum of 4 bronze pins per year.
3. 2, 3 & 4 Years of Service Pins
  1. 2, 3 & 4 Years of Service Pins shall be awarded to those RHA members who have been dedicated to the organization for those years. The pin recipients shall be determined by a form distributed by the Leadership Development Committee.
The Director of Leadership Development will be responsible for maintaining the list of all Bronze and Scarlet Pride pin recipients from year to year.

Section 1: Committee Types

RHA General Assembly shall be made up of two types of committees,
Standing Committees and Ad-hoc committees.
Standing Committees shall include the Committee of Leadership Development, Committee of Internal Operations, Committee of Event Planning and Service, and Committee of Bidding, Recognition, and Affiliations. Committees shall be overseen by no more than three (3) Executive Board members:
1. Every Executive Board member shall be in charge of a committee within General Assembly with the exception of the Director of Advocacy and campus directors.
Ad Hoc Committees
1. Ad Hoc Committees will be developed at the recommendation of the RHA Executive Board based on need (for example, the development of a Conference-Hosting Committee).
2. The Ad Hoc Committees will exist until the goals have been accomplished or until dissolved by the RHA Executive Board.

Section 2: Placement

General Assembly members shall be placed into committees according to their preference if possible, or else shall be assigned to a committee depending on the amount of members in each committee.
1. Committees shall not exceed 11 members (excluding Chairs) in size.

Section 3: Committee Responsibilities

Committee of Event Planning and Service: This committee will be in charge of…
1. Brainstorming and creating a criteria of objectives that each hall government’s event planning initiatives will have to encompass.
2. Making a working document of potential event planning ideas that will be shared to all hall presidents to utilize in their hall governments.
3. Creating community service opportunities and events.
4. Other tasks at the discretion of the Committee Chair.
Committee of Leadership Development: This committee is responsible for
1. The creation and planning of Spring Leadership Development Day.
2. The creation and planning of the end of the year awards banquet.
3. Planning presentations for GA around the idea of leadership development.
4. Other tasks at the discretion of the Committee Chair.
Committee of Recognition, Bidding, and Affiliations: This committee will…
1. Take charge of all regional and national connections for Rutgers RHA.
2. Prepare creative bids representing RHA for conference.
3. Write OTM bids recognizing outstanding people on campus.
4. Communicating important information from NACURH and CAACURH to all of GA.
5. Promote regional/national initiatives and create activities facilitating recognition within GA.
6. Other tasks at the discretion of the Committee Chair.
Committee of Internal Operations: This committee is responsible for…
1. Make proposals for ratifications for RHA’s Constitution.
2. Update the RHA Constitution to reflect all legislation pieces. Maintain the record of legislative pieces (votes, amendments).
3. Evaluate and analyze GA, Residential Council, and Advocacy Council among other leadership groups within RHA for their efficiency, public sentiment, progress, and outcomes.
4. Maintain all RHA records and make sure that RHA Google Drive is organized and up to date.
5. Other tasks at the discretion of the Committee Chair.

All committees will uphold the values of diversity and inclusivity throughout all practices, initiatives, and decisions.

Section 1: Coordinator for Student Programs & Leadership Development

The Coordinator of Special Programs for Residence Education shall be a permanent Advisor to RHA and serve as the primary RHA Advisor on the Executive Advisor Team.

Section 2: Executive Advisor Team

The Executive Advisor team should consist of one graduate advisor and 6 professional staff members of the Residence Life Department
Responsibilities and Expectations
1. Shall act as a resource to the Executive Board at Executive Board and General Assembly meetings; keep the Executive Board informed on University and Residence Life matters that directly affect the organization at large; oversee the financial guidelines and processes; coordinate training sessions prior to residence hall opening for and throughout the academic school year; provide leadership opportunities and guidance to all RHA members; meet in 1:1 meetings with the Executive Board on a weekly/bi-weekly basis or as needed/requested; provide support at all Executive Board and General Assembly Meetings; attend and advise conference delegations or appoint an appropriate staff proxy; certify all election results with the Director of Technology; oversee election processes in the event of extenuating circumstances

Section 3: Residential Council Advisors

The Residence Life Campus Director shall serve as the primary advisor to the Residential Councils.
Responsibilities and Expectations
1. All Residential Council Advisors are expected to attend all Residential Council meetings, all Residential Council 1-1s with the respective Director, and all Residential Council Events
2. All Residential Council Advisors are expected to attend both Fall and Spring Leadership Development days.
3. All Residential Council Advisors shall maintain an open line of communication with their Residential Council members in case any issues or concerns arise.

Section 4: Hall Government Advisors

A professional staff Residence Life Coordinator (RLC) or a Graduate Hall Director (depending on the residence hall) will serve as the advisor to the RHA hall government
Responsibilities and Expectations
1. All Hall Government Advisors are expected to attend all Hall Government meetings, all Hall Government 2-1s, and all Hall Government Events
2. All Hall Government Advisors are expected to attend both Fall and Spring Leadership Development days with their Hall Government Members.
3. All Hall Government Advisors shall maintain an open line of communication with their hall government members in case any issues or concerns arise.

Section 1: Responsibility and Management

The Director of Finance, at the discretion of the Executive President and the Advisor(s), shall be responsible for all the monies contained in the account(s).
All transactions of funds from the RHA account(s) shall be accessed only by the RHA Hall/Apartment/Suite Government Treasurer with the approval of RHA Advisor(s) in order to withdraw or deposit various monies.
Each Executive Board member (if allotted a budget) is responsible for keeping accurate records of monetary transactions as related to his/her own needs, programs and activities.

Section 2: Requesting Additional Funding

RHA entities that require additional funding beyond their allocated budgets may request additional funding through the RHA Additional Programming Funds Request Form.
1. The General Assembly as a whole shall be excluded from requesting additional funding.
2. These requests must be presented at General Assembly, either by the individual who submitted the request, or by an appropriate proxy.
  1. If no individual presents the request, the request will be voted on simply by the information provided in the submitted RHA Additional Programming Funds Request Form.
3. This request will be voted on by General Assembly, with the requirement of a simple majority to be approved.
  1. If approved, the budget request will be fulfilled by the Director of Finance within five days.
4. General Assembly may vote to alter the amount of additional funding being allocated, provided a simple majority vote.

Section 1: Executive Board Meetings

All Executive Board members are required to attend weekly Executive Board meetings which shall be held on Tuesdays at 9:00 PM.
If an Executive Board member has a class or scheduling conflict during General Assembly and/or Executive Board meetings, they should resign from the position, unless given special permission by the Executive Board

Section 2: General Assembly

General Assembly shall be comprised of (1) President or designated proxy per hall government and all Executive board members, with the exception of the Residential Council Directors and the Director of Advocacy.
General Assembly meetings shall be held Mondays at 8:30 PM on a weekly basis. Alternating weeks, General Assembly meetings will be held in-person in rotation with online Committee meetings. These dates are determined by the Executive Board at the start of the year.
If a General Assembly member has a class or scheduling conflict during General Assembly, they should resign from the position, unless given special permission by the Executive Board

Section 3: Residential Council Meetings

Residential Council Directors, Associate Directors, and (1) Vice President (or designated proxy) from each hall government are required to attend weekly Residential Council meetings which shall be held on Wednesdays at a time designated by the Residential Council Advisor, Residential Council Director, and Residential Council Associate Director.
If a Residential Council member has a class or scheduling conflict during General Assembly and/or Executive Board meetings, they should resign from the position, unless given special permission by the Executive Board.

Section 4: Advocacy Liaison Meetings

Advocacy Liaison Meetings shall be conducted on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. by the Director of Advocacy on a weekly/biweekly basis at the discretion of the Director of Advocacy
1. Set time may be changed, if needed, at the discretion of the Director of Advocacy but must be approved by the advisor at least one month prior to the beginning of the semester
All Advocacy Liaison voting members are required to attend Advocacy Liaisons meetings.
1. Any voting member’s position may be terminated as a result of more than three (3) absences per semester.
2. Impeachment proceedings shall commence on the fourth absence.
3. In the instance where absences for the meeting are unavoidable, individuals may ask for special permission from the Director of Advocacy.
  1. Examples include: Classes that are required for living learning communities, or classes that end 15 minutes before designated Advocacy Liaison meeting
4. Advocacy meetings shall be conducted with the following template:
  1. Advocacy Liaison Roll Call
  2. Director of Advocacy Report
  3. Hall updates from Advocacy Liaisons on what their halls are working on
  4. Separation in advocacy initiatives subcommittee

Section 5: Attendance

Absences
1. Every General Assembly Representative shall be allotted two absences per semester. These absences will not roll over per semester
2. Absences shall be broken down into two categories
  1. Excused
    1. E.g. Religious observance, exams, illness
  2. Unexcused
    1. E.g. Homework/paper/studying, other clubs/extracurriculars
  3. Should a representative exceed 3 absences, they shall be removed from their position.
Proxy(s)
1. Should a Hall President, Vice President or Advocacy Liaison not be able to attend their respective meetings, they shall be required to send a proxy in their place.
  1. A proxy shall be defined as a member of that individual’s hall government who attend the meeting in the place of the representative. They shall retain all of the rights that the respective representative would have were they present at the meeting
2. A proxy to a meeting shall count as half (½) of a absence instead of a full absence.

Section 6: Special Permission

If General Assembly or Executive Board members have unavoidable classes or scheduling conflicts, they may ask for special permission from the Executive board
Special Permission shall be given on a case by case basis based on discretion of the Executive Board
Documentation for meeting conflicts must be provided to the Executive Board upon special permission request

Section 1: Application Requirements

Members must have or maintain a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.
Members must live on-campus in a residence hall

Section 2: Executive Board Elections

All Executive Board elections shall be conducted according to the RHA Executive Board Election Bylaws.
Eligibility
1. To run for the position of the Executive President, a student must either serve on the Executive Committee or as a member of the General Assembly for at least one academic year.

Section 3: Residence Hall/Apartment/Suite Government Elections

Elections of the Hall/Apartment/Suite Government for all positions will be held solely during the month of September and completed by the dates determined by the RHA Executive Board.
Each Hall/Apartment/Suite Government is required to elect a President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Advocacy Programming Liaison.
Voting processes will be established in Hall/Apartment/Suite and residents will only be able to vote for representatives within their respective Hall/Apartment/Suite.
Election proceedings shall be overseen by the Residence Hall advisor and may vary by Hall/Apartment/Suite at the discretion of the Residence Hall advisor according to guidelines provided by the RHA Executive Board.
Elections for Hall/Apartment/Suite Government Presidents shall be conducted according to the RHA Hall Government President Election Bylaws.

Section 4: In-Training Election Process (NCC-IT and DLD-IT)

Eligibility
1. To run for one of these positions, the applicant must currently be a member of RHA.
The NCC-IT and DLD-IT elections will be held in the fall semester
1. The week after elections will be a panel interview with an advisor and 3 executive board members.
2. Voting will be held during General Assembly.
3. Applicants must prepare a short speech for why they want the role, and why they are qualified.

Section 5: Appointments to Vacant Executive Board Positions

In the event of an impeachment or resignation of any Executive Board position (not including the Residential Council Associate Directors); the RHA Executive Board shall have the authority to appoint an on campus residential student to the vacant position.
In the vacancy of a Residential Council Associate Director, the members of the residential council shall elect a candidate that will be approved by the RHA Executive Board.
Appointments shall be conducted according to Article 4 of the RHA Bylaws.

Section 6: Elections Guidelines

Hall/Apartment/Suite elections for all positions with the exception of the President shall be overseen by the pre-elected hall president. In the event the President position is not filled, the Residential Council Director shall oversee the election processes.
Violation of elections guidelines will result in an elections review by the Residential Council Directors, Residential Council Associate Directors, and NCC.

Section 7: General Election Proceedings

All election proceedings shall be conducted according to the Election Bylaws, unless in the instance of a special election or appointment

Section 8: Executive Board Elections

Executive Board Elections for the following academic year will be held during the month of March and completed within the timeline determined by the current Executive Board.

Section 1: Executive Board Impeachment

Any Executive Board member may call for Impeachment of another Executive Board member.
1. Upon two-thirds (2/3) vote of all Executive Board members, an Executive Board member shall be removed from their position.
  1. The impeachment proceedings shall consist of:
    1. An impeachment meeting coordinated by the Executive President shall take place where every Executive Board member is required to attend.
    2. Presentation of the petition and reading of the charges against the individual(s)
      1. Individual(s) defense
      2. Discussion of charges
      3. Voting on dismissal
    3. Voting power shall be determined on a one (1) vote per person basis

Section 2: Residential Council Director and Associate Director Impeachment

Upon unanimous vote of the members of the RHA Executive Board or upon a two-thirds (2/3) vote of all eligible voters present the Chair’s respective Residential Council meeting, Residential Council Director or Associate Director shall be removed from their position.
1. The impeachment proceedings shall consist of:
  1. Presentation of the petition and reading of the charges against the individual(s)
  2. Individual(s) defense
  3. Discussion of charges
  4. Voting on dismissal
2. Voting power shall be determined on a one (1) vote per person basis.

Section 3: Residence Hall/Apartment/Suite Officer Impeachment

An individual Hall/Apartment/Suite Government Advisor has discretion over impeachment and subsequent re-election of Hall Government officers, excluding representatives, and may consult the RHA Executive Board if necessary or desired.
The Executive Board shall be responsible for informing the Hall/Apartment/Suite Government Advisor of any transgressions committed by a member of the Hall/Apartment/Suite Government, and for requesting or recommending the impeachment of a Hall/Apartment/Suite Government officer.

Section 1: Qualifying for Support

The individual(s) requesting both emotional and financial support must be a registered, full-time student in an undergraduate or graduate degree program at Rutgers University – New Brunswick.
The individual(s) requesting candidacy, must be living in on-campus housing for the entire academic year in which he or she is asking for emotional (and/or) financial support.
The individual(s) requesting support must have a 2.75 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale for support from the Rutgers University Residence Hall Association (RHA) and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH).
1. Should they not reach the GPA requirement, they shall be allowed to run for a position on a case by case basis
The individual(s) requesting support does not have to be a current member of the Rutgers University RHA or the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH to request support for the Regional Board of Directors, however must have experience within either organization.

Section 2: Gathering Support

The individual(s) requesting support must reach out to the Executive President of Rutgers University RHA and the President of the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH to request time to speak with their respective General Assemblies.
The individual(s) must give a presentation to the General Assemblies of Rutgers University RHA and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH and outline what it means to provide emotional and financial support for a candidate on the Regional Board of Directors for each person and term to which they wish to be elected.
The individual(s) must receive a majority vote by the Rutgers University RHA and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH on the topic of support to obtain both emotional and financial support from Rutgers University. Both organizations must agree to provide support for a candidate to have emotional and financial support of Rutgers University- New Brunswick.
Once the General Assemblies of both organizations approve support for the candidate(s), the Executive President of RHA and the President of the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH will be tasked with writing a letter of support on behalf of the organizations.
If the RBD Member-Elect is granted support from Rutgers University- New Brunswick, the candidate(s) are required to apply for the NACURH Conference as a regular delegate in the process outlined by the current National Communications Coordinator and/or the National Communications Coordinator in Training.

Section 3: Definition of Support

All individuals bidding for positions on the Regional Board of Directors must seek and receive emotional and financial support from their host institution in order to be eligible to bid for a position.
Emotional support is defined as being present and aware of the time commitment which the individual(s) is putting into his or her elected position on the Regional Board of Directors as well as providing a network of advisors and leaders to support the elected member of the Regional Board of Directors when necessary.
1. Financial support is defined by Rutgers University- New Brunswick as providing monies that cover expenses not incurred by NACURH Inc or the region of CAACURH.
If running for the CAACURH Regional Board of Directors, this includes a delegate seat for CAACURH Regional Business Conference where the individual(s) will bid for a position on the Regional Board of Directors.
Should the candidate be elected to a position on the Regional Board of Directors, the elected member will be guaranteed financial support for any conferences and summits involved in positional transition or conference information.
1. Transition of the Regional Board of Directors occurs at NACURH Conference, at which the elected members of the Regional Board of Directors act in the capacity of University Delegates until such a time when they are sworn into office. Funding for elected members of the Regional Board of Directors for NACURH Conference comes from the Institution of which they serve as a delegate.
  1. The individual(s) if elected to the CAACURH Regional Board of Directors will have a spot reserved on the Rutgers University- New Brunswick NACURH Delegation for their upcoming term and outgoing term.
2. Should the candidate be elected to a position on the Regional Board of Directors, the elected member will be guaranteed financial support as defined in section 4.

Section 4: Source of Funding for Financial Support

Financial support for any individual(s) or Member-Elects of the Regional Board of Directors will be covered jointly by Rutgers University RHA and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH through the organizations combined accounts.
The funds provided by Rutgers University RHA and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH are only to be used after the exhaustion of the funds provided by the Region of CAACURH or NACURH Inc or in the case that the region of CAACURH or NACURH Inc will not cover aspects of Travel, Conference Fees, housing costs (if applicable) and/or food during conferences, summits or meetings held by CAACURH.
For any year which Rutgers University hosts a member of the Regional Board of Directors, one seat for each CAACURH Regional Conference and NACURH Conference will be removed for each member of the Regional Board that Rutgers University hosts. The funding that would be used for this delegate will be retained to offset the additional financial investment that hosting a member of the Regional Board requires.
1. Rutgers University RHA and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH will match the funds, dollar for dollar to the regional budget submitted and approved by April 1st for the following region of CAACURH and NACURH Inc. fiscal year, provided based on the individual’s elected position. This amount caps out at $650.00 regardless of the funds allocated by the region.
The money provided by Rutgers University RHA and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH can only be used for the specific reasons outlined below:
1. Funds can only be used after all the funds provided by the region are exhausted or to be used for items not covered by the region of CAACURH or NACURH Inc.;
2. Funds can only be used to reimburse the cheapest mode of transportation to travel to the various conferences, summits and meetings as outlined within the Rutgers University Residence Life Professional Development Funds;
3. Funds can only be used to pay for housing in the event that it is not covered by the region of CAACURH or NACURH Inc.
4. If there is an option to have a roommate(s) to cut the cost of the housing, the individual(s) must use this option.
5. Funds can only be used to pay for food during the time of Conferences, Summits or Meetings that are not provided by the region of CAACURH or NACURH Inc.;
All funding for any candidate(s) for Member-Elects of the Regional Board of Directors will be taken from the combined accounts held by the Rutgers University RHA that holds the revenue income collected from the sale and distribution of Care Packages by Rutgers University RHA and The Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH.
The funds from this account cannot be used to cover any non-essential items that are not listed above.
In order for the candidate(s) for Member- Elects of the Regional Board of Directors to get reimbursed for the funds, all and every receipt must be turned into the Director of Finance if the candidate(s) wish to use the funds provided by the Rutgers University RHA and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH.
If any changes are to occur regarding the policy for funding of a RBD member, the RBD member or the RBD Member- Elect is responsible for being aware of these changes.

Section 5: Requirements upon being Granted Support after being Elected to the Regional Board of Directors

The individual(s) once elected are required to serve as a mentor to the conference delegations during their time in office as directed by the Professional Staff Advisor of Rutgers University RHA and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH.
The Individual(s) will work with the representative to the region of CAACURH and NACURH based off their elected position to provide help and support when needed. Below is the breakdown per current CAACURH Regional Board of Directors:
1. The Regional Director, and the Coordinating Officer for Leadership Development will work with the National Communications Coordinator of Rutgers University RHA.
2. The Associate Director for Administration and Finance will work with the Rutgers University RHA’s Director of Finance
3. The Associate Director for NRHH and the Coordinating Officer of Bidding, Recognition and Service will work with the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH.
4. The Coordinating Officer of RHA will work with the Rutgers University RHA Executive President.
5. The Coordinating Officer for Leadership Development will work with the Rutgers University RHA Director of Leadership.
6. The Coordinating Officer of Bidding, Recognition and Service will have the option to work with the National Communications Coordinator, the Executive President of the Rutgers University RHA and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH on any and all Bid related questions but will not provide a “how to” or any help writing the bid, aside from a letter of support, to avoid a conflict of interest with the Region of CAACURH or NACURH Inc.
7. The Coordinating Officer of Marketing and Technology will work with Rutgers University RHA Director of University Relations and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH Director of External Affairs for all flyers or promotional materials.
The individual(s) will be required to hold a session for each of the General Assemblies of Rutgers University RHA and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH about the developments within the region of CAACURH and/or NACURH. If there is more than one person supported by the Rutgers University RHA and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH, all individuals will be allowed to collaborate for these presentations if they so choose.
The individual(s) will be required to hold a session during the Fall or Spring Leadership Development Day about a topic of their choosing as long as it relates to their elected position, the region of CAACURH or NACURH Inc as a whole. All individuals will be allowed to collaborate for these presentations if they so choose.
A total of three (3) presentations must be created and shared between both organizations, Rutgers University RHA and the Scarlet Knights Chapter of NRHH, and can be given at the following:
1. Fall or Spring LDD
2. General Assemblies
3. Approved Events
4. August or Winter Training

Quorum is defined as a representation of fifty percent (50%) plus one (1) of the voting General Assembly membership. Quorum must exist for all business to be transacted.

Section 1: Proposal and Presentation

Amendments may be proposed in writing by any voting member of the organization as well as any Executive Board member and must be submitted to the Executive Board before the Executive Board meeting prior to its presentation at General Assembly meetings.
The amendment will be presented at the next regular General Assembly Meeting(s).

Section 2: Voting Process

Voting power will be determined on a one (1) vote per Hall/Apartment/Suite Government basis.
A vote of 50% + 1 of the entire voting membership population is required to amend the constitution.

Section 3: NACURH/CAACURH Trickle Downgen

NACURH/CAACURH Trickle Down – All RHA Policy shall be updated in order to be in line with NACURH and/ or CAACURH Policy immediately after any updates or revisions are made to the NACURH and/or CAACURH Policy Book(s).
1. If any NACURH or CAACURH Policy directly contradicts a current RHA Policy then a piece of legislation will need to be presented and passed in order for the change go into effect.
Should any NACURH/CAACURH Policy changes contradict our RHA mission statement or values in any form, the changes will not have to be implemented into RHA Policy.

Section 1: Proposal and Establishment

Each Hall/Apartment/Suite Government shall establish their own constitution to govern the specific functions of their residential community.
Hall/Apartment/Suite constitutions may be proposed or amended at the discretions of the Hall Government and Residence Hall Advisor.
Each Hall/Apartment/Suite Government shall include in their constitution the following positions: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Advocacy Programming Liaison.

Section 2: Responsibilities of the Hall/Apartment/Suite Government Presidents

Lead and attend Hall Government meetings
Insure that all hall Government activities are proceeding as smoothly as possible, i.e. follow-up with members
Attend two-on-one meetings with the Vice President and Advisor
Attend General Assembly meetings

Section 3: Responsibilities of the Vice President

Attend Hall Government meetings
Attend two-on-one meetings with the President and Advisor
Attend weekly Residential Council meetings where they will give a hall update, program campus event, learn about and help with campus issues, and give a voice to their Hall/Apartment/Suite Government
Ensure Hall Government activities are as efficient and effective as possible, by utilizing skills learned from Residential Council Director
Take meeting minutes
Distribute meeting minutes to the Hall Government and Advisors
Keep track of Hall/Apartment/Suite Government archives by documenting events and filing posters, advertisements, and memos related to Hall Government affairs
Document attendance at meetings and programs

Section 4: Responsibilities of the Treasurer

Oversee Hall Government budget, distribute monies, balance accounts, and keep track of financial records
Update Hall Government where budget stands throughout the year
Advocate for spending residents’ monies wisely
Give weekly report to Hall Government concerning expenditures
Responsible for approving budget transactions within SABO, in collaboration with Advisor

Section 5: Responsibilities of the Advocacy Liaison

Attend Hall Government meetings
Advocate for Hall/Apartment/Suite Government, Campus, and/ or University
Attend Advocacy Liaison Meetings and partake in 1 subcommittee
Coordinate events with the Hall/Apartment/Suite Government
Coordinate member roles for event preparation
Manage the Hall Government’s social media platforms
Update the Hall/Apartment/Suite on university events

Section 6: Additional positions shall be added after fall elections as necessary.

Section 7: Co-Positions Obligations
1. Hall/Apartment/Suite Governments that possess more than one (1) person for a position shall hold accountable both individuals in accordance to the positional responsibilities as outlined by The Constitution
2. Co-Positions of governments that possess specific convocations must strictly adhere to the attendance policy as outlined by Article 7, Section 5
3. Co-Positions may receive special permission as outlined by Article 7, Section 6

The RHA Bylaws shall describe the official processes and procedures of the Residence Hall Association. The RHA Executive Board Election Bylaws shall describe the election processes for the Executive Board. The RHA Hall Government President Bylaws shall describe the election processes for the Hall/Apartment/Suite Government Presidents of each Hall Government.

This Constitution shall become effective upon ratification by 50% + 1 of the Quorum of the General Assembly.
Ratified: Monday, February 25th, 2018