Who we are
The Residence Hall Association (RHA) is an umbrella student organization at Case Western Reserve University that is comprised of eight Community Councils. We strive to build community in the residence halls and enhance the residential experience at CWRU through programming and advocacy, all while promoting the leadership development of our members. RHA works closely with the Offices of Residence Life, University Housing, and Facilities Services to advocate for students living in university-owned housing.
Values
In the summer of 2017, the acting Executive Board outlined and defined five core values to which the organization shall hereby adhere. Our board has renewed these five core values. These values are: Community, Meaningful Work, Representation, Growth, and Enjoyment.
History
The Residence Hall Association was formed in 1992 through a merger of the North Campus Association and the South Campus Association. The new organization affiliated itself with the National Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH) and the regional Central Atlantic Affiliate for College and University Residence Halls (CAACURH). RHA has grown in size and scope since the original merger and is now one of the largest student organizations on campus.
In the summer of 2019, a new community council was formed. The Triangle Apartments Community Council split from the Upperclass Community Council. In the summer of 2020, in response to COVID-19 and its impact on residents, councils were re-lined to better serve and support the student leadership representation for the duration of the pandemic. This lead to the merging of Cedar and Magnolia residential communities to form Cedar Magnolia Community Council.
Organizational Structure
RHA is made up of eight Community Councils, each representing the eight Residential Communities. Four Community Councils are open to first-year students (Cedar Magnolia, Clarke Tower, Juniper, and Mistletoe), three to second-year students (Carlton Road, Murray Hill, and Noyes-Fayette), and one to upper-class students (Upperclass).
Members of the community elect a community-wide Council President and Treasurer for the Council. Furthermore, a House Representative is elected to represent each building in the Residential Community. The remainder of the Council is made up of Community Council Representatives, students chosen by the RHA Executive Board to promote programming, advocacy, and leadership development in their community. The President, Treasurer, and House Representatives of each council, as well as At-large members and the Executive Board, constitute the General Body of RHA. This gathering of representatives provides a forum to discuss residential issues, vote on measures, and enact positive and collaborative change across campus.
RHA is overseen by the eight members of the Executive Board, elected by the General Body in the spring for one-year terms. The positions of the Executive Board are Executive President, Executive Vice President of Internal Development (VPID), Executive Vice President of Residential Services (VPRS), Executive Vice President of Residential Experience (VPREx), Executive Vice President of Programming (VPP), Executive Vice President of Records, History, and Administration (VPRHA), Executive Vice President of Auditing and Finance (VPAF), and Executive Vice President of Marketing and Campus Relations (VPMCR).