Case Western Reserve University_School of the Year_1011

8/6/2019 Case Western Reserve University_School of the Year_1011

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Case Western Reserve UniversityNACURH 2011

School of the Year


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Structure and Vision2. Our Foundations 3. Executive Board 4. Community Councils 5. General Body and Committees 6. Goal Development and Achievement 7. Summer Projects 8. RHA Elections Programming9. RHA Programming 10. RHA Programming (cont.) 11. Council Programs 12. Council Programs (cont.) Advocacy13. RHA Advocacy 14. Challenges Leadership Development15. Member Training 16. Ongoing Development 17. Recognition & Liasions Outreach18. Community Service 19. Collaboration 20. Campus Involvement 21. Sustainability & Co-sponsorships 22. Budget and Fundraising Regional and National Involvement23. National Residence Hall Honorary 24. Of the Month Awards 25. Regional Involvement 26. National Involvement Letters of Support27. Skip Begley & Rachel Tuttle, RHA Advisors 28. Alma Sealine, Director of Housing 29. Susan Nickel-Schindewolf, Associate Vice

President of Student Affairs30. Laura Imbirowicz, CAACURH Regional Director

Like the Cleveland Skyline,Case Western Reserve University Residence Hall Association

is strong and stable, standing out against the surroundings.Over the years, through reinvention and revitalization,we have come into our own, creating an organizationbuilt on respect and a desire to serve the community.We continuously change to reflect our residentsneeds while honoring our history.

RHA prides itself as one of the most involvedand respected organizations on campus. Werepresent residents interests on numerouscampus committees and are known for fosteringskilled leaders. In 2009, we won the CAACURHStudent Award for Leadership Training andfor the past two years we have beencontenders for the CAACURH Building BlockAward. We have cemented our foundationsin programming, advocacy, and leadershipdevelopment and have constructed RHA tobe a leader at CWRU and in the region.

The Residence Hall Association hasworked diligently since 1992 to createpositive change at CWRU by advocatingfor residents and programming events tobuild community. RHA at CWRU did thatand more during the 2010-2011 schoolyear and we are excited to share oursuccess with you.

All the best,The RHA Executive Board 2010-2011

Table of Contents


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Residence Life at CWRUAt Case Western ReserveUniversity, about 3000 studentslive on campus and choose to livein the halls throughout their entireundergraduate education. Theresidence halls are separatedinto two areas: the North Residential Village and the SouthResidential Village. There are 18 residence halls and university-owned apartments on north campus and 7 residence halls onsouth campus. The residence halls offer residents traditionalsingle or double room, suite, and apartment style living.

Residence halls are split up into residential colleges perexperience, with the first-year, second-year and upper classexperiences all focusing on different developmental areas. First-year residential colleges have unique themes to create a senseof community, while second-year and upper class halls focus onincreased independence of residents as they progress in theirundergraduate education. RHA is comprised of representativesfrom each residential community.

Following the 1967 federation of Case Institute of Technology and WesternReserve University to form CWRU, each residential area retained its owngoverning organization (and a bitter rivalry). In 1992, the organizations unitedand became the Residence Hall Association. Since then, RHA has fervently workedto become the primary advocate for residents needs and concerns at CWRU.

RHA is one of the forefront student organizations at CWRU and the only studentorganization that focuses on programming, advocacy and leadership development for the residents. RHA understands the importance of maintaining strong,supportive residential communities and encourages students to define their

community experience.RHA strives to offer innovative programming that is relevant to the residents of

Case. From enhancing traditional programs to bringing new programs to life, RHAis known for quality, accessible programming that caters to the needs and desires

of the residential communities.

RHA also benefits the residents by generating tangible change in the halls.Through sustaining strong, collaborative relationships with campus administrators,

RHA helps to improve hall conditions and housing processes.

Finally, RHA provides opportunities for students with a broad range ofleadership experiences, offering both a safe space where

new leaders can grow and enabling skilled leaders todevelop in new ways. Members learn a variety of

skills through their involvement in RHA, includingdelegation, goal-setting and accountability.

These skills allow them to betterrepresent their residents and gain

valuable expertise fortheir futureendeavors.

Our Foundations

First-YearResidentialColleges

Mistletoe Service Cedar Arts Juniper Diversity

Second-YearResidentialComplexes

Carlton Road Clarke Tower

Upper ClassResidentialComplexes

Murray Hill Village at 115(2 nd year & upper class) & University Apartments


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President, Lillian Zamecnik-Acts as the organization and public head of RHA by creating,implementing, and continuously improving the vision of theorganization. Also, works with other student group leaders andadministration to improve the university residential experiencevia programming, advocacy, and leadership development.

Vice President of Internal Development, Mara Gallagher-Focuses on the strengthening of RHA through its members, servesall the members of RHA General Body and all of the councils,and supports the councils' work with their respectivecommunities.

Vice President of Residential Relations, Samantha Nardone-Acts as a liaison between the student body and Dining Services,Information Technology Services, Campus Services, and anyother administrative office or official affecting the quality oflife of the residents. Also, informs residents about issuesregarding campus services and residence life.

Vice President of External Communication, Kaitlyn Estes-Collaborates with student groups and campus committees,

promotes the efforts of RHA through intentional communicationwith the CWRU campus, provides service and sustainability-focused opportunities for the residents, and representsCWRU RHA as National Communications Coordinator.

Vice President of Programming, Stephanie Chung-Assesses the educational and social needs of theresidents, coordinates traditional and original programsthat respond to those needs, and upholds the RHA Visionof Programming through all levels of RHA.

Vice President of Administration, Winston Liu-Prepares and maintains the budget and financial data ofthe organization, manages the co-sponsorship processand subsequent collection of feedback, serves assecretary at General Body meetings, and documents RHAevents.

RHA Advisors, Skip Begley & Rachel Tuttle-Oversee major organizational decisions, boost the moraleand develop the group dynamic within RHA Exec, andprovide contextual or historical knowledge to the Board.

The RHA Executive Board serves as the leaders and campusrepresentatives for all of RHA. Council members look to theexecutive board for guidance, as well as other universityorganizations and administrators. The Board has regularlybeen asked for input in prominent issues and decisions thataffect the whole university. The Executive Board has made it apriority to act as a strong resource for the RHA membershipand to help them develop as leaders within their communities.

Each Executive member is required to: Attend weekly Executive and General Body meetings Meet with advisors and RHA President biweekly Serve as a liaison to a council and attend council meetings Lead a standing RHA committee at least once a week (wit

the exception of VP Admin and President) Hold 2 office hours/week to be a present resource

Skyscraping Moment: Executive Transitions

Following the 2011 Executive Elections, the incomingexecutive board underwent a rigorous transition, which ranfrom the conclusion of elections up until their inauguration(late February-early May). After being elected, each newmember was given a flash drive containing information andadvice relevant to their new position. The new members alsomet frequently with their outgoing counterpart to discuss theposition and ask questions. Finally, the new board attendedall spring executive meetings, where they were able toobserve the current board and contribute to discussions.

The Executive Board


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Skyscraping Moment Defining Council AdvisorsRHA recently met with Residence Life staff tocreate a set of expectations andrecommendations for council advisors. In thepast, advising has been inconsistent towardcouncils due to unclear parameters. Newexpectations for advisors included a minimumtime commitment and council communicationguidelines. Added recommendationsincluded advanced support such as holding1-on-1 meetings, and attending GeneralBody meetings and council programs.Defining advisor responsibilities has betterequipped councils to focus on serving theirresidents and has boosted their leadershipdevelopment drastically. Currently, alladvisors are meeting our expectations andmany are following our recommendations.

Experience Modeling

The Office of Housing & Residence Life utilizes the CWRUExperience Model to guide the residential program at Case. Thisyear RHA adopted this model in our member training programsand council development plans. RHA relied on experiences whilereassessing council positions in the summer of 2010. First year,second year, and upper class students require varying levels ofsupport and developmental experiences. Understanding thisprogression has led to more deliberate programming andeffective representation of the residential communities.

The First Year Experience focuses on students personal and

academic transformation. Council programs are designed toconnect students with their peers, communities, and academicsupport to help their transition from high school to college.

The Second Year Experience helps students to narrow, focus, andbecome more engaged with a career path, friends, or theuniversity community. The second year council programs helpstudents gain self-knowledge, make conscious decisions aboutdirection, and create a vision for the future.

The Upperclass Experience strives to help students turn theirpersonal vision into reality and prepare for life after Case.Upper Class Community Council programs support the themes ofreflection, preparation, and celebration.

CommunityCouncilsRHA is comprised of seven councils, one per residentialcommunity. Each council supports its community and helps itto thrive by providing interesting programs and engagingopportunities for community members. Councils also work toaddress any issues in the community by working through theappropriate avenues to make changes a reality. Mostimportantly, the council is responsible for representing its

residents, working to connect with them and to understandwhat they really value in their residential experience.

osition Primary Responsibilitiesresident Lead the council in building a strong residential community

Vice PresidentOne per building)

Bring the needs of constituents to the councils attention, organizecollaborations and assist with council leadership development

ocial Coordinator Develop social and educational programs and seek program feedbackecretary Maintain an record of council attendance and meeting proceedingsreasurer Keep record of all financial transactions and accounts

ublic Relations Chair Submit information to RHA newsletters and promote council efforts through

bulletin boards and involvement in Family Weekend and Homecoming

Advocate Communicate student concerns to council and administration and serve as

a representative on Residential Relations and food committeesustainability Rep Support and develop sustainable initiatives and attitudes in the hallsommunity Service Rep Coordinate community service and philanthropy events in the community

istorian Organize OTM submissions and create a detailed form of record of the

council's goals and accomplishments as a resource for future councils

OnlyUpperClass

C o m m u n

i t y

C o u n c i

l Upper ClassVice President

Fulfill the presidential responsibilities if the president is absent Manage recruitment throughout the year to maintain a full council

House Rep(One perhouse)

Be aware of student concerns in respective buildings Fulfill the responsibilities of the Social Coordinator, PR Chair, Advocate,

Community Service Rep, Sustainability Rep, and Historian


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General Body and Committees

CommitteesCWRU RHA would not be able to take on such a diverse range of initiatives if not for our four standing committees. The Internal Development, Residential Relations,External Communication, and Programming committees are composed of members from each community council and work with their respective Executive VP onvarious projects. All committees meet once a week for about an hour, immediately preceding GB meetings.

The General Body (GB) serves as the governing assembly of the entire Residence Hall Association. Itsmembers include the Presidents and Vice Presidents of every community council, the Executive Board, andAt-Large Representatives (members who serve without being a council president or vice president). GBmeetings allow attending individuals to discuss, question, and pass on important information to theirrespective councils and communities. A typical meeting includes the following:

Roll call and passing of last weeks minutes Co-sponsorship requests from campus groups seeking monetary and/or non-monetary support RHA business, such updates on campus policies, discussions on structure, and legislation Leadership development session or guest speaker Updates on important committee projects Advisor moment of weekly wisdom and member recognition

The Internal Development (ID)committee represents the"Leadership Development" pillarof RHA. It propels RHA membersto the next level of leadershipwithin the organization and intonew leadership opportunitiesaround campus. ID is focused on

planning RHA-wide trainingevents, member and communityrecognition, and ongoingleadership developmentopportunities.

The Residential Relations(Res Rel) committee focuses onwork relating to RHA's"Advocacy" pillar. Res Rel worksto address student concerns bycommunicating with administrationand relaying new information tothe students. This committee helps

RHA stay connected to studentopinions on their CWRUresidential experience and hasbecome an important resourcefor administration inunderstanding how toimprove thoseopinions.

The External Communication(ExCom) committee interacts witha variety of topics, includingcommunity service andsustainability efforts, RHA publicrelations, and connectionsbetween RHA and other studentorganizations. ExCom has played

a major role in developing anRHA philanthropy, improving linesof communication between RHAand CWRU residents, andencouraging sustainable practicesin each community. ExCom is notassociated with a specific RHApillar, but instead incorporatesimportant aspects of all three.

The Programming committee isresponsible for planning large,campus-wide events that reflectthe interests of the residents,upholding the third RHA pillar of"Programming". Programmingcommittee members learn variousprogramming skills through

rotating projects, such as logisticscoordination, budgeting andadvertising. They consistentlydevelop strong programs thatexpose students to RHA in a funand exciting way.


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Goal Development and Achievement The How Intentionality Develop Council Advisor and Resident Assistant Liaison

expectations Integrate the Housing & Residence Life Departments First-Year,

Second-Year, and Upper Class Experience model in counciltraining

Establish ideal council activity for council training to assistcouncils with program planning and addressing advocacy issues

Adopt a philanthropy to support in Cleveland with values thatparallel those of RHA

Promote care package fundraising efforts at the Letting GoSession for parents during new student orientation

Edit Council of the Year Award rubric to place emphasis onquality of council efforts and initiatives

Develop an effective sustainability subcommittee Offer members Safe Zone training to better support the

residential community

Achieved

Collaboration Work with Orientation, Board Games Club, Greek Life and

Chess Club to make Casino Night bigger and better Write joint resolutions with Undergraduate Student Government Begin conversations with the Interfraternity Congress (IFC) and

Panhellenic Council (Panhel) to facilitate organizationaldiscussions and programming

Increase the impact of the Amazing Race at Case throughcollaborating with IFC, Panhel and University Program Board

Tackle community issues and improve co-programming with RAs

Achieved

Increase efforts to collaborate with NRHH to support OTMsubmissions and recognition efforts at CWRU

In Developmen

Reflection Utilize feedback results from prior years to guide summer

organizational development projects Consistently evaluate and provide suggestions for programs

and organizational operations at multiple levels Review and assess organizational and position-specific goals at

mid-semester and winter executive retreats Complete program planning forms for organizational memory Create an ad-hoc committee to revise Executive elections

procedures

Achieved

Develop and complete periodic needs assessments for the entireCWRU residential community

In Developmen

The What Being A Resource Develop Pre-Liaison Liaison (PLL) position to assist Council

Advisors with member recruitment Create standard expectations for Executive Liaisons Make the office a welcoming space during office hours

Achieved

Increase awareness of executive board office hours Establish the Programming-Advocacy-Leadership Development

Librarya collection of resources for RHA community councilsIn Development

Strengthening RHAs Presence Distribute RHA swag and unique advertisements frequently Participate in important campus events such as the Leutner Dining

Hall ribbon cutting and LGBT Candlelight Vigil Promote RHA initiatives and events through a regular newsletter Change second-year and upper class election processes to better

suit individual residential communities, increase council retentionand foster stronger recruitment

Achieved

Create a year-long public relations strategy In DevelopmentCommunicating with the Community Redesign the website to reflect the structure of RHA and increase

ease of navigation Utilize the RHA member and all-resident email list serves to

distribute important information Establish an organizational Google calendar for all members

Achieved

Contact other affiliated RHAs to create collaborativeopportunities

In Development

In the summer of 2010, the RHA Executive Board met to developgoals for the coming school year using a SWOT (Strengths,Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis and evaluation.The resulting goals were classified into two themes What and How .

The What are the three overarching goals that describe what RHAhas strived to achieve being a resource, strengthening RHA

presence, and communicating with the community. The How depictthe strategies RHA wanted to utilize in achieving these goals. EveryRHA initiative should incorporate intentionality, collaboration, andreflection. Organizing the goals in this manner allowed them tobecome ingrained in CWRU RHAs operations.


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Summer ProjectsThe Residence Hall Association of Case Western Reserve University made sweeping advances as an organization through their efforts in the summer of 2010. Charged

with three very challenging and progressive projects, the Executive Board made important changes in the nature of RHA. This helped the Board stay connected to themission of RHA as well as establish accountability and familiarity with their team dynamic. By reevaluating council structure, resolving problems in the second-year

experience, and redefining the purpose of RHA programming, the board was able to develop the organization at a level unattainable during the school year.

Council Positions

The project reviewed the positions and structureof CWRUs community councils and was a follow-up to a former project from the summer of 2009.

The project team evaluated the impact of thesechanges a year after their implementation andmade necessary edits to the positions and positionresponsibilities using feedback, interviews fromformer RHA members, and personal observations. As a result, major changes were made within thecouncil positions, including the separation of theOutreach Representative into a CommunityService Representative and SustainabilityRepresentative and the refinement of the role ofcouncil Vice Presidents to increase collaborationand council development.

The members took their project a step further bycreating a tangible and accessible resource forcouncils known as the P.A.LD. Library, an in-

depth explanation of topics related to CWRURHAs pillars of Programming, Advocacy andLeadership Development

Second Year Councils

CWRUs second year communities havetraditionally been more difficult to engage thanother communities. This is due to reasons such as

the geographical divide between second-yearcommunities and the suite-style livingarrangements in second year halls. The project resulted in several recommendationsfor second-year councils to help them becomemore successful in their communities, such ascollaborating with the other sophomore councilsand Residence Life staff. The project leaders alsoworked with the VP of Internal Development onclarifying the role of and providing training forthe RA Liaisons.

The team also recommended changing theelections process for second year councils, so thatcouncil presidents would be elected in the springfor the following fall. This would allow councilpresidents to get a head start on council workover the summer. Presidents would be able toassist with recruitment and council elections in thefall to attract more dedicated members. The firstRHA Spring Elections for second-year and upperclass students took place in April 2011.

RHA Programming

This project was a complete reassessment of RHAProgramming. In recent years, RHA Programmingparticularly on an all-campus level, has been

viewed as relatively weak by CWRU RHAstandards and was due for revision.

As a result, the purpose of RHA programming wasredefined and a list of all of the qualities thateach program should attempt to incorporate, suchas intentional, multi-faceted, and personalwas created. The team also made a step-by-stepprogramming guide that outlines every tasknecessary for a program to be successful,including time-lining, detailed budgeting, andfeedback/progression.

Additionally, the project yielded a prototypeNeeds Assessment to better identify the characterand needs of the resident population. This willhelp RHA create programs that are more relevantto CWRU residents. Lastly, the role of theProgramming Committee and the responsibilitiesof the VP of Programming were revamped toprovide stronger resources and support to councilmembers through educational workshops andhands-on involvement.


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RHA ElectionsRHA Elections are always a very exciting time of the year. Theres nothing quite like meeting a new student in

the fall who is interested in making a difference in the halls and sharing all the opportunities that RHA councilswill provide for them. Additionally, RHA Executive Elections is consistently a thrilling and thought-provoking event

as the leaders for the next RHA are determined. RHA elections procedures began to undergo some major changesthis year that will streamline the process and better enable councils to serve their communities.

Council Elections Executive ElectionsCommunity council elections are held each fall within the first two weeks ofschool. The RHA executive board recruits new members in the weekspreceding elections by assisting with first-year move-in, attending first yearcommunity sessions, working with advisors and RA staffs, and talking withresidents personally. We also create a campus-wide PR campaign toencourage residents to be a part of RHA.

Each candidate is asked to consider their leadership experience, why theywant to be on council, and what they can do for their community. Theirresponses are displayed on the voting webpage for their community toreview. Candidates can also campaign using fliers, chalk, or Facebook.After voting has ended, the council advisors tally the results and notify thewinners. Those who did not win their election are still strongly encouraged tobecome a part of their council in another capacity.

Introducing Spring Elections

Following the work of the Second Year Councils summer project, RHA beganexploring the possibility of moving second-year council elections to thespring. Shifting the elections timeline would create benefit RHA by:

Strengthening member retention between first and second year Facilitating a stronger transition of organizational memory Enabling councils to develop a dynamic and support structure

before the school year even begins

The RHA Executive Board opened up a discussion on spring elections withthe three second-year councils to get their opinions. After taking the conceptback to their communities, each council created its own elections plan to suitits community. The outcomes varied: one council created new positions to beelected in the spring, while another decided to only form an interestcommittee that could communicate over the summer. However, the proposedchanges were intentional and fitted to the needs of each community, so theExec Board felt comfortable with them.

In the Spring of 2011, RHA administered its first Spring Elections, whichfilled almost every available position and had several contested races. Welook forward to developing our elections processes in future years.

Executive Board elections are administered every year near the end ofFebruary. The new Executive Board is elected in hierarchical order by theRHA General Body. In the two weeks preceding elections, any RHA membercan be nominated for an Executive position. On the day of elections,nominees are expected to provide a letter of intent, give a speech beforeGeneral Body, and answer any questions from GB members. After eachcandidate has spoken, General Body members discuss the nominees atlength before voting by secret ballot. The candidate with a majority of thevote is elected to the position.

This exciting yearly event usually lasts a few hours and is taken extremelyseriously, specifically during question-and-answer and discussion sections. Inthe subsequent months, the new Executive Board is transitioned by thecurrent Executive Board, continuing a tradition of RHA passion and integrity.

Changing Executive Elections

The Executive Elections Ad Hoc committee was formed in February 2011 toaddress the issues with the current election process utilized by the GeneralBody. The election process was originally designed to allow interestedresidents to run for multiple executive board positions. This served theorganization well when member numbers were small and retention rateswere sub-par. Now that the organization has grown, the most recentexecutive board elections took seven hours, lasting until 3:30am. Thecommittee explored a variety of alternatives and developed two ideas forlegislation to propose as solutions. The committee is currently writing tworesolutions to be presented to the 2011-2012 General Body:

1. Hold executive elections in two GB meetings for two consecutiveweeks with the six positions split between the two evenings.

2. Hold primaries the week before executive elections to ensure thatthe candidates in the main elections are the front-runners

Both pieces of legislation will include details about the type and length ofdiscussions, the ability of candidates to "trickle down" to later elections, andthe required seating arrangement for representatives. All of these aspectswill shorten the time of elections by making them more efficient andstreamlined.


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RHA ProgrammingRHA Programming has been revitalized to reflect our new mission of programming. Programming is done

by all levels of RHA, including the Executive Board, individual councils, and RHA as an association. RHhas created a new way to evaluate and develop programs by encouraging the use of transitional

material to improve traditional events and aid in the creation of new ones. Our focus throughout the pastyear has become more intentional and collaborative, with emphasis on the reasoning behind each event.

RHA Casino Night Every year, Casino Night is one of RHAs biggest and most successful programs. The eventtakes place during Welcome Days at the beginning of the year. We had over 1,200 attendees and 50 volunteers

come out to the event. Traditionally, we have many poker tables, blackjack tables (both of which are run by volunteerdealers), a traditional poker tournament and euchre tournament, and lots of food, beverages, and tons of prizes. Thisyear, RHA went above and beyond to include many new and unique activities, such as Bingo, Roulette tables, a Crapstable, and Mocktails. RHA further collaborated with other undergraduate student organizations to also include activitiessuch as Magic: The Gathering, Chess, and Board Games. In addition, RHA changed the nature of the prizes so thatinstead of fun and expensive electronics, we gave away many prizes that would be useful for the residents during theschool year, ranging from coffee makers and irons to toilet paper and mini vacuum cleaners.

RHA Ice Cream Social The Ice Cream Social is another traditional event held by RHA every year duringWelcome Days, where RHA serves 10 huge gallons of assorted ice cream flavors to over 400 residents the day beforeclasses start in the fall semester. This year, RHA had the special opportunity of hosting Ice Cream Social as the openingevent of the newly renovated The Spot, a popular campus location for many programs throughout the school year.The program is also one of the most useful forms of recruitment and a great opportunity to introduce the Residence HallAssociation to new students.

Apples to Apples to Apples This event replaced RHAs traditional Smores Night event in order to placemore of an emphasis on healthy living for the residents. The program took place towards the beginning of the schoolyear and was attended by more than 150 residents. It offered everything possible that was apple-themed, includingsuch "ap-peel-ing" activities as Apples to Apples (the game of hilarious comparisons), Pin the Stem on the Apple, andan apple pie-eating contest. There were also tons of wonderful apple-based foods and beverages, from apple ciderto apple fritters to caramel apples that residents could customize with toppings of their choice. In addition to being anapple fun fest, the program was a great first experience for the members of the Programming committee to learn thebasics of programming, such as how to make reservations at CWRU and how to advertise effectively.

Family Weekend Carnival Family Weekend is a traditional university event that welcomes the families ofCWRU students to campus each fall. Coinciding with the weekends festivities, RHAs Family Weekend Carnival offereda host of family-friendly activities ranging from pie-throwing to Duck Hunt to caricatures. Each council wasresponsible for its own activity, allowing councils to experiment and take charge of their programs under the guidanceof the RHA Executive Board. Additionally, RHA reached out to Greek organizations and invited their participation,fostering collaboration between our organizations. Through this collaborative effort, major organizations anddepartments on campus were able to learn about and value RHAs contributions on campus.


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RHA Programming (cont.)RHAmen Rush RHAmen Rush (pronounced ramen) introduced the campus to RHAs new philanthropy,Transitional Housing. This week-long food drive leading up to the Thanksgiving holiday encouraged friendlycompetition between the residential communities and fostered drive and growth as individual councils. Members ofeach council were asked to collect as many non-perishable food items as possible within their respective community.The winning community received 300 dollars to improve their community in some way. RHAmen Rush broughtTransitional Housing 900 food items and a sense of great accomplishment to the RHA community.

Staff Appreciation Event RHA and NRHH collaborated to plan this recognition event for custodial, maintenanceand support staff in the residence halls. These individuals do so much to improve our lives as students and residents,and we wanted to show our gratitude. This social luncheon allowed staff members and RHA and NRHH members tointeract and talk about life in the halls. RHA also made a large banner and Thank-You cards for the staff.

Res Hall Rumble Res Hall Rumble was a long-lost tradition that was revived for the first time in many years. Ithad a carnival-styled theme, where residents participated in many different booths and activities ranging from mini-bowling and mini-basketball to puzzle-making, and even a Wiki-racing and Sporcle-racing booth to bring outCWRUs true quirky nature (and which, ironically, were the most popular activities at the event!). At these booths,participants won a pre-determined number of raffle tickets. These raffle tickets could be traded in for smaller prizesat the prize station, or could also be submitted into a raffle for larger-scale prizes. Furthermore, the participantsnoted their residential community on their raffle tickets, and the community with the most overall number of raffletickets won a pizza party for their residents. Thus, it was not only a fun and entertaining program for the individualresidents, but it was also a chance for whole communities to work together and bring out their competitive spirits.

Roommate Mixers RHA annually hosts roommate mixers for residents who are seeking roommates for thecoming school year. The social mixers offer residents an alternative to going through the housing lottery alone andbeing randomly placed. Multiple mixers are held to accommodate for both second-year and upperclassmen housing.Following the mixers, participant contact information and housing policies are sent out to all attendees to assist them incoordinating their living arrangements. Roommate mixers are always received extremely well by those in attendanceas well as Housing administrators.

The Amazing Race @ Case The Amazing Race is a tradition that first started last year in 2009. Based on thepopular television show The Amazing Race , our Race sent participants across campus to follow clues and completechallenges organized by the seven RHA councils. Most of these tasks related to the theme of the residential communityand some of the tasks even incorporated philanthropy, such as baking cakes that would later be sold at Relay forLife. This year, RHA collaborated with two other large undergraduate organizations- InterfraternityCongress/Panhellenic Council (the governing bodies of the Greek life chapters) and the University Program Board(UPB). The Greek chapters also organized challenges along the race route, while UPB helped plan and run thecelebration party after the conclusion of the Race. This was one of the first programs that involved a jointcollaboration between three very prominent student organizations at CWRU, though the overall event was run,delegated, and organized by RHA. The Race also further incorporated philanthropy by donating all money raisedfrom the participants to Relay for Life.


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Cedar Residential College Council (CRCC)

* Cedarween The Cedar council hosted a Halloween dance party put on in collaboration with the RA Staff. Councilmembers decorated the common room to look like a haunted underground dance club, complete with neoncobwebs, strobe lights and lots of delicious food. Residents came in costume and monster-mashed the nightaway to the beats of resident/DJ Kira Swope. A costume contest rounded out the nights festivities.

* Your MotherIsnt Here Week

This was a week of programming about respecting the living space and facilities within Cedar, featuring funevents like a laundry room cleanliness competition between the buildings and a kitchenette cleanlinesscontest between floors. There were also events combining advocacy education with entertainment, such as acommunity baking and kitchen clean-up night and a night of skits about the importance of respectingcommunity rules and space.

Juniper Residential College Council (JRCC)

Juniper StarSearch

This was the sixth year of Juniper Star Search, an annual talent show that is widely anticipated acrosscampus. This year, the event featured over 20 fantastic acts and drew in 200 attendees. Star Search alsoraised over $200 for the LGBT Center of Cleveland. The council used this event as a leadershipdevelopment tool - each council member was given specific area of the program to head up while learningto coordinate and communicate with each other.

* Juni-Serves

This spring, Juniper conducted an eight week long service competition within their residential college to getresidents excited about service. Each week different members of the council planned a opportunity for theircommunity to get service hours. Tallies and advertisements were kept visible in the lobby of every building.The college competed by buildings, by floor, and as individuals. The competition started with a big blooddrive, and ended with a community celebration and announcement of the winners.

Mistletoe Residential College Council (MRCC)

* Sands ofDiversity and Wear

Purple Day

After an incident involving the vandalism of an LGBT bulletin board, the community council had an event tocelebrate the community's diversity and bring awareness to the challenges of living with new and differentpeople. The community also gave out purple wrist bands to support the LGBT community on the nationalWear Purple Day".

GingerbreadHouse Build-Off

The Mistletoe council developed a fun, social event geared towards leadership, teamwork and communitydevelopment. Mistletoe residents had to work together to build ginger bread replicas of different buildingson campus. Prizes were given to the top creations, but sweet sugary treats were enjoyed by all. Theprogram also had a philanthropic aspect, as all proceeds and donations went to benefit the CWRU Habitatfor Humanity student chapter. Mistletoe council collaborated with Habitat for Humanity in advance and evenhad a Habitat representative give a presentation as part of the program.

Programs with a * indicate a new program. Programs with a indicate a traditional program.

Council ProgrammingCouncil programming is the most direct way that RHA councils connect with their residents. Throughproviding fun, innovative events that cater to the unique personalities of their individual residentialcommunities, councils are able to interact with residents and bond with their fellow councilmembers. RHA councils alone have put on dozens of programs this year. The following is aselection of some of the events that our communities saw in the 2011-2012 school year.

Council Programs At a Glance

60 Programs27 New Programs13 Traditional Programs

Number of Events that contained aSocial Component: 43Educational Component: 11Service Component: 16Diversity Component: 4


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Clarke Tower Council

Jack Bash

One of the longest running traditions on Case campus, Jack Bash is a widely known yearly Halloween eventwhere over 200 pumpkins are thrown off of the 11 th floor window of Clarke Residential Tower. The councilprovided markers to decorate pumpkins and placed decorations around the floor to create a Halloweenatmosphere. This high attendance event allowed students from all halls to have a blast splattering pumpkins.

* Debby Downer In honor of Valentines Day and the onslaught of midterm exams, Clarke council threw this ironically namedstress-relief event. Residents took a break from studying to vent about their lives and enjoy food and games.

Murray Hill Complex Council

* Fun with FireThis explosive event coupled CWRU residents interest in science with valuable information about fire safety. Tevent was relevant to Case students and promoted the RHA Programming Vision. The council invited chemistrprofessor Dr. Kenney to perform a variety of experiments for residents in the courtyard outside of the halls.

* Tie-Dye NightMurray Hill designed T-shirts for the residents to tie-dye on the first day back from spring break. It was a fun,relaxed way to welcome students back from break and promote Murray Hill unity. Additionally, RHA members

were present to advocate for their community and answered residents questions concerning the halls.Carlton Road Complex Council

* Sundaes onSunday

Once a month, the Carlton council offers make-your-own ice cream sundaes to residents while giving residents short survey to fill out about the council and the community. This recurring event was kept original by integratinthemes such as Healthy Sundaes and St. Pattys Sundaes. The council used the results from the surveys toadvocate for their community and make decisions, such as whether to convert a game room into a study room.

* Jackson PollackSplatter Art

The council spread empty sheets of muslin cloth all across the grass near the Carlton residence halls. Theyprovided tubes of acrylic paint, paintbrushes, and other unique tools, such as plastic spoons and wire coathangers, which over 50 residents used to splatter paint over the cloth in their own Jackson Pollack style. Anadditional 3 canvases were made by the members of Carlton Council to be displayed in the lounges of eachCarlton residence hall.

Upper Class Community Council (UCCC)

PokerTournament

The Upper Class Community Council stages this traditional competition each year in the Village at 115. Over 80participants tested their luck through hours of poker hands, dealt by RHA members. UCCC updated the programwith a Vegas theme and used a virtual bracket to keep track of the competition. The top players walked awaywith fabulous prizes, including an iPad.

* Get Your ActTogether

To meet the needs of many upperclassmen who are contemplating their post-college plans, UCCC worked inconjunction with the CWRU Career Center to host this career-focused event. Staff from the Career Center sharestrategies for tracking down jobs and pursuing professional opportunities.

Programs with a * indicate a new program. Programs with a indicate a traditional program.

Skyscraping Moment: Council Collaborations RHA councils took their programming to new heights by working together to plancollaborative programs. Mistletoe, Juniper and Cedar councils put on Share theLove to bring together the three first-year communities. The event incorporatedeach communitys theme through student performances, multicultural cuisine andphilanthropy activities to benefit the Cleveland Food Bank.

Murray Hill and Carlton Road councils also collaborated to plan Variety Night, acampus-wide talent show. The event featured over 20 acts ranging from Irishmusicians to a martial artist and brought in over 200 residents.


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Safety & SecurityLiving on an urban campus requires students to use their st reetsmarts. To ensure student awareness of smart safety practicesand services, RHA maintains strong relations with CampusSecurity and the Chief of Police. RHAs continued communicationwith security services improved student safety by:

Increasing the number of patrolling community officers Establishing officer-lead group escorts between the library

and residence halls during finals week Spreading awareness of bike lock and Safe-Ride programs

Dining ServicesRHA collaborates with Bon Apptit, CWRUs food servicesprovider. Bon Apptit is very dedicated to working with RHA andmeeting resident needs. The VP of Residential Relationsorganizes monthly Food Committee meetings, where RHArepresentatives, students and Bon Apptit staff gather to discussareas for improvement in the dining halls. The committee hasproduced the following changes:

Extension of dining hall hours to adapt to students schedules Addition of more allergy-friendly options in dining halls Expansion of food selections at Grab-It cafs on the quad

Information Technology (IT) ServicesAs a tech-obsessed campus, Case residents are heavily reliant onquality tech services. RHA communicates with IT to ensure thatcable, internet access, community computers and printing services

are all functioning smoothly. RHAs involvement encouraged IT to: Add a student printer to Leutner commons Update software on community computers Provide students with unlimited access to IT help services

Maintenance and FacilitiesMaintenance of residential facilities is an integral part of RHAadvocacy. By respecting community spaces and facilities, as wellas custodial staff, students can create a strong community. RHAcommunicates vital information on issues between administratorsand students, as well as works with Housing on new policies andfacility-development projects. This year, RHA helped to:

Educate residents how to report maintenance issues Secure free laundry machine usage for all residents Inform and update students on significant facilities damage,

including flooded residence halls

RHA AdvocacyThe students on any campus deserve to play a key role in the policy,procedure, and community discussions that surround their living spaces. RHAis the student voice for all residents and seeks to improve the quality ofresidential life.

RHA works extensively with both residents and administrators, facilitatingcommunication between them and representing the needs, wants andopinions of students living in the halls. Given the strength ofthis connection, administrators often rely on RHA to disseminate

important information to residents regarding new policies,procedures or initiatives that will affect them. In the pastyear, administrators asked RHA to help inform students aboutRoom Selection and the Housing Lottery. RHA also works tonotify students of campus events about upcomingcommunity and university projects, ensuring that studentsare aware of the changing dynamics of campus life.

Most advocacy projects are taken on by the ResidentialRelations committee. RHA members from eachcommunity bring resident concerns to the committee,which then brainstorms and proposes solutions to theseproblems. These issues and proposed solutions arethen brought to administrators by the VP of

Residential Relations.


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Challenges When an issue is brought to RHA, it is approached with an atmosphere of tolerance, respect, and responsibility. Our main focus is to communicate withall parties involved to make sure all possible ideas, concerns, and solutions are brought forward. RHA works very closely with Housing Administration,Residence Life staff, and maintenance staff, as well as many other student groups and campus departments to resolve any conflicts that may arise.RHA is known for our quick, thoughtful response to issues that need immediate attention.

"The hate, intolerance, and bullying that led to the tragicdeaths of these young men have no place at our university."

Lillian Zamecnik, RHA President

Candlelight Vigil

In October of 2010, the entire United States was

shocked by the number of young men who took their livesdue to intolerance and bullying because of their sexualorientation. To show that the Case Western ReserveUniversity is a campus of inclusion, tolerance, support andawareness, RHA co-sponsored a candlelight vigil inconjunction with the new LGBT center and other campusorganizations. This event involved reflection, poetry andvarious speeches, including one given by RHA PresidentLillian Zamecnik. She appeared in the campus newspaperand on local news broadcasts for her words on theimportance of the CWRU student community in creating asupportive inclusive environment for all LGBT students.

Flooding in the Village

When a water sprinkler pipe in House 6 of

the Village at 115 ruptured in February of2011, 500,000 gallons of water was sentpouring into the building, damagingcommon areas and apartments alike anddisplacing 41 residents from their roomsfor an indefinite amount of time. With thebreaking of the news, VP of ResidentialRelations Samantha Nardone immediatelygot in contact with Housing administratorsto devise a plan to aid the affected residents. Samantha voluntarily went door to door tospeak with residents and keep them up to date on the developments of the situation. She alsoarranged for pizza to be provided to the residents while they waited for further instructionfrom the administration. Samanthas actions and warm presence alleviated student concerns inspite of the situation. Her quick thinking and effective communication allowed for importantinformation to get to residents quickly, actions that earned her a Regionally Winning OTM.

Hate Speech Vandalism

At various points throughout the school year,instances of vandalism have occurred in theresidential communities. These acts have beentargeted at individuals in the community and areconsidered hate speech, which is not tolerated atCWRU. Residential coordinators have asked RHAcouncils to take an active role in responding tovandalism incidents as the student representatives oftheir communities. Councils have responded to theseacts through community-wide conversations andprograms that embrace diversity and respect. Theinvolvement of RHA councils in responding tovandalism has enabled communities to heal fasterand bond together over the circumstances.

Cedar Council organized a Sands of Diversity event inresponse to an incident of vandalism in their community

Safety Issues

Following a string of securityalerts around campus in the firstfew weeks of the springsemester, CWRU PresidentBarbara Snyder reached out toHousing & Residence Life andRHA to create a series of safetyprograms aimed at promotingsecurity services. Throughcollaborating with Case PoliceServices and Residence Life staff,RHA was able to host educationalsafety events in every residentialcommunity.


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Leadership Development RHA offers first-year, second-year and upper class students the most student leadership opportunities of any organization at CWRU.Given the multiple positions that students can hold in RHA, we focus on the leadership development of all RHA members to help thembecome strong leaders for their communities, the campus, and their lives beyond Case Western.

Fall Council TrainingFollowing the success of our regional-SALT-winning fall training in 2009, wechose to keep a similar structure for 2010. Two areas we improved uponwere creating training based on developmental experiences and facilitatingcouncil goal setting and problem-solving. Training started with an introduction

to RHAs structure and goals and segued into more specialized sessions.

Winter Council TrainingWithin a few weeks of the start of the spring semester, RHA hosted a secondall-member training. Using feedback from the fall, we diverged from ourusual training format and created a non-traditional training that was shorter,featured physical, interactive events and emphasized RHA bonding. The

theme of Winter Training was Trust Knowledge Confidence.

Activity Description

TeamBuildingSessions

Members attended two interactive team-building sessions thatranged from pool activities to ropes courses to climbing a rockwall while blindfolded. Each activity was designed toemphasize the theme of trust, knowledge and confidence.

ExperienceBreakoutSessions

Councils broke into experiences to address problem a reas First years reviewed their position descriptions and

developed action steps to better fulfill their duties Second years discussed the possibility of sp ring elections Upperclassmen worked with the programming vision to

develop programming ideas for the semester

Activity Description

Ideal CouncilSession 1

Councils identified important values and created a name andcrest for a council to represent those values. Each councildeveloped a program to satisfy both the ideals of their council.

Bonding forCouncils

Councils competed to pull apart and put on a frozen t-shirt. Theactivity encouraged friendly competition and council teamwork.

Ideal CouncilSession 2

Councils were faced with a challenge to their program fromIdeal Council Session 1 (i.e. losing room reservations) and hadto overcome the problem as a team.

TrainingSession 1

Members learned the expectations and responsibilities of theirindividual position from RHA Exec members and guest speakerswho familiar with specific positions.

TrainingSession 2

Members split into the first year, second year, and upper classexperiences and were trained to better understand their themesas outlined by the Department of Student Affairs.

Mock GeneralBody

General Body members participated in a mock meeting tofamiliarize them with the rules and responsibilities of GB

RHA has taught me the value of how much youcan accomplish by working together and has given

me the confidence to step up and take charge.- Kathleen Valdez, UCCC President

RHA has shaped me to be the person I am today. I was anineffective leader until I led my council and learned what it

took to be leader. RHA elevated me to new levels.- Sean Sukys, Murray Hill President

Over the period of my involvement, I have watched a plethora of individualsdevelop into fantastic leaders. Having the opportunity to watch all of thesepeople grow has made me reevaluate myself and helped me grow as well.

- Ryan Stroud, Carlton Road Liaison to Murray Hill


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Ongoing Development As one of the pillars of RHA, leadership development expands beyond basic leadership skills. RHA council members receive numerous resources and opportunities tohone their skills and develop new ones through committees, programs, and additional available opportunities. By extending developmental opportunities beyondFall Training, RHA has cemented its commitment to leadership development and has significantly grown as an organization.

Leadership Development at Every Level

The Internal Development Committee orchestrates much of the leadership development RHA provides the community. IDCommittee is responsible for recognizing outstanding members and providing ongoing leadership developmentopportunities for both members and residents. The committee develops programs such as How to Avoid Burnout andHow to Lead a Meeting. Members are also responsible for developing 15-30 minute interactive sessions for theGeneral Body. These sessions have ranged from Recognizing Members with Paper Plates to Council Accountability.

Top Ten Core Competenciesfor RHA Members

These ten skills were identified bythe RHA members ascompetencies that all membersshould acquire through theirexperiences in the RHA. Ourleadership development effortsattempt to further memberknowledge in these areas:

1. Accountability2. Delegation3. Leading a Meeting4. Setting Goals5. Event Planning6. Conflict Management7. Positive Representation8. Professional Communication9. Recognition10. Intentionality of Actions

Council Resource LibraryRHA is developing a large digital and hardcopylibrary of resources for council and ExecutiveBoard members. The library will be organizedaccording to our three pillarsprogramming,advocacy, and leadership development. Theresource library includes information about pastprograms, places to program, and pastleadership development sessions. Documents willbe added to the library and updated asneeded. It is our goal that these resources willbe used for training new members and will allowcouncil members to supplement their ownleadership development experience.

RHA utilizes one-on-one meetings as a tool to develop leaders in RHA. We have found that individual meetings fosterdiscussion and focus on personal leadership development opportunities. Executive Board members meet individually withboth an advisor and the President every two weeks. Community Council Advisors are required to meet individually witheach member of their council at least once per semester. Finally, all council presidents are encouraged to have frequentone on ones with the members or their councils.

The RHA Offices also enable RHA to assist with member development. Each Executive Board member holds two officehours per week to allow members to come ask questions and receive feedback on their projects. The offices are alsostocked leadership books and other resources.

Executive members receive an intensive leadership development experience. In April, a history retreat is held for oldboard members to teach important skills to the new board. Additionally, the Executive Board has two summer retreatsand a mid-semester retreat to recharge and redirect our efforts to advance the organization. The Executive Boardleadership development experience is continued throughout the year mini-sessions during board meetings.


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Recognition Weepul of the Week Weepul of the Week was developed to recognize members who go above and beyondtheir responsibilities during the week. The Weepul is the unofficial mascot of CWRU RHA and holds a special placein our RHA culture. RHA members submit nominations via a weekly Google survey and the Internal Developmentcommittee selects the winner, who is awarded a certificate and a Weepul at General Body.

General Body End-of-Semester Awards At the end of each semester, the final General Body meetingfocuses on recognizing the representatives with awards and food. Exceptional members receive awards, bothfunny and serious, and everyone enjoys the atmosphere of celebration. At the end of the school year, graduatingExecutive Board members receive a lab coat and graduating General Body members receive a beanie hat inrecognition of their dedication to RHA. These items represent the spirit of our RHA and leave the members with atangible memory of RHA.

Council of the Year Council of the Year (COTY) is awarded to the council who creates the most comprehensivetransferable form of organizational memory and successfully improves and supports the residential experience intheir community. COTY is our way to recognize and celebrate the councils for the work they have completed, ensurethe creation of a passable form of organizational memory for future councils. The winning COTY receives $750 forcommunity improvement and $250 for a council celebration.

End of the Year Recognition Event RHA hosted an End of the Year celebration to recognize the hard workand dedication of all RHA members and to announce the winning Council of the Year. All RHA members and manyuniversity administrators were invited to enjoy a banquet dinner view each councils COTY presentation. RHAmember also received an RHA Moleskine notebook to take home with them as a token of appreciation.

LiaisonsRA Liaisons

RA Liaisons serve as aresource for councils and alink to the community's RAstaff. They facilitatecommunication andcollaboration between thecouncil and RAs, ensuring thatthe entire community canreach its fullest potential.Many RA liaisons are formerRHA members and are ableto act in an advisory capacityto the council, sharing theirown experiences for thecouncil's benefit.

Executive Liaisons

Each executive boardmember is responsiblefor acting as anExecutive Liaison to acommunity council. Theywork with the council,advisor and RA liaisonsto ensure the council isrunning smoothly. Execmembers attend theirliaison council's weeklymeetings, where theyobserve the council inaction and act as aresource as necessary.

Skyscraping Moment: Pre-Liaison LiaisonsPrior to the start of the 2010-2011 school year,RHA made substantial efforts to improvecommunication between RHA, Council Advisors andRAs. As such, executive pre-liaison liaisons, orPLLs, came into being. PLLs allowed RHA Exec tobe a resource to advisors and RAs throughoutAugust, before official Exec Liaison ass ignmentswere determined.

RHA coordinated a special training session for Council Advisors and their RA liaisons as partof RA Training. At this session, PLLs were able sit down with the council advisors and RAs todiscuss elections, the structure of RHA and recruiting new members. PLLs were the first steptowards creating a s trong and gratifying collaborative relationship with Residence Life staff.


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Community Service RHA is very dedicated to serving community, both withinCWRU Residence Halls and the Cleveland area. Engagingin service is very important to connecting with the community,as well as understanding leadership. RHA communitycouncils strive to provide residents with opportunities forservice within their residential communities. Additionally, theExternal Communication committee works to coordinateservice events for all residential communities, as well as

service projects for RHA members that will benefit CWRUresidents and the Cleveland community.

Supporting Service Efforts on CampusRHA supports the community through co-sponsoring andparticipating in a variety of campus philanthropy and serviceevents, including:

Relay for Life Walk in Her Shoes Anchor Splash Sigma Psi Mr. CWRU KATwalk AX Dodgeball Sig Ep Flag Football

Lets Shack Up Resonance Blood Drive Case for Community Day Dance Marathon Alternative Spring Break Bone Marrow Drive Saturday of Service

Transitional Housing, Inc. CWRU RHAs New Philanthropy

With the creation of the VP of External Communication position, RHA asserted theimportance of service to our organization. As a part of this commitment, RHA decided toadopt a philanthropy: Transitional Housing, Incorporated.

Transitional Housing, Inc. is a Cleveland-based organization thatprovides homeless women with a safe environment,programs and services to promote self-sufficiencyand independence.

Transitional Housing shares several of CWRU RHAs values. As residentially-orientedorganizations, both RHA and THI recognize the importance of a supportive and welcomingcommunity. THI also makes extensive use of RHAs pillars of programming, advocacy andleadership development. It offers specialized programs and classes to its residents on topicssuch as positive living and life management. THI even has a Residents Council, wherewomen in the program area able to advocate for one another and help initiate changes.

In the fall of 2010, RHAs hall-wide RHAmenRush food drive raised over 900 food itemsfor THI residents.

In the spring of 2011, RHA organized twolarge volunteer trips at THI where studentshelped to renovate their facilities and wereable to learn about THI residents experiences.Many of the councils decided to donate moneyraised from council fundraising events and takeadditional trips to THI.

RHA Service At a Glance 21 service-incorporating programs, 16 at

the council level Partnership with CWRU Center for Civic

Engagement and Learning to provideabundant resources to RHA Service reps

RHA Service co-sponsorship budgetestablished to support events that foster asense of community through serviceinitiatives


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CollaborationCWRU RHA has fostered strong relationships between our organization and various campus groups and administrators. RHA often works inconjunction with these groups to benefit both the residential and campus communities. By actively collaborating and communicating withother organizations and offices on campus, RHA has become one of the most respected organizations at CWRU and has created a strongnetwork of resources to improve the work we do.

Undergraduate Student Government (USG)

USG and RHA have worked together to tackle student concerns in theresidential communities including student meal swipes, the initiative forfree laundry, and campus security. RHAs VP of Residential Relationsand USGs Vice President of Campus Life meet regularly throughoutthe school year to discuss current initiatives, and foster opencommunication between the organizations. In addition to thesemeetings, RHA and USG have pledged to co-create a joint resolutionevery semester.

Interfraternity Congress and Panhellenic Council(IFC and Panhel)

RHA has taken progressive strides to improve relations with theumbrella organizations for Greek chapters on campus. RHA, IFC andPanhel co-programmed the Family Weekend Carnival to promote ourorganizations to students families. We also worked together on TheAmazing Race @ Case to enhance the race route with a wider varietyof challenges. RHA met with representatives from IFC and Panhel toidentify areas for future collaboration between the organizations.RHA took away valuable ideas to improve service efforts andrecognition.

University Program Board (UPB)

RHA and UPB joined together this spring to co-program The AmazingRace @ Case along with IFC and Panhel. This cross-organizational,large-scale collaboration was the first of its kind at CWRU. UPB hasexpressed interest in future collaborations with RHA.

Other University Offices

RHA has collaborated with many other university offices anddepartments, including:

Center for Civic Engagement and Learning, Career Center, LGBTCenter, Flora Stone Mather Center for Women, Student Activities& Leadership, Office of the President

Office of Housing, Residence Life & Greek Life

RHA regularly communicates andworks with Housing and ResidenceLife administrators to improve theCWRU residential community.RHA distributes newsletters,invites administrators to GeneralBody meetings, and has regularmeetings with the administration.

The Vice President of ResidentialRelations meets weekly with theDirector of Housing to discussadvocacy issues and monthly withthe campus dining provider to improve conditions in the dining halls. The RHAPresident also meets with the RHA advisors twice per week which allows acontinuous flow of communication between the housing staff and RHA.

RHA also works extensively with RAs and Residential Coordinators to address

the needs of the residents. Councils frequently collaborate with RAs onprograms and invite staff members to facilitate leadership development withinthe council.

Other Hall Groups

There are other student groups and programs in the halls that RHA councilscollaborate with, including:

Cedar Arts Board , which provides arts-based programming in Cedar Juniper Diversity Squad , which focuses on promoting diversity in Juniper Mistletoe Alumni Board , a network for Mistletoe alumni who made

significant contributions to Mistletoe in their freshman year Faculty-in-Residence Program , which allows 3-4 faculty members to live in

the halls and interact with residents on a regular basis RA Council, which enables communication between RAs in each community

and the Director of Residence Life

Outside the HallsIn the Halls


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Student Executive Council

One major committee that RHA serves on is the Student ExecutiveCouncil (SEC). The SEC is comprised of representatives from the sevenmajor student organizations at CWRU. The group meets four times asemester to discuss campus wide issues and promote communicationbetween organizations. RHA President Lillian Zamecnik serves as RHArepresentative and chaired the council this past fall. During this time,the RHA President and VP External Communication hosted a SEC mixein which all SEC organization executive boards participated.

From facilitating a referendum that affected student group fundingallocations to enacting changes to the campus posting policy, the

actions of the SEC have a huge

influence on campus life. As amember of the SEC, RHA playsa major role in communicating

important information toresidents, both through

representation at SEC openforums and promoting

awareness in RHA memberswho inform their own

communities.

Contributing to Campus Development and Student Life

Case Western Reserve University is in the midst of some monumental changes tocampus life. In the past year, the university announced plans to build a newstudent center and athletic field house and purchased a new performance

facility. Additionally, the University Circle area is undergoing major changes inthe form of the Uptown Project, which is creating new apartments, shoppingcenters, and restaurants only a five minute walk from the halls.

With each new progressive action of the university, CWRU administrators turn toRHA as a voice of the students. RHA has had the privilege of sitting on universitydevelopmental committees, including the Architect Selection Committee for thestudent center and the Committee on Master Plan and Student Space.

RHA is entirely committed to improving the student experience on campus. Ourinvolvement in several university-organized committees allows RHA to make atremendous impact on student life at CWRU. Our members have contributed tothe following projects and committees in the past year:

Little Blue Book Committee, Center for Civic Engagement and LearningAdvisory Board, Student Life Committee, Sexual Harassment

Conduct Board, Emerging Leaders Program, StudentConduct Hearing Board

Campus Involvement RHAs external involvement in other sectors of the university allows us to better serveour residential communities. RHA plays a pivotal role in university affairs by sitting onvarious committees, helping to raise student awareness of issues and providing astudent voice in the development of the vision for the future of CWRU community.

Campus Traditions

Like any campus, Case Western has a variety of traditional social events thatbring out the campus community. RHA is consistently involved in these yearlyprograms through serving on event committees and promoting the programs in thehalls. RHA councils also frequently participate in these events. In the 2010-2011school year, RHA was involved in:

Orientation Welcome Days Homecoming Halloween @ Home Family Weekend

Kuumbafest Thwing Study Over Pizza Olympics Relay for Life Spring Fest

RHA Councils showing their CWRU spirit at the 2010 Homecoming Parade


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SustainabilityWithin the past school year, RHA and Case Western Reserve University have taken enormous strides towards a greenercampus and a greener residential experience. The Village at 115, the primary apartment complex for upper classstudents, was recently awarded a Gold and Silver ratings for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED) certification . Solar compactor receptacles have been installed across campus and a wind turbine wasconstructed on the Quad this fall.

RHA followed suit with similar sustainable initiatives that have impacted the residents. Council sustainabilityrepresentatives are responsible for coordinating sustainable programs for their communities, including a Beef-Free weekin Murray Hill community. The sustainability reps meet every few weeks in the newly formed RHA SustainabilityCommittee to develop and act upon RHA-wide sustainability initiatives, such as creating tactile recycling posters ,coordinating a hall-wide recycling walk through with administrators , and greening RHAs internal operations .

Furthermore, CWRU participated in the nationwide Recyclemania competition among colleges and universities promoting waste reduction and increasedrecycling. RHA collaborated with the Student Sustainability Council and took an active role in encouraging residents to recycle in the halls through community-wide friendly contests and substantial PR. RHA also worked with the Office of Housing, Residence Life & Greek Life (HRLGL) to sponsor REScycle, a newprogram held at the end of the school year that allowed residents to donate unwanted items upon their departure from the university.

Co-sponsorshipsRHA co-sponsors several events every year at CWRU. RHA co-sponsorship is a great way for campus organizations, clubs, and offices to receivemonetary and non-monetary support for programs that impact CWRU residents. Co-sponsorships also grant organizations special privileges foradvertising in the residence halls. Additionally, co-sponsorships promote RHA to the campus by associating our organization with major events andinitiatives. Over $6,500 in co-sponsorships was given this school year.

Fall 2010 Semester Spring 2011 SemesterDate Event Title Amount Date Event Title Amount

9/11/10 Delta Gamma: Anchor Splash $200 1/24/11 LGBT Center: Allies in Faith $2009/13/10 Fall Leadership Conference $250 1/24/11 Be the Match Bone Marrow Drive $5009/13/10 Habitat for Humanity: Let's Shack Up $260 1/31/11 HCSL Resonance Blood Drive $1009/20/10 CWRU Farm Harvest Festival $400 2/07/11 Womens Center: A League of Her Own $4009/27/10 Kappa Alpha Theta: KATwalk $200 2/14/11 Ivri Lider in Concert $2009/27/10 Womens Center: Hunk, Hustler, Hard-Ass $200 2/14/11 Relay for Life $42010/04/10 GMI: Global Health Benefit Dinner $100 2/28/11 Immigration Speaking Tour $20010/04/10 Phi Kappa Psi: 24-Hour Softball Tourney $200 3/14/11 Delta Chi: Jimmy V. Joust $20010/11/10 Alpha Chi Omega: Purple Day $95 3/14/11 Mortar Board: Rock for Doc $20010/11/10 Humans Vs. Zombies $100 3/21/11 Voices of Glory Spring Benefit Concert $20010/25/10 Clarke RHA: Jack Bash $150 3/21/11 Humans Vs. Zombies $5011/01/10 Newman Catholic: Sex and the Soul manpower 3/28/11 Walk Against Hunger $19111/01/10 Phi Delta Epsilon: CMN Benefit Dinner $200 3/28/11 Japan Relief Benefit Dinner $20011/08/10 African American Society: Ebony Ball $100 4/04/11 Math Gala $20011/08/10 Delta Upsilon: Philanthropic Rave $100 4/04/11 Diversity & Inclusion: Slumdog Millionaire $15011/22/10 Math Gala $200 - - -11/22/10 Mistletoe RHA: Gingerbread Build Off $170 - - -


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Budget and Fundraising

FundraisingFundraising provides income that allows RHA operations to run smoothly and provide more

opportunities for our members and residents.

RHA Organization Budget, 2010-2011 Executive Board Retreats $2,500.00

Co-Sponsorships $6,000.00Family Weekend $250.00Welcome Days $2,500.00Office $700.00COTY (Council Of The Year) $1,100.00E-board Discretionary $200.00

Programming Casino Night $5,150.00TBA Program $2,000.00Amazing Race $3,000.00General Programming $1,300.00VP Programming Discretionary $25.00

Residential Advocacy Advertising $100.00Relations Open Forums $100.00

Food Meetings $0.00Roommate Mixer $120.00VP Residential Relations Discretionary $25.00

Internal Apparel $1,200.00Development Council Training $3,000.00

Leadership Training $200.00Advertising $200.00General Body Recognition $600.00Council Recognition $2,500.00VP Internal Development Discretionary $25.00

External CAACURH (6 student delegates) $4,000.00Communication NO Frills (3 student delegates) $800.00

NACURH (3 student delegates) $3,000.00Community Service $1,500.00Collaboration and Correspondence $1,000.00External Communication Discretionary $25.00

Administration From-Mom Care Packaging $1,000.00VP Administration Discretionary $25.00

President Executive Board Recognition $150.00Presidential Recognition $80.00SEC (Student Executive Council) $150.00President Discretionary $25.00

Advisor Advisor Discretionary $500.00Miscellaneous NRHH $2,000.00

Care Packages Fall $0.00Care Packages Spring $0.00Contingency $0.00Carryover Items (Previous Fiscal Year) $9,668.69

TOTAL $56,718.69

Council Allocations, 2010-2011Cedar $3,190.00Juniper $3,340.00Mistletoe $3,660.00Carlton $3,750.00Clarke $2,090.00Murray Hill $3,430.00UCCC $8,350.00

TOTAL $27,810.00

RHA has partnered with From-Mom, an independent care package service, to provide carepackage options to the families of CWRU residents. From-Mom specializes in alternative

packages including gluten free and holiday specials. Each package sold through CaseWestern results in a partial earning for RHA. In recent years, RHA has

heavily promoted this care packaging system to parentsduring freshman orientation and has sent mail-outs to

the parents of upperclassmen. This summer, apre-semester raffle was held to promote

From-Mom care packages

RHA also works with CAACURH-endorsed On Campus Marketing to sell linens toresidents at the beginning of each school year. RHA receives a cut of

the profit from each bundle of linens sold to students.

Funding for RHA is given by the Case Western Office ofHousing & Residence Life. After the residents take thebi-annual census, RHA receives funding for each councilbased on the amount of residents in their respectivecommunity. The VP of Administration and RHA advisorsallocate the remaining amount to create a new budgetfor the school year, using past budgets and input fromexecutive members to break it down per position.

CWRU RHA is fortunate enough to have one of thelarger budgets on campus. As a result, we have gonethrough great lengths to plan and apportion accordingly to get the most out of each cent.During retreats, the Executive Board brainstorms ideas for funding without any limitations.These ideas are then assessed by the President and VP of Administration to see if the budgetcan accommodate the spending. Through this optimistic visioning and careful consideration,RHA has been able to purchase such beneficial items as a projector and quality poker chipsfor Casino Night. It has also enabled RHA to plan a remodel for our Southside office.

All budget items excluding Executive Board, President, and Advisor budgets areintended to directly benefit Case s tudents. For example, Programming allocations allow RHAto provide quality programs for students, while Internal Development allocations help RHA tocultivate leaders, who in turn serve their communities. This results in improved programs, livingatmosphere and awareness within the residential communities. Essentially, the vast majority ofRHA funds trickle down to the benefit of the students.


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National Residence HallHonorary The purpose of the Donald J. Kamalsky Chapter of NRHH is to provide recognitionfor those students living in the residence halls who have shown outstanding serviceand who have provided important leadership in the residence halls. NRHH collectsnominations and applications during the fall semester and every active memberparticipates in member selection. Induction is held once per year. On February 2,2011, the Chapter inducted 6 new active members and 2 honorary members. The

NRHH currently has 12 active members, 4 alumni members and 12 honorarymembers on campus.

StructureThe NRHH has an Executive Board composed of three positions:

President Presides over all official meetings;appoints ad hoc committees; submits an endof the year progress report to the NationalHonorary Office; renews the chaptersmembership as a registered campusorganization with the National HonoraryOffice; and represents the Chapter at allNational Honorary business meetings andevents

Vice President Advises the OTM Recognitioncommittee; presides over meetings in absenceof the President; and manages all OTMvoting submissions

Administrator Takes minutes at calledmeetings and distributes minutes to allmembers; formulates a budget at thebeginning of the year with the President;advises any bid creating committee;maintains the NRHH website; provides anitemized account of all transactions; andsubmits the books for review to the advisor atthe end of the year.

The Chapter also has three committeesOTM Recognition,Housekeeping Appreciation, and Residence Life StaffAppreciation. These committees plan the chapters traditionalevents during the year.

RecognitionNRHH believes that recognition is important in developing a strong sense of community.As a result, NRHH ensures that deserving students, staff, faculty, and others receiverecognition for their efforts.

NRHH recognition focuses on three areas. The first is by extending membership to thetop 1% of students who make an impact in their communities. Second, OTMs are givento commend Case leaders and outstanding campus programs that improve ourresidence hall communities. Thirdly, the Donald J. Kamalsky chapter puts on threeprograms per year to recognize the staff members who make a difference in theresidence halls and the efforts of individuals who write OTM submissions.

The Housekeeping Appreciation Breakfast recognizes the housekeeping staff with acatered breakfast and cards from the residents in their areas.The staff thoroughly enjoys the break from their busyschedules and the genuine gratitude of the students.

In the late spring, NRHH collaborates with theHousing & Residence Life Office to recognize thestudent staff members in the department througha reception at the CWRU Presidents House . The

event is always a huge talking point amongst studentsand a great way for them to round out the year.

NRHHs final event of the year is the OTM Re-RecognitionEvent where all individuals who either wrote an OTM orwere awarded an OTM during the year are recognized fortheir dedication and achievements.


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Regional InvolvementCase Western is proud to be an affiliated member school in the CAACURH region.CWRU RHA highly values our interaction with other schools as an opportunity to learn

and grow as an organization. As such, we have taken several steps to become moreinvolved in regional affairs and strengthen our connection to CAACURH in the pastyear. It is our goal to continue building upon our involvement and to expose evenmore of our members to the excellent opportunities available through CAACURH in

the coming year.

CWRU RHA is always stoked to pull out the lab coats and beanies and show our Cougarpride at the annual CAACURH conference. This years CAACURH Cultural Carnival was noexception. We set many personal records for CWRU, including most applications, mostdelegates presenting programs, and some of the best spirit projects CWRU has ever had.

The Delegation The CWRU delegation consisted of the RHA President, the NRHH Presidentthe CWRU NCC, 2 advisors, and 4 delegates from various community councils.

Pre-Conference In the weeks before the conference, the delegation worked hard toprepare, meeting weekly to create a fantastic

roll call video , banner and display. We alsoinvolved our entire General Body in thephilanthropy card-making project. Each delegatewas responsible for at least one of these projectsand/or presenting a program. Finally, thedelegation had a Spirit-Up Slumber Party wherewe reviewed travel plans, played board gamesand decorated T-shirts to wear at openingceremonies the night before leaving for Maryland.

At the Conference The delegationhad a blast at CAACURH! Throughattending and presenting programs,passing out swag, bonding with otherschools and actively participating inboardroom, delegates leftCAACURH with newskills and newpassion forCAACURHand RHA.

Regional Committee Involvement

CAACURH Programming Grant Committee Stephanie ChungNewly-formed committee that reviews programming grantrequests and allocates funding to CAACURH member schools

CAACURH OTM Voting Committee Kaitlyn EstesStanding committee that awards Regional OTMs

Programs Presented at CAACURH 2010

Crafts & Community CommunityDevelopment program about using arts andcrafts to build community

Putting on Your Game Face LeadershipDevelopment program about positivelyrepresenting your organization

Schools out for SummerKinda Presidents Track program about utilizingsummer projects to advance your organization

CAACURH 2010No Frills 2011CWRU was represented by the RHA President, NCC and RHAadvisor at the 2011 regional business meeting. At the closingceremonies, NCC Kaitlyn Estes was awarded a Cougar Pride Pin by RCC Steven Le for her work in preparing CWRUs SOY bid.

BiddingCWRU regularly submits school-category bids to the region,including our winning SALT bid in 2009 and RHA Building Blockbids in 2009 and 2010. We hope to bid for POY in the fall.

Regional CommunicationCWRU regularly participates in NCC and Presidents chats tocontribute to regional affairs. Beyond chats, we have reachedout to regional schools to get to know each other better, as wellas requested advice on issues pertaining to CWRU RHA. Schoolshave asked for our input on their organizations as well. Finally,CWRU has communicated with CAACURH RCC Steven Le aboutpursuing legislation to alter the regional No Frills bidding time-period. The proposal would make it such that bids could onlyinclude content that took place between NACURH and No Frillsand would prevent massive bid revisions between conferences.


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National InvolvementCWRU is nationally affiliated (with dues paid) and actively participates in NACURH through our recognition efforts, NIC

and bid submissions, involvement in national projects and NRHH chapter. We have sought to expand our involvement inNACURH initiatives throughout this year and have taken steps to educate CWRU RHA and NRHH members about the

organizations opportunities and structure. We look forward to continuing this expansion in the coming school year.

Final ThoughtsThe efforts of CWRU RHA members