SA: Resolution 15: Increased Student Representation in Residence Hall Director Selection

As adopted on Thursday, 15 October 2009.

Whereas, students at Cornell interact with administrators in many aspects of college life, in positions as high as the board of trustees;

Whereas, students that live on-campus spend a majority of their time in their Residence Halls; ‘ ’ ‘ Whereas,′ ’ resident advisors (RAs) already play a role in the interview process for Residence Hall Director (RHD) selection;

Whereas, the residential quality of life for students is greatly impacted by the performance of their RHD;

Be it therefore resolved, that two undergraduate student representatives be placed as voting members on the Screening Committee for Residence Hall Director selections for the Office of Residential Programs;

1. Students will be empowered to take part in all on-campus Screening Committee activities.
2. One student must have lived in a Program House, and one student must have lived in a traditional Residence Hall.
3. Students must have lived on-campus for at least one year.
4. Students must have previous experience in matters of Residential and Community Life, such as involvement in the SA Committee on Residential and Community Life, RSC, Hall Council, or experience as an RA. This list is not exhaustive.
5. Students will be selected through an application process (see attached document).
6. After the Fall 2009 Semester, the application process will take place in April of each year.
7. The Chair of the SA Committee on Residential and Community Life of the Student Assembly & the Chair of the Advocacy Committee (or the President) of the Residential Student Congress will review all applications and interview selected candidates. The final decision must be approved by a majority vote in the SA Committee on Residential and Community Life.
8. Term will start on the first day of classes and last one year; students may re-apply for subsequent terms.
9. Selected student will report to the SA Committee on Residential and Community Life at the discretion of the committee.

Be it further resolved, that selected undergraduate students, in addition to the RAs, will participate in RHD interviews with the ability to ask questions and receive feedback from candidates;

• Students in this capacity will be selected by the Student Assembly Committee on Residential and Community Life and the Residential Student Congress.

Be it further resolved, that Campus Life will administer a formal evaluation regarding the quality of students’ experiences in their residence halls at the end of the academic year;

• These evaluations will be used to guide the RHD transfer process.

Be it further resolved, that the Student Assembly supports increasing student participation in the RHD selection process, and recognizes the role that the RHD plays in matters of student life, especially in the case of Program Houses.

Respectfully Submitted,

Jonathan Rau ‘12
Arts and Sciences Representative
Student Assembly, Chair of the Committee on Residential and Community Life

Adam Nicoletti ‘12
Agriculture and Life Sciences Representative

Serene Li ‘12
Residential Student Congress, Advocacy Co-Chair

Ray Mensah ‘11
Member, SA Committee on Residential and Community Life

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