Residence Hall Councils

The Hall Council applications were due at noon on Monday, September 17. The application is now closed. If you are still interested in participating in your Hall Council, contact your Area Coordinator!

The department of Residential Life is excited to announce the creation of Residence Hall Councils for the fall of 2012! Hall Councils played an important part of life on campus decades ago and we are looking forward to bringing them back this year.

What is a Hall Council?

Hall Council is a group of students who are elected by members of the residence hall to represent the community by:

  • keeping the residents informed of residence hall, campus, and student senate activities and issues;
  • seeking information from residents to relay to hall council and Student Senate;
  • coordinating the planning and implementation of educational, social, cultural and recreational activities within the residence hall;
  • legislating, with the guidance of the Area Coordinator, individual residence hall policies regarding noise control, damage, and other mutual concerns;
  • assisting the Area Coordinator in matters pertaining to the physical condition of the hall;
  • encouraging concern for the quality of life and community development in the residence hall.

Hall Councils will be formed in 13 of our residence halls in 2012-2013*. Each Hall Council is advised by an Area Coordinator or experienced Collegiate Fellow. Each Hall Council will have a budget with which to work in order to provide events and activities in the halls, purchase supplies and equipment and to use for general hall improvements. (*Note: North, Sorensen and Gibbs Halls comprise the Complex, which will have one Hall Council. Arbor View/Chapel View/College View will be combined into one Hall Council. Carlson International Center, home of the Crossroads program, will NOT have a Hall Council).

Each Hall Council has five executive positions elected by the residence hall during fall elections. In addition, each council has floor/section representatives that are selected/elected by individual floors/sections. The executive positions are President, Vice President, Council Recorder, Treasurer, and Senator.

Elections will be held on September 20. Please see the entire fall timeline HERE.

 

Hall Council Offices and Position Descriptions

President

Hall Council

  • is open to learning leadership skills through the position
  • schedules, plans and conducts Hall Council meetings
  • establishes agenda with input of the council, hall and advisor
  • maintains a thorough knowledge of Hall Council constitution (if applicable), policies and procedures
  • insures all council events and decisions are within college policies

Residence Hall

  • facilitates communication among the executive board, the council, hall and advisor
  • motivates participation in the organization and its events
  • promotes involvement of residents in community living through structure of committees and planned activities
  • works cooperatively with the residence hall staff
  • meets with the advisor weekly

Campus Community

  • serves as the spokesperson for the Hall Council
  • serves as a member of and represents the hall at the retreats and regular meetings of the campus-wide InterHall Council (the 13 Hall Council Presidents comprise the InterHall Council)

Vice President

Hall Council

  • is open to learning leadership skills through the position
  • assumes the responsibilities of the President in his/her absence
  • serves as the Hall Council parliamentarian
  • organize discussions and sub-committees

Residence Hall

  • Assists with communication between residents and the council regarding issues and concerns in the hall.

Council Recorder/Secretary

Hall Council

  • is open to learning leadership skills through the position
  • distributes agendas to all council members
  • promptly issues minutes after each meeting
  • records and keeps a permanent file of minutes for all meetings (submitted at the end of each year)
  • keeps attendance records

Residence Hall

  • keeps the hall informed of weekly meetings of hall council
  • Assists with communication of Hall Council activities to residents

Campus Community

  • coordinates communication of activities within the residence hall and across campus (when appropriate)
  • notifies Student Activities of large hall activities for inclusion in campus calendar of events

Treasurer

Hall Council

  • is open to learning leadership skills through the position
  • disburses funds for expenditures approved by the Hall Council
  • keeps financial records for the Council (following Residential Life guidelines and procedures)
  • prepares budget for Hall Council approval
  • submits weekly financial reports to Hall Council
  • insures that all disbursements adhere to council, college, state and federal guidelines
  • meets monthly with the Assistant Director of Residential Life

Hall Senator (*position subject to change)

Hall Council

  • is open to learning leadership skills through the position
  • reports to the Hall Council all Student Senate activities relating to hall and campus
  • seeks concerns of the hall to relay to Student Senate and represents the hall’s views on issues

Residence Hall

  • communicates Student Senate activities to hall (via bulletin board, email, etc)
  • seeks information from residents about Senate issues
  • surveys
  • tabling and/or door-to-door visits
  • attending floor/section community meetings

Student Senate

  • obligations TBD by Senate

Floor/Section Representative

Hall Council

  • is open to learning leadership skills through the position
  • reports floor/section activities and concerns relating to hall and campus
  • seeks concerns to relay to floor/section
  • attends Hall Council retreats and training programs
  • serves on Hall Council committees as necessary

Residence Hall

  • serves as communication link
  • assesses/surveys the needs of floor/section members
  • seeks ideas/concerns
  • communicates with constituents on Hall Council issues
  • door-to-door visits
  • bulletin board in section/on floor
  • regular email contact with floor/section
  • knows floor/section members

Election Timeline for Fall 2012

By Friday, August 31                   Hall Council Applications available on Residential Life website

Tuesday, September 4                  Student Senate Election Applications Available

Sunday, September 9                   Hall Council Information Meetings in each Residence Hall

Monday, September 17                Online applications submitted by 12:00 p.m. (noon)

September 17-20                          Hall Council Candidate Campaigning

Thursday, September 20              Elections for all Executive positions are held online via Student Senate election website

By Monday, September 24           Selection/election of section/floor Representatives are finalized via the Collegiate Fellow

Monday, September 24                First full Student Senate Meeting

Wednesday, September 26           All-Campus Hall Council Training 6:30-9:00 p.m. in Wallenberg Auditorium (Nobel Hall).