Last Meeting of the Semester!

RHA will be having their last meeting of the semester Monday, December 7th at 4:00 PM in PSU 313. This will be a fun meeting as we will be having an auction! Remember to bring your Crochet Dough for an opportunity to bid on some awesome prizes such as DVDs, board games, bookstore gift cards, and so much more! Also, those with perfect attendance or those who have only missed one meeting will be awarded as well. So, get excited!

Rudolph's Five and Dime

Are you in a pinch and need to buy some presents for your family for the holidays? Well, you should come to Rudolph's Five and Dime! Hosted by Missouri State's NRHH chapter, Rudolph's Five and Dime is a bazaar just in time for the holidays. On-campus and off-campus organizations will be selling goods such as food, crafts, and other items to raise money for the Wilda F. Looney Residence Life Leadership Scholarship. Besides the bazaar, there will be live entertainment, a live auction, and so much more! Rudolph's Five and Dime will take place on Thursday, December 3 from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Friday, December 4 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The live auction will be on Friday, December 4th at noon. So come out and buy some crafts and snacks for a good cause!

Texas Hold'em!!

Are you needing to show off your poker face? Well, then RHA has a great opportunity for you to do so.

On Wednesday, December 2, RHA will be having another Texas Hold'Em Tournament in the PSU Food Court. Sign up will begin at 6:50 for the first hundred people. The tournament will last from 7-1o pm. Prizes will be awarded to those who get 1st-6th place. Some of the prizes will be gift cards to the bookstore and poker sets. So, come out and play some poker!

Apply for NCC-IT!

It's that time of year again, when RHA elects their next National Communications Coordinator-In Training or NCC-IT. This person will shadow the current NCC, Emily Hollander, over the Spring 2010 semester and learn what the position of NCC will entail. If you are interested, you can download the application here, fill out it and turn it into the Hutchens Front Desk by Monday, November 23rd at 8:00 PM. Good luck!

Upcoming Programs

Are you getting bored just counting down the days until Thanksgiving Break? Well, don't worry. RHA has two exciting and fun programs planned for residents to come and attend.
On Thursday, November 19, 2009, we have Craft Night. From 7:30-9:30 PM, residents can come to the Hutchens Basement and make crafts. Some crafts include piggy bank, turtle banks, and picture frames.
On Monday, November 23, 2009, we have Clue. At 8:00 in PSU 315 A&B, we will be playing the beloved board game of Clue with a twist. Instead of solving a murder mystery, we will finding out who stole your identity. Residents who attend will find out tips to keep their identity safe from theft.
So, get excited and plan on attending these two awesome programs!

NRHH Applications for Fall 2009

The National Residence Hall Honorary or NRHH are looking for new members to apply this fall. This organization, which is only for the top 1% of student leaders living in the residence halls, is based on four pillars: Leadership, Recognition, Scholastics, and Service. Potential new members have to fill out an application and get two references from people involved with Residence Life and turn it to the Wells Front Desk by November 23, 2009. If you are interested, here is the application and reference form. If you are wanting more information about this organization, you can go to the Missouri State NRHH website by clicking here.

RHA Constitution

Starting this coming Monday, RHA will be working on their constitution. The RHA Executive Board realizes this can be a very long process, but this process is vital for RHA to be considered an organization. You can check out the current constitution and bylaws by clicking on the "Constitution" or "Bylaws" tab in the upper left hand corner of the home page of the RHA website. If you need a refresher course on Brandi Bowers's motions, you can click right here.

Ice Skate Night Update

This Thursday, November 12, 2009 is Ice Skate Night. Ice Skate Night is a program where RHA and SAC partner together to bring Missouri State students an opportunity for free ice-skating at Mediacom Ice Park. Ice Skate Night goes from 9:30-11:45 PM and all you need to get in is your ZipCard. Transportation will be provided to and from Mediacom Ice Park. The shuttle will be picking up people at the Blair-Shannon Circle Drive starting at 9:20 PM. Go have fun ice skating!

It's Election Time!

This Tuesday is Election Day, so get excited to take part in that civic right that is voting! For registered voters of Greene County, there is a major topic on the ballots. The Springfield Police Department and Fire Department are asking for a 3/4 cents sale tax increase for their pension program for those firefighters and police officers. If you have any questions, we will be having a couple of special guests at this next GA meeting to address the issue and answer all of your questions. Remember to get out and vote! If you live north of Harrison Street which would be Hammons, Hutchens, Scholars, Sunvilla, Kentwood, and Dogwood residents, you will be voting at the First Baptist Christian Life Center at Campbell and Mount Vernon. If you live south of Harrison Street which would be Freddy, Wells, Woods, and Blair-Shannon residents, you will be voting at Fire Station Number 1 at 720 East Grand, just off of John Q. Hammons Parkway. Here is a special message from the mayor of Springfield, Jim O'Neal, reminding everybody to vote this Tuesday!

RHA Upcoming Events

RHA has a bunch of upcoming events in this next few weeks for you to get involved in.
On Monday, November 2, RHA is partnering with NRHH for the first in the Building Leaders Together or BLT series of lectures. The first one is Mastering the Time of Your Life, where you can learn about advanced time management skills and it will be at 8 PM in PSU 314 A & B.
On Sunday, November 8, RHA will be having a service project at Kids Against Hunger from 11 AM-3 PM. Transportation will be provided to and from Kids Against Hunger.
On Thursday, November 12, RHA will be partnering with SAC to provide you with Ice Skate Night. This is a chance for Missouri State students to skate at Mediacom Ice Park for free as long as they have their student ID. Skating will be provided from 9:45-11:45 PM and transportation will be provided to and from Mediacom Ice Park.
On Saturday, November 14, RHA will be having a Hockey Night. This game is at 7 PM against Lindenwood. Tickets will be available soon. Transportation will be provided to and from Mediacom Ice Park.

Halloween in the Halls and Pop Tab Wars Update

Remember, Halloween in the Halls is this Wednesday. If you signed up to be pass out candy from your room, remember to go out and buy candy and be ready in your room by 5:15 PM because the kids will be coming on your floors by then.
Also, the Pop Tabs War is officially done. The RHA Executive Board is very proud to announce that the residence halls collected 125 pounds of pop tabs to give to the Ronald McDonald House. Now to announce the top three residence halls. In third place was Hammons House. In second place was Apartment Association. Finally, in first place and winner of 150 dollars towards a pizza party is Blair-Shannon House. Thanks to all residence halls for participating!

Did You Hear?

This past week has been a big week for RHA and Residence Life in general.

In this last week's Standard, RHA was voted by readers of the Standard as the Runner-Up for the Ultimate Student Organization!! The RHA executive board is absolutely thrilled with this honor and thanks everybody who voted for RHA.

This past weekend, a delegation of Missouri State students went to Minnesota State University-Mankato to attend MACURH, which is the regional conference for students active in Residence Life. Missouri State had a great showing. Missouri State had two of the Top Ten Programs being presented, won the Regional Philantrophy by bringing 125 pounds of pop tabs to donate to the Ronald McDonald House, won the Commitment to Philantrophy Bid, and recieved the bid to host MACURH 2010!! The delegation was extremely excited to recieve this news and host MACURH 2010-Come on Down!

Pop Tabs War

From September 28 to October 19, all of the residence halls will be competing in a pop tabs war. The pop tabs go to the Ronald McDonald House, the regional philanthropy for MACURH. Missouri State has set a goal of 45 pounds to donate to the Ronald McDonald House and that is where your participation comes in handy. All you have to drink after drinking a can of pop is take off the tab and put it in the cardboard house found at your residence hall's front desk. The pop tabs will be collected at 5:00 PM every Friday with updates given during every General Assembly of RHA. The winning residence hall gets 150 dollars towards a pizza party. Drink some pop for a good cause!

Halloween in the Halls

It's almost October and you know what that means? Halloween is just around the corner! If you are looking for something fun and rewarding to do for Halloween, you should do Halloween in the Halls, held on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 from 5 to 8 PM. A Missouri State tradition, students take kids age 2-12 from the Missouri State community trick-or-treating through the residence halls. There are many ways to get involved with Halloween in the Halls. First, you can be a Pumpkin Pal which will be the person taking the kids through all of the residence halls. If you want to be a Pumpkin Pal, all you have to do is sign up at the front desk of your residence hall by Friday, October 2nd. Secondly, you can work at the Pumpkin Patch. While the children wait to go trick-or-treating, there will be games held at the Blair-Shannon Grand Lounge. If you want more information, contact either your RA or Hall Council. Finally, you can participate with your floor and hand out candy. You just have to tell your RA and decorate your floor for the enjoyment of the little kids. If you want more information, either call the RHA Office at 417-836-6880 or contact Todd Euglow at Todd5@live.missouristate.edu.

DIY Cleaners

Have you even ran out of laundry detergent in the middle of the load and wished that you knew how to make some? Then, you should come to DIY Cleaners. This program will teach you how to make your own cleaning supplies such as laundry detergent, window cleaner, rug cleaner, and so much more! We will discuss why making your own cleaning supplies is not only good for the environment but good for your wallet as well. This program will be held on Thursday, October 8th, 2009 at the Blair-Shannon Grand Lounge from 5:30 to 8:00 PM. Not only will you learn how to make supplies, you will get recipes so you can make it on your own. It will be tons of fun, and you will learn how to do something that you can use for a while. Why wouldn't you want to come?

Adopt A Street

Have you ever wanted to pick up some trash and make some memories? Well then, you should come and participate in Adopt-A-Street. It is going on Thursday, October 1st, at 5:00 to 6:00 PM. We will meet in front of the PSU Information Desk. The gloves and transportation will be provided to our lovely adopted street where we will pick up the trash and make it look beautiful. This activity does count for public affairs and community service hours, so that just makes a better incentive to go out and pick up trash with all of your amazing RHA friends!

Go to MACURH in October!

Download the application for MACURH 2009 to attend the regional conference in Mankato, Minnesota. The conference is being held from Friday, October 23rd to Sunday, October 25, 2009. All you have to pay is $15 for your registration fee. All meals and transportation will be provided. Turn in your application to Angie Shirley or Emily Hollander at the Hutchens front desk by Monday, September 21 by 7:00p:m.

Are You Smarter Than The Average Bear?

Do you know a lot of fun facts about Missouri State? Do you want to win free BearWare to wear to the first home football game and for upcoming BearWare Fridays? If you answered yes to both of the questions, then you need to attend "Are You Smarter Than An Average Bear?". It is being held this Friday, September 11th at the Blair-Shannon Ground Lounge from 5:00-7:00 P:M. All you have to do is answer a series of questions relating to Missouri State and then you will earn a chance to win free BearWare. Start studying up on Missouri State facts to prove that you are smarter than the average bear!

First Meeting of the Year

Welcome back to another amazing year of RHA! The executive board is ready to have another exciting year full of programs, events, and meetings and the fun will all be starting soon. Our first meeting is Monday, September 14th from 4-6 P:M in Plaster Student Union room 313. The theme will be Public Affairs Week as Monday will be the kickoff for this week of events designed to engage students to learning about our Public Affairs Theme for the year: Evolving Economic Realities. RHA can't wait to have you join the assembly!

Moving to Missouri State in August?

Are you moving to one of Missouri State's residence halls for the 2009-2010 academic year? RHA can help! RHA provides a service selling linens like bedsheets, pillow covers, laundry baskets, and more. Ordering is easy online at http://www.rhl.org/swm/. The linens will be delivered to your home address, all ready to bring to Missouri State in August! When you get to campus, be sure to check out RHA meetings every Monday at 4 pm in Plaster Student Union room 313. RHA provides a great way to get involved and influence the university community!

Officers Elected for 2009-2010 Year

RHA has elected the leaders who will serve on the Executive Board next year. The results are as follows:

President - Kate Shellenberg
Administrative Aide - Audra Williams
Internal Communications Coordinator - BJ Anderson
Housing and University Enrichment Coordinator - Jeremiah Athmer
Programming Communications Coordinator - Todd Euglow
National Communications Coordinator - Emily Hollander
Leadership Development Coordinator - Jamie Jones

End of the Year for RHA

It's finally here! As the calendar turns to May, the end of the semester approaches. With the end of the spring semester comes the end to another year of RHA. The year has been full of programs, events, and fun meetings, but the General Assembly will have to wait for next August. RHA wishes everyone good luck on finals and a great summer!

Eat Food and Help Represent Missouri State!

Missouri State is sending a delegation to the NACURH annual conference in Tucson, Arizona in May and you can help! In the next few weeks there are two opportunities to eat some great food and help raise money for the delegation. First, between May 4 and May 10, visit the Domino's in the PSU and purchase a medium pizza with a coupon you will be receiving in your mailbox. These coupons will be distributed between now and May 4, so check your mail and head to Domino's for discounted pizza that helps our delegation get to Tucson! Secondly, on May 12, eat at Panera Bread Co. on National, just north of campus. When you order, tell the cashiers that you are supporting RHA and Missouri State's representatives to NACURH. The delegation will get a portion of the funds generated from your purchase at no additional cost to you!

Residence Halls Battle in RHA Olympics!

It's that time of year again, the week where building fights building, Hall Council fights Hall Council: it's the RHA Olympics! This year's weeklong rendition of this annual program includes activities from Monday, April 27 through Thursday, April 30. The list of events, times and locations are below:

Monday, April 27
7:00 pm - Crisco Melon Relay (Blair-Shannon Front Lawn)
7:30 pm - Residence Hall Grand Prix (Blair-Shannon Grand Lounge)

Tuesday, April 28
6:30 pm - Frozen T-Shirt Relay (Across Elm Street from Sunvilla)
7:00 pm - Sunvilla Stair Climb (Sunvilla Tower)

Wednesday, April 29
6:00 pm - Giant Beachball Volleyball (Sand Volleyball Courts)
7:00 pm - Trivia Competition (PSU Food Court)

Thursday, April 30
6:00 pm - The Final Event - Amazing Race (PSU Information Desk)

Contact to your Hall Council or Hall Council Advisor to join your building's team. Download the RHA Olympics packet for more information.

Button Wars Underway

Button Wars have begun! To participate this fun RHA program, send your name to Nathan Fears at fears5@missouristate.edu and get an RHA button from him. The goal is to be the last person standing by wearing the button more than anyone else participating. Participants must be wearing their button to get someone out, if you get someone out it must be reported to Nathan Fears, and no one can get out when they are on their floor, while playing sports, if they are off-campus, or when in formal settings. Additional rules and current standings may be found at the Button Wars facebook event.

Go Green for Earth Day

Help the Earth and plant a seed! Participate in RHA's From Garbage To Garden program, an Earth Day craft event where students can plant seeds in recycled food containers to create their own miniature garden. All seeds and containers are supplied for free at the event on April 23. The program begins at 5:00 pm on the Blair-Shannon Front Lawn.

Discover Fun with RHA and SAC

RHA and SAC are partnering up for the third time this year to bring you College Night at the Discovery Center. During this event, the Discovery Center will be opening its doors to Missouri State students on April 16 from 9:00 pm to midnight. As part of the program, the first 400 students can attend for free! RHA is sponsoring free transportation from the Blair-Shannon Circle Drive. For more information about the Discovery Center, go to http://www.discoverycenter.org/. Grab some friends, hop on the free transportation, and have fun at College Night at the Discovery Center!

Fourth Texas Hold 'Em Tourney Coming Soon!

RHA will host the fourth and final Texas Hold 'Em tournament of the year on Thursday, April 20 in classy setting of the Union Club (PSU 400). This rendition steps it up in the glamour department, this is the first tournament of the year to be held in the Union Club. The fun starts at 7:30 pm. As successful as previous tournaments has been over the course of the year, a large attendance is expected so get there early to grab your seat at a table.

Checkmate!

The first annual RHA Chess Classic will be tonight, April 14, in the PSU Food Court! Sharpen up your chess skills and come compete in a tournament to test your wits. The tournament is free to enter and the winner will receive some great new BearWear. The first pawn is moved at 7:00 pm and only 32 people will be able to compete, so show up early for the RHA Chess Classic!

Join the 2009-2010 RHA Executive Board!

From now until Friday, April 3, you can apply for a position on RHA's 2009-2010 Executive Board. Just download the application, turn it in to Angie Shirley at the Hutchens House front desk by 5:00 pm on April 3, and make a presentation about yourself and your ideas for RHA at the General Assembly meeting on April 6. The five positions that are available to apply for include Internal Communications Coordinator, Housing and University Enrichment Coordinator, Programming Communications Coordinator, Leadership Development Coordinator, and Administrative Aide. Each member of the executive board receives $1000 off housing per semester as well as $600 wages for office hours worked each semester. More information about the duties of the various positions may be found on the Executive Board page of the website and on the application.

Apply for 2009-2010 Leadership Development Coordinator

The application deadline for the position of Leadership Development Coordinator has been extended to Sunday, April 12. Download the application, which due to Angie Shirley at the Hutchens front desk by 5:00 pm this Sunday. The LDC is responsible for Fall Leadership Day, Silver Bells, Appreciation Days, 5 Paw, and the Spring Leadership Banquet. The LDC plans a lot of the bigger events throughout the year. He or she also designs and creates things such as invitations, programs, folders, and centerpieces. Apply before 5:00 pm on Sunday!

Elect Your Student Body President and Vice President

Vote for your 2009-2010 Student Body President on April 6 and 7! The polls are open and you can vote at elections.missouristate.edu. RHA believes that every student has the right to let their voice be heard on the Missouri State campus and voting on your President and Vice President is one great way to influence the future of the university. The three tickets running for these positions are Chris Polley and Kristen Sanocki, Jay Bowling and Aaron Henry, and Zach Smith and John Maddux. Check our their websites and become an educated voter, then head to elections.missouristate.edu to vote! Polls close at 5:00 pm on Tuesday.

Vote on the Sustainability Fee

From March 17 through March 18, Missouri State students will have the opportunity to vote on a sustainability fee. This proposed fee will be $2 per semester. The funds from this proposed fee will be dispersed by a student committee for sustainable efforts on campus. The wording of the issue is "Do you support the Board of Governors establishing a $2 per semester student fee for the funding of sustainable projects on the Missouri State University-Springfield campus?" Vote today at elections.missouristate.edu.

Race Around Missouri State

RHA is pleased to sponsor Photo Shootout, a scavenger hunt-like program that challenges teams' knowledge of Missouri State. When students show up to the PSU Info Desk at 6:00 pm on Thursday, March 19, they will be divided into teams of four and given a sheet of clues. Each clue will lead to a different location, object, or person; it is their task to figure out the clues, take a picture with their targets, and race back to the PSU to win! Every member of the first place team gets a $20 bookstore gift card, second place team members get a $10 card, and third place receive a $5 one. Participants are encouraged to bring a digital camera to the program, to accommodate the greatest number of teams as possible. Just show up at the PSU Info Desk at 6:00 pm on March 19 for a night of fun!

Apply for 2009-2010 RHA President

Applications are now being accepted for the position of 2009-2010 RHA President. Download an application or contact Todd Euglow at todd05@missouristate.edu for more information about the position. Applications are due Friday, March 20 at 5pm at the Hutchens House front desk.

Go to NACURH in Arizona!

Download the application for NACURH 2009 to attend the national conference in Tucson, Arizona. The conference will be held from May 22 to May 25 at the University of Arizona. The only cost to you is $30 and all meals and transportation is provided. Turn in your application to Angie Shirley or Kate Shellenberg at the Hutchens front desk by 7:00 pm on March 16.

Recycling, Fashion, and Dancing

What can you make with aluminum cans, newspaper, Kleenex boxes, and milk cartons? Come find out at Project Greenway on March 16. This annual recycled-materials fashion show showcases entries from the various hall councils, as well as RAs from the residence halls. The winning entries receive $50 for their building or UCRA fund. A new addition this year is the post-fashion show dance! Dance and eat refreshments for free while the judges tabulate the winners. Project Greenway takes place at 7:30 pm on March 16 in the PSU Theater. If you are a representative of a hall council or an RA, contact Nathan Fears at fears5@missouristate.edu for more information on entering the contest.

Kimbrough Clean-Up

The second Adopt-a-Street program of the year will be held March 12 at 4:00 pm. Come join in and help clean a portion of Kimbrough from Grand to Bennett. The program begins at the PSU Info Desk where gloves and bags are distributed for free. Then, RHA provides the transportation to get you to the street. An hour or less later, the program ends, leaving Springfield a little bit more pristine.

Apply for the Wilda F. Looney Scholarship

Applications are now being accepted for the Wilda F. Looney Residence Life Leadership Scholarship. Any student living in the residence halls currently enrolled in 12 credit hours with 12 credit hours achieved and a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher may apply for this scholarship. Read more about the scholarship at the ResLife website or download the application. Nominations are due March 6, and self-applications are due March 13.

Collecting for a Cause

From February 13 through March 13, RHA will be collecting pop tabs for Ronald McDonald House. Compete in Pop Tab Wars by dropping your pop tabs into containers at the front desk of your residence hall. There's only a month to collect, so drink some soft drinks, keep the tab, and deposit it at your front desk!

Hold 'Em Again and Win!

After the huge success of previous Texas Hold 'Em tournaments, RHA is sponsoring another night of fun on Wednesday, February 18. Play Texas Hold 'Em in the food court located on the main floor of Plaster Student Union. The first hands will be dealt a little after 7:00 pm, so get there early to get a spot at a table. They winner receives a $50 Wal-Mart gift card, with second and third getting $30 and $20 gift cards respectively. Other finalists will win DVDs. Grab some friends and head to the PSU food court for some Texas Hold 'Em action on February 18.

Plan MACURH 2010 at Missouri State

Want to be a part of the planning of a regional conference? Download the application to be on the MACURH 2010 Planning Committee! This committee consists of twelve specialized positions. Turn in your application to Angie Shirley at the Hutchens front desk or Jon Stubblefield at the Wells front desk by 5:00 pm on March 9.

Get Your Rockin' Hasselhoff Shirt!

All you have to do is download an order form to order your RHA "Missouri State Rocks!" t-shirt with America's Got Talent judge David Hasselhoff on the front. These shirts are charcoal gray with "Join RHA" and the general assembly meeting time on the back. Shirts are only $10 and can be paid with cash, check, credit card, or PayPal. Print out the order form, fill out your information, and return it to either Tyler Hillsman (campus mail to Scholars 110A) or Angie Shirley (Hutchens front desk). If you have any questions, email Tyler at hillsman7@missouristate.edu.

Discussing Dating and Marriage

What is Love? It's the title of a program sponsored by RHA this Thursday night, February 12, at 8:30 pm. This discussion-based event will feature couples in various stages and situations and be held in PSU 313. The audience may interact with the couples, and a moderated discussion will seek input for the couples on the panel. Gear up for Valentine's with a little helpful advice and knowledge and attend What is Love? in PSU 313.

Support Bears Basketball and Win!

Hall-a-palooza is back for the spring semester! Attend the February 6 Lady Bears game against Creighton and you could be on your way to winning a trophy for your residence hall. The game starts at 7:35 pm; students get in free with their ZipCard. The total attendance by residence hall is combined with the attendance at the February 24 men's game against Creighton at 7:05 pm. The residence hall with the highest combined attendance, as determined by the RHA formula, will win the Hall-a-palooza trophy, as well as one that stays in the winning building. The RHA is sponsoring this traditional program to increase support for the Bears and Lady Bears.

ResLife Blog To Answer Student Questions

The Department of Residence Life and Services has started a blog to keep a line of communication with the residents of Missouri State University. Lenord McGownd, an Assistant Director in ResLife maintains the blog, posting frequently with information concerning residents. Be sure to check it out to read the latest in ResLife news.

Download President Application

Click here to download the application for RHA President. This application is due to Angela Shirley at the Hutchens House front desk by 5:00 pm on Friday, January 30. Applicants will be presented at the RHA General Assembly meeting on February 2. A special election will be held to determine the President for the remainder of the semester.

First GA Meeting of Semester

Despite being previously announced as January 12, the first RHA General Assembly meeting of the spring semester will be held on January 26. The meeting will include the postponed RHA auction as well as tons of new information from RHA. Constitutional amendments, Executive Board elections, and other important matters will be discussed at this meeting; don't miss it! The meeting will take place in Plaster Student Union room 313 at 4:00 pm.