Students living on campus elected Cindy Zhang as president of the Residence Hall Association Nov. 3 after former RHA President Peter Reifsnyder resigned Oct. 27.
Zhang, a sophomore in the School of International Service and the Kogod School of Business, said she is focused on bringing increased advocacy and security to the student body. She also wants RHA to develop a closer working relationship with Student Government to better meet the needs of all AU students.
Zhang took her oath of office Nov. 10.
At the beginning of the semester, Zhang was the RHA vice president of finance. Upon Reifsnyder’s resignation, Zhang assumed the responsibilities of president.
RHA executive board’s major project this year is passing bills on gender-neutral on-campus housing with SG executives.
The Undergraduate Senate passed a resolution advocating for gender-netural housing Oct. 30, but RHA is still trying to get its bill through their RHA General Assembly, Zhang said.
Katie Modic, RHA vice president of advocacy, is currently speaking with Housing and Dining Executive Director Chris Moody about the proposal for gender-neutral housing.
“I am hoping that this year SG and RHA will come together more, and work together to better represent the students because we are more powerful when our voices are aligned,” Zhang said.
SG President Tim McBride said the collaboration between SG and RHA has been unprecedented this school year.
He has been working with the RHA Executive Board on obtaining gender-neutral housing since the summer and hopes to continue to improve the working relationship between the two organizations.
“SG executive board and RHA executive board both believe that our two organizations have a common purpose of uniting our campus,” McBride said.
Both organizations have come together many times this year to work on events together, including RHA’s Diversival and SG’s Founder’s Day Ball.
Reifsnyder declined to comment on his resignation.
