Walking into the Legacy Multipurpose Room filled with chairs and tables, light music playing in the background, the Residence Hall Association started its informal meeting at 8 p.m. The meeting began with each RHA member present introducing themselves to those who came. After they introduced themselves Rachael Miyahara, president of RHA, with the help of a PowerPoint began the meeting explaining who they are and what they do on campus. RHA’s vision, she explained, was to be the voice of the students living on campus as well as a liaison between students and higher-ups.

“RHA has been around for awhile but most people don’t know about it,” Miyahara, education sophomore said, “or why it benefits them, so we wanted to sit down and explain it to them.”

RHA has been trying to expand its membership in order to better serve students; one of its methods includes offering more leadership opportunities within the organization. The organization itself gives members experience for becoming a resident assistant and input towards policies and procedures. Other benefits include no fees, an annual Texas Rangers baseball game, a camping trip and more for members. Miyahara gave an example of RHA’s involvement when a student complained to them about the temperature in Legacy, which lead to a successful petition to change the temperature.

“RHA helps people come out of their comfort zone,” Frailan Martinez, education junior, said. “It gets people leave their rooms and met people and have a better college year.”

Students interested in joining RHA are encouraged to come every other Wednesday night at 8-9 p.m. and talk with an executive officer. Anyone who wish to give a compliant, suggestion, or concern is also encouraged to come.

“They made a lot of changes, but it was good to have this meeting,” Freddy Martinez, sociology junior, said. “There could have been more people but they might have been busy.”