2012 - 2013 Residence Hall Handbook
<<Previous Next>>3.1 Getting Involved
An essential component of the living-learning experience at the University of Arkansas involves encouraging students to become conscious of their ability to make a positive impact as a responsible citizen in their surrounding community, society at large, and the world through service-learning opportunities that may enhance their awareness of critical issues in society.
LEAD HOG PROGRAM
Lead Hogs help welcome new students to the Razorback family in August. Some of the students that have been involved in the Lead Hogs program have been able to meet new people, have gotten to know the staff in their residence hall, have developed into strong leaders, have established great friendships, and most importantly, have had fun!
Residents that apply and are approved to serve as Lead Hog volunteers help the Coordinator for Residence Education and his/her staff to prepare the residence hall for opening day. During assisted move-in days, the Lead Hogs work with administrators, faculty, and staff members to help students move into their residence hall. For more information, email houslhogs@uark.edu
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN YOUR HALL
Coordinators for Residence Education, Resident Assistants, and individual Hall Senates will often work together to organize charity events such as food drives, collecting donations, and/or volunteering at a local agency. If you have any suggestions, ideas, or would like to know more information, contact your Coordinator for Residence Education.
ALTERNATIVE SPRING BREAK (ASB)
During the week of Spring Break, you will be given the opportunity to serve others at Alternative Spring Break (ASB). This program allows you to travel to another city to work with agencies such as Habitat for Humanity, Head Start, and local soup kitchens. Because Alternative Spring Break is supported financially by University Housing and the Center for Community Engagement students are charged only a minimal fee to participate.
Alternative Spring Break was established by University Housing and students at the University of Arkansas in 1996 to give back to communities by volunteering for service projects during Spring Break. Along with giving back to a community, time is still built in for the students to reflect on their experience and for visiting highlights of the region where students are volunteering. Communities that students have served are: Tampa Bay, Florida; Kansas City, Missouri; New Orleans, Louisiana; Dallas, Texas; San Antonio, Texas; Washington D.C.; New Jersey and Boston, Massachusetts; Galveston, Texas; West Helena, Arkansas, Elaine, Arkansas and the Southwest Arkansas region (Hope, Ashdown and Texarkana).
ASB is a great experience for University of Arkansas students. Each year the participants return to Fayetteville with a wealth of memories and the inspiration to carry on the spirit of volunteerism in their own community. For more information contact University Housing at housing@uark.edu.
3.2 Getting Involved: Leadership Opportunities
Members of the Residence Education staff, in conjunction with the residence hall governments, are committed to providing you with opportunities to enhance yourself personally, socially, and academically. In order to accomplish this, a variety of programs and leadership opportunities are made available to you.
We strongly encourage you to get involved. Not only is participating a great way to meet people and have fun, it also provides you with opportunities to develop skills in working with others and a chance to have something to say about what life in the residence halls is like. The residence hall governments and Residents' Interhall Congress (RIC) are interested in making residence life a positive experience by providing activities for you to become involved during your leisure time.
HALL GOVERNMENT
Each hall has its own government. Like any other concentration of people within limited boundaries, the residence hall functions best when positions of leadership, organization, and representation are established. For this reason each hall elects a president, vice-president, secretary/treasurer, other executive officers, and from two to seven (depending on the population of the hall) Residents' Interhall Congress representatives. In order to assure fair representation of all residents, each floor community elects a representative to attend hall government meetings. The hall government sponsors and coordinates the various activities of the community such as community service activities, recognition dinners, intramural sports, etc. Funding for programming is provided from a portion of the room and board rates you pay to live in the hall. Members of Hall Senate also make suggestions for hall improvements.
3.3 Residents' Interhall Congress (RIC)
The Residents' Interhall Congress serves as the campus-wide governing body for the residence halls and is a dynamic and effective governing body at the University of Arkansas. You can become involved in RIC by running for the RIC representative position from your hall or by serving on a committee.
RIC provides many opportunities to become involved on campus. You can meet new people from all over campus, influence changes in the residence halls, enhance leadership skills, work with University of Arkansas administrators, or attend regional or national conferences. Also, RIC involvement provides valuable experience for a resume and is lots of fun as well!
RIC has been successful in passing and carrying out legislation that is beneficial to the students in the residence halls as well as those who live off-campus. With one of the largest budgets for a student organization, RIC is able to have programs that include the entire campus. RIC has a strong reputation for student government and has been recognized several times as the University of Arkansas Student Governing Organization of the Year.
RIC is affiliated with the Southwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls, (SWACURH), and the National Association of College and University Residence Halls (NACURH). RIC sends delegates from the University of Arkansas to these conferences every year!
RIC Home Page
RIC Facebook: UarkRIC
RIC Twitter: @UARK_RIC
3.4 National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH)
Up to one percent of residence hall students are selected to be members of the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH). This organization serves the on-campus population and awards campus, regional and national individuals and groups for contributing to the on-campus environment.
More information about Of the Month (OTM) Awards can be found at: http://otms.nrhh.org or by emailing nrhh@uark.edu.
3.5 The Resident Assistant Role
Resident Assistants (RAs) are student leaders who live in the halls among their peers and positively impact their floors/wings through educational and social activities, advising, and everyday interactions. They are selected through a thorough application process and series of interviews, typically begining in the early part of the spring semester.
Resident Assistant candidates are expected to have skills in human relations and leadership and must be open to different viewpoints and ideas. Becoming involved with the residence hall government or Residents' Interhall Congress is a great way to learn and demonstrate these skills!
Interested candidates should look for information about the RA opportunities to be posted within their halls or speak to current Residence Education staff about the selection process.
3.6 Faculty & Living Learning Communities
This area encompasses all living and learning experiences that seek to enhance student academic success at the University of Arkansas. Some of these initiatives include faculty-led events, major-specific academic learning teams, more general thematic learning communities and various other programs that assist students in their academic endeavors.
Academic Learning Teams (ALT)
An ALT is a group of first-year students who are enrolled in the same sections of courses (at least two) and who live in the same residence hall. The in-class learning is supported by co-curricular activities pertaining to the major discipline and the students' needs and interests. Participating in ALTs costs nothing extra.
Thematic Learning Communities (TLC)
A TLC is a small group of first-year residents who are interested in the same theme, major, or degree program. Each TLC has a lead Faculty member who designs and leads activities for their students. In addition, Resident Assistants for the TLC plan activities throughout the year to complement the theme. Students who choose to join one of the TLCs will have the unique opportunity to participate in activities organized by faculty and staff members that will help with the transition to college and enhance overall academic and social experience at the university. Participating in TLCs costs nothing extra.
Faculty in Residence Program
The Faculty in Residence position exists to help strengthen the academic/intellectual cultures of the residence halls at the University of Arkansas. The Faculty in Residence works to foster and shape the social, cultural, and educational life of residential students and connects with individual students or groups of residents to promote the values of academic success and citizenship/community engagement.