As students who frequent the dining halls are probably already aware, every week there’s a new ‘centerpiece’ on tables across campus. These rectangular displays are full of activities happening across campus during the following week, put on in part by the MSU Residence Hall Association or RHA.
The RHA is the student-run government and is the largest Residence Hall Association in the country. They organize many popular events, like the weekend movies at Wells Hall. The movies are free for on-campus undergraduate students, and only $3 for any student with a valid I.D.
“They usually have four different choices and they’re recent releases,” says freshman Leslie Hannah. The Wells Hall movies, shown Thursday through Sunday nights, are a great alternative to just hanging in your dorm some nights.
The RHA also supports students with services like free movie rental offices and free condoms through Olin Health Center. Olin offers free cold and flu packs filled with over-the-counter medicine to aid students during the illness-prone winter months.
The RHA provides great opportunities for students on campus that are fun and free. One thing they do is rent out karaoke machines to residence halls so students can have fun bonding with their neighbors.
Lesser-known perks of the RHA include the T.V. channels that broadcast popular movies and television shows. Their broadcasts air on analog channels 11 and 12 and digital channels 22.4 and 22.5. Along with television shows from popular networks, the stations air shows by campus and student organizations like the MSU Telecasters.
The RHA has put on several special guest performance events in the past that have been extremely popular with students. These shows are available to MSU students for either free or greatly reduced ticket prices compared to box offices at other venues. Past visits to campus included performances by Death Cab for Cutie, Common, Kid Cudi, and Mac Miller. More events will be coming this year and will be announced shortly by the RHA.
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Besides providing weekend entertainment, the RHA is vital to smoothly operating residence halls for students. Each residence hall has its own student government through the RHA. These governments meet with the goal of making residence hall life as comfortable as it can be for students.
Along with the student governments, the RHA sponsors Black Caucus groups. These groups formed to support African American students living on campus. There are currently eight Black Caucus groups and 19 meeting rooms active at MSU today. They hold small events and performances and provide African American students with an opportunity to participate in activities and meet new friends.
The RHA supports lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender groups in the dorms as well. These groups promote acceptance and offer activities that encourage respect of all types of lifestyles.
Students can become involved in the RHA by attending general assembly meetings, liking the RHA at MSU on Facebook, or following them on Twitter. This keeps students updated on the happenings of the organization and the events they offer.
The RHA is a great thing for the MSU student community whether the students realize it or not. They provide structure and support to the residence halls and provide many activities and products for students to help make their time in the residence halls more enjoyable. The movie nights at Wells Hall are a weekend staple that many students depend on for entertainment.
“They are a weekly thing that kids count on and look forward to for something fun to do,” says freshman Kaitlynn Boot. Many students agree with Kaitlynn, and also like seeing movies in “a convenient place on-campus that’s free.” So whether you want to be involved in a new organization or watch a recent movie with friends or attend a free seminar or concert, the RHA has something great in store for you just around the corner.