Tonight, the Residence Hall Association Assembly will vote on whether to remove President Nathan Boudreaux from office, but Boudreaux’s position is not the only thing in question. Previously planned RHA events — a Mardi Gras ball, king cake parties, a crawfish boil and a foam party — have been placed on hold.
The student volunteer who originally began work on the Mardi Gras ball and has been a leader in the impeachment process, has stepped down as coordinator in light of the current state of RHA, citing a lack of respect from RHA’s top executives. The impeachment process has also stalled progress in the planning of other events. The possible shortfall could cause financial shortages for next year.
The slated date for the Mardi Gras ball is Feb. 3. But KD Linkous, RHA adviser, said the plans have been delayed.
Following the Jan. 18 meeting at which the RHA Assembly voted to charge Boudreaux, Katherine Gouner, president of the East Laville Community Council, said she told Boudreaux she would no longer continue planning the event. Gouner said she had reserved the venue, but had not formed the court, gotten decorations or made posters and fliers.
RHA Vice-President Doug Fields said that he, Boudreaux and other members will continue to plan the Mardi Gras ball. But not enough planning has been done “to guarantee it will happen,” Fields said.
Boudreaux said he is concerned that RHA’s focus on his impeachment process will negatively affect student activities.
“It really hurt the progress and planning for the events,” Boudreaux said. He said the impeachment process has already affected RHA programs.
Boudreaux said he also fears it could affect future programs. It could mean fewer activities next year. If RHA fails to use all of the money it is allotted, the organization runs the risk of losing funds, Boudreaux said.
“Administrators are looking to take money away from RHA. They think we have too much money,” he said. Boudreaux said that if the Mardi Gras ball program falls through, administrators could re-assess RHA funds.
Boudreaux himself was unable to see through a recent RHA program — Snowin’ in the South. Boudreaux said he could not get into the RHA office for the Jan. 19 program that involved dumping tons of snow on the Parade Grounds. Linkous had taken away Boudreaux’s key.
He said that as a result, RHA was not able to provide residents with the glow sticks and t-shirtsstored in the office for the snow party.
Linkous said advisors and administrators are acting in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order, the group’s governing text, which states that a member facing charges takes a period of leave in order to arrange their case.
Fields said that no official planning has begun for any other upcoming events.
“It’s all up in the air,” Gouner said about upcoming RHA programing.
Will Monson, an electrical engineering sophomore and West Laville Hall senator, said internal conflicts have taken priority within the council. He said the council is trying fix the executive staff and the constitution and fill empty positions before it works on programs for residents.
Monson said the planning for some programs, such as the king cake party, could become the responsibility of individual hall councils.
Calder Lynch, a business administration freshmen and president of Blake, Acadian and McVoy halls, said that while everything is on hold for the RHA Assembly because of the impeachment, the individual community councils are still active. He said he hopes that regardless of tonight’s outcome, the council will be able to establish an executive council and get back to planning programs.