Residence Hall Association

Mission

The Gonzaga University Residence Hall Association is a student led organization committed to the continual enrichment of residents' lives.
Residents will be empowered by RHA to develop leaders by working with on-campus resources and to advocate for matters concerning their residential experience, including but not limited to campus sustainability, safety, and well-being.
RHA will provide experiential learning through programming with the intention of developing the whole person to encourage growth as a community and promises to make all events inclusive to welcome and appreciate the diverse student body and to serve the common good.


The General Assembly

The General Assembly (GA) meets every week, each block is chaired by the president, and is made up of six members from each Block Council. At each meeting, these representatives and the RHA Executive Board discuss and vote on matters concerning Housing and Residence Life.

GA Meets: Mondays at 6:15-7:15 pm, in College Commons room in the Humanities building.

If you are looking for more information about RHA, check the other sections listed.  If none of these sections can answer your questions or your question deals with a specific area, please feel free to email members of the executive board.

RHA Executive Board Application for 25-26

If you’re planning to live on campus or in a GU-owned off-campus house next year, consider joining the Residence Hall Association (RHA) executive board! Benefits include free housing, bi-weekly pay, leadership experience, and professional development. Applications are open until January 15, 2025. You’ll collaborate with fellow board members and an advisor to enhance residents' experiences. For more info, attend the RHA Executive Board session on December 4, 2024, from 12-1 p.m. in Hemm 312. It’s a great opportunity to meet the board and ask questions!
 

RHA Executive Board Application for 25-26

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RHA Gonzaga also has a monthly newsletter so find us in your emails!

Office Hours

Office hours for each role are located in the section below, all office hours are held on the second floor of Crosby, in the Housing and Residence Life office, so feel free to stop by and ask us any questions or say hi!

Executive Officers

President

Alyssa Guzman-Johnston
aguzman-johnston@zagmail.gonzaga.edu
Office Hours: Wed. 2:15 pm- 4:15 pm

National Communications Coordinator

Gwen Jaramillo
gjaramillo@zagmail.gonzaga.edu
Office Hours: Thurs. 12:00 pm- 2:00 pm

National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH)

Carissa Kanae
ckanae@zagmail.gonzaga.edu 
Office Hours: Wed. 11:00 am- 2:00 pm

Director of Administration and Finance

Colton Bowers
Cbowers4@zagmail.gonzaga.edu
Officer Hours: Mon. 11:00 am- 12:00 pm; Wed. 11:00 am- 12:00pm

Director of Programming

Kate Sung
ksung@zagmail.gonzaga.edu 
Office Hours: Mon. 3:00 pm- 6:00 pm

Director of Advocacy

Amber Panks
Apanks@zagmail.gonzaga.edu
Office Hours: Tues. 3:10 pm- 5:10 pm

Director of Sustainability

Deidra Guzman
dguzman@zagmail.gonzaga.edu 
Office Hours: Mon. 1:15pm- 2:15pm, Wed. 4:00 pm- 5:00 pm

Director of Leadership Development 

Madelyn Derr
mderr@zagmail.gonzaga.edu
Office Hours: Wed. 2:00 pm- 5:00 pm

Advisor

Jackie Gaither
gaitherj@gonzaga.edu 

Committees

There are six committees within RHA that serve as an opportunity for members of each block council to come together and voice concerns to each other or to administrators about how to improve the on-campus living experience at Gonzaga.

National Residence Hall Honorary Committee

The National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) Committee, is composed on Black Council members dedicated to recognizing the work that individuals do around campus. The committee votes on the monthly awards, known as OTMs or Of-The-Month awards, within the Housing and Residence Life department at Gonzaga. Each member is also certified as a Gonzaga NRHH official member after receiving specific training, after which they become a member for life, and can complete four years of service for a NRHH cord at graduation. To align with the National Residence Hall Honorary values, the NRHH committee assembles to prioritize Service and Recognition.
For more information contact Carissa Kanae at ckanae@zagmail.gonzaga.edu and Gwen Jaramillo at gjaramillo@zagmail.gonzaga.edu 

Budget and Administrative Committee

The Budget Advisory Committee, chaired by the Director of Administration and Finance and the finance managers from each block council, reviews and discusses all funding requests to assure RHA guidelines are observed by the requests.  It also recommends to the General Assembly an amount to be allocated to a program. 
For more information contact: Colton Bowers at cbowers4@zagmail.gonzaga.edu 

Advocacy Committee

The Advocacy Committee, chaired by the Director of Advocacy, is responsible for collecting advice and concerns about dining services, housing, and other matters regarding Gonzaga's on campus life.  This committee empowers students to advocate for better, more inclusive living spaces in addition to their passions through campaigns, events, and initiatives.
For more information contact Amber Panks at apanks@zagmail.gonzag.edu

Sustainability Committee

The Sustainability Committee, chaired by the Director of Sustainability, is responsible for collecting advice and concerns about dining services, on-campus housing, and other matters regarding Gonzaga's sustainability from each Block Council.  This committee is dedicated to encouraging and educating students on how to live more sustainably.
For more information contact Deidra Guzman at : dguzman@zagmail.gonzaga.edu

Programming and Marketing Committee

The Programming Committee, chaired by the Director of Programming, is responsible for coordinating and publicizing RHA functions as well as working with outside organizations when necessary for programming.  This committee is made up of the programmers from each hall council. 
For more information contact Kate Sung at ksung@zagmail.gonzaga.edu

Block Council President Committee

The Block Council President Committee, chaired by the Director of Leadership Development, is responsible for approving constitutional revises.  This committee is made up of the presidents from each hall council. 
For more information contact: Madelyn Derr at mderr@zagmail.gonzaga.edu

Block Council

At Gonzaga, all of the Residence Halls are divided up into blocks by areas.  Each block has a Block Council, and Block Council comes together to make the Residence Hall Association at Gonzaga.  Individually, each block council is made up of a group of students who have volunteered to plan events and social activities for the residents on their block and to serve as a voice between their block and RHA.