Four executives, the president, the vice president of internal affairs, the vice president of student affairs and the vice president of programming make up the ?association’s executive board.
The four executives currently make approximately $7,500 per semester.
Thirteen center presidents and eight directors — the director of arts and culture, the director of finance, the director of health and wellness, the director of philanthropy, the director of public relations, the director of social advocacy, the director of sustainability and the national communications coordinator — round out the association.
The 13 center presidents make approximately $3,800 per semester, while the eight directors make about $1,500 per semester.
The internal affairs committee, however, proposed two alternative compensation models.
The first compensation model proposed that executives make $5,650, that center presidents make $4,000 and that directors make $2,000.
Under this model, compensation of RHA members would account for $92,600.
The second compensation model proposed that executives make 75 percent of the standard room rate, or $5,427.75; that center presidents make 50 percent of the room rate of whatever center of which they are president, or approximately $3,754.38; and that directors make 25 percent of the standard room rate, or $6,098.75.
Under this model, compensation of RHA members would account for $86,801.25.
The purpose behind the proposed compensation models, according to the bill, is to make the compensation more equal, encouraging greater interest in the center president and director ?positions.
“I think this could be a giant first step to creating a more equitable government, as opposed to valuing certain people’s efforts over others,” McNutt Quadrangle President Nathan Manworren said.
RHA members, however, expressed concerns.
Because RHA members have suggested further changes to the structure of RHA, members were concerned that implementing a new compensation model would complicate discussions regarding these suggested changes to the structure of RHA.
And because RHA members have already announced their intention to run or apply for next academic’s RHA positions, members were concerned that implementing a new compensation model would be unfair to those who have already announced their intention to run or apply.
Nine RHA members voted in support of the first compensation model, while six RHA members abstained from voting. RHA members did not vote on the second compensation model.
As a result, neither compensation model was ?approved.
Patrick Connor, executive director of Residential Programs and Services, also updated members of RHA on the 2015-2016 residence hall housing rates, approved by the IU Board of Trustees during a meeting last Friday.
The cost of the most commonly requested room and board package at IU will increase by $302, or 3.2 percent.
The most commonly requested room and board package at IU includes an air-conditioned, double-occupancy room in a mid-amenity hall and a standard meal plan.
The rate of increase, however, will depend on the room and board package, with the cost of rooms increasing anywhere from 0.5 percent to 4 percent and the cost of a standard meal plan increasing by $50, or 1.6 percent.
“Most of that money is affixed to using to advance our programming,” Connor said.
