Residence Hall Association elects new members
The group is funded by room and board fees; they
sponsor events and leadership development programs
BY JOE BAILEY
NEWS REPORTER
The Residence Hall Association
elections have brought three fresh
men to the RHA Executive Board for
the 2005-06 academic year.
Jason Bruderlin will serve as vice
president, Keith Bassett as finance
chair and Melissa Hoffman as mar
keting and outreach chair. Elections
were held from Oct. 18-19 in the
lobbies of Barnhart, Carson and
Hamilton complexes.
The RHA will manage a budget of
$24,000 for the 2005-06 academic
year, money that comes out of the
room and board that residents pay.
The budget is used to put on and
sponsor events as well as pay for
leadership development programs
and capital improvements.
Bruderlin is excited about what he
describes as limitless possibilities to
enact positive change in the resi
dence halls. He expects fellow resi
dents to become more engaged with
RHA as the year progresses.
“You’re not really here long
enough to know anything about any
thing unless you’re actively seeking
out ways to get involved,” he said.
“People start to realize that RHA is
spending their money and putting on
programs and is a source for advocacy
for their concerns.”
RHA President Todd Mann, who
was elected to his position last year,
praised Bruderlin, calling him “a very
driven person.”
Mann shares Bruderlin’s enthusi
asm for the upcoming year.
Although the RHA has only had
two meetings, Mann has been
pleased by the participation of the
new officers.
“I was very impressed by the caliber
of the comments and the focus that
was made by those people,” he said.
Mann said the RHA often serves
as a training ground for campus
leaders, offering them some of their
first leadership opportunities as
college students.
“It’s a common trend within stu
dent leadership, if you start in RHA
as a freshman, then as you move out
of the halls you get involved in other
organizations,” he said. “It is really
building a foundation of leadership.”
In addition to the elected posi
tions, a cabinet of seven students
appointed by Mann serves on the
RHA General Council, along with 18
student representatives elected by
the residence complexes.
Freshman Kristin Vanderburgh, the
RHA administrator, serves in the cabi
net. Her primary responsibility is cre
ating the RHA newsletter, sent to resi
dents. She said that while the RHA
includes an impressive group of lead
ers, the atmosphere remains relaxed.
“We’re still just a bunch of stu
dents trying to figure out what’s
best,” she said.
Serving along with Vanderburgh
on the RHA Cabinet will be Krystal
Collins, staff relations coordinator;
Trevor Whitbread, director of athlet
ics; Pat Cunningham, Webmaster; Liz
Pfriem, publicity coordinator; Justin
Tandingan, diversity coordinator; and
Whitney Pollack, recognition chair.
jbailey® dailyemerald, com
Courtesy
!n 1996 someone filled in a small drainage channel on Cody Avenue, causing flooding
that winter.
Flooding
occurred in
1996 on West
17th Avenue
and Hayes
Street.
Courtesy
Flood: Damage could affect waste systems
Continued from page 1
Several days of heavy rainfall in
Dec. 1964 caused the most massive
flooding recorded in Eugene.
Damage from the 1964 flood can
still be seen on the Rogue River near
Graves Creek, in Southern Oregon,
where raging flood waters destroyed
a 50-foot high bridge, Solin said.
But that degree of devastation is
not likely to happen again because
of additional dams built upstream
on the McKenzie River, Solin said.
In the event of an 100-year flood,
71,000 cubic feet of water will flow
down the Willamette River at High
way 126 in Springfield, according to
the mitigation plan.
Areas that lie on a floodplain will
become inundated.
Four percent of structures and 61
miles of roadways in the
Eugene/Springfield area lay within
mapped lOO^year floodplains, the
plan stated.
In 2.003, there were about 3,500
flood insurance policies in Lane
County and 320 of the policy
holders filed claims, according to
the plan.
Areas in the city that are outside
of the floodplain may experience
flooding because of plugged and
overflowing storm water drains.
The areas at highest risk for
problematic stormwater drainage in
Eugene are the Amazon Creek and
basins in the south hills, the
mitigation plan states.
Near campus, the intersections of
East 18th Avenue and Hilyard
Street, East 25th Avenue and Agate
Street and East 25th Avenue
and Alder Street are prone to
flooding, yet they lie outside of
mapped floodplains.
Major flooding may also cause
wastewater systems to become un
usable, which is one of the city’s
greatest concerns, Solin said. After
the 1996 flooding, a wastewater
pump station near the airport broke
for a while, he said. The station has
since been elevated, but other
wastewater systems could be lost
during a major flood, he said.
If a system is out, then people in
that area won’t be able to flush their
toilets, he said.
Preparing for a flood
The city’s Multi-Hazard
Mitigation Plan discusses possible
projects that may prevent major
flood damage.
Some of them are already com
plete. For example, concrete chan
nels in the past were applied to the
Amazon Creek to prevent flooding
throughout downtown Eugene,
Solin said.
Also the city of Eugene now
requires all finished floor elevations
for new constructions be at least 1
foot above 100-year flood elevation,
according to the plan.
More work could still be done.
For example, there are currently no
dams or flood control systems on
the Mohawk River, which heavily
flooded areas from Marcola to
Springfield in 1996, Solin said.
Water rescue teams were used in
1996 and are ready for a major flood
today, Solin said.
“We’ve had it,” he said. “We’ve
done it.’’Students can also take
steps to protect their belongings
from flood damage.
During a flood, people should
avoid storm drains, sewers, power
lines and buildings surrounded
by flood water. People should
not drive or walk through flood
waters — even six inches of water
is dangerous.
Students should also watch out
for snakes or animals that may seek
shelter inside homes.
People living in areas that may
flood, such as basements, need to
keep all valuables and personal
records mobile so that they can be
moved quickly, Solin said.
“If it’s raining for days and nights
in a row this next winter or spring,
people will need to pay attention to
the radio or news,” Solin said, “so
that they are aware of what we’re
asking them to do.”
Contact the crime, health
and safety reporter at
kgagnon @ dailyemerald. com
>
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