Getting
Involved
House Councils
What is House Council?
House Councils are leadership groups on campus that elect student officers and boards to represent and serve as the voice of all students living in the various residence halls. They organize fun events, address community issues, coordinate service projects, and dedicate their time to creating positive changes for the students at UMass Amherst. Essentially, they are the voice of the students living in your hall!
House Councils work closely with the Residence Hall Association (RHA) and with other representative bodies in their communities. House Councils provide endless opportunities for students to meet one another and develop
What is the difference between Programming Board and Executive Board?
Executive boards are primarily responsible for governing and advocacy. Most House Councils at UMass Amherst are structured with four primary executive officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary.
Programming Boards are responsible for planning activities that meet the needs of residents and facilitate the building of a cluster community.
Together, these subgroups are a House Council!
I know elections are over, but I want to get involved!
Of course! We want you to be involved! We encourage you to talk to the House Council advisor in your cluster to see what opportunities are available. Programming Boards are almost always looking for new members, and you can sign up by going to a meeting, talking to a current member, or meeting with the advisor.
If you aren't sure if you want a formal position, you can attend House Council meetings and events. Get more information on your House Council's page at Campus Pulse (umassamherst.collegiatelink.net) or talk to a current House Council member or advisor.
What do the Executive Board positions do?
President:
- Oversees the operations of your House Council
- Develops meeting agendas and conducts/facilitates bi-weekly House Council meetings
- Meets weekly with advisor and other House Council officers
- Encourages interaction and discussion among group members
- Acts as a spokesperson for your organization to other campus organizations
- Follows up with committee chairs or other officers
- Leads goal setting and group building among your team
- Responsible for co-signing on monetary matters
Vice President:
- Shares many responsibilities negotiated with President
- Attends weekly RHA meetings (Tuesdays at 6:00 PM) to serve as the voting representation for the cluster
- Focuses on “in-building” leaders such as floor reps or committee chairs
- Takes place of President in case of President’s absence
- Often serves as activity coordinator for House Council
- Meets weekly with advisor and other House Council officers
- Serves as spokesperson to community
Secretary:
- Primarily responsible for communicating with the cluster community
- Records meeting minutes and posts them
- Provides minutes to RHA, SGA, and advisor
- Coordinates and edits newsletters
- Markets and designs publicity or activity promotions
- Maintains House Council bulletin board or posting area
- Meets weekly with advisor and other House Council officers
Treasurer:
- Responsible for all money management of the House Council including proper depositing and record keeping
- Monitors ethical money allocation
- Oversees all fundraising efforts of House Council
- Works closely with the Student Leadership Center as primary money advisor and reviews budget with A/RD advisor
- Submits semesterly budget report to advisor
- Submits funding requests to RHA
- Meets weekly with advisor and other House Council officers
- Responsible for co-signing on monetary matters
I have more questions! Who do I contact?
Your House Council's advisor and members are your best resource! You can find their contact information on Campus Pulse (umassamherst.collegiatelink.net).
Brittney Smith is the Residence Hall Association's Recruitment and Retention Chair. You can contact her at bvsmithrha@gmail.com
