Mr. Jeremy Williamson

This is in response to the letter printed by Jeremy Williamson, the director of Communications Residence Hall Association ("Housing sought input before decision," Mailbox, Feb. 12).

Mr. Williamson was correct on two things in his letter the first was that the students did have the chance to come to the meeting to hear about what was going on with housing next year.The other was that residents should turn to their hall council when problems arise.

However, that is as far as the truth got in his letter.Yes, the students were invited to come to the meetings to listen what is going on in housing next year, that was all, LISTEN.

We were told that there would be a lottery -- yes other options were voiced -- but they fall on deaf-ears of the Housing Association.
...
I do agree with Mr. Williamson that students need to be more aware and attend more meetings such as hall council.However, I am not surprised by the fact the students were lied to by the Housing Association and the University itself.

The University needs to get back on track and realize that we are what makes this place run.If we do not go to school here, then they do not have jobs.Yes, we are paying them, but we could just as easily be paying someone else.

Jeremy Williamson, RHA director of communications, said he thinks the program will be especially helpful for freshmen.

"When I was a freshman, I didn't know anything about any apartments around Athens," he said."It'll be great to go to one place and find out the information about the apartments without having to drive around and do the research."

Some complexes in the area are almost fully rented for the next school year.

Exec-n-Rec was designed to help RHA and hall council members learn about their job responsibilities and get to know each other, said Jeremy Williamson, RHA director of communications.

"In the past, hall council and RHA didn't work together that well," Williamson said."So, we were trying to make that better."

The program was held as a weekend retreat in September 2001 at a 4-H camp in Dahlonega.

Williamson said program leaders addressed topics ranging from "What is RHA?"to "As a freshman, how can I be involved in hall council and maintain my grades?"

"I think it really helped people understand what they're supposed to be doing," he said.

RHA Vice President Turkessa Pelle helped organize the program.

"The biggest challenge was that we weren't sure how people would respond to it," Pelle said."Afterwards, we did an evaluation and all the people who went agreed it was beneficial and said we should do it for years to come."