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How to Start a
Chapter
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Before You Start |
 First,
your school must be a NACURH member school in order to affiliate with NRHH.
Since NRHH is a service of the NACURH organization, we can only serve
schools that are NACURH Affiliated. Contact the National Office for the
address and phone number of the person in charge of recruitment for your
region, if you would like to pursue membership with NACURH. Contact your
region’s Associate Director for NRHH. They can help you with the process of
setting up a chapter on your campus. They are there to answer your questions
and will take an active interest in your concerns. Look in the newsletters
from your region that goes to the National Communications Chair to find out
this person’s name and contact information. |
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Sponsorship |
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Once
you are affiliated with NACURH, the first step in forming a chapter is to
find an interested group to sponsor your chapter. Your Residence Hall
Association, Housing Office or the Division of Student Affairs are good
possibilities. |
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Leadership |
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The
second step is finding students to lead your honorary. These students should
already be leaders on your campus and be involved in your residence halls.
They should understand how your Residence Hall Association works and
something about NACURH. This will help insure a close tie with both
organizations. You should try to get about five to ten representatives from
a wide cross-section of the residence halls. These students will write the
constitution and determine the nomination and selection process. One person
should act as a chairperson responsible for setting goals, establishing
meeting times, and creating an agenda. |
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Constitution |
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The
third step is writing the constitution, which does not have to be difficult
or complicated. Later in this document will find a sample constitution and a
guide to writing a constitution. |
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Selection Process |
Deciding
how to choose members may be the hardest step. Strong leaders must be chosen
in order to get the chapter started, but the selection process may be
changed in the future. Some schools use NRHH, RHA, Residence Hall staff and
professional housing personnel to nominate members.
After
the first year, the group should evaluate the selection process to make
changes for the future. Later you will also find sample nominations forms.
All nomination forms should be reviewed by a selection committee defined by
your constitution. You may choose to use a point system, objective system,
or a combination of both. You must recognize that there is a difference
between being involved in many organizations and holding leadership
positions in fewer organizations. |
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Funding |
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To
decide on how much money your chapter needs, you need to determine how
active it is going to be. Most chapters do not incur many expenses. Many
chapters are supported by their RHA, while others charge dues, and others
have fund-raisers. Common costs that chapters have are: affiliation dues,
postage, copying, and banquet items. |
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National Membership |
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In
order to become affiliated with the National Office, you need to send in
your dues ($25.00 per year per chapter), your affiliation form, your
constitution, and a list of your current members and officers. Your dues
include fifteen free certificates (extras are $.50 each) and you may order
pins for $4.00 each. Your dues also make you eligible for all the other
services of NRHH. You are a member of the National Residence Hall Honorary!
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Submit an OTM!
Take a moment out of your day
and recognize someone on your campus whose story deserves to be told to MACURH
and NACURH! Log onto http://otms.nrhh.org
and get to it! You never know if you or your nominee will be recognized on
the regional or national level(s)!
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MACURH Values Statement
"In providing student
resources, The Midwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls
values diversity, advocacy, integrity, recognition, service, development, and
community in an on-campus living environment."
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