Students interested in impacting university decisions about residence life will have the opportunity to run for office in the upcoming area government elections.

The Association of Residence Hall Students (ARHS) has been coordinating the elections for its area governments.

Kim Roth, ARHS head elections commissioner, said students interested in running for positions in each residence area's government could pick up information packets in 206 HUB-Robeson Center today, Friday and Monday, March 19.

Students must have a housing contract to qualify as a candidate, but can run for any area. Roth said the winners will begin their terms next year.

The representatives who are ultimately elected will be responsible for helping to guide residence life decisions and helping to coordinate programming around campus. Those elected will also join the ARHS executive board, which was elected during last Monday's ARHS meeting.

Becky Lantz, currently South Halls executive representative, was elected ARHS president and said she plans to focus on programming and increasing name recognition for ARHS around campus.

Phil Yen, South Halls president, nominated Lantz for the presidency.

"I have a lot of faith that she can do a lot for ARHS," he said.

Parker Trostle, currently ARHS treasurer, was elected administrative vice president, and Kelley Costello was elected executive vice president.

The new members of the executive board, who all ran unopposed, will be sworn in April 2.

Traditionally, ARHS and UPAC held elections on the same day as the Undergraduate Student Government (USG).

But with the transition to the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA) as the official student voice, ARHS and UPAC both decided to hold elections separate from UPUA.

Roth said holding elections with UPUA was discussed, but the time UPUA wanted to have elections didn't match up with the time ARHS and UPAC want to have elections.

"They plan to have them later in the semester," she said. "We can't wait that long."

ARHS elections are scheduled for March 28, while UPUA elections will take place almost a month later, on April 25.