1. education
2. school

How to be a…
P.A.C.U.R.H.
N.C.C.
Presented by the
Pacific Affiliate
Regional Directorship
“The Most Jumpin’ Region in the Nation”
Developed September 2002; Updated October 2008
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What is a NCC?
NCC stands for National Communications Coordinator. The NCC is the voting representative from each college
or university at the regional level from your Resident Hall Association, or RHA. In other words, the NCC is the
person who sits at the boardroom table of national and regional conferences representing their school and
voting on issues in a way that benefits their host institution the most.
The Five Parts to a PACURH NCC
1. Affiliates:
• Completes Affiliation Form.
• Submits dues at the NACURH Conference.
• Compiles RFI Report for entry into the Resource Files Index (RFI) by the NIC.
• Updates contact & address changes.
• Submits proposals and policies for regional and national approval.
2. Recognizes:
• Submits “Of-The-Month” (OTM) Awards: Advisor, Community, Executive Board Member, NRHH
Chapter, Social Program, Educational Program, Community Service Program, Diversity Program,
Residential Assistant, Spotlight, Faculty and Student (submitted via the OTM database by the 10th of
every month).
• Supports programs sponsored by their campus National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH), if they have
one.
• Bids for Regional and National Awards.
3. Acts as a Program Source on-campus:
• Orders as many pages as they need free from the Resource Files Index (RFI).
• Encourages delegates to attend and perform programs at state, sub-regional, regional and national
conferences (if applicable).
4. Organizes:
• Builds delegations for conferences.
• Arranges details like registration and travel plans for conferences.
5. Represents:
• Your school to the PACURH Regional Board of Directors and the National Board of Directors.
• Your school at the PACURH Regional Business Meetings (PACURH & No-Frills).
• Your school and the PACURH region at the NCC Corporate Business Meeting.
The Big Picture:
The benefits which you and your entire school/organization receive from PACURH and NACURH will
be in direct proportion to the time and work that you as NCC put into the organization. Great potential
must be converted to great commitment in order to make a difference.
You make the difference!
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NACURH, INC. - Fact Sheet
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NACURH is the largest student-run organization in the world; it includes schools in Canada, Australia
and Mexico in addition to the US.
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NACURH is composed of eight affiliates: Great Lakes, Intermountain, Midwest, North East, Central
Atlantic, Pacific, South Atlantic, and South West.
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Each NACURH school selects at least one National Communications Coordinator. NCCs serve as the
communications link between their RHA, other schools, and the regional and national offices.
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NACURH is an incorporated, non-profit organization, with a National Board of Directors (NBD) made
up of eight Regional Directors (voting), Four National Executives, two office Directors, a NACURH
Advisor, Conference Resource Consultant, NACURH Conference Chairperson, and Regional Associate
Directors (ex-officio). Each member school, through its NCC, has a vote in the corporate body.
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NACURH is funded by membership dues, corporate contracts, and the interest from the reserve
accounts.
Alphabet Soup
(Acronyms)
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NACURH -National Association of College and University Residence Halls
NRHH – National Residence Hall Honorary
OCM – On Campus Marketing
RHA – Residence Hall Association (although many different names are used)
NACURH’s eight Regional Affiliates:
o CAACURH – Central Atlantic Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls
o GLACURH – Great Lakes Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls
o IACURH – Intermountain Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls
o MACURH – Midwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls
o NEACURH – North East Affiliate College and University Residence Halls
o PACURH – Pacific Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls
o SAACURH – South Atlantic Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls
o SWACURH – Southwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls
NACURH’s two National Offices:
o NIC – NACURH Information Center
o NSRO – National Service & Recognition Office
One of NACURH's major services is the:
o RFI -Resource Files Index which is a program database dating back to the 1950’s
Awards which act as major recognition tools for NACURH member schools are:
o OTM – Of The Months Awards
o OTY – Of The Year Awards, such as President of the Year or Advisor of the Year
o POY – Program of the Year
o SALT – Student Award for Leadership Training
o SOY – School of the Year
o AAFN – Association of Alumni and Friends of NACURH
o AAFP – Association of Alumni and Friends of PACURH
Position acronyms to be aware of too:
o NCC – National Communications Coordinator
o NCC-IT – National Communications Coordinator In Training
o PACURH RBD - Regional Board of Directors
• Director
• ADAF – Associate Director of Administration & Finance
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ADNRHH – Associate Director of NRHH/Recognition (previously known as RAD –
Regional Associate Director)
• PRC – Presidential Resource Coordinator
• RTC – Regional Technology Coordinator
• RCC – Regional Communications Coordinator
• Also includes the regional advisor
NBD - National Board of Directors
• National Executives:
• National Chair
• NAA – National Associate of Administration
• NAF – National Associate of Finance
• NAN – National Associate of NRHH & Special Initiatives
• Regional Directors and Associate Directors
• Also includes specialized advisors such as the CRC - Conference Resource Consultant
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PACURH Leadership Defined
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Regional Board of Directors: These are the leaders of PACURH, as well as your representatives to
the NACURH National Board of Directors (NBD). All members of the board serve one year terms, while
the Regional Advisor serves a two year term.
Regional Director – Melissa Williams, Oregon State University
Associate Director of Administration and Finance – Adam Bernot, Western Oregon University
Associate Director of NRHH/Recognition- Mike Mann, Oregon State University
Northern RCC – Jennifer Gill, University of British Columbia
Central RCC – Sarah Weil, California State University, Chico
Southern RCC – Ashley Day, UC Santa Barbara
Presidential Resource Coordinator – Sami Chang, Washington State University
Regional Technology Coordinator – Paul Pittman, Western Washington University
Regional Advisor – Richard De Shields, Central Washington University
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RCCs: RCCs are responsible for various task assigned throughout the year and the facilitation of
communication & recruitment throughout the PACURH Sub-Regions; these are : Northern SubRegion: Alaska, Yukon, British Columbia, Washington & Oregon; Central Sub-Region: Schools in
California from the Oregon border to the 35.5 degree latitude and the University of Nevada Reno;
Southern Sub-Region: Schools in California from Santa Barbara to San Diego. It also includes
schools in Hawaii and Las Vegas, Nevada. The sub-regions also include any other international schools
that fall within their area.
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Conference Chairperson(s): The Conference Chairperson sits in during the NCC Business meeting
as a representative of the conference staff. These are individuals responsible for coordinating, with
their staff, a smoothly run conference.
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Committee Chairs: Throughout the year there will be opportunities for leaders within the PACURH
Region to serve as Committee Chairs. They coordinate the efforts of their committees, and report their
progress to the RBD. Chair positions will be developed when needed by the Director.
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NACURH Benefits & Services
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The NACURH Information Center (NIC) serves as the NACURH National Office for affiliation and is
home of the NACURH Resource Files, the RFI database hosted by this office has thousands of programs
in over 30 categories ranging from alcohol awareness to leadership training and dates back decades.
NCCs may order an unlimited number of pages from the RFI free.
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Three major conferences are held each year. The PACURH Regional Conference is usually held in
November, the No-Frills Conference is usually held in February/March and the National Conference is
held is May/June. Additionally, many states and some sub-regions may host conferences as well. A
variety of sessions are presented, giving new insights into programming, policy changes, personal
leadership skills, and much more.
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Corporate Contracts: NACURH endorses the services of On-Campus Marketing (OCM), an organization
that specializes in the area of no-risk fund-raisers for your Residence Hall Association.
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Communication: The NACURH Link (national newsletter), the PACURH Wave (regional newsletter),
Websites such as nacurh.org and pacurh.nacurh.org, List Serves, chats on AIM, Google Groups, the
NACURH forum, Phone Calls and Electronic Mail are all ways in which NACURH communicates.
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Recognition: Outstanding students who have contributed to their RHA, Region, and NACURH as a
whole are recognized through OTMs, PACURH and NACURH awards, entry into the PACURH Alumni
Association and entry into the Association of Alumni and Friends of NACURH (AAFN).
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Program Development and Leadership Training: By way of conference attendance, idea and
information sharing, cooperation and communication between NCCs of member schools, and use of the
RFI. (The Leadership Certification Program is something else that will potentially be launched in the
coming year.)
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Professional Affiliations: NACURH is represented well with the Association of College and University
Housing Officers-International (ACUHO-I) and with the American College and Personnel Association
(ACPA).
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Intangibles: Motivation, team unity, sense of identity, involvement, pride, recognition, and reward.
How To Affiliate With PACURH & NACURH
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There are 3 easy steps to keeping your school in good standing each year with
PACURH and NACURH.
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Starting with the 2008-2009 affiliation year, dues are $110 for large schools, $85 for small
schools and $35 for associate member schools. A large school is defined as having 1000 or
more students living on campus, while small schools have less than 1000 living on campus.
These fees are for both RHA and NRHH affiliation as passed at NACURH 2007. If you do
not have an NRHH chapter and would like to start one, please see the category in the RFI
entitled 'NRHH Chapters'. For any other questions please email your NIC buddy or the AD Affiliations at nic_director@nacurh.org
Turn in Filled out Registration form, available at www.nacurh.org
Submit Resource File Index Report (RFI).
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Your submission for the Resource File Index (RFI) promotes the exchange of ideas among member schools.
This is one of the most important things that you will do as an NCC. Your RFI Submission serves as a valuable
tool for other schools. It should showcase something successful your RHA did, preferably during the past year
that made your RHA proud. Submissions can be written or submitted on videotape to the NIC!
Five Easy Steps To Writing An RFI Submission
I. Select a Topic:
Select an aspect of your residence hall system that your school is proud of. Be creative! Your submission
should cover a topic of interest that proves useful and helpful such that other schools will want to order
a copy. Possible topics include policy revisions, student/staff training programs, judicial systems, and
fundraisers.
Once written, you should be able to answer yes to the following questions:
o Would I order the information that I am submitting?
o Would I be able to duplicate the program with the given information?
o Are there enough details given?
o Is my submission creative and interesting?
II. Formatting your RFI Submission:
Before you begin writing, your submission should adhere to the following format.
• Written Format:
A. Typed, double space, with numbered pages and converted to a pdf file.
B. All charts and illustrations must be done on white paper and in black ink for duplication
purposes.
C. Include a cover page. This should include a title, the date, your school name, the number of
pages including the cover page, and an abstract or short description (3-8 sentences long)
• Video Tape:
A. Use a standard VHS ½" Video Tape
B. Include a cover page. This should include a title, the date, your school name, the number of
pages including the cover page, and an abstract or short description (3-8 sentences long)
C. Don’t be afraid to be as creative as possible! We look for creative and unique presentations on
videotape.
D. Contact the NIC if you would like more information or suggestions.
III. Writing your RFI submission or Making A Video Tape:
Now that you are ready to start writing your submission or making the videotape, there are five main
components that need you need to make sure are included:
1. When completed most submissions tend to be five (5) or more pages in length or 30 minutes for a
videotape.
2. Include a cover page.
3. An Introduction to your submission that explains why this particular program, revision,
etc. was undertaken. Some sample questions that you may want to cover in this section include:
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What were your goals?
What brought about this program/project?
What were the effects of the change or program?
What was needed to complete the program, revision, etc.?
Has anything similar ever been attempted?
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What preliminary plans were made?
Has anything similar ever been attempted on your campus or by your organization?
Where did the idea come from originally (another school, organization, etc.)?
Videotape Suggestions:
o Tape the overview paragraph used as an abstract (maybe on large print cards)
o Tape someone stating the goals and objectives. Use presentation materials if possible!
o Get an idea of the perceived student needs and explain them!
4. Now you should discuss the general procedure or the general aspect of the submission.
Generally this section is the bulk of the report. Here you should describe everything you did to complete
the program, make the policy revision, etc. in detail. Such questions to answer include:
o What concrete plans were made and why?
o What was the time frame for planning and implementing the program/change.
o How was the project financed?
o How many people were needed to complete the task set forth?
5. Don’t forget to give a complete evaluation! Be open and honest while completing this section.
It is the most important! Enough insight into your program should be given so that the next
organization that attempts such a program or project will avoid the same errors and expand on the
ideas found in YOUR RFI submission. The following are important aspects that you may wish to cover:
o Did the project succeed or fail and if so to what degree?
o What led to the success or failure of the program/change?
o What things were done correctly or incorrectly?
o Were any unnecessary steps taken?
o What unforeseen costs were encountered?
o What do you wish you had known going into the program/project?
o What was the overall cost of the program (ratio to residents planned for)?
o If you had to do the program again, what would you do differently?
Videotape Suggestions:
o Tape the students that attended the program and get their feelings and suggestions on tape
o Tape your evaluation of the program
o Tape an evaluation session of the people involved in the program
IV. Double-check your submission before submitting!
You are almost done now! Double check that you have followed the guidelines and can answer yes to all
of the following questions. If you can't, go back and take a little extra time on your RFI submission to
make it the best that it can be.
o Is the RFI submission reader friendly or easy to watch?
o Does the RFI submission follow the correct format?
o Is the submission creative and interesting?
o Are there enough details given so that any school could duplicate the program or project that
has been highlighted?
o Would I order the information that I am submitting?
V. Submit your work to the NACURH Information Center!
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So, what is an NCC and why will I be
attending meetings all day long at conferences?
During the Regional Conference, there will be an NCC Business meeting that will consist of the Regional Board
of Directors (RBD) and a National Communications Coordinator (NCC) from each school. Each member
school in good standing receives one vote. The RBD and NCCs will meet during the conference to make
important decisions for the future of the PACURH region. Unfortunately, the NCCs don’t usually get to
experience the conference from the delegate’s standpoint, however the meetings can be just as rewarding and
fun. We promise to hold your interest! In addition to selecting awards the RBD and NCCs will in charge of the
following:
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Conference Bids: At conferences, we will be hearing presentations and selecting a host for the
regional, PACURH and No Frills conference.
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Business: Any member school may put forth a proposal to create policies, awards, or just about
anything else at a meeting. However, a written proposal is requested by the Regional Director by the
post-marked date. Most proposals need only to pass by a majority vote of the NCC’s, but changes to the
by-laws and policy-book needs a two-third (2/3) vote.
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Selection of RBD: Selection of the RBD usually takes place at the No-Frills conference for the
following year’s board. Elected individuals help to facilitate every aspect of the region’s business during
the academic year. At the regional conference, you will hear bids from candidates seeking to be the
Regional Advisor (this is a two year term).
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Reports: The RBD, Conference and Committee Chairs will present written and/or oral reports on their
progress since the NACURH Conference, as well as goals for the rest of their terms.
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Special Guests: A number of guests are invited to the conference in order to help you make your
campus a better place. These guests include representatives from the National Service and Recognition
Office (NSRO), the National Residence Hall Honorary (NRHH) National Office, and corporate sponsors
(OCM and USA Today).
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Selecting A Delegation
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Getting the word out
o PR and personal conversations to get people interested.
o Present the application like a bid: have potential delegates get excited about applying by putting
creativity into the bid.
o Show previous conference videos at meetings.
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Possible questions
o Why do they want to go?
o What do they hope to bring back?
o What sets them apart from other candidates?
o Ask a fun question, like if you were a piece of candy, what type of candy would you be, and why?
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Who to Pick?
o Pick a good mix of old and new delegates. This provides new ideas and energy along with
experience and traditions.
o Try to select a delegation that is representative of your campus demography.
o Choose delegates who focus their responses on bringing back parts of the conference to their
halls and campuses and hold them accountable to that.
o Make sure they are aware of requirements that they will have to fulfill as delegates.
Pre-Conference Preparation
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Delegation Meetings
o Set up committees for (examples):
 Creating a delegation t-shirt, outfits, etc.
 Roll call (represents school, is judged at conference)
 Display (represents school, is judged at conference)
 Banner (represents school, is judged at conference)
 Spirit (cheers, items to trade like clothespins decorated to represent your school, other
fun ideas to express conference theme and draw attention to your delegation, also a very
coveted award at conferences)
o How often should you meet?
 Delegations are strongly encouraged to meet at least once a week. The more often a
delegation meets the stronger the bond will be.
o What to cover at meetings:
 Conference updates.
 What to expect at the conference.
 Cheering!!!
 A list of what to bring.
 Committee work.
 Bonding!
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Delegation Accountability
o A contract is a great idea to keep delegates focused on the conference, to encourage
participation, and to make sure that they use what they’ve learned.
o A delegate could be required to pay for a portion of the conference fees- this gives them a
financial stake in the conference.
o A delegate could face fines for missing delegation meetings or missing parts of the conference
experience.
o Another aspect of the contract is possible requirement of putting on programs they learned once
they return back to school. This way they are not only personally benefiting from the
conference, they are also sharing it with their campus.
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Selecting Programs/Submitting Program Proposals
o It’s the responsibility of the NCC to help bring quality programming to conferences.
o Encourage your delegation to submit original and interesting programs.
o Preview the programs, to ensure their quality.
o Review the submission form before you send them to the selection committee. Make sure there
are no grammatical errors and that the description is accurate.
o Work with program presenters to help ensure quality programs at the conference. Maybe have
them practice presenting in front of the delegation.
Post Conference
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What Now?
o Just because the conference is over, doesn’t mean that the fun is done.
o Organize a time or event where the delegates can share their new programs with the campus.
o Plan a delegation meeting for after the conference.
o Get feedback on what was good and bad, take some time to relax and reflect on experiences.
o Share your experiences with your assembly as much as possible- the more people you can
connect with, the better selection you will have when it comes time to select candidates for the
next conference.
Parli-Procedure Info
Parli-pro is slightly different in every organization. However, the basics of parli-pro are important to know for
any organization. Here is a list of how to master parli-pro in a few basic steps:
1. Remember that Parliamentary Procedure is not your enemy. It’s a tool- a way of running
meetings in a quick and orderly fashion. It stops people from arguing and helps get through
tougher parts of meetings.
2. Parli-pro is not evil or hard to understand. If you master the basic terms, it becomes simple.
3. The chair (Director in this case) is the center of all activities in parli-pro. The Director begins
the meeting, follows the agenda, and answers all the motions (taking a stand or taking action on
an issue) that the members make. The chair yields (gives) the floor (the right to speak) to those
making motions.
4. The voting members make “motions” which are basically the steps to get things accomplished.
i)
Main Motions- these are the major things brought to the attention of the
assembly- for example: allocations (asking for money) and nominations for
positions. Only one motion may be on the table (looked at) at one time.
Another voting member of the assembly must second (voice their
agreement) Main motions.
ii)
Subsidiary motions- these are motions that affect how the main motion is
handled. They can be amendments or they can be motions like calling the
question.
iii)
Privileged motions- these take priority over other motions. They are made
during discussion of another motion. They are sort of like an interruptionas in point of inquiry- that is used to ask a question for which an immediate
answer is needed, or for things like adjourning and point of order (calling
for the assembly to regain composure and be silent). They do not need to be
seconded.
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Incidental motions- these motions don’t fit into the other categories. These
include things like moving to suspend the rules of parli-pro, to re-clarify a
motion or to allow everyone to vote.
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Making a motion
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For a voting member to make a motion they must first obtain the floor. Once they have been called
upon by the chair they make a motion by saying “I move that we….” it must be a positive
statement - you never say, “I move that we do not…” After the main motion is made it must be
seconded. If no one volunteers a second, the chair must ask for one. Without a second, the motion
dies. Next the chair restates the motion- with the chair’s statement the motion is solidified- it
cannot be changed without an amendment by the assembly. Then the person who proposed it gives
the ‘proponent speech’ or an explanation of why the motion should be agreed upon. All other
comments should be directed to the chair- beyond asking questions of the original speaker,
assembly members are NOT allowed to confront the person who called for the motion. Arguing, or
commenting on what another person has said is called cross debate, and should not be allowed to
keep members from attacking each other. Under most circumstances, you may only speak twice
about a single motion- this does not count amendments- they are considered separate motions.
Also, people who have not spoken are given priority over people who have spoken on a motion
previously.
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Voting
“I call the question” brings an item to vote at any time. The chair states that the question has
been called- meaning someone is ready to vote. They then ask for objections- if no one objects then
everyone is ready to vote. If someone objects, they are given a chance to voice their objection. After
a short discussion, the assembly is given a vote to vote- the assembly decides as a majority if they
are ready to make a decision on the motion on the table. They are not voting on the actual motion,
but on whether or not they are ready to have a final vote. If this vote to vote passes, a second vote is
immediately taken to determine the final result. If it fails, the floor is again open to discussion.
During discussion, when there are no more speakers, the question is then voted upon.
If a ‘call the question’ failed, the question can be called again- this time the wording is changed.
Instead of “call the question” the correct phrase is “move the previous question.”
There are several forms of voting:
1. Consent (Acclamation)- a member thinks that everyone agrees to pass a motion, and
therefore calls out consent when a motion is being voted on. The chair states consent has
been called by [fill in name]- and asks for objections. If anyone objects, the voting
continues. If no one objects, the motion passes. Consent cannot be called in matters of
money.
2. Voice vote- the assembly calls ‘aye’ (yes), ‘nay’ (no), or abstain. The chair has the authority
to say which has plurality (majority). A member may call for a “Roll Call” if they disagree
with the chairs ruling. A chair may also choose to revote in another manner if they cannot
decide.
3. Show of hands/placard- ‘aye’, ‘nay’, or abstain. It does not require a count, but a
member can call for an exact count.
4. Roll Call- the voting members are called off by name to give their vote.
5. Ballot- the votes of the individual are written on slips of paper. All elections are done by
ballot vote.
Motions may also be tabled or postponed. Tabling takes the motion off the table so that other
business may be conducted. This motion must be voted upon. To consider the motion again,
someone must move to take it from the table. If tabled for a specific amount of time, the motion
appears on the agenda at that date under old business. It still must be taken from the table. To
postpone indefinitely you remove a motion from the table whose result would have negative impact
whether it would be a yes or no vote. Basically a postponement means that you don’t want to
consider it, and it disappears until someone brings it up again.
Most proposals and motions require a simple majority, however a two-thirds (2/3) vote is required
for changes to the PACURH By-Laws and Policy Book. Schools must be in good standing with
NACURH in order to cast a vote. Only full member schools are allowed to vote. Associate
members are invited to participate, but may not cast votes.
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Amendments
Amendments are changes made to a motion on the table. An amendment is not allowed to change
the intent of the original motion, but it can change the way it is acted upon. Only two amendments
may be made on each motion. An amendment is made during discussion of a motion. An
amendment needs a second, and must be approved by a majority vote. If wished, the president or
parliamentarian may allow ‘friendly’ amendments, which skip the formality of having the
assembly vote if both the person who originally moved the motion and the original person who
seconded the motion agree with the amendment. If they do not agree, the amendment must be
made formally. An amendment may also confuse members because it requires a vote to pass the
amendment- not the final motion. It is always important to clarify exactly what the assembly is
voting on- whether it’s the original motion, an amendment, or a vote to vote.
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Writing Legislation
o Title: [insert title of legislation]
o Whereas: Whereas are factual reasons why the something should be changed or supported.
They do not state specific constitutional changes, but logical reasons. Basically whereas says
“because.” This is to explain where the legislation is coming from.
o Be it therefore resolved that: (or BITTRT)- This is the statement of change- includes the section
numbers and the specific change. Example: Article II section A changed shall state _______.
Questions & Answers
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Who attends the NCC Business Meetings?
At least one representative from each school must attend the meetings and be present at all times. Also,
RBD members and special guests will be in attendance. Anyone else is welcome to attend, but may not
be able to speak.
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How long are the meetings?
At this conference we start on Friday Afternoon. While some of our meetings have been known to go
very long, we will do our best to make the meeting run as short as possible. There are quite a few things
to accomplish at this meeting, primarily associated with policies. Your attention and cooperation will
help the meetings run smoothly.
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How are the meetings conducted?
Parliamentary Procedure is used to make the board meetings run smoother, as well as give them a
standard format to follow. The procedure used is derived from the Robert Rule’s of Order. There will
be a handy-dandy guide behind your school’s placard (to help identify you and used to vote) at the
meeting.
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What should I bring?
o A Three Ring Binder to keep all your items in order. The following is suggested to help keep it in
order: Sections for Contact Info, Agenda/Minutes, Financial Info, Handbooks/Publications,
Newsletters, Conference Info, NRHH, Bids
o If you’re proposing bids or policies the number of copies of your bid or policy change the policy
book requires.
o Boardroom Buddy Gifts
o Highlighters, pens, notepads, and other supplies
o Camera (optional)
o A good alarm clock (for your room)
o A BIG OLE SMILE!
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PACURH and NACURH Awards
School Awards
PACURH
• Program of the Year Award (POY) recognizes the program chosen as best in PACURH by the
National Communications Coordinators in the PACURH boardroom. The award winner is then
nominated by the Director for the NACURH/ACUHO-I Program of the Year Award at the national
semis. See NACURH awards for more information.
• PACURH Student Award for Leadership Training (SALT) recognizes innovative leadership
development programs initiated, and developed by students. The award winner is then nominated by
the Director for the NACURH/ACPA Student Award for Leadership Training at the national semis. See
NACURH awards for more information.
No-Frills
• PACURH School of the Year recognizes outstanding achievements on the campus level by a
residence hall organization and associated groups, as well as contributions on regional and national
levels. This award is selected in the NCC boardroom.
• PACURH RHA Building Block Award recognizes those RHAs that are still growing. It recognizes
outstanding achievement and growth on a campus, regional and national level.
• PACURH NRHH Outstanding Chapter of the Year is presented to the NRHH Chapter that has
best exemplified the criteria, service and character of NRHH.
• PACURH NRHH Building Block recognizes an NRHH Chapter which shows outstanding growth
and development during the year of nomination.
• PACURH Commitment to Diversity Award recognizes schools that involve a student-directed
year-long and campus wide commitment to awareness and education of residents concerning diversity
issues.
• PACURH Community of the Year recognizes the contributions of residential life communities and
the impact they have on their students and the rest of campus.
NACURH: (Check dates for submission, many are in the winter)
• NACURH School of the Year: see No-Frills awards above and the NACURH award guidelines at
nacurh.org
• NACURH RHA Building Block Award: see No-Frills awards above and the NACURH award
guidelines at nacurh.org
• NACURH NRHH Outstanding Chapter of the Year: see No-Frills awards above and the
NACURH award guidelines at nacurh.org
• NACURH NRHH Building Block: see No-Frills awards above and the NACURH award guidelines
at nacurh.org
• NACURH Commitment to Diversity Award: see No-Frills awards above and the NACURH award
guidelines at nacurh.org
• NACURH Community of the Year: see No-Frills awards above and the NACURH award guidelines
at nacurh.org
• NACURH/ACUHO-I Program of the Year Award (POY) recognizes the program chosen as best
in NACURH by the National Board of Directors. Schools submit written bids to the Conference
Resource Consultant by December 1. In January, the NBD chooses two finalists who will present the
program at the NACURH Conference. The NBD then selects the winner. The winner receives a
$2000 grant from ACUHO-I, the runner-up receives $500. The PACURH Program of the Year
Award is selected at the regional conference.
• NACURH/ACPA Student Award Leadership Training (SALT) recognizes innovative leadership
development programs initiated, and developed by students. Schools submit written bids to the
Conference Resource Consultant by December 1. In January, the NBD chooses the winner who will
present the program at the NACURH Conference. The winner receives a $1000 grant from NACURH
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and ACPA and attends the ACPA national convention. The PACURH SALT Award is selected at the
regional conference.
Individual Awards: These are awarded at the No- Frills and NACURH conferences.
• NACURH Gold Pins are awarded each year by the NACURH Chairperson to up to eight people whose
continued service, dedication, and support have helped the organization excel. This is the highest
possible award in NACURH, Inc. This award is selected at the NACURH Conference.
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Silver Pins are awarded by the Regional Director to no more than eight individuals who have
contributed to the success of the organization. This is the highest honor bestowed by each of the eight
Regional Directors. This award is selected throughout the Director’s term in office.
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Association of Alumni and Friends of NACURH (AAFN) recognizes individuals that have made
major contributions and service to their school and NACURH. This award is nominated by the
individual’s member school and induction into the organization is paid for by the individual’s school.
The award is selected before the NACURH Conference.
PACURH/NACURH Four Year Outstanding Service Award recognizes individuals who have
contributed to their member institution’s residential community, the PACURH Region and NACURH
during a four year period (symbolizing the four years of attending college).
PACURH Three, Four, or Five Year Outstanding Service Award recognizes individuals who
have contributed to the member institution’s residential community and the PACURH region during a
three, four, or five-year period.
PACURH Outstanding Advisor Service Pin recognizes up to four outstanding advisors every year
at the Regional Advisors discretion.
Conference Service Pin presented to each member of the conference staff for their outstanding
service to hosting a PACURH conference. This is presented at each respective conference.
PACURH First time Conference Scholarship
PACURH Certificate of Excellence recognizes individuals who have made outstanding
contributions to PACURH, specifically individuals that have helped the Associate Director of
Administration and Finance in their position. This award is selected at the NACURH conference.
PACURH Certificate of Excellence – NRHH recognizes individuals who have made outstanding
contributions to PACURH, specifically individuals that have helped the Associate Director of
NRHH/Recognition in their position. This award is selected at the NACURH Conference.
PACURH/NACURH On Campus Marketing NCC of the Year is awarded to the NCC who was
most active in and supportive of PACURH, NACURH, and his/her school during the year.
PACURH/NACURH On Campus Marketing Distinguished Service Award recognizes the
outstanding lifetime achievement of a student (non-NCC or NBD) who has provided distinguished
student leadership to his/her school, PACURH & NACURH.
PACURH/NACURH Hallenbeck Service Award is awarded to an advisor or student affairs
professional with outstanding life-time service to their region(s) or the nation.
PACURH/NACURH On Campus Marketing Student of the Year recognizes the efforts of an
outstanding student (non-NCC or NBD) over a one-year period who has made significant contributions
to their school, their community, and their region.
PACURH/NACURH First Year Experience Award recognizes the outstanding contributions of a
first year student to their campus, the region and the nation.
PACURH Kenrick Ali/NACURH Valerie Averill Advisor of the Year recognizes outstanding
contributions made by an advisor of an affiliated residential life programming board and governing
body of PACURH.
PACURH/NACURH President of the Year recognizes outstanding contributions made by a
president of an affiliated residential life programming board and governing body of PACURH.
PACURH Executive Board Member of the Year recognizes outstanding service to the residence
halls by an executive board member.
PACURH Residential Assistant of the Year recognizes outstanding service to the residence halls
by staff members who live within the residence halls.
PACURH Resident of the Year recognizes outstanding service to the residence halls by a resident
living within the residence halls.
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PACURH/NACURH NRHH Outstanding Member of the Year recognizes outstanding service to
PACURH and NACURH through NRHH by an individual who has been directly affiliated with the
organization.
Most PACURH awards are voted on during the No-Frills Conference in the NCC and NRHH Boardroom
meetings. POY and SALT, however, are voted on during the PACURH regional conference by the NCCs. Many
of the individual awards are presented at No-Frills, some of the service pins are presented throughout the year,
or at the national conference. NACURH awards are voted on by members of the NBD during the NACURH
conference and announced during closing ceremonies.
PACURH Conference Awards
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Most Spirited Delegation Small/Large School is based on spirit, sportsmanship, and enthusiasm
displayed at the conference.
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Best School Roll Call is awarded at the regional conference to the school(s) that have the best Roll
Call. Two schools are partnered up to perform their roll call.
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Best School Display/Banner Small/Large School is based on creativity/originality, relation to
conference theme, esthetic value and general appearance, general information about school, and
relevant information for delegates.
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Top Ten Programs are determined by delegates at the conference. The Top Ten Programs are
brought back for an encore on the Sunday of the conference.
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There are also informal PACURH Director Awards that go out to NCC’s for their contribution at a
conference, Presidential awards for work in the President’s Boardroom, and NRHH awards for those
who ‘rock the NRHH boardroom’.
What is a Bid?
When a school, program, organization, or person deserves to be recognized at the regional or national level,
they are nominated for an award at the conference. The process, which includes a written and/at times an oral
portion, is called a bid. You can nominate bids for:
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Conference Host Bid – requires an oral and written presentation
Position Bid (on the Regional Board of Directors) – requires an oral and written
presentation
Award (all awards listed above) – requires only written presentation
The first step for considering what to write for a bid is to read through the documentation of what is required
for the bid.
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The candidate must fit all requirements for the award/position listed in the PACURH and
NACURH Policy books.
The next step is to submit a Letter of Intent (a statement that a bid will be written for this award,
usually e-mailed to the Director by a date predetermined by the Director).
Written bids are always typed with page numbers. Bids include specific content and format that must
be followed.
Beyond the basic requirements, bids are enhanced with clip art, color, and a fun theme.
Bids for awards must be DATE specific - the content dates depend on the award see policy book or ask
your RCC for specifics.
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Content of bids vary greatly depending on the award, but there are common components. Many bids
require letters of recommendations, cover pages, budgets, and/or lists of experience. Bids can range
from 30 page limits (bids like school of the year or conference bids) to only a couple of pages. You may
not exceed the page limit.
Position bids usually include three main components- previous experience, goals to improve the
position, and letters of recommendation.
Award bids will be e-mailed to the RTC and made available online; while position and conference bids
will be brought to the conferences (upon completion of conference registration, the Director will let
NCCs know how many copies are needed).
Oral bids require a timed presentation, followed by time for NCCs to ask questions of the presenters.
Examples of bids are available from the Resource File Index through NACURH, or on the PACURH
website.
Voting on Bids
A short guide on what to look for in a bid
• Position Bids (3 main parts):
o Knowledge of Position- this doesn’t necessarily mean experience, but includes leadership
background and research of position (reading Robert’s Rules, knowledge of the policy books,
speaking with previous position holders and current board of directors).
o Goals- Things that the person is promising to do that have never been done before to make the
position function better. In other words, what they are going to do to improve the organization.
o Enthusiasm- in any volunteer position someone who is going to participate has to want to do it.
They have to show their love for the organization and for the goals that we try to accomplish.
They have to want the position for the right reasons- to improve life on campuses around the
nation. They also have to have the energy to put up with the taxing parts of the job.
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Award Bids:
o Look for what makes them outstanding and go with your heart, what should matter the most is
the content of the bid.
o Presentation counts. More often than not, the deciding factor in a vote is the presentation. How
clear is the message that they are trying to communicate? Does their bid flow well and can you
pick out main points and major things that they did? A bid shouldn’t be judged on how
entertaining it is, but when you’re comparing bids of equal caliber the school with better
displayed accomplishments usually wins.
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Conference Bids:
o A bid is a draft. The bid team will work to improve the conference - including trying to reduce
costs, improve the theme, and take care of other details that may not be foreseen while they
were preparing for the presentation. A conference bid won’t be perfect, but the framework
should be solid.
o Budget is important- PACURH doesn’t have a lot of money, and if something major goes wrong
the organization might suffer.
o Size means trouble- PACURH is constantly growing, and we’d like to bring as many people as we
want to conferences. However, not very many schools can host a huge conference. Quality is
just as important as quantity.
o Don’t vote No Confidence- you have an important decision to make. If only one school is
bidding, then the only time you vote no confidence is if you believe that the school cannot hostthat problems in their bid are too hard to fix.
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General Guidelines for Question and Answer:
o Be Consistent- ask the same questions of all the candidates. How can you compare one person’s
response to another’s if you don’t ask them the same question?
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Put yourself in their shoes. They are up in front of a large group of people. Their involvement is
voluntary. Before you ask them a question, make sure it would be one that you would want to be
asked.
The purpose of Q&A is to extract information that wasn’t put in the oral or written bid. Don’t
ask to repeat what was already said or written. You can ask for people to elaborate on
something.
While getting enough details from the presenter is important, remember that the longer Q&A
goes on, the more stressful it is for a presenter. The more questions and the number of times
Q&A is extended will have a negative effect on the presenter.
NRHH
What is NRHH??
Made up of the top 1% of all on campus leaders throughout the nation, the National Residence Hall Honorary is
the only nationwide organization that exclusively recognizes leaders in the residence halls; it is also considered
the recognition branch of NACURH. The opportunity to have a chapter is a service of NACURH designed to
give local, regional and national recognition to students making outstanding contributions to their campus and
residence halls. NACURH firmly believes in the value of student involvement in residence hall life through
community service, community building, advocacy and educational programming.
Even though the main purpose of having an NRHH chapter on your campus is to honor your outstanding
leaders, some chapters choose to take the process one step further. Many chapters sponsor on-campus
leadership workshops and/or speakers, co-sponsor programs with the Residence Hall Association, serve on
housing committees and establish residence hall leadership awards or scholarships. The important thing to
remember is that your chapter can be as active as your members deem appropriate. Check out www.nrhh.org
for more info.
What is an OTM?
One of the main ways NRHH and NACURH recognizes people is through the Of the Month Awards (OTMs).
OTMs are given out each month to people nominated for different categories. For PACURH and NACURH, the
categories are:
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Advisor
Community
Executive Board Member
Organization
Resident Assistant
Spotlight
Student
First Year Student
Faculty/Staff
Program – Social, Educational, Community Service, Diversity
Say, for example, that someone puts on an outstanding program that you feel deserves an award. You could
nominate them for an OTM by filling out a simple form that describes the program or that person’s
contributions. The OTM is then turned into the NRHH chapter at your school. Each NRHH chapter has a
slightly different process for judging OTMs, but eventually each campus’ winners are submitted regionally via
the OTM database. If you do not have an NRHH Chapter, you can still submit OTM Nominations
on the OTM database. OTMs are due to the regional level by the 10th of each month for the month prior (ex:
OTMs written for the month of September are due on October 10th). OTMs that win regionally are sent on to
compete nationally. As an RHA Representative, you have the opportunity to see the great accomplishments of
those who live in your hall- why not take a small amount of time and recognize them for it, so that they are
encouraged to keep doing good work?
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How Do I Write An OTM?
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Writing an OTM is easy. For each category there is a simple form that you fill out. The
form includes:
 School
 Phone (of both)
 Region (PACURH)
 E-mail: (of both)
 Nominee: (who’s the award for)
 On Campus Population
 Nominator: (who’s writing it)
 Word Count (careful, there are limits)
 Address (of both)
Program OTMs also include:
• Target Population: # of people that they hoped would attend
• Number of people in attendance
• Dates
• Number of people needed to
• Cost
organize
• Origin- where it came from
• Time needed to organize
• What do I write about?
Each OTM is a short essay about what makes the nominee worthy of the award. Common things to include:
• How they fulfilled their job or the goal of the program
• What they did above and beyond their job or the goal of the program
• What makes the person or program unique
• Note that all OTMs must be specific to the month of nomination. If you are writing it for March,
you should talk about what that person did specifically in March, or a program that took place in
March.
• All OTMs must be about the person or program’s influence on the residence halls. OTMs that do
not address an impact upon the residence halls will be disqualified.
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What if I want to nominate someone who doesn’t fit in the categories?
The Spotlight OTM allows you to nominate anyone that doesn’t fit into the typical OTM categories.
For more specifics on each OTM category and how to write a mind blowing OTM, contact your AD-NRHH for
an OTM Writing Guide. The OTM Database can be found through the NRHH website (nrhh.org)
Transition & Legacy Notes
Remember when you got this job? Did you get transitioned? Didn’t it feel good to know what you were
doing? You didn’t get transitioned? Didn’t you hate the feeling to not know what to do? Whatever your
circumstance was, it is very important to transition the person taking your position. Make sure that they
know what they are doing since they will ultimately represent your school as well as all the residents in your
halls.
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What to Include in Transitioning
o Passing of materials- Links to PACURH & NACURH websites and specifically NCC Handbooks,
NACURH Board of Directors Policy Book, Regional Policy book, the RFI, as well as RBD email
addresses
o List Important Dates- conferences (PACURH, No Frills, NACURH), bid deadlines, major on
campus events, traditions, etc.
o List of Goals that were Accomplished
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List of Goals Not Accomplished
Traditions- Why We Did What We Did
Keep a collection of Bids- especially Winning Bids
Suggestions:
o Keep everything on computer if possible, especially things like school reports
o Start Early
o Keep a page of history- of who held the position, what they did, what events occurred during
their term.
o Keep a centrally located collection of bids- useful reference for future conferences.
PACURH NCC in Review
These questions should help clarify your position and responsibilities to your school, your region, and
NACURH.
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Have I given oral or written reports to RHA to increase understanding and awareness of PACURH,
NACURH & my role?
Have I encouraged RHA and our Advisor to read PACURH/NACURH info and newsletters?
Have I actively solicited input from RHA and the Advisor on PACURH/NACURH issues?
Have I responded to other schools who request information and help?
Has our school taken advantage of the free pages from the RFI?
Has our school considered establishing an NRHH Chapter on campus?
Have I made every effort to encourage conference attendance?
Does our school go out of its way to promote spirit and fellowship at conferences (through cheers, personal
contacts, banners, stickers, t-shirts, display)?
Do I encourage and solicit members of my delegation to present programs?
Do I volunteer to take charge of committees and/or special projects if I am able?
Do I submit OTM nominations monthly?
Does our school have worthy applicants for regional and national awards? Are we bidding for any?
Is our school looking into the possibility of hosting a National, Regional, or No-Frills Conference?
Is our school looking into the possibility of hosting the NIC or NRHH Offices?
Do I initiate contact with the Regional Directorship when I am in doubt about something?
Do I make suggestions to PACURH when I have ideas?
Have I been communicating regularly on the regional list serve and national forum?
Am I taking advantage of NACURH’s contact with OCM to help raise funds?
Are all my files organized and updated so that I can find important information when I need it?
Am I helping the RBD contact non-PACURH affiliated schools urging them to join the organization?
Am I considering running for an RBD position? Would my school and RHA support me?
Have I planned to transition all of these ideas to the next NCC?
Have I passed on all resources to the new NCC?
Web Pages
NACURH: www.nacurh.org
PACURH: www.pacurh.nacurh.org/
NRHH: www.nrhh.org
Developed by Kenrick Ali, PACURH Regional Advisor (‘99-‘00,
’01-’06); contributions from: Bryan Jones, Michigan RCC ‘99-’00
& Amanda Bush, Michigan RCC ’02-’03, RBD 05-06, Clark De
Bevoise PACURH SRCC ’07-’08, RBD 2008-2009
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