The Boston University Residence Hall Association held a dinner Tuesday to initiate dialogue over possible improvements to be made around campus.

The meeting which took place at Shelton Hall gave RHA student government representatives the opportunity to discuss proposed changes in the ‘quality of life’ category with officials from each area of the BU administration.

Administrators from various departments, including Student Health Services, Dining Services and Sustainability@BU, came to discuss the issues and needs on students’ minds.

Student leaders who attended said they appreciated the time administrators spent talking with them, while BU officials stressed that the dinner was really meant for the students.

‘It’s their show; we are just there to be in person to answer questions,’ said Associate Vice President for Facilities, Operations and Services Bill Walter. ‘Over the years we have made great progress with this process to get some first-hand information.’

The different departments convened to hear suggestions from the representative areas on campus so issues could be addressed directly by those department heads who can influence the changes, he said.

‘If it’s a parking issue, they can talk to the parking folks, or a facilities issue, they can talk to the facilities crew,’ Walter said. ‘We then see if we can plan projects to address them.’

Elected RHA board members have the responsibility of planning events for their dorms as well making sure other residents’ needs are taken care of.’ Each representative came to the meeting with specific changes in mind for his or her dormitory.

‘I asked for a Myles bus stop and some furniture,’ said Myles Standish Hall RHA President and College of Engineering sophomore Elena Pliakas.

School of Management freshman and Warren Towers RHA President Benjamin Feder said making designated smoking areas more clear was one of his RHA’s goals.

‘We wanted to be able to have [an area] where smokers can be in a place where they are not in the way of non-smokers,’ he said.

Though each student had high hopes for improvements, students said there was also an understanding these upgrades come at a cost and the administration can’t make every suggestion a reality.’

‘They definitely take into consideration what we have to say,’ Feder said. ‘Of course costs are involved in everything. There are some things they can’t do, but most of the things they can do.’

Representatives said that at such a large institution as BU, the key to change is persistence.

‘It’s good to keep letting them know about our concerns,’ Pliakas said. ‘The only way to get stuff done is to keep telling them.’

She said she realized, however, changes often take time.

‘We’re only here for four years and we want stuff to get done,’ he said. ‘