I was at the final football game of the regular season on Saturday (congrats RPI Engineers on the 13-10 win!) and I noticed something. Besides the athletes on the field or the spectators in the stands, RPI students are a lot of other places. The game was filmed by RPI TV, the student-run television station; it was broadcast on 91.5 FM by the student commentators for WRPI, the campus radio station; the RPI cheerleaders were on the sidelines, along with the students in RPI Ambulance. Even many of the game day staff and athletics support were student volunteers. It's certainly is a great thing to see that everybody comes together to make a day successful, even if it's a little rainy.
It was a busy week last week; the Student Senate had its semesterly meeting with the President and Cabinet as well as reviewed the Student Life Performance Plan Review with the Student Life portfolio. I judged the Greek Lip Sync (Congrats Sigma Ch) and moderated the debate between the student political organizations (I won't declare a winner). On Friday, members of the Student Sustainability Task Force as well as the Student Senate traveled with Vice President for Student Life Dr. Eddie Ade Knowles to Pace University to attend the D4D Conference in conjunction with Project Pericles.
This week has plenty of its own events. Members of student government are attending a StuGov Formal sponsored by the Undergraduate Council on Friday, which is a busy day in and of itself. Chi Phi Live and the first men's basketball game at the East Campus Arena will certainly start the weekend off well. I know there's so many events happening on and around campus, so make sure you surf take a peek at the What's Happening section of the Poly as well as the Concerto screens around campus (or online at http://concerto.rpi.edu) for plenty of information.
I can't believe we're nearly to the end of the semester (considering the volume of final projects, I really don't want to believe it). Student Senators will be reflecting on their progress so far with me and the Vice-Chair as we look to the progress made this semester. We hope to culminate the semester with a few announcements (stay tuned!) and keep up the pace through the spring.
As always, you can let me know what you think of the progress the Student Senate or I have been doing. The Student Government Suite on the 3rd floor of the Rensselaer Union is a good place to look for us. You can always drop me a line at http://twitter.com/rpigm or e-mail me at gm@rpi.edu. I always enjoy hearing from the students I represent as well as the alumni or RPI community members that read the Poly. So stop by or drop me a line; be seeing you.
It's been a whirlwind week; I was part of a student delegation and Rensselaer Union administrative staff to the Region 2 Conference of the Association of College Union-International in Rochester, New York. It was a 3-day event that included tours of local college unions, discussion on present student government issues, and presentations on what makes college unions great. We visited a lot of Rochester-area schools, including RIT, St. John Fisher, and the University of Rochester. Their college unions/campus centers were nice, but nothing compared to our Student Union. RPI made a presentation on Concerto, the student-run campus digital signage system and to say the least, the audience was blown away. It's especially satisfying to see our peer institutions amazed what we do here at Rensselaer.
We certainly did a lot of fact finding, but we also couldn't keep away from what was happening at RPI. During the dinner banquets and late-night activities, we'd check our cell phones and sneak away to our laptops for the latest men's hockey scores. Sure, it might be questionable as far as etiquette, but our Rensselaer Engineers were amazing this weekend. Defeating Yale and Brown are just as up there as Union or Clarkson; it's something I'm sure we all can get used to.
If you haven't already, you definitely need to be getting to some RPI hockey games, both men and women. We have amazing Division 1 players and our coaches have really brought our hockey program to new levels. Check out the hockey schedules at the RPI athletics website, http://www.rpiathletics.com/, or visit the box office at the Houston Field House (they'll be happy to see you). Events like Pack the House, Black Friday, Greek Night, Whiteout, and Big Red Freakout! are great games to go to, but the regular games are plenty of fun too. I want to see you at a hockey game, and you can find me: Section 15, Row J, and Seat 7.
Today at 4:15pm in room 3202 of the Student Union, Dr. Eddie Ade Knowles will be talking with the Student Senate and other students about the Student Life Performance Plan; this is a document that guides the institute to make the Student Life experience what it is today. You can find the document at the Student Senate document management website, http://documents.studentsenate.rpi.edu. Read it over and stop by and ask the questions or say something that you think is important; we're listening.
We have gotten an amazing response from the Student Senate JustAsk campaign; expect some guerilla marketing tactics in the next few weeks to get everyone more aware of what we're trying to do, keep you informed at RPI. Shoot off an e-mail to justask@rpi.edu or send one right to me, at gm@rpi.edu. As always, you can find me in the GM/PU office in the Student Government Suite almost anytime.
I say what I feel is right, what best represents my student body, and what helps bring us somewhere even better than where we are now. I'm your voice, and I want to make sure what I say is right; so speak up!
This Monday, the Chronicle of Higher Education released an article on compensation for Private University Presidents. In discussion with media outlets and the institute, I released the following statement:
"Rensselaer has undergone tremendous change under the leadership of Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson. From my view as Grand Marshal, student body president and as such voice of the student body, I believe was happened in the past ten years is nothing short of remarkable.
Students now attend a private research university that is consistently ranked in the top 50 for best colleges in the United States; we are nationally acclaimed for individual merit and cutting-edge education. We have emerged into new fields of study, including biotechnology and electronic media.
Ground-breaking ideas have been constructed and completed; the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, and most recently the East Campus Athletic Village; the largest athletic construction project to date at Rensselaer.
Students have tremendous opportunity at Rensselaer, and that includes beyond the classroom; more than 180 clubs, 23 intercollegiate athletic teams, and 35 Greek organizations complete the student life experience.
When students graduate, they leave with incredible opportunity; they enter job fields with salaries that rank among the highest-paid among their peers. This is due to the vision and determination of our 18th President, Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson. The student body is thankful for her contribution to our higher education and to the increase in value of a Rensselaer degree."
You might disagree with some of the events that have happened in the past, but reflect on the big picture; Rensselaer is in a far better position than that of ten years ago. There are some current events that require cooperation among the Rensselaer community and the Student Senate, myself, and many other members in student government and beyond are working together to address them. We should still look at the past, but try not to have it obscure the view ahead; I'm hopeful for what comes next.
I will be traveling with the President of the Union, administration office staff, and some fellow students to the Region 2 conference of the Association of College Unions International. Members of the Student Senate Web Tech Group will be making a presentation on them Concerto system; congratulations to them! The conference will be held this year in Rochester, New York.
As always, I'm available almost anytime; e-mail me at gm@rpi.edu, contact me through http://www.twitter.com/rpigm, or visit me at the GM/PU office in the Student Government Suite in the Rensselaer Union. Step back and think a little bit about what's happened or happening; let me know what your thoughts are and help me move us in the right direction.
Rensselaer has undergone tremendous change under the leadership of Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson. From my view as Grand Marshal, student body president and as such voice of the student body, I believe what has happened in the past ten years is nothing short of remarkable.
Students now attend a private research university that is consistently ranked in the top 50 for best colleges in the United States; we are nationally acclaimed for individual merit and cutting-edge education. We have emerged into new fields of study, including biotechnology and electronic media.
Ground-breaking ideas have been constructed and completed; the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies, and most recently the East Campus Athletic Village; the largest athletic construction project to date at Rensselaer.
Students have tremendous opportunity at Rensselaer, and that includes beyond the classroom; more than 180 clubs, 23 intercollegiate athletic teams, and 35 Greek organizations complete the student life experience.
When students graduate, they leave with incredible opportunity; they enter job fields with salaries that rank among the highest-paid among their peers. This is due to the vision and determination of our 18th President, Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson. The student body is thankful for her contribution to our higher education and to the increase in value of a Rensselaer degree.
The Grand Marshal is the highest elected student leader at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a position created in 1866. The Top Hat is the official symbol of the Grand Marshal.
Michael Zwack is a member of the Class of 2011 and is enrolled in the Accelerated Management Law Program through the Lally School of Management and Technology. He was elected in April of 2009 as the 143rd Grand Marshal of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, serving as the student body president and chair of the 40th Rensselaer Union Student Senate.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, founded in 1824 and located in Troy, New York, is the nation's oldest technological university. The university offers bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in engineering, the sciences, information technology, architecture, management, and the humanities and social sciences. Institute programs serve undergraduates, graduate students, and working professionals around the world. Rensselaer faculty are known for pre-eminence in research conducted in a wide range of fields, with particular emphasis in biotechnology, nanotechnology, information technology, and the media arts and technology. The Institute is well known for its success in the transfer of technology from the laboratory to the marketplace so that new discoveries and inventions benefit human life, protect the environment, and strengthen economic development.
We're a little more than halfway done with the Fall Semester; Family Weekend hopefully brought you some quality time with the family (and maybe some free dinners) and a recharge for the long haul to Thanksgiving vacation.
Every Sunday when I write this editorial I look at my schedule for the week as well as the RPI calendars to see what's going on and it's sometime overwhelming on the magnitude and diversity of the activities going on. I try and get in as much as possible and I'm always receiving suggestions for new things to do. Since this week looks particularly exciting, I figured I'd talk about a few things I'm looking forward to:
Stay safe this weekend and be smart; I don't want to see any zombies (more than normal) walking to class on Monday.
Subsidy, support services, and recognition for over 175 clubs and organizations, which includes sponsorship of 23 varsity teams and over 50 intramural athletic clubs. Religious affairs, legal services, and an emergency loan program. A diverse selection of dining and food venues, ranging from breakfast, lunch, dinner, late-night, and anywhere in between. Leadership, professional development, and educational opportunities in an organization among one of the few in the nation. Facilities ranging from a fitness center, bookstore, games room, post office, and performance and conference space. Most importantly, a building that welcomes all students and members of the institute community; the Rensselaer Student Union has been the center of campus life since 1890 and in its current home since 1967. It is a student-managed union whose purpose is:
"to unite all its members in a commitment to the ideals for which Rensselaer stands, to expand the extracurricular life at Rensselaer, to coordinate all student organizations, to act as a medium through which student opinion may be expressed, and to work with all other members of the Rensselaer community to encourage student initiative and to lead student action in all interests which will serve the welfare and the betterment of Rensselaer (Rensselaer Union Constitution)."
As we approach the 150th anniversary of the first election of Grand Marshal and the 125th anniversary of the Rensselaer Union (an event that will occur in 2015), the Union's highest priority for our performance plan for fiscal year 2011 is to develop a long-term planning process that will re-identify the purpose of the Student Union that aligns with the opinion of us, the student body and activity fee-paying members that contribute to its operation.
It is a rare opportunity as students to be tasked with such decision making of managing an organization such as the Student Union. But here at RPI many members of the student body do just that, committing their valuable time and energy. It goes without saying that the Union is a model of success for the student life experience here at Rensselaer, but we constantly strive to improve our work. That is why in conjunction with the President of the Union, a long range planning board will be established to evaluate all that the Union encompasses and recommend improvements to the legislative, financial, and judicial bodies that manage this organization.
I now call on any student, as you are a voting member of the Student Union, to speak up and say what you want to see our Union become. Let me know how you want to be involved, send me an e-mail at gm@rpi.edu or visit me at the GM/PU office in the Student Government Suite of the Student Union. As we evaluate each area that the Union deals with, I will be reaching out to all related parties to seek their opinions and share with them the opinion of others.
With the upcoming Family Weekend, reflect on your experiences here at Rensselaer with your friends, parents, and relatives; how has the Student Union contributed so far and what should it become?
This past Wednesday, the first Pizza with the Cabinet was held of the semester; this event allows students to talk and ask questions with members of the President's cabinet. Pizza and chicken wings (and yes, salad) lightened the mood and filled everyone's stomachs while a lot of topics were covered, including the landscaping work near the VCC, on-campus housing, faculty governance, and much more. This event (held three times per semester) was sponsored by the Office of the President and the Student Senate; thank you to all those who attended (both students and cabinet members) for making it such a great event.
If you missed the event or came away with some more questions or comments, there's no need to wait until the next Pizza with the Cabinet; just ask. The Student Senate has launched its Just Ask campaign and is ready and willing to answer or find the answer to any comment or question you have regarding life on campus. Drop us a line at justask@rpi.edu or make it to a Senate meeting, held every Tuesday at 4:30pm in Union 3202. You can also find us in the Student Government Suite almost anytime. We enjoy hearing anything you have to say, we want you to just ask.
In the next week or so, the Student Senate will be sending out its semester survey, asking for your opinion on academic advising, campus shuttles, concerts, and much more. We use the information we receive from you and target what you find most important, so don't delete it or put it in your spam folder, please take the five minutes and fill it out. All these programs-Pizza with the Cabinet, Just Ask, Senate surveys- are designed to seek your input, it helps us help you help us all.
With this past long Columbus Day weekend, I hope everyone has rested up and prepared for the long haul 'til Thanksgiving break. Stay healthy and follow all the tips sent out by the health center (and your mom calling you from home) and pay attention to your surroundings, especially late at night. Members of student government have been working with the Department of Public Safety and Student Life to make sure that every student's personal safety is ensured.
Let me know how I'm doing; I enjoy hearing shout-outs (good or bad) on my way to class or at events on campus. It's always a good time to just ask whatever, so talk me up. You can always send me an e-mail at gm@rpi.edu or find me at http://twitter.com/rpigm. And you might even catch me in my office in the Student Government Suite; it's the one with the open door...
P.S. A quick shout-out to the Men's Hockey team and Coach Seth Appert and congratulations on their 3-1 victory over UNH on Saturday night! They're well on their way to a great season and there are plenty more games to be watched at the Houston Field House. Stop by the box office for hockey tickets and join myself and many other members of your student body cheer on the RPI Engineers.
If you weren't at the grand opening of the East Campus Athletic Village, all I can is wow; a lot of other people said it too. The opening of this facility has a lot of Rensselaer students excited, and for good reason; the football stadium, basketball arena, conditioning center, cafe, and conference areas mean that the current 70% of students that are athletes will undoubtedly grow and that there is a destination at ECAV for the rest of us. This addition to the RPI campus will be accessible to all students for use, and the hours of operation will be extended with staff hiring provided by the President's Office. The next football game is during Parent's Weekend, but don't let keep you from going to ECAV beforehand, there's plenty more to experience.
If you're looking for something to do a little closer to central campus today on Wednesday, stop by Pizza with the Cabinet at 6pm on the 2nd floor of the Russell Sage Dining Hall. This event, sponsored by the Student Senate and the President's Office, allows an opportunity for the student body to ask some questions, voice their concerns, or just pick up a slice or two; it's well worth the visit. You'll find school deans, institute vice-presidents, as well as key members of the institute that really have a way in making some change, all they need is the direction from you.
Pizza with the Cabinet is just another aspect of the communication goal of this year's Student Senate. We're here to listen, and to answer whatever questions you may have; no question is too small or trivial, we want to help. The goal to improve communication is why we created the Just Ask campaign; e-mail us anything at justask@rpi.edu and we'll answer you back or find the right person to help. We've had lots of students already use this program to ask questions and we're still waiting to hear from you. Members of the Senate are out looking for your input, you might see them in their red polos throughout the Union making sure you're voice is heard, how about giving them a word or two? You can always let me know what you think: gm@rpi.edu, http://twitter.com/rpigm, or stop by the office in the Student Government Suite in the Student Union.
With Freshman Elections over and the Senate with full membership, we're full steam ahead with projects and programs. I'm proud of the group that represents the student body in the Student Senate, impressed with the progress they've done thus far, and optimistic that we can keep getting a lot accomplished by April.
This past weekend we experienced Reunion and Homecoming 2009 and I had the opportunity to meet many alumni and alumnae, including some former GMs and PUs (they all like the red top hat). They talked a lot about how even though the campus has grown or changed, that they saw themselves in many of the students; smart, resourceful, and with lots of school spirit (and maybe a little sleep-deprived). And that hasn't changed what it's all about to be a RPI student: about focus and commitment, and about fulfilling one's dreams and making the world a better place. I hope everyone got some great memories of this past weekend, I certainly did.
The Student Senate and I have been pretty busy in the preceding days, weeks and months; we have been trying to gauge student input, whether they're comments, questions, or concerns. I'm not here to just push my own agenda but those of my fellow students who elected me. So I've been told that we need to facilitate communication, that we need to get out there, that we need to listen, and that I must put more humor in my writing; let's start with the first three and see where we go from there.
For those alumni and alumnae returning to RPI for Reunion & Homecoming 2009, welcome back; make sure you find the time to walk around the campus to find the familiar sights as well as explore the new ones. Students here are eager to meet you and hear you stories, and I'm sure they'll share a couple of their own with you as well.
Communication is a tool that is necessary for this campus, and we're constantly trying to improve on it. The student body is always looking for information, it's who we are. The Student Senate would like to facilitate the communication between the student body and the administration, staff, and faculty. So we have a great idea: just ask. Give us a question and we'll answer it ourselves or find the answer for you. It is easy enough, talk to us at justask@rpi.edu. The Senate is always in and we're always listening.
Technology has become a great tool to communicate with, but simply sitting down and talking always works well too. Bring food into the equation and it's even better: you can't send pizza in an e-mail attachment. That's why in collaboration with the Office of the President, the Student Senate will be hosting Pizza with the Cabinet; an opportunity for students to ask or share ideas with members of the RPI Cabinet. Even if you don't have questions stop by to meet, talk, and snack; the first Pizza with the Cabinet will be next Wednesday, October 7th starting at 6pm, just make your way to the second floor of the Russell Sage Dining Hall.
If you've been to a Student Senate meeting, you've undoubtedly seen a lot of talking. We've certainly gotten things accomplished, but sometimes actions are better than words. This past weekend, the Senate used their green thumbs and cleaned up the Peoples Avenue Approach, located near the Heffner Alumni House. We found that underneath the weeds and dirt was an afternoon to bond together and help beautify the community around us. Many thanks to all of those who helped make the clean up possible.
This past week, the Class of 2013 during Freshman Elections voted for their Student Senators; they join the rest of the Senate in working to be "agents of change" for the Student Union, the RPI community, and even beyond; they will find that sometimes its words and sometimes its actions that bring that change and we're here to do both. Find out what we're doing next; e-mail me at gm@rpi.edu, learn more at http://twitter.com/rpigm, or stop by the GM office at the Student Government Suite in the Student Union. Oh yeah, you can always just ask...
It has been four weeks since classes have started for the Fall and the RPI pace is starting to return to normal; freshmen know where the DCC is now and the Football team is on its undefeated streak again after an amazing game last Saturday against Utica. We're one week away from Reunion and Homecoming weekend, the first time alumni and alumnae come back to campus during the Fall while we're in school, one week from the East Campus Athletic Village opening and the first Hockey game, it looks like a good year for RPI.
But while we're neck-deep in homework and stuffing our weekends with sports games and club activities, we need to be aware of the environment around us. Take measures to prevent illness, wash your hands frequently and be mindful of others. Make sure you take of yourself and stay informed, useful links include http://rpinfo.rpi.edu or http://alert.rpi.edu.
Besides being aware of your personal health, keep an eye on your personal safety. Be proactive and contact Public Safety when you notice any suspicious activity or behavior. Keep their phone number in your cell phone, (518) 276-6611 for emergencies or (518) 276-6656 non-emergencies. Register for RPIalert so emergency messages arrive to your e-mail or cell phone. Try not to walk alone, it's safer plus it'll provide you someone to talk to. If you find yourself alone and don't feel safe, call Public Safety for an escort, 24-7. Mind your surroundings and know where the emergency phones are, the Student Senate just recently worked with Public Safety on testing each pole and callbox on campus, they will all reach the Department of Public Safety in an emergency. Hopefully you will never have to use one, but be prepared.
So what have you done so far this semester? If the answer is only homework, put down the graphing calculator and the textbook. Take a peek at one of the Concerto digital signage screens all over campus or visit their website at http://concerto.rpi.edu. Turn off MatLab and go to http://union.rpi.edu and look over the over 170 clubs and organizations on campus, maybe something will catch your eye. Many have their own website, if not e-mail the club and make a meeting or two. Visit the Experimental Media and Performing Art Center website at http://empac.rpi.edu and experience a performance or screening, they're held during the week and on the weekends. There are also some great websites like www.rpinsider.com that usually do a weekend sampler on all the activities and events held around campus and the surrounding community. Looking at all the options, you might stop thinking about the homework for a few hours, just don't forget it entirely...
The Student Senate is looking at what's happening on campus, and we have some plans on communication and awareness. It's a project we cannot do alone, and that's why we're reaching out. We have been talking with the administration, faculty, and staff, and we want to talk to you as well. Watch for a survey in the next few weeks, tweet at me at http://twitter.com/rpigm or send me an e-mail at gm@rpi.edu. Watch what happens.
If one were to step back and look at all that has happened on campus the past 5 years, it must seem like life at RPI is set to hyper speed. We've completed the Center for Biotechnology & Interdisciplinary Studies, the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center, and this past weekend's football game is the start to the East Campus Athletic Village. We've started and completed a capital campaign, brought about programs and initiatives that have received acclaim from around the world, and our student body has grown and excelled in quality and diversity; we've broken the bounds of what is conventional.
There has been differences and disagreement, but we should agree that the RPI of today is better than what is was. We've only come so far because we agree that working together is the only way to succeed. Discussion is a part of any healthy relationship, and that is what has happened and should continue to happen between Rensselaer's students, faculty, and administrators. Doing so has helped Rensselaer, America's oldest technological research university, strive to become America's best technological research university.
Members of the Student Senate has been working together with their fellow students and the division of Student Life to finalize plans on the recently proposed Clustered Learning, Advocacy, and Support for Students (CLASS) initiative; this collaboration will bring us together to complete an experience that will improve the student life experience of every student. Students have been invited to interview candidates for positions in residential commons areas, they have been involved in providing feedback on key programs on this initiative, and they have been updated on the progress on the CLASS initiative as it moves closer to implementation. As the Student Senate, we try to keep every student aware of information and changes, but we know that as we keep moving forward we sometimes forget about the communication pipeline; let us know if you have questions, just ask, send me an e-mail at gm@rpi.edu and we'll let you know what we know.
Are you interested in joining us and helping out? If you're a freshman, run for the Student Senate! Elections will be held next week, stop by the Student Government Suite in the Student Union; pick up a Guide to Student Government, fill out a candidacy form, and read the 2009 Freshman Elections Handbook. Collect nominations and campaign, but remember to read the handbook; you have to follow the rules...
If you aren't a freshman and still want to lend a hand, attend a Student Senate meeting or attend one of the many committee meetings to bring your comments, questions, or concerns to our ears. The Senate meets every Tuesday at 4:30pm in Union 3202, and it always has plenty of conversation, guest speakers, and legislative items that deal with life at RPI. Our committee meetings are held during most weeknights in the Student Union, they include areas of Academics, Community Relations, Finance and Facilities, Student Life, and Web Technologies. Did we pique your interest? Want more information? Find it at http://twitter.com/rpigm or http://studentsenate.rpi.edu.
We're doing extraordinary things here at RPI, what's exciting is that we're not done just yet.
Now that we're all settled in, found our classrooms, and bought our books, the semester at RPI is really starting. The weather is cooperating for the most part, and you should be taking as much of an advantage of it as possible and spending time outside, as it's not too long until the season-that-will-not-be-named comes back to campus.
I've been spending some of my time outside of the Union sitting on Hockey Line. The RPI Hockey Line has now become a tradition to wait with friends and countdown for the start of the hockey season. This year, the Student Senate, Web Tech Group, & the RPI Electronic Club built a countdown clock that is hanging from the Student Union balcony. Groups are welcome to camp out on the Hockey Line; all they need to do is register with the Administrative Office on the 3rd Floor of the Student Union.
For those not inclined to wait too long but still want to be a part of the experience, join the RPI Men's Hockey Team, WRPI, the Student Senate, Union Executive Board, and many other student clubs for a Hockey Line celebration, Tuesday September 15th, starting at 9pm at the Student Union. They'll be free food, music, games, prizes, and plenty of cheering as we wait until hockey tickets go on sale at 11:30pm. Even if you don't want to purchase tickets, come and enjoy the camaraderie as we kick off the 2009-2010 season. Not being a one-sport spectator, I should tell you that Hockey Line is just a taste of the campus life at RPI. This coming Saturday is the kick-off to our football season, especially exciting as it will be played at our new East Campus Athletic Village.
This past week the Student Senate met for its first meeting, approving numerous legislative items and student appointments. We will continue meeting throughout the semester, handling legislation and discussing campus issues, in addition to having special guests presenting and answering questions. Our meetings are held every Tuesday at 4:30pm in Room 3202 of the Rensselaer Union; take a peek inside once and a while.
Did you go to the Union Activities Fair last Thursday night at the Houston Field House? If so, you discovered a wide selection of our 170+ clubs and organizations sponsored by the Student Union. Hopefully you snagged a cheese sandwich grilled by UPAC lights, picked up a card to the Concerto Screensaver (find it at http://concerto.rpi.edu/screensaver), grabbed some free candy, and found a club or two that piqued your interest for the upcoming year. You can find more information on many of the clubs at the Activities Fair at the Union website, http://union.rpi.edu. Try something new and hey, you might pick up a life-long interest.
With our completion of the Hockey Line countdown clock, the Student Government Suite on the 3rd floor in the Student Union is back to normal, and we invite you to visit us with your questions, comments, and concerns. Stop by the office or as always, you can find me at http://twitter.com/rpigm or at gm@rpi.edu.
I wrote in my April 29, 2009 Top Hat that "School is out for summer, but the work never ends." I promised when elected that I would work as hard as for you as I possibly could, and I want to tell you it is a promise that has not changed. I'm your 143rd Grand Marshal, we're your 40th Student Senate, and we are here for you. Welcome back.
For those who are starting their first year at RPI, let me tell you a little about the role of the Grand Marshal and the Student Senate. The GM, as it is known, is the highest elected student body position at RPI. I am charged with representing the students to the administration, faculty, staff, and community members. I also chair the Student Senate, which is the chief legislative body of the Student Union. We work on numerous projects, legislative items, and handle numerous appointee confirmations to many other organizations for the Union.
This summer has been a whirlwind adventure for many of us in Student Senate. We have been hard at work, meeting with members of the administration, touring and assessing classrooms, and laying the groundwork for the Senate's new term.
The Student Senate held its annual conference this past Friday, attended by Senate members, other student government representatives, members of the President's Cabinet, the Mayor of the City of Troy, and numerous other RPI staff. It was an opportunity to discuss many items regarding student life, communication, and community relations. That event was incredibly productive, and I am positive that continuing such interactions will continue to improve the student life experience. A key point made during the Student Senate conference was made by our Dean of Students, who had this to say about what we as students need to do to become better informed: "Just ask."
As the start of the new academic year and semester begins, make a new start with your experience here at RPI. Try something new in downtown Troy (such as bakery "The Placid Baker", at 250 Broadway), visit EMPAC for some of their great performances, and don't miss the Football season-opener and "soft opening" of our new East Campus Athletic Village on September 12th.
Another great way to open some new horizons this year is by attending the annual Rensselaer Union Activities Fair, to be held this Thursday, September 3rd, from 6-9pm. You will find most of the 170+ clubs and activities sponsored by the Union, so visit each booth and maybe try a new club this semester.
As the year progresses, both myself and the Student Senate will be working on numerous projects, involving areas of Academics, Community Relations, Finance, Facilities, and Student Life. We are constantly seeking your input on our ideas and plans, plus we're always open to hearing what you have to say about something else. Contact me through e-mail at gm@rpi.edu, via Twitter at http://twitter.com/rpigm, or by visiting me in the GM/PU office in the Student Government Suite on the 3rd Floor of the Rensselaer Student Union. The door is almost always open.
Summer has reached its apex and we are fast approaching the return of life to the Rensselaer campus. Sure, there is Summer @ RPI, which many students take advantage of to whittle away their credit hours, plus the campus hosts many summer camps and conferences. But nothing compares to when the academic year will begin on August 31st, when everything (clubs, sports, and yes, classes) fire up again.
I would like to welcome our incoming freshman to the campus for their Student Orientation as well as the Navigating Rensselaer & Beyond experience. Once you get through the class registrations, mandatory lectures to attend to, make the most of your visits. It showcases the best part of student life in the college experience, without all the worries of classes and homework. Make friends, find activities that interest you, and discover the great parts of the RPI campus (my favorite: the Student Union). I look forward to meeting our new freshman at Convocation on August 30th.
Those of you stepping onto this campus during the end of summer for the first time and those returning will see the completion of Rensselaer's new East Campus Athletic Village, you will meet the first residents to occupy the Howard N. Blitman, P.E. '50 Residence Commons, and you will participate in Reunion '09, which will bring alumni and alumnae here during the school year.
Besides the Class of 2013, there are some other new faces coming to join the Rensselaer family. I would like to acknowledge our new Dean of Engineering Dr. David Rosowsky, our new Dean of Architecture Evan Douglis, and our new Vice President for Enrollment Dr. Paul Marthers.
Summer is a time for relaxing by the beach, visiting the far reaches of the world, or seeing what it's like to make in the real world (if only for a few months with an internship). It has been for me and the Student Senate a time for reflection on the past year and planning for the year ahead. We are looking at all we've done and feedback we have received, both the positives and negatives, and determining what we do next.
This summer we have been working with the division of Student Life on the CLASS initiative, we have done classroom assessments to see what needs to be fixed, we are compiling a guide to student government to inform students and encourage your involvement, and we are refreshing our websites and infrastructure to better serve you.
The Student Senate is at the heart of many projects to better your world at RPI; we've introduced Shuttle Tracking-so you can find where those pesky buses really are, Concerto-THE digital signage system on campus, Pizza with the Cabinet-food and Q&A with RPI administrators, the Union website- a refreshed portal for all your clubs and activities, and many others. But we're always interested in hearing what your thoughts are. Have a comment, concern, or question? E-mail me at gm@rpi.edu, find me on twitter at www.twitter.com/rpigm, or come visit me and the Student Senate in the Student Government Suite on the 3rd floor of the Student Union, we're there almost anytime.
It's finally here; the end of classes and the start of finals. Even the sunshine has come to Troy for our last few weeks of the semester. Although we all a heavy workload in studying, remember to get outside, have some fun, and be with friends; it's the best way to relieve some of the stress and anxiety before finals. So enjoy the weather, make the most of it, and good luck for finals.
As the school year approaches its end-as does my column for the semester- I would like to congratulate the graduating students. I have had an amazing opportunity working with many graduate students and members of the Class of 2009; I thank them for all the support and advice that they have given me and I wish them luck in their future. Success is only limited by the bounds we define; if you are courageous and daring, great things can be achieved. The students that will be walking across that stage has changed so much of campus, I am sure that this graduating class will forever leave an imprint on the world as the innovators and thinkers of today.
A perk of holding the office of Grand Marshal is that you are invited to attend the graduation ceremony each year. This year's ceremony will bring some exciting events, especially the combination of distinguished alumni and innovative leaders in their fields. RPI will be welcoming a few of their own back, Peter Schwartz '68 and Samuel Josefowitz '42, as well as the CEO of American Express Ken Chenault and Nobel Physicist Robert Richardson; these individuals are certain to be a combination that will provide great insight and thought through the colloquium and commencement ceremony. I am honored that I will be attending this year's 203rd Commencement on Harkness Field and I look forward to the events surrounding the ceremony and am excited to congratulating the graduating students. I encourage anyone who has the opportunity to attend to do so, there's sure to be something to take away from such an event.
Although the summer is approaching, that does mean the Grand Marshal and the Student Senate stop doing our jobs. We will be working very hard during the summer, setting the framework and determining the goals we wish to achieve for the next year. My aim is that when we return in August, we will be creating an effective path to improving communication, creating more student input, and building community relations. We have some ideas, but we would be excited to hear yours. Hop onto the Student Senate website, http://www.studentsenate.rpi.edu/, where we'll be updating Senate projects and posting ideas for next year. Leave some comments, or e-mail your Senators on your ideas, just visit their profile page. Or as always, you can always contact me; I have a profile page on the Student Senate website, a Twitter page at http://twitter.com/rpigm, or e-mail me at gm@rpi.edu.
School's out for summer, but the work never ends. Stay sharp but have fun, enjoy yourself but be safe and I'll see you back here at RPI in August.
Far too often, we forget that RPI is part of a larger community. It is part of an area steeped in history and reminiscent of an era that truly shaped the course of prosperity for the United States. But it also has an eye for the world of tomorrow: we're part of an area dubbed the "Tech Valley" and to put it simply by the novelist William Gibson, "the future is here. It's just not widely distributed yet." We first arrived here as RPI students, but as we are nearing the close of our freshman year or [enter year here], is should be evident that we are much more. We should strive to fill the commitment of being a member of a community that works together to bring that future beyond the doorstep of our campus and out to the world.
I suppose such a goal starts with building the relationships with the people around us. It is about being an active individual in the greater Troy, a city that is undergoing a historical rebirth. Ignore the false stigma that you may have, make the trip to downtown. Visit the parks, shops, and sights that make Troy a historical treasure. Eat at the numerous restaurants, cafes, and bakeries that are one of the best in the area. Volunteer in schools, libraries, and community service organizations to better the lives of Troy citizens. Attend City Council meetings, be a part of the city in which we live. It's all about building bonds that benefit all of us. Citizens of Troy notice and are pleased when we make the effort downtown, and it helps create a positive relationship with the community that we can take away as building both the success of our city and our school.
This Friday will be Troy Night Out, an exciting monthly event that gives a taste of the expansive cultural atmosphere of the city. I encourage all students and members of the RPI community to venture down and experience all that TNO offers. RPI has been a generous sponsor, and through collaboration with your Student Senate's Student Life Committee, there are free shuttles that leave from the Student Union on the hour, from 5-9pm. and return from Monument Square downtown on the quarter of the hour. While in Monument Square, check out the RPI student exhibit at the Arts Center of the Capital Region. You'll also find many RPI students, me included along with many members of the Senate, venturing through the shops, restaurants, and streets of Troy. For more information on Troy Night Out, visit its website at http://www.troynightout.org/.
These first few weeks of my tenure as the 143rd Grand Marshal, I've talked about student input, communication, and community relations; ideas that I truly feel strong about. But my major endeavor is to find the ideas and input that all the students and members of the RPI community have. So please, make a shout out, stop by the GM/PU office in the Student Government Suite, or e-mail me at gm@rpi.edu.
In a community where the exchange of ideas has brought about the ideas and innovations that RPI is known for, there is no more important goal we should be striving for than communication. It must be a bridge between us students, faculty, and administrators to bring positive change to campus.
Last week’s Pizza with the Cabinet is a step in that direction of consistent and open communication with all the members of the RPI community. I would like to thank the members of the president’s cabinet for their attendance as well as the numerous students that spent over two hours conversing and listening to the questions and responses made over many topics, including January Term, the CLASS initiative, ResLife compensation, and student attendance at EMPAC. The 40th Student Senate will be sure to sponsor more of these discussions through the next year.
How do all of us stay connected, stay aware, and continue discussions? It is a challenge to keep the motivation and the interest of students in the process of addressing changes to campus life and the student experience. Student government is a tool for the students, but it becomes useless when the voice of students is no longer heard. How do we continually hear the input of students as well as effectively disperse the information that we members of the Student Senate receive? We have some ideas to communicate, and we’re interested to hear yours.
I hope that I can be an easily accessible point of contact for questions, comments, and concerns that you would like to bring. The Grand Marshal/President of the Union Office is in the Student Government Suite in the Rensselaer Union; if you see the door open, come on in! I’m looking for your input and your ideas for the path that we in the Student Senate and student government should take; e-mail me at gm@rpi.edu and let’s get going!
Let me debut into this column by first thanking those who listened, encouraged, and elected me into the office of Grand Marshal. The campaign will never stop; I promise to continue to reach out and ask students for their input and support of the many actions that the 40th Student Senate will be undertaking for the next year. I would also like to thank the outgoing 142 Grand Marshal, Kara Chesal, for her determination and leadership; I wish her well in her path beyond RPI. Let me also congratulate Alex Franz on his election to President of the Union, I look forward to working with him and the Executive Board. I hope this year will allow the Student Senate, Executive Board, and Judicial Board to work together to effectively serve its student body.
The 40th Student Senate comprises of a very diverse and knowledgeable group of students that are here to best represent the student body. The Senate is already on its way through appointments to my cabinet and committees; our first meeting has already come and passed and I encourage any member of the RPI community to attend our meetings at 8pm on Mondays in room 3202 of the Student Union.
The Student Senate is much more than those elected; we invite all students to join the numerous committees and agencies of the Senate that are here to improve the student life experience. Are you interested in student rights? Join the Student Life Committee. The Community Relations Committee is here for improving the relationship between RPI and the surrounding community. The Academic Affairs Committee fights for improvements to education and learning on campus. Finance Facilities & Advancement Committee serves as a source of information on everything; from parking to buildings, institute finances to furniture, they're the comment box for you. The Web Technologies Group is on the cusp of technological innovation with recent projects such as Concerto (the digital signage system on campus) and the recently updated Union website. If you are interested in any of these Senate groups, or have questions, e-mail me at gm@rpi.edu.
Our first event, in coordination with the former Grand Marshal, is Pizza with the Cabinet. Members of the President's Cabinet will be available to listen and answer your questions this Thursday from 6-8pm in the Banquet Hall in Russell Sage Dining Hall. This new event will allow students to have a variety of topics about RPI be discussed in an environment that is very relaxed; pizza has a way of doing that.
I look forward to the remaining weeks of the semester to build a strong foundation for the Student Senate as it looks to tackle many issues facing us at RPI. My platform was communication, student input, and community relations; these are paths that I hope the Student Senate will take this next year and address to bring some positive change to campus.
I'm here for you; my mind, e-mail, and door is open for all of you and I await your ideas and input for the coming year.
With the upcoming student government elections I have been thinking about what student platforms mean and platforms in the greater sense of government and politics.
For example, when someone runs for president of the United States they are elected based on what they stand for. Once they get into office the expectation is that they will represent the entire country. Thus, somewhere along the line between campaigning and elections, politicians must change who they base their policy on in order to best democratically represent their constituents.
This is where I see an inherent flaw — If you must change to represent an entire community and not just those who you were trying to represent from the beginning, you perhaps betray some segment of your original supporters. If your agenda solely consists of what you ran on, you are not being truly democratic. Its a catch 22: you cannot run for office without having a stance on issues, and yet when you get into office you are expected to have no bias and act in a way that represents the majority of the population.
Thus I see little point in creating platforms before people are democratically elected to office. If you cannot guarantee you will be able to carry out your goals democratically or create policy that best represents your entire constituency, you might as well wait and run based on your abilities to listen and react to the majority's opinion and thought.
I have personally received some criticisms for expressing my opinions in meetings. To be a leader is it more important to not speak and purely run the meetings or is it more important to act on what the platform you ran on stressed? I have yet to figure it out myself. While I have taken psych courses and have a basic understanding or anarchism and democracy, it is hard to realize what works best and what is ethically sound.
I would be interested in what students outside of student government think is important for elected student officials to uphold; is it more important to stick to your campaign platform, reach out to the campus regularly to gauge student opinion in every process, or to allow those other students elected to act as representatives of the community?
Post your thoughts, I'm interested in hearing other opinions.
The Student Sustainability Task Force (SSTF) at RPI has released a comprehensive report entitled 'Sustainability at Rensselaer.' Click the link to read the report that is also now on President Jackson's desk!
This report is the result of months of work by a team of students on the SSTF. It covers past sustainability programs at RPI, such as the residence hall-based EcoHall Challenge, as well as loads of data regarding power consumption, waste recycling, and programs here and elsewhere. Most important are the objectives outlined at the end of the report, which make clear the SSTF's vision for what sustainability at RPI could be.
It's Monday, January 19 at the second Spring meeting of the Student Senate. I want to give people an update on what is being discussed at the Senate meetings regarding, among other issues, the 98 staff layoffs that occurred late last semester.
I'll be posting updates as we hear them at today's meeting. But before the meeting gets started, let me talk about what was said last week about the layoff situation:
Jan 19 Financial Situation Updates From the Senate:
Updates from the Facebook Group:
Other Updates:
Now that I've had a chance to relax a little over Thanksgiving Break, I thought I'd reflect on some of the stuff that has happened in student government over this past semester. This being my third year on the Student Senate, I've been involved with all sorts of forward-looking projects. But this year I'm happier than ever with what we've delivered thus far and where we're headed.
When we first opened up the new year, we already had a couple things done and in-process. Over the summer, August Fietkau and I prepped this website for the Senate, a new vision of what we had been working on for some months prior. We put up this blog (not sure how many people actually see it, but whatever), built a really robust project management system, and implemented some other tools for the Senate. The Senate's space on the web isn't frequented by too many students, which can be a little discouraging sometimes, but at least we've got a space to tell people about what our organization does. We also launched the Union Pulse, a newsletter focused on Union activities.
Another thing we started to do in the summer is preparation for GoCrossCampus, an online game created and run by fellow nerds at Yale and Columbia. We created an RPI version of a Risk-type game map, named all the territories, and launched a promotional campaign and website to get people started with the game. It launched in October and has, by all accounts, been pretty damn successful. Sure the game has its kinks, but we're happy to see a lot of RPI students keeping up with it every day.
We've launched a free web hosting service that gives tech-savvy students and organizations a lot more power under the hood for experimenting and hosting web sites--much more than what RPI provides. Our membership numbers have been phenomenal so far and we're excited to see what people build using the myRPI-space service.
The "myRPI" moniker points to a much bigger work-in-progress. You might have noticed this site on the web. It's a prototype of a student web portal that we're building--the single, central site for student life at RPI. We're not ready yet to lift the pot cover on what we've got cooking on the stove, but I have a feeling you'll like it. Just give us a little more time!
With Thanksgiving over, I've got one final thing for which I'll give thanks: the ability to work with great people on projects that really spur positive changes at the Institute. Student government doesn't always get it right. But I can tell you that this semester we've started to bring some great stuff to the table, and we've got a hell of a lot more coming.
I remember learning about the business of the Student Senate by listening to senators discuss business in the Student Government Suite while I was doing homework. At the time this disturbed me from my work, but as a relatively new student I didn't know any better. When I decided to run for Senate, I chose to focus my campaign on improving communication of Senate business to the rest of campus. Communication with the rest of campus is about providing information to people about what we do in the Senate, and also about gathering input from constituents to bring before the Senate. Senate Hours is an effort intended to increase the communication of feedback from students to the Student Senate.
It's an idea I came up with to encourage students who are not senators to become involved in influencing their senators. This pilot program consists of student senators volunteering an hour or two during the week to be available for other students to meet with them. Senate Hours follow an open door policy, meaning that you can visit senators during the times they are available without making an appointment. You can give feedback to senators on issues that have already been brought to the Student Senate, propose new business to bring before the Senate, or talk about projects that you feel the Senate should undertake. I believe that in order for senators to represent their constituents best, they should get feedback. Open government is important to maintaining a democratic process and part of the process is to transfer information from constituents to the Senate.
Senate Hours will only be effective if you, the constituents the senate represents, use them. We have posted a sheet on the door to the Student Government Suite (Suite 3120 on the third floor of the Student Union) that lists all of the meeting times of every committee and student government body on campus, as well as contact information for each senator (including their Senate Hours). Hours are being held on each day of the week and in several different locations around campus. I highly encourage all students on campus to use Senate Hours to ensure that we remain a responsive form of government. Feel free to drop by the Student Government Suite on the third floor of the Union with any questions, comments, concerns, or project ideas you might have!
Between September 4th and September 30th, there were eight incidents involving students being accosted within just a few blocks of campus. Our campus may be relatively safe, but the streets around it - even in broad daylight - are not safe any longer. These incidents have occurred at a variety of times, but primarily late in the afternoon. RPI Public Safety and the Troy Police Department have taken measures to put a stop to this crime wave, making several arrests in the process, but more is needed - from students. While students may just be "passing through" the Troy community during their college years, everyone has a responsibility to help make their community a pleasant and safe place to be.
To that end, the Senate is working to organize a workshop to be attended by a number of prominent community members, representatives from Troy PD and Public Safety, RPI administrators, and, of course students. The focus of the workshop will involve identifying the nature and causes of the problems students and residents have had off-campus and identifying some steps to be taken by everyone to help alleviate some of the type of crime we've experienced. Once a date has been ironed out, we'll be spreading the word so that any interested students can attend (pending available space).
So we just got back from this year's Union Activities Fair, and it was pretty cool. For those of you who may have stopped by the Senate's area at the front of the Field House, we had a great time talking with you and hope that you check out all the cool stuff we've got brewing for you and the rest of the student body. Actually, if you're interested in getting involved with a fun activity, it's a great time to hook up with a group of Senate members and crank out some sweet projects that help improve the student experience. It really doesn't take much to become part of the Senate--just show up to one of our committee meetings and see what's happening. It's all what you make of it.
Regardless of whether or not you're interested in working as a part of the Senate, you might want to check out a new editable guide we threw up at myRPI, the brand new student portal. It might provide you with some extra insight about what goes on in student government. Oh, and keep your feet up and stay for a while at myRPI--let us know what you think of it and what you'd like to see added. Maybe you might want to design the homepage banner for the site or submit a funny quote. I'm sure I'm not the only one who would love to read it. And do be sure to hit up the problem-reporting links in the left column if you run into any problems with classes or the like.
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