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.

Filed in Top Hat

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