The Polytechnic endorses Chip Kirchner ’17 for President of the Union. We feel that he presented himself and his platform well in our interview; his plans for office were clearly stated in his submissions, and his leadership experience and success as a leader make him the best candidate for PU.
Of all the candidates, we feel that Kirchner has the strongest platform. The thought and consideration he put into his campaign greatly impressed the Editorial Board. The suggested changes to the budgeting process, increased training and awareness of Executive Board representatives, and plans for increased student participation in committees are all changes we would like to see in the E-Board. His long term goals are also ones we wish to see come to fruition, which include smoothing the Summer Arch transition, establishing strong communication lines with the administration, and implementation of long-term budgeting strategies for clubs. We also appreciate that these goals do not simply revolve around the Save our Union movement, which, while possibly essential to the future of the Rensselaer Union, is not the sole scope of the PU.
Outside of the E-Board, Kirchner has proven that he is a confident, capable leader who has the ability to realize the goals he has set. As chairman of UPAC Sound, he was able to increase membership from five to 25 members strong. During that process, he gained experience as a club leader; allowing him both to gain a working relationship with the administration, and understand the struggles that club leaders go through during their tenure.
If elected, we have complete confidence that Kirchner will be able to both serve the students and bring E-Board to new heights.