Administration
Students angered by selective restrictions placed on multicultural events
While Big Red Freakout and Winter Carnival went on without a hitch, administrators placed severe restrictions on some students’ biggest events of the year, citing concerns with coronavirus. “It’s discriminatory and wrong,” said Multicultural Leadership Council member Sundjata Suma ’20 while discussing the issue in a meeting.
Campus Security
Rensselaer lobbied for peace officer bill to expand PubSafe powers
Rensselaer lobbied for the New York State Senate bill that would grant peace officer status to certain public safety officers, which was posted publicly on the government website earlier this month and sparked concern in the RPI community. There has been no communication about this initiative to the student body, besides the bill’s posting.
Music, drama, and idiocy at Evening of Performance
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said the gentleman behind me after witnessing the closing act of Sheer Idiocy, which marked the end of a night filled with showstopping flair and frenetic fun. The combined talents of the RPI Players, Rensselaer Music Association, and Sheer Idiocy were intricately intertwined to make the Evening of Performance a night to remember.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said the gentleman behind me after witnessing the closing act of Sheer Idiocy, which marked the end of a night filled with showstopping flair and frenetic fun. The combined talents of the RPI Players, Rensselaer Music Association, and Sheer Idiocy were intricately intertwined to make the Evening of Performance a night to remember.
Rensselaer laments loss of graduate student
The Rensselaer community mourns the passing of graduate student Yeming Shen, after his roommate discovered him on February 10 in their apartment at City Station.
Yeming Shen’s legacy in research at Rensselaer
Yeming Shen’s PhD advisor, Thomas Sharkey, writes about Yeming’s contributions to the Industrial and Systems Engineering Department after his unexpected passing.
Off-Campus Event
Year of the Rat was worth the wait
The Chinese American Student Association held their Lunar New Year celebration on Saturday. I was there to take photos for The Polytechnic, but I had a blast. I had never been to anything like it before, and sure the food was subpar as it was American Chinese food catered by Sodexo, but the celebration featured a variety of performances from a dragon dance, to a performance on the guzheng—a traditional Chinese string instrument, even including a multitude of dance routines by the group Eighth Wonder.
Women's Hockey
Nystrøm's heroics not enough to beat the Harvard Crimson
The Harvard Crimson prevailed against the Engineers in their game on Friday night with a 3‒1 victory.
Rensselaer Union
Union website updates underway
The Rensselaer Union website is currently undergoing maintenance to increase its functionality and address some issues. The site’s present status renders some information regarding clubs and Union events inaccessible to the greater student body, causing students to resort to social media such as Reddit and Facebook.
Opinion
Why you should study abroad
The Arch is fast approaching—especially for me, now that I am at the end of my sophomore year. I never really tried to become exempt from the Arch because frankly, I didn’t want to be. Since the beginning of college, I wanted to study abroad for at least one semester, and the Arch allows me to do that without worrying about transferring credit towards my major to graduate within four years.
How you can get involved in Student Government
Campaigning for elected Student Government positions officially kicked off this past week on February 12, 2020! Students can now attend informational sessions to learn about the rules and procedures of campaigning for elected positions.
Tell us how your club is adjusting to the Arch
We had a meeting of all the Union officers this past week. The grand marshal, undergraduate president, graduate president, judicial board chair, and I all met a few times a semester to make sure that all bodies of our Student Government are working together cohesively. On this occasion, we met to discuss some wrap-up items as many of our terms are coming to an end and student leader appreciation.
Privacy is (almost) dead
Privacy is dead. It died unnoticed while everyone watched.
Women's Hockey
Engineers bested by the Big Green
The Engineers’ losing streak extends to 25 games and their record falls to 0‒31‒1 with a 4‒1 defeat to Dartmouth.
Interview
Behind the mask of Owen Savory
Sports Editor Andrew Days sits down with the Engineers’ goaltender to learn more about him.
Give us your feedback about club budgeting
President of the Union Caitlin Kennedy discusses the importance of the club budgeting feedback form, and asks clubs to respond. Kennedy also mentions that campaigning for next year’s Student Government starts soon.
It is okay to change your expectations
During high school, I had a crystal clear picture of what I wanted to accomplish in college. I wanted to complete a dual major, get involved with research, and get a part-time job or paid internship to help pay for my tuition. After only my first semester at Rensselaer, I couldn’t help but feel I had gone astray.
Semester away impacting leadership on campus
The Arch program is drastically changing how leadership positions in clubs and organizations are filled. Facilities should be updated to support remote student leadership.
Shows to help you unwind this semester
During the cold and rainy days here in Troy, sometimes you just have to bury yourself in blankets and put on a good show. If you’ve already binged all the popular series on Netflix and are looking for something new, The Polytechnic is here to help.
During the cold and rainy days here in Troy, sometimes you just have to bury yourself in blankets and put on a good show. If you’ve already binged all the popular series on Netflix and are looking for something new, The Polytechnic is here to help.
Men'S Hockey
Fans freak out over the Big Red Freakout
A packed Houston Field House celebrated as the Engineers beat the University of Vermont 1‒0 in the 43rd annual Big Red Freakout game.
Rensselaer Union
Upgraded mail center moved to Union from Commons
The student mail center has been relocated to the first floor of the Rensselaer Union and will open on Monday. It now features an “intelligent parcel locker” system for packages aimed at decreasing wait times.
My road to editor in chief
Hello, I became the editor in chief of The Polytechnic at the end of last semester. This is how I got there.
The high price of GM Week
With only seven members listed in the Union Annual Report, the 2019 GM Week Committee was given about $52,000 to prepare for events; this is budgeted from a pool of money that includes student activity fees and income from Union vendors.
High schoolers are old enough to vote
Sports Editor Andrew Days explains why he believes that those younger than 18 should have the ability to vote.
Empac Event
Dehumanization in work, war explained
Associate Professor of English at Virginia Commonwealth University, Jennifer Rhee, discussed concepts from her book, The Robotic Imaginary: The Human and the Price of Dehumanized Labor, during the first Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center talk of the Spring semester.
On-Campus Event
Beginner's guide to an RPI hockey game
Freshmen staff writers Medhini Mankale and Sarah Shiang reflect on their first Big Red Freakout game.
What makes Thunder Mountain Curry special
The Polytechnic sat down with the co-founder of Thunder Mountain Curry to discuss how it came to be and why it is loved on campus.
The Polytechnic sat down with the co-founder of Thunder Mountain Curry to discuss how it came to be and why it is loved on campus.
Why you should care about the Student Senate Survey
Grand Marshal Meagan Lettko urges students to complete the Senate Survey—which is one of the primary ways that the Senate gathers constituent opinions—and addresses a privacy issue with the platform that has since been resolved.
Tech problems at a tech school
As an editorial board, we believe it is important to discuss the reliability of the websites controlled by people at Rensselaer as well as the fluctuating Wi-Fi connection on campus. Both issues affect the daily lives of students and deserve a discussion.
The role of an Executive Board representative
President of the Union Caitlin Kennedy explains the roles of Executive Board representatives and their relationships with Union clubs.
“Hail!” endorsed as RPI student fight song
“Hail! Dear Old Rensselaer” was endorsed as the official fight song of students by the Senate after a petition advocating for this change reached 275 signatures.
“Hail! Dear Old Rensselaer” was endorsed as the official fight song of students by the Senate after a petition advocating for this change reached 275 signatures.
On-Campus Event
Winter Carnival warms students’ spirits with fun, activities
The Winter Carnival was held just in time as the snow melted away in Troy. The theme was “There’s Snow Place Like Home.” After students checked in, they were free to play games outdoors, free skate, or explore the activities.
Editorial Notebook
Remembering Kobe Bryant
It’s been a few days since basketball legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash and I am still having trouble processing it.
New shuttle routes see last minute changes
New shuttle routes, already approved by the Institute, were presented to and endorsed by the Student Senate on November 25, and then advertised to the student body. Since then, the routes have been changed twice, both by the Institute and the Facilities and Services Committee of the Student Senate.
New shuttle routes, already approved by the Institute, were presented to and endorsed by the Student Senate on November 25, and then advertised to the student body. Since then, the routes have been changed twice, both by the Institute and the Facilities and Services Committee of the Student Senate.
Student survey reveals negative views of Arch
A survey conducted by the Student Senate showed that 78 percent of respondents were unsatisfied with the Arch after they participated in it. 94 percent of respondents thought that students should be able to live in off-campus housing during the Arch. 64 percent of respondents said they would not participate in the Arch if it were optional.
Community Recipes
A remedy for homesickness: crowdsourced recipes
Every year, Rensselaer brings together a group of diverse individuals, each from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, who are passionate in pursuing varied academic interests and are all unified in our shared experience of building a new life away from home.
Building the future of The Polytechnic
Journalism is in flux. The traditional newspaper is dead. Revenue from selling advertisements in a printed edition is shrinking. Across the country, smaller newspapers are being bought by national conglomerates, and the staffs that understand local issues better than anyone are being eviscerated to cut costs.
Journalism is in flux. The traditional newspaper is dead. Revenue from selling advertisements in a printed edition is shrinking. Across the country, smaller newspapers are being bought by national conglomerates, and the staffs that understand local issues better than anyone are being eviscerated to cut costs.
