On Friday, September 21, the Student Senate Rules and Elections Committee revealed the results for the Class of 2016 elections. First-year students ran for positions ranging from class president to class council representativ e. According to the results, exactly one-third of the freshman class voted, which is down by approximately ten percent from last year. Read more...

Last Thursday, the Student Senate held its yearly elections for the freshman class. The students elected four members of the Class of 2016 to be senators, as well as the 2016 Class Council. For this election, the turnout was a dismal 33.33 percent. This is down from last year’s 43.30 percent—which itself is a decrease from the 2010 freshmen elections, in which there was a turnout of 48.48 percent. This decrease presents a worrying trend. Traditionally, the freshmen class is the most active class in all campus-wide elections. If the turnout for this early election is low, The Poly is concerned about the potential effects on the Grand Marshal Week elections next April. Read more...

Daniel’s Take

Having played through a bit of the first Borderlands game coming into Borderlands 2, I was immediately wowed by how elegant the game’s cartoonish graphics were. Graphics are not everything, though, and this game failed to provide the meat to the bones of its story. Read more...

The Student Senate held its weekly meeting on Monday, September 24. Each committee informed the general body of its current projects. The new senators for the Class of 2016 were introduced, and suggestions were also taken regarding potential updates to the Student Handbook. and Senate by-laws. Read more...

As you may or may not know, there are quite a few things to do with your time at RPI. In fact, one of the hardest things to do here is manage your time well. I, personally, haven’t done it very well this semester. Read more...

The Humble Indie Bundle 6 came out last Tuesday, September 18th, so as always this reviewer jumped on the opportunity to get an amazing $6 (or thereabouts) deal on five or more indie PC games that the Humble Bundles always are. Today another four games were added, bringing the total to nine games for $6, an amazing deal when most of the games would normally sell for $10 or more on Steam. Read more...

It is my last year here at RPI and thus my job search has becomes more necessary and urgent. I have even done the unthinkable; I have purchased a grey suit. Read more...

To many, the concept of clean coal does not exceed that of a green-washed advertising campaign, but I have learned that the practice is far more extensive and beneficial to the U.S. energy supply. The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity describes clean coal technology as those “that can be used to reduce the environmental footprint of coal… as well as reduce [greenhouse gas] emissions.” The IPCC estimates coal plants with available carbon capture technology will reduce emissions by 85 percent while keeping cost increases below 50 percent and increased coal usage below 30 percent. Even in a 30-year low, coal provided 39 percent of our electricity in 2011 (natural gas was a distant second at 26 percent). Gradually replacing largest source of electricity with other forms will not be enough to ensure the path to a low-carbon future clean coal must become a reality. Read more...

With an increasing emphasis on cellular and molecular research to cure global diseases, a plethora of questions have arisen. For example, we know much of how cells function individually, but how do they function with other cells as a group? How does the physiological location of cells influence their function? Professor of Biology George Plopper is conducting research in an effort to answer questions like these. In particular, his research is focusing on the function of the extracellular matrix. The ECM, composed primarily of proteins, lies outside of cells and, being insoluble, forms the major part of the connective tissue holding cells together. It is responsible for most of the sensory features of cells; without the ECM, communication between cells is virtually impossible. Thus, current research aims to discover how the ECM controls and influences the behavior of a group of cells through its role in cell communication. Read more...

As we near the end of September, we have a lot to look forward to in October. In just a couple weeks our hockey teams have their home openers; we will be hosting Reunion & Homecoming, Family Weekend, and many more exciting things will be happening as well. Read more...

Dredd 3D was not a movie I expected to be good. Like so many movies these days, it’s a remake of a half way decent movie from the ’90s. Judge Dredd was originally a movie starring Sylvester Stallone (unfortunately also featuring Rob Schneider) about a gritty cop in a post-apocalyptic, somewhat dystopian future, where gritty justice is dispensed by future cops who are simultaneously judge, jury, and executioner. This remake features the same theme, but with a re-visioning of the story that I found to be a lot of fun, and finally worth the money I paid for entrance. Read more...

Hello everyone! Again this week, I would like to highlight the National Society of Black Engineers/Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers Career Fair coming up on Friday and Saturday, September 28 and 29. Almost 200 companies will be making the journey to it in search of RPI students to fill entry-level full time positions as well as co-op and internship opportunities. The Center for Career and Professional Development is hosting many different sessions to help prepare students for the fair, with topics varying from resume preparation, interviewing skills, to tips on navigating the floor and speaking with recruiters. Stop by their office on the second floor of the Darrin Communication Center for more information! Next weekend is also Reunion & Homcoming Weekend. Make sure to check out the full list of events and activities available for students: http://alumni.rpi.edu/. Read more...

Mumford & Sons has finally released a second album. The now famous folk rock band was formed in late 2007 in London, and rose to popularity in both the U..S. and Great Britain with the release of its first album, Sigh No More. The album was released in the U.S. in February of 2010, and has since sold 2.4 million copies in the U.S. Anticipation of the band’s second album, titled Babel, had been drawn out for too long when the album was released on Tuesday. Read more...

Starting this summer, the Institute, in conjunction with the Department of Public Safety, has begun operation on a new program intended to increase security for students and faculty on campus. The Guardian program is an opt-in program designed to increase safety. Read more...

Last month, President Shirley Ann Jackson announced plans to refresh the Rensselaer Plan. Two weeks ago, Jackson appointed a Reassessment Leadership Committee, dubbed “RealCom 2.0,” to oversee the refresh of the plan, which includes Provost Prabhat Hajela as Chair, along with various vice presidents, deans, professors, students (such as former President of the Union Nikki Gallant ’13), and other members of the RPI community. Read more...

I’m not really sure what I expected when I went on an RPI Ambulance ride-along. What I got was a long night where I learned a whole lot and got insight about a great and important service on campus. Read more...

On Monday, September 17, the Student Senate held its weekly meeting. Along with the regular committee reports, the Senate also made an appointment and released information and numbers regarding this year’s freshmen elections. Read more...