Hello Rensselaer, and welcome back to the alumni and trustees that are here this week! As everyone knows, this weekend is Reunion & Homecoming here at RPI. We are hosting many returning graduates of our beloved alma mater as they reminisce their years at school with friends and family. These alumni are here to give back and see where the school is now. Those that haven’t been back within the last few years will find the transformations astounding. For current students, this weekend is truly a testament of our friendships and memories made here that will always be remembered.
There will be many scheduled events and activities hosted by the class years, athletic teams, affinity groups, and greek organizations. While there will be an overwhelming number of things going on, many will be open to students. I highly encourage everyone to attend. Use this opportunity to hear some stories about how RPI used to be 50 years ago, or learn about what recent graduates did to find a job. To see a schedule for everything going on this weekend, and to learn more about this weekend, visit http://alumni.rpi.edu/.
This week, the Student Senate—in partnership with the Dean of Students Office, Alpha Phi Alpha, Alpha Phi Omega, Community Advocates, and other student groups—kicked off its voter registration initiative. In just the first day, the tables at the Darrin Communications Center, Rensselaer Union, and Commons Dining Hall registered over 200 students to vote in the presidential elections this coming November! With a month to go, there will be more events tied into the “RPI Votes” and “Why Vote?” program that we are working together to provide students.
On Monday, the draft of The Rensselaer Plan Refresh was officially released. The 35-page document has a lot of ties to the first plan created over 10 years ago. The revisions have a lot of emphasis on cutting-edge technology used to educate students, entrepreneurship, diversity, and student life. Timothy Sams, vice president for Student Life, gave his remarks on the draft to the Senate at our meeting, and it was strongly encouraged that students provide input. Students will have many opportunities to discuss and share thoughts on this new plan; these times for discussion were included in the e-mail sent out by President Shirley Ann Jackson on Monday.
Lastly, as we are nearing colder weather, we should also start being more conscious of our own health and safety. The Student Health Center is giving out free flu shots to students this whole week. On a college campus, illnesses and colds spread very quickly. The last thing we want to happen is to get sick during finals week. Please take advantage of this opportunity and start becoming aware of your own health and others’!
As always, feel free to e-mail me with questions, comments, and concerns at gm@rpi.edu.