Happy Wednesday, RPI! I hope that everyone enjoyed the long weekend and got some much deserved rest. This past weekend was full of many fun events, including the Winter Carnival at ECAV on Saturday. The Winter Carnival is a fun event planned by a committee of students each year filled with carnival activities, free food, prizes, and so much more. This year, there was an ice carving competition which was great to watch. There were carvings of many different things from snowmen to dolphins, and it was great to see so many people dedicate their time and effort. Additionally, the extra snow made the cardboard sled race very interesting this year. In the past few years, the race has been conducted in the mud, so it was nice to see sledding in the snow. Additionally, the women’s hockey team had their senior appreciation game during the Winter Carnival. The game against Cornell was very well played with both teams scoring consistently. Unfortunately, Cornell won the game, but our team played a wonderful game and it was fantastic to see so many enthusiastic supporters.

I would like to take a moment to correct my article from a few weeks ago; the Clubhouse Pub was a gift from the Class of 1990, not the Class of 1991. In the pub, there is actually a plaque commemorating the dedication of the pub so feel free to check that out when you are attending one of their theme nights. This past weekend, they celebrated Valentine’s Day with free food and lots of treats.

Additionally, the Senate and the Executive Board have been working to update the Union Constitution. Last year a committee was formed to discuss updates; unfortunately, that committee did not have enough time to review many of the changes which should have been made. This year, Frank Abissi ’15 has chaired the Constitution Committee to discuss many improvements to our student government system. These discussions have led to many changes, which all students should take the time to review. If you have any questions or would like more information, please reach out to Frank at abissf@rpi.edu.

A few weeks ago the Rennselaer Union sent out a survey to all students asking them to review the bookstore to determine the best way that it can meet students’ needs. Through this preliminary survey, we discovered that the format and time frame needed work, so the Union will be sending out an improved version of the original survey. Again, there will be three random participants who will receive a $50 Amazon gift card for filling out the survey. If you have any feedback about the bookstore, or about the initial survey, please let me know.

Finally, in this week’s club officer email, I mentioned that the Rensselaer Union is looking for descriptions and artifacts from our clubs to put on display. In order to showcase your club and gain more publicity, please fill out the form so we can highlight your club or organization. This is a great way to advertise for your club, and to put a special emphasis on any upcoming events.

If you would like more clarification about anything Union-related, or if you have any questions please feel free to contact me at pu@rpi.edu. Have a wonderful week!