On Friday, May 2, Sheer Idiocy had their last show of the semester. In this show, they introduced four new games: Category Die, Echo, LaRond, and Freeze Jump, all games they learned recently. Additionally, the troupe made up a game just for their graduating seniors, which was a clusterpuppy of six of their other games that they play; it was more for the group than the audience. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make the show that Friday, but luckily, thanks to RPI TV, I was able to watch it online. Lasting about two hours, the show entertained the audience with improvised games. Read more...

This past weekend, RPI women’s softball hosted the Liberty League conference tournament. The tournament followed a round-robin, double elimination format in which teams would continue to compete until three teams all had two losses and the fourth team became champion. Read more...

As of late, the Incident Blotter has seen many incidents of thefts in the athletic buildings. As early as March 13, there have been five reported cases concerning the loss of items near the Mueller Center with two other incidents at other athletic centers. In total, students have reported the loss of over $500, a cell phone, and a watch of unknown worth. All cases immediately were followed up by reports filed to Public Safety. Read more...

Hi, everyone! This Top Hat will be my final article of the academic year. Outside, the Troy weather has improved, classes are wrapping up — and as the summer takes hold, there’s a great deal for everyone to look forward to. Read more...

On Saturday, May 3, the Dance Club held their annual recital in the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center. For two hours, members of the Dance Club performed to various musical numbers. Hip-hop, jazz, and ballet were among the dances. This was my first time attending a recital, although my friends on the Dance Club have been begging me to go for years! Read more...

RPI finished its season this past weekend with three road games at Liberty League rival St. Lawrence University. After getting shut-out in the first game on Saturday, Rensselaer fought back to win the second game of the doubleheader. On Sunday afternoon, inconsistent pitching plagued the Engineers in the opening game, allowing the Saints to cruise to a 12-6 victory. Following the first game, heavy rain fell for the rest of the afternoon, canceling the second game of the doubleheader. Unfortunately for RPI, one win in three wasn’t enough to earn a berth in the Liberty League tournament as they finished in fifth place, one and a half games back from fourth-seeded Vassar College. Read more...

On Monday, April 5, the 45th Student Senate had their last meeting of the semester. They met to amend the Senate by laws and approve the Grand Marshal’s appointments to cabinet and committee chairs. Read more...

Hey RPI, I hope you have had a wonderful last week of classes. It’s time for the final push before summer break! Read more...

In honor of alumnus Clarence E. Davies, Class of 1914, the Rensselaer School of Engineering established the Davies Medal for Engineering Achievement in 1980. The medal is given to a recipient who has had an exceptional career in engineering, commitment to public service, and made outstanding technical and managerial accomplishments. This year, Nancy D. Fitzroy, Class of 1949, received the Davies Medal on May 5 in the Center for Biotechnology and Interdisciplinary Studies Auditorium. Part of the ceremony included comments from President Shirley Ann Jackson. Read more...

On Friday, May 2, the Engineers traveled to Schenectady to face, cross town rival, Union College in the first round of Liberty League tournament. RPI entered the game ranked third in the Liberty League while Union was ranked second. The Institute faced Union earlier in the season and had only suffered a one goal loss in an extremely tight game. RPI entered the match on a four game winning streak, their last loss coming from the Dutchmen on April 12. Read more...

On behalf of the board of trustees, staff, our beloved volunteers, and our lot owners of Oakwood Cemetery, I wish to recognize with gratitude the Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity for its exemplary support of Oakwood Cemetery. Read more...

Olivia’s view

As weird as it sounds, TV played a pretty big role in my childhood. I grew up as an only child, and when I couldn’t go outside or play with my friends, I would sometimes turn to TV to keep me occupied. I believe that a good part of my ability to communicate with others and deal with particular social situations stems from the shows that I watched when I was young. I didn’t think much of the impact that TV had on me when I was a child until I was around my niece and nephew when they were growing up. I would watch their shows with them, usually on Nickelodeon, and it was then that I realized the network had fallen and its fall was impacting my niece and nephew’s personalities. The content of the shows were being reflected in their social and communication skills. I could only imagine the influence that the changes in shows were affecting children everywhere. Read more...

I believe that music is the ultimate expression of emotion, not just for those that perform it, but also the listener that indulges him or herself in it. Just from the genre of music that that person is listening to, you can understand what kind of mood or stage of life they’re in. English, which has a Germanic root, is not the most musical or romantic sounding of languages. Therefore, most Americans, myself included, resort to music to let ourselves go from whatever issue or matter we’re dealing with at the moment. Read more...

It is a warm summer day in San Diego, California. As the sun shines on my face, a light breeze passes, carrying the wonderful aroma of the ocean. I sense all of this as I suit up for my final dive needed for my scuba certification. Splash! Feel the cold water enter my wet suit as I jump in. All ready to go, I begin to descend. Read more...

On Monday, April 28, the 45th Student Senate met for the first time. They approved 11 new Executive Board representatives, six of them returning, and one new Judicial Board member. The J-Board bylaws were also approved. Additionally, the excuse policy changes proposed by the Senate earlier this year are going through with just one change. A motion recognizing Bruce Kunkel, who is the director of campus planning and facilities design and now retiring, was passed. Read more...

In engineering and life in general, communication is key. If you can’t articulate or voice your opinion, you fail not only your associates, but yourself. The staff of The Poly isn’t perfect, but, as a medium for communication, we think the student population generally may have communication issues. Read more...

On April 25–26, Relay for Life of RPI was held in the Armory. Relay for Life is held to raise money for the American Cancer Society. The event started at 6 pm and lasted until 6 am, with music and performances during the night. RPI students, staff, and community members attended in teams, many of which brought fundraisers and something to sleep on. Read more...

RPI women’s lacrosse finished up their season on Saturday, April 25 hosting Clarkson University. With a win over Clarkson the Engineers would solidify first place in the Liberty League tournament. The Institute entered the game with ten wins and four losses. Read more...

On Friday, April 25, William Krattinger, a Historic Preservation Program Analyst with New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation, came to the Theta Xi chapter house to dedicate it as a National Historic Place. This dedication comes just in time for the 150th anniversary of the fraternity, originally founded at RPI on April 29, 1864. Residing at 1490 Sage Avenue, the fraternity’s alpha chapter house is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places, as determined by the United States Department of the Interior. Read more...

The internet is an amazing place. Billions of people, connected by computers, smartphones, and other devices—yes, even some ridiculous microwaves—can access a Pandora’s box of data, information, and collaborative power. There’s no question that the internet can be used for nefarious purposes—indeed, the recent Heartbleed exploit of SSL-encrypted sites shows this—but despite its detriments, the interconnectivity and potential it provides greatly outweigh the possible negatives. It has spawned multi-billion dollar corporations, aided in the increased productivity marked of the 21st century, and even aided in the removal of numerous tyrannical governments. Its decentralized nature lends itself a truly democratic, capitalistic platform, and it provides a world’s wealth of information at your fingertips. Read more...