On Sunday, both the RPI men’s and women’s swimming teams hosted Hartwick College. The men defeated the Hawks by a final tally of 163-131. The women crushed their opponents 193-99, in what was their first victory in over 10 years against Hartwick. Read more...

The Poly will be holding elections on Sunday, November 23 at 10 am in Mother’s Wine Emporium. Read more...

This week’s meeting began with a presentation by Michael Han ’16, head of the Facilities and Services Committee. He briefly explained Slack, the new communications technology that FSC is using. In it, members are able to comment and post on certain channels with their ideas about how certain projects should be moving forward and other discussion points. Han pointed out that within Slack, members are able to stay updated on the projects they are interested in and won’t be bothered by the others. Han invited the rest of the Senate to join the discussion and believes it is a valid tool in his committee’s development of projects. Read more...

Most RPI students have problems with the campus. The weather can be terrible, classes are difficult, food leaves much to be desired, and the list goes on. Though there is a sizeable amount of problems, The Poly staff would like to remind everyone that RPI still does offer a great range of opportunities for students. Read more...

For those who love the science fiction genre and glimpses at the future, then it should be no surprise for any fan to have been excited for the reading of William Gibson last Sunday, an author who is certainly one of the premier modern science fiction authors, and who has cemented himself as one of the greatest in history. Read more...

In the first of two games against St. Cloud State last weekend, senior right wing Ali Svoboda scored to tie the score at two late in the high-scoring opening period. But, a shorthanded goal by St. Cloud State early in the second period gave the Huskies the third and final goal they needed to beat the Engineers. The following afternoon, the Huskies scored a power play goal in the first period and never looked back, winning the second game 3-0. Read more...

The Republican Party has gained control over the United States Senate in the 2014 midterm elections. Victories in North Carolina, Colorado, Iowa, West Virginia, Arkansas, Montana, and South Dakota have secured control of both the Senate and the House for Republicans. A significant event of this round of elections was Republican Senator Mitch McConnell’s re-election in Kentucky. McConnell, now Senate majority leader, bested his democratic challenger, Alison Grimes, in a tight race. Addressing the change in the political landscape, McConnell stated that he “doesn’t expect the President to wake up tomorrow and view the world any differently … We have an obligation to work together on issues where we can agree.” Additionally, Democrats held onto New Hampshire, where Democrat Jeanne Shaheen bested former Massachusetts Republican Senator Scott Brown. Finally, Republican Tim Scott became the first black senator elected from the south since Reconstruction. Read more...

After having spent a year at this school, I think I’ve come to understand a bit about college culture, specifically, how it can change a person’s identity or values. While it may be a good thing to be pushed into some discomfort in order to grow as a person, but sometimes this is not always the case. Personally, I’ve gone through a lot of growth as a person in my year as a student, most of it being good, and I think I have a few tips to give to anyone who’s not sure about their college experience. Read more...

On the evening of November 5, the ’86 Field was the site of a spectacle of lights, sound, and comradery in the form of weR BRIGHT, presented by weR–The Spirit of Rensselaer Society. Over 200 students, faculty, and staff gathered together to celebrate Founder’s Day. Attendees enjoyed a great program that featured a speech by President Shirley Ann Jackson, performances by the a cappella groups Duly Noted and Partial Credit, a hot chocolate station, and the premier of a video created by Rensselaer’s Office of Strategic Communications and External Relations called “How Has Rensselaer Changed Your World.” The evening continued as Jackson flipped the switch to light up the walkway of the ’86 Field so spectators could view the light and music show. It was a busy and exciting night! I had the honor of being Lead Agent of Lights, and it has been one of the greatest experiences of my college career. Read more...

Saturday night at the Houston Field House was tough for the Engineers and the RPI fans in attendance, as the Harvard Crimson came ready to play. Read more...

After not meeting last week, the Executive Board met to discuss the budgets of the Rensselaer Pride Alliance and Women’s Club Soccer. Read more...

This Monday in the Student Senate, Elizabeth Anderson ’14, chairperson of the Student Sustainability Task Force, presented progress on an ongoing proposal for the establishment of a Green Revolving Fund on campus. The Student Sustainability Task Force was established as a President’s Cabinet project, became a Senate subcommittee, and then a Union-recognized club. It has worked closely with the Senate, students, administration, and the surrounding community throughout its lifespan. SSTF coordinates other environmental clubs and works on major campus sustainability projects. Read more...

When you think of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the first thing that comes to mind is usually not entrepreneurship. Even though this is the case, there is a flourishing support system for anyone at RPI with an invention and a willingness to bring it to the world as recognized by President Shirley Ann Jackson in her State of the Institute address on October 11, citing a commitment to “fostering technological entrepreneurship.” Additionally, according to a July 2014 Forbes article, RPI ranks 11th on the list of “America’s Most Entrepreneurial Universities.” Read more...

The Mohawk Battalion Ranger Challenge Team, led by Siena College senior Zachary Larson, placed third out of 14 in the small school category and ninth out of 42 overall at the United States Army Cadet Command Ranger Challenge Competition in Fort Dix, NJ. The Ranger Challenge is a mentally and physically grueling competition between the top cadets of 42 Army ROTC programs in the northeastern United States. The cadets were required to complete a 10-mile ruck march, obstacle course, one rope bridge, log carry, and other demanding tasks throughout the day. The annual competition took place this year on the weekend of October 11–12. The Army ROTC Mohawk Battalion, based at Siena College, consists of the Army ROTC programs of Siena (Alpha Company); RPI (Bravo Company); and the University at Albany, State University of New York (Charlie Company). Read more...

Hey RPI!

I hope everyone had a pleasant weekend. First, I would like to thank all of the contestants on the R-Factor, the annual talent show hosted by the Class of 2015. I had so much fun being a judge, and I am always impressed by the talents of my fellow classmates. We had six very talented acts ranging from whistling to freestyle rap, and it turned out to be a very entertaining night. It was difficult for the judges to come to an agreement on the winners of the talent show, but I hope the victors enjoy their gift cards and that those who did not win know that they performed well and that the crowd definitely enjoyed the show. Read more...

This week’s athlete of the week is junior forward Nathaniel Gunderson of men’s soccer. Last Wednesday, RPI hosted Vassar College for a pivotal Liberty League semifinal confrontation. After a half of scoreless soccer, Gunderson broke out in the second frame, scoring two goals in a span of 25 minutes to give the Engineers an insurmountable lead.
The second goal, which came in the 77th minute, was assisted by senior forward Tim Terrezza. Rensselaer went on to win the game 3-1, before losing a closely contested affair to St. Lawrence University in the Liberty League finals.
Gunderson finished his junior campaign with five goals and two assists for a total of 12 points. Read more...

A new precedent has been set this fall by the members of Emerging Leaders 2, a select group of students involved in the second step of the Emerging Leaders series. Matthew Pack, a sophomore chemical engineer, said that he joined the Emerging Leaders program “to better understand what it takes to become a good leader. In EL2, I am applying the lessons I learned from Emerging Leaders 1 to get more involved with the RPI community.” A prime example of this is their responsibility to organize the Sophomore Symposium, a leadership conference that guides sophomores to reflect and improve upon their own personal and professional experiences. Since this event is slated to take place in the spring semester, a precursor event has been born to further prepare the sophomore class: The Sophomore Toast. Read more...

Coming off of an impressive 7-0 victory over Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences to finish their regular season, women’s soccer hosted St. Lawrence University in the semifinals of the Liberty League Conference tournament. During the first 90 minutes of play, the Engineers held the advantage, putting four shots on goal compared to just one for the Saints. However, neither team scored and the game went into overtime. Read more...

In the Liberty League semifinals on Wednesday, November 5, junior forward Nathaniel Gunderson scored twice in the second half to give the Engineers a 2-0 lead over visiting Vassar College. The second goal was assisted by senior forward Tim Terrezza. Read more...