On June 22, 2015, RPI welcomed a new vice president for student life to campus. Dr. Frank E. Ross III was announced as the new vice president after the previous vice president, Timothy Sams, moved to a new position at the beginning of the 2014-15 school year. In a statement released on May 15, President Shirley Ann Jackson detailed Ross’s responsibilities in the position to be “providing the strategic direction, vision, and leadership for the Division of Student Life. As the Institute’s chief student life officer, Ross will assume oversight, coordination, and management of all student programs at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.” Read more...

This year, classes began on Monday, January 26, for the Spring 2015 semester, one week later than classes usually start. This slightly longer winter break caused all following weeks in the academic year to be pushed forward as well. For example, the Fall 2015 semester will now begin on the very last day of August and the coming winter break will begin two days before Christmas. As a result, it will be much shorter, making work difficult for students that must over the short winter vacation. Additionally, the later spring finals week forces some students to start internships or work immediately after their last exam. Read more...

Since a substantial part of my major has to do with animation stuff, as well as making stuff in my free time, you could say I was excited to see what Pixar had up their sleeve with Inside Out. Pixar is one of the few animation companies I’ve found that has the ability to consistently put out original animation movies, and when they do happen to make sequels, they don’t compromise the originals, if you ignore Cars 2 of course. And after watching the movie, I have to say, it does not disappoint. This is probably one of the most visually striking and emotional pieces Pixar has made to date, and not just because it stars a young girl’s feelings as the main protagonists. Read more...

On June 27, a photo surfaced on an online RPI-related Facebook group that showed a Cusato’s Pizzeria sign with a message that read “HAPPY 4TH / GOD PLEASE / FORGIVE N BLESS / USA.” The sign, found outside the Schenectady location of the company that also operates a store in the Rathskellar dining area of the Rensselaer Union, caused discomfort with some students because of the close proximity of the posting to the recent Supreme Court ruling that effectively legalized same-sex marriage across the United States. By the following day, the post had been deleted from the Facebook group from violating the group’s posting guidelines. Read more...

Hi 2019! If you’re reading this, you’re probably going through one of the exciting segments of Student Orientation, or maybe even NRB! Regardless, welcome to RPI! I know that myself and all of the current students are very excited to meet you all! I’d like to take this time to provide you with some advice that I think will help you all out over the upcoming year. Take this from a former freshman that had quite an interesting year. From meeting incredible people and taking part in amazing student activities to joining the exciting roller coaster of the Student Senate and unintentionally landing up in the midst of a spring election crisis, I think it’s safe to say my year wasn’t average. So, here are my five tips that I believe will help you make this year your best yet! Read more...

There have been so many reboots of classic movies over the past couple of years, and honestly I’m getting a little sick of it. So when I heard that MTV was going to air a TV series version of Scream this summer, I was not exactly happy. Of course I had to watch it though, just to see if they would tarnish the reputation of the Scream franchise. Scream revitalized the horror genre in the late 90s by combining the concept of a slasher film with a little bit of humor and a clever plot and cast. The TV series has big shoes to fill, and even though it’s only two episodes in, I’m intrigued by what the show has had to offer so far. Don’t worry, there are no spoilers in this article, so read on! Read more...

Over the past few terms, student leaders across many organizations have worked hard to create a more transparent student union. The Poly began covering Executive Board meetings regularly, the Student Senate and the E-Board both began using social media frequently to keep students informed, and initiatives like the RPI Petitions service were created to empower students to take a more active role in the Rensselaer Union and student government. Read more...

Since I’ve written on Game of Thrones multiple times for the paper, it should be known I am a huge fan of the show and books. As I’ve said before, I believe both mediums allow for George R.R. Martin to explore the characters, themes, and moments he wishes to create or revisit. And while I usually am all for both, this season was the exception, in a very bad way. Read more...

The Executive Board communicated electronically in the past few weeks to resolve issues surrounding the Rensselaer Union Bookstore just before the end of the semester. Because most E-Board members are away from Rensselaer during the summer, President of the Union Nick Dvorak determined it would be necessary to adopt special rules of order, as stated in Article V section 7 of their bylaws, to allow easier electronic voting for proxy meetings. The Policy Committee, a subcommittee of the E-Board, approved the change to the special rules of order 3-0-0. It was then approved 11-0-0 by the E-Board. Read more...

Here’s a quick story I would like to share with you. I was nervous to leave home to come to RPI, but one week later after arriving on August 19, 2014, I found myself getting mustard poured on my head during the annual weR SLIMED event. Soon enough, I joined the club weR: The Spirit of Rensselaer Society. Additionally, one day of Navigating Rensselaer & Beyond, I spent the entire day playing volleyball outdoors near the Robinson Pool, and within the first month I joined the Club Volleyball Team. Read more...

Preceded by an ominous trailer and an unfathomable amount of hype, the album Lantern was released by Hudson Mohawke on June 15. Lantern features a unique combination of haunting sounds, chiptune melodies, and piercing vocals that has never been heard before. The man behind the moniker, Ross Birchard, is no newcomer to the electronic scene. He is currently signed to Kanye West’s label, GOOD Music, and was half of the world famous electronic duo TNGHT. Lantern is his second studio album and his first since the relatively unknown 2009 release Butter. Due to the success of his TNGHT collaboration and the six year gap between albums, the expectations were high for Lantern. I was very satisfied with Birchard’s latest release. Its seemless flow and unique sound is something to remember. Read more...

Thursday, May 14

East Campus Athletic Village Read more...

Hey future and present students,

Since the majority of you left me in Troy, I’m going to write about what you should look forward to in the coming year if you’re a new student, and touch on what is the most important area of student government. Read more...

New renovations in Quad Residence Hall will update some of the 100-year-old facilities with dorms receiving their first major overhaul since the 1970s, and almost everything but the internal walls are being replaced. Read more...

President Jackson announced the appointment of Jonathan Wexler to the position of vice president for enrollment management. Wexler will assume the role on Wednesday, July 15 after serving as vice president for enrollment management for Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, NJ. During his time at Fairleigh Dickinson, he brought enrollment for the incoming freshman class to a record high for the university, and oversaw the enrollment of the incoming class in Fall 2015, which will be the university’s strongest academically accomplished class ever. Read more...

On June 1, 2015, President Shirley Ann Jackson announced the resignation of David Brond from the position of vice president for strategic communications and external relations, which took effect on June 12, 2015. Brond, who assumed the position on April 14, 2014, accepted a position as director of account services at Aloysius Butler & Clark Creative Intelligence in Wilmington, Delaware. Read more...

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