RPI Ambulance back in service temporarily

While waiting to request a new ambulance altogether, RPI Ambulance asked to go back into service with their current vehicle, expecting to do repairs in the near future. President of RPI Ambulance, Mary Clare Crochiere ‘19, explained that since being taken out of service due to concerns about oil leaks in the engine, they had missed four student transports, which nets around $5000 students needlessly spent on other ambulances.

Executive Board member Ben Volk adamantly opposed this idea. He created a risk index sheet, showing the net loss of RPI Ambulance continuing as -$1983.50. One piece of data in the calculation was estimates on ambulance staffing for hockey and football games. Since they must be staffed according to RPI policy and the RPI Ambulance is a free service, it saves money for the athletic department to use the club. 

Volk’s estimates for how much the athletic department would save were significantly below the actual value Executive board and Ambulance member John Jacangelo provided. Crochiere also noticed that the money saved by students who needed transport was also not factored into the risk sheet.

In a role call vote, the motion to “allow RPI Ambulance to return its ambulance to service effective immediately” passed 8-3-1. A follow up motion was made to “require RPI Ambulance to complete all repairs to their ambulance related to its engine leak prior to the start of the Spring 2019 semester. If this repair is not completed on time, the ambulance will not be allowed to enter service until such a time that the repairs are completed.” This motion passed 13-0-0.

Treasurer of Students Exploration Development Space Ryan O’Neill presented, seeking a starter budget. SEDS has a $300 grant to make educational YouTube videos about topics in space that are both interesting to the community and easy to comprehend. SEDS is also working on campus to create a solid iodine ion thruster, which they plan to send to space by buying space on a rocket. The one concern with the proposition was the fact that the club cannot both be funded by the Union and external parties. However, the grant was a one time payment, and Club Operations Chairperson Caitlin Kennedy ‘20 pointed out, “as a Union club, they have a right to basic things.” A motion to approve RPI SEDS’ starter budget of $200 from stop-gap budget contingencies was approved 14-0-2.

The Muslim Students Association presented on problems they had encountered. For the five required daily prayers, students were given only a space under a staircase in the Folsom library. Often the mats are stolen, and the space is suboptimal. The association asked for any help finding a better prayer space close to the academic side of campus. While there wasn’t anything the executive board could do, the board recommended speaking with administrators of the Muller Center as well as asking everyone to keep their eyes out for open spaces.

Also, Club Volleyball was approved an $825 reallocation grant to enter a new league, the International Genetically Engineered Machine club was approved as a Union recognized club, and the Club Renewal and Probation Policies were changed.