Communication at RPI has increasingly become a problem. The divide between the people who make the decisions and the community at large grows ever larger. Both sides show a desire to improve the situation, but it’s no simple task.
Enter The Poly.
The administration already sees the newspaper as a valuable tool in increasing communication by disseminating infor-mation. While we are happy to work with them, The Poly’s primary goal is to serve the community by giving a voice to those who normally wouldn’t be heard.
Opinion pieces in the newspaper are often well-read by the people who have power to make changes happen, both in student government and in the administration. Letters to the editor that run in The Poly often evoke quick responses, and those that don’t are on record for everyone to see.
Anyone who is a member of the RPI community can submit letters to the editor. While we do impose some limitations—primarily with regards to length, style, and libel issues—we have a strict policy of not censoring opinions, no matter who has issues with them.
Letters to the editor aren’t the only way to get things done, though. Our news staff wants to investigate issues that are important to you—they just need to know what those are. If there’s an issue you think we should look into, a problem that’s been bugging you, or a cover-up that needs to be exposed, let us know. Even if you can’t go on record personally, a nod in the right direction can go a long way.
Of course, it doesn’t always have to be bad news that we report on. If you know of an accomplishment, award, or event that people should know about, send that our way as well. If it’s something you think the RPI community would be interested in, we want to know about it.
Finally, if you want to become more involved, we’re always happy to welcome new members. Do the investigating that breaks the next big scandal. Review a concert and get the tickets on our dime. Write the column that everyone loves—or loves to hate. Whatever your preference, no matter how much or how little experience you have, The Poly is here to be your newspaper.
At this point, you’re probably thinking, “This all sounds great, but how do I do all this stuff?” Or, at the very least, “When is he going to get around to the e-mail address?” It couldn’t be easier: E-mail poly@rpi.edu and we’ll get you pointed in the right direction. We look forward to hearing from you!
