Our first project was the ProTroy initiative, now a project of the Committee on Student and Community Services. Led by Khaoula Benghanem, the team is creating a discount program for RPI students featuring most downtown Troy businesses, to be unveiled at the beginning of the fall semester. In addition, they are trying to coordinate with many divisions to develop a weekend shuttle service plan to go to downtown Troy.

The Faculty/Student Interaction Project, now part of the Committee on Academic Affairs and Services, has sought ways to increase interaction between students and faculty outside the classroom. In conjunction with the Division of Student Life and the Provost’s Office, the group is organizing a “BrainBowl” knowledge contest and dinner on the Wednesday of GM Week. There are still some faculty contestant positions available. Please contact Mike Goldenberg, the committee chair, at goldem@rpi.edu today to sign up. This committee has also worked tirelessly to inform students about the grade modifiers issue, taking the lead role for the Senate in interacting with faculty and administrators, and organizing yesterday’s open forum in the McNeil Room.

Homecoming was a major discussion topic during last year’s election, so the Senate decided to develop a project to direct the student involvement in that effort. The Committee on the Administration and Physical Facilities chair Gavin Gyle and his team have developed a draft agenda for the week, coordinated across campus groups. They have secured firm commitments for several events, including a Friday night party in the Union, sponsored by the Alumni Association, and are working to finalize other events to present a complete Homecoming experience.

We also formed a graduate student experience project, with a goal of assessing the student life needs of graduate students. The project was led by Jeanine Thompson. One tangible result of the project was to coordinate with the Division of Student Life, the administration division, dotCIO, and the graduate school to conduct an evening of focus groups, to gather input on the graduate student experience at RPI. As part of the Senate’s restructuring efforts, this project was transitioned to the Graduate Council. That organization has developed an online survey to gather further input to shape future programs and advocacy efforts.

Finally, the Student Communication Project was tasked with developing innovative new ways to communicate with students and has transitioned into the Senate’s Office of Communications, with a wider mandate to coordinate all communication efforts of the Senate, including greek, dining hall, and residence hall feedback storming events. The project team was led by Cody Powers until his departure on co-op, and is now managed by Marcus Griep, Ryan Wetmore, and Max Yates.

Under the new Senate structure, we also have a Committee on the Judiciary, Student Rights, and Diversity. The major task of this group is to organize and manage a team to create the latest revision of the Handbook of Student Rights. The committee is led by Peter Naccarato.

In addition, the Senate handles hundreds of issues every year, from icy parking lots, to conflicts with professors, to setting the Union activity fee. This year’s Senate handled these opportunities to improve campus life with professionalism and dedication.