First things first: Welcome to all the new graduate students and welcome back to those of you fortunate enough to have left RPI for the summer—I was not one of you. In spite of that, I had a great summer regarding both work and play, and I hope it was the same for all of you.
That said, I would like to speak about two items in this week’s column. The first is the business of the Graduate Council. If you are unaware, the Graduate Council is the representation for graduate students in student government and to the administration of RPI. I am this year’s Graduate Council president and it is my job to carry your concerns to both of these bodies for resolution, so don’t hesitate to contact me if you have an issue that you feel needs addressing.
I can be found in my office located in the Student Government Suite on the 3rd floor of the Rensselaer Union. It is conspicuously labeled “Graduate Council” on the door, but if you can’t find it—and it is hidden—just ask someone for Wally. You can also reach me via e-mail at morriw@rpi.edu.
Also, if you are interested, we have a few openings on the Graduate Council for both representatives and senators. Obviously, senators will be directly involved with student government, but the representatives will also be responsible for bringing your issues to the council. In fact, it would seem the biggest concern of the graduate students over the last few years has been the lack of social events. In order to address this we are seeking representatives and senators, who, in addition to the regular qualifications, would like to help plan social events for the coming year. We have a significant budget made up from the fees you pay, so shouldn’t you enjoy it? I think so. And if you like to plan these types of things then you can directly influence how we spend your money.
So, if you are interested in event planning or any other facet of student government please come to one of the two informational meetings we will be having. Both will be in the Student Government Suite at 8 pm for the next two Thursdays—tomorrow, September 9 and next week, September 16. I hope to see you there.
The second item is this column. I don’t know what form it will take each time it is printed, but you can bet that if there is a function or news that affects the graduate students here at RPI, it’ll show up here. So check in with me whenever The Poly comes out to keep up with graduate events. I hope you all have a good year and I wish much success with your work. Good luck.