With the school year almost over, we are all finalizing plans for the summer. Looking to next year, many groups that the Rensselaer community depends on will soon be given the opportunity to make decisions that will affect us when we return to campus. It is up to these groups to take their responsibilties seriously, solve differences, and work for the good of the RPI community to make the next academic year a success.
A subject that has recently reared its head is the bickering between the Faculty Senate and the administration. The provost, G.P. “Bud” Peterson, has placed a note of reprimand in President Bruce Nauman’s record, and today, the Faculty Senate will hold a meeting wherein a vote of no confidence in the provost may surface. Such childish bickering, while based on potentially constructive arguments, distracts from the true issues and must be resolved through real communication rather than mere issuing of ultimatums.
Another opportunity that the administration has is to support the spirit of financial aid. It is unreasonable to assume that the Institute will not raise tuition as the years pass. However, those students that attend the school with the help of need-based scholarships should be able to see rises in these aid packages that are commensurate with increases in the cost of attendance. We look forward to hearing more about such a supportive policy from Financial Aid in the near future.
Not all eyes can be on the administration, of course. With a refreshingly new core, the Student Senate has both the able bodies and the capable leadership necessary to make a significant contribution to student life at Rensselaer. Qualifications, however, do not dictate progress. If the Senate is to rectify the failures of previous years, success will be measured by professionalism, honesty, and dedication to completing a set of well-defined tasks. Impressive documents and presentations are a good start, but the constituents of the Senate should expect nothing less than results. Many will be watching in the coming weeks, and the Senate should begin delivering on its promises quickly.
As a member of the Rensselaer community, one has little time to focus on areas outside of his or her requirements. This does not mean that we should ignore what is to come if there is a good chance it will affect us even past our departure from the Institute. Please stay informed, and keep asking for change from those who can bring it to fruition.
