Each year, the Union reaches an important milestone in the middle of the summer—the start of a new operating year. The Union runs on the same fiscal year as the Institute, which means our financial year also runs on a cycle from July 1 through June 30 of the following year. At the beginning of the fall semester, clubs and organizations come back to campus excited and ready to run programs. With a ripe new budget and newfound enthusiasm, we see tremendous growth and activity from clubs. Just as clubs are settling into place and beginning programs, we ask them to begin planning for the future. Our budgeting process begins in November and terminates in late January with budget approvals for the following year. At the end of March, GM Week bursts onto the scene and the countdown to Senior Week and graduation begins. The Union spends June finalizing budgets for the previous year, and then the process starts all over in July for the next year.

The Executive Board operates in parallel to the Union. Just as the Union begins anew in July, so too does the membership of the E-Board. Though you may not know who they are or what they do, for the past year 11 individuals have worked hard to ensure that the Union continues to support your interests and meet your needs. Some of them will return to the Executive Board next year, some will graduate, some will move on to other teams or organizations, but they all deserve your gratitude. If you see Peter Baldwin ’06, Erik Swanson ’08, Abby Eldridge ’07, Jen Scholwin ’07, Nick Wood ’07, graduate student Sanjiv Reddy, Waleed Mohamed ’08, Kerissa Lynch ’06, Jeff Teixiera ’09 , Chang Yu ’07, Stephanie Tanous ’07, or Cristina Kohlhofer ’07 around campus, stop, shake their hand, and tell them that you appreciate their dedication towards creating a better experience for you at RPI.

In the past two weeks, we have heard a number of proposals from clubs looking to make corrections or adjustments to their budgets before the end of the year. We also have heard from a large number of students who have joined together to form a host of new clubs and organizations here on campus. On April 26, we approved the creation of a new club for students interested in the popular Magic: The Gathering card game. On May 1, we heard from a number of students with proposals for a new swimming club, a card players club, a roller hockey club, a new theater group on campus, and the creation of a Holocaust Remembrance Committee.