I wanted to start my column this week with a blatant plea. I want graduate students to get more involved in student government! It occurred to me that one of the most underrepresented groups on campus is graduate students. Be honest with yourself, when someone says "student," we generally tend to think of only undergraduates.
Graduate students, this is a call for mobilization. It has been several years (at the very least) since a full six senators filled all the available slots on the Student Senate. Currently, three incredible individuals are serving, but three graduate student Senate positions remain empty! If you are a graduate student and you want to give input on the direction of the Institute, give direct input into decisions regarding academics, advising, and computing, and want graduate students to be able to participate greater in overall student life, then contact Mitch Gold, president of the Grad Council, at goldm@rpi.edu or me at gm@rpi.edu. Does the idea of secure, affordable, on-campus housing for graduate students appeal to you? Step up and make a difference for the entire graduate community. I have great confidence that we will fill the three remaining graduate Senate slots quickly.
On the other end of the prism, how about the Class of 2005? For the first time since the fall of 1994, there were primary elections this past Monday! That is incredible! Eight candidates for Senate! This is a very positive sign for the future of RPI student government. I would like to take all the credit, but I think a lot of it goes to the Office of the First-Year Experience, the Senate, and, of course, the freshmen themselves! I tip my hat to all 1134 of you.
This past weekend I had the privilege of working with the Board of Trustees for both the Institute and the Rensselaer Alumni Association, and then got to party with them all at the Patroon Dinner. It was a remarkable evening in which generosity at its finest was celebrated, and several new inductees into the Rensselaer Alumni Hall of Fame were announced. Afterwards, I made my way to Alianza Latina and my fraternity’s party in the Union. It was "off the hook."
Finally, this week I want to introduce a feature I will be adding to the column on a regular basis. Today I will mention the first in a series of issues I would like to see discussed. Then you, the conscious constituent, can send me an e-mail at gm@rpi.edu to indicate your opinion. As the discussion grows, I will give highlights in this column, and follow up with Senate/administrative action where necessary. This week’s topic is going to help lay a framework for future issues to be discussed: "If I could fix two things at RPI my simple wish would be … and my dream wish would be …" Please take the few minutes to chuck an e-mail to gm@rpi.edu to sound off. The feedback you provide will be an invaluable resource.
Senate meetings for the rest of the semester are 9:30 pm Tuesdays in Union Room 3202. See you there! Good night!
