News

Presidential lunches begin

Faculty, administration differ on grad tuition policy

Communication course requirement proposed

Ed/Op

Staff Editorial
Pizza with the President opens communication

Editorial Notebook
Ads kickoff in Super Bowl

Editorial Notebook
Quit walking with tunnel vision

Top Hat
Constitution being updated

Interfraternity Council
IFC looks to ’05

My View
Citizens should question policies

Letter to the Editor
Basic needs not addressed

My View
Security changes alienate students

Features

Genericon hosts anime, gaming enthusiasts

Dave Barry
Parents will always embarrass their children

Ground Zero theme house rocks Nugent basement

charity auction for clothes

Heinlein’s classic best for the open minded

Microsoft offers helping hand to Windows users

Sports

Rensselaer stuns conference leaders

Red Hawks sweep weekend

Coach, mentor, legend honored

Engineers cruise past Southern Maine

Men’s hockey falls behind early, loses twice

Weekly Round Up
Tersmette leads track and field

RPI swims past Thoroughbreds

Engineers ineligible for national tourney

Rensselaer in Brief
Junior Museum reopens
This past Thursday, the new Children’s Museum of Science and Technology opened in the former PSINet building in the RPI Technology Park. Previously called the Junior Museum, it was located across the street from the RPI approach in the Winslow building.

Present were many Rensselaer County dignitaries who came to rename and rededicate the museum in its new location. This summer, the museum will begin offering new exhibits, including a Natalie Buchman Miniatures exhibit, which contains an entire miniature town crafted over many decades by a local artist.

In addition to its new permanent exhibits, the museum will also be offering several technology-based programs for its patrons, including Computertots/Computer Explorers, an exhibit that shows children how to build robots and other simple motorized machines. The new site also has access to the scenic Hudson River, where it intends to offer guided nature hikes to children.

NY begins tax-free week
Last Sunday, many New Yorkers became exempt from sales tax on clothing and footwear purchases under $110. Forty-nine of New York’s 62 counties approved the measure for a seven-day sales tax exemption.

Previous tax-free weeks have been highly successful for New York merchants. Governor Pataki has also included a line in his Executive Budget Proposal for an expansion of the number of these tax-free weeks from two to four; the maximum for single purchases raised to $500. These measures are being used to help stores hold week-long sales events in order to attract more customers during this traditionally slow retail period.

The proposal of four tax-free weeks replaces the permanent $110 tax exemption on clothing that would otherwise take effect this June. In the past, when the permanent exemption has been offered, the majority of New York’s 62 counties have chosen not to participate for fear of such an exemption cutting into sales tax revenues.