Alcohol ban in dorms
Skidmore College, located in Saratoga Springs, has announced that it will institute a ban on alcohol in most dormitories beginning this fall. Dormitories that are restricted to juniors and seniors will not fall under the ban, as administrators acknowledge that most students living in them are of legal age to possess and consume alcohol.
RPI bans any student under the age of 21 from possessing alcohol on campus. It is not a dry campus, however. The administration has not ruled out the possibility of pushing toward a dry greek system, and recent fraternity suspensions relating to alcohol use have increased tensions over the issue. Union College has publicly stated that it does not intend to push toward a dry campus, choosing instead to attempt to change campus culture regarding alcohol use.
Walgreens petitions
Students heading to Wal-Mart may soon pass another major chain on Hoosick Street. The national drugstore chain has announced intentions to build at the corner of Route 7 and North Lake Ave. on the Troy-Brunswick border. The proposed store would cover over 14,000 square feet and would be the closest 24-hour drugstore to the campus. Drive-thru lanes may also be included.
Though Troy Mayor Harry Tutunjian has publicly announced his excitement about the project, City Planner Judy Breselor has said that she already has serious reservations about the proposal.
Jackson recommended
For those who thought that President Shirley Ann Jackson did not make a good political partner for New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer in his race for the governorship, President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg of George Washington University has another option for Jackson’s post-RPI career. In a story published in The Boston Globe, Trachtenberg suggests that Jackson is a perfect replacement for embattled Harvard University President Lawrence Summers. Facing a second vote of no confidence from the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Summers submitted his resignation on February 21, effective at the end of June.
According to Trachtenberg, Jackson can fill an important role as a woman, African-American, and physicist, along with a proven track-record as a university administrator. He also believes that her appointment would be seen as a radical change from the university’s direction under Summers and as a selection of a capable individual for the office.
Jackson has publicly stated on numerous previous occasions that she finishes what she starts, and that she intends to see The Rensselaer Plan through to fruition before considering any potential offers.
