Bangladesh Student Association gains Union recognition

The Bangladesh Student Association, or BDSA, is an organization that represents Bangladeshi students at Rensselaer. BDSA sought club recognition from the Rensselaer Union. According to Md Rashef Mahbub, a graduate student who presented during the meeting, there are 42 Bangladeshi students currently enrolled at RPI. Mahbub noted that this number was in the top five of the highest international student enrollment percentages for RPI from a single country. BDSA will also attempt to hold campus events that celebrate Bangladeshi culture.

Anderson asked if the club had plans to gain more undergraduate students since many of the club’s attendants were graduates. Mahbub responded that advertising to undergraduates will be a focus if the club becomes recognized.

After the motion was read, Class of 2023 representative Ava Gallagher noted that a section of the club constitution was set to be modified after recognition and wondered if the proposal needed to be amended to take this contingency into account. President of the Union Yaseen Mahmoud ’22 responded that there was no need for an amendment. The motion to recognize BDSA as a Union club passed 16-0-0.

The Rensselaer Student Auto Shop is a self-service facility that provides equipment for to club to conduct automotive repairs. The club asked for $2000 in additional subsidies from the Union to replace and organize materials, including two rolling tool carts, two screwdriver sets, a digital multimeter, and a 50-foot retractable air hose. The motion to allocate $2000 to the Rensselaer Student Auto Shop passed 15-0-0.