PU Candidate Profile: Isabele Lieber

Editor's Note: The Poly sent a questionnaire to every candidate that had filed to run for GM, PU, and UP prior to Spring break. Below are the unedited responses from PU candidate Isabele Lieber '26.

Why do you want to be President of the Union?

I want to be President of the Union because I want to help students and clubs get the resources they need from the Union. As President of the Union, I would be able to oversee the Executive Board and work to ensure that all Union clubs have access to the tools they need to function and thrive as clubs and to be able to provide the welcoming and fun environment that the Union and its facilities and organizations should have.

What qualifies you to be President of the Union?

I have served as a voting member of the Executive Board for the past two years, been a member of the Club Operations Committee for the past three years, and am currently serving as the Chair for the Club Operations Committee. I have also been on the Business Operations Committee, the Marketing and Strategy Committee, and the Special Committee on Union Operating Hours for the past year. Being on the Board and in all these Committees, I have been able to see the wide range of tasks that the Executive Board does, including the tasks related to helping new clubs form and get funding, helping existing clubs to use the resources they have, as well a working on projects like club storage in the Union and looking into the possibility of extending the hours of the Union. Additionally, I have also held leadership positions in clubs like the Union Programming and Activities Committee (UPAC), Sheer Idiocy Improv Troupe, and RPI Club Softball. I have been able to see the operations of the Union from the perspective of a club officer working with an Executive Board representative, an Executive Board representative working with club officers, and even as someone who is forming a new club as I first became involved in Student Government by starting the Club Softball team and consequently joining the Club Operations Committee. I believe all of these experiences as well as the variety of perspectives I have qualify me to be President of the Union.

Name three short-term goals (within your term of office) and three long-term goals (beyond your term of office) that you have for the Executive Board.

Short term goals:

1. Improve communication between the Executive Board, students and club officers. Many students do not know about the Executive Board and what we do, and despite going through financial training, many Club officers are not aware of the processes they need to go through to bring a motion to the Executive Board, and they often don’t know all the resources that are available to them. I would like to make sure that the members of the Union know what the Executive Board is doing and the ways that we can help them. I want to inform students about all the resources that are available to them.
2. Utilize Union resources and facilities effectively for students and clubs to build up student involvement. The Institute recently opened a new ropes course on Sunset Terrace, but I believe many students do not know of its existence or how to use it. It could be a great resource for clubs and student leaders to bond and work on teamwork. Additionally, we are currently working on a renovation of the first floor of the Union that should be finished this summer, and I would like to ensure that all of the new spaces will be used well.
3. Increase club funding. Most club budgets have remained flat for the past several years, and often when a club’s budget needs to increase, an increase in club dues comes with it. I would like to effectively go through the budgeting cycle and ensure proper use of all funds to be possibly able to allow for increases in club budgets without ridiculous increases in dues.

Long term goals:

1. Expanding campus spaces and resources/businesses in the Union. I would like to see how we might effectively use all of the spaces in the Union. I would like to hear feedback from the students to see what kind of spaces they would want in the Union in the future. For example, I would like to bring a pizza place back to the Union.
2. Improve and maintain overall communication between the branches of student government, Greek Life, and the Institute. Relationships between these different leadership bodies on campus are very important to ensure that everything continues to help students have the best experience possible.
3. Improve the overall platform of communication to better reach the majority of campus. This is similar to my short term goal to increase communication between the Executive Board and club officers, but I would like to look into the possibility of a larger project that could provide a more broad platform for students to see everything the Union has to offer.

In your own words, what do you feel are the roles of the President of the Union and the Union Executive Board? Do you think the current Executive Board is fulfilling that role? If any, what changes could be made?

The President of the Union is the chief financial and operations leader for the Rensselaer Union. They are the presiding officer of the Executive Board, which is the primary budgeting body of the Union. The Executive Board oversees club operations, club formations, club and Union finances, Union facilities, and programming and activities. I believe the current Executive Board is doing a good job of fulfilling that role. I think the Executive Board could be better at communicating to students and clubs about all of the resources that are available to them, as well as making sure that all clubs are being fully heard and represented.

What do you think are the incumbent President of the Union’s strengths and weaknesses? What would you do to improve upon them if you were elected?

I think the incumbent President of the Union is very good at encouraging members of the Executive Board to voice their opinions. Since Cat became President of the Union, the Executive Board has gained a lot more vocal members that are highly engaged in meetings and Board activities. She is also very experienced on the Executive Board and as a result has a lot of knowledge about the Union and the Executive Board and how they work. She is very good at leading the Executive Board and seeing multiple sides of an issue and being able to compromise. One of her weaknesses is using her authority to ensure that all officers of the Executive Board are doing their jobs. If I were elected, I would do my best to ensure that every person I appoint to a position knows all of the responsibilities of that position, and I would have regular check-ins to ensure that all officers are doing their jobs in a timely manner.

What does the club-Executive Board representative relationship look like? What should it look like?

The club-Executive Board representative relationship is such that each Union Funded Club has a representative on the Executive Board who is the person on the Board that advocates for them in budgeting and for any additional programs or funding they might need. Recognized, Affiliated, and forming clubs are represented by the Club Operations Committee. Communication between clubs and the Executive Board is mainly done through emails and in person emails when necessary. The Executive Board representative is the main point of contact between clubs and the board, and they are responsible for hearing any concerns their clubs may have and advising their clubs with any questions or concerns they may have. I believe this is how the relationship should be, but I do think that communication could be improved so that all clubs are properly represented by their representatives, and as PU I hope to ensure that all Executive Board representatives are properly trained to help their clubs.

How would you evaluate the current Union budget situation? What do you foresee as future budget concerns?

I believe the Union budget is somewhat strained but not in a terrible place. My concerns lie in the fact that most club budgets have had to remain mostly flat in the past several years without being able to increase much. The lower enrollment at the institute causing fewer activity fee paying students certainly has an impact on how the Union has budgeted in the past year and could be a concern in the future, but I hope to further evaluate the situation to see how we might

be able to see an increase in club budgets to ensure that clubs are getting the funds that they need to complete their programs.

How do you intend to encourage students to fully utilize the resources of the Union?

In order for students to fully utilize the resources of the Union, they need to know what those resources are, and many students are not even aware of what the Union has to offer. I would like to reach students in as many ways as possible including through social media, posters, email, and the Union and Student Government websites. In the Marketing and Strategy Committee this year, we have worked on some posters to advertise Union policies and resources to clubs, and the Student Government Communications Committee has also increased advertisement and communication with the students this year, and I would like to ensure that these advances in communication to the students continue.

How do you plan to engage with the president of the Institute and the rest of the Institute administration?

I hope to have a good relationship with the president and Institute administration so that I may advocate for students and work with administration to support the students, clubs and the Union as a whole. I will attend any meetings that I can with the administration and bring up any issues that I see or hear of and make sure that the administration hears our concerns. I would like administration to know and understand the perspectives of students and clubs so that we can make sure the student experience at the Union is the best it can be.

What qualities should a leader have? How are you a leader?

A leader should be willing and able to listen to the opinions and voices of others so that they are effectively able to do what is best for them. They should also be good at communicating with people both through online resources like email as well as during in-person conversations. I believe that I have these skills and have had experience as a leader both in clubs and through other campus involvement such as having been a Student Orientation Advisor and Overnight Trip Leader for NRB. I am always open to hearing what others have to say, and I am good at listening and responding to feedback given to me. A good leader should be able to take constructive criticism so that they are able to correct their actions if they are doing something wrong. I am good at listening to and accepting criticism, and I am able to effectively communicate information in a professional and timely manner. I have had many experiences as a leader in clubs, and I can use that experience to be able to effectively lead as President of the Union.