PU Candidate profile: Joseph Bowers

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 Joseph Bowers '25, '26G.

Why do you want to be President of the Union?

I hope to be elected President of the Union to improve the student experience at RPI. In my opinion, the Rensselaer Union is the cornerstone of the student experience at RPI. If elected, I plan to work to ensure the Union is doing everything possible to help students enjoy their time at RPI.

What qualifies you to be President of the Union?

I have served on the Union Executive Board for the past year as a Vice President, first for Rules and Special Projects, and currently for Board Operations. In these roles I have overseen the Executive Board’s day to day operations, club budgeting, and worked on various other projects, including a proposal to extend the operating hours of the Union. I have also served in high level club officer positions during my entire time at RPI, which has familiarized me with how a club interacts with and utilizes the resources of the Union. I feel this gives me unique insight into where the Executive Board may currently have room for improvement, as I work with the Executive Board and Union Administration as both a member and club officer.

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.

One of my main goals as President of the Union will be to maximize funding available for clubs. One of the primary ways I intend to do this is with the return of reserves transfers, which will allow clubs to accumulate long term savings for larger purchases which are needed infrequently. My other goals both revolve around communication. First, improving the systems the Union utilizes for club procurement to streamline the process and make it simpler for both club officers and Union Administrators. I also hope to improve the Union’s communication with both club officers and the entire Union membership. The role and functioning of the Executive Board is often not well understood, and I hope to make improvements on this. I believe this can be accomplished through improved club-Executive Board Representative relationships, as well as improving the frequency and content of communication to the Union membership.

For longer-term goals, I hope to see the Union continue to put funding towards capital improvements across all facilities, both to repair and modernize, which will make a major impact on the student body, as well as the appeal of the campus as a whole. Next, fundraising is an ever important aspect of the Union’s finances, and with the rollout of RU Impact, had never been more accessed to clubs. Assisting clubs in their fundraising efforts will be important to the union’s financial future. Finally, I hope to see the relations between the various branches of student government improve. Recently, the relationships between branches have been strained. I hope to see student government develop a sense of unity, allowing everyone to focus on bettering the student experience at RPI.

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 role of the President of the Union is to oversee the Executive Board, and the day to day operations of the Union. The Executive Board serves to ensure that all members of the Union and clubs are served by the resources of the Union, and that these resources are distributed fairly. I believe that the current Executive Board is effective in its role, however there is room for improvement, particularly with consistency of communication.

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?

The current President of the Union is very experienced, and well respected. I believe both these traits make her an effective leader within the Union. I hope to bring my own experiences and skills, which will allow me to serve effectively in the role of President of the Union.

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

The relationship between a club and their Executive Board Representative should be regular, two-way communication, where the Representative is accessible to provide guidance to club leadership, particularly with regards to budgeting and preparing proposals for the Executive Board. Club leaders should provide information about their successes and struggles so the representative can provide the most valuable assistance. In my opinion most representatives are effective in this role, however there have been cases where communication has lapsed between a representative and a club. I plan to provide better training and guidance to ensure all Representatives are enabled to execute their role fully, and provide a simple way for club leadership to communicate any issues which may arise.

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

The Union has been able to make significant strides fiscally over the last few fiscal years, and is in a better position now than it has been in recent memory. While this is good, the Union will always have some financial limitations, and issues, including lower enrollment, can be significant.

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

While there isn’t one single channel that can effectively reach all students, a combination of social media, email, postering & digital signage is generally effective in reaching students. Particularly for larger events, it is important to use all these channels, and begin advertising early.

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

While advocacy is not the primary role of the President of the Union, with such a prominent position comes a level of responsibility for the needs of the student body. I hope to, in collaboration with other branches of student government, advocate on behalf of students for positive change in the student experience.

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

I believe the foremost skill of a good leader is listening. Leaders must show courtesy and respect to the people they work with in order to be effective. I have had many opportunities to develop my leadership skills, both within the Union and outside of it, which have prepared me to serve as President of the Union.