News

Global Medical Brigades, Meitokukan Kendo, Gajjdge Sher Bhangra, and Chess Club receive extra funding, Sanay Tralshawala ’26 Appointed Marketing and Strategy Committee Chair.

Miles Thomas was elected Class of 2026 President and Addison Mulder was elected Class of 2026 Vice President. Class senators and representatives were also elected.

The Student Senate unanimously voted to remove Class of 2024 Senator Michael Mendez from his position. The motion to remove Class of 2024 senator Gabriel Tambellini was delayed until October 26.

Student Senate voted to impeach two Class of 2024 senators. The meeting of impeachment will be held October 19.

Women in the class of 2026 were offered a $20,000 grant in hopes of increasing women enrollment. The class of 2026 has the most women in a single class, although the class itself is made up of 30% women.

The Ultimate Frisbee team was approved for a new coach and the Rensselaer Pride Alliance were given the go-ahead for restoration.

The Student Senate unanimously approved a change to the Undergraduate Council Budget Policy clarifying how class dues are distributed to class councils.

While most students enjoyed a block party on the ’86 Field, others sat in the EMPAC Concert Hall as notable figures welcomed Schmidt to Rensselaer.

The Rensselaer community grieves over the unexpected passing of 19-year-old sophomore Alana Tow.

The Student Senate unanimously appointed Christopher D. Carothers to Tenure and Promotion Committee representative after they tabled the motion last week.

RPI Sunrise was granted Union affiliation, and the Badminton, ACHA Hockey, and Union Show Tech clubs all received subsidy reallocations.

The Student Senate delayed a motion to appoint Professor Chris Carothers to Faculty Senate Tenure and Promotion Committee Representative as they did not have enough information about the candidate.

The Flying Pig Society gained Union recognition. The club wants to hold workshops and bring in professional figures to speak.

Hockey Line returns for the first time in three years with a few changes, and a newly founded RPI Young Democratic Socialists of America club fails to gain Union affiliation.

Freshmen Election ballots are now ordered from most nominations to least, drawing criticism from senators who believe the new system is unequal.

The Harkness field and East Campus Athletic Village main gym went through renovations that brought both fields up to current standards.

Executive Board members resisted against limiting Student Union hours, arguing that the Union should be a safe haven for late night students.

The Philippine American League, Korean Student Association, and Alianza Latina were approved funding for cultural events. The Rensselaer Music Association was approved for a due waiver.

The class of 2026 will be made up of 2,110 students, making it the largest freshman class in RPI history. For comparison, the class of 2025 is made up of around 1,500 students.

July 1 marks the end of Dr. Jackson’s position as president of RPI and the start of Dr. Martin A. Schmidt’s presidency.

Commencement guests must now show proof of a negative PCR test taken up to 72 hours before arrival on campus or a rapid antigen home test taken 24 hours in advance of campus arrival. This update comes after a COVID-19 requirement update sent yesterday sparked discussion on Reddit and the RPI parent Facebook group. Previously, only PCR tests taken up to 48 hours before Commencement were permitted.

The Executive Board approved a total of $90,500 to demolish the W2SZ trailer on Sunset Terrace and build two offices in the Mueller Center. Additional subsidy requests by TeamRPI eSports and the Union Show Techs were also approved.

Being notified of a positive for COVID-19 test result can be an overwhelming ordeal. The Polytechnic interviewed six students to take a closer look at the experiences of people who contracted COVID-19 while living on campus. While they report being well taken care of during their stay, they still have reservations about certain aspects of their time in Colonie Apartments.

During the Student Senate meeting on April 12, Grand Marshal Cait Bennett ’22 reported on meeting with President Shirley Ann Jackson about the upcoming presidential transition. Furthermore, the Student Senate motioned to reappoint Alexander Grant ’24 as Secretary.