News

The Union Executive Board confirmed nine members to join the Board, including a new “Counselor to the President” position.

The Student Senate approved the appointments of Executive Board and Student Senate Committee chairpersons. Among them is the first Graduate student Student Life Committee chairperson, Zachary Barringer.

The Rensselaer Union is planning to introduce two new offices in the Mueller Center, demolish the W2SZ trailer near ECAV, and renovate the Student Government Suite in the Union.

Stickers that stated “SKI DRUGS WOMEN” were found around campus yesterday, featuring a picture of a hand holding a pill over an open drink. The Polytechnic has attempted to investigate the stickers’ accusation but has not verified it.

Graduating students can now bring four guests to the Commencement ceremony, scheduled for Saturday, May 21 at the East Campus Athletic Village at 8:15 am, according to an email sent out on Friday. Registration information is set to come out sometime this week.

The Union Executive Board designated Girls Who Code and the Cryptocurrency & Bitcoin Technology Club as Union-recognized clubs. A motion to purchase two AEDs also passed unanimously.

Editor’s Note: This story contains information about an alleged drugging that readers may find triggering.

The Executive Board approved a motion to designate the Multicultural Sorority and Fraternity Council and their sub-organizations as Union-affiliated clubs.

Melissa Walega has been hired as a Title IX Coordinator and Senior Human Resources Specialist according to an announcement sent through Morning Mail this morning. Walega is now one of two Title IX coordinators at Rensselaer.

Cait Bennett was reelected for Grand Marshal, Colleen Corrigan was elected President of the Union, and Ria Massoni was elected Undergraduate President. Check back here for GM Week Election updates as results roll in.

The personal information of 570 students was inadvertently leaked on Tuesday, March 22, when a spreadsheet containing the information was mistakenly attached to a mass email for the Lee Foundation Scholarship. The spreadsheet contained students in the School of Engineering with GPAs above 2.80 who have Sophomore or Junior credit standing.

Voting for GM week elections closed at 5 pm today. An estimated 1,820 ballots were cast in the election across four polling locations.

On Tuesday, the two candidates for Grand Marshal, Cait Bennett '22 and Nicole Gramenides '23, participated in a debate held by the Elections Commission. Positions for Undergraduate President and President of the Union were uncontested, so both candidates participated in a 30 minute Q&A session. Elections Commission Chairperson Nicholas Longchamp '24 and The Polytechnic News Editor William Hawkins '23 moderated the debate.

Today is election day. Voting will be open from 8 am to 5 pm at Commons Dining Hall, the Union, DCC, CBIS, and the Folsom Library. Additionally, there are no classes today so that students can vote.

The Elections Commission has finalized which candidates will appear on the ballot for tomorrow's election. Voting in GM Week elections is open tomorrow from 8 am to 5 pm. All students, including those graduating in May, are eligible to vote.

For the first time since 2018, the Rensselaer Union will hold an in-person GM Week debate Tuesday in the McNeil room of the Rensselaer Union from 6 to 8 pm.

In an email to the Senate email list Friday night, Grand Marshal Cait Bennett ’22 announced that she is recusing herself as GM until voting in GM Week elections closes.

GM Week begins today with elections on Wednesday. The theme for GM Week is Sweet Week. Associate News Editor Alexander Orr ’25 gives a crash course on what to know and expect for GM Week.

On Thursday, the Executive Board passed a motion to revoke office use for organizations in the Student Government Suite.

Repairs are being made to the Rathskeller’s exhaust system. Thunder Mountain Curry will be experimenting with new menu items. Collar City Grill is now selling cold and pressed sandwiches.

Grand Marshal Cait Bennett ’22 and Undergraduate President candidate Ria Massoni-Nesman ’24 sanctioned by the Elections Commission. Bennett and Massoni-Nesman are now required to get an additional 25 signatures to be on the ballot.

On Thursday, the Executive Board unanimously passed motions to recognize the Bangladesh Student Association and allocate the Rensselaer Student Auto Shop $2000 in additional subsidies for repair tools.

The Union Annual Report committee removed the requirement for the UAR chairperson to also serve as a Senate-Executive Board liaison. By doing so, the UAR committee hopes to remove scheduling conflicts for those interested in the position.

On Thursday, the Union Executive Board passed subsidy reallocations for the Union Show Techs and the Student Senate. A motion to merge the UPAC lights reserve and the UPAC sound reserve was also approved.