To fulfill our duties in these areas, we meet with liaisons throughout the Administration Division and beyond, not only to advocate student interests, but to aid in the completion of projects large and small to improve campus life for students. Over the past year or so, we’ve been involved in projects such as shuttle tracking, classroom assessments, bicycle-friendly improvements, residence hall assessments, campus lighting walks, energy conservation, sign policies, and many other programs aimed at making RPI a better place to live and work.

During the time I’ve worked with FFA, I’ve noticed that students on campus tend to not realize how much power their input and involvement can have toward improving life on campus. For a number of years, many Institute divisions have pursued a customer-based approach, which gives great weight to student requests and feedback. While this certainly empowers students who know where to go when they have a problem, the Senate seeks to take this paradigm further. We don’t just seek to address student complaints and give appropriate feedback, but to give input into the overall direction being taken in campus facilities and to suggest and justify new ones ourselves. The unique nature of student government here at RPI, as well as its liaisons across the Institute, make this a realistic possibility, requiring only our time and will to achieve it.

This semester, FFA has begun working on initiatives in classroom and housing conditions, campus printing, shuttle routes, and parking area maintenance, and will be pursuing additional projects based on feedback and complaints we receive. Beyond its core set of projects and initiatives, much of our work is driven by your feedback. Whether it’s problems getting a leak in your room repaired, inadequate parking on campus, or an interest in improving campus landscaping, the Senate’s FFA Committee may be a place to start. So I believe our message is twofold—know where to go to address your problems on campus, and, if you’re so inclined, join FFA and take your involvement in making the campus better to the next level. The committee can be reached via e-mail at ffa@rpisenate.com.

Editor’s Note: Grand Marshal Kara Chesal ’09 has asked her committee chairs to write a series of “Top Hats” in her stead.