With the new semester in full swing, many of you have been busy working on academically taxing activities. In your downtime, you may have noticed that there are aspects of the school that you would like changed in some way. While there are many avenues to take in seeing your ideas implemented, one of the most valuable steps you can take is to join student government. If you feel that your student activity fee is being spent haphazardly, or that your group is under-represented in the school, student government is where you can gain some recognition.
For those of you who fall into the category of independents—students not in a social fraternity—there is a group that looks out for your interests. The Independent Council is the student government body that ensures that independents get their fair representation in student politics, and adds to the RPI social scene. During this semester alone, the IC has accomplished quite a bit for the campus as a whole. We have hosted a successful billiards tournament and witnessed the implementation of card-operated washing machines. We have also been publishing the elective course survey data in The Poly each semester to help all students decide on what courses to take in the future.
As GM Week approaches in April, consider joining the Independent Council. As I found out, no previous student government positions were required, and my experience thus far has been quite rewarding. Feel free to stop by one of our meetings in the student government suite, located in the Union on Tuesdays at 9 pm, to share your ideas or concerns. We are here to serve the entire independent populace and to better serve the Rensselaer community. If you are unable to attend one of the weekly meetings, join us for our GM Week barbeque. This event is open to all, and will help us learn more about our constituents as well as let you share your opinions with us. We also have a website dedicated to providing students with information about council news and events. Check out http://independent. union.rpi.edu for more information.
As Rensselaer becomes a more dynamic institute, student government will become key in pushing students’ agendas. As independents, we make up 70 percent of the student body. Organization is very important in making sure no one gets left behind. Please join us in fulfilling this goal.
