Although we are only in the third week of classes, things have been moving quickly and I see so many students already hard at work and wanting to be involved. Keep up the motivation, become active, and stay on top of your work.
For first year students, you may realize that the work here can add up and get overwhelming very easily, so keep in mind the resources at hand. Stop by the Advising and Learning Assistance Center for some advice or even a tutor who you can meet with for the tough classes. Take advantage of your professors’ and TAs’ office hours so they get to know you on a personal level.
The Executive Board participated in a full day orientation this past Sunday. We had an opportunity to discuss what we felt were the roles of a Student Union. We all agree that the Union is a common place for students to gather and express their interests. With a high focus on the students, we know that our opinions and decisions are valued here. The E-Board was given a thorough lecture on event programming and risk management. It is essential that all members understand the stages that clubs undergo for planning events and limiting the potential risks that are associated with them.
Next on our agenda was to better understand the financial aspects of the Union, including the budget policies and procedures. We were exposed to various situations in which clubs would need to perform a financial transaction.
Our orientation concluded with the system administrators walking us through the new Club Management System, which is incorporated onto the clubs and organizations website, http://clubs.union.rpi. edu/. This system provides information about clubs with a web- based approach that has never been implemented before. Members can log in to view the clubs they are involved in, while select members are given access to manage information such as the officer, membership, and e-mail lists.
Final elections for the freshmen are being held this coming Friday, and I encourage every student within that class to vote. Once elections are over, I will be interviewing for the Class of 2007 representative position to the E-Board.
If you need any information on how to be involved in student government at any level of participation, drop me an e-mail at pu@rpi.edu. As always, you may contact the entire E-Board at eboard@union.rpi.edu and feel free to attend our meetings on Wednesday nights at 7 pm.
