Tomorrow at 7:30 pm, the Union Speakers Forum presents Carol Kolb, Senior Editor of The Onion. The talk will focus on her experiences at The Onion, and the function of humor and satire in popular culture. Tickets are free, and available while supplies last in the Union Administration Office, Union Room 3702.
Among other meetings we attended this week, the President of the Union and I, along with Graduate Council President Jeanine Thompson, had the privilege of meeting with our new medical director, Dr. Leslie Lawrence. Our discussion focused on developing better methods of communication with the student body and different strategies to reach out to groups who do not traditionally use the services of the Health Center. If you have any ideas for how the Health Center might better serve you, please contact Dr. Lawrence at lawrel@rpi.edu.
Aside from the academic initiatives that have received extensive press lately, I would like to mention two changes that have the potential for significant impact on academics at RPI: restructuring of the Lally MBA program and state recognition of the Cognitive Science doctoral program.
Our MBA program had been structured in a traditional model. Students took class sequences in various subject areas, such as human resources or finance. Now students will take full year courses within five themes, such as managing the business implications of emerging technologies and developing new products. The goal is to give students the structure and opportunity to build portfolios of their work, which could be used in interviews and client negotiations to prove the value of the Lally MBA.
Also recently, the NYS Education Department approved our new Ph.D. program in Cognitive Science, the intersection of psychology and philosophy with such fields as neuroscience and computer science. The program will prepare scientists to study intelligent systems, with research into areas that relate to modeling human perception.
Next week, I will give you an update on progress on the Senate’s restructuring initiatives. I think you will be excited to read about our progress. Additionally, within the next few weeks, Rules and Elections Chairman G. Matthew Ezovski will present a riveting exposé on the RPI Tech Park. Keep reading for details.
The Senate is listening! Contact us at senate-listens@rpi.edu or gm@rpi.edu. Stay warm.
