As Spring Break approaches, we enter into an interesting time on campus. Just as the snow begins to melt, a blizzard of posters will appear on campus touting various students for the multitude of elected positions we have here on campus. The run up to GM Week has begun.
Every position from Class Council Representative on up to Grand Marshal is on the table, and if you are interested in leadership, service, and have time to dedicate yourself to the betterment of your fellow students, I urge you to explore running for a Student Government position. The time commitment required for the positions can range from only an hour or two a week, on up to the all-encompassing, full time job that being Grand Marshal or President of the Union can entail.
Information on positions can be found at one of the Candidate Information Sessions that are being held in the Union at various times throughout the election. Visit the Rules and Elections Committee website at http://elections.union.rpi.edu/ for information. It all begins with collecting nomination signatures from your fellow students.
Political parties have begun to form on campus, a rather interesting creation of our election process. At RPI, we have our own home-grown political parties that rise into existence in early March, and exist up until the end of GM week. These parties are the political machinery that drive the campaigns of many candidates, and are easy to form on your own. By just getting a collection of students together interested in running for various offices, it becomes easy to share resources and campaigning time.
You may notice one interesting side effect of the election, and that is the sudden lifting of the “blanket of apathy” that strangles our campus for the better part of the year. You will see students out and about campaigning for one another, and a sudden influx of humor injected into elections, especially the GM election. In my time here I have seen colorful campaigns for Kodo and Kang (who wants to vote for a third party?), as well as E-Z Ryder (totally and completely qualified for whatever it is a GM does), and the ever present inflatable whale, Arthur Galphin.
So as I go into my home stretch as Grand Marshal, I encourage everyone to think long and hard about running for office. I will make myself available to any student interested in any office or curious about different ways to campaign. I am available over AIM at “RPIGM”, by email at gm@rpi.edu, or just by dropping by my office in the Student Government Suite on the third floor of the Union.
