I love this Institute. My student years here in the 1970s were some of the best of my life. I was proud to join the RPI faculty in 1992, and that pride stays with me today. One thing I love here is the election season each spring. Campaign posters go up everywhere, and the festivities of Grand Marshal Week mix well with the serious nature of student governance in action.
The Faculty Senate also holds elections in the spring, but these have become very muted this year. As outgoing Faculty Senate president, I have seen my colleagues become seriously disengaged from the process of faculty governance. This has been an especially bad season, but the problem has been building over the past several years.
President Shirley Ann Jackson has done a tremendous job setting a new agenda for Rensselaer and bringing to our Institute heightened recognition and visibility. However, in order for all of us to get the most of this fortunate position, we all need to believe that we are part of it. In particular, the faculty need to be part of the vision, in order to bring our collective talents and expertise to bear on it, and to keep it sustainable well into the future. I can only offer my apologies and regrets for not being able to help bring this about this past year.
I am an optimist by nature, and I believe in the powerful strength of the faculty, staff, and students of this Institute. I am certain that the future is bright for RPI, and I offer my sincere wishes to my successors in bringing about positive change to the academic body of the Institute.
<b>Jim Napolitano, ’77</b>
<b>Professor of Physics</b>
