Platform

The Rensselaer Union was formed in 1890 by students for students. For 127 years, it was entirely student run. Student Government had the direct capacity to effect change that significantly impacted the lives of students, inspiring people to devote countless hours to the Union. But from 2008 to 2022, the Union's influence was gradually stripped away. In the past two years, the new administration has begun to restore some of the lost power to the students, but there is still more to be done. 

In 2008, student representatives were removed from the Board of Trustees' Institute Finance Committee and the Student Life Committee. Following this, Dr. Jackson's administration spent the next 14 years reducing student representation and refusing to consider student feedback. By the time Dr. Jackson stepped down in 2022, the power of the Union was all but lost, leaving only a shell of what it once was.

Since President Schmidt's inauguration, there has been significant progress. Student leaders now meet regularly with the President, Provost, and other administrators, and our suggestions are no longer ignored.  Student representatives on the Board of Trustees Student Life Committee have been reinstated. Students and administrators have begun to work together once more.

But despite these successes,  there is still more work to be done to return to the former power of our student-run Union.

As the Division of Student Life transitions under the Provost, there is a large opportunity for change  to occur. Through this process, we must redefine the relationship between the administration and the Union, restoring the power students once had. 

As your Grand Marshal, I will… 

• Advocate for the reinstatement of student representative positions to the Board of Trustees’ Finance Committee.

• Urge the Director of the Union position be a direct report under the Provost, remaining one step away from the President like the role once used to be 

• Encourage the administrators significantly involved in the Union's decisions to step back, using this transitional period to return autonomy to students once more

Every day, students put themselves at risk for their education. Walking to classes is no longer safe. In just a year and a half, three students have been hit by motor vehicles when crossing the street, and one student unfortunately lost their life because of it. These incidents have occurred at the exact same intersection, yet no effective action has been taken by the administration to ensure student safety.

One year ago, in response to the second incident, RPI and the city of Troy installed crosswalk lights at this intersection and others on campus. Despite these new lights, a third student was struck at this intersection on January 26, 2024. Afterwards, it took about a week and a half for the institute to publicly acknowledge that this incident occurred, and the only solution presented was to encourage peer-to-peer messaging campaigns.

Still, we have yet to hear of any proposed solution. The administration must take immediate corrective action to ensure students can safely walk to their classes without risk of serious or potentially fatal injury.

As your Grand Marshal, I will… 

• Demand immediate action be taken by the administration to protect students, ensuring an appropriate response is taken and communicated to the RPI community

• Seek student input on places on or nearby campus where they feel unsafe in an effort to identify additional problematic locations that must be addressed

Accessibility is a fundamental right for all individuals, yet RPI lacks adequate resources for students with disabilities. The hilly terrain makes navigation challenging for those with mobility impairments, and transportation services for those students are lacking. Many buildings lack elevators, and broken handicap buttons across campus create unnecessary barriers to accessing essential services and facilities. Moreover, the lack of accessible Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), and the presence of expired ones, pose serious risks to the safety of our community.

Furthermore, our current academic support system is inadequate. RPI is an academically rigorous school, but beyond tutoring, the academic services offered primarily cater to students with disabilities or those on academic probation. Every student deserves access to resources that promote academic success. 

Lastly, it's essential to address the cultural climate on our campus, which sadly remains unwelcoming and exclusive to many marginalized groups. Queer individuals, women, and people of color continue to face discrimination and marginalization in various aspects of campus life. It's imperative that we create a culture of inclusivity and acceptance by fostering dialogue, refining diversity education and training programs, offering more support for underrepresented students, and amplifying their voices. 

RPI must be an accessible and inclusive place for all students. To begin cultivating a community where all individuals are respected, valued, and empowered, we need more support for students struggling academically, students with disabilities, and underrepresented students.

As your Grand Marshal, I will… 

• Work with the Advising & Learning Assistance Center and the Office of Student Success to offer additional support for all students related to academic skills and strategies, time management, organization, social skills, and more

• Reform the current curriculum, educating students on culture and inclusivity beyond surface level concepts 

• Advocate for more classes discussing LGBTQ+ topics, reinstating many courses that were previously offered and creating new ones 

• Work the Center for Career and Professional Development and multicultural clubs and organizations to host an underrepresented minority career fair with companies that are truly inclusive of women, LGBTQ+, and BIPOC individuals

• Work with the Office of Multicultural Programs to host workshops on how to approach situations of harassment and discrimination as a minority beyond what is addressed in the mandatory Percipio models, including information your rights and available resources 

• Work with the ongoing campus improvement projects to outline the most inaccessible locations on campus where renovations should be prioritized in order to ensure campus is accessible for all

• Encourage the institute to share the workload of making RPI a more inclusive and welcoming environment for all

Students deserve to be able to eat, to have safe and reliable housing, and to be safe on and off campus.

Many students currently struggle to eat. There are reported concerns about unsanitary conditions prevalent in the dining halls, especially in regards to dirty dishes and silverware. These concerns include potential cases of spreading sickness due to the lack of clean dishes and silverware to eat from, which is extremely alarming. Students are now actively avoiding eating in the dining halls when they are able to, which is unacceptable. Additionally, many students struggle with food insecurity and cannot afford meals, especially those living off campus. 

Additionally, students face much frustration with the lengthy and convoluted process of finding off-campus housing, adding unnecessary stress. Moreover, the services provided by the Off-Campus Commons are insufficient, and they primarily outsource their resources to other websites.

Despite the successes made in regards to mental health resources and support, there is still a large stigma around mental health. Students are afraid to seek out help and resources for fear of retaliation from the school. While much progress has been made through the programs offered by the Counseling Center and clubs such as Active Minds, we must address the larger awareness issues and end the associated stigma. 

Another challenge to students well-being is the current state of RPI's Title IX protocols and training. The required training modules are not efficient at effectively educating our community on these issues, and many students do not know what to do if such a situation ever occurs or what resources are available to them. Many students are unaware of what to do in these situations and what resources are available to them. The current Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures and the way they are carried out perpetuate a culture of victim-blaming, undermining the safety of our students. 

Student life does not begin and end with academics, and there is much to improve in regards to student health, safety, and overall well-being on and off campus.

As your Grand Marshal, I will… 

• Investigate the cause of the unsanitary dishes in Commons Dining Hall and work to remedy the situation

• Advocate for the creation of institutional support services for students facing food insecurity

• Work with the Off-Campus Commons to develop additional resources for students searching for an apartment, searching for roommates, signing a lease, living off campus, and moving in or out

• Advocate for improvements to Title IX training and educational programs for all students, staff, and faculty

• Call for a review of the institute's Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedures and advocate for additional staff Title IX to be hired

• Encourage a proactive approach to mental health, increasing awareness and offering additional support services

Check back soon for more information!

Check back soon for more information!