Student Senate

The Student Senate is the chief Representative branch of the Union.

The Rensselaer Union Student Senate is the chief legislative, representative, and policy-making body of the Union. The Student Senate for the 2025-2026 term is the 56th Student Senate. The Senate is composed of 29 voting senators and is chaired by the 159th Grand Marshal, Tiburon Benavides, the highest elected student official. The Senate’s membership includes seven elected graduate senators and four elected senators from each undergraduate class, three Independent Senators representing all non-Greek students, and three Greek senators. All positions are elected during the GM week elections in March, and for incoming freshmen, elections are held in October. Contact gm@rpi.edu.

The Student Senate meets on Tuesdays at 6pm in the Shelnutt Gallery.

Policy

The Student Senate is responsible for policy decisions relevant to the Union’s Student Government organizations. The Senate also directly represents the voice of the student body in Institute policy changes.

Current Key Policy Initiatives:

Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) and Good Samaritan Policies — Alongside the Dean of Students Office, the Student Senate is working to rewrite certain aspects of these policies to be more student-focused. Contact: gm@rpi.edu.
Handbook Sign Policy — The policy for organizations postering around campus is being updated to more accurately reflect the currently enforced policies. Contact: pattea4@rpi.edu.

This is not an exhaustive list. If you have something you would like addressed, contact gm@rpi.edu.

Projects

The Student Senate's committees work on projects to enhance the student experience alongside the Union, the Institute, and surrounding community.

Current Key Projects:

Composting — The Facilities and Services Committee is investigating composting options for the Institute to limit food waste and contribute to nationwide sustainability efforts. Contact: fishkc@rpi.edu
Light Walk — Alongside the Department of Public Safety, the Student Senate will walk through campus and note any lights that are out, sidewalks that need repairs, and unsafe areas. Contact: fishkc@rpi.edu
Union Petitions — The Web Technologies Group of the Student Senate is working to redevelop the Senate’s petitions website. Contact: thompf@rpi.edu
Shuttle Tracker — The Web Technologies Group of the Student Senate is developing custom tracking hardware for Rensslear’s shuttle service. Contact: support@shuttletracker.app
Freshmen Elections — The Elections Commission of the Student Senate will be running freshmen elections.

This is not an exhaustive list, we have dozens of projects in committee. If you have something you want to see, contact gm@rpi.edu.

Advocacy

The Senate also directly represents the voice of the student body to the greater RPI community, serving as a platform for student initiative and advancement of student interests.

Current key issues facing students that Senators are working to address include the Arch, mental health issues, dining hall hours and options, and campus accessibility. There are dozens of concerns that the Senate works to address, and if you have an issue you would like to share with the Senate, you can contact gm@rpi.edu, or come to a Senate meeting.

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