Green-focus is pretty much the only new thing to campus.

While the town meeting was filled with much of the same stuff (CLASS, new hires, research, etc.). Only a few really noteworthy pieces of information though:

• Several buildings are going to be part of a sustainability initiative that involves metering energy usage. Buildings with varied ages and states of the buildings are being included in the pilot, with a designated “sustainability advocates” for each building to encourage accountability. I’m not sure who worked on this (SSTF, maybe?) but awesome job, if it really works out!
• There was also a discussion on initiatives related to biking on campus as related as sustainability as well as thefts on campus. As a part of this conversation, Dr. Jackson has offered to buy a professor a bike since his was stolen, which was pretty cool too.

Otherwise, I was kind of disappointed at the lack of news. Maybe someone will cause a ruckus in the near future. We can only hope, I suppose.

As per “2010’s” request, there were three questions besides the second point above, which was also a question:

• The first question was about minority student enrollment and why it isn’t higher. Dr. Jackson responded that it is something that’s important to the Institute and something they are working on.
• Another question was about what RPI is doing to help graduates with the job search. The answer was trying to expand the alumni network links as well as the CDC is working to expand recruiting companies on campus.
• Finally, a professor asked why manufacturing isn’t as emphasized as IT or biotechnology; however, I didn’t catch the answer. Anyone able to help me out?

Time to bring back Pizza Bella and Pizza DaVinci!

Clubs that are used to getting pizza from off-campus locations can rejoice! A new amendment to the purchasing policy has allowed clubs to purchase pizza, soda, candy, bagels, and other random foods from vendors other than Sodexo. The only catches are you have to allow enough time for Martha to go through the Financial Division and you have to have a valid reason for purchasing from someone other than Sodexo. Once you get the item approved, it’s on the exempt list and you don’t have to ask again.

There are still some changes that are not met with happiness from students since it makes other purchases more difficult, like declining balance cards, but I guess this is a start.  See the jump for the whole e-mail from President of the Union Mike Spitz announcing the change:

Hello Club Officers,

I am writing this email with great excitement. Ben Hunt and I sat down with two representatives from the Financial Division of RPI this morning. The meeting was called to discuss the current issues relating to clubs being forced to buy from Sodexo. The main issue on the table was buying pizza, soda, and candy. The Financial Reps stated that they will consider each item that is requested to be purchased outside of Sodexo. For the case of pizza, and no offense to Sodexo, but Sodexo is not a pizza parlor and does not have the same quality of pizza as local business or provides similar low prices or times of service. Pizza will now be allowed to be purchased using the Club Operating Fund. For the case of soda and candy, it is far cheaper to purchase these items elsewhere and purchasing them through Sodexo will significantly increase the expenses of many clubs.

However, it must be noted that Sodexo is RPI’s preferred vendor and should be considered for the majority of purchases if there is little difference in quality and pricing. If your club thinks that they have a valid reason for another food/drink item to be purchased elsewhere, here is the process:

1) You ask “Martha McElligott” mcellm@rpi.edu about the item in the Union Admin Office. 2) She then asks the people in Finance and Administration about the item. She will not have to ask multiple times for the same type of item. For example, if you go to Martha about bagels, and bagels get approved, then bagels will not have to be asked for again. However, there needs to be a serious proposal as to why an item should not be supplied by Sodexo. Once an item is on this exempt list it theoretically will stay on that list for all clubs. 3) Martha will notify the club and they will receive funds from the Club Operating Fund to purchase the items.

And let me please reiterate that culture foods have already been exempted under the reason of authenticity.

So to sum up, feel free to go to Martha now to purchase your pizza, candy, and soda, and cultural foods. Ask her about other items. But please, as always, approach Martha ahead of time so that she has enough time to ask the Financial Division and they have enough time to answer. We will work on an initial item list for the Financial Division to review. If you have any questions about this new amendment to the Sodexo policy, please do not hesitate to contact me at pu@rpi.edu. And let it also be known that the Financial and Administration Reps were very helpful and open to listening to our student issues. This was a definite win for administration and student relations.

– Mike Spitz Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 2011 Mathematics/Science, Technology & Society Phi Mu Delta Fraternity 121st President of the Union

I think this is a little more appropriate than a potpourri of pot.

I know that I’ve taken a bit of a hiatus since the whole Student Handbook fiasco has been going on,  but The Poly’s use of marijuana as its front page photo struck me as wildly inappropriate–prompting me to dig deeper into the issue. So lots of reading and a meeting with Dean Smith later, here our take.

First of all, for those of you who haven’t been filled in on the major changes, here’s a recap of the two new sections causing controversy:

• “Involuntary Withdrawal for Drug Addiction:” allows the Institute to judge whether a student is addicted to a substance or not and bypass the typical judicial process, as well as inform the student’s parents about such determination (but only if you are claimed as a dependent!). This is only for “egregious” and extreme cases (for example, if it poses a threat to safety or student interests).
• “Rules for Maintenance of Public Order:” requires students to gain administrative permission to protest no less than seven days before said rally/protest to allow for safety of students in the rally to be provided (Note: Dean Smith and GM Ben Hunt are working toward language that would allow for exceptions).

After attending the forum with Mark Smith (which was sparsely attended), I have vastly different opinions than what I had read in The Poly and from the Student Senate (proving it’s always best to do the digging yourself). Follow me after the jump for a little perspective on the matter:Well, first of all, I think that it is good that Dean Smith is willing to work with students. He’s a fair guy and I trust him with his ability to correctly interpret the new additions to the Handbook. My worry is what happens down-the-road when someone else takes over as the Dean. While he can interpret these policies in a fair and just manner, I believe they need to be clarified to ensure that student rights can not be compromised in other circumstances.

The other problem that the Senate had with effectively analyzing the Handbook was their lack of context. The reason that a policy is more than just a paragraph is so that it sets a framework for enacting the policy. In taking the “Peaceful Demonstration” portion of the Handbook as only a paragraph to analyze (which it seemed was how the Senate had gone about it), the group missed that a protest can not be denied based on content, but rather if it poses a safety or security threat. I would urge the Senate to be more comprehensive in their review of documents in the future (particularly when it comes time for the Student Life Performance Plan review later this semester).

So, now that discussion about the Handbook is nearing completion. I have to wonder what the reason was for a lack of student representation was in the matter as well. While Hunt and Khan can duke it out all they want in the ed/op section of The Poly, it’s not going to help. I blame a lack of communication between the student body and the administration, as well as maybe between members of the Senate. Both have been issues we’ve heard before, but it has yet to be resolved. Now, if Khan was aware that things needed to be done, why didn’t he say anything to Hunt? Or if anyone else from the Senate (or previous Senate) knew, they also should have relayed things that needed to be done. It seems that all lines of communication have broken down.

Further advice to the Senate: Find a way to ensure that you’re involved in the process of the Handbook discussions next year. Relying on tradition doesn’t often prove to be the most effective method of doing this. It’s not something that would have probably come up before now as everything was fine and dandy; but since it’s reared its ugly head, don’t ignore it.

I guess this will be the only language they'll know how to say "good-bye" in ...

People are beginning to question SUNY Albany’s committment to its motto, “the world within reach.” According to Inside Higher Ed, the university announced Friday that it will be ending admissions to all its language programs in French, Italian, Russian, and classics–with only Spanish left after all the current language students graduate. This leaves 10 tenured faculty members with only two years of employment to help current students finish degrees before they will have to move on to a new place. 20 adjunct faculty members are likely going to be in the same boat.

Sound familiar? I thought so, too. SUNY Albany had become a resource for some of RPI’s students who wanted to pursue classes in languages after the Institute cut its language program in 2009. I really have to wonder why the language program is always the focus of budget cuts; the programs have merit in introducing students to other cultures and becoming world citizens, instead of the stereotypical “ignorant American.”

While RPI is supposed to be continuing the language program through the Center for Social and Cognitive Networks, I’m not quite sure what Albany will do about the cut. Approximately 500 students enroll in French alone each year, according to the article.

Maybe RPI can reach out to Albany on a collaborative effort with the Center for Social and Cognitive Networks–either for faculty-sharing with the Center or some sort of distance learning for SUNY Albany students? Though I may just be naive to the way that private and public schools can interact, it would give an opportunity for students from both campuses to benefit from the foreign language classes.

Start practicing your cheers at this weekend's Red/White scrimmage for the men's hockey season!

Filament will be going on all weekend so be sure to check out some of the events. We included some (but not all) in the roundup below.

Friday, October 1

Career Fair from 10-4 in the Armory. Get your suits and resumes ready.

Opening Reception of Filament. Includes a reception in Evelyn’s Café at 6 pm, a barn-raising, and Early Morning Opera’s Performance of ABACUS at 7 pm. Wilderness will also be going on in the lobby, beginning at 8 pm.

UPAC cinema is showing The Karate Kid in the DCC at the normal times. $2.50

Shellnut opens “Tres Artistas: An Art Exhibition to Honor Latino Heritage Month,” co-sponsored by the Alianza Latina Club. The exhibit begins on October 1^st with the official opening reception on October 14^th.

Saturday, October 2

Career Fair from 10-4 in the Armory.

Watch the Engineers in their annual Red/White scrimmage, starting at 4 pm in the Houston Field House. Free!

The Red/White game is being followed up by an Albany Devils match against the Adirondack Phantoms at 7 pm in the Field House. Admission is $5 for RPI students.

Filament continues. Early Morning Opera’s Performance of ABACUS begins at 9 pm. Wilderness will also be going on in the lobby, at 1 pm and 7 pm.

UPAC cinema is showing Animal House in the DCC at the normal times. $2.50

RPI-Sage Hillel hosts Casino Night in Mother’s (8 pm-midnight). Snacks, games, and the like.

Get your nerd on with some DDR. Dance Dance Revolution Free Play is going on in the McNeil room from 3 pm until 8:30 pm.

If you have a car, the Applestock Music Festival is happening at the Altamont Fairgrounds. The Festival is going on Saturday through Sunday — with OneRepublic, Good Charlotte, and Asher Roth headlining Saturday Night. Tickets for the performances on Saturday $15 if purchased in advance.

Zip-a-dee-do-dah, zip-a-dee-ay ...

There’s been talk about a car-sharing service like Zipcar coming to the RPI campus, and we might have found further confirmation. A Zipcar-branded Prius was sighted on Sage Avenue by the ‘87 Gym this afternoon; our thought is a meeting with representatives or perhaps a test drive? But this is certainly furthering our suspicions of the service coming to campus! Zipcar offers its car-sharing services in large cities like Boston, Chicago, and New York City; expanding services to RPI (or even the Capital District for that matter) would be a welcomed move.

Though we are curious what the terms would be for student’s use of the service, it has the potential to provide a great opportunity for the Rensselaer community … particularly for club or residence life outings. Here’s to hoping our suspicions prove true!

Beware: He's quite the lady's man, if you ask us.

Those of you on campus today should hunt for the panda who’s advertising this weekend’s Filament festival happening at EMPAC.

The festival sounds like it’ll provide the perfect way to avoid studying, with lots of installations and events going on (The ABACUS performance sounds really cool as does the Wilderness performance right in the lobby, in my opinion).  There’s also a “party” on Saturday evening that seems like it will be a good opportunity to chill out with some food from Evelyn’s Cafe and music from Joro Boro (NYC) + Properly Chilled (Albany).

Plus, according to the EMPAC website, RPI students get in FREE with their ID (pending available seats)! You don’t want to miss out on this one, even if you only get to one of the many events.

For schedule and description of events, visit: http://empac.rpi.edu/events/2010/fall/filament/

Go "Fill the Stadium." The football team plays its first home game against WPI on Saturday's for the Transit Trophy.

Friday, September 24

Men’s Soccer faces off against Clarkson at 4 pm on Renwyck Field. Free admission.

It’s the first Troy Night Out of the fall! Enjoy some of the coffee shops and soak up what downtown has to offer. Take advantage of the free shuttles running from the Union Horseshoe every hour.

Russell Sage College hosts their performance of “Peter Pan: The Musical” in the Meader Little Theater. The show begins at 8 pm. Tickets: $8–10.

UPAC Cinema will be showing Iron Man 2 in DCC 308, with showings at 7 pm, 9:30 pm, and midnight. Tickets: $2.50

Saturday, September 25

Fill the Stadium for the Transit Trophy Game. RPI Football faces WPI in its first home game of the season. Game starts at 2 pm in the ECAV Stadium. Feel free to wear red, white, and/or body paint to show some school spirit. Free with an RPI ID, or $10 for premium seating.

The women Engineers have their first hockey game of the season versus the University of Montreal. Free admission at the Houston Field House. Puck drops at 4 pm.

UPAC Cinema will be showing Chicago in DCC 308, with showings at 7 pm, 9:30 pm, and midnight. Tickets: $2.50

Public Observing at the Hirsch Observatory on the roof of JROWL from 8–10 pm. Free!

If you get a chance, plan an apple picking trip to a nearby orchard or explore Albany with a ride on the CDTA 22 bus.

If you have events you’d like us to put up on our weekend events, just shoot us an email or put it in the comments.

So, we here at RPInsider are considering some important changes on the site. Therefore, if you have opinions, now’s your time to make your voice heard about what you want.  I will be holding an interest meeting to recruit writers and get feedback sometime during the first full week of October (I’m trying not to fail my classes just yet so it has to wait). In particular, we’re thinking about ending anonymity on certain aspects of our site to provide more credibility. It’s all up in the air right now, so we’re looking to the RPI community to help us continue and figure out the direction.

Stay tuned for more information and, in the meantime, I will try to keep things updated as best as I can in terms of news and weekend activities.

Spread the word to your friends (particularly those cute freshmen with the lanyards who don’t know about us yet): We’re going to try to bring RPInsider back to the ‘Tute! And while you’re waiting for October, please comment with any suggestions you might have for our lovely blog.

Thanks all! –The new gal

We couldn't find one that says rennovate.

Hi there! It’s us again. So we read the Poly….  They had some good things to say about the value of electronic media on this campus.  Thing is, we’re done.  So if you guys want to keep it going, we need your help to figure out how.

Here’s your only stipulation:  the two of us must remain anonymoose.  (We figured since the Poly doesn’t use spell check, we don’t have to, either.)

Leave your ideas in in the comments.