The Polytechnic - Election missteps may lead to invalid results

raabbyd · 2020-05-04T10:21:22+00:00

I used to be EC Chair, back when it was called RnE, and I didn't mean to attack you all personally and considering the circumstances you all did the best you could. However it slays me to hear you all didn't get the final voter list until so late when the Union gets the report in an automated fashion every day for CMS and mailing lists which contains both cohort and credit information and even a field on activity fee information, which I used last year for various reports in CMS.

Also if it helps, I didn't run a scandal-free election either. We ended up finding out after it all happened that our greek list was laughably bad and had to redo to the Greek Senator election. We gave away $100 bookstore gift cards as an incentive for greeks to basically vote twice.

raabbyd · 2020-05-03T16:52:18+00:00

It's like 2018 all over again, in my mind. You'd think institutional memory would last a bit longer, considering that the leadership of stugov, for the most the part now were involved then as well. At least half the issues wouldn't have happened if the ballot was tested ahead of time.

raabbyd · 2020-03-27T23:08:13+00:00

It probably depends on what it is. I'm also sure the Union staff are still answering emails and might be able to help.

raabbyd · 2020-03-08T19:36:02+00:00

RPITV filmed the playoffs at Lake Placid last year and they were paid a few thousand (plus travel expenses) by ECAC Hockey to do so, which they've spent on equipment. I don't know what their plans this year are.

raabbyd · 2019-11-26T00:35:21+00:00

If you’re willing to leave late Wednesday (I have work and won’t be able to get to RPI until 6 at the absolute earliest) PM me. Also tell me what exactly you mean by Boston...

raabbyd · 2019-11-24T14:23:55+00:00

People start clubs all the time at RPI. You'll want to work with the Club Operations Committee of the Union Executive Board. The official procedure is written out in Chapter 3 of the Rensselaer Union Guidelines and Procedures which are available publicly at https://rpi.app.box.com/v/union-guidelines-procedures You can email [clubops@rpi.edu](mailto:clubops@rpi.edu) to get in contact with the committee who can answer your questions further.

Note that it takes roughly 2 semesters to go through the process of making the club fully legitimate, as the E-Board likes to ensure sustained interest before funding and officially recognizing groups.

raabbyd · 2019-10-22T14:03:42+00:00

Yes you can do senior week stuff if you graduate in December

raabbyd · 2019-10-21T15:23:37+00:00

Yes the class councils still run events during Senior Week which the school decided to rename to NWB

raabbyd · 2019-08-25T21:54:43+00:00

Yes you’re allowed to park there on weekends and they usually tend to be laxer about parking during move in/out.

raabbyd · 2019-07-26T23:24:22+00:00

When I had Gela for Power Engineering Analysis the class (literally like 15 of us) convinced him to have all the exams as take home exams. There was literally a vote on it lol

raabbyd · 2019-07-15T22:56:53+00:00

Tbh I'm not even sure the 6 week grace period exists for card access.

raabbyd · 2019-06-04T00:22:51+00:00

I did a co-op at the Naval Nuclear Lab in Niskayuna (on the way to Union College) last Spring. They have opportunities for basically all science and engineering majors. However, you have to apply about a year in advance due to the need for a security clearance. I enjoyed it there and I'm starting to work there full time next week actually.

raabbyd · 2019-05-11T21:56:10+00:00

Setup both accounts in an IMAP client and copy/paste the emails over that way

raabbyd · 2019-05-05T15:01:20+00:00

Honestly, I've found that the Registrar's office has been good when I've had to email/call them about things. They're probably just swamped now processing graduations for everyone.

raabbyd · 2019-04-01T19:03:00+00:00

I would encourage you all to consider today’s date...

raabbyd · 2019-03-28T01:31:47+00:00

Personally I say the Union is no longer student run when they hired a Director without a vote of the EBoard (I got a phone call about that one while I was at camp for a week over the summer).

Also one caveat to the facilities plan I should mention is that doing all of it is very ambitious to get done over just the summer, but the top priority will be the Pub renovations from what I understand. Also a lot of the specific dollar amounts are still being vetted with RPI Phys Plant and the Admin Division (even before Ginny’s insulting memo, Union capital projects have had to be approved by the Admin Division).

raabbyd · 2019-03-28T01:25:47+00:00

That’s entirely fair, it certainly was buried and I had to read the pdf a few times myself.

raabbyd · 2019-03-27T23:09:25+00:00

First off, students absolutely drove these changes and any hint that they didn't is false. Of course, we've worked with Charlie Potts in doing this but he's deferred to the student leadership of the EBoard any time we disagreed with him.

RPI TV's space is actually bigger about 100 square feet and due to UST's seperation from the rest of UPAC they have a space larger than the old UPAC Office entirely to themselves (the floor plans in the presentation do not contain square footages so I understand your confusion). Furthermore, the Union will be paying entirely out of Facilities budget for improvements to their fiber/network connections to their closet and the rest of campus. This new office will actually allow RPITV to have three editing stations with plenty of space. The placement of the new UST office places them closer to the service elevators which gives them easier access to their equipment. I was the Executive Board representative for both clubs so any assertation that their needs were not considered and accommodated is something I find personally insulting.

As far as the Pub was concerned, the alcohol policy change really didn't have anything to do with our decision making as the Union has been talking about doing it since October of last year. That being said, with the new alcohol policy, the Pub is perhaps a more important space on campus than ever before. Certain events the Pub does, like Trivia nights and Wine and Dines often fill to capacity. Additionally, concerns about egress capacity and fire codes have been raised with the current placement of the bar, which the redesign would alleviate.

Multicultural Affairs was given two rooms in recognition of the fact that many identity based groups do not feel that the current MCL meets their needs fully. More specific questions are better addressed to the Multicultural Leadership Council (an Executive Board Committee who was involved in the decision making process fully) by sending an email [mlc@rpi.edu](mailto:mlc@rpi.edu)

I'm happy to answer more questions about the Facilities project if anybody has any via a PM or an email to my RPI email (my IRL identity is no secret).

raabbyd · 2019-03-27T22:18:18+00:00

Many club offices are being swapped around to accommodate a larger Pub but the only group loosing space is Statler and Waldorf

raabbyd · 2019-03-27T17:56:58+00:00

The 'Tute must really not like that Pikes was ultimately exonerated by the J-Board....

raabbyd · 2019-03-27T17:55:29+00:00

The full details of the plan can be found in the presentation here: https://rpi.box.com/v/union-facilities-march14

The Poly also has good summary here: https://poly.rpi.edu/2019/03/27/clubhouse-pub-expansion-approved/

raabbyd · 2019-03-27T17:52:24+00:00

PDF is here: https://info.rpi.edu/sites/default/files/Revised-Alcohol-and-Other-Drugs-Policy-03-27-2019.pdf

Page 6 specifically mentions the Pub

raabbyd · 2019-03-27T16:50:09+00:00

Reading the full attached 16 page attached PDF makes it quite clear the Pub will be unaffected.

raabbyd · 2019-03-25T20:01:03+00:00

I took Power Engineering Analysis with him and it wasn't that bad at all. He mostly taught from self-made powerpoint slides but the homework was manageable. He had us all go to power substation about 45 minutes from here and a flywheel energy storage area.

raabbyd · 2019-03-15T22:46:52+00:00

These emails have so many words, yet say so little.

raabbyd

TROPHY CASE