RPI Student Union

[marty]

There has been a controversy concerning the administration of the student union at RPI for several weeks.  This seems to be a power grab by the most powerful person on campus, college president Shirley Jackson.

Monday's Troy Record

Protest Web Site

Record Opinion by its newly appointed editor

[Trotsky]

For an editor, that guy needs an editor.

[billhoward]

Protesting school policies when admits are on campus is a double-edged sword. There's never a better time to pressure the administration. And never a worse time to help your school's (and your) reputation.

When we did college tours with our son, students at James Madison saw tour groups and several times pointed to the group and happily chanted "J! M! U!" which suggested a lot of spirit for a university split in half by an Interstate (81). Conversely at Rowan, I believe it was, a couple students saw the tour group and made choking motions or turned thumbs down. Keep doing that, they'll devalue their diploma.

[Trotsky]

How does protesting school decisions devalue a diploma?  If anything it seems to me it would demonstrate that the students are involved and active, thus enhancing the value of a diploma.  That is if it matters at all.

Wake me when you get armed occupiers. ::snore::

[billhoward]

How does protesting school decisions devalue a diploma?  If anything it seems to me it would demonstrate that the students are involved and active, thus enhancing the value of a diploma.  That is if it matters at all. Wake me when you get armed occupiers. ::snore::

Admits see an unsettled campus, don't like what they see, go elsewhere, school fills its ranks with lesser students. Slow downward death spiral. Our son draw a negative view of students seeing unhappy with the campus and that was part of the reason he wrote if off (also, almost no NJ student we know stays in NJ - the parents are too close). Agreed, unhappy students may be different from protesting students.

That's what I'm saying today. What did I actually do myself: I sent my deposit the year after the Willard Straight takeover, which is about as big as a protest can be. My only disappointment was that there was no mega-protest / late spring classes cancelled freshman year, and we actually had to take finals. The other disappointment was enrolling a year too late to see the 29-0 season.

[Scersk '97]

Admits see an unsettled campus, don't like what they see, go elsewhere, school fills its ranks with lesser students. Slow downward death spiral.

A slow downward death spiral is exactly what the protesters are hoping to have a small part in preventing. President Jackson is running RPI into the ground.

Take on a bunch of debt to build a showpiece performing arts center? I speak with more than a bit of authority here—that's a poor choice, going back just about forever in the history of Western civilization. For much of history, only the treasuries of the nobility could survive the building of a theater; in modern times, the treasuries of governments have, most of the time, been able to survive the same.

What can I say? The president's salary, the mansion, the gleaming glass cube—Jackson's presidency oozes "imperial" at every turn.

[marty]

Admits see an unsettled campus, don't like what they see, go elsewhere, school fills its ranks with lesser students. Slow downward death spiral.

A slow downward death spiral is exactly what the protesters are hoping to have a small part in preventing. President Jackson is running RPI into the ground.

Take on a bunch of debt to build a showpiece performing arts center? I speak with more than a bit of authority here—that's a poor choice, going back just about forever in the history of Western civilization. For much of history, only the treasuries of the nobility could survive the building of a theater; in modern times, the treasuries of governments have, most of the time, been able to survive the same.

What can I say? The president's salary, the mansion, the gleaming glass cube—Jackson's presidency oozes "imperial" at every turn.

The glass cube I assume refers to the private box that she controls on the west side of Houston.  This space is often dark during games when no deserving bigwigs are in town.

[Scersk '97]

Admits see an unsettled campus, don't like what they see, go elsewhere, school fills its ranks with lesser students. Slow downward death spiral.

A slow downward death spiral is exactly what the protesters are hoping to have a small part in preventing. President Jackson is running RPI into the ground.

Take on a bunch of debt to build a showpiece performing arts center? I speak with more than a bit of authority here—that's a poor choice, going back just about forever in the history of Western civilization. For much of history, only the treasuries of the nobility could survive the building of a theater; in modern times, the treasuries of governments have, most of the time, been able to survive the same.

What can I say? The president's salary, the mansion, the gleaming glass cube—Jackson's presidency oozes "imperial" at every turn.

The glass cube I assume refers to the private box that she controls on the west side of Houston.  This space is often dark during games when no deserving bigwigs are in town.

Oh no, I was referring to the EMPAC center. That Houston detail is even better!

[marty]

Admits see an unsettled campus, don't like what they see, go elsewhere, school fills its ranks with lesser students. Slow downward death spiral.

A slow downward death spiral is exactly what the protesters are hoping to have a small part in preventing. President Jackson is running RPI into the ground.

Take on a bunch of debt to build a showpiece performing arts center? I speak with more than a bit of authority here—that's a poor choice, going back just about forever in the history of Western civilization. For much of history, only the treasuries of the nobility could survive the building of a theater; in modern times, the treasuries of governments have, most of the time, been able to survive the same.

What can I say? The president's salary, the mansion, the gleaming glass cube—Jackson's presidency oozes "imperial" at every turn.

The glass cube I assume refers to the private box that she controls on the west side of Houston.  This space is often dark during games when no deserving bigwigs are in town.

Oh no, I was referring to the EMPAC center. That Houston detail is even better!

Oh, the spaceship!




Not the throne:

[nshapiro]

Admits see an unsettled campus, don't like what they see, go elsewhere, school fills its ranks with lesser students. Slow downward death spiral.

A slow downward death spiral is exactly what the protesters are hoping to have a small part in preventing. President Jackson is running RPI into the ground.

Take on a bunch of debt to build a showpiece performing arts center? I speak with more than a bit of authority here—that's a poor choice, going back just about forever in the history of Western civilization. For much of history, only the treasuries of the nobility could survive the building of a theater; in modern times, the treasuries of governments have, most of the time, been able to survive the same.

What can I say? The president's salary, the mansion, the gleaming glass cube—Jackson's presidency oozes "imperial" at every turn.

Alternative to slow downward death spiral is a campus full of active, involved students, like Wesleyan or Oberlin

[marty]

Admits see an unsettled campus, don't like what they see, go elsewhere, school fills its ranks with lesser students. Slow downward death spiral.

A slow downward death spiral is exactly what the protesters are hoping to have a small part in preventing. President Jackson is running RPI into the ground.

Take on a bunch of debt to build a showpiece performing arts center? I speak with more than a bit of authority here—that's a poor choice, going back just about forever in the history of Western civilization. For much of history, only the treasuries of the nobility could survive the building of a theater; in modern times, the treasuries of governments have, most of the time, been able to survive the same.

What can I say? The president's salary, the mansion, the gleaming glass cube—Jackson's presidency oozes "imperial" at every turn.

Alternative to slow downward death spiral is a campus full of active, involved students, like Wesleyan or Oberlin

I don't think this is a student issue at its core.  It is all about taking on massive debt prior to 2008. And the leadership had grandiose plans. If one building project at a time were undertaken there wouldn't be the monetary pressure that three projects created.

Not to mention the redirection of an engineering institute has little in common with the schools you mentioned.

[marty]

Jackson has decided not to fight for control of the student union.

Times Union 4/28/16

RPI's Jackson yields on student union hire
Students praise president's change of plans
By Bethany Bump Updated 6:23 am, Thursday, April 28, 2016
 
 
Troy
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute students are cheering president Shirley Anne Jackson's about-face on creating a position that students blasted as a takeover of the student union at a protest outside the president's town hall meeting last month.
Jackson announced her decision Tuesday to cancel plans to create the job of executive director of student activities and reassured students she would seek their input and involvement more often going forward.
"Both the board of trustees and the administration encourage continued open communication among campus constituents," Jackson wrote in a letter to the campus community. "We want to hear from all the members of our community to ensure that any decisions we make reflect their interests, and the greater good of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute."
Students rallied on the Troy campus after months of disagreement with the administration over the role of the Rensselaer Student Union, a 125-year-old body that controls, finances and organizes student activities. While the administration employs a director to oversee the student union's day-to-day operations, students say they've historically had the autonomy to govern and run it as they see fit.
But the mysterious disappearance of the union director in January put some on edge. Concerns boiled over when, shortly after, the university posted a job advertisement for a newly created position. This person, the posting said, would provide leadership for the student union and answer to the administration.
After the March 30 demonstration outside her town hall meeting, Jackson suspended the search for the two positions until the board of trustees had a chance to review the union constitution. On Tuesday, she announced that the search for the student union director would resume "with more student involvement," but the search for the new position would not.
In addition, she wrote, a review of the student union constitution may or may not proceed, and if it does, the board of trustees would be sure to follow the process outlined in the constitution.
"The goal of such a review would be to ensure that the student union constitution accurately reflects the way the union actually operates, and that it is consistent with all other policies of the institute," Jackson wrote.
Jackson pledged to meet each semester with the elected leaders of the student union, with at least one meeting including a broader group of students. She also promised to include and rotate in a number of other student leaders and representatives as participants in board of trustees Student Life Committee meetings. The minutes of those meetings will be published for the entire community, she said.

[marty]

The controversy returns:

Troy Record

Student "Save the Union" posts

[marty]

More, including student site links

[marty]

Deja New