The Rensselaer Polytechnic October 26, 2016
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Wednesday, October 26, 2016 Volume CXXXVII, No. 9 • poly.rpi.edu FEATURES Page 6 SPORTS Page 12 EDITORIAL Page 4 Peter Considering the impact Begonja of climate change Serge Adapting time man- Piskun agement to fit college Staff A moment of silence Banks cranks out magnetic sound Rensselaer dominates RIT Editorial for our noisemakers ADMINISTRATION Greeks on campus for Summer Arch Sidney Kochman/The Polytechnic THIS FILE PHOTO SHOWS the recently renovated North Hall. During Summer Arch, Greek students may be required to live in campus housing. Spooky Nathan Dorer tors had always intended to have all of contact, but the decision seem- stated that “Our goal is to work with Senior Reporter students live in on-campus housing, ingly contradicts the sentiment held Rensselaer to see that Greeks are able and the decision appears to have by the AIGC. In the same May state- to live in their chapter houses during ON SEPTEMBER 9, VICE PRESIDENT been made before student input had ment, members of the AIGC wrote the summer of their junior year.” for Student Life Dr. Frank E. Ross been taken into consideration. In a that “it is the unanimous position When speaking with III met with members of the Alumni statement sent to Ross on May 24 of the Alumni Inter-Greek Council The Polytechnic, Ross said that Inter Greek Council to discuss of this year, AIGC President Roger (representing all social fraternities the purpose of having rising juniors upcoming changes to Greek life at Grice stated that “Reports com- and sororities at Rensselaer) that live on campus is community build- Rensselaer. Among these changes ing from committees studying the such a decision by Rensselaer is not ing. There are plans to hold events was the plan to mandate that stu- implementation of the Rensselaer consistent with the provisions of the during the summer that will bring dents affiliated with Greek houses Summer Arch Program have re- current Greek Life Commons Agree- the class closer together before spend the Summer Arch program ported out in various forums that all ment or the concept of a Greek Com- large portions leave for either their in on-campus housing, rather than rising juniors will be required to live mons within Rensselaer’s concept of fall or spring semester. in their respective Greek houses. in Rensselaer residence halls during CLASS.” Additionally, Grice stated Although administrators have The decision appears to have been the summer session after comple- that mandating students live on cam- already moved forward on the made without direct contact with tion of their sophomore year.” Prior pus “is detrimental to the leadership decisions, a survey has recently the students, as the information was to the implementation of Summer development potential of students been issued to chapter presi- only provided to campus fraternities Arch, Greek-affiliated students had who are members of the Greek Life dents at Rensselaer fraternities and sororities after it had been made. been able to spend this summer liv- Commons as well as being finan- and sororities to gather student For Greek organizations, the changes ing in Greek housing. Some students cially detrimental to the viability input on the changes. The results Serving the could be detrimental to the normal may prefer to live in their houses, of Greek houses and organizations, of the survey are yet to be seen, working function of the houses, and and oftentimes Greek housing is a especially as it pertains to health, but The Polytechnic expects to Rensselaer could result in additional living costs. more affordable option for students. safety, and property upkeep.” In cor- hear from administrators and community Throughout the decision-making Administrators appear to have respondence with The Polytechnic, other members of the AIGC in process, it appears that administra- used the AIGC as their central point committee member Bob Eckert has the coming weeks. since 1885 SENATE Inside Senate seeks input on Core Curriculum David Raab share with the Senate next week. He also men- prior chairman stepped down. Gallo said Comics . 8 Senior Reporter tioned that the questions for the anonymous that he seeks to work with Russell Sage Editorial/Opinion . 4 THIS WEEK’S MEETING OPENED WITH REPORTS Counseling Center survey have been created, College, downtown Troy businesses, and Features . 6 from the committees of the Senate. Steve Spe- and that he has reached out to Residence Life even schools in Albany in order to encour- razza ’18 spoke on behalf of the Academic about a survey on resident hall feedback. age RPI students to explore more of their Sports . 12 Affairs Committee, and started discussion Sidney Kochman ’19, chairperson of the community. Etzine asked him about specific Whats . 10 at this week’s Senate meeting on collecting Web Technologies Group, told the Senate that goals and Gallo responded that he hoped to feedback about the Core Curriculum changes the myrpi.org hosting services Webtech previ- have at least one student event with Sage or that were discussed last week. He encour- ously ran needs to be shut down due to technical UAlbany beyond Friday’s mixer. aged people to send feedback to chairper- reasons, and that the group is also looking for The Senate also addressed the unspon- Connect son Varun Rao ’18. Facilities and Services ways to improve Flagship Docs. Finally, Grand sored petition, Make Career Fair a Student Committee Chairperson Austin Miller ’17 Marshal Paul Ilori ’17 gave the Community Re- Holiday, which received over 292 signatures Visit us online at: said that the Department of Public Safety lations Committee report and said that Russell of student support. Last week, Ilori had poly.rpi.edu is looking to have officers go to dinner at Sage College is holding a mixer for RPI students emailed Registrar Sharon Kunkel to ask about Like us on Facebook: Commons on either November 15, 16, or 17 Friday night, and that he wants senators to attend. the feasibility of changing the academic cal- facebook.com/thepolytechnic in order to get feedback from students and One of the few orders of business at endar in order to accommodate making the Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: share new initiatives. the meeting was the appointment of fall Career Fair a student holiday. Kunkel @RPIPoly Chairperson Justin Etzine ’18 of the Student Leo Gallo ’19 as the chairperson of the wrote back saying how a day would most Life Committee shared that the committee has Community Relations Committee. The post a draft proposal on campus study spaces to has been vacant for about a month since the See SENATE, Page 2 2 • News Wednesday, October 26, 2016 poly.rpi.edu Senate: Plans for OFF-CAMPUS EVENT CS women take Houston Fall Career Fair Stephanie Tan talks and check out the incredible expo. The expo dis- Senior Reporter played a multitude of technology companies including Google, Apple, Facebook, Instagram, Spotify, Snapchat, FROM OCTOBER 19 TO OCTOBER 21, THE GEORGE R. Pinterest, Yahoo!, Verizon, IBM, Intel, Amazon, Hulu, as student holiday Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas hosted Twitter, Uber, Starbucks, Dropbox, and Disney. the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Comput- Friday, the conference came to a close with one from Page 2 ing. Hosted by the Anita Borg Institute, the Grace final keynote presentation. This keynote included likely need to be taken from elsewhere in the schedule and suggested Hopper Celebration is named after renowned Navy talks from Marc Benioff and Megan Smith. Marc having class on either Columbus Day or the Wednesday before Rear Admiral and computer scientist, Grace Hopper. Benioff is the CEO of Salesforce and discussed how Thanksgiving as possible places to reallocate a day in the schedule. This is the largest event for women in computing he has made it a huge part of his company to ensure Etzine added that the original sponsor of the petition, who wishes to worldwide, with 15,000 attendees from all over the equality for his employees. Megan Smith is the first remain anonymous, told him that if classes cannot be canceled, then world. The event includes an expo, a multitude of talks woman to be the Chief Technology Officer for the professors should be officially advised not to have assignments due relating to different topics within the field of computer United States of America. The keynote concluded or give exams on the day of the Career Fair. Ultimately, after a brief science, and two keynote presentations. Rensselaer with a huge thanks to the sponsors and attendees fol- discussion on whether the Student Life Committee or the Academic Polytechnic Institute provided full scholarships for lowed by the announcement of the next location of the Affair Committee should take on looking into accommodating the twelve students majoring in computer science to at- Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing: Career Fair, a motion charging it to AAC passed 21-10. tend. The scholarship included travel arrangements, Orlando, Florida in October 2017. registration for the conference, and hotel cost. The Grace Hopper Celebration is extremely important Kicking off the Grace Hopper Celebration on to women in computing, it allows for women to meet Wednesday morning, the keynote presentation was others who have succeeded in the field and are passionate The Editorial Board held in the Toyota Center. There were two keynote about the same things. RPI attendee Hannah Deen ’18 speakers: Latonya Sweeney, the first African Ameri- expressed how the Grace Hopper conference empowered of The Polytechnic can woman to get a doctorate in computer science her, and her appreciation to RPI for providing her the op- from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, portunity to attend. “GHC made me realize that even if encourages you to and the former president and CEO at IBM, Ginni women are a minority in computer science, we are not in Rometty.