Yesterday occurred the Town Hall meeting & student protest. RPI administration announced it will suspend hiring two union-related positions until the Board of Trustees has decided what degree of autonomy the Student Union should have, and whether Constitution changes are necessary. Below are sources for video recordings and news articles of the events, followed by a transcript of Rensselaer President Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson’s remarks about the Student Union. Sources: Town Hall Meeting + Q&A video: http://mediasite.mms.rpi.edu/Mediasite5/Play/2d14f887fe464e5e8d958f3eb5b944411d Student Press Release (protest video within): http://bit.ly/1UVzQMO ABC Local Article Covering Protest: http://news10.com/2016/03/30/rpi-students-hold-teach-in-for-control-of-student-union/ Times Union Article (w/ photos): http://m.timesunion.com/local/article/RPI-students-to-protest-policy-on-student-union-7217349.php#photo-9726697 Dr. Jackson opening remarks on the Rensselaer Union: “So the first thing I would like to address is the question of the Rensselaer Union. And let me begin by saying that I have great respect for the history and functions of the Rensselaer Union. I always have, and I’ve met in the past with the leaders of the Union and the Grand Marshall. For various reasons in the last couple of years, I’ve let with them less, but I still meet with them. I think it’s an important part of the history of the University. It’s important in terms of how it operates and what it teaches our students, and what they learn and how they grow from it. But there clearly is disagreement regarding the degree of autonomy of the Union, and in fact one can stay clearly that the language of the Union Constitution is ambiguous. But there is no ambiguity with respect to the fact that the Board of Trustees does have the ultimate authority for the Union, as it does for the University as a whole. And therefore it is appropriate for the Trustees to, in fact, look at the Union Constitution, and to decide what independence and autonomy mean. And so I, in fact, have had a meeting with the Board’s Executive Committee, and I’ve asked the Board of Trustees through its Executive Committee to review the Union Constitution, and to decide whether any changes are warranted. I’ve also asked the board to come to the campus to meet with students directly, and the Board has agreed to do so. So we will let the process run its course, and while it runs its course, we will suspend any hiring for the positions of the Executive Director for Student Activities, and the Director of the Union until the Board concludes its review.” - 3/30/2016 Rensselaer Spring Town Hall Meeting