We thank our alumni and student body in our time of need, and encourage constant vigilance to guide the course of our Alma Mater going forward. Articles summarizing the situation follow below. You can help improve our school through WeR Gold, which directly funds RPI's student initiatives. (All funds given through this program are directly applied to the project listed, and not open to redirection to other Institute purposes): https://impact.rpi.edu/g/weRGOLD From Times Union: "Students and alumni at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are cautiously celebrating what they perceive as victory in their fight with college President Shirley Anne Jackson over control of the campus’ student union. In a letter to the college community released earlier this week, Jackson said she is abandoning her plan to create a position students feared would have led to the college’s takeover of the 125-year-old, student-run Rensselaer Union. In addition, she pledged to work to improve communication between the administration and students in light of the controversy, which led to a large protest by students, faculty and alumni on March 30, during the annual Spring Town Meeting hosted by Jackson. But while Bartell was pleased with Jackson’s acquiescence on the student union’s autonomy, he said the victory “was not an unqualified one.” He said several questions were left unanswered, the biggest of which, to him, was the inclusion of more-recent graduates on the Board of Trustees. Bartell pointed to a referendum on the ballot of this year’s student elections in which 93.4 percent of those who voted supported the addition of a student-elected recent alumnus to the board." Alternative articles: http://news10.com/2016/04/28/rpi-president-offers-concessions-over-student-union-hiring/ http://www.timesunion.com/tuplus-local/article/Jackson-yields-on-student-union-hire-7380082.php