10/8/2018
8:30 AM to 10:00 AM
Harkness Room, East Campus Athletic Village
20 Georgian Ct.
Troy, NY 12180
Registration Questions
Office of Alumni Relations
1301 Peoples Avenue
Troy, New York 12180
(518) 276-6205
alumni@rpi.edu
At the request of RAA members via a petition, a special meeting open to all RAA members will be held at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, October 8, 2018 at the Harkness Room, East Campus Athletic Village, 20 Georgian Ct., Troy, NY 12180. The President of the RAA Board of Trustees will chair the special meeting. At the meeting, members of the Rensselaer administration will be on hand to address the following petition topics, with questions, comments, and recommendations from attendees:
- Institute financial status, including endowment, donations, capital investments, and debt;
- Academic standing and progress, including Master’s programs and faculty recruiting and retention;
- Institute governance, including performance planning and measurement;
- Status of student governance and the Rensselaer Union;
- Communication with alumni on status and health of the Institute.
For planning purposes, please register by clicking the “Registration” button on this page by September 21, 2018 if you plan to attend the meeting.
Q&A Section
How can I join the Special Meeting?
You can attend in person (details are above) or watch remotely via livestream. The meeting will also be recorded by RPITV (a group of student volunteers) and available for later viewing. To watch the livestream remotely, visit this page or RPITV's YouTube channel. To ask questions remotely, please navigate to this page.
What is a special meeting of the RAA?
From the RAA Bylaws: Special Meetings of Members may be held at a time and place fixed by the Board. The Secretary shall call such a special meeting upon written request of the President, or a majority of the Trustees, or one hundred (100) Members, which petition must state the purpose(s) of the meeting. Only business of the stated purpose(s) may be transacted at a Special Meeting.
Why are we having a special meeting?
The RAA President received a petition from members of the RAA that included the stated purposed summarized in the special meeting announcement. A petition requires 100 members.
What can be discussed during the special meeting?
Only business of the stated purpose(s) may be transacted at a Special Meeting. The stated purpose(s) was included in the petition for the special meeting.
Who is considered a member of the RAA?
From the RAA Bylaws: The following shall automatically become Alumni/ae Members:
- Recipients of baccalaureate, graduate, and honorary degrees from Rensselaer;
- Individuals who have completed courses given by Rensselaer and have earned at least sixty (60) credits, and are no longer enrolled;
- Individuals who have completed courses given by Rensselaer or via an accredited Rensselaer distance learning program, and have earned at least thirty (30) credits, are no longer enrolled, and submit a written request indicating a desire to be a member of the Association.
Why are members of the Rensselaer administration participating?
The RAA Board feels that having the Rensselaer administration at the special meeting would be in everyone’s best interests. We are not in a position to address any of the issues that have been presented in the petition. The result of a meeting without Rensselaer administration present would be a meeting that would likely lead to the petitioners restating their points without any opportunities to resolve or answer any of them. We anticipate that by having the RPI administration at the meeting, we will have an opportunity for the RAA to moderate a productive discussion.
Why is the special meeting in October?
To ensure a balanced discussion, Rensselaer administration was invited to the special meeting based on the content in the special meeting petition. October was the best opportunity to have Rensselaer administration join the meeting due to previous scheduling conflicts.
What is the expected outcome of the special meeting?
The expected outcome of the special meeting is for the alumni/ae community, including the RAA board and alumni petitioners, to have a better understanding of the state of the Institute through the topics outlined in the meeting announcement and any next steps as a result of the discussion.
What is the vision and mission of the RAA?
Vision: To serve and represent our alumni/ae community and the Institute through enriching alumni/ae, promoting lifelong connections, and pursuing the mutually beneficial aspirations of our alumni/ae and the Rensselaer Community.
Mission: To connect and grow our alumni/ae community while investing in the Rensselaer of tomorrow.
How can I address additional questions I may have?
Please email us at RensselaerAlumniAssociation@gmail.com.
Where can I get additional informational about the RAA?
Please visit our website: https://alumni.rpi.edu/raa