Save the Union

Save the Union was a student-led protest movement against attacks on the autonomy of the Rensselaer Union by members of the Institute administration. The first formal Save the Union protest was staged on March 30th, 2016, but the gradual removal of Union power and autonomy had been happening for years beforehand. The centerpiece of the protest concerned the hiring process for a new Director of the Union, which the Rensselaer Union Constitution stated was to be conducted by the Executive Board but instead was led by members of the administration with minimal student input. Repeated crackdowns on student protests and efforts to conceal the situation from alumni and prospective students caused many to criticize the administration.

In 2023, a new President of the Institute was hired, and with it the Union steadily regained much of the autonomy it had prior to the protests. It is not clear what will happen when there is a vacancy in the office of the Director.