Independent Council: Difference between revisions

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{{Infobox Union org

|name = Independent Council

|status = defunct

|image = Independent Council Logo.png

|image_size = 105px

|established = 1962

|disbanded = 2014

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|officers = President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Senators, [[Rules and Elections Committee|RNE]] Representative

}}

The '''Independent Council''' (IC) was a branch of the [[Rensselaer Union]] dedicated to promoting the interests of independent (non-Greek-affiliated) students. It was once an independent body, but was integrated into the Union's governance structure with the 1970 Constitution. For most of its existence, it was a subsidiary body of the [[Student Senate]], maintaining its own constitution approved ~~by the Senate and with its actions reviewable~~ by the Senate. The IC performed both advocacy and social event planning.

The '''Independent Council''' (IC) was a branch of the [[Rensselaer Union]] dedicated to promoting the interests of independent (non-Greek-affiliated) students. It was once an independent body, but was integrated into the Union's governance structure with the 1970 Constitution. For most of its existence, it was a subsidiary body of the [[Student Senate]], maintaining its own constitution approved by the Senate. The IC performed both advocacy and social event planning.

The 1990s onward saw substantial growth in the independent population, making the IC redundant as many of its social and advocacy functions began to be performed by the Senate, [[Undergraduate Council]], and [[Graduate Council]]. In 2014, faced with declining participation rates and an increasingly sidelined role, it chose to dissolve itself.

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== Structure and Operations ==

The Independent Council's structure changed over time. The 2004 Constitution of the Independent Council defined its membership as between fifteen and 30 members. Three representatives each were to be elected from the graduate, senior, junior, sophomore, and freshman ~~representatives~~ (the former four positions during [[GM Week]], the latter during yearly freshman elections). In addition, up to 15 members-at-large could be appointed by the Council.

The Independent Council's structure changed over time. The 2004 Constitution of the Independent Council defined its membership as between fifteen and 30 members. Three representatives each were to be elected from the graduate, senior, junior, sophomore, and freshman classes (the former four positions during [[GM Week]], the latter during yearly freshman elections). In addition, up to 15 members-at-large could be appointed by the Council.

Among its own membership, the Council selected officers; a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Senator (later two Senators), and a [[Rules and Elections Committee]] Representative.

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* The Committee on Frosh Camp, responsible for growing independent representation at freshman orientation known as "Frosh Camp", at that time dominated by fraternities;

* The Publicity Committee, responsible for the IC's public relations;

* The Ways and Means Committee, responsible the IC's finances; and,

* The Ways and Means Committee, responsible for the IC's finances; and,

* The Political Committee, responsible for working with other campus organizations.

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By the 2010s, the Independent Council began to suffer from dimished engagement, and in 2014 it opted to dissolve itself.

In the present, the Independent Council's main legacy is through its Senator positions on the Student Senate, renamed after its dissolution to simply Independent Senator. In 2023, the number of Independent Senators was raised to 3. ~~In addition, the~~ IC representative on the Rules and Elections Committee ~~still remains~~ today~~, in the form of~~ the Independent ~~Representative of~~ the [[Elections Commission]].

In the present, the Independent Council's main legacy is through its Senator positions on the Student Senate, renamed after its dissolution to simply Independent Senator. In 2023, the number of Independent Senators was raised to 3. The position of IC representative on the Rules and Elections Committee is today the Independent representative on the [[Elections Commission]].

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Infobox Union org
 |name = Independent Council
+|status = defunct
+|image = Independent Council Logo.png
+|image_size = 105px
 |established = 1962
 |disbanded = 2014
@@ Line 7: / Line 10: @@
 |officers = President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Senators, [[Rules and Elections Committee|RNE]] Representative
 }}
-The '''Independent Council''' (IC) was a branch of the [[Rensselaer Union]] dedicated to promoting the interests of independent (non-Greek-affiliated) students. It was once an independent body, but was integrated into the Union's governance structure with the 1970 Constitution. For most of its existence, it was a subsidiary body of the [[Student Senate]], maintaining its own constitution approved by the Senate and with its actions reviewable by the Senate. The IC performed both advocacy and social event planning.
+The '''Independent Council''' (IC) was a branch of the [[Rensselaer Union]] dedicated to promoting the interests of independent (non-Greek-affiliated) students. It was once an independent body, but was integrated into the Union's governance structure with the 1970 Constitution. For most of its existence, it was a subsidiary body of the [[Student Senate]], maintaining its own constitution approved by the Senate. The IC performed both advocacy and social event planning.
 The 1990s onward saw substantial growth in the independent population, making the IC redundant as many of its social and advocacy functions began to be performed by the Senate, [[Undergraduate Council]], and [[Graduate Council]]. In 2014, faced with declining participation rates and an increasingly sidelined role, it chose to dissolve itself.
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 == Structure and Operations ==
-The Independent Council's structure changed over time. The 2004 Constitution of the Independent Council defined its membership as between fifteen and 30 members. Three representatives each were to be elected from the graduate, senior, junior, sophomore, and freshman representatives (the former four positions during [[GM Week]], the latter during yearly freshman elections). In addition, up to 15 members-at-large could be appointed by the Council.
+The Independent Council's structure changed over time. The 2004 Constitution of the Independent Council defined its membership as between fifteen and 30 members. Three representatives each were to be elected from the graduate, senior, junior, sophomore, and freshman classes (the former four positions during [[GM Week]], the latter during yearly freshman elections). In addition, up to 15 members-at-large could be appointed by the Council.
 Among its own membership, the Council selected officers; a President, a Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Senator (later two Senators), and a [[Rules and Elections Committee]] Representative.
@@ Line 27: / Line 30: @@
 * The Committee on Frosh Camp, responsible for growing independent representation at freshman orientation known as "Frosh Camp", at that time dominated by fraternities;
 * The Publicity Committee, responsible for the IC's public relations;
-* The Ways and Means Committee, responsible the IC's finances; and,
+* The Ways and Means Committee, responsible for the IC's finances; and,
 * The Political Committee, responsible for working with other campus organizations.
@@ Line 45: / Line 48: @@
 By the 2010s, the Independent Council began to suffer from dimished engagement, and in 2014 it opted to dissolve itself.
-In the present, the Independent Council's main legacy is through its Senator positions on the Student Senate, renamed after its dissolution to simply Independent Senator. In 2023, the number of Independent Senators was raised to 3. In addition, the IC representative on the Rules and Elections Committee still remains today, in the form of the Independent Representative of the [[Elections Commission]].
+In the present, the Independent Council's main legacy is through its Senator positions on the Student Senate, renamed after its dissolution to simply Independent Senator. In 2023, the number of Independent Senators was raised to 3. The position of IC representative on the Rules and Elections Committee is today the Independent representative on the [[Elections Commission]].