Independent Council: Difference between revisions

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|officers = President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Senators, RNE Rep

}}

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.

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 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.

== Structure and Operations ==

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

As an advocacy body, the Independent Council dealt with issues ~~effecting~~ independent students, especially relating to non-Greek residential life and services. This included advocacy for the introduction of laundry facilities in the Union, cost analysis for on- and off-campus living, and advocacy for the [[Folsom Library]] to include copies of class textbooks. It also planned social events.

As an advocacy body, the Independent Council dealt with issues affecting independent students, especially relating to non-Greek residential life and services. This included advocacy for the introduction of laundry facilities in the Union, cost analysis for on- and off-campus living, and advocacy for the [[Folsom Library]] to include copies of class textbooks. It also planned social events.

== Pre-Union History ==

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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 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]].

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 |officers = President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Senators, RNE Rep
 }}
-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.
+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 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.
 == Structure and Operations ==
@@ Line 15: / Line 17: @@
 Among its own membership, the Council selected officers; a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Senator, and a [[Rules and Elections Committee]] Representative.
-As an advocacy body, the Independent Council dealt with issues effecting independent students, especially relating to non-Greek residential life and services. This included advocacy for the introduction of laundry facilities in the Union, cost analysis for on- and off-campus living, and advocacy for the [[Folsom Library]] to include copies of class textbooks. It also planned social events.
+As an advocacy body, the Independent Council dealt with issues affecting independent students, especially relating to non-Greek residential life and services. This included advocacy for the introduction of laundry facilities in the Union, cost analysis for on- and off-campus living, and advocacy for the [[Folsom Library]] to include copies of class textbooks. It also planned social events.
 == Pre-Union History ==
@@ Line 35: / Line 37: @@
 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 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]].