Student Senate
The Rensselaer Union Student Senate (usually known as the Student Senate or simply the Senate) is the chief legislative and advocacy body of the Rensselaer Union, responsible for initiating all legislative action into issues that affect the Union and advocating for the membership of the Union to the Institute administration. The Senate was formed in 1970, and is the successor to the Student Council. Together with the Executive Board, it is considered one of the Union bodies most directly involved in the governance of the Union. It is presided over by the Grand Marshal, and has a maximum voting membership of 29 Senators, elected from various constituencies from among the Union membership.
 | |
| Also known as | Student Senate, Senate |
|---|---|
| History | |
| Established | 1970 |
| Current Session | 57th Student Senate |
| Structure | |
| Presiding Officer | Grand Marshal |
| Voting Membership | 29 (maximum) |
| Standing Committees | 10 |
| Officers | Senate Cabinet |
The Senate is currently in its 57th session, and is presided over by the 160th Grand Marshal, Jordan Krishnayah ‘28.
History
The Student Senate was predated by the Student Council under the 1947 and 1969 Union Constitutions. It was originally established by the Union Constitution, although the existence of a "Student Senate Newsletter" weeks before the referendum for the Constitution suggests that it may have started operating before its approval. In its initial iteration, it was made up of the elected members of the Graduate Council and Undergraduate Council, and was presided over by the Grand Marshal. This meant that in 1970, there were 12 voting members of the Student Senate;
- The Undergraduate Council;
- One representatives from each of the four classes
- One representative from each of the Independent Council and Interfraternity Council, at the time both subsidiary organizations of the UC
- The Graduate Council[a];
- Representatives from the schools; two for the School of Science, two for the School of Engineering, one from the School of Management, and one jointly representing the School of HASS and the School of Architecture.
By 1974, the structure of the Senate had changed once more to resemble closely its modern structure. It included six graduate Senators, four from each of the undergraduate classes, and one Senator from each of the IC and IFC (who were now subsidiary to the Senate rather than the Undergraduate Council). By 1987, the Panhellenic Council had been brought into the fold as another subsidiary body, and an according Senator was added.
Starting in the 1990s, the Senate began to take a more , a process accelerated by the changes in Institute presidential administrations and according attacks on the autonomy and self-governance of the Union. By the mid-2000s, its documentation ceased to mention the Union directly, although this would later be reversed in the 2010s during the Save the Union era.
Declining participation in Greek Life also drove change to the Senate. In 2014, the Independent Council chose to dissolve itself, claiming that independent students becoming a majority made many of the functions of the IC obsolete. In 2015, constitutional changes split the IFC and Panhellenic Council from the Senate, officially ending integration of Greek organizations into the Union. The Senate positions held by these three organizations remained, although now became generally elected. In 2023, two new Senator positions were added; one for the Multicultural Sorority and Fraternity Council and a third Independent Senator. In 2026, the three Greek Senator positions were merged into three at-large positions, with elections conducted to prioritize diverse council representation.
Membership
Voting
The Senate is made up of 29 Senators. With the exception of the four Senators representing the incoming first-year class, who are elected in their freshman fall semester, all Senators are elected during the GM Week elections in the spring semester. The following table describes the Senate's voting makeup:
| Position | Constitutency | Also a member of | Vacancies filled by | Committee Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate Class Senator (4 per undergraduate class) |
Members of that undergraduate class | Respective Class Council | 2 | |
| Graduate Senator (7) |
Graduate students | Graduate Council | 1 Senate, 1 Graduate Council | |
| Independent Senator (3) |
Non-Fraternity and Sorority Life-affiliated students | None (Formerly the Independent Council) | Nominated by Grand Marshal, appointed by the Senate | 2 |
| FSL Senator (3) |
Fraternity and Sorority Life-affiliated students | None | Nominated by Grand Marshal, appointed by the Senate | 0 |
Nonvoting
In addition to the voting membership and the Grand Marshal, the Senate also has various nonvoting members. Of these, the vast majority are considered Officers of the Senate. Collectively, the Officers of the Senate are usually referred to as the Senate Cabinet, although the Cabinet has occasionally had members that do not hold an officer position.
| Position | Officer? | Role | Appointment Process |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vice Grand Marshal for External Affairs |  Yes |
Oversee the Senate's advocacy committees | Nominated by the Grand Marshal Confirmed by 2/3rds vote |
| Vice Grand Marshal for Internal Affairs | Yes |
Oversee the Senate's internal functioning, chair the Rules and Administration Committee | |
| Parlimentarian | Yes |
Ensure Senate meeting are orderly and obey Robert's Rules of Order | |
| Secretary | Yes |
Take notes on Senate meetings | |
| Treasurer | Yes |
Handle the Senate's budget | |
| Senate-Executive Board Liaison | Yes |
Serve as a voting member on the Executive Board, represent the Senate's interests on the Executive Board | |
| Chair of each standing committee | Yes |
Lead and guide their respective committee | Appointed by the Grand Marshal Confirmed by simple majority vote |
| FSL Liaisons (One for each of the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, and Multicultural Sorority and Fraternity Council) |
 No |
Represent the interests of their council on the Senate | Appointed by their respective council |
| Organizational Liaisons | No |
Represent the interests of their organization on the Senate | Appointed by any student-lead organization[b] |
In practice, it is not uncommon for holders of many of the above roles to also be Senators, with the exception of the Senate-Executive Board Liaison due to the constitutional prohibition on holding a voting role on both boards. However, it is customary that the Secretary and Parliamentarian are not voting members, due to the expectation that these roles remain neutral in Senate proceedings.
Structure and Operations
The Senate occupies a dual role in the Union's governance structure. It implements overarching policy for the Union, setting general priorities and rules (as compared to the Executive Board's day-to-day management of Union affairs), but also advocates on behalf of the student body on various issues not directly related to the Union as an organization. In the Senate's earliest days, it emphasized the policy-making approach more heavily, but since at latest the 1990s it has primary focused on student advocacy. It also holds a variety of checks on other branches of the Union, including but not limited to;
- The ability to propose constitutional amendments, subject to approval by the students, and to approve or deny all changes in the bylaws of all four other branches;
- The sole right to determine the recommendation of the Activity Fee;
- The ability to confirm the appointment of, and remove, members of the Executive Board and Judicial Board (with the exception of the UC-EBoard and GC-EBoard Liaisons); and
- The ability to set policy on selection and removal of all positions in the Union.
Most of the Senate's functioning comes from its various committees, each led by a Chair. Senators are required to attend committees, but they are open to any member of the Union to join and contribute. Committees generally meet weekly during the regular school year and every other week (or less frequently) during the summer.
Committees
| Committee | Established | Jurisdiction | Incumbent Chair |
|---|---|---|---|
| Academic Affairs Committee | 1981? | Curricula, advising, registration, research, and professional development | Zach Nobles '27 |
| Community Relations Committee | 2001? | Relations with the local community and RPI clubs | Mia Stryhalaleck '28 |
| Facilities and Services Committee | 2013 | The Institute's facilities and auxillary services | Charlie Fowle '29 |
| Elections Commission | 2018 | Elections and elections policy | Lauren Antao '28 (Acting) |
| Residential Life and Dining Committee | 2025 | On- and off-campus residential life, dining, and residential services | Shruthi Anandraman '28 |
| Rules and Administration Committee | 2026 | Union policy affairs and ongoing maintenance and improvement of the Senate | Griffin Oliver '27 |
| Senate Communications and Engagement Committee |
2025 | The Senate's public relations and outreach | Emily Lin '29 |
| Student Life Committee | 2007 | Student rights and well-being, including Title IX policy and the Student Handbook | Stanley Goodwin 'G |
| Union Annual Report Committee | 2015 | Creating the Union Annual Report | (Vacant) |
| Web Technologies Group | 2005? | Overseeing the Union's web infrastructure | Aaron Niyazov '28 |