RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

Similar administrative actions have been taken at a number of schools. At Michigan their IFC even "voluntarily" (I suspect the school gave them a choice of voluntary and involuntary action) put a halt to many recruitment and social activities because of problems in the Greek community. I think the issue here is not the action in isolation, but rather the pattern established by the administration that's exhausted their goodwill account with many students and alums.

I wasn't part of the Greek community, although my children were at their respective schools (both accepted to RPI but neither chose to attend). I've always believed rush should be at the beginning of the 2nd semester as it would give freshman a chance to make friends within their class and get acclimated to the school before deciding how they want to allocate a large percentage of their bandwidth for the remaining college years. I know Cornell does it that way but I'm not sure whether it's a common practice.

Just because it happens at one place doesn't mean it will happen elsewhere. However, the administration has shown a pattern over the last 15 years of trying to wrest control of the Greeks, and they're using current news happenings as an excuse to do it and gain the support of people who over-react to such events. Constant vigilance is necessary with this regime, and the students are about to lose much more because of freaking out about somewhere else.

I wasn't part of Greek life either. However, given the need to market to the kids and get them out of the dorm rooms, I see it quite necessary to begin rush activities in the summer. If a kid doesn't know what they're getting into with a school like this, then what the heck were they doing applying in the first place? It's not like RPI has the reputation of a party school.

 

[RPI67]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

I agree with 2nd semester rush. It was that way in my freshman year 1963. Should also include restricting freshman women from going to fraternity houses 1st semester.

Too much change for 1st semester freshman. My trust in the administration has gone down completely in the last 15 years. RPI needs to report all student problems not just Greeks.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

I agree with 2nd semester rush. It was that way in my freshman year 1963. Should also include restricting freshman women from going to fraternity houses 1st semester.

Too much change for 1st semester freshman. My trust in the administration has gone down completely in the last 15 years. RPI needs to report all student problems not just Greeks.

It was second semester a year later also.

 

[jmhusker]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

This has nothing to do with Greek life. My son was a member of a fraternity at RPI and had a great experience.
It was stated that the reason for shutting down Greek life for a period was due to a number of unsavory incidents. I would and do feel the same about the entire school population.
Again, I don't want to be lumped in with the Baylors, MSUs, Penn States, and now Texas A&Ms of the world.
We should applaud Shirley for getting out ahead of this before we go down that path.
Let me be clear here. The student body and Alum have every right to their opinion on the way she handles her Presidency, but not when it comes to the good name of RPI.

OK... that's fair.

 

[cmmarkham]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

It looks like Tom's announcement is having an effect. From the RPI Sports list. I will leave the names out.


Another message

I think those are actually both the same person. The have the same signature anyway, despite coming from two different email addresses. That amounts to a half million hit to RPI thanks to Tom's post - pretty impressive!

 

[turk181]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

I think those are actually both the same person. The have the same signature anyway, despite coming from two different email addresses. That amounts to a half million hit to RPI thanks to Tom's post - pretty impressive!

Maybe they went here <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">BIG NEWS! Thanks to two significant financial commitments, plans to renovate historic Appleton Arena are now a reality. Learn more: <a href="https://t.co/bbw7c4jpDI">https://t.co/bbw7c4jpDI</a> <a href="https://t.co/EHz9gb781g">pic.twitter.com/EHz9gb781g</a></p>— St. Lawrence University (@StLawrenceU) <a href="https://twitter.com/StLawrenceU/status/1012437696445341698?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

I think those are actually both the same person. The have the same signature anyway, despite coming from two different email addresses. That amounts to a half million hit to RPI thanks to Tom's post - pretty impressive!

They are indeed the same person. Highly doubt the empress will care.

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

From Charlene's post on the RPI Sports list about the new recruits. The reale [sic] reason that Tom doesn't want to be on WRPI for hockey games this season:

Those of you who, like me, are memory-challenged will be happy to hear that this year we will have two Tommys, two Chases, two Bradys, two Jakes AND two Jacobs! (Okay, one Jacob and one Jakub)! And we have both Linden Marshall and Ture Linden. I'm definitely going to need a cheat sheet!

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

Today is 29 June 2018. There are 100 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 7 October 2018 for the start of next season.

 

[turk181]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Todd Burgess with a cannon past Joey Daccord off a beauty feed from Angus Crookshank. Role reversal from their 1st period goal. Team White leads 4-3 after 2 periods at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SensDevCamp?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SensDevCamp</a> <a href="https://t.co/tAlqWvxJ3O">pic.twitter.com/tAlqWvxJ3O</a></p>— Sens Prospects (@SensProspects) <a href="https://twitter.com/SensProspects/status/1012847468902584320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Angus Crookshank opens the scoring at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SensDevCamp?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SensDevCamp</a>, beating Filip Gustavsson off a beauty feed from Todd Burgess. <a href="https://t.co/fulKUF16RA">pic.twitter.com/fulKUF16RA</a></p>— Sens Prospects (@SensProspects) <a href="https://twitter.com/SensProspects/status/1012830537193533442?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Ralph Baer]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

Today is 30 June 2018. There are 99 days until RPI's next game.


This is based upon 7 October 2018 for the start of next season.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

Double digits *clap clap clap-clap-clap*

A good day.

 

[fr. joe]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

I don' t have much first hand knowledge of Greeks from my day at RPI. I was an independent, and further, I lived with my family approximately 2 miles from campus.
(And yes, when I was accepted by RPI I thought I won the lottery! Tom, I get that 'Proud to be RPI...') Working on The Poly, lunch with my commuter friends in the McNeil Room (we loved Willie Stanton)and close friends among my '77 classmates and particularly my Management classmates were my lifeline to my college experience.

I know lots of college age young people from my parish and I hear from them about health of Greek life at a number of schools. Some of the news re: substances, hazings and sexual assault is really hard to listen to, but I've never heard about RPI in that context except for a few incidents reported in the Albany Times Union.

If RPI were trying to 'get in front of this,' that would be one thing, but the administration's apparent desire to seek out ever-growing control over all facets of life at the 'Tute leaves me questioning even their motives in providing for public safety.

For folks who are familiar with Union College's approach to Greek life, I hope it never gets to that. From the 70's thru 00's, they may have well been Union dorms.

 

[fr. joe]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

Double digits *clap clap clap-clap-clap*

A good day.

Yes, it is...

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

For folks who are familiar with Union College's approach to Greek life, I hope it never gets to that. From the 70's thru 00's, they may have well been Union dorms.

Given their proposal in 2006, I think it's sadly the end goal. And I may have another motive: Remember, in 2009, when they forced the kids to live on campus for two years? And then, tie into that the Summer Arch? The motive here is more money, because they're on the verge of being flat broke, and the alums don't want to support oppression. Who owns the Greek houses and collects the rent? Is it the fraternity itself, the 'tute, or someone else (Troy FD members own a number of apartments near RPI)? It wouldn't surprise me if it were the first one, and typical carpe diem is happening.

 

[engineerhockeyfan]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

I know lots of college age young people from my parish and I hear from them about health of Greek life at a number of schools. Some of the news re: substances, hazings and sexual assault is really hard to listen to, but I've never heard about RPI in that context except for a few incidents reported in the Albany Times Union.

fr. joe, I can't tell you how surprised I am at your comments.

I will ask you the same question I asked Dude (for which I still haven't received an answer).
How many such incidents will it take before you think the administration takes action?
This is not about Greek life. It is about protecting the student body against themselves.
I have a daughter who went to RPI and had the best time of her life. And for that reason, I love this school.
They gave her incredible confidence and self esteem to go on and earn a Phd at Yale.
I think that every woman on campus should get that same treatment, and not be subject to an "incident".
Give it up, in this instance, the school is doing their job.
And as for Tom, running away from a problem never solved anything.
I will miss you and your hockey insight. Good luck with the rest of your life.

 

[FlagDUDE08]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

It is about protecting the student body against themselves.

And that, therein, lies the exact reason why we are disappointed with the administration. College is a way for kids to discover themselves, and make their own choices in life. They already have two parents they were "mind-slaves" to, and they don't need SAJ, or you, or anyone else to also be one. Yes, parents can influence a child's life, the same way we all influence our children, nieces/nephews, younger siblings, or whatever classification it may be. We cannot expect to wrest that as perpetual control, lest we end our family line at us.

This country succeeds on leaders, not followers. If it's just a bunch of followers, all you have is slavery. If college is supposed to produce leaders of tomorrow, how about we embrace that, and see who will emerge. If you're just going to have a slave master, then it's time to leave the plantation, just as Tom did, and create the better tomorrow that we see in our minds.

 

[joecct]

And that, therein, lies the exact reason why we are disappointed with the administration. College is a way for kids to discover themselves, and make their own choices in life. They already have two parents they were "mind-slaves" to, and they don't need SAJ, or you, or anyone else to also be one. Yes, parents can influence a child's life, the same way we all influence our children, nieces/nephews, younger siblings, or whatever classification it may be. We cannot expect to wrest that as perpetual control, lest we end our family line at us.

This country succeeds on leaders, not followers. If it's just a bunch of followers, all you have is slavery. If college is supposed to produce leaders of tomorrow, how about we embrace that, and see who will emerge. If you're just going to have a slave master, then it's time to leave the plantation, just as Tom did, and create the better tomorrow that we see in our minds.

Who acts "in loco parentis"?

 

[engineerhockeyfan]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

And that, therein, lies the exact reason why we are disappointed with the administration. College is a way for kids to discover themselves, and make their own choices in life. They already have two parents they were "mind-slaves" to, and they don't need SAJ, or you, or anyone else to also be one. Yes, parents can influence a child's life, the same way we all influence our children, nieces/nephews, younger siblings, or whatever classification it may be. We cannot expect to wrest that as perpetual control, lest we end our family line at us.

This country succeeds on leaders, not followers. If it's just a bunch of followers, all you have is slavery. If college is supposed to produce leaders of tomorrow, how about we embrace that, and see who will emerge. If you're just going to have a slave master, then it's time to leave the plantation, just as Tom did, and create the better tomorrow that we see in our minds.

You are absolutely right, except for one thing. We are talking about illegal activities. And someone has to be the policeman.
You still haven't answered my question. How many of these activities should we let go.
If women start coming out of the woodwork to make accusations and this goes national, who are you going to blame? Let me guess, it will be Shirley's fault. You can't have it both ways.

 

[fr. joe]

Re: RPI 2018 Off-Season: The Hunt for Red October

fr. joe, I can't tell you how surprised I am at your comments.

I will ask you the same question I asked Dude (for which I still haven't received an answer).
How many such incidents will it take before you think the administration takes action?
This is not about Greek life. It is about protecting the student body against themselves.
I have a daughter who went to RPI and had the best time of her life. And for that reason, I love this school.
They gave her incredible confidence and self esteem to go on and earn a Phd at Yale.
I think that every woman on campus should get that same treatment, and not be subject to an "incident".
Give it up, in this instance, the school is doing their job.
And as for Tom, running away from a problem never solved anything.
I will miss you and your hockey insight. Good luck with the rest of your life.

EHF, very fair question to ask me.

I have a great concern for student safety. Even one incident of alcohol abuse or sexual assault is cause for concern and response. My comment was directed to the thought that I haven't heard about problems at RPI but for very limited reports I have seen in the local newspaper. I read more about incidents at other local colleges than at RPI. The press has rightly shined a light on this with their coverage.

It seems to me that problems would be related to the student body, not just fraternity/sorority life. You make a good point on that. Why did RPI focus on fraternities? Perhaps they have a greater level of confidence in the quality of dorm life under the oversight of Residence Life and the RAs. I just don't know.

I wish I had greater confidence in the administration's actions at this time. The administration's absorption of the Student Union and their handling of student free speech on campus has planted the seed in my head that what's happening now may be a response to student safety concerns and/or it may be borne out of a desire to extend greater control over the fraternities and sororities.