TROY — A group of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute alumni, concerned by what they've denounced as widespread mismanagement by RPI leadership, is condemning what they see as the school's attempt to bury a meeting where its issues can be aired.

The group Renew Rensselaer earlier this year published "The Untold Story," which analyzes what the alumni call the financial, educational and institutional problems facing RPI. The lengthy report, posted on the group's website, argued that the university's endowment fund had grown stagnant, its debt load had increased and its academic rankings had declined.

Earlier this year, Renew Rensselaer tried to set up a meeting with the official Rensselaer Alumni Association to address these concerns, but received a less than enthusiastic response.

The group asked for the RAA to schedule it during this weekend's Reunion & Homecoming weekend "to maximize and simplify attendance for alumni," Renew Rensselaer said in a statement.

Instead, the RAA scheduled the meeting for the early morning of Oct. 8 — Columbus Day.

" ... The RAA chose to ignore its bylaws and is allowing the administration to hold a 'town hall' type meeting after (homecoming), on a federal holiday, at 8:30 a.m.– surely a tactic designed to minimize alumni attendance and turn the meeting into a public relations showcase for the administration," Renew Rensselaer's statement continued.

"As a result, Renew Rensselaer does not recognize the RAA's meeting as valid and will not be attending it," the group said.

Renew Rensselaer is instead urging alumni to attend its own meeting on Saturday at 3 p.m. at the Oakwood Community Center on 313 10th Street.

RPI spokeswoman Richie Hunter said that the RAA asked the school's administration to participate in the meeting. "The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute cabinet looks forward to discussing the transformative work occurring on campus as well as the critical issues facing the university," Hunter said.

Renew Rensselaer has been active for almost two years and says nearly 1,000 alumni have signed a petition supporting its platform.

In an email, Hunter pointed to things like RPI's increased investment into research, as well as the development of new classrooms, labs and dorm facilities. Hunter also brought up RPI's consistent standing as a top 50 university by U.S. News and World Report for 19 years.