Police Log
<i>The following incidents were reported to the MIT Police between Dec. 3, 2007 and Jan. 9, 2008. This summary does not include incidents such as false alarms, general service calls, larcenies, or medical shuttles.</i>
Amended Motion Proposed at Dec. 19 Faculty Meeting
In light of the Star Simpson event, we, the MIT faculty, wish that the MIT administration had refrained from making its statement about her behavior.
MIT’s Sept. 21, 2007 Press Release
MIT is cooperating fully with the State Police in the investigation of an incident at Logan Airport this morning involving Star Simpson, a sophomore at MIT. As reported to us by authorities, Ms. Simpson’s actions were reckless and understandably created alarm at the airport.
Gray to Step Down From HST Leadership Position
Martha L. Gray PhD ’86, director of the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, announced in November that she will leave the position at the end of the academic year.
Sloan Students Hunt for Jobs In California ‘Valley Tech Trek’
The annual mating ritual between elite business schools and the talent-hungry technology industry this year lured a record 115 master of business administration candidates from MIT’s Sloan School of Management in Cambridge to the hillside campus of VMware Inc., one of Silicon Valley’s hottest companies.
Student Center Thefts on the Rise; Dozens of Steelcase Chairs Stolen
Frustrated by a rash of thefts in the Student Center throughout the fall semester, especially the loss of $20,000 worth of chairs, Campus Activities Complex Director Phillip J. Walsh said he is facing a new problem of physical security.
Yale to Reduce Tuition Growth, Increase Undergraduate Finaid
Yale said Monday that it would sharply increase financial aid for undergraduates, including those from families with annual incomes up to $200,000, in a bid to ease costs for a broad swath of students.
News Briefs
The Committee on Curricula unanimously voted yesterday to approve Comparative Media Studies as an official undergraduate degree program. COC approval was the “second step in the review of the major,” said Leila W. Kinney, CMS administrator for academic programs.
Motion Presented at Oct. 17 and Dec. 19 Faculty Meetings
In light of the Star Simpson event, we, the MIT faculty, request that the MIT administration refrain from making public statements that characterize or otherwise interpret — through news office releases, legal agents, or any other means — the behavior and motives of members of the MIT community whose actions are the subject (real or potential) of pending criminal investigation. We offer this resolution to foster mutual trust within the MIT community and to promote due process for all.
Amended Motion Presented at Dec. 19 Faculty Meeting
In light of the Star Simpson event and in the interest of more effective communication, we, the MIT faculty, request that the MIT administration consider the following principles when making public statements that might characterize or otherwise interpret — through news office releases, legal agents, or any other means — the behavior and motives of members of the MIT community
Ward, Longtime Administrator, Leaves SAO
Laurie Ward, financial administrator of the Student Activities Office since 2000, has moved to an administrative position in the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology. At the SAO, Ward managed the financial accounts of hundreds of student groups, processing deposits, reimbursements, and other expenses.
At Meeting, Faculty Vote Not to Restrain MIT Press Releases
Over 200 people attended the Dec. 19 faculty meeting to discuss a motion that asked MIT to limit its public statements about community members facing criminal investigations. The original motion was sparked by an MIT press release, calling Star A. Simpson ’10 “reckless” on the day of her Sept. 21, 2007 arrest at Logan Airport.
Romney Obtains Crucial Win Over McCain in Mich. Primary
Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor who ran as a son of Michigan though he left the state nearly 40 years ago, won the Republican primary here with a message aimed at voters deeply anxious about the state’s economy and their own financial prospects.
Bush Tells Saudi Leaders That High Cost of Oil Hurts American Economy
President Bush on Tuesday urged Saudi Arabia and other members of OPEC to consider the strain the high cost of oil was having on the American economy, addressing an issue that has begun to color the last year of his presidency and dominate the presidential election campaign.
Shorts (left)
Justice Department officials have told Congress that they face serious legal difficulties in pursuing criminal prosecutions of Blackwater security guards involved in a September shooting that left at least 17 Iraqis dead.
Shorts (right)
At least 18 Palestinians, including 13 members of the military wing of Hamas, were killed in Gaza early Tuesday by Israeli army fire, the highest death toll there in half a year.
Apple Announces Movie Rentals, Ultralight ‘Macbook Air’ Laptop
Steven P. Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, took several big gambles on Tuesday, betting that he could repeat his success in selling digital music by convincing Hollywood to allow Apple to rent digital movies, while at the same time returning to his original Macintosh roots with an elegant — but limited — ultralight computer called the MacBook Air.
FDA Announces That Food From Clones Is Safe for Humans to Eat
After years of debate, the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday declared that food from cloned animals and their progeny is safe to eat, clearing the way for milk and meat derived from copies of prized dairy cows, steers and hogs to be sold at the grocery store.
In Market Downturn, Investors Reveal a Deepening Pessimism
The stock market fell sharply to its lowest level in nearly a year Tuesday after Citigroup announced a large quarterly loss and an economic report offered more evidence that consumers were cutting back.
Coastal Storm Brings Friday Rain
Monday’s snow storm brought seven inches of snow to Boston, which also happened to tie the record maximum snowfall for that date set in 1982. The city was lucky, since some numerical weather forecast models were predicting as much as 14 inches. An unusual event that occurred briefly with this storm was a report of thunder early Monday morning. Thunder and snow do not usually happen at the same time.
DVD REVIEW ★★★ Movies You May Have Missed
Movie musicals have enjoyed a bit of a revival lately, partly sparked by Baz Luhrman’s 2001 hit, “Moulin Rouge.” After a series of recent duds such as “Hairspray” and “The Producers,” the genre is in need of a fresh perspective. This is exactly what “Once” delivers. I hesitate to even place “Once” in the same category as these other films because it is so much better and completely void of the painful clichés the mere phrase “movie musical” evokes. “High School Musical” this (thank God) is not.
DVD Review ★★★ Movies You May Have Missed
A seminal moment in the development of the “Superbad” plot (with every pun intended) is the revelation that one of the protagonists is obsessed with drawing male genitalia. The scene progresses through a shameless montage of phallic artistry that effectively sums up the film as a whole: much like watching a car crash between two fertilizer trucks, “Superbad” both shocks and disgusts, yet leaves the audience absolutely spellbound. Essentially, if you can’t appreciate the humor and splendor of a picture of a human-sized penis leading a marching band down the street, you should probably not watch this movie.
Patriots and Packers Predicted to Face Off In NFL Championship
This weekend’s divisional championships feature a cast of characters that would make Hollywood jealous (or at least ready to pitch a screenplay).
Current Varsity Athletes Best Grads in Track’s Alumni Meet
The annual track and field alumni meet pits the guts and raw talent of the alumni has-beens against the training of the current varsity team. The men’s and women’s varsity teams, fresh off a winter break spent in the weight room, proved up to the challenge. The women’s team won the meet by a score of 86-23, while the men’s meet came down to the wire, with the varsity team winning 70-61.
Brouhaha Rhythm
Ah, it’s good to be home. My sibling is toiling away at high school and my classmates are trudging 15 miles uphill both ways through the less-than-tropical climate of winter in Cambridge. Meanwhile, I’m warming my toes in luxurious Virginia. Sure, it’s not sunny California or Hawaii, but it’s where the heart is, no doubt about it.
