Early sophomore standing
This year, 25.9 percent of freshmen were offered early sophomore standing, down slightly from last year’s 26.9 percent. Of the 296 eligible, 134 freshmen have accepted so far. Offers were sent out in late November by the Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education Julie B. Norman. Although freshmen have until Add Date, March 8, to accept, Norman does not expect the number to rise significantly.
Winter storm brings headaches & fun to Institute
Winter storm “Nemo” (as named by The Weather Channel) swept through Cambridge this past weekend, dumping 24.9 inches of snow and leaving much of New England in disarray. MIT was closed on Friday, on Saturday, and for the first two work shifts on Sunday. The storm was the fifth largest snowstorm to hit Boston in recorded history.
IN SHORT
The UA’s shuttle service to Costco, Target and the rest of the Gateway Center in Everett will begin on Saturday, Feb. 16 and continue on a biweekly basis. A full schedule and map of pickup locations (which are throughout campus) can be found at http://web.mit.edu/facilities/transportation/shuttles/grocery.html.
Nevin S. Scrimshaw dies at age 95
Institute Professor emeritus Nevin S. Scrimshaw, who founded MIT’s former Department of Nutrition and Food Science, died in Plymouth, N.H., on Friday, Feb. 8. He was 95 and died of congestive heart failure.
Watching Obama for pre-speech signs of change
WASHINGTON — On Tuesday night, the president will address the nation and Congress on the state of the union. But many will watch as well for signs of the state of Barack Obama.
Video: Killian Snowball Fight
MIT closed on Friday, Feb. 8, 2013 for a winter storm that hit the Boston area — 24.9 inches of snow fell at Boston Logan Airport over the weekend. MIT had an Institute-wide snowball fight in Killian Court at 4:05 p.m.
Sun, warmth to decrease depth of snow
This past weekend’s blizzard blanketed our area with over two feet of snow, creating several shoveling and plowing problems for residents and commuters in the Boston area. However, this week’s weather will be somewhat beneficial to those who wish the snow out of their way. Sunshine will return today, and temperatures are expected to be comfortably above the freezing mark during each daytime period through Friday.
Partners of gay military personnel are granted some benefits
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon on Monday expanded benefits to same-sex partners of military personnel to include a range of services offered at posts and bases, but withheld more expansive benefits sought by gay and lesbian couples — in particular medical and dental coverage and housing allowances.
Pope Benedict XVI says he will resign, cites ill health
ROME — Citing advanced years and infirmity, Pope Benedict XVI, the former Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, stunned the Roman Catholic world Monday by saying that he would resign Feb. 28, less than eight years after he took office, the first pope to do so in six centuries.
Senate Democrats unveil plan to avert broad spending cuts
Senate Democratic leaders are closing in on a $120 billion package of tax increases on the affluent and targeted spending cuts that they say would be large enough to put off looming, across-the-board spending cuts to defense and domestic programs for 10 months.
Shorts (left)
VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI’s surprise announcement Monday that he will resign Feb. 28 sets the stage for a succession battle that is likely to determine the future course of a church troubled by scandal and declining faith in its traditional strongholds.
Syrian insurgents claim large hydropower dam
BEIRUT — Syrian insurgents and opposition activists said Monday that rebel forces had taken control of Syria’s largest hydroelectric dam, an assertion that, if confirmed, would give them significant control over a vital reservoir and what remains of the sporadic power supplies in their war-ravaged country.
Shorts (right)
PARIS — For more than a century, the lengthy school days of French children have been punctuated by a midweek day off, in recent decades for most children on Wednesdays, originally created for catechism studies.
Afghan panel confirms torture of detainees
An Afghan government panel on Monday acknowledged widespread torture of detainees, after a two-week investigation of a U.N. report citing rampant abuses.
A public relations campaign for science
One of the most exciting programs offered by MIT is the Undergraduate Association (UA) student faculty dinner program. Taking a professor out to eat, on MIT’s dime, is not only a great way to get to get to know your professors, but it also shows students that our professors are, in fact, real people. Getting to interact in a casual setting helps break the stereotype that our professors’ lives completely revolve around their work.
Men’s basketball team wins
With the end of the regular season in sight, the No. 23 MIT men’s basketball team took to the road for the final time in New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference play tonight, taking on a determined Babson College squad. The Engineers started quickly and held a 26-point advantage in the second half before holding off a charge by the Beavers to win their fifth straight game. William Tashman ’13 continued his strong play of late, leading MIT with 17 points.
Events Feb. 12 - Feb. 18
Events feb. 12 – feb. 18 Tuesday (5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.) Under Pressure: A Forum on Student Stress — 10-250 (7:00 p.m.) Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?: An Animated Conversation with Noam Chomsky — 26-100 Wednesday (5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.) Innovation Series Event: Practical tips for successful exits — 34-101 Thursday (4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.) Starr Forum: The Fate of the Reset, discussion of US-Russian relations — 66-110 (7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.) Valentine’s Day Concert: Love Songs from the Great American Song Book — 14W-111 Friday (6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.) MIT-CAST Chinese Spring Festival Party — W20-307 (7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) Chocolate, Cheese, and Wine Night, 21+ — NW86, Multipurpose room Sunday (4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.) Eastgate Presents The Wizard of Oz — Eastgate Penthouse Lounge (7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.) ATS Lunar New Year Festival — W20-208 Send your campus events to events@tech.mit.edu.
Barnacle eggs and mangroves
As Dr. Jesus Pineda leapt off the side of the boat, knife in hand, I had the analogous scientific feeling of “Toto, I have a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” I was out of my depth — literally — since the tide had come in and the water was several meters deep. But let me back up and tell you how I, a graduate student who prefers pixels to petri dishes and MATLAB to measuring, ended up on a boat with a renowned scientist jumping overboard.
IT’S ALL GREEK TO ME: Sorority identity
In Alpha Epsilon Phi we spend a lot of time discussing who we are. There are a lot of feelings about identity. But I have given some thought to identity and the meaning of sorority life and have come to a fairly simple conclusion: sororities are defined by the people who make them up, not the letters they bear. I am so proud of the women in my chapter, and even more so to count them among my friends. I debated trying to fit something nice about every single one of them into this article, but decided not to because of space limitation. To that end, I will be talking about a few (with names changed) to represent the content of character of the many. Here are a few:
