Demolition of Bexley in final stages of approval process
Since Bexley Hall was closed at the end of the spring 2013 semester, MIT has been working on plans to demolish the building and replace the student housing it once provided.
Former MIT lecturer robs bank
Former lecturer Joseph Gibbons, who taught in MIT’s Art, Culture, and Technology (ACT) program from 2002 to 2010, was arrested last Thursday after robbing a bank and recording the experience with a pink-and-silver video camera for a film project. Gibbons approached a teller at a Capital One branch in New York’s Bowery with a note that read, “This is a robbery. Large bills. No dye packs/ No GPS,” and fled after taking roughly $1000, according to press reports.
Inside the Tsarnaev courthouse
There are few things worth waking up early for each morning, but a so-called trial of the century is certainly one. On the first day of IAP, the trial of the Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev began.
Early action admit rate sees uptick in 2019 class
On Dec. 13, 2014 at 3:16 p.m., or 12/13/14 15:16, the Office of Admissions released the application decisions of the students who applied under early action for the Class of 2019. Of the 6,519 who applied, 625 were admitted, 4,456 were deferred, and 1,327 were rejected, making for a 9.6 percent early action admission rate. That rate is one of the lowest in recent years, though it’s slightly higher than last year’s.
CORRECTIONS
An opinion piece in the Tuesday, Dec. 9 issue of The Tech originally carried the following headline: “Newspapers should be more cautious when reporting accusations of cheating.” The headline was altered to “Campus newspapers should be cautious when reporting accusations of cheating” to more accurately reflect the author’s views.
Muddy Charles closed for renovations
The Muddy Charles Pub, which is located in Walker Memorial, closed after Dec. 19 and will undergo renovations throughout IAP. The pub is expected to reopen in early February, according to estimates.
Marathon bombing suspect faces potential jurors in federal courthouse
The much-anticipated trial of the alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev began in federal court Monday, with about 400 of over 1,200 potential jurors showing up to complete a preliminary questionnaire. They got a first sight of Tsarnaev and his attorneys, along with the federal prosecution team, who are preparing for a trial that is expected to take months and could end in the death penalty.
Marathon bombing trial begins this week with jury selection
The much-anticipated trial of the alleged Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev began in federal court Monday, with about 400 of over 1,200 potential jurors showing up to complete a preliminary questionnaire. The jurors got a first sight of Tsarnaev and his attorneys, along with the federal prosecution team, who are preparing for a trial that is expected to take months and could end in the death penalty.
MIT cuts ties with Walter Lewin after online harassment probe
MIT is cutting ties with retired professor Walter Lewin after determining that the physicist, whose lectures had made him a beloved teacher and minor Internet star, had sexually harassed at least one student online.
CORRECTIONS
A review of Interstellar in the Friday, Dec. 5 issue of The Tech incorrectly referred to events in the film as being half a decade apart. They were actually half a century apart.
2.009 class presents capstone projects
Students in 2.009 (Product Engineering Processes) presented final projects on Monday to potential funders, the MIT community, and guests. The theme to inspire this year’s designs was “adventure.”
U.S. CTO Smith to be 2015 speaker
Megan Smith ’86, chief technology officer of the United States and a former Google executive, will be MIT’s commencement speaker for the Class of 2015.
Course 2 senior Spencer R. Wilson receives a 2015 Marshall Scholarship
Last week, Spencer R. Wilson ’15 was named a Marshall Scholar, joining 30 others nationwide who will receive a full scholarship for two years of graduate study in the United Kingdom.
News Briefs
President Reif wrote in an email Wednesday that the preliminary report on the MIT Innovation Initiative — a manufacturing-focused effort announced last September — has been published. This report, detailing “an ambitious vision for how MIT could enhance its ability to deliver innovation to the world,” is a product of the program’s Adivsory Committee, also formed last fall.
Nov/Dec Faculty Newsletter released
This month’s edition of the MIT Faculty Newsletter touched on many of the same issues that have been at the forefront of recent student concerns. The newsletter highlighted faculty positions on issues including online learning and the Task Force on the Future of MIT Education, MIT’s response to sexual assault on campus, and mental health at MIT.
MIT students protest Ferguson grand jury decision on campus
In the wake of the Ferguson case in Missouri and protests around the country, some MIT students, including many from the Black Students’ Union (BSU), were inspired to speak out themselves.
News Briefs
Claude Canizares, MIT Vice President and Bruno Rossi Professor of Physics, will be stepping down at the end of the current academic year. He will leave his position on June 30 and will take a sabbatical after stepping down.