MIT pilots “Day Of Action” to encourage service
A hackathon-style service-oriented event called Day of Action will take place April 18 (a school holiday) with lectures and workshops running from 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
Regalia, taxes, and Patriot’s Day
Graduates can order commencement regalia Apr. 3–Apr. 22. All graduates participating in the commencement exercises must wear the appropriate academic regalia. More details are available at commencement.mit.edu/graduates/regalia.
CPW, advising, mayoral visit
The UA Committee on Education is hosting a meeting to hear students’ perspectives on advising Monday, April 10 at 4 p.m.
UA president and VP campaigns commence
Candidates for this year’s elections for UA president and vice president are Sarah Melvin ’18 & Alexa Martin ’19, Daysi Gomez ’18 & Liz Cox ’18, and Malte Ahrens ’18, whose VP candidate is set to be confirmed by the UA Election Commission next week.
Timeflies and Frenship to perform at 2017 SpringFest concert
The UA sought a change from the hip-hop artists who have performed in recent years, spurred by pop being the favored genre among students who took the UA’s SpringFest artist survey.
Former Secretary of Energy returns to MIT, plans to focus on energy and nuclear threats
Ernest Moniz, a nuclear physicist who served as Secretary of Energy under former President Obama from 2013 to 2017, has returned to MIT to continue his work in tackling energy challenges and nuclear security.
Sanders criticizes Trump, Kochs, media in fiery Kresge speech
Sanders told a receptive audience that “the future of this country is a progressive, not conservative vision” and asserted that “despair is not an option” in the face of the Trump presidency.
Spring Break != Spring Weather
Although Monday marked the official First Day of Spring, the Northeast appears to have a different idea about what that means than the rest of us. Get all the sun you need today because this weekend is going to be perpetually overcast with some rain and snow. If you're getting out of town for the break, try to bring some spring-like weather with you when you come back! For those staying in Beantown for the week, you can expect temperatures around 40°F (5°C) during the day and relatively low wind speeds.
New dorm on Vassar to open summer 2020 with dining hall and 450-bed capacity
The residence hall will house students relocated due to future renovations, and will have to balance, among other issues, sustainability goals with students’ need for kitchens.
DSL to search for new dining provider, seeks student input
The search for a new dining provider, guided by responses from the student survey and feedback from Envision, a consulting firm engaged by DSL, will begin in May. A new vendor is projected to be selected by fall 2018.
MIT admits Class of 2021, works to ensure students from travel ban-affected countries can attend
MIT released its regular action decisions for the Class of 2021 last Tuesday, bringing the total number of admitted students to 1,438 out of the 20,247 who applied, for an acceptance rate of 7.1 percent, down from 7.8 percent last year.
Chomsky lecture, airport shuttles, housing
Noam Chomsky will speak about climate change and President Trump today from 5-6:30 p.m. in 26-100 in a Starr Forum lecture entitled “Racing to the Precipice: Global Climate, Political Climate.” Seating is first-come, first-serve. Overflow seating will be available in 54-100, where there will be a live stream of the event.
MIT announces new administrative position to facilitate diversity
MIT has created the new position of Senior Associate Dean for Diversity and Community Involvement. Gustavo Burkett, the current director of student involvement at Boston College, has been chosen for the role.
Behind the Media Lab’s $250,000 Disobedience Award
The latest buzz around campus stems not from a startup or disruptive technology, but rather from principles more readily associated with Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi than MIT students.
Airport shuttle, dorm electricity competition, class of 2021
Shuttles to the airport will be provided by the Parking and Transportation Office on Friday, Mar. 24 and Saturday, Mar. 26. There is a $15 charge for the service, and shuttles will leave from Kresge Parking Lot. To reserve a seat, and to view more details, visit http://web.mit.edu/facilities/transportation/shuttles/airport.html.
On-demand ride-sharing service to replace SafeRide shuttles in September
The Undergraduate Association announced yesterday that beginning in September an on-demand ride-sharing service will replace the nighttime SafeRide shuttles which service MIT students in Cambridge, Boston, and Somerville.
Dean of Engineering explains his decision to step down
Ian Waitz, dean of the School of Engineering, announced in a Feb. 14 email to the school community that he will step down as dean Jun. 30. In an interview with The Tech, he discussed the ups and downs of his time at the school, along with his plans for the future.
UA delays spring elections after commission chair resigns
The decision to change the election timeline was reached by UA councillors over email, an unusual step taken after the UA’s March meeting was cancelled.