NEWS BRIEFS
Warren Tolman releases five point plan to reduce sexual assault on campuses
Massachusetts attorney general candidate Warren Tolman has proposed a five-point plan to decrease the incidence of sexual assault on college campuses in Massachusetts. “We need a comprehensive approach to change the culture of these campuses, because letting one more result occur is unacceptable,” Tolman said, according to a press release available on his campaign website http://warrentolman.com.
According to the release, Tolman plans to hold annual summits for college leaders to “share and revise best practices,” and increase transparency by requiring colleges to report incidences of sexual assault clearly and consistently. He also plans to more strictly enforce Title IX laws, particularly ensuring that schools are compliant with personnel training mandates. Tolman will also make sexual assault prevention trainings for students standardized across all Massachusetts colleges with a focus on programs that encourage bystanders to intervene in sexual assault situations.
“With statistics showing that one in four female college students will face assault… Tolman intends to use the authority of the office to get Massachusetts colleges and universities to work together to develop practices to prevent more assaults,” stated the press release.
MIT professor named NASA’s chief technologist
MIT Course 16 (Aeronautics and Astronautics) professor David W. Miller PhD ’88 was named the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) chief technologist by NASA administrator Charles Bolden, according to a release on the organization’s website.
As chief technologist, Miller will serve as the organization’s principal advisor and advocate on technology policy and programs, according to MIT News. He will also be tasked with monitoring technology investments and forming partnerships with others in the technology industry.
“David’s passion for discovery and innovation is a valuable asset as we move forward into exploring new frontiers,” Bolden said, explaining the appointment. “He has challenged his students to create new ways to operate in space. I expect he will challenge us to do the same. His experience in engineering space systems, small satellites, and long-duration microgravity platforms will allow him to offer the kind of expert advice I have learned to expect from my chief technologists.”
While serving as NASA’s chief technologist, Miller will continue to serve as a student advisor and will retain his position on the faculty, though he will no longer serve as director of MIT’s Space Systems Laboratory.
—William Navarre