New faces in the Division of Student Life hired this year
The MIT Division of Student Life (DSL) has undergone a slew of hiring in the last two years. These additions have been focused in three major areas: student development and support, the Student Activities Office (SAO), and residential life.
A universe of science at the Ig Nobels
If you’ve ever wondered about exploding colons or the brain activity of dead salmon, you might be interested in the work done by this year’s Ig Nobel Laureates The 22nd Ig Nobel Awards, prizes awarded annually for improbable research that “first make people laugh, and then make them think” were awarded yesterday in Sanders Theater at Harvard University. The theme for the 22nd Ig Nobels was “The Universe.” Previous themes have spanned topics ranging from “Duct Tape” to “Biodiversity.”
5 RLADs hired, will assume roles Aug. 6
Five candidates have just been hired to serve as Resident Life Area Directors (RLADs), beginning Aug. 6 in MacGregor Hall, McCormick Hall, New House, Next House, and Simmons Hall. Two others have been promoted from their previous position of Residential Life Associate (RLA) when that role was discontinued at the end of this academic year. According to Henry J. Humphreys, Dean of Residential Life and Dining, the housemasters of the remaining dormitories — Baker House, Bexley House, East Campus, Random Hall, and Senior House — will meet with their respective communities about their RLADs in the early fall.
Car Talk will move to syndication
The popular radio show Car Talk hosted by MIT alumni brothers Tom Magliozzi ’58 and Ray Magliozzi ’72 will stop new episodes in Septemnber; reruns will continue in syndication. Car Talk was first broadcast by WBUR in 1977, and was picked up by the National Public Radio ten years later. Car Talk has been broadcast on NPR for the last 25 years.
Early action numbers fall
When asked about the decline in the number of early applications for MIT — down 4.7 percent from last year — Dean of Admissions Stuart Schmill ’86 hypothesized that the decrease was likely caused by the reinstitution of early application programs at several other universities this year.
Watson: Cambridge Challenge accepted
Watson, IBM’s champion Jeopardy! computer, is making its way to Cambridge to compete in a trivia match with students from the MIT Sloan School of Management and Harvard Business School. The competition, dubbed the “IBM Watson Challenge,” will be held at the Harvard Business School’s Burden Auditorium on Monday, Oct. 31. The challenge will be preceded by “The Race Against the Machine: The Future of Tech” Symposium at the MIT Media Lab, which will include a number of talks about Watson’s creation and the future of the technology. Following the symposium, buses will depart from the Media Lab at 2:15 p.m. for those interested in attending the trivia competition at Harvard.
UA restructuring plans surface again
The Undergraduate Association is developing a new proposal that aims to restructure MIT’s undergraduate government into a more cohesive body. According to a plan released by the UA Restructuring Committee, the UA Senate could be replaced by a council composed of independently elected dormitory and FSILG leaders. If approved, the UA hopes to instate the new government during an IAP transition period.
Sam Allen looks forward to 2 years as faculty chair
On July 1, Samuel M. Allen PhD ’75 succeeded Tom A. Kochan as the chair of the faculty.