MIT researchers develop AI education program for U.S. Air Force and Department of Defense
A team of researchers at MIT Open Learning and the MIT Media Lab developed an academic program to teach U.S. Air Force (USAF) personnel to understand and utilize artificial intelligence technologies.
YouTuber, engineer, and inventor Mark Rober to deliver Class of 2023 Commencement address
Rober is “excited to come out and meet the Class of 2023 and celebrate all the amazing, positive change they’re going to bring to the world.”
MIT expands building access for the general public
Barnhart wrote that building access for the general public will be expanded, with access to the libraries and “Main Group of campus buildings, including Lobby 7 and the Infinite Corridor” being restored.
Class of 2024 attends Oceantation
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Class of 2024 did not attend a freshman-year aquarium trip in 2020; to that end, a junior-year aquarium trip had been a keystone in Class Council President Penny Brant ’24’s presidential campaign last spring.
MIT Strategic Action Plan for Belonging, Achievement, and Composition released
While emphasizing that diversity, equity, and inclusion were still priorities for the Institute and “remain front and center in the final version,” Reif wrote that the steering team shifted the focus to belonging, achievement, and composition because they believe “those words better reflect how we think about our community and its values.”
133 first years enter FYRE process
The number of first years opting to FYRE rose sharply from last year when 89 students attempted to FYRE and is comparable to 2019 when 121 students attempted to FYRE.
Reif welcomes Class of 2026 with Convocation address
President L. Rafael Reif welcomed the Class of 2026 to MIT with a Convocation address Monday, Aug. 29. The Convocation ceremony was hosted on the Kresge lawn in front of the Stratton Student Center.
Proposal for revised statement on freedom of expression and academic expression released
The Ad Hoc Working Group on Free Expression has proposed a statement of principle on freedom of expression and academic expression; the statement was released to the MIT community Sept. 1.
Banana Lounge reopens to students after ‘back and forth’ with DSL
The Banana Lounge team dormspammed a poll March 18 asking students if they wanted 24/7 access to the Lounge, to which 97.9% of respondents indicated yes.
Construction to revamp Metropolitan Warehouse commences
The building will feature new floor platforms to provide high-bay program space and allow natural light to penetrate core building areas.
Commencement weekend features OneMIT ceremony for Class of 2022 and in-person celebration for Classes of 2020 and 2021
“When we look at the COVID-19 response, we see we had good science, but not so good politics and public policy,” Okonjo-Iweala said.
Behind the scenes of ‘MIT: Regressions (a history of the Institute)'
This project has taken about a year and a half. We thought it would only take three months. A lot of why it took so long is because we keep on finding these insane threads and rabbit holes.
MIT Divest meets with Attorney General’s Office regarding legal complaint
The 2015 CAP was also criticized for outlining very sparing goals, such as “reducing emissions by 32% by 2030.”
Meet the prefrosh
The Tech spoke with several CPW attendees about their experiences and impressions of MIT.
MIT AAI recommends policies for better environment for Asian Americans
Dogan said that while AAI has “certain timelines in mind” for some recommendations, they “understand change, especially around course offering and hiring, takes time.”
MIT reinstates SAT/ACT requirement for 2027 admissions cycle and beyond
The admissions office’s research reportedly found that standardized testing “significantly” improved the office’s ability to predict academic success at MIT, even when controlling for socioeconomic factors that correlate with testing.
Agustín Rayo looks ahead to new role as Dean of SHASS
I’m worried that DEI conversations at MIT have become increasingly polarized and people are more ready to disparage the other side of the debate. This is partly a reflection of our state as a nation. But I hope we can do better in SHASS.
MIT offers admission to 1,337 applicants for Class of 2026
The acceptance rate from this year is a slight decrease from last year (4.03%), with both marking a sharp decrease from pre-pandemic acceptance rates (approximately 7%).
MIT relaxes COVID-19 face covering and testing policies effective March 14
In a campus updates meeting March 7, administrators stated that the plan to relax COVID-19 policies was finally being revisited after being derailed due to the onset of the omicron variant.
MIT COVID-19 positivity rate remains at 0.1%, masks still mandated
In the email, Stuopis outlined the infection rates, underscored the continuing mandatory masking policies, and highlighted a possible uptick in cases over the Thanksgiving-Christmas travel season.
Class of 2024 Fall Formal held Oct. 24 at Westin Copley Place
Twenty Fourmal, a fall formal for the MIT Class of 2024, took place on Sunday, Oct. 24 at the Westin Copley Place in Boston. Approximately 600 students attended the event, organized by the 2024 Class Council.
HackMIT hosts eighth annual student hackathon
HackMIT was hosted as a hybrid event — MIT-affiliated participants were permitted to attend in person, while non-MIT affiliates attended virtually.
MIT economist awarded Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences
Angrist’s work deals with interpreting the data from these natural experiments. The Prize citation emphasizes the influence of a 1994 paper that Angrist and Imbens co-wrote.
New InnovationHQ open to students
The headquarters’ primary function is to serve as a hub for students “at every stage of their entrepreneurial journeys, from undergraduates to PhDs,” according to MIT News.
Guests of MIT Staff may access campus via new Tim Tickets
A Tim Ticket invitation is valid for seven consecutive days. Upon expiry, the MIT host may send a new invitation.
Fall 2021 COVID-19 policies, summarized
All campus residents — and students not residing on campus — must take COVID tests twice a week, and must adhere to either a Monday-Thursday or Tuesday-Friday testing schedule.
SHASS Dean Melissa Nobles to assume Chancellor post
Nobles: In the Chancellor’s Office, we get to focus on the student experience inside and outside of the classroom, and we can help students grow into their whole selves here at MIT.
Melissa Nobles, SHASS dean, appointed to chancellor post
As chancellor, Nobles assumes one of the “Institute’s two most senior academic” positions — the chancellor (along with the provost) “reports to the president of MIT.”
Chancellor Cynthia Barnhart to step down July 1
Barnhart: “We recognize that before even thinking about a solution to a problem, we should go to the students and get their reactions. We know that top down decision-making doesn't work.”
MIT to open local, minority-owned food vendors in Student Center
The student survey was sent out on Sunday, May 2 via email, and asked students to rank the food options for each of three kiosks; these options would replace the previous vendors — Cafe Spice, Shawarma Shack, and Shinkansen Bullet Train.
Geathers, Chen reflect on year in office, discuss changes for the coming year
Chen: One thing we could have improved on and will be improving on this coming year would be administrative transparency and the Institute committee process and embedding student voice in there.
MIT hosts COVID-19 vaccine webinar with Harvard and Ragon Institute
Stuopis said that “from a public health perspective,” MIT “strongly encourages every member of our community to get vaccinated when they’re available,” and emphasized that “the best vaccine is the first vaccine you can get.”
Housing and Residential Services shares Fall 2021 housing processes
The housing preference forms for both rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors are open until April 9.
CAAC special meeting features student presentations across sustainability landscape
The student presentations addressed the structure and process behind the Climate Action Plan (CAP), public engagement, investments, private engagement, on-campus sustainability, and education.
UA Sustain releases fall undergraduate survey findings
Respondents also reportedly felt that MIT “does a good job” providing sustainability education and “furthering climate research.”
2021 Commencement ceremony to be held online
Reif stated that after consulting with the “Commencement Committee, student leaders, the deans, and the senior leadership team,” it was determined that early June was too soon to plan a large campus gathering.
Mechanical engineering professor Gang Chen arrested on grant fraud charge
Chen was charged by criminal complaint with wire fraud, failing to file a foreign bank account report (FBAR), and making a false statement in a tax return.
Ad hoc faculty committees formed in response to MIT’s Epstein ties release reports
The report from the Committee on Guidelines for Outside Engagements describes the drafting and revision process with an emphasis on community engagement.
New Vassar scheduled to open January 2021
Friedrich wrote that “members of the New Vassar Founders’ Group convened earlier this month to continue community planning efforts for MIT’s newest undergraduate residence.”
MIT staff to be given ‘up to two hours’ of paid leave to vote
Previously, the MIT Employee Policy Manual allowed staff members to request two hours of unpaid time for voting on Election Day. The petition writes that not providing paid time off “discourages workers from voting.”
MISTI launches new initiatives for 2020-2021
If public health conditions do not permit travel Summer 2021, MISTI plans to continue offering remote internships and research opportunities.
Five percent of upperclassmen take leave of absence
25 sophomores, 76 juniors, and 70 seniors opted to take leaves of absence (LOAs) for the fall term, Student Support Services Associate Dean James Collins wrote in an email to The Tech.