MIT Undergoes Reaccreditation Visit: a Breeze!
On Wednesday the New England Association of Schools and Colleges completed its review of MIT, as part of MIT’s bid for reaccreditation. Before the NEASC’s arrival, President Susan Hockfield noted in her State of the Institute address that she hadn’t “broken a sweat” over the outcome.
UA Gives Election Counts
The Undergraduate Association has reversed its stance and is providing detailed vote counts on the Senate and Class of 2013 elections, UA Election Commissioner Sun K. Kim ’11 said on Wednesday.
Electricians Picket Outside MIT—Passively
At 6:56 a.m., long before most undergrads stumble out of bed, an electrician from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) stepped off the bus at 77 Mass Ave. He joined the group of workmen waiting on the stairs of Lobby 7, all of whom shared his same shift. At 7 a.m. sharp, his workday began — not that you’d be able to tell.
Police Log
<b><i>Editor’s Note: </i></b><i>The MIT Police released this information in a timely fashion and the delay in publication is not theirs.</i>
MIT’s Endowment Over the Past Ten Years
MIT’s endowment investments lost 17 percent of their value in the fiscal year ending June 30, 2009, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 index dropped 28 percent of its value over the same period. This was the first fiscal year since 2003 that net investment return to the endowment was negative. In the 2000s, MIT’s endowment has always outperformed the S&P 500. MIT released the Report of the Treasurer on Friday last week.
At Harvard, Leaner Times Mean No More Hot Breakfast
Gone are the hot breakfasts in most dorms and the pastries at Widener Library. Varsity athletes are no longer guaranteed free sweatsuits, and just this week came the jarring news that professors will go without cookies at faculty meetings.
17 Die in Bombing Near Indian Embassy in Kabul
A car packed with explosives blew up beside the Indian Embassy on Thursday, leaving 17 people dead in what India’s foreign secretary said was a direct attack on the embassy compound, the second in two years.
Shorts (right)
In the year since the government stepped in to rescue the collapsing mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, the agencies have taken $96 billion from the Treasury, and may still need more.
For U.S., Leaving Iraq Is a Feat That Requires an Army
There is no more visible sign that America is putting the Iraq war behind it than the colossal operation to get its stuff out: 20,000 soldiers, nearly a sixth of the force here, assigned to a logistical effort aimed at dismantling some 300 bases and shipping out 1.5 million pieces of equipment, from tanks to coffee makers.
House Votes to Cover Sex Orientation Hate Crimes
The House voted Thursday to expand the definition of violent federal hate crimes to cover those committed because of a victim’s sexual orientation, a step that would extend new protection to lesbian, gay and transgender people.
The True Windy City
Chicago is frequently termed the “windy city,” but the honor, according to the National Climatic Data Center, belongs to the nearby Blue Hill Observatory in Milton, MA which has an average wind speed of 15.4 mph (24.8 kph). Boston is considered to be the windiest major metropolitan area with an average wind speed of 12.5 mph (20.1 kph) while Chicago is much further down the list at 10.4 mph (16.7 kph).
In Trial, 500,000 Homeowners Get Lower Mortgage Payments
For months, troubled homeowners seeking to lower their mortgage payments under a federal plan have complained about bureaucratic bungling, ceaseless frustration and confusion. On Thursday, the Obama administration declared that the $75 billion program is finally providing broad relief after it pressured mortgage companies to move faster to modify more loans.
Letters to the Editor
In the September 25 edition of <i>The Tech</i>, Clare Bayley ’11 wrote an important opinion piece on a major change to the admissions application. This was picked up by other media including the massive internet technology news aggregator, Slashdot. I am writing to suggest that my fellow alumni join Ms. Bayley in urging the admissions office to reconsider watering down the application by removing the long essay requirement.
Corrections
Because of an editing error, a Tuesday, Oct. 6 “In Short” item on the MIT Student Extended Insurance Plan ran one week late. The deadline for canceling or enrolling in the plan was Sept. 30, as correctly reported in the “In Short” section of <i>The Tech</i>’s Tuesday, Sept. 29 issue.
UA Update
The fall semester’s introductory Senate meeting was held on Monday, October 5 at 7:30 p.m. in W20-400. Before the Special Budgetary Session, Chancellor Philip L. Clay PhD ’75, Dean for Student Life Chris Colombo, Dean for Undergraduate Education Daniel E. Hastings ’78, and Vice Chancellor and Dean for Graduate Education Steven R. Lerman ’72 discussed the Institute-wide Planning Task Force recommendations. The Chancellor and deans emphasized that they are looking for as much feedback on the recommendations as possible — especially implementation possibilities that would not involve completely cutting an entire service, but would still save money. They also noted that many of the recommendations which would save large amounts of money would take significant research and time to implement.
MOVIE REVIEW When Science Attacks!
Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader) lives with his dad on an island whose inhabitants’ sole source of food and income comes from the sardine business. Flint has always had a passion in science and inventing things since childhood. So when the sardine supply vanishes one day and the town is left to go hungry, he comes up with the perfect invention: a machine that will turn water into food.
CD REVIEW Pearl Jam Heads Back to Familiar Space
Of the all the bands that came out of Seattle and popularized the grunge movement in the early 90s, Pearl Jam is essentially the only surviving group that has consistently released albums and amassed a following of devoted fans. In the beginning, it was <i>Ten</i> that launched the group onto the map.
MOVIE REVIEW ★★★ A Tale of the Haves and the Have-Nots
It’s not every day that I get to see Michael Moore in the flesh. Granted, he’s too much of a liberal firebrand for me to stomach at times, but I couldn’t pass up an opportunity to see the Republican Party’s Public Enemy Number 1 in all of his pudgy glory last Wednesday night when I screened his film, <i>Capitalism: A Love Story</i>.
BALLET REVIEW All Eyes on Giselle
G<i>iselle</i> was a fine choice as the season opener for the Boston Ballet, in the terms of the company’s new goals of enticing and capturing a younger audience by placing ballet in a trendier and more accessible spotlight. What could been better than the timeless tale of love to win over the hearts of young and old?
CONCERT REVIEW Philharmonia’s First Concert of Season Is a Hit
From the outside, the New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall is deceptively plain. Construction lines the street and scaffolding hides the entire face of the building, making it easy to pass by without a second glance. Inside, however, is a different story altogether. An ambience of grandeur and excellence penetrates every corner of the 1013-seat concert hall, whose rich mahogany paneled walls and gold-plated detailing creates an aesthetically, as well as acoustically, perfect space.
CONCERT REVIEW Too Too Too Long Since the Last Album
Sawing out the same old tunes for ticket-buying fans would be the undoing of any average rock band — thankfully, Ra Ra Riot is far from average. A tight performance and real musical skill enthralled the Paradise Rock Club, and even the sawing — as delivered by beautiful string players Alexandra Lawn and Rebecca Zeller — urged the Saturday night audience to break into en masse hipster shuffling.
Sports Shorts
Coming off one of the most successful campaigns in the program’s 101-year history that featured the team’s first ever berth in the NCAA Tournament, MIT men’s basketball coach Larry Anderson has been named the Division III New England College Coach of the Year by the New England Basketball Hall of Fame. Anderson will be honored at the Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Friday, October 9 at the Mohegan Sun hotel in Uncasville, Conn.
MIT Outing Club Wins 19-Mile Relay Race, Ignores Relay Aspect
The MIT Outing Club won the 4th annual intercollegiate Presidential Range Relay Race, a 19-mile race across New Hampshire’s rugged White Mountains last weekend.
