4,100 Massachusetts students prove big schools can beat odds
BROCKTON, Mass. — A decade ago, Brockton High School was a case study in failure. Teachers and administrators often voiced the unofficial school motto in hallway chitchat: Students have a right to fail if they want. And many of them did — only a quarter of the students passed statewide exams. One in three dropped out.
To improve Simmons culture, some talk of dorm revolution
On September 11, Simmons’s discussion mailing list, sponge-talk, went aflame after the release of Proposition 10, a GRT’s effort to expedite the development of dorm culture within Simmons. Proposition 10, an unofficial document, calls for the division of the Simmons government into ten autonomous sections, each responsible for its own budget, constitution, freshman recruitment, and GRT placement. The proposition reflects the dissatisfaction among residents about the lack of dorm culture in Simmons Hall.
Parents of dead student sue MIT, Delta Upsilon
The parents of deceased MIT student Robert M. Wells ’08 sued MIT and the Delta Upsilon fraternity on May 21, 2010, alleging 26 counts of wrongful death.
Stem cell court battle reaches appeals stage
A three-judge panel in the DC Circuit Court of Appeals heard oral arguments in the stem cell case yesterday, and also rejected the University of California’s motion to become a party to the case. Additionally, the government filed several motions before the lower court late last night, seeking judgement in their favor.
Corrections
A front-page caption on Friday misspelled the surname of Dean of Engineering Subra Suresh ScD ’81 in the first sentence, while spelling it correctly in the second. It is Suresh, not Suresch.
PBE hazing details still undisclosed
A week after the News Office announced the decision to suspend the fraternity Phi Beta Epsilon (PBE) for hazing, parties remain tight-lipped about details of the case.
Dark horse emerges in Alaska race for Senate: the incumbent
JUNEAU, Alaska — The night Lisa Murkowski announced she would mount a write-in campaign to retain her Senate seat, she acknowledged to a crowd of supporters that her odds were slim. Then she prompted a defiant roar: Invoking Native Alaskan culture, she told the crowd that the ancient Aleutian language contained no word for “impossible.”
Zeal for dream drove scientist in secrets case
Many people who know P. Leonardo Mascheroni describe him as a maverick and a technology zealot. Now, the Justice Department will try to prove that he is dangerous, too — a man willing to sell atomic secrets in exchange for a chance to realize his dream.
Petraeus says Taliban have reached out to Karzai
PARWAN, Afghanistan — The top American commander in Afghanistan said Monday that high-level Taliban leaders had reached out to senior Afghan government officials in the context of starting reconciliation discussions that could pave the way to end the fighting in Afghanistan.
As Florida condos sit empty, voters enter battle on growth
BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — Lesley Blackner drove through a maze of condominium towers, rarely seeing any curtains in the windows, or residents, and tried to contain her anger.
Kim’s son is elevated to general before North Korea meeting
SEOUL, South Korea — The youngest son of Kim Jong Il, North Korea’s reclusive leader, has been promoted to a military general, that country’s official Korean Central News Agency reported early Tuesday, the clearest sign yet that he is in line to succeed his father as the country’s leader.
Weather
With no hurricanes currently active in the Atlantic, today’s weather description will focus on New England’s current weather. For the next couple days, there will continue to be cloudy, rainy weather. Last night there was the unusual occurrence of temperatures rising overnight; a consequence of a warm frontal passage. This frontal passage is responsible for the warm, humid weather today, with a chance of showers throughout the day. With rain that could be heavy at times as well as strong winds, it will certainly not be the nicest of weather. Tomorrow will also be cloudy with a slight chance of showers, especially in the evening. By Thursday, a strong low pressure system is forecast to track into the Northeast, bringing tropical moisture with it, although there is still uncertainty in the timing. The combination of high levels of precipitable water and lift means that there is the potential for heavy rain and urban flooding from Wednesday night to Friday morning.
Shorts (left)
WASHINGTON — The CIA has drastically increased its bombing campaign in the mountains of Pakistan in recent weeks, U.S. officials said, strikes that are part of an effort by military and intelligence operatives to try to cripple the Taliban in a stronghold being used to plan attacks against U.S. troops in Afghanistan.
Shorts (right)
NEW DELHI — In the last year, the Indian government surprised foreign telecommunications equipment suppliers like Huawei, Alcatel-Lucent and Cisco Systems by temporarily blocking the import of new network gear.
Is the IFC good for fraternities?
As a self-professed and widely-known “dorm advocate,” it is in my best interest for MIT to have a thriving fraternity community. For one, having almost half of MIT’s men move out makes the gender ratio in the dorms much more favorable. But in all seriousness, everyone wants to live with other people who want to live with them, and the more living options available, the more likely everyone is to find the niche that makes them happy.
Letters to the Editor
I am a Phi Bete. I have been a member since that warm Labor Day weekend in 1971, when two words, “I pledge” brought the ringing of a chime and an unexpected sea of hands all clambering to shake mine in welcome. It is among the most memorable moments my life, when an awkward, somewhat nerdy freshman was overwhelmed with an outpouring of genuine, unconditional friendship and acceptance. I knew I had become part of something unique and good but could not imagine how this fraternity would so profoundly influence what I would become in life.
Letters to the Editor
<i>Editor’s note: These letters were addressed to MIT President Susan Hockfield and sent to </i>The Tech.
When charity feels like a ripoff
Half an hour waiting in a long, snaking queue, or a “line,” according to the jargon over here. There’s room inside and no hold up for checking identification. It’s close to eleven at night and not cold outside, so we’re not complaining, but we’re thinking we should already be on the dance-floor. “What’s the hold up?” I ask a doorman walking outside along the queue, thanking us for our patience.
Squash at Symphony Hall shows off world’s top players
Egypt's Ramy Ashour, the world's top-ranked player, triumphed last Wednesday night as the global game of squash made a splash in Boston at Symphony Hall. Dubbed &quot;Showdown@Symphony,&quot; the exhibition tournament sought to promote squash in a country where it is but a niche sport. Four of the world's best competed in a single-elimination format on the stage of Symphony Hall for the Sharif Khan Trophy as diners on the orchestra floor and spectators from the balconies took in the action. While the organizers pulled out all the stops to keep the audience entertained with their choice of venue and assorted gimmicks, the game itself needs no embellishment.
Women’s rugby take second place in Sept. Beantown Classic
This summer was an exciting period for rugby both globally and locally. The sport was announced as an event in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The U.S. men's national team had a strong showing in the Churchill Cup, an invitational tournament with England, Canada, and other countries. The U.S. women's national team finished fifth at the Women's Rugby World Cup.
MIT is 4th in NCSA Power Rankings
MIT’s athletic program was recently ranked number four overall in the nation — its highest ever ranking — by the National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA). The NCSA Power Rankings, a system first implemented by the NCAA in 2004, report on both the academic and athletic performance of each college’s athletic program.
