Admissions releases profile of Class of 2017
What makes the Class of 2017 unique is “their talent, energy, creativity, optimism, diversity, and passion,” wrote Dean of Admissions Stu Schmill ’86 in an email to The Tech. Last week, the Office of Admissions released a more detailed profile of the 1,116 members of the new freshman class.
How many finals do you have to take?
It is well known that different departments at MIT prefer different methods of evaluating students. For some, this is an important factor when choosing classes, or even a major. The Tech looked into how many finals are required in each of MIT’s courses. The data in this article do not take GIRs or HASS classes into account, assume a student follows prerequisites and does not take Advanced Standing Exams, and classes can be scheduled accordingly.
New dorm security policies reflect 2012 report
Five undergraduate residences (Baker House, Maseeh Hall, McCormick Hall, Next House, Simmons Hall) and two graduate residences (Tang Hall and Westgate Apartments) received enhanced security systems, video monitoring, and access systems this summer.
300 Mass. Ave. construction projects causing complaints
Random Hall residents will be getting some noisy neighbors later this month as construction begins at 300 Massachusetts Avenue, right next to the dormitory.
European rail crashes hint at gaps in increasingly precarious system
PARIS — In the wake of a fiery train crash this summer in northern Spain that killed 79 people, investigators, survivors and passengers are demanding to know why the rail line entrusted the train’s safety with a sole driver who had publicly boasted about past speeding and was talking on a mobile phone seconds before the derailment.
India sends security forces to north after deadly clashes
NEW DELHI — India deployed thousands of police officers and army troops to a region in the north of the country on Monday after weekend confrontations between Hindus and Muslims caused the death of at least 30 people and grave injuries of many more, according to the police.
Summer temperatures making a comeback
Many of us threw on our jackets yesterday morning before heading to campus as a high pressure system brought cooler weather to the area. Last night, that high pressure moved offshore, allowing a warm front to work into the region today.
Pakistan takes step toward talks with the Taliban
ISLAMABAD — A conference of Pakistan’s political and military leadership on Monday agreed to clear the way for peace talks with the Pakistani Taliban, calling it the best strategy to end a decade of militant-driven bloodshed.
Shorts (left)
BEIJING — A homemade bomb outside a school in the southern city of Guilin on Monday killed at least two people and injured 17, many of them children, according to state news reports.
Shorts (right)
ROME — Pope Francis already has distinguished himself from his predecessor with a more down-to-earth style. Now, he is both unnerving the Vatican and delighting the faithful by picking up the telephone and spontaneously calling people, earning the nickname “the Cold Call Pope.”
Kerry’s comments on Syria mark a shift over strike
WASHINGTON — When Secretary of State John Kerry dangled for the first time on Monday actions that President Bashar Assad of Syria could take to avoid a military strike, it seemed an acknowledgment that Congress, America’s allies, and the Russians were all looking for an off-ramp for what a week ago seemed like inevitably military action against Syria.
UNDER GOD:
From our first day of kindergarten in the United States, we are expected to recite daily those 31 words which solemnly declare our fidelity to the nation we call home: “I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
When a leader should follow
At MIT, we pride ourselves on our various environmental and energy initiatives, from campus design to course offerings to groundbreaking research in numerous fields. Our greatest strength as an institution is our position as a world leader in science and technology. In the past, research from MIT has led to advances in green technologies, such as the development of ultracapacitors and novel liquid batteries for energy storage. Our values, as expressed in our research targets, have produced great strides in our society’s transition to more sustainable behaviors.
CORRECTIONS
An article in Friday’s issue on arts opportunities using the MIT ID mistakenly indicated that the $5 BSO College Card could be purchased at the BSO Ticket Office and MIT CopyTech in 11-003. It can only be purchased at CopyTech.
Stand up against back pain
It’s not easy being MIT students. In addition to carpal tunnel, eye strain, and weight gain from too much free food, we must deal with back pain from sitting hunched over a desk for long hours. Fortunately, there’s a solution for that last problem: a standing desk.
Events Sept. 10 – Sept. 16
Events Sept. 10 – Sept. 16 Tuesday (10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.) Employer Resume Critiques with 30+ companies, hosted by the Global Education and Career Development Center (sign-ups on CareerBridge) — 12-172 Wednesday (8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.) Israeli Dancing with kosher snacks provided, hosted by the MISTI MIT-Israel Program, Folk Dance Club, and MIT Hillel — Sala de Puerto Rico (4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.) Starr Forum — Syria: A Just War? with speakers Barry Posen, Jeanne Guillemin, Augustus Richard Norton, and John Tirman — E15-070 (Bartos theater) Thursday (12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.) MISTI Open House, sponsored by the Center for International Studies and MISTI — E40-496 (6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.) MIT Undergraduate Biochemistry Association General Body Meeting, with free dinner — W20-201 Friday (7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) LSC shows Fast & Furious 6, tickets for $4 in Lobby 16 — 26-100 (10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) McKinsey Business Analyst Coffee Chats, sponsored by Sloan Business Club (sign-up necessary) — Area Four Saturday (1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.) The Ig Informal Lectures at MIT by 2013 Ig Nobel Prize winners, sponsored by The MIT Press Bookstore and The Annals of Improbable Research — 26-100 Sunday (6:45 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.) Film on the Green @ MIT - Les Chansons d’Amour, sponsored by the Center for International Studies, FL&L, and French Consulate of Boston — Kresge Oval Monday (5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.) Wall Street and the Housing Bubble with speaker Wei Xiong (Princeton), sponsored by the Applied Theory Workshop (joint MIT/Harvard) — Harvard Littauer M15 Send your campus events to events@tech.mit.edu.
