The Institute racked up awards in 2013
From MacArthur Fellowships to Marshall Scholarships, MIT students, faculty, and alumni racked up a number of impressive awards in 2013.
Internet rallies for liberator of information
Internet activist Aaron H. Swartz committed suicide on Jan. 11, 2013, igniting a firestorm of discussion over the Internet — where he was regarded as something of a folk hero — and triggering questions regarding the prosecution, MIT, and JSTOR’s involvement in United States v. Aaron Swartz.
Our campus in scaffolding
In addition to recommendations to demolish Bexley and the several capital projects ongoing in Kendall and Central Square, MIT started several renovation projects of its own over the past year — including renovations on Building 2 and E52, the demolition of Building 12, and the opening of the new Koch Childcare Center adjacent to Simmons.
The new faces of the GIRs: makeovers in biology, chemistry
In Fall 2013, alterations and additions to the General Institute Requirement (GIR) classes offered students more options and new mediums for learning. The Department of Biology introduced two new Introductory Biology classes, 7.015 and 7.016, as well as incorporated online learning from edX into 7.012. Additionally, 3.091 (Solid State Chemistry) piloted an entirely new course format that strongly integrated the use of online learning materials into the structure of the course.
Bexley Hall closed due to structural issues
At a meeting on May 7, 2013, residents of the former undergraduate dormitory Bexley Hall learned that the final weeks of the spring semester would be their last in the dorm, which was planned to remain closed for up to three years in order to resolve structural issues. On Apr. 29, the administration received the engineering report that recommended the building’s closure. Residents of the building were instructed to move out by June 8.
‘Boston ban’ imposed on Boston FSILGs
In late October, the Boston Licensing Board (BLB) put assembly limits in place for MIT’s Boston-based fraternities, sororities, and living groups (FSILGs), effectively restricting social gatherings by setting the assembly limit equal to the residency limit. These limits have continued into IAP. There are hopes for Boston to approve the licenses by the beginning of the Spring semester. The restriction continues to impact all FSILGs on the Boston side, including 19 of MIT’s 27 fraternities, 3 of the 6 sororities, and 2 of the 6 independent living groups.
From the editor
MIT entered 2013 expecting to face federal funding cuts for research due to the sequester, and high-level MIT officials searched for ways to keep our research thriving, saying we could handle the cuts better than other affected institutions. The difficulties we could not have anticipated, however, shook our community at many levels as we navigated through an especially turbulent 2013.
Institute’s top brass are shuffled around
MIT’s senior leadership saw sweeping changes in 2013. Dennis Freeman PhD ’86 became the new dean of undergraduate education (DUE), Chris A. Kaiser PhD ’87 stepped down as provost, and Eric Grimson PhD ’80 announced his plans to leave Chancellorship in order to head a capital fundraising campaign. In total, nine of the twenty-six total positions in the senior administration changed or will change.
Hurdle cleared for Kendall portal to MIT
Will the most innovation square mile on the planet get a mini-golf course?
NEWS BRIEFS
Yesterday, Adèle Naudé Santos, dean of MIT’s School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P) announced her intention to step down and return to faculty, effective at the end of the Spring semester. Santos is a professor in both the Department of Architecture and the Department of Urban Studies (DUSP), as well as a practicing architect with her own architecture studio in San-Francisco, Santos Prescott and Associates.
The life of Prof. Robert A. Alberty
Robert A. Alberty, professor emeritus in the Department of Chemistry and former dean of MIT’s School of Science — whose seminal contributions to the thermodynamics and kinetics of biochemical reactions are still at the forefront of chemistry — passed away on Saturday, Jan. 18, at the age of 92.
3.091 to return to traditional lecture format
3.091 is reverting back to its original format of lecture/recitation as the semester-long experiment comes to an end. Findings from the experiment are not yet conclusive, 3.091 Professor Michael J. Cima stressed in an email to The Tech; the full report to the Committee on the Undergraduate Program is due at the end of February.
CPW events restricted to before 1 a.m.
Prefrosh at this year’s Campus Preview Weekend (CPW) will be the first to experience a new policy restricting late night events: CPW events must now end by 1 a.m. and can begin again at 6 a.m. Spontaneous events, such as an impromptu movie showing, can still take place, but will not be listed in the booklet. For the past couple of years, the rule has been that all events with an end time past 3 a.m. must have a safety plan to get prefrosh home, but there had been no set end time.
Mystery Hunt coin found in Courtyard
This year’s MIT Mystery Hunt — themed “Alice in Wonderland” — began Friday with a Kresge Kickoff at noon and officially ended Monday afternoon after a wrap-up ceremony in 26-100. The team “One Fish, Two Fish, Random Fish, Blue Fish” of Random Hall won at 2:30 a.m. Sunday after about 38 hours of searching.
NEWS BRIEFS
MIT's capital campaign, expected to raise billions of dollars, will probably stay in its "quiet phase" for several more months. Only 6 percent of registrants on edX are getting certificates, but researchers say that's not a sign that online courses are failing.
Europe’s bonds back in vogue, analysts warn of risk
LONDON — When Ireland recently made its first offering of new debt since leaving its bailout program, Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny was already focused on where the money would come from next.
MIT scientists benefit from US budget deal
Massachusetts fishermen and MIT scientists are among the winners in a $1.012 trillion spending deal released Monday night by Congress.