Kendall committee summarizes work
The MIT student community was a no-show at Tuesday’s presentation on the reinvention of Kendall Square. There were about 100 people in attendance; 80 percent were the general public, while the remainder were city employees, committee members, etc. Two MIT students were there, and also many community residents, including some MIT faculty and retirees from 303 Third Street.
Additional updates to orientation report
The Review Committee on Orientation (RCO) released its final recommendations on Orientation last week with more updates on the state of Residential Exploration (REX) and freshman pe-orientation programs (FPOPs) for this fall. The biggest changes are that REX will no longer include a freshman adjustment lottery to change dorms, and an additional fee will be charged to FPOP students arriving early and staying on campus. The timing of FSILG Recruitment will be subject to further committee-based assignment, but no change in timing will be made for this coming fall.
What do students want in a pres.?
On April 6, the Student Advisory Committee to the Presidential Search released their preliminary report, entitled “The Student Perspective on the MIT Presidency.” Drawing upon the responses they received from six town hall meetings, each of which were attended by between 10 and 60 people, as well as hundreds of student responses from online forms, paper questionnaires, focus groups, and informal discussions, the SAC described in their 20-page report what they found to be the most important challenges, desires, and concerns of MIT. This preliminary report does not contain the list of candidates that the SAC would like to nominate.
Start-ups forced out of Kendall Square due to prices
When Ben Carcio’s idea for a Web start-up won a national competition last year, the prize included free office space at a dream address for techies: Kendall Square. He was surrounded by engineers from Microsoft Corp. and Google Inc., and venture capitalists who fund young tech companies.
Three tickets talk student issues in the UA debate
In a debate co-hosted by The Tech and the UA this past Sunday, the three tickets of potential future Undergraduate Association (UA) leaders discussed issues such as the search for a new MIT president, student-administration relationships, MIT culture, orientation, and the role of the UA on campus. Running for UA president and vice president are Jonté D. Craighead ’13 and Michael P. Walsh ’13, Naren P. Tallapragada ’13 and Andrew C. Yang ’13, and Brendan T. Deveney ’13 and Mary A. Breton ’14. The debate, which took place on the first floor of the student center, had an audience of about 30, with more people attending for some portions.
Course 2-A curriculum sees major changes
The Department of Mechanical Engineering (Course 2) is making major changes to its 2-A program, which will take effect for the Class of 2016. A pilot program for current freshmen who choose to opt in will take place in Fall 2012.
CORRECTIONS
An an article published last Friday on David House’s lawsuit against the federal government gave conflicting information about the date his laptop was seized. His laptop was taken on Nov. 3, 2010, as the article stated initially, not in “spring of 2010,” as it stated later.
Two-tier self-help system eliminated
In the 2012-2013 academic year, MIT’s tuition and fees will increase by 3.25 percent to $42,050, while its financial aid budget is set to increase by 4.7 percent to $95.6 million, according to a release from MIT News Office. Though unmentioned in the release, self-help level has risen for students with family income of $75,000 or less from $4,400 to $6,000, but remains unchanged for other financial aid recipients who had to contribute $6,000 since last year, according to the MIT Student Financial Service website.
MIT postdoc arrested in Colorado in sex sting
MIT mechanical engineering postdoc Yaron Segal, 30, was arrested on March 28 for allegedly arranging a sexual encounter with what he thought was a mother and her two underage children.
Meeting tonight to shape future of Kendall Square
The city is running a public meeting to present the work of the Kendall-to-Central study’s Kendall Square phase, and to solicit feedback.
Four dorms will be open for summer
Undergraduates who plan to live on campus this summer will have the options of living in Random Hall, Bexley Hall, Senior House, or MacGregor Hall.
Public Kendall meeting next Tues.
For the past year, the city of Cambridge has been running a $350,000 study to determine the future of Kendall Square. That study is almost complete, and the city is gearing up for a final public meeting to present its recommendations and get public feedback.
CORRECTIONS
An article published Tuesday misspelled the first name of Jonté D. Craighead ’13. His name is “Jonté,” not “Jonte.” The accompanying caption also gave the class years of Naren P. Tallapragada and Andrew C. Yang as 2012. They are both in the Class of 2013.
David House sues US after search of laptop
Was your laptop searched by U.S. Customs coming back from spring break? It could have been, without a warrant, and the government might have kept it for days, weeks, or even months while they searched it.
Nobel Peace Prize winner speaks at MIT
With all eyes fixated on her kind but piercing gaze, the overflowing room quieted as 2003 Nobel Peace Prize Winner Shirin Ebadi stepped to the podium and addressed the audience.
MIT responds to Anderson death
Chancellor Eric Grimson PhD ’80 said that MIT will address “educational issues of health and safety on our campus” in light of Brian G. Anderson ’13’s death by opiate overdose.