New on-campus event guidance announced
Attendees must wear face coverings if attending events held indoors, though a speaker may deliver a presentation unmasked if the audience is masked.
New testing locations and at-home testing kits made available
In order to partake in unobserved self-testing, community members must pick up a testing kit and access the MIT Medical section of the Atlas mobile app.
Student center Anna’s Taqueria not reopening this fall
Hayes wrote that it is possible that Anna’s may return “at some point in the future,” but MIT will begin discussing “both temporary and permanent alternatives,” including potential non-food service uses, for Anna’s space.
Move-in, orientation, REX, FYRE, registration
Residence Exploration (REX) will take place Aug. 28–Sept. 1. First Year Resident Exchange applications open Aug. 28 and close Sept. 1.
Sunny weather greets the incoming freshmen!
Remember to call home to check in, even as we try to get (re)acquainted with the firehose of campus life.
SHASS Dean Melissa Nobles to assume Chancellor post
Nobles: In the Chancellor’s Office, we get to focus on the student experience inside and outside of the classroom, and we can help students grow into their whole selves here at MIT.
Move-in dates, preregistration, vaccine status
Continuing students must preregister for classes by 5 p.m. on Aug. 26.
New Music Building construction underway, to be completed in 2024
The building will have “spaces for performance, rehearsal, professional-level recording, research, and instruction, as well as a large-scale, purpose-built performance lab that will enable experimentation with various formats.”
Students and administrators discuss face covering, testing, vaccination policies at Aug. 28 meeting
Stuopis said that in order to monitor potential cases, students will be asked to test three times in their first week on campus: upon arrival, on day four, and on day seven.
Rain on me (or don’t)
A string of storms is set to dump up to three inches of rain on Boston in the next couple of days.
Bryan Stevenson addresses graduates at 2021 virtual commencement
Stevenson commended the Class of 2021 and said he will be “cheering for you as you do the important work that lies in front of all of us.”
MIT and Harvard to sell edX for $800 million
Through the transaction, edX’s assets will be transferred to a public benefit company owned by 2U while still maintaining its name, course offerings, partner arrangements, and users. edX will continue to offer its existing free courses and certificates at a fee under 2U.
Melissa Nobles, SHASS dean, appointed to chancellor post
As chancellor, Nobles assumes one of the “Institute’s two most senior academic” positions — the chancellor (along with the provost) “reports to the president of MIT.”
MIT lifts many COVID-19 restrictions, removing capacity limits and lowering testing frequency
“Events sponsored by MIT departments, labs, centers, offices, and student organizations are now permitted” if all attendees are registered for contact-tracing purposes.
New Ad Hoc Committee on Graduate Advising and Mentoring launched
The committee was created in line with a proposal from Task Force 2021 and Beyond. Its main goal is to deliver a “strategic plan to guide policies and programs that would be implemented at MIT.”
Independence Day, meal plan, ASEs
Independence Day is July 4 and will be observed as an Institute holiday July 5.
Showers clearing up in time for Independence Day
Whether you are trying to celebrate Independence Day in the middle of a heat wave or through the tail of a wave of storms, we hope you’ll try to keep yourself and your loved ones safe!
First Generation/Low Income Working Group submits final report
The group divided into four subgroups beginning in January 2020: benchmarking; focus groups; data collection; and resources, services, and academic experiences.
Seniors end their time at MIT with a bang — literally!
To all our graduating seniors, we have been thunderstruck by your warmth and the wisdom you’ve shared with us for these past years, and we can’t wait to see how else you’ll light up the world.
Pride Month, Commencement, pre-registration
Commencement for the Class of 2021 will take place online June 4.