Eric Grimson to serve as chancellor
President Susan J. Hockfield announced yesterday the appointment of W. Eric L. Grimson PhD ’80 as MIT’s next chancellor. Grimson will take office on Mar. 1 and will succeed outgoing Chancellor Phillip L. Clay PhD ’75.
UA presidents call for student engagement reform
Five current and former UA presidents joined forces to write a letter addressing the administrative shortcomings in efforts to engage students on campus issues. The letter argued that the Task Force on Student Engagement (TSE) has failed in its mission of involving students in three important decisions from the past two years — cutting varsity sports, increasing enrollment, and restructuring dining.
Court releases written decision in Tang case
Judge Bruce R. Henry released a written decision in the case of Anna L. Tang, the former Wellesley student who stabbed MIT student Wolfe B. Styke G, then a sophomore, in October 2007.
At Walker, students to hear about renovation
Student groups affected by the potential restructuring of Walker Memorial may soon learn more about the plans for the future of the space. The administration is hosting an open meeting on Monday, Feb. 14, at 5 p.m. in Morss Hall to provide information and updates on the current status of the Walker review process. The meeting will consist of a presentation by Associate Provost Martin A. Schmidt PhD ’88, a question-and-answer period, and a tour of the facilities.
Construction in plaza outside Marriott to continue until June
Construction in the Cambridge Center Plaza, in front of the Marriott Hotel and next to the MIT Coop in Kendall, has been happening every day from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. since Jan. 6.
Anna Tang finished with court, now a free woman
Anna L. Tang, the troubled former Wellesley student, is finally free to resume her life and has been discharged from court custody. Under house arrest since early 2008, Tang will not be committed to a mental institution, and there are no longer any court-ordered restrictions upon her. Tang had been found not guilty by reason of mental incapacity on Dec. 10, 2010, but the Commonwealth petitioned to have her committed to a locked mental health care facility. That petition was dismissed yesterday afternoon by Judge Bruce R. Henry in Middlesex Superior Court.
Corrections
In a sports article last Friday about Super Bowl predictions, Al Harris and Aaron Kampman were incorrectly cited as being current Green Bay Packers players. Harris and Kampman are no longer on that team.
Scott Brown tours MIT, promotes science bill
Senator Scott Brown (R-Mass.) toured the Koch Institute and Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN) last Friday and thanked MIT for supporting his Innovate America Act proposal.
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Losing money, losing structure
In April 2009, faced with over $400,000 in budget cuts, MIT’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER) cut eight varsity teams — Women’s and Men’s Gymnastics, Women’s and Men’s Hockey, Golf, Alpine Skiing, Wrestling, and Pistol. The move saved DAPER nearly half a million dollars in expenditures annually, but caused outcry across campus and lost MIT its status as one of only two schools in the nation with 41 varsity sports — the other being Harvard.
Potential changes coming to Number 1 Bus Route around MIT
The popular Number 1 bus that stops outside 77 Massachusetts Ave. may see major changes as part of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Key Bus Route Improvement Program. Preliminary recommendations presented at the MBTA’s last community meeting include the elimination of inbound stop 76 at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Memorial Drive, located slightly past Bexley in the direction of the Harvard Bridge.
McCormick asks for more female floors
In response to the new mandatory dining policy in McCormick Hall, some residents are calling for the establishment of a satellite all-female community in a non-dining dorm. Representatives from McCormick have met with administrators to discuss possible solutions. Though many residents have concerns about the new dining plan, only a minority are hoping to move to a new single-sex community.
Massachusetts struggles with mortgage payments
Tens of thousands of Massachusetts property owners are living in their homes without making mortgage payments as they fight foreclosure, plead with lenders for loan modifications, or simply take advantage of free housing while awaiting eviction.
What’s down with Town Gown
Every year, some of MIT’s most important administrators stand before the people of Cambridge. The City, which is largely defined by its universities, asks that Harvard, MIT, Lesley University, and Cambridge College give annual public Town Gown reports about what each institution has been doing for the last 365 days and what the future has in store. Because in a city of slightly over 100,000 people, it’s no small wonder that some of the nation’s largest, richest, and most influential schools have a big impact on how this town works.
Former varsity sports, profiled
In April 2009, faced with over $400,000 in budget cuts, MIT’s Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation (DAPER) cut eight varsity teams — Women’s and Men’s Gymnastics, Women’s and Men’s Hockey, Golf, Alpine Skiing, Wrestling, and Pistol. The move saved DAPER nearly half a million dollars in expenditures annually, but caused outcry across campus and lost MIT its status as one of only two schools in the nation with 41 varsity sports — the other being Harvard. Within the course of a day, these teams went from established varsity programs to groups with indeterminate futures. And although the club sports moratorium was lifted to allow the seven cut teams without club analogues (a club Women’s Hockey team existed at the time of the cuts) to continue, the transition was not going to be easy — from losing athletes to competing in a new league, the new club teams had a lot of work ahead of them besides raising money and resolving management issues.
Ghana Justice visits Sloan
The Chief Justice of Ghana, Georgina T. Wood, gave a talk on Tuesday about the legal situation in Ghana and Africa. Wood was hosted by the MIT Sloan Africa Business Club, who invited her to be their spring speaker.
Ian A. Waitz named new Dean of Engineering
Ian A. Waitz, head of the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (Course XVI) was named the new Dean of Engineering on Tuesday. Waitz succeeds Subra Suresh ScD ’81 as Dean, who left MIT to direct the National Science Foundation last September, and current Interim Dean of Engineering Cynthia Barnhart PhD ’88. He will assume his duties as Dean this Monday, February 7.