Nightline hiatus to last at least a year
Nightline, MIT’s student-run hotline for counseling, information, and support, is ceasing operations for at least two semesters while it decides on several major structural changes. Its coordinators hope that Nightline will be able to return in the fall of 2011 at least in some reduced capacity.
Changes at Walker?
Preliminary assessments on Walker Memorial have identified the ninety-four year old building as a potential new home for MIT’s Music and Theater program.
Live tracking available for EZRide buses
Real-time GPS tracking for the EZRide shuttle went live last Thursday, according to Information Services and Technology.
Trader Joe’s shuttle schedule revised to clarify last bus times
The schedule for the Sunday shuttle to Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods has been revised following confusion in past weeks that left students stranded, waiting for the last listed bus to pick them up at the grocery stores. The new schedule lists the shuttle as running on Sundays from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., with an earlier end time than originally posted. The last bus picks up students at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s at 3:47 p.m. and 3:49 p.m., respectively. Students going to the stores on that run will not be provided transportation back to campus. Service ends at 4:04 p.m., when the bus stops at Random Hall for the final time.
Student-built race car does 0-60 in 3 secs
Deep in the recesses of the MIT Museum, one group of students is tooling. Yet no one is struggling with a pset, or studying for a test; rather, boards are being cut, things are being welded, and the sound of power machinery is heavy on the ears. Indeed, the MIT Motorsports team is hard at work applying their knowledge to a race car.
In vitro fertilization pioneer wins Nobel Prize
The Nobel prize in physiology or medicine has been awarded this year to Robert G. Edwards, an English biologist who with a physician colleague, Patrick Steptoe, developed the in vitro fertilization procedure for treating human infertility.
Toiling against a deadly disease to save a threatened frog
SEQUOIA AND KINGS CANYON NATIONAL PARKS, Calif. — From the summit of Bishop Pass in the Sierra Nevada, elevation 11,972 feet, all you can see are miles of granite peaks against the sky. There is no traffic and no pollution. The natural world seems pure and unspoiled.
Spacetime ripples, full of secrets MacArthur winner studies gravity’s waves
When she was contacted by the MacArthur Foundation, Professor Nergis Mavalvala PhD ’97 couldn’t believe it. “I really thought it was a prank call,” said Mavalvala. “I expected at any moment one of my friends was going to jump in on the other side of the line.”
Solicitor General supports schools in Stanford v. Roche patent case
Last week Tuesday, the United States Solicitor General filed a brief before the Supreme Court in <i>Stanford v. Roche</i>, a case about technology transfer from universities to private industry. MIT and university advocacy groups had also filed briefs last spring. The Supreme Court had deferred deciding whether to accept the case, and asked the acting Solicitor General for his opinion.
Hockfield addresses MIT community on Wed.
After two difficult years, MIT has “aligned its budget with economic realities” and has improved the institute’s economic resilience, President Susan J. Hockfield said at the annual State of the Institute forum on Wednesday.
HASS system gets simpler
“The new HASS system is very flexible. It’s not a pain in the ‘HASS,’” said Rui Hu ’12.
Bacteria and bat sex at Ig Nobels last night
Have you ever wondered if bats fellate each other?
PBE & IFC spar over key points
Several details have surfaced regarding the Phi Beta Epsilon (PBE) suspension. PBE alumni continue to send letters to <i>The Tech</i>, Dean of Student Life Chris Colombo, and President Susan Hockfield. IFC president, Ryan Schoen ’11 said that the PBE hazing took place between last fall’s pledging, through and including initiation (January 2010).
Corrections
The photo of the tent at East Campus desk on page 9 of Tuesday’s issue was incorrectly attributed to associate news editor Jingyun Fan. The photo was taken by Anna E. Brunner ’12.
Graduate Resident Tutors have had less money to work with since 2009
Budget cuts have decreased residential life funds across the dorms, shrinking the money available to housemasters and GRTs. In McCormick Hall, for example, the housemasters experienced budget cuts of 10 percent for both this year and for the previous year, according to housemaster Charles H. Stewart III
The old HASS system
MIT’s commitment to producing well-rounded graduates means that, in addition to a rigorous scientific curriculum, students are expected to complete a number of classes in the wide range of topics collectively referred to as HASS: Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. Until now, the requirement consisted of three components: three distributive classes, three-to-four classes toward a concentration, and one or two electives.
Beta gets 4-year ban on parties
Beta Theta Pi (Beta) is under social probation until fall of 2014, the result of an alcohol-related rush violation this year, according to IFC President Ryan Schoen ’11. They will not be permitted to hold social events (parties) outside of Rush for the next four years.
Stem cell work can continue, for now
The Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia decided Tuesday afternoon to allow federally funded human embryonic stem cell research to continue, while the federal government appeals a lower court injunction that barred the work.