Electronic billboards called another distraction
Safety advocates who worry about the dangers of distracted driving have a new concern beyond cell phones and gadget-laden dashboards: digital roadside billboards.
Three members of Tau Epsilon Phi named in suit
Three members of MIT’s chapter of Tau Epsilon Phi (tEp) have been named defendants in a lawsuit by volunteers for the Charles River Clean Up Boat regarding a sodium explosion in September 2007.
Back-end changes coming to Stellar
The software architecture behind Stellar, MIT’s course management system, is likely to change within the next year, while user interface will mostly stay the same. Pilot changes to the system may be implemented over the summer, said Eric Klopfer, Chair of the Faculty Advisory Committee on Learning Management Systems, which is tasked with developing the next version of Stellar, called Stellar Next Generation.
Faculty fling fake facts in food fight
Latkes or Hamentashen? That was the question this past Wednesday as students, faculty, and staff packed into 26-100 in anticipation of MIT Hillel’s annual Latkes vs. Hamentashen debate. Six professors fought it out, arguing for the ultimate Jewish food product: the latke (a fried potato pancake eaten during Hanukkah) or the hamentash (a three-sided filled cookie eaten during Purim).
Chancellor outlines likely budget cuts
In a public statement posted Wednesday on his website, Chancellor Phillip L. Clay PhD ’88 responded to the Institute-wide Task Force recommendations. While some of the cost-cutting ideas will be implemented soon, many major ideas — like adding more undergraduates, opening summer classes to a wider demographic, eliminating Athena clusters, changing add drop date and modifying the existing dining system — will require further research before being implemented.
MIT removes cameras from Lobby 10
Two video cameras monitoring Lobby 10 were removed yesterday morning, according to Thomas W. Komola of the Security and Emergency Management Office.
MIT to limit summer housing options
MIT plans to close most dorms to undergraduates over the summer, according to Dormitory Council President Abdulaziz M. Albahar ’10. The change from keeping all dorms open to undergraduates, as in past years, should save MIT about $500,000, Albahar said.
Corrections
A brief article on Tuesday, February 16 gave incorrect information about the timing of card system database problems. The problem began around 5 a.m., Monday, Feb. 8, and was resolved 21 hours later, or 1 a.m. Tuesday, not 6 a.m. Tuesday.
After 15 years serving MIT, Licarie graduates’
UPS driver Al F. Licarie is “finally graduating,” to a new delivery route, he told <i>The Tech</i> on Wednesday. He has been working the MIT route for 15 years.
CSAIL upgrades wireless<br />network to 802.11n
Wireless internet in CSAIL is experiencing a boost this week as 80 new Meraki 802.11n access points are being installed. The new wireless network runs at 100 megabits per second, 10 times faster than it was before the upgrade.
Radiation bills raise questions about supervision
MELBOURNE, FLA — To help ensure that medical radiation is administered safely, Medicare insists that certain highly technical cancer treatments be administered only when a patient’s radiation oncologist is present or nearby.
YouTube a new way to charm Tufts
MEDFORD, MASS. — There are videos showing off card tricks, horsemanship, jump rope and stencils — and lots of rap songs, including one by a young woman who performed two weeks after oral surgery, with her mouth still rubber-banded shut.
Cameras installed in Lobby 10
To monitor vandalism against this year’s Martin Luther King Jr. exhibit, surveillance cameras were installed two weeks ago in Lobby 10. The cameras are not actively watched, but the video is stored, the security office said.
Corrections
Because of an editing error, a front-page article Friday about the Kendall Band identified two of the Band’s three instruments by the name “Kepler.” Kepler is the large metal ring. The rumbling sheet of metal is named “Galileo,” not “Kepler.”
Students band together to save Band
Pythagoras, Kepler, Galileo may have finally found their saviors — in MIT students. Recently, students formed a group to restore the three musical sculptures in the Kendall T station, which have been in disrepair since at least 2007.
Winston Questions Simonis Firing
At Wednesday’s faculty meeting, Professor Patrick H. Winston publicly questioned the MIT administration on how it handled the layoff of Student Support Services Dean Jacqueline R. Simonis, which occurred in June.
Police Log
<i>The following incidents were reported to the Campus Police between Jan. 1 and Feb. 15. The dates below reflect the dates incidents occurred. This information is compiled from the Campus Police’s crime log. The report does not include alarms, general service calls, or incidents not reported to the dispatcher.</i>