One operator per train on Orange Line
The MBTA will stop using two employees to run each Orange Line train, part of a plan approved by the agency’s board Wednesday to balance next year’s budget without raising fares or cutting service.
The end of Northwest Shuttle?
MIT is considering shutting down the Northwest Shuttle service, which runs between the MIT graduate dorms north of Vassar St. and west of Massachusetts Ave. and the main academic buildings. MIT would expect Northwest Shuttle riders to instead use EZRide, a shuttle operated by the Charles River Transporation Management Association that services most of the same area, according to Lawrence R. Brutti, the operations manager of MIT Parking and Transportation.
Perault promoted to Captain
Jay A. Perault has been promoted to the rank of Captain of the Patrol Division of the MIT Police. Perault’s promotion is effective as of February 10, 2010.
Lerman will be provost at George Washington in July
Vice Chancellor and Dean for Graduate Education Steven R. Lerman ’72 will leave at the end of this academic year for George Washington University, where he will be Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs.
Only one ticket for top UA spots
Only one pair of candidates has officially registered to run for Undergraduate Association President and Vice President this spring. In response, the UA has extended its late petition deadline for the presidential/vice presidential race to Thursday, March 4.
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.