‘Metaphysical Plant’ Takes Home Coin in Annual MIT Mystery Hunt
After nearly 42 hours of time-travel, riddle-solving, and very little sleep, team Metaphysical Plant found the much coveted Mystery Hunt coin, concluding the annual MIT puzzle competition. An estimated 1000 MIT students, alumni, and unaffiliated puzzle solvers formed the 37 teams who participated in the event.
At MIT, Ritalin Use on Par With Peer Schools; Formal Disciplinary Action is Rare
“If you’ve ever been like super ridiculous caffeinated and drank two Rockstars and didn’t have anything to eat, sort of get that brain fuzz and can’t look at anything straight and everything is peripheral vision; that’s how being on Ritalin feels to me.”
Recent Report Calls For More Awareness Of Faculty Diversity
The Initiative for Faculty Race and Diversity released its final report on the minority faculty experience at MIT last Thursday after a two and a half year effort. Stemming from an effort to understand why a disproportionately small number of MIT faculty are members of minority groups, the report found that there are inequities in the minority faculty experience.
Achieving Meritocracy a Struggle, Race Report Says
Two colleagues admonished him once for drinking beer at his first faculty meeting, mistaking an energy drink for alcohol, he tells the interviewers. Another participant confesses that he deliberately places books in his office as evidence to visitors of his academic qualifications. Others complain that they are misidentified as custodians.
Faculty Approved HASS GIR Changes; Proposals To Science GIRs Rejected
More changes to the core curriculum, known as the General Institute Requirements (GIRs) are in order. At the faculty meeting last May, the proposed changes to the Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) requirement passed, restructuring the HASS categories and simplifying the HASS requirement. The changes to the science portion of the curriculum went up for a vote at a special February faculty meeting and did not pass. Dean of Undergraduate Education Daniel E. Hastings SM ’78 and Dean for Curriculum and Faculty Support Diana Henderson updated the status of the changes at the October faculty meeting.
Multiple Changes to TEAL Format Have No Effect on Passing Rates for Physics
Despite changes to the Technology Enhanced Active Learning (TEAL) format — including optional problem sets — last semester’s failure rate for 8.01 (Physics I) was equivalent to that of last year’s 8.01 class, according to course administrator Thomas J. Greytak ’63. Eleven percent of 8.01 students received either a D or F grade last semester. Significant changes to the course included new in-class, hands-on demonstrations in addition to existing weekly experiments and making problem sets optional.
Working Group Says: Relocate Drop Date, Cut Athena Clusters
The Education Working Group of the Institute-Wide Planning Task Force released its final report on December 16. Its cost-cutting recommendations include modifications to Add and Drop Date, an increase to the number of undergraduates, and the elimination of Athena computers.
Proposal to Allow Second-Semester Frosh to Live in FSILGs Circulated
A recent proposal to allow second-semester freshmen to move into their respective fraternity, sorority, and independent living group (FSILGs) houses has generated campus-wide discussion. If implemented, it would be a major change to the 1998 decision that requires first year students to live in campus dormitories in response to the concerns about safety and risk management with the FSILG system.
Officials Hid Truth of Immigrant Deaths in U.S. Jails
Silence has long shrouded the men and women who die in the nation’s immigration jails. For years, they went uncounted and unnamed in the public record. Even in 2008, when <i>The New York Times </i>obtained and published a federal government list of such deaths, few facts were available about who these people were and how they died.
Chimps and Monkeys Could Talk. Why Don’t They?
Walking through the Tai forest of Ivory Coast, Klaus Zuberbuehler could hear the calls of the Diana monkeys, but the babble held no meaning for him.
MIT Students Clone Popular Websites: Students Connect on ‘isawyou.mit.edu’
MIT students have become addicted to two new popular websites, MIT FML (http://mitfml.com/) and I Saw You MIT (http://isawyou.mit.edu/), created this past semester. Filled with anonymous, quirky, Twitter-like posts the two sites were designed to entertain, bond, and poke fun at the MIT community.
UA Finboard Releases Winter/IAP Funding Results
Summer Fall 2009 Allocations Ops. Ops. Capital Capital Events Events P&P P&P Total Total % Group Requested Received Requested Received Requested Received Requested Received Request Received Received Active Minds at MIT — — — $1,620 $1,120 $650 $550 $2,270 $1,670 74% Asianc Dance Team — — $250 — $900 $750 $550 $150 $1,700 $900 53% African Students Association — — $3,171 $1,066 — $100 $3,171 $1,166 37% African Information Technology Initiative — — — — $350 $350 $150 $100 $500 $450 90% Alpha Phi Alpha $520 — — — $950 $650 $450 $175 $1,920 $825 43% Alpha Phi Omega — — — — $200 $200 — — $200 $200 100% Alternative Spring Break — — — — $200 $200 $65 $65 $265 $265 100% American Red Cross Team and Network $615 $540 — — $720 $460 $185 $185 $1,520 $1,185 78% American Medical Students — — — — $1,500 $500 $60 $30 $1,560 $530 34% Anime Club, MIT — — $2,055 $860 $1,207 $648 $144 $84 $3,406 $1,592 47% Asian American Association $120 — $200 — $2,560 $860 $90 $90 $2,970 $950 32% Asian Baptist Student Koinonia $502 $217 — — $560 $180 $172 $172 $1,234 $569 46% Asian Christian Fellowship $2,600 $300 $220 $220 $1,500 $730 $125 $125 $4,445 $1,375 31% Assassins’ Guild $320 $320 $320 $220 $970 $970 $100 $100 $1,710 $1,610 94% Association of International Relations and Model United Nations $115 $115 — — $1,000 $600 $266 $236 $1,381 $951 69% Association of Puerto Rican Students $175 $175 — — $3,617 $1,105 $82 $72 $3,874 $1,352 35% Association of Taiwanese Students — — $195 $195 $2,496 $2,496 $100 $100 $2,791 $2,791 100% Asymptones — — $50 $50 $300 $100 $50 $50 $400 $200 50% Baptist Student Fellowship — — — — $750 $450 $50 $50 $800 $500 63% Best Buddies $375 — — — $325 $155 $50 $50 $750 $205 27% Bhakti Yoga Club $2,520 — — — — — $200 — $2,720 — 0% Bhangra $1,800 $1,000 $465 $465 — — — — $2,265 $1,465 65% Biological Engineering - Biomedical Engineering Society — — — — $1,975 $725 $325 $150 $2,300 $875 38% Black Students’ Union — — $40 $40 $773 $773 $100 $100 $913 $913 100% Black Women’s Alliance — — $100 $100 $3,375 $1,320 $270 $270 $3,745 $1,690 45% Brain and Cognitive Sciences Society — — — — $765 $365 $5 $5 $770 $370 48% Brain Trust $55 $55 — — $1,292 $587 $108 $108 $1,455 $750 52% Campus Crusade for Christ — — — — $800 $800 $50 $50 $850 $850 100% Campus Crusade for Cthulhu, MIT — — $225 $225 $425 $425 $150 $150 $800 $800 100% Caribbean Club $17 $17 — — $1,955 $400 — — $1,972 $417 21% Casino Rueda Group $700 $350 — — $200 $200 $50 $50 $950 $600 63% Caving Club $355 $355 $670 $670 $950 $150 $40 $40 $2,015 $1,215 60% Chamak $530 $300 $250 $250 $350 $350 $100 — $1,230 $900 73% Chess Club — — — — $800 $120 — — $800 $120 15% China Care $720 — — — $480 $440 $135 $100 $1,335 $540 40% China Development Initiative (CDI) $20 $20 — — $810 $810 $300 $200 $1,130 $1,030 91% Chinese Ensemble — — $230 $230 $295 $295 $40 $40 $565 $565 100% Chinese Students Club $258 $158 $440 $240 $2,880 $1,500 $200 $200 $3,778 $2,098 56% Colleges Against Cancer $200 — — — $700 $500 $300 $100 $1,200 $600 50% Concert Band $200 $200 $900 $300 $900 $700 $170 $170 $2,170 $1,370 63% Cross Products $405 — — — $70 $70 $104 $104 $579 $174 30% Curling Club $240 $240 — — $770 $270 — $50 $1,010 $560 55% Dance Troupe $500 — $800 $250 $2,800 $1,500 $600 $200 $4,700 $1,950 41% Debate Team $2,414 $1,000 — — — — — — $2,414 $1,000 41% Expediting Access to Secondary Education $40 $40 — — $280 — $170 $120 $490 $160 33% Emergency Medical Support $250 $100 $850 — $950 $650 $515 $200 $2,565 $950 37% Engineers Without Borders - MIT $170 $80 — — $650 $400 $565 $200 $1,385 $680 49% Equestrian Club $600 $600 — — — — $25 $25 $625 $625 100% Filipino Students Association $50 $50 $140 $140 $2,585 $1,310 $70 $70 $2,845 $1,570 55% Flying Club — — $100 $100 $650 $650 $25 $25 $775 $775 100% GaMIT — — — — $800 $600 $660 $400 $1,460 $1,000 68% Gilbert and Sullivan — — $1,000 — $250 $250 — — $1,250 $250 20% Global Poverty Initiative — — — — $751 $451 $200 $100 $951 $551 58% Go Club $120 $120 $350 $350 $130 $130 $75 $75 $675 $675 100% Gospel Choir $1,360 $660 — — $2,890 $890 $1,150 $200 $5,400 $1,750 32% Habitat for Humanity $3,375 $875 — — $1,949 $1,171 $430 $200 $5,754 $2,246 39% Hapa — — $100 $100 $2,170 $900 $20 $20 $2,290 $1,020 45% Hawaii Club $250 — — — $2,490 $850 $328 $200 $3,068 $1,050 34% Hillel $625 $450 $400 — $4,900 $1,500 $775 $200 $6,700 $2,150 32% Hindu Students’ Council $55 $55 $80 $80 $1,515 $1,515 $370 $200 $2,020 $1,850 92% Hong Kong Student Society — — — — $1,300 $1,300 $100 $100 $1,400 $1,400 100% Horizon Music Club — — $1,593 — — — $100 — $1,693 — 0% Imobilare — — — — $2,937 — $100 $100 $3,037 $100 3% International Development Consulting $144 $144 — — $200 $200 $200 $200 $544 $544 100% Korean Students Association $160 $60 $130 $130 $1,650 $1,350 $250 $250 $2,190 $1,790 82% La Union Chicana Por Aztlan $580 $330 — — $1,100 $1,100 $178 $178 $1,858 $1,608 87% Lab for Chocolate Science — — $100 $100 $950 $900 — $50 $1,050 $1,050 100% Latter-day Saint Student Association $110 $110 — — $695 $695 $100 $100 $905 $905 100% Lion Dance Club $120 $120 — — $550 $350 $50 $50 $720 $520 72% Live Music Connection — — $456 $240 $600 $600 $724 $325 $1,780 $1,165 65% Logarhythms — — $500 — $4,000 — $500 $100 $5,000 $100 2% Marching Band $100 $100 $430 $430 — — $70 — $600 $530 88% MentorConnecion $600 $600 — — $250 $200 — $50 $850 $850 100% mitBEEF $50 $50 — — $1,350 $1,000 $400 $200 $1,800 $1,250 69% Mocha Moves Dance Squad $100 $100 $250 $250 $1,376 $926 $100 $100 $1,826 $1,376 75% Movements in Time Dance Company $500 $500 $600 $450 $540 $540 $95 $95 $1,735 $1,585 91% Mujeres Latinas — — — — $1,370 — $20 — $1,390 — 0% Muses $300 $300 $1,500 — $400 — $100 $100 $2,300 $400 17% Musical Theatre Guild $822 $822 $1,000 — — — — — $1,822 $822 45% Mystery Hunt $200 — — — $973 — $50 — $1,223 — 0% National Society of Black Engineers $900 — — — $1,310 $410 $190 $70 $2,400 $480 20% National Society of Collegiate Scholars — — — — $2,117 $1,000 — — $2,117 $1,000 47% Natya — — — — $740 $740 $200 $100 $940 $840 89% Network of Sloan Undergraduate Women — — — — $1,300 $1,200 $200 $200 $1,500 $1,400 93% NOBCChE — — — — $1,200 $600 $70 $170 $1,270 $770 61% Oori — — — — $274 $224 — $50 $274 $274 100% OrigaMIT $305 $105 $110 $110 $400 $400 — — $815 $615 75% Pershing Rifles C-12 (ABN) $10 $10 $658 $658 — — — — $668 $668 100% Pro-Life — — — — $450 $450 $30 $30 $480 $480 100% Protestant Student Community — — — — $1,200 $200 $100 $100 $1,300 $300 23% Quidditch Team $100 $100 $1,000 $800 $300 $180 $50 $50 $1,450 $1,130 78% Quiz Bowl $1,250 $620 — — — — — — $1,250 $620 50% Resonance $520 — $150 — $2,000 — $280 $280 $2,950 $280 9% Ridonkulous $1,120 $500 $200 $200 $2,380 $1,230 $680 $100 $4,380 $2,030 46% Roadkill Buffet $70 $70 — — — — — — $70 $70 100% ROTCSA — — — — $1,500 — $500 $100 $2,000 $100 5% RUNE Magazine — — — — $255 $255 $2,850 $2,000 $3,105 $2,255 73% Science Fiction Society — — $2,690 $1,000 — — — — $2,690 $1,000 37% Shakespeare Ensemble $740 $740 $1,400 $400 $50 $50 $100 $100 $2,290 $1,290 56% Sloan Undergraduate Management Association — — $130 $100 $2,215 $1,000 $160 $160 $2,505 $1,260 50% Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers — — — — $700 $700 $100 $100 $800 $800 100% Society of Mexican American Engineers and Scientists $250 — — — $4,540 $700 $330 $50 $5,120 $750 15% South Asian American Students $75 $75 $200 — $3,330 $760 $810 $100 $4,415 $935 21% Southeast Asian Service and Leadership Network $310 — — — — — $570 — $880 — 0% Stammtisch — — — — $450 $450 $10 $10 $460 $460 100% STAND — — — — $900 $600 $75 $75 $975 $675 69% Strategic Games Society — — $250 $220 $200 $200 $5 — $455 $420 92% Students for Israel — — — — $3,085 $335 $205 $70 $3,290 $405 12% Students for the Exploration and Development of Space $400 — $200 $200 $900 $700 $50 $50 $1,550 $950 61% Swara — — $100 $50 $2,500 $100 $450 $100 $3,050 $250 8% Syncopasian $35 $35 $20 $20 $600 $400 $290 $250 $945 $705 75% Techiya $390 — $30 $30 $1,000 $500 $100 $100 $1,520 $630 41% The Chorallaries of MIT $200 — — — $1,010 $500 $300 $200 $1,510 $700 46% Toons $958 $236 $30 $30 $850 — $280 $160 $2,118 $426 20% Traders@MIT — — — — $700 $140 $200 $50 $900 $190 21% Undergraduate Biochemistry Association — — — — $535 $375 $63 $63 $598 $438 73% Undergraduate Research Journal $2,000 $2,000 $150 — $250 $200 $150 $100 $2,550 $2,300 90% United Christian Fellowship $100 $100 — — $275 $75 $100 $100 $475 $275 58% Victory Campus Ministries — — $100 $100 $220 $220 $40 $40 $360 $360 100% Vietnamese Students Association $40 — $100 — $1,075 $975 $20 $70 $1,235 $1,045 85% Voo Doo Magazine — — — — — — $1,750 $1,750 $1,750 $1,750 100% Western Hemisphere Project — — — — $850 $400 $50 $50 $900 $450 50%
In Wake of Climate Research Controversy, MIT Faculty Discuss Validity of Concerns
Last December, a panel of MIT faculty organized “The Great Climategate Debate” to address the media fallout from England’s University of East Anglia’s e-mail scandal preceding the Copenhagen climate summit. While examining the issue of scientific standards, panelists also raised concerns that the mass media and politics have taken the science out of climate science.
Student Support Services Task Force Report Recommends More Staff
Student Support Services (S^3) should consider adding staff, deciding what support, if any, to provide to graduate students, and defining clearly its services and confidentiality policy, a task force charged with evaluating the unit recommended in its final report.
Terrorists Could Target Reactor; MIT Delays Conversion of Fuel
MIT’s 50-year-old nuclear reactor, one of only three US research facilities not run by the Department of Energy that still use material that could also be used to make atomic bombs, will probably not be converted to use a safer fuel for at least another five years because of technical obstacles, according to a recent government report obtained by the Globe.
Registrar Doubles Official Transcript Prices
Official transcripts will cost students and alumni twice as much this season as the cost was raised from $4 to $8 at the start of MIT’s fiscal year on July 1, 2009. Registrar Mary Callahan said that the cost was increased in order to “help cover the steadily rising costs (postage, paper, and handling) associated with its production.” Other schools have also increased the cost of transcripts, although not as drastically: Harvard raised its price to $5 on April 1, 2009, up from $3 for the first, $2 for each additional. The transcript fee for MIT students was last increased eight years ago in 2001 from $3 to $4. Unofficial transcripts remain free.