Professor Dava Newman named new director of MIT Media Lab
Newman: “Leading the legendary Media Lab — that's a dream job, I think, for anyone. So I actually just consider myself very, very fortunate.”
Pre-registration, IAP, doctoral theses
Pre-registration for spring classes will continue until Jan. 29.
MIT admits 719 Early Action applicants
Along with the 719 students (4.8%) accepted, 10,656 students (70.9%) were deferred to be “reconsidered without prejudice” during the Regular Action admissions process, Peterson wrote.
Lloyd will face ‘a set of disciplinary actions’ that will ‘limit’ his compensation
Schmidt wrote that he arrived at the decision after “conferring with senior administrative and faculty leaders, as well as” a review panel, which sought to determine if “Lloyd violated MIT policies,” and an evaluation committee, which sought to recommend “a set of disciplinary actions.”
Task Force 2021 completes phase one, shares updates
Danheiser and Sarma wrote that Reif, “other Institute leadership, faculty governance, and other key stakeholders” will review the ideas and identify a “prioritized subset” of them to implement.
Cloudy days and stormy nights
After a mostly rainy and cloudy week in Cambridge, we are set to expect more rain on Saturday and another cloudy week ahead.
Two MIT seniors named Rhodes Scholars
Grey-Stewart was named a U.S. Rhodes Scholar. Alshalan was awarded the Rhodes Scholarship for Saudi Arabia.
Spring housing placements delayed until late December
Housing and Residential Services (HRS) received a “high volume” of spring housing applications and expects that “students’ housing plans may change during the course of the coming weeks.”
Spring grading also under A, B, C, D/NE, and F/NE system
Similar to Fall 2020, all students may choose one subject to be graded PE/NE, and sophomores may designate one subject as Exploratory.
Pre-registration, subject evaluations, finals
The last day of classes is Dec. 9. End-of-term subject evaluations may be completed until 9 a.m. Dec. 14.
A mild Thanksgiving
For those of you who will be going home, note that most of the South and the Midwest will see above-average temperature during the Thanksgiving break.
MIT departments launch DEI initiatives
Dozier said that ”we want to make sure we are honoring our commitments and that relies on transparency.” He adds that students should “continue to help us as an administration on how to best serve MIT.
Students returning to their Spring 2020 dorm given priority in housing placements
Director of House Operations Rich Hilton wrote in a Nov. 6 email to undergraduates that staple groups are “guaranteed placement in the same building together” and “may be formed regardless of class year.”
Spring building placements, Thanksgiving, pre-registration
Building placements for Spring 2021 will be shared with undergraduates Nov. 20. The building switch lottery application will be open Nov. 20–Dec. 10.
IAP grading to be A, B, C, D/NE, F/NE, without PE/NE option
Sophomores, juniors, seniors, and graduate students will receive A, B, C, D/NE, and F/NE grades on Independent Activities Period (IAP) subjects. Unlike in the fall term, students will not be able to have a subject graded on PE/NE.
Boston residents celebrate Biden-Harris victory over Trump
The festivities — which included dancing, tossing around a Trump doll, climbing atop lamp posts and traffic lights, and waving Biden-Harris flags — resulted in a traffic standstill and constant honks from cars surrounding the Common.
Spring housing application, drop date
The Spring 2021 Housing Application is due Nov. 16 for first years, sophomores, and juniors planning to live on campus.
Remembering biology professor Angelika Amon
Amon mentored over 80 undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers during her 20 years as an MIT professor, according to MIT News. She was awarded the School of Science’s Undergraduate Teaching Prize in the 2006–2007 academic year.
MIT sees ‘uptick’ in COVID cases
Stuopis wrote that several of the cases were “concentrated among” students at the Sloan School of Management and appear to be the “result of exposure away from campus, and do not reflect spread from person to person on campus.”
DSL launches MIT Reboot for community wellness
The initiative aimed to “recharge” MIT community members’ “minds and bodies” amidst “the pandemic, social unrest, and a contentious election.”