DAPER closes outdoor facilities
“We will continue to monitor our outdoor spaces, and if individuals don't comply with public health directives,” MIT and DAPER may take “further action to limit the potential” for COVID-19 spread on MIT campus, the statement wrote.
Housing lottery results, town hall, half term add date
The results of the residence hall switch lottery will be sent to students Monday.
Many college students excluded from receiving direct payments from stimulus package
The package will provide direct payments to lower and middle-income individuals, provide higher level education institutions with emergency funds, and temporarily relieve student loan borrowers.
MIT students create virtual community through Discord server
Popular events have included live-streamed movie nights with LSC, as well as game nights where users could join a voice channel and play games such as Jackbox and wiki-racing.
MIT Dining finalizes meal plan options for 2020-2021 academic year
The price of the top meal plan increased six percent from the 2019-2020 academic year, MIT Dining Director Mark Hayes said in an interview with The Tech. Hayes added that a six percent increase is the “maximum allowed for the financial aid calculation.”
MIT to subsidize MIT Dining staff wages
Hayes said that MIT Dining wants to ensure that staff are able to support their families and themselves and “maintain their benefits” so that when dining reopens, “we still have the staff to do that.”
Class of 2024 admissions rate rises to 7.3%
MIT released its regular action decisions for the Class of 2024 March 14. Of the 20,075 students who applied this admissions cycle, 1,457 students were admitted, making for a 7.3% acceptance rate. Of these, 687 students were admitted early, from a pool of 9,291 early applicants.
Faculty discuss Flexible P/NR policy
Sophomore Exploratory and Junior-Senior P/D/F would be eliminated under this policy, since Flexible P/NR is intended to replace these options. There are no restrictions on how many of the 48 units can be applied in a given semester.
MIT no longer considers SAT subject tests as part of admissions process
MIT Admissions will not consider the subject tests even if students have already taken them. “If we weren’t going to require them from everyone, we didn’t want to consider them for anyone,” Schmill wrote.
Undergraduate building switch process, become an MITPal, CP★ ideas and content
Applications for the Undergraduate Building Switch process close March 30.
First case of COVID-19 confirmed in MIT community
MIT Medical is starting a public health investigation, including contacting the student, following up with their social circle “as warranted,” and “exchanging information with public health officials.”
MIT announces online commencement and future in-person celebration
Reif wrote that “in a world so disrupted by Covid-19,” it would not be possible to conduct the Institute’s traditional in-person commencement, hooding, and Tech Reunions this May.
MIT students petition against virtual commencement
“The ideal alternative... would be postponement of commencement to a later date deemed safe for all students and family to convene in Killian Court, even if that means May 2021,” Choi wrote, noting the “utter unpredictability of the future.”
Majority of MISTI programs suspended for the summer
MISTI Africa, Argentina, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, Portugal, Russia/Eurasia, Spain, Switzerland, and Uruguay summer programs have been suspended.
Blake, Sharon, Waitz share COVID-19 updates at faculty meeting
Emergency management, the DSL, and the Institute’s space planning working group are also “developing plans to support community members that reside in surrounding areas, including some students who returned to homes locally, that may need a place to self-quarantine in the future,” Sharon wrote.
Over 17 tested for COVID-19, none positive yet
If a positive test were received, Stuopis wrote that MIT Medical would “would inform the MIT community quickly, and work with the department of public health to notify any individuals who had contact with the COVID-19 positive patient.”
G. Anthony Grant becomes new DAPER head
Grant said that DAPER has “a very unique opportunity to be a key contributor to enhancing the overall sense of health and well-being across the Institute” and is committed “to serve not only our varsity student athletes but all of the students across campus.”
Housing intent forms, carry-out dining, thank a community member
Students who have not yet done so should fill out their housing intent forms.
Reif joins Harvard and Stanford presidents in calling for ‘drastic action’ on coronavirus
The presidents expressed remorse at the disruptive nature of actions at their own universities, which included “suddenly sending virtually all of our undergraduates home,” cancelling nearly all events and in-person meetings, and “asking everyone who could work remotely to do so right away.”
‘The Tech’ writes on
Now more than ever, The Tech’s mission of maintaining an accurate record of MIT events and reporting on important changes has become essential in keeping our community informed and together, even as we spread across the globe.