New Vassar opening delayed, BC may remain open for a semester
Vice President and Dean for Student Life Suzy Nelson wrote in an email to The Tech that “until we know more about the virus’s trajectory as well as the next steps with the City of Cambridge’s construction moratorium… it is premature to predict what will happen” with BC and New Vassar.
MIT eligible for $5 million in federal COVID-19 financial support
At least 50% of the money must be “reserved to provide students with emergency financial aid grants,” U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos wrote in a letter to college and university presidents April 9.
6.145 IAP class to be discontinued
The three-unit IAP class 6.145 (Brief Introduction to Python) will no longer be offered starting January 2021. 6.145 satisfied the programming skills requirement for Course 6 majors as an alternative to 6.0001, a six-unit course offered during the fall and spring semesters.
CP★, drop date, first-year major declaration
Virtual CP★ events will take place this weekend.
Financial impact of MIT’s COVID-19 response already $50 million
Reif wrote that although MIT has worked to build its financial reserves after the 2008 Great Recession, “the present crisis may be more severe” in its potential financial effect.
Class of 2023 to declare majors virtually
Much of the process for major declaration has remained the same despite the disruption caused by COVID-19. Most notably, the deadline of the declaration form has not changed.
Administrators address budgeting, public health, research at town hall
Provost Martin Schmidt emphasized the role of “collective shared sacrifice” in the preservation of jobs. However, Schmidt also couldn’t “say what we will be able to do” due to the uncertainty surrounding summer and fall.
Students assigned virtual coaches from Student Success Team
The Student Success Team’s overall purpose is to “support the success of students” and “identify students who might be facing challenges adjusting or staying connected.”
CP★ events, first-year major declaration, half-term add date
Intent to Run forms for Undergruaduate Association positions are due April 10.
MIT EMS heightens PPE protocols for COVID-19
MIT EMTs now respond to all calls wearing face shields, N95 masks, and gloves. In addition, if there is any suspicion based on CDC guidelines that a patient may have COVID-19, the EMTs will wear gowns.
MIT Medical provides testing for all students remaining on campus
MIT Medical Director Cecilia Stuopis “strongly recommends” that all students on campus be tested so that MIT Medical can “identify people who have COVID-19 but do not yet display symptoms.”
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.