Eric Lander criticized for CRISPR article
Professor Eric Lander has come under fire for an article in Cell that some see as skewing the history of CRISPR to favor the Harvard- and MIT-affiliated Broad Institute, which is currently involved in a high-stakes patent fight with Berkeley over the gene-editing technology.
UA leaders to review gov’t diversity after vote to endorse BSU recommendations fails
The Undergraduate Association Executive Board will be conducting a survey to evaluate the UA’s diversity across multiple lines of identity including race and gender. The survey is motivated in part by a vote by the outgoing UA Council to not endorse a set of recommendations made by the Black Students’ Union (BSU).
Puzzlers contend for top spot at Huntception
Team Setec Astronomy won this year’s Mystery Hunt at 6:53 p.m. Sunday when they found the coin in The Alchemist statue.
Course 15 splits into three new majors
MIT’s Sloan School of Management is turning Course 15 into three separate majors, motivated in part by “confusion regarding the meaning of ‘management science,’” James B. Orlin SE ’88 said in a faculty meeting.
New House pipe burst cost Institute $6 million
The damage caused by the flood in New House last summer cost the Institute about $6 million: $4 million in repairs, plus about $2 million to cover room, board, and moving expenses for the approximately 140 displaced New House residents.
Three from MIT awarded Schwarzman Fellowships
Two MIT students and an alumna claimed three of the just 111 Schwarzman Fellowships awarded in the program’s inaugural class. The new scholarship’s selection process is extremely competitive: 3,000 student applied.
Building 2 reopens after renovation
The math department has begun to return to a newly renovated Building 2.
Humphreys resigns post as Senior Associate Dean for Residential Life and Dining
Henry J. Humphreys is resigning from his position as Senior Associate Dean for Residential Life and Dining, effective Jan. 29.
Prof. Stanford Anderson, former head of architecture, dies at 81
Stanford Anderson, professor of history and architecture and a former head of the Department of Architecture died on Jan. 5. He was 81.
Students hope for change on campus through new discussion site
A group of students are launching a new Reddit-style discussion website next week with the hope of giving the MIT community a platform to discuss important issues on campus.
MIT accepts 8.5% of early applicants from record pool of 7,767
On Dec. 16, 656 students were admitted to MIT’s class of 2020. With a record-high 7,767 early action applicants this year, the early-admission rate sunk to 8.4 percent, down from 9.6 percent last year.
Warm, wet weather expected Sunday
After a record-shattering month of December, the first burst of winter cold has hit the Institute. Ocean-effect snow showers on Monday were followed by Tuesday morning temperatures at Logan Airport plunging to 8°F (-13°C), while a steady northwesterly wind made it feel like -8°F (-22°C). Here on campus, the weather station on the roof of the Green Building recorded a low temperature of 6.9°F (-13.9°C). These temperatures were in stark contrast to the last month of 2015, in which the average high was 52°F (11°C), it was 69°F (21°C) on Christmas Eve, and the temperature only dipped below the freezing mark on four occasions. On average, the month of December was 10.6°F (5.9 K) warmer than average, and 4.3°F (2.4 K) warmer than the next-warmest December on record.
Economics professors, staff move back to renovated E52
MIT’s economics department is moving back into Building E52 this week after more than two years of renovations to the 1938 Art Deco building, which overlooks the Charles River.
After two years, Maseeh votes to rejoin Dormitory Council
After seceding in 2013, Maseeh Hall and its Executive Council (MHEC) decided to formally rejoin MIT’s Dormitory Council (DormCon) this past December. This marks the first time in over forty years that DormCon represents every dorm at MIT.
Actor Matt Damon to speak before class of 2016 at June commencement
Actor and filmmaker Matt Damon will be the commencement speaker for the Class of 2016, MIT announced Dec. 10.
MIT will not join CAAS, likes flexibility of its app
MIT will not be joining the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success (CAAS), an organization of more than 80 colleges and universities that offers an alternative to the Common Application and seeks to help underserved students during the college preparation process.
Matt Damon to speak at MIT's 2016 commencement
Actor and filmmaker Matt Damon will be the commencement speaker for the Class of 2016, MIT announced Thursday.
‘Unprecedented’ rise in violations prompts police note on scooters, skateboards indoors
The fall semester has seen “an unprecedented increase” in the number of people riding scooters or other “wheeled devices” to get around inside buildings on campus, according to MIT Police.
Course 6 employs survey to measure student workloads
Part of a larger institutional response to student feedback, MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science has been collecting data on its students’ workloads since last spring. And the results are starting to take effect behind the scenes.