WEIGHING NET NEUTRALITY VS. THE DIGITAL DIVIDE:
Today, over two-thirds of the world’s population remains without access to the Internet. It is crucial to an increasingly global economy to bridge this vast digital divide by connecting the billions of people now without a voice. And, at first glance, organizations like Facebook’s Internet.org seem to strive to do just that. To date, their service has provided free access to a handful of cherry-picked web applications to thousands of users in parts of Africa, Latin America, and Southeast Asia. But underneath the lofty goal to connect the rest of the world to the Internet, perhaps Internet.org has an ulterior, more manipulative motive that completely opposes the basic tenets of net neutrality.
The role of Residential Life Area Directors
The tragedies at MIT in recent months gave a new sense of urgency to the discussion about mental health support for all members of the community. A crucial part of undergraduate student life at MIT is the dorm experience and the unique and diverse residential communities we pride ourselves on encouraging. In 2012, the Division of Student Life (DSL) introduced the Residential Life Area Director (RLAD) position to the existing dorm structures on campus.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Yarden Katz’s guest column published on April 9 offers me the chance to clarify an announcement sent on April 7 concerning a new Paid Parental Leave benefit approved by the Employee Benefits Oversight Committee, which adds to leave policies already available to eligible MIT employees.
MIT’s insult to parenthood
Last week, Lorraine Goffe-Rush, VP of Human Resources at MIT, announced the Institute’s new policy on parental care. She wrote in an email on Tuesday that MIT is “pleased to announce” that the Institute will provide “up to 5 days of Paid Parental Leave to eligible mothers and fathers,” within 4 months of birth or adoption. Goffe-Rush added, “We are delighted to have this opportunity to further expand MIT’s benefits to new parents in our community.”
The unnoticed expansion of domestic surveillance
Earlier this week, John Oliver of HBO’s Last Week Tonight presented a compelling piece on the upcoming deadline for the reauthorization of the Patriot Act — the law passed in the wake of the 9/11 attacks which greatly enhanced the government’s powers of surveillance. At the time, the public asked few questions, demanding action for greater security and disregarding the potential cost. Twelve years later, Edward Snowden leaked classified documents from the National Security Agency about the breadth and depth of the NSA’s surveillance programs from that point forward, sparking national and international debate.
Gender-inclusive housing at MIT
While the phrase “gender-inclusive housing” is tossed around somewhat regularly, many people are still unsure about what it exactly means or why, frankly, we care about it at all.
Scientific illiteracy in left-wing politics
It seems that every week we hear a new story that demonstrates a lack of scientific literacy in right-wing politics. Recently we learned that employees of Florida’s Department of Environmental Protection under the tenure of Gov. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) were instructed not to use the terms “climate change” and “global warming” in official correspondences. Sen. James Inhofe (R-Okla.) recently brandished a snowball on the Senate floor as evidence that global warming is a hoax. Last month Gov. Scott Walker (R-Wis.) refused to state whether or not he believed in the theory of evolution, and who can forget former Rep. Todd Akin’s (R-Mo.) famous gaffe about “legitimate rape”?
Spring sports arrive at MIT
With the spring sports season underway at MIT, sportscasters nationwide have issued a collective sigh of relief that they will no longer be required to make references to incredible performances by teams dubbed “Engineers.” MIT Football’s historic season this past fall pushed news outlets to their limit, as reporters were forced to address the confusing departure from the social order of athletes and mathletes. The football team’s undefeated regular season and first post-season victory in program history confused even local papers, which traditionally have been more nuanced at handling collegiate sports achievements in the intellectual hotbed of Boston.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
My girlfriend knew Matthew and Christina. I didn’t, but she did. When I told my parents the news, my mom offered advice for taking care of her. “Don’t worry, Mom, I’ve handled this before.”
The role of gender in the MIT Greek system
When freshmen walk onto campus in August, they are met with two tracks for Greek life: fraternities and sororities. While some will happen upon the co-ed options, most will follow paths dictated by their gender. This is at a time when even most of our dorm bathrooms, for example, are co-ed.
On reaching out to one another
Editor’s note: Last Thursday, Professor Davis spoke to his students in 6.835, Intelligent Multimodal User Interfaces. His remarks are transcribed here with permission for the rest of the student body.
With tenure but not without troubles
Editor’s note: This article originally ran in Issue 13 of Volume 133 of The Tech on March 19, 2013. A student contacted us about reprinting it in light of the recent tragedies on campus, since it personally helped her, her family, and other students on campus. Professor Belcher graciously agreed.
A week of tragedy
In tragedy’s wake, we reel. One student said that “the whole campus is just a raw, stinging nerve right now.” Everything seems fragile, so we cling together. We’re a little kinder. We hold the door. We say hello to people we don’t know too well and wave to people in the hallway even when they’re slightly too far away.
An open letter to students
Editor’s Note: On Oct. 19, 2014, Professor Fisher emailed the students in the physics department a copy of a hand-written note. It is transcribed here with his permission, sharing his thoughts with the wider student body.
Iran’s growing nuclear capabilities
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to Congress about one of the most pressing national security problems facing the United States. He articulated misgivings also voiced by congressmen in both parties and several of the U.S.’s Arab allies about an emerging nuclear agreement with Iran.
The MIT community in reflection
We probably do not remember exactly what each of us were doing or thinking a few nights ago, during what is usually one of the most relaxing times of the week: between Saturday and Sunday. But it might be worth trying to recall those hours for perspective. Some of us may have reserved that time for conversations, sleeping, partying, or thinking about the approaching summer as we stared through our windows at a snow-covered river. Amid our routines on that very night, Matthew Nehring, the student, beloved friend, and fellow staffer at The Tech, experienced the last hours of his life. The tragedy pains the community at MIT, which has already felt deep losses in the past year. Thinking about our physical proximity to this event, the negligible distances between buildings and rooms on campus, is chilling. In spite of the seeming closeness, the walls separated a single one of us from the rest of the community.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
A student’s question at the Memorial Lobby event Tuesday evening haunts me: “What will you do so that we don’t forget?” She was referring to the life of Matt Nehring and to the impact of suicide on classmates.
Why MIT faculty should sign the petition to divest from fossil fuels
This article was originally printed in the January/February 2015 issue of the MIT Faculty Newsletter.