Changes to drug and alcohol policies inconsistent and irrational
I suppose I was a bit too optimistic after hearing of changes to the Mind and Hand Book, especially of those relating to the Institute’s drug and alcohol policies. Given MIT’s apparent willingness to support policies consistent with the prevailing trend on college campuses to support harm-reduction with the adoption of a Good Samaritan policy for alcohol-related medical emergencies in February 2013, I had hoped, briefly, that the recent revisions would tackle the issue of substance abuse in a consistent and rational way.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Editor’s Note: This letter was sent to The Tech shortly after the publication of our last issue.
Sacrificing economics for politics
On June 10, David Brat, an unknown professor of economics at Randolph-Macon College in Virginia, shocked the American political establishment by defeating House majority leader Eric Cantor in the Republican primary for Virginia’s seventh Congressional district.
The USA might be there for you … depending on the circumstances
A few weeks ago, three Israeli friends and I were planning a trip to Rome, but none of them had passports. When they finally excitedly received them in the mail, we all sat down to compare. Looking at my passport, my friend, Noy, turned to me and said, “What I would do for an American passport!” At first I sarcastically suggested that she must be jealous of the pretty pictures of landscapes from around the country that U.S. passports have on each page. When I asked what she meant, she said, “It must be nice to have the United States of America behind you.”
Law and Order in the skies
On Tuesday, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it has approved oil company BP to perform drone flights to survey roads, pipelines, and other equipment in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. This is the first commercial drone authorization and is a step forward in the effort to spread the commercial use of unmanned aircraft. It does not, however, represent a viable approach to regulating these aircraft. Alaska’s remoteness is unrepresentative of the lower 48. Moreover, the drones approved for Alaska are adaptations of military fixed-wing models, and the approval is layered with restrictions pertinent to specifics of the vehicles and the territory.
Blocking attrition
Last May, students living in Bexley Hall were informed that their beloved dorm would be closed and they would have to find new housing. A year later, these students, and the rest of the MIT community, have a great deal on which to reflect.
An open letter from a graduating senior
Last Thursday, I had the immense honor of receiving the Compton prize, which is awarded to students for work that supports the welfare of the MIT community. I cannot even begin to express my gratitude for the people who have supported me throughout my time at MIT, as well as to the people who took the time to write letters nominating me for the award. However, something that President Reif said in his remarks, quoting one of these letters, gave me a pause. I want to briefly respond to it here.
It’s time for the Institute to divest from fossil fuels
I want to start off by saying I am not a member of Fossil Free MIT and don’t necessarily agree with the way that they have framed the issue of divestment. But as someone who is deeply concerned about future sustainability, and in light of Stanford’s recent announcement that it will divest from coal companies, I humbly submit a different perspective on the issue for MIT’s consideration. And I hope that MIT will realize: it is time to divest.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
I am responding to the article in the April 15 issue of The Tech by Anonymous, entitled “Punting sexual assault response.” On behalf of all the deans in Student Support Services (S3), I am very sorry that this student’s experience with our office was not a positive one. No one should ever have to experience sexual assault, but if you do, our goal is to do our best to help you get what you need from S3 or other resources on campus. When we make referrals to other offices, we are trying to get you connected to the right person as fast as possible. To be clear, students should absolutely have the choice to talk to their advisors and should also have the choice about whether to visit VPR (Violence Prevention and Response) or any other resource on campus. We are always striving to improve our services, and the reporting of Anonymous’ experience will be reviewed so we can take steps to improve how we communicate with students.
God is at your graduation
Did you know that at your graduation, you will be asked to pray to a god, whether you believe in one or not? Chances are that you didn’t, and that’s the peculiar thing about graduation — you don’t know anything about it until it’s over, and after that you’d be hard-pressed to care. Now, you may recognize there are bigger problems out there, and ask, “Who cares about some words?”
The corporate hack
MIT has a long history of subversion. In previous decades, this grew out of the Institute’s intense pressure-cooker culture, where “IHTFP” was not simply a bit of affectionate ribbing, but a very real sentiment shared by many students. My uncle, who was an undergrad in the early 1970s, likens his arrival to MIT to being hired at a coal mine: “Here’s your shovel; get to work.” Hacking was a devious thrill, and in many cases, a small way for students to poke fun at their tormenter.
Take advantage of MIT’s diversity
MIT, like most universities, is fond of promoting the diversity of its student body.
In a weak field, Sharma and Ndengeyingoma best option
By the end of the week, MIT undergraduates will choose Andrew M. Acker ’15 and Grace E. O’Malley ’15, Shruti Sharma ’15 and Billy Ndengeyingoma ’15, or Jeffrey M. Sperling ’15 and Nathan H. Varady ’16 to be the next Undergraduate Association president and vice president. It is encouraging to see three tickets so eager to tackle the challenges facing undergraduates. But the leaders of the UA need not only detailed, specific proposals, but also the experience and tact to realize their visions.
On student leadership
MIT students often complain about the administration, a lack of student input, and inadequate representation. We often forget, however, that our decisions can directly impact these outcomes. The upcoming Undergraduate Association presidential elections remain the best way that we, the undergraduates, can voice our opinion.
Enhancing student impact on community decisions
After Bexley Hall closed last May, members of the dorm united to express a desire for students to have a meaningful voice throughout any remaining developments related to the dorm. Unfortunately, now, in Spring 2014, far too much time has passed without engaged student discourse on the future of the Bexley space. This void highlights a failure on the part of the administration, student leaders, and the entire student body to foster an open, proactive dialogue. Besides simply acknowledging this failure, let’s recognize the Undergraduate Association (UA) elections as a chance to remedy it.
Don’t Divest
Recently Fossil Free MIT (FFMIT), an MIT student group, has circulated a petition, now with over 2000 signatures, urging the Institute to cease the investment of its endowment in fossil fuel companies. FFMIT is one chapter of Fossil Free, a multinational organization that advocates this position to facilitate broader divestment among institutions that serve the public good. Their ultimate goal is to influence legislation that would implement measures to limit global temperature increases to 2 degrees Celsius. While their aspirations are admirable, their strategy is unlikely to work, and their efforts would be better spent advocating clean energy in other ways. Worse, their misguided advocacy could have negative repercussions for MIT and others.
Wearing headphones while commuting is dangerous
I am biking down Vassar Street when suddenly a pedestrian hops on to the pavement, seemingly unaware he is obstructing the bike lane. Unable to brake due to bike traffic behind me, I ring my bell and yell “watch out!” to warn him of the dangerous situation. To my great confusion, these warnings are continuously ignored even as I approach closer and closer. All I can do next is take a sharp turn to avoid a crash, sending me flying into the fence. The pedestrian strolls blissfully away, forever unaware of the accident he has caused.
Rule of law at stake in Bitcoin wars
On Nov. 11, four MIT students, including Jeremy L. Rubin ’16, won the “Innovation” award at the online Node Knockout programming competition for their project, Tidbit. Tidbit would enable websites to monetize traffic by utilizing consumers’ computers to mine Bitcoin while they browse the site (presumably in lieu of advertising). Tidbit consequently attracted considerable attention for its potential to disrupt advertising markets. But, recognizing potential legal issues, our peers declined to make the code operative, although it is available for download on their website.