CORRECTIONS
An article in Tuesday’s issue on Maseeh seceding from DormCon mistakenly indicated that Maseeh pays $2310 in DormCon taxes per year — the figure is actually per semester, summing to $4620 per year assuming the 462-resident capacity.
Homophobia at home and abroad
On April 23, France legalized gay marriage. The measure passed 331-224 in the Socialist Party majority Assembly. However, the bill came at the price of the signers’ safety. The day before the vote, Claude Bartolone, the head of France’s National Assembly, received an envelope sealed with gunpowder and a death-threat letter, signed by the right-wing group of France, Interaction des forces de l’ordre.
Utilizing online learning on campus
MITx is touted as a revolutionary opportunity for thousands of students across the globe. But MIT is also committed to using MITx to transform the nature of education on its own campus. In order to do so, MIT — and all other institutions embracing digital learning — must answer the question of how best to structure their online learning platform. If online resources are to have the effect that advocates promise, it is essential that the online learning platform that is tailored to the needs and learning styles of the student body.
Better communication needed
The implementation of the new House Dining Program in Fall 2011 was one of the most controversial changes to undergraduate student life in recent MIT history.
CORRECTIONS
The caption to a photo of MIT Police Officer Sean Collier in last Friday’s issue gave an incorrect age. He was 27, not 26.
Recovering as a community
Last week was a truly trying one for the MIT community, from the Boston Marathon bombing on Monday to the death of our own Officer Sean Collier on campus Thursday night. In the ensuing near-24-hour manhunt for the suspects, MIT campus and Boston went on lockdown as we waited anxiously for their capture.
Lessons learned from Monday’s tragedy
Perfectly capturing the sentiment of so many people, the Boston Athletic Association said in their official statement Monday after the Boston Marathon explosions, “What was intended to be a day of joy and celebration quickly became a day in which running a marathon was of little importance.” My four friends and I were planning on celebrating completing the marathon together after only two weeks of training. Instead, we ended up celebrating our good fortune: no from our group or family was harmed.
Ensuring the success of competitive wrestling
As a member of the MIT wrestling team and the greater wrestling community, I was saddened by Boston University’s recent decision to drop its wrestling program. At a time when wrestling is still recovering from the shock of being dropped from the Olympics, this decision came as an added blow. However, I have been inspired by the way the wrestlers across the country have rallied together to try to save the program. While the university’s decision was disappointing, it is also emblematic of a larger problem with the sport.
Promoting open access at the federal level
With the increasingly prohibitive cost to access scientific journal articles and the significant amount of research that is funded by the U.S. government, many scientists and taxpayers support measures that increase public access to the results of federally funded research. This “open access” movement aims to establish a policy for federally-funded research to become publicly accessible after an established period of time post-publication, usually within one year. Because this research is funded by U.S. taxpayers, we believe that it is reasonable to expect free access to the fruits of our investment.
CORRECTIONS
A story in Tuesday’s issue mistakenly indicated that the faculty meeting focused on the gunman hoax, while it was just one among a number of topics. The same article also neglected to credit notes provided by Jonté D. Craighead ’13.
Sustaining MIT’s fraternities
I’ve been a Chi Phi since a week after I arrived on campus in the fall of 1972. I can honestly say that ever since then, Chi Phi has been the central institution of my life. It is the source of my greatest friendships, my strength in times of trouble, the avenue through which I’ve enjoyed a cornucopia of inter-generational relationships, and the organization to which I give the most back, currently taking my turn to serve as president of our house corporation.
CORRECTIONS
In the March 22, 2013 issue, a photo caption of 100 Years of Fashion misspelled the publishing company’s name. It is Laurence King Publishing, not Lawrence.
MIT 2030: voice your concerns
MIT and the city of Cambridge, we like to think, generally have a beneficial effect on one another, and this happens best when we all work together. The Cambridge City Council is currently considering a re-zoning proposal presented by the MIT Investment Management Company that has the potential to transform Kendall Square more than any other project in decades. If done well, with a sensitivity to the various groups that will be affected, both in the neighborhoods and on your campus, this could be a terrific addition to the city and to the Institute.
“Have you no decency sir?!” I mean, ma’am
I found myself reading March 15, 2013 issue of The Tech (15 March, 2013), and I found yet another life-altering piece by my absolute favorite columnist, Ms. Rachel Bandler. At first I thought that Ms. Bandler had branched out and decided to explore the world of kinky sex in her article — “BDS — a new name for an old tactic” — but I quickly realized that she was far more than just one “M” away from her constant, illogical diatribes (which inevitably result in veiled racism) about the never-ending Arab/Zionist conflict.
CORRECTIONS
A café review in Friday’s issue listed the incorrect hours for Tatte Cambridge. It is open Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–8 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m.–8 p.m., and Sunday 9 a.m.–6 p.m.
Honoring MIT’s fallen
Lobby 10 is the crossroads of our campus. Student groups use it to advocate for causes, advertise for events, and to practice and perform. Despite its active role in student life and high visibility, many often forget that Lobby 10 serves another purpose — it is a war memorial.