Fall housing to debut gender-inclusive opt-in
Beginning this fall, all undergraduate and graduate dormitories will offer gender-inclusive housing.
Prof. Mujid Kazimi dies at 67
Mujid S. Kazimi, the TEPCO Professor of Nuclear Engineering and one of the world’s foremost educators and researchers in nuclear technology, died suddenly on Wednesday in China.
Nobles named dean of SHASS
Melissa Nobles is the new dean of MIT’s School of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (SHASS), effective July 1.
Dorm demolition to take 2 months
Demolition of condemned undergraduate dorm Bexley began on June 29; a temporary park is set to be built in its place by October.
Student Life Dean announces plans to retire after 7 years
Chris Colombo will retire from his position as Dean for Student Life after seven years at MIT and 40 years of service at various universities. He will continue to serve as dean until a successor is appointed.
Smith’s address to graduating class emphasizes the importance of kindness, teamwork, ‘heart’
Over 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students received their diplomas at this year’s Commencement ceremony on June 5. In all, the Institute awarded over 3,400 degrees.
Committee favors partial divestment
A report issued by the Climate Change Conversation Committee proposed the creation of a Climate Institute at MIT to address the challenges of climate change, and to provide a framework for the many other recommendations listed in the report.
Student funding to be halved in UA debt ‘crisis’
The Undergraduate Association has “run through its money” and has gone into debt. In the coming year, it will be forced to reduce its budget — much of which currently funds student groups — by approximately half.
Things are heating up in the Boston area
With a high temperature of 88°F (31°C), yesterday was tied for the second-warmest day of the year so far, according to National Weather Service observations taken at Logan Airport. Interestingly, 2015’s hottest day so far was nearly two months ago on May 10, when the temperature reached 89°F. Since then, Boston has recorded a high of 88°F on four separate occasions, but the city has yet to reach the 90°F mark. Although 90°F is an arbitrary threshold, this statistic is a bit unusual: on average, Boston experiences 12.9 days per year with a high temperature of 90°F or higher, 3.2 of which normally occur before July 1st. The lack of 90-degree temperatures so far means 2015 will have at least the 6th-latest occurrence of 90°F in Boston’s recorded history.
Róisín Murphy — Hairless Toys
When her longtime romantic relationship and music collaboration with Mark Brydon — the other half of the now-defunct electronic music duo Moloko — ended, Róisín Murphy swiftly launched her solo career with the 2005 album Ruby Blue. A peculiar and refreshing record, filled with unusual combinations of brass instruments, dance rhythms, and sounds taken from everyday life, Ruby Blue garnered very positive reviews from the critics and showed that the Irish singer and producer was not going to be overshadowed by her history with Moloko.
Jurassic World rips its way to the record charts
Playing off childhood nostalgia and obscene levels of hype, Jurassic World was poised to make a record-shattering opening weekend. And it did, beating Marvel’s Avengers for the highest-grossing opening of all time.
Listen up United States, Desparecidos has a lot to say
It’s been 13 years since Desaparecidos released its first album Read Music/Speak Spanish, but fans can rest assured, Payola picks up where it left off. The lyrics are politically-charged, anti-capitalist calls to action, delivered with a sting that is to be expected from the band’s frontman, Conor Oberst (best known as the lead singer of Bright Eyes). Oberst simply isn’t having this generation’s apathetic attitude — he criticizes complacency and slacktivism (“Donate a dollar with my coffee and save someone / Calling all friends I loosely know / We’re a tight knit clique in the virtual”). The group released Read Music/Speak Spanish when the United States was just beginning to recover from 9/11, the economy was crashing, and the Iraq War was just beginning. It’s fitting that Payola was released just as candidates begin to announce their intentions to run in the 2016 presidential primaries.
Inside Out is so much more than just a kids movie
As far back as I can remember, Pixar films have been a part of my childhood. I grew up watching Toy Story, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, etc. — films that fueled my imagination, filled me with wonder, and most importantly, kept me amused. I loved these films as a child, and it is safe to say that this love has never diminished. Unlike many other childhood favorites that I now dismiss as being simpleminded, vapid, or even wholly unenjoyable, I still cherish Pixar’s entire repertoire because they create visually beautiful, heartfelt, and timeless movies.
REVIEWER’S NOTEBOOK: Terminator Genisys is mankind’s worst migraine
I’d promised Sonya I’d get her into a press screening. I’d also promised her she could choose which one...
A movie for dog-lovers, and dog-lovers alone
Max is a touching story about a marine dog who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder after losing his handler, Kyle, in Afghanistan. As Kyle’s family tries to figure out the circumstances leading to his death, the movie tugs at heartstrings with its portrayal of the agile, strong, and loyal dog, Max, helping them at every stage. Max is the highlight of the film, which is very aptly named — the plot and acting are not extraordinary.
The Wolfpack: A chilling documentary that raises many questions, and even more concerns
Oscar and Susanne Angulo were terrified of living in New York City — terrified of the government, and terrified that their children wouldn’t learn to think for themselves and would be bullied into using drugs. Oscar forbade his children to leave the apartment or to have contact with anyone outside of their immediate family. He believed that employment would make him a slave, so the household’s only income was what Susanne received from the government for teaching her homeschooled children. Oscar imposed strict rules on the family’s life in isolation, going so far as to specify which rooms of the house the kids could occupy at any given time. In one particularly heartbreaking scene, Susanne hints that the rules were even more oppressive for her (if one can imagine such a thing), and the children reveal that their mother had suffered violent abuse at the hands of her husband. Perhaps the only thing the kids liked about their dad was that he brought thousands and thousands of movies into the home for them to watch and memorize (some of their favorites include Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, and The Dark Knight).
US Women’s World Cup team wins championship
Carli Lloyd scored the fastest hat-trick in Women’s World Cup history to lead the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team (USWNT) to its third world cup triumph — its first since 1999. Lloyd’s hat-trick, the first one in a world cup final, took just sixteen minutes as the U.S. defeated Japan 5-2 and exacted revenge for their defeat at the world cup final four years ago.
Men’s crew races at Royal Henley Regatta
MIT Men’s Lightweight Crew recently competed at the internationally-renowned Royal Henley Regatta in England. The regatta, which dates back to 1839, plays host to participants from across the globe, including Olympic champions. This was the first time in six years that a team from MIT’s rowing program was represented at this prestigious event.
Elegy for Bexley Hall
“no more can you teach stone to swim can you teach a lawful man to breathe” she kicked the gate and black paint flaked off revealing a deeply burnt-in rust
Institute Double Take
An Institute Double Take is a photo taken by a staff photographer which may not fit into a typical newspaper category, but still shows a unique side of MIT and includes a short description of the story behind the photo.
