An open letter to the MIT Corporation concerning MIT’s ongoing relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
"We object to MIT’s ongoing relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in our name."
A call to step up in response to Reif’s most recent letter
The current culture has reduced the importance of academic integrity and personal ethics in favor of rankings, volume of research papers, and fame. We need to return to that guiding light of what led us all here to come to MIT to the first place.
A letter to President Reif and Provost Schmidt regarding Epstein
Taking Epstein’s money suggested a willingness to turn a blind eye to the impact of his crimes, which included procuring the prostitution of a minor. The fact that this situation was even thinkable at MIT is profoundly disturbing and is symptomatic of broader, more structural problems involving gender and race in MIT’s culture. It is time for fundamental change.
A letter to the MIT community on accepting donations
I’m heartbroken that the senior team apparently spent more time discussing concerns about Epstein’s reputation than about MIT’s when they took the drastic step of accepting money from a disqualified donor.
A letter to President Reif regarding the Open Agriculture Initiative
Both MIT Environmental Health and Safety and MIT’s legal department were made aware of the environmental and academic allegations by Dr. Babakinejad. These serious issues were not properly addressed by MIT, and instead, Dr. Babakinejad faced retaliation for raising these concerns.
Vice President for Research responds to letter on Open Agriculture Initiative
OpenAg research at Bates that involves water discharge has been suspended, and a thorough assessment is taking place. MIT is committed to working constructively with MassDEP and the town of Middleton.
Democratize MIT coalition replies to President Reif
Democratize MIT rejects Reif’s autocratic solution to funding committees.
President Reif, cut MIT’s ties to Saudi Arabia now!
Students from the MIT Department of Political Science urge President Reif to cut ties to Saudi Arabia.
Cambridge face covering order not justified by scientific evidence
The requirement for all Cambridge residents above five years old to wear a face covering in all public outdoor spaces, in effect from April 29 onwards, should be critically reevaluated.
A call for clearer communication regarding COVID-19
The anxiety we already experience as a result of the pandemic and an inability to make research headway needn’t be compounded by opaque communications from your office.
Student evaluation on the progress of the 2015 BSU/BGSA Recommendations
We call upon MIT to establish an Institute-wide body this Fall with the charge to create a long-term strategic plan, including concrete measures to increase the number of Black graduate students. To be effective this strategic plan must be backed by the purse strings of the Institute.
2021 Class Council requests guaranteed on-campus access for incoming seniors
The MIT senior year experience is grounded in the fulfillment of an MIT education, which extends beyond what a year of virtual schooling can sufficiently provide. As seniors embark on the journey of their final year at MIT, a presence on campus will be essential for their success, and favorable for MIT’s longevity.
Por qué Luis Videgaray Caso debe salir del MIT
MIT debe cancelar la relación laboral con Luis Videgaray Caso y rescindir sus nombramientos como profesor titular, como director del AIPW en Sloan y el College of Computing y como miembro distinguido de la Iniciativa de Investigación de Políticas de Internet del MIT.
Why Luis Videgaray must leave MIT
MIT should end Videgaray’s appointments as senior lecturer, as director of the AIPW Project within Sloan and the College of Computing, and as distinguished fellow at the MIT Internet Policy Research Initiative.
MIT’s proposal for a new graduate dorm on Vassar should include ground-floor public space
The Cambridgeport Neighborhood Association (CNA) submitted this letter to President Reif and the MIT Campus Planning team Dec. 7, 2020.
MIT Divest releases Climate Conscious Pledges
Despite taking these important steps, MIT has once again refused to include divestment or any other explicit action against fossil fuel companies in the CAP.
The bikes are blue — and I am too
Bluebikes, if you are reading this, let me suggest a partial solution for you. Use the gig economy.
MIT must not cancel scientific presentations over societal pressure
We need to listen to the Abbots and Marinovics even if we don’t entirely agree with them. Let’s not do anything to limit or stifle scientific work and/or presentations.
Institute for Work and Employment Research faculty comment on potential graduate student unionization
As faculty in the MIT Institute for Work and Employment Research (IWER), we study a wide range of work and employment relations topics, including union management relations. We do not express a view on whether or not MIT graduate students should be represented by a union; that decision is theirs to make.
Fighting (against MIT) for math
Like many in California, I am battling my local school board and the state Board of Education to maintain high quality standards in math, to keep calculus available to high school students, and to negate the idea that right answers and showing your work in math are examples of “white supremacy.”
An open letter regarding MIT Dining changes and enhancements
MIT is known for solving complex problems. While it’s not nearly as momentous as landing Americans on the moon or developing low-cost emergency ventilators, operating the campus dining program comes with complex challenges and constraints that are seldom visible to meal plan subscribers and dining hall patrons.
An open letter on the war in Ukraine
This is a catastrophe for Russia and for the Russian people: a dark night is descending, and those least responsible for this war will suffer the most.
An open letter regarding faculty and the graduate student union
We pledge to not attempt to persuade graduate students how to vote on unionization and to avoid presenting one-sided views for or against unionization.
Ukraine is fighting the war that we should be fighting
Pick up your phone. Call your representative. Demand MIT to act now.
An open letter on the Russo-Ukrainian war
Ukrainians fight for their freedom, for the right to be Ukrainian, for the right to determine their own future. These aspirations are universal. They are just. If you believe in these rights, if you believe that big countries subjugating smaller ones by force is wrong, you should care about Ukraine.
An open letter on the considerations to be made about MIT graduate student unionization
At issue is the question of whether our students and our Institute would be better served by a relationship that positions students as “workers” in an industry-like organization or as academic partners and rising colleagues who, in the course of their educational program, contribute to our shared teaching and research missions.
An open letter on why UE and what it stands for cannot represent MIT graduate students
A vote no is not a vote against unionization in general but merely against our unionizing with UE.
An open letter on the closing of the MIT Pharmacy
What will be the next convenience, perk, benefit, or job to be abruptly ended?
Harvard Graduate Student Union solidarity statement: vote yes to MIT graduate student unionization
Before our contract, student workers often knew little of what was expected of them, even regarding their basic hours and responsibilities.
An open letter on graduate student unionization
If MIT and its students are opponents, then how do we continue to be full-on collaborators?
MIT can address this elephant in the room: Bad periods!
We are writing to share a “secret” about our lives as women faculty members at MIT. First, the not-so-secret part. As members of the informal “Happy Women at MIT” club, with a collective 50 years absorbing, contributing to, and reveling in the “Mens et Manus” mindset, the infusion of new students each fall reminds us that we have the best jobs in the world. Like so many of our colleagues at MIT, we grew up in working-class families, attended neighborhood high schools, and blissfully absorbed the power of math, science, and analytical thinking. We somehow ended up in top-tier graduate programs, a dream, and then as faculty at MIT, the quintessential home for nerdy (and outspoken) problem solvers.
MIT’s attempts to reduce risk also stifles exploration and opportunity
While at MIT, one of my favorite activities was to walk around campus, often late at night, just to see what there was. But showing an ID, dealing with limited access, and going through security checks have all become the norm. Not being allowed to explore is now the routine.
Open letter on open campus access
We write as more than 2000 MIT students, alumni, faculty, staff, affiliates, community members, and neighbors who strongly disagree with the recent decision to maintain a closed campus at MIT going forward. While reasonable precautions were necessary during the pandemic before full vaccinations were available, closing MIT’s campus will diminish the openness which makes MIT the vibrant, collaborative, forward-thinking place that it is.
MIT history faculty members issue statement of solidarity with Iran’s Sharif University of Technology
The members of the history faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) listed below write to express our unwavering solidarity with the students and professors at Iran’s Sharif University of Technology and condemn in the strongest possible terms the Iranian government’s violent raid on our counterparts at Sharif.
MIT, it’s time to support your police officers
Since November, the MIT Police Association has distributed more than 6,000 flyers[1] to students and faculty. Standing outside campus interrupting you as you make your way to class is not something we want to do. But unfortunately, it has become our reality. The response from faculty and students has been overwhelming — thank you! However, the school and Chief DiFava continue to show zero respect or support to rank-and-file officers.
A community statement on MIT’s response to hate speech
n the only response from the MIT administration, the Institute opted to call this speech “extreme” and full of “provocative terms.” We will call it what it is: hate speech.
A Public Letter to President Sally Kornbluth
It’s as simple as 1-2-3; and the good news is you wrote the steps. It’s time for you to lead us and the world at-large into a brighter future where “every individual has the freedom and support to flourish and grow, and in which we all have a sense of community, connection and shared purpose.”