Student input halts Orientation proposal
In response to strong student opposition to proposed changes to the Orientation 2011 schedule, administration and student government officials announced last week that no significant scheduling changes would be seen this year. Freshman Pre-Orientation Programs (FPOPs) and International Orientation events will be changing, but in ways that minimize their impact on orientation programming like REX.
Medical receives a makeover
MIT Medical recently unveiled new daytime-only operation hours for its Urgent Care Service and redesigned its inpatient facilities to become the new Community Care Center. New hours came into effect on Dec. 22, 2010.
NOAA scientists cleared of misuse of climate data
An inquiry by a federal watchdog agency found no evidence that scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration manipulated climate data to buttress the evidence in support of global warming, officials said on Thursday.
Corrections
Last Friday, an opinion column on hospitals and social media incorrectly stated that Southcoast Hospital tweeted daily updates on disaster victims’ conditions, or if discharged, their treatments, also including patient information like phone numbers. Southcoast Hospital tweeted information aggregated from 120 patients to keep the community updated on the event and the type of injuries that were treated. They never tweeted information on individual patients, which would be a violation of federal and state privacy laws.
Harvard, Princeton back to early action
Harvard and Princeton each announced Thursday that they would revive their early-admission programs, allowing high school seniors who apply by next Nov. 15 to get a decision by Dec. 15 without having to promise to attend the college if admitted.
Stanford v. Roche at high court on Monday
Patent licensing is complicated, and a new chapter of that complexity — as it applies to universities and other federal contractors through the Bayh-Dole Technology Transfer Act — will hit the Supreme Court on Monday.
Increased snowfall raises costs by 250 percent
MIT’s budget has taken a hit as a result of the heavy snow this winter: The Department of Facilities has already spent 2.5 times more money clearing snow this year than was spent on the task all last winter. The bulk of the increase comes from the cost of removing snow from campus parking areas to an off-campus site, according to Facilities Ground Services Manager Norman H. Magnuson Jr.
Koch brothers’ money fuels Wisconsin union fight
WASHINGTON — Among the thousands of demonstrators who jammed the Wisconsin State Capitol grounds this weekend was a well-financed advocate from Washington who was there to voice praise for cutting state spending by slashing union benefits and bargaining rights.
Lobby 7 design competition narrows to twelve finalists
The empty plinths in Lobby 7 are familiar to anyone who passes through the entrance to MIT’s campus on a regular basis. Originally designed to hold statues depicting the ancient Greek intellectuals Aristotle, Ictinus, Archimedes, and Callicrates, they are commonly adorned today with a rather unique piece of artwork: MIT students. The Lobby 7 Design Competition, which kicked off last May, aims to fill the empty spaces with more appropriate adornment. After reviewing the 60 student-submitted entries in December, the competition announced its twelve finalists two weeks ago. The competition has separate divisions for undergraduate and graduate student entries, and the finalists were evenly split between these divisions.
Weekend incidents rattle Red Line riders
Two violent incidents disrupted T service along the Red Line, which serves MIT, over the long weekend. A passenger was stabbed on a Cambridge-bound train on Monday, and on Sunday, a Red Line train struck and killed a man at the Central Square station.
Google trying to avoid antitrust fight in Europe
BRUSSELS — At the annual World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the hottest ticket in recent years has invariably been an invitation to Google’s lavish private party, and 2011 was no exception.
MIT student assaulted in Boston
According to an MIT Police crime alert bulletin, two female MIT students were approached in Boston by an unknown male early Monday morning. The first student was assaulted at around 3:05 a.m. while walking down Beacon Street in Boston towards Massachusetts Avenue. The suspect pulled the hood of her jacket after she refused conversation. He attempted to pull her closer by grabbing her stomach, but she escaped to a taxi. The second victim was approached around 3:30 a.m. while sitting with two male companions. The suspect walked up to the group and asked her to come with him. Her companions told the man to leave.
US hardens stance on nationwide immigrant policy
After months of internal wrangling and confusion over an ambitious nationwide program allowing state and local police agencies to identify immigrants with criminal records, Obama administration immigration officials have decided to take a hard line against communities that try to delay or cancel their participation in the program, according to documents made public late Wednesday.
Criticism emerges from downplay of breast implant risk
When talking to patients about a rare type of cancer linked to breast implants, plastic surgeons should call it “a condition” and avoid using the words cancer, tumor, disease or malignancy, the president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons advised members during an online seminar on Feb. 3.
Police Log
The following incidents were reported to the Campus Police between Dec. 19 and Feb. 5. The dates below reflect the dates the incidents occurred. This information is compiled from the Campus Police’s crime log. The report does not include alarms, general service calls, or incidents not reported to the dispatcher.
Initial public offering possible in 2012 for Zynga
Zynga, the company behind many of the Web’s most viral games, is in advanced discussions on an investment that would value the company at nearly $10 billion and could pave the way for an initial public offering next year.
Community reacts to plan for Kendall
Cambridge City Councillor Kenneth E. Reeves expressed deep misgivings over MIT’s plan to revitalize Kendall Square at this month’s Town Gown meeting, saying that MIT’s motives in the project may be driven by profit and that the Institute lacks expertise in building community spaces.
For Watson, Jeopardy! is elementary
Quick! Take a clue, and break it down into keywords, finding out what it’s asking for. Rack your brain and generate a list of hundreds of possible answers to said question. Then evaluate each answer produced for validity, using varying types of evidence. Figure out the best possible choice and report it. And do it in two to six seconds. Such a process is routine for supercomputer Watson, explained David Gondek, an IBM researcher who spoke at MIT on Monday, just before Watson began its highly anticipated competition against human Jeopardy! champions Brad Rutter and Ken Jennings.