Sherley Calls Hunger Strike Off After Day Twelve of Protesting
After 12 days of ingesting only water, vitamin supplements, and electrolytes, Associate Professor James L. Sherley of the biological engineering department ended his hunger strike last Friday, Feb. 16. Sherley, who is African American, went on a hunger strike to protest his tenure denial, which he claimed was tarnished by racial discrimination.
Fatal Levels of Sedative Found in Zhou’s Autopsy
Toxicology studies for Mengyao “May” Zhou ’04 found toxic levels of diphenhydramine, a sedative and antihistamine, in her system. Zhou, a Stanford University graduate student, was found dead in the trunk of her car on Jan. 25 of an apparent suicide.
News Briefs
Vandals defaced the Martin Luther King Jr. display in Lobby 10 last Saturday and Tuesday nights. According to MIT Campus Police Captain David Carlson, "Part of a display was knocked to the floor, dish soap was dumped on the floor, two cardboard figures suspended by ropes were taken down, and a cardboard figure was cut in half." On Tuesday, the last night of the display, a sign featuring Dr. King's famous "I have a dream …" quote was ripped, a cardboard person's head was torn off, papier-mâché figures were shredded, and four posters were stolen. The vandals were not caught.
Judge Recommends Marijuana Growth For Research Purposes
An administrative law judge recommended Monday that a professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst be allowed to grow marijuana for research purposes, possibly making the state host to the nation's second laboratory authorized to grow the drug.
Three Students Face Felony Charges After Tripping E52 Alarm
Three MIT students, who contend they were hacking when caught, are facing felony charges after setting off a burglar alarm in the E52 Faculty Club last October in the middle of the night. The case, which was filed in the Middlesex County Cambridge District Court by the MIT Police, has raised concern among some in the MIT community who feel that students are being brought to court for an activity that in the past has generally been handled within the Institute.
2009 Brass Rat Design Mistakenly Available in Jan., Before Premiere
The Class of 2009 ring design, which will be officially unveiled tonight, was accidentally published on Athena and has been available for over a month. The draft version of the ring premiere brochure, originally discovered by <i>The Tech</i>, details the bezel and shanks of the ring, along with pictures and a history of the design.
Ying Yang Twins Headline Spring Weekend Concert
The crunk rap duo Ying Yang Twins will headline this year's Spring Weekend concert on April 27 in the Johnson Athletic Center. Also performing that evening is Ozomatli, a ten piece Los Angeles based group specializing in "hip hop, salsa, cumbia, dub, and Middle Eastern funk," according to their Web site.
Food Court Health Violations Fixed
Four restaurants in the Kendall Square area were cited with health violations in early January, ranging from rodent droppings and cockroach infestations to the improper storage of meat, the <i>Cambridge Chronicle </i>reports. All problems were cleared up before the follow-up inspections.
Radcliffe Dean Made First Woman Harvard President
Drew Gilpin Faust, a Civil War historian and Harvard University dean, grew misty-eyed yesterday as she declared, “I can imagine no higher calling, no more exciting adventure than to serve as the president of Harvard.”
Prof. Continues Hunger Strike
Fifteen MIT faculty members from different departments called for measures to ensure fairness in the grievance review of tenure denials after an African American associate professor began his hunger strike last week to protest what he believes are racist motives behind the denial of his tenure.
Still Awaiting Decision on Sudan
A decision on whether MIT should divest from corporations involved with the Sudanese government will have to wait until at least early March. Although the last meeting of the Advisory Committee on Shareholder Responsibility was on Dec. 15, the next meeting will be at the beginning of March, close to the next MIT Corporation meeting on March 2, said Michael Baenen, staff to the ACSR. The delay of almost three months has made some students and ACSR members unhappy.
Troubles, Complaints Grow For School Built on Profits
The University of Phoenix became the nation’s largest private university by delivering high profits to investors and a solid, albeit low-overhead, education to midcareer workers seeking college degrees.
Jensen Now Heading Up Chem. Eng. Department
Chemical Engineering Professor Klavs F. Jensen was named the new head of the Department of Chemical Engineering as of Feb. 1. The former head of the department, Robert C. Armstrong, stepped down after nearly 11 years in office, according to the MIT News Office.
The Snow Machine
Many New England ski resorts have had to make a majority of their snow this season since Mother Nature has been reluctant to lend a hand. While it has been a famine for Boston and surrounding areas with about 2 inches (5 cm) of snow this winter recorded at Logan Airport, a feast of snow has been unleashed downwind of Lake Ontario in recent days. As of Thursday morning, Parish, NY had received 88 inches (224 cm) of snow this week.
Harvard to Include Practical Courses in Curriculum
All Harvard undergraduates should take classes that help shape them as citizens in the 21st century, including courses on the United States and foreign societies, according to a final report proposing the first curriculum overhaul in three decades.
Controversial MIT-Related Cases Resolved Last Year
MIT administrators and lawyers may be breathing a bit easier in 2007, for 2006 saw the resolution of three controversial, protracted, legal and procedural battles. In two cases related to alleged student suicides, MIT settled out-of-court with the families of the deceased, and in a third case, MIT acquiesced to Department of Defense desires and allowed the DOD to handle an investigation into alleged fraud by MIT researchers.