To members of the MIT community:
At MIT, we are fortunate to host world leaders from time to time. On Wednesday, April 14, the Premier of the People's Republic of China, Zhu Rongji, will visit the Institute to give a major address on issues relating to science, technology and education in a global society.
MIT faculty and students are involved in many educational and research projects in the People's Republic of China, in areas ranging from management, the environment, sustainable development and computer science, to name a few. One major activity is the Sloan School's collaboration with Tsinghua, Fudan and Lingnan Universities to develop the faculty and curriculum for an international MBA program at each school. Premier Zhu is dean of the business school at Tsinghua.
As an educational institution, MIT has the opportunity and the obligation to foster discussion of important issues in today's global society. China has an increasingly important world role in scientific, technological and industrial activities, and I am pleased that we are able to provide Premier Zhu with an opportunity to speak to our students, faculty and staff, as well as other academic, business and government leaders who will be our guests that day. Such occasions promote mutual learning and focus the attention of leaders and the public on common concerns and opportunities of different nations and societies.
The Premier's visit will necessitate special arrangements to accommodate the high interest among the media and other members of the community as well as our own faculty, students and staff. In addition, security arrangements will influence traffic flow and access to some buildings, but we are making every effort to minimize inconvenience to members of our community that morning.
Seating in Kresge is limited, but there will be opportunities to view the Premier's address on television at a number of locations around the campus. The speech will be broadcast live, both nationally and internationally, by CNN.
I would note that the Center for International Studies is hosting a forum on China later that day, open to all members of the MIT community. Details on that event, as well as other arrangements for that day, are given on page 3.
The visit by Premier Zhu is a welcome opportunity for MIT to demonstrate the value of open and civil discourse on issues of critical importance to the nation and the world.
President Charles M. Vest
TICKET DISTRIBUTION
Students and staff who were successful in obtaining tickets from the web lottery should pick up their tickets on Monday, April 12 from 10am-4pm in the Information Center in Rm 7-121. You must present a photo ID to obtain your ticket.
Faculty members who were allotted tickets should go to the staging area on Kresge Oval on the Wednesday morning (see below) with a photo ID to obtain their tickets.
ARRIVAL
Members of the community and guests who are attending the Premier's address in Kresge Auditorium are asked to enter the area from the corner of Massachusetts Avenue and Amherst Street. This is the only access point to Kresge Auditorium on that day.
You will be asked to show your ticket or provide your name as you enter this area and are then directed to a staging area on Kresge Oval. Those with tickets will be routed to a ticket collection area where photo IDs will be checked. Faculty members who are picking up tickets will be directed to a pickup point within the staging area; a photo ID will be needed not only to pick up tickets but also prior to passing through metal detectors.
All who attend the Premier's address will pass through metal detectors prior to entering Kresge Lobby. The staging area will open at 8am; doors to Kresge Auditorium will open at 8:45am and all guests must be seated by 10am.
SECURITY GUIDELINES
These security guidelines have been developed by Campus Police in consultation with the US Secret Service:
You must not carry large or metallic objects such as radios, large key rings or beverage containers. If you are bringing a camera or videocamera, it is recommended that you do not bring it in a case, which would slow the screening process. Alcoholic beverages are prohibited. The smaller the number of carried objects, the faster the security screening. Even items known to be safe will be scrutinized and will cause delays. In consideration of those around you, please limit the use of personal communication devices within Kresge Auditorium.
MIT cannot accept responsibility for storing items that are not permitted through security checkpoints. You will be required to return them to another area and return for additional security screening. Your cooperation is appreciated.
PARKING
The Kresge Parking Lot will be closed from 6pm on Tuesday, April 13 until 1pm on Wednesday, April 14; permit holders for this lot should park in the West Garage during those hours. Amherst Street (to Endicott Street) will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic beginning at from 5am-1pm on April 14. There will be no parking along Massachusetts Avenue from Memorial Drive to Vassar Street throughout the morning of April 14 until 1pm.
BUILDING CLOSURES
Building W11 and the chapel will be closed from 11pm on April 13 until 1pm on April 14. The Stratton Student Center will be closed from 2am-1pm on April 14. Regularly scheduled athletic activities in Buildings W23, W31, W32, W34 and the tennis bubble will be cancelled on April 14 until after 1pm.
Due to the closure of the Student Center on Wednesday, the Dining Service will offer an alternate location in Lobby 13 from 7am-2pm that will feature Pan Geos, sandwiches, salads, soup, bagels, cookies, muffins and assorted beverages. This will also be a viewing location for the cablecast of the Premier's address.
ACCESS RESTRICTIONS
From 5am-1pm on April 14, access from Ashdown House, McCormick Hall, Green Hall and Baker House to Amherst Street will be restricted; access to and from these buildings will be via Memorial Drive only. The section of Amherst Street from Ashdown House to Endicott Street will be closed except to those attending the event in Kresge Auditorium. From 5am-1pm, access to and from Bexley Hall will be from Massachusetts Avenue only; Bexley alley will be closed.
VIEWING LOCATIONS
The Premier's address will be broadcast over the MIT Cable system and monitors will be available in Lobby 7, Lobby 10, Lobby 13, Lobby E52, the Tang Center's Wong Auditorium and Diebold Lounge, and Rms 16-160, E25-117, E51-063 and E51-385.
COMMUNITY FORUM
The Center for International Studies (CIS) will host a community forum on China from 3-5pm on April 14 in Wong Auditorium. Faculty panelists from a variety of disciplines will make short comments and invite the audience to participate in general discussion. Panelists include Professors Thomas Christensen and Zhiyuan Cui of political science, Chiang Mei of civil and environmental engineering, Peter Perdue of history and Ed Steinfeld of the Sloan School. The panel will be moderated by the director of CIS, Professor Kenneth Oye of political science.
A version of this article appeared in the April 7, 1999 issue of MIT Tech Talk (Volume 43, Number 25).
