Boston Globe reporter Laura Krantz writes that MIT students, faculty and staff gathered on Sunday in response to the Trump administration’s executive order on immigration. “It’s certainly ill-judged and likely counterproductive,” said Associate Provost Richard Lester. “Our community is here because they are contributing research and new knowledge creation that benefits this country.”
Boston Globe reporter Tim Logan writes that MIT has signed an agreement to redevelop the Volpe Center site. “What we have in mind is a big vision,” says Israel Ruiz, MIT’s executive vice president and treasurer. “We want to do more in Kendall Square. This enables us to do it at a level of scale.”
Boston Globe reporter Steve Annear spotlights the work of Glenn Silva, who has hand-painted the names of hundreds of employees and departments on doors around MIT. Silva says he enjoys hand-lettering “because it gives you a lot of peace of mind, and you are focused on what you’re doing.”
Boston Globe reporter J.M. Lawrence writes about the legacy of D. Reid Weedon Jr., an MIT alumnus and life member emeritus of the MIT Corporation, who died at age 96. Lawrence notes that Weedon was a “key fund-raiser for MIT for 60 years,” and “worked with nine MIT presidents while mentoring many young fund-raisers.”
Kevin Slane writes for Boston.com that a number of the honorees recognized on Forbes’ “30 Under 30” list are members of the MIT community.
Writing for The Boston Globe, Sacha Pfeiffer highlights how MIT has partnered with Google, the City of Cambridge, Boston Properties, Alexandria Real Estate Equities and several other organizations to provide free high-speed Wi-Fi in Kendall Square and at the Newtowne Court and Washington Elms public housing developments.
Boston Globe reporter Adam Vaccaro writes about MIT’s selection of Apple CEO Tim Cook to deliver the 2017 Commencement address. Vaccaro notes that, “Past MIT commencement speakers have included big names from the worlds of business, politics, and entertainment.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook has been selected to deliver MIT’s 2017 Commencement address, reports the Associated Press.
Spencer Buell writes for Boston Magazine that hundreds of MIT faculty members have signed an open letter committing to unconditionally rejecting “every form of bigotry, discrimination, hateful rhetoric, and hateful action,” and upholding the “principles of the scientific method, of fact- and reason-based objective inquiry.”
Chris Bourg, director of the MIT Libraries, speaks with Carl Straumsheim of Inside Higher Ed about the MIT report on the future of libraries, which presents a “vision of the library as an ‘open global platform’.” Bourg notes that “providing access to credible information and the tools to assess, use, understand and exploit it…is more important than ever now.”
In an article for The Boston Globe’s special section on the 2016 “Top Places to Work,” Sacha Pfeiffer highlights MIT’s new commuter benefits. Pfeiffer writes that MIT is providing “employees free MBTA bus and subway access through a chip embedded in their university ID cards.”
Boston Globe reporter Tim Logan writes that federal officials announced the initial section of MIT to redevelop the Volpe Transportation Center in Kendall Square. “They understand how to work in Cambridge,” says Greg Vasil of the Greater Boston Real Estate Board of MIT’s long history in the area. “With something this big and intricate, that can really pay off.”
Over 1,500 Fulbright recipients, including a number of MIT fellows, penned a letter in The Huffington Post about the U.S. election. The authors “stand for the tradition of tolerance, free expression, and inclusivity that has made the United States a beacon of hope.”
Gabrielle Emanuel reports for WGBH that MIT students shared their hopes and fears following the 2016 election on sheets of paper wrapped around columns in Lobby 7. “It wasn’t long before the sheets were filled with notes scribbled in many different languages. There were famous quotes and personal confessions. There were pleas for understanding and calls for action.”
Olivia Quintana writes for The Boston Globe that after learning the results of the 2016 presidential election, MIT students put up giant posters in Lobby 7, allowing members of the community to share their hopes and fears. Undergraduate Caroline Mak explained that “seeing all of these different voices, all of these different concerns was very impactful.”