Volume 128, Number 11 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 Tuesday, March 11, 2008 Fin
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The Weather Today: Sunny, High 43°F (6°C) MIT’s Tonight: Becoming cloudy, Low 34°F (1°C) Oldest and Largest Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy and Newspaper breezy with a sprinkle possible, High 47°F (8°C) Details, Page 2 Volume 128, Number 11 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 Tuesday, March 11, 2008 Fin. Aid Boosted; No Tuition For Families Earning Under $75K By Natasha Plotkin income students and to substantially ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR increase financial aid for students in MIT announced on Friday that the middle-income segment. students whose families earn less In December, Harvard Universi- than $75,000 per year — approxi- ty, whose lowest-income students al- mately 30 percent of the student ready attend tuition-free, announced body — will no longer pay tuition. that families with incomes between To cover these and other new poli- $60,000 and $120,000 would pay cies, MIT’s financial aid budget will between zero and 10 percent of their rise to $74 million, a $7 million in- income to tuition, and families with crease over last year’s budget. incomes between $120,000 and MIT also increased its tuition by $180,000 would pay 10 percent. In 4 percent, to $36,390. January, Yale University eliminated Students whose families earn less tuition for families earning less GREGORY I. TELIAN than $75,000 a year will also have than $60,000 a year, limited tuition President Susan Hockfield, MIT Corporation Life Member David H. Koch, Mayor of Cambridge De- lower self-help expectations than costs for families making $60,000 nise Simmons, and other notables break ground for the new David H. Koch Institute of Integrative last year: $2,850, down from $5,250 to $200,000 a year to an average of Cancer Research on Friday. last year. The new figure will allow 10% of their income, and decreased students to avoid taking out loans to all student self-help contributions pay for tuition, by working on an Un- to $2,500. Stanford University an- dergraduate Research Opportunities nounced in February that it would Program or other on-campus job for eliminate tuition for families with MIT Names MacVicar Fellows For two semesters. Students whose fami- incomes under $100,000 a year and lies earn more than $75,000 a year eliminate all educational expenses, will now have an expected self-help including room and board, for fami- Excellence in Undergrad Teaching contribution of $4,750. lies with incomes under $60,000 a Home equity will no longer be year. By Ramya Sankar neering Professor Craig W. Carter, three, and I still want more.” considered in determining financial Stanford and Yale continue to STAFF REPORTER Mechanical Engineering Associate All of the recipients expressed aid packages for students whose factor home equity into financial Five MIT faculty members were Professor Sanjay E. Sarma, Litera- gratitude for the honor. Many said families earn less than $100,000 a aid assessments, while Harvard and named MacVicar Fellows for their ture Professor Stephen J. Tapscott, that the MacVicar Award is on a year. Families in this income range Princeton do not. excellence in undergraduate teach- and Physics Professor Barton Zwie- different level than any of the other who rent their homes will have com- Kolenbrander said that “our dis- ing last Friday during this year’s bach. awards they have received in the past parable increases in their financial cussion about financial aid has been MacVicar Day, a celebration which As each award recipient was pre- because it is based on input from aid. This measure will increase the influenced by the recent announce- recognizes contributions to under- sented with a framed certificate, Reif colleagues and, most importantly, value of these families’ financial aid ments of other universities.” While graduate education at MIT. The read a few words from their nomina- their students. Referring to his love packages by an average of $1,600. no part of MIT’s new financial aid program began in 32-123 with a lec- tors. The most compelling comments for teaching, Carter explained that, Vice President for Institute Af- policies specifically addresses fami- ture on science education by Nobel were from students, who described unlike his previous awards and hon- fairs and Secretary of the Corpora- lies in the $100,000 to $200,000 in- Laureate in Physics Carl E. Wieman each fellow’s dedication and passion ors, the MacVicar Award was like an tion Kirk D. Kolenbrander said that come range, Kolenbrander remarked ’73. The lecture was followed by for teaching undergraduates. “award for eating ice cream.” funding for the financial aid budget on other schools’ changes, saying an MIT faculty reception hosted by “Learning from Professor Baker The fellows praised MIT students, increase will come from both en- “This is the road we’re on … MIT President Susan Hockfield at Gray and learning from someone average especially the students’ uniqueness dowed and un-endowed funds in the is already serving the upper middle House, where the five fellows were is like the difference between a 5 star and inquisitive nature. Baker said general Institute budget. class, but we do feel a particular push announced. and 2 star restaurant service,” wrote that she loves the fresh perspective to help families of greater need.” At the faculty reception, the a student about Baker. About Sarma, that undergraduates bring to her External and internal pressure MIT’s new plans also follow a awards were presented by Provost another wrote, “Sanjay is the man.” class. Barton said that the best part The announcement follows a recent increase in political pressure L. Rafael Reif to the 2008 MacVicar One student said of Zwiebach, “I en- of his job was “the looks in the eyes string of decisions by peer universi- Fellows — Biology Professor Tania courage every physics major at MIT ties to eliminate tuition for lowest- Financial Aid, Page 12 Baker, Materials Science and Engi- to take a class from him; I have taken MacVicar, Page 17 Decrease in High School Graduates Will Increase College Admission Rates By Alan Finder “For the high school graduate, THE NEW YORK TIMES this becomes a buyers’ market,” said High school seniors nationwide Daniel M. Fogel, president of the are anxiously awaiting the verdicts University of Vermont. from the colleges of their choice That won’t help Charlie Cotton, later this month. But though it may a senior at Madison High School in not be of much solace to them, in just New Jersey. He has the grades and a few years the admissions frenzy is scores to aim for the nation’s elite likely to ease. It’s simply a matter of universities, yet in the hyper-com- demographics. petitive world of college admissions, Projections show that by next his chances of winning a spot at his year or the year after, the annual top picks — like Middlebury, Dart- number of high school graduates in mouth and Oberlin — are highly un- the United States will peak at about certain. When his sister, Emma, who 2.9 million after a 15-year climb. The is in eighth grade, applies to college, number is then expected to decline she is expected to face a less frantic until about 2015. Most universities landscape with fewer rivals. ARKA P. DHAR expect this to translate into fewer ap- The demographic changes in- Karena K. Tyan ’08 sings during the Chorallaries annual Bad Taste concert, held this past Saturday plications and less selectivity, with clude sharp geographic, social and evening in 26-100. See page 10 for more photographs. most students probably finding it easier to get into college. Admissions, Page 14 In Short Comics World & Nation . 2 ¶ The 2008–2009 ASA Executive at-large, Gillian M. Grogan ’10 and Board was elected at the General Rachel E. Meyer ’10 undergradu- Opinion . 4 Body Meeting last night. Student ate members-at-large, and Kevin Campus Life . 5 groups in the Association of Stu- A. Riggle ’08 student member-at- dent Activities elected Keone D. large. All positions were uncon- Comics & Fun Pages . 8 Hon ’11 president, Shan Wu G tested. Sports . 20 treasurer, Rishi V. Gupta ’10 sec- Pages 8-9 retary, Nan Gu G and Roberto J. Send news information and tips to Perez-Franco G graduate members- [email protected]. Page 2 THE TECH March 11, 2008 WORLD & NATIO N A Space Robot With Arms To Spitzer Hired High-Priced Make R2D2 Jealous By Warren E. Leary THE NEW YORK TIMES Prostitutes, Apologizes The International Space Station is finally getting its robot. Anyone who has followed science fiction knows that a good long- By Danny Hakim his family and decide what was best the governor made his statement. duration spacecraft has to have a robot. The space shuttle Endeavour and William K. Rashbaum for the state, but declined to take ques- The news was met with disbelief takes off for the space station on Tuesday with a large, Canadian-made THE NEW YORK TIMES tions, leaving after barely a minute. and shock in Albany, a capital accus- robot named Dextre in its cargo bay. Endeavour’s seven-member crew ALBANY, N.Y. “I have acted in a way that vio- tomed to scandal. Some legislative will assemble the robot during three of the mission’s five scheduled Gov. Eliot Spitzer was a client of a lates my obligations to my fam- staffers said they were too stunned spacewalks. high-end prostitution ring broken up ily and violates my or any sense of to speak, and lawmakers gathered Dextre — pronounced “Dexter” and formally dubbed the Special last week by federal authorities, ac- right or wrong,” the governor said.