Volume 131, Number 4
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WEATHER, p. 2 FRI: 28°F | 22°F MIT’s Mostly sunny Oldest and Largest SAT: 37°F | 24°F Newspaper Mostly cloudy SUN: 39°F | 30°F Mostly cloudy Volume 131, Number 4 tech.mit.edu Friday, February 11, 2011 Eric Grimson to serve as chancellor At Walker, ‘I need to understand the pulse of the students,’ says EECS prof. students to By Robert McQueen NEWS EDITOR hear about President Susan J. Hockfield announced yesterday the appoint- ment of W. Eric L. Grimson PhD ’80 as MIT’s next chancellor. Grim- renovation son will take office on Mar. 1 and will succeed outgoing Chancellor By Stan Gill Phillip L. Clay PhD ’75. STAFF REPORTER Grimson said that one of his first objectives as chancellor will Student groups affected by the po- be to listen to faculty and students tential restructuring of Walker Memorial in a variety of environments. “I may soon learn more about the plans for need to understand the pulse of the future of the space. The administra- the students,” he said. tion is hosting an open meeting on Mon- To that end, Grimson hopes day, Feb. 14, at 5 p.m. in Morss Hall to to better understand students not provide information and updates on the only in the academic setting, but current status of the Walker review pro- also in extracurricular activities. cess. The meeting will consist of a pre- “Half of what happens here is not sentation by Associate Provost Martin in a lab,” he said. Grimson specifi- A. Schmidt PhD ’88, a question-and-an- cally plans to reach out to student swer period, and a tour of the facilities. leadership groups, including the The meeting is the first public en- UA, GSC, DormCon, and the ASA. gagement on the situation since the start When asked his stance on cur- of the semester. The administration an- rent student issues like dining and nounced plans late last term to repur- orientation, Grimson said he will pose Walker for use by Music and The- listen to all perspectives, as the is- ater Arts. The Graduate Student Council sues will still exist when he steps (GSC) has taken the lead in representing SARANG KULKARNI—THE TECH into office. He believes all groups the affected student groups and con- Professor W. Eric L. Grimson PhD ’80, Head of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Com- must be heard even if they cannot versing with relevant administrators. puter Science, was named as the next chancellor of MIT on Thursday afternoon. He will assume his all be satisfied. The GSC has also made formal student new role on March 1� Looking into the future, Grim- engagement proposals to the adminis- son wants to prepare students for Continuing professorship for getting to know what students broader student issues.” tration and met with representatives of beyond MIT. “Our students have Although Grimson is leaving as are about,” he said. Grimson cur- Grimson will discontinue a student groups. incredible intellectual abilities,” head of the Electrical Engineering rently advises 26 students, and he few faculty positions he currently “We are hopeful that the relationship Grimson said. “Our job is to em- and Computer Science depart- intends to continue advising just holds because his new role as with the administration will continue to power that.” ment, he still plans to teach class- as many as chancellor. chancellor will introduce conflicts improve over the coming months,” said Grimson also said that he es. “I love teaching; I really do,” Still, Grimson’s new responsi- between those current positions. GSC President Ulric J. Ferner G, “and we would like to increase interaction Grimson said. bilities will require him to cut back For example, Grimson will no look forward to contributing both to the between departments and teach This semester, Grimson is in other areas. Grimson expects longer hold a position on the Fac- strategic planning of this project as well students how to package and ex- teaching 6.01 (Introduction to that he will have to “ramp down” ulty Advisory Board for Student as to its due diligence.” Ferner added plain their ideas. “How do you sell EECS I) and next year, he is con- his current research, which re- Support Services because that that he and the GSC expect the admin- your ideas to Bill Gates?” Grimson sidering teaching a freshmen lates to machine vision, “in order istration to cooperate with the student said. seminar. “[Teaching is a] great way to leave time … to pay attention to Chancellor, Page 11 community. Neither the affected student groups nor Music and Theater Arts have heard much about the status of the project Asian-interest sorority planned since the start of the new year. The ad- Court releases ministration brought in professional Aims to establish colony this year, potential chapter by 2012 architects and surveyors to evaluate the written decision building during the closing weeks of fall By Derek Chang sented on campus,” Vivian noted. time. In contrast, sororities cur- term, but, according to the GSC, the re- in Tang case STAFF REPORTER “There is currently no student rently on campus generally have sults of the evaluations have not yet been group at MIT that focuses closely over 100 members. released to the student groups. Judge Bruce R. Henry re- Plans are under way this on the sociopolitical challenges Unlike existing Greek groups “Everyone is unclear on the situa- leased a written decision in the spring to introduce a new soror- that Asians and Asian-Americans at MIT, the sorority would be tion,” Music and Theater Arts depart- case of Anna L. Tang, the former ity aimed at Asian women on face everyday as the ‘silent mi- unique in its support of both ment head Janet Sonenberg said. “We Wellesley student who stabbed campus. The new group would nority’ in the U.S.” Asian- and female-specific phil- did all of the work we could do. We know MIT student Wolfe B. Styke G, be MIT’s seventh sorority and The sorority’s recruitment anthropic causes and Asian that there are issues beyond our exper- then a sophomore, in October the only Greek letter organiza- process would be similar to the sociopolitical advancement; tise to be dealt with and we have not yet 2007. tion with an Asian focus. Kappa week-long fraternity rush, a de- current candidate national or- had the experts come in.” The four-page decision was Phi Lambda, Sigma Psi Zeta, and parture from the standard sorori- ganizations support these types Since December, the administration dated Tuesday but docketed and Delta Phi Lambda are among the ty recruitment model. The events of causes. Sigma Psi Zeta works has been meeting with select student released yesterday. The actual candidates. would be designed to allow po- to fight violence against women, groups historically tied to Walker. The decision was made on Monday, Vivian A. Lee ’12, who has tential sisters to get to know each while Kappa Phi Lambda sup- meeting on Monday will be the first time Feb. 7. been leading plans for the Asian- other closely and to feel unified ports the National Asian Pacific the administration will be opening the Judge Henry found Tang not interest sorority, felt the sorority by the sorority’s specific values. American Women’s Forum. Delta floor to all Walker groups — and other guilty by reason of mental illness was needed in order to spread The new sorority intends to be Phi Lambda has been supporting students — and allowing them to share in December, and this week’s cultural awareness. “Asian cul- a smaller group, with no more their specific concerns with the restruc- decision dismissed the Com- ture is still vastly under-repre- than thirty members at any given Asian sorority, Page 11 turing proposal. monwealth’s request to commit Tang to a mental health facility. The Commonwealth failed Robberies were down to 163 from 172 in 2009, The MIT Libraries have received a $650,000 to prove that Tang would be a IN SHORT and aggravated assaults incidents dropped from grant from the Library of Congress to further de- serious risk of harm to herself or Next Tuesday, Feb. 15, will be the last day to 255 to 251. velop Exhibit, a software tool which aids visualiza- others if released. waive the Student Extended Health Plan. To tion of data on the Web. A copy of the decision is avail- waive, visit http://medweb.mit.edu. Class of 2013 Ring Premiere is tonight, from able at http://tech.mit.edu/V131/ 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. in Kresge Auditorium. Comments are now enabled on our website! N4/annatang/tangdecision. Zero murders occurred in Cambridge last pdf. year, according to Cambridge Police. The num- Cambridge’s Kendall to Central study has re- Send news information and tips to news@tech. —John A. Hawkinson ber of serious crimes increased by 1 percent, and ceived ten bids for consulting on the project. mit.edu. 23 rapes were reported — up from 20 in 2009. REPEAL PPACA? LIVE, FROM CAIRO BIUTIFUL IS THE FUTURE OF SECTIONS FUGGEDABOUTIT. 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