The Tech, Volume 126, Issue 23
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MIT’s The Weather Today: Sunny and warm, 78°F (26°C) Oldest and Largest Tonight: Mostly cloudy, 56°F (13°C) Tomorrow: Partly cloudy, 70°F (21°C) Newspaper Details, Page 2 Volume 126, Number 23 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139 Friday, May 5, 2006 MIT Reveals Initiatives at Energy Forum Dorms By Angeline Wang gathering phase of the Energy Initia- She also announced the beginning port was originally scheduled to be ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR tive, President Susan Hockfield’s first of a commentary period, in which the completed in February. Hundreds packed into Kresge major action as MIT president. “community can add in their views.” The Energy Forum included fac- Consider Auditorium Wednesday for MIT’s Hockfield is currently review- The report is available online at ulty panel discussions on research widely publicized Energy Forum and ing the 57-page report, which she http://web.mit.edu/erc/docs/erc-re- directives and a student-sponsored the unveiling of the Energy Research described in her opening remarks port-060502.pdf. Hockfield hopes to poster presentation, as well as an Council’s report on how MIT should Wednesday as “the culmination of a have the second phase of the Initia- overview of the report given by College proceed to address the global energy year’s work” by the Council, in order tive framed for the beginning of the Council Co-chair Ernest J. Moniz. challenge. The release of the report to decide which recommendations academic year in September, she Both Hockfield and Moniz ad- marked the end of the information- the Institute will act on. said during a media briefing. The re- dressed the three questions, “Why Laundry energy? Why MIT? Why now?” as well as the challenges the Initiative will tackle, which the report out- Service lines. “MIT cannot do it all,” Moniz By Kirtana Raja said. “But we do believe that we have ASSOCIATE NEWS EDITOR the chance to make a significant dif- Saturday night finally rolls around ference, stimulate and mediate dis- and you’re planning to attend a rock- cussion.” ing party. What better way to impress Moniz, looking at the historical that cutie from class than wearing perspective, described a 50-year time that hot matching outfit from your scale as the characteristic period for closet with those fabulous strappy major changes in the energy industry. high heels, right? Alas, you realize “Fifty years means starting today.” that your outfit is currently sitting in He emphasized the need for both a pile of dirty laundry in the corner technological and policy changes of your room! If only doing laundry from the federal government. Ac- weren’t such a pain, maybe you’d ac- cording to Moniz, MIT can be seen tually have something to wear. as an “honest broker” between in- MIT dormitories are in the pro- dustry and government. Hockfield, cess of considering a proposal by a who said that she is in Washington company called College Bellhop that one day each month, plans to advo- would offer laundry services to stu- cate for policy changes when the En- dents on a dorm-by-dorm basis next ergy Initiative takes form. school year. However, these services “We intend to provide the leader- come at a hefty price and with some ship that this critical issue demands,” concerns for dormitory security. Hockfield said during the Forum’s Dormitory Council President DAVID TEMPLETON—THE TECH opening remarks. Harvey C. Jones ’06 said a College Professor Ernest J. Moniz, co-chair of MIT’s Energy Research Council, gives an overview of the Council’s Bellhop representative contacted report at the beginning of the Energy Forum on Wednesday, May 3. Energy, Page 12 DormCon about one month ago and asked if MIT would be interested in having its service for next year. The company made a presentation at a Criteria Announced For New College Aid Program DormCon meeting in early April, By Sam Dillon the grants, which Congress created ary school program of study,” but left could demonstrate that they had and offered DormCon five percent THE NEW YORK TIMES to encourage science, mathematics it to the Department of Education to taken demanding course work. And of the total revenue. Following the The Department of Education an- and language study. spell out the details. Secretary of Education Margaret presentation, Jones announced that nounced Tuesday which low-income In establishing the grants this To avoid the daunting task of Spellings assured the states that she the dormitory presidents could talk students might be eligible this fall for year, Congress said that for students reviewing the academic rigor of the would not infringe on their control to their fellow housemates, and each a share of $790 million under a major entering their first or second year nation’s 18,000 high schools, the over educational curriculums, a ten- dormitory would determine for itself new aid program and estimated that of college to be eligible, they must department laid out broad eligibility it would disburse about 500,000 of have completed a “rigorous second- criteria on Tuesday by which students Aid, Page 14 College Bellhop, Page 11 Dormitory Council Elects Officers By Marissa Vogt NEWS EDITOR The Dormitory Council elected officers for the 2006–2007 school year at its meeting at Baker House Wednesday evening. David A. Nedzel ’07 was elected president and Laura C. Martini ’08 was elected vice president. Nedzel said that the president’s job in- volves providing oversight and coordination for DormCon and running meetings. He will also be responsible for representing DormCon to the general MIT community and “making sure we’re all working together on issues that affect the broader community.” Nedzel said he hopes to continue to foster student involvement in DormCon, citing a retreat held in January for dormitory officers that resulted in a stronger par- ticipation in the spring. Martini said that the vice president fills a supportive role to the president and that she will be responsible for meeting with administra- tors and “keeping a lot of transparency in what’s going on.” She echoed Nedzel’s desire to keep students involved, saying that she hopes to “in- spire the people around me.” Also at Wednesday’s meeting, DormCon passed a revised set of procedures for its judicial committee, Nedzel said. The new proce- dures will address the ways in which Judcomm reports and is allowed “to hold hearings, conduct mediation, and report to folks in the MIT community.” He said that the changes had just been approved by MIT’s lawyers last week. Nedzel said that DormCon’s upcoming agenda includes planning for OMARI STEPHENS—THE TECH residence exploration and addressing security issues in the dormitories. Davide “Nosm” Perre (left), Hector “Nicer” Nazario (center), and Raoul “How” Perre (right) of Tats Cru finish up a mural in honor of the late James “Big Jimmy” Roberts, former night watch man for Dormitory Council Election Results the Senior House and East Campus dorms. The mural was created in the Stata Ampitheater on President David A. Nedzel ’07 Thursday, May 4. In addition to serving as a memorial for Big Jimmy, it is being used to spread Vice President Laura C. Martini ’08 publicity about the Big Jimmy Scholarship Fund. Treasurer Darragh Buckley ’07 Secretary Erin B. Munsell ’09 Junior Residence Exploration Chairs NEWS Allison M. Jacobs ’08, Hillary L. Nenow ’09, World & Nation. 2 Preeya S. Phadnis ’08, Ashley K. Turza ’08 A former MIT Professor is accused Housing Chair Jamie E. Rubin ’07 Opinion . 4 of staging his own shooting. Dining Chair Allison M. Jacobs ’08 Arts . 6 JudComm Chair Ian C. Smith ’07 Comics. 8 Risk Management Chair Christopher K. Hoffman ’08 Page 10 Student Group Liaison and Webmaster Estevan M. Martinez ’08 Sports . 16 SOURCE: HARVEY C. JONES ’06 Page 2 THE TECH May 5, 2006 WORLD & NATION Stronger Canadian Dollar Vice President Blasts Russia’s Is Hurting Some Exporters By Ian Austen THE NEW YORK TIMES Human Rights, Int’l Relations OTTAWA The Canadian dollar has risen to levels not seen since the 1970s, By Steven Lee Myers significantly more so in the months “There’s never a good time.” but that has brought little joy to J. Robert S. Prichard at Torstar, which THE NEW YORK TIMES ahead. Cheney’s remarks also previewed publishes romance novels and newspapers. MOSCOW The remarks were delivered in the what is shaping up as a tense meeting At this week’s annual meeting, Prichard, Torstar’s chief executive, Vice President Dick Cheney de- midst of an international confronta- between President Bush and President said earnings had been cut in half largely because of the exchange rate, livered Thursday the Bush adminis- tion over Iran’s nuclear programs, Vladimir V. Putin at a gathering of the which has hurt results at its export-dependent Harlequin Enterprises tration’s strongest rebuke of Russia where the United States has tried to Group of 8, the leading industrial- novel unit. to date. He said the Russian gov- enlist Russia’s help in putting pres- ized nations in St. Petersburg in July. After bottoming at 62 cents in 2002, Canada’s loonie — the popu- ernment “unfairly and improperly sure on or punishing Tehran. Cheney’s Some in Washington, notably Sen. lar name for the country’s $1 coin that features a loon — closed at 90 restricted” people’s rights and sug- criticisms would seem to complicate John McCain, have called on Bush cents to the U.S. dollar on Tuesday, a first since 1978. That may not be gested that it sought to undermine those efforts, but they could also re- to boycott the meeting as a signal of the end.