MIT Reports to the President 1999–2000
The Vice President and Secretary of the Corporation is responsible for relations and communications with internal and external constituencies and is the key interface between MIT’s administration and trustees (the members of the MIT Corporation). The offices reporting to the Vice President and Secretary of the Corporation–working independently but collaboratively–comprise Public Relations Services: the Communications Office; Conference Services, Events, and Information Center; the News Office; the Publishing Services Bureau; and Web Communications Services. In addition, the Office of the Secretary of the Corporation supports the work of the Corporation and its committees.
The offices within Public Relations Services (PRS) support the mission of the Institute by enhancing public understanding of MIT and of higher education and research more generally and by supporting the community life of the Institute through communications and special events. The academic year 1999—2000 was eventful for the Institute and for Public Relations Services on all these fronts.
Staff in PRS continued developing and implementing strategies to strengthen and make more consistent communications for internal and external audiences. Priorities include graphics, branding, and institutional identity; enhancing understanding of institutional priorities and initiatives within the MIT community; improving the experience of visitors to campus, including prospective students; enhancing public support for higher education and research; and providing for the Institute-wide coordination of major activities and special events. To provide ongoing opportunities for the exchange of ideas and information on such issues, the Vice President and Secretary of the Corporation convenes monthly meetings of the Communications Operating Group and the Information Group.
In recognition of the increasing importance of the World Wide Web to internal and external communications, Web Communications Services (WCS, formerly Campus-Wide Information Systems) began to report jointly to PRS as well as to Information Systems. This new relationship formalizes the already close collaborations between WCS and other PRS offices, particularly its neighbors in E28, the Communications Office and Publishing Services Bureau (PSB).
This year, the Institute sponsored two special events that brought faculty, students, and staff together in community celebration–the Millennium Ball at the close of Independent Activities Period and the third running of the Johnson Games in April. Staff from across PRS were central to the planning and implementation of both events. This year saw changes in schedule and logistics intended to keep Commencement events running smoothly despite growing numbers of students and guests.
As the year came to an end, Bruce M. Bernstein, who has directed PSB from its inception, announced that he would leave the Institute to pursue an exciting opportunity in the private sector. His energy and vision have contributed greatly to the successful establishment of PSB, and he will be much missed by friends and colleagues across campus. He will be succeeded as Director by PSB colleague Monica Lee.
Kathryn A. Willmore
The Communications Office publishes and distributes official reference information on MIT’s educational, research, and administrative policies and programs that is current, accurate, and accessible, in both print and electronic versions. In collaboration with the Publishing Services Bureau (PSB) and Web Communications Services (WCS), the Office advises and assists the MIT community with communications planning and policies.
Among the key accomplishments for the year were the following:
In addition, staff member Lori Weldon served on the Enhanced Voice Directory System team to install NameConnector, a voice activated, telephone auto attendant that serves as a backup to the MIT telephone operators during regular business hours and becomes the primary response outside of regular business hours.
This year, Director Barrie Gleason devoted one-quarter of her time to planning communications with the Graduate Students Office (GSO), and next year will be "on loan" to the Graduate Students Office for three-quarters of her time. The goal of this work is to develop a set of consistent, integrated messages that present a coherent view of graduate education at the Institute. The project involves working with departments throughout the Institute, and as such, provides opportunities to develop collaborative leadership models and a greater sense of common purpose among the various graduate programs. This work will also assist PSB and WCS in the design of a suite of services for future communications planning efforts within the MIT community.
Future plans for the Office include the following:
In August 1999, the Communications Office welcomed Jennifer Fletcher to the team as Publications Manager. She brings a wealth of publishing experience from her previous work in the Office of the Registrar at Harvard University.
More information about the Communications Office can be found at http://web.mit.edu/communications/.
Barrie Gleason
The mission of the Center is to meet the information needs of the MIT community, visitors to the campus, and the public; to promote a sense of community within MIT; and to support conferences and events which enhance MIT’s role in the broader academic community.
The Center continued to serve as an information and welcome point for visitors, as well as a central information source for members of the MIT community. Staff in the Center distributed over 31,000 pamphlets, brochures, maps, guides and catalogues; answered and directed to other offices thousands of telephone and in-person inquiries; and served as a clearinghouse for mail addressed simply to MIT. Head guide for the campus tours was Melissa Edoh ’02. Terri Priest Nash trained 32 guides who conducted tours for 16,691 visitors, of whom 6,513 were prospective students, 2,058 were international visitors and the remaining general visitors. Terri also arranged short-term visits, which brought an additional 360 guests to campus, primarily from other countries.
Donald Ferland, Assistant to the Director, handled the arrangements for nearly 300 recruitment presentations by companies and other organizations that visit MIT under the auspices of the Office of Career Services and Preprofessional Advising.
The Director coordinated the logistics of the Millennium Ball in January, the Johnson Games 2000 in May, a retirement gathering for Dr. Arnold N. Weinberg, MIT’s Medical Director since 1985, and the Institute’s Annual Retirement Dinner in June.
Commencement activities began with the Hooding Ceremony for 400 doctoral degree recipients, held in Rockwell Cage the afternoon of 1 June. Chancellor Lawrence S. Bacow presided over this year’s ceremony. The 134th Commencement Exercises, held on Friday, 2 June, featured an address by alumna Carleton "Carly" S. Fiorina, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hewlett-Packard Co.
The office of Conference Services manages the logistical arrangements for conferences and meetings sponsored by MIT faculty and staff. This past year, the Office coordinated 30 events, which brought more than 10,000 guests to campus. These events included, among others, the 24th International Herpes Virus Conference, the Interpreting Aalto Conference, the Siemens/Westinghouse Science and Technology Competition, the ILP Research Directors Annual Conference, and the Massachusetts State Special Olympics Summer Games.
The center, under the direction of Gayle Gallagher, includes Donald Ferland, Assistant to the Director; Kathleen Barrett and Lee Corbett for information dissemination and visitor services; and Terri Priest Nash, Coordinator of Special Visits. The Conference Services staff is managed by Cathi Di Iulio Levine and includes Marie Seamon, Joy Hubbard, and Eva Cabone. Jeannie Lauricella continues to provide assistance on many fronts in the center. Last fall the center was pleased to welcome Joseph Coen, who is assisting with event coordination and visitor services.
Gayle M. Gallagher
The mission of the News Office is to achieve the highest level of public interest in MIT by finding and reporting newsworthy stories and photographs about MIT and its people; to encourage and assist reporters to develop their own stories here; to publish the official weekly newspaper, Tech Talk, the MIT News web site, and the monthly MIT Research Digest; to monitor internal and external developments that might bring favorable or unfavorable public attention; and to handle them with integrity in the best interests of the Institute.
During the year, the News Office published 151 news releases, more than 200 photographs, 33 issues of Tech Talk, and 10 issues of MIT Research Digest. The MIT News web page featured 222 articles and news releases as news briefs.
Top Stories
Fiscal Year 1999—2000 was full of notable events:
MIT research and other activities were the subject of thousands of articles and television or radio broadcasts over the year. During just one two-week period in October, there were 510 articles about the Institute in 143 media outlets. The Sahin and McGovern commitments generated the year’s most extensive television coverage.
Thematically, of MIT’s 151 news releases, 34 concerned applications of science and technology that are critical to society; 30 involved scientific discoveries; 27 involved excellence or the recognition of excellence; 14 involved the MIT and Cambridge community; seven involved fund-raising; six illustrated the Institute’s tradition of hands-on learning; five concerned matters of racial or gender diversity; five concerned international collaborations; and 15 involved campus problems and the resolution of problems, including the tragic deaths of three students on campus.
Discoveries in biology and space science which were widely publicized included evidence that learned behaviors change the brain; that the part of the brain used for hearing can also learn to see; that an anti-aging gene’s function may be tied to metabolism; the discovery of the closest black hole, only 1,600 light years away; and that the view inside Mars reveals rapid cooling and buried channels. Scientific and engineering applications that inspired wide coverage included an ultrasound technique that could eventually replace the drawing of blood via needles; the use of Star Wars’ technology to treat breast cancer; non-invasive methods for early cancer diagnosis; advances in engineering heart tissue; a comprehensive assessment of the Kyoto Protocol on the environment; a scale to assess Earth-asteroid close encounters; the use of simple ocean measurements to predict hurricane intensity; new drugs for treating HIV; advances in the MIT plasmatron that may allow cars to operate on alternate fuels; and a robot that helps stroke victims recover.
On the Sunday before Commencement, the Boston Globe Magazine published a very positive 5,000-word article on Charles M. Vest’s ten years as president of MIT.
The noted European photographer George Steinmetz took an outstanding series of photographs of MIT during a visit arranged by the News Office. The photos were the focus of an extraordinary 30-page spread in the German magazine Geo and became the focus for similar coverage in Italy and in the Financial Times of London.
The News Office began putting more emphasis on the web as a vehicle to get news quickly to the MIT community. The content of the MIT News site changes about three to four times a week, and the contents of Tech Talk appears on the web simultaneously with its print publication on Wednesday.
Since December, all News Office photography has been in color. Tech Talk and the Research Digest publish in black and white, but this change greatly enhances publication of News Office stories on the web.
The full-time News Office staff are Denise Brehm, staff writer and assistant editor of Tech Talk; Donna M. Coveney, assistant director/photojournalist; Myles P. Crowley, administrative assistant; Lisa Damtoft, editorial and graphics assistant; Patricia M. Foley, senior office assistant/receptionist; Deborah Halber, science writer; Mary Anne Hansen, administrative secretary; Robert J. Sales, associate director; Elizabeth A. Thomson, assistant director for science and engineering; Alice C. Waugh, assistant director and editor of MIT Tech Talk; and Sarah H. Wright, senior writer. We received part-time help from students throughout the year for the Hometown Bureau and related database work and filing. During the summer, Cambridge student Myra Zuleta worked with us. During the school year, we were aided by seniors Lia Rodriguez and Ricci Rivera, both biology majors.
More information about the News Office can be found at http://web.mit.edu/news/.
Kenneth D. Campbell
The mission of the Publishing Services Bureau (PSB) is to act as a single coordinated channel for publishing activities across the Institute, applying the principles of supplier consolidation, strategic planning, technological awareness, cost savings, excellence in design, continuous learning, and customer satisfaction.
PSB continues its productive partnership with the Communications Office and Web Communications Services (WCS), which leads to the exchange of ideas and information about related business processes and aligned planning activities, providing seamless support interface for MIT customers in the area of electronic publishing and strategic print planning. Our office space provides an inviting professional environment for the combined staff to serve the needs of the MIT publishing community. Shared meeting space draws vendors and members of the MIT community for small and large group discussions regarding unique projects as well as publishing topics of broader interest.
PSB/WCS coordinated over 1,000 jobs, from publication planning and vendor selection to design, production, and printing. With the help of its database, PSB tracked all aspects of publishing activities for jobs passing through the bureau, creating a baseline for the analysis of design, production schedules, and printing costs as well as an archived job history.
Approximately $1.2 million was processed in print in fiscal year 2000 with an additional $1.9 million dollars channeled directly to MIT/PSB interim print partners. Jointly, PSB and WCS managed $664,000 in creative services, of which nearly $300,000 was for website design.
Throughout the year, PSB worked with 15 interim print partners, testing supplier consolidation assumptions and modeling best practice behaviors. Grid pricing was established for the production of letterhead and envelopes. PSB/WCS also developed partnerships with over 20 print and web design groups.
Strategic alliance with WCS produced "one-stop shopping" for MIT customers for coordinated print and web design and implementation. PSB has coordinated over 60 electronic publishing projects with WCS and continues to collaborate on variations of the main MIT home page.
Collaboration with the Communications Office has led to a relationship in which PSB plays a role as both a broker and a partner. In addition to advising Communications on their own publishing projects, both organizations have joined together to model and advise on effective publishing processes. Ongoing efforts include planning communication strategies for Student Services, the Graduate Students Office, and the Admissions Office.
PSB works with other campus partners–including CopyTech, Mail Services, and Document Services–to promote their services and establish smoother lines of communication and workflow.
Building on efforts in recent years to establish equity in MIT’s institutional identity system, PSB began to develop an identity system that will reflect the Institute’s mission and values while facilitating the operational handling of MIT’s communications. Developments this year included focus groups with a number of Institute constituencies, the development of test templates for business papers, and preliminary sketches for graphic marks.
Future plans for the Bureau include the following:
In the early spring, Marc Mancuso, senior staff assistant, left PSB to pursue his studies at the Museum School in Boston; at the beginning of the summer, VictorJosé Santana took a position as an art coordinator with the Chelsea Leadership Program at Roca. PSB welcomed to the staff Maryann Czerepak, procurement broker; Bara Blender, print/electronic broker; John Kramer, print/design broker; and Ayoka Drake, senior staff assistant.
More information about PSB can be found at http://web.mit.edu/psb/.
Bruce Bernstein
Conveying MIT’s message effectively to the world now requires a clear under-standing of both the technological and communications potential of the web. This year marked the consolidation of a strategic alliance between Information Systems and Public Relations Services (PRS). The group formerly called Campus Wide Information Systems (CWIS), part of Information Systems, changed its name to Web Communication Services (WCS); Suzana Lisanti, director of web communications and team leader, now reports jointly to Information Systems and PRS.
WCS publishes the official MIT web site (http://web.mit.edu/) and consults to the MIT community on strategic use of the web, interactive environments, best practices in web communications, information mapping, and web publishing technology.
Together, this past year WCS and the Publishing Services Bureau (PSB) coordinated over 60 web projects, from publication planning and vendor selection to design, production, and integration with the greater MIT web site. Web site development worth $300,000 were managed through WCS and the PSB joint partnership. We collaborated with the Communications Office and the PSB on the MIT Organization Chart and created web templates for MIT's senior officers.
The WCS help desk answered 3,600 email queries to the official MIT site this past year and an additional 2,500 help-desk queries from the MIT community, helping clients manage their own web sites.
Increasingly, Web Communications consultation extends beyond individual web sites to participation in departmental and institutional planning efforts as well as assistance in the hiring process for web-related positions.
WCS publishes the official MIT web site and supports an MIT web presence comprising one million pages. This year the home page spotlighted 274 changing headlines, many accompanied by changing graphics that continue to receive praise from the viewers. We successfully negotiated for the URL http://www.mit.edu/ and achieved the goal of having it display the official MIT home page.
WCS facilitated the integration of information on the MIT web site, working to ensure the accuracy and completeness of Institute information available on the web, including the quality and professionalism of its presentation. WCS continued to define guidelines for effective use of the web at MIT, including usability, graphics, and accessibility guidelines.
This year, we began evaluating the MIT home page, gathering information for a redesign of the site that will promote the MIT identity, provide users with a greater ability to find MIT information, enhance services and processes at MIT with web-based applications, and make better use of content to showcase MIT's strengths.
WCS conducted monthly meetings of the MIT Web Publishers group, and provided additional classes on specialized topics such as web access reporting and advanced search engine classes. WCS wrote numerous articles on web publishing for the Information Systems newsletter.
Suzana Lisanti presented a paper on "Web Portals" at the Common Solutions conference at Stanford University, and Jag Patel presented a paper on "MIT's Web Publishing Infrastructure" at the Large Installation System
Administration conference in Seattle. Three members of the team serve as freshman advisors.
WCS researched and advocated for Institute-wide web services such as a global search engine, web-based surveys, secure credit card processing, and an Institute events calendar along with colleagues from Information Systems and the PSB. We investigated HTML publishing tools and selected Macromedia Dreamweaver for the MIT community, acquiring a volume license for free distribution inside MIT.
Future plans include the following:
Joanne Costello joined Web Communication Services, and will focus on guidelines for the MIT web site and in providing web site consulting and design brokering to MIT clients.
More information about WCS can be found at http://web.mit.edu/services.html.
Suzana Lisanti
One of the Institute’s four corporate officers, the Secretary of the Corporation is responsible for overseeing the operations of the Corporation, MIT’s board of trustees, including membership and standing committees, and, through the Office of the Secretary of the Corporation, quarterly meetings of the board, and 30 Corporation visiting committees that conduct biennial reviews of the Institute's academic and research programs. The Secretary also serves as secretary of the Executive and Membership Committees, Recording Officer of the Corporation, and joint signatory with the President in the awarding of academic degrees.
On September 30, 1999, an orientation program was held for new members of the Corporation. In the evening, new members and their spouses and guests were joined by members of the Executive, Membership, and Auditing Committees for a reception and dinner.
At the annual meeting on October 1, 1999, the Corporation approved the action of the President in the awarding of September degrees, and, as part of the report of the Membership Committee, voted to approve the list of nominated members of the visiting committees and seven new visiting committee chairs. Members heard reports from the President, the Treasurer, and the Vice President for Resource Development, and from the chairs of the Auditing Committee and three visiting committees. Memorial Resolutions on Life Member Emeritus J. Kenneth Jamieson were also presented to the membership.
At the meeting on December 3, 1999, the Corporation heard reports from the President and the chairs of the Membership Committee and five visiting committees. Members also heard Remarks on the transfer of Life Member Frank Press to Life Member Emeritus.
At the next quarterly meeting on March 3, 2000, the Corporation heard Remarks on the transfer of Edward E. David, Jr. to Life Member Emeritus, and approved the action of the President in the awarding of February degrees. Reports were presented by the President, the President of the Association of Alumni and Alumnae of MIT, and by the chairs of the Corporation Joint Advisory Committee on Institute-Wide Affairs, Membership Committee, Screening Committee, and three visiting committees. At the Corporation luncheon, CJAC chair Elisabeth A. Stock led a discussion that focused on impressions of the dinner held the previous evening, which was designed to foster interaction between Corporation members and students in an informal setting.
The final quarterly meeting of the academic year was held on June 2, 2000, prior to Commencement exercises, at which the speaker was Carleton "Carly" S. Fiorina, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hewlett Packard Company. At the meeting, the Corporation approved the action of the President in the awarding of June degrees, and approved three new degree programs. The Corporation elected new Corporation members, members of the standing committees and committees of annual recurrence, chairs of the visiting committees, and members of the Corporation Development Committee. Resolutions were read to honor five members completing their terms of service on the Corporation. Remarks on the transfer to Life Member Emeritus/a were read for Life Members James A. Levitan ’45 and Emily V. Wade ’45. Members heard reports from the President and the chairs of the Membership Committee, Screening Committee, and three visiting committees. Corporation members participated in the academic procession to Killian Court for Commencement exercises, for which Emily V. Wade ’45 served as Corporation Marshal.
Completed service effective June 30, 2000: George N. Butzow, John M. Hennessy, Mark E. Lundstrom, Antonia D. Schuman, R. Gary Schweikhardt.
Resigned from the Corporation effective June 30, 2000: Gerhard H. Schulmeyer.
Retired from office effective August 31, 1999: Herbert P. Wilkins, Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Elected to a five-year term effective July 1, 2000: Dedric A. Carter, John K. Castle, Arthur Gelb, Barbara A. Gilchrest, Brian G. R. Hughes, James A. Lash, Linda C. Sharpe, John A. Thain.
Elected to complete two unexpired terms effective July 1, 2000: Gordon M. Binder, John A. Thain.
Elected Life Member effective July 1, 2000: Judy C. Lewent, A. Neil Pappalardo.
Ex officio Member for a one-year term effective July 1, 2000: Paul Rudovsky, 2000—2001 President of the Association of Alumni and Alumnae of MIT.
Ex officio Member effective September 1, 1999: Margaret H. Marshall, Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Transferred to Life Member Emeritus: Frank Press (December 1999); Edward E. David, Jr. (January 2000); James A. Levitan (March 2000); Emily V. Wade (May 2000).
Death: J. Kenneth Jamieson (September 26, 1999).
The Advisory Committee on Shareholder Responsibility did not meet as a group in 1999—2000. The Treasurer monitors votes in accordance with guidelines previously established by the Committee and is charged with convening the Committee if new issues arise during the year.
Meetings of the Auditing Committee were held on September 30, 1999 and March 2, 2000. In attendance were the Auditing Committee members, representatives from PricewaterhouseCoopers, personnel from the MIT Audit Division, various MIT financial staff and certain invited members of the MIT administration.
The fall meeting included a presentation on the financial statements for Fiscal Year 1999, a report from the Institute’s internal auditors, and a discussion about the management letter from PricewaterhouseCoopers. A major focus of the meeting was a complete update on the detailed plans to avoid any material failures or disruptions as a result of Y2K issues.
The spring meeting included a presentation on PricewaterhouseCoopers audit plans for Fiscal Year 2000, a report on the successful results of the Y2K effort, and an update on compliance to various government regulations. Deborah L. Fisher was introduced as the new Institute Auditor and head of the MIT Audit Division.
The Corporation Joint Advisory Committee on Institute-Wide Affairs (CJAC) held three meetings during the year. Discussions focused on issues of concern that were submitted by student members, including the need for improved graduate advising; increased diversity among graduate students; and greater opportunities for expanding the social side of student life at MIT. Dinners in student residences to bring Corporation members closer to the students in their own environment were begun by CJAC this year, culminating with a meeting and dinner in Baker House. In setting an example to foster community, faculty will be invited to future CJAC dinners. One meeting, held jointly with the Screening Committee, also focused on the process of nomination and election to the Corporation. The chair, Elisabeth A. Stock, presented a report of CJAC’s activities to the Corporation at the March meeting.
Activities of the Corporation Development Committee are covered in the annual report of the Vice President for Resource Development, under the Office of Individual Giving.
The Executive Committee held ten meetings during the past year. As in 1998—99, there was substantial discussion of budget processes, financial planning, and the management and enhancement of the Institute’s resources. Other topics on the Committee’s agenda included undergraduate education and student life; student recruitment and admissions and financial aid policies; the physical development of the campus; and the governmental, industrial, and international sponsorship of programs of instruction and research.
The Investment Committee held three regularly scheduled meetings during Fiscal Year 2000 under the chairmanship of Samuel W. Bodman.
The Wellington Management Company of Boston remained the primary investment manager and advisor for publicly traded securities, both domestic and international. The Institute maintained the program, managed by four other investment management firms, of equity investments in smaller capitalization companies and through two other investment management firms of investments in international equities. The program for domestic and international alternative investments to publicly traded securities was continued. These alternative investments including venture capital, private capital, real estate, event arbitrage, and distressed debt are typically managed by several investment managers through pooled investment funds.
The Membership Committee held three meetings during the academic year to discuss matters concerning membership on the Corporation, and nominations to various Corporation standing committees and committees of annual recurrence.
The Corporation Screening Committee for Nomination of Recent Graduates, in collaboration with CJAC, held a joint dinner meeting for students on September 30, 1999, in part to explain the nomination and election process for membership on the Corporation. The committee met via two teleconferences in January and February 2000 to review all nominees. From a group of 75 candidates, the committee selected eleven for the ballot. Mr. Dedric A. Carter ’98 received the nomination and was elected in June to serve a five-year term on the Corporation.
Fifteen Corporation Visiting Committees convened for regular two-day meetings during the academic year 1999—2000: Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation; Bioengineering and Environmental Health; Dean of Students and Undergraduate Education; Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; Humanities; Linguistics and Philosophy; Materials Science and Engineering; Mathematics; Mechanical Engineering; Media Laboratory and Media Arts and Sciences; Nuclear Engineering; Sloan School of Management; Sponsored Research; Urban Studies and Planning; Whitaker College. In addition, a special one-day meeting was held for the visiting committee for the Engineering Systems Division.
In 1999—2000, the Institute’s 30 visiting committees were comprised of 413 persons and 536 membership positions: 66 Corporation members filled 165 slots; 191 presidential nominees filled 200 slots; 166 alumni nominees filled 171 slots. (Ten people each filled both a presidential nominee slot and an alumni nominee slot.)
Women comprised 24 percent of the visiting committee membership, and minorities 18 percent; 54 percent of the members were affiliated with corporations, 44 percent with academia, 8 percent with government and foundations, and 2 percent with other organizations.
The preparation of A Planning Guide for the Corporation Visiting Committees; an historical database update project, and the development of the Corporation Office web page were some of the additional activities accomplished this year by the staff of the Corporation Office under the effective direction of Susan A. Lester, Associate Secretary of the Corporation, in addition to the ongoing management responsibility for the quarterly meetings of the Corporation and the 16 visiting committees that convened in 1999—2000. Del Ray Cross left the Corporation Office in May to relocate to San Francisco. Michelle D. Hinkle continues to provide highly competent assistance in support of the Office and the members of the Corporation.
Kathryn Willmore
MIT Reports to the President 1999–2000