MIT
MIT Faculty Newsletter  
contents Vol. XVII No. 1
September/October 2004

This issue features an editorial on the need for affirming freedom of expression at the Institute, articles on the work of the CUP and the new Task Force on the Undergraduate Educational Commons, and a piece on benefit changes for faculty upon retirement.

Spotlight
Construction at MIT. Credit: MIT Museum.
The Management of the MIT Endowment
Treasurer Allan S. Bufferd details the workings of the MIT Endowment.
Preliminary Position of the Faculty Policy Committee on Faculty Governance
Faculty Chair Rafael Bras presents the position of the FPC on revising our faculty governance structure.
 
Welcome Aboard President-elect Hockfield!
We are excited and hopeful over the arrival of a new president at MIT. Your experience at other universities and your knowledge of the biomedical sciences bring . . .
The Management of the MIT Endowment
Allan S. Bufferd
We have prepared this article in response to a request for comments on the management of the MIT Endowment. With the increased importance . . .
Editorial
Affirming Freedom of Expression at MIT
The events of 9/11 and the environment generated in response to 9/11, in particular the passage of the Patriot Act and the expansion of Homeland Security apparatus . . .
Teaching this fall? You should know . . .
the faculty regulates examination and assignment for all subjects.
From the Faculty Chair
Preliminary Position of the Faculty Policy Committee
on Faculty Governance
Rafael L. Bras
Last spring the Faculty Policy Committee (FPC) started to codify some concrete ideas to improve faculty governance. Nobody considers the system as broken . . .
Teach Talk
Developing Musical Structures: A Reflective Practicuum
Jeanne S. Bamberger
Over the years I have taught the music fundamentals course subscribing to the usual rule-based music theory practice. But recently, out of a sense of dissatisfaction . . .
Work of the Committee on the Undergraduate Program, 2003 – 2004
J. Mark Schuster
The Committee on the Undergraduate Program (CUP) oversees the undergraduate academic program, particularly the freshman year and interdepartmental programs.
Task Force on the Undergraduate Educational Commons
Robert J. Silbey
It is necessary, from time to time, for a great university like MIT to take stock of its undergraduate educational programs from a fundamental perspective.
Some Reflections on Aspects of the
Undergraduate Education Policy
James B. Orlin
Recently, I have been giving more than my usual amount of thought to some aspects of undergraduate policy, in part because of issues that have arisen in teaching . . .
Benefit Changes for Faculty Upon Retirement
Shawn Foley
You will be an MIT retiree if, when you leave the Institute, you are age 55 or older, and have completed 10 years of MIT Retirement Plan eligible service after age 45.
Short Takes
Judges from the UCDA Annual Design Competition have chosen the redesigned MIT Faculty Newsletter to appear in the 2004 Design Show.
Establishing Leadership in the Emerging Field
of Engineering Systems
Daniel Hastings, Daniel Roos
In December 1998, the School of Engineering established a second new division, the Engineering Systems Division (ESD), which focuses on the engineering of . . .
MIT Poetry
Concerto for Erhu and Subway
Tunney Lee
Erhu. A two-stringed, vertical fiddle introduced into China from Mongolia in the Song dynasty, 960-1279.
Spaces, Software, and Services – Supporting Educational Innovation and Sustainability with Technology
Vijay Kumar
Academic Computing, part of MIT's Information Services & Technology (IS&T) organization, is committed to supporting faculty in creating innovative uses . . .
Web Accessibility: What Faculty Should Know
Kathleen Cahill, Edward Barrett
As increasing numbers of course materials migrate from paper to the Web, the issue of equal access for all becomes more than just a trite saying.
OpenCourseWare Update
What Was it Like Working with OCW?
Mary P. Rowe
In 1985, I could not find a course anywhere that linked negotiation theory with conflicts within the workplace. So I set out to apply the theories of my Sloan colleague . . .
   
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