Eve Sullivan <annals@mit.edu> (original work, copyright of the author, Eve Sullivan) MIT: a new view WHAT IS MIT? It is a place of intellectual challenge and a community of about 20 thousand individuals -- practically a small city. WHO ARE WE? We are people from all walks of life: plumbers and philosophers, students, secretaries and shop stewards WHAT DO WE DO? We work together study together laugh together eat at the same tables (sometimes) worry, cry, hurt each others' feelings ignore and sometimes demean each other we love and hate each other and sometimes, often invisibly, we very seriously harm ourselves and each other. HOW DO WE HARM EACH OTHER? The worst harm we do is through dishonesty. There are little lies - Don't worry It doesn't matter Don't make such a big deal of it Little deceptions accumulate, like plaque in our emotional veins, and block our feelings to the point where we are telling ourselves and each other ever larger lies - Leave me alone I'll be ok WHY DO WE HARM EACH OTHER? The answer may be in the answer to the first question we posed. Let's go back. WHAT IS MIT? ...a place where we engage daily in intellectual challenge ...and intense competition. We gain a great deal from our battles and victories, in the laboratories and at our desks, with problem sets and with the greater problems they anticipate. But we may also lose, in the course of our struggles, a sense of intimacy and compassion among the members of our work groups and living groups. In the next few "snapshots" you will see Institute life and work as we want it to be -- and as it often is. Then we will look at the hidden side, at the unhappy pictures we often ignore or hide. After looking at both sides, the happy, successful, public reality, and the other, unhappy, private reality, we will present "MIT, a new view" that may serve to anticipate and perhaps avoid some of the unhappiness -- addictions and other harmful behaviors -- and some of the tragedies in our work and our lives here. The intellectual challenge that is the Institute Credo involves a process, often repeating: We may come to MIT as a new community (or to a new work group or new task at MIT) isolated and confused (graphic of several figures, standing apart from one another) We decide to become involved and concerned (graphic of two figures, one reaching out a hand to the other) We arrive at our goal inspired and confident (graphic of three figures, hands raised in celebration) HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN? Sometimes success comes: through luck, serendipity, hard work, good will, persistence, intelligence . . . . Any number of factors can play a role. But no success comes without some struggle. And the sad reality involves unhappy pictures we would rather ignore. Some individuals in our community continue to struggle with work problems or life problems. These individuals, our classmates, officemates, colleagues, remain isolated and confused, often despite the role they play in the happy public reality of accomplishment. These people may harm themselves and others. How can we create a recognize early warning signs of isolation and confusion in ourselves and others in our community? What can we do to counter the harmful behaviors, including substance and other addictions, that threaten the foundations of our community and its achievements? We need a new view of MIT. With a new vision of the Institute, we can begin to look for problems and challenges in the life of our community -- our emotional and interpersonal life -- with the same energy and dedication with which we engage the intellectual challenges of our work and study. But, WHY WORRY ABOUT EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS? After all, we have special people in our community whose paid job it is to help others with these problems. However, UNLESS WE ALL ACKNOWLEDGE THE VALUE OF ASKING FOR HELP and of expressing concern - this is also crucial - and unless we clearly articulate these new values, when any one of us needs help, and all of us do at some point, EACH MAY STRUGGLE ALONE, isolated and confused, and may fail. This new view of MIT places intellectual challenge in a context of constant dialogue between the individual and the community. HOW DO WE FRAME THIS DIALOGUE? WHAT DO WE SAY TO EACH OTHER? In this new view of MIT, we will ask each other three basic questions: What do you like about MIT? What troubles and challenges you at the Institute? What at MIT helps you meet and resolve the challenges you face? We can ask these questions on flyers, drop posters, and in surveys, Institute Colloquia, arts events, & contests through walk-in events (like IAP's "Charm School") in letters to alumni, parents, and retirees on video monitors and by e-mail in a pilot series of meetings spring 1995 in required department & residence meetings in cross-section meetings involving all levels of the Institute community. These three questions form the basis of an INTERVENTION @ MIT WHO WILL UNDERTAKE THIS INTERVENTION? Many participants, many links, will be needed for this chain of change, among these are: TAs, faculty, and postdocs . . . academic council . . . residence advisors & deans . . . safety . . . medical and social work . . . health education . . . unions . . . campus police . . . personnel . . . nightline . . . support staff working group . . . women's forum and women's league . . . chaplains . . . family & work council . . . family resource center . . . physical plant . . . planning . . . admissions & R/O . . . alumni . . . parents . . . special community services . . . mitac Representatives of these groups and other interested individuals will form an INTERVENTION COALITION. to organize activities like those mentioned above. What will the Intervention Coalition accomplish in the short term? Through discussions of the three agenda questions, participants in the intervention effort will work to: Increase Collegiality Improve Cooperation Interrupt Cheating Invite Charm Intensify Congeniality Irritate Complacency Invigorate Creativity and Instill a Capacity for positive change . . . . We're great, but we're not perfect! What will the Intervention Coalition accomplish in the long term? Individuals in the community will become more aware of the warning signs of serious problems. We will learn to notice early indications of abusive relationship academic dishonesty alcohol and other drug use compulsive spending eating disorders, sleep disorders obsessive work, compulsive sex depression and suicide. At MIT, a place of intellectual challenge, we are all students and all need to care for as well as learn from each other. We will do well to make these words part of the Institute culture: I am an important person in this world - Now is the most important time in my life - My mistakes are my best teachers - So I will be fearless. - Student Creed