Vice President and Secretary of the Corporation
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 that comprise Public Relations Services—Conference Services, Events, and Information Center; the MIT Home Page Team (formerly Web Communications Services); the News Office; the Publishing Services Bureau; and the Reference Publications Office—work independently but collaboratively. The Office of the Secretary of the Corporation supports the work of the Corporation and its committees.
Public Relations Services
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.
This year saw some major developments in how we present MIT to the world. A milestone in the work of the Publishing Services Bureau was the launch of an outstanding new graphic identity for the Institute. The News Office redesigned its flagship publication, Tech Talk, dramatically increasing the use of color and streamlining both the content and the feel of the paper. And the MIT Home Page Team completed its redesign of the MIT home page, maintaining its trademark simplicity while making a vast amount of information even more easily accessible. All three of these accomplishments reflected hard work by very talented project teams who combined careful listening with creative design.
Technology plays an increasingly important role throughout Public Relations Services—reflecting, of course, its transforming impact on MIT and on the larger society. Especially noteworthy this year was the development of new online tools and services to support community use of the new graphic identity. The Reference Publications Office continues to leverage its use of technology in delivering essential Institute publications in a cost-effective manner. The Home Page Team continues to enhance the functionality of the MIT home page and to work with other offices on strategic web communications.
June saw the end of an era when Kenneth D. Campbell, director of the News Office, retired after 17 years of dedicated service. Ken's extensive experience as a working journalist served him well as MIT's public spokesman and liaison with the press. As the year came to a close, a search for his successor was underway.
The Vice President and Secretary of the Corporation continues to convene monthly meetings of the Communications Operating Group, which works together on strategic communications initiatives, and of the Information Group, which offers opportunities for the exchange of ideas and information on issues regarding communications and public relations.
Conference Services, Events, and Information Center
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 that enhance MIT's role in the broader academic community.
Events and Information Center
Serving as an information and welcome point for visitors, the Information Center is increasingly a central information source for members of the MIT community. The staff assisted faulty and administrative staff with the registration of 625 departmental events. Additionally, the staff held training sessions for users of the online events calendar. Information Center staff also distributed over 45,000 pamphlets, brochures, maps, guides, and catalogues; answered and redirected thousands of telephone and in-person inquiries; and served as a clearinghouse for mail addressed simply to MIT.
Kathleen M. Barrett, Joseph P. Coen, and Lee A. Corbett staff the center.
Terri Priest Nash trained 45 guides who conducted tours for 18,198 visitors to the Institute, of whom 9,418 were prospective students and 1,455 were international visitors. The tour guide captain was Melissa A. Edoh '03.
The director managed the logistics of the dedication of the Albert and Barrie Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center and Simmons Hall; the memorial services for Walter A. Rosenblith and Walter L. Milne; the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies in May; and the celebration to honor Alex and Brit d'Arbeloff as Alex completed his service as chairman of the Corporation. Donald Ferland, assistant to the director, coordinated the arrangements for the Killian Award Lecture, delivered in March by Professor Ann M. Graybiel, and handled arrangements for recruitment presentations by companies and other organizations that visit MIT under the auspices of the Office of Career Services.
Commencement activities began on Sunday, June 8, with the Hooding Ceremony for 213 doctoral degree recipients. Chancellor Phillip L. Clay presided over this year's ceremony. The 137th Commencement Exercises were held on Monday, June 9, and featured an address by former US senator George J. Mitchell before 2,202 degree candidates and 10,000 families and guests.
Community Services
The Community Services Office (CSO) is responsible for enhancing the quality of life of MIT staff and faculty at the campus in Cambridge, at Lincoln Laboratory, and at affiliated off-campus locations. The CSO administered a variety of programs this year, including the MIT Quarter Century Club, the MIT Activities Committee, the MIT Community Giving Campaign, the Association of MIT Retirees, and the Ford/MIT Nobel Laureate Lecture Series.
The Quarter Century Club (QCC) includes over 3,100 members, with 147 new members inducted into the club this year. Working closely with the QCC board and its president, Professor Anthony French, the staff coordinated five major events that were attended by more than 1,200 members and guests. QCC also awarded nine retirees educational grants through its William R. Dickson Retiree Education Fund.
With leadership from co-conveners Karen Shaw and Regina Dugan (representing Lincoln Laboratory and the Cambridge campus, respectively), the MIT Activities Committee (MITAC) offered an increased number of events, programs, and services. MITAC organized nearly 200 cultural and recreational events for more than 6,500 participants and sold over 14,000 discounted event tickets. Total sales revenue for the year topped $301,000. Highlights included the celebration of the committee's 20th Anniversary, the Cinderella's Ball, and numerous well-attended campus noontime talks, walking tours, and lectures. To better understand customer needs and sales trends, MITAC implemented a two-month pilot program of Friday ticket sales at the Copy Tech location in Building 11.
CSO directed and oversaw the MIT Community Giving Campaign and served as the conduit between the MIT community and the President's Office, the campaign chair, and steering committee, as well as the MIT Community Services Fund, United Way of Massachusetts Bay, and other nonprofit health and human service organizations. The office also developed communications and trained and advised 120 department representatives. Professor Kenneth A. Smith returned in his second year as chair of the campaign. The 2002 Community Giving Campaign raised over $388,000, with more than 1,170 employees and retirees participating.
The Association of MIT Retirees is a nine-year-old organization with more than 750 paid members. During the year, members and guests enjoyed overnight and day trips, three regional lunches (south suburban, west suburban, and Florida), a first annual all-association get-together with 118 attendees, and an investment seminar with over 100 participants. The association published a quarterly newsletter and a biannual membership listing. Retiree E. Jane Griffin serves as the cochair and the volunteer Steering Committee includes 12 retirees.
This year, CSO also coordinated and promoted the fifth lecture of the Ford/MIT Nobel Laureate Lecture Series: "Global Environmental Issues: Effects on the Atmosphere and the Biosphere" by Nobel Prize winners Eric Chivian (Peace, 1985) and Mario J. Molina (Chemistry, 1995).
CSO staff includes Ted Johnson, associate director of the Information Center and director of Community Services, Diane B. Tavitian, Betty Jo Bolivar, and Traci Swartz. Linda S. Olson joined the Community Services staff working with the MITAC Program.
Conference Services
The Conference Services staff manages the logistical coordination and registration services for conferences and meetings sponsored by MIT faculty and staff. In 2003, the office coordinated 25 events that brought nearly 10,000 conferees to the campus. These events included the Sixth International Conference on Quantum Communication Measurement and Computing, the International Conference on Atomic Physics, the 100th Anniversary Celebration of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, the Second MIT Conference on Computational Fluid and Solid Mechanics, and Soil and Rock 2003.
The office again offered logistical support to the Campus Preview Weekend, the MIT Vendor Fair, the Senior Congressional Staff Seminar, and four conferences for the Industrial Liaison Program. The staff includes manager of Conference Services Cathi D.Levine, Marie E. Seamon, Joy M. Studley, and Eva M. Cabone. Jennifer Myers joined the office in December.
MIT Home Page Team
Responsible for the official MIT web site at http://web.mit.edu, the MIT Home Page Team contributes to the Institute's overall communications agenda and provides leadership in MIT's strategic use of the web. This year the team redesigned and launched a dynamic web site, launched a real-time interactive campus map, selected and published engaging spotlights each day, and developed an official list of research topics by which to categorize the Institute's laboratories and centers.
The Home Page Team has a joint reporting relationship to Information Services and Technology as well as Public Relations Services, reflecting the importance of the web to MIT's communications capabilities as both a technology and a medium.
Home Page Redesign
The team redesigned the MIT home page and 275 second-level pages to showcase more of the ways in which members of the Institute community are changing the world and to communicate the MIT identity more strongly.
The Institute home page provides entry to over one million pages including news, information and services. The new home pages communicate key MIT messages and make it easier for users find information about the Institute. The new design relies on a custom-built content management system.
The thought-provoking headlines and images of the home page spotlights have continued to receive praise inside and outside MIT. Each day during the past year the team published nine different spotlights on the top-level and second-level pages. The team also answered over 5,000 questions about the Institute that were sent via the home page.
Campus Map
An updated version of the online campus map, accessible from the MIT home page, offers many features to the community and to visitors. It provides an easy way to locate over 400 labs, departments, centers, and groups, listed with their corresponding buildings. Users can find any specific location on a map or aerial photo and get directions to the Institute.
Map mages are served in real time from the official maps maintained by the Department of Facilities. These maps are backed by geographic information systems (GIS) data, resulting in a more accurate mapping system.
The map is available at http://whereis.mit.edu or via the map link on the MIT home page.
Access to Areas of Research
Prior to April 1, 2003, the Research page provided only an alphabetical listing of MIT's many laboratories and centers. The new Research page retains the option of an alphabetical listing, but an additional listing by topical area greatly enhances the page's usefulness. For example, when a user selects "computer sciences" the site will display a listing of about 50 departments, laboratories, centers, and research groups that do research with a focus on computer science.
The new topical categories were developed in close consultation with the associate provost and vice president for research. The goal is to aid visitors who are browsing to identify easily groups that carry out research in a particular area, and other groups working in related fields. Laboratories meeting very specific criteria can be located by using MIT's search engines.
Strategic Communications
The MIT Home Page Team provides strategic consultation on web technology and communications for a variety of Institute-wide projects, publishing key web sites at the Institute level and ensuring the integration of information across MIT web sites. The Home Page Team works closely with the News Office on upcoming stories and features and is also responsible for the web component of the Institute's Emergency Communications.
This year, the Home Page Team helped plan and conduct communication seminars for the Institute community and organized monthly meetings of the MIT Web Publishers.
In the coming year, the Home Page Team will focus on integrating the News Office web site with the top MIT home pages; improving the search capabilities on the MIT web site; and continuing to lead, facilitate, and support Institute efforts to harness the evolving capabilities of the web as an interactive medium for communications, work processes, teaching, and research.
News Office
This was a busy year on campus and in the News Office. It included one major development in the way MIT news reaches the community: in February, the News Office launched a redesigned Tech Talk. The new format uses color on four of its eight pages, features shorter stories and more graphics, and includes a back-page calendar of upcoming events.
Notable stories highlighted the ongoing revitalization of the physical campus, innovations in research and education, awards and honors to members of the MIT community, the contributions of MIT and its people to national service and public debate, and transitions in the life of the Institute.
The academic year began with the opening of three of the buildings that are transforming the architecture of the MIT campus. Simmons Hall, designed by Steven Holl with Perry Dean Rogers and Partners, was an immediate hit with architecture critics around the world. With its two pools and modern fitness equipment, the Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center, by Kevin Roche, John Dinkeloo & Associates, and Sasaki Associates, delighted the campus. And the new graduate student residence at 70 Pacific Street, by Steffian Bradley Associates, won the admiration of its 700 residents for its community-oriented spaces and facilities. Construction began in the spring on the brain and cognitive sciences project, with facilities for the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, the McGovern Institute for Brain Research, and the Picower Center for Learning and Memory.
Many stories on science and technology at MIT received widespread media attention, including the successful development by MIT and Australian researchers of a vaccine against malaria in mice, with enormous implications for human health; work on the processing of number concepts by monkeys; the discovery that confidential information may lurk on discarded computers even after their hard drives have been "erased"; the creation of tools to allow people to "touch" each other at long distance; and the development by engineers from MIT and the University of California of a "smart surface" that can reversibly switch properties (from water-attracting to water-repelling) in response to an external stimulus. In the humanities, the story that got the most attention was about Tod Machover's Toy Symphony, enabling children to compose music that they can play on special instruments. Also, MIT OpenCourseWare launched its pilot group of 32 MIT courses—open to the world via the internet—to widespread global acclaim.
In October—two years early—the Campaign for MIT reached its $1.5-billion goal, and the year closed with a $100-million gift from Eli and Edythe L. Broad to establish the Broad Institute to fulfill the genome's promise to revolutionize medicine.
Professor H. Robert Horvitz shared the Nobel Prize for his discoveries about genetic regulation of organ development and programmed cell death. Other professors recognized for their work included biologist Angelika Amon, who won the Alan T.Waterman Award from the National Science Foundation; physicists Alan Guth and Frank Wilczek, who received the Dirac Medal and the Lorentz Medal, respectively, from the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences; and computer scientist Ronald L. Rivest, who won the A. W. Turing Award from the Association for Computing Machinery. National magazines hailed a number of members of the MIT faculty as being among the nation's top scientists and engineers.
MIT's tradition of national service continued: President George W. Bush nominated Professor Daniel E. Hastings to serve as one of the 20 directors of the National Science Foundation, while Institute Professor Sheila E. Widnall was named to the national board investigating the Columbia shuttle disaster.
MIT also made major contributions to a number of public debates involving higher education and research. With President Vest's leadership, the Institute played a major role in developing an influential coalition of universities and businesses to support the University Michigan in Supreme Court litigation regarding affirmative action in admissions. President Vest himself continued to speak out on issues of national importance; in his annual report, he argued forcefully that even in dangerous times openness in research and education would best serve the nation's interest. Dean of admissions Marilee Jones, in a widely cited opinion piece, urged parents not to become overly involved in the college admissions process of their children. And, in a major collaborative effort, MIT and seven other research universities demonstrated their crucial importance to the regional economy. "Greater Boston's eight research universities," said the report, "are the region's special advantage: an enduring and stable economic engine, constantly changing and developing as new knowledge is gained and new technologies and industries are created."
Milestones on campus included the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Sloan School, whose birthday party was launched by alumnus Kofi Annan, secretary general of the United Nations. Alexander d'Arbeloff stepped down as chairman of the MIT Corporation, to be succeeded by Dana G. Mead.
The News Office staff includes Denise Brehm, Darren Clarke, Kristen M. Collins, Donna M. Coveney, Myles P. Crowley, Lisa Damtoft, Patti Foley, Deborah Halber, Mary Anne Hansen, Patti Richards, Robert J. Sales, Elizabeth A. Thomson, Alice C. Waugh, and Sarah H. Wright.
More information about the MIT News Office can be found on the web at http://web.mit.edu/news/.
Publishing Services Bureau
The mission of the Publishing Services Bureau is to act as a coordinated channel for publishing activities across the Institute, applying the principles of strategic planning, technological awareness, supplier consolidation, vendor partnership, cost savings, excellence in design and editorial content, continuous learning, and customer satisfaction. In addition to advising MIT publishers on a vast array of communications projects, PSB launched three significant tools for the MIT community in 2003: the MIT graphic identity program, the MIT online business paper ordering system, and a new PSB web site. These new tools enable PSB to more readily support members of the community in fulfilling this mission.
Publishing Projects and Partnerships
PSB coordinated over 1,100 jobs, assisting MIT academic and administrative offices with publication planning and vendor selection, as well as advising on design, production, printing, and web publishing. PSB continues its partnership with Web Communications Services, assisting MIT publishers in planning nearly 50 electronic publishing projects this year. PSB clients purchased $1.3 million in print services in fiscal year 2003, with an additional $2 million channeled directly to MIT/PSB preferred print partners. In addition, $1.2 million in creative services was managed through PSB. Invitation packages, event posters, departmental and program brochures and websites were created by 29 preferred web and print design partners and 19 preferred print partners.
The PSB procurement staff processed, facilitated, and advised on the issuance of purchase orders and contracts for $50.1 million in creative, print, and web services on behalf of MIT publishers. Trends in creative purchases at MIT over the past four years show a dramatic increase in web publishing. While web design purchases increased from $768,000 in fiscal year 2000 to $2.9 million in fiscal year 2003, the number of print jobs remained steady; however, they demonstrated a decrease in expense from $14 million in fiscal year 2000 down to $8.9 million in fiscal year 2003. Publishers have continued to produce print materials at lower quantities, and are maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of their communications by directing readers to online publications for the most current information.
Much of PSB's work is collaborative in nature. The partnership with the Home Page Team provides "one-stop shopping" for MIT customers for coordinated print and web design and implementation. MIT offices and departments continued to provide challenging opportunities to explore new technology solutions to meet the more complex expectations of the online experience. In these endeavors, PSB and the Home Page Team collaborated with MIT offices including the IS Usability Team, Academic Media Production Services, and the IS Web Survey Team. In the year ahead, PSB and the Home Page Team will continue to evaluate opportunities for collaboration among MIT offices providing related services in order to ease the navigation of these services by MIT publishers.
Online Publishing Resources at the PSB Web Site
The launch of a new PSB web site brings to MIT publishers a wealth of tips and tools to support their planning of print and electronic publications, from establishing schedules to examining proofs. Both new and experienced communications staff can browse the featured case studies and explore a kit of publishing resources including templates, forms, and an MIT photo library. The images are available for use in any MIT publication for a nominal fee that supports the growth of the library.
MIT Graphic Identity System and Electronic Catalog
When PSB opened its doors six years ago, we observed a core challenge facing MIT staff: how to represent MIT in communications from business papers to brochures to web sites. The absence of an established graphic identity resulted in staff spending many hours and expense creating their own solutions with mixed results. In surveys informing the creation of PSB, the MIT community expressed the need for a consistent graphic identity to ease the creation of publications. Senior officers affirmed this need, and set the goal for PSB to lead the effort to create a graphic identity system. To accomplish this goal, PSB explored MIT's culture and communications needs and, with the guidance of key MIT sponsors and advisors, created a graphic identity system to support MIT staff in publishing efficiently and effectively.
In April 2003, PSB launched the new graphic identity system for MIT, promoting the use of a consistent, well-designed mark to identify the Institute in internal and external communications and reflect the professionalism and excellence that exemplify MIT. With the guidance of sponsors Kathryn A. Willmore, William J. Mitchell, and John R. Curry, as well as a team of advisors representing various MIT constituents, PSB's Timothy E. Blackburn designed the logo in collaboration with type designer Matthew Carter, designer of such well-known fonts as Verdana and ITC Galliard. The new logo now appears on official stationery, shuttle buses, web sites, and print publications across the Institute and is making its way out into the world.
PSB has built the graphic identity system using incentives and education to inspire participation. Tools developed to assist publishers in integrating the new logo into their communications include:
- Online style guide: the guide provides easy access to logo files for print and electronic publishing formats, as well as guidelines for use for both design vendors and MIT publishers. The innovative "logo lab" walks site visitors through an interactive tool to propose the optimal color and format of the logo for web publishing.
- Stationery and Power Point templates: from the style guide site, staff can download professionally designed templates for stationery and PowerPoint presentations featuring the new logo.
- Online business paper ordering system: in support of the new identity system, PSB collaborated with IS to investigate and develop an online system allowing members of the community to order stationery through an electronic catalog (ECAT). This provides access to the new identity while providing a cost-effective and efficient way for MIT offices and departments to order business papers right from their desktop. Using a web interface, MIT staff choose from three official MIT stationery, #10 envelope, and business card designs, produced on 100-percent recycled MIT bond, saving an average of 20 to 40 percent in printing costs. The paperless system provides direct connection with SAP for requisition of funds, electronic invoicing, and payment. After a thorough evaluation of online solutions, the ECAT contract was awarded to Minuteman Press of Cambridge, offering the print solution in collaboration with Printable's online catalog system.
- Training sessions: the identity and ECAT teams conduct monthly Quick Start demonstrations of the ECAT system and the online style guide.
The launch of the new graphic identity system was announced to the Institute in a Tech Talk article and MIT home page spotlight, as well as through presentations to various Institute groups. The awareness-building campaign will continue this fall with a postcard mailing to the campus directing members of the community to the tools and online resources. PSB advisors will support MIT publishers by advising them on the integration of the new identity into communications campaigns and with subidentities of department offices, labs, and centers.
The system of tools developed to support MIT communicators in using the new logo will save MIT significant cost in staff hours and vendor expenses. And just months after the launch, the New England chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts recognized MIT's new logo with a Best of New England design award from a field of 800 entries.
Personnel
PSB welcomed four new staff members in 2003: publishing advisor Emer Garland in January, and publishing specialist Tania Schlatter, publishing design specialist Cheryl Slowik, and senior staff assistant Kirsten Baumgartner in February.
More information about the Publishing Services Bureau can be found on the web at http://web.mit.edu/psb/.
Reference Publications Office
The Reference Publications Office (RPO) works in concert with academic and administrative offices across campus to provide the MIT community with accurate and authoritative information about the Institute's programs and policies.
Within Public Relations Services, RPO also works to develop and demonstrate up-to-date publishing procedures, standards, and technologies for MIT publishers. In the past year, RPO initiatives have included the adoption of standards-compliant XHTML coding on all its web sites, the cost-effective publication of MIT's Reports to the President on CD, and discovery of a viable content management system for small to mid-size academic publishers.
In the fall of 2002, RPO hired Jennifer E. Schoonover as a half-time editorial assistant following a search led by publications manager Jennifer Fletcher. Jen's arrival made it possible for RPO to take on an additional role as publisher of MIT Facts, a successful handbook that had originated in Resource Development's Office of Communications and Donor Relations.
Auspiciously, the 2003 edition of MIT Facts, prepared by RPO, went to press at the end of December and was distributed in January. The first printing of 11,500 copies was exhausted within a month, due to increased demand. When the unit cost of a second printing proved prohibitive to the offices requesting additional copies, RPO began to plan the addition of a print-on-demand capability beginning with the 2004 edition.
A wide-ranging program initiated the previous year to improve the accuracy and readability of MIT's reference publications made good progress in 2002–2003 with enhancements to the information design of several publications:
- Following the redesign of the Reports to the President web site, the text design of the print edition was updated, and a photo-enhanced cover design was provided for the first time. Documentary photos were also solicited from report authors, appearing in the online edition as well as in the first edition of the Reports to be published on CD. The usefulness of both electronic editions was further enhanced by the provision of a full-text search function, giving readers the ability to find all occurrences of any word or phrase throughout the entire volume.
- Following a content reorganization in 2002—and an extensive overhaul of its web site—the MIT course catalogue was redesigned, and its editorial style updated, in 2003. Beginning with the course catalogue for 2003-2004, MIT Course numbers will be represented with Arabic numerals only, and academic degrees will be abbreviated without the use of periods.
- In the spring of 2003, the Summer Session catalogue was edited and extensively redesigned, both in print and on the web.
- In 2002, the MIT telephone directories were produced using a desktop publishing program (InDesign) for the first time, allowing some refinements to be added to the text design. In addition, a new Quick Reference section was placed at the front of the book, and the pages detailing MIT's administrative organization were removed from the back of the book. Those pages now reside on the MIT Organization Charts web site.
Further changes to the publishing technologies used to produce the telephone directories were postponed following the demise of the project intended to rebuild RPO's FileMaker database and equip it with an online interface for updating directory information for MIT offices and programs. When RPO's FileMaker consultants proved unable to fulfill their contract, RPO decided to pursue a different approach to online content management.
Chartering an inter-office discovery project, RPO benefited from the input of team members representing the Publishing Services Bureau, Web Communications Services, Information Systems, and Human Resources. In its report, the discovery team defined RPO's business and functional requirements and succeeded in identifying a product that would meet those requirements. By consensus, the choice was Engenda, a content management system developed by Red Bridge Interactive.
Licensed at the close of FY2003, the Engenda implementation is expected to provide the main focus of RPO's activities next year. This XML-based system will facilitate the production of all RPO publications to one degree or another, as well as enable further improvements in their information design and effectiveness.
More information about the Reference Publications Office can be found on the web at http://web.mit.edu/referencepubs/.
Office of the Secretary of the Corporation
The Secretary of the Corporation is one of the Institute's four corporate officers, with responsibility for administering 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 31 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 as joint signatory with the President in the awarding of academic degrees.
Corporation Meetings
Orientation Program and Annual Meeting
On October 3, 2002, an orientation program was held at Gray House 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 4, 2002, seven new members, four reelected members, and two new life members were introduced to the membership. 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. Visiting committee reports were presented for the Departments of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, and Physics, and for the Biological Engineering Division. At the invitation of the president, Professor Robert S. Langer of the Department of Chemical Engineering, recipient of the 2002 Charles Stark Draper Prize from the National Academy of Engineering and the James R. Killian Award for Faculty Achievement, made a presentation on his work in medical drug delivery technology. Corporation members approved the annual report of the president, and heard additional reports presented by the president and by A. Neil Pappalardo, chair of the Auditing Committee, and Allan S. Bufferd, treasurer. Barbara G. Stowe, vice president for resource development, and Raymond S. Stata, chair of the capital campaign, presented an update of the campaign's progress.
Following the meeting, Corporation members joined their guests and members of the MIT community at the luncheon and celebratory events marking the dedication of the Al and Barrie Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center, and of Simmons Hall, MIT's newest undergraduate residence hall, named for Corporation life member Richard P. Simmons and his family.
December Meeting
At the meeting on December 6, 2002, the Corporation approved a new graduate degree program in engineering systems and heard reports from President Vest; Chairman Alexander V. d'Arbeloff, chair of the Membership Committee; Homayoun Hatami, chair of the Corporation Joint Advisory Committee on Institute-Wide Affairs; and James A. Champy, chair of the Search Committee for a new Corporation chair. Visiting committee reports were presented for the Departments of Biology, Mathematics, and Civil and Environmental Engineering, and for Music and Theater Arts and the Engineering Systems Division. Professor Ann M. Graybiel of the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, a noted neuroscientist and 2002 winner of the National Medal of Science, discussed her work in the neurophysiology of the basal ganglia. At the conclusion of the meeting, Corporation members and their guests attended a luncheon at the Faculty Club, to which members of the Academic Council were invited.
March Meeting
At the quarterly meeting on March 7, 2003, the Corporation approved the recommendation of the Executive Committee to elect Dana G. Mead to succeed Alex d'Arbeloff as the chair of the Corporation, effective July 1, 2003. Other actions at the meeting included the approval of the February degree list and presentation, discussion, and acceptance of visiting committee reports for the Departments of Chemistry, Economics, and Ocean Engineering, and for the Sloan School of Management. Additional reports were presented by the president; by the chair of the Membership Committee; by Matthew J. Turner, chair of the Screening Committee for the Nomination of Recent Graduates; and by Mr. Turner on behalf of the absent Homayoun Hatami for the Corporation Joint Advisory Committee on Institute-Wide Affairs. A special feature of the meeting was the presentation by professor of biology H. Robert Horvitz, MIT's newest Nobel laureate, on the research that led to his receiving the Nobel Prize. The Corporation formally recognized Professor Horvitz's accomplishments by presenting him with a congratulatory resolution.
Following the meeting, members of the Corporation and their spouses and guests attended a reception and luncheon at the Faculty Club, where they were joined by new and current MacVicar Faculty Fellows and members of the family of the late Professor Margaret A. MacVicar, for whom the fellowships are named.
Commencement Meeting
The final quarterly meeting of the academic year was held on June 9, 2003, prior to Commencement Exercises at which the speaker was George J. Mitchell, former United States senator from Maine. At the meeting, the members accepted memorial resolutions honoring Cecil H. Green, a member of the Class of 1923 and at 102 the oldest member of the Corporation, whose death in April ended a lifetime of association with the Institute. MIT benefited in countless ways from the extraordinary generosity and vision of Mr. Green and his wife, the late Ida Mabelle (Flansburgh) Green. Corporation members also approved the action of the president in the awarding of June degrees and elected new members of the Corporation, new life members, and members of the Executive, Development, and Membership Committees. The Corporation heard remarks on the transfer of Alex d'Arbeloff to life member emeritus, and resolutions were read to honor four members completing their terms of service on the Corporation. In addition, members heard reports from the president, from the outgoing chair of the Faculty, Professor Stephen C. Graves, and from the chairs of the Screening Committee and three visiting committees: Political Science, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, and Architecture. Corporation members then took part in the academic procession to Killian Court for Commencement Exercises, for which Michael M. Koerner (Class of 1949), served as Corporation marshal. A reception and luncheon followed for Corporation members and their guests, as well as officials and guests of the Commencement Committee.
Corporation Membership
Completed service, effective January 1, 2003: Ex officio member Jane M. Swift, acting governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Ex officio member, effective January 1, 2003: Mitt Romney, governor, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Completed service, effective June 30, 2003: Norman R. Augustine, Glen V. Dorflinger, John W. Jarve, Leslie Tang Schilling, Matthew J. Turner.
Elected to a five-year term, effective July 1, 2003: Gerald J. Burnett, Sudeb C. Dalai, Lawrence K. Fish, Claude L. Gerstle, Henry J. McKinnell, Jr., Gregory A. Moore, Arthur J. Samberg, Theresa M. Stone, Anthony Sun.
Elected for two years to fill an unexpired term, effective July 1, 2003: David D. Ho.
Elected for one year to fill an unexpired term, effective July 1, 2003: Robert B. Millard.
Elected life member, effective July 1, 2003: Edie N. Goldenberg, Robert M. Metcalfe, Kenan E. Sahin.
Ex officio member for a one-year term, effective July 1, 2003: Paula J. Olsiewski, 2003-2004 president of the Association of Alumni and Alumnae of MIT.
Transferred to life member emeritus: Alexander V. d'Arbeloff (June 2003).
Death: Cecil H. Green (April 12, 2003).
Corporation Committees
Advisory Committee on Shareholder Responsibility
The Advisory Committee on Shareholder Responsibility did not meet as a group in 2002–2003. 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.
Auditing Committee
Meetings of the Auditing Committee were held on October 3, 2002, March 6, 2003, and June 8, 2003. In attendance were Auditing Committee members, representatives from PricewaterhouseCoopers, personnel from the MIT Audit Division, various members of the MIT financial staff, and invited members of the MIT administration.
The October meeting included a report from executive vice president John R. Curry, the treasurer, and controller James L. Morgan on the fiscal year 2002 financial statements and the Institute's gifts and investments. John Mattie of PricewaterhouseCoopers presented its report, which contained an unqualified opinion on the financial statements; Mr. Mattie also presented comments for Institute management addressing control issues in administrative and financial structure, accountability and resources, and project management. Institute auditor Deborah L. Fisher reported on internal audit activities. Reports on recent regulation and legislation were presented to the committee, as well as an update on an internal project to review recovery of service costs. The committee unanimously approved management's recommendation to appoint the firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers as auditors for fiscal 2003.
The March meeting began with a summary report by Ms. Fisher and her associates of the Internal Audit Division's work for calendar year 2002, and a presentation of the internal audit plan for calendar year 2003. A report on quarterly financial results for the second fiscal quarter was provided and reviewed. Mr. Morgan comprehensively reviewed insurance coverages by type and carrier, and special reports on salary expense growth and the current status of the Media Lab's finances were provided at the Committee's request.
The June meeting included a presentation by Ms. Fisher of the practices of MIT and certain peers in relation to the requirements of legislation passed in 2002 pertaining to public companies (the "Sarbanes-Oxley Act"). The financial results for the third quarter and updates on regulatory matters and the status of work in the Internal Audit Division were provided for the committee's review. Provost Robert A. Brown described the plan for formation of the Eli and Edythe L. Broad Institute, to be effective on November 1, 2003.
Corporation Joint Advisory Committee on Institute-Wide Affairs
The Corporation Joint Advisory Committee on Institute-Wide Affairs (CJAC) held meetings during the year in conjunction with the meetings of the Corporation in October, December, and March. Discussions focused on student concerns with respect to tightened immigration regulations resulting from the events of September 11, 2001, and in light of the imminent war in Iraq; the recruitment of minority students and the Supreme Court cases relating to affirmative action and admissions policies at the University of Michigan; and on the ongoing issues of student housing and freshman orientation.
Dinners held on campus—in Baker House and in Simmons Hall—followed each of the CJAC meetings, to bring Corporation members together with students and faculty for informal conversation. The October meeting, held at the Faculty Club jointly with that of the Screening Committee, also focused on the process of nomination and election to the Corporation. The chair of CJAC, Homayoun Hatami, and Matthew J. Turner, who acted in Mr. Hatami's absence, presented reports of the committee's activities to the Corporation at the December and March meetings.
Corporation Development Committee
Activities of the Corporation Development Committee are covered in the annual report of the vice president for resource development, in the section on the Office of Individual Giving.
Executive Committee
During 2002–2003, the Executive Committee held ten meetings, devoting substantial attention to issues of budget and financial planning and the management and enhancement of the Institute's resources. Its agenda also included developments in interdisciplinary education and research, student recruitment and admissions and financial aid policies, student life, campus planning, external relations, and the sponsorship of research.
Investment Committee
The Investment Committee held three regularly scheduled meetings during fiscal year 2003 under the leadership of Michael M. Koerner, a member of the committee for many years who has chaired the committee since July 1, 2001.
The Wellington Management Company of Boston remained the primary investment manager and advisor for publicly traded domestic securities, an appointment it has held for more than twenty years. The Institute continued its program, managed by other investment management firms, of equity investments in smaller capitalization companies and of investments in international equities. The program for domestic and international alternative investments was further expanded during the past year, especially in hedge strategies focused on distressed debt. The alternative investments are managed through pooled investment funds by a diverse group of managers. These investments include the areas of private equity, non-Cambridge real estate, event arbitrage, and distressed debt.
Membership Committee
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.
Corporation Screening Committee for Nomination of Recent Graduates
The Screening Committee for Nomination of Recent Graduates, in collaboration with CJAC, held a joint dinner meeting for students on October 3, 2002, in part to explain the nomination and election process for membership on the Corporation. The committee met via two teleconferences, in January and February 2003, to review all nominee applications. From a group of 54 candidates, the committee selected seven for the ballot. The nomination process was conducted under the auspices of the Alumni Association using an electronic ballot over the Internet. Sudeb C. Dalai (Class of 2001) received the nomination and was elected in June to serve a five-year term on the Corporation.
Corporation Visiting Committees
During the academic year 2002–2003, fourteen Corporation visiting committees convened for regular two-day meetings: Architecture, Biology, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Economics, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Engineering Systems Division, Libraries, Music and Theater Arts, Ocean Engineering, Physics, and Political Science. In addition, the Visiting Committee for the Sloan School of Management convened in a one-day interim-year session.
In 2002–2003, the Institute's 31 visiting committees were composed of 437 persons filling 560 membership positions: 65 Corporation members filled 164 slots; 204 presidential nominees filled 210 slots; and 181 alumni nominees filled 186 slots. Nine people filled both a presidential nominee slot and an alumni nominee slot. Of these nine, two also filled one additional alumni slot.
Women made up 24 percent of visiting committee membership, up from 21 percent last year, while minorities comprised 16 percent, a decrease of 1 percent from last year. Thirty-seven percent of the members were affiliated with academia, 53 percent with business and industry, 5 percent with government and law, and 5 percent with other organizations, including nonprofit enterprises.
Office Activities and Personnel
In addition to maintaining a busy Corporation and visiting committee calendar over the course of the academic year, two additional projects received considerable attention. Susan A. Lester, associate secretary of the Corporation, participated in the planning and development of the renovation of the Vannevar Bush Room in 10-105, the location most frequently used for visiting committee meetings. It is expected that the room will be completed and available for use by mid-September 2003. In addition, a major project was begun in June 2003 to cull, sort, and transfer Corporation meeting materials and related documents to the Institute Archives.
Melanie A. McCue continued to coordinate the meetings and other associated responsibilities of the visiting committee process in an efficient and enthusiastic manner, while also assuming greater responsibility for accounting and computer liaison. Michelle D. Hinkle transferred to the Office of the Associate Provost for the Arts in July 2002, after a successful four years of competent and efficient service to the members of the Corporation. Jayda A. Sauer joined the office to serve in that role for six months in the summer and fall of 2002. In January 2003, Jacqueline A. Gaston joined the Corporation Office as a full-time administrative assistant primarily focused on maintaining relations with members of the Corporation and coordinating the details of its meetings.
More information about the MIT Corporation can be found on the web at http://web.mit.edu/corporation/.