Editorial

Items to Consider

Reports

A variety of important reports were released as this issue was going to press. These include the draft report from the Graduate Student Housing Working Group; the preliminary report of the Institute-Wide Task Force on the Future of MIT Education; the Town Gown Report to the City of Cambridge; and President Reif’s letter supporting the students behind Tidbit. We hope to address at least some of these in the next issue of the Faculty Newsletter. In addition, this issue includes an in depth interview with Chair of the MIT Corporation John Reed, a report from Faculty Chair Steve Hall on the December faculty meeting consideration of a motion to establish a Campus Planning Committee as a standing committee of the faculty, and an obituary of former MIT President Charles M. Vest. Faculty interested in commenting on the reports, interview, or article are welcome to submit a letter or article to the FNL.

Editorial Board Election

The Faculty Newsletter is directed by an Editorial Board whose members are directly elected by the faculty. The next election will be later this spring. We encourage readers to nominate colleagues who they believe will be effective advocates for the active role of the faculty in the academic life and governance of MIT. (Send nominations to fnl@mit.edu with a paragraph supporting the nomination.) The current Editorial Board will choose a subset as candidates for open Board seats. In putting forth candidates, we try to ensure that the Board has appropriate balance in terms of the various Schools of the Institute, in terms of gender and diversity, and that we have members with expertise or concern covering those issues that the faculty consider important.

Open Letter

In place of our regular editorial, we are publishing the open letter from Professor Hal Abelson, graduate student Nathan Matias, and Principle Research Scientist Ethan Zuckerman, supporting academic freedom, together with President Reif’s proposal that responds to the letter.

Editorial Subcommittee

Jonathan King
Ruth Perry
George Verghese
Patrick Winston

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