MIT
MIT Faculty Newsletter  
contents Vol. XXVII No. 1
September / October 2014

This issue of the Faculty Newsletter features commentary on the continuing issue of development plans for East Campus and Kendall Square with our editorial and an article by J. Meejin Yoon, Chair of the Department of Architecture. Faculty Chair Steve Hall offers "Issues for the Fall Term."

Spotlight
walking in snow
Redesigning Hayden Library and the Future of Library Spaces at MIT
Steven Gass and Jeffrey Ravel outline the MIT Libraries' plans for redesign and expansion.
How the Retirement Transition Could Be Made Easier at MIT
Nigel Wilson relates his experiences trying to become a professor emeritus at the Institute.
 
Editorial
East Campus Development Plans
Editorial Subcommittee
In mid-July the Provost sent out an update on the East Campus/Kendall Square development plan. The plan has definitely been improved from the original . . ..
Editorial
Vote for FNL Editorial Board Members
Editorial Subcommittee
Early this fall, all MIT faculty and emeritus faculty will receive an e-mail with a link to a ballot to vote to elect members of the MIT Faculty Newsletter Editorial Board.
How the Retirement Transition Could Be Made Easier at MIT
Nigel Wilson
On September 1, 2014, I officially retired from the faculty position I had occupied at MIT for the past 44 years, the latest step in a process which started in earnest . . .
Getting to Kendall Gateway Through the
East Campus Planning Process
J. Meejin Yoon
Over 18 months ago, when Professor Adele Santos, then Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning (SA+P), brought together an eclectic group of planning . . .
From the Faculty Chair
Issues for the Fall Term
Steven Hall
A new academic year has begun, and it’s always exciting to start a new year and meet new students.  In this column, I’d like to talk about a number of issues that . . .
In Memoriam
Charles "Chuck" Marstiller Vest
9 September 1941 – 12 December 2013
Robert J. Birgeneau
The first time that I saw Chuck Vest was in a large auditorium at MIT in the autumn of 1990 when Chuck and his wife, Becky, were being introduced to the MIT community.
In Memoriam
Professor of Computer Science Seth Teller
Jonathan King
One of the saddest events of the early summer was the unexpected death at 50 of our colleague Prof. Seth Teller of EECS, leaving behind his wife Rachel and their two . . .
Redesigning Hayden Library and the
Future of Library Spaces at MIT
Steven Gass, Jeffrey Ravel
“In the applications of technological process to intellectual expansion, there lies a natural field of leadership for MIT. Accordingly, the Hayden Library will provide a . . .
HEX Subjects: One Pathway Into the HASS Requirement
Diana Henderson
The pilot phase of the HASS Exploration (HEX) Program has now concluded and the Program has moved to a steady state, with these subjects being recommended to . . .
Improving Graduate Student Financial Literacy
Christine Ortiz, Heather Konar
Finances are a key aspect of graduate school, and graduate student debt and financial literacy is a topic of increasing discussion on the national stage.
Can We Make Smart = Nice?
Eve Odiorne Sullivan
MIT is known for taking on challenges and, using “inventional wisdom” – the phrase chosen for the Institute’s 150th anniversary in 2011 – to find solutions for difficult . . .
Request for Preliminary Proposals for
Innovative Curricular Projects
The Office of Faculty Support seeks preliminary proposals for faculty-led projects to enhance the educational experience of MIT undergraduates. Projects that . . .
Nominate a Colleague as a MacVicar Faculty Fellow
Provost Martin Schmidt is calling for nominations of faculty as 2015 MacVicar Faculty Fellows. The MacVicar Faculty Fellows Program recognizes MIT faculty who have . . .
Teaching this fall? You should know . . .
. . . the faculty regulates examinations and assignments for all subjects.
M.I.T. Numbers
from the Survey of Incoming Freshmen
   
MIT