A preview of DSL's spring agenda [Graduate Students]
tl;dr: Take time for your well-being this winter; Grad Family Support Working Group; Easily accessing career planning tools, support resources, shuttles; Student space and housing; Whole Foods gift cards and TechMart; Important policies; Friday office hours 11:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Dear students,
Welcome back to campus! If this is your first term at MIT, I extend a special welcome on behalf of Chancellor Cynthia Barnhart and Vice Chancellor Ian Waitz. Our teams—the Chancellor’s Office, the Office of the Vice Chancellor (OVC), and the Division of Student Life (DSL)—work very closely with students to ensure that your MIT experience is the best it can be.
I am writing to preview some of DSL’s spring priorities (click here to see DSL’s longer-range plans, including initiatives focused on graduate students) and to share resources that can help you navigate MIT. I also want to invite you to DSL deans’ open office hours every Friday from 11:30 am – 12:30 pm in 4-110. Please come by for a snack, visit with therapy dog Addie, and let us know what’s on your mind. We are here for you and all MIT students.
Staying Healthy in Mind, Body, & Spirit
The days are currently short and cold, but staying active in mind, body, and spirit can make even the harshest New England winter go more smoothly. One of my favorite weekly events is Mondays in the Chapel, which bills itself as “A time of reflection and inspiration bridging the sacred and secular.” I’ve enjoyed attending a number of these events, and encourage you to visit or learn more about The Office of Religious, Spiritual, and Ethical Life’s programs, its weekly services, and the more than 20 chaplains and 40 affiliated student groups. All are welcome.
Also, the connection between physical activity and mental and emotional well-being is well known. Our Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation offers so many ways to get moving—club sports, intramurals, and our award-winning recreation programs and facilities—so please, take a break for yourself and your well-being soon.
Supporting Graduate Student Families
As part of a larger effort aimed at enhancing the graduate student experience, DSL is partnering with OVC on the recently launched Graduate Family Support Working Group. Students, faculty, and staff are examining current policies and resources for graduate student families. The group will benchmark our approach against other institutions and seek input from the graduate community. Though we have made great strides, there are areas where we can do better. Watch the group’s website for information on upcoming events where you can give input—we want to hear from you!
Accessing Graduate Student Resources
Do you have MIT Mobile (known simply as “the MIT app”) on your phone? If not, I encourage you to download it now (for iOS or Android). It’s a great tool for navigating MIT, and now also for finding support. The new student support button in the bottom-right of the screen makes it easier for you to connect with a wide range of resources that can help with physical and mental well-being, food security, and more.
Among the groups listed on the app is the Accessing Resources at MIT (ARM) Coalition. As it says on their website, “Life as a student can be expensive,” and this student-faculty-staff collaboration has created guidance and resource directories for all students, as well as information for faculty and staff on how to help students in need.
Thanks in part to great rider feedback, the Boston East fixed-route SafeRide shuttle will operate until 1 am during the academic year, continuing the schedule piloted in the fall. The Parking & Transportation Office also extended Tech shuttle service to 11 pm, which should help community members access the Theater Arts building (W97) on Vassar Street more easily. The shuttle team is addressing more student concerns. For example, enhancements to shuttle information on the MIT app will provide more accurate route timing predictions as well as real-time shuttle alerts. Soon you will also see new shuttle-stop signage that clearly identifies stop locations and shuttle services for that stop. Lastly, you can now reach the shuttle team with issues or questions at 617-253-1440 or at shuttles@mit.edu. Please also see the MIT shuttles page for more details as MIT continues to enhance transportation services.
Focusing on Career Development
DSL and the Graduate Student Council (GSC) want you to know about a number of great resources for planning your next steps beyond MIT. Explore postgraduate options, career search, and other professional development activities through OVC’s Career Advising and Professional Development Office. Connect with alumni who offer career advice, insight, and guidance through the Alumni Advisor Hub. Lastly, check out the GSC Academics, Research, and Career Committee’s professional and personal development resources such as career panel discussions, skills workshops, and exploration grants. The GSC leadership team is doing great work in this area, so please take advantage of these offerings.
Enhancing Graduate Housing & Student Spaces
Site 4 in Kendall Square is really taking shape! This new graduate community will provide 450 units for single graduate students and students with families. Both Site 4 and the 450-bed New Vassar Street Residence Hall for undergraduates are on schedule to open in fall 2020.
DSL continues to work closely with the members of the Graduate Housing Implementation Team to institute many of the recommendations from last year’s Graduate Housing Working Group report, such as some popular housing pilot programs started this fall. The group is also looking to shorten the time between requesting housing and receiving confirmation of an assignment. Details will be announced this spring as housing system and process changes are finalized and implemented.
If you’ve been to the Student Center recently, you may have seen signs about the fifth-floor Athena cluster renovation. One of our goals is to improve student spaces across campus, and I’m excited to share plans for this new study space, which was first envisioned by IS&T in 2015 and reinvigorated by the Committee on Student Life in 2018. When completed, it will better reflect the way students work and study now, with soft furniture, a number of collaboration spaces, and lots of natural light. Until the space opens later this spring, we added printers to the Coffeehouse Lounge and are making it available for all students to use (access with a valid MIT ID). And if you’re looking for the color printer, it has been moved to the first floor of the Student Center next to the copier by the stairs.
We are planning improvements to other areas of the Student Center. There is new furniture and some upcoming aesthetic enhancements in common spaces, and a team of staff and students from the GSC and Undergraduate Association will help us imagine the next evolution of Lobdell Food Court. Watch for more Student Center updates throughout the semester. Visit the DSL website for additional information on student space enhancement projects across campus.
Dining & Food
Chancellor Barnhart and I heard from a number of students that it would be great if dining dollars were valid at local grocery stores. Implementing such a program takes time, but right now you can purchase Whole Foods gift cards using dining dollars. Visit the TechCash website to get started (certificates required). We hope that the gift cards and shuttle updates will make grocery shopping easier.
Students have told us that they love the TechMart at-cost grocery store in Walker Memorial, and we are looking for more ways to enhance the shopping experience (please email foodstuff@mit.edu or fill out a comment card in the store). While there, you can also grab a bite to eat or coffee at Rebecca’s Café, which hosts and operates TechMart. The store—like the SwipeShare program—derived from the Food Insecurity Solutions Working Group’s work, and we are looking to implement more of their ideas this semester and in the future. Click here for more information.
Speaking of SwipeShare, the program has really taken off since its introduction in fall 2017. So far this year, we have received more than 3,000 swipe donations from 600 meal plan subscribers and helped almost 400 students. Thank you all for making SwipeShare such a success!
Understanding Key Policies
The Mind and Hand Book contains important information about policies intended to help you stay safe and healthy; please familiarize yourself with these policies:
- MIT’s Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act statement, which includes the Institute’s policy, potential sanctions, health risks, and resources available for the prevention of illegal drug use and alcohol abuse;
- The Good Samaritan Amnesty Policy, which protects students and student organizations that seek help in medical emergencies involving alcohol and prohibited substances;
- The federal Title IX law and MIT's sexual misconduct policy and Title IX resources, which address sexual misconduct prevention and response;
- The Massachusetts state law on hazing and MIT's own anti-hazing rules, which contribute to a positive student life experience; and
- MIT Police's Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, which outlines important information about campus safety, crime prevention, and ways the MIT Police can support community members.
I hope to see you soon at DSL dean’s office hours in 4-110. Best wishes for a healthy, happy, and productive spring,
Suzy M. Nelson
Vice President and Dean for Student Life