A $6,000 bill and inadequate coverage: How MIT health insurance fails graduate workers
Despite MIT’s extreme wealth, many of its graduate workers with chronic health needs do not receive affordable care with the currently-offered student insurance; moreover, relief funds meant to help with unexpected medical costs are poorly publicized and can be denied on arbitrary technicalities to the graduate workers who need them most.
Censorship and the Carlson Lecture from an alum’s perspective
The events around the invited Carlson Lecture and views of Professor Abbot demonstrate how censoring speech can result in an increase in publicity for hurtful views.
MIT must not cancel scientific presentations over societal pressure
We need to listen to the Abbots and Marinovics even if we don’t entirely agree with them. Let’s not do anything to limit or stifle scientific work and/or presentations.
With a union, graduate working conditions become an institutional priority
By taking decisive collective action and forming a union, graduate students are making our research and working conditions a priority for the vast resources of the Institute.
Why we do not need a graduate student union at MIT
MIT knows that we know best which issues are important to us and shares our goal of improving the holistic graduate student experience as much as possible within their financial constraints.
Some concerns about unionization from a graduate student
The prospects of unionizing are unclear, and the trade-offs to this point have been poorly defined by the GSU. This is not a free lunch, and, indeed, it is uncertain whether any manna is forthcoming.
Crossing the line
I want to instead focus on what I see as the more serious problem at hand that gives place for racist acts of this kind to manifest: borders.
The bikes are blue — and I am too
Bluebikes, if you are reading this, let me suggest a partial solution for you. Use the gig economy.
The issue with preaching kindness: a response to Institute-wide communications
We need to go beyond “deliberat[ing] how we treat each other” and internalize the urgency of our responsibility to address the foundational issues that allow incidents such as this to occur.
MIT Divest releases Climate Conscious Pledges
Despite taking these important steps, MIT has once again refused to include divestment or any other explicit action against fossil fuel companies in the CAP.
Palestinian academics share the tragic reality of life under occupation
Eleyan adds, “For a moment, I sat there thinking only of the other victims my age, who also had big dreams of the future. I wondered if I would be next.”
Free Palestine
I stand in solidarity with you. My heart longs for you. I know what it is to be oppressed.
Social innovation — a corporate revolution or lip service?
Flagships in technology, finance, and fossil fuel industries have all promised to join society’s struggle against climate change, racism, rising economic inequality, and social disparities.
MIT should require all students to be vaccinated against COVID-19 this fall
With a safe return to campus and the health of community members at stake, MIT should make a commitment to our wellbeing by requiring all students to be vaccinated in the fall.
#StopAsianHate: A call to action for the MIT community
For far too long, MIT has excused racism, fetishization, and anti-Asian sentiment within the Institute. We must begin to acknowledge that these issues cannot be divorced from our campus.
Towards a substantive and meaningful DEI strategic action plan
We ask, where do senior leadership see themselves in this plan, other than taking credit for its creation? And will that plan materially improve the lives of those at MIT whom this plan was supposed to serve?
Addressing academic inequity at MIT through grade transparency
Allowing students to know where they stand in their classes, where they may be going wrong, and how they can improve their performance is crucial to their learning process.
Breaking point
In the past year, it has become even more difficult to perform regularly in classes, due to the pandemic and the stress and grief surrounding the horrifying racial injustices we have seen against the Black and Asian communities.
MIT must bear the same burdens it is placing on its students
What are undergraduates, who normally rely on MIT’s summer housing to stay here and e.g. engage in UROPs, supposed to do in one of the most expensive cities in the world, a month and a half before the start of the summer?
Blurred vision
In reflection of MIT’s 160th birthday approaching this Saturday, I have been pondering what has become of the school founded by a slaveholder in 1861. Thus, I have been pondering this plan.