The GSC will be holding a General Council Meeting on
      Wednesday, January 12th at
      5:30pm, in the
      GSC Office (50-220)

The primary purpose of this meeting will be to vote on pending legislation and introduce new items that will be voted on in February.If you are a GSC Representative and cannot attend, please submit a proxy.

» Legislation to be voted on or introduced at this meeting
» More information: contact gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu

• $25 per ticket (students and guests)
• Ticket sales:
  • GSC Office (50-220) from 2 - 5 pm or
  • call ahead for other times (x 3-2195)

Temperatures are falling and so is the snow up North! It's once again time to register for the annual GSC Ski Trip.

• January 28-30, 2005 (2 nights and 3 days)
• Smuggler's Notch, VT
• $180 for all attendees

The trip usually sells out in a couple days, so register soon.

» Find out more and register for the trip
» More information: contact gsc-skitrip[at]mit[dot]edu

The GSC's December General Council Meeting will be held on
      Wednesday, December 1st at
      5:30pm, in the
      GSC Office (50-220)

» Agenda for the meeting

If you are a GSC Representative and cannot attend, please submit a proxy.
» More information: contact gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu

The Student Advisory Board to MIT's 16th President has been meeting regularly to discuss what information needs to be conveyed to President-elect Hockfield from the student perspective. We would like to hear what you think! Please let us know what you would like to communicate to MIT's 16th President.

» Provide input to and find out more about the Student Advisory Board
» More information: contact sab-chairs[at]mit[dot]edu

See the Boston Ballet production of "The Nutcracker". This classic story has become an annual Holiday tradition.

• Tickets available for performances on December 2nd and 8th, 7:30pm, Colonial Theatre
• Price of tickets:
  • $35 for MIT graduate students
  • $39 for a guest (maximum 1 guest allowed)

To purchase tickets, come to the GSC Office (50-220) during the ticket sales hours: weekdays from 2pm to 5pm beginning Friday, Nov. 19.

» The story of "The Nutcracker"
» More information: contact gsc-ac[at]mit[dot]edu

The Graduate Student Survey includes many questions that were composed by the GSC, as part of its advising initiative, to assess the current situation of graduate advising and other academic issues at MIT. The data from this survey will give the GSC a solid basis to advocate for new or modified programs, policies and/or resources. Particpation of graduate students in the survey will play a major role in driving improvements, and we encourage you to participate!

» Fill out the Graduate Student Survey
» More information: contact gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu

The GSC will be holding its annual representatives retreat this weekend Nov. 19th and 20th at the Camelot Cabin in Plymouth, NH. The purpose of this retreat is to allow the representatives to get to know one another, and to engage in useful, relevant discussion.

If you are a GSC Representative, you are invited! Transportation, food, and lodging are provided. if you're interested in attending, please contact the GSC Vice President at gsc-vice-president[at]mit[dot]edu for more information.

Not a GSC Representative, but are interested in becoming one? Visit the GSC Representative Information Page.

Representatives from the GSC, Class of 2005, faculty and administrators will recommend speakers to the MIT President, who will make the final selection. If you know of a speaker you would like to hear, please do the following as soon as possible:

• send an email to gsc-commencement-speaker[at]mit[dot]edu with "Commencement Speaker" in the subject line
• include a short note, of no more than 4 sentences, outlining who the person is and why they should be the speaker

The GSC is working to improve the advisor/advisee relationship by gathering a thorough set of data that clearly outlines the issues and by developing well-informed and practical recommendations to deal with these issues. We need students' help in getting this done! Please find out how you can participate in a focus group and have a significant impact.

» Participate in a Focus Group and Find Out More
» Submit an anonymous anecdote about an advising experience
» More information: contact gsc-arc-advising[at]mit[dot]edu

If you have not yet gotten an absentee ballot, you may still have time, depending which state you live in. There are also a number of events related to the elections that will be held over the next week.

» Get absentee information for your state
» Find out more about election-related events

The Graduate Student Council wants you to make your voice heard and vote in the 2004 United States Presidential Elections! Working with the Undergraduate Association, we are putting together a wide series of events to educate people on the voting system and promote discussion and debate. Most of all, we are trying to get people registered to vote in the elections.

» Register to vote
» Get absentee information for your state
» For more information, or to get involved with these efforts, email voterregistration[at]mit[dot]edu

The GSC's November General Council Meeting will be held on
      Wednesday, November 3rd at
      5:30pm, in the
      GSC Office (50-220)

» Agenda for the meeting

If you are a GSC Representative and cannot attend, please submit a proxy.
» More information: contact gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu

Based partly on the success of the Student Advisory Group to the Corporation Presidential Search Committee, The MIT Graduate Student Council will select a number of graduate students to serve on the Student Advisory Board to MIT’s 16th President. The main purpose of this board will be to provide President-Elect Dr. Susan Hockfield with a diverse perspective on MIT culture and community, challenges and opportunities facing MIT, and qualities and priorities of MIT students.

» Apply to become a member and find out more!
   Application deadline is Wednesday, 10/13

The Graduate Student Council will be holding a General Council Meeting

TODAY (Wednesday, October 6) at
5:30 p.m. in the GCS Office (50-220)

» Agenda for this meeting

This will be the first Council Meeting of the acacemic year in which actual business is conducted. If you are a GSC Representative and cannot attend, please submit a proxy.

Looking for a job? Career Week begins on Monday! We have over 200 companies partcipating this year, making it the biggest Career Fair in recent history. Submit Your Resume Online before the deadline passes!

» Career Fair will be on Thursday, 9/23
» Many other events throughout the week

» Submit your resume
» Get full schedule of events and more info

Come see the premier of the GratRat, MIT's graduate ring - food, give-aways, and more.
  ›  Tonight, Friday 9/17
  ›  Walker Memorial
  ›  6 pm

» More Information about the Event

"My fellow graduate students, I bid you welcome to the hallowed halls of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology - these halls where once walked some of the greatest thinkers, innovators, leaders, scientists, entrepreneurs, and agents of political and social change of our times.

This is a place where there are as many revolutionary ideas as there are people to think them. This is the place where there nothing beyond question. This is the place where there is always more to ask, always more to learn, and most of all, this is a place where working for the benefit of mankind is more than a catch phrase.

I am sure that by now you already feel some sense of pride in being able to say that you are a part of MIT. But be assured that MIT feels an even greater sense of pride in being able to welcome you into our community, because it is with you, and the creative skills and ideas that you bring, that MIT will grow and will continue to help shape the course of human events." ... (continued)

» Read the full transcript or see the streaming video of the speech

We encourage the incoming graduate class to participate in as much of Graduate Student Orientation 2004 as possible.

• Today's Orientation Events
• Full Orientation Scedule (pdf)

8/26/2004: The MIT Corporation convened this morning to elect Dr. Susan Hockfield as the 16th president of MIT. An MIT Community Meeting and Reception is being held today at 2:00 p.m. to meet the new president-elect in Room 10-250, followed by a reception in Lobby 10.

Student Advisory Group press release:

The Student Advisory Group to the MIT Corporation Committee on the Presidency is pleased to wholeheartedly endorse and welcome Dr. Susan Hockfield, the new President-Elect of MIT. Throughout the entire search process, both undergraduate and graduate student feedback and counsel were actively sought by the Faculty Advisory and Corporation Committees. We appreciate that our hopes and concerns were fully acknowledged and our recommendations taken seriously. We very much look forward to a productive working relationship in the years to come between the Hockfield administration, the Graduate Student Council, the Undergraduate Association, and the broader MIT student community.

For more information on the Student Advisory Group process and Dr. Hockfield, please visit http://gsc.mit.edu/MITpresident

The Community Meeting may also be viewed live via webcast, linked from the MIT Home Page, and via MIT Cable Television.

The GSC's first General Council Meeting of the academic year will be held

TODAY (Wednesday, September 8) at
5:30 p.m. in Morss Hall (first floor of Walker)

The purpose of this meeting is to let the student body know who and what the GSC is, why we exist, and how we fit in to the overall picture of MIT.  We will also be highlighting some of GSC's major initiatives for the coming year. It's a great chance t o see exactly how the GSC affects the graduate student experience here at MIT, and how you can play a role in it. (Food and drinks will be served)

The Deadline for applications from graduate student groups to receive funding from the GSC during the Fall 2004 funding period (Sept. 15 to Dec. 15) is Friday, September 3 at 12 noon.

See the Student Group Funding page for more information.

Questions to gsc-treasurer[at]mit[dot]edu

The MIT Corporation is currently conducting a search for the next MIT president. A Student Advisory Group to the Corporation Committee on the Presidency has been formed to collect and organize student input into this process, and a formal report was delivered to the Corporation on 3/18/2004. There are still opportunities to provide input, and the Student Advisory Group desires more feedback on how the MIT Presidency should look in the years to come.

» Read the Student Advisory Group's Report to the Corporation
» Provide feedback to or find out more about the Student Advisory Group

Questions to gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu

The MIT Off-Campus Housing Office (OCHO) will be holding roommate get-togethers during the month of August, to assist members of the MIT community in locating off-campus housing. Specific dates are:

• Monday, August 9, 2004
• Monday, August 16, 2004
• Monday, August 23, 2004
• Tuesday, August 31, 2004

All get-togethers will be held in E32-200 from 5pm to 7pm. If you have a space in your apartment or are looking for a shared or roommate situation, feel free to stop by - refreshments will be served.

Questions? Please contact the Off-Campus Housing Office Asst. Director at general[at]mit[dot]edu.

The Provost has issued more specific information concerning the graduate student health insurance (SEIP) subsidy and its implementation. Please visit our Health Insurance Advocacy page for more information, and the memo and corresponding FAQ are included here:

• July 2004 Memo Concerning the Graduate Student Health Insurance Subsidy
• 2004-2005 Health Insurance FAQ

Questions? Please contact gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu.

The GSC International Graduate Student Mentorship Program (IGSMP) invites entering international graduate students to register for a mentor for your first year at MIT. We will pair you with a current student and help you make your transition to graduate life smoothly. Ask questions, attend free-food parties and have fun!

For more information, contact the GSC Mentoring Chairs at gsc-mentoring[at]mit[dot]edu or visit the IGMSP Website.

The MIT Police Department recently received a grant from the Graduate Students Office to develop better ways to serve graduate students, and they have prepared a survey (available on the MIT Community Policing Page) to guide them in their efforts.

Please take a moment to fill out this survey - students who choose to participate will be entered into a drawing for one of a number of prizes, including movie tickets and restaurant coupons.

Questions? Email gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu, or visit our Safety and Community Programs Page.

The GSC's Budget for 2004-2005 was passed by a unanimous vote at the July General Council Meeting, held on July 7th, 2004, at 5:30pm in the GSC Office. For details on the budget, please visit the GSC Budget Page.

Questions? Please contact the gsc-treasurer[at]mit[dot]edu

Come and have a cup of coffee or tea with the Graduate Student Council Vice President the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month at the Bosworth's Cafe in the Building 7 Lobby from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Share your ideas and concerns about your experience here at MIT with the GSC Vice President. Let us know how things are or just stop on by to say Hi!! Contact him at gsc-vice-president[at]mit[dot]edu for more information.

The Student Extended Health Insurance Plan rates for 2004-2005 have been announced and are as follows:

• Single Student: $1,440 (unchanged)
• Student & Partner: $3,000 (40% decrease)
• Student & Children: $2,000 (26% decrease)
• Student, Partner, & Children: $4,350 (30% decrease)

For supported students, these premiums will be subsidized by an amount equivalent to a single student plan ($1,440). We are especially pleased to see that the MIT Administration and MIT Medical have taken the needs and concerns of students with families into account with significantly lower rates for 2004-2005. More information is available on our Health Insurance Advocacy page.

Questions? Please contact gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu.

The GSC's July General Council Meeting will be held on July 7th, 5:30pm, in the GSC Office (50-220).

Agenda for GSC General Council Meeting

Old Business

• Committee Updates - Committee Chairs

New Business

• GSC Budget Proposal
• Vote on GSC Budget
• Continuance for Rules Committee Members
• Child Care Liaison
• Open Floor

If you are a GSC Representative and cannot attend, please submit a proxy.

Today begins Commencement 2004. About 1,382 graduate students will be receiving diplomas, with 1,161 Master's, 211 Doctorate and 10 Engineer degrees awarded.

• The Doctoral Hooding Ceremony starts June 3rd, 2004 at 1:00 pm in the Johnson Athletic Center.
• Elias A. Zerhouni, Director of the National Institutes of Health, will be the featured speaker at the Commencement Exercises on Friday, June 4th.

The GSC would like to congratulate the graduating class of 2004!

The GSC's June General Council Meeting will be held on June 2nd, 5:30pm, in the GSC Office (50-220).

Agenda

• Old Business
• Committee Updates - Committee Chairs (10min)
• Vote for GSC Funding Board Member-At-Large - GSC Vice-President (5 min)
• New Business
• GSC Priorities for 2004-2005 (5 min)
• Recognition of New Council Representatives (2min)
• CONVERGE Weekend ( 5 min)
• Call for Working Committee on Graduate Campus Preview Weekend (5 min)
• Nominations for GSC Representative to the ASA - GSC President (5min)
• Call for Rules Committee Members - GSC President (5min)
• GSC Budget Proposal - GSC Treasurer (15min)
• Open Floor - (10min)

• If you are a GSC Representative and cannot attend, please submit a proxy.

Bhuwan Singh, a resident of Ashdown House and a graduate student in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, passed away on Friday, May 7th, 2004. A memorial service was held for him on Monday, May 10th, with music and reflections from his family and friends. For more on the memorial service itself, please refer to the MIT News Office's coverage of the service. We join in the sorrow but celebrate the life of this truly caring and generous individual. He will be missed.

The following are deadlines for the next Funding Board (June 15 to September 15) period:

• Applications Due: 28 May 2004 (last working day of May)
• Funding Board (regular) Meetings: 31 May 2004 and 1 June 2004

Questions? Please contact gsc-treasurer[at]mit[dot]edu, or visit our Funding Board Summer 2004 Allocations page.

Campus Support Open House: Drop by for tea, cookies, and support.

For more information on support resources available at MIT, please visit our Support Information page.

• Flyer prepared by MIT Medical
• Healthwise Information Library

Questions? Please contact Maryanne Kirkbride at kirk[at]med[dot]mit[dot]edu.

The GSC's May General Council Meeting, the first run by the newly elected Officers, will be held on May 5th, 5:30pm, in the GSC Office (50-220).

• View the meeting agenda
• If you are a GSC Representative and cannot attend, please submit a proxy.

The State of the Institute Forum, with President Charles M. Vest, Provost Robert A. Brown and Executive Vice President John R. Curry, will take place on Monday, May 3rd 2004 in Kresge Auditorium from 2:00 - 4:00pm.

The State of the Institute Forum will offer an opportunity for the community to hear from senior leadership about transitions at the Institute. While the speakers' remarks will be addressed to administrative employees, the entire MIT community is invited to attend.

Questions? Please contact the GSC Officers at gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu.

Cast your vote now at http://alum.mit.edu/about/elections/corpballot/ to elect an '02, '03, or '04 graduate to a five-year term on the MIT Corporation, the Institute's Board of Trustees. Only graduates who received a degree in 2002 or 2003 and those expected to graduate in June 2004 are eligible to vote in this election. It takes only a few minutes to review the candidate profiles and cast your vote. Polls close on April 30. Vote today!

Questions to Bonnie Jones, jonsey[at]mit[dot]edu

The Officer and Committee Chair elections for 2004-2005 were held thoughout March and April, and we wish to welcome the members of next year's Executive Committee:

• GSC President-Elect: Barun Singh
• GSC Vice President-Elect: Hector H. Hernandez
• GSC Secretary-Elect: Lucy Wong
• GSC Treasurer-Elect: Virgilio Villacorta
• Academics, Research, and Careers: Ali Khademhosseini and Ashfaq Khandaker
• Activities: Saeeda Jaffar and Rupam Shrivastava
• Association of Student Activities: Kathryn Walter, GSC Rep to the ASA TBD
• Graduate Student News: Abhinandan Agrawal and Emily Slaby
• Housing and Community Affairs: Andrew Levin and Trevor McKee
• Orientation: Sylvain Bruni and Eric Wade

CV's and Statements for the incoming 2004-2005 Officers may be found on our 2004 GSC Officer Election Page. If you have any questions, please contact the GSC Officers at gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu.

The GSC Committee Chair Elections have been held through March and April, and we are proud to introduce the new GSC Committee Chairs:

• Academics, Research, and Careers: Ali Khademhosseini and Ashfaq Khandaker
• Activities: Saeeda Jaffar and Rupam Shrivastava
• Graduate Student News: Abhinandan Agrawal and Emily Slaby
• Housing and Community Affairs: Andrew Levin and Trevor McKee
• Orientation: Sylvain Bruni and Eric Wade

Please join us in welcoming these students to their new positions, and feel free to let them know what concerns you may have now and for the upcoming year.

The International Students Office held a tax workshop recently, to address any question or concerns that international students might have this tax season.

» View the handouts from the tax workshop

At the GSC's April General Council Meeting held on April 7th the GSC Officer Elections for 2004-2005 were held. Please join us in welcoming the new officers:

• GSC President-Elect: Barun Singh
• GSC Vice President-Elect: Hector H. Hernandez
• GSC Secretary-Elect: Lucy Wong

The office of GSC Treasurer for 2004-2005 remains unfilled, and nominations have been reopened. If you are interested in running for the GSC Treasurer position or would like to nominate someone, please contact the current GSC Officers at gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu.

The GSC President has called for a Special General Council Meeting to be held at 5:30pm on Wednesday, April 21st in the GSC Office to hold elections for the Treasurer position.

CV's and Statements for the incoming 2004-2005 Officers may be found on our 2004 GSC Officer Election Page. If you have any questions, please contact the GSC Officers at gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu.

The GSC's April General Council Meeting will be held on April 7th, 5:30pm, in room 4-370 (MIT Map).

We will be conducting the GSC Officer Elections for President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer for 2004-2005.

Information on the current candidates for the 2004-2005 Officer positions may be found on our 2004 GSC Officer Election Page.

If you are interested in running for an Officer position or would like to nominate someone, please contact the current GSC Officers at gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu.

• If you are a GSC Representative and cannot attend, please submit a proxy.

Each year, the Graduate Student Council gives input in the decision-making process of four Institute Awards, to be presented at the Institute Awards Convocation in May. For more information on the awards administered by the GSC, please visit our Awards page.

Questions to GSC Awards Committee at gsc-awards[dot]mit[dot]edu.

In what will surely elicit a great sigh of relief from many graduate students, Provost Robert A. Brown announced today (2/25/2004) that health insurance will be fully subsidized for graduate students supported by research and teaching assistantships (RA's and TA's) beginning academic year 2004-2005. This announcement follows the culmination of the efforts of the GSC Cost of Living Advisory Board (GSC COLAB), a group composed of the GSC Officers and stakeholders in the areas that affect student income and expenses, including health insurance and housing.

For more on this issue, please visit the GSC COLAB page, or check out the Graduate Student News, available all over MIT.

Questions to gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu

After a week, headline was reworded to:

Health insurance will be fully subsidized for graduate students supported by research and teaching assistantships (RA's and TA's) beginning academic year 2004-2005. This announcement follows the culmination of the efforts of the GSC Cost of Living Advisory Board (GSC COLAB).

For more on this issue, please visit the GSC COLAB page, or check out the Graduate Student News, available all over MIT.

Questions to gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu

In a momentous step in the right direction for MIT's efforts to support women students, a Childbirth Accommodation policy has been finalized and adopted by the Institute. According to the policy, female graduate students supported by teaching and/or research assistantships will be eligible for eight weeks of support and salary, and unsupported students will retain pre-existing Institute services and health coverage. Funding will come from the Childbirth Accommodation Insurance Pool provided by the Academic Deans and the Provost, and the program will be administered by the Graduate Students Office.

For more information, please visit our Maternity page.

Questions to gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu

After two weeks, headline was reworded to:

A childbirth accommodation policy has been finalized and adopted by the Institute. Female graduate students supported by teaching and/or research assistantships will be eligible for eight weeks of support and salary, and unsupported students will retain pre-existing Institute services and health coverage.

For more information, please visit our Maternity page.

Questions to gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu

The MIT Corporation is currently conducting a search for the next MIT president. A Student Advisory Group to the Corporation Committee on the Presidency has been formed to collect and organize student input into this process, and a formal report was delivered to the Corporation on 3/18/2004. There are still opportunities to provide input, and the Student Advisory Group desires more feedback on how the MIT Presidency should look in the years to come.

» Read the Student Advisory Group's Report to the Corporation
» Provide feedback to or find out more about the Student Advisory Group

Questions to gsc-officers[at]mit[dot]edu

The MIT Student Health Plan is concluding its Spring Open Enrollment period (now through Feb. 29th). This is the only time MIT students can waive or enroll their families in the Student Health Plan for the spring semester. For more information, please visit the MIT Medical Website.

Questions to Lauren Rosano at rosa[at]med[dot]mit[dot]edu

The Higher Education Affordability and Equity Act of 2003 is a bill that proposes to allow certain expenses incurred during graduate education to be non-taxable, including room and board. For many students supported by fellowships (RA/TA) and scholarships, this could result in income tax savings on the order of $1000 per year.

If you want to write a letter to MIT's Washington Office or call your representative to help generate support for this bill, we have provided templates for you to use if you wish, as well as information on how to contact your representative. For more information on these issues and on what the NAGPS does, visit our NAGPS Page.

Questions to GSC NAGPS Liaison at gsc-nagps[at]mit[dot]edu.

The GSC Graduate Ring (the "Grad Rat") was revealed on October 23rd, 2003. For information on the ring and how you may get yours, please visit the Graduate Ring Information Page.

Questions to gsc-ring[at]mit[dot]edu