Dean for Undergraduate Education

During the past year the Office of the Dean for Undergraduate Education (DUE) has seen important progress in a number of areas which are critical to student life and learning at MIT. The summary in this section discusses some highlights; many more details are contained in the office summaries which follow.

Organizational Changes

In September 2001 Elizabeth Reed, formally the associate director of the Office of Career Services and Preprofessional Advising, became director of that office. This appointment followed Chris Pratt's departure for Columbia University. Reed has made a wonderful start in her new position, and clearly commands the strong loyalty of all her staff.

Anna Frazer was appointed assistant dean for the Communication Requirement, and is working closely with the Committee on the Undergraduate Program's Subcommittee on the Communication Requirement on all aspects of implementing this important new feature of the undergraduate curriculum.

Associate Dean Margaret Enders, formally co-director of the Office of Academic Services (OAS), now reports directly to the dean and is responsible for Special Educational Initiatives. Currently she is concentrating primarily on the Cambridge-MIT Institute (CMI) Undergraduate Education and Student Exchange Program and on working with Assistant Dean Anna Frazer on implementing the Communication Requirement, as well as on providing staff support to the Committee on the Undergraduate Program. Professor Kim Vandiver is now sole director of OAS.

The Edgerton Center, directed by Professor Kim Vandiver, was brought organizationally into DUE this year. This seemed a natural home for the center, and we are already seeing synergies with other efforts in DUE.

The Teaching and Learning Laboratory, directed by Lori Breslow, has now spent a full year within DUE. As expected their activities, especially in assessment and evaluation of educational programs, are very much part of the mainstream of DUE efforts.

The Office of Minority Education was relocated to the Infinite Corridor, just across the hall from DUE headquarters. This very visible and central location has been a goal for this office for some time. The Teaching and Learning Laboratory was relocated to the first floor of Building 5. This brings TLL much closer to related DUE and other activities.

Overall DUE offices reflect broad diversity, although there are a few offices which still need attention in this area.

Highlights of Developments and Initiatives in Undergraduate Education

We continue to work with personnel in the Office of the Dean for Student Life (DSL) and others on establishing community as a critical third leg, with teaching and research, of an MIT education. This year a major focus was preparing for fall 2002, when all first-year students will live on campus. DUE activities in this area were intense and varied, and included working to ensure an appropriate and smooth system for housing assignments and the leadership role in designing Orientation for August/September 2002.

DUE continued its close collaboration with the Committee on the Undergraduate Program on a number of important educational issues and opportunities. These included student advising and mentoring, and the implementation of the new Communication Requirement and the change in Pass/No Record for 2002.

The CMI student exchange program continues to be very popular with students from both institutions. This past year about 30 students from each institution took part in the year-long exchange, and it is expected that about 50 from each will take part in 2002–2003. As anticipated, both institutions are learning important lessons about the strengths and weakness of their educational cultures and traditions. We are already using some of these lessons in designing reforms at MIT. There has been encouraging progress in plans for various joint curricular efforts with Cambridge University. A few concrete efforts are now underway, and discussions of possible major reform in engineering education have taken place.

The dean continues his role as co-chair of the Council on Educational Technology. This is an important connection to various efforts at MIT which impact education. This past year, with a lot of collaboration with IS personnel, we sent information to incoming students on what type of computer equipment they might want to purchase before arriving at MIT. Depending on how these recommendation are received and acted upon, we will likely be providing more information in the future.

The d'Arbeloff Fund for Educational Excellence continues to spur important efforts in educational innovation. During the past year, in addition to making decisions on many new proposals, we have paid special attention to encouraging sustainability for more mature projects which appear to be successful.

A lot of background work has been done during the past year to prepare for major upgrades in IT capabilities, especially in the Admissions Office and in Student Financial Services. Some of these upgrades are badly needed and time critical, so we hope we can launch the real efforts in the near future.

The Enrollment Management Group, chaired by the dean, had a number of meetings and complicated discussions before making its recommendations to Academic Council. A major focus this year was the need to eliminate crowding in the housing units, and it appears that in fact we will have done that by fall 2002. This is a most welcome development, with important educational as well as social benefits.

Robert Redwine
Dean for Undergraduate Education
Professor of Physics

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Office of Academic Services

The Office of Academic Services (OAS) provides services in broad support of MIT's academic mission. The services are provided by three working groups. They are Academic Information and Communication (AIC), the Academic Resource Center (ARC), and Faculty and Alumni Support (FAS). Academic Information and Communication works collaboratively with others in DUE to ensure the accuracy of academic information and to improve its delivery using web-based technology. The Academic Resource Center provides high-quality, student-centered services and advising specifically to freshmen and runs the MIT Freshman Orientation programs. Faculty and Alumni Support provides services to enhance educational initiatives of faculty and to draw alumni into the education of our students.

Academic Information and Communication

The Academic Information and Communication section of Academic Services works collaboratively with others in DUE to ensure the accuracy of academic information and to improve its delivery using technology, primarily web-based. AIC also supports the technology that underlies many of the programs offered throughout the Office of Academic Services. Of particular note during 2001–2002 was the role of AIC in working with ARC to support and help develop a freshman database, a first-year web site, and an online freshman advising folder (described under the Academic Resource Center below).

New Initiatives

Academic Resource Center

The Academic Resource Center provides high-quality, student-centered services specifically to freshmen and all other undergraduate students that significantly enhance their academic success, social adjustment, and assimilation as MIT students. To achieve that vision, the ARC provides access to Institute resources and services that recognize the many needs, diversity and uniqueness of students at the Institute. This office is responsible for freshman programming, including Orientation, Academic Advising, Choice of Major programming, Learning Strategies and other academic support. Additionally, the management, operation and oversight of the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) are ARC responsibilities. ARC organizes and coordinates the Independent Activities Period (IAP) and provides staff support to the Committee on Academic Performance (CAP).

New Initiatives

Key Accomplishments

Faculty and Alumni Support

Faculty and Alumni Support provides services to enhance educational initiatives of faculty and to draw alumni into the education of our students. FAS works in support of a variety of d'Arbeloff-funded educational initiatives designed to enhance the undergraduate experience. FAS also partners with the Alumni Association in Alumni Engagement. Alumni Engagement seeks to assist faculty and promote and support alumni engagement in both undergraduate and graduate educational activities, with the mission to harness the experience and intellectual curiosity of alumni by developing educational partnership opportunities that help improve the educational experience of our enrolled students.

New Initiatives

Key Accomplishments

Office of Academic Services Personnel

A significant re-organization of the Office of Academic Services occurred this year with Dean Peggy Enders forming a separate unit in support of the Cambridge-MIT Initiative (CMI) and the Committee on the Undergraduate Program (CUP). Dean J. Kim Vandiver assumed sole directorship of OAS. The areas remaining in Academic Services are thus Academic Information and Communication, the Academic Resource Center, and Faculty and Alumni Support.

One new staff member was added: Maria Shkolnik, staff associate for educational initiatives (temporary position). Staff leaving OAS to support CMI and the CUP include Peggy Enders, associate dean, and Nancy Crosby, administrative assistant.

J. Kim Vandiver
Dean for Undergraduate Research
Professor of Ocean Engineering

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Admissions Office

The goal of the Admissions Office is to identify, recruit, select and enroll the best students in science, engineering and management in the world. We admit all undergraduate students (freshman and transfers) and serve as a clearinghouse for graduate application paperwork. We work closely with the Student Financial Services Office, the Academic Resource Center, the Registrar's Office and the Alumni Association at various times throughout the year, and with all other offices in DUE, DSL, and the undergraduate departments during Campus Preview Weekend.

Accomplishments

Our applications increased by 2 percent over last year, including a 7 percent increase in Early Action applications. We admitted fewer students (1,719, or 16 percent of the applicant pool) to enroll a mandated smaller class size of 980. Our yield currently stands at 57 percent, down another percentage point for the third consecutive year from a high of 60 percent in 1999.

According to our cancellation study, the reasons for not enrolling at MIT depend on whether or not the student was an aid applicant.

The top three reasons why financial aid applicants chose not to enroll:

The top three reasons why non-financial aid applicants chose not to enroll:

Nevertheless, the diversity of our entering class is strong—43 percent are women, 16 percent are underrepresented minorities, 28 percent are Asian-American, and 8 percent are international.

This year was a year of reorganization and evaluation, brought on by a budget overrun in FY2001. We worked closely with Jeanne Hillery of DUE to clean up all of our accounts, we slashed all non-essential spending and postponed new initiatives except for the web sites listed below, we built an ideal budget based upon the current needs of the Admissions Office including new initiatives, we made individual staff members responsible for specific accounts, we changed administrative officers, and we ended the fiscal year with a surplus.

In the evaluation of our spending patterns, we discovered ways to switch from paper to electronic formats. We moved two of our three biggest mailings—the initial mailing to juniors and sophomores called the Search, and our travel invitations—to an email format. This is risky because it appears that girls are less likely to respond to email, but we have a sense that now is the time to shift over to electronic venues and we'll do a thorough follow-up of the effectiveness of this strategy. In addition, the graduate application and female recruitment brochures are now on the web.

We began the design of three new publications for next admissions cycle. This is significant because Admissions has not produced a new publication in over 4 years, which is its normal shelf life. It takes 9–12 months to design and produce a new publication, which means that we will have these new ones ready for the spring of 2003 recruitment cycle. We are creating a piece for high school sophomores, one about financial aid that will be inserted in the view book which will be sent to juniors as the main search piece, and one to give visitors to campus.

Our newly designed web site for female recruitment, "Your Place in the Infinite," won a Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) silver medal for the category Student Recruitment Marketing. This is our first CASE award in six years. In addition, we designed a new web site for educational counselors that will give them access to the decisions on their interviewees and will include all training modules.

We ran the largest Campus Preview Weekend in its 18-year history: 880 students (52 percent of all admits) and 729 parents. At least 1,500 members of the MIT community participated. Our yield was good (70 percent) but a bit lower than 1999's yield of 73 percent. Students who were placed in FSILGs yielded better than those in dorms. Students who brought their parents yielded better (74 percent) than those who did not (66 percent).

Staffing Changes

The Admissions Office is made up of 15 staff and 17 support staff. This past year we hired 5 new staff members (2 white men, 1 Mexican-American woman, 1 African-American woman, and 1 Asian woman).

We also hired 4 support staff members (2 white women, 1 white man, 1 Asian woman) to fill available openings.

Marilee Jones
Dean of Admissions

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Edgerton Center

The Edgerton Center's mission is to uphold the legacy of Harold "Doc" Edgerton by:

This has been a year of major administrative and financial changes for the center. First, our administrative home shifted from EECS to DUE; then, in the spring of 2002, Esther Edgerton passed away, which affects the center's funding.

Our two new initiatives are prospering. The service learning initiative (a collaboration with the Public Service Center) is off to an excellent start. Our first year's offerings included 20 subjects in 8 departments or programs and 3 summer UROPs. This work is supported by a d'Arbeloff grant and the Massachusetts Campus Compact. This effort is led by Amy Smith of our staff and Sally Susnowitz of the Public Service Center.

The initiative to promote student teams and clubs is supported by the Stratford Fund (endowed by Ken Olsen) and our own resources. A long-standing problem has been finding space that these students can use to pursue their ambitions projects (e.g. rockets, robot submarines, and solar cars). We have now secured permanent space for the clubs in the basement of Building E60 (the old Arthur D. Little building) and the clubs are moving into their new home.

Finally, we regret to report that Esther Edgerton passed away on March 9, 2002, with services held in Belmont on March 16. We hosted a reception at the center that afternoon for the extended Edgerton family and friends, which was well attended. In keeping with the agreement that created the Edgerton Center in 1992, the Harold and Esther Edgerton Family Foundation is generously establishing a permanent endowment for the center, allowing us to continue our mission of carrying on the Edgerton legacy at MIT.

New Initiatives

Service Learning

The premise of the service learning initiative is that students learn more from a project when they know their creations will make a difference in the lives of others. Our goal is to couple service learning with the Edgerton Center's focus on hands-on education to create a range of subjects across the Institute that challenge our students to learn science or engineering while addressing problems that support the larger community. For more information see http://web.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/mitpsc/sl/.

A highlight of the year was the IDEAS (Innovation, Development, Enterprise, Action, and Service) Competition, which provided MIT students with an opportunity to nurture their creative skills by providing the financial resources necessary to implement plans and products that meet community needs. Twenty-two student teams developed designs, plans, strategies, materials, and products while working with community partners, locally and internationally. The winning project—"Pure Water for Nicaragua"—is dedicated to finding a feasible and sustainable solution for potable water accessibility in rural areas in Nicaragua. For more information see http://www.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/~ideas/.

Support for Student Clubs and Teams

The Stratford Foundation has offered generous financial support to greatly expand the center's ability to support student-initiated hands-on projects. Supported projects include:

We provide these groups with institutional recognition of their efforts, some financial support (they are expected to raise a significant portion of their support from other sources), access to a pool of common tools and resources, and (most difficult of all) space to carry out their work. We have now secured permanent space for the clubs in the basement of Building E60 (the old Arthur D. Little building), which the Institute has generously renovated. The clubs are moving into their new home, and we expect them to continue to excel (http://web.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/edgerton/student-groups.html).

Academics

Strobe Project Lab (http://web.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/6.163/www/) continues to be heavily over-subscribed and our other regular offerings in electronics, robotics, and digital imaging are also popular. Residence-based robotics and electronics seminars in Random Hall have proven to be quite successful over the past two years, and we intend to continue offering them as long as demand continues. In addition our staff oversaw three advanced undergraduate projects for EECS students, as well as 38 UROPs for credit or pay. A listing of our fall 2002 subjects can be found online at http://web.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/edgerton/courses_f02.html.

Technical Imaging

The center is still the Institute's go-to place for high-speed imaging. Our high-speed video systems were used by eight research groups and five Institute subjects over the past year. We are about to receive a donation of a color high-speed video system from NAC Image Technology, Inc. In addition we presented a week-long summer short course on high-speed imaging which attracted 15 attendees from industry and 4 MIT students from various research groups. This subject is now in its third-year (http://web.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/Edgerton/ShortCourse.html). Our darkrooms—both digital and film—are well used by students from four subjects and by students pursuing UROPs and other hands-on projects.

Outreach

Our outreach program continues to grow, with 1,185 Cambridge students (4th through 8th grades) coming to the center for hands-on science activities. We also provide these activities to other community groups (other schools, scout groups, home schoolers, etc.). Activities offered to non-Cambridge groups brought in another 971 students, for a total of 2,156 students. Over the seven years of this program, the center has been a window into MIT for many thousands of children and adults in the larger community.

We have introduced a new outreach activity, which was developed with Professor Heidi Nepf of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Aimed at 8th graders, it provides students with the chance to observe the processes behind the spread of pollutants in groundwater through hands-on experiments. Descriptions and photographs of this activity, and the other outreach activities, can be found at http://web.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/edgerton/outreach/Activities.html.

Also, with support from Dianne Willow and Mitch Resnick of the MIT Media Lab, we are now offering an activity using programmable bricks called crickets to control Lego motors and sensors. Students create kinetic sculptures that are programmed to respond to the environment. Video clips of some student-built sculptures are at http://web.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/edgerton/outreach/ACT_SS.html.

Student Shop and Hands-on Resources for MIT students

MIT's student shop is operated by the Edgerton Center, and its manager, Fred Cote, is a member of the center's staff. The shop is located across from the Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences buildings on Vassar Street. The shop continues to provide an important resource to MIT graduate and undergraduate students. Students can receive training at the shop, and (once trained) are able to use the shop resources for independent projects.

By hiring part-time help, we have extended the hours of operation to 52 hours a week. The shop is now open four evenings a week, and on Saturday afternoon. The new hours are tailored to fit student schedules. Our two computer controlled milling machines have been very popular additions to our equipment pool, allowing students to make much more difficult parts for projects. In all, 6,879 student hours were logged in the shop over the past 12 months. These students represented 16 departments and programs from the Schools of Engineering, Science, Architecture and Planning, and from Health Sciences and Technology.

Staffing Changes

There have been five staff changes. Tony Calogerro has returned from a medical leave to work half time. Amy Fitzgerald became our new outreach coordinator in August 2001. Felice Frankel transferred from the center to the School of Science as of July 1. Amy Banzaert joined our staff on a part time basis for the Service Learning initiative. She will transfer to the Public Service Center as of September, where she will continue that work. Finally, we regret to report that Professor Pat Leehey, who created our digital imaging subject (SP.757) passed away in January. His subject has been taking over by his co-instructor, Ms. Therry Mislick.

J. Kim Vandiver
Director
Professor of Ocean Engineering
Dean for Undergraduate Research

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Office of Career Services and Preprofessional Advising

The mission of the Office of Career Services and Preprofessional Advising (OCSPA) is to help students develop the self-awareness and ability to explore, clarify and implement good career choices. Concern about the economy for students and graduates entering the job market set the context for our work this year. However, while the end of the technology-fueled boom of the late 90s sent hiring needs plummeting, so far our graduates seem to have been spared the extremes reported nationwide. The recession produced fewer offers and perks, rather than an acute drop in the number of employers recruiting in OCSPA. The 31 percent decrease (to 388 employers) was less severe than the 35 percent to 50 percent reported by many schools nationwide.

Like last year, consulting (management, economic, etc.) and finance together accounted for a high proportion of this season's recruiters, at 26.7 percent. In AY1996 (the most recent year for which we have comparative data), the percentage was only 16.6 percent. The combined total of biomedical device and pharmaceutical firms increased to 5.8 percent, from a combined total of 3.3 percent in AY1996. Information systems consulting firms declined to 2.9 percent this year, from 8.3 percent in AY1996. Software firms decreased to 14.2 percent in AY2002, from 18.5 percent in AY1996, but the changing mix of recruiters merits a new category that slightly offsets this drop: firms that do Internet products and services, such as Amazon.com, Alta Vista, Doubleclick, and several e-commerce firms. This year they made up 2.3 percent of employers. Together, software and Internet firms comprised 16.5 percent of the AY2002 recruiting program.

Accomplishments

We made real progress toward our goal of serving students in all disciplines and at all stages of their education. Staff created new ways to reach students who have not historically used OCSPA and who have not been well served by on-campus recruiting. We literally went everywhere to serve students, through programs like OCSPA on the Road (workshops for undergraduates in dorms and living groups), Career Workshops for Athletes (held in the Athletic Department), presentations to the Graduate Women's group, the Black Graduate Students group, and at departmental orientations. This fall we will offer evening hours for the first time in our history.

Student use increased for all our career development services (counseling appointments, walk-ins and career workshops) this year. We attribute this to two primary factors: students' concern about the economy and our intensified outreach. Staff conducted more than 2,750 office visits with students, alumni, postdocs and others in FY2002, compared to 2,353 in FY2001 (+ 16.8 percent). Counseling appointments, 1,801, increased by 23 percent. There were 948 (+6 percent) students to use "Walk-In Hours" and 3,919 students (+11 percent) attended workshops. A majority, 70 percent, of student visits were by undergraduates and 30 percent were by graduate students. Of the 1,620 OCSPA visits by undergraduates, 581 were by freshmen, 372 by sophomores, 322 by juniors and 345 by seniors. Of the 704 office visits by graduate students, 439 were by masters students and 265 were by doctoral students. OCSPA also had 53 visits by postdocs, 338 visits by alumni, and 35 visits by employees and others. The following tables detail this level of activity and which MIT students are using our services.

Office Visits by School
 
FY2002
FY2001
FY2000
       
Engineering
1,299
1,200
764
Science
585
530
429
Architecture & Planning
193
168
104
Management
138
123
230
HASS
107
103
53
LFM
2
7
-
Whittaker College
10
3
-
None indicated
135
132
-
Undeclared freshmen
281
87
44
Total
2,750
2,353
1624
Workshops Offered and Student Attendance
 
Workshops
Attendees
 
FY2002
FY2001
FY2002
FY2001
Basic workshops
48
42
770
477
Graduate students
10
6
178
173
Special presentations
26
20
1,098
1,290
Engineering
30
19
800
752
Science
9
12
341
340
Architecture
12
6
238
403
HASS
2
3
60
50
MGMT
4
1
230
18
DUSP
10
1
204
16
Total
151
110
3,919
3,519

We increased outreach to and programs for graduate students. Clearly there is considerable need for and interest in career planning among graduate students, and special concerns for PhDs. Many have viewed OCSPA as solely focused on undergraduates, with little to offer graduate students. This year we worked closely with the Graduate Student Council, inviting them to our staff meetings, collaborating on plans for the 2002 Fall Career Fair, and joining forces with them and the Provost's Office to offer a series of faculty presentations on various aspects of academic careers. The first session this June drew a crowd for a candid discussion by five faculty, including Chancellor Philip Clay. Hannah Bernstein, assistant director for PhD and postdocs, introduced a summer career transition seminar, offering five sections which will serve over 70 PhDs and postdocs by July 2002. Student feedback has been very positive and participation has been high. The assistant directors serving Architecture, Urban Planning, and Technology and Policy professional master's candidates all offered new programs tailored to these students. These include an Architecture Summer Internship Program, Speaker Series in Technology and Policy Careers, and Professional Development CD-ROM and workshops for DUSP. In FY2003 OCSPA will reallocate staff resources to hire an assistant director for graduate programs who, with the assistant director for PhDs and postdocs, will focus on graduate students.

We worked hard to equip students for a recessionary job search, presenting special workshops and new events to help them strategize, identify potential employers, hone job search tools and skills, and maintain optimism. Assistant Director for Employer Development Jason Wall developed new opportunities through a nonprofit career fair co-sponsored with Tufts and Harvard, eFairs with Caltech (to increase west coast opportunities) and the Ivy+ schools, and our first virtual employer presentation. Staff published and contributed to articles in The Tech and Tech Talk, to provide perspective on the economy and practical advice about how to find a job in a down market.

We helped a total of 123 MIT applicants apply to medical school: 54 undergraduates, 6 graduate students and 63 alumni/ae. As usual, this number mirrored the national trend. After reaching a high of 213 in 1996—our largest applicant pool since 1988—the number of MIT applicants declined consistently, except in 2000 when it barely moved. The number went from 198 (1997) to 172 (1998) to 165 (1999) to 168 (2000). In 2001, 65 percent of MIT undergraduate applicants, 100 percent of graduate students, and 70 percent of alumni/ae were accepted. (The national acceptance rate for all applicants was 50 percent.) While both graduate and alumni/ae acceptance rates increased from 2000 (to 43 percent and 11 percent, respectively), undergraduate acceptance rate declined 16 percent. For reasons we do not fully understand, the cut-off point for MIT undergraduates' GPA and MCAT scores was much higher than in recent years. (In 1999, the lowest GPA of an MIT undergraduate accepted to medical school was 2.9. In 2000, this number was 2.7. In 2001, no MIT undergraduate was admitted with a GPA below 3.29.) The national average has stayed relatively stable, but medical school admissions offices are putting more emphasis on non-academic factors.

Premedical advising focused on strengthening communication and sense of community among advisors and students and increasing the usefulness and distribution of premedical advising information. The premedical advising team, led by Assistant Director Shonool Malik, created events to bring people together and share information, starting with an Advisor Appreciation Lunch in September at which President Vest and Dean Redwine acknowledged the advisors' importance to our students. This was also an occasion to collectively explore ways to improve the MIT premedical advising system. We hosted an Advisor /Advisee Mixer and an Advisor/Advisee Reception to celebrate the end of the advising cycle and students' medical school entrance. These events were very well attended and received.

New approaches were developed to make useful information available to premedical advisors and advisees, including information sessions tailored to each class, and an IAP seminar for students exploring medical and other health-related careers. Two hundred seventy-five (275) undergraduates participated. Premedical staff created brochures that describe the application process, trends, roles and responsibilities, and OCSPA. The team collected, analyzed and interpreted applicant and admissions data from 1999 to 2001, to better inform premedical/predental advising. Staff also consulted with MIT's legal counsel to bring appropriate changes to the premedical application process and to avoid litigious situations.

Our Freshman/Alumni Summer Internship Program (F/ASIP) began its fifth year with a restructured curriculum focused on helping students develop leadership and teamwork skills. Assistant Director Alisa Tongg emphasized accountability, with the goal of higher student retention and better workplace preparedness. Two hundred ninety-nine (299) freshman attended F/ASIP information sessions and picked up applications in the fall; 94 students completed the program requirements. Undeterred by the tight job market, 74 students (79 percent, compared to 49 percent last year) found internships. This is the highest internship placement rate in F/ASIP history, reflecting the personalized coaching each student received. Students will work in 17 different states and abroad in China, Africa and the UK. F/ASIP staff had 473 student appointments and presented workshops to 956 students.

F/ASIP gained unanimous support from the Committee on Curricula to revise the structure and grading of SP.800. The change from P/F/NC to A,B, C, N/C, will allow us to reward students for their accomplishments, at the appropriate level. Because these changes are likely to produce increased demands on F/ASIP staff, participation will be limited to 75 students in FY2003.

We helped launch the School of Engineering's new Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program (UPOP), an internship program for engineering sophomores. Staff worked extensively with UPOP, providing employer referrals, tailored programs and individual counseling sessions for students, and space, equipment and contacts for UPOP staff. These efforts contributed to UPOP's successful first year and to OCSPA's increased visibility among engineering sophomores.

We streamlined our annual Graduating Student Survey process (from collection to analysis) by converting to a web-based format. We achieved a response rate of 44 percent, 980 students, (the same response rate as in 2000) and saved many hours of staff time previously spent distributing the survey throughout the week before graduation. We anticipate more complete data from the web-based form, which was revised to be more user-friendly. Preliminary analysis shows that 32 percent (310) of respondents will attend graduate school and 61 percent (597) will begin employment.

We improved our process for mailing recommendation letters to medical schools and reduced turnover time from seven to three days.

The premed team worked with premedical council co-chairs and faculty in HST and Chemistry to revise MIT premedical subject requirements so that they correspond with medical school specifications.

OCSPA staff undertook a number of assignments on behalf of the Institute. Deborah Liverman continued a three-year appointment as a member of the planning committee for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. Tamara Menghi and Marilyn Wilson taught workshops on career and academic advising to the freshman advisors. Tamara Menghi participated in an Advising Information Group which is streamlining web resources, as part of the Discovery Project. Elizabeth Reed chaired the Council on Family and Work's Task Force on Workplace Flexibility, and served on the Council's Assessment Team which surveyed faculty and staff about quality of life issues.

Staffing Changes

Elizabeth Reed became director of OCSPA in September 2001, following Christopher Pratt's departure to Columbia University. Carole Ferrari was promoted from assistant director to associate director. Tamara Raimundi Menghi was promoted from career development counselor to preprofessional advising coordinator. Julie Cecil, career assistant, was hired for a new position of coordinator, F/ASIP and preprofessional advising. Mary Sullivan became a career development counselor, moving from the premedical team. Bonnie Walters ended a year and a half stint as consultant premedical advisor. Jordan Siegel and Sarra Shubart joined the support staff, filling positions left by Heather Barry and Patricia Maguire, who went to academic departments at MIT. Ricardo Bianco, career counselor for the School of Engineering, left OCSPA to work in mental health.

Elizabeth Reed
Director

More information about the Office of Career Services and Preprofessional Advising can be found online at http://web.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/career/www/.

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Office of Minority Education

The mission of the Office of Minority Education (OME) is to provide effective academic enrichment programs to enhance matriculation, promote higher retention and greater excellence in underrepresented minority (African-American, Mexican-American, Native-American and Puerto Rican/Hispanic) students' academic and general educational achievements, and encourage their pursuit of higher degrees and professional careers.

Program Accomplishments

Project Interphase

Project Interphase (PI) is one of the programs that illustrate MIT's commitment to ensure minority students' academic success. The program admitted 58 students, approximately one-third of the first-year underrepresented minority student population. PI is a seven and a half week rigorous academic experience involving a curriculum that includes physics, calculus, chemistry, writing, physical education and a myriad of co-curricular activities.

This year OME employed an academic staff that represented the multicultural diversity of the Institute. The teaching core, with the assistance of graduate and undergraduate students, made Project Interphase a success once again. OME was fortunate to have several Project Interphase Alumni/ae from previous years to serve as tutors and office workers in the program.

Academic advancement and enrichment continue to be major goals of PI. To that end, a high percentage of the students who took the advance placement test for 18.01 received credit. Thus they were able to take more advanced calculus classes during the first semester. Several students passed Phase I of the writing requirement. In addition we observed an increase in the number of students who passed chemistry in the first semester. These positive outcomes illustrate the value and success of Project Interphase.

Seminar XL

Seminar XL is an academic enrichment program for first-year underrepresented minority and non-minority students. The Seminar XL educational model is to divide students into small interactive learning/study groups focusing on calculus, chemistry, physics, and other freshmen core courses offered during the fall and spring terms. All study groups are coordinated by XL Facilitators who are either upper-class or graduate students. Upper-class students chosen to facilitate an interactive learning group must have achieved a B or better in the subject they have been selected to tutor for the semester.

Facilitators oversee the interactive discussion of materials covered in the subject. Seminar XL utilizes an array of facilitators from a broad range of disciplines and ethnic backgrounds. The core group of facilitators represents the rich diversity of MIT community. All facilitators are interviewed, hired and trained by the associate dean/director, in conjunction with the assistant dean/assistant director. Eighty-one minority and non-minority students enrolled in Seminar XL for the fall and spring terms that covered 8.01, 8.01L, 8.01X, 8.02, 18.01, 18.02, 5.111, 5.112, 5.60, and 6.001.

Tutorial Service Room

The Office of Minority Education's Tutorial Service Room (TSR) provides tutorial service to a significant number of minority and non-minority students. The TSR is managed by a core of upper-class students who are supervised by the assistant dean/assistant director of OME. OME employed over fifty upper-class and graduate students from an array of ethnic backgrounds to tutor in over fifty courses. The associate dean/director, in conjunction with the assistant dean/assistant director, interviewed, hired and trained all tutors. All tutors' academic records were verified to make sure that they met the academic requirement of B or better in the courses they tutored.

Freshman and sophomores made up the majority of users of TSR. TSR recorded over 1,309 hours during the fall and spring semester. Women students continued to utilize TSR at a higher rate than their male counterparts.

Second Summer Program

The Second Summer Program (SSP) enriches and supports intellectual growth while allowing participants in the program to develop a keen sense of professional possibilities in science, technology and engineering. SSP embraces a strategy of professional development for underrepresented minority students through providing an array of internships in science, engineering and other technological disciplines. Forty underrepresented minority students were accepted into the Second Summer Program for the 2000–2001 academic year by participating in a variety of activities which included several orientation sessions, resume writing, and interviewing workshops. Students participated in the SSP Engineering Design Workshop taught by Professor Alexander Slocum during the Institute's Independent Activities Period. Twenty-eight students were placed with thirteen companies that were active in the Industrial Advisory Council for Minority Education (IACME) during the summer of 2001.

Industrial Advisory Council for Minority Education

The purpose of IACME is to help ensure greater retention of MIT's underrepresented minority students and higher academic achievement through active support of, and participation in, OME's mission and goals. September 11 created many challenges for the members of the council to fulfill its mission and maintain presence on the MIT campus to support minority students. Members of the council found new and creative ways to interview minority students on campus given the restrictions on travel for many recruiters. The staff of OME was able to assist students and recruiters in telephone interviews and teleconference interviews. Even though companies were restricted in travel to the campus, members of IACME still provided internships and scholarship support for underrepresented minority students.

IACME members continue to support the organizational efforts of AISES, MAES, NSBE and SHPE by both in-kind and financial support. IACME financial support resulted in over $20,000 being directed to assist professional and cultural organizations on campus.

Office of Minority Education Student Advisory Council

This council continues to provide a mechanism for minority student organizations to bring their concerns and issues to the associate dean for undergraduate education/director of OME. The council's members maintain a leadership role in the minority and non-minority communities. They invest a great deal of effort in assisting the Office of Admissions in recruiting underrepresented minority students to come to MIT. This year several organizations held activities for students who attended Campus Preview Weekend.

Minority Scholarships

OME maintained its role as a major repository for information on internships and scholarships targeted for underrepresented minority students.

Minority Awards Banquet

OME, in conjunction with the Graduate Student Office, the Office of the President, and the Counseling and Support Services Office, hosted the Twenty-Sixth Annual Minority Awards Banquet. The keynote speaker was attorney Maria Echaveste, former deputy chief of staff in the Clinton White House.

Staff and Other Accomplishments

After conducting a national search to identify an assistant dean/assistant director, the search committee, chaired by Professor William Watson, recommended Ms. Kim Beamon, who joined the staff of the Office of Minority Education on July 22, 2001. Dean Beamon replaced Ms. Ann Davis Shaw, who left the Institute for a position in private industry.

Marlisha McDaniels and Milagros Oquendo-Morales were nominated and selected to receive a DUE Appreciation Award for their outstanding efforts and work in coordinating several activities that occurred during the fall term, IAP and February, 2002.

After a year and half of planning by the staff of the Office of Minority Education and Robert Kaynor, OME moved to its new location in Room 4-113 across from the dean for student life and the dean for undergraduate education. This is the first time OME has had such a high level of visibility.

Ms. Margarita Ascensio was hired as assistant director of OME and joined the staff of OME on May 1, 2002. Her appointment allows the office to address an unmet need of the Latino community .

Even with the events of September 11 and the decline in the economy, we were able to recruit new members for the Industrial Advisory Council for Minority Education.

OME collaborated with the Academic Resource Center to increase the number of minority faculty and administrators participating in the Traditional Freshmen Advising Program.

We strengthened our partnership with the Office of Career Services and Preprofessional Advising on numerous activities, including Project Interphase informational sessions, training of students who participated in the SSP on how to use JobTrak, and presenting information on the programs and services OME provides to students of color. In addition, the associate dean/director was asked and agreed to serve on the F/ASIP Advisory Council.

Staff members had over 400 sessions with students of color to discuss a broad range of issues ranging from academics, personal, social and professional advising.

OME worked closely with the Counseling and Support Services Office in assisting minority students who were required to withdraw by the CAP. In addition, we played a pivotal role in the re-admission of minority students who returned from either a leave of absence or a required withdrawal.

OME established a new partnership with the Teaching and Learning Laboratory. This year, Lori Breslow, director of TLL, conducted a training workshop for all tutors working in Project Interphase.

We continued to work with NASA to administer its Undergraduate Research Scholars Program at MIT. The purpose of the program is to increase the number of underrepresented minority researchers in the fields of engineering and science. MIT is one of eight colleges and universities participating in the NASA URSP Program. The other colleges and universities are Purdue, Stanford, Texas A&M, University of Alabama, University of Central Florida, University of Maryland, and University of Michigan.

OME, in conjunction with NASA, hosted its second Research in Science and Engineering (RISE) Institute, led by Professor Marty Culpepper. There are four RISE Summer Institute sites across the country: MIT, Purdue, Stanford and University of Michigan. Over 50 students from 23 different institutions nationwide participated in the second year of the Research In Science and Engineering Summer Institute. The program is designed as a research preparation initiative aimed at preparing participants for more intense future research experience. Students who participate in the program are rising sophomores at their respective colleges.

The associate dean and director provides strong leadership through his stewardship in developing the Memorandum of Understanding for the Presidential Empowering Minority in Engineering, Science and Technology to Reach for Graduate Education Consortium. The purpose of the presidential initiative is to increase the number of underrepresented minority students entering graduate schools in science, engineering, math and technology through collaboration and shared best practices. This presidential initiative involves Georgia Tech, Carnegie Mellon, University of Michigan, Spelman, Clark-Atlanta, The Board of Regents for Arizona State University, California Institute of Technology, North Carolina A&T State University and MIT. Nine presidents across the country from the above mentioned colleges and universities have signed the MOU to make the consortium a working reality.

Leo Osgood
Associate Dean and Director

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Office of the Registrar

The Office of the Registrar promotes the Institute's educational goals by conveying to the MIT community and beyond accurate, timely information and providing services related to enrollment, registration, and graduation; by implementing and enforcing academic and administrative policies related to the above; by creating, updating, preserving, and issuing academic records for past and current students and alumni/ae; by developing and communicating official subject, schedule, and curricular program information; by managing and maintaining classroom space; and by publishing in these areas.

In fulfilling its mission, the Office of the Registrar works with the faculty, Institute/faculty committees, departments, staff, and students to guide and assist in developing and modifying educational policies and procedures in accordance with Institute policy and local, state, and federal laws. The office will continue to gather, maintain, interpret, and share information—through new technologies, broadened capacities, and enhanced communications—in the areas that the Institute has entrusted to its charge.

Accomplishments

Much effort was spent this year in analyzing and implementing new faculty and administrative policies, and supporting new educational initiatives and community events. We continued to exploit the robustness of MITSIS in meeting all of the challenges within this dynamic environment.

We also intentionally focused on continual communications between our office and students, faculty and staff. In particular, this year's commencement required us to devote much time and attention in this area.

Technological highlights in partnership with SSIT:

Policy work highlights:

Classroom management highlights:

Operational highlights:

Registration

In academic year 2001–2002 student enrollment was 10,204, compared with 10,090 in 2000–2001. There were 4,220 undergraduates (4,258 the previous year) and 5,984 graduate students (5,832 the previous year). The international student population was 2,589, representing 8 percent of the undergraduate and 37.5 percent of the graduate populations. These students were citizens of 109 countries. (Students with permanent residence status are included with US citizens.)

In 2001–2002, there were 3,457 women students (1,765 undergraduate and 1,692 graduate) at the Institute, compared with 3,335 (1,755 undergraduate and 1,580 graduate) in 2000–2001. In September 2001, 428 first-year women entered MIT, representing 41 percent of the freshman class of 1,033 students.

In 2001–2002, there were, as self-reported by students, 2,834 minority students (1,987 undergraduate and 847 graduate) at the Institute, compared with 2,780 (1,984 undergraduate and 796 graduate) in 2000–2001. Minority students included 382 African Americans (non-Hispanic), 97 Native Americans, 591 Hispanic Americans, and 1,764 Asian Americans. The first-year class entering in September 2001 included 498 minority students, representing 48 percent of the class.

Degrees Awarded

Degrees awarded by the Institute in 2001–2002 included 1,187 bachelor's degrees, 1,520 master's degrees, 10 engineer's degrees, and 501 doctoral degrees—a total of 3,218 (compared with 3,238 in 2000–2001).

Personnel Changes

Lisa Rung, assistant registrar in the Schedules Office, departed after 13 years of wonderful service. Wayne Johnson was hired to replace Lisa.

Mary Callahan
Registrar

More information on the Registrar's Office can be found on the web at http://web.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/registrar/.

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ROTC Programs

Air Force Reserve Officers' Training Corps

Our mission is to train leaders to be commissioned second ieutenants in the United States Air Force.

Year-end Enrollment in AFROTC as of June 2002

 
Freshmen
Sophomores
Juniors
Seniors
Total
MIT
10
7
10
8
35
Harvard
2
2
2
2
8
Tufts
0
0
0
1
1
Wellesley
0
1
0
0
1
Total
12
10
12
11
45

Accomplishments

The academic year 2001-2002 at Detachment 365 at MIT was exceptional. The year started with a memorable New Student Orientation weekend in September 2001. We had six cadets flying on weekends at Hanscom Air Force Base (AFB). In October 2001, the detachment went on a two-day hike on the Appalachian Trail. In November 2001, we had a dining-in with former MIT graduate LTC William Shelton as the guest speaker. In November 2001, the detachment sponsored a Veterans Week Program. The week began with a tri-service POW/MIA Vigil. We also marched in the Boston Veteran's Day Parade. In February 2002, the detachment visited Nellis AFB for a base visit. In March 2002, the detachment visited Burlington ANG Base to view F-16 operations. In April 2002, the detachment visited the National Battlefield at Gettysburg for a leadership seminar. In May 2002, the detachment went on another two-day hike on the Appalachian Trail. In June 2002, we commissioned 9 MIT graduates, 1 Tufts graduate and 2 Harvard graduates as second lieutenants.

New Initiatives

Colonel Kuconis again taught a freshman seminar, SEM130, and was a freshman advisor.

Detachment 365 along with Army and Navy ROTC developed a joint leadership seminar with the Sloan School of Management. This 3-credit seminar was taught during IAP.

Staffing Changes

Major Daniels was reassigned.

Colonel John E. Kuconis
United States Air Force

For more information about the AFROTC program, please visit our detachment web page at http://web.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/afrotc/www/.

Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps

The mission of the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (AROTC) is to develop, train and commission the future officer leadership for our Army by providing instruction and training in military science subjects with a focus on leadership development.

Accomplishments

The department increased enrollment by 70 percent (38 to 54) and is on track to commission 15 second lieutenants by 2005, reversing a 10-year declining enrollment trend.

Faculty/cadre accomplishments:

Course Offerings:

Engineer Outreach:

At the end of the academic year, 54 students were enrolled in our program. Of those 54 students, 17 are minority (32 percent), and 11 are women (20  percent).

Year-end Enrollment in AROTC as of June 2002

 
Freshmen
Sophomores
Juniors
Seniors
Total
MIT
7
2
4
1
14
Harvard
9
12
1
2
24
Wellesley
2
2
0
1
5
Tufts
0
1
0
0
1
Other
2
2
2
0
6
Total
20
22
8
4
54

Of the fourteen enrolled MIT students, eleven are currently on scholarship. This year the Army ROTC commissioned 5 new second lieutenants, two from MIT.

Off-campus learning opportunities continued to attract cadets who volunteered for training at Fort Benning, GA (Airborne School) and Fort Bragg, NC (Troop Leadership). Participation continued to be strong in the MIT Pershing Rifles Company, a group of both ROTC and non-ROTC students dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in military leadership and tactics.

We have moved closer to bringing our two-part vision to fruition:

Four new faculty members have joined the department: Major Lee, Master Sergeant Haas, Staff Sergeant Sanchez and Sergeant Howell. Two faculty members have departed, Major Curran and Major Schwab. Sergeant Hiett has returned from a six-month temporary duty assignment in Europe. The PMS, LTC Baker, finishing his second year at MIT, was approved to extend his tour of duty a fourth year, through 2004.

Lt. Colonel Brian L. Baker
United States Army

More information about AROTC can be found online at http://web.mit.edu.ezproxyberklee.flo.org/armyrotc/.

Naval Reserve Officers' Training Corps

The mission of the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Program is to "develop midshipmen mentally, morally and physically and imbue them with the highest ideals of duty and loyalty, and with the core values of honor, courage and commitment in order to commission college graduates as naval officers who possess a basic professional background, are motivated toward careers in the naval service, and have a potential for future development in mind and character so as to assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government."

At the Massachusetts Institute of Technology the officers and staff assigned to the Naval Science Department are committed to ensuring that every midshipman balances his or her time and energy to realize the tremendous benefits of a MIT, Harvard or Tufts education along with the professional development opportunities afforded by the NROTC Program.

Accomplishments

Academic year 2001–2002 was most successful in many regards. Following is a summary of key accomplishments:

Staffing Changes

During this academic year, two technical instructors were relieved of their duties and, amazingly, both were replaced by MIT alumni!

Lieutenant Deena Disraelly '96 recently assumed the duties of senior class advisor and navigation instructor. Deena reported from the aircraft carrier USS George Washington and she is most welcome as the first female technical instructor in Boston. She has proven to be a terrific mentor to the large population of female midshipmen at MIT.

Lieutenant Kelly Baker completed a master's degree program in Course 2 after earning his undergraduate degree from University of Illinois. He is the submarine force representative on the staff and reports from a Trident SSBN stationed in the Pacific Northwest. He has performed brilliantly as the naval engineering instructor.

A civil service employee was hired to serve as administrative assistant at both MIT and Boston University. Venessa Manzano is a Filipino-American who graduated from Northeastern University last year. She has proven to be a tremendous asset to the organization.

The executive officer was relieved in May by Commander Gary Smilowitz, a naval aviator reporting from an exciting tour of duty in London on the Navy staff in Europe.

MIT's generous scholarship benefits offered to staff officers pursuing advanced degrees has been instrumental in maintaining the high caliber of talent.

Captain Conrad J. Donahue
United States Navy

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Student Financial Services

The mission of Student Financial Services is to enable students to meet their financial obligations while ensuring access for all qualified students without regard to their financial need. The core business functions of Students Financial Services are student accounts, financial aid, student and parent loans, and student employment. Student Financial Services is also responsible for the Student Services Center, which provides a broad range of academic, financial, and general information services to students, parents, alumni, members of the MIT community and the general public. The mission of the Student Services Center is to provide accurate, friendly, and timely service to its customers.

Accomplishments

In FY2002, tuition revenue from students totaled $286,911,076—$175,355,878 of which was graduate tuition, and $111,555,198 undergraduate tuition. Students and their families paid late payment fees of $176,085 and MIT Monthly Payment Plan fees of $127,321.

In FY2002, 3,753, or 89 percent, of the 4,220 registered undergraduates received some type of financial aid—grant, loan, employment—from some source—institutional, federal, state, and private. The total of grants and loans to MIT undergraduates was $69,405,960, an increase of 10.5 percent from FY2002.

Sources of Undergraduate Financial Aid
Grants
MIT Grants
$38,876,858
Federal Grants
$ 5,097,168
State and Private Grants
$ 8,039,194
Subtotal of Grants
$52,013,220
Student Loans
MIT Loans
$ 1,170,835
Federal Loans
$ 7,649,589
State and Private Loans
$0
Subtotal of Student Loans
$ 8,820,424
Parent Loans
MIT Loans
$ 2, 218,251
Federal Loans
$ 3,102,015
State and Private Loans
$ 3,252,050
Subtotal of Parent Loans
$ 8,572,316
Total Undergraduate Grants and Loans
$ 69,405,960

In FY2002, 931, or 16 percent, of the 5,984 registered graduate students received a student loan from institutional, federal, state and private sources. Total graduate students loans were $22,067,204, an increase of 47 percent from FY2001. This growth is attributed to the introduction of a new student loan program, Sloan CitiAssist, for two-year MBA students. MIT Technology Loans to graduate students decreased 33 percent from FY2001, as expected due to the introduction of Sloan CitiAssist.

Sources of Graduate Student Loans
MIT Loans
$ 3,736,882
Federal Loans
$ 11,336,543
State and Private Loans
$ 6,993,779
Total Graduate Student Loans
$22,067,204

Student Financial Services continues to administer the MIT Educational Loan Program to faculty and staff. In FY2002 $2,328,341 was loaned to MIT faculty and staff, and $2,172,032 was collected. The year-end receivable balance for the program was $2,786,542.

Staffing

During FY2002 there were numerous staffing changes within SFS. Ten staff members left MIT, 12 were hired and there were three internal transfers/promotions. Staff who left Student Financial Services during the past academic year include Yolla Auguste, financial aid representative; Mary Barry, student account counselor; Jill Desjean, assistant director of financial aid; Craig Fennell, associate director of student financial services; Sarah Hernandez, student account counselor; Kimberly Huse, student services representative; Anne McCall, student services representative; and Trudy Zakin, assistant director of financial aid. Staff who joined Student Financial Services include:Theresa Allen, business analyst; Jennifer Cooper, financial aid officer; Dwight Doherty, student account counselor; Sheherezade Essack, communications officer; Tanitia Graham, administrative assistant; Mary Ellen Grannan, student services representative; Sophya Gudelman, student services representative; Kathleen Manzolillo, student employment representative; Amanda Romero, student account counselor; Daniela Trammell, student services representative. Two staff members were with Student Financial Services for only a year—Jerry Whitlock, associate director for planning and innovation, and JoAnne Hassel, financial aid representative. Three staff members took on new responsibilities within Student Financial Services. Heather Clang became the manager of student services; Yvonne Gittens took on responsibility for financing options and graduate students; Carmen Velez was promoted to financial aid counselor. Two of the 10 departing staff, or 20 percent, were minority; whereas four of the 12 staff hired, or 33 percent, were minority, resulting in a more diverse SFS staff. Two of the three internal transfers/promotions were minority staff.

Elizabeth M. Hicks
Director

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Student Services Information Technology

The mission of Student Services Information Technology is to provide high-quality information services support to a wide-ranging set of users within the Offices of the Dean for Undergraduate Education and the Dean for Student Life, and MIT in general. This support focuses on the automation of business processes and information systems to provide students, faculty and administrators with timely and accurate information and support.

Accomplishments

Client-Focused

SSIT-Focused

Staffing Changes

A new position was created and part-time administrative assistant Cynthia Campbell was hired. With Joe Welch, technical assistant V, transferring to MIT Information Systems, the two technical assistant positions were re-evaluated and upgraded to consultant I. As a result, Riccardo Cosmey was promoted. Joe De Vito was hired as a consultant I to replace Joe Welch.

The implementation of the Consultant Migration Plan (migrating away from utilizing contract analyst/programmers for ongoing work) was completed. Kent Dorsey, infrastructure team leader; Bin Zhou, analyst programmer III; Brendan Gaul, network analyst programmer; and Deepali Sinha, analyst programmer III were hired.

As a result of the formation of the Academic Services Support Team, Andrea Collins was promoted to analyst programmer III and is the leader of this new team. Separately, Leonard Lu was promoted to analyst programmer II.

Robert Rippcondi
Director

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Teaching and Learning Laboratory

The Teaching and Learning Laboratory (TLL) was founded in 1997 as a resource for faculty, administrators, and students who share a desire to improve teaching and learning at MIT. Its goals are to strengthen the quality of instruction at the Institute; further an understanding of the learning process, particularly in science and engineering; and provide support for the creation and assessment of innovative educational technologies, curricula, and instructional methods.

In AY2002 TLL continued to expand its work in the assessment and evaluation of educational initiatives at the Institute. During the year TLL staff members or consultants engaged by TLL have been involved in fifteen separate studies. We are just now at the point where the data from those studies are starting to provide us with the insights that will help guide further improvements in undergraduate education. In addition, we have maintained the programs and services we provide to faculty and teaching assistants for instructional support. Finally, we are beginning to reach the wider educational community through conference papers, invited talks, and publications.

As described above, TLL has three broad, yet interrelated, functions: instructional support, assessment and evaluation, and research. TLL's accomplishments in these three areas are detailed below.

Instructional Support

TLL has continued to offer the services and programs in instructional support that it has developed over the last several years. These include the Class Videotaping and Consulting Program, departmental workshops, consultations with individual faculty and departmental committees, microteaching workshops, orientations for new faculty and teaching assistants, the IAP series "Better Teaching @ MIT," and Dr. Breslow's "Teach Talk" column in the MIT Faculty Newsletter.

Specifically:

Assessment and Evaluation Activities

Subject or Project
Scope of Investigation
Status of the Study
3.21
Online survey to assess student satisfaction with the teamwork component of the subject
Data to be analyzed
6.001
Experimental study, including creation and refinement of an end-of-the semester survey; comparative investigation of conceptual and algorithmic understanding gained through either live or online presentations; selection and administration of standardized instruments
Analyzing data
6.555
Creation of a study design and grading rubric to compare historical and experimental use of a problem-based pedagogy
Completed
8.224
Assessment of an experiment to enroll off-campus alumni along with undergraduates in a physics subject; project entailed a content analysis of the discussion board used during the semester
Qualitative report complete; content analysis to begin 8/1/02
18.03
Assessment of the introduction of groupwork into 18.03 recitations through classroom observation, focus groups, and surveys
Analyzing data
CMI Undergraduate Exchange
Investigation of cultural, personal, and educational impact of undergraduate exchange by developing and facilitating a faculty workshop, conducting student interviews, administering standardized instruments
Analyzing data
COFHE Spring 2002 Senior Survey
Online survey to assess seniors' attitudes and satisfaction with the MIT undergraduate experience
Data to be analyzed
College Student Experiences Questionnaire
Online survey examined student experiences of campus life and the campus environment
Completed
Concourse, ESG, ISP
Statistical analysis of enrollment data
Completed
Educational Bench- marking, Inc. 2001 Senior Survey
Assessment of the attitudes and experiences of MIT seniors who majored in engineering for fall 2001 ABET Accreditation Review
Completed
MetaMedia/ Shakespeare Video Annotation
Investigation into the use of online tools to enhance communication skills.
Analyzing data
Mission 2004–2005
Assessment of a problem- and teamwork-based freshman subject through the use of classroom observation, surveys, focus groups, interviews
Mission 2004 report complete; Mission 2005 preliminary report complete; expanded statistical report for Mission 2005 to follow
PIVoT
Analysis of use of a multimedia, web-based learning environment for Newtonian physics
Report completed
Residence-based Advising
Analysis of a program that locates freshman associate advisors and faculty advisors within the residence halls; 2000–2001 program in McCormick Hall; 2001–2002 in McCormick Hall and Next House
2000–2001 report complete; analysis of data for 2001–2002 to begin 7/8/2002
TEAL Classroom
Observed classes conducted in 26-152 in order to assess the room's functionality and make recommendations for a second TEAL-like classroom
Report completed

TLL staff members were also responsible for the following assessment and evaluation efforts:

Research

Dr. Breslow is working on two projects related to the study of interdisciplinary education: the first will use HST as a case study (as part of this work she is supervising the doctoral dissertation of a student from Boston College); the second is an NSF-funded study to look at interdisciplinary research and education in the area of product development.

Dr. Newman continues his longitudinal study of the intellectual growth of college students at Allegheny College.

Ms. Tervalon did research this spring on content analysis in order to adapt that methodology to the content analysis of the 8.224 discussion board. To our knowledge, this will be the first study of this kind.

Four UROP students, under TLL staff supervision, did a literature review of the research on educational technology as it relates to our three research streams (i.e., the impact of educational technology on conceptual learning, student interaction and engagement, and resource allocation).

Staff Changes

In January 2002, Ms. Rosanne Swire resigned from TLL to pursue a career in graphic design. In August, Ms. MeiLin Chan will join TLL as data coordinator. In the interim, we have been helped enormously by Mr. Michael Simmons.

Lori Breslow
Director

 

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