[1026] in UA Senate
Re: [IMPORTANT!!!!] They're trying to cut REX. What do we do?
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Suan Tuang)
Thu Jan 27 19:47:41 2011
In-Reply-To: <AANLkTikCA2Lo-2E=74GoZK5D8cgREqjgMBb+2=6qoAA3@mail.gmail.com>
Date: Thu, 27 Jan 2011 19:47:36 -0500
From: Suan Tuang <stuang@MIT.EDU>
To: "Alec Lai (UA Secretary-General)" <ua-secretary@mit.edu>
Cc: William Steadman <willst@mit.edu>,
Jessica Chen <jessicachen.dbhs@gmail.com>,
"Janet Li (UA Public Relations Chair)" <ua-pr-chairs@mit.edu>,
ua-senate@mit.edu, Lauren Jefferson <darkangel6541@gmail.com>
--20cf30433ef2933376049add69d4
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
I was contacted by the president-elects of New House and East Campus
regarding a potential meeting between the dorm presidents and execs.
On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 7:40 PM, Alec Lai (UA Secretary-General) <
ua-secretary@mit.edu> wrote:
> I assume every Senator, since it's part of their normal job, has already
> sent an email to their dorm summarizing the meetings and asking for
> opinions...and those that are really proactive would've gone out and grabbed
> a few people or called an emergency event like you did.
>
> And if you haven't sent an email....please do so soon! =) Summaries of the
> meeting are on the home page for ua.mit.edu . Use for reference if you
> need to!
>
> Best,
> Alec
>
> On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 7:35 PM, William Steadman <willst@mit.edu> wrote:
>
>> Alec did a great job with the minutes. Sent them to senior-house.
>>
>> Again, what are we going to do? We need to figure out our plan for the
>> next
>> meeting.
>>
>> Senior House is having an emergency meeting tonight about this. This is
>> the
>> exactly right moment to have a constituency event.
>>
>> What are senators doing about this?
>>
>>
>>
>> Quoting "Alec Lai (UA Secretary-General)" <ua-secretary@MIT.EDU>:
>>
>> Top of page 7 in the draft minutes addresses this. That's all she said
>>> about it I believe.
>>> Top of page 8 had a good counterargument.
>>>
>>> On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 1:45 PM, Jessica Chen <
>>> jessicachen.dbhs@gmail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>> Did anyone answer as to what led them to believe students are being
>>>> tired
>>>> out by Orientation and would prefer to shorten it. I understand their
>>>> concerns but where did it come about that Orientation length is a
>>>> problem.
>>>>
>>>> Just curious
>>>>
>>>> Sincerely,
>>>> ~Jessica Chen
>>>> MIT 2014
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 1:40 PM, Alec Lai (UA Secretary-General) <
>>>> ua-secretary@mit.edu> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Summary and Draft Minutes for the meeting are already up. They are
>>>>> also
>>>>> in a special box on the ua.mit.edu home page for easy access.
>>>>>
>>>>> Alec
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 1:38 PM, Janet Li (UA Public Relations Chair) <
>>>>> ua-pr-chairs@mit.edu> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> Good work, Suan! I hope all other senators have also emailed out to
>>>>>> their constituencies to notify them of these significant changes to
>>>>>> orientation and REX that are currently being discussed.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If not, please do so immediately, as it is of utmost importance that
>>>>>> we
>>>>>> keep the student body as up to date as we can on these kinds of
>>>>>> crucial
>>>>>> issues.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Janet Li
>>>>>> MIT Undergraduate Association <http://ua.mit.edu/>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Public Relations Chair
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 8:34 AM, Suan Tuang <stuang@mit.edu> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hi Senate,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> This is an email regarding changes in REX from the New
>>>>>>> House REX Chair.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Thank you very much!
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Best,
>>>>>>> Tuang
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>>>>>> From: Lauren Jefferson <laj51714@mit.edu>
>>>>>>> Date: Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 5:01 AM
>>>>>>> Subject: Re: [IMPORTANT!!!!] They're trying to cut REX. What do we
>>>>>>> do?
>>>>>>> To: Suan Tuang <stuang@mit.edu>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Tuang,
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Just as a warning, this is really, really long:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I don't like the idea of shortening REX. Sure, planning events would
>>>>>>> be
>>>>>>> easier because there would be fewer, but my dorm (Desmond) is really
>>>>>>> far
>>>>>>> from everything. Unless people have a reason, they don't usually come
>>>>>>> all
>>>>>>> the way out to New/Next house, which will definitely hurt our REX
>>>>>>> possibilities. I think it took me until the end of REX to get over
>>>>>>> how far
>>>>>>> the walk was. I personally didn't even make my decision to stay in
>>>>>>> New House
>>>>>>> until the last day of REX. I'd rather people who I live with to
>>>>>>> actually
>>>>>>> want to live there, rather than grumbling about having no other
>>>>>>> choice.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Also, this smashes the scheduling for things like the East-Side,
>>>>>>> West-Side parties, and MacG/New/Next party. If I'm interpreting this
>>>>>>> correctly, there is only one night included in REX. That would mean
>>>>>>> that, if
>>>>>>> all three parties were to run, these three groups would be directly
>>>>>>> competing against each other, resulting in three smaller parties than
>>>>>>> usual
>>>>>>> and general money wasting. Also, there's the problem with actually
>>>>>>> seeing
>>>>>>> the dorms. Most people don't tour every dorm, but there's 12 dorms
>>>>>>> that
>>>>>>> participate in REX. If you wanted to see them all, it would take
>>>>>>> 12/30 hours
>>>>>>> out of your REX, ignoring the fact that there would likely only be
>>>>>>> time for
>>>>>>> one or two sets of tours, which would result in limiting the number
>>>>>>> of tours
>>>>>>> anyone could take. Also, there's the problem that it takes ~20
>>>>>>> minutes to
>>>>>>> get between EC, Random, and/or Next, or at least it did when I first
>>>>>>> got
>>>>>>> there. If you include the orientation events, which I (stupidly) went
>>>>>>> to
>>>>>>> instead of REX events, food time, and the radical idea that freshmen
>>>>>>> actually want to have fun before they're thrown into long lectures
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> endless p-sets, you would have to clone yourself to get everything
>>>>>>> in. I
>>>>>>> seriously regretted not going to my own dorm's events because they
>>>>>>> conflicted with Orientation ones, when, in the long run, learning
>>>>>>> more about
>>>>>>> my dorm matters a lot more.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Norman said in the article that CPW, the i3 videos, and the residence
>>>>>>> materials would be good indicators for housing selections. During
>>>>>>> CPW, the
>>>>>>> main things I did involved scoping out free stuff. I had minimal, if
>>>>>>> any,
>>>>>>> thoughts about which dorm I was going to live in IF I decided to go
>>>>>>> to MIT,
>>>>>>> and what I originally thought I wanted was completely different from
>>>>>>> what I
>>>>>>> actually wanted. We're supposed to be selling why MIT is the best
>>>>>>> school in
>>>>>>> the world, not why our dorm is the best dorm in the world. Although
>>>>>>> an
>>>>>>> awesome dorm is *a* reason why you should go to MIT, it shouldn't be
>>>>>>> *the
>>>>>>> *reason why you should go to MIT, especially since you're not
>>>>>>> guaranteed to live in that dorm. The biggest problems about the i3
>>>>>>> videos
>>>>>>> are that they occasionally do not accurately portray a dorm's culture
>>>>>>> and
>>>>>>> that the deadlines are announced way too late, or during the middle
>>>>>>> of the
>>>>>>> busiest time of the semester. As an example, I think Desmond has used
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> same one for the past 5 years (although we're making a new one)
>>>>>>> because we
>>>>>>> just haven't had time, and the culture has so drastically changed
>>>>>>> that it's
>>>>>>> almost hilarious. I have a lot of friends who ran screaming from
>>>>>>> their
>>>>>>> first-choice temp dorm because they weren't what they expected. I
>>>>>>> think the
>>>>>>> one thing that was the most accurate was what was written in the
>>>>>>> residence
>>>>>>> hall booklet, but you can't really get an accurate feel for a culture
>>>>>>> with
>>>>>>> just a page or two of writing (only half a page if you're in New
>>>>>>> House,
>>>>>>> too...). Dorm cultures at MIT aren't just subtle differences, either
>>>>>>> - it's
>>>>>>> very possible to just not be able to cope with a dorm situation.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'd have to argue that, short of joining a sorority, my dorm has been
>>>>>>> the biggest factor in how I've survived MIT so far. Like I said
>>>>>>> before, it
>>>>>>> took me almost the entirety of REX to decide that I was happy with my
>>>>>>> dorm,
>>>>>>> and if I had any less time, I would have definitely adjusted out. I
>>>>>>> think
>>>>>>> that whole problem with shortening REX is that it's been established
>>>>>>> over so
>>>>>>> many years that the events that everyone looks forward to have just
>>>>>>> fallen
>>>>>>> into that time frame. Giving us a third (even less if you count that
>>>>>>> dorms
>>>>>>> do events on Thursday and Friday because some FPOPs end early) of
>>>>>>> that time
>>>>>>> just means that some people will get the short end of the stick,
>>>>>>> including
>>>>>>> the freshmen. They make the argument that events could start early,
>>>>>>> but the
>>>>>>> only reason events ever started early was because there were either
>>>>>>> enough
>>>>>>> people there that weren't in FPOPs or their FPOPs had already ended,
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> latter being a pretty useless argument if all the FPOPs are going to
>>>>>>> end
>>>>>>> early. Also, my experience with FPOPs was that I would finish my
>>>>>>> FPOP, go
>>>>>>> back to my dorm, drag myself up the stairs, shower, and collapse into
>>>>>>> my
>>>>>>> bed, with little or no energy to do anything else. I know other
>>>>>>> people felt
>>>>>>> the same way, too - a lot of FPOPs are either physically or mentally
>>>>>>> draining. If the faculty is worried that the freshmen are going to be
>>>>>>> worn
>>>>>>> out when the semester begins, then events shouldn't start at 8 am or
>>>>>>> make
>>>>>>> mandatory events take up 5 hours of our day and just have people
>>>>>>> talking at
>>>>>>> us. I lost more sleep to waking up early for orientation events than
>>>>>>> I did
>>>>>>> to staying up for REX events.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> We may have the longest orientation in the country, but we also have
>>>>>>> one
>>>>>>> of the hardest schools, and one of the the heaviest freshman
>>>>>>> workloads,
>>>>>>> regardless of pass/no record. I think Orientation was the last time
>>>>>>> I've
>>>>>>> legitimately had fun without worrying about classes, p-sets or
>>>>>>> grades,
>>>>>>> *including* IAP and December break. Our really long orientation is
>>>>>>> arguably one of the best things about MIT - getting to meet people
>>>>>>> who share
>>>>>>> your interests, free food, and no stress.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> The administration says they're trying to work better with the
>>>>>>> student
>>>>>>> body to compromise, but given the dining plan situation and the fact
>>>>>>> that it
>>>>>>> is still a sore spot for many student, I am interested to see how
>>>>>>> they
>>>>>>> respond to student opinions on this subject. It seems like we will
>>>>>>> have to
>>>>>>> do a better job in communicating to the administration the importance
>>>>>>> of
>>>>>>> REX.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> ~Lauren Jefferson, New House CPW/REX Co-Chair
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> P.S.: Clarification: Does the article say that 5-day FPOPs will go
>>>>>>> into
>>>>>>> the Monday that REX starts? If that's the case, than that's even less
>>>>>>> fair,
>>>>>>> especially if ASEs also take time out of REX. Also, I know people who
>>>>>>> took
>>>>>>> 3-4 ASEs. If they want to talk about freshmen being burnt out, these
>>>>>>> freshmen would essentially be taking four finals in one day. That
>>>>>>> would burn
>>>>>>> ANYONE out.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 2:51 AM, Suan Tuang <stuang@mit.edu> wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi New House residents and New House Exec,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I hope that by now the New House
>>>>>>>> Exec
>>>>>>>> knows what has been going on in the UA regarding Chancellor Clay's
>>>>>>>> charge to
>>>>>>>> shorten the Orientation<
>>>>>>>> http://tech.mit.edu/V130/N64/orientation.html>.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> This basically cuts the REX events from 3 days to 1 day. I strongly
>>>>>>>> recommend that New House Exec (especially the president and REX
>>>>>>>> chair) know
>>>>>>>> what exactly is going on and take appropriate actions regarding this
>>>>>>>> change
>>>>>>>> as it will have a strong impact on our future residents and
>>>>>>>> potentially the
>>>>>>>> culture of our dorm. I have forwarded the email sent to me by the
>>>>>>>> East
>>>>>>>> Campus President-elect James Douberley.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this matter.
>>>>>>>> Remember, this change will affect the REX activities (remember all
>>>>>>>> those
>>>>>>>> free foods), but not the orientation events will not be cut. As
>>>>>>>> someone
>>>>>>>> pointed out during the Senate Emergency meeting, "they are basically
>>>>>>>> taking
>>>>>>>> away the fun parts of Orientation."
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> The changes will come directly from UAAP and if you are interested,
>>>>>>>> feel free to contact the Senior Associate Dean and Director Julie
>>>>>>>> Normal at
>>>>>>>> Rm 7-103 and her email is jbnorman@mit.edu. <jbnorman@mit.edu>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thank you very much!!
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hope everyone is enjoying the last days of IAP!
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Best,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Suan Tuang
>>>>>>>> UA Senator, New House
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>>>>>>> From: James Douberley <flipdog@mit.edu>
>>>>>>>> Date: Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 12:59 AM
>>>>>>>> Subject: New House President
>>>>>>>> To: stuang@mit.edu
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Hey Tuang,
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> I'm wondering who the new president is at New House? I know your
>>>>>>>> election happens in theory at the end of the fall term and the new
>>>>>>>> president
>>>>>>>> should have taken office already, I'm just curious as to who that
>>>>>>>> is. The
>>>>>>>> presidents of a number of other dorms are having discussions
>>>>>>>> regarding the
>>>>>>>> situation with REX and Orientation, and we'd like the involvement of
>>>>>>>> the New
>>>>>>>> House president, if he's interested.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Since Max Mann didn't show up to a single DormCon meeting this term,
>>>>>>>> right now we have nobody to contact at New House, even though we'd
>>>>>>>> love to
>>>>>>>> be working alongside you all more. So if you could put me in touch
>>>>>>>> with the
>>>>>>>> new president, it would probably be for the benefit of us all.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Thanks.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> -James Douberley (EC President-elect)
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>> Suan Tuang
>>>>>>>> Massachusetts Institute of Technology
>>>>>>>> Class of 2014
>>>>>>>> <tel:+14075955672> <tel:+14075955672>(407) 595-5672<tel:+14075955672><tel:+14075955672>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Lauren Jefferson
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Massachusetts Institute of Technology
>>>>>>> Class of 2014
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>> Suan Tuang
>>>>>>> Massachusetts Institute of Technology
>>>>>>> Class of 2014
>>>>>>> <tel:+14075955672> <tel:+14075955672>(407) 595-5672<tel:+14075955672><tel:+14075955672>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>>
>>>>> Best,
>>>>> Alec C. Lai
>>>>> Secretary General
>>>>> MIT Undergraduate Association
>>>>>
>>>>> ua-secretary@mit.edu | <tel:+14404542942>(440)454-2942<tel:+14404542942><tel:+14404542942>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> Best,
>>> Alec C. Lai
>>> Secretary General
>>> MIT Undergraduate Association
>>>
>>> ua-secretary@mit.edu | <tel:+14404542942>(440)454-2942<tel:+14404542942>
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Best,
> Alec C. Lai
> Secretary General
> MIT Undergraduate Association
>
> ua-secretary@mit.edu | (440)454-2942
>
>
>
--
Suan Tuang
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Class of 2014
(407) 595-5672
--20cf30433ef2933376049add69d4
Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
I was contacted by the president-elects of New House and East Campus regard=
ing a potential meeting between the dorm presidents and execs.<br><br><div =
class=3D"gmail_quote">On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 7:40 PM, Alec Lai (UA Secreta=
ry-General) <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:ua-secretary@mit.edu">u=
a-secretary@mit.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; borde=
r-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">I assume every Se=
nator, since it's part of their normal job, has already sent an email t=
o their dorm summarizing the meetings and asking for opinions...and those t=
hat are really proactive would've gone out and grabbed a few people or =
called an emergency event like you did.<div>
<br></div><div>And if you haven't sent an email....please do so soon! =
=3D) Summaries of the meeting are on the home page for <a href=3D"http://ua=
.mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">ua.mit.edu</a> . Use for reference if you need =
to!</div>
<div><br></div>
<div>Best,</div><div>Alec</div><div><div><div><div></div><div class=3D"h5">=
<br><div class=3D"gmail_quote">On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 7:35 PM, William Ste=
adman <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a href=3D"mailto:willst@mit.edu" target=3D"_bl=
ank">willst@mit.edu</a>></span> wrote:<br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; borde=
r-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
Alec did a great job with the minutes. Sent them to senior-house.<br>
<br>
Again, what are we going to do? We need to figure out our plan for the next=
<br>
meeting.<br>
<br>
Senior House is having an emergency meeting tonight about this. This is the=
<br>
exactly right moment to have a constituency event.<br>
<br>
What are senators doing about this?<div><div></div><div><br>
<br>
<br>
Quoting "Alec Lai (UA Secretary-General)" <<a href=3D"mailto:u=
a-secretary@MIT.EDU" target=3D"_blank">ua-secretary@MIT.EDU</a>>:<br>
<br>
</div></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt =
0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><div>=
<div></div><div>
Top of page 7 in the draft minutes addresses this. =A0That's all she sa=
id<br>
about it I believe.<br>
Top of page 8 had a good counterargument.<br>
<br>
On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 1:45 PM, Jessica Chen <<a href=3D"mailto:jessica=
chen.dbhs@gmail.com" target=3D"_blank">jessicachen.dbhs@gmail.com</a>>wr=
ote:<br>
<br>
</div></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt =
0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><div>=
<div></div><div>
Did anyone answer as to what led them to believe students are being tired<b=
r>
out by Orientation and would prefer to shorten it. I understand their<br>
concerns but where did it come about that Orientation length is a problem.<=
br>
<br>
Just curious<br>
<br>
Sincerely,<br>
~Jessica Chen<br>
MIT 2014<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 1:40 PM, Alec Lai (UA Secretary-General) <<br>
<a href=3D"mailto:ua-secretary@mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">ua-secretary@mit.=
edu</a>> wrote:<br>
<br>
</div></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt =
0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><div>=
<div></div><div>
Summary and Draft Minutes for the meeting are already up. =A0They are also<=
br>
in a special box on the <a href=3D"http://ua.mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">ua.=
mit.edu</a> home page for easy access.<br>
<br>
Alec<br>
<br>
<br>
On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 1:38 PM, Janet Li (UA Public Relations Chair) <<=
br>
<a href=3D"mailto:ua-pr-chairs@mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">ua-pr-chairs@mit.=
edu</a>> wrote:<br>
<br>
</div></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt =
0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><div>=
<div></div><div>
Good work, Suan! I hope all other senators have also emailed out to<br>
their constituencies to notify them of these significant changes to<br>
orientation and REX that are currently being discussed.<br>
<br>
If not, please do so immediately, as it is of utmost importance that we<br>
keep the student body as up to date as we can on these kinds of crucial<br>
issues.<br>
<br>
Janet Li<br></div></div>
MIT Undergraduate Association <<a href=3D"http://ua.mit.edu/" target=3D"=
_blank">http://ua.mit.edu/</a>><div><div></div><div><br>
Public Relations Chair<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 8:34 AM, Suan Tuang <<a href=3D"mailto:stuang@mi=
t.edu" target=3D"_blank">stuang@mit.edu</a>> wrote:<br>
<br>
</div></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt =
0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><div>=
<div></div><div>
Hi Senate,<br>
<br>
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0This is an email regarding changes in REX f=
rom the New<br>
House REX Chair.<br>
<br>
Thank you very much!<br>
<br>
Best,<br>
Tuang<br>
<br>
---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>
From: Lauren Jefferson <<a href=3D"mailto:laj51714@mit.edu" target=3D"_b=
lank">laj51714@mit.edu</a>><br>
Date: Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 5:01 AM<br>
Subject: Re: [IMPORTANT!!!!] They're trying to cut REX. What do we do?<=
br>
To: Suan Tuang <<a href=3D"mailto:stuang@mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">stua=
ng@mit.edu</a>><br>
<br>
<br>
Tuang,<br>
<br>
Just as a warning, this is really, really long:<br>
<br>
I don't like the idea of shortening REX. Sure, planning events would be=
<br>
easier because there would be fewer, but my dorm (Desmond) is really far<br=
>
from everything. Unless people have a reason, they don't usually come a=
ll<br>
the way out to New/Next house, which will definitely hurt our REX<br>
possibilities. I think it took me until the end of REX to get over how far<=
br>
the walk was. I personally didn't even make my decision to stay in New =
House<br>
until the last day of REX. I'd rather people who I live with to actuall=
y<br>
want to live there, rather than grumbling about having no other choice.<br>
<br>
Also, this smashes the scheduling for things like the East-Side,<br>
West-Side parties, and MacG/New/Next party. If I'm interpreting this<br=
>
correctly, there is only one night included in REX. That would mean that, i=
f<br>
all three parties were to run, these three groups would be directly<br>
competing against each other, resulting in three smaller parties than usual=
<br>
and general money wasting. Also, there's the problem with actually seei=
ng<br>
the dorms. Most people don't tour every dorm, but there's 12 dorms =
that<br>
participate in REX. If you wanted to see them all, it would take 12/30 hour=
s<br>
out of your REX, ignoring the fact that there would likely only be time for=
<br>
one or two sets of tours, which would result in limiting the number of tour=
s<br>
anyone could take. Also, there's the problem that it takes ~20 minutes =
to<br>
get between EC, Random, and/or Next, or at least it did when I first got<br=
>
there. If you include the orientation events, which I (stupidly) went to<br=
>
instead of REX events, food time, and the radical idea that freshmen<br>
actually want to have fun before they're thrown into long lectures and<=
br>
endless p-sets, you would have to clone yourself to get everything in. I<br=
>
seriously regretted not going to my own dorm's events because they<br>
conflicted with Orientation ones, when, in the long run, learning more abou=
t<br>
my dorm matters a lot more.<br>
<br>
Norman said in the article that CPW, the i3 videos, and the residence<br>
materials would be good indicators for housing selections. During CPW, the<=
br>
main things I did involved scoping out free stuff. I had minimal, if any,<b=
r>
thoughts about which dorm I was going to live in IF I decided to go to MIT,=
<br>
and what I originally thought I wanted was completely different from what I=
<br>
actually wanted. We're supposed to be selling why MIT is the best schoo=
l in<br>
the world, not why our dorm is the best dorm in the world. Although an<br>
awesome dorm is *a* reason why you should go to MIT, it shouldn't be *t=
he<br>
*reason why you should go to MIT, especially since you're not<br>
guaranteed to live in that dorm. The biggest problems about the i3 videos<b=
r>
are that they occasionally do not accurately portray a dorm's culture a=
nd<br>
that the deadlines are announced way too late, or during the middle of the<=
br>
busiest time of the semester. As an example, I think Desmond has used the<b=
r>
same one for the past 5 years (although we're making a new one) because=
we<br>
just haven't had time, and the culture has so drastically changed that =
it's<br>
almost hilarious. I have a lot of friends who ran screaming from their<br>
first-choice temp dorm because they weren't what they expected. I think=
the<br>
one thing that was the most accurate was what was written in the residence<=
br>
hall booklet, but you can't really get an accurate feel for a culture w=
ith<br>
just a page or two of writing (only half a page if you're in New House,=
<br>
too...). Dorm cultures at MIT aren't just subtle differences, either - =
it's<br>
very possible to just not be able to cope with a dorm situation.<br>
<br>
I'd have to argue that, short of joining a sorority, my dorm has been<b=
r>
the biggest factor in how I've survived MIT so far. Like I said before,=
it<br>
took me almost the entirety of REX to decide that I was happy with my dorm,=
<br>
and if I had any less time, I would have definitely adjusted out. I think<b=
r>
that whole problem with shortening REX is that it's been established ov=
er so<br>
many years that the events that everyone looks forward to have just fallen<=
br>
into that time frame. Giving us a third (even less if you count that dorms<=
br>
do events on Thursday and Friday because some FPOPs end early) of that time=
<br>
just means that some people will get the short end of the stick, including<=
br>
the freshmen. They make the argument that events could start early, but the=
<br>
only reason events ever started early was because there were either enough<=
br>
people there that weren't in FPOPs or their FPOPs had already ended, th=
e<br>
latter being a pretty useless argument if all the FPOPs are going to end<br=
>
early. Also, my experience with FPOPs was that I would finish my FPOP, go<b=
r>
back to my dorm, drag myself up the stairs, shower, and collapse into my<br=
>
bed, with little or no energy to do anything else. I know other people felt=
<br>
the same way, too - a lot of FPOPs are either physically or mentally<br>
draining. If the faculty is worried that the freshmen are going to be worn<=
br>
out when the semester begins, then events shouldn't start at 8 am or ma=
ke<br>
mandatory events take up 5 hours of our day and just have people talking at=
<br>
us. I lost more sleep to waking up early for orientation events than I did<=
br>
to staying up for REX events.<br>
<br>
We may have the longest orientation in the country, but we also have one<br=
>
of the hardest schools, and one of the the heaviest freshman workloads,<br>
regardless of pass/no record. I think Orientation was the last time I'v=
e<br>
legitimately had fun without worrying about classes, p-sets or grades,<br>
*including* IAP and December break. Our really long orientation is<br>
arguably one of the best things about MIT - getting to meet people who shar=
e<br>
your interests, free food, and no stress.<br>
<br>
The administration says they're trying to work better with the student<=
br>
body to compromise, but given the dining plan situation and the fact that i=
t<br>
is still a sore spot for many student, I am interested to see how they<br>
respond to student opinions on this subject. It seems like we will have to<=
br>
do a better job in communicating to the administration the importance of<br=
>
REX.<br>
<br>
~Lauren Jefferson, New House CPW/REX Co-Chair<br>
<br>
P.S.: Clarification: Does the article say that 5-day FPOPs will go into<br>
the Monday that REX starts? If that's the case, than that's even le=
ss fair,<br>
especially if ASEs also take time out of REX. Also, I know people who took<=
br>
3-4 ASEs. If they want to talk about freshmen being burnt out, these<br>
freshmen would essentially be taking four finals in one day. That would bur=
n<br>
ANYONE out.<br>
<br>
<br>
On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 2:51 AM, Suan Tuang <<a href=3D"mailto:stuang@mi=
t.edu" target=3D"_blank">stuang@mit.edu</a>> wrote:<br>
<br>
</div></div><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt =
0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;"><div>=
<div></div><div>
Hi New House residents and New House Exec,<br>
<br>
=A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 I hope tha=
t by now the New House Exec<br>
knows what has been going on in the UA regarding Chancellor Clay's char=
ge to<br></div></div>
shorten the Orientation<<a href=3D"http://tech.mit.edu/V130/N64/orientat=
ion.html" target=3D"_blank">http://tech.mit.edu/V130/N64/orientation.html</=
a>>.<div><br>
This basically cuts the REX events from 3 days to 1 day. I strongly<br>
recommend that New House Exec (especially the president and REX chair) know=
<br>
what exactly is going on and take appropriate actions regarding this change=
<br>
as it will have a strong impact on our future residents and potentially the=
<br>
culture of our dorm. I have forwarded the email sent to me by the East<br>
Campus President-elect James Douberley.<br>
<br>
Please let me know if you have any questions regarding this matter.<br>
Remember, this change will affect the REX activities (remember all those<br=
>
free foods), but not the orientation events will not be cut. As someone<br>
pointed out during the Senate Emergency meeting, "they are basically t=
aking<br>
away the fun parts of Orientation."<br>
<br>
The changes will come directly from UAAP and if you are interested,<br>
feel free to contact the Senior Associate Dean and Director Julie Normal at=
<br></div>
Rm 7-103 and her email is <a href=3D"mailto:jbnorman@mit.edu" target=3D"_bl=
ank">jbnorman@mit.edu</a>. <<a href=3D"mailto:jbnorman@mit.edu" target=
=3D"_blank">jbnorman@mit.edu</a>><div><div></div><div><br>
<br>
Thank you very much!!<br>
<br>
Hope everyone is enjoying the last days of IAP!<br>
<br>
Best,<br>
<br>
Suan Tuang<br>
UA Senator, New House<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
---------- Forwarded message ----------<br>
From: James Douberley <<a href=3D"mailto:flipdog@mit.edu" target=3D"_bla=
nk">flipdog@mit.edu</a>><br>
Date: Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 12:59 AM<br>
Subject: New House President<br>
To: <a href=3D"mailto:stuang@mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">stuang@mit.edu</a><=
br>
<br>
<br>
Hey Tuang,<br>
<br>
I'm wondering who the new president is at New House? I know your<br>
election happens in theory at the end of the fall term and the new presiden=
t<br>
should have taken office already, I'm just curious as to who that is. T=
he<br>
presidents of a number of other dorms are having discussions regarding the<=
br>
situation with REX and Orientation, and we'd like the involvement of th=
e New<br>
House president, if he's interested.<br>
<br>
Since Max Mann didn't show up to a single DormCon meeting this term,<br=
>
right now we have nobody to contact at New House, even though we'd love=
to<br>
be working alongside you all more. So if you could put me in touch with the=
<br>
new president, it would probably be for the benefit of us all.<br>
<br>
Thanks.<br>
<br>
-James Douberley (EC President-elect)<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
--<br>
Suan Tuang<br>
Massachusetts Institute of Technology<br>
Class of 2014<br></div></div>
<tel:+14075955672><a href=3D"tel:+14075955672" target=3D"_blank"></a>=
<a href=3D"tel:+14075955672" target=3D"_blank">(407) 595-5672</a> <tel:+=
14075955672><br>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
--<div><br>
Lauren Jefferson<br>
<br>
Massachusetts Institute of Technology<br>
Class of 2014<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
--<br>
Suan Tuang<br>
Massachusetts Institute of Technology<br>
Class of 2014<br></div>
<tel:+14075955672><a href=3D"tel:+14075955672" target=3D"_blank"></a>=
<a href=3D"tel:+14075955672" target=3D"_blank">(407) 595-5672</a> <tel:+=
14075955672><br>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
--<div><br>
Best,<br>
Alec C. Lai<br>
Secretary General<br>
MIT Undergraduate Association<br>
<br>
</div><a href=3D"mailto:ua-secretary@mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">ua-secretar=
y@mit.edu</a> | <a href=3D"tel:+14404542942" target=3D"_blank"></a><a href=
=3D"tel:+14404542942" target=3D"_blank">(440)454-2942</a> <tel:+14404542=
942><br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
--<div><br>
Best,<br>
Alec C. Lai<br>
Secretary General<br>
MIT Undergraduate Association<br>
<br>
<a href=3D"mailto:ua-secretary@mit.edu" target=3D"_blank">ua-secretary@mit.=
edu</a> | <a href=3D"tel:+14404542942" target=3D"_blank"></a><a href=3D"tel=
:+14404542942" target=3D"_blank">(440)454-2942</a><br>
<br>
</div></blockquote>
<br>
<br>
</blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><br></div></div>-- <br><div class=
=3D"im">Best,<div>Alec C. Lai<div>Secretary General</div><div>MIT Undergrad=
uate Association</div><div><br></div><div><a href=3D"mailto:ua-secretary@mi=
t.edu" target=3D"_blank">ua-secretary@mit.edu</a> | (440)454-2942</div>
<div><br></div></div><br>
</div></div></div>
</blockquote></div><br><br clear=3D"all"><br>-- <br>Suan Tuang<br>Massachus=
etts Institute of Technology<br>Class of 2014<br>(407) 595-5672<br><br>
--20cf30433ef2933376049add69d4--
