Found 151 Results for Letters to the community

Updates

To keep you informed, find the latest news, events, and reports coming out of our office—plus the provost’s Letters to the Community.

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The Office of the Provost oversees MIT’s academic and research endeavors, enabling our faculty, staff, and Institute to thrive.

Resources

As part of the Provost Office’s mission to support MIT faculty and staff, we have curated helpful resources from across the Institute to guide all faculty, assist administrators, and enhance scholarship research.

Community Building Seed Grant Fund call for proposals

Letters · The Community Building Seed Grant Fund will encourage community-building efforts among faculty and instructor colleagues.

Executive Vice Provost

Your help in setting the tone for our community

Letters · We are writing to ask directly for your support and engagement in helping to set the tone for our whole community, especially if you work with students.

Supporting a safe, welcoming, and respectful community at MIT

Letters · The Institute will undertake activities to prevent harassment, sexual misconduct, and discrimination.

Ground rules for our community

Letters · We write to highlight the values, rules, and guidelines that make it possible for all of us to share the campus successfully while pursuing MIT’s vital mission.

John Dozier named Institute Community and Equity Officer

News · After a nationwide search, MIT has named John H. Dozier, an experienced higher-education leader with significant expertise in the areas of diversity and inclusion, as its new Institute Community and Equity Officer (ICEO).

Proposed Free Expression Statement for MIT

Letters · Last fall, debate around the handling of the Carlson Lecture spurred our community to focus on important questions about freedom of expression and academic freedom.

Upcoming changes to building access

Letters · In August, we wrote to you about our plans to engage the community as we developed MIT’s approach to building access for the spring semester and beyond.

MIT to ease masking, testing, attestation requirements

Letters · The Omicron surge now appears to be behind us. And while almost 4,500 of our MIT colleagues, classmates, and friends have tested positive since December, we are not aware of anyone in our community who has been hospitalized during that time due to Covid.

MIT building access plan for the fall

Letters · We write with an update on our building access policy, which has spurred conversation across our community in recent days.

Welcoming the MIT Values Statement

Letters · More than a year ago, 22 members of our community took up a challenging piece of work: They set out to create a values statement that could reflect MIT’s distinctive character and speak to all of us, in every role.

Research Assistant Tuition Subsidy Increase

Letters · In March, we wrote to the community to describe how MIT is investing in strategic priorities to address longstanding Institute needs during the coming 2023 fiscal year.

COVID-19 precautions to finish the semester strong

Letters · As you may be aware, last week we had an increase in COVID-19 cases in our community.

Areas of Oversight and Collaboration

The Provost’s Office team provides advice and counsel to the senior leaders of the schools and colleges, key offices, and affiliated institutes in furthering MIT’s commitment to best-in-class academics and research.

3 Questions: Provost Cynthia Barnhart on MIT’s community of excellence

News · With the MIT values statement recently published and MIT’s Strategic Action Plan for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion nearly complete, Provost Cynthia Barnhart provides her thoughts on the importance of diversity within the context of MIT’s commitment to excellence.

In virtual town hall, MIT leadership updates community on Covid-19 responses

News · As the MIT community adjusts to this unique period of separation and disruption, the Institute’s top leaders held an online “town hall” on Tuesday to answer some of the most frequent questions being asked by students, faculty, and staff.

MIT community members who work to eradicate sexual violence recognized at 2023 Change-Maker Awards

News · Students and employees were celebrated for their efforts in combating sexual misconduct.

Thirty-four community members receive 2023 MIT Excellence Awards, Collier Medal, and Staff Award for Distinction in Service

News · Prestigious awards recognize community support of MIT’s goals, values, and mission.

MIT community members honored with 2024 Franklin Institute Awards

News · Vice Provost Paula Hammond and four others recognized for “dreaming up solutions to global challenges — advancing health, sustainability, and human connection.”

Community members receive 2024 MIT Excellence Awards, Collier Medal, and Staff Award for Distinction in Service

News · Staff members receive recognition for their exceptional support of the MIT community.

Graduate student union negotiations set to begin

Letters · On September 19, MIT will begin collective bargaining negotiations with the MIT Graduate Student Union and United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America (MIT GSU-UE).

The latest on grad student union negotiations

Letters · In a nutshell, the negotiations have been collegial and constructive. Much ground has been covered, yet there is much more to explore with the GSU.

Update on progress of Task Force 2021 and Beyond recommendations

Letters · In May 2020, President Reif charged Task Force 2021 and Beyond with creating “blueprints for building a better MIT” in a post-pandemic world.

Update on graduate student unionization

Letters · Last week, the MIT Graduate Student Union and United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America (MIT GSU-UE) filed a new petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB).

Special one-time payment

Letters · Many of you have expressed concerns about the current inflationary environment and the additional stress and financial pressures it is causing.

Commencement 2023 ceremony schedule

Letters · We write to share important updates about the schedule and format for MIT’s Commencement 2023 ceremonies.

Sharing report from Ad Hoc Committee on Arts, Culture, and DEI

Letters · In the summer of 2020, President Reif outlined a number of steps the Institute would take to address the lasting legacy of racism.

Register to participate in Commencement 2022

Letters · With Commencement season nearly here, we write to update you on this year’s plans and invite you to participate in the festivities.

Investing in the future of MIT

Letters · Last October, President Reif shared news of the exceptional performance of MIT’s endowment, and announced that MIT would be drawing on newly available resources immediately to invest in strategic priorities.

Join Solve at MIT on May 5 with Yuval Harari, Shirin Ebadi & more

Letters · I write to invite you to join an exciting event on our campus: Solve at MIT's Opening Plenary session, “Ethical and Inclusive Innovation: Solving With, By, and For the Most Underserved.”

Commencement participation from employees

Letters · Commencement week is a time when we celebrate an important academic and research milestone for our graduating students.

Exciting move for Krystyn Van Vliet

Letters · We write today to announce that Associate Provost and Associate Vice President for Research Krystyn Van Vliet will step down effective October 10, 2022, to serve as the vice president for research and innovation at Cornell University.

New F&A Rates for FY2023 and FY2024

Letters · MIT recently concluded negotiations with the Office of Naval Research (ONR) for facilities and administrative (F&A) rates for fiscal years 2023 and 2024.

Thank you for your participation in Commencement

Letters · We write today to add our thanks for your work in preparing for this year’s Commencement ceremonies, welcoming our guests to campus, and creating a memorable celebration of our graduates’ accomplishments.

Upcoming Covid testing changes at MIT

Letters · More than two years have passed since Covid-19 entered our lives. During that time, we have learned just as much about our own resolve and resilience as we have about the virus.

Tim Jamison concludes appointment as Associate Provost

Letters · I write today to announce that Tim Jamison, Robert Robinson Taylor Professor of Chemistry and former Chemistry department head, will conclude his term as associate provost effective June 30.

Published guidance on faculty promotion and tenure

Letters · I write today to share an important final piece of work driven by former Faculty Chair Rick Danheiser regarding MIT’s faculty promotion and tenure processes.

MindHandHeart Innovation Funds 

Funding opportunities · Funding for projects that spark community connections or strengthen the fabric of the MIT community.

Catastrophic Events

Community support · In times of crisis, MIT pulls together in support of one another and of those most deeply affected. Here you will find resources for the Institute community and guidance for engaging scholars and students beyond our campus.

Letter to the MIT community: Announcing the Climate Project at MIT

News · President Kornbluth introduces a major campus-wide effort to solve critical climate problems with all possible speed.

Exploring New Academic and Institutional Models for MIT – September 2025

Research & teaching · Insights, ideas, and perspectives on how the Institute might adapt to the changing environment for U.S. higher education, gathered through faculty discussion groups convened in spring and summer 2025.

MIT’s Response to Significant Financial Stresses

Resource ·

People

Senior leaders, Institute Professors, and innovators across the Institute work with the provost and our office to shape the future of MIT’s academics, governance, and research.

MIT Working Group on Scholarly Content and Generative AI

Working group charge As Generative AI evolves at a rapid pace, members of the MIT community are seeking guidance on the appropriate use of scholarly content in the training of GenAI models. Some scholars at MIT are concerned about use of their own content for GenAI, such as by tech companies who use content (with […]

Dimitris Bertsimas Appointed Vice Provost for Open Learning

Letters · Dimitris will be responsible for working with our community and the Open Learning team to advance Open Learning’s mission.

Launching the Future of the Arts at MIT Committee

Letters · The committee will advise the Institute on new ways to envision the place of the arts in our community.

Let’s team up to make a difference in our neighborhood

Letters · Vice Provost Paula Hammond writes to faculty about the MIT Community Service Fund (CSF).

Working Group on Scholarly Content and Generative AI

Letters · We write today to announce the launch of a working group that will advise the Institute on best practices for community members and units using scholarly content to train generative AI (GenAI) models.

Dan Hastings appointed interim ICEO & interim associate provost

Letters · Dan brings to these interim roles a remarkable depth and breadth of professional accomplishment and service to the Institute community, as well as an impressive record of national service.

Exciting move for ICEO John Dozier

Letters · John Dozier will step down as Institute Community and Equity Officer (ICEO) on June 30 to become president of Columbia College.

Nominations open for 2023 MIT Staff Award for Distinction in Service

Letters · We invite the MIT community to consider colleagues who have made remarkable contributions to the Institute for the MIT Staff Award for Distinction in Service.

Inviting you to inaugural “Dialogues Across Difference” with John Tomasi

Letters · We invite you to join us for the first in a new series of guest lectures and campus conversations called “Dialogues Across Difference: Building Community at MIT.”

Updated Analysis of Hammond-Hopkins Reports

Resource · Procedures to avoid ethical and legal conflicts of interest when interacting with organizations outside MIT.

Nominate MLK Visiting Scholars for Academic Year 2025–2026

Letters · We encourage all of you to reach out through your networks and consider submitting a nomination.

Launching leadership search for MIT Life Sciences & Health Collaborative

Letters · The collaborative will spur interdisciplinary projects at the intersection of engineering, science, computing and AI, economics, business, policy, design and the built environment, and the humanities.

Assessing progress to address faculty gender and racial inequities

Letters · Together we can celebrate our progress and identify collective strategies to address the essential work that remains unfinished.

Duane Boning Appointed Vice Provost for International Activities

Letters · In his new role, Duane will provide intellectual leadership, guidance, and oversight of the Institute’s international engagements and policies.

New leadership for SMART

Letters · Professor Bruce Tidor will become interim CEO and director of the Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology (SMART) in January.

Join MIT Solve on May 22

Letters · I write to invite you to attend the public opening plenary of Solve at MIT 2024.

Addressing questions regarding recent campus events

Letters · We are pleased to share this FAQ that seeks to address these questions.

Disciplinary next steps regarding some students

Letters · Student Life staff have now initiated disciplinary actions, which will apply in the interim until cases are reviewed by the faculty-led Committee on Discipline (COD)

Progress on search for next dean of MIT Sloan

Letters · Six faculty members will join the search committee, and three advisory groups will provide input into the committee’s work.

Sam Altman in Conversation with Sally Kornbluth – Thursday May 2

Letters · We are pleased to invite you to a special event featuring Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, in conversation with MIT President Sally Kornbluth.

Update on search for next dean of MIT Sloan

Letters · The plan is to begin stakeholder engagement this semester and complete the search process before the end of the fall 2024 semester.

Final update on Task Force 2021 and Beyond implementation progress

Letters · There has been significant progress toward our shared goal of “building a better MIT” thanks to the blueprints for action provided to us by Task Force 2021.

UROP mixer: Mentor sign up

Letters · This dynamic, expo-style event is all about creating meaningful connections between undergraduate students and UROP mentors.

Register to participate in Commencement 2024

Letters · We encourage all staff to take an active role in Commencement festivities.

Vice Provost Philip Khoury to step down

Letters · I write today to announce that Philip Khoury will step down as vice provost for the arts effective August 31.

Call for nominations: MacVicar Faculty Fellows Program

Letters · Faculty colleagues are invited to recognize the exceptional teachers among their peers.

MITHIC funding opportunities

Letters · Applications can now be submitted for the second round of funding for the MIT Human Insight Collaborative (MITHIC).

Launch of search for next vice provost for the arts

Letters · The vice provost for the arts is charged with advancing the arts as a central pillar of MIT’s mission, providing vision, strategy, and advocacy for the arts at the Institute.

New policy on employee conflict of commitment

Letters · The letter announces a new streamlined system, MyCOI-OPA+, for consolidated reporting of financial conflicts of interest and outside professional activities, as well as a Conflict of Commitment policy that applies to all Institute employees.

Update on Paula Hammond’s new role

Letters · I write to provide you with details on Executive Vice Provost Paula Hammond’s expanded portfolio of responsibilities within the Provost’s Office.

Sharing final career advancement report recommendations

Letters · I write to share the final report of the Task Force 2021 Refinement and Implementation Committee on Career Support for Lecturers and Technical Instructors (RIC 7).

Major tax impact on MIT and its mission

Letters · An update on recently enacted tax and spending bill.

Launch of Search Advisory Committee for Dean of Engineering

Letters · I write to update you on the search for the next dean of the School of Engineering.

Graduate Research Assistant Tuition Subsidy

Letters · Following engagement with faculty and the deans of our schools and college, we will soon change the way that we fund research assistant (RA) tuition from the central budget.

Update to international travel guidance

Letters · I encourage you to review the guidance and share it with members of your department, lab, or center at MIT, noting that it is of relevance to both visa holders and U.S. permanent residents.

Register to participate in Commencement 2025

Letters · MIT Commencement is a time for everyone at the Institute to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of our graduating students.

Register to participate in Commencement 2025

Letters · As we prepare for Commencement 2025, we write to provide details on the festivities and to urge you to take part.

Recognizing Outstanding MIT Employees

Letters · We invite you to consider those individuals who have excelled in their work and submit a nomination on their behalf for several awards.

Hiring freeze for non-essential positions

Letters · Given the uncertain outlook for federal funding and policy, we are now adopting a more careful stance on budgeting and hiring – much as MIT has done in the past in the face of abrupt and unpredictable financial challenges.

Announcing the new dean of MIT Sloan

Letters · Rick Locke PhD '89 will become the next John C Head III Dean of the MIT Sloan School of Management, effective July 1, 2025.

Proposals due Aug. 15 re. generative AI impact papers

Letters · With the August 15th deadline coming up, we write now to encourage you to submit a proposal, as an individual or as a group.

Paula Hammond appointed vice provost for faculty

Letters · In her new role, Paula will oversee Institute-wide strategies and programs to support faculty excellence and advancement.