<div dir="ltr"><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Dear GWAMIT members, </span></p><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;white-space:pre-wrap">Please take some time to read this special announcement regarding a recent open letter on </span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;white-space:pre-wrap">COVID-19 relief for graduate students. Many of us and our peers are facing uncertain times and financial hardship--we can use your help.</span><br></p><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;white-space:pre-wrap">Best regards,</span></p><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:Arial;font-size:11pt;white-space:pre-wrap">GWAMIT Exec Board</span></p><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><br></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><i>The COVID-19 epidemic has caused hardship and struggle for us all, and especially our peers in SA+P and SHASS programs who don’t have guaranteed summer funding, or in some cases guaranteed funding for their final year. Many people have been left wondering where their salary will come from and how they’ll afford to live. </i></span></p><i><br style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"></i><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><i><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">I’m writing to let you know about </span><a href="https://mitgradstudentadvocates.weebly.com/" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">this open letter calling for immediate COVID-19 relief for graduate students</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. This is an effort by MIT for COVID Relief, a group of PhD students from all five schools on campus, including GSC representatives and President-Elect Madeleine Sutherland. It is now seeing broad support all across campus too. However, we still need to increase our support across campus; this is becoming even more urgent as many students affected by COVID-19 will be getting their last paycheck on May 15th. We aim to get 10% of MIT grad students to sign on (just over halfway there already!) to get the administration&#39;s attention. We also welcome support from any community allies (faculty, staff, undergraduates). </span></i></p><i><br style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"></i><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><i><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">Finally, MIT for Covid Relief is on Twitter, </span><a href="https://twitter.com/MITCovidRelief" target="_blank" style="text-decoration-line:none"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;text-decoration-line:underline;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">@MITCovidRelief</span></a><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap">. You can also email <a href="mailto:mitcovidrelief@gmail.com" target="_blank">mitcovidrelief@gmail.com</a> to get in touch.</span></i></p><i><br style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif"></i><p dir="ltr" style="font-family:arial,helvetica,sans-serif;line-height:1.38;margin-top:0pt;margin-bottom:0pt"><span style="font-size:11pt;font-family:Arial;color:rgb(0,0,0);background-color:transparent;font-variant-numeric:normal;font-variant-east-asian:normal;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap"><i>GSC DEI</i></span></p></div>