Follow-up Regarding Commencement Invocation

[UA President]

Dear all,

Below is a follow-up regarding the questions raised around the Invocation
delivered at Commencement. If you have any thoughts or questions, please
email ua-president at mit.edu and 2014-president at mit.edu.

Thanks,

Sidhanth Rao, UA President
Anika Gupta, 2014 Class President

--

In response to recent requests that the Commencement Committee reconsider
the nature of the invocation that opens the Exercises on Killian Court, we
first gathered input from the student body via a survey that yielded nearly
600 responses. The next step was a meeting to review the survey data that
included student leaders Anika Gupta and Sid Rao as well as representatives
from the Secular Society of MIT. From this conversation and from the
responses of students to the survey, consensus emerged that a neutral,
non-religious invocation would be welcome and broadly appealing.  Chaplain
to the Institute Robert Randolph was engaged to discuss the universal
nature of this message, and the desires expressed by a wide range of
student voices.

The committee thanks the students who participated in the process and all
those who shared their thoughts via the survey. In 2014 and beyond, Dr.
Randolph will deliver an inclusive, secular invocation in which he calls on
graduating students to reflect on their education with gratitude and hope
as they commence to work wisely, creatively, and effectively toward the
betterment of humankind.

Respectfully,

Chancellor Eric Grimson, Chair
Professor Les Norford, Commencement Marshal
Ms. Gayle Gallagher, Executive Officer for Commencement
Commencement Committee
May 9, 2014
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