[UA] Important Information Regarding MIT’s COVID-19 Response

[Mahi Elango]

Good evening undergrads,

The UA officers empathize with the stress and sadness you may be feeling as
a result of MIT’s response to COVID-19. Some of us are graduating seniors.
Some of us are struggling to find places to live. We understand how
distressing the last two days have been. The faculty are also with us on
this; many of them are heartbroken, and they are doing their best to
provide the best educational experience for us.

We are doing our best to source your questions and get answers from the
relevant parts of MIT. We are meeting with members of the administration
and other student leaders frequently to get up-to-date information and
feedback on these pressing matters and provide an undergraduate voice in
the Institute’s response.

We wanted to follow up on a few points of concern and confusion after
President Reif’s letters and the recent communication from the Chancellor —
both of which can be found here <http://web.mit.edu/covid19/updates/>.
Please read these if you have not already.

If you are not able to leave campus by Tuesday:

Please fill out the exception request form, which can be found here
<https://mit.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_37pzxw9wClZS4Zf>. This
includes cases
in which you may need to extend your stay by just a few days, such as
difficulties in arranging travel. The Division of Student Life is doing its
best to respond to each of these requests within 24 hours of submission.
The same form <https://mit.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_37pzxw9wClZS4Zf>
can also be used for full exception requests and financial support
requests. If you are unsure if you qualify for an exception, we recommend
you fill it out.

If your professors are not accommodating with attendance or course
requirements:

Please let us know here
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfrdXt-IYJXRTSoKjc8bRDSVJpQykvwpqWe6vMApSiSM7n9RQ/viewform?usp=sf_link>.
We are in discussions with the faculty officers to clarify academic
policies and provide increased flexibility to students.

If you are the leader of a student organization or living group:

We are soliciting funds that have been allocated to student groups, which
may now be going unused. We are coordinating with DSL to transfer those
funds, along with a large majority of the UA budget, to MIT’s ARM Coalition
<https://studentlife.mit.edu/arm> to assist with emergency assistance for
students. If you are interested in participating, please let us know here
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfW6fdl6x1xpTGP9LCei_tm9QsB9gT0BJlTN7hVgO9C-_qJOA/viewform?usp=sf_link>.
This money goes directly towards assisting students — we have already
received several commitments totaling to more than $100,000, most of which
is from the UA Finboard spring allocation cycle
<http://ua.mit.edu/financial-board>.

If you have any questions regarding policy changes given MIT’s response to
COVID-19:

Please do not hesitate to submit them here
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexoBPNDMAO82rdIa-Gdg7Dbt_zfiTeSaKELwAOiRB8EEBVXg/viewform?usp=sf_link>.
We will be discussing these questions with members of the administration
and will get answers to you each as soon as possible, either through MIT’s FAQ
& updates page <http://mit.edu/covid19/> or separate communications.

We hope this answers some questions you have, and we are striving to be a
resource for you all in this tumultuous time. Again, please don’t hesitate
to reach out with questions here
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSexoBPNDMAO82rdIa-Gdg7Dbt_zfiTeSaKELwAOiRB8EEBVXg/viewform?usp=sf_link>
.

Warm regards,

Mahi Elango

UA President

-- 
Mahalaxmi Elango
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 2020
President of the Undergraduate Association
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