[UA - The Byte] Nov. 30, 2020

Mon Nov 30 10:11:36 EST 2020

Vol. 5 Issue 8 - November 30, 2020
The Byte
 <https://www.facebook.com/undergraduateassociation/>
 <http://ua.mit.edu/>
 <mailto:ua-secretary at mit.edu>
SUBMIT AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE UA
 <https://naomi821152.typeform.com/to/HYod1SbT>
Hi Undergrads,

Hope you all had a restful break! 

The UA Committee on Sustainability, in collaboration with other groups on campus, is launching the MIT Undergraduate Sustainability Survey. This survey will inform UA Sustain's efforts, especially in terms of policy advocacy to the MIT administration. Since MIT is currently rewriting its 5-year Climate Action Plan for 2021-2025, your feedback will have a direct effect on the Institute's sustainability landscape.

FILL OUT THE SURVEY HERE: https://tinyurl.com/mitsustainsurvey <https://tinyurl.com/mitsustainsurvey> 

The survey should take less than ten minutes to complete. Upon completion, UA Sustain will donate $1 to a charity of your choice (there is a list you can choose from, or you can input your own) and you'll be entered into a raffle for a bike, Hydroflasks, and a Patagonia sweater.

The Byte is a biweekly UA newsletter to inform undergraduates about what's happening in the MIT community.

The Byte is run by the UA which works to improve your undergraduate experience through policy, projects, and events. We're always happy to listen to your suggestions, concerns, and comments. Learn more at ua.mit.edu <http://ua.mit.edu/>.

~ Naomi
UA Secretary

 Community
Dormsp.am
Interfraternity Council Formal Spring Rush
Distinguish Yourself as a Burchard Scholar
Missing Perspectives: An Alternate Climate Symposium
Secular Society of MIT: Jesus and History
 Undergraduate Association
Spring Planning Survey
UA President & VP Community Hours
UA Council Meetings
 Institute News
Food Insecurity
COMMUNITY

Dormsp.am
Visit the website: https://dormsp.am/ <https://dormsp.am/>
Dormsp.am is a website run by students and for students to create a calendar of events advertised on the dormspam mailing list. The project has recently been revived and is once again up to date with current and upcoming events.

Interfraternity Council Formal Spring Rush
When: Registration opens December 1
More info: rush.mit.edu <http://rush.mit.edu/> & ifc.mit.edu/chapters <http://ifc.mit.edu/chapters>
Contact: ifc-exec at mit.edu <mailto:ifc-exec at mit.edu>

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) represents 26 male, female, and co-ed fraternities on campus. Formal Spring Rush will be virtual this year taking place February 6 – 24th, and registration opens tomorrow, December 1 at rush.mit.edu <http://rush.mit.edu/>. Spring Rush is open to all students at MIT regardless of class year or gender-identity. Fraternities at MIT provide all students with a unique opportunity to connect with upperclassmen from different backgrounds, majors, and life experiences. From academic support to a residential community and a social experience, each member chapter has a unique culture, and our IFC members are actively looking to welcome new members! Feel free to explore the different chapters at ifc.mit.edu/chapters <http://ifc.mit.edu/chapters>. If you have any questions, feel free to email ifc-exec at mit.edu <mailto:ifc-exec at mit.edu>.

Distinguish Yourself as a Burchard Scholar
Deadline: Wednesday, 12/16, 7-8:30pm ET
Apply: More information and application <https://mit.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9be039b955f2b6393bc7798d7&id=88017f44ae&e=1a1e376998>
Contact: burchard-scholars at mit.edu <mailto:burchard-scholars at mit.edu>

The Burchard Scholar Selection Committee invites students to apply to become an MIT Burchard Scholar <https://mit.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9be039b955f2b6393bc7798d7&id=25077f2b6d&e=1a1e376998> for the calendar year 2021. The Burchard program is a terrific way to expand your intellectual and social horizons, be part of a warm, exciting community of students and faculty.  Although this year we had to substitute some of our eight evenings of elegant dining with virtual events, it is our hope that the Burchard class of 2021 will be able to enjoy a number of our events in-person.

The program brings together distinguished members of the faculty and promising MIT sophomores and juniors who have demonstrated excellence in some aspect of the humanities, arts, or social sciences. If you are a sophomore or junior with strong intellectual interests in the humanities, arts, or social sciences, have done consistently excellent work in one or more of these areas, and wish to participate actively in our dinner-seminars <https://mit.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=9be039b955f2b6393bc7798d7&id=7f0492b35d&e=1a1e376998>, I encourage you to apply for this distinctive opportunity.

All MIT sophomores and juniors in good standing are eligible. All applicants must have a letter of recommendation from a HASS faculty member sent directly to the committee by December 21, 2020 at burchard-scholars at mit.edu <mailto:burchard-scholars at mit.edu>.

The Burchard Selection Committee looks forward to receiving your application by Wednesday, December 16, 2020. Applicants will be notified of the Committee's decision by January 25.

Missing Perspectives: An Alternate Climate Symposium 
When: Tuesday, 12/1, 1-3 pm ET
Zoom Link: https://mit.zoom.us/j/99766754121 <https://mit.zoom.us/j/99766754121>

Join MIT Divest in conversation with four excellent speakers: Keiran Setiya, Annauk Olin, Charlotte Brathwaite, and Nick Rabb. Our amazing speakers will cover topics that were missing from MIT's Climate Symposia series. These topics include climate activism, climate ethics, and climate change and indigenous peoples. Drop in and out as you wish. We will be raffling off two squishables (large stuffed animals) to those in attendance. 

Secular Society of MIT: Jesus and History
When: Thursday, 12/03, 6-7 PM ET
Where: Register at here <https://mit.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJIpc-GoqzosEtGUJwE6lNX3BE-LpbC_OA72> to receive a virtual event link
More info: MIT Calendar Event <http://calendar.mit.edu/event/ssomit_mitaoc_jesus_history/>, Facebook Event <https://www.facebook.com/events/1043789599782791>, and sign up for email event alerts <http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/ssomit-announce>

Do we have historical evidence for the events described in the New Testament? Join the Secular Society of MIT and the MIT Alpha Omega Club for a discussion. Free and open to the public.

UNDERGRADUATE ASSOCIATION

Spring Planning Survey
Fill out survey: here <https://mit.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0J3is4fQf7zIlsF>

As we enter the final weeks of the fall semester, the UA Committee on COVID-19 is excited to release our survey on the student experience under COVID. It was designed in collaboration with UA Education and UA Community Service, with the goal of informing our student advocacy efforts and guiding the MIT administration as they develop policies for the spring semester. It is essential that your voice plays a key role in this process.

You can answer any or all of our 5 sections on Academics, Community Building, Public Health, Residential Life and Campus Spaces, and Community Service. The survey should take about ten minutes to complete.

As a thank you, you’ll have the option to enter into a raffle to win up to $20 of merch (of your choosing!) from The COOP <https://store.thecoop.com/mit/>! You’ll gain an additional entry for each section you complete, amounting to a maximum of five raffle entries per person. Ten winners will be contacted by December 4th.

UA President & VP Community Hours
When: Every Sunday at 12 pm ET 
Where: https://mit.zoom.us/j/96499597361 <https://mit.zoom.us/j/96499597361>
Contact: ua-president at mit.edu <mailto:ua-president at mit.edu?subject=Community%20Hours>
Have an idea or project you want implemented? Have a question about the UA? 

Every Sunday, Danielle and Yu Jing will be holding open community hours on Zoom <https://mit.zoom.us/j/96499597361> at noon ET. If you aren't able to go but want to speak with them, email ua-president at mit.edu <mailto:ua-president at mit.edu?subject=Community%20Hours>.

Full zoom invite:
https://mit.zoom.us/j/96499597361 <https://mit.zoom.us/j/96499597361>
One tap mobile
+16465588656,,96499597361# <tel:+16465588656,,96499597361%23> US (New York)
+16699006833,,96499597361# <tel:+16699006833,,96499597361%23> US (San Jose)
Meeting ID: 964 9959 7361
US : +1 646 558 8656 <tel:+1%20646%20558%208656> or +1 669 900 6833 <tel:+1%20669%20900%206833>
International Numbers: https://mit.zoom.us/u/aeb4Ytvny9 <https://mit.zoom.us/u/aeb4Ytvny9>

UA Council Meetings
When: Meeting schedule & links here <http://ua.mit.edu/uacouncil> 
Where: https://mit.zoom.us/j/94848054203 <https://www.google.com/url?q=https://mit.zoom.us/j/94848054203&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw1f_jL4UdpWYCKcsg_97BOD>
Contact: ua-secretary at mit.edu <mailto:ua-secretary at mit.edu?subject=UA%20Council>

UA Council is the legislative body of the Undergraduate Association. All student are welcome to attend meetings and add items to the council agenda by emailing ua-secretary at mit.edu <mailto:ua-secretary at mit.edu?subject=UA%20Council>. Keep up with the going-ons of Council by adding yourself to ua-council-listeners via Athena or WebMoira <https://groups.mit.edu/webmoira/list/ua-council-listeners> and reading the published meeting minutes <http://ua.mit.edu/minutes>.
Upcoming Meeting:

Wednesday, 12/9 6-7:30 PM ET
If you want to learn more about council, check out their governing documents <http://web.mit.edu/ua/governing-docs/council-bylaws.pdf>.

INSTITUTE NEWS
Food Insecurity 
Roughly 11% of MIT students say they go to bed hungry at least 1 night out of 7 because they don’t have enough money for food. No student should go hungry and no student should feel like they need to be “really hungry” to ask for help. Student Support Services is writing to simply let you know about resources to help, many for both on-campus and off-campus students. Please visit the websites below, and don’t hesitate to ask for help if you are hungry due to lack of resources. No problem is too small. 

A general list of support offices <https://studentlife.mit.edu/support/support-services> at MIT

Money and food resources <https://studentlife.mit.edu/s3/money-food-resources> for students in need, including info about emergency funds, meal request forms, and the Accessing Resources at MIT Coalition (ARM Coalition) 

Family food grants <https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOnZtr_8zPpgrVhFhnANAP8RSPfd6ORHxyXphSlz1jU1HEAQ/viewform>: easy form for graduate students to make requests for food

MIT Dining Info <https://studentlife.mit.edu/dining>: information about MIT Dining, local grocery stores, & shuttles

Our mailing address is:
ua-secretary at mit.edu <mailto:ua-secretary at mit.edu>

Want to change how you receive these emails?
unsubscribe from this list <https://mailman.mit.edu:444/mailman/listinfo/undergrads>

---
Naomi Michael
Massachusetts Institute of Technology | Class of 2022
Department of Mechanical Engineering
nmichael at mit.edu | (479) 283-9357

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