Dear Physics Community,

I am posting these messages in my blog roll here and I have been accumulating useful links that have gone by here. In particular, I am trying to keep a list of MIT policy communications.

Big Picture for MIT

MIT remains open, but everyone is strongly encouraged to work from home.  MIT is NOT closed and remaining open means that services will continue at a certain level and has HR meaning.  Please be very conscientious about not coming in unless you need to.

The last week has been completely reactive.  Right now, it is most useful to think in terms of,

• What needs to happen by Sunday?
• What things are for next week, as we being working together remotely?
• What things are for the week after, as we begin rehearsal for online teaching?
• What things are for after March 30, when we are teaching online and working to operate in a new normal.

To our staff – I want to thank all of you for your patience int he last week where the focus has been in students.  On Monday, we will begin to work on how we work together.  I think we need to meaningfully check in on each other daily, so please start thinking about how to do that in your area.

Academic Continuity Phone Call

From Susan Blake, MIT’s emergency Coordinator, the priorities right now are

1. Vacate students
2. Develop social distance – Peter’s note: this is 6 feet and hard to maintain.  When we are together, we like about 4 feet.  We start sat 6 feet and gravitate closer.  We need to learn not to do this.

Undergraduates – Students are moving out well and petition process is nearly done.  Their statistics are

• 691 petitions received
• 396 approved (39 plan to leave at the end of the month, 20% decided to leave after approval
• 257 worked with DSL to find alternative to staying
• 38 denied
• 1 appeal has been filed, will probably be approved, expect a few more

About 300 undergraduates will remain on campus and will be sorted into new spaces.  There will be rules developed about access to campus, checking, etc.  Life will be very different than during term.

Graduate students – the messaging have been ambiguous and there should be a communication out soon.  My guidance is that graduate students should work from their MIT residence and only come on campus if absolutely necessary.  There are no instructions for graduate students to leave.  About 30% have left for their own reasons.

Graduate students may be seeking guidance from their advisors on what to do, attending to experiments, etc.  My guidance is to try, but recognize many faculty are taking care of various family things on the week.  I will give guidance by Monday on getting advising going again.

Research Continuity – MIT has not decided on its policy.  Harvard has issued instructions to wind down by Wednesday and then expect 6-8 weeks with all research shut down and no access to labs.  Other places have less restrictive policies.  Marty Schmidt (Provost) and Maria Zuber (VPR) are working on MIT policy, hopefully out later today.  In the meantime, my guidance is,

• Have a plan for safe mode by Wednesday.
• ALL meetings are remote
• No one in labs unless essential from a safety point of view
• Buddy system in labs

Keep in mind that even minimum lab operation needs support people to come to MIT, ride the T, etc.

Cecilia (MIT medical) – best estimates right now are that the infections will peak in late March/early April.  How long the tail lasts will depend on how well we do with social distancing and hand washing.  MIT Medical will begin testing Monday – only those with symptoms, not screening.

Final Note

Please think about who from the Department you might know who might need help or to talk with someone and check on them.  The news is all over the place and some might just needs some contact.

Peter

Useful links page.

Dear Physics Community, 

This is the most difficult day for many of us so far: while our focus is on the MIT community, many schools closed yesterday, placing a huge burden on many with children.  Please be patient with everyone around.  Please go home if you can.  Please say “Please” and “Thank you”.  Please remember things you say and do now will matter later.

From the Academic Continuity Phone Call

 The Academic Continuity Phone Call will continue through the weekend.  I will send along any new information from them I receive.

 The situation at MIT evolved very quickly overnight and the senior leadership moved the move-out day up to Sunday.  The concern that prompted this was that COVID-19 could spread in the living groups between now and Tuesday, so there is a premium on getting everyone out. Details are here: http://news.mit.edu/2020/letter-regarding-cancellation-friday-classes-and-expedited-undergraduate-move-out-0312.

 We are now in a mode where everyone should work from home if at all possible.  Guidance is here: http://news.mit.edu/2020/letter-work-home-covid-19-0312.  Please do not come in if you do not need to.

 The student protest yesterday caused serious problems for DSL in getting through the petitions.  I understand the frustration many of us feel with our students being sent to problematic places, but I do feel that DSL is doing their level best.  Today, Suzy Nelson reported that they have 700 petitions and were still processing.  So far, 250 students will be allowed to stay, I do not know what the success rate is.

 The DSL team, who will have to take care of our students who remain, is at the breaking point and I believe further interventions by students or faculty will not help keep students at MIT and could have negative consequences for DSL staff.   If you want to help students who have had petitions denied, it is best to put them in touch with the Alumni Association who is trying to arrange local hosting.  I do not have contact information for them yet.

 About local hosting: Cindy Barnhardt was very clear MIT cannot allow this and MIT does have the power to forbid an employee (including faculty) from hosting students.  She said they were not telling the alumni association not to match students with faculty, however.  Email me (fisherp@mit.edu) for more information.

 Rick Danheiser sent a message about emergency course policies.  P/NR/I will be mandated for Spring term and second half term (H4) subjects.  See https://facultygovernance.mit.edu/rules-and-regulations#2-64. There will be a detailed message later.  I have been contacted by many students asking if they can have grades or hidden grades.  My response this is a problem for next week.

 Guidance for graduate students and their advisors has just come out and is attached below.

I do not have guidance on research labs, but we were told some was coming.  Each lab should be prepared for safe mode.   “Safe mode” means the lab can be unattended for 6-8 weeks. I do not know if this will happen, but please be prepared.

 IST now have a site wide license and is working hard to beef up computing infrastructure.

 Physics Specific

 Please cancel all oral general exams between now and March 30 and allow flexibility in scheduling after that.  All exams should be virtual.  The Department will extend all deadlines for oral general exams by a term if needed.

 Thesis defenses must be virtual with perhaps the advisor in the room with the student.  Please be flexible about rescheduling.

 Right now, we should focus on ourselves and our students well being.  Next week, we will work on teaching, http://teachremote.mit.edu/.

 I’d like to thank Barton for his lunch talk – a welcome moment of semi-normalcy yesterday.

 Some of the Physics Class of 2020 gathered yesterday.  I want to thank, in the strongest possible way,  the APO staff for the certificates and goody bags.  Thank you also to the faculty and students who came.

 We will gather again in better times to celebrate the Class of 2020.

 Peter