As I depart MIT, I thought I would do a final post with my top 10 greatest hits (if you will), blog posts that are MUST READS from the 5 years of my blogging history. If you disagree with my picks (and comments on them) feel free to add your own below.

10. This post (or really series of posts) provides information on how we determine your family contribution. Before the recent introduction of our online calculator, this was the best way to find out information on the intricacies of our analysis. Even though these posts are over 4 years old, much of the information is still valid. Read the intro here, and parts 1, 2, and 3 follow.

9. My Random 10 Songs on iTunes post, back before everyone else did it (that would be in 2005). You can find it here. Unfortunately it is an old post from the old platform, so none of the original comments got ported over when we converted to the new format, but I had many people playing along!

8. While we are on the topic of music, a post which (humorously, I hope) explores why we ask for all of that information.

7. For those of you who may feel that your dream remains out of reach, a post about our appeal process.

6. A trip to the Galapagos Islands... over my lunch hour... Only at MIT!

5. Congratulations, you've just won $1,000,000 (or an introduction to the Time Value of Money).

4. In 2008, we announced significant financial aid enhancements. The post is here. The conversation was long, intense and all-in-all very respectful of each other and of the space we created on the Internet. As the moderator / guide to the discussion, I thought this post really showed how transparent MIT is (given that the conversation was occuring live on our own blog).

3. Sometimes in the admissions application process, you get an answer that you didn't think you wanted. I shared some health news, my own admissions story, and how the door that closes behind you sometimes represents another door opening.

2. Just because I can:

1. And staying on the Snively theme, my favorite post has to be when Snively and I liveblogged Ben's Info Session. Of course, Snively did a much better job than I did.

I'm sure there are a ton more posts I could quote from, but why not do yourself a favor and click on the link above and to the right for my blog and read through the posts yourself. Better yet, maybe I should publish a book with the best ones.... Hmmm.......

It has been truly a remarkable gift for me to work with you over these last seven years, and to be part of this virtual (but all too real) community since we launched in 2004. I leave with a sense of pride in all we have accomplished together, and an assurance that the future for all of us will be bright. May your heart always carry you down your path, may your burdens be light and your joys be plentiful, and may you know the pleasure of true friendship and love as I have. This place has been home for me, and while I am leaving home I know I will be able to come back and visit in the future.

All my best, now and always!

After much work, we in SFS launch our new online financial aid calculator today.

This new service allows families to estimate the cost and financial aid award at MIT based upon their individual income and assets. Using technology developed by our partner, Think Ahead LLC, families can now enter their information, see an estimated family contribution and financial aid award, and estimate the effect of various "what if" scenarios on their financial aid packages.

This new service allows both domestic and international students to receive information assisting them in determining whether they can afford the cost of an MIT education. MIT is the first college in the nation to provide a way for international students to estimate their awards, and we join a small (but growing) number of colleges to allow domestic students to see into our needs analysis formula.

There are some items and limitations to be aware of when using the calculator. As always, the information provided by the calculator will only be as good as the information you enter into it (i.e. "garbage in" equals "garbage out"). Also, MIT financial aid remains the final arbiter of your actual financial aid award; this calculator is meant to be an estimate only and your final financial aid award may differ from the sample provided (both due to professional judgments made by our financial aid officers and additional information provided by you). Last, the financial aid calculator is not intended for use by divorced / separated families (although you could have each parent complete the calculator separately and add the two results together to get a very rough approximation of a final result); our analysis for divorced / separated families looks very closely at each situation and as such cannot be approximated by the calculator.

We hope this tool will be very helpful for incoming, prospective and current students. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to comment below.

Not quite...

April is indeed lovely (I wish I were outside right now) but it is anything but relaxing. And with CPW about to begin, it seems appropriate not to forget one of our other financial aid populations, returning undergraduate students for 2009-10.

Tax day is quickly approaching (tomorrow) -- the day by which US citizens and residents who've earned income in the last year must submit either a completed tax return or an extension. April 15 is also our priority deadline for upperclass (rising Sophomores - Seniors) financial aid applications. A copy of the email below was sent to students yesterday:

The April 15th 09-10 financial aid application deadline is near! We are writing to notify you that as of the date of this notice your aid application for the 2009-10 academic year remains incomplete. Note: If you have recently sent in application materials please allow for processing time before a “received” and “complete” status can be applied.

However, if you feel you will be unable to complete your aid application deadline by the April 15th deadline, please contact us prior to that date to request an extension.

Please e-mail the appropriate aid officer based on your last name.

A-Ch, Liz Barnes
Ci-G, Ryan Callahan
H-La, Maxence Metayer
Lb-O, Kenneth Hayes
P-Sr, Aimee Grandmaison
Ss-Z, Gary Ryan

Your request should include:

• The date by which you expect your application to be complete
• The reason for the delay
• The student’s name and MIT identification number

Without this information we cannot process your request.

You may check your file status on WEBSIS at any time.

It is not necessary to contact us to confirm the extension. We will notify you during the week following CPW once your request for an extension has been processed.

If you have already been granted an extension there is no need to contact us again with your request.

So, given the timing, and that CPW begins Thursday, I thought it would be appropriate to explain what we mean by priority deadline for upperclass students. If you are a domestic student and have submitted your FAFSA and Profile by the end of the day tomorrow, you are fine AS LONG AS you submit your IDOC materials by the end of next week. Remember that you can always log on to the IDOC web page to print out the instructions and cover sheet once your Profile has been completed, rather than waiting for an email to be sent to you from the College Board.

If you are an international student, as long as your material is received by us in the next week or so you also are fine. We will update your application with mail we receive once CPW is complete so there is no need to worry.

If you have not begun your application yet, or you are experiencing delays, it is critical that you request an extension to the deadline so that you are not penalized for missing our application date. We really will work with families who are experiencing delays, but we need to have a good sense of when to expect your complete application so please try to do your best job of estimating the length of time you need when you contact us to ask for an extension.

At present, 40% of those who we are expecting financial aid applications from have completed (bad sentence construction, but you know what I mean). We need the rest of you to complete or to be in touch with us to request an extension as soon as you can.

I thought I would spend a little time here highlighting what you should expect from Financial Aid and Student Financial Services during CPW since we will be there to assist you throughout the event.

First, though, a quick financial aid update.

At present we have produced financial aid awards for 1012 admitted students. We are still missing complete application files from another 240 of you. We are currently working on 68 applications for students who completed their application folders in the last few days.

If you are one of those people who just completed your financial aid application, you should be receiving a copy of your financial aid award inside your CPW registration packet when you check in. If you've brought your parents with you, don't wander off with the letter in your hands without sharing it with them (I saw this happen to many families last year).

There will be a financial aid registration table at the CPW headquarters so that families can schedule financial aid appointments (which will take place in Student Financial Services at 11-320) or meet on the spot with a financial aid counselor on duty. Our goal is to make sure that anyone who wants to meet with a financial aid counselor to discuss their financial aid award or to ask questions about next steps has that opportunity.

Note that there is no requirement to have a financial aid appointment. If you are just turning in a form, or simply wish to check to see if we have received something in the mail, this can be done at the Financial Aid registration table without relying on an appointmnet. But if you need to meet with a financial aid counselor, we will be scheduling 20 minute meetings with individual families throughout the day on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

If your question is of a more general nature (or you simply want to hear the amazing MIT acapella group Techiya), come to my Financial Aid and Student Financial Services Session for Parents. Don't be put off by the fact that it says "for parents" -- students are welcome too!

If you need to meet with a counselor because you wish to appeal your financial aid award, you should expect that you will need to gather some information after your meeting and either email or fax us this information after your meeting at CPW. We are generally not able to provide an answer to an appeal on the spot as our process includes a review by the Financial Aid Committee to ensure equitable treatment. Due to the short turnaround time between CPW and May 1, though, it is important that you provide us any information we request as soon as possible so that we may respond to you in time to make your decision.

If you have not provided us a copy of your 2008 tax return, please note that CPW begins the day after the IRS tax deadline. As such, you may be tempted to bring your tax return with you. While you are welcome to provide a copy directly to us, please note that this does not absolve you of the need to send another copy off to the College Board's IDOC service.

I'm sure I missed something here, but feel free to post a comment and I will try to respond (in between phone calls, emails, and getting the campus ready for the biggest party of your life!).

Happy CPW!

New beginnings can be exciting – witness the return of spring to the Boston / Cambridge area in the last few days – but I, for one, also miss and take a moment to mourn the passing of the old ways. I enjoy winter -- its quiet tranquility, its inner reflection -– and I mourn its passing as I welcome the earth’s new birth.

With the themes of new beginning in mind, I write today to share some news of a new beginning of my own. On May 29th, I will be leaving MIT, a place where I have served for nearly the last seven years as Director of Financial Aid, and a place that I consider to be home. I will be starting my own new journey as Dean of Financial Aid / Associate Dean of Student Affairs at Columbia College and the Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science effective June 1st.

In the past seven years I have built a network of colleagues and friends at the Institute, and I have grown to know a truly marvelous community, full of hope and bright promise for the future and constantly refreshed and reinvigorated by the spirit and energy of new birth brought by our entering students.

I have also had the opportunity to work with a wonderfully talented group of staff in Student Financial Services whose sole mission is to make the dream of an MIT education a reality for students who otherwise could not afford to avail themselves of the opportunities waiting for them.

The good work and energy of MIT and the staff of Financial Aid and Student Financial Services will continue strongly into the future under the capable leadership in place. I will miss the chance the see this journey forward. But I welcome the new challenges awaiting me and look forward to expanding my own network of colleagues and friends in the Big Apple.

We will have time at Campus Preview Weekend to visit with each other, and for you to meet some of the great staff members who truly personify MIT’s commitment to open access. While I may have been the public face of financial aid for these past several years, there is a robust and talented group of staff who are really responsible for administering our financial aid programs.

New beginnings await each of us as spring blossoms – no matter whether that new beginning comes about due to a transition to college, a change of seasons, or a change in employment. May we always be open to new possibilities and new realities while we celebrate and value the place that has nurtured and supported our growth.

Trust me, it is on its way to you!

We mailed early admission packets on Monday and the regular action packets hit the mail this morning. So you will soon be receiving a large folder at home with tons of information enclosed about lots of great things at MIT (including some information about affording the cost of your MIT education).

Some of you have been calling and asking if we can release a fax or email copy of your financial aid award. At this point, we are unable to do so. If you do not have your admissions packet by next Friday, please contact us and we can work on issuing you a replacement letter.

As a preview of coming attractions (so to speak) I will highlight what will be in the financial aid component of the mailing!

First, each of you will receive a copy of our financing guide entitled "ComMITment 2009-2010: MIT's Commitment to Access and Affordability for MIT Undergraduates and their Parents". The brochure highlights our costs as well as our billing, financial aid, loan and student employment policies and is a handy reference to share between parents and students.

Next, you will find a letter from our office (largely depending on your financial aid status).

Of the 1597 students who were admitted:

• 751 of you will receive a financial aid award letter. This letter will detail the financial aid funds you have been awarded (scholarships, grants, loan and work) as well as detail the next steps necessary to confirm your award (more on this later).
• 544 of you will receive a missing information letter. This letter indicates that there are still pieces of information which we need to determine your eligibility for financial aid. Please follow the instructions on the letter and, if you believe you have already sent in this information, check your My.MIT portal or contact us at 617-253-4971. Some of you have completed none of your financial aid paperwork; if you need assistance with this, please let us know. If you do not plan on completing your financial aid file, please also let us know so that we may close your application.
• 64 of you received a complete letter. This letter means that we received the information necessary for your financial aid award to be determined, but it came into our office in the last day or so and we were unable to prepare a financial aid award for you prior to the mailing. After this week, we will be preparing financial aid award packets twice weekly (Monday and Thursday) so your financial aid award will likely be in the next mailing.
• Finally, 238 of you will have no letter from us at all, other than a copy of the ComMITment booklet. This is because you indicated you would not be applying for financial aid. If your situation has changed, and you now feel the need to apply, please be in touch with us as soon as possible so that we may update your record and tell you what forms are required.

If you do receive a financial aid award, there are several forms which you will need to complete to affirm your financial aid award:

• First, if you have not already done so, you will need to complete any missing items for determining your financial aid (tax forms, W-2 forms, copies of 2008 taxes, etc.). If any of these forms are missing, your financial aid award is truly tentative as it was based on the information we had in hand when we reviewed your file, but it is likely to change once final verification information is provided.


• If you received MIT Scholarship, you will be required to complete a Student Information Review Form. This form, which we use to match your MIT Scholarship to particular funds established by MIT's generous alumni and friends, is required to be returned to us by May 1.


• If you will be receiving an outside scholarship from any private foundation, state agency, corporation or parent employer, we ask you to complete the Outside Award Reply Form. This form is used to adjust your loan and work award to accommodate your outside award, so it is critical that you return it to us once you have been awarded these scholarships, and that you update us later in the year if you receive any additional awards.


• We also ask that all domestic students complete a Credit Balance Authorization Form. While this form is required, your response on the form is completely your choice. On the form, you indicate whether you allow us at MIT to hold funds for you if those funds exceed the amount of your current balance, as well as authorize us to use your financial aid to pay non-standard charges (like library fines, MBTA passes, etc.). You must complete and return this form for your financial aid award to credit to your student account.


• You may see a document requested entitled "Pell Disbursement Record from COD". This is purely an internal document and as long as you complete all of your other forms, should not delay your receipt of funds. This document means that we need to obtain permission from the Common Origination and Disbursement system (COD -- what, you thought it was a New England fish?) before we can release your Pell, ACG or SMART Grant to you.


• Finally, you will NOT notice a form indicating your preference for loan vs. work. New this year, we have pre-assigned loans and work to students based on our own awarding priorities and (where available) your expressed preference as to work or borrowing. If we got it wrong, please be back in touch with us. We can switch loan to work, and vice versa, at your request. For families earning less than $75,000 we have only assigned work awards, but we understand that you may not want to work your Freshmen year and would rather borrow a student loan. We certainly can accommodate this request. For those of you from families earning more than $75,000, if you filled out the FAFSA (Federal Application for Federal Student Aid) we have your reply to a question which indicates your loan / work preference, and we awarded your self-help (what we call the combination of loan and work) based on your answer to this question. Again, if we have the balance wrong, let us know!

Also before any of you consider a parent loan or alternative loan (more about this later) you should make sure you maximize your eligibility for Federal Student Loans. We only award students loan amounts up to our self-help on the first pass, but if students need to access additional funds in the form of loans, we can certainly respond to these requests.

Lastly, if you feel the financial aid award we offered was insufficient for your needs, I will be addressing a future blog post to your concerns. In the meantime, you may want to review my previous post on this topic here.

Back to more financial aid files and reviews! Can't wait to see many of you at CPW!!!

As a result of being out of the office yesterday and today, it looks like I missed some excitement.

First of all, a status update:

We are still processing the deluge of email, phone calls, and documents we received in the last week as the deadline approached. So, be patient. We will not penalize anyone who turns in documents even now, so please know that we will get your documents settled out.

In the meantime, there have been two major announcements from MIT.

The first, President Hockfield's announcement, talks about our current financial situation and MIT's future plans. The second, our announcement of financial aid and tuition for the coming year, shows how our commitment to financial aid remains steadfast (and we are even expanding). I will include both announcements below for your reference.

If you have any questions, I'll try to answer them here (while we're coding documents, answering phone calls and replying to your email)... Sigh! Welcome to February! At least I can read your emails better now... Be patient, we'll get to your documents / email / phone call soon!

Letter to the Community from President Hockfield

February 19, 2009

To the Members of the MIT Community:

We begin the spring semester knowing that challenging work and hard decisions lie ahead, as we determine how to strengthen our education and research mission with diminished resources. But we also know that MIT’s work matters very much in the world, from shaping the World Wide Web to advancing the frontiers of research in cancer, AIDS and infectious disease; from creating low-carbon energy technologies to designing sustainable buildings; from launching technology start-ups to assisting entrepreneurs in developing nations; from influencing American economic policy in a time of crisis to educating our extraordinary students. By extension, as we respond to the pressure of economic contraction, it matters very much how we shape the future of MIT.

Today, I want to provide an update on our revenue sources and on immediate steps we are taking to cut costs to meet our fiscal challenges, while sustaining our excellence in research, teaching and service.

Monitoring our resources

We continue to anticipate declines in most sources of support, coupled with an increasing need for student financial aid. To briefly review the current conditions:

Endowment: Like virtually all major institutional endowments this year, MIT’s endowment has lost significant value. On June 30, 2008, our endowment stood at close to $10 billion; by December 30th, the value had dropped approximately 20-25%. If recent trends do not dramatically worsen or improve, we anticipate that the total annual endowment decline could approach 30% by the end of this fiscal year. Assuming 5% endowment payout, a 30% decline translates into an eventual $150 million reduction in funds to the Institute’s operating budget.

Gifts: Despite these very difficult financial times, our donors have continued their generous support. As of January 1, 2009, cash gifts received align with the average over the past three years. I have been heartened by gifts from several donors who contributed more this year than in the past, demonstrating how much they value MIT’s role in the world. However, as economic uncertainty makes future commitments difficult for many, pledges for future gifts have fallen by more than 40%.

Financial aid and tuition: By this point in a typical year, 10-20 student families would have asked us to reconsider their financial aid standing because of a lost job or other change in circumstances. This year, we have already approved more than 40 such requests, and we can expect that the downturn’s impact on MIT families will grow. As we have stated before, we will retain our commitment to need-blind admission and need-based undergraduate financial aid. Taking into account increased need, particularly among middle-income families, and decreased Institute revenues, MIT’s budget for next year includes a substantial increase for financial aid and only a modest increase in tuition.

Research funding: Reversing a three-year trend of very little growth, over the past seven months our campus research volume has increased 10% compared with the previous year. In addition, the provisions for research funding in the just-passed American Recovery and Reinvestment Act put the nation back on track for the doubling of research and development budgets at key physical science agencies over the next decade. Many federal agencies that fund work at MIT received additional allocations for research projects and infrastructure, including $1 billion for NASA, $2 billion for DOE Office of Science, $580 million for NIST, $350 million for DOD, $10 billion for NIH and $3 billion for NSF.

Cutting budgets, creating value

The marked decline in our endowment and in projections for future gifts, together with the expected increase in need for undergraduate financial aid, require that we make substantial budget reductions across the Institute. In this effort, the Administration must lead. We have made immediate cuts across the Office of the President and of the VP for Institute Affairs, planning for a 10% reduction for FY10. Achieving cuts on this scale requires more than simple belt-tightening; it demands new ways of thinking about how we can work more effectively at lower cost. One example is our recent move to combine some functions of the MIT News Office and Technology Review, which will produce both substantial savings and more effective ways of bringing MIT’s story to the world.

As you know from previous letters in November and December, we have asked all units to make budget reductions, with the goal of achieving an Institute-wide savings of at least $50 million in next year’s budget. We have asked academic units, in aggregate, to reduce their base budgets by 4.9% and administrative units by 8.7%.

In our effort to control spending, the members of Academic Council, senior administrators and department heads will forgo salary increases next year. I have declined any salary increase for the current academic year and will do so for the next. In the same spirit, senior faculty have overwhelmingly requested that we direct available salary funds to those members of our community with lower compensation. Accordingly, a small pool for salary increases will be available for faculty members earning less than $125,000 a year and for full-time staff earning less than $75,000 a year. With these salary thresholds, approximately 40% of faculty, 50% of administrative staff and an overwhelming majority of support staff will be eligible for modest raises for the coming year. Service staff will receive increases based on their three-year negotiated contract.

Controlling hiring

To preserve flexibility, we have chosen not to impose a blanket hiring freeze across the Institute. However, we will sharply slow hiring and will reserve it for core Institute needs. Some units have already decided to suspend hiring. Going forward, all hiring that impacts the General Institute Budget will require approval by the Provost, for academic units, or the EVP, for administrative units.

Institute-wide Planning Task Force

As announced last week, we have launched an Institute-wide Planning Task Force to identify strategies for trimming costs while serving our mission. The Task Force includes nearly 200 faculty, students and staff. Even as the Task Force carries out its work this spring, all of MIT’s units, departments, labs and centers must seek similarly creative, practical ways to sharpen our focus, strengthen our most critical activities and eliminate those that may have served us well, but may no longer build momentum for the future. We also encourage members of the community to suggest cost-cutting ideas through the new MIT Idea Bank.

Brighter news

As sobering as the current economic trends, brighter news in several realms shines through:

National Academy of Engineering (NAE): Professors Yet-Ming Chiang, Mark Drela, Ned Thomas and Jack Dennis were among the 65 new members newly elected to the NAE. Reflecting the strength of MIT’s School of Engineering, 20% of nominated MIT faculty were elected, compared to 10% of all nominees.

Admissions: After three straight years of 8% increases, applications for undergraduate study accelerated further still, with a 17% increase over last year. Of the 5,019 students who applied for early action, we admitted 10.8%. We already anticipate an extremely strong Class of 2013.

Building projects: All of our major building projects – the David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, the extension for the School of Architecture and Planning and the Media Lab, the new building for MIT Sloan, and the improvements to Vassar Street – continue on schedule and on budget. Last fall we decided to delay the W1 residence hall renovation; however, thanks to an anonymous donor’s recent targeted gift, we will move forward with the repair of the building’s exterior. Securing the building’s envelope will save money by protecting the structure from further deterioration until we can proceed with the full renovation.

Faculty renewal: In response to the faculty renewal program we announced a year ago, an unusually high number of our more senior faculty members have chosen to move to emeritus status, even while continuing to serve the Institute through research or teaching. Just as we value their lasting intellectual contributions, we also value their willingness to help the Institute open the door to the next generation of faculty stars. Fostering this process of renewal is absolutely central to the long-term health of MIT.

# # #

Almost 70 years ago, in the midst of another national economic downturn and on the eve of the nation’s entry into WWII, then-MIT President Karl Taylor Compton framed MIT’s role and captured our enduring purpose and aspirations:

“To make democratic government workable [our forefathers] established a great system of education. We of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology are a part of this system. While our immediate objectives are to discover and to teach the truth, especially in the realm of the physical world and man's adjustment to it, our ultimate objectives are those of our nation: to promote freedom and opportunity ... For truth, in the form of exact knowledge, brings freedom and opportunity to those who gain it. Our task is to implement this vision on a global scale.”

I am more convinced than ever of the profound importance of MIT’s mission in education and research. These are difficult times, times that call for leadership in values, integrity and aspirations. It is a kind of leadership that MIT can and will provide, both here on our campus and in building a network of global engagements in service to the world.

Sincerely,

Susan Hockfield

And our announcement on financial aid and tuition:

MIT to increase financial aid to middle-income families

Enhancements aimed at keeping MIT affordable

February 18, 2009

MIT has set tuition and fees for 2009-2010 and has budgeted an additional $7.6 million for financial aid enhancements, including an expansion in aid to middle-income families that will ensure even more students have access to an affordable education.

While tuition and fees will increase 3.8 percent to $37,782, the smallest increase in eight years, the total undergraduate financial aid budget will rise more than 10 percent to $81.6 million. That marks the 10th straight year in which MIT's financial aid enhancements have outpaced rising tuition. This year, understanding that college costs can also present challenges for middle-income families, MIT's financial aid budget includes an additional $1.4 million to help families earning more than $75,000 a year.

The latest initiatives build on MIT's long tradition of ensuring that it remains affordable to talented students from a full range of economic backgrounds. The Institute's student population is already among the most economically diverse of America's top-ranked universities, partly as a result of MIT's commitment to "need-blind" admissions and to meeting the full need of all undergraduates it admits. Moreover, MIT doubled its undergraduate financial aid budget between 2001 and 2008.

"In these tough financial times, MIT recognizes that students and their families need our help more than ever. That's why we are pleased to be able to not only maintain our commitment to need-based aid but to be able to allot more funds to financial aid overall," said Dean for Undergraduate Education Daniel Hastings.

"We want all students to be able to afford to attend and not worry about finances," Hastings added, "so they can get the maximum educational benefit from their time at MIT."

To increase support for students, MIT in October 2008 launched the Campaign for Students with the goal of raising $500 million or more for undergraduate scholarships, graduate fellowships, educational innovation and student life. This support is vitally important to sustaining need-blind admissions and educational excellence at MIT.

No!

First an update:

Over the last few days we've sent out several email correspondences about financial aid status, one email to all financial aid applicants who were listed as Early Admits and another to all applied domestic financial aid applicants. This letter (delivered to your email address provided in your admissions record) details forms received, forms missing, and how to complete those we have not received. If you are an international student applciant, we have not sent you a letter by email.

These letters were produced PRIOR TO the delivery of our first IDOC update, so any forms you sent through to the College Board will not yet be reflected on them. As of last night, we have begun receiving updates from IDOC so please check My.MIT (which we update nightly) to see if your information has been received.

But perhaps most importantly -- WHAT HAPPENS IF I MISS THE DEADLINE?

The short answer is nothing... We do not have an arbitrary cut off date for financial aid eligibility at MIT. In fact, we continue to review Freshmen applications through the summer before the year begins, so it is not too late to begin applying for aid.

However, we do read applications in the order they complete, so the earlier you get your application in to us, the better the likelihood you will have your financial aid award with your admissions packet or by the time you need to make an enrollment decision (May 1).

So, should you panic if your information won't be in today? No... Should you be following up over the next several weeks to make sure what we need we have received? Yes...

I am now going to go back to my last entry and answer the backlog of questions there. Once I do that, I will close comments on that entry and invite you to continue adding your questions and concerns here. I'll try to get to them as best I can!

Two final notes:

Remember that Monday is a holiday (President's Day) so we will not be in the office (although some of us may be working anyway), so don't expect to reach us by phone or email that day!

Also we have been hit with a rather large backlog of email. If we do not reply immediately, please do NOT send another email. We will reply as soon as possible. If your issue is urgent, you can call us at our main phone number -- 617-253-4971.

Be well!!

Smith Magazine has an activity they call "Six Word Memoirs". Loosely patterned after Hemingway's famous (really) short story, "For sale: baby shoes, never worn,” the six word memoir allows authors to tell their life story in brief.

So, here is the challenge for you! Write a six word memoir about your life, your dreams, your hopes, your fears. If it is relevant to MIT, even better, but anything is good! Don't explain your entry. Keep them to six words!

Mine:

"Feeling overwhelmed. Need help giving aid!"

Speaking of winding-up, some exciting news:

The financial aid application portlet on My.Mit is live. You can track whether or not we have received your financial aid application materials by logging into the My.Mit portal and viewing the portlet. Also you can link to the websites of any missing financial aid documentation and complete it as necessary. At this point, we remain about three days behind in processing mail received so if you have sent your materials in the past week, please be patient with us.

Any questions about the FAFSA, PROFILE or ISFAA (International Student Financial Aid Application)? Remember that our priority deadline for Freshmen is February 15th, so please be sure to get working on whatever financial aid materials we are missing!

Also please note that if you have not completed your 2008 tax returns, we need a copy of your 2007 returns in order to consider your application for financial aid compelte. You can mail the 2007 form to our office directly (Building 11-320). If you have your 2008 form ready and you are a US Citizen or Permanent Resident you can submit your forms via the College Board's IDOC service when it launches later this month.

I must not get out of my office enough...

Today at lunch I ran from my office:

to the ATM in Lobby 10 to get some cash:

Before grabbing my lunch, I stumbled across Compton Gallery:

where I find a phenomenal exhibit entitled:

The exhibit highlights the whole mortgage mess, starting really from the 1920s to today.

The exhibit is produced by Damon Rich and the Center for Urban Pedagogy (CUP) and commissioned by the MIT Center for Advanced Visual Studies (CAVS):

The exhibit runs through December 21st and is open from 10:00 - 5:00 every day. If you are in town, you really need to go see it. I won't spoil the exhibit by revealing all of its secrets, but two pieces that particularly caught my attention include:

1) The Flow of Funds - a room divider cut into the shape of the prime rate from 1929 to 2008:

Exhibition view. Photo: Judith M. Daniels/Courtesy of the MIT Museum.

2) In the mind of real estate - a plywood bust of Frederick Babcock who was a pioneer in the theory of real estate appraisal and one of the first people to codify credit underwriting standards for homes:

Exhibition view. Photo: Judith M. Daniels/Courtesy of the MIT Museum.

There was also some very cool interactive content including some videos, an "S & L Railroad" model train set, a computer with searchable data from the HMDAR (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) and other pieces.

Have you seen the exhibit? What were your thoughts?

To me, this is one of the greatest things about MIT. No matter what corner you turn here, you always find something fascinatingly relevant to your daily life. What corner at MIT have you turned recently, and what have you found there?

Letter to the community

on MIT finances

November 17, 2008

To the members of the MIT community:

Ambitious forward motion is MIT's signature; we celebrate initiative, innovation, relentless improvement and creative change. Yet as the world's financial markets continue to decline, they forecast a global reduction in resources. In that context, our challenge is clear: together we must chart a financially prudent path forward, but one that sustains and fosters the essential character of MIT.

As we reported in late September at the State of the Institute, MIT has the latitude to approach the current financial realities in a deliberate way, because of three recent significant advances: we begin from a balanced budget, we smooth our endowment payout to distribute the effects of market volatility over several years, and, across the Institute, we have carefully accumulated cash reserves that can buffer a tough economic period. These facts cannot fully insulate us from the chill of the markets, but they do afford us the time to make thoughtful, coordinated choices. Through the fall, we have steadily responded to the rapid economic flux; for example, as market conditions worsened in October, we recognized that delaying the renovation of the W1 residence hall offered an important opportunity to preserve financial flexibility.

Today, as market uncertainty continues, we want to share with you the further steps we will take to reduce spending, while protecting and fostering the creative, dynamic and stimulating environment that defines MIT.

The impact on Institute revenues

The global economic contraction will likely compromise all of the Institute's major revenue streams: endowment, tuition, gifts and research. Market declines have affected even the most diversified portfolios, including MIT's investments, which will reduce the endowment funds available to support our operations. In addition, we anticipate a decline in net revenue from tuition; we will retain our commitment to need-blind admission and need-based undergraduate financial aid even as we expect that some students and their families may feel the weight of new financial difficulties. (Please consult the Financial Aid office for more information). And, while MIT's donors have remained staunchly generous through past downturns, some may now be constrained in their giving. We also expect that pressure on the nation's budget will lead to continued stagnation, if not declines, in federal funding for research. As we plan, we must incorporate all these anticipated revenue reductions.

Planning for financial constraint

The continuing uncertainty about the length and depth of the economic downturn makes accurate predictions impossible. However, we must take action now to plan for a protracted period of financial constraint, while at the same time remaining flexible for a future in which the economy may improve or worsen.

Taking all these factors into account, we can reasonably anticipate the need to decrease spending by about 10-15% over the next two to three years. In the current budget planning cycle for FY10, we will plan for a base budget reduction of 5%. Future years will undoubtedly require additional cuts by all units. As all of you who manage budgets know, achieving a base budget reduction of this magnitude is a very serious exercise; we will tackle it together, through a careful three-year implementation plan, beginning with a number of practical short-term actions.

Practical steps in the short term

In the coming weeks, we will present specific steps to launch the planning process. In the meantime, we encourage each of you to think about the most effective ways we can cut spending while advancing our core strengths in support of MIT's mission.

In the very near term, it obviously makes sense for every part of the Institute to look hard at each expenditure. We must be very cautious in hiring, relating each hire to core needs, and we should take particular care in making decisions that create long-term financial commitments. At present, we do not expect mandated spending cuts for the current fiscal year. However, achieving significant savings this year can help prevent more painful future choices; early savings will compound, so that a dollar saved today gives greater long-term budget relief than one saved a year from now.

Developing a long-term approach together

As we plan for the longer term, given the budget reductions we anticipate for FY11 and beyond, we can and will use this moment to tailor our financial choices to better position the Institute to seize emerging opportunities. To that end, we will set in place a broad, deliberate, inclusive process, in which all branches of the Institute will work together in the coming year to reassess our priorities and the use of our resources.

The past year has included an ambitious and vitally important process of planning for MIT's future; integrating that planning work with new fiscal constraints will make the Institute stronger, more efficient and more effective. The world values MIT for its unrivaled education, pioneering scholarship and real-world innovations. Together, we need to design new operating strategies that draw on more limited financial resources, without sacrificing our values or our mission of world-changing education, research and service.

In approaching this challenge, we have actively consulted with the Academic Council and department heads, as well as with other faculty and administrative leaders. To further define the budget planning process described in this letter, we will continue these discussions. As plans develop and the global situation evolves, we will keep the MIT community involved and up to date.

The months ahead will test us all. But they also present an opportunity for us to demonstrate our deepest strengths as a compassionate community, driven by innovative thinking and action.

Sincerely,

Susan Hockfield
President

L. Rafael Reif
Provost

For prospective students, you may want to review our core financial aid principles on our web page. I think in these difficult economic times, it remains important to understand that MIT will stand behind its commitments to students (both current and prospective).

As we do not do "early" financial aid reads for early admissions applicants, our deadlines for the Freshmen population are the same for all. The relevant information follows:

From http://web.mit.edu/sfs/financial_aid/prospective_freshmen_US.html:

For U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

For entrance in September 2009

If you wish to apply for scholarship, loan and job assistance from MIT, we must receive the following documents no later than February 15, 2009 for both early-action and regular-action admissions applicants. Starting in January 2009, you can track the status of your financial aid application by checking MyMIT. Remember to keep copies of all your application documents. Also keep in mind that after you're awarded financial aid, there are additional steps you must take before your aid is disbursed. Those steps are outlined on our finalizing undergraduate awards page.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

As soon as possible after January 1, 2009, complete the 2009-2010 FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Designate MIT as one of your recipients by using "Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139." Our federal code number is 002178.

CSS PROFILE Application

Complete the 2009-2010 CSS PROFILE online at profileonline.collegeboard.com.

Designate MIT as a recipient by using our CSS code number of 3514 and answer the CSS Supplemental Questions specific to MIT.

Separated or divorced parents

If your parents are separated or divorced, you have an additional application requirement because we ask that both your parents provide financial information so we can determine a contribution from each of them.

The parent with whom you live (the custodial parent) completes the FAFSA and PROFILE. Your other parent (the noncustodial parent) completes the Noncustodial Parent's PROFILE.

CSS will e-mail you application instructions, including a link to the Noncustodial Parent's PROFILE web site and login instructions, to send to your noncustodial parent. You will receive this e-mail after you complete the CSS PROFILE indicating your parents are separated or divorced.

Both your custodial and noncustodial parent must submit federal income tax returns and, if necessary, a CSS Business/Farm Supplement, as explained in the following sections.

If you believe there are exceptional circumstances that make it difficult for your noncustodial parent to submit financial information, please contact your financial aid counselor.

Parents' federal income tax return (including all schedules and W-2s)

After you file your CSS PROFILE form, the College Board's Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC) will send you instructions for submitting your parents' 2008 federal tax returns and other supplemental forms that may be required. Everything you submit to IDOC should be sent as one packet.

Send a signed and dated copy of all pages and schedules of your parents' 2008 federal income tax return, including copies of all W-2s, through IDOC no later than February 15, 2009.

If your parents' 2008 federal income return is not available by our February 15, 2009 financial aid deadline, you may submit your parents' 2007 federal income tax return, including all schedules and W-2s, directly to Student Financial Services by February 15, 2009. You will be required to submit the 2008 federal income tax return, schedules and W-2s through IDOC as soon as they become available.

If your family owns an interest in a business corporation, submit a copy of the corporate tax return and a copy of your parents' statement of "Shareholder's Share of Income, Credits, Deductions, Etc." (IRS Form 1120S and Schedule K-1) through IDOC.

If your family has income from a partnership, submit a copy of the partnership tax return and a copy of your parents' statement of "Partner Share of Income, Credits, Deductions, Etc." (IRS Form 1165 and Schedule K-1) through IDOC.

If you, your parents, or other siblings are beneficiaries of an estate or trust, submit the appropriate schedule K-1 of IRS Form 1041 or IRS Form 4970 through IDOC.

CSS Business/Farm Supplement

If either of your parents is self-employed or owns any part of a business or farm, s/he must complete a CSS Business/Farm Supplement for each business or farm in which any interest is held.

Send the completed CSS Business/Farm Supplement through IDOC along with your parents' federal income tax return. If you will not be able to send the 2008 income tax return through the IDOC service by February 15, 2009, send the CSS Business/Farm Supplement directly to Student Financial Services with your 2007 income tax returns.

Additional information

If your family has special circumstances or unusual expenses, or you have any other information that will help us understand their financial situation more completely, please send us a letter detailing that information.

Submit this letter as part of your IDOC packet. If you will not be able to send the 2008 income tax return through the IDOC service by February 15, 2009, send the explanation letter directly to Student Financial Services with your 2007 income tax returns.

From http://web.mit.edu/sfs/financial_aid/prospective_freshmen_Intl.html

For International students

For entrance in September 2009

If you wish to apply for scholarship, loan and job assistance from MIT, we must receive the following documents no later than February 15, 2009. Mail or fax all documents directly to Student Financial Services. Starting in January 2009, you can track the status of your financial aid application by checking MyMIT. Remember to keep copies of all your application documents. Also keep in mind that after you're awarded financial aid, there are additional steps you must take before your aid is disbursed. Those steps are outlined on our finalizing undergraduate awards page.

College Board International Student Financial Aid Application

Download the 2009-2010 International Student Financial Aid Application and complete it.

Separated or divorced parents

If your parents are separated or divorced, you have an additional application requirement because we ask that both your parents provide financial information so we can determine individual contributions from each of them.

Both your parents must submit separate copies of the College Board International Student Financial Aid Application, separate parent income tax returns or wage statements and, if necessary, a CSS Business/Farm Supplement, as explained in the following sections.

Parents' income tax return or wage statement (translated to English)

Send a signed copy of all pages and schedules of your parents' most recent income tax returns, if applicable.

If your country does not have an annual income tax form, send a letter from each parent's employer stating the annual salary earned in local currency.

Translate all materials into English, but report the amounts in your local currency.

Write your name and "Class of 2013" at the top of all materials.

CSS Business/Farm Supplement

If either of your parents is self-employed or owns any part of a business or farm, s/he must complete a CSS Business/Farm Supplement for each business or farm in which any interest is held.

Additional information

If your family has special circumstances or unusual expenses, or you have any other information that will help us understand their financial situation more completely, please send us a letter detailing that information.

Write your name and "Class of 2013" at the top of the letter.

It's that time of year when everyone stays up late at night telling scary ghost tales ("...and the flashlight shone on his face and it was...!!!!"). If you just scan the traditional media (look here or here for some recent examples) it seems that maybe tonight the scary story will be someone who has dreamed of going to a college all of their life and now is abandoning that plan because of the scary economy.

True, the sticker price of an MIT education this year is $50,100, but very few people pay that entire amount. At MIT, 2,676 of our 4,153 undergraduate students qualified for some kind of scholarship or grant this year. That means 64% of our undergraduates had some kind of grant bringing down their costs. And if you dig deeper, the numbers are even more impressive for those applying for financial aid.

We've had 3025 students (so far) apply for financial aid this year. Of that number, 82% received some kind of grant. The average grant for this group (again, so far) is approximately $31,600. And the application numbers prove out at all income levels. Even at incomes as high as $175,000 to $200,000, over half the families applying for financal aid receive grant, and their average grant varies from $3,625 to $18,419 (at the 25% and 75% level).

I know people have focused on our less than $75,000 families, and the free tuition offer there is impressive, but our financial aid programs reach much farther and deeper than just the free tuition story. For familes with less than $75,000 in income, the total grant ranges from $37,756 to $48,881 (again, at the 25% and 75% levels). Even up to the $175,000 to $200,000 income bracket, families who receive aid are qualifying for more than $12,000 in grant on average (the range is above); and keep in mind that this representa 1/3 of tuition!

So, what's the point? The point is don't believe the scary stories. Don't fall for the "trick" on this Hallow's Eve. Go for the "treat". It is true that not every family who applies for aid will receive it. It is also true that some of you may have to make an enrollment decision based on the school that offers you the most money in this difficult economic time.

But most importantly, it is certainly true that if you are from a family who needs assistance to pay for college, we are here to work with you. You may find out how your own scary story has a happy ending...

Just call me your knight in shining armor!

Happy Halloween!!!

----

Note: when I say 25% and 75% above, I mean the following: Within the group, 25% of cases have a value less than or equal to this number, and 75% of cases have a value less than or equal to this number Also, grant and scholsrship are used interchangably above; when I say "grant" I mean gift aid from any source (MIT, Federal, State, Private) which doesn't have to be repaid.

So, welcome back to the 1980s, when many of the pop songs of the area dealt with the economic problems (see the Flying Lizard's cover of the Beatles' "Money (That's What I Want)") or aspirations to move beyond our current economic status to a more "Material" World (think Madonna's "Material Girl") or to live a "Glamorous Life" (Sheila E.).

But where is a person to go if they want do more to learn about the current state of affairs than just listen to 20-something year old pop songs?

In recent days I have discovered a great source about the current economic situation. In terms that even I can understand (and you can too), Alex Blumberg, Laura Conaway and other NPR staffers explain the current situation to me. Between their blog and daily podcast (entitled "Planet Money"), they have explained the Ted Spread, the meaning of deleveraging, how commecial auction facilities work, etc. To me their 30 minutes of daily update is the best daily news show that I listen to, since it gives me the background to understand what's going on in the "real" financial world.

In the MIT financial aid world, I want to take a moment just to confirm our core principals. For both domestic and international applicants, we offer a program that is need-blind for admissions, we award student financial aid only on the basis of need, and we meet the full financial need of every admitted applicant. These are MIT's core principles, and in this era of economic uncertainty they bear repeating.

This holds true for new applicants and well as current students. The staff in SFS stands ready to help students who need assistance due to changes in family financial circumstances or who are dealing with changes due to the economic times. Just be in touch with us, and we will work with you...

We are currently hard at work on readying some new features for our web site which wil help families in estimating how much an MIT education will cost. Keep your eyes on the blog and on our web site for more information about these initiatives. Also we will be updating the sections of our web site dealing with how you apply for financial aid in the next few weeks. I will post a note here when these changes have been made...

In the meantime, enjoy the roller coaster ride. Here's hoping that you aren't living a life where:

The four focal points of the campaign are: undergraduate financial aid, the undergraduate commons, graduate student support and student life. More information on each priority is available through the links above, and the campaign website, at http://thehumanfactor.mit.edu/ has some great student and alumni profiles whcih truly provide a personal face on the campaign.

Given the economic climate, you might think that we are in a particularly difficult time to be starting a fundraising campaign, but I would answer that the difficult economic situation makes the timing even more important. MIT has as one of its bedrock principles that students who show the ability to succeed at MIT should be able to attend regardless of their personal economic situation. This part of the campaign is so vital; the generosity of our alumni and friends is what provides us the opportunity to make the MIT dream a reality for those who would not otherwise be able to afford it.

Absolutely worth watching is the preview video telling student stories and really putting a personal face on the campaign and telling the inspiring story that is MIT. The campaign is also looking for your MIT story about your experiences at MIT to perhaps be used as part of the campaign.

Feel free to post your MIT story here as well. What does "The Human Factor" mean to you?

In a few days or so, MIT will join with many others in observing National Coming Out Week. As part of this effort, I thought I would round out the events with a post on LGBT issues at MIT.

MIT has a long history of having a group on campus for Gay and Lesbian students, faculty and staff. The group is noted as having unofficially begun as far back as 1969, although official support recognition from the Institute occurred in 1996.

The LBGT issues group on campus, also known as GaMIT, serves to support Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay and Trans and questioning members of the MIT community, as well as supporters, allies and families. Their web page is full of information about services on-campus, including the Rainbow Lounge, the Lavender Guide, and other great resources. The LBGT group also is responsible for producing postcards which serve as an on-campus visibility campaign: entitled "you are welcome here", the cards indicate that students who are LBGT will find a welcoming environment within the office.

One of the most important things LBGT does, in my mind at least, is publish a calendar of events on a monthly basis. Below you will find the October event emal (which just came today).

If you are an LBGT student (or questioning), feel free to comment on your experience at MIT. If you are a prospective student who is LBGT or questioning, please know that MIT is a welcoming community.

October LBGT Newsletter:

1) Intro Letter
2) This Month's Events
3) Support Meetings
4) Opportunities for Students, Faculty, and Staff
_______________________________________________

Hello Everyone -

The trees that live amongst us have begun their beautiful shift into blazing colorfulness. In addition to this being a sure sign of fall, it also means that it's time again for the many brilliant colors of our LBGTQ & Ally community to shine during National Coming Out week!

This month, we are proud to feature many great ways to celebrate the vibrancy of our community, including:

- A discussion on Family & Coming Out (7th)
- Bring a Friend to the Rainbow Lounge: Annual Rainbow Reception! (15th)
- Film Screening and Discussion - 'For the Bible Tells Me So' (16th)

Of course, wonderful events are happening throughout the entire month of October. You won't want to miss:
- QPOC Brunch (20th) and Women's Lunch (23rd)
- In honor of Women's Week, natural healing workshop 'Plants in your Pants' (23rd)

We would love to see you at these events, and any of the others listed below. And don't forget to invite your friends and join us for the "Bring a Friend to the Rainbow Lounge" Rainbow Reception on the 15th!

- The staff of lbgt@mit
_______________________________________________

October Events

Tues 10/7

'Coming Out to Family' discussion and film screening, 5-6:30 pm, in 5-104 Join us for a film screening of 'Anyone and Everyone' and a discussion with the Exec. Director of Boston PFLAG abut what issues arise when we consider coming out (or not coming out) to our families.

Tues 10/7,14,21,28

LBGT First Year Group
Calling the class of 2012! You are invited to attend these social and supportive gatherings of LBGTQA First Years. We'll meet in the Rainbow Lounge for support, resources, and social time. Come hear from upperclassmen about how to survive MIT without losing yourself. All LBGTQ and Ally first-year students are welcome!

*********************National Coming Out Week!!!************************

October is GLBT History Month!
Each day in October 2008, an Icon is featured with a video, biography, bibliography, images and other resources. The redesigned and enhanced GLBT History Month 2008 Web site is now complete and ready for viewing. Check it out at: http://www.glbthistorymonth.com

Tues 10/14

Special NCOW - LBGT Issues Group meeting, 4:30 Social, 5-6pm Meeting, 50-005 Come hear about the issues that are of current importance to fellow members of the LBGT and Ally community at MIT, including our participation in the upcoming President's Diversity Leadership Congress. Anyone affiliated with MIT and LBGT-friendly is welcome to join and to participate.

Wed 10/15

Rainbow Reception: Bring a Friend to the Rainbow Lounge!
4-6pm, Rainbow Lounge, 50-005, Do you know someone who has never been to the Rainbow Lounge? Do you have a friend you could invite to check it out? Invite your friends for this fun, casual event to celebrate the LBGT and Ally community at MIT. Refreshments will be provided. All are welcome!

Thurs 10/16

"For the Bible Tells Me So" - Film Screening and Discussion, 7pm in 32-141 Students, faculty, staff, and parents/families welcome!
"An extremely powerful and intelligent look at the Bible, what it really says, and the impact various interpretations can have on members of our community."
The film includes former Rep. Richard Gephardt, Harvard's Rev. Peter Gomes, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, and Gene Robinson, the first openly Gay bishop to be consecrated by the Episcopal Church. http://www.forthebibletellsmeso.org/

Coming Out Party! - 10pm, Date: TBA, at Fenway House Shake your groove thang at this annual Coming Out Party Celebration!!

********************************************************************************

Mon 10/20

Queer People of Color Brunch
12:00p-2:00p (drop in anytime) 50-005, Rainbow Lounge All self-identified queer people of color from the MIT community are welcome at this Bi-Monthly Queer People Of Color Lunch Series. Come by your self, or bring your crew. QPOC lunches are casual, friendly, community-building for everybody.

Thurs 10/23

L4Q: Lunch for Queer Women and Friends
12:00p-2:00p in the Rainbow Lounge (50-005) Join us for a relaxed lunch in the lounge. Meet other LBTQA women from MIT. ****BYO Lunch. Drinks and Dessert will be provided.

Date TBA (10/27-30)

QWiLLTS Event for Women's Week - Stay tuned for more details.

_______________________________________________

Support Meetings

BATS meeting
Boston Area Trans Support (BATS) is a peer-run support group for college-age/twenty-something transgender people. The group is inclusive of people who are questioning their gender, are FTM, MTF, gender-queer, and those who prefer any other gender descriptor. For more information, including the exact meeting time and location, please contact: Sean Delmore, sdelmore@mit.edu, x 2-1612.
_______________________________________________

Opportunities for Students, Faculty, and Staff

OUTSPOKEN! - LGBT Student Leadership Conference October 24-26, 2008 @ Syracuse University http://lgbt.syr.edu/outspoken/

GSA Internship at Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School Intern will work closely with Coordinator on GLBT program and curriculum development in a local, culturally diverse urban high school to facilitate weekly group meetings of the GSA, organize special initiatives and archival projects, and assist with planning and organization of various events. lease send letter of interest to Coordinator Kathy Keegan at kathy.keegan@gmail.com

Volunteer for GLAD's Legal Info Line

GLAD is New England's leading legal organization fighting for full equality and justice for LGBT and HIV+ people through impact litigation and education. Through the Legal InfoLine, which operates 1:30 - 4:30, Monday - Friday, in English and Spanish, callers from all over New England can find out about their legal rights. They can access GLAD's series of publications, and get referrals to other agencies and to knowledgeable, sensitive attorneys should they need legal advice. We provide these critical services with the assistance of a dedicated team of volunteers. GLAD's infoline volunteers get extensive training. The next training is October 16, 18 and 20. No prior legal experience is needed. If you have questions about the training or about GLAD, give me a call (617) 426-1350 or email me at bbell@glad.org.

Life After Trauma: An Identity Building Group for Women Attracted to Women Tuesdays, Beginning November 4th, 6:15-7:30pm, at The Trauma Center in Brookline, MA. If you have questions or are interested in enrolling, please
call: Ilya Yacevich at (617) 232-1303 x321

Looking for a Christian Church that is LBGT friendly?
Check out: http://www.gaychurch.org

MASALA Mela, Saturday 10/10, 9p-2a, @ Machine This year Mela coincides with National Coming Out Day, which is an internationally observed civil awareness day for coming out and discussion about Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender issues. Join MASALA as we celebrate an evening of FABULOSITY that is sure to bring out the DIVA in you! Come mingle with MASALA members, their friends and allies, enjoy delicious South Asian snacks from our Mela buffet, and get ready to dance the night away with throbbing Bollywood mixed music courtesy of DJKris along with show stopping performances by your very own Masalans!!! Tickets $20 in advance.
for more info: e-mail bostonmasala@gmail.com

_______________________________________________
Lbgtnews mailing list
Lbgtnews@mit.edu
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/lbgtnews

As I was drinking my cup of Starbucks coffee on my way to MIT this morning, I heard the following story on my iPod from NPR. "Warning, Energy Drinks Contain Caffeine."

The story is actually better than the title. According to the web description:

Morning Edition, September 24, 2008 · Researchers are calling for warning labels on energy drinks. The drinks contain substantial amounts of caffeine, which could lead to symptoms associated with a caffeine overdose, including heart palpitations and insomnia. The energy drinks are marketed to adolescents, who haven't developed a tolerance to caffeine.

Now, back to my venti skinny vanilla latte!

Ask anyone who knows me (well) and they will tell you that I am fan of the thumpa-thumpa. When I can, my office is filled with the kind of music that today you might call Electronica/Dance...

One of my most recent favorite bands has been Daft Punk. I play their music pretty constantly...

Well, a few months ago, one of our student employees in the office commented on the fact that he too liked Daft Punk, and we started to trade stories about our shared taste in music. I was commenting to him that if he liked Daft Punk, he should really check out some of their antecedents (bands like New Order, Kraftwork, and Depeche Mode) and he told me that if I liked Daft Punk, I should really check out some of the descendents (bands like Justice, 65daysofstatic, and the Presets).

When he suggested I check out the Presets, I looked at Youtube and found one of their recent videos and LOVED the music:

So, Monday night I was sitting at home looking through my iTunes account and saw that I had some money left over from a gift card, so I decided to buy the Presets two discs. WOW! Was I impressed. I loved the music, and did a bit more Googling to see what I could find out about them.

Well, it turns out they have a MySpace page, a website, and lots of videos on Youtube. They were even a #1 iTunes selling disc in the dance genre.

As I was searching I found out that they were playing at the Paradise Rock Club in Boston (around the corner from the MIT campus, near BU) on Tuesday night (last night) but that the show was sold out. I was disappointed, but wanted to let the band know that I appreciated what they were doing with their music -- that their music could bring two guys twenty years apart together in their musical passion.

So I wrote the band an email on Monday night, just thanking them for what they had done, and telling them the story of how Tristan introduced me to their music (Tristan is the student employee I mentioned above).

Well, much to my surprise, I received a wonderful note back from the management team for the band letting me know that they liked my email and that two tickets would be waiting at the door under my name. I called Tristan (waking him up at 10:15 or so yesterday) and told him we were going to see the Presets (performing with another band, Cut Copy).

And what a show it was. Through this post I have provided some snapshots I took during the show last night. While I certainly wasn't the oldest guy in the audience, I was probably among the top 10 or so by age, but I felt very much at home. The Presets gave an amazing performance, with a lightshow built into the stage and a very enthusiastic audience.

Thank you to the Presets for the gift of music (and the gift of being able to see them). I bought a poster and it is hanging in the Student Financial Aid area on the 3rd floor of building 11 if you want to see it.

Thanks also to the Presets to introducing me to the music of Cut Copy, another interesting group that will make my list of top bands.

Thanks to my babysitter who agreed last minute to stay late with the kids so I could see the show (my wife is out of town this week).

And, thanks to Tristan for introducing me to the Presets... Anytime you want to make a musical suggestion, I'll listen!

So to your P-set! What kind of music are you passionate about these days? What serves as the soundtrack to your life?

I am reading (much too much) for my classes relating to my PhD and as part of the process I am finding LOTS of interesting literature on research on financial aid in the national scene. For example:

• Sallie Mae just released a study on how families are paying for college. Their report is at How America Pays.
• A group calling itself "Rethinking Student Aid" has just released its recommendations about how to revolutionize the Federal financial aid system. Their recommendations and thoughts can be found here.
• And speaking of the College Board (they are hosting the information from "Rethinking Student Aid") and apropos of the research question I find myself drawn to (namely, does college pay), the Board has some interesting statistics showing how beneficial college attendance can be on many fronts. This report, entitled "Education Pays", can be found here
.

So, while I am speaking about research, I thought I would say a word about UROP at MIT. UROP (and its not as well known cousin, UPOP), provide wonderful opportunities for undergraduates to be at the cutting edge of research (and practice). The UROP site has tons of information about how students can be involved in semester-long research placements with a guiding faculty or graduate researcher, either during the academic year (Fall / Spring) or periods of traditional non-enrollment (IAP / Summer). The site also details options for students as to the type of UROP they can select (a UROP for academic credit, a UROP funded by your faculty supervisor, a UROP funding by direct funding, or a volunteer UROP).

I want to focus my attention on the third category, direct funded UROPs. In some cases, faculty members may not have funding for a research student and the student may need to have a source of income from a "job" during the semester. In this case, students can apply for direct funding support from the UROP office.

Direct funding is limited, but MIT Scholarship recipients have a special priority given to them in this process (see here for some explanations as to how this works). In short, MIT Scholarship recipients are guaranteed one term of direct funding for a UROP during their tenure at MIT (assuming they follow all the normal guidelines).

Why did we do this? At MIT we want you to be able to take advantage of the tremendous opportunities this place offers without regard to your personal family finances. We were worried that some students were missing out on the opportunities to network with faculty, work in a new and emerging field, and expose themselves to the latest research because they were limited financially, so we worked to eliminate this barrier. We need to do some research to see how wide this option has reached, but I know that some students who might have otherwise not been able to participate in a UROP have benefitted from this program.

So, what research are you working on right now? If you are current or past UROP participant, what has been the most beneficial part of your experience? If you are a perspective student, what kind of research interests you? Keep in mind that UROPs can run the gamut (take a look here for some examples of current openings. Some examples I found are The Search for Extra-Terrestrial Genomes (SETG): An in situ PCR Detector For Life on Mars Ancestrally Related to Life on Earth, Anthropological Study of Artisan Cheesemaking in the US, and Mouse Models of Cancer.

The sky is literally the limit at MIT!

For more on thie day (and some fun links, including a link to a Tech Editorial talking about how the US Constitution fits in to classes at MIT, and a pointer to Schoolhouse Rock), click here. This will take you to my first blog post about Constitution Day.

Also, you should drop by the Student Services Center today to pick up your own free copy of the Constitution (pocket-sized). We will be handing these out all day (or until supplies last... you know the drill).

Happy Constitution Day! Have you hugged your own founding father (or mother) today? What do you plan to do to celebrate? For some great ideas, see the Constitution Center's home page.

So on Monday morning I was awakened from a pleasant dream of... I don't remeber... to the sound of my cable box switching off and on... off and on... in constant motion... off and on... off and on...

Wow, talk about a rude awakening! And welcome to September. Home of the hard reboot.

Classes start again (MIT students roam the hallways like eager beavers ready for dam(n) contruction, my kids started back at their elementary and middle schools today, and I start classwork toward my PhD tomorrow), activities begin anew (I had my first planning meeting for religious school yesterday, met with my MIT advisees last week, and all of the theater / voice / chorus / etc. parts of life start in the next several days), and the days of summer seem already just a distant memory.

Welcome to September.

And the hard reboot continues... We are thrilled to announce that we have hired two new staff for the positions of Assistant Directors of Financial Aid and they both will be joining us in the next several weeks. I'll introuduce them in a future post, but we were really incredibly pleased with the caliber of candidates we received in the application process and look forward to them joining our ranks!

And speaking of reboots, how about one for the blog. Time to restart the effort and get back to business here as well... What sorts of things would you like to know about MIT from a financial perspective? What can I offer you about the culture, the place, the "behind the scenes" view that will help you understand this place even better? Let me know so that I can try to address your questions and concerns in upcoming posts.

And feel free to share your own hard reboot story. How do you feel as the year begins anew? I think the Hebrew calendar has it right; the year does begin in September...

And just in time for the start of the Fall TV season (another hard reboot), today my wife picked up a new digital cable box (SOOOO tiny) and I have a list of shows to TiVo... Ben, are you watching 90210, the hard reboot?

Welcome to the so-called "dog days" of summer. You know, that time where the lazy days of summer pass you by as you liesurely sit back, sip your iced frappucino and read that book you've long wanted to enjoy, but somehow just couldn't find the time for...

[insert sound of record scratching here]

Well, not in my world.

Summer is one of our busiest times here in the financial aid office, and this summer is shaping up to be busy again. Between responding to your self-help forms, finishing reading late spplicants, and helping you get ready for the Fall, we will be busy beavers all summer long.

A few updates:

Today we will produce and begin to mail out over 1250 award letters to returning students for 2008-09 (rising Sophmores, Juniors and Seniors). This represents almost everyone who had their application for aid complete by our recommended deadline of April 15th. This leaves us with slightly more than 650 files still needing review, which we will plan to complete in the next month of so (and send updates out weekly).

Today, we also say goodbye to the first of two staff members who are leaving MIT financial aid for other opportunities. Jason Shumaker has served as our Assistant Director in charge of Freshmen Processing for the last 4 years (although he has been at MIT for 6 years). In this role, Jason has provided a steady hand and a incredible work ethic to make sure that things run smoothly for those of you who are in the admissions process. We wish Jason much continued success as he continues his career in financial aid.

Next Friday, we will say goodbye to another of our financial aid counselors, Maria Zervos, who is leaving us to spend time at home with her family. Maria has been a steady and empathic student advocate and has worked tirelessly in assisting in matching students and donors for our endowed scholarship process.

Jason and Maria, you both will be sorely missed!

We are in the process of searches for both positions, and will update you as we have news. In the meantime, bear with us... Summer is shaping up to be another crazy time of year...

Well, tonight is our end of year event.

Every year we try to have a large event during the year. My first year as a Freshmen Advisor (in 2004-05) we went to see Altar Boyz when it played in Boston. In 2005-06, we went to a Boston Celtics game. Last year, we went to a wonderful fondue restaurant (a review and wrap up of this is on Anthony's blog).

Well, tonight, we blow it all out of the water!

We are going to have an amazing night tonight. In about an hour and a half, we meet at the MIT Kendall MBTA stop to head to downtown Boston. We head for dinner at P.F. Changs where 15 of us will join together for dinner.

After a fine dinner (take a look at the menu if you don't believe me), we move on to dessert at Finale (which is an all dessert restaurant). I am particularly partial to the Molten Chocolate, but it is all good!

After a fine meal, we head to our final destination -- a perfomance of the Blue Man Group. If you haven't seen Blue Man Group before, it is an amazing show, sort of an existential experience. I am looking forward to it, although the last time I saw it was a very long time ago...

And then back to MIT. Not bad for the break between end of classes and finals (and not bad for an advising event).

I'm sure I'll have pix and more content later, but wanted to give you the heads up...

Give a listen!

A video of the team's IGEM presentation can be found here (warning, the sound and the image are off sync!).

The pdf of the team's presentation is here.

As of this moment, we have 4 cases in process and 75 students who still have incomplete financial aid applications...

We have 1 pending appeal...

It has been a busy busy month, and I know the financial aid staff and I have appreciated the chance to speak with many of you, both at CPW and over the phone and email in the last several weeks. While I know not every one of you got the answer from us you might have hoped for, I hope that each of you feels that we took your case seriously, that we listened, and that we did all we could to work with you.

In the coming days, we will turn our attention to our continuting students at MIT so that we may get their financial aid awards out the door by the middle of June. I will still be posting and commenting here, however, so keep checking back for updates.

For those of you who will be enrolling, please make sure to mail us your Self Help and/or Student Information Review Forms. They can still be mailed by regular mail now (no need to Fedex them).

For those of you whose path will take you elsewhere, I enjoyed getting to know you. For those of you who will be enrolled at MIT, I look forward to seeing you in the hallways soon! For those of you still on the waitlist, stay tuned...

Now, back to work!!!

For those of you playing at home, I present my annual CPW presentation. You can join me (virtually at least) by clicking on the link below to launch the presentation at 1:00 pm Eastern time (which is when I am going to be starting the presentation in Kresge).

If you want the version with sound effects (trust me, turn up your speakers, they are fun) then click here (you have to have MS PowerPoint installed to view it).

If you prefer the lecture notes version, click here (you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed to view this version).

Or better yet, come see the live show (tomorrow at 1:00 pm in Kresge).

First the news (from Friday, no less):

On Friday, we sent out another 41 awards letters. We kept copies of these award letters to stuff in your CPW registration packets (for those of you who will be on campus for CPW).

Also on Friday, we sent 267 missing information letters to those of you who still have not completed your financial aid applications (What are you waiting for, a personal invitation? Consider yourself invited!)

At the moment, we have another 22 students ready to be awarded, and another 29 students whose applications are in the process of being reviewed. Additionally we have another 13 students who have submitted 2007 tax return information and need their preliminary awards verified.

We are hard at work on these remaining files, and we will continue to work through any files that are completed in the next several days before the start of CPW. We will be running packaging on Wednesday night to create awards, and will send these in the mail late Wednesday. We will also hold a copy of these letters for those of you who are registered for CPW.

So, now on to some questions you have asked...

'12er asked:

On the self-help form, if we report the outside scholarships we have already received at this time, will part of our MIT scholarship be taken away? Or will it only decrease the self-help amount?

Similarly, if the amount of outside scholarships covers more than the self-help expected by MIT, can those funds go toward the parent contribution (meaning our parents can pay less)?

Thank you very much, SFS, for doing all this!

'12er, our pleasure!! As for outside scholarship, our replacement policy states that if a student has a self-help award, we first replace the self-help and then if any funds are left this money will reduce the Student Contribution. Once the Student Contribution and self-help have been completely replaced, we then reduce the MIT grant by any received amount. This is why we would recommend that if you will be receiving a large amount of outside scholarship that you see if some of your providers can defer to a later year so that you get the "biggest bang for your buck." We only replace Parental Contribution if all of the aid we have awarded has been replaced by the outside award. Also remember unlike many institutions, we allow any outside award (with only two exceptions) to reduce self-help. The only two exceptions are the Massachusetts Gilbert Grant and the Federal SEOG grant. This means that if you receive a state scholarship, an award from your parents' employers, or any other outside funds, you will get the full benefit of these, to the extent that we are able.

roberto '12 asked:

two questions... how long does the process of reviewing financial aid appeals last? and are we going to be notified via email/website or through regular mail?

thank you very much

So, roberto, we review appeals throughout the year as issues come up for students. We have a standing weekly meeting during the remainder of the academic year, but for the moment (during the month of April) we meet daily to review Freshmen appeals. Once a decision is reached on an appeal, we communicate directly with the family to let you know of our response.

yiwen asked:

How common is it for MIT to match the aid offered by another college? I love this place and wouldn't want to go elsewhere, but with Harvard offering better aid and it being my parents' dream...I'm not sure how to make my case =/

The answer here is that we do not "match" other institutions awards as we may not use the same need analysis or awarding practices. We are interested in hearing about your other awards as sometimes the information provided to us may assist us in understanding how your case was analyzed. Speak to your aid officer during your appeal process to indentify your concerns about your award and your ability to afford our costs.

waitlisted mom asks:

My daughter got waitlisted. MIT is her first pick. She is trying to decide whether or not to stay on the waitlist as unfortunately the final decision -if there is room at MIT--will come down to financial aid (she got a very good package at 2 other comparable schools). She will choose not to stay on the list if it is financially unfeasible-so as to give someone else a chance. Is there any way she can get an estimated financial aid letter so she can make an informed decision?

Unfortunately we are not able to provide any estimates on waitlisted students as our process of reviewing a file takes at least 30 minutes. If your daughter is admitted off of waitlist (if we do accept any students off of waitlist), then we will provide an award as soon as possible after the admissions decision. In the meantime, we cannot provide any information.

Ram asked:

Dear Daniel,

My MIT portal indicates that I am missing the following forms,

Self-Help and Outside Award Reply Form
MIT Student Information Review Form

I will send them as soon as possible. In the mean time, I was wondering if I would still receive my financial aid award letter, before I complete and send the above mentioned forms to you.

TC

If TC is "take care" then thanks!!! In answer to your question, these two forms only show up if you have been awarded, so an award letter is coming. The Self-Help form means we awarded you self-help, and the Student Information Review Form means you are receiving grant, so congratulations! These documents don't hold up your financial aid letter, they are only originally listed when you are awarded.

KaYnaR asked:

Same as Ram,

I got my package only few hours ago. Or can I send these two forms by fax?

Thank You!

and Anonymous added:

Hey is it possible to email the outside help and student info forms instead of mailing them? thanks

We prefer these forms by mail. Fax is less preferable, but still acceptable. Email is a problem, unless you actually have scanned your signature in.

Jerome asked (on my REPOST post):

What happens to all those students who got an offer of admission, but no (or not enough) FinAid because their parents are not willing to support them?

I know one guy who is in this state and will probably have to either defer for two years to earn the money, or decline. And I know a prospect who wants to apply but knows that this will probably become an issue.

Luckily I am not in this situation (I didn't get an offer, but also my one parent (mum) is willing to support me fully but has no resources, so FinAid would be fine), but I am wondering if there is something the others can do if they are in that situation?

Interesting question, Jerome. We at MIT cannot replace a parent's responsibility for paying for college. Think about it; if we said that parents only had to pay for their children's educations if they chose to pay, then no parent would contribute to their children's education. That said, there are cases where students and parents are in usual circumstances and may qualify for a waiver, but they are few and far between. Some good information can be found on the finaid.org website under the section on Dependency Overrides.

KT '12 asks:

You may have already answered this, but if you didn't get any financial aid but you still can't afford the school, and another EFC (collegeboard) shows that your EFC is actually less that the cost that MIT will cost you, can you bring this EFC to your meeting with financial aid at CPW/will this have an effect? What I really want to know is, is it possible to get financial aid after you have already been denied financial aid (even if another EFC shows that you need more money to go to MIT)? Thank you.

I haven't answered this specifically, but the answer is covered in my section on appeals. We do not meet other offers from other colleges or results from other calculators; however you are free to bring these. They may be helpful in understand to what the difference is attributable, but we cannot simply match other awards or calculations. It is possible, however, to get financial aid after you have already been denied financial aid if the subsequent information you provide changes your calculated EFC to the point where you are eligible.

Jess asked:

How do you file an appeal if we would like to? If my parents set up an appointment with a financial aid officer during CPW, would that replace filing an appeal?

Not necessarily. An appeal is usually an email or letter from you explaining a circumstance we may not have considered in our initial review. We may suggest in our meeting with you at CPW that you write us such a letter, but a meeting at CPW is not itself a request for an appeal.

Class of 2012 asked:

Will receiving outside scholarships hurt us in essence if we do not receive any loans? I have heard that you will deduct this money from the grants you give us in our financial aid packages. Is this true? How does this work?

You don't say, but I would guess then that you had no self-help award in your financial aid package. If this is correct then any outside grant would first reduce your student contribution and then your MIT grant or scholarship. If you do have self-help, replacing self-help amounts (which can be work or loan) will be the first target.

Joan '12 asked:

I'm already extremely pleased to get my financial aid offer but I have a question: I am a US citizen abroad, as my family lives in China and our US permanent address is really just for filling out forms. In this case, why would I be expected to make a contribution? (I have a travel allowance and a student contribution included in my package) Thanks

I'm glad you're pleased. Chances are that since your permanent address is listed as a US address then we used that to determine whether you get a travel award and a student contribution. You will need to let your financial aid officer know so that we can make an adjustment!

Well, that's all folks!!!! Look forward to seeing many of you on Thursday morning. Note that I will be staffing the CPW financial aid appointment desk all day Thursday. Drop by and say hello!!!

So, due to popular demand I am replaying some of the posts that explain how we determine your family contribution. Where appropriate I will be updating the information with changes made in the last several years, including changes made by our newly announced financial aid initiatives. I will title each of these posts with the prefix "REPOST" so that you are aware of both the fact that much of the information is repeated, although there are some changes in the post itself.

Hope this is helpful and feel free to ask any questions:

Here we go!

I love to sing.

It helps that I sing fairly well (or at least I like to think I do), but I do love to sing.

As for what I sing, it varies from Broadway show-tunes to Abba to Air to Eminem (I have a pretty eclectic taste in music).

And I direct musical theater! This year, I am working on a massive show at my Temple which will feature over 80 performers from Kindergartners to 12th graders. We rehearse almost every Sunday through the year with our production scheduled for June 1.

Last Sunday in rehearsal, I was thinking about what to put on this blog as we were working on harmonies for one particularly difficult song, and it hit me! The perfect image! Singing in 4 part harmony.

So why is it the perfect metaphor? Well, just like in music you need 4 parts to make up the whole (S, A, T, B), in financial aid, you need four parts to make up the whole as well (PC-I, PC-A, SC-I, SC-A).

So, enough with the metaphor (I feel like I have beat it to death) and on to what I mean.

The Expected Family Contribution is made up of four components:

1. Parent Contribution from Income
2. Parent Contribution from Assets
3. Student Contribution from Income
4. Student Contribution from Assets

(Do note that if you are from a divorced or separated family, there may also be a Non-custodial contribution from income and assets -- see here for more information on who is considered to be your parent).

What I thought I would do in the coming days is spend a little bit of time on each of these 4 components and answer some questions about each one, providing some information that will help you understand how we conduct our business.

But for today, I need to tackle one issue before we can even get started, and that is the question of who is considered to be an independent student, therefore not requiring a parental contribution of any variety.

Remember that before, I explained how there were really two different formulas, one used by the Federal Government at all schools to determine Federal aid, and one used by a number of colleges (including MIT) to determine how to award their own aid. Also, remember that I said that while the Federal rules were pretty standard across the board, there were many variations in the Institutional formula (and this year even more variation in these rules has been introduced with the announcements by several of our peer institutions that they are making wholesale changes to their formulae).

So, let me tackle the Federal rules first. If you meet any of the following 7 criteria, then you are considered to be an independent student (for Federal purposes only) and do not need to fill out parental information on the FAFSA (although some colleges may ask you to):

1. You will be 24 by January 1, 2009.
   
2. You are an orphan or a ward of the court.
   
3. You are married.
   
4. You are a graduate student.
   
5. You are a veteran of the United States armed forces.
   
6. You have a legal dependent of your own (other than a spouse) who lives with you.
   
7. You have a legal dependent of your own who doesn't live with you, but for whom you provide more than 1/2 of their support.

If any of these are true, then you are an Independent student for Federal aid purposes.

For institutional aid, the rules may be different. At MIT, we only consider as independent undergraduate students, those students whose parents are deceased. We believe that a parent's obligation to assist with a student's undergraduate college cost doesn't end just because the student turns 24 or gets married. For our funding in these cases, we require parental information. (If you are curious about how other colleges might handle this, you should contact their financial aid office).

Also, it is important to remember that our process measures a family's ability to pay, not willingness to pay, so whether a parent is or is not willing to make a contribution has no bearing to either the Federal or the institutional formulas.

That is not to say that there are never situations where we would waive parental contributions (how is that for a double negative?), but they are extremely rare and handled on a case-by-case basis. The issues would need to be egregious for us to consider them. You should talk to your financial aid counselor if you feel your situation might qualify to be considered this way.

Look next for a beginning breakdown of the parental contribution from income.

Let me know if you have any questions on this information, and I will attempt to answer them on this post!

Anyway, we mailed another 55 award letters today, leaving us with 45 files we are working on at the moment and only 288 of you with incomplete applications.

We will be running two more packaging batches to create award letters prior to CPW, one this Thursday and one next Wednesday. We will keep a copy of these award letters and place them in your CPW packets (if you are coming), since we assume if we mail awards this Thursday you may not have them in time for CPW.

Appeal review began yesterday and we are listening and responding to your requests for reconsideration of your financial aid awards (for those of you who have need to appeal).

We are making good progress towards our CPW events (in fact, I will be staffing the CPW registration desk on Thursday, so look for me in La Sala de Puerto Rico).

Hmm, not much else to report...

Questions from you?