If you smell smoke or suspect a fire, call MIT Police immediately (dial 100 or x3-1212).
If evacuation is necessary, follow the evacuation procedures outlined on the back of your apartment door.
Fire alarms are very sensitive—spraying aerosols (perfume, air freshener, etc.) near the fire alarm will trigger the system.
Detailed information about fire safety and what is not allowed in rooms is available at: web.mit.edu/housing/firesafety
HANDY HINT: When cooking, try to keep the room well ventilated. Use the fan above your stove.
If your fire alarm detector goes off by mistake, be sure to call the S-P front desk and inform the desk worker/night-staff of the false alarm.
If you accidentally set off the fire alarms, DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR TO THE HALLWAY. This will set off the BUILDING-WIDE alarm unnecessarily, causing a building evacuation (and remember, you want to make friends, not enemies, especially at 3am on a freezing night!)
Though the area around MIT is reasonably safe, it is recommended that students not walk alone during the night and very early in the morning.
If you find yourself having to walk alone at those hours, be aware of your environment. If you see anything suspicious or feel threatened, use one of the blue emergency phones with direct connection to MIT Police.
MIT SafeRide shuttle operates at night and drops you off straight at the S-P doorstep. See web.mit.edu/facilities/transportation/shuttles/safe_ride.html. After SafeRide hours, you can request MIT Police escort to your on-campus destination. (x3-1212 or 100).
If choosing between walking to Mass Ave. from S-P via Landsdowne St. or Albany St.—choose Albany. There are blue emergency phones all along Albany, the Warehouse and Edgerton graduate dorms are also located on this street, and Albany is generally less deserted than Landsdowne during late hours.
Individuals of various interests sometimes manage to make their way into the MIT housing buildings. Rarely, they are interested in the students’ private property. Make sure you lock your door when you leave your room to avoid theft. It’s not common and we want to keep it that way.
Carrying pepper spray in Boston or Cambridge without proper registration is not permitted. For more information on registration, inquire with the Cambridge Police Department (the Cambridge Police Department is located at 5 Western Avenue, at the intersection of Western Avenue, River Street and Green Street, one block southwest from Central Square).
Welcome to MIT! Being as this welcome is electronic you can’t hear my Boston accent, but just understand that it’s there. As a Sergeant of the Community Policing Unit I am a liaison for Sidney and Pacific with the MIT Police. You need to know that you are residing in an urban area and the MIT Police are here 24 x 7, under the direction of Director of Facilities Operations and Security John DiFava. Chief DiFava states that our primary mission is to provide for the safety and security of all members of the MIT community—students, faculty, staff, and guests of our great Institution. Please, let me know if I can be of any help to you. I can be reached at 3-9755 or crimbite[at]mit[dot]edu.
I look forward to having the opportunity to meet many of you over the coming months and years, to speak with you about personal safety and awareness and for the women to have you participate in the Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) course.
I began my career with the MIT Police in October of 1984. I attended the Massachusetts State Police Academy for training and hold a bachelors degree in Criminal Justice from Western New England College. I live in a suburb of Boston, so when I’m not enjoying my work at MIT, or teaching the RAD program, I love gardening and photography. My yard is full of perennials that begin flowering in early spring until late fall. My photography has be-come a huge passion and finding the time to take the perfect picture is always an adven-ture—I’m still trying! My photographs are usually of nature or architectural landscapes – maybe you had the opportunity to view some of them recently on display at Sidney and Pacific – Shots by Cheryl Vossmer. One of the opportunities of being employed at MIT is to be involved in many activities. One of my favorite is the MITAC (MIT Activities Commit-tee). This committee is a group of volunteers who are appointed by the President to serve in the development of activities to participate in. Many of theses events are arts, theater, deep sea fishing, tours of Boston Light, New York City, and of course—our beloved Red Sox. I have a facebook page too!
Hello everyone, welcome.
I am S-P’s contact person with MIT Medical and the Mental Health Service. As you may know, MIT offers comprehensive mental health services to its student, right on campus. Our staff includes psychologists, psychiatrists, clinical nurse specialists and social workers. In talking with many students, I have become aware that the transition from undergraduate school to a graduate program can be quite stressful, even if you were an MIT undergrad. Moving to a new city or a new country can also be quite challenging. We offer counseling for these issues and all sorts of personal problems—worries, problems with making decisions, relationship issues, depression. You can find out more about us on the MIT Medical web page at web.mit.edu/medical/. We can schedule an appointment for you to talk with someone within a day of your call. For urgent matters, we offer a walk-in service every day from 2–4. There is no charge for our service. If you would prefer to talk with someone outside of MIT, we can make a referral for you. We can also help connect you with a medical provider at MIT Medical for any health concerns.
As the S-P connection, I would be very glad to talk with you and connect you to the best person on our staff. You can call me at 3-4374, or e-mail me at sieg[at]med[dot]mit.edu. I am a psychologist, and have been Chief of Our Service since 2002. I also teach at Harvard Medical School. Please know that your contact with us is private. Do not hesitate to call or write with any questions or suggestions. I do come to S-P events, so please say “hello!”