Monthly Archives: February 2012

Towards A More Scholarly Sidney-Pacific

Scholarly interaction might sound like the sort of thing MIT graduate students do all the time: in lab, library and soul-crushing/rapturously life-giving meetings with advisors, TAs, co-workers, etc. But, there is another dimension to scholarly interaction, and it is what we often think of when we use expressions like “interdisciplinary” and “exciting discovery”: the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, and free of most, if not all, of the strictures and obligations of tightly focused, highly specialized research. The Committee of Scholarly Interaction (CoSI) at Sidney-Pacific is precisely dedicated to this ideal.

The Committee of Scholarly Interaction (CoSI) brings in distinguished lecturers from the Boston-Cambridge area

It’s probably worth getting to all that by addressing the two most highly trumped objections from graduate student to this sort of thing. The first is about time. How does a graduate student, busy with running experiments, reading papers and preparing for the aforementioned soul-crushing/rapturously life-giving meetings, make time for hearing and talking about the latest on the Middle East or the economy? Your correspondents, being graduate students themselves, totally understand. We hardly have time for much else, and often find ourselves very late for all sorts of deadlines, the one for submitting this piece included. That said, there is an answer to the time objection, and it is that participating in our events does not take much of your time, and we mean this honestly. One of the programs we help run is the MIT/Sidney-Pacific Distinguished Lecture Series. For each lecture, a highly regarded academic in the Boston-Cambridge area (or beyond) speaks on topic of broad interest, and takes questions from the audience. Most events last about an hour, which makes a maximum of 3 hours a semester. Whichever way one looks at it, 3 hours a semester is not very much time. It certainly pales in comparison to the 8 hours we apparently spend on Facebook every month.

Another typical protest has to do with the educational possibilities of hour-long symposia on topics one is not intimately acquainted with, and that a graduate student who has dedicated his life to physics is limited in how deeply he can understand what happens to the world economy, or what genomics really means, etc. This is partly true, and it is definitely the case that completely liberating a subject from all its technical foundations is about as helpful as liberating a plant from the soil that sustains it.

"Scholarly" discussion during dinner

Yet it is one thing to oversimplify a subject, and quite another to critically engage it at a level that respects all the technicalities, but still informs. Past lectures, we believe, bear this out. Last semester, Prof. Barry Nalebuff shared insights from his founding a soft drink company dedicated to making iced tea with the right amount of sugar. Prof. Esther Duflo spoke about using randomized evaluations to assess the effectiveness of poverty alleviation measures. Prof. Noam Chomsky examined the Arab Spring, and its implications for the political future of the Middle East. And each of these was eminently discussable. What is the right amount of sugar for a glass of iced tea, and where is the economic incentive for properly sugared soft drinks? What are the ethical boundaries associated with “performing experiments” on the poor? How exactly is the U.S. implicated in events going on in the Middle East? These were the questions people asked and the answers were often very interesting and deeply informative. During dinner/brunch discussions, people are free to disagree and challenge one another on almost anything, but the results have almost always sharpened perspectives, broadened horizons and reminded us of how awesome it is to be able to learn new things. This is what CoSI aspires to. In the end, and if it strikes a chord, we hope you can help us out with the planning and running of events, or at least reflect on the fact that 3 hours a semester is not very much time.

By David Kwabi and William Li, SP CoSI Chairs

Unhealthy Relationships: Know the warning signs and be able to help a friend

At Coffee Hour on January 25th, representatives from MIT Community Wellness spoke to Sidney-Pacific residents about relationships. The discussion started off with a sobering statistic: 1 in 3 American women will be victims of relationship abuse during their lifetime (American Psychological Association). In a collaborative effort, residents came up with verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual aspects of healthy and unhealthy relationships. Some of the characteristics of unhealthy or abusive relationships seemed obvious, such as physical violence. Even if there has only been one incident, it is not appropriate to contextualize physical violence: it is a warning sign of probable escalation that must be taken seriously. Residents were also reminded that relationship abuse is not always physical. A partner can be verbally or emotionally abusive, and this should be taken no less seriously. Indeed, this type of abuse can precede physical violence, and should be seen as a red flag. Verbal abuse is expressed through the way one partner communicates with the other, such as in a threatening, disrespectful, or humiliating manner. Emotional abuse may be manifested through subtle actions, such as isolating the partner from friends and family, excessive jealousy, constantly checking up on the victim’s whereabouts, and/or controlling where they go and who they are with at all times. The abuser may blame their actions on alcohol, or their temper: remember, there is never any excuse for abuse. In all types of abusive relationships, one partner employs a pattern of controlling behavior used to gain power over the other person in the relationship. If you suspect a friend is in an abusive relationship, speak up: express your concerns and offer your emotional support/help. Listen to them: they may not be emotionally ready to end the relationship. Do not be judgmental: it is NEVER the fault of the victim. Be there for them, and refer them to MIT Medical’s 24-hour confidential Violence Prevention and Response hotline: 617-253-2300. If there is immediate physical danger call the police. To learn more go to http://medweb.mit.edu/wellness/programs/violence_prevention.html

After brainstorming warning signs of abusive relationships, Sidney Pacific residents started coming up with components of healthy relationships. The take-away from the evening: when in doubt, ASK! Whether it’s at the beginning of a relationship with a new boyfriend or girlfriend, or with your fiancé, asking the other person if they would like to do ___ (kiss, hold hands, have sex, you name it…) is always the gentlemanly/ladylike thing to do. A simple “Hey, I really like you, and I’d really like to kiss you right now. Is that ok?” establishes a balance of power on a date, or in a new relationship. Additionally, the importance of communication was stressed: communication about what each partner is or is not comfortable with, communication about birth control/contraceptive choices, etc. So this month, with Valentine’s Day just passed, let’s take a moment to celebrate healthy relationships!

By Sunny Vanderboll

SPICE Coffee Hour: Love Across Boundaries

Did you know there was a difference between “giving a hug” and “taking a hug”?

Well, if two people hug each other voluntarily, they would both be giving a hug; but if one person passionately hugs another who is not really willing to be hugged, then the latter would merely be receiving a hug passively.

So how do you know if someone would warmly give you a hug back, or take your hug uncomfortably? According to specialists Duane de Four and Kelley Adams from Community Wellness at MIT Medical, the key is as simple as a three-letter word: “Ask”!

Brainstorming in progress.. What are some abusive/constructive verbal behaviors?

In SPICE Coffee Hour on February 1, 2012, Duane and Kelley led 7 groups of over 40 SP residents to explore the elements of an abusive versus a healthy relationship. Participants brainstormed in groups to come up with destructive and constructive behaviors under four types of interactions in a relationship: verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual. (This order is also roughly according to increasing levels of intimacy, and it is better to spot and handle abusive behavior in early stages of this progression!)

Representatives from each group took turns presenting their ideas.

Abusive behavior is usually the means to establish power and control over the other person. As Duane and Kelley reminded us, such an approach usually leads to hurtful results on both sides. On the contrary, a healthy relationship is characterized by respect. A great way to show love and respect is by effective communication and that not only through expressing yourself honestly and gently, but more importantly though often neglected, through listening patiently. This is why asking, instead of simply acting on your presumptions, is a good start, especially when it comes to interactions that may be perceived differently across cultures, such as hugging or kissing.

On second thought though, wouldn’t asking simply “kill the moment”? Isn’t it more “magical” or “romantic” if things “just happened”? Duane and Kelley left this as a challenge for us to ponder on: where did this stereotypical idea come from, and have we considered the alternative– to be respectful by asking? Indeed, it may be worth questioning ourselves: who or what are we letting ourselves be influenced by (The media? Popular culture? Other people?), and whether we are shaping our perspective towards relationships based on what is true.

So, next time when you’re unsure if giving a hug would be appropriate, you might want to consider this simple three-letter word: Ask!

By Annie Chen, SPICE Chair

Wall of constructive behavior. Can you find the magic word that links them all?

House Maintenance

There have recently been several incidents regarding building maintenance issues, such as the availability of hot water during morning “peak usage” hours. Although Sidney-Pacific is a relatively new building (built in 2002), some parts of the building are beginning to show its wear.

Unfortunately, our wonderfully responsive building staff cannot keep track of all the places where the building is wearing down, especially if those places areinside your rooms. If you notice something that is broken or not working as it did before, please submit a housing repair request! This sets the formal repair process in motion, and that’s what ultimately leads to getting these problems fixed. You can use this link: https://insidemit-apps.mit.edu/apps/building_services/CreateResidRepairOrder.action?sapSystemId=PS1

Without your help in identifying and reporting these problems, our housing staff does not know if there’s anything wrong. And, please don’t delay in reporting problems, such as water leaks. That may not only exacerbate the problem but also spread that problem to your neighbors.

Here are some common issues that residents have and should report immediately:

  1. Burnt out light bulbs
  2. Malfunctioning or clogged kitchen sink garbage disposal
  3. Water leaks (common signs include unexplained wet spots on room carpeting, paint peeling along the walls, discoloration or mold on the walls, etc.)
  4. Limited or no hot water in showers (usually due to one of our two water boilers being overtaxed and breaking down)

By SPEC

House Cup: A look into the cavernous depths of George Chen

George Chen, SP Inter-Hall Event Coordinator

I remember the first time I spoke with George Chen (who I will hereafter refer to as GChen because I haven’t tested G-Chizzle on him yet) I couldn’t help but wonder about the whirling gears and flittering minutiae which surely steamed his mind’s engine with endless energy and unknowable outlandishness. Here was a man who clearly saw the world differently and, for what it’s worth, knew how to squeeze every drop of comedy out of even the driest of topics. Clearly now, I can remember myself wondering what a world crafted by GChen would look like. Would it be farcical jest or bitingly satirical?

I also remember thinking “What the hell is he doing with that knife?”

All these thoughts… all during brunch volunteering. Shameless plug – deal with it.

Anyway… When it came time to appoint a House Cup Coordinator, I had no hesitation in tapping GChen for the role. Here was a man of creative disposition and the House Cup contest, now on its fourth year, was ripe for reinvention. Thanks to the brilliant stewardship of past Chairs of the Halls and Interhall Coordinators, the House Cup had grown from a nascent success to a full-fledged institution. Now, however, was time for an evolution… no a revolution.

The SP Photo Scavenger Hunt achieved a number of firsts

As if Greek Aeolus and GChen were in cahoots, a great wind filled the wrinkled sail of his cavernous brain and produced what many would argue was one of the most creative and successful opening House Cup events in history: the SP Photo Scavenger Hunt. Besides raking in some serious bucks via a grant from Residential Life Programs, the event itself achieved a number of firsts. Namely, residents were asked to run around campus answering cryptic clues by taking photographs of MIT idiosyncrasies and well-hidden resources. With over 40 participants returning completely drenched in sweat and dining over thousands of pieces of sushi, the event was a grand success. At the very least, I can think of no time we’ve made SP residents rock their bodies as hard as George’s photo-physio-phrenzy.

Moving along, GChen turned his bow towards a number of other noteworthy events. In addition to a chaotic yet popular Pizza competition and a unique collaboration with the Arts Chair to put on a Hall Art Showdown, George also managed to coordinate what was likely SP’s (and perhaps any group at MIT’s) largest donation drive in history. During the November canned food drive George buoyed our incredible string of hall councilors together to rope in a total of 1,967 pounds of nonperishable food. Do you have any idea how much food that is? That’s over 2,500 meals for the homeless. Massive props to the Hall Councilor Team and of course to GChen for wowing the Greater Boston Food Bank with more cans than their pick-up truck could handle.

The Novermber Food Drive raised a total of 1,967 pounds of food!

Now… most people at this point would sit back in their comfy SP wooden chairs and rest upon the laurels of their contribution. Not GChen. Although I’d love to divulge the twisted creations he’s got in store for the House in the Spring half of the House Cup, I’d much rather save him the pleasure of gradual revelation. If not so that we can view the reactions of our hall councilor family then simply because I love watching the man’s poker face gradually give way to his intelligent, wry smile.

Sadly, many simpletons out there might dismiss my appreciation of George’s work as mere bromance. To these deprived souls I would offer but one challenge: map his actions back onto the depths of his mind and tell me, and tell me true…

…wouldn’t you have been scared cutting mangoes next to this man at brunch?

By Brian Spatocco, SP Chair of the Halls