Campus map and finding rooms

The campus can be confusing. Building numbers don't make sense, but everyone uses them. Look at the the map to to get a feel for thing. You can also search the map for specific rooms, e.g.   9-057. 

Finding phone numbers

Use the MIT Directory Searchthe MIT Directory Search. There's also a FireFox Search Plugin for a FireFox Search Plugin for this.

Facilities (Engineering vs Sloan):

Sloan has has much newer, “cushier” facilities than Engineering does. This has mostly to do with the image Sloan wants to project and the resulting funding priorities. The overall MIT philosophy on facilities is to spend as little as possible on maintenance, so the conditions are allowed deteriorate until they begin to "interfere with the educational experience." And sometimes they do not observe this limit all that well. 

Locations of useful things

ATMs:  Bank of America is Bank of America is the most common, and it's NYCE and CIRRUS-capable. Kendall Square has a couple, two on the Infinite Corridor (main campus), and two in the student center. 

Fax: the SDM student center has one, there are bunch of local copy shops most of which will handle faxes in case the student fax is hosed.

Campus maps: Professor Pathfinder maps (sold all over, definitely in Coop) are very good for out-of-towners as it shows the location of businesses, restaurants, etc and has a matching index on the back. AAA Boston is also good; it shows 1-way streets (there are plenty), and has good detail for the MIT campus which is useful when driving around this bizarre campus. Maps of the campus buildings are on-line and in the SDM welcome packet. The Graduate Student Council (GSC) also has a great mini-map, small black and white cardboard that quad-folds. 

Copy Tech

Copy Tech

...

Copy Tech: There are 3 branch offices of of CopyTech. The Main Campus branch is located in 11-004 (2532806), The East Campus branch is in E52-045 (253-5203), and and CopyTech Express Express is in the Stratton Student Center (W20) – First Floor (258-0859). Main & east campus branches are also also where you get your course readers. 

Stuff Useful Only While On-Campus

Outside lectures: One of the real benefits to being on campus is being able attend the frequent lectures on all sorts of subjects, assuming you can make time between classes and classwork. The best place to find out about them is the local papers. 

\"News@Sloan\" comes comes out every Monday. You will get an electronic copy and printouts are also availabe in the E52 lobby and sometimes in the SDM area. 

\"The TechThe Tech\" and  and \"Tech TalkTech Talk\" come come out Monday-Friday on alternate days. They list lectures up to two weeks in advance; sometimes the room changes at the last minute, so beware. For ones that you expect to be popular, go early because there will probably be a serious crowd. Occasionally they move times and/or rooms so keep your eyes and ears open.

Security:

Door codes: There are separate door codes for the Athena clusters (which you will rarely need even when on-campus) and the Sloan computing center (needed even more rarely – but you need to know the code so as to get IT support). Get them when you arrive and file in case you need them later. The terminal room codes change one month into spring/fall terms to “prevent” the most recent group of graduates from getting in. Once you have an Athena password, you can get the current doorcode for Athena clusters by logging on and then issuing tellme combo at the command prompt. You can get to Athena without knowing the door code in one of several ways:

• tailgate into a cluster, i.e. hang out at a door until someone else enters/leaves
• dial in using instructions hung off of MIT web page (use search to find them)
• use the stand-up terminals on the Infinite Corridor outside the Student Services Center in building 11; the door is coded but often propped open.

For the Sloan computing room (E52 basement), you are pretty much down to tailgating your way in or (potentially) asking in the MBA office on first floor of E52. The first “News@Sloan” letter of the fall term publishes the current code; this arrives in mail folders on registration day.

Sign up for the Sloan IT ‘group’ (STS – Sloan Technology Services) on Sloanspace and they publish the code every time it changes. The staff should supply any currently relevant codes when you arrive on campus. On weekends and at night E40 is locked, so go through E51 to the third floor and use the catwalk (3rd floor) to get into E40. E51 is usually open, when it is locked swipe your MIT ID card to get in. 

Be aware of your surroundings:

Find out about MIT provided rides before you need one in the middle of the night. Cambridge and Boston are no different than any other big cities. Stuff happens. Be alert. 

Distance students also have to think about their surroundings. For many people it is easiest to work in their offices (access to printers, copiers, and high speed web access are just a few of the many reasons). How safe is it in your office area when everyone else is (long) gone? Crime isn’t the only aspect to personal safety and security. Wildlife in rural areas can be a hazard. Choking on the sandwich that was going to be your dinner and is now your midnight snack is a possibility.