BE Board:Undergraduate Transition

For current website see begradboard.mit.edu

This page is part of the discussion forum, edits are actively encouraged! Intro With the introduction and evolution of the undergraduate major in BE (Course 20), a new segment of students are entering into the BE community. We should integrate the undergraduates into the current department culture and allow them to build an independent organization to represent their interests and concerns to the department. However, as the first two classes have no existing structure under which to build such an organization, the BE Graduate Board proposes to provide the initial infrastructure for a minimum of twelve months (through spring 2008). Specifically, the plan is as follows: Contact current sophomore and junior classes to determine interest and possible preliminary representatives Initial planning meeting with interested undergraduates and current BE Graduate Board Members to determine priorities and current needs Plan initial kickoff event (early May, financed by Doug independent of Grad Student Board Funds) Produce a plan (budget, representative positions, and election timeline) for the coming fall 2007 The goal is to jump-start the formation of the undergraduate society/board within our current framework by adding undergraduate representative(s) to the current board, inviting undergrads to appropriate events, and encouraging all the undergraduates to organize new/existing initiatives. Depending on undergraduate interest and anticipating an incoming class of comparable numbers to the current sophomore class, the undergraduate population should be large enough by fall 2008 to allow for a sustainable independent group (this part of the timeline is malleable). There should always be a link between the undergraduate and graduate organizations in areas of cooperation such as IM sports, academic seminars (ISS), and other whole-department events. However, it is important to realize that undergraduate and graduate organizations are designed for distinct populations of students with divergent interests. A permanently combined graduate and undergraduate board might fail to have adequate breadth to serve both communities. Please add your comments to any of the sections below or create your own sections. 4/18/07 Meeting Agenda General Comments and Concerns Proposed Joint Events or Initiatives Undergraduate Interest or Alternative Ideas