MIT's Russian Agreement and Other News

Well folks, it’s summer. And, remarkably, the world (including the Ivy League) keeps turning even when you’re kicking back on summer vacation.

For one, Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd has sided with the Peruvian government in the battle over the Incan artifacts housed in Yale’s Peabody Museum, according to the Yale Daily News. Apparently, Dodd has just recently returned from a trip to South America, where he met with various officials in the Peruvian government—including President Alan Garcia. After these meetings, he urged the university to return the artifacts to Peru. Hiram Bingham, a Yalie, had discovered the artifacts (which include art and human remains) at Machu Picchu in 1911.

In the quaint little WASPish enclave of Princeton, N.J., it seems as though there’s a little town-gown skirmish that’s just about to heat up. Princeton paid $10 million in taxes last year to the local community. But seeing as the university owns 43 percent of the Borough of Princeton’s land and 13 percent of the adjoining township’s land, the community feels that the university could give more—an additional $28 million, a figure that would result if all of its land were taxed.

Also, our neighbors down the Charles River have signed a “historic agreement” with Russia. MIT and Foundation Skolkovo—which represents the Russian Federation—have become partners in exploring education and research in Russia. One possibility for cooperation is creating "a network of joint research laboratories, where researchers will work at MIT and Russia." That's pretty cool—and a good way for Russia to learn about America without using spies.