Harvard Today: April 16, 2015

Claudia Huang '18, a resident of Massachusetts Hall, watches a Divest Harvard rally from an upper floor of the building. Protesters held a "Faith Day" rally Wednesday morning as part of "Harvard Heat Week." By Alexander L. Jaffe

Happy Thursday, Harvard! Whether Thursday’s mean Thirsty Thursday or P-set ‘til You Die Thursday to you, aren’t we all so happy that the week is almost over? In fact, we’re starting to countdown our “last’s” of the school year, like last p-set, last quiz, last 3 a.m. vending machine trip of desperation at Lamont, etc. In that general vein of happy thoughts, the weather is also cooperating with all the sunny goodness! The only thing that’ll remind you of that miserably long winter are all the make-up classes you might be having over the next few weeks thanks to those snow days, hooray!

IN THE ATMOSPHERE

It’s another sunny day with clear skies! It’ll reach a high of 63 degrees, and seriously, is anyone else struggling to make that shift from arctic tundra to summer wardrobe?

IN THE D-HALL

Lunch

Chicken Rice Casserole

French Dip Sandwich

Cheese and Mushroom Quiche

Dinner

Amatraciana Multigrain Penne

Salisbury Steak

Portobello Mushroom with Quinoa Stuffing

ON FLYBY

1) A Guide For Those Who Got Into All Eight Ivies: #normalpeopleproblems

2) Flyby’s Guide for a Sunny Day: But actually, what do we do when our minds are so used to cold weather, aka curling up in bed and binging on Netflix?

3) Top Sunny Weather Study Spots: Yes, the weather is amazing. No, your finals and papers have not gone away.

IN THE NEWS

1) Negotiations Ahead, Union Members Discuss Health Care: “In preparation for contract negotiations that will tentatively begin in the next three weeks, leaders of the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers convened with University administrators and faculty during two “pre-negotiation” information meetings focused on health care last week, according to HUCTW Director Bill Jaeger.”

2) Teaching Campaign Prepares To Deliver Petition: “The Harvard Teaching Campaign is making a final push for signatures on a petition that calls for a 12-student cap on section sizes before delivering it to administrators.”

3) Doors Blockaded, Mass. Hall Freshmen Adjust Their Routines: “As Divest Harvard blocks senior University administrators from accessing their offices inside of Mass. Hall in protest of Harvard's investment in the fossil fuel industry, the activist group has tried to engage the 14 freshmen who reside on the fourth floor of the campus’s oldest standing building.”

4) Harvard Acceptance Rate Will Continue To Drop, Experts Say: “Fifty years ago, Harvard sent acceptance letters to 20 percent of roughly 6,700 applicants to the Class of 1969. By 2006, that figure had dropped to 9.7 percent for the class of 2010 and since then has continued on a downward trend overall, reaching a record-low 5.3 percent acceptance rate earlier this month.”

5) As Divest Blockade Continues, Protesters Await Officials’ Response: “Environmental activist group Divest Harvard blockaded Massachusetts Hall for a fourth day on Wednesday, continuing to demand that Harvard divest its endowment from fossil fuels even as some top University officials largely ignored them.”

ON SPORTS

1) Baseball Gives Up Eight Unearned in 13-10 Loss to Eagles: “Three errors and five walks plagued the Harvard baseball team Wednesday afternoon as the team allowed eight unearned runs in a loss to Boston College, 13-10.”

2) Men's Tennis Sets Eyes On NCAA Tournament: “The No. 34 Harvard men’s tennis team (17-6, 3-1 Ivy League) will finish its regular season with matches against Yale on Friday and Brown on Sunday. The Crimson will be playing away in New Haven but will be hosting the Bears at the Murr Center for its Senior Day on Sunday.”

EVENTS

IOP Fellow Jay Newton-Small is having her final study group today at 4 p.m. in the FDR Room at the IOP entitled “Achieving Parity.”

The Harvard College High-Tech and Business Group presents Rob Biederman, the CEO of HourlyNerd today from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Harvard Hall 201 with free snacks.

OSCAR at The Crown and the love that dare not speak its name is on tonight at 7:30 p.m. in the Oberon! Tickets are from $15.

Women’s Water Polo is going against Brown today at 7:30 p.m. at Blodgett Pool. Go Crimson!

Hey, Class of 2018! The First Year Social Committee is having a freshmen-only event at the Fogg Museum tonight from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.! There will be food in the Sever Quad, open galleries, musical performances, giveaways, and more!