Project Updates & FAQ

Project Updates
and FAQ

Making Progress on Our Vision

W20 Closure Resources

Food, space, and services while W20 is under renovation.


The Student Center is currently under renovation until the start of the fall 2023 semester. Below are options for replacing (as well as possible) W20’s food and space resources during the renovations.

Food. Bosworth's Cafe in Lobby 7 is open weekdays with expanded grab-and-go options for breakfast and lunch. Three more eateries around campus–Dumpling Daughter, Tasty Burger, and Vitality Bowls–have been added to the roster of businesses that accept TechCASH, totaling 14 eateries and grocery stores on or near campus.

Groceries. The grocery shuttle schedule has been extended to Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm. The shuttle runs in a loop that encompasses Trader Joe’s on Memorial Drive, Whole Foods on River Street, and the Daily Table in Central Square. Bookmark the shuttles page on the Facilities website for maps and live schedule updates. The DoingWell website offers several other resources to help students find nutritional and financial support. Please visit DoingWell.mit.edu to learn more.  

Spaces. Although we will not be able to replace all of the space that W20 offers, here are several resources you can use to find space now:

  1. Unused classrooms for impromptu studying: https://classrooms.mit.edu/classrooms/#/choose
  2. Libraries: https://libraries.mit.edu/study/
  3. Use the MIT Atlas App, select "Spaces" then select "New Reservation" (See additional directions at https://registrar.mit.edu/classrooms/reserving-classroom)
  4. Sloan study spaces: https://mitsloanedtech.mit.edu/teaching-spaces/reservations/
  5. Venues listed on the Institute Events site: https://institute-events.mit.edu/plan/venues
Services. US Mail continues to be redirected to the USPS location at 770 Massachusetts Avenue. The MIT Credit Union has several ATMs across campus, and the main branch is located in Building NE48. Shop the COOP for your school supplies and swag at the Kendall Square location at 80 Broadway.

Offices and Other Resources.
  • Campus Activities Complex: Email campus-activities@mit.edu with your questions and service requests. If you have specific questions related to event planning or scheduling, please email cacscheduling@mit.edu.
  • Color Printer: The Student Center color printer has been moved to 11-112 for the summer.
  • Disability and Access Services: Meet with the DAS team in their offices in 5-104 or email das-student@mit.edu. For employees with disability-related technology needs, please email accessibility@mit.edu
  • Office of Student Conduct & Community Standards: Email osccs@mit.edu if you would like to request an in-person meeting or have any questions.
  • Priscilla King Gray Center: Temporarily relocated to E17-294.
  • Student Organizations, Leadership, and Engagement: Connect with the SOLE team at sole@mit.edu.
  • Violence Prevention & Response: Please call the helpline at 617.253.2300 or email vpradvocate@mit.edu 

Student Center Project FAQ


This FAQ will be updated throughout the Student Center renovation project. Please check back regularly for new content.

Logistics

Short term storage is located in Walker Memorial, and CAC staff are working with students to coordinate escorted access to these shared spaces. Access hours will be Monday-Friday at 7 am to 10 pm and Saturday-Sunday at 7 am to 3 pm. To request access, please complete this form through Engage at least 2 business days in advance of when you would like to access your items.

If you have any other questions related to the 4th floor project, please email W20-fourthfloor-move@mit.edu.

During the closure, all packages for student groups will be received at MIT Mail Services. Please make sure your deliveries use the following format:

SOLE - YOUR ORGANIZATION NAME
MIT Main Services - WW15
350 Brookline Street
Cambridge, MA  02139

The SOLE team will help coordinate final delivery/pick-up, so please plan for at least one additional day in your delivery timeline.

Purpose

Because the building needs to be renovated, and with the renovation come opportunities to improve spaces and resources inside the building. Since the Stratton Student Center became a central part of MIT’s campus in 1968, our community has grown and student life has changed significantly. The needs and expectations of MIT students evolved over the decades, but the Student Center remained largely static – a combination of 1960’s efficiency and 1980’s charm. In addition to making long overdue aesthetic and infrastructure upgrades, the renovated student center will feature a new Wellbeing Lab, a network of new lounges, and community spaces including some designed for dance/movement activities. Also, in response to community recommendations, there will be a single-user, gender-inclusive restroom on each floor except for the first, which was originally designed with no restrooms.

Timeline & Access

We are planning for a phased reopening starting in mid-August 2023. Some construction will continue into the fall term, but the majority of building services and spaces will be open when students return to campus.