A New Vision for the Student Center

Project Updates and FAQ

Project Updates
and FAQ

Making Progress on Our Vision

W20 Reopening Resources

Food, space, and services while the W20 project is being completed.

The Student Center renovation is almost complete, with retail, dining, and common spaces on floors one, two, and five now open. Below are grocery and space resources intended to bridge the gap between now and when the building reopens fully.

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.

Spaces. While some reservable spaces in the building are temporarily inaccessible, there are several resources you can use now to find space for your activities:

  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 Student Center branch is now open and has several ATMs across campus. Shop the Kendall Square COOP location at 80 Broadway for your school supplies and swag until the Student Center location reopens.

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.
  • 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 to Friday from 7 am to 10 pm, and Saturday and Sunday from 7 am to 3 pm. To request access, please complete this form through Engage at least two business days in advance of when you would like to access your items.

If you have any other questions related to the fouth-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 comes 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 features the soon-to-be-opened Wellbeing Lab, 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 designed with no restrooms.

Timeline & Access

The Student Center is going back online in phases, starting with floors one, two, five, and the basement, which reopened on September 12. The fully renovated fourth floor is on track to open in mid-October, and work on systems throughout the building will continue into the spring term. We hope to share an update on the campus grocery store soon.