Massachusetts Archives - Standards Michigan

Inside Gasson Tower

Boston College Consolidated Financial Statement: $6.509B

Boston College is a private Jesuit research university in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. Gasson Hall is a symbol of Boston College, representing the university’s commitment to academic excellence, spiritual values, and the pursuit of knowledge. It The hall continues to serve as an important part of the Boston College campus, housing administrative offices, classrooms, and the university’s Honors Program.

In “The Social Network,” Gasson Hall was used as a filming location for several scenes that take place at Harvard University, which is where Mark Zuckerberg attended college before he created Facebook. Specifically, Gasson Hall was used as a stand-in for Harvard’s Memorial Hall, which is a large Gothic Revival building that houses a dining hall and a chapel.

The scene in “The Social Network” that was filmed in Gasson Hall shows Mark Zuckerberg (played by Jesse Eisenberg) and Eduardo Saverin (played by Andrew Garfield) attending a disciplinary hearing in front of the Harvard administration. The hearing takes place in a large ornate room with stained glass windows and a high vaulted ceiling, which is actually the Reading Room on the third floor of Gasson Hall. The filmmakers made some minor changes to the room, such as adding a portrait of John Harvard and replacing some of the furniture, but overall, the space is very recognizable as Gasson Hall.

Standards Massachusetts

Boston College Facilities Management

Evensong “Knoxville: Summer of 1915”

Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, USA. Founded in 1793, it is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in the United States. The college was established through a bequest of Colonel Ephraim Williams Jr., a war hero who died in the Battle of Lake George during the French and Indian War. In his will, Colonel Williams left funds for the establishment of a free school on the condition that it be located in Williamstown.

Haystack Observatory

The Haystack Observatory is a research facility primarily focused on radio astronomy, geodesy, and atmospheric science research. Although WMBR and the Haystack Observatory are both associated with MIT, they serve distinct purposes; with WMBR focuses on providing a platform for student radio programming and community engagement in the Cambridge region.

The transmitter for student-run radio station, WMBR 88.1 FM, is located in the town of Belmont about 3 miles from campus; situated on a tower at 150 Pleasant Street in Belmont. This location allows WMBR’s signal to cover a significant portion of the greater Boston area, reaching listeners in Cambridge, Boston, and surrounding communities.

Allston District Energy

Standards Massachusetts

Memorial Church Sunday Service

In Federalist No. 2, John Jay [1764 Graduate of King’s College; now Columbia University] argues that a strong union under the Constitution will promote peace and prosperity, which are conducive to the spread of religion and morality:

“Providence has been pleased to give this one connected country to one united people—a people descended from the same ancestors, speaking the same language, professing the same religion, attached to the same principles of government, very similar in their manners and customs… These considerations, and many others that might be mentioned, prove, and experience confirms it, that artificial distinctions and separations of [America’s] land are essentially unnatural; and that they may be eradicated and extirpated by the united and advisable efforts of individuals and communities…”

The Federalist Papers discuss themes of morality, social order, and the importance of a cohesive society, they do not explicitly emphasize the importance of Christian faith to the American constitutional republic. The authors generally focused on principles of governance, political theory, and the structure of the proposed Constitution.

Sunday Service Announcements and Music Notes

Standards Massachusetts

Readings / The Education of Henry Adams

Readings / The Administrative State

John Harvard, the namesake of Harvard University, was a 17th-century English minister lived on campus from 1607 – 1638 and conformed to Puritan ideal of dedicating Sundays to worship, prayer, and rest.

Software Engineering Ethics Education

Four Opportunities for SE Ethics Education

Alicia M. Grubb

Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts

Abstract: Many software engineers direct their talents towards software systems which do not fall into traditional definitions of safety critical systems, but are integral to society (e.g., social media, expert advisor systems). While codes of ethics can be a useful starting point for ethical discussions, codes are often limited in scope to professional ethics and may not offer answers to individuals weighing competing ethical priorities. In this paper, we present our vision for improving ethics education in software engineering. To do this, we consider current and past curricular recommendations, as well as recent efforts within the broader computer science community. We layout challenges with vignettes and assessments in teaching, and give recommendations for incorporating updated examples and broadening the scope of ethics education in software engineering.

CLICK HERE to order complete paper

Smith College | Hampshire County Massachusetts

Sam Altman: OpenAI

There are no generally accepted best practices specifically tailored for Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) development, mainly because AGI remains largely theoretical and hasn’t been achieved yet. However, there are various principles, guidelines, and best practices within the broader field of artificial intelligence and machine learning that could inform AGI development efforts. Some of these include:

Ethical AI Principles: Many organizations and research institutions have proposed ethical principles for AI development, focusing on issues like fairness, transparency, accountability, and safety. These principles could be adapted and extended to AGI development.

Safety Guidelines: Concepts like AI alignment, robustness, and safety engineering are crucial for AGI development to ensure that the system behaves in desirable ways and doesn’t pose risks to humanity.

Interdisciplinary Approach: AGI development may require insights from various fields such as computer science, cognitive science, neuroscience, philosophy, and psychology. Collaborative efforts among experts from different disciplines can help in shaping best practices for AGI.

Research Ethics: Guidelines for conducting ethical research in areas like human subjects research, data privacy, and responsible publication are relevant for AGI development as well, especially considering the potential societal impacts of AGI.

Transparency and Openness: Promoting transparency and open research practices can help in fostering trust and collaboration within the AGI research community. Open access to data, code, and research findings can facilitate progress in AGI development while mitigating risks.

Risk Assessment and Mitigation: AGI researchers should consider potential risks and unintended consequences of their work, such as job displacement, economic disruption, and existential risks. Developing strategies for risk assessment and mitigation is essential.

Continuous Learning and Adaptation: AGI systems are expected to be capable of learning and adapting autonomously. Therefore, best practices for continual learning, model updating, and adaptation in AI systems are relevant for AGI development.

While there may not be specific standards or best practice literature exclusively dedicated to AGI, integrating insights and principles from related fields can guide responsible and effective AGI research and development. Additionally, as progress is made in AI research, new standards and best practices may emerge to address the unique challenges of AGI.

Apache Software Foundation: Code of Conduct