MIT Corporation Visiting Committees

Visiting Committees were established at MIT in 1875, and their recommendations have had a strong influence on the course of education and research at the Institute for nearly 150 years. The committees operate as advisory groups to the Corporation and the administration, offering appraisal, advice, and insight on each academic program and on other major activities at the Institute, including the Libraries, the offices of the Dean for Student Life and the Dean for Undergraduate Education, and Sponsored Research.

The visiting committee system at MIT is among the strongest and most active at a major research university and provides valuable counsel on current activities and future directions. Each of the 30 visiting committees normally convenes every two years for a one-and-one-half day session.

Committee recommendations and ideas are conveyed to the Corporation, senior administration, department heads and faculty through oral and written reports and on-going assessments. Committee members often visit departments on their own time to give lectures or meet with members of the departments.

Make your nomination below before January 27, 2025

Please refer to the deadline above for consideration in this year's cycle, for the committees noted below. However, we welcome nominations for any of the visiting committees at any time throughout the year.  You can visit the Corporation website to see the current members of each committee. In this year's nomination cycle, we will specifically evaluate membership for the following committees: 

Aeronautics/Astronautics
Architecture
Biology
Brain & Cognitive Sciences
Chemical Engineering
Division of Student Life
Economics
EECS
Institute for Medical Engineering & Science
Libraries
Nuclear Science and Engineering
Political Science
Social Sciences
Sponsored Research
Urban Studies & Planning

In determining committee membership, efforts are made to achieve appropriate representation among people from academia, business and industry, and government, while taking into account alumni/ae and non-alumni/ae status, ethnicity, and gender; and to identify individuals with a demonstrated interest in MIT and its educational programs who can provide perspective on and helpful evaluations of the departments' programs and issues. The Association's Corporation Nominating Committee is responsible for the suggestion of alumni nominees to visiting committees and forwarding their slate of alumni nominees to the Corporation.

Visiting Committee members are typically appointed to serve a four (4) year term. The chair of a visiting committee is a current MIT Corporation member. Each of the 30 visiting committees normally convenes every other year for a one-and-one-half day session.