Nearly half of the men in the Class of 2009 pledged fraternities in this fall’s Rush. Of the 320 freshmen given bids, 255, or 80 percent, have now pledged, and 18 still have at least one open bid, according to statistics from the Interfraternity Council.

Following yesterday’s deadline for submitting applications to run for Undergraduate Association Senate, five constituencies — Bexley, East Campus, Senior House, Living Group Council, and Off-Campus — do not have candidates. Students have until Monday to submit late petitions to have their names on voting ballot; campaigning for Senate and Class of 2009 Council positions begins tomorrow. Half of the candidates for UA Senate are incumbent senators.

Buying a keg of beer? An upcoming regulation will require Boston’s breweries and liquor stores to immediately report your name and address to the Boston police.

Construction for the PDSI project in and around the Building 6 courtyard is slightly behind schedule and has increased slightly in cost, said William J. Anderson, Jr., chief facilities officer. The delays are unlikely to impact completion of the project, he said.

Although many freshmen will soon take their first exams at MIT, some took the Freshmen Essay Evaluation and Advanced Standing Exams before classes even began. The primary change to these exams this year was a restructuring of the FEE to include a literature review section rather than narrative section.

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Cynthia Liu is precisely the kind of high achiever Yale wants: smart (1510 SAT), disciplined (4.0 grade point average), competitive (finalist in Texas oratory competition), musical (pianist), athletic (runner) and altruistic (hospital volunteer). And at the start of her sophomore year at Yale, Ms. Liu is full of ambition, planning to go to law school.

Welcome, especially to freshmen and new graduate students! Ask SIPB is a column by the Student Information Processing Board, the volunteer student group concerned with computing at MIT, to help students like you learn more about the computing resources MIT provides and how to make effective use of them. This column is part one of four introductory columns to help you get started with computing here at MIT.

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Bush Heads to Texas As Rita Approaches Coastal Regions
Senate Panel Approves Roberts; Full Senate to Vote Next Week
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Vatican’s Proposed Ban on Priests Leads to Strong Response in U.S.
Vatican’s Proposed Ban on Priests Leads to Strong Response in U.S.
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film review ***1/2: A New Way to Animate the Dead: More of Tim Burton’s Dark Fascination in ‘Corpse Bride’
film review ***: ‘Proof’ That Math and Hollywood Can MixPaltrow Shines in a Film Made for MIT
cultural review: Thai Cultural Night a Success: ‘Siam Chronicle’ Captures Authenticity in Performances
film review **: A Mediocre ‘History’ Not Worth Studying: Cronenberg, Mortensen Can’t Salvage Convoluted Plot
interview: Talking With Film Director David Cronenberg
Theater review: ‘The Real Thing’ a Real Great Performance: Huntington Theatre Company Excels at Stoppard Classic
Theater review: Chamber Interpretation Brings ‘Carmen’ Within Reach: New Staging Enchants, But Where’s the Orchestra?
film review ***1/2: ‘The Constant Gardener’ Grows Towering Paranoia : Passionate Love Story Buried Beneath Psychological Thriller
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Led by Rogoz, MIT’s Volleyball Team Nets Four More Victories
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