Susan J. Hockfield, MIT’s 16th president, announced yesterday morning her decision to step down from the presidency after seven years.

During her seven years as president, Susan J. Hockfield oversaw an aggressive expansion of MIT’s global footprint. Her years as president have been markedly outward-facing. During her tenure, she skillfully advanced MIT’s long-term interests by engaging in parnterships overseas and by securing a variety of donations for the David H. Koch Institute on Integrative Cancer Research and Fariborz Maseeh Hall, among other things. Hockfield’s administration has raised over $3 billion, more money than any one president has made during his term. She has created a number of relationships in politics and abroad. From bringing Obama to campus to creating alliances with Singapore and Russia, Hockfield has brought MIT’s influence around the globe.

Many visions of the future presented during MIT150 concern the Institute itself and nearby Kendall Square — but MIT’s Environmental Research Council (ERC) had larger goals in mind, global-sized goals. In December, the ERC released an implementation plan for the establishment of a Global Environment Initiative (GEI), whose challenge is to “integrate the Institute’s core strengths in … research to better understand the global environment and manage our role in it.”

The UA Council, the UA’s main ruling body that replaced the Senate, has been almost completely filled, with the off-campus representative yet to be determined. The Council includes representation for every dorm, the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the Panhellenic Association (Panhel), the Living Group Council (LGC), and off-campus residents, each selected in a way determined by their constituents. The Council will have its first meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. in the Senate Chambers, W20-400, according UA Vice President Amanda C. David ’13. The meeting will be open, and food will be served.