MIT’s Undergraduate Advisory Group: Amplifying Student Voices to Shape the Future of Computing Education
At MIT, student input is not just heard; it’s actively sought and implemented, especially within the Schwarzman College of Computing (SCC). The Undergraduate Advisory Group (UAG) serves as a vital conduit between students and college leadership, ensuring that the student experience remains at the forefront of educational innovation. This committee, comprised of approximately 25 undergraduate students from diverse academic backgrounds, provides invaluable feedback and recommendations to shape the college’s initiatives.
Matthew Caren ’25, a jazz musician with a major in computer science and engineering and minors in music and theater arts, was among the first to join the UAG in 2021. Drawn to the SCC’s emphasis on the intersection of computing, engineering, and the arts, Caren found the UAG to be a unique platform for contributing to the college’s evolution. “The ethos of the UAG is the ethos of the college itself,” Caren explains, highlighting the value of bringing together individuals with diverse interests to foster stimulating discussions and interactions.
The UAG meets monthly with SCC Dean Dan Huttenlocher and Deputy Dean Asu Ozdaglar, who also heads the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS). These meetings provide a direct line of communication, allowing students to openly discuss challenges and offer recommendations on curriculum development and other crucial aspects of the student experience. According to Caren, the college’s leadership prioritizes these discussions, demonstrating a genuine commitment to addressing student needs.
Dean Huttenlocher emphasizes the importance of the UAG’s perspective, stating, “The students in the group are keenly interested in computer science and AI, especially how these fields connect with other disciplines… Hearing their perspective is refreshing — their honesty and feedback have been incredibly helpful to me as dean.” Deputy Dean Ozdaglar echoes this sentiment, noting that the UAG has been an invaluable space for understanding the student experience more deeply.
Ellen Rushman, the UAG program manager, highlights the positive environment cultivated by Dean Huttenlocher and Deputy Dean Ozdaglar, where students feel comfortable raising concerns. The UAG’s suggestions often lead to tangible changes. A prime example is the feedback provided on the design of the new SCC building. Students advocated for more open-plan, community-building spaces, which significantly influenced the final floor plan.
Rising senior Julia Schneider, co-chair of the UAG and a double major in artificial intelligence and decision-making and mathematics, joined the group to contribute to the college’s mission of fostering interdepartmental collaborations. She explains, “Since I am a student in electrical engineering and computer science, but I conduct research in mechanical engineering on robotics, the college’s mission…really spoke to my personal experiences.”
One of the UAG’s key initiatives is NerdXing, a course visualization website developed to help students navigate the vast array of courses offered at MIT. Recognizing that valuable course recommendations often come from upperclassmen, Schneider and her peers created a tool to democratize this knowledge. Guided by Rob Miller, Distinguished Professor of Computer Science in EECS, NerdXing uses a dataset of EECS course enrollments to reveal the paths taken by students with diverse interests.
NerdXing allows students to explore potential courses based on their major and areas of interest, uncovering unexpected connections and interdisciplinary opportunities. Miller explains that the tool supports students with wide-ranging computational interests by applying data-driven computational methods. The pilot version of NerdXing is set to roll out this spring.
The UAG exemplifies MIT students’ proactive approach to improving their educational environment. As Schneider aptly puts it, “We are MIT students. We have the skills to build solutions.” By identifying areas for improvement and taking the initiative to address them, the UAG is empowering students and strengthening the college as a whole.
