The Alumni Records staff is responsible for maintaining and updating data on the alumni population, including the reporting of death notices. These notices come to Alumni Records from many sources-including alumni, class officers, family members, other MIT offices, and returned mail. They also come in many forms-phone calls, letters, newspaper obituaries, notes on gift reply forms, surveys, etc. To notify MIT of a recent death, please contact the Office of Records at alumnirecords@mit.edu or at 617-253-8270.

If the report includes a date of death and is verifiable, such as an obituary column or a letter from a family member, the record is changed. If there is no date of death or if the information is hearsay, the Alumni Records office seeks confirmation using credible sources. When the death is verified, the record is changed. If no confirmation is forthcoming and the hearsay evidence is convincing, the record is changed with no date of death.

Alumni Records mails a letter to the family of the deceased. The letter expresses condolences and explains the Institute's wish to continue the connection with the deceased's spouse and/or family. Alumni Records then creates a new data record, Technology Review initiates a one-year complimentary subscription, and the Emma Rogers Society sends a packet of materials to widows and widowers.

Every month, the Alumni Records staff produces a list of recorded deaths that is circulated to Institute offices, including Technology Review. Confirming materials may also be sent to Technology Review for use by class secretaries.

Spouses will receive a subscription to Technology Review as a complimentary gift. So, in most cases, they will receive the issue that mentions their spouse. If the widow or widower does not receive the issue, then the Alumni Records office will send it upon request.

• All families of MIT alumni/ae whose death is recorded in the previous year are invited to attend the memorial service on Technology Day. A memorial booklet is published for the service and is sent, upon request, to those who cannot attend.
• Many classes routinely invite spouses of deceased alumni to reunions and other class activities. The Association encourages classes to do this, especially at the 40th reunion and beyond.
• Many spouses and families make memorial gifts to MIT. These gifts are recognized in an annual memorial gift publication.
• The Emma Rogers Society offers activities for widows and widowers.

If there is any doubt about MIT's knowledge of the death, the secretary should notify the Alumni Records office at 617-253-8270 or mitalum@mit.edu of the date of death, name of surviving spouse and or kin, and source of information. It is not sufficient to notify Technology Review staff.

Many secretaries make a simple statement of the facts in Class Notes. Others have information about the classmate and are able to write a memorial about the person. Often the secretary is sent a copy of a newspaper obituary that contains information useful for the Class Notes column. All secretaries are sent electronic obituaries for alumni who passed away during the month.

Some class secretaries write thoughtful notes to the families or surviving spouses of deceased classmates. In addition to confirming the date and expressing sympathy on behalf of the class, the note could include a request for an obituary and information to include in Class Notes, as well as mention the Emma Rogers Society.