MIT Commits $1 Billion to Establish New College of Computing
MIT announces a $1 billion College of Computing backed by a massive $350 million gift from Stephen A. Schwarzman. The new college aims to bridge artificial intelligence with other academic disciplines across the institute.
MIT officially announces the creation of a new College of Computing set to open in September 2019, backed by a $1 billion commitment. The college derives its name from Blackstone Group Chairman Stephen A. Schwarzman, whose $350 million donation funds the bulk of this ambitious initiative. The new academic structure absorbs the majority of EECS students, along with major research entities like CSAIL and the MIT Quest for Intelligence, while creating 50 new faculty positions.
Institute leadership emphasizes that the college functions as "connective tissue" rather than an isolated computer science department. Twenty-five of the newly added faculty members hold joint appointments across various departments to ensure deep integration with MIT's five existing schools. This cross-cutting approach encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and breaks down traditional academic silos.
Students see the most significant long-term impact through an expanded variety of joint-degree programs that blend computing with other fields. These joint majors currently experience high enrollment but face logistical challenges like advising that the new faculty help resolve. Faculty members envision a flexible, broad computing major that allows for highly diverse educational tracks ranging from computational journalism to quantum computing.