FAQs

Check-In Procedure

  1. Where do I check in?  Come to the front desk in the Tang Hall lobby to check into your apartment
  2. What do I need to do in order to check in?  You will need to pick up your keys from the desk worker and fill out an on-line form (Make sure you have a picture ID with you).  The  key given to you will open your outer apartment door, your apartment mailbox as well as your bedroom door.

Access to the Building

  1. How do I gain access to the building?  You will need to use your MIT ID card to get in and out of the building. MIT provides both Digital ID and Physical ID Card options.
  2. My ID isn’t working on the back door. What’s going on? Your ID works on both the front and back doors. However, please note: The front door will open with your ID at all times, but the back door entrance is locked at 9:00 PM and overnight for security reasons.
  3. How do I get an MIT ID?  If you do not yet have an MIT ID, you will first need to create a Kerberos ID and process a photo via MyCard. The Atlas Service Center can help with the process of obtaining an MIT ID.

Communication Channels

Tang has multiple communication channels. See the communications page for instructions on how to join these channels if you are already not in them.

Required or Strongly recommended

  1. tang-residents [at] mit [dot] edu: building-wide announcements or facilities updates
  2. tang-social [at] mit [dot] edu: residential programming and graduate resident events
  3. Tang Slack channel: discussion and questions related to Tang Hall

Optional

  1. tang-talk [at] mit [dot] edu: Miscellaneous opportunities we are asked to forward
  2. tang-reuse-free [at] mit [dot] edu: Free items within Tang Hall

Lockout Key

If you lock yourself out of your room, please come to the Tang Desk and let the desk worker know that you have locked yourself out of your apartment.  If you have a valid picture ID with you, the desk worker will check out a lockout key to you, WHICH MUST BE RETURNED TO THE DESK IMMEDIATELY UPON RE-ENTRY INTO YOUR ROOM.  If you do not have a picture ID with you or if the desk is closed, please call 617-253-1500.

Tang Desk (617-253-1773)

  1. What are the hours of the Tang Desk?  The Tang Desk is normally open Monday through Friday from 8:00am until 12:00am (midnight), and from 10:00am-10:00pm during the weekend.
  2. What services are provided by the Desk?
  1. Packages: The desk accepts packages from all carriers for residents.  You will receive an e-mail when a package arrives for you.  Please bring this information and a PICTURE ID to the desk to claim your package.  Please note: the desk will not accept any packages addressed to anyone other than the resident.
  2. Items to loan: Sports Equipment, tools, bicycle pump, vacuum cleaners, carts, and board games, are just a few of the items loaned out by the desk.  Items are generally loaned for a 24-hour period and must be returned promptly to the desk to avoid late fees.  Please note: these items may not always be available.
  3. Lockout Key: If you lock yourself out of your room, please come to the Tang Desk and let the desk worker know that you have locked yourself out of your apartment.  If you have a valid picture ID with you, the desk worker will check out a lockout key to you, WHICH MUST BE RETURNED TO THE DESK IMMEDIATELY UPON RE-ENTRY INTO YOUR ROOM.  If you do not have a picture ID with you or if the desk is closed, please call 617-253-1500.

Mail

The mailboxes are located in the ground floor in front of the elevators. Use your room key to access the boxes. See mail page for more details.

Quiet hours

Tang’s quiet hours are from 11 pm to 7 am, Sunday to Thursday, and 1 am to 7 am, Friday and Saturday.

Waste management

  1. Trash chute is located near the stairwell by the “E” and “F” apartment doors.
  2. Please sort out the waste generated in your apartments into recyclable and compostable items and put them in their respective bins outside the rear door on the ground floor.
  3. What to recycle or compost? For more information, please visit – https://tang.mit.edu/resources/tang_go_green/.

Laundry

The laundry is located in the ground floor behind the mail boxes. See laundry page for more details.

Maintenance Issues

  1. For maintenance requests, please fill out an on-line “MIT Housing Repair Request” here.  Instructions can be found here. You will need to have your MIT personal certificate to access this website. You can also raise a service request to install an AC in your room.
  2. In case of EMERGENCY: Call 3-1500 immediately from the hallway telephone across from the elevators or 617-253-1500 from your cell-phone.
  3. For maintenance issues outside of your apartment (for example, a spill in the elevator, a leak in the lobby, or a problem with card access at the front entrance): Please contact Michael Collins in his office, at x 3-5146, or collinsm@mit.edu
  4. For problems with the washing machines or dryers: See the laundry page.

Parking

  1. Where can I park my car?  Students who have obtained parking permits may park in the gated lot next to the Westgate high-rise (across the lawn in front of Tang Hall).
  2. How do I apply for a parking permit?  To apply for a permit, visit here. MIT Certificates are required.

Other Resources

See all Tang Hall resources here.

Miscellaneous

  1. Telephones: Telephones have been installed on every floor across from the elevators. Your bedroom is not equipped to service analog desk phones.
  2. Emergency contact: In case of a medical emergency or a hazard situation, you can also call 100 from a telephone connected to the MIT network (such as the ones in the hallway across the elevators on each floor) or  617-253-1212 from a cell phone to contact the MIT police.
  3. Selling Stuff: In case you have stuff to sell or give for free, please use the reuse channels.