The Amherst Student Crossword - Wednesday, May 11, 2022

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The Amherst Student Crossword - Wednesday, April 27, 2022

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The Amherst Student Crossword - Wednesday, April 13, 2022

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The Amherst Student Crossword - Wednesday, March 30, 2022

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The Amherst Student Crossword - Wednesday, March 2, 2022

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The Amherst Student Crossword - Wednesday, Feb. 23, 2022

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The Amherst Student Crossword - Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022

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The Amherst Student Crossword - Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022

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The Student Sums It Up, Fall 2021 - Thursday, Dec. 9, 2021

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Exit Letter: Making Sense of the Miracle

Writing from the late-night newsroom for his last issue, editor-in-chief Ryan Yu '22 pauses to take stock of his tenure and the chaos that has come with transitioning back to in-person journalism. He is proud of the work of The Student, even if it might still look different than pre-pandemic.

Restaurant Races - Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2021

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College Announces End of Legacy Admissions

In an email sent to the college community on Oct. 20, President Biddy Martin announced that starting in the 2022-2023 academic year, the college will end its legacy admission preference as well as implement an expanded and simplified financial aid program.

Vagabond Visitors - Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021

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Weston Dripps ’92 to Head New Center for Sustainability

The college announced on Sept. 24 that Weston Dripps ’92 will serve as the new director of sustainability and inaugural director of Amherst’s new Center for Sustainability. Dripps will begin his role on Jan. 1, 2022, filling a position that has been left empty since May 17, 2020.

Departmental Dealings - Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2021

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Campus Shaken by Reports of Possible "Roofies" Incidents

Rumors and reports of possible "roofies" incidents have circulated around campus over the past two weeks, causing worries among students about safety at social gatherings. Students and administration have responded with tentative caution to the drug’s potential presence on campus.

Yom Kippur Service Interrupted by CSO Due to Booking Mishap

Yom Kippur services taking place in the Powerhouse on Sept. 16 were interrupted by a CSO because of miscommunication with the DQ over the booking of the space. The incident prompted alarm among students over the role ACPD played in it.

Biddy Martin to Step Down as President at Year End

President Biddy Martin announced that she will be stepping down as president of the college at the end of the 2021-2022 academic year, in an email sent to the Amherst community on Sept. 13.

Senior Officials Karu Kozuma, Kevin Weinman Announce Departures

Two major college officials — Chief Student Affairs Officer Karu Kozuma and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Kevin Weinman — announced their departures from the college over the summer, via a pair of emails sent by President Biddy Martin.

College Adopts New Pass-Fail Policy, Revised Grading Scale

Effective for the 2021-2022 academic year, the college is replacing its Flexible Grading Option (FGO) policy with a revised pass-fail grading option, and is transitioning from a 14-point grading system to a standard four-point grading scale.

Natalie De Rosa: Stewarding Stories & Schools, From Newark to Amherst

Natalie De Rosa ’21 has, in many ways, been shaped by her home city of Newark, a place in which she holds a lot of pride. Photo courtesy of Natalie De Rosa ’21. By her own admission, Natalie De Rosa ’21 is a shy person. She isn’t usually the first person to speak up in a class discussion, or the type of person who spends her nights out at raging parties. But beneath her reserved demeanor, Natalie shines like no other. To her friends, she is tenacious, inspiring and kind. To her professors, she i

Students Walk Out in Protest After Police Killing of Daunte Wright; AAS and BSU Demand Abolition of ACPD

At 10 a.m. on Tuesday, April 13, hundreds of students, dressed in black, left their classes to gather on the First-Year Quad and participate in a #BlackMindsMatter walkout coordinated by the Black Students Union (BSU). They were spurred by the recent killing of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man who was shot by a Minnesota police officer on Sunday, April 11 — the latest of a series of national incidents highlighting the often fatal consequences of police brutality and anti-Black racism. Rem

Cornel West Discusses Higher Education, Racial Justice in Virtual Event

On March 18, the Office of Student Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (OSDEI) celebrated its official launch by hosting a virtual conversation between Cornel West and Assistant Professor of Black Studies and History Mary Hicks. The event was co-sponsored by the Black studies, American studies and political science departments. During the discussion, West spoke about the role and limitations of higher education in the pursuit of justice, the self-reflection that cultivates true leadership and the se

Following Cancellation of Spring Study Abroad Programs, Students Consider Alternatives

Over two dozen students had their spring 2021 study abroad plans nixed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Students reported feeling disappointed by and understanding of the college’s decision not to support their programs. The Office of Global Education (GEO) has since identified a number of fellowships and internships for students to look into for the summer. A decision about fall 2021 programs will come later this year. Over the past year and a half, students and the GEO have faced multiple disruption

In Light of an Apparent Double Standard, Students Call for Greater Transparency on Covid Rules Enforcement

As the college entered stage 2 of its on-campus student move-in plan last week, concerns about the transparency and enforcement of Covid-19 violation protocols came to a head. Prompted by an incident in which three international students — two of whom were Black — were asked to leave campus on Feb. 23 due to dining in a room together without masks in the quarantine period, over 200 students signed onto an open letter [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fPTZj2ub-wgaoe5H0fI-c5rN8J3avGDI/view] which

UMass Amherst Covid Outbreak Ripples Through Amherst Community

In the span of five days since the spring semester began, over 400 students have tested positive for Covid at UMass Amherst.As the spring semester began at UMass Amherst and students flocked back to the campus in early February, the optimism that typically marks a new term was quickly shattered by a devastating Covid outbreak, when, in the span of five days, over 400 students tested positive for Covid and severe restrictions were levied to stop the spread as quickly as possible. It quickly beca

Editors' Note

Dear Readers, The college has long faced significant disparities in the representation and inclusion of marginalized communities. Anti-Black racism, along with other forms of prejudice, have persisted at Amherst, in part due to the perpetual lack of an adequate administrative response. Spurred by these injustices, recent student and alumni movements — Amherst Uprising, Integrate Amherst and Reclaim Amherst, to name a few — have impelled the college to fulfill its responsibility, to reflect on a

Start of Spring Semester Classes Delayed to Feb. 15, Per Faculty Vote

Faculty voted to move the start of spring semester classes from Feb. 3 to Feb. 15 during a meeting held on Dec. 15. Eighty-seven percent of the faculty, or 161 members, voted in favor of the motion, while 24 members voted against. Supporters cited the need for a longer break in instruction after the January term, which ends on Jan. 26, better conditions to limit the spread of Covid-19 and more opportunities for outdoor instruction, while critics noted the loss of time for faculty research and s

A Week Before Classes End, College Reports Six Active Covid Cases, Implements New Restrictions

As classes for the fall semester draw to an end this week, the college has seen a last-minute spike in positive tests for Covid-19, with six active cases as of Nov. 18, spanning three students, two staff members and one faculty member. In response, the college has reinstated strict health and safety guidelines that it had previously eased along with instituting new ones, including the cancellation of in-person events, restricted access to buildings outside of one’s residence hall and limiting ga

College to Establish Office of Immigration Services

On Nov. 2, Director of International Student Engagement Hanna Bliss announced in a newsletter for the Center for International Student Engagement (CISE) that the college will establish an Office of Immigration Services (OIS), effective at the start of the coming spring semester. The decision comes amid significant changes to U.S. immigration policy over the past few years, including the Trump administration’s efforts to impose stricter limits on the duration of international student visas, eli

Spread Across Drastic Time Zones, Students Struggle to Maintain Schedule

With many students living far away from the college due to remote learning conditions, a number of them have found their daily schedules drastically transformed by time zone differences. Since most classes take place in time slots similar to previous semesters, these students have often found themselves needing to stay awake late into the night to attend their classes and sleeping throughout the day instead. The college has made some efforts to accommodate students in different time zones, crea

Halfway Through a Turbulent Semester, Students Reflect on Areas for Change in Open Forums

President Biddy Martin, joined by members of her senior staff, hosted two Zoom forums to gauge student feedback on the fall semester, one for on-campus students on Sept. 30 and the other for remote students on Oct. 1. Among the highlights of the forums include the opening of more social spaces and residence halls to non-residents, students requesting more lenient Covid rule restrictions and updates on spring plans. Beginning the Sept. 30 forum for on-campus students, Martin officially announce

Two Weeks After Off-Campus Party, UMass Reports Over 100 Covid Cases

Over the past two weeks, the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) has reported over 100 positive Covid cases, all but two of whom are students living off campus, according to the UMass Covid-19 Dashboard [https://www.umass.edu/coronavirus/dashboard]. As of Oct. 6, UMass has reported 124 cumulative positive cases since Aug. 6, when data was first reported. Last week, The Student reported that 18 UMass students tested positive [https://amherststudent.com/article/umass-confirms-18-positive-

International Students Voice Opposition to Proposed Fixed-Duration Visa Rule, Limits to Student Stay Length

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unveiled a proposed rule on Sept. 24 that would modify visa regulations for international students on F-1 status, limiting the duration of their visas to two years for students from 59 countries and four years for students elsewhere before they’re required to apply for renewal, among other changes. This marks a departure from the current “duration of status” rule, which allows students to stay in the U.S. so long as they comply with the conditions of

College Remembers Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg H’91

Over 130 members of the college community gathered over Zoom on Sept. 19 to commemorate the life of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg H’91. One of the most publicly esteemed justices in U.S. history and only the second female justice on the Supreme Court, Ginsburg passed away from complications due to pancreatic cancer on Sept. 18 at the age of 87. Affectionately nicknamed “the Notorious RBG,” Ginsburg was a seasoned advocate against gender discrimination who later became a progressive

College Projects $34 Million Budget Downturn, Will Spend Additional $12 Million From Endowment

In a communication to staff and faculty on Sept. 14, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Kevin Weinman announced that the Board of Trustees had approved a budget proposal for the current fiscal year (FY21), spanning from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. The budget estimates that Covid will have a $34 million impact though decreased revenue and increased expenditures and will also draw an additional $12 million from the endowment compared to a normal fiscal year, relying on this additional c

Taking One Day at a Time: Over 900 Students Adjust to Life on a Covid-Cautious Campus

For the past three months, the college has set forth careful, calculated planning for the precarious experiment that began last week: bringing the 937 students from across the pandemic-stricken country to live and learn on campus. It did not go off without a hitch; students tested the waters and saw how firm the campus living guidelines held; out-of-state tests did not return in time; and Zoom crashed on the first morning of classes. However, all in all, the precarious mobilization seemed a succ

As the Nation Demands Reform, Student Activists Lead College Reckoning with Racist Past and Practices

As anti-racist protests spurred by the police killing of George Floyd on May 25 continue across the nation, calls for change are growing across the Amherst community. On the national level, students, alumni and the college itself have coordinated donation drives to support organizations working against anti-Black racism, including the Amherst Acts donation-matching campaign developed by the Black Student Union (BSU) in partnership with the college, which ran from June 3 to June 10 and raised a t

First-years and Sophomores Set to Live On-Campus in College Re-Opening Plan

Between 1,200 and 1,500 students, mostly first years and sophomores, are invited to return to campus in the fall as a part of the college’s reopening plan. Photo courtesy of Matai Curzon ’22.Here’s what you need to know: * The college will bring back between 1,200 and 1,250 students this fall, approximately 60 percent of the total enrollment of approximately 1,800. Priority will be given to all first- and second-year students, as well as all transfer students, second-semester seniors

Ryan McMillan: Trying and Failing Upwards, A Biophysicist’s Journey

McMillan initially wanted to study biology but decided to explore more quantitative routes after taking a calculus class. Photo courtesy of Ryan McMillan ’20.Ryan McMillan ’20 is not a loud person. Ask him, and he’ll tell you that he has, for most of his life, been varying degrees of timid, even if he’s eased into a slightly bolder attitude. Luckily, McMillan doesn’t need to be loud to exercise the type of quiet empathy that he’s become known for on campus, nor does he need it to advance the gro

As Flexible Grading Endures for the Semester, Some Raise Issues of Equity

Provost and Dean of Faculty Catherine Epstein announced on April 15, in an email to students and faculty, that the college would keep its current grading policy — an extension of the Flexible Grading Option (FGO) to all courses this semester — in place, despite calls from numerous community members to move to mandatory pass/fail in response to the academic challenges posed by the coronavirus crisis. The FGO, which was initially implemented at the beginning of this academic year to encourage ex

Timeline: The Coronavirus Pandemic at Amherst College

Between January and March, COVID-19 transformed from a distant concern to a community-devastating epidemic for many Amherst students. The coronavirus has brought rapid change to the lives of students, faculty and staff in a matter of weeks. In an attempt to help the Amherst community process recent events, The Student has crafted the following timeline. Dec. 31, 2019 The government of Wuhan, China confirms that it is treating several cases of a pneumonia-like illness. The illness would be ide

Amid Move to Remote Working Conditions, College Admits Class of 2024

In the thick of remote working conditions and a general sense of unease spurred by the coronavirus crisis, the Office of Admissions released admissions decisions for the class of 2024 on March 19, admitting 1,248 applicants out of a record-breaking 10,601 applications. The admissions cycle saw an increase in admissions rate from 10.8 percent to 11.8 percent, which Dean of Admission and Financial Aid Matthew McGann noted was in part because the Office of Admissions “anticipates a yield rate sim

Campus Cast Into Turmoil After Decision to Move Students Off Campus

All classes will move online starting on March 23, and students must leave the campus over spring break in an effort to mitigate concerns over the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), according to an email sent just before 8 p.m. on March 9 by President Biddy Martin. Since the announcement, student pressure has caused the departure deadline to be moved from March 16 to 18. Faculty and staff will continue their regular schedules, but classes on Thursday and Friday of this week are canceled to allow