Ella Peterson: A Community Builder With a Love for Democracy

Ella Peterson has used her time at Amherst to avidly pursue her interest in the political sphere, effecting positive change and building community along the way.

Classes of 2022 and 2020 To Celebrate Commencement on Campus

Commencement will be held for the Class of 2022 on Sunday, May 29, following two years of drastically altered celebrations due to Covid. Members of the Class of 2020, originally only able to attend a virtual graduation ceremony, will also have an on-campus Commencement on Saturday, June 11.

College Provides Updates on Anti-racism Action Plan

In an email sent on April 26, President Biddy Martin provided an update on the college’s 2020 Anti-Racism Plan. The email detailed initiatives in a multitude of areas, including research on Amherst’s racial history, admissions, and faculty and staff diversity and development.

Town Hall Covers Updates to Climate Action Plan

On March 21, the college held a virtual town hall to discuss its most recent updates to the Climate Action Plan. The meeting covered the college’s commitment to pursuing climate action by overhauling its entire campus energy system to move to a low-carbon and eventually carbon-neutral system.

College Admits 7 Percent of Applicants for the Class of 2026

The college released its regular admissions decisions for the Class of 2026 on March 18, leading to a total 7 percent acceptance rate of a record-breaking 14,800 applicants.

Surge in Covid Cases Prompts Protocol Changes

The college had 153 active Covid-19 cases at the beginning of the day on March 1. In response to the large increase in cases, the college has announced changes to its Covid safety protocols multiple times over the past week.

Covid Policies Spur Uncertainty for Winter Athletes

Student athletes have experienced heightened uncertainty throughout the winter athletic season due to a host of Covid safety policies, which bar them from competition after they, or enough of their teammates, test positive.

Administration Releases Plan To Support Student Well-being

Following a semester that saw surging demand for mental health support, the administration provided an update on Feb. 8 regarding the college’s efforts to better support student well-being, including bolstering the Counseling Center, new college-wide activities, and loosening of Covid restrictions.

Spring Event Policy Updated, Adds Restrictions to Dorm Use

A Feb. 14 email communicated stricter rules for event registration in the Spring 2022 semester. Students expressed confusion and frustration about party policies that they believe disproportionately affect certain student organizations and do not lead to safer practices.

College Loosens Initial Spring Covid Protocols

The college has loosened some of its initial Covid restrictions following the success of its protocols for move-in and the first week of classes. Students and professors expressed understanding for the initially stricter protocols, while yearning for a return to near-normalcy.

Students Blindsided by Plethora of Housing Difficulties

Students encountered a host of difficulties while trying to secure housing for J-term and the spring semester. Many expressed frustration at Housing Operations’ lack of communication.

CSA Behavior at DASAC Formal Leaves Students Uncomfortable and Upset

On the night of Dec. 7, two CSAs showed up unannounced twice to DASAC’s end-of-semester formal in Lipton Basement. One CSA’s aggressive mannerisms and actions left attendees in extreme discomfort and distress, with the group eventually calling ACPD and reporting the CSA for identity-based harm.

Students Frustrated By Communication Regarding J-Term Housing And Arrival

A Nov. 22 email announcing January Term housing eligibility and arrival date blindsided many students, who had already made different travel and housing plans. Students’ frustration grew with the lack of response from the administration to questions about their individual situations.

Staff Spotlight: Carl Charrette

Carl Charrette is the first cook-baker at Valentine Dining Hall. He has used his tremendous creativity and lifelong baking skills to create a new line of vegan desserts and help Val transition to making desserts from scratch, much to students’ enjoyment.

The Deadly Stretch: Students and Faculty Report Intense Burnout

As the college community counts down the days until November break begins, students and faculty report feeling notably overstressed and tired. Some attribute these increased feelings of burnout to the adjustment back to in-person learning.

A Life-Long Devotion to Chronicling the Truth — Alumni Profile, David Friend ’77E

As editor of creative development for Vanity Fair, David Friend ’77 uses eloquent writing and striking photography to inform his readers about the most news-worthy topics of our time.

As Val Fully Reopens, Staffing Shortages Limit Options

Valentine Dining Hall returned to full capacity on Oct. 20. While students are ecstatic about the return of lively Val, staffing shortages have resulted in a dearth of food options for students with dietary restrictions.

As Infections Remain Low, College Repeals Covid Restrictions

On Oct. 19, the college announced its return to Level 1: Baseline Covid-19 Operations. Generally students anticipate enjoying newly permitted activities, but some still wish for a more complete return to normalcy.

ACPD to Adopt Comfort Dog; Students Critique Motives

ACPD will adopt a comfort dog before the beginning of the spring semester in an attempt to improve mental health and the department’s relationship with students. Though they appreciate the sentiment, students are wary that it does not actually respond to demands surrounding campus safety.

Outbreak of “Amherst Flu” Sweeps Across Campus

A cold that students have termed the “Amherst flu” has spread across campus. Due to the many symptoms influenza shares with Covid-19, however, students have been wary to seek care from the Health Center out of fear of being quarantined.

Unprecedented Enrollment Leads to a Difficult Add-Drop Period

For many students, this semester’s registration process was chaotic and complicated. Due to severe over-enrollment and reduced course offerings, students struggled to register in their desired courses.

After Case on Child Slavery, Scrutiny Returns to Cargill CEO David MacLennan ’81

In June, the Supreme Court ruled that claims about Cargill’s alleged aiding and abetting of child slavery abroad could not be processed in the U.S. This is not the first time Cargill, whose CEO is Amherst trustee David MacLennan ’81, P’14, has faced criticism for its ethical practices.

Staff Spotlight: Laura Fredette and Brittney Clapp

Laura Fredette is a staff member at the Covid-19 Testing Center. A travel nurse, she started working at Amherst in August of 2020, and has enjoyed telling jokes to students as they get tested, as well as admiring the beauty of the college. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family and is also completing a degree in forensic psychology at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. Q: Around campus, you are known for telling jokes to students while they wait in the Covid-19 testing l

Students Reflect on Covid Protocols: Balancing Safety and Enjoyment

As the college approaches the halfway point of the spring semester, students on campus now have over five weeks of experience with the college’s Covid-19 safety regulations, leaving many to reflect on the restrictions so far. In particular, students have expressed ongoing displeasure with the administration’s lack of transparency, continued escalation in Covid surveillance and patrolling, food delivery and student socialization guidelines. Grievances among students mainly revolve around the pur

Off-Campus Students Living in Amherst Note More Freedom But Higher Risk of Contracting Covid-19

Many first-years and sophomores who lived on campus in the fall 2020 semester left the college bubble unimpressed. Instead of returning  to campus in the spring, about 70 students opted  to live in Amherst, but this time off-campus. Those off-campus students report feeling freer outside of the bubble but acknowledge that there’s a greater risk of contracting Covid-19, even with the once-weekly Covid-19 tests that are offered by the college. A high number of Covid-19 cases continue to prevail a

College Approved to Administer Covid-19 Vaccines

The college received approval to become a vaccination center by the government of Massachusetts, the college announced in early February. As the nationwide vaccine rollout continues, and people struggle to obtain appointments, the college’s status as a vaccine distributor could play a pivotal role in helping the local community combat Covid-19, if it were to become an operating site. According to Chief Communications Officer Sandy Genelius, Amherst’s status as a vaccination site does not mean t

With Mail-In Voting Under Threat, Students Struggle to Cast Ballots

Mail-in ballots have become commonplace amid the coronavirus pandemic. Many students, however, have had to jump through obstacles to get their vote to count. Photo courtesy of Natalie De Rosa ’21.With a historic presidential election looming on the horizon, students have been registering to vote, requesting absentee ballots and sending them back to their congressional districts for the past two months to ensure their votes count. However, the nationwide influx of mail-in ballots due to the coron

Local Restaurants See Uptick in Business as College Enters Delivery Express Partnership

Amherst residents stroll through the town on an afternoon before the pandemic. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.In an email to on-campus students on Sept. 11, Chief Student Affairs Officer Karu Kozuma announced that the college would launch a new partnership with Delivery Express, a local food delivery service akin to Uber Eats, DoorDash and other competitors. Apart from expanding dining options for students, the program has bolstered business for restaurants in town, many of which have experienced a

Will He Go?: Professor Lawrence Douglas Questions Trump Election Fallout

Laura Jarrett ’07 (left) moderated an talk with Professor Lawrence Douglas (right), who recently published a book exploring whether President Donald Trump would leave office if he loses the 2020 presidential election. Photo courtesy of Ryan Yu ’22.What would happen if President Donald Trump were to refuse to accept the 2020 presidential election results? In a Zoom webinar with nearly 600 attendees on Sept. 10, James J. Grosfeld Professor of Law, Jurisprudence and Social Thought Lawrence Douglas