On Friday April 25, dozens of students gathered in front of Converse Hall to demand more severe sanctions for students found responsible for sexual assault at the College, holding signs with messages like “0.00% of rapists have been kicked out of Amherst in the last 20 years” and “Is Laptop Theft Worse Than Rape? Amherst Says Yes,” arguing that despite the progress of the past six months the College still has a long way to go.
Last Friday over 100 students, faculty and administration members gathered together on the First-Year Quad to show solidarity with the city of Boston and the victims of recent tragedies. Students held up signs saying “Stay Strong, Boston!” and a photo of the event was taken and publicized to show support for the city. In addition, donations were collected for One Fund Boston, a charity created by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and Boston Mayor Tom Menino to provide help for those who were most affected by the events.
Last Thursday, April 18, Amherst students overwhelmingly responded “yes” to an AAS student survey on coal divestment. The survey asked students if Amherst College should “divest from the coal industry (corporations engaged in coal extraction, mountain-top removal, coal refinement),” and provided informational sources for those who wanted to learn more before voting. Receiving 88 percent approval and recording nearly as many responses as the AAS presidential elections, the survey reflected strong student body commitment to coal divestment.
Many students have perceived a dramatic increase in the number of parties shut down for noise complaints, overcrowding, the presence of alcohol and various other reasons this year over previous years, but according to John Carter, Chief of the Amherst College Police, this perception is not supported by the facts. Only four more student gatherings were shut down this year compared to the same time period (July to April) last year, an increase from 142 to 146.
Class of 2014
Kasope Alesh
I am an History & Environmental Studies major from Nigeria and a candidate for re-election for Senate for the Class of 2014. As senator, I have worked to create more programming with the Career Center for study-abroad returnees and brought back Frank’s Red Hot chicken sandwich back on the Val menu. Next year, I will continue to push for the creation of a coherent, well-defined policy on alcohol, help make the Music Center and other classrooms more accessible and revive forgotten Amherst traditions. Vote Kash! for Senate.
On April 16, the faculty met to discuss the motion to join the edX and begin creating MOOCs through their company. The faculty voted against joining edX, instead approving a motion to have the College pursue its own initiatives to move more class material and classes online and to create ways to incorporate technology in the classroom.
This is the first of a two-part series on the College’s alcohol policy. The second part will be in next week’s issue.
