Last Thursday, the College’s newest student group, the EDU, held its inaugural event. Aspiring teachers and those interested in education and education reform gathered in the Morris Pratt ballroom to hear a spoken word performance by poet Carlos Andrès Gòmez and to take part in a discussion about education facilitated by Professor Hilary Moss.
Over the past three weeks, the College has been experiencing several thefts, particularly in unlocked rooms. Everything from wallets, coats and backpacks to cell phones, keys and iPads have been reported. Most notably, there have been five reports of stolen laptop computers.
The laptop thefts all occurred in either common areas or unlocked rooms. Campus Police released a statement informing the College community about these thefts and encouraging them to protect their belongings.
The College boasts on the front page of its website that the average financial aid package provided to students is over $37,000. Fully half of the student body benefits from financial aid, and the College’s commitment to its no-loans policy means that students need not worry about being haunted by the cost of an excellent education. Operating on a need-blind philosophy, even during times of economic difficulty, the College’s commitment to financial aid has been a direct investment in a more socioeconomically diverse campus community.
On Aug. 26, students received an email notifying them of a change in fire safety regulations that would affect several popular social spaces on campus. Dean of Students Allen Hart wrote in the email that, following a directive from the Fire Chief for the town of Amherst, “spaces which hold 100 or more people cannot be used unless they have a sprinkler system.” Based on regulations issued by the State Fire Marshal, the decision means that events and parties can no longer be held in the basements of Crossett, Davis and Stone Dormitories.
There are precious few College students who have not complained about the long lines at Valentine Dining Hall during lunch hours, and many are those who have opted for the Lighter Side Chicken to avoid waiting through another 6:00 p.m. traffic jam. The good news for such students, however, is that Val has been listening — and with student concerns and suggestions in mind, the dining hall underwent a series of renovations designed to address those notorious jams.
The Board of Trustees announced the election of Carolyn “Biddy” Martin the 19th President of the College on June 14th, ending the Presidential Search Committee’s yearlong search to find Tony Marx’s successor.
No two freshman classes are ever quite the same as each year brings a crop of students with their own range and depth of multifarious talents. The class of 2015, admitted through a record-setting selection process, came in with a fresh set of eclectic accomplishments and peerless personalities — and, in their very first days here, they would experience a singular event the likes of which College had not seen for 73 years: Hurricane Irene.
