Amherst’s next crop of first-years will experience a newly revamped orientation when they arrive on campus in the fall, Provost Peter Uvin reported earlier this week.
Jim Larimore stepped down from his position as Dean of Students in an unexpected move announced Monday evening.
Although no new Dean of Students has been named, former Athletic Director Suzanne Coffey has assumed the position of Chief Student Affairs Officer, taking on many of Larimore’s previous responsibilities. Larimore will remain at Amherst as an advisor to President Biddy Martin until the end of the academic year. Don Faulstick, formerly the associate athletics director, has assumed the job of Interim Athletic Director.
Over Interterm, members of the community learned that a student has been expelled for committing sexual assault, marking the first time in over a decade that Amherst College has expelled a perpetrator of sexual assault. Dean of Students Jim Larimore and Title IX Coordinator Laurie Frankl announced the expulsion in an e-mail that also highlighted recent changes to the College’s sexual misconduct policy.
Following a White House summit attended by President Biddy Martin and other college presidents on Jan. 16, the College is stepping up its efforts to increase college access and success for low-income students.
At the summit, President Obama met with over 100 college presidents as well as other leaders in higher education to discuss strategies for helping students from low-income families to lead successful college careers.
This past Saturday, the College welcomed nearly 100 local teenagers to its campus for Splash, a daylong event during which college students teach classes to middle school and high school students. The event is one of many Splash programs held nationwide and is now in its third year at Amherst College.
On Friday, the Association of Amherst Students (AAS) and the Dean of Students Office agreed to extend tuition assistance for an EMT course held over Interterm. The course, which is organized by Amherst College Emergency Medical Services (ACEMS), saw a surge in demand this year as 44 applicants attempted to sign up.
A professor of midwifery, a saxophonist and an Amherst College senior were among the speakers who took the stage this Sunday at Kirby Theater, where several hundred people gathered for the first ever TEDxAmherstCollege event.
