Editorial Board
Beacon Staff
Board can be reached at letters@berkeleybeacon.com.
Articles
E3 gets down to business
Competitions like E3 place a spotlight on the college that goes beyond that which it usually gets from ProArts plays or film screenings. It’s a peek into the projects from students in a minor that goes unnoticed at a known arts school.
Solidarity is the silver lining
We witnessed the definition of what it means to be an Emersonian, a member of a close-knit community of thoughtful people who show that connections cut deeper than “networking”—they provide real care and support in times of crisis.
Japan program takes first step in global intiative
Pelton has made diversity a key intiative, and this course is a model of teaching history from a diverse perspective.
Almeida offers clear vision for the future
After two years with the same SGA president, and few implemented initiatives, our student government needs someone with a clear direction.
A theatre by any other name would smell as sweet
Instead of seeing the Emerson Theatre as a nuisance, we should realize it's actually an incredible opportunity.
With upcoming hire, WERS changes frequency
The station has been an iconic part of Emerson for over half a century. Student hosts are a key part of its identity.
Student complaints prompt dining hall reform
But now, those endless Facebook posts and Instagram shots complaining about moldy cucumbers and undercooked hamburger patties finally—maybe—have been enough to spur the administration to change our meal plans and food provider.
Don't let offensive vandalism sour Lemon
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My big fat Greek fashion show
Imagine what can be accomplished with a grant of over $8,000 to raise funds for a charitable cause. But when more than a third of that funding is sunk into a dessert display, it’s hard to believe that money was spent in a way to best benefit the nonprofit.
We bleed purple and gold, sometimes
Emerson’s basketball players must compete each week with the support of only 61 people, on average, according to the athletic department’s website, leaving the squeak of their soles to echo in a nearly-empty gym.
Space should belong to everyone
Before the school begins designating space for a particular organization, it needs to ensure that there are enough locations for any group to meet and students to hang out.
SGA neglects to post minutes
The SGA finds itself shirking the responsibility again, with no minutes posted since October 23.
President Pelton Calls for Action
Both the student body and Pelton must remain committed to these discussions, especially at a time when public opinion affords us the the power to effect real change.
EBONI sets the stage for two prestigious speakers
The $18,280 price tag may seem costly, but EBONI has earned our trust as an organization that has delivered excellent results on this particular series of events. Furthermore, the organization cited nine co-sponsors including fellow student organizations and President M. Lee Pelton’s office. This is exactly the kind of event the entire college should proudly invest in, student body included.
If speech night happens and no one is around to hear it...
And at a college dedicated to communication, that’s a real shame. We deserve peers, and our readers deserve a plurality of engaged news sources on campus. As of speech night, there aren’t any.
SGA ups administrative ante on security breach
Over the past few weeks, the issue of dormitory security has pervaded conversation among the student body. Beyond a straightforward notification about the breach itself, the administration now owes students clarity on the matter at large.
A clarification of the Beacon's op-ed policy
In the Beacon’s opinion section, we are accustomed to respectfully editing the words of students who disagree with our private views and that of the Beacon’s editorial board. The diverse opinions we publish are what make that page an arena for students and faculty to exchange ideas.
NEASC review to take college's temperature
The peer review by external administrators and academics should help prevent Emerson from drowning in its own reflection. A school with such a fierce sense of its own personality risks out-of-touch immersion in its own mythology.
Election fatigue sets in during home stretch
As the finish line approaches, we must remember that the race to better our world continues beyond this election.
WLP majors deserve more credits
Costs that seem petty take their toll on the wallets of working students who, as Zaman said, sometimes consider the length of their work against the cost of printing.
Stopping the buck on Securitas’ shortcomings
Until recent developments, it appeared that last week’s Little Building intruder incident might have been a fluke.
Little Building intruder a reminder of urban perils
In the moment it takes to waltz past security, the safety of students can be irreversibly jeopardized.
Campus politicos gather in droves for debate
Campus engagement has increased, but debate watching parties and registration drives are not substitutes for meaningful participation with political issues.
Students need to prove their political convictions
With the stakes so high and the outcome so uncertain, Emerson students that claim to be interested in politics — whether they are the “Hope and Change” poster-hanging plurality, or the proudly cryptozoological Republicans — can’t sit on the sidelines.
Open SGA seats show lack of student engagement
It’s incumbent upon members of the student body to step up.
A record of failure at the dining hall
Unless you’re a competitive coin tosser, 50 percent success is not a promising record. According to the student handbook, Aramark—the company contracted by Business Services to operate dining facilities—would have been asked to pursue academic excellence elsewhere if it were an Emerson student. The dining service has passed inspections a mere half of the time that most of us have attended Emerson.
Asbestos penalties cloudily communicated
The air in the Colonial may not contain asbestos, but the college’s communication with students on the matter doesn’t smell right.
Letter to the editor from Interim Marketing Communication Chair Donald Hurwitz
"We are also trying, hard, to serve what are now upwards of 350 minors across Business, E3 and Marketing Communication, but we are especially constrained by shortages of space and faculty."
Letter to the editor from Naveed Easton '12
I don't expect this letter to get published since I haven't suckered my way up to having any flashy titles on campus. Either way, Emerson College deserves a news outlet with a clearer focus and stronger content, one that can constantly push for meaningful change on campus. Forget the style, focus on the substance. It’s a message that needs to be spread to the student body at large.
Editorial: SGA session a frosty Pelton pow-wow
Where SGA delivered questions that were wordy, somewhat repetitive, and novice-sounding, they were received by Pelton’s prepared talking points in a way that witnesses say seemed at times aggravated and aloof.
Editorial: Infighting and bloated agenda mar SGA plan
Politicians make lofty goals every day. “Reforming academics” in a college setting sounds as vague as “fixing the economy” does on a national scale. Like economic reform in American political discourse, academic reform oversimplifies dozens of diverse and often unrelated goals into an easily digestible buzz phrase.
Editorial: Journalistic integrity not a laughing matter
Boloco’s April Fool’s Day email may have given Emerson students momentary heart attacks with its claims to remove all free burritos and raise prices, but some tomfoolery this Sunday proved more offensive than funny.
Editorial: SGA candidate endorsements
The editorial board endorses candidates for executive positions and in contested races.
Editorial: Considerations for SGA candidates
We trust that SGA will keep fighting the big battles on our behalf. Those, like dining services reform, are essential. But as speech night nears, we want SGA candidates to consider how they can balance those lofty goals with results-based initiatives.
Editorial: SGA won't show us the money, again
In total, $69,250.62 of the student activities fee—that we pay in tuition—is unaccounted for in the SGA public record.
Trustees should seriously consider SGA’s recommendations
This week, our elected student leaders lobbied Emerson’s Board of Trustees with a list of 10 considerations to make while determining next year’s tuition increase.
SGA should make recognition rationale public
With steadily rising tuition costs, Emerson students know firsthand that money doesn’t grow on trees. Each semester, crestfallen organizations are denied funding from the Student Government Association because there simply isn’t enough cash in the pot for everyone. SGA recognition is something that needs to be earned; to receive a slice of the student activities fee, an organization ought to prove itself.
Em Dems convention appeal a missed opportunity
The generosity of hosting public forums—from events like last spring’s gubernatorial debate to the education town hall last week—speaks volumes to Emerson’s prominence in the community. Inviting others to share in our campus conversations is an integral part of Emerson’s dedication to open, constructive communication—and a hallmark of networking.
Editorial: Civic engagement efforts polish Emerson’s reputation
As the semester unfolds, we hope to see the college continue making impressive endeavors toward engagement.
Editorial: DC is the place to be in 2012
Internships abound. There are stories to be written for CNN or The Washington Post. Campaigns to be organized for Republicans and Democrats. Funds to be raised and fights fought for D.C.’s countless nonprofits.
Administration must increase sexual health services
We urge Halls to follow through with more than just talk. If administrators at the health center fail to take this up as an initiative, Halls should spearhead a grassroots campaign for proper STD testing services.
Trending resignations mar SGA’s professionalism
In the pages of last week’s Beacon, this editorial board called for a firmer demonstration of commitment and accountability among our Student Government Association representatives. It was to our dismay that a student leader who pledged “consistency” of service abandoned her post—joining the handful of her predecessors and colleagues from the class of 2013 who had similarly jumped ship.
SGA resignations reveal indifference to public service
Students who run for office make a commitment to their peers that they will serve a full term as SGA representatives.
Editorial: SGA amendment a blight on Emerson's core values
Last night, editors of this newspaper listened to WECB in anticipation of SGA election results that would ultimately relegate the Beacon to a subject of government control.
Vote “no” on the proposed constitutional amendments
While we disagree with eliminating our guaranteed funding because it will put us in an ethically challenging position as journalists -- inviting us to treat unfavorable coverage as biting the hand that feeds -- there are other issues in the proposed constitution that concern us.
The Beacon endorses Ben Halls for Class of 2015 President
Editorial: Ben Halls offers the strongest qualifications for the position of Class of 2015 President.
Proposed constitution change a conflict of interest
To maintain an independent check on the SGA, vote “no” on the new constitution.
