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Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Campus

Students walking on Boston Common.

Vaccine rollout progressing, health experts foresee a return to normal in the fall

By Camilo Fonseca, Editor-at-large / March 18, 2021

Public health experts say there appears to be a “light at the end of the tunnel” shining for college campuses after a year of restrictions, social...

11 undergraduate students of 11 different majors at the college.

Major changes: A year of pandemic learning

Of Emerson’s 3,490 currently enrolled undergraduate students, no two have the same learning experience. Some visual and media arts students handle cameras...

The offices of Emerson Counseling and Psychological Services.

Students’ mental health struggles persist as pandemic drags on

By Ann E. Matica and Frankie Rowley / March 18, 2021

Trigger Warning: Mentions of mental health issues and suicide.  Students are continuing to struggle with their mental health one year into living through...

Students relaxing on Boston Common.

The struggle to socialize in a year of separation

By Dana Gerber and Alec Klusza / March 18, 2021

In the first semester of his sophomore year, junior visual and media arts major Devin Elias went to parties every other weekend and met with friends to...

Erik Muurisepp sits at his desk on the fourth floor of the Walker Building.

Q&A with Emerson COVID Lead Erik Muurisepp

By Dana Gerber, Former News Editor / March 18, 2021

In April, Assistant Vice President for Campus Life Erik Muurisepp was handed a herculean task: leading the college’s implementation and communication...

The college illuminated Little Building with artwork and messages celebrating the graduating class of 2020 on Saturday. The display will run for two weeks.

Two Emerson classes devastated by loss of graduation ceremonies

By Frankie Rowley, Content Managing Editor / March 18, 2021

For the second year in a row, Emerson will hold an online commencement ceremony in May, slashing a ritual many recent and upcoming graduates anticipated...

First year of college stunted by COVID-19, class of 2024 reflects on hurdles, loss

First year of college stunted by COVID-19, class of 2024 reflects on hurdles, loss

By Camilo Fonseca and Frankie Rowley / March 17, 2021

Many students anticipate their first year of college as a milestone—their initial steps onto campus marking a momentous transition between adolescence...

An in-person class session in the Paramount Center.

One year into pandemic learning, professors tired of mixed format

By Frankie Rowley and Alec Klusza / March 17, 2021

A year into pandemic, professors—forced to straddle the two modalities of hybrid learning—say the new form has proven onerous, while others have learned...

What is Emerson’s interim policy for campus demonstrations? We explain.

Former student sues college over ‘insufficient’ learning experience last spring

By Chris Van Buskirk, Former Editor-in-Chief / March 17, 2021

A former student is seeking a tuition and fee refund in response to Emerson College's decision to move classes online last spring as a result of the COVID-19...

President M. Lee Pelton will head a Boston committee tasked with combating racism and inequality.

President Pelton and other college officials condemn Anti-Asian hate crimes committed in Georgia Tuesday

By Frankie Rowley, Content Managing Editor / March 17, 2021

President M. Lee Pelton and other high ranking administrators condemned the three shootings that occurred in Atlanta, Georgia last night, resulting in...

An ECPD patrol vehicle.

Incident Journal: A fight on Boylston street and a motor vehicle crash in Allen’s Alley

March 17, 2021

The Emerson College Police Department provides the Incident Journal to The Beacon every week. Beacon staff edit the Incident Journal for style and clarity...

First year students left to right: Carrie Aubin, Chloe Shaar, Eva Charbonnnier, and Isabella Espejo, calling their parents about the college's decision to shut the Boston campus down.

Emerson students reflect on the moment they knew life would change

By Charlie McKenna / March 17, 2021

Six Emerson students, now a year into a first-in-a-century pandemic, recalled the moments when they realized life was not going to return to “normal”...

The Office of Financial Aid in the Union Bank Building.

Emerson opens applications for second round of COVID aid

By Camilo Fonseca, Editor-at-large / March 16, 2021

Emerson students can now apply for further financial relief from the pandemic after the college announced Monday it had received a second round of emergency...

A Spring 2020 Student Government Association meeting. Photo by Yongze Wang.

Emerson introduces wellness passes, flexibility week

By Frankie Rowley, Content Managing Editor / March 15, 2021

Emerson will implement “Wellness passes” and a “Flexibility Week” in late March to promote student wellbeing in lieu of a traditional spring break,...

A Student Government Association meeting in spring 2020.

SGA passes spring elections timeline, appoints new member, approves fifth appeal

By Frankie Rowley, Content Managing Editor / March 15, 2021

The Student Government Association approved its spring elections timeline in the Student Assembly on Friday, finalizing procedures for the elections which...

Emerson's Los Angeles campus.

Emerson Los Angeles on track to reopen, according to county health officials

By Camilo Fonseca, Editor-at-large / March 12, 2021

Provided that COVID-19 metrics continue to trend as expected, the in-person summer program at Emerson Los Angeles should go ahead as planned, local public...

Second Marlboro College campus sale falls through

Second Marlboro College campus sale falls through

By Jacob Seitz, Former Staff Writer / March 11, 2021

Democracy Builders will retain control of the former Marlboro College campus, according to its founder Seth Andrew, after it was purportedly sold to Vermont-based...

Students walking along Boylston Street.

Emerson students wary of making definite summer plans due to pandemic

By Bailey Allen, Former news editor / March 11, 2021

With the uncertainty of the pandemic still looming, three Emerson students said they were hesitant to cement summer plans out of fear they would be upended...

Skywell of the Little Building.

Little Building lightwell noises bother first-year students

By Bailey Allen, Former news editor / March 11, 2021

Little Building residents who live in a lightwell-facing room say their sleep, class, and work schedules are being disrupted by the recurrence of intrusive...

Classroom 633 of the Walker Building.

Some Emerson classroom layouts fall short of six-foot distancing

By Patrick Pierce / March 11, 2021

The structure of some classrooms on Emerson’s main campus make six-foot social distancing nearly impossible—causing some students to lose faith in...