Skip to Main Content
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 working in a control room for a visual and media arts course.

Emerson announces continuation of hybrid learning through Fall 2021

By Dana Gerber, Former News Editor / February 22, 2021

Emerson will continue its “flex learning” program through the Fall 2021 semester, President M. Lee Pelton announced in a Monday morning email.  Fall...

Emerson's Kasteel Well campus in Well, Netherlands.

With no students at the castle, the town of Well remains shuttered

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

Nearly 3,500 miles away from Boston, a towering castle is quiet. Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, the dorms at Kasteel Well have sat empty for nearly...

The Office of Student Accessibility Services is currently working remotely.

Students with learning disabilities face hybrid learning difficulties

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

The Office of Student Accessibility Services has seen an increase in students requesting accommodations since the pandemic began, as some students with...

Students walking along Boylston Street.

COVID-19 positives continue to surge despite administrator prediction of slowdown

By Charlie McKenna / February 18, 2021

Despite administrator predictions of a dip in positive COVID-19 tests amongst community members, positives continue to roll in at a significantly higher...

Brandin Dear, associate dean & director of counseling, health, wellness.

Former Harvard clinician Brandin Dear to head merger of counseling, health, and wellness offices

By Ann E. Matica, Former Deputy News Editor / February 18, 2021

Brandin Dear, who filled the newly minted position of associate dean and director of counseling, health, and wellness earlier this month, will spearhead...

SGA at a Fall 2019 Joint Session meeting.

Student Government Association approves two appeals

By Frankie Rowley, Content Managing Editor / February 16, 2021

The Student Government Association approved nearly $5,000 in appeals from Sigma Pi Theta and Emcomm, in Friday’s student assembly meeting.  Sigma...

Valentina Amaro holds up a #ThisIsEmerson sign during the walk out.

Emerson administration, faculty, and staff respond to Emerson Students of Color Week of Action demands

By Ann E. Matica and Diti Kohli / February 14, 2021

Emerson administrators said they would meet with students of color virtually in an effort to create a more equitable environment in an email sent on Feb....

An ECPD patrol vehicle.

Incident Journal: Pizza oven fire extinguished in Dining Center, contraband found in Little Building

By Frankie Rowley, Content Managing Editor / February 14, 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...

A "Thin Blue Line" flag was displayed on a computer in the Emerson College Police Department office in August 2018. (NOTE: This photo was provided to The Beacon by a community member with the face of the dispatcher covered)

ECPD issues apology for ‘Thin Blue Line’ flag following #ESOCWeekofAction

By Dana Gerber, Former News Editor / February 13, 2021

The Emerson College Police Department issued a public apology Wednesday for intermittently displaying a “Thin Blue Line” flag—a common symbol of...

Quarantined students describe abysmal food conditions, allergen violations

Quarantined students describe abysmal food conditions, allergen violations

By Dana Gerber, Former News Editor / February 11, 2021

Five students in quarantine and isolation housing in the Paramount residence hall, cut off from many of the college’s services and completely dependent...

As vaccine rollout trudges along, the Emerson community gets in line

As vaccine rollout trudges along, the Emerson community gets in line

By Dana Gerber, Former News Editor / February 11, 2021

As the COVID-19 vaccine rollout continues to plod along in the state and nation, some members of the Emerson community have gotten one or both of the doses...

An ECPD patrol vehicle.

Incident Journal: Two non-Emerson members found in Little Building, fire alarm set off in Park Plaza Hotel

By Ann E. Matica, Former Deputy News Editor / February 10, 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...

A man walking past the W Hotel on Stuart St.

Residents at the W Hotel moved off 12th floor

By Alec Klusza, Assistant News Editor / February 10, 2021

With less than a week of warning, students living on the 12th floor at the W Hotel packed their belongings last week and moved to a new room assignment...

Students walking along Boylston Street.

Struggling to contain virus cases, administrators lay blame on student behaviors

By Andrew Brinker and Diti Kohli / February 7, 2021

Top Emerson officials pinned the recent surge of positive COVID-19 tests on students’ lax behaviors Saturday, despite repeatedly touting the strength...

Courtesy of Emerson College.

2021 commencement ceremony to be held virtually

By Frankie Rowley, Content Managing Editor / February 4, 2021

The class of 2021’s commencement ceremony will be held virtually on May 9, Emerson announced in an email Thursday.  The announcement comes amid statewide...

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

SGA to hire student employees to lighten treasurer workload

By Frankie Rowley, Content Managing Editor / February 4, 2021

With the spring semester underway, the Student Government Association is staring down a vacancy in one of its most crucial positions—the executive treasurer—for...

A student walks in the snow on Boylston Street

High positivity rate at Emerson not cause for concern, college official says

By Charlie McKenna / February 4, 2021

With in-person courses officially underway this week, the pandemic appears to have taken a firmer grip on the Boston campus in less than a month than it...

People walking on Boylston Street.

Student experiences reveal a chasm between on- and off-campus isolations

By Alec Klusza, Assistant News Editor / February 4, 2021

For four days in September, off-campus student Devin Davis-Lorton received little communication from the college after testing positive for COVID-19. Only...

An ECPD patrol vehicle.

Incident Journal: Fire alarm set off at W Hotel

By Ann E. Matica, Former Deputy News Editor / February 3, 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...

A meeting of professor Nancy Allen's Plagues and Pandemics course in the fall semester.

Students re-enter the classroom amid rising positive COVID-19 tests

By Dana Gerber, Former News Editor / February 2, 2021

For the first time since November, students are returning to classrooms after beginning the spring semester with two weeks of online courses. The transition...