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

The Boylston and Tremont intersection covered by snow

When Halloween looks a lot more like Christmas

By Frankie Rowley, Content Managing Editor / October 30, 2020

Boston Common transformed into a pre-winter wonderland Friday morning as the first snowfall of the season made its way through the city. About one...

Students walk to The Little Building in the snow

Lens: Snow envelops the Emerson campus for first time this year

By Tomas Gonzalez, Former Staff Writer/Photographer / October 30, 2020

Just one day before Halloween, more than an inch of snow enveloped Emerson’s campus for the first time this season. The white layer covered the Norman...

Emerson's testing center at a Tufts Medical Center bookstore on the corner of Kneeland St. and Harrison St.

College to mandate weekly testing for faculty, staff in spring

By Charlie McKenna, Dana Gerber and Karli Wallace / October 29, 2020

Emerson will mandate weekly testing for faculty and staff working on campus during the spring semester after allowing those working on campus this fall...

Emerson launches initiative to rebuild the community in upcoming academic year

Virtual admissions process hopes to attract prospective students

By Mark Emmons / October 29, 2020

In a typical year, the fall and winter months bring prospective Emerson students, eager to tour the college’s flagship campus, to downtown Boston. For...

Emerson's COVID-19 testing center at the corner of Kneeland Street and Harrison Ave.

Emerson admin strengthen COVID-19 testing enforcement amid rising statewide cases

By Andrew Brinker, Former Senior Investigative Reporter / October 29, 2020

More than eight weeks into the fall semester, Emerson administrators are cracking down on the weekly coronavirus testing requirement for students taking...

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

Learning about a pandemic while living one is ‘far too real’

By Dana Gerber, Former News Editor / October 29, 2020

For 60 students this semester, the raging pandemic is more than a force disrupting daily lives and the world economy—it’s homework.  Those students...

Cameron Arendt (left) with his brother, Ryan.

For vulnerable families, return home escalates virus anxieties

By Dana Gerber and Lily Schutt / October 29, 2020

Every year, Nicole Watkins’ grandmother brings a special sweet potato casserole dish and a cranberry mix to Thanksgiving dinner in her Irvine, California...

An ECPD patrol vehicle.

Incident Journal: Students followed on MBTA

October 28, 2020

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

Jennifer Scully '21 wearing the custom mask created for the "Shine Through" fundraiser.

‘Shine Through’ campaign raises more than $50,000 for student financial aid

By Ann E. Matica, Former Deputy News Editor / October 28, 2020

Emerson’s “Shine Through” fundraising campaign, which gifted custom Emerson-branded facemasks to donors, raised $53,111 in unrestricted financial...

A sign on the window of Emerson's coronavirus testing site at Tufts Medical Center.

Administrators hope automatic dashboard updates will eliminate data reporting errors

By Charlie McKenna / October 28, 2020

Emerson’s COVID-19 dashboard is now updated automatically after a string of data reporting errors appeared on the page since its inception in August. When...

The Emerson Counseling and Psychological Services office in the Union Bank Building.

As pandemic drags on, students struggle with mental health

By Ann E. Matica, Former Deputy News Editor / October 27, 2020

At Emerson Counseling and Psychological Services, the mental toll of the pandemic on students has become abundantly clear.  Statistics provided by...

The Office of Financial Aid in the Union Bank Building.

Emerson CARES act funds, an essential pandemic-era lifeline for students, running out

By Dana Gerber, Former News Editor / October 27, 2020

Emerson has run through almost 90 percent of the $1.3 million in federal assistance it received for emergency student grant funds, which has helped 784...

Howard Univesity in Washington, D.C.

Exchange program with Howard University to begin in the spring

By Ann E. Matica, Former Deputy News Editor / October 25, 2020

Emerson will launch an exchange program with Howard University in Washington, D.C. in spring 2021 that will allow students from both institutions' communication...

Emerson's Los Angeles campus.

Future of ELA spring semester still unclear amid dipping LA coronavirus cases

By Hailey Johnson / October 25, 2020

The fate of Emerson’s Los Angeles program for the spring semester remains in flux, as LA County officials have yet to approve the college’s plan to...

A Financial Advisory Board meeting in September 2019.

SGA’s Financial Advisory Board meetings grind to a halt

By Charlie McKenna / October 24, 2020

The Financial Advisory Board has not met in four weeks, due in part to a lack of appeals for additional funding from student organizations.  The gap...

A man walking past the W Hotel on Stuart St.

WiFi out in W hotel due to Verizon outage

By Charlie McKenna / October 22, 2020

Students living in the W Boston hotel lost wifi early Thursday evening, due to an internet outage in the area. Students living in the hotel received...

The Little Building on a rainy day.

Emerson enforces sanctions for COVID violations in line with nearby colleges

By Frankie Rowley, Content Managing Editor / October 22, 2020

It was the first night out of college-mandated quarantine at the beginning of the fall semester. A group of half a dozen friends, all first-years living...

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

SGA hopes to spur college action with first legislative effort

By Charlie McKenna / October 22, 2020

The Student Government Association passed its first piece of legislation, about several recent “Zoom-bombing” incidents, Tuesday—nearly halfway through...

A Student Assembly meeting during the Fall 2020 semester.

SGA passes legislation calling on administrators to address racist ‘zoom bombings’

By Diana Bravo, Former Copyeditor/Photographer / October 21, 2020

The Student Government Association unanimously passed legislation Tuesday in response to a recent string of racist “Zoom bombing” incidents against...

An ECPD patrol vehicle.

Incident Journal: Student struck by vehicle near Washington St.

October 21, 2020

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