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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

Coronavirus

Students walk in front of The Colonial Building residence hall on Boylston St.

Emerson reopens residence halls, campus eateries to Boston students

By Vivi Smilgius / January 14, 2022

The college will reopen its residence halls and campus eateries to Boston students in the coming weeks, announced Emerson Dean of Campus Life Jim Hoppe...

A sign of the COVID testing site of Emerson College and Tufts University.

Emerson reports 228 positive cases within 10 day period

By Adri Pray / January 13, 2022

An unprecedented 228 positive COVID-19 cases have been reported at Emerson in the ten days since the commencement of the spring 2022 semester. Cumulatively,...

Emerson students having classes.

‘Everything is out the window’: College returns to in-person learning amid unprecedented COVID surge

By Vivi Smilgius and Adri Pray / January 12, 2022

Less than a week into the spring 2022 semester, Emerson has already reported 228 positive COVID-19 tests, leading to uncertainty regarding the rest of...

Campus dining retail locations to open Jan. 17

Campus dining retail locations to open Jan. 17

By Frankie Rowley / January 12, 2022

Emerson’s campus dining retail locations will reopen on Jan. 17 in accordance with students’ return to in-person classes on Jan. 18.  According...

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

Emerson’s testing center to open on select Saturdays

By Frankie Rowley / January 11, 2022

Emerson’s Testing Center at Tufts Medical Center will remain open on select Saturdays through the month of January in light of the college extending...

Gov. Charlie Baker provides a COVID-19 update while touring the first responder vaccination site at the Worcester Senior Center on Tuesday, January 12, 2021.

Massachusetts reports 17,802 new coronavirus cases

By Adri Pray / January 11, 2022

Massachusetts reported 17,802 positive cases on Tuesday, down from the 60,986 reported Monday. The death toll rose by 116, the highest single-day total...

Emerson to resume in-person classes on Jan. 18

Emerson to resume in-person classes on Jan. 18

By Frankie Rowley / January 11, 2022

Emerson will resume in-person classes on Jan. 18 with a slew of extended restrictions college officials announced on Tuesday evening.  Citing community...

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

Testing center closes early due to heating issues

By Vivi Smilgius / January 11, 2022

Emerson’s COVID-19 testing site closed early today due to “heating issues” at Tufts Medical Center, according to a community-wide email sent by the...

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker

Massachusetts reports 60,986 new coronavirus cases

By Adri Pray / January 10, 2022

Massachusetts reported 60,986 new coronavirus cases Monday, the first COVID-19 report given by the state since Friday. The death toll rose by 53.  Massachusetts...

Emerson's testing site at Tufts Medical Center.

Emerson surge continues as spring semester approaches

By Abigail Lee / January 7, 2022

In the week leading up to students’ return to campus, Emerson reported over 80 positive COVID-19 tests, reflecting a statewide struggle to contain the...

A sign of the COVID testing site of Emerson College and Tufts University.

Emerson issues five-day isolation and quarantine protocols amid surge

By Adri Pray / January 7, 2022

Emerson will decrease its isolation and quarantine time to five days per guidance changes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, announced...

Emerson is now mask-optional in all campus spaces except classrooms.

Emerson to limit in-person events for first week of spring semester

By Bailey Allen and Vivi Smilgius / January 2, 2022

To rebuild the “Emerson bubble,” the college will operate almost entirely virtually for the first week of its spring semester, according to a community-wide...

2021 year in review: Better than 2020, but not by much

2021 year in review: Better than 2020, but not by much

By Charlie McKenna / December 31, 2021

It’s widely accepted by now that 2020 was probably not the start to the “roaring 20s” of this century that we all hoped it would be. And, heading...

Emerson's testing site at Tufts Medical Center.

Massachusetts surpasses 1 million total COVID-19 cases

By Adri Pray / December 28, 2021

Massachusetts surpassed one million total COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, reporting 9,228 new cases amid an unprecedented statewide surge largely fueled by...

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

Unprecedented end-of-semester COVID surge brings highest case levels since onset of pandemic

By Adri Pray and Gabriel Borges / December 23, 2021

Emerson has undergone an unprecedented surge in positive COVID-19 tests over the course of the past two weeks, racking up nearly 100 positives as statewide...

The college was investigated by the Office of Civil Rights twice in the past five years for complaints of disability discrimination

College to require increased testing, ‘stay-in-room’ policy for spring move-in

By Frankie Rowley / December 22, 2021

A day after delaying the start of the spring semester, college officials on Wednesday detailed plans to resume in-person classes amid an unprecedented...

The Emerson College Barnes and Noble store.

Emerson to hold first week of spring semester classes remotely

By Frankie Rowley / December 21, 2021

Emerson will hold all classes during the first week of the spring semester remotely, college officials announced Tuesday evening.  The college will...

Outside of the Emerson College Testing Center.

Emerson reports 27 positive COVID-19 tests Wednesday, bringing weekly total to 61

By Camilo Fonseca / December 16, 2021

Emerson reported 27 new positive COVID-19 tests for the second day in a row on Thursday, bringing the numbers of positive tests reported this week to a...

Emerson's testing site at Tufts Medical Center.

Emerson reverts to individual testing model

By Frankie Rowley / December 15, 2021

Emerson pivoted back to individual PCR tests on Tuesday with just two days left in the fall semester, as positive COVID-19 cases surge both on-campus and...

A sign of the COVID testing site of Emerson College and Tufts University.

Emerson reports 27 new positive COVID-19 tests on Wednesday; 49 active cases among community members

By Charlie McKenna / December 15, 2021

Emerson reported 27 new positive COVID-19 tests on Wednesday, the same day college officials announced 49 active cases amongst the Emerson community. The...