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

Emerson Encampment

Emerson will lay off staff and faculty positions due to enrollment decline partly caused by campus protests, college says

Emerson will lay off staff and faculty positions due to enrollment decline partly caused by campus protests, college says

By Hannah Nguyen, Iselin Bratz and DJ Mara / June 22, 2024

Emerson College will lay off faculty and staff and not fill some vacant positions in response to reduced enrollment, which it said was partly caused by...

Walker Building of Emerson College

Affiliated faculty votes against no-confidence in Bernhardt

By Hannah Nguyen, Editor-in-Chief / May 19, 2024

The Affiliated Faculty passed a vote against no-confidence in President Jay Bernhardt on May 8.  With nearly 40 percent of the 280 affiliated faculty...

A student waves a Palestinian flag and holds up their hand, on which is written, “Ceasefire now.” (Rian Nelson/Beacon Staff)

Emotions split at commencement amid pro-Palestine protests

By Sam Shipman, Assistant News Editor / May 18, 2024

A sense of excitement and nervousness filled the air of Agganis Arena as friends and family of Emerson graduates filed in for the 2024 Commencement Ceremony.   This...

Notice outside Emerson College’s Visitors Center explaining closures (Bryan Hecht/Beacon Staff)

College briefly halts admissions proceedings in light of arrests, students and student workers reflect on closures

By Iselin Bratz, Kasteel Well Bureau Co-Chief / May 15, 2024

Editor's Note: This article has been republished to include corrections and to acknowledge that admission activities were put on hold for two days and...

Students cross the intersection of Boylston St. and Tremont St. in front of the Little Building.

Faculty votes not to call for Bernhardt’s resignation

By Hannah Nguyen, Editor-in-Chief / May 14, 2024

Following a special faculty meeting on May 6, the faculty assembly voted via email not to call for President Jay Bernhardt’s resignation. Around...

A student-painted banner hangs above 2B alley pro-Palestine encampments on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Nick Peace)

Rupture requires repair: Where do we go from here?

By Anna Feder, Guest Author / May 13, 2024

I was there when the Emerson College encampment started. After months of being ignored by the administration, the students finally found a way to be...

A class picture in a school yard in the 1990s in Israel.

Letter to the Editor: Two stories about growing up in Israel

By Illona Yosefov, Guest Author / May 8, 2024

Content warning: this article contains bloody imagery. I was in grade school when Yigal Amir, a Zionist who objected to the Oslo Accords, assassinated...

President Bernhardt speaks out on Town Hall and first year at Emerson

President Bernhardt speaks out on Town Hall and first year at Emerson

By Merritt Hughes, Opinion Co-Editor / May 6, 2024

Early Monday morning, President Jay Bernhardt shared a “Letter to the Community” addressing the April 29 Town Hall and his first year at Emerson.  Bernhardt...

Students left messages on the face of the Ansin building using sticky notes and posters, with the signatures of over 1,000 Emerson students who want ECSU to negotiate a contract with the college on their behalf. (Bryan Hecht/Beacon Staff)

On May Day, protesters gather in Boston Common, 2B Alley, and outside Emerson’s Ansin Building

Over 100 protesters marched through the Boston Common and on campus Wednesday afternoon in honor of May Day and in response to the college’s restrictions...

Photos of arrests of 118 protesters at Emerson College

Emerson Staff Union releases statement on April 25 arrests

By Merritt Hughes, Opinion Co-Editor / May 2, 2024

Following the arrest of 118 protesters on April 25, the Emerson Staff Union (SEIU888) condemned the violent police response, calling it “unacceptable.”  “Emerson...

Boston City Hall. (Ashlyn Wang/Beacon Staff)

Boston City Council calls for ‘immediate and permanent’ ceasefire in Gaza

By DJ Mara, Kasteel Well Bureau Co-Chief / May 1, 2024

The Boston City Council passed a resolution 11-2 in support of calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza at its meeting on Wednesday. Councilors Ruthzee...

Eric Alexander, chair of the Board of Trustees, yells “Back the fuck up” at Bryan Edouard, a student speaker at the town hall, on Monday, April 29, 2024. (Rian Nelson/Beacon Staff)

‘History will remember where you stand’: Students, faculty, staff testify at town hall regarding April 25 arrests

Members of the Emerson community gathered in the Semel Theater in the Tufte Building for a moderated town hall Monday morning to discuss the events...

Emerson encampment: A look at connection and chaos

Letter to the Editor: Dear Howie Carr

By Ella Mordarski, Guest Author / April 29, 2024

Dear Howie Carr,  The horrifying screams echoing up from the alley will forever be ingrained in my mind.  On April 25, 2024, I watched from...

Mayor Michelle Wu answers questions after a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the reopening of City Hall Plaza on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022. (Ashlyn Wang/Beacon Staff)

Mayor Wu cancels Harvard event following withdrawal of student sponsors due to Emerson encampment police response

By DJ Mara, Kasteel Well Bureau Co-Chief / April 28, 2024

Boston Mayor Michelle Wu canceled an event at Harvard University scheduled for April 30 after 11 student affinity groups sponsoring the event pulled their...

Boston City Hall. (Ashlyn Wang/Beacon Staff)

Boston city councilors react to Emerson arrests

By DJ Mara, Kasteel Well Bureau Co-Chief / April 27, 2024

Boston city councilors have begun to release statements following the arrests of 118 protesters on April 25 at Emerson’s “Popular University Encampment”...

Courtesy of Bradley Bird

Letter to the editor: To my fellow adults in the classrooms

By Bradley Bird, Guest Author / April 27, 2024

Dear fellow Emerson faculty,  Like many of us, I have much I'd like to say in regards to the genocide in Gaza, the college's handling of that issue,...

SGA unanimously votes no confidence in Bernhardt and officially calls for his resignation

SGA unanimously votes no confidence in Bernhardt and officially calls for his resignation

By Katherine Cressman, News Co-Editor / April 27, 2024

The Student Government Association (SGA), during its last general assembly meeting on Friday, unanimously passed a resolution calling on President Jay...

Police create a barricade at each end of Boylston Street from Piano Row to the Little Building and continue to arrest students on Thursday, April 25, 2024. (Rian Nelson/Beacon Staff)

Emerson College amongst nationwide movement of college encampments protesting war in Gaza

By Bryan Hecht and Sam Shipman / April 26, 2024
Beginning last Sunday evening, Emerson College’s Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) built an encampment of tents, food stands, and blankets to show solidarity with the pro-Palestinian movement.
The Little Building residence hall.

Letter from the Editor: By the students, for the students

By Sophia Pargas, Editor-in-Chief / April 26, 2024
Witnessing such violence and force on my own campus—just two weeks away from leaving it forever—has truly shaken me to the core.
These Jews say theres nothing scary about anti-Zionism

Letter to the editor: These Jews say there’s nothing scary about anti-Zionism

By Jews Against Zionism, Guest Author / April 26, 2024

“You shall not oppress a stranger, for you know the feelings of the stranger, having yourselves been strangers in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 22:20,...