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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

Senior Tatiana Melendez, pictured second from the left in the top row, said she was looking forward to celebrating Commencement with her friends.
Top Row (left to right): Jonah Puskar, Ann Zhang, Raz Moayed.
Bottom Row (left to right): Melissa Leslie, Lily Scher.

Seniors hoping to walk in May face altered plans as COVID-19 spreads

By Dana Gerber, Assistant Enterprise Editor / March 25, 2020

Senior Tatiana Melendez found out there wouldn't be a traditional 2020 Commencement weekend only a week after her ELA classes moved online and she had...

College staff member tests positive for COVID-19

College staff member tests positive for COVID-19

By Parker Purifoy, Digital Managing Editor / March 25, 2020

An Emerson staff member has tested positive for COVID-19, marking the first diagnosis within the college community, President M. Lee Pelton announced in...

A pile of belonging rests curbside as one of the hundreds of Emerson students who live on campus squeezed everything they owned into their car.

How the coronavirus outbreak is affecting students’ lives

By Melissa Rosales / March 22, 2020

On this week’s episode of The Beacon, we discuss how the coronavirus outbreak affects students’ lives, with producer Melissa Rosales, Berkeley Beacon’s...

Letter: Open Letter to the Administration of Emerson College

Letter: Open Letter to the Administration of Emerson College

By Ryan Rock / March 20, 2020

Ryan Rock is a senior theatre major To the Emerson College administration, I want to understand more exactly the basis in which you are describing...

President M. Lee Pelton.

College plans to issue partial credit for room and board, not tuition

By Dana Gerber, Assistant Enterprise Editor / March 19, 2020

While Emerson will be issuing partial credit for room and board charges for the spring semester due to circumstances brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic,...

Diky Melville, general manager of The Fourth Wall, said the business will suffer greatly with students leaving at the preventative measures set by Gov. Charlie Baker

Local restaurants struggle with new regulations and lack of college students

By Parker Purifoy, Digital Managing Editor / March 18, 2020

Local businesses are reeling after Gov. Charlie Baker and Mayor Martin Walsh laid out a sweeping set of regulations over the weekend that prohibits restaurants...

Chris Van Buskirk, Editor, The Berkeley Beacon

Letter from the Editor: The world is changing

By Chris Van Buskirk / March 13, 2020

The view from the third floor of 172 Tremont St. may not look different from only a week ago but the tone and anxiety permeating Boston is tangible.  Excuse...

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.

College asks students to leave dorms, moves ELA classes online

By Parker Purifoy and Chris Van Buskirk / March 13, 2020

The college announced that all students must vacate campus residence halls in both Boston and Los Angeles by March 20—a dramatic reversal of an earlier...

The Berkeley Beacon News Hour: Pelton Response, COVID-19 effects, NEWMAC

The Berkeley Beacon News Hour: Pelton Response, COVID-19 effects, NEWMAC

By Ryan Ribeiro / March 12, 2020

Host Ryan Ribeiro is joined at the top of the show by editor-in-chief Chris Van Buskirk to discuss President Lee Pelton's reaction and plan for the Emerson...

Latest Updates on the COVID-19 crisis

Latest Updates on the COVID-19 crisis

March 12, 2020

Friday, April 3 College implements new student employment process  The college is going to automatically pay seven hours worth of compensation per...

 

How does Emerson’s COVID-19 response compare to others’ in Massachusetts?

By Karina Sanchez / March 12, 2020

Following Gov. Charlie Baker’s declaration of a state of emergency Tuesday, a cascade of colleges and universities across the commonwealth told students...

President M. Lee Pelton responds to community unrest following COVID-19 pandemic.

Pelton responds to “unprecedented” COVID-19 uncertainty

By Dana Gerber, Assistant Enterprise Editor / March 11, 2020

President M. Lee Pelton said many answers concerning long-term extracurricular continuation, housing feasibility, summer and fall classes, and room, board,...

Emerson launches initiative to rebuild the community in upcoming academic year

Students grapple with leaving or staying on campus following COVID-19 pandemic

By Tomas Gonzalez / March 11, 2020

Sophomore Allison Valton said she was relieved when she heard she could go home for the rest of the semester. She has a skin disease that makes her more...

College considering housing refunds for Kasteel Well students leaving campus

College considering housing refunds for Kasteel Well students leaving campus

By Lara Hill / March 11, 2020

The college is currently “leaning in the direction” of providing housing refunds to Kasteel Well students planning to return home for the remainder...

How COVID-19 affects Emerson College

How COVID-19 affects Emerson College

By Andrew Brinker and Parker Purifoy / March 11, 2020

In a packed press conference Tuesday afternoon, Gov. Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency in Massachusetts and announced that cases of COVID-19,...

"As far as I can tell, students seem to be taking two main approaches to the school’s announcement of its plans for dealing with COVID-19."

Let others cope with uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 on their own terms

By Abigail Hadfield / March 11, 2020

On Tuesday, I followed along on my phone as I flew back to Boston and watched school after school announce their plans to address the COVID-19 outbreak....

Emerson's COVID-19 precautions have athletes questioning seasons' future

Emerson’s COVID-19 precautions have athletes questioning seasons’ future

By Ethan McDowell, Sports Editor / March 11, 2020

Senior women’s tennis athlete Mackenzie Swaney spent the first few matches of her final season recovering from a concussion. Two days after her first...

Freshman Santha Rowles said she is worried her production classes will lose value online.

A day filled with uncertainty finds students reacting to online classes

By Andrew Brinker, Aaron J. Miller and Tomas Gonzalez / March 10, 2020

A mix of emotions gripped students Tuesday evening after President M. Lee Pelton announced the transition of all classes to remote instruction following...

Students crossing the bustling Boylston/Tremont intersection.

College transitions classes online, dorms to remain open amid COVID-19 outbreak

By Parker Purifoy and Chris Van Buskirk / March 10, 2020

Emerson College joined on Tuesday a series of universities and colleges across the state that have transitioned classes online in response to the rapidly...

The Berkeley Beacon News Hour: Kasteel Well, Guy Fieri, Primary Race

The Berkeley Beacon News Hour: Kasteel Well, Guy Fieri, Primary Race

By Kyle Bray / March 9, 2020

On this episode of The Berkeley Beacon News Hour, an alumni host Kyle Bray filled in for Ryan Ribeiro and was joined by our new Deputy Column Editor, Katie...