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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

A sanitation worker cleaning a room.

Maintenance staff risk safety to protect community

By Ann E. Matica / April 8, 2021

When maintenance worker Ramiro Soto returns home after a long day of cleaning Emerson buildings, he disinfects his backpack, jumps in the shower, and places...

Chair of the Performing Arts Department Bob Colby, who died April 5, 2021

Late performing arts chair leaves behind legacy of empathy

By Camilo Fonseca / April 8, 2021

After 44 years at Emerson, students and colleagues fondly recalled Robert Colby as a committed theatre practitioner, a trusted mentor, and by many, a valued...

Marlboro Institute for Liberal Arts and Interdisciplinary Studies.

New Interdisciplinary Studies major to replace IDIP

By Alec Klusza / April 8, 2021

The newly created Interdisciplinary Studies major is set to supplant the Individually Designed Interdisciplinary Program in the Marlboro Institute beginning...

Kappa Gamma Chi spring 2021 new member education class.

Emerson fraternities and sororities pledge institutional reimagining

By Frankie Rowley / April 8, 2021

Emerson’s Fraternity and Sorority Life organizations are facing an internal reckoning as they seek to “reimagine” themselves to make recruitment...

AMC Theater by the Common.

Movies don’t need to be a cinematic masterpiece to be worthwhile

By Lucia Thorne / April 8, 2021

As we all start slowly returning to sitting in front of the big screen, a once-wide selection of movie showings is lacking as a result of the pandemic....

Baseball is one of the four spring sports affected by the cancellation.

Emerson cancels all athletics for a week as positive COVID-19 tests rise on campus

By Christopher Williams / April 8, 2021

All athletics games and practices are canceled for at least the next week, as Emerson imposes new restrictions to limit the number of positive COVID-19...

Fans sat in pods of two or four for the game.

Column: It was great to be back in Fenway Park

By Tyler Foy / April 7, 2021

Before Saturday, “Play Ball!” was an expression I hadn’t heard in Fenway Park since game two of the 2018 World Series. My return to Fenway Park on...

The Office of Financial Aid in the Union Bank Building.

Some students turn to crowdfunding to pay for Emerson education

By Luna Theus / April 7, 2021

With a yearly price tag of $50,240 for tuition and fees, $69,712 for in-state students living on campus, and an average financial aid package of $17,000,...

Ríos and his stuffed penguin Melvin in quarantine.

Student-athlete in quarantine day four: the day I thought I lost my sense of smell

By José Ríos / April 7, 2021

Tuesday was day four of my isolation, or, as I like to call it, just a full week before I am scheduled to leave Paramount. I was sent to Paramount for...

An ECPD patrol vehicle.

ECPD faces backlash for social media posts on autism

By Dana Gerber / April 7, 2021

Content Warning: This article discusses harmful and ableist stereotypes against autistic people, violence against autistic people and disabled people,...

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker

Massachusetts reports 2,292 new coronavirus cases, surpasses 17,000 coronavirus deaths

By Frankie Rowley / April 7, 2021

Massachusetts reported 2,292 new coronavirus cases Wednesday, a significant rise from the 1,566 new infections reported Tuesday. The death toll rose by...

It’s one thing to engage in fearmongering by spreading conspiracy theories on a Facebook message board, and another to give them more coverage on prominent news platforms.

Fear-mongering in the media has spiraled out of control

By Shannon Garrido / April 7, 2021

On March 25, NPR published “Few Facts, Millions Of Clicks: Fear Mongering Vaccine Stories Go Viral Online.” In the story, NPR analysts point out that...

Meal bags being taken to quarantined and isolated students in the Paramount residence hall.

Positive COVID-19 tests and tightened restrictions rock campus life

Emerson canceled all in-person student activities beginning at 5 p.m. for at least the next seven days on Wednesday, the result of an unprecedented spike...

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

Emerson reports 5 new positives, 7-day total up to 31

By Frankie Rowley / April 6, 2021

Positive COVID-19 tests at Emerson continued to surge Tuesday, after the college reported five new positives from testing conducted on Monday — bringing...

8 ways to enjoy Boston’s spring season safe from COVID-19

8 ways to enjoy Boston’s spring season safe from COVID-19

By Karissa Schaefer / April 5, 2021

Although spring in New England is typically a long, dreadful month with no break, the warm weather springing up in Boston over the past few weeks allowed...

About 70 staff union members lined the hallway elbow-to-elbow on the lower level of the Max Mutchnick Campus Center while college administrators entered room L-151 for a contract negotiation with the union’s bargaining committee in April. Chris Van Buskirk / Beacon Archive.

No benefit restoration in sight despite strong financial outlook

By Dana Gerber / April 5, 2021

Emerson’s financial state remains stable as the end of the 2021 fiscal year draws near, but college officials remain uncertain when they can reinstitute...