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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

Emerson Los Angeles COVID-19 numbers reach new heights

Emerson Los Angeles COVID-19 numbers reach new heights

By Adri Pray / February 17, 2022

Emerson’s Los Angeles campus is recovering from the surge of COVID-19 cases it experienced at the onset of the spring semester, which eclipsed all of...

The exterior of the COVID testing site.

Emerson finished January with a 0.60 weekly percent positivity rate, lowest seen since fall 2021 semester

By Adri Pray / February 1, 2022

On Monday, Emerson reported five positive COVID-19 cases of the 689 administered over Friday and Sunday, no information was readily available for Saturday. From...

Bags of food in the Dining Center waiting to be delivered to quarantined and isolated students.

Students who test positive experience disorganized isolation periods

By Abigail Lee / January 27, 2022

With COVID-19 cases on campus reaching their highest levels since the outbreak of the pandemic, a high volume of students have been admitted into Emerson’s...

Erik Muurisepp sits at his desk on the fourth floor of the Walker Building.

‘Learning to live with the virus’: Emerson reports 31 positive COVID-19 cases Tuesday

By Adri Pray / January 21, 2022

Emerson College has reported 332 positive COVID-19 cases since the start of the spring semester—the highest numbers since the beginning of the pandemic—and...

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

Emerson surpasses 350 COVID cases nearly three weeks into semester

By Adri Pray / January 21, 2022

On Thursday, Emerson’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 12 positive tests of the 972 tests administered on Wednesday, setting the daily positivity rate at...

Emerson's testing site at Tufts Medical Center.

Emerson reports 301 positives two weeks into spring semester

By Adri Pray / January 18, 2022

In just two weeks since the onset of the spring 2022 semester, Emerson has reported a cumulative 301 positive COVID-19 cases. The college has administered...

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...

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...

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...

The exterior of the COVID testing site.

Omicron, now in Massachusetts, has global spreader potential, expert says

By Vivi Smilgius and Bailey Allen / December 9, 2021

Massachusetts reported its first case of the Omicron COVID-19 variant on Saturday, renewing concerns about the spread of the virus just days before the...

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

College shifts to pooled testing model

By Frankie Rowley / October 29, 2021

Emerson introduced a pooled testing model for all community members this week, a process administrators hope will streamline the college’s testing process.  “The...

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker

Massachusetts reports average of 1,126 coronavirus cases in last seven days

By Frankie Rowley, Deputy News Editor / August 17, 2021

Between Aug. 10 and Aug. 16, Massachusetts reported an average of 1,126 COVID-19 cases each day. In the same seven-day period, the death toll rose by 48. Cases...

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

Students required to undergo two COVID-19 tests upon move-in

By Frankie Rowley / August 10, 2021

Emerson will require two baseline COVID-19 tests for arriving students moving into on-campus housing in the fall semester, according to college officials.   The...

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker. speaking at a COVID-19 update inside the Massachusetts State House.

Massachusetts reports daily average of 447 coronavirus cases in last seven days

By Camilo Fonseca, Assistant News Editor / July 27, 2021

Between July 20 and July 26, Massachusetts reported an average of 447 COVID-19 cases each day. In the same seven-day period, the death toll rose by 26. Cases...

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker

Massachusetts reports average of 242 coronavirus cases in last eight days

By Frankie Rowley / July 19, 2021

Between July 12 and July 19, Massachusetts reported an average of 242 COVID-19 cases each day. In the same eight-day period, the death toll rose by 13. Cases...

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker

Massachusetts reports 56 new coronavirus cases

By Frankie Rowley / June 26, 2021

Massachusetts reported 56 new coronavirus cases Saturday, down from the 60 cases reported Friday. The death toll rose by 2. Cases have fallen below...

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

Emerson reports first positive COVID-19 test of summer session

By Frankie Rowley / May 27, 2021

Emerson reported one positive COVID-19 test on Thursday out of the 52 tests administered on Wednesday. Zero students were reported to be in on-campus isolation...

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker

Massachusetts reports 337 new coronavirus cases, large laboratory reporting lag

By Dana Gerber / May 14, 2021

Massachusetts reported 337 new coronavirus cases Friday, down by nearly half from the 616 new infections reported Thursday. The death toll rose by 18.  The...

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

Emerson achieves its first week with no new positives reported

By Frankie Rowley / April 26, 2021

Emerson reported no new positive COVID-19 test results last week—the first week of regular testing in which the college reported no positives across...

The new awnings installed in the 2B alley.

Emerson lifts most restrictions as COVID fears ease

Emerson will lift most of the restrictions implemented on April 7 to slow down the unprecedented spread of COVID-19 amongst the community since late March...