Amid last year’s virtual classes, the 2021 Student Government Association (SGA) election showed a 66% decrease in voter turnout compared to the year prior. While this is understandable given that we were virtual, only 20.3% of students — compared to last year’s 12% — participated in the recent SGA election even now that we’re back on campus.
Once again, all but one position of the Student Government Association (SGA) Executive Board elections are uncontested. In past years, we’ve noted that those appointed in uncontested elections often lack accountability and encouragement to undertake new initiatives. Some of last year’s uncontested candidates are running in this year’s elections.
As a result of the war and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine sparked by the Russian Federation’s military invasion of the country, over two million citizens have been displaced and tens of thousands of Ukranians are facing a lack of food, water and electricity.
It’s now March, which means it’s been just about two years since the COVID-19 pandemic permanently impacted our lives. Around this time in 2020, students were sent home from campus without a clue about when we’d ever return as fear, lockdowns and uncertainty swept across the country.
Hopkins recently released the results of its Early Decision II cycle to the high school seniors who eagerly applied. We want to extend our warmest congratulations to our new Blue Jays, the Class of 2026!
Last Friday, Blue Jays walked out of their morning classes to a 60-degree day, ready to relax and recharge in the sunshine. Alas, the weather was short-lived: Dreams of lounging on the Beach all weekend quickly came to an end as another round of snow brought us back to reality.
Students have long criticized the University’s Office of Institutional Equity (OIE). Tasked with fostering an environment free from harassment and discrimination, OIE should be a useful and effective resource for the Hopkins community. Instead, it is underfunded, understaffed and unproductive.
February is Black History Month — as students, we should take this time to celebrate the achievements and heritage of Black people at Hopkins and beyond. As residents of Baltimore, we can support local Black-owned businesses and learn about Black history and culture in the city.
Hopkins hasn’t experienced a “normal” semester since fall 2019, and we return this spring with an all-too-familiar sense of uncertainty. Once again, we spent a break sorting through seemingly contradictory messaging from administrators which often brought more confusion than peace of mind. For example, although masking and testing requirements have been increased, Hodson 110 and Gilman 50 are packed with students returning for spring classes.
We have come to the end of another semester at Hopkins. Reflecting on the past three months, we must ask ourselves: Has the University eased our transition to a “new normal?”
We have a problem with trash on campus. And the University knows this. In response to a 2018 audit of sustainability in dining facilities, the University added extra compost bins and signage on how to properly dispose of waste.
Since the onset of the pandemic, the University has continued to prioritize its own financial health over the needs of the people it exists to support.
On Monday, the University informed students of a reported intentional drugging incident at a Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity party over the weekend. The News-Letter stands in support of the victim.
If you take the University’s word for it, Hopkins is a beacon of inclusivity. Alongside stunning views of campus, pictures meant to exemplify diversity feature prominently in the University’s promotional materials. This image is too rosy. The environment surrounding disability on campus exemplifies this inconsistency.
Hopkins often feels distant from the city it calls home. Community engagement efforts are largely concentrated in the areas surrounding the Homewood and East Baltimore campuses. Firmly entrenched in the Hopkins Bubble, we rarely stray far from the University.
Last week, the family of Henrietta Lacks filed a lawsuit against biotech company Thermo Fisher Scientific. Seventy years ago, Lacks sought treatment for cervical cancer at Hopkins Hospital, where doctors harvested her cells without her knowledge. Following her death, her immortal cells, known as the HeLa cell line, would revolutionize modern medicine.
As the winter season approaches and people increasingly opt to stay indoors, flu season has made its presence known on campus. With friends, fellow students, and even professors falling ill, it seems that everyone has been feeling under the weather. In a normal year, this might not be a cause for particular alarm. In a new normal year, however, this is concerning.
This semester feels like a never-ending marathon. With midterm season upon us, students must constantly juggle exams, papers, applications and extracurriculars. To add to this stress, there are no formal breaks this semester in the 11 weeks between Labor Day and Thanksgiving.
Changes to vaccine guidelines is just one of the recent announcements increasing students’ anxieties due to the lack of communication from the University, leaving many still wanting more transparency from the Hopkins administration.
Once again, Hopkins is tied for ninth place in the U.S. News and World Report’s “Best National Universities” category. While we are grateful to attend a University that affords us so many incredible resources, one very basic resource doesn’t live up to this standard: transportation.
