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April 28, 2025 April 28, 2025 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

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COURTESY OF LEELA GEBO  Students living in Baltimore weigh and mitigate the risk of travel to see their families for Thanksgiving.  

Students navigate Thanksgiving amid a pandemic

By ELIZABETH RAPHAEL | November 22, 2020

As COVID-19 cases spike across the country, Hopkins students must strike a balance between adhering to safety precautions and spending time with loved ones. Students who have spent the semester in off-campus housing in Baltimore are coming up with ways to celebrate Thanksgiving safely. 

COURTESY OF MICHELLE LIMPE With Thanksgiving approaching, Hogan has enforced stricter measures to mitigate the spike in COVID-19 cases. 

Governor Hogan tightens restrictions as COVID-19 cases reach record highs

By MICHELLE LIMPE | November 19, 2020

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan issued an executive order to tighten COVID-19 restrictions on Nov. 17, which will go into effect on Friday, Nov. 20 at 5 p.m., in response to the rising number of cases and deaths related to the pandemic. The Maryland Department of Health also declared an emergency order to prevent outbreaks at hospitals and nursing homes. 

COURTESY OF MICHELLE LIMPE While many students have expressed concerns about the University’s plans for re-opening, they do appreciate the University’s efforts to be more transparent.

University leaders address concerns about spring semester

By MICHELLE LIMPE | November 14, 2020

University leaders hosted town halls on Nov. 4 and Nov. 9 to discuss plans for the spring semester. Vice Provost and Chief Risk and Compliance Officer Jon Links emphasized that everything that the University has shared regarding the spring is tentative, just as it was for the fall, before the University decided to move everything completely online.  

COURTESY OF CINDY CHO Jordan Klepper discussed how politics has shaped comedy in the past few years. 

The Daily Show's Jordan Klepper closes out MSE Symposium

By GRETA MARAS | November 13, 2020

The Milton S. Eisenhower (MSE) Symposium hosted comedian Jordan Klepper for its fourth and final event of the semester. Klepper is a stand-up comedian, currently known as The Daily Show correspondent who attends President Donald Trump’s rallies for his “Jordan Klepper Fingers the Pulse” segment.

COURTESY OF BJARKE INGELS GROUP The University predicts that the student center will be finished by fall 2024.

Hopkins selects design concept for future student center

By CLAIRE GOUDREAU | November 9, 2020

The University released the final designs for the student center on Nov. 2. The facility is scheduled to open in fall 2024 and will serve as a non-academic space for students and student organizations, featuring auditoriums, digital labs, dining options and areas for relaxation. 

ADAM SCHULTZ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 Harris makes history as the first woman of color elected to be vice president.

Students react to Biden-Harris victory

By MOLLY GAHAGEN | November 8, 2020

Former Vice President Joe Biden was elected as the nation’s 46th president on Saturday after a long period of waiting for votes to be counted in several key states. The race culminated after Pennsylvania, with 20 electoral votes, was called for Biden. 

COURTESY OF CHRIS H. PARK Universities can still ask for disciplinary history from applicants, though the Common App removed the question.

Common App removed the disciplinary history question, but will Hopkins?

By CHRIS H. PARK | November 7, 2020

The Common Application (Common App), the most widely used tool used to submit college applications, announced last month that it will no longer ask applicants about their high school disciplinary history beginning during next year’s application cycle. Students applying to universities through Common App have had to answer such questions since 2006.  

COURTESY OF CHRIS H. PARK Hopkins is building a temporary structure in anticipation of increased demand for outdoor spaces in the spring.

Large social distancing tent to be pitched in Freshman Quad

By GRETA MARAS and CHRIS H. PARK | November 7, 2020

Earlier this week, a wheel dozer and a metal wire mesh fence along with several portable toilets appeared on the Freshman Quad, the patch of grass in front of the Alumni Memorial Residence dorm buildings. Here the University is building a temporary 9,000-square-foot structure — essentially, a large party tent used for outdoor weddings — to prepare for the hybrid reopening in the spring semester.

KORITSI-ISCHYS / CC-BY-SA-4.0 Brandon Scott pledges “A New Way Forward” for Baltimore City.

Brandon Scott wins Baltimore mayoral election

By MICHELLE LIMPE | November 5, 2020

Democrat Brandon Scott, president of the Baltimore City Council, was elected to be the city’s 52nd mayor on Nov. 3. Succeeding Bernard C. “Jack” Young, Scott, at age 36, will become Baltimore’s youngest mayor. He will be officially sworn into office on Dec. 20. 

COURTESY OF CHRIS H. PARK It could take days for the result of the presidential election to be called.

Students anxiously await decisive election results

By LEELA GEBO | November 4, 2020

“I didn’t choose to go vote at home in Pennsylvania. I requested my absentee ballot in August and wanted to vote early and get it out of the way without having to go home... About two weeks ago, though, I got an email that said my ballot was considered undeliverable by the USPS.” 

LAKSHAY SOOD / LAYOUT EDITOR Because of historically low student voter turnout rates, the University will provide transportation for in-person voting.

Hopkins makes class on Election Day optional to boost student voting rates

By MIN-SEO KIM | November 2, 2020

To better accommodate students who will be voting in-person on Election Day, University President Ronald J. Daniels announced that no student will be required to attend live classes on Nov. 3 in a University-wide email on Oct. 19. Faculty have been asked to make recordings of their lectures for students who are unable to attend class. 

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