Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
April 27, 2025
April 27, 2025 | Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896

News & Features




FILE PHOTO

Garland Hall currently houses administrative offices, like those of the President and the Provost.

Garland will not house student services this year

Many students have observed that Garland Hall has been quiet this semester. Given the Sit-In protests that culminated in the arrests of three community members and four students on May 8, the apparent calm has raised questions from students about the future of the sit-in, as well as Garland Hall and the student services it formerly housed.



The Student Government Association held a referendum covering a varied range of topics

Will the referendum enhance SGA’s effectiveness?

The 2018-19 Student Government Association (SGA) referendum, with 2,738 total voters on eight key issues, reached more students than any SGA ballot since 2012, according to AJ Tsang, who served as the group’s executive president last spring. The referendum is intended to expand SGA’s influence over the University’s decisions.


COURTESY OF ERNIE LAROSSA & ERIN YUN
From left to right, University administrators Baker, Shollenberger and Shanahan share visions for the future.

University endeavors to improve student wellness

This summer, the University made leadership changes intended to improve student well-being. Alanna Shanahan became vice provost for student affairs on August 12, succeeding Kevin Shollenberger, now the University’s first vice provost for student health and well-being. Formerly senior associate director of athletics, Jennifer Baker was promoted to Shanahan’s previous role as director of athletics and recreation.


COURTESY OF LAURA WADSTEN

The University summoned police early Wednesday morning to break up the month long sit-in at Garland Hall. Officers arrested four students and three community members.

Baltimore police arrest students at Garland Hall

Baltimore Police officers arrested seven people — including four students — who were part of a month-long sit-in at Garland Hall on Wednesday morning. Students and community members have been holding a sit-in at Garland Hall to protest the creation of a private police force and the University’s contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement since April 3. 


FILE PHOTO

Students and community members began the sit-in at Garland Hall on April 3.

University leadership condemns escalation of Garland sit-in

Vice President for Student Affairs Kevin Shollenberger and Vice President for Human Resources Heidi Conway sent a University-wide email addressing the eight student protesters who chained themselves to stairwells in Garland Hall at around 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 2. 


MARYLAND GOVPICS
Mayor Catherine Pugh stepped down amid scandal over sales of her children’s book series.

Mayor Catherine Pugh resigns amid corruption investigation

Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh resigned on Thursday, May 2 in light of controversy over sales of her children’s book series, becoming the second Baltimore mayor this decade to step down amid a criminal investigation. She apologized for the damage she has done to the legitimacy of her office and the face of the city in a statement her attorney Steven Silverman delivered at a news conference.



What is the past, present and future of Sharia law?

Sharia is a term that often evokes confusion, debate or even outright fear.  “Sharia Today,” Rumee Ahmed, an associate professor of Islamic Law at the University of British Columbia, led a discussion called “Sharia Today,” on Thursday, April 25. It was an event that sought to promote dialogue on the nature of Sharia in the modern era.



 COURTESY OF RUDY MALCOM
The Student Government Association invited Peter Franchot to campus

State Comptroller Franchot talks private police force at roundtable discussion

The Student Government Association (SGA) hosted a policy roundtable with State Comptroller Peter Franchot, who serves as Maryland’s chief financial officer, at Shriver Hall on Wednesday. At the event, Hopkins students from groups including the Black Student Union (BSU); Multicultural Leadership Council (MLC); and SGA’s Policy, Research and Development Commission (PRDC) shared their perspectives on sexual violence, gun violence and mental health on campus and in the Baltimore community. 


COURTESY OF MORGAN OME
A bust of Woodrow Wilson sits in Mason Hall.

Should the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship be renamed?

Two and a half years ago, Nathan Connolly, a professor in the History Department, submitted a motion calling on Hopkins administrators to rename the Woodrow Wilson Fellowship in light of the former U.S. president’s racist legacy. Connolly — along with the Homewood Faculty Assembly, which voted to support his motion — is still waiting for an answer.


Prof. discusses black queer feminist intersectionality

Omise’eke Tinsley, an associate professor of African and African Diaspora Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, discussed pop culture icons and black femme futures at an event titled, “PYNK: Black Femme in Slavery’s Archive,” this Wednesday in Gilman 388. The presentation was the closing event of the Sex and Slavery Lab at Hopkins.


SGA creates measures for regulating private police

The Student Government Association (SGA) held their final meeting of the 2018-19 academic year on Tuesday in Charles Commons. At the meeting, SGA members passed a resolution calling on the University to provide proof of community support and to hold two public forums before implementing a private police force. 


FILE PHOTO

Spring Fair 2019 overcomes budget constraints

Homewood Campus held its annual Spring Fair this weekend. The event was open to the entire Baltimore community. It kicked off the evening of Thursday, April 25 with fireworks and included a concert headlined by electronic dance music group Cash Cash, other musical performances, vendors, dances, games and a beer garden.



Hopkins community reflects on Mayor Pugh scandals

Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents raided Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh’s house and offices at City Hall on Thursday. Maryland Governor Larry Hogan called on her to resign in a public statement hours later, following the lead of the City Council and the Greater Baltimore Committee (GBC), a regional organization comprised of University President Ronald J. Daniels and other business and civic leaders.


Hopkins helps cities use data to run efficiently

The University announced plans to launch a new initiative, entitled Centers for Civic Impact, that aims to help public sector organizations streamline their operations, in an e-mail to the Hopkins community on Monday. 


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