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When I was applying to college, my dad told me 山外有山,天外有天 which translates to “there will always be a taller mountain, there is always something higher than the sky.” In other words, there’s always something better out there.
The recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) makes it excruciatingly clear that it’s time for us to fully recognize the existential threat of climate change — a danger of our own making, maintained through our neglect to take effective action.
I agree: We should continue badgering the administration for the construction of a new student center. But while we’re at it, let’s also address the University’s isolation-inducing housing system.
If the values of “diversity” and “community engagement” are to be more than mere slogans — and if Hopkins is serious about its expressed commitment to equality — ending its contracts with ICE is non-negotiable.
The celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day on campus makes us hope that Hopkins is becoming a more diverse and inclusive university. But we can’t expect indigenous students to carry that burden alone. We have to remember that the University must also take action.
When I was 17, I set up an ironing board on the side of Market Street in downtown San Francisco. I wore a brand new shirt with straight-out-of-the-box creases, which read: “Ask me to help you register to vote.” Panicked about the possible re-election of George W. Bush (remember him?), I had convinced four friends to spend the day with me trying to register distracted shoppers.
Yes, this is a piece by a college student lamenting the state of politics in this country. I’m not going to waste space here talking about what happened. We’re in America. Pretty much all Americans who’ve logged onto Facebook or seen a news headline know the facts, or, at least some version of the truth. Those in charge of our country these days seem to be always arguing about what actually happened in any given situation.
The mire of data related to sexual misconduct in the OIE report leaves us with many questions. Numbers are informative, but what can we do with these statistics? What can we do to address the problems they illustrate?
Baltimore is a college town, with nine universities in the city limits attracting around 55,000 students. Many of these students, particularly those at Hopkins, are reluctant to make a home in the city. They are wary of exploring its neighborhoods, rarely patronize the city’s cafes, steer clear of getting involved in local political issues and are generally comfortable living in the Hopkins bubble for four years.
As November approaches, the call to vote is heard louder and louder. There is no question as to whether you should vote, but the decision of where to register to vote may not be as clear. If you are from Maryland, the choice has been made for you. However, those of us who hail from other states have to decide between having a voice in the places where we reside for most of the year and the places that built us.
If you think you’re safe under the Trump administration, think again. Financial Times reported on Tuesday that earlier this year, immigration adviser Stephen Miller suggested to U.S. President Donald Trump that the government stop issuing visas to students with Chinese citizenship.
If this committee is given agency and information, it can be a good first step for the University in its efforts to solicit student feedback about campus security. We hope that it is a substantial body with real power and not simply a hollow gesture. It is up to the University to ensure that happens.
Recently, three women have accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault. We’ve been watching his appointment hearings with anticipation.
Students have been talking about getting a student center on campus since at least 2001, and every couple of years, there’s a renewed push to get one. We are in the middle of one of those pushes now as a confluence of University groups and reports — the Student Government Association’s Referendum, the Second Commission on Undergraduate Education (CUE2), and the Task Force on Student Mental Health and Well-being Final Report — have called for the construction of a student center.
In an email to students last Thursday, new Vice President for Security Melissa Hyatt welcomed student feedback on Hopkins security. She included a new email address and announced the creation of a new Student Advisory Committee for Security, whose role is to “address a variety of subjects” and “provide diverse perspectives” pertaining to security at Hopkins. The Committee is actively seeking applications.
This year, I’ve gotten better at taking care of myself. For me, a lot of this means allowing myself to slow down. I set aside time to cook. I eat healthier and take my time at meals. I go to the gym. I sleep a lot more and avoid staying at Brody past midnight.
To some of us, voting for student government may seem unimportant. But the stakes are higher than we think. Our engagement on campus translates into engagement in the broader world.
The humanities at Hopkins are undervalued. It’s as simple as that. I know it, you know it and University President Ronald J. Daniels knows it.
About two years ago, former San Francisco 49ers player Colin Kaepernick sparked controversy when he knelt during the national anthem to protest systemic racism in the U.S.
