College will hold a virtual commencement for 2021 graduates
The College announced Monday that it will hold a virtual commencement ceremony for graduates of the class of 2021 on May 23 at 10:30 a.m. EST. In an email sent to graduating students and their families, Vice President for Student Life and Dean of Students Marcella Runell Hall wrote, “It is with great regret that we announce that no family, friends or other guests will be able to participate in any campus celebrations in advance of the virtual ceremony.”
Photo Essay: Gorse Closure Protests
“I don’t want people to have to fight for a while,” said Michael Eason, a parent of a Gorse student. After Mount Holyoke extended Gorse Children’s Center’s contract by one year, Eason attended a demonstration at the College gates, calling for a long-term plan for childcare beyond the one-year timeline.
Trump Says He Will Continue Campaigning Despite COVID-19 Infection
President Donald Trump announced that both he and the first lady had tested positive for COVID-19 just before 1 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 2. During a news conference the next day, however, White House Physician Dr. Sean Conley said that Trump had tested positive “72 hours ago,” which would have placed the positive test on Sept. 30 — 36 hours before the public was informed. The White House has yet to disclose when Trump last tested negative for COVID-19, drawing speculation from politicians, contact tracers and journalists about when and how the president contracted the virus.
College reverses fall 2020 reopening plan
On Friday, Aug. 7, College President Sonya Stephens announced the reversal of Mount Holyoke’s original residential reopening plan. Following similar announcements by Smith College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst earlier in the week, Mount Holyoke became the third of the Five Colleges to disinvite students from living on campus for the upcoming semester.
International Students Are “Angry, Upset and Tired” Regarding Revised Financial Aid Packages, Academic Plan
Many rising juniors and seniors — as well as international students living domestically — were unsure if their requests to live on campus during the fall semester would be approved. For international students living outside of the U.S., returning to campus for the fall semester was never an option, as consulates remain closed in other countries.
Entering college in the age of remote learning: how the coronavirus pandemic has affected admitted and prospective students
National College Decision Day is May 1 — an occasion which usually marks the deadline for incoming first-year students to commit to a college or university. This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, over 400 colleges nationwide extended this deadline, including the Universities of Massachusetts Lowell and Boston.
Proposed four-course module system sparks mixed reactions from faculty and students
Administration and faculty present “module-style” learning proposal for fall 2020
After weeks of planning, consulting and researching options, college administrators have put forward a proposal for fall semester contingency planning to faculty and small student focus groups. Following a virtual town hall in which administrators presented the College’s proposal on Thursday, April 30, multiple professors confirmed that a module plan was in the works.
