Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
April 20, 2024

Editorial



Is democracy alive and well? Vote around and find out

Being politically active doesn’t seem as meaningful as it used to. For those of us who were excited to finally turn 18 and bubble in a ballot, voting may now feel more symbolic of our civic power than actually capable of enacting change. If you feel disillusioned with the political sphere, we’re in the same boat.


Blue Jays, don’t get the LinkedIn blues

If you have scrolled through LinkedIn recently, chances are your feed has been filled with posts from fellow students reflecting on their summer 2023 internships, announcing summer 2024 internships or showing off full-time job offers alongside the logos of Fortune 500 companies. 


Can our small wins be stepping stones to real change?

As freshmen are adjusting to campus, so are we. For returning students, this isn’t the Hopkins we’ve always known (though that’s not necessarily a bad thing). With new physical changes and new policy changes, our ever-evolving campus looks a bit different this semester. 


Looking back as we move forward

As the semester draws to a close, students are itching to start their summer plans and move on from the school year. However, before we begin our vacations, we should take the time to look back on the past year and reflect on all that has happened on campus. 


STEVEN SIMPSON / PHOTO EDITOR
The Editorial Board evaluates the University’s successes and shortcomings in meeting the goals outlined in the Ten by Twenty plan.

Buzzwords are just white noise

The University released the Ten for One draft, a document detailing 10 goals that Hopkins seeks to achieve by the end of 2030, on April 14. The Ten for One framework follows Ten by Twenty, the 2013 framework which outlined priorities to guide the University through 2020. The University has checked in on these goals through three progress reports and a final report card in 2020. 


Here’s a tip: Tip your service workers

Have you ever checked out at Brody Cafe and, with a long line snaking behind you, been presented with an iPad asking: “Add a tip?” As the tip options appear before us and we’re forced to make a decision in a few seconds, the pressure to get out of line quickly creeps in. 


ABIGAIL TUSCHMAN / OPINIONS EDITOR
The Editorial Board encourages students and faculty to join forces and pool their resources to achieve their shared goals while they lack formal representation.

We’re not all in this together, but we should be.

Last Wednesday, Teachers and Researchers United (TRU-UE) held a discussion panel on potential alternatives to the Johns Hopkins Police Department (JHPD). While this event was organized by the Hopkins graduate student union, faculty members also participated and expressed support for increased community dialogue surrounding the JHPD. 


We have a major problem: The humanities matter, too

Now that we are in the final stretch of the school year, freshmen are declaring their majors and considering their academic and career paths. In just a couple weeks, University offices will host workshops for freshmen to learn more about their declared majors and departments. 


Our 2023–2024 SGA Exec. Board endorsements: Time to rebuild

With another spring semester, the next Student Government Association (SGA) Executive Board election is upon us. This year, most positions are not uncontested, which is a welcome improvement from years prior. We hope that the increased number of candidates marks the start of SGA building itself back up.




FIBONACCI BLUE / CC BY 2.0
After a record-breaking number of shootings in January, the Editorial Board calls for a renewed fight for gun control.

Gun violence is a life-or-death issue. We need to act like it.

As soon as the holiday season came to a close, the grim reality of gun violence in America once again reared its head. We didn’t even have time to take down our Christmas trees before headlines were filled with tragedy after tragedy — this past January was the worst January on record for mass shootings, both in terms of frequency and the number of casualties. 



SHOURYA ARASHANAPALLI / DESIGN STAFF

TRU-UE is finally in the game. Will Hopkins play fair?

Teachers and Researchers United (TRU) — affiliated with United Electrical Radio, and Machine Workers (UE) — has achieved a historic milestone. Last week, after more than four years of organizing, Hopkins graduate students voted to unionize with a resounding 97% majority.


Be gone, bot: Don’t use AI to cheat your way through college.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing higher education, but as we integrate ChatGPT, a language model created by OpenAI, into our classrooms, we must also consider the ethical implications. Privacy, accountability, and the student-teacher dynamic are all at stake. It's crucial that we take responsibility for ensuring the responsible use of this powerful technology, before it's too late.


JOHN D’CRUZ / GRAPHICS EDITOR

Don’t let the winter blues get you down.

This week kicked off the start of the spring semester. Though we have new classes and new professors, it’s difficult to feel excited with Baltimore’s cold and gray winter weather hanging over campus. Our surroundings may be bleak, but it doesn’t mean our days should be, too.


SHOURYA ARASHANAPALLI / DESIGN STAFF

Get through finals, then get involved

We have come to the end of another semester at Hopkins. Fall 2022 was challenging, rewarding and in many ways the first “normal” semester since the University suspended in-person instruction in March 2020.


Hopkins, put your money where your mouth is and divest.

If you didn’t know the United Nations’ Convention on Climate Change was happening last month, we don’t blame you. Representatives from almost 200 countries attended the summit, known as COP27, to advance global climate action. Despite its importance, conversations on campus about the conference were slim to none.


The News-Letter is taking a break. You should, too.

This week, our cozy Monday night staff meeting in the Gatehouse looked a little different. While it is usually a time for everyone to catch up and converse on the couches, crowded around the space heater, we instead found ourselves speaking primarily to a Zoom audience with only a few in-person attendees. 


Podcast
Multimedia
Alumni Weekend 2024
Leisure Interactive Food Map
The News-Letter Print Locations
News-Letter Special Editions