Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
April 19, 2024

Editorial



To fight ableism, hold yourself and the University accountable

Most of us at Hopkins are privileged in not having to think about disability accommodations, or even think about the challenges our peers with disabilities face. As the University moves forward with its initiatives, it’s time we change that. If we’re to successfully undo ableism at Hopkins, staying ignorant and passive is not an option. 



COURTESY OF MORGAN OME

The Office of Institutional Equity’s failed promises

At the start of the semester, The News-Letter set to work on an in-depth feature about the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) and its handling of sexual assault and harassment cases. Over the past several months, eight survivors came forward to share their stories with our reporter. We  would like to recognize those eight individuals who bravely shared their stories with The News-Letter.



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Our SGA needs real influence over University decisions

But when the University makes a decision — whether it is about covered grades, fossil fuel divestment or private police — it does not have to act on SGA input, let alone consult the SGA at all. The New Horizons ticket acknowledges this problem and their solution is to generate grassroots support among students and faculty. However, we urge them and the rest of us to think broader. If we want students to have a voice in what our University does, the current system must change.


What the University can learn from the private police bill debacle

Last Friday, Maryland state legislators announced that they are withdrawing their support for the bill that would have allowed the University to create a private police force. This announcement came as a victory for the many student and community organizers who have been working tirelessly over the past couple of weeks to defeat the bill. 


Provide students with disabilities the resources they need

The student group Advocates for Disability Awareness (ADA) released a series of demands on Monday calling for the University to address a series of deficiencies in the way Hopkins currently accommodates students with disabilities. These demands, which are addressed to senior administrators, including President Ronald J. Daniels, were made in the wake of the dismissal of Dr. Brent Mosser. Mosser was the former director of academic support and disability services and served as an important advocate for students with disabilities on campus.


Working as an RA should not reduce one’s financial aid package

Residential Advisors (RAs) are some of the first people we meet upon arriving at Hopkins. They shape our first year experience and ease us through the transition from high school to college. The responsibilities of an RA go beyond just the hours they spend on duty. The job is vital to the emotional wellbeing of students and the position can often be emotionally, physically and psychologically taxing on RAs themselves.



We cannot take local journalism for granted

At a time when local publications across the nation are facing increasing financial pressures, it’s more important than ever to pay attention to these local outlets. We are in a city that is grappling with how it is telling its own story. 




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PILOT’s budgeting crisis should have been avoided

The Peer-led Team Learning Program (PILOT) is one of University’s most successful initiatives for fostering academic collaboration and creative learning. PILOT has become an important institution particularly for students in introductory math, science and engineering courses in which large class sizes can hinder our ability to learn. 


When will Shriver Hall reopen?

Last spring, the University announced that Shriver Hall would be closed during the fall semester of 2017 to address safety concerns from old lighting and wiring systems. This construction was originally expected to be finished by the beginning of this semester.




Editorial: What we talked about this week

In this week’s editorials, we would like to highlight two stories that we believe are not discussed on our campus as much as they should be. Both stories are grounded in historically rooted problems that carry very real implications today. Even though these stories may not always be in the headlines that we read, we hope that we can — at the very least — be aware of them and perhaps, do something about them.  —The Editorial Board


Editorial: Continue investing in the humanities

Renowned investor Bill Miller recently donated $75 million to the University’s Department of Philosophy. Not only is this donation the largest gift to any Hopkins humanities department, but it is also the largest donation to any philosophy department in the country.



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