In an email to the Hopkins community on May 11, University President Ronald J. Daniels announced the launch of the Vivien Thomas Scholars Initiative, a $150 million initiative devoted to expanding and diversifying Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) PhD programs. A gift from Hopkins alum Michael Bloomberg provided funding for this initiative.
The University announced on May 14 that billionaire, philanthropist and former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will give the commencement speech for the Class of 2021 on May 27. This year will be Bloomberg’s third time as the commencement speaker.
The Coalition Against Policing by Hopkins (CAPH) organized a walkout against the University’s proposed private police force on May 3. In 2019, The Maryland General Assembly passed a bill allowing its creation, which Governor Larry Hogan subsequently signed into law. Student opposition culminated in a month-long occupation of Garland Hall, which ultimately ended in the arrest of seven students.
The University announced that it will adopt a $15 minimum wage, effective July 1, 2021 for the University and January 1, 2022 for the Hopkins Health System, with the timing for some health system workers dependent on the schedule of collective bargaining agreements, in an email to Hopkins affiliates on May 6.
In an email to the student body on May 7, University officials announced that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) concluded its investigation into the noose found in the Stieff Silver building on July 2.
University leaders announced the creation of the Diverse Names and Narratives Project in an email to the student body on April 30. The task force aims to uplift the work of underrepresented individuals by making recommendations for renaming Charles Commons, the Undergraduate Teaching Labs and the Hopkins Outpatient Center buildings. The project is part of the University’s efforts to improve diversity and inclusion on campus.
In an interview with The News-Letter on April 28, University President Ronald J. Daniels discussed the University's plans to vaccinate its constituents, the Innovation Fund for Community Safety, efforts to increase sustainability at the University and the announcement that the Class of 2026 will not be able to choose their own roommates.
The 2020-21 academic year posed unprecedented challenges for students and faculty alike. During the fall semester, all classes and events were completely remote, and, while some students returned to campus in the spring, the majority of classes and activities remained online.
The Mattin Center will soon be leveled to make room for the construction of the new student center, which is scheduled to open in fall 2024. Designed by Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects, the same firm designing the Barack Obama Presidential Center, the four buildings that make up Mattin have served the arts community on the Homewood Campus since 2001.
The Office of Diversity and Inclusion hosted “Addressing Hate During COVID-19” on April 23 to discuss nationwide calls for racial justice. The event was sparked by the conviction of Derek Chauvin, the Minneapolis police officer charged with the murder of George Floyd last summer, and followed the fatal shooting of Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, in Brooklyn Center, Minn., on April 11.
The Student Government Association (SGA) and Sexual Assault Resource Unit (SARU) hosted their annual Sex Week last week, a series of events aimed at promoting safe and healthy relationships among the student body. The events were held in collaboration with the Center for Health Education and Well-Being.
Starting April 10, the University has offered Blue Jay Shuttle rides between Homewood Campus and the COVID-19 mass vaccination site at the M&T Bank Stadium. Rides are booked through the TransLoc app, with shuttles departing daily from the Milton S. Eisenhower Library between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
The new Student Government Association (SGA) administration held its first weekly meeting on Tuesday, April 27 to discuss standard SGA procedures and its organizational structure.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced Wednesday that masks are no longer required in most outdoor settings, effective immediately.
The annual Out of the Darkness Walk, hosted by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), took place virtually from April 24 to 25. It was Hopkins’s ninth year participating in the walk.
Spring Fair 2021, which included virtual, hybrid and in-person events, was held Friday, April 23 through Sunday, April 25. In addition to pandemic-related changes, University administrators, rather than students, planned Spring Fair this year. They organized the weekend with input from the student body via groups such as the Hopkins Organization for Programming (HOP) and Hoptoberfest.
The University announced the creation of the Ralph S. O’Connor Sustainable Energy Institute (ROSEI) on April 22 to commemorate Earth Day. ROSEI is meant to serve as the University’s center for research and education focused on creating clean, renewable and sustainable energy technologies.
“The message I took from this whole process was this: They know he’s guilty, but they’re letting him off the hook because they don’t want to ruin his life. What about the fact that he almost ruined mine?”
The Foreign Affairs Symposium (FAS) hosted activist, academic and author Angela Davis to discuss racism and policing on April 22.
The Hopkins Student Organization for Programming (HOP), a student-run social programming group that contributed to Spring Fair planning this year, released an online matchmaking survey on Monday, April 19 via an Instagram post.
