The University will no longer allow first-year students to choose their own roommates beginning with the class of 2026. Hopkins will follow peer institutions like Duke University, Vanderbilt University and Stanford University in transitioning to a university-determined roommate assignment process.
Hopkins suspended employer retirement contributions a year ago as part of its austerity measures to offset financial challenges due to COVID-19. On April 2, the University announced the full restoration of these benefits, as well as $10 million in research funding for faculty and $5 million for PhD students.
Construction is currently underway at a new branch of Busboys and Poets in Charles Village, as the chain restaurant-and-bookstore from D.C. expands into Baltimore.
The Foreign Affairs Symposium (FAS) held an event titled “The Global Response to the Uyghur Crisis” on Tuesday, April 6. The evening’s panel, part of the symposium’s “Where Do We Go From Here?” speaker series, featured Nury Turkel, board chairman for the Uyghur Human Rights Project; Rushan Abbas, executive director of Campaign for Uyghurs; and Louisa Greve, director of global advocacy for the Uyghur Human Rights Project.
In response to the pandemic, the University altered its spring break schedule to minimize traveling off campus. Instead of granting students an entire week off, the University scheduled five days without classes interspersed throughout the semester. So far, students have had two of their five spring break days and, although they have found ways to enjoy their days off, the move has raised concerns about mental health.
The Student Government Association (SGA) reflected on the past year and passed two funding bills at its weekly meeting on Tuesday, April 6.
End Medical Debt Maryland held a rally at the Hopkins Hospital Billings building on April 3 to protest against the practice of suing patients over medical debt. End Medical Debt Maryland is a coalition of 58 organizations that are advocating for the Medical Debt Protection Act to be passed at the Maryland General Assembly this spring.
Hopkins announced plans on Friday to largely return to normal this fall. Most classes will be held in person, and COVID-19 vaccines will be required for students. On-campus housing will be open at near-full capacity, and residency requirements will be reinstated for freshmen and sophomores. Administrators will determine face covering requirements based on public health conditions closer to the fall.
A Place to Talk (APTT), a peer listening group, held its first in-person session since the beginning of the pandemic on April 4. The club will host in-person listening hours every Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. in addition to typical virtual hours on Mondays through Thursdays from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Maryland Governor Larry Hogan announced on Monday that all residents 16 and older are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at mass vaccination sites, effective April 6.
University officials announced last week that Commencement will be held in person on the Homewood Field on May 27. This comes after an announcement last month, stating that the Commencement Office was tentatively planning for a fully virtual event.
In two months, a new grocery store will open at the now-vacant building that Eddie’s Market occupied for nearly six decades before closing last December. MCB Real Estate and WorkShop Development, both Baltimore-based real estate firms, announced plans to bring a branch of Streets Market, a Washington, D.C.-based grocer, to Charles Village last month.
The University increased undergraduate gathering limits to 10 people indoors and 25 people outdoors, effective on March 31. Previously, these numbers were capped at five people indoors and 10 people for outdoor meetings.
The Committee on Student Elections (CSE) announced the results of the 2021-22 Student Government Association (SGA) executive board and class council elections on March 29. Three out of four members of the SMART ticket and one independent candidate won seats in the executive board elections, in which only one position was contested.
In 2018, sophomore Shanthi Ramakrishna founded Taara Projects, a fashion social enterprise with eco-friendly handmade products. She and her team are set to launch their first line of pants in April 2021.
A panelist of professors and students held a roundtable discussion on violence against Asian Americans titled “Anti-Asian Violence and Anti-Racist Coalition Building” on March 25. The event was sparked by a gunman opening fire at three Asian American-owned spas and murdering eight people, six of whom were Asian women on March 15.
The University’s current freshman class is the most diverse class in University history, with 14% of students identifying as African American or Black and 17% identifying as Hispanic or Latinx. However, many students, such as junior Laura Rodriguez, have expressed that they still do not feel welcome at Hopkins. Rodriguez explained that life for Black and Latinx students is inherently different.
In an email to the student body on Thursday, Vice Provost for Research Denis Wirtz announced that current density restrictions in laboratories will be relaxed starting on April 1. According to his email, lab spaces will now operate under the same capacity limits as classrooms.
The Committee on Student Elections (CSE) hosted the debate for the Student Government Association (SGA) Executive Board elections on Thursday. The four candidates on the SMART ticket and one independent candidate, Karen He, answered questions submitted by students and attendees. According to CSE Chair Ananta Srivastava, around 17 students not part of SGA attended the debate.
The Student Government Association (SGA) discussed a resolution to provide more funding to the PILOT program during its weekly meeting on Tuesday, March 23.
