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After a year and a half of logging onto Zoom meetings, most of us had our first in-person class last week. With students lounging on the Beach, studying at Brody and indulging in the grilled cheese at the FFC, it’s clear: we have achieved some sense of pre-Pandemic normalcy.
It truly was another unprecedented summer. As vaccines became more readily available and COVID-19 cases in Baltimore declined this past June, Hopkins relaxed its indoor mask mandate and weekly testing policies. Many students felt optimistic that the fall would represent as close a return to normal as possible.
During my time as a graduate student in the Engineering for Professionals (EP) program, I’ve had nine Hopkins professors. Only two have provided the disability accommodations the University promised. The kinder ones treat accommodations like a courtesy they’re free to ignore.
The Biden administration has taken the initiative to roll back cruel Trump-era policies, expedite the processing of migrants and make material conditions of the undocumented population more bearable. Nonetheless, the overwhelming approach laid out by the White House still endorses law and order deterrence: The proposed budget for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has increased for the fiscal year 2022 and a strategy to discourage immigration from the source is being pursued.
The U.S Supreme Court recently decided to hear and review its first case on an individual’s right to bear arms since 2010. The litigation challenges a New York state law that requires residents to prove “proper cause” in order to obtain a pistol or a concealed carry permit.
Article One of the U.S. Constitution establishes the House of Representatives and the Senate. The House is based on population size while the Senate ensures equal representation for each state. The hierarchy is said to have been designed to “cool House legislation just as a saucer was used to cool hot tea.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced new recommendations for the use of masks and other precautions in regard to vaccinated people on Tuesday, April 27. The new guidelines suggest that fully vaccinated individuals can safely choose to not wear a mask or socially distance when outdoors, as long as they are not in crowded areas.
As we emerge from the isolated gloom of winter into the bright spring days, there is hope in the air. The weather is finally warm, trees are blooming and the COVID-19 vaccine is available to everyone 16 and over. The February cluster of student cases is a distant memory, and it’s finally time to hug our friends again.
Under the pseudonym Zhang, a master’s student at Hopkins recounted the mishandling of her sexual assault case by the Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) to The News-Letter. Unfortunately, OIE has failed yet another complainant in its Title IX procedures.
When I committed to Hopkins, countless people from my high school asked if I wanted to become a doctor. While a significant percentage of our student body is pre-med, not all of us hope to attend medical school one day.
The 10th anniversary of the Fukushima Daiichi accident, where an unexpected earthquake generated a tsunami that destroyed the nuclear power plant’s backup generators, fell on March 11. The loss of power and consequent failure of the cooling system resulted in the elevation of residual heat. In an attempt to cool things down, seawater was continuously pumped to the reactor, but ultimately the core still partially melted down. Since then, the disposal of this radioactive seawater has presented a challenge.
Today, we celebrate the 51st annual Earth Day. Since President Joe Biden’s inauguration, the U.S. has made some progress in the fight against climate change. The country rejoined the Paris Climate Agreement in one of Biden’s first executive orders. With the new administration’s recently unveiled $2 trillion infrastructure plan promoting cleaner energy sources and racial equity, there is reason to be optimistic.
As an alum, Baltimore resident and friend to current graduate students at Hopkins, let me begin with this: The adaptability and creativity that the Graduate Representative Organization (GRO) has shown through the COVID-19 pandemic is truly laudable. From virtual cooking classes and coffee hours to giveaways and virtual esports tournaments, the GRO has really stepped up to support and accommodate students during this tumultuous year.
Just over a year ago, the University announced its sudden transition to remote instruction due to COVID-19. Anxious and confused, thousands of undergraduate students were sent home and were left questioning when they would be able to return and if the virtual learning format would work.
Just about a week ago, the University announced its plans for the coming fall semester. Finally, it seems, we are returning to some level of normalcy. More than a third of Americans have already received their first vaccine dose. After a long and difficult year, this is news to celebrate.
During Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin’s trial regarding the murder of George Floyd, the city was brought to the forefront of national news once again. Last Sunday, Daunte Wright, a 20-year-old Black man, was shot and killed by a white police officer.
“You may wish that you weren’t Asian, but remember that your ancestors likely went through similar or even worse incidents.” This was a sentence on the anti-Asian racism resources page of Harvard University’s Counseling and Mental Health Services website. Shortly after the Atlanta shootings in March, it was taken down, and an apology was posted.
With one in seven Americans projected to live in poverty during 2021, the gap between the haves and have-nots has only grown during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the forefront of this disparity, with the majority of Americans in favor, are calls to raise the national minimum wage.
As of Tuesday, all Maryland residents over the age of 16 are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at mass vaccination sites. While some students have already qualified for vaccinations through clinical work, now everyone has access.
“Tell us about yourself.” I’ve rehearsed my answer over and over again: “I’m Riley, a junior at Johns Hopkins University. I’m studying Psychology and have minors in Integrated Marketing Communications and Leadership Studies.” But recently, my elevator pitch seems to be missing a critical piece of my identity — my race.
