The 172 Review

On this week’s episode of The Beacon, we continue our monthly how to series, “Emerson Survival Kit,” with producer Melissa Rosales and Healing and Advocacy Collective’s Dr. Melanie Matson, Greta Spoering, and Truman the four-legged beagle.

MARLBORO, VT—On this week’s episode of The Beacon, producer Melissa Rosales and audio engineer Connor Gallant travel to Marlboro College to cover the latest updates on the proposed Emerson-Marlboro merger. The Board of Trustees Meeting Saturday revolved around expediting the proposed merger deal, studio art spaces on Emerson College's campus, tensions between the alumni and the Board, and more.

In this week’s episode of The Beacon, we talk about kindness with producer Melissa Rosales and Performing Arts Chair Robert Colby. The Spirit of Emerson Committee’s 2020 kindness award was named after him last Monday, Jan. 27. Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Michaele Whelan and Colby’s longtime friend Professor Thomas Cooper gave speeches to honor him in the event.

There are 14 total emotional support animals on-campus this academic year, which doubles the number from the 2017-18 academic year. This increase follows a study conducted by the American Psychiatric Association of 155,000 students on 196 college campuses showing an increase in mental health diagnoses from 22 percent to 36 percent between 2007 and 2017.

Seamus Butcher sat down with News Staff Writer Carlee Bronkema to find out how a student can get an emotional support animal and the purpose they serve.

On March 21, the college announced a 4 percent increase to the undergraduate tuition for returning students. This increased the total cost of attendance to $66,256 per year—$2,556 more than the cost for the 2018-19 academic year.

Deputy Enterprise News Editor Abigail Hadfield spoke with President M. Lee Pelton and broke down why the college continues to raise tuition and what the additional funds will go towards.

Five elevator entrapments occurred in the first two and a half months of spring 2019, and nine at the end of fall 2018, according to incident journals provided by the Emerson College Police Department. Enterprise Reporter Flora Li found out the main causes of elevator entrapments and what students should whenever they find themselves stuck in an elevator.

A recent Beacon investigation found that the college operates with eight director-level vacancies in the administration. With the planned departure of Senior Associate Vice President for Real Estate Arthur Mombourquette, the total number of vacant positions will increase to nine. Assistant Express Editor Anissa Gardizy joins the show to break down what these vacancies mean for the college.

Beacon reporters Abigail Hadfield and Tomas Gonzalez break down the process of filing a title IX report and what a title IX investigation would look like.

Interior renovations to The Commons at 172 Tremont St. tacked on $1.1 million more than the college initially anticipated, according to City of Boston public records. News editor Chris Van Buskirk joins the Beacon to breakdown what this means for the renovation project.

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