Ryan Yu

Two major college officials — Chief Student Affairs Officer Karu Kozuma and Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Kevin Weinman — announced their departures from the college over the summer, via a pair of emails sent by President Biddy Martin.

Effective for the 2021-2022 academic year, the college is replacing its Flexible Grading Option (FGO) policy with a revised pass-fail grading option, and is transitioning from a 14-point grading system to a standard four-point grading scale.

Over two dozen students had their spring 2021 study abroad plans nixed by the Covid-19 pandemic. Students reported feeling disappointed by and understanding of the college’s decision not to support their programs. The Office of Global Education (GEO) has since identified a number of fellowships and internships for students

In the span of five days since the spring semester began, over 400 students have tested positive for Covid at UMass Amherst. As the spring semester began at UMass Amherst and students flocked back to the campus in early February, the optimism that typically marks a new term was quickly

Faculty voted to move the start of spring semester classes from Feb. 3 to Feb. 15 during a meeting held on Dec. 15. Eighty-seven percent of the faculty, or 161 members, voted in favor of the motion, while 24 members voted against. Supporters cited the need for a longer break

As classes for the fall semester draw to an end this week, the college has seen a last-minute spike in positive tests for Covid-19, with six active cases as of Nov. 18, spanning three students, two staff members and one faculty member. In response, the college has reinstated strict health

On Nov. 2, Director of International Student Engagement Hanna Bliss announced in a newsletter for the Center for International Student Engagement (CISE) that the college will establish an Office of Immigration Services (OIS), effective at the start of the coming spring semester.  The decision comes amid significant changes to

With many students living far away from the college due to remote learning conditions, a number of them have found their daily schedules drastically transformed by time zone differences. Since most classes take place in time slots similar to previous semesters, these students have often found themselves needing to stay

President Biddy Martin, joined by members of her senior staff, hosted two Zoom forums to gauge student feedback on the fall semester, one for on-campus students on Sept. 30 and the other for remote students on Oct. 1. Among the highlights of the forums include the opening of more social

Over the past two weeks, the University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) has reported over 100 positive Covid cases, all but two of whom are students living off campus, according to the UMass Covid-19 Dashboard. As of Oct. 6, UMass has reported 124 cumulative positive cases since Aug. 6, when data

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) unveiled a proposed rule on Sept. 24 that would modify visa regulations for international students on F-1 status, limiting the duration of their visas to two years for students from 59 countries and four years for students elsewhere before they’re required to apply

In a communication to staff and faculty on Sept. 14, Chief Financial and Administrative Officer Kevin Weinman announced that the Board of Trustees had approved a budget proposal for the current fiscal year (FY21), spanning from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. The budget estimates that Covid will have

As anti-racist protests spurred by the police killing of George Floyd on May 25 continue across the nation, calls for change are growing across the Amherst community. On the national level, students, alumni and the college itself have coordinated donation drives to support organizations working against anti-Black racism, including the

Provost and Dean of Faculty Catherine Epstein announced on April 15, in an email to students and faculty, that the college would keep its current grading policy — an extension of the Flexible Grading Option (FGO) to all courses this semester — in place, despite calls from numerous community members to move

Between January and March, COVID-19 transformed from a distant concern to a community-devastating epidemic for many Amherst students. The coronavirus has brought rapid change to the lives of students, faculty and staff in a matter of weeks. In an attempt to help the Amherst community process recent events, The Student