On Feb.14, Johnson & Johnson announced that President Paula Johnson has been appointed to its Board of Directors. Joaquin Duato, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Johnson & Johnson, stated, “On behalf of the Board, we look forward to working with Paula as the Company continues to innovate to profoundly impact health for humanity.” Following her appointment, President Johnson said, “I have always been passionate about health, science, and helping people achieve positive health outcomes, and I look forward to serving with fellow directors who share a similar passion and commitment to improving the lives of people around the world.” 

2023 Camellia Student Leadership Award nominations opened 

On Feb. 16, Division of Student Life announced nominations for 2023 Camellia Student Leadership has opened. The award was established in 2018, honoring students who have demonstrated outstanding leadership through active engagement on campus and the broader community. All members of the Wellesley community are invited to nominate students until April 2.

TedXWellesley taking place 

TedXWellesley will be happening on Feb. 25, from 3-5 p.m. in Tishman Commons. The event will feature the following speakers: Anne Jiang, E.B. Bartels, Eleanor Dunne, Isabel Flessas, Jasmine Lunia, Kellie Carter Jackson, Liseli Fitzpatrick, Lucy Goldberg, and Sarah-Wells Moran. It will only be opened to members of the Wellesley College community. 

2023 Orientation Mentor applications now open 

The New Student Orientation program has announced that the 2023 Orientation Mentor (OM) role is now open. Applications will close on Thursday, March 9, at 11:59 p.m. 

The unexpected tragedy brought shockwaves across the country, with the government announcing a national mourning period for a week and furthering investigations on causes of the incident. Michelle Lee ’23, president of Korean Students Association (KSA), expressed her shock and deep sadness when she came across the news. 

“As a Korean American, it felt different than any other tragedy in another country because I have a form of identity and tie there,” Lee said. “Some of the footage on social media was heartbreaking, and I was extremely shocked by how many people were affected and passed away from the incident. My heart goes out for the victims and those who lost their friends and family members.” 

Karen Shih, assistant dean of Intercultural Education and advisor to students of Asian Descent, also shared her feelings about the tragedy in Seoul. 

“I was shocked, and this is a heartbreaking incident for the country,” Shih said. “It was supposed to be a happy moment for people, but it unfortunately turned out to be a tragedy. I immediately thought about the impact on our students because we have lots of Korean American students and international students who both have strong connections and families in South Korea. KSA gladly reached out to me right away for advice about what they can do for the College community.” 

On Nov. 3, KSA and the Office of Religious and Spiritual Life (ORSL) organized a community gathering in light of the tragedy in Itaewon, providing an altar to write reflections, place flowers and light candles. Members of ORSL were also present to give counseling for those who wanted to privately share their thoughts and feelings. Lee felt that it was crucial to take action in supporting students during this difficult time. 

“I reached out to Karen and ORSL because I wanted advice on putting out a statement and how our group can be a support for students, and I was able to get lots of resources,” Lee said. “Through reaching out and working to create a gathering space, we wanted to do something action-oriented and not just with words. In general, KSA likes to be a space where we are not just a social group, but a group for the entire community. I felt that the gathering reflected that we truly care about our community, and provided a private space where people could have a moment to reflect and pause in the middle of the day, surrounded by others who feel the same.” 

Shih also provided additional resources and suggestions that can help students go through this time of grief. 

“Some people may take longer times to recover for different reasons, while others may naturally feel better as time passes. Grieving is a process where we each go through different stages, and all these feelings are normal in the process. I am always there as a resource for support, and Dean Sendoya and Stone Center are also definitely great resources. I can connect students to Stone Center as well, if needed. Students are encouraged to reach out to whoever they are comfortable with, including faculty and staff members they feel comfortable sharing what they’re going through.” 

Available Resources for Help and Support: 

Free trauma therapy service (available in both Korean and English) 

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ckb8BqlO4HF/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY%3D

Stone Center

https://www.wellesley.edu/counseling

Dean Karen Shih

kshih@wellesley.edu 

KSA 

ksa@wellesley.edu

Amy Rose ’23, student bursar, discussed decisions behind new policies established in the funding process for organizations. 

“We used to have a category for GP organizations, but because this process was missing a lot of organizations that were doing events serving the entire community, we decided that there would be no more GP organizations, but GP events,” Rose said. “Examples are culture show funds, now indicated as a GP event. Slater’s [annual] Culture Show would be a GP event, but internal events for their org are not GP. Lots of organizations that were GP primarily have GP events. SBOG is a great example since their events are all GP because they host events for the entire campus community, but likewise, events only for SBOG members wouldn’t be included, such as bonding events.” 

Amid SOFC’s policy changes, some organizations, such as House Council (HOCO), have faced initial confusion with usage of their money and budget. Clarifications and policy changes provided new benefits. Katharine Tracy ’23, Tower Court house president, expressed positive impacts changes had on HOCO funding. 

“Prior to policy changes, we had a budget of five dollars per dorm bed,” Tracy said. “Being the biggest residential hall, Tower would get the most money, but there were limited uses. For instance, money could not be used for giveaways or purchase of unapproved capital goods. Thanks to the new policy, there is less of an oversight on HOCO spending and budget. While new policies were confusing at first, getting things approved by SOFC became much easier and faster.” 

Rose also acknowledged issues with HOCO funding, revealing ways SOFC is working to improve this process. 

“I’ve been communicating with OSI and with Residential Life to make improvements in the process,” she said. “HOCOs get their budget set for the rest of the year, but they’re still bound by a lot through SOFC policies. We have a list for House Presidents ready, so it can be easier for them to know where to access funds, and items that they can definitely use their money for decorations or supplies for events, food for HOCO, and cookies and tea. We’re working on making everything clear for everyone and making sure HOCO can access their funds.” 

Additionally, organizations who missed deadlines or could not get enough funding can apply for fall and spring emergency funds to have funding for events for the rest of the year. Rose encouraged students to take the opportunity to come talk to SOFC when facing any issues. 

“We have fully staffed bookkeepers each in charge of specific organizations, and they are a great resource,” Rose said. “Also, this may not be widely known by the community, but the first 10 minutes of SOFC meetings are open to any student to voice any concerns or issues to SOFC. People have rarely taken this opportunity, so I definitely encourage all students to come and talk with us.” 

Elisabeth Sylvestre contributed to reporting.

On Sept. 22, 2022, President Paula Johnson announced that Justin Bell is slated to join the College as the director for nondiscrimination initiatives, Title IX coordinator, and ADA/Section 504 coordinator. Bell will oversee policies including the sexual misconduct policy, policy against unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation, and the ADA/Section 504 grievance process. This grievance process allows anyone to appeal the denial of a requested disability accommodation or file a complaint on how an approved disability accommodation has or has not been implemented.

Updates on COVID policies 

On Sept. 24, 2022, Dean Sheilah Shaw Horton announced that the College would hold a booster clinic on campus on Oct. 17. All students will be required to get the new booster. More information on the vaccine clinic will be shared by Health Services in the following weeks. Additionally, beginning Oct. 3, testing will be available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 12 to 4 p.m. 

Orange Line reopens 

The MBTA Orange line reopened on Sept. 19 after a month of shutdown. According to the T’s general manager Steve Poftak, workers made significant improvements during the month of closure, making more than 70 new Orange line trains available. 

Boston Marathon adds nonbinary runner option to 2023 race registration 

Nonbinary runners will be able to register for the 2023 Boston Marathon without the requirement to register in the men’s or women’s division. The 2023 race registration opened this month, and organizers have announced that runners can identify themselves as nonbinary on their applications. Since this is the first time the option will be available, organizers have not yet established qualifying times for nonbinary runners. 

Dean of Students Sheilah Horton announced that she is working on the laundry situation with the COIL and other people in the College to accelerate the repairing process. Additionally, Horton answered a question about labor and union relations from last week, letting students know that Wellesley has hired a person for labor and union relations. 

Study of Abroad Presentation from the Office of International Study 

Director of International Study Jennifer Thomas-Starck reminded students that the Office of International Study (OIS) is assisting Wellesley students planning on study abroad programs and encouraged students to reach out if they have any ideas for cohort programs. Thomas-Starck added that Wintersession study abroad programs are led by academic departments and will come back next year. First-year students who are interested in studying abroad in their junior year should fill out an interest form over the summer. In Fall 2022, OIS will host a study abroad fair in Tishman with information sessions and tables for students to explore their options. 

Career Ed Presentation

Executive Director and Associate Provost Jen Pollard gave a presentation on Career Education’s four commitments for students: individualized advising, personal advisory board of mentors, experiential learning, and preparation and skill-building. She reminded students that the office has Advisors for Career Education and Industry Advisors opened for meetings, along with emphasizing the Wellesley Hive’s strong network and alumni willing to help students in their career search process. Pollard also highlighted the success of the first year career retreat Embark in the preparation and skill-building commitments of Career Education. 

Wellness Presentation from the Office of Student Wellness

Student Wellness Ambassador Grace Fang and Director of Student Wellness Allie Weinberg gave a presentation on the Office of Student Wellness, hoping to inform students about dealing with stress. Fang and Weinberg explained resources available to help students, ranging from individual appointments, a new self-reflection questionnaire, workshops, to their website. 

Announcements 

Director of On Campus Affairs (DOOCA) Imogene Johnson announced SBOG’s Spring Weekend Events. 

Organizations Chair Sydney Stearns announced that she will be sending out an email about the re-recognition form for student organizations. 

College Government President Giselle Mota announced that the Turnover Senate, the final Senate of the year, will be on May 2. 

New parts of the Science Center include the Research Innovation, Chao Foundation Innovation Hub and the renovated Faroll Focus, which is the center of the Complex that includes new study spaces, tables and chairs for students, along with the Leaky Beaker Cafe where they can purchase snacks and drinks. Students have been especially enjoying different study spaces, such as the cubicles on the fourth floor, desks by the Leaky Beaker and private white board rooms where people can collaborate. 

Sophie Hwang ’25 expressed her appreciation of the new Science Center facilities. 

“I really like the fact that more study areas opened up,” Hwang said. “Personally, I think the Science Center transformed into an environment that I prefer to study in [more] than before. There is a lot more natural lighting coming into the building, and the space feels a lot more open, especially the center of this building where we can see where everything is located. As a person who likes to study outside of the dorm room, I feel very motivated and comfortable completing my work and assignments here.” 

Spacious classrooms and newly designed desks and chairs have also been added to the new Science Complex, including lab spaces as well. In addition to classrooms, every department has their designated hallways connected by bridges, providing a more convenient experience for students who need to meet their professors or find classes in a specific department. 

Alicia Yeon Seung Lee ’24, who is currently taking a class in the new classrooms, found the new classrooms much different from the previous rooms she was used to.

“I am taking ES 125. [The class] takes place in the Science Center Hub 101 classroom, which is a new, big classroom that fits 100 people,” Lee said. “It is definitely a new experience for me in Wellesley to take a class in such a big classroom — I feel like people are going to want to take more science and math classes because most of them take place in the new classrooms in the Science Complex. I also like how every department has their own hallways, such as the Frost Center for the environment.” 

Multiple entrances and the building’s increased proximity to other academic buildings have also added to students’ positive experiences. Carolina Estrella ’24 found it easier to move from one class to another because of the Science Center’s expansion. 

“The new Science Center became closer to the observatory and the green house, which is very nice,” Estrella said. “I normally end my class in the observatory and have a class right away in the Science Center, and moving from class to class has become easier because there is an entrance that is right next to where the observatory is.”

Lee, in particular, enjoyed the convenience of the new entrances into the Science Center. 

“The entrances located in multiple areas are very helpful when it comes to getting to your classes,” she said. “The entrances are all located on the same floor, so it is not confusing when you enter the building. If you get lost, there are maps on each floor that shows where you are so that you can locate yourself easily. Also, the center of the Science Center became an open space and environment, you rarely get lost since you can visually see each floor and where you are.”

Despite a reduction in cases and positivity rates compared to the start of the spring semester, the College extended COVID-19 protocols in effect until Feb. 16 in order to restore the low case rate seen during Fall 2021. As a result, masks will continue to be required in all buildings, including residence halls, and eating with others will not be permitted outside the dining hall. Additionally, students are allowed to visit each other’s rooms with masks on. The no-guest policy in residential halls is set to continue but will be reconsidered later in the semester when the number of cases significantly changes. 

In-person classes begin again for the spring semester after a week of virtual learning

With the beginning of the spring semester on Jan. 24, most students moved in between Jan. 20 and Jan. 23 and were required to take  rapid and PCR tests two times the following week. The semester started online for the first week due to the anticipated influx of positive cases as students and faculty started coming back on campus. Students who received two negative rapid and PCR tests, following the first initial negative test, were allowed to attend in-person classes that resumed on Jan. 31. 

2022 College Government Election 

On Jan. 24, College Government announced the tentative 2022-2023 College Government Cabinet elections schedule. Campaigning will begin on Feb. 14, with the release of the informational video that explains the process in detail, and voting and election day is scheduled to take place on March 8. Furthermore, students who are interested in getting involved in The Elections Committee are encouraged to attend the first few Senates to receive further information on how to join. Two senators and one student at large will be elected to the committee.

In addition, indoor guests, such as guest lecturers, speakers, and cross registered students, will continue to be required to vaccinate and register prior to coming on campus. Outdoor guests, including family and friends, may freely visit outdoor campus grounds without registration. 

“We are thankful that the public health situation has improved so that we can once again share our beautiful campus with our neighbors,” Vice President Orton wrote in her email. “However, with the recent rise of cases in Massachusetts, there is still reason to be cautious. Our priority remains the health and safety of the College community, and we will adjust our policies for visitors if needed.” 

Wendy* Wellesley ’22 commented on how she felt that the reopening of the campus to visitors and “townies” will not cause much of a disturbance to the campus, but expressed her concern about rising COVID-19 cases in Massachusetts and the recent omicron variant. 

“I feel okay with townies and visitors being allowed on our campus again because most of the population is vaccinated,” she said. “Also, students in Wellesley bring and meet their visitors outside of campus buildings, so I think that there is not much of a difference with townies on campus. However, now that the Omicron variant is rising … I am becoming a bit concerned.” 

As to issues regarding unleashed dogs and parking, dogs are required to be leashed on campus, and visitors may park only in the Distribution Center Lot 2. Wendy added that in the past she had had an issue with unleashed dogs on campus. 

“One problem I had in the past during my first year at Wellesley was when townies would bring their dogs without leashes, but I feel like this has been solved,” Wendy said. “Now, I think people are abiding by the rules because there are lots of signs around campus that dogs must be leashed.” 

As the College campus was closed to the public since the outbreak of the pandemic, students expressed how it feels to have visitors and neighbors on campus again, compared to how it was prior to the pandemic. Ashton Craycraft ’23 stated how she does not think the change in policy caused a drastic difference to the campus. 

“It does feel a bit strange to see people other than Wellesley students on campus again,” Craycraft said. “The campus felt a little quieter during the restriction, but even after opening the campus back again, there are certainly less people on campus compared to when the campus was completely open to the public before the pandemic started.” 

Wendy also commented on this difference after COVID-19. 

“I don’t seem to see as many off-campus visitors as before,” she said. “A lot of townies used to visit Wellesley during the weekends, and now it feels like not a lot of people are visiting campus as before. It could possibly be due to continued restrictions to going into campus buildings and residential halls, but I do think that the overall policies are solid, considering the number of COVID-19 cases in the state and the safety of the College community.” 

*Name changed to protect student’s privacy

“Last year, I honestly did not feel like I was actually a part of Wellesley,” Xiao said. “Classes online were great, but due to time zone differences and lack of social activities, I felt like Wellesley was still something far away, and I was feeling like an individual that was lost in the middle of nowhere. But this year, everyone is back on campus, and I love how all students, including myself, are bonding with each other and rebuilding a community through campus-wide activities.” 

Virtual learning was not ideal for students who had to abruptly return home when the College first implemented remote learning. Emily Hur ’22 decided to take a gap year after her junior year, as virtual learning and interactions were not what she wanted for her last few semesters at Wellesley. 

“When the pandemic started in the middle of my junior year, we were sent back to our homes that semester,” Hur said. “It was not a great experience because of the time difference since I live in Asia, and learning materials from Zoom was not very productive or efficient, especially because we had no chance to directly approach professors and classmates. I think that was the reason why I decided to take a gap year since I thought I was not learning as much as I would have in-person on campus, and I wanted to wait until the situation got better for my senior year.” 

Wendy* Wellesley ’23 commented on how she lost motivation and struggled with feeling mentally isolated without seeing her friends and classmates in person. 

“I was having a hard time fighting with loneliness during the period of remote learning,” she said. “I tried to keep myself motivated, but merely waking up and logging on to online classes constantly made me feel down and stay in bed all day. I was missing the daily routine and schedule that I had on campus, including the small things that kept me motivated, like having breakfast and lunch with friends, talking to classmates in a classroom, and on-campus activities where I could actually interact and meet people.” 

With the various COVID-19 regulations applied on campus, many have been cautiously adjusting to this new post-pandemic environment. 

“There were definitely more wide-scale events going on before the pandemic started,” Hur said. “Right now, there are more limitations, and even if you go to an event, there is definitely a lot of anxiousness since people have to be more careful in a crowded area. In terms of classes, professors had office hours where we could actually go to their office, but most of my professors now have Zoom office hours. I think it was better to talk to professors in-person, which helped to get to know each other better, but regarding the situation now, there’s no [other] choice for everyone’s safety.” 

While following COVID-19 protocols, student organizations and the College have been making efforts to bring students together through different events, building a sense of community again where each student can feel like they belong on campus. 

“There are definitely challenges because I’m entering the campus for the first time and self-navigating,” Xiao said. “But I feel like many of us bonded together over these hardships since we went through it together starting from last year. I feel supported being back to the community that everyone is building towards.” 

*Name changed to protect student’s privacy

During the week of Sept. 25, a series of anonymous racist emails were sent out to Black student organizations at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. According to WWLP, the letter stated that African American student groups on campus should “consider doing the human race a favor and getting sterilized.” As described by Wellesley’s Office of Equity and Inclusion, the contents of the emails sent to Black students were “vile, blatantly racist and violently offensive.” 

With this incident not being the first time Black students faced racial discrimination in the community, Ada Eke ’23 was not surprised when they found out about the recent racist email case. 

“When I found out about this through my friend who goes to UMass Amherst, it was truly disappointing, but not necessarily surprising,” Eke said. “The news of the racist email was not expected, but not outside the possibility. My heart hurts for the students of color who go there because it is a stressful environment to be in where there are people who would harm you for something that you cannot control.” 

Prior to the email, multiple anti-Black racist incidents have been reported on the University’s campus through the “Contact Us” online forms of student organizations, including a group of people yelling out anti-Black racist epithets as they drove by a group of Black students. The UMass Black Student Union, on their Instagram page, said that they are “hurt” and “tired” of being continuously discriminated against for their race. Daisy Appiah-Kubi ’25 commented on how these events have a high chance of occurring again as biases remain in society despite protests and legislation. 

“As a society, many times when big protests go on, we immediately feel that progress has been made after, but we forget that legislation does not mean that embedded biases in society are immediately eliminated,” Appiah-Kubi said. “A law doesn’t do much to affect that person’s perspective since people are more influenced by their family background and society. These incidents unfortunately have the possibility of continuing to happen because everyone has their own biases, and it’s very difficult to change them.” 

UMass Amherst announced that they have hired a cybersecurity firm, and have the University of Massachusetts Police Department and University of Massachusetts Information Technology working together to investigate the source of this email. However, the UMass Black Student Union voiced out on their Instagram post how “it took the university almost a month from the initial anti-Black racist incidents to acknowledge these instances.” 

“A lot of schools make numerous committees to fight against discrimination students considered as minorities may face, but nothing actually seems to get done because nobody would want to admit the racist side of themselves or the biased views they hold,” Eke said. “I feel that this is a big hurdle in order to overcome such problems.” 

With hopes for the community to become more responsive to these incidents, Jada Onwuta ’24 expressed what she would like to see in the future to prevent further discrimination against minorities. 

“Many say that racism is in the past, but obviously there are still many sentiments going around here,” Onwuta said. “Wording matters very much when addressing such issues so that people are clearly aware that problems surrounding race are not over. Hopefully, university communities can be more explicit if anything like this unfortunately happens, not only to Black students, but also other minorities, such as Latinx and Asian students.”