The Bias-Hate Educational Response Team, a subcommittee of the Faculty Diversity Committee and one of a number of the University’s initiatives to address issues regarding diversity, was formed so that a specific entity would be responsible for reviewing data on incidents of bias and hate, and subsequently promoting conversation among the campus community.  Despite this specific aim, the role and purpose of BHERT remains somewhat vague and controversial. According to the university website: “While there are formal channels to address complaints of bias or hate, our campus community at large...

An attempted robbery of a student occurred off-campus around 2 a.m. Friday, April 12. The student reported the incident to Security Services soon afterward, and Director of Security Services Todd Badham sent a security alert to the campus community later that morning. The incident occurred near North 9th and Pine Street, as students walked back to campus from Engine House No. 9 Brewery.  One student felt a tug on her purse and turned to find a man with a gun demanding the purse. This student and one other struggled with...

The Bias-Hate Education Response Team (BHERT)—a subcommittee of the Faculty Diversity Committee that was formed to respond to incidents of bias and hate on campus—has received suggestions from multiple students that the committee publish a report of their findings in The Trail. Former ASUPS Senate member Sadie Boyers recently told The Trail that she felt BHERT’s findings should be made more public so that BHERT can truly promote awareness and discussions on bias and hate. Other members of the ASUPS Senate and student leaders in the Division of Student Affairs...

Club Rendezvous in Wheelock Student Center was recently renovated to make the space more usable, multipurpose and inviting. “The project included the demolition of the carpeted and glass walls, patch and repair of damaged walls, new stage carpet, added lighting and painting throughout,” Chris Brookins, the Project Manager of the Rendezvous renovation, said. There have also been more surface-level improvements in Rendezvous, which serve a cosmetic as well as a functional end. Sarah Comstock, the Assistant Director of Student Activities for Wheelock Student Center, stated simply: “We got rid of...

The special elections held across Washington ended Tuesday, Feb. 12. In Pierce County, both Tacoma School District and Puyallup School District put forth propositions for voters. Proposition 1 for the Tacoma School District entailed a $500,000,000 bond measure that would allow the district to replace or renovate many Tacoma schools, as well as upgrade technology and health, safety and security systems.  The latter ranges from improvements to electrical, heating and plumbing systems, as well as  upgrades in earthquake safety and alarm systems. In the Official Local Voters’ Pamphlet, Tacoma Citizens...

The University’s Accreditation Review Committee recently released a draft of the Year-Three Self-Evaluation Report, a necessary step in order to become accredited.  The University is in the third year of a seven-year process to become accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. Most institutions of higher education in the U.S. pursue accreditation because this process validates educational quality.  The U.S. Department of Education notes that the lack of a federal authority over post-secondary education affords institutions of higher education a great amount of independence.  Accreditation is a means...

Residence Life held the first ever fall housing lottery from Nov. 26 to Nov. 30 as a way for rising juniors and seniors to secure on-campus housing arrangements early. A commitment to the on-campus housing for the full academic year is mandatory for participation in the housing lottery, which brought some concerns to the study abroad community. In order to partake in the fall housing lottery, students that intend to study abroad for one semester next year were required to find a partner studying abroad the opposite semester, so that...

The University’s Justice and Service in Tacoma group held the Books to Prisoners Book Drive from Oct. 22 to Nov. 9.  The book drive goes through the Seattle-based nonprofit Books to Prisoners to offer incarcerated individuals the opportunity to read. Over the past weeks, boxes were positioned in Collins Library, the Student Diversity Center and the Center for Writing, Learning and Teaching.  Members of the JuST group have been busy collecting books, tabling to publicize the cause and raising money to cover the cost of sending the boxes into a...

The fall election for senate positions in the Associated Students of the University of Puget Sound has brought in seven new senators for the coming year. Daniel Laesch and Michaela Metzler are the Senators-at-large. Housing representatives include the On-Campus House Senator Isa Ruiz and the Residence Hall Senator Taylor Smith. Kyle Long will serve as the Off-Campus Senator, Danielle Dorr as the Greek Senator and Alissa Hartnig as the Freshman Senator. Elections for the student government are held twice a year, in the fall and spring. The fall election concerns...