By Megan Parker, Editor-in-Chief

March 17, 2020 • No Comments

In response to estimates that cases of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) will peak in late April or early May, The University of Akron President Gary L. Miller announced several key decisions impacting campus operations. These key decisions come only one week after Ohio’s first confirmed cases of COVID-19 were announced by Gov. Mike DeWine and Dr. Amy Acton, director of health for the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). Although UA currently has no confirmed cases of COVID-19, President Miller said in the announcement that the evolving circumstances of the pandemic have created challenges that UA officials must take...

By Elizabeth Heckler, Social Media Editor

March 13, 2020 • No Comments

According to a survey from The Hope Center for College, Community and Justice, 45% of 86,000 college students described themselves as “food insecure.” ZipAssist is helping students at The University of Akron facing food insecurity through its Campus Cupboard initiative. This program unofficially began in the Fall 2017 semester after ZipAssist staff members noticed that students often listed food as one of their primary concerns during Student Emergency Financial Assistance (SEFA) meetings.  “It was evident that some students were struggling to meet basic needs,” Alison Doehring, Director of ZipAssist, said. ZipAssist...

By Megan Parker and Kaitee Horstmann

March 10, 2020 • 1 Comment

In response to recommendations from Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, The University of Akron Present Gary L. Miller announced that all face-to-face instruction has been suspended and will begin again in an online format on March 30. Several Ohio universities have started transitioning to full online instruction since the announcement of three confirmed cases of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Cuyahoga County on March 9. The universities that are currently transitioning into online learning to help avoid the spread of COVID-19 include The Ohio State University, Kent State, University of Toledo, Lourdes University and Bowling...

By Megan Parker, Editor-in-Chief

March 9, 2020 • No Comments

Through one of the Experiential Learning (EXL) Center’s unclasses, students are gaining real world experience by helping Joshua Tree Productions create “The Forgotten Dead,” a documentary about Schneider Park. Offered each semester at The University of Akron, the EXL’s unclasses are aimed at giving all students hands-on experiential opportunities in a small size, three-credit hour course. This semester, “Unearthing Akron’s Past, The Forgotten Dead of Schneider Park” has been led by Josh Gippin, owner of Joshua Tree Productions, in collaboration with the School of Communication and the Department of Anthropology. “Dr....

By Megan Parker, Editor-in-Chief

March 11, 2020 • No Comments

One person is in isolation at Mercy Medical Center in Canton after testing positive for the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19), bringing the total number of cases in Ohio to four. This is the first confirmed case of community spread as the patient, a 53-year-old male, did not travel outside of the United States and had minimal contact with members of the community. “This is a positive case from Stark County, with no history of travel outside the U.S. and no known contact with someone else with the disease COVID-19… that is the definition of community spread,” Dr. Amy Acton, director of health for the Ohio Department...

By Megan Parker, Editor-in-Chief

March 10, 2020 • No Comments

Three confirmed cases of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) were announced on March 9, 2020 by Gov. Mike DeWine, just two days after testing for the virus became available in Ohio. Gov. DeWine first made the announcement of the three confirmed COVID-19 cases via Twitter, where he also declared a state of emergency for all of Ohio prior to signing the Executive Order 2020-01D. Declaring a state of emergency allows for different state departments and agencies to respond quicker and more efficiently, according to a news release from the office of Gov. DeWine. This afternoon we learned that three Ohioans have tested...

By Kaitee Horstmann, Copy Editor

February 27, 2020 • No Comments

For the fourth consecutive year, The University of Akron School of Nutrition and Dietetics partnered with the Akron RubberDucks baseball team for their annual RubberDucks Hot Dog Recipe Challenge. Four UA student finalists competed in the recipe challenge on Feb. 12, in hopes of having their hot dog recipe featured at the first RubberDucks home game of the 2020 baseball season. According to a UA press release, the student finalists included: Megan Hollendonner – “Bases are Loaded” Emily Ellis – “The Hawaiian Dog” Elexis (Lexi) Hamby – “The Duckin’ Good Fiesta Dog” Jacob Green – “The...

By Kaitee Horstmann, Copy Editor

February 20, 2020 • No Comments

The University of Akron will be hosting its 14th annual ‘Rethinking Race: Black, White and Beyond’ event in the final week of Black History Month and into March, with a wide array of events spanning from Feb. 24 to March 7.  Rethinking Race aims to engage students and attendees in difficult conversations about race through a variety of programming, such as discussions, a film festival, keynote speakers, artist performances and panels. According to a UA press release, Rethinking Race is actually a part of more than 100 syllabi for classes across UA and continuously invites people to deepen their understanding of race. Dr....