From Other Sources: News For And About Amherst. This Week, April 23, Another Local News Roundup

This feature offers links to selected articles that might be of interest to Amherst readers. I favor, in these postings, with a few exceptions, material that is not hiding behind a paywall. Hence, I have reduced my postings from sources like the Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, The Chronicle of Higher Education, and MassLive which are doing some great reporting but which make their articles inaccessible without some sort of payment. On occasion, an article seems too important not to mention, and in such cases I will post it, and leave it for the reader to decide whether to pay for access. If you have read something that is germane to what I’ve been posting in this feature, please share the link in the comments section below.

There’s a lot happening in Amherst this spring and for the second week in a row I am providing links to a series of local stories that didn’t make it into the Indy.  Thanks to our other local news sources for covering these stories.

Progressive Groups Focus On Amherst Budget by Scott Merzbach (4/21/22). Before the budget season commences in Amherst, two citizen groups, including one focused on issues affecting youth, will host a conversation about where spending should be prioritized. Sunrise Amherst and the Progressive Coalition of Amherst are sponsoring the Zoom discussion about budget priorities from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday, with town unions, grassroots organizations, elected officials and the public invited to comment on the town’s fiscal year 2023 spending. Julian Hynes, co-hub lead for Sunrise Amherst, wrote in an email that the discussion will be about how the budget supports Amherst values. That will then be used as the basis of a letter sent to town government. (Daily Hampshire Gazette)

UMass Students Worried About The On-Campus Housing Crisis by Olivia Capriotti and Ariana Gonzalez (4/21/22). Selection for student housing at the University of Massachusetts has ended early due to the high demand of students wanting to live on campus during the Fall 2022 semester. This change will affect all sophomore, junior and senior students planning to live on campus, as available dorms are scarce. An email was sent out to students on March 31 stating, “As of 5:00 p.m. yesterday, all remaining on-campus spaces were selected. Since there are no spaces remaining, we have ended the fall room selection process early.”Shortly thereafter, students took to social media to talk about the lack of dorms. (Massachusetts Daily Collegian)

Historical Review Panels Next Hurdle For Jones Library Project by Scott Merzbach (4/20/22).  Architects designing the $36.3 million expansion and renovation of the Jones Library are preparing to soon seek approvals from both state and local historic review panels. But Jim Alexander, principal emeritus for Finegold Alexander Architects of Boston, told the Jones Library Design Subcommittee on Friday that the size of the building, which will go from 48,000 square feet to 63,000 square feet, is raising concerns for the Massachusetts Historical Commission, even though he said the designs call for a “reasonably compatible addition” given the constraints of the 43 Amity St. site.“We just have to really go in and maybe beg forgiveness because that’s what it’s going to be, and push it through,” Alexander said. (Daily Hampshire Gazette)

Amherst Regional School Committee Reflects On Principal Retention Struggles by Dylan Corey (4/19/21).
During its April 12 meeting, Amherst-Pelham Regional School District Superintendent Michael Morris encouraged members of the Amherst Regional School Committee (ARSC) to provide questions or feedback on how the district plans to respond to a January report highlighting the district’s high turnover rate in school leadership. The report, “Supporting and Retaining School Leaders,” was prepared by Rick Rogers to identify the most common stressors and barriers behind a multitude of leaders leaving after short stints. It also aimed to understand the necessary attributes and dispositions of candidates for more successful recruiting and to make recommendations related to hiring and supporting school leaders based on said findings.Rogers reported that principals were already seeing turnover rates tick upwards across the country before COVID-19. He said that principals experience substantial job-related stress and nearly 20 percent were leaving their positions each year. (The Reminder)

Amherst Cultural Council To Host Accessibility Webinar On April 28 by Dylan Corey (4/19/21). The Amherst Cultural Council will host a 60- to 90-minute accessibility roundtable on Zoom on April 28 with Massachusetts Cultural Council Universal Participation Initiative (UP) Program Officer Charles G. Baldwin.UP provides professional development in design practices around the world for cultural organizations seeking to elevate access to an inclusive community engagement instead of an obligation. Baldwin also serves on the Executive Committee of Cultural Access New England and on various advisory boards including the Berklee Institute for Arts Education and Special Needs, Open Door Arts and Boston’s Wicked Queer Film Festival.The webinar will include a presentation, discussion and a block for questions about access and methods of approach from an individual and broader sense to help inform and prompt the listener’s next step. The Zoom link to attend can be found on the town’s website under Amherst Cultural Council. Baldwin said the Americans with Disabilities Act was already outdated prior to COVID-19 and the pandemic further highlighted the need for change. (The Reminder)

Amherst Youth Heroism Celebration To Take Place On May 7 by Dylan Corey (4/19/21). The Amherst Human Rights Commission (HRC) has accepted nominations for its 16th year of celebrating Youth Heroism Awards. The commission has partnered with the Julius Ford Harriet Tubman Healthy Living Community to host a celebratory community picnic at Mill River Recreational Park for everyone nominated on May 7. Nominations could be made for any group or individual, including students that go to school in Amherst but don’t live there. Nominations were due by April 15. he Amherst Human Rights Commission (HRC) has accepted nominations for its 16th year of celebrating Youth Heroism Awards. The commission has partnered with the Julius Ford Harriet Tubman Healthy Living Community to host a celebratory community picnic at Mill River Recreational Park for everyone nominated on May 7. Nominations could be made for any group or individual, including students that go to school in Amherst but don’t live there. Nominations were due by April 15. (The Reminder)

UMass Hires Consultant To Recommend Pedestrian Safety Improvements by Scott Merzbach (4/18/22). An in-depth study of traffic on the University of Massachusetts campus is underway after recent crashes that killed one pedestrian and seriously injured another. Vanasse Hangen Brustlin Inc., with a local office in Springfield, was recently hired by UMass to develop short-, mid- and long-term recommendations related to how vehicles, bicyclists and pedestrians navigate the campus, said UMass spokeswoman Mary Dettloff. Areas that VHB will study include reducing vehicle speeds; providing consistent pavement marking, signs, lights and signals; improving pedestrian crossing points; enhancing bicycle accommodations; and improving visibility. (Amherst Bulletin)

ARHS Students May Face Charges Over School Assaults by Scott Merzbach (4/18/22). In consultation with the Northwestern district attorney’s office, Amherst police are seeking assault and battery charges against individuals connected to recent altercations at Amherst Regional High School. The court summonses for show-cause hearings are being pursued following the department’s completion of two investigations into reported incidents, said Police Chief Scott Livingstone.No additional information about those fights or the number or identity of those who would be summoned to court was immediately available on Monday. Livingstone previously said five parents whose children have been victims of alleged assaults had contacted his department seeking police involvement. (Amherst Bulletin)