Items

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  2020-03-29

  Poll: Vast Support for Widespread Shutdowns to Protect Mass. Public Health, press release

  Eighty percent of Massachusetts residents support Gov. Baker's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with 96 percent supporting school closures, 94 percent approving the halt of restaurant dining-in, 93 percent supporting the shuttering of bars, and 92 percent agreeing that nonessential businesses should be closed to the public, according to a Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll.
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  2020-03-31

  Helping Kids Cope During the Pandemic

  Psychology Professor David Langer also notes that self-care is one of the first steps in being prepared to care for one's children. "Caring for yourself not only makes it easier to care for your children and care for others, it also models for children that self-care is important. He also advises: "Two key things that have enormous benefits for mental and physical health and well-being are physical activity and spending time outside. As of right now, guidelines still allow for families to take walks, hikes, bike rides, and do other outdoor activities together while maintaining appropriate distance from others. These are behaviors parents can model and encourage that will benefit everyone. In addition to physical activity and outside time, take time to do enjoyable things like playing games and pursuing hobbies."
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  2020-03-27

  Calm in the Time of Coronavirus

  Psychology Professor Susan Orsillo offers advice for practicing mindfulness amid the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19, and anxiety expert David Langer, also on the Psychology faculty, has tips for families as they cope with a host of fears and responsibilities during the coronavirus pandemic. "It is natural for us to feel anxious about COVID-19, given how quickly our routines have become disrupted," says Orsillo. "Many people are struggling with significant challenges: the illness of a friend or relative, financial struggles, balancing childcare with work, loneliness, and the disappointment of canceled plans. Practicing mindfulness involves acknowledging that these stressors are real and painful and being kind to ourselves."
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  2020-03-30

  Creating Safe Havens: University Police on Duty Despite Pandemic

  Like their public safety colleagues across the nation, the men and women of the Suffolk University Police Department are balancing caring for their community and their families. "We still have a job to do to take care of people and their needs," said Lt. Ramon Nunez. "We have to pick each other up and have a positive mindset that we're going to get through this together." "I tell her that police officers are like superheroes in the community and that our job is to go out and help other people." Patrol Officer Gisela Rodrigues' daughter sometimes gets a bit nervous when it's time for her mom to go to work, but the officer knows how to calm her.
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  2020-04-06

  Behind-the-Scenes Tech Team Ensures Continuity of Learning

  Like students, faculty, and staff, the IT team is adjusting to new working conditions, yet the group remains resolute in its mission. Dahlia Bryan personifies what it's like for many members of the University community working from home. She's operating out of an attic office, flanked by her two young sons who are doing schoolwork. But when someone needing tech support calls, "I put my headset on and tell the boys that 'mommy has to work and to keep quiet,' but there are times when I know the people I'm talking with can hear them in the background." said Bryan.
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  2020-04-14

  Public History Takes a Forced Holiday

  While Patriot's Day traditions are on hold this year due to the coronavirus, Monday remains a holiday. There are no classes scheduled, and Suffolk employees are off for the day. But history buffs will miss the traditional reenactment of "the shot heard 'round the world," and "Marathon Monday" is postponed until September. Professor Kathryn Lasdow, director of Suffolk's Public History concentration, explains the ties between the marathon and the commemorations in Lexington and Concord and offers some ideas for celebrating the holiday virtually.
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  2020-04-09

  On the Front Lines of the Coronavirus Crisis

  Jen Raichle, MHA '21, is an EMT who recently joined Fallon SPRINT (Special Pathogens Response & Incident Navigation Team), which, working with Partners HealthCare, has implemented a new Covid-19 at-home test. She and her partner were able to conduct 10 tests on patients in a number of Greater Boston communities one recent morning and then deliver the tests to Brigham & Women's Hospital.
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  04/9/2020

  Clinic Students Forge Ahead in Spite of Court Closures

  Students in Suffolk Law's 12 legal clinics are still representing clients even though courts in Massachusetts are closed for all but emergency cases. That means student attorneys are still busy at work--whether asking the court to issue a restraining order or helping to ensure that landlords are not resorting to illegal lockouts.
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  2020-04-13

  Clubs & Organizations Remain Active Despite Pandemic

  More than 100 student-run clubs and organizations, including the Student Government Association, the Suffolk Journal, and the Program Council, are continuing their efforts amid the current COVID-19 pandemic. Even the Performing Arts Office's SpringFest show will go on. "There is no playbook in this unprecedented time, and I'm so proud of our student leaders who have stepped up to provide some normalcy with their student organizations and continue to support the out-of-classroom experience," said Assistant Dean/Director of Student Leadership and Involvement Dave DeAngelis.
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  2020-04-08

  Innovation Keeps Studio Art Classes Vibrant

  Studio art classes would seem to present a particular remote learning challenge. Yet professors like Audrey Goldstein are sharing ideas in nationwide online forums and then implementing ideas for maintaining a vibrant educational experience for student artists. One way students and professors stay connected is through one-on-one video critiques that follow Zoom class meetings
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  2020-04-14

  Lab Work Without a Laboratory

  Science lab courses are continuing, so professors are finding a wide variety of ways to conduct them virtually. Creation of online Physics labs was accelerated when signs of a pandemic appeared; an astronomy lab that was to take place in the Canary Islands went online, an ecology lab shifted gears so students could study nature at home, and more. "We are doing our best to reach the same learning goals, but it requires a lot of creativity and hard work," said Chemistry and Biochemistry Professor Melanie Berkmen.
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  2020-04-10

  The Humanities Respond to the Pandemic

  Far from sitting on the sidelines and waiting for the world to return to normal--or assume the shape of a new normal--Suffolk writing and theater faculty are using the pandemic as a teachable moment and bringing their varied expertise to bear in the effort to improve society's resilience in the face of the current health crisis
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  2020-04-17

  Cancer Care Students Help Isolated Families During Pandemic

  The pandemic has created critical needs for the families at Christopher's Haven, a temporary home for those whose children are undergoing cancer care at Boston hospitals. Students in Professor Jessica Mak's Cancer Care course--who had been helping the organization as part of their semester-long service learning project--have stepped in to deliver groceries, raise funds for essential supplies, and spread cheer remotely. "Suffolk students always go above and beyond to support and celebrate our Christopher's Haven families. Now, when our families are feeling so isolated, it means a lot to know the students are still thinking about them," says Catie MacWilliams from Christopher's Haven.
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  2020-04-21

  Performing Arts Keeps Tradition Alive

  For nearly half a century the Suffolk community has gathered to celebrate Suffolk arts and culture with a fun-filled variety show. The show has taken a variety of formats over the year and at one time even featured a baking competition. This year, for the first time ever, SpringFest will be happening in homes around the world. Find out where to tune in for the show at 7 p.m. Friday, April 24. "We made a 'show-must-go-on' decision," said Suffolk Performing Arts Director Kristin Baker. "We reached out to students, faculty, staff, and alumni across the globe, and they have responded to the call. In a lot of ways, this event has showcased who we are at Suffolk, honoring our traditions while being flexible enough to adapt to new circumstances. We are creatively pulling together as a community to support one another."
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  2020-04-28

  Poll: Voters Want Federal Government More Involved in the Coronavirus Health Response, press release

  Forty-five percent of voters fault the government's response to the economic fallout from coronavirus as not enough; 36 percent said it has been adequate; and 10 percent said there has been too much government involvement.
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  2020-05-05

  Suffolk University/WGBH News/Boston Globe Poll: Coronavirus Has Cut Income for Nearly Half of Mass. Residents

  The survey examined the economic fallout from the pandemic in Massachusetts, the extension of the stay-at-home advisory and closing of nonessential businesses, state and national leadership during the pandemic, perceptions about compliance with wearing masks and social distancing, comfort levels for resuming certain activities, and mail-in voting.
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  2020-04-10

  Analyzing the Coronavirus Rumor Mill, news story

  Jon Lee, English, examines social phenomena such as conspiracy theories and fake "cures" that arise during times of widespread illness. "We essentially have two different narratives running in an epidemic," Lee says. "One is the official medical narrative, which tells you where [the disease] came from, when a vaccine might be possible. But you also have the cultural narrative, which runs alongside--but often counter to--the medical narrative."
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  2020-04-28

  Undergraduate Tutors Innovate Ways to Connect with Their Elementary-Age Pupils, news story

  Even without face-to-face contact, Suffolk students continue to work with elementary pupils through service-learning tutoring courses. The Suffolk students are learning about community building, critical thinking, project management skills, and, given the circumstances, innovation.
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  2020-04-23

  Awakening the Inner Scientist news story

  Suffolk faculty encourage people of all ages to explore and record the world around them, and with the coronavirus keeping so many at home, opportunities abound for those interested in joining a growing movement toward citizen science. "Some people want to do science because they're concerned about what is happening in the environment, and they want to have a positive impact. Some are naturally curious about the world around them," says Professor Patricia Hogan, director of Suffolk's Center for Urban Ecology & Sustainability. She sees a role for people who are not trained in science.