Introducing the Association of Amherst Students

The Association of Amherst Students introduces itself to new members of the community, soliciting feedback and community involvement in its current and upcoming projects.

“Disarm ACPD”: The Association of Amherst Students’ Position on Campus Public Safety

On Monday, March 29, Chief of Police and Director of Public Safety John Carter attended the public safety town hall [https://www.amherst.edu/campuslife/aas/senate/aasminutes/spring-2021] hosted by the Association of Amherst Students (AAS). This meeting occurred on the first day of Derek Chauvin’s trial for the killing of George Floyd. It has been nearly a year since last summer’s uprisings and nearly as long since the college verbally committed to anti-racism. The goal of anti-racist work and a

The Real Promise for Amherst’s Third Century

Earlier this year, Amherst College announced a new fundraising campaign titled “Promise: The Campaign for Amherst’s Third Century,” which pledges to raise $625 million for the college over the next five years. With this money, the college claims that it will focus on six unique goals, including improving science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) offerings, creating a stronger sense of unity on campus and continuing to attract outstanding professors and students. While we understand

AAS Letter on the Mascot

Recent years have seen several student-led attempts to encourage discussions on the place, contemporary relevance and inclusivity of our current unofficial mascot, Lord Jeffery Amherst. These conversations should continue. The college’s community has demonstrated a desire for a serious reconsideration of our mascot and we should not let past failures stifle student speech. Nonetheless, the question should not be approached as a given either in favor of or opposed to the Lord Jeff. Although there