The Simmons Voice • 16th September 2022

David Kane’s STAT 118 course canceled during student-led protest

Student protestors filled two rows of seats in David Kane’s Intro to Statistics course on Friday afternoon. Within minutes, every seat was taken and students were searching for places to sit on the ground.

As students entered the classroom, Kane said, “we’re having a protest today, I hope you don’t mind.”

Just over halfway through Kane’s class period, Simmons administrators informed students it would be his last.

The protest was organized by junior communications major Naleigha Evans and call

The Simmons Voice • 15th September 2022

Simmons creates alternate section of STAT 118 as professor is accused of racist blog

Simmons University is offering a new section of STAT 118 – Introductory Statistics for students who wish to switch out of Professor David Kane’s class.

The course alternative comes in response to allegations of Kane’s blog posts that were missed by Simmons in the hiring process as reported by the Voice Wednesday evening.

The new section of STAT 118 is scheduled for the same time and days as Kane’s according to Associate Professor and Director of Mathematics, Computing, and Statistics, Amber St

The Simmons Voice • 14th September 2022

Controversial former Harvard professor David Kane hired as Simmons adjunct

An invitation from Harvard preceptor David Kane to a guest speaker for his Gov 50 Lecture Series quickly spiraled into controversy in September of 2020. Kane was hired by Simmons to teach a section of Introductory Statistics leaving questions about the University’s stated commitment to inclusion and equity when hiring adjunct faculty.

According to Harvard students, for years Kane authored racist, sexist, and homophobic posts under the pen name “David Dudley Field ‘25” on the website EphBlog. He

Blog • 14th May 2022

Molly Burch Dazzles at Brighton Music Hall

The singer-songwriter took to the stage on May 7 bringing some much-needed warmth and intrigue to an uncharacteristically chilly day for spring in Boston.

ECHO • 14th November 2021

Sold-Out Royale Welcomes Tennis Back To Boston

There is nothing quite like seeing indie band Tennis play live, and for singer Alaina Moore there is nothing like performing.

From the first song of the set, the energy and excitement from Moore, her husband multi-instrumentalist Patrick Riley, and band members was contagious.

The last time Tennis was in Boston was on their ‘Solo In Stereo’ tour in 2019. Seeing the husband-wife duo play together for an intimate broken-down performance at the Sinclair was a special moment no doubt. However, see

ECHO • 10th November 2021

Thundercat Parties with Boston

GRAMMY Award-winning bassist and singer Stephen Bruner, better known as Thundercat played a sold-out show on November 7 for night one of two shows in Boston.

“When the show got canceled that’s when it all started to feel real” and “He was the last artist I had tickets to see before COVID” were common rumblings heard in the sprawling line to enter the House of Blues. An hour after doors the line still stretched the length of Lansdowne, wrapping around Brookline Avenue, clearly indicating the dem

ECHO • 16th September 2021

Japanese Breakfast Plays to Sold-Out Crowd at Boston's Royale

Michelle Zauner of the band Japanese Breakfast is on fire. Her memoir is on the New York Times bestsellers list, and her band’s latest album ‘Jubilee‘ is garnering widespread critical acclaim.

The message of the third studio album is simple. Joy. An emotion that was evident during her second night in Boston with the sold-out Royale bubbling over with excitement, love, lust, and the thrill from the long-awaited return of live music.

The Simmons Voice • 1st April 2021

Office of the President responds to petition for in-person commencement

On March 29 an online petition calling for an in-person graduation ceremony for the Simmons class of 2021 was created. Two days later, seniors received an email from the Office of the President announcing that there will be some on-campus celebrations but that the commencement ceremony remains virtual.

“The Simmons University Class of 2020 was forced to cut their senior years short and go home with no ceremony in sight; they were promised that the university would plan for them to have some sor

The Simmons Voice • 25th March 2021

BREAKING: Simmons President officially announces fall reopening plans

BREAKING: Simmons President Lynn Wooten announced that the university is officially planning to reopen for in-person classes, at-capacity residence life, and on-campus events for the fall 2021 semester.

“As we look forward to a lively fall experience, we are mindful that COVID-19 has not yet been eradicated,” wrote Wooten in a March 25 email sent to the Simmons community. “The health and safety of our community members and all those who interact with us remains our top priority, and Simmons wil

The Simmons Voice • 17th March 2021

In Plain Sight: A Controversial Faith Group Finds a Home at Simmons

For over 30 years, The Boston Church of Christ and its campus ministry have caused national controversy for what academics, theologians, mental health professionals and higher-education administrators describe as predatory practices, psychological manipulation and destructive behaviors.

Despite guidelines and policies barring the Church from campuses in Boston, and national news coverage of the Church in the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, the Church’s campus ministry has been actively recruiting on Simmons’ academic and residential campuses, holding unauthorized meetings in residential halls, and baptizing students into membership.

In this four-part investigative series, we will explore how the group, well known by higher-education administrators to be “predatory,” has been operating on Simmons’ campuses, and how it continues to recruit Simmons students despite courses being held remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ECHO • 13th March 2021

Awfultune Shares Second Installment in her 'color story,' "SICK OF YOU"

22-year-old Layla Eden, aka awfultune, is back with her latest single “SICK OF YOU,” the second release of her six-part ‘color story.’

Corresponding with the color orange, ‘SICK OF YOU’ expresses an apathetic and decisive end to a relationship.

“I’m a firm believer that you have the right to cut off anyone that’s unhealthy for you,” said Eden in a statement. “You don’t need to carry the resentment you feel towards those toxic people in life that keep you around just to toy with your heart.”

The Simmons Voice • 13th March 2021

Coping with COVID-19 anniversary trauma

“I think one way to look at what has happened this past year is that we have been fragmented. And as a fragmented people, whether emotionally, mentally, physically, that fragmentation needs to be brought back together,” said Kamya. We need to, “find ways to really do that authentically so that we can find our center selves.”

Responses from Simmons students about how they are feeling reaching the one-year anniversary of the pandemic.

Emptiness, irritability, anxiety, and an overall sense of uns

The Simmons Voice • 9th March 2021

Simmons Welcomes Dr. Roberto Ifill to Board of Trustees

With over 25 years of experience within higher education as a professor, administrator, and dean at multiple institutions, Dr. Roberto Ifill is bringing his experience to the Simmons Board of Trustees. His appointment was announced February 9.

Serving on the Dean’s Advisory Council of the Gwen Ifill College of Media, Arts, and Humanities since 2019, Dr. Ifill plans to continue his commitment of upholding the legacy of his late sister, distinguished alumna Gwen Ifill, throughout the University.

ECHO • 6th March 2021

Jessie Ware Releases Emotional and Hopeful Video for "Remember Where You Are"

Jessie Ware has released a short-film music video for her song “Remember Where You Are,” starring lookalike Gemma Arterton.

“Remember Where You Are,” the last track on the English singer-songwriters critically acclaimed album is a stark contrast to the rest of the disco/dance album, wrought with sex, desire, temptation, and dancing with strangers.

The slower, bittersweet track takes an even deeper meaning with the video, filmed during the evening and dawn of Valentine’s Day in the desolate str

ECHO • 28th February 2021

Dava Shares First Release, "New Ceilings" Off of Forthcoming EP

Adding to her already versatile repertoire, Los Angeles-based newcomer Dava continues to explore the realms of pop, R&B, and the best aspects of synthy SoundCloud production with her latest single “New Ceilings.”

The first release of her forthcoming EP, the track explores Dava’s arrival in LA, “survival and staying true to yourself” while dipping into some of the sounds of her earlier releases including “ASOS” and “Right Time.”

ECHO • 7th February 2021

NYC Collective MICHELLE Explores Identity in New Single "FYO"

It takes more effort than one would think to exude the energy of “effortlessly cool.” It’s a careful balance of trying hard, but not too hard, and is rarely achieved… queue the industry-plant Twitter threads.

If you are MICHELLE, there is no trying to be done at all. The New York City Collective is the real thing and has been since the beginning with their 2018 self-released debut album

The Simmons Voice • 30th January 2021

Commencement 2021 will be virtual according to an email from administration

BREAKING- May 2021 Commencement to be held remotely

Commencement ceremonies for 2021 graduates will be held remotely, according to emails sent to the Simmons community Friday evening. The announcement comes as COVID-19 cases continue to rise nationwide, with new variants of the virus and delays in vaccine rollout.

ECHO • 29th January 2021

Ai Bendr's "Love Me Low" Featured on HBO's Euphoria

It’s nearly impossible to think of HBO’s hit without a few things coming to mind… the haze of purple neon, bold graphic eyeliner with glittering embellishments, and of course, the soundtrack.

With last week’s release of a special episode intended to hold fans over until the release of pandemic-delayed season two, viewers were treated by the television debut of singer-songwriter Ai Bendr’s “Love Me Low.”

The Simmons Voice • 7th December 2020

Declan McKenna carries intellectual depth and expressive sense of self into sophomore album ‘Zeros’

Industrialism, climate change, data mining, dystopia, and conspiracy theories are all thought-provoking and often heavy themes at the forefront of people’s minds in 2020 amid political and social unrest and a global pandemic.

But for 21-year-old English singer, songwriter, and musician Declan McKenna, ruminating on such topics is nothing new.

At 15, the singer’s debut single “Brazil” was beyond its years with a political critique and of the corruption within

The Simmons Voice • 16th November 2020

For New Hampshire teacher, Halloween traditions are reframed amidst COVID-19 and loss

This story was featured on The Simmons Voice and Simmons Radio: The Shark’s podcast “Welcome Home.” Click here to listen.

When it comes to trick-or-treating in the exurbs of New England, there is always that neighborhood… The one which brings families from neighboring towns and handfuls of out-of-staters year after year. The one with houses that are conveniently spaced from one another and are connected by mazes of streets which allow for ghouls, goblins, princesses, and superheroes to get the

The Simmons Voice • 19th October 2020

Five tips on how to talk about hooking up during a pandemic

It’s time we have the talk about hooking up and COVID-19

It’s time we have the talk.

In the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, it makes sense that people may be missing the good old days of physical human connection. Some may even be considering venturing back out into the already messy and confusing hookup scene.

According to epidemiologist Julia Marcus’ Atlantic article, an abstinence-only based approach to social distancing is not helpful. The shame associated with the approach can even be co

The Simmons Voice • 5th October 2020

Remembering Nikolay Kurmakov

“He taught us to care for each other. He created an environment for a team. We were taught to look out for each other and he called us a family.”

On October 1, former Ukrainian and Soviet Union National Rowing champion and head coach of the Simmons University Crew Team Nikolay Kurmakov passed away while rowing on the Charles River. He was 68.

Kurmakov coached the Simmons Crew team for nearly 30 years, and was an active member in the Boston rowing community; coaching the Women’s Sweeps teams at

The Simmons Voice • 3rd August 2020

Glass Animals Dazzle with single ‘It’s All So Incredibly Loud’

The Oxford four-piece have dropped a single and accompanying music video ahead of the release of their third studio album ‘Dreamland.’

‘It’s All So Incredibly Loud’ is “about only three seconds of life” according to an Instagram post from front man Dave Bayley.

“I think most people have been in a position where they have to say something to someone that they know is going to devastate them and change their life forever. It’s about the silence between those words leaving your mouth and their re

The Simmons Voice • 11th July 2020

Go or No Go? Simmons students still waiting for fall plans to be announced

In early April, then President Helen Drinan said on the Bloomberg Businessweek Podcast that universities should have a plan for the fall semester by July 1. Now, nearly two weeks into July, a plan has yet to be announced, causing frustration for some students.

“There will never be a good time to make a decision so waiting until the last second is really going to make everything worse,” said Colette Simpson, a rising junior nursing student.

Before the pandemic Simpson planned to live on campus