Kiara Royer

‘A cutthroat competition to the death’: Seniors queue overnight to select their favorite Sawyer Library carrels

Kiara Royer • September 20, 2023

It’s not uncommon to see students milling around Sawyer Library late at night or early in the morning, but last week, one may have noticed more students in their pajamas than usual. Last Monday, Sept. 11, senior thesis writers waited to claim one of Sawyer’s 120 carrels as their own for the year.

Nancy Baker Cahill ’92 discusses intersection between art and virtual reality

Kiara Royer • December 7, 2022

In an interview with the Record, multimedia artist Nancy Baker Cahill ’92 discussed her work engaging with social justice, collaboration, and augmented reality, as well as her processes creating digital installations.

Environment, art, and birds: Mara Bun ’84 discusses performance works

Kiara Royer • October 5, 2022

hen Mara Bun ’84 arrived at the College as a first-year, she had little idea of the collaborative possibilities her degree would allow. She has worked with former leader of the Soviet Union Mikhail Gorbachev on environmental activism, acted as the attaché to the Brazilian women's soccer team for the Sydney Olympics in 2000, and chaired the board of the Bowerbird Collective, helping produce soundscape performances that connect audiences to the natural world.

The Artist Otherwise Known As: Peter Miles ’24

Kiara Royer • September 21, 2022

Peter Miles ’24 has always been passionate about music. Miles, however, had little idea that his interest in music would lead him to study at the Mediterranean Opera Studio and Festival in Caltagirone, Italy, this past summer.

Class of 2022.5 to participate in Commencement

Kiara Royer • April 27, 2022

Members of the Class of 2022.5 will be allowed to join the Class of 2022’s Commencement, with stipulations.

‘Freed by Title IX’: Looking into the creation of the first women’s athletic teams at the College

Kiara Royer • March 9, 2022

Coinciding with the College’s move towards coeduaction, Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs including athletics, was passed in June 1972. The first official female varsity sports teams at the College were established in the fall of 1972 — and in some cases, student athletes initiated the creation of teams themselves.

Students witness racist incident; questions remain unanswered

Ella Marx and Kiara Royer • February 16, 2022

On Feb. 12, Arianna Barzacanos ’24 and Iman Shumburo ’24 were walking in front of Chapin Hall when they saw three young individuals walking on the sidewalk towards Paresky holding a Black Lives Matter sign and shouting the N-word at cars passing by.

One in Two Thousand: Kedar Veeraswamy ’24

Kiara Royer • January 26, 2022

This week, the computer (using a script in R) chose Kedar Veeraswamy ’24, who discussed how he got to the College, The 1975, and his favorite Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor.

Athletics facilities usage to remain closed to most students, varsity sport spectators restricted until Jan. 10

Ella Marx and Kiara Royer • January 7, 2022

Jan. 7 | 3:20 p.m. The College will allow student spectators to attend several of this weekend’s varsity athletic competitions and will allow faculty and staff spectators starting Monday, Jan. 10, Chief Communications Officer Jim Reische wrote in a Jan. 6 email. Student spectators who meet certain COVID-19 criteria will be allowed as spectators starting this weekend.

Thirty students test positive for COVID, isolation housing policies change amid students’ return to campus

Megan Lin and Kiara Royer • January 4, 2022

Jan. 3, 2022 | 9:46 p.m. Thirty students tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday, bringing the College’s total number of positive tests in the past seven days to 40, according to the COVID dashboard....

Fall approval ratings survey shows decreased approval for CSS, Dining

Ella Marx and Kiara Royer • December 8, 2021

The Record sent its twice-annual survey to 500 randomly selected unixes last week to gauge whether students approve, disapprove, or feel neutral about College policies and institutions.

In Other Ivory Towers: Univ. of Florida blocks faculty from testifying in voting rights case against the state

Ella Marx and Kiara Royer • November 3, 2021

The University of Florida prohibited three of its professors from serving as expert witnesses in a lawsuit challenging Florida’s new law restricting voter rights, raising concerns about First Amendment rights.

One in Two Thousand: Alex Rouyer ’24

Kiara Royer • September 29, 2021

This week, the computer (using a script in R) chose Alex Rouyer ’24, who talked about hiking Pine Cobble once a week, getting pranked with Jell-O, and becoming (sort of) internet-famous because of quarantine milk.

College prepares for in-person semester amid Delta variant concerns

As students begin to return, College reintroduces weekly testing; four students test positive

Sofie Jones, Katie Jung, and Kiara Royer • September 3, 2021

Many students had hoped that this fall, with the campus largely vaccinated, would finally be free from COVID restrictions. But the prevalence of the Delta variant has led the College to reimplement an indoor mask mandate and a weekly testing requirement. And if the campus sees an outbreak, the College could implement more stringent restrictions, according to administrators.

Record survey reveals decreased approval of College policies, institutions

Megan Lin and Kiara Royer • May 19, 2021

The Record sent out its biannual approval ratings survey this past week to 500 randomly selected students, who were given the option to indicate whether they approve of, disapprove of, or feel neutral about various campus figures, institutions, and policies.

All Massachusetts adults to be eligible for vaccine April 19

College works to become a vaccination site

Kiara Royer and Fiona Seibert • March 31, 2021

On March 17, Gov. Baker announced that all Massachusetts residents over the age of 16 will be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine beginning on April 19. The College has not yet determined whether it will be able to serve as a vaccination site, but it is in discussion with local health services providers, President Mandel told the Record.

Asian studies department to restructure, adding new major and concentration

Kiara Royer and Rachel Jiang • March 31, 2021

Beginning in the 2021-2022 academic year, a department of Asian languages, literatures, and cultures (DALLC) and a program in Asian studies will replace the current Asian studies department. The DALLC will revise versions of the existing Chinese and Japanese majors, as well as offer a new East Asian languages and cultures major.

Director of CSS Dave Boyer to retire after 32 years at College

Kiara Royer and Ella Marx • March 3, 2021

Director of Campus Safety & Security (CSS) Dave Boyer will retire this August after 32 years at the College.

2 weeks, 11 cases: COVID cases rise among students

College sees first evidence of community transmission

Annie Lu and Kiara Royer • February 24, 2021

Eleven on-campus students have tested positive for COVID-19 since arriving for the spring semester, a significant increase relative to the number of COVID cases reported at a comparable time in the fall. Seven of this semester’s cases were reported upon arrival, with the remaining four positives occurring after the student had initially tested negative. Three of those students, who at first moved to quarantine in Dodd House after coming into close contact with COVID-positive students, have since tested positive themselves and moved to isolation. One staff or faculty member tested positive on Feb. 15.

Ericka Hart calls out College in Claiming Williams’ morning keynote address

Kiara Royer and Emily Kuwaye • February 24, 2021

Activist Ericka Hart delivered the morning keynote on Claiming Williams Day on Thursday in a Zoom webinar titled “(Calling Out) Williams Day!” Hart called on the College to address past and present institutional racism against Black and Indigenous people.

Spring Street businesses hope for successful spring as occupancy limits loosen, students return

Shannon Billups, Sophie Haase, and Kiara Royer • February 24, 2021

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker loosened COVID-19 guidelines on Feb. 8, allowing certain businesses — such as restaurants, movie theaters, and retail spaces, among others — to increase their...

College awards tenure to eight faculty members

Kiara Royer • February 10, 2021

During its winter 2021 meeting on Jan. 22, the Board of Trustees approved the promotion of eight faculty members to the position of associate professor with tenure: Jeremy Cone, psychology; Christine DeLucia, history; Matthew Gibson, economics; Lama Nassif, Arabic studies; Christina Simko, sociology; Owen Thompson, economics; Emily Vasiliauskas, English; and Zachary Wadsworth, music. Tenure will go into effect on July 1.

The Williams Record