The Huntington News November 15, 2024
The independent student newspaper of the Northeastern community
@HuntNewsNU
California banned legacy admissions NU says state law does not apply to Oakland campus
By Lily Cooper | News Staff California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill Sept. 30 prohibiting private institutions from giving preference toward legacy and donor students in the admissions process. The ruling aims to make college admissions a fairer playing field and combat the June 2023 Supreme Court decision to end affirmative action, which ruled that colleges can no longer consider an applicant’s race when admitting students. “The California Dream shouldn’t be accessible to just a lucky few, which is why we’re opening the door to higher education wide enough for everyone, fairly,” Newsom said in a statement Sept. 30. The law will take effect September 2025. Just over two years ago, this ruling would’ve had no effect on Northeastern, a university based 3,000 miles away in Boston. But as of 2024, Northeastern has opened two campuses in California — one in Oakland in 2022 and another in Silicon Valley in 2023. But despite the new state law, Northeastern told The News it will continue
Photo courtesy Lauren Matthews The exterior of Reinhardt Hall on Northeastern’s Oakland campus. Northeastern told The News it will continue to consider legacy admissions for students admitted to its Oakland and Silicon Valley campuses despite a new California bill that banned legacy admissions. to consider legacy admissions for students admitted to the Oakland and Silicon Valley campuses. “Although Northeastern operates
two campuses in California, because the university is legally incorporated in Massachusetts, it is our understanding that the new California law does not
apply to Northeastern,” Vice President for Communications Renata Nyul said in an email statement to The News in October. “The university may consider
an applicant’s affiliations with Northeastern as part of a holistic review of each applicant for admission.” BILL, on Page 3
Students concerned about lack MBTA unveils new of allergy-free dining options Green Line train By Antaine Anhalt News Correspondent Northeastern Dining says it offers a “wide assortment” of healthy and sustainable meal options, including accommodations for those with vegan, vegetarian, halal and kosher diets and foods free from the top nine allergens. But many students say a lack of assurance of allergen-free options has caused them to question the safety of the dining halls. Many of Northeastern’s documents
outlining allergen information in dining halls have disclaimers that the school cannot guarantee safety for those with dietary restrictions, The News found. For example, the Northeastern Navigating Food Allergies and Special Diets on Campus guide says “Northeastern Dining uses manufacturer-provided ingredient information, and we do not confirm the presence or lack of an allergen.” While it’s possible to get housing accommodations for a kitchen due to an allergy through Disability Access
Services, or DAS, not all allergies qualify for this accommodation. The Dietary Disability Disclosure form from DAS says “A diagnosis of a food allergy alone does not qualify a student for accommodations under the [Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act].” For students with severe food allergies and dietary restrictions, finding safe food in the dining halls can be a trying task — and an isolating one. ACCOMMODATIONS, on Page 2
Photo by Darin Zullo The entrance to International Village’s dining hall. Many students with food allergies and dietary restrictions described having trouble finding safe food in the university’s dining halls.
CITY
Results and reactions to the 2024 election Read about the MA ballot questions and students’ thoughts on this year’s election.
PAGE 6-7
By Asher Ben-Dashan News Correspondent The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority, or MBTA, displayed a mock-up of the new Green Line Type 10 train Oct. 29 and 30 at Boston City Hall Plaza, unveiling the future look of MBTA trains and attracting frequent riders, curious passersby and public transportation enthusiasts. “I think we’re really curious of what the future of the MBTA is,” said Marina Markot, 66, a former Northeastern employee and Jamaica Plain resident. “I read the news about it all the time to stay on top of it because I really want it to succeed.” A prototype of the Type 10 was exhibited in a large tent at the center of the plaza. The train doors were open with wheelchair-accessible ramps set up, allowing attendees to pass through, sit down and scrutinize. MBTA engineers and workers were positioned around the plaza to talk about the features of the model, answer questions and
SPORTS
CROSSWORD
Read about Borgesi’s impact on Northeastern Hockey.
Answers will be revealed in the next print issue.
Solve The News’ crossword
Vinny Borgesi leads Huskies’ redemption
Graphic by Emma Liu
collect feedback from visitors. “It’s nice to see Boston adopting something that I’ve been seeing worldwide in my travels, something that looks modern,” said self-proclaimed train nerd Scott Aldorg, 54, a Dorchester resident. The Type 10 was designed by Spanish public transportation manufacturer Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, resembling trains the company designed in European cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Amsterdam, Helsinki and Athens. The MBTA ordered the trains in 2022, and the prototype is expected to enter service at the earliest in winter 2027. Signs around the tent also outlined the new features of the prototype along with a QR code linking to a survey for attendees to give feedback. The main feature of the Type 10 is a flat floor design, increasing the accessibility of the vehicle. There are currently no Green Line trains that have a completely flat floor due to the necessary placement of the train’s wheels and engines. LOCOMOTIVE, on Page 3
PAGE 8
Graphic by Sofia Sawchuk
PAGE 9
Graphic by Emma Liu