WashU announced plans to rename the Robert J. Terry endowed Professorship in the School of Medicine and the annual Robert J. Terry Lecture Series in the Neuroscience Department, following a recommendation made by the University’s Naming Review Board (NRB). The removal request was submitted to the NRB in fall of 2024 by then-senior Paul Scott, with support from 11 student co-signers and a letter from the WashU Native American Students Association.

First-year Arianna Zeldin recently started a new conservative podcast titled Beyond the Ballot and invited sophomore Ella Bruno, the current president of the WashU Republicans, to be a co-host. The podcast, which intends to host Chancellor Andrew Martin in its forthcoming second episode, explains that it will provide “Conservative views, Bold discussions, unfiltered takes on today’s political climate.” 

Former McKelvey professor of Energy, Environmental & Chemical Engineering Tae Seok Moon filed a lawsuit against WashU on March 4, claiming that he was forced to resign because he spoke out against discrimination on campus. 

The Trump administration’s immigration crackdown has incited concern among WashU students and faculty, and caused at least one department in the Medical School to send out a document detailing what to do if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is present on campus. 

Both St. Louisans and WashU community members are calling for WashU to compensate surrounding communities through Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILOTs), due in part to WashU’s growing real estate portfolio in the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County. However, WashU does not anticipate changing its stance on PILOTs, stating the University contributes to the surrounding municipalities in other ways. 

Following the inauguration of President Donald Trump, members of the WashU community expressed uncertainty and concerns over proposed policies of the new administration that could impact large groups of students and reshape University practices. 

Transgender rights activists and fiancées, Zooey Zephyr and Erin Reed, spoke to around 200 WashU students and visitors on Thursday, Nov 7. They discussed their relationship, the state of transgender rights in America, how transgender rights are connected to other social issues, and how to find hope in dark times. 

Poet, artist, and astronaut Dr. Sian Proctor shared the lessons in leadership and persistence she gained through her journey aboard SpaceX’s 2021 Inspiration4 mission to a crowd of approximately 100 WashU students and visitors in Graham Chapel, Oct. 24. 

Three of WashU’s major affinity groups published an opinion piece announcing, among other things, the creation of multiple student intern positions after a year of working with administration. These interns will work with the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to help increase diversity in enrollment.

WashU has hundreds or even thousands of recycling bins on its campus that are used by students, faculty, and staff each day. But where does it all go? Most students don’t know.