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WMUA News: Up to the Minute

WMUA News: Up to the Minute

By WMUA 91.1 FM

WMUA 91.1 FM's weekly news broadcast featuring people, stories, and sounds from around the Pioneer Valley.
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Pandemic Series Part 1

WMUA News: Up to the MinuteOct 18, 2020

00:00
26:24
Interview with Bill and Connie of Sunset Farm: “A Farm for the Neighbors”

Interview with Bill and Connie of Sunset Farm: “A Farm for the Neighbors”

In November of 2023, WMUA News Editor Ariana Gonzalez sat down with Bill and Connie of Sunset Farm to discuss various topics such as how they came to grow Sunset farm, adapting to climate change as farm-owners, and how the growing student population in Amherst has affected local communities.


This episode was produced and edited by Ariana Gonzalez.

Mar 06, 202414:22
WMUA Battle of the Bands Part 1

WMUA Battle of the Bands Part 1

On October 21st, WMUA hosted the Battle of the Bands concert at the Drake in Downtown Amherst. 6 bands from the five colleges gathered to compete for a chance to open for the WMUA Fall Concert.


Before the show, WMUA News Reporter Aidan Sabine sat down with the bands Ravenous Conglomerate, Leadheads, and B&, to learn about their history and influences, and hear their feelings before the show.


This episode was produced and edited by Aidan Sabine.

Dec 07, 202314:60
Religious Studies at UMass, Part II

Religious Studies at UMass, Part II

In December of 2022 WMUA News reporter Kelly McMahan spoke with UMass Religious History Professor Susan Ware to discuss the study of religion at a public university and its importance in today’s world.


This is part one of a two part conversation with Professor Ware. Both parts can be found on WMUA News's Up to the Minute podcasts series.



This feature was produced and edited by Kelly McMahan.

May 01, 202315:25
Religious Studies at UMass, Part I

Religious Studies at UMass, Part I

In December of 2022 WMUA News reporter Kelly McMahan spoke with UMass Religious History Professor Susan Ware to discuss the study of religion at a public university and its importance in today’s world.


This is part one of a two part conversation with Professor Ware. Both parts can be found on WMUA News's Up to the Minute podcasts series.



This feature was produced and edited by Kelly McMahan.

May 01, 202318:46
News Literacy in the Digital Age

News Literacy in the Digital Age

Steve Fox, UMass Journalism Professor, reporter, editor and author, founded the Sports Journalism concentration at UMass, as well as UMass's new Gen-Ed News Literacy course. WMUA reporter Flynn Fatur sat down with him to discuss digital news, social media, and the internet. Listen for more.



This episode was produced and edited by Flynn Fatur

May 01, 202314:07
The Race for UMass On-Campus Housing

The Race for UMass On-Campus Housing

As the spring 2023 semester reached its halfway mark, University of Massachusetts Amherst students were anxious to select on-campus housing for the 2023-2024 academic year. With 13,586 beds available in on-campus residential buildings and over 23,000 undergraduate students, many worried they may not find a place to live after a competitive housing selection process in the spring of 2022.


Housing selection began on Wednesday, March 29, and Residential Life Student Services intended for appointments to continue on weekdays until Friday, April 7. On the fourth day of housing selection, Residential Life emailed students saying there were no more beds available, leaving approximately 900 appointments unfulfilled.


WMUA News Reporters Sophie Hauck and Lyvia Migliaccio spoke with UMass undergraduate and graduate students to learn how they found housing on campus, and what UMass could do to improve its housing selection. Listen for more.



This feature was produced and edited by Sophie Hauck and Lyvia Migliaccio

May 01, 202314:00
UMCA 60 Years of Collecting

UMCA 60 Years of Collecting

Over the last 60 years, the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s University Museum of Contemporary Art has amassed a collection of over 3,600 prints, drawings, photographs, and three dimensional multiples. In comparison to other university museums in the five colleges area, like the Smith College Museum of Art and the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, UMass has focused their collecting priorities on the last seventy years of art history.
In response to the 60 year anniversary of their collection, the UMCA launched their 60 Years of Collecting Exhibition, which serves not only as a history of the pieces, but as a retrospective of the development of the museum and its collection. The exhibition consists of 115 works, and features prints by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenschtein, photographs by Robert Mapplethorpe and Sheron Rupp, and three dimensional works by Keith Haring and Kara-Elizabeth Walker, amongst many others.

WMUA News Editor Owen Embury spoke to museum director Loretta Yarlow to discuss the exhibition, its conception, and the history of the University Museum of Contemporary Art.


This episode was produced by Owen Embury

Mar 06, 202321:18
Professor Appy on Umass "Confronting Empire" Feinberg Lecture Series

Professor Appy on Umass "Confronting Empire" Feinberg Lecture Series

Last semester, WMUA Reporter Flynn Fatur spoke with UMass Amherst professor and author Chris Appy, widely regarded as a leading expert on the Vietnam War experience. He has received the Chancellor’s Medal, the Distinguished Teaching Award, and the Distinguished Graduate Mentor Award here at UMass. His most recent efforts include pioneering the Ellsberg Initiative, a project to spread awareness about vital issues relating to journalist Daniel Ellsberg’s concerns and legacy, including U.S. imperialism, whistleblowing, democracy, secrecy and surveillance, and existential threats.


This episode was produced by Flynn Fatur

Mar 05, 202315:24
A Conversation with Phil Elverum

A Conversation with Phil Elverum

When music streaming presented itself as a convenient alternative to purchasing music at the end of the 2000’s, it was assumed that the questionable finances would work themselves out in a few years through inconvenient growing pains; but, over a decade later, the business model that works only for popular artists has made independent musicianship a seemingly masochistic endeavor.

Neil Young and Joni Mitchell's withdrawal from Spotify at the beginning of 2021 opened a discussion concerning the service’s ethics, and independent musicians are hopeful it may expand to include the mistreatment of artists across all platforms. On February 2nd, WMUA News Editor Owen Embury sat down with Phil Elverum of the Microphones and Mount Eerie to discuss the ways the musical landscape has changed over the last two decades.


This episode was produced and edited by Owen Embury.

Nov 07, 202208:13
Remembering David Berman (Full Interview)

Remembering David Berman (Full Interview)

This is an extended version of the preceding "Remembering David Berman" feature that was uploaded on October 11th, 2022.


Between 1994 and 1996, poet and songwriter David Berman made his home at the University of Massachusetts Amherst while pursuing a masters in poetry under Pulitzer Prize winning poet James Tate. By then, his band Silver Jews had already released two EP’s, Dime Map of the Reef and The Arizona Record, through the Chicago label Drag City Records, but during his time in Amherst his career truly began with the release of 1994’s Starlite Walker. After 1996’s The Natural Bridge, he would release four more albums with Silver Jews and his only collection of poetry, 1999’s Actual Air, before Berman receded from the public in 2009. He would not release any new music until 2019’s eponymous Purple Mountains, which would be his last album. David Berman took own his life on August 7, 2019 in Brooklyn, New York.

WMUA News Editor, Owen Embury, spoke with a longtime friend of Berman’s, Bob Nastanovich, about their time in college, his body of work, and David’s lifelong battle with his mental health.

This episode was produced and edited by Owen Embury.

Nov 07, 202254:11
Remembering David Berman

Remembering David Berman

Between 1994 and 1996, poet and songwriter David Berman made his home at the University of Massachusetts Amherst while pursuing a masters in poetry under Pulitzer Prize winning poet James Tate. By then, his band Silver Jews had already released two EP’s, Dime Map of the Reef and The Arizona Record, through the Chicago label Drag City Records, but during his time in Amherst his career truly began with the release of 1994’s Starlite Walker. After 1996’s The Natural Bridge, he would release four more albums with Silver Jews and his only collection of poetry, 1999’s Actual Air, before Berman receded from the public in 2009. He would not release any new music until 2019’s eponymous Purple Mountains, which would be his last album. David Berman took own his life on August 7, 2019 in Brooklyn, New York.

WMUA News Editor, Owen Embury, spoke with a longtime friend of Berman’s, Bob Nastanovich, about their time in college, his body of work, and David’s lifelong battle with his mental health.


This episode was produced and edited by Owen Embury.

Oct 11, 202220:26
A Conversation with Matt Farley

A Conversation with Matt Farley

Over three decades Matt Farley has written and produced over 23,000 songs. His work, scattered across 80 different artist names, includes popular tracks entitled "The Poop Song" and "Best Song About Chicago". A majority of his most streamed songs are what he refers to as "joke songs", those that he creates in mass to be easily searched for on streaming services. In an interview with WMUA News Editor Owen Embury, Farley speaks on his past, his creative intentions, and how he grapples with the "joke songs" that have come to define his prolific music-making identity.


Featured music includes: 

"Greatest Song About Amherst"

"It's OK to Break the Law If You Have Good Intentions"


This episode was produced and edited by Owen Embury.

Oct 07, 202215:02
What Happened to the UPub?

What Happened to the UPub?

Since the beginning of the fall semester, News Correspondent Mike Murphy has been closely investigating why the University Pub never opened. In 2020, the UPub closed with the rest of campus, but upon returning in the Fall of 2021, its doors remained shut. Through email solicitation and on-the-ground interviews, a potential wider conspiracy was uncovered at the University of Massachusetts. Why was UPub closed? Was it being targeted? How does the student body feel about it? All of these questions may be answered as we delve into the biggest UMass mystery of the year: What Happened to the UPub?

This episode was produced and edited by Mike Murphy and first aired Friday, April 29, 2022, on WMUA 91.1 FM in Amherst, Massachusetts.

May 03, 202211:27
In Sickness and in Health

In Sickness and in Health

In this audio essay originally produced for Dr. Kelsey Whipple's Advanced Podcasting class at UMass Amherst, News Editor Rebeca Pereira discusses the emotional weight of watching a relative succumb to illness and the challenge of finding a silver lining and space for gratitude when suffering a prolonged loss. This feature tackles Alzheimer's and memory loss, as well as mentions of emotional abuse that may be triggering to some listeners. 

Translation, 22:20 

: "Go ahead."

: "God bless you, my children." 

Thanks to Raquel Pereira and Dr. Whipple. 

This feature was produced and edited by Rebeca Pereira. 

Apr 25, 202222:40
PETA Demonstators Return

PETA Demonstators Return

Demonstrators with the animal rights group PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) returned to UMass to protest professor Agnes Lacreuse's experimentation on marmoset monkeys. Members of Western Massachusetts Animal Rights Advocates also joined the stand-out, which purposefully coincided with University Without Walls's 50th anniversary celebration to encourage administrators to "bring down the walls of misinformation" around animal testing on campus. 

This episode was produced and edited by Rebeca Pereira and first aired on Thursday, April 14, 2022.

Apr 16, 202207:55
From the Vault: PETA on campus

From the Vault: PETA on campus

This 'From the Vault' episode first aired on Monday, September 13, 2021.


People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, made an appearance on campus last semester. Representatives from the animal rights organization mobilized behind the Student Union and demonstrated against the university’s experimentation on marmoset monkeys.

Protestors held signs that read QUOTE ‘End Marmoset Torture in My Name’ END QUOTE and chanted QUOTE “There is no excuse for animal abuse” as they traversed the length of the campus pond greenery before holding a stand-in at the Morrill Science Building.

Actor Casey Affleck and his mother, Chris Anne Boldt, stood alongside protestors calling for the termination of the marmoset research being conducted at UMass’s Institute for Applied Sciences Models to Medicine Center.

The research program simulates symptoms of female menopause, a biological development that does not occur in the marmoset species. The study seeks to examine the potential interactions between cognitive deficits, sleep disturbances, and thermoregulation impairments that are associated with estrogen loss.

PETA protestors vocalized their opposition to research procedures that require drilling into monkeys’ skulls to insert electrodes and surgically implanting hand warmers in their ovaries to simulate hot flashes.

This is not the first time PETA has come after UMass Amherst for their research department’s treatment of monkeys. In March of 2019, the organization filed a lawsuit against UMass in Suffolk County Superior Court.  As of April 10, 2019, the complaint never made it past the initial filing phase.

We spoke to PETA scientist Katherine Roe for more information about last semester’s demonstration.

This episode was produced and edited by Rebeca Pereira. 

Apr 11, 202209:25
College Affordability, Student Debt, and How UMass Falls Short
Apr 08, 202207:53
Legacies of Leftism: Professor Richard Wolff

Legacies of Leftism: Professor Richard Wolff

Richard Wolff is a professor emeritus in the UMass economics department and a visiting professor at The New School in New York. He joins us for the first installment of our new series Legacies of Leftism, an exploration of UMass's radical past, not as a formula but as a foundation for a radical future. 

This episode was produced and edited by Rebeca Pereira for WMUA 91.1 FM in Amherst, MA. 

Mar 24, 202227:29
The War in Ukraine, Part II

The War in Ukraine, Part II

"[Ukrainians] are a distinct people and [their] language reflects that. [...] Putin himself has been saying 'Ukraine is part of Russia, Ukrainians are Russians, there's no difference'. It's not as if this is only an academic point. This historical claim is politically relevant and emotionally and psychologically relevant." 

Professor Audrey Altstadt explains Eastern European cultural identity and charts the history of the longstanding cultural, linguistic, and territorial conflicts between Russian and Ukraine. Altstadt is a professor of history at UMass Amherst and focuses her research on Soviet History, Soviet nationalities, especially Azerbaijan, and Central Asia. 

We also march to Amherst Center, where students, professors, and community members demonstrated in solidarity with Ukraine on Friday, March 4, 2022. 

This episode was produced and reported on by Catherine Hurley and Rebeca Pereira. 

Mar 10, 202213:51
The War in Ukraine, Part I

The War in Ukraine, Part I

"There is going to be a point at which it is impossible to hide the cost of this war because someone is going to know someone whose son died."

We're joined by UMass Amherst Political Science and Legal Studies professor Lauren McCarthy to analyze the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a sudden escalation of an ongoing conflict in the former Soviet republic's Donbass region. This feature was produced by WMUA news editor Rebeca Pereira. It is the first installment of a three-part series on the war in Ukraine. 

Feb 28, 202228:44
Access UMass: Disability advocacy reaches campus

Access UMass: Disability advocacy reaches campus

Access UMass, a student organization advocating for disability rights on campus, surfaced in Amherst this semester, utilizing social media to pinpoint barriers to accessibility — curbs, icy roads, broken door access buttons. Now, they’ve begun making demands of university administrators and fighting to be heard and seen. News Editor Rebeca Pereira sat down with an Access UMass member André DaSilva to talk about how his group coalesced and which needs its members are articulating. 

Listen for more. 

Feb 11, 202216:05
Professor Paul Collins on Justice Stephen Breyer's Retirement
Feb 10, 202214:01
Groundhog Day: unions rally for fair contracts

Groundhog Day: unions rally for fair contracts

It’s Groundhog Day, but UMass campus workers say the nightmare they’re reliving daily is a cycle of idleness, where managers are unresponsive to union workers’ demands and reckless with their health. 200 unionized on-campus workers demonstrated this afternoon in a rally that called for raises, strengthened COVID-19 protocol, greater accessibility to campus buildings, and a commitment to 100% renewable energy by 2035. WMUA News Editor Rebeca Pereira has more.


Feb 02, 202207:19
A Visit to Springfield Honors Academy

A Visit to Springfield Honors Academy

It's an academic rat race, the sprint towards graduation, and the starting pistol rings at high schools across the nation when the Common App and FAFSA open to 12th grade applicants. College bound seniors, especially ones enrolled in rigorous academic programs like the students at Springfield Honors Academy, incubate in highly competitive settings, vying for selective scholarships, acceptances to prestigious institutions of higher education, and the golden ticket of academic excellence: a high class rank. But in a post-pandemic learning environment, much has changed. In this piece, students at Springfield Honors reflect on their stressors, their ambitions, and the newfound solidarity helping to collectively keep the graduating class afloat. This piece was originally produced for UMass journalism professor Nick McBride's Community Journalism class. 

Produced and reported by Rebeca Pereira. This piece includes reporting done by the Amherst Wire's Tristan Smith. 

Dec 08, 202115:07
Pioneer Valley Pulse, Fall, 2021, Part 1

Pioneer Valley Pulse, Fall, 2021, Part 1

Every semester, WMUA News partners with the UMass Journalism department to field radio package submissions from professor Kelsey Whipple’s Radio and Podcasting course. Today we aired the first batch of those features: Partying behind masks, Mushroom foraging in the Valley, People’s Market reopens, and Mike’s Maze brings autumn joy to children and families. Listen for more! 

This special broadcast features reporting from Ella Adams, Elizabeth Beanland, Catherine Hurley, and Emilee Klein. 

Nov 20, 202122:07
Breaking: SGA President Prabhu Rajkumar Resigns

Breaking: SGA President Prabhu Rajkumar Resigns

UMass Student Government Association President Prabhu Rajkumar resigned at last night’s weekly senate meeting amidst concerns about his performance and attendance this semester.

Rajkumar said in a five-minute speech on Monday QUOTE “I got into SGA because I wanted to represent my peers and make a real difference, and in my current situation, I don't believe that I am the best person to be the face of the SGA.” END QUOTE

Rajkumar previously faced calls to resign over unearthed tweets expressing an anti-immigration sentiment.

Speaker Patrick Collins was sworn in as president last night. Associate Speaker Julia Curto will take over as speaker and Vice President Ben Katzman will remain in his position.

Rajkumar added in his remarks QUOTE “Saying goodbye to the place I’ve known since I was a freshman is hard, more so when it is coming earlier than expected, but I have no doubt that the new leadership will do an excellent job representing the needs of the students.” END QUOTE

News Editor Rebeca Pereira interviewed Massachusetts Daily Collegian reporter Alex Genovese on the resignation. Listen for more.


This segment includes reporting from WMUA News' Catherine Hurley. 

Nov 18, 202108:10
New Promo!

New Promo!

A brand spankin' new promo for WMUA News, broadcasting live from the Student Union Monday through Thursday from 5:30 to 6 p.m. 

WMUA: WHERE IT SWINGS SO MUCH THE KIDS EVEN DANCE TO THE NEWS! 


Credit to the WMUA Production Committee and WMUA News. 

Nov 05, 202100:40
Impunity: Victimization and Visibility

Impunity: Victimization and Visibility

In late September, protests erupted on our campus in direct response to sexual assault allegations that surfaced on an anonymous messaging app.  The allegations spurred a tidal wave of solidarity entangled in grief and frustration – and as demonstrations have begun abating, the mourning  of survivors has overtaken the outrage of the protestors that spilled onto North Pleasant Street on the first weekend of our coverage.

In this third installment of our series Impunity: Sexual Assault and Accountability on a College Campus, we hear from Mic (they/them), who graduated from UMass Amherst in 2018 and experienced sexual assault in the first semester of their freshman year. Mic is referred to in this segment only by their preferred nickname, and their assailant is referred to by the alias David in an effort to protect both their identities. 

This episode includes reporting from Amherst Wire Managing Editor Talia Heisey and WMUA News Editor Rebeca Pereira.

This feature has been minimally censored for legal reasons.

Nov 03, 202119:05
Impunity: Out of Obscurity and Into the Light

Impunity: Out of Obscurity and Into the Light

Two weeks ago, protests erupted on our campus in immediate response to sexual assault allegations that surfaced on an anonymous messaging app. The allegations spurred a tidal wave of solidarity entangled in grief and frustration – and as demonstrations have begun abating, the mourning of survivors has overtaken the outrage of the protestors that spilled onto North Pleasant Street on the first weekend of our coverage.

In this second installment of our series Impunity: Sexual Assault and Accountability on a College Campus, we hear from those survivors their stories of, victimization, violation, and resilience, as well as from a number of other voices – a sociology professor, a campus advocate, and a graduate whose experience drives at the heart of our programming’s message: this is not a new problem.

This episode includes reporting from Amherst Wire Managing Editor Talia Heisey and WMUA News Editor Rebeca Pereira.

This feature has been minimally censored for legal reasons. 

Oct 06, 202112:02
Impunity: Sexual assault and accountability on a college campus
Sep 21, 202111:04
Pandemic Series 2.0 Part 3

Pandemic Series 2.0 Part 3

In this third installment, we have stories of learning and schooling during the pandemic; from a special education teacher adapting to teaching under COVID restrictions to the benefits of art therapy.

May 10, 202121:19
Pandemic Series 2.0 Part 4

Pandemic Series 2.0 Part 4

In the final installment of our Pandemic Series, we hear varying stories from the college application process to political elections, all during a global pandemic.

May 10, 202121:14
Pandemic Series 2.0 Part 2

Pandemic Series 2.0 Part 2

Students explore the evolution of social and human experiences and interactions within the confines of COVID-19 safety regulations, from using dating apps to health consciousness. All that and more in the second installment of our Pandemic Series 2.0.

Apr 26, 202126:33
Pandemic Series 2.0 Part 1

Pandemic Series 2.0 Part 1

In the first installment of the second edition Pandemic Series, we listen to the stories of a couple's journey for a vaccine appointment, the business of language learning in a global pandemic, the current U-Mass graduate experience, and how U-Mass Transit employees are operating under COVID-19 guidelines.

Apr 19, 202122:13
What's Up with UMass Student Orgs?

What's Up with UMass Student Orgs?

Tune in to hear about how COVID-19 has affected student organizations and businesses at UMass.

Feb 22, 202126:55
Elections 2020

Elections 2020

Our reporters went out to polling sites on Election Day to speak to voters about their thoughts on the presidential election and presidential candidates. They discussed their policy priorities and gave one word to describe this year's election.

Nov 05, 202026:02
Pandemic Series Part 3

Pandemic Series Part 3

In the final installment of our three-part Pandemic series, tune in to hear the effects of COVID-19 on family relationships as well as how universities managed the return of their students from their semesters abroad at the height of the pandemic.

Nov 01, 202015:16
Pandemic Series Part 2

Pandemic Series Part 2

In the second installment of our Pandemic Series, hear about the effects of COVID-19 on a family coping with online elementary schooling, on some small business in Massachusetts, and on a healthcare professional in Dorchester, MA.

Oct 25, 202020:59
Pandemic Series Part 1

Pandemic Series Part 1

In the first installment of our three-part Pandemic Series, tune in to hear the effects of COVID-19 on study abroad experiences and Student Government Association elections at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the work being done on antibody therapy for COVID by senior bioscientist manager TJ Maccagnan.

Oct 18, 202026:24
University Reopening Effect on RA's and PM's

University Reopening Effect on RA's and PM's

Like many colleges around the country, UMass has changed its opening plans frequently. And often, with little notice to students, faculty and staff. Resident Assistants and Peer Mentors were no exceptions and over 400 student workers were unable to work this semester. WMUA News' Jesse Kolodkin takes a look at what happened to RAs and PMs and what they're going to do about it.

Oct 04, 202018:26
At an Airport in Dublin

At an Airport in Dublin

Senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Archie Brydon chronicles his attempt to return to the United States from the United Kingdom which ends in the termination of his student visa.

Sep 27, 202023:36
Eli Slovin and Markeyverse

Eli Slovin and Markeyverse

Fame is relative. In Amherst, Eli Slovin is famous, relatively speaking. WMUA News' Jesse Kolodkin talked with Eli about where his fame came from and why he loves UMass. Listen as our reporter Rebeca Pereira explores the surge in youth support that got Senator Markey over the finish line and secured him another six years at the nation's capitol.

Sep 20, 202023:42
Up to the Minute Episode 1

Up to the Minute Episode 1

We dive into what the concept of being a college student is now in the time of COVID and the consequences of partying at college.

Sep 13, 202018:20