The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate began its weekly meeting last night by briefly discussing problems students face when they remain on campus for Thanksgiving break, including closed dining halls and general “misery” on campus. Senate, along with Dean of Student Affairs Mary Pat McMahon, wants to begin to think about ways to bring students who stay on campus over this break together.
The Student Outreach Committee then provided its update, which focused on its own efforts to brainstorm ways to connect Tufts community members over Thanksgiving break in conjunction with the Senate’s new effort.
The Education Policy Committee announced they were focusing on the needs of the Department of Computer Science by reaching out to students to ask what they felt the department most needs. The committee said that it was also moving forward on other projects and would potentially follow up on their research with the department.
TCU Treasurer Adam Kochman proposed two amendments to the Treasury Procedures Manual (TMP). The first involved increasing the clarity and detail of the language used in Section 5.1.1, which addresses how student groups make requests of the Allocations Board. The amendment passed 26-0-0.
The second amendment was to add a clause 5.1.4 that states, “An organization can only appeal an Allocations Board request if the Allocations Board's recommendation has altered the group's request in any way,” and a second clause, 5.1.4.1, that states that under extraordinary circumstances the previous rule may be overturned by two-thirds majority of the Allocations Board.
A proposition to vote on the second amendment to the TMP was objected to by Senator Andrew Núñez, who said the language gave too much power to the Allocations Board. A brief discussion on the amendment was followed by a vote on whether the Senate would vote on the amendment. That vote passed, and the amendment was subsequently voted on and passed 20-5-1.
The Allocations Board then reported on the requests it received from Tufts VOX for $3,127.73 to host the speaker Oh Meghan! for its workshop entitled “Getting Wordy and Talking Dirty.” Kochman, a junior, explained that they recommended this money for VOX but rejected their request of $600 to co-sponsor an event with Brown, Blue and Queer because that group was not recognized by TCU Senate as a Tufts organization. The Senate passed the Allocation Board’s recommendation of $3,127.73.
Kochman then reported that Tufts Alliance Linking Leaders in Education and the Services (ALLIES) requested $3,421.13 to host its Civil-Military Relations and Disaster Response event. He said that the amount requested this year was larger than in previous years because ALLIES has 15 more cadets coming than usual, meaning they must use Tufts Dining Services, which is more expensive. The Allocations Board recommended $3,076.30, which TCU Senate passed 26-0-0.
Various community representatives from the Group of Six then presented updates to the full Senate body.
A report from Leili Ghaemi, community representative for the International Center, was read to the Senate because Ghaemi, a sophomore, could not attend the meeting. Her statement concerned struggles facing international students, specifically the physical lack of space for them to congregate.
Betty Fong, community representative for the Asian American Center, reported that the center was thinking about working with the Counseling and Mental Health Service to provide more training to council students of color and those of different experiences. Fong, a sophomore, also encouraged senators to come to the social justice leadership training on Saturday at 11:30 a.m.
Arturo Muñoz, community representative for the Latino Center, said that the center was coordinating with Association of Latin American Students to expand opportunities through the TCU Senate, because both groups are questioning whether they want to use the Senate to accomplish their goals. This sparked a discussion on minority groups’ attitudes towards the Senate, with Senator Isabella Kahhalé asking if minority groups did not feel comfortable in the space or if they did not think it was ineffective organ. Muñoz, a sophomore, responded “both.”
Fatima Ajose, community representative for the Africana Center, expressed concern coming from her community that Tufts administration was pushing to get rid of individual culture houses and combine them in one large intercultural house. Ajose, a first-year, said this was a concern for the communities as each wants its own space. TCU President Robert Joseph said that he discussed this issue with Dean of Undergraduate Education and Student Affairs and Student Services John Barker last year and Barker said there was absolutely no push for this within the administration.
In the open forum Núñez announced the National Students for Justice in Palestine Conference will be taking place this weekend, adding that the slam poetry group DarkMatter would be performing, the keynote lectures will be open to all and there will be a DJ and dance groups.
