Tufts prospective students did not expect to be given a lessonon labor negotiations during Friday's welcome presentation ofTufts' April Open House in Cohen Auditorium.
The audience received a surprise when, as Dean Coffin wasintroducing Mitch Lunn, the second speaker of the morning, 18Student Labor Action Movement (SLAM) members sitting in the aisleseats stood to face the audience and removed their outer clothingto reveal SLAM shirts underneath.
After distributing flyers supporting the janitors to those inthe audience, SLAM members stood in the aisles throughout thesecond speech, given by Tufts senior Mitch Lunn. After Lunn movedoffstage and before Dean Coffin got up to introduce PresidentBacow's address, SLAM members on the auditorium's rightmoved onto the stage. SLAM coordinator Ariana Flores asked for twominutes to give a brief speech to prospective students addressingthe University's accountability as well as the greater wagesand benefits SLAM wants for janitors.
She quoted Tufts' mission statement, saying that theUniversity wanted to be a model for the society at large."Unfortunately, the administration can't live up to itsown ideals," she said. "Rather, they are targeting animmigrant population without which the University could notfunction."
"Do you really want to go to a university that projectsrhetoric but doesn't practice in its own backyard?"Flores asked the prospective students.
Flores received an ovation as she finished speaking.
From her observation, "[President] Bacow was notpleased," she said. She also noted several parents and anApril Open House committee member who were upset. Otherwise, shesaid, we "left feeling very confident andwell-received."
Administrators were not available for comment over theweekend.
"We did get a lot of people who were reallycurious," Flores said. "It's definitely somethingthat people will think about if they do decide to come." Shehoped that SLAM was able to provide a more balanced perception ofthe reality of Tufts. During events like April Open House (AOH),she said, people are presented the "best attributes of theUniversity, and not the real truth."
"No one came up to me and said this reflects poorly onTufts," senior and SLAM member Mike Pollak said."Nobody is saying that Tufts is a bad place or that PresidentBacow is a bad administrator… This is something that needsto be a pertinent issue on campus."
"If anything, we're the ones trying to make Tuftsbetter, we're not apathetic, and a good example of what thestudent body at least should be like," Flores said.
The group was frustrated with what they consider the Universityadministration's lack of response. After petitioning andholding meetings with Vice President for University Relations MaryJeka and Vice President of Operations John Roberto, SLAM"decided we should step up our actions and become morevisible, and we thought AOH was perfect opportunity forthat," Flores said.
The event was reminiscent of past public displays advocatingjanitors' rights, such as Tufts' commencement ceremonyin 1998 when graduating seniors carried signs in support ofjanitors. The same day, commencement speaker and Doonesburycartoonist Gary Trudeau also made reference to Tufts' lack ofresponse to an extensive campaign for janitors' rightsin his commencement address.
