The Tufts Community Union Senate heard supplementary funding requests and announced updates on the Class of 2024 Prom in a Feb. 6 meeting in the Sophia Gordon Hall Multipurpose Room. Following roll call, TCU Treasurer and Class of 2022 Senator Elizabeth Hom introduced six supplementary funding requests.
TEDxTufts submitted two supplementary funding requests. The first request totaled $6,078 to fund goodie bags for the attendees at its upcoming eighth annual conference. The Allocations Board recommended the Senate fund the request in full, and it passed with 20 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.
TEDxTufts also requested $11,145 to fund the production costs for its conference, which the club plans to host and record in the Somerville Theatre this year. The request passed with 20 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.
Tufts Republicans requested $2,950 to fund a five-person trip to the Conservative Political Action Conference. TCU President Amma Agyei explained that this conference aligns with the club’s mission and is an opportunity for members to hear from different speakers and to network. ALBO recommended a lower amount, $2,205, due to regulations on the amount TCU Senate can allocate for clubs' transportation costs. The adjusted figure passed with 15 senators voting in favor, two opposed and two abstaining.
The Math Society requested $100 to fund gift cards as prizes for its upcoming “integration games” contest. ALBO’s recommendation to fully fund the request passed with 21 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.
Baseball Analytics at Tufts requested $80 to pay for a speaker gift for Tony La Russa, the current manager of the Chicago White Sox, and for Walter Robb, who connected BAT with La Russa to discuss analytics. ALBO approved the full recommendation and the request passed with 21 senators voting in favor, none opposed and none abstaining.
Tufts Gaming Hub requested $135 to pay the entry fees for the Apex Legends tournament and the League of Legends tournament. ALBO voted unanimously in favor of the recommendation and it passed TCU Senate by acclamation.
Vice President Tim Leong then opened the floor for updates from the senate's committees.
Services Committee Chair Arielle Galinsky discussed her committee’s potential collaborations with EcoReps and the Wellness Center and shared that the Menstrual Product Project is underway. Later in the meeting, Galinsky, a sophomore, added that TCU Senate has reached out to the Career Center to propose a “photoshoot day” where Tufts students can get professional headshots taken.
Galinsky then updated the body on the Class of 2024 Prom. She hopes to start promotion for the event this week, after creating a name and theme. The Services Committee will also hire a student marketing representative for the event.
The Education Committee announced its plans to hold a scholastic book fair this semester and collaborate with the FIRST Center to provide vouchers for low-income students.
Agyei, a senior, asked the body for their opinions on TCU potentially joining the Boston Intercollegiate Government, a group of 14 student governments in Boston. Some senators expressed interest in joining, noting that it could be helpful for networking and advocating for change at Tufts.
TCU Diversity Officer Jaden Pena then opened the floor for members of the Community and Diversity Committee to share updates. Africana Community Senator Hadiya Giwa discussed her plans to work with the Muslim Students Association to create plans with Tufts Dining for Ramadan.
LGBTQ+ Community Senator Blake Anderson shared a plan to make the Class of 2024 prom more accommodating for nonbinary students by organizing clothing drives. He also shared that he has been working on the Menstrual Product Project to ensure that products are accessible in queer spaces and all-gender restrooms on campus.
Pena, a junior, then discussed plans for creating a seat for the newest senator of the Indigenous Peoples’ Center. He explained that TCU Senate's constitution and bylaws are outdated with respect to creating new seats and require a petition with 250 signatures to approve the new position before the Senate election this April.
The body finished with a closed session before adjourning the meeting.
