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Sara Kessel is an opinion editor at The Tufts Daily. Sara is a sophomore who has not yet declared a major and can reached at [email protected].


Nepotism and networks: Inequity in internship access for students

For undergraduate students, the process of applying to internships can be a daunting one, further complicated by the advantages and networks that only some have access to. Depending on the industry, the timelines for submitting an application can vary greatly, with some summer internships in fields like finance starting as early as the fall. Staying […]


InfrastructureBillMiriamVodosek
The passage of Biden’s infrastructure bill and the consequences of our polarized political climate

On Nov. 15, President Joe Biden signed the long-awaited $1.2 billion infrastructure bill into law. The U.S. is now able to finally begin infrastructure projects that were previously put on hold, investing $550 billion over the next five years. These projects include rebuilding our roads and bridges, investing in public transit and easing Amtrak’s maintenance […]


The arrest of a houseless person in Harleston Hall: Moving toward a more restorative approach

On Sept. 7, a houseless man entered Harleston Hall behind two students, looking for a place to stay for the night. When residents on the fourth floor found him asleep on a common room couch, they turned to the Tufts University Police Department to address the situation. However, the outcome of their concern was more […]


The ‘Big Lie’: How the crusade against the 2020 presidential election threatens our democracy

After days of counting and nail biting, President Joe Biden was declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election last November. Two months later, on Jan. 6, supporters of former President Donald Trump stormed the Capitol building in an attempt to stop the certification of the election results, following a “Stop the Steal” rally held […]


The extremity of the Texas abortion ban: What this means for women in the U.S.

On Wednesday, Sept. 1, the Supreme Court allowed Texas to uphold what is now the most repressive abortion law in the United States. The structure of Texas Senate Bill 8 (SB 8) mirrors the “heartbeat bills” of states like Georgia and Ohio, banning abortions past the detection of a fetal heartbeat. However, the law in […]


Accommodation and flexibility are key in the transition to in-person learning

A lot has changed since the start of the fall 2020 semester. Vaccines have become widely accessible in the United States, with 53% of the nation’s population being fully vaccinated. Tufts has changed its COVID-19 guidelines, easing us back in the direction of a somewhat more ‘normal’ academic year. Amidst a time of continued uncertainty […]


Tufts, ORLL must increase transparency, communication and support to improve housing process

The housing system on campus and its various issues have long been a source of frustration for students. However, the effects of COVID-19 have only exacerbated the problems students have experienced with the system. The pandemic introduced barriers to building friendships and expanding social connections, placing unique pressures on the housing process for rising sophomores. The level of anxiety and frustration students have toward the system will not change unless Tufts actively makes strides to improve the housing process. 


Statehood Viewpoint
The issues of statehood in D.C. and Puerto Rico are not the same. Stop conflating them

It would be a disservice to both of these territories to view their potential shifts toward statehood in a monolithic way. Distinct local issues in D.C. and Puerto Rico affect both the merits of attaining statehood and the respective populations’ general consensuses on what should be done. Ultimately, in order to promote each of these territories’ self-determination, we have to understand the complex motivating factors surrounding each bid for statehood in their differing contexts.  


Tufts, other universities must diminish the influence of privilege in admissions processes

The quality of education a student has access to depends largely on their location and socioeconomic background; thus, admissions processes can often serve to institutionalize privilege and reinforce class structures. And even when schools try to take this inequity into account, families with higher incomes often have greater access to the “soft skills” valued in the college process. Having the means to pay for expensive niche sports, private college counselors and other extracurricular pursuits amount to other ways one student can have an unfair advantage over another.


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