Editorial: Tufts community supports students in need, filling void left by Tufts administration
Clarification: This editorial has been updated to reflect the FIRST center’s collaboration with Tufts Mutual Aid and role in aid efforts. Since the university’s necessary closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students have faced many unprecedented challenges beyond the shock of leaving campus on a six-days notice. Our student body resides across the globe with […]
Editorial: Tufts should revamp its credit transfer system to prioritize equity, transparency
Yesterday we discussed the deficits within the distribution requirement system, drawing attention to its rigid, inhibitory nature that prevents students from pursuing passions in depth. This exhaustive requirement, coupled with the clear difficulties in the pre-matriculation credit process, affects Tufts transfer students in particular. Transfer students who are already challenged with the college adjustment process […]
Editorial: Tufts should reassess the distribution requirement to promote equal opportunity, academic freedom
Tenets of academic freedom and exploration comprise the core of a Tufts education. Tufts aims to provide this education through the Arts and Sciences distribution requirements, which entail the completion of two three-semester-hour-unit courses in five areas of study: humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, mathematics and art. These requirements help students discover new passions and […]
Editorial: Tufts must pursue post-graduation preparedness by adding ‘adulting’ courses to its curriculum
Although some regard academia as an environment detached from the pressures of the “real” world, graduation and the complex challenges presented by adult life linger on the horizon and minds of undergraduates. For many Tufts students, topics such as financial management, budgeting, taxes, retirement planning and other practical concerns seem unmanageable and intimidating. The lack […]
Editorial: Tufts must champion student health by improving non-varsity athletics facilities
In 2012, Tufts finished construction on the Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center. Although undergraduate enrollment has increased over the past eight years, the university has not expanded its facilities to accommodate the fitness needs of the growing student body. Thus, the limited resources in the gym do not currently meet student demand; many students […]
Editorial: Tufts must prioritize student wellness by increasing free fitness class offerings
For many students, college inspires new starts, new academic investigations and new personal growth. During this time of change, many students begin to focus on personal health, often starting to incorporate fitness into their lifestyles. While the Steve Tisch Sports and Fitness Center ideally provides new opportunities to students who previously might not have had […]
Editorial: Tufts must preserve academic and financial freedom in response to TUSM lawsuit
On July 1, 2017, Tufts implemented a new compensation policy at the Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM) that requires tenured faculty to support 40% of their salary through external research funding; faculty who do not meet these standards may face potential appointment reductions. In response, eight TUSM faculty members sued the university over the […]
Editorial: Tufts must improve humanities facilities in order to preserve equity among academic disciplines
Over the weekend of Jan. 25, part of the ceiling in Eaton Hall Room 202 collapsed, causing the temporary relocation of the room’s classes. Jeff McKay, the director of building operations on the Medford campus, noted that the damage was in the ceiling itself and not related to the structural integrity of the building. However, […]
Editorial: Tufts must value student wellbeing by revising health accommodations system
Being a college student entails living in close-quarters, experiencing much stress and often getting less-than-ideal amounts of sleep. These characteristics of university life lead waves of sickness to move through campuses, often causing students to miss classes in order to recover. Although perhaps it is reasonable for professors to expect students to make up work […]
Editorial: Health Services must expand hours to meet student demand
Health Service is an essential resource for our campus, providing care for students in their most vulnerable moments, whether it be a sudden flu infliction before midterms, a trip to pick up Plan B or a busted knee from walking down the Memorial Steps with too much vigor. Health Service doesn’t just aid in the […]
