Tufts Community Union (TCU) President Duncan Pickard inaugurated a new year on the Hill with a State of the Senate address that underscored the importance of adapting to Tufts' evolving demographic landscape.
Pickard began the speech by drawing attention to the Senate's continued response to "two of the most significant incidents affecting Tufts undergraduates in our history:" the Primary Source scandal that led to the formation of the Task Force on Freedom of Expression and the loss and subsequent restitution of over $900,000 in student activity funds. This money accounts for the bulk of the $977,449 allegedly embezzled by former employees Jodie Nealley and Ray Rodriguez.
Pickard touted the capacity of a Senate budget that, with the inclusion of the recovered funding, currently stands at over $2.2 million.
He also paid tribute to the implications of Tufts' two-year-old, need-blind admissions status. He spoke of a university obligation to try to supplement the ability of lower-income students to partake fully in Tufts-sponsored events.
Pickard also urged senators to consider how to incorporate the growing numbers of students of color at Tufts into the mainstream of student life.
He noted that the Senate's new Web site allows visitors to track the Senate's efforts on these and a host of other initiatives. As major goals for the year, Pickard mentioned updating Dining Services' business model, reforming the TCU government and ensuring students' voices are heard on academic issues ranging from the tenure process to the quality of classes.
