Tufts' first-ever Class Week is taking place this week with events designed to provoke discussion on socioeconomically charged issues that affect student life both on and off campus.
The programming will look to link economic phenomena with social matters such as gender, education and political stereotypes, and will kick off today with a speech by Education Lecturer Steve Cohen at noon in Braker 222. Cohen will talk about the role of social class in influencing the type of education students receive.
Class Week is part of the Class Project, an initiative headed by Tufts Community Union (TCU) President Duncan Pickard.
"We really wanted to … address class from a number of different angles," Pickard said. "Class is something that we as a society don't talk about and certainly that manifests itself on campus."
Pickard said the programming is particularly timely in light of the increasing financial difficulties students and families are facing during the economic crisis. As a result, he is seeking to tailor the events to student interest.
"I hope that the campus will just be more aware of the way that class functions in our society and on campus specifically," Pickard said. "The purpose of each event is to try to address those issues in a way that is most interesting, comfortable and familiar to individual students."
The centerpiece of the week's programming will be Dean of Arts and Sciences Robert Sternberg's town hall forum on socioeconomic class at Tufts. The forum, which will take place on Wednesday, will feature professors, administrators and students.
Freshman senator Jimmy Zuniga, one of the forum's student panelists, hopes the event will help break down barriers.
"I know that class is often uncomfortable to talk about, but what is always surprising is how unwilling so many people are to talk about these things," he said. "I think the benefits outweigh the discomfort … and from discussion we can learn more from each other and our different backgrounds and learn how to address the problems we all face."
Class Week caps off an initiative on the part of the Senate this year to reduce costs on campus, a goal that Pickard emphasized in his campaign for the TCU presidency. He cited the recently created value menu in the Commons as one way the Senate has worked to lessen the socioeconomic gap.
According to Pickard, these initiatives are critical as Tufts becomes "very different socioeconomically" and takes steps to maintain need-blind admissions and create a more diverse student body.
While TCU senators have been involved in this week's programming, the Class Project and the events are sponsored in full by the Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service. Pickard is a Tisch scholar.
Meanwhile, the Leonard Carmichael Society (LCS) is also sponsoring a themed week over the next several days in honor of the organization's 50th organization.
The events include an SAT book drive and a food drive; collection boxes are spread throughout the campus.
In addition, the LCS HIV/AIDS Initiative will sponsor a screening of "And The Band Played On" at 7:00 p.m. in Pearson 106 on Thursday. The film focuses on the discovery of AIDS.
On Saturday, Kids Day will conclude the week of programming. During the event, young children will see a magic act, be entertained by Tufts' Traveling Treasure Trunk and play with volunteers.
LCS coordinators urged students to take part in this week's events, noting that they are still looking for volunteers for Kids Day.
"Everyone should get involved, especially if you've never had a chance to participate," LCS Co-president Fred Huang, a junior, said.
