Referendum 1, which would authorize the disbursement of $20,000 to TuftsLife to fund the purchase of an SMS short code for a one−year trial period, will be put to a student body−wide vote tomorrow.
The referendum would grant TuftsLife money drawn from this year's Student Activity Budget Surplus in order to create a short code that will facilitate information dissemination on the Medford/Somerville campus.
Students will be able to text the number 88387, which spells TUFTS, to receive instant information or distribution list updates, according to senior Mike Vastola, chief operating officer of TuftsLife, whose organization is sponsoring the referendum. Vastola also joined the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate as a senior senator last week.
The project would feature an information query system, where students could text the pre−designated short code messages to find campus information such as dining hall menus, professor office hours or Joey arrival times, according to Vastola. He noted that the short code can also be used distribute information to students who are registered members of group lists.
"You could sign up for different distribution lists to get updates on whatever organizations you're in, campus alerts, event reminders from TuftsLife, but only what you sign up for," Vastola said. "It's very customizable, and something everyone on campus can make use of."
The system is designed to be an easy and quick way to access information without needing to rely on a computer with internet access, according to Vastola.
"TuftsLife is a great resource for students, but its usefulness stops when you turn off your computer," Vastola said. "We wanted to create something to take with you."
If the referendum were to pass, the service would begin in the fall of 2012, according to Vastola.
The referendum would provide TuftsLife enough money to cover a one−year trial period, for the purpose of testing the use and capability of the code for future university usage. TuftsLife will keep statistics on the use of the service, and the Senate will reassess continued funding for the service after one year.
"This is a trial program because it's somewhat expensive," Vastola said.
The referendum funds can only be allocated if there is a minimum of $170,000 in the surplus fund, according to former TCU Senate Treasurer Kate de Klerk, a senior.
Current TCU Treasurer sophomore Christie Maciejewski said that the TCU currently has the minimum surplus funding for the service and anticipates that the required funding will remain stable for the next few years.
Vastola believes that groups other than the TCU Senate may eventually contribute to the cost of covering the service.
"We don't envision that $20,000 being a bottom−line cost of the service," Vastola said. "We plan on using stakeholders, maybe different departments, to offset the cost. Eventually, we want them to chip in if they're making use of the service, but we think it's important to get the ball rolling to show how important this service is."
If the Senate decides to renew the service after the trial year has ended, the service will operate at an estimated cost of $17,800 annually, according to Maciejewski.
Some TCU senators have raised concerns about the expensive trial period and the functionality of the service.
Senator and member of the allocations board YuliaKorovikov, a junior, is opposed to the referendum, which she considers unnecessary given the prevalence of smartphones on campus.
"I think that it's a poor use of $20,000 of the students' funds," she said. "Had this program and this idea come maybe 10 years ago, it would've been great, but in the world of smartphones it seems a bit antiquated."
Vastola believes that making the information available through text messaging will make it more accessible to a broader range of people, rather than only those with smartphones.
"The reason we're going with this as opposed to a mobile website is that a lot of students don't have global web access," Vastola said. "Not everyone has a smartphone."
Korovikov noted that the short code would require additional fees paid for by students beyond the money allocated by the referendum.
"Some students don't have unlimited text messaging," she said. "It's not just the initial $20,000, which is already an incredible amount. It's $20,000 plus the cost of text messages."
