Administrative changes on the Hill
Tufts' 13th University President, Anthony Monaco, assumed his new position at the helm of the university at the beginning of August. The former University of Oxford pro-vice chancellor for planning and resources has spent his first few months on the Hill conducting in a listening tour, getting to know faculty, staff, students, alumni and trustees and using both social media as well as more traditional meet-and-greets.
He has weathered a great deal in his first semester on campus: students upset about the cancellation of the Naked Quad Run (NQR), protests outside his office about the contracts of the university's janitorial staff and negotiations with students about Africana studies. He could be spotted on campus everywhere from the Hamilton Pool practicing with the Tufts club water polo team, to the B.E.A.T.s show, to students' Facebook News Feeds. Now, after hearing feedback and suggestions from the many different campus constituencies, Monaco is ready to act.
After serving as interim dean of the Tufts School of Medicine for nearly two years, Harris Berman was appointed permanently to the position in October.
The university later that month appointed University of Miami Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Education John Barker to serve as dean of undergraduate and graduate students. Barker is expected to begin this month.
Interim Senior Vice President and Provost Peggy Newell, who replaced JamshedBharucha in July, will continue to serve in the position until the 2012-2013 academic year. The search for Tufts' next provost is on track to conclude by the end of the month.
Sexual assault on and off campus
Revisions to Tufts' sexual assault policy were implemented before students returned to the Hill this semester, reflecting a broader interpretation of the federal gender-equity law Title IX. The revisions followed on the heels of a major policy overhaul that took place in 2010 in response to student concerns.
The policy change included sexual harassment under the umbrella of sexual discrimination, which would force colleges to respond to these allegations. The revised policy appointed trained Title IX liaisons to process reports of sexual discrimination and guide individuals to the available resources, as well as address the role of the fact-finding body in dealing with sexual assault cases on campus.
A string of indecent assaults made citywide headlines later in the semester when a series of attacks took place in the neighborhoods around Tufts. The Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) issued safety alerts after incidents in the area, in line with normal reporting practices, but the language used in an Oct. 22 follow-up email from TUPD raised concerns among students. In response, several administrators held an informational meeting with members of the community to discuss campus safety and sexual assault.
After a two-month-long joint investigation conducted by several police departments including TUPD and the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force, a Somerville man was arrested in connection with several of the incidents.
Occupy comes to Boston
The Occupy movement swept the nation this semester following the Occupy Wall Street protests which expressed grievances against inequality and perceived corporate control of American politics. Beginning Sept. 30, Occupy Boston protesters had a presence at Dewey Square in the heart of Boston's financial district, where they set up tents for food, medical care and legal advice. After a Boston judge last week lifted a temporary restraining order barring police from evicting the group, police cleared out the Occupy Boston protesters last week, bringing one of the country's longest continuous demonstrations of its kind to an end.
Tufts students formed a Tufts Occupy Boston group, called the Tufts Occupiers, and held its first General Assembly meeting on Nov. 4.
On Nov. 9 roughly 300 individuals marched through and occupied Harvard Yard as part of the Occupy Harvard movement. The protests prompted Harvard University to heighten security by locking gates to the Yard and restricting access only to individuals with a Harvard ID.
Members of Occupy Somerville this weekend held their first rally in Davis Square, targeting the Bank of America Corporation as well as other financial institutions' business practices. The group plans to hold a General Assembly on Wednesday to discuss different ways it may implement its goals.
Fighting for Africana studies
Dean of Arts and Sciences Joanne Berger-Sweeney in September announced plans to push forward with several initiatives related to diversity and Africana studies at Tufts, including the new Office of Intercultural and Social Identities and the creation of an academic program.
Berger-Sweeney appointed Katrina Moore, director of the Africana Center, as the head of the new office, which will take a closer look at identity, inclusion and social justice issues on campus.
At the center of the Africana studies debate was the academic component, which Berger-Sweeney addressed with the creation of a Race and Ethnic Studies program. The program will house a number of majors, including one focused on Africana Studies.
Students unsatisfied with the program in November marched to Ballou Hall and occupied an administrative office while student representatives and administrators, including Monaco, reached an agreement. The negotiations resulted in, among other things, a clarification of plans for the Race and Ethnic Studies program and stipulations that it would have Africana studies as its core. It also guaranteed that three tenure-track faculty members would be hired for the program.
(Clothed) fun for all
In order to reinforce the ban on NQR instated last semester by former University President Lawrence Bacow, the Committee on Student Life voted to add the ban to the university's Code of Conduct last month. Under the policy, students who participate in NQR will face suspension for the spring semester. It also stipulates that students who claim to run NQR or help organize an event in violation of the ban could also be subject to suspension.
The university plans to follow Massachusetts state law concerning nudity and indecent exposure in its enforcement of the ban.
In place of NQR, the university organized a four-day long replacement event called WinterFest, which featured rides, giveaways and food carts on the Res Quad, as well as an upcoming nighttime pancake breakfast hosted by Monaco and several student performances.
I get around...
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) this semester undertook several projects aimed at improving transportation safety and customer service, but it hit a few roadblocks along the way.
The Massachusetts Department of Transportation Green Line Extension Project, perennially delayed, is now slated for completion in 2018. The extension, which is part of Massachusetts' legal obligation under the federal Clean Air Act to counter environmental damage from the 15-year underground highway project called the Big Dig, has been repeatedly plagued by delays and budget complications.
Due to budget constraints, the MBTA currently has approximately $4.5 billion in backlogged repairs. The MBTA in November shut down Red Line service north of the Harvard Square station on weekends in order to carry out $80 million in long-overdue repairs and plans to resume service in March. This prompted the university to provide a free shuttle service from Tufts' Medford campus to Porter and Harvard Squares in the interim.
This year the MBTA has seen a 16 percent increase in crimes such as aggravated assault, robbery, larceny and burglary, according to the MBTA Transit Police.
The MBTA is working with the wireless infrastructure company InSite Wireless Group to extend cell phone service along the Blue and Green Lines by the end of this semester. The Red Line already has cell phone service between Kendall and Andrew stations and will get complete cell phone service in 2012.
All work, no play for the TCU Senate
The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate in October approved an agreement to increase oversight of funding for club sports in October, a move meant to improve communications between the Senate and the Athletics Department.
The Senate voted this fall to put $450,000 of the body's budget surplus toward buffer and event funds available for student grants.
Senators granted much of this money to various student projects and activities throughout the semester, including a $65,000 grant to the Programming Board to bolster the group's budget for Spring Fling and a $25,000 grant to a representative in the Administration and Policy Committee to pursue a project to build a statue of Charles Tufts.
Though no final decisions have been reached, senators have discussed the possibility of distributing a somewhat regular newsletter to all students highlighting updates on the body's activities and other TCU-related updates.
No place like home
The Sigma Phi Epsilon (SigEp) fraternity lost its house at 114 Curtis St. after an unsanctioned party during Senior Week left the house with holes in the wall and piles of garbage on the floor. Walnut Hill Properties, which owns the house, refused to offer SigEp brothers a lease after seeing the damage to the space.
Tufts' Delta Upsilon fraternity returned to their residence in September after temporarily being closed out of their house for renovations and inspections.
Tufts' chapters of Alpha Epsilon Pi (AEPi) fraternity and Delta Tau Delta (DTD) fraternity returned at the beginning of the semester to their original residences at 45 Sawyer Ave. and 98 Professors Row, respectively. AEPi had occupied DTD's house since 2007 after a student nearly died at a DTD pledging event, which led to the fraternity's loss of university recognition and charter in 2005. DTD brothers moved into their residence in October following major renovations to the house completed over the summer. The new house comes outfitted with a fish tank bar.
University administrators are now considering a long-term plan to move all of Tufts' fraternities and sororities into the block confined by Professors Row, Sawyer Avenue, Packard Avenue and Curtis Street. The plan would create a common area for Greek community social activities.
—Compiled by the Tufts Daily News Department
