TCU Senate discusses Career Center, funding requests and project proposals

The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate assembled on Oct. 16 in the Sophia Gordon Hall Multipurpose Room to discuss project proposals and decide upon supplementary funding requests.

After beginning the meeting with roll call, Executive Director of the Career Center Gregory Victory introduced himself to the TCU Senate and asked members for their advice on how to make the Career Center better fit the needs of Tufts students.

Victory, who took on the role this summer, came to Senate looking to create conversations surrounding any areas that may need improvement.

“If there is a problem, if there is an issue, if there is an idea, I want you to come to me, and I want to make this better,” Victory said.

Victory explained how, according to the most recent Senior Survey taken, under 50 percent of Tufts students visited the Career Center during their four years at Tufts. He then asked Senate for suggestions on how to increase this number.

One repeated suggestion from TCU members was for the Career Center, as well as the Career Fair it hosts, to actively work to change students' perceptions of the Career Center. The consensus was that the Career Center currently caters primarily to finance, engineering and technology companies. Senate suggested that the Career Center better represent the interests of all majors and students.

Another suggestion was that the Career Center improve its student outreach by tabling in the Mayer Campus Center during open block periods so that services are more accessible to students who may not normally think to visit its office in Dowling Hall. Others proposed that Career Center representatives come into classes to speak with students.

TCU Education Committee member Philip Miller then asked for project approval from Senate for his textbook exchange project.

Miller, a first-year, explained that the initiative seeks to create a place on campus where an easy and accessible textbook exchange can occur. The exchange would initially be run by Senate, and it would not seek to make a profit but would buy books and serve as a third party seller.

Project approval to explore a textbook exchange run by students was passed by a vote of 21-6.

Treasurer Chris Leaverton,a sophomore, then began supplementary funding requests.

Senate then passed the Allocation Board's recommendations of $3,130 to Tufts Enchanted, $1,581 to Pulse, $722 to Tufts United for Immigrant Justice, $656.47 to Society of Women Engineers, $1,710 to Tufts Ballroom Dance Team, $1,975 to Baseball Analysis at Tufts, $2,457 to HYPE Mimez and $668.67 to the Crafts Center.

Parliamentarian Adam Rapfogel, a sophomore, said that there were no resolutions up for discussion this week.

Student Chair of the Committee on Student Life Tafari Duncan, a senior, then explained the committee's recent activities, including figuring out how the School of the Museum of Fine Arts stands in relation to Tufts after the recent integration as well as discussions on the Students Advocating for Students Freedom of Speech resolution.

Vice Chair of the TCU Judiciary Michael Kalmans, a senior, then explained that the Judiciary Committee is in the middle of its recognition process. Two groups so far, Lord Barnum’s Players and the European Students’ Association, have been officially recognized, according to Kalmans.