The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate met Sunday night in the Sophia Gordon Multipurpose Room to discuss two resolutions and committee updates.
The first task at hand was a resolution S.16-12 "A Resolution Requesting Free Speech Rights for All Members of Tufts University." TCU Senate President Gauri Seth opened by asking everyone to refrain from attacking anyone and to be mindful that ideas were being discussed, not people.
TCU Senate Parliamentarian Adam Rapfogel brought up the resolution, written by Jake Goldberg,Edmund Tamas Takata, Samuel Swoap, Drew Stern and Tyler Klein. After TCU Senate Historian Rati Srinivasan read it aloud, Rapfogel, a sophomore, then asked for any non-substantive changes to the resolution, of which there were none.
After this, the two authors present at the meeting, Goldberg and Takata, both sophomores, had a chance to explain the resolution. Some of the items that they brought up were that it was not a resolution to condone any sort of harassment or misconduct, but a call to clarify several existing Tufts policies pertaining to free speech.
Goldberg believes that the existing policies are very subjective in how they treat violations to the policy, and that there is little accountability on administrators because of this subjectivity. He argued that administrators refer a reported violator to some sort of punishment every time they receive a report, and that there should be clearer guidelines on when such an individual should actually receive punishment instead of every time.
The resolution was then voted on in a roll call fashion, meaning each senator in attendance voiced “yea,” “nay,” or abstained, one at a time. Ultimately, the resolution failed with 0 in favor, 26 opposed, and 2 abstentions.
The next order of business was a second resolution calling for TCU Senate, Tufts faculty and Tufts alumni to publicly support the release of Siamak Namazi (A'93) and Bagher Namazi from prison in Iran, written by Senate Diversity and Community Affairs Officer Benya Kraus, Tufts Amnesty International President Emma Plankey and Amy Dunlap (A'93), close friend of Siamak's.
Siamak was imprisoned in Tehran’s Evin prison for speaking out against U.S. sanctions because it made it hard to obtain lifesaving medicine in Iran. He is a prisoner of conscience, according to Plankey, meaning he is a person who was imprisoned for political or religious views which were not tolerated by the Iranian government. His father, Bagher, was imprisoned for unclear reasons.
The resolution calls for TCU support and a grassroots movement because then it is more likely for human rights groups, namely Amnesty International, to recognize the case and advocate more for it.
There was a motion to move the resolution, but it was objected to, so the body moved into a pro-con debate. The main point of contention was a clause stating TCU Senate condemned the abuse of the Namazis’ rights by the Iranian government because it was unclear if the clause would be effective. Someone proposed an amendment to remove it and this was considered friendly, many Senators were more satisfied.
After the debate ended with a motion to vote on the resolution, the resolution was voted on by hand raising rather than a roll call because of the sensitivity of the issue, according to Rapfogel. The resolution passed with 24 in support, 1 against and 1 abstention.
Following this, TCU Senate Vice President Shai Slotky asked for committee updates. Jacqueline Chen, Student Outreach Committee Chair, said that there would be a One-Minute Wednesday instead of a Two-Minute Thursday so that there would be something out before Thanksgiving. Administration and Policy Committee Chair Sylvia Ofoma, said that her committee had a work day and went through several policies regarding mental health. Kraus, who is also Culture, Ethnicity and Community Affairs (CECA) Committee Chair said CECA talked about goals for the end of the semester and looked toward next semester, some of which include raising money and supplies to send to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, seeing Tufts become a sanctuary campus and doubling the number of enrolled indigenous students in the next incoming class.
Finally, Education Committee Chair Nesi Altaras, emphasized that from 12 p.m.-1 p.m. on Nov. 28, there would be a forum to review distribution requirements in the Alumnae Lounge.
After these updates, the Judiciary and the Committee on Student Life (CSL) gave their weekly updates. The Judiciary recognized three groups, including Tufts Republicans, which had tried to get recognition last year but did not have the proper documentation. The CSL is trying to increase transparency by producing clearer meeting minutes. Additionally, the CSL is in contact with the Office of Student Affairs regarding existing issues surrounding Greek life.
The first task at hand was a resolution S.16-12 "A Resolution Requesting Free Speech Rights for All Members of Tufts University." TCU Senate President Gauri Seth opened by asking everyone to refrain from attacking anyone and to be mindful that ideas were being discussed, not people.
TCU Senate Parliamentarian Adam Rapfogel brought up the resolution, written by Jake Goldberg,Edmund Tamas Takata, Samuel Swoap, Drew Stern and Tyler Klein. After TCU Senate Historian Rati Srinivasan read it aloud, Rapfogel, a sophomore, then asked for any non-substantive changes to the resolution, of which there were none.
After this, the two authors present at the meeting, Goldberg and Takata, both sophomores, had a chance to explain the resolution. Some of the items that they brought up were that it was not a resolution to condone any sort of harassment or misconduct, but a call to clarify several existing Tufts policies pertaining to free speech.
Goldberg believes that the existing policies are very subjective in how they treat violations to the policy, and that there is little accountability on administrators because of this subjectivity. He argued that administrators refer a reported violator to some sort of punishment every time they receive a report, and that there should be clearer guidelines on when such an individual should actually receive punishment instead of every time.
Several questions were raised by the senators and members of the audience attending the meeting during the question-and-answer period during which senators asked the resolution's writers to provide more details on changes they wanted to see in Tufts' policies. After this period, there was a motion to vote on the resolution, which was objected to, leading to a pro-con debate period and an eventual passing of a motion to vote.
The resolution was then voted on in a roll call fashion, meaning each senator in attendance voiced “yea,” “nay,” or abstained, one at a time. Ultimately, the resolution failed with 0 in favor, 26 opposed, and 2 abstentions.
The next order of business was a second resolution calling for TCU Senate, Tufts faculty and Tufts alumni to publicly support the release of Siamak Namazi (A'93) and Bagher Namazi from prison in Iran, written by Senate Diversity and Community Affairs Officer Benya Kraus, Tufts Amnesty International President Emma Plankey and Amy Dunlap (A'93), close friend of Siamak's.
Siamak was imprisoned in Tehran’s Evin prison for speaking out against U.S. sanctions because it made it hard to obtain lifesaving medicine in Iran. He is a prisoner of conscience, according to Plankey, meaning he is a person who was imprisoned for political or religious views which were not tolerated by the Iranian government. His father, Bagher, was imprisoned for unclear reasons.
The resolution calls for TCU support and a grassroots movement because then it is more likely for human rights groups, namely Amnesty International, to recognize the case and advocate more for it.
There was a motion to move the resolution, but it was objected to, so the body moved into a pro-con debate. The main point of contention was a clause stating TCU Senate condemned the abuse of the Namazis’ rights by the Iranian government because it was unclear if the clause would be effective. Someone proposed an amendment to remove it and this was considered friendly, many Senators were more satisfied.
After the debate ended with a motion to vote on the resolution, the resolution was voted on by hand raising rather than a roll call because of the sensitivity of the issue, according to Rapfogel. The resolution passed with 24 in support, 1 against and 1 abstention.
Following this, TCU Senate Vice President Shai Slotky asked for committee updates. Jacqueline Chen, Student Outreach Committee Chair, said that there would be a One-Minute Wednesday instead of a Two-Minute Thursday so that there would be something out before Thanksgiving. Administration and Policy Committee Chair Sylvia Ofoma, said that her committee had a work day and went through several policies regarding mental health. Kraus, who is also Culture, Ethnicity and Community Affairs (CECA) Committee Chair said CECA talked about goals for the end of the semester and looked toward next semester, some of which include raising money and supplies to send to the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation, seeing Tufts become a sanctuary campus and doubling the number of enrolled indigenous students in the next incoming class.
Finally, Education Committee Chair Nesi Altaras, emphasized that from 12 p.m.-1 p.m. on Nov. 28, there would be a forum to review distribution requirements in the Alumnae Lounge.
After these updates, the Judiciary and the Committee on Student Life (CSL) gave their weekly updates. The Judiciary recognized three groups, including Tufts Republicans, which had tried to get recognition last year but did not have the proper documentation. The CSL is trying to increase transparency by producing clearer meeting minutes. Additionally, the CSL is in contact with the Office of Student Affairs regarding existing issues surrounding Greek life.
