Charlie Baker to speak at Tufts in February

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker will speak at Tufts as part of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life’sDistinguished Speaker Series this semester. Baker’s speech will be on Feb. 23 in Distler Performance Hall. The event will be free for Tufts students to attend, though it may be ticketed, according to Tisch College Director of Policy, Planning and Strategy Jennifer McAndrew.

Baker, a Republican, has been governor since 2015. Prior to that, he was the CEO of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. In the 1990s, he was appointed to be Massachusetts’ Secretary of Health and Human Services, and later he became the state’s Secretary of Administration and Finance, according to his official website.

On Sunday, Baker announced that he is opposed to President Donald Trump’s executive order barring travel to the United States from seven Muslim-majority countries, according to a statement from the Governor’s office. However, on the same day, protesters against the executive order in Boston’s Copley Square criticized Baker for not appearing at protests.

“Massachusetts is a global community,” Baker wrote. “We all benefit from the shared experiences of our partners from around the world … The federal government's recent decision puts this at risk, and I believe focusing on countries' predominant religions will not make the country safer.”

In addition to Baker’s speech, the Distinguished Speaker Series will include a panel discussion on March 7 featuring NPR Political Correspondent Mara Liasson and Harvard Professor of Public Policy Robert D. Putnam, according to McAndrew. The discussion, entitled “The Civic State of the Union,” will be about the importance of civic engagement in foreign and domestic policy.

Tisch College is also organizing a series of Civic Life Lunches this semester featuring speakers such as Boston City Council President Michelle Wu and MSNBC Political Analyst Nicolle Wallace.

Tisch College Dean Alan Solomont explained that the school sought to invite a diverse slate of speakers to campus this semester.

“We hope students will engage directly with these distinguished speakers, deepen their understanding of the challenges and opportunities our communities face and be inspired to contribute to our civic life,” Solomont told the Daily in an email.