Tufts University Administration's decision to transfer management of the Tufts Educational Day Care Center (TEDCC) -- or as it is affectionately known, "Little Tufts" -- was rushed and lacked transparency. In making this change, Tufts University dismantled a program that has been an important part of our community since 1973.
The first few weeks of freshman year pass by in a blur. The minute-by-minute urgency of parental advice, picking classes, meeting roommates and finding your way around campus as a new Jumbo predominates all other concerns. There is plenty of advice around — from movies, TV shows, older students, ...
Arizona Governor Jan Brewer vetoed SB 1062 last night, after days of national attention and activist scrutiny toward the bill, which sought to protect any individual, association or corporation from discrimination lawsuits if their actions are based on sincerely held religious beliefs," according to a Feb. 26 The New York Times. Brewer, a Republican who has previously signed laws that are morally questionable, declared that vetoing this bill was in accordance with Arizona values. While the veto is a victory for anyone who has paid any attention to the long histories of discrimination in this country, Brewer's intentions here should not win her any praise.
While it may be the butt of jokes, the Joey is a very important part of life on the Hill, especially as the temperature drops. The Joey provides students with a quick and warm ride to Davis Square and back, allowing safe passage to the Davis Square T Stop, restaurants, convenience stores and everything else that Davis has to offer. That is, the Joey provides safe passage when it actually comes on time.
The weekend late-night dining operation at the Commons in the Mayer Campus Center has rolled back its closing time from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. in an apparent attempt to alleviate the stress placed on the facility and Tufts Dining Services (TUDS) employees by generally unruly and inebriated students in search of food.
The Harvard Crimson this week published a first-person account of a student's on-campus sexual assault. The young woman, who wrote the piece in her dining hall seats away from her victimizer, said she lost herself after her attack, largely because of Harvard's inaction.
Massachusetts State Representative Carl Sciortino, who represents the 34th Middlesex District, including parts of Medford and Somerville, announced that he is resigning, effective Friday, April 4, to become the executive director of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts. Sciortino, a Tufts University Class of 2000 graduate and one of only seven openly LGBT members in the state legislature, has spent his nine years in office productively advocating, in true Tufts fashion, for changes aimed at achieving social and economic justice. For example, in 2012, Sciortino was a lead sponsor of the Transgender Equal Rights law, which guarantees legal protection against discrimination based on gender identity or expression in Massachusetts.
Tufts Dental School is raising the bar by making active citizenship and public service a core component of its student experience. The school's new Global Service Learning Initiative, which works to make international service opportunities for students more accessible and sustainable, speaks volumes to how Tufts prioritizes community service across its many schools. Along with the recently announced Tufts 1+4 program - which will allow select, incoming undergraduates to embark on a gap year devoted to national or international service on Tufts' dime - the dental school's program is a promising step forward by instilling service opportunities as one of the central parts of a Tufts education.
Just this week, the recently inaugurated mayor of Boston, Martin J. Walsh, announced his intention to launch a much needed city-wide reform of rental housing. In previous years, nearly every one of the tens of thousands of annual apartment inspections throughout the city was provoked by tenant complaints. In an effort to preempt complaints and prevent tragedies, Mayor Walsh is sending a team of city inspectors to examine 150,000 apartments in search of problems that will subsequently be addressed before residents bring them to the city's attention. Additionally, Mayor Walsh will begin working to ensure that most apartments in Boston are inspected a minimum of once every five years, and that special attention will be paid to landlords with previous offenses or a history of complaints. Efforts such as these will undoubtedly force property owners to clean up and maintain their properties, and will help to keep tenants safe.
In the last few weeks, a series of art installations have popped up on a variety of walls around campus. Featuring the faces and words of prominent voices of color, the installations have helped to spark vibrant discussion via a new and exciting medium on the university's campus.
In the last few weeks, a series of art installations have popped up on a variety of walls around campus. Featuring the faces and words of prominent voices of color, the installations have helped to spark vibrant discussion via a new and exciting medium on the university's campus.
One of the integral components of being a Jumbo is joining one of the hundreds of clubs and activities offered at the university. From the Tap Ensemble to Shir Appeal, participating in a school organization allows students to involve themselves into the Tufts community in a productive way. However, many of these clubs can be expensive to participate in. Competitive sports club teams often require more than just signing up for a club or activity. Participation in a club like Mock Trial is often contingent on a $50 to $100 participation fee that Tufts Community Union (TCU) imposes on members of clubs and activities that request funding in order to supplement costs of the groups' activities.
Many have discounted the educational value of majoring in fields that lie outside of the science, technology, engineering and math arenas, yet an education in humanities is not the professional death sentence that it so often gets branded as. In fact, studying literature, philosophy and other humanities-based subjects can even be considered an essential part of all students' educations. Learning about the humanities can create a more well-rounded person, something that is certainly beneficial in the professional realm. Indeed, in certain job markets, someone who knows a little about a lot may actually be more employable than one who is an expert in just one area.
The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate voted unanimously last month to endorse the implementation of an education major. At this point in the process, professors and administrators have begun discussions about installing this secondary major at Tufts. Weighing the merits, it is clear how this major could benefit undergraduates. Tufts stresses that its students should be active global citizens, and teaching is a prime way in which Jumbos could fulfill this goal: giving back to the global community by educating a younger generation.
With the announcement that the Sigma Nu fraternity and Kappa Alpha Theta sorority will move into a house together next year, the growth of Greek life on campus is back in the news. The new location for SigNu, a previously established campus fraternity, and Theta, a new sorority, reminds us that Greek life now is more prominent on campus than ever. 123 more women went through the formal sorority recruitment process this year than in 2012, and a record high 216 women received bids.
It's not often that one of the countless acronyms that circulates around the Tufts campus gathers such a following, but each year EPIIC manages to garner a fair share of the limelight. These five letters can often become all-consuming for the cohort of students involved in the program each year; however, while EPIIC is publicized to the entire Tufts community, its offerings can sometimes be passed over by those who are not a part of the program. This inconsistency raises a few questions: What exactly is EPIIC? Who should be paying attention to it and why? EPIIC, or "Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship," takes center stage each year with its annual symposium, a four or five-day public forum that brings international figures and speakers to cam- pus. These experts, activists, academics and journalists lead presentations, panels, dis- cussions and workshops, stitching together a compelling and educationally valuable conglomerate perspective on the sympo- sium's chosen topic. This year, the 29th annual EPIIC symposium was held from Wednesday, Feb. 26 to Sunday, Mar. 2, and featured presentations about "The Future of the Middle East and North Africa." But EPIIC does not begin nor end with the symposium. At the heart of EPIIC is a year-long, intensive and multidisciplinary course that prepares approximately 50 students to think critically and analytically about global issues. This year's roster of students, who went through an applica- tion process and round of interviews in order to gain admission into the course, included a diverse set of perspectives, with some students having studied the Middle East for their entire Tufts career and others having little academic experi- ence with the region. The class, which meets twice a week for two and half hours each, hears from dif- ferent speakers each session. In order for the students to be able to participate in discussions with the presenters, they are assigned extensive readings each week and are tested via three comprehensive exams. At the time of the symposium, students are asked to play key roles in committees, sometimes preparing short speeches and presenting awards to featured speakers. EPIIC, which is a rigorous and excep- tional program, deserves all of the atten- tion it gets - and then some more. While the audience typically consists of a mixture of students, faculty and other academics, the symposium should be piquing the interest of the entire student body, not just the International Relations majors. EPIIC is an invaluable resource that provides eye-opening perspectives for all those who desire to be an active citizen, and everyone should be taking advantage of it - even if it's only by asking to hear about all of the hard work and dedication that our peers have put in.
In September of last year, Tufts' adjunct professors voted to unionize. The School of Arts and Sciences has now begun negotiations with the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), representing the university's adjunct faculty. In a recent statement sent to the Tufts community, the administration announced that, "Tufts is committed to a good working relationship with the SEIU and hopes to work productively and with mutual respect toward a contract." They promise to engage collegially with the union, and hope to reach amicable, fair terms. This is the first step to resolving conflicts between the administration and more than half of the professors that Tufts enlists every semester.
The Huffington Post co-founder Arianna Huffington is set to speak at Tufts for the ninth annual Edward R. Murrow Forum on Issues in Journalism in April. While this year's speaker is sure to bring an excited crowd, Huffington is a surprising selection. Though she is among the most powerful individuals in media - and has been a columnist, panelist, commentator, author and CEO - Huffington has never actually been a journalist. Murrow left a legacy of objective and fearless reporting. Despite Huffington's undeniable success in online media, there is something to be said about the decision to have her represent Murrow's legacy.
On Feb. 15, the Tufts University women's basketball team played Bowdoin in the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) final. The game, which was held at the university's own Cousens Gymnasium, ended with a final score of 92-54, the most points scored by the team in one game since 2008. The win culminated an impressive performance by players such as senior Liz Moynihan, who finished with 20 points and five assists, junior Hayley Kanner with 15 points, five rebounds and three blocks and three other members of the team, who scored in the double digits. The Jumbos, who had secured their spot as the No. 1 seed in NESCAC just the day before, completed their first ever perfect NESCAC season with a record of 10-0.
