News

University

RA union leads protest on academic quad, calls for university recognition

By Aaron Gruen | November 15

A group of Tufts resident assistants who have collectively organized to form a union — citing no wages, limited benefits and ambiguous contracts among other factors — held a protest on the academic quad on Nov. 14, calling for the university to voluntarily recognize their union. Students gathered outside Packard Hall and then marched to Ballou, where they delivered a petition with 1,000 signatures to university administrators.

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University

Tufts appoints Cigdem Talgar for new role as vice provost for education

By Charlotte Chen | November 15

Tufts announced the appointment of Cigdem Talgar as the vice provost for education, a new position within the Office of the Provost, in an email to the Tufts community on Nov. 3. Talgar’s official start date is Dec. 1.

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University

Tisch College hosts renowned civil rights lawyer Sherrilyn Ifill

By Akisha Tokwe | November 14

The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life closed its 2022 Solomont Speaker Series on Nov. 9 with a lecture by Sherrilyn Ifill, a preeminent civil rights lawyer. Ifill gave an overview of the state of American democracy and discussed the urgent need to fight for it.

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Local

Annual Men of COLOR Leadership Conference held in Boston

By Megan Reimer | November 14

On Nov. 8, COLOR Magazine and Tufts’ Chief Diversity Office sponsored the 12th annual Men of COLOR Leadership Conference. The event was part of Empower Week, a multi-day Boston-based conference focused on empowering professional men of color and leaders in diversity. 

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University

SMFA Art Sale makes its post-pandemic return

By Katie Spiropoulos | November 10

Last weekend, the School of the Museum of Fine Arts hosted its first in-person Art Sale since the pandemic began. The annual sale, which serves as one of the primary fundraising campaigns for the SMFA, attracts visitors from the Tufts and SMFA communities and the greater Boston area. 

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University

AMPT and Eco Reps host 'Cultural Origins and Fusion of Food' discussion

By Coco Arcand | November 10

The Association of Mixed People at Tufts and Tufts Eco Reps co-hosted an event called “Discussion on Cultural Origins & Fusion of Food” on Nov. 7. This discussion focused on how food is intrinsically linked to cultural identity, colonialism and sustainability.

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University

Sex health vending machine arrives to campus

By Estelle Anderson | November 9

Tufts’ sex health vending machine opened on Oct. 7. Located on the lower level of the Campus Center, the machine is fully stocked with free condoms, lubricant and dental dams, in addition to $15 Plan B. 

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Local

MBTA finalizes plan to overhaul bus network by 2028

By Ella Kamm | November 9

The MBTA released an updated draft of its Bus Network Redesign, part of the Better Bus Project, on Oct. 27. Following the release of the first draft in May, the bus map underwent revisions based on community feedback. 

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University

New Spring 2023 course “Italian 10” will provide practical, cultural education

By Tessa Moore | November 9

Tufts will offer a new course, officially titled “Conversational Italian,” starting next spring. 

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University

BREAKING: RAs declare intent to form union, ask university for voluntary recognition

By Aaron Gruen and Emily Thompson | November 8

Tufts Resident Assistants are unionizing following months of planning. In a letter to University President Anthony Monaco and Director of Residential Life and Learning Christina Alch, members of United Labor of Tufts Resident Assistants said that over 80% of the RAs have signed union authorization cards, declaring their intent to form a union and requesting that the university voluntarily recognize it. 

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Local

Public safety, immigrants' rights on the ballot with Question 4

By Aditya Acharya | November 8

This election day, Massachusetts voters will determine the fate of a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses. On Nov. 8, Question 4 will ask voters to either accept or reject the Work and Family Mobility Act, a state law passed in June which would allow undocumented Massachussetts residents to apply for driver’s licenses, effective July 2023.

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University

Student groups organize around midterm elections

By Hannah Cox | November 8

Leading up to the midterm elections, Tufts political groups have organized across campus, urging their peers to head to the voting booths.

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Local

Somerville School Committee, city councilors endorse millionaire tax ballot question

By Evelyn Altschuler | November 8

The Somerville School Committee has unanimously endorsed voting “Yes” on Question 1, a ballot initiative proposing the Fair Share Amendment. If passed, the Fair Share Amendment would apply to Massachusetts residents whose annual household income is above $1 million. The so-called “millionaire’s tax” would impose an additional 4% income tax on income above $1 million.

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University

Political Science Department hosts panel ahead of November elections

By Amelia Colafati | November 8

Editor’s note: Emily Thompson is the Executive News Editor of The Tufts Daily. Thompson was not involved in the writing or editing of this article. 

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University

Department of Public Safety implements changes, new trainings

By Madeline Mueller | November 7

The Tufts Department of Public Safety announced recent changes made to meet recommendations from the Tufts as an Anti-Racist Institution initiative in an Oct. 19 email to the Tufts community. In addition to an updated mission statement and core values, changes include an expansion of training for all Tufts University Police Department officers, the addition of more unarmed campus security officers and a new position to support communication.

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University

Tufts presented University Award for Philosophical Diversity by American Humanist Association

By Arvind Pillai | November 7

On Nov. 2, Tufts was presented the University Award for Philosophical Diversity from the American Humanist Association. Nadya Dutchin, executive director of the AHA, came to Tufts to deliver the plaque and remarks on the purpose of the AHA, how it connects to humanism and why Tufts was the chosen recipient. 

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University

Professor Kelli Morgan founds Anti-Racist Curatorial Practice in effort to diversify museums

By Michael Weiskopf | November 7

Kelli Morgan, director of curatorial studies and professor of the practice in curatorial studies and history of art and architecture, founded a new graduate certificate program this year, the Anti-Racist Curatorial Practice. Morgan developed the program, which currently offers five online courses designed to be completed in one to two years, to counter the systemic racism often found in museum curation.

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University

BREAKING: Tufts Medical Center anesthesiologist charged with attempted child sex trafficking, fired from clinical and faculty positions

By Emily Thompson | November 4

Sadeq Ali Quraishi, an anesthesiologist at Tufts Medical Center and clinical faculty member at the School of Medicine, was arrested on Wednesday by the Department of Homeland Security on charges of attempted sex trafficking. Tufts Medical confirmed on Friday afternoon that Quraishi has been fired.

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Investigative

Admissions dean accused of discrimination by employees

By Aaron Gruen | November 3

The office that decides who gets a Tufts education suffers internally from discrimination and poor leadership, employees allege, prompting the university to hire an outside law firm to investigate.

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News

Tisch College holds Civic Life Lunch seminar: 'Can Libraries Save Democracy?'

By Charlotte Chen | November 3

The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life hosted a seminar on Nov. 1 called “Can Libraries Save Democracy?” as part of their Civic Life Lunch series. The event featured Tamara King, chief equity officer and engagement officer for Richland Library in South Carolina, and Kelly Linehan, director of the Waltham Public Library, and was moderated by Dorothy Meaney, director of Tisch Library.

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