University

Update: Federal judge imposes preliminary injunction on NIH spending cuts

By Josué Pérez | March 11

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley ruled to impose a preliminary injunction on the National Institutes of Health, preventing the cuts on indirect medical research costs from taking effect nationwide.

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University

11th annual TEDxTufts conference highlights changemakers and catalysts

By Alexandra Tse | March 10

TEDxTufts hosted its 2025 conference, titled “Catalyst: The Power of a Single Spark,” on Saturday in Cohen Auditorium. The event featured eight talks given by current Tufts students, professors and alumni that explored a diverse range of topics.

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University

SMFA professors of the practice continue contract negotiations after nearly a year of bargaining

By Josué Pérez | March 6

Professors of the practice at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts most recently held a bargaining session for their first contract with the university on Feb.25, continuing negotiations that began in April 2024. The professors are seeking wage increases, heightened research support and increased transparency on hiring practices from the contract.

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University

Tufts Democrats hosts lobby day kickoff event

By Michael Onysko | March 6

On Tuesday, Tufts Democratsdecided to lobby in support of a bill that would improve accessibility for homeless individuals applying for Massachusetts identification cards. The groupbegan preparing for the multistep lobbying on Beacon Hill at theMassachusetts Legislature.

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University

TCU Senate hears supplementary club funding appeals, hosts ResLife

By Spenser Walsh | March 5

The Tufts Community Union Senate met with representatives from the Office of Residential Life & Learning to discuss student housing concerns. Senators discussed the club funding, late stays at the end of the semester for international students and possible collaborations between ResLife and Tufts Dining among other issues.

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University

TCU Senate passes resolutions to expand language options

By Spenser Walsh | March 4

Tufts Community Union Senate unanimously passed two resolutions. Submitted by Class of 2028 Senator Jesse Kitumba, the resolutions requested an expansion of language options for students during the Senate meeting on February 17.

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University

TCU Senate spent $300,000 in supplementary club funding this current semester

By Spenser Walsh | February 26

The Tufts Community Union Senate met with the Tufts University Social Collective to brainstorm project ideas and discuss club supplementary funding during their Sunday meeting. When the final request was adjudicated, junior Dhruv Sampat, senator and TCU treasurer, reported the Senate had allocated $300,000 in supplementary funds to date this semester, compared with $150,000 at the same time last semester, making this semester’s treasury spending the highest in its 50-year history.

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University

Federalist Society panel explores the global rise of the right

By Eli Brigham | February 26

The Tufts Federalist Society and the Onero Institute recently hosted a panel to discuss the rise of the far right, both domestically and abroad. The panel featured Professor David Art, chair of the Department of Political Science, as well asappellate attorney and policy writer Dennis Saffran. 

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University

Federal judge hears arguments on NIH lawsuit, decision yet to be made

By Matthew Sage and Josué Pérez | February 24

On Friday, the federal judge overseeing the lawsuit against the National Institutes of Health — filed by 13 Americanuniversities including Tufts — extended the block on the agency’s attempt to reduce funding for indirect medical research during the case’s first hearing. The extension allows the judge more time to make a final decision on the case.

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University

Tufts reacts to new NCAA policy on transgender athletes

By Zach Halverstam | February 21

The National Collegiate Athletic Association issued a new policy banning people assigned male at birth from competing on women’s athletics teams, regardless of gender identity. Athletes assigned female at birth may still compete on women’s teams, so long as they are not on hormone therapy. Participation in team practices will be largely unaffected.

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University

Tufts researchers ‘on edge’ in midst of threats to federal funding

By Shayna Levy | February 20

Tufts researchers are expressing concern over President Donald Trump’s attempt to halt federal research grants and the National Institutes of Health’s announcement to cap funding for indirect research costs at 15% — though temporarily blocked by a federal judge — in early February.

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University

$10 million donated to the Friedman School of Nutrition for student scholarships and financial aid

By Amelia Sammons | February 18

The Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy received an anonymous donation of $10 million on Jan. 30 for student financial aid. This is the second largest donation since the $20 million gift in 2001 from the Friedman Family Foundation that led to the school’s name change in honor of Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman.

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University

Tufts sues National Institutes of Health over executive order endangering federal funding for medical research

By Matthew Sage | February 14

Earlier this week, Tufts University joined a dozen other universities in a lawsuit against the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Health and Human Services over President Donald Trump’s Feb. 7 executive order to restrict federal grants covering the indirect costs of university medical research. The executive order was temporarily blocked on Monday, the day it went into effect, by Massachusetts federal judge Angel Kelley.

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University

Tufts sees record high engineering applicants, slight decline in number of overall applicants

By Zoe Herrmann | February 14

Tufts admissions announced its highest number of applicants to the School of Engineering, a lower number of applicants to the School of Arts and Sciences and a slight decrease in undergraduate applicants in its current admissions cycle for the incoming Class of 2029. Tufts reportedly received over 33,400 applicants this year.

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University

Housing assignments to change for first-years and sophomores this fall

By Michael Onysko | February 13

Tufts Residential Life notified first-years of impending changes to housing assignments for several dorm buildings for the next academic year.Hill Hall will be converted from freshman to sophomore housing while Wren Hall,still containing10-person suites, will house the incoming Class of 2029.

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University

New Pre-Med CONNECT Program to pilot over spring break

By Carly Hope | February 12

The Tufts Pre-Med CONNECT Program, a one-week immersive program for first-years and sophomores interested in careers in medicine, will pilot over spring break. Students participating in the 5-day program will commute from the Medford Campus to Tufts Medical Center.

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University

Ayanna Thomas appointed next dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

By Michael Onysko | February 11

Ayanna Thomas will serve as the dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, as announced in an email to the community on Feb.3.Thomas will continue to serve in her current role as rean of research until an internal search for the position is complete, according to Bárbara Brizuela, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.

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