Zoe Kava - The Tufts Daily

University

Tisch College event explores bipartisanship in Mass. politics

By Zoe Kava | March 28

The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life hosted a Civic Life Lunch on March 14 to discuss the possibilities of bipartisanship in Massachusetts and national politics. The virtual event, titled “The Massachusetts Model: Bipartisanship on Beacon Hill,” was co-sponsored by the Political Science Department, Tufts ACTION, Tufts CIVIC, the Tufts Democrats and the Tufts Republicans.

University

Annual celebration held in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

By Zoe Kava | February 3

A celebration in honor of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was held on Jan. 30 by the Tisch College of Civic Life in collaboration with the Africana Center, the President’s Office, the University Chaplaincy and the Provost’s Office. The event, which was held in Breed Memorial Hall, featured keynote speaker Régine Jean-Charles, as well as student voices and a cappella groups.

Local

Students react to Massachusetts gubernatorial election, ballot questions 1, 4

By Zoe Kava | November 29

In an election night of historic firsts in Massachusetts, voters elected Democratic gubernatorial candidate Maura Healey as the state’s first female governor and one of the nation’s first openly lesbian governors. Several ballot measures also scored victories, including a tax on incomes above $1 million and a law allowing undocumented individuals to obtain state driver’s licenses.

University

Tufts mourns unexpected loss of Danielle Abrams

By Zoe Kava | April 25

Danielle Abrams, professor of the practice in the performance department at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, has passed away unexpectedly, Interim Dean of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts Nate Harrison and Faculty Affairs Advisor to the Dean Eulogio Guzmán announced in an April 21 email to the Tufts community.

University

New temporary dormitories on Professors Row to house 150 first-years this fall

By Zoe Kava | April 11

Temporary housing at the current site of The Mods will be used to house 150 first-year students in fall 2022, Dean of Student Affairs Camille Lizarríbar informed the Tufts community in an April 8 email. Construction of three separate buildings, which will house 50 students and three resident assistants each, will begin once the university’s plan is approved by the City of Somerville.

University

BREAKING: Warby Parker co-founder Neil Blumenthal will deliver Class of 2020 Commencement address

By Zoe Kava | April 6

In an email sent to the Tufts community on Tuesday,University President Anthony Monaco announced that Neil Blumenthal (LA’02) will be Tufts’ Class of 2020 Commencement speaker. The co-founder and co-CEO of Warby Parker, Blumenthal was named a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, and Fast Company has listed himas one of the 100 Most Creative People in Business.

University

BREAKING: Tufts to transition to hybrid public safety model

By Zoe Kava | March 29

In an email sent to the Tufts community on Tuesday, Executive Vice President of the University and Chair of the Working Group on TUPD Arming Michael Howard announced the release of the working group's final report. Based on the report, the WGTA released its recommendation to transition to a “hybrid model” of arming in which the Tufts Department of Public Safety employs both armed officers and unarmed security professionals.

Local

Uyterhoeven's PILOT reform bill under review in Mass. State House

By Zoe Kava | February 16

Proposed legislation to reform the Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) program is currently under review in the Massachusetts state legislature by the Joint Committee on Revenue. Bill H.3080, which was filed in February 2021 by State Representative Erika Uyterhoeven of Somerville, would give municipalities the option to opt into a PILOT payment program requiring property tax-exempt organizations with more than $15 million in property holdings, such as Tufts University, to pay the city or town the equivalent of 25% of what their property tax would be were they not tax exempt.

University

Study abroad programs operating despite COVID-19 concerns

By Zoe Kava | February 7

With the global surge of COVID-19 cases over the past few months, both Tufts and non-Tufts study abroad programs have had to make adjustments to the structure of their programs. Individual students also had to reevaluate their study abroad plans for the spring semester.

News

TCU Senate holds internal elections, hears supplementary funding requests

By Zoe Kava | December 10

The Tufts Community Union Senate heard supplementary funding requests, held internal elections and reflected on its work this fall during its last meeting of the semester on Sunday, Dec. 5.