Lists show that Tufts is an active campus

Recent controversy surrounding the University's placement on The Princeton Review's ranking of campuses lacking in race and class interaction (Tufts walked away with a lofty seventh) has stirred me to respond.

In disbelief I decided to conduct some research on my own _ to my surprise I found this wasn't the only notable exploit for which our humble institution was ranked. In fact, there are three factors about the student body mentioned in The Princeton Review lists that deserve more mention.

First, our student population is an interactive body of individuals open to suggestion. From The Princeton Review's ranking of the Daily as the fourth best news publication on a college campus, one could make the simple conjecture that our student body is: a) readily concerned and b) willing to lend an ear to student journalists who have important messages to get across.

The second factor that deserves more mention is The Princeton Review's ranking of Tufts as 14th in terms of its levels of student political activity. The political climate here at Tufts is a thriving element of campus culture _ yet another sign that students here are a group of individuals willing to modify the environment that surrounds them.

The third and final element that deserves more attention is the fact that Tufts ranks second as a university that offers "more to do on campus." In the past year I have spent at Tufts I have found that our campus does indeed foster the involvement of students at all levels. From the Leonard Carmichael Society to the Arts Haus, students at Tufts are afforded the incredible opportunity to find their own niche and get involved.

In essence the message is this _ while, it is important to acknowledge our faults, and in our awareness of these faults, attempt tangible changes, it is also equally necessary to formulate a comprehensive picture of Tufts. Weighing all aspects both positive and negative is important so that change may proceed.

The very fact that race and class relations have raised an acute social consciousness amongst students it is an issue that reflects just how far Tufts has really evolved. The days of a single sex, single race, and even single class campus are no longer. Perhaps, it is time now to refocus the lens of scrutiny and consider what these rankings suggest, not just for Tufts, but also for upper levels of academia in general.



Anndell Quintero is a sophomore majoring in international relations and clinical psychology.