Trustee discussion needs modification

Though next weekend's trustee meeting is not an open one, it is likely that President Larry Bacow will be discussing _ or at least thinking about _ his intentions for next February's weekend retreat. Last February, Bacow changed the format of the traditional trustee retreat to one with heavy student interaction. A large turnout resulted, with labels of activism flying and The Primary Source sexual harassment case at the core of the crossfire. Despite the Dewick incident last year, Bacow told the Daily he would like to continue to have open discussion.

It would be nice to assume that Tufts students wouldn't continue to blast trustees about such short-term issues as a campus media fray, important as they are to those here for only four years. The trustees are responsible for managing a plan for the future of the University decades from now, and need not be involved in every specific matter that arises throughout the course of a semester or a year.

That being said, Bacow is very interested in making undergraduate student concerns and experiences known to the trustees, hence the inception of the Task Force on the Undergraduate Experience. But perhaps a better medium for dialogue would be to invite a representative sample of students to the trustee forum.

This would obviously cut down on the amount of students in attendance, but it would still provide the opportunity to raise concerns and pose questions to the trustees. Selection of the sample of students would not have to be difficult _ if campus groups with membership over a certain amount of students were to send one or two members, it would be a fair and diverse representation. Students with individual concerns could be allowed on a case-by-case basis, or could be heard through their class representatives in the Senate. Also, the meeting would be more balanced because students would not go to address a specific small issue, they would be their to offer constructive opinions.

Bacow needs to find a way to balance the need for students and trustees to communicate with the desire for an orderly discussion. In a smaller setting, it would be more of an honor to be selected to represent a particular interest, and the students in attendance would be able to voice their concerns more effectively.