Limited seating should not mean limited publicity

As of this moment, we still do not know exactly whether today's speech by famed Professor and Author Noam Chomsky sponsored by the Fletcher School is completely open to Tufts undergraduates. The talk has been poorly publicized around campus, with rumors spreading that it is actually closed to undergraduates, or that there is a list on which interested students must register to attend.

Such lack of clarity and publicity can easily lead to a sense of exclusivity and a breach between Tufts' undergraduate and graduate programs, however unintended that rift may be. If there exist circumstances where seating is limited or, as in the case of Al Gore's visit last January, the speaker specifically requests a small audience, these circumstances should be made clear. More importantly, everyone should get a fair shot at getting a ticket to attend.

It is understandable that not every speech can be open to the entire Tufts community. However, in cases such as today's Chomsky speech, many undergrads whom have either studied the renowned scholar's work or are deeply interested in his research and the timeliness of his speech topic will jump at the opportunity to attend. Yet when publicity is so limited and when students are unclear as to whether or not they are welcome to attend, this sense of exclusivity stands in the way of a truly open and interconnected Tufts community.

In the future, Fletcher events that can and should be open to the rest of the Tufts community should be publicized more widely and in easily accessible places where students will tend to look. Limitations on seating or any other special circumstances surrounding the talk should be publicized clearly to provide fairness and equal opportunity for all students who wish to attend. It would also benefit the entire Tufts community if large events with prominent figures speaking were held in Cohen instead of Cabot to allow for a larger audience.