Impaired vision

When I came to Tufts last year, I felt that Tufts provided me with a more than adequate social scene, and I thoroughly enjoyed going out on the weekends. After a week of classes and homework, I could find numerous venues on campus to unwind and meet new people. However, with the advent of the University's new alcohol policy, such a vibrant social scene has all but disappeared, as the administration seeks to eliminate such an atmosphere from Tufts.

In the last two weeks, I have heard about maybe one party on the Tufts campus. It seems that thus far, President Bacow's crusade against an on-campus nightlife has been successful. Fear of being shut down or placed on social probation has kept the Greeks from organizing any sort of party or social gathering. This is more than a crackdown on underage drinking; this is a crackdown on fun.

Personally, I feel that Bacow does not realize the implications of the administration's new policy. Moreover, as an individual who earned his position on this campus due to his reputation as a successful fundraiser, I find myself questioning the true motives behind this new policy. It seems likely that Bacow is more concerned with ensuring the donations of wealthy alumni rather than providing a well-rounded college experience for the student body.

Yet by allowing the short term economic benefits of this new policy to overshadow the repercussions on the social scene here at Tufts, the administration has overlooked the negative effects that such a policy will generate in the future. More immediately, Tufts may gain a reputation as a school that only stresses the academic aspects of the college experience, thus preventing the institution from distinguishing itself from the other top tier universities in the northeast.

One can predict that this policy will undoubtedly result in a drop in the number of applicants as publications such as the Princeton Review and US News and World Report shed light on these issues. In addition, the administration's crackdown will inevitably result in a decrease in alumni contributions in the near future as students who are dissatisfied with their overall college experience will refuse to donate money to a school that does not cater to the needs of the student body. Assuming otherwise is shear folly as students and their families will have already spent upwards of $160,000 for their Tufts' degree.

The priority the administration places on acquiring funds permeates numerous other aspects of this institution. The President's house, where meetings with wealthy alumni take place, has one of the most meticulously landscaped gardens, while important student services are ignored. The administration turns a blind eye to the fact that one is more likely to find a broken Debitek machine than a working one, forcing students to embark on the infamous quest for quarters.

While our $40,000 a year goes to maintaining Bacow's garden, we are also left with inexpensive, half-ply toilet paper that is so thin that one cannot even pull off a roll without their hand going through it first. The fundraising mentality even permeates lectures on the campus-life at Tufts. The other week, I attended a lecture by the Institute for Global Leadership during which a Dean continually regurgitated the "selling points" of the school that we have had drilled into our heads since our first on-campus tour. Did she really expect me to break out a checkbook and make a donation right there? If the school needs more money for things like working card machines, or halfway decent toilet paper, maybe they should sell some of the plasma TVs around campus that serve no purpose other than creating the illusion that the administration cares about the needs of the student body.

After a closer evaluation of the new alcohol policy, it became evident to me that it is symptomatic of a larger problem. The administration does not seem to be aware of what its top priority should be: the overall well-being and happiness of the student body at Tufts.

The formulation of a working alcohol policy is undoubtedly a daunting task. However not only were the needs of the students overlooked, but even the Tufts' senate, the "voice of the student body" was not consulted in the decision. Moreover, the administration's logic behind the new policy was flawed from its inception, with its focus on the elimination rather than control of the nightlife.

There is a middle ground somewhere and the administration needs to find it. I challenge President Bacow to demonstrate his true commitment to the students of this university and devise a policy that both students and alumni can tolerate.

Phil Martin is a sophomore majoring in Political Science.