This article was corrected on April 23, 2004. Read the text of the correction here.
What was formerly thought to be a temporary modification in the annual Tuftonia's Day celebrations has turned out to be a permanent policy change.
Last year, a fireworks display smaller than those of previous years was held on the on the academic quad to cap off the ceremony -- at a cost of $18,000.
In previous years, the event featured larger, more full-scale displays that launched in the fields across from Cousens Gymnasium.
Although Tuftonia's Day was officially yesterday, this year's 152-year anniversary party will fall on April 30. The event always takes place on the Friday before Spring Fling.
The Dewick-MacPhie Dining Hall, however, did hold celebrations from noon until 3 p.m. yesterday.
The change in the firework display was made last year due to fears that a loud show around the time of the beginning of the Iraq war would be mistaken for a terrorist attack, Director of Community Relations Barbara Rubel said.
An additional factor was noise complaints that some residents voiced in the past.
Tufts Spirit Coalition members, whose plans for the event have been underway since January, distributed literature to neighbors behind Carmichael Hall several times in advance of the event to inform the community.
In addition, students will monitor streets during the event to ensure decibel levels do not reach what Rubel called an "unreasonable" level.
In talking to several residents living in the area behind Carmichael, however, fears expressed by Rubel seem largely unsubstantiated.
Medford resident Chris O'Brien said that worries about confusion between fireworks and terrorist attacks "don't make any sense at all."
Though occasionally bothered by noise from campus events, he believes that some celebration once in a while is permissible. "On the rare occasions when it is noisy, I just figure it's your turn," he said.
Somerville resident Dorothea Macero is sure that no one would mistake the fireworks for a terrorist attack, but that, "I have to know about these things ahead of time to be certain."
Alderman Bob Trane of Ward 7, which includes Tufts' Medford campus, said that he constantly receives calls about noise in the residential areas near campus.
Tufts is entitled to its celebrations, however, as long as "the community is involved in their planning and execution," Trane said. Trane said communication with residents prior to loud campus events is key.
Although the University sent a packet to Trane individually this year detailing the specifics of the Tuftonia's Day celebration, he did not think it was sufficient.
"It's great that they're informing me, but they never do a good job of informing the community. And it's not my job to do that," he said.
Somerville Mayor Joseph Curatone's office also acknowledged that there is a lack of communication between the University and the City of Somerville. "To be honest, we don't really know much about this issue," Mark Horan, spokesman for Curtatone, said.
Horan said that the city is fine with occasional events with noise, as long as residents are informed in advance.
"Certain things are reasonable as long as the University stays on top of the situation," Horan said.
The event's relocation to the academic quad means the event is no longer open to community residents. This did not seem to be an issue, however, none of the seven residents interviewed had heard of Tuftonia's Day, and only one had attended events on campus.
Trane alleged that this is another repercussion of Tufts' failure to keep the surrounding neighborhoods informed. "Tufts offers a lot of things the community can take advantage of, but most people just don't know about them," he said.
The Spirit Coalition was in charge of the coordination and communication with multiple parties throughout the planning process.
Drafts of the plan were reviewed by the Office of Community Relations, which has imposed several procedures to minimize the impact on the town.
Eventually, letters detailing the time and specifics of the plan were sent to community officials in both Medford and Somerville. As of yet, Rubel said that she has not received any responses, which she interprets as approval of the plan.
All of the changes have not affected the date of the show. Spirit Coalition has received $18,000 from Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate buffer funding, contributions from other groups, and their original budget supply. The event had originally been budgeted at $12,048.
In addition to the fireworks, there will be free food and entertainment from theMark, the Battle of the Bands winner that will be opening for the Spring Fling concert the next day.
