Local historians have bemoaned the lack of knowledge Tufts students have about the surrounding communities, but given the poor connection between the two entities this is hardly surprising. Though plans to encourage students to learn more are nice, Tufts' insular nature means little will change.
On the whole, students do not consider themselves part of the larger Somerville community, and even less so for Medford. And for their part, local residents have traditionally been reticent to embrace the institution. For many, the University is one giant headache.
A large part of the problem lies in simple class conflict. Students are often perceived as wealthy, arrogant, and inconsiderate. Even with Tufts' efforts to change these views through community outreach, the view is engrained in many locals.
In some ways, however, the perception is accurate. Though students hail from all walks of life, on the whole we come from higher income brackets than our immediate neighbors. We drive nicer cars. We have bigger prospects. Oftentimes the only contact residents have with students is late night, and it is rarely positive. Outside of the myriad of community service activities students perform, few really care about the area. The lack of goodwill from the communities is at times understandable.
Yet students cannot be faulted for taking little interest in the communities around them. The local governments frequently view cash-strapped Tufts as a juicy source of revenue. Some previous administrators -- such as former Somerville Mayor Dorothy Kelly Gay -- have been excessively uncooperative with the 152 year-old university.
Though there are encouraging signs coming from both Somerville and Medford, the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission's halting of dorm construction demonstrates that some things have not changed. And for many students, the only locals they interact with are unscrupulous landlords and hostile neighbors.
This does little to foster good feelings towards Medford and Somerville on the part of students. It certainly does not lead to an active interest in the history, demographics, or workings of the surrounding communities. Though historians, perhaps rightly, extol the virtues of knowing local history, students whose interests lie elsewhere could be excused for not sharing their zeal.
That said, both Tufts and the surrounding communities would be better off if the relationship was warmer. If students took more ownership of the communities in which they lived, chances are many of the problems would be ameliorated. There is no question that the cities are rich with opportunities for study and scholarship and have much to offer Tufts.
The best that can be done is to strengthen the ties that bind interested students to the area and its historical offerings. Realistically, however, expecting the student body at large to take a genuine interest is at best wishful thinking.
