Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor,

Chas Morrison's and Sam Wallis' op-ed in yesterday's Daily concerning the Tufts Student Fund (TSF) entitled "A more perfect community" was long on high-minded rhetoric and short on hard information. Instead of explaining the mechanics behind the TSF, they simply echoed the populist, fluffy sentiments of the March 2 op-ed written by Neil DiBiase, Nathan Render and Matthew Shapanka entitled "Why we're giving." From bemoaning Tufts' low alumni giving rate - maybe this exists because Tufts hounds alums even as they work to pay off astronomical student loans - to sympathizing with students who have to fill "out the complicated Free Application for Federal Student Aid" (FAFSA), Morrison and Wallis say little of substance. My family has filled out the FAFSA three times and is hoping to receive aid for the first time next year. While it is certainly a long application, my father and I have never asked for a gold star for filling it out. Have they ever applied for financial aid? They should be more concerned that Tufts collaborates with the College Board to fleece students of $25 each year when they apply for aid. In addition to the FAFSA (key words: "Free Application"), Tufts requires the CSS/PROFILE application, which comes with the $25 fee. If paying for an application for financial aid is not oxymoronic, I do not know what is.

The question on everyone's mind is how the student who receives the funds will be chosen. A Feb. 27 article in the Daily entitled "Fundraisers reach out to students" indicates that the financial aid office will choose the recipient. Morrison and Wallis note, "The money raised will go directly to a fellow classmate." I should hope it directly goes to a student! Thanks for clearing up that it is not going to "administrative decision-making" or the endowment, but I think it is safe to assume that we the students took that for granted. Fun fact for the duo: Full-page ads in the Daily cost between $200 and $250, and the TSF has had one for each of the past seven days -- how do you justify those administrative costs? Again, we are reminded that the TSF "is about helping your roommate, teammate, fraternity brother or sorority sister, and classmate stay at Tufts." Again, thank you for choosing hyperbole over facts.

Active citizenship is not just donating money to some "great" cause. Active citizenship is making sure that we are not simply going through the motions. It is about accountability. It is about following every dime you donate to charity and making sure it is put to good use. Tufts students deserve to know that the TSF will be put to good use. Who will choose the recipient and on what basis will they be chosen? I hope to see quantitative answers in the upcoming days.

Sincerely,
John K. Atsalis
Class of 2011