In this day and age of economic uncertainty, it ought to be required that every student at Tufts reflect on the true point of a liberal arts education. If college may not automatically lead to a job, if college may be monopolizing your family's expenses and if college emphasizes knowledge that seems to be out of touch with the professional world, what are we students actually doing here? As the economic crisis continues to strip away secondary reasons and goals of school, the real value and purpose of a liberal arts education becomes clearer: We are here to learn, and there is no place better suited for learning than Tufts.
As students grow and continue their Tufts education, it is important that the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate never loses sight of the learning we are all here to do. Rather than focusing on unrealistic projects, multi-year initiatives or overly abstract conversations, next year's Senate is committed to making life and learning better here and now. I am honored and humbled with the opportunity the student body has entrusted me, and I believe that we can build on the accomplishments of outgoing TCU President Duncan Pickard.
Firstly, we learn from one another. Tufts is a place where students of all different experiences and values join together to form a unique community. Although this eclecticism manifests itself via a wide variety of clubs and activities, we must not let ourselves or our school become overwhelmed by all Tufts has to offer. Limitations on time and space prevent students from trying everything that the university has to offer, but we can all do a better job making groups more accessible. We can build an infrastructure that values communication and encourages collaboration between different students and groups. Once we begin to cooperate more effectively, we will all be pleasantly surprised by the amount we can learn from one another.
Secondly, we learn from our faculty. When students get busy, the first thing that suffers is the relationships students have with their coursework and their professors. Add this to the already-massive amount of requirements each student has to take, and it becomes obvious that our world-class faculty is underutilized. Next year, we have the opportunity to make professors more accessible and make academia more personal. With a renewed focus on creating out-of-classroom learning experiences and making faculty research more transparent, the intellectual side of Tufts can once again be integrated with social life.
Lastly, we learn about ourselves. College is the ultimate trial and error period in one's life. While it is important to discuss next year's goals and next year's projects, we can never forget to be selfish about our own education. This last point is important and will be the central motif of Senate next year. We want to work to make your Tufts experience better. Next year's Senate vows to tackle the issues that actually matter in the lives of Tufts students, to come up with creative answers to the most pressing questions and to always be finding ways to enhance learning. Together, we can all work to make learning -- in any respect -- easier and more fun. Tufts is a place where every student has the opportunity to grow, and the Senate is proud to help improve the learning opportunities of each student.
To the Class of 2009: On behalf of the Senate and student body at large, thank you so much. Those of us left in Medford are forever indebted to your leadership, personalities and experiences here at Tufts. Many of you hold a special place in my own heart, and I am positive that those of you whom I have not met have impacted other students in countless ways. Graduating in such a difficult time must be hard, but you will all be met with success. Your learning does not stop once you graduate this institution; rather, you spend your whole life learning. But in the face of uncertainty and turbulence, be confident that Tufts has provided you with skills and a foundation that will allow you to make the best decisions from here on out. You will all be missed, and good luck with all of your future endeavors.
And for those who will remain here at Tufts, let's continue to learn together. Next year will surely be a crazy, unpredictable year. Yet without a doubt, it will be one of the best of our lives.
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Brandon Rattiner is a rising senior majoring in political science and philosophy. He is the incoming TCU president.
