When I was asked to write an op-ed for this year's Commencement issue of The Tufts Daily, it hit me for the first time that this graduating class will no longer be on campus to provide the leadership, guidance and friendship that the underclassmen have come to take for granted. By choice or circumstance, the Class of 2010 has been in the middle of every major transition, both at Tufts and globally, and has handled these challenges in a manner that I only hope we can emulate. It is my goal next year to continue the work they've started on campus: of increasing opportunities and resources available to improve students' time on the Hill, and of creating a more unified Tufts community.
The Class of 2010 was at the fore of issues involving socioeconomic status, as Tufts temporarily instituted a need-blind admissions policy before the economic crisis. They made us internalize these issues to find ways for students from every economic background to enjoy the same opportunities on campus. They started this conversation by taking decisive action — for example by removing ticket costs for on-campus events — and it is our job next year to continue to make cost reduction a priority.
Reducing on-campus costs should start with the basics. Every dollar matters, and there are several options available to us to help students save money. But saving money alone isn't enough. Too many students graduate in debt, and we can try to help them with this problem by having a personal finance class to give students the tools to stay financially sound. Lastly, we can help students make use of Boston by providing them with low-cost transportation and programming in the city.
The most impressive thing about Tufts is the ownership students take of their education and their determination to improve the academic opportunities available to them. For example, they have fought for the creation of new academic programs, strengthened nascent ones like the Gordon Institute's Entrepreneurial Leadership Program and looked at other ways to get the most out of the 34 course credits they need to graduate. But because these initiatives were taken by individual students, there are few means to share in or build on them. One of my goals is to see that the resources of individual students are available to the many.
We can also help students make the best decisions about which courses to take by moving course evaluations online and making some of the results public, and by putting course syllabi online so students know if a class is really what they're looking for. One of the things that most impressed me is how much research was done by members of the Class of 2010. I know first hand that it is not easy to find out about the world-class research being conducted by our professors, and I hope to create a central database through which students can easily access this information.
The Class of 2010 has also played a major role in issues of community and diversity on campus. As freshmen, they became embroiled in a debate on freedom of expression on campus and the shared problems that arise when specific communities don't feel welcome at Tufts. This academic year, the Class of 2010 supported empowering marginalized communities on campus, and we should follow this example by implementing specific proposals to bring students together into a larger Tufts community. Other communities are often left out of the dialogue about these issues, including transfer and international students, seniors returning from studying abroad, off-campus communities, athletes and the Greek community. I also consider alumni a vital part of the Tufts community that we can better engage, and I hope we can start by keeping the Class of 2010 involved.
Congratulations to all of the seniors, and thank you. Many of you were the first people to greet us wide-eyed freshmen when we stumbled up the Hill for Undergraduate Orientation, and you made us feel like we were in the right place. We will miss your leadership, passion and creativity, and I hope we can take what you began and build upon it next year. And please stay involved with Tufts, because there are a lot of us who still look to you for guidance.
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Sam Wallis is a rising senior majoring in political science and economics. He is the incoming president of the Tufts Community Union Senate.
