The already-selective President's Marathon Challenge (PMC) will next year have to turn away even more interested participants, as the event's primary sponsor has announced that it will be reducing the number of participants from 200 to 100 for the 2012 Boston Marathon. John Hancock Financial Services will cut in half the number of Tufts community members sponsored by the company in order to focus its charity efforts on other organizations. While it is regrettable that John Hancock chose to cut the team, it is understandable that the company would want to focus funding and efforts on other charity organizations in order to diversify the types of programs that it supports. Tufts, however, should do everything that it can to keep the team's numbers at their current level in spite of these cutbacks.
Rather than simply allowing the number of participants to decrease by 50 percent and accepting the possibility of the program being cut entirely a few years from now, the university should begin seeking other sponsors or means of funding PMC so that it can be a lasting Tufts institution. For the past nine years, 200 Jumbos have had the opportunity to run on the Tufts team — currently the largest-known collegiate marathon team in the country — in exchange for raising funds for programs at the Friedman School of Nutrition. Students on the team raise $1,000 in donations, while other members of the Tufts community raise $2,500.
Many eager participants are turned away every year because of the limited number of slots on the team. PMC has brought students, alumni and faculty together over the past nine years, and students who participate frequently cite it as one of their most meaningful experiences at Tufts. Running the marathon helps teach students not only the value of health and fitness, but also the value of philanthropy.
Tufts puts considerable emphasis on active citizenship and giving back, so it should ensure that students who want to participate in this charitable endeavor are able to do so. The fact that the money from PMC's fundraising goes back to the Tufts community through the Friedman School is all the more reason for the university to step up to maintain the current status of PMC and continue to allow 200 participants to join in the efforts.
It is unlikely to be easy to raise the money to pay participants' entrance fees and maintain the current number of students who can participate. But the university should recognize how important PMC is to Tufts and find a way to maintain its present state. University President Lawrence Bacow may be leaving the Hill this year, but PMC, his brainchild, should remain for future Jumbos to enjoy and learn from.
