The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate at its meeting last night discussed an unfinished resolution that would articulate the community's feelings about the Tufts University Police Department's (TUPD) proposed addition of security cameras to campus. While a resolution to oppose the cameras was brought up in the previous session, it was remanded to the Senate Rules Committee for reevaluation.
TCU Parliamentarian Robert Joseph, a sophomore, said that the resolution has been modified and scaled down since last week's meeting.
Rather than opposing the security cameras, the new resolution would attempt to set up rules and expectations about how they might be used.
TCU President Wyatt Cadley, a senior, said that these changes were made in response to the feeling that much of the administration had already put their support behind a video security system.
Senators voiced concerns about "shutting down the conversation" if the Senate were to pass a resolution opposing the cameras in full.
Among the changes to the resolution was the suggestion that a list be compiled of locations the Senate deems inappropriate to monitor with cameras, such as the front of the Mayer Campus Center. Other senators suggested including provisions to prevent racial profiling among officers assigned to look for suspicious behavior, though few specific plans were brought up.
The resolution was not voted on and will remain under evaluation this week. TCU Judiciary Historian Jesse Comak, a senior, informed the Senate that a meeting between the Judiciary and representatives of the Tufts Christian Fellowship (TCF) had been scheduled this week.
TCF is currently suspended following the Judiciary's finding that their constitution violates religious discrimination rules.
The body allocated $2,500 to the a cappella group Tufts SQ! for renting a minivan and paying for gas during their Winter Tour.
Cadley stressed that the members had already made individual contributions to the tour and that financial assistance was "the least we could do." The allocation passed unanimously.
