News
May 27
Senate VP questioned
The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate voted not to address a motion to remove Senator Andrew Potts from his position as vice president in late November. Although tensions had been building for months, they were set aside due to changing opinions of Potts' competency, structural limitations, logistics.
Just prior to the motion to remove him, Senate Historian Alison Clarke gave Potts a letter from 13 unnamed senators asking him to resign from his post. The other 20 senators either disagreed with the motion or simply never saw the letter.
Potts said he was never told of specific problems with his performance. In the letter, he was accused of not holding office hours regularly and of being inaccessible, allegations that he says are "smoke and mirrors."
The senators who wanted Potts to give up the vice presidency have not all changed their minds, but they see no constitutional way to remove him. The Senate concluded that it does not have the power to deal with removal of its members from internal positions _ but the TCU Constitution does not delegate this job to any other body. It is possible that the ongoing constitutional reform effort could address this problem for the future.
Bridget Behling
Conservative culture rep debate sparks questions over TCU Constitution
Questions surrounding the validity of culture representatives to the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate arose once again when members of The Primary Source rallied for a constitutional referendum to gain a conservative culture rep.
The Source's argument was conservatives are a underrepresented minority culture at Tufts, Source editor-in-chief Megan Liotta said. "We feel that if there's going to be culture reps. who have a vote, then every culture [who wants to be] needs to be adequately represented," Liotta said. "If you define culture as a group of people with similar beliefs and practices, then I think that yes, conservatism is definitely a culture and definitely a minority culture."
The student body voted down the referendum, known as Amendment 3, which would have created a seat occupied by a staff member of the Source, a rightward-leaning campus publication, but would have represented all campus conservatives, Source members said.
The culture rep. debate sparked general questions concerning the TCU Constitution, which led to an open constitutional convention held last month. "The more familiar I become with the Constitution, the more flaws I discover," Senate Parliamentarian Adam Koeppel said at the forum.
Among criticisms of the Constitution is the limit placed on only two presidential candidates and the rule that all executive board positions except the president are selected "in house." The positions of treasurer, president, and vice president entail substantial interaction with students and therefore should be selected with the input of the general student body, some said.
TCU President Melissa Carson has stated that several constitutional reform talks will be held throughout the year. Students, senators, minorities, conservatives, and culture reps should "come together at the same table to hash it out," Source editor emeritus Sam Dangremond said.
Katie Mims
Donations continue after successful capital campaign
Despite the recent completion of a seven-year capital campaign that netted an unprecedented $609 million, the University raised more than $10 million in new donations this fall, helping it weather the current economic downturn.
The Tufts Tomorrow campaign, begun in Nov. 1995, finished $9 million past its goal this June. Originally intended to raise $400 million over five years, the campaign was extended by two years and $200 million after initial fundraising successes.
Since the campaign's completion, Tufts has achieved several sizeable donations from corporations, foundations, and private donors, many of them unexpected. Among the largest were a $5 million grant from the Jay Pritzker Foundation to increase financial aid for undergraduate minority students and a $1.5 million gift from Trustee Edward Budd to the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.
In an e-mail to the Tufts community, President Larry Bacow said that Tufts is doing better than most colleges in the face of the economic downturn. The University's fundraising efficiency was recently highlighted when a charity watchdog group, Charity Navigator, ranked Tufts as the best nonprofit out of 53 in the Boston area.
Of the $609 million Tufts Tomorrow yielded, $223 million was earmarked to enlarge the endowment, $110 million will go toward renovation and new construction, $78 million was added to the Tufts Fund for current spending, and $198 million was allocated to restricted current uses, including financial aid, endowed chairs, and other programs. The endowment, which amounted to $193 million at the end of the previous capital campaign, is now worth $677 million.
Jonathan Lee
Greek system ????
The University's Greek system was in flux this semester after a fraternity narrowly evaded closing its doors, a new Asian-American sorority was suggested, and administrators took steps to consolidate the new Office of Greek Life at Tufts.
At semester's start, the brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sig Ep) announced that the fraternity was closing, citing continuing financial and membership difficulties. The University informed the fraternity that it could not fold, and Sig Ep's national organization and its alumni began working to revive it.
Later in the semester, administrators criticized the Greek system, saying it needs to show more leadership in the community and become more cohesive.
The female side of the Greek system experienced increased interest, however, when a group of female students petitioned for the preliminary establishment of an Asian-American sorority at Tufts. The petition to add a fourth sorority had the support of at least fifteen female students and is being considered by the Committee on Fraternities and Sororities (CFS).
A few weeks later, the CFS, in conjunction with Dean of Students Brice Reitman, announced its initiation of a search for an administrator to run the new Office of Greek Life. The search committee, chaired by Reitman, aims to find an educator who would maintain good relations between the Greeks and the administration and support fraternities and sororities in their activities and community service endeavors.
Loreal Lynch
Stoplight brings needed direction to confusing intersection
After years of confusion and multiple accidents, the intersection of Boston and College Aves. received much-needed improvements this year. Stoplights and new signage were installed at the dangerous juncture over the summer, although the lights were not fully operational until November.
The lights were turned on for a short time after initial roadwork was finished at the beginning of the semester, but were quickly turned off because changes had to be made to the timing sequence, Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) Captain Mark Keith told the Daily in October. The stoplights then blinked yellow and red until proposed changes were approved by the state's site engineer and the lights were reprogrammed.
Demands that the lights be turned on once and for all soared after junior Jodi Gilman was hit on Oct. 15 while crossing Boston Ave. Gilman was hit by a car driven by another Tufts junior and taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital, although she was not admitted.
The accident was the second time a student was hit at the intersection in less than two years.
The installation of traffic lights at the intersection was intended to clarify confusion about when drivers coming from four directions and pedestrians had right-of-way. Pedestrians who used to dodge traffic while crossing are now signaled to walk by lights.
Jamie Cox
New Jaharis Center links nutrition, medicine
The new 180,000 square-foot Jaharis Center for Biomedical and Nutrition Sciences opened on Tufts' Boston campus this November, increasing Tufts' research space by almost 50 percent and creating a unique opportunity for nutritional experts to work with biomedical researchers in studying diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's.
Over 300 donors contributed to the construction of the $65 million facility, located in Chinatown. The lead donor, Tufts Trustee Michael Jaharis, contributed $10 million and raised another $10 million toward the project.
The new center represents Tufts' approach to collaboration in research and teaching, according to University President Larry Bacow. The center's planned projects include a $6.6 million, five-year National Institute of Health study to investigate micronutrient deficiency in the elderly and how it relates to strokes, cognitive functioning, and Alzheimer's disease. The study will be conducted in conjunction with Tufts-New England Medical Center.
The size of the Jaharis Center also allowed the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy to consolidate from its three houses on the Medford campus and four rented spaces in Boston.
The Jaharis Center will not only produce disease-curing research; it will also help the region economically, Bacow told the Boston Herald at the time. "Biomedical research is a cornerstone of the region's economy," he said. "It's an engine of economic growth for Boston and Massachusetts."
Plans progress for music building, new dorm
The University geared up for two major construction projects this fall by continuing fundraising efforts and finalizing design plans. The new music building and the new dormitory will displace a number of other organizations, including the Zeta Psi fraternity and the Institute for Global Leadership.
The administration intensified its focus on the music building after two Tufts alumni, $2 million towards the project, bringing total funds to $10.5 million in funding. The University is awaiting an additional $2.5 million before construction can begin. Zeta Psi will be demolished to make way for the music building, and will be rebuilt on the site of the Institute for Global Leadership.
The new music building will have three floors, including space for the music library, technical facilities such as a multimedia center, faculty offices, classrooms, and the Distler Recital Hall, which will seat slightly less than 300 people.
The timetable for the music building's construction is linked to another project; the new dorm. Construction on the four-story residence hall, which will stretch from Professors Row to Talbot Ave. between Richardson House and the Yeager House, will tentatively begin next summer. The building, designed to be ecologically friendly, will house both under- and upper-classmen and is scheduled to open by September 2004.
Some of the University's oldest buildings will be destroyed due to construction related to the music building and the new dorm. The Music Department's current house, which will be demolished to make way for the new dorm, served as the residence for Tufts' first president, Hosea Ballou II, along with other historic houses on campus. The Zeta Psi building is over 100 years old.
Due to difficulties in expanding into Medford and Somerville, the University was forced to "look within the confines of the traditional University" for the new construction projects, Vice President of Operations John Roberto said
New Provost begins at Tufts
Tufts welcomed new provost Jamshed Bharucha to the Hill this year, replacing Sol Gittleman, who vacated the position last year after 21 years to return to teaching.
Calling the position "an exciting opportunity," Bharucha said he is "just absolutely delighted that [he] did decide to come because it's even better than [he] imagined."
In the first months of his new position, Bharucha has drawn on his experience at Dartmouth as both professor of psychological and brain sciences and Dean of Faculty of Arts and Sciences.
One of his first goals was to increase relations between the different Tufts campuses in Medford, Boston, and Grafton. He especially wants to increase research opportunities for undergraduates at other campuses. "I think there is a lot of potential there to be exploited" that could benefit all of the campuses, he said.
Bharucha spent much of this semester traveling, so he has been less visible on campus than his predecessor.
Ver??nica Aguilar
Recognized individuals speak at Tufts
Famed historians, authors, political analysts, and researchers, including Howard Zinn, Kurt Vonnegut Jr., Noam Chomsky, and Philip Zimbardo, spoke on campus this semester.
A last-minute speech opposing military action against Iraq by liberal historian Zinn drew more than 200 people and forced organizers to turn 50 more away at the door.
Tying in historical themes, Zinn said that Americans must realize the subliminal issues which underlie the push for war. "The common denominator to all these wars is simply the drive to expand American power throughout the world," Zinn said.
As he expressed his anti-war sentiment, Zinn encouraged the audience to take action. He also showed faith in the anti-war movement, based on his experiences in the movement against the Vietnam War and the civil rights movement.
With razor sharp wit and a whiteboard, acclaimed fiction writer Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., shared his views on everything from writing to politics and life with a packed Cohen Auditorium in November.
Vonnegut spoke against the Bush administration and its intentions of going to war with Iraq. "Whenever we do this sort of thing... we kill so many people, men, women, and children in the process of getting the bad guy," he said.
The audience was treated to a preview of his unfinished book, which he called "so pessimistic that it breaks my heart." Excerpts of the work, like much of Vonnegut's previous work, displayed biting humor that pierces through societal illusions. It attacked the nation's obsession with petroleum and its disregard for the environment.
Touching on terrorism and criticizing the US for encouraging a climate of fear, famed revisionist historian Chomsky spoke to an audience of Fletcher and EPIIC students and faculty Nov. 18.
Chomsky was particularly critical of what he saw as the beginnings of a state of fear. Political advantage is easily gained by a frightened population since voters "need a courageous leader," he said. The MIT professor credited the timing of current US foreign policy to "short-term political advantage," referring to this fall's midterm elections and the 2004 presidential race.
Drawing on examples from history, his studies, and recent world events, Stanford psychology professor Zimbardo, who is also president of the American Psychological Association, spoke to a captive audience Nov. 19 on the situational forces that can compel an average person to perpetrate evil.
Citing terrorism as a result of situational influences on otherwise normal people, Zimbardo reasoned that a terrorist's lack of identity is an intentional scare tactic. "The worst thing about terrorism now is that it's faceless," he said. "What we really want is to put a face on evil."
For better or worse, Zimbardo said, "we're all born with a brain, and that brain is infinitely malleable."
Brian Loeb
Lack of dial tones frustrates students
Students were surprised this September when they lost their dial tone if they did not pay for telephone service. In the following months, student dissatisfaction with telephone service grew to unprecedented levels this semester, despite changes in the pricing and tiers offered by Campuslink, the provider of cable and telephone services for Tufts.
Students complained that the lack of any phone service in the room unless students paid the bill made calling the police in an emergency, being let into a dorm, and getting food delivery from a local restaurant much more difficult.
Last year telephones remained activated and allowed on-campus calling last year, even if students did not pay their bills. This was later said to be a mistake on the part of Campuslink. Some students questioned why the mistake wasn't corrected last year, but put harshly into effect this year.
Tufts Community Union (TCU) senators negotiated student concerns that Campuslink create a reduced cost on-campus-only dialing plan. The new plan cost $18.95, compared to $31.50 for a single with the full dialing plan with voicemail, an externally accessible phone number, and external calling capabilities.
Many students did not find this new option appealing, considering the small price differential and the new service's much lower capabilities. Student dissatisfaction with the new services and increased use of cellular phones led to a decline in demand for phone services. Campuslink, however, did not change its pricing policies, causing further student unrest.
Campuslink's contract with the University expires on Aug. 31, 2003 and it is unlikely that the company will seek renewal. The Tufts Computing and Communications services (TCCS) has created an advisory board to seek out a new company to provide the cable and telephone services for the campus.
Local individuals commit crimes on campus
A number of local individuals, not affiliated with the University, have allegedly been the cause of some campus disturbances this semester.
The Sigma Nu fraternity was the victim of more than one such disturbance. On Friday, Nov. 1, a group of four males threatened several Sigma Nu members after the group was refused entrance to a party at the house. One of the local residents was carrying a knife and another threatened to return with more people and a gun.
Sergeant Doug Mazzola of the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) said the agitators were not affiliated with the fraternity in any way. "They just happened to park their vehicle there and were looking for a party," he said. "There was no indication that they were invited at all."
This problem followed closely on the heels of a robbery of an estimated $900 worth of electronic equipment from the Sigma Nu house. The burglars broke a window to access the equipment and also spray painted the back door to the building.
Both crimes were allegedly committed by local youths.
Other incidents are also assumed to have been perpetrated by non-Tufts individuals. A number of graffiti markings, destruction of property crimes, small wallet thefts, and other such felonies have occurred in residence halls and other campus buildings from unknown offenders.. In the majority of the cases, the ResLife staff and TUPD have determined that the person or persons who committed the crime were not Tufts students.
Trespass warnings and one arrest have been made by the TUPD to non-University people using the Gantcher Family Fitness Center.
Discussion of Iraq war mostly in opposition
The potential war on Iraq galvanized the campus this semester, and the majority of the lectures, rallies and demonstrations on the issue were in protest of President George W. Bush's proposed military intervention.
Anti-war sentiment became visible on campus in early October when members of the Tufts community gathered at the Tisch Library at a protest organized by the Tufts Coalition to Oppose War on Iraq. The purpose of the rally was to protest, listen to speeches, and march around campus to "raise consciousness here at Tufts on this issue," graduate student Joe Ramsey said.
The prospect of war in Iraq also drew a number of speakers to campus. New York Times reporter Serge Schmemann, former US Senator Dale Bumpers, liberal historian Howard Zinn, Kuwaiti representative to the United Nations Mohammad Abdullah Abulhasan and linguist Noam Chomsky all spoke against the impending war in Iraq. They warned that a war in Iraq could hurt the US's position in the international system, destabilize the Middle East, and further the suffering of the Iraqi people under Saddam Hussein.
Anti-war activism continued off-campus in November, when Tufts students participated in a large rally on Boston Common. Shortly thereafter, a teach-in was held on campus, warning listeners about the dangers of a war in Iraq.
One nonconforming voice among this semester's speakers was Leslie Gelb (LA '59), the president of the Council on Foreign Relations. "Saddam Hussein isn't just another petty dictator," Gelb said. "I think President Bush is right in wanting to get rid of him, because containment didn't and will not work."
Mark Phillips
