University

New TCU senators welcomed to first meeting, introduce new initiatives

By Emily Bahar | October 7

Tufts Community Union senators gathered on Oct. 4 to discuss funding, initiatives and ways to connect with the rest of the student and faculty body, the first meeting to include new senators representing the class of 2030: Will Ayers, Grey Collins, Catalina McGraw, Rosie Ounsworth, Joey Vernet, Joann Yamoah and Noel Yi.

---

Local

Students continue to apply to Pachyderm Place as construction enters final year

By Jessica Michael | October 6

The construction of Pachyderm Place, Tufts’ new student apartments located across from the Medford/Tufts MBTA station on Boston Avenue, has made significant progress over the summer and is still on track to open in fall 2027, according to university officials and developers. Lease applications opened over the summer, with some students who applied receiving their unsigned leases.

---

Local

Somerville approves $255,045 for Vision Zero as bike network deadline slips

By Alex Boyle | October 6

The Somerville City Council approved more than $250,000 on Sept. 24 for the city’s Vision Zero traffic safety program, drawing on fees collected from transportation companies like Uber and Lyft. The appropriation comes as Somerville’s annual report — as required by the Safe Streets Ordinance — acknowledges that the protected bicycle lane network the city is obligated to complete by 2030 will take longer than that to build.

---

University

New class of students elected to TCU Senate

By Will Pinto | October 5

This year’s fall semester elections for the Tufts Community Union Senate ended at noon on Friday.With seven Class of 2030 senator positions up for grabs and 20 candidates, the new senators for the Class of 2030 are as follows:

---

News

Somerville receives Youth Climate Action Fund to support youth-led sustainability projects

By Niki Wang and Andrew-Lucien Bao | October 5

This year, Bloomberg Philanthropies selected Somerville as one of nearly 300 cities to participate in the 2026–27 Youth Climate Action cohort. Through the Youth Climate Action Fund, the city received $50,000 to distribute in microgrants of up to $5,000 to support young residents aged 15–24 in designing and implementing climate solutions aligned with citywide priorities. 

---

News

Ewen-Campen, Scott resignations to trigger special elections in Somerville

By Sophie Herron | October 2

Somerville City Councilors J.T. Scott of Ward 2 and Ben Ewen-Campen of Ward 3 officially announced their resignations last week, effective on Dec. 31.

---

News

Carpenters union protests over alleged labor violations at Pachyderm Place

By Carly Hope and Amelia Rice | October 1

On the first day of classes this fall, students were met by workers protesting outside of the Joyce Cummings Center, who accused the university of wage theft and other labor violations during the construction of new upperclassmen housing building Pachyderm Place. 

---

Local

Top-two primaries and same-day voter registration proposed on Massachusetts ballot

By Zachary Lundman and Theo Weller | October 1

Two of the record-tying nine ballot initiatives that Massachusetts voters will consider this November could change how the state conducts its elections.

---

Local

Medford City Council, mayor take up divergent positions in divestment ordinance lawsuit

By Josué Pérez | September 30

The Medford City Council has distanced itself from the mayoral administration’s retreat from defending the Values-Aligned Local Investments Ordinance in a lawsuit it currently faces in federal court. The council passed a formal declaration setting out its position during its Sept. 15 meeting in a 6–1 vote.

---

University

TCU Senate announces new “task force” program

By Will Pinto | September 30

The Tufts Community Union Senate convened for its third meeting of the semester this past Sunday, where senators unveiled a new “task force” process for working on long-term projects.

---

University

RA union demands higher compensation, full room and board in contract renewal negotiations

By Samantha Eng | September 29

The United Labor of Tufts Resident Assistants is bargaining for a successor contract following the ratification of their first contract in 2023. ULTRA argues that resident assistants’ current stipend doesn’t account for the rising costs of living and tuition over the last three years. The university has also proposed a restructure of the RA position, which the union says will impact their future responsibilities and pay. 

---

University

Two-thirds of college students likely to vote in midterms amid economic motivations, CIRCLE study finds

By Eli Brigham | September 29

A Tufts Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement survey conducted last semester in anticipation of the 2026 midterm elections found that college students are largely likely to vote, shifting leftward and focusing on the cost of living.

---

University

Tufts Chaplaincy renamed to Office of Religious and Philosophical Life

By June Myint | September 28

As of Aug. 1, the Tufts University Chaplaincy has been renamed the Office of Religious and Philosophical Life. The change was made in an effort to better encompass the multifaith, diverse nature of the Tufts community and to operate under a more inclusive label. The Reverend Elyse Nelson Winger, who has served as university chaplain since late 2020, described the motivation behind this transition in a statement to the Daily.

---

University

Students demand OEO reform as peer leaders allege ‘indiscretion’ in SHAPE pre-orientation

By Ari Osakwe | September 24

A protest, “Say No to OEO,” was held outside the Tufts University Africana Center on Saturday during Homecoming events as students demanded the Tufts Office of Equal Opportunity provide more support for marginalized students in light of alleged “indiscretion.”

---

Local

Incumbents hold strong in Massachusetts Democratic primaries, rebuffing national anti-incumbency trend

By Theo Weller | September 24

In Massachusetts’ Sept. 1 Democratic primary elections, voters overwhelmingly sided with incumbents. Sen. Ed Markey handily defeated competitor Rep. Seth Moulton, and all eight incumbent members of the House of Representatives were victorious in their re-election bids.

---

Local

Somerville City Council urges Tufts to resolve dispute with dismissed graduate student worker

By Shayna Levy | September 24

At their Aug. 27 meeting, the Somerville City Council passed a resolution regarding a former Tufts international graduate student, alleging that she had suffered from a conflict while employed by the university that threatened her academic standing and suggested the possible termination of her program.

---

University

TCU Senate elects trustee representatives, convenes standing committees for first time

By Will Pinto | September 24

The TCU Senate held internal elections for this year’s slate of trustee representatives on Sunday. These non-voting members will represent the student body in meetings of the Tufts University Board of Trustees and are expected to attend half the Senate’s meetings over the semester. They will represent three aspects of campus life: university advancement, student affairs and academic affairs.

---