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University

Mouse infestation in SMFA dorm prompts months of complaints, exterminator visits

By Ella Kamm | April 6

Just before midnight on Feb. 27, several students gathered in a room on the third floor of 1047 Beacon St. to decide whether to kill a live mouse stuck in a glue trap. After months of submitting work orders and calling for assistance that night, it was clear to residents that no one would be coming to help. Together, the residents came to a conclusion: Killing the mouse was the right thing to do. After placing the mouse in a trash bag, one resident offered to step on it.

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University

CNN’s Abby Phillip talks Trump indictment, journalism at Murrow Forum

By Megan Reimer | April 6

Abby Phillip, CNN’s senior political correspondent and weekend anchor, was the featured guest speaker at the 15th Edward R. Murrow Forum on Issues in Journalism on April 3. Sponsored by Tisch College’s Solomont Speaker Series, the event was the first in-person Murrow Forum in four years.

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University

ExCollege event explores reproductive rights in a post-Roe world

By Layla Shaffer | April 5

The Experimental College on March 30 hosted its first-ever event exploring reproductive rights, entitled “Reproductive Freedom in the Wake of Dobbs.” The discussion featured perspectives from the legal, health care and educational intersections of the landmark Supreme Court case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which ended the constitutional right to abortion last year.

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University

UN representative of Myanmar discusses recent military coup, international response during Fletcher event 

By Aaron Gruen | April 5

Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, the permanent representative of Myanmar to the United Nations, spoke at Tufts on March 31 about Myanmar’s ongoing crisis. During the event, called the “International Responsibility in Responding to Myanmar’s Crisis,” Tun discussed his country’s recent military coup — and the ensuing international response — with David Muehlke, Fletcher’s state department fellow.

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University

Fletcher Center for Strategic Studies panel discusses evolution, future of security in international relations

By Rakan Mouasher | April 4

The Fletcher Center for Strategic Studies hosted a dialogue on diverse sociopolitical interpretations of security on March 13. CSS Director Monica Toft moderated the discussion, titled “Global Views, Common Security.” The event featured panelists professor David Ekbladh, professor Eileen Babbitt, CSS Assistant Director Scott McDonald and former President of Costa Rica Carlos Alvarado Quesada. 

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Local

Medford, Somerville city councilors talk local politics at Tufts event

By Shannon Murphy | April 3

City councilors and Tufts alums Judy Pineda Neufeld of Somerville and Kit Collins of Medford returned to Tufts to speak about their careers and paths to local government in the event “The Importance of Local Politics: Perspectives from Local City Councilors” held in Olin Center for Language and Cultural Studies on Monday, March 27. Nimah Mazaheri, chair of the political science department, moderated the event.

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University

Supreme Court journalist Dahlia Lithwick talks social justice, judicial activism at Solomont Speaker Series event

By Henry Chandonnet | April 3

Writer and podcast host Dahlia Lithwick visited Tufts as part of Tisch College’s Solomont Speaker Series. In conversation with Dr. Nancy Thomas, founding director of Tisch College’s Institute for Democracy & Higher Education, Lithwick discussed her new book, “Lady Justice: Women, the Law, and the Battle to Save America,” as well as several women who have changed judicial history. 

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University

BREAKING: Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General, will deliver 2023 commencement address

By Aaron Gruen | March 30

United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed will deliver the commencement address to the Class of 2023, the university announced on March 30. Mohammed will receive an honorary degree along with six other individuals at the commencement ceremony on May 21.

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University

TUSC announces Flo Rida, Cheat Codes, Charlie Curtis-Beard for Spring Fling

By Henry Chandonnet and Aaron Gruen | March 30

Flo Rida, Cheat Codes and Charlie Curtis-Beard will perform at Spring Fling, Tufts University Social Collective announced on March 29. The annual concert will be held on April 29, and tickets will be available starting April 18.

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University

Persian Students Association hosts professor Neda Moridpour as part of lecture series on Iran’s political history

By Layla Kennington | March 30

Tufts Persian Students Association hosted professor Neda Moridpour on March 15 to kick off the club’s new lecture series, entitled “Iran’s Political History: Resistance and Revolution.” The series was organized in light of the murder of Jina ‘Mahsa’ Amini, who was arrested and killed by the Iranian morality police for allegedly not wearing the hijab in accordance with government standards.

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University

CEO of Boston Metal talks decarbonizing the steel industry

By Michaela Loughran | March 30

Tadeu Carneiro, chairman and CEO of Boston Metal, gave a lecture in the Hoch Cunningham Environmental Lecture Series on March 16 about a new electrochemical process for decarbonization that his company recently pioneered. The process, known as molten oxide electrolysis, has the potential to make an industry which produces 10% of global carbon emissions greener, Carneiro said.

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University

Tufts admits 9.5% to undergraduate Class of 2027

By Aaron Gruen | March 28

Tufts admitted 9.5% of students to the Class of 2027 from roughly 34,000 applicants, it announced on March 22. Acceptances were granted to the most diverse applicant pool the university has ever seen. This year’s class is one of the most selective in the university’s history, following last year’s record-low 9.7% acceptance rate.

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University

Tisch College event explores bipartisanship in Mass. politics

By Zoe Kava | March 28

The Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life hosted a Civic Life Lunch on March 14 to discuss the possibilities of bipartisanship in Massachusetts and national politics. The virtual event, titled “The Massachusetts Model: Bipartisanship on Beacon Hill,” was co-sponsored by the Political Science Department, Tufts ACTION, Tufts CIVIC, the Tufts Democrats and the Tufts Republicans. 

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University

Lee Edelman discusses his new book, queer theory, future of education with Jess Keiser

By Aaron Gruen | March 17

Lee Edelman discussed his new book “Bad Education: Why Queer Theory Teaches Us Nothing,” with fellow Tufts English professor Jess Keiser on March 9 at an English department event. Edelman, the Fletcher professor of English literature at Tufts, and Keiser unpacked the book’s key theses and its relevance in today’s context. 

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University

EPIIC Symposium explores race in global politics with State Dept. Rep Desirée Cormier Smith

By Ishaan Rajiv Rajabali and Anna Fattaey | March 16

The Institute for Global Leadership at Tisch College hosted the annual Education for Public Inquiry and International Citizenship Symposium from March 9–11. Titled “Power and Prejudice: Race and International Relations,” the three-day event hosted several panel discussions on the prevalence of racial issues in global politics. Desirée Cormier Smith, special representative for racial equity and justice in the U.S. Department of State, delivered the keynote address for the symposium.

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University

TCU Senate calls on Tufts to divest from fossil fuels at March 12 meeting

By Aaron Gruen | March 16

The TCU Senate unanimously called on Tufts to divest from fossil fuels and commit to carbon neutrality by 2030 at its weekly meeting on March 12.

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University

Steve Tisch donates $10 million to Schuler Access Initiative

By Tessa Moore | March 15

Steve Tisch (A’71) made a $10 million donation toward the Schuler Access Initiative as part of the Brighter World campaign. The Schuler Access Initiative is a $25 million “challenge gift” from Jack Schuler (A’62) and Tanya Schuler Sharman (E’91), co-founders of the Schuler Education Foundation. 

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University

Afghan human rights activist Sima Samar speaks at Fletcher Intl. Women’s Day event

By Aaron Gruen | March 15

Dr. Sima Samar, an Afghan activist and human rights advocate, spoke at an International Women’s Day event on March 8 sponsored by The Fletcher School. Samar, a visiting scholar at Fletcher, spoke about the history and current state of women’s rights in Afghanistan.

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University

Dr. Mitchell Lunn receives Lyon and Bendheim Citizenship Award for LGBTQ+ advocacy in medicine

By Shannon Murphy | March 14

Mitchell Lunn (LA’04), an associate professor of nephrology, epidemiology and population health at Stanford University School of Medicine, received Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life’s 2023 Lyon and Bendheim Citizenship Award in Barnum Hall on March 7 for his work in representing sexual and gender minority populations in healthcare. 

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University

University Chaplaincy’s Russell Lecture hosts honorary degree recipient Ofelia Zepeda

By Akisha Tokwe | March 14

The Tufts University Chaplaincy held its annual Russell Lecture on Spiritual Life on March 7, with a lecture by Ofelia Zepeda, a 2021 Tufts honorary degree recipient. Zepeda, a poet and scholar, lectured on the intersection of language and spirituality, and the role of poetry in reviving indigenous languages.

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