News

Local

Somerville allocates $1.6 million toward housing supportive services

By Estelle Anderson | March 13

Somerville’s Housing Division plans to allocate $1.6 million in federal funds towards services including rental assistance and housing stabilization by 2030. The funds were awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s HOME Investment Partnership American Rescue Plan Program, an initiative that provides funding to reduce homelessness and increase housing stability across the country.

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University

Lawrence Uricchio honored with the Youniss Family Professorship of Innovation

By Kaashvi Ahuja | March 13

University President Anthony Monaco hosted an event in Ballou Hall on Wednesday to present the inaugural Youniss Family Professorship of Innovation to Professor Lawrence Uricchio.

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University

TCU Senate calls for SWANA space, asks professors to list course costs on SIS

By Matthew Sage | March 10

The TCU Senate approved a resolution at their weekly meeting on March 5 calling on Tufts to create a center for Southwest Asian and North African (SWANA) students and a resolution calling on Tufts professors to heighten transparency of course costs on all SIS course pages. At the same meeting, senators introduced a full-text resolution calling on the university to commit to institutional climate justice, created a new subcommittee focused on sexual assault prevention and approved eight supplementary funding requests.

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Science

Tufts professors receive $8 million investment for biotech startup

By Taylor Escudero | March 9

Morphoceuticals, a biotech company co-founded by Tufts professors Michael Levin and David Kaplan, recently received $8 million in seed funding from Prime Movers Lab and Juvenescence. The company is taking a new approach to the challenge of regenerative medicine by exploring the bioelectric controls of the human body to induce the regeneration of tissue, limbs and organs. Levin hopes their work can revolutionize regenerative applications and help millions of people with various injuries and health conditions.

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University

Headlines from the Hill

By Aaron Gruen | March 9

Tufts aims to purchase former Zeta Psi building at 80 Professors Row

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University

Fletcher panel on Russia-Ukraine war discusses lessons from the conflict, future of international politics

By Ishaan Rajiv Rajabali | March 8

The Fletcher School hosted a panel titled “How Has the Russia-Ukraine War Changed the International Security Environment?” on Feb. 27. Chaired by Monica Toft, the director of Fletcher’s Center for Strategic Studies, the discussion included Professors Daniel Drezner and Kelly Greenhill, and visiting scholars Pavel Luzin and Volodymyr Dubovyk, who is affiliated with Odesa I. Mechnikov National University in Ukraine.

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University

Climate strike takes on fossil fuel finance, Ukraine war

By Daniel Vos | March 7

Students gathered outside of the Mayer Campus Center on March 3, before the Global Climate Strike in Boston, to protest Tufts’ fossil fuel investments and rising global carbon emissions. Rachel Kyte, dean of The Fletcher School, spoke at the rally, offering support to protesters calling for divestment. 

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University

Department of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies announces changes to major requirements

By Layla Kennington | March 7

The Tufts Department of Theater, Dance, and Performance Studies recently announced changes to its major requirements, including increasing flexibility in terms of electives and a decrease in certain required classes. Students matriculating in fall 2023 will be the first class required to adhere to the new curriculum for TDPS.

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University

Murrow Forum will return to Tufts with CNN’s Abby Phillip on April 3

By Aaron Gruen | March 6

The Edward R. Murrow Forum on Issues in Journalism will return to Tufts for the first time since 2018 at noon on April 3 with CNN’s Abby Phillip slated as this year’s speaker. Sponsored by Tisch College’s Solomont Speaker Series, Phillip will discuss her work at CNN with Tufts alumnus and trustee Neil Shapiro (A’80).

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University

Students, workers rally in support of dining workers’ bid for higher wages, summer stipends

By Henry Chandonnet | March 6

Over 100 students, workers and union leaders rallied for a new contract for Tufts Dining Services union employees outside the Mayer Campus Center on March 1.

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University

TCU Senate hears new fossil fuel divestment abstract, responds to recent protests

By Matthew Sage | March 2

The Tufts Community Union Senate held a weekly meeting on Feb. 26, hearing an abstract calling on the university to fully divest from fossil fuels and achieve carbon neutrality by 2030. During the meeting, roughly 20 students gathered in the Joyce Cummings Center atrium outside the meeting room holding posters with phrases such as “protect the right to protest.”

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Local

Proposed Mass. bill would allow parents to use campaign funds for childcare

By Carly Cohen | March 1

A bill that would allow parents running for public office to use campaign funds for childcare was recently introduced by Massachusetts State Senator Patricia Jehlen, who represents Medford, Somerville, Cambridge and Winchester. 

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Local

Massachusetts Democrats want major moves on gun safety in 2023

By Amelia Colafati | February 28

Massachusetts Democrats plan to use the 2023 legislative session to further gun control legislation in the state. The Democrats hold a majority in both the state House and the state Senate. Along with recently elected Democratic Gov. Maura Healey, state legislators and activists have high hopes for a major gun safety package.

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Local

City tells Somerville Media Center to relocate by April 30

By Michaela Loughran | February 27

The City of Somerville is requiring Somerville Media Center to relocate from its current home in Union Square by April 30. Formed in March 1983, SMC produces local radio shows and TV shows as well as youth programs that seek to educate children in the use of media tools to tell their own stories. 

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University

TCU Senate approves JumboCast funding, calls on Tufts to create Middle Eastern and North African space, divulge course costs on SIS

By Matthew Sage | February 24

Tufts Community Union Senate debated and approved JumboCast’s request for supplementary funding to cover new cameras on Feb. 20. They also introduced abstract proposals calling on the university to create a Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) space on campus and divulge all course costs on SIS enrollment pages.

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University

Ethan Steinberg reflects on 4 years at the Daily, his future in journalism

By Aaron Gruen | February 23

Editor’s note: The Daily’s editorial department acknowledges that this article is premised on a conflict of interest. This article is a special feature for Daily Week that does not represent the Daily’s standard journalistic practices.

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University

4 Tufts alums create Champions Scholars Fund scholarship

By Charlotte Chen | February 23

Tufts recently announced the “Champions Scholars Fund” scholarship, which aims to increase educational access and equity. The scholarship is a part of the Women Impact Tufts and was endowed by four alums: Kalahn Taylor-Clark (LA’99), Joy Ebanks-Frederick (LA’95), Lanique Eubanks (LA’99) and Danika Tynes (LA’98).

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University

Former President of Costa Rica speaks at Fletcher School climate change event

By Megan Reimer | February 23

Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life and The Fletcher School hosted a conversation with former President of Costa Rica Carlos Alvarado Quesada on Feb. 15. Moderated by Alnoor Ebrahim, professor of management at Fletcher and Tisch College, the event focused on the critical role of small countries in the climate crisis, given that conversations about climate change are typically dominated by larger nations.

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University

Protesters disrupt Israel-Palestine discussion event, Monaco condemns protest

By Aaron Gruen and Katie Spiropoulos | February 22

Protestors disrupted an Israel-Palestine discussion event in Tisch Library on Tuesday evening.

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University

Tufts Students of Turkey fundraise for earthquake survivors

By Arvind Pillai | February 22

In the weeks following a deadly earthquake in Turkey, the Tufts Students of Turkey club has organized several fundraising events, including a bake sale and a supply drive, to support victims of the disaster. So far, the club has raised more than $16,000 for survivors. 

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