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Local

Here’s how Somerville emergency responders, Tufts administrators helped students in the Raymond Ave house fire

By Estelle Anderson and Samantha Eng | November 8

In an email sent to the Tufts community Friday afternoon, Executive Director of Public Safety Yolanda Smith provided further information about the fire. “At approximately 11:05 a.m. this morning, a fire was reported at 74 Raymond Avenue in Somerville, a privately owned property where 10 Tufts undergraduate students lived. Somerville Fire and Police, as well as Tufts University police, EMS, and paramedics responded quickly,”

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University

Tufts to launch mobile-friendly parking permit system in 2025

By Tanya Dev | November 8

Tufts will roll out a new parking permit system on Jan. 2, 2025, designed to streamline the permit-purchasing process across its Medford/Somerville, Grafton and School of the Museum of Fine Arts campuses. This transition will replace the existing parking permit system, which will officially end on Dec. 23.

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University

From Tufts to the National Parks of Boston: Marc Albert’s environmental journey

By Zach Halverstam | November 8

Marc Albert, director of natural resource partnerships for the National Parks of Boston, spoke to the Tufts community on Oct. 31 as part of the Environmental Studies Program’s weekly Hoch Cunningham lecture series. Albert is a Tufts alumnus, holding degrees in American studies and in environmental studies. 

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University

Rebecca Corke hired as the new pre-law advisor

By Yasmeen Muñoz | November 7

Rebecca Corke is the new pre-law advisor at the Tufts Career Center. A graduate of Suffolk University Law School, she arrives at Tufts after serving as an Assistant District Attorney at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. As an ADA, she worked in the Family Protection Unit and prosecuted cases in the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Unit.

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University

Tufts political science professor examines complexity of Israel-Hamas war, over a year into the conflict

By Carly Cohen | November 7

The Tufts Political Science Department hosted an event titled “One Year to the Israel-Hamas War” on Oct. 30, whereDr. Alon Burstein,a visiting assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and an Israel Institute Fellow, presented an overview of the ongoing conflict. The discussion aimed to shed light on the complexities of the Israel-Hamas war, over a year since Oct. 7.

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University

BREAKING: Bárbara Brizuela appointed as next dean of the School of Arts and Sciences

By Michael Onysko | November 6

Bárbara M. Brizuela will serve as the 18th dean of the School of Arts and Sciences after serving as interim dean since July 2024, the university announced on Monday. A professor in the Department of Education for over 23 years and the dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences since 2022, Brizuela’s appointment as dean is effective immediately.

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University

Tufts students to join 41 million Gen Z voters at the polls

By Amelia Sammons | November 5

Among members of Generation Z,41 million will be eligible to vote in the 2024 election. According to Alberto Medina, the communications team lead at Tufts’ Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement, there is high interest in voting from young people this year.

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University

Tufts Federalist Society hosts debate between Tufts professor, Project 2025 contributor

By Anika Parr | November 5

The Tufts Federalist Society held a debate on Oct. 24 focusing on whether Project 2025 —the Heritage Foundation’s 900-page blueprint for the next Republican president — is a threat to democracy. Jonathan Wolfson, a contributor to Project 2025 and the Chief Legal Officer and Policy Director at the Cicero Institute, and Samuel Gebru, Tufts professor of the practice in the department of political science, argued for and against Project 2025, respectively. The conversation was moderated by senior and Federalist Society co-President Trent Bunker.

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News

Local government workers experience lasting strain from pandemic

By Aaron Gruen | November 5

Four years after 2020, the country is still reckoning with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the presidential election. Among those who experienced upheaval are government workers — despite the attention national candidates attract, state and town employees often go unnoticed.

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University

Ben Adida, co-founder of VotingWorks, discusses importance of transparency in elections

By Anika Parr | November 5

The Jonathan M.Tisch College of Civic Life hosted a discussion titled “Voting Machines Everyone Can Trust,” led by Dr. Ben Adida, co-founder and executive director of VotingWorks on Wednesday. Adida spoke about the history of voting machines, current voting practices and his approach to building the next generation of voting machines.

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News

Headlines from off the Hill

By Matthew Sage and Nate Hall | November 5

Final election results may not be known tonight amid razor-thin polls Despite states implementing new rules to streamline voting systems, it’s likely that results from key states will not be known by the night’s end. While news networks will attempt to call races throughout the night, it can take ...

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News

States to watch: 2024 presidential election

By Michael Onysko, Varya Karpinskaya, Shayna Levy, Eli Brigham, Julian Glickman, Hannah Rajalingam and Josh Solomon | November 5

Pennsylvania’s history of switching between political parties makes it a critical state this year. President Joe Biden won the state in 2020 by less than 1.2%. Polling indicates that this state is even, leaning neither red nor blue. An average of Pennsylvania polling data showed a 0.2% lead in favor of former President Donald Trump, with statistics showing47.9% for Trump and 47.7% for Vice President Kamala Harris as of yesterday.

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News

Battle for the Senate: Nine key races

By Estelle Anderson, Maxwell Shoustal, Zach Halverstam, Nate Hall, Julieta Grané and Nicholas Prather | November 5

Thirty-four Senate seats are up for grabs today. Democrats currently hold a slim majority in the Senate, where they sit in seven of the nine most competitive seats. Democrats must win seven of these seats and the presidency in order to achieve a majority.

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Video

Video: Tufts students share thoughts on controversial Massachusetts ballot Question 2

By Ryan Han, Tyler Frojmovich and Sarah Firth | November 5

On Oct. 18, members of the Daily asked Tufts students what they think about Massachusetts ballot Question 2, which could end a state mandate that requires students to pass the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exam to graduate. If this measure passes, it would eliminate the MCAS as a graduation requirement for high schoolers across the state.

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Local

Tufts community shaken after gunshots fired near Pizza Days early Friday morning

By Estelle Anderson | November 4

The Medford Police Department is searching for the individual who fired eight gunshots near 364 Boston Avenue around 1 a.m. on Friday morning. The incident occurred next to Pizza Days, a popular, late-night pizza shop frequented by Tufts students on weekend nights.

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University

Tufts will operate a pub Thursday nights in Hotung Café

By Spenser Walsh | November 4

After years of student advocacy, Tufts Dining will operate a “pop-up pub” on Thursday nights in Hotung Café, with the first pub night scheduled for Nov. 7 from 5–9:30pm. The pub, tentatively titled “Pop Up Pub: The Tufts Campus Pub & Social Spot,” will be open to Tufts community members of all ages, according to Patti Klos, senior director of dining services.

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Local

Somerville Ballot Question 6 will determine future of CPA

By Nicholas Prather | November 4

In addition to answering “Yes” or “No” on five statewide ballot questions, Somerville residents are voting on one local ballot question. Question 6 asks if the city of Somerville should “amend its acceptance of the Community Preservation Act.” 

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Local

Somerville, Medford city councils advocate ‘yes’ votes on Mass. Question 2

By Marlee Stout | October 30

The city councils of Medford and Somerville both voted unanimously to pass resolutions in support of Massachusetts Question 2 in October. If passed, the question — one of five on the ballot — would eliminate the statewide requirement that public school students must receive a passing score on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System in order to graduate from high school.

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University

TUPIT panel discusses impact of excessive sentencing on re-entry

By Noah Frick | October 29

Tufts University Prison Initiative of Tisch College hosted a panel discussion titled “Ending Excessive Sentencing & Mass Incarceration” on Wednesday. The panel featured activist and writer Kenneth Hartman, MyTERN graduate Swinks Laporte, civil rights lawyer Michael Meltsner and TUPIT bachelor’s student Kentel Weaver.

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Local

Medford divided on ballot Questions 7 and 8 asking $7.5 million override for schools and infrastructure

By Samantha Eng | October 28

Medford ballot Questions 7 and 8 will determine whether the city can collect an additional $7.5 million in personal property and real estate taxes to fund the public school system and infrastructure repairs. Questions 7 and 8 are two of three local ballot questions Medford residents will vote on this Election Day.

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