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The Setonian
News

Residents discuss hopes for Green Line extension

October 28

    As the Green Line extension project picks up steam, some Somerville residents are worried about its possible effects on environmental and affordable-housing efforts in the city.     Over 100 people attended a highly interactive meeting last night to discuss the future of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's (MBTA) project to expand the T line into Somerville and Medford.     The Community Corridor Planning (CCP) coalition held the open meeting at the Albert F. Argenziano School in Somerville.     Coordinators from the coalition, a partnership of four nonprofits, divided attendees into groups according to each person's closest proposed T station. Each group talked independently about goals for the Green Line extension, then chose themes to discuss with the entire gathering.     Scheduled to be nearly completed by 2014, the MBTA project will extend the existing Green Line past its current terminus at Lechmere Station into Somerville and Medford. In the works for over 15 years, extension plans now call for seven new T stops, including one at the intersection of Boston Avenue and College Avenue, adjacent to the Tufts campus.     The primary purpose of the meeting was to vote on a set of principles — priorities that attendees agreed must result from the Green Line extension.     Each member in the small groups voted for five priorities from a predetermined list and wrote in any other concerns they may have had.     Some residents voiced concerns about the lack of adequate bus connections in their areas. Another aired her frustration with the ban on carrying bicycles on Green Line train cars.     CCP members tallied the votes just after 8 p.m. In addition to keeping Somerville affordable and improving environmental conditions, "winning" priorities also included working to create more local jobs and increasing commercial and economic development.     The audience inside the nearly full multipurpose room of the Argenziano School was diverse, in terms of both age and race. Translators were on hand to provide Spanish and Portuguese interpretations.     Mary Regan is a member of the Somerville Community Corporation (SCC), which is a CCP partner organization focusing on affordable housing development. She explained that the translators represented part of a concerted effort to "lower the obstacles to participation" that many lower-income and immigrant residents face.     "We're always striving to get more [diverse representation]," Regan told the Daily. "We try to make our meetings as accessible as possible."     Addressing the audience from the podium, Regan emphasized the importance of civic participation.     "When community members get involved, the outcomes are more likely to reflect what they need and want," she said. Regan cited examples of community input and involvement on recent transit projects in Berlin, Germany and the San Francisco Bay Area.     Fred Berman, a Somerville resident and SCC board member, cautioned that while the Green Line could have a major positive impact, it brings potential risks.     "The Green Line could be a blessing, but it could also wipe out traditional Somerville," particularly if new stations cause population displacement, Berman said. "We want to do everything we can to make it … positive."     Berman stressed the importance of community meetings and discussions like last night's. "Public participation is important," he said. "If people don't get involved, their opinions don't get counted."     Regan said that with the principles established, the CCP is now looking to form advising groups to "flesh out" the voted-upon priorities and explore how they can be implemented.     Debi Levine, a Cambridge resident, said she came to the meeting because she was "very interested" in the project.     "I believe in public transportation," Levine told the Daily. "I believe that improving the environment for some means improving it for all of us."     Levine added that she is looking forward to the Green Line extension for more personal reasons, too. "It's just going to make it easier to get around," she said.

The Setonian
News

From boxing to fasting to fighting, some elephants knew how to go down in history

October 28

    All of us know and love Jumbo, but there are quite a few other elephants that have made their mark on history. For example, Pope Leo X had a white pet elephant, Hanno, a gift from King Manuel I of Portugal. Hanno became the Pope's favorite pet. He inspired art, poetry and political satire in the early 1500s. Unfortunately, he died after he became sick and was treated with gold-enriched laxatives.     But from Disney's Dumbo to an elephant-shaped skyscraper in Bangkok, it is clear that even today, elephants are influential and adored outside of Tufts. The Circus     Let's begin with Jumbo and his homeboys: the circus elephants. Each day, Tufts tour guides narrate P.T. Barnum's account of how Jumbo heroically sacrificed his own life to save the circus's dwarf elephant from an incoming train.     Alumna Susan Wilson (J '79, G '75) wrote in a 2002 Tufts Magazine article about how Jumbo enchanted "children on both sides of the Atlantic and ... ‘Jumbomania' became the watchword of the day. In both England and America, savvy merchants began manufacturing and hawking ‘Jumbo' products to the ravenous public."     "It's important to note that "jumbo" was not an English word in 1861. It was this African elephant who brought that term to our language, not vice versa," Wilson wrote.     Lalla Rookh of Dan Rice's circus was the first elephant in the U.S. to consistently perform a head stand and was known for her tightrope walking ability. In 1860, she impressed the public by swimming across the Ohio River.     Old Bet, America's first circus elephant, was shot and killed by an angry farmer who thought it was sinful that poor people were paying money to watch an elephant perform. The Elephant Hotel, now municipal offices for Somers, New York, was built as a memorial for Old Bet.     Half a century later, Old John, a circus elephant famous for his boxing performances, made a 53-mile pilgrimage from Madison Square Garden to lay a wreath at Old Bet's grave. Elephants at War     Though their tightrope trips may interest audiences, elephants have historically played important roles as human sidekicks, especially during times of war. Their size and weight, trampling force, and ability to cross difficult terrain made them very valuable in early war tactics. In fact, elephants were used in war until the end of the 19th century, when cannon warfare made them easy to target and knock down.     "One of the most famous occasions goes back to ancient history ... India's war elephants played a major role in stopping Alexander the Great in his expansions and conquests," Professor of History Peter Winn said.     After he halted his advance into India, Alexander the Great quickly took in war elephants of his own and introduced the practice in Europe. The Carthaginian military commander Hannibal was known for using war elephants and led 37 of them to cross the Rhone and attack Rome in 218 BC. In his book "Origines," Roman historian Marcus Porcius Cato the Elder mentioned that Surus was the bravest elephant in Hannibal's army. In the 1950s, British engineer John Hoyte studied this unbelievable feat in detail by retracing Hannibal's march across the Alps with a female elephant also named Jumbo. Colossal Gifts     As exotic and valuable animals, elephants were also exchanged throughout history as presents between rulers. Elephant Abul-Abbas was Charlemagne's luxury-pet-turned-war-weapon and was a gift from Caliph Harun al-Rashid in 797.     In the 1500s, Suleyman the African elephant was a gift from the King of Portugal to the future Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian II. Similar to Pope Leo X's elephant, Suleyman inspired songs and folklore during his time. Religious Elephants     Elephants also played a role in religion and, to this day, continue to be prevalent in Asian cultures and religions. The Guimet Museum in Paris has one of the largest collections of Asian art outside of Asia. From the South Chinese elephant-shaped Zun ritual vessel to a Burmese depiction of an elephant offering, many pieces on display reflect the cultural and religious connections to elephants.     In 1987, Francis Clines in The New York Times wrote about Raja, "the most celebrated elephant in Asia." Raja annually led a holy procession in Sri Lanka, carrying the country's national treasure: the Tooth Relic of Buddha. Unique Tails     Moving past the royalty and the religious, there are some quirky elephants that are also definitely worth mentioning. Batyr lived in a zoo in Kazakhstan and was reportedly able to imitate animal sounds and speak about 20 short phrases in Russian and Kazakh. It is said that in 1980, a recording of Batyr saying "Batyr is good," "Batyr is hungry," and other phrases was played on Kazakhstan's state radio.     Gajarajan Guruvayoor Kesavan was a beloved elephant in Kerala, India. Kesavan was known for his devout behavior. The story goes that he fasted on the day of his death and dropped down facing the direction of the temple with his trunk raised in a position of submissiveness to the divine. The 1977 Malayalam feature film "Guruvayoor Kesavan" documents the elephant's life.     Switching gears, here is a more morbid elephant history lesson to ponder: Mary the elephant was the first and only elephant to ever be executed. She was hanged by the neck from a railcar-mounted industrial crane. The execution was a sensation and sparked many animal abuse discussions. As recently as February 2009, The Captive Animals' Protection Society published an article probing the details behind Mary's execution.     "It happened in my home state of Tennessee, USA, and it remains one of the more enigmatic folktales of the Southeastern United States," Mike Jaynes, the author of the article, wrote.     And finally, some elephant food for thought: The zoo in Paris's Jardin des Plantes was created after the French Revolution to house the ex-king's exotic animals. According to popular belief, the twin elephants, Castor and Pollux, were the zoo's most popular animals and the pride of Paris back in the mid-1800s. However, during the Prussian Siege of Paris in 1870, people were so starved that they ended up eating Castor and Pollux and auctioning off the body parts.     "Trunks sold for 45 fr. a lb.; the other parts of the interesting twins fetched about 10 fr. a lb," Henry Labouchère wrote in his "Diary of the Besieged Resident in Paris."     As a brief history lesson shows, there are plenty of other elephants to appreciate aside from Jumbo. Bon appetit.

The Setonian
News

TCU Senators should set example for Tufts students

October 28

    Several recent events have caused a large number of students to think about the role of student government in making significant policy decisions. The Daily has been abuzz with articles, editorials and op-eds about the on-going alcohol policy debate. The Oct. 24 op-ed by Tufts Community Union (TCU) President Brandon Rattiner, "Campus alcohol debate: Outlining the TCU Senate strategy," highlights some of the doubts I have about the efficacy of policy decisions through the Senate.     I agree with most of what Rattiner expresses in his piece, but I am puzzled by its apparent contradictions with his actions in the past month. For example, he says, "A good alcohol policy must not punish the entire collective for the actions of a select, fringe group," and I completely agree with this statement. It is important to note, however, that no one from the "select, fringe group" who caused problems at the first Senior Pub Night was punished in any way by the administration.     It is also important to note that by several accounts, one of the people involved in that night's disturbances is the very same TCU president who is calling for punishment of this select group when he says the policy should target "the extreme minority of students that believe drinking in excess is appropriate behavior." As a member of that extreme minority, Rattiner should be held accountable for his actions.     Another point Rattiner makes in his op-ed is that "no policy can ever do it all, and students need to remember that we must behave ourselves." Again, I completely agree that all students should behave themselves, especially those that represent our entire student body with privileged positions as TCU senators. I strongly believe that by accepting positions among our elected representatives, the TCU senators tacitly agree to a code of conduct. This includes not only trying to behave oneself, but also admitting when one has misbehaved. It is shameful that at September's Senior Pub Night, a TCU officer was "forcibly removed from line for what appeared to be sheer hostility," as Jessie Borkan put it in her Oct. 26 column, "You're the man." But what is equally as shameful is that this particular TCU officer did not feel the impetus to publicly apologize for his behavior.     This brings me to my final point. How can we have a fair voice on the Alcohol Task Force and the Alcohol Steering Committee when one of our representatives on these bodies does not best exemplify the standards of the majority? Beyond that, how can we tolerate our highest elected official acting unethically, hypocritically and inappropriately? Admittedly, as Rattiner says, "Freshmen, seniors, senators ... everyone has made mistakes," but there should be consequences for actions. A month ago, a public apology from the TCU president would have sufficed, but now that seems too little, too late. As a student body, we need to find a way to make our voices heard when our elected officials fail us.

The Setonian
News

Books on budget: Rentals gaining popularity

October 27

High prices and high turnover rates for textbooks have long burdened students' budgets and are especially problematic in light of the recent economic downturn. Now, several university bookstores are doing something about it.

The Setonian
News

Senior helps unite anti-poverty groups

October 27

Student organizations bent on solving global poverty are constantly popping up at colleges across the country. But they almost always work alone — and that, says senior Will Herberich, has made them weaker.

The Setonian
News

Romy Oltuski | Word Up

October 27

As I was exiting Carmichael Hall yesterday, I shoved open the colossal doors to realize that it was significantly colder out than it had been when I entered just a couple of hours earlier. The group of students behind me seemed to take notice as well, zipping up sweaters with haste, and — mourning my lack of earmuffs at that moment — I couldn't help but overhear one of them complain.

The Setonian
News

Rate of TEMS calls stays stagnant, despite policy change

October 27

Tufts' new alcohol policy appears to have had little effect on whether students seek aid from Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS), countering much speculation and concern that the new regulations would deter students from seeking medical assistance due to fear of disciplinary measures.

The Setonian
News

Harry Potter theme park caters to series' fans

October 25

No plans yet for Spring Break? Students choosing between Cancun, Panama Beach and the Caribbean may want to add another less sexy, but widely anticipated option to their list — The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, a new Harry Potter theme park, which is scheduled to open in spring 2010 at Universal Studios in Florida.

The Setonian
News

Rallies support action on climate change

October 25

Tufts students and Boston residents alike demonstrated in full force on Saturday in honor of the International Day of Climate Action, advocating the need for increased environmental awareness.

The Setonian
News

College is as college does

October 25

Ah, Senior Pub night. I looked forward to it with a special fervor. To me, it marked the start of a new, grown-up chapter in the novel of our nights out. We were dressed to the nines, had paid money (and waited in scandalously inefficient lines) to attend this event and were actually leaving the 02155 zip code; I presumed that this special occasion would be, well, special. I imagined catching up with old friends, actually talking to people that I usually just scream and wave at in random house parties, a few non-Kappy's drinks and a lot of classy, hump-free dancing. For the first time since my senior prom, I was voluntarily wearing a dress, but I had no idea what I was in for.

The Setonian
News

Students push for medical amnesty

October 25

This article is the first in a two-part series looking at the alcohol policies of Boston-area schools. The second article, to appear in tomorrow's issue, will focus on Tufts' administrators response to medical amnesty and additional policies offered by nearby institutions.

The Setonian
News

Focus on the Faculty | NIH recognizes professor with innovator award

October 22

    As a new addition to the Tufts Medical School faculty, Assistant Professor Leon Reijmers is fitting in quite well, having received the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director's New Innovator Award last month.     The NIH Director's New Innovator Award is given to 55 recipients annually. The award comes in the form of a research grant that offers far more flexibility on the part of the researcher than a normal grant. A body of scientists from universities across the United States selects successful applications from the applicant pool.     According to Reijmers, the award works to give investigators a chance to do something innovative and to focus on research instead of spending years applying for funding.     The award differs from a traditional research grant in that it does not require preliminary data and a detailed annual budget, according to the NIH Web site. But despite the fact that the grant is rather open-ended, Reijmers has a plan. "I have a pretty good idea of what I want to do," he said.     Reijmers, who began teaching courses in neuroscience at Tufts on July 1 of this year, was previously a postdoctoral researcher at the Scripps Research Institute in San Diego. Reijmers was involved in the study and investigation of memory storage long before that, as he performed such research as a graduate student in the Netherlands 14 years ago.     While at the Scripps Research Institute, Reijmers worked to develop a transgenic mouse to visualize memory traces. Transgenic mice allow researchers to see which neurons are activated during memory formation.     Memory traces are the connections neurons make with each other when storing new memories. To make these connections, neurons need to manufacture new proteins to act as "building blocks." However, researchers have not yet identified all the proteins involved in this process, something Reijmers hopes to be able to accomplish.     Reijmers' research will look for which proteins are responsible for memory storage in the brain.     "To achieve this we use a special mouse strain," Reijmers said in an e-mail to the Daily. "We have added genes to this mouse strain that allow us to locate neurons that participate in the storage of a memory. In addition, this mouse strain allows us to remove from those neurons molecules that are called messenger RNA. Messenger RNA is the blueprint for proteins. Our method allows us to see which blueprints a neuron is reading, and this tells us which proteins a neuron is producing."     During the experiments, Reijmers and his colleagues teach mice novel information in order to facilitate the storage of a new memory. They look at time points after the mouse has learned something to see whether certain proteins are produced when a memory is old and when it is new. This can help tell researchers which proteins are used to help form the connections that lead to the storage of new memories and which are used for long-term memory storage.     Reijmers hopes that his work will lead to better understanding of memory-related cognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease.     "There is growing evidence that memory impairments contribute to diseases like schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder," Reijmers said in an e-mail. "My work focuses on basic mechanisms of memory storage. These mechanisms need to be understood before effective treatments can be developed for these brain diseases."     "We are honored that NIH has identified his work as having the potential to accelerate the research that will yield benefits to health," Michael Rosenblatt, the dean of the school of medicine, said in a press release.     "I would like to thank everybody in the Department of Neuroscience here at Tufts. They have been extremely helpful with getting my lab started, and they make it a lot of fun to work here," Reijmers added in an e-mail.     The NIH is a division of the United States Department of Health and Human Services. "Its mission is science in pursuit of fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to extend healthy life and reduce the burdens of illness and disability," according to its Web site.

The Setonian
News

Gordon Institute welcomes new resident entrepreneur

October 22

    As the university's new entrepreneur-in-residence (EIR), Ronald Croen (LA '76) is on a campaign to give entrepreneurship a greater presence at Tufts.     Croen, founder of the software technology company Nuance Communications, is the second person to serve in the position, which represents part of an effort by the Gordon Institute's Entrepreneurial Leadership Program (ELP) to provide students with real-world business experience.     "Entrepreneurship is not in the culture here yet, but it is at other institutions such as MIT and Stanford [University]," Croen told the Daily. "I hypothesize that there is a lot of potential in the university research sphere for commercial ventures."     Over the course of the year, Croen will divide his time between mentoring students on commercial ventures, conducting research and teaching the program's entrepreneurial leadership class during the spring semester. So far, Croen has already started advising a doctoral candidate and Tufts alumni.     The Gordon Institute loosely established the EIR position last year, giving it to Mara Aspinall (J '83), former president of Genzyme Genetics.     Pamela Goldberg, program director of the ELP, called last year's creation of the EIR position an "experiment" that started with a phone call from Aspinall, who was leaving her company.     "It happened out of thin air," Goldberg said. "Together we figured it out, crafted the role."     This year, the Gordon Institute invited Croen to succeed Aspinall. Croen's company, Nuance, specializes in Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, popular voice recognition software used in customer-service calls. Goldberg called Nuance "the largest and most successful" company in the VoIP field.     Although the EIR position is unpaid, Croen said he was drawn to the opportunity to work with students because of its contrast to corporate jobs.     "I liked the teaching involved," he said. "There was the opportunity to give back, done in different ways. Teachers learn as much as the students through the opportunity to take account and learn what they're actually doing. When I was in the middle of [the corporate world], I didn't have the framework to synthesize my observations and push for clarity."     Hailing from San Francisco, Croen leaves his family on the West Coast to join the Tufts community for a year. Croen majored in political science at Tufts and received a law degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He called the transition to the East Coast "a cultural shift in alternating rhythms and daily activities," but he said it was part of an entrepreneur's sensibility to grab opportunities when they present themselves.     "Implicit in entrepreneurial mentality is a risk-taking attitude, tolerance for the unknown, appetite for thinking differently and ability to seize opportunity," he said. "The EIR position presented an opportunity."     The ELP was founded in 2002 and is a branch of the School of Engineering's Gordon Institute. Although the Gordon Institute is predominantly geared toward engineers, they and entrepreneurs alike stress a mantra of creativity and innovation, according to Goldberg.     "Engineering leadership fits nicely with the mission of the institute. The engineering and entrepreneurship schools are very much dovetails," she said.     The engineering leadership discipline at Tufts got a boost of its own earlier this semester, when the university announced its receipt of a $40 million gift from Bernard Gordon, the founder of the Gordon Institute. Part of the money will be put toward improving Tufts' engineering leadership program.     Jerry Brightman, a lecturer on leadership development with the Gordon Institute, said that Croen's experience leading a successful company will offer a valuable example to students.     "I am certain that his role as entrepreneur-in-residence will be a wonderful addition to the school and will do a great deal to enhance the school's reputation as a strong and viable entrepreneurial institution," Brightman said.     Brightman added that bringing Croen into the fold at the institute could help garner more recognition for Tufts as a leading entrepreneurial educator.     "Once he completes his time here at Tufts and students and faculty have had time to interact with Ron, word will begin to spread and our reputation as a major player in the entrepreneurial world will definitely expand," Brightman said.

The Setonian
News

TMC's Trips Cabin to open over the weekend

October 22

    Having received the fire marshal's official OK, the new Trips Cabin is set to open this weekend, and the Tufts Mountain Club (TMC) plans to celebrate in style.     The New Hampshire state fire marshal signed the Trips Cabin over to Tufts last Friday, according to Senior Construction Project Manager Robert Biswanger, who oversaw the building's construction. "We officially accepted it as of last Friday. We went through the place and everything passed, no problems," he said. "The place is 100 percent ready."     Katahdin Cedar Log Homes completed the final step in construction, building the bunk beds in the cabin, two weeks ago. Mattresses arrived last week.     In line with the opening of the Trips Cabin, TMC will also commemorate the 70th anniversary of the club and the Loj.     "It's a big year all around," said TMC Vice President Lily Glidden, a sophomore. "There will be fireworks, a big ribbon-cutting ceremony and a slideshow of recent TMC events … We want to celebrate as much as possible."     The completion of the new addition alongside the Loj in North Woodstock, N.H. comes after last year's extended effort to gain funding from the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate, inciting a heady debate among students. TMC raised over $11,800 for construction, but funding for the cabin came predominately from the Senate, which decided to grant $230,000 to TMC in April.     TMC President Katie Bond, a senior, sees the Trips Cabin opening as the completion of TMC's long-term goal to make the Loj more available to the Tufts student body.     "We're very excited; we think it's going to expand accessibility to the Loj a lot," she said. "We struggled with that. We couldn't bring new people up to the Loj to get them excited about it because we didn't have the space."     Still, transportation issues may hamper the accessibility of the Trips Cabin in the near future.     The TMC van that helps transport people to and from the Loj recently broke down. According to Glidden, the loss of the van did not affect the upcoming weekend but remains a difficulty for the club.     "Not having the van is kind of a blow for us, but we're working around it, and we haven't let it affect the event at all," Glidden said. "But as far as the club goes, it's a loss, and we need to find a replacement as soon as possible."     Glidden, along with junior Rob Gleich and two alumni — Erica Fine (LA '09) and Ed Warren (LA '08) — organized this weekend's celebrations, which will consist of activities to link TMC's past and present.     The festivities are geared toward both alumni and current TMC members. Glidden expects about 50 alumni to attend the event, including one who was a founding member of TMC 70 years ago     "All events at the ceremony are aimed at facilitating connections between alums and current TMCers," Glidden said. "That's the big focus of the event."     Alumni will have an opportunity to share stories of fond recollections of their time at the Loj.     "We also tried to organize it so that alumni will be traveling up in cars together so there's bonding time," Glidden said.     Bond is looking forward to a large turnout of past and present TMC members.     "We're excited to kick this off and have a really good fall weekend in New Hampshire," Bond said.     Despite the loss of the van, Bond hopes the new addition will encourage more students to come to the Loj and get involved with TMC, whether directly through the club or through student retreats at the Loj.     "This means a lot for our club in terms of getting people to go up and see everything TMC has to offer," Bond said.     Overall, Bond believes that the new Trips Cabin will benefit not only TMC but also the student body at large. "It's a good thing for the whole Tufts community," she said.

The Setonian
News

For Tufts, not easy being green

October 22

    When former University President Jean Mayer convened 22 university presidents and chancellors in Talloires, France in 1990, his goal was to enumerate the key actions universities had to take to ensure an environmentally sustainable future.     The result of the meeting was the Talloires Declaration, which spelled out a 10-point plan for the participating universities and established Tufts as an early leader of the sustainability movement. The first of its kind, the document has since been signed by more than 350 universities from over 40 countries, and Tufts continues its commitment to sustainability to this day. But Tufts is no longer the leader of the pack.     When the Sustainable Endowments Institute released its College Sustainability Report Cards this fall, 26 schools received grades of A-. These included Ivy League universities like Harvard and Brown, NESCAC rivals Middlebury, Amherst and Williams, state universities in Vermont and Colorado, among others, and small schools such as Macalester College in Minnesota. Tufts, however, was not among them. The Institute awarded Tufts a grade of B for its efforts, recognizing its commitment to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and food recycling. The Institute, however, was critical of several other aspects of the university's policies, especially its endowment transparency and its efforts to construct green buildings on campus. Tufts received a D and a C- in these categories, respectively.     "Tufts was the original leader in sustainability, but now we are being [passed] by schools like Harvard, because their endowment is more transparent," said senior Daniel Enking, Tufts Energy Forum co-chair.     Tufts, which makes its full list of financial holdings available only to trustees and senior administrators, earned a D in the endowment transparency category. Harvard, which makes detailed proxy voting records on social responsibility issues available to the public, received a C.     "I understand the university's desire to maximize their investment, but endowments should be about more than that," Enking said. "Increasingly, even corporations are migrating to more social responsibility, and Tufts should be doing the same by showing openly that we are not investing in companies like Exxon Mobil, who fund research to try and cast doubt on whether climate change is real."     Senior Heather Buckner, who is a member of Tufts Environmental Consciousness Outreach (ECO), echoed some of Enking's frustration with administrative practices. "I am not really surprised that Tufts did not receive an A grade," she said. "In terms of sustainable practices, Tufts is often a lot of talk, but could definitely be doing more. A lot of the problems with getting changes made has come from the administrative holdups; in ECO projects specifically, we have encountered roadblocks due to bureaucratic problems or unwillingness of branches of the university to participate."     Enking, however, was surprised that Tufts was not awarded a higher grade for its green building practices. "I don't know of many other schools that have buildings which meet the LEED Gold standard," he said. Enking also noted that Tufts received an award from energy provider National Grid for "Excellence in Energy Efficiency."     Only two buildings on campus meet the LEED Gold standard criteria, which measure green building and development practices. Though most university buildings have been retrofitted with energy saving features like low-flow toilets and showerheads and motion-sensitive lights, they were not designed with energy efficiency as a first priority. The Institute was also critical of Tufts' lack of a formal green building policy, which contributed to the C grade Tufts received.     Tufts, however, might not be drastically different from its peer institutions in terms of sustainability practices. While the average grade issued for most categories fell in the B range, the average grade issued for endowment transparency was a C-. Among area schools, only Amherst received an A in that category. Though several of Tufts' peer institutions received As or Bs in the Green Building category, the average grade awarded was a fairly low C+. Buckner acknowledged that the issues that Tufts faces are a "common problem."     Tufts did, however, exceed national averages in several categories, including Climate Change, Food and Recycling and Shareholder Engagement. Despite the complaints voiced by Buckner and Enking, the administration also received high marks for formalizing Tufts' sustainability plan and setting the standard for university procurement. Tufts plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 75 to 85 percent by 2050, and the practice of composting all dining hall food drew acclaim as well.     Both Enking and Buckner voiced concerns that the student body as a whole was unaware of the issues at hand. "I definitely think each of us could be doing much more to improve sustainability, if not at the university level, at least in our individual choices," Buckner said. "I think one problem is that students don't often know how to get involved, or what they should be doing to make a difference."     "I get the feeling that the student body in general is not that concerned, or even aware, of everything Tufts is doing or trying to do to be more sustainable. There needs to be better outreach on the part of the Office of Sustainability to show students how urgent of an international issue this is, and how they can make difference," Enking said.     Both Enking and Buckner had ideas for improving student awareness and participation for sustainability efforts.     "Luckily, for students looking for ways to get involved with environmental action, there should be plenty of opportunity within the coming weeks," Buckner said. She cited ECO's annual "Do It in the Dark" contest, which encourages students to reduce their electricity consumption in dorms. Enking expressed hope that the upcoming Tufts Energy Conference would heighten the issue's profile. The conference, scheduled for next March, will include presentations from a variety of energy-related academics and professionals, and include panel discussions on the future of energy.

The Setonian
News

Manhole explosions disrupt Medford

October 21

As students wandered around a campus without electricity on Friday, and visiting parents changed their weekend plans to deal with altered activities, flames were shooting out of manholes less than a mile from campus. Businesses closed, traffic was disrupted and thousands in Medford were left without power.

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