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University

Professor Craig Wilder talks relationship between slavery, higher education during annual Coit-Phelps lecture

By Ella Kamm | April 18

Professor Craig Wilder spoke about his work to uncover higher education’s connection to the slave economy on April 12 at the inaugural event for the Slavery, Colonialism, and Their Legacies at Tufts project. The event was co-sponsored by the Center for the Humanities at Tufts, the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy and the Office of the Provost.

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Local

Somerville passes new ordinance to prevent discrimination against people in polyamorous relations

By Katie Spiropoulos | April 14

The Somerville City Council passed an ordinance on March 23 seeking to combat discrimination against polyamorous people in the workplace and in interactions with law enforcement. The bill is one of the first of its kind, and comes three years after Somerville passed an ordinance officially recognizing polyamorous relationships. 

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University

TCU Senate shows support for dining workers union at weekly meeting

By Matthew Sage | April 14

The TCU Senate voted at their weekly meeting to endorse the Tufts Labor Coalition’s campaign to support higher wages for Tufts dining employees on April 9.

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University

SHAPE, a new pre-orientation program, to focus on local civic engagement

By Taylor Escudero | April 13

Tufts Student Affairs recently announced the creation of a new summer pre-orientation program called SHAPE, short for Students Heightening Actionable Political Engagement. Although the program is still in development, SHAPE aims to invite civically-minded and politically curious students to solve pressing issues in the Tufts community and beyond.

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News

Sen. Cory Booker talks fight for justice in Solomont Speaker Series

By Daniel Vos | April 13

Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., spoke about his work on building bipartisan consensus, criminal justice reform, farming and gun control legislation on April 10 as part of the Tisch College Solomont Speaker Series. He was joined by dean emeritus of Tisch College and former U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra Alan D. Solomont, who moderated the talk.

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Local

Medford City Council passes ordinance to establish affordable housing trust

By Carly Cohen | April 13

The Medford City Council recently passed an ordinance to create an affordable housing trust for the city. This trust would allow a selected board to buy small properties and secure land to turn into more affordable housing. Medford residents would be able to buy or rent property from the city, and that property would be kept under market rates.

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News

Edward R. Murrow Award given to State Department’s Daniel Langenkamp

By Matthew Sage | April 12

Members of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy gathered on April 5 to award the Edward R. Murrow Award to Daniel Langenkamp, a U.S. State Department public diplomacy officer who served in Ukraine at the beginning of the Russian invasion. The event, titled “Public Diplomacy on a Digital Planet: The View from Kyiv,” was co hosted by the Edward R. Murrow Center for a Digital World and the Institute for Business in the Global Context.

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University

Dr. Anu Gokhale discusses the implications of algorithmic bias during Tufts event

By Aditya Acharya | April 12

Dr. Anu Gokhale, professor and chairperson in the Saint Augustine’s University Department of Computer Information Systems, gave a lecture at Alumnae Hall titled “Algorithmic Bias: Myth or Reality?” on April 4. Gokhale was invited to speak about her insights and research as a leader in a STEM field.

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University

Shaun Casey discusses the role of religion in global affairs with Fletcher religion initiative

By Ishaan Rajiv Rajabali | April 11

The Fletcher School’s Initiative on Religion, Law and Diplomacy organized a book talk with Shaun Casey, former U.S. special representative for religion and global affairs, on his new book, “Chasing the Devil at Foggy Bottom: The Future of Religion in American Diplomacy” (2023), on April 4. The talk was moderated by Fletcher Military Fellow Chris Melvin.  

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University

Artist and activist Scheherazade Tillet discusses her work at Tisch Civic Life Lunch

By Anna Fattaey | April 11

Tisch College’s final Civic Life Lunch welcomed artist, activist and Tufts alum Scheherazade Tillet (LA’00) on April 6 to speak about her work and goals. Alonso Nichols, Tufts’ chief of photography, moderated the conversation.

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University

Darryll J. Pines, president of the University of Maryland, discusses STEM education program for high schoolers

By Joe Montalto | April 7

Darryll Pines, president of the University of Maryland, spoke at Tufts on March 31 to discuss a new venture he started to address the decline in college enrollment and the  low level of STEM interest at the high school level. The presentation was held as part of the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Colloquium Series.

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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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