News

University

Students form gun violence prevention group as Tufts reaffirms campus safety following Brown shooting

By Carlos Del Cañal Fernández and Katherine Kelton | January 20

Tufts officials reaffirmed existing campus safety protocols after the December shooting at Brown University that resulted in the death of two students.Yolanda Smith, chief of police and executive director of public safety at Tufts, said the university would continue to review its safety protocols after students returned to campus this month.It was not immediately clear whether specific changes were made over winter break.

---

University

Fresh at Carmichael Dining Center reopens following fall semester closure for repairs

By Lucas Berman | January 16

The Fresh at Carmichael Dining Center reopened for service on Jan. 14 following a required closure due to flooding toward the end of the fall semester. The dining hall first closed on Nov. 11 after a backup in the drainage system caused flooding in multiple areas. Many food items were thrown out, and much of the center needed to be sanitized.

---

Local

Medford signs contract with Cataldo Ambulance Service, ending 25-year deal with Armstrong Ambulance

By Evan Vezmar | January 16

Medford will enter a three-year contract with a new ambulance provider, Cataldo Ambulance Service, on Jan. 19, ending a 25-year agreement with Armstrong Ambulance. Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn ultimately decided to switch services due to contractual and performance concerns with Armstrong. 

---

Local

Jake Wilson begins term as mayor following monthslong transition team transparency efforts

By Anika Parr | January 15

Following his swearing-in as mayor of Somerville on Jan. 3, members of Jake Wilson’s transition team say that his administration will prioritize community input and collaboration following months of outreach and preparation.

---

University

Private music lessons to resume this spring after fall semester suspension

By Amelia Sammons | January 15

Private music lessons will resume this spring after a semester-long hiatus due to a staffing vacancy in the director of applied music position. Mawunyo Kobla Titiati is taking over as program administrator of applied music.

---

Local

Medford mayor, City Council, School Committee sworn in for two-year term

By Julian Glickman | January 15

Medford Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn and a new City Council and School Committee were sworn in on Jan. 4 as the city prepares to move forward with its rezoning project and build a new Medford High School.

---

---

University

Office of Public Safety issues temporary card-access restrictions in Medford/Somerville, Grafton campuses following Brown shooting

By Josué Pérez | December 15

The Office of Public Safety announced temporary “security enhancements” for buildings on the Medford/Somerville and Grafton campuses in an email to the Tufts community Monday afternoon.

---

University

BREAKING: Judge orders government to reinstate Rümeysa Öztürk’s SEVIS record

By Julian Glickman | December 8

U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper granted Tufts graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk’s motion for a preliminary injunction Monday afternoon, ordering the government to immediately reinstate her Student and Exchange Visitor Information System record retroactive to the date it was terminated — March 25. 

---

University

Staff members call on Tufts to avoid layoffs in upcoming administrative restructuring

By Theo Weller | December 8

Concerned Tufts staff members have distributed a petition in conjunction with Tufts Labor Coalition demanding that no workers be laid off as part of Tufts’ Operating Model Transformation, an initiative restructuring the university’s administrative functions.

---

University

SMFA courses canceled over low enrollment numbers

By Evan Vezmar and Eli Brigham | December 8

Six courses at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts at Tufts University were canceled this fall after failing to meet the required minimum enrollment of eight students. This fall semester saw an unusually high number of cancelled classes that left some professors of the practice without opportunities to teach as many courses and some students facing last-minute schedule changes.

---

University

Federal judge hears arguments on reinstatement of Rümeysa Öztürk’s SEVIS record

By Anika Parr | December 5

On Thursday, the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts heard arguments on a motion for a preliminary injunction that seeks to require the government to reinstate Tufts graduate student Rümeysa Öztürk’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System record. U.S. District Judge Denise J. Casper did not issue a ruling, but committed to making a prompt decision.

---

University

Carmichael Dining Center to remain closed through winter break for major repairs

By Lucas Berman | December 5

The Fresh at Carmichael Dining Center has closed for the rest of the fall semester due to flooding following nearly a month of intermittent closures.

---

News

Tufts, Medford to partner on comprehensive Boston Avenue planning study

By Pranya Taurani and Zoe Herrmann | December 5

Tufts University will launch a comprehensive planning study of Boston Avenue in early 2026, aiming to address concerns about pedestrian safety, tree loss and the overall streetscape. The study, funded through Tufts’ community benefits package tied to the new Boston Avenue residence hall, is expected to take several months and conclude by September 2026.  

---

Local

Change to Medford trash pickup draws widespread backlash, national attention

By Julian Glickman | December 5

The announcement of a plan to move Medford’s trash pickup from weekly to every other week has sparked strong pushback from residents and officials, many of whom are demanding greater transparency from Mayor Breanna Lungo-Koehn.

---

University

Tufts students’ civic engagement decreased as young voters played a decisive role in 2025 elections

By Katherine Kelton | December 4

JumboVote and Tufts’ Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning and Engagement recently reported on trends in participation in this year’s elections, both here in Medford and Somerville, as well as around the country in state and local elections. With Tufts students, participation greatly varies by year. Last year, JumboVote had an influx of attention due to the presidential election, but engagement this year was lower, according to junior Teagan Mustone, co-president of JumboVote.

---

University

Chemistry department chair Yu-Shan Lin to become an academic dean for the School of Arts and Sciences

By Neveah Joseph and June Myint | December 4

Professor Yu-Shan Lin, former chair of the Department of Chemistry, will become an academic dean for the School of Arts and Sciences in January 2026 following the departure of Dean Sam Thomas, who will assume a new role at the University of Rochester.

---

News

TCU to host town hall on tuition transparency

By Hannah Rajalingam | December 3

The Tufts Community Union Senate will host a town hall early next semester to explain how tuition and fees are spent across the university as the overall cost of attendance continues to rise. TCU Senate President Dhruv Sampat, a senior, argued that annual tuition hikes have made Tufts one of the most expensive schools in the country. For the 2025–26 academic year, the sticker price rose to $96,078, nearly $4,000 higher than the year prior.

---

University

Tufts Political Science professors publish new book on American political participation

By Alex Boyle and Dariush Raissi | December 3

Tufts’ current and former political science professors Jeffrey M. Berry, James M. Glaser and Deborah J. Schildkraut published their new book, “Everyday Democracy: Liberals, Conservatives, and Their Routine Political Lives,” on Tuesday. 

---

Local

Somerville faces SNAP delays as households and local food providers brace for more instability

By Alexandra Tse | December 2

Many in Somerville found themselves among the roughly 1.1 million Massachusetts residents who were left in limbo when a federal government shutdown delayed the distribution of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. The federal program provides monthly assistance to low-income individuals and families to help them purchase groceries. 

---

Local

Somerville celebrates the unveiling of public art installation ‘Letters Rewoven’

By Amaani Jetley | December 2

Somerville celebrated the unveiling of “Letters Rewoven” on Nov. 8, a new public artwork by local artist Anna Fubini at Lou Ann David Park. The piece was created through the combined efforts of community members, who wrote messages on scraps of paper that were turned into a pulp mixed with wildflower seeds. The mixture was then plastered onto the sculpture’s panels and will eventually grow into flowers. The installation was supported by the Somerville Arts Council and will remain on display until spring 2026.

---