Opinion

Just one more piece of advice

If you’re a first-year, chances are you’ve already received plenty of unsolicited advice about which courses to take. Orientation Leaders, RAs and faculty advisors have undoubtedly given you a laundry list of objectives for your first semester at Tufts: “Don’t take more than five courses!” “Be sure to get a few distribution requirements out of the way!” “Take Intro to IR!” The list goes on. This advice is great to keep in mind; after all, you won’t be very happy with yourself if you save your most dreaded distribution requirements for your senior year. However, it’s also important for first-years to use this semester as an opportunity to do what they came to Tufts for in the first place: expanding their interests, becoming a more well-rounded student and taking courses in departments that have no connection whatsoever to their planned major.

Letter from the Editor

After another very fast summer, we're all back on campus for another very fast year. For many of us, myself included, it's the last year we'll spend at Tufts, so there's a fair amount of pressure to make it count. For me, making the first half of my last year count will mean doing ...

Editorial Cartoon: Matriculation Day

Indulge in endless opportunity

Despite all the excitement you have for starting the next chapter of your life, as you stand today on the President’s Lawn for Matriculation, listening to President Anthony Monaco’s effusive welcoming speech, you might be stricken with some feelings of reservation: nervousness, because you don’t have any friends yet, or stress, because you haven’t decided on what classes to take, much less your major. It also doesn’t help to know that your parents won’t be one door knock away from assuaging any of your doubts like they have been for the last 18 years. But as you embark on your first year on the hill, try to put any hesitations you may have aside so you can indulge in the craze of your first year.

Letter from the Editor to the Class of 2019

Every now and again, I’ll hear somebody say, “You learn something new every day!” In general, this exclamation follows the transmission of an interesting but ultimately useless kernel of information. The last time I used the expression, for example, was when I learned that snakes don’t have eyelids. It’s a saying that often seems to treat knowledge like a set of possessions to be accumulated and tucked away. It suggests that knowledge is matter rather than energy, and robs learning of its capacity to bend, move and erase, as much as add.

Accountability and Action: A Student’s Primary Obligations

As the clock approaches 12 on May 7, I grab my worn backpack and dart out of the Campus Center, the weight of my textbooks reminding me of the sleepless nights ahead. I bolt past the President’s Lawn toward Ballou Hall, Tufts University’s main administrative building, to take advantage of my quick break from finals.

Letter to the Editor in Response to 'Why Tufts needs to reorganize custodial services' op-ed by Tufts Administration

Pretending that a top-tier university with an operating budget of nearly $800 million and a healthy endowment of over $1.6 billion has no other option but to cut the jobs of low-pay janitors just to stay financially afloat is not only wrong, but a contradiction for an institution that prides itself on being “committed to improving the human condition.”

Editorial Cartoon: April 27th, 2015

Crowded does not equal consent

The time to explain how and why sexual assault is an issue that warrants all of the attention that it gets has long since passed. The unfortunate truth is that it is necessary to call attention to ourselves -- the student body of Tufts University -- and our own actions, and to acknowledge and address ...

Letter from the Editors-in-Chief

Dear members of the Tufts community, 

Kanye West as a musical Übermensch

In my previous op-ed, I spoke about how individuals must come up with their own views, values and virtues in the context of politics. Today, I want to discuss how an individual musician has done so, in the context of a conforming industry -- Kanye West.

Why Tufts needs to reorganize custodial services

The decision to reorganize the janitorial staff was not made lightly. It came after months of thoughtful and considered deliberations about all aspects of the reorganization, the impact on DTZ employees and the financial well-being of the university. We consulted with DTZ and with members of our own community on numerous occasions.

Earth Day reminds us not to forget small impacts, what media can do

Yesterday during open block, members and allies of Tufts Climate Action (TCA) held a divestment rally and sit-in as a part of continued efforts to put pressure on the Tufts administration to divest from fossil fuels. They also recently held a teach-in about the topic of climate action and the necessity ...

The betrayal

I’ve written about Arab Israeli columnist and novelist Sayed Kashua recently. It is safe to say he has had less than an easy life. While some of his frustrations with the current Israeli government are grounded, I take issue with a number of his stances. But for all the critique he levels at the country, ...

In a culture of corruption, Menendez least of our worries

When I first read the reports of Sen. Robert Menendez’s (D – NJ) indictment, I thought it was an April Fools' joke: “A Jersey politician charged with corruption,” classic! But when I realized that his 14 criminal counts were real, I still found the whole incident very humorous.If you’ve ...

Editorial Cartoon: April 7th, 2015

Editorial Cartoon: April 9th, 2014

Letter to the Editor

The current TCU Constitution states that any candidate for president must be a current member of senate. While this is true, anyone interested in running for TCU President can run for senate the week before the presidential elections begin in order to be eligible for the presidency. So long as they are elected to senate that week, they are welcome to seek a candidacy for president regardless of the amount of time they have spent on senate.

Editorial Cartoon: April 21st, 2015

Why I love Kesha

When my roommate told me Kesha was coming for Spring Fling, I laid in bed for about 15 minutes, more or less paralyzed by excitement. I love Kesha, and there are so many reasons why. First off, Kesha used to spell her name with a money sign. That’s awesome. Who needs letters when you can use dollar ...