Opinion

Editorial

On-campus bar will bring students together, make drinking culture safer

January 26

In an Op-Ed published in the Daily last Thursday, Tufts senior and TCU Senator Andrew Hunter proposed the addition of an on-campus bar. Citing his experience with campus bars during his time studying abroad in London, as well as the absence of an on-campus spot for upperclassmen to gather, Hunter invited students of legal age to come join him at Hotung Cafe last Friday night. His efforts to demonstrate that there is a real interest in the prospect of an on-campus bar elicited significant interest from the student body. In light of the points that Hunter made in his Op-Ed, the creation of an on-campus bar would be a welcome addition to campus life.

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Opinion

Why Tufts deserves an on-campus pub, and why I'm trying to make it happen

January 22

If you are over 21, I am asking you to order a drink or two from Hotung this Friday night. Here's why:

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Opinion

Oscars perpetuate minority exclusion

January 22

Over 40 million Americans are expected to tune in to the 86th Academy Awards on March 2. Although film buffs are aware that the voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decide which talented artists receive an Oscar, few know the demographics of what many simply refer to as “the Academy.” The Los Angeles Times reported that out of the 5,765 members listed in the Academy roster, only six percent are not white, and 77 percent are men. After reflecting on the lack of diversity within the Academy, it is important to not only question the significance of the Oscars, but also how voting members reinforce the lack of visibility for minority actors and actresses.

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Opinion

TCRC funding benefits Tufts, community

January 20

The Tufts Community Research Center (TCRC) is working in conjunction with the Southern Jamaica Plain Health Center and the Mystic River Watershed Association on research projects in both the public health and environmental spectrums. Through seed grant funding and collaboration between Tufts faculty and community partners, the university is taking a hands-on approach to promoting research in the greater Boston area that is beneficial to all parties involved and worth the university’s investment.

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Opinion

Tufts response to ASA boycott appropriate

January 14

On Dec. 4, 2013, the American Studies Association , an organization that focuses on interdisciplinary studies relating to the United States, announced a boycott of all Israeli academic institutions. On Dec. 23, Tufts University joined a growing list of over 100 schools that have denounced the ASA’s boycott. President Anthony Monaco should be commended for standing in opposition to the boycott, as well as for protecting individuals in the Tufts community who make use of the ASA’s scholarly materials. Although the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a complex issue that divides many, the ASA’s boycott is misguided, and Tufts’ reaction is correct and justified in this situation.

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Opinion

TDC show displays need for accountability

December 8

On Saturday, the Tufts Dance Collective’s (TDC) 9:30 p.m. show was halted by Tufts University Police Department just after intermission as a result of seven alcohol-related medical calls, an unsanitary environment and a few incidents of vandalism. Rumors abounded that TDC would go the way of the Naked Quad Run, Winter Bash and Fall Gala, given the university’s recent undertaking to reformat — or cancel altogether — campus-wide events due to unsafe alcohol abuse.

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Opinion

Banning Tufts Dance Collective would be a mistake

December 8

One of the most liberating, healthy and character-building things that I have learned at Tufts is the ability to balter. To "balter" is to dance gracelessly without particular art or style but perhaps with some enjoyment. Tufts Dance Collective is the ultimate showcase of baltering: an equal opportunity, all-inclusive celebration of movement for the sake of movement. 

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Opinion

Limited steps forward

December 4

Within the last few weeks, the Tufts Office of Undergraduate Admissions granted the Tufts Community Union Senate’s proposal for the university to join the Institute of International Education (IIE) Syria Consortium for Higher Education in Crisis. This initiative aims to help Syrian students who have been displaced connect with American institutions. There are over thirty American institutions that are currently working with the organization to scout qualified applicants from Syria and offer them academic scholarships. In 2012, the IIE Consortium gathered together 39 institutions to commit 150 scholarships. The result was that 13 universities granted a total of 70 scholarships to Syrian students. The organization plans to expand and open up its online application portal for a second round of applicants in January 2014.

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Editorial

'Rainbow Steps' is welcome name change

December 3

Names shape our understanding of that which they denote. Their sound, connotations and literal meanings create a subjective impression of whatever they refer to; how different would it be if we were called the "Weasels" instead of the "Jumbos?" Similarly, places around our campus resonate with us in different ways based on their names. In light of the progress the university has made toward addressing the issue of sexual assault on campus, having the phrase "Rape Steps" as part of the Tufts vocabulary is distasteful and insensitive. It's about time that we collectively change the name of the staircase by Wren Hall to something more upbeat -  the "Rainbow Steps."

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Opinion

Acknowledging class councils' work

December 2

This semester, Tufts' four class councils have done a commendable job reaching out to the student body, organizing events and publicizing these events across campus.

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Opinion

Acknowledging class councils’ work

December 2

This semester, Tufts’ four class councils have done a commendable job reaching out to the student body, organizing events and publicizing these events across campus.

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Opinion

Need for late-night study space

December 1

As the chilling fog of finals begins to creep up upon inhabitants of Walnut Hill, students begin to stay up later and later pining over textbooks, crib sheets and code. Not only is there last minute studying to do, but final papers and projects must be completed by professors’ deadlines.

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Opinion

NSFW

December 1

Trigger warning: This article discusses sexual assault and rape.

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Opinion

Call them the Rainbow Steps

December 1

Trigger warning: This article discusses sexual assault and rape.

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Opinion

Take a break this Thanksgiving

November 25

As everyone on the Hill is painfully aware, Thanksgiving Day falls rather late this year — at the very end of November. As such, the Thanksgiving recess, overlapping with Hanukkah, cuts short the penultimate full week of classes, leading many students to anticipate typing final papers and studying for tests over their turkey.

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Opinion

Letter to the Editor

November 24

Dear Editor,

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Opinion

Letter to the Editor

November 24

Dear Editor,

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Opinion

Solar panels exemplify sound sustainability efforts

November 20

The most distinctive feature of Dowling Hall is, without a doubt, the large, bronze elephant head that greets all who enter the building. Starting next year, the Jumbo head won’t be the only thing attracting attention at Dowling: the university will be installing a new solar panel system with the support of SunBug Solar LLC, based in Somerville.

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Opinion

Subsidizing subway expenses for students

November 19

Over the past few weeks, the Tufts community has frequently discussed the affordability of transportation to and from Boston. The general consensus is that the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) offers a limited travel schedule and steep prices, discouraging students from making the most of the city. Despite recent discourse regarding the potential implementation of a weekend night shuttle to Boston, there is still a need for the university to address the constraints of day-to-day travel using the MBTA system.

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Opinion

Preparing for peace

November 18

Jeremy Ben-Ami, the president and founder of J Street, the pro-Israel, pro-peace national organization, spoke last week to a group of students about America's role in the recent peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. J Street aims to change the political dynamic surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, specifically by mobilizing broad support for a two-state solution.

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