Opinion - The Tufts Daily

Opinion

A response to McCarthyite Zionism

March 14

Der Judenstaat: It's German for "The State of the Jews." More than a century later, Theodor Herzl's vision of a democratic and Jewish homeland as described in his 1896 book "Der Judenstaat" has not only been fulfilled, but also exceeded the most optimistic of expectations. Despite being one of the world's smallest countries and having to constantly defend itself against existential military threats, Israel has truly thrived. Israel has managed in 60 years to have the highest per capita rate of university degrees and museums and the third−largest number of companies in the NASDAQ Stock Market, to develop the origins of the cell phone and maintain state−of−the−art desalination capabilities, among many other miraculous achievements. In recent years, Israel has been at the forefront of humanitarian missions around the world, with journalist Anderson Cooper of CNN recently praising the Israeli−run field hospital in earthquake−torn Haiti, which is estimated to have performed 140 life−saving operations in the matter of a week.

Opinion

Letter to the Editor

March 14

Dear Editor, I am writing to you because I feel that the ban of alcohol at this year's Spring Fling is a flawed and outdated policy. As an alumnus of Tufts, I was proud to see that University President Lawrence Bacow was a signatory to the Amethyst Initiative. The initiative, according to their Web site, "supports informed and unimpeded debate on the 21-year-old drinking age. Amethyst Initiative presidents and chancellors call upon elected officials to weigh all the consequences of current alcohol policies and to invite new ideas on how best to prepare young adults to make responsible decisions about alcohol use." I was proud that Tufts was publicly at the forefront of exploring innovative ideas in protecting students from the dangers of binge drinking. I am now saddened to read that in practice Tufts is simply forging ahead with the same flawed and outdated policy that made this country's Prohibition experiment such a complete failure. A total alcohol ban is the antithesis of the new ideas that the Amethyst Initiative seeks. A ban is certainly the safe public relations move in light of last year's event. However, as last year proved, student health and safety is truly at stake. Perhaps this year public relations should take a backseat to a new policy that realistically addresses the fact that we are dealing with college students attending a four-hour concert.

Opinion

Elisha Sum | Our Genderation

March 10

Tori Amos once sang, "We both know it was a girl back in Bethlehem."

Editorial

Alcohol program should take new approach

March 10

Tufts has decided to take another stab at changing the drinking culture on campus by incorporating an additional program into freshman orientation. Proposals for the new orientation program include both a student presentation of personal drinking stories and a presentation by Tufts Emergency Medical Services (TEMS). The event would be modeled after In the SACK (Safety, Awareness, Consent and Knowledge in relationships), the sexual awareness presentation held during orientation week.

Opinion

A word from the public editor

March 9

The past three weeks — the length of my tenure so far as public editor — have given me a thorough crash course in Tufts media; an impromptu but necessary lesson in the nebulous and often factional world that constitutes our campus media.

Opinion

McCarthyite Zionism

March 9

"Schuld" — it's German for guilt. If certain German universities don't feel some "schuld" for canceling Norman Finkelstein's lectures, it may be because of McCarthyite Zionism. Norman Finkelstein is an internationally renowned scholar of the Israeli−Palestinian conflict. Finkelstein grew up in New York as the son of two Jewish Holocaust survivors. His controversial views revolve around his idea that a "Holocaust Industry" exploits the Holocaust. This "industry" uses the Holocaust as a tool to further Israel's interests along with other profiteering purposes.

Opinion

Teddy Minch | Off Mic

March 9

The financial mess that exploded a year and a half ago exposed the massive housing bubble in the United States that had been steadily growing for years. As a nation, we still have yet to completely recover from its violent pop. More frighteningly than the slow recovery, however, is the lack of a coherent response from the federal government to adequately address the very circumstances that allowed the housing bubble to grow as it did.

Editorial

FDA needs to better regulate calorie labeling

March 9

A recent study by Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy discovered a widespread trend in the food industry of significantly underreporting the amount of calories on nutrition labels. Specifically, the actual calorie count surpassed the stated count by an average of 18 percent, with some counts surpassing up to 200 percent on restaurant dishes and fast food.

Opinion

Believing in something without questioning is never right

March 8

It's hard to start an article about a very sensitive issue. You may go against the world and be right, but still people will get angry. Then how can I approach this? Outright denial is never constructive, even when you have enough solid evidence to know that what you believe is the truth. I am writing because I feel the responsibility to represent a different angle to Tufts students: one that is being ignored, either deliberately or out of ignorance.

Editorial

Students should not ignore the census

March 8

Tufts counts. All students, both citizens and non-citizens, should fill out and return a 2010 Census questionnaire when it is delivered to their mailboxes this month for residential addresses or in April or May for on-campus housing.

Editorial

Diversity representation on campus still needs work

March 7

As a university, Tufts prides itself on its acceptance and encouragement of diversity. With nearly a quarter of the class of 2013 identifying as "students of color" and a strong international representation, Tufts is widely recognized as a diverse school. Indeed, university President Lawrence Bacow's appointment to President Obama's Board of Advisors on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) seems not only to be an acknowledgment of his achievements in promoting diversity during his tenure as president of the university, but also the strengths of Tufts as a school in supporting and recognizing diversity. The university's two−day symposium entitled "Barack Obama and American Democracy" over this past weekend also afforded further opportunity for Tufts to highlight and promote dialogue around racial and ethnic diversity.

Opinion

R word' awareness

March 7

One of the most admirable attributes of Tufts University is the student body's push for acceptance and open mindedness. We strive to end ignorance and bias on our campus, we strive to provide fair representation to minority groups in our multicultural population and we have a large and vocal queer community: all aspects that bring unique and refreshing perspectives to Tufts.

Opinion

The ExCollege looks to the future in FeedBack

March 7

The ebb and flow of higher education has caused many changes to Tufts University. YouTube.com video submissions are the newest addition to Tufts' unique application process, fiscal responsibility has become a watchword due to the present economic climate and Dave's Fresh Pasta might be added to Meals on Points (MOPS), a move that would probably be universally applauded. Firmly planted among the nation's most prestigious colleges and universities, Tufts' situation presents an ideal opportunity to analyze the realities of our school on the hill. Tufts rests on a precipice — the school can continue to lead the way as one of the top universities in the country, or all the changes that are occurring simultaneously can cause the school to stagnate. With the looming departures of Tufts University President Larry Bacow and Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Robert Sternberg, the impending arrival of a Green Line MBTA stop on Boston Avenue, tuition costs that are the most expensive in Massachusetts and applicant pools that increase in size every year, there is no better time to take a look at our present crossroads and forecast our unclear future.

Editorial

Sexual assault policy should be more stringent

March 3

Tufts students are greeted early on in their time on the Hill by an extensive sexual assault prevention program, from the blue light telephones introduced on campus tours, to presentations during orientation week, followed by the array of sexual crime prevention posters displayed in virtually every dorm on campus. However, incidents of sexual assault, unfortunately, do occur. The university maintains an official policy on sexual assault that allows a victim to pursue four different courses of action to be taken against his or her assailant: mediation between the victim and perpetrator, a campus stay-away order, a university hearing or the accused person leaving the university. These consequences have varying degrees of disciplinary action associated with them — the campus stay-away order, for example, is not a disciplinary measure.

Editorial

U.S. Senate not a forum to push personal gripes

March 2

The U.S. Senate has been criticized heavily of late for allowing partisanship and bitterness between factions to prevent important decisions from being made. Many in the country argue that while senators are busy bantering about personal opinions and there is increasing animosity between parties, important issues are not being resolved. Most Republicans and Democrats, however, were finally able to see eye−to−eye on one recent controversy that has been causing contention within the body.

Opinion

'One course, one credit' system needs review

March 1

The Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate on Feb. 21 passed a resolution calling for a change in the course credit system in order to award an extra half credit for labs that exceed two-and-a-half hours in science courses; the resolution refers specifically to biology classes, as physics and chemistry lab sections are shorter. The student sentiment that generated this resolution is indicative of the greater issue surrounding the way that course credits are assigned at Tufts. The administration should reconsider its "one course, one credit" policy in light of the different time commitments and workloads associated with different courses.

Opinion

Moving course evaluations online is the right move

February 28

It is standard procedure that, during the last few classes of the semester, students fill out handwritten course evaluations, rating their experiences with both the professor and the material covered. This process, however, may change in as little as two years as the Tufts Community Union (TCU) Senate is currently working on plans to put all course evaluations online. By putting course evaluations online, the Senate and the administration hope to significantly decrease the turnaround time between when evaluations are filled out and when professors are actually able to access them and take comments and perspectives into consideration for future classes. The evaluations would still be mandatory, with students' grades potentially being withheld for a week if they fail to fill them out — a penalty that those working on the new system hope would be enough of an incentive to encourage all students to complete them.

Opinion

Letter to the Editor

February 28

Dear Editor, This letter is in response to David Heck's Feb. 25 column "The tragically ignored." As a wrestling fan, I knew about the death of Umaga this past year (although I'm 22, not 13 as the article suggests). Although tragic and more than likely linked to steroids, what Heck did not mention was that Umaga had failed tests for the World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) Wellness Policy on two separate occasions, and refused to enter rehab on his second failure in June 2009, which led to his release from the company.

Opinion

Laptops: a public menace

February 24

On the first day of classes this semester, one of my professors warned our class that he was not a fan of laptops in the classroom.

Opinion

Elisha Sum | Our Genderation

February 24

Tori Amos once sang, "Now, you've cut out the flute from the throat of the loon."