Opinion

Viewpoint

Living off campus? Check your energy bills ASAP

By Justin Hong | September 21

Massachusetts is one of only around a dozen states that has a market for electricity. Even though there are three electric utilities that control the power grid — Eversource, National Grid and Unitil — state residents can choose who supplies their energy: the electric utility, a municipality or a private company (so-called “competitive suppliers”). This well-intentioned policy was meant to protect consumers by giving them more choices, instead, it has let companies trample consumers’ rights.

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Opinion

Spanish women’s soccer controversy: unmasking gender inequality

By Esma Erdem | September 19

On Aug. 20, when the Spanish women’s national soccer team won the World Cup final against England, the nation should have been celebrating with triumphant spirit. However, the spotlight shifted dramatically from a prideful national victory to Luis Rubiales, the president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.

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Viewpoint

While the DNC may want Biden in 2024, the American people don’t

By Kevin Golub | September 19

Joe Biden has not exactly excelled in his role as President of the United States over the past couple of months. Most recently came Biden’s “no comment” from Delaware, where he appeared to brush off questions about the death toll of the tragic wildfires in Maui. Once he finally made it to Hawaii, he compared the devastation to a bizarre and self-centered story about an insignificant kitchen fire, later departing after spending a mere six hours assessing the damage.

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Viewpoint

Maui's wildfires: Playing the climate blame game is fueling global ‘natural’ disasters

By Bela Silverman | September 19

For Hawaii, minor earthquakes — a 3.0-3.9 magnitude range — are considered typical, with locals habitually holding onto their free-standing lamps and chairs until the shaking concludes. Yet, on Sept. 8th, Morocco was struck with a magnitude 6.8 earthquake which killed over 2,900 people. Just a month prior to these earthquakes, Maui was engulfed in wildfire flames. Moreover, about a month ago, wildfires spread through swathes of North America, floods collapsed Libya’s dams and flash flooding exacerbated China’s monsoon season.

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Opinion

Letter from the Editor in Chief: Welcome back, Jumbos

By Aaron Gruen | September 5

To the Tufts community, Whether you’re returning to campus or stepping foot on the hill for the first time, it’s my pleasure to welcome you home. It’s traditional for the editor in chief of The Tufts Daily to introduce our paper and offer words of welcome and wisdom, but since you’re certain to hear plenty of advice during the first few weeks of the school year, I’ll keep this letter brief. To the newest Jumbos, the Class of 2027, first and foremost: Congratulations! To get here, you navigated not just one of the toughest admissions cycles in history, but a high school experience dominated by COVID-19 to finally arrive here at one of the top universities in the world.

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Viewpoint

Clean Your Room

By Maxwell Shoustal | September 5

As the new year of college begins, especially for those beginning their first year at Tufts, it may be helpful to remember Peterson’s principle of the importance of cleaning your room. He doesn’t exactly mean it literally; it’s meant to be a metaphor for taking control of your life. Before you solve any larger issues plaguing you, you can start by simply cleaning up your room.

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Viewpoint

Learning from our Mistakes: The Tufts housing crises, re-examined

By Kevin Golub | September 5

“History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce.” — Karl Marx “According to housing director John Darcey … the university looked seriously into housing freshmen in nearby HOTELS (i.e. Sheraton Commander in Cambridge), or possibly purchasing new CONDOMINIUMS for the overflow. ...

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Guest

Op-ed: Women legislators are working together to support women across the Commonwealth

By State Representative Christine Barber | September 5

We are facing many challenges in Massachusetts. I continually hear from families and individuals around Somerville and Medford who are having trouble affording basic needs, worrying about health care and fearing their rights for themselves or their children.

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Guest

Op-ed: The importance and virtue of reserving judgment

By Kyongbum Lee and James M. Glaser | July 14

A story last fall in the Daily reported on anonymous allegations about the admissions office and its leadership, including allegations of a “toxic” admissions workplace and questions of alleged bias and discrimination. The story also disclosed the existence of an investigation into the complaints. The story was deeply troubling to our community and to us as deans. And it was especially devastating to JT Duck, dean of admissions and enrollment management for the Schools of Arts and Sciences and Engineering, with whom we share a commitment to making Tufts a diverse and welcoming community for all — as evidenced by the admission under his leadership of the most diverse classes in the university’s history. 

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Guest

Letter from the Editor in Chief: Congratulations, Class of 2023

By Julia Shannon-Grillo | May 21

Dear Class of 2023 and the Tufts community,

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Editorial

Letter from the Editorial Board: Thank you, Tony

By The Editorial Board | May 21

Dear President Monaco,

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Viewpoint

Is there a future for Tufts?

By Toby Winick | May 21

The world has changed a lot in the last four years. Over the course of the Class of 2023’s tenure at Tufts, the state of the undergraduate experience changed tremendously. Tufts is in a unique position due to the issues that have arisen from its character and quality as a university.

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Column

Ukraine at War: At Boston Marathon, Ukrainian athletes show resilience in midst of war

By Mariia Kudina | May 20

As Ukrainian military forces are preparing for the awaited counteroffensive, Russia continues to shell the country daily. Despite the constant attacks, Ukrainians try to live their lives, coping, in part, by collecting large sums of donations for the army and presenting the strength of the country not only on the battlefield but also in international sports competitions such as the Boston Marathon. 

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Column

The Strike Zone: China’s role in the Russia-Ukraine war

By Eli Striker | May 20

During the first year following the Feb. 24, 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, China maintained a neutral stance, as Beijing attempted to undercut democracy without provoking Western economic sanctions. However, China’s true stance in the war was put on full display in March of this year when President Xi Jinping visited President Vladimir Putin in Moscow, and the two leaders signed an agreement that promised a stronger relationship and condemned American hegemony. Worryingly, Beijing has allegedly considered further expanding its trading repertoire with Moscow by selling weapons — including artillery shells and attack drones — to Russia. Arming Russia would officially end any pretense of Chinese neutrality and undoubtedly provoke a series of Western sanctions against Beijing. Instead, China should work to broker a realistic peace treaty with Russia and Ukraine, asserting itself as the world’s foremost diplomatic leader at a time when geopolitical tides are turning in favor of the developing world and the Global South.

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Guest

Op-ed: Tufts Burlesque needs a reset — the community deserves more

By Felipe Campano | May 20

Felipe Campano is a sophomore studying environmental studies. Felipe has been a dancer with the Tufts Burlesque Troupe for two semesters.

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Guest

Op-ed: Arielle Galinsky for TCU President

By Natalie Rossinow and Krystal Mutebi | April 27

As the ballots open for Tufts Community Union Senate president, it is time to consider who will best support you and the Tufts community during the 2023–24 school year. One candidate in particular stands out: Arielle Galinsky, who has the experience, dedication and passion needed to be an excellent leader for Tufts. 

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Guest

Op-ed: Tufts graduate workers need a just contract

By Tufts University Graduate Workers Union Bargaining Committee | April 27

On April 10, over 100 graduate workers filed into the Alumnae Lounge to meet with Tufts administrators and lawyers. As members of the SEIU 509 Tufts University Graduate Workers Union, it is our right to negotiate with Tufts Management over a new collective bargaining agreement — the contract that sets the terms of our working conditions. Our proposal is grounded in essential principles: We deserve fair compensation and deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. We need a just contract with wages, benefits and workplace protections that meet our basic needs.

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Editorial

Editorial: Bring gender diversity back to Spring Fling

By The Editorial Board | April 27

When the Spring Fling lineup featuring Flo Rida, Cheat Codes and Charlie Curtis-Beard was announced earlier this month, one thing was notably lacking: women. 

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Column

MisCONceptions: On Millie Bobby Brown and matrimony 

By Trent Bunker, João Ribeiro, Katherine Brown and Nicholas Rishi | April 27

Editor's note: MisCONceptions is a column with four contributors. This article was written by Katherine Brown.

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Column

Around the Corner: The Case for an AI Ban

By Asher Berlin | April 27

2023 is the year of AI. Tools like Chat-GPT, Midjourney and others have become ubiquitous in our society and popular culture; from South Park to Snapchat, AI has captured discourse like never before. The rapid advancement of technology has opened the door to possibilities that were once restricted to science fiction. AI’s recent developments have also suggested that it may overtake us sooner than was previously thought. A survey of 356 AI experts in 2022 found that half of those experts believed that a human-level AI would be developed before 2061. The vast majority — 90% — thought it would be developed within the century. While the same experts also caution against fear-mongering, there is a possibility we will confront artificial life with equivalent or greater intelligence than us within our (for my readers in college) lifetime. 

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