University

TCU Senate hosts transparency town hall with senior Tufts administrators

By Shayna Levy | February 12

The Tufts Community Union Senate hosted a Tuition Transparency Town Hall on Tuesday to break down how the university allocates its budget amid rising tuition costs. The event featured several senior university leaders, including Provost and Senior Vice President Caroline Genco, Vice President for Finance and Treasurer ad interim Thomas Malone, Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Bárbara Brizuela and Dean of Engineering Kyongbum Lee. Approximately 60 students attended.

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University

Graduate students complete first semester of new AI master’s degree, undergraduate student groups grow

By Eli Brigham | February 12

A group of students in the Tufts Graduate School of Engineering completed their first semester as the inaugural class of the Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence. The new program comes as student interest in AI continues to grow, sparking the creation of undergraduate student organizations.

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University

TCU Senate welcomes new senators, considers push to add voting information to syllabi

By Shayna Levy | February 12

The Tufts Community Union Senate welcomed newly elected senators and discussed an effort to include voting information in syllabi, among other issues, in its Sunday meeting.

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University

Center for Expanding Viewpoints hosts Israeli journalist Haviv Rettig Gur to discuss war in Gaza, Israeli politics

By Jessica Michael | February 11

Haviv Rettig Gur, a veteran journalist for The Free Press, The Times of Israel and host of the “Ask Haviv Anything” podcast, headlined “The Configuration of the Middle East After the Gaza War” last Wednesday, a conversation hosted by the Tufts Center for Expanding Viewpoints in Higher Education.

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University

Students feel largely unsupported by TCU Senate, want more transparency, survey finds

By Alex Boyle | February 11

A campuswide survey sent by the Tufts Community Union Senate at the end of the fall 2025 semester found that Tufts students generally do not feel supported by the Senate and do not know what it does.

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University

New financial report shows Tufts University experienced significant increases in research funding

By June Myint | February 10

Tufts University’s research expenses have grown significantly over the last five years despite cuts in federal funding posing serious challenges to research across academia. According to Tufts’ 2025 Annual Financial Report, research expenses increased by $43.3 million, or 24.5%, over the past five years. This growth was accompanied by an $11.7 million, or 4.2%, increase in sponsorship revenue — including grants, contracts and gifts — from the prior fiscal year.

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University

NEW: Government appeals preliminary injunction reinstating Rümeysa Öztürk’s SEVIS record

By Julian Glickman | February 6

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Sauter filed an appeal on Friday on behalf of the federal government of U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper’s preliminary injunction reinstating Rümeysa Öztürk’s Student and Exchange Visitor Information System record.

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University

New ‘JUMP-IN’ program aims to provide pre-professional programming for first-year students

By Josh Litvak | February 6

Tufts is piloting a new initiative this spring break designed to bridge the gap between undergraduate education and professional careers. The Jumbo Undergraduate Mission for Personal Insight and Navigation program, spearheaded by Elise LaMotte, associate provost for student success, will offer approximately 100 first-year students hands-on experience across four different academic tracks, connecting them directly with the university’s graduate and professional schools.

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University

BREAKING: Department of Education launches investigation into potential Tufts data privacy violation

By Amelia Sammons | February 5

The U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation on Thursday into whether Tufts University’s National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement has contributed to the illegal sharing of college student data to influence elections. The Student Privacy Policy Office, which is a part of the Department of Education, says it opened the investigation in response to several allegations that the NSLVE has violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act by sharing data with third parties.

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University

Analysis of Epstein files reveals frequent communication between Steve Tisch and Epstein

By Evan Vezmar and Julian Glickman | February 5

Steve Tisch, a Tufts alumnus and donor whose name appears on several campus buildings, was revealed last Friday to have communicated frequently with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein about women, dinner invitations, football games and Epstein’s private island.

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University

BREAKING: Tufts professor Fiorenzo Omenetto interacted with Jeffrey Epstein via email about research, offered to meet in-person, files show

By Grace Nelson and Sadie Roraback-Meagher | February 4

Fiorenzo Omenetto, a professor in the biomedical engineering department, wrote to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after an associate of the financier put them in touch, according to the newest batch of files released by the Department of Justice on Friday.

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University

TCU Senate discusses upcoming Tuition Transparency event, outreach initiatives

By Alex Boyle | February 4

At the Tufts Community Union Senate meeting on Sunday, members discussed the tuition transparency town hall, upcoming outreach initiatives and expanding relations with members of the Tufts administration.

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University

Department of Earth and Climate Sciences adds two new courses this year

By Hannah Rajalingam | February 4

The Department of Earth and Climate Sciences added two new classes to their department this year. Professor Noel Heim began teaching Geology of National Parks in the fall of 2025 and Professor and ECS Department Chair Jill VanTongeren began teaching Natural Disasters in Movies this semester.

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University

Q&A: President Kumar discusses Beyond 175 plan

By Julian Glickman and Josué Pérez | February 2

The Daily spoke with University President Sunil Kumar on Friday about his Beyond 175 plan, a blueprint for the university following its 175th anniversary in 2027. The plan was first announced in October of last year with a final working draft released in January. 

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University

TCU Senate implements new dining feedback survey

By Alex Boyle and Dariush Raissi | February 2

Tufts Community Union Senate has implemented a survey form to allow students to rate meals and provide feedback in both the Fresh at Carmichael and Dewick-MacPhie Dining Centers. The program is running from Jan. 26 to Feb. 6 and aims to increase student input in dining experiences.

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University

BREAKING: Tufts alumnus Steve Tisch, namesake of several campus facilities, implicated in Epstein files

By Julian Glickman and Josué Pérez | January 30

Steve Tisch (A’71), a Tufts alumnus and donor, is mentioned several times in a newly released batch of files related to the convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein. The Department of Justice released an additional three million pages earlier today as mandated in the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

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University

New labor relations specialist position posted, casting doubt for upcoming contract negotiations

By Amelia Sammons and Arinze Ezem-Osakwe | January 30

Recently, Tufts created a job posting for a labor relations specialist who would serve as an expert intermediary between the university and its employees regarding labor disputes and union-related issues, including attending contract negotiations and ensuring consistent labor relations leadership across the university.

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University

White House expands list of nations included in total and partial travel bans

By Carly Hope and Niki Wang | January 30

President Donald Trump signed a proclamation strengthening entry restrictions for foreign nationals from countries that are deemed a potential danger to national security on Dec 16. Seven nations were added to a full travel ban, while another 15 are now subject to partial restrictions, adding uncertainty to the process of applying for and renewing student visas.

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University

Federal immigration enforcement activity reported near Tufts, university says

By Amelia Sammons and Anika Parr | January 27

Federal immigration enforcement activity has recently been reported in areas surrounding Tufts’ Medford/Somerville campus, according to an email sent to the Tufts community from the Office of Public Safety. The office and the municipalities of Somerville and Medford are coordinating efforts to monitor the situation.

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University

Potential changes to RA position could overhaul role, end free housing as university, RAs enter contract negotiations

By Eli Brigham | January 26

Resident assistants have not yet received reappointment forms as the university considers changing aspects of the role in order to reduce RA responsibilities. The yet-to-be-announced changes come as the United Labor of Tufts Resident Assistants prepares to bargain for a new contract, as the existing one expires this summer.

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