News | University

University

Tufts sees record high engineering applicants, slight decline in number of overall applicants

By Zoe Herrmann | February 14

Tufts admissions announced its highest number of applicants to the School of Engineering, a lower number of applicants to the School of Arts and Sciences and a slight decrease in undergraduate applicants in its current admissions cycle for the incoming Class of 2029. Tufts reportedly received over 33,400 applicants this year.

---

University

Housing assignments to change for first-years and sophomores this fall

By Michael Onysko | February 13

Tufts Residential Life notified first-years of impending changes to housing assignments for several dorm buildings for the next academic year.Hill Hall will be converted from freshman to sophomore housing while Wren Hall,still containing10-person suites, will house the incoming Class of 2029.

---

University

New Pre-Med CONNECT Program to pilot over spring break

By Carly Hope | February 12

The Tufts Pre-Med CONNECT Program, a one-week immersive program for first-years and sophomores interested in careers in medicine, will pilot over spring break. Students participating in the 5-day program will commute from the Medford Campus to Tufts Medical Center.

---

University

Ayanna Thomas appointed next dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

By Michael Onysko | February 11

Ayanna Thomas will serve as the dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, as announced in an email to the community on Feb.3.Thomas will continue to serve in her current role as rean of research until an internal search for the position is complete, according to Bárbara Brizuela, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences.

---

University

Investigation into lacrosse rhabdo hospitalizations released by administration

By Nicholas Prather | February 7

On Jan. 31, University President Sunil Kumar and Tufts’ Director of Athletics John Morris released a letter to the greater Tufts community. The letter included an executive summary of the independent investigation into a Tufts men’s lacrosse team workout held last fall that led to 24 of the 61 student participants being diagnosed with Exertional Rhabdomyolysis.

---

University

TCU to hold special elections for spring semester

By Zach Halverstam | February 6

The Tufts Community Union Senate willhold special elections this week to fill vacant positions for the spring semester of the 2024–25 academic year. Voting will begin at noon today and end at the same time on Saturday.

---

---

University

TCU Senate introduces resolution to expand language proficiency testing

By Spenser Walsh | February 5

The Tufts Community Union Senate tackled club funding and discussed a resolution calling for the expansion of language offerings during their weekly meeting on Feb. 2. Parliamentarian Kunal Botla introduced the first resolution of the semester: Class of 2028 Senator Jesse Kitumba’s call to expand language proficiency testing options beyond the languages included in the UPenn Language program. 

---

University

Full-time lecturers rally for higher salaries during 2-day walkout

By Samantha Eng | January 30

Unionized full-time lecturers in the School of Arts and Sciences rallied on Monday and Tuesday during a two day walk-out, following 10 months of negotiations with Tufts administration. The 122 A&S lecturers, represented by Service Employees International Union Local 509, seek salary adjustments to compensate for rising costs of living in the Greater Boston area and increases in student enrollment.  

---

University

Coalition for Palestinian Liberation continues calls for divestment in first protest of semester

By Samantha Eng | January 28

Coalition for Palestinian Liberation at Tufts reiterated their demands for Tufts to divest from Israeli corporations in a protest on Wednesday, three days after a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas went into effect. Drawing roughly 30 protestors, the protest was announced by CPLT in a joint Instagram post with Somerville for Palestine and Medford for Palestine on Jan. 18.

---

University

TCU Senate supports full-time lecturers, plans research opportunity database in weekly meeting

By Spenser Walsh | January 28

The Tufts Community UnionSenate covered committee work, handled supplementary funding requests and voted on critical policy issues during a packed meeting Sunday night.

---

University

Full-time lecturers hold 2-day walkout amid ongoing union negotiations

By Michael Onysko | January 27

About 80% of full-time union lecturers in the School of Arts and Sciences are walking out on Monday and Tuesday in an effort to bargain for a third contract with Tufts administration. The full-time lecturers will not be working for two days in support of livable salaries and manageable workloads.

---

University

Institutional Neutrality Working Group gathers community feedback on potential policy

By Nicholas Prather | January 24

Tufts’ Institutional Neutrality Working Group hosted a total of five listening sessions to hear input from faculty, staff and students on a potential statement of institutional neutrality. On Jan. 15 and Jan. 16, the working group held two final virtual listening sessions for all Tufts community members to voice their thoughts, questions and concerns.

---

University

Campus groups discuss plans following Trump’s inauguration

By Shayna Levy | January 24

Following President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, political student groups on campus including Tufts Democrats, Tufts Republicans and Planned Parenthood Action at Tufts are preparing for a semester under the new presidential administration.

---

University

Khan Shairani tapped as new Muslim Chaplain

By Michael Onysko | January 22

Khan Asfandyar Shairani will permanently serve as the Muslim Chaplain,the Tufts University Chaplaincy announced onJan. 16.Previously serving as the Muslim Chaplain ad interim, Shairani will continue supporting and educating students interested in the Islamic tradition.

---

University

School of Engineering to launch new master’s program in AI

By Zach Halverstam | January 17

The Tufts School of Engineering will launch a new master’s program centered on artificial intelligence in the fall of 2025. The first applications will close on March 15.

---

University

Venerable Vineetha Mahayaye hired as new Tufts Buddhist Chaplain

By Estelle Anderson and Remy Bernatavicius | December 10

The Tufts University Chaplaincy has hired Ven. Vineetha Mahayaye as its new Buddhist Chaplain, a role focused on supporting Tufts’ Buddhist community and organizing educational programming around Buddhist teachings. A monk from Sri Lanka and a graduate of the Harvard Divinity School, Mahayaye officially started his new role Monday.

---

University

Semester marked by drought, fire risk spurs increased safety measures on campus

By Eli Brigham | December 9

This fall saw a critical drought warning issued for most of Massachusetts, including the Medford and Somerville regions. As a result, the state saw red flag warnings coupled with several fast-moving brush fires which dampened air quality on several days in October.Since then, rain has alleviated immediate concerns.

---

University

Amid new leadership changes, Tufts Alumni Council passes updated bylaws, seeks to improve alumni engagement

By Michael Onysko | December 4

The governing body of the Tufts Alumni Association, the Tufts Alumni Council, passed a new set of bylaws “modernizing” the association’s constitution on Nov. 3.

---

University

University President Kumar answers student questions during TCU Senate town hall

By Zoe Herrmann | December 4

University President Sunil Kumar joined members of the Tufts Community Union Senate in hosting a panel discussion on student advocacy and preprofessional student groups on Nov. 20. Led by TCU President Joel Omolade, a senior, and Class of 2027 Senator Isabela Silvares Lima, the event was largely attended by presidents of advocacy groups and preprofessional organizations on campus.

---

University

University President Kumar discusses his challenges, joys as president with Vice Provost France

By Spenser Walsh | December 3

Monroe France, vice provost for Institutional Inclusive Excellence, hosted Tufts University President Sunil Kumar for the first in a series of community webinar conversations with Tufts administrators on the “joys and challenges” of leadership in higher education on Nov. 20. The conversation touched on topics including recent university protests, the daily schedule of a university president and the accessibility of a Tufts education.

---