In the past, the last editorial piece of the year has reflected on the end of the academic year, hopes for change in the Tufts administration, suggestions for improving the college experience and aspirations for the future. As the semester comes to a close, we’d like to reflect on current events concerning the university.
On June 29, 2023, Anthony Monaco, Tufts’ outgoing president, and incoming president Sunil Kumar co-signed a message sent to the entire Tufts community. In this email, the two addressed breaking news coming out of the Supreme Court: Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard had been decided in favor of the plaintiff, ending affirmative action at private universities across the United States. Both Monaco and Kumar stressed that Tufts had advocated against this decision, and they stayed true to the Tufts spirit, stating,“we must—and we will—respect the law, but nothing the court said today will change our institutional values and our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging.” Now, almost three years later, we as the editorial board want to evaluate whether Tufts has stayed true to its ethos.
As the snow finally melts from Prez Lawn and the sun peeks out above the Hill, we at the Editorial Board think it’s time for all of us at Tufts to start spending some more time outside in our nearby neighborhoods. From Davis Square to downtown Boston, the area is full of unique neighborhoods with exciting upcoming spring events and activities that we recommend taking advantage of — not to mention the spring activities Tufts itself has to offer.
The name Tisch seems ever-present in our lives as Tufts students. From the library to the fitness center, the name is pervasive across campus. Steve Tisch, who graduated from Tufts in 1971, currently serves as chairman, co-owner and executive vice president of the New York Giants following a career in film production.
In a world of constant despair, it’s important to also notice the meaningful progress around us.
Since ChatGPT first made its splash entry into the market in November 2022, worries over the use of generative artificial intelligence and large language models have begun to surface. In recent semesters, we have seen faculty at Tufts begin to swap take-home papers for in-class exams in order to fairly test student understanding of course content and prevent cheating. In the Student Accessibility and Academic Resources Center, writing support staff have repeatedly been given new guidelines on how to deal with the use of generative AI in academic writing. Even within the Daily, we have received submissions that were suspected to be AI-generated and sourced using AI.
Welcome to Tufts! Whether this is your first or fourth Parents and Family Weekend visit, we hope you are taking your time to experience life on the Hill and see what your child has been up to in this beautiful fall weather. This year, the Editorial Board has decided to provide a list of hidden gems of free resources and discounts that students can make use of. As the total cost of attendance has skyrocketed to $93,182 for first-years in the 2025–26 school year, we know you are looking for ways to save just a little bit more. Whether you are a student looking to get the most out of your Tufts experience or a frustrated parent trying to make sense of this hefty price, this article is for you!
The last day of Starbucks’ operation in the Joyce Cummings Center was marked by confusion and disappointment, as the closure was announced with only two days’ notice. The grab-and-go, pick-up only cafe not only provided fast drinks and bites to students and faculty going in and out of one of Tufts’s busiest buildings, but it was also a place for socialization, studying, networking and conversations over coffee and sweet treats. Starbucks was also a convenient place for the numerous guests coming in and out of the JCC while touring Tufts and a hot spot for families that visited. The grief from much of the student body is justified: Tufts lost a popular multipurpose cafe that served a wide range of audiences.
On July 24, President Donald Trump’s Rescissions Act was signed into law, stripping over $1 billion in allocated funding from NPR and PBS and marking a dark day for public broadcasting. From providing educational programming like “Sesame Street” to delivering breaking news, public broadcasting has long served as an integral part of American life across all divides and is a vital resource to staying informed.
Since 2022, the Daily has published 35 collectively written opinion pieces on issues relevant to Tufts students under what is called the Editorial Board. But what does this board entail, and why does its position matter? We, the Daily’s seventh Editorial Board, believe it is time to finally define who we are, what we do and why our work within the Daily matters.
