Tufts SJP disaffiliates from Tufts after university suspends group until Jan. 2027 UNIVERSITY
Tufts Students for Justice in Palestine announced its “formal break and disaffiliation from Tufts University” on Nov. 15, following the university’s decision to officially suspend Tufts SJP through Jan. 2027.
In an Instagram post, Tufts SJP denounced the suspension and reiterated its ongoing demands that Tufts disclose its investments in Israel, fully divest from Israeli companies and sever all “academic and research ties” with Israel. According to the Palestinian Health Ministry, over 43,000 Palestinians have been killed throughout Israel’s war in Gaza, which began over a year ago when Hamas invaded Israel and took over 200 hostages.
“As the zionist genocide of Palestine and Lebanon has escalated over the past year, tufts in turn has sought to repress our solidarity movement. The administration has threatened to suspend individual students over Instagram posts and vigils in an attempt to fracture the strength of our movement,” Tufts
SJP wrote in the post. “Whether or not SJP exists on campus, the student movement at tufts will never rest until tufts divests and cuts all institutional ties with the genocidal zionist project.”
Tufts SJP had been placed on an “interim suspension” earlier this fall for policy violations, which include using images of weapons and urging students to “escalate” and “Join the Student Intifada” in a post about a protest scheduled for Oct. 7.
Patrick Collins, executive director of media relations, explained in a statement that while the
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interim suspension was a temporary measure, this most recent suspension is an official “disciplinary suspension that takes into account the group’s actions, their impact on other community members, the group’s repeated refusal to cooperate with university policies and expectations, and its refusal to follow through on sanctions arising from previous conduct policy violations.” If members of Tufts SJP fail to comply with the terms of the suspension, the
see SJP, page 2
Tufts’ Department of Earth and Climate Sciences to introduce new majors, minors
Tanya Dev Staff Writer
Tufts’ Department of Earth and Climate Sciences will introduce two new majors, Earth science and climate science, along with a new minor in Earth and climate sciences, starting in fall 2025. The current departmental offerings — majors in environmental geology and geological sciences and minors in geology and geosciences — will be
phased out with students who graduate in spring of 2027.
Jill Vantongeren, associate professor and chair of the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences, explained that the new Earth science major will be similar to the current geosciences major, which focuses on Earth systems, including earthquakes and volcanoes, as well as the history of the Earth. For example, classes in mineralogy and petrology
will cover concepts including carbon capture and storage and carbon sequestration.
Vantongeren emphasized the interconnectedness of Earth systems and the climate.
“Understanding the full Earth system is really important to understanding the climate today as well,” Vantongeren said.
The new climate science major represents a significant change for the department, Vantongeren said, and will examine the interconnected roles of the atmosphere, ocean and cryosphere in shaping Earth’s environment. The major, designed to equip students with a multidimensional grasp of the climate system, includes courses spanning from introductory climate science to specialized classes in fields such as paleoclimate, physical oceanography, the cryosphere and climate modeling.
see ECS, page 3
‘Community Conversations Dinner’ spotlights Tufts University Prison Initiative
The Tufts University Prison Initiative at Tisch College of Civic Life held its Community Conversations Dinner on Nov. 14. The event featured TUPIT students and welcomed community partners to learn more about the work being done by the Tufts Education Reentry Network, or MyTERN, program.
Before the event, David Delvalle, TUPIT’s new full-time education and reentry director, spoke to the Daily about his hopes for the event and what this program means to him.
“I want people to understand how powerful this is and how transformational higher education is for somebody who’s formerly incarcerated,” Delvalle said. “We’re giving them that opportunity … to break generational curses.”
Monroe France, vice provost for Institutional Inclusive Excellence, spoke after a brief introduction from Delvalle.
“This is an important program at Tufts, as we think about who we are in our society,” France said to the Daily. “When we think about educating the next leaders, we cannot leave anyone behind.”
MyTERN is a program within TUPIT that provides educational and mentorship opportunities for formerly incarcerated people, including both graduates of TUPIT and others impacted by the carceral system. Both MyTERN and TUPIT are part of Tisch College and provide opportunities for collaboration between current and formerly incarcerated people and non-incarcerated Tufts graduate and undergraduate students.
Dean of Tisch College Dayna Cunningham expressed her appreciation for the mission of TUPIT and the role it plays on campus.
“I see something … happening in the TUPIT classrooms,” Cunningham said during the event. “That is the kind of transformative, breakthrough learning that happens when students from different experiences have the courage to be vulnerable and bring their full selves forward. And TUPIT is really the model for that — it’s a model that could spread across the university.”
Hilary Binda, founder and executive director of TUPIT and Delvalle then presented community partners with certificates and recognition for the work they do alongside TUPIT. Among the 13 organizations recognized, two certificates were accepted by MyTERN graduates who are now employed by community partner nonprofit organizations.
TUPIT functions in collaboration with the state of Massachusetts including the Executive Office of Public Safety, the Massachusetts Parole Board and the offices of Sen. Jamie Eldridge and Rep. Erika Uyterhoeven.
Eldridge, the chair of the Senate’s Criminal Justice Reform Caucus, explained the legislative shift toward prioritizing re-entry.
“When we were pushing [the Criminal Justice Reform Act of 2018], very little of that law was actually focused on the conditions in prison,” Eldridge said. “What has happened is returning citizens, many who have gone through TUPIT, are now
SAMANTHA POKORNY / THE TUFTS DAILY
Lane Hall, home to the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences, is pictured on Monday.
Estelle Anderson Executive News Editor
Julieta Grané Editor in Chief
PETER WOLFE / THE TUFTS DAILY David Delvalle, TUPIT education and reentry director, speaks.
see TUPIT, page 3
MATTHEW SAGE / THE TUFTS DAILY
Student protestors march passed Gifford House on the anniversary of Oct. 7.
Medford launches program to revive vacant storefronts throughout city
Anastasiya Korovska Contributing Writer
Medford is working to reduce its number of vacant storefronts through the Vacant Storefront District Program, which will award up to $10,000 worth of tax credits to businesses interested in moving into storefronts that have been vacant for 12 months or more. The eligible storefronts are located in six districts, which include Medford Square, Haines Square, Hillside, South Medford, Wellington and West Medford.
The funding will come from a collaboration between the state and local governments. Up to $5,000 will come from the Economic Development Incentive Program, while a match of up to $5,000 will come from the city, using Community Development Block Grant funding.
“To be frank, we don’t have a huge vacant storefront issue,” Medford Economic Development Planner Jessica Martinez clarified when asked about the challenges that led to current vacant storefronts. “To move into a space, to do the upkeep and the maintenance that would require to open a new space, would be in the hundreds of thousands [of dollars] in some cases, so this is just a small incentive for businesses to move into vacant storefronts.”
In addition to providing this incentive for business owners, the city wants to facilitate growth in business districts to appeal to the interests of current and incoming residents.
“We want to bring more vibrancy to our town squares,” Martinez said. “We have a lot of residents that are moving into the city, and they’re looking for things to do, places to shop, places to buy things. And we want to make sure that we’re providing retail opportunities for our residents in these districts.”
Sal Di Stefano, Medford’s director of economic development, explained the social implications of vacant storefronts.
“If you’re going somewhere new that you don’t know, and you’re seeing half the storefronts are vacant or boarded up, or there’s broken glass all over the sidewalks, or disinvestment in downtown, you probably won’t feel like it’s a safe place to go shop and dine and explore,” he said.
Di Stefano added that encouraging investment in these storefronts could avoid a vacancy “snowball effect.”
“Vacancy, unfortunately, can create additional vacancy, and it could be like a snowball effect when storefronts are empty,” he said.
To avoid the economic challenges of vacant storefronts, the city hopes to incentivize the growth of businesses as well as diversify the industries of businesses throughout Medford.
“Right now, we have a lot of restaurants or business shops, like insurance or lawyers, but we’d love to see more retail opportunities, like bookstores or clothing stores,” Martinez said.
The city is also focused on providing more support to business owners from marginalized groups.
“We have a special interest in supporting women-owned busi-
nesses, BIPOC-owned businesses, as well as veteran-owned businesses,” Di Stefano said. “They are groups that traditionally have less advantages in accessing capital.”
The Vacant Storefronts Program application is open to any interested entrepreneurs. Martinez explained the application process.
“You have to submit an application to the city so that we can verify that you’re an eligible business,” she said. “Once you are verified with the city, you submit an application to the Economic Assistance Coordinating Council, where they will approve the tax credit.”
She added that the deadlines are on a rolling basis. After approval, the reward will be an end-of-year tax credit.
Cynthia Kinnan, associate professor of economics at Tufts, discussed the drawbacks of using tax credits to encourage business growth as compared to other policy tools.
“There might be a lot of upfront costs of rehabbing that property,” she said. “If we’re thinking especially about a small business owner who might not have deep pockets and [might not] be easily
able to access a lot of business credit to finance those upfront investments, then a policy like an upfront grant or an upfront subsidized loan might be somewhat more effective.”
Kinnan also explained the advantages of tax credits over upfront grants and loans.
“Money will only be paid out to the extent that that business really is active and is bringing in revenue in the area,” she said. “I think that could help to reduce cases of some kind of not very serious business being set up simply to claim an upfront grant.”
Di Stefano shared that the Economic Development Program is committed to assisting businesses even after they receive tax credits. The department partners with the Massachusetts Small Business Development Center and the statewide Community One Stop for Growth program, which provides grants to support economic development.
“If a business is moving into the city, we welcome them to reach out to the economic development team, and we could walk them through how to access the resources,” Martinez said.
Community responses to Tufts SJP’s suspension
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group risks permanent revocation of university recognition, while individual members will face disciplinary actions that could be as serious as suspension or expulsion from Tufts.
According to Collins, the group has been found responsible for “nine violations of university policy across five incidents.”
Tufts SJP was specifically found to have violated the Gatherings, Demonstrations and Protests Policy and the Posting Policy after refusing to comply with a university official during an October event. They violated the Threats Policy with the Instagram post that resulted in their interim suspension and refused to take it down after being asked by the university. The group also violated the Gatherings, Protests and Demonstrations Policy during a September event where they failed to comply with
a university official, and they violated the Gambling Policy during the student organizations fair in September.
According to Tufts SJP’s Instagram post, Tufts charged them with the gambling violation after the group held a raffle for a keffiyeh — a traditional Middle Eastern headdress — in order to raise funds for families in Gaza.
Tufts SJP must follow an “individualized series of terms and requirements” in order for the suspension to be resolved, Collins wrote.
“If SJP complies with the terms of its suspension, addresses all outstanding sanctions, and meets other requirements, it would be eligible to petition for re-recognition in January 2027,” he wrote. “If approved, the group would be subject to a oneyear probationary period and be required to take other steps, such as identifying a faculty advisor
and undergoing campus climate training, among others.”
After the suspension was issued, Tufts University Alumni Action for Palestine began circulating a petition for university alumni to demand the reinstatement of Tufts SJP. In a message to the Daily, the group described themselves as “hundreds of Tufts alumni from across backgrounds united by our shared support for Palestinian freedom, and ending Israel’s brutal military occupation, apartheid system, and violent genocide.”
“SJP is a vital student organization pushing the university to stand on the right side of history by supporting Palestinian freedom. As alumni, we want to see our university do the right thing and divest from Israeli apartheid, genocide, and settler colonialism. For that to happen, SJP must be reinstated immediately,” they wrote.
The suspension follows increased tensions between the group and university leadership over the past year. Amid a national wave of pro-Palestine protests across college campuses in April, Tufts SJP set up a “Gaza Solidarity Encampment" on the Academic Quad to demand that Tufts cut ties with Israel. Soon after, the administration requested that the tents be taken down to prepare for Commencement and threatened to issue trespass warnings to protesters. Tufts SJP dismantled the encampment in May after failed negotiation attempts with the university, during which Tufts SJP claimed that the administrators offered them a “bad-faith deal.”
“The suspension … follows multiple attempts over the last year by the university’s student life staff and other administrators to work and communicate with SJP and its leaders, who have rejected these efforts,” Collins wrote.
PETER WOLFE / THE TUFTS DAILY
The vacant lot on 325 Boston Ave in Medford, Mass. is pictured on Sunday.
New degree offerings address a growing demand for in-depth climate education
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Tufts is one of multiple colleges across the country to launch a new climate science major in recent years, speaking to a growing demand for more in-depth climate education.
Historically, Tufts students could only explore climate science through one or two entry-level courses embedded within the geosciences major.
Vantongeren explained that the department saw the need for a curriculum that provided a more comprehensive and detailed understanding of climate science.
“There’s so many parts to understand about the climate system. When you cover it … just in those two classes, you don’t get the full breadth of the climate system,” Vantongeren said.
Jonah Bloch-Johnson, new assistant professor of Earth and climate sciences, emphasized Tufts’ distinctive position in higher education, noting that the university stands out as one of the few in the nation offering a climate science major.
“Tufts is one of the first places to move on this realization that this is a field that needs broader attention,” BlochJohnson explained.
Recognizing the urgency of addressing climate challenges, Bloch-Johnson highlighted the importance of climate science education.
“Climate change is going to be a key part of the story of the next decades and years to come, and it’s important that Tufts students are equipped with the academic tools they
need to engage with it as it unfolds,” Bloch-Johnson said.
To support these new offerings, the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences has expanded its faculty, which has grown from five to eight members. New professors include Andy Kemp, who leads courses in introductory climate science and paleoclimate; Rebecca Jackson, a physical oceanographer focusing on glacial melt and ocean circulation; and Bloch-Johnson, an atmospheric scientist specializing in climate modeling and dynamics. Allie Balter Kennedy, an expert on land-based glaciers, is also set to join in the fall of 2025.
Vantongeren highlighted that the expansion of faculty is part of the department’s ongoing commitment to student success. “Our
faculty care a lot about the students [and] working with them to help them reach their goals,” Vantongeren said.
Vantongeren added that the addition of these new faculty members to the department opens up diverse opportunities for students to study earth and climate sciences. “No matter if you’re interested in the climate side or in the earth side, there are lots of projects and opportunities for research associated with our faculty,” she said. The expanded course offerings have sparked enthusiasm among current students in the department. First-year Ellie Wilkins expressed her excitement about the new course offerings and shared why she is drawn to pursue a minor in earth and climate sciences.
TUPIT community gathers to celebrate accomplishments
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leading the effort on criminal justice reform.”
Uyterhoeven similarly spoke about the impact of community organizing within prisons.
“This program really does have this ripple effect,” Uyterhoeven said to the Daily.
“It’s not possible for us to do the work we do without the organizing and fighting for democracy behind the walls that is happening in our prisons.”
“I am considering a minor in Earth and Climate Sciences because I want to learn about the ways in which our climate is impacted by human activity, and the ways in which we can improve the world’s environmental condition,” Wilkins wrote in an electronic message to the Daily. “I think it is important I understand the dynamics and science of the wildlife, nature, natural resources, and geologic structures around me.”
Students interested in exploring these new majors can start by enrolling in introductory courses such as The Dynamic Earth, ECS 1 or ECS 2, or Intro to Climate Science, ECS 3. The department also offers introductory-level courses for non-ECS majors.
“TUPIT was able to get me meaningful employment helping my people with addiction,” Jody Boykins said. “They helped me serve the same communities that broke me at one point. And I would never be able to access the knowledge that that’s even possible without TUPIT, Hilary [and] all the people that are making this possible.”
Sean Ellis, current MyTERN student and the subject of the
The featured speakers of the event were five MyTERN students who spoke about their experiences with the program and the lasting effects of their education.
Netflix documentary series “Trial Four,” spoke about the powerful effects of education.
“It’s important to me that the people in this room know and understand how valuable and important the MyTERN program is,” Ellis said. “Every time I come to class and am able to experience the material in a restorative way, not only is it academically fulfilling, [but] the material — and more so the class — is transformative.”
The final student speaker was Nathan Miksch, who started TUPIT in the same cohort as Delvalle and
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now serves as assistant director of STEPRox Recovery Support Center. Miksch spoke about how his experience in TUPIT helped him learn how to advocate for himself.
“When I went in for the parole board, I had enough confidence and belief [in myself] that I was able to speak truthfully and from the heart to tell these people sitting on that board what I felt I was going to be able to give to the world if I was allowed to leave,” Miksch said.
“And they let me leave.”
In her concluding remarks, Binda asked the audience to invest in TUPIT and announced that the next series of interviews for the program’s fourth student cohort would begin the next morning.
“A major reason that we are gathered tonight is that we are asking for your financial investment in this program. … To continue to do what we do, at the level that we’re doing it, we need to raise $500,000 this year,” Binda said. “We need it now more than ever. Now in a time of incredible uncertainty … in the world, our students are among those who are and will feel the impact most.”
Tufts says it will maintain relationship with Rep. Moulton following his comments on transgender athletes
Maxwell Shoustal Managing Editor
Originally published Nov. 15.
Tufts recently announced that it will maintain its relationship with Rep. Seth Moulton’s office, despite reports indicating that David Art, chair of Tufts’ political science department, severed the university’s ties with the congressman following Moulton’s recent remarks about transgender athletes. Moulton has been involved in Tufts-sponsored events in the past and has worked with the Tufts political science department to provide internship opportunities for students.
The controversy began after the publication of a Nov. 7 New York Times article regarding Democratic lawmakers’ thoughts on why Vice President Kamala Harris lost the 2024 presidential election.
In the article, Moulton criticizes the party’s approach to transgender issues and is quoted as saying, “I have two little girls, I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I’m supposed to be afraid to say that.”
Moulton’s comments quickly came under fire, criticized by some within the Democratic Party as being harmful and offensive.
According to the Boston Globe, shortly after the New York Times article was released, Art contact-
ed Moulton’s office to say that he had “consulted with his colleagues” and decided that the university would no longer facilitate student internship opportunities with his office. Patrick Collins, Tufts’ executive director of media relations, affirmed that Tufts has not cut ties with Moulton’s office.
“We have reached out to Congressman Moulton’s office to clarify that we have not limited--and will not limit--internship opportunities with his office. We remain committed to fostering an inclusive environment that values diverse perspectives, and our Career Center will continue to provide students with a wide range of employment opportunities across the political and ideological spectrum,” Collins wrote in a statement to the Daily in lieu of a comment from Art.
In a separate statement on Friday, Collins wrote, “President Kumar and Congressman Moulton had a productive conversation on Wednesday in which President Kumar clarified that a recent call made to the congressman’s office by a member of our faculty did not represent the views of the university. Tufts will continue to assist all students seeking to work in offices at every level of government and across the political spectrum, as we support our students’ career ambitions regardless of their political ideology, affiliation, or views.”
The university’s decision to maintain ties with Moulton has sparked campus discussion about whether Tufts has the authority to regulate students’ ability to intern with certain politicians.
For Eitan Hersh, professor of political science, the answer is no. According to Hersh, Art never consulted with the political science department prior to allegedly contacting Moulton’s office to cut off ties.
“Our department has not had any meetings to discuss internships. We certainly never agreed to have a litmus test like this for internships. And I would personally oppose such a litmus test,” he wrote in a statement to the Daily. “I’d help my students seek an internship with any Member of Congress regardless of their personal beliefs or policy positions.”
Senior Cam Kooken, who identifies as transgender and resides in Massachusetts’ 6th congressional district — which is represented by Moulton — was critical of Moulton’s comments.
“He’s not getting backlash because people are trying to ‘cancel’ him because he’s not … ‘woke’ enough. I think they’re trying to cancel him because he is taking a stance on this controversial issue that is at best, misinformed, and at worst, hateful,” Kooken said. “That is not the kind of person that I
personally want representing my interests in Congress.”
Kooken said he felt conflicted about the university’s decision to maintain its relationship with Moulton’s office.
“It puts the university in a bad position where they have to either stand by … Art and say, ‘Hey, we’re actually not offering internships with Seth Moulton anymore,’ which alienates one side of the issue, or to come out and say that, ‘Hey, regurgitating these kind of harmful trans talking points, anti-trans talking points, is not a deal breaker for Tufts University,’ which is probably the easier thing for them to say,” Kooken said. “But as a trans student of Tufts University, it kind of leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”
Senior Samuel Ben-Ur, the editor-in-chief of the Tufts Tribune — which describes itself as committed to promoting free expression on campus — said that the Tribune agrees with the university’s decision to maintain ties with Moulton.
“We like the statement that [the university] had,” Ben-Ur said. “Our take on this issue, whatever the situation is, is we just believe foundationally that students should be able to apply and seek employment wherever they want to, and that they shouldn’t be limited in their opportunities by Tufts based on political ideology.”
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated to include a later statement from Patrick Collins.
VIA FLICKR
Rep. Seth Moulton speaks at a 2022 panel on the pandemic economy in Switzerland.
Red state students navigate post-election politics, belonging at Tufts
winning the presidential election before the results came out.
This year’s election granted Republicans leadership over the presidency and both chambers of Congress. However, a majority of Tufts students reside in blue states, where most residents voted for candidates from the Democratic Party. Students from red states, who will experience more policy changes amid a Republican sweep of the federal government, hold a smaller space on campus. Three Tufts students from different red states — Ashton Dudley, Alice Estrada and Clare Eddy — discussed their post-election reflections, their varying conservative cultures and how their home states affect their place in the Tufts community.
All three students expressed that their left-leaning views led to negative emotions in the wake of national elections.
“I was less sad and more just a little angry,” Dudley, a senior from outside of Birmingham, Ala. said. “I’m kind of fearful of what’s going to happen to people at home.”
Eddy, a sophomore from Jackson Hole, Wyo., agreed and added that she did not find the Republican victory unexpected.
“I don’t want to say that I’m surprised about the results of the general election, but I’m just kind of disappointed because there was a lot of potential for change,” she said.
Estrada, a junior from Miami, Fla., said that she had been optimistic about Vice President Kamala Harris’s prospects of
Dudley agreed with this sentiment, describing the skewed perspectives of the Tufts community.
“I think that being here is definitely like a bubble,” Dudley said. “It’s very true that, when we were all surrounded by people who thought the election was going to go one way or were hopeful that it would go that way, I think that we forget that a large portion of the country does not think the way that the Tufts community does.”
This disproportionate set of views even expands to the area surrounding Tufts, according to Eddy.
“You walk to Davis Square and you see like every other house having a ‘Harris/Walz’ sign and it gave me a glimmer of hope that I don’t think I would have had, necessarily, if I were at home because … there [are] a lot more conservative people [there],” she said.
Despite the disappointment Eddy felt from the election results, she expressed her gratitude for being present in Massachusetts and on a campus that provides access to services such as abortion, a contested issue in Wyoming.
With Miami being in a red county, Estrada noted that being at Tufts instead of at home allows her to more fully express her emotions about election outcomes, especially since many members of her family hold conservative viewpoints.
“[Home is] not a very safe space to be sad about the election,” she said.
Along with Estrada, Eddy and Dudley are from households with members that hold opposing political views from them. With holiday breaks fast approaching, these students hold mixed stances on whether they will breach the conversation of politics with their conservative family members.
Since some of Dudley’s family is conservative, she said she would not get into political arguments with them because it may lead to her feeling ostracized.
“I don’t want to be like the annoying ‘liberal snowflake’ at family gatherings,” she said.
On the other hand, Estrada already anticipates family arguments will occur when she goes home for Thanksgiving break.
While Eddy has a stepfather who holds conservative views, she noted that their conversations are usually productive because they listen to one another, which is something she said she believes is often lost in political conversations.
Eddy felt differently when it came to people that she follows on social media from home who posted positive reactions to the election results. She said that she had “no inclination” to respond to their posts and “cause discourse” where there otherwise wouldn’t be.
“I don’t like to stir the pot,” Eddy said.
Although Eddy, Estrada and Dudley will all go back to relatively conservative households, their communities and states as a whole differ vastly from one another.
Estrada attributed the city’s red tilt to Miami’s large Cuban population and older residents.
“It’s a bunch of elderly people that escaped communism [in Cuba],” she said.
Eddy is from Teton, the only blue county in all of Wyoming, so she knows people of many different political standings. She has, however, seen what Wyoming’s conservative culture is like while traveling through the state’s 22 other counties.
She said Wyoming’s form of conservatism stems from many factors: people’s desire to own guns for property protection or hunting, the large oil drilling industry, which produces jobs for Wyoming residents, and religion.
Similarly, Dudley said that in Alabama, religion could have been a driving factor for people to vote for President-elect Donald Trump due to his campaign marketing.
“People who are very religious will be drawn to that kind of advertising because it’s kind of similar messaging,” she said.
Dudley also detailed the prevalence of conservatism in her state and said that Alabama residents resonate with Republican officials more because they often promote smaller or state government over the federal government.
“I think that [conservative culture is] pretty deeply bred into the fabric of Alabama,” she said. “The people of Alabama, largely working class, … feel like they’ve been disenfranchised by the institution of the American government.”
Though Dudley does not agree with the views of Republicans in her state, she underscored the value of understanding why people vote the way they do. She believes that Alabama, as well as other red states, should not be deemed lost to liberal values and, to create progressive change, the South needs support.
“I think people who are really liberal leaning are always trying to be more empathetic and open themselves up to hearing different voices and opinions,” Dudley said. “I think that a large part of that empathy needs to extend to people in the American South.”
These students have found ways to keep their connection to home alive at Tufts. Estrada noted the friendships that she has made with other Tufts students from Miami.
“We relate a lot to each other, … so I feel like we have a community,” she said.
In addition to finding community, Dudley is writing her senior thesis on art from her home state in order to show pride in her culture.
Eddy has not purposely tried to connect with people from red states but is glad to know that there are people on campus that she can relate to if needed.
She noted her thankfulness for having lived in both a red and blue state because she has gotten to experience many different political views.
“It was a very interesting dichotomy to experience and frankly, I’m grateful that I have a multitude of perspectives in my life,” Eddy said.
Dylan Fee
Assistant Features Editor
GRAPHIC BY ELLORA ONION-DE
Medford, Somerville local history: Remnants of the Revolutionary War preserved near Tufts
Arielle Flaherty Assistant Features Editor
On Sept. 1, 1774, a critical event transpired just minutes from the Tufts MedfordSomerville Campus — an event that some argue altered the course of United States history. British soldiers’ seizure of gunpowder from the powder house in Somerville sparked a false alarm that the Revolutionary War had started. Ultimately, this false alarm was a crucial turning point and contributed toward the formation of the Minuteman soldiers and the Battle of Lexington and Concord.
Daniel Breen, associate professor of the practice of legal studies at Brandeis University, explained the causes and consequential aftermath of the Powder Alarm. General Thomas Gage, commander of British forces in North America who became Massachusetts governor, was losing his grip with only a couple thousand troops in the Boston area. Colonists were becoming increasingly rebellious despite a series of new laws passed to prevent colonists from organizing. To maintain control, General Gage planned to remove access to gunpowder from local towns.
Breen highlighted the details of the plan.
“[In] the early hours of Sept. 1, 1774, 250-odd British troops got in boats, went into the Mystic River silently in the early hours of the morning and then marched towards the powder house,” he said.
Despite General Gage’s attempts to maintain control, the British seizure of gunpowder did just the opposite — it led to massive unrest.
“The problem was, the next day when people began to find out about this, rumors circulated everywhere around Boston. A lot of people thought the Revolution had begun, … rumor flew without any basis in fact,” Breen explained.
Despite the Powder Alarm’s historical significance, it is often forgotten and overshadowed by larger military battles that took place nearby. Recent local events have attempted to bring forth this important piece of local history, partly inspired by the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War. Grace Bryan, historic events manager at the Somerville Museum, helped organize a community event on Sept. 1 of this year which celebrated the 250th anniversary of the Powder Alarm.
Around 300 people attended a reenactment in Powderhouse Park, which brought together both those who happened upon the event and history fanatics who had traveled from other parts of the state to attend.
“We had people come in and dress up as British soldiers, march in [and] do a reenactment. … We also had kids activities. We had some folks come in and do demos of authentic 18th century candle making, 18th century weaving [and] 18th century music, … really making that connection between our present day life and what life might have been like,” Bryan said.
Bryan expanded on the museum’s goals for sharing this local history with the public.
“It is kind of [the museum’s] responsibility to share this history. This is something really significant that happened in this area,” she said. “I think another major goal is just getting Somerville on the map.”
Breen, who collaborated with Bryan to ensure the event was historically accurate, shared his thoughts about the importance of local history and recognizing those who came before us.
“I like to think it doesn’t have to be any more complicated than it may provoke a certain lifting of the heart,” Breen said. “It can make us want to do better, and it can even, at the very least, give us a sense of attachment, a
sense that we’re not just isolated beings in a randomly selected geographic area.”
Teagan Mustone, a sophomore at Tufts and a lifelong Medford resident, emphasized how learning about local history has impacted how she thinks about the world and approaches her studies. Growing up, Mustone volunteered at the Royall House and Slave Quarters, which was once home to the largest slaveholding family in Massachusetts and now operates as a museum. This experience has helped her think critically about the world.
“Whose history are we preserving? Whose history do we value? I think that specific mission [of the museum] has changed a lot about how I think about things outside of Medford,” Mustone said.
Mustone also explained how embracing local history has the power to shape Tufts students’ experiences.
“[Local history] shows you that your positionality as a Tufts student is not just the four years you’re here, but it also goes back hundreds of years from when Tufts was founded on land that was once a plantation. As a Tufts student, you kind of carry that with you, even if you don’t know it,” she said.
At the Somerville Museum, Bryan also pointed out how she is looking to expand future programming to include often forgotten voices. With new funding from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, a future exhibit celebrating the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution will highlight the voices of the Indigenous and Black populations.
In the meantime, there are various ways that Tufts students and community members have become involved with the efforts of local organizations like the Somerville Museum. The museum sponsored a table at a Tufts
Community Day in September. Bryan also explained that Tufts’ JumboCode, a student organization that makes apps for nonprofits, is supporting the Somerville Museum with a technology project.
“We’re a small community museum, and any sort of partnerships with student organizations, whether that’s just individual volunteers or something like JumboCode, we are all ears. We’re actively looking for new opportunities to get involved with Tufts,” Bryan said.
There are opportunities for students to casually learn about local history as well. Breen and others are working on a tour of significant places in Medford and Somerville that is set to include Powder House Park as well as sites near Porter Square and Union Square, among other attractions. Other surprising connections that exist between Tufts and Revolutionary history will also be included on the map of Somerville.
“Adjacent to the Porter Square Shopping Center was a skirmish during the British retreat from Concord. In fact, it was one of the heaviest engagements of the entire retreat, and it was at the house of one of the members of the Tufts family — Timothy Tufts,” Breen explained.
The museum is also looking to bring trolley tours, similar to those seen around Boston, to Somerville.
Even though most Tufts students are only on and around campus for four years, ample opportunities exist for connecting with local history — whether that be through visiting the Somerville Museum or Royall House and Slave Quarters or simply going for a walk through Powderhouse Park.
Breen summed up engaging with the history around us as such: “There’s a long story behind this,” he said. “And we’re part of it.”
IBlossom
s life moving too fast and you don’t know if you can keep up? Stop and smell the roses with me as I review this week’s Sink-nature drink: The Blossom.
The name “Blossom” brings to mind a bouquet of ideas. For one, it reminds me of my favorite season, where the days are getting longer rather than shorter, rain falls instead of snow and wildflowers take the place of fallen leaves. If you didn’t get it from all of that, it’s the season that Flo Rida once graced our presence with a not so dazzling 20-minute set in.
Additionally, the word “Blossom” reminds me of new adventures. There’s beauty in starting over, even when it may not be easy. Whether it’s through spring semester classes, a fresh set of friends or an atypical Sink order, the possibility of discovering something or someone you love is worth it.
The Sink was flourishing on Monday night and the ambient sounds of “Aquamarine” by Addison Rae were buzzing in the background. This lovely harmony made up for the 17 minutes and 32 seconds it took to make my drinks this week as well as the fact that the only milk they had was skim.
Upon first sip, the iced Blossom made me feel like a rabbit rustling through a garden, hopping on light feet to get a taste of a rose — one of their favorite flowery treats. The vanilla offered the perfect amount of sweetness to cut through the floral flavor; but the earthy undertones of the vanilla were unable to shine through, almost as if the rabbit jumped to a high rose petal, one that was not touched by the soil beneath it. While the Blossom is technically a latte, the only indication of that came from the tummy ache it gave me, as that distinct bitter taste was undetectable in this drink.
Shifting to the hot drink, the first thing I noticed was a strong scent, bringing me back to eighth grade semi-formal when my ‘boyfriend’ gave me a rose and asked me to slow dance to “Piano Man” by Billy Joel. After tasting the hot Blossom, “A Kiss from a Rose” by Seal would be a better fit for the drink, given the richness in flavor. Unlike the iced version, the sweet and earthy tastes of the vanilla both came through and the rose gave the warm concoction more of an herbal feel.
For both versions, the skim milk neither added to nor took away from the flavor profile of the drinks. Specifically in the iced Blossom, if the milk were different it may have stolen the spotlight from the already subtle tastes of this drink. The Blossom made me realize that rose was the flavor I never knew I needed. But, if you want a distinct vanilla taste as well, go for the hot version. The iced is perfect if you want a taste of spring at any time of the year.
Always brewing the best reviews, Dylan Fee
STELLA JEONG / THE TUFTS DAILY
The Old Powder House is pictured on Sunday.
ARTS & POP CULTURE
Two young conductors will soon take the stage at Symphony Hall
exceed what you thought were your own capabilities.”
“It’s so close, and it very much feels like a family,” Collins said.
poser, the core, the musician and the audience. You have to connect everything.”
attribute much of their passion and success to exposure to the arts from a young age.
Ross Jamie Collins and Na’Zir McFadden spent 8 ½ weeks in the intensive 2024 Tanglewood Music Center fellowship for conducting this past summer. On Nov. 29, they will both make their Symphony Hall debuts conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Two of the program’s four pieces, Jean Sibelius’ Symphony No. 7 and Edvard Grieg’s Piano Concerto, will be conducted by the BSO’s Music Director, Andris Nelsons. Collins and McFadden will also each get the opportunity to conduct a piece of their own — Sibelius’ “Finlandia” and Grieg’s “Holberg Suite,” respectively — as Symphony Hall premieres to cap off their Tanglewood fellowship experience.
Founded in 1940, the TMC is known worldwide for its intensive summer training fellowships. The 2024 conducting fellows said they spent their summer immersed in master classes and rehearsals with the TMC Orchestra.
The two fellows said the experience was an exceedingly rewarding one, as the program was intense yet inspiring.
“It not only taught me how to become a better musician and a better conductor, but also how to be more efficient as a professional,” McFadden said.
“How to manage your schedule, to manage your sleep, manage the social time and still perform at the highest level possible to
“And with the conducting program just being Na’Zir and me, just two people, it feels very personalized, the kind of teaching experience we get.”
Much of the conducting fellowship consisted of individually-focused training and practice, but Collins said the fellows came together with the rest of the TMC for fun festival-wide events like the annual Opening Ceremony and the “Tangolympics.”
The fellows perfected their craft alongside well-seasoned professionals — namely, conductor Andris Nelsons. Entering his 11th season as Music Director of the BSO, Nelsons has not only mastered the art of conducting but also the teaching of his craft to up-and-coming professionals like 23-year-old Collins and 24-year-old McFadden.
“It’s totally a ‘eureka’ moment every time he fixes something or corrects something or advises,” Collins said about Nelsons’ demonstrations during TMC orchestra rehearsals.
“One of the most informing and maybe transformative things that I’ve learned and have changed in my conducting is how to let the music be free, and how to be vulnerable on the podium through your gestures,” McFadden said in regards to his mentorship from Nelsons, who he called a “superstar.” “You have to be the conduit between the com -
Collins and McFadden will take their Tanglewood skills to the stage in a Symphony Hall program on Nov. 29 and 30 alongside Nelsons himself. The young fellows say they have been excitedly preparing for the collaboration with the BSO and their own Symphony Hall debuts.
Collins has found a special personal connection with the “very Scandinavian” program.
“It’s a program that obviously very much resonates with me being half Finnish,” he said. “It’s a very wholesome kind of moment for me to do Finlandia with an orchestra like the Boston Symphony. The … preparation for this has been very, very joyful, and I’m just excited more than anything else.”
“I don’t typically get nervous for the music, because I trust myself, I trust the musicians and I trust the music,” McFadden said. “If anything, I’m more excited, and I am grateful to have this opportunity to conduct the Boston Symphony Orchestra. I think it’s one of the greatest orchestras in the world, maybe one of the greatest art institutions in the world. … I am just proud, and once again, feel grateful that they felt something in me, and want to have me there.”
McFadden also commended the BSO’s “commitment to music education and ushering in the next generation of artists,” a notion that resonates strongly with both him and Collins, who
“Many of my family played in the church ensemble, so I remember going to rehearsals from a very early age, and I used to sit in the back of the church, and throughout the rehearsal, I would sneak pew to pew just to get closer to the music,” McFadden said. “I remember being just infatuated with the conductor and the way that the person was able to embody the music.”
McFadden said he also played the clarinet, but knew from his early days in the church that conducting was his ultimate goal. Now, that boy in the pews holds a position as the Assistant Conductor and Phillip & Lauren Fisher Community Ambassador of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.
Collins explained that both of his parents are violin makers. He was also first introduced to conducting at a young age, when Finnish conductor and cellist Klaus Mäkelä came to the shop for instrument repairs.
“Whilst we were fixing his cello, he kind of gave me the basics on how to wave my arms and do the Harry Potter stuff because I thought that would be interesting and that looked fun,” Collins said.
Collins gives credit to Mäkelä and his teacher, Finnish conductor and composer Jorma Panula, for their support and guidance. The career that he says began because of their mentorship
has brought, and continues to bring, Collins to international engagements in cities such as Los Angeles, Taipei, Helsinki and now Boston.
As young professionals coming into their careers as conductors, Collins and McFadden spoke on the underappreciation of and lack of advocacy for classical music for future generations.
“I hate this phrase that classical music is ‘dying’ because it is so untrue; … it’s not dying, it’s evolving,” McFadden said. Collins echoed a similar sentiment, saying that, “the limits for what classical music can do are basically endless.”
“I would encourage people, of any age, if they haven’t heard a symphony orchestra before, to try it, to take that first step and be active,” Collins said. “Buy a cheap ticket, sit somewhere in the back. And then, you know, it could change your whole life.”
In recent years, the BSO has been a pillar of advocacy for the arts for younger audiences and musicians. They have launched initiatives like the BSO Youth Concerts and the Bridge to Equity and Achievement in Music.
Noting his background as “an inner city kid” from Philadelphia, McFadden emphasized the importance of such advocacy and representation of classical music.
“It’s not just for the elite, it’s for everyone,” he said. “And if you don’t believe it, come in our doors and let us show you and tell you differently.”
COURTESY BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Maya Godard Staff Writer
TUSC hosts second annual ‘Riff-Off’
Erin Zhu Executive Arts Editor
The Riff-Off returned for a sequel this past Friday as Tufts’ a cappella groups once again vied for the top spot at the musical competition.
This is the second Riff-Off that the Tufts University Student Collective has organized, with the first taking place in late November of last year at Breed Memorial Hall. This year, the event was held in Cohen Auditorium at the Aidekman Arts Center, with 10 on-campus a cappella groups taking the stage: Full Sound, Jackson Jills, Beelzebubs, S-Factor, Amalgamates, sQ!, Shir Appeal, Low-Keys, Ladies of Essence and Enchanted.
As with the customary “Pitch Perfect” Riff-Off format, the event was divided into several rounds in which the event’s presenters would provide a series of randomly selected themes. The groups would then perform songs relevant to that theme.
For the first prompt, “One-Hit Wonders,” Tufts’ Full Sound — an a cappella group specializing in Asian music — rushed onstage to perform Psy’s viral K-pop hit “Gangnam Style,” a performance that was met with warm laughter and applause. The Beelzebubs — the all-male a cappella group who famously served as inspiration for the Treblemakers in “Pitch Perfect” — followed closely behind in their signature red and black with We the King’s “Check Yes, Juliet.” The prompt closed with a performance from the Jackson Jills, Tufts’ oldest all-femme a cappella group, who stepped forward to perform Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know.”
The second category, “Songs about Weather,” saw a performance of “We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from the movie “Encanto” by Enchanted, an a cappella group specializing in arrangements of Disney music and tracks from other childhood media. Donning white shirts and jeans with a red rose in each hand, S-Factor — Tufts’s all-male a cappella group specializing in music from the African diaspora — crooned New Edition’s R&B track “Can You Stand the Rain.” The Low-Keys — an all-gender, non-audition a cappella group — performed the 1926 song “Blue Skies” by American composer Irving Berlin, famously covered by jazz legends such as Thelonious Monk, Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra. The category was closed off with The Weather Girls’ 1980s dance hit “It’s Raining Men,” performed by the all-gender a cappella group, sQ!
The next category was “Songs by Canceled Artists,” starting with the Amalgamates’ performance of “Don’t Speak” by Gwen Stefani’s rock band, No Doubt. The Amalgamates were followed by S-Factor, who sang Sean Kingston’s “Beautiful Girls.” The group ornamented their vocal performance with vivid storytelling through dance, inviting a young woman on stage to dance alongside them while the lead singer held, once again, a red rose.
The Amalgamates performed the unexpected pop hit “Diet Pepsi” by TikTok star Addison Rae for the category “Songs About Drinks” while Enchanted performed “Le Festin” from the well-loved Pixar film “Ratatouille.” Next, Shir Appeal, Tufts’ mixed-gender Jewish a cappella group, stepped forward to perform Noah
Kahan’s “All My Love.” The category was concluded by Ladies of Essence, Tufts’ all-femme a cappella group specializing in music from the African diaspora, who sang Beyoncé’s 2013 hit “Drunk in Love.”
In honor of the franchise that inspired the event, the second-to-last category invited groups on stage to perform “Songs About Butts.” The Beelzebubs jumped at the opportunity to sing American rapper, and 2023 Spring-Fling headliner, Flo Rida’s “Right Round” with the added flair of pseudo-pole-dancing choreography. The Jackson Jills closed out the category with Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass,” beginning their performance by stepping on stage in line formation and promptly ripping off their matching green tear-away pants.
The night ended with the category “Songs by One-Named Artists.” The Amalgamates promptly responded by performing 1980s staple “Heart of Glass” by Blondie, and the category was closed off by a rather memorable — and explicit — performance of BTS member Jungkook’s song “Seven” by Full Sound.
As with last year’s Riff-Off, audience members were invited to cast their votes for the winner by scanning a QR code projected onto the stage screen. After five minutes, the results were read out loud: S-Factor claimed third place, the Jackson Jills claimed second and for the second year in a row, the Ladies of Essence claimed gold.
An outstanding celebration of Tufts University’s crown jewel, Friday’s Riff-Off demonstrated once again that the craving for a cappella among its students remains very much alive.
Your new holiday favorite
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for “Red One.”
What do you get when you have an evil Christmas witch kidnap Santa Claus (nicknamed “Red One”) on Christmas Eve so that a Santa Claus Enforcement Logistics and Fortification operative and a hacker have to save Christmas? Movie magic.
“Red One” is the newest movie about saving Christmas for all the boys and girls in the world. The only difference? This one is completely unhinged. From the plot to the action to the dialogue, “Red One” goes completely off the rails before you can even make a dent in your popcorn.
The film begins as Cal, played by Dwayne Johnson, prepares for retirement after centuries as head commander of Santa Claus’s Enforcement Logistics and Fortification, or E.L.F., security and bringing Christmas cheer to the world. However, after a very ripped Santa, played by J.K. Simmons, is kidnapped on Christmas Eve and the E.L.F. Unit is completely hijacked, Cal has to team up with hacker Jack, played by Chris Evans, to save the holiday with aid from the Mythological Oversight and Restoration Authority. Even more insane is the villain behind it all: Gryla the Christmas Witch, played by Kiernan Shipka, who traps naughty children in magical snow globes.
Much like your generic Christmas movie, “Red One” focuses on spreading the holiday cheer, although it seems to specifically draw on the point of being a bit nicer today than you were yesterday. Throughout the film, the Christmas saints and villains debate the best way to deal with the naughty, and by the end, we land on a very interesting message: Being nice can help set your inner child free. Perhaps not the most inspiring lesson to learn, but regardless, the film wraps up well. Although the plot is generic and even overdone, the comedy brought to this film makes it a soon-to-be classic. “Red One” fits the over-the-top, action blockbuster formula perfectly with its cheesy dialogue and insane CGI choices. For a good chunk of the movie, you can almost convince yourself you’re watching a Marvel holiday special — in a good way. Between trying to teach Evan’s character, Jack, what it means to be nice and teleporting around the world, the film uses a bit of holiday imagination to keep you fully invested for the full two hours.
At the end of the day, “Red One” is a clear Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson action-comedy, but with aid from Simmons, Evans, Shipka and a bit of holiday spirit, “Red One” is a joyride. While it most likely will not be taking home any Oscars this awards season, it is two hours of fun. So, if you’re looking for a new holiday favorite or an insane movie to watch with friends and family, be sure to check out “Red One” this holiday season.
“Red One” is now playing in theaters.
STELLA JEONG / THE TUFTS DAILY
Members of sQ! are pictured at the Riff-Off in Cohen Auditorium on Friday.
Late Night At The Daily
Josué: “Bing Bong did not die just to be called ‘Bimbo’ by Matthew Sage.”
HOROSCOPE
Crossword by Claire Wood
Mini Crossword by Grayton Goldsmith
OPINION
VIEWPOINT
Speech
is free on college campuses — unless the administration doesn’t like it
Liam Chalfonte Executive Opinion Editor
I vividly remember last semester’s protests. I remember the encampment first appearing on the Academic Quad in early April just as I remember the messy aftermath of the Tufts Community Union Senate resolution votes. But most of all, I remember the chill in the air that came after Tufts’ administration first threatened to send in police to arrest the protestors — that icy April night on the eve of finals, being filled in my bones with the fear that many of my classmates would be leaving our campus in the back of cop cars.
This fear was actualized at colleges around the country, from protestors being swarmed by hundreds of police officers at California State Polytechnic University Humboldt to the blood left drying on the cobblestoned alley on Emerson College’s campus. I am not here to relitigate the ethics of each group’s position on the conflict, but I am here to condemn the response to what has been — despite notable exceptions — a largely peaceful protest movement, by politicians and college administrators who have sought to escalate conflict and attack innocent students under the guise of being the keepers of the peace.
While it is easy to see these atrocities as a series of individual struggles between students and their respective colleges, further analysis reveals the way that Columbia University’s decision to arrest their students gave other colleges implicit permission to follow suit, and how political actors helped to pressure certain colleges into arresting their own students.
The arrests began on April 18, when Minouche Shafik, then the President of Columbia who stepped down in the wake of the protests, made the fateful determination that the to-that-point peaceful protests were a “clear and present danger” and called in the New York Police Department to arrest students. These students were arrested for “trespassing” on their own campus and faced suspension for their actions.
Columbia’s actions sparked a two-fold response: a growth in the number of college encampments around the U.S. and a mushrooming in the number of arrests. Columbia had set a precedent — it was okay for colleges to arrest peaceful protestors. In this regard, Columbia’s status as an Ivy League school is not to be dismissed, especially given the perception of these schools as elite leaders.
Then, on April 22, 180 people were arrested across Yale University and New York University, including about 20 faculty members at the latter. In response to the NYU arrests, New York City Mayor Eric Adams called the protestors inflammatory and began to sow conspiratorial narratives around the protests, saying, “Why is everybody’s tent the same? Was there a fire sale on those tents? There’s some organizing going on.” Adams’ fear mongering sounds ridiculous — hopefully there’s some organizing going on in any given protest — but it foreshadowed a much darker and vengeful attitude towards protestors that Adams would show in the coming days.
Over the course of the week and a half following the NYU and Yale arrests, more colleges followed Columbia’s lead, with almost 1,500 people being arrested by the end of April. At this point, the influence of the growing political consensus around arresting students was becoming clear. One of the main perpetrators of this narrative was Adams, who met with numerous university leaders in order to convince them to arrest students, spewing fear-mongering and hypocritical language. On the night of May 1, Adams had finally convinced university leaders to send in police, who arrested 300 people across three college campuses in New York City. In the aftermath, Adams continued to push the narrative that any escalations were due to “outside agitators,” but when pressed to give breakdowns in the arrest numbers, Adams responded with a completely nonsensical analogy: “If you have one bad professor educating 30, 40, 50 college students with inappropriate actions, you don’t need 50 bad professors speaking to 50 students.” Adams was not the only politician to target students in New York City at the time. On April 29, 21 Democratic politicians signed an open letter to Columbia pressuring them to arrest student protestors on their campus, saying, “After nearly a week of negotiations, it is now abundantly clear that the students and activists entrenched on campus are unwilling to enter into a reasonable agreement to disband, which is necessary to bring the university into compliance with Title VI.” This statement gave the school explicit permission for their actions, while undermining the discussions that were going on between students and the university. We should be concerned that so many of our leaders are willing to call for the arrests of students,
including Democratic leaders such as Senator-elect Adam Schiff.
Peaceful protestors at schools around the country saw hundreds of arrests in the days following, each with their own unique stories tied together by a common string of indignant administrations and police abuse. At Yale, on May 1, four people were arrested, one of whom was violently choked even as onlookers told the police that the arrestee could not breath, another of whom was arrested even after stating their intent to disperse. At the State University of New York, New Paltz, over 120 current and former faculty and staff signed a letter calling the police response a “brutal infringement of First Amendment freedoms” in the aftermath of 132 arrests on the night of May 2. The sheriff claimed officers had acted properly, despite the fact that they arrived after students had taken down their encampment ahead of the administration’s deadline, and despite a video showing police jabbing students with batons.
What did all of this mean for us here at Tufts? Thankfully, there was no police raid or arrests on our campus. But when examining the larger context, it is likely that our administration was nevertheless influenced by events around the country. Perhaps most telling is the night the university issued its trespass order: April 30 — amid mass arrests country-wide and a political consensus circling around arresting students. The universi-
ty followed the playbook to a tee: issuing a no trespass order and threatening to remove student protesters with a heavy hand. On May 3, the encampment at Tufts was taken down; over 1,000 arrests were made around the country between the time the university issued the no trespass order and the encampment breaking down.
Understandably, the protestors issued a statement that, “Rather than take a bad faith deal that would forfeit our right to organize — and our values — we chose to walk away from this offer to maintain the integrity of the struggle for Palestinian liberation.”
This semester has proven to be a quieter one on Tufts campus — almost an eerie calm following a devastating storm. This has been due in part to a behindthe-scenes crackdown by the Tufts administration on the Students for Justice in Palestine, who have now been suspended as an organization until 2027. Not only has the university targeted the protestors, but they have targeted the means of protest. On August 22, the school released a new set of time, place and manner guidelines, which was clearly crafted in reaction to last year’s protests; prohibiting protests in virtually any indoor location and threatening to arrest anyone involved in an overnight demonstration. If people are restricted even on where they can put posters, is it still a protest? Part of the point of protest is disobedi-
ence; it comes with breaking rules and disturbing the peace.
This information can feel overwhelming and insurmountable. If students can’t even stand up to their administrations without being arrested, how can they fight political consensuses and Ivy League-set precedence? For one, many students can keep doing exactly what they have been doing: peacefully protesting in the face of university scorn. But beyond this, we can keep our politicians accountable for their double standards and callous attitudes towards student protestors. We can vote figures like Adams and Schiff out of office, and email the offices of our representatives to tell them to support peaceful protests.
As for Tufts, we can all join together in demanding that the university revert their time, place and manner rules, stop targeting student organizations and change their attitudes towards protest. You may not agree with the current protests — you may even vehemently oppose them — and yet, it is important to recognize that everyone has a right to protest. When it comes your turn, you will want to be at a school where the administration listens to your issues and does not punish you for making your voice heard. Tufts talks a big game about being supportive of student activism; it’s time to hold them to their word.
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The Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Columbia University is pictured on April 21.
VIEWPOINT
The collegiate intersection of AI and the downfall of long-form literature
Although it seems to be the argumentative equivalent of spilling a glass of water into the Pacific with the goal of flooding Sydney, I’m voicing my concern for the humanities in the ever-expanding face of artificial intelligence. The arguments against AI’s encroachment in academic settings, though prolific, have done nothing to mitigate it. A similar source of adversity facing English departments in particular, is the growing inability of college students to read long-form literature. Note my usage of the word inability; students are not expressing boredom or a lack of time in response to being assigned novels, but rather a complete inability to read them.
With the increasing presence of AI and its ability to both summarize and analyze literature, combined with the simultaneous abetment of students’ attention spans, there exists the danger of a positive feedback loop to propel students down a steep spiral of ineptitude. AI, becoming more advanced in nature each day, supplements students’ decreasing attention spans by giving them the tools to supplant their readings. Thus, the coffin of students reading long-term literature seems all but nailed. There is, however,
a mutually beneficial solution that can be feasibly achieved should anti-AI purists raise their heads out of the sand and face the artificially generated music.
As it stands, the syllabi in my English classes generally say the following in regards to AI use: Students are not allowed to use any generative artificial intelligence tools, e.g. ChatGPT, at any stages of the work process, including preliminary ones.
The message is clear: AI, in any capacity, is forbidden. By extension, the use of AI in any fashion, even one that doesn’t necessarily replace individual thought and analysis of texts, is cheating.
This stipulation ignores the many areas where AI can prove ultimately beneficial.
One domain that I have found generative AI to be useful is grammar. Google Docs’ spelling and grammar check only scans for blatant violations of standard grammar rules and offers direct replacements. This service, which is permitted for use, only fosters learning in the field of pressing buttons and using Google Docs.
More complex aspects of grammar tend to fall under the radar. One specific area to which I pay particular attention is the passive and active voice, something that is not typically flagged by grammar checks. In instances where AI is not completely disallowed, services that
read my paper and highlight areas of the passive voice have been incredibly useful.
Unlike Google Docs, they do not offer to fix my problem for me. The onus for correction is placed upon the writer, something that promotes real learning in how to identify the passive voice, and experiential learning in how to fix it.
Since I have experienced a significant overlap between classes that ban AI and classes that explicitly do not grade from grammatical acuity, I believe services like the ones that scan for the passive voice could be of great help to students who are struggling to articulate their thoughts without the chance of AI directly or indirectly impacting their final letter grade. Students would learn and improve in targeted areas of deficiency without gaining an unfair advantage in areas that are actually graded.
When faced with reading long-form novels, AI has been equally valuable. While generative AI has the propensity to summarize entire texts and subvert reading as a whole, it can also generate tables of contents, provide contextualized definitions for words and antiquated idioms and suggest further reading to better understand the text. None of these actions allow a student to dodge the responsibility of reading and
EDITORIAL
digesting a text, but alternatively provide an essential quality: approachability.
Turning back to the question of the assignment of long-form literature, the approachability of texts as well as the approachability of writing about texts, is paramount to the question of why students are unable to handle novels. Without proper preparation in high school, students are entering college without the necessary tools to sit down and read upwards of 200 pages while still maintaining a sharp eye for analysis and scrutiny. The solution for this isn’t just to force students to read novels anyway, nor is it to strip novels from syllabi either. Rather, professors should provide these students with the
tools to approach these novels with a less intimidated disposition, and one of the most universally advantageous is generative AI.
The question, of course, is whether the floodgates of AI usage can successfully be just opened slightly — no more and no less. It is an unfortunate reality, however, that cheating and the circumventing of work have always been prevalent, a factor that must be weighed when considering the ultimate question: Can AI be effectively integrated into the teaching of literature? Thus, it appears that this latest hypothesis in the American experiment is just that: an experiment. At the end of the day, the variable in question is trust.
Standing up for trans rights: A response to Rep. Seth Moulton
Originally published Nov. 19.
Since Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential election, the Democratic Party has searched for answers to explain Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss.
On Nov. 7, The New York Times published an article analyzing the Democrats’ defeat, in which Congressman Seth Moulton, a Democrat who represents Massachusetts’ 6th congressional district, criticized the party’s stance on transgender rights.
Moulton told the Times, “I have two little girls, I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I’m supposed to be afraid to say that.” Although he has faced backlash for his comments since the article’s publication, Moulton has only doubled down on his embrace of openly hateful, transphobic language. The Congressman has claimed that the backlash to his comments is the result of the Democratic party’s inability to “have discussions about contentious issues that resonate with a lot of voters.”
In the aftermath of these comments, David Art, chair of the Tufts Department of Political Science, called Moulton’s office and threatened to block future student internships with the congressman. Days later, the University released a state -
ment declaring their intentions to continue their work with Moulton’s office. Moulton, of course, couldn’t resist another jab, saying that “[Tufts is] teaching their students that you can’t debate contentious issues. And that’s frightening. That sounds like China.”
As Tufts students, we believe that cutting ties with Moulton’s office is not a suppression of speech. Instead, it is our way of expressing our disgust with Moulton’s brazen scapegoating of an already oppressed community. We must ask Tufts and the Department of Political Science to stand with Professor Art’s decision and end their relationship with Moulton’s office.
With his comments, Moulton is abandoning his previous support of LGBTQ+ rights in favor of pursuing a harmful political narrative that the Republican Party has pushed for years. These political efforts are happening as a part of a larger attack on LGBTQ+ rights — more than 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced across the country this year. Especially amid rising rates of depression and suicide among trans adults and an epidemic of violence against trans individuals, we must do everything we can to support and affirm the trans community, instead of using their lives as political fodder.
Furthermore, Moulton’s argument is inaccurate and hateful
towards the trans community. His word choice depicts trans people as violent impostors, instead of treating them as humans. His comments play into a narrative that overstates the biological differences between people assigned male at birth and those assigned female at birth, which are often weaponized to exclude trans people and undermine their identities.
Additionally, the argument that including trans athletes in sports will take opportunities away from cisgender athletes is ridiculous. In fact, the opposite seems to be true — states that have enacted policies hostile to trans female athletes have seen decreased participation in girls’ sports across the board.
While some politicians have denounced Moulton’s comments, others have defended his statements or stayed quiet. Many politicians, including Moulton’s Democratic colleagues in Massachusetts, have not come out unequivocally against his harmful rhetoric. By legitimizing transphobia, Moulton has given his colleagues permission to stay silent on the issue. We can’t take Democrats’ support of trans rights for granted — instead, we must put pressure on the politicians who represent us and urge them to take action.
In the wake of the election, it’s time for Democrats to stop playing the post-election blame game. Many politicians have
made valid criticisms of the party’s strategy, but Rep. Moulton’s decision to turn his back on his base and scapegoat trans children to win political points is incredibly shameful. The Democratic Party is a broad coalition that should have differences, but they must draw the line at attacks on people’s basic humanity.
So, what can we do to stand up against Moulton and antitrans politicians across the country? First, we can call on Moulton to issue an apology and reaffirm his commitment to LGBTQ+ rights. If you live in Moulton’s district, call his office
or send him an email. We must also ask Moulton’s colleagues to denounce his comments and show their support for LGBTQ+ youth at a time when they desperately need it. Reach out to your legislators, even if you live in a blue district. Finally, we must all continue to support the trans and LGBTQ+ people in our own lives every day. By calling out hateful rhetoric and normalizing acceptance and allyship, we can help undo the damage of Moulton’s rhetoric and work towards a political system rooted in empathy and mutual understanding.
VIA FLICKR
Rep. Seth Moulton is pictured in 2023.
The Editorial Board
Max Lerner Staff Writer
GRAPHIC BY JAYLIN CHO
A game of chance sinks Tufts men’s soccer’s season
Head coach Kyle Dezotell called it the best season he ever had. The record will say 12–0–6, an undefeated season. But after 110 minutes of enthralling play on the frigid terrain of Bello Field Sunday night, the number in the heads of the 2024 men’s soccer team will be 4–3. That was the score by which they lost the penalty shootout to the Buffalo State University Bengals, ending their NCAA campaign two weeks after their NESCAC title hopes were ended the same way by the Bowdoin College Polar Bears.
Before the Jumbos advanced to Sunday’s second round matchup, they defeated the Westfield State University Owls in the round of 64, a game which posed an unexpected challenge. Before the NCAA tournament, the Jumbos were ranked No. 2 in the country according to the NCAA’s Power Index, while the Owls were ranked No. 237.
The Owls put up a strong fight, largely thanks to goalkeeper Luke Theroux, a first team All-MASCAC honoree, who recorded 11 saves, several of the highlight reel variety. His work kept the game scoreless for 54 minutes before the Owls’ second shot on goal was looped over the head of junior goalkeeper Nikola Antic by forward Coleby Andrade, giving the Owls a shocking 1–0 lead.
The Owls were overwhelmed by the Jumbos’ onslaught of attacking chances, with the Jumbos racking up 18 shots in the second half. Eventually, with 21 minutes remaining in the game, first-year midfielder Will Nicholas was able to deliver
his second career goal, evening the score at 1–1. Just three minutes later, graduate student midfielder Liam Gerken recorded his ninth assist of the season off a corner that found the feet of junior defender Mateo Bargagna and put the Jumbos ahead for good.
Sunday night presented a higher quality opponent for Jumbos, as they hosted the Bengals, a squad that defeated the Thomas College Terries 3–0 in the first round. The game started with the Jumbos on the front foot, recording six shots in the first 30 minutes of gameplay. However, with three minutes left in the first half, a pass from graduate student defender Gibson Campbell hit off the back of graduate student defender Max Clivio to Buffalo State midfielder Aney Djadou. Djadou
was able to play it through to forward Diego Rivera, the SUNYAC Huntley Parker Offensive Player of the Year, who beat Antic at the near post to shock the crowd.
At halftime, Dezotell reminded his team that they had trailed at home four times prior and had equalized each time, leading a confident team out of the break. They would turn this confidence into nine shots within 15 minutes. In the 62nd minute, the Jumbos would finally break through. A free kick taken by junior midfielder Daniel Yanez was redirected by senior defender Owen Denby toward Clivio. Clivio chested the ball down, dribbled around two defenders and beat goalie Shae Wirt at his far post to tie the game.
After scoring, the Jumbos continued the offensive onslaught. Four
shots came inches from the Bengals’ goal in three minutes. Gerken was given a chance to win the game with just minutes left but was blocked by the outstretched foot of Buffalo State’s defender Tapiwa Mushonga. With only two minutes left in regulation, sophomore forward Xavier Canfin got a free header off a Yanez corner, which beat the hand of Wirt but not the left post.
When the game moved to sudden-death overtime, the momentum continued. Gerken missed a game-winning free kick by inches before being denied by Wirt off a rebound from Nicholas’ powerful shot. Despite these chances, the Jumbos would only get Clivio’s goal on their 31 shots, sending the 1–1 match to a penalty shootout.
Dezotell sent out four of the five shooters that had taken penalties against the Polar Bears, substituting senior defender Alex Wall for Canfin. In the first round of the shootout, both teams scored before senior defender Taylor Feinberg, whose penalty was saved against Bowdoin. Feinberg would find the same outcome versus Wirt. In the third round, Antic would even the score by denying the Div. III assist leader Manu Prieto in his first career penalty attempt. The advantage would shift back to the Bengals after Yanez sent his penalty off the crossbar. After both sides made their subsequent penalty, the Jumbos’ season would come down to the kick of the Bengals’ captain, midfielder David Wozniak. Wozniak sent the ball into the top left corner of the net, ending the Jumbos’ unbeaten season with Antic rooted to the spot.
After this draw, the Jumbos end their campaign with a record of 12–0–6, only the second undefeated season in the hundred-year history of the program. But in a game “where we were dominating, creating chances,” as sophomore midfielder Bijan Aktharzandi-Das wrote in a message to the Daily, they could not get a win. AktharzandiDas praised the team’s performance but credited the Bengals, writing, “We played a great game, but gotta respect the other team for doing what needed to be doneshowing up in those big moments.”
Unfortunately for the Jumbos, this means the end of college soccer for the Class of 2025, who finished with a total record of 49–9–20, winning a NESCAC title in 2021 and qualifying for the NCAA Tournament all four seasons.
The Fifth-Year Master’s Degree program allows Tufts undergraduates to continue on to a master’s degree with the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences or the School of Engineering after completing their bachelor’s degree.
Students complete all requirements for both degrees. Some graduate coursework will be integrated during the bachelor’s degree, thereby shortening time and financial commitment to the graduate degree.
The deadline to apply is December 15 for seniors (GSAS and
gradadmissions@tufts.edu | 617-627-3395
Benefits of a Fifth-Year Master’s Degree
• Earn your bachelor’s degree and master’s degree together, usually within five years
• GRE scores not required
• Application fee and enrollment deposit are waived
• Only two letters of recommendation are required
• Generous scholarships are available*
The Fifth-Year Master’s Degrees are offered through the following programs:
Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Art Education, BFA/MAT
Biology, BS/MS
Chemistry, BS/MS
Child Study and Human Development, BA/MA Classics, BA/MA
Data Analytics, BA/MS or BS/MS
Economics, BS/MS
Education: Middle and High School, BA/MAT or BS/MAT
Environmental Policy and Planning, BA/MS or BS/MS
Mathematics, BS/MS
Museum Education, BA/MA Music, BA/MA
Philosophy, BA/MA
Sustainability, MA
Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning, BS/MA or BA/MA
School of Engineering
Bioengineering, MS
Biomedical Engineering, BS/MS
Biophotonics, MS
Chemical Engineering, BS/MS
Civil and Environmental Engineering, BS/MS
Computer Engineering, BS/MS
Computer Science, BA/MS or BS/MS
Cybersecurity and Public Policy, MS
Data Science, BS/MS
Dual Degree Program: Tufts Gordon Institute degree + other Engineering degree, MS
Electrical Engineering, BS/MS
Engineering Management, MS
Human Factors Engineering, BS/MS
Human-Robot Interaction, MS
Innovation and Management, MS
Materials Science and Engineering, MS
Mechanical Engineering, BS/MS
Offshore Wind Energy Engineering, MS
Software Systems Development, MS
Technology Management and Leadership, MS
Riley Daniel Staff Writer
COURTESY TUFTS ATHLETICS
Tufts celebrates a goal against Buffalo State University in the NCAA Tournament on Sunday.
Ice hockey starts season with a split
Tara Wirtschoreck
Staff Writer
The Tufts ice hockey team started their season with split results, showcasing both their strengths — particularly their returning offense — and some areas for improvement that the team hopes to clean up this season.
Tufts opened the weekend against Wesleyan on Friday night with a 5–3 win.
“Friday night, we blocked a bunch of shots, and I thought we were loud and super competitive, which is what you need to be,” junior forward Max Resnick said.
The Jumbos pushed a fastpaced game with sophomore forward Jon Horn scoring two goals in the first period. From there, the team didn’t let up. First-year defenseman Bryceon Lago and senior forward Harrison Bazianos each scored a goal in the second period. Horn scored again in the third period, completing a hat trick.
“I think against Wesleyan, we came out pretty hot. We played a ton of offense and our penalty kill was outstanding,” senior forward Tyler Sedlak said.
In this game, Horn scored three goals and had an assist on Lago’s goal.
“Jon Horn, my linemate, had four [goals] in the Wesleyan game. He had a hat trick, so obviously he had a spectacular weekend,” sophomore forward Trace Norwell said.
In their game against No. 4 ranked Trinity on Saturday, Tufts wasn’t able to keep Trinity’s offense at bay. Sedlak explained that though the Jumbos played a strong game, and created opportunities, especially on offense, they made mistakes that cost
them possession too often. Defensive miscues led to scoring opportunities that the Bantams were able to take advantage of.
“I think our main thing is continuing to focus on our defensive zone, and not beating ourselves and giving them chances that they didn’t necessarily make a crazy play for,” Sedlak said. “Limiting those this year is definitely going to be a key.”
excited about the potential of the new first-years, but there’s still room for improvement.
“We have a really good freshman class coming in, and a lot of them will be filling most of our defensive core,” Sedlak said. “We have plenty of good forwards, but it’s just making sure that we’re responsible in the [defensive] zone, and if we give ourselves a chance, then we’re going to win a lot of games.”
“IT SHOWS THAT LAST YEAR WASN’T A FLUKE. WE’RE GOING TO START OFF STRONG, AND WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THE GROWTH AND THE PACE THAT WE HAD LAST YEAR AND HOPEFULLY BRING THAT TO THE NEXT LEVEL THIS YEAR.”
Even though the Jumbos made some mistakes, they still played with offensive speed and scored three goals. Sedlak scored twice and Resnick scored once.
“Even [Saturday], when times probably weren’t going our way, I still thought we fought back and had some good pushes,” Resnick said.
The majority of offensive players from last season are returning from last season, helping bring experience to Tufts hockey.
“We were able to maintain a lot of forwards to come back this year, so I think we have some confidence. We’re shooting the puck, doing the simple things correctly and thankfully, it’s just going in and going our way right now,” Norwell said.
On the other hand, a large portion of their defense is new. Sedlak explained that he’s
In general, the team hopes to focus on making fewer defensive mistakes and giving the opposing team fewer opportunities to score off of a mistake, Resnick explained.
“We have a lot of room to grow, and we have a lot of young [defenders] playing. … Saturday was a good learning point for them, and it’s a long season, so it’s okay to make some mistakes. But we have to build off of it, and I know we’ll be better next week, so I’m excited,” Resnick said.
Another thing that Tufts is hoping to work on is playing a cleaner game in terms of penalties. The Jumbos had eight penalties on Friday and five on Saturday. The Jumbos have a strong penalty kill, but even the best PKs aren’t perfect. Last weekend, Wesleyan scored twice
In the Crease Zachary Gerson
Where things stand in the NHL season
The general consensus around the hockey community is that by Thanksgiving, each team starts to get a sense of who they are. Some teams might see themselves as strong contenders, some might be feeling pressure to up their game and others might be ready to commit to a rebuild. Either way, Thanksgiving is the first chance for hockey fans to get a sense of the standings for the season and how teams are feeling. In this edition of “In the Crease,” we will take a look at the aspects of the standings that stand out the most thus far.
on the power play and Trinity scored once on the power play.
“One thing that we need to do going forward that we did not do well is we need to stay out of the box because we should not be giving them that many chances on the power play,” Sedlak said.
Last year, Tufts made it to the NESCAC championship game but lost to Trinity 4–0. This season, the Jumbos have their eyes set on a NESCAC championship.
“Win a NESCAC. That’s the message from day one. I think we’re good enough, and I think we’ve proved that. We came close last year. So I think it’s kind of the only thing we have our mind on is to just win the NESCAC championship,” Norwell said.
The Jumbos hope to pick up where they left off last season, and Norwell believes that their first two games were the perfect catalyst for continued growth and improvement as a team.
“It shows that last year wasn’t a fluke. We’re going to start off strong, and we’re going to continue with the growth and the pace that we had last year and hopefully bring that to the next level this year,” Norwell said.
Hockey will have their first home games of the season next weekend at Malden Valley Forum, against Middlebury College on Friday and Williams College on Saturday. Resnick explained that despite their broader season goals, Tufts is going to take the season one game at a time, starting with Friday’s matchup with Middlebury.
“Our goal next week is to win the first period on Friday and then win five more throughout the weekend,” Resnick said.
Starting in the Eastern Conference, one team that should immediately catch everyone’s attention is the Washington Capitals. They have had a fantastic start, currently sitting third in the Metropolitan Division with 23 points. Although they made the playoffs last season, most fans viewed this and last season as retool opportunities for the club, thus making their strong start to the season somewhat surprising. In addition to the Capitals, another team with a strong start is the New Jersey Devils. After a rough 2023–24 season, New Jersey currently sits atop the Metropolitan with 26 points.
One more team in the East that stands out, but for unfortunate reasons, is the Montreal Canadiens, who currently sit in last place in the Atlantic Division with 14 points. Nobody expected the Canadiens to be a contending team this season. However, at this point in their rebuild, there should be at least some signs of improvement. Unfortunately, that does not seem to be the case, at least so far.
Moving out to the Western Conference, it’s the Winnipeg Jets that stand out right away, as they’ve had a start for the ages. With a current record of 15–3–0, there is nothing negative that can be said about this team. Nobody ever expects a team, no matter how talented, to have this good of a start, so it has been a surreal sight to observe over the last couple of weeks. The Minnesota Wild — after a mediocre season last year — have also come out firing, sitting in second place in the Central Division with 25 points. It was covered in my last edition, but the Nashville Predators have had the most disappointing start to the season, relative to their expectations. With all the star power and talent they have, the team should definitely not be sitting last in the Central with 13 points. This team needs to get their act together, and they need to do it quickly.
As we approach Thanksgiving, we have a pretty good idea of where things stand in the NHL. Of course, there will be changes to come, but this examination gives a good indication of each team’s relative success.
Zachary Gerson is a sophomore who has yet to declare a major. He can be reached at zachary.gerson@tufts.edu.
Tufts celebrates a goal in a Feb. 24 game against Connecticut College.
