The Tufts Daily

12/11/2024

EDITORIAL | Lane Hall often goes unnoticed, tucked on the northeastern side of the Hill. While currently home to the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences, Lane has an uncertain long-term future as the department is slated to relocate to Bromfield-Pearson Hall and the renovated Bacon Hall. Per Tufts’ Director of Campus Planning, Lane’s “condition will be evaluated to determine whether it should be renovated or potentially demolished to make way for new development.”

At first glance there may not seem like much worth saving in Lane’s windowless classrooms. But the crumbling false ceiling actually hides a giant skylight — those cubes of glass visible from the building exterior. We can restore Lane’s distinctive feature and let an underrated era of Tufts’ architectural history shine through.

The Editorial Board writes.

Lane Hall often goes unnoticed, tucked on the northeastern side of the Hill. While currently home to the Department of Earth and Climate Sciences, Lane has an uncertain long-term future as the department is slated to relocate to Bromfield-Pearson Hall and the renovated Bacon Hall. Per Tufts’ ...

12/10/2024

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

“I am confident that Ven. Vineetha will have a transformative impact at Tufts and with the Buddhist Chaplaincy because of his experiences and his dedication to fostering a vibrant, inclusive spiritual community,” Rev. Elyse Nelson Winger, university chaplain, wrote in an email to the Daily.

Estelle Anderson and Remy Bernatavicius write. Link in bio for more.

12/10/2024

SPORTS | Returning from Thanksgiving break, men's squash welcomed Cornell University this past weekend. Tufts beat the University of Rochester 6-3 at home, leaving them with a record of 2-3 as of Nov. 23. The Big Red are ranked No. 9 while the Jumbos are ranked No. 10. The matchup was a highly intense game, with the Jumbos losing 8-1.
Sophomore Rutva Samant secured the lone win for the Jumbos.
Cornell started out strong, with all but one of their players securing a win in the first game of their matches. The battle against Cornell was not an easy one. Last season, Tufts lost to Cornell 9-0, with no one from the Jumbos winning a match.

Makes Joseph writes. Link in bio for more.

12/10/2024

VIEWPOINT | The year is 1960. In a blur of Cold War anxieties and lunch counter sit-ins, viewers await the presidential debate with bated breath.
The assertion that this was the first televised presidential debate is technically false - that distinction belongs to former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt and Sen. Margaret Chase Smith in
1956. Nevertheless, it is true that Americans in
1960 saw, for the first time in the nation's history, two presidential candidates arguing important issues on live television.

Monica Reilly writes. Link in bio for more.

12/10/2024

ARTS | "I will see you again, but not yet. Not yet," Djimon Hounsou's character, Juba, muttered in an empty Colosseum as the closing line of Ridley Scott's 2000 masterpiece "Gladiator." To the backdrop of Lisa Gerrard and Hans Zimmer's riveting "Now We Are Free" track, a lone soldier's arm gently ruffles through a wheat field lit by soft golden rays - a moment etched in cinematic history.

Bharat Singh writes. Link in bio for more.

12/10/2024

FEATURES | As Porter is to Harvard Square, Teele is to Davis Square. Though it is often overshadowed by its surrounding areas, Teele Square offers plenty of fun places that Tufts students should experience.
Teele Square sits on Clarendon Hill, one of the seven hills in Somerville, at the intersection of Broadway, Holland Street and Curtis Street.
Easily accessible by foot, Teele Square is even closer to the Tufts campus than Davis Square and is a great choice for students looking to take a quick trip off campus. Then perhaps a series of text boxes for the different places Magnificent Muffin & Bagel Shoppe, Rudy's Cafe, PJ Ryan's, Angelina's Pizzeria, Mass Hole Donuts (any choice of these).

Sarah Firth writes. Link in bio for more.

12/10/2024

NEWS | Through the Consortium for Climate Solutions, Tufts aims to achieve a 40% reduction in emissions.
On Nov. 21, Tufts University announced an immediate 40% reduction in energy-related emissions on its Boston health sciences campus, a significant step toward the university's goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. This milestone stems from Tufts' participation in the Consortium for Climate Solutions, a collaboration led by MIT, Harvard and Mass General Brigham to fund technologies aimed at reducing carbon emissions.
Tufts plans to cut carbon emissions through two primary strategies. The first involves electrifying key facilities across its campuses, including the Jaharis Family Center in Boston, the lower campus in Somerville and both the large and small animal hospitals in Grafton. These changes will replace traditional steam systems with air-source heat pumps.

Carly Cohen writes. Link in bio for more.

12/09/2024

VIEWPOINT | In his recent piece, “Democrats, Let’s Get Real About Why Harris Lost,” former The New York Times Opinion columnist Frank Bruni admits that his bubble of liberal peers found it shocking that President-elect Donald Trump won the election, given his erratic behavior and inflammatory comments. At the tail end of his campaign, Bruni notes, Trump suggested we place former Rep. Liz Cheney in the line of fire with “nine barrels shooting at her,” called Democrats “demonic” and declared that he “shouldn’t have left” the White House — a clearly undemocratic message. Yet, as Bruni states, each news story about Trump obscured the big picture of “satisfaction with and confidence in the country’s direction.” High inflation left Americans desperate as the cost of groceries and fuel skyrocketed. Owning a home has become increasingly expensive. When polled before Super Tuesday, 65% of Americans remembered Trump’s economy as “good,” while only 38% said the same about President Joe Biden’s.

Gretta Goorno writes.

In his recent piece, “Democrats, Let’s Get Real About Why Harris Lost,” former New York Times Opinion columnist Frank Bruni admits that his bubble of liberal peers found it shocking that Trump won the election, given his erratic behavior and inflammatory comments. At the tail end of his campai...

12/09/2024

ARTS | Kendrick Lamar released his sixth studio album, “GNX,” on Nov. 22 with essentially no notice. A surprising but not unexpected drop, Lamar delivers a distinctly West Coast-style project. However, the feud with Drake cannot be ignored in the discussion of this album.
In “Family Matters” (2024), Drake accused Lamar of no longer being connected to his Los Angeles roots and abandoning the people of Compton. Throughout “GNX,” Lamar proves these points wrong and goes on scathing attacks on the state of the hip-hop industry and the people who led it there.

In “wacced out murals,” Lamar reflects on his struggles with the pressures placed on him by the hip-hop industry and the current state of the genre. As an opening track, it defines the purpose of the album — to disprove accusations that Lamar is incapable of producing palatable music and to save the soul of hip-hop.
This track goes beyond the Lil Wayne-Super Bowl LIX drama — it goes so far as to criticize political correctness and the hip-hop industry’s reliance on charts and numbers.

Josué Pérez writes.

Kendrick Lamar released his sixth studio album, “GNX,” on Nov. 22 with essentially no notice. A surprising but not unexpected drop, Lamar delivers a distinctly West Coast-style project. However, the feud with Drake cannot be ignored in the discussion of this album.

12/09/2024

ARTS | In November, Porter Square Books celebrated the official grand reopening of its Cambridge location — an expanded space 1,000 feet away from the previous shop. At 1815 Massachusetts Ave., the new location inside the Lesley University mall enabled the independent bookstore to expand its shelf capacity and offer more cafe seating. Page & Leaf Cafe makes its debut in the new space. Take a look inside the expanded world of Porter Square Books.

Featured photos by Stella Jeong.

In November, Porter Square Books celebrated the official grand reopening of its Cambridge location — an expanded space 1,000 feet away from the previous shop. At 1815 Massachusetts Ave., the new location inside the Lesley University mall enabled the independent bookstore to expand its shelf capaci...

12/09/2024

NEWS | The Somerville City Council approved a resolution on Nov. 26 reaffirming Somerville as a “Welcoming Community for justice, equity, and inclusion.” The resolution reconfirmed Somerville’s status as a sanctuary city and communicated the city’s stance on immigration in the wake of President-elect Donald Trump’s election.
The resolution was approved by the city council after it was sent to the Legislative Matters Committee for minor wording changes. The finalized document vows to “protect the safety, dignity, and rights of immigrants, migrants, asylum seekers, asylees, and refugees.”

Somerville, with a foreign-born population of over 20%, has been a sanctuary city since 1987. The city has periodically revised and reaffirmed its original sanctuary resolution as necessary. This initial resolution expressed the city’s desire to protect its immigrant population, established that city employees are not required to disclose any residents immigration status and outlined the expectation that no city-level social services would be contingent upon immigration status.
City Councilor-at-Large Will Mbah, who sponsored the most recent resolution, hopes that it will help make residents feel safer.

Carly Hope writes.

The Somerville City Council approved a resolution on Nov. 26 reaffirming Somerville as a “Welcoming Community for justice, equity, and inclusion.” The resolution reconfirmed Somerville’s status as a sanctuary city and communicated the city’s stance on immigration in the w...

12/06/2024

PHOTO | Tufts students gathered at 51 Winthrop Street on Nov. 23 for the Japanese Culture Club Matsuri, an annual festival celebrating Japanese culture with this year’s theme inspired by Studio Ghibli. The event featured traditional music, dance performances, games and Japanese cuisine, including a performance by Brown University’s Gendo Taiko group.

Photos by Peter Wolfe.

Tufts students gathered at 51 Winthrop Street on Nov. 23 for the Japanese Culture Club Matsuri, an annual festival celebrating Japanese culture with this year’s theme inspired by Studio Ghibli. The event featured traditional music, dance performances, games and Japanese cuisine, including a perfor...

12/06/2024

VIEWPOINT | President-elect Donald Trump proposed an economy that demonstrated his rather skimpish knowledge of economics. Despite being perceived as a financial wizard and gritty negotiator from his time on “The Apprentice,” Trump has famously filed for business bankruptcy at least four times, even managing to bankrupt his own casino.

Trump’s net worth is estimated to hover around $8 billion, and he has undoubtedly created an empire over the last 50 years. Yet, entrepreneurial success does not always translate to an understanding of economics, especially when that ‘success’ is underscored by controversy and questionable beginnings. Unlike a personal business, the economy affects the entire country. The risks that Trump and like-minded entrepreneurs get away with in the world of business will have real consequences for the American people.

Grant Moore reports.

Donald Trump, a persuasive businessman, former president and the current president-elect, proposed an economy that demonstrated his rather skimpish knowledge of economics. Despite being perceived as a financial wizard and gritty negotiator from his time on The Apprentice, Trump has famously filed fo...

12/06/2024

ARTS | On Friday, Nov. 23, An Ha, a third-year combined-degree student at SMFA, hosted a home-cooked Vietnamese dinner in the SMFA Library in collaboration with the Clay Club.

Originally from Vietnam, Ha moved to Texas at the age of 12. Since moving to Boston, he has found it challenging to find traditional Vietnamese food in restaurants, feeling that Chinatown has become overly gentrified. Instead, Ha has taken to hosting intimate dinners with friends about once a month. Especially after the recent election, Ha feels it is more important than ever to find community and foster a sense of belonging.

“I just want people to feel like they’re part of a larger thing,” Ha said. “To make people feel like they’re alive.”

In the bustle of college life, students often rush in and out of dining halls, forgetting the importance of community and intimacy. Ha’s dinners aim to counter this trend by encouraging people to slow down and take the time to sit and eat together.

Fiona Hinrichsen writes.

On Friday, Nov. 23, An Ha, a third-year combined-degree student at SMFA, hosted a home-cooked Vietnamese dinner in the SMFA Library in collaboration with the Clay Club. 

12/06/2024

FEATURES | Davis Square is a popular hangout for Tufts students, but some may not have taken the time to check out the Somerville Community Path, one of its best attractions. This 3.2-mile path is a favorite for bike commuters and runners, stretching from Davis Square to Lechmere. As you travel along the path, the trees stretch their branches above you, forming a natural tunnel of greenery and providing a peaceful escape from campus life. A section of the path first opened in 1985, following the old Fitchburg Cutoff Rail Bed. In June 2023, the path was extended to Lechmere as part of the Green Line Extension. While the T can take you to some of the same places, walking or biking along the path lets you experience the neighborhoods up close. It's a great way to explore Somerville and connect with the community, whether you’re heading to a local café or just out for a stroll.

Sarah Firth writes.

Davis Square is a popular hangout for Tufts students, but some may not have taken the time to check out the Somerville Community Path, one of its best attractions. Here are a few interesting stops to check out along the way from Davis to Lechmere, in order as you pass by.

12/06/2024

NEWS | The Green Line will be closed from Dec. 6–20 between the Medford/Tufts and Park Street stations, along with Union Square, as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority continues repairs on tracks across the system.

Shuttle buses will replace service between Medford/Tufts and North Station, though the MBTA advises riders to budget an additional 35 minutes to their regular commute in order to compensate for shuttle speeds and transfers. Commuters can also access Park Street using the Red Line from Davis Square.

The closure will complete the MBTA’s year-long Track Improvement Program, which intends to eliminate speed restrictions or slow zones — areas where trains must run slowly due to track wear and tear — and ensure tracks are in a “five-year state of good repair.”

Julian Glickman reports. Link in bio for more.

The Green Line will be closed from Dec. 6–20 between the Medford/Tufts and Park Street stations, along with Union Square, as the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority continues repairs on tracks across the system.

12/04/2024

SPORTS | The Tufts men’s basketball team continues to demonstrate why they’re one of the top NCAA Division III programs. After a Sweet 16 run last year and a blazing 5–0 start this season, Tufts faced their first setback against No. 20 Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Saturday in a hard-fought 74–61 loss at home. But the mark of a good team is its ability to bounce back and that’s just what Tufts did. In emphatic fashion, they dismantled Emmanuel College 86–51 on the road on Monday.

Luke Fredericks writes.

The Tufts men’s basketball team continues to demonstrate why they’re one of the top NCAA Division III programs. After a Sweet 16 run last year and a blazing 5–0 start this season, Tufts faced their first setback against No. 20 Worcester Polytechnic Institute on Saturday in a hard-fou...

12/04/2024

VIEWPOINT | American Girl dolls were the center of my elementary school life. I remember owning two, both the ‘make your own’ dolls. I named them both after Francis Hogden Burnett’s characters: Emily, after the doll in “A Little Princess,” and Mary, after the main character in “The Secret Garden.” I remember being so emotionally tied to my dolls, reading every American Girl book, watching the associated movies and playing the online games. I was truly obsessed with American Girl. And then, as every girl does, I grew up. I donated one of my dolls to my younger cousin and stored the other in the garage.

Sorsha Kitikian writes.

American Girl dolls were the center of my elementary school life. I remember owning two, both the ‘make your own’ dolls. I named them both after Francis Hogden Burnett’s characters: Emily, after the doll in “A Little Princess,” and Mary, after the main character in “The Secret Garden.”...