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T he T ufts D aily THE
INDEPENDENT
STUDENT
NEWSPAPER
OF
TUFTS
UNIVERSITY
E S T. 1 9 8 0 Medford/Somerville Mass.
Thursday, September 21, 2023
VOLUME LXXXVI, ISSUE 3
UNIVERSITY
Political Science Department launches new undergraduate journal Ishaan Rajiv Rajabali
idea for the journal came from students in Tufts’ undergraduate political science honor society, Pi Sigma Alpha, which funded the first issue. “Three of our students came up with the idea about two years ago … that would showcase some of the best work that’s being done in the area of political science, but [also] across the social sciences and humanities,” Mazaheri said. The students envisioned a peer-reviewed journal with high standards for publication, where undergraduates would have a role in every aspect of the process. Faculty and students collaborated to review submissions for the inaugural issue, aiming to publish original and innovative research that students were doing.
News Editor
Tufts’ new biannual political science publication, “The Great Wave: A Journal for the Study of Politics and Social Change at Tufts University,” published its inaugural issue this month. The journal’s editorial board includes Professors Michael Beckley, Fahd Humayun, Meredith McLain and Nimah Mazaheri, with Tufts alumnus Brendan Hartnett (LA’23) serving as Associate Editor for the first issue. Volume 1 of “The Great Wave” features papers by Sophia Costa (LA’23), Frankie Michielli (LA’22) and senior Annie Rubinson. Mazaheri, chair of the Department of Political Science, explained that the
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LOCAL
Somerville hires new superintendent Shannon Murphy
Assistant News Editor
Originally published Sept. 15. The Somerville School Committee selected a new superintendent, Dr. Rubén Carmona, in April following a months-long search. This announcement coincides with a series of recent developments for the school district, including the extensive renovation of Somerville High School which opened in 2021. Carmona began his term as superintendent in July. He described his initial weeks in the position as both challenging and rewarding. “We have been met with a few crises we have had to manage both over the summer and over the first days of the new school year,” Carmona wrote in an email to the Daily. “However, while some issues have been difficult, I have felt supported throughout the transition process in my role as Superintendent.” According to Carmona, access to deeper learning and the implementation of
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Packard Hall, home of the Tufts Department of Political Science, is pictured on Sept. 25., 2022.
instructional initiatives are the top priorities for Somerville Public Schools. “We are working to make sure that students are ready for the learning in both … upping the rigor of academics, and implementing fine-tuned initiatives,” Carmona wrote. Somerville School Committee member Andre Green from Ward 4 described the selection process for the new superintendent. “A broad-based community Screening Committee Screened 26 applicants, interviewed 10 of them and forwarded 5 names to the School Committee. While one dropped out, we then had 4 site visits and interviews with those 4 candidates,” Green wrote in an email to the Daily last spring. “After getting feedback in a number of ways from key stakeholders, School Committee deliberated and voted 6-3 to appoint Carmona Superintendent of Schools.” Green added that he anticipates Carmona will work diligently to accomplish the Somerville School Committee’s progressive goals.
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UNIVERSITY
Tufts investigating after cannon painted with inflammatory messaging Daniel Vos
Executive News Editor
Originally published Sept. 18. Derogatory statements were painted on the cannon and tree in front of Goddard Chapel between the night of Sept. 16 and the morning of Sept. 17, prompting an investigation by TUPD and OEO. The identity of the perpetrators is currently unknown. On Monday evening, Monroe France, Vice Provost for DEIJ, sent an email to the community addressing the incident. “Though painting over messages on the cannon after an appropriate amount of time has elapsed is part of the tradition, the manner in which the work was destroyed caused harm and outrage among our Black community,” he wrote. “Additionally, the graffiti that was affixed to the cannon was potentially anti-Asian, causing harm to members of our Asian/Asian American communities.” The statements, which were painted on the cannon and a nearby tree, included messages such as “Asian invasion” and “f— you.” Tufts facilities has since removed the messaging.
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France advised students to refrain from speculating on the identity of those involved and the intent behind their actions. “There is still much information that we don’t know about the incident. … But regardless of whether there is a formal violation of our policies, there are a number of lessons that we can — and should — take from this incident,” he wrote. “Just because you can say (or, in this case, paint) something, it doesn’t mean you should.” Tufts Pan-Afrikan Alliance said in a statement on Instagram that attendees of an annual Africana Center retreat painted the cannon on the night of Sept. 16.
“The over-painting of the cannon is unacceptable and very clearly an attack on the Black student body,” PAA wrote. In their statement, the organization also criticized the university’s past responses to race-related incidents. The Tufts Community Union senate acknowledged the negative impact of the messaging on Black and Asian students as well as other students of color in a statement made on their Instagram account. The TCU Senate executive board also said that they will file a formal report with OEO to “demand further accountability” from the administration.
KAITLYN WELLS / TUFTS DAILY
A sign near the cannon is pictured on Sept. 18.
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