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Articles by Shayna Levy
Mass. voters to decide on future of recreational marijuana laws
If passed in November, Ballot Initiative 8 would repeal or alter many of the laws allowing recreational marijuana use for adults over 21. Massachusetts voters are set to vote this November on Ballot Initiative 8, which, if passed, would criminalize the retail sale of recreational marijuana and would permit people over the age of 21 to possess up to one ounce without criminal penalties.
Mass. voters to decide on future of recreational marijuana laws
Massachusetts voters are set to vote this November on Ballot Initiative 8, which, if passed, would criminalize the retail sale of recreational marijuana and would permit people over the age of 21 to possess up to one ounce without criminal penalties. A ‘yes’ vote on Question 8 would also repeal laws passed in 2016 allowing those over 21 to legally own more than one ounce of marijuana without a prescription.
Crossword: This Puzzle's a Hoot!
Where you read it first | Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Mini Crossword: Rain, Rain
Where you read it first | Tuesday, September 29, 2026
Somerville City Council urges Tufts to resolve dispute with dismissed graduate student worker
The resolution encourages the university to work constructively with the student and her representatives to resolve the matter. At their Aug. 27 meeting, theSomerville City Council passed a resolution regarding a former Tufts international graduate student, alleging that she had suffered from a conflict while employed by the university that threatened her academic standing and suggested the possible termination of her program.
Somerville to host annual Civic Day on Thursday
The event, which is in its fourth rendition, is meant to highlight the work of city departments and introduce Somerville residents to local government. The city of Somerville is hosting its annual Civic Day event in City Hall on Thursday to highlight the work of city departments and encourage Somerville residents to engage with local government.
Senate year defined by budget constraints ends as seniors reflect on new initiatives
Projects such as a textbook exchange, tuition transparency town hall and project proposal forms were highlights for senators this year. As the Tufts Community Union Senate’s year comes to a close, the Daily looked back on a year of budget challenges, new initiatives and institutional changes. Budget constraints on the Senate have led to significant restrictions on student organizations, from club travel to album recording funds for a capella groups.
Crossword: H.A.G.S.
Where you read it first | Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Word Search: Here Comes the Sun
Where you read it first | Saturday, May 16, 2026
Brendan French, 2026-27 TCU President, discusses upcoming term
French shared what he wants to focus on during his term and what he is most excited about. Incoming 2026-27 Tufts Community Union President Brendan French, a rising senior, sat down with the Daily to talk about his priorities for his term, what motivated him to run for president and what he is most looking forward to. “My top priorities are definitely club focused,” French said.
Mini Crossword: A Tale of Two Authors
Where you read it first | Tuesday, April 28, 2026
Brendan French elected TCU president, internal election results announced in final meeting
Senate leadership provides updates on their positions while the Senate passes performance credit resolution in their final meeting of the school year. Brendan French, the outgoing Tufts Community Union Senate Treasurer and a current junior, was elected Senate president for the 2026–27 academic year. French defeated junior Defne Olgun, the Senate’s historian, and Michael Glueck, a class of 2027 senator.
Word Search: It's a Zoo!
Where you read it first | Monday, April 27, 2026
ECOM hosts debate between student body presidential candidates
Presidential candidates Brendan French, Michael Glueck and Defne Olgun participated in Wednesday’s debate. The Tufts Community Union Elections Commission hosted a debate on Wednesday night between three candidates running for TCU president: Brendan French, Michael Glueck and Defne Olgun. ECOM gave each candidate two minutes for opening statements, two minutes to respond to three pre-prepared questions and two minutes for a closing statement. Candidates also fielded questions from the audience.
Mini Crossword: Run Fast!
Where you read it first | Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Mini Crossword: Cinephile
Where you read it first | Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Student Activities Fee Article
The current Student Activities Fee of $396 has not kept up with increasing costs and increasing student population, TCU leaders argue. Tufts Community Union student leaders are expressing frustration with the stagnant Student Activities Fee, which is currently $396. The Student Activities Fee is added to all students’ tuition and managed by the TCU Treasury for all student activities on campus, from clubs to campuswide events put on by students.
TCU Senate hears updates from Residential Life, announces annual Earth Fest to take place this Friday
At their weekly Sunday meeting, the TCU Senate posed questions to ResLife and discussed upcoming projects and resolutions. Editor’s Note: Gunnar Ivarsson is a former chair of the Daily’s Ethics and Inclusion Committee. Ivarsson was not involved in the writing or editing of this article.
Tufts club leaders forced to look for alternative sources of funding as surplus runs out
As the student activity fee surplus from the COVID-19 pandemic begins to run out, clubs at Tufts are turning to other sources of funding beyond the Tufts Community Union Senate to fill gaps in their budgets. “The surplus has … increased what the student activities fee goal has been,” TCU Treasurer Brendan French, a junior, said.
Word Search: Finally Spring?
Where you read it first | Wednesday, March 25, 2026
TCU Senate defines role of community senators and discusses participatory budgeting initiative in weekly meeting
The Senate met Sunday night to discuss new bylaws outlining the roles and responsibilities of community senators and heard funding requests from various student groups. Editor’s Note: Gunnar Ivarsson is a former chair of the Daily’s Ethics and Inclusion Committee. Ivarsson was not involved in the writing or editing of this article.
Mini Crossword: Down Under
Where you read it first | Wednesday, March 4, 2026
From Medford to Madrid: Former managing editor, Samantha Eng, reflects on her experience studying abroad
Eng is immersing herself in the culture and language, staying with a host family and taking classes at the University of Madrid. Editor’s note: The Daily’s editorial department acknowledges that this article is premised on a conflict of interest. This article is a special feature for Daily Week and does not represent the Daily’s standard journalistic practices.
TCU Senate discusses resolution process and hears funding requests
Editor’s Note: Gunnar Ivarsson is a former chair of the Daily’s Ethics and Inclusion Committee. Ivarsson was not involved in the writing or editing of this article. The Tufts Community Union Senate met on Monday to provide project updates, review the resolution process ahead of numerous resolutions being presented to the Senate and to hear funding appeals from student groups, before ending the meeting early because a quorum of 24 senators was no longer present.
TCU Senate hosts transparency town hall with senior Tufts administrators
The event focused on topics including the university budget, tuition increases and the Tuition Pact. The Tufts Community Union Senate hosted a Tuition Transparency Town Hall on Tuesday to break down how the university allocates its budget amid rising tuition costs.
TCU Senate welcomes new senators, considers push to add voting information to syllabi
Newly elected senators include the Indigenous and LGBTQ+ seats, and the Treasurer outlined the budget timeline for the remainder of the semester in the body’s Sunday meeting. Editor’s Note: Gunnar Ivarsson is a former chair of the Daily’s Ethics and Inclusion Committee. Ivarsson was not involved in the writing or editing of this article.
Mini Crossword: Artsy
Where you read it first | Wednesday, February 11, 2026
Tufts Community Union Senate holds first regular meeting of semester
The Senate elected two members of the Executive Board, heard updates about the campuswide survey sent out in the fall and voted on proposed changes to the Treasury Procedures Manual. On Jan. 19, the Tufts Community Union Senate met for its first meeting of the spring semester, in which it held internal elections for Parliamentarian and Diversity Officer, presented data from the TCU Senate Student Experience Survey, and voted on proposed changes to the Treasury Procedures Manual.
TCU officers discuss lack of resolutions in fall semester
The Tufts Community Union Senate did not pass any resolutions last semester, which marks a difference from previous semesters that can be attributed to changes in how the Senate approaches student feedback. Resolutions are formal lobbying tools often used by student groups and individuals to necessitate Senate action on an issue.
Mini Crossword: Howdy
Where you read it first | Tuesday, December 2, 2025
TCU Senate to launch campuswide survey to assess student experience
The survey gathers student input on dining, academics, residential life, facilities and campus culture. The Tufts Community Union Senate Administration & Policy Committee is releasing a survey intended to provide a comprehensive understanding of the student experience at Tufts.
TCU Senate discusses TCU Judiciary, club sports, committee updates
The Senate discussed the importance of the TCU Judiciary, the future of club sports funding and heard committee updates. Editor’s Note: Michael Onysko and Gunnar Ivarsson are both former Daily staffers. Onysko and Iverson were not involved in the writing or editing of this article. At the Tufts Community Union Senate meeting on Sunday, members discussed the TCU Judiciary, clubs sports and ongoing projects.
TCU Senate hears funding requests, event updates in October meeting
The Senate discussed campus initiatives, upcoming events and funding decisions for multiple student organizations. The Tufts Community Union Senate discussed an upcoming tuition transparency event with senior university leadership, as well as projects, initiatives and funding requests in its Sunday meeting. TCU President Dhruv Sampat, a senior, announced that the tuition transparency event will take place on Feb.
TCU Senate discusses project updates, Treasury spending
The Senate shared how much the Treasury has spent so far this year and listened to updates from General Board committee members about their projects. On Sunday, the Tufts Community Union Senate shared project updates from each General Board Committee and reviewed Treasury spending thus far.
TCU Senate welcomes Class of 2029 senators, reviews proposed bylaw changes
New senators joined their first Senate meeting, discussed bylaws and approved student organization funding requests. On Sunday, the newly elected Class of 2029 senators and disability senator attended their first Tufts Community Union Senate meeting. TCU reviewed proposed changes to the bylaws and elected new first-year members to the Allocations Board. First-year Luke Wakeman was one of the senators elected to the Allocations Board. “I’m really excited,” Wakeman said.
TCU Treasury implements new funding rules for student clubs
The Treasury Procedure Manual changes, including new food budget calculations and council structures, take effect this semester. The Tufts Community Union Senate voted to implement changes to the Treasury Procedures Manual, the document outlining the TCU Treasury’s rules and procedures, during the first meeting of the school year on Sept. 7.
TCU Senate outlines policy changes and semester goals in first regular meeting of the year
The Senate met on Sunday, approving changes to the Treasury’s governing document and discussing new initiatives for the year. In its first weekly meeting of the year on Sunday, the TCU Senate introduced a new project list and implemented changes to student organization budgets, including a restriction on their ability to award prize money. TCU President Dhruv Sampatspearheaded the new project list for the Senate as a way to help senators get a sense of the priorities for the year.
TCU Senate wraps up summer planning as senators prepare for upcoming semester
Senators discussed their summer work and strategies for improving Senate processes and function. Over the summer, members of the Tufts Community Union Senate spent time planning for the upcoming semester in various capacities. Members of the Senate’s executive board, composed of the TCU president, vice president, treasurer, parliamentarian, historian and diversity officer, have also brainstormed ways to adjust and improve the Senate for the upcoming semester.
New non-partisan political discussion group formed called The Political Union
The new club seeks to create a space for nonpartisan political discussion on campus. Tufts first-year students Jesse Kitumba and Thomas Yi founded The Political Union, a campus club that will serve as a forum for structured, nonpartisan academic debate. “We exist to discuss and debate political issues today, and we want it to be a space where we can academically and intellectually challenge ourselves and others,” Yi said.
Tufts’ Earth and Climate Sciences Department researchers express uncertainties
Tufts professors express looming threats to the department due to potential cuts to federal funding. The Department of Earth and Climate Sciences at Tufts is facing uncertainty because of threats to their sources for research funding from federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Science Foundation.
Tufts students participate in 50501 protest at Mass. State House
As part of the nationwide protests on Feb. 5, Tufts students rallied at the Massachusetts State House against the Trump administration and its recent actions. Earlier this month, Tufts students joined hundreds of local Massachusetts residents in a “50501” protest against the latest actions of the administration of President Donald Trump. Born on social media, the 50501 movement encompasses the simultaneous occurrence of 50 protests in 50 states on a single day.
Tufts researchers ‘on edge’ in midst of threats to federal funding - The Tufts Daily
Recent memos from the White House, announcements from the National Institutes of Health to cut research funding cause concern about the future of university research. Tufts researchers are expressing concern over President Donald Trump’s attempt to halt federal research grants and cap the National Institutes of Health’s funding for indirect research costs at 15%, though a federal judge temporarily blocked the action earlier this month.
Campus groups discuss plans following Trump’s inauguration
Political advocacy groups on campus share their responses to the inauguration of the 47th president and plans for the upcoming semester. Following President Donald Trump’s inauguration on Monday, political student groups on campus including Tufts Democrats, Tufts Republicans and Planned Parenthood Action at Tufts are preparing for a semester under the new presidential administration.
Tufts environmental policy department seeks to improve public transportation in Worcester
Share Professor Justin Hollander of the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning is leading Tufts students in partnership with Worcester community groups and local residents on a campaign to improve public transportation in Worcester, Massachusetts. The campaign aims to garner support from Worcester residents as well as local politicians and develop a proposal with suggested improvements to the bus system.
Tufts environmental policy department seeks to improve public transportation in Worcester - The Tufts Daily
Tufts professors, students and local advocacy groups address transit issues and discuss a new system to Worcester. Professor Justin Hollander of the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning is leading Tufts students in partnership with Worcester community groups and local residents on a campaign to improve public transportation in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Student groups collaborate to host annual farmers market on Tufts campus
Students at the market had the chance to purchase fresh produce and student-created artwork. The Student Garden Club, Sustainable CORE Fellows, TCU Senate and the Tufts University Social Collective collaborated for the third annual farmers market, which was held at the Campus Center on Oct. 4. The market featured local produce and student artwork, along with educational tabling regarding environmental justice and food insecurity at Tufts.
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