Monday, February, 6th, 2017 Speeches and Messages
February 5, 2017
Dear Members of the University Community,
In December, I announced plans to form a Student Life Review Committee to undertake a holistic assessment of the culture of undergraduate student life at Tufts, with attention to the roles of residential strategy, student organizations, athletics and clubs as well as the Greek system. I am writing now to share with you the final charge to the Committee and its membership, and to encourage you to provide input to the Committee.
At Tufts, we believe that a robust co-curricular experience is an essential part of a liberal arts education, and that it can offer unique opportunities for the transformational student experiences we seek to foster. I have asked the Committee to undertake a careful assessment of how our current co-curricular experience contributes to our undergraduates’ well-being, personal growth, and depth of connection to a vibrant Tufts community as students on campus and, later, as alumni, and where that contribution can be strengthened. This assessment will inform the Committee’s development of specific, actionable recommendations for how we can better support holistic, inclusive engagement in undergraduate student life at Tufts.
The committee membership includes faculty, students, staff, alumni, parents and representatives of two of our host communities, Medford and Somerville. I am grateful to all those who have agreed to serve, and especially to Susan H. Murphy, Ph.D., Vice President Emerita of Student and Academic Services at Cornell University, for agreeing to chair the group, and trustees Daniel J. (“Dan”) Doherty III H03 and Deborah R. (“Deb”) Jospin J80, A14P, for serving as vice chairs.
The Committee will engage in a consultative process that provides for input from members of the Tufts community on and off campus. Opportunities for undergraduates to share their perspectives will include both an Idea Wall and an open forum on the afternoon of Thursday, February 16. We are organizing forums for alumni in March on the Medford/Somerville campus and in New York. Information on all these events will be shared with the community as details are finalized. I encourage any member of the community to share thoughts with the Committee through the comment form on the Committee webpage.
Our undergraduates already benefit from a vibrant campus community; I look forward to the Committee’s recommendations on how we can make that community even stronger and more supportive.
Best wishes,
Tony Monaco