THE TUFTS DAILY
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TUFTSDAILY.COM
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
VOLUME LXII, NUMBER 37
Where You Read It First Est. 1980
TUPD emails spark questions about terminology, sensitivity by Saumya Vaishampayan
Daily Editorial Board
Tony Cannistra/Tufts Daily
Students will no longer be able to ride the T into Boston on weekends starting Saturday due to scheduled Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority repairs.
Tufts to provide weekend shuttle to Harvard in place of Red Line The Tufts administration will provide a free weekend shuttle service from campus to Harvard Square in order to mitigate the impact of the impending Massachusetts by
Kathryn Olson
Daily Editorial Board
Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) Red Line repairs, according to Executive Vice President Patricia Campbell. MBTA earlier this month announced that starting Nov. 5, the Red Line north of the Harvard Square station, which includes the Davis
Bosworth steps down as Special Representative by
Minyoung Song
Daily Editorial Board
Stephen Bosworth, the dean of The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, last week resigned as the Obama administration’s Special Representative for North Korea Policy. Having served the role for two-and-ahalf years, Bosworth made his final appearance as Special Representative at talks held in Geneva on Oct. 24 and 25. U.S. Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna Glyn Davies was appointed to succeed Bosworth. Bosworth expressed confidence in Davies’ qualifications for the role. “I think he is very experienced and an outstanding diplomat who will do a very good job in this difficult position,” Bosworth said. Bosworth has balanced his diplomatic role with his deanship at Fletcher for over two years. His recent decision to step down was primarily motivated by his confidence in the progress made in recent years in the United States’ diplomatic relations with North Korea. “I think that the problems that are posed by North Korea are going to require careful attention by the U.S. for a long time of several years to come,” Bosworth said. “I think I have been able to make a contribution, but I think it is a time for transition.” Bosworth cited the high amount of travsee BOSWORTH, page 2
Square station, will not operate on weekends until March to complete $80 million in overdue repairs. “We’re planning on adding a free shuttle from campus to Harvard Square on weekends see MBTA, page 2
In light of the Oct. 22 safety alert from the Tufts University Police Department ( TUPD) about a sexual assault near campus, a follow-up email and the reaction on campus, the Daily took a closer look at definitions, laws and campus policies governing safety and information release at Tufts, and how these factors affect the language of safety alerts. Under the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, universities are required to make available information about crime and security policies on campus in a timely manner and through annual reports. The Clery Act, part of the Higher Education Act of 1965, is a federal law that applies to all postsecondary institutions that take part in federal student aid programs. The passage of the Clery Act prompted the safety alert notification system currently in place at Tufts, according to TUPD Captain Linda O’Brien. A follow-up email sent later on Oct. 22, which was not a safety alert, placed the incident near campus in context of other sexual assaults in the Somerville area. The language and wording of this email, how-
ever, sparked discussion about victim blaming and sensitivity. In response, the Department of Public and Environmental Safety, the Dean of Student Affairs Office, the Women’s Center and the Department of Health Education held an informational meeting on Oct. 28 to discuss campus safety and sexual assaults. Definitions Tufts’ sexual assault policy defines sexual assault as “the act of committing an unwanted physical contact of a sexual nature, whether by an acquaintance or by a stranger, that occurs without indication of consent of both individuals, or that occurs under threat or coercion.” This definition specifies, but is not limited to, various acts including rape, sexual assault with an object and threat of sexual assault. The definition of sexual assault outlined in Tufts’ sexual assault policy differs in wording from that of Massachusetts state law. According to Massachusetts state law, sexual assault is defined alongside rape. “Sexual assault and rape are crimes of violence and control, using sex acts as a weapon. Rape and see SAFETY, page 2
Leonard Carmichael Society’s ‘Halloween on the Hill’ offers local kids a treat
Josh Berlinger/Tufts Daily
Nearly 200 Boston-area elementary school students on Sunday braved the cold and donned their Halloween costumes for the Leonard Carmichael Society’s annual Halloween on the Hill event. Tufts student volunteers put on events including haunted house tours, arts-and-crafts activities and trick-or-treating around the dorms.
Inside this issue
Today’s sections
Tufts takes a look at the Christian Science community on campus.
‘In Motion’ debuts its sixth season tonight.
see FEATURES, page 3
see ARTS, page 5
News Features Arts & Living Editorial | Letters
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Op-Ed Comics Classifieds Sports
9 10 12 Back