The Tufts Daily

05/19/2026

PHOTO | Tufts held its 170th Commencement for the Class of 2026 on Sunday. Following opening remarks by University President Sunil Kumar and the conferral of honorary degrees, students heard from former pharmaceutical executive Kenneth Frazier, who gave the commencement address.

Photos by Josué Pérez. Link in bio for more.

The independent student newspaper of Tufts University

05/19/2026

NEWS | The Daily sat down with Tufts University President Sunil Kumar after another tumultuous year for higher education to discuss Steve Tisch’s relationship with s*x offender Jeffrey Epstein, pressures from the federal government, new initiatives rolled out this semester and the progress of new buildings, among other issues.

Kumar said the university has gotten “singed, not burned” by federal funding cuts, with reductions in the number of funded grants and the dollar amounts being funded. On international students, he reaffirmed Tufts’ support amid federal pressures.

“I believe that international students are an important and critical part of U.S. higher education and that Tufts welcomes them,” Kumar said. “We believe that our international students belong here, period.”

Kumar also addressed revelations about Steve Tisch’s relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, saying Tisch showed “remarkable lack of judgment in associating with him” and that the university “does not condone these actions.” Tufts continues to evaluate the situation.

On TCU Senate’s resolution to rename the psychology building for the late professor Sam Sommers, Kumar said the university is looking for ways to remember him with “something more permanent than a building,” such as a prize or scholarship.

Reflecting on his third year as president, Kumar said Tufts has avoided going into “a defensive crouch” despite pressure on higher education.

Julian Glickman and Josué Pérez report. Link in bio for more.

The Daily sat down with Tufts University President Sunil Kumar to discuss Steve Tisch’s relationship with s*x offender Jeffrey Epstein, pressures from the federal government, new initiatives rolled out this semester and the progress of new buildings, among other issues.

05/17/2026

FEATURES | For many seniors, graduation often signifies the start of endless new experiences — new jobs, different cities, exciting opportunities. For a select few seniors, another, perhaps more unexpected, event is also on the horizon: a wedding.

Recent graduates Taylor Escudero and Bela Silverman both got engaged while at Tufts after dating their partners since middle school. While getting engaged in college may feel unconventional for many people their age, both said they feel confident in their decisions and the futures they are building with their partners.

Escudero and her fiancé, Ian, began dating in eighth grade and got engaged during a trip to Paris last spring. She will begin medical school at the Tufts University School of Medicine in July.

“We’ve been there for each other throughout our entire lives. He’s my biggest supporter, and I’m his as well, and I’m very excited to spend the rest of my life with him,” Escudero said. “At first, I was a little bit scared by some of the reactions … But I am so happy with my decision.”

Silverman and her fiancé, Mason, have been dating since sixth grade and became engaged this past March during a trip to Martha’s Vineyard. Silverman will attend graduate school at New York University for climate journalism while Mason will begin a job in Washington, D.C.

“I’m not getting married to be a part of someone’s life. I’m getting married so that we can have our own lives, but come together and make it one,” Silverman said. “You can have your own life and experiences, but come together to tackle challenges.”

Olivia Bye reports. Link in bio for more.

For many seniors, graduation often signifies the start of endless new experiences — new jobs, different cities, exciting opportunities. For a select few seniors, another, perhaps more unexpected, event is also on the horizon: a wedding.

05/17/2026

NEWS | Former pharmaceutical executive Kenneth Frazier will deliver the 2026 commencement address at Tufts today, May 17. A former lawyer turned executive, Frazier has used his influence and platform to advocate for health justice and give back to his community. At the ceremony, Frazier hopes to share his experiences, inspire a sense of optimism in his audience and remind them of the importance of perseverance and contributing to society at large.

Born in 1954, Frazier grew up in inner-city Philadelphia, where his father worked as a janitor. As a child, his dream was to become a civil rights lawyer. He later attended The Pennsylvania State University and Harvard Law School before eventually becoming chairman and CEO of Merck & Co., one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world and becoming the first Black American leader of a pharmaceutical company.

“I planned to spend my career in the courtroom fighting against legal injustices ... Because of my own background, I tried to help people understand the importance of making medicines available to all segments of our community,” Frazier wrote.

After retiring as CEO of Merck & Co. in 2021, Frazier now works as the chairman of health assurance at General Catalyst. He has also been named twice to Time Magazine’s list of the 100 most influential people in the world.

At Tufts, Frazier hopes to leave graduates with a message of optimism amid uncertainty. “I’ve tried to use my platform to address some of these concerns through action, not just through words,” Frazier wrote. “Having been granted a position of influence, I felt the responsibility to remember where I came from and to use my position to benefit others particularly patients waiting and hoping for the next cure.”

Former pharmaceutical executive Kenneth Frazier is set to deliver the 2026 commencement address on May 17. A former lawyer turned executive, Frazier has used his time and influence to advocate for health justice and give back to his community. At the ceremony, Frazier hopes to share his experie...

05/16/2026

NEWS | Tufts University has been involved in a series of lawsuits this year, ranging from a dispute over cuts to National Institutes of Health funding to allegations from the U.S. Department of Education of “election influence,” to a lawsuit brought on by tenured faculty of the Tufts University School of Medicine.

On Jan. 5, the U.S. Appeals Court made permanent a previous ruling by the lower court prohibiting the NIH from imposing a 15% indirect cost reimbursement rate. Originally filed February 2025, the case opposed the decision to limit reimbursement for NIH-related research.

“The university joined this lawsuit as a plaintiff, along with leading national higher education organizations, 22 states and other research universities, because we believed that the reduction in NIH facilities and administrative costs was not made in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act and was in violation of the law,” Patrick Collins, executive director of media relations at Tufts, wrote in a statement to the Daily.

The university was also involved in a dispute with the DOE regarding the National Study of Learning, Voting and Engagement, or NSLVE, which was suspected of having violated the FERPA by sharing student data with third parties. Tufts defended NSLVE’s compliance with FERPA regulations and their continued commitment to civic engagement.

“All data received by Tufts from the Clearinghouse are anonymized, and NSLVE’s reports include only de-identified, aggregated data about overall student voting trends,” a CIRCLE statement reads. “Tufts does not solicit, receive or review any identifying student information and never has access to information about party affiliation or candidate selection.”

Most recently, a state court ruled in favor of eight Tufts School of Medicine faculty members, finding the university in violation of tenure agreements. Justice Hélène Kazanjian ruled that Tufts’ 2017 and 2019 compensation plans violated tenure’s promises of “economic security,” ordering the university to pay nearly $4 million in damages.

Amelia Sammons reports. Link in bio for more

Tufts University has been involved in a series of lawsuits this year, ranging from a dispute over cuts to National Institutes of Health funding to allegations from the U.S. Department of Education of “election influence,” to a lawsuit brought on by tenured faculty of the Tufts Universi...

05/16/2026

FEATURES | Graduating senior and Tufts Community Union Senate President Dhruv Sampat was selected as this year’s Wendell Phillips Speaker and will deliver a speech at this year’s Baccalaureate Ceremony on May 16.

The Wendell Phillips Speaker is a student in the graduating class who “demonstrates both marked ability as a speaker and a high sense of public responsibility,” according to the Tufts University Chaplaincy website.

Throughout Sampat’s four years in TCU Senate, his focus has been on an “open-door” policy. For him, it is important that his speech reflects a shared experience, rather than just his own, and can resonate with as many people as possible.

“It’s not only students; it’s such a big day for parents, for family, for friends, also for faculty members and for administrators,” Sampat said. “It’s really supposed to bring everyone together on that one day and leave everyone feeling good, but also leave everyone feeling like they can all depart from Tufts with one unified learning and goal.”

Annicka Sen reports. Link in bio for more.

If you’ve been consistently reading the Daily, or even if you’re just knowledgeable enough about campus happenings, you probably know who graduating senior Dhruv Sampat is. As the president of the Tufts Community Union Senate, he’s been featured in the Daily on several occasions and often show...

05/14/2026

NEWS | Tyler Brown, the suspect in custody for a Monday shootout in Cambridge, was part of the Tufts University Prison Initiative’s education and reentry program until February, according to social media posts and a statement from the university.

MyTERN helps formerly incarcerated people reenter society through a combination of Tufts coursework, an 18-credit Civic Studies certificate program and general support for students’ social, emotional and financial well-being, including housing and employment assistance.

Brown fired 60 rounds at random targets with an assault-style rifle on Memorial Drive between River Street and Pleasant Street Extension at around 1 pm on Monday, sending two men to the hospital in critical condition.

In a statement to the Daily, Patrick Collins, executive director of media relations, acknowledged Brown’s participation in the program and said the university was cooperating with the authorities. The university declined to comment further.

“Tyler Brown was a participant in the Tufts University Prison Initiative’s re-entry program known as MyTERN (Tufts Education and Re-entry Network) until February of this year when he stopped attending,” Collins wrote. “The university is actively working to gather information about the incident and is cooperating fully with law enforcement authorities.”

Brown is expected to face charges on two counts of armed assault with attempt to murder, as well as several firearm charges. He has a long history in the criminal justice system, including a six-year prison sentence for a stabbing as well as drug charges, possession of a dangerous weapon and armed robbery. In 2020, he accepted a plea deal and another six-year prison sentence for firing an estimated 17 rounds at four Boston police officers in the South End.

He was released on parole in May 2025 after completing a Tufts violence reduction program and was ordered to take classes through TUPIT, according to reporting from The Boston Globe.

Amelia Sammons reports. Link in bio for more.

Tyler Brown, the suspect in custody for a Monday shootout in Cambridge, was part of the Tufts University Prison Initiative’s education and reentry program until February, according to social media posts and a statement from the university.

04/29/2026

Graduation is around the corner! Place an ad for your senior in the Daily's commencement edition. Ads due May 3rd, sign up soon while all ad sizes are available!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScResDSK48QTQi2mVfhjHBZYPnb2s63IVZuvC36GhGBgxqgcg/viewform

04/28/2026

NEWS | Brendan French, the outgoing Tufts Community Union Senate Treasurer and a current junior, was elected Senate president for the 2026–27 academic year. French — winning 37% of votes — defeated junior Defne Olgun, the Senate’s historian, and Michael Glueck, a class of 2027 senator. Olgun won 32% of votes while Glueck won 30%.

“There’s a lot happening across campus, and there’s also real opportunity to make meaningful improvements,” French wrote in a social media post. “I’m committed to working on the priorities I shared throughout my campaign and to continuing that work as new challenges and ideas come forward.”

The Senate also met in its last meeting of the semester on Sunday to hear speeches from members of the Executive Board, including the State of Diversity, the State of the Treasury and the State of the Union. The Senate also voted on a resolution to grant course credit for performance group members and heard an end-of-year recap from committee chairs.

Other members of the Senate’s leadership for the next academic year were also announced following internal elections.

Shayna Levy reports. Click the link in bio for the full results.

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.

04/28/2026

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