‘Cogent Message’ examines higher education WOMEN’S LACROSSE through art Jumbos beat MIT, Wellesley see WEEKENDER / PAGE 6 ahead of 1st home game SEE SPORTS / PAGE 11 Women’s ski team shreds at nationals see SPORTS / BACK PAGE THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF TUFTS UNIVERSITY EST. 1980 HE UFTS AILY VOLUME LXXVII, ISSUE 36T T D MEDFORD/SOMERVILLE, MASS. THURSDAY, MARCH 14, 2019 tuftsdaily.com Cummings School student Tiffany Filler expelled for alleged grade hacking, maintains innocence by Austin Clementi News Editor Tiffany Filler, a former doctoral stu- dent in her final year at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts, was expelled on Jan. 16 after a months- long investigation by the university into her alleged grade hacking in the 2018 spring and summer sessions, accord- ing to a TechCrunch article written by journalist Zack Whittaker. Both Filler and Whittaker dispute Tufts’ charges of grade hacking. Since Filler’s expulsion, the Harvard Graduate Students’ Union-United Auto Workers (HGSU-UAW) have been circu- lating a petition demanding due process for her. The petition cites potential dis- crimination based on Filler’s immigra- tion status as well as Whittaker’s article in Filler’s defense. The petition has 347 signatures, close to 200 of which are from Tufts undergraduates and alumni. Filler has moved back to her home in Toronto since her expulsion and is VIA WIKIMEDIA COMMONS currently looking for work or to return The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine is pictured. to another veterinary school, but she told the Daily that this will be difficult going to freak out,” Filler said. “Also, Berman, the associate dean of stu- “Dr. Frank and I need to meet with considering her expulsion. most of them require a dean’s recom- dent affairs for the Cummings School, you at that time regarding an import- “I’ve been looking at different vet mendation and that’s not exactly some- called her to the Grafton campus in an ant and time -sensitive issue,” the schools [to see] if I could transfer cred- thing I can look forward to.” email. There, Filler met with Berman email read. its if at all possible … [but if] universi- Filler was first notified of an inves- and Nicholas Frank, the associate dean ties see that expulsion notice, they’re tigation on Aug. 22, 2018, after Barbara for academic affairs. see FILLER, page 3 Somerville groups push for more payments from Tufts by Joe Walsh and Community Engagement Denise Curtatone’s PILOT Negotiating Team, more than double its contributions to News Editor Taylor told the Daily in an email. “The said this PILOT figure is too low. Somerville or Medford, even though City’s participation is being guided by the “There was no question that the school’s property in Somerville is As Tufts and Somerville negotiate priorities outlined by the community.” $275,000 was a very modest amount, valued about twice as high as its Boston a new partnership agreement, activ- As part of a new agreement, the school considering how much Tufts benefits property, according to documents from ists are pressuring the university to offer is prepared to “significantly increase” its from Somerville,” Shortt said. both cities. more robust financial contributions to payments to Medford and Somerville, PILOT payments help pay for basic The letter from local advocates sug- its host communities. Tufts’ Director of Community Relations city services that Tufts uses, includ- gested that Somerville use Boston’s Two dozen community, labor and Rocco DiRico said in an email to the Daily. ing Somerville’s fire and police depart- model, which asks nonprofits to pay student groups signed a letter urging Tufts gave each city $275 thousand ments, City Council President Katjana 25 percent of their tax bill if they were University President Anthony Monaco to in annual voluntary PILOT payments Ballantyne explained. Residents also taxable, half in cash and half in com- “bargain in good faith” with Somerville. under the school’s previous five-year noted that the school benefits from munity benefits. DiRico explained that Tufts’ partnership agreements with agreements. The school is exempted being in a desirable and conveniently the three cities use different property both Medford and Somerville — which from property taxes on most of its land- located city like Somerville. assessments and tax rates, so compari- include payments in lieu of taxes holdings due to its nonprofit status, Residents have expressed frustration sons are challenging, though the school (PILOT) and community benefits — but Tufts’ property would have netted that Tufts’ PILOT payments to Boston — plans to keep its payments to Medford expired in June. Officials from Tufts and Somerville an extra $6.6 million per year which hosts the school’s medical cam- and Somerville equal. Somerville say negotiations for a new in 2014 if it were taxable, according to a pus — are significantly larger than its Alongside PILOT payments, Tufts agreement are still in progress. city assessment. Medford and Somerville contributions. offers in-kind benefits like athletic field “Negotiations are actively ongoing,” Somerville resident Joyce Shortt, a Tufts gave Boston about $584,000 in Somerville Director of Communications member of Somerville Mayor Joseph cash contributions last fiscal year, see PILOT, page 2 For breaking news, our content archive and Please Contact Us NEWS............................................1 FUN & GAMES ........................8 recycle this exclusive content, visit newspaper P.O. Box 53018, tuftsdaily.com Medford, MA 02155 FEATURES.................................4 OPINION ....................................9 Partly Cloudy [email protected] /thetuftsdaily @tuftsdaily tuftsdaily tuftsdaily WEEKENDER .........................6 SPORTS ........................... BACK 53 / 43 2 THE TUFTS DAILY | NEWS | Thursday, March 14, 2019 tuftsdaily.com THE TUFTS DAILY PILOT negotiations still ongoing, Tufts prepared to ELIE LEVINE Editor-in-Chief EDITORIAL increase payments David Levitsky Anita Ramaswamy housing needs. Tufts’ full-time under- dorm building, but it is still working to add Managing Editors PILOT graduate population grew by more hundreds of new beds to its campus hous- Luke Allocco Associate Editor continued from page 1 than 400 between 2007 and 2017, but ing stock by optimizing existing property. Jessica Blough Executive News Editor access for youth sports, SAT prep and the school has not added a major new “We’re aggressively taking these other Austin Clementi News Editors Charlie Driver other school programs, grants to local dorm since Sophia Gordon Hall opened steps, recognizing the need to address Jenna Fleischer Juliana Furgala nonprofits and space to host community in 2006, leaving more students to search housing as an important priority for the Kat Grellman events, as outlined in the previous part- for housing off campus. university and our host communities,” Abbie Gruskin Liza Harris nership agreements. Edward Beuchert, a member of the DiRico said. Zachary Hertz Gil Jacobson These programs have continued PILOT Negotiating Committee, says this Ballantyne and Beuchert emphasized Rachael Meyer Catherine Perloff even though the last partnership agree- dearth of on-campus housing has put that they do not see Tufts students as Seohyun Shim ment expired last year, DiRico added. enormous pressures on the neighborhood. adversaries. Rather, they hope to work Hannah Uebele Joe Walsh Some community members say they “Families can’t afford to pay what a alongside students who are concerned Alejandra Carrillo Assistant News Editors Robert Kaplan want more dialogue on community pro- landlord could [charge] by renting it about housing and community issues. Noah Richter grams, with Ballantyne noting that col- out to students,” Beuchert said. “It’s not While Shortt, the Somerville resident Jilly Rolnick Alexander Thompson laboration with local schools benefits affordable for people to get an apart- and Negotiating Team member, is some- Grace Yuh Executive Features Editor both Tufts and the city. ment around here to house a family.” what frustrated that PILOT negotiations Costa Angelakis Features Editors Jenna Fleischer “That is an opportunity for the university,” Residents like Beuchert want Tufts to are still ongoing, she is optimistic that Sean Ong Michael Shames Ballantyne said. “That advances their mission.” address this gap head-on by building a the city will craft a strong agreement. Fina Short Sidharth Anand Assistant Features Editors Some residents say Tufts can best new dormitory. DiRico noted that the uni- “If the outcome is a positive one,” Amelia Becker assist the city by addressing the area’s versity is studying the feasibility of a new Shortt said, “it will be worth the wait.” Mark Choi Sarah Crawford Mitch Lee Ellie Murphy Ananya Pavuluri Tufts Housing League hosts panel on housing Libby Langsner Executive Arts Editor John Fedak Arts Editors Tommy Gillespie Stephanie Hoechst rights Setenay Mufti Christopher Panella Rebecca Tang Danny Klain Assistant Arts Editors Yas Salon Aneurin Canham-Clyne Executive Opinion Editor Mikaela Lessnau Editorialists Kaitlyn Meslin Amulya Mutnuri Elizabeth Shelbred Simrit Uppal Shane Woolley Arlo Moore-Bloom Executive Sports Editor Yuan Jun Chee Sports Editors Ryan Eggers Liam Finnegan Jeremy Goldstein Savannah Mastrangelo Maddie Payne Haley Rich Brad Schussel Josh Steinfink Sam Weidner Julia Atkins Assistant Sports Editors Tim Chiang Jake Freudberg Noah Stancroff Helen Thomas-McLean Alex Viveros Daniel Nelson Investigative