Tufts Undergraduates Gain Power To Formulate All Dormitory Rules

Tufts College has approved a plan giving students the power to make all rules relating to dormitory life--including sex, drugs, and liquor as long as they don't violate either federal or state laws.

As far as is known, Tufts is the first college in the United States to give such far-reaching power to students.

After a six-month discussion, the student-proposed plan was voted Friday by the Committee on Student Life (CSL), a combination student-faculty-administration committee created late last spring.

Dorm Discussion

An informal dormitory discussion last February with new Tufts University president Burton C. Hallowell precipiated last week's change. During that discussion several students made impassioned speeches about the conservative parietal rules. Aroused by the discussion, the students circulated a petition to all resident students which called for liberalization of parietals.

Petition

Signed by an unprecedented 80 percent of the dormitory residents, the petition became a rallying point for student dissatisfaction. In April the Tufts Administration ignored the petition. Demonstrations were threatened but the Administration capitulated before any took place.