Frequently Asked Questions

The best way to begin the process of starting a group is to contact the Office for Campus Life (OCL) and the TCU Judiciary. You can find the OCL in the Campus Center. You can also contact the Judiciary by emailing them at t...@tufts.edu.

The Judiciary has put together a guide to starting a group, which can be found here. Once you have gone through the TCU Recognition process with the Judiciary, you will be eligible for funding and should contact the Senate for more information about the budgeting process.

You can contact the Treasury in a few ways. You can contact them using our online form, by emailing tcut...@tufts.edu, or by attending one of the Treausurer's office hours in the Campus Center Room 218.

The TCU Treasury funds TCU recognized groups. You can see if you're group is recognized by contacting the TCU Judiciary, or following this link on the TCU Judiciary's website.

The Treasury has also put together a list of on-campus funding sources for TCU and non-TCU recognized groups. Click "Treasury" on the right and then click "Funding Sources."

Anyone can contact the Senate by emailing tcus...@tufts.edu or by navigating to the "Contact Us" option on the right. Anyone is also encouraged to attend weekly Senate meetings on Sundays at 7:00 pm (location varies, but usually the Campus Center Large Conference Room or the Sophia Gordon Multipurpose Room). Someone can also attend Senate office hours, which are listed on this site.

The primary difference between the Constitution and the Senate By-Laws is the level of specificity and the purpose of each. The Constitution established the framework within which the Senate, Judiciary, CSL, and ECOM operate. The By-laws on the other hand govern the specific processes by which the Senate operates. The By-Laws operate within the guidelines established by the Constitution. For example, the Constitution establishes the role of Community Reps., while the Senate By-laws governs how they are elected and their specific duties.

Anyone can submit a resolution by sending it to the Parliamentarian. Check the passed resolutions for the proper formatting, or e-mail the Parliamentarian. It takes about a week before resolutions are heard by Senate.

A resolution is a document debated and voted on by senate. They express the opinions of the senate, or call for changes from the administration (or even the government). A resolution is a great tool to bring an issue to the forefront of discussion.

Yes! All meetings are open to the public. Students can speak during a dedicated section called "Public Forum," and are also allowed to participate in debates surrounding Treasury issues and Resolutions.

Senate meetings are a time for Senators to discuss their projects and give relevant updates. Specifically, each committee reports on their projects, and the members of the Executive Board report their relevant correspondence. At some meetings, the Senate votes on resolutions, or disbursements from the Student Activities Fee. Every meeting has a section dedicated to public feedback.

1. Any student at Tufts can join one of our five committees to work on a project or discuss relevant issues.
2. All senate meetings are open. All tufts students are able to speak at these meetings.
3. Anyone can apply to be on a Student Faculty committee. Click here for more information.

See the Elections Commission for more info on elections.

Trustee reps are chosen to represent Senate to the Board of Trustees. They can sit-in on Trustee meetings, and give a presentation to them in February. They do not vote in Senate.

Community reps are Senators that are elected with the assent of various groups of students. See the section on community reps for more information.

The TCU Senate is the largest and most active branch of the TCU Government. Its members represent undergraduate students to the administration, and advocate for projects on their behalf. The Senate also contains the Treasury, which allocates the $1.4 million Student Activities Fee to student groups.

The TCU Senate meets once a week, usually on Sunday evenings starting at 7pm. The meetings tend to last about 3 hours and the location of the meetings is always posted on www.tuftslife.com beforehand. All Senate meetings are open to the student body and anyone is welcome to attend any part of any meeting.