TCU Senate to Sponsor "TCU Senate Trivia Night"

Tufts Student Government plans to educate students about its history while having a good time

By Harold Hotung, J.D., PhD, B.M.
JumboToss Editorial Board

MEDFORD, MA -- The 2009-10 school year at Tufts University has proven to be the era of trivia games: everywhere one looks, it seems he or she is being asked the capital of Zimbabwe, or the chemical formula of table salt!

Starting next Saturday night, the TCU Senate will jump on that bandwagon, offering Tufts students an opportunity to attend the first ever "TCU Senate Trivia Night."

The event will solely feature questions -- both historical and current-related -- about the Tufts Community Union Senate. First prize winners will earn the chance to sit in on a real, live senate meeting, while second prize winners will be treated to lunch with a senator of their choice at either Dewick or Carmichael.


What is this building and what does Senate have to do with it? Find out more at Senate Trivia Night!

"This is part of our new, hands-on campaign," said an anonymous Senate source. "We want Tufts kids to feel like we're not some big, scary organization. If they work hard at trivia, they can get a free ticket to see us doing what we do best."

To encourage attendance, the TCU Senate released a preliminary list of some of the questions at next weekend's first event. 'How many voting members does the Senate have?'; 'Who reigned as president from 1942 to 1945?'; and 'What does the treasurer do?' led off the list.

"The questions are interesting, they're engaging, and they get people excited," added the same source as before. "This event is about having fun. That's why we're also offering a plate of mozzerella sticks for only five bucks."

It is also rumored that previously-private information regarding why the Senate decided to hold Winter Bash off campus may be revealed at the event.

New Study: Hotung Experiment "A Complete Failure"

Transformation of Campus Center venue made space even worse, says new report

By Dr. Dewey Dewick
Senior Staff Writer

MEDFORD, MA -- Hotung Cafe's renovation nearly two years ago -- a process that involved the removal of a big screen TV as well as the creation of a semicircular "stage" -- has been deemed a failure, says a report published by the Latin American Building Improvement Association (LABIA) this week.

According to the 500 page report, literally none of the Hotung renovation's original goals -- which included increased student recognition of the facility and the transformation of the dining area into a "pub" after hours -- have been met.

"This experiment has actually made the venue worse," said Jorge Mejillas, senior director of LABIA. "The concert area used to actually have a stage. Now it has an awkward semicircle."

"It's not what we envisioned, that much is clear," added the project's former construction foreman William Kazakhov. "We didn't transcend, we didn't transform. We just made the food worse and moved the TV's upwards a bit.

"This report though, it's a sheer slap in the face."


Above: How developers formerly envisioned Hotung would look

LABIA was originally contracted by Tufts to conduct the report as a promotional tool for the university. The idea was that Tufts would receive high marks for Hotung and use the document to encourage alumni donations for future useless renovations.

However, the investigation's findings show that the school's plan backfired in the worst possible way.


Above: A trashcan outside the unpopular Hotung

Tufts students were quick to offer their support for the Association's conclusions.

"I totally agree with this report," said Tufts Junior Alissa Garbonzo. "Have you ever been to a concert there? It's like, we're all standing around while the band plays in this weird semicircle at the same level as us, and then there's this totally awkward space in the back of the semicircle. You'd have to see it to believe it."

"Eating there actually made my life worse," added Freshman Jacoby Tank-Dooper. "I can't deal with the food, I just can't."

Tufts officials say no future renovations are planned for the venue, which has, according to the report, become an "atmospheric toilet for the campus's worst food and music."

"We're not really sure why students would ever even consider grabbing a beer there," said Mejillas.

DeweyDewick@Dewick.com

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