Student Activities and Student Government

On this Page

• Student Activities
• Student Organizations
• Research Societies
• University Policy on Campus Gatherings
• Student Government
  • The Student Body
  • Class Officers and Representatives
  • Student Representation on Standing Committees
  • Student Representation to ADEA and ASDA
• Student Resources

STUDENT ACTIVITIES

There are basically two types of student activities: (1) sponsored or university activities which have active management, financial, physical and administrative involvement from the University, involving significant staff and faculty time and (2) non-sponsored activities that are independent from the institutions physical, financial or administrative involvement. In this instance the University will have limited or no oversight of the activity.

The University’s mission regarding these types of activities is to allocate limited resources, effectuate a mission, meet student interest and limit the liabilities to which the University, its students, faculty and staff are exposed. University sponsored activities require the prior approval of the Office of Student Affairs.

Any questions regarding the appropriateness of an activity or whether the University will sponsor it, must be referred to the Office of Student Affairs well in advance of the event.
Depending on the nature of the activity, participants may be obliged to sign a release or waiver of liability as a condition of participation.

If a personal vehicle is utilized for a University sponsored activity, personal liability insurance limits are primary and the University’s limits may be excess. Under no circumstances will the University reimburse for damages to a personal vehicle.

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Student organizations at Tufts are established and run by the students who wish to participate. Student groups are maintained based upon the general level of student interest. If you wish to establish a new organization it is necessary that you submit a mission statement along with a general overview of proposed activities associated with the group to the Assistant Director of Student Affairs.

Student organizations may, upon written request, receive an annual budget allocation. However, organizations are expected to fundraise in order to cover their expenses. Organizations interested in receiving funds must submit a budget proposal to the Assistant Director of Student Affairs. Funding will be received based upon the proposal submitted and the availability of funds at the time of submission. Any allocated money must be used by June 15th for each fiscal year close or the use of the money will expire.

Student organizations are encouraged to seek faculty advisors for assistance in support of their group. Please notify the Office of Student Affairs of the selection of an advisor or if you need assistance in finding one. Organizations must also keep the Office of Student Affairs informed of the election of new leadership positions each year.

General Responsibilities of Student Organization Representatives

Maintain correspondence with the student body regarding events or issues associated with the group.

Complete room requests for organized meetings or events on campus.
Maintain communication with the Assistant Director of Student Affairs in regards to event planning in order to ensure that no conflicts exist with the planned events of other organizations.

Communicate all on campus organized meetings or events or off campus University sponsored meetings or events to the Assistant Director of Student Affairs. Complete all necessary room request forms, special event setup forms and any other additional paperwork and submit all necessary paperwork to the Assistant Director of Student Affairs.

Shall be required to provide a written report and presentation to the Assistant Director of Student Affairs upon returning from each national and/or regional meeting, if applicable. All travel arrangements must be preapproved by the Assistant Director of Student Affairs.

The following is a list of currently active student organizations:

Alpha Omega
American Dental Education Association (ADEA)
American Association of Women Dentists (AAWD)
American Student Dental Association (ASDA)
Asian Baptist Student Koinonia, Medical/Dental (ABSK)
Asian Dental Association
Bates Student Research Group
Christian Medical and Dental Society (CMDS)
Delta Sigma Delta
Tufts GLR (Gay & Lesbian Resources)
Muslim Student Association
Persian Association of Student Dentists and Dentists (PASDAD)
Sharewood Clinic
Smile Share and Care
Smile Squad
South Asian Medical-Dental Association (SAMDA)
Student Hispanic Dental Association (SHDA)
Student National Dental Association (SNDA)

RESEARCH SOCIETIES

History of Bates-Andrews Research Day
Since the 1930’s this day is held in February or March to honor George A. Bates, an alumnus of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, who taught Tufts medical and dental students. The student research societies annually sponsor “Bates Day” which consists of student table clinics that showcase the research conducted by students during the preceding year. It also features displays by commercial exhibitors and has included photography and arts & crafts exhibitions by students and faculty. Bates-Andrews Day especially gives our students an opportunity to share with the rest of the Tufts community their accomplishments in fields of special interest. Bates Day is held annually at Tufts to promote student research and thereby enhance the opportunities for professional growth of our students, alumni and faculty. Several prizes are awarded, included funded travel to meetings of the American Dental Association and the Greater New York Dental Society.

Who participates/is expected to participate?
All students who received Student Summer Research Grants from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine are required to present at Bates Day. Graduate students and students who completed research at other institutions are encouraged to participate.

The George A. Bates - Student Research Group
A student organization established in 1935, the local Student Research Group chapter of the American Association for Dental Research bears the name of the late George A. Bates. Dr. Bates was a graduate of the dental school and inspirational professor in microscopic anatomy for both the dental and medical students. The Bates-Student Research Group (SRG) promotes student research in dentistry and its related disciplines. All students interested in research are encouraged to pursue membership in the Bates-Student Research Group.

Membership
Interested students are welcome to attend various Bates-SRG meetings and activities throughout the year. Students are encouraged to join the American Association of Dental Research National Student Research Group, and to help represent student research at Tufts on a national level. Membership in the Bates-Student Research Group is also acknowledged for all students who present at the annual Bates-Andrews Research Day.

The Robert R. Andrews Research Honors Society
This student-run organization was established in 1921 to promote dental research and to honor those who excel in it. It is named in memory of Dr. Robert R. Andrews, a former member of the faculty, an outstanding researcher and distinguished dental surgeon. As the name signifies, this is an honor society to which students are elected following peer-review by research faculty and the Society’s officers. Student members are acknowledged at graduation by special mention in the commencement program for their class.

The Robert R. Andrews Research Honors Society- Criteria for Membership
Typically, students inducted into the Andrews Research Honors Society have conducted research during two or more years, and have presented their work at regional and national conferences. Each year one to three faculty members are inducted into the society based on their personal research accomplishments as well as their continuing support, guidance and mentoring for student research.

UNIVERSITY POLICY ON CAMPUS GATHERINGS

Because free inquiry and expression are indispensable to the attainment of the goals of the University, Tufts encourages members of the University community to develop the capacity for critical judgment and supports the rights of members of the University community to freely express their views and opinions.

The University also recognizes a concurrent obligation to develop policies and procedures, which safeguard this freedom of expression but which, at the same time, will maintain on the campuses an atmosphere conducive to academic work. The University expects its members to be conscious and respectful of the corollary rights of fellow students, faculty, staff, and other participants in the University community to perform their duties free from disruption, interference, or harassment.

While the University recognizes the rights of members of the Tufts community to peaceful and non-obstructive gathering for the purpose of expressing and discussing ideas and opinions, the
University will not sanction conduct such as the following:

1. Interference with students, faculty, staff or visitors to the campus who are seeking to perform their various duties;
2. Intimidation of students, faculty, staff, or visitors to the campus;
3. Destruction of or damage to University property;
4. Destruction of or damage to records, documents, files, etc., of the University or of members of the University community;
5. Trespass, defined as: Unauthorized entry to a non-public area, a private office, or to a University facility declared closed by the University and/or refusal to leave when asked.

Any individual who engages in the conduct described above, or who otherwise interferes with and disrupts the orderly conduct of University affairs will be subject to civil or criminal prosecution, when civil or criminal statutes are violated, and to applicable University disciplinary procedures. With respect to students, such disciplinary procedures could result in suspension or expulsion from the University.

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

The organizational structure for the student body at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine shall consist of: (I) The Student Body; (II) Officers for each class; and (III) Student Representation on the Standing Committees of the Executive Faculty and ADEA and ASDA. Membership, duties and objectives pertaining to the above are outlined below.

I. The Student Body

Class Membership
The student body of Tufts University School of Dental Medicine is comprised of
all registered students enrolled in the D.M.D. degree program.

II. Class Officers and Representatives

A. Elections

1. At the end of each academic year (except in the case of the entering class which will hold its elections in mid- to late-September) general elections shall be held, in conjunction with the Office of Student Affairs, to elect Class Officers: President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary; Student Library Advisory Committee, Campus Office Watch, American Student Dental Association (ASDA) and American Dental Education Association (ADEA) representatives (see Section IV); Standing Committee Representatives: Admissions (first-year class not applicable), Curriculum; Ethics Professionalism and Citizenship; Infection Control, Outcomes Assessment, Patient Care Quality Assurance Committee, Promotions, Research Committee and Technology Committee.
2. Any member of the Student Body is eligible to hold a class elected position if the student is in good academic and professional standing within the University. No student may run for more than one office concurrently.
3. Class elections shall be by secret ballot as organized by the Office of Student Affairs.
4. A simple majority (50% + 1) of votes cast is necessary for election to a designated office.
5. A run-off election shall be held in the event that no individual obtains a majority of votes. (A majority is considered 50% + 1 of the class members who cast a vote.) The run-off will include the two top candidates for that office.
6. Current class officers shall present a description of all elected positions to the entering first-year class.

B. Class Officers and Responsibilities

1. The Class President

• Acts as the executive officer of the class planning, coordinating and presiding over all class and class officers' meetings. A minimum of three class meetings must be held by the president during the academic year. A meeting of the class officers must be held once a month.
• Receives reports from other class officers for communication to the class and is responsible for establishing and overseeing a format for that communication.
• Serves as liaison between the class and faculty/administration and acts as primary spokesperson for the class.
• Delegates additional duties to the appropriate class officers.

2. The Class Vice President

• Acts as the executive officer for the class in the absence of the President.
• Works in conjunction with the President regarding all executive functions.
• Coordinates all sub-committees.
• Performs additional duties as delegated by the Class President.

3. The Class Treasurer

• Is responsible for all financial transactions and records of the class.
• Works closely with the Assistant Director of Student Affairs in the allocation of class designated revenue and other fiscal matters.
• Is responsible for coordinating fund raising efforts.
• Performs other duties as delegated by the Class President.

4. The Class Secretary

• Types and mails all correspondence from the class officers.
• Maintains class bulletin board in 7th floor hallway.
• Is responsible for the writing of minutes and dissemination of information resulting from decisions made at class meetings and class officers' meetings.
  

III. Student Representation on the Standing Committees of the School of Dental Medicine

A. Election of Student Representatives

1. There shall be one representative from each class on each of the designated standing committees of the School of Dental Medicine with the exception of the Admissions Committee. The Admissions Committee will be composed of two elected representatives from the 2nd and 3rd year classes. At the discretion of the chair, two additional representatives may be appointed to establish a diverse committee.
2. Each classes’ representative on standing committees shall be elected during the general class election.
3. The class representatives to the Ethics, Professionalism and Citizenship committee will be elected for two-year terms in the first and third years of the predoctoral program.

B. The Standing Committees

1. Scope and Purpose
   1. The Admissions Committee
      Shall have the responsibility for developing predoctoral admissions policies and procedures for approval by the Executive Faculty, and shall have the authority to implement these policies and procedures.
   2. The Curriculum Committee
      Shall have charge of all matters related to the predoctoral educational policy of the School, the content of the curriculum, the allotment of time for each subject or course, and the arrangement of the schedule and the establishment of clinical guidelines and evaluation of the educational program.
   3. Ethics, Professionalism and Citizenship Committee
      Shall have responsibility relating to ethics, professionalism and citizenship for students, faculty and staff. Students will be elected to two-year terms in the first and third years of the predoctoral program.
   4. Infection Control Committee
      Shall have responsibility over all matters related to infection control in the school. Review policy, and promote educational reinforcement.
   5. The Patient Care Quality Assurance Committee
      Shall be concerned with all matters relating to the function, maintenance, and coordination of all clinics managed by the School.
   6. The Promotions Committee
      Shall have the authority to promote predoctoral students, to recommend students for graduation and academic honors, and to deal with cases of academic deficiency.
   7. The Outcomes Assessment Committee
      Shall evaluate through an ongoing assessment of outcomes the degree to which the goals and objectives of the school are being met. The Committee receives data and analyses from the appropriate resources, reviews them in relation to goals and objectives and, when necessary, makes recommendations for improvement in the school’s/programs’ effectiveness.
   8. The Research Committee
      Shall promote research in the School, and collaboration among individuals and departments. This committee shall recommend to the Dean expenditures for research as may be available.
   9. Technology Committee
      Shall have the responsibility for advising about and/or advancing the appropriate use of technology to help the School meet its stated vision, mission and goals. This charge includes seeking external sources of funding for support of technology.

2. General Respo