Tufts University Senior Anjuli Branz Loses Age Discrimination Complaint

A student at Tufts University believes the Senior Class Council discriminates against 20-year-olds by holding Senior Night events at bars restricted to those of legal drinking age, the Tufts Daily reports.

Tufts senior Anjuli Branz, 20, filed a complaint this week with the student government, the Tufts Community Union. Branz argued the Senior Class Council violated the school constitution, which bans TCU recognized groups from basing participation, “membership, rank or voting privilege” on age.

“If someone in our class was in a wheelchair and we went to a place that wasn’t wheelchair accessible, people wouldn’t be okay with that,” Branz told the Tufts Daily. “I believe there are ways to make Senior Nights exist and not be discriminatory, but I hope I’m right about that and it can become a reality."

To Branz' dismay, the judiciary branch of the TCU decided Thursday that she wasn't a victim of age discrimination.

TCU Judiciary chair Adam Sax wrote in a decision the Senior Class council is "not guilty of discrimination or any other violation of the TCU Constitution under any condition, particularly in regards to age."

Judiciary vice chair Greg Bodwin told the Boston Herald that if they decided the complaint is valid, the Senior Class Council would have to revise their events to include Tufts seniors of any age. That would likely mean picking a venue open to any age and potentially could cost students much more in admission prices to pay for renting space.

Branz didn't find much support from the Daily either. Staff penned an editorial earlier in the week defending against allegations of age discrimination. "The class council has done its best to accommodate underage seniors with other, non−restricted events," they wrote.

Branz has 10 days to file an appeal.