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Brandeis University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1949 | Waltham, MA

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EDITORIAL: Urge University to improve its emergency preparedness

(11/07/17 11:00am)

The night of Oct. 29 saw countless frustrated students as a violent storm resulted in the loss of power to all four Charles River Apartments for nearly nine hours. According to an email sent out by Area Coordinator Amanda Drapcho at 7:04 p.m. that night, “the power outage was caused due to a faulty power line which caused damage to a tree and therefore, resulted in a power outage across all four Charles River apartments.” 


Views on the News: New Passports

(11/07/17 11:00am)

According to a Nov. 2 New York Times article, Americans convicted of sex offenses against children will now have a passport to reflect their actions. Individuals in the Department of Homeland Security's database will be notified that their current passport will be revoked and replaced with the modified version. However, the Alliance for Constitutional Sex Offense Laws is against the decision, calling it a "slippery slope." Do you agree with this policy or is it violating individuals' rights?


EDITORIAL: Suggest changes surrounding the Creative Arts Award

(10/31/17 10:00am)

Two years ago, the University revived its interdepartmental Creative Arts Award after a two-decade hiatus, naming soprano vocalist Tony Arnold the 2015 recipient. The award is given out every two years, and this year, the University selected playwright Michael Weller ’65 — whose credits include his 1971 play “Moonchildren” and  the 1979 film “Hair” — as the 2017 recipient. As part of his resulting yearlong residency at Brandeis, Weller wrote “Buyer Beware,” a play about a fictional Brandeis student’s attempt to perform a comedy show in the style of Lenny Bruce. 


Views on the News: JFK Files

(10/31/17 10:00am)

According to an Oct. 26 New York Times article, President Donald Trump ordered the release of over 2,800 documents related to the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. After the release of these documents, Trump stated that agencies should be extremely circumspect when requesting redactions because "the need for continued protection can only have grown weaker with the passage of time." CIA officials claim that releasing the records may be a threat to national security and intelligence gathering methods, contrary to the belief that more secrets are being protected. How do you feel about this and do you think that all of the documents should have been released?


Recognize pattern of male ignorance toward sexual assault

(10/31/17 10:00am)

Harvey Weinstein, a name once solely representative of Hollywood’s elite, is now marred with the taste of disdain and contempt. As the discouraging trend of powerful Hollywood men such as Bill Cosby and Bill O'Reilly being accused of sexual assault continues, Harvey Weinstein only adds his name to the growing list. The accounts of Weinstein’s alleged sexual harassment and assault distinguish themselves, as he is one of the biggest producers in Hollywood. Weinstein has launched the careers of some of the biggest actors of the 21st century through his acclaimed films such as  “Shakespeare in Love” and “Chicago.” The ways in which he allegedly manipulated women, which many more are beginning to speak about, often put their careers in jeopardy. 


Urge college students to adopt more collectivist practices

(10/31/17 10:00am)

In recent years, some clinical psychologists have debated the rise of narcissism in American college-age students. A May 2010 survey by researchers at the University of Michigan revealed that the level of empathy in college students has dropped 40 percent since 2000. In this context, empathy can be defined as a sensitivity or awareness of the thoughts and experiences of others.  Boston University research professor Peter Gray supports the findings of the 2010 survey in his 2014 article for Psychology Today. In his article, Gray blames what he calls “the self-esteem” movement of the 1980s. This refers to teaching practices based on positive affirmation and the idea that students respond much better to positive behavioral management practices than they do to negative ones. An Oct. 10 article by the Association of Psychological Science rebuts the rise of narcissism with a new study that reveals that college-age students are actually slightly less narcissistic than their counterparts were in the 1990s. This study rules that there is no compelling evidence that recent generations are more narcissistic than previous ones. Narcissism was understood as a point of view limited almost exclusively to one’s own needs, thoughts and experiences. The researchers identified specific aspects of narcissism, such as leadership, vanity and entitlement, and saw a similar downward trend in each of these traits between 1992 and 2015. Logically, narcissism and empathy have an inverse relationship: An increase in either leads to a reduction in the other. Individualism is not the same as  narcissism. Individualism relates to narcissism in that too much emphasis of the former can lead to the development of the latter. Hence, being individualist doesn’t necessarily mean one lacks empathy. 


Consider implementing changes to current American tax policy

(10/31/17 10:00am)

The progressive doctrine that has taken over college campuses across the country in the last few years not only raises legitimate concerns about free speech and First Amendment rights, but, more importantly, it has isolated young millennials in platonic bubbles where diversity of all kinds is king, except when it comes to ideological diversity. It is a bubble where a growing majority believes they are entitled to free education and free healthcare, while they see the top one percent as the only barrier separating millennials from a decent shot in life. Reality, however, hits soon upon graduation when one realizes that the math does not add to the dollars on their paycheck. The reason why you cannot find a decent paying job, pay back student loans or buy a house is because the government has, for decades, increased spending and jeopardized wage growth. As a result, dependency on welfare programs has reached an all-time high, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis. 





Acknowledge societal benefits of increased happiness

(10/31/17 10:00am)

Do we care about being happy anymore? According to an Oct. 27 New York Times opinion piece, we do. Ruth Whippman asserts that “good social relationships are the strongest, most consistent predictor there is of a happy life,” and also that “the average American spends barely more than half an hour a day on social communication.” So where’s the disconnect? The problem with happiness is that we simply don’t value it. We say we do, of course, because saying we don’t care would be blasphemous. But by the numbers, happiness is far down the societal priority list as income inequality and a competitive, numbers-driven society pressures us economically. 



Condemn White House decision to revoke DACA status

(10/24/17 10:00am)

On Sept. 5, the Trump administration chose to rescind the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that shielded 800,000 young immigrants from deportation and enabled them to apply for work permits and social security numbers after a series of strict background and security checks, according to a Sept. 5 New York Times article. While the decision was unnecessary and heartless, it formed a sense of urgency that mobilized action in Congress toward a bipartisan solution to protect Dreamers. The solution, according to both sides of the conversation, consisted of sensible border security — in the form of drones and advanced technology — in partnership with the DREAM Act, according to a Sept. 14 New York Times article. The president said he would still pursue the wall but would not make it a demand when signing legislation aimed at protecting Dreamers. A Sept. 28 Fox News poll showed that 86 percent of voters support legislation to give Dreamers work permits, and even more incredibly, 62 percent of voters view this issue as an extremely important matter for Congress to focus on. The support in Congress was further reflecting this support, with now 200 House members co-sponsoring the DREAM/RAC Act in the House, according to the U.S. Congress. In the Senate, a bipartisan push has resulted in several pieces of legislation to support Dreamers, with wide support from Senators from both sides. 



Views on the News: Veterans

(10/24/17 10:00am)

According to an Oct. 16 New York Times article, former Marine Sergeant Major, Damien Rodriguez was charged with a felony-level hate crime and assault after he attacked employees at an Iraqi restaurant in Portland, Oregon. His friends and family, however, claim that his actions were the result of PTSD and not hatred. Do you feel that Rodriguez’s charges are appropriate? 


EDITORIAL: Recognize Sodexo’s accomplishments among flaws

(10/24/17 10:00am)

Sodexo has taken great strides toward improving the dining experience for University students, and this board commends Sodexo on its efforts to please as many students as possible with the food served in the dining halls. However, because Sodexo has an everlasting capacity for improvement, this board has recommendations looking into the future. 


Recognize the possibly beneficial impact of celebrity status

(10/24/17 10:00am)

It is no secret that celebrities have won over our attention; they fill us with joy, make us weep at our television screens and run our bank accounts thin with their new releases. Most importantly, though, they can compel us to listen. Beyoncé, for example, has a name that is almost universally known. While the icon has a slew of accolades, one of the most relevant now is her commitment to social justice.  From her 2014 Video Music Awards medley performance proudly proclaiming herself as a feminist to her 2016 music video “Formation,” which brought attention to the rampant police violence in our society, Beyoncé has illustrated why it is important for celebrities to speak out.