Students often dread the inevitable end of summer, knowing full well that it means the return to school and beginning of another year of academia. This fall, however, Brandeis students will have at least two significant changes to our campus to look forward to: The official grand opening of the new Shapiro Campus Center in October, and the beginning of construction on the first new dorms to be built on campus since the mid 1980s, the groundbreaking for which will occur this June.We have all eagerly witnessed the gradual construction of the new student center, but few have had a chance to actually participate in the preparation process. However, while most students at Brandeis are gearing up to head back home for the summer, a group of students has elected to remain on campus this summer to aid in the transition from Usdan to the Shapiro Campus Center. Many of these students accepted the e-mail invitation from Associate Dean of Student Life Alwina Bennett to apply to lead in the transition experience. Others became involved through their respective student organizations that will be housed in the new center.

We would like to commend these students for taking this leadership initiative and making this a part of their summers. In addition, we applaud the administration's effort to incorporate student input, and would encourage them to follow suit in some way as the new dorms begin to take form.