Topics of discussion varied at last Thursday's faculty meeting-the first of the academic year. University President Frederick Lawrence and Provost Steve Goldstein '78 discussed the status of the University budget and the strategic plan, while chair of the faculty senate Prof. Eric Chasalow (MUS) addressed his peers' concerns about the online learning and test-flexible admissions initiatives.

Current University staff and faculty members also introduced 11 new faculty members, two postdoctorate fellows and one new staff member, Vice President for Alumni Relations Patricia Fisher.

The new faculty members were added in the Mathematics, Chemistry, Biochemistry, American Studies, Economics, History, Psychology, Womens and Gender Studies and Japanese departments. Visiting professors were also announced in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, Education and Philosophy, as were postdoctoral fellows in Women's and Gender Studies, Film Studies and the Digital Humanities and History.

Addressing the gathered faculty, Lawrence said that while the 2013 fiscal year budget is not ideal, "certainly by the end of the decade" it would be "well within reach to achieve a goal the University has never really achieved, which is to live within our means, and have appropriate surpluses" to fund University initiatives.

One goal over the next 10 years, he continued, is to raise $210 million to establish scholarships and bolster the endowment.

In terms of savings, Lawrence stated that the University's new contract with Sodexo adds "substantial" savings to the budget-"something in the low seven figures."

Goldstein added that the University was also seeking to save with its "aggressive" approach to reforming procurement, redirecting those funds back into the academy.

Goldstein went on to say that construction would soon begin on a new home for the Lemberg Children's Center on South Street. The new building will have more space and be able to enroll more, and younger, children. The increased enrollment is projected to cover the additional costs of the new site, according to Goldstein.

Goldstein announced last spring that the center would be relocated in response to regulatory changes that made the current building unsuitable.

This coming spring and summer, he added, the Crown Center for Middle East Studies will start moving into the former Lemberg building.

Last but not least, Goldstein announced the addition of a curator at large position at the Rose Art Museum, and that the Rose Board of Overseers had been reconstituted. He called the latter the "last formal step in the rebirth of the Rose."

After the introduction of new faculty, Chasalow gave the faculty senate report. He first addressed the room on "this experiment that [Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment] Andrew Flagel is engaged in with going test optional." Regarding faculty concerns, he said, "This is the discussion that we have to have: what does this mean for us, what are the ramifications going to be?"

On the topic of 2U and online education, Chasalow had a similar message. "I know that many of you are concerned with [Brandeis' participation in online learning]," said Chasalow. "We will continue to see how this goes," he added.

Chasalow also reported that the senate council recently held a meeting, led by Prof. Bernadette Brooten (NEJS) and Prof. Faith Smith (AAAS), to address the issue of Sodexo's ethics and labor practices, which was a topic of concern for faculty as early as last spring. Brooten volunteered to continue a discussion with Sodexo and report back to the Senate. "It's not a very clear situation, we still have questions," Chasalow said of the process.