A group of students has organized a protest against executive compensation at Brandeis. The event, which, as of press time, had 38 respondents listed as planning to attend the event on Facebook, will take place outside of University President Frederick Lawrence's office in the Irving Presidential Enclave in the Bernstein-Marcus Administration Center, on Thursday from noon to 2 p.m.

The students organizing the event are Aaren Weiner '16, Elaine Mancini '16, Joy Brenner-Letich '16, Guy Mika '17, Abbie Goldberg '16, Iona Feldman '17 and Mitch Mankin '16. The group is not a club that will be recognized, according to Weiner, but an organized group of individuals. "We want the protest to involve everyone and not our specific ideology. We don't want to alienate anyone," wrote the group in a statement sent to the Justice.

The group wrote that "[t]here is no way to predict what will happen" in terms of the response that the protest will receive among members of the Brandeis community and how many participants will attend. "It is a test rally," the group wrote. "We are creating a movement."

The Facebook event description states that the University wants to raise tuition by four percent and still pays President Emeritus Jehuda Reinharz over $300,000 per year, although the Justice could not confirm that tuition will increase by four percent. Additionally, Reinharz's annual salary as a half-time professor will be $180,000 as of June 2014, according to a Nov. 19 Justice article. In addition, it states that Lawrence makes over $700,000 per year. "THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. In order for Brandeis to live up to its reputation as an aware and progressive institution, THIS INJUSTICE MUST BE ELIMINATED," the event information reads.

Although the members of the organizing group wrote that they believe that budget transparency is appreciated, the University's recent policy changes to increase transparency actually incensed the members to organize this rally, as it "explicitly show[s] how corrupt the executive pay process is.

"The administration has said they plan to negotiate these huge executive packages and come up with fairer numbers, but that hasn't happened yet. We are demanding that these proceedings happen NOW and that [they] result in a truly fair decision as to how much the executives will be paid," the group wrote.

The group wrote that it felt that although a number of students on campus are upset, in order for anything to occur, the members had to address the issues and come forward to organize a protest and express these sentiments themselves.

"We want everyone to know that the only way things are going to change is if we demonstrate that we NEED them to. This is something that affects what every Brandeis student pays each year and if Brandeis is really concerned about social justice, we need to make things right on our own campus," the group wrote.

Section eight of the 2013 to 2014 Rights and Responsibilities Handbook addresses campus protests and demonstrations. Members of the Brandeis community are allowed to hold protests "provided such protests or demonstrations do not disrupt University operations or obstruct physical movement to, from, or within any place on the campus, including University property located off the main campus," the handbook reads.

In addition, the handbook states that the senior student affairs officer or designee must be notified in advance, and "may instruct organizers regarding the guidelines for such activity."
According to Weiner, she contacted Dean of Students Jamele Adams and he asked her to set up a meeting with him through his secretary. However, as of Sunday, Weiner had yet to hear back from her. "The administration is aware, but nothing further has happened," she wrote.

Adams confirmed in an email to the Justice that the meeting is currently being scheduled, but wrote that the group must meet with him in advance in order for the protest to occur. "I can't offer any statement to you at this time, as I haven't met with the students yet. But in regards to protest itself on campus; the ability for students to use the vehicle of protest to express opinion and bring notice to matters of concern is valued and has often been the cornerstone of many great movements and changes throughout the history of our fine University," he wrote.