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

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Unnecessary obstacles: Cumbersome club regulations

(04/01/26 10:00am)

Brandeis’ over 200 student-run clubs and organizations are pivotal to the Brandeis experience for many students on campus, providing a sense of community and a connection to one’s culture. They also plan countless events for students to take part in. Currently, many clubs are experiencing issues regarding registering events on Campus Groups, specifically with how far in advance clubs must register events. This editorial board chose not to name specific clubs to use as examples for these issues in order to protect their privacy.

https://www.thejustice.org/article/2026/04/unnecessary-obstacles-cumbersome-club-regulations

Horses aren’t real: A philosophical argument

(04/01/26 10:00am)

At some point in life, we humans indubitably accept things as facts. Believing is seeing, seeing is believing. Humans take many things we see for granted; the sky is blue, grass is green, kittens drink milk. Horses follow this. Throughout childhood, many children are exposed to countless tales of horses in literature and film and often in person on farms. While I unfortunately have to admit that horses do exist as a biological entity, our perception of them is generally far more shaped by culture, media and collective belief rather than direct first-hand experience. The belief in horses as a complete being that is “real” reveals limits of human perception, considering that what we experience is not reality itself but rather a constructed version shaped by the brain and culture.

https://www.thejustice.org/article/2026/04/horses-arent-real-a-philosophical-argument

The Reality of reality TV

(04/01/26 10:00am)

 Reality television really is everywhere now. People can’t stop talking — or arguing — about dating shows, survival games or a bunch of strangers locked in a house. They say they’re depicting “real life,” but come on, we all know it’s mostly for show. These programs don’t just highlight real relationships — they twist them, sometimes making us see them in a bizarre way that feels a million miles from honest. You always hear about how “authentic” it all is, claiming to show raw emotion and real people. Behind the curtain, however, producers curate who gets screen time. Everything gets set up in advance, and then hours of footage get chopped into an hour-long “story” guaranteed to pull you in with love triangles, fights and wild turning points. You’re not seeing reality. You’re watching a carefully curated, drama-filled highlight reel.

https://www.thejustice.org/article/2026/04/the-reality-of-reality-tv

Misguided marketing: The case for student involvement in University decisions

(03/24/26 10:00am)

The Brandeis administration hosts monthly faculty meetings in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall, where faculty discuss and vote on various changes to the University. Recently, these changes have included the addition of undergraduate majors and minors as well as changes to the Core curriculum. Additionally, they are a forum for understanding and discussing aspects of running a university that are not as apparent to many students such as marketing, university legislation and available resources for faculty members to revise their curricula. In short, they are one of the integral elements of how major changes are made to the University. 

https://www.thejustice.org/article/2026/03/misguided-marketing-the-case-for-student-involvement-in-university-decisions

Contract grading: a beacon to a better American future?

(03/24/26 10:00am)

 It is widely known that the United States’ education system is subpar compared to other countries, both in terms of content and, most importantly, methodology. The Grade Point Average system is the most commonly used grading system across the U.S., and though many traditionalists argue against the implementation of an alternative grading system that caters to individual students’ needs, others propose that in a country with rapidly declining literacy rates, the only solution left is to fix what’s broken. However, no one can seem to agree on what aspect of our current education system is the issue, not to mention what scholastic reform would look like. Though I don’t claim to offer any solutions to this issue, my recent experiences with contract grading got me thinking about what constitutes a truly exceptional educational system and what that means in the first place. What is the end-all be-all of education, specifically in America? If the goal of education is to encourage critical thinking, creativity and economic stability, then how can our government collaborate with organizations, teachers and students themselves to create a grading system that escapes the fairly restrictive traditional grading system while still prioritizing educational rigor? Though these are questions that do not have simple answers, they are nonetheless important to ask, especially considering the ever-changing arena of American politics, not to mention the technological developments that fundamentally change our relationship to education, namely artificial intelligence. I believe that exposure to different systems of education encourages critical thinking and maximizes academic potential. 

https://www.thejustice.org/article/2026/03/contract-grading-a-beacon-to-a-better-american-future

Adapting to the digital world by losing ourselves

(03/24/26 10:00am)

 As people begin to notice how technology negatively affects their lives, it is increasingly important to be aware of the effects we don’t directly feel. Humans are characteristically good at adapting — or maladapting — to changes in their environments and lifestyles. So as digital innovations take up more of our time, it is crucial to realize where we are and how we are changing. The tradeoff for adapting so well to the digital world is that we lose some of our ability to function in the physical world. Although there haven’t been large-scale studies to observe how people are exactly adapting to the digital world, there are many examples of groups having physically adapted to their environmental circumstances.

https://www.thejustice.org/article/2026/03/adapting-to-the-digital-world-by-losing-ourselves

Everybody wants to be Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, so who’s going to be themselves?

(03/17/26 6:52pm)

Since the release of the new television series “Love Story,” which follows the tragedy of John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife Carolyn in the 1990s, the fashion resurgence of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy has begun. Before her marriage to JFK Jr., Carolyn Bessette was a publicist for Calvin Klein, eventually working as the director of publicity and then the director of show production. Although she had a brief modeling career as an undergraduate student at Boston University in the 1980s, CBK was relatively unknown until her high-profile relationship with JFK Jr. thrust her into the spotlight in the ‘90s. 

https://www.thejustice.org/article/2026/03/everybody-wants-to-be-carolyn-bessette-kennedy-so-whos-going-to-be-themselves

Light in the winter: a thank you to the Department of Student Engagement

(03/17/26 10:00am)

 The University boasts over 250 clubs and student-run organizations, all of which play a central role in community-building and relieving students’ academic stress. The Department of Student Engagement’s integral work has made these events possible by offering logistical support for clubs’ programming and providing financial guidance. DSE is also responsible for conceptualizing and implementing campus-wide programs. Given the significance of its work, The Justice’s Editorial Board would like to take this opportunity to highlight some of the DSE’s recent initiatives and express our appreciation for the efforts it makes to align with the student body. In a campus environment where students juggle demanding academic and extracurricular schedules, these programs are vital in creating spaces for relaxation, connection and creativity outside of the classroom. 

https://www.thejustice.org/article/2026/03/light-in-the-winter-a-thank-you-to-the-department-of-student-engagement

Letter to the Editor — Lance Rothchild

(03/17/26 10:00am)

I was disappointed to read the Justice’s review of Sense & Sensibility, a show I’ve spent the last two months working on with a talented team of actors, designers, and crew. I found the piece’s tone dismissive and even mean. Compliments to certain actors were paid at the direct expense of others, and technical issues which could have been addressed in a single sentence took up an entire paragraph. I should hope a so-called “proper review” would handle these issues with more tact. 

https://www.thejustice.org/article/2026/03/letter-to-the-editor-lance-rothchild

A new lacrosse team won’t fix what’s broken at Brandeis

(03/10/26 7:06pm)

 Learning about the University’s budget problems is nothing new to Brandeis students. There’s likely not a single student on campus who hasn’t woken up to an email from the president — either former or current — detailing the latest deficit or university crisis, and then outlining the brilliant and novel plan they came up with that will save us. Sometimes, these plans are called reorganizations, restructurings or reimaginations. In reality, they are almost always layoffs, cuts or cancelations. There was Brandeis’ decision to lay off more than 60 faculty positions in the spring of 2024. Later that year, the University ended its support for the Lydian String Quartet. That came following the 2023 decision to eliminate specific graduate programs within the music department. Of course, for those of us who have been here a little longer, some may remember the cancelation of the Science 2A project: the purported five-story and nearly $150 million expansion of science lab and classroom space attached to the Shapiro Campus Center. Finally, for those of us who have been here the longest, there is the University’s infamous post recession attempt to sell off the Rose Art Museum's nearly $350 million collection.

https://www.thejustice.org/article/2026/03/a-new-lacrosse-team-wont-fix-whats-broken-at-brandeis

Hectic housing: a guide to Brandeis living

(03/10/26 7:08pm)

 The Brandeis housing system is notoriously complex. As the housing selection date approaches, this editorial board would like to provide some suggestions to clarify the selection process. The current housing selection system works by assigning all rising sophomores, juniors and seniors a housing number. These can be found by accessing the MyHousing portal, where the number is displayed under the “Messages” tab, along with the selection period. Student athletes are assigned the lowest numbers (0-126), sophomores have the next lowest (127-1201) and juniors and seniors are given the remaining numbers. Time slots for housing selection will be assigned on March 13. 

https://www.thejustice.org/article/2026/03/hectic-housing-a-guide-to-brandeis-living