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Police Log 2-23-21

MEDICAL EMERGENCY 

Governor Charlie Baker shares updates to Massachusetts’ COVID-19 policies

The Baker-Polito administration announced changes to Massachusetts’ COVID-19 guidelines on Feb. 8. The changes were made following an overall decrease in the number of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations in the state. In November, when the state implemented stricter guidelines to slow the spread of the virus, Massachusetts had a positive test average of approximately 5.94% for a data collection period of seven days. As of Feb. 18, the rate of weekly positive cases was 2.13% in Massachusetts and 1.18% in Waltham. The number of active cases, hospitalizations and deaths has also declined over the past weeks. 

Views on the News: Former President Trump acquitted following his second impeachment trial

On Saturday, Feb. 13, the U.S. Senate acquitted former President Donald J. Trump in his second impeachment trial for his role in the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. The final vote was 57 guilty to 43 not guilty, which was just 10 votes short of the total 67 guilty votes needed to convict Trump. Unlike his first impeachment trial where only one Republican Senator, Mitt Romney (R-Utah), found Trump guilty, seven Republicans voted to convict Trump this time. Do you think that Trump was exercising his constitutional right to free speech or inciting violence and violating the law? What do you make of seven Republican senators voting to convict Trump, and what consequences might these senators face in the future? 

Brandeis University COVID-19 Statistics: Week of Feb. 14

Proposal to add a senator for Chinese international students draws controversy

Sen. Noah Risely ’24, chair of the Social Justice and Diversity Committee, informed the Senate at their Feb. 14 meeting that because of an “incident” involving Chinese international students, he was proposing adding a new senator position specifically for an international student from China. Making such a change would require an amendment to the Union Constitution. Vice President Krupa Sourirajan ’23 instructed senators not to discuss the incident Risely referred to during the public session. 

Police Log 2-16-21

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

New director of Student Accessibility Support shares her plans, goals

Dr. Cara Streit is the new director of Student Accessibility Support, according to a Nov. 30 BrandeisNow article, following the unexpected departure of Beth Rodgers-Kay in the fall of 2019. The Justice reached out to Streit to learn about her plans for the department.

University announces tentative reopening of study abroad for summer

The pandemic brought Brandeis’ study abroad programs to a grinding halt last year, but students hoping to study abroad may have the opportunity to do so this coming summer and in the fall semester. The University has opened the application period for upcoming 2021 study abroad programming, but the constantly changing circumstances of the pandemic have led to much uncertainty.

Community members gathered over Zoom to discuss MLK’s impact

The University held its 15th annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial event over Zoom on Monday, Jan. 18. Twenty-five women spoke at the event, which was themed, “As She Is Queen and King.”

Views on the News: President Biden's climate plan

On Wednesday, Jan. 27, President Biden signed a series of executive orders addressing the climate crisis. These executive orders ranged from pausing federal oil leases to increasing the use of electric cars, with a specific goal of making the United States carbon neutral by 2050. Some have praised Biden for his ambitious policies in addressing the climate crisis, while others believe it is not ambitious enough. Over this century, the world is on track for a temperature rise of three degrees Celsius, making this coming decade critical for slowing carbon dioxide emissions. Another common critique of Biden’s climate plan is the potential economic impact it will have on middle-class families who depend on fossil fuel jobs for income. Is Biden’s 2050 goal too ambitious considering the years it will take to reverse the Trump-era policies on climate change, or not ambitious enough? What else should Biden do to fight climate change? 

In the fall, anonymous users Zoom-bomb virtual panel about Uyghur Muslims

In November, anonymous users interrupted a virtual panel discussing the oppression of the Uyghurs Muslim minority group in Xinjiang, China. One user played the Chinese national anthem and others used the annotation function of Zoom to write “Bullshit” and “Fake News” across the screen. A joint statement from the event sponsors said that just before the Nov. 13 event they were notified about “threatening emails from members of the Chinese Students and Scholars Association” urging the University to cancel the panel. The emails, according to the sponsors' statement, were sent to the President’s Office, the International Students and Scholars Office and the Office of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

Senators meet for semester's first Union Senate meeting

No clubs were chartered, de-chartered or recognized at the Feb. 2 Student Union Senate meeting. Union Vice President Krupa Sourirajan ’23 swore in four new senators who were elected in the recent winter 2021 elections.

The Justice explored new campus changes for the spring semester

Students will now have to independently administer COVID-19 tests

Police Log 11-15-20 – 2-8-21

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Student Union holds winter elections

The start of the new semester brought a new round of Student Union elections. On Jan. 25, students voted for five Union Senate seats, four Allocations Board seats and one junior representative seat to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.

University food pantry adapts to challenges brought on by pandemic

The Brandeis Food Pantry, recently renamed Food and Resources for Equitable and Sustainable Health, has become an essential part of the Brandeis community over the last two years. FRESH aims to supply undergraduate and graduate students with non-perishable and fresh food products, toiletry and hygiene items, as well as clothing and kitchen supplies. 

Provost issues spring calendar changes after students voice grievances

The fall 2020 semester at Brandeis was unlike any other due to the COVID-19 pandemic and shift to partially remote learning. This new form of learning had many successes, but it also created some frustrations for students. In December, Jonathan Joasil ’22 and other students wrote an email to then-provost Lisa Lynch detailing their frustrations about the fall semester and provided suggestions for spring 2021. Later in December, Lynch emailed the Brandeis community about changes to the spring semester schedule, including additional break days.

Brandeis University COVID-19 Statistics: Week of Jan 31

Brandeis University is keeping the community informed about its COVID-19 statistics through an online dashboard. This dashboard contains information about how many tests were collected, how many individuals were tested, how many individuals tested positive, how many students are in quarantine, how many students are in isolation and the seven-day average for positive tests on campus. The dashboard also includes various statistics about areas in Massachusetts. The Justice will produce infographics each week, visually displaying the information that the University releases online.

Brandeis University COVID-19 Statistics: Week of Jan. 24

Brandeis University is keeping the community informed about its COVID-19 statistics through an online dashboard. This dashboard contains information about how many tests were collected, how many individuals were tested, how many individuals tested positive, how many students are in quarantine, how many students are in isolation and the seven-day average for positive tests on campus. The dashboard also includes various statistics about areas in Massachusetts. The Justice will produce infographics each week, visually displaying the information that the University releases online.

Race and accessibility on a college campus

The University and the United States at large experienced a racial reckoning this summer. The COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on Black and Brown communities in particular highlighted the ways that the American healthcare system was built to serve primarily white people and how other communities have been marginalized in terms of medical access. People of color with disabilities have especially faced roadblocks over the years.