(02/01/11 5:00am)
David A. Bunis '83 starts today as the University's chief of staff, according to Jan. 25 campuswide e-mail from University President Frederick Lawrence.In a phone interview with the Justice, Senior Vice President of Communication and External Affairs Andrew Gully said that, to his knowledge, no one has formally served under the title Chief of Staff in the University's history, although administrators such as Executive Assistant to the President and Assistant Secretary of the Corporation John Hose serve similar positions.Gully said that the responsibilities of the chief of staff position will generally be "coordinating and managing the president's agenda." When asked how the position would differ from other executive administrative positions, Gully said he could not specifically comment on Bunis' role without information from Lawrence or Bunis himself. Lawrence could not be reached for comment by press time.In an e-mail to the Justice, Bunis declined to give an interview but said that he was very "excited to be back at Brandeis" and looking forward to be working with Lawrence. "Fred and I have worked together in the past and I know the energy and enthusiasm that he will bring to Brandeis," wrote Bunis. "I feel very lucky to be working with him and the terrific staff and students that make Brandeis so special."According to Lawrence's campuswide e-mail, Lawrence and Bunis previously worked together for the Civil Rights Committee of the Anti-Defamation League. Bunis also served as an ADL National Commissioner. Currently, Bunis volunteers as a judge of administrative appeals for the Massachusetts Office of Minority and Women's Business Affairs.In an additional Jan. 31 e-mail to the Justice, Bunis said, "As an alum, I am especially excited about meeting students and learning your perspective about what makes Brandeis tick in 2011."Bunis graduated from the Boston University School of Law in 1987 and was a partner at Dwyer & Collora, LLP., which is a Boston law firm that deals with issues such as business litigation, healthcare advocacy, appeals, administrative advocacy and employment matters, according to the firm's website.In addition, Bunis has served as an attorney dealing with housing matters, such as eviction, at Greater Boston Legal Services.In 2006, Bunis was named one of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly's Lawyers of the Year.Bunis also co-founded the Jewish Repertory Theatre with Saul Elkin and received one of the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies' 2010 Community Leadership Awards.Additionally, Bunis is the vice president and a member of the board of directors of Temple Emanuel of Newton, Mass.
(02/01/11 5:00am)
Library and Technology Services received 419 copyright infringement notices from the Recording Industry Association of America, the Motion Picture Association of America and other major copyright holders for 2010, Chief Information Security Officer Dennis Devlin said in a phone interview with the Justice. According to Devlin, that number indicates an increasing trend in copyright infringement notices: LTS received 311 notices in 2009, 241 notices in 2008 and 110 notices in 2007. Devlin attributed the increasing number of notices to the larger amount of media available on the Internet and the fact that students are more active online."Internet usage has definitely gone up tremendously," said Devlin. "Within the past couple of years, [there has been] social network usage and streaming of audio and visual material, things that are available now that just weren't a few years ago."Devlin explained that these notices from copyright holders were takedown, or cease and desist, notices. According to Devlin, takedown notices are the most common notices sent to LTS from copyright holders. When LTS is given a takedown notice, the offending user's access to the Brandeis Internet server is cut off and the student is required to remove the copyrighted material and notify LTS that he or she did so before he or she can regain Internet access on the Brandeis network. Offenders can also be served a settlement or presettlement notice, in which they can be fined up to $3,000, wrote Devlin in the e-mail.He further explained that in the worst-case scenario, the copyright holder can actually take the offender to court to settle the infringement, although it has not happened to any student at Brandeis. In a follow-up e-mail to the Justice, Devlin explained that over the years there have been a number of students who received a takedown notice who also received a presettlement letter. Those students were given the choice to either pay a $3,000 fine or be sued in a court of law. The majority of students opted to pay the fine. According to Devlin, the majority of copyright material addressed in the notices was, and has consistently been, music MP3 files but also includes movies, games, software and e-books. Devlin explained that all members on the Brandeis network are assigned a temporary IP address. When a user of the network illegally shares or downloads a file, the copyright holder of the material of that file is notified and then serves a notice to LTS in order to cooperate with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998. Because the IP address of a user is temporary, the copyright holder cannot contact the user directly. LTS matches the IP address to a user on the Brandeis network and usually notifies that user within one to two days.Since the University operates as an Internet Service Provider in accordance with the DMCA, users of the network who commit copyright infringement are personally responsible.According to Devlin, copyright infringement usually occurs with file sharing programs such as BitTorrent and LimeWire-when a user has to download a program in order to illegally obtain files. The file-sharing program may also have access to files on the user's computer, which it can upload to the Internet, sometimes without the user being aware of the program doing so. This type of file sharing is called peer-to-peer or P2P sharing.While P2P sharing is the most common type of copyright infringement, Devlin said that infringement occurs when any type of copyrighted material is shared though digital files. In a phone interview with the Justice, Director of Student Rights and Community Standards Dean Gendron explained that many students are under an incorrect impression they may distribute files if they have paid for them."The legal language around the purchase of a DVD or the download of a movie is complicated," said Gendron, using visual media as an example. "You're really only buying the right to use the file for your own use and your own devices, not in a public setting."Devlin explained that once more users have access to the digital files, or once there are multiple copies of the file, their copyright of the file has been violated.Devlin said that the vast majority of the copyright infringement notices were served to students, although sometimes faculty and staff may be served notices not for entertainment media, but for other copyrighted materials such as e-books.Gendron and Devlin emphasized that when students are served a copyright infringement notice, the goal of LTS is to educate students on acceptable Internet usage and file sharing, not to penalize students."We very deliberately try to adopt a philosophy of freedom and responsibility," said Devlin. Rather than disabling or blocking P2P sites on the Brandeis network, Devlin explained that LTS tries to use the notices as teaching moments so students can learn legitimate uses of file sharing.Devlin said that students can find a link to LTS Security Information website in a recent e-mail sent by him and Gendron to the recent Brandeis community, which lists legal alternatives for obtaining online media. The e-mail also contains links to a government information website about copyright and the Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook.
(01/25/11 5:00am)
Peter C. Shields has been appointed as the new Associate Vice President for Facilities Services, according to an e-mail to the Justice from Senior Vice President of Administration Mark Collins. Shields, who began his position Jan. 3, will be in charge of overseeing the facilities department and working with Collins to see what infrastructure will need to be renovated and how to preserve campus buildings. Infrastructure would include buildings and all internal structures, as well as electrical and heating systems, landscaping and roads.Shields was the Vice President of Management for The Fallon Company, a real estate development company based in Boston, and he has extensive experience in hospitality. Collins said that Shield's experience in operations allows him to look at projects from a financial perspective, while his hospitality background provides experience with customer service, which Shields said he will continue in the facilities department.Collins was the last person to serve as Associate Vice President for Facilities Services. "I've been involved in the Facilities [department] for the last decade, ten to twelve years," said Collins in an interview with the Justice. Collins explained that during his career at Brandeis, he has been promoted multiple times, the most recent being last summer when the University made several changes in the Division of Finance and Administration, promoting Collins from Vice President of Campus Operations to his current position, where he oversees facilities, services, human resources and library and technology services. Collins said as his former position opened up, he began a sixmonth process with his colleagues to find a new candidate. His colleagues interviewed applicants and provided feedback to Collins, who appointed Shields in December 2010.Collins expressed that he thought Shields was the best candidate for the job. "At the end of the day ... this is the guy who reads at the top of the scale for us and brings to Brandeis everything I was looking for and everything we need to have in that position right now."When asked why Shields was picked for the job, Collins said that it was Shields' experience in planning and development, as well as facilities operating and development, and his ability to present an issue with both a financial and operational perspective. Shields said that his goal was not to ultimately change the practices in the facilities process, but rather to help the department continue to serve the Brandeis community."We have a lot of work to do on this campus," said Collins. "We have a large deferred maintenance challenge, which basically means we have a lot of work to do that's been postponed over the years for one reason or another."Collins explained that many of the buildings on campus are approaching a point where they need to either be update or restored due to damage or age. "Everything is coming of age, and we are reaching a point where ... preservation or updating of our facilities is becoming more of an important matter. We can no longer carry on with these buildings in many cases because they're old and tired and they need work." Collins and Shields would not specify which specific areas of the University they plan to focus on. However, in an e-mail to the Justice, Collins stated that the Integrated Planning and Budget Committee, an existing committee at the University, could be used to set priorities for the facilities department.Shields said he is up to what he called a "complicated puzzle.""Brandeis is an incredible institution," said Shields. "It's got a tremendous history, a great campus, and it also has some interesting challenges for a person like myself who likes to work in a mixed-use environment," he said. He went on to describe Brandeis as having "both incredible beauty around it as well as some serious deficiencies and challenges." "It really has to do with both the challenge and the opportunity," Shields said. A challenge, said Collins, which will be met by not only himself and Shields, but also by the entire facilities department, which Collins praised for its work for the University.Shields said that he believes an institution with any mission, such as Brandeis, needs to have the proper infrastructure in order to support that mission.Shields says that he does not yet have any specific structures that he plans to work on, but he will work with Collins to put together a plan of what structures need to be updated or renovated, and that he will work with Facilities to promote customer service.
(01/18/11 5:00am)
Clarification appendedUniversity President Frederick Lawrence has created a search committee to look for the next provost, according to a campuswide e-mail he sent out Jan. 5. The committee is made up of six faculty members, three staff members, a trustee, a graduate student and one undergraduate student, according to the e-mail. The committee has also partnered with the search firm Storbeck/Pimentel and Associates, LLC, the same firm that helped identify Lawrence as a candidate for president, to recommend potential candidates for the position. In his e-mail, Lawrence said that the committee would search for the provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. The provost search committee, which is chaired by Prof. Sacha Nelson (BIOL), includes Ph.D. candidate Jane Harries, Student Union Director of Academic Affairs Marla Merchut '12, Prof. John Plotz (ENG), Chair of East Asian Studies Prof. Aida Yuen Wong (FA), Prof. David Cunningham (SOC), Prof. Anita Hill (Heller), Prof. Carol Osler (IBS), Senior Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer Frances Drolette, Dean of Academic Services Kim Godsoe, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Michaele Whelan and member of the provost Board of Trustees member and Heller School Board of Overseers Thomas Glynn.In an e-mail to the Justice, Lawrence said that the search for a new provost is "now is under way." Current provost Marty Krauss announced her plan to step down from her position as provost and vice president for academic affairs by June 2011, according to a Sept. 7, 2010 issue of the Justice. According to a press release from the committee members, the committee "hopes to consider a diverse field of candidates from inside and outside the University."The press release outlined a plan to identify potential candidates. The committee aims to recruit interested individuals by placing a brief advertisement in major venues. In addition, the committee will also accept nominations. Those who are interested will receive documents, which the committee is currently working on, that will fully describe the University and the provost's responsibilities based on the report from the Administrative Structure Advisory Committee.Once 10 to 20 candidates are chosen, the committee will conduct in-person interviews and will ask outstanding candidates for references. Lawrence will be provided with a final short list of candidates from the committee. The press release also stated that Brandeis community leaders would also be consulted towards the end of the completely confidential search process.When asked if students would be offered opportunities to place input in the search, the president wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that he would speak with the committee about ways to gain input from "across the community, including from students beyond the two now on the committee. ... That effort needs to be balanced with confidentiality concerns, of course," he explained. "But I am sure we can find the correct balance."The committee stressed the aspect of confidentiality in its press release. "Many top candidates will not apply if they are not promised strict confidentiality," stated the press release. It went on to explain that candidates would suffer the risk of not being taken seriously for other positions if it was public knowledge that they have already been "turned down somewhere." Lawrence wrote in his e-mail that it is the committee's hope and expectation to find a new provost in by the next academic year.-Fiona Lockyer contributed reporting.Clarification: The article originally implied that the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs were separate positions. This is not the case. The article was edited to reflect this fact.
(01/18/11 5:00am)
A Brandeis University student has been pressed with both criminal and civil charges in the hit-and-run incident that occurred on campus the evening of Dec. 3 2010, according to Sgt. Timothy King of the Waltham Police Department.The student was charged Dec. 8 2010 with "leaving the scene of a collision with injury, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to slow for pedestrians on a roadway and speeding following a hit-and-run accident," King said in a telephone interview with the Justice yesterday. The charges of leaving the scene of a collision with injury and negligent operation of a motor vehicle are criminal, while failure to slow for pedestrians on a roadway and speeding are civil offenses. However, King said that all charges will be read on the same day when the student is summoned to appear in court.According to King during the same interview, the student charged will most likely be summoned to court if he or she has not been already. However, when initially contacted on Jan. 14, the clerk's office at the Waltham District Court did not have any file of the driver on record; the office could not be reached again to confirm this by press time.The student who was operating the vehicle hit two pedestrians who were walking on Loop Road according to a Dec. 7 Justice article. The victims, who were 18 and 20 years old and also Brandeis students, both sustained head injuries that King described as "fairly serious" and were taken from the scene via ambulance. One was brought to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital and the other to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, according to a Dec. 7, 2010 police log entry in the Justice. In a Dec. 7, 2010 Justice article, Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan stated that one of the victims was released from the hospital but the other was held for a longer period of time. Callahan wrote in an Jan. 17 e-mail that he believed by now both victims have been released, but neither he nor King had further information regarding the victims' medical conditions.Both victims declined to comment.According to King, the Brandeis Police Department was initially dispatched at 9:58 p.m. to Loop Road, where the accident took place. In a Jan. 13 e-mail to the Justice, Callahan said that both the Brandeis Police Department and the Waltham Police Department were investigating the accident but that the investigation was later taken over by the Waltham Police Department.Callahan wrote in his e-mail that with incidents similar to this one, usually "an investigation is initiated with the possibility of a Criminal and/or judicial complaint be [sic] filed."When asked about the frequency of car accidents happening on campus, both Callahan and King said that this particular type of accident does not occur often."Vehicular accidents have occurred over the years, but this incident appears to be very unique," stated Callahan in his e-mail. King also said that he could not recall an accident in recent years on Brandeis property requiring involvement from the Waltham Police Department.
(12/07/10 5:00am)
Last Friday, seven members of the Westboro Baptist Church, known for its opposition to homosexuality and its public demonstrations, protested on South Street in front of the Main Gate while students held Celebrate Brandeis in response, a day of performances and activities to celebrate diversity.According to the Church's website, the members were picketing Hillel "to remind these Jews that they bear the curse of their forefather's [sic] murder of Christ" and to chastise students for "spending their energies on drunkeness [sic] lust, sloth and greed rather than serving the Lord Almighty." In an interview with the Justice during the protest, Shirley Phelps-Roper, daughter of WBC pastor Fred Phelps, said that the church had picketed earlier that morning at nearby locations such as the Islamic Center of Boston and Framingham High School and were planning to picket at Harvard University Hillel later that day. "I couldn't miss this opportunity [to picket Brandeis]," she said. Phelps-Roper explained that in the past 6 months, she had been talking to Brandeis students about what she described as "doctrines" that concerned Jews in what she referred to as "the last days," or a prophesied apocalypse. Phelps-Roper was unable to say who the students were but said that they had contacted her. "I talked to one all the way home from the airport," she said. According to Phelps-Roper, the mission of the Topeka, Kan.-based WBC is to "preach the gospel unapologetically.""You got people who are going to multiply words instead of saying plainly, 'You have to obey God,'" she said, going on to refer to individuals and organizations that do not oppose issues such as homosexuality as much as the WBC does and quoted them saying, "This is the [group that says], 'God loves everybody,' [and] 'It's okay to be gay.' When asked if the WBC promotes hate, Phelps-Roper responded, "You can't preach God's word without talking about his hatred." She also said, "For every one verse about his love and mercy for his people that obey him, there are five verses about his wrath and his destructive vengeance against those who don't." Three adult members of the church held signs that bore phrases such as "Destruction is imminent," "Your Rabbi is a whore," "Rabbis rape kids" and "God is your enemy." There were also four children with the protesters, one of whom was Phelps-Roper's child. One of the protesters yelled out phrases similar to those on the signs. Students, many of whom were informed of the WBC's arrival through news on Facebook, an e-mail sent out by Jehuda Reinharz or by word-of-mouth came down to the entrance to see the protest from 8:45 to 9:15 a.m. While some students tried to go to South Street to interact with the WBC protesters, many students formed a crowd by the University entrance and watched the picketers from a short distance. "I was just curious to see how many of them were actually here," said Anna Duey '14. Duey said that she had come from and was planning to go back to Celebrate Brandeis, a day of speeches, performances and activities put together by students, purposely scheduled at the same time as and in response to the WBC protest. The Celebrate Brandeis activities were held on the Great Lawn from 8:30 until 9:30 a.m. and included musical performances from Manginah, remarks from Student Union President Daniel Acheampong '11 and Hillel President Andrea Wexler '11, short speeches from University President Jehuda Reinharz and President-elect Fredrick Lawrence, face painting by Triskelion, hora dancing with Adagio and B'yachad and free breakfast and coffee. Events continued in the Shapiro Campus Center with an art gallery display, dance performance groups in the Atrium and an open lunch and discussion. According to an interview with Erica Shaps '13, the campus relations coordinator for Hillel, who was involved in planning Celebrate Brandeis, student groups like Hillel, the Brandeis Interfaith Group, the Brandeis Justice League (an organization of Brandeis students who advocate social justice), the Student Union, Triskelion, the Queer Resource Center, the Graduate Student Association and the Interfaith Chaplaincy assisted in organizing the event. "[The planning] was overwhelming because there was so much energy and so many ideas," said Shaps. "But what we really wanted was to create a framework that allowed for all of those ideas and plans to happen in a structured way that still allowed for creativity."In an interview with the Justice, Sahar Massachi '11, who writes for the student blog Innermost Parts, is part of the Justice League and was heavily involved in planning Celebrate Brandeis, said that the idea first originated as a counterprotest in front of the WBC but later changed to a plan to ignore the WBC while creating a positive event."[The WBC] is sort of a catalyst or excuse to have this celebration, but I think the celebration is a good thing in any case," said Massachi. "I think the need for something like this [celebration] has been out there for a long time."Both Massachi and Shaps said that although Celebrate Brandeis was sparked by news of the WBC protest, it was focused on uniting the University and said that they were unaware if the WBC protesters knew of Celebrate Brandeis."We talk about the Brandeis community, but it's great to have a chance to show up and form those bonds," said Massachi. "The main driving thought behind this day is how can we actually not just show, but actually create a Brandeis community." According to Shaps, over 300 students, faculty and community members attended Celebrate Brandeis, and over $4,000 was raised in the past few weeks for Keshet, an organization that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals of all Jewish backgrounds and denominations.Shaps said that the students she talked to after Celebrate Brandeis were positive about the turn of events, the involvement of students and the support of the Brandeis administration. "It's funny how something like hate, something like this terrible intolerance, like the Westboro Baptist Church can really unite a campus," said Shaps."I hope it sent the message that Brandeis is a place of both unity and diversity," said Megan Straughan '11, the coordinator of the Queer Resource Center, who worked to plan Celebrate Brandeis.
(12/07/10 5:00am)
The ad-hoc Alcohol and Drug Policy Committee hosted a town hall meeting last night in Feldberg Lounge in the Hassenfeld Conference Center to gather feedback from students about the University's policy on alcohol and drug use and the social atmosphere on campus. The Alcohol and Drug Policy Committee is comprised of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and local medical personnel. It was created in order to examine drug and alcohol misuse at the University, according to an e-mail sent from University President Jehuda Reinharz to the student body. The meeting was attended by four non-committee students as well as Associate Dean of Student Life Jamele Adams, Chief of Neurology at Newton-Wellesley Hospital Dr. Avraham Almozlino, undergraduate student representative to Board of Trustees Heddy Ben-Atar '11, Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan, Associate Dean for Research and Prof. Constance Horgan (Heller), Academic Advisor Brian Koslowski, Director and Clinical Supervisor of BEMCo Seth Merker '11, and Prof. Margie Lachman (PSYC).Student Union President Daniel Acheampong '11 opened the discussion by asking the committee what has been discussed with members and students across campus. Committe Chair Prof. Len Saxe (Heller) responded that a website was set up on the University's website to receive student input ranging from comments to complaints or concerns about safety in regard to substance use.Horgan explained that small student focus groups had been created so that students could give feedback on University policies and social life. Saxe explained that the purpose of the focus groups was to target specific groups of students, such as members of off-campus Greek life or community advisors, rather than a broad collection of students.One of the issues presented was student concern for a lack of student events on campus. Attendees at the meeting referenced the night of the Pachanga dance, where incidents throughout the night, regardless of being associated with the event or not, raised concerns about alcohol misuse on campus. Students suggested that more events like Pachanga should be held, rather than having one main night for students to look forward to. In addition, students brought up the possibility of serving alcohol at events in order to reduce incidences of "pre-gaming," drinking before an event such as a concert or party."The seniors won't host as many pre-games because they'll be able to just go drink [at these events]," said Rephael Stern '11. "So there won't be as many opportunities for underclassmen to access alcohol."Ben-Atar changed the direction of the discussion by asking how students think the administration views alcohol usage on campus.Acheampong said that it was important that Reinharz addressed the issue of alcohol and drug use and that the University has done so by holding events like the town hall meeting.Saxe asked the attendees if students would be willing to have an ad-hoc group that would primarily represent student opinion and could give feedback to the administration and institutions. Acheampong expressed support, while Stern said that he would be skeptical of a committee's progress.President of Brandeis Democrats Amber Kornreich '12 said that she attended the meeting because she was "curious about what measures the administration was considering in response to events like Pachanga" and that she wanted to give her own feedback.Stern repeated that he felt "skeptical" about the "benefits" of the progress of the ad-hoc committee but that he felt his views were heard.
(11/23/10 5:00am)
In an effort to urge the repeal of the United States' military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy, several Brandeis student groups held phone banks last week to call veterans in favor of the repeal and to connect them to Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown.The phone bank, or student-created call center, was the third held since September. Brandeis Democrats, Triskelion and Democracy for America held the phone banks to encourage students and veterans to call U.S. senators like Brown to urge them to vote to repeal "don't ask, don't tell."The policy, which was issued by former President Bill Clinton in 1993, mandates that military personnel not be questioned about their sexual orientation and that members of armed services will be discharged if they are found to be homosexual.In an e-mail to the Justice, president of Brandeis Democrats Amber Kornreich '12 wrote that 398 calls were made to veterans on Wednesday night. The veterans, who were already confirmed to be supporters of repealing "don't ask, don't tell," were connected directly to Brown's office to request a repeal of the policy. They used an online program provided by the Human Rights Campaign-the nation's largest grassroots lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer civil rights organization-which assisted with organizing the Brandeis phone banks. In addition, the organizations have also been receiving support from MassEquality, a Massachusetts grassroots organization for LGBTQ rights. An earlier phone bank was held on Nov. 16 to generate support from students. In an interview with the Justice, Chase Hiller '12, a member of both the Brandeis Democrats and Triskelion, said that students were stopped and asked to call Brown's office from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center. According to Kornreich, 225 calls were made that Monday.Kornreich and Hiller both explained to the Justice that the on-campus effort to repeal "don't ask, don't tell" began this past September when the issue was receiving a high amount of national press coverage. Hiller organized a last-minute flash phone bank outside the Usdan student center, and, according to Kornreich, over 200 students were asked to make phone calls to their respective representatives urging them to pass the National Defense Authorization Act, which would have repealed "don't ask, don't tell.""It was absolutely inspirational to see the overwhelming support for the repeal on campus," said Kornreich."We've had really positive support," said Hiller. "A lot of people have thanked us. It's been such a rewarding experience just to interact with people. ... A huge majority of people are really supportive of [repealing the policy]." Despite support, according to a Sept. 21 New York Times article, a majority of senators ended up voting against debate of the bill that would have repealed "don't ask, don't tell."Hiller stated that a pentagon study to be released Dec. 1 will detail the results of a survey taken by 40,000 servicemen and women. Leaked results of the survey indicate that a majority of members of the Army believe that repealing "don't ask, don't tell" would not negatively affect morale or cohesion among troops, according to Hiller. Hiller said that a vote on the policy would be more likely to occur once the survey, indicating support for the repeal, was released, as opposed to before the results are officially released.According to a Nov. 18 CBS News article, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that a vote to repeal "don't ask, don't tell" would be held in the near future. Hiller and Kornreich stated that they would be holding more phone banks to continue pushing senators to repeal the policy.In addition, Hiller expressed that he would like to involve more groups on campus in their efforts. "We would love to have the Brandeis Republicans involved. We would love to have the Brandeis Tea Party Chapter involved. We would love to have all groups from different religions, races, ethnicities ... everyone."Hiller said he hopes that "don't ask, don't tell" will be repealed before the end of the year.Said Kornreich, "We hope our 500 calls to Scott Brown's office help send a message loud and clear: We want ["don't ask, don't tell"] repealed not next year, not tomorrow: now.
(11/23/10 5:00am)
Student Union President Daniel Acheampong '11 delivered the semiannual State of the Union Address last Thursday in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall, during which he announced that the University will serve exclusively cage-free eggs starting next fall, form a Student Life Committee to "improve" social life on campus and is considering adding a second Provisions On Demand Market in the Village. In his address, which was hosted by the Student Union, Acheampong also announced proposals to expand dining services on campus, including adding hot soups and hot breakfast sandwiches to Einstein Bros. Bagels and building another P.O.D. Market. Acheampong said these expansions would be in addition to changes already made in dining halls on campus, including extended weekend hours at the P.O.D, Market and an express checkout line and an additional coffee station in Einstein. According to Acheampong, all eggs served here will be cage-free starting next semester. Dining Services currently obtains eggs from hens raised in battery cages, which supply each hen about 67 square inches of space for that hen's life. Cage-free eggs are eggs laid by hens with enough space to move and spread their wings. When explaining the implementation of this policy, Acheampong said, "We have heard that you will not tolerate the purchase of food that requires the suffering of animals." He stated that over 870 students participated in a survey created by the Student Union in partnership with the Brandeis Real Food Coalition.Acheampong also touched upon Brandeis' social atmosphere in his speech. He referenced the night of Oct. 23, when two students were arrested and nine were hospitalized. Acheampong said that a Student Life Committee, made up of "a diverse group of community members," will be formed to consult with both campus officials and student club leaders in order to better Brandeis' "social atmosphere.""As a community, we must look at the mistake as times to grow as individuals and as a community," said Acheampong. "The events of that night do not reflect Brandeis, and it has not changed our culture of care and support."In addition to a social atmosphere, Acheampong highlighted the importance of general life outside the classroom, in residence halls and athletics, for example. Acheampong demanded that the renovation of the Linsey pool and the residence halls in poor condition be a priority for the Board of Trustees."We need the facilities and infrastructures to support this community and to put the University on the right track," said Acheampong. "Our students expect better, our community expects better, and our history demands nothing less."Acheampong also recognized student activities on campus, including the blood drive, through which community members donated 203 units of blood, and Halloween for the Hungry, which was organized by several student groups to donate nonperishable items to Waltham residents, both of which were organized by the Waltham Group. He also mentioned Girl Effect's Hope Infected Virus, an event that aimed to analyze the stigma of those living with HIV/AIDS, and the Brandeis Pakistan Relief effort that, with the effort of multiple organizations on campus, worked to raise $25,000 to $30,000 for the 20 million affected by the floods.To encouragestudent-faculty interaction, Acheampong announced that next semester, 240 vouchers will be provided as part of the Take Your Professor to Lunch program, up from the 120 previously provided per semester. Acheampong explained that results from the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education indicated that a need for improvement of non-classroom interaction between students and faculty.In regard to academics, Acheampong said that the Student Union will advocate a "pass/fail plus option," which would allow students to fulfill a University requirement with a class taken as pass/fail as long as the student achieves a C+ or higher. Acheampong said that the option would remove students' concern about courses they wish to take negatively affecting their grade point averages.According to an April 27 issue of the Justice, the measure to implement a pass/fail plus option was supported by the Faculty Senate, but the proposal was tabled by the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee until the following year because of concerns about how it would be implemented. Acheampong also spoke about upgrades in Brandeis' transportation. In addition to the magnetic signs recently added to the sides of campus and Waltham BranVans to distinguish between the two, Acheampong announced that the Student Union and Escort Safety Services will install GPS tracking systems in Crystal Waltham, Campus, and Boston/Cambridge shuttles. Acheampong said that the systems will enable students to track the buses to see their locations and receive programming alerts on mobile devices or computers using their Brandeis UNet IDs. Acheampong concluded his speech by calling for members of the Brandeis community to work together "[n]ot as students, staff, faculty, administrators, or trustees, but as Brandeisians.""Years from now, when we come back to visit our university, the Brandeis that we know will be different," said Acheampong. "But the direction of that change is up to us to determine."Students who attended the address spoke positively of Acheampong's speech. "I think that he did a great job of highlighting what we're doing really well and also made it a point to push us to take that next step as both students and administration," said Nicole Izbicky '11.University President-elect Fredrick Lawrence also attended the address and spoke with the Justice about Acheampong's speech. "The whole tone is set that we can solve problems and work together. Without failing to recognize the seriousness of issues that we face, he still looks at [issues] positively and from a sense of what we can overcome," he said after Acheampong's address.
(11/16/10 5:00am)
The Brandeis Sustainability Fund Board announced the content of its received proposals and will announce its funding decisions for the proposals submitted by Brandeis undergraduates next week, according to Chair of the BSF Board and University Sustainability Coordinator Janna Cohen-Rosenthal '03. In a phone interview with the Justice, Cohen-Rosenthal explained that the content of the submitted proposals will be reviewed by the BSF board, which is comprised of Brandeis faculty and students, before final decisions on funding are made.According its website, the BSF "provides grants, advice and support to any undergraduate student for their projects promoting sustainability." The BSF first received eight proposals by the preliminary Oct. 13 deadline, and the proposals were then revised by the students who submitted them while working with the BSF board. Seven proposals were submitted by the deadline for the final version of the proposals, Nov. 12. According to Cohen-Rosenthal, one student decided to withdraw his or her proposal from BSF revision and funding.The proposals, which are now undergoing review by the board, range from energy conservation and production to environmental friendliness. One of the proposals, titled "DeisBikes 2.0," seeks to expand Brandeis' current 'DeisBikes program by allowing bikes to be rented out for a semester rather than a day. Another project, "Go Green," aims to make orientation for midyear students more environmentally friendly by giving out information on USB drives rather than pieces of paper. A project called "A Greener Residence Hall" is a pilot project that would upgrade student residence halls to conserve more energy by implementing vermiculture, indoor worm composting. Another proposal, titled "Brandeis Micro," seeks to have one microturbine installed on one parking lot light to generate wind energy. A third proposal, called "HumanNRG," aims to update exercise machinery in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center so that it would generate energy with use. A project that would expand Brandeis' garden so students can grow during more of the year is called "Oh the Things We'll Grow!""Smart Meters" is a plan to install meters in a few buildings across campus that would measure the energy usage of those buildings, an idea already implemented at Boston College.The proposals will be reviewed again by the board before the final decisions on funding will be made by next Tuesday at the earliest, according to Cohen-Rosenthal. She explained that funding for a proposal will be determined not only by its environmental benefits but also by its educational opportunities and the ability for its funding to be scaled. Cohen-Rosenthal said that submitters of a proposal are asked to provide the largest and smallest possible amounts of money needed to fund the project. Cohen-Rosenthal said that scaling the funding will increase the chance the proposal will receive funding.According to Cohen-Rosenthal, the members of the BSF board will review each proposal and judge how well it meets criteria, whether it will receive funding and how much funding it will receive. Cohen-Rosenthal said that it is possible that not all proposals would be funded this semester. She expects that all $50,000 allocated to the BSF for proposals will be distributed this semester, but if not, it would be set aside for another funding cycle."I'm very happy with the proposals," said Cohen-Rosenthal, who worked with students submitting the proposals. "[The BSF received] a lot of creative and interesting ideas.
(11/09/10 5:00am)
According to Vice President of Enrollment Keenyn McFarlane, the number of merit scholarships offered to students has been gradually reduced in recent years and will be further reduced for the Class of 2015. The further reductions are due to the fact that many students offered merit aid in recent years declined attend the University.According to statistics provided by the Office of Enrollment, the number of matriculating students who received merit aid declined by 78 percent from 2006 to 2010.In an interview with the Justice, McFarlane said that by limiting merit aid funds, the University aims to meet 100 percent of estimated financial needs of more students.According to McFarlane, the elimination of merit aid due to the declining number of students offered merit scholarships matriculating is independent of the University's new financial aid policy, which states that students will be admitted into the University on a need-blind basis until there are no more available funds to admit students while meeting 100 percent of their need. From then on, applicants would be admitted on a need-sensitive basis, meaning that their financial need would be added to a list of factors that would determine whether or not the student would be accepted into Brandeis.According to McFarlane, the reduction of merit-based aid has been "ongoing" for "several years." McFarlane said that after reviewing the incoming class each year, the administrators in Enrollment found that they were more "effective" in being able to fund students when money was given in the form of need-based financial aid rather than merit scholarships since the number of students who received merit-based aid and matriculated into Brandeis has declined by 78 percent since 2006. McFarlane said the University also has a higher yield rate of matriculation when need-based aid is given rather than merit scholarships. The number of merit aid offered to accepted students has declined by 16 percent since 2006.McFarlane said that the reduction of merit aid would allow for a greater focus on the provision of need-based financial aid rather than merit scholarships, which would impose more stringent deadlines on submitting financial aid forms such as the FAFSA and CSS Profile, which are used by the federal government and CollegeBoard to assist universities determine a student's estimated financial need. The dates of the financial aid filing deadlines would not be earlier or later than those of past years, but they would be enforced to ensure that the University can accurately predict the amount of need it can meet for each student.McFarlane said that giving money in the form of financial aid need rather than merit scholarships would be more in line with the "social justice philosophy" of Brandeis. "We want to be giving out money to those who need it," he said.McFarlane added that although he wanted both students with merit and students with need to be able to attend the University, he said he hoped that students would "embrace" the values of social justice Brandeis would be trying to promote by allocating more money to students with need.Additionally, McFarlane also said that he does not believe that the elimination of merit scholarships will affect the competitiveness of students applying to and attending Brandeis. McFarlane said that although the number of students with merit scholarships has declined, the performance of accepted students has not. According to statistics from the Office of Enrollment, the average SAT scores of students accepted in to Brandeis has remained near 1400 on a 1600 scale. The average SAT scores of students who have matriculated have remained in the mid-1300s. "If students do not get merit aid money, that does not mean that the students aren't meritorious," said McFarlane, explaining that reducing merit aid would not alter the University's admission standards. -Alana Abramson contributed reporting.
(11/02/10 4:00am)
Correction appendedThe Senate decided to discontinue bus service to Long Island for the Thanksgiving break, while preserving service to Logan Airport and New York City at Sunday's Senate meeting.In addition, Brandeis University Escort Service is holding trial periods of an extra van to Waltham that will help the service determine whether or not an additional BranVan is necessary for the student body. The Student Union has finalized the schedules and costs for the Thanksgiving shuttles that transport students to South Station, Logan Airport and Pennsylvania Station in New York City before the Thanksgiving holiday, according to a Senate Money Resolution passed by the Student Union on Oct. 31. Article 6, Section 1 of the Union Bylaws, which formerly stated that the Student Union is responsible for funding transportation for students before both the Thanksgiving break and the Spring/Passover Recess, was amended at the Oct. 24 Senate meeting (see correction below). During the Oct. 24 meeting, service to Long Island was canceled because students would still be able to travel to Long Island by train after arriving at Pennsylvania Station, according to the senate log in the Oct. 26 issue of the Justice. During the Oct. 31 meeting, Senator for the Class of 2011 Abraham Berin presented a Senate Money Resolution that detailed the routes, times and costs of the Thanksgiving shuttles. According the SMR, six shuttles will leave from the Rabb steps on Nov. 23 and 24, the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Each bus to South Station and Logan Airport will cost the Student Union about $350 and each bus to Penn Station in New York City will cost the Student Union $1,200, making the gross cost of the buses $5,000. The Student Union has $3,300 in funds outside of its budget to fund the buses, so the total net cost of the buses is $1,700. In addition to funding the Thanksgiving shuttles, the Student Union is also working with Escort Services to run trials of an extra Waltham van. Unannounced trials of the Waltham van were held on Oct. 25 and 26. Announced trials, where students were notified in an e-mail from Student Union President Daniel Acheampong '11 beforehand, were held on yesterday and another one will be held today.In an interview with the Justice, Berin said that the purpose of holding unannounced trials was to determine how an extra van would accommodate the usual amount of students taking vans. He explained that if students were to be aware that there was an extra Waltham van running, more students would take vans on that day, because they would know that there would be more spaces available. Berin said that data they will collect from both types of trials will "gauge actual demand" of an additional van. According to Berin, Escort Services will analyze information such as the number of reservations made for vans, the number of seats occupied on the van as well as any feedback received from the student community. Berin said that students can e-mail him with any particular concerns about the vans.The purpose of running these trials is to "serve the Brandeis community," said Acheampong, in an interview with the Justice. Acheampong said that if there is an "actual demand" presented by the students, the Student Union has a responsibility to "fill that demand." In addition to this initiative, the Student Union is adding signs to the Brandeis shuttle vans so that students will be able to distinguish between the campus vans and the Waltham vans. According to Berin, the signs for the campus vans will be blue and the signs for the Waltham vans will be white with red lettering. The signs will be on both sides of the vans. The goal of adding signs is to reduce confusion among students in determining whether an approaching van is a campus or Waltham van. According to Berin, the signs will be posted on the vans within two weeks. Berin said that the van signs initiative was a "direct result" of a Brandeis student who personally approached members of the Student Union expressing a concern to the Student Union. According to Berin, the issue was dealt with within a week. "If the resources are there," said Berin, "the Student Union will do everything [to address student concerns]."Correction: The article incorrectly stated that Article 6, Section 1 of the Union Bylaws requires that the Student Union fund transportation for students before both the Thanksgiving break and the Spring/Passover Recess. In fact, the Senate amended the Bylaws at its Oct. 24 meeting. Article 6, Section 1 now requires the Senate to fund transportation "including but not limited to Logan Airport and New York City, preceding Thanksgiving Break."
(10/26/10 4:00am)
The Student Union held a town hall meeting in the Hassenfeld Conference Center last Thursday to discuss the recommendations for changes to Brandeis' admission and financial aid policies. According to an Oct. 19 article of the Justice, the recommendation is that applicants to Brandeis University be accepted on a need-blind basis until there are no more funds, in which case the university would review applicants on a need-sensitive basis. Many merit scholarships that the university offers would no longer exist, with the exception of scholarships that are specifically endowed. This change would affect the Class of 2015 and those after it but not earlier classes.Brandeis is currently need-blind, meaning that an applicant's financial need is not taken into consideration. By contrast, a need-sensitive policy takes financial situations into consideration. Dean of Student Financial Services Peter Giumette, who answered questions at the meeting with Dean of Admissions Mark Spencer, said that the current system is problematic because the University had a limited ability to fund the financial needs of all applicants. In the Oct. 19 issue of The Justice, Prof. Steven Burg (POL) explained that the University currently conducts a system called "gapping," in which the University calculates the estimated need for a student but does not provide the student with the whole amount because of the limited funds.Giumette explained that on average, Brandeis currently meets about 85 percent of a student's estimated needs. Giumette and Spencer both said that the change in policy would enable the University to meet 100 percent of a student's estimated need rather than just a fraction of it. The deans explained that the school would admit as many students as possible on a need-blind basis before using financial need as a factor for admission.When drawing a line between students admitted on a need-blind basis and a need-sensitive basis, Spencer confirmed that students would be ranked by desirability, or their chances of acceptance based on academic and extracurricular qualifications. Once the available funds for financial need are exhausted, lower-ranked applicants will be admitted on a need-sensitive basis. This policy would allocate more funds to provide admitted students with aid, rather than admitting more students without the ability to meet 100 percent of their need. Giumette and Spencer stressed that a student's financial need would become one of multiple criteria that the admissions officers analyze before determining their acceptance. Giumette said that factors include transcript grades, SAT and ACT scores, extracurricular involvement and recommendations of students by teachers and mentors, and he explained that financial need would be added to that list.Giumette and Spencer also explained the decision to eliminate many scholarships from financial aid awards. This would allocate more funds to be given to students on a need basis in order to meet 100 percent of need for more students. However, Spencer and Giumette said some merit scholarships will still be available. "[Those scholarships] are specifically endowed," said Giumette, "and those will be continued to the extent possible."According to Giumette, the number of students receiving merit scholarships has declined over the years. In an e-mail to the Justice, Giumette said that the number of merit scholar recipients who enrolled dropped by 60 percent between the Classes of 2013 and 2014. Among the scholarships awarded were Justice Brandeis Scholarships, Presidential Scholarships, Dean's Awards and Merit Trustee Scholarships. "There are very few students in the Class of [2014] that have strict merit scholarships. We've been moving in this direction over the last couple of years," said Giumette. When asked about the possibility of early decision applicants rising, the deans said that they do not expect that percentage, which they said was about 20 percent of the Class of 2014, to rise significantly. Giumette explained that a student who applies to Brandeis early decision is aware that it is a binding decision, meaning that if accepted, the student must attend Brandeis, and that students who apply early decision generally have lower estimated need than students who apply regular decision. The town hall meeting was hosted by the Student Union. In an interview with the Justice, Student Union President Daniel Acheampong '11 said that the meeting was held in order to inform students and get them involved in policy change on campus. When asked why the meeting was held a month after the recommendations for the policy change were announced, Acheampong explained that it was a scheduling issue. "Timing was very difficult," he said. He also said that students wanted to know why these changes were taking place and wanted to create a forum at which students could get answers and be involved. "It's so important to get student opinions," said Acheampong. "Without including students [in these decisions], it's as if we're building something without the foundation. Students are the foundation of this university, and students are the future." Acheampong promised to keep students informed as news about the policy change progresses.Many students were able to attend the town hall and have their questions answered by the deans. Adam Garbacz '14, one of those students, said that his main concern about the policy change was a "de facto financial discrimination," meaning that students who had a higher estimated need would not be as likely to be admitted. He said that the town hall meeting cleared up many misconceptions that he had."I had heard about [the policy change] from other [students] and thought it was a lot worse," said Benjamin Hill '14. "I think [the school] is trying to make the right decisions.
(10/26/10 4:00am)
Last Sunday, the Office of Admissions hosted its second of three Fall Preview Days for prospective applicants. The multiple Fall Preview Days marks a shift from Brandeis' previous method of having one large fall open house and one small preview day. In an e-mail to the Justice, Luigi Solla, associate director of Admissions, said that the goal of restructuring Fall Preview Days was to recreate the "intimacy of the [preview] program" by organizing days with smaller groups rather than one large event. Solla said that in the past, the annual Fall Open House had generally received favorable feedback, but the smaller preview days have received extremely positive reviews. According to Solla, attendees said that the smaller program "helped them to get a genuine sense of the small, academically and socially passionate community that [Brandeis is]." Solla said that by "breaking down the traditional large-scale" fall open house into three smaller Fall Preview Days, Admissions hopes to create a "casual setting" where visitors can speak with faculty, students, and staff while still being informed about admissions, academics, campus life, and financial aid.Solla said that, until this year, Admissions would host one main fall open house for high school seniors on Columbus Day with a smaller preview day in November for both high school seniors and juniors. In addition to creating smaller events, Solla said that by having three separate dates, Brandeis became has made Brandeis more flexible to the schedules of prospective students. The dates of the program -Oct. 10, Oct. 24 and Nov. 21 -provide students with more options to visit Brandeis than in past years past. Solla explained that as a result of the three options, Admissions is expecting over 300 more total visitors versus in comparison to previous years.According to the Fall Preview Days' schedule on the Admissions website, the day begins with registration at the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Admissions Center followed by a residence hall showcase in Massell Quad. Shortly after, Dean of Admissions Mark Spencer welcomes prospective students and their families with opening remarks at Sherman Function Hall, along with an information session about admissions by Director of Admissions Jennifer Walker, who also takes questions from both students and parents regarding admissions, campus life and financial aid. During last Sunday's opening remarks, Spencer greeted visitors and explained why he choose Brandeis, saying, "This is a very passionate place." He went on to say that students and faculty have great enthusiasm, and Walker explained to students what makes Brandeis unique. Prospective students were then led on campus tours before attending the Brandeis Community Panel, where Brandeis students elaborate on campus life and also answered questions. Students were then invited back to the Shapiro Admissions Center for a reception, which gives them the chances to speak with members of Brandeis faculty. The reviews for the restructured Fall Preview Days have been very positive, according to Solla. He said that Admissions received comments that which showed that a smaller program made the Preview Day more comfortable for prospective students. At the ending reception, Leo Gefter, a high school senior, said that Fall Preview Day and Brandeis were "up to and above" his expectations. Helen Voloshin, another high school senior, said that the day had been very informative and helpful. Debbie Sternklar, who accompanied her daughter to Fall Preview Day, said that being able to talk to "so many people" including students, faculty and staff, was "excellent." Gefter, Voloshin, and Sternklar said that their questions about Brandeis were answered and that the overall program went smoothly.
(10/19/10 4:00am)
The Brandeis Sustainability Fund, a service created to provide support and financial grants to Brandeis University undergraduate student projects that promote sustainability, has received eight project proposals in its first year, according to President of Students for Environmental Action Hannah Saltman '12. Janna Cohen-Rosenthal, Brandeis' Sustainability Coordinator and chair of the BSF board said in an interview with the Justice that the content of the proposals, which are currently being revised by the governing board of the BSF, have not yet been announced but will be available to the public in November by Thanksgiving break. Students submitted these proposals as part of an environmental initiative created by SEA. According to the BSF website, the fund "provides grants, advice and support to any undergraduate student for their projects promoting sustainability." The website explains that these projects can relate to anything from energy efficiency to waste management to student events and more. The amount of funding each project receives is determined by the BSF's governing board, which is made up of elected student representatives as well as appointed representatives that include both students and faculty. The total amount of the fund that will be distributed by the grants is approximately $50,000. The funding comes from an amendment passed by the Brandeis student body last spring that charges each undergraduate student $7.50 per semester in addition to their Student Activities Fee.In its first year of existence, Saltman says the biggest difficulty with coordinating and promoting the BSF has been confronting "misinformation" about the fund, such as rumors that the money charged to the students would be used solely to benefit SEA, although she stressed that the money is designated only for individual students who apply with a proposal. The proposals, which were due by Oct. 13, will undergo revision by their submitters and the BSF's governing board until Nov. 9. The governing board will determine the final funding distribution by Nov. 30. Saltman said in an interview with the Justice that the board will be working with the students who submitted their proposals, giving them feedback from the student body, through the elected student representatives, as well as feedback about the financial and technical aspects of the projects. Cohen-Rosenthal explained that students have been meeting with her and the board of the BSF even before the Oct. 13 deadline to receive advice about creating the proposals. The current estimate for the total cost of all eight projects is $64,647, which surpasses the approximate amount of $50,000 allocated to the BSF. "I think the real limiting factor is funding," said Saltman. "However, ... proposals are graded on various criteria." The costs of the projects are made up of predicted costs of the individual projects set by the students who submitted the proposals. According to the fund's own constitution, which can be found on the BSF website, the list of criteria focuses on the proposals' relevance to major environmental issues such as "energy conservation" or "educational awareness," impact on the environment and the community, how and when the projected is completed and the long- and short-term financial and technical "viability." Saltman said the governing board will work with the students to revise the proposals according to these criteria before making the final decision on divying up the funds. According to Cohen-Rosenthal, the limitation of funding will also mean there is a possibility that some proposals, based on whether or not they meet the listed criteria, may not be accepted this year. She also explained that a proposal would have a greater chance of being accepted if the student was able to scale the project to cut down on funding if needed.Saltman gave an example of a possible sustainability proposal and the different financial and logistical aspects students would pay attention to when revising their proposals. "Let's say [a student] wants more recycling bins on campus. Not only [is there] the extra cost of having a recycling bin, but they're taking into account the extra time and money that would have to spent on perhaps hiring another facilities worker if there are going to be that many bins," she explained. According to Cohen-Rosenthal, who has been meeting with students even prior to the proposal draft deadline, the BSF had been expecting about eight proposals because they had been in contact with the students applying for the grants before Oct. 13. Overall, Saltman says she is very pleased with the progress of BSF's first semester. "I think we received a lot of really great project proposals" that will "really make a difference for the students here at Brandeis.
(10/12/10 4:00am)
Prof. Shai Feldman (POL), the director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies, and member of the Board of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University Prof. Nicholas Burns are co-chairing a new series of talks concerning issues in the Middle East region titled the Crown-Belfer Middle East Seminar series.These talks involve expert scholars from Brandeis University, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tufts University, Boston University and Boston College. The talks thus far have featured speakers such as Ahmet Davun?lu, the foreign minister of Turkey, who spoke Sept. 29 at the series' inauguration, and Tzipi Livni, the leader of the Israeli opposition party, who spoke on Oct. 5, both at the Harvard Faculty Club, according to both BrandeisNOW and the Belfer Center's website.In an interview with the Justice, Feldman explained that future speakers include Marwan Muasher, the former foreign minister of Jordan and current vice president of studies at the Carnegie Endowment; Dr. Khalil Shikaki, director at the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research; and Saudi Prince Turki Al-Faisal, a former ambassador to the United Kingdom, Ireland and the U.S.Feldman said that these speakers are to come in November, but the official schedule has not been set. Because of the high-profile status of the individuals featured in the talks, Feldman said that the seminars are not open or publicized to the students or the general public. "[The seminar] is really geared specifically for the expert community," explained Feldman. The meetings are small, no more than 30 people, and consist mostly of scholars with expertise in Middle Eastern issues and some Ph.D. students. Burns, who has served as a key American diplomat and is now a professor of Diplomacy and International Politics at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, has been involved with implementing the seminars along with Feldman and Graham Allison, the director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Burns could not be reached for comment by press time. "We tried to create kind of a marriage between the Crown Center and the Kennedy Center," said Feldman in an interview with the Justice. Feldman says a working union exists between Brandeis and Harvard because of Brandeis' expertise and Harvard's location and prestige. Feldman explained that the goal of the seminar series is to create a long-term forum and "permanent meeting place" where experts on the Middle East in the Boston area can join and provide information to each other. The small number of attendees is designed to promote a "high degree of interaction." Topics include the Arab-Israeli conflict, the nation of Iran, the future of Turkish policies, reform, economical development and any other issues that concern the Middle Eastern region.
