(01/28/14 5:00am)
Brandeis Profs. Marc Brettler (NEJS) and Ellen Wright (PSYC) embraced an online course format this semester, each teaching one class through Semester Online. This marked the University's first venture into online course offerings, joining a consortium of nine other colleges who are also offer courses through Semester Online. The consortium offers a total of 21 courses. Though both Brandeis courses were intended to attract Brandeis students as well as students from consortium schools, Wright's "Psychological and Socio-Cultural Perspectives on Health" online course enrolled only Brandeis students. In total, 29 Brandeis students are enrolled in online courses, 18 enrolled in Wright's class and 11 enrolled in courses offered by consortium partners, according to Senior Vice President of Communications Ellen de Graffenreid. Brettler's course, "The Hebrew Bible/Old Testament: Then and Now," only enrolled students from consortium partner schools. De Graffenreid wrote, "offering an academic strength at Brandeis to students at other top-ranked schools" is "exactly what was intended with Semester Online." In an email to the Justice, Brettler wrote that he wishes Brandeis students were also taking this course, "but there is something exciting about teaching students from other schools, and increasing the diversity of the students I am teaching." Brettler's course "explores the meaning of the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament in its original ancient Near Eastern context, and how this compares to the uses made of the Bible now," according to a June 11, 2013 BrandeisNOW press release. Both professors said they sought to teach online courses due to personal interest in the method. Brettler wrote that he liked to experiment with new educational models "especially because I think that the standard model of three hours of classroom contact is arbitrary and not always best for the students." He expects online teaching to be "used widely in all colleges," so he said that he was excited to get involved. Wright wrote that she appreciates the online teaching method for its many resources. "Students get the opportunity to have guest lectures asynchronously, and also to watch and join in virtually with roundtables that feature experts in particular fields," she wrote. The online format includes first a "flipped class format (lecturing and some activities testing knowledge and understanding)." Beyond that, it "allows for 'live' discussion and activities that will help support the learning of the material in ways that we don't have the time or resources to do with our regular course load," Wright wrote. The live sessions allow students to divide into break out rooms for smaller discussions. Wright's course is "designed to survey areas of psychology, psychobiology, medical anthropology and medical sociology and was created to be helpful to pre-med students around the changes in MCATs." Using the online format to her advantage, she noted that it allowed one unit of the course to feature a discussion about evaluating public service announcements around the Women, Infants and Children program between Monique Turner, an expert on persuasion and communications who has worked with [public service announcements], and Patricia McDade, a pediatric nurse practitioner. Wright reported getting "a tremendous amount of help from faculty in all three departments" including Profs. Margie Lachman (PSYC), Nicolas Rohleder (PSYC), Anita Hannig (ANTH), Ph.D. candidate in Sociology Catherine Tan and recent Brandeis Ph.D. recipient Michael Polito. Though Brettler showed no trepidation about the possible anonymity of online courses, Wright expressed that she still has "some concerns about how the Internet leaves us less connected rather than more connected." However, she wrote, "I think the partners in this activity work hard to make the classes really great."
(01/28/14 5:00am)
In a statement released last week, Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, asked the University for a permanent prayer room for Hindu students on campus. Zed's press release called on the University to respond to the "presence of a substantial number of Hindu students," and provide a "designated prayer-meditation hall for rituals, quiet reflection, festivals and spiritual exercise." The University "needs to recognize the intersection of spirituality and education, which is important in Hinduism," according to Zed. He further asked all American and Canadian universities to respond to the needs of their "considerable Hindu student bodies" and offer prayer spaces. In an interview with the Justice, Sharada Sanduga '14, president of Namaskar-a group established to promote Hindu, Jain and Sikh culture and spiritual heritage-said that she was comforted that "outside members of the Hindu community are invested in the community here at Brandeis." Vaishali Gupta, the newly hired Hindu chaplain, wrote in an email to the Justice that she agrees with Zed in that it is "important to meet the spiritual needs of the Hindu students on campus." Currently, Hindu services are held in the Harlan Chapel, which was originally built for Protestant services. Weekly services are held at 7 p.m. on Thursdays, according to Gupta. When asked why the Harlan Chapel in particular was chosen, Rev. Walter Cuenin, coordinator of the Interfaith Chaplaincy, said in an interview with the Justice that after consulting with Protestant Chaplain Matt Carriker, the Chaplaincy chose the Protestant Chapel "because it is very plain" and that this made it "a more neutral space" as opposed to the Bethlehem or Berlin Chapels (which were built for Catholic and Jewish services respectively). Gupta also stated that the chapel is an adequate space and "can definitely be used for Hindu prayers." Sanduga stated that she believes the chapel to be an adequate space, both due to the lack of iconography and because it gives Hindu students "the opportunity and space for services." Cuenin also told the Justice that a permanent prayer space for Hindu students is a work in progress. "Space on this campus is difficult," he explained. Gupta stated that if she sees a large number of students gather to pray and meditate, she will "communicate that with the college. "It would be ideal to have a separate space," Sanduga told the Justice, "but it is great that steps are being taken toward that direction." Four months ago, a chaplain and prayer space were not a reality," she added. "For that, I am grateful." In the past few years, the Chaplaincy has moved to expand the services it offers to Hindu students. Last semester, the Chaplaincy welcomed Gupta onto the staff to serve as the University's first Hindu Chaplain since the Chaplaincy's founding in 1955, according to a Nov. 5 article in the Justice. Gupta works part time at the University and Wellesley College. Previously, the position of imam, a Muslim cleric, was a part-time job like Gupta's; after several years, according to Cuenin, the position was made a permanent part of the Chaplaincy. Cuenin also told the Justice that the Muslim suite at Brandeis had previously served another purpose, but had been renovated as a result of student demand. While the University does not ask for information on each student's religious affiliation, according to Cuenin, Sanduga said that she estimates there to be 250 members of the Hindu community at Brandeis, with five to 10 interested in weekly services. When asked about the needs of the Hindu community, Sanduga told the Justice that while there was "extended discussion in the University to get where we are now," she believes the community's needs are being met in a "thorough and timely fashion." The Universal Society of Hinduism is an organization dedicated to bringing "people and organizations of all faiths, background and beliefs together to create understanding" and building "bridges between different beliefs and backgrounds," according to its website. The society is headquartered in Reno, Nev. Zed was the driving force behind the creation of the society, according to its website. It states that his vision was to bring people together, represent Hindus across the world, and use Hindu tenants to "create a better world and leave a better world for the future generations."
(01/28/14 5:00am)
All residential students at Brandeis University will be required to purchase a meal plan starting in fall 2016, according to an unsigned campus-wide email from "Campus Operations." Currently, students living in apartment-style residences equipped with kitchens, such as the Foster Mods and Ridgewood Quad, are not required to be on a meal plan. Sodexo will also begin to implement other changes such as a renovation of Usdan Cafe and the elimination of meal equivalencies next year. Lower Usdan will become a second unlimited-dining location in the 2014 to 2015 academic year. Also in 2014-15, unlimited and flexible meal plan programs will be implemented and point-equivalency programs will be eliminated. Einstein Bros. Bagels will also expand that year. Survey results collected by the Student Union suggest that the residential meal plan requirement could prove to be an unpopular change among students. However, of the students currently on campus, the new policy will only affect those in the Class of 2017. In interviews with the Justice, Student Union leaders said they were concerned about the meal plan requirement, particularly because it may force cash-strapped students to move off campus and they felt the process lacked sufficient student input. Student Union President Ricky Rosen '14 said he worried the University prioritized administrative concerns over student well-being. "The decisions we make have to have students' interests in mind, and with this decision in particular, I'm not entirely sure that the best interests of students were the driving force behind the changes," he said. Student Union Vice President Charlotte Franco '15 said she is "disappointed" with the way the decision to implement mandatory meal plans was made and the way it was communicated to the student body. Franco said that the new structure of meal plans, such as the elimination of meal equivalencies and the renovation of Lower Usdan, is a significant improvement. Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel wrote in an email to the Justice that "all of the plan models include much larger portions of flexible funds that can be used at any retail (non dining hall) location, or to purchase additional 'meals' for those who do not opt for the unlimited plan." In 2015 to 2016, residential students who enrolled in fall 2013 or later will be required to purchase a meal plan. By the following year, the requirement will apply to all residential students. The apartment plan option, according to the email, will be priced similarly to the current Village plan, which currently costs about $2,000 per semester. Regarding exact pricing of the plans, Flagel wrote the Board of Trustees will set tuition, fees and housing costs at its March board meeting. Franco said the Student Union is advocating for less expensive meal plans so as not to add a prohibitive cost to students' bills. According to the email from Campus Operations, "both dining-services vendor finalists" in the bidding process that Brandeis undertook last year before hiring Sodexo "agreed that a residential requirement was essential if the university wanted to expand its offerings and bring in new franchises such as Dunkin' Donuts." Students responding to a December 2013 Student Union survey were largely critical of mandatory meal plans. In all, the survey garnered 877 responses. Franco said the survey results have not yet been shared with either University administrators or Sodexo staff. The majority of students surveyed responded that mandatory meal plans would affect their decision to live on campus. In response to the question, "If meal plans were required for all on campus living (with or without a kitchen), how would that affect your decision to live on campus?" 28 percent of respondents said, "I would choose to live off campus and not be on a meal plan," while 36 percent said, "I would choose to live where it was most affordable to me." Forty-three percent of students said mandatory meal plans would not affect their housing decision. Rosen said affordability should be a top concern for the administration: "If we have mandatory, required meal plans for all on-campus housing ... we want to make sure that all of these options are affordable for students. I think that that needs to be the number one concern going forward." According to the survey, 47 percent of respondents were satisfied with their meal plan, while 53 percent were not. In a space reserved for additional anonymous comments, students overwhelmingly criticized the notion of mandatory meal plans. "I think it would be an absolute disgrace if the university decided to coerce all students living on campus to get meal plans," wrote one student. "Right now people choose to live in certain places because they literally cannot afford to purchase a meal plan or do not wish to take on additional debt for one. Going to this system would exacerbate class issues already at play at Brandeis." "I am extremely unhappy that the university is considering making everyone living in on campus housing get a meal plan," wrote another student. "I don't need one and I don't want to pay for one." The Campus Operations email indicated that administrators were aware of concerns having been raised, and pointed to the fact that "the new requirement would phase in over four years." Rosen said Sodexo and University administrators presented some elements of their proposal to alter the meal plan structure to student representatives in a November meeting. However, Rosen said, by the time the administration sought student input, decisions had already been made. "I have gotten the sense that this has been the trajectory for the last few years. ... When we reached the point when we were in the room with them, to discuss the changes, a lot of the changes had been made already, which was a little worrisome." Franco said she, Rosen, Class of 2017 Senator David Heaton and Danny Novak '15, met with Sodexo representatives, Flagel and Director of Strategic Procurement John Storti in the middle of last semester. That meeting consisted of discussions about the structure of meal plans, but the administrators did not provide a definite answer about mandatory meal plans. The meeting "danced around" the topic of a meal plan mandate, said Franco. While Rosen regularly met with Flagel, that group never met again. Regarding the email from Campus Operations announcing the meal plan changes, "When they're referring to students I find it very ambiguous," said Franco. "If they're talking about students in the context of Ricky, or myself, or the four people, we were in that one meeting and then never again." "Our conversations, I would label as limited," said Franco. "Not that we weren't willing to have them, but it's just that were weren't involved." In an email to the Justice, Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel wrote, "Discussions about these models began with the Student Union and Senate Dining Board when I arrived, and continued through the past 2 1/2 years, including the subject coming up at nearly every strategic planning town hall meeting." Storti wrote in an email to the Justice: "An effect of planning for construction, implementing dining venues and programming meal plan structures is that many decisions are made in consultation with students a year or more in advance of implementation of many efforts, which can often give students the false impression that this is a top down process." Flagel declined to provide the Justice with specifics on how much revenue would be raised by the new requirement. "The contract with Sodexo has confidentiality components, but I can share that the expanded participation that will be phased in over the next three years was included in the model for investment in dining facilities and expanded dining venues," he wrote. -Phil Gallagher contributed reporting.
(01/28/14 5:00am)
Judith Rich Harris '59 is widely regarded in the psychology community for her research into the factors that influence child development. In 1998, Harris published The Nurture Assumption, an outgrowth of a paper she published in the prestigious Psychological Review journal, a considerable feat at the time given that she was unaffiliated with a university and suffers from an autoimmune disease. In 2006, Harris went on to publish a second book that refined her previous conclusions in The Nurture Assumption entitled No Two Alike. She has become known in academic circles as one who has challenges many of the myths regarding parental involvement as a supreme factor in a child's eventual personality, opting for a nuanced approach that takes into account environmental variables that extend beyond the household and genetic factors. In an email interview with the Justice, Harris reflected on her dynamic career as a research psychologist. JustFeatures: Where does your passion for psychology stem from? Judith Rich Harris: I probably could have developed a passion for just about any science. But what's particularly interesting about psychology is that people have pre-existing opinions on its subject matter, and in many cases these pre-existing opinions are flat-out wrong! By nature, I'm a skeptic. I don't accept conventional beliefs simply because I heard them from someone in authority-I want to see the data! As it happens, in my area of interest there's plenty of data. JF: How did your time at Brandeis prepare you for your career and your life of psychology research and publishing? JRH: What I found out at Brandeis ... is that I love collecting and processing data. My thesis advisor was [Prof. Emeritus] Ricardo Morant (PSYC), and he set me a problem that involved testing people (my classmates) in a visual perception task. The experiment produced lots of data. After each testing session, I would rush back to my room in Renfield Hall in order to plot the latest batch of numbers on my graphs. JF: What did you do upon graduating from Brandeis? JRH: Became a graduate student in Harvard's Department of Psychology. At that time the Department of Psychology was exclusively experimental; its most prominent professor was B. F. Skinner. The other kind of psychology-which includes social, clinical, developmental, and personality-was in a separate department called Social Relations. We grad students in Psychology looked down our noses at the "soft-headed" types in Soc Rel. They no doubt held us in equal disdain. JF: Why did the psychology department at Harvard reject you from their Ph.D program? JRH: The letter I got from George A. Miller, the acting chairman of the department, started out by saying that they had no doubt I was "capable of doing satisfactory work in lecture courses and in seminars." The difficulty, he said, had to do with my "promise as an experimental scientist"-in particular, with what the department perceived as my lack of "originality and independence." JF: What did you do after you graduated from Harvard with a master's degree? JRH: I worked as a teaching assistant at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, then as a research assistant at Bolt Beranek and Newman. After 10 years as a full-time mother of two daughters, I became a research assistant again, this time at Bell Labs. My younger daughter was in first grade when I developed intractable back trouble-the first sign of what turned out to be a serious and chronic autoimmune disorder. I was bedridden for a time-had to give up the job at Bell Labs-and was looking for something I could do in bed. Then a friend at Rutgers University, Marilyn Shaw, gave me one of her papers-an experimental study of something called "visual search." Marilyn hired me to edit it-to improve the writing style. But she also gave me the data from the experiment, which I found much more interesting. I spent more than a year happily playing with the data. Then I heard that a textbook publishing company, Prentice Hall, was looking for someone to write two chapters of an introductory psychology book. I applied for the job and was hired. They liked the chapters I wrote so they asked me to co-author (with a professor at SUNY Stony-Brook) a textbook on developmental psychology-one of those fields that Harvard classified as Soc Rel, not Psychology. I didn't know beans about developmental psychology but accepted the job-it was something I could do in bed. By then I was tired of being a co-author, so I decided to start afresh and write a new development textbook on my own. On a cold winter afternoon in 1994-I was alone in the house, reading a journal article on adolescent delinquency-I suddenly had an idea that led me to re-examine the foundations of developmental psychology. JF: What was your initial motivation for writing the Psychological review article that would eventually become The Nurture Assumption? JRH: One of the basic tenets of this field is the belief that the most important part of a child's environment is the child's parents-the belief that, if something goes wrong with the child, it was probably the parents' fault. What I realized, after looking closely at the evidence, was that this belief is nothing more than a cultural myth. At that point, it didn't even occur to me to write a book aimed at a general audience. How could a nobody like me, with no Ph.D. and no affiliation, expect to get an article into one of psychology's most prestigious journals, which had an acceptance rate of 15 percent? It was sheer chutzpah, but I figured I'd give it a try. Amazingly, my paper was accepted. It appeared in the journal in July, 1995. JF: What were the difficulties involved in writing and research at the same time you were struggling with illness? Did you view your work as a way to distract yourself? JRH: By the time I started work on the Psych Review paper, I was no longer bedridden, but I was (and still am) very limited in my ability to do any kind of physical activity. Fortunately, there are work-arounds. I sent out many postcards and letters-in paper mail, remember that?-to researchers at universities, asking for copies of their papers. JF: What did it mean to you to receive the George A. Miller Award, given that the psychology department at Harvard rejected you from their Ph.D program while George A. Miller was the chair of the Psychology department? JRH: In my acceptance speech, I told the audience the story of having been kicked out of the Harvard Psychology Department by George A. Miller and added, "I don't think you will ever have a recipient of the George A. Miller Award who is happier to receive it than I am!" JF: What about the reaction in academia to your theory surprised you most? Did you anticipate that it would be as controversial as it was? JRH: Yes, I anticipated that The Nurture Assumption would be controversial. But I didn't anticipate the amount of media attention it would receive, or the fact that every periodical in the country would voice an opinion! JF: What are some of the major points you communicate in The Nurture Assumption? JRH: It's not that "parents don't matter"-of course they matter, though not in the all the ways you assumed! And it's not that parents don't influence their children's behavior-they do influence their children's behavior at home. The catch is that much of what children learn at home is of little or no use to them in the world outside the home. Children are perfectly capable of adjusting their behavior to the setting in which they find themselves, so the behaviors that don't work outside the home are quickly dropped and new ones acquired. Parents are often surprised to discover that their children behave quite differently in school. I remember, when my children were young, going to Back-to-School Night at their school. Parents would talk to their children's teacher and come away shaking their heads in disbelief. "Was she talking about my child?" they'd say. JF: Some misunderstand your book as one that claims childhood development is strictly determined by "nature." Can you explain in more detail what your conclusions actually prove? JRH: No one-certainly not me-thinks personality is entirely inherited! So the question is: What, besides genes, shapes an individual's personality? The problem is that genes tend to confuse the issue. If competent parents have competent children, is it nature or nurture? Do competent parents teach their children how to manage their lives, or do they pass on this trait in their genes? Because ordinary observation can't distinguish between these alternatives, special research methods have been devised to disentangle them. The use of these methods led to an unexpected conclusion: Most of the environmental factors that were thought to be important ... have no discernible effects on the offspring's adult personality, once the effects of heredity are taken into account. To be honest, I didn't do a very good job of solving it in The Nurture Assumption, though that book does show that the conventional beliefs about childhood, and the conventional research methods used to back up these beliefs, don't stand up to scrutiny. I took another stab at solving the mystery in my second book, No Two Alike. The theory presented in N2A is an enhanced version of the one in TNA and fills in some of the gaps. It's based in part on an idea that comes from the field of evolutionary psychology-namely, that different psychological functions are carried out by different mental organs, often called modules or systems (as in "the visual system"), which work more or less independently. JF: Although of course your research is based on objective study, are there any subjective personal experiences you can recall that confirm your findings or inspire your work? JRH: While I was at Harvard, I lived in a rooming house in Cambridge. It was owned by a Russian couple; they both spoke English with a heavy foreign accent. Even without hearing them speak, you could somehow tell they were foreigners. But their three young children, who ranged in age from five to nine, looked like perfectly ordinary Americans and spoke with no foreign accent at all. I didn't think of the Russian couple and their children for many years but they must have remained in a corner of my mind, ready to speak up again when the time came for them to be heard. -Compiled by Jaime Kaiser and Casey Pearlman
(01/21/14 5:00am)
Well, pop culture people-there are now two more big celebrity weddings appearing on the horizon. When actor Johnny Depp and actress Amber Heard were spotted leaving a West Hollywood restaurant last Monday, a sneaky photographer snapped a shot of a big diamond ring on Heard's left hand-though Heard reportedly took great measures to try and keep that hand covered up. Now, People Magazine confirms that the couple is engaged. Depp, 50, and Heard, 27, met on the set of their 2011 film The Rum Diary. Notoriously private, the couple has barely alluded to their relationship in past interviews. This will be the second marriage for Depp (he was previously married to make-up artist Lori Anne Allison from 1983 to 1985). After that, Depp was famously in a 14-year-long relationship with French singer Vanessa Paradis, with whom he had two children, Lily Rose and Jack. However, Depp and Paradis broke up back in 2012. Meanwhile, Heard, who has come out as bisexual, had previously been in a four-year relationship with photographer Tasya van Ree. As for this week's second engagement announcement, actor (and son of Diana Ross) Evan Ross took to Twitter last Monday to announce that "The love of [his] life said YES!!!!!!" The love of his life who inspired these six exclamation points is none other than singer/actress Ashlee Simpson. This will be the second marriage for Simpson, who was married to Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz from 2008 until February 2011. With Wentz, she has son Bronx Mowgli, 5. Simpson, 29, and Ross, 25, went public with their relationship back in July. Then, in November, the couple attended The Hunger Games: Catching Fire premiere, where Ross was caught gushing about Simpson, saying, "She's the one." It sure looks like their romance caught fire rather fast. In other news, pregnant No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani announced via Instagram on Friday that she is expecting another boy. Stefani already has two sons, Kingston, 7, and Zuma, 5, with her husband, musician Gavin Rossdale. Posting a photo of herself wearing a crown, Stefani wrote, "I was ready to hand over the crown. but I guess I am still queen of the house. #itsaboy #surroundedbyboys." Although other sources close to the couple confirmed that Stefani was pregnant back in September, this is the first public confirmation from the singer herself. A piece of more unfortunate news came out of Hollywood this week, as Dennis Rodman's agent announced that the former NBA star has checked into rehab to treat his long struggle with alcoholism. Recently, Rodman, 52, returned from his latest trip to North Korea. He has been in the spotlight most recently for these visits, during which he met leader Kim Jong Un. They started in February 2013, when Rodman accompanied the HBO documentary series Vice to host basketball exhibitions there. Rodman's rehab stint comes just after eyebrow-raising comments he made earlier this month, in which he stated that Kenneth Bae, a Korean American missionary who is imprisoned in North Korea, was at fault for his situation. Rodman later apologized, and attributed the comments he made to his drinking and the pressure he was under.
(01/14/14 5:00am)
On Feb. 13, the Rose Art Museum will see five new exhibits featuring the works of Chris Burden, Mika Rottenberg, Wols and Charline Von Heyl, Mark Boulos, Josephine Meckseper, Mary Reid Kelley and Maria Lassnig. The museum will also be displaying some of Chris Burden's models of bridges in addition to a highly anticipated outdoor installation that will be coming to the Rose at the beginning of the next school year, "Light of Reason." The Burden exhibit will be held on the upper level of the Gerald S. and Sandra Fineberg Gallery. In an interview with the Justice, Henry and Lois Foster Director of the Rose Christopher Bedford said that he hopes that the exhibition in the Fineberg Gallery will give context to the outdoor installation. He noted one of the things he appreciates about Burden's work is his impressive use of "materials that we're all familiar with, whether those things are toys or refurbished antique lamps." Meanwhile, downstairs, the Lois Foster Gallery will hold an exhibit with works by Mika Rottenberg, a multinational video artist who has lived in the United States as well as Israel and Argentina. "The way [Rottenberg] is able to intertwine sculpture and the moving image is unusually sophisticated and very new," Bedford said. Rottenberg is interested in elements of the corporeal, especially the obese, intertwined nature. She has said that in her art she is interested in the idea of "labor as a process between a person and nature." As Rottenberg is a relatively young artist and takes on very new ideas, Bedford sees her as a model for what a Brandeis student could become in a few years. Rose Video 02 and Rose Video 03, both to be viewed in the Mildred S. Lee Video Gallery, are part of a larger initiative at the Rose to expanding the museum's video collections and tracing the development of the medium of videos from the 1960s, according to Bedford. Last semester the program premiered with Rose Video 01 by Omer Fast, "5000 Feet is the Best." The first of the videos, Rose Video 02, shows successive four-week screenings; the first, by Mark Boulos (All that is Solid Melts into Air, 2009) has already been screened but the second by Josephine Meckseper (Mall of America, 2009) will be on view from Feb. 14 through March 16. Rose Video 03 will exhibit videos by Mary Reid Kelly and Maria Lassnig. Rose Video 02 will run through March 16, and Rose Video 03 will begin screening on March 25. Bedford said that Prof. Lori Cole (FA) was instrumental in choosing the artists and pieces for Rose Video 02 and Rose Video 03. In an email to the Justice, Cole commented on the pairing of the Boulos and Meckseper videos. "Through diverging documentary strategies, Boulos and Meckseper reveal the disembodied nature of consumption, undermining our complacency and forcing us to gaze at the circulation of commodities. By pairing these artistic propositions, Rose Video [03] seeks to expand the conversation about power, inequality, and consumption that these works initiate," she wrote. Regarding Rose Video 03, Cole said that she "was interested in drawing a historical link between Lassnig's work [in the early 20th century] and that of contemporary artist Mary Reid Kelley, whose videos are also drawing-based, and centralize her body, as she performs pun-filled ballads evoking women's experience of history. The pairing is intended to explore film's and video's relationship to other media-performance, drawing and poetry-and to reflect on the trajectory of feminist video art." Another video installation, Rose Projects 01A: The Matter that Surrounds Us, features artists Wols and Charline Von Heyl, and will be viewed on the lower level of the Gerald S. and Sandra Fineberg Gallery. Wols, a German artist from the first part of the 20th century, is known for his paintings in which he dripped thick layers of paint on the canvas and then scratched into the paint. A New York Times article on her show at the Petzel Gallery in New York says that "Charline von Heyl is one of the more intriguing, and least predictable, abstract painters working right now" and notes that "she develops her paintings in shallow but high-contrast layers that evoke the printmaking studio and the computer screen." The preview on the Rose' s website notes that "at once visceral and visual, each one of these works of art is something we've never seen before." Bedford told the Justice that the mission of the Rose is very much in line with the University's dedication to social justice and these new exhibits will aim to strengthen this focus. Steering away from the extremely abstract works of Jack Whitten and Andy Warhol, the new exhibits at the Rose promise to present a very unique array of art in a diverse range of media. I, for one, am extremely excited to see these distinct exhibits come to fruition. *
(12/19/13 5:00am)
* Correction appended. The American Studies program discontinued its institutional affiliation with the American Studies Association in response to the association's recent vote in favor of an academic boycott of Israel. The program released a statement on Dec. 18 announcing the decision, two days after the association announced the boycott. Brandeis' program was the second to decide to cancel its institutional membership. "We view the recent vote by the membership to affirm an academic boycott of Israel as a politicization of the discipline and a rebuke to the kind of open inquiry that a scholarly association should foster," the statement reads. "We remain committed to the discipline of American Studies but we can no longer support an organization that has rejected two of the core principles of American culture-freedom of association and expression." According to the association's website, it is one of several academic associations that were asked to participate in the boycott of Israeli academic institutions as a part of the Boycott, Divest and Sanctions campaign. "Israeli academic institutions function as a central part of a system that has denied Palestinians their basic rights," the American Studies Association's website reads. "Palestinian students face ongoing discrimination, including the suppression of Palestinian cultural events, and there is sanctioning and ongoing surveillance of Palestinian students and faculty who protest Israeli policies." The ASA also condemned the United States' role in "aiding and abetting Israel's violations of human rights against Palestinians and its occupation of Palestinian lands through its use of the veto in the UN Security Council." The boycott targets institutions and their representatives, and will prevent participation in conferences or events officially sponsored by Israeli universities. The ASA claimed on its website that the boycott will not interfere with individual scholars or students, but acknowledged that it would be a civil offense for Israeli academics to support the boycott. The boycott was approved by its membership in an online vote, according to Prof. Thomas Doherty (AMST), who is the program chair, in an email to the Justice. According to the association's website, 1,252 of almost 5,000 members voted. The website states that this number is "the largest number of participants in the organization's history." According to the association's website, 66.05 percent of voters endorsed the resolution, while 30.5 percent of voters voted no and 3.43 percent abstained. The website states that the election was a response to the ASA National Council's announcement on Dec. 4 that it supported the academic boycott. Doherty wrote that the resolution was put forth at the association's annual meeting in November. Although Doherty wrote that he did not receive an email reminding members to vote, "[i]ronically, a postcard arrived today [Dec. 16] from the ASA urging me to vote 'by Dec. 15.'" According Doherty, the decision to cancel the program's affiliation with the association "was pretty much a spontaneous consensus among our faculty-we had been tracking developments since the [November] meeting and had talked about what to do." Doherty added that there were no dissents, and that the program's move was made independently, with no input or pressure from the administration. After the program ceased its affiliation with the association, University President Frederick Lawrence released a statement condemning the association's resolution. The Dec. 24 statement read, "I find disturbing the uniqueness of the target of the ASA decision, with Israel representing the only nation on the planet whose universities are thereby stigmatized. The boycott even defies common sense; what Israeli universities can do that would end the policies that the ASA has condemned is hard to imagine." Lawrence wrote that he was proud that Brandeis was one of the first institutions in the world to withdraw as an institutional member of the ASA, and urged others to follow Brandeis' lead. "Brandeis University values its many relationships with Israeli academic institutions. We will not allow the ASA's action to undermine those relationships or the principle of academic freedom," the statement continued. Other universities, such as Harvard University, Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, New York University and Yale University, have openly condemned the association's resolution. Harvard University President Drew Faust's statement on the matter asserts that "[a]cademic boycotts subvert the academic freedoms and values necessary to the free flow of ideas, which is the lifeblood of the worldwide community of scholars." Although Brandeis' program ended its affiliation with the association, faculty members decided to leave the association individually prior to the release of the department's statement. Doherty wrote that he is leaving the association after about 30 years. "I am sad that an organization I have been a part of for so long has decided to politicize itself in this way," he wrote. Prof. Joyce Antler (AMST) agreed that such academic associations should not engage in systematic academic boycotts. "I agree with the [American Association of University Professors] that on specific issues, other forms of protest may be appropriate, even for non-partisan academic associations, if they promote the free exchange of ideas rather then stifle academic freedom," wrote Antler, who also stated that she would be resigning from the association before the program released its statement. "The resolution is noxious, deeply harming the principle of academic freedom and dangerously scapegoating Israel." Doherty also questioned the association's actions, stating that the "outrage is highly selective." "[L]et's just say that it is interesting they're going after Israel-and not, say, China or the Arab states," Doherty wrote. According to Antler, over 70 "eminent" ASA scholars, including eight former presidents, opposed the resolution before the vote, but the ASA's National Council refused to share the countering statements with ASA members. Despite disagreement among scholars, the association released a statement on Monday emphasizing the fact that the members did vote for the association to take such an action. "The resolution is in solidarity with scholars and students deprived of their academic freedom, and it aspires to enlarge that freedom for all, including Palestinians," the statement read. Brandeis' American Studies program was the second to announce that it would discontinue its affiliation with the association after Pennsylvania State Harrisburg. Kenyon College and Indiana University followed suit and cancelled their institutional memberships, as well, according to a Dec. 23 Tablet article. Editor's Note: American Studies is a program at Brandeis, not a department, as originally stated.
(12/10/13 5:00am)
I first came to Brandeis University as a brash and capricious 18-year-old, ready to take on all the challenges that college would throw at me. I looked forward to meeting new people, understanding diverse world-views and forming an overall better rounded opinion of life. Now, as I write my last op-ed as a student at Brandeis, other than now being 19, I cannot think of anything that has really changed in that regard. What has changed, however, is that I believe I have learned a great deal about both myself and others, not only from Brandeis, but from Boston. As I have previously written in the Justice, issues such as a competent public transportation system that connects both transit depots and suburban universities to a sprawling city are important for the rest of the country to take note of. Similarly, eschewing the death penalty with a criminal justice system based on justice would be especially helpful for my home state of Texas. However, more than any divisive, partisan issue, the people of Boston have taught me a valuable lesson in resilience. Whether that is the unyielding loyalty to their sports teams that any fan of the Houston Texans football team, like myself, could learn from, or a determination to continue on with business as usual no matter the how cold it gets or how extreme the conditions, the people here do not give up. In my native Houston, temperatures often become extreme on the opposite end of the thermostat, with summer months regularly boasting highs above 100 degrees. The only response to the scalding heat is to turn up the air conditioning and eschew any and all outside activity that does not feature an ice-cold swimming pool. Boston does not resort to comparably drastic measures when the cold comes. Massachusetts winters bring snow, often by the foot, but we-for I now consider myself a Bostonian in part-continue walking to class or our place of employment. We spend hours on end shoveling the snow and salting the roads so that we can keep going no matter which nor'easter or blizzard may try to stop us. People who grew up here may think this is a silly or superficial point, but I cannot stress enough how different a culture this presents. Regularly battling against the forces of nature is no small point in explaining a unique determination. This determination was shown to the world last April, when Boston was rocked by a terrorist attack that ultimately took four people's lives and wounded hundreds more. When a citywide manhunt ensued to capture the suspects and bring them to justice, we gladly worked together to catch those responsible for the heinous acts. Nationwide, the general public dubbed the reaction "Boston Strong," an honorific given to the great resilience of this city. I believe it is this resilience that helps foster so many excellent universities in this city, with Brandeis being, in my opinion, the most excellent among them. This resilience, this strength, gives us the courage to become truer to the person we really are deep down. I believe this is how Brandeis helped me to learn about myself. For me, I define myself a lot by my political views. As someone who was considered very liberal in Texas, I felt like my opinions would be considered quite popular at Brandeis and looked forward to that experience. But in many cases, they were not popular. Ironically enough, my views are probably more conservative than that of the average Brandeis student, and that has been just as rewarding a learning experience. I would not have it any other way. Brandeis has given me the strength and resilience to understand exactly where I am on the political spectrum, and to come to grips with all of my own views. What use would political opinions be if they were only clearly defined on one side of the spectrum? Since I have now had interactions with many people both more conservative and more liberal than I, I have been able to mark out my own space. Simply put, Brandeis has allowed me to acquire the knowledge to better define myself and the pliancy to put that person to good use. Certainly, I have become a much more rounded person, but most importantly, a better defined one. And I do plan on putting it to good use. Beginning next semester, I will transfer to the University of Texas at Austin, where I will seek new professional opportunities. Accordingly, this will be my last column for the Justice. While my brief sojourn in Boston was tough, between Hurricane Sandy, the blizzard Nemo and the marathon bombings, it has been an experience that will help shape me for the rest of my life. For no matter which Big 12 conference team I will be rooting for next year, I will always be a "Judge." And no matter where I hang my hat, I will always be "Boston Strong."
(12/10/13 5:00am)
The University announced on Wednesday that two professors from the History department have been appointed to endowed chairs. On Nov. 26, Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan Birren named Prof. Michael Willrich (HIST) the Leff Families Professor of History and Prof. David Engerman (HIST) the Ottilie Springer Professor of History. "I was utterly surprised and delighted by the news," Willrich wrote in an email to the Justice. "An endowed chair is a special honor for a professor, and I'm particularly honored to be taking on the chair previously occupied by my much-missed colleague Rudy Binion, a brilliant historian who died in 2011." Engerman had a similar reaction. "I was very excited and proud. Academia is a funny world in which one doesn't get many promotions ... so to find out about the University bestowing an honor like that was great," he said in an interview with the Justice. Carl and Phillip Leff established the Leff Chair in 1965 with their wives, all of whom contributed financially to Brandeis' early years. "The chair is an honor, with no particular strings attached, other than continuing to strive to meet Brandeis' high standards for research, teaching and service," Willrich said. Axel Springer, German journalist and media mogul, named the Ottilie Springer Chair after his mother in 1968. "There's a story about the chair in the memoir called A Host at Last by the president [of Brandeis] under whose auspices it was created, Abram Sachar," Engerman explained. "Axel Springer had given a lot of money to Israel and various Jewish causes, and Abram Sachar solicited a gift on behalf of American Jews." Engerman is currently working on a book entitled Planning for Prosperity: The Economic Cold War in India. "It's about American and Soviet competition ... to provide development aid to India," Engerman said. "It's an unusual facet of the Cold War, since we usually think about the Cold War as military competition and this is about economics." Willrich's most recent book is Pox: An American History, about the smallpox epidemic in 20th Century United States. He is "at the early stages of two separate projects, a political history of sports in the United States, and a post-frontier history of Americans who have chosen-and often have struggled-to live 'off the grid,'" Willrich wrote. Willrich, who began his career as a journalist, said that he likes teaching history because "history offers important insights into our contemporary challenges, and I am particularly drawn to the historian's craft of making meaningful arguments through narrative." Engerman is also enthusiastic about his job. "I like teaching because every time I do it I look at the material differently. Even pieces I've taught on and off since I was in graduate school sound different now. Communism sounds more remote to current students than when I was a student or even students in the 1990s," Engerman said. Both professors say they learn a lot from their students. "We're pretty spoiled at Brandeis, because the students here are very smart and engaged-always ready for a good debate," Willrich wrote. "My legal history class this fall is a case in point. Today the students launched into a nuanced debate about President [Abraham] Lincoln's purposes in issuing the Emancipation Proclamation." "Brandeis students in particular are good teachers," Engerman added. "Trying to see it through their eyes gives me new ways to think about things that I thought I knew something about." Engerman and Willrich both started their Brandeis careers in 1999, and their "careers have evolved together as colleagues and beyond," Engerman said.
(12/10/13 5:00am)
At the Dec. 5 faculty meeting, Prof. Sarah Mead (MUS) revealed that the University Budget Committee during the 2009 economic recession was unaware of the Board of Trustees' decision to contract President Emeritus Jehuda Reinharz a salary of $1.5 million in 2009, $627,000 in 2011 and $300,000 each year from 2012 and 2014. According to University administrators, Reinharz's post-presidency salary has declined from its high in 2011. Reinharz's total compensation is approximately $300,000 each year from 2012 through 2014. In 2014, Reinharz will be compensated as president emeritus until June at the same rate as 2012 and 2013, with a total compensation that year of about $160,000. After June 2014, Reinharz's annual salary will be $180,000 as a half-time professor. "I am hurt that I spent all those years on the UBC, which I am still a member of, and didn't know anything about this. During a time we were in dire financial straits ... we didn't know this was happening," Mead said. Mead's comments were made during the question-and-answer section of the meeting during which faculty were encouraged to respond to the issue of executive compensation. Other faculty members responded similarly to the article in the Boston Globe that focused on the salary packages of outgoing university presidents, concentrating on Reinharz's compensation. "I'm mortified, as I was in the fall of 2008," said Prof. Jane Kamensky (HIST). "If I were [Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement] Nancy Winship, I would be waking up in a cold sweat every two hours all night long. I don't want to move backwards, but this is Groundhog's Day." In response to the information about Reinharz's salary, which went viral after its publication in the Globe, Faculty Senate Chair Prof. Eric Chasalow (MUS) revealed the contents of a letter drafted by the Senate that was presented to the Board of Trustees on Monday. The letter details the Senate's three principal concerns about how executive compensation packages are created and determined: transparency, equity and oversight. According to Chasalow, transparency refers to the timeliness and completeness of the information used to create the packages for executives and when that information should be made public. Equity relates to the processes that determine the fairness, structure and proportion of the packages in relation to the pay of the other employees of the University. Lastly, the letter includes a section asking for more oversight of the Board of Trustees and specifically the Personnel, Compensation and Ethics Committee that is in charge of executive compensation. Chasalow said in the past this committee has made decisions without a vote or providing information to the entire Board. Chasalow went on to say that the Chair of the Board of Trustees Perry Traquina '78 believes this is an issue that should be addressed. Moreover, in a related matter, Chasalow revealed the Senate has been discussing the possibility of recommending that faculty representatives to the Board of Trustees become voting members. Board members have a fiduciary responsibility to the University and also have the final authority in nearly all matters relating to the functioning of University. Director of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life Daniel Terris also spoke at the meeting and gave a brief synopsis of his recent trip to Al-Quds University along with Profs. Susan Lanser (ENG) and Daniel Kryder (POL). Terris also briefly mentioned the report that he, Lanser and Kryder had been commissioned to compile by Provost Steve Goldstein '78 and University President Frederick Lawrence. Although Terris was hesitant to comment until the community had a chance to read the report on Monday, Dec. 9, he abstractly outlined the contents of the report, which he said would address Al-Quds University President Sari Nusseibeh's background, information about the rally and Al-Quds University response to the rally. Further, the report will speak to the suspension of the University's relationship with Al-Quds University's and Nusseibeh's suspension from the advisory board of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public life. The report will end with conclusions and recommendations as the University continues to evaluate its relationship with Al-Quds. The meeting also included a memorial tribute to Professor Emeritus Harold Shapero (MUS), who recently passed away at the age of 95. Shapero was among the original faculty in the Music department and was a renowned neo-classical composer whose work was played by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1947. In addition, Goldstein also announced that two History professors have been named endowed chairs: Prof. David Engerman has been appointed as the Ottilie Springer Professor of History and Prof. Michael Willrich the Leff Families Professor of History.
(11/26/13 5:00am)
This week, JustArts talked with Alison Thvedt '15, who directed Hillel Theater Group's production of The Children's Hour, which was performed this weekend. JustArts: Would you tell us about you previous theater experience at Brandeis? Alison Thvedt: I am minoring in Theater Arts here. I have acted in shows before-I did the Vagina Monologues both years, freshman year and last year. I was in a senior thesis [play] about Rachel Carson, and I was also in Into the Woods last fall. I've just been acting before this semester in undergraduate theater. JA: I understand that this was your first directorial effort. What have you learned from the experience of directing that is different from acting in a production? AT: I think the biggest thing is the amount of time that goes into it. I knew it would be a big time commitment, but it was even bigger than I thought it would be. You have to know the play really well. I like directing because I really got to go into each character and work with the actors on each character. Because, in acting, you're mainly focused on your own character and that character's specific relationships with others, whereas I get to see all the relationships and how they intertwine and intermingle ... I don't get to personally go so deeply into each character. JA: How did you select The Children's Hour for performance? AT: Well, I had to propose it. In the spring, there were proposals for each of the undergraduate theater groups. I actually acted in The Children's Hour in high school, so I knew the play, and I took a directing class last spring and I really liked it-so I thought, "oh! I'll propose this play, I'm familiar with it." I proposed it to HTG because Lillian Hellman [the playwright] is Jewish, so, since I had that play in mind, I decided to propose it to HTG instead of other theater groups. I really like The Children's Hour because it's a really female-centric play. There are 12 female roles and two males, at least in my production ... And that's getting more common, but it's still not very common to have so many females versus males. Especially in undergraduate theater, and in theater in general, there's an imbalance of women and men. JA: There was some really heavy content in the play. Would you talk a bit about the themes at work and how the actors engaged with them? AT: One thing I tried to do was I tried to have a few nights of rehearsal where we would forget about blocking, forget about just going through lines or going through moments and just focus on themes, and just forming connections between the actors, and not necessarily between the characters. One theme is love, regardless of whether it's heterosexual or homosexual or familial, like between the grandmother or granddaughter. I had them write love letters to a character, to someone else in the play, and I also had them write a hate letter. That was a really cool exercise, and I had them read them in small groups to each other, and getting into those was really awesome. I also discovered things about characters in the play that I wouldn't have thought of. ...We did bring up the themes of homosexuality, and also preadolescent and adolescent sexuality. JA: What do you hope that audiences took home with them after watching? AT: I chose to set the play in the present because I think, even though the specific events like someone being sued for spreading a rumor about someone being gay wouldn't happen, I think, in our legal system today. But the general events-people's lives being ruined through rumor, people acting in self-righteousness, people spreading rumors without even knowing if there's any legitimacy behind the rumors -all of these things still happen. People still commit suicide because they're bullied, for being gay, for being queer, transgender, anything. That still happens. I'm sure there are communities that would still take their kids out of school if they found out their teachers were gay. ... I think just remembering that things like this still happen, and recognizing that there's truth in it. -Rachel Hughes *
(11/26/13 5:00am)
Since University President Frederick Lawrence's decision to halt its academic partnership with Al-Quds University in East Jerusalem, Al-Quds President Sari Nusseibeh has also been suspended from the International Advisory Board of Brandeis' International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life while a report on the recent events at Al-Quds is currently being compiled by Brandeis faculty who visited Al-Quds last week. Meanwhile, Syracuse University announced it would also be suspending its partnership while Bard College decided it would not. In a statement released this past Friday, Lawrence affirmed that he is committed to "keeping the lines of communication open" between Brandeis and Al-Quds. Al-Quds reportedly had asked the University to reconsider its decision to suspend the relationship, according to a Nov. 20 article from the Associated Press. Nusseibeh later criticized Lawrence in a Nov. 22 article in the Times of Israel, saying that the University president had "gone overboard" in his decision to suspend the partnership. Director of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life Daniel Terris, along with Prof. Susan Lanser (ENG) and Prof. Daniel Kryder (POL), had originally traveled to Al-Quds last week to explore ways to develop the partnership between the two schools. According to a Nov. 21 post on Terris' blog, Lawrence asked them to gather information after news of the events that took place on the Al-Quds campus broke. According to Lanser in an email to the Justice, they are currently writing the report and expect to release it sometime next week. "The issues on the ground at Al-Quds University are much more complex than has been reported on blogs and in the press," Terris wrote on his blog. "These issues deserve careful consideration and conversation." Terris wrote later in the post that "at this point ... nothing that we have learned during this period has changed our conviction ... that Sari Nusseibeh and the Al-Quds University leadership are genuinely committed to peace and mutual respect." Syracuse decided to suspend the relationship between Al-Quds and its Institute for National Security and Counterterrorism three days after Brandeis' decision, according to a Nov. 22 article from the Jerusalem Post, which reported Nov. 24 that Bard would continue its relationship. In an email to the Justice, Prof. Jytte Klausen (POL) expressed criticism of the decision. "My concern is that by withdrawing we have given the extremists what they wanted, and allowed then [sic] to cut off moderate Palestinians from participating in exchanges with the outside world," she wrote. "I wish President Lawrence had waited to make a decision until the faculty fact-finding group returned and provided a rapport." The academic partnership was halted in response to what Brandeis called an "unacceptable and inflammatory" statement released by Nusseibeh regarding controversial demonstrations that took place on Al-Quds' campus earlier this month, where participants donning "black military gear" and "fake automatic weapons ... marched while waving flags and raising the traditional Nazi salute," according to a Nov. 18 BrandeisNOW press release. In the Nov. 22 Times of Israel article, Nusseibeh explained that he had originally condemned the demonstrations on the campus in a statement "saying such manifestations of militarism are unacceptable" and called for an investigation into the incident. According to Nusseibeh, Lawrence had then contacted him "expressing anger, and calling for a condemnation of Nazi-style militarism." Though Nusseibeh agreed to wait for a draft statement from Lawrence, he said that he felt it "expressed more [Lawrence's] immediate needs than my needs as a university president having to handle a culture rather than a one-time event" and chose to write his own statement addressing the "matter," "limits" and "values" of free speech. Brandeis' Nov. 18 press release stated that "While Brandeis has an unwavering commitment to open dialogue on difficult issues, we are also obliged to recognize intolerance when we see it, and we cannot-and will not-turn a blind eye to intolerance." The statement released by Al-Quds opened by saying that the "university is often subjected to vilification campaigns by Jewish extremists" and that it had been misrepresented as "promoting inhumane, anti-Semitic, fascist and Nazi ideologies." While the BrandeisNOW press release described the demonstrators as "raising the traditional Nazi salute," a spokesman for the political branch of Islamic Jihad quoted by the Associated Press explained that the symbol represents a "desire to reach holy Jerusalem, currently under Israeli control." Lawrence addressed Nusseibeh's comments in his Nov. 22 statement. "Al-Quds University President Sari Nusseibeh has made a number of remarks and serious accusations to the media that have not been conveyed to me personally or through my staff," Lawrence wrote. "I am reaching out to President Nusseibeh today and hope that he will be open to that discussion." Lawrence concluded the press release by stating that he "will not respond to specific issues raised in the public media." -Jessie Miller contributed reporting.
(11/19/13 5:00am)
Consider other uses for finances To the Editor: I am writing to you with regard to the article "A gilded goodbye for many private college leaders" by Todd Wallack, which appeared in the Nov. 17 issue of the Boston Globe. As I'm sure you and your readers are aware, the central figure investigated in the article was former Brandeis president Jehuda Reinharz, who has continued to receive a six-figure salary from the University since his retirement, on top of the even larger salary he is drawing from the Mandel Foundation despite an apparent lack of any duties as a professor or mentor to the campus community. To say I am dismayed at this would be an understatement. Reinharz was already a divisive figure during my time on campus, and only became more so after the Rose Art Museum debacle. With the costs of higher education continuing to spiral out of the reach of many students, it seems unconscionable to me that Brandeis would offer him such a generous and long-term severance package, not to mention continuing to accord him the respect of membership in the faculty. I was a beneficiary of a Presidential Scholarship as a student, which was the only thing that allowed me to attend the University without accumulating crippling amounts of debt. How many more of those scholarships could have been distributed this year without the drain of Reinharz's salary? How many more academically deserving students could have become part of the Brandeis community? My wife and fellow alum also points out the irony of having students staffing the Phonathon solicitation efforts, working to shave off a bit of the financial burden of attendance at Brandeis, while the money they raise goes in part to line the pockets of a man who makes no tangible contribution to the University. Having recently worked as an adjunct college instructor, it's also disturbing to me to think of the many courses that graduate students and adjunct faculty are teaching at Brandeis right now, barely making ends meet, while Reinharz draws a salary and takes up a position that could both go to a deserving scholar who might actually interact with a student every once in a while. I have a great fondness for Brandeis and its mission, and have looked forward to the day that I could afford to donate to the institution where I spent four wonderful years. As long as this situation persists, however, I not only cannot in good conscience give to the University, but feel as if the pride I hold in my education has been somewhat misplaced. Doubtless there are any number of my fellow alumni who feel similarly. I am hopeful that other alumni and current students will make their feelings known to the administration with regard to this matter. With any luck, President Lawrence and the Board of Trustees will find a resolution that takes the best interests of the Brandeis community-the entire Brandeis community, not just one man-into account. -Patrick Hume '07 *
(11/19/13 5:00am)
This week JustArts sat down with Jennifer Yee, who was hired as patron services coordinator at the Rose Art Museum at the beginning of this year. JustArts: Could you tell us a little about what you did before this position and what your new job entails here at the Rose? Jennifer Yee: I've had a varied background that actually prepared me pretty well for this position. A lot of what could be considered unrelated skill sets came together here. Twenty to 22 years ago ... I was here actually as a Brandeis police officer ... I worked with [Director of Public Saftey] Ed Callahan and a lot of veterans that are still here, at that time, I'd say half of whom I recognized when I came back here. After that I married [and then] I worked a lot of catering events, the retail sector, visitor services and I developed quite an art bend during that time. I had always had it but I took actual drawing classes ... So when I came back here [in 2007] I thought 'what next?' and that's when a position called patron services came up and I thought 'what is patron services?' Well a lot of it is front of the house activities ... I am sort of the face of the administration that deals directly with patrons. I do whatever is needed to help plan logistics, help coordinate events, help with security in terms of crowd control and safe passage when people initiate any events here at the Rose and also in training the student gallery guards. JA: What would you say is the most difficult part of your job? JY: I wouldn't even call it difficult. I would call it challenging because there are many different aspects to the job so maybe the best answer to that question is deciding which hat to put on for that day-am I going to be doing visitor services? Am I going to focus on the security aspect, or am I going to focus on the day-to-day needs of a work order that needs to be put in? JA: Was the SCRAM Jam a difficult event to deal with being in your position? Can you tell me a little about how you handled the security at that event? JY: It's always a challenge. I was actually pleased and surprised when I compared it to last year's figures and the year before. ... We topped out at 707 people [this year]. So I'm almost glad I didn't know that before the night went off. But so yes it's a challenge, and you have to weigh that though against wanting people to enjoy themselves and striking that balance. While I'm observing, say, the numbers [of people] that are allowed by fire code or by what's allowed in terms of agreements with art pieces that are on loan ... But I felt it was very successful. I was very proud of everybody-SCRAM, all the students, how they handled themselves because it was such a large number. And the feedback I got from that event was just incredible. JA: How will you deal with security and safety of the new installation, "Light of Reason," especially since it is an outdoor piece? JY: We have talked about that. In fact that's in the process right now. We are trying to determine what, if any specific issues are needed as far as lighting or as far as camera work or as far as just keeping an eye on the installation piece. We actually are developing protocol as we speak because we are actually beginning the whole process of defining all the terms of the installation. JA: I had heard some rumors that you worked with magic and illusions. Can you tell us a little about that hobby? JY: That actually began back in the late '90s when I was taking classes to entertain my children and it kind of grew into performing for their class and their school and then later other schools. We [my husband and I] began collecting ... these large-scale illusions that we could work into our routine called "The Magic of Chinese New Year." And that's how it started ... It's our avocation, not our vocation but we do work under [the name of] Yee Magic ... It started as an interest and as it turned out there was a rumor in the family that I was related to a mystic medium ... and it turned out that she was friends with Houdini-unusual because Houdini did not like mediums but they had an unusual respect for each other because she entertained and she kept it on an entertainment level ... And the rest as they say is history. -Emily Wishingrad
(11/19/13 5:00am)
An article on the front page of Sunday's Boston Globe expanded upon a fact first published in the Justice on Sept. 24: University President Emeritus Jehuda Reinharz received more than $600,000 in compensation from Brandeis during the 2011 calendar year. This board believes such a large salary, while in line with those of other recently retired presidents at peer institutions, is excessive and representative of a critical problem in higher education. In 2011, Reinharz was second only to University President Frederick Lawrence in a ranking of the University's highest paid employees. We do not deny that Reinharz has had, and continues to have, a tremendous impact on Brandeis through his prolific fundraising record, having raised $1.2 billion during his tenure. However, we question whether it was financially responsible to essentially pay two presidential salaries in 2011, as Reinharz's salary almost matched that of Lawrence. Despite the fact that the decision to compensate Reinharz in this way was made years ago, our concern is especially relevant now. Brandeis is currently attempting to address a $6.5 million deficit through a partial issuing of savings in student services. It also presents a sharp contrast to the collective faculty who, according to a Nov. 12 Justice article, still feel like they have to fight with the Board of Trustees to ensure that they are not underpaid. We believe that Reinharz's salary is a symptom of a major spending problem in higher education. The "golden parachute" phenomenon, in which past presidents or other administrators are given lucrative agreements after their time serving their positions, is representative of growing costs at colleges and universities in the United States and is an additional sign of a troubling systemic problem. According to a University response to the article, Reinharz's president emeritus compensation was "just slightly above the median amount paid to retired presidents at peer institutions." We believe that following a precedent set by a broken system is not a satisfactory reason for maintaining such a problematic practice. Brandeis should be a leader when it comes to controlling extravagant administrative salaries-not performing slightly below average. However, we do not absolve Reinharz of responsibility. His comments representing Brandeis in the Globe article, such as when he said, "I am compensated according to my accomplishments. It's the way America usually works," were condescending and indifferent. Furthermore, Reinharz' willingness to increase his own financial gain at the expense of the University's growing financial burden does not paint a sympathetic picture of him. While it would have been prudent for Reinharz to accept a more modest salary in 2011, we are glad that his salary is in fact on track to decrease. He is contractually in line to continue earning money as president emeritus until June 2014: he earned $287,500 in 2012 and 2013, and will earn $143,750 for 2014, after which he will annually be paid $180,000 as a half-time professor. We urge Brandeis to take on a position of leadership when it comes to controlling the ballooning administrative salaries that already take quite a toll on the pervasive financial issues in higher education. *
(11/19/13 5:00am)
This past Sunday, the long-awaited Dunkin' Donuts opened in the Village, just a few feet from where I live. This development, along with the recent addition of Starbucks in the Goldfarb Library and Heller School for Social Policy and Management, is the most convincing evidence I have seen yet that the new Sodexo dining service will improve our food for the better. While some at Brandeis clamor for more vegetarian options, more organic options, more fat-free options, I simply want food that tastes good. Furthermore, some would protest any type of chain restaurant or establishment. Common arguments against them would be that they unfairly corner the market or drive the smaller stores out of business. Health concerns do exist as well, but those could be equally applied to any type of restaurant. However, in my opinion, this is especially less true in Boston, where a strong local preference allows the "mom-and-pop" stores to thrive, but the animosity against the chains persist. Chain restaurants exist for a reason. When non-local individuals arrive in a new setting, the familiarity of a chain restaurant gives them the reliability of a good and safe meal. The same goes for Brandeis. Since I have never once seen a Brandeis eatery serve a lobster roll or clam chowder (Boston's most famous food), chain restaurants would not cut down on the local cuisine on campus. Two thousand miles away in my native Houston, I regularly ate at both Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts, and I was pleased by the menu from each. Accordingly, I know what I am getting into before I ever open their doors. If I am choosing to frequent the restaurant, I probably have had a previous good experience with it. Of course, it is true that the Brandeis affiliate will specifically be run by Sodexo, our dining service. That being said, while there are bound to be differences, I reckon they will be negligible, as are those with the Starbucks. The chains have a responsibility to uphold their reputations in any location their logo or likeness is used. Therefore, we have been promised of a certain level of quality at these locations. While some would say the Starbucks in the library is of lesser quality than of those in the outside world, I believe it is superior to its predecessor. When it comes to a generic Sodexo establishment, unfortunately, the same does not apply. I have been saddened to see a decline in the quality of food at the Usdan Student Center, compared to last year's Aramark establishments. The biggest exception to my sentiment, in terms of sheer quality of taste, has been the library coffee shop, a previous establishment replaced by a chain. In fact, my quixotic alternative to Brandeis' dining system would simply be privatization and outsourcing of most of the food options. Outside restaurants and chains would take over. Meal plans would apply as vouchers to these restaurants, where dollar-to-dollar conversions would be preserved. The University would maintain a full-service cafeteria which would guarantee things such as kosher and gluten-free options. However, in this free-market solution, the contracted establishments would provide options to the specific groups, so as not to turn themselves off from a huge faction of the market. Indeed, many have already done so. The popular hamburger establishment Wendy's has become well known as catering to the gluten-free lobby, Dunkin' Donuts has a few dozen kosher franchises around the Northeast. Chain restaurants are not engaging in an avaricious plot to corner the market and destroy competition. In fact, if more were introduced to campus, they would assure the opposite. At most dining halls around campus today, the prices are already inordinately expensive; chain restaurants and unmitigated (that is, free of Sodexo's influence) competition would drive prices down. But back to reality, Sodexo was right to seek out chain restaurants for Brandeis and should seek more. The guaranteed quality and efficiency of an establishment you are already familiar with is a great asset and one that should not be taken lightly. Brandeis students should celebrate the increased taste quality and frequent these oases of the outside world. If you need me, I'll be at the Dunkin' outside my room.
(11/19/13 5:00am)
While many of the other Brandeis sports teams have recently been making a name for themselves, the No. 22 women's cross-country team has quietly become one of the best Division III programs in the country this year. After a fifth-place finish at the New England Division III Regional Championships, held at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham, the team qualified for the NCAA Division III National Championships to be held next week at Hanover College in Indiana. Led by Amelia Lundkvist '14, who covered the six-kilometer course in 21 minutes, 28.85 seconds and was one of three Brandeis runners named All-New England, the team scored 168 points. Williams College won the meet, earning 44 points. "It feels like a great accomplishment," added Victoria Sanford '14, who earned All-New England honors by virtue of her top-35 finish. "This is a goal that we've had in mind since we got to Brandeis, so it was really exciting to finally achieve it. We worked extremely hard this summer and this season so far, so it's nice to see all our hard work pay off." Lundkvist echoed her teammate's excitement about the news. "It feels amazing, better than amazing, it's hard to put into words," she said. "It still feels surreal. I am so proud of this team." Additionally, the men's squad tied for 17th place with Westfield State University, scoring 480 points. Though Lundkvist has been the team's leading runner for the entire season, she has certainly had some fast teammates to complement her individual efforts. Maddie Dolins '17, the University Athletic Association Rookie of the Year, covered the course in 21 minutes, 53.20 seconds, resulting in a 20th place finish and All-New England honors. Sanford placed right behind Dolins, who also earned All-New England designation with her 31st place finish, running in 22:11.10. Kelsey Whitaker '16 finished just outside the top 35, placing 38th in 22:19.68. Brandeis' top four runners each individually recorded less than six minutes per mile for their average pace-an impressive feat. Ashley Picarillo '17 was the team's final scorer, running 22:56.19, which resulted in a 73rd place finish. Additionally, Kate Farrell '17 placed in 129th with a time of 24:11.39 while Maggie Hensel '16 rounded out the field with a 132nd place finish, crossing the line at 24:13.61. While the men's squad didn't qualify for the national championships, the Judges still had a number of impressive performances. Jarret Harrigan '16 was the top finisher for the Judges, crossing the line 50th overall. Harrigan completed the eight-kilometer course in 25:54.55, a 22 place improvement from his performance at the same meet last year. Quinton Hoey '17 capped his impressive first-year campaign, taking 76th in 26:20.71. Grady Ward '16 was not far behind, taking 85th in 26:27.85. Michael Rosenbach '16 barely cracked the 27-minute barrier, placing 111th in 26:58.00. Matt Doran '17 completed the scoring for the Judges, running the course in 27:47.39 for 161st place. Given that the majority of the season's training has already been done, the women are looking to simply fine tune their fitness. "For this next week we're all really just working on making sure we're as fresh and well rested as we can be," explained Sanford. "At this point, all the training is already done, we just need to fine tune it to be at our best for this weekend." The Division III Championships begin on Saturday at 11 a.m.
(11/19/13 5:00am)
A front-page article in the Nov. 18 Sunday Boston Globe highlighted the salary and benefits packages afforded to former University presidents, with a focus on President Emeritus Jehuda Reinharz. Students and faculty reacted, voicing their concern about Reinharz's compensation but noting that excessive executive compensation is not an issue unique to Brandeis. Reinharz's salary and benefits, as reported by the Justice in a Sept. 24 article, totaled about $627,000 in 2011. In 2009, his penultimate year as University president, Reinharz made about $1.5 million in salary, benefits and other compensation. Reinharz served as University president from 1994 until University President Frederick Lawrence took over on Jan. 1, 2011, making him the second-longest serving president of the University. According to University administrators, Reinharz's post-presidency salary has declined from its high in 2011. Reinharz's total compensation is approximately $300,000 each year from 2012 through 2014. In 2014, Reinharz will be compensated as president emeritus until June at the same rate as 2012 and 2013, with a total compensation that year of about $160,000. After June 2014, Reinharz's annual salary will be $180,000 as a half-time professor. The Globe article questioned Reinharz's current role on campus, stating that he does fulfill the usual roles of a History professor, as he does not teach classes nor does he supervise graduate students. "The chairwoman for Near Eastern and Judaic Studies said she did not even know whether he was officially a member of her department," wrote the Globe. Prof. Sylvia Barack Fishman (NEJS), the chairwoman of NEJS, however, wrote in an email to the Justice that "[t]he comments that the Globe reporter attributed to me were not accurate." She stated that Reinharz is a member of the NEJS faculty. "On a regular, ongoing basis, he is generous as a mentor and guide for graduate students and faculty members, and in donor stewardship and development. Professor Reinharz devotes considerable time and service to Brandeis University and to his research and publications," wrote Fishman. In an email to the Justice, Senior Vice President for Communications Ellen de Graffenreid listed Reinharz's duties, which she said included helping with the presidential transition, cultivating and introducing Lawrence to donors, overseeing the Tauber Institute for the Study of European Jewry and pursuing academic research. According to the Globe, Reinharz was "noncommittal about how much time he devotes to Brandeis." "I've never worked at Brandeis by the hour," Reinharz told the Globe in an interview. Lawrence "asks for advice. I give it. And I don't look at my watch." According to the Globe, Reinharz spent the first year of Lawrence's presidency on sabbatical. Reinharz told the Globe that he is currently co-writing a book on the history of the donkey in literature. "There are smart donkeys, stupid donkeys, evil donkeys, etc., and no one has ever contemplated this on a large scale," Reinharz told the Globe. "It's probably the most ambitious topic I have ever contemplated." In an email to the Justice, Reinharz called the article "incomplete in its analysis." "Given all the time that I spent with the reporter as well as getting him answers and details on every question he asked, I thought he would have been more fair and balanced in his reporting," he said. "I am committed to fulfilling my duties as President Emeritus and I intend to do just that." In response to the article in the Globe, members of the Brandeis community have expressed concern about the amount of compensation received by Reinharz. On Sunday, many students and alumni reposted the article to Facebook. Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees Alex Thomson '15 wrote in an email to the Justice that he would bring "the serious concerns students have with this to the Board of Trustees." "The Boston Globe piece sheds light on an issue that is not unique to Brandeis, as many universities across the country have similar agreements with their past presidents," wrote Thomson. "That being said, I am very concerned with the idea of raising tuition each year while we continue to pay Reinharz's compensation." Chair of the Faculty Senate Prof. Eric Chasalow (MUS) said faculty reaction to the article has been "mixed," with "some anger and frustration." In an email to the Justice, Prof. Sabine Von Mering (GRALL) wrote that "[l]ike elsewhere we now have some administrators who earn ten times what some faculty earn. And faculty are privileged compared for example to our cafeteria workers. That's simply wrong and out of balance. "Our alumni and our Board of Trustees should be national leaders in fighting this trend of growing income disparity. ... We must practice what we preach. This includes our former President Reinharz. There is a donkey in one of the brothers Grimm's fairy tales that shits gold. President Reinharz should know better than to treat Brandeis like a donkey that shits gold." Chasalow wrote in an email to the Justice that "faculty are very concerned about all kinds of financially driven issues that Brandeis shares with all universities." "So naturally, out of context, the payments to Dr. Reinharz seem to be in competition with our goals," wrote Chasalow. "But context does matter, and as president, Dr. Reinharz raised $1.2 billion, adding desperately needed endowed faculty chairs, sorely needed facilities, and significant student scholarship funds, more than quadrupling the endowment. In his role at the Mandel Foundation, he continues to make a significant contribution to the financial future of Brandeis." Prof. Mary Baine Campbell (ENG) drew attention to the reader comments on the online version of the article. "They don't bode well for Brandeis fundraising or recruitment," she wrote in an email to the Justice. "The interview seems an unfortunate lapse of judgment on the part of our former president, though the facts of the compensation stand by themselves as a bad advertisement. "Maybe this will, at least inside Brandeis, lead to some soul searching and some changes," said Campbell. "It's wrong to pay people so much for doing so little when many other people at Brandeis are being paid less than a living wage for doing a lot," wrote Campbell in an email to the Justice. Several hours after the release of the Globe story, the University published a response on BrandeisNOW. "The decision by the Board of Trustees in 2009 to retain Jehuda Reinharz as President Emeritus was fully consistent with best practices for leadership succession planning," read the statement. "According to an independent compensation review, his president emeritus compensation (which ends in July 2014) was just slightly above the median amount paid to retired presidents at peer institutions." In an email to the Justice, Reinharz responded to the Globe article by emphasizing his record at the University. "I am very proud of my record and hope to continue to be of service to Brandeis for many years to come," he wrote. *
(11/12/13 5:00am)
Evaluate communal role on campus In response to your article "Uniting religious segments" (Nov. 5): In response to your article, "Uniting religious segments," this reader finds that the author was not comprehensive in her research. While the substantive mission of Kehilat Sha'ar is another question for the Jewish community at Brandeis, and perhaps a topic for an additional article in the Justice, that necessary question was not posed to the relevant Jewish community in this article. The author failed to provide any insight as to how Kehilat Sha'ar interacts with the wider Brandeis Jewish community, including no input from the leaders of the other denominational groups. For example, the author's comment that the current Jewish religious groups at Brandeis "are just that-only services, with no events directly corresponding," is completely inaccurate: each of the main religious groups under the Hillel umbrella-Brandeis Reform Chavurah, Brandeis Orthodox Organization, Brandeis University Conservative Organization and Brandeis Reconstructionist Organization-hosts a wide variety of social, educational and social-action events specifically intended to foster community. The fact that the author failed to mention these groups gives a false impression about the lack of vibrant religious communities existing within Hillel. Secondly, the author notes that there is an inherent relationship between Sha'ar and Hillel at Brandeis, but failed to further uncover that this dynamic may actually be somewhat strained from the other perspective. Lastly, the author notes that "Kehilat Sha'ar is open to anyone on campus," implying that the existing communities aren't open to the wider campus community. An article about such a presently controversial topic within the Brandeis Jewish community must voice more than one perspective. A well-balanced article includes more opinions than simply interviewing the founders of one group, especially when its existence continues to be a contentious subject for many others involved in Jewish religious groups on campus. -Naomi Weinblatt '16 Both Hillel and Chabad fill the void In response to your article "Uniting religious segments" (Nov. 5): How are they any different? Chabad and Hillel are both welcoming to all members of the community. As an alum I am interested in hearing how this group has somehow created a community with lower "barriers to entry" than Hillel and Chabad, which already welcome everyone. I remember my time at Hillel as inclusive and loving. I don't see how this helps to bring the greater Jewish community on campus any closer. -Paul Garvey '07
(11/12/13 5:00am)
There is no question that the health services on campus need to be reformed. I've personally experienced confusion about hours, how to set up an appointment or how I was supposed to pay for services at the various centers on campus. It's a very positive first step that the University has taken the initiative to investigate the flaws in health services and suggest solutions. However, despite the promised improvements, I remain wary about the mental health and psychological counseling resources. Perhaps my view on the mental health services is biased, as I have not had great experiences with the Psychological Counseling Center. During first year orientation, I went to the PCC to make an appointment with a therapist. The receptionist was friendly but was unable to answer basic questions, like how insurance would cover sessions or when was the earliest a therapist could meet with me on a regular basis. Although I did eventually meet with a counselor, I ultimately decided to see a therapist in Newton, Mass., even though it requires taking a cab both ways and having to squeeze visits in between classes. It simply was less stressful to go to Newton than to use services on campus. My experience at the PCC may have been a one-time lapse on behalf of the center, but according to the report on health services released by the University last week, other students, both graduate and undergraduate, have struggled to get the mental health services they need for a variety of reasons, ranging from waiting times to lack of clarity about payments. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than one in four Americans over the age of 18 has some sort of mental disorder, and of those affected, nearly 45 percent have multiple disorders. Mental disorders are just as common as other disorders like asthma, but they are often misunderstood or ignored. There still remains a stigma around mental disorders, be it dyslexia, anxiety and depression issues or more serious illnesses like schizophrenia or post-traumatic stress disorder. The NIMH also states that on average, many mental disorders, like anxiety, depression and panic disorders, first start to show symptoms when an individual is in their late teens or early 20's. Because of this fact, it is even more important that colleges and universities like Brandeis make sure students have adequate resources. Hopefully, in the wake of this revealing University report, mental health services will be more accessible and students will have all the information they need without confusion or having to go to multiple sources. From experience, it is incredibly stressful to be a new student, away from home for the first time, and not be able to figure out how to see a counselor. But the problems with the PCC go beyond organizational challenges. While there are currently a number of people who work at the PCC, including 20 psychologists and social workers, three psychiatrists and six unpaid interns, a majority of these positions are part time, according to the University's report. The PCC is open between 9 AM and 6 PM according to the website and runs an answering service for non-emergency cases, but there is no sort of round-the-clock therapist for students. Life-threatening emergencies are referred to the Brandeis Police, according to the website. Here's the thing. If you need counseling or have a mental disorder, you don't always operate on a schedule. You can't decide to wait until the next day, when a therapist is in the office, to have suicidal thoughts or a panic attack. If someone is not in a good mental state, they need help, and fast. An answering service is great if you need to set up an appointment, but a pre-recorded message can't help you if you need psychological help at that moment for whatever reason. Parents, friends and community advisors are always resources, but there are situations where they simply aren't enough and a student would need something more. Although it would be more expensive, some sort of round the clock resource, either professional or student-run, would be preferable. While Students Talking About Relationships and the Brandeis Counseling and Rape Hotline, both of which are student-run, both exist as resources for students, they aren't available 24/7 and aren't staffed by professionals. If someone needs serious help, it isn't that helpful if the number they call is an answering machine. While having peer resources are important, sometimes a person in the midst of an episode needs professional help or might not feel comfortable talking to a fellow student. Perhaps the PCC can keep their answering service, but also have a way of directing students to practices or hospitals that do have therapists on call at all hours. Or they could partner more closely with groups like STAR and he counseling hotline so that they always have a trained, adult professional on hand. I'm sure I sound pessimistic about the state of mental health services at Brandeis, and partially, it is because I've been frustrated in the past. However, I am hopeful that things can and will change, and the PCC will be a more accessible resource for students in the future.
