(05/20/13 4:00am)
I've always been a five-year-plan kind of girl. In high school, I had my path to college all planned out by the end of my freshman year. I knew exactly which colleges I was going to apply to and what extracurricular activities I was going to do to get myself accepted into them. When I got to Brandeis, I felt less sure of what the end goal would be. Yet my sophomore year when I decided what my major would be, I still sat down with a friend of mine who was a Roosevelt Fellow and planned out the rest of my time at Brandeis, down to which classes I would take my second semester of senior year. By the end of my sophomore year, I already knew what my thesis topic was going to be and how, when, and where I was going to carry out the fieldwork for it. For all of my obsessive planning however, I never was able to figure out just what it was I wanted to do once I graduated from Brandeis. I also never thought that I would ever get to the day of my commencement without a job already secured, a place to live and a little cushion in my bank account. Yet, on Sunday I graduated from Brandeis without any plan at all. All I know is that I will pack up my room and go back to New York with my parents. I will spend the next four weeks relaxing and visiting friends before I head off to Israel for the summer. My return from Israel, however, is blank-a question mark. I am terrified. And also angry with myself for not having planned better, thought harder and worked more to secure something, anything for myself to do next year. I am worried about tight funds, especially because I do not know when I will be able to secure any employment again, even if just a job at a caf?(c). Most of all I am worried about having to move back in with my parents after a gap year and four years of college living totally independently of them. Despite all these worries, which do not cease to grow and multiply, when I laid down to sleep on Sunday night after officially joining the ranks of Brandeis alumni, I had a strangely uncharacteristic thought. It occurred to me that without any particular obligations for the coming year of where I have to be or when, I can literally do anything that I want. Normally when I make my five-year plan, I do so by placing myself in "the box." I choose paths that correspond to my strengths, and I never choose an end goal that I do not think I can achieve, or that I am not entirely sure about. Ultimately, all of my plans have fed into the notion I have that I should go to college, do exceptionally well, graduate and start my career, and later get married and start a family. As I am standing on the edge of the cliff that is the "real world," I am realizing that now is perhaps the best time I will ever have to throw all my plans to the wind and simply follow my whims. Perhaps by placing myself in "the box" all these years, I have sold myself short of the full range of my capabilities. This is not to say that I haven't done exceptionally well at Brandeis, because I have, and I am extremely proud of my accomplishments. I have, however, only made accomplishments in a very limited field. I have excelled in anthropology, but I have neglected to pursue other interests and to nourish my creative mind. I have always believed that I "can't" do art, music, dance or martial arts because I am simply not talented enough for these things. Yet in my time at Brandeis, I did not branch out beyond the obligatory distribution requirements to give myself the opportunity to even try these things. On Sunday night when it occurred to me that I can do anything I want, it also occurred to me that I am afraid of the coming year precisely because I have been placing myself in "the box" all this time. Since I don't have a fantastic job that will launch me into a steady and fulfilling career, I am suddenly sitting on the outside of this perfect little "box" with no real way to get back in, nor with any idea how I might get back in. It's unnerving to be locked out of this ideal, but it's also the greatest blessing I could possibly have. With no obligations for the coming year, I can literally choose any interest, any activity that occurs to me on a whim and do it, even if it means that I have to support myself doing a job I didn't need to go to college to do. It's time to break out of "the box" and explore everything else that I am capable of. *
(05/20/13 4:00am)
I've always been a five-year-plan kind of girl. In high school, I had my path to college all planned out by the end of my freshman year. I knew exactly which colleges I was going to apply to and what extracurricular activities I was going to do to get myself accepted into them. When I got to Brandeis, I felt less sure of what the end goal would be. Yet my sophomore year when I decided what my major would be, I still sat down with a friend of mine who was a Roosevelt Fellow and planned out the rest of my time at Brandeis, down to which classes I would take my second semester of senior year. By the end of my sophomore year, I already knew what my thesis topic was going to be and how, when, and where I was going to carry out the fieldwork for it. For all of my obsessive planning however, I never was able to figure out just what it was I wanted to do once I graduated from Brandeis. I also never thought that I would ever get to the day of my commencement without a job already secured, a place to live and a little cushion in my bank account. Yet, on Sunday I graduated from Brandeis without any plan at all. All I know is that I will pack up my room and go back to New York with my parents. I will spend the next four weeks relaxing and visiting friends before I head off to Israel for the summer. My return from Israel, however, is blank-a question mark. I am terrified. And also angry with myself for not having planned better, thought harder and worked more to secure something, anything for myself to do next year. I am worried about tight funds, especially because I do not know when I will be able to secure any employment again, even if just a job at a caf?(c). Most of all I am worried about having to move back in with my parents after a gap year and four years of college living totally independently of them. Despite all these worries, which do not cease to grow and multiply, when I laid down to sleep on Sunday night after officially joining the ranks of Brandeis alumni, I had a strangely uncharacteristic thought. It occurred to me that without any particular obligations for the coming year of where I have to be or when, I can literally do anything that I want. Normally when I make my five-year plan, I do so by placing myself in "the box." I choose paths that correspond to my strengths, and I never choose an end goal that I do not think I can achieve, or that I am not entirely sure about. Ultimately, all of my plans have fed into the notion I have that I should go to college, do exceptionally well, graduate and start my career, and later get married and start a family. As I am standing on the edge of the cliff that is the "real world," I am realizing that now is perhaps the best time I will ever have to throw all my plans to the wind and simply follow my whims. Perhaps by placing myself in "the box" all these years, I have sold myself short of the full range of my capabilities. This is not to say that I haven't done exceptionally well at Brandeis, because I have, and I am extremely proud of my accomplishments. I have, however, only made accomplishments in a very limited field. I have excelled in anthropology, but I have neglected to pursue other interests and to nourish my creative mind. I have always believed that I "can't" do art, music, dance or martial arts because I am simply not talented enough for these things. Yet in my time at Brandeis, I did not branch out beyond the obligatory distribution requirements to give myself the opportunity to even try these things. On Sunday night when it occurred to me that I can do anything I want, it also occurred to me that I am afraid of the coming year precisely because I have been placing myself in "the box" all this time. Since I don't have a fantastic job that will launch me into a steady and fulfilling career, I am suddenly sitting on the outside of this perfect little "box" with no real way to get back in, nor with any idea how I might get back in. It's unnerving to be locked out of this ideal, but it's also the greatest blessing I could possibly have. With no obligations for the coming year, I can literally choose any interest, any activity that occurs to me on a whim and do it, even if it means that I have to support myself doing a job I didn't need to go to college to do. It's time to break out of "the box" and explore everything else that I am capable of. *
(05/20/13 4:00am)
I've always been a five-year-plan kind of girl. In high school, I had my path to college all planned out by the end of my freshman year. I knew exactly which colleges I was going to apply to and what extracurricular activities I was going to do to get myself accepted into them. When I got to Brandeis, I felt less sure of what the end goal would be. Yet my sophomore year when I decided what my major would be, I still sat down with a friend of mine who was a Roosevelt Fellow and planned out the rest of my time at Brandeis, down to which classes I would take my second semester of senior year. By the end of my sophomore year, I already knew what my thesis topic was going to be and how, when, and where I was going to carry out the fieldwork for it. For all of my obsessive planning however, I never was able to figure out just what it was I wanted to do once I graduated from Brandeis. I also never thought that I would ever get to the day of my commencement without a job already secured, a place to live and a little cushion in my bank account. Yet, on Sunday I graduated from Brandeis without any plan at all. All I know is that I will pack up my room and go back to New York with my parents. I will spend the next four weeks relaxing and visiting friends before I head off to Israel for the summer. My return from Israel, however, is blank-a question mark. I am terrified. And also angry with myself for not having planned better, thought harder and worked more to secure something, anything for myself to do next year. I am worried about tight funds, especially because I do not know when I will be able to secure any employment again, even if just a job at a caf?(c). Most of all I am worried about having to move back in with my parents after a gap year and four years of college living totally independently of them. Despite all these worries, which do not cease to grow and multiply, when I laid down to sleep on Sunday night after officially joining the ranks of Brandeis alumni, I had a strangely uncharacteristic thought. It occurred to me that without any particular obligations for the coming year of where I have to be or when, I can literally do anything that I want. Normally when I make my five-year plan, I do so by placing myself in "the box." I choose paths that correspond to my strengths, and I never choose an end goal that I do not think I can achieve, or that I am not entirely sure about. Ultimately, all of my plans have fed into the notion I have that I should go to college, do exceptionally well, graduate and start my career, and later get married and start a family. As I am standing on the edge of the cliff that is the "real world," I am realizing that now is perhaps the best time I will ever have to throw all my plans to the wind and simply follow my whims. Perhaps by placing myself in "the box" all these years, I have sold myself short of the full range of my capabilities. This is not to say that I haven't done exceptionally well at Brandeis, because I have, and I am extremely proud of my accomplishments. I have, however, only made accomplishments in a very limited field. I have excelled in anthropology, but I have neglected to pursue other interests and to nourish my creative mind. I have always believed that I "can't" do art, music, dance or martial arts because I am simply not talented enough for these things. Yet in my time at Brandeis, I did not branch out beyond the obligatory distribution requirements to give myself the opportunity to even try these things. On Sunday night when it occurred to me that I can do anything I want, it also occurred to me that I am afraid of the coming year precisely because I have been placing myself in "the box" all this time. Since I don't have a fantastic job that will launch me into a steady and fulfilling career, I am suddenly sitting on the outside of this perfect little "box" with no real way to get back in, nor with any idea how I might get back in. It's unnerving to be locked out of this ideal, but it's also the greatest blessing I could possibly have. With no obligations for the coming year, I can literally choose any interest, any activity that occurs to me on a whim and do it, even if it means that I have to support myself doing a job I didn't need to go to college to do. It's time to break out of "the box" and explore everything else that I am capable of. *
(05/19/13 4:00am)
At a Friday morning faculty meeting, the assembled members voted by a wide margin to remove the position of University librarian from the tenure structure. This change will allow for more flexibility in future hiring, according to officials. Endowed chairs will also be filled as a result of the move. "We wanted future Brandeis searches for [University librarian] to have the flexibility to choose the best person for the position, even if that person would not be a candidate for tenure, or even interested in tenure given their professional profile," wrote Prof. Eric Chasalow (MUS), chair of the faculty senate, in an email to the Justice. "But we did not want to preclude the person serving as [University librarian] from being tenured either." Chief Information Officer John Unsworth also explained the motivation behind the change in an interview with the Justice. "I actually asked them to remove University librarian from the tenure system," he explained. Placing the position in the tenure system prevented University librarians or people with additional qualifications, like Unsworth, from holding endowed chairs that currently exist but are unfilled. "There are actually a couple of endowments for chairs that are located in the library," said Unsworth. One was founded in 1997, as part of the 50th anniversary of the Brandeis National Committee, with $2.5 million. Another endowed chair for University librarian, created in 1962, is named for Jacob and Bertha Goldfarb, who donated to build the Goldfarb Library. Where tenure systems are concerned, "libraries are always kind of an edge case," explained Unsworth in an interview with the Justice. Librarians' status in the tenure system varies from school to school, he said. In four-year liberal arts colleges, including librarians in the faculty is more common, whether they are part of the tenure structure or not. On the other hand, research universities tend to treat their librarians as administrative professionals. According to Unsworth, University librarian was added to the tenure system at Brandeis around 2008. Brandeis does not currently employ any University librarians, although there are two associate librarians: Sherry Keen and Pat Flanagan. Associate librarian is "in no way involved" in the tenure system, said Unsworth. -Tate Herbert
(04/30/13 4:00am)
This past Tuesday, Cooper Union, a prestigious engineering school in New York, announced the unprecedented decision to begin charging tuition. Like Brandeis and hundreds of other universities across the country, Cooper Union is scrambling to find ways to meet their annual budget. The widespread financial woes currently facing higher education are clear. How do you think they can be resolved? Prof. Michael Coiner (ECON) There are many disturbing trends, and they are not recent developments-they go back many decades. The cost of college has been rising faster than the rate of inflation, government aid has not kept pace, an increasing part of the burden falls on families and an increasing part of the burden falls on the student generation (rather than the parent generation), often in the form of loans. Four-year colleges are becoming unaffordable for all but the most stellar low-income students. Increased government aid for higher education (in the form of grants, not loans) would help, but politically that seems unlikely. I think in the future we will see higher education delivered at a lower cost: more online courses, greater popularity of "commuter" schools and more reliance on credentials other than a bachelor's degree. If that happens, some of the positive aspects of the college experience will be lost. Michael Coiner is an associate professor of Economics with an expertise in the economics of higher education. Josh Horowitz '14 The underfunding of educational institutions is a problem that affects everyone. By being forced to charge more, or at all in this case, we edge out those in our communities that cannot afford the cost. Education should not be given solely for those who can afford it. I think one way we can solve this problem is by not overfunding an already bloated defense budget and redistributing some of that money to federal education efforts. When the government doesn't help subsidize education, taxpayers are on the hook to help subsidize their local schools and when they don't, the schools suffer. Just because someone lives in a bad area doesn't mean they should be subject to a lesser education. We need to make sure that federal money finds its way to the proper places where it can do the most good instead of being used on programs that are bloated and overfunded. Josh Horowitz '14 is a Computer Science major, a member of TRON, and an editor for the Justice. Aaron Fried '14 In any business, when prices undesirably rise, the first and most obvious step is to cut costs. Every institution of higher education, from liberal arts colleges like Brandeis to engineering schools like Cooper Union, should constantly and ruthlessly seek out and cut waste in order to bring only the most up-to-date and efficient services to their students. More importantly, however, colleges and universities need to streamline the process by which they disseminate information. It's 2013, and the traditional brick-and-mortar educational institution of the past is outdated and obsolete. In today's digital age, the entire contents of a university library can fit on a hard drive, and professors can reach all of their students over the web, as Michael Sandel '15 has begun to demonstrate. Digital technology allows for unprecedented efficiency in making education accessible and inexpensive, and universities should act as trailblazers in this new cost-cutting opportunity. Aaron Fried '14 is the president of Young Americans for Liberty and a columnist for the Justice. Henry Loughlin '14 Rising costs and needs are the root causes of financial problems within the educational world. When financial hardship falls upon an entity, it usually manifests itself through multiple routes of impact and affects multiple areas. However, while this is certainly a tough time for any educational institution financially, it's important to realize that not everyone is suffering; there are plenty of other businesses who are making stratospheric profits. While admittedly a selective school, accepting less than 10 percent of applicants, Cooper Union has long been known for its pledge to provide a free education to its high-performing students. It should seek to create alliances with successful and prospering companies-perhaps engineering or architecture firms-who value the common good to create alliances to help Cooper Union sustain its promise. Certain businesses continue to prosper; why can't they lend a helping hand to educational institutions that are responsible for training and educating future employees? If there is ever a time to sustain affordable education, it is now. Henry Loughlin is a Politics and American Studies major and an editor for the Justice.
(04/08/13 4:00am)
Cholmondeley's is usually a relatively mellow hangout spot where artsy music-lovers gather and crank up some tunes while sipping on vegan milkshakes. However, this past Friday night, the arrival of Ducktails, indie contingent Real Estate's Matt Mondanile's side project, turned the small venue into a bumping party house. Previously touring unaccompanied for his solo effort, Mondanile recently recruited keyboardist Dorian D'Angelo, Big Troubles' guitarist Alex Craig, drummer Sam Franklin and bassist Luka Usmani for onstage support. While the band set up for the show and hung out with the concertgoers in a wonderfully friendly fashion, D'Angelo informed me that, "Most of these guys have been playing together for a while. They all played on his [most recent] record, [The Flower Lane]." D'Angelo was asked to join as a replacement for Ian Drennan, who performed on the album. "I spoke to Matt a few times on the phone beforehand and was like 'Yeah, this is going to work out," D'Angelo concluded. Watching and listening to the quintet blast into its opening number, The Flower Lane's first track, "Ivy Covered House," it was hard to tell that this was a recent Ducktails incarnation and not a group that had been rocking together for years. The band's live renditions were both satisfactory representations of the album versions and possessed an added edge, supported by many extended jam intervals, as well as Franklin's powerful percussion grooves and rhythms. Mondanile sang in almost a whisper, which created an interesting, contrasting dynamic between the louder, harder music and his vocal performance. Despite the evident connection between the band members, Mondanile's control of the group was clear within the dynamic. His ability to lead the group while still interacting fantastically with the other musicians shined during what was perhaps the strongest number, "Under Control," the longest track on The Flower Lane by almost a minute. Though the tune stands as a mellow, yet trippy jam on the album, this third song was the hardest rocking, loudest blasting moment of the entire night, highlighted by Craig's raw guitar solo and Franklin's slamming drum fills. The band remarked on how full Chum's was by the end of the show; packed to the brim with a large, bouncing audience. After the concert, the party continued inside the venue, as the Chum's staff sustained the flow of dance tunes. I was able to speak to opening act, Monopoly Child Star Searchers, a.k.a Spencer Clark, for nearly an hour. He and Ducktails hung out with many audience members outside of Chum's and continued to chat, relax and have fun for several hours with some friends. As one might expect, one friend confessed to me his anti-corporate beliefs about society and government, which several members of Ducktails seemed to share, though much less strongly and passionately. Perhaps this type of interpretation was one that I am not necessarily accustomed to, hailing from the Upper West Side of New York City and attending a private collegiate institution. However, it was this attitude that dominated the 1960s and 1970s, an era during which rock 'n' roll music, in my opinion, thrived most prominently and magnificently. Thus, I welcomed his words. That being said, the concert wasn't just about the music for me, but about the overall vibe and community that was attracted to Chum's and the specific musicians who were playing there. The bands actively embraced the student population that swarmed their van after the show and had no issue talking politics, music, art and life for hours on end. That is cool-that's rock 'n' roll. It's not just about the music; it's about much more. It's about the lifestyle, which Ducktails certainly seemed to live up to.
(04/08/13 4:00am)
As the academic year nears its end, Brandeis' Fine Arts department is working hard to provide opportunities to showcase the work of every student, from first-years to graduate students. To share the works of the post-baccalaureate Studio Art students, the first of two exhibits, titled "Prospect I," opened on Wednesday. The exhibition is currently on view in Dreitzer Gallery in the Spingold Theater Center and will remain open for public viewing through April 14. The architecture of Dreitzer Gallery lends itself well to the spatial and aesthetic organization of the exhibit. Protruding sections of wall attached to the far, curved side of the gallery are used as separators within the exhibit, dividing one student's work from another's. The students whose works are not displayed in these nooks hold spaces along the wall of the gallery nearest the entrance, letting one collection of works flow into the next. Students' names are displayed in trendy black Helvetica decals high up on the wall above their works, and each work is identified by a small, black number decal. Exhibit guides lay in stacks on podiums near the entrance of the gallery so that viewers may guide themselves through the exhibit. The works themselves illustrate a wide range of use of color, medium, mood and message. Most of the paintings are quite large, some longer and wider than I am tall, filling up sizeable portions of the wall; but a few of the paintings are much smaller, taking up less than a square foot of wall space each. The exhibit boasts the work of eight post-baccalaureate students. Viewers can look forward to the works of Rachel Sevanich, Sam Riebe, Erin Bisceglia, Maya Anderson, Adina Geller, Sasha Parfenova, Rob Fitzgerald and Mark Farrell. Some of my favorite works within the exhibit were paintings, a medium which most of the works in the gallery employed. Five paintings created by Sevanich, staged in the nook nearest to the entrance, provided a strong introduction to the exhibit. Sevanich's paintings were all works of oil paint on canvas that layered paint so that parts of each painting were raised and three-dimensional. Sevanich's works used strong colors, many of which were bold primary shades, deepening into darker hues, forming abstract shapes. For example, the bold "Corn Husk Dance," one of the largest paintings in her collection, shows a swirling shape of rich mustard yellows, blues and greens formed upon the canvas. Not all of the works in the exhibit are paintings, however-media ranged from paint to sculpture to alternative pen and ink works. Anderson created several quite unique works using pitch-black pen and ink on waiflike, white Mylar, a thin, semi-transparent paper material. Her works are composed of layers of inked Mylar, so that some of the buried ink shows through the top layer of Mylar to add depth to works. Unlike the paintings in the exhibit, Anderson's Mylar creations use much negative space, contrasting with the highly detailed, dark depictions of people-shape-object hybrids that are the subjects of her works. Working through a much different medium, Fitzgerald's two sculpture pieces provide a helpful contrast to the numerous works hung flat on the gallery's walls. One sculpture is positioned on the ground in the middle of one of the nooks, breaking up the viewer's expectations of the exhibit. The sculpture, which is untitled, incorporates the metal grate of a grocery store shopping cart mounted on a white base, splattered with pink and red paint that drips over the edges of the mound to the floor, like a puddle. While each collection of works in the "Prospect" exhibit tells a different story and masters a completely different medium and mood from the collections next to it, the exhibit as a whole flows beautifully and captures what it means to be an artist at Brandeis: to be different. Students and enthusiasts of art alike would be well advised to make sure to see "Prospect I" before it is dismantled. *
(04/08/13 4:00am)
Although the playoff home stretch figured prominently in the minds of Boston Bruins fans last Thursday against the New Jersey Devils, the big story of the night was the initiation of future Hall of Famer and hockey legend Jaromir Jagr in Boston. The National Hockey League's ninth all-time points scorer made his Bruins debut at right wing and scored the only goal in the team's 1-0 win over the Devils. "I knew (that Marchand would provide a good pass)," said Jagr. "They always said, 'You've got to drive to the net,' and now I understand why they were saying that, and I never really drive to the net, now I know why. If I knew it when I was 20, I would have 100 more goals by now." While the Bruins were pinned back largely in the opening stages of the game, the Devils had a strong showing in the first period, outshooting the Bruins 18-5 and putting the home team on the ropes. However, the well-rested Tuukka Rask, who sat the last two games in favor of Anton Khudobin, was well up to the challenge, making several key saves, including one on a breakaway from winger David Clarkson that represented the away team's best chance to get on the board. Despite valiant attempts from the away team, neither side was able to break the scoring ice, and the game went into the break 0-0. Clarkson, despite missing the gilt-edged chance, claimed that his failure to score was more down to good goalkeeping by Rask rather than his own poor finishing. "I mean you can always beat yourself up for not scoring on the break, but he [Rask] was just on his game, and there's not much you can do about that," he said in regards to his miss. Rask was also Boston's hero in the second, as he continued to keep the Bruins in the game, fighting off a power play and robbing center Patrick Elias in addition to his save against Clarkson. Meanwhile, the home team's offense failed to get moving, as it gave the puck away consistently and failed to string passes together. In the second period, the Bruins would get the only goal that they would need to set them on their way to another valuable two points. Marchand fed the puck to Jagr, and as he drove towards the net, Marchand's pass deflected off Jagr's skate and past goalie Martin Brodeur to send the home crowd into raptures. However, despite registering a goal on his Boston debut, Jagr wasn't about to take the plaudits. "I mean I was playing with two younger guys with so much skill and energy, I just tried not to hold them up," Jagr said. "I told them [Marchand and Seguin] 'I've got to get better.' I felt bad for them that they had to play with me, but I've got to get better. That's for sure." The third period continued to be a battle of the goaltenders, as neither team was able to find the twine. And while they didn't concede any goals, a troubling pattern emerged for the Bruins, who gave away a whopping 40 shots to their opponents. In the end, however, it was inconsequential, as Rask stopped all the of shots that he faced. Saturday's game wasn't quite as memorable for the Bruins, however, as they fell at their rival Montreal Canadiens 2-1 in a pivotal Northeast Division clash. In that game, the Habs went up 2-0 before left-wing Daniel Paille reduced the arrears with a goal midway through the second period. However, Montreal goalkeeper Carey Price made 26 saves and held firm the rest of the way to the 2-1 victory. With the victory, the Canadiens took a three-point advantage at the top of the Northeast Division, which could prove pivotal as the season winds to its close. The Bruins return to action in a road match against the Devils tomorrow night at 7:30 p.m.
(03/12/13 4:00am)
Fire and ice-that's what the words brand and eis mean in German. That's why to me Brandeis is the most exciting place to be-a place of radically high aspirations that embraces difference and transformation. We don't shy away from tackling questions others may deem too big, or too small, or too controversial. Brandeis students are made of that same stuff-they thrive in an environment that allows them to seek "the truth even unto its innermost parts" without giving a hoot about whether it is considered appropriate or fashionable by the rest of the world. Brandeis is different from other universities in that everyone in this community shares in these aspirations. We're not na??ve. We truly believe that we can make a big difference. And our students go out into the world and do just that. If we know so well who we are and what we want to accomplish, why do we need a strategic plan? This plan is a pragmatic document for the president. It aims to streamline fundraising efforts and direct attention to areas that need expansion. It is not a "rallying cry" or a call to action on our part. It does not say "we've gone astray and need to refocus our attention." It does not try to reinvent us. We know who we are, and we know we're good at what we do. The strategic plan just presents our portrait to those who don't know us yet so they, too, will fall in love with us and be inspired to join our community. The plan is more like Brandeis' Match.com profile. Which is why we need to get our profile right and not try to 'retouch' it beyond recognition or avoid saying things about ourselves that people may not like. There are a few places where the current profile could still be improved. As it is currently written, the plan does not do justice to the very foundation of our academy-the liberal arts. The humanities and the social sciences are the bedrock on which a liberal arts education thrives. Our largest school may be called the College of Arts and Sciences, but its foundation is not only in arts and sciences, but also in the classical and modern languages, philosophy, history and literature. And it is in the social sciences (from economics to psychology) where most students choose their major. The plan also proudly tells the story of how the Jewish community's gift to U.S. higher education has become this gem among the top research universities in the country, and how Albert Einstein dared us to achieve the name Brandeis. But that includes embracing our history, not just our future. Brandeis, after all, was not only a Supreme Court Justice, but also a Zionist. The controversies that come with this are part of what makes Brandeis unique. If we want others to recognize us in this document, we have to own it. We can check 'non-sectarian' and still acknowledge our Jewish family background. Overall, students should be very happy with this plan. It puts their experience first, not faculty research ambitions or lofty goals for a fancier campus. Many objectives outlined in the plan will lead to more small-class experiences for all students, to even closer contact with faculty from first-year seminars to capstones for seniors. Students will have more flexibility to complete their degrees and more options to pursue their multi-dimensional interests.When our alumni talk about Brandeis they don't typically talk about their major. What they often remember most about Brandeis is a class they dared take that lay far outside their chosen path, a class that challenged them to think differently. If funded, many initiatives in this plan will make more such experiences possible. The plan's most important goal is its embrace of diversity, especially of diversifying the faculty. This is an ambition truly worthy of Brandeis, and one that's long overdue. Just last Thursday Prof. Tom Shapiro from the Heller School for Social policy and Management's Institute of Assets and Social Policy spoke at the Women's and Gender Studies' annual Lubin Symposium about the devastatingly increasing wealth gap between whites and minorities in the United States. By embracing and expanding the work of the Posse Foundation, and by training and promoting new leaders with diverse backgrounds, Brandeis shows its commitment to walking the talk. All our students stand to benefit from this initiative. My personal favorite, an emphasis on sustainability, still needs elaboration in the plan. It's not just a "domestic" issue about health and student retention, but one that aims to tackle the fires and loss of ice our whole world is facing. Our very name urges us to become leaders in the fight against climate change. We have expertise in all schools to tackle the many open questions that are crying for answers, from chemistry, to economics, to sustainable development, to philosophy. Here is a perfect opportunity to align our commitment to cutting-edge science and research across the disciplines with our mission to protect and heal our world, tikkun olam. All our prospective students know that their future depends on the knowledge we produce in this area. We owe this commitment to them. Ultimately, the best part of this strategic planning exercise will not be the document that forms its conclusion. It's the very Brandeisian process that's getting us there. The many meetings, discussions and drafts meant many in our community had to learn more about the University as a whole and grapple with each other's different opinions. Everyone who participated understands Brandeis a little bit better as a result. Which is why this plan will ultimately strengthen us as a community, no matter how many well-heeled new lovers it attracts. We will continue to be hot and cool... (and that's not just meant as a pun on the HVAC system in Shiffman...) Professor von Mering is an associate professor of German and the Director of the Center for German and European Studies. She also served as the chair of the faculty senate in 2009-2010.
(03/11/13 4:00am)
With 400 meters left in the preliminaries of the one-mile run at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships on Friday afternoon, Alex Kramer '13 was sitting comfortably at the back of the pack of six runners that had formed behind Bates College junior Tully Hannan. Kramer, who had qualified for the season's biggest race with a time of four minutes, 12.66 seconds at the Tufts University Last Chance Meet on March 2, seemed to be peaking at the right time. He gradually lowered his times throughout the season, and, given that he had cut back his mileage and intensity, looked to translate his efforts into a top-10 finish and an All-American selection. However, instead of being able to make a bid for the front of his seven-man heat, Kramer was boxed in by the other competitors as the race entered its final stages. Though three of his competitors caught Hannan-who faded in the final lap to finish fourth in the heat-Kramer ended up finishing sixth in his heat of seven runners, ultimately won by the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater Point junior Dan Sullivan. Sullivan won the finals of the event on Saturday, beating out Keene State College junior Ryan Widzgowski by 83 one-hundreths of a second, 4:07.03 to 4:07.86. "He (Hannan) was out (through the first quarter-mile of the race) in 61, and he went through the half-mile mark in 2:06," said Kramer, implying that the Bates junior's opening pace was perhaps a bit quicker than his fellow competitors expected, especially in a preliminary race. "(Some runners in) the pack caught him in the end." The second heat-which featured six competitors-seemed to be travelling slower than the racers in the first heat, as the pack hit the half-mile mark in 2:09. However, a late charge by Bowdoin College junior Coby Horowitz caused the speed of the pack to dramatically increase, which resulted in faster qualifying times than would have been anticipated. As a result, Kramer was edged out for the tenth and final qualifying spot-which went to Hannan-by a mere 0.32 seconds. While he has utilized his powerful finishing speed many times this season in order to beat out opponents in close battles, Kramer was quick to point out that the increased difficulty of the competition makes for a more challenging racing environment in regards to planning tactics. "You fall in love with your kick," he said of his penchant for gaining ground with a final surge late in the race. "And I (ran) a 56-second last 400 in that mile. But at Nationals, everyone can run that fast for the last stretch." Kramer is the second Brandeis runner in two years to compete in the men's mile at Nationals. Chris Brown '12-who holds the indoor school record for that particular event in 4:05.98-secured the Judges' first All-American indoor mile selection since 2005 last season at Grinnell College with his third-place finish in the same event. While running at the Championships was certainly a time to savor, given it was his first individual qualification in a track and field race. And despite falling short of his goal of earning All-American honors-which he had expressed desire to achieve in a March 4 interview with the Justice-Kramer will look to bounce back and qualify outdoors in the 1500-meter run, generally considered to be the outdoor track equivalent of the one-mile run. With some added experience gained from running in his first NCAA Championships, it is quite possible that Kramer could improve upon his showing at the recent race with a better showing at the biggest meet of the outdoor season. After a few weeks of well-deserved rest, Kramer and the Judges will compete in the season's first outdoor meet on March 30 at the Tufts Snowflake Classic.
(03/04/13 5:00am)
* Over break they came, they saw, and they conquered. The Brandeis University men's and women's fencing teams emerged victorious at the New England Collegiate Championships, a meet between non-Ivy league schools in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York. They competed against rivals such as Sacred Heart University, Boston College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and other challenging teams such as Vassar College, Tufts University and University of Massachusetts, Amherst. * In the meet, each fencer competes in a round robin pool. The top fencers go onto another round of a six-person pool. The wins and losses in this pool determine each fencer's seed in yet another round robin pool. An athlete's performance in the final round determines who wins the tournament individually, while the team performance is based on the amount of wins gathered by each athlete representing their school. * Overall, the men totaled 89 wins between the three weapons, which was 10 more than second-place Sacred Heart's total. Meanwhile, the women compiled 107 points, which was just good enough to edge Boston College's 105 points for the title. * The men's saber squad put on a show to write home about. A trio of sophomores, the saber specialists won 33 matches and only lost once combined. Individually, Ben Loft '15 and Adam Mandel '15 went undefeated. Even though Jess Ochs-Willard '15 was the only Judge to suffer a loss, he still finished second overall. Mandel finished first while Loft took sixth. * The men's foil team also had an impressive showing, combining for 31 wins and just three losses between them. Just like their saber teammates, the foilers are also comprised of exciting fencers: Ethan Levy '15, Julian Cardillo '14 and Noah Berman '15. Cardillo and Berman made it to the final pool, finishing in first and second, respectively. * The men's saber and men's foil teams were the keys to Brandeis's success, but the men's epee still needed to chime in in order to ensure the victory. The men's epee came in third overall, and nobody made it to the final round despite putting together a solid amount of wins: 25. * "Our youth is a huge benefit-younger fencers don't get caught up in preconceptions," said Ochs-Willard. They fight as hard as they can, no matter if their opponent is from a club team or from a team that sends fencers to NCAA Championships every year." * The women's battle was much closer. Given that Boston College was on its tail the entire way, each match was more important. The foil team was the cornerstone to Saturday's victory, winning 40 matches and losing only three. Just like their male counterparts, the women foilers are also young and exciting to watch. * But while the men are sophomores, these women are just first-years: Caroline Mattos '16, Emilia Dwyer '16, and Annie Kim '16 all performed exceptionally last Saturday. While Dwyer and Kim suffered just one and two losses respectively, Mattos went undefeated and came in second overall. Dwyer and Kim came in eighth and ninth respectively. * The women's saber and women's epee teams did just enough to help edge their opponents. While the saberists won 32 matches and lost 10, the epee women won 35 matches and lost eight. Zoe Messinger '13, who came in sixth place overall, was the anchor of the saber squad, helping out teammates Emmily Smith '13 and Deborarh Abiri '16. Similarly, Gwen Mowell '16 went undefeated to help guide the women's epee to an impressive 35 wins. * This victory will pay dividends in preparation for the NCAA East Regional Collegiate Championships at St. John's University.
(03/04/13 5:00am)
The film opens with a husband and wife peering over the edge of a crib at their infant son. They hold hands, and suddenly the calm scene of a nursery is replaced with a white hospital room. The parents kiss their son, and doctors wheel the infant away. The next scene bears the caption "6 Years Later," and the audience watches as the same adults bicker and argue and one storms out of the house. The infant is now a child, spying on the fight-but he has prosthetic legs. Fast forward again to "Age 15," and the setting is a cemetery. The boy with the prosthetic legs, who is now a teenager, is weeping beside a picture of the woman previously seen storming out of the house. You won't find this film in theaters or on DVD; rather, this faux-script depicts the real life of Oscar Pistorius, the first amputee athlete to compete in the Olympics. Or, as some may now know him, Oscar Pistorius, the alleged murderer. Let's backtrack a little bit. Leading up to the London 2012 Summer Olympics, Pistorius was an immediate fan favorite. Adopting the role of underdog, Pistorius garnered worldwide attention with his unbelievable skills on the track despite his lack of authentic legs. The South African has been nicknamed "Blade Runner" and "the fastest man on no legs," and even though he didn't leave the Olympic Games with a medal, he made quite the impact. So when Pistorius made headlines this month for possibly committing murder, it was almost unbelievable. Surely the 26-year-old track star could not be associated with the death of Reeva Steenkamp, his 29-year-old model girlfriend. I mean, look at pictures of them! They're the epitome of beauty, success and love. And yet, on Feb. 14, Steenkamp was shot and killed at Pistorius' home, sparking a flurry of rumors and questions, ultimately leading to Pistorius' arrest. The prosecution claims that the athlete fired shots through a locked bathroom door, thinking he was shooting at an intruder when, in fact, it was actually his girlfriend. Possible...but believable? There are so many questions to consider, like how Pistorius failed to notice his girlfriend's absence when he got out of bed to check on the "intruder" or why he decided not to question the identity of the individual in the bathroom before blindly shooting. Another question, most popular among Americans in the wake of the Sandy Hook shooting, is why Pistorius even had a gun on hand to begin with. Turns out Pistorius' gated community in Pretoria isn't terribly safe; the runner claims his guns (that's right, plural) are kept around to protect himself. He's referenced his nervousness of burglars in interviews and even took to Twitter in November to discuss a false alarm that prompted him to go into "full combat" mode. About a week and a half ago, Pistorius was granted bail (though granted limited access to his home and the inability to leave the country), and the case was adjourned to June 4. Until then, it looks like we'll have to wait to see how this movie ends. *
(02/11/13 5:00am)
* While the men's basketball squad escaped Winter Storm Nemo during its University Athletic Association road trip through Pittsburgh and Cleveland, the Judges failed to avoid defeat on the court. * They managed a late comeback against the 4-16 Carnegie Mellon University Tartans on Friday night, edging out the hosts by a 73-68 margin. But on Sunday, Brandeis fell behind the 10-11 Case Western Reserve University Spartans by as many as 22 points before making a late surge, eventually losing 56-47. The weekend split gives the Judges a 16-6 (7-4 UAA) record. * While the split certainly was a disappointing result, the injuries the team experienced during the trip were certainly worse. Guard Ben Bartoldus '14 went down in the Friday night game with a fractured big toe. Guard Gabriel Moton '14 was a late scratch due to plantar fasciitis and forward Alex Stoyle '14-last week's UAA player of the week-and forward Anthony Trapasso '13 did not travel with the team due to illness. Their absences were felt throughout most of the game. * Against Case, guard Derek Retos '14 twisted his ankle in the first half and sat on the sideline, icing his ankle the rest of the game. Moton played in the game, but the team's lack of offensive firepower was evident. * The Judges managed to score just 47 points against Case, their lowest total since the first game of the season, a 46-44 loss to Rhode Island College. They shot just 29.5 percent from the field and 60 percent from the foul line. * "Whenever we're playing ball, things happen," guard Jay Freeman '13 said, regarding the injuries. "We have to try to overcome it as a team and try to bounce back and win a game. They went down, so you still have to play." * "We missed Derek [Retos] because of his three point shooting, and Ben [Bartoldus] can score, so he would have helped us as well." * The Judges started out with a quick 10-4 run just five minutes into the match against Case, and even with injuries, it looked like they could win the game. However, the Spartans ended the half on a 22-8 run to take a 26-18 halftime lead. * Without Retos, Coach Brian Meehan tried a bigger lineup to start the second half, and brought in forward Ishmael Kalilou '15 to try and find some scoring to fuel a comeback. However, shortly after, Kalilou received an elbow to the head, and was taken out of the game. * The teams traded baskets for the first eight minutes of the half. With 12:20 left, the Judges found themselves in a 38-30 deficit. The turning point in the game, though, followed a three-point attempt from guard Colby Smith '16. The shot caromed off the back of the rim and Case secured the rebound. The Spartans went down the court and nailed a jumper, swinging the momentum back in their favor. From that point on, the game was out of reach. Center Youri Dascy '14 led the Judges with 16 points and 11 rebounds, although he shot just 5-for-16 from the field. Moton added 12 points and six rebounds, while Freeman scored nine off the bench. * Meehan reflected on what the injuries from the weekend mean for the team going forward. * "There are a couple of problems," he said. "Ben [Bartoldus] and Derek [Retos] are two of our most experienced guys. Ben defends our opponents' best scorer, and Derek has provided us with a lot of offense off the bench. As captains they're leaders on the floor." * "Right now, I have no idea what we're going to do as far as changes. We'll have to change the offense a little, move things around and give different guys more responsibility." * On Friday, the shorthanded Judges opened up the game strongly, establishing a 24-24 tie with seven minutes and 16 seconds to go in the first half. On the next possession, Carnegie Mellon senior guard Andre Moore nailed a three-pointer to give Carnegie a 27-24 lead, and from there, they held the lead for almost the rest of the game. The Tartans entered halftime with a 35-31 lead. * With four minutes left in the game, Moore hit a layup to equal the Tartans biggest lead, 61-48. Then, the Judges went on a run. Retos nailed a three-pointer and Meehan called a timeout to set up the press. The defensive pressure led to an 18-6 run that cut the Tartans' lead to just one with 53 seconds to play. Freeman scored 10 of the Judges 18 points over that stretch. * The Judges fouled on the ensuing possession, and Moore missed the front end of the one-and-one. Dascy then made a jump hook, drew a foul and made the free throw with 27 seconds to play, giving the Judges their first lead of the half, 69-67. * With 15 seconds left, Moore drove to the basket and Dascy fouled him. He missed the first free throw and made the second, cutting the lead to one. * The Tartans had to resort to fouling. Smith and forward Connor Arnold '14 nailed four big free throws down the stretch and the Judges squeaked out a 73-68 victory. * "I think it was because different guys got the opportunity to play," said Arnold, referencing the comeback. "They've been ready all year. A lot of guys, like Freeman, were ready to go, and they gave us an energy we haven't seen all year." * Retos led all scorers with 19 points, knocking down 5-of-12 three-pointers. Freeman added 18 points and five rebounds off the bench. Dascy had 16 points on six-for-seven shooting, but came off the bench as center Wouter Van der Eng '13 got the start. * The Judges return to the court on Friday night in a home game against the University of Chicago. They play their final home game of the regular season on Sunday against Washington University in St. Louis.
(02/11/13 5:00am)
* It was a rough airplane ride home for the women's basketball team after a difficult swing through the Midwest. Over the long weekend, the Judges lost to the University of Chicago and Washington University in St. Louis, an extension of their road woes. The Judges were defeated 60-28 on Sunday, and lost 73-61 on Friday, falling to a 7-9 overall record and 1-4 mark in the University Athletic Association. * "There wasn't a large difference between the two games," said forward Erika Higginbottom '13. "The biggest difference was at Carnegie, we kept turning the ball over during a stretch of the game, and at Case, we just couldn't make shots during a certain stretch. In both games, there was just a certain stretch where we just couldn't pull it all together." * Brandeis had its lowest scoring game in 15 years since a defensive battle in 1998 against New York University. Hannah Cain '15 led the scoring efforts for the Judges with seven points and only shot 10 percent from two-point range. This performance added to a poor 16 percent mark for the Judges in the game. * While Brandeis kept up with Wash U in turnovers forced, 23 to 22, and second chance points, WashU had a huge edge in bench points, leading by a 29-16 margin. Despite Brandeis' lack of bench points, guard Niki Laskaris '16 notched one third of the Judges' bench points with five, while only hitting one three-point shot throughout the night. * Though the game was low-scoring, Brandeis did hold WashU to its fourth-lowest point total of the season, keeping the team under 40 percent shooting-a feat only half of WashU's opponents were able to accomplish. * WashU sophomore forward Melissa Gilkey was the only player on either side to score in double digits, with 16 points on the night. Junior forward Lucy Montgomery had nine points off the bench, which were all scored from three-point range. * Brandeis, meanwhile, stormed out to a strong start Friday night. After allowing the first four points of the night, the Judges went on a 14-4 run and were leading for a majority of the first half, up by as many as seven points. The Judges were up 32-28 with two minutes left; however, Chicago went on a five point scoring run, taking the lead with eight seconds left to play in the half. * Higginbottom led scoring with eight points at the half, and shot four for four during the first half of the game. Brandeis forced 11 turnovers while only giving up seven and outscoring Chicago on turnovers by a 10-3 margin. * The second half told a very different tale. Chicago opened the half with an 18-6 run. The Judges only made three out of their first eighteen shots of the second half, allowing Chicago to run away with the game. Chicago began to tear apart Brandeis' defense, scoring multiple times in the paint as well as from three-point range. Chicago was in the lead by as much as 16 points, and finished the game ahead by 12. * The Judges' leading scorer was Higginbottom, who put up 14 points, including two late game three-pointers. Also notable was guard Kasey Dean '14 who had 11 rebounds, just one short of a career high for the guard. No other player in the game had more than four assists aside from Dean, who was also five of 11 from the field. Chicago had three players scoring in double digits. For Chicago, freshman guard Paige Womack led all scoring 16 points, scoring three of five from three-point range. * Despite the hardships, Higginbottom says the team will continue to fight until the end. * "We approach every game with a different plan," she said. "The only thing we can control is how hard we play, so we'll just come out with everything we have (in the season's last two home games) because we have nothing to lose." * Brandeis will be back on the road in UAA games next weekend as the team travels to Emory University Friday at 6 p.m. The Judges will then travel to the University of Rochester this Sunday at 2 p.m. * - Jacob Moskowitz contributed reporting
(01/29/13 5:00am)
As the lights dim and the audience inches closer to the edges of the seats, the cheers suffuse the room with a frenzy. Friends call out names of dancers and shout words of inspiration. The hype and anticipation electrify the room, predicting an exciting show. The curtains open to reveal a stage illuminated by spotlights and nervous faces. The tapping begins, with clicks and clacks bouncing from the stage. Yet, something is seriously wrong here. On the left, girls with confused expressions try to match their uncoordinated rhythms to the girls on the right, and the girls in the back forget their hand motions altogether. I can't help but feel as if I am watching a high school production, and almost everyone seems to have forgotten their parts. The opening number disappoints, and I expect little from anything else that might follow. Yet, as the show progresses, a certain magic emanates from the stage and captivates the audience. The numbers become more cohesive and the clacks and taps become a euphonic harmony. From the dancers shaking their booties to hits like Gia Farrell's "Hit Me Up" to a slideshow of the backstage friendships that formed in rehearsals, the show adopts an accessibility to the audience that is incredibly charming and witty. With some numbers remixed with rap tracks, the urban edge makes the show undeniably cool again. The chain sequences that begin with one dancer and culminate in all five dancers in the number dancing in canon build the excitement once more. These performances are nothing like the first-they are sassy and spicy and full of pizzazz. While they are still not completely polished, they make even the most uncoordinated audience members want to get up and tap. By the time Chris Knight '14 enters the stage to perform his improvisational tap dance, the audience has already been completely reconverted. Knight refreshes the show as one of the only male tappers and excites the room with challenging rhythms and experimental motions. He throws his body into the movement, possessed by a tapping demon that no one wishes to exorcise. He is thrilling, while also calculatingly technical, and outperforms most of the rehearsed girls. The momentum is unstoppable. Numbers like "Space Jam," which combines brief comedy sketches with technical tap steps, and "Swing Set" reveal flawless formations and a youthful vivacity between the dancers. These sequences keep the show fresh and interesting, seducing a roomful of gazes that trail the heels of everyone on stage. In addition, the show also featured tap groups from Brown University and Boston University, who performed to Paul Simon's "Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard" and an original piece "Don't Give a Fairy," respectively. Brown's group combined impeccable synchronization with a futuristic feel. The curtain call added the final touch to an amazing show, with all of the dancers adding unique inflections to their bow, like a fifteen-second spontaneous routine. The final bows characterized the sentiment surrounding the whole show. While it was far from perfect, nobody took themselves too seriously, everyone had a great time and in the end it was a spectacular show. As the curtains drew to a close, I overheard a student in front of me whisper to his friend, "Now that's how you tap." True to its name, the show indeed succeeded in alluring us, enticing us and hooking us on tap.
(01/21/13 5:00am)
It was a rough airplane ride home for the women's basketball team after a difficult swing through the Midwest. Over the long weekend, the Judges lost to University Athletic Association foes the University of Chicago and No. 7 Washington University in St. Louis. The Judges were defeated 60-28 on Sunday in Missouri, and lost 73-61 on Friday in Chicago. The aforementioned losses were an extension of their road woes; Brandeis has only won one game on the road so far this season, a 71-53 win at Daniel Webster College on Dec. 1. The setbacks put the team at a 7-9 overall record and 1-4 mark in the conference, where they sit in last place out of eight teams. On Sunday, in its game against the Bears, Brandeis had its lowest scoring game in 15 years against WashU since a defensive battle in 1998 against New York University. Hannah Cain '15 led the scoring efforts for the Judges with seven points and only shot ten percent from two-point range. This performance added to a poor 16 percent mark for the Judges. While the Judges kept up with WashU in turnovers forced, [23 to 22] and second-chance points, WashU had a huge edge in bench points, leading by a 29-16 margin in terms of points off of the bench. Despite Brandeis' lack of bench points, guard Niki Laskaris '16 notched one third of the Judges' bench points with five, while only hitting one three point shot throughout the night. Though the night was low-scoring, the Judges did hold WashU to its fourth-lowest point total of the season, keeping the Bears under 40 percent shooting-a feat only half of WashU's opponents were able to accomplish. WashU sophomore forward Melissa Gilkey was the only player on either side to score in double digits with 16 points on the night. Junior forward Lucy Montgomery had nine points off the bench. All three of her buckets were scored from three-point range. Though Sunday's perforamnce was definitely not what the Judges would have wanted, they can be buoyed by their strong performance in the weekend's first game. After allowing the first four points of the night, Brandeis stormed out to a strong start Friday night, as they went on a 14-4 run and were leading for a majority of the first half against the Maroons, up by as many as seven points. The Judges were up 32-28 with two minutes left in the half, making it seem that they would take a lead into the break. However, Chicago went on a five point scoring run, taking the lead with eight seconds left to play in the half. The lack of time before the halfway buzzer ultimately proved crucial as a turning point both in the short-term and long-term, as Chicago took a one point advantage into the break. Despite the fact that the deficit was only at one, it would become clear that losing the lead certainly took the wind out of the Judges' sails, especially after they started the half in such dominating fashion. Forward Erika Higginbottom '13 led scoring with eight points at the half, and shot four for four during the first half of the game. Brandeis forced 11 turnovers while only giving up seven and outscoring Chicago on turnovers by a 10-3 margin. The second half told a very different tale, as the Judges failed to keep the momentum that they had established in the beginning of the game going. Chicago opened the half with an 18-6 run. The Judges only made three out of their first 18 shots of the second half, allowing Chicago to run away with the game. Chicago began to tear apart the Judges' defense, scoring multiple times in the paint as well as from three-point range. In a game which the Judges had controlled quite handily at first, Chicago took in the lead by as much as 16 points, and finished the game ahead by twelve. Brandeis' leading scorer was Higginbottom, who put up 14 points, including two late game three-pointers. Also notable was guard Kasey Dean '14 who had 11 rebounds, just one short of a career high for the guard. No other player in the game had more than four assists aside from Dean, who was also five of 11 from the field. Chicago had three players scoring in double digits. For the Maroons, freshman guard Paige Womack led all scoring 16 points, scoring 3 for 5 from three-point range. Members of the women's basketball team could not be reached for comment by press time Despite the demoralizing setbacks, the Judges cannot afford to slouch for long. The Judges will be back on the road in UAA games next weekend as the squad will travel to Emory University this Friday at 6 p.m. and then to the University of Rochester this Sunday at 2 p.m. It was certainly a tough weekend for the team, but with only one more UAA trip before the squad returns home, there's a good chance that the team could rack up some valuable wins.
(01/14/13 5:00am)
The Judges finished their seven-game span of home games last Sunday, and after a strong start in which they won four of their first five games, they lost their last two against University Athletic Association opponents Case Western University and Carnegie Mellon University. The Judges' contest against Case on Sunday proved an outing where they were punished for allowing the visitors too much respect in the early going. With five minutes and 14 seconds left in the first half, Case was ahead by a 17-16 margin, but then pulled away in the waning minutes to increase their lead to eight points. The Judges trailed throughout the game until there were 55 seconds left, where a crucial field goal resulted in a tie game, which got the crowd on its feet. And while the newfound momentum made it seem that pulling out a win was within reach, Case senior guard Evy Iacono destroyed any hopes of a comeback, as she hit two clutch free throws to give the Spartans a two point lead. From there, the Spartans forced a turnover and buried one final basket to win the game by four points, 50-46. The Judges fell to 7-7 with a 1-2 record in the UAA. Forward Samantha Anderson '13 led the Judges with 11 points on an impressive 5-for-7 shooting spree, while the Spartans' Iacono led all scorers with 17 points. During Friday's game against Carnegie Mellon, the game was on a knife's edge for much of the first half. Tartans sophomore guard Chandler Caufield drilled a three-pointer to hand Carnegie Mellon the largest lead of the half at five points. Despite the close-run nature of the first half, the second half was different. Carnegie surged to a strong start, beginning the last 20 minutes on a 12-3 run. After the Judges were down by 11, they roared back to within four points of Carnegie with six minutes, four seconds left. However, a comeback-while conceivable-was, once again, not to be. Carnegie jumped ahead by eight points with two minutes and three seconds left and then went on to win the game despite six points from Brandeis guard Niki Laskaris '16 in the last four minutes of the game. Guard Kasey Dean '14 led the Judges with 16 points on five-for-12 shooting and three three-pointers. She showed her prowess in other areas of the stat sheet with six rebounds, five assists, two steals and one block in 33 minutes. Guard Hannah Cain '15 added 11 points to round out the scoring for the Judges. According to Coach Carol Simon, rebounding has been the primary issue that has plagued the Judges so far this season. "We need to be much more committed to rebounding on the offense and defensive end," she said. "We struggled a bit with that in the past couple of games." Forward Erika Higginbottom '13 has led the squad in rebounds per game with 5.1. In wins this season, the Judges average 27.1 defensive rebounds per game, but in losses they average 23.8 rebounds per game. While the Judges have lost their last two games, the Judges have grabbed 26 and 27 rebounds, which is above their season average of 25.5. Despite Simon's assessment of her team's inability to follow up on baskets, the statistics suggest that, while rebounds are definitely something that the team needs to work on, the losses aren't directly correlating to ineffective rebounding. The squad's top rebounder this season is Erika Higginbottom '13. who averages 5.1 rebounds per game. Improvement in getting off to a good start in games, however, might benefit the squad, who seems to be able to put together a good rally towards the end of their contests. Playing on the road until Friday, Feb. 1, the Judges' next play at the University of Chicago, a squad that is 3-10 overall and 0-3 in UAA play, on Friday, before visiting Washington University in Saint Louis on Sunday to complete their weekend road trip to the Midwest.
(12/10/12 5:00am)
Last season, the Amherst College men's basketball team traveled to Brandeis as the second-ranked team in Division III. The Judges sent them home with a resounding 76-61 victory, which led excited fans to storm the court. Last Saturday, the two teams faced off again. This time, No. 10 Amherst had its revenge, defeating Brandeis 76-64 at Amherst College in a game in which the Judges never led. The loss ends the Judges' winning streak at seven and brings their record to 7-2. This team has had its struggles on the road. They went 4-7 on the road and 8-5 at home last year. Two seasons ago, they were 7-7 on the road and 10-2 at home. This year, Brandeis is off to a rocky start as well. They have scrapped together a 5-0 record at home but have managed to go just 2-2 on the road so far. "I think we have a tendency to come out flat in the first half on the road," guard Ben Bartoldus '14 said. "When we come out flat we put ourselves in a hole that we spend the whole second half trying to get out of. This tendency is why we struggle." The Judges got off to a slow start on Saturday, trailing 11-3 just three minutes, 33 seconds into the game. The lead stretched to 10 points after Lord Jeffs senior guard Allen Williamson drained a three pointer to give Amherst a 24-14 lead with 10:19 to go in the first half. Center Wouter van der Eng '13 cut the lead to just two, 26-24, with his two free throws at the 6:49 mark, but the Judges never got closer than that. Brandeis found itself with a 39-31 deficit at halftime. The second half did not prove to be any better for Brandeis. They again started off slowly, and following a Williamson layup to stretch the lead to 54-38 with 14:10 left in the game, coach Brian Meehan called a timeout. Point guard Gabe Moton '14 cut the lead to seven with 8:05 left, forcing a 30-second timeout by Amherst. The two teams played relatively evenly the rest of the way, and Brandeis managed to come within six points but could never get over that hump. Moton led the way with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Bartoldus added 14 points and the two starting guards combined for 55 percent of the Judges scoring. Center Youri Dascy '14 managed just four points and one rebound in 19 minutes. Meehan turned to the bench early and often in this contest, with all but two starters struggling to find any rhythm offensively. Van der Eng played 18 minutes off the bench and scored seven points to go along with his two rebounds, two assists and one block. Guard Colby Smith '16 played 27 minutes off the bench, replacing the struggling guard Derek Retos '14 throughout the game. Retos scored just two points and shot 0-4 from beyond the three-point arc. Bartoldus noted that the Judges' issues with fouling caused Meehan to rotate players in and out. "We ran into foul trouble relatively early and had trouble in certain areas offensively," he said. "We rotated guys in to try and provide a spark, ultimately it didn't work out the way in which we planned." Last Wednesday, the Judges defeated the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 86-65 in a non-conference home game. The Judges' sloppy play in the first half resulted in just a two-point lead at halftime, up 34-32. However, they made 65 percent of their shots from the field-including 16 of their first 22--leading to a 52-point outburst in the second half. Bartoldus led the Judges with 18 points and seven rebounds. Forward Alex Stoyle '14 scored 13 points and dished out five assists. Dascy tallied 12 points, and Retos had 10 to round out the starting five. Last Tuesday, Brandeis defeated Lasell College on the road, 72-56. The Judges took a 31-15 lead into halftime thanks to 11 straight points from Retos to hand Brandeis a 20-14 edge. The teams played the second half to a draw. Lasell cut the lead to seven twice, but Dascy and Retos answered each time for the Judges. Retos led the way with 28 points, tying a career high. He made seven three-pointers for the second game in a row. Moton scored 12 points and dished out three assists. He and Retos were the only two players to score in double figures for the Judges. Dascy had nine points and eight rebounds in just 25 minutes. Forward Connor Arnold '14 grabbed eight rebounds off the bench. Brandeis travels to Framingham State University tonight at 8 p.m. They play their last non-conference game at Bates College on Dec. 29 and begin University Athletic Association play at home against New York University on Jan. 5, 2013.
(12/04/12 5:00am)
In a local caf?(c), a girl sits diligently reading her book, until she notices the boy sitting behind her. Suddenly aware of her every move, she glances back only to notice the silent self-conscious struggle he's also enduring. They nervously edge their chairs closer, then back again, and so on, until that's it, they can't bear it any longer.
(12/03/12 5:00am)
The swimming and diving squads headed to Wesleyan University this past Saturday to begin a month-long stretch of road meets. The men and women started their December road trip on the right note, securing four first-place results and an array of top finishes.
