(12/10/13 5:00am)
On Dec. 2, Student Union President Ricky Rosen '14 delivered the annual State of the Union address in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium to a crowd of approximately 70 students and administrators. Rosen opened the address by thanking the members of the Union for being so vocal in advocating for their constituents, stating that this has been a "pivotal semester in Brandeis time." He listed changes and new initiatives such as the implementation of the strategic plan, efforts to turn Brandeis into a household name, the arrival of new campus partners like Sodexo and Joseph's Transportation and the changing administration-including Jamele Adams' promotion to dean of students and Cheryl Sousa's '90 new position as assistant vice president of health and wellness, as part of the pivotal semester. Rosen highlighted Union successes this semester, including the addition of hammocks on campus, increasing communication with students through the Student Union bulletin board in the Usdan Student Center, holding more outreach events and making modifications to the Boston shuttle bus schedule to best benefit students. Rosen stated that the Union also hopes to change the time and access for the Wednesday and Thursday Riverside MBTA station shuttles. Rosen also revealed information about a variety of upcoming dining changes. The New York-style delicatessen that will replace Quiznos will be called Louis' and will be constructed over the winter. The delicatessen will open on Monday, Jan. 13, the first day of classes for the spring 2014 semester. The food truck, which serves food in between the Shapiro Campus Center and the Feldberg Communications Center, will begin accepting WhoCash and points next semester. Plans to install a caf?(c) in the science quad are also in discussions that will continue next semester. After an analysis of the results of a dining survey sent out recently, Rosen announced that the Student Union and Sodexo are presenting a joint recommendation to the University that The Stein be turned into a sports bar, instead of the Guy Fieri On Campus restaurant which was initially proposed. "We are hoping that The Stein will become the premiere on-campus weekend destination for Brandeis students," Rosen said. Rosen also stated that the project is in the final stages of planning approval, and a detailed construction timeline will be announced before winter break. The Stein was officially closed on Nov. 19 for the remainder of the semester. Class of 2016 Senator Jon Jacob is also working to have local Waltham restaurants accept WhoCash as a form of payment, in addition to Cappy's Pizza and Subs, said Rosen. "So far, Carl's Subs, Sabatino's and Tree Top Waltham have all expressed interest in joining this program," said Rosen. He added that their goal is to get Asia Wok and Baan Thai to join in the project, which he hopes will be completed by the end of the year. The Union has also been working on constructing new meal plans with Sodexo. These meal plans, which will likely be implemented in fall 2014, will include the element of unlimited access, "meaning students will be able to go in and out of all-you-can-eat dining facilities [using meals and points] as many times a week as they would like," said Rosen. He also stated that more changes would come in the next few weeks. Rosen thanked Class of 2017 Senator David Heaton and Union Vice President Charlotte Franco '15 for their work with the Dining Committee. Rosen also revealed three longer-term changes to the dining facilities: over the summer, the Usdan Caf?(c) will become a buffet-style location. To complement this, Usdan Boulevard will feature "retail food locations and potentially fast food franchise restaurants, including Quiznos," according to Rosen. Sherman Dining Hall will also be renovated the following summer in 2015. One ongoing Union initiative that Rosen highlighted was divestment from fossil fuels. In response to the referendum on divesting Brandeis funds from fossil fuel corporations last semester, a Divestment Working Group was set up over the summer to investigate the possibility of divestment. Rosen stated that this is part of an attempt to "make Brandeis a sustainable institution and reduce our carbon footprint." The group will continue to examine alternative investment opportunities for the University throughout the academic year. In addition to this, the Senate established a Sustainability Committee, headed by Class of 2015 Senator Anna Bessendorf. The goal of the committee, according to Rosen, is to reduce wasteful resource usage and streamline student efforts to increase campus sustainability. One notable success of the committee was being approved for a Brandeis Sustainability Fund grant in order to install 60 toilets with dual-flush capabilities on campus. Another Union initiative is to create an email system for the mailroom to notify students when there is a package for them. Rosen hopes the project will be completed by the end of the year; Jacob and Executive Senator Annie Chen '14 have spearheaded the initiative. Rosen also spoke about 'Deis Impact, the weeklong festival celebrating and focusing on social justice. 'Deis Impact is a collaborative effort between the Union and the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life. The festival will occur from Feb. 1 through Feb. 10 and will feature Ndaba Mandela and Kweku Mandela Amuah, founders of Africa Rising and the grandchildren of the recently deceased Nelson Mandela, as keynote speakers. Rosen also discussed parking on campus, stating that it has been a "serious problem for over a decade." According to Rosen, the Department of Public Safety has issued 3,126 parking permits for the 2,300 parking spots available on campus this year. In response to student dissatisfaction with available parking, research by the Union found that Brandeis is the only school in its conference-the University Athletic Association-that does not have a parking facility on campus, does not allow sophomores to park on campus and requires faculty and staff to pay for parking. Rosen stated that this was one of the Union's "chief objectives," and that the Union wants to "make [parking] a priority for the administration and students in the years to come." The final initiative that Rosen mentioned was the creation of a bus shelter outside of the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Admissions Center, which he hopes will serve as a memento to the 2013 to 2014 Student Union and its efforts.
(12/10/13 5:00am)
Following Student Union President Ricky Rosen's '14 State of the Union address in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium on Monday, Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel led a town hall meeting about the University's fiscal year budget. Flagel was joined by Senior Vice President for Communications Ellen de Graffenreid and Senior Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer Marianne Cwalina. During the presentation, Flagel explained the University budget to the audience, including the University's revenues and expenses. According to Flagel, the revenues were composed of 40 percent undergraduate tuition and fees, 13 percent graduate tuition and fees, two percent continuing programs tuition, eight percent room and board, 10 percent endowment support, four percent annual giving, four percent restricted gifts use, 13 percent sponsored programs direct revenue, three percent sponsored programs indirect revenue and three percent other income. The expenses budget totaled $394.6 million-a four million dollar deficit-and was comprised of 18 percent staff salaries, 11 percent faculty salaries, three percent student wages and support, seven percent benefits, 19 percent operational expenses, six percent depreciation of buildings, three percent interest on the total debt, 12 percent sponsored research, 14 percent undergraduate financial aid, seven percent graduate financial aid and 0.2 percent continuing programs financial aid. A significant point of the presentation was the inclusion of financial aid in the charts. "Normally, when Universities present the expense and revenue budgets, they don't include financial aid," said Flagel. He explained that this occurs because aid is generally considered a discount as opposed to an expense. This method was "more intuitive," according to Flagel, and showed the true revenue and expenditures. Flagel later said that the budget is "not wildly dissimilar to other institutions." Aid and salaries make up the largest portion of University expenses, said Flagel, and the University is "really tied up in [that] portion of the budget;" thus, it would be difficult to reduce spending in these areas. Following the presentation, Flagel opened the floor to questions from anyone present. When asked how the budget compared chronologically to past University budgets, he said that the "percentages are fairly similar from year to year," and "you don't see much of a shift." Flagel did note that the University has exceeded its revenues for many years, and thus been required to pull funds off of the endowment in approximately a five percent yearly rate. One attendee raised a question regarding tuition and possible increases. Flagel responded that he "[did] not have a specific number, but the [fiscal] model tries to keep tuition increase below four percent [each year]. ... How much we spend on dining, on housing, et cetera ... all are components of trying to make sure that we're keeping Brandeis accessible." Flagel further clarified that the fiscal model's goal is not a price point, but to make sure that the University is not excluding talented students from attending Brandeis. "That's a tremendous challenge in a fiscal model to provide, so [the administration] want[s] to find the best ways possible to preserve the Brandeis experience but make it accessible," he said. After receiving a question about why Brandeis charges regular tuition to students studying abroad, even though their programs may have cheaper costs, Flagel responded that Brandeis' model for study abroad is to either mark a student as on sabbatical, which Flagel said is popular among other institutions, or "pay our fee, [full Brandeis tuition] and stay enrolled at the University and still have access to all the things you would have access to as a student." When asked how the University is planning to respond to the recent Boston Globe article that criticized the compensation package for President Emeritus Jehuda Reinharz, in light of the budget deficit, Flagel responded that there "isn't much we can do about an article." He noted that the main issue was one of fairness to the administration, and stated that Board of Trustees is "very concerned" and will "continue to look into this matter." He also said that two undergraduate and graduate representatives to the Board would carry the voices of the student body to the Board. The History of Ideas program, which was the center of a scandal accusing the University of mishandling a donor's money for the program, was also brought up at the meeting. After being asked about the situation and what was being done, Flagel told the audience that "all the funds that come in from donors are maintained with extraordinary ethical standards." He later added that "not everyone who was engaged agrees with the decisions that were made," but that "in terms of maintaining the integrity of the donor's wishes, all of that has been taken care of." In an email to the Justice, Rosen stated that "having a forum such as the town hall meeting last week ... is a tremendous first step towards more budget transparency." Rosen further stated that the student body "[has] the right to know why our tuition is increasing ... and whether Brandeis as an institution is responsibly managing its funds." *
(12/10/13 5:00am)
An in-depth account examining the demonstrations that took place at Al-Quds University on Nov. 5 and the nature of Al-Quds' subsequent response, titled "A Report to the Brandeis Community on the Events of 2013 Involving Brandeis University and Al-Quds University," was made public yesterday afternoon. The report, written by Daniel Terris, the director of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life, Profs. Susan Lanser (ENG) and Daniel Kryder (POL) concludes that Al-Quds University acted swiftly to condemn the demonstrations and recommends that Brandeis "resume and indeed redouble its commitment" to the partnership with Al-Quds. Additionally, a resolution from the advisory board of the International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life encouraged both Brandeis and Al-Quds to take steps to lift the suspension of Al-Quds University President Sari Nusseibeh from the advisory board of the Center. University President Frederick Lawrence and University Provost Steve Goldstein '78 requested the report and asked the three professors to learn about the demonstration during a previously-scheduled research visit to Al-Quds, according to the report's introduction. The demonstration in question, according to the report, "featured young men dressed in black military-style outfits, wearing black masks, and sporting fake automatic weapons." In response to a Nov. 17 letter regarding the demonstration from Al-Quds University President Sari Nusseibeh, Lawrence suspended Brandeis' partnership with Al-Quds. On the whole, the authors expressed their confidence with the immediate response of Al-Quds to the demonstrations. "Within 24 hours, the University administration had taken steps to address the unacceptable elements of the rally directly with student leaders, it had issued a direct and unambiguous condemnation of the event, and it had set up a formal investigative committee," read the report. In reference to the Nov. 17 letter from Nusseibeh to his students that Lawrence referred to as "unacceptable and inflammatory," Terris, Lanser and Kryder acknowledged that many members of the Brandeis community felt that there was an "indifference or hostility towards the Jewish people and towards the state of Israel" in the letter. However, they put forth their own belief that the letter was a meaningful effort by Nusseibeh to communicate to his students values of peace and respect. "The four lengthy paragraphs of the letter that condemn violence and hatred ... have received too little attention," they wrote. Details of the demonstration The report provided many new, previously-unknown details about the nature of the demonstrations at Al-Quds. First and foremost, the report explained that the demonstration was sponsored by a student organization at Al-Quds whose name "translates loosely as 'Islamic Bloc.'" The organization is described as "an affiliate of the Islamic Jihad political party" that was trying to "exaggerate its own local strength" through the demonstration to another political student group. The report explains that many political student organizations at Al-Quds are "direct affiliates of national parties, which may also provide external funding and advisement." The demonstrators' application to Al-Quds for permission to stage the rally "proposed four activities: a ceremony honoring the three best students in each school with awards; speeches; a dramatization that as to relate in some way to student life on campus; and Islamic music," according to the report. The rally evidently did not follow this plan. Agreements between Al-Quds and student groups prohibit military-style events and the disrespect for any nation or its symbols, including the Israeli flag, according to the report. On Nov. 5, however, a "highly charged political atmosphere" led Al-Quds security officials to conclude that "any intervention or confrontation carried serious risks" and might lead to violence between two opposing student factions-one associated with Islamic Jihad and one associated with Hamas. To avoid any violence, Al-Quds allowed the rally to proceed despite its inappropriate nature. Regarding the link to Nazism, the student group holding the demonstration denied any connection between Nazism and its gesture, according to the report. Instead, the gesture was meant to be related to a pledge supporting Al-Quds. The report also mentions that while scholars on both campuses indicate that the salute is used by other Middle Eastern political groups, "those who perform it can be expected to know that it will be seen as ... a symbol of hatred towards the Jewish people." Al-Quds' response The report explained that the student affairs staff of Al-Quds University gathered all of the student groups "immediately after the rally" to emphasize that the rally had violated Al-Quds' policies. The day following the rally, Nov. 6, Nusseibeh and Executive Vice President Imad Abu Kishek established a committee to "investigate the circumstances of the event and to recommend sanctions for individual participants as well as revisions to University policy." The report indicated that the committee's work was still in process on Nov. 20, when the Brandeis delegation left Al-Quds. In an email to the Justice, Terris wrote that he, Lanser and Kryder "have not had an update about this since before Thanksgiving. As far as we know, the committee is still continuing its work." When asked whether the committee had also considered sanctioning the "Islamic Bloc" student organization who organized the event, Terris responded that he, Lanser and Kryder "do not know exactly what sanctions the committee is considering at this time." On Nov. 17, Nusseibeh wrote a letter to Al-Quds students that was intended to address several different events that had impacted the school. The Nov. 5 rally had served as one of them, according to the report. Lawrence, in a Nov. 18 press release on BrandeisNOW, called this letter, which was translated to English from the Arabic, "unacceptable and inflammatory." Lawrence suspended the partnership between Brandeis and Al-Quds shortly following receipt of the letter on Nov. 18. The authors acknowledge that Nusseibeh's use of the term "Jewish extremists" in the letter is "jarring" but emphasize that there is a distinction between "Jews" and "Jewish extremists," similarly to the way that people have learned the distinction between Muslims and Islamic extremists. "Presumably the same distinction [between Muslim people in general and Islamic extremists] applies when speaking about other groups," they wrote. Community responses Lawrence was traveling in India at the time of the report's release and could not be reached for comment. Senior Vice President for Communications Ellen de Graffenreid wrote in an email to the Justice that Lawrence "will review [the report] carefully and he continues to keep the lines of communication open with Al Quds University." "These are sensitive issues and I know that President Lawrence is committed to gathering all of the data that is available and considering a broad range of input from the community," de Graffenreid continued. Terris wrote in an email to the Justice that he had not yet received feedback from the University administration. "The report was just released this afternoon. We haven't received any feedback from those groups that I know about," he wrote. Prof. Mari Fitzduff (Heller), the founding director of the master's program in Coexistence and Conflict, expressed her appreciation in an email to the Justice that the report "paid great attention to the context, the language and the cultural and community nuances that were a necessary part of understanding the Al-Quds incident." She further expressed her support for the partnership. "I do hope the partnership will be actively continued, along with the reinstatement of President Nusseibeh to the Board of the Ethics center," she wrote. Prof. Jonathan Sarna (NEJS) expressed concern with the partnership in an email to the Justice. "Reading the report of the committee, I could not help but wonder how our university would respond if a Ku Klux Klan rally complete with robes, hoods, and the burning of crosses took place at one of our partner institutions," wrote Sarna. "I fear that what we are witnessing here is what George W. Bush once termed 'the soft bigotry of low expectations.'" "I find it deeply regrettable, especially when displayed by colleagues whom I otherwise so deeply respect," Sarna continued. Eve Herman '15, the president of the Brandeis Zionist Alliance, conveyed her distress with the events at Al-Quds in an email to the Justice. "Organizations that support or host anti-Israel or anti-Jewish events (such as the Nazi-style rally) should have no place on our Brandeis campus. All the more so, any similar behavior is not to be tolerated by partnership institutions, and Al-Quds' students' actions were simply unacceptable," she wrote. Representatives from the student organization Brandeis Students for Justice in Palestine did not respond to an email requesting comment. Eli Philip '15, the co-president of J Street U Brandeis, expressed agreement with the report in an email to the Justice. "J Street U Brandeis joins professors Terris, Lanser and Kryder in their call to resume a vibrant partnership with Al-Quds University. Engaging with narratives different than our own is often difficult, but ultimately a partnership will help both universities empower productive voices who are interested in peace and understanding," he wrote. -Tate Herbert contributed reporting
(12/10/13 5:00am)
John Evans has guided the Brandeis track and field and cross-country programs to a plethora of success since taking charge as head coach in 2004. In just 10 years he amassed many accolades. Evans led four teams to the NCAA Division III cross-country championships, saw 12 individuals earn All-America honors and 10 first-year athletes to University Athletic Association Rookie of the Year honors. After a decade at the helm, Evans announced last Wednesday that he would resign at the conclusion of this semester. His wife Sinead Evans-an assistant coach with the program for the past four years-will step in as interim head coach for the remainder of the indoor season, as well as the 2014 outdoor track season. Evans, who is also a consultant at New Balance, noted that while it proved to be an incredibly difficult decision, he felt it was best to now focus on a more work-intensive role. "With my role at New Balance expanding, I felt that this was the time to focus my efforts there," Evans said. "This was a difficult decision, as I have loved every minute coaching at a great institution like Brandeis. I've worked with tremendous student-athletes over the years, hard workers and bright students." Under Evans, the men's cross-country team experienced an unparalleled run of success, earning three straight trips to the NCAA championships between 2008 and 2010. The women, meanwhile, punched their ticket this fall to Nationals for the first time since 2001. Evans also brought his own collegiate and professional success to the role. Evans was a three-time Big East and IC4A champion at Providence College in 1989-eventually earning the coveted All-American honor in the 1500-meter run-and has coached professional runners at New Balance since 1994. Now, as Evans departs, Sinead Evans will prepare for her first head coaching role since a short stint at Regis College in 2002. Since joining the Brandeis staff in 2009, she has led the squads' distance and middle-distance runners to several strong finishes. Eight runners under her supervision qualified for the NCAA Division III track and field championships, two of whom included All-Americans Grayce Selig '11 and Chris Brown '12. In a Dec. 4 press release, Senior Associate Director of Athletics Lynne Dempsey cited that while John Evans' indispensable contributions will be sorely missed, the Judges consider it an asset to give control of the program to Sinead. "He has brought quality student-athletes to the Judges' program over the years, both on the track and off," Dempsey said. "We will miss him and wish him well, but we are glad that we can keep the program in the family." *
(11/26/13 5:00am)
Sexy, risqu?(c) and provocative are the three words I think of to describe Cabaret, a daring musical set in 1930s Berlin, Germany. The Brandeis Theater Company perfectly captured the seduction and tension of the musical during their production of it this weekend. Cabaret has a long performance history, dating back to its 1966 Broadway premiere in Manhattan, and is certainly an ambitious undertaking. The musical is arguably best known for actress Liza Minnelli's 1972 portrayal of Sally Bowles in the film adaptation.
(11/26/13 5:00am)
On Thursday night, friends and family crowded into Levin Ballroom for Adagio Dance Company's "Dancefest 2013: It's Your Turn." Adagio, which is run by students, is Brandeis' largest dance group and open to all who wish to participate. Students with varying levels of skill can join and the company will teach their participants and then perform different dance styles at Dancefest. The show was comprised of Adagio performances, as well as several other on-campus dance groups and a few from other schools.
(11/26/13 5:00am)
This past week, Brandeis celebrated Trans Awareness Week with a variety of events aimed at educating the student body about the needs of the transgender community, as well as the challenges it faces. The week was co-sponsored by TransBrandeis and the Intercultural Center. Trans Awareness Week is a nationally celebrated week that promotes awareness of the transgender community. According to the website of Fenway Focus, a group dedicated to serving the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community of Boston's Fenway neighborhood, Trans Awareness Week was first started by the Massachusetts Transgender Political Coalition to advocate for the transgender community. This year, the week was celebrated nationally from Nov. 11 to Nov. 17. It was recognized and celebrated at Brandeis between Nov. 18 and 24; this marks the third time Brandeis has celebrated the week. The dates differed for Brandeis, according to Sara Brande '15, the coordinator of TransBrandeis, because it was believed that having them cover an entire academic week would be a more effective way of reaching out to the community. TransBrandeis is a branch of Triskelion, Brandeis's umbrella LGBTQ group, which focuses on the transgender community at Brandeis. Brande said in an interview with the Justice that the week had seen a great showing from the community, and that the events had been "very well received." Jessica Pedrick, the program coordinator for sexual and gender diversity at the Intercultural Center, said in an interview with the Justice that the week was a strong success. "There seems to be a large interest in trans awareness on campus," she said. Pedrick said she mainly served in an advisory capacity for the week, meeting with representatives for each event to finalize details and ensure the proper resources were available and "supporting them any way they needed." On Monday, Nov. 19, the Queer Resource Center handed out cookies and informational pamphlets outside of the Usdan Student Center in an effort to promote Trans Awareness Week itself and general information about the transgender community to students. The event on Tuesday, Nov. 20 was the Trans Awareness Week Coffeehouse, which occurred in the ICC Swig Lounge. The coffeehouse received a "strong showing of support from the community," Brande said, and featured performances including a cappella groups, sketch comedy and individual acts. The ICC hosted an "Allies Brown Bag Lunch" on Wednesday in the Swig Lounge, which featured a discussion about the variations in gender identity and expression. The event was very successful, according to Pedrick, as a diverse group of individuals attended, including undergraduate and graduate students, and various staff members from the Interfaith Chaplaincy and the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life, among others. The brown bag lunch also "promoted the ICC," Brande said. "People don't always visit the ICC, and events like this help expose them to what it can offer," she added. On Thursday, the Transgender Day of Remembrance Vigil took place in the Trisk Lounge. There, the names of some of the victims of transphobic murders were read aloud in a memorial service for the 238 reported victims of the past year. Brande said that this event was particularly difficult, as the number of victims "is 238 too many." On Friday afternoon, Trans Awareness week joined the Peace Vigil at the Peace Circle for a ceremony promoting peace among all people. The final event of the week, Queer Swim, occurred on Sunday at the pool in the Joseph M. Linsey Sports Center. From 2:15 to 4:15 p.m., any person was able to use the male, female and handicapped locker rooms and pool entrances in an effort to promote gender inclusivity. "Basically, anyone [could] use whichever entrance they prefer to identify with," said Brande. "It is a great way to make the space more gender inclusive." Yesterday, a follow-up event called "Allies Topic Training: Coming Out" was held from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Swig Lounge. This discussion centered on how an individual can be a supportive ally, specifically with the challenges that follow when an individual considers whether to "come out" and disclose their sexual orientation, sexual preference or gender identity. Trans Awareness Week is not the only focus of TransBrandeis, however. A major initiative the group has focused on for two years has been implementing gender inclusive bathrooms in public buildings. "There are already gender inclusive bathrooms in many of the residence halls, which is great" said Brande. "The next step is pushing for more [gender inclusive bathrooms] in public buildings around campus." According to Brande, there are only four gender inclusive bathrooms in public spaces: one in the Intercultural Center, one in the Shapiro Campus Center and two in the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. Pedrick told the Justice that this initiative was "well under way," and that "the majority of the leg-work has been done, and now we have to compile the information into a report." She estimated that a motion would be submitted to the administration sometime during this academic year. *
(11/25/13 5:00am)
On Nov. 8, Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in Eastern Samar, Philippines, leaving 230,501 injured and a death toll of 5,235 and climbing, according to a Nov. 22 CNN report. Less than a week later on Thursday Nov. 14, a small group of students from the organization Students for a Just and Stable Future packed into a car bound for Tufts University for an emergency meeting about organizing a student fast—a fast to spread awareness about the superstorm's devastation and turn the conversation more broadly toward the urgency of the climate crisis.
(11/19/13 5:00am)
Brandeis Visions for Israel in an Evolving World held an event on Tuesday about Israel's ultra-Orthodox population, called Haredim. The event brought together about 60 students and faculty. The Haredi population is perceived by many Israeli citizens as absorbing state resources without paying proper duties to the state, including military service, participation in the labor force and proper care toward gender equality, according to program materials. Speakers during the event and students in a follow-up discussion examined the other side of this debate, considering how history led to Haredi dependence on the state, why Haredi ideology developed apart from the rest of Israel and how Haredim would be affected by changes to the legislation that currently supports them. "Even if we are afraid of [this topic], the ultra-Orthodox are our partners," said bVIEW Co-Founder and Programming Director Gil Zamir '15 in his opening remarks. Citing statistics that 700,000 of Israel's eight million citizens are Haredi and that one in four Israeli children are educated at an ultra-Orthodox institution, Zamir emphasized that they are more than just a "parasite," a term he heard them called when growing up on an Israeli kibbutz. "We believe that when thinking about Israel's future we cannot disregard this topic, even if we are afraid of it," he said. Prof. Yehudah Mirsky (NEJS), an ordained rabbi, and former Haredi Ysoscher Katz, director of a preparatory year program called Beit Midrash at the rabbinical school Yshivat Chovevei Torah, spoke at the event. Mirsky discussed the history of the Haredi population, describing how their ideology developed into ultra-orthodoxy during the 20th century. Orthodoxy, which had developed into a myriad of groups, split between "the Old Yishuv," or "the old Jewish collective," and "the New Yishuv." The rise of the Zionist movement and the world wars that vindicated the Zionist cause enabled Zionists to determine the "agenda of Jewish political life," according to Mirsky. For this reason, "the old yishuv" was "never able on its own terms to attain a great position of leadership in the Jewish world," Mirsky said. The old Jewish collective, which developed into the ultra-Orthodox community, opposed the secularization of the most profound symbols of Jewish people and established its support from the state through the status quo agreements of 1947, which established their exemption from military service and arranged for them to receive funding for their institutions, according to Mirsky. Ideological battles regarding the ultra-Orthodox in recent years, Mirsky said, have erupted in response to Israeli society becoming "remarkably secularized and sexualized." The "extraordinary bargaining power" ultra-Orthodox citizens had in the government allowed them to "negotiate almost anything," Mirsky said. Recent elections, however, have "for the first time in many years" removed Orthodox parties from the cabinet in the Israeli government, he added. Katz's perspective on Haredim provided a different insight, as he had for most of his life been Haredi himself. "There is a logic and reason to their world," he said. Modernization in Israel has led there to be only two options available to traditionalists, he said: ultra-Orthodoxy or ultra-secularism. The two groups have not yet met "core-to-core," and instead have only encountered each other "periphery-to-periphery," causing the issue to be unresolved. Regarding critiques of gender relations in ultra-Orthodox communities, Katz said that ultra-Orthodox communities were more complex than simply being "male-centric." The public face, he said, was male, but the private was dependent on women. Though his argument did not defend the system as being gender-equal, his defense of the ultra-Orthodox gender system depicted the system of dependency that appears to maintain unequal gender relations. Shani Abramowitz '14, logistics director of bVIEW, clarified bVIEW's intentions in coordinating this event in an interview with the Justice. "The point is to expose people to the other side of the narrative, because we're so quick to label and generalize, explicitly with [the Haredi] community and the discussion that surrounds it," said Abramowitz. Chen Arad '15, one of bVIEW's co-founders, described the political situation that made the issue of Haredim particularly important to discuss. "There are no Haredi parties in the government right now," he said. "So they are not there to prevent ... cutting of budgets for Haredis if they don't join the military and all kinds of legislation that currently allows a high degree of not joining the military among Haredis." *
(11/12/13 5:00am)
Former Executive Director Larry Sternberg's M.A. '78 tenure officially ended this past week, and Hillel at Brandeis' Board of Directors appointed Samuel Mendales to take over as the interim executive director for Hillel, according to a Nov. 9 email to Hillel student leaders from student president of Hillel Rachel Mayo '14. This decision comes after Sternberg announced on Oct. 18 that he would be leaving the University after over 30 years at Brandeis as a student, faculty member and staff member. Mendales wrote in an email to the Justice that he plans to start in his position as the interim executive director this week with a few "stealth" visits. Mendales said that he plans to be on campus twice a week and "as needed in the future." According to Mayo's email, more specific details of Mendales' schedule and tasks are still in development. "My major goal is to support the terrific staff and students through this transition and work with all of you to find the best possible candidate for Brandeis Hillel." Mendales explained that the new executive director will not be him, as he has a full-time job at Hillel Council. According to Mendales, he has worked with Brandeis students over the years on Hillel Council regional events and has helped to send Brandeis students on Israel programs. "I even attended services at Brandeis when I first moved to Boston before joining a synagogue," Mendales wrote. He added that he is excited to work with Brandeis students. "I feel proud and humbled that ... the Board and the [Schusterman] International Center [through Hillel] asked me to join the Brandeis community for this transitional period," wrote Mendales. Mendales has been the executive director of Hillel Council of New England since 1985, according to a biography attached to Mayo's email. Mendales transformed Hillel Council into a regional agency, which promotes advocacy and supplies regional services and programming for Hillel staff and students, as well fiscal management for the larger Hillels in the Greater Boston area, according to the biography. Mendales is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences at Case Western Reserve University and the School of Jewish Communal Service at Hebrew Union College, according to the biography. Mendales is a board member of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston, a member of the Combined Jewish Philanthropy's Board of Governors, a founding board member of the Jewish Organizers Initiative, a member of Temple Isaiah in Lexington, Mass. and a member of the Bedford Center for The Arts. Mayo declined to comment on Mendales' appointment. -Marissa Ditkowsky
(11/05/13 5:00am)
On Friday, approximately 50 students joined Namaskar, Brandeis' Association for Hindu, Jain and Sikh students, to celebrate the festival of Diwali in Ridgewood A Commons. Those in attendance included members of Namaskar, students and other members of the Brandeis community. Diwali is a major holiday celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs around the world. Translated as "row of lamps" in Hindi, Diwali holds a different significance for each religion observing, according to an email sent to the Brandeis Community by the Interfaith Chaplaincy. Sikhs celebrate Diwali on the anniversary of the day the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind ji was freed from imprisonment. For Jains, Diwali marks the Nirvana, or spiritual awakening, of Mahavira, a major spiritual leader. In the Hindu tradition, Diwali represents the return of Ram, a form of the god Vishnu, after he defeats the demon Ravana, who had kidnapped his wife. More broadly, Hindus celebrate Diwali as a triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. At Brandeis, Namaskar celebrated Diwali with food and festivity. Ridgewood A Commons was decorated with strings of lights and fabric artfully draped over the walls. A small shrine with candles and photos of various religious figures from the different traditions was prominently displayed in the center of the room. Before dinner, there were two different crafts offered. The first was a station where students and community members could decorate white paper with patterns made of glue and rice. Students drew on the paper with glue and then sprinkled colored rice over the top. The other craft option was lamp decorating. Lighting lamps is a significant part of Diwali and everyone was invited to paint on simple clay lamp holders. Some designs were simple with dots and stripes but other lamps had intricate drawings of plants or flames. The Indian dinner was one of the highlights of the evening. According to Shruti Vaidyanathan '16, the Namaskar public relations coordinator, the dishes served were aloo sabzi, a spicy potato dish, and paneer makhani, a buttery dish with chunks of Indian cheese, rice, mango juice and naan, Indian flatbread. For dessert, students could choose from an array of options including gulab jamun, a sweet dumpling, peda, a sweet made out of milk, sugar and flavorings like cardamom, and jaggery, a brightly colored hard sugar treat. During dinner, coordinator of the Interfaith Chaplaincy and the University's Catholic Chaplain Rev. Walter Cuenin said a few words on behalf of the Interfaith Chaplaincy and formally introduced the University's new Hindu adviser, Vaishali Gupta. Cuenin told the group that "almost all religions have a sense of light in a world of darkness." This marked the first year that Brandeis has had a spiritual adviser for the Hindu, Jain and Sikh community. In years past, students ran the prayers and explained the holidays themselves. When discussing Diwali, Gupta expanded upon the theme of openness to many faiths and cultures when she spoke about Diwali. She said that regardless of faith, everyone has "inner spiritual light." Following the delicious dinner, members of Namaskar and Gupta led the group in two rounds of prayers, or aarti. The first was a traditional Jain prayer done in honor of Mahavira, while the second was a Hindu aarti. During the prayers, Hindu, Jain and Sikh members of the community approached the altar and partook in traditional ceremonies with candles. Every student who so desired was blessed by Gupta. To end the spiritual occasion, Namaskar President Sharada Sanduga '14 invited all the guests to light ceremonial lamps that symbolized the triumph of light over darkness. It was a fitting end to a beautiful ceremony. *
(11/05/13 5:00am)
In the midst of all the new, modernist music that tends to be played at Brandeis, sometimes it's nice to revisit the musical classics and remember why they have remained so influential and popular for centuries. Saturday night's concert, as part of the Marquee Series in Slosberg Music Center, featuring works by Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, gave the Brandeis community an opportunity to appreciate the genius of these composers and the absolute beauty of their pieces that have shaped music history.
(11/05/13 5:00am)
Friday's matchup against No. 1 Washington University in St. Louis represented an opportunity for the women's soccer team to test itself against the top team in the nation. While the squad was able to keep the Bears scoreless for 40 minutes, the visitors ultimately scored just before half-time to go up 1-0, before notching two further goals after the break en route to a 3-0 win. Later in the weekend, the Judges tied the University of Chicago on Sunday in a dramatic 1-1 game. The team is now winless in six straight games, with only two goals scored over that span and with contention for a spot in postseason tournaments all but over. As a result, the loss and subsequent tie push the Judges' season record to 9-6-2 overall and a 1-3-2 record in UAA play. Sunday's game still yielded some positive results, though, in framing the future of this team. The lack of offense may be attributed to the season-ending injuries of team-leading forward and co-captains, forward Dara Spital '15 and midfielder Mary Shimko '14. However, the injuries opened up opportunities for a slew of first-years to start and they made sure to capitalize on the opportunity. The group is led by defender Julia McDermott '17, who made her second appearance of the season on Sunday and registered an effort in overtime that flew just over the Chicago crossbar. She is joined by forward Cidney Moscovitch '17 and midfielder Jessica Morana '17, who also received significant playing time in the Judges' match against the visiting Maroons. Though it can be tough for a new player to step into a pressure environment, right-back Emma Eddy '15 was impressed with the performance of these three players. "I thought they were awesome," she said of the trio who saw significant action in Sunday's close matchup. "They've been playing this whole season and we've got a lot of new [first-years] that will help the team a lot." Sunday's game ended up being a very tightly fought defensive battle. Most of the play took place around the middle of the field, with chances coming few and far between for both teams in the first half, which ended in a scoreless draw. The second half was a different story, however. After the break, Chicago opened the scoring, capitalizing off a rare defensive lapse from an otherwise strong Judges defense. Chicago senior midfielder Micaela Harms rang a shot off the crossbar in the 59th minute, which bounced straight down into the goal box. Though it appeared initially that the Judges had been given a let-off, they were ultimately made to pay. Chicago junior midfielder Sara Kwan was the first to react to the shot, putting the ball into the net to give the Maroons a 1-0 lead. Incidentally, it was also a misplay by the Chicago defense that allowed the Judges to score the equalizer less than 10 minutes after conceding the opening goal. A botched Maroons goal kick came straight to forward Sapir Edalati '15. Edalati showed quick reflexes, as she had the presence of mind to head the ball down to fellow forward Melissa Darling '16, who took a touch before slamming a hard, low shot behind Chicago junior goalkeeper Jacinda Reid to tie the game. Despite the fact that the team was unable to achieve the victory that it sought, Eddy was ultimately able to draw on some positives that came from the tie. "[Offensively] we did better than we have the last couple of games. We got a lot more going and we're starting to figure out our new formation a lot better," she said. Sunday's game, though, was an improvement in all areas from Friday's defeat against WashU. In an initially tight game, WashU broke away with two late goals within 68 seconds -just before the 80th minute -to take a 3-0 victory. The Judges were not able to capitalize on early free kicks, as WashU sophomore goalkeeper Amy French stopped shots from Morana and forward Sara Isaacson '16. Midfielder Corinne Bortniker '15 was sent on net in the 81st minute but could not put the ball past French, who notched the Bears' 12th shutout of the season. While the scoring woes were at least temporarily mitigated in Sunday's game, Friday was a real embodiment of the frustration and adversity that the women are currently facing in light of injuries to key players. The result was ultimately not the one that the team wanted, especially given its winless run. However, despite the number of injuries, the women played a tight defensive game against the top-ranked Division III squad in the country. The team returns to action next Saturday at home in their regular season finale, against UAA opponent New York University at 2:30 p.m.
(11/05/13 5:00am)
The University's Office of Admissions will see major organizational changes immediately, including a redistribution of responsibilities, new hires and the promotion of Jennifer Walker, the office's current director, to executive director. Walker will head the office while some of the office's responsibilities have been delegated to other departments, according to an email from Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel to the division of Students and Enrollment Monday evening. "There are many, many other administrative tasks that this office handles. ... Those things take quite a lot of time and effort to be done well," said Walker in an interview with the Justice. The Office of Student Activities will now help organize "major" on-campus events held by Admissions, such as the two preview days and Admitted Students Day in the spring, and the Hiatt Career Center will aid in "managing and recruiting alumni and parent volunteers." According to the email sent by Flagel, these changes will allow Admissions to focus on expanding recruitment efforts. "We want folks to maximize time on the road," said Flagel in an interview with the Justice. According to the press release, Admissions has increased recruitment travel and is aiming to conduct almost twice as many high school visits and college fair appearances. According to Walker, a staff member from Student Activities will be designated as a "point person" to manage the shared responsibilities between Admissions and Student Activities. Meanwhile, Admissions and the Hiatt Career Center are currently working together to hire a new parent and volunteer coordinator. Walker is also leading the hiring processes for both a senior associate director, which will replace Walker's former position of director, and a multi-cultural and transfer recruitment director, an existing position that is currently unfilled. Walker said that in her new position, she would be "leading the new vision" of the office. "A lot of the day-to-day big projects that I run will largely stay the same," said Walker. Until this past May, the office operated under former Dean of Admissions Mark Spencer, who left to become the director of college advising at Deerfield Academy, a four-year college preparatory school. When asked how Walker's responsibilities as executive director will compare to Spencer's as dean, Flagel responded, "I think that for Brandeis at the size institution we are and the set of goals that we're managing, [Walker's] set of expertise in being executive director is a great match for what we're trying to accomplish." According to Flagel's email, Walker joined the University in 2007 as the associate director of Admissions, later rising to senior associate and then director. Before coming to Brandeis, she worked in the information technology department at Sarah Lawrence College and later moved to Regis College to serve as a special assistant to the vice president for enrollment. "I think [Walker] had a great deal of leadership within the office already and I'm very glad that she'll be able to take on this role," Flagel said. "I'm really looking forward to my new role," said Walker. "I have a fantastic team here in Admissions that does really, really great work. I'm excited to continue in a leadership role here in the admissions office." -Tate Herbert contributed reporting.
(11/05/13 5:00am)
The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation recently gave a $5.25 million gift to the University to fund an endowed chair and strengthen the programming of the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education, according to a Nov. 4 BrandeisNOW article. The donation was first announced at a ceremony formally dedicating the Barbara Mandel Auditorium in the Mandel Center for the Humanities on Wednesday, according to BrandeisNOW. Prof. Jon Levisohn (NEJS), the associate academic director of the Center, commented on the donation in an email to the Justice. "We are enormously grateful that the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation has decided to deepen its partnership with the University and with the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education by creating this new chair, the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Professorship in Jewish Educational Research," he wrote. In an email to the Justice, Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement Nancy Winship wrote that three million dollars of the $5.25 million donation funds the new endowed chair. The remaining $2.25 million will support the Center. The new endowed chair is called the Jack, Joseph, and Morton Mandel Professorship in Jewish Education Research, according to BrandeisNOW. Levisohn wrote in an email to the Justice that "Dean [of Arts and Sciences Susan] Birren will be organizing and empowering a search for a new faculty member to fill this new chair in the very near future, with the expectation that the person will join the faculty next fall." Levisohn also mentioned that his faculty position has been named for the Mandel brothers. "My faculty position, which has been supported by the Foundation, will now be named the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Professorship in Jewish Educational Thought," wrote Levisohn. Winship indicated that Levisohn's appointment to the chair is a "direct result" of the donation. Winship explained in an email to the Justice that the donation was made as a pledge to be paid over time. "The chair portion of the pledge is payable over two years," she wrote. "[T]he remainder is part of the foundation's ongoing support of the [C]enter it founded in 2002." The Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education was established in 2002, according to Winship. Prof. Sharon Feiman-Nemser (NEJS) serves as the director of the Center as well as the Mandel Professor of Jewish Education. Levisohn is the Center's other faculty member. In his email to the Justice, Levisohn affirmed the mission of the Center, writing that "[w]e take our scholarship seriously and we believe that we have a responsibility to use our scholarship and our public intellectual activities to contribute to a flourishing Jewish future." The Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel Foundation has made large donations to the University in the past, most notably the $22.5 million donation to construct the Mandel Center for the Humanities. Prof. Jehuda Reinharz (NEJS), president emeritus of the University, is the current president of the Mandel Foundation. Furthermore, Barbara Mandel, the treasurer of the University's Board of Trustees, is the wife of Morton Mandel, one of the namesakes of the Mandel Foundation. *
(10/29/13 4:00am)
Spanning from Thursday to Sunday, film enthusiasts flocked to Boston to view a unique and engaging program of cinematic opportunities-the fifth annual Boston Asian American Film Festival. Screenings were staggered between the Brattle Theater and the Paramount Center in Boston's theater district, and featured numerous appearances from the films' directors, actors and producers. Even the famous Ang Lee, whose film Wedding Banquet opened the festival on Thursday, was in attendance. The BAAFF is a very interactive and culturally valuable event because, unlike some of the larger festivals, it features independent films that were created by and starred in by Asian-Americans, rather than mainstream projects. The Asian community is largely underrepresented in the independent film genre, which, although its generic classification makes the implicit claim of abstaining from mainstream or normative film conventions, exhibits an embarrassingly low profile of racial and ethnic diversity. When Asian actors are given parts in indie films, they are often typecast according to racial stereotypes-the kid who does karate, the over-sexualized geisha-like seductress or the older familial figure of wisdom. When Asian directors and producers make films that portray their cultural heritage the way that they experience it-as normal, everyday life-they must fight for a market or venue through which to show their projects. The BAAFF provides a platform for the younger generation of filmmakers and actors whose work is creating a newer, more cohesive space for their community in the larger film community. With a lineup of nine feature-length films showing over the four-day-long festival, as well as three screenings of different collections of short films, viewers experienced a variety of genres and styles under the indie umbrella. On Saturday night, I attended the festival's New England premiere screening of the 2013 film Someone I Used to Know, an independent coming-of-age film. The film's director, Nadine Truong, and its producer, Brian Yang, were in attendance at the screening, and stayed afterward for a question-and-answer session with the audience, led by the festival's staff. Someone I Used to Know begins with a shocking and disturbing image: its protagonist, Charlie, a 30-something teacher who is experiencing a period of personal and professional desperation as he is left by his girlfriend and quit his job, tries to kill himself. One of the first visual impressions made by the film is a series of close-up shots of Charlie's wrist, sliced by a razor blade by unflinching fingers, with emotional numbness and precision. Dressed in a full suit, he sinks slowly into the bathtub of a stark white bathroom. Suddenly a high-pitched meow from his cat, Hemingway, stirs him from his complacency, and he quickly leaps from the tub, hurrying to bandage his wrist as he clutches a novel by Hemingway. Charlie takes a much-needed road trip to connect with his high school friends, Luke, who is now a famous actor, and DJ, whose character is drunk for most of the film. Through spending a night with the people who used to know him best-drinking, accidentally being joined by a group of two gorgeous young women and their male friend, and all together tripping on hallucinogenic mushrooms-Charlie comes to his senses. He remembers the things that make him value his own life. Overall, the film was compelling, engaging, visually dynamic and thematically significant, and all produced on a very low budget. After the film ended and the lights came on, Truong and Yang spoke at length about what the film, Truong's first feature-length project and Yang's first producing endeavor, means to them. "It's about collaboration. A film is definitely a team effort," Truong began."We get to make art, and it's a privilege." Yang continued, "Even though we shot this thing a couple years ago, we're still working on it. A film never really leaves you." The pair was not discouraged by the challenges facing Asian American indie filmmakers today, but rather relished the opportunity to educate their audiences. Truong said: "We're still very under-represented. We're still figuring out a lot of stereotypes. But it is getting better... It's festivals like these that help that process along." Someone I Used to Know, she said, "is so Asian-American specific, but if you look at the content of the film, it's just about people." *
(10/29/13 4:00am)
On Monday, Oct. 21, New Jersey joined the other 14 states and the District of Columbia in recognizing legal, economic and social equality for same-sex couples by legalizing same-sex marriage. However, 14 states are not enough. Currently, 38 states legally define marriage as the union between a man and a woman, discriminating against the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community. Although the United States government does formally recognize marriage as the union of two consenting citizens, states are not required to recognize same-sex unions from other jurisdictions, which is a potential violation of Article IV of the United States Constitution. However, I am optimistic about the future of marriage equality in the United States. A poll conducted by The Washington Post and ABC News in March found that 58 percent of respondents support marriage equality. The same poll found that nearly a third of those who currently support marriage equality used to oppose it but had since changed their minds. Sixty five percent of younger voters, defined as those under the age of 30, support marriage equality-and that number is only growing. There are several states that are seemingly on the cusp of guaranteeing marriage equality to all their citizens. Legislation is currently making its way through the state house in Illinois, where Governor Pat Quinn has stated he will sign the bill. In Pennsylvania, groups of same-sex couples have sued for marriage equality and Attorney General Kathleen Kane has openly stated she will not defend the state's ban. But by far the most promising state, and the most interesting state, for marriage equality is New Mexico. New Mexico is the only state in the country to not have a specific statute regarding the legality of same-sex marriage. As a result of the lack of clarity, clerks on the county can determine if they give marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Currently, eight counties, representing nearly 60 percent of the New Mexico population, give out marriage licenses to same-sex couples. In addition, two cases, on opposing sides of the issue, are working through the state's court systems. One case, brought forth by Republican officials, would block clerks from giving same-sex couples marriage licenses. The other, more traditional case has been brought by a group of same-sex couples in the wake of the Supreme Court's Defense of Marraige Act ruling. Governor Susana Martinez, a Republican up for a tough re-election bid in 2014, has not stated her position on the issue. But, like the other states to recognize marriage equality, New Mexico is a more liberal state. These more progressive states will surely legalize same-sex marriage on their own volition. Other more conservative states will not. There are those who say same-sex marriage should be a state issue, and I vehemently disagree. All one has to do is look back to the American South before the Brown v. Board of Education decision or the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to see how some states choose to handle civil rights issues. While I'm not saying that the issue of marriage equality and civil rights are the same, there are certainly parallels. I do think it is troubling at best to assume that every single state, especially ones with a history of discriminating against certain minority groups, will willingly allow same-sex couples the same rights as straight couples. Not to name names or point fingers, but much of the South has not had a good record on civil rights issues, be it for racial or sexual minorities. Simply put, marriage is a civil rights issue, and history has shown that states cannot always be trusted to give civil rights to minority citizens. It is all well and good to say you support same-sex marriage being a state issue, as opposed to a federal mandate, but unless you support it at the national level, you are still advocating that states should have the opportunity to discriminate against those who are LGBTQ. This is where the problem lies. There's nothing wrong with states like California, New York, Vermont or Minnesota legalizing same-sex marriage; in fact, it is what's right. But what about couples who do not live in these states, who have jobs and homes and families in states that clearly are not going to legalize same-sex marriage? Or members of the armed forces, who may be in long-term relationships but cannot marry because of where they are stationed. Obviously, marriage equality is not the only issue facing the LGBTQ community, nor is it the most pressing issue. Look no further than violence and bullying, the high rates of homeless LGBTQ youth and legal discrimination against the trans communities in many states such as Texas, Illinois and Florida. However, marriage is an institution in the United States. Some say it is religious, others say it is historical or cultural-but I personally believe it goes beyond that. At its core, marriage is a declaration of love, of not imagining being with anyone else. Nobody should get different tax benefits, visitation or adoption and custody laws just because of who they love. It is not enough to watch liberal states legalize same-sex marriage while conservative states only make it harder for certain citizens. If we as a country truly value equality, and 58 percent of the country does, we should legalize same-sex marriage on a national level and give same-sex couples the same protections that any straight couple deeply in love enough to get married receive.
(10/29/13 4:00am)
Senior Vice President for Administration Mark Collins will leave Brandeis effective at the end of this calendar year, according to an email announcement sent to the Brandeis community on Friday by Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Steven Manos. While neither Manos' email nor Collins cited a specific reason for the departure, Collins did express his gratitude to the University. "I've heard from a lot of people since Friday, and I'm just incredibly humbled by what I've heard from people in email and in person," said Collins in an interview with the Justice. "It's been a great run for 27 years here. And I just thoroughly enjoyed it and I'm very much optimistic about the future." According to Manos' email, Collins "has chosen to take advantage of other professional opportunities" after his term at Brandeis comes to a close. "At present I'm just exploring options," said Collins, when asked about these opportunities. "I'm actually ... going to go to Florida in January for a month or two and spend some time thinking about what I may want to do in the future." Collins joined Brandeis in 1987 as purchasing manager, according to Manos' email, and rose through the ranks, gradually taking on more responsibility in the facilities and campus operations areas. He was promoted to senior vice president in 2010. "Mark [Collins] has been a tireless advocate for making Brandeis a more attractive campus and for modernizing our facilities," wrote Manos of Collins' work. "His number one goal was to contribute to making Brandeis a safe and comfortable environment for our ... community of faculty, students, staff, neighbors, and visitors," Manos continued. Other administrators also spoke about Collins' time at the University and his dedication. "The Brandeis campus owes a great deal to Mark's stewardship and strong relationships across all segments of our community," the email continued, quoting University President Frederick Lawrence. "He has been responsible for providing the most essential and often least appreciated services to the campus and we are grateful for all that he has done." There will be a reception in Collins' honor during the week of Dec. 2, according to the email. An announcement will be made with more specific details in the coming weeks. At the Student Union Senate's regular Sunday meeting, Student Union Vice President Charlotte Franco '15 urged senators to attend the recetion. "I hope that we can all conjure up support to have as many students go and show support for Mark Collins, because he really has been a really big advocate for the student body during his tenure here," she said.
(10/29/13 4:00am)
Prof. Jacob Cohen (AMST) is a man of many names. His legal birth name is "Jerome," but his students call him "Jerry." Arriving on campus only a little over a decade after the University's founders in 1960, Cohen is a trove of insights on the history he teaches but has also lived. In 1960, Cohen arrived on campus to interview for a faculty position in the history department. Before joining the Brandeis faculty, Cohen taught at Yale University. Some questioned his decision to leave a school with such a storied academic reputation for a one that was still in its infancy. Yet for him, Brandeis was a natural choice. "My reasons for coming you could put on a Hallmark greeting card," Cohen said. "My family-a Jewish family-a Zionist family, revered the name of Louis Brandeis. It was an absolutely natural fit." Unlike the hiring process today, Cohen met with faculty members across all departments before he was offered a teaching position. "Every major campus intellectual came to speak with me. Everyone was interested in whom the University was hiring and who fit in with the intellectual community ... My heart was pounding, I was thrilled," he said. Cohen says that his teaching style hasn't changed one bit in all the years he's taught. Although he often teaches lecture classes with around 100 students enrolled, he still reads, grades and writes lengthy comments on every paper by himself, a practice he reported is "really stupid and not very bright in terms of my time, as people tell me." Although Cohen is on leave this semester, you may still see him around campus completing various tasks for a book he is writing entitled Inner-Most Part: Brandeis University and the Jewish Question. It will blend historical analysis and personal memoir in an exploration of Judaism and Brandeis as it attempts to understand what it means to be a "Jewish-sponsored" university. Cohen's book will address Brandeis' complicated relationship with its Jewish roots, specifically the identity crisis the University underwent in the 1980s. "There was a conspicuous effort to un-Jew the place," Cohen said. SAT scores were dropping and the administration felt pressure to diversify, a goal they slowly achieved since then, with over 50 percent of the population now being non-Jewish. This is not the first time Cohen has excused himself from teaching in pursuit of other ambitions. In 1963, only three years after he began his career at Brandeis, he left the University for what he considered a permanent separation at the time in order to, as he described it, save the world. "It didn't work," Cohen said. He had left academia to work with a civil rights organization called the Congress On Racial Equality,where he worked closely with the national director of the organization and edited its magazine. Cohen joined CORE when the organization was very much centered on themes of equality and the notion that race doesn't matter, as expressed in Dr. Martin Luther King's famous speech, in which he stated "I look to a day where people will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." But while Cohen was working there, the organization turned an ideological corner. "CORE underwent a dramatic change from the ideology of black and white integration to black separatism ... and black self-assertion." In 1965, he left the organization. "I wasn't supposed to be there," Cohen said. Before Cohen returned to the University in 1968 as a faculty member of the newly formed American Studies department, he spearheaded an initiative called Upward Bound, which worked to get disadvantaged youth into college. When Cohen did return, he would do similar work as a creator and founding director of the Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program in April of 1968. Cohen got right back in the groove of what he likes doing: teaching. "Asking me which is my favorite course is like asking me which is my favorite kid and you know I'm not telling you and I'm not telling them," Cohen said. "But of course I love them all equally," he added. As early as 1971, Cohen began to teach a course about the 1960s, reported one year in the course guide as one of the best classes at Brandeis, and which addressed topics such as the civil rights movement and student radicalism on college campuses. Cohen will introduce a new course for the coming spring semester called "Digital Media and American Culture," a topic Cohen says his students "know a tremendous [amount] about. Not so much how to think about it, but they really know what it means to be in that world." Other courses Cohen teaches include "Sports in American Culture", one on the future as it is depicted in American literature and a popular course on conspiracy theories. In fact, Cohen is a major enthusiast of conspiracies and one of the world's foremost scholars on conspiracies around the John F. Kennedy assassination. Aside from his career at Brandeis, Cohen is a singer and has performed at various venues, including Carnegie Hall in 1995. He is also telepathic, or at least some people think so. He remarks fondly that he still gets a phone call from time to time from a student addressing him as "wizard," another one of his many names. "Hello wizard!" they say and then, as if by magic, Cohen declares the exact playing card in the student's hand for the amusement of everyone on the other side of the call. Cohen explained that this harmless game serves as a teaching moment between himself and his former students well after they have graduated. The trick is a mundane example of conspiracy theories. "Only we know the truth, and we both need to know in order for the lie to be effective," Cohen said.
(10/28/13 4:00am)
On Oct. 18, Prof. Emeritus Eugene C. Black (HIST) died at the age of 85, according to an Oct. 22 BrandeisNOW article. Black joined Brandeis's history department in 1958 and remained a member of the faculty until 2006. Black's expertise centered around modern history, primarily that of western and eastern Europe, according to Brandeis' faculty guide. He received several awards and honors for his work, and wrote extensively on European history, with 14 works published between 1963 and 2003, when he published his last scholarly article, titled "The Diplomacy of Minority Rights 1918-1930." A Boston native, Black attended the College of William and Mary, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts before joining the U.S. Air Force. Black served in the Korean War as a pilot before returning to Massachusetts to enroll at Harvard University, where he received his Master of Arts and Ph.D., according to BrandeisNOW. After graduating in 1958, Black came to Brandeis to become an instructor in the History department, where his presence inspired the creation of two internships in his name, according to BrandeisNOW. The E.C. Black Prizes offer students majoring or minoring in History a stipend of up to $1000 for historical research. Colleague Prof. Gregory Freeze (HIST) described Black in an email to the Justice as having played a "key role in building the History Department," helping to "recruit first-rate faculty and build a department with a strong national reputation." A dedicated teacher, Black was "very popular and engaged," according to Freeze, "with substantial enrollments in demanding classes." John Petrowsky '73, a former student of Black's, emphasized Black's consideration, caring and dedication as a professor in an email to the Justice. Petrowsky recalled to the Justice a personal story, telling of how Black met with him personally each week to help him with writing. "Professor Black continued to help me on a weekly basis even during a sabbatical year, a year when he experienced a terrible personal tragedy. He was the single faculty member who took me aside and said, 'You're smart. You're not fully literate. Let's see what we can do.' And he helped me to do it." Deborah Valenze Ph.D. '82, a professor of history at Barnard College and another of Black's former students said she feels that she owes Black for his influence on her journey to becoming an historian. "He demonstrated a bold, comparative approach to history," she said in an email to the Justice. "He was a strong mentor who always emphasized that teaching was a calling as important as scholarship." According to BrandeisNOW, Black served as the chairman of both the graduate program in Comparative History and the History department several times. Dedicated to Brandeis and history, Black directed Ph.D. dissertations even after his retirement, working up until last year. A funeral service was held in Brookline, Mass. on Oct. 23, according to BrandeisNOW.
