(12/03/12 5:00am)
Three years ago they traveled the world-Claire Cooper '11 spent her junior year abroad in Morocco, while Anna Khandros '11 studied in Lebanon and spent her spring break traveling through Oman. Two years ago, they were back together, living in the Foster Mods for their senior year. After graduating, the two returned to their globe-trotting ways, this time reversing roles-Cooper is a Fulbright Scholar teaching English in Oman, while Khandros works for the Peace Corps in Morocco. "I came to Morocco knowing largely only what Claire had taught me," Khandros said. "When she received her invitation to go to Oman, everything she knew about Oman came from what I had told her because I had been there on spring break. I told her it was the most beautiful place and she had to go," Khandros said. Khandros is now eight months into the 27-month program, and Cooper fell in love with Oman and chose to stay for a second year. The two friends have come a long way from their days living together in Mod 10. Khandros' journey got off to a rough start-the day after graduating, she found out that her departure date had been pushed back from September 2011 to early 2012. Morocco had always been her first choice, but budget cuts meant that she was changed to an assignment in Kazakhstan. "It was definitely hard," Khandros said. "They tell you not to quit your job because you never know what will happen, but it was ... definitely hard finding out that I wouldn't be doing what I wanted to be doing. It made me question my reasons for wanting to go in the first place." Khandros stuck with it, and her patience was soon rewarded-the Peace Corps chose to begin phasing volunteers out of Kazakhstan, and Khandros was reassigned to Morocco. Khandros, who majored in Politics, joined nearly 120 other volunteers in the capital city of Rabat in March for training and arrived at her final site, Bou Anane, in May. Khandros, a Brooklyn, N.Y. native now finds herself three hours from the nearest city, six hours from the nearest supermarket and more than an hour away from the nearest Peace Corps volunteer. "The region is one of the poorest, so the volunteers are more spread out," she explained. Working through associations and local community centers, Khandros has set up several after-school workshops for local youth. She teaches everything from aerobics to clubs centered on health and the environment, but she says her focus has been on leadership and employability for the young adults. "Right now there are clubs seven days a week, and it's way harder than I thought it would be," Khandros said. "Two years ago we used to both go out at night, and now I spend it teaching and reading," Khandros said. Cooper had an easier go of it, leaving for Oman as planned in September 2011. Cooper, who majored in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies, spent 10 months teaching English at Caledonian College of Engineering in Muscat and fell in love with the country. "It's such a peaceful place," she explained. "Everyone is extremely kind and helpful. It's absolutely gorgeous." Cooper loved her time there so much that she decided to spend another year on the Arabian Peninsula. After completing her program and returning home for the summer, Cooper took a job as a programming coordinator at the Center for International Learning in Muscat. Cooper does a variety of jobs for the CIL, including planning trips and guest lectures for study abroad students. Cooper is in Oman at a unique time-with the Arab Spring and social unrest spreading across the Middle East, the atmosphere in the country can be nerve-wracking at times. "There's a lot of tension in this society," she said. "People are trying to figure out how much of globalization they want to accept and how they should maintain their cultural identity." Cooper said that it is an exciting time to be there because "Oman is a really unique development story. It was underdeveloped for a long time, but the Sultan took over in 1970 and changed it all." Both Khandros and Cooper credited their time at Brandeis with helping to prepare them for their journeys. "I got a very strong academic understanding of the Middle East and Islamic influences," Cooper said. "My life experience here [in Oman,] I can experience it through the lens of these academic concepts that I learned at Brandeis. We always talk about the 'Brandeis bubble,' but I learned to talk to people with a wide range of geographic and socioeconomic backgrounds, and with a wide range of ideas." Khandros agreed, adding that talks with Cooper helped her realize that she wanted to travel after graduating. "I used to crawl into Claire's bed and we would talk every Saturday and Sunday morning," she said. "We always had a lot of similar goals and interests. We didn't know what we wanted to do with our lives, but we both wanted to explore the world." Having not seen each other in nearly a year, Khandros and Cooper decided to meet up over winter break. The duo will fly to Thailand in a few weeks along with Helen Shapiro '11, who also lived in their Mod and now lives in Cambridge, Mass. They will spend several weeks traveling the Southeast Asian country, and plan to spend New Year's Eve together. "It'll be a Mod 10 reunion," Khandros said. "I keep wondering if this is what our lives will be like-meeting up with each other in different places all over the world." *
(11/20/12 5:00am)
In an email to the student body on Friday, Provost Steve Goldstein '78 and Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan Birren announced that Brandeis will join an online consortium in fall 2013. While this board understands the benefits that online learning could bring to our University, we are hesitant about how this technology could best be used to suit the student's needs. Dean Birren explained that in fall 2013 a student who is off campus for the semester would be able to take a full four classes of credit. However, students who are absent from campus for an entire semester due to illness or internship opportunities likely will lack the time to take an entire semester of courses. It would be more practical for students to be able to take fewer than four courses while away from campus. Signing up for fewer than four courses may have an additional advantage. If a student majoring in Psychology, for example, is interested in a particular facet of the subject for which Brandeis does not offer a class, he or she could take the class from one of the nine other schools in our online consortium if one of the schools happened to offer it. This would allow students to further explore their fields of study with specific classes that Brandeis might lack. Furthermore, a student studying abroad would be able to take one or two classes that would go toward his or her major or minor, off-setting the time crunch that some who study abroad feel when trying to finish their requirements. Additionally, online classes should only be a supplement to in-person classes. Brandeis prides itself on its small class sizes and opportunities to interact with professors. We believe that the growth into the field of online learning could undercut this image. Students should be limited in the number of online courses they can take and the amount of University requirements they can satisfy. The convenience of online courses should not replace the importance of face-to-face interactions with professors. As this Semester Online will not be put into place until fall 2013, we hope that the administration will consider making some changes to its plan to make this new endeavor most useful for students.
(11/20/12 5:00am)
Earlier this week, Brandeis began the first steps toward an experimental new frontier in technology-aided education by announcing that the University has joined a consortium of schools in a program called "Semester Online." Starting next fall, students will be able to take a semester of classes online if they are abroad, doing an internship, staying at home or for whatever reason not able to be on campus.
(11/20/12 5:00am)
In the small village of Bil'in in the West Bank, a demonstration against the barrier separating the West Bank from Israel occurs every Friday. The head of Bil'in's Popular Committee and one of the leaders of the village's nonviolent resistance movement, Iyad Burnat, spoke on Wednesday at an event sponsored by Brandeis Students for Justice in Palestine.
(11/13/12 5:00am)
* JustArts spoke with Josh Seiden '13, a seasoned member of campus improv group Bad Grammer, about his time performing improv at Brandeis, his advice for first-year students interested in improv and his goals for the Bad Grammer troupe.
* JustArts: What got you originally involved in improv comedy on campus? Josh Seiden: I think the thing that got me first involved with improv comedy is that when I first got here, my friend David Fisch '13 said we should both try out for improv comedy. I didn't really know any of the improv groups, so first I tried out for Boris' Kitchen which I thought was an improv group and I ultimately didn't get in, and David said, "Well, there are other things you can try out for." So I was like, "Okay, well I'll try out for some other things," and I tried out for Bad Grammer kind of arbitrarily because I thought it was Brandeis' only improv group. Turns out it wasn't; there are three other very good improv groups, but that's how I got involved. I liked comedy in high school and wanted to get involved in college. It was sort of the luck of the draw that I got involved with Bad Grammer. JA: What kind of experience has being a part of Bad Grammer been for you? JS: I would say it's probably the best thing I do at Brandeis. I've met all of my best friends there. Every single time I talk about Brandeis University, Bad Grammer is the first thing I bring up. I can honestly say, not to sound clich?(c) because I hate talking like this, but I've never been in something where I've felt closer to the people and felt more like a family and I've never cared about a group more than I care about the improv group. It's been a really incredible thing; it's meant a tremendous amount to me. JA: What plans does Bad Grammer have for this coming year? JS: Oh God, what plans don't we have? Well, we have a show today, we have a senior end-of-semester show at the end of the semester, which we have yet to plan, but stay tuned. It'll be on deck. We're going to have an alumni show at the end of the year, and we're going to have a special mystery show next semester. JA: What kind of advice would you give to a first-year student who is interested in getting involved with improvisational comedy on campus? JS: The first thing I would say is definitely try out. I mean, almost none of us had improv experience when we tried out for our improv group. You sort of learn on the fly. The second thing is everyone who does improv at this school is extremely nice and extremely friendly and they love when people have questions and love when people get involved, so find the group that you like best and send them an email. I'm sure they have open practices. I'm sure they'll let you practice and give you some good advice. So don't be afraid to ask and follow any of your goals that you want to acheive. JA: Do you plan to pursue improv comedy in any fashion after graduating? JS: I think I might, in some form, but not in a career. There's no improv comedy track, but I hope next year, wherever I end up, I can take improv classes and hopefully join an improv team. JA: Lastly, what is your favorite character to play in sketches? JS: I don't really have any characters that I like that much. One character that I like a lot was Silent Jim, but I think you should put in the article that there's a bunch of other characters that I do not play but I love as characters. One is named Congo. It's a gorilla. It's played by Tom Phan ['14]. Ryan Fanning '12, who graduated two years ago, had a bunch of characters I loved. Scat Man and Coach. There were a lot of good characters. There's one character I like by Josh Liversidge ['15]. He's in Bad Grammer currently. One good thing in improv is that you're not bound by the characters. You can reinvent them all the time and that's something I've always loved doing. JA: How do you hope Bad Grammer can grow and develop in the next couple of years? JS: We're already very good friends, but I hope we can stay very good friends and become even closer. I hope everyone embraces their inner craziness and lets it fly a little bit more. And I think that by spending more time together, we'll get closer and closer and more cohesive as a group. JA: And do you have any thoughts on how you'll be involved as an alumnus? JS: We have our alumni show so I hope to come back to that. And everyone in Bad Grammer, even though they're alums, they still talk to each other all the time and see how each other is doing. -Phil Gallagher
(11/13/12 5:00am)
Prof. Gregory Petsko (BCHM), will be moving his research lab to New York City to join his wife, the dean of Weill Cornell Medical College, in early 2014. His wife, Laurie H. Glimcher, was appointed dean of the medical school in January and has been living in New York since then. "I don't have a choice," said Petsko in an interview with the Justice, explaining that Glimcher's appointment was expected to be relatively long-term, "I've made 70 trips to New York City since January, and that's not an exaggerated number." He went on to jokingly compare his predicament to the famous "offer you can't refuse," made by mafia don Vito Corleone in the movie The Godfather. "It's always a good sign when other schools want to hire our faculty, and a disappointment when it actually happens," wrote Provost Steve Goldstein '78 in an email to the Justice. "We are sorry to be losing Greg Petsko, even as we wish him well at Cornell Medical School." While the decision has been made, Petsko, the Gyula and Katica Tauber Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacodynamics, said he will continue to research and teach at Brandeis until 2014, when construction on the new research building he will work in in New York will be complete. The Petsko & Ringe Laboratories are located in 5,000 square feet on the sixth floor of the Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center, according to the lab's website. Petsko works there with the lab's other namesake, Prof. Dagmar Ringe (BCHM), the Harold and Bernice Davis Professor in Aging and Neurodegenerative Disease. Ringe did not respond to requests for comment. The majority of the research in the lab is dedicated to developing cures for Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease and Lou Gherig's Disease, according to Petsko. This research will continue in New York. The lab currently has a staff of about 20 students. Petsko estimated that six or seven are graduate students, about 12 are undergraduates and the rest are post-doctoral. He will aim to maintain the size of the lab's staff until his departure, hiring to make up for the usual turnover as students graduate or move on to other jobs. He anticipates that his new lab will be roughly the same size. However, one difference will be the loss of undergraduate students to work with and teach. Petsko will teach at the medical school, where only graduate students are enrolled. "We love having undergrads in the lab. ... They do really good work and they're a delight to have around," said Petsko, adding that it's also good training for his graduate and post-doctoral students to supervise the undergraduates. "I think [Brandeis is] the best place in the world to work in if you're a scientist who likes teaching. You couldn't ask for a better environment," he said, praising the faculty, students and University President Frederick Lawrence. "There's a million reasons why it would be wonderful to stay, but there's one big reason why I can't." Petsko said he hopes that, since he is vacating such a prominent position with a high salary, Brandeis will hire two associate professors of Biochemistry or Chemistry in his stead. "Bringing in vital, young people to the faculty is something that's very good to do," he said. Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan Birren confirmed this in an email to the Justice, saying that the search is already underway for "a new [Biochemistry] faculty member who will carry out research defined by his or her own interest and expertise, and who will carry on Brandeis' tradition of excellence in Biochemical research and teaching." Goldstein agreed. "[T]he departure of a faculty member-even one as outstanding as Greg-does bring one compensation: the opportunity to hire someone new."
(11/12/12 5:00am)
His job in Kenya has already transformed into more than a job. "I feel like I'm working toward something that's really important to me," said Matthew Travis '05. Travis is the volunteer coordinator and acting finance officer in Kenya for the nonprofit organization Flying Kites, which provides education and support for orphaned children in Kenya. The organization began as an orphanage founded by college graduates who had volunteered in orphanages in Nairobi and became interested in improving the lives of the children they encountered. "Flying Kites strives to create a better orphanage than the ones that already exist where the orphans could truly be given the opportunity to excel and be anything they want to without being limited by their circumstances." One of the best things for Travis about Brandeis was what he called the "diversity in study and community." The eclectic collection of students he made connections with during his time at Brandeis greatly influenced his decision to go into nonprofit work. "I had a couple friends who did Teach for America and another who joined the Peace Corps after college. I knew I wanted to do something like that, but I wasn't sure how." Travis became involved in the organization recently, though he did similar nonprofit work with Liberia mission in West Africa prior to joining the Flying Kites team a month and half ago. He was "blown away" by how developed Nairobi was compared to Liberia. His job with Flying Kites involves managing the employees responsible for recruiting American volunteers. His role as finance officer keeps him busy negotiating salaries, as well as haggling for resources such as fuel and food. Travis' administrative position does not prevent him from having routine contact with the children. He was able to remain a presence on the school's campus. "My wife and I always saw [the children] in the mornings as they headed to school," he said. Other interactions came in the form of dinners and after school study sessions. A History and Politics major, a liberal arts background taught Travis how to think, even if he couldn't always directly apply the knowledge he gained to his work with Flying Kites. "[Politics and History] are two very vague degrees, but I truly believe that I 'learned how to learn.'" But the formal education he received at Brandeis ended up being only a small portion of the valuable knowledge he gained. "Living in halls with my classmates taught me how to deal with people," Andrew stressed. "The importance of my education, both formal and informal, allowed me to succeed. " Prior to his work in Africa, social action did not have an obvious place in his life. During his years at Brandeis, he poured his passion for community-building into his involvement as president of Mountain Club. The principles of being part of a supportive, educational community like Mountain Club are similar to the work he does in Kenya. "With the Mountain Club I got to teach people how to climb and how to belay. I really enjoy being a part of a learning institution where I can share my skills." In addition to Mountain Club, Travis was actively involved in the Kayaking Club and as an EMT for Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps. The program is still a work in progress. "The volunteer program has been revised within the past 6 months," Travis explained. One the major areas of the program he wants to strengthen is "bringing in people who are able to specialize, take their training and directly apply their knowledge." Flying Kites is unique because it stresses making Kenyans self-sufficient, giving them the tools to provide a nurturing and healthy environment for the orphans. "One of my goals at Flying Kites is to put those sort of crucial functions in the hands of Kenyans so they are not reliant on American volunteers," he said. The nature of his work provided him perspective on his own life. He realized that his relationships with loved ones really matter above all other things. "I've gained ... the ability to focus on my relationships with friends and family and to worry less about 'first world problems,'" Travis explained. Travis is currently in the United States, but has plans to return to Kenya on Dec. 16. Although he is eager to throw himself back into his work, he admits that one of the most challenging aspects of his works is being away from his family and friends. "It is always very hard to travel away from one's community," Travis said. Going forward, Travis is specifically looking to recruit "college graduates who are willing to take sabbaticals from their careers who also have a lot of work experience to pull from," beyond their education. Travis's experience of removing himself from his natural environment realigned his values, giving him a worldly perspective he would not otherwise have. "Many people find relief in the simplicity of life, which can sometimes be a little condescending. When I made the transition, it gave me the opportunity to decide [what] was valuable."
(11/12/12 5:00am)
"Siri, who created you?"
(11/06/12 5:00am)
On Sunday afternoon, students, faculty and University administrators attended a benefit concert for Waltham Fields Community Farm, a local non-profit farming organization. The concert, held in the Slosberg Recital Hall, featured the Barbara Cassidy Band, which consists of Barbara Cassidy MA '98 (vocals and tambourine), a graduate of the Sociology and Women's and Gender Studies program and former arts project coordinator at Brandeis, and her husband Prof. Eric Chasalow (MUS) (guitar), the Irving Fine Professor of Music. Several guest musicians joined the Barbara Cassidy Band, including Peter Mulvey (guitar), David "Goody" Goodrich (guitar), Prof. Robert Nieske (MUS) (upright bass), Dave Mattacks (drums and piano), Joe Kessler (violin) and members of folk band Pesky J. Nixon, Ethan Baird '02 (guitar) and Jake Bush (accordion). In varying combinations of musicians, the groups performed 20 songs, ranging from slow ballads to rock and roll. Cassidy, Chasalow and a few accompanying musicians began the concert, followed by Baird on the guitar and Bush, also of Pesky J. Nixon, on the accordion. Mulvey and Goodrich played a couple of songs together on the guitar before the intermission, including "Old Fashioned Morphine" and "Everybody Knows." In the second half of the concert, the Barbara Cassidy Band returned to the stage, playing songs such as "Simon Simon," named after the couple's teenage son who was in the audience, and an upbeat song called "If Time Stood Still." Cassidy and Chasalow played an encore song at the end of the performance. All of the songs had a folksy tune that helped foster an intimate atmosphere for the performance. This atmosphere was reinforced when performers shared anecdotes with the audience and explained the personal backgrounds of certain songs. Cassidy and Chasalow talked about their collaborative experiences writing and composing music. They explained that they bring their skills together in the band to compose original songs. Baird and Bush touched upon their earlier experiences at Brandeis, joking about past fears before tests and assignments. Baird joked that he double-majored in Music and English at Brandeis, which his parents said were two different ways of asking: "Would you like fries with that?" His band recently released its second album, which is charting the top-10 in Folk DJ charts. During the intermission, the bands' albums as well as photographs donated by University Photographer Mike Lovett were on sale with all proceeds benefitting the community farm. The amount raised for the farm was not known by press time. The Waltham Fields Community Farm is an organization that promotes "local agriculture and food access," according to its website, through education and farming, using 15 acres of rented land from the University of Massachusetts. WFCF also operates a community supported agriculture program, which provides their locally-grown produce to shareholders. In an email interview with the Justice, Cassidy said that she and her husband first became involved in the WFCF by becoming CSA shareholders in 1999. Her decision to raise funds for the organization stemmed from her appreciation for the organization's mission. "I appreciate the hunger relief work that Waltham Fields is engaged in-and that the focus is local-from food to table for everyone to have access to locally grown food, regardless of economic status," Cassidy explained. When asked to reflect on the concert later that evening, Cassidy wrote that "Eric and I were extremely pleased to be in the company of such amazing musicians." Referring to the diverse group of musicians who joined her and Chasalow on stage, she expressed her delight at the different performances, commenting that "This afternoon [we] came together with a group of old and new friends who are immensely generous and talented."
(10/29/12 4:00am)
Last Sunday, Starving Artists, one of 14 a cappella groups on campus, hosted four a cappella groups at the second-annual Acatoberfest, a fall-themed concert held in the Slosberg Recital Hall. The visiting groups came from several different Boston-area schools, including the Sirens from Simmons College; the Clark Bars from Clark University; Common Sound, a semi-professional Boston-based group and S-Factor from Tufts University. Each visiting group sang approximately three songs that varied from hip-hop and R&B to gospel, pop and rock. There was a good balance of song genre, with an appropriate emphasis on more recent tunes. Including Starving Artists, there were three mixed-gender groups, while the S-Factor featured solely male singers and the Sirens only female singers. The audience included mostly the visiting groups themselves, although a lot of Brandeis students came out to support their classmates and a surprising number of parents attended the show. The auditorium was full as Starving Artist senior Abby Armstrong '13 stepped forward to welcome the audience and introduce the program. Starving Artists began by performing Demian 5's "When I Am King" and Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" before visiting groups took the stage. Armstrong classified the Starving Artists' rendition of the King's famous hit as having "a twist." The students' bodies swayed as their voices focused on specific notes for a protracted sound, making the song slower and more melodic than the original verson. The Simmons Sirens were next, warming the crowd up with slower songs before concluding with "Forget You." The crowd laughed as the lead singer replaced the explicit title of Cee Lo Green's original song with the censored one in the final verse. The energy in the audience was high but not as noticeable as when the Clark Bars took the stage. The singers' vocal quality matched the crowd's reaction of smiles and approving yells. When contacted via email, Starving Artists member Marlee Rosenthal '14, who helped organize Acatoberfest, said that this year's event was similar to last year's with a main exception: "What made this year's concert even more special was that 'Common Sound', a Semi-pro a cappella group, performed. Common Sound includes three Brandeis alumni-one of them being Andrew Litwin '12, who was the Starving Artists' music director '08-'11!" It was clear when Common Sound took the stage that Rosenthal wasn't the only one happy to have Brandeis singers back on campus. The Starving Artists playfully introduced the alumni individually and the crowd cheered. Each group sang at least one mainstream song and took visible efforts to get the audience members involved. At one point, a majority of the audience was waving their hands back and forth to the beat of "Big Poppa," a song originally by The Notorious B.I.G, performed by S-Factor. A Clark Bars singer urged the audience to "join me" before he hit the chorus of the Mumford & Sons song "The Cave." In addition, there seemed to be no lack of Adele's influence in the a cappella song choices. Three different groups, including Starving Artists, performed her popular hits including "Set Fire to the Rain" and "Someone Like You." The Starving Artists closed the hour-and-a-half long performance the same way they opened it-in song. Although this only marks Acatoberfest's second year, the tradition seems to be lively and likely to survive. Rosenthal says that planning in advance is essential, and it is all worth it. "Once reservations are in place, it's all about advertising-creating a Facebook event, updating Twitter, publicizing around campus with flyers, etc." Rosenthal worked with Starving Artists' events coordinator Alex Kwatcher '14 and business manager Armstrong to make the show run smoothly. Aside from a few minor and brief technical difficulties faced by visiting groups, like microphone detachments, the evening ran rather smoothly. So what will we do now that the lights have dimmed and the curtains closed? "Count down to 3rd Annual Acatoberfest-364 days!" Rosenthal told the Justice.
(10/29/12 4:00am)
* Offering a welcome break from the academic tunnel-vision that college students tend to fall prey to during midterm season, Adagio Dance Company proudly presented a phenomenal show last week-ADC Unleashed: Dancefest 2012. The massive performance took place in Levin Ballroom last Wednesday and featured Brandeis dance groups as well as groups from several other colleges in the greater Boston area. The presence of parents and families added a warmth to the densely packed audience of students and faculty, who all sat spellbound for the entire show, voicing personal cheers for the dancers they came to support. A total of 22 groups performed, ranging from belly dancing to ballet, and each with a distinct aesthetic. Groups were set apart by creative spatial use of the stage, clever costumes and coordinated lights and music, with each ensemble quite different from the next. * Adagio is Brandeis' largest student-run dance group, and performs in five different styles of dance: jazz, tap, hip-hop, lyrical, modern and ballet. This spirit of diversity and variety that Adagio is built upon held a capital presence in the Dancefest show, where each dance was very distinct from the others, but in a way that was more cooperative than competitive. * Although every group seemed to be followed by a fury of applause, the audience went the wildest for our very own hip-hop group, Kaos Kids. This group was so high-energy throughout their entire performance that I began to feel tired for them just by watching! Their whole routine was very carefully designed and practiced: from light and music changes to swapping out of dancers on the stage, they were on top of their game. Throbbing, rousing, beloved rap and hip-hop anthems like Nicki Minaj's "Roman's Revenge" blasted from the stage, and grainy audio clips with a themepark-style announcement were used to transition from one song to the next. During each of the transition clips, the group would become still, and one dancer would lip-sync along to the announcement while working his or her feistiest attitude. Within a few seconds, the group would slide into the next song and the audience would lean in a little closer, marveling at the dancers' endurance and how, over the course of their performance, they actually picked up the pace of their movements and seemed to smile a little bigger with each passing moment. * In a show that featured so much variety, it is impossible to say that one group performed better than another; each performance had so many facets unique to it alone. For example, some groups, like the ballet performances, highlighted individual skill as each dancer would perform the same steps in unison with the rest of the group, striving to move as one collective body. Brandeis' Ballet Club and other groups of similar style showcased themselves with commendable grace, and one could only find fault in minor points when dancers fell out of sync with each other. Conversely, more modern and hip hop-oriented groups adhered to a style of choreography that cultivated interaction and a chemistry between dancers-although each individual had a chance to shine, the strength of these groups was in their ability to complement each others' movements. I tended to prefer watching groups whose members interacted with each other onstage-joining hands, falling, catching and lifting each other and smiling at the dancers near them in silent encouragement. * Every act seemed to be a highlight in Dancefest. A group of Adagio alumni returned to Brandeis, shining in a Greek god and goddess-inspired piece in which dancers were painted a pale white and donned delicate togas, looking and moving very much like enchanted sculptures. Hooked on Tap, Brandeis' own Tap Ensemble, happily performed to a chipper swing song. Each member of the group tapped in perfect time with the rest and sported a darling uniform look: a charming ponytail, a white dress with red polka dots, white bobby socks and black tap shoes. The performance of Brandeis' Israeli folk dance group, B'yachad, translated a cultural love and pride into one of the most joyful dances of the night. It was choreographed to an upbeat song and featured dancers with infectious smiles. Even a hip hop group from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, called 'Ridonkulous,' was an obvious crowd pleaser, with a costume evolution from pajamas to green-and-black track suits to white, plastic Halloween masks. * By the end of the show, it was apparent that the assortment of taste and inspiration between each performance featured in Dancefest was not only endlessly enjoyable, but reflected the variety within the Brandeis community. We may not all dance to the same beat, but if we work together, our efforts on-and-off stage are much better than any solo act.
(10/29/12 4:00am)
Although Saturday's defeat against Smith College in this year's New England Wide Collegiate Rugby Conference signified the end of the season for the women's rugby team, there were many positives to take from this season. Initially a thriving team on the Brandeis club sports scene during the 1990s, the team was a perennial powerhouse. However, the club saw a lull in retention rates in the beginning of the 2000s. Yet, LauraBen Moore'14 states that there are brighter days ahead for a team that has just recently found its way back to prominence. "In the last two to three years, there have been massive changes in retention rates, attendance, and membership," said Moore. "In 2010, we had eight veterans. However, when looking at this year, we had 17 returners. You need 15 for a team." "We always say that the result of increased participation is culture, not coincidence," added Moore. We're starting to develop a culture on campus." Most notably, the team was invited to become one of 11 Division III teams in the NEWCRC. According to Moore, the NEWCRC was founded by teams who were tired of playing in non-competitive conferences. Additionally, joining the conference was a significant accomplishment because membership is by invitation only. "We play very competitive teams," said Moore. "We play schools like Smith, the [United States] Coast Guard Academy, Wheaton College and Mount Holyoke College." The club's upward trajectory was key in its invitation to the conference. And, according to Moore, the emergence of the squad has resulted in praise from many of the Conference's more established and experienced clubs. In addition to the athletic accomplishments of the club, Moore also noted the diversity of the team. "We have every major, every body type, every year, every type of person," she said. "We're very inclusive." What makes the accomplishments of the club even more notable is the small size of the team, both in terms of numbers and size. "We have girls on our team who are 110 pounds with bags of sand in their pockets," she joked. "But we have great fight and great determination." The most telling fact about this year's team is that it was able to qualify for the Division III playoffs for the first time in more than a decade. Yet, this season's accomplishments are not the end of the road. Moore said that while the semi-finals were a great success for the squad this year, they will look to win the competition next year. Given its recent resurgence, one might imagine that there are even better days ahead for the women's rugby team. After a surge to the semifinals of the Division III playoffs for the first time in 10 years, the sky is the limit for this young and emergent squad that has returned to the fold of Brandeis club sports.
(10/29/12 4:00am)
Hurricane Sandy began to rock the East Coast with high winds and storm surges yesterday morning, causing widespread power outages, flooding and wind damage. The University cancelled all Monday classes and events as students took shelter in their dormitories.
(10/29/12 4:00am)
Conversation and controversy about Greek life at Brandeis has been virtually unavoidable since the late 1980s, when a group of students led by Matthew Brooks '87 started the University's first fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Pi, according to a Jan. 1986 Justice article. In 1988, the University's Board of Trustees responded with a resolution to prohibit fraternities and sororities, according to the Justice archives. Since then, the issue has cooled down considerably, but fraternities and sororities still exist in a state of limbo at Brandeis. The Justice reported in a Jan. 30 article that nine percent of the student body is involved in Greek life, which remains unrecognized by the University. This semester, AEPi has yet again made waves as 29 undergraduates resurrected the fraternity after the chapter here was disbanded by its national parent organization last fall. A new fraternity on campus The founders of the new chapter anticipate that relationships with the student body and University administration will be crucial. "We don't want Greek life to have to be the way that it is at Brandeis," said Luky Guigui '15, one of the founders, adding that they are willing to change any negative perception of Greek life. "Whatever it takes," he said. Some may wonder about hazing and the other negative stereotypes that are associated with Greek life. "Let's put it this way: Even if we wanted to haze, we couldn't haze," said Guigui, reasoning that the Brandeis chapter of AEPi is under close scrutiny from nationals during its initial founding process and must be on its best behavior as it petitions to be chartered. When asked, Guigui also emphasized that this group (or "colony"), which is under consideration to become a chapter, is already very different from the old AEPi. For one, members now plan to work much more closely with the national board, he said. "We don't really want to be associated with the old AEPi. We'd much rather start anew," said Guigui. He said it was within reason that they would resurrect the values and traditions of the AEPi that Brandeis saw 10 or 15 years ago, although he didn't specify what those may be. In any case, he asserted, "We don't want to be seen in the same light as the AEPi that was here last year, or two years ago." While the new members seek to distance themselves from the previous generation, the reason why AEPi was stripped of its charter last fall officially remains a mystery. On this topic, current colony president Danny Reisner '14 only wrote in his email to the Justice that "they didn't do the things that they were expected to as a chapter of AEPi, and so they were shut down." Former AEPi president Martin Singer '12 did not respond to the Justice's request for comments on the start of the new chapter and the closure of the old by press time. "Founding Fathers" According to Reisner, he, Dean Kaplan '15, Jake Altholz '15 and Guigui were the four who were initially interested in restarting the chapter. Kaplan has since been removed from the organization by the international office, due to unspecified conflicts with higher-ups in the AEPi organization, Reisner told the Justice. The four started the discussion about bringing back the Jewish fraternity on campus, but the final selection of the "founding fathers" came from representatives of the national organization after they interviewed prospective members. Several Brandeis undergraduates received messages on Facebook from AEPi officials at the beginning of the fall semester, informing them of a "special opportunity" to learn more about and possibly join the fraternity. "Because multiple men have contacted our office about starting an AEPi at Brandeis University, we are starting a group there this semester," the message read. It made only vague mention of how they found these people or on what basis the recommendations to contact them were made. The recruiters from the national group initially came to campus to hold information sessions in early September, according to Reisner. The sessions were open to all, but the recruiters targeted a certain group through networking, said Guigui. They held the meetings in Rosenthal South residence hall, which poses a potential conflict to the Brandeis Board of Trustees' 1988 resolution. The resolution states that "social fraternities and sororities, in particular, are neither recognized nor permitted to hold activities on campus or use University facilities." The induction of three first-years, 14 sophomores, 11 juniors and one senior finally took place on Sept. 12 in Guigui's suite in Rosenthal East, according to Guigui and Reisner. The Jewish fraternity at "Jew U" As for the membership of the next few years, Guigui, who will serve as recruitment chair during AEPi's first pledge period in the spring, didn't try to downplay the importance of their Jewish affiliation. The main idea, said Guigui in an interview with the Justice, is that the prospective brothers "join the fraternity because they want to be in a Jewish fraternity, not in spite of it." "I mean, it is a Jewish fraternity," he continued, "so if you're joining for only the fraternity aspect and not the Jewish aspect, there's a problem. You should want both." He mentioned that he did expect to have non-Jewish members soon, but those potential members are "few and far between," partly because of the demographics of the Brandeis student body. According to the Alpha Epsilon Pi website, the fraternity was founded in 1913 and aims to "play a vital role in helping reverse the growing trend among our young people to abandon Judaism" during their undergraduate years, and "to help each student to develop character, to learn responsibility, and to develop a proper set of values through living together in brotherhood." Ultimately, AEPi is "non-discriminatory" and "not specifically religious, but rather social and cultural in nature," according to the fraternity's mission statement. Each year, approximately 2,500 undergraduate men join the fraternity nationwide, the international AEPi website states. In the first one or two pledge classes, Guigui admitted that they weren't planning on accepting large numbers of men, regardless of religious affiliation. After the large founding class of 29 members, he said he expects AEPi to have some growing pains in the coming years, as they work to learn the ropes of managing the fraternity and try to grow their membership- all without a permanent, off-campus home for the group. While all the members have campus housing this year, they will continue to hold events in various brothers' rooms and suites, not unlike the other Greek organizations operating on campus-even those whose members live together in houses off-campus. Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer and Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel did not respond to requests for comment regarding University policy on Greek life and its effect on student life by press time. -Allyson Cartter contributed reporting
(10/29/12 4:00am)
The Senate had a productive night on Sunday, on the eve of Hurricane Sandy's arrival, voting on three Senate Money Resolutions and four amendments to the Student Union Constitution. Before talking about official business, Executive Senator Ricky Rosen '14 told senators that general attendance had been unacceptably low and that he planned to bring forward an amendment addressing the issue, which he did later in the meeting. The first SMR, for $300, was brought forward by Class of 2016 Senator Andrew Chang and involved a Halloween getaway to Salem, Mass. for the student body. The resolution, which was approved unanimously, will pay for a school bus for transportation to and from Salem. The next SMR, which was also passed with no objections, allocated $350 for an election night event which will be cosponsored by Student Events and several political clubs on campus. The resolution was brought forward by Class of 2015 Senator Sneha Walia and dictated that the Union will supply pizza. "This election poses a unique opportunity to Brandeis students because most students who will be able to vote in this election are able voting for the first time," read the SMR. The final money resolution discussed at the meeting was a proposal that the Senate cosponsor Triskelion's Transgender Awareness Week. The proposal for $900, also put forward by Walia, would help Triskelion bring a transgender Jewish band called Schmeckel to perform during the awareness week. The Senate decided to table this resolution, to allow Triskelion to look for other options, as senators raised objections to the large amount of money called for in the resolution. The Senate also voted on and passed four amendments to the Student Union Constitution put forward by Rosen. The first two amendments pertained to attendance and voting of senators at senate meetings. The first amendment called for the removal of any senator with more than three unexcused absences in a semester. In such an event, the student with the second-most votes in the election for that senator's seat would be given a chance to join the Senate. The second amendment called for allowing senators to vote by proxy, either by video-chat during the meeting or by emailing the Senate president the day of the meeting. Both of these amendments were approved, with little objection from the Senate. The third amendment involved the procedure for voting on recognition and charter of clubs. The amendment stated that club representatives will have to step outside while the Senate votes on their request for recognition or charter. This amendment was quickly approved. The final amendment involved the Campus Operations Work Group Committee, a Senate committee that works with the Campus Operations Work Group to "restore Brandeis facilities to their original beauty," according to the constitution. The amendment called for all quad senators to be mandatorily included in the committee. This amendment generated the most discussion, but was eventually passed as well. -Tate Herbert and Sam Mintz
(10/23/12 4:00am)
Director of Brandeis Players' latest performance, 'Escape From Happiness,' Doug Lockwood shares his experience in theater, a personal take on EFH and the importance of the arts in society. JustArts: What about George F. Walker's play Escape From Happiness attracted you to direct it? Doug Lockwood: I have always loved Walker's caustic, dark, muscular language and the surprising way that just when you think a character is done, they take an idea or thought three steps further into a verbose extravaganza! JA: How do you decide which plays you want to be involved in, whether it is directing or acting? DL: It's a combination of things. There are a bunch of plays I've seen or been part of over the years that I keep on kind of a back burner in my brain, and when the time is right, they begin to boil. Sometimes an artistic director or chair will give me some parameters of the kinds of plays they're looking to produce. With acting nowadays, it's about wanting to work with certain directors more than certain roles. That's been an interesting shift for me. JA: As a professional actor and director, what importance do you think the arts can bring to the regular workings of society and the people that it reaches? DL: With the pulse of society becoming more rapid, I believe theater is even more important these days in allowing people to slow down and examine their thoughts and feelings in community with other people. We go through our days with so much armor and technology, and theater is a place where we can unzip that armor and see what's inside. That can produce all kinds of changes by simply sensitizing people to their common humanity. Maybe the armor they wear when they leave the theater can be a little less heavy. JA: You are a founding member of the Actors Shakespeare Project here in Boston; how did you first become interested in Shakespeare plays and thereby involved with ASP? DL: I got my undergrad training at University of Colorado Boulder, and there is a wonderful Shakespeare Festival there that I did for two summers. We also had great teachers of Shakespeare at that school. I got involved with ASP when I first moved back to Boston in 2003, and it was great timing because I was more and more interested in site-specific theater which is what we do with the plays. JA: Having been on both sides of the stage as an actor and director, do you think that the type of interaction and relationship that is built between actor and director impacts the quality or impact of a performance? DL: Yes. I believe the director sets the tone for everything you experience at the performance from the moment you arrive to the moment you leave. I believe the director's main job is to create a theatrical process where the actors and designers are constantly inspired to investigate and explore the play freshly each time. To truly do that, the actors need to feel a real sense of trust and freedom (as opposed to fear), which they will have only if the process has been truly collaborative and thorough. JA: Escape From Happiness is a comedic exploration into the life of an average family and the challenges they face. How do you think audience members will react to a theme so familiar to their own lives? DL: With laughter and recognition and empathy, I hope. I have never seen theater as an "escape" (ironically perhaps), but rather as an opportunity to look closer at my own "stuff," and I do think this play does that in a very darkly funny way. JA: Walker wrote this play in 1991; what do you think it is about plays like Escape From Happiness, that are a form of social commentary but still manage to remain relevant to society two decades after it was first produced? DL: Well, I think the great playwrights like George F. Walker tend to write about the big themes, and those don't change, in my opinion, so that his characters' grapplings in this play around personal issues such as family, love and identity are still extremely relevant, as are the societal ones he explores: police brutality, the conditions of our neighborhoods, speaking out against the system, etc. JA: What Shakespeare character do you relate to most and why? DL: Well, its always changing, but today I would say Feste from Twelfth Night. He is both inside and outside of his community, and I feel that way too. He can be a trusted friend and confidante, and then he can disappear for a long stretch of time, and I am like that too. I also identify with his mixture of wit and melancholy. And I do enjoy singing. -Jessie Miller
(10/23/12 4:00am)
It's official: As of last Friday, Justin Timberlake has said "bye bye bye" to the single life! After five years together, the former-*NSYNC member, 31, and Jessica Biel, 30, tied the knot in a top-secret Italian wedding. "It's great to be married, the ceremony was beautiful and it was so special to be surrounded by our family and friends," the newlyweds told People magazine in an exclusive statement on Friday. The couple was so intent to keep the wedding's location under wraps that they initially had guests fly into Germany and then had them transported via private jet to an undisclosed Italian locale. E! News even reported that guests were requested to sign nondisclosure agreements, ensuring that the nuptial's details stayed private for as long as possible (in other words, until tomorrow, when exclusive photos and details will be published in People). Us Weekly reported that the duo's closest family and friends joined in the ceremony and festivities, which took place at the Borgo Egnazia, a huge hotel complex in southern Italy. The ceremony was themed "white," boasting white floral displays throughout the entirety of the buildings, and guests showered the newlyweds with white heart-shaped flowers as they emerged from the chapel. Among the 150 guests were Saturday Night Live alum Andy Samberg and music producer Timbaland. Why the choice of Italy as the ceremony's location rather than the more traditional stateside setting? It's possible that the newlyweds were influenced by the wedding of Biel's former 7th Heaven co-star, Beverley Mitchell, who was married in southern Italy back in 2008. Biel served as a bridesmaid and, who knows, maybe she was taking notes. JT and his lady's nuptials mark the peak of their on-and-off romance, which began back in 2007. The couple briefly split in late 2009 and again in March 2011, releasing a statement that there were "no hard feelings"-which became obvious when Timberlake popped the question in December with a customized six-carat engagement ring. Prior to all this romance between the "SexyBack" singer and his former-7th Heaven star love, they each had high-profile relationships of their own. Timberlake was linked to Britney Spears and later had a more mature relationship with actress Cameron Diaz. Biel spent her pre-Timberlake years dating Captain America hunk Chris Evans and, briefly, New York Yankees shortshop Derek Jeter. Now that the couple is hitched, the pressure's on for kids: a five-year-long courtship and no baby before the wedding? Certainly doesn't sound like classic Hollywood to me. Then again, considering the pair's backgrounds-she was raised in Colorado, he hails from Tennessee-it's unsurprising that they take things slowly. Guess we'll just have to sit back and wait to see what Hollywood's freshest newlyweds do next. *
(10/23/12 4:00am)
Going into my first Cholmondeley's open mic night, I didn't know what to expect. Would the gang from Friends be there? Should I snap instead of applaud? Are scarves a requirement or just a suggestion? When I walked in, I realized that while scarves were definitely not required, the night would be anything but typical. The Oct. 18 coffeehouse featured a cappella, slam poetry and other musical performances. People milled in and out, watching performances, conversing, eating and even getting impromptu haircuts from Chum's employees. Students were encouraged to bring their own instruments for a final inclusive jam session at the end of the night. Add Nutella hot chocolate, grilled cheese and sweet potato fries, and you've got the unique combination of people, music and food that creates the quirky atmosphere of Chum's. Josh Berman '15, a Chum's employee who helped organize the event, was especially pleased with how the night went. He described that "there was a huge turnout, which I was really happy about. I think that everyone had a good time with the set performances, but I was especially pleased about the jamming. Brandeis does not have enough outlets for people who love to play music. Hopefully Chum's can fill that role and provide a space for the Brandeis community." More jamming sessions to come, Berman plugged. The evening started off on a pleasant note (pun intended) with three lovely songs by Manginah, one of the University's Jewish a cappella groups. Soloists included Matt Sidell '14 and Jess Pullen '12. Pullen's sweet, melodic voice and Sidell's earnest tenor made for an enjoyable performance. Next was a surprise slam poet described by Melanie Steinhardt '13 on the event's Facebook page as "socially challenging and thought provoking." The man himself turned out to be none other than Brian Slepian '14. Slepian delighted audience members with two whimsical poems. He began with "Consent," which included saying the word "consent" about fifty times with different emotions. Following "Consent" was "The Adventures of Mancat and Dogwoman," a conversation between-you guessed it-a mancat and a dogwoman. The poem ended with Slepian on the floor, screaming profanities in an emotional uproar. Maybe it's just because of my love for drama and silliness, but this was undoubtedly my favorite performance of the night. Following Slepian was a remarkable five-song set by Blunt Logic, a two-person male rap group not unlike Outkast-if Outkast had been two liberal arts college students, specifically Coleman Mahler '13 and Nick Polanco '13. At first I wasn't sure if they were serious or just being ironic, as rappers sometimes are. However, their final song, titled "Registered Motherf*cking Sex Offenders," convinced me of their ironic intentions to satirize rap culture. Even so, the length of their performance was definitely overkill. Ayan Sanyal '14 took the stage next, playing guitar and singing original songs. Sanyal was a natural and talented performer with breezy, enjoyable melodies. Next was Matt Sidell '14 on the keyboard with Clay Williams '14. The performance, while not in any way bad, was not particularly memorable either. Unfortunately for the performers, by this point in the night, most people were socializing instead of watching. The night concluded with a spirited jam session which depended on audience participation-not an issue in a school with so many creative and musical students. One musician would start off, and slowly people would join in, creating a jazzy fusion. This event is definitely not meant to be viewed in its entirety; most people stayed for a few performances and then left. Due to the disparity in performance quality, along with the 10-minute gaps between each performance, the event would be best enjoyed in small doses. Overall, while the quality of the performances greatly varied, the atmosphere proved to be supportive, cozy and fun.
(10/23/12 4:00am)
On Saturday night, the Pablo Ziegler Classical Tango Quartet concluded their four-day stay at Brandeis with a captivating performance at Slosberg Music Center. A special occasion in its own right, this concert provided a perfect capstone to this year's MusicUnitesUS program of events. The concert celebrated and showcased different elements of creativity and a synthesis of artistic ideas that the ensemble explored with a variety of audiences at the University at various events in the last few days.
(10/23/12 4:00am)
Prof. Irving Epstein (CHEM) has been recognized as a Massachusetts Academy of Sciences Fellow for his professional achievements and his contributions to the science community. Each year the MAS awardees "constitute a select and prestigious community of scientists, engineers, research physicians, and others deeply concerned about science and science education," according to the Academy's website. According to the MAS website, the organization's mission is "to promote public understanding and appreciation of the sciences, to support scientific research and education in areas relevant to the needs of the state, and to provide consultative or advisory services on matters of science to the Governor, and to local, state, and federal agencies." Fellows are elected by the Board of Governors' and are nominated by a leading scientist or science educator in their field, the website states. Epstein was nominated by Prof. Eve Marder (BIOL), who is also a MAS fellow. "Irv Epstein has been ... an international leader in the field of oscillating chemical reactions for many, many years, and so his work has sort of led the whole field of oscillating chemical reactions, and it was exactly for that reason that I thought it was meritorious," Marder said in an interview with the Justice. According to his profile on the Life Sciences at Brandeis website, Epstein's research focuses on "oscillatory chemical reactions, spatial pattern formation, dynamical systems and neurobiology." In an interview with the Justice, Epstein said that he is joining an "interesting group of fellows," which includes five Nobel laureates; astronaut Catherine Coleman; and Dr. Bill Nye, host of television series Bill Nye the Science Guy. When looking ahead to working with the Academy, he expressed excitement about their "[initiative] ... to make science more accessible to the general public." Epstein joins three MAS fellows from Brandeis; in addition toMarder, previous awardees include Prof. Carolyn Cohen (BIOL) and Prof. Jeffrey Hall (BIOL). -Allyson Cartter
