(02/24/04 5:00am)
Medical Emergency Feb. 18 - A student in North Quad experienced difficulty breathing due to an allergic reaction. The patient was conscious and alert, and was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further evaluation. University residential staff were advised.Feb. 20 - A student in Castle Quad with a possible drug overdose was semi conscious and alert. The student was treated on the scene and transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further evaluation. The appropriate residential and medical staff were advised of the situation. Feb. 21 - A female in North Quad stated her friend has had stomach pains for the past few hours and was not feeling well. University police transported the patient to Sterling Medical Center.Larceny Feb. 18 - A female came to Stoneman station to report that her wallet had been stolen sometime between Feb. 17 and Feb. 18. She said that several charges had been made on her credit cards. University police are compiling a report and following up on the theft. FireFeb. 20 - A small fire was found by University Police in the area of Kutz Hall. Police extinguish the fire without incident. There was no damage to University property and the exact cause is unknown. Vandalism Feb. 20 - University Police received a report of a vandalized motor vehicle in T-Lot. DisturbanceFeb. 21 - A reporting party in the Foster Mods stated there was loud music and loud people in the area. University Police checked the area and the complaint was unfounded. Feb. 22 - A reporting party phoned stating there was loud music coming from the floor above. An officer checked and asked the residents to turn the music down and they complied. Miscellaneous Feb. 20 - There was a report of a suspicious individual viewing pornographic web sites on the second floor common room library in Shapiro Campus Center. Police checked the campus center and they were unable to locate the individual in the library or the building. -Compiled by Matthew Konjoian
(01/27/04 5:00am)
With spirits buoyed up by a somewhat positive budget outlook, the University is moving forward with its capital projects, including the upcoming renovation of the Usdan Student Center, which will accommodate a new One-Stop Student Services Center, according to Administration officials.The announcement was made in a memo addressed to the entire community from Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Peter French. The memo, released last Tuesday, contained plans for construction on a number of projects, including the new Abraham Shapiro Academic Building, an addition to the Heller School, and improvements in infrastructure, in addition to the plans for Usdan. The memo recorded a positive outlook toward the University budget.Last Oct., the Board of Trustees approved a budget deficit of $5.6 million.According to French, changes in the national economy as well as other factors make a balanced budget for the 2004 fiscal year possible."Things look better than they did a year ago," French said, "basically because the economy has improved pretty substantially. [We are] now projecting that we're going to be balanced so we don't have to dip into the University's reserves."With diminished budgetary concerns, the University is moving forward in its capital projects, all of which have been fully funded by donations, according to French.Post-renovation Usdan to hold most all student servicesThe Usdan One-Stop Student Center project, being planned in association with the architectural firm Miller Dyer Spears will consist of the "reuse, renovation and upgrade of Usdan Student Center and Kutz Hall," as described in the memo. Members of an advisory committee have discussed their particular hopes for Usdan's renovation. The project has been spearheaded by Jean Eddy, senior vice president for students and enrollment.Eddy, who has pushed for the creation of such a center at Brandeis since her arrival in July 2000 eagerly anticipates the renovations."I always feel as though students have enough to do without having to bounce around the campus...to get things taken care of," Eddy said, noting the hilly nature of Brandeis.Dan Feldman, associate vice president for planning, design, and construction, has described the project as a "complicated" endeavor.According to Feldman, a number of changes in the layout and components of the Usdan Student Center will be implemented. Financial Services (including financial aid, student loans and student accounts) will be relocated to the northeast portion of the building, where Residence Life is currently located. Residence Life will move to the southeast side on the first floor of Usdan, where the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life currently stands. The Ethics Center will move to the new Abraham Shapiro Academic Building. In addition, the central space that is currently the International Lounge on the second floor of Usdan will become a center of student activities, complete with such amenities as comfortable furniture, computer stations, and an information desk. Feldman foresees this part of the renovation as "the central area that will be the heart of the One-Stop Services Center."The International Lounge will relocate directly below its current spot, and Eddy added that the Hiatt Career Center will move downstairs.Feldman said that in terms of this phase of Usdan's renovation, Eddy is in the process of reviewing "the proposed layouts of the main spaces."Eventually, the One-Stop Center will be the site of other offices, as well, such as Student Academic Services, according to Feldman and Eddy. Regarding the relocation of multiple administrative offices in Usdan, Eddy said, "everything in one place will really cut down on the bureaucracy."Heller School gets new wingThe memo also described the new addition to the Heller School, made possible by a gift of $15 million from Irving Schneider, that "is expected to add 29,000 square feet to the Heller School," according to the memo. The process of programming is already underway to decide which programs will exist in each building of the Heller School will be determined, according to Feldman.The building's design will be planned with the aid of architect Kyu Sung Woo, who also designed the Village residence hall. The building is expected to be complete in fall 2005.Addition of Abraham Shapiro Academic Building The new Abraham Shapiro Academic Building will house the International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life, the Center for Middle Eastern Studies, faculty offices, the Mandel Center for Jewish Education, and the Education Program, as well as many high-tech classrooms, a study area and meeting space, according to the memo. The building will consist of what was formerly known as the American Jewish Historical Society building, as well as a 2,500 square-foot addition. Feldman said that the university is in the early stages of this infrastructure project and that "we are making sure that we're looking at all the parts together and all the interrelationships and understanding it as a whole."Brandeis takes out about $25 million in debt every year as a result of failures in infrastructure and repairs, according to Feldman. As a result, a complete updating of the infrastructure system will save much money in the long run that will more than fund the implementation of the new system.Although all projects are moving along on schedule, French conceded that variables such as the weather, cost increases and unforeseen construction obstacles can all affect their progress."Anytime you do a construction project, there are unknowns you may run into," French said.
(01/27/04 5:00am)
As the heavy metal door at the back of Kutz opened slowly, the four of us were immediately hit with a blast of hot air infused with the crisp scent of pastries taken straight from an oven.Unbeknownst to most students, the sweets eaten in every caf and cafeteria on campus are baked at Brandeis' own bakery in the basement of Kutz. Anyone who has waited in line at the registrar's office and noticed the faint, yet intoxicating scent of freshly baked cookies probably guessed that Brandeis was hiding a bakery somewhere in the building. We are happy to report that the much-mythologized Brandeis bakery does actually exist, and it is part of a dying breed.After taking a moment to absorb the aroma in the newfound oasis, our quartet of Justice reporters and photographers ventured wide-eyed into the underground wonderland. Our tour guide was head baker "Murph" Lemasa, jovial and smiling as he described his passion for baking and explained the intricacies of his nocturnal responsibilities. Lemasa was proud to report that Brandeis is one of the few remaining universities around the country that maintains a "from-scratch "bakery. Lemasa said that running such a bakery on campus is expensive, Lemasa said. He added that while buying pre-made baked goods from a supplier might save money, it would also sacrifice taste.Eighty percent of the treats from the Brandeis bakery are made from scratch. This doesn't mean simply opening a box of cake mix and adding some eggs. Rather, it means going through the labor-intensive process of adding and mixing each individual ingredient and then watching the oven intently to check that the goods come out at just the right time. In the Kutz bakery, everything from peanut butter cookies to carrot cake to rare treats like almond cookies for the Chinese New Year, are made this way. The remaining 20 percent of pastries not made from scratch consist of hard-to-produce items like croissants and turnovers that are shipped frozen to the bakery and then baked there later. Lemasa remarked that making every last pastry from scratch would "raise Brandeis tuition by 30 percent." Within the bakery is a separate room for kosher baked goods, all parve (non-dairy). After a hiatus of many years, Brandeis restored its kosher bakery just three years ago, said Lemasa. Good kosher baking products are very expensive and hard to find, he explained, as he showed us a brochure of some new kosher items he plans to order. The bakery begins production each day at 1 a.m. When most students are keeping warm in their dorm rooms Lemasa is hard at work in the bakery, ensuring that students and faculty will not be left without their morning poppy seed muffins. When we arrived at the bakery at 1:30 a.m. last Thursday, Lemasa was already busy, boiling water and prepping croissants to be baked. With the precision of a surgeon, he slit the middle of each croissant to shape them into crescents. Still only delicate bundles of dough, the croissants seemed pale miniatures of those we knew we would view in the morning through the glass at Java City. The bakery stays open through the night, making an immense number of assorted treats that are shipped out around campus at 6:30 a.m. so that everything is fresh for breakfast. After five hours of sweating next to a massive oven, Lemasa usually takes a lunch break around 6 a.m., although he confessed that he had never taken a "true" lunch break and normally just gets off of his feet for 10 or 15 minutes. Lemasa told us that he savors the night hours. "There is no one around to drive you crazy," he said, explaining that at night, he can be more productive. He likes to go home at about 10 a.m., so the last few hours of work are always a time crunch.At the heart of the bakery rests an imposing oven responsible for all the non-kosher pastries at Brandeis. The oven can reach temperatures up to 450 degrees and provides the only source of heat for the bakery. Because of its size, the oven takes about an hour to fully heat up. When we stepped into the bakery at 1:30 a.m., the oven had only been turned on for half an hour, but already the warmth emanating from it was nearly unbearable. Lemasa, though, in his starched white labcoat, seemed unphased by the heat.This was no ordinary oven with a door and a few wire shelves. Instead, the oven had one large shelf that rotated constantly, carrying its treasures in and out of sight. During our conversation, Lemasa set a loaf of cranberry bread up to bake. Soon afterwards, during one of the oven's rotations, we caught a glimpse of the bread, now tinted gold.After our stint by the oven, we followed Lemassa into one of the kitchen's three cavernous walk-in freezers. This chill, though even colder than the air outside, was not the same bitter cold as before; instead it was sweetly chocolate-scented and inviting. We found ourselves surrounded by tall shelves of frozen dough, cake, cookies and brownies. All of these things are baked and then immediately frozen to retain freshness until they are ready to be reheated and sold.Lemasa also proudly showed off two gigantic Hobart batter mixers, the smaller of which costs $13,000. It is with good reason that the bakery has such an impressive array of equipment. Lemasa and his crew must keep up with the pastry demands of the entire Brandeis campus-students, faculty,staff and visitors included. Combined, that is over 4,000 apple pie-craving mouths to satisfy. This is no small task and it produces some staggering figures. Lemasa estimates that the bakery goes through some 800-900 pounds of flour a week, 150 pounds of cookie dough a day and between 10,000 and 12,000 eggs in any given week. Anyone who frequents Usdan is sure to notice the popularity of the bakery's most sought-after product, those big, round, chewy cookies in multiple favors: chocolate chip, peanut butter, brownie chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and others. Matthew Louik '05 echoed the sentiments of many students when he said, "I find the chocolate chip cookies delectable." "We make cookies constantly. We can't make enough," Lemasa said. To ensure that the cookies taste the same each day, a single baker is in charge of making all the cookies at Brandeis. Because the bakery only employs three bakers, this means that almost a third of the bakery's output is devoted to cookies. All of the cookie recipes, as well as most of the bakery's other recipes, are Lemasa originals. He told us that he has worked as a baker for 43 years. He came to Brandeis 17 years ago when the bakery was still independent. He said that in the past, students used to visit him late at night in the hopes of scoring some cookies for themselves. More daring students would sneak into the back of the bakery (the door is locked nowadays) and steal entire trays of cookies. Lemasa explained to us why the bakery is located in a seemingly random building, a question that puzzles many who know of its existence. Kutz once held Brandeis' first student dining hall. The bakery's current home in the basement used to be the kitchen for the dining hall; the previous bakery was just "an oven upstairs," Lemasa said. Aramark assumed control of the bakery in 2000, but they still allow Lemasa to use most of his own recipes. Lemasa's recipes, however, do not cater to those trying to eat a healthy diet. While the Atkins diet and other low-carb diets are hurting the business of bakeries across the nation, Lemasa said he is not worried. He pointed out to us that low-carb diets were the craze 20 or 25 years ago as well, and that in his view, the current diet trend is just a fad. "If you stop eating everything, you'll die," he said.Lemasa said that he is also not too keen on low-fat bakery items. With a mocking attitude, he showed us a binder of low-fat recipes compiled by an Aramark representative sent to Johnson and Wales University to research healthier alternatives. "The fat is what makes the taste of food," Lemasa said. If this is true, that fat equals flavor, than the treats from Brandeis' bakery must be virtual sticks of butter. And as long as flavor is in vogue, the bakery in Kutz should have no worries about its future.
(11/25/03 5:00am)
Medical Emergency Nov. 18 - There was a call reporting a female in Grad not feeling well. The patient was transported to the Health Center. Nov. 19 -There was a report of a female who fainted in the science complex. An ambulance was requested. The patient was transported back to Ziv Quad. Nov. 19 - A female in Grad reported that her friend is not feeling well. She said that the patient has a flu with a temperature over 100 degrees. BEMCo is notified and she is transported to Sterling Medical Center for evaluation. Nov. 22 - There was a report of a female in Massell vomiting with a temperature of 102 degrees. BEMCo is requested for assistance. Nov. 22 - A party in East Quad reported a female vomiting in a third floor ladies room. Nov. 22 - A party in North Quad reported an intoxicated male in the basement. An ambulance was requested and the patient was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The Quad Director was notified. Nov. 22 - A female in North Quad reported that her friend is feeling nauseous. Nov. 22 - A party in North Quad reported a female not feeling well from the flu.Nov. 22 - There was a report of an ill female in Massell Quad. BEMCo transported her to Sterling Medical Center. Nov. 22 - There was a report of a female in the Village feeling dizzy. BEMCo called for an ambulance. The patient was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Nov. 22 - There was a female in Usdan with an eye injury. The patient requested BEMCo assistance. The patient was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Nov. 22 - There was a report of a female in North Quad who was feeling nauseous and having a temperature of 100 degrees. The patient was transported to Sterling Medical Center for evaluation. The Quad Director was notified by police. Nov. 22 - A party reported a male vomiting in Massell Quad. BEMCo requested fire and ambulance assistance. The patient was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The Quad Director was notified. Nov. 23 - A male in East Quad reported that his friend took a prescription sleeping pill and is hallucinating. BEMCo requested an ambulance. Nov. 23 - A female in East Quad reported that she is not feeling well. She was transported by BEMCo to Sterling Medical Center. Traffic Nov. 19 - There was a motor vehicle accident with no injuries near the exit of Route 128 South. The reporting party said that the owner of the motor vehicle is a Brandeis staff member and was rude to her. Brandeis Police are unable to obtain information for the motor vehicle. Waltham Police are notified. Nov. 20 - There was a report of a motor vehicle accident at the main entrance. Waltham Police Department is on the scene. Waltham Fire Department and ambulance are also on the scene. Harassment Nov. 20 - A caller in East Quad reported being harassed by ex-boyfriend by phone and requests the officer to file a report. She does not want further action but to have incident documented.Disturbance Nov. 19 - Two individuals playing soccer under the walkway of the Village causing a disturbance. Officer on the scene reported no problems observed in the area. Nov. 22 - A party in Grad Quad reported loud music originating possibly originating from a party. The officer on the scene advised the occupant to quiet down. Nov. 22 - Brandeis and Waltham police along with Quad Director responded to Ziv Quad for a large crowd dispersal. Officer reported individuals were throwing eggs at police cruiser. The group was dispersed with the assistance of Waltham police. Quad Director spoke with Ziv residents who were responsible for gathering. Nov. 22 - A party reported two individuals arguing on the first floor hallway of the Village.Nov. 22 - A party in Massell Quad reports ten individuals outside screaming and causing a disturbance. The small group was dispersed by officers on the scene. Nov. 22 - A party in Massell Quad reported two individuals fighting on a hallway. The responding units were unable to locate the individuals after a walk through of the area. No damage to university property was found. Nov. 23 - A party in Grad reported students on Angleside Road are being loud. Officer reports that Grad was playing loud music and asked to quiet down. Nov. 23 - A party in North Quad reported a car outside playing loud music. The officer spoke with the individuals and asked them to turn off the music. MiscellaneousNov. 17 - A party in Kutz reported a possible fire alarm sounding. Nov. 17 - Waltham Police Department reports a 911 call. The party said that the call was accidental and a Brandeis cruiser was sent to check. Nov. 20 - A party in Massell Quad reported a student who locked himself up with friends in toy metal handcuffs. The officer on the scene is unable to unlock with Police Department handcuff keys. A second offer was contacted to respond. Nov. 21 - A call was received of a dog in a car in T-Lot. The owner of the vehicle was found. Nov. 22 - There was a report of a red Jeep speeding on campus and throwing fireworks on Chapels Field. The vehicle was not located and no problems were reported on Chapels Field. Nov. 23 - A party in Rosenthal Quad reports that an unknown white male was in her suite going through her fridge. When the person was asked to leave she believes he just went into another room. The officer on the scene conducted a walk through and found the student walking around the area. - Compiled by Matthew Konjoian
(11/18/03 5:00am)
The Board of Trustees recently approved a long-term debt of $25 million that will finance a major campus infrastructure renewal project. The suggested repairs and improvements aim to centralize campus and are another step in realizing recommendations set out in the 2001 Campus Master Plan. The implementation process has been "piecemeal," Prof. Steven Burg (POL) said. Burg, chair of the politics department, has taught a Brandeis for 25 years and was a member of the Master Plan steering committee three years ago. The planning process also involved faculty, staff, administrators, students and outside contractors - notably Chan Krieger & Associates. But this steering committee now "has fulfilled its purpose" and is no longer active, said Peter French, Brandeis executive vice president and chief operating officer. As a "follow-up step," he said, a new committee will work with the University to "develop landscape and site design standards." French added that students, faculty and staff will serve on the committee and will incorporate community input along the way. Meanwhile, French outlined, as a result of extensive studies and much "brainstorming of ideas," Chan Krieger & Associates published the Brandeis University Campus Master Plan Interim Report. This 114-page document, released in fall of 2001, established overarching recommendations for the campus' eventual appearance."Most elements of the Infrastructure Renewal Project are included in the first recommendation of the Master Plan," said French, "which says that you have to take care of what you have first." While Burg said that "we don't make the best use of what we have," French said he is optimistic that "this $25 million debt is really going to help us put a dent in the (maintenance) backlog, improve safety and improve classrooms. The debt service for the bond will be funded by savings, French said, that will include "energy savings and reduced costs for emergency repairs of, for example, steam lines." Thus, it is a top priority to reduce previously deferred maintenance. To this end, the University intends to spend $4.2 million of the $25 million loan on a major overhaul of the steam network. $5.7 million will be spent on fire safety upgrades, $4.85 million on improvements to the electric network, $4 million on roofing repairs, $1.35 million on upgrades to the water loop, and $1.9 million on roadway and sidewalk additions - including better signage - according to a preliminary analysis provided by the Office of the Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer (EVP/COO).Additionally, the report designates $2.5 million to improving the "overall functionality and aesthetics" of classrooms and academic technology. "Over the last three years, we've spent each year between $200,000 and $300,000 on making functional and aesthetic improvements to classrooms . . . We're going to substantially accelerate that," said Daniel Feldman, Associate Vice President for Planning, Design, and Construction.The North Academic Quadrangle, which includes Rabb, is in particularly bad shape, according to an analysis by Chan Krieger & Associates. The Master Plan proposes a comprehensive design to renovate and restructure the entire North Academic Quad. The proposal suggests connecting all five buildings - Olin-Sang, Golding, Lown, Shiffman, and Rabb - through indoor walkways and tunnels. "Delivery trucks are constantly driving up into the middle here," Burg said, even though "this quad should be a quiet, visually pleasing, and interconnected academic setting." The Master Plan creates one main point of access. If these buildings are to be renovated, however, its occupants must first be moved to a temporary reserve location, known as "overflow space." Brandeis currently lacks space to move occupants," Burg said, which is why instead of completely overhauling existing buildings, the university has often resorted to "retrofitting" them with "new technology to meet current codes." Burg cited the large lecture hall in Golding as an example of a retrofitted classroom that looks aesthetically bad because of insufficient maintenance. "My personal opinion is that our academic facilities in the North Quad area are an embarrassment," he said. "Parents and visitors would be appalled.""There's a visual experience," Burg said. "(Every campus) projects a certain image, and (Brandeis) projects an image which, in my view and in the view of the plan, needs to be improved." French said that as far as finances will allow, the University hopes to keep the campus attractive. Functionality is also an important priority. Along these lines, there is a plan to consolidate many of the offices currently located in Kutz, Usdan and other buildings. Students will be able to stop by what Feldman called a "one-stop service center" in Usdan "to get help with a broad range of administrative issues." However, much of the Master Plan will remain on hold for some time, since the University will most likely not be able to muster the hundreds of millions of dollars needed to realize all of the near-term and additional recommendations. "(These improvements) demand lots of resources, which (to) my understanding, this university does not have right now," Burg said. He continued, "It is very hard to convince donors to contribute to the renovation of old buildings. This is a fundamental challenge for any university, and that is why I'm not optimistic about the Master Plan. You can't achieve these goals in one comprehensive bite, you have to do things piecemeal."The administration has had to balance the budget very carefully in recent years. "We are not in a position to take financial risks," Reinharz said in an interview with the Justice interview three weeks ago. "As part of the plan to close its budget gap, it has been the university's priority to avoid (budgetary) reductions in academic and student areas," James Hurley, associate vice president for budget and planning, said. According to Hurley, budgetary reductions thus affect non-academic sectors most - Facilities Management, for example. Hurley acknowledged that this year's tuition increase (6.1 percent) was higher than in previous years, but added that the University is trying to keep future increases below four percent. Although Brandeis ranked 10th most expensive university according to CNN Money's "Most Expensive Colleges" list and the Chronicle of Higher Education, Hurley said that this school actually ranks 13th in overall price, including room and board. Hurley said that despite "a shortfall in endowment income, (Brandeis) has weathered the downturn in financial markets."Similarly, according to French, "The University is financially stable after the reductions and assuming that the economy and financial markets perform positively." Hurley explained that while the working assumption has been a negative five percent year-end budget, this figure is currently up by seven percent. Hurley said he expects the maintenance reductions to incur savings on energy usage and maintenance. The $25 million debt has an interest rate of five percent over 30 years, which leaves the annual cost of the debt at $1,610,465. With $8,000 in projected energy savings from the water system repairs alone, this debt "will pay for itself," said Feldman.Students will witness extensive work on campus in the near future. French speculates construction and repairs could begin as soon as in two weeks. "We want to create a better sense of place (for students)," he added. "This committee was one of the most enjoyable I've ever been on," Burg concluded. "You could really let your creativity run wild, and I can't say enough about just how good Larry Chan (of Chan Krieger & Associates) is at this business.
(10/31/03 5:00am)
Dear Editor,I would like to formally express disappointment and irritation at the Parking Office, a division of Public Safety. I am a Community Advisor in North Quad and am in charge of the North Quad Office. This entails leaving campus a lot and running errands. I have a car, which is good for the Quad considering the Quad Director himself has no car. However, I was "granted" parking in X-Lot-near Ziv, Ridgewood, and T-Lot. I formally wrote to Sergeant Betty Reilly and Chief Callahan on several occasions explaining my situation, but I was simply told that sophomores cannot be issued any of the 8 spots in N-Lot (the lot around North Quad). Seeing as no one but freshmen and a few scattered sophomores live in North Quad, I ask-who are granted the spots in North Quad? The answer is people who don't live in North Quad. That's correct, the 8 spots in North Quad are granted to very few upperclass Community Advisors in North, and the rest go to Juniors and Seniors that happen to live elsewhere, like the Castle.North Lot is composed of many, many spots. Most of these spots are used to Staff who work in Kutz or some building nearby. However, even with all of the demand for spots by the Staff, there are a great deal of spots leftover. What happens is, these spots are taken by people who have parking elsewhere, and these cars are ticketed. Thus, I suppose that N-Lot is not merely just a lot in North Quad to which few people from North Quad have access, but also a scheme to earn revenue from them. By having a lot with many spaces, and only assigning some of them to actual cars, the lot has empty spots-these spots are not given away on purpose-in order to take advantage of people, in other words--Brandeis Students, who may try to park there. When I wrote the authorities in the Department of Public Safety and the Parking Office, I asked for an exception to considered. Since the Quad Director in North Quad has no car, and I help him out when he needs to go off-campus for North Quad errands or when I myself need to get things specifically for the Quad. Because of this, the Department of Residence Life also asked to get me a parking spot in N-Lot. This request was also dismissed. I know that exceptions are granted to students-especially leaders of important clubs and organizations. I ask-why do these situations constitute grounds for a parking "exception" to be made, but not a Community Advisor? No, a live-in, round-the-clock position doesn't merit an exception. Freshmen are also granted parking, an exception which is also against policy, if they can give a justification for needing a permit. Several freshmen living in North Quad have been issued parking stickers, one of whom has no justification whatsoever.Exceptions are made to some, but not to others with a legitimate reason. It's pressing that the coordinator of a club gets parking. However, it's obvious that Community Advisors, a job entailing just as much work and importance (if not more) than any head of a club, don't deserve any exceptions or at least special considertion.Where's the fairness? Or is it all, once again, just about revenue and completely turning one's shoulder to an actual, legitimate and fair student request?-David Libber '06
(09/09/03 4:00am)
The vacated space in the Usdan Student Center that used to house various student organizations and the Department of Student Life will be refurbished and become the home for many departments, organizations and student clubs all vying for this prime location, according to administrators.With the opening of the Shapiro Campus Center last year, Student Life, the Brandeis University Bookstore and many student organizations, including the Justice, WBRS, the Student Union, Waltham Group and Archon, moved their operations from Usdan to Shapiro. One year later, plans are still in the works as to how the empty space left behind should be used. According to Assistant Dean of Student Life Alwina Bennett, there is a long-term plan being spearheaded by Vice President for Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy to "create a one stop shopping area for students where they can take care of all their business at once," instead of having to go to various offices and buildings throughout campus. This vision would include moving the Information Booth in upper Usdan downstairs where most of the student traffic is and moving many of the offices currently located in Kutz, such as the Campus Card Office, the Registrar, the Department of Residence Life and Academic Affairs, to open space throughout Usdan. "There is a commitment that if we loose any meeting rooms or lounges during this transformation they will be replaced somehow, since they are currently used on an almost daily basis," Bennett said. The centerpiece of this vision is to turn the vacated bookstore into a game room for student enjoyment. According to Bennett, "last year their seemed to be a great interest among students to use that space as a game room. Although there are many new students on campus this year, we hope that the same feelings are held."This past summer many students, including Union President Josh Brandfon and Vice President Ken Gantz, helped to move many of the games located in the sub-basement of Usdan so that they could be relocated to the old bookstore. According to Brandfon, the game room should be opened by Oct. 1. Brandfon stated that over the summer, he and Gantz, "built storage space downstairs for nine of our clubs to help alleviate the problem of having to leave sports equipment and costumes in (students') dorm rooms and cars." Furthermore, there is an application on the Union Web site that clubs can fill out to request storage space in the Usdan sub-basement as well as in other locations around campus. There is currently a scramble among many student organizations that are also looking for room in Usdan. Among these are various club sports who have no storage room or inadequate facilities, and the Muslim Students Association (MSA), whose prayer room is currently located in the basement of Gordon Hall in North Quad. Brandfon said that a prayer room for the MSA is "one of our very top priorities and we hope not to make them wait until after the fundraising for Usdan renovation has been completed."All of these improvements are part of a long-term plan formulated by the Project Advisory Committee that was led by Dan Feldman, chief-of-staff in the Office of the Executive Vice President, and consisted of representatives from various constituencies. Students sitting on the committee included Brandfon, former Class of 2005 senator Michael Corwin and current '05 senator Erica Lamansky. According to Feldman, the University has been "working with the architectural firm Miller, Dyer, and Spears to determine how we could best use the space in Usdan to meet the needs of all the people in our constituency." As of Sept. 4, the University gained approval from the Budget and Finance Committee to bring the Usdan proposal in front of the entire Board of Trustees. Assuming the University gains approval, which according to Feldman is "reasonably certain," it would take the architect five months to complete the design. Afterward, the construction would be placed up for bidding and the chosen contractor would need approximately four months to complete the project. The project's funding is a different issue. "So far a gift of $2 million has been unveiled by University President Jehuda Reinharz, but that will only cover a small part of construction," Feldman said.
(02/18/03 5:00am)
The future of the Usdan student center will be decided by a University steering committee, composed of administration members, staff and students. The new Usdan could include a recreation center and a "one-stop" site for many student service offices currently in Kutz Hall, administration representatives said Thursday. Dan Feldman, chief of staff to Executive Vice President Peter French, described the Usdan revamping process in two phases. The first involved removing the cottages and relocating Publications, Health Services, and other offices to upper Usdan. The second phase, he said, will involve the steering committee. "The purpose of the committee is to solicit ideas," Feldman said. "Obviously in the end there's a trade-off -- (University President) Jehuda (Reinharz) will make a decision to do what is best for everybody based on the decisions of the steering committee."While the committee's first meeting has yet to be announced, Feldman said he felt a proposal for the Usdan "reuse" project would be stamped out before the semester's end.The proposal could possibly include a slew of changes to the current structure and layout, changes that, according to Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer, would make Usdan and the Shapiro Campus Center more complementary."Shapiro represents the new era of campus center," Sawyer said. "Usdan will be a companion piece, but if Shapiro is unique, Usdan still needs to be unique."Class of 2005 Senator Michael Corwin expressed some concern about the future of Usdan. "I think that there are a lot of important and competing interests," Corwin said. "But, I feel very strongly that it should not completely be turned into a place where students could not use the building for clubs and activities." Corwin argued that many clubs that need space, such as the Democrats, Republicans and Club Sports, don't have the necessary space in Shapiro. He did, however, laud the administration for its handling of the process. "I'm really pleased that the administration is genuinely engaging us in a dialogue. I'm pleased with that and hope that we will make progress in the coming year," Corwin said. The Usdan family donated the building in 1970, and, according to Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement Nancy Winship, they are "in agreement with the University's plans.""From the beginning, when the Shapiro Center was a dream, the Usdans knew that their gift's purpose is to augment and enhance student life -- that won't change," Winship said.
(11/19/02 5:00am)
To the Editor: While the Nov. 12 article titled, "SSN target for abuse" presented a thorough look at Social Security Number (SSN) usage at Brandeis, it did not offer any reason why the SSN should be eliminated from University records. A SSN serves two functions: as an identifier and as a password. SSNs are used both to find records and to verify identity. It 's like using your credit card number or UNet password as your name, published on documents far and wide. Except, unlike your UNet password or your credit card number, it is almost impossible to change your SSN. Imagine if someone in, say, a department store looks at your credit card application - you 've put a SSN, a name, an address and even your mother 's maiden name all on one form. Using this information, a person could pretend to be you, raid your bank accounts, destroy your reputation - even commit crimes in your name. The SSN was established for one purpose - to administer the Social Security system. Using the SSN as both a unique identifier and as a password is a cruel manipulation of this system that results in huge abuses and even greater potential abuse in the future. Mark Hewitt is quoted in the article as being surprised that so few students have changed their Brandeis ID number from their SSN to a random number. He suggests that a random number would be harder to remember. When should students ever need to remember their SSN or other number? It is used as an internal identifier only, not something that should ever be posted anywhere else. Perhaps no one has changed their ID number because the process is so difficult. The Registrar 's website says that a student can only change his or her ID number by bringing a written request to Kutz along with two forms of identification, one of which contains both the person's picture and social security number. Many students do not even have any document that contains both their picture and SSN, a recognition by various states that using the SSN as an identifier and a secret key is bad practice and potentially very harmful. Additionally, students who are employed by the University is not allowed to change their ID number. It should not be the student 's responsibility to change his or her SSN, it should be that of the University. Brandeis is supposed to protect us and our sensitive information, not reveal it for all the world to see. Many people do not understand the implications of a public SSN, and we encourage Brandeis to take every precaution to keep this important number safe. -Adam Battein '04Digital Freedom Working Group Computer Operators Group
(11/12/02 5:00am)
While last week's article presented a thorough look at Social Security Number usage at Brandeis, it did not offer any reasons why the SSN should be eliminated from University records. A SSN serves two functions: as an identifier, and as a password. SSNs are used both to find records and to verify identity. It's like using your credit card number or UNet password as your name, published on documents far and wide. Except, like your UNet password or your credit card number, it is almost impossible to change your SSN. Imagine if someone in, say, a department store looks at your credit card application -- you've put a SSN, a name, an address, and even your mother's maiden name all on one form. Using this information, a person could pretend to be you, raid your bank accounts, destroy your reputation, even commit crimes in your name. The Social Security Number was established for one purpose -- to administer the Social Security system. Using the SSN as both a unique identifier and as a password is a cruel manipulation of this system that results in huge abuse and even greater potential abuse in the future. Mark Hewitt is quoted in the article as being surprised that so few students have changed their brandeis ID number from their SSN to a random number. He suggests that a random number would be harder to remember. When should a student ever need to remember their SSN or other number? It is used as an internal identifier only, not something that should ever be posted anywhere else. Perhaps no one has changed their ID number because the process is so difficult. The Registrar website says that a student can only change his or her ID number by bringing a written request to Kutz along with two forms of identification, one of which contains both the person's picture and social security number. I personally do not even have any document that contains both my picture and my SSN, and am quite happy that this is the case. Additionally, any student who is employed by the University is not allowed to change their ID number. It should not be the student's responsibility to change his or her SSN, it should be that of the University. Brandeis is supposed to protect us and our sensitive information, not reveal it for all the world to see.Danny Silverman
(08/27/02 4:00am)
Finished in aged copper and beige stone, the new Shapiro Campus Center opened this month, becoming a part of campus life with the arrival of the first group of students last week. First-years, sophomores and upperclassmen began to find the new campus center, located in the very center of the Brandeis campus, and began to purchase books in the expanded Brandeis bookstore and sip coffee at the new Java City. In addition to the bookstore, Student Activities, the Department of Community Service, Student Development and Judicial Education, the Office of the Dean of Student Life, the Student Union, the Waltham Group, Archon, BTV, WBRS, the Women's Resource Center, Triskelion, SSIS, SEA/Burp/ARC, the Brandeis Media Coalition and this newspaper either have already or will be moved soon to the new facility."I think the building is going to contribute immensely to the flavor of campus," Kristine Carlson Asselin, director of Student Activities said. "Having a 24-hour building will be a popular -- and a much needed -- opportunity for students to study, hang out, get involved with campus organizations, drink coffee, buy books and meet new people."Brandeis intends for the building to live up to its location at the center of campus. The campus center will include a student art gallery and a 249-seat undergraduate theater, organized by Jonathan Dunlea, new to the Brandeis staff. The center also provides a 24-hour library and computer clusters for both individual and group study."The new campus center will be a symbolic, student-oriented building at the center of campus, vibrant with student activities," Brandeis's web site offers, "complementing the consolidation of key student services either in Usdan or Kutz." The University organized a transition team, made up of members of both the Brandeis student body and the staff, to ease the changes that have occurred on campus. Six committees -- Programming, Outreach, Communications, Policy and Procedures, Jobs and Training, and Governance -- organized and carried out the various tasks needed to make the building functional over the summer."By making calls on everything from poster policy to furniture placement," Student Union President and member of the transition team, Ben Brandzel '03 said about the team, "we students have already made this new center our own. The transition team has transformed the student center from a just a big new building into an invaluable addition to student life.""The programming subcommittee created a full plate of activities to introduce students to their new campus center. "Our role was not only to brainstorm our own programs," Marci Surkes '03, a member of the committee, said, "But also to encourage other campus groups and organizations to hold their events in the new building." "It's hard to gauge exactly how the opening of the Shapiro Center will be," Surkes said, "obviously it will require a huge commitment on the parts of all students for it to reach its full potential --and it may take some getting used to. But, the tremendous amount of freedom and leverage that students had this summer, to write the mission statement and policies for the new building, was unprecedented."The outreach subcommittee has assisted organizations moving to the new student center and will continue to publicize the advantages of the new building to the student body."(We are) focused on maximizing the value of the new center for the average Brandeisian." Brandzel said in regard to the Student Union's role in the transition. "This means 24-hour access, food service, technology and entertainment. We want to keep governance policy flexible and responsive to student needs as they emerge."Some students did register complaints about the new facility. "It looks like the Statue of Liberty," Avital Asuleen '06 said, "and there's a lot of empty space." Asuleen was looking forward, however, about the facilities the campus center offered. "I'm excited for the theater," she said.Other students joked about the pastel color of the building. Already, a few Brandeis students have begun referring to it as "the Green Monster," the obvious reference being Fenway Park's famous icon. Students have also complained the cafe in the center does not take points. Brandzel described this issue as one of many upon which the Union Senate will focus."For this year," Brandzel said, "the new caf will not accept points or meal allotments, so we need to be vigilant that campus life is not divided between people checking mail and eating in Usdan, and doing activities in Shapiro. We want more student interaction, not less. Also, the 24-hour food service will only remain in place if it is used, so students need to be aware of that.
