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Police Log 2/28 - 3/7

Medical Emergency 

Associate Provost presents plan to reorganize the University

Following months of observation, discussion and planning, Interim President Arthur Levine ’70 recently announced his plan for the future of the University, splitting academic programs into four different “buckets” with individual leadership teams. On Friday, Feb. 28, the faculty held a special meeting to receive a presentation regarding the evolution of the University, following conversations that have taken place over the past month. 

Police Log 2/7 - 2/28

Medical Emergency 

Brandeis February Break Sports Updates

Beyond the campus: A guide to the hidden gems of Waltham

The rigor of campus life often keeps students restricted within the tight confines of the Brandeis bubble; our classes, club meetings and constant studying do little to encourage us to pursue freedom outside of our academic commitments. But beyond the lecture halls, a whole world of experiences is waiting just outside the University’s borders. Whether you’re looking for a student-friendly movie theater, great restaurants, a comic book store or even an ice rink, Waltham and its surrounding areas have plenty to offer. Exploring off campus isn’t just a break from academics — it’s an opportunity for students to connect with the local community, discover new favorite spots and create college memories beyond the classroom. To help you get started, this editorial board has compiled a guide to our favorite places to go, showcasing the best that Waltham has to offer.

Faculty discuss cuts to graduate program admissions and hear plans for capital campaign

On Friday, Feb. 7, faculty gathered in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall for their monthly meeting. The meeting began with a presentation from Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Dean Charles Golden. Golden presented on cuts to open admissions spots this year, explaining that they are “going for roughly 55 admissions across GSAS.”

Tell them I stand for everything 'Emilia Pérez' does not

“Emilia Pérez” has been called many things: offensive, tasteless, a regressive and stereotypical portrayal of the trans experience, heinous, the list of negative adjectives goes on. Despite this, the film is critically acclaimed and has recieved numerous accolades at Cannes Film Festival, the Golden Globes and the Critics Choice Awards, and multiple award nominations. The film is up for 11 British Academy Film Awards and three Screen Actors Guild awards. Most impressive of all is the truly baffling 13 Oscar nominations it has received, putting “Emilia Pérez” only one nomination away from joining “All About Eve,” “Titanic,” and “La La Land” as the most nominated films in Oscars history. 

Luka Doncic Traded

 On the night of Saturday, Feb. 1, National Basketball Association fans were told of the most shocking  news they had ever experienced over years of fanatical fandom. Luka Doncic, the 25-year-old superstar  Slovenian guard for the Dallas Mavericks, a consensus top-five talent in the NBA and one of the league’s  top stars, was traded in a blockbuster move to the  Los Angeles Lakers.  The details of the trade are as follows: the Dallas  Mavericks traded Doncicć, forward Maxi Kleber and  forward Markieff Morris to the Lakers in exchange  for Lakers forward-center Anthony Davis, guard  Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick. Most shockingly, the Mavericks gave no indication that their  franchise cornerstone, a five-time NBA All-Star  and All-NBA selection with career averages of 28.6  points, 8.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists, would be moved. Doncicćwas widely viewed around the league as an  untouchable asset. Still, Mavericks general manager  Nico Harrison apparently had his reservations about  Doncic’s defensive abilities and his overall durability, with some injury concerns arising in the past  few months. Harrison shockingly only spoke to Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka about the details  of the trade and contacted no other teams about getting a potential return for an otherworldly player.  The soured attitude on Doncicć is a great departure  from previous Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, who  was an avid supporter of Doncicć and infamously  remarked: “If I had to choose between my wife and  keeping Luka on the Mavs, catch me at my lawyer’s  office prepping for a divorce.” However, Cuban sold  his majority stake in the team in 2023, and evidently  new ownership does not share his devotion to the superstar. While the Mavericks are receiving a decent return  in this trade in terms of a top-10 player in Davis and a  competent role player in Christie, there are a couple  of glaring issues in their negotiating process. Harrison emphasized that the Mavericks made this decision looking towards the future, despite Doncicć being only 25 while Davis is 31 with an extensive injury  history that has consistently plagued him throughout his career.  Another significant problem was the Mavericks  were only able to grab a single first-round pick from  the Lakers, as L.A. did not even have to give up their  available pick for 2031. Traditionally, trades involving NBA stars or superstars come with the stipulation that the team receiving the coveted player has  to give a great deal in terms of draft capital. Mikal  Bridges (a starting caliber player not in the same  stratosphere as Doncic) was traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the New York Knicks this past summer  at the price of the Knicks providing the Nets with a  whopping five first-round picks! The fact that with  that precedent, the Mavericks were only unable to  collect one first-round pick for a player like Doncicć  is utterly inexcusable. It is extremely likely that the Mavericks will regret  this decision in the future as an injury-riddled Davis  faces the end of his NBA career while Doncicć begins  to thrive, entering his prime in L.A. Mavericks fans  can only hope that this trade does not go down as  one of the worst in NBA history, as they lost a generational talent in his prime. Despite the greatness  Davis has shown over the years, Doncicć is essentially irreplaceable in basketball terms, with the potential exception of the world’s best, such as Denver  Nuggets center Nikola Jokić and San Antonio Spurs  Center Victor Wembanyama. This is not even mentioning the philanthropic work that Doncic has done  in the Dallas area with the Luka DoncicćFoundation  and his deep love of the city and state, even wearing a  cowboy outfit to one of his years a few years ago as an  homage to the state he played in. In fact, Doncicć was  about to close on a home in the Dallas area around  the time the trade took place.  The loss of Doncicć has fallen especially hard on  Mavericks fans, who have gravitated towards his  awe-inspiring play and on-court personality since  his debut as a rookie in 2018. Their displeasure and  ire at management for the trade has resulted in allout protests being staged at the Mavericks arena  (American Airlines Center). Fans were seen chanting “Nico sucks” in reference to General Manager  Harrison for his role in the debacle of a trade. Ultimately, only time will tell if this trade ages  horribly for the Mavericks, but Davis and Kyrie Irving are literally required to bring the team a championship because that’s the sole form of compensation that Mavericks management could provide to  the fans who lost the soul of their franchise. As for  Luka on the Lakers, LeBron James will ride into the  sunset of his career playing alongside a remarkable  talent, and Luka will usher in yet another era of Laker dominance anchored by a transcendent superstar 

Jewish Deis Bund holds vigil in Shapiro Campus Center for lives lost

On Wednesday, Feb. 5 the student organization Jewish Deis Bund hosted a vigil to “honor and remember those murdered in Palestine and Lebanon,” as announced in an Instagram post on Feb. 4. 

Police Log 1/31-2/7

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Highlight: Dylan Walters and Brandeis men's Tennis

 The Brandeis University men's tennis team  fought vigorously but ultimately lost 5-2 to Division I Bryant University in their spring 2025 season opener. Despite the loss, the Judges showcased  resilience and individual excellence, particularly  at the top of their lineup, with Dylan Walters MA  '26 being named UAA Player of the Week. Match Summary Brandeis (0-1) started the match with competitive doubles play. Walters, a graduate student and  designated All-American, teamed up with Daniel  Shemesh ’28 to secure a hard-fought 7-5 win at #1  doubles. However, Bryant (1-1) claimed victories  at #2 (6-3) and #3 doubles (6-2), earning the crucial  doubles point under the new one-point doubles system. Despite the team's defeat, Brandeis fought back  in the remaining matches. Shemesh battled to  three sets at #3 singles but ultimately fell 6-2, 4-6  and 7-5. The Judges secured their two points as  Walters prevailed at #1 singles in a grueling contest, winning 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, and 7-5. Aidan Wang-Fan  ’28 added another victory at #4, rallying for a 3-6,  7-6 (11-9) and 7-5 triumph. Walters Named UAA Player of the Week Brandeis standout Walters earned recognition  for his performance, being named the UAA Men’s  Tennis Player of the Week for the third time in his  career. Walters was a double winner in the match  against Bryant, securing victories in both singles  and doubles. His singles win at #1 demonstrated  his endurance, leadership and skill as he outplayed  his opponent in three tough sets. Walters, a first-team All-UAA selection in 2024  and a second-team honoree in 2022, made history  last year as Brandeis' seventh All-American after  advancing in the NCAA Division III singles tournament. His performance sets a high standard for the  Judges as they progress through the season. Looking Ahead The Judges will take the next week to regroup  before heading to Claremont, CA for their annual February break trip. They will play their  next match on Feb. 16 against Scripps College’s  Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, the #2-ranked team in  Division III. With Walters’ leadership and young  players stepping up, the men’s tennis team looks to  make a strong performance as the season unfolds. 

Klein unrelated: Wilson’s Diner, a Waltham classic

Klein: Good morning, Klein, and welcome to the second-ever Klein: Unrelated. 

Brandeis Celebrates Black History Month

On Feb. 3, the Brandeis University community received an email from the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs Lauren Haynie and Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Lee Bitsóí, expressing that they are “delighted to honor the heritage, resilience, contributions and scholarship of Black people during Black History Month in February.”

Major milestone achieved during Brandeis men's basketball win

On Friday, Jan. 24, Brandeis University men's basketball senior Toby Harris '25 etched his name into the record books, becoming the 36th player in University history to reach the 1,000-point career milestone. Harris' achievement came at a crucial moment, helping the Judges secure a 92-76 victory over Carnegie Mellon University in a hard-fought University Athletic Association road matchup.

Athlete Ally at Brandeis University

A new wave of advocacy is sweeping through Brandeis University. A group of passionate student-athletes has come together to create the University's chapter of the national advocacy group, Athlete Ally. This movement is part of a larger effort to increase LGBTQ+ inclusion in sports, especially college athletics.

Southeast New England experiences earthquake tremors

On Jan. 27, a 3.8-magnitude earthquake struck approximately six miles south of York Harbor in Maine. It ran approximately eight miles deep but caused no fatalities or damage. The earthquake was the fifth largest in the state’s history, the strongest being a 4.7 magnitude earthquake in 2012, and the second-strongest a 4.5 magnitude in 1987. 

Letter to the Editor - Richard Sherman

Dear Letter to the Editor:

Brandeis Women's Basketball splits the first half of their UAA road trip

 On Jan. 24, the Brandeis University women’s  basketball team won 72-60 over Case Western  Reserve University on the road, showcasing  strong offensive execution and dominant defense.  The Judges turned the game around in the  first quarter with a 9-0 run to close out the pe riod, leading 18-10 at the break. Senior Cait lin Gresko 25’played an important role, con tributing five points during that run. The  Judges kept pushing forward, holding Case  without a field goal for the final 7:30 of the game. 

Fire at the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center

The historic Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center on 200 Trapelo Road in Waltham, MA, has faced a series of challenges over the years, including previous fires, vandalism and neglect by the city, causing buildings on the property to crumble. A recent fire has exacerbated its deteriorating condition, marking another setback in the ongoing struggle to preserve this Waltham landmark.

On leading the way: Black women in politics

The year: 2024. The city: Boston. It is here that Ruthzee Louijeune made history when she was sworn in as Boston’s first Haitian-American woman city councilor and third Black woman in the role. Now it is no surprise as politics followed her from a young age. The then 14-year-old earned her first job as a tour guide for Boston neighborhoods. Just two years later she began interning for Marie St. Fleur, who was the first Haitian person elected in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. “That really empowered me to believe that people are the ones who change communities and who write history,” she said in a Dec. interview with The Justice.