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Brandeis Softball opens their season on the East Coast this Saturday against Wentworth Institute of Technology after a tough start in their spring training trip in California. Go cheer on your Judges at Marcus Field!
The Brandeis University tennis teams had a busy weekend on the court, showcasing their grit and determination. The men’s team picked up a decisive win against Nichols College, while the women’s team was narrowly defeated by their ranked rivals, Babson College.
Following the conclusion of the regular National Basketball League on April 13, the SoFi Play-In Tournament will take place between April 15 and April 18, the first playoff game taking place the day after. Teams that finished between the seventh and tenth standings during the regular season enter the Play-In Tournament to face off for the seventh and eight playoff seeds. Although the regular season is still underway, it is still possible to make informed predictions about the contending teams, the tournament’s results and the 16 teams that will face off in the following playoff games.
On Tuesday, March 4, the Brandeis Journalism Department invited former New York Times Executive Editor and Pulitzer Prize recipient Dean Baquet to serve as keynote speaker for the 2025 Elaine Wong Distinguished Lecture Program. Baquet formerly served as the executive editor for the Los Angeles Times and made history as the first African American Executive Editor of the New York Times. He spoke about the interplay between the media and polarization in a discussion moderated by Associate Professor of the Practice of Journalism Ann Silvio (JOUR) and adjunct lecturer Adriana Lacy (JOUR), as well as Professor Paul Anskat (SOC).
On March 7, faculty members held a meeting in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall to further discuss the University reorganization plan that the Senior Associate for Faculty Affairs, Prof. Joel Christensen ’01 (CLAS), introduced during the faculty’s Feb. 28 special meeting. The meeting agenda included memorial minutes for Prof. Arthur Holmberg (THA) and researcher Robert Dunigan as well as an address from Interim President Arthur Levine ’70.
As technology advances, so does the landscape of professional and amateur athletics. Once viewed with skepticism and even fear, artificial intelligence has steadily integrated into daily life, shifting from a perceived threat to an indispensable tool of convenience and efficiency. Now, AI is making its mark in the world of sports, particularly in officiating. This innovation is fundamentally transforming the way games are played, reviewed, and experienced by both athletes and spectators.
Following Saturday’s performance of “Intractable Woman” the Department of Theater Arts hosted a talk between investigative reporter Matthew Kupfer ’12 and Russian journalist Elena Kostyuchenko titled “The Legacy of Anna Politkovskaya and Journalism Today.” It would be remiss not to mention that Kupfer has extensive experience covering stories in Eastern Europe and the United States at the global and local levels. Both Kostyuchenko and Kupfer asked each other questions and answered inquiries from the audience.
In March of this year, the permanent collection of the Musée National d’art Moderne — the National Modern Art Museum — of Paris closed its doors for five years. Consecrated as the Centre Georges Pompidou, this modern art museum has housed a large collection of avant-garde art from the early 20th century since 1977. The Pompidou center represents the history of the avant-garde in Paris and the promulgation of modern art as a national art form. Such a closing of a historic collection has been disheartening to say the least. Despite the varied personal opinions of modern art, there is no denying the historical impact of this art style as a social movement.
The transformative power of a Brandeis education extends into the world of enzymology, as demonstrated by Dr. Mo Seyedsayamdost ’01, whose groundbreaking research is uncovering potentially lifesaving antibiotics. Before earning his PhD at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Seyedsayamdost embarked on his journey of scientific discovery at Brandeis University, where he immersed himself in research under the mentorship of Prof. Liz Hedstrom (BIO/CHEM).
District-wide literacy accomplishments, kindergarten registration, Dual Language School lottery and the potential relocation of the Facilities Department were among the topics discussed at the March 5 Waltham Public School Committee meeting.
On Friday March 7, Rather Be Giraffes held their Baby Shower, welcoming three new students to their all gender a capella group. The night began with a mesmerizing cover of “Winner” by Conan Gray, lead by Nicole Benton ’26. While the song itself evokes a somber and deeply emotional mood, the atmosphere of the night was anything but. Following Benton’s solo, Kaila Silber ’25, dazzled the audience with a soulful rendition of Olivia Dean’s “Dive.” In the same romantic sultry tone, the last of the love songs came with Adele’s “All I Ask” featuring Sydney Duncan ’25. With a shift in tempo and a spotlight on the next generation of talent, the night concluded with a lively Beach Boys medley, featuring the 'baby giraffes' — Sarah Jafary ’28, Sara Hyde-Touissant ’28 and Mia Warshaviak ’27.
Medical Emergency
Student Union Vice President Ria Escamilla-Gil ‘27 called the March 9 Senate meeting to order. Attendees heard an announcement from President of the Student Union Rani Balakrishna ‘25, processed committee reports and heard a budget proposal for an event.
On Feb. 9, Rabbi Seth Winberg, the Executive Director of Brandeis Hillel, sent an email to the Hillel mailing list titled “Addressing Misinformation about Hillel at Brandeis,” in which he referenced “false rumors that Hillel at Brandeis is supporting or assisting a group of students identifying as the ‘Jewish Bund.’” He clarified that Hillel does not recognize or support the Jewish Bund, a Jewish anti-Zionist socialist group on campus that was inspired by the Bundist movement. The Bund has recently released a list of demands on their Instagram page. Winberg claimed that the group has “conducted activities in the library that many students have found disruptive,” “misrepresented Hillel and [their] professional staff” and “tried to misuse Hillel’s space reservations for their activities.” He asserted that Hillel will be taking steps in response through established Brandeis channels and that this response is not about any particular group but rather a “matter of principle.” The vague description of how the Jewish Bund misrepresented Hillel and misused their spaces demanded further elaboration; however, the Jewish Bund has yet to release a statement on their Instagram page. I have reached out to both Hillel and the Jewish Bund for statements in hopes of clearing up the details of this issue, specifically asking about the “misuse of Hillel’s space reservation and misrepresentation of Hillel and the professional staff,” in order to provide both sides of the story.
Every week with increasing volume tells us this: higher education is in trouble. It is too expensive. There aren’t enough students to go around. Schools are going to close. And those that remain will be different from what they were before. People aren’t sure they should spend four years of their life learning things they can’t apply to jobs that might not be there when they’re done.
Regardless of which bubble you filled in last November — or whether you filled one in at all — the role of the press in shaping public discourse and accountability remains important. Journalism has undergone a profound transformation, evolving into an industry that surpasses even the most ambitious visions of our nation’s founders. Yet, recent developments have cast a troubling shadow over the future of a free and independent press, raising urgent concerns about its integrity and sustainability.
“Wrap it up” was the prevailing chant among Brandeis University library union staff, students and other university employees during a March 5 rally. Around 30 attendees gathered outside the Bernstein-Marcus Administration Center to express their continued support for the library union, which has now been in contract negotiations for eight months. The union is seeking safeguards to protect its employees’ future as it claims the University seeks to contract out work “without any restrictions.” Additionally, they are seeking a contract that prioritizes salary adjustments that account for inflation and the rising cost of living in the Greater Boston Area. The March 5 rally aimed to add pressure onto the administration. The previous contract, originally expiring in June 2024, has been extended multiple times while the union’s bargaining unit and the University work toward an agreement on fair terms. While the union acknowledges some progress since its Jan. 23 rally — particularly in discussions around its demand for structured pay increases over time — it remains concerned about the university’s approach to outsourcing union work.
On Tuesday, Feb. 25, Interim President Arthur Levine '70 held a town hall to discuss his plans for the University. With approximately 40 students present, the town hall began with the Brandeis Jewish Bund handing a copy of their list of demands to Levine — originally shared during a Feb. 5 vigil — and shaking his hand. The President pocketed the paper without reading it and began the meeting. A request was made that no recordings be taken of the event to honor students' privacy.