(01/14/14 5:00am)
Over break, I visited one of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art's newest exhibits-Calder and Abstraction: From Avant-Garde to Iconic-which opened in late November and is the first Alexander Calder exhibit to appear at LACMA. Calder, a 20th century American sculptor, is known for his geometric and colorful mobiles as well as his stables, the stationary works of art that he created in the later part of his career. The layout of the exhibit actually seemed to mimic the artwork and at the same time provided an excellent forum that allowed the artwork to stand out. The layout was geometrical and maze-like, filled with small, narrow crevices that held just a mobile or two. Bold, bright and spinning, the pieces popped out among the gray walls. Calder's work is highly abstract and reminded me of the idea of a Rorschach inkblot test: each viewer sees something different in the piece and there may be no "right" answer. I imagined everything from plants to stick figures represented in the pieces. It seemed that Calder did have tangible inspiration for some of his works though. For instance, we know that much of Calder's inspiration came from outer space, especially the pieces in his collection, "Constellations." The titles of his pieces give us some insight into his inspiration. Some of the titles were descriptive of what the piece represented such as "Blue Feather" and "Little Parasite." But a few titles paid homage to the materials used, such as "Little Pierced Disk," names that did not give clue to any inspiration and left room for an inkblot test perspective. -Emily WIshingrad * Last month, I attended the de Young Museum in San Francisco's exhibition on David Hockney's latest work. David Hockney: A Bigger Exhibition opened at the museum on Oct. 26 and will end on Jan. 20. Hockney is known as a major contributor to the pop art movement of the 1960s and for his experimentation in portraiture, photo collage and set design. I have never been an especially big fan of other Hockney exhibits I've been dragged to by my mother, and at first, I wasn't sure if I would enjoy this one. As I walked through the first room, which was packed full of eager guests, I thought that most of the paintings looked an awful lot like something an elementary school student would do. The colors were garish and the brush strokes thick. I changed my mind when I learned that Hockney made all of the displayed works on his iPad or through the paintbrush tools on Adobe Photoshop. For an artist who used photography as his primary medium for many years, I found it fascinating that he switched to tools that many people use for photo editing. About halfway through, the exhibit displayed films of Hockney creating his work. You could watch how his iPad screen went from blank to filled with lines and colors that somehow all came together into a detailed self-portrait or landscape. I also enjoyed a room that showed a timeline of major works in the Western art canon from the 13th century on and allowed the viewer to see where Hockney got his inspiration. I still may not be a huge fan of Hockney's more mainstream works, but I did thoroughly enjoy David Hockney: A Bigger Exhibition. It was so unlike anything I had ever seen before, and the combination of art and technology took the art to the next level. -Catherine Rosch * My favorite art exhibition of the 2013 year coincided with my first Justice article on the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston exhibition, She Who Tells a Story. The exquisitely curated show, displaying photographs of female artists from the Middle East, exposed me to the subtle nuances of the Middle East that are frequently forgotten in the Western media lenses. Boushra Almutawakel's series "Mother, Daughter and Doll" depicted the tension over women's bodies in nine photographs. In the series, the smiling faces of a trio of female figures changes as their garb changes. The first image depicts three happy, colorfully dressed females and only the mother's head is covered. But, as time progresses, more and more black fabric is added to the trio's bodies resulting increasingly somber photographers. Finally, the three figures are draped in a black shroud. They no longer exist in the frame of the photograph and as such, cease to exist in society. Yet, my favorite series in the exhibition was Gohar Dashti's "Today's Life and War" that portrays a newly married couple in a war-ravaged dessert in an unknown location. In the series, the couple celebrates their anniversary. They take a road trip. They hang their laundry up to dry in the wind. These scenes of domesticities in the midst of a battlefield create an image of war as an everyday reality that is not worthy of excess attention. War and violence have become normalized. The scenes of this newly married couple in a warzone pulled at my heartstrings. In a dystonic landscape the couple's commitment to each other, their perseverance, determination and commitment to normalcy, seemed oddly romantic and endearing. After a year of exhibitions, She Who Tells a Story is the one the show which I cannot help but to remember and reimagine. -Kiran Gill * A two-hour drive away from both Seattle and the state's Twilight capital, Forks, my tiny hometown of Sequim is situated in the northwestern-most corner of the state of Washington. With approximately 7,000 residents today, Sequim has a similar heritage to countless small towns across the Pacific Northwest, which have risen from the roots of family-owned farms and prairie settlements in the last century. Naturally, the artwork that comes out of places like Sequim comprises a very niche genre that is inspired by fixtures of everyday life in the Pacific Northwest-small towns, family operations and a close relationship with the area's splendorous nature and wildlife. Situated in the center of Sequim, the Blue Whole Gallery provides a home for a constantly changing collection of artwork created by locals, many of whom have spent most of their lives in the area. The Blue Whole Gallery was opened in 1997 and is now home to more than 35 artists from the Northwest. Functioning as a cooperative gallery, each of its members contributes through both monthly membership dues and commissions on works sold in the gallery. The selection of works on view ranges in medium from oil on canvas to watercolor, photography to ceramics, sculpture to carvings to tactile mixed media. One can always count on nature as a common theme throughout the gallery. Some of my favorite pieces on view now are watercolor paintings of the Olympic mountain range, brightly painted wooden carvings of wild birds and oil paintings of the nearby Strait of Juan de Fuca. The Blue Whole Gallery celebrates the spirit of small town communities and the beautiful land and life around us. If you are ever in the area, skip the vampire-themed tour of Forks and pay a visit to the local art scene. -Rachel Hughes
(01/14/14 5:00am)
Prof. Jonathan D. Sarna '75 (NEJS) was elected president of the Association of Jewish Studies at its 45th annual December conference in Boston. The Association of Jewish Studies elects its presidents every two years, according to the association's website. Candidates are nominated by a committee on the board of directors, and are then put to a vote among the association's members. Sarna wrote in an email to the Justice that he is "deeply honored to have been elected." Previously, Sarna served as a board member of the Association and, most recently, its secretary-treasurer. Sarna stated that he views himself as the "John Quincy Adams" of the organization; this is due to the fact that his father, Nahum Sarna, was president of the organization from 1984 to 1985, according to a BrandeisNOW article published on Jan. 6. Nahum Sarna was a professor at Brandeis from 1965 to 1985. Sarna wrote that he recalls his father's "high scholarly standards" and "devotion to the Association for Jewish Studies," and that this influenced his previous involvement in AJS. He has been a part of the organization since he was a graduate student, which, according to Sarna, means that he has been involved for nearly 40 years. In the BrandeisNOW article, Brandeis University Provost Steve Goldstein '78 expressed pride at the role Brandeis played in "the creation and nurturing of the field of Jewish Studies in the United States;" he noted the contributions of the faculty members who "served the profession in this role." Goldstein also stated that Sarna's "scholarly contributions and international stature are valued both by Brandeis and the Association." According to his biography on the department of Near Eastern and Judaic Studies' website, Sarna earned his undergraduate degree in Judaic Studies and History from Brandeis, and his doctoral degree in history from Yale University. He taught at the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati until 1990, as well as at Yale University, the University of Cincinnati and the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Sarna came to Brandeis in 1990 to join the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies department, and has since served as the department's chair twice. The Association of Jewish Studies was founded at Brandeis in 1969 by "a small group of scholars seeking a forum for exploring methodological and pedagogical issues in the new field of Jewish Studies," according to the association's website. The organization's mission is to "advance research and teaching in Jewish Studies at colleges, universities and other institutions of higher learning, and to foster greater understanding of Jewish Studies scholarship among the wider public." It has more than 1,800 members, including "university faculty, graduate students, independent scholars and museum and related professionals who represent the breadth of Jewish Studies scholarship."
(01/14/14 5:00am)
@IH8UHOES, I hate you too.
(12/10/13 5:00am)
Last Thursday, the Brandeis community joined the global community in mourning the death of Nelson Mandela, the former president of South Africa who led the movement to free his country from its racist, unjust system of apartheid laws. As a University dedicated to social justice, the loss of Mandela affects Brandeis deeply. This board encourages professors, students, and staff to look to Mandela's legacy as an inspiration. While inviting students to a peace vigil and candlelight event, Dean of Students Jamele Adams wrote of Mandela as "a hero and legend who stood for justice for all," adding that "we commemorate and celebrate him." Mandela's story of peaceful struggle in the face of hatred has inspired Brandeis for years. In February 1986, at the height of the anti-apartheid movement, students built and lived in a shanty town across from Goldfarb Library, vowing to occupy the quadrangle of land until the University cut all relations with companies tied to the South African government. The protesters staged forums and marches, which even led to a group of students being arrested on campus. Then-President Evelyn Handler ended the school's financial ties to the regime after these protests. Kweku Mandela Amuah and Ndaba Mandela, founders of the Africa Rising Foundation and Nelson Mandela's grandchildren, will be the keynote speakers at Deis Impact, a festival of social justice, this February. This shows the University's continued focus on the issues of freedom, equality and above all, the global awareness for which Mandela stood. We applaud this decision as a positive memorial and discourse to have on campus. Students must continue to share and draw inspiration from the life of Nelson Mandela and never forget his unique ability to work alongside and love the people who represented the system he fought against. We ask the Brandeis community not to forget its commitment to social justice, and aspire to teach students the principles necessary to become the next great leaders of our time. *
(12/10/13 5:00am)
Following Student Union President Ricky Rosen's '14 State of the Union address in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium on Monday, Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel led a town hall meeting about the University's fiscal year budget. Flagel was joined by Senior Vice President for Communications Ellen de Graffenreid and Senior Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer Marianne Cwalina. During the presentation, Flagel explained the University budget to the audience, including the University's revenues and expenses. According to Flagel, the revenues were composed of 40 percent undergraduate tuition and fees, 13 percent graduate tuition and fees, two percent continuing programs tuition, eight percent room and board, 10 percent endowment support, four percent annual giving, four percent restricted gifts use, 13 percent sponsored programs direct revenue, three percent sponsored programs indirect revenue and three percent other income. The expenses budget totaled $394.6 million-a four million dollar deficit-and was comprised of 18 percent staff salaries, 11 percent faculty salaries, three percent student wages and support, seven percent benefits, 19 percent operational expenses, six percent depreciation of buildings, three percent interest on the total debt, 12 percent sponsored research, 14 percent undergraduate financial aid, seven percent graduate financial aid and 0.2 percent continuing programs financial aid. A significant point of the presentation was the inclusion of financial aid in the charts. "Normally, when Universities present the expense and revenue budgets, they don't include financial aid," said Flagel. He explained that this occurs because aid is generally considered a discount as opposed to an expense. This method was "more intuitive," according to Flagel, and showed the true revenue and expenditures. Flagel later said that the budget is "not wildly dissimilar to other institutions." Aid and salaries make up the largest portion of University expenses, said Flagel, and the University is "really tied up in [that] portion of the budget;" thus, it would be difficult to reduce spending in these areas. Following the presentation, Flagel opened the floor to questions from anyone present. When asked how the budget compared chronologically to past University budgets, he said that the "percentages are fairly similar from year to year," and "you don't see much of a shift." Flagel did note that the University has exceeded its revenues for many years, and thus been required to pull funds off of the endowment in approximately a five percent yearly rate. One attendee raised a question regarding tuition and possible increases. Flagel responded that he "[did] not have a specific number, but the [fiscal] model tries to keep tuition increase below four percent [each year]. ... How much we spend on dining, on housing, et cetera ... all are components of trying to make sure that we're keeping Brandeis accessible." Flagel further clarified that the fiscal model's goal is not a price point, but to make sure that the University is not excluding talented students from attending Brandeis. "That's a tremendous challenge in a fiscal model to provide, so [the administration] want[s] to find the best ways possible to preserve the Brandeis experience but make it accessible," he said. After receiving a question about why Brandeis charges regular tuition to students studying abroad, even though their programs may have cheaper costs, Flagel responded that Brandeis' model for study abroad is to either mark a student as on sabbatical, which Flagel said is popular among other institutions, or "pay our fee, [full Brandeis tuition] and stay enrolled at the University and still have access to all the things you would have access to as a student." When asked how the University is planning to respond to the recent Boston Globe article that criticized the compensation package for President Emeritus Jehuda Reinharz, in light of the budget deficit, Flagel responded that there "isn't much we can do about an article." He noted that the main issue was one of fairness to the administration, and stated that Board of Trustees is "very concerned" and will "continue to look into this matter." He also said that two undergraduate and graduate representatives to the Board would carry the voices of the student body to the Board. The History of Ideas program, which was the center of a scandal accusing the University of mishandling a donor's money for the program, was also brought up at the meeting. After being asked about the situation and what was being done, Flagel told the audience that "all the funds that come in from donors are maintained with extraordinary ethical standards." He later added that "not everyone who was engaged agrees with the decisions that were made," but that "in terms of maintaining the integrity of the donor's wishes, all of that has been taken care of." In an email to the Justice, Rosen stated that "having a forum such as the town hall meeting last week ... is a tremendous first step towards more budget transparency." Rosen further stated that the student body "[has] the right to know why our tuition is increasing ... and whether Brandeis as an institution is responsibly managing its funds." *
(12/10/13 5:00am)
A photograph in News should have been credited as a Justice file photo. (Nov. 26, p. 1) An editorial in Forum incorrectly stated that the last student to minor in History of Ideas graduated in 2009. In fact, the student graduated in 2010. (Nov. 26, p. 10) An editorial cartoon in Forum should have been credited to Olivia Pobiel, not Olive Pobiel. (Nov. 26, p. 12) An article in news incorrectly characterized the development of the fall 2011 HOID core course "PHIL 109b: Ethics and Emotions" as being paid for by the Safier-Jolles fund. (Nov. 26, p. 1) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(11/26/13 5:00am)
A recent Boston Globe article has rightfully ignited a firestorm regarding the compensation of former University President Jehuda Reinharz. It is shocking that Reinharz received over $600,000 in 2011 for helping the University transition to a new president-even though Reinharz was on sabbatical throughout the year. It is likewise baffling that despite increasing student tuition and debt by over $10,000 dollars since I started at Brandeis, Reinharz earned around $300,000 each year from 2012 to 2014 even though he is not required to teach classes, oversee graduate students or participate in department meetings. In The Globe article, Reinharz explained that his pay was justified as his reward for past achievements, including improvements to the University's academic reputation. Unfortunately, Reinharz ignores one of his more dubious accomplishments as president of the University-landing Brandeis University on the list of "Worst of the Worst" protectors of liberty on campus by the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education. In 2011 and 2012, students reading U.S. News & World Report's Best Colleges and Universities issue and considering where to apply were faced with full page ads declaring that Brandeis had "displayed a severe and ongoing disregard for the fundamental rights of their students and professor," and that students looking to apply to Brandeis should "[T]hink twice before applying." Brandeis undoubtedly merited its placement on the list due to its shameful treatment of Prof. Donald Hindley (POL), deplorable treatment of its Faculty Senate and continued lack of remorse. Hindley was accused of racially harassing a student after he discussed and critiqued the origin of the term "wetback" as part of a "Latin American Politics" class. Rather than dismiss the complaints as unfounded, the University shamefully investigated and ultimately placed a monitor in Hindley's class and ordered him to attend sensitivity training. Hindley was not given a written account of the charges or allowed to defend himself in violation of University policy. As a result of the uproar including a class walk out, protests in front of the administrative building, a scathing publicity claim and strong support by students and faculty, sanctions were not imposed on Hindley. However, the accusation and charge of racial harassment still remain on Hindley's record. Sadly, by placing prominently on FIRE's list of the "Worst of the Worst" abusers of liberty, Brandeis University betrayed the legacy of its namesake. Along with Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Justice Louis Brandeis revolutionized freedom of speech in America. Together, they powerfully dissented from the majority and supported the speech rights of unpopular religious minorities, suspected communist sympathizers and other unpopular groups. In his powerful concurrence in Whitney v. California, Brandeis declared: "If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the processes of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence. Only an emergency can justify repression. Such must be the rule if authority is to be reconciled with freedom. Such, in my opinion, is the command of the Constitution." Certainly, allowing for discussion and debunking of the origin of a term like "wetback" is what academic freedom exists to protect. A University committed to "Truth, Even Unto Its Innermost Parts" cannot expect such a searching inquiry to occur without occasional misunderstanding or even offense. Indeed, according to the Student Rights and Community Standards website, part of the mission statement of Brandeis is that "The university that carries the name of the justice who stood for the rights of individuals must be distinguished by academic excellence, by truth pursued wherever it may lead and by awareness of the power and responsibilities that come with knowledge." By failing to protect the rights of Hindley, and even years later refusing to apologize, Brandeis under Reinharz's administration revealed that its commitment to freedom of expression is limited to politically correct discourse. Reinharz's actions twisted the academic integrity of the University beyond recognition. The Reinharz administration's callous disregard during the Hindley affair well embodied many of the failures of his presidency including the removal of Palestinian artwork, efforts to discourage former President Jimmy Carter from coming to campus and shameful handling of the proposed closing of the Rose Art Museum. During the Hindley incident as in each of these other events, President Reinharz never apologized or admitted he was at fault. Despite deteriorating relationships with students, alumni and the faculty over the handling of the Hindley affair-leading to a two-year shut down in the hearing of grievances by the Committee on Faculty Rights and Responsibilities-Reinharz refused to budge or to apologize. Unfortunately, it is his arrogance and disregard for the opinions and rights of students and faculty, rather than achievements in fundraising, that will be Reinharz's legacy. Whether or not he remains on Brandeis' payroll, the University can still right its wrongs towards Hindley and get off FIRE's "Red Alert" list. All it has to do is apologize to Hindley, or even simply declare that a violation of the due process and free speech rights of one of its professors will in the future not occur. These are not extreme demands, but simply what decency and ethics demand. After all, a university named after Justice Brandeis should do everything in its power to be a friend of liberty and freedom of speech. -Daniel Ortner '10 is a former Forum editor of the Justice and was a summer intern at the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education in 2009.
(11/26/13 5:00am)
Correction appended.
(11/26/13 5:00am)
In the week after the Boston Globe published its Nov. 17 article examining the "golden parachute" phenomenon in higher education, focusing on President Emeritus Jehuda Reinharz's compensation, many members of the Brandeis community reacted with skepticism and even outrage. As of press time, a "Petition for Fair Executive Pay" at Brandeis on the website actionnetwork.org had attracted over 1,400 signatures from students, alumni, faculty, staff and others. The student representatives to the Board of Trustees also sent a letter to the chair of the board, Perry Traquina '78, with student concerns, according to a member of the Student Union executive board. On Friday, Traquina issued a statement via BrandeisNOW in response to the Globe article and the public reaction to it. "As Board Chair, one of my highest priorities will be to ensure that all current and future executive pay packages at Brandeis are fair, motivational and consistent with best practices," read the statement, in which Traquina also pledged to ensure that the Board's actions were consistent with "our namesake, Justice Louis D. Brandeis." Jonathan Sussman '11, who was involved with drafting and promoting the petition, said that he was glad to see this response from the Board, but still hoped to see more action taken. "I'm glad that the Board of Trustees understand[s] that they need to address these issues, that there is a strong concern from the student body and from alumni," he said in an interview with the Justice. "But until we see concrete change, I don't think that there's really going to be any satisfaction with those answers." The organizers of the petition will present it to Traquina and the Board of Trustees, according to Sahar Massachi '11 MA '12, one of the drafters. The text of the petition, which was spearheaded by Massachi and Sussman along with Lev Hirschhorn '11 and Mariel Gruszko '10, stated that "Reinharz's excessive compensation is part and parcel of a national trend of universities shifting resources away from the classroom and toward administration. Brandeis undermines its own values when it prioritizes donor relationships and institutional prestige over student access to scholarship and good stewardship of our communal resources." The petition also made two demands: that the Board of Trustees "[i]nstitute a policy of transparency" surrounding executive compensation, and that "[t]he complete annual compensation of the highest-paid employees of the University should be no more than fifteen times the complete annual compensation of the lowest-paid full-time employee of the University." In data Massachi collected from about 1,400 signatories, approximately 449 said they had donated to Brandeis in the past, 372 said they had volunteered for Brandeis in the past and 76 said they would help the creators of the petition "take [it] to the next level." "It's an astounding number of signatures," said Massachi. "Consider that the way this spread was ... posting a link to the petition on Facebook. And just from those humble beginnings, we got, I think 500 or 600 signers in the first day." On campus, Alina Pokhrel '15 and Benjamin Hill '14 are leading an effort to organize students, faculty and staff and "create a safe space" in which to share thoughts on the issues surrounding Reinharz's compensation. Whiler there are no concrete plans as of yet, they are planning to host an open forum on campus early next semester to address this issue and "foster trust" between the various parties, Pokhrel said in an interview with the Justice. Of the signers of the petition, 310 were current undergraduate students and 15 were current graduate students. Seventeen signatories said they were faculty members, nine were staff, 34 were parents and a combined 98 had "other" or "blank" affiliation to the University. Alumni, however, made up by far the largest group, with a combined total of approximately 891 alumni of either graduate or undergraduate programs at Brandeis. Massachi said that his statistics were rough because the method by which he gathered information left open the possibility of double counting people. According to this self-reported information, 37 of the 449 who said they had donated to Brandeis graduated before 2000, with some graduating as early as 1958. Nine donors were still undergraduates, and 403 graduated between 2000 and 2013, according to the data. Those who signed the petition were also given the option of writing a comment. Many addressed the topic of rising tuition and considered the amount of financial aid for which Reinharz's salary could be used, while others pointed out the disparity between Reinharz's compensation and faculty and staff pay. Still others simply quoted the University's motto, "truth: even unto its innermost parts." A few signatories wrote that "Justice Brandeis is rolling in his grave," and pointed to the University's mission of social justice as their motivation to sign. Several commenters stated that they would not donate to the University after learning of Reinharz's compensation package, or were discouraged from making a contribution. When asked about the involvement of recent alumni in the petition, Massachi said that "people of that generation just saw it really clearly," referring to the students who were here during the financial crisis. "Jehuda was the same guy who told us we had no choice but to, you know, admit a lot more students, be more cramped, have ... less professors and just change as a university." "We think this is really significant because ... if [Brandeis is] going to survive, it needs to have a strong base among students who have graduated very recently to contribute to the University both monetarily and just socially and culturally to keep the University alive," said Sussman when asked about the involvement of young alumni. "So we think it shows a real crisis for the University that the most recent generation of alumni are very concerned about its direction." *
(11/19/13 5:00am)
On Nov. 8, members of the Student Union, University administrators and representatives from Sodexo met to discuss a proposal for meal plan reform to be implemented at the start of the next academic year. According to Jay DeGioia, Brandeis' resident district manager for Dining Services, he called the meeting in response to student feedback that was garnered during the request for proposal process that took place last year. At the meeting, Sodexo proposed several ideas for new types of meal plans, according to the Senate chair of the Dining Committee, Class of 2017 Senator David Heaton. In an email to the Justice, DeGioia said that "the meal plans proposed are a direct result of what [Sodexo was] asked to deliver from the direction in the sales proposal" which the University gave out during the request for proposal process. Instead of meals, the potential new system would introduce the use of "swipes" that students would use at Sherman Dining Hall or Usdan Caf?(c), which will be converted over the summer into a resident dining hall facility comparable to Sherman, DeGioia said in an interview with the Justice. The name "swipes" denotes how they differ from meals: these "swipes" would not be limited by meal periods such as lunch and dinner, or disappear at the end of the week, but would be available for unrestricted use throughout the semester, Heaton said in an interview with the Justice. Proposed meal plans would provide students with options similar to those currently in place, with suggested plans that allow for the purchase of many swipes with a limited number of points, or fewer swipes but a larger amount of points, according to Heaton. One proposed plan would vary vastly from any existing plans, according to DeGioia, who mentioned the implementation of an "all-access" plan that would give students an unlimited number of swipes for the entire semester, but very few points to use at retail locations such as Dunkin' Donuts or Starbucks. The University very likely will not decide to allow the use of meals at retail locations such as the Hoot Market due to the added expense and reduced control that DeGioia predicts will result when students have the ability to use unlimited meals at locations with regulated prices. Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel said in an interview with the Justice that the request for proposal catalyzed the Nov. 8 discussion over reforming meal plans at Brandeis. Students expressed dissatisfaction with their meal plans in focus groups during the request for proposal process, according to Flagel, with one major point being frustration over a perceived loss of value through meal equivalency at the University's retail dining locations. Student dissatisfaction regarding meal plans has been ongoing however, according to Flagel, who said that negative student feedback regarding dining began before his arrival at the University. Student Union President Ricky Rosen '14 said in an interview with the Justice that this change would ease some of this financial loss students experience with their current meal plans by eliminating the current system of equivocating meals to a dollar value for use at retail dining locations. Rosen said The Stein acts as a good example of this loss. At The Stein students can use a meal to pay for only five dollars worth of food, whereas a meal at Sherman Dining Hall buys a dinner worth of over 10 dollars retail. "At the end of the day, because the ratio [of money spent on meal plans to value purchased by meals and points] is unbalanced, students aren't getting the most for their money. So we're looking at removing those components and just having meal swipes at Sherman and Usdan," instead of the current system where students use roughly equivocated meals at retail dining locations," said Rosen. Sodexo, the Student Union and University administrators aim to implement new meal plans by the beginning of the fall 2014 semester, according to Rosen. The introduction of swipes to replace meals made up only part of the proposal Sodexo brought to its meeting with University representatives. "Something [the University is] considering right now is having all on-campus housing students be on a meal plan," Rosen told the Justice. This proposal change would require all residential students to purchase some sort of meal plan, regardless of where on campus they live, said Rosen. According to Flagel, this idea also came about during the RFP process last year, during which the University hired consultant Ray E. Petit, president and founder of Petit Consulting, LLC, a company that, according to its website, provides "planning advice to foodservice and hospitality clients." According to Flagel, in Petit's analysis of the University, he called Brandeis "an outlier compared to other institutions" in having "only portions of the residential population on meal plans." DeGioia said that such a change could only benefit students in regard to on-campus dining: "the more participants, the better the quality, the better the offerings, the more offerings." Flagel also said that he felt such a change would have a positive effect, telling the Justice that his "perception [is] that this was a direction that would really heighten the student experience." Student feedback will largely impact the decision of whether all residential students will need to purchase meal plans, according to Rosen, who said that such an option might make on-campus housing less desirable. By increasing the quality of the food and the pricing, however, Rosen opined that "students will be more willing to have some sort of uniform requirement for a meal plan." In any case, Rosen said that such a drastic change in whom the University requires to purchase a meal plan would not be implemented until 2015 or 2016. Another idea that the University wishes to consider would require all enrolled, undergraduate students to purchase some sort of meal plan, regardless of whether or not they live on campus. However, Rosen said that such a requirement has a "very small chance" of being enacted. "Increasingly, other institutions are including some level of plan requirement even for off-campus students. That wasn't met with as much enthusiasm by our students who were involved in discussing at the different forums [during the RFP process], so that hasn't been envisioned [as of yet]," said Flagel. Instead, the University has a goal to make the food on campus so good that off-campus students will be more interested in being on meal plans, according to Rosen. "Something we're considering is having a much cheaper option for off campus students which would include a limited amount of dining dollars and meal swipes so that way they're able to eat [on campus] a few times a week, but they're not bound to eating on campus every day" Rosen said. Flagel, Rosen and DeGioia all said that student feedback will make up an important part of the decision-making process moving forward. Decisions regarding major changes to meal plans considered student feedback from past years, some even from students who have since graduated, according to Flagel. The meal plan ideas proposed at the Nov. 8 meeting did not consider any feedback received since Sodexo became Brandeis' food service provider, according to DeGioia, but only feedback received by Sodexo during the RFP process last year. Since the University Board of Trustees must approve a final proposal for meal plan options before students sign up for housing and pick their meal plans for the upcoming academic year, "time begins to work against [new] feedback inclusion for decisions this year," said Flagel in an email to the Justice. Therefore updated feedback in reaction to Sodexo's proposals will necessarily take a back seat to older student feedback, "but can be revisited as we move into the next [annual] cycle of meal plan development." "We need to, as we move forward, be looking at our student satisfaction levels and be looking at our perception of value levels and make sure that this is creating positive progress on all of those fronts for our students," Flagel wrote. According to Rosen, the Student Union will be sending out a survey to students in the next few weeks to ask students how they feel about meal equivalency and unlimited swipes, how many meal plan options they want to have and how they would feel about requiring all students to have meal plans. After receiving that data, the Student Union, University administrators and Sodexo plan to meet again to discuss what changes, if any, will be made before submitting the proposals to the University Board of Trustees. They likely will not enact any significant changes to the current proposal, however; in an email to the Justice, DeGioia said that though Sodexo retains interest in the results of the upcoming survey, the feedback "may only affect minor changes for next fall, but will definitely be considered for the future." The ultimate goals of the University and Sodexo, according to Flagel and DeGioia, respectively, are to cater to students' needs and involve them in the decision-making process to come up with a system that pleases the majority, providing more flexibility and a more positive dining experience. "There's lots of other pieces of student input that we want to try to collect. I think it's always a challenge but at some point decisions have to get made and not everyone's going to be 100 percent satisfied with any decision. It's not possible," Flagel said, adding, "It's Brandeis. I'm sure there's always going to be a countervailent [sic] position somewhere."
(11/12/13 5:00am)
On Thursday night, Hold Thy Peace, Brandeis' Shakespeare theater group, premiered their production of Hamlet to a small but enthusiastic audience in the Shapiro Campus Center theater. Directed by Samantha LeVangie '15, the play stuck close to its original version, with some cuts to reduce the running time, which was already close to three hours with the cuts. There was also one major change: Horatio is a ghost. The play opened with Hamlet's best friend, Horatio (Aaron Fischer '15), seeing the ghost of Hamlet's father. In this version, however, since Horatio was also a ghost, this scene seemed redundant. In the playbill, LeVangie explained that she wanted to enhance the supernatural already found in Hamlet. Fischer sported ghastly makeup to lighten his pallor and a bloody gash on his cheek, but the change is confusing at first. Once I realized what Horatio was supposed to be, Fischer's performance as Hamlet's voice of reason was convincing, even if his new ghostly identity was not. Hamlet was volatile and his emotion did not seem forced, even in the over-the-top soliloquies that he had to recite while bounding around the stage. When Hamlet talked to himself, he didn't address the audience. Instead, he focused on a point on the stage to address at random, highlighting his alleged madness, which worked brilliantly. The music played in between scenes was appropriately ominous, and the prop as well as furniture changes in between scenes went smoothly. The set, designed and put together by Ryan Kacani '15, who also plays Claudius, was a dark medieval-style castle with colorful stained glass windows that offset the gray and black of the rest of the scenery. This set presented an odd contrast to the costume choices. At the start of the play, Hamlet (Alex Davis '15) wears jeans, a tuxedo-printed t-shirt and sneakers. The rest of the cast wore modern formal clothing, and in one scene Hamlet wore a suit and top hat, but other than that he was dressed casually. Hamlet is supposed to be a rebel, but the jeans were off-putting and out of place. In the scene where Hamlet and his family views the players' performance, Hamlet's costume was given the addition of a cane, which he wielded comically and effectively, adding personality to the otherwise unstable character. Another odd costuming element was the single leather glove, worn Michael Jackson-style throughout most of the play by Claudius. This could be seen as symbolic, since it is worn on the hand that presumably killed Hamlet's father, but came across as an out of place fashion choice for the murderous king. Ophelia, portrayed by Barbara Spidle '16, was a convincing Shakespearean maiden, even in her J. Crew-style pencil skirt and heels. She started out overly bubbly but progressed into a wailing state of madness by the end of the play. Spidle's talents were especially showcased in the scenes before Ophelia's death, wallowing around the stage, singing to herself and handing out flowers. Her portrayal of the grieving Ophelia lent sympathy to the character, who has gone mad but is also mourning the loss of her father. The other actors were spot-on as well, no matter the size of their parts. The small cast meant that many actors played multiple roles, which was only confusing in one scene. Rosencrantz and Gildenstern, played by Connor Wahrman '17 and Zack Kennedy '16, are pronounced dead, and shortly after the actors come back as two gravediggers at Ophelia's grave. It took me a minute to realize that Rosencrantz and Gildenstern did not come back from their graves to dig their own graves. Wahrman and Kennedy's performances are comical and they work well together as the inseparable pair. Max Moran's '17 performance as the eccentric, babbling Polonius, Ophelia and Laertes' father, warrants a special mention. Wandering around the stage and gesturing comically, he delivered Polonius's nonsensical ramblings with gusto and humor. The production went smoothly, and there were only a few minor slip-ups of the complicated Shakespearean dialogue. Overall, despite the odd choice of making Horatio a ghost and some unusual costuming, the play was an earnest rendition of Shakespeare's tragedy. Editor's note: Max Moran '17 is an Editorial Assistant for the Justice's Forum section.
(11/05/13 5:00am)
Whether you're an active participant or simply a curious follower, it's becoming increasingly difficult to go a full 24 hours without checking up on some form of social media. The new app Vine has earned a spot at the social media "cool kid's table" alongside Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram. Owned and operated by the same folks who created Twitter, Vine is "a mobile service that lets you capture and share short looping videos. Like Tweets, the brevity of videos on Vine (6 seconds or less) inspires creativity," according to the Vine website. Vine allows individuals to share personal experiences whenever they want for free and aims to highlight the universality of these common events. The result is usually a hilariously relatable six-second clip with a built-in repeat button-operating on the assumption that you'll want to re- watch the clip again and again ...and again. Popular Vines range from cats jumping into toilets to videos of friends slapping each other in surprising ways. However, mixed into this world of funny pet videos and public humiliation is a genre of videos that is totally founded on racial stereotypes. I'm all for inspiring creativity, but I have a hard time ignoring the resurgence of racism that the Vine community seems to be fostering. Some of the most popular Vines harp on common stereotypes, such as Asians being good at math, African-Americans preferring fried chicken and Kool-Aid to other snacks and ethnic minorities running away any time they hear a police siren. In fact, there's an entire channel of Vines devoted to "Black People vs. White People," and these videos often rank in the most viewed Vines on the app. Monthly compilations of the "Best Vines" highlight Vines entitled, "White Moms vs. Black Moms" and "How Asian kids wake up" as well as "white girlfriends be like.." It's also true that these popular videos capitalize on sexist tropes, but I'll focus on racism here. Vine provides a forum for viewers to post, comment, like, "re-vine" and popularize negative stereotypes along racial lines. This new platform, coupled with modern Internet culture, blurs the line between Internet success and traditional celebrity. People will do whatever it takes to acquire followers and "likes." And apparently, easy-to-recognize stereotypes are the key to instant Vine popularity. Some people might argue that Vine is the perfect platform to laugh at harmless stereotypes. Vine users might protest that these short clips aren't hurting anyone and that individuals who take offense are just overly politically correct. It's true that these Vines can be funny-because many of the creators are talented, or at least enthusiastic. But something more complicated is at play here. As a white, American and middle-class woman, do I have the right to laugh at a Vine displaying African-American stereotypes? Furthermore, does anyone have the right to laugh at these controversial depictions of ethnic identity? My gut reaction is no. In my mind, laughing at this category of Vines perpetuates age-old stereotypes. It's also worth noting that Vine isn't a novel example of racism penetrating the Internet. But there's something about the nature of these looping videos that sets Vine apart from racist memes, derogatory Facebook pages, hateful YouTube videos and other examples of racially charged social media. Vine is different because its format is especially created for sharing short bursts of creativity-some are improvised and casual, others clearly painstakingly planned. No matter how much thought went into them, as soon as Vines enter the world, they repeat endlessly for anyone to see. This is the Internet at the height of its creative potential-an infinite number of people can get an endless six seconds of fame. Part of Vine's mass appeal is this accessibility. Anyone can post a video to Vine, regardless of race, ethnicity or socioeconomic status. But the democratic nature of the medium makes it hard to differentiate between individual representations of identity and racialized generalizations about entire groups of people designed to solicit "re-vines." Are these old stereotypes so popular on Vine because they resonate as somehow truthful for people in their own lives? Or are these short reminders of racist boundaries popular because people can instantly recognize them, laugh and move on in the narrow time frame? Scholars suggest that the definition of ethnic identity reinvents itself in response to different eras of American history. Negative stereotypes thrust upon African-Americans correspond historically with a complete disregard for the development of African-American identity. Modern ethnic and racial identity is no longer confined to historically assigned stereotypes. For the most part, individuals have the opportunity to pick and choose which aspects of their ethnicity they wish to flaunt or hide. However, this reinvention of ethnic identity as a voluntary self-representation does not correspond with the continued use of inflammatory racial tropes showcased on Vine. Wouldn't it be great if Americans took advantage of Vine and used it as a tool to push past age-old stereotypes and produce Vines that don't revolve around reductive conversations on race? Vine offers individuals the chance to share personal and accurate representations of culture in an easy-to-digest way. And most of all, Vine is fun. But just because it's fun doesn't mean it has to be lazy and ignorant. Americans should take a closer look at Vine if they ever think that racism in this country has disappeared. In this sea of looping videos, we can all see an endless repetition of old racist ideas. Instead of just adding to the chorus of reinforced stereotypes, some of us should add different voices to the mix. Maybe our voices can shift the conversation on race to something that deserves repeating. Editor's note: This article was originally written for "AMST 55: Race, Ethnicity and Immigration in American Culture."
(10/29/13 4:00am)
Healthy and civil discussion needed In response to your article "Concept of social justice actually perpetuates societal injustice" (Oct. 22): In his 2010 commencement address at the University of Michigan, President [Barack] Obama noted the need for, "a basic level of civility in our public debate." He went on to say, "We can't expect to solve our problems if all we do is tear each other down. ... You can disagree with a certain policy without demonizing the person who espouses it. You can question somebody's views and their judgment without questioning their motives." At Brandeis, we take particular pride in fostering an atmosphere that supports discourse and debate. There will always be topics, how- ever, that we find particularly sensitive, especially when the views espoused challenge our community values or practices. These challenges are, perhaps, even more difficult to con- front with civility in an online environment. Both student newspapers recently published opinion columns that highlight such challenges. It's important to bear in mind that these sections of the paper are not considered areas of "reporting," they are meant to foster discussion. Editorial boards often select pieces for publication precisely because they raise questions, and give weight to opinions that may be in the extreme minority. This is one of the strengths of freedom of the press-that minority views can be reviewed and debated, even when they are not accepted, or possibly even acceptable, to large portions of a community. There is, of course, a careful balance that must be struck between protecting the expression of minority opinion and establishing guidelines for communication that is unacceptable to a community in any forum. I will leave the debate of the drawing of such lines to another day and focus instead on the response to columns that, while challenging our values, are clearly not crossing these boundaries. In reviewing responses, online and else- where, to the recent columns, I was dismayed to see our community seeming to stray from what most would consider civil discourse. Comments became unfortunately personal regarding the authors. I was saddened to read comments on both sides of discussions on each topic about not feeling safe and felt I needed to share how much those concerns trouble me. Brandeis first and foremost is a community of scholars. Please be respectful of one another, and remember that whatever our disagreements, we should strive to maintain civility in our discourse. I am proud to be part of this amazing family, and hope that we will all continue to work together to ensure that no one at Brandeis, student, faculty or staff member, should ever feel unsafe. -Andrew Flagel Andrew Flagel is the senior vice president for students and enrollment. Evaluate what should be published In response to your article "Concept of social justice actually perpetuates societal injustice" (Oct. 22): Twice this semester articles were written challenging the idea of diversity and the concept of social justice in attempts to advocate for the false rhetoric of "reverse racism" in which white people feel as though they are being discriminated against as people of color slowly begin to obtain basic human rights. Not only am I highly offended, but these articles had no facts to support their absurd claims and seemed more like students who are threatened by the implications made by "diversity" and "social justice," uplifting disadvantaged communities and making sure all humans have basic rights. I am appalled and disappointed that the Justice would allow these things to be published, and as an African-American female at Brandeis, I feel very uncomfortable existing here. I can't help but to think I am somehow a threat to privileged, cisgendered white males here. I have also felt very ashamed to be here and I cannot understand why. I am beginning to question the credibility of the Justice as a whole and wondering if the publishing of such absurdities is an attempt to fire up the student body and create drama. Either way, it is rather disgusting, and the Justice should review and refuse to publish such poorly crafted material, and also re-evaluate the content before distributing it. This newspaper represents all of us, and some are feeling left out. This is highly problematic and certainly tarnishes Brandeis' reputation. There is obviously a lack of diversity on the Justice editorial team, because, if there wasn't, such ludicrous and offensive material would not be printed. It's disgusting. -Khadijah Lynch '16
(10/29/13 4:00am)
A new program has arrived on campus this semester that is certainly unique to the Brandeis campus. While most students have heard of the Birthright program, in which eligible Jewish youth have the opportunity to visit Israel, this new program offers an opportunity for other Brandeis Bridges is the collaborative effort of the Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee, the Brandeis Black Student Organization and Martin Luther King and Friends. Brandeis Bridges was created in an attempt to "cross cultural boundaries" and give the students involved an opportunity to "bond over what brings [them] together, rather than what separates [them]." According to its press release, the club includes "a diverse group of Brandeis University undergraduates," five Black students and five Jewish students, who will travel together on a ten-day trip to Israel, January 2 to January 12, in an attempt to "bridge divisions between the Jewish and Black communities." The ten students going on the trip include the four coordinators: Ryan Yuffe '15 and Alex Thomson '15, former Co-Presidents of the Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee, Cynthia Jackson '16, president of MLK and Friends and Amaris Brown '16, Co-President of The Women of Color Alliance, along with six other students. The six other students went through an application process and were officially selected last week. The six other students are Naomi DePina '16, Dahlia Kushinsky '17, Mokalani Mack '16, Mira Kessler '16, Amanda Anderson '17, and Gabby Hersch '17. The bridges website explains how the program relates to the founding principles of Brandeis University. The University was originally founded because during the time it was created, elite universities were placing quotas on the Jewish admitted students. Because of the meaning behind its creation, Brandeis has always been dedicated to equality and has been striving to "bridge the gap between diverse communities and peoples." The Brandeis Bridges Program has the opportunity to do just that between the Black and Jewish communities on campus. The group, selected by the Dean of Students Jamele Adams and the Director of Hillel Larry Sternberg, plan to host a variety of events through the semester both before and after their trip. Coordinator Ryan Yuffe '15 noted in an email to the Justice that "one of the first events that is planned to take place once we return is a forum where the Bridges fellows can present their experiences to the Brandeis community." In addition, he explained that there will be opportunities for the fellows to use their skills in theater, arts, and speaking to "show the Brandeis campus ... how this can change the environment on campus." All the events would be open to anyone who is interested. Cynthia Jackson, '16, one of the founding fellows of the program, was first approached last spring. The former president of the MLK and Friends club approached her and asked if she would be interested in taking part in the leadership aspect to the program. The previous MLK and Friends president as well as the leaders of the other clubs involved in the creation of the Bridges program "looked around campus and saw that there was disparity between the Jewish and black groups ... they don't really interact," Jackson said. They were inspired to create this club as a result of this realization. According to the program's website, the founding members of the program, "saw that the black and Jewish communities at Brandeis have been for the most part distant, disengaged, and uninformed about each other's respective passions and cultures." The founders felt that the non-Jewish students do not fully understand Brandeis' Jewish roots and felt that there has been little interaction "with Black students, and therefore has not been exposed to the community's passions, ideas, and culture." Some of the program's destinations include Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, as well as Christian, Muslim and Jewish holy sites. Many of the sites they visit will also try to be areas with diverse communities so they can see how groups of different backgrounds can live together in "harmony." In an email to the Justice, Ryan Yuffe explained, "the majority of the time is spent visiting sites that hold a special theme, such as the Ethiopian community, interfaith dialogue centers, Arab-Israeli communities, centers for civil-rights, refugee communities, and areas of great immigration absorption." Dahlia Kushinsky '17 is one of the fellows who were recently selected to go on the trip. After seeing signs around campus, Kushinsky decided to apply because the socially divided atmosphere of her high school disappointed her. "My high school was really extreme in its segregation. It was weird if you were sitting with someone that wasn't the same race as you," Kushinsky said. Kushinsky has high hopes for the program. "I hope to gain a better understanding...of ways different groups of people can interact in positive ways," she said. Kushinsky said she feels very strongly that "every person has something to teach us and if you're staying away from certain people, you're missing out. You're being detrimental to yourself because you're not learning from them and you're not learning from their experiences" and because of these reasons, "you're just not going to experience as much," she said. Naomi DePina '16 was another student selected to go on the trip. In addition to looking forward to bridging a gap between the African American and Jewish communities on campus, she said that she is excited to gain "insight on Jewish culture." DePina hopes that the trip will provide her with a clearer understanding of Jewish traditions. When she returns from the trip and after actually experiencing her time in Israel, DePina wants to be able to "show my peers and my community, the African American community, that you can be friends with Jewish people; they do have things in common with you; its not just black people you have to talk to, " she said The recently formed group of ten has not had much bonding time yet. However, all of the students are confident that they will become great friends by the time of their trip and look forward to helping to bridge the gap between the two communities on campus. "We are all very different but we get along very well," Kushinsky said. Although they are not necessarily close with each other yet, Kushinsky added, "the potential is there and I think we will work together really well."
(10/28/13 4:00am)
A discussion with Law Professor Christoffer Wong of Sweden's Lund University last Tuesday brought together a small group of Brandeis students and faculty interested in discussing ethics of the appointment of judges to the International Criminal Court. Many attendees mentioned their involvement with the University's Brandeis in the Hague program, a program in the Netherlands that introduces students to international courts. The International Criminal Court, apart from the United Nations system, is an "[i]ndependent, permanent court that tries persons accused of the most serious crimes of international concern, namely genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes," according to the ICC website. The court has 18 judges distributed between the appeals, pre-trial and trial chambers. According to the website, it is governed by the Rome Statute, which is the treaty that established the ICC and was written in 1998. The statute was ratified by 60 countries in 2002 including the United Kingdom, France and Germany. As of July 2012, 122 countries are States Parties to the Rome Statute, according to the website. The United States, however, has not yet ratified the statute. Wong's presentation focused on the role of academics in the ICC courtroom, demonstrating their faults and merits as ICC judges. He also discussed how ICC requirements could better reflect increasing variation among academics studying law. At a recent conference on humanitarian law at Lund University, participants raised concerns regarding the qualifications of current ICC judges. According to Wong, the issue is raised at many forums. Objections to the judges' qualifications included claims that they were too old and that too many were diplomats without formal criminal law backgrounds. Wong said the objections "actually [sparked] my own existential crisis ... because if you can criticize the diplomats, how about the academics?" Both academics and diplomats appear to be eligible to be appointed as ICC judges according to Article 36 of the Rome Statute, said Wong. "It doesn't actually set any common standard for the ICC," he said, other than requiring candidates to be, quoting from the statute text, "persons of high moral character, impartiality and integrity, who possess the qualification required in the their respective states for appointment to the highest judicial offices." Wong explained that qualifications vary from state to state. While some states would appoint judges on a merit basis, the appointment of others may be "dictated by political elites." Special ICC requirements decide the legal background of appointed judges. They require a minimum of nine judges who have criminal law experience and a minimum of five who have international law experience, explained Wong. Diplomats and scholars of international humanitarian law and human rights law are therefore eligible to be appointed as ICC judges within the smaller, international law category. It is important to note, however, that this ratio based on experience is subsidiary to gender and geographical requirements, according to Wong. Leigh Swigart, director of Programs in International Justice and Society at the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life, recalled that the first Japanese judge on the ICC bench was a non-lawyer diplomat. According to an article written in 2010 for The Guardian, Japanese judge Fumiko Saiga is regarded by experts as an example of an unqualified judge, without "a law degree or any legal qualifications." "They wanted so much to have Japan to be a member of the court that they took that nomination," Swigart said. Neither Swigart nor Wong, however, suggested such radical displacement of experiential requirements was common. Scholars appear to be disadvantaged in several ways by the ICC qualifications for judge appointment. Wong found that cases brought to the ICC in recent years have revealed the need for greater participation of academics on the bench. The requirement of fewer judges with international law experience than criminal law experience reflects an outdated assumption that only the appeals chamber, one of the three chambers of the ICC, would require academic, as opposed to administrative, skills, he explained. Major issues of jurisdiction and permissibility entering a second chamber, the pre-trial chamber, have required extensive reasoning of laws and attention to detail that befits academics more so than criminal law-trained judges, said Wong. Despite the benefits that academics could provide, Wong admitted several weaknesses of scholars on the bench. First, legal academics sitting as judges may face ethical issues surrounding their independent work because in international courts, scholarship may be used as law, said Wong. Unlike national law, he explained, which depends heavily on interpretations and precedents, "[i]nternational law is really law of the states. It really has no permanent court or legislature that actually defines what international law is." A further weakness Wong said he observed was a tendency some academics may feel to ask irrelevant questions in pursuit of answering their research topics. He suggested such behavior was at the expense of a case. The field of law in academics is evolving in ways that make the 1998 Rome Statute outdated, according to Wong and Director of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life Daniel Terris, who participated in the discussion. Current international criminal law scholars would be placed in the criminal law department and would not count toward the ICC's "international law" quota that allows international humanitarian and human rights scholars to become judges, explained Wong. This was not acknowledged in the 1998 statute, explained Terris, because the court was "too young." "Nobody had a deep knowledge of international criminal law when that statute was drawn up," he said. Wong, for these reasons, declared that it was necessary to revise the ICC's statute in regard to its requirements for judges.
(10/22/13 4:00am)
What was I doing in 2004? YouTube would not be created until 2005. MySpace had been created in 2003, but I would not make my own page until sometime around 2007. Facebook was created in 2004 but was only open to select college students until sometime in 2006-I did not end up creating my own account until 2009, anyway. So what was I doing? It's strange to imagine not opening my laptop every time I step into my room, not pulling out my smartphone every time I'm waiting in a line, and not feeling the short-lived excitement of receiving a Facebook notification, and then realizing that its just someone posting in the Brandeis class page. I was 10 or 11 years old, so I was probably biking around with my good friends from the time. Jason, Jonathan, Devante, Asa-I could count them all on one hand. As of writing this article I have 1052 friends on Facebook, but it only feels equally, if not less, reassuring than my four close childhood friends. I was initially surprised by this observation, because more is better, right? But the connections I have made and maintained over Facebook and the persona I've created for myself feel artificial in comparison with real life. I cannot even imagine how content I'd feel if I had 1052 friends in real life and four Facebook friends. It is always gratifying to see the red number on the corner of our screens-John liked my status, maybe my opinions are valid; Mark accepted my friend request, maybe I am popular; Max liked my profile picture, maybe I am attractive. But those feelings and gratifications are shallow and defined extrinsically. We get them through other people and consequently depend on those other people to feel that same way. It is true that I felt similarly gratified through my close childhood friends, but it was not overburdening and overstimulating. It was always nice to see my friends, and I appreciated the sense of belonging that came along with them, but I did not feel that presence literally every second of my life. I was not reminded that those feelings were or weren't there, the way I am now as I check my phone in a line at the Hoot Market. It's very much like we've been conditioned. We see a red number and feel like we're being noticed before we even check what that notification is about. We are conditioned to feel accepted by these notifications and consequently at a loss without them. As I anxiously wait for the page to load-will I be accepted? If not, I feel restless, compelled to go and like someone else's stuff, hoping they'll reciprocate the "love" and fill the newfound void. But imagine how sad it would be if they're liking my stuff for the same reason. Aside from seemingly defining our self-worth, Facebook creates new personas for us. Individuals who I've known in person to be quiet and generally held back are often the most vocal on Facebook. It's similar to the power that people find in anonymous online Internet forums, but that key difference is that Facebook associates a name with your words. Usually the will to make bold statements comes from not having your name associated with your words, but on Facebook, there's actually a matter of pride with claiming those words. Some people will chirp into huge debates with a safe (not new or interesting, but favorable) opinion to reap the benefits of social acceptance without the associated risks. Some people will disagree with just about anything to boast their intelligence and non-conformity. And some people actually provide thought-provoking, interesting and unique opinions-though this last group has always seemed the minority in my experience. The large majority of users I've observed fall into the first two groups, and this is problematic because they don't develop the necessary social skills. We live in a society where our natural human impulses are artificially stimulated and are consequently improperly developed. We feel conditioned belonging through our notifications. We feel contrived bravery through the constant presence of our peers. We belong online and are alone in person. I do not know how to solve this problem, but I can safely say that Googling it won't help. *
(10/21/13 4:00am)
Have you ever walked through the mezzanine of the Goldfarb Library and wondered what that giant display in the center is? That huge item is a model of the Roman Forum, and it was given as a gift to the students in 1993 to stand as a treasure unique to Brandeis. The Roman Forum was the cultural, political, commercial and religious center of Rome. The model is extremely detailed and a scaled representation of the Forum, the heart of ancient Rome. The model was created by Robert Garbisch. Garbisch was a fireman from Northern California who spent 10 years (1973 to 1983) making this model. Garbisch became connected with the University when he was passing by the ruins of the Roman Forum in Italy when former Brandeis Prof. Jean D'Amato was giving a lecture on the Forum. He insisted that D'Amato come to his garage in California to observe the model he was creating. She eventually agreed and went one summer, and after seeing what he had built, she tried to get Garbisch to bring it to Brandeis so that she could show her students. The model arrived at Brandeis on March 15, 1983, an event covered even by the Boston Globe and the Waltham News Tribune. The model was at Brandeis on loan for about 10 years until Prof. Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow (CLAS) was able to get Garbisch to officially give it to Brandeis. She urged Garbisch to give it to the students of Brandeis because she had been using the model for teaching. "It's great to bring my class to the library and turn on the little lights and see it. I wanted to give this gift to [Brandeis students]. I feel like it is easier to connect to it by owning it," said Koloski-Ostrow. It did not matter if one was a patrician (aristocrat) or a plebeian (commoner); all were welcome in the Forum. It was a common space for political speeches, a site for shops, temples and buildings, such as the Senate house. "The Roman Forum is the Times Square and the Washington Mall combined," said Prof. Charles McClendon (FA). McClendon also said it is likely that Garbisch set the time of the model of the Forum around 160 CE because this time period is considered to be the Golden Age of the Roman Empire. This was during the reign of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, who were co-emperors from 161 CE until Verus' death in 169, when Aurelius continued to rule until 180. This is known because the model contains two figures representing Aurelius and Lucius Verus. As described by Koloski-Ostrow they are "the two men riding on horseback down the Sacred Way on their way to the Capitoline Hill." Aurelius and Verus are but two of the figures out of 700 that are scattered throughout the model. All of them were hand painted and dressed, and they are each placed to bring the Roman Forum to life. The attention Garbisch gave to the historical detail is seen as he includes one teenage boy carving graffiti on a column while another boy is looking out for guards, and there is actual graffiti on that column in the actual Roman Forum. Others figures include teenage lovers holding hands, slaves carrying a wealthy Roman, a Vestal Virgin waving at a Roman soldier (which would have been unacceptable), and Garbisch himself on the top of the Capitoline steps in a green toga looking at his model. In addition to the figures, there are 400 marble statues on the buildings, all made of papier mache, and tiny ceiling lights that turn on and show activity behind the windows of some of the buildings. Garbisch chose to construct parts of the forum out of common household items, such as uncooked spaghetti for the roofs of some buildings, chicken wire for the windows and spools of thread for the columns. it is believed that Garbisch used these items because they were more economical for him and still satisfied his vision for the model. Koloski-Ostrow has been very involved with this model since she arrived at Brandeis in the fall of 1985. She said in an interview with the Justice, "as a Classics professor, I found it as such an accurate presentation of the heart beat of the Roman city. Look how history can come alive!" According to Koloski-Ostrow, it is the only model in the world that depicts what the Roman Forum looked like during the reign of Marcus Aurelius with such a high level of detail and accuracy. Students themselves were also impressed by the presentation that Koloski-Ostrow and McClendon gave on it on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Describing the model, Classical Studies major Matthew Chernick '16 said that, "It was a very informative presentation. I knew [the model] was there but I didn't realize how unique it was."
(10/21/13 4:00am)
Have you ever walked through the mezzanine of the Goldfarb Library and wondered what that giant display in the center is? That huge item is a model of the Roman Forum, and it was given as a gift to the students in 1993 to stand as a treasure unique to Brandeis. The Roman Forum was the cultural, political, commercial and religious center of Rome. The model is extremely detailed and a scaled representation of the Forum, the heart of ancient Rome. The model was created by Robert Garbisch. Garbisch was a fireman from Northern California who spent 10 years (1973 to 1983) making this model. Garbisch became connected with the University when he was passing by the ruins of the Roman Forum in Italy when former Brandeis Prof. Jean D'Amato was giving a lecture on the Forum. He insisted that D'Amato come to his garage in California to observe the model he was creating. She eventually agreed and went one summer, and after seeing what he had built, she tried to get Garbisch to bring it to Brandeis so that she could show her students. The model arrived at Brandeis on March 15, 1983, an event covered even by the Boston Globe and the Waltham News Tribune. The model was at Brandeis on loan for about 10 years until Prof. Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow (CLAS) was able to get Garbisch to officially give it to Brandeis. She urged Garbisch to give it to the students of Brandeis because she had been using the model for teaching. "It's great to bring my class to the library and turn on the little lights and see it. I wanted to give this gift to [Brandeis students]. I feel like it is easier to connect to it by owning it," said Koloski-Ostrow. It did not matter if one was a patrician (aristocrat) or a plebeian (commoner); all were welcome in the Forum. It was a common space for political speeches, a site for shops, temples and buildings, such as the Senate house. "The Roman Forum is the Times Square and the Washington Mall combined," said Prof. Charles McClendon (FA). McClendon also said it is likely that Garbisch set the time of the model of the Forum around 160 CE because this time period is considered to be the Golden Age of the Roman Empire. This was during the reign of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, who were co-emperors from 161 CE until Verus' death in 169, when Aurelius continued to rule until 180. This is known because the model contains two figures representing Aurelius and Lucius Verus. As described by Koloski-Ostrow they are "the two men riding on horseback down the Sacred Way on their way to the Capitoline Hill." Aurelius and Verus are but two of the figures out of 700 that are scattered throughout the model. All of them were hand painted and dressed, and they are each placed to bring the Roman Forum to life. The attention Garbisch gave to the historical detail is seen as he includes one teenage boy carving graffiti on a column while another boy is looking out for guards, and there is actual graffiti on that column in the actual Roman Forum. Others figures include teenage lovers holding hands, slaves carrying a wealthy Roman, a Vestal Virgin waving at a Roman soldier (which would have been unacceptable), and Garbisch himself on the top of the Capitoline steps in a green toga looking at his model. In addition to the figures, there are 400 marble statues on the buildings, all made of papier mache, and tiny ceiling lights that turn on and show activity behind the windows of some of the buildings. Garbisch chose to construct parts of the forum out of common household items, such as uncooked spaghetti for the roofs of some buildings, chicken wire for the windows and spools of thread for the columns. it is believed that Garbisch used these items because they were more economical for him and still satisfied his vision for the model. Koloski-Ostrow has been very involved with this model since she arrived at Brandeis in the fall of 1985. She said in an interview with the Justice, "as a Classics professor, I found it as such an accurate presentation of the heart beat of the Roman city. Look how history can come alive!" According to Koloski-Ostrow, it is the only model in the world that depicts what the Roman Forum looked like during the reign of Marcus Aurelius with such a high level of detail and accuracy. Students themselves were also impressed by the presentation that Koloski-Ostrow and McClendon gave on it on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Describing the model, Classical Studies major Matthew Chernick '16 said that, "It was a very informative presentation. I knew [the model] was there but I didn't realize how unique it was."
(10/21/13 4:00am)
Have you ever walked through the mezzanine of the Goldfarb Library and wondered what that giant display in the center is? That huge item is a model of the Roman Forum, and it was given as a gift to the students in 1993 to stand as a treasure unique to Brandeis. The Roman Forum was the cultural, political, commercial and religious center of Rome. The model is extremely detailed and a scaled representation of the Forum, the heart of ancient Rome. The model was created by Robert Garbisch. Garbisch was a fireman from Northern California who spent 10 years (1973 to 1983) making this model. Garbisch became connected with the University when he was passing by the ruins of the Roman Forum in Italy when former Brandeis Prof. Jean D'Amato was giving a lecture on the Forum. He insisted that D'Amato come to his garage in California to observe the model he was creating. She eventually agreed and went one summer, and after seeing what he had built, she tried to get Garbisch to bring it to Brandeis so that she could show her students. The model arrived at Brandeis on March 15, 1983, an event covered even by the Boston Globe and the Waltham News Tribune. The model was at Brandeis on loan for about 10 years until Prof. Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow (CLAS) was able to get Garbisch to officially give it to Brandeis. She urged Garbisch to give it to the students of Brandeis because she had been using the model for teaching. "It's great to bring my class to the library and turn on the little lights and see it. I wanted to give this gift to [Brandeis students]. I feel like it is easier to connect to it by owning it," said Koloski-Ostrow. It did not matter if one was a patrician (aristocrat) or a plebeian (commoner); all were welcome in the Forum. It was a common space for political speeches, a site for shops, temples and buildings, such as the Senate house. "The Roman Forum is the Times Square and the Washington Mall combined," said Prof. Charles McClendon (FA). McClendon also said it is likely that Garbisch set the time of the model of the Forum around 160 CE because this time period is considered to be the Golden Age of the Roman Empire. This was during the reign of Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus, who were co-emperors from 161 CE until Verus' death in 169, when Aurelius continued to rule until 180. This is known because the model contains two figures representing Aurelius and Lucius Verus. As described by Koloski-Ostrow they are "the two men riding on horseback down the Sacred Way on their way to the Capitoline Hill." Aurelius and Verus are but two of the figures out of 700 that are scattered throughout the model. All of them were hand painted and dressed, and they are each placed to bring the Roman Forum to life. The attention Garbisch gave to the historical detail is seen as he includes one teenage boy carving graffiti on a column while another boy is looking out for guards, and there is actual graffiti on that column in the actual Roman Forum. Others figures include teenage lovers holding hands, slaves carrying a wealthy Roman, a Vestal Virgin waving at a Roman soldier (which would have been unacceptable), and Garbisch himself on the top of the Capitoline steps in a green toga looking at his model. In addition to the figures, there are 400 marble statues on the buildings, all made of papier mache, and tiny ceiling lights that turn on and show activity behind the windows of some of the buildings. Garbisch chose to construct parts of the forum out of common household items, such as uncooked spaghetti for the roofs of some buildings, chicken wire for the windows and spools of thread for the columns. it is believed that Garbisch used these items because they were more economical for him and still satisfied his vision for the model. Koloski-Ostrow has been very involved with this model since she arrived at Brandeis in the fall of 1985. She said in an interview with the Justice, "as a Classics professor, I found it as such an accurate presentation of the heart beat of the Roman city. Look how history can come alive!" According to Koloski-Ostrow, it is the only model in the world that depicts what the Roman Forum looked like during the reign of Marcus Aurelius with such a high level of detail and accuracy. Students themselves were also impressed by the presentation that Koloski-Ostrow and McClendon gave on it on Wednesday, Oct. 2. Describing the model, Classical Studies major Matthew Chernick '16 said that, "It was a very informative presentation. I knew [the model] was there but I didn't realize how unique it was."
(05/20/13 4:00am)
On May 19, the Justice officially said goodbye to 10 graduating editors and many beloved staff members as they departed campus after Commencement. This board extends its sincerest gratitude to the graduating editors and staff who have contributed to this paper in so many ways over the past four years. Marielle Temkin lightened the mood in the Justice office with her exuberant personality and beaming presence. After serving as Copy editor, Marielle spent her senior year as Managing editor. She showed her dedication to the paper for many years, having written for News, Arts and Features. Eitan Cooper, who served as Forum editor, Production editor and Associate editor, brought his selfless nature and wisdom to the paper. Eitan was always willing to lend a helping hand, and he served as an intellectual and ethical role model to all editors. Jeffrey Boxer made his mark on the paper as Sports editor, Associate editor, Forum columnist and Deputy editor. He also showed his versatility by contributing to many important News stories and was a trusted resource for all. Fiona Lockyer's enthusiasm for journalism was more than evident during her term as News editor. She was smart and passionate about the paper and a good friend to every staff member. Fiona went on to serve as Associate editor and Deputy editor, where she continued to display her dedication to the Justice. Robyn Spector's impressive term as Photography editor began only months after she stepped onto the Brandeis campus. She went on to serve as Associate editor and Deputy editor and organized the first ever Justice Alumni Reunion and Media Conference. Robyn was fearlessly outspoken and committed to improving all aspects of the paper. Nan Pang served as both Layout and Associate editor for the Justice. His most visible contributions to the Justice were his smart, sleek infographics, cartoons and overall design skills. Nan also brought generosity, an energetic spirit and a contagious sense of humor. Yosef Schaffel exhibited his commitment to the Justice through his time as Photography editor and Associate editor. He maintained the high quality of the newspaper's photos and brought new perspectives to the editorial committee. Tali Smookler served as Photography editor and came back to the paper as an Associate editor. She was a reliable and friendly presence in the office during several busy production nights. Josh Asen's dedication and tenacity were clear when he took on the role of Sports editor just months into his college career. Afterword, he became a senior writer, a position he held for two-and-a-half years. His presence and his kindness always made the office a better place to work. Dafna Fine, who served as Features editor, carried the Features section's legacy of quality writing and had good relationships with her staff. Her kind demeanor shone in the office on late Monday nights. Debra Friedmann served as Layout editor for the Justice early in her Brandeis career. She created beautiful layouts, which displayed her artistic abilities. Her sweet personality was a great addition to the office. Emily Salloway served as Arts editor and successfully navigated the section during her term. She was dedicated to improving the quality of writing, constantly communicating with her staff members. We also congratulate Senior Writers, Photographers and Columnists: Allyson Cartter, Erica Cooperberg, Jon Edelstein, Alex Margolis, Liz Posner, Leah Smith and Avi Snyder. We thank them for their tireless devotion to the Justice. *
