(03/19/13 4:00am)
At the beginning of this month, the Fine Arts department unveiled an exhibition that showcases the latest work of its devoted students, the "Dimensions 3" exhibit. On view in Dreitzer Gallery in the Spingold Theater Center through March 22, "Dimensions 3" features work from students in the Sculpture, 3D Design and Digital Photography classes. This exhibit levels the playing field, so to speak, among the different levels of skill among Fine Arts students at Brandeis, as the work it features was created by first years, sophomores and juniors. As the Fine Arts department at Brandeis aims to cultivate well-rounded artists who are skilled in many art mediums and confident in their work, the "Dimensions 3" exhibit, and others like it, are essential opportunities for students who are serious about their careers in art. The semicircular shape of Dreitzer Gallery lent itself to a tidy organization of the pieces so that the inevitable architectural disjunction caused by dividing walls within the gallery did not make for a great aesthetic divide within the exhibit. Collections of digital photographs were hung on the concave wall of the gallery, and light from the high windows seeped in and illuminated the exhibit. The digital photographs selected for the exhibit fit under the umbrella title "The Ink Can Bury A Blade," an idea conceived by students Joseph Jacobowitz '14, Sofia Retta '15 and Anna Yatskar '14. "Once in a while," the students wrote on a title page displayed within the exhibit, "we happen upon a circumstance of such overwhelming and terrifying might that we temporarily neglect our sense of self and feel awe and security rather than fear." Each collection of photographs fit this invocation beautifully. The photographs range in subject from nature to cityscape, from close-ups of scenes to places and people, from objects to bodies. Yatskar's collection was by far my favorite-close-up, purposefully focused shots of the human body. The solid, un-textured black background and soft yellow lighting that Yatskar's collection used complimented its subject well. The body parts portrayed through these pictuers-unclothed, rippling with lean muscles, slenderness queued by skin stretched over protruding bones-were nothing short of haunting. In contrast, a collection of nature photographs by Jonathan Greengarden '15 showed an intimate point of view with a mood entirely different from Yatskar's works. His photographs focused on leaves, branches and blooms and captured sunlight shining against these small treasures of nature in rays shaded amber, yellow and blue. The closeness that one was able to feel to the subjects of the photographs and the integral stillness of each shot were absolutely sublime. Along the outwardly-curved wall of the gallery, the array of sculptures was organized into a gradient of subjects and materials. The sculptures were made of a range of materials: black wire, painted clay, found or salvaged objects and even X-Acto blade sliced pieces of cardboard. While the sculptures were placed throughout the gallery into groups organized by sculpting material, the exhibition did not seem choppy or segmented. Rather, one concept of art flowed into the next with a pleasant ease. The sculptures made of found materials had written titles and descriptions mounted next to them, establishing the humorously-executed theme for the sculpting assignment: Each sculpture was created of an amalgamation of found objects to solve an everyday problem. For example, Briana McCalmon-Bailey '14 created a "Silverware Necklace" of several forks, knives and spoons strung onto a piece of wire, so that one will never be without silverware as he sits down for a meal. Kerry Morse '13 crafted a dangling pair of "Earplug Earrings," so that the wearer would always have earplugs at his convenience. Conversely, the sculptures crafted from medium-thick black wire were less practically-minded and more stoically displayed. Each of these sculptures was accompanied by a nameplate crediting its artist, and none of these works were titled. Some of the wire sculptures depicted objects from nature, like a beautifully crafted three-dimensional tree, while others were shaped into box-like dioramas that housed wire-crafted shapes or scenes of nature or of the city. The "Dimensions 3" exhibit is overall both an aesthetic and conceptual delight, and proudly shows students' work as they practice using art as a forum for expressing emotional insurmountability. I genuinely look forward to seeing more exhibits like this one in the future.
(03/19/13 4:00am)
Comments on "Brandeis Hookups," a Facebook page where people can anonymously post their "raunchiest, craziest Brandeis hookup [stories]," have exploded recently following an opinion article published in The Hoot that said the page promoted "sexism, body-shaming and rape culture." The author of the opinion piece proceeded to repost her article to "Brandeis Hookups'" Facebook page, which elicited a flurry of feedback and comments. While the article has generated a number of comments concerning the validity of its argument, the comment that particularly concerns us is that of Student Union Secretary Carlton Shakes '14. In response to The Hoot writer's post, Shakes used profanity that we feel served to intimidate, denigrate and provoke the author, and by extension, those who merely question the Facebook group. Students elected to the Union serve as representatives of the Brandeis community. We rely on them to listen to the wide array of student opinions present on this campus and expect that they will be receptive to viewpoints that differ from their own. Shakes' use of offensive, coarse language explicitly undermined this commitment, and the position he is meant to hold. As the Union Secretary, Shakes is required to be one of the most accessible contacts to the student body, sending weekly email announcements and communicating as a mouthpiece for the student body. However, his comment concerns us as an affront to the value of civil discourse. Even if he were not the Student Union secretary, using profanity to degrade another person's viewpoint is not the proper manner of discourse that we expect from our fellow Brandeisians. We recognize that Shakes' comment is protected by the First Amendment, and as a newspaper, we deeply believe in the value of free speech. Legally, Shakes is allowed to speak freely, but as an elected official and a Brandeisian, his public speech in a public forum is not beyond reproach by his constituents. As a public official, Shakes must represent the best interests of this diverse and multi-faceted student body, regardless of his personal positions. Shakes' position as secretary makes his choice of words in this situation all the more serious an offense. Shakes' comment represents a serious lapse in judgment that left many Facebook commentators angry and offended. This board hopes that Shakes recognizes the need for civility and respect in all discussions and conversations-whether it be online or in person. Shakes must come to his own conclusion about the appropriateness of an apology, but we hope he realizes that his position carries heightened responsibilities and a more exacting focus on propriety. We urge Shakes-and those Facebook commentators defending him-to realize that even on Facebook, Shakes must uphold the standards of the office that he represents. The comments he makes from his personal Facebook page in a public forum, such as "Brandeis Hookups," are subject to the same moral standards as would be an op-ed piece written by him in the pages of this newspaper.
(03/19/13 4:00am)
In response to your editorial "Club Proposal Concerns" (March 12, 2013): Like the editorial board, we too are excited about a change in the club structure at Brandeis, which will improve collaboration, communication and fiscal efficiencies for all clubs. In your editorial, you presented a number of questions that must be answered before any new plan is voted. We understand that these questions are ones that are a concern to many club leaders, including ourselves. As we mentioned in the presentation to the Senate, this proposal is still a work in progress and we appreciate the input we have received. Prior to answering your questions, we want to reiterate that the primary objective of this proposal is not to save money and cut wasteful spending; rather, the ultimate goal is to create a culture of collaboration, communication, shared ideas and organization. The fact that money will be saved and used more efficiently is a mere by-product of the proposal. Therefore, even if no money is saved, the execution of the plan will be successful given that it creates a new culture on campus of communication and organization among clubs. This clarification of the overarching goal also leads to a greater understanding of the role of the Council members: while there is a financial aspect to their job descriptions, their main roles will be to foster a community of clubs with similar interests and needs through programming, advice and dialogue. In response to your concern of how "it is unclear how this plan actually remedies the current situation," it must be noted that by having 275 independent and disconnected clubs, there is no structure ensuring that clubs communicate with each other and share ideas and resources. By grouping them in associations, a system that promotes a norm of communication and collaboration will be created, thereby improving the overall student life. This is our goal. You also note: "If the council deems these requests illegitimate, the club, according to the plan, can still go directly to the F-Board and request the funds they seek. In theory, all that is being accomplished is adding an extra layer of decision-making and approval seeking." This is a misunderstanding. Early and regular marathon requests will always go through the council. However, in the event that a club feels that it was misrepresented or mistreated by the council, they will be able to appeal the decision directly to the F-Board. This direct request will only be available during appeals. This is an extra layer of protection of the proper treatment of the autonomous clubs within an association. In your editorial, you present a number of questions regarding the makeup of the councils and how the council members are elected. This process needs clarification. The council will be comprised of seven individuals. Two seats will be reserved: one for someone representing a secured club and another for a representative of an unchartered club. The other five seats are available to anyone who can run as individuals, not representatives of the clubs to which they belong. Each club within an Association will have one vote per seat-seven votes in total. By nature of the fact that they run as individuals (and not club members), the Council members will serve as a representative of the clubs within the association, not merely the club to which they belong. Regarding the concern of a Council member having his or her own club interests at heart: during allocations meetings with the clubs, if a council member feels that there is a conflict of interest, then that person can remove himself or herself. This same process is done by the current F-Board with great success and honesty; consequently, we anticipate similar results with the councils. The discretionary/emergency funds will be made available for use within certain guidelines established by the association. Additionally, in the event that these funds run out, the Council can request additional funding from Finance Board. F-Board's decision of whether or not to allocate additional discretionary/emergency funds to a council will be based on a review of the worthiness, efficiency and effectiveness of the council's prior spending. Another concern raised is the feasibility of dividing every club into 12 associations. We, the planning committee, were able to successfully (and tentatively) place every club into an appropriate and fitting association. While many clubs have broad scopes, we anticipate that every club will be able to fit into one group. In this plan, if a club does not feel they belong to a specific one, they can petition to switch associations. Similarly, this plan does not prohibit clubs from cosponsoring events with clubs in other associations. For instance, TAMID: Israel Investment Group would be placed in the Pre-Professional/Academic Association but will be free to work closely with not only the clubs in its Association with which it shares similar goals and missions, but also with the culture clubs as well. We, in conversations that we have had with various members of staff and administration, believe that there is significant interest from current staff and faculty members to serve as association advisers. Such positions could also be offered to graduate students as well. These advisers will by no means threaten the autonomy of the individual clubs or the associations. This was made very clear in the proposal's text. The role of an adviser is to provide professional and expert input to the club leaders and Councils. However, it must be stressed that the clubs will never be required to adhere to the advice of the adviser. This dynamic is in place with the current F-Board, which has Stephanie Grimes present at all allocations meetings. While she is able to provide professional input, the F-Board is by no means required to follow it. And it doesn't always. But it must be noted that with her insight and guidance, F-Board allocations have never been this efficient. Therefore, while the adviser can serve as a great asset to the association and its clubs, the position will not threaten the autonomy of the student-run clubs. We believe that this adequately answers your questions and provides you with a great understanding of the proposal's goals of creating a culture of collaboration, communication and organization that will be able to sustain the number and quality of clubs we have at Brandeis. In the next couple weeks, we will be releasing the finalized version of the proposal to the student body and will be hosting a forum for any comments and concerns. We look forward to continuing this conversation further. David Clements '14 is the treasurer of the Student Union and one of the architects of the new club proposal.
(03/12/13 4:00am)
Library and Technology Services announced on Tuesday that it is upgrading the University's online learning tool, LATTE. The LATTE system is used by faculty and students to organize course syllabi, notes and assignments, as well as forums for course discussions. LATTE was established in 2007 using the software Moodle, and still runs on the same version of the software that "is starting to get up in age," said LTS Associate Director for Academic Services Adam Lipkin in an interview with the Justice. "We want to bring LATTE up to date." The new LATTE will be upgraded from Moodle 1.9 to the latest version, 2.4. LATTE is actively used in 75 percent of courses, and there are an estimated 40,000 log-ins per week, according to Lipkin. The new LATTE is scheduled to be available for faculty by November 2013, and for students in January 2014. The LATTE team is in the process of development testing, and will be conducting beta testing with students and faculty later in the spring. The announcement of the plan for LATTE was released during the same week as the the long-awaited draft of the University-wide strategic plan. "With the strategic plan emerging on campus and strategic directions becoming clear, we'll be launching updated LATTE in time to help support those new initiatives in appropriate ways," said Joshua Wilson, LTS director for academic support and user services. "A lot of elements in the strategic plan are actually well-positioned for LATTE use," Lipkin added, including the second-year course initiative, increased flexibility in education and creating new models of intensive educational options. "A robust and flexible online system is one of the core pieces of technology that can help for a lot of those things," said Lipkin. LATTE is used by many members of the Brandeis community, and the new LATTE will be geared toward everyone's needs. "One of the things we are trying to do in this project is to get as much community input as we can, so we've been consulting with an oversight group that's composed of faculty, students and staff, all who have a key stake in the future of LATTE," said Wilson. The oversight group has been asked questions pertaining to the availability of course material and syllabi, among other issues. One change that has already been implemented is the option for faculty to make syllabi publicly available beyond LATTE. This is "a preview of coming attractions," according to Wilson. "It is the kind of thing we want to put into the updated LATTE when it emerges in 2014." Additions include more compatibility with mobile devices such as smart phones and tablets, as more students are using these devices to access LATTE on the go. The system will also be integrated with GoogleDrive and GoogleDocs, which will make it easier for professors to upload both course material, readings and other assignments. LATTE will also have "a new look and feel," Lipkin said, which does not affect the functionality, but "comes to affect the way people approach these systems." A survey was sent out for students and faculty to vote on what the new LATTE logo should represent, and it has already received a large response. Despite the changes to be implemented, Wilson and Lipkin guaranteed that the LATTE experience would be familiar to students and faculty. "LATTE has been a very well-accepted system at Brandeis, and we want people to have a consistent experience with what they are already used to," Lipkin said.
(03/05/13 5:00am)
This week, sexual violence awareness and prevention will be highlighted both locally and nationally, with Brandeis' Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance's Sexual Violence Awareness Week running through Friday, and the pending renewal of the Violence Against Women Act by President Barack Obama. While Brandeis has sought to address gendered violence in the past, the prevalence of this issue on college campuses demands continued attention from both Brandeis students, faculty and administrators. FMLA-sponsored events scheduled for this week include a consent and empowerment workshop, a panel on sexual violence in queer communities and the Clothesline Project, an "interactive art display" in which shirts bearing messages against sexual violence will be displayed in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium. This board commends FMLA for its much-needed work to facilitate discussion of an issue that is important for colleges nationwide. Dating violence, sexual harassment and stalking are issues that are frequently underreported on college campuses. Regarding sexual violence, transparency is not simply an issue of reporting it; it is an issue of accurately representing its magnitude so that it can be prevented. This board is glad to see the continued efforts of student-led groups on campus as well as the further use of University resources to promote gendered violence awareness. In addition to initiatives by groups such as FMLA, leaders of first-year Orientation alerted Orientation Leaders this past week that issues of "[s]exual education and health will be more prevalent" in the 2013 program. With the national attention VAWA has garnered recently and its likely renewal, we feel that this is a good opportunity for the University to build upon its efforts of preventing sexual violence and protecting its victims. Passed in the U.S. House of representatives on Thursday, the Act now has only to be approved by President Obama. Added to the original bill is the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination Act, an amendment to the Higher Education Act of 1965, which aims to dismantle environments on college campuses which tolerate or overlook sexual violence and harassment. "SaVE," as it has been nicknamed by advocates, would create a national standard for transparency in college reporting of sexual violence and stalking crime statistics and require colleges and universities to provide prevention and awareness programs for students and employees. VAWA would also provide grant money for sexual violence prevention programs, including a specific allocation for colleges. Currently, a committee headed by Prof. Bernadette Brooten (NEJS) and Director of Athletics Sheryl Sousa '90 is working to draft a grant proposal for Brandeis. A town hall forum at which members of the Brandeis community can share their ideas for an awareness and prevention project will be held, as part of Sexual Violence Awareness Week, tonight at 5 p.m. (location TBD). We hope that the University will invigorate its awareness efforts as an institution, as well as within student groups. We especially look forward to seeing the results of the VAWA grant-writing committee's efforts, and applaud them for placing Brandeis at the forefront of sexual violence prevention on college campuses.
(03/03/13 5:00am)
You're Invited!
Did you work on the Justice at all during your time at Brandeis? Pull all-nighters in the basement of Usdan or the Shapiro Campus Center? Rush across campus to report on or photograph events? There are over a thousand people who've done it too. Whether you were editor-in-chief, a columnist or a once-in-a-while contributor, we cordially invite you to attend the first ever Justice alumni reunion and media conference on April 26-27, 2013. Media at Brandeis grew as the university did, and members of the Class of '52 quickly organized the Justice to report. The longest-running student publication on campus, the newspaper's multiple generations of student journalists have documented and analyzed the in's and out's of the University. We possess unique perspectives on the early days of President Emeritus Abe Sachar, controversies on campus including the housing "open-door" policy, the "closing" of the Rose Art Museum, and the student takeover of Ford Hall. We've captured student reactions to civil rights, the draft, wars, and elections, as well as spirit weeks, athletics, and the wide variety of other campus events. Today, the Justice continues to redefine itself in the face of the 21st century, bringing our coverage online. Yet it continues to invoke the camaraderie of it's origins and serve as a historical record of Brandeis to date. There is no doubt that the Justice has had a profound impact on this university, and as current students, we can attest to the fact that your hard work and dedication during your years at Brandeis have left a lasting legacy. Please join us to celebrate the Justice, and learn from the individuals who've defined it. Register Here: The cost for alumni to attend is $50, which includes a cocktail reception on Friday, and continental breakfast and lunch on Saturday. You can pay with your Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. You can register here. * Reunion Schedule
Friday, April 26
Open Undergraduate Journalism Courses 9:30-10:50 a.m. "Ethics in Journalism" Professor Eileen McNamara (former Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Boston Globe) Location: Brown Social Science Center 115 12:30-1:50 p.m. - "Media and Public Policy", Professor Eileen McNamara Location: Shiffman Humanities Center 125 3:00 p.m. Registration Opens Location: Justice Office, Shapiro Campus Center (SCC), 2nd Floor 3:30-5:00 p.m. Campus tours led by current Justice editors Meeting point: Shapiro Campus Center Atrium 5:00-6:30 p.m. - Cocktail reception, with welcoming remarks from one of the founding editors of the Justice, Sanford Lakoff '53 Location: the new Shapiro Science Center, atrium and patio Please note: At around 6 p.m. towards the end of the cocktail reception, there will be a panel discussion discussing professionalism in the media and how well the media covered the recent Boston marathon bombings. All students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to attend. Location: the new Shapiro Science Center, atrium [The Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Arts will be holding several evening performances open to alumni to attend. For more information, please see below. The featured event "Late Night with Leonard Bernstein," featuring his daughter Jamie Bernstein, is free but requires ticket reservations in advance. To reserve, please call 781-736-3400 or visit: go.Brandeis.edu/BrandeisTickets] * Saturday, April 27
All events on this day will take place in Sherman Function Hall unless otherwise noted. 8:30 a.m. Continental breakfast 9:00 a.m. State of the News, Justice Senior Editor Andrew Wingens '14, with Q&A 9:10 -10:15 a.m. How the Justice Influenced Careers (Both In and Out of Journalism) Featured Panelists: David Zimmerman '55, author of Sankofa; Alex J. Goldstein '06, Executive Director of the Deval Patrick Committee (DPC) and the TogetherPAC (TPAC); Jeffrey Greenbaum '90, Managing Partner in the Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations group at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, PC; Steve Heyman '06, Features Editor at the New York Times T Magazine. Student Moderators: Joshua Asen '13, Senior Sports Writer and former Sports Editor, and Janey Zitomer '13, Senior Photographer and Journalism Undergraduate Department Representative. 10:30 -11:45 a.m. Covering Campus Politics: The Justice as the Arbiter (and Sometimes Instigator) of Conflict Featured Panelists: Lindsay Gardner '82, Senior Advisor at Oaktree Capital Management and former television journalist; Arnie Reisman '64, award-winning writer, producer and performer as well as Vice President of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts; Benjamin Freed '06, Editor-in-Chief at DCist.com. Student Moderators: Samuel Mintz '14, News Editor, and Sara Dejene '15, Online Editor and former News Editor 12:00 -1:00 p.m. Keynote Address by Ted Gup '72, and lunch 1:15 p.m. University Update from Senior Vice President of Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel, followed by a Q&A 1:45 p.m. -2:45 p.m. Ethical Decision-Making in the Justice Newsroom Featured Panelists: Dana Coffield '86, co-metro editor at the Denver Post and chief investigator in the publication's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the Aurora theater shooting; Jon Fischer '07, Managing Editor at the Washington City Paper; Dan Hirschhorn '06, national politics reporter at the New York Daily News. Student Moderators: Glen Chesir '15 Forum Editor and Jessie Miller '15 Arts Editor 2:50 p.m. -3:00 p.m. Concluding Remarks, How to Stay Involved Andrew Wingens '14 and Robyn Spector '13 3 p.m. Campus tours will be offered by current editors [Please note: from 3:00 -5:00 p.m. there will be a folk festival on the Great Lawn outside of the Shapiro Campus Center as part of the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Arts] ____________________________________ Further Information
Panel discussions: In addition to Friday's panel discussion on Journalism Education, Saturday's panels will touch on a variety of subjects: Educating Student Journalists, Covering Campus Politics, Ethical Decision-making in the Justice Newsroom, and How the Justice Influenced My Career (inside and outside of journalism). If you are interested in serving on a panel or suggesting a panelist, please email us (alumni@thejustice.org). Keynote Speaker, Ted Gup '72: Ted Gup is a former investigative reporter at the Washington Post who revealed the location of the underground bunker for the U.S. Congress in case of nuclear attack. He has also written for Time Magazine and more recently, The New York Times. In addition, he is the professor and chair of the Journalism Department at Emerson College, and formerly taught journalism at Case Western Reserve. He has received several awards including the George Polk Award for foreign reporting, the Worth Bingham Prize for investigative journalism, and the Gerald Loeb Award. In addition, he is a former Fulbright Scholar and Grantee of the John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation. Accommodations: The Marriott Hotel in Newton (five minutes from campus) has been designated as the official hotel for the Justice Reunion. A block of rooms has been reserved with a special Justice Reunion rate of $149 a night (the usual rates are around $205 a night). You may call the hotel (617 969-1000 or 800-228-9290) to make a reservation. When reserving a room, please indicate that you are attending the Justice Reunion. Reservations must be made by March 29th for the preferred rate. For more information and to make your reservation with the discount online, please click here. Festival of the Arts 2013: The annual Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts will be held on April 25-28 at various locations around campus. Highlights of this year's festival include the Brandeis Theater Company production of "Visions of an Ancient Dreamer"; a concert by the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra; and "Late Night with Leonard Bernstein," hosted by Bernstein's daughter Jamie, with performances by acclaimed soprano Amy Burton and pianists John Musto and Michael Boriskin. Tickets to the "Late Night with Leonard Bernstein" performance are free but must be reserved in advance. Please email alumni@thejustice.org for ticket reservations. * Reunion Organizing Committee Mr. Paul Levenson '52 Dr. Sanford Lakoff '53 Mrs. Barbara Krasin Kravitz '57 Mr. Sy Raboy '57 Dr. Judith Walzer '58 Dr. Jeffery Golland '61 Dr. Allan Jay Lichtman '67 Mr. Paul D. Broude '79 Ms. Anne R. Exter '80 Mr. Daniel H. Adler '85 Ms. Mari J. Cartagenova '88 Ms. Michelle Leder '88 Mr. Martin R. Lieberman '96 Mr. Dan Friedell '97 Mr. Adam M. Greenwald '98 Mrs. Pam Garretson (Isaacson) '98 Dr. Jodi R. Eichler-Levine '00 Mr. Lex Friedman '02 Mrs. Jennifer (Klein) Seadia '02 Mr. David Dagan '03 Ms. Caroline Litwack '03 Mr. Dan Hirschhorn '07 Ms. Andrea Fineman '10 Ms. Miranda Neubauer '10 ____________________________________ For more information please contact Robyn Spector '13, Deputy Editor at: alumni@thejustice.org
(02/12/13 5:00am)
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(01/29/13 5:00am)
An article in Forum cited the federal debt limit at $16.4 billion. The debt ceiling is, in fact, $16.4 trillion. (Jan. 22, p. 12) A photo caption in Features implied that the photo was of Daniel Smith and his wife. The photo actually pictured Daniel Smith and his mother. (Jan. 22, p. 8) A photo credit in Arts misspelled the name of a photographer. The photographer's name is Brianna Mussman, not Briana Mussman. (Jan. 22, p. 20) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org. *
(01/17/13 5:00am)
This past week, President Obama announced plans to introduce legislation that includes a ban on assault weapons, limits on high-capacity magazines, expanded background checks for gun purchases and new gun trafficking laws to crack down on the spread of weapons across the country. This represents the broadest push for gun control this generation has seen. What do you think of the proposed gun control legislation? Submit responses in the comments section or email forum@thejustice.org for a chance to be featured in next week's issue of the Justice!
(12/04/12 5:00am)
Colleges in a campus enviroment have a unique responsibility in addition to offering a quality education; providing a high standard of living for their students. An integral part of any college living situation is the quality of the food. The end of this academic year will mark the end of the contract between Brandeis University and Aramark, the dining services provider on campus. Brandeis is a unique dining services account because of the need for both kosher and non-kosher options, in addition to its lack of nearby alternatives. The attractiveness of the account, coupled with the student body's apparent lack of satisfaction with Aramark, may have been contributing factors that led the University to send out requests for proposals from outside caterers. This board hopes the decision as to which food service company will be chosen will be made on the overall balance between quality and affordability, not solely on the price of each bid. In almost every facet of University operations, this board advocates for transparency-the dining service bid is no exception. The student body has many opinions about the current dining services, evident by the near 50 percent response rate from the recent dining survey conducted by Senior Vice President of Administration Mark Collins, and deserves a voice in the selection process. This board was pleased to see the administration steering initiatives like the dining survey and future open forum meetings about dining services, expected to occur in early spring. However, attempts to include the student body in the selection process should not end here. The results from the dining survey should be made public. Additionally, condensed proposals from each food service company should be presented to the extended Brandeis community, facilitating the proper conversation that is needed for such a decision. Initiatives such as these will lead to both a fiscally responsible and quality assured choice for dining services. The current University dining services require major improvements and the upcoming selection process should bring those improvements to light. We hope the University keeps the goal of improvement in mind when selecting a food service company, not just the bottom line. *
(12/04/12 5:00am)
Big changes to dining services may be on the horizon as University administrators analyze the results of the most recent dining survey and consider updates and adaptations to be made over the course of the next few years. While work on relatively minor adjustments in dining facilities will be underway in summer 2013, Senior Vice President of Administration Mark Collins said that the University will also send Requests for Proposals to several competing food service companies, including Aramark, in the coming weeks. The survey was filled out by over 1,500 students in addition to 592 faculty and staff over the course of about a week, according to an email that Collins sent to the Brandeis community last Monday. Collins said that the decision to send out RFPs was not a result of negative feedback from the survey. "This is not an indictment of anybody. It's a business decision to look at ... where we are, and where we want to get to at Brandeis. Where we want to get to has been informed somewhat by the survey," he said, mentioning areas of dining such as variety, vegan and vegetarian options, cost and price value. Aramark, Sodexo and Chartwells will all receive RFPs, said Collins. A few more contractors will probably be added to the list, but he declined to name them as of press time. Collins cited examples of some questions that he would use to compare various dining operations, such as, "How much would they charge me for my current operations? How much would they charge me for enhancements to that current operation? Can I do it for less? Can I do it better for less?" Co-chair of the Senate Dining Committee and Class of 2015 Senator Daniel Novak said that while he sees the RFPs as a sign that administrators are taking students' concerns to heart, the committee is more interested in working with Aaron Bennos, Aramark's director of dining services for Brandeis, to address immediate issues. "I personally feel that that shows ... they're seeing that the students are unsatisfied with what's going on," said Novak in an interview with the Justice. "As a committee, we try to do what we can with Aramark, with what we have now," he said, adding that it is "the University administration's call" to either keep Brandeis' contract with Aramark or switch to another provider. Bennos did not respond to requests for comment by press time. Aramark's first contract with Brandeis took effect in July 1998. Before 1998, the University had run its own dining operations "in-house." It was around that time, over a decade ago, that it last took bids for dining services, said Collins. When that happened, all Brandeis dining employees were given the opportunity to transfer to Aramark. Many took that opportunity, he said. This time around, should the University's contract with Aramark not be renewed, Collins said that the goal is for a similar transition to take place with the new dining services provider. Student workers will be able to keep their jobs no matter what happens. The model of student workers in dining will stay, said Collins, but they may be moved directly to the payroll of Aramark or another company. As of 2011, Aramark's contract with the University was listed at $10.8 million, according to public IRS forms. The forms also mention that Aramark Chairman and former CEO Joseph Neubauer is the husband of University trustee Jeanette P. Lerman '69. The forms state that the contract "resulted from a competitive bid process and the normal procurement process." As for more immediate changes, there will be some upgrades to dining facilities over the summer involving seating. Arrangements will move from "navy style" seating at long tables with rows of chairs on either side, to a more intimate setting with tables for smaller groups or duos. Some changes in the lighting and layout of dining halls are in the works for the summer, as well. Plans may vary depending on the proposals received from contractors and other input. "We need a substantial amount of work in our dining halls," said Collins. "That cannot be done over the course of a single summer when you've got two dining halls and you're feeding kosher students and non-kosher students." He added that he expects new dining facilities to be constructed over the next two to three years. While Aramark has presented the University with "attractive and aggressive proposals" to upgrade the dining halls in the past, the price of those upgrades has not been feasible until recently, said Collins. In the survey results regarding quality versus quantity, "the all-you-can-eat component in Sherman is a winner" and is under consideration to be implemented at Usdan dining hall, he said. Usdan's food quality was rated higher than Sherman's in the survey results. Adding an all-you-can-eat facility would also necessitate the designation of another area where students could go to purchase smaller items such as snacks and coffee without using a meal. Overall, the results of the survey indicated that kosher students were pleased with the state of dining, but wished options such as those available at Sherman were available at other facilities across campus. According to Collins, one of the "dominant" issues mentioned in the surveys was price-value, which relates to things like the points to dollar ratio, the cost versus the quality of food and meal equivalency at certain times of day. "The fact that students can go to Usdan who have a meal plan, and they still [have to] reach into their pocket for some extra coin" is a major area of concern, he said. Whether or not Aramark stays on campus, the Senate Dining Committee chairs promised to try to address issues such as these. "We're here for the students ... so we'll adapt to whoever's here," said co-Chair and Rosenthal Quad Senator Biana Gotlibovsky '15. However, while the committee may have an impact on small, day-to-day concerns, Novak pointed out that it ultimately has no say in the quality of the food served. "We don't have an effect on that, you know? And that's why I feel like students want more than ... changing all these little things. They want big things." Members of the committee said that they were planning to host an open forum on dining during the first or second week of the spring semester.
(12/04/12 5:00am)
Big changes to dining services may be on the horizon as University administrators analyze the results of the most recent dining survey and consider updates and adaptations to be made over the course of the next few years. While work on relatively minor adjustments in dining facilities will be underway in summer 2013, Senior Vice President of Administration Mark Collins said that the University will also send Requests for Proposals to several competing food service companies, including Aramark, in the coming weeks. The survey was filled out by over 1,500 students in addition to 592 faculty and staff over the course of about a week, according to an email that Collins sent to the Brandeis community last Monday. Collins said that the decision to send out RFPs was not a result of negative feedback from the survey. "This is not an indictment of anybody. It's a business decision to look at ... where we are, and where we want to get to at Brandeis. Where we want to get to has been informed somewhat by the survey," he said, mentioning areas of dining such as variety, vegan and vegetarian options, cost and price value. Aramark, Sodexo and Chartwells will all receive RFPs, said Collins. A few more contractors will probably be added to the list, but he declined to name them as of press time. Collins cited examples of some questions that he would use to compare various dining operations, such as, "How much would they charge me for my current operations? How much would they charge me for enhancements to that current operation? Can I do it for less? Can I do it better for less?" Co-chair of the Senate Dining Committee and Class of 2015 Senator Daniel Novak said that while he sees the RFPs as a sign that administrators are taking students' concerns to heart, the committee is more interested in working with Aaron Bennos, Aramark's director of dining services for Brandeis, to address immediate issues. "I personally feel that that shows ... they're seeing that the students are unsatisfied with what's going on," said Novak in an interview with the Justice. "As a committee, we try to do what we can with Aramark, with what we have now," he said, adding that it is "the University administration's call" to either keep Brandeis' contract with Aramark or switch to another provider. Bennos did not respond to requests for comment by press time. Aramark's first contract with Brandeis took effect in July 1998. Before 1998, the University had run its own dining operations "in-house." It was around that time, over a decade ago, that it last took bids for dining services, said Collins. When that happened, all Brandeis dining employees were given the opportunity to transfer to Aramark. Many took that opportunity, he said. This time around, should the University's contract with Aramark not be renewed, Collins said that the goal is for a similar transition to take place with the new dining services provider. Student workers will be able to keep their jobs no matter what happens. The model of student workers in dining will stay, said Collins, but they may be moved directly to the payroll of Aramark or another company. As of 2011, Aramark's contract with the University was listed at $10.8 million, according to public IRS forms. The forms also mention that Aramark Chairman and former CEO Joseph Neubauer is the husband of University trustee Jeanette P. Lerman '69. The forms state that the contract "resulted from a competitive bid process and the normal procurement process." As for more immediate changes, there will be some upgrades to dining facilities over the summer involving seating. Arrangements will move from "navy style" seating at long tables with rows of chairs on either side, to a more intimate setting with tables for smaller groups or duos. Some changes in the lighting and layout of dining halls are in the works for the summer, as well. Plans may vary depending on the proposals received from contractors and other input. "We need a substantial amount of work in our dining halls," said Collins. "That cannot be done over the course of a single summer when you've got two dining halls and you're feeding kosher students and non-kosher students." He added that he expects new dining facilities to be constructed over the next two to three years. While Aramark has presented the University with "attractive and aggressive proposals" to upgrade the dining halls in the past, the price of those upgrades has not been feasible until recently, said Collins. In the survey results regarding quality versus quantity, "the all-you-can-eat component in Sherman is a winner" and is under consideration to be implemented at Usdan dining hall, he said. Usdan's food quality was rated higher than Sherman's in the survey results. Adding an all-you-can-eat facility would also necessitate the designation of another area where students could go to purchase smaller items such as snacks and coffee without using a meal. Overall, the results of the survey indicated that kosher students were pleased with the state of dining, but wished options such as those available at Sherman were available at other facilities across campus. According to Collins, one of the "dominant" issues mentioned in the surveys was price-value, which relates to things like the points to dollar ratio, the cost versus the quality of food and meal equivalency at certain times of day. "The fact that students can go to Usdan who have a meal plan, and they still [have to] reach into their pocket for some extra coin" is a major area of concern, he said. Whether or not Aramark stays on campus, the Senate Dining Committee chairs promised to try to address issues such as these. "We're here for the students ... so we'll adapt to whoever's here," said co-Chair and Rosenthal Quad Senator Biana Gotlibovsky '15. However, while the committee may have an impact on small, day-to-day concerns, Novak pointed out that it ultimately has no say in the quality of the food served. "We don't have an effect on that, you know? And that's why I feel like students want more than ... changing all these little things. They want big things." Members of the committee said that they were planning to host an open forum on dining during the first or second week of the spring semester.
(11/20/12 5:00am)
Brandeis Television has lost some of its funding this year following controversy last fall about the club's questionable use of secured funds. Last year, according to former club leader Ethan Mermelstein '12 and information gathered from a list of BTV expenses from fiscal 2010, the club spent thousands of dollars of Union funding to produce individual film projects and pay for club members' flights to the Berlin International Film Festival. Meanwhile, no original content had been shown on BTV channel 65 since 2009. While an inquiry into its progress from last year has revealed few gains thus far, the club's new leaders are hoping to give BTV a new image and renewed purpose on campus. BTV treasurer Ethan Roseman '15 attributed much of the club's problems in the past couple of years to the make-up of last year's membership. Membership presented an issue, Roseman said, as there were only senior and first-year members, leading to a lack of content because so many members were still attempting to learn the ropes. "BTV has actually gotten less funding this year than we have in previous years. We think that's in part due to the lack of content last year," said Roseman in an interview with the Justice. The Finance Board could not be reached for comment prior to press time regarding the reasoning for the cut in funding. According to F-Board Chair Nathan Israel '14, the F-Board has recently taken action in order to determine the proper funding that clubs should receive depending upon their purposes and initiatives. "Emails have been sent out by our secretary requesting that all clubs send in and update My Brandeis with their constitutions," said Israel in an interview with the Justice. "So, while we're waiting for those to come in ... we hope to take into account what a club was established for in determining how much money they receive. It's not something we do right now, but it is a move we're going toward." The lack of junior and sophomore members in BTV led the first-year members from the 2011-2012 school year to take charge of the club as sophomores. Despite the fact that the board is full of underclassmen, the members have begun attempting to regain the status of BTV as a productive club. "I think the difference mainly between this year and last year is that we are definitely trying to become much more Brandeis-oriented," said BTV Secretary Margaret Hoffman '15 in an interview with the Justice. "We're working with lots of different clubs on campus ... We have the ability to further student productions; we have the ability to advertise a bunch of things going on ... So we're trying to really become a resource for people to use on campus." According to an October 18, 2011 Justice article, technical issues with BTV's channel have existed in the past, resulting in a lack of broadcasting. "We work through MTS, so some of the things are a bit reliant on them, and they've done a great job, but some of their hardware had some minor issues last year and the channel wasn't accessible everywhere," said BTV President Rohan Narayanan '15 in an interview with the Justice. "We've had multiple meetings with MTS and we're having another one in a few weeks to just solidify accessibility and their technology so that we're clear on both ends, but we're also looking to get the channel accessible on our website and in different ways so that people can see it not just through their TVs." According to Roseman, restoring the channel was a priority to share students' works funded by BTV. "We ... purchased something at the very beginning of the year, which is a new set-top box for the channel, which is kind of like the server for all the videos, so that's now in there and the channel should be stable," said Roseman. In addition to the channel, according to Roseman, the club plans to publish content on its new website, brandeis.tv, Facebook page and YouTube channel. According to Narayanan, the channel is currently up and running but is only showing content from previous years that they are hoping to update this year. The club has also posted three videos on its Facebook page, including two submitted by member James Conlon '16, and episode one of a new project called "Deisian Couple," which can also be found on the club's YouTube channel "deistv." Although the club has received less funding compared to last year, only $13,000 according to the My Brandeis Club Center website, BTV is not currently planning to ask for more funding for this school year. "We're not really planning on asking for more funding because we want to kind of prove to the F-Board that we deserve the funding we got, and ... that we can use it well, so maybe next year we'll get more funding," said Hoffman. "But we're going to try to have a big event on campus, and we're also going to try to maybe buy a camera [and are] looking into new equipment to get, as well as still funding student productions, so we just want to make the most use of the money we have." Last year, BTV received $17,000 in funding, according to the October 18, 2011 Justice article. According to BTV Marketing Manager Giselle Silberman '15, the board plans to produce Internet shorts, in addition to those that are already in production under the direction of current members. Hoffman also added that the club has been working on filming events on campus, such as the Bob Dylan forum. The club's current constitution, which was adopted in 2004, states that its purposes are "To provide an arena for the members of the BTV community to pursue their personal, educational and ideological growth ... To create an organization based on leadership, cooperation, trust, education, and respect ... To provide individuals an environment to advance their knowledge of television within the Brandeis community ... To deliver original, member-produced programming to the Brandeis Community through various multimedia outlets." The Student Union granted Brandeis Television seccured club status in 2002. In a November 5, 2002 Justice article, the club was described as a 24-hour cable television network, using funds to feature two original series, purchase equipment and present these projects to the Brandeis community. According to Israel, should a club stray from its original intent, F-Board does not have the authority to take action. "We do not overstep our bounds in the Union. We're a separate branch of the Union from the Senate, which is responsible for what happens when a club is no longer following its constitution," said Israel. "[I]f we notice that they're not following their constitution ... we are allowed to recommend them for review to the Senate." The current board hopes to have a successful year, increasing both membership and productivity. "We are a new club. We're starting from the ground up," said Roseman. "All of the board is new, and we're all sophomores, so I just kind of want to tell everyone to be aware of that, because although we have the same name, we aren't the same people."
(11/20/12 5:00am)
Last Tuesday Prof. Michael Doonan Ph.D. '02 (Heller) offered an analysis of the recent elections in a presentation titled "Election 2012: The President, Congress and Social Policy Implications" at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management.
(11/19/12 5:00am)
An article in Features misspelled the name of the CEO of Siri. His name is Dag Kittlaus, not Doug Kittlaus. (Nov. 13, pg. 5) An article in Forum misquoted a figure from the Sept. 2012 issue of Philadelphia Magazine. The magazine reported that 18,043 people were shot in Philadelphia between Jan. 1, 2001, and May 29, 2012, not between Jan. 2012 and May 2012. (Nov. 13, pg. 7) An article in Arts misstated alumnus Ryan Fanning's year of graduation as 2012. In fact, Fanning graduated with the Class of 2011. (Nov. 13, pg. 14) An article in Arts incorrectly identified musician Dan Deacon as a part of the group Animal Collective. In fact, Deacon is not part of this group. (Nov. 13, pg. 15) * The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(11/13/12 5:00am)
Macbeth review "confounds"
(11/13/12 5:00am)
Students gathered in the Shapiro Campus Center atrium on Monday evening for a forum to discuss the possibility of Bob Dylan coming to perform at SpringFest. The forum was led by a panel of three WBRS board members and three other student leaders: Jesse Manning '13, the general manager of WBRS; Michael Zonenashvili '13, the music director of WBRS; Alex Pilger '13, the business director of WBRS; Rachel Nelson '13, chair of Student Events; SuWei Chi '13, director of concerts for Student Events; and Todd Kirkland '13, the Student Union president.
(11/12/12 5:00am)
An article in News, "Professors discuss issues of race and gender in elections," misidentified a writer in a byline. The article about the ninth annual Roosevelt Lecture was written by Danielle Gross, not Shani Abramowitz. (Nov. 6, pg. 7) A cartoon caption in Forum misspelled the name of the artist. The cartoon was drawn by Arielle Shorr, not Arielle Schorr. (Nov. 6, pg. 11) An article in Arts misstated the class years of several students. Abigail Clarke is '12, not '13, David Benger is '14, not '13, and Julia Davidovitz is '15, not '14. The article also misstated the name of the group that produced the play. The group's name is Hold Thy Peace, not Hold Thy Piece. (Nov. 6, pg. 20) An article in Arts misstated the condition of the Rose Art Museum in 2009. The artwork in the museum was voted to be sold by the Board of Trustees, but none of the artwork was sold and the decision was subsequently reversed. The museum itself was not "closed for sale" as the article originally stated. (Nov. 6, pg. 21) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(11/06/12 5:00am)
SpringFest is an important Brandeis tradition that brings students with different music tastes together as a community. For this year's event, several students are proposing a two-day festival with Bob Dylan as the headline act in order to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his 1963 performance at Brandeis. While we appreciate the student body's attempt to cultivate and expand on this part of the University's history, we have several concerns that students should consider to better facilitate the discussion of Dylan's possible appearance at this year's SpringFest. Students should be aware of the costs of hosting such an event. Procuring Dylans performance would cost around $300,000, and this does not include the additional price of the other acts, possibly hiring an event planner and preparing Gordon Field. The students spearheading this initiative have proposed selling $90 tickets for individuals outside of the Brandeis community to attend. However, the likelihood of selling the number of tickets needed to cover these costs is a concern to this editorial board, which thinks there might be a significant possibility that not enough tickets will be purchased to cover the costs of the event. A comprehensive business plan would address all of these concerns, but one has not yet been made public. Moreover, it is unclear how much Dylan's performance would affect the University's image or attract prospective students. A Dylan concert at Brandeis would not be unique to the University-he went on a college tour in Fall 2010, including a stop at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. While Dylan's prior relationship with Brandeis would make this a unique occasion, we are concerned that the resources that would be diverted to hosting such an event might outweigh the benefits. We also wonder whether the character of SpringFest itself will be challenged. While Dylan undoubtedly has a wide fan base, his music is not representative of the entire campus' taste in music. WBRS brands itself as having "something for everyone," and this has largely held true at past SpringFest concerts, including the 2012 SpringFest that featured Fun. and Childish Gambino. A folk-themed festival might appeal to some, but this board feels strongly that SpringFest's broad appeal should be maintained. If a second day is added in addition to Dylan's concert, we hope that a broad range of acts will be considered outside of the folk genre. While we do not entirely oppose Dylan performing at SpringFest, we hope that these concerns lead to a well-informed, substantive discussion of the issue. The upcoming town hall forum is an opportunity for the students planning this festival to address these questions. We urge everyone attending to ask tough questions that get to the heart of these issues and refrain from simply green-lighting the event because of Dylan's fame. SpringFest always has enormous potential but, before undertaking such a massive endeavor, we hope that a sound plan is in place. *
(11/06/12 5:00am)
SpringFest is an important Brandeis tradition that brings students with different music tastes together as a community. For this year's event, several students are proposing a two-day festival with Bob Dylan as the headline act in order to commemorate the 50th anniversary of his 1963 performance at Brandeis. While we appreciate the student body's attempt to cultivate and expand on this part of the University's history, we have several concerns that students should consider to better facilitate the discussion of Dylan's possible appearance at this year's SpringFest. Students should be aware of the costs of hosting such an event. Procuring Dylans performance would cost around $300,000, and this does not include the additional price of the other acts, possibly hiring an event planner and preparing Gordon Field. The students spearheading this initiative have proposed selling $90 tickets for individuals outside of the Brandeis community to attend. However, the likelihood of selling the number of tickets needed to cover these costs is a concern to this editorial board, which thinks there might be a significant possibility that not enough tickets will be purchased to cover the costs of the event. A comprehensive business plan would address all of these concerns, but one has not yet been made public. Moreover, it is unclear how much Dylan's performance would affect the University's image or attract prospective students. A Dylan concert at Brandeis would not be unique to the University-he went on a college tour in Fall 2010, including a stop at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. While Dylan's prior relationship with Brandeis would make this a unique occasion, we are concerned that the resources that would be diverted to hosting such an event might outweigh the benefits. We also wonder whether the character of SpringFest itself will be challenged. While Dylan undoubtedly has a wide fan base, his music is not representative of the entire campus' taste in music. WBRS brands itself as having "something for everyone," and this has largely held true at past SpringFest concerts, including the 2012 SpringFest that featured Fun. and Childish Gambino. A folk-themed festival might appeal to some, but this board feels strongly that SpringFest's broad appeal should be maintained. If a second day is added in addition to Dylan's concert, we hope that a broad range of acts will be considered outside of the folk genre. While we do not entirely oppose Dylan performing at SpringFest, we hope that these concerns lead to a well-informed, substantive discussion of the issue. The upcoming town hall forum is an opportunity for the students planning this festival to address these questions. We urge everyone attending to ask tough questions that get to the heart of these issues and refrain from simply green-lighting the event because of Dylan's fame. SpringFest always has enormous potential but, before undertaking such a massive endeavor, we hope that a sound plan is in place. *
