(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. *
(11/06/12 5:00am)
Fifty years since Bob Dylan first sang at Brandeis University in 1963, Brandeis students are once again making a push to bring Dylan to Brandeis and create a folk festival in spring 2013. Jesse Manning '13, general manager of WBRS and Student Union chief of staff, said he, along with Alex Pilger '13 and Michael Zonenashvili '13 have been putting a proposal together for a festival at Brandeis for the past two years. In order to lobby the University administration for support for the initiative, Manning, Zonenashvili, Pilger, Student Union President Todd Kirkland '13, Rachel Nelson '13 and SuWei Chi '13 are holding a town hall forum on Wednesday, Nov. 7, at 8 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center atrium. The forum will be an opportunity for the student organizers to gage student support and explain the concept behind the folk festival to students, faculty, staff and administrators who are in attendance. "You're not going to get a bigger student-pushed event than this," said Manning in an interview with the Justice. As of press time, the Facebook event had over 450 attendees. Andrew Flagel, senior vice president of students and enrollment, said that the idea is exciting, but there are several significant challenges that need to be evaluated before a folk festival can be approved. "The challenge that we face at this point is this is not a question of Bob Dylan's interest in coming to campus, but of us contracting with Bob Dylan," explained Flagel in an interview with the Justice. The last price estimate Flagel said he saw was $300,000 to bring the singer to campus. At this point, Manning said, the decision on whether or not to move forward with the festival depends solely on the administration. "It's totally on the school. It's not on Bob Dylan; he'll come. It's not on the students; they want it. It's totally on the administration to be willing to take the risk. So they're going to have to see that there's more reward in it than risk," said Manning. "I think the evidence of this shows that there's so much reward here that it outweighs the risk that you're taking." Flagel, however, said he was more skeptical in evaluating the potential risk and reward of the event. Flagel said the risks include the openness of the concert to the external community and the additional challenges that the oppenness would inevitably bring, such as increased security, traffic and portable bathrooms, among others. "We're still vetting the business aspects," he said, including whether or not the financial plan for the event is feasible. Regarding the student-led forum on Wednesday night, Flagel said that holding a folk festival will not be "decided by referendum" and that the University will weigh the "complex business decision." The plan originally proposed by the group of students was to have two days of a folk festival with the first day headlined by Bob Dylan. The festival would be free for students and it would be open to 4,300 people from off-campus, said Manning. An off-campus ticket would cost $90 for the first day of Bob Dylan and $120 for a two-day pass. Manning said that a new, one-day option is now being considered. It calls for a one-day folk festival headlined by Dylan with a "bigger" and separate SpringFest the following day. Ticket prices for the folk festival would likely exceed $90 for the one-day plan, according to Manning. Manning said the University has signed a contract with Jay Sweet, the producer of the Newport Folk Festival, to be the liaison between Brandeis and Dylan. Sweet has also said the budget for the festival is feasible, according to Manning. "Even in investigating the possibility, that's something the University took on," Manning said of Sweet's fee. If Bob Dylan were to come to Brandeis this spring, it would be his third time performing on campus-his last visit was in 1975 as part of the Rolling Thunder Revue. At least one student shared Flagel's skepticism of the folk festival idea: "I think while it may seem like a great idea, the actual work involved for students and the means to bring him here are not feasible. It's just a lot of work for something that not many people are very passionate about," said Samantha Gordon '14, Student Events social coordinator, in an interview with the Justice.
(11/06/12 5:00am)
Prof. Stuart Altman (Heller) has been appointed by Gov. Deval Patrick as chair of the newly instituted state Health Policy Commission, an 11-member board that has been charged with "setting health care spending goals and tracking providers' progress toward reducing costs," according to a Nov. 1 article on Boston.com. "I was very pleased that the governor thought of me to take on this position," Altman, the Sol C. Chaikin Professor of National Health Policy, said in an interview with the Justice. "What we're trying to do is both lower the ... growth in the cost of health care and do it without hurting the quality of care or access to care, so it's going to be quite an assignment," said Altman. As stated in a press release from the Governor's office, Altman is a member of the Institute of Medicine and chair of the Health Industry Forum at Brandeis. According to his profile on the Heller School for Social Policy and Management website, he also served for 12 years as Chairman of the congressionally legislated Prospective Payment Assessment Commission, which "advise[d] Congress and the Administration on the functioning of the Medicare Diagnostic Related Group (DRG) Hospital Payment System and other system reforms." According to a Nov. 1 BrandeisNOW press release, Altman served as deputy assistant secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare during President Richard Nixon's administration and was a member of both President Bill Clinton's Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare and the health policy team for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Altman also served as dean of the Heller School, starting in 1977, and as interim president of the University from 1990 to 1991. "Dr. Altman's experience in matters of health policy in both the public and private sectors is deep and unparalleled and will be an asset to the Commonwealth in our work to drive health care costs down," said Patrick in a press release. "I thank him for his willingness to serve." According to Altman, Patrick appoints three of the 11 board members, including the chair. The other eight members are appointed by the attorney general, the state auditor and the head of the Department of Insurance, as well as others. The roles of these other members include consumer advocacy and primary care, said Altman. According to Boston.com, the board was "created under the state health cost-control law that passed this summer." Altman's role as chair of the board will involve working with its executive director, who is a full-time employee, "to carry out what the law requires," he said. As stated on Boston.com, "[n]one of the board members may work for hospitals, health plans, or other health care entities in the state." Altman will give up his positions on the board of Tufts Medical Center and with a few other groups in the state. Even with his position as chair, Altman-who teaches "HS 140: American Health Care" and "HS 513: Issues in National Health Policy"-will not forget about his students at Brandeis. "I hope to use what I learn as the chair of the commission to make my course ... even more relevant," he said.
(10/30/12 4:00am)
Last Wednesday evening in the Mandel Center for the Humanities, student panelists participated in a multi-partisan political debate that covered topics relevant to the upcoming presidential election. The event was cosponsored by the Brandeis Young Americans for Liberty, the Brandeis College Democrats and the Brandeis Libertarian Conservative Union.
(10/23/12 4:00am)
The integration of technology into the classroom has allowed students to learn, think and analyze in many different ways. More and more, universities such as Harvard University, Columbia University and Tufts University are allowing students to enroll in online courses instead of attending a traditional classroom. Do you think Brandeis should incorporate online courses into its current curriculum? Do you think there's merit in taking university courses online? Prof. Angela Gutchess (PSYC) Online learning offers a number of opportunities, particularly for distance learning. However, I think that online courses would not be a good substitute for live courses at Brandeis. The classroom setting supports discussion, lively demos, and interaction in a way that online forums do not. Particularly the small classes and seminars allow students to develop skills in oral communication and processing and in responding to ideas in "real time," which are not the same as skills emphasized in a written medium. Large live courses may have more of a challenge in engaging students and creating an active learning environment, but it can be done with the right tools and methods. Angela Gutchess is an assistant professor in the Psychology department. * Prof. Marya Levenson (ED) Technology can provide a great opportunity for students to learn in a different way, provided that we resist the glitz and keep asking ourselves how the particular form of technology enables us to ask critical questions, learn new skills and solve challenges. If Brandeis could be part of a university consortium that provided excellent opportunities to learn online, faculty and students would be able to think about how/ whether to make that part of a Brandeis experience. For example, being able to take one semester of online courses might enable more science students to have a semester abroad. Marya Levenson is the Harry S. Levitan Director of Teacher Education and Professor of the Practice of Education. * John Unsworth I came to Brandeis in February of 2012, from the Graduate School of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois, and I spent the rest of the spring semester teaching my Illinois graduate course in digital humanities online. I was teaching online because GSLIS has been delivering its professional masters degree online since 1996, and currently teaches half its students in this way. In my experience, online courses can be high-quality, high-touch and high impact experiences for both faculty and students, if done right. Online instruction can also be done badly, but in my experience most courses benefit from the rethinking of the syllabus that is required for faculty to teach them online. Finally, both undergraduate and graduate students can benefit from access to guest speakers, new forms of interaction, new modes of expression and new methods for investigation that online courses can make available. I don't think online teaching will become a replacement of on-campus teaching of undergraduates at Brandeis, but I do think it could be a very useful supplement. John Unsworth is the vice provost for Library and Technology Services and chief information officer. * Rachel Downs '13 There is always possibility for significant gains, and significant losses, with an online approach to education and teaching. In some ways, I feel that Brandeis is limiting its students by not incorporating online classes in the curriculum, because it limits the variety of courses students can take for credit here and necessitates in-person instruction for all classes. On the other hand, as a teacher, I strongly believe that so much is gained by being a member of a class and learning in a mutual, engaged environment with a knowledgeable facilitator. That being said, I would be in favor of Brandeis incorporating some online courses into the curriculum as long as our undergraduate culture here maintained a majority in-class instruction and online classes did not have a significant impact on in-person class size and/or faculty and staff teaching positions. Rachel Downs '13 is an Undergraduate Departmental Representative for the Education Studies program. *
(10/23/12 4:00am)
This past week the Student Conduct Board held an open forum with the Student Rights and Community Standards Director Dean Gendron to discuss the changes to the 2012-2013 Student Rights and Responsibilities handbook. While the University makes small changes to the language in the handbook each year, this semester the University introduced the new special examiner position: an individual who will be responsible for specifically overseeing the process of sexual assault allegations. While it is important for students to understand the role and position of the special examiner, students should also be familiar with what rights they have and how that language is structured. We encourage all students to attend future feedback sessions about the handbook to better acquaint themselves with their rights. The handbook establishes the boundaries and rules students are required to follow as members of the Brandeis community. However, the handbook also includes the limitations and restrictions of the administration's purview into student life. It provides students with the scope of the administration's authority concerning campus protests, explanations of student privacy and the University discrimination policies, among other issues relevant to students in their daily on-and off-campus lives. However, without educating themselves about the handbook contents and their rights, students are leaving themselves at a disadvantage as community members. For example, the introduction of the special examiner position is a significant addition that many students may be unfamiliar with. While the special examiner's position was introduced earlier this semester, the administration has yet to decide or announce who will fill the special examiner position. The open forum presented the administration with the first opportunity to explain the details of the position to the student body in addition to providing a platform for students to ask questions about any section of the handbook that is unclear. Given the importance of the handbook in general community life and the importance of this new position, even minor changes in how the issues are presented and structured in the handbook will impact their real life practice. Therefore, students should attend these forums where they are able to voice their questions and concerns about the language of the handbook to better understand what the sections are saying. However, without attending this event or reading this section in the handbook, students will be unaware of a significant policy change restructuring the process of addressing sexual assault allegations. Given the unpredictability of sexual assault cases, it's important for every student to be familiar with the process of reporting an attack and the resources provided in the handbook. As part of this community, students are provided with the laws instructing their behavior on and off campus in the handbook. Many students may feel some sections of the handbook may not be applicable to them during their time as a student at the University. However, we still urge students to read the handbook, become informed of their rights and attend the open forums with questions. If a student ever finds himself or herself in a situation where his or her rights are violated or obstructed, knowledge of the handbook will be a vital tool. *
(10/23/12 4:00am)
This year's edition of Brandeis' "Rights and Responsibilities" was published by the Department of Student Rights and Community Standards with some big additions. Specifically, the "Student Conduct Process Code" gained a special focus on situations dealing with sexual harassment, and a new process called the "Special Examiner's Process" was dedicated to that topic. To elaborate on the details of the new process and to clarify the language used in the new handbook, the Student Conduct Board held a public forum in the Shapiro Campus Center's Art Gallery last Thursday.
(10/22/12 4:00am)
This week's Senate meeting was centrally dedicated to two new proposed amendments to Brandeis' process of recognizing and chartering clubs. The amendments had been discussed and debated for several weeks, and during this meeting the Senate rejected each amendment. The amendments were introduced by the Ways and Means committee and were principally represented by Executive Senator and Senator for the Class of 2014 Ricky Rosen. Other important issues besides the amendments were also discussed at length. The amendments to the Student Union constitution bylaws were discussed last. Both amendments were intended to revise the processes for club recognition and chartering. The first amendment, which was defeated nine to three, would have completely separated club recognition and charter by two weeks and set required meeting times. According to Rosen, this would create a more stable process. Members of the Club Support Committee disagreed, stating that the amendment would merely create unnecessary red tape for clubs. The second amendment, also defeated, would have gotten rid of the requirement for prospective club administrators to gather 100 signatures for the club to be chartered. The reason for this proposed change was to give club leaders less busywork and more time to write constitutions and fill other requirements to prepare for recognition and chartering. Preceding the amendment votes, Student Union President Todd Kirkland '13 spoke to the senate about community outreach. Kirkland expressed his concern that there was not enough effort by the Union to encourage student participation in events and discussions, as evidenced by the drop in student attendance at public forums and Senate events. He also announced his decrease in responsibility in relation to 'Deis Impact, as he is graduating in the spring. There was also discussion as to the issue of attendance at Senate Committee meetings, which has been inconsistent. Next was a request from Student Union Finance Board Chair Nathan Israel for a possible step between club recognition and chartering, as the number of chartered clubs has grown so high that on-campus storage for clubs has begun to run out. This was followed by a presentation by Rasheik Trammell '13, Brandeis charter coordinator for Teach for America. Trammell promoted a collaborative effort between the Student Union and Teach for America to set up student events at Brandeis dedicated to Teach for America's campaign against education inequality. Various Senate committees then presented issues they had encountered over the past few weeks. The major problem addressed was the fact that theft of silverware from Sherman Dining Hall has already cost the University $15,000 since the beginning of this semester, according to Danny Novak '15, the head of the senate dining committee. The Senate will soon formulate methods to discourage said theft. -Jess Linde
(10/22/12 4:00am)
An excited group of students and faculty, including students from other universities in the area, eagerly packed into the Mandel Center for the Humanities room G03, which was quickly filled to capacity-on a Friday afternoon no less. Much-anticipated speaker Alexander Stille gave a talk titled "Voicing the Outrage of Silence: A Talk on the Mafia and Italian Politics," an event in the Martin Weiner Lecture Series cosponsored by the Humanities Council, the Romance Studies Department and the Italian Studies program. Stille is an accomplished author and journalist and a Columbia University professor of international journalism. He has received numerous literary awards, including the Los Angeles Times Book Award for best work of history and the Alicia Patterson Foundation award for journalism. He has also contributed to numerous major publications including The New York Times, Rome's La Repubblica and The Atlantic. Stille has authored several books dealing primarily with Italian politics and culture, though the lecture was focused on his second novel, Excellent Cadavers: The Mafia and the Death of the First Italian Republic, a gripping account of the political struggle against the Sicilian Mafia in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The central theme of silence in Mafian politics was introduced in the form of three experiences in Stille's time as an investigative journalist and published author. All three anecdotes seemed to end with "embarrassed phone calls," as Stille spoke of them, in which he was asked or told that his work needed to be censored in some way. In one particularly shocking instance, Stille was not permitted to write a story about the trial of the Mafia boss Marcello Dell'Utri because of a newly appointed editor's connection to the Mafia. Getting to the heart of the challenge presented in the lecture, Stille said, "I mention these [anecdotes] only for their ordinariness. This is not a case of a courageous shopkeeper who refuses to pay protection money and announces the Mafia in Sicily, but its very ordinariness says something important. If this subject cannot be discussed in a public forum, then we have a problem." Much of the lecture focused on the Mafia assassinations of court Justices Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino. The 20th anniversary of their deaths was this summer. Their contributions to the Italian judiciary battle against the Mafia were described by Stille as "revolutionary." One of the ideas Stille repeatedly stressed was that the Mafia's power was mainly an illusion supported by its interactions with the rest of the world. "[The Mafia] was seen as an anthropological phenomenon that seemed to be running through the veins of Sicilian culture, something that therefore trying to combat it would be as useless as trying change the heat in Sicily in July or August," Stille said. This myth was deconstructed, in large part, by the efforts of Borsellino and Falcone. "The most extraordinary contribution of the two judges was to show that [the Mafia's] power derives very directly from its ties to the legitimate world and when the state decides to do something about it, they are much stronger than the Mafia." Stille was living in Italy during the first serious attempts to combat organized crime in Sicily, including at the height of Falcone's convictions and the attempted destruction of his reputation. He reflected on the mood of those times, saying "I had this sensation that I was watching an earlier middle act of a Greek tragedy. You could see this was going to end very badly with the death of Falcone." Stille went on to debunk many of the major stereotypes regarding the Sicilian Mafia, using a combination of hard facts and quotes to emphasize his position. "The idea that Sicilians are naturally violent is factually wrong. There are periods where violence really takes a vacation in Sicily. It is difficult to find even a jealous husband; there's [almost] no homicide during periods where Mafia lays low." Also discussed were the anomalies of the Italian legal system in a broader manner, which, according to Breanna Small '16, was one of the most compelling portions of the lecture. "In Italy, the statute of limitations clock never stops ticking, leading to more corruption in a way that is not even possible in the U.S.," she said. The lecture was followed by a question-and-answer session, during which Stille addressed a question regarding the possible dangers of investigating such a characteristically sinister organization. Surprisingly, Stille did not feel in any immediate danger while writing Excellent Cadavers, which was written after the assassination of the judges. "The Mafia had so many problems by then," said Stille. "They make pretty rational calculations. ... It just wasn't in their best interests to bump off a foreign journalist." Michael Pizziferri '15 noted the valuable addition this lecture made to the hodgepodge of academic events at Brandeis. "I've found there's a lack of events focused on European history on campus. This lecture brought visibility to issues of Italian heritage." Brandeis undergraduates taking classes in Italian language and culture, particularly those in the first-year seminar "JustBooks: Voicing the Outrage of Silence, Social Justice and the Mafia," represented a large portion of the attendees. Stille tied his faith in the legal system to effectively combat these types of thugs to the actions of ordinary citizens. "It starts with the very basic idea that you try as a voter to reward people who play by the rules and punish those who don't," he said.
(10/16/12 4:00am)
The much-anticipated preliminary framework for the University's strategic plan was released on Wednesday in an email to the Brandeis community from Provost Steve Goldstein '78. The document is another step closer to the culmination of a process that began in September of last year as University President Frederick Lawrence began his first full year in office. According to Goldstein's email, "The framework seeks to ensure that Brandeis University remains a clear first choice for exceptional students, faculty, and staff committed to making a difference in the world." This framework will be presented to the Board of Trustees at its meeting at the end of October, and after that meeting a final plan will be produced, to be approved by the Board in January. The 14-page document discusses strategic directions for five categories: academic experience, discovery enterprise, community, campus and technology and stewardship. Goldstein wrote in his email to the community that the plan recognizes a full realization of the "Brandeis model." This model, he said, "is a learning experience in the finest liberal arts tradition." Goldstein explained that it involves education in critical thinking, as well as discovery that "can be offered only by a small, research-intensive university at the leading edge of innovation." The next step in moving toward the final plan is six feedback sessions, which are a chance for the community to share their opinions on the plan with the administration and others who have been in charge of drafting the framework. Those sessions started last Thursday and will finish tomorrow, with a discussion at 3 p.m. in the Levin Ballroom. Professors also had a chance to give feedback at the faculty meeting on Thursday, where Lawrence and Goldstein introduced the framework and led a discussion. While responses fluctuated between praise and criticism, the majority of the assembled faculty who spoke were critical of the plan's generality and lack of specific direction. One faculty member called the framework a "vision on a hill" with "little substance." Another said it was "desperately uninspiring," and a third expressed her "disappointment and dismay" at the content of the framework. Academically, the framework highlights potential new initiatives such as biomedicine and global health, engineering, integrated arts, legal and ethical studies, and a world issues forum. The framework also states the goal of making education personal and flexible, by providing a range of opportunities and mentorship. At a feedback session on Friday, Prof. Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow (CLAS) said that she was worried about the repeated mentions of "programs" and the lack of mentions of "departments," wondering whether this kind of emphasis would reduce the power and autonomy of departments. In terms of the University community, the framework focuses on celebrating the undeniable "distinctiveness" of Brandeis, as well as extending the University's global reach through alumni and other networks. The plan also considers the need to enhance the campus and technology used by the University, making a commitment to "create campus spaces and facilities that enable and inspire" as well as making use of the innovative technology available for students, faculty and the global community. Jason Bernard, the assistant director of Academic Technology for the International Business School, said at one of the feedback sessions that he wanted to see more of a focus on embracing the future of technology and doing business. Finally, the framework emphasizes the need for financial strength, with an aim to invest in excellent programs, commit to financial stability and "build a strong, multifaceted community of individuals and institutions who actively support and invest in the future of Brandeis." According to Goldstein, in an interview with the Justice last month, the framework is a work in progress and should not even be considered a draft of the final plan. "[It's] something we can ... interrogate, push against, respond to and ultimately decorate, fill out into the plan," he said. "By December, the plan will be in draft form ... and by January the Board of Trustees should be able to give us the green light to move ahead." Student Union President Todd Kirkland '13 said in an interview with the Justice that there will be an announcement soon about a more student-exclusive feedback session, which will be held in the Shapiro Campus Center atrium either next Wednesday or the week after and will be moderated by Kirkland and Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel. Some professors at the faculty meeting expressed a wish to see copies of the individual reports of the task forces involved, so as to gain some understanding of the process and of the specific ideas which were not expressed in the framework itself. Lawrence said that he and Goldstein would consider releasing the reports earlier than originally planned. Goldstein and Lawrence also defended the framework, explaining that in a strategic plan, it is important to express "strategic" ideas rather than "tactical" ones, saying that the release of specific tactical plans would cause people to get mired in extraneous debate about the details. Kirkland, who is on the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, said that he understands some of the criticisms given by faculty, but thinks that overall "it's a good framework to start the conversation." Flagel agreed, saying that "The framework seems to be engendering the exact kind of discussion we want at this point." "The framework is meant to be another stage of iterative discussion and feedback," said Goldstein in last month's interview. "It will evolve, it will reflect all that feedback." At the end of the faculty meeting discussion, Lawrence made a promise to the gathered faculty: "What comes out in January will be inspiring." -Andrew Wingens and Robyn Spector contributed reporting.
(10/15/12 4:00am)
On October 9th, the Taliban fighters came onto a school bus in Pakistan and shot 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai, an activist fighting for girls' education in Pakistan. She remains in a military hospital in critical condition. As awful as the event was, there is a silver lining: The shooting brought together a global community dedicated to righting the wrongs done to girls in countries like Pakistan. Malala was targeted because she pushed for the education of girls in Pakistan. In 2009, the Taliban were driven out of the Swat Valley, Malala's region, by a Pakistani military operation. That same year, Malala published a blog through the British Broadcasting Corporation, going into the details of life under Taliban control.
