(09/25/12 4:00am)
A byline in Forum misspelled the writer's name. The author's name is spelled Daniel Koas, not Daniel Kaos. (Sept. 11, pg. 8) The title of a photo on the front page misleadingly read "Home Opener." The photo was not, in fact, of the men's soccer home opener, but rather of their second game of the season. (Sept. 11, pg. 1) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@ thejustice.org.
(09/25/12 4:00am)
Former Walmart employees strongly criticized working conditions at the retail giant, comparing "working at Walmart to being unemployed" during a forum hosted last Thursday by the Brandeis Labor Coalition. Coalition members organized the forum to raise awareness of working conditions at Walmart as well as how advocacy groups for workers' rights are trying to change them. Two former Walmart employees, now members of the Organization United for Respect at Walmart discussed their experiences working at Walmart and their work to improve working conditions since leaving the company. Local representatives from Jobs With Justice's Change Walmart, Change America campaign and national organizers from the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union also spoke about their collaboration with OUR Walmart. This event follows the June announcement of a $5 million grant from the Walmart Foundation to the Heller School for Social Policy and Management's Center for Youth and Communities. The CYC will distribute the money in $800,000 grants to nonprofit and government-run agencies supporting at-risk youth in eight cities around the country. The money will go towards paying for young students' summer jobs in these areas. Focusing not only on informing students about the work of OUR Walmart, the speakers also tried to draw a connection for Brandeis students between the Walmart Foundation's grant to the Heller School and the experience of working at Walmart. "The reason why we came today was because we wanted you to hear the other side of where that money really comes from," explained James Razsa, an organizer for Campaign for Change at Walmart in Boston. The group of former employees that make up OUR Walmart travel around the country, visiting Walmart stores and urging workers to join the organization's network. Angela Williamson, a former Walmart employee who was fired for what an Unfair Labor Practices lawsuit found in 2012 to be "retaliation for speaking out against Walmart's treatment of its employees," now works with OUR Walmart. Walmart forbids its workers from unionizing, so OUR Walmart functions to "give a voice" to these workers, providing a framework for employees to "[take] ownership of their organization," explained Williamson. "I compare working at Walmart to being unemployed ... there's really not a big difference," said Williamson. During her time at Walmart, Williamson experienced inconsistent pay and hours, which, she noted, is not uncommon for Walmart employees: "even the full-time people are not getting 40 hour weeks ... some are, but it's very few and far between." In the course of her work with OUR Walmart, Williamson has found that, similar to what she experienced as a Walmart employee, many workers "can't guarantee what their pay's going to be to pay the bills [or] to put food on the table." In order to work towards creating a different, more reliable environment for Walmart workers throughout the company, OUR Walmart collaborates in the Boston area and around the country with Jobs With Justice and UFCW. Jobs With Justice began its Change Walmart, Change America campaign about 10 years ago. According to Rasza, for the Campaign for Change at Walmart and OUR Walmart's network of Walmart employees and former employees, there is a distinct goal. "It's not about hating Walmart," he said, "what it's about is trying to change Walmart." OUR Walmart's advocacy and Jobs With Justice's Change Walmart, Change America campaign focus on changing what Angela Williamson experienced, and many workers continue to experience, which Rasza defines as a fundamental issue: that many jobs at Walmart are "not creating the ladder ... to a better life" for workers. OUR Walmart's major work in 2012 has centered on a campaign called Walmart at 50, celebrating Walmart's 50th year in business by organizing National Days of Action to garner new members and continuing to organize and advocate for workers' rights. Encouraging Brandeis students to attend OUR Walmart and Jobs With Justice's events in the Boston area, Rasza said that although the Walmart Foundation's grant to the Heller School's CYC will go to charitable community organizations, it's important that Brandeis students "don't let Walmart off the hook." David Duhalde-Wine, a Brandeis graduate student in the masters of public policy program and a member of the Brandeis Labor Coalition, said in an interview with the Justice, "Students at Brandeis, a school that's focused on social justice and founded on those principles, should hear the other side of where our money's coming from." The message for the Brandeis community, Duhalde-Wine said, is that Brandeis students, through groups like the Labor Coalition, should take action "to [raise] awareness of the struggles and the braveness of the Walmart workers, and [raise] awareness about their working conditions and [how they are] just trying to use their democratic rights to improve their own lives ... for that reason we should learn more about it."
(09/24/12 4:00am)
Brandeis has long been a school of active, lively individuals, but rarely has that energy manifested itself as school spirit.
(09/11/12 4:00am)
Apologize to Prof. Donald Hindley
(08/27/12 4:00am)
An article in Forum misspelled the name of its columnist. The columnist who writes "Voice of Reason" is named Avi Snyder, not Avi Synder (May 22, pg. 10). * The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(05/21/12 4:00am)
The name of a forum columnist was misspelled. Her name is Sara Shahanaghi, not Sara Shahnaghi. (May 1, pg. 12) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(05/20/12 4:00am)
As another year comes to a close, we would like to extend our congratulations and gratitude to the Class of 2012 and departing Justice writers and editors for their relentless efforts and innumerable late nights working for the Justice. We wish the seniors the best in their future pursuits and thank them for their years of hard work and dedication. Emily Kraus displayed her steadfast commitment to the Justice during her time from the Copy staff and News staff to Copy editor to editor in chief. Her decisive decision-making and unwavering support for writers and editors has allowed for the Justice to thrive under her leadership. She fostered a calm and positive environment with her amiable personality and unflustered demeanor. Brian Blumenthal has displayed his tireless dedication to the paper since his first year at Brandeis, serving as Layout editor, associate editor and production editor, a position created for his specific skill set. His vision has defined the design of the paper over the past year and his deft attention to detail will sorely be missed. Rebecca Blady's impressive term as the Forum editor began only months after she joined the Justice. As she moved from managing editor to associate editor, she became the Justice's moral compass, infusing the staff with journalistic ethics and integrity. Nashrah Rahman, who served as News editor, associate editor and managing editor, illustrated her poise and journalistic ethics in her coverage of difficult news stories. Her coverage included the controversy surrounding the Rose Art Museum and myriad other important issues. Hillel Buechler's tremendous commitment to the paper is best illustrated through his leadership positions from opinion columnist and Forum editor, a spell as deputy editor and finally associate editor. Perhaps most notably, he created and held the position of the Online editor, leaving the Justice a legacy of continued and consistent improvement. Alana Abramson, who served as News editor and associate editor, led the News section's coverage of important issues such as the Rose Art Museum controversy. Her unyielding pursuit of facts and information produced fair and balanced coverage of the University. Bryan Flatt has proven his spirited commitment during his time as Arts editor and associate editor. Carrying the burden of producing the entire Arts section by himself, Bryan exhibited the sincere investment of an editor working to better the Justice. Rebecca Klein's enthusiasm for the Justice was first evident through her dynamic relationship with her staff. As she evolved from a Features writer to Features editor and then an associate editor, her infectious optimism has energized the office for the past four years. Asher Krell's dedication to stunning photographs and videos elevated the newspaper to higher multimedia standards. While he is not a graduating senior, his coverage of every aspect of the University was the tour de force of his time as Photography editor and associate editor. Tess Raser displayed her devotion to the paper as Features editor and associate editor but also by actively contributing to other sections of the Justice. Her warmth and friendliness made working with her enjoyable and her passion for writing will be missed. Ariel Kay's unremitting dedication as the Arts editor and her superb musical taste showcase the ideal qualities needed in an editor. Although she is not a member of the Class of 2012, her absence will be felt. Wei-Huan Chen, who served as Arts editor, carried the Arts section with his exceptional writing talent and knowledge of the Arts. His byline and lively prose will be missed. Cody Yudkoff illustrated her devotion to the Justice while serving as the Advertising editor. Her friendliness and consistency during her two-year term maintained the paper's ability to retain advertisements. In addition to graduating editors, we also congratulate Senior Arts Writer and Pop Culture Columnist Shelly Shore as well as Forum Columnist Diego Medrano for their years of dedication to the Justice. We wish them, along with the rest of the Class of 2012, the best of luck.
(05/01/12 4:00am)
A Brandeis Hoot article published on April 27 has prompted widespread discussion on campus about the implementation of the University's sexual assault policies. According to the Hoot article, an anonymous undergraduate student who is currently on medical leave alleged she was raped by an anonymous Heller School for Social Policy and Management student in their off-campus apartment nearly a dozen times from October 2010 to January 2011. The case went before the Student Conduct Board last May, and the alleged assailant was found guilty of nine of 11 code violations in the Rights and Responsibilities Handbook, including section 3.1, which prohibits sexual contact without explicit and clearly communicated consent, according to the Hoot. The article chronicles the story of the female student who felt the University was inadequately responsive to her grievances and questions the University's full compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 policies concerning sexual harassment, stating, "a case file in the office of student rights and community standards contained no evidence of a university police investigation, a Title IX requirement." The Justice could not independently verify the facts of the case. University officials declined to comment to the Justice on details of the specific case due to federal privacy laws. The article does not present the male party's information. In April of last year, the Obama administration announced a new set of guidelines for colleges and universities to address sexual assault violations. "A school that knows, or should reasonably know, about possible harassment must promptly investigate to determine what occurred. ... Title IX investigation is different from any law enforcement investigation, and a law enforcement investigation does not relieve the school of its independent Title IX obligation to investigate the conduct," according to the "Dear Colleagues" letter from Vice President Joe Biden that clarified policies under Title IX. The Hoot article also states that the Student Conduct Board used a "clear and convincing" standard of evidence in this case, as opposed to the lower "preponderance of evidence" standard required by Title IX. The University student handbook outlines the Rights and Responsibilities of victims of sexual assault. The handbook states that "the Department of Public Safety has full police powers and the staff is trained to provide accurate information on preserving evidence and the options for criminal prosecution, campus disciplinary proceedings, or both." The handbook, however, does not elaborate on what this training entails, including what information is taught and when the training is received. The Brandeis University Class of 2015 Facebook group currently has 42 comments in response to the article and the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance hosted an open forum yesterday to discuss sexual assault and harassment on campus and create a "decisive" plan for change. FMLA has been examining the University's sexual harassment policy and FMLA President Amalia Bob-Waksberg '14 said in an interview with the Justice that "we found that there were a lot of issues in the policy ... and issues with things within the policy not being enacted." She added, "So many students have told us that they were sexually assaulted and they didn't feel safe telling Public Safety about it, and now they have to see the person who assaulted them on campus, and they didn't know their resources." Bob-Waksberg describes the administration as being generally silent about sexual assault. She says the administration cites a low incidence rate of sexual assault on campus, when in reality, sexual assault is being grossly underreported. Bob-Waksberg and other FMLA members are involved in the planning of a silent protest of these circumstances, which will take place in the Goldfarb Library tomorrow from noon to 4 p.m. Prof. Anita Hill (Heller) wrote in an email to the Justice, "Sexual assault[s] on college campuses, as in general, are under-reported. Brandeis is reviewing its sexual assault policies and procedures so that we can guard against the threat of sexual assault. However, when they occur, we want to make sure individuals can come forward without fear, raise charges and be heard, and be treated fairly during and after the complaint process." Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel informed the Justice about one new policy the University is planning to enact to combat sexual assault on campus. "One of the opportunities that we're exploring is the creation of a [staff] position specifically [addressing the issue of sexual assault]. We're likely crafting this out of an opening we have at the counseling center. My hope is that we'll be able to find resources to have a full-time position in this role," said Flagel. Students were generally upset by the implications of the Hoot article, and also expressed some skepticism. "It's problematic that the administration didn't prosecute this case to the fullest extent," said Dillon Harvey '14. "The administration should be creating a safe environment." "My concern is how the University can be so negligent to take care of students," said Alina Cheema '15. "They were inconsiderate of the student's safety." Student Union President Herbie Rosen '12 said that he wants to learn more facts of the case. "Students want to know what they can do about it," he said. "I want to understand the legal barriers and what's stopping us from doing something about it." "I have just a ton of questions about it," said Daniel Goulden '14. -Shafaq Hasan and Tess Raser contributed reporting
(05/01/12 4:00am)
Students, faculty and other members of the Brandeis community gathered in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium last Tuesday to attend a daylong teach-in on the Occupy movement. Prof. Gordon Fellman (SOC), Collections Manager and Registrar of the Rose Art Museum Kristin Parker and a team of student volunteers organized the events, bringing in a variety of Brandeis professors, administrators and Occupy activists to speak.
(05/01/12 4:00am)
A caption in News incorrectly stated what page an article about Hoops for Haiti was on. The article was on page 14, not on page 13. (April 24, pg. 1) An article in Forum should have stated that the transcript of aspeech given by Tarek Mahenna went "viral," not a video of the same speech. (April 24, p. 12) A photo caption in Arts incorrectly stated that six seniors were performing a piece called "Blast to the Past." In fact, the photo is of the Brandeis bhangra team Chak De Deis performing another piece. (April 24, p. 20) An article in Arts last week incorrectly stated that Rachel Klein's '12 dance performance "Rivers are Lost in the Sea" would take place on Saturday, April 28. It actually occurred on Friday, April 27. (April 24, p. 18) In the Festival of the Arts preview, Arts stated that Top Score is a six-piece student band. The band actually has over 25 members. (April 24, pg. 27) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(04/24/12 4:00am)
As a response to student questions about the recent tuition raise, the Student Union held an open forum with Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel on Wednesday April 4. About 10 students attended the forum, hosted by Student Union President Herbie Rosen '12.
(04/03/12 4:00am)
As college students in the 21st century, we are fixated on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, Myspace-the list goes on. We try to post, upload and tweet as much of our lives as humanly possible. We can create gatherings, movements, events and social justice causes all by making a profile page. Facebook makes it easy for us to show our support for a certain profile or page. A simple click of the "like" button and your opinion is expressed. Dean Terry, the director of the emerging-media program at the University of Texas at Dallas, feels that only half of his opinions are properly expressed on Facebook-more specifically, only the opinions of those he agrees with. Therefore, Terry has created a Facebook application called EnemyGraph that allows you to declare people, ideas or pages as "enemies". In his explanation of the app, Terry says, "It's social media blasphemy, in that we're suggesting that you share differences you have with people and share things that you don't like instead of what you do like." Terry would have preferred to use the word "dislike," a natural antonym for "like," but the word is literally banned on Facebook to prevent app developers, like Terry, from creating a "dislike" button. Facebook officials have declined to comment on the app. They have also not responded to an online petition with over three million signatures to date asking for a dislike button. One would think that a company like Facebook, that is always updating and looking for new features to satisfy its users, would love to implement what Terry and the three million signees have been calling for, a dislike button. So what's the holdup? Terry and the three million signees are determined to make Facebook even more integral in their lives. They call for a way to disagree with someone or something, on a cyber platform. However, there are many reasons Terry ignores as to why a dislike button should not be added. These reasons are precisely why Facebook has banned the word for app developers. Firstly, from Facebook's perspective, it wants a friendly and open image associated with its name, for its entire success is built upon business with other people. They want their users to be able to share and express their opinions freely. With the EnemyGraph app, people will become more hesitant to express themselves on their profiles. Facebook has created an environment where everyone can post freely with little to no concern about how others will react to it. The users who download this app will become less personal and avoid revealing certain aspects of their life that they would otherwise have posted online. For example, EnemyGraph has a list of "trending enemies." The top three as of last Friday were GOP candidate Rick Santorum, rock band Nickelback, and the investment firm Merrill Lynch. If someone works for Santorum's campaign or is a fan of Nickelback's music, he or she may be less inclined to share that piece of information on his or her profile. The creators of this app would argue that those people don't have to use the app because, after all, it is created by an outside party and it is not required on your profile. This counter-argument is precisely the reason why EnemyGraph has struggled to get off the ground despite national coverage on CNN, among other media outlets. People are less likely to express themselves via posting if anyone can criticize that post with the click of a button. Another reason why this app should not be added to Facebook is the unavoidable negative conversation that would follow. In today's world, our in-person interactions are dwindling due to the ever-expanding cyber universe. For most topics, stating your distaste is totally appropriate online. However, there are sensitive topics about which this app could spark conversation. Facebook cannot form a list of controversial or potentially condescending issues that should be avoided, for those issues are subjective and relative to each individual. Some may feel that disagreeing with their religious beliefs is inappropriate and insensitive, while others may feel that disagreeing with their sexual orientation is tasteless and disdainful. This kind of conversation will inevitably stem from an enemy button and is not appropriate on Facebook. With the ever-growing world of social media, we must make calculated decisions as to what belongs on our profiles and what does not. Referring to people, places or ideas as enemies is neither in the best interest of Facebook nor Facebook users. This is not what Facebook was created for. Rather, it's a forum for online socializing, keeping in touch and reconnecting. Facebook is not the ideal forum to discuss sensitive matters; rather, these topics should be discussed in-person.
(04/02/12 4:00am)
An article in Features contained a number of errors. Olga Golovanova '10 did not organize a protest; she organized the delivery of food and water to those taken to police stations from the protests. The protests were held not only in Russia, but in various places worldwide. Golovanova does not work for Hillel in New York City. In fact, she works for a private archive in the same city. The international fundraising project mentioned should have been spelled as "WakeUpRussia!," not "Wake Up, Russia." (March 27, p. 8) The name of a musical artist in the "Brandeis Talks Back" section of Forum was misspelled. The artist's name is Andrew Bird, not Andrew Byrd. (March 27, p. 10) The author of a letter in Forum should have been identified as Bernard "Buddy" Macy '79, not Bernard "Buddy" Macy '72. (March 27, p. 11) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(04/02/12 4:00am)
Newton police arrested one Brandeis student and dispersed approximately 15 protesters in total at last Monday's panel of members of the Knesset, Israel's Parliament, during a town hall-style meeting at Temple Emanuel in Newton, Mass. Knesset members Ofir Akunis, Lia Shemtov, Ilan Gilon, Raleb Majadele and Fania Kirshenbaum, all Ruderman Fellows, spoke at the meeting as part of the Ruderman Fellows Program, which partnered with the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies to bring Knesset members to the Boston area to learn about the American Jewish community. During the forum, members of Brandeis Students for Justice in Palestine, all wearing blue T-shirts emblazoned with the word "apartheid" in Hebrew, stood up and yelled "mic check," when Akunis began to speak. A few students from other Boston-area universities and local activists were also in attendance, according to SJP member Seth Grande '12, along with members of the peace activist group CODEPINK, according to Newton police reports. Protesters continued to chant slogans such as "Israel is an apartheid state and the Knesset is an apartheid parliament," "Mr. Akunis and Ms. Kirshenbaum, how do you feel to be silenced?" and "free, free Palestine," for approximately one minute until they were led out of the room by police. Director of the Schusterman Center S. Ilan Troen '63, who moderated Monday's panel, wrote in an email to the Justice that the protest was "silly ... actually infantile" and "a non-event" compared to the two-hour-long panel. Troen also pointed out that the panel included Majadele, an Arab Member of Knesset who has held several powerful political positions. Protesters were particularly opposed to Akunis and Kirshenbaum because they "sponsor this legislation that shut down international funding to human rights [non-governmental organizations] operating in Israel and Palestine," said Grande. "We go in, stand up, do the mic check, and [Newton Police] start pulling us out," said Grande in an interview with the Justice. "Some of us were in the middle of the pews, so it was a bit harder." One of the students who resisted police efforts to remove the protesters, Leila Einhorn '12, was arrested for disorderly conduct, according to Lieutenant Bruce Apotheker, director of the Department of Community Services for Newton Police. Einhorn declined to comment on the events. Einhorn "was sitting on the edge of the benches, one of the cops grabbed her pretty violently," said Grande. She pulled away as the officer grabbed her and was consequently arrested, according to Grande. Apotheker declined to comment on allegations by SJP members that protesters had been assaulted and that one was thrown to the ground by police. SJP also disrupted a similar event held on campus last year. "The walkout last year got such a big press response and got so many people noticing," said Grande. "[Knesset member] Avi Dichter ... is an international war criminal. The glossing over of all these problematic aspects of Israeli government policy, I don't find that right," he added, referring a member of the delegation of MKs that came to Brandeis last year. A group of plaintiffs did, in fact, attempt to try Dichter for war crimes in 2005, but the case was dismissed in 2007, as Dichter was found to have immunity. "We don't really feel comfortable with the relationship between Brandeis University and the Israeli government," Grande said, explaining SJP's position. "We are opposed to actions of the Israeli government as a whole. We will not welcome any Israeli officials to Brandeis university events," he added. -Sam Mintz contributed reporting
(03/19/12 4:00am)
A student in Forum's "Brandeis Talks Back" was misquoted. The quotation attributed to Jake Weiner '13 should have said "It should not be the only source you use when learning about Kony," not "It should be the only source you use when learning about Kony." (March 13, p.6) A photo caption in Arts mistakenly identified its subject as Malika Imhotep '15. In fact, the person pictured is a student from Harvard who attended the same event. (March 13, p. 17) A photo caption in Sports should have specified that it was a Justice file photo. (March 13, p. 12) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(03/05/12 5:00am)
A graphic in Forum stated that 72 percent of respondents to a poll answered "no," while 29 percent answered "yes." The numbers should have been 72 percent for "no" and 28 percent for "yes." (Feb. 14, p. 12) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(03/05/12 5:00am)
It was standing room only last Thursday evening as Brandeis students, residents of Waltham, state Senators and representatives of the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority addressed the proposed MBTA fare increases and service cuts at a town hall forum in Waltham's Government Center Auditorium. Senior Director of Strategic Initiatives for the MBTA Charles Planck, outlined prospective changes to service and fares on the T, and then moderated an open mic session with MBTA General Manager Jonathan Davis. By the time the meeting started at 6 p.m., over 100 people had signed up to speak. "We know this affects people," said Davis. "All people of the Commonwealth [of Massachusetts] should be concerned about the proposals we have on the table." Student Union President Herbie Rosen '12 and Student Union Vice President Gloria Park '13 were among the first 50 people scheduled to speak. Park urged the MBTA representatives, "please don't forget us, students, as proud members of the Waltham community," emphasizing that many students do not have access to cars and therefore rely on public transportation to travel to and from internships—that are often unpaid. "Our pockets aren't as deep as you think," said Rosen of the potential fare increases. With higher prices and less frequent service, particularly on the commuter rail and the 553 bus, the benefit of Brandeis' proximity to Boston is severely diminished, said Rosen. "We are feeling that these proposals are … cutting that entire experience," he argued. Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy, the first speaker of the night, also mentioned concern that students at Brandeis and Bentley College would be "severely impacted" by the changes. Residents of Waltham and neighboring cities focused their comments primarily on the issues of pollution, traffic congestion, transportation to jobs and doctors, effects on house values and the debt from Boston's "Big Dig" project being saddled entirely on the MBTA. "Without this bus route, there is no work," said one Watertown resident of the local bus route that she rides to work every day. Members of the Waltham City Council, State Senator Susan Fargo, and 10th Middlesex District State Representative John Lawn all spoke out against the proposals. Fargo said that they were "a source of much conversation at the state house." According to Davis, over 4,500 people have attended such town hall meetings to date. Waltham's meeting was the next to last of 24 held by the MBTA. The last town hall forum is scheduled to take place tonight at Massasoit Community College in Brockton. Under the first proposed scenario, the commuter rail fare from the Brandeis-Roberts station to Boston would increase from $4.75 to $7 per trip and service would be eliminated on weekends and after 10 p.m. on weekdays. Bus fare, which now ranges from $1.50 to $5, would grow to $2.25 to $7, while the 553 bus (Downtown Crossing via Newton Corner and Central Square, Waltham) would be eliminated on Saturdays. Under the second proposed scenario, the commuter rail fare would rise to $6.50 and service would be eliminated on weekends and after 10 p.m. on weekdays. It would also mean a fare increase to $2 for local buses and $4.50 for inner express buses, as well as the complete elimination of the 553 bus. Charlie Ticket prices for the subway would rise from $2 to $3 under both proposals. While the MBTA continues to take suggestions, Davis cites statutory requirements and pressure to submit a balanced budget to the state by April 15 as reasons for the proposals that are currently under consideration. Any plan that is adopted—likely a combination of the two, according to Davis—would be implemented by July 1. While Davis reported that ridership was at an all-time high last year, the MBTA still expects to see a $161 million shortfall in Fiscal Year 2013. Rosen and Park plan to circulate a petition on campus protesting the cuts in the coming weeks, and will submit it to Davis and Waltham's state Representatives by March 12, Rosen said in an interview with the Justice. The text of the petition will be emailed to the student body, and it will be available to sign outside the Student Union office on the third floor of the Shapiro Campus Center. Rosen said he and some of the senators would also be passing the petition around to students in dining halls.
(03/05/12 5:00am)
Continuing to expand Brandeis' international connections, University President Frederick Lawrence returned from India on Feb. 15, his second trip abroad since becoming president of the University. Lawrence was accompanied by News Director Charlie Radin and Vice President for Global Affairs and Director of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life Daniel Terris. This trip logically follows the visit to India less than two years ago by former University President Jehuda Reinharz, according to Radin. In an interview with the Justice, Lawrence outlined the trip's main purposes: to engage with a number of constituencies in India—prospective students, parents of current and prospective students and alumni—and to explore possible collaborations among students and faculty at different research institutions. Radin and Lawrence likened this trip to India to Lawrence's first overseas trip of his presidency to Israel. The purpose of both trips was "broadening scientific collaboration, increasing opportunities for our students to study abroad and for students from abroad to study at Brandeis [and] strengthening our alumni networks," according to the president's blog. Lawrence expanded on the similarities between the two trips by mentioning that India was originally thought of as a potential destination because of the efforts Reinharz had already began. "The fact that it fits so well with Israel is not an accident. It really gives us ways to think about not only … building programs and engagements with both Israel and India, but will hopefully give a chance to triangulate all three [Brandeis, Israel, and India]," said Lawrence. Brandeis already has a strong connection to India because a large percentage of Brandeis alumni and students hail from the country. Terris said that the group received warm welcomes in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. He also mentioned that the group exceeded its own goals and expectations for this trip. Besides expanding the Brandeis name, the University is now involved in a collaborative mission to assist in the development of an Israel Studies Center at Jindal Global University. According to BrandeisNOW, Rohee Dasgupta, executive director of Jindal's Centre for European Studies, expressed interest in creating an Israel Studies center. Das Gupta will be participating in the two week Schusterman Center for Israel Studies' Summer Institute this summer and then will travel as part of a study tour to Israel for a week with other members of the Schusterman program. Two Brandeis professors who were involved in this trip were already in India and joined the visiting group. Prof. Bulbul Chakraborty (PHYS) was attending a conference in India. She met up with the group to discuss scientific collaborations and connections within India. Prof. Harleen Singh (SAS) was on leave in India and also joined the group. Radin called Singh "the other star besides Lawrence" of the trip and said that she was "electric." Singh aided in moderating a forum between Lawrence and former Indian Attorney General Soli Sorabjee. When asked about his next trip abroad, Lawrence said, "How do we choose where to expand to next? We have students from 116 different countries on this campus. We need relations with all of these places, ... but we need to focus specifically on a smaller number of countries. ... I have a received quite a few invitations, but as of now I do not know who we should be keeping up with." Radin also expressed this idea while discussing Global Brandeis, a plan created by Lawrence and Terris. Instead of putting the Brandeis name everywhere, "[the University] can engage more deeply. Go deep rather than go broad. We are not huge and we do not want to be huge. Being small and focused is what is acceptable for us," said Radin.
(03/05/12 5:00am)
The Strategic Planning Committee has made another step forward in the planning process with the February launch of a website designed to share the feedback gathered so far and to garner further input.
(03/05/12 5:00am)
"Now is the Time."
