(11/16/10 5:00am)
Acclaimed actor Louis Gossett Jr. gave a talk about racism in entertainment on Tuesday in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall in a thought-provoking event sponsored by the Schuster Institute of Investigative Journalism. Phyllis Karas, the woman who helped to write his memoir, titled An Actor and a Gentleman, moderated the talk. Gossett was introduced by Prof. Anita Hill (Heller), who gave a touching introduction. Hill recalled how, when she was growing up, seeing black faces on television was an event unto itself. Gossett was one of the first actors to break down the racial barrier in entertainment, and Hill thanked him for his outstanding work. Gossett is most widely known for playing Sgt. Emil Foley in An Officer and a Gentleman, for which he won the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award in 1983. He was the first African-American to win that award. An Officer and a Gentleman co-starred Richard Gere and Debra Winger, who was also nominated for Best Actress for her performance. The film centers around Zach Mayo (played by Gere), a young navy officer-in-training who learns about friendship and love while attending the Navy Aviation Officer Candidate School. Gossett played his tough-as-nails training officer. Gossett recounted several stories from his time on the set of the movie, describing how he trained at a genuine Marine training camp and how he was allowed to appear in front of the rest of the cast only when dressed in his full military uniform, as per director Taylor Hackford's instructions. He also praised Richard Gere's work as an actor, saying that Gere should have received an Oscar at this point in his career, though he did not mention for which role.An Officer and a Gentleman was the work that launched Gossett into the conscience of mainstream America, but, in fact, the actor appeared in his first professional gig 30 years earlier, at age 17, in the Broadway production of Take a Giant Step. Eight years later, he starred in his first feature film, A Raisin in the Sun, in which he played George Murchison opposite Sidney Poitier. Gossett has worked with many of old Hollywood's most notable figures, including Marilyn Monroe. He told a hilarious story describing an instance in which he and Monroe took a drama class together. One day she called him and asked him to perform a love scene with her from the play Kiss of the Spider Woman. Gossett declined, saying "No way. I wouldn't have been able to concentrate." It's hard to believe anyone could have resisted Marilyn. Gossett himself asserted that "if she had stayed with [ex-husband] Arthur Miller, she would have won three or four Oscars, and she would still be alive today." Gossett himself battled substance abuse, which he recounts in his memoir. He mentioned this period briefly, however, and only in passing during the talk. Most of the conversation focused on his long career and on the foundation he created, the Eracism Foundation. The foundation seems to be doing some impressive work as well as having a totally pun-tastic moniker. According to its website, the foundation "engag[es] youth involved in gang activity with a series of intensive antiviolence camp initiatives and forums designed to promote peace, antiviolence, personal responsibility and re-entry into positive, productive citizenship." It also sponsors "after school programs focusing on mentoring and tutorial services to nurture the academic and professional development of children from diverse communities." Gossett says that at this point in his life (he is 74) he wants to dedicate himself to "an all-out conscientious offensive against racism."The actor has personal as well as moral reasons for taking on this battle. Growing up in Coney Island, N.Y., Gossett describes having friends of many ethnicities. It was the adults in his life who seemed to be the ones who cared about his skin color. He recalled one episode in which he was not allowed in a swimming pool with the rest of his friends because it was for whites only. When he was told he had to leave, the rest of his friends went with him. These demonstrations of support meant a great deal to Gossett, and the actor remarked that many of those same kids from Abraham Lincoln High School are still his close friends today.When Gossett moved out to Los Angeles in the late 1950s to pursue acting, however, his race became a larger issue. On one of his first days in the city, the studio gave Gossett a car to drive. On his way back to his hotel, he was stopped on several occasions by different policemen, none of whom could believe a black man could be driving such a nice automobile. Later that day, when Gossett went for a walk around his new neighborhood, police questioned him and then handcuffed him to a tree for 3 hours. These events, as well as the gang violence that Gossett sees spreading through urban centers like his old neighborhood, motivated him to create his foundation as part of his work against bigotry.Gossett Jr. was an engaging speaker, and I enjoyed listening to his stories, which he narrated in the deep, rich delivery one would expect from a PBS documentary about the Civil War. The one aspect of the talk that I found weak was the question-and-answer section. Several students asked Gossett how they could work toward changing the entertainment community's representations of black culture, how African-Americans could better their attitudes toward their own people and how to fight racism in various aspects of life. On these important issues, Gossett seemed to struggle with how to respond. He relied on the lame answer, "You have to be the one to change it." I expected something more from a man who is the founder of an organization that aims to address these very issues. He also made remarks about wanting to marry three different girls who asked questions. This might have been less awkward if Gossett had not in actuality been married three times already. However, overall it was a good decision to bring Gossett to campus. He was an eloquent speaker who has had a real impact on integrating American entertainment. His current work in race relations also strongly mirrors the importance placed on social justice at Brandeis.
(11/09/10 5:00am)
According to several University administrators, in recent years the University has shifted away from offering merit-based aid to accepted undergraduate applicants. At this time, this editorial board supports the change because it frees up funds for need-based aid, which is being rightfully prioritized by the University. However, this board does not endorse a permanent abandonment of merit-based aid and hopes that the University returns to offering more merit-based scholarships as soon as funds become available.In an e-mail to the Justice, Vice President for Enrollment Keenyn McFarlane stated that while the number of accepted students offered merit aid has declined by 16 percent since 2006, during the same period, the number of students matriculating with merit aid declined by 78 percent. However, Mr. McFarlane also pointed out that the average SAT score of accepted students and matriculating students has remained stable over the same period. As Mr. McFarlane expressed and as Dean of Student Financial Services Peter Giumette stated at an Oct. 21 forum concerning the revised admissions policy, the shift away from merit aid will hopefully allow the University to devote increased funds toward ensuring that all students that should be granted admission to this university will be able to attend. The massive decline in the number of matriculating students that were offered merit-based aid suggests that the University may have been offering smaller packages of that type of aid over the last 4 years. However, due to the stability of the SAT scores of matriculating students, to an extent we agree with the sentiment expressed by Mr. McFarlane in an interview with the Justice that this change does not appear to create a difference in the quality of incoming classes. However, we would like to point out that SAT scores are not the sole criterion for evaluating students for merit-aid scholarships. A student with excellent SAT scores does not necessarily constitute the same caliber of student as one who deserves merit-based aid. One of the main reasons for the University to offer merit-based aid is to attract students who have excellent SAT scores in addition to tremendous promise both academically and non-academically. This board understands that this shift removes a major matriculation incentive for many excellent applicants to this university that, according to financial aid standards, do not require need-based aid. While we agree that offering additional need-based aid is currently the correct course of action, we urge the University to maintain an open-minded view of the situation. Stable SAT scores are not a perfect measure for evaluating the quality of incoming classes. We cannot wrongly assume that merit-based aid is no longer necessary; it may still be able to attract students who not only received SAT scores within or above our averages but have a great deal more than the average student to contribute to the University. The fact is that Brandeis still must compete with top-tier schools for attractive applicants, and merit-based aid is a useful way to do so.
(11/02/10 4:00am)
Newspaper acted inappropriatelyIn response to your article "Pachanga night yields arrests, medical crises" (News, Oct. 26):It is completely inappropriate for a student publication to be doing this to other students. The Justice is a paper with integrity, not a gossip magazine.-Sara Miller '11Officers abused powerIn response to your article "Pachanga night yields arrests, medical crises" (News, Oct. 26):Students called the Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps so that their friend could get taken to the hospital because they feared for his life. The fact that he was never even given a blood alchol test or seen by professional medical staff is a gross neglect of the student's well being. The whole situation would have read a lot different had he died due to alcohol poisoning in jail. The police arresting the student and throwing him into jail is an abuse of their power. He should have been seen by the EMTs who were on their way. How dare they tell an EMT to cancel medical help en route. I am outraged that the BEMCo EMT did so. The actions of the police could have very well killed the intoxicated student. Instead the police chose to throw him into a cell. The beginning of the article states, "The Department of Public Safety responded to several incidents of disruptive student behavior that resulted in two student arrests and the hospitalization of multiple intoxicated students on the night of last Saturday's Pachanga dance, Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan said in an interview with the Justice." Why was this drunk individual never taken to the hospital even though there were many other hospitalizations on the very same night? The officers who arrested him did receive medical treatment. This would be repugnant in the eyes of Louis Brandeis. Also, the students who were arrested that night are being treated as guilty individuals by the University. They have been prohibited from being on campus, prohibited from attending their classes and forced to live elsewhere (instead of their on-campus dorms) while the University decides whether or not it will pursue judicial proceedings against them. Why has the University removed them from campus and not allowed them to go to the classes they pay so much for in the interim? This is not treating them as innocent until proven guilty, which is the fundamental basis for our judicial system. -Elizabeth Agnew Austin, TexasPachanga should be canceledIn response to your article "Pachanga event is inconsistent with our character" (Forum, Oct. 26):I agree wholeheartedly with Mr. Cooper. It is an embarrassment to the University that an event which consistently yields multiple arrests and hospital runs should be permitted to take place each semester. We came to Brandeis to receive a top-notch education, not to make fools of ourselves. Mr. Cooper has made a point in saying that he does not advocate canceling Pachanga. But quite frankly, that is exactly what should be done. In the current economic climate, the International Club could make better use of its money. We are a liberal arts university, not a red-light district. Students here should be ashamed of themselves.-Daniel Kasdan '13Substantiate cage-free argumentsIn response to your article "Don't hastily support cage-free initiative" (Forum, Oct. 26):I respect and appreciate those who take the time to consider the cage-free egg proposal rather than blindly following a cause that appears to be simply "better" and "more humane." However, I think it is important that the arguments made either for or against the proposal are based on sound logic as well as a realistic understanding of how we can make decisions that reflect the kind of community we want to be. First, the issue of the poll. Like any campus election or survey, the Student Union poll was open to the entire student body. That only 28 percent of students chose to respond (which was as easy as following the link sent to their inboxes or advertised on Facebook) is an issue of individual choice; it does not invalidate the poll itself.Similarly, turnouts to local elections in our hometowns (which tend to be embarrassingly low) or even to presidential elections (remember Clinton in 1996?) do not lead us to question the legitimacy of the election itself. We accept the results, knowing they could've looked a bit different, and can only do our best to encourage greater voter turnout the next time around. In terms of cost, food at Brandeis is indeed expensive. Unfortunately, many of the healthiest choices are also the priciest-the result of a flawed national agricultural system. While a switch to cage-free eggs would raise the cost of meal plans by $5, as the column states, a greater portion of each person's meal plan would be devoted to eggs. Point taken. But let's be honest: how many extra bags of chips does that mean we can no longer shove onto a meal? How many spare points at the end of the semester does that mean we've lost? A second Student Union poll shows that over two-thirds of students would pay $20 more for their meal plans each semester. Clearly, students are willing to make the financial commitment to adopt a cage-free policy. Finally, I agree that "cage-free" is not to be equated with "humane." Indeed, many of the labels we put on our food are insufficient in truly qualifying the morality and sustainability of a product and the process by which it came to be, but to reject change because it falls short of perfection disqualifies change from the start. The financial burden of buying the most ethically raised meat, dairy and eggs, is tremendous compared to the cost of simply adopting a cage-free policy. Not to mention expanding fresh food options, buying locally grown produce and other local, organic ingredients. It's too much to do at once. Going cage-free is one of many small steps that Brandeis can take toward implementing a more sustainable food system in the longrun. It's a step that, as a campus, makes a difference without placing too much of a burden on any single group or individual.-Sarit Luban '11Horowitz event was disappointingIn response to your article "Horowitz spoke about liberal biases" (News, Oct. 26):I am disappointed that the Justice nor the did not report on my favorite point of David Horowitz's speech last week. Rankled that he did not receive anywhere near the attention or acclaim that some liberal speakers, Horowitz proclaimed that if Brandeis were seriously interested in divergent viewpoints, President Reinharz himself should have offered to come introduce him. This, in a nutshell, encapsulates his point: even though his polemics are neither scholarly nor well-reasoned, "academic freedom" is an affirmative action program for pseudo-conservative claptrap. Which is to say, if real scholars (some of whom happen to be liberal) get a cookie, he wants one too. David Horowitz believes that there is a double standard on college campuses, but it is not between liberals and conservatives: it is between scholars and serious thinkers on the one hand and demagogues on the other. That someone like Ellen Schrecker produces scholarly work based on evidence and logical analysis and is accordingly given serious interest is only useful to him so long as it presents the opportunity to drum up self-pity without a shred of substance. For someone who claims that "tenured radicals" are destroying the university, David Horowitz spends precious little time presenting counter-claims or objections. Indeed, his book denouncing America's "most dangerous professors" is an impressively slap-dash collection of irrelevant anecdotes, misdirection and flat-out falsehoods. I found it illuminating that, after claiming that the hard sciences are a bastion of truth, he went on to promote the long-discredited idea that race has any basis in biology. For all his bluster, Horowitz's agenda is surprisingly simple. As he stated in his lecture, the 1950s-when women, racial minorities, and Jews were consistently excluded from higher education as students, faculty, and part of the curriculum-were a "golden age of the university."Thankfully, the gates of academic legitimacy have long since closed on these bigoted and ignorant ideas. Perhaps, someday, the far-right donors who pay him to assault intellectual freedom will, too.-Jonathan Sussman '11
(10/26/10 4:00am)
Last week, Hedy Epstein, a Holocaust survivor and human rights activist, came to campus to discuss her views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The event was disappointing. The forum did not give context to the criticism made against Israel, and the presentation was misleading. Every person who wanted to give context to Epstein's presentation had to choose between preventing a gross misrepresentation of the conflict and compromising the dignity of a Holocaust survivor. Because of this, I want to give some context to three major claims presented by Epstein in the forum. Epstein spoke about her experiences seeing the security fence, the checkpoints and the Palestinian suffering in the disputed territories. She did not address the fact that Israel captured the West Bank, Golan Heights and Gaza Strip in a defensive war in 1967. Israel tried to exchange land for peace after the war, but the Syrians and Jordanians rejected the overture. Now Israel controls this territory and has to figure out how to address terrorism. After 1967, it is true that the Israeli government encouraged Jewish settlement of the disputed territories. The Oslo Accords in 1993 almost secured peace by returning over 90 percent of the disputed territories to Palestinians; however, Yasser Arafat undermined the peace talks, thereby committing a serious crime against the Palestinian people.Israel is currently engaging in peace talks. The checkpoints obviously make Palestinian life very difficult. And some of them are poorly positioned, which needs to be addressed. But checkpoints address Israel's security threats, and Israel is not the only country that uses checkpoints for that purpose. Although checkpoints are ugly and inconvenient anywhere, there is never an easy answer to security threats.In response to being asked how Israel should respond to Hamas firing rockets at the Israeli city of Sderot, Epstein implied a moral equivalence between Hamas rocket fire and the Israeli response. Every reasonable form of jurisprudence differentiates between intentionally targeting civilians in a terrorist attack and inadvertently killing civilians while targeting terrorists who are using civilians as human shields. Terrorist attacks against Israelis have included targeting and murdering individuals in a nursery school, a Passover Seder in Netanya, a discotheque for teenagers, a Hebrew University cafeteria and a passenger terminal in Lod Airport. Israel targets Hamas operatives who hide among civilians. I'm not justifying the killing the civilians; rather, I'm asking you to put yourself in the position of a government whose populace faces indiscriminate rocket fire. How would you respond? When asked what steps should be taken to remedy the overall situation between the Israelis and Palestianians, Epstein encouraged divestment from Israel. Yes, there is tremendous Palestinian suffering in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. I hope it need not be stated that Palestinian suffering in the territories is far from Israel's fault alone. But divesting from Israel is absurd. Israel's actions are in response to security concerns-this doesn't make Israel a terrible violator of human rights. Should we divest from China and not allow Chinese students, teachers, filmmakers or athletes come to the University because of the way the Chinese government deals with capital punishment, torture and its relationship with Tibet? Isolating Israel with divestment is an example of the double standard applied to Israel.Epstein may have failed to give context to the conflict, but she did highlight Palestinian suffering, which needs to be addressed. People who have concerns about Israel's security should not neglect to recognize Palestinian suffering. Likewise, people with concerns about Palestinian suffering should not neglect to recognize the importance of Israel's security. The groups active in advocacy pertaining to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should engage in more productive efforts-at least sometimes. For example, they should consider fundraising for the Save a Child's Heart Organization, an Israeli-based charity that provides medical care for children in developing countries. Many of the children who receive care are from the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This organization helps those is need and contributes to a culture of peace. Groups obviously have the right to bring in speakers who present their narratives. I challenge those who are forming their views about the conflict to investigate both sides of the narrative before engaging in any serious activism. It is possible to balance concerns about Israel's security with those about Palestinian suffering. Putting all the blame on Israel is irresponsible and unproductive.
(10/26/10 4:00am)
The Student Union held a town hall meeting in the Hassenfeld Conference Center last Thursday to discuss the recommendations for changes to Brandeis' admission and financial aid policies. According to an Oct. 19 article of the Justice, the recommendation is that applicants to Brandeis University be accepted on a need-blind basis until there are no more funds, in which case the university would review applicants on a need-sensitive basis. Many merit scholarships that the university offers would no longer exist, with the exception of scholarships that are specifically endowed. This change would affect the Class of 2015 and those after it but not earlier classes.Brandeis is currently need-blind, meaning that an applicant's financial need is not taken into consideration. By contrast, a need-sensitive policy takes financial situations into consideration. Dean of Student Financial Services Peter Giumette, who answered questions at the meeting with Dean of Admissions Mark Spencer, said that the current system is problematic because the University had a limited ability to fund the financial needs of all applicants. In the Oct. 19 issue of The Justice, Prof. Steven Burg (POL) explained that the University currently conducts a system called "gapping," in which the University calculates the estimated need for a student but does not provide the student with the whole amount because of the limited funds.Giumette explained that on average, Brandeis currently meets about 85 percent of a student's estimated needs. Giumette and Spencer both said that the change in policy would enable the University to meet 100 percent of a student's estimated need rather than just a fraction of it. The deans explained that the school would admit as many students as possible on a need-blind basis before using financial need as a factor for admission.When drawing a line between students admitted on a need-blind basis and a need-sensitive basis, Spencer confirmed that students would be ranked by desirability, or their chances of acceptance based on academic and extracurricular qualifications. Once the available funds for financial need are exhausted, lower-ranked applicants will be admitted on a need-sensitive basis. This policy would allocate more funds to provide admitted students with aid, rather than admitting more students without the ability to meet 100 percent of their need. Giumette and Spencer stressed that a student's financial need would become one of multiple criteria that the admissions officers analyze before determining their acceptance. Giumette said that factors include transcript grades, SAT and ACT scores, extracurricular involvement and recommendations of students by teachers and mentors, and he explained that financial need would be added to that list.Giumette and Spencer also explained the decision to eliminate many scholarships from financial aid awards. This would allocate more funds to be given to students on a need basis in order to meet 100 percent of need for more students. However, Spencer and Giumette said some merit scholarships will still be available. "[Those scholarships] are specifically endowed," said Giumette, "and those will be continued to the extent possible."According to Giumette, the number of students receiving merit scholarships has declined over the years. In an e-mail to the Justice, Giumette said that the number of merit scholar recipients who enrolled dropped by 60 percent between the Classes of 2013 and 2014. Among the scholarships awarded were Justice Brandeis Scholarships, Presidential Scholarships, Dean's Awards and Merit Trustee Scholarships. "There are very few students in the Class of [2014] that have strict merit scholarships. We've been moving in this direction over the last couple of years," said Giumette. When asked about the possibility of early decision applicants rising, the deans said that they do not expect that percentage, which they said was about 20 percent of the Class of 2014, to rise significantly. Giumette explained that a student who applies to Brandeis early decision is aware that it is a binding decision, meaning that if accepted, the student must attend Brandeis, and that students who apply early decision generally have lower estimated need than students who apply regular decision. The town hall meeting was hosted by the Student Union. In an interview with the Justice, Student Union President Daniel Acheampong '11 said that the meeting was held in order to inform students and get them involved in policy change on campus. When asked why the meeting was held a month after the recommendations for the policy change were announced, Acheampong explained that it was a scheduling issue. "Timing was very difficult," he said. He also said that students wanted to know why these changes were taking place and wanted to create a forum at which students could get answers and be involved. "It's so important to get student opinions," said Acheampong. "Without including students [in these decisions], it's as if we're building something without the foundation. Students are the foundation of this university, and students are the future." Acheampong promised to keep students informed as news about the policy change progresses.Many students were able to attend the town hall and have their questions answered by the deans. Adam Garbacz '14, one of those students, said that his main concern about the policy change was a "de facto financial discrimination," meaning that students who had a higher estimated need would not be as likely to be admitted. He said that the town hall meeting cleared up many misconceptions that he had."I had heard about [the policy change] from other [students] and thought it was a lot worse," said Benjamin Hill '14. "I think [the school] is trying to make the right decisions.
(10/26/10 4:00am)
Guy Raz '96 knew he liked journalism as soon as he entered college, when he joined the Justice and an on-campus magazine. He covered tons of events, became an editor of both the newspaper and the magazine, thought of innovative ways to change his section and fell more in love with journalism, particularly with National Public Radio. Fourteen years later, not only is he still an avid NPR listener, but he is the weekend host of the NPR program All Things Considered. Raz, originally from Los Angeles, came to Brandeis because of the school's strong Politics and History departments. He started his involvement in journalism on campus as a first-year and was already an assistant editor at the Justice by his second semester."We were going through a very creative time. We were doing some new things with the newspaper. [Raz] approached the Forum section in very much the same way; he tried to be very creative and innovative," said Howard Jeruchimowitz '94, the paper's editor in chief during Raz's time as the Forum editor, in a phone interview with the Justice. Jeruchimowitz remembers that Raz was interested in the whole editorial process and would often stay late with Jeruchimowitz after finishing his section's work."[Raz] was motivated by the creativity of his section, and he was interested in what I was doing," he said. During production night, the night the newspaper receives its final edits and is put together, Jeruchimowitz remembers Raz expressing interest in foreign affairs and in NPR. "My senior year, I listened to it all the time. I loved it. I couldn't get enough. I just loved the stories and the voices and the way the stories were told," Raz said in a phone interview with the Justice. Upon graduating, Raz went on to receive his master's degree in History at Cambridge University in England, and, in fall 1997, he applied for a paid internship at NPR. After being an avid listener, Raz listed specific people and programs he had heard in his application. He believes this was the edge to his application that got him the internship."We get a lot of letters at NPR, and I would say 90 percent of the letters are, "I'm writing to you because I'm very interested in pursuing a career in broadcast journalism to broaden my horizons, and NPR would be the perfect place for me to do that." . The problem is when they say that, is there is nothing original," Raz said about the applications he now reviews. "I was specific. I gave names of people I wanted to work with. I gave names of specific programs I had heard and liked. That's why I got an interview," he continued.Raz started at NPR doing research for other journalists at the station, such as the late Daniel Schorr, an Emmy award-winning television journalist and senior news analyst at NPR. He did tedious work searching through encyclopedias and running to the library for Schorr-one of Raz's personal mentors-and other hosts but noted that this was a "transitional period, and was not permanent" Raz has been at NPR since then, with only a 2-year break to work at CNN as its Jerusalem correspondent, according to his profile on NPR's website. After returning to NPR from CNN, Raz covered news happening at the Pentagon and events in the Middle East. In 2009, Raz became the official weekend host of the program All Things Considered. "Being a reporter [was] just a different job than being a show host, because you generally cover one issue. This job is different. We're doing everything from pop culture, to folk segments, to books, to thinkers, . to scientists, to hiphop," Raz explained. Raz approaches reporting and hosting his program with the wisdom he acquired from his time in Brandeis classrooms. He learned about compassion from Prof. Antony Polonsky's (NEJS) "Destruction of European Jewry," which according to Raz, is applicable to journalism. "It wasn't about the science of a historical event but also about the people who were affected by those events. I think that is also an important thing you need to do in journalism," he said. He then told an anecdote about the story of a flood and noted that it is important to tell the facts of the flood, such as why the flood happened and why the city was not prepared for it. It is also important, Raz said, to talk to people whose houses were destroyed. "Part of what makes telling a news story is not just telling the news but also making sure that you can make a connection between people affected by the news. There are real people behind the news," he elaborated. According to Raz, the way that Polonsky taught history maintained that similar balance between "academic detachment" and a "tremendous amount of empathy."During his time at Brandeis, Raz also learned about critical thinking and having an open mind from a campus full of varying political and academic opinions. The focus on strong writing and the heavy workload has also helped Raz in his journalism career."I read a lot, had to read a lot. . The class expectations [were] big, so by having to read a lot and being exposed to a lot of ideas, it just got [me] prepared to do that as a professional," he said. Raz does about 15 to 18 in-depth, highly researched interviews per week. These interviews are with people from all disciplines and walks of life; Eminem and Bill Gates have both been on the show at different points. "All of those interviews require a lot of preparation. I have to read a book, I have to listen to music. If it's a member of Congress, someone involved in national security, ... you have to be prepared. To get to that point, you have to do a bit of reading," he said. Like in college, though, the great thing about all the reading for Raz is that he is learning something new every day. "You're learning about topics and issues that you may not know a lot about, but you have to gain some understanding quickly. That's what I think is the best part of the job," he stated. Before these interviews, Raz and the staff of about eight people met early in the week to come up with ideas for the weekend shows. The team tries to balance out how much a story has already been covered that week and how much they think a story needs to be looked at from a different angle. "We try to use the obvious big stories and kind of a take step back and look at the deeper stories. We come up with the ideas and turn it into radio," Raz explained. Raz works at a job he loves in a field he knew he always loved. He believes that the key to his success and advice that all students could use is simple: hard work. "You have to be prepared for setbacks, [and] you have to be willing to do anything. At the same time, when you come in after you graduate, if you're a Brandeis graduate, you're smart and you're capable and come up with great ideas. [But] you have to do work that you [do] not feel [is] particularly valuable for a while. It ultimately is valuable," Raz said. He understandingly continued that even though starting jobs and internships are not the most glamorous, they are just part of what recent graduates have to do. These days, Raz has a massive audience but still feels connected to the University."I think that, to me, the most important part of [Brandeis] was what I learned there and that sort of thought process I retained, and that, to me, is a very important connection," Raz said.
(10/19/10 4:00am)
I think the most important difference between a good movie and a great movie is that with a great movie, you can become so absorbed in the story that you forget it is a movie; the character development, plot line and cinematography are structured so seamlessly that real life takes a backseat as voyeurism sets in. For the first time in a long time, I had this vicarious experience while watching The Social Network. For everyone living under a rock, The Social Network tells a dramatized story based on how Facebook was created and then launched by Harvard University students in 2003 and 2004. This resonated particularly strongly with me because I am a college entrepreneur. I started a custom-gear outlet with Ari Tretin '12 called Dript that produces clothing, hats, bags, teddy bears, etc. with custom graphics. In the process of starting this business and trying to promote its website, I learned about the resources available-and unavailable-to entrepreneurs, people with a general interest in business and those who want to begin investing in the stock market, at this university. The recent addition of the Business major at Brandeis reflects students' desire to explore entrepreneurial endeavors, investing and financial planning. Therefore, it is time we start taking stock of the tools available to students and see what can be done to improve or increase them. The most important resource available here is social capital. I was trying to figure out how to be a middleman between an artist and a printing press for all of last semester. I posted job descriptions on freelancing websites, and I ended up hiring a team of website developers from Pakistan. Unfortunately, I failed to communicate to the group the details of the website, which I thought would result in the business falling apart. Suddenly, a friend of mine who lived down the hall walked into the room and inquired as to what I was doing. He immediately started helping me and solved all the website problems I had in less than 10 minutes. We are privileged to be part of a talented network of students, from artists to website developers to business people. We are privileged to have forums to communicate ideas and the people who can move an endeavor forward. The best way to access them might just be by checking out the club page on myBrandeis and communicating with the leaders of a club.The second crucial resource this University has is less obvious. It's called a Bloomberg Terminal. It's a computer system that allows you to analyze market data, trades, news and price quotes. All major financial organizations have these terminals. They have two, sometimes four screens, and whenever you hear someone bantering about Wall Street on the news, the people in the background are working on these computers. The International Business School is home to a Bloomberg Terminal lab. It would benefit students to go there and experience this powerful tool in action. While the University may have some great resources, it lacks other amenities that could really enhance an entrepreneur's chances at success. We need a forum to utilize all the talented website developers on campus. This forum could connect students who have ideas for a website but have little or no background in programming. It would enable entrepreneurs to find website developers and begin working on projects. Ideas for business ventures could take form, and both the programmers and the entrepreneurs will reap the benefits. Currently, the University does not have any direct method for students who are interested in entrepreneurship to actually put their website ideas into action. It would serve the ever-growing population of business-oriented students (who often have numerous creative ideas for websites) very well if Brandeis could serve as a testing ground for their ideas. Finally, there are many students on campus with brilliant ideas for entrepreneurial endeavors; however, these ideas cannot be made a reality because of funding. Imagine if there were a forum for students to present their ideas to investors in order to start projects. The University would bring wealthy investors to campus to hear different presentations from students about business ventures. The investors could then choose which venture they deem profitable and the two groups would thus benefit from one another. These 4 years are an incredible investment of time and capital. It's time to start thinking about how we can reap all the benefits of this investment. The access we have to social capital and opportunities in the business school is too valuable to waste. Start investing some time in your entrepreneurial endeavor, and find people with similar interests and talents that compliment your own. Start networking in IBS and learning about the opportunities they provide. Although students' primary focus in college should be classes, starting a business can be an incredible educational experience. I would go as far as to say that starting a business is an exercise of critical thinking and creativity that compensates for lessons left out of the classroom. In the words of Mark Twain, "I never let my schooling interfere with my education." Editor's note: Ari Tretin is an illustrator for the Justice.
(10/19/10 4:00am)
A photo caption in News did not include the class year of a student in a photo. Allie Joseph is a member of the Class of 2012. (Oct. 12, pg. 2)A photo caption in Arts last week misspelled the name of a location on campus. It is Massell Pond, not Massel Pond. (Oct. 12, p. 24)An editorial in Forum implied that Associate Dean of Student Life Jamele Adams wrote the content of an Oct. 8 e-mail sent through his e-mail account. In fact, the Brandeis Counseling and Rape Crisis Hotline was responsible for the content of the e-mail. (Oct. 12, p. 10)An article in News misrepresented the opinion of a Brandeis staff member. The sentence in question reads: "Weinstein explained that the group had met with the Associate Dean of Student Life Maggie Balch, who gave them the 'green light ... to begin the process with nationals." The quotation was spoken by Jaclyn Weinstein in Balch's name, not by Balch herself. (Sept. 28, pg. 3)The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. E-mail justeditor@brandeis.edu.
(10/12/10 4:00am)
In the Oct. 31, 1989 issue of the Justice, an anonymous student wrote a letter to the editor titled, "Brandeis not as safe as it may seem." The author of the letter wrote, "I am writing this to make all Brandeis students aware that Brandeis is not as safe as it may seem. I know. I was attacked. Last weekend, right on South Street. I managed to escape unharmed physically, but emotionally, what happened has affected me more deeply than I could ever have imagined."While this frightful incident occurred more than 20 years ago, I am sure it was not unique to its time. While the University may have changed as an institution, the world can still be the same horrible place it was back then. Terrible things can happen to us, even within the confines of our campus in Waltham, Mass. The string of recent robberies reported in Usen Castle a week and a half ago is one such example. However, I am willing to wager that more crimes than that are committed at our university, and, for whatever reason, remain unreported and thus are not included in the police log. How should we confront this dangerous world in which we live? Well, back in 1989, the University was in the midst of a large-scale initiative to boost campus security. That 1989 issue of the Justice details the accomplishments of a newly named director of Public Safety, Joseph C. McDonald (including the hiring of a detective sergeant, Ed Callahan, who now serves as the director of Public Safety). The issue of University police officers holding firearms was also up for debate; a column in the Forum section of the same issue argues that University police members should use guns (if they were to get them). Clearly, campus safety was a big issue for students 20 years ago, and the University made appropriate changes in response to student input. But this should not be our current course of action. I know that some have suggested, as students did 20 years ago, that in the wake of recent crimes, it would be worth it to increase campus safety. Perhaps, they say, we should install more video cameras or even hire security guards to watch over buildings. If you ask me, though, we all need to take a deep breath and reassess the situation. There are multiple reasons why an increase in campus safety is unnecessary. First of all, it's not as though we haven't made any recent improvements. In spring 2008, the University spent $100,000 purchasing firearms and training the Brandeis Police to operate them. Additionally, as of fall 2008, Public Safety officers have had the ability to send out short messages to alert the campus in case of emergency as well as to broadcast messages on office phones, plasma screens around campus and the University home page.Secondly, a more extensive improvement of campus security would be an incredibly expensive endeavor. And if you haven't noticed, we are currently fairly low on funds. Last year, the University was forced to makes cuts to numerous academic programs in order to save money. Two years ago, we had the Rose Art Museum fiasco. Given current financial constraints, we simply cannot justify any additional improvements in campus safety. However, there are those who may still claim that our safety is not worth even the smallest risk. They argue that we should cut other university programs and do whatever we have to in order to ensure the safety of every student. I would urge these alarmists, though, to calm down. Let's realize that we go to college in Waltham, and even though freakish incidents may happen from time to time-such as robberies in the Castle a week and a half ago or an assault 20 years ago-our school can still boast a safe and welcoming atmosphere. I am reminded of when I went on my initial tour of Brandeis as a perspective student; my tour guide related a story of how she forgot her backpack and hours later was able to retrieve it from the very same spot. Furthermore, we should not undermine the capabilities of the Brandeis Police. According to the Department of Public Safety website, the department monitors the campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with the use of "closed-circuit television coverage of specific public areas and parking lots." Also, the officers receive "formalized training in police sciences at the Massachusetts State Police Academy. . Each officer receives further specialized training through various federal, state and local criminal justice training centers. The department continually sponsors in-service training programs for its members to keep them abreast of the latest in medical and police science techniques." Additionally, every single campus police officer had to undergo physical, psychological and sensitivity training in order to be allowed to carry a gun on campus. But even more important than all of these points is our individual responsibility to keep ourselves safe. It never hurts to keep a watchful eye or practice some common sense. The Castle robberies would never have likely happened had students simply locked their doors at night. Brandeis may be our home; however, we cannot allow ourselves to feel as safe here as we do in our houses. We must simultaneously appreciate our campus' safe atmosphere and refuse to take it for granted. But it's obvious that we do not need additional campus safety to help us accomplish this.
(10/12/10 4:00am)
The Department of Public Safety is currently conducting an investigation in response to the four thefts that occurred in the Usen Castle last week, according to Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan.Callahan said in an interview with the Justice that the Department of Public Safety had interacted with residents of the Castle in an effort to "determine who perpetrated these incidents." Callahan declined to provide specific information that the students had provided regarding the investigation but said that Public Safety was careful to look into students' reports."We can't release that information because it's part of the investigation, but sometimes students will . relay their observations and what they've heard or what they've seen, which most times is valuable, so we follow up on those leads," he said.Callahan said in an Oct. 4 interview with the Justice that the thefts in the Castle occurred Oct. 3 between 3 and 8 a.m. Four students then filed reports that possessions had been stolen from their room while a fifth student had claimed seeing the suspect, who had been described as a 5 foot, 10 inch male wearing a dark knit cap and a gray hooded sweatshirt.Callahan said that Allison Leventhal, the community development coordinator for the Castle and Rosenthal Quad, had coordinated a meeting for residents of the Castle to interact with Public Safety officials. In an interview with the Justice, Leventhal said that she had hosted the meeting last Tuesday to provide a forum for students to voice concern after the incident, but she also said that it was a good way for students to become acquainted with Public Safety."I think some students are intimidated to go down to the police station for whatever reason, so we wanted to bring them out into the hall," she explained. Harrison Goldspiel '13, a resident of the castle who had possessions stolen, said in an interview with the Justice that he found the meeting a helpful way for the Castle community to convene after the thefts."One of the main things about the meeting was stressing that we're a community, and that we need to work with each other to feel safe, and I think that was good," said Goldspiel, further explaining that many Castle residents did not feel like a community after the incident. Leventhal said that since the incidents occurred, she has encouraged students to lock their doors and report any suspicious activity. She additionally said that she encourages students to ensure that the doors are not propped open because "that is one easy entry point for anyone to get into the building that doesn't belong."Callahan also emphasized the necessity for students to lock their doors, explaining, "Obviously we live in a very trusting community, but the bottom line is people should secure their belongings and lock their doors."Callahan said that in an additional effort to enhance safety precautions, Public Safety provided extra patrol officers throughout the weekend and was working with the Office of Facilities Services to install local alarms on the fire escape doors to deter students from leaving the doors propped open. He also said he had spoken with Student Union President Daniel Acheampong '11 about this matter.In an interview with the Justice, Acheampong stressed the Union's coordination with Public Safety to prevent these types of incidents from occurring. "We know that this is a safe community, so when these incidents happen we have to address it and make sure it doesn't happen again," he said. "I think we're a very safe campus, but again, it's as safe as everyone makes it. So you have to report things to the police you have to be proactive with your own safety and the safety of your belongings," said Callahan.-Brian Fromm contributed reporting
(10/12/10 4:00am)
Prof. Shai Feldman (POL), the director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies, and member of the Board of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard University Prof. Nicholas Burns are co-chairing a new series of talks concerning issues in the Middle East region titled the Crown-Belfer Middle East Seminar series.These talks involve expert scholars from Brandeis University, Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Tufts University, Boston University and Boston College. The talks thus far have featured speakers such as Ahmet Davun?lu, the foreign minister of Turkey, who spoke Sept. 29 at the series' inauguration, and Tzipi Livni, the leader of the Israeli opposition party, who spoke on Oct. 5, both at the Harvard Faculty Club, according to both BrandeisNOW and the Belfer Center's website.In an interview with the Justice, Feldman explained that future speakers include Marwan Muasher, the former foreign minister of Jordan and current vice president of studies at the Carnegie Endowment; Dr. Khalil Shikaki, director at the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research; and Saudi Prince Turki Al-Faisal, a former ambassador to the United Kingdom, Ireland and the U.S.Feldman said that these speakers are to come in November, but the official schedule has not been set. Because of the high-profile status of the individuals featured in the talks, Feldman said that the seminars are not open or publicized to the students or the general public. "[The seminar] is really geared specifically for the expert community," explained Feldman. The meetings are small, no more than 30 people, and consist mostly of scholars with expertise in Middle Eastern issues and some Ph.D. students. Burns, who has served as a key American diplomat and is now a professor of Diplomacy and International Politics at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, has been involved with implementing the seminars along with Feldman and Graham Allison, the director of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. Burns could not be reached for comment by press time. "We tried to create kind of a marriage between the Crown Center and the Kennedy Center," said Feldman in an interview with the Justice. Feldman says a working union exists between Brandeis and Harvard because of Brandeis' expertise and Harvard's location and prestige. Feldman explained that the goal of the seminar series is to create a long-term forum and "permanent meeting place" where experts on the Middle East in the Boston area can join and provide information to each other. The small number of attendees is designed to promote a "high degree of interaction." Topics include the Arab-Israeli conflict, the nation of Iran, the future of Turkish policies, reform, economical development and any other issues that concern the Middle Eastern region.
(10/12/10 4:00am)
Article misrepresented HiattIn response to your article "School should rethink its career services" (Forum, Oct. 5):I am writing on behalf of the Hiatt Career Center. We would like to correct the factual errors in Mr. Mermelstein's article and help students better understand the process of career development vs. job placement. Please know that we openly encourage and appreciate feedback and are glad that the Justice wants to foster dialogue about how the University can best serve the career needs of students.As Mr. Mermelstein notes, given the current academic climate, this can understandably be an anxious time for students thinking about their steps after graduation. That said, the Brandeis education serves students well. Brandeis students have been very successful in gaining employment within 6 months of graduation-the standard benchmark in higher education. The classes of '08 and '09 were employed at rates of 96 percent and 94 percent, respectively, nearly 20 percent higher than the national average during a very bleak economic period (we will have 2010 data in the next 6 months). For those alumni still job searching, all of Hiatt's services are available to all alumni for life-something very few schools offer. The article also incorrectly asserts that the majority of internships available to University students are unpaid, when, in fact, the overwhelming majority of internships are paid.Moreover, Mr. Mermelstein categorizes the fall career fair as the penultimate event for students who want to connect with employers when it should be viewed as the first among a diverse, varied approach to make students aware of opportunities available to them. There is much more to come, including four industry-specific career summits and forums, career fairs in five cities across the country during winter break and Skype networking meetings with long-distance employers, including those abroad who want to hire Brandeis students. In the last week alone, for example, Hiatt hosted the U.S. Department of State and a leading economic consulting firm, prepared students applying for a fashion internship open only to a select number of schools and secured paid internship opportunities for students who want to work in government. We will have to make it a higher priority to better educate students on the nuances of their specific fields of interest so that they may strategically and effectively market themselves. Job search timelines vary widely by field. For example, finance and some federal government employers are recruiting now, whereas marketing and environmental employers generally recruit in the spring. Although we appreciate the kind comments about how helpful the Hiatt staff can be in preparing students for interviews and producing strong résumés, we want to dissuade students from thinking that Hiatt is a résumé service. Writing and submitting a résumé is merely one component of an effective search strategy. Career development is a transformative process. Students need to integrate their career exploration throughout their Brandeis career by taking ownership of the process-reflecting on their interests, engaging in career exploration and networking with potential employers. Hiatt staff, faculty and other members of the Brandeis community can be very helpful in this process. To that end, Hiatt agrees with the article that parents, alumni and friends of Brandeis can be an excellent resource for students, and we are actively working with the Alumni Relations team and others at the University so that the student professional support network is as robust as possible. -Joseph Du Pont, Esq.The writer is dean of the Hiatt Career Center.Community alert was unnecessaryIn response to your editorial "Thefts merrited communiy alert" (Oct. 5): The entire community should have been warned? You guys get 800s on your SATs and you need someone to tell you to secure your belongings at all times, and you throw a hissy fit if you don't get warned? I won't trust anyone under 60 to take out my appendix.-Paul Trusten R.Ph. '73BEMCo quote was misleadingIn response to your article "BEMCo Beginnings" (Features, Oct 5):On behalf of the Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps Executive Board, we feel the need to clarify a quote in this article. BEMCo strives to provide the highest quality patient care and customer service to all we come in contact with. The writer quotes to imply that BEMCo will treat and release all patients on scene with no cost to the student. However, if the crew chief or on-duty supervisor determines the need for advanced medical care, BEMCo is obligated to dispatch further care and is not responsible for the costs of the ambulance or hospital care. We advise all of our patients of their treatment and transport options, and most of the time, whether we dispatch further care or not, patients are free to refuse or decline services. BEMCo is proud of our progress over the past 28 years and is honored to care for the Brandeis community.-Seth Merker '11The writer is director of BEMco and also a clinical supervisor for the organization.Clarify information on cage-free eggsIn response to your article "University should serve only cage-free eggs" (Oct. 5): The article states that most schools don't pass the costs on to the consumer, or if they do, the meal plan cost increases by $7 to $10, which is a small fraction of the meal plan cost. I know at many other schools they have all-you-can-eat single meal plans like we have at Sherman Dining Hall, so the overall meal plan cost is the only place it can be passed on. Since Brandeis also has an Oe la carte meal-plan option, which is used at all but one of the dining locations, the cost of individual items is another area that the costs can be passed to the consumer, and in fact, you currently have to pay more for cage-free eggs when you request them in Usdan Boulevard and Café. There are also other foods that are cooked with eggs, like baked goods, which could incorporate the higher input costs into their final price. Do you have any data on the prices of egg- based items at schools with la carte meal plans after making the shift?-Josh Waizer '11Joe Linsey was mischaracterizedIn response to your article "The drowning of a pool" (Features, Sep 14):As a Brandeis alumnus and parent, I was disappointed by your incomplete portrayal of Joseph M. Linsey. The article failed to capture the depth of his dedication to Brandeis that extended far beyond construction of the Linsey Pool. Joe's philanthropy touched every part of Brandeis from the late 1950s until his death in 1994. He strengthened the University through his gifts in support of athletics, student scholarships and fellowships and academic programs. He was a trusted and dear friend of founding President Abram Sachar and responded to the University's needs each and every day.In the early 1960s, Joe chaired a major fundraising campaign. In just 3 years, the campaign secured millions of dollars for Brandeis, including two prestigious grants from the Ford Foundation. The Brandeis athletics program would not exist as it does today without Joe's leadership, commitment and support. He gave students the opportunity to pursue athletic as well as academic excellence.Joe's induction into what is now the Joseph M. Linsey Athletic Hall of Fame and the establishment of the Linsey Fellowship in his honor are true measures of the esteem in which Joe was held by Brandeis. I would suggest that a more appropriate characterization of Joe Linsey would be that he was a true mensch who made life better for so many. -Nate Lubofsky '58The writer works in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations.
(10/05/10 4:00am)
An article in Features originally misspelled the surnames of two doctors. They are Lisa Fishman and Steven Freilich, not Lisa Fishaman Steven Fralik. (Sept. 21, p. 9)An article in News misstated an event at the Student Union Senate meeting. Senator for the Class of 2011 Michael Newborn, not Associate Justice of the Student Judiciary Judah Marans '11, addressed the Senate to inform it that he had spoken with Aramark about making bags of ice available for student purchase, not about fixing broken ice machines. (Sept. 28, pg. 2)An article in Arts misrepresented the nature of a video game. Halo Wars is a real-time strategy game, not a first-person shooter. (Sept. 28, p. 21)An photo caption in Sports wrongly listed the graduating year of an athlete. Women's soccer forward Tiffany Pacheco is a member of the class of 2011, not 2010. (Sept. 28, p. 16)An article in Forum did not end in last week's print edition. The last sentence should read: "The Union and the student body at large should address these issues to ensure smoother allocation in future semesters." (Sept. 28, p.10)The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. E-mail justeditor@brandeis.edu.
(10/05/10 4:00am)
Article mischaracterized the militaryIn response to your article "Current ban, though flawed, ought to remain" (Forum, Sept. 28):Ms. Stoker's column is so full of unsupported conclusions and stereotypes, I wonder if she has ever even spoken with a service member or a veteran. It's quite apparent that she has no idea what life is like during military service. As a Brandeis alum and a retired naval officer (5 years on active duty, more than 15 years of active participation in the reserves), I can assure her that there is no stage in the military induction process where the enlistee or officer candidate is asked if he or she hates gays.It is astounding that Ms. Stoker could conclude that there is anti-gay violence in the military based upon a 10-year-old study indicating that service members witnessed an incident. Would she conclude the same thing about our public schools based upon a like number of fights among classmates where anti-gay epithets were exchanged? She has offered nothing demonstrating that there is a greater incidence of anti-gay violence among service members than among their civilian peers.I can only suggest that she have a dialogue with a soldier, sailor, airman or marine and learn something about their lives. She might learn that, while the existence of open heterosexual or homosexual activity between coworkers in her workplace might be a momentary surprise or embarrassment, such activities and relationships among members of military units can destroy trust, degrade unit cohesion and, ultimately, put lives in more serious danger than the unit's mission. While I can respect her desire that all members of our society enjoy the same rights regardless of sexual orientation, it is very sad that she holds such distasteful prejudices against the people who have volunteered to protect her.-Barry Bloch '82Anti-gay attitudes are no excuseIn response to your article "Current ban, though flawed, ought to remain" (Forum, Sept. 28):I hardly think that the "bad things might happen" argument is very relevant here. I am no supporter of the military; however, the people who choose to serve do so for their own reasons, not yours or mine. "Don't ask, don't tell" is not a deterrent to keep gays out of the military; it's a discriminatory policy that forces gays joining and already in the military to keep their lives quiet. The argument for repealing DADT isn't so everyone can start wearing pink uniforms to suddenly declare that they are gay. Currently, if someone in the military finds out that you are a homosexual, you lose everything and gain a dishonorable discharge. This excludes you from the health benefits, college scholarship monies, etc. The denial of rights and privileges is the argument for repealing the ban.Stoker's argument is flat and fails to look at the larger picture. It's not about your personal views that nobody should be joining the military in the first place or that it would be dangerous for us. Bad stuff happens all the time to all kinds of people. Everyone is so quick to point to this statistic and that. But again, you're only looking at one number that represents one group, not the big picture. I'm flattered that you want to keep us gays from getting hurt by those evil straights in the military, but we're big boys and girls and don't need you to mascarade a discriminatory law designed to keep gays from serving and then reaping the benefits of that service as something to keep us safe. If you have a problem with the way the student protests are going, that's a different argument. However, there are a lot of people that this law very personally touches and I hardly think that because you watched a few protests and didn't feel inspired to join is a good enough reason to draw the conclusions that you did.I was called a "faggot" and threatened just the other night here in Boston. The police didn't come, and I had to deal with the situation. Could it have ended badly? Of course it could have. However, according to your arguments, there should have been a "Don't park here if you're gay" sign. Then I could have just avoided the issue all together, which is what your op-ed does.-Benjamin Williams (GRAD)
(09/28/10 4:00am)
Condemn all religious bigotry In response to your article "Islamic center lessons" (Forum, Sept. 14): I was so happy to read Rebecca Blady's article. I wanted to share with the community that I joined with over 1,200 religious leaders in the greater Boston area in drafting a statement in support of the Muslim community and in opposition to the hatred of Muslims which is so prevalent. The statement can be found online. It was read at the State House in Boston in front of the statue of Mary Dyer, a Quaker woman hanged on the Boston Common for her religion. In the statement, we called to mind the many instances in the past where religious bigotry has reared its ugly head in our city-quotas for Jews at Ivy League colleges and the burning of a Catholic convent in the 1800s, to name a few. The statement's title is from the letter that George Washington sent to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, R.I., confirming that ours is "a Government which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance." All are welcome to sign this statement online. -Rev. Walter Cuenin The writer is the Catholic chaplain and coordinator of the Interfaith Chaplaincy.Don't blindly support administrationIn response to your editorial "Islamic center lessons" (Forum, Sept. 21): This is moronic. To say that increased need sensitivity in the admissions process is permissible because there was a degree of it in the past is a non-argument. You are identifying a trend and using it as an excuse. Also, it would be better if this were saving the University money. If it indeed isn't, then we are discriminating against poorer students for no reason. Read the Union press release; you should know that the wealthier students are always going to be the ones with the stronger applications. If the Justice is going to get so much of the students' money, it should advocate for students, not arbitrarily support administration policies.-Alex Norris '11The writer is an associate justice of the Student Judiciary.Peretz comments were out of lineIn response to your editorial "Backlash against Peretz comments was both unfair and unwise" (Forum, Sept. 21): Peretz's comment makes just as little sense in context as out of context. "Muslim life is cheap," he says, "most notably to other Muslims." Replace "Muslim" with "Jewish," and the sheer idiocy of this reductive formulation is self-evident. Is Peretz typical of the Jewish community, or Yigal Amir or Bernard Madoff? This is not the first, and likely not the last, time that Peretz has written so callously about Muslims. We must conclude that Mr. Peretz's simplistic and inherently inferior opinion of Muslims are not a recent aberration.-David Litvak '11
(09/28/10 4:00am)
It was almost a century ago that the Mandel brothers scurried around a boat headed for America, filling their pillow cases with meager victuals such as herring and bread. Coming from Poland in the early 1900s, the brothers were familiar with hunger. They definitely don't have to worry about hunger today. After becoming successful, Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel are major philanthropists, responsible for some of the largest and most influential programs and institutions throughout America. The Mandel family's name decorates buildings across the world, from Jerusalem to at Brandeis University. The Mandel brothers, of Cleveland, established the Mandel Foundation in 1953, which aims to provide leadership for the nonprofit world. According to an e-mail to the Justice from Morton Mandel, the basic philosophy of the foundation "is to invest in people with the vision, values and passion to change the world." The Mandel Foundation focuses its support and resources on five specific areas: leadership, management, higher education, Jewish education and continuity and urban neighborhood renewal.The Mandel brothers began their careers when they established the Premier Automotive Supply Company in the 1940s after buying their uncle's storefront for $900. While their business initially distributed standard automotive parts, they soon learned that their customers were looking for specialized, hard-to-find products. After altering their business, revenue grew to the millions, and the company became one of the largest United States distributors of auto parts. When the Mandel brothers realized they had more money than they needed, they started the foundation. "We didn't make money for the sake of money. We made money so we could redistribute it," Jack Mandel says in The Mandel Legacy: "Our Cup Runneth Over," a 20-- minute documentary about the Mandel brothers and their success.The brothers have since committed their success to various philanthropic projects, including higher education at various universities. "The Mandel Foundation is a strong supporter of Brandeis University. Mrs. Barbara Mandel is a very involved trustee, and my daughter, Amy, is a graduate," Morton Mandel wrote. The new Mandel Center for the Humanities, which was ready in time for classes this semester, was funded by a generous $22.5 million gift from the Mandel Foundation. The Mandels, according to University Presiden Jehuda Reinharz, were interested in making a transformative gift to the University. "Our vision was to create a physical structure that has beauty, elegance and is a great space for learning," Morton Mandel wrote. The Mandel Center for the Humanities was chosen as an appropriate gift based on both the University's needs and the strong beliefs of the Mandel Foundation. The humanities faculty had been asking for a center for the humanities for many years- President Reinharz kept this in mind during his conversations with the Mandels. After a group of faculty put together a proposal for an interdisciplinary center for the Humanities and Social Sciences, the Mandels agreed to fund it. "We chose to invest in the Mandel Center for the Humanities and the Mandel Quadrangle because we care deeply about students being familiar with great ideas and the liberal arts tradition. We believe it is important for all students to have a strong foundation in the humanities so they can function more effectively to help build a more just and a more decent society," Morton Mandel wrote.The Mandels, who were extremely involved in the project, worked to ensure that the Mandel Center would satisfy the needs of both the faculty and students. "They believe deeply in the mission of the new center and were very committed to making the building as successful as possible," Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. Morton Mandel even took interest in the specific architecture of the building and details including the carpets, tiles, paint colors and furniture. "I can also tell you that [Mandel] has exquisite taste and we reviewed all of the proposed building materials with him directly," wrote Vice President for Planning and Institutional Research Daniel Feldman. According to Morton Mandel, the couple visited the center many times during construction."Above all, though, Mr. Mandel did repeatedly ask whether we had discussed this or that particular detail with the faculty. He wanted to make certain that people had what they needed in the Mandel Center for the Humanities, to make it a great place to work, study, teach, learn and participate in the many kinds of events that the Center is designed to support," Feldman continued. The Mandel brothers chose to honor their parents with a plaque on the outside wall of the Mandel Center, facing the terrace outside the forum. According to the Mandel brothers, their parents, Rose and Simon Mandel, influenced them and instilled them with their philanthropic values.The dedication ceremony for the Mandel Center for the Humanities will take place on Oct 26, and the Mandels plan to attend. The Mandel Center for the Humanities is one among many gifts the Mandels have given the University over the years. In 2002, the Mandel Center for Studies in Jewish Education was established to transform the quality of teaching and learning in Jewish education. The Mandels are also responsible for the Mandel Chair in Jewish Education and fellowships in the humanities and English and American Literature. Reinharz, who has worked closely with the Mandels during their involvement with the University, will become president of the Mandel Foundation when he leaves Brandeis this coming year. Reinharz has sat on the board of the Mandel Foundation since 2005. "As the world changes, our programs will have to change. As we understand problems more clearly, our solutions may change. But the hope is that the need for enlightened, informed, passionate leadership, is a theme that won't go away," Morton Mandel says in The Mandel Legacy: "Our Cup Runneth Over.
(09/21/10 4:00am)
An article in News incorrectly stated the given name of a student. Her name is Sarah Miller, not Sam Miller (Sept. 14, p. 5)A photo caption in Arts misstated the DJ in the photo. It is MiMOSA, not RJD2. (Sept. 14, p. 21)A photo caption in Arts did not properly attribute a photo. The photo of Sarah Bareilles was courtesy of Tara Melega/Sony Music. (Sept. 14, p. 18)A photo caption in Arts did not properly attribute a photo. The photo of The Bad Plus was courtesy of Liz Burg. (Sept. 14, p. 21)An editorial in Forum made an incorrect statement. The article incorrectly stated that the the bookstore's policy requires all students wishing to return their textbooks to do so the week before the end of the add/drop period. The bookstore's return policy actually allows students one week from the first day of class to return their books, unless they drop the class, in which case they have 30 days to return textbooks for that class with their receipt and proof of schedule change. (Sept. 14, p. 10)The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. E-mail justeditor@brandeis.edu.
(09/14/10 4:00am)
For those of us who have stuck with Harry from the proverbial cupboard under the stairs through his seven years at Hogwarts, the chance to bring our love for the series into the classroom could be truly magical. And while some English professors may roll their eyes and parents stick up their noses at the prospect of education and magic mixing, universities like Georgetown University and Yale University have already incorporated Harry Potter-themed courses into their curriculums. As a first-year, it boggles my mind to consider the myriad courses this university has to offer. The course descriptions of even the most tedious class makes me, a potential art history major, consider several superfluous minors. But with classes here at this university ranging from studies of Hollywood and Bollywood to the architecture of sentences, would a Harry Potter class really be out of the question? At Yale University, a course titled "Christian Theology and Harry Potter" explores a variety of Christian themes found in the novels, including temptation, resurrection and evil. What these college students are learning is that Peter Pettigrew may be more than just Ron's pet rat in disguise; he could be a metaphorical Judas who betrays the Potters for Voldemort. And maybe literary analysis could shed new religious light on when Harry sacrifices his life for the good of wizard-kind only to be resurrected moments later-sans Mary Magdalene, perhaps. Aside from the Christian motifs, the series lends itself well to be discussed in all different kinds of forums. Georgetown University's class, "Knights of Old and Harry Potter," examines medievalism in Harry Potter in conjunction with older European literature. The purpose of this course is to thematically connect old texts with selections from Rowling's series. At Frostburg State University in Maryland, Professor George Plitnik teaches a course called "The Science of Harry Potter" in which he uses the series to teach students the fundamentals of physics. You may have at some point wished you could "apparate" (transport) yourself across campus, bypassing the mountainous trek to Upper Campus after a long day of classes, but Professor Plitnik conducts a serious study of this J.K.-Rowling-conjured idea using Einstein's Theory of Relativity. This class may be taking it just a bit too far by exploiting the popularity of Harry Potter for the sake of getting more students to sign up for the course. There are few students who would be okay with this type of class appearing on their college résumés when applying to graduate school. There are even fewer universities, certainly not this one, that would actually approve of such a class. However, that's not to say that the popularity of the series should deter individuals from seriously studying the books at all. Popular literature is literature, too, and it should be given the same courtesy as any other novel. It would be prudent at this point to mention that Leo Tolstoy, Ernest Hemingway and Charles Dickens all wrote popular books during their eras. And yet, these authors' works aren't dismissed or disregarded merely because of their ability to resonate with their audiences. On the contrary, these works are revered and are considered to be classics that remain popular today. Likewise, Harry Potter could be discussed in an intellectual environment-there's a reason it's maintained such a diverse and expansive audience from children to adults in its 10 year history. Even the books' author wrote the series with the understanding that it has more depth than the surface story of an orphaned boy discovering he's a wizard. On her website, Rowling responded to questions asking her to explain the terms pure-blood, half-blood and muggle-born. "[I] was chilled to see that the Nazis used precisely the same warped logic as the Death Eaters," says Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. "A single Jewish grandparent 'polluted' the blood, according to their propaganda." The idea of imposing a hierarchy based on the purity of one's blood is not just a plot in a children's book-it's bigotry, and it's a part of our history. Brandeis is a prestigious school, but it also has an incredibly curious and open-minded student body. Rather than dismissing the series because of its popularity or using it as a ploy to increase a class roster, Harry Potter can and should be seriously studied at our university because within the text, as in many major texts, there is certainly something worth studying.
(08/24/10 4:00am)
Every year, Brandeis designates a book for the first-years to read over the summer prior to matriculation so that the students can engage themselves in a book forum during orientation. For the Class of 2014, the summer book was A Good Fall by Ha Jin, a Chinese-American writer who received a Ph.D. in English at Brandeis in 1993. He has received numerous awards, such as the National Book Award, the PEN/Faulkner Award, the Flannery O'Connor Award for short fiction, the PEN/Hemingway Award and the Asian American Literary Award. According to his online biography, Ha Jin is the author's pen name. He was born Jin Xuefei on Feb. 21, 1956 in the Liaoning province in northern China and joined the People's Liberation Army as a volunteer at the age of 14, during which he was stationed at the northeastern border between China and the former USSR. He taught himself middle school and high school courses during this period and left the army at age 19 to attend college, which was postponed due to the Cultural Revolution. Instead of continuing his education, Jin became a railway telegrapher and learned English. When he was 21 years old, the colleges reopened and he was assigned to study his last choice for a major, English, at Heilongjiang University in Harbin. After receiving his bachelor's and masters in American Literature in universities in China, he went to the United States to study English at Brandeis University in 1985. After the 1989 Tianamen Square massacre, Jin decided to not return to China to teach or write and instead stayed in the the U.S. with the intention to write solely in English. After obtaining his Ph.D. in 1993, he currently teaches at Boston University and readily agreed to interview with the Justice. Jin decided to study English in Brandeis because it was "the only school that gave [him] the scholarship when [he] applied," with a grateful tone to not only its excellent, stable English program, but also to its generosity in providing financial support. His first cultural encounters in America had also taken place at Brandeis, working on and outside the campus with jobs such as a custodian at Waltham Medical Center. As he delved into the nostalgic memories of himself as a graduate student, he explained that his favorite aspect of the school was the small classes that emphasized a very close, strong working relationship with the professors and his peers, since such "small programs allowed an environment in which people can get to know each other closely and help each other very well." A Good Fall, about which Jin is coming to talk to the first-year class for the book discussion, is a collection of short stories that are based on real events that took place in Flushing, N.Y. Jin has either been told or personally heard each of the immigrants' stories. Jin's imagination and dedication to provide intricate details in each of the beautifully portrayed stories evoke various emotions to which immigrant readers can relate, but also for which non-immigrants can experience. Two of the important aspects of writing that Jin emphasizes in his teaching are clarity and storytelling, commenting, "Clarity means also to think clearly when you write." More importantly than the writing technicalities, Jin urges his students to tell stories rather than tales: "A tale is about a happening, an event, which is associated with the stating of mere facts. However, a story has the beginning, the climax, and the end, and very often has a message that relates to the reader at an emotional level, so that the reader can take something from it." Convincingly enough, he has explored the challenges most immigrants endure, such as economic pressures, loneliness and despair when their plans become shattered into pieces or relationships with their loved ones are slipping through their fingers. Meanwhile, he also depicts the bliss of self-discovery, potentials and newfound hopes in ways the immigrants had not expected. While he had difficulty choosing his "favorite" story out of the 12, Jin recounted having enjoyed depicting the unbreakable bond between a composer and his girlfriend's parakeet in "A Composer and His Parakeets." The story describes the dynamics of the composer's musical career and a fading long-distance relationship with his girlfriend, during which the muted yet lovable parakeet intervenes. On the other hand, the last story of the book, "A Good Fall," concludes the book on a more hopeful note as a Chinese monk struggles to remain in the country in hopes to return home with enough financial support for his family while maintaining his identity and staying optimistic. While some readers may have difficulty understanding the subtle nuances of his short stories, many fully appreciate the messages that may be seemingly invisible yet apparent. A successful storyteller, Jin added, narrates the events neutrally yet exposes the reader to the emotional conflict that the main character faces. After briefly explaining the cultural background that shaped his essence as a writer, he explained that there is no special message for the first-years to absorb from reading the book; however, he hopes that the message from each story has successfully impacted the reader in various ways that depends on the reader oneself. Lastly, for English as a Second-Language students in Brandeis, Jin offered two pieces of important advice that helped him succeed in his career: "Speak more, listen more and also try to mix more with native speakers. And don't be afraid of making mistakes, because confronting the inevitable makes you stronger in the end."Ha Jin will discuss his book, A Good Fall, with the first-years tomorrow from 8 to 10 p.m. at the New Student Forum at the Spingold Theater Center.
(05/25/10 4:00am)
In the weeks leading up to commencement, the Brandeis community found itself at the center of a debate regarding the University's identity after the announcement that Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren would serve as this year's keynote commencement speaker. Despite differences in opinion, though, the student body displayed the characteristic maturity and unity that defines Brandeis University as a institution of outstanding intellectual discourse.Prior to graduation this past Sunday, some students participated in protests of Oren's presence at commencement, while others presented University President Jehuda Reinharz with a letter of support. Discussions on Facebook and other online forums showed that Brandeis students' thoughts regarding Oren varied a great deal; however, students maintained an admirable level of respect in their interactions even though their viewpoints differed. The spirit of open dialogue on campus showed that, as usual, the Brandeis community at large can count on students to express themselves in an educated way and learn from controversy. While this spirit of academic curiosity and respect is in no way surprising, it is striking when juxtaposed with the actions of some of those outside Brandeis. Various media outlets misconstrued students' reactions to Oren's presence at commencement, claiming that student opinions were polarized and based on politics and identity crises when in fact they stemmed from complex reasoning and myriad motivations. These oversimplifications of the discussions occurring on campus sought to cast the student body in an unfavorable light, but the actual events at commencement demonstrated that the community is above petty argument when the time to unite comes about.The Facebook petition regarding Paul Simon singing at graduation represented an instance of the student body coming together to achieve a common goal, and Simon's resulting performance was a memorable experience for graduating students and their families. In the same spirit was the dignified behavior within commencement itself-even that of students who disagreed with the politics. Protesters were able to express themselves outside of the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center without harassment, and the entire audience listened respectfully during Oren's speech, putting aside their differences in order to celebrate the collective achievements of the Class of 2010.Central to Brandeis University is the sense that different viewpoints should be respected and engaged with intelligently to encourage debate. While this board still feels that commencement did not represent the appropriate venue for a figure who represented Middle Eastern politics and that a more neutral commencement environment would have been a better sendoff to the Class of 2010, the Brandeis community rose above a tenuous situation and displayed levelheadedness upon which the seniors should pride themselves as they conclude their time at Brandeis.
