(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.
(05/25/10 4:00am)
This board would like to recognize all of the seniors who have contributed their time and energy to the Justice during their years at Brandeis.Hannah Kirsch, the Justice's immediate past editor in chief, formerly served as Copy editor and also contributed to the Arts, News, Features and Forum sections before serving as an editor. Her wide breadth of knowledge and her excellent leadership were incredible assets to the paper.Joanna Schorr, who served as Layout editor before elected editor in chief, was the Justice's senior editor this past year. In all her roles, her experience in journalism and layout was an excellent resource to the entire staff, and her presence in the office will be greatly missed next year.Andrea Fineman was managing editor for nearly two years as well as a former Arts editor. Her organizational skill and attention to detail kept the paper running smoothly, and her awareness of cultural events in the area has been a great resource for the Justice staff and the Brandeis community.Anya Bergman, News editor prior to being associate editor, worked tirelessly to improve the News section by working closely with writers and the entire staff throughout her tenure.Shana Lebowitz's features shed light on many different aspects of Brandeis. As Features editor, she provided interesting glimpses into the University, and as associate editor she worked to expand and improve the section.Sarah Bayer served as Arts editor this year, bringing innovation and creativity to the paper. Her descriptive writing and astute reviews have significantly contributed to the paper.Max Breitstein Matza took countless photos on and off campus as Photography editor and associate editor. He helped photographers improve the quality of photojournalism and ensure that people would have records of their fondest Brandeis memories.Brad Stern was the Justice's advertising editor, and his work helped to connect students with off-campus programs and opportunities. In his entertaining column Pop Muse, he kept students up-to-date on developments in pop culture and notable musicians.Miranda Neubauer, though not an editor, played an invaluable role as senior News writer. Her knowledge of Brandeis' inner workings ensured that everyone remained informed of important stories, and her thorough reporting incorporated all perspectives.We wish the best to all of the graduating seniors who have worked on the paper-including previous editors Julian Agin-Liebes, Courtney Breen, Simona Fisch, Julie Ganz, Raquel Greenberg, Kathryn Marable, Justine Root, Devorah Rotter and David Sheppard-Brick-and we know that their many talents will bring them success in the future.
(05/25/10 4:00am)
Distant education offered by online classroom settings can be effectiveIn response to your article "New online program to launch" (News, May 4): Stanford University offers online classes at the graduate level. Some departments allow fully online degree programs, while others have a few on-campus requirements. The requirements for the degree are determined by the department. The online classes are regular university classes where the lectures have been videotaped and streamed over the Internet. The rest of the materials are delivered to the remote student via any number of suitable means. The remote student is required to do the same work and must complete all assignments and exams at the same time as the rest of the class. In essence, the major classroom difference between on-campus students and remote students is the method of delivery for the lectures. Student participation in discussions is quite interesting. Students who are active in the classroom may become silent in online forums, while students who are passive in the classroom will come alive online. There is, of course, the third type of student, who doesn't participate in either medium. The Stanford Center for Professional Development supports online classes and master's degree programs. See this website for a complete listing of classes and degrees: http://scpd.stanford.edu. The Biomedical Informatics Program is one program that offers a fully online master's program. It is difficult to duplicate the full campus experience; therefore, we encourage our distant students to come to campus to participate in some of the program events. But even with limited or zero exposure to the campus experience, our alumni find the training valuable. I am delighted to report that some of our distant students have applied and been accepted to the Ph.D. program. I have great confidence that distance education, if managed properly, is excellent education. I will close by mentioning that distance education is expensive. The overhead in equipment, facilities and specialized support staff is nontrivial. I have no doubt many online programs are limited to certificate programs and classes with high demand due to financial bottlenecks. -Betty ChengThe writer is the Ph.D. associate director at the Distance Education Biomedical Informatics Training Program at the Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research.Students should see similarities between Israel and Brandeis UnivIn response to your article "Commencement reactions continue" (News, May 4):Both Brandeis and the state of Israel were established in response to the scourge of anti-Semitism. While these actions alone have not solved the problem, they have empowered the Jewish people and offered some measure of recourse. It is fitting, therefore, to have Mr. Oren speak now more then ever. At a time when virulent anti-Semitism is on the rise around the world, it is appropriate that someone like Mr. Oren speak about this growing threat, as I hope he will. Too many students at Brandeis influenced by hard-left propaganda are deliberately ignoring these facts. Mr. Oren's message should sound a warning to them that if they continue to follow this course, they, like their American grandparents, are doomed to repeat their mistake of sitting on their hands while their brothers and sisters in Europe were being exterminated.-Peter BrandThe writer is the father of Alexander Brand '10.Thanks for presenting the true essence of the Brandeis experienceIn response to your article "After four years, Brandeis' influence shines through" (Forum, May 4):Wonderful article, Shana. I think you really embodied the essence of Brandeis University.-Nate Rosenblum '10
(05/04/10 4:00am)
Do not use litmus test for speakersTo the Editor,Because I have spoken out recently against personal attacks on Richard Goldstone, and because Michael Oren has criticized the Goldstone Report in extremely harsh terms, some friends and colleagues have suggested that I should logically join some of last week's op-ed contributors and oppose Oren's role as Commencement speaker. But I don't think that this follows. When it comes to speakers on campus-even commencement speakers-I believe in latitude, and I dislike political litmus tests. Oren has a distinguished record as a historian, and I do not believe that ideology, government service or even over-the-top rhetoric disqualifies him. I'll be curious to hear what he has to say.-Daniel TerrisThe writer is director of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life.Apply moral standards to all sidesIn response to your article "Honoring Oren and Ross contradicts University mission" (Forum, April 27):As an alumnus of the Computer Science department, I was impressed to see one of our own, Prof. Harry Mairson, represented in the pages of the Justice.Innocent Gazans have every right to safety and dignity. You and I might disagree, however, on which of the Gazans impacted by Operation Cast Lead were truly innocent, but that's a fair argument. I found Asa Kasher's piece in Azure, issue 37, "Operation Cast Lead and the Ethics of Just War," very useful in beginning to sort out this difficult matter.I have also learned a great deal from the historians you mentioned. Tom Segev's 1967 was a gripping look into the Israeli people's psyche during an unimaginably tense and depressing time. I would suggest, though, that Michael Oren's Six Days of War is a necessary companion to Mr. Segev's work for its detailed analysis of the military and political moves that led to Egypt and Jordan's escalation and Israel's stunning victory.As for Benny Morris, both 1948 and One State, Two States have served well in shaping my outlook on the Middle East-I am considerably more conflicted since my black & white Brandeis days-but I believe even Mr. Morris would take issue with your characterization of Operation Cast Lead. I point you in particular to Mr. Morris' piece in the London Times on Jan 4, 2009. All that said, I truly am curious if your activism extends to all innocent parties-including the civilians under attack in Sederot, Beersheba, Haifa, Kiryat Shemona, and elsewhere-since your letter stressed the need for balance on behalf of the University.-Jonathan Abbett '02, MA '03 Article against Oren misled readersTo the Editor,Last week's article "Honoring Oren and Ross contradicts University mission" (Forum, April 27) was misguided and misinformed. It seems to have stretched the truth in order to make an unsubstantiated point. The article claimed that "Oren was designated an Israel Defense Forces spokesman last year and was its apologist during attacks where the IDF dropped white phosphorus on Gazan civilians. ... That's enough discredit to rule out an honorary degree." It claims that during the Gaza war, Israel violated human rights and that Ambassador Oren should not be given an honorary degree because he was the spokesperson for the IDF. However, as Col. Richard Kemp, a military expert of the British army, said in the UN on Oct 16, 2009 after the Goldstone Report was published, the report off which the op-ed's claims are based, "The IDF did more to safeguard the rights of civilians in a combat zone, than any other army in the history of warfare." The fact that Oren was a spokesperson for this army, an army, as recognized by military experts, that tried to protect civilians even at risk to its own soldiers, is proof that he helps with the pursuit of social justice and is deserving of a Brandeis University honorary degree.The op-ed continues to try and discredit Ambassador Oren by claiming that "Oren is not 'a great historian.'" Well then, why did the Washington Post, Newsweek, New York Times Book Review, San Fransisco Chronicle, the Atlanta Monthly Review, and more all give Ambassador Oren the title "historian," due to his having published multiple historical essays and books? Additionally, Oren received degrees both from Columbia and Princeton University and taught at Harvard, Yale and Georgetown University. From an academic perspective, Oren obviously deserves this degree. Lastly, I take issue with the article's explanation of hasbara. According to Prof. Harry Mairson (COSI), hasbara is "the Hebrew word for political propaganda, used positively by advocates and pejoratively by critics." That is just incorrect; ask any Hebrew professor or student and they will tell you hasbara means explanation. Hasbara has taken on the meaning of advocacy, for the advocates and political propaganda for the undereducated critics because of an Israel advocacy summer program for college-aged students. It is unfair and incorrect to use the language of propaganda in this context of Ambassador Oren's job.-Tamar Schneck '13Protest won't mar commencementIn response to your article "Oren is poor choice for address" (Forum, April 27):In mild defense of the editorial, the Justice is not attacking the choice of Mr. Oren because of his political views. Rather, it attempts to attack the choice of Mr. Oren based on what it presumes the reaction of the student body will be. It does so clumsily and with no small amount of arrogance. I believe this editorial was well intentioned. The Justice obviously wants commencement to be a joyous and unifying occasion. As a graduate whose commencement speaker was equally controversial at the time (President of the World Bank), I assure the Justice that any protests will not take away from the specialness of graduation. And as someone who has interacted with Mr. Oren in the past, I assure the Justice that he will be a dynamic and engaging speaker who will do justice to the honor of being the keynote speaker.-Sam Wald '03Graduation is wrong venue for OrenIn response to your article "Choice of speaker is too divisive" (Forum, April 27):The problem here is not the Jewish connection to the Israeli political situation, but rather the fact that Brandeis, at first glance, seems to be putting aside the diversity it has worked hard to build by asking the Israeli ambassador to speak at its major nonreligious, otherwise nonpoliticized annual event. I see no problem with bringing Michael Oren to speak to all those interested at an appropriate forum in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall, brought in by some pro-Israel on-campus group to speak to the questions and concerns about Israel and answer to the challenges very much alive on the Brandeis Campus. But to bring in this figure on a day celebrating the achievements of the academic community-not the religious, political or Jewish community, but rather the whole of the student body, no matter what their background-seems somewhat out of place. Brandeis is asking for a controversy, a publicity stunt, maybe trying to please some donors, but commencement is neither the time nor the place to pull such a stunt. As a graduate of the Class of 2009, I can appreciate the importance of having a speaker who doesn't provoke any kind of upset on the day I'm receiving my diploma, celebrating with friends and family and saying my goodbyes. There is no need for a controversy when all anyone wants is a few inspirational words and maybe a laugh or two. However, who is to say that our expectations might be too high-Oren might tell some personal anecdotes of his own graduation experience, perhaps throw in a few jokes about the language barrier, and call it a day-however unlikely that might seem. The concerns expressed by Jeremy Sherer are certainly valid, and all you can do is hope for the best. -Becky Kupchan '09 Univ has evolved over the years In response to your article "Oren is poor choice for address" (Forum, April 27):I used to go to Brandeis events to meet Jewish girls when I was a student at Bentley. At that time, Brandeis was actually proud of being a university with some sort of Jewish outlook. I never thought I'd see the day when the Israeli ambassador is the bad guy, and Jimmy Carter, Steven Walt and Desmond Tutu are the good guys. I only hope that the alumni who care about the Jewish people pull their donations and send their kids elsewhere. Whatever Brandeis was, it isn't anymore.-Bill Pearlman
(05/04/10 4:00am)
Brian Fromm '11 became the new editor in chief of the Justice on April 27. The staff of the Justice voted with 34 votes in favor of electing Fromm with one vote against and one abstention. The editorial board confirmed Fromm's election with 18 votes in favor, none against and no abstentions.As Fromm took on his new responsibilities following the election, Senior Editor and former Editor in Chief Hannah Kirsch '10 offered praise for his character and work ethic. "I think he has great force of personality and a great sense of judgment about any decision that might need to be made in the office," she said."I've been a member of the Justice staff since the start of my first year at Brandeis, so I'm bringing a lot of experience," said Fromm. "I come with a level head. I don't stress easily."Fromm hopes to bring his strong relationships with the Student Union and other campus media outlets to his new role as editor in chief. He also hopes to forge a good relationship with the administration."I want the Justice to be the first place that faculty, students and staff look for breaking news and to learn of all campus happenings," said Fromm. He intends to move the Justice forward during his term by increasing the Justice's online content and strengthening the Forum section to be a central location for people to go to learn both sides of controversial University issues."I am very excited to begin this new position, and I think that I can really make the Justice even better than it is now," Fromm said.Kirsch echoed Fromm's enthusiasm. "I'm very excited to see him take this leadership position because I know he can make the Justice the best it can be," she said.
(04/27/10 4:00am)
Do not interrupt Oren's addressIn response to your article "Michael Oren to serve as commencement keynote speaker" (Breaking News, April 21):I am a student at the University of California at Irvine and Jewish. I was there in the second row when I heard Oren's speech disrupted by hateful hecklers. All your negative comments are fine; however, if you have any decency, you will respect the school's decision to bring in this person as a speaker and let him speak. Do not disrupt him. I promise you will be arrested and embarrassed in front of worldwide media. I warn you to help, as a kind gesture. I promise you, if you even so much as disrupt him for a second, the media will have a field day. As a speaker, Oren has definitely earned his title as ambassador. He has a view of the conflict that everyone should hear. As a pro-Israel advocate on probably the most controversial campus in the nation on these matters, I love hearing the other side's opinion and educating myself on the most unbiased view. Everyone is free to have their own opinion. However, I will say that hating never makes any progress. Where has hate ever gotten someone very far in life? I suggest you respect him while he is speaking and do not be too closeminded on what this very well-educated and influential political figure has to say. -Lauren GindiEmbrace opportunity to hear OrenIn response to your article "Michael Oren to serve as commencement keynote speaker" (Breaking News, April 21):Michael Oren is a brilliant public speaker with topical views on a wide variety of subjects that are near and dear to a majority of the attendees at this commencement. He is a great choice. It is too bad that the school has a few small-minded detractors on whom his speech will no doubt be lost.-Mark GreenblattThe writer is the parent of Adam Greenblatt '10.Granting honor to Oren is wrongIn response to your article "Michael Oren to serve as commencement keynote speaker" (Breaking News, April 21):This is outrageous! For a school committed to "social justice" to invite as a keynote speaker a man whose job it is to justify the massacre of civilians in Gaza goes beyond chutzpah. -Jonathan Sussman '11Ambassador's speech will mar eventIn response to your article "Michael Oren to serve as commencement keynote speaker" (Breaking News, April 21):You've got to be kidding me. While I have no doubt that it's possible that Michael Oren is a strong orator and academic, I think graduation is a time to encourage about-to-be-graduates to think outside of the box and take a different perspective. Certainly there are people, myself included, for whom Michael Oren will present a perspective different from my own, but the press release's focus on his role as an Israeli Defense Forces spokesman implies that not only is his expertise on a subject for which it is hard to avoid a wide variety of perspectives while being a student at Brandeis but that this person was paid to support a particular perspective to the public. Regardless of which side Oren defends, I'm disappointed that Brandeis would select someone to speak to us whose role in the international community is to defend one group's interests no matter what. To me, that is counterintuitive to one of the core principles of Brandeis: that we should investigate ideas based on their merits, not based on who it is that espouses them. Especially in light of the controversy about inviting Dore Gold to the Justice Goldstone event, I look at this choice as a slap in the face to students at Brandeis that don't support Israel no matter what. Can't we have just one major event in which we don't have to have a spokesman for Israel? I didn't require someone who agrees with me. In fact, I'd prefer that they don't. I just wish it was someone for whom it was possible to have an unbiased perspective on their area of primary expertise. -Jackie Saffir '10 Different honoree should speakIn response to your article "Michael Oren to serve as commencement keynote speaker" (Breaking News, April 21): Michael Oren as keynote speaker is a divisive and polarizing choice. The graduating class should not be sent off with words from an apologist for war. Why not hear from one of the other honorary degree recipients, such as Paul Farmer or Judge Kaye, whose experiences can surely provide students with more inspirational, constructive and useful advice. -Ricky Weiss '78 Politicization of ceremony is wrongIn response to your article "Michael Oren to serve as commencement keynote speaker" (Breaking News, April 21): Commencement is supposed to be a time to celebrate the achievements we have made together. Why invite such a divisive speaker to mark this date? I, for one, am quite angry that my commencement is being turned into a political statement. Regardless of your thoughts on Oren's opinions, you should recognize that he is the wrong choice. -Allison Morse '10 Sustainability amendment is flawedIn response to your article "Rework 'green fee' amendment" (Forum, April 20): To the editorial board, thank you for this fair assessment of the flaws of the Sustainability Fund as it was proposed. I had a hard time believing what I was reading when I first saw the points contained within the proposal. The mandatory fee was compared to the technology fee in the sense that both would be required add-ons to tuition in order to provide funding for the intended services. Furthermore, there seem to be central issues concerning the importance and role of this fund and of its timing in relation to the other constitutional actions of this year. If the Sustainability Board is truly comparable to the Technology Fee, quite simply, it should not be administered by students. We each pay some fixed amount to the University that gets put aside for use by Library and Technology Services for network maintenance, storage and assistance. These elements of our University are equally shared by everyone-by professors making international calls for research; by anyone streaming WBRS wirelessly from campus; by staff and facilities members keeping accounts and making orders; and of course by you, all the time, even when you should be sleeping. These are absolutely essential functions of the University, and as the primary group of people who are paying to be involved here, we end up footing the technology fee. The Sustainability Board, on the other hand, is in no way similar. It is essentially a club, conceived and presumably run by those who are also members of Students for Environmental Action. Nothing it says it would do would be an essential service to the entire University community. A "green-themed" dance party? I presume that means the glowsticks would be LEDs instead of nasty chemicals. Bravo-but let's be serious here, and I'm not going to bother spelling out why that is absurd. If this is a University function that demands an addition to our tuition paid to the University, it should be run by the University in the way that LTS is. Qualified, paid professionals should be making decisions, and I believe they are-the Office of Capital Projects makes decisions and no doubt consults with other professionals, including environmentally oriented ones, before embarking on new construction. If the Sustainability Board would duplicate that, it would be unnecessary, and if it would be different, it's hard to see how it would serve the University in general. Finally, we come to the issue of timing and club definitions. It is awfully suspicious that we're hearing about a Sustainability Board getting "secured" only a few weeks after the student body voted down SEA's proposal to be given that same recognition. As the editorial board pointed out, "labeling [the Board] as 'fundamental to the mission of the university'" is premature given that it does not and has not existed. I believe it took Student Sexuality Information Service nearly 40 years from its inception to be listed as "secured." I may be wrong, but it sure looks like this was an alternate plan to be proposed in the event that SEA was not "secured." The Board wouldn't even be a club, as I understand it, so marking it as "secured" would not make sense. On the other hand, if it is a club, then why is it getting its own pipeline of funding rather than taking out of the Student Activities Fee, and how does it contend with questions of duality of purpose with SEA? Students should not face a mandatory fee to provide $50,000 per year to a student club that has never existed before and has not yet satisfactorily answered significant questions about its formation and identity. -Gideon Kilonsky '11
(04/27/10 4:00am)
For his senior thesis, Evan Parks '10 has prepared maps of people's movements through the Usdan Student Center lobby based on hours of video footage. The video and the maps are currently on display in the lobby.JustArts: How did you decide to focus on Usdan for your research?Evan Parks: I'm writing about European modernist architecture in my larger thesis work, and there's something singular about modernist architecture that tries to at once reduce space to absolute function, only provide basic human needs but also enhance or liberate or allow the inhabitants of spaces some sort of distinct personal identity. Usdan struck me as a case study on campus to look at a space that flows very functionally and has a very prescribed order but also purports to be a mouthpiece of the student body. It is at once dictating how students navigate it and the university, and endowing students with a sense that they are voicing their needs and interests.JA: Had you thought about that before, or was it only after learning about modernist architecture that you started to see it that way?EP: I've always felt very uncomfortable in that space. I've done some research in the archive and looked up the philosophies behind it and the functions behind it. ... There was rhetoric about it being a living room, about how it was the first building on campus that was entirely devoted to student life. ... It really struck me, the contradiction between the idea that this building is a living space and its actuality as a space that never leaves you quite comfortable. Every room puts pressure on you suddenly to move on or to go to another room. Even the dining halls and the game room, and particularly all the entrances and open forum areas, never let you settle or congregate. It wasn't until I started looking at it critically after thinking about modernist architecture that I was able to see it as having these two functions at once.I'm in [Prof.] Chris Abrams' (FA) architectural drawing and design class, and I've gotten the opportunity to draw floor plans and sections and elevations of the building. Once I was able to look at those it was more clear to me that the building had an ideology. ... I think that there's a tendency when you walk through spaces to not think about them or not think about the fact that you're in a new space, but really I think that buildings are narratives. ... There's a voice there and it's encouraging us to think and behave and I guess I see my project somehow trying to raise people's awareness that there is a voice, a particularly strong one in this case.JA: What do you think that voice is? How would you characterize it?EP: Well I think that this building is very radical. There's this campus lore-unsubstantiated so far as I've been able to research-that the building was designed in response to student protests in the '60s. ... And whether that's actually true or not, I think that there's certainly an element of the space that encourages a thoughtless circulation that I believe reflects a larger shift in the university experience. The space that I'm working with, the opening room, which is the upper Usdan lobby, where my installation takes place, is a space that has, I believe, a fundamental contradiction between a plaza or forum ... [for] spontaneous interaction, and a corridor with intensely directed pathways of circulation.JA: What do you hope your installation will achieve?EP: I'm hoping that there's going to be something really disconcerting about this installation. For one thing, I'm going to have these videos screening and I'm going to place them right in the middle of the room so that a) it disrupts pathways of circulation and b) makes people just stop and look at and think about how people circulate and go through that room. It's remarkable, I took hours and hours of footage-I'm only going to screen about an hour and a half-but almost no one, maybe one or two people in all of the footage I took, noticed that there was a camera in the space filming. ... So I think that there's going to be something disconcerting about people seeing these videos, often perhaps of themselves, and thinking, "Wow, when was this video taken? I thought I had some sort of familiarity in this space, but I'm not really aware of what's happening here."The video intends to accentuate a sense of surveillance, because I think that this building is in a certain sense about monitoring student activity and ensuring that students have a meal plan and get funneled through these university businesses with the illusion that they are making their own decisions. I'm also going to have these charts posted, and I think that it is a little disconcerting to see your actions reduced to these very scientific-looking data points.
(04/27/10 4:00am)
Last week, the University formally announced that Michael Oren, the Israeli ambassador to the United States, will deliver the keynote address at the 2010 commencement exercises. Although under different circumstances he could have been a fascinating speaker to bring to the campus, Mr. Oren is a divisive and inappropriate choice for keynote speaker at commencement, and we disapprove of the University's decision to grant someone of his polarity on this campus that honor. For the administration, Mr. Oren's invitation constitutes at best naiveté and at worst disregard concerning the reality of the range of student political orientation on this campus. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is a hotly contested political issue, one that inspires students with serious positions on the topic to fervently defend and promote their views. That reality is visible at most events concerning the conflict. During last semester's joint appearance of Justice Richard Goldstone, who headed the United Nations fact-finding mission following the 2008 Israeli incursion, and former Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Dore Gold, several students interrupted Mr. Gold's speech in silent protest. Despite the disrespect of some students, that thought-provoking forum was exactly the type of event that this university should host-and in such a context, we are certain that Mr. Oren would have been an excellent choice for speaker. However, commencement is a time to bring the University together in celebration of the achievements of the graduating class. Commencement is not a forum for academic or political debate.Already, many students are expressing anger toward the University regarding the choice of keynote speaker, and Mr. Oren's address will almost undoubtedly inspire some form of protest at the ceremony, permanently marring the 2010 exercises. We are pleased with the University's choices for honorary degree recipients overall. All of them, including Mr. Oren, are accomplished individuals who are most deserving of honorary degrees from this University. Despite his credentials and whatever the content of his speech may be, Mr. Oren remains a polarizing choice for keynote speaker, and commencement simply remains an incorrect format for predictable controversy on this level. The University's decision to offer Mr. Oren that coveted speaking position at commencement ultimately reflects its overlooking of the needs of its diverse student body. The arrangements with Mr. Oren may already be finalized, but we urge the administration to prevent further insensitivity and, foremost, to prioritize students.
(04/20/10 4:00am)
No students attended last Thursday's information session about the constitutional amendment regarding the implementation of a Sustainability Fund that will add $15.00 annually to the current Student Activities Fee.According to the amendment proposal, the Brandeis Sustainability Fund "provides financial support for Brandeis undergraduate students willing to undertake projects to improve Brandeis's environmental sustainability." If approved, the amendment would also result in a Sustainability Fund Board, a secured organization that would allocate funding for student projects. Three representatives from Students for Environmental Action brought the proposal with the 10 mandatory signatures from senators to the April 11 Student Union Senate meeting, and the student body will vote on the amendment on April 26. In an interview with the Justice, Matthew Schmidt '11, a former SEA president, attributed the lack of turnout to the fact that SEA did not sufficiently publicize the meeting. He explained that there would be another information session on April 22 and that members of SEA would be tabling in the Usdan Student Center and dormstorming to explain the nuances of the amendment and garner student turnout."When we get going, I expect we will have a big turnout at the vote, and I am fairly confident we will be successful," he said. Hannah Saltman '12, the current president of SEA, added that "next week would be a campuswide push."Schmidt said that he was not particularly concerned or offended about the lack of turnout-SEA had simply wanted to provide a forum for students to voice their opinions. Schmidt also said he did not expect a large amount of controversy over the amendment and raised concerns that students might not understand the amendment in its entirety. "Misinformation is the greatest cause of anger," he said, explaining that while students might have fundamental problems with the concept of a sustainability fund, a lot of the people potentially upset can simply harbor preconceived notions. Senator for the Class of 2012 Abby Kulawitz, who provided one of the necessary 10 senatorial signatures that allowed the amendment to be voted on, wrote in an e-mail to the Justice said that the students' approval of the amendment would result from their ability to understand it. "We need to understand that the money is open to any undergraduate students who want to promote sustainability. Further, we need to understand that the fee is separate from SEA. If students understand the fund, I am hopeful that it will pass."Kulawitz also wrote that she supported the amendment because she believes a sustainability fund is an efficient method of increasing environmental activism."The amendment allows students to execute projects towards energy efficiency, waste management-all-in-all, towards a more sustainable Brandeis," she wrote.
(04/13/10 4:00am)
At a March 23 meeting, the Board of Trustees approved a $356 million University operating budget for fiscal 2011 as well as the Brandeis 2020 committee's recommendations that were accepted by Provost Marty Krauss. The budget for fiscal 2011 includes revenues from an increase of 100 in undergraduate enrollment, the second stage of the University's plan to grow the student body that began with an additional 100 students in the class of 2013. According to last year's academic restructuring plan, the University is raising enrollment by 400 students over four years. To close a projected deficit, the trustees voted to take $11.1 million out of the University's reserves or quasi-endowment, which corresponds to a spending rate of 6.8 percent from the endowment, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Fran Drolette wrote in an e-mail to the Justice. In addition to restoring the University's retirement contributions starting in July, the budget also includes a 2-percent merit raise increase pool for faculty and staff earning an annual base salary lower than $150,000. According to a March 26 University press release, the University projects that the deficit will drop to $6.3 million in 2012 and $1.8 million in 2013, with a $600,000 surplus in 2014. According to the press release, the budget projects $320,000 in savings from faculty reductions. "The projections in the University's long-range plan include a reduction in the endowment draw rate each year, until FY 2013-2014, when it is expected to be down to 5%," Drolette wrote in an e-mail. The budget also projects savings of $200,000 from renegotiated pricing for gas used for energy as well as savings of $90,000 from Library and Technology Services, which includes an initiative to implement hosted applications for e-mail and calendaring services. Also, part of the budget is a 3.9 percent increase in tuition and fees, with tuition set at $38,994, that together with average room and board fee puts the cost of attendance over $50,000 for the first time. The increase in tuition and fees will cover increased costs to the University, including financial aid, Drolette wrote. She explained that due to the Massachusetts adoption of the Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act, the University could avoid going deeper into its reserves and instead continue to fund activities such as financial aid or salaries with endowments that have decreased under their original value, which the prior laws prohibited. Trustees approved the termination of the Master of Arts in Cultural Production, the Master of Fine Arts in Theater and external admission to the master's program in Anthropology. They also approved the termination of the Ph.D. program in Biochemistry and the Ph.D. program in Biophysics and Structural Biology, while authorizing the creation of a new Ph.D. program in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry as a replacement. At the undergraduate level, the trustees approved the termination of the Internet Studies minor and the Italian Studies major as well as the Yiddish and European Studies minor and the Hebrew Language and Literature major, both of which the Near East and Judaic Studies Department will incorporate as tracks. The trustees also voted to end the B.A./M.A. Programs in Anthroplogy, History, Physics and Politics.Other 2020 proposals only needed Krauss' approval, such as the reorganization of American Studies as an interdepartmental program and the reorganization of the science departments within a Division of Science. The proposals are expected to save the University $3.8 million annually and result in the in a short-term cut of 12 to 14 full- and part-time staff and contract faculty starting in the summer of 2011. "The Board was very, very complementary about the work that had been done really over the last year. . They're very very appreciative to the faculty that took this seriously and did a very difficult job," Krauss said in an interview following the meeting. Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe said that there would be further discussions with affected departments to implement the changes. Jaffe said that one measure that the University will also re-evaluate over the coming year is the Justice Brandeis Semester program, which was approved during last year's academic restructuring process as a way to accommodate increased enrollment by offering experiential courses with the option of a semester off later on and off-campus during the academic year. Five of the eight approved JBS courses did not receive the required number of eight applications and will not take place, according to Jaffe. "What we have realized is that we can't count on the JBS as a major part of the strategy to accommodate the increasing number of students," Jaffe said at an open forum yesterday. Faculty Senate Chair Sabine von Mering (GRALL) wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that the Senate welcomed the raise pool and the return of retirement contributions but that the broader implications of Brandeis 2020 will still need to be discussed including "the balance of graduate vs undergraduate education, the role of the professional schools, and such potential new initiatives as distance learning," she wrote. For Rebecca Wilkof '10, the financial challenges became personal when she found out that that the contract of her Spanish professor, Olmanda Hernandez-Guerrero (ROMS), had not been renewed. She started a Facebook group calling for Hernandez-Guerrero to remain at Brandeis.Hernandez-Guerrero, who started at Brandeis in 1999, said that since learning about the end of her contract, she had applied to many other positions, finding herself competing with 200 to 300 applicants. "During times like this we people who have contracts . have no security in our jobs." But she added that she was very thankful that the University had honored its obligation to grant her sabbatical pay for the coming year even though she would not be able to return afterward. Department Chair Prof. Edward Kaplan (ROMS) explained that Hernandez-Guerrero was the only contract faculty member whose contract was up for renewal this year and that the department "did not have enough sections authorized in Spanish and she was not renewed for that simple financial reason. . There's nothing extraordinary about the situation, except that it's sad that it happens to a wonderful human being." Jaffe said the non-renewal of her contract was not part of Brandeis 2020 or the Curriculum and Academic Restructuring Steering committee's reductions but part of the University's regular budgetary process. At yesterday's open forum, students raised concerns about housing, academics, fundraising and the swim team in addition to concerns about the financial future of the University. Reinharz noted at the forum that it had been difficult to raise money for capital projects such as residence halls and added that he felt that it would be "more and more difficult to raise unrestricted funds." Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy called it "the heartbreak of this year that we have not been able to come up with a solution that works" for the Lindsey pool. -Fiona Lockyer contributed reporting.
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Critique of discussion was incompleteIn response to your article "Israeli-Palestinian conflict should have a greater role in campus discussion" (Forum, March 23):I commend Eitan Cooper on his call for serious and open engagement on such a controversial issue. I agree that the question of Israel/Palestine is noticeably absent from public conversations on this campus. Indeed, except in courses explicitly on the subject, even most professors avoid bringing it up in class. I agree, also, that given the near-and-dear nature of the issue to many of our hearts, and our student body's social proximity to Israel-lobby organizations like AIPAC and J Street, our campus should be especially engaged in dialogue and mobilization around the issue. I disagree with Cooper, however, about the cause of the apparent muteness around the subject and what ought to be done about it. That the conversation about Palestine/Israel is so emotionally driven on campus discourages many students from confronting it openly. It's not just a political question at Brandeis. Indeed, many American Jews conflate their position on the issue to their very identity. For this reason, many students choose to avoid confronting friends who may hold different views on the situation in order to avoid alienation and hurt. The relative muteness of arguments critical of Israel cannot be attributed simply to a numerical minority, as Cooper suggests. Rather, we who would criticize Israel often feel marginalized by the "mainstream" tendency on campus. Mainstream discourse, on the part of the administration and student body, imparts a sense that criticism of Israel is an oppositional view. At the risk of making a generalization, this tacit social pressure may not be apparent to those of the mainstream opinion, but it exists. When it comes to conversations on human rights, however, marginal and minority voices are the ones most essential to the dialogue. Finally, I disagree with Cooper's suggestion that the University should "create more Goldstone/Gold-like, politically charged events in order to get our juices going and resuscitate the issue." Events that evoke antagonism, like the Goldstone/Gold debate, discourage positive dialogue. They are adversarial spectacles, opportunities for students to pick a side and cheer on their man. Framing the dialogue as a "Pro-Israel vs. Anti-Israel" boxing match establishes an oppositional binary, whereby listening and reasoning are subverted by hostility. This violent mode is the norm for discussing Palestine/Israel here, as exemplified by the Carter/Dershowitz showdown. Encouraging these antagonistic spectacles will only generate more hostility, polarity, and marginalization. Instead, I propose we reinvent the practices of communication used to discuss the subject. Nonviolent, constructive and respectful conversations can be had if we avoid the oppositional binary. There are a number of students on this campus trained in the practice of Nonviolent Communication who are qualified to mediate serious dialogue. I agree with Cooper that the campus must discuss this subject more publicly, and I would espouse more activity on the part of critics of Israel, but we must maintain and strengthen the bonds of community if we are to positively engage one another.Editor's note: This comment was originally posted under another's name without that individual's knowledge or consent. The name was removed from this page at the request of the individual whose name was used falsely. Permit undergrad TAs to give gradesIn response to your article "Changes proposed to undergraduate teaching assistant grading" (News, March 23): The University should allow undergraduate TAs to grade assignments. Undergrad TA experience is particularly beneficial for future graduate students, and an opportunity unique to a school like Brandeis. Giving undergraduate TAs more formal responsibility would further enhance the benefits of being a TA. As a senior at Brandeis I worked closely with a professor teaching a small seminar class. Even though I could not formally grade, I consulted with the professor on all written assignments. I gained a deep appreciation for the struggles and rewards of teaching, and also learned the material better myself in being forced to evaluate other students' work. That experience helped me decide to pursue a Ph.D., helped me get into Northwestern University and today is my best background as I prepare to teach my own course at Northwestern. Even though I've been a graduate TA in various courses at Northwestern, I had more actual teaching experience as an undergraduate TA at Brandeis. I realize that my TA experience at Brandeis was unique and does not represent most undergrad TAs, but I think giving undergrad TAs more formal responsibility would benefit the program as a whole. Brandeis should capitalize on its ability to offer undergraduates an experience that not even all graduate students get.-Jeff Kosbie '06
