(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.
(04/13/10 4:00am)
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
(04/13/10 4:00am)
On Saturday night, I walked into the Zinner Forum in the Heller School of Social Policy and Management to find a different scene than usual. A man was standing at the front of the forum yelling into a microphone, instructing pairs to "swing their partners 'round and 'round." Instead of seeing students studying in the school's characteristic red chairs, there were international Heller students and senior citizens square dancing together. The enthusiastic dancing partners were made up of elderly Bostonians and international Heller students from everywhere from Vietnam to Tanzania. Before the dancing, I walked into what is usually a classroom to find the older dancers serving classic American dishes to the international students. Their plates were piled high with homemade food, including peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwiches. Saturday's square dance reflected the idea of "common humanity," that Sherbaz Ali Khan (GRAD), participated in the dance and frequently speaks of, as the students from all different ethnic backgrounds and the elderly, mostly Jewish, Brandeis Osher Lifelong Learning Institute members danced the night away together as if they were old friends. This event was just one of many for BOLLI's International Friends Program, a program under the umbrella group which is a learning center for adults between the ages of 60 and 90. BOLLI is one of 122 Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes throughout the country, according to its website. "This is our 10th anniversary. People come to learn, to make friends and be in a social situation," says Sharon Sokoloff, BOLLI director. BOLLI members take courses in everything from current events to physics and also bring speakers to campus to talk at a lunchtime series they have on Tuesdays. The International Friends Program began six years ago in 2004 was created to facilitate friendship between international students in Heller and members of BOLLI.The program arose after BOLLI members voiced feelings of isolation from the rest of the campus. Lynn Wiener, the Friends Program founder, who came up with the idea to integrate BOLLI members with campus through pairing them with international students in a friendship program."[BOLLI members] are there to let [the students] know, 'I'm here, I'm here, I care about you.' They have a challenge, they talk to their person. I think everybody wants to get outside his or her little world and culture. That's why [BOLLI members] are here," says Sokoloff. "I had heard of similar programs with people befriending [international students]. There was a program at Tanglewood in the Berkshires, [where there were] no responsibilities, no fiscal, housing, just friendship. Mutual exchanges of cultures," says Wiener.Since then, there have been over 400 Sustainable International Development students in the program and about 75 BOLLI friends. The Heller students are all from abroad, and since their ages vary so much, some even have families they have left behind in their home country."Our members serve the role as a family for folks," says Sokoloff. At the beginning of the fall semester, BOLLI members and the Heller students get together for a meet-and-greet."The members and students talk... and then the committee takes names and hooks people up. Every friendship is its own thing," says Sokoloff. The committee is made up of BOLLI members who have experience in the International Friends Program. After this initial meeting, the friends go on outings together in Boston to give them a feel for life in the U.S., specifically in Boston. Friends have gone to museums, the beach, bowling and to restaurants. BOLLI maintains that the program is based on friendship, and BOLLI members do not act as mentors to the international students. "It's not mentoring in the sense of professional or academic, it may be kind of life mentoring, just being a great friend because our members are in the wisdom stage of life," says Sokoloff. If there is a problem with the pairing, there is board of BOLLI members that are there for the friends to deal with problems."We train [BOLLI members] at the beginning of the year for common problems. [For instance], students will get into financial problems and will reach out to members, who should immediately contact us. It's like no. [There's] boundary. They are just friends," says Sokoloff.In addition to the outings, BOLLI friends have their international friends over for holidays and family events. Wiener, the program founder from Newton, never thought she would be sharing her Passover seder with students from places like Haiti, Pakistan and Zimbabwe. However, for the past five years, the seder table has been the picture of the International Friends Program."We have them to the house, and I have children and grandchildren in the area, so everyone has a good time with that," says Wiener.One of her friends, Ali Khan, is in his second year in the Sustainable International Development program and has been Wiener's friend since fall of 2008. Ali Khan, an outspoken man from Pakistan, says it is because of Wiener and her family that he has been able to learn so much about U.S. culture and history, and that he feels he would not have been able to learn without them."We will not have learned so many things about U.S. culture, U.S. people, different festivals. If they were not here, we would not have known. Maybe through other ways but maybe not as interesting, and not through the real people. Reading [about] a place or going to a place, that's fine, but you need real people," says Ali Khan.Ali Khan and Wiener have shared holidays together and have learned about commonalities between them despite their religious and cultural differences. "[Wiener] is caring like a mother. She [always] asks how the weather is affecting [me], about our studies, caring like a mother but sharing like a friend. I say she is a friend with a motherly nature," says Ali Khan. "My family and I are Muslim, but my thinking is that I believe in humanity that is the religion of all of us. I have been to church, mosque, [synagogue], for me it is a source of understanding each other. What I feel like in BOLLI in what I've seen, religion doesn't matter but common humanity, and that's why we are connected," says Ali Khan. BOLLI members and their international friends have had generally positive experiences. However, the SID program that they are in is only two years long, and oftentimes, the students return to their native country upon completion of the program. Even though it is sad for the friends to separate, many remain in touch. Wiener maintains her relationships via e-mail. Two of her friends, now graduated, from Zimbabwe, have stayed in Boston and still attend holidays with her. "Wherever I go, I will be in touch with her. If I'm able to get a job here, definitely I will be in contact with her, or even if I go back to Pakistan or wherever I go, I have a relationship with them that is forever. It will not be over when my program is over. When I talk to students about my Heller experience I will tell them about Lynn. It has become an integral part," says Ali Khan.
(03/23/10 4:00am)
This week Avner Swerdlow '10, representing the SunDeis Film Festival Committee, filed a suit in the Student Judiciary, formerly the Union Judiciary, against Illona Yuhaev '11 and the IndieLouie Film Festival Committee. Mr. Swerdlow claimed that the online description of IndieLouis, a new student-run Brandeis film festival, constituted slander against SunDeis. The SJ announced yesterday that it has declined to grant the case certiorari. We believe the SJ made a sensible decision and hope it demonstrates similar practicality in the future. As of last week, when the student body passed amendments to the Student Union constitution, the SJ also has the option to recommend that students participate in a mediation resolution process. Mediation is an ideal alternative for resolving precisely this type of dispute, and the student body was wise to pass this amendment.Disputes such as this one are inappropriate grounds for SJ trials, and Swerdlow should not have filed a suit in the SJ. Instead, the mediation resolution process is a useful option for ending conflicts between small groups of people. Students who elect to participate in this process discuss this issue informally with the SJ, and if the discussions prove inconclusive, the SJ can try the case. Each party involved can express his or her opinion in a less stressful setting than an SJ trial would create. Even outside of the mediation resolution process, students can easily find other ways to settle disagreements. For example, the parties involved can hold private discussions until they reach a conclusion. If students feel they cannot resolve the dispute independently, Associate Dean of Student Life Jamele Adams is also available to help mediate conflicts. In conflicts that involve larger groups, students can organize open forums and allow other students to offer their perspectives.After Mr. Swerdlow and Ms. Yuhaev approached the SJ, Chief Justice Judah Marans reminded them that they had the option to engage in this mediation resolution process. It is the SJ's responsibility to not only resolve conflicts but also to direct students elsewhere when a full trial is unnecessary. In the future, the SJ should continue to alert students to the most appropriate type of resolution process for issues that may arise.
(03/23/10 4:00am)
Last week's election on amendments to the Student Union Constitution was problematic in the way it represented information about proposed changes. The election took place last Thursday and involved a number of amendments to the Union constitution developed by this year's quadrennial Constitutional Review Committee. Voting options not only listed arguments for and against the amendments under consideration on the ballot but unfairly listed several arguments against some amendments but not others. The amendment calling for the securing of Student Sexuality Information Service, which passed, only listed arguments in favor of the amendment. The amendment calling for the securing of Students for Environmental Action listed arguments both for and against that club being secured-and the amendment did not pass.While this editorial board does not suggest that the failure of the SEA amendment is exclusively based on the presence of arguments against its passing on the voting ballot, it is evident that the amendment was not fairly presented. It is commonly accepted that it is improper for candidates or their supporters to campaign at poll sites; this practice is prohibited by law in governmental elections in the United States. In the case of last Thursday's election, however, the Student Union, and not the representatives of SSIS and SEA, unfairly campaigned for and against those clubs.The voting ballot was also an inappropriate place for decisions about securing clubs. Although all students were given the opportunity to participate in the election, fewer than 300 students voted, and voters' support for securing SSIS and SEA does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the student body in general. Instead, the Union should have presented these proposals separately in another open forum or a blog, for example.This is not to mention the user-unfriendliness of Thursday's election. Minutes after the polls opened at midnight on Thursday morning, Union President Andy Hogan '11 sent an e-mail to students explaining exactly how to use the online ballot. The e-mail presented the entire list of amendments as a massive hyperlink, leading to a second landing page from which students could vote. Students should not need additional help voting in an online election, and the e-mail instructions might actually have served to confuse students.The Student Union has contracted out its election system to BigPulse, an online voting software company, since the beginning of 2007, and complaints have followed ever since. The passing of an amendment in favor of Instant Runoff Voting will most likely see the demise of the current software, which cost $2,464 this year in subscription fees. The current configuration does not allow voters to rank choices, which is central to IRV's functioning. We hope that the development of a new online voting system will correct technical and administrative errors in the future.
(03/23/10 4:00am)
Student Union President Andy Hogan '11 raised a discussion about last Thursday's failed vote to change the new student government structure. He mentioned the idea of creating an ad hoc task force to report on basic recommendations about improving the structure of the Student Union. Tom Charging Hawk '10 spoke about violations made to the Student Bill of Rights in regard to this year's SunDeis Film Festival. He requested the Senate's acknowledgment that since the administration has mandated Prof. Alice Kelikian (HIST), chair of the Film, Television and Interactive Media program, to head the festival, it was no longer solely "student-run." Senator for the Foster Mods Amy Mandel '10 spoke on behalf of the senior senators who have been planning a senior bonding night prior to Senior Week. She asked the Senate to sponsor an event that would bring 70 seniors to a Red Sox game. The senate voted to subsidize one-quarter of the ticket cost, so tickets would be sold for $30 per student. Mandel also reported that lamps will be installed in the Mods by the time students move in next fall. Student Union Vice President Amanda Hecker '10 informed the Senate that $315 was granted to the Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps and University Police for a 5-kilometer run for Haiti and Invisible Children. The event is sponsored by Student Events as well as Phi Psi and will be held April 18 at noon. It costs $5 to participate. The Senate voted to charter the Economics Club, which will serve as a forum for discussion on current economic issues such as the national debt and unemployment rate. The Senate also voted to charter the Golf Club. The Senate approved Senator for the Class of 2010 Jackie Saffir's request to cover the costs of dessert, plates and cutlery for the Senate-sponsored charity water auction, which will be held on April 14.`
(03/16/10 4:00am)
On March 9, the Administrative Resource Review Committee released its final report, the results of months of the committee's efforts to make Brandeis more economically efficient through "[examining] staffing levels, compensation and trends" as well as "prospectively [assessing] possibilities for efficiencies and savings going forward," identifying "an additional [added to previous administrative cuts] $1.49 million-$2.74 million in savings, with some achievable starting in 2011 and others achievable, as with ongoing academic initiatives, over a longer time period through 2015," according to the report.Created by University President Jehuda Reinharz on Oct. 19, 2009, the Committee focuses on the organization of the administrative staff at Brandeis as well as the broad interests of the University, such as faculty and facilities staffing, compensation and benefits, energy investments and use of space on campus. The committee, chaired by Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Apfel, worked with other non-University research groups to analyze University spending habits and compare them to the spending habits of comparable institutions in the market. The report states that Brandeis' procurement, widely defined as purchasing the right materials for the right price at the right time, in the future may dovetail with other institutions of the Boston Consortium, which is comprised of universities in and around Boston including Brandeis, Tufts University, Emerson College and Wellesley College, since "the bulk of the projected savings are tied to collective action." A wellness initiative and joined purchase of health care are two areas in which the Committee predicts possibly working with the Boston Consortium as early as 2011, while Apfel stated in a recent interview that efforts such as combined paper and office supply procurement are more likely to take place in the near future.According to the ARRC report released on the Brandeis Web site, "The Committee found that salaries for both staff and the senior administrative component tied closely to market levels for the positions in question." Moreover, the salaries of the top paid academic administrators were found to be at 50.5 percent, extremely close to the 50th percentile within the market for similar institutions. This means that Brandeis academic administrators are being paid roughly the average salary of employees of a comparable position in the market. Moreover, senior administrators weighed in at 57.4 percent, a slightly more elevated salary than the average, but based on 12.1 years of service at Brandeis compared to the four-years average of academic administrators. Employee compensation has increased over past years, as newly hired staff has been acquired at rates closer to market averages, where previous staff was acquired at rates below the market average. While staff benefit packages at Brandeis, which include healt-care benefits and retirement contributions, are not quite as expansive as other comparable institutions according to Apfel, the ARRC report concludes that compensation for recently hired staff has risen to meet the market 50th percentile. Facilities employees at Brandeis are paid slightly above the market average, which the ARRC report justifies by explaining that the "University has in the past supported this for social justice reasons." When asked if more competitive pay has brought more qualified educators to Brandeis, Apfel replied that although his time at Brandeis has been short, he has noticed the retention rate of professors increase at Brandeis and noted the efficiency of a more market-competitive pay, which combats the "lost productivity" that occurs in the process of rehiring a position.The report also focused on areas such as energy investment. The committee has endorsed facilities findings, which encourage the University to "modify its natural gas and electricity contracts to take advantage of current market conditions for savings." Keeping in mind the advantages of correct procurement-a term that describes buying the right materials at the right time for the right amount in order to create return income-the Committee is also embracing "an important green initiative: another round of mechanical investments capable of generating a positive financial return from utility savings." Moreover, the Committee embraces a "managed printing initiative," which was brought to attention through public forums held by the ARRC.In a recent interview, Apfel referred to a "new capability" for Brandeis, which will be the result of a movement to centralize physical information about the University in the form of a space study. The study will compare "physical configuration [of buildings] to use to time of day" to make Brandeis more efficient by scheduling better use of the time and resources available. Library and Technology Services has proposed a "reduction of public desktop computing clusters [that] would result in an immediate cost savings of $45,000" as well as "migration from locally supported email services to hosted email services [that] would result in annual cost savings of $35,000." The Committee is still in the process of reviewing many of the concerns raised through the community, many having to do with green initiatives such as paper reduction, fax machine reduction and "analysis of whether Brandeis might emphasize perennials in its landscaping program.
(03/16/10 4:00am)
Cherish University's Italian majorTo the Editor:I was profoundly disappointed to read that the University declared the Italian Studies program unworthy of continuing status in the future. If the only reason for declaring certain concentrations obsolete is the number of graduates in the major, I can see why Italian made the list. I was the sole major from the Class of 2006. However, is this the true indicator of whether or not a time-honored, classic and beautiful language should be deemed unimportant to the future of liberal arts education? I can't imagine so. My Italian major did exactly what a Brandeis liberal arts education should: It educated me, inspired me, made me unique and advanced me. It made me a true Brandeis alumna, a well-rounded scholar committed to giving back to the world. In failing to commit to these values by extinguishing a critical liberal arts concentration, Brandeis intentionally changes its place in the world and its purpose. By limiting creative course offerings, Brandeis diminishes its ability to produce graduates with diverse backgrounds, educations and opportunities. As Blutinger eloquently relates in his article, an Italian studies education serves an important role, applicable to both current events and history. The Brandeis department and faculty is excellent. Prof. Paola Servino (ROMS) is the favorite professor of most who have had the honor of knowing her; she imparts passion for her language and culture in a way that makes you want to learn more. The education I and many others received from this fine faculty should not be undervalued. The Italian major should be available to future Brandeisians who will in turn make use of their degree in inspiring and life-changing ways. I call on Brandeis to look for alternatives to the very un-Brandeis plan to cut this traditional discipline from its curriculum and to commit itself to preserving the inclusive academic liberal arts education that has always served as the base of our incredible institution. -Monica Katz-Lapides '06Students, respect donor plaquesTo the Editor:I wanted to make a general plea to Brandeis students in response to a communication I received earlier this week from a generous, longtime friend to the University. I have long known that from time to time students will remove letters from the sides of campus buildings. I understand that it's sort of a "tradition" among students, and it has been happening for years. I can also understand how it may be perceived as a victimless crime. However, earlier this week, a good friend to the University informed me that several of the letters that spelled out her father's name were missing from the side of a building that had been named in his honor. Her father had been a dedicated and early supporter of this institution who gave everything he could to see that Brandeis would succeed. The building named in his honor is his legacy. It was therefore disappointing for this man's daughter to see that his legacy had been made a sort of joke. I urge students to remember while an act may appear to be victimless, this is not always true.-Erin WarnkeThe writer works in the Development and Alumni Relations Office.Maintain amiable religious climateIn response to your article "New Muslim Student Association lounge vandalized" (News, March 9): This incident is terrible, and I am really upset that something like this would happen at the school I called home for four years. I attended the peace vigil on Friday afternoon, however, and I was very encouraged and inspired by the positive community response I witnessed. Hopefully this incident will continue to inspire a renewed spirit of welcoming and religious and cultural pluralism. That is what the Brandeis I know is all about.-Mike Bohen '08The writer is a former member of the Catholic Student Organization leadership. Affirm campus religious freedom Regarding your article "New Muslim Student Association lounge vandalized" (News, March 9): Brandeis University came into being in the post-World War II years as a reaction to religious and ethnic persecution. And for years we prided ourselves upon one fact of campus architecture; that the chapels are designed so that one does not overshadow the other. I think it would be appropriate for the Brandeis community to react to this dastardly attack on its Muslim members by having a convocation to reaffirm its social justice values. Freedom of religion, a part of the U.S. Constitution, should be upheld as a particularly precious right at Brandeis. -Paul Trusten, R.Ph. '73 DREAM is step in wrong directionIn response to your article "Congress, Pass DREAM" (Forum, March 9): I am quite sure students given legal U.S. status through the DREAM act would continue to be active and involved on campus and beyond-active in getting laws passed to legalize their parents who came to the U.S. illegally knowing full well that they were breaking the laws of this country and risking future deportation and separation from their loved ones.These highly educated students should go with their families back to their home countries and use their pricey U.S. education (one wonders how they are financing it now; undoubtedly through U.S. taxpayer largesse) and work to improve their own country, thus avoiding the fear of separation from their families. -Ann PennellKeep senior thesis as optionalRegarding your article "Senior theses should be mandatory for students" (Forum, March 9): I spent nearly four years at Brandeis working for the Justice. Unless I go senile someday, there's no chance I'll forget the interviews I did, working with the writers or staggering home in an advanced state of sleep deprivation after yet another 30-hour day in the newsroom (we called it a "Justice Sunrise"). Time of my life, man. But it was a struggle to keep up with classes, and if a mandatory thesis had been added to that, I would have had to stop working for the paper. Period. There just aren't enough hours in the day. I commend Cooper for seeking a lasting college experience, but advocating for a mandatory thesis-writing program for everyone isn't the way to do it. Maybe it'd be helpful for the students who aren't doing anything other than taking a regular course load and partying, but when I went to Brandeis, most of the people I knew were either working a side job to pay for school, competing as part of a sports team, writing for one of the newspapers or magazines, acting in productions, carrying out community service programs, and so on. Many of them, myself included, have ended up in jobs which directly require the skills picked up from those extracurriculars. When compared with those enjoyable alternatives for self-improvement and growth, "you can even pick the font" just doesn't seem like a compelling enough reason for many students to spend their college days researching a subject they'll always remember but not necessarily use. -Jennifer Morrow '07The writer is a former Justice Arts editor.Do not switch to instant runoffsIn response to your article "Constitutional Review?Committee releases report" (News, March 9): Look before you leap. Learn from the University of Virginia's experience with instant runoff voting. Read how instant runoff voting results baffle UVA students. The University Board of Elections should educate the student body further about its voting methodology. UVA students were confused by the results of recent instant runoff voting election for student body. The results of the election were bizarre: The candidate with the most first- and second-choice votes lost. Even the winner of UVA's instant runoff voting election didn't understand the results. Consider that U.S. News has ranked UVA among the top 25 colleges since 1988. What more do we need to know to tell us that instant runoff voting is bad for voters?-Joyce McCloy The writer is director of the North Carolina Coalition for Verified Voting, a grassroots nonpartisan organization promoting clean and verified elections.
(03/09/10 5:00am)
An article in News misstated the given name of a professor. The professor's name is Paola Servino, not Paolo Servino. (Mar. 2, p. 6)An article in Forum misstated a professor's department. Paola Servino is a member of the Romance Studies department, not the Italian Studies department.(Mar. 2, p. 14). The faculty reactions sidebar in News misstated a professor's department. Paola Servino is a member of the Romance Studies department, not the German, Russian and Asian Languages and Literature department.(Mar. 2, p. 6). A photo of a student in Sports was misrepresented. The photo of Shannan Hassan '12 was a photo illustration.(Mar. 2, p. 19)The Senate Log in News misrepresented the status of several Student Union committees. The Social Justice, Outreach, Diversity, Club Support, Ways and Means and Services Committees already exist. (Feb. 9, p. 2) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant corection or clarification. E-mail justeditor@brandeis.edu.
(03/02/10 5:00am)
Amber Kornreich '12 has been president of Brandeis Democrats since the beginning of Spring semester. When Kornreich. an Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies major, is not coordinating or participating in political activism, she volunteers for the Waltham Group, where she is a coordinator and co-founder of Brandeis Buddies, or writing for the Brandeis Law Journal, where she is chief features editor. Kornreich spoke to the Justice in an e-mail about her political views.JustFeatures: When did you first get involved in politics, and when did you first identify as a Democrat? Why?Amber Kornreich: When I was a little girl I traveled with my mom as she campaigned for a judge, and since then I've been interested in and fascinated by politics. I worked on a political campaign in Miami the summer after my senior year of high school. Once I felt how electrifying campaign work could be, I was addicted. When I arrived at Brandeis, I was warmly welcomed into the community of political activists here, and they really showed me the ropes. I've really cemented my attachment to the Democratic Party in college. JF: What do you think is the most important issue that Obama should focus on while he is in office and why?AK: Jobs. With the unemployment rate at 9.7 percent, many American families are hurting. It is absolutely essential that emergency unemployment benefits be extended to these Americans. The cost of inaction is undoubtedly greater than the effect of any short-term increase to the deficit. The problem of unemployment is too large, and the impact on American lives is too real. JF: What do you hope to accomplish from Brandeis students as president of the Democrats?AK: I hope that Brandeis Dems meetings and events can continue to be an open forum for students to discuss issues of global, national, state and campus politics and [we] keep on the tradition of being heavily involved in the campus world outside of politics ... I know we will keep gaining new members, and, no matter the size of the club, we'll keep engaging in activism. JF: How do you feel about the political atmosphere at Brandeis?AK: I think the political atmosphere at Brandeis is invigorating. ... I'm always delighted at how available a quick political chat with students or professors around campus is, and virtually everyone, whether they choose to be involved in activism or not, has really considered their opinions about the state of the world. I love to hear a variety of perspectives. JF: Who would you say were the top five best presidents?AK: Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Teddy Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Bill Clinton.JF: Oftentimes, as people get older their political views begin to shift. Do you predict that this will happen to you? Why or why not?AK: I do not want to rule out evolving emotionally, intellectually and therefore politically in the future.I know that my values will remain constant and I want to work to ensure the party continues to represent those values. JF: What do you view as the current strengths and weaknesses of the Democratic party?AK: I think the strengths of the Democratic Party are, and will always be, its dedication to the pursuit of values of equality for all Americans, insistence on protecting civil liberties, and its flexibility to adapt its views to changing times.-Condensed and edited by Arielle Schwartz.Nipun Marwaha '12 has been president of Brandeis Republicans since last spring semester. Marwaha, an Economics major and Legal Studies minor, is also a member of the Mock Trial team and a former senator of the Student Union. Marwaha discussed his reasons for becoming a Republican through a phone interview with the Justice.JustFeatures: When did you first get involved in politics, and when did you first identify as a Republican? Why?Nipun Marwaha: I first got involved in politics halfway through freshman year. I lived next to a hardcore Republican. My roommate was an Obama maniac, so it evened out. I believe that personal responsibility is the most important thing that people need to have and that the government should not be responsible for people's actions or inactions. I went to the election meeting for Brandeis Republicans last year, and I originally ran for vice president. Then the president resigned and I became the new president.JF: What do you think is the most important issue that Obama should focus on while he is in office and why?NM:?The unemployment issue is the most important issue that Obama should focus on. The government should start cutting taxes so people can start their own businesses and reinvigorate the national economy.JF: What do you hope to accomplish from Brandeis students as president of the Republicans?NM: I hope to start dispelling the image of [all Republicans being from] the Yosemite family. ... Not all Republicans are evangelical social conservatives. The Republican Party is actually about political conservatism. In other words, the government should be limited and the individuals should have more rights. JF: How do you feel about the political atmosphere at Brandeis?NM: Brandeis influenced my political beliefs the most. I found that at Brandeis, people often did not think about the practical outcome of their political beliefs. People need to do something in order for it to be done right. If the government keeps helping us, it is like giving a mouse a cookie. People become lazy and won't want to do anything if the government keeps helping us so much.JF: Who would you say were the top five best presidents?NM: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan and Barack Obama. JF: Oftentimes, as people get older their political views begin to shift. Do you predict that this will happen to you? Why or why not?NM: I don't think so. Usually people shift from liberal to conservative over time. Since I'm already a conservative, I firmly believe in personal responsibility and freedom to choose one's own path. JF: What do you view as the current strengths and weaknesses of the Democratic Party?NM: A current strength of the Democratic Party is the grassroots Astroturf that people are fighting against government so that the government will not control their rights. A current weakness of the Republican party is that the evangelicals are trying to control people's actions, which is dissuading people from the party.-Condensed and edited by Arielle Schwartz.
(03/02/10 5:00am)
Where am I? It is odd for a designer to emerge to the foreground. Mine is a quieter contemplation of sketches and models figuring out how to house a narrative and push it forward in action-creating a kind of illusion of time and space. It is not writing press releases or op-ed pieces for a newspaper. It is not setting up a Web site forum on Facebook, though I must admit I have a passing curiosity of the real identity of Thomas Morgan, the extremely well-informed writer on University matters who baited my colleagues on the site. He knows a lot. I am glad he entered the debate.There was a point where I said this is not my cup of tea. It makes me very uncomfortable. I cannot do this, but with reluctance, I pushed the button to launch the Facebook page. Click. The modern Pandora's box in the guise of my black Macbook. A minor maelstrom in the scale of human events, but even I was surprised as those numbers climbed. My mind is a collection of snippets of image and conversation. How did we get here?My language tightens. My vision narrows until I am looking but not seeing much, not noticing much. Boy, this is not my thing, particularly for someone interested in the longer view. I usually sit with the audience. I observe. The raw emotion is apparent, and I try to sit back to watch the considerable drama. Then something about it turns on in my designer head. There is a script here somewhere among all of this activity. I want to tell one of my students that the banner is not good enough, to look at that gentle curve of the Spingold Theater Center balcony from this perspective in the parking lot and follow that with a long slender slip in black and white. "You are thinking and not seeing-it's not the same thing." But I never get to say that. Again, things drain away. There is a lot of sturm und drang. Tempests. I smile. I have seen it a million times. It's familiar territory.And I stop again. I want to redesign, really redesign the story-the scenario is darker, the lights much more expressionistic, the entrances askew, the colors bluer, darker with red-no greener, more acidic for emphasis. Die Brücke. I recompose the stage picture. Whatever does this mean?I sit down again, blank roll of paper and pencil, in a bit of a panic that I can't seem to find the physical presence of the story. It's simpler I think. There is some basic conflict; I am not sure of the resolution, but it's always about the resolution in the end. Sometimes I even work backwards from the end.Where did it go wrong?For all of the characters-has some misunderstanding become too solid to budge? I am honestly afraid that no one will believe or understand that it isn't about the money-it never is-even in the theater. It's always possible in the theater whether you have $50 or $50,000. Thomas Morgan, the Facebook cipher, said something about how we can't afford Ferraris with Brandeis' budget-if he only knew! It's an illusion, buster! It's first seeing what the story needs, not personal wants and desires, and going for it. Don't students need that? I wonder if we don't all need that-deserve that. I want to stop this. I want to sit down and have a conversation and talk with people who I care about-which is just about everyone at this point-to see if we can figure this out. We have this great thing that generates all this passion in so many people that has stood by them for many years-something that is intangible and active and fresh and above all "now." We need "now" more than ever at this moment. "Now" can keep us safe to do the next right thing. 'Now' is impossibly creative and at the same time incredibly practical. It begins to slowly rise out of the searching: "Now" says lay out the possibilities of a new story line. Everyone is a little more relaxed seeing there are choices. Everything lightens up. It is bigger and smaller at the same time. Bigger than Brandeis and as small as me. Above all, it's very human. It is the loud sound of a society struggling with its principles. Is there a better topic for Brandeis? It's change and it's good.The writer is an associate professor of design in the Theater Arts department.
(03/02/10 5:00am)
Shorter workweek can save fundsIn response to your article "Cut the five-day workweek to four" (Forum, Feb. 9):A fellow classmate, Jourdan Cohen '11, and I came up with this proposal last year for the CARS committee and got feedback from some faculty. The main criticism was that Brandeis already has a dearth of both classroom space and offices, so taking out a day would only exacerbate the problem. Also, I was told that it would be operationally and financially inefficient to have the school running fewer days, though it's difficult to see that from purely the perspective of changes in the levels of energy consumption. At the very least, it would be interesting to see some data from the registrar regarding the concentration of students in class during any given day and any given time. Using this data, the registrar could nudge students into taking a more even spread of time blocks by putting important core courses for majors in less trafficked time blocks. This, in turn, would give the registrar more leeway in assigning classroom space and create greater overall efficiency for the University. -Michael Laderman '11Changes to SunDeis are beneficialIn response to your article "Students criticize plans for revamped SunDeis" (Arts, Feb. 9):I understand and applaud Illona Yuhaev's '11 commitment to student involvement in the SunDeis festival, and I share her position that students must be able to have a say in how the festival will run. However I don't think the festival has to be completely student run or bust-it's still possible for students to have a voice even if the film department is involved. It would be nice if the entire thing was by students for students the way it was originally intended. But if the student body cannot give SunDeis a functional budget then we must look to other sources of funding, and if that's the Film, Television and Interactive Media department, so be it-after all, the point of the festival is first and foremost to give student filmmakers a chance to exhibit their work. I attended SunDeis last year and was very disappointed at the low turnout.Perhaps with the Film department's resources and publicity we will be able to attract more submissions and improve student turnout. After all, films are worthless if they're not seen. -Daniel Liebman '12
(03/02/10 5:00am)
An article in Arts misidentified the graduation year of a student. Jackie Benowitz is a member of the class of 2012, not 2011. (Feb. 9, p. 18) A caption in News misattributed the photographer. The photograph of the Activist Resource Fair photo was taken by Yosef Schaffel, not Robyn Spector. (Feb. 9, p. 2) The reader commentary in Forum misidentified the graduation year of a student. Doug Nevins is a member of the class of 2011, not 2010. (Feb. 9, p.11) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. E-mail justeditor@brandeis.edu.
(03/02/10 5:00am)
At a graduate student open forum about the Brandeis 2020 Committee's proposals, master's students in Cultural Production, MFA students in Theater Design and Ph.D. students in Anthropology spoke to Provost Marty Krauss and Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe against the closure of their programs, while undergraduate students also expressed some skepticism about the proposals at a separate forum. Both forums took place last Thursday.The Brandeis 2020 proposals, slated to save $3.8 million annually, include reorganizing the major in Hebrew Language and Literature and the minor in Yiddish and East European Jewish Culture as tracks within the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies department, reorganizing the science departments into a new Division of Science to reduce overlapping research areas and terminating the Italian major. As part of the Faculty Handbook-mandated deliberative process, the Faculty Senate, the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and the Graduate Council reviewed the proposals last Thursday. The Faculty Senate has called for a special faculty-only meeting to discuss the proposals this Thursday. Krauss plans to release her final decisions about the proposals next Monday, before the Board of Trustees meeting March 24. Krauss addressed the timeline for coming up with and reviewing the proposals by March 8 in both forums. "I think that this truncated process has allowed for an intensity of communication, and I don't see much need to go beyond that Monday." She added that when Board of Trustees member Meyer Koplow '72, chair of the Board of Trustees Budget and Finance Committee, set the plan for the committee in motion, he initially wanted the proposals to be released by early March before the University negotiated with him to get one more week. Both Krauss and Jaffe addressed the factors affecting the decision-making process regarding the Brandeis 2020 proposals. "We are a research university, ... but I think the [Board of Trustees] feels that we already are not in graduate education in every area, so one of the ways to rein in our ambitions should be to think about being somewhat less ambitious about what we do in graduate education," Jaffe said. "We basically were told that if we didn't do a serious job, the Board would decide to just cut the budget in Arts and Sciences to something that would probably require far deeper, across-the-board, more damaging cuts," Krauss said. "Frankly, one of my worries is that some on the board will feel like this wasn't enough," Krauss said. Christopher Petrello, a first-year Cultural Production student, recalled at the forum that when he applied to graduate programs explaining his research interest, other universities directed him to their Art History or Anthropology departments. When he wrote to Prof. Mark Auslander (ANTH), director of the Cultural Production program at Brandeis, he said, "he not only said it would be a great fit, he seemed excited about it, which in turn made me excited to find other people who were interested in similar things." He added that he did not understand why the University did not seem to see the new Mandel Center for the Humanities as a good fit for the Cultural Production program. "I'm not going to say it doesn't fit. It many ways it would fit," Jaffe replied. "The reason that the majority of us are here is because there is nothing else like this out there," Nicole March, another first-year Cultural Production student said. She added that she was under the impression that the program earned money for the University and that it was the program's expansion that would cause financial difficulties. Jaffe said that beyond the cost of bringing in additional students, the program "is costing the University more than it is bringing in." He added that it would require more investment in the future to be a strong program. "Limiting the number of students does not control the cost of the program." In a follow-up e-mail to the Justice, Jaffe wrote, "I did not say [the Cultural Production program] does not earn revenue. What I said was that in the judgment of the committee, it has costs comparable to that revenue. I am not going to share specific numbers in that regard."In a follow-up e-mail to the Justice, Auslander wrote, "The CP program generates over $200,000 in revenue each year via tuition. Our understanding is that about $100,000 goes to help pay the salaries of faculty and administrators associated with the program, and to cover the expenses of the program. The remaining 100K goes to the Graduate School, and helps support Graduate School programs, such as stipends for PhD students."Benjamin Williams, an MFA student in Theater Design, stated that the Theater students acknowledged that the current state of their program was unsustainable. If the design program were removed, "the MFA program in acting and the undergraduate program would have to be significantly restructured," he said. "If this is going to take place, we firmly believe that the design program can be included within the overhaul of the department," Williams said. He continued to say that the program could work with the administration and the theater program to minimize production values of performances. Carlos Martinez-Ruiz, an Anthropology Ph.D. student, said that the Anthropology program costs less than other programs. Acknowledging that other programs are more expensive, Jaffe noted that "there is no serious research university that does not have a Ph.D. in English. There are serious research universities that don't offer Ph.D.s in anthropology." Martinez-Ruiz went on to say that the committee had not taken into account the department's transition. "We chose Brandeis because it's a small, up-and-coming department. ... It is quite surprising to us that it is throwing that all of that effort and investment out of the window at the moment when the department is beginning to see the fruits that the University invested." Jaffe stated that the committee did not apply the same criteria to all programs and that it was aware of the changes that had occurred. Undergraduates also expressed concern about the University's public perception and how the proposals would concretely affect them at their open forum. At the undergraduate forum, Jaffe emphasized that it was the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies department's task to establish how to meet the proposals' goals, there was no intention to reduce the frequency of Yiddish language classes and that few students pursued the NEJS minor. "One of the reasons I wanted to come here was because I thought, wow, there are so many different kinds of majors here, and I thought that unique people would gravitate to this school," Janette Myette '13 said. Jaffe noted that with over 40 majors and similar number of minors, dropping two or three "I really don't think is a major change in terms of the breadth of possibilities." "I think the Brandeis 2020 Committee did a fairly good job of finding a balance," Caroline Grassi '12, an Italian Studies undergraduate departmental representative said, "While it's disappointing for my department to face a cut, it's understandable since the department's only tenured professor will be leaving in the next two years." Jaffe pointed out that students could put together an Independent Interdisciplinary Major in Italian Studies through the Boston Consortium or Study Abroad but that the University didn't want to be "claiming we have a major that we don't really feel we have enough courses to justify. Pointing out the "fundamental" influence Anthropology Ph.D. students had on her classroom experience, Union Vice President and Anthropology UDR Amanda Hecker '10 asked about the effect of the program's closure. "We do anticipate that there will still be teaching assistants in Anthropology," Jaffe said, noting the continued existence of the master's program. Jaffe went on to say that he did not think the new Division of Science would be a change very visible to undergraduates because the individual departments would still exist. "What we're thinking of doing . is instead of each [of] those departments individually putting together their curriculum that would be coordinated at the level of the division." Jaffe said he could not yet say exactly how the plans for the theater program would play out. "Our goal is to have a terrific undergraduate theater curriculum that includes all aspects of theater, including design," he said. "Exactly how we're going to do that and reconfigure the department ... I honestly don't know." With two new faculty hired already for next fall in addition to two hired through the Kay Fellows Fund, fellowships for postdoctoral scholars in the humanities and the social sciences, Jaffe pointed out that "we will be hiring many fewer faculty over the next few years" compared to the usual number of 12 to 15 per year. Former Student Union President Jason Gray '10, also a member of the Brandeis 2020 Committee, encouraged concerned students to reach out to faculty to help shape the new curricula with them. "I thought they did a good job responding, and they made me not afraid of how the reputation of the school is going to be after this proposal and after there are major cuts," Janette Myette '13 said after the forum. "My primary concern is why did we get to the point where we're cutting majors, and what I want to know now is what can the University do to cut other things ?. I'm not terrified anymore.
(02/09/10 5:00am)
Koplow would be great presidentIn response to your article "Meyer Koplow nominated for University president" (News, Feb. 2):Meyer Koplow would be an excellent choice for University president. His talent, integrity, devotion and support to Brandeis make him uniquely positioned to take on this challenge.-Barbara S. FriedmanThe writer served with Meyer Koplow on the board of the Westchester Day School and is the parent of Brett Friedman '00.Koplow is the president we needIn response to your article "Meyer Koplow nominated for University president" (News, Feb. 2):Meyer Koplow's nomination for University president is excellent news. We need someone who has been familiar with the crisis so far so that Brandeis can get out of its current mess, without wasting time getting up to speed. -Reuven Solomon '08Consider Conn senator for the jobIn response to your article "Meyer Koplow nominated for University president" (News, Feb. 2):I nominate Senator Joe Lieberman. We need a nationally known figure to bring the attention to Brandeis that it deserves. As both a committed Jew and independent thinker, he embodies the spirit of our University. -Mark D. Gershenson '74Brandeis grads took part in killing Regarding your article "To show respect for local community, let Waltham residents use University gym" (Forum, Jan. 26.):Just for purposes of accuracy, can I point out that the two women involved in killing that police officer were Brandeis graduates? I also have some problems with Ayers, but radical-even extremist-activism is a part of our school's history that we must acknowledge.-Doug Nevins '10
(02/09/10 5:00am)
College is a strange place, when you think about it. When we first arrive here we are told that Brandeis will teach us, nurture our strengths, help us plan our futures, etc. by providing us with an authentic "college experience." When I arrived here, I felt that I wasn't just attending a university-I was coming to a place that would help me transition into adulthood.But then I am reminded, every time and as soon as I log on to sage, of my "current balance," "finances," "outstanding charges"-here are the buzzwords that shatter my delusions of grandeur. Brandeis is fundamentally a business, and I am a consumer. These words are indicators of the very real and tangible transaction of funds that allows me to be here.For example, I can do the math and know that every Spanish class I attend (or occasionally-and now very guiltily-miss) costs my parents around $250. Maybe I should consider the value of that $250. Of course, my tuition pays my professors to teach me and helps maintain the buildings where I do my learning. But there are countless other factors that go into the division of funds. Tuition is allocated to help pay for administrative salaries and student activities, among other things. So, in theory, only a percentage of that $250 may actually go to my Spanish professor. The University will use much of it to enhance and enrich student life.So what exactly is my relationship to this place? Is this my new community, or is it just the place where I live and attend classes in return for a hefty check? Let's look at the question from a different angle. What am I doing exactly when I cheer for the Judges at their basketball game? Am I rooting for the "University" as an abstract, mystical entity that holds my allegiance? Or am I merely expressing my approval of this particular form of entertainment that Brandeis has provided for me-sponsored, in part I'm sure, by a sizable slice of my tuition-as a distraction from my workload?The answer is more muddled than either of these two options. Brandeis is first and foremost a school that students pay to attend. In a way, we are like customers buying a product. Our role in the relationship is somewhat clear in this sense. The identity of the product is more complicated. One way to think of it is this: we pay for the classes, but to give us our money's worth, the University provides all these extra services. This is what sets Brandeis apart from other universities of lesser quality. The extra services are the features that will attract applicants and maintain a high quality of life here. I tend to think of them as the college equivalent of those freshly baked cookies that some hotels give you at check-in-little personal touches that enhance the experience and ensure that the customer will return in the future. Students are even more of a monetary investment to the University in this sense. If Brandeis does a good job preparing me for my future career, chances are I'll eventually become successful enough to give back to the school through alumni donations.For sure, this is a cold, capitalistic way of understanding the University. We pay, we learn and we leave with a brand-name diploma. But I don't think this outlook on the college experience necessarily has to be so bleak. We can remain sentimental, or we can begin to think of Brandeis as a resource waiting to be tapped and, with that knowledge, make a conscious decision to take advantage of our time here. It turns out there is way more to take away from this campus than what one could get out of a successful round of "Sherman shopping." So how do you pillage and plunder your way through all Brandeis has to offer? Follow these simple steps!1) Take advantage of TAs. They are there to help you. Think of them as private tutors who would charge you for their time if someone wasn't already paying their salaries (ignore the fact that, in a way, you already are paying them through tuition). 2) Use the gym. A gym membership at home would cost me about $70 a month, so why not make use of the Brandeis gyms while I'm here? 3) Take advantage of the accessibility of religious services held on campus. Brandeis is the ideal place to be for this. You never know when or where in your lifetime you will next have the opportunity to explore spirituality in an open forum, free of charge. Or schedule a one-on-one with one of the chaplains and learn a little more about your own religion. 4) Make an appointment at the Hiatt Carreer Center and brainstorm potential career options, and if you find yourself in trouble, do not hesitate to visit the Counseling Center and use one of your 12 free sessions per semester. 5) Go to the free or discounted concerts, plays and other events on campus. You may as well get yourself a little more cultured while you're here. 6) We're right outside Boston, possibly the greatest resource available to us. And we've even got free shuttles running there all weekend. Check it out sometime. My overall suggestion is to experiment with this new mindset. There are tons of "freebies" sitting on campus waiting to be snatched up. The most amazing realization, you might discover, is that you are entitled to all of this. You are a paying customer, after all.
(02/09/10 5:00am)
The Brandeis 2020 Committee announced proposals today to phase out or reorganize a wide range of graduate and undergraduate academic programs in order to achieve annual savings of about $3.8 million. The move will go toward fulfilling the Board of Trustees' mandate communicated at a special faculty meeting Jan. 20 by Meyer Koplow '72, chair of the Board's Budget and Finance committee, to reduce the academic commitments of the Arts and Sciences to ensure the long-term financial health of the University.Some key elements of the proposals include reorganizing the major in Hebrew Language and Literature and the minor in Yiddish and East European Jewish Culture as a track within the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies department; reorganizing the science departments into a new Division of Science to reduce overlapping research areas; transforming the American Studies department into an interdepartmental program; phasing out the master's program in Cultural Production; and phasing out the Master of Fine Arts in Theater Design, as well as reducing the budget of the Brandeis Theater Company and theater production activity significantly over the next two years.According to the deliberative process outlined in the Faculty Handbook, University community members will have a chance to give feedback on the proposals to Provost Marty Krauss, who will make the ultimate decision about which proposals to present to the Board of Trustees. There will be two open forums with the provost and committee members for undergraduate and graduate students, to be held this coming Thursday at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. in Olin-Sang Auditorium and Golding Auditorium. The administration will present the final proposals to the Board of Trustees in March, together with proposals about centers and institutes, administrative costs and structures or suggestions from Bold Ideas Group. The Brandeis 2020 Committee was made up of members of last year's Curriculum and Academic Restructuring Steering committee and the Dean's Curriculum Committee, the chair of the Faculty Budget committee, the faculty representatives to the Board of Trustees, three other faculty members to ensure maximum faculty representation, according to the report and one undergraduate and one graduate student representative. Asked whether there was a minimum of the proposals that the committee expected to be implemented, Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe said in an interview with campus media that the committee considered the proposals to be a "package" and an "integrated plan." "One of the things this report does is ... to take the ideas that CARS started with and try to lock them down better so that we can reassure the Board that these things are really going to happen.""I don't think there is any question that the reductions are affecting graduate students significantly more than undergraduate programs," Jaffe said. "The undergraduate programs that are directly affected are limited, ... whereas with respect to some of the graduate programs we will basically be getting out of graduate training in those areas." "The bulk of the savings is actually either fewer Ph.D. students' support [in the future] and faculty attrition that would eventually happen voluntarily," said Jaffe. He added that the committee estimated that there would be six or seven full-time jobs and another six or seven part-time faculty and staff that could be eliminated in the short term, beginning in summer 2011.Regarding the recommendations for the theater program, "we have not given a specific target for the savings, frankly because we want to work in concert with the people in theater to figure out what changes could be made while maintaining a strong theater program," Jaffe explained. Committee member Prof. Sarah Lamb (ANTH) added that another aim was to increase undergraduate opportunities in theater. Prof. Leslie Griffith (BIOL) said the reorganization of the sciences would also allow for a long-term reduction full-time faculty equivalent faculty positions. She said cuts in administrative staff were unlikely but that there could be a reallocation to understaffed areas. The proposal states that the sciences "should carry out the CARS-mandated net reduction in faculty of 10 [faculty full-time equivalents]" by the elimination of specific subject areas from the research portfolios of each department. The proposals also call for suspending the Ph.D. programs in Anthropology indefinitely; merging the Ph.D. in Biochemistry with the Ph.D. programs in Biophysics and Structural Biology to form one Ph.D. program in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry; reduce the University-funded Computer Science Ph.D. slots from 10 to five; and reducing the University-funded Chemistry Ph.D. slots from 25 to 20. Additionally, says the report, all stand-alone programs in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences will have to explain "how they will achieve benchmarks set by the Dean of GSAS for enrollment, expenses, revenue, and metrics of student success and satisfaction. Programs that do not achieve their benchmarks by 2012-13 will be phased out at that time." On the undergraduate level, the proposals encourage the Physics department to consider reorganizing the major in Biological Physics as a track within the Physics major; the termination of the major in Italian Studies while still offering instruction in Italian language and an Italian Studies minor; and termination of the Internet Studies minor, beginning with the class of 2015. "The sense of the faculty in the program and the graduate students ... [is that they] all feel this is a very unfortunate and poorly considered decision," Prof. Mark Auslander (ANTH), director of the Cultural Studies program, said. He went on to say "that it's our hope in fact that during the deliberation process the Provost will have a chance to think carefully about all this ... and will recognize that there is a little more freedom to save certain important parts of the University."Students and faculty in the M.F.A. in Theater Design program have been circulating e-mails to colleagues at other institutions and to alumni protesting the decision. "The general consensus here in the Design department was shock and anger," Benjamin Williams, a second-year Theater Design student, said. "This is a mandate from the Board to form this committee without coming through and looking at our program to see where we can save money and make changes to see if we can still maintain this program."--Hannah Kirsch contributed reporting.
(02/09/10 5:00am)
The University's financial difficulties and the recent influx of a remarkably large first-year class have made on-campus housing a complicated, frustrating phenomenon. In order to help ameliorate housing chaos, we recommend that the University help facilitate off-campus living.The University should not only spend time and money reconfiguring campus housing to fit a maximum number of students: It should also invest in staff who can advise students about off-campus housing. Until July 2008, the Department of Community Living staff included an assistant director of residence life for off-campus housing. The University would be wise to reinstate this position, even if just for a few months between October and February. Students debating where to live would be likelier to move off campus if they knew someone could assist them throughout the process.Because hiring additional staff is a costly decision, the University might also consider hiring students to counsel their peers about off-campus living issues. Rising seniors who have lived off-campus for at least one year could apply for these positions, and current DCL staff could supervise their work. Students might even feel more comfortable approaching other students with their concerns than they would about meeting with permanent DCL staff. An off-campus housing adviser could address many concerns students have when considering moving off campus. This staff member could help students find housing that matches their budgets in the Waltham area. The adviser could also provide guidance on paying utilities and purchasing food. Some students living off campus still want to be able to eat on campus, and the adviser could recommend a suitable meal plan.Brandeis might also consider establishing a forum on myBrandeis for students to communicate about available houses near campus. Students who rent specific houses would be able to answer questions about the advantages of living there or the problems they have faced. In an effort to encourage students to move off campus, the University should also better publicize the resources the DCL provides. The online "Guide to Off-Campus Housing" offers some useful tips for moving off campus, including average rental rates, advice on subletting and instructions for posting a listing on myBrandeis. As the date for room selection draws nearer, the University should let students know that these resources are available. The DCL could stuff mailboxes with hard copies of the "Guide to Off-Campus Housing" or e-mail students about upcoming workshops on off-campus living. More students might be inspired to seek off-campus housing. As the size of Brandeis' undergraduate class continues to increase, the University should think carefully about resolving issues in campus housing. Whether by hiring extra staff or increasing advertising, the University should promote off-campus living as an attractive option and help ease the process of moving off campus.
(02/09/10 5:00am)
I love Brandeis Fridays; I really do. That last class of the week, Sherman chicken wings, catching up on those shows you missed on Thursday night after your 12:10 to 1:30 p.m. class-it's a delightful little way to end the week. But I've come to recognize that perhaps Fridays as I know and love them ought to maybe change for the benefit of the University at large. At one of the recent budget cut brainstorming forums, one participant raised the prospect of switching from a five-day to a four-day workweek. Switching the way we operate relative to time in order to save some money? Seems a little bit crazy-in the United States, hearing about something other than a five-day workweek evokes a certain sense of unnatural disorder. But shifting from the five-day workweek to a largely, yet not completely, four-day one (as I'll explain) presents possibly significant and sustained financial savings, which seem to be the precise type of economic BandAid the University has been seeking. Even though our strangely standard Monday-Wednesday-Thursday and Tuesday-Friday classes may have some nostalgic appeal, just as the Curriculum and Academic Restructuring Steering committee noted in its report last spring, weaning off such a system is probably in the University's best interest. But that CARS committee suggestion doesn't go nearly far enough. I'm not sure exactly how the individual that spoke up at the forum envisioned a Brandeisian four-day workweek, but my vision looks something like a more radical version of the current model employed by schools like Columbia University. There, most classes occur in Monday-Wednesday and Tuesday-Thursday pairs, with some longer seminars at various blocks throughout the week. Fridays are much emptier than other days, reserved only for a handful of language classes, seminars and lab courses. We could use a similar system-obviously by pushing most courses to fit a more limited range of time slots, it would be beneficial to use the Columbia-style idea of pushing at least some of the lab classes to Friday. But aside from those and the low-level language courses, there would be no need for classes on Fridays. However, so long as individual department offices remain operational on Fridays, it'd be tough to reap in the real financial gains that could materialize from completely closing down a number of University buildings an extra day of the week.So to that end, if the University wanted to embrace the full merits of a four-day workweek, it should phase out Fridays as a workday for most University departments. Some buildings in the Mandel Quad, as well as other places around campus, could then be completely closed an entire extra day of the week. The University could save a notable amount of money from having one less day of temperature control and maintenance for a number of large buildings on campus. And if the four-day workweek extended to other campus entities like administrative and advisory offices, then the savings start rolling in at an even greater pace. Faculty course loads would remain the same, and thus their pay would logically be unchanged. Yet how such a change would ultimately be reflected through employee pay gradients would remain to be seen. The University could simply choose to continue its current demands on different segments of the academy with a new, increased focus on time efficiency. Switching to a four-day workweek might be perceived as a rather radical change for the University. But I'm willing to say that it's far less radical-and perhaps just as effective-as any of the cuts that will be announced in the coming weeks. The difference is that the switch to a four-day workweek might make things rather tough across much of the University's infrastructure. Additionally, in light of recent economic woes, many school districts across the country switched to four-day workweeks to save money on transportation costs as well as other costs that would be comparable to the costs saved at this University. That might seem like the messier and more frustrating option. The switch to such a system would be chaotic and hopelessly inconvenient, at least at first. On the other hand, phasing out entire academic programs might seem like cleaner cuts for the University to make. But that doesn't make them the right cuts-it only makes them the simple ones. I'm a fan of my treasured 12:10 to 1:30 p.m. class on Fridays. But I'd be willing to trade that in for a better Thursday night and the potential preservation of programs that might otherwise be wholly eliminated. Wouldn't you?
