(05/20/08 4:00am)
We would like to pay tribute to the graduating seniors at the Justice. Although no amount of space would really be sufficient to summarize their incredible impact on this paper, we do hope this gives them a morsel of the recognition they deserve.Rachel Marder: A former News editor, editor in chief and senior editor, her strong leadership is visible in every story that runs in this paper. Her vibrant personality was a huge asset, whether it was used for contacting sources, forging key relationships with administrators or sustaining that precious staff morale.Jacob Kamaras: A former Sports editor, editor in chief and senior editor, his insurmountable work ethic provided a model for all of us, for our work on the newspaper and outside of it.Noah Bein: A onetime News editor and associate editor, his sharp news judgment will be sorely missed. Neither the News desk nor the editorials meetings nor the copy table will be the same without him.Ben Terris: A former Features editor and associate editor, his vivid writing transformed the Features section and editorial columns. His nuanced perspective will continue to be on full display as he blogs for the Huffington Post. Claire Moses: Our bygone News editor, her passion and energy pushed our News section to new heights and ensured that our production nights were never dreary. Her ability to develop and maintain sources was incredibly beneficial to our news coverage, both on campus and off. We'd also like to use this space to recognize some of the other newly minted alumni who made an impact on our paper at one point or another. Matt Brown, an erstwhile Forum and deputy editor, used his intellect and sharp wit to become arguably the most visible columnist on campus. Chelsey Berlin, a former layout editor, helped revamp the appearance of our paper. Julie Scherr, a former Sports senior writer, displayed unparalleled enthusiasm for Brandeis athletics while maintaining an objective journalistic perspective. Rachel Pfeffer, a former Features and Arts senior writer, always managed to be colorful and engaging despite the varied subjects of her many articles. Sam Ackerman, a cartoonist, consistently provided comedic relief while conveying poignant messages in his drawings, the latest of which can be seen at the top of this page.We wish each of these graduates the best of luck in all their future endeavors. They will be missed.
(04/29/08 4:00am)
The Ethics Center and the Hadassah Brandeis Institute held a conference addressing the possibilities of a reconciliation of modern law and traditional customs with regard to gender equality worldwide on Tuesday, April 15. Over 100 academics, activists and interested students participated in the conference, which took place in the Hassenfeld Conference Center, according to Lisa Fishbayn, director of the Project on Gender, Culture, Religion and the Law at the HBI.The event opened Monday evening with a lecture by Nobel Laureates Shirin Ebadi and Jody Williams. The event's conclusion Tuesday morning included a keynote speech titled "Is Pluralism an Ideal or a Compromise" by Martha Minow, a professor at Harvard Law school followed by a series of panels.The event was part of a larger research project under HBI titled "Gender, Culture, Religion and the Law," which was launched last February with a grant from Dan Fischel Sylvia Neil, a professor at Northwestern University School of Law who initiated the project and her husband Dan Fischel. Neal said that the conference provided a platform for woman activists to share strategies for advocating gender equality by listening to experiences and drawing lessons from diverse culturesBecause of its Jewish background and its commitment to social justice, Brandeis is the "perfect home" for the project, Neal said. "I also felt it was very important that since we have so many issues dealing with the intersection of gender and religion and the law in Judaism, that when we are talking with other [faiths] who also have these issues . We are in parity with each other," she said. The final panel featured two researchers and activists, Fatou Camara, assistant professor of law at the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal, and Likhapha Mbatha, a researcher at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa, who offered comparative perspectives on the question "What Is Effective Law Reform?" Senegal's failure to recognize the widespread indigenous beliefs in animism in the country have caused women to suffer under Islamic laws, Camara said. She stated that official statistics declaring Senegal over 90 percent Muslim were misleading, because animism coexists with Islam, Christianity and Judaism in Senegal. "The [Senegalese] go to the mosque and right after they will give offerings to their ancestors," she said. She posited that unofficially the statistic should read 99.9 percent animist. She explained that according to animist belief, all that exists has life in it so that traditionally, believers would, for example, make offerings to a large tree home to sacred spirits. Those statistics are troublesome, she explained because "Islam is openly used to justify legal and social discrimination against women" through, for example, unequal inheritance laws. This development is upsetting, she explained, because the indigenous beliefs follow a matriarchal system, under which women are in the position of power. For this reason, she said, a project underway to establish a "temple for initiated women" is necessary to preserve the country's indigenous culture. Initiated women are spiritual leaders who have undergone a test to attain exclusive traditional knowledge and pass it on to later generations, she said. Many traditional laws exist in hidden forms, such as encoded writings, that only the initiated can recognize, she said. Without the special temple that could serve as a refuge for initiated women today, "No one is going to pay attention to the indigenous faith," she warned. The history of the indigenous beliefs also shows that feminism was not just a Western idea, she said. "Gender equity is an indigenous African concept," she statedIn her presentation, Mbatha spoke about the possibilities for compatibility between customary law and international human rights conventions in South Africa, where international covenants signed by the country challenged the widespread practice of polygamous marriages. The government set up a commission to oversee implementation of international laws, she said. After receiving much input from many national organizations, the commission decided to recognize customary laws regarding polygamy, with some restrictions, she reported."I strongly felt that polygamy had to be recognized," she said. The government had to weigh "the extent to which [it] was obliged to focus on the interests of the international community" and what it owed the "people it could touch and see," she said. She noted that polygamy is already becoming less popular because of financial burdens associated with it. She added that customary law also included safeguards to protect women and children within the institution of polygamy. "Following international law would have bastardized and deprived women of their [property] rights," she said. "The South African government saw that legal abolishment would not discourage polygamy," she said, but because the government restricted polygamy as much it could, "to an extent South Africa has obliged," Mbatha concluded.
(04/15/08 4:00am)
Michael J. Granoff, president of Maniv Energy Capital, delivered a speech on the future of electrically powered cars in Israel and the Israeli government's promotion of environmentally friendly cars in the Heller School for Social Policy as part of Earthfest 2008's Green Job Forum.Granott's company explores the "opportunities in the rapidly growing sectors of clean technology and alternative energy," according to its Web site. In 1997, Granoff founded Maniv Investments, LLC, parent of Maniv Bioventures and Maniv Energy Capital. While Earthfest centers mostly on the American environment, the Brandeis community is also looking at how other countries can be more environmentally friendly. Countries that were discussed included Denmark and China. Denmark is known for its self-sufficient energy resources, and China is considered as the next big energy consumer.Both undergraduate and graduate students attended the event in the Israeli government's promotion of environmentally friendly cars. Granoff presented a brief history of energy consumption. He compared the size of an oil molecule to an electron and said that an electron is more efficient. "The normal car is using about 1 percent of the energy drawn up from oil reserves. The biggest problem with oil is that it's not replaceable," said Granoff.The Israeli government announced a joint venture with Renault and Nissan Motor Company in late January. Both companies will introduce efficient electrical cars in the market hopefully as early as 2010. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said the state will offer tax incentives to purchasers in order to offset the expenses of owning electric cars.Granoff said that Israel is an ideal test-drive for the electric car because the commuting distance between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem is about 75 miles, the ideal distance for electric cars to travel without needing to be recharged.Granoff, who said he drives a Toyota Prius, said the "anti-Catch-22" is to create a car that is "cheaper, cleaner, totally silent and creates a fully sustainable ecosystem." He said he hopes Israelis will be interested in buying electric cars if it takes less time to replace a battery than to fill a gas tank. "We want to buy energy even at a premium . We need to penetrate [the market] pretty deeply," Granoff said. He believes electric cars can be successfully integrated into the Israeli market as soon as 2015.In 2007, Maniv worked with Project Better Place of Palo Alto, Calif., which provides lithium-ion batteries, as well as the infrastructure to power cars in Israel. Project Better Place plans to rent out electric cars for a monthly subscription fee covering battery costs, exchange stations and complimentary maintenance service. Like a cell phone subscription, the cars are free when one signs up for a plan. The cost of running an electric car will be cheaper than using gasoline, which can be as much as six or seven dollars per gallon in Israel.After the presentation, students discussed the benefits of environmentally friendly cars. Granoff admitted that one possible problem with the introduction of electric cars in Israel is increased congestion. However, he spoke optimistically about bringing electric cars to the United States in the future.
(04/15/08 4:00am)
Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., urged Brandeis' members of the "green generation" to bring about what he called the "green revolution," the movement to save the environment, last Sunday in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall, as part of Earthfest 2008.Markey is the chair of the Select Committee on Energy Interdependence and Global Warming, created by Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi. He recently sponsored a bill setting the floor for gasoline efficiency in cars at 35 miles per gallon by 2020. The main focus of Markey's address was global warming. "The truth is, the planet has a fever, but there are no hospitals for sick planets," he said, "We have to find a way of engaging in preventative planet health care," he said.University President Jehuda Reinharz introduced Markey and applauded the environmental responsibility emphasized by Earthfest. He made clear that environmental conservation should not be confined to one week and that it's a daily responsibility."Every time I see a plastic bottle somewhere, my blood pressure goes up," joked Reinharz in reference to litter on campus, "I'm going to work to eliminate plastic bottles on this campus." Markey immediately localized the issue, saying today's problem with the environment started in Waltham when Francis Cabot Lowell and James Moody cofounded the Boston Manufacturing Company. The first factory emitted carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and since then, the amount of the gas in the air has risen from 280 parts per million to 380 parts per million, he said. "All other problems in history will be a footnote if we cannot fix the environment," he said.Markey stressed the role that young people have played in making important changes in the United States. Young people rose up and demanded civil rights, he said; young people protested the Vietnam War, and young people lead the campaign for women's suffrage. The United States tries to persuade developing countries to curb carbon dioxide emissions, Markey said, but those other countries won't acquiesce unless the United States leads by example. Unfortunately, "Most of the CO2 is red, white and blue," he said, indicating that the majority of carbon emissions come from the United States and Europe. Markey admonished the Bush administration for its stance on environmental protectionism, but said that any candidate elected to office, even Republican John McCain, will work to correct the issue.Markey recounted his recent trip to Greenland with Pelosi, describing it as a block of ice 10 Empire State Buildings high and 1000 miles across. However, due to global warming, lakes are beginning to form on top of the glacier, he said. "This is the scene of the crime; this is the canary in the mineshaft," said Markey. The lakes will eventually trickle down to the bottom of the ice cap, he said. As the water seeps underneath the icecap, it causes the glacier to slide into the ocean, he said. Rising sea levels can cause coastal communities to flood, displacing some of the most vulnerable residents.The ice cap is also melting in Antarctica, he said, but this is not as important. The Antarctic ice cap is already in the water, so when it melts, it will not cause the sea level to rise. "If the ice cubes melt in your glass, your drink doesn't go up," he said. Markey said global warming will strike developing nations the hardest because they do not have the resources or the technology to adapt to changing conditions. He said that when the Himalayan ice caps melt as temperatures increase, an abundance of water will feed the rivers, making India very fertile. However, when there is no more ice, the rivers will dry up, devastating the Indian economy. "Each generation has been challenged by something the first governor of Massachusetts, [John Winthrop], called the test of answerable courage," he said. "Will the new generation have the courage to step up and answer that problem?" he asked. Markey's lecture was followed by a forum discussion mediated by Prof. Michael Appell (IBS) featuring Dr. Mark Rentschler, director of institutional greening programs for Green Seal and Steven Strong, president and founder of Solar Design Associates. Green Seal is an organization dedicated to educating consumers about purchasing environmentally friendly products. Solar Design Associates is a firm that designs and builds solar-powered buildings and outfits existing buildings with solar panels.
(04/15/08 4:00am)
Among the most important concepts Iroka Joseph Udeinya '76 learned when he arrived at Brandeis from Nigeria were hard work, the pursuit of excellence and how to make meatloaf.Udeinya was last to speak at the 50th anniversary of the Wien International Scholarship Program, among the members of a panel of four distinguished alumni scholars. The program, established in 1958 by Arthur Laurence Wien and his wife Mae Wien, recruits exceptional students from all over the world to attend Brandeis.While Udeinya lived in the Foster Mods his junior year, "I learned how to make meatloaf. I also taught my American roommate how to make fufu! [a Nigerian dish] . I became more Americanized as I Nigerianized my roommates."There are currently 42 Wien scholars from 21 countries studying at Brandeis, according to David Elwell, Director of the International Students and Scholars Office. Eight hundred Wien scholars from 106 countries have attended Brandeis since the program's inception.The original goal of the Wien program was to "bring people to the United States so that they could bring back stories of the United States to their countries," Peter Malkin, Wien's son-in-law, said in an interview after the panel event.Admissions officers choose approximately 12 students each year from an international application pool of about 1,000 to enroll as undergraduates. Brandeis used to accept Wien scholars as graduate students but no longer does. While the Wien program used to grant all scholars full scholarships, the program currently allots some students only partial scholarships.According to Elwell, the University seeks out "not just an academic scholar," but also "unique individuals who see their role as . giving back to the community."The weekend of events included a speech from the Prime Minister of Iceland, Geir Haarde '73, a presentation by current Wien scholars and a panel of alumni Wien scholars who spoke about their Brandeis careers and current experiences, moderated by Laurence Simon, associate dean of academic planning at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. Wien alumni from countries as geographically distant as Sweden and Ethiopia gathered here at Brandeis to meet up with old classmates, remark on how much Brandeis had changed since they last visited and see their own aspirations as college students reflected in the optimistic speeches of current scholars. Udeinya was strikingly charismatic as he narrated the story of his path from Brandeis to his current career at a scientific research organization in Nigeria.The Wien scholars were supposed to graduate in three years, Udeinya explained, during which time he was not allowed to get a single C grade. Udeinya managed, graduating from Brandeis with a B.A. in biology and receiving his Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of West Virginia in 1979.He pursued his postdoctoral research in bioscience at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, one of the National Institutes of Health, in Maryland.Initially, he said, he was interested in studying the use of extracts from the Nigerian neem tree (azadirachta indica) as a treatment for African pandemics like malaria. Then, he says, "HIV became more interesting," and he began his current research in Nigeria as the president and CEO of the Rocitus Corporation into the plant's role in treating HIV. Speaking slowly to a captivated audience, Udeinya explained that clinical trials have indicated that that the medication he would create from the plant extracts would not have the same side effects associated with current HIV cocktail medications.Yet Udeinya's brief speech emphasized that beyond the scientific education and dedication to the pursuit of truth that he acquired at Brandeis, the exposure to people from a diverse array of cultures and ethnicities allowed him to develop a new perspective on the rest of the world."The Wien program afforded me an interesting worldview," he said. Udeinya explained that interaction with such a multicultural group of students caused him to consider his duties as a member of a global community."If I can contribute anything to my family, which is the world, I will do it," he said.At the other end of the table sat Haile Menkerios '70, who narrated with confidence and wisdom a lifetime of world travel, service in the Etitrean army and diplomatic activity in the United Nations. Speaking with enthusiasm as he described his first experiences outside of his native Ethiopia, Menkerios says his Brandeis career allowed him the "openness to learn what the hell is going on in the rest of the world."Throughout his Brandeis career, Menkerios most valued the opportunity the students had to fight for the causes and ideals they supported.Menkerios first came to the United States through a high school exchange program and graduated from an American high school. Yet he describes his pre-Brandeis education as very "America-centered" in that it ignored the perspectives of other countries and cultures.Menkerios attended Brandeis during what he describes as a "time of social awareness," most specifically, the student protests against the Vietnam War."I was part of a movement to change the world," he said.Menkerios attended graduate school at Harvard immediately after graduation, but before he'd even had the chance to complete his thesis, he took advantage of the opportunity to pursue the activist spirit he'd developed at Brandeis and joined the liberation movement in Eritrea.In the late 1970s and 1980s, the Eritrean Liberation Front fought against the Eritrean People's Liberation Front for control over the country."It's a two-way street," he said, explaining the obligation he felt to participate in the nation's struggle for freedom. "Not only do you want to learn and gain . but at the same time [you are] seeing if you have something to offer."Menkerios went on to serve in several United Nations positions, including the U.N. ambassador to Ethiopia, where he says he worked toward "regional integration" and advocated for "the sacred right of every individual to select the government."In 2007, Menkerios was appointed the UN assistant secretary-general for political affairs.His presentation was followed by that of Seung-il Shin '64, a peaceful man with a very soft smile, who recounted an equally extraordinary lifetime of scientific achievements.When Shin came to Brandeis as a young man in 1962, he had just fled a "major, devastating war" in his home country of Korea. Upon arriving in the United States, he realized "it was a completely different universe.""I gained the intellectual equipment to do whatever I wished," he said of his time at Brandeis.Yet Shin admitted that even after graduation, his experiences in Korea had made him skeptical of the idea that one person could substantially improve human life."As a person from a very poor country," he explained, "you couldn't imagine that one person could change the lives of so many people."After graduation, Shin taught graduate school classes on genetics. During one seminar that ultimately changed the course of his life, Shin says the teacher showed a slide of the last person in the world to contract smallpox before the creation of the vaccine put a halt to the spread of the disease."I thought, 'Wow, science can do something,'" Shin said, with a twinkle in his eye that inspired awed murmurs throughout the audience.Subsequently, Shin entered the vaccines business. He has visited countries all over the world in an effort to develop vaccines for viruses like Hepatitis B, which he said is especially prevalent in southern countries. Shin currently works as the senior adviser and chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board of Celltrion, Inc., a United Nations-organized vaccine institute.Unlike the other panel members, who entered into academics or social action immediately after leaving Brandeis, it took some time after graduation for Wakako Kimoto Hironaka '64 to realize her intellectual potential.Hironaka, poised and articulate, came to Brandeis in 1958 as one of the first Wien scholars. She opened her speech with an ironic confession."To tell you the truth," Hironaka told the audience, "I was not a good student while I was at Brandeis. I was worried that my poor English reflected my true intelligence."Hironaka said she originally came to study in the United States because she was "strongly intrigued by new ideas such as women being equal to men." Hironaka said that, in Japan, gender roles were "based on traditional Japanese views." After two years of living in the United States, Hironaka met and married a Japanese exchange student from Harvard. After her marriage, Hironaka says she led an "ordinary, middle-class American life."But after experiencing such significant intellectual growth at Brandeis, Hironaka recalled that the idea of being an "ordinary" housewife troubled her. "I graduated from a university in Japan, I got a full scholarship, and what am I doing after that?" she asked herself.Not long after, Hironaka enrolled in the anthropology graduate program at Brandeis and pursued her dream of becoming a journalist."I wanted to share what was happening in America with Japanese readers," she said.Hironaka wrote several articles for publications, including magazines owned by Kodansha Limited, and translated books such as Shifting Gears, by George and Nina O'Neill, from English to Japanese.In 1968, Hironaka joined the Upper House of the Japanese Diet, where she became a "strong advocate for the concept of global fairness" domestically as well as internationally.In response to audience members' anxieties about ethnic diversity in WISP's future, Undeinya noted the significant decrease in the number of scholars from Africa since he was a student at Brandeis.The countries that send the largest amount of Wien scholars to Brandeis include South Korea, India and Turkey.Nicholas Senecal, associate director of undergraduate admissions, who was present at the panel, suggested that the decrease might be a result of the University's recent move to send out applications over the Internet, as opposed to by hand, at a time when many African students have only limited Internet access.Undeinya also raised the concern, seconded by many alumni scholars in the audience, that too many current scholars are majoring in economics, consequently ignoring other areas of study.Anum Khan '10, a double Health, Science, Society and Policy and environmental studies major and business minor from Pakistan, said in an interview after the panel event that part of being a "Wien and a Brandeisian" is being able to "leave knowing that you tried something else. You stepped out of your comfort zone."Other students, however, upheld the educational value of economics."They probably think the reason why we shouldn't [focus on economics] is because they want us to save the world," Ceylan Ecer '09, an International Global Studies, French and Economics major from Turkey, said in an interview after the panel event. "Doing econ, you can still do that in a very efficient way."Mai Le '07 emphasized that her mathematics major as well as her physics major were useful in preparing her for her current work as an economic consultant in New York City.At the current scholars' presentation earlier that day, alumni and current scholars debated whether or not Brandeis lacks sufficient awareness and dialogue about international events outside of the Middle East."I hear people talk about the old days when every issue was a hot issue and an open forum," one current scholar lamented. "A lot of that forum has been restricted."Yet, other students pointed to Brandeis' significant efforts at initiating discussion of international topics, including the establishment of the Office of Global Affairs last year and the array of course offerings on international topics in the Anthropology and Women's and Gender Studies Departments.Elwell said the Wien scholars organize annual trips and activities with the goal of becoming a close-knit group. In 2006, the ambassador to the United Nations from the Ivory Coast, a Brandeis alumnus, hosted the Wien scholars at the United Nations. Last year, the scholars went to volunteer in New Orleans, La.Brandeis invites all the Wien alumni to campus approximately once every five years, Elwell said.Current Wien scholars recognize their unlimited capacity for change that comes with the opportunity to interact with a group of highly motivated students from all across the globe."I don't think about skipping my 9 a.m. class," Chanont Banternghansa '08 said in a documentary current scholars presented. "I always remember that there's a million people waiting in line for my spot.
(04/01/08 4:00am)
Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan dismissed rumors circulating among students that University Police officers are in possession of red decoy guns to test student response before they obtain real guns. "This rumor is incorrect and certainly not funny. I neither know nor have heard anything about the matter," Callahan said, calling such a claim upsetting and discomforting. He stated that "this is not a question about arming the officers. It is a question of how we properly implement the arming process." University President Jehuda Reinharz's decision to arm campus police last September followed the recommendation of a firearms committee composed of faculty, staff and students under the supervision of Chief Operating Officer Peter French. Student opinion has been sharply divided on the issue. Student Union President Shreeya Sinha '09, Fanny Familia '09 and Matthew Rogers '08 have been advocating for students' inclusion on a firearms advisory committee that governs the policies in the process of arming the officers. The advisory committee has an upcoming status meeting this month. The intention of this forum is to advise officers-in-training before they are armed. Callahan explained the firearms committee, specifically the student representatives, was responsible for relaying information to students. He indicated that rumors could not have circulated from the committee. He added that "75 to 85 percent of the arming process has been initiated from the president's decision." Callahan stated that he is intent on tracking the source of these rumors. Sinha acknowledged that she had heard the rumors involving the red dummy guns, calling them "incorrect in every sense about them.""These kinds of reactions are unsafe in the sense of promoting safety," Sinha said. "Such ideas throw fear into the public, these rumors are not to be taken as gospel." "We wish to build relationships in the community by allowing students to ask questions involving the arming," she said. Founder of the now-defunct club Students Opposed to the Decision to Arms, Ben Serby '10, who said he has not heard the rumors, feels differently about Sinha's claim of student representation. Despite protests at various forums, Serby said "the Student Union representatives would not take us as seriously as we would have liked and simply discounted our proposals as unrealistic." Serby implied that the reason SODA is defunct is due to the fact that the club felt the Student Union did not take it as seriously as it would have liked.
(04/01/08 4:00am)
The University hosted a series of documentaries about immigration as part of a program titled "America's Ambivalent Open Arms: A series of films and discussions about current US immigration realities" last week.All events were held in the Zinner Forum in the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and were organized by Lila Starbuck '08. Thursday's event, "Rolling up the 'Welcome Mat': The Dynamics of Local Community Response to Refugees and Immigrants," drew approximately 40 undergraduates, graduate students and professors. The program consisted of the documentary The Letter, which captured the aftermath of a controversial open letter written by Mayor of Lewiston, Maine Larry Raymond to the 1,100 recent Somali immigrants in the town. In the letter Raymond writes that the city's resources are strained and asks other Somalis not to move to the city. The tension already present in the city culminated in two rallies held in Lewiston Jan. 11, 2003: the National Alliance rally supported by neo-Nazi groups who opposed Somali immigration and integration into Lewiston and the Many and One diversity rally. Both rallies were organized in response to Raymond's letter and to the divided community response to the influx of Somali refugees.In preparation for the rallies, over 150 officers came to Lewiston to secure the area. However, there were no instances of violence."Maine may be a lot of things, but it is not and it will not be a haven for hate," said Governor Baldacci of Maine during the Many and One diversity rally. Former mayor John Jenkins, who also spoke at the rally, said that this community-wide response in support of the Somali refugees "is a defining moment in Maine's history, sending a very clear message of who we are and where we are." In stark contrast to the words spoken by the city officials at the diversity rally, speakers at the rally supported by neo-Nazi groups said such things as, "We don't want the Somalis here" and "I'd like to thank the Mayor Raymond for daring to say that the emperor is naked."The film opened with a woman's lilting voice describing the common history of humans. Then followed live clips from Somalia, including images of bombs, refugee camps and bodies as a result of the ongoing conflict in Somalia, resulting in hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing the violence caused by the lack of effective government in the country, and then a cut to a picture of Lewiston, Maine and its history of prosperity followed by economic distress. The film also included interviews from two former mayors of Lewiston, including Jenkins and Kaleigh Tara, Raymond, Baldacci, Somali refugees in Lewiston, Cheryl Hamilton, who worked at the Portland/Lewiston Refugee Collaborative Program, and members of the World Church of the Creator and the National Alliance, which are pro-white groups that oppose Somali immigration to Lewiston. According to Somali refugees interviewed in the film, many moved to Lewiston in order to have a good place to raise their children. Following the film were presentations by filmmaker Ziad Hamzeh, anthropology graduate student Allison Taylor '11 and Sudanese refugee and graduate student in the SID program Panther Alier '09. Hamzeh said that this was his first documentary, and he found out about the issue of Somali refugees in Lewiston when filming his movie Shadow Glories there. "When people are put in such a vulnerability of saying someone is going to come to take your home . and take all your money and all of your dignity," paranoia sets in, and people feel that they have to protect themselves, said Hamzeh. This phenomenon created the turmoil seen in Lewiston, he said. Hamzeh said that one of the hardest things in filming the documentary was meeting with leaders of pro-white groups. "At first, I couldn't run fast enough to my shower and cleanse myself" after meeting with them, he said, but "as filthy as it began, it was a cleansing experience as I processed it in my own way." Taylor then gave a presentation about Somali refugees and discussed her preliminary fieldwork with Somali refugees in Kenya.Tuesday's event featured a documentary called Hearts Suspended by filmmaker Meghna Damani about educated South Asian women who immigrate to the United States but are prevented from working because their visas identify them as dependent spouses. On Wednesday there was a screening of the documentary Detained by filmmaker Jenny Alexander about undocumented illegal immigrants who were detained after an immigration raid at a factory in New Bedford, Mass. in March 2007.Rachel Sier '11, who helped organize the events, felt the documentaries and presentations addressed important relevant issues about immigration and U.S. policy. "There's at least 12 million illegal immigrants in America right now, . and that's astounding," said Sier. "It continues to be a problem, and we're not addressing it," she said. "Immigration is just one subset of a larger global issue."Sier said that several other students have become interested in this issue of immigration policy and hopes to form a club "to try and continue in the spirit of this program.
(04/01/08 4:00am)
The Health Center at Brandeis University came under immense criticism last week during a forum in the Shapiro Campus Center. Although the Health Center Advisory Committee, which moderated the discussion, was eager to hear suggestions, the assembly members voiced complaints and shared mostly negative experiences. It would be unfair to say that some of the complaints were unjustified, because patient satisfaction is the most important part of any health care service. Yet, the objections did not reflect any specific failings of the Health Center, but rather the frustrations of being sick."Brandeis students work very hard, and a debilitating illness such as mono or strep can be very frustrating," said Kathleen Maloney, Nursing Director at the Health Center. "Hearing there isn't a quick fix just adds to the frustration. I think some complaints are due to lack of knowledge."One of the most common complaints that students have is that they are misdiagnosed. The Health Center serves a population that, for all practical purposes, is generally healthy and presents approximately the same types of medical issues. For this reason, the nurses are very confident in the diagnoses as they examine the 30 to 60 students that come into the Health Center every day. Unfortunately, antibodies that indicate a specific illness may not become detectable until the second or third weeks of illness. A student may have flu-like symptoms for a week, but blood tests are not useful until seven days after. For instance, with bronchitis, the cold or flu comes first, and after the cough persists for a week, it is then called bronchitis.During the forum, it seemed that many students were concerned about their confidentiality being breached or being judged by the staff; especially when it came to pregnancy or other sexually related topics, for example. This is a valid concern. Questions about private sexual life should only be asked when absolutely necessary. Most often the "have you ever ." questions are not being asked out of curiosity, but rather as a part of your regular checkup for your protection. Medical providers are only curious about student's sexual activity "because it is an important piece of the history," Maloney reiterated. Some STD tests may be indicated depending on the type of answer you provide. But being completely honest is the only way to receive effective treatment.Students also have a responsibility in the treatment process. When symptoms begin to emerge, it is crucial to seek the Health Center right away so that you can receive proper advice for staying healthy. Symptoms that go untreated for too long a time may turn into a serious issue that is difficult to treat. Some time ago, a friend of mine sprained his ankle during intramural basketball. He decided not to go the Health Center and instead, used ice to treat the injury himself. The next day, his foot was purple and very enlarged. When he was finally X-rayed, it showed that he had broken his ankle. Instead of seeing the Health Center right away, which would have made that diagnosis and helped with a cast, he was further injuring the ankle.The Health Center strives to improve the lives of students and has undoubtedly caused more good than harm. Medicine is an imperfect science, and any medical facility would be prone to the same risks and failures as the Brandeis Health Center. Moreover, the forum meeting only included a handful of students, probably less than 1 percent of the school population. The other majority believes that the Health Center is working at its full potential and is providing a very excellent service. Maloney read me a thank-you letter from a student thanking them for their competent and comforting care. "It is very rewarding to hear students say, 'I feel better." We should be so lucky to have a staff and facility that provide competent medical resources.
(03/25/08 4:00am)
After a year mired by resignations, closed executive sessions and the continued degradation of student autonomy at the hands of the administration, we are yearning for a president who can turn the Union into a more open advocacy body that can fight for the rights of students. It is because of this that we wholeheartedly endorse Jason Gray '10 for Student Union President.The focus of Mr. Gray's time as Director of Union Affairs has been working to gather student feedback in order to attempt to transform the Union into an agency capable of fighting to defend students. He has held open forums and senator-representative luncheons in order to solicit input and created itsmystudentunion.com to allow students to effortlessly submit their concerns. Mr. Gray has spoken out against the closed executive sessions that characterized this administration, and emphasizes providing clubs and students with the information needed to maximize efficacy.Mr. Gray has also been an effective advocate for student's rights and autonomy. He was one of the primary organizers of the protest against the usurpation of the Student Activity Fee by the administration. Yet, Mr. Gray also has developed close ties to the administration through his position. He realizes that part of the controversies of this past year stem from a lack of communication and voicing of concerns. The good working relationship will hopefully allow the Union to proactively persue projects rather than jump from crisis to crisis. Mr. Gray's work on the Student Bill of Rights also shows him to be committed to protecting students.We choose Mr. Gray rather than Assistant Treasurer Justin Kang '09, the second best candidate in a pool of four, because we feel Gray is more experienced in the intricacies of government and has proven he can deliver results for students. However, we hope that Mr. Gray does not lose sight of the areas where Mr. Kang is strongest such as advocating for social justice and working effectively with clubs across the spectrum of campus interests. These are certainly things that could help unify a divided campus.Mr. Gray brings both an experience that has allowed him to develop effective relationships with those in charge and an urgency to change the bickering culture and gridlock that has plagued our leadership.
(03/25/08 4:00am)
While the entire country is following the 2008 presidential race, Brandeis is getting ready to pick its own Student Union president.Two current Union officials and two Union outsiders have announced their candidacies for Student Union president, with the first round of elections to open next Sunday. Director of Union Affairs Jason Gray '10 and Assistant Treasurer Justin Kang '09 are the current Union officials vying for the position, while Daniel Baron '09 and Frank Golub '10 are also running. Other positions that are open in the first round include Union vice president, Union secretary and Finance Board members. Student Union President Shreeya Sinha '09 said she is not running again because after three years in the Student Union, she said she wants to apply what she learned by taking advantage of an opportunity to study abroad at the London School of Economics and work for the British government. "I think that both Justin Kang and Jason Gray are excellent candidates," she said. "I'm running for president because I want to transform the Student Union," Gray said, expressing his frustration with the its current state. As president, he said, he wants to lead a team that is dedicated to a mentality of working for students by meeting with them one-on-one, as he had the previous year. He said he would seek student input for plans to renovate the Usdan Student Center, advocate for longer dining hours by building on the relationships he has developed with administrators, and create a more accessible Union Web site. Gray said he would meet with club leaders before enacting new policies that affect clubs. He said he intended to change an attitude he sensed among club leaders that "they feel like they're in conflict with the Student Union." Gray will be holding an open platform meeting in Upper Usdan today at 9:30 p.m. Kang pointed to his "unconventional route" at Brandeis as a member of student-run newspaper The Hoot, secretary of the Korean Student Association, treasurer for Students for Environmental Action and as assistant treasurer of the Union. He also emphasized the president's need to be familiar with campus finances. "This campus revolves around finances." he said. Baron talked about his experience as a member of several clubs and his experience as a community advisor. "I know what people want not just because I've seen it, but I've lived it," he said. Baron said he is organizing a forum on the subject of diversity in the Intercultural Center today at 5:15 p.m. Golub, who unsuccessfully ran for the same office last year, said he is running again in an effort to change the "pettiness and the egotism" of the Student Union. "We just need a fresh face," Golub said. The race for the vice-presidency attracted more Union officials to sign up. The candidates are: Senator-at-Large Andrew Brooks '09, F-Board member Jordan Rothman '09, Village Quad Senator Mike Kerns '09, Senator for Class of 2009 Julia Sferlazzo and Student Union Secretary Nelson Rutrick '10. Brooks said he would hope to make the Senate less intimidating to students by increasing transparency. "These aren't national security matters that we are dealing with in that room," he said. Rothman pointed out his membership in 19 clubs and participation in two varsity sports, as well as his involvement as a community advisor and a tour guide for the Office of Admissions would help him be a good VP.Candidate for treasurer Ryan McElhaney '10, who is not currently affiliated with the Student Union, said he gained experience handling large budgets as an employee for the Department of Orientation and First-Year Services and as manager of the Free Play Theatre Cooperative. He stressed the need for student oversight over the Student Activities Fee, with regard to Senior Vice President of Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy's decision to allocate 17% of the SAF to Student Events directly from the Department of Student Activities.Current Student Union Treasurer Choon Woo Ha '08 has endorsed Assistant Treasurer Max Wallach '09, the other person running for the position.
(03/25/08 4:00am)
The Student Union released a draft of a student Bill of Rights last Monday, the purpose of which is to inform students of their rights and the ways in which they can defend them. The bill has been in the works since the start of the 2007 to 2008 academic year, and members of various sectors of the Brandeis community helped compose it. The Union will hold a forum to discuss the draft today at 6:30 p.m. At the end of the academic year, a revised bill will be put up for a referendum, at which point the student body will vote on whether or not to enact it."The purpose of the bill is to substantiate the rights that students deserve," said Director of Union Affairs Jason Gray '10, who spearheaded the project.The bulk of the document affirms students' First Amendment rights, including the freedoms of speech, press and association. It states that students "should be free to advocate for any viewpoint in which they believe and that is protected by law," that the administration cannot censor or regulate student speech and that students cannot be disciplined for expressing controversial viewpoints.The bill guarantees due process to students facing disciplinary action, including the right to a fair hearing and the right to present witnesses. It also establishes students' right to privacy and the system by which the administration can legally invade it. In addition to establishing due process, the bill states that "Students have a right to request emergency treatment without fear of punishment" in order to encourage underage students to report excessive intoxication.The bill also asserts that the students have the right to congregate and engage in any legal activity, and that the administration does not have a right to impose advisors on student organizations. However, the bill does impose some restrictions on students' right to protest, stating that although students may hold rallies, they cannot disrupt campus life, and they must notify the Office of the Dean of Student Life before the event.The Student Union also incorporated a section upholding its own right to exist, stating that the students are entitled to an elected, representative body with the right to express its views on matters of importance to the student body and that only the students have the right to modify their government. The Bill of Rights ends by affirming the student body's right to academic freedom.The Union is working with Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer and Director of Student Development and Conduct Erica Lamarre to incorporate the bill into the Rights and Responsibilities handbook, Gray said. Currently, he said, the handbook is "heavy on responsibilities and light on rights." Gray also said that the Union will distribute cards containing information on students' rights.This bill represents an agreement between the student body and the administration, said Director of the Office of Student Conduct Advisors Laura Cohen '10, a member of the committee.Despite the bill's affirmation of the student body's rights and independence, Gray said, "At the end of the day, we are trying to work with the administration, not against it." He said that his committee will continue to work closely with the Department of Student Life until they have created a Bill of Rights that is acceptable to both the student body and the administration.-Matthew Brock
(03/18/08 4:00am)
Catholic services in a harmony of Spanish, French and other languages echoed through the grates in the floor and across the tombs of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.In the Vatican grottoes, alongside the burial sites of past popes, 12 members of the Brandeis Catholic Student Organization and Catholic chaplain Father Walter Cuenin celebrated Sunday mass in the Irish chapel of St. Columbanus. The mass was the spiritual culmination of a week-long trip to Italy that was subsidized by Catholic community members in the Boston area."Celebrating Mass in St. Peter's with the students, down in the crypts where the popes are buried" was the most meaningful experience of the trip to Rome, Cuenin said, because it drew members of the Catholic community closer together in a shared religious experience.St. Peter's Basilica, the burial site of its namesake, one of the 12 apostles, is located in the home city of the pope and is known as one of the holiest places and greatest churches in Christianity. More than just a religious site, however, the church is also an architectural and artistic masterpiece, boasting the famous dome designed by Michelangelo, Giacomo della Porta and Fontana. Because of the site's beauty, the group spent much of the day quietly taking it all in, joining together to pray at mass."The rest of the day we just explored St. Peter's Basilica," Rachael Cotter '10 recalled. "We got to climb the dome, which was incredible," she said.For students on the trip-which cost students only $550 for flights, accommodation and most meals-visiting famous churches and religious sites in Rome brought the history of the Catholic Church to life."Rome is the Catholic homeland," Stephanie Sapowicz '10 said. "It was just really interesting to see not only the history of the art in Rome but also of the Church as well." Carolyn Burns '10 said the group was thrilled to hear Pope Benedict XVI speak to a crowd of 15,000 at the Vatican. When the English-speaking priest at the pope's side announced that he was pleased to have a group from Brandeis visiting, "we made a pretty good amount of noise for a group our size," Burns said. "We represented Brandeis."Burns said the experience was comforting in that she could share her feelings of awe and inspiration with fellow members of the Catholic community."To be able to share that [powerful experience] with people who also feel the same way, share my religion and are practicing Catholics, definitely makes a difference," Burns said.The trip offered some students a new setting in which to bond with students, as well as the opportunity to get closer to members of the Catholic community who they usually only see at Sunday mass at Brandeis."One hour a week is really hard to build good relationships," Sapowicz said. As a religious minority at Brandeis, traveling to Rome helped students "build a network" to discuss their connections to Catholicism.This week-long tour wasn't limited to religious sites. The group visited the town of Assisi, known as the birthplace of St. Francis, founder of the Franciscan religious order. Inside the walls of this small city, which is in the mountains two hours north of Rome, students experienced the quiet and peaceful side of Italy. Exploring Assisi "was nice because that was very much the other part of Italy," as opposed to the busy city of Rome and Vatican City, said Sapowicz. "You don't see many walled-in little cities in the States," she said.After visiting St. Francis' Basilica and the town's many historical churches and landmarks, Cotter said the group enjoyed climbing around in the medieval castles in the city, from which they could see an amazing view of the countryside. Students remember the historic artwork they saw in Assisi and throughout Rome as beautiful and inspirational. "Everywhere you looked in these places," Fullerton said, "was just the most unbelievable art." Inside St. Peter's Basilica, "We got to see the Pietá," Fullerton recalls. Walking around Rome, students met daily at the Parthenon and saw the Coliseum and the Roman Forum. There was "just unbelievable history" compared to anything in the United States, Fullerton said. In particular, he remembers walking on stones at the Roman forum, where people have been walking for a thousand years. Students were impressed by the Catholic churches not only because of their religious significance but also because of their architecture."The old churches were really cool because there's so much [architectural] detail. . You could walk around them for days," Burns said. Most days, the group toured the city together in the morning and explored independently in the afternoons.In the Italian section of Rome, Fullerton said he went exploring with Burns and Ashley Ruskiewicz '08 and practiced his Italian. "I wanted to have as authentic an Italian experience as possible," said Fullerton, who remembers sitting in a café, entranced by the way everyone knew each other by name. "It was really nice just to get lost in Rome," Cotter said.Cuenin said he enjoyed getting to know students in the Catholic community on the trip and hopes to lead another trip next February break. "I'm a great believer in pilgrimage because I think it makes your faith come alive," Cuenin said. "I've found that it's one of the best ways to connect people, not only to our faith but also to one another.
(03/18/08 4:00am)
The Department of Residence Life aims to implement a gender-neutral housing policy which allows for coed rooms after the first two weeks next semester, according to Director of Residence Life Rich DeCapua. After the first two weeks of each semester, students may request to change rooms. According to a newly proposed plan, students who prefer gender-neutral housing may switch rooms after that period. Although this initiative will not affect room selection this month, "the student body should expect to see changes as early as this coming fall," such as more comprehensive training on gender-relevant issues for Community Advisors, said Social Justice Committee Senate Chair and Village Quad Senator Michael Kerns '09, who is helping to spearhead this initiative. Students said they have expressed concerns about the inclusiveness of the housing policy, which currently allows for coed suites and halls but not for coed rooms unless students approach Residence Life with individual concerns. "We can't rely on the traditional gender binary to be one of those things that we base all policies on, because that's just not true," DeCapua said.First-years can choose to live on a coed floor. Sophomores and upperclassmen can choose to live in coed suites. The problem with the traditional housing system, Triskelion president Alice Ittelson '08 said, is that it assumes a static gender and heterosexuality and creates an uncomfortable situation if students must make a special case to Residence Life. "If you're trans, that means you have to go to Res Life, and you have to out yourself, and for some people that can be an issue," TransBrandeis chairperson Emily Burd '08 said.This initiative has been a collaborative effort among the Social Justice Committee, Trisk and TransBrandeis, Kerns said. The group's goals are: a gender neutral housing policy for all upperclassmen and sophomores, "a gender-blind option that does not presuppose or force first-year students to self-identify [with regard to their gender] or live with a same-sex roommate unless they choose to do so," Kerns said. The group also advocates for stronger CA training in gender-related issues.Burd said it has been one of TransBrandeis' goals to have gender-neutral housing.Student Union Advocate Brian Paternostro '08 said he met with DeCapua last year to discuss the possibility of gender-neutral housing. "We discussed what's currently being done with ResLife and how they're moving toward getting the policy in place," he said. Last year, the Board of Trustees changed the University's non-discrimination policy to include protection of people on the basis of "gender identity and expression.""We have to make sure that every process is at a point that reflects terminology for gender-neutral housing," to make sure that the process is done appropriately and correctly, DeCapua said. DeCapua also stressed that this policy would not only affect trans people, but also allow males and females to live together. According to Kerns, there will be a forum to discuss gender-neutral housing at Brandeis in April, which will include members of Residence Life.One concern that many students involved in this initiative had was the housing form that first-years fill out upon entering Brandeis. "If your documentation doesn't really show who you are, it's not ok to go by that," Burd said. "One way for people to be more comfortable is to have more questions that just have to do with personality, completely unrelated to gender,"?she added.
(03/18/08 4:00am)
Students voiced their concerns about the Health Center, including misdiagnosis, privacy issues and confusion about insurance coverage at last Monday night's forum in the Shapiro Campus Center.Eleven people attended the informal forum, during which members of the Health Center Advisory Committee, which planned the event, moderated the discussion and encouraged the participants to share both negative and positive experiences they have had at the Health Center. Participants were also urged to offer suggestions for health services that are not currently offered on campus. The chairwoman of the committee, Jessica Blumberg '09, said that many students don't know much about their insurance plans and what they cover, and that perhaps the health center should actively provide more information.Noah Kaplan '09 opened the discussion: "I didn't get an insurance card on time. . I'm still having problems with that." More students followed by relating other negative experiences. The participants agreed that misdiagnosis and lack of attention are ongoing problems at the health center.Laura Cohen '09 said she was proscribed a certain type of antibiotics despite a big sticker on her file noting that she is allergic to that family of antibiotics. . "Luckily, I hadn't taken it yet," she said. "I've been misdiagnosed twice," Hillary Mishan '09 said. "First I was told I had the flu when I actually had bronchitis, and then I got told I had the flu but actually turned out to have mono[nucleosis]."Not everyone, however, was there to criticize. Rebecca Wilkof '09 said that upon mentioning in passing that she had never had chicken pox, a nurse gave her a shot on the spot. But most students present at the forum seemed to have had opposite experiences from Wilkof. "It would be nice to see people smiling when you go to the doctor, welcoming you, instead of making you feel like you are a burden to them." Justin Zullo '09 said. The issue of privacy was another concern that students discussed during the forum. "You're judged by the nurses; it's embarrassing," Sridatta Mukherjee '09 said. "A friend of mine asked for a pregnancy test, and they gave her a look." Comments concerning the lack of privacy at the reception, as well as a reluctance to trust the nurses with confidential information, echoed around the circle.Student Union President Shreeya Sinha '09 added that "they tend to assume that you are sexually active." Cohen added that the nurses at the health center automatically assume all kinds of risky behaviors, including inferring that an injury occurred because the student was drunk, or that any complaint might be a sexually transmitted disease. Students also said that it is difficult to schedule an appointment with the doctors at the center. "You tend to know your body. If you think you have strep, you need to see a doctor. You shouldn't have to jump through hoops," Kimberlee Bachman '08 said.The forum was not just about voicing complaints; the participants also suggested improvements that were brought up throughout the forum. "I think they could provide more preventative measures," Cohen said. Some ideas for this included sending out e-mails informing students of viruses going around, or even placing preventative care packages with information in student mailboxes. But since most flyers travel from the mailbox to the bin within seconds, Blumberg asked if perhaps part of the problem consists of student apathy.
(03/11/08 4:00am)
Last Tuesday the Center for German and European Studies provided an open forum to discuss the question of whether Jews should visit Germany. The initial discussion focused on the validity of the idea that Jews who visit Germany are overlooking the country's actions during World War II.The dialogue was lead by Prof. Sabine von Mering (GRAL) and guest lecturer Matthias Oppermann, a DAAD Visiting Scholar, part of the German Academic Exchange Service. As the discussion progressed, its scope broadened to include many other topics, some of which brought forth emotionally charged sentiments and enlightening statements regarding the fate of the Jewish legacy in Germany and modern German-Jewish relations. After each member of the group introduced him or herself and elaborated on his or her German or Jewish heritage, von Mering jumped into the discussion by asking those in attendance whether it was important for those of Jewish descent to visit Germany. Zachary Zorfas '10 detailed the personal importance of visiting Germany; he explained that he traveled to the country last summer in order to "get in touch with the history" and to learn about the Jewish culture that was left behind there. He was confused that some Jews are reluctant to visit Germany and Poland today simply because their relatives who were affected by the Holocaust refused to return there themselves. Dr. Lawrence Wangh (BIOL) expressed a similar sentiment, explaining that it is also important for Jews to visit Germany in order to explore the portions of their heritage that are German or Polish. "One goes to Germany and recognizes portions of one's character that are uniquely German," Wangh said. "Everything is familiar in a certain way, and part of the tragedy of the Nazi era is that Jews wondered, 'How could this happen to us? We're German.'" One of the dominant topics of the discussion was how Germans today view and interact with Jews. Wangh, as well as several other Jews in attendance, described that when they visited Germany, they felt a sense of unease on the part of the German population while in the presence of Jews. Wangh described an instance when it was revealed that he was Jewish in the company of several Germans. The reaction, Wangh said, was "complete silence." Von Mering inquired as to why he believed that this had happened. Wangh explained that the Germans "simply did not know how to deal" with those of Jewish ethnicity.Von Mering, who is German and was raised Christian but has brought up her children with an awareness of their grandparents' Jewish heritage, elaborated on this idea. She explained that while Germany makes an attempt to recognize the Holocaust through memorials and educational programs in areas such as Berlin, there is a distinct inability amongst those of the German population "to talk about the Holocaust, to talk about things Jewish ... even if there are no Jews around.""There is a fear of concentration camps," she said, "to be confronted with the real horror [of the Holocaust]. You think, 'My grandfather could have been one of the people who killed.'"However, Dr. Tatjana Meschede of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, a German who converted to Judaism prior to the birth of her sons, explained that there is a desire amongst Germans to be educated on Jewish tradition and culture. For instance, she said, there are many Germans who requested to be invited to her son's bar mitzvah in Germany so that they might be able to experience Jewish culture. The discussion, as it continued, drifted among a variety of subjects, including the science of Jewish genetics, family planning according to religious customs and the role of women with children in general society. Ultimately, however, the forum concluded with the participants discussing more personal aspects of their lives. Talk of hometowns and families further narrowed a divide that had already been breached through a personal and revealing evening.
(03/04/08 5:00am)
Steve DeLuca's '08 named was spelled incorrectly in a sport's teaser on the front page. (Feb. 12, p. 1)A correction in the Feb. 12 issue said the Wetmen, an Intramural basketball team, had two other baseball team members besides Ben L. '08. L. was the only baseball team member on that team. (Feb. 12, p. 2) Prof. Jonathan Sarna's (NEJS) name was spelled incorrectly in his letter to the editor. (Feb. 12, p. 13) An article in Forum reported that Océ Business Services has a slogan, "With Océ Business Services you have fewer direct and indirect staff on your payroll." Océ Business Services has no such slogan. (Feb. 12, p. 14)
(03/04/08 5:00am)
All students deserve to feel safe and comfortable in their living environments. That's the message of the National Student Genderblind Campaign, a student movement that advocates for gender-neutral housing on college campuses. Institutions across the country, approximately 30, have responded to those students who say the traditional residence life policy that mandates only students of the same sex be roommates is antiquated and unfair. These universities have made gender-blind housing available to accommodate those students-many of whom are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning or intersex-who feel more comfortable rooming with someone with no gender or someone of the opposite sex or gender. Transgender students who come to Brandeis or undergo the transition while at Brandeis may prefer to live with a roommate who's comfortable with their identity or who is gender-variant as well. In adjusting the heteronormative housing policy, Brandeis has the opportunity to be more alert and sensitive to the needs of gender-variant students. We support the students of Triskelion, TransBrandeis and the Social Justice Committee in their effort to bring gender-inclusive housing options to Brandeis. This sort of housing would be optional. We encourage the Department of Residence Life to work with students to reach a compromise regarding this issue as soon as possible.No student should be forced into a living situation that causes undue anxiety and discomfort. That also goes for students, many with religious concerns, who frequently request more single-gender floors, suites and buildings to be available. These students should have the housing that best suits their identities as well. It's difficult for ResLife to balance these competing needs, but that's why we need a greater variety of housing options. An inclusive rooming option, maybe starting with one dorm, would make for a good test run. ResLife and Trisk discussed the possibility of opening gender-neutral housing in a Thematic Learning Community. This is a great idea, but ResLife has to revamp the TLC program first, as it's currently on hold. ResLife could also conduct a survey and hold open forums to receive more feedback from students on this issue. A forum might bring to light some of the heteronormative assumptions that the housing policy makes. It assumes that only students of the opposite sex can be in relationship and that only men perpetrate violence against women. If these generalizations were true, then separating men and women in housing might make sense.According to the National Student Genderblind Campaign, colleges that allow for gender-neutral housing reported that only 2 to 3 percent of their students choose to live with a roommate, regardless of sex. Allowing these minority groups to feel at home is reason enough. Multiple models exist for gender-neutral living. Since 2003 Wesleyan University has offered multiple gender-blind dorms and Ithaca College and Dartmouth College each allocated one hallway in a dorm as gender-neutral. We hope greater progress is made on our campus as well.
(03/04/08 5:00am)
Students who traveled to the Palestinian territories during February break on a trip funded by former President Jimmy Carter's Nobel Peace Prize called the journey "a once-in-a-lifetime experience" that offered them a unique perspective on the Middle East. Eleven Brandeis students went on the trip, an initiative of the campus club Students Crossing Boundaries. SCB hired an organization called Birthright Unplugged to help them make the finishing touches on the trip's itinerary.Justin Kang '09, founder of SCB, said, "We hired Birthright Unplugged as an important asset because of their access and expertise of the area."Birthright Unplugged is an organization that helps groups plan and facilitate travel programs within the Palestinian territories. According to its Web site, "Birthright Unplugged offers opportunities for people to gain knowledge through first-hand experiences and to use that knowledge to make positive change in the world." Members of SCB emphasized that the club doesn't have any particular political affiliation, and that every student on the trip came in with a different perspective. Participant Alison Schwartzbaum '08 said she approached this trip from different points of view. "I so much feel like I went on this trip for myself, to learn, to have this experience and this opportunity for me," she said. "Another part of me feels like I went as part of this unit, this group of people, and together we were experiencing."Noam Shuster '10 said the trip provided her with a perspective that is usually not available. "This trip gave us the initiative and we saw human suffering . We went and we met real people. We went to see what is not available for us to see; we saw the real people," she said.For Deborah Laufer '08, being able to have tangible imagery about the situation in the Palestinian territories was a valuable aspect of the trip. "To seek out an opportunity that challenges your core identity and everything you may or may not have believed is something that I would encourage anyone to do," she said.However, not everyone was entirely pleased with the way the trip unfolded. A junior who went on the trip, who did not want to disclose his name for the Web site, said, "I found the cultural encounter element excellent, but this was overshadowed by the inappropriate simplicity of the political aspects of the trip." "I found it to be incredibly interesting to be on a trip organized by people with hateful biases [Birthright Unplugged], but I was very disappointed by my peers' intellectual approaches to this experience," he said. Various participants on the trip said one of the most meaningful parts of the trip was their stay with host families in the Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem. Noam Shuster '10 said, "It was amazing to feel such warmth and optimism in a house that barely has running water." "They just want peace; they just want to live," she added.Other highlights from the trip included meeting with Amal Jadou, the U.S. foreign policy advisor to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, as well as Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, an independent Palestinian Legislative Council member and former Palestinian Authority Minister of Information. Students also had the opportunity to meet with Allegra Pacheco, United Nations officer for humanitarian affairs in Jerusalem, born into an American Orthodox Jewish family. Another profound aspect of the trip was having the opportunity to see the Israeli West Bank Wall from both the Israeli and the Palestinian points of view, participants said. Lisa Hanania '10 described kindness she experienced: "One day we were in a cab, and the cab driver just stopped in the middle of the street and got everyone coffee at his expense. We tried to offer money but he just said, 'No, you're in my cab, so you're in my house.' I have never seen anything like it.""Part of what we were learning was not just the gravity of the situation. It was also just about, in general, telling a story of the Palestinian narrative," Laufer said.An example was the story of Yousef El Azeh, a 10-year-old boy, involving a settler grabbing him by the throat, choking him and then painfully scraping away his teeth by rubbing a stone hard against them. Lisa Hanania '10, however, said, "The fact that we were going and listening and learning doesn't mean we were only seeing the Palestinian perspective." Upon returning, SCB began discussing plans for future programs. The group plans on holding some type of open panel or forum, and possibly a photo exhibit, to share their experiences with the Brandeis community, Kang said."It's hard being back to the Brandeis routine after such an eye-opening experience," Shreeya Sinha '09 said. "I feel that I have a responsibility to represent all that I've seen to help our generation move closer to peace and coexistence in the Middle East," Sinha said.
(02/12/08 5:00am)
Israel advocates are certainly at home at Brandeis. We wish the same were true for those who feel conflicted about Israel. If you love Israel, if you care about its politics, the peace process or any other aspect, you can count on the array of Zionist clubs (Zionists for Historical Veracity, Student United for Israel, Brandeis Israel Political Action Committee, Brandeis Religious Zionist League, etc.) to frequently offer events. Every week it seems the campus hosts a lecture, a panel discussion or a social event about Israel. Last week, for example, Hillel hosted an Israel-themed Shabbat dinner. Events about Jewish-Israeli culture, medicine, politics and the education system are all important educational programs that enrich our community. But these events are generally missing voices that anyone who is concerned about Israel today must engage. It is short-sighted to think that attending only events that reinforce what many already believe about Israel will bring peace to such a troubled land. And it is unfair to deny anyone seeking to learn more about the situation the opportunity to develop a nuanced perspective. A university, and more importantly a student body, that prides itself on pluralism should indeed embrace intellectual diversity in its many forms, not stifle it in fear.Obviously, not all events can or should address all sides at once. Zionist groups on campus are entitled to program as they see fit. But when events are held that challenge these groups' political and ideological assumptions, their members barely turn out at all. Chelsey Berlin '08 studied abroad last year in Egypt and spent a great deal of time in the West Bank. She has first-hand knowledge of Palestinian and Middle Eastern life in general. I, Rachel, attended her communiversity class last week, to watch a stimulating film and participate in a discussion about life for Palestinians in the territories. Only five students, including me, attended this class. It was disappointing also last week when no more than a dozen students besides the organizers attended a panel discussion held for "Lighting Gaza Week" featuring Prof. Gordon Fellman (SOC) and a Palestinian student from Harvard. The discussion challenged popular American Zionist beliefs about Israel's role in perpetuating the conflict and explored the misery many Palestinians feel Israel continues to cause. Students with little to expansive knowledge about Israel could have benefited tremendously from hearing this alternative narrative expressing the horrors of daily life for Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. While few attended this event, an upcoming event featuring Khalid Abu Toameh, a West Bank-born, Israeli-Arab journalist who is critical of free speech abuses in the Palestinian territories, has dozens of confirmed attendees on facebook. Toameh's presentation will provide analysis of Palestinian society but will likely serve only to affirm many students' notions about Palestinians. The facebook invitation hints at this by stating that he's "the most neutral perspective," yet Students United for Israel is sponsoring the event.Part of the resistance to hearing these alternatives is apparently institutionalized. Anne Lawrence, the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies academic administrator, sent out an e-mail over the NEJS and Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies list-serves advertising "Lighting Gaza" events last week. Within the hour, Ms. Lawrence sent out an e-mail apologizing: "Indeed, our NEJS list-serve is not a political forum, and it was my mistake to distribute it under our department's name." We were perplexed by the apology. Far from an endorsement, the e-mail simply notified students of the event's logistics. Seeking further explanation, we e-mailed Dept. chair Prof. David Wright (NEJS). He echoed Ms. Lawrence, writing, "We seek to avoid advocacy on any side of political or religious issues, and therefore we generally do not send out announcements of this sort on our list-serve." Apparently, "some faculty members observed that the message should not have been sent out."But the department sends out announcements over the NEJS and IMES list-serves about trips to Israel sponsored by Zionist organizations and opportunities to hear Israeli representatives speak all the time. Although these events are not always explicitly political, they do tend to view Israel through one lens. The "Lighting Gaza" panel was not explicitly political either, but rather aimed at exposing students to an experience seldomly shared at Brandeis. The department shouldn't shy away from promoting a multitude of Israeli and Palestinian political and religious events. NEJS and IMES should publicize events for open dialogue and events with varying perspectives, without fear that they are dolling out an endorsement. Academic freedom relies on the courage of an institution to embrace intellectual and political diversity. Likewise, those students seriously concerned with Israel must know that encountering alternative and often deeply challenging perspectives brings about progress towards mutual understanding.
(02/05/08 5:00am)
Welile Nhlapo, the United States ambassador to South Africa, will speak about the country's current political climate next Monday during the annual Ruth First Memorial Lecture.Sponsored every year by the African and Afro-American Studies department, the lecture series is endowed in memory of Louise Joy Schiff by her family. The series is designed to fund annual lectures on black liberation in Southern Africa. The late Professor Glenda Waite and current AAAS Chairman Wellington Nyangoni determined the series' name before the first lecture in 1985.The ambassador's presentation will focus on contemporary developments and the political environment, where racism and conflict remain major issues, according to Nyangoni. "Hopefully it will touch also on the ideals of Ruth First and to what extent they have been met," Nyangoni said.Having previously served as South Africa's ambassador to Ethiopia and permanent representative to the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa since 1995, Nhlapo became the South African ambassador to the United States in August 2007. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa Nhlapo was the co-author of the publication "Black Review" which discussed the activities of black organizations in the early 1970s. After being exiled to Botswana in 1973, Nhlapo joined and served many roles on the African National Congress. Nhlapo will be the second foreign U.S. ambassador to visit this academic year following German Ambassador Klaus Scharioth, who came to campus last fall. The series' namesake was born to a family of white Jewish South African communists and dedicated her life to the freedom of all South Africans under the ruling apartheid regime. A highly respected individual and eminent scholar, First worked within the South African Communist Party and in close association with the African National Congress, which ultimately brought down the apartheid regime in South Africa. A lifelong columnist for the radical weekly publication Guardian, which was repeatedly banned by the South African government, First was assassinated in 1982 when an envelope sent to her by a U.N. agency exploded upon opening. First's husband, Joe Slavo, was the head of the South African communist party and among the leaders of the ANC. The ANC has always been multiracial and admits any members committed to equal rights.Nyangoni met First through his work for South African civil rights, and said, "She was a very dynamic woman who exemplified the fight for racial justice in Africa. ... I was a very strong believer in what she was doing." First's writings reflected her belief in ideal political and economic egalitarianism, he said.The memorial series began as an educational forum, according to Nyangoni. "We try to educate the community on Africa issues, politics and ethnicity," he said. As the African country with the largest Jewish population, South Africa has significance for Brandeis as a university with a significant Jewish community, Nyangoni said."We share a lot with South Africa," Nyangoni said. The story of South Africa is, "a human story about human relations, different people working together toward a common good," he said.The event will be held on at 5:30 p.m. in the Hassenfeld Conference Center.
