(10/31/03 5:00am)
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of listening to an educated, intelligent and well-respected man speak about modern society. I was excited at the beginning of the talk when he called for people to wake up to reality and realize how much we have advanced. But a sudden change in rhetoric slapped me squarely in the face. I sat up in my chair, shocked at what I was hearing. This man, who I thought was going to speak about society's progression to a better existence, instead fell into the badly beaten rut of condemning our generation.This man was neither subtle nor creative. He spoke about the gruesome violence on television, today's horrible video games, the foul language used in music, the revealing clothes today's youth wear - he went down the list of any and every issue people have ever had with our generation. As he continued to rant, I became increasingly frustrated with what I was hearing. I could feel the respect draining from my body as I listened to him more. How someone could be so blind boggled my mind.I do not believe that our society is perfect and I am not claiming that we do not live in troubled times; society could stand many improvements. At the same time, I feel it is very easy for people to condemn everything they see because their minds are locked by stagnant values. One can listen to the music on the radio and discount it all as garbage - a deluge of curse words, slang and sexual references. Ignoring the fact that only a small portion of music falls into such a category, it's important to realize something greater: The fact that such music exists is a tribute to how much our society has progressed. Freedom of speech has empowered people who had no previous way to express themselves. More importantly, the fact that it is acceptable to discuss such issues in public forums (such as music) is an indication that society has advanced, not receded. If anything, such progress should be promoted and fostered, not quieted and condemned.The issue arises when one is unable to thresh the chaff from the grain. Such people take an issue, beat it to the ground and throw out everything, both the good and the bad. Because they were raised on "old fashion, American values," they assume anything other than meatloaf, potatoes and "Leave it to Beaver" is proof of society's decay.This terrifies me. I'm afraid because society is not meant to stagnate, rather it is meant to develop, branch and blossom. Sometimes it yields delicious fruit; other times, we are left with withered husks. But it is impossible to order values to halt and to command civilization to remain constant. Humanity cannot be held at the status quo. Our task is to, as objectively as possible, evaluate where we now stand. We must look at how we've changed both for better and for worse. It is too easy to respond with the knee-jerk reaction and lash out against a group with which we can't identify. We see a group as alien, so we pigeonhole it, stereotyping it to fit preconceived images and notions. It is this automated response against which we must struggle. We have the daunting task of showing the world that their first impressions are incorrect. This is not an easy task, and perhaps that's why I was so frustrated with the speaker. We were not given the benefit of the doubt. In his speech, all people between the ages of 15 and 25 were delinquents contributing to society's decline. I understand, however, that it is human nature to lump people together. I can forgive the systematism of our peer group. It was his solution that sent me over the edge.The speaker called for parents to, "take a stand to their kids," and not to be afraid to say "no." While I agree this is good parenting advice, I am pained that this is his answer to society's faults. I agree that parents' roles are to impart to their children knowledge and values. But the values a parent professes should be solid ones, ones that are grounded on strong principles and beliefs. If a parent truly believes that societal standards are wrong, then I understand why a parent would want to impart those values onto a child. But if a parent also values other ideals, such as liberty, individuality, free thought or self-determination, then I would strongly advise the parent to imbue those principles instead. Teach your children morals; show them what's right and wrong, how to live decently and be a good person. But then realize that they are at that age where they are nearly adults. Soon the parents won't have any control over their children, and the child will only have his wits and knowledge to save him in the real world. The child would be far better suited if he could think for himself and make good decisions than if he can only recall what is permissible and what is taboo. The answer is not harsher judgment, not swifter consequence, but stronger, better reason.
(10/31/03 5:00am)
Brandeis students have a well-worn routine: an uphill struggle with work and errands during the week, a Friday night release, a Saturday climax of festivities and a well-earned Sunday morning in bed. In fact, pre-brunch Sunday might be their one source of refuge and energizing before waking to the jarring buzz, beep, blast or bell of the alarm clock again on Monday. But one small group of Brandeis undergraduates is not saved from the bell. About 45 Brandeis students break the routine, waking up early Sunday morning to go to class. Only this time, you won't hear them complaining, as their role has been reversed from student to teacher. These students work for the Brandeis Jewish Education Program (BJEP), a program for families with children in grades one through seven. Independent from the University and self-financed, BJEP rents space from Brandeis and along with other programs, provides a Sunday school for primarily unaffiliated Jewish children in the area. In fact, about 95 percent of the school's more than 200 students are unaffiliated Jews from many different backgrounds. Amy Sands, the religious school's director, said, "In many cases, (BJEP) is their first Jewish educational experience."The program was founded more than 35 years ago by Rabbi Axelrad - a Brandeis Jewish chaplain at the time - and was designed originally for the children of Brandeis academics, according to Sands.BJEP has evolved significantly since this original conception. Before, children came straight from the Brandeis community, out of the hands of one group of teachers (Brandeis faculty) directly into the hands of another - the BJEP religious school teacher. Now, they come not from Brandeis but from miles beyond its front gates. In fact, some parents drive 40 minutes each way just to get their children to BJEP.There are a number of religious schools in areas throughout Massachusetts. So what is it exactly that motivates these parents to wake up early on a Sunday morning to drive their children to a distant college campus?Julie Dobrow, a parent of three children enrolled at BJEP and chairperson of its educational board, said that the quality of BJEP teachers sets the program apart from others. "We've found that BJEP is really a wonderful experience for our kids, and one of our greatest assets at BJEP is our teachers," Dobrow said. "They bring an energy and enthusiasm (to teaching) that I think is really unparalleled."Almost all of the approximately 45 teachers and aides at BJEP are Brandeis undergraduate students. In addition, many other Brandeis students contribute to the program as tutors or substitutes and in other capacities. Teachers for each grade have separate curriculums, each going into the particular areas of focus in depth. The quality attributed to the teaching at Brandeis derives substantially from small details of the work. For instance, Sands said that every teacher writes a lesson plan each week, in addition to sending a letter home to every child's parents concerning what is being taught in class. Classroom topics include biblical Jewish texts and history, Israel, holidays, life cycles and the Holocaust. In addition, all students have Hebrew, art and music programs."The curriculum is very untraditional," Sands said. "It's experiential. It's interactive. We operate on the premise that children are going to learn based on what they experience, (and) kids for the most part are very happy being here, which is unusual for a Sunday school."The depth of study in each curriculum area, particularly the Hebrew program, is unique. In addition to learning the words and tunes of prayers, Sands said that BJEP aims to provide every child with a real understanding of the meanings behind them."In the greater Boston area, there are three or four other (unaffiliated) programs, but they don't teach Hebrew. It's very singular," Sands said. At the end of their studies, about 90 percent of BJEP students are able to read Torah for the Jewish coming-of-age ceremony, a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, according to Sands. Between a third and a half of every graduating class also proceeds to study at a prominent afternoon Hebrew high school for about 750 Boston-area children - an especially meaningful statistic considering most of the students' prior religious background.Sands said, "We have a very heterogeneous group. We have interracial families. We have mixed marriages and adopted children from Asia, South America ... and families that come from over a dozen communities."Amy Schneider '04 is in her second year teaching at BJEP. Her class consists of third grade children who, like the others attending BJEP, come from many different kinds of families."You get a great cross section of kids. Because it's not affiliated with some specific group, you get kids from all kinds of backgrounds. And it's interesting because there are so many backgrounds," Shneider said.The diversity which makes BJEP stand apart can also create significant challenges for BJEP staff and faculty. Teachers must deal not only with the differing degrees of knowledge among students, but also with the parents' various degrees of knowledge and the differing priority that parents place on their children's religious school education. Adena Kemper '06, who teaches another third grade class, said, "We get a whole range of students and so sometimes it's really frustrating because ... (they can get) rowdy and sometimes one of the parents may not want their child to be there."In addressing this issue, Sands noted that there are many programs geared toward the education of the whole family, including parents. Some days, parents attend Sunday school with their children so that "the parents and children learn something together," as Sands said.Each parent is obligated to help out with certain projects throughout the year, said Rachel Present '06, who teaches first grade at BJEP. "The commitment level of parents is a lot higher than it was for the parents at home," she added. Even so, the lack of a synagogue tied to the program creates obstacles for BJEP."It's the most supportive environment I've ever worked in, but at the same time, we don't have a synagogue to back us up or a congregation, so it's hard. We're trying to be the sort of nondenominational Judaism (program) and we have a lot of resources, but it's difficult because we're lacking a lot of resources that a regular synagogue would have," Kemper said.Nonetheless, the BJEP curriculum and educators manage with their available courses, and most people involved agree that their experiences at BJEP have been overwhelmingly positive.According to Sands, most Brandeis students become interested in BJEP through word of mouth. Many teachers started out as substitutes for the program. Others, like Kemper, learned about it through the Hillel office or other sources. Sands mentioned that BJEP is also welcome to graduate students who could provide administrative support or act as assistant directors.For many Brandeis student teachers, graduation does not mark the end of their teaching careers. Dobrow has seen a trend over the years of many Brandeis students continuing to take up teaching roles, whether at BJEP, in Jewish education or in other forums.Schneider plans on becoming an English teacher after graduating with her B.A. in English this spring.Kemper, working toward a degree in Near Eastern and Judaic Studies, plans on becoming a rabbi.Present, a philosophy major, said she might pursue a career in Jewish education, but is not yet sure.Regardless of future plans, both teachers and students at BJEP will continue to learn and benefit from the educational programs BJEP offers.
(10/31/03 5:00am)
A protest organized by the Brandeis Black Student Organization (BBSO) to postpone Tuesday's regular release of the Justice until Friday began outside of the Justice office in the Shapiro Campus Center at approximately 1 a.m. and continued until around 6 a.m. Tuesday morning.The protesters, some of whom were also Intercultural Center (ICC) members, wanted more time to respond to last issue's racist remark by former sports columnist Dan Passner '06. "BBSO's issue with the Justice coming out was that we would not be able to get our statement in on time," one of the co-presidents of BBSO Alana Hamlett '06 said. The Justice Editorial Board eventually complied with the demand to postpone Tuesday's issue until today and allowed BBSO's response to be placed on the front page."We were under the impression that if we didn't comply, there would be steps taken by the administration to stop press," Justice Forum Editor Samantha Slater '05 said. The Justice Editorial Board said they were saddened by the protest."It started as just chanting. They were calling for Steve," Arts Editor Sara Tenenbaum '06 said.Tenenbaum said protesters banged on the windows and walls, screaming taunts and hitting pot lids together. The window banging did not stop until Assistant Dean of Student Life Alwina Bennett intervened at around 2 a.m. "We had a peaceful protest," Hamlett said. She declined to elaborate further on what occurred. "They were teasing Steve (editor-in-chief) in very hostile ways," Features Editor Yana Litovsky '05 said. "Any time the door opened there was a torrent of screams." "I think the hate was what scared me the most out there," Slater said. "The pure hate directed at us was very scary. I was upset that they pinned us all as racists when they don't even know us as individuals. They grouped us together just as they don't like to be grouped." The Justice Editorial Board said they did not believe the protesters would resort to violence. But editors said they felt somewhat threatened."I knew rationally that I would not be hurt," Litovsky said. "Their point was to intimidate us as people, not as a newspaper, and there is no way to do that without threatening your person." Director of the ICC Suzie Talukdar wrote an e-mail to the ICC expressing pride for the students who protested."From my understanding, some BBSO members and concerned students chose to protest because they wanted to stop printing of the Justice so they could include a statement on the next issue's front cover," Talukdar said. "They believed earlier in the day that the paper was not planned to be printed that night, and then found out otherwise later." "We always told them that they could write their op-ed," Tenenbaum said. "We were just not sure if it could go on the front page." Litovsky said the placement of editorials on the front page does not comply with typical journalistic standards, leading the Editorial Board to have reservations about placing BBSO's statement on the front page. Justice Editorial Board members said they had told BBSO they would comply and allow their editorial to be printed on the front page. But when Heyman '06 chose not to comply to BBSO's demand that he resign, Litovsky said BBSO terminated communication with the Justice."If they gave us the letter, we would wait until Friday," Litovsky said. "When they found out that Steve was resigning, we gave them the next ten hours (to write the editorial). They were at full capacity to write the editorial that they were protesting for. It was all or nothing for them. They were still waiting for their regularly scheduled meeting." Hamlett said the Justice Editorial board told BBSO that they could place a statement on the front page on Sunday night. Hamlett said BBSO would not have been able to write an accurate statement including the opinions of all concerned members by Monday night because BBSO meetings are on Wednesdays. "We had told them several times that we would not be able to get the statement to them by then," Hamlett said. "We wanted any BBSO members to be able to tell what they had to say within the statement." While Litovsky said the Justice would wait until Friday to print the newspaper if BBSO chose to write the response for Tuesday's release, Hamlett said the Justice chose to proceed with production without BBSO's statement. The protest ended around 6:00 a.m.when Senior Vice President of Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy convinced the Justice Editorial Board to postpone publication until Friday. "Jean Eddy coerced us into not printing. She said that it's the best for the Brandeis community," Associate Editor Igor Pedan '05 said. "She wanted to appease BBSO so that Brandeis' image in supporting diversity doesn't falter. She said that they were the injured party so we should succumb to them." Members of the Justice Editorial said BBSO is being perceived as the only injured party. "However hurt any student was (by the racial slur printed in the Justice), I guarantee that the editors on this editorial board are ten times as hurt by their fellow students at the protest," Heyman said. Each member of the Justice editorial board expressed a sense of sadness, feeling as though their journalistic integrity has been sacrificed. This has caused many of the members of the board to resign. "I no longer believe that the Justice is a student newspaper," Pedan said. When the administration can force and choose the members of your board, you are no longer independent. When they can force you not to print, you are no longer independent. The administration has made us violate every single journalistic ideal that we have. This is why I am resigning." Other editors have chosen to resign for similar reasons, including Litovsky. But Heyman says he had no choice but to resign. "I was forced to resign," Heyman said. "It was made very clear to me by members of the administration that there would be no more, that the president (of the university) had an expectation that not another Justice would print with me as editor-in-chief and he would take whatever steps necessary to see to that. To preserve a 54-year-old publication - that means more than any one person on the editorial board." Despite lingering emotions, Hamlett says she has hope for the future."I want to see that there be better ties between the Justice and the ICC in terms or representing students who are in the ICC and in terms of better coverage of events," Hamlett said.
(10/31/03 5:00am)
While it is understandable that people's opinions on the racist comments in the Oct. 21 issue of the Justice and the aftermath to it will differ, some of the comments in the Oct. 31 letters section of the Justice didn't result from differing opinions, but rather came from a stunningly thoughtless mindset.Paul Kandel '06 says that, in an open forum held in the Intercultural Center, "Other students made blatantly bigoted comments, saying they 'wish the whole school looked like the ICC room'." This comment was made in reference to the fact that there were both many students of color and many white students in the same room, both working toward confronting the issue of racism on the Brandeis campus. Given the context of the quote, it is completely inconceivable that Mr. Kandel could have reasonably interpreted the comment in any other way, and, thus, his claim that the comment was "blatantly bigoted" is both disingenuous and offensive.Even more shocking is Martin Lieberman '96's claim that the column in question would have been "fine" had the last paragraph not been included. In the eighth paragraph of the article, Dusty Baker, the black manager of the Chicago Cubs, and Kenny Lofton, the Cubs' centerfielder, who is also black, are compared to Amos and Andy. "Amos & Andy" was an incredibly offensive minstrel radio and television show depicting white actors in "blackface" as nonsensical fools. Comparing two men to Amos and Andy is extremely insulting--there is nothing "fine" about it. --Daniel Mauer '06
(10/21/03 4:00am)
On Oct. 16, the Beehive Collective- a political grassroots organization based out of the small-town of Machias, Maine- made a stop at Brandeis University on their cross-country tour to campaign against war, colonialism and globalization. Several Brandeis clubs including the Radical Student Alliance invited the Beehive Collective to this campus to educate the students about the Beehive Collective's political views.The two hour presentation took place in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium, and the two centerpieces were sixteen foot cloth banners printed with representational art entitled "Plan Colombia" and "Free Trade of the Americas." Plan Colombia is the United States' $1.3 billion package of assistance to help Colombians overcome their national drug problem, human rights violations and ailing economy. The other banner was "Free Trade Area of the Americas," which is an attempt started in 1994 at the Summit of the Americas to unite all the economies of the Americas in trade without barriers.The Beehive Collective uses anthropomorphic collages to express their views. "The Free Trade of the Americas" banner's focal point was the world totally covered by three mechanical industrial spiders representing development, militarization, and corporation. The development spider had chainsaw fangs and oil drilling legs, the militarization spider was covered in hypodermic needles, and the corporation spider had television eyes and corporate logo skin. Among their victims was a howler monkey, both entangled in the general web of the spiders and sewing machine threads which represented the plight of the sweat-shop workers, and also gas-mask wearing monarch butterflies.The "Plan Colombia" banner was based on interviews with South Americans. They stressed that America's involvement in their country had its roots in European colonization. At the top of the banner loomed a wasp nest shaped like Europe, out of which burst another nest shaped like the United States, imitating the principal in nature that when a wasp nest gets too heavy, a second one grows out of it. The American nest contained complacent wasps (a visual pun on the rich American WASP class) watching televisions, all the while oblivious to the plight of the South American ants below.Underneath the nests were airplanes spraying cocoa fields, because one facet of Plan Colombia is to abolish the cocaine problem. The Beehive Collective states that since the American airplanes spray the fields so inaccurately civilians 100 miles away are affected by the poisonous fumes. The South Americans interviewed thought that this was an American strategy to displace citizens.These fields were attached to an earth which was split into a "nightmare" side and a "life" side. One example of this juxtaposition was on the "life" side there were South American minor ants unionizing, and on the "nightmare" side there were American ants training at the School of the Americas about how to destabilize unions.Since there was a limited amount of time, and the Beehive Collective didn't have one central theme, they were not able to speak in depth about any one topic. The presentation was rushed because the presenters simultaneously tried to educate the audience, engage the audience in discussion and explain their elaborate banners in only two hours. Because they tried to cover too much, their messages were reduced to statistics and anecdotes with little time for analysis or discussion.Still, the presenters encouraged discussion and debate, although the seating arrangement was not conducive to it. With 40 people in the audience sitting in rows, if someone in the back row wanted to rebut a statement of someone in the front row, the presenters were running back and forth with their microphones. The logistics of getting each participant enough volume to be heard was more noticeable than what was being said. By combining art and information, the Beehive Collective provided an interesting and fun forum for students to familiarize themselves with topics that are at the center of many political debates. With the next presidential election approaching, presentations such as this are important as students begin to investigate and form their own political beliefs.
(10/21/03 4:00am)
Evan edited it and sent back this:To the Editor:The current situation going on with The Justice and the racist remark in the sports section strikes a chord of tremendous dismay.It is shocking that such a remark could ever appear in the pages of the newspaper. How is it possible that a student at as enlightened a school as Brandeis could make such a comment? How could a columnist ever think it was OK to put that in his article? How could any editor let that comment into the paper? Hell, how is it possible that he didn't on the spot fire anyone who wrote such a thing or anyone who knew about it?Any editor at The Justice who either saw that comment or who should have seen it, and didn't get furious that such a thing could ever even make it as far as onto a computer screen in the Bowels of Usdan should resign from The Justice immediately, no questions asked. At a minimum, this means the Sports Editor and Editor In Chief.Lack of experience is no excuse. If you weren't horrified by the statement, then you shouldn't be on the newspaper.That said, some perspective as to the history of The Justice may be in order.Over the years, The Justice has been one of the primary tools towards bettering racial harmony and helping racial minorities feel more comfortable at Brandeis. In the early 1990s, the newspaper's op/ed section was a primary tool used to urge a boycott of the school bookstore for racial profiling, ultimately leading to a change in management at the store. It also took a strong stand in favor of the multicultural center. And this was in the apathetic early 1990s. Go back more years and see how the newspaper was involved in the shantytown protests, or how the newspaper publicized the death sentence given to a Brandeis alumnae who was one of the leaders of the Grenada revolution.In the early 90's, we fought hard (admittedly with only some success) to bring a more diverse staff onto the newspaper, and we made a point to cover more issues related to minority students on campus.Whether or not the current Justice staff has been proactive in encouraging diversity on the newspaper, it would be a mistake to throw out the baby with the bathwater. Only those directly responsible shouldresign their positions. Please consider how important The Justice is to every walk of Brandeis life, and how it can be used to heal those wounds it has now inflicted. The newspaper has too much positive history to tear it down.Any individual who truly cares about the future direction of the newspaper should join it. The newspaper's coverage and tone can best reflect the diversity of the campus only when the entire campus joins its ranks. The colors of the faces at the newspaper can only change if the colors of the faces willing to join the newspaper change. Don't let the actions of one columnist and the mind-bogglingly irresponsible editors lead to an end to a good institution.Reuben Kantor '92, Forum Editor, 1990-91Evan Berland '92, Editor-in-Chief 1990-92
(10/21/03 4:00am)
To the Editors of the Justice- I will keep this letter brief, as I'm sure you are utterly swamped in responses to the offensive article, and also to the forum held in the Shapiro Center on Thursday. I attended the forum and stayed for the entire two hour event, and a few things stood out to me that I felt the need to respond to. Firstly, a great many people in our community seem to think that Brandeis as a whole and the Justice specifically would best be served by a change in leadership at the Justice, in order to guarantee that this kind of terrible mistake never happens again. To those people, I would say this: Who better to lead the Justice than the current board of editors who have just gone through this experience? Is there anyone on our campus who is now more keenly aware of the need for more editorial oversight than they are? I think that, having just been brought face to face with the results of their own error, the current editorial board is ideally suited to provide the kind of vigilance and leadership we want to see from the people who run our newspaper. Secondly, there are also a great many people out there who feel that the Justice does not represent them, or cover items of interest to them. This sentiment was expressed time and time again during the forum, by people whose credo seems to be this: Complain, but don't take action. If you feel that the Justice doesn't represent you, join the Justice. It is an open student organization that regularly reminds us through ads and recruitment nights that it can always use more enthusiastic, talented writers. If you don't think the Justice properly represents your view of life at Brandeis, contribute your view to the Justice. Write articles, get a column, get involved. The only way you are going to be represented is if you take the action to ensure it, and the only reason the current staff of the Justice has the opportunity to share their views with us every week is because they have done exactly that. Lastly, a sentiment I heard expressed many times last night was the need for "someone to be held accountable." Certainly, this is a reasonable request, but I felt that the subtext last night was less about accountability and more about blame; This is a natural human reaction, to look for someone to blame, for someone to be angry at, for a scapegoat, but this is an urge we must resist. What good would it do the Brandeis community and the Justice to run the editor-in-chief or sports editor out of town on a rail? One of them is quite new to his job, the other has served the Justice well for a very long time, and taking one, the other, or both as a blood offering to appease the injured parties here will do nothing but ruin two people whose error was one of oversight, not malice, and replace them with people who are not intimately familiar with the consequences of a mistake like this, as the current E-board of the justice undoubtably are.
(10/14/03 4:00am)
Watch out! The Justice is out to get you! It would like nothing more than to make each and everyone of you look bad. Its goal is to constantly get facts wrong, slander you in every possible way and misrepresent everything that happens on campus. Our mission is to be as offensive as possible. In fact, news reporters are instructed to only portray one side of each story and to openly express their views while writing their stories - making their opinions vivid in everything they write. The writers deliberately attempt, although not always successfully, to misquote their sources, mix up their facts and lie to the Brandeis community (in the most Fair and Balanced way possible of course!)Our bias doesn't stop with our writers. The editorial board is actively placing self-interest ahead of journalistic principals. If there is a cause that the Justice supports, the articles are purposely edited to reflect that view. If there are no hot news stories for the week, the Justice invents scandals, sees villains where none exist and makes good people look bad and smart people sound dumb. It sincerely hopes to accomplish those goals, each and every issue. And justInCase you have been unaffected by this, don't worry, we will target you next!To this effect, justRecently, the board even voted to no longer hide its not-so-secret agenda and to change the name of the news section to justPropaganda and the forum section to justShutUp. (We are also phasing in our new letter to the editor writing policy as some of you have noticed justGetLost).If you really think any of that is true, than not only are you more paranoid than Tom Ridge and John Ashcroft put together, but you are also very wrong.In the newspaper business it is a given that someone will always be unhappy with the coverage. No matter how hard the paper works at maintaining neutrality, keeping bias out of articles, double-checking its information, verifying quotes, getting all sides of the story and editing its articles, there will always be people who are upset. During my term as News Editor (which by the way ends with this issue), it has become evident that most of the complaints can be grouped into relatively few categories.The biggest criticism that people have is that the Justice gets facts wrong or just shouldn't have written the article based on the information provided. However, most of the time, the people complaining are the ones at fault. A recent example is a group's leader telling its members not to talk to the Justice in an effort to squelch an article. What ended up happening was the Justice published the article with only one side of the story making the silent group appear unfavorably. They were not very pleased and complained that we shouldn't have printed without their side of the story-yet maintaining that they still won't provide it. Here is a quick rule of thumb: Not giving us information usually doesn't help making a story more accurate or favorable toward you. The second most prevalent complaint is that the Justice is biased. Most people who say this, though, are usually upset because the Justice included the opinion of not just their side but of the opposition as well. My e-mail is often clogged up with people asking how I could let someone give his opinion in a particular news article. These people are usually self-interested demagogues who don't care about journalism, but only care about spreading their propaganda and portraying it in the most favorable light possible. It's not our job to actively promote any one cause. Instead, the Justice's role is to cover all sides of an issue, provided it's relevant to the community and is actively making news.Finally, there are those who get upset when their own personal cause, political event, or cultural awareness event is not on the front page. Considering it is impossible to place every event as front page news, it's up to the editors to decide whether a story is important to the Brandeis community and what impact it bears on our readership. Our goal is to portray as accurately and fairly as possible what goes on. And granted we don't always get things right. But we try hard - with editors spending nearly 40 hours per week in the newsroom.And if you really dislike the way we do things, maybe its time you stop complaining and come write for us yourself. Only after you do the job for yourself - instead of just participating in Brandeis' favorite pastime of complaining or crying foul about everything - are you truly qualified to play toilet-can critic and criticize the paper. In the meantime, instead of griping about what we do wrong, as an alternative try suggesting how we can improve in a productive manner. You'll be surprised how open everyone is to suggestions.In the end, I have enjoyed the honor of being News Editor for the past year, but I am glad to be getting my life back. Maybe with the 40 or so hours per week back I will now have free time, I can finally do some homework, get some sleep and finally find out where my friends live.
(10/14/03 4:00am)
The club Scandalous was recognized. The mission of Scandalous is to bring choreographed hip hop dance performances to the Brandeis Community to experience and enjoy hip hop dance.The Club Brandeis for Dean was chartered. The purpose of Brandeis for Dean is to provide a forum for discussion about the current national and international events as well as to serve as a meeting place for students interested in the politics of presidential candidate Howard Dean.After heavy debate about whether Chabad should be recognized, the executive board discovered Chabad was never de-chartered. The mission of the Chabad of Brandeis Club is to teach, learn and increase awareness of a philosophy which guides a person to refine and govern his and her every act and feeling through wisdom, comprehension and knowledge.The Brandeis University Student Union Senate granted up to $300 toward the creation of the Mark Chopelas Memorial Tree Site in front of the Village. Chopelas was killed building the village.The Korean Student Association requested $350 for a traditional garb used for "Sa Mool Nol Ree," a Korean drum performance group founded recently by a Korean Student Association member. The group performed at last year's Asian Awareness Month Closing Ceremony and the Culture X Spectacle. The request was tabled until next week.The Activist Resource Center said they will be hosting an event sponsored by the National Labor Committee and the Coalition to Abolish Sweatshops to bring two fired women maquila workers from Honduras and union leader Fabia Gutierrez to speak at Brandeis. The Activist Resource Center requested $750 from the Union Senate to sponsor these speakers to stop at Brandeis during their tour of the United States. Students Talking About Relationships (STAR) was granted $603 to complete a training in accordance with the Massachusetts peer-counseling mandated requirement, STAR counselors complete a 35-hour training.- Compiled by David Cutler and Igor Pedan
(10/14/03 4:00am)
A new wave of discussion has hit the Brandeis campus with stunning effects. The fall of 2002 marked the beginning for a group on campus that hopes to continue "as long as Brandeis is here." Founded by Ali Nabi, Mohammed Ashraf, and Omar Haq, the India-Pakistani Dialogue Group boasts approximately 65 members and holds meetings every Monday night at 8 p.m.During the summer of 2002 the idea was hatched for a new group, similar to the Arab-Jewish Dialogue Group, that would provide Indian and Pakistani students a forum for discussion. Haq explained, "We were friends who felt that some sort of dialogue group would be a really interesting idea. We met over that summer and planned it out under the direction of the Ethics Center. We were the founding members of this dialogue group."According to the purpose stated on the club's Web site, the India-Pakistani group provides "a comfortable environment to discuss sensitive issues related to India and Pakistan." These include topics such as women in South Asia, Hindu-Muslim relations, Kashmir, stereotypes, gender relations, and conflict between the countries. Offering students a chance to meet others with similar ethnic backgrounds, this discussion group attempts to "strengthen relationships between members of the group."In its founding year, the Dialogue Group organized several monumental events on campus. Haq summarized the club's successful year when he stated, "in three short semesters, we made our mark on campus." The largest event by far was the organization of a free peace concert starring the internationally acclaimed rock group from Junoon. This single event raised $1600 for charity and had an attendance of over six hundred people. In addition to inviting Junoon to perform at Brandeis, the club cosponsored the award-winning documentary "Promises" with the Arab-Jewish Dialogue Group. Following the film showing was a panel discussion from members of the group and a presentation by one of the main figures in the movie - Faraj Faraj from West Bank. The group also invited acclaimed Indian documentary film director Summa Josson to campus for a screening of her controversial film, "Gujarat: A Laboratory of Hindu Rastra." The inaugural year of the India-Pakistani Dialogue Group provided the campus with some huge events.As a recognized club on campus, the group's purpose states that it increases "co-existence and tolerance between members of the Brandeis community." Following a long-standing tradition of exploring ethnic diversity on campus, the India-Pakistani Dialogue Group adds to Brandeis's development of diverse cultures. When asked about the future of the club, Haq responded, "Every semester, we have a new group and dynamics so we have to work out and include the new members so that they feel comfortable enough." With an optimistic future, the India-Pakistani Dialogue Group is guaranteed to succeed in its goal to "learn to appreciate and understand positions and sensitivities of both groups.
(10/14/03 4:00am)
Due to "constant and unending" Windows security vulnerabilities Computer Operators Group (COG) has decided to shut down Boogle, an indexing engine students use to locate files on the Brandeis computer network. Boogle's website now tells studens that file-sharing leaves anyone who shares files or uses any type of incoming network services vulnerable to "remote exploit and system compramise.""We recommend that any non-essential services are kept turned off, computers are kept off at night, and theWindows personal firewall is turned on for users of Windows XP," the COG statement read.Recently UNet Systems Administrator Rich Graves posted on a myBrandeis.edu forum that at least three students had their computers comprimissed and used by the Russian mafia to launder money and trade child pornography.Graves told the Justice that viruses usually infect campus computers in one of three ways: as spam-related links and attachments, as viral files or programs downloaded by the user, usually from peer to peer programs such as Kazaa, and from exploited security holes in Windows and Internet Explorer software. The first problem Graves said he is relatively confident of dealing with conclusively, as UNet filters block approximately 90% of incoming spam. Even so, it is unavoidable that some spam will find a way around this filtering process, and users are strictly cautioned to not even open such suspect e-mail. The other two possibilities are a far more pressing concern, according to Graves. Aside from routine scans, there is really no way to identify illicit files users willingly download, due to the inherent possibility of monitoring so much network activity, and active and up-to-date virus protection is the only effective remedy, something, Graves said, is completely out of his hands. For the sake of your computer and all the other 3000+ computers connected directly to it, Graves said students should strictly keep their virus protection active and up to date. Graves said he cautions users to not use such peer-to-peer software at all. He pointed out that one such program, called Earthstation 5, even contains malicious codes that gives it administrative access to computers that use it, allowing it to delete files on these computers as the people who control it wish. The reasons for this are unknown, but they highlight the inherent dangers of such software. This is, of course, in addition to the well-known legal ramifications of such programs.The third avenue of viral contamination, holes in Windows product security, is by far the most threatening problem, Graves contends. There is, Graves warns, a documented but as yet to be resolved hole in IE's coding that allows hostile programming to alter the address registry of victim computers, allowing hackers to rout affected systems to whatever websites they wish.According to Graves, the ultimate aim of the vast majority of viruses is to seize control of your computer and use it as an intermediary to take control of more computers, to manufacture spam, or even to surreptitiously host websites, usually pornographic in nature. There is even a black market for such controlled computers, Graves added, with prices around one dollar per compromised PC.Erez Dayan, '06 was one of the students whose computer the Russian Mafia used. According to Dayan, "The computer was always running something," and it "started opening random programs when I loaded AIM." In addition to the initial hassle of the virus, he said hehad to go through a lengthy process to regain his network connection that included reinstalling Windows, which took over a week to complete. Dayan said he suspects he got the virus through an e-mail attachment or a false music file he downloaded.Viruses can be more than merely inconvenient Graves said. On Jan. 25, Graves cited an instance of a kind of virus that infected Microsoft-based web servers, spread rapidly, and for a time, managed to shut down the entire internet by clogging it up with trash data. It is possible to wreak all kind of havoc on networks of any kind, and all the hackers need is one opening and one careless user, Graves said. "Keeping your computer secure is a national security issue, as the combination of human error and human malice on the Internet can be hugely disastrous," Graves said.
(09/23/03 4:00am)
After discovering $122,000 in rolled-over Student Union funds last September, little progress has been made toward spending this money on student-initiated projects. In spite of the fact that the Student Union is technically in control of the money, the University administration has acted to limit for which projects the money can be used.This year's Executive Board (E-Board) has pledged to continue working to have the money spent on student projects but has had a difficult time."This year's E-board is very dedicated to freeing up the money and allocating it to a project for student enjoyment," said Union Director of Public Affairs and Communications Nicole Karlebach '04.Once the money was found last year, the then Executive Board members took on the responsibility of collecting student ideas for ways to spend the money.That Executive Board collected ideas in a number of town hall style forums. After an April town hall meeting last spring, the E-Board compiled nine different plans to spend the money."Last year, we held a number of town hall meetings to gauge student opinion on a number of capital improvement projects," said Union President Joshua Brandfon '05, who served last year as Union Treasurer.According to Brandfon, after the plans were compiled, the Executive Board planned on holding a campus-wide vote to choose one of the nine plans.This fall, after meeting with Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy, the E-Board was told that a number of the original proposals would not be viable while a number would be acceptable options."I met with Vice President Eddy and went through each of the proposals; she informed me of which ones we would be able to present and told me which were not financially or logically feasible," Brandfon said.Karlebach added, "We were waiting for approval of the proposals from the Administration. There was a delay because Peter French had a medical issue and so the proposals were tied up for a longer time than expected."Vice President for Students and Enrollment Brian Walton clarified the Administration's decision: "Some of the proposals that were put through - the true cost was higher than proposed because of issues with upkeep that is unfunded."One of the capital projects approved by the administration is a proposal to install a rock gym in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. According to an E-Board press release, Jesse Salk '04, Matthew Travis '05 and the Brandeis Outdoor and Mountaineering Club proposed that "as part of a conversion of the squash courts, the five current courts would become three International Courts, and the remaining space would go to building an artificial rock wall for climbing and bouldering."The other approved plan is for a game room in the space left vacant when the bookstore relocated to the Shapiro Campus Center.The game room proposal, as outlined by Jasmine Vallejo '03 and the Fun@Brandeis Group in February 2003, calls for the creation of "a space for students that is relaxing and fun."According to the proposal, the game room would include storage space for clubs (in the old game room space), video game stations, a plasma screen displaying my.brandeis.edu announcements, pool tables, ping-pong table, dartboards, air hockey, an "instant" photo booth and a juke box/karaoke area.The game room proposal also called for the Student Services Bureau to manage the new space and to have outdoor equipment such as sleeping bags, tents, snowshoes, skates, and lawn games.Currently, the E-Board plans to hold a referendum where the full student body will vote on which administration-approved plan they prefer."We are going to have a referendum in late October," said Karlebach.Brandfon echoed this sentiment."Senior Vice President Eddy has said that it is her responsibility to push (the allocation of the funds) forward as fast as possible. We would expect it to happen soon after the referendum."According to Karlebach, the referendum will give students three different plans to choose from, structured in two separate votes.First, students will choose between the two plans approved by the administration by voting either for the game room proposal or for the climbing-wall proposal. Then, in a separate vote, students will vote on whether they believe $15,000 of the total should be allocated to a monument remembering Ford Hall.The Ford Hall proposal, initially submitted by Nicole Amerteifio '04, Andrei Khots '05 and Daniel Mauer '06, has since been picked up by Class of 2006 Senator Edgar Ndjatou '06. The plan calls for a monument to be constructed in or near the campus center.According to Ndjatou '06, this monument is sorely needed."What these students did, it affected me as a freshman and it's something dear in my heart. It should not be forgotten because of all the great initiatives which came out of (the Ford Hall takeover)."Ndjatou '06 also expressed concerns about the size and placement of the memorial, as he feels that the current tribute is not prominent enough."We're hoping to have a monument that will stand out, not just a plaque." One of the options rejected by the administration was BEMCo's plan to purchase an ambulance.According to Karlebach, this proposal was rejected because it would have imposed a recurring maintenance cost on the University.According to the press release, the plan was requesting $40,000 that would cover "equipment, training, insurance and maintenance."The plan included "finding a donor for the actual ambulance, saving the University between $60,000 and $120,000."Another plan submitted to the E-Board that was rejected by the Administration was a plan to, according to the E-Board's press release, "study possibilities to phase out the use of Social Security numbers on campus."The legal status of the money has been a consideration throughout the process, though the Union government has remained in control of the money throughout."The rollover fund has been isolated and is not currently something the treasurer and president touch. No Student Union president or treasurer has touched that money in 15 months," said Walton.
(09/09/03 4:00am)
Josh Blechner '04 told Student Senate members that "no explanation was given" regarding the recent change in guest meal policy. Before the current semester, students were allowed to accumulate up to 15 guest meals. With the new policy, only five guest meals are given per semester. Students proposed that the Brandeis University Field Hockey Club be chartered. According to the club's constitution, members of the Field Hockey Club will "learn the rules of the sport as well as the skills required to play...they will implement these skills while playing games against other college field hockey clubs." The club was chartered after with 14 yays and 0 nays. The Middle East Forum at Brandeis (MEFAB) requested to be recognized as a campus club. The organization's mission, as stated in their constitution, is to "define and promote American interests in the Middle East...to explore issues related to the Middle East as seen through the prism and presented within the context of America's present and future national interests." Other goals of the club include addressing the following issues: "U.S. ties with Turkey, Israel and other democracies as they emerge in the region; human rights throughout the region; the importance of securing a stable supply and low price of oil; the peaceful resolution of regional and international disputes." After two yays and two abstentions, MEFAB was officially recognized. Two community advisers of Ridgewood and one from The Village requested $1,000 for Ridgewood @ Night, a social event open to the entire campus. The event will take place on Sept. 20 from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the Ridgewood Quad. Several senators asked that the CAs request more money from the Department of Residence Life and Student Events. To eliminate the cost of music, the CAs were told to use WBRS for music, rather than hiring Student Events. An amendment was made to the request; a $350 emergency money grant was approved. Senators also discussed the need for a Muslim Students Association (MSA) chaplin. -- Compiled by Vered Blonstein
(09/09/03 4:00am)
It's been two weeks since the UNet staff began a large-scale effort to protect the university's computer network from Internet-born viruses, and members of the student-run service and the entire Brandeis community can breathe a bit easier. According to UNet sources, the worst of the security risk is over, and the vast majority of students whose computers were affected or vulnerable to viruses have been assisted and are functioning properly."We've had somewhere between 100 and 150 cases of the viruses," said Nat Budin '05, a member of the UNet staff. "We've gone through almost all of them." Since the panic of the first few days, the volume of calls and visits to the Unet headquarters in Shapiro campus center has gradually decreased. "It looks like everything's died down," UNet staff member Dmitry Gimzelberg '06 said. As students arrived on campus on August 24, UNet's staff of 16 was scrambling to ensure that all computers were protected from viruses and immune to security risks within Microsoft Windows XP. CDs containing antivirus software, paper handouts with step-by-step procedures, and detailed online instructions amounted to a bold first stand in a technological battle that now seems to be tipping in UNet's favor. On Aug. 26 and 27 and then again on Aug. 31, the staff ran organized "blitzes," with half of the staff patrolling the residence halls in North Quad and the other half manning Massell Quad. Students were offered in-room assistance with their computers."It was pretty hectic the first weekend when all the freshmen came up," said staff member Ye Tian '06. "I was running through Massell-I was there for 10 hours during the blitzes. But in all it wasn't bad. We've gone through lots of people." The online forums at my.brandeis.edu continue to serve as an alternative to using the phone or visiting the UNet help desk in Shapiro. Students with computer trouble can post a message and will usually receive an answer within twelve hours of the posting. "The forums are preferable for me," explained UNet staff member Jon Sagotsky '05, "because if I don't have an answer, I have time to look one up, and in theory I only have to answer a question once since it's available for others to read. Most basic questions have already been answered there."As pleased as they are with their own response to the crisis, many UNet staff members have been impressed with the student reaction as well. "I've worked at tech jobs before," says Budin, " and usually people are screaming mad over the phone. But I'm really impressed with how level-headed Brandeis students are - It's quite a pleasant shock." Team Leader Omar Haq '04 credited the first year students, whom he described as being "very helpful." Haq, however, was less enthused with the university's advertising effort. "Last Sunday's blitz, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., we fixed approximately four computers. That's preposterous. It hasn't been advertised as much as it should be." He added, though, that "the Tuesday and Wednesday blitzes were very successful. I personally fixed about 25 computers."Though the worst of the storm has been weathered, UNet is still hard at work. "When on blitzes," explained Sagotsky, "we have to ignore the tricky problems because solving one of them takes as long as connecting ten people with minor problems. Naturally we connect ten people and save the one tricky one for later. Now its later, so troubleshooting has gotten infinitely more difficult." Regarding the volume of phone calls during UNet shifts, Sagotsky explained, "These days, I never stop talking. That's not abnormal for the beginning of the semester, though.
(08/26/03 4:00am)
This year, hearing the title of resident advisor will no longer be commonplace in the halls of Brandeis dormitories. With the term community advisor serving as a replacement, former resident advisors and students will have to consider the significance of the change.The subject came to the forefront of the Department of Residence Life's agenda last year, after fears of students' false perceptions of resident advisor duties arose. Residence Life held numerous open forums to discuss potential change and to "reflect" on the title and its implications, according to Michael LaFarr, Associate Director of Residence Life. "We were worried about people's preconceived notions of resident advisors because of the way they are portrayed in media and the title's negative connotations," LaFarr said. "But we're not interested in being policemen or women ... we are different than other universities."Before the community adviser title was coined, "community advocate" was a potential new title. The arguments of several students, however, proved that the term didn't show much potential. "There were some concerns voiced by returning RAs -- myself included - that the initial choice -- community advocate - was not an appropriate one, and I'm glad to say that the Department was admirably responsive to these concerns and went with the much better choice," said Kevin Grinberg '04, a community adviser. "Community advocate makes it sound more like they're there to argue on our behalf," Yoni Samlan '05 said. The winning title is favored by former resident adviser and current community adviser Melissa Gersin '04, who called the change "positive." "A lot of people view resident advisers as always on the prowl to get people in trouble ... Unfortunately, that belief couldn't be further from the truth," Gersin said. Grinberg agreed that the change is constructive. "The word 'community' is a more inclusive term that better highlights the true role of the position: to build community," Grinberg said. "I feel that the name 'community adviser' better reflects the nature of our position than community advocate or resident adviser since we do much more than just advocate and we should be building communities, rather than just working with residents," former resident adviser and current community adviser Adam Batkin '04 said. Former resident adviser Alison Warren '04 said that the title change "marks a paradigm shift for Residence Life at Brandeis.""Hopefully the switch to community adviser signals a broader shift for how the University treats students," Warren added. Not everyone supported the change. "It seems kind of pointless to call them community advisers since they really are resident advisers. Everyone in a dorm gets a specific resident adviser," Samlan said. Josh Levine '06 finds the change to be "appalling." "They've searched for a title that fits something that can very easily stay the same and not hurt anyone. Why change something that's a standard in every single university in the world?" Levine said. But, LaFarr insisted that the change isn't "simply cosmetic." "We want the change to reflect what we're doing," LaFarr said.
(05/20/03 4:00am)
"Hi! It's Jamie, from the Justice." This chirpy statement was the beginning of the majority of my phone conversations this year. Sad, but true. Like "Jenny from the block," over the course of the year I morphed from Jamie Freed, normal Brandeis senior, to "Jamie from the Justice."My college career didn't start out this way. I was Jamie from California or Jamie from Reitman/Rosenthal/Ziv/the Mods. If that wasn't descriptive enough, I was also Jamie, the short Jewish girl with brown hair. At one point, I was Jamie from Boris' Kitchen. Or perhaps, to you, I was simply Jamie, that really obnoxious girl in one of your classes.But after spending 40 hours per week inside the Shapiro Center (fortunately less green than the outside), I somehow became "Jamie from the Justice." It was a slow transition. It actually began last March, when I unadvisedly took the position of forum editor, despite being a junior who was taking five classes, acting in one show and producing another. By November, I became the paper's interim news editor, also known as the Union Senate whipping-girl. Eventually, I returned to the forum section, content with writing egotistical, tasteless columns about decidedly trivial issues.Dropping the self-deprecating sarcasm for a moment, I did learn a lot this year -- about journalism and about life. Staying at the Justice office one night per week - often until 9 a.m. - taught me some valuable lessons that could not be otherwise gained from within the hallowed halls of Rabb. And for my final column, I've decided to share some of this so-called wisdom. I've learned - to my great dismay - that no matter how hard you try, perfection is often regrettably unattainable. Nobody's perfect, and therefore neither are the newspapers people produce, including the Justice. But I did learn that if you do put in a strong effort, it almost always pays off. Did I expect that an eyewitness to university shootings in Melbourne, Australia would actually answer my e-mail requesting an interview? No, of course not. But did this professor get back to me almost immediately and greatly improve my story on campus shootings? Surprisingly, yes.Cold-calling suspected drug users for an article about opium use on campus was another daring proposition. Even without printing names, I didn't know if people would speak to me or not. And some didn't. I honestly don't know if I would have spoken to a reporter if faced with the same difficult questions. But I kept trying, and in the end - due to the assistance of those willing to speak out about the issue - the story was printed.Through my approximately 50 articles this year, I've received a wide range of comments from students, faculty and administrators. Some have been friendly, funny remarks about my "fluffy" columns on Googling or saying hi to people on campus. Others have been extremely negative, wondering why I would dare write a news article about the Israeli divestment debate not being discussed at Brandeis. I could never publicly address such concerns while I was actively editing the newspaper, but I will now. I wrote about divestment because every other major university was discussing the issue, and I, for one, wanted to know why Brandeis was not. I wrote about Brandeis cutting its NPR advertisements because it was a political stance the University took without informing the students whom the administration represents. I wrote about Provost Bernstein's departure because while the University made a general announcement, the entire campus was left confused by his sudden leave. I wrote about the bomb threats on campus because classes were displaced and police would not tell students more than the fact that a threat had been made.I wrote to inform the community of the actions occurring in our midst. Perhaps I am more curious than most, leading to my interest in journalism. But I wanted to know what goes on behind the scenes at Brandeis, and I wished for everyone else to have access to this information as well. That is why I have chosen to be a reporter, both at Brandeis and beyond, after I graduate from Northwestern's journalism school next year.Certainly, being utterly associated with a single activity did have its disadvantages -- I could often not escape the flurry of e-mail and voicemail from students, faculty and administrators wanting just one more event covered or one extra photo to appear in the paper, no matter how hard I tried. Yet despite the stress-induced weight loss and late-night hits of Red Bull, being "Jamie from the Justice" was worth the hard work. Yes, it overwhelmed my social, academic and extracurricular career. But I also found my niche at Brandeis in the process, after three years of trying.Take a hint from this: Even if you have just completed your junior year, you still have time. If you feel you don't quite fit in, take a chance on a new activity or course of study. If I hadn't, I'd be attending law school this fall like so many other undecided students in this gloomy economy.Instead, I'm happily pursuing journalism. And to quote from my new namesake, Jennifer Lopez: "(I) used to have a little - now I have a lot."- Jamie Freed '03 has submitted her final column to the Justice.
(04/29/03 4:00am)
The Justice bids farewell to five editors who have given all of themselves to the newspaper. We wish them the best of luck in all they do, and we are confident they will be successful in all they undertake.Jamie Freed '03 is our resident workhorse. She served the newspaper well as forum editor and news editor, and sometimes both at the same time. On top of reminding us that our duties are comparatively easy, she also brought a non-East Coast flair to the board, whether that flair is Californian or Australian. She will be leaving Brandeis to attend the school of journalism at Northwestern University this June. Jackie Hendries '04 is an expert at many jobs. She began her climb through the ranks as an Arts editor, taking over for two editors with big shoes: Michaela May and Caroline Litwack. After successfully completing her term at Arts, she became our managing editor. And although she was a great manager, she will be remembered best for her mastery of sciences that no one else could comprehend.Anna Ichikawa '03 is widely acknowledged as being "really sweet." She took over Arts on short notice and performed her job with minimal assistance. She was not a career Justice-ite, but was integral to the paper during her tenure. The editor in chief particularly thanks her for completing her section on time.Caroline Litwack '03 can best be described as a Justice "old timer." She was here back in the day, and her approach to the newspaper reflects her experience. Caroline joined the Justice as an Arts editor and her section was just as fresh and vivid as her pink hair. Nobody can quantify how much happiness she brought to the boardroom with her giggling and her stories. Her parties were OK too. Caroline brought out the best in us, as she will for those who will benefit from the English literacy programs she develops for Italian children.Michaela May '03 is the Justice. She began her career as an Arts editor, working alongside Caroline. Then she took the plunge into the sea called editor in chief. Though the sea was rough when she dove in, Michaela calmed the waves. She was a calming and inspiring influence on all of us. She was simultaneously strong and gentle, knowledgeable and humble, willful and pragmatic. As could be expected from a journalist of her caliber, she will be moving to Washington to find a job in the field. She will undoubtedly bring as much professionalism to her future employer as she did to our newspaper.
(04/08/03 4:00am)
When a military conflict with Iraq was looming on the horizon, in a safe haven of a Brandeis classroom and abstract thought, Prof. Marion Smiley (PHIL) prepared her Ethics class (PHIL 114b) for war. "After break we will begin with war and morality," she said referring to the curriculum, "which might by then be a more pertinent issue than I had expected." "Hopefully, " she added, "it won't come to that."Playing dirtyWhen the war in Iraq began, students in PHIL 114b complemented dated readings of war crimes and tactics with the freshly reported examples from across the world. Having predominantly addressed the Mai Lai massacre as a prime example of military atrocity, Smiley devoted a lecture to more current examples: white-flag ambush, the use of non-military vehicles in combat and the humiliation of prisoners of war. The students analyzed these tactics on the part of the Iraqi military in the context of dignity, utility and morality. Although a large part of the class agreed that using such methods was "playing dirty," in the words of philosopher Thomas Nagel, this verdict was not reached with unanimity. Decisions and justificationsWhile philosophy students were coincidentally shaken out of the usual abstraction of their discussion, courses like Professor Seyom Brown's (POL) U.S. Foreign Policy since WWII (POL 168b) molded more naturally to current events. The goal of the course is to explore the changes in U.S's world role, and with only a slight break in the chronology of their curriculum, the class naturally shifted their eyes to Iraq and their reading materials to newspapers and the Web. On Thursday morning, Brown lectured on the differences between the current war and the Persian Gulf war of 1991. "George Bush Sr. had a more convincing justification," he told his class, "given that an aggression had taken place across an international boundary." "It was easier to put together an impressive coalition, of which even Egypt and Syria were a part. This time the threat is more ambiguous, and our objective - changing the regime - is usually not as acceptable."Brown interpreted the incorporation of the current war into lecture and classroom discussion as a significant contribution to the comprehension and decision-making powers of his students. "What we can do in a classroom is somewhat different than can be done in a rally or teach-in," he said. "That generates more enthuse or condemnation on the part of the crowd. (In class) we're trying to understand and to appreciate, and that doesn't mean to endorse."Before delving into current press-media, Brown fostered this appreciation in his students by assigning memoirs of influential political figures. By studying the minds of our politicians, Brown said he hopes students realize that "the people making these decisions are for the most part really wrestling with the issues." Having worked in the Department of Defense and Department of State, Brown says he feels he is capable of and obligated to expose his students to "the kind of serious thinking that goes on."Human rightsAn amalgam of philosophical and political issues was brought to the floor in another one of Brown's Politics courses - Human Rights and International Relations. Dividing their attention between the war on terrorism and that with Iraq, students of POL 163a analyzed the extent to which civil liberties have been put on the defensive by current imperatives. Brown's concern is the "great leeway to compromise human rights in the case of a national emergency." Various homeland defense initiatives, installment of surveillance devices and profiling were among the examples Brown referred to as infringements on basic human rights. The subsequent goal of the course is not only to map them out, but to speculate why "people are putting up with them."Approaching rampant war crimes from a more political perspective than PHIL 114b, Brown mused that the "adversaries seem more guilty than the U.S." However, he pointed out an irony in American efforts to brand Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and his regime as war criminals, given our refusal to join the newly established International Criminal Court. It is this unilateral attitude that fatigues the coercion of support from our allies, Brown said.In additional to current military action, human rights factor into a retrospective calculation of the war's pros and cons. "There will be a tremendous dislocation of people's lives and ordinary means of survival - creating hunger, starvation and disease," Brown said. "And who will be the guardian of the victim's of Saddam's regime? It is not clear that once victorious - like in Kosovo and Afghanistan -- we will concern ourselves with human rights."Voices of EuropeDominating politics and daily conversation, current events in Iraq brought Professor Stephen Whitfield's (AMST) America in the World class to a similar junction to Smiley's and Brown's. Although AMST 156b is not designed to trace a military interaction but rather a primarily cultural one, "a course of a dozen students that was designed well in advance of the current crisis has somehow had to confront this in the curriculum," Whitfield said. To properly address the war, Whitfield invited two guest lecturers to address the topic of war. Prof. Richard Pells of the University of Texas -- author of "Not Like Us," a required reading for the course - came to discuss European fluctuation of love and hate toward America. Having just returned from Germany, he spoke of the nation's contemporary attitudes toward war and the U.S. Pells referred to Germany's experience with the horrors of war as a partial source of hostility to our foreign policy. Bassam Tibi, a professor of International Relations in Goettigen, Germany and an authority on Arab nationalism and Islamic Fundamentalism, spoke about the clash of civilizations of which "Operation Iraqi Freedom," as the war is known, is only one instance. As an Arab born in Syria and a faithful Muslim, Tibi is "deeply concerned about the need to establish democratic institutions in the Arab world and believes that failing to democratize (it) will intensify the conflict," Whitfield said.Unlike Brown, Whitfield does not feel the AMST 156b curriculum deserved more than a peripheral addition of war topics and material. "I'm hired to teach the material that students have signed up for," he said, "and there are plenty of opportunities outside of the classroom for serious engagement with contemporary events." Moreover, even though Whitfield's course has served as a venue for edification and discussion of the war, he does not feel it is his role as a teacher to direct such dialogue. "These are matters on which I have an opinion as a citizen," he said, "but I don't feel it is appropriate to either challenge or reinforce views in a setting in which I have some measure of authority but not scholarly expertise."Social awarenessWhile scholarly authority to teach the war may only be self-evident in the politics department, Professor Susan Kahn (ANTH) has also approached the topic in lecture and discussion. Coincidentally, during the week that war was declared, students of her course, (ANTH 118b), were assigned to read an ethnography of an Iraqi village. "So we couldn't help but talk about the ironies and implications for village (population)," Kahn said. Developing on the inadvertent incorporation of current events, Kahn devoted a class to the history of Iraq, in order to give her students an "understanding of the kind of micro level socio-processes in Islamic society - whether daily negotiations over marriage or modernity," Kahn said. Kahn says her goal as a professor is limited to exposing the peculiarities and social experiences of daily life, which in turn clarify students' attitudes toward the issues inherent in the war. "I'm very aware that this is an anthropology course," Kahn said, "And while you can't disentangle politics from culture, presenting the dilemmas of Middle East life humanizes the political conflict."Like Whitfeild and Brown, Kahn said she has no interest in propagandizing one political view over another and no desire of indoctrinating her students. But while she hosts pro/anti war discussion, Kahn hopes the "students are sensitized to the implication of war for families and individuals."From historical introspection to cultural analysis to a review of political strategy, teaching the war lends itself to a myriad of courses, no matter how indirect their relevance. Whether via opinion-laden discussion or objective instruction, the classroom is a unique resource for a student and a citizen. Jordana Singer '04 said the material covered in PHIL 114b has taught her "that all news sources and reasons for going to war are biased." "Unfortunately," she added, "rather than guide my opinion in one direction or another, it has contributed to a standstill."Mira Elias '06, a student in POL 168b is satisfied to be informed rather than guided by Brown. "I think in a class like American Foreign Policy the professor is absolutely obligated to talk about current events, because you're watching the subject you are studying come to life," she said. "The classroom is a great forum because you get a variety of ideas and debate, and you can ask questions that you might not otherwise get answered."And in using the classroom setting for imparting and analyzing current events, the material may straddle both practical and philosophical grounds. "It's necessary to have a good understanding of what's happening to look at the details in a philosophical context," Brown said, "but we must address the philosophical details with fidelity to what's happening on the ground.
(03/25/03 5:00am)
Preliminary elections for various positions in the Student Union government, including president and vice president, end today at noon. The second round of elections will be held tomorrow in order to determine students' final choices. Elections are held online at http://people.brandeis.edu/ stunion/election. Since there are over 20 people running for various positions in the Student Union, the Justice has chosen only to profile the presidential race. The three candidates are Josh Brandfon '05, Michael Corwin '05, and Josh Sugarman '05. Information about all other candidates is available online at the voting webpage.Josh BrandfonBrandfon, current Union treasurer, is very focused on bringing the student government together, reforming the Union Allocations Board (A-board), increasing diversity on campus, and working toward reforms that other members of the Union government may propose. "Instead of being completely consumed by my own agenda, I hope to work for every member of the Executive Board (E-board) and the senate to help them accomplish their own goals," he said. "As a more cohesive unit, your government will be able to push harder, succeed quicker and implement change and policy at a pace faster than if that had been everyone working alone." Brandfon would like to restructure the A-board by "reforming the micromanagement policies that exist and giving club leaders more freedom to run their events as they please. More trust to club leaders, less of a burden for all parties."He would like to see some change made to the University's physical plant. Brandfon said at the televised presidential debate on Wednesday, "We must assure that Usdan remains a student center," adding that he supports the idea that the area which currently lies vacant, the old bookstore, be used as a recreation center. He also sees some room for improvement in the newly constructed Shapiro Campus Center saying, "If we wanted a 24-hour library or a 24 hour student center, we would have asked for it ... Let's breathe some more life into this already vibrant student center," suggesting that the JavaCity caf remain open 24-hours and that vending machines be installed in the Campus Center. During his two years at Brandeis, Brandfon has served on the Union Judiciary and on the E-board of the Student Union as treasurer, on the Aboard and as a member of the Secured Allocation Fund Board. Outside of student government, he is a WBRS DJ, sits on the Executive Board of the Brandeis Reform Chavurah (Hillel's Reform Movement), and just finished his UTC/Hillel Theater Group debut as a member of the "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" production staff. "If I was going to describe myself in a word, it would be a professional," he said, pointing to his efficiency and the progress he has made for the office of the treasurer this year. This year he has helped to convert the Student Union's finances so that they can be organized on Quick Book and hired a full time bookkeeper. Several times during the debate, he referred to his experiences this year as treasurer as potentially helpful in his endeavors as president next year. To cast a vote for Brandfon is "to cast a vote for government accountability," he said.Michael CorwinCorwin, the current senator for the Class of 2005, is most focused on listening to the voices of all students, from the "hyper-involved" ones to the ones who are not usually as verbal about their concerns and increasing diversity. His concerns are "community, fun, and campus." At the televised debate on Wednesday, he said, "My goal as president is to keep my ears open at all times to all groups ... No student organization should ever feel that the Student Union does not listen to them ... I think that it's very important to listen to the voices of all students."Corwin would also like to work on bringing the students, the student government and administrators together. "Administrators are very distant from students," he said saying there is a need to close this gap. He wants to "make sure that we are all working together," to decrease he tension between the E-board and the senate.Corwin would also like to reform the food establishment and Aramark policies. He said, "Over and over and over, there are student complaints about Aramark." To this end, he would like to extend hours in the Usdan Caf, create a bigger Expressway with better weekend hours. As did Brandfon, Corwin indicated that more effort should be put into making the Shapiro Campus Center readily accessible for 24-hours a day.He also suggested that the Resident Advisor (RA) system is flawed and that it must be changed so that RAs are students that residents feel comfortable going to rather than police officers. He indicated the inherent contradiction there, in which an RA can hardly be a confidential source of information and mentor and a rule enforcer effectively at the same time.Also on his agenda is helping to create a game room in the old bookstore, building class and school spirit, having events end after 2:00 a.m. making sure that Modfest continues, and adding a wireless network to campus. He would like to increase school spirit by creating objects around campus that display aspects of Brandeis' history. During his two years at Brandeis, Corwin has been the Class of 2005 senator for both years, the undergraduate representative to the Usdan Reuse Committee, has served on the Dining Services Committee, and helped to coordinate the Midnight Buffet twice. He is also a member of Adagio and Waltham Group.Josh SugarmanSugarman, the current Student Union Advocate and founder of the Office for Judicial Advocacy, is focusing primarily on "real advocacy, true diversity and proven results." This statement, Sugarman's motto during this election, corresponds to three main points, "Real advocacy: It is time that the Student Union began advocating for individual students where students need it most -- academic policy disputes, housing and discipline. The creation of the Office for Judicial Advocacy was only a start. We intend to do much more for students with specific problems. True diversity: At Brandeis we have spent a lot of time talking and meeting about diversity," he said.Sugarman also put an emphasis on the need for increased openness and accessibility of the Student Union to students. He said, "The student government has traditionally been a very closed organization," saing that students should feel comfortable going to the Student Union for suggestions and for reform efforts. "No student, no issue will be overlooked," he said. He also indicated the A-board should be more involved with students and that more financial freedom should be put back into the hands of clubs themselves.Whereas Corwin and Brandfon wanted to work to unify the E-board and the senate, to decrease tension, Sugarman stated, "I love the tension ... it's a check ... it's for the benefit of the student body."Also on his agenda is the providing of funds for student businesses. "Along with the administration, we must provide funds to help students start on-campus businesses which provide services to the student body," he said. "By doing this we will start seeing more late night food service and better on campus entertainment."He would also like to see merit-based and community service-based scholarships awarded to upperclassmen. "The Union will call upon the administration to secure funds to establish upperclass scholarships. These scholarships will reward community service, encourage participation, commend outstanding scholars and ease the financial burden of higher education."Sugarman would also like to provide individual clubs with club vans, saying, "When polled last year, clubs said overwhelmingly that club vans would help them not only do what they do now better, but do more things."During his two years at Brandeis, Sugarman has served as the Student Union Advocate, a member of the E-board for both years, was the founder and is currently serving as the executive director of the Office for Judicial Advocacy and is currently captain of the Men's Rugby Team.
(03/18/03 5:00am)
If you were looking for a break from studying, a night off from endless piles of homework, or just an amusing evening, then the Hillel Theatre Group's production of "A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum" was just what you needed. This show brought to life the trials and tribulations of being a slave in ancient Greece, untouchable love, separated lovers because of contracts and a very egotistical soldier. As we are all assured in the beginning song, this is not a think-piece.As the show opens, our main character leads the cast in a lively rendition of "Comedy Tonight," explaining that sometimes you need tragedy but that night you would get comedy. Next, we meet our other main characters and receive a brief description about each. The entire cast sang to a packed house, dressed in togas and then some. There were purple velvet hats, boas, leopard skirts, sequins, tassels and so much more. There was even a point in the show that included drag. Laughter filled the entire room.As the show began, the audience met the hero and the heroine, an only child of incredibly strict parents and a virgin courtesan, only to find out that their love can never be because she was sold to another person just days before. The main character, Pseudolus, played by Joshua Simmons '06, complains about being a slave while our other main character, Hero, played by Devin Carney '06, comments that "Better to be a slave than a slave to love." Yes, it's cheesy but cute at the same time. As the play continued, other interesting and amusing characters including head slave of the house, Hysterium, played by Matt Gertz '06 are introduced. Poor Hysterium runs around trying to keep everything in order without killing himself and dropping from exhaustion, which finally happens at the end of Act One. It should be noted that the actor who played Hysterium is actually recovering from a minor head injury that happened at the dress rehearsal before opening night and is doing fine. He played his part well, including dressing as a woman at the end to try to catch the soldiers' attention so that the two lovers can sneak away. What a courageous boy!Of course, with any comedy, the night will end on a happy note with the soldier and the courtesan realizing that they are siblings (with an "eww" from the rest of the cast), our lovers getting to marry, Pseudolus obtaining his freedom and Histerium receiving a break. Despite the director's belief that we will get nothing from the show besides amusement and a good laugh, you learn that love always wins and that if it is meant to be, it will happen. The cast, pit and crew together put on a terrific show with great music, singing, lighting, props, costumes and acting. Hillel Theatre Group certainly did a great job with the show, and it was a pleasure for all to watch.
