Search Results

Police Log

Commend the University for involvement in Smart Fifty

On Friday, Brandeis International Business School had the honor of hosting one of the early stages of Smart Fifty, an entrepreneurial competition designed to find innovative startups with the ability to tackle some of India’s greatest socio-economic challenges. Led by IIM Calcutta Innovation Park, India’s Department of Science and Technology and TiE Boston, Smart Fifty focuses on improving learning, agriculture, sustainability, health and other areas of life in India, according to the program’s page on IBS’ website.

Encourage students to support Cupid Express fundraiser

As Valentine’s Day approaches, people express their love and affection for significant others, family and friends, often by buying flowers, chocolate or other gifts. This year, Graduate Student Affairs is holding a campus-wide fundraising initiative, Cupid Express, to benefit the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. This board encourages the Brandeis community to participate in this worthy initiative by using Cupid Express as the one-stop-shop for buying roses and chocolate.

Chef discusses health benefits from veganism

Just a few decades ago, vegetarianism and veganism were fringe movements, and mainstream grocery stores rarely sold meat- and dairy- substitute products. Today, however, foods like almond milk, veggie burgers and “cheese” made from nuts can be found in the average supermarket. 

Liebowitz publishes Board meeting report

In their January meeting, the Board of Trustees passed General Education Requirements, discussed board transparency and trust and heard a presentation on fossil fuel divestment, according to a report published on Thursday by University President Ron Liebowitz. 

Romantic Getaways

Sara Fulton ’20 — “The most romantic place in Waltham is definitely the river walk on Moody Street. In the summer, the light glistens on the water just right at sunset, and when you walk with your partner, it’s almost like you’re walking into the sunset. There’s plenty of places to stop and stare and great opportunities for great photos. It’s pretty much what I feel like is a clip from a romantic film in real life.”

Advocates come before Board for divestment

In the latest step in the fossil-fuel-divestment debate, representatives from Brandeis Climate Justice and Faculty Against the Climate Threat met with the Board of Trustees last Wednesday to make their case. Though the Board did not reach a decision at the meeting, representatives from the groups told the Justice that they remain hopeful that the University will soon choose to divest.

Encourage University to make course costs known earlier

February is the final month for undergraduate students to drop a class without a mark of withdrawal on their transcripts. Ideally, students will decide which classes to drop or keep based upon future goals, compatibility and interest. However, some students will be forced to make their decisions based upon unexpected strain on their finances that comes with taking a certain class. Others will have to resign themselves to additional costs as they take courses required for their chosen majors and minors. These circumstances occur because many faculty members do not inform students beforehand of the class materials that need to be purchased for the course.

Urge students to take advantage of societal progression

This is not the first time, nor will it be the last, that Americans will live through a key event in our history. History has germinated before our very eyes, just as news spread of bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, or when we watched mankind reach the moon, or not too long ago, when the country saw Barack Obama become president, less than half a century after Martin Luther King said that he had a dream, so too does history germinate before our very eyes. The millions-strong Women’s Marches, the #MeToo movement, the rapidly transforming nature of the American workforce — these are the seeds of tomorrow’s history. Future generations of American students will walk into a 21st Century Studies class and look back on our time just as we look back on Americans pre-Revolutionary War — as a time of movements and massive developments in the story of the United States. Just as we see those people as witnesses of the Boston Tea Party and protesters chanting “no taxation without representation,” so too will future generations study our society as the stage upon which our history plays out. What sets the key events of today apart from the key events of the past is that the nature of the United States itself is changing faster than it has in generations. America is transforming in ways that have never been possible before, and as a result, we have more than the rare privilege of observing monumental moments in history. We are not special because we can watch history in the making. We have a unique opportunity to influence the future, rather than just watching important events develop, because the fundamental nature of what it means to be an American is changing. The unprecedented speed and magnitude of America’s cultural, political and workforce transformation has granted us the privilege of writing the future like never before. 

Views on the News: Census

A Jan. 24 Washington Post article reported that the U.S. Census Department is considering adding the question “Are you a citizen?” to the 2020 Census. Supporters claim that this would provide more accurate data about the country's population and demographics, while detractors allege that this is an effort to suppress Hispanic voters and give the Republican Party an unfair advantage. Do you believe the U.S. Census Department should add citizenship to the 2020 census, and if so, what effects do you think such a decision would have?

Hamilton Morris on high (quality) filmmaking

Psychedelics enthusiasts huddled into the Wasserman Cinematheque at the Brandeis International Business School last Thursday night. The atmosphere did not feel intimate, but rather quite distant, and the entire room smelled heavily of marijuana. The speaker for the event was journalist and filmmaker Hamilton Morris, who shared season two, episode six of his show, “Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia on Vice.” The episode was titled, “A Clandestine Chemist’s Tale.” In his show he explores the history and process of making various psychedelic drugs, from mushrooms to hallucinogenic frog venom. The show has a huge following; even a viewer not interested in partaking in such experiences can find the documentary-style episodes to be actually quite intriguing.

University installs solar panels on library roof

Corrections appended.

Urge more conservatives to speak on climate change

Bridging the partisan divide on global warming seems next to impossible at first glance — and understandably so. Global warming clearly ranks low on the U.S. government’s priority list, and the lack of any serious climate-related proposals from a Republican-controlled Congress speaks volumes. It is no secret that the U.S. has alienated the rest of the world by failing to act, and much of this is due to the bizarre politics surrounding climate change. 

Recognize current unsanitary bathroom conditions

Dorm bathrooms — especially in suites, where residents are charged with tidying up — can be less than clean, promoting the spread of unwanted germs. It certainly does not help that in many dorm bathrooms, the toilets do not have lids, and flushing can scatter bacteria across surfaces. 

Stories for the Ages

A word in the Hawaiian language, kupuna, often means an elder, grandparent or older individual. However, it takes on at least three more meanings: the source or process of personal growth, an honored elder who has the life experience needed to be a family and community leader, and an ancestor who has the spiritual wisdom and presence to guide people through hardship.

Encourage University to recognize importance of divestment

Divestment is the act of selling company shares, bonds or investment funds for a political or social reason. An investor may publicly and intentionally divest — rather than sell a stock because it is not performing well — in order to reprimand unethical or morally ambiguous corporations. Divestment movements are not only effective in ending fossil fuel sponsorship, but also for generating awareness for social issues at large. In the past, divestment movements have successfully publicized crises like the apartheid in South Africa, genocide in Sudan and repression in Burma. Removing investments from firms that do business with oppressive or apartheid regimes does not eradicate these regimes. However, it sends a strong message to companies that it is unacceptable to enable governments to infringe on human rights. 

Views on the News: White Racism Class

On Jan. 10, Florida Gulf Coast University introduced a class titled "White Racism," with the goal to "interrogate the concept of race" by examining racist ideologies. However, according to a Jan. 10 CNN article, the class was met with so much opposition — including a series of threatening emails sent to the professor — that campus police officers were posted outside of the class. What do you think of this type of class, and how do you think the university should proceed?

Urge the University to improve current Brandeis app

On Wednesday, Sodexo’s new app, “Bite,” was launched on the Brandeis campus, according to an email sent by Andy Allen, Brandeis dining service manager. The app has been designed to allow students and users to “view daily menus in the dining halls on campus at any given time” as well as “nutritional and allergen information for each dish, rate dishes, and provide valuable feedback to [Sodexo].” 

EDITORIAL: Urge University to make health resources more accessible

Several weeks ago, this board commended the Brandeis Counseling Center for responding to student concerns and improving its services. Mental health care is increasingly important on campus, and it is necessary that all students know where and how to access it.  

Police Log