(02/11/14 5:00am)
The Senate began its meeting on Sunday by recognizing a new club. The Undergraduate Composers Collective Series seeks to support undergraduate students in composing as well as in learning how to compose. It includes lectures by graduate students and faculty and a performance in which members can have their pieces performed. The Senate approved the recognition of the new club. Student Union Vice President Charlotte Franco '15 next addressed the Senate concerning dining changes. She said she met with Sodexo last week concerning the plans to reconstruct the Usdan Student Center. Usdan Caf?(c) will become an all-you-can-eat buffet with stations including a delicatessen, a Mongolian grill, a salad station and a vegan station. Usdan Boulevard will increase in the number of stations and will be one of the retail eateries on campus, in addition to existing chains Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks. The construction will be taking place over the course of this coming summer and is planned to be completed by the beginning of the 2014 to 2015 academic year. The Stein is to be reopened in the week following February break. The Student Union is also organizing a committee to work with Kim Godsoe, the assistant provost for academic affairs, in discussing possible ways with which to update vacations and the number of days off in relation to religious holidays. The Union is also working to organize a meeting with the administration in order to discuss "certain issues brought up in the [Boston] Globe," that were unspecified, which have been noted within the student body. The Senate said the meeting will include a representative from the Justice, the Hoot and the Student Union. The Senate then moved on to the committee chair reports. The Sustainability Committee reported on future plans for a green revolving fund. The funds would function as a receptacle for the money saved on sustainable projects such as the installation of dual-flush toilets. The money would then be funneled back into other green projects. The committee is also working to repurchase credits earned from the solar panels installed on the Charles River Apartments over the summer. Other projects include distributing reusable water bottles in collaboration with Tap Brandeis, a campus-wide initiative that calls for the reduction of water bottle sales on campus, as well as increasing hand dryers on campus to replace paper towel dispensers. The Ways and Means Committee is continuing to work on rewriting the bylaws of the Senate's constitution. The committee also hopes to create a think-tank style committee for which there would be a senator dedicated to examining the sustainability and functionality of each committee. East Quad Senator Andrew Savage '16 discussed the plans that are being initiated in response to the multiple reports of a student reportedly peering into the showers in East Quad. Campus facilities are in the process of installing locks on the bathroom doors that students will be able to unlock using their room keys, according to an email to East residents from Community Development Coordinator Stephanie Crane. The bathrooms are also being modified to increase the ventilation. Class of 2015 Senator Anna Bessendorf addressed the Senate about many campus safety issues that have come to light in recent events, including the fire in Ziv Quad and the accident involving three students at the crosswalk in front of the Linsey Sports Center. She is meeting David Bunis '83, the senior vice president, chief of staff and chief legal officer, to discuss these issues today. -Kathryn Brody
(02/10/14 5:00am)
This winter, the men's and women's indoor track and field squads have tested themselves against some of the top competition from not only Division III but Division I. The Judges passed yet another test on Saturday during the Valentine Classic at Boston University. The men's 60-meter dash featured five Judges. Vincent Asante '14 led the way, covering the distance in 7.11 seconds for 23rd place. Chi Tai '16, Adam Berger '15 and Ben Pomerantz '17 finished 109th, 110th and 111th while Makalani Mack '16 fell right in line, placing 116th. Seven Brandeis competitors turned in notable finishes in the 200-meter dash. Nick Wactor '17 placed in 23.88 seconds, Jeremy Wilson '17 finished in 24.34 and Pomerantz fell just behind, crossing the finish line at 24.51. Berger placed in 24.61, Tai ended in 24.93, Mack closed in 25.63 and Brandon Odze '16 rounded out the field with a finish of 25.71. Wactor and Wilson then picked up 145th and 154th, respectively, in the 400-meter dash, clocking in at 52.51 and 52.83, respectively. In the distance events, three Brandeis competitors broke the 4 minute, 30 second barrier in the men's mile. Quinton Hoey '17 placed 125th in 4:25.10 and Grady Ward '16 fell just behind in 4:25.63. Matt Doran '17, meanwhile, had the 187th best time of the day, crossing the line in 4:27.08. Berger proved to be the lone representative in the field events, producing a 23rd place finish in the triple-jump with an effort of 12.29 meters across the three jumps. Matthew Becker '16 finished seventh in his heat and 168th overall of 233 competitors in the 800-meter run, timing in at 2:01.47 Though the only competitors on the women's side were four distance runners, they made their mark in the longer events. Kelsey Whitaker '16 took eighth of 84 competitors in the women's 1000-meter run, clocking a scorching 2:55.73 for the five-lap race. Her time was nearly four seconds better than her previous best and broke a school record for the race in the process. Kristi Pisarik '15 and Molly Paris '16 both broke the six-minute barrier in the women's mile. Pisarik's 5:25.21 was good for 119th, and from there, Paris took 156th in 5:43.25. In other distance-related events, Maddie Dolins '17 narrowly missed breaking the 18-minute barrier for the 5000-meter run, completing the 25-lap race in 18:06.18. With the University Athletic Association championships will be held at Gosman Sports and Convocation Center in just three weeks, it is important that the team maintains its focus throughout the upcoming winter break. According to distance runner Victoria Sanford '14, who rested the Valentine Classic, the UAAs mark the beginning of the postseason. It is here where the team hopes to be in its top form. "[UAAs are at] the beginning of the championship season, so it is were we want to start to peak," Sanford remarked. "Our goal [is] to continue to peak throughout the rest of the season." Additionally, Sanford says that the team is excited by the prospect of hosting the marquee conference event this year, an opportunity that the Judges have not had since the 2009 to 2010 season. "The team is really excited that UAA's are at Brandeis this year," she said. "We are looking forward to some strong individual performances." The Judges will compete next on Saturday at the Tufts University Cupid Challenge.
(02/04/14 5:00am)
The men's and women's swimming and diving teams celebrated their final home meet in exciting fashion against Clark University at the Linsey Sports Center on Saturday. The men's swimming team picked up a remarkable win, triumphing over the Cougars by only one point, 131.5-130.5. Although the women fell to Clark 170-107, the squad had a successful day on an individual level. Joanna Murphy '17 headlined the day for the women, demolishing a 1,000-yard freestyle record that has stood since 1999. With the one-point win, the men's team enjoyed their first home-triumph since February 2009. The victory proved to be a fitting symbol for a revamped swimming program at the renovated pool in the Linsey Sports Center. "[The victory] did not signify a change in our program, but rather a sign that we are reestablishing ourselves," coach Michael Kotch said about the win. However, it was unclear if the men would be able to pull off an overall victory over the Cougars, as the outcome of the competition was determined by the day's final event: the 200-yard freestyle relay. With only a third-place finish needed to defeat Clark, the men's squad-composed of Allan Chuang '17, Max Fabian '15, Danny Icaza '17 and Joe Jacobowitz '14-swam the race in a time of one minute and 39.12 seconds, enough to propel the Judges in a narrow win against the visiting Cougars. Jacobowitz, who anchored the relay, raced in his last home meet before graduation. He finished his leg of the race in 24.01 seconds-giving the Judges ample time to secure third place and defeat Clark. "It was a fun race and we were all pretty excited because we knew we only needed to come in third to win the meet," Jacobowitz reflected. "I'm glad to see us win one at home before I graduate." The men's side was victorious in other aspects of the competition as well, touching the wall first in all races except for two. These victories included an unusual tie between Brian Luk '16 and senior Clark swimmer Clive Green in the 50-yard freestyle, in which both swimmers finished with a time of 22.30. Luk, a consistently strong swimmer for the Judges, showed that this competition was no different, winning in both the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyle competitions. Fabian continued his streak of success by surging once again past the long-distance competition. He won the 1,000-yard freestyle by a margin of 1.23 seconds, coming in with a time of 10:03.94. Fabian also won the 500-yard freestyle in 5:00.17 and the 200-yard butterfly in 2:03.90. The men continued to reel off impressive efforts this past weekend with several more winners, proving that a lack in numbers would prove to not be a major hindrance. Jacobowitz was proud to state the outcome of the day reflected the hard work and good times the squad has recently posted. "People have been swimming great times all season, but we usually don't win because of our small size," he commented. David Lazarovich '16 took first in three competitions. Lazarovich beat Clark competitors in both breaststroke events, winning the 100 in a time of 1:04.56 and the 200 in 2:21.09. Lazarovich also won the 200 individual medley in 2:07.30. Although the women's team could not defeat Clark, the individual swimmers had a successful day posting wins in nine out of 16 events on the afternoon. Murphy seized the competition by not only winning the 1,000 freestyle in a time of 10:37.65, but in the process, lowering the school record by 10 seconds. The record, previously set by Kelsa Teeters '99, has remained untouched since 1999. Murphy had an extremely admirable performance on Saturday, cruising ahead to win the 200-yard freestyle by 17 seconds and, from there, taking the 500-yard freestyle competition in a time of 5.16:88. Fallon Bushee '16 also won multiple events. Bushee displayed variety in the meet, clinching the victory in both the 100-yard freestyle and the 100-yard breaststroke with times of 57.44 and 1:15.70, respectively, in the two races. Bushee was especially fundamental when it came to the Judges' victory in the 200-freestyle relay, anchoring the race with a 26.83 split en route to a Brandeis victory in a time of 1:50.42. Meanwhile, the women's squad swept the freestyle competition, a commendable feat for such a young team like the Judges. Margot Farnet '17 won the 50-yard freestyle in 27.53 seconds, coming in with a time less than a second ahead of the next competitor. Looking forward, the squads will next travel to Atlanta for the University Athletic Association Championships. The Judges will take a two week break before heading south to Emory University for the conference meet on Feb. 12.
(02/04/14 5:00am)
Medical Emergency Jan. 27-A student in Feldberg Communications Center reported that he felt faint in his lecture hall. BEMCo responded and the student was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Jan. 27-University Police received a report that a 90-year-old male guest in Hassenfeld Conference Center had felt ill. BEMCo responded, and the patient refused further care. Jan. 27-University Police received a report that a caller's sister had been found in Ziv Quad and was not feeling well. BEMCo responded and the patient was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Jan. 28-University Police received a report that an employee felt ill in Bernstein-Marcus Administration Building. BEMCo responded, but the ill party refused further care. Jan. 29-University Police received a report that a staff member in the Rabb School of Continuing Studies felt ill and requested medical treatment. BEMCo responded, and the staff member refused further care. Jan. 29-University Police received a report that a student injured himself on the basketball court in the Shapiro Gym. BEMCo responded, and after treatment, the student refused further care. Jan. 30-University Police received a report that a woman on Charles River Road had difficulty breathing. BEMCo responded and she was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Jan. 30-University Police received a report that a student in Deroy Hall suffered from flu-like symptoms. BEMCo responded, and the student refused further care. Jan. 31-University Police received a report of an intoxicated student who vomited continuously on the first-floor bathroom of Usen Castle. BEMCo responded, but the student refused further care. Feb. 1-University Police received a report from a student that her roommate suffered a dislocated shoulder. BEMCo responded and the student was transported to Brigham and Women's Hospital for further care. Feb. 1-University Police received a report that a female student appeared unconscious within the Linsey Sports Center locker room. BEMCo responded, and after treatment, the student was deemed conscious. She refused further care. Larceny Jan. 28-University Police received a report that approximately $1,300 had been stolen from a student's room in Renfield Hall. University Police then compiled a report of the theft and advised the student to properly secure funds in the future. Jan. 29-University Police received a report that a student left a MacBook laptop in the bathroom of the Spingold Theater Center, and upon returning to retrieve it, the laptop was no longer there. University Police compiled a report of the theft. Drugs Jan. 30-University Police received a report from a student's mother regarding a marijuana smell and excessive noise in Ziv Quad. University Police reported to the scene. After failing to localize the source of the smell and requesting that students turn down the music, officers cleared Ziv Quad. Miscellaneous Jan. 27-University Police received a report of an unidentified male found peering into a women's bathroom in East Quad. University Police surveyed the scene, could not locate the perpetrator and compiled a report. A safety bulletin was issued to the entire University community. Feb. 2-University Police observed a student who had used a bike with a lock that was still attached to the rear wheel. The officer on patrol seized the bike and brought it to Public Safety after the student failed to prove it was his. After compiling a report, the student admitted that he had been intoxicated and seized the bike in the belief that it was his own. -compiled by Adam Rabinowitz
(02/04/14 5:00am)
A car accident on South Street Sunday night sent three students to the hospital with serious injuries. The students, an 18-year-old male, an 18-year-old female and a 22-year-old female were crossing the street at 6:24 p.m. at the crosswalk by the Foster Mods when they were hit by a car headed northbound, according to a Feb. 2 press release from the Waltham Police Department. The victims, all undergraduate students, were taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center with serious injuries. In an interview with the Justice, Stephanie Guyotte, a spokesperson for the Middlesex District Attorney's Office, said that two of the victims have since been released from the hospital and the third is in stable condition as of 4:30 p.m. yesterday. According to the statement, the driver of the vehicle was a 42-year-old resident of Belmont, Mass. He was not found to be impaired by any substances at the time of the accident. According to Guyotte, the investigation is still ongoing. The press release stated that "charges against the operator will be determined after the investigation is complete." Elan Kane '16 was walking from East Quad to the Foster Mods and was near the Stoneman Building when he heard the collision. "The crash almost sounded like snow being shoveled," he said in an interview with the Justice. Kane said he heard someone yelling "I'm going to die, I'm going to die" and another person reassuring them that they would not. He recalled seeing one person on the ground and another on the sidewalk, but did not know who was yelling. According to Kane, another driver got out of his car to help the person on the ground. Kane said he did not see whether the lights at the crosswalk were blinking. South Street has a history of accidents involving pedestrians. In 2005, a student crossing the road was struck by a car driven by an elderly woman and suffered minor injuries. According to Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan in a Nov. 8, 2005 article in the Justice, a pedestrian crossing South Street was also hit in November 2000 and another in November 2002. In 2006, the city of Waltham installed two button-activated blinking yellow traffic lights at the crosswalk. The $20,000 project was initially requested by students living in the Foster Mods three years prior. In a Sept. 26, 2006 Justice article, Waltham Transportation Director Franklin Ching expressed concern that the lights would give pedestrians a "false sense of security," as the law requires drivers to stop for pedestrians in the street, but not necessarily for those waiting to cross. According to Ching, many pedestrians walk into the street anyway. In 2007, a first-year student was hit while crossing South Street in front of the main gate, suffering minor injuries. In 2008, the University stationed a police officer at the crosswalk during random times to ensure that students used the blinking lights when crossing South Street. In a Sept. 23, 2008 Justice article, Waltham Ward 7 Councilor Joseph Giordano, who represents Brandeis in the City Council, said he was concerned that many students were not using the crosswalk lights. A Nov. 6, 2009 police log entry in the Justice stated that University Police "received several calls about a pedestrian struck by a car in the crosswalk at South Street and the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center." In 2010, Waltham police officers were again stationed at the South Street crosswalk to both make sure students were using the lights and to issue citations for cars that were speeding or not stopping for pedestrians, according to Callahan. In the article, Callahan said that Waltham police officers have given 20 to 40 citations per day to drivers for speeding on South Street and that the addition of police officers helped to slow down cars. When asked if any safety measures will be adopted in the near future, Callahan, in an email to the Justice, referred to an email he sent to the student body yesterday urging students to take precautions when crossing and driving along South Street. -Marissa Ditkowsky and Andrew Wingens contributed reporting. Editor's Note: Elan Kane '16 is on the Justice Sports staff.
(02/04/14 5:00am)
On Jan. 24, Daniel Terris, director of the International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life, and Profs. Susan Lanser (ENG) and Daniel Kryder (POL) released a joint statement drawing attention to a recent incident of violence involving Israeli soldiers on the campus of Al-Quds University, in East Jerusalem. According to the statement from Terris, Lanser and Kryder, Israeli soldiers deployed tear gas and rubber bullets on the Al-Quds campus on Jan. 22, harming students and damaging buildings. The reason for the intrusion was unclear. A press release on the Al-Quds website confirms these details, explaining that many students required medical attention as a result of being exposed to tear gas or being struck by rubber bullets. The Al-Quds press release included photos of soldiers on the campus and cracked windows in university buildings. The incident was reported on the English language website of the Ma'an News Agency. Brandeis had a formal academic partnership with Al-Quds University that was suspended this past November following a demonstration on the Al-Quds campus that involved students dressed in militia-style clothing, all of whom sported fake automatic weapons. Terris, Lanser and Kryder visited Al-Quds in November to investigate the origins of the student demonstration. Following their visit, the three issued a report explaining that the student demonstration was not sanctioned by the Al-Quds administration and encouraged Brandeis to resume the academic partnership. University President Frederick Lawrence has expressed an interest in restarting the partnership. The incident on Jan. 22 was unrelated to Brandeis' prior suspension of the partnership. Terris, Lanser and Kryder expressed "concern for our Al-Quds University colleagues and other members of the AQU community whose personal security and pursuit of learning have been disrupted by these violent actions." Terris, Lanser and Kryder have all been conducting collaborative projects with Al-Quds faculty to "research the kinds of curricular and pedagogical frameworks that are most effective at fostering civic engagement in developing democratic societies," according to an April 29, 2013 BrandeisNOW article. Senior Vice President of Communications Ellen de Graffenreid wrote in an email to the Justice that Lawrence was aware of the incident and is involved in ongoing communications with Terris, Lanser and Kryder as well as "individuals at Al-Quds University." However, she declined to comment on Lawrence's reaction to the incident or offer a timeline for reinstating the academic partnership, writing that Lawrence "believes that, at this point, reacting to events by issuing statements in the public media or setting a timeline for a decision about the relationship would not serve a useful purpose." Leon Botstein, the president of Bard College, an institution which has joint degree programs with Al-Quds University, issued a statement posted on the Al-Quds website declaring the incident "unacceptable." Bard College, unlike Syracuse University and Brandeis, did not suspend its partnership with Al-Quds following the demonstration in November.
(01/28/14 5:00am)
It finally happened. Justin Bieber was arrested. Early Thursday morning, the "Beauty and a Beat" singer was drag racing down a residential street in Miami, when police officers intervened, after hearing engines revving. According to the police report, the 19-year-old pop star had been driving a rented yellow Lamborghini while racing his friend, rhythm and blues singer Khalil Sharieff, also 19, who was driving a red Ferrari (as if those cars wouldn't attract any attention). Apparently, the two artists had been driving upward of 60 mph on a 30 mph stretch of road. The Miami Beach Police allegedly smelled alcohol on Bieber's breath, and the young singer was uncooperative during the arrest, hurling a string of expletive-laden statements. Bieber was taken in for driving under the influence, drag racing, driving with an invalid license and resisting arrest. In a statement, Bieber admitted to smoking marijuana throughout the day, consuming alcohol and taking prescription medication. The police report also indicates that Bieber was in a stupor and that he failed a field sobriety test. Later Thursday, Bieber appeared before a judge through a video link with his attorney, Roy Black (who has represented a slew of celebrity clients) and his bond was set at $2,500 dollars -nothing compared to the $75,000 he threw down at a Miami strip club a couple nights prior. An hour after his bond was set, the singer was released from the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center, and he was photographed wearing dark sunglasses and a hoodie, waving to fans while perched on top of a black SUV. Of course, social media is playing a big role in this on going saga. The following day, Bieber took to Instagram to post a photo of this now-infamous post-jail wave of his, juxtaposed next to a photo of the late Michael Jackson in which the King of Pop stands on top of a car, wearing sunglasses and waving to his fans outside of a Santa Monica courtroom after his "not guilty" plea to child molestation charges. Below the photo pairing, Bieber referenced a lyric from a 2003 Jay-Z song, writing "What more can they say." His Instagram post hasn't been the only photo that has garnered attention. Bieber's mug shot has been the source of folly for many media outlets, with comparisons of the entertainer's bouffant blonde hairdo and wide smile to photos of Miley Cyrus sporting a similar look. Bieber's Miami arrest came after a much more minor brush with the law earlier this month, when he allegedly threw eggs at an estranged neighbor's house in Calabasas, Calif. Equipped with a search warrant, the Los Angeles Sherriff's Department raided the star's house after this vandalism accusation, and during the search officers arrested someone in the house-not Bieber-for felony drug possession. Wild antics seem to be the name of the game for Bieber lately. The singer's recent behavior begs the question: Will all the Beliebers out there keep on beliebing? Judging by the swarms of fans who awaited him as he left the Miami jail, the answer still looks like "yes." But, at the end of the day, there's nothing funny about Bieber's DUI arrest. Here's hoping that he can get back on the straight and narrow. *
(01/21/14 5:00am)
In the first meet of 2014 on Saturday, the men's and women's swimming and diving teams hosted the Trinity College Bantams at the pool in the Joseph M. Linsey Sports Center. Although the Judges shined on the individual level with several victories from Brian Luk '16 and Max Fabian '15, they failed to pull off the overall win. With an eight-man team, the men only lost by 33 points (139-106) to Trinity's squad of 17 swimmers. Their female counterparts, likewise, lost 138-71 to the Bantams. Joanna Murphy '17 led the way for the Judges, garnering two wins on the afternoon. She surged past the competition in the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 10 minutes and 50.78 seconds, touching the wall 22 seconds ahead of the second-place competitor. In addition to her victory in the 1000-yard freestyle, Murphy eked out a victory in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:02.02-slimly taking first by 15 hundredths of a second. Luk spoke fondly of Murphy as one of the newest, and brightest, additions to the team. "I think she did an amazing job as she swam in almost all of the events and won a number of them," he commented. "Moreover, her attitude toward swimming more events than usual is very positive. We are very proud of her performance, and glad to have her as a teammate." Fabian continued his strong start to the season, winning in both the 1,000 and 500-yard freestyle races. He clinched a victory in both races over Trinity freshman Tom McNamara, finishing the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:08.46 and the 500-yard freestyle in 5:03.33. Fabian out-swam McNamara by 39 seconds in the 1,000-yard freestyle and established a 10-second lead in the 500-yard freestyle. Luk, who seemed to thrive with the support of a home crowd, won all three events in which he participated, including the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle. "I think the atmosphere was amazing," he explained. "Competing at home feels great as we are familiar with the pool, specifically the walls and blocks." In addition to impressively picking up three victories, Luk out-paced the competition by at least 1.5 seconds in all of his events. Luk won the 50-yard freestyle race in 22.46 seconds, the 100-yard freestyle in 48.71 seconds and the 200-yard freestyle in 1:49.06. Edan Zitelny '17 impressed the competition by finishing first in the men's 200-yard backstroke. Zitelny clinched the victory by a slim margin of only .48 seconds over the second-place finisher. As both the men's and women's teams begin to prepare for the finale in this swimming season-the University Athletic Association Championships hosted by Emory University in Atlanta in February-Luk noted the team is focusing on improving and attaining a long sought-after goal. "The team's ultimate goal is doing well [at] the UAA championship meet," he stated. He additionally said that Saturday's meet against the Bantams proved to be another solid step toward team-wide success at the upcoming Championships. "[It's] great to get our minds to racing and preparing for the big meet later," he added. Both teams will jump back in the pool in the Joseph M. Linsey Sports Center after a two-week hiatus to host local rival Clark University on Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. *
(01/21/14 5:00am)
This past weekend several Brandeis fencers had the opportunity to go to Virginia Beach, Va. for the January edition of the North American Cup, an event hosted by USA Fencing. Six fencers represented Brandeis at the event. The men's side sent three fencers, one for each weapon type as Julian Cardillo '14 competed on foil, Adam Mandel '15 was sent for saber and Tom Hearne '16 rounded out the men's squad on ?(c)p?(c)e. The women's side featured two foilists for the Judges, with Annette Kim '16 and Caroline Mattos '16 competing alongside foilist Vikki Nunley '14 for the Judges. The tournament, which lasted from Thursday to Monday, saw all of the Judges except Nunley compete before the final day, and each member of the team fought to a spot in the middle of the pack. Cardillo, Mandel and Hearne finished in 44th, 99th and 84th in their respective weapons, while Mattos and Kim finished 41st and 99th, respectively, in the Junior Women's Foil event. The tournament featured a very difficult field throughout, so Mattos's and Cardillo's showings were particularly impressive, as Cardillo lost in the round of 32 by a final score of 15-11 and Mattos fell in the round of 64 by a score of 15-5 to the eventual Bronze medalist, Sabrina Massialas-a member of the 2013 USA Cadet Women's Foil team. Both the men's and women's teams are back in action in the upcoming weeks. The teams travel to Boston College next weekend in a Northeast Conference and then again the following weekend when they host the Eric Sollee Invitational at Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. The women's team will also host Wellesley College tomorrow in Gosman at 7:00 p.m.
(01/21/14 5:00am)
In the first meet of 2014 on Saturday, the men's and women's swimming and diving teams hosted the Trinity College Bantams at the pool in the Joseph M. Linsey Sports Center. Although the Judges shined on the individual level with several victories from Brian Luk '16 and Max Fabian '15, they failed to pull off the overall win. With an eight-man team, the men only lost by 33 points (139-106) to Trinity's squad of 17 swimmers. Their female counterparts, likewise, lost 138-71 to the Bantams. Joanna Murphy '17 led the way for the Judges, garnering two wins on the afternoon. She surged past the competition in the 1000-yard freestyle with a time of 10 minutes and 50.78 seconds, touching the wall 22 seconds ahead of the second-place competitor. In addition to her victory in the 1000-yard freestyle, Murphy eked out a victory in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:02.02-slimly taking first by 15 hundredths of a second. Luk spoke fondly of Murphy as one of the newest, and brightest, additions to the team. "I think she did an amazing job as she swam in almost all of the events and won a number of them," he commented. "Moreover, her attitude toward swimming more events than usual is very positive. We are very proud of her performance, and glad to have her as a teammate." Fabian continued his strong start to the season, winning in both the 1,000 and 500-yard freestyle races. He clinched a victory in both races over Trinity freshman Tom McNamara, finishing the 1,000-yard freestyle in 10:08.46 and the 500-yard freestyle in 5:03.33. Fabian out-swam McNamara by 39 seconds in the 1,000-yard freestyle and established a 10-second lead in the 500-yard freestyle. Luk, who seemed to thrive with the support of a home crowd, won all three events in which he participated, including the 50-yard freestyle, 100-yard freestyle and 200-yard freestyle. "I think the atmosphere was amazing," he explained. "Competing at home feels great as we are familiar with the pool, specifically the walls and blocks." In addition to impressively picking up three victories, Luk out-paced the competition by at least 1.5 seconds in all of his events. Luk won the 50-yard freestyle race in 22.46 seconds, the 100-yard freestyle in 48.71 seconds and the 200-yard freestyle in 1:49.06. Edan Zitelny '17 impressed the competition by finishing first in the men's 200-yard backstroke. Zitelny clinched the victory by a slim margin of only .48 seconds over the second-place finisher. As both the men's and women's teams begin to prepare for the finale in this swimming season-the University Athletic Association Championships hosted by Emory University in Atlanta in February-Luk noted the team is focusing on improving and attaining a long sought-after goal. "The team's ultimate goal is doing well [at] the UAA championship meet," he stated. He additionally said that Saturday's meet against the Bantams proved to be another solid step toward team-wide success at the upcoming Championships. "[It's] great to get our minds to racing and preparing for the big meet later," he added. Both teams will jump back in the pool in the Joseph M. Linsey Sports Center after a two-week hiatus to host local rival Clark University on Feb. 1 at 1 p.m. *
(01/21/14 5:00am)
An article in News indicated that the University eliminated its secure network. The University still has a secure network, however, it just replaced Brandeis_secure with eduroam. (Jan. 14, p. 5) The Men's Basketball standings in Sports included Emory University twice and excluded Washington University in St. Louis. (Jan. 14, p. 15) The cover of the Arts section should have stated the year of publication as 2014, rather than 2013. (Jan. 14, p. 17) Brandeis Talks incorrectly identified Eva Chu ' 14 as Eva Chill '14. (Jan. 14, p. 24) Morgan Brill '17 helped to compile Brandeis Talks, as well as Lilah Zohar '14 and Josh Horowitz '14. (Jan. 14, p. 24) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(01/21/14 5:00am)
On Thursday, the Golding Health Center sent out an email to the Brandeis community introducing students to new University Nutritionist Carolyn Butterworth. Butterworth will serve students from the campus' Health Center, adopting the responsibilities of former University Nutritionist Laura O'Gara. In addition to working in the Health Center, Butterworth will begin working with Sodexo's nutritionist at Brandeis, Kate Moran. Butteworth was hired on Dec. 12, but did not begin seeing students clinically until last Friday. Butterworth's main role on campus will be working with students to develop healthier eating habits, offering assistance for student athlete diets and eating disorder counseling. Additionally, Butterworth is available to discuss dining options for students with food allergies. "I wish to promote health and wellness in the Brandeis community," wrote Butterworth in an email to the Justice. "I seek to be a resource to students who are experiencing some [gastroenterological] issues, weight issues, nutrition problems related to stress as well as student athletes and students looking to improve overall health," she continued. Butterworth wrote that college is a critical time for students to construct healthy eating habits, and, that as students learn to become independent, they must learn to make healthy dietary choices that will ultimately shape their eating habits later in life. However, Butterworth said she recognizes that the on-campus selections may not be suited to students' dietary needs for medical or other reasons. She and Moran plan to increase resources for students who lack access to proper nutrition on campus. According to the email sent out Thursday, Butterworth has previous experience working with youth. She has worked as a consultant for multiple preparatory schools and universities, including Wellesley College. In addition, she currently works in the Massachusetts General Hospital in the pediatric gastroenterologist clinic. Butterworth has an extensive background with dietary and digestive disorders and sports nutrition, with a focus on newborns to young adults. Butterworth earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Hampshire and her master's in clinical exercise physiology from Northeastern University. She is also a registered dietician and nurse. Students may schedule counseling appointments with Butterworth in the Health Center, which is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays. Butterworth is available for appointments on Tuesdays and every other Friday.
(01/14/14 5:00am)
A new year brings with it new resolutions, challenges and opportunities for self-improvement. 2013 was an eventful year for the college: Sodexo took over as the dining services provider, new administrators sat down in executive seats, the University suspended a 10 year partnership with Al-Quds University, and a front page article in The Boston Globe discussing President Emeritus Jehuda Reinharz's compensation package led to petitions and protests. As the first semester of 2014 begins, what changes woul you like to see in the University? Prof. Bernadette Brooten (NEJS) I dream of a Brandeis that is free of violence, economically just, and active in pursuing peace in the Middle East and elsewhere. Unfortunately, students report that sexual and other gender-based violence is frequent, devastating and usually unreported. I dream of a day when everyone is trained in bystander intervention, and all staff and faculty know how to prevent and respond to such violence. If violence is in our own backyard, so too is economic injustice. The lowest-paid Sodexo workers earn $12.70 per hour, while senior administrators' compensation have ballooned, and the number of highly paid administrators increased. If these high salaries came down, everyone could earn a living wage of at least $15 per hour. The Daniel Terris, Susan Lanser, and Daniel Kryder report satisfies me that Al-Quds's administration vigorously opposed the hateful November demonstration. I hope that Brandeis will apologize to President Nusseibeh for its precipitous action and ask to re-establish the partnership. Prof. Bernadette Brooten (NEJS) is the Kraft-Hiatt Professor of Christian Studies, and the director of the Feminist Sexual Ethics Project. * Stephanie Grimes
As I look to 2014, I have many hopes for this upcoming year at Brandeis. I would love to see the passions of our community come through to the University not because it looks good in an Admissions video or brochure, but because it is truly a picture of what our students can accomplish. I want students to be involved in what matters to them-whether that is the creation of a conference dedicated to the discussion around Israel, excelling on the sports field or choreographing a dance for their peers to perform in the next show. I want all of us to do things like this because we want to-not because it looks good on our resumes or we want to look good for our supervisors. I would like the students to continue to push the minds of our professors and administrators to think beyond what they know to what they can imagine. Too many times in 2013, I heard comments like "well, I need to do this for my resume" or "if I say no to this project, will I still have a job?" We need to get back to doing things because we want to ... because we love it. Stephanie Grimes is the Director of Student Activities. * Sahar Massachi '11 MA '12
Why did some of the most brilliant minds of the '40s decide to teach at a no-name school with barely any students? Maslow, Roosevelt, Bernstein, etc. came here because Brandeis was meant to be something amazing: a university committed to social change. For the first time in well over 10 years, we have a chance at moving toward that vision, instead of continued backsliding. But should Brandeis run like a non-corrupt corporation, or a non-corrupt social justice university? A Brandeis true to our values would allow students, faculty, and staff an equal say in decision-making. There would be faculty, worker, student, and alumni seats on the Board of Trustees; a cap on administrative salaries tied to our lowest wage; student, faculty and worker input on the budget; a just cause firing language for staff; a written commitment to place students on all search committees regarding hiring administration; not to mention urgent non-structural priorities like divesting from fossil fuels, diversifying our faculty and freezing tuition. It's time to remember why Brandeis was founded in the first place. Sahar Massachi '11 M.A. '12, works at the Wikimedia Foundation and started the "Petition for Fair Executive Pay" on actionnetwork.org. * Daniel Mael '15
Last semester was my first at Brandeis University and I tried my best to get a sense of the atmosphere of Israel-related activity on campus. While I was impressed by the vast programming available, it became evident that there are still many apathetic students. As I enter my second semester here in Waltham, I hope even more students elect to speak up about Israel, whether it is Israeli-Arab politics or simply why Israel matters to them. The number of students who care about and talk about Israel on a daily basis is already truly remarkable, and I look forward to seeing additional students voice their opinions and engage in dialogue. With speakers coming to campuses on a weekly basis, I can think of no better arena in the United States for young college students to explore everything and anything related to Israel. I hope everyone, regardless of their previous knowledge, takes advantage of Brandeis' unique climate. Daniel Mael '15 is the President of Students for Accuracy about Israeli and Palestinian affairs.
(01/14/14 5:00am)
A photograph in Features failed to credit a photographer. The photograph should have been attributed to Josh Horowitz. (Dec. 10, p. 9) The caption of a photo in Sports should have identified its subject as Julian Cardillo, not Jullian Cardillo. (Dec. 10, p. 13) The artwork shown on the Arts section cover was not properly attributed. The painting shown was by Mara Sassoon '14. (Dec. 10, p. 17) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(01/13/14 5:00am)
David Lazarovich '16, a specialist in the breaststroke and the individual medley, has hopes to further mold the sport at Brandeis just two years after the restoration of the swimming and diving team. "It's a rare opportunity to be part of a swim team but even rarer to make a new name," he said. We plan on improving that name every single year." The varsity swimming and diving team came to life with the reopening of the pool in the Joseph M. Linsey Sports Center in January of 2012 and, much like Lazarovich, has flourished ever since. He holds the top times for the 2012 to 2013 season in the 50-yard, 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke. His top time for the 50-yard backstroke registers just 2.74 seconds behind the all-time school record. However, Lazarovich has stated his determination to push himself into the record books. "It's a matter of training harder, which should result in faster times," he explained. "That's the only thing you can do is move up that list." Lazarovich has done his part to improve his swimming this year, pointing out recent success in the Judges' last meet in December, where he recorded a top-10 finish in the 200-yard breaststroke. "The season is going really well compared to last season where it was the first season of college swimming, and I've already been faster at [our meet at Worcester Polytechnic Institute]," he said. Even though he does not focus on the sroke, Lazarovich also holds the second-fastest time from 2012 to 2013 in the 200-yard backstroke, a feat he does not overlook. "Before college swimming, I swam everything and breaststroke was just better," he observed. "When I got to college the coach and I decided breaststroke would be my stroke, but it is good to be exposed to other strokes. If training for [the individual medley] means training for 200, I'll do that." Any chance for a top time or personal best, I'll take it." As the University Athletic Association Championships quickly approach, held from Feb. 12 to 15 at Emory University, Lazarovich has his mind set on the record books. "For the next two weeks we're focusing on keeping intensity and then championships," he said. "I could easily gain three seconds on turns, so that's something I'll be focusing on for the next three weeks. Things are looking good for the end of the season and hopefully going to finals." In addition to personal goals in the pool-two minutes and 12 seconds or faster in the 200-yard breaststroke and under a minute in the 100-yard breaststroke-Lazarovich has goals for the Judges outside the pool as well. "We're forging our image and we try to keep up that image," he noted. Lazarovich cited the pride individual swimmers take in the program-from talking up the team to wearing their team jackets around campus-as an effective way of building a name for the program. "The whole process is inspiring and you see everything growing so quickly and it's an opportunity that doesn't come around often," he said. "Overall the experience will help me in the long run." Lazarovich and the rest of the Judges look forward to making a name both in the pool and around campus in the upcoming months.
(01/13/14 5:00am)
Women's basketball forward Maria Jackson '17 almost looked like she could do it again. Jackson led the Judges with a career-high 18 points in a 73-35 rout of the University of Massachusetts Boston on Jan. 6. On Saturday, in her team's game against New York University, she guided the Judges to a 25-24 lead at halftime, contributing six points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. She traded baskets in the first half with the Violets' star sophomore guard Riley Wurtz. However, at the start of the second half, Jackson lost her touch and Wurtz continued to show the hot hand, leading NYU on a quick 10-0 run. Brandeis failed to truly recover, dropping their University Athletic Association opener by a tight 67-57 margin. Brandeis stormed into Coles Sports Center with momentum on its side. In the first half, the Judges matched each run the 11-1 Violets had to offer. A 6-0 NYU lead soon turned into a 7-6 Judges advantage. The Violets surged ahead to a 22-15 lead, but again, Brandeis had an answer, countering with its own 10-0 run. At halftime, the Judges were primed for a major upset, looking to deal the Violets just their second loss of the season. Brandeis' defense was firing on all cylinders, limiting the prolific NYU offense to just a 27.5 shooting percentage. Jackson stated that the squad was in its most ideal situation here. "As a team we decided to really work on playing as a cohesive unit and playing for each other. We want our game to be five people on the court being successful together," she said. However, the game proved to be a tale of two halves. The Violets' sizable 48-35 rebounding advantage and the Judges' 15 turnovers ultimately determined the outcome of the game. NYU, using its 10-0 run to open the second half would not relinquish the lead. Yet, with four minutes, 32 seconds left, guard Janelle Rodriguez '14 nailed a jumper that brought the Judges within striking distance. NYU had one last run in store, reeling off five uncontested points to secure the victory. Rodriguez led the team with 13 points while Jackson once again reached double digits, recording 10 points and three steals. Center Angela Miller '14 led the Judges with eight rebounds in the loss. The Judges fall to 6-6 after securing three wins in their past four games. Brandeis also fell to Trinity College on Jan. 4 in a 71-57 decision. Meanwhile, against UMass Boston on Jan. 6, the outcome was all but certain from the first minute. The Beacons looked lost on offense, missing their first 17 shots. Junior center Kristin Morrison secured the first basket with just 5:36 left in the first half, but by then Brandeis had run away with the game. The Judges were up 28-10, and by the second half, Brandeis had all of the momentum. After two quick UMass Boston baskets to trim the deficit to 28-18, the hosts raced out on a 10-0 scoring run. By the 7:43 mark, the lead was up to 31 points after a smooth break-away layup from rookie guard Paris Hodges '17. From there, the Judges cruised to a 73-35 victory. Jackson led the offensive outburst, securing 18 points on seven-of-10 shooting. Forward Nicolina Vitale '14 also recorded double digits, scoring 13 points and, additionally, securing a team-high three steals. Hodges and Miller were effective on the boards, contributing seven rebounds apiece. Just two days earlier against Trinity, though, it was a different story. In that game, Brandeis failed to gain control. The first half was a back-and-forth affair, featuring four ties and six lead changes, the last of which resulted in a 35-30 Trinity advantage. After recording the first two scores of the second half, Trinity eyed a chance to put the game to bed. The Judges made sure that was not the case, answering with four forced turnovers and a 14-4 scoring run. Guard Kasey Dean '14 brought the Judges back into the game after a 12-2 Trinity run, converting a steal into a layup that cut the deficit to 55-48 with just under nine minutes remaining. Trinity, though, made sure Brandeis wouldn't score again, securing a 71-57 win. Vitale led the team with 14 points and Dean proved to be a presence in the paint with six rebounds. Brandeis looks to recover from its second-half collapse in New York with two critical UAA matchups. Jackson, in looking ahead to future matchups, noted how important it will be to move past adversity. "The conference schedule will definitely be tougher than what we've had so far so we just plan to focus and keep working in practice and get better every day. Our team is never one to give up. We always work hard and play until the end and we are going to need that for our next games," she said. The Judges will travel to play the University of Washington in St. Louis on Friday, and then the University of Chicago on Sunday.
(01/13/14 5:00am)
The top collegiate fencers in the nation will officially be convening in Waltham come the 2016 season. In a video release on December 11, 2013, the NCAA announced Brandeis will host the 2016 National Collegiate FencingChampionships at Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. The meet will bring nationally-ranked fencers together from Divisions I, II and III. Following 1994, 1999, and most recently, 2004, the 2016 edition of the NCAA tournament will mark the fourth time that the Judges have hosted the meet. The Judges, encouragingly, have had success in years that they have hosted the tournament. Brandeis produced All-Americans in two of the three years as hosts and earned a school-record 12th overall finish in 1999. Coach Bill Shipman outlined how the hosting opportunity came to fruition for the University. "Since we hosted the tournament [in 2004], it was always in the back of our minds to host in the future, and I proposed to [Director of Athletics] Sheryl [Sousa] '90 to put our name in the bidding process," he explained. "Nowadays, more schools want to host-probably to give a better opportunity to win. Sheryl went through the process and paperwork and I think they wanted to come back to the East Coast." Shipman also expressed his excitement for the opportunity to host such a prestigious event. "The last three or four tournaments have been at big cities and at big universities, like Ohio State University, so it's a little unusual," he continued in his explanation. "We're one of the only [Division III] schools to host in recent history, so it gives us a lot of visibility as coaches and parents come to the area. Hosting puts our name on the fencing map a little better, and it's pretty exciting some times. Some people who don't see fencing come out and see the tournament-students, faculty and staff-which is nice." Shipman stated that, in hosting the tournament, fencers will have extra incentive to perform above and beyond expectations. "It certainly gives extra motivation to fencers who have the capability to make NCAAs and to make NCAAs in front of a home crowd is a nice addition to the honor of being there ... but it's not as easy as it used to be," he noted. He also stated that the announcement illuminated the development of the school's fencing program. "I'd like to think [that our program has developed], and [our hosting] lets people know we have a solid program and the Athletics department believes enough in fencing and is willing to showcase the department, facility and everything," he said. The selection of Waltham came as part of a new NCAA Championship bidding system, which created the largest host-site announcement ever. The NCAA announced 82 championships across a four-year cycle in December, a move designed to allow the host sites as much time as possible to plan the championship. "We really want to thank everyone who put in a bid," said Mark Lewis, NCAA Executive Vice President of Championships and Alliances, in a press release on Dec. 11 that accompanied the announcements earlier that day. "The competitiveness of the bids made it extremely difficult for the sport committees to select sites as there just weren't spots for all of the great bids we received. "Ultimately the sites that were selected will provide our student-athletes, coaches and fans the best experience possible." Shipman, in his remarks, also chose to affirm Lewis' comments. "In general, I think it's a good idea," he said. "Obviously it gives more time for facilities and publicity. Two or three years are a good amount of time." The NCAA also announced the 2017 and 2018 hosts of the tournament in the video release, confirming that the tournament will stay around the East Coast. The nation's top fencers will visit the University of Notre Dame in Fishers, Ind. and Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pa. in 2017 and 2018, respectively.
(01/13/14 5:00am)
Despite a strong first half from guards Derek Retos '14 and Ben Bartoldus '14, the men's basketball team suffered a 64-58 defeat to the New York University Violets in their first University Athletic Association matchup of the season. The Judges dropped to 8-4 (0-1 in UAA) on the season and lost in just their second road game of the 2013-14 campaign, this time in front of hundreds of Brandeis alumni and students at the Coles Sports Center. While most students were away on winter break, the Judges defeated Roger Williams University, 81-74, on Jan. 2 and Bates College, 83-78, on Jan. 7. Neither team was able to break out to an early lead, engaging in a back-and-forth affair against NYU in the first half. Retos led the way for the Judges, connecting on five out of six shots from beyond the arc. His fourth and fifth three-pointers of the first half came on consecutive possessions to end the half, leaving all three Violet coaches up in arms. The five connections from beyond the three-point arc move Retos into third place on the Judges all-time three-point list with 188. He needs just 22 more to break the school record, held by Steve Harrington '92. Bartoldus reflected on the Judges' success in the first half against the NYU defense. "To be honest, opportunities were falling for both Derek and I [early] and we took advantage of it," he said. The second half was a completely different story for Brandeis. After a strong start to the half, they held a 52-44 lead over NYU with 11:56 remaining in the game. From that point, though, NYU outscored the Judges 20-6 to fuel their come-from-behind victory. Bartoldus was hesitant to credit either team's play as the reason for the Judges' late-game struggles, ultimately chalking it up to the unfortunate bounce of the ball. "I don't want to say it was NYU's defense, and I don't want to say we executed poorly," Bartoldus said. "[Things] just didn't fall our way." Despite the bad bounces, the Judges had a chance to steal a win from NYU late in the game. After center Youri Dascy '14 converted one of two free throws from the charity stripe, the Judges trailed 60-58 with 3:13 remaining. Guard Gabe Moton '14 then came up with a steal and streaked to the other end before NYU sophomore guard Max Ralby regained control of the ball. On the ensuing possession, Brandeis got another stop. However, they were unable to execute, as Dascy missed a shot in the paint with just two minutes remaining. The Judges got one more crack at it. After NYU junior guard Iyoha Agho missed a three pointer, Retos found himself open from three to take the lead. The shot rimmed out and NYU finally took advantage, securing the eventual four-point victory. Retos led the way for Brandeis with 15 points, all of which came in the first half. Bartoldus contributed 14 while Moton tallied 10 points, three rebounds and five assists. Yet, the senior guard went just two of nine from the field. Sophomore forward Evan Kupferburg led the Violets with 18 points and eight rebounds. On Jan. 7, the Judges held off visiting Bates despite 33 points from Bates junior guard Graham Safford. Retos shined in that contest as well, knocking down four of nine from beyond the arc and six of six from the foul line en route to a team-leading 18 points. Bartoldus excelled in that game, too, racking up 15 points with five-of-10 shooting and five free throws. Forward Alex Stoyle '14 scored 12 points. Moton battled foul trouble the whole game but still managed 13 points, connecting on five of six free throws. The Judges went 20 for 27 from the free throw line, a critical factor in the victory over the Bobcats. On Jan. 2, Brandeis held off Roger Williams' come-from-behind efforts for an 81-74 victory. Retos again led the Judges in scoring, this time with 19 points. He went five for nine from three point land and two for two from the line. The Judges pulled ahead by 17 points at one stage of the game, but Roger Williams never stopped fighting. They cut the lead to six points, 78-72, with 41 seconds left. Clutch free throw shooting and solid defense, though, allowed Brandeis to hold on for the victory. The Judges continue their UAA schedule this weekend, heading on the road to St. Louis and Chicago. They face Washington University in St. Louis on Friday at 9 pm, and then, the University of Chicago on Sunday at 1 p.m. *
(12/10/13 5:00am)
I first came to Brandeis University as a brash and capricious 18-year-old, ready to take on all the challenges that college would throw at me. I looked forward to meeting new people, understanding diverse world-views and forming an overall better rounded opinion of life. Now, as I write my last op-ed as a student at Brandeis, other than now being 19, I cannot think of anything that has really changed in that regard. What has changed, however, is that I believe I have learned a great deal about both myself and others, not only from Brandeis, but from Boston. As I have previously written in the Justice, issues such as a competent public transportation system that connects both transit depots and suburban universities to a sprawling city are important for the rest of the country to take note of. Similarly, eschewing the death penalty with a criminal justice system based on justice would be especially helpful for my home state of Texas. However, more than any divisive, partisan issue, the people of Boston have taught me a valuable lesson in resilience. Whether that is the unyielding loyalty to their sports teams that any fan of the Houston Texans football team, like myself, could learn from, or a determination to continue on with business as usual no matter the how cold it gets or how extreme the conditions, the people here do not give up. In my native Houston, temperatures often become extreme on the opposite end of the thermostat, with summer months regularly boasting highs above 100 degrees. The only response to the scalding heat is to turn up the air conditioning and eschew any and all outside activity that does not feature an ice-cold swimming pool. Boston does not resort to comparably drastic measures when the cold comes. Massachusetts winters bring snow, often by the foot, but we-for I now consider myself a Bostonian in part-continue walking to class or our place of employment. We spend hours on end shoveling the snow and salting the roads so that we can keep going no matter which nor'easter or blizzard may try to stop us. People who grew up here may think this is a silly or superficial point, but I cannot stress enough how different a culture this presents. Regularly battling against the forces of nature is no small point in explaining a unique determination. This determination was shown to the world last April, when Boston was rocked by a terrorist attack that ultimately took four people's lives and wounded hundreds more. When a citywide manhunt ensued to capture the suspects and bring them to justice, we gladly worked together to catch those responsible for the heinous acts. Nationwide, the general public dubbed the reaction "Boston Strong," an honorific given to the great resilience of this city. I believe it is this resilience that helps foster so many excellent universities in this city, with Brandeis being, in my opinion, the most excellent among them. This resilience, this strength, gives us the courage to become truer to the person we really are deep down. I believe this is how Brandeis helped me to learn about myself. For me, I define myself a lot by my political views. As someone who was considered very liberal in Texas, I felt like my opinions would be considered quite popular at Brandeis and looked forward to that experience. But in many cases, they were not popular. Ironically enough, my views are probably more conservative than that of the average Brandeis student, and that has been just as rewarding a learning experience. I would not have it any other way. Brandeis has given me the strength and resilience to understand exactly where I am on the political spectrum, and to come to grips with all of my own views. What use would political opinions be if they were only clearly defined on one side of the spectrum? Since I have now had interactions with many people both more conservative and more liberal than I, I have been able to mark out my own space. Simply put, Brandeis has allowed me to acquire the knowledge to better define myself and the pliancy to put that person to good use. Certainly, I have become a much more rounded person, but most importantly, a better defined one. And I do plan on putting it to good use. Beginning next semester, I will transfer to the University of Texas at Austin, where I will seek new professional opportunities. Accordingly, this will be my last column for the Justice. While my brief sojourn in Boston was tough, between Hurricane Sandy, the blizzard Nemo and the marathon bombings, it has been an experience that will help shape me for the rest of my life. For no matter which Big 12 conference team I will be rooting for next year, I will always be a "Judge." And no matter where I hang my hat, I will always be "Boston Strong."
(12/10/13 5:00am)
The men's and women's fencing teams both hosted nationally ranked teams on Sunday at the Brandeis Invitational held in Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. Though the teams did not walk away with winning records, they put forth impressive efforts. The men's team secured a 2-3 record on the afternoon, picking up wins over Johns Hopkins University and the Air Force Academy while falling to No. 5 St. John's University, No. 7 Columbia University and Yale University. The women also defeated Johns Hopkins on the way to a 2-4 record. While they also defeated Yale in addition to their win over Johns Hopkins, but lost to No. 5 St. John's, No. 3 Columbia, Air Force and Cornell University. Saberist Adam Mandel '15, who posted a 13-2 individual record on the day, noted that the team had the right mindset even though their results were less than desirable. "We went out there with the right attitude and the drive to win, but we fell short of beating Yale and St. John's like we wanted to," he said. "We ended up coming close to beating both, but in the end came down to a few 5-4 losses." Although the men's team fell to their two ranked opponents-12-15 to St. John's and 7-20 to Columbia-the Judges managed a close contest before falling to Yale 10-17. They then managed to gain some momentum in their 15-12 defeat over Air Force and 18-9 triumph over Johns Hopkins in the first two bouts. In the win over Hopkins, both Mandel and foilist Julian Cardillo '14 led the way for the Judges with respective 3-0 victories over their Blue Jays opponents. The saberists managed to secure three wins in their five events on the day, followed closely by the ?(c)p?(c)eists and foilists, who both respectively secured two victories on the day. Foilist Noah Berman '15 had a strong day for the Judges, taking seven victories on the afternoon, while ?(c)p?(c)eist Tom Hearne '16 matched Berman's win count with seven of his own. Mandel credited the results to the strong leadership of Cardillo, the Judges' captain, who kept his teammates focused on their strengths. "The team was both very excited and nervous about coming into this meet today," he explained. "A lot of us were nervous about potentially not getting the results that we wanted, but our captain Julian Cardillo, did a really good job in helping us focus on fencing rather than thinking about the results." "I think his message got through to a lot of the team and was directly reflected in our results today." Even though the team could not defeat Yale-a match they targeted beforehand as one they wanted to win-Mandel was still impressed with the effort turned out by the Judges-including wins over teams that sit just outside the top-10 national rankings. "I saw a lot of great wins from the Brandeis team today, like the foil squad against St. John's and the saber squad against Yale," he said. "No one gave up any easy touches and there were many amazing wins which came from it." The women's team managed a 2-4 record on the day, posting a 16-11 victory over Johns Hopkins and a 14-13 victory over Yale. However, the Judges could not overcome St. John's (13-14), Air Force (12-15), Cornell (9-18) and Columbia (4-23). As they did for the men, the saberists led the way for the Judges, securing an impressive 5-1 record on the day. The team only fell to Columbia, and throughout the day, was led by Annabel Sharahy '17 who secured eight individual victories. Foilist Caroline Mattos '16 once again led Brandeis with nine victories, matched by ?(c)p?(c)eist Sonya Glickman '16, who also took home nine wins. In ep?(c)e, Glickman was joined by Gwendolyn Mowell '16, who managed seven victories on the day, including a perfect 3-0 record against Air Force. Even though the teams did not preform as well as they would have liked, Mandel saw plenty of positives in the Invitational. "I think that this team shows more promise than any of the previous years I've fenced on and I'm optimistic about what the rest of the season holds," he said. "We are definitely a force to be reckoned with and I think the Judges will be knocking on some serious doors in years to come." Both Brandeis teams return to the mat with the USA Fencing North American Cup on Jan. 17. *
