(03/05/13 5:00am)
Medical Emergency Feb. 26-A female in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center fainted while exercising. University Police and BEMCo responded, and University Police transported the party to the Health Center for further care. March 1-University Police received a call that a student in Cable cut his hand. BEMCo was notified and treated the party on-scene. University Police transported the party to the hospital for further care. March 2-University Police in the area of Shapiro Residence Hall observed an intoxicated female and requested BEMCo to treat the party. She was transported to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. March 2-A caller reported an intoxicated male party in the lounge in the Hassenfeld Conference Center. University Police and BEMCo responded, and BEMCo treated the party with a signed refusal for further care. March 2-University Police received a report of a student in Village C feeling dizzy. BEMCo was dispatched, and an ambulance was requested to transport the party to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The community development coordinator was notified. Drugs Feb. 27-University Police received a report of residents in the Foster Mods smoking a class D substance. The community development coordinator was contacted, and University Police seized the contraband. University Judicial charges are to be filed by University Police. A report was compiled. Disturbance March 1-A party in the Foster Mods reported loud music coming from an unregistered Mod party. University Police responded and dispersed the crowd, and University Judicial charges were filed on the disturbance. Larceny Feb. 28-A party in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Complex reported that an unknown party purchased items using her University credit card. A report was compiled, and an investigation will follow. March 1-On Feb. 20, two wireless Internet access points were taken from the ceiling in the hallway near the men's locker room in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. University Police compiled a report, and CCTV footage will be reviewed for possible suspect identification. Miscellaneous Feb. 25-University Police received a report of a past indecent assault from Feb. 16 to 17. The victim is considering various options, and the case will remain open pending further information and investigation. Feb. 28-A Brandeis housekeeping supervisor states that it appeared someone was using the Village B 130 common area as a living space. University Police and the community development coordinator responded, and the belongings were confiscated and brought to the police station. Feb. 28-A community development coordinator received a report that a Brandeis student might have been letting a non-Brandeis affiliated family member live in his assigned room in the Charles River Apartments. University Police and the CDC responded and spoke to the student. The report appeared unfounded; no further action was taken. March 2-A custodian in the Usdan Student Center notified University Police that a male party was sleeping on the couch on the second level of the building. University Police identified the party as a former student. A trespass notice was issued to the party in hand that states he would be subject to arrest if he returns. University Police escorted the party off of University property. -compiled by Marielle Temkin
(03/04/13 5:00am)
Max Fabian '15 left quite the first impression for the Judges this season, shattering the record for the 1,000-yard freestyle in the Oct. 20 home opener against Wheaton College. * From there, he swept countless distance events and made his biggest splash at the University Athletic Association Championships on Feb. 16, shaving 22 seconds off of the school record in the 1,650-yard freestyle. He came within four seconds of earning the first All-Association honor for Brandeis since 2009. Swimming is more than a school sport, though, for Fabian; it is a family affair. * "Swimming runs in the family," he said. "My dad [Dr. Jack Fabian] has always been a very skilled coach and my sister [Eva Fabian] has always been a rewarding presence in my path to success." * Dr. Jack Fabian, head coach of the Keene State University Owls, has transformed the swimming program into a perennial powerhouse, with his swimmers accruing five All-American honors and two consecutive New England Championships in 2009 and 2010. He also serves as an assistant coach on the USA Swimming National Team, leading a crop of premier international swimmers. * Eva Fabian, currently a freshman distance swimmer at Yale University, has plunged into the world record books as a member of the USA National Team. She won the 10,000-meter race at the 2011 Open Water National Championships held in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and has accumulated top three finishes in numerous international competitions, all while she was in high school. * Needless to say, Fabian has made his own mark in the swimming lanes. He excelled in his first season at Connecticut College and competed at the USA Swimming National Open Water Select Camp last summer, a launching pad for elite distance swimmers to enter the international scene. * Yet, after transferring to Brandeis last fall, Fabian found what he was looking for; a second swimming "family"-the Judges. * "My experience at Brandeis has been really enjoyable, especially working with such a great mix of teammates," he said. "We-both the seniors and the underclassmen-are all in this together, looking to help each other out and put the Judges back on track." Fabian knew the road to success would be an uphill battle. The turning point for the Judges, though, came after a mid season training venture to Puerto Rico. * "Puerto Rico was really the first time where we could just focus solely on swimming," he said. "We entered as a group of swimmers, but came out as a team. We finally built what we started to put together in the preseason." * The tide finally turned in the Judges' favor when Brandeis earned its first victory since 2010 in a Jan. 11 meet against Bridgewater State University and accumulated 27 victories versus Regis College the following month. * Fabian noted that the UAA Championships, rounding out the Judges' inaugural campaign, marked the most memorable moment of the season for the swimmers. * "After a successful three-day tournament, we became close as a team and really got to know each other," he said. * The Brandeis swimming and diving "family" was established. One figure, particularly, stood out in this journey-not only as a leader of the squad, but as a mentor for Fabian: coach Mike Kotch. Fabian referred to Kotch as a coach who, through his intimate knowledge of individual swimmers and leadership, has been instrumental to the team's success. * "Coach really brought home what it meant to swim for this team," he said. "I'm glad to have had the privilege to work with such a great coach. He is very resourceful and really gets to know each member of the team." * However, the program's rebuilding process is far from over. As Brandeis looks toward its second season in the water, Kotch and Fabian will continue to increase recruitment and build off of a successful campaign. "In terms of next season, we just have to work with what we established," he said. "Now that we know what to expect, we need to expand our numbers. The goal is just to pack more of a punch." Fabian plans to maintain his rigorous regimen of distance workouts and train with his father over the summer. * Ever since his first swimming lesson with Eva as a young child, the pool has been one of his favorite places. * "I'm just looking to stay in the water," he said. "I love swimming." It shouldn't be a surprise-a passion for the sport runs in the family.
(03/04/13 5:00am)
The Brandeis Sustainability Fund has awarded a $25,000 grant to TapBrandeis, a group advocating against the sale of plastic water bottles, to build six "Hydration Stations" across campus. According to TapBrandeis Co-founder Sara Taylor '16 in an interview with the Justice, the plan includes four stations in indoor locations and two in outdoor locations. The exact locations have not yet been confirmed, but Taylor stated that the group had suggested areas such as the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center, Usdan Student Center and Mandel Quad, as well as dormitories where there are currently no water fountains, such as East Quad. The stations themselves are similar to water fountains but more convenient, according to Taylor. The indoor stations, for example, would be mounted on walls, where bottles could be placed and be automatically refilled. "Some of [the models] even have a little screen where it says 'You have filled this many bottles,'" which could be used to make an educational impact, according to Taylor. According to TapBrandeis Co-founder Jamie Garuti '15 in an interview with the Justice, the stations also address sanitation concerns, as the stations can be fitted with a filter and the water spout does not make direct contact with water bottles, preventing cross-contamination. Ultimately, the goal of the stations is to encourage the use of reusable water bottles as an alternative to buying bottled water. In an interview with the Justice, Sustainability Coordinator Lea Lupkin said that the stations would be a "fantastic tool" to provide students with clean water and to educate them. "I'm really excited because I absolutely support the students' effort to reduce bottled water but it's very difficult to ask people to change a behavior when there isn't an easy, convenient way for them to change that behavior," said Lupkin. Similar stations are already in place on several other college campuses, airports, parks and other public spaces, according to a Sept. 15, 2011 USA Today article. TapBrandeis, which is also composed of Alina Pokhrel '15, Emma Balmuth-Loris '14 and Jeremy Goodman '14, was formed last semester while the students were taking the experiential learning course "Greening the Ivory Tower," where they were required to come up with a project to promote sustainability on campus. Taylor and Garuti said that they and other classmates were inspired by the documentary Flow, which depicts the negative environmental and ethical consequences of the bottled water industry. The group decided to advocate against the sale of bottled water at Brandeis. Currently, there is a ban on selling bottled water in Usdan Boulevard and Cafe, instituted under former University President Jehuda Reinharz, although bottled water can still be purchased in convenience stores, such as the P.O.D. market. The group started a petition against bottled water sales and has hosted events to raise awareness about the bottled water industry. They also met with Marketing and Sustainability Coordinator of Aramark Erin Fletcher and held a survey to gather student opinions about their cause. "We found that we needed to have a solution before we got rid of the problem," said Taylor, which prompted the group members to research how other schools have implemented bottled water bans, leading them to the idea of Hydration Stations. Originally, the group wanted to retrofit existing water fountains with gooseneck spouts to accommodate water bottle refills. However, after more research, they found that Hydration Stations would be safer and more convenient. This semester, two members-Balmuth-Loris and Goodman-are studying abroad but the group has teamed up with Students for Environmental Action, while continuing to receive survey responses from students and support from administrators. Many details of the project are yet to be determined, according to Lupkin, Taylor and Garuti, but they will continue to meet with school officials and Facilities Services to work out a final plan and timeline. "We want to make Brandeis students more aware and get them in a mindset that they act in an environmentally responsible way," said Garuti. According to its website, the BSF "provides grants, advice and support" to undergraduate students who wish to create a project that supports sustainability on campus. Created in 2010, the fund originally had $50,000 to provide to student projects and was awarded an additional $25,000 from National Office Furniture in 2011. According to Lupkin, the Hydration Stations project received the most funding out of all the projects this year. "It's one of the biggest BSF projects to date and the biggest one this year," she said.
(03/04/13 5:00am)
* Several Brandeis sports teams competed over break. Here's a brief recap of how they performed. * Softball
The softball team opened their season in New York over the winter recess, winning all three of their games. Before defeating Union College 8-7 in extra innings on Feb. 22, the Judges swept the doubleheader Feb. 21 against Castleton State College, shutting out the Spartans first by a score of 8-0 and then 1-0. * The Judges came out swinging in their first game of the season, tallying 12 hits. The game remained scoreless until the fifth inning, where first baseman Melissa Nolan '14 connected for her first home run of the season. Nolan's run was a part of a four run inning for the Judges. * Brandeis did not stop there, however, as the squad got another four runs in the sixth inning, which was highlighted by a RBI double from right fielder Amanda Genovese '15 and a RBI triple from left fielder Danielle Novotny '16. Starting pitcher Nikki Cote '15 went the distance, recording 10 strikeouts to pick up the win. * In the second game against Castleton State College, the Judges scored their lone run just two batters into the game on a RBI double by Novotny. That was the only run Brandeis needed, though, as Cote got the save, finishing Nolan's scoreless effort over the final two innings. * The third contest of the road trip provided a challenge for the Judges. Union College got on the scoreboard first with a run in the first inning. The Judges responded by tying things up on a home run by Cote in the game's second inning. * After trailing by four runs heading into the sixth inning, the Judges scored three runs, including a two-run home run by second baseman Madison Gagnon '16. Brandeis scored the tying run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a two-out fielding error by Union to force extra innings. * In the eighth, Union intentionally walked the bases loaded and then recorded the second out of the inning, but centerfielder Anya Kamber '15 the hit a walk-off single to win the game. * The Judges next play in Florida against Salve Regina University and Haverford College on Saturday and Sunday, where they will look to continue their winning streak. * Baseball
The baseball squad concluded its first road trip in Florida with a 6-5 victory over the Rochester Institute of Technology on Feb. 24. With the win, the Judges improved to 2-4. * Although the Judges opened their season in Florida with a 12-3 win on Feb. 18 against Warner University, they endured a four-game losing streak throughout the week. The Judges fell to Southeastern University 4-1 on Feb. 19, followed by three losses in as many days to Augustana College, falling by 3-2, 5-4 and 6-0 margins, respectively. * In Brandeis' first game of the season, the Judges broke open the game in the fifth inning, scoring six runs on just four hits to take the 6-1 lead against Warner. The Judges never looked back, scoring three runs in the sixth, one in the seventh and two in the ninth to cruise to the opening day victory. Starting pitcher Colin Markel '14 picked up the win, and he was supported by formidable hitting performances from catcher Chris Ferro '13 and left fielder Nick Cortese '13, who each tallied three hits. * Though the Judges gained the early lead in their second game with a run in the first inning, their bats went silent the rest of the way as the Judges lost a close one against Southeastern. First basemen Dan Gad '14 had the lone RBI for the Judges. * Brandeis' third contest of the week featured a notable pitching performance from pitcher Kyle Brenner '15, who allowed just two earned runs in six innings, while striking out three. However, Augustana College senior pitcher Jared McIntosh outdueled Brenner, allowing two earned runs in eight innings to pick up the win. * In the Judges' second game against the Vikings, Brandeis rallied twice from two-run deficits. In the seventh inning, Brenner's single brought in runs from Ferro and Cortese, and in the ninth inning, RBI singles from third baseman Kevin Barry '14 and right fielder David Tyre-Vigil '16 tied the game again. * The Judges did not close the game well, however, as Augustana College scored the winning run in the bottom of the inning to record their second straight victory against the Judges. * In their next game, the Judges were shutout for the first time this season, but still accumulated seven hits. However, they bounced back and recorded their second win of the season, as pitcher Craig Rothenberg '16 secured his first collegiate win. * The baseball squad will now have some time off to prepare for their University Athletic Association tournament, set to begin this Saturday against Washington University. * Men's Basketball
On Feb. 23, the men's basketball team had a chance to knock off rival New York University at the Coles Sports Center and put itself in a position to make the NCAA tournament. However, the Judges lost 59-57 in a game that came down to the last few possessions. They finished the season at 17-8 (8-6 UAA) and failed to make the tournament for the third season in a row. * On Feb. 17, the Judges fell to Washington University, 76-60. Guards Jay Freeman '13 and Anthony Trapasso '13 and center Wouter Van der eng '13 were all honored for senior day. On Feb. 15, the Judges defeated the visiting University of Chicago 75-56. Against NYU, the Judges failed to make shots down the stretch. Although they led by eight with a little more than 10 minutes left in the first half, NYU made a run to end the half. The game was close the rest of the way. * NYU held a 57-56 lead with nine seconds left in the game. Brandeis ran a play for center Youri Dascy '14, who was fouled on his shot attempt. However, he missed both free throws and NYU secured the rebound, forcing the Judges to foul with just five seconds to play. * NYU senior forward Max Wein knocked down both free throws. Brandeis called a timeout. They then got the ball up the court, but NYU intentionally fouled forward Alex Stoyle '14 with one second on the clock. * Stoyle made the first free throw. Coach Brian Meehan called his final timeout and set up a play for Stoyle to miss and hope, somehow, that a Brandeis player would tip it in. * The shot went up, and an NYU player batted the ball out of bounds, causing a frenzy. * "We got all our best athletes, best jumpers in there," forward Connor Arnold '14 said. "We tried to get a miss off the rim so we could get a tip in. Unfortunately, they blocked us out well and we didn't get a chance." * Guard Gabriel Moton '14 led the team with 14 points. Dascy had 11 points and eight rebounds. * Against WashU, the Judges trailed for almost the entire game. Dascy led the team with 17 points. * On Feb. 15, the Judges led the entire way, opening up a 25 point lead at halftime. Stoyle led the all scorers with 28 points on 10-12 shooting and 4-5 from three. Freeman added 15 points, 5-5 from beyond the arc, in 16 minutes off the bench. * With the possibility that Freeman and Trapasso will return next year due to redshirt eligibility, the outlook for next season is bright. * Women's Basketball
The women's basketball team came from behind to defeat New York University on Saturday in front of a boisterous crowd in the packed Coles Sports Center in New York City. A big second half run sparked the 72-61 victory, giving the Judges an overall record of 10-15 and,4-10 in the University Athletic Association. * On Feb. 15, Brandeis dominated the University of Chicago 68-50, and on, February 17, the Judges put up a fight against No. 13 Washington University but ultimately fell, 62-57. Both games were at home.
* "The three seniors (forwards Erika Higginbottom '13, Courtney Ness '13 and Samantha Anderson '13 ) showed great leadership and determination throughout the entire game," said coach Carol Simon. * "I thought all three seniors ended their careers not only with a great win but all contributing significantly in the win," she added. The Judges started the game quickly by taking a 6-0 lead just one minute, 30 seconds into the game. The game's pace picked up from there, and NYU made a late run to take a 36-28 lead into halftime. * At the end of an eventful second half, guard Kasey Dean '14 nailed a jumper with 3:48 to go, extending the Judges' lead to 58-50 and all but put the game out of reach. Higginbottom led all scorers with 16. Guard Janelle Rodriguez '14 and Samantha Anderson '13 both contributed 12 points. * On Feb. 17, the Judges' game against the highly-touted WashU team came down to the wire. The biggest lead of the game came at the 4:55 mark of the second half with the Bears leading 53-44. The Judges still had a fight left in them to rally. * The Judges cut the lead to two, 54-52, after Cain's jumper with 2:33 to go. After a block by Higginbottom, guard Hannah Cain '15 drove down the lane and laid the ball in to tie the game at 54. On the next possession, however, Bears sophomore guard Maddy Scheppers nailed a three-pointer and gave the Bears a three-point lead. A late basket by senior guard Nishi Tavernier sealed the deal for the Bears. * Cain scored a career-high 17 points to lead the Judges. Dean and Higginbottom both scored 10 points. * On Feb. 15, the Judges dominated the University of Chicago from the outset. Just 3:30 into the game, the Judges held a 9-2 lead. They took a 33-21 lead into halftime, which they bolstered in the second half. Rodriguez led the way with a career-high 22 points. Higginbottom added 10 while Ness had eight points. * Simon said she was proud of the way the Judges played during the last month of the season. * "This was a group that really improved throughout the year," she said. "It's almost like you wish there was another month. I could see the maturation of the team, and the way we all matured as players was great." * The Judges finished the season sixth in the University Athletic Association but the coaches hope that the improvement over the last month will carry into next season.
(03/03/13 5:00am)
You're Invited!
Did you work on the Justice at all during your time at Brandeis? Pull all-nighters in the basement of Usdan or the Shapiro Campus Center? Rush across campus to report on or photograph events? There are over a thousand people who've done it too. Whether you were editor-in-chief, a columnist or a once-in-a-while contributor, we cordially invite you to attend the first ever Justice alumni reunion and media conference on April 26-27, 2013. Media at Brandeis grew as the university did, and members of the Class of '52 quickly organized the Justice to report. The longest-running student publication on campus, the newspaper's multiple generations of student journalists have documented and analyzed the in's and out's of the University. We possess unique perspectives on the early days of President Emeritus Abe Sachar, controversies on campus including the housing "open-door" policy, the "closing" of the Rose Art Museum, and the student takeover of Ford Hall. We've captured student reactions to civil rights, the draft, wars, and elections, as well as spirit weeks, athletics, and the wide variety of other campus events. Today, the Justice continues to redefine itself in the face of the 21st century, bringing our coverage online. Yet it continues to invoke the camaraderie of it's origins and serve as a historical record of Brandeis to date. There is no doubt that the Justice has had a profound impact on this university, and as current students, we can attest to the fact that your hard work and dedication during your years at Brandeis have left a lasting legacy. Please join us to celebrate the Justice, and learn from the individuals who've defined it. Register Here: The cost for alumni to attend is $50, which includes a cocktail reception on Friday, and continental breakfast and lunch on Saturday. You can pay with your Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. You can register here. * Reunion Schedule
Friday, April 26
Open Undergraduate Journalism Courses 9:30-10:50 a.m. "Ethics in Journalism" Professor Eileen McNamara (former Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist for the Boston Globe) Location: Brown Social Science Center 115 12:30-1:50 p.m. - "Media and Public Policy", Professor Eileen McNamara Location: Shiffman Humanities Center 125 3:00 p.m. Registration Opens Location: Justice Office, Shapiro Campus Center (SCC), 2nd Floor 3:30-5:00 p.m. Campus tours led by current Justice editors Meeting point: Shapiro Campus Center Atrium 5:00-6:30 p.m. - Cocktail reception, with welcoming remarks from one of the founding editors of the Justice, Sanford Lakoff '53 Location: the new Shapiro Science Center, atrium and patio Please note: At around 6 p.m. towards the end of the cocktail reception, there will be a panel discussion discussing professionalism in the media and how well the media covered the recent Boston marathon bombings. All students, faculty, staff and alumni are invited to attend. Location: the new Shapiro Science Center, atrium [The Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Arts will be holding several evening performances open to alumni to attend. For more information, please see below. The featured event "Late Night with Leonard Bernstein," featuring his daughter Jamie Bernstein, is free but requires ticket reservations in advance. To reserve, please call 781-736-3400 or visit: go.Brandeis.edu/BrandeisTickets] * Saturday, April 27
All events on this day will take place in Sherman Function Hall unless otherwise noted. 8:30 a.m. Continental breakfast 9:00 a.m. State of the News, Justice Senior Editor Andrew Wingens '14, with Q&A 9:10 -10:15 a.m. How the Justice Influenced Careers (Both In and Out of Journalism) Featured Panelists: David Zimmerman '55, author of Sankofa; Alex J. Goldstein '06, Executive Director of the Deval Patrick Committee (DPC) and the TogetherPAC (TPAC); Jeffrey Greenbaum '90, Managing Partner in the Advertising, Marketing, and Public Relations group at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, PC; Steve Heyman '06, Features Editor at the New York Times T Magazine. Student Moderators: Joshua Asen '13, Senior Sports Writer and former Sports Editor, and Janey Zitomer '13, Senior Photographer and Journalism Undergraduate Department Representative. 10:30 -11:45 a.m. Covering Campus Politics: The Justice as the Arbiter (and Sometimes Instigator) of Conflict Featured Panelists: Lindsay Gardner '82, Senior Advisor at Oaktree Capital Management and former television journalist; Arnie Reisman '64, award-winning writer, producer and performer as well as Vice President of the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts; Benjamin Freed '06, Editor-in-Chief at DCist.com. Student Moderators: Samuel Mintz '14, News Editor, and Sara Dejene '15, Online Editor and former News Editor 12:00 -1:00 p.m. Keynote Address by Ted Gup '72, and lunch 1:15 p.m. University Update from Senior Vice President of Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel, followed by a Q&A 1:45 p.m. -2:45 p.m. Ethical Decision-Making in the Justice Newsroom Featured Panelists: Dana Coffield '86, co-metro editor at the Denver Post and chief investigator in the publication's Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of the Aurora theater shooting; Jon Fischer '07, Managing Editor at the Washington City Paper; Dan Hirschhorn '06, national politics reporter at the New York Daily News. Student Moderators: Glen Chesir '15 Forum Editor and Jessie Miller '15 Arts Editor 2:50 p.m. -3:00 p.m. Concluding Remarks, How to Stay Involved Andrew Wingens '14 and Robyn Spector '13 3 p.m. Campus tours will be offered by current editors [Please note: from 3:00 -5:00 p.m. there will be a folk festival on the Great Lawn outside of the Shapiro Campus Center as part of the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Arts] ____________________________________ Further Information
Panel discussions: In addition to Friday's panel discussion on Journalism Education, Saturday's panels will touch on a variety of subjects: Educating Student Journalists, Covering Campus Politics, Ethical Decision-making in the Justice Newsroom, and How the Justice Influenced My Career (inside and outside of journalism). If you are interested in serving on a panel or suggesting a panelist, please email us (alumni@thejustice.org). Keynote Speaker, Ted Gup '72: Ted Gup is a former investigative reporter at the Washington Post who revealed the location of the underground bunker for the U.S. Congress in case of nuclear attack. He has also written for Time Magazine and more recently, The New York Times. In addition, he is the professor and chair of the Journalism Department at Emerson College, and formerly taught journalism at Case Western Reserve. He has received several awards including the George Polk Award for foreign reporting, the Worth Bingham Prize for investigative journalism, and the Gerald Loeb Award. In addition, he is a former Fulbright Scholar and Grantee of the John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation. Accommodations: The Marriott Hotel in Newton (five minutes from campus) has been designated as the official hotel for the Justice Reunion. A block of rooms has been reserved with a special Justice Reunion rate of $149 a night (the usual rates are around $205 a night). You may call the hotel (617 969-1000 or 800-228-9290) to make a reservation. When reserving a room, please indicate that you are attending the Justice Reunion. Reservations must be made by March 29th for the preferred rate. For more information and to make your reservation with the discount online, please click here. Festival of the Arts 2013: The annual Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts will be held on April 25-28 at various locations around campus. Highlights of this year's festival include the Brandeis Theater Company production of "Visions of an Ancient Dreamer"; a concert by the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra; and "Late Night with Leonard Bernstein," hosted by Bernstein's daughter Jamie, with performances by acclaimed soprano Amy Burton and pianists John Musto and Michael Boriskin. Tickets to the "Late Night with Leonard Bernstein" performance are free but must be reserved in advance. Please email alumni@thejustice.org for ticket reservations. * Reunion Organizing Committee Mr. Paul Levenson '52 Dr. Sanford Lakoff '53 Mrs. Barbara Krasin Kravitz '57 Mr. Sy Raboy '57 Dr. Judith Walzer '58 Dr. Jeffery Golland '61 Dr. Allan Jay Lichtman '67 Mr. Paul D. Broude '79 Ms. Anne R. Exter '80 Mr. Daniel H. Adler '85 Ms. Mari J. Cartagenova '88 Ms. Michelle Leder '88 Mr. Martin R. Lieberman '96 Mr. Dan Friedell '97 Mr. Adam M. Greenwald '98 Mrs. Pam Garretson (Isaacson) '98 Dr. Jodi R. Eichler-Levine '00 Mr. Lex Friedman '02 Mrs. Jennifer (Klein) Seadia '02 Mr. David Dagan '03 Ms. Caroline Litwack '03 Mr. Dan Hirschhorn '07 Ms. Andrea Fineman '10 Ms. Miranda Neubauer '10 ____________________________________ For more information please contact Robyn Spector '13, Deputy Editor at: alumni@thejustice.org
(02/12/13 5:00am)
Three years ago, Brandeis' Music Department began planning annual productions aimed at expanding the opportunities for vocal students at the University. These efforts culminated in the premiere of a folk opera this weekend titled Love in Schlossberg Village. Conceived and directed by Pamela Dellal, a mezzo-soprano concert vocalist and vocal instructor at Brandeis, the production was performed by the Brandeis University Chorus, the Chamber Choir and voice students of the Music Department, the entire performance conducted by Prof. James Olesen (MUS). Originally scheduled for performance on Saturday evening in Slosberg Recital Hall, the production was hastily cancelled due to Winter Storm Nemo, and as road maintenance was undertaken, it was thankfully rescheduled for the following morning in the same location. The scheduling shuffle did not seem to greatly affect attendance to the production, as the recital hall bustled with students, parents and University affiliates alike. The robust attendance is a fitting testament to the anticipation of a performance of this genre at Brandeis. Love in Schlossberg Village is the first production of its kind to have been performed at Brandeis-it is not based on an existing opera, but was created by Dellal by piecing together several works by German composer Johannes Brahms. The storyline, which follows the romantic woes and wants of townspeople in a small village in Germany in the early 19th century, emerged as Dellal re-created the lyrics of the original Brahms works. One of Dellal's main concerns in creating the production was to accommodate the need for active parts for a great number of students, which was very successfully tended. The show featured almost 20 leading roles and up to 60 performers took the stage at once during larger chorus pieces. Technically, the production was no small feat for the performers to pull off-the entire one-and-a-half hour performance was sung in meticulously practiced and largely memorized German. Love in Schlossberg Village has no narrator, contrary to the form of many traditional operas. Rather, the production was kept fluid by slick transitions between songs, and the continuous accompaniment of a single piano, seamlessly executed by pianist Mark McNiell. To ensure that the largely English-speaking audience could keep up with the story, Dellal chose to do something novel-project a pithy English translation of the lyrics to each song onto the main stage wall. As the students performed, viewers could simply glance above their heads to read what they were singing to one another, sans the distracting flipping of program pages. The performance itself was very well planned out and prepared for by Brandeis vocal instructor Pamela Wolfe-the stage was set and every performer was in costume. The male students wore white or blue button-down shirts, similar trousers and some even sported lederhosen-esque suspenders. The female students pranced around the stage in billowing white cotton skirts and dresses with modest corset-structure bustiers, decorated with delicately embroidered flowers. Their hair was braided and tied with ribbons while flowers and trees on the set gave the stage the charm of a small, rural German village. Love in Schlossberg Village follows the story of two young, star-crossed couples, and the townspeople who surround them during the throes of their romances. The audience is first introduced to the slew of busybody townspeople; then as the songs change, each number lets the audience take a closer look at the dynamic between two or three performers: siblings, friends, lovers, mothers and children. The performance concludes with the resolution of all of the woes between the pairs, ending in the festive occasion of a wedding between two of the town's blossoming lovers. As the tale of the townspeople wrapped up, the audience doled out a solid wave of applause while the cast basked in the success of their performance. Despite the technical challenges that were presented in the scheduling and showcase of the performance, Dellal and her colleagues managed to pull off quite a feat in Brandeis' musical history.
(02/11/13 5:00am)
Like many young boys who were raised in Framingham, Mass., Paul Linet '75 was instructed to love the Boston Red Sox.
(02/11/13 5:00am)
* The women's fencing squad is going through a transition this year and features only five upperclassmen. In light of the squad's youth, the team is fortunate to have saberist and captain Zoe Messinger '13 on board. * "We're definitely going through a big transition period," said Messinger, who was named University Athletic Association Fencer of the Week for the week of Jan. 27. "My freshman and sophomore year we had a lot of upperclassmen and they graduated and we had a loss of people. This year we have a full team, which is really exciting." * The sport of fencing is broken down into categories of weapon-saber, ?(c)p?(c)e and foil-and each weapon has different techniques for fighting. Despite being a saberist, Messinger sees herself as a mentor for the team, running practices and doling out key nuggets of wisdom to guide younger fencers to success. * "I don't call time-outs for other weapons, but as a captain it's my job to keep moral up," she said. "If you see someone cheering, you can fence 1000 times better." * In addition to leading her team to an impressive 15-9 record this season, Messinger notched a personal best fifth-place finish at The Big One tournament, hosted by Smith College, this past November, earning nine wins to only one loss. In her three previous seasons at the Big One, Messinger had never placed higher than ninth. * In Messinger's eyes, nothing has changed in her game, but rather, she is more focused this year as compared to years past. "I'm really driven because I was really close to making NCAA's last year and it would be such an honor to compete against the top 25 fencers in the country," she said. * Messinger notes that her teammates possess that same intense motivation for success. "What I really see is this drive that I've never seen in the four years I've been here," she said. * As captain, Messinger hopes to impart lessons of camaraderie and team bonding for the underclassmen, and hopes they learn to "just be there for each other." She explained that most fencers at Brandeis did not compete on high school teams, and in her eyes, the best part of the team is the bond it creates between fencers. She also hopes that she can foster good technical skills for young fencers to harness throughout their careers. * This year, Messinger has continued on the road to success, recording no more than three losses in any match this season, and she hopes to conclude on a high note. * After narrowly missing a qualifying berth in the NCAA tournament last season, she hopes to end her collegiate career with what she calls a once in a lifetime opportunity. Regardless of personal successes, Messinger is glad to serve as a mentor for a new crop of fencers and is thankful for the opportunity to teach the next generation of Judges.
(02/11/13 5:00am)
The track and field results in Sports incorrectly identified a notable finisher in the Tufts Stampede. Ed Colvin ran a 4:24.99 in the one-mile run, not Greg Bray. (Sports, p. 15) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org. *
(02/11/13 5:00am)
Medical Emergency Feb. 5-A party in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center sprained his or her ankle. University Police and BEMCo responded, and an ambulance was requested to transport the party to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Feb. 9-A caller in Cable reported a female party hurt her ankle while sledding. University Police and BEMCo responded, and she was treated on-scene with a signed refusal for further care. Feb. 9-A mother of a student in the Shapiro Residence Hall called University Police to report that her son reached out to her via text message to tell her of an unknown illness. BEMCo was called out to his dorm room, and the party was not located there. BEMCo was cleared. Roommates in the area of the missing party's room said they saw him 15 minutes prior and he seemed fine. Feb. 9-A staff member at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center reported a student with a split lip from playing basketball. BEMCo staff treated the student, and they were transported via police cruiser to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Feb. 9-University Police received a report of a student in Rosenthal East feeling ill. BEMCo and University Police responded, and the party was treated on-scene with a signed refusal for further care. Feb. 9-A student in the Charles River Apartments reported feeling ill. BEMCo was notified, and the student was transported via ambulance to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Drugs Feb. 3-A student in Gordon reported smelling marijuana in the common area in front of the building. A community adviser reported that the source was an unused electrical room in the basement. The party requested that fans be set up to clear the area of the marijuana smoke. Upon the officer's arrival, the area was vacant. Larceny Feb. 4-A community adviser reported the past larceny of furniture from the second floor common lounge in Pomerantz. University Police compiled a report on the theft. Traffic Feb. 5-A party reported that there was a vehicle parked on his bumper. University Police officers on-scene reported that the two vehicles were only touching bumpers with no damage. The reporting party was satisfied. There was no further action taken by the police. Disturbance Feb. 7-University Police investigated a complaint of loud music coming from a Charles River Apartment. Upon their arrival, there was no response from the occupants of the room. The party inside was asleep with the music on; the student was advised to lower the volume. Feb. 8-There was a report of loud music in the area of Cholmondeley's, which should have been closed at the time. University Police closed down the activities and cleared the crowd. The staff was left in the area to clean and secure. Harassment Feb. 7-A student in the Foster Mods reported being harassed via email by a former club member. University Police compiled a report; an investigation will follow. Miscellaneous Feb. 5-A suspicious person interacted with a student. University Police took the student around campus in a police cruiser in an attempt to locate the person with no results. University Police compiled a report on the incident. -compiled by Marielle Temkin
(02/11/13 5:00am)
A refugee is someone who has been mistreated in some way, forcing them to move from their home. As part of 'Deis Impact, Students for Environmental Action and Students for a Just and Stable Future, an offshoot of SEA, set up a "refugee camp" behind the Shaprio Campus Center, hoping to convey to students the need to care about climate change and how it affects human beings across the globe, their "home." The demonstration comes at the same time as the SJSF divestment campaign, which, according to SJSF member Dorian Williams '13, "has become a national movement of students to get their colleges and universities to pull their endowments and investments out of companies that are holding fossil fuels." Divestment was especially relevant during 'Deis Impact, as the effects of fossil fuels impact less developed areas. Environmental disasters affect everyone differently, and the poorer populations have a harder time recovering. Not everyone has the resources to start over after such disasters like the one happening in the Maldives today, said SJSF member Jacklyn Gil '14. "Right now we are seeing massive devastation in countries that are more vulnerable to climate impact and climate crisis," said Gil. It is estimated that there will be around 50 million climate refugees by 2020, according to the United Nations Refugee Agency. The refugee camp was inspired by the shantytowns that college students set up to protest apartheid South Africa in the 1980s. The SEA refugee camp represents the lives of the countless people already displaced by natural disasters, and those who will be in the future. "The modern-day equivalent of a shantytown would be a refugee camp," said SEA President Lisa Purdy '14. The camp was built without any funding, making it more authentic. "A shantytown looks the way it does because the people who are constructing it use whatever material they can find," Purdy said. SJSF members built the camp with items they borrowed or found in the trash and from the free section on Craigslist, creating the feel of a makeshift refugee camp. They used wooden pallets and a tarp to create the main tent structure, with a smaller tent suspended on string and signs sporting messages about divestment and climate change. Students were able to enter the main tent and take educational materials about the campaign.The refugee camp attracted the attention of students and faculty alike as they walked by. "I was intrigued by the creativity of the display, even though I wasn't sure what it was about at first," Naomi DePina '16 said. Some stopped to take a closer look or snap a picture and learn more about climate change by reading the signs. SJSF members took turns standing in front of the camp with their divestment petition, hoping to get signatures and explain the purpose of the demonstration. On Wednesday, the Brandeis Divestment Campaign hosted a "Hot Planet, Hot Chocolate" event at the campsite. Students, braving the cold, sat in a circle with hot chocolate, in mugs that they brought from their dorms, and talked with members of SEA and SJSF about divestment and climate change. A variety of environment-related songs and poetry were also performed, adding to the camp atmosphere. The camp was set up on Feb. 1 and was scheduled to remain set up through the rest of 'Deis Impact, but was taken down on Friday due to the blizzard. Turns out, even an environmental demonstration can be affected by the weather. SEA wants students to take the messages that the camp represents beyond 'Deis Impact. As Purdy explained, "we need to keep moving forward because we have a lot to do in the next four years." The club hopes students can take steps in their personal lives to reduce their footprints on the environment. Such activities include recycling, biking or walking instead of using a car, or more inventive ways of that might not immediaditely come to mind, such as not eating soy products or using homemade laundry detergent, according to Purdy. Joining with other students who care about the same issues can help spread the message on campus and beyond. "I hope to continue my work with groups like this," said Rohan Bhatia '14, treasurer of SEA. Bhatia is representing Brandeis at Swarthmore College on Feb. 24, to talk to members of different divestment campaigns at other universities. The aim of the camp was to convey the severity of climate change and how it will affect people, and help students realize they can make a difference. "We hope that people begin to appreciate the severity of climate change more, and really hope that it encourages people to push for more change, call for our university to divest, and speak out on this issue," said Williams.
(02/05/13 5:00am)
* The good times continue to roll for the Judges. * The men's and women's fencing squads made a statement against their Division I foes at the Eric Sollee Invitational on Sunday, securing four and three victories respectively. The impressive result followed a collective eight-win performance at the second Northeast Fencing conference Meet at Brown University on Jan. 26. * Men's ?(c)p?(c)eist Michael Zook '13 noted that the squads fought well and displayed great persistence, especially against top squads such as No. 8 Duke University and No. 9 University of Pennsylvania. * "We definitely won all the matches we should have and even dominated some of them," he said. "It was a hard-fought effort against Penn and Duke, and of course, I don't think anyone feels bad about that. Overall, the day was a good success." * The Judges looked to channel their momentum into a heated first-round bout against the Stevens Institute of Technology. * The men's saberists started on the right foot with an 8-1 victory. ?ap?(c)eists Zook and Ari Feingiersch '16 then earned another two wins to continue the successful campaign. It appeared that the Judges were well on their way to a seismic victory that would set the tone for the rest of the day's bouts. * However, the rest of the journey proved to be quite formidable. While the ?(c)p?(c)eists and foilists struggled in defeats to Stevens, the men prevailed by a 16-11 margin. * Foilist Caroline Mattos '16 reeled off four successful bouts in a 6-3 victory over Stevens, but from here, the women lost the momentum in a 16-11 loss to the Ducks. * Brandeis proceeded to encounter a much more imposing challenge, then squaring off against top-ranked Duke. While the men and women ultimately failed to procure a win, losing by 15-12 and 20-17 margins, respectively, several individual fencers turned in strong performances. Saberist Jess Ochs-Willard '15, foilist Julian Cardillo '14 and ?(c)p?(c)eist Zoe Messinger '13 each earned two crucial victories against the Blue Devils, which proved a good measuring stick which the Judges were able to measure their progress. * The Judges sought revenge on New York University. And they were able to extract the justice that they sought, defeating their University Athletic Association rival by 17-10 and 15-12 margins. * Messinger and foilist Noah Berman '15 defended their UAA honors from the previous week with match-clinching bouts. Mattos earned another three victories while the men's saber squad cruised to an 8-1 victory, earning seven straight individual wins. The men continued to gain steam, defeating Haverford College by an 11-point margin. * ?ap?(c)eists Harry Kaufer '13 and Justin Kwon '16 recorded three wins en route to an 8-1 victory. Saberists Adam Mandel '15 and Ochs-Willard also paved the way for an imposing 7-2 win. These two scores contributed to an impressive 19-8 victory. * Mattos and Messinger each contributed three victories en route to a 17-10 defeat of Haverford. * Meanwhile, the Judges breezed past Yeshiva University with an imposing 51 victories, conceding a mere four points in the process. * Brandeis looked to make the finishing blow in a duel against the premier UPenn squad. However, the Judges still had work to do. While the women's foilists and ?(c)p?(c)eists contributed a total of three victories, the saberists gave the Quakers a run for their money. * Messinger and Emmily Smith '13 displayed their experience, closing to within one point of UPenn. Ultimately, though, Brandeis could not complete the comeback, losing by a tight 5-4 margin in the closing hours of the tournament. * Berman, Cardillo and foilist Ethan Levy '15 each earned two victories against the Quakers, but from there, the Judges' weapons could not pierce UPenn's seemingly impenetrable armor. * Zook noted that this experience against Division I opponents would prove to be crucial in future meets, especially against key opponents in the Beanpot Tournament such as Boston College and Harvard University. * "We have shown we can definitely pull weight against our Division I opponents," he said. * "It's a smaller sport, and with a lot of experience, you learn from quite a variation of skill levels." * The women will next travel to the New Jersey Institute of Technology this Saturday to square off against the hosts, Stevens, Temple University and Fairleigh Dickinson University. * Both squads will join together to compete in the Beanpot Tournament on Feb. 12, hosted at Boston College. * Zook concluded with a belief that the Judges have the requisite skill to succeed against their regional foes. * "It would be great to have a strong performance at the Beanpot," he said. "If we can take out BC and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and give Harvard a good fight, that'd be wonderful. We've certainly got the talent."
(02/05/13 5:00am)
* The men's and women's swimming and diving squads could not have envisioned a better end to the 2012-13 campaign, racing out to a season-high 27 individual victories in a non-scoring meet against Regis College on Saturday. * Yet, the meet on Saturday also marked the end of an era. Holly Spicer '13, Antonio Cancio '13, Esther Tandetnik '13, Niko Karkantis '13 and Jared Goldman '13 all competed in 2009-10, a season in which the Judges were forced to compete at other local colleges. * At the end of their first year, following the indefinite suspension of the program, these five swimmers suddenly did not have a team to call their own. * Fast-forward to April 2011. * The University announced that the swimming and diving program would be reinstated for the spring 2012 semester, and following the hiring of coach Michael Kotch in July 2011, the road to recovery was initiated by the athletes. * Cancio noted that the seniors worked tirelessly to re-create and revive a once-vibrant program, especially for future Brandeis swimmers and divers. * "From the moment Coach [Jim] Zotz told us that the team was being suspended at the end of our season in 2010, we've been working hard to bring BUSDT [Brandeis swimming and diving] back," he said. "It was surreal to actually be able to swim again for Brandeis." * After the development of a talented core of underclassmen and a resounding statement against Regis, the Judges are nearing the end of the road. * In a ceremony preceding the meet, Kotch noted that the guidance and support of his senior class were instrumental in the swimming and diving squads' success. * "These individuals really bought into everything that I brought onto the pool deck," he stated. "Overall, these five were just tremendous at helping us get this program restarted and getting us heading in a great direction for the future." * The five seniors proceeded to make the most of the occasion, securing individual victories in several events. Tandetnik won the 200-yard freestyle in two minutes, 15.93 seconds, almost 20 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. * Cancio was the next to make a statement, earning victories in two key races. He won the 50-yard backstroke and 500-yard freestyle, finishing in 32.20 seconds and six minutes, 20.51 seconds, respectively. * Spicer then earned two victories, winning not only in her standard breaststroke event, but also in the 100-yard butterfly, finishing in one minute, 11.21 seconds. * Goldman won the men's 100-yard fly in 1:00.84 while Karkantis rounded out the seniors' success in the 50-yard freestyle event. Spicer stated that this meet led to the conclusion of a storied career for these five seniors, especially following an opportunity to instruct and guide future Brandeis swimmers and divers. * "It has been great to share all of my experiences from my freshman year with my team and carry on the traditions of Brandeis swimming and diving," she said. * Cancio further noted that the Regis meet marked the culmination of a rewarding and memorable rebounding season. * "This year I was able to share with BUSDT 2.0 the history and traditions that make the team great," he said. "The season has been long and both mentally and physically exhausting, but I wouldn't have wanted it to unfold any other way." * The next generation of Judges also made its mark, featuring two triple-winners and five other individual first-place finishes. Padraig Murphy '14 not only won the 200-yard backstroke in 2:09.15, but then raced to another victory in the 50-yard butterfly in 25.43 seconds. He ended the day's action with another formidable victory in the 100-yard individual medley, finishing in 58.95 seconds. * Lauren Cruz '16 ended her rookie campaign at the pool in Linsey Sports Center on a high note, securing yet another three victories for the Judges. After finishing in 1:06.63 and 2:21.48, respectively, in the 100-yard and 200-yard backstrokes, Cruz also won in the arduous 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:47.04. * Eliza Kopelman '15 continued to shine as the Judges' foremost diver, winning the diving portion of the meet with a total score of 322.50. * The seniors will race their last laps for the Judges on Feb. 13 at the University Athletic Association Championships hosted by the University of Chicago. * Max Fabian '15 noted that the squads will look to channel their team chemistry and persistence into a successful showing at UAA's. * "The team has done a very good job of supporting one another and working hard this season," he said. "I think these are both attributes that we can build on and use in the weeks leading up to UAAs and at the meet itself to benefit both our individual performances and the performance of the team as a whole. * Cancio reflected that even after the seniors graduate, the Judges will have the numbers and strength to win in dual meets for years to come. * "Either way, I think the seniors and the coaches have definitely built a great foundation this year for many years to come," he said. "As our current freshmen get even stronger and more experienced, and we get a couple of strong recruiting classes, winning dual meets will not be a problem." * The Judges are already well on their way.
(02/05/13 5:00am)
The continuation of an article in Sports referred to the incorrect page. The articles on p. 13 were continued from p. 16, not p. 13. (Jan. 29, p. 13) An article in Sports did not end. The story should have finished, "face Rochester Sunday at noon." (Jan. 29, p. 13) A byline in Sports misspelled the name of an editor. The author of the article is Henry Loughlin, not Henry Loughiln. (Jan. 29, p. 16) In a Features article, it was stated that the Brandeis National, Committee has over 26,000 members, when in fact it has over 25,000 members. The BNC has donated $126 million to Brandeis, not $115 million. The sixth paragraph should have ended with "raising over $400,000 from both sales." (Jan. 29, p. 8) * The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org. *
(01/22/13 5:00am)
On Jan. 17, the City of Waltham Public Works crew officially began repairs on one of the South Street water mains after a leak travelled down the hill between Gosman Sports and Recreation Center and Linsey Sports Center and entered the basement of Linsey, which contains brand new electrical equipment.
(01/21/13 5:00am)
Between running to class, balancing extracurricular activities and maintaining some sort of social life, college students barely have spare time-let alone time to watch hours of television. In honor of the new year, with so many television series back from hiatus and even some new shows celebrating their winter premiers, four Justice editors have compiled their favorite TV shows (or at least those that are worth watching). Consider this your four-step guide to televised bliss. What do you think? Check it out and tune in! 'Girls' displays real life HBO's new series Girls certainly made waves at the Golden Globes, but not all viewers are convinced of its merit. The show, which follows a group of twenty-something post-college white elite living in a stereotypical hipster neighborhood in Brooklyn, can sometimes hit a bit too close to home. The graphic, rather awkward sex scenes and the fallible, irrational characters are both easy to criticize. Yet it is the rawness of the show that, if you can bear to watch it, makes it so relatable. After all, real life includes making poor decisions and learning from them. The girls struggle in their romantic relationships, but the true beauty of their characters is found in their interactions with each other. Each female character represents a different personality that resonates with the audience: Shoshana represents a certain na??vet?(c); Marnie comes to terms with her own loneliness, dealing with rejection for the first time in her life; Jessa is that free spirit we are all somewhat envious and skeptical of; and Hannah demonstrates what it means to struggle with reaching adulthood, being cut off from her parents and losing her jobs. Writer-director Lena Dunham, who also plays Hannah, describes a double-standard in society's expectations for girls. They pursue men who treat them badly, balance their personal finances poorly and act unprofessionally at work. The behaviors are bad, but the characters are not. The writing encapsulates what has traditionally defined Jewish humor-a low self-worth and high self-confidence. Despite their flaws, Dunham hopes that ultimately the audience is rooting for them. With the new winter premier, and ratings as high as ever, it seems we all have the faith in Dunham's characters that she hoped for. -Robyn Spector 'Mindy' sasses up doctor drama Since last fall, Mindy Kaling's show The Mindy Project has fully captured my attention with its subject matter, witty writing and superb acting. On the show, Mindy plays an Ob/Gyn working with two other male doctors, creating a great dynamic for each episode because Mindy is the complete opposite of the two male doctors. The supporting cast surrounding Mindy is dynamic, adding a lot of depth to the show that some TV shows lack. The two receptionists are complete opposites, and the male nurse Morgan (Ike Barinholtz) could probably have an entire show based solely off of him-he is completely nuts and 100 percent amusing. What I find most appealing about The Mindy Project is that it seems very honest. While some aspects of the show (Mindy crashing her ex's wedding and giving a drunken toast to the couple) are probably somewhat embellished for comedy's sake, I find myself believing that these incidents are based off of ones that Mindy experienced in her own life. In the same vein as HBO's Girls, the more realistic (a.k.a. not perfect) characters add to the honesty and allure of the show. As much as I love HBO's huge hit Sex and the City, the lives of those four women were often too neatly packaged. In The Mindy Project, the characters have dilemmas that us "normal" people have. While some critics of the show complain that the problems Mindy faces are too relationship-focused for such a strong female character, I find it's the opposite: Mindy is a strong female character and she isn't afraid to go out and find exactly what she wants from a relationship. Luckily for us, her journey in her personal and professional life makes for great television. -Marielle Temkin Perry resurrects himself in 'Go On' As a Friends lover, I started watching Go On hoping Matthew Perry would continue his role as a witty and hysterical character. In his new role as Ryan King, a big time sports reporter, he attempts to cope with the loss of his wife, Janey. In doing so, he joins a therapy group containing anything but ordinary characters, all of whom are dealing with some sort of a loss, ranging from the death of a cat to the death of a child. The group, which is lead by Lauren (Laura Benanti), who has no formal training, somehow manages to encourage the members to lean on each other, creating a family-like bond and support system. They help one another move on through weekly get-togethers and supporting each another in and out of their meetings, including birthday celebrations and family events. While he has struggled to transition to new roles after finding success with Friends, Matthew Perry makes the leap brilliantly into this comedic, yet realistic series in which he once again immerses himself in a television pseudo-family. In Perry's past role, he was one of the six gifted actors who equally contributed, but in Go On he establishes himself as the clear star. Initially skeptical of joining this group of misfits, Ryan soon finds he's more like them than he thought and ends up establishing himself as their new leader. They seem to idolize him, not only because he is a famous sportscaster but also for his phenomenal sense of humor. With his "too good" attitude Ryan ridicules the group members for their strange characteristics, yet also pokes plenty of fun at himself along the way, and joins in their antics. Although Perry excels at his role, the show's plot, while often humorous, can seem uncreative at times. All of the plot's most basic elements have been seen before, such as a lonely, successful man searching to find love, and a seemingly strange group of people who happen to get along. Overall, Go On is a simple yet immensely satisfying show. With the seemingly depressing theme for a show, the writers do a great job of deciding what about the subject of loss is funny and what is just sad. It may not have won any Golden Globes, and I'm not sure it should, but I still find the time to keep up with the episodes. -Rachel Burkhoff First family isn't all it's cracked up to be NBC's new comedy this season has been compared to The West Wing and Modern Family, two masterful shows in their respective genres. But 1600 Penn, a sitcom based on a fictional first family and their life in the White House, doesn't live up to the promotional hype. The show has funny moments but it largely disappoints due to predictable and caricatured characters. 1600 Penn follows President Dale Gilchrist (Bill Pullman), his second wife Emily (Jenna Elfman) and his five children from his first marriage. Josh Gad, the Book of Mormon star, plays Gilchrist's young adult son, Skip, who has moved back in with his parents after seven unsuccessful years of college. He is a sweet-hearted idiotic buffoon who acts like a kid in a candy shop while running around the White House. Becca (Martha MacIsaac) is a goodie two-shoes, and an impressive and intelligent daughter. However, in a moment of weakness, she makes one of the first poor decisions in her life and doesn't use a condom, leading to an embarrassing pregnancy plastered all over the media. The show has moments of true humor, like when son Josh Gad mouths off at a racist old senator at a public reception--or when he inadvertently lets slip details of his sister's pregnancy to the media. But as much as Gad brings the humor, his character's flaw is that he is too lucky to believe (he secures an international trade treaty by giving a pep talk to a room full of Latin American ambassadors). Aside from Gad, wit is hard to find in the first three episodes of the simplistic comedy that defines 1600 Penn. In all, it's a decent new show for NBC, which is facing some significant losses in its sitcom repertoire. The good news is that the characters have the potential to grow and improve. -Andrew Wingens
(01/21/13 5:00am)
JustArts sat down with Ahmed Abdel Kouddous '13 to talk about his most recent acting endeavor and his future in theater. JustArts: This Winter, you'll be in In The Heart of America by Naomi Wallace. What can you tell us about the play and Janet Morrison's production? Ahmed Abdel Kouddous: Well, In The Heart of America is a play about identity, a play about guilt. It is a play in which the past and the present and the future are all entangled. There's absolutely no props at all. You're wearing costumes and you have your guns but you don't have tables or chairs or all that. Janet is a wonderful professor. I've known her for a long, long time. She's amazing. She's always there for her students outside of class. She will make the Earth rotate the opposite direction to make it work for you. JA: Aside from what we just discussed, to what can we look forward in In The Heart of America? What enticed you to act in this particular play? AAK: I guess an audience could look forward to seeing a side of war that you wouldn't otherwise see in the news. The beauty of this production is that the audience will find themselves in a completely different world. One that is psychological and one that I hope will allow the audience to feel the burden of guilt and other stuff that each character carries. JA: Seeing that your major is politics, and theater is only your minor, how did you become so interested in constantly acting? AAK: I've been doing acting and theater since I was a kid, but I've only really pursued it [since] my senior year of high school. My grandmother was a pretty big actress in the Middle East. My grandfather was a playwright, a screenwriter and a novelist, so I've always been surrounded by it. It's something I really enjoy doing. It's not necessarily something that I want to pursue as a career, but I'll definitely grab any opportunities that arise, acting-wise. JA: Who is your role model in the theater industry? AAK: Let's see. [Pause] John Malkovich. JA: Why? AAK: Because he's crazy. [Laughs and pauses] I don't really have a role model but I'd say my grandmother. She was an actress in Egypt. She was the one who always pushed me to pursue it, even if it was just for a small part of my life. I guess she wants me to taste a little bit of what she tasted in her life. So John Malkovich and my grandmother. JA: Recently you starred in a stripped-down, small cast production of The Glass Menagerie. How was working with director Paula Plum in such an intimate performance different from your other experiences in the field? How does this play differ from other plays in which you've been involved? AAK: Paula Plum identifies herself as an actress. So we got heavy, heavy technical acting notes, and I loved that. She really focuses on your body and the way you speak and what you're thinking and the history of your character and what they were like in the twenties [which is when The Glass Menagerie takes place]. She was full of energy, energy, energy. Every single rehearsal was an explosion. She's a very bright human being: she's full of energy and she's absolutely incredible. The Glass Menagerie is a classical American play, while In The Heart of America isn't classical at all. It's surreal, it's confusing. Acting in it is a bit confusing because you're not working with a physical environment. Everything is mental, emotional and spiritual. Janet Morrison is really, really good at allowing you to understand the spirit, the emotion of the play. And it's very, very sad. Both The Glass Menagerie and In The Heart of America are extremely depressing plays. JA: But I feel that in depressing plays, there's more ability to relate to and feel for the character if heavy things are happening to them. AAK: Yeah, exactly. I guess most artists are all depressing. Tennessee Williams [who wrote Glass Menagerie] is...he's my role model. Tennessee Williams, John Malkovich and my Grandmother. JA: When you graduate this spring do you see yourself working in the theater industry in the future? AAK: Well, I'm going to be prospectively attending the National Theater Institute in Connecticut. It's an acting conservatory. It's 7 days of week of just acting, 12 hours a day. It's intense. And then I hope to work, throughout my life, with film or theater production. Maybe acting, maybe producing. But I do like making money, so I'll have to give and take when it comes to acting. You have to know how to make connections. Business is business. JA: And on the toes of the last question, as a second semester senior, do you have any reflections about the past four years about Brandeis both academically and artistically? AAK: I'm very happy to have pursued both politics and theater. Ideally I'd just be doing theater. But, I do have an interest in politics that I can't just ignore. And unfortunately, you can't devote 100% of your brain to both of them. You have to give priority to one of them over the other. I really do enjoy politics and I wish I could devote hours and hours a day reading whatever readings they assign me but at the same time I also would rather be, you know, playing around with theater, with acting. I also wish I had done more student productions. Maybe I could find a way in the future to mix both politics and theater. Coming from Egypt, it's very easy to do that. JA: I mean, you have to be a good actor if you're going to be a good politician. AAK: I don't want to be a politician. I'd work for an analyst company. It's a very fun industry. You study the politics of a country and you come up with basically diaries and journals of what's going on in a given country or society and you give that to your clients. Whether it's an investment company or, I don't know, a construction company wants to know what's up. You're not hurting anyone. I mean, you have to pick and choose who you work for. But I definitely do see myself working with production, probably film. Unfortunately, film is a new media. The masses, the physical mass, likes to go to sports and concerts. You'll never get thousands and thousands and thousands of people going to a theater. You get millions of people seeing one film in a weekend. But the masses, where do hundreds of thousands of people gather at once? A football game. And there's a certain beauty to that as well. I hope that maybe one day, theater can be like that. Actors and producers and directors tend to forget about their audience. The audience is the most important thing. You're trying to tell a story. *
(01/21/13 5:00am)
Medical Emergency Jan. 14-University Police received a call that a student injured her ankle in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. She was treated by BEMCo and transported via ambulance to the hospital for further care. Jan. 16-University Police received a report of a 21-year-old female in the Charles River Apartments feeling ill after a workout. She was treated by BEMCo staff and then transported via ambulance to the hospital for further care. Jan. 19-A BEMCo secondary asked University Police dispatch to page their crew regarding an intoxicated female in a room in Rosenthal East. An ambulance was notified to transport the party to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Jan. 19-A caller reported a female party vomiting in a bathroom in Rosenthal North. BEMCo was notified, and an ambulance transported the party to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Jan. 20-A 20-year-old was passed out on the sidewalk near the Joseph M. Linsey Sports Center. The incident was called in by an on-duty Weston Police officer. An ambulance and the Waltham Fire Department were on-scene, and the party was transported by ambulance to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Jan. 20-A male, who was a non-student, in the Power Plant Parking Lot was reported to be intoxicated. He was transported via ambulance to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Larceny Jan. 14-A student reported that his headphones were stolen from the lounge on the third floor of Gordon. University Police proceeded to compile a report on the theft. Jan. 15-University Police compiled a report on a student who stated that her cash was removed from her wallet after it was recovered from the Community Living lost and found. Disturbance Jan. 20-A reporting party stated that numerous people outside the lower Foster Mods were yelling and screaming. The individuals in the area were dispersed by University Police without incident. Jan. 20-A party called University Police stating that her friend was intoxicated and being violent toward other individuals. The individual was calm upon the arrival of the police, and she was left in the care of her friend. No further police action was needed. Miscellaneous Jan. 17-Waltham Police notified University Police that a Brandeis student called 911 reporting a suspicious person in Village A. The reporting party described the person as a black male in his mid-20s wearing dark clothing. University Police received a second call from a separate student stating that an unknown black male entered Village A. The person was located by University Police on the fourth floor of the building and was placed under arrest for trespassing. He was transported to the Waltham Police Department for booking procedures. Jan. 20-An intoxicated male was seen on security camera stumbling down the sidewalk near the Rose Art Museum. University Police went to check on the male, who was a non-student, and was placed into protective custody and transported to the Waltham Police Department for booking procedures. -compiled by Marielle Temkin
(01/14/13 5:00am)
Hello again, pop culture-ites! The year 2012 was welcomed with anticipation (the Olympic Games, anyone?) and the prospect of "change" (get it?), but who could have predicted the pop culture medley that would make up these past 12 months? It's true that some things were expected before the 2012 ball even dropped: Taylor Swift's high-profile summer romance with Conor Kennedy ended in a break-up, but her ability to somehow find a new (British!) boy toy to kiss on the eve of 2013 didn't surprise anyone. Their subsequent breakup was hardly a shocker as well. And it was only right that after starring in four films throughout the year, Channing Tatum ended 2012 by announcing that he and his wife, Jenna Dewan-Tatum are expecting their first child. I guess we all knew that Blue Ivy, the daughter of power-couple Beyonce and Jay-Z, would be Hollywood's youngest diva, and I could have predicted that Lindsay Lohan would remain the definition of a train wreck as back in 2010. But I don't care how much you try to convince yourself, you never saw the secret September wedding of Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds coming. Even now, details of the hush-hush ceremony are kept on the down low. The couple is making sure to keep their personal photos personal, denying the inevitable monetary incentives linked to selling such coveted photos. The only picture of themselves released from the Green Lantern stars' ceremony? A shot of the pair holding hands, with a glimpse of her dress and a focus on his new wedding band. Not everyone in Hollywood was keeping the bling on their ring fingers in 2012. Katie Holmes blindsided everyone (most notably ex-hubby Tom Cruise) by filing for divorce in June. The actor, often portrayed as an overbearing husband and intense Scientologist by media, created some shock of his own by quietly and quickly agreeing to allow Holmes to take primary physical custody of their six-year-old daughter, Suri. And in what is becoming the ugliest (and seemingly most ignored breakup of 2012), supermodel Heidi Klum divorced her husband of seven years, singer Seal. It didn't take long for Klum to bounce back, and she has publicly admitted to currently dating her bodyguard-to which her ex-husband commented that she should "at least wait until we separated first before deciding to fornicate with the help," in an impromptu interview with TMZ. Seal, buddy, be glad she waited until you weren't together-Robert Pattison wasn't so lucky. In July, "earth-shattering" news (with photos!) broke portraying Kristen Stewart, Pattison's girlfriend of four years and Twilight costar, cheating with married director, Rupert Sanders. Aside from causing an uproar among Twi-hards, the scandal led to an awkwardly-public apology by Stewart to her man ... and his decision to take her back. Go on, tell me you saw any of that coming. While the pop music world embraced international artists (hello British boy bands and Psy!), it also endured the unexpected loss of Whitney Houston. The 48-year-old songstress, best known for "I Will Always Love You," was found unconscious submerged in a bathtub at her hotel in Beverly Hills in early February. While the L.A. County coroner's office found evidence that the singer had used cocaine shortly before her death, ultimately, the tragedy was deemed an "accidental drowning." Thinking about a 2012 highlight that wasn't so accidental? Try the United States Anti-Doping Agency banning cyclist Lance Armstrong from the sport for life. Over the summer reality hit the fan when the ASADA officially charged the 41-year-old of doping, using illegal drugs to enhance sport performance. The result was nothing short of extreme: the once-champ was stripped of his seven Tour de France wins and all other competitive results dating back to August 1998. Armstrong's world continued to crumble when he stepped down as chairman of Livestrong, his cancer charity, and was dropped from huge endorsement deals with companies like Nike. He even admitted to the accusation to Oprah Winfrey live on her television program in hopes that he will be eligible to race again. As we enter 2013, let's remember that while we can't always predict the scandals of Hollywood, they'll never fail to entertain. *
(01/14/13 5:00am)
While students were finishing up their winter breaks and heading back to school, the men's and women's track and field teams competed at the prestigious Dartmouth Relays on Sunday. In the meet, held at the Leverone Field House at Dartmouth College, the distance crew gained valuable experience by competing against NCAA Division I squads such as Dartmouth, Northeastern University and Boston College. It was the first time that the teams had competed since they hosted the Reggie Poyau Memorial Invitational on Dec. 7, 2012. "I think it was a good start to the season overall," said Amelia Lundkvist '14, who placed 13th in the one-mile race. "It was a good start considering we just came back from vacation." The one-mile run featured a host of runners on both the men's and women's side. In the men's race, Alex Kramer '13 scored the Judges' sole point of the meet with his sixth-place finish. He completed the distance in four minutes, 17.74 seconds. Mik Kern '13 finished 15th in 4:25.31. Greg Bray '15 took 25th, clocking in at 4:39.93. Grady Ward '16 ran 4:42.43, good for 29th. Liban Aden '16 placed 34th, sneaking under the five-minute mark with a 4:59.49 finish. * The women's mile saw tight pack running from Kelsey Whitaker '16, Victoria Sanford '14 and Lundkvist result in consecutive finishes of 11th, 12th and 13th places-the trio timed in at 5:22.38, 5:23.02 and 5:24.12, respectively. Maggie Hensel '16 took 18th in 5:39.30, Molly Paris '16 finished 20th with a time of 5:50.52 and Rachel Keller '16 timed in at 5:54.60, good for 22nd. And though the majority of Judges participated in the aforementioned eight-lap race, there were a few other performances in other distance events. Jarret Harrigan '15 took 18th in the men's 3,000-meter run, covering the distance in 9:02.26 seconds. On the women's side, Nora Owens '16 and Gabriella Guillette '15 finished 19th and 20th in the women's 800-meter run, respectively. While the competing contingent didn't represent the entirety of the Judges' track and field squad, the multitude of races that were represented this past weekend show the vast array of events that the Judges have in their arsenal. This is incredibly important in terms of scoring points, and will be even more so as the season goes on, especially when they face off against schools with bigger squads. And, given the early stages of the season-the bigger meets, particularly the University Athletic Association and NCAA Division III Championships are slated for the end of February and the beginning of March-fitness will only improve as the athletes adjust to their training regimens. "We still have a whole season of racing and training ahead of us, so we expect that our fitness and legspeed will continue to improve as our mileage and intensity increases," said Lundkvist. "We're not quite at the maximum volume or intensity yet as far as training goes, but we're getting there," she added, "so when we get to those levels, hopefully our times will start to drop." Given the prestigious nature of this particular meet, the experience gained through the atmosphere and intensity of the competition will prove helpful for the Judges down the road. Unlike the majority of other winter sports, in which teams only compete against other Division III teams, the track and field team finds itself competing against Division I and II squads. While points may become harder to earn with the increased intensity, the level of competition will certainly give the athletes the opportunity to enter new realms of performance. Certainly, competing against high-caliber opposition has both its benefits and drawbacks. However, in the long-term focus, it will only benefit these athletes. The Judges will be called upon to do so again in next week's Greater Boston Track Club Invitational, which will be held at Boston University on Sunday, Jan. 20.
