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(09/14/21 3:32pm)
I thought I would be happy to return to Brandeis this fall. But as I drove to Theater Lot to check in and collect my dorm keys, the sinking feeling I had been experiencing all summer intensified. As the Department of Community Living student workers ushered cars through Theater Lot, many of them excited to see friends after a year and a half of virtual learning, I was caught in a state of disbelief. I kept thinking to myself, “Wow, this is happening. Everything is in person again, with limited to no restrictions.” The reality of living on campus during a pandemic hit me as one of the DCL staff members handed me my room key and informed me that if I did not get tested by 4 pm, I would have to quarantine myself for two days, whether or not I tested positive for COVID-19.
(09/14/21 10:00am)
This past year and semester, marked in particular by a global pandemic, have been unlike any other in the University’s history. To best balance both the health and safety of the community and ensuring a lively, memorable academic year for its students, the University has instituted a number of new protocols. These policies are influenced by advice from the Centers for Disease Control, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health and state law regarding mask mandates, vaccinations and capacity restrictions.
(09/14/21 10:00am)
As new variants of the coronavirus continue to emerge and affect communities around the world, maintaining the health and safety of the Brandeis community in the midst remains a vital yet challenging task.
(08/31/21 10:00am)
LGBTQIA+ representation and queer theory continues to be villified in most grade and high school environments — even when the introduction of that knowledge might hugely improve or even save a student’s life. As kids trickle back to class in-person this fall, some leave the danger of prejudiced family homes only to enter risky school environments in which identities are restricted and homophobic attacks from students, staff and teachers go unpunished. Others will watch while administrations degrade and demonize LGBTQIA+ students, or fire gay teachers and coaches without due process. A majority of schools still refuse to teach any semblance of LGBTQIA+ history, not to mention LGBTQ-specific health or sex education. All the while too many students — like transgender students who report much higher rates of feeling unsafe in school or fall into the 35% of students who attempt suicide — continue to suffer silently.
(08/31/21 10:00am)
The Justice Editorial Board would like to extend a warm welcome to the Class of 2025 as they begin their first year of college and the Class of 2024 as they begin their first year of in-person classes. This board has compiled a list of its favorite survival tips on the Brandeis campus for navigating these new and exciting times.
(05/25/21 1:14pm)
It is bittersweet saying goodbye to our seniors after a year of navigating school and student journalism in a pandemic — bitter because we’re saying goodbye, but sweet because we’re so incredibly proud of them for getting through this year and making the most of it. Each of our graduating seniors has made invaluable contributions to the Justice. We wouldn’t be where we are today without them. We as an editorial board want to take a moment to recognize each senior and celebrate their achievements.
(05/04/21 10:00am)
On Tuesday, April 27, India reported 320,000 new COVID-19 cases and 2,771 deaths, as a second COVID-19 wave ravaged the country's healthcare system. The Indian government has responded to the crisis by restricting its own exports of the AstraZeneca vaccine, which has had drastic repercussions on impoverished nations. Last week, President Biden defended the current ban on exports of raw materials used in vaccines in response to urgent requests to lift it, citing obligations to prioritize vaccinating the American population first.
In a recent turn of events, the Biden Administration proposed a plan to export up to 60 million AstraZeneca doses to India when available, and countries such as the UK have sent ventilators and additional medical equipment to assist in navigating the catastrophe. In light of the situation, some physicians have alluded to ‘vaccine nationalism’ — when nations procure doses on behalf of national interests at the expense of other countries. How does vaccine nationalism or pandemic profiteering factor into the current nature of global and domestic vaccine distributions, if at all?
Many of our own community also have loved ones in the impacted area. At a local level, how can the Brandeis administration and faculty support South Asian students at this time?
(05/04/21 10:00am)
I am confused by clothing lately, in particular, pants. Trousers have gone into disfavor during the past year due to the pandemic and the new norm of Zoom meetings that allows people to generally only show themselves from the shoulders up. Some people even seem to think that bottom clothing is optional. You know who you are!
(05/04/21 10:00am)
On Tuesday, April 27, Brandeis’ campus systems went offline from approximately 9 to 10:30 a.m., disabling WiFi on campus and blocking access to Brandeis-hosted services, such as Gmail and LATTE. Among other interruptions, this prompted the Department of Community Living to postpone junior/senior housing selection until the following day.
(04/27/21 12:53pm)
*Trigger warning: Death of Black people at the hands of police violence and white supremacy*
Email note: We understand and take very seriously the heaviness of this topic, especially for our Black community members. While we believe it extremely important to continue shedding light on the atrocities of racism and state-sanctioned violence in the United States, we also recognize the need for space to heal away from constant news of this violence. We deeply appreciate any thoughts our community has the space and energy to offer at this time.
Last week, former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin was convicted of second degree murder, third degree murder and second degree manslaughter for murdering George Floyd after violently detaining him on May 25, 2020. Given the ongoing police brutality against Black people in the United States, what do the results of this trial mean for the fight to achieve racial justice? What kind of cultural, legal and policy changes are necessary to achieve racial justice in the United States?
(04/27/21 10:00am)
Many of us grumbled at some point during the pandemic about delayed unemployment checks or the nonsensical arithmetic behind the two recent stimulus bills. While these were valid concerns, it was shamefully rare to hear public complaints on behalf of undocumented immigrants who were excluded from pandemic relief entirely. While COVID-19 did not discriminate based on citizenship status, our elected officials did. As we receive our first and second doses of the vaccine this month, it is long past time to prioritize the community members the United States has left behind.
(04/27/21 10:00am)
This board would like to congratulate the Brandeis COVID-19 vaccination program on a largely successful first COVID-19 vaccination clinic. Brandeis offered approximately 1,200 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to students on April 22 and 23, and the clinic itself was well-run and efficient. However, there were some frustrating hiccups with the vaccine appointment sign-up process, and this board still has some concerns about the plans for the second vaccination clinic scheduled for May 13 and 14.
(04/13/21 10:00am)
On Tuesday, April 6, U.S. President Joe Biden confirmed that all adults will become eligible to receive COVID-19 vaccinations beginning on April 19. The move marks a shift from original official projections of vaccine availability back in January, and a change in Biden’s foreshadowing that everyone would be eligible by May 1, a prediction he offered in March. Since their initiation, states' registration processes to sign up for vaccine appointments have been a source of frustration for many people across the country. How has the vaccine rollout program worked for — or neglected — particular communities? What challenges might this new rollout plan, which coincides with multiple states lowering restrictions on social distancing, pose for achieving herd immunity?
(04/13/21 10:00am)
I suffered from Zoom fatigue last fall. Now, I am in the midst of Zoom burnout. After an extended winter break over December and January, classes commenced in early February and they have not stopped. Sure, they give us “Wellness Days,” but so far those days have been consumed by extra homework assigned by professors. There is absolutely no wellness going on.
(04/13/21 10:00am)
After over 15 years at Brandeis, Dean of Students Jamele Adams left his role Friday, April 9 to take on a new opportunity. As a board, we wanted to devote this week’s editorial to say thank you and goodbye to Adams, who did so much for the student body during his time at the University.
(04/06/21 10:00am)
In the 2020 presidential election, more than 159 million people cast their ballots. After every ballot was counted and a special Senate election was held in Georgia, Joseph R. Biden was declared the 46th president of the United States and the Democractic Party retained control of the House of Representatives, and, following a runoff election in Georgia, gained control of the Senate. With a Democratic majority in Congress, constituents expected the Democratic Party to pass the sweeping legislation it had promised and voters had voted for. However, even with control of the executive and legislative branches, Democrats face an uphill battle in passing any of their promised legislation. A simple Senate procedural rule stands in the way of the result of the largest Democratic election ever held in the United States. The rule is called the filibuster, and it has a long history of subversion.
(04/06/21 10:00am)
As we reach astronomical levels of inequality worldwide, navigate a pandemic and combat the rise of global authoritarianism, world institutions have repeatedly accepted our frightening historical trajectory. Oftentimes, these institutions even cause injustice, actively refusing to divest from violence and inequity as the status quo has provided exponential concentrations of wealth and resources. With dwindling support toward systems of policing, state violence and imperialism, many of these institutions have decided that they do not need the consent of the governed.
(04/06/21 10:00am)
Our collective memory is plagued with places and dates — Columbine, April, 20, 1999; Sandy Hook, Dec.14, 2012; Orlando, Jun. 12, 2016; Parkland, Feb.14, 2018; Atlanta, Mar. 17, 2021; Boulder, Mar. 22, 2021 — the list goes on. Each mass shooting jerks our memories back to the previous killings and empty promises made by politicians — now is the time for change.
(04/06/21 10:00am)
On Monday, Mar. 29, the Arkansas Senate passed a bill that would prohibit transgender minors from accessing gender-affirming hormone treatments and surgeries. HB 1570, the SAFE Act, would prohibit trans youth from accessing health care and insurance coverage for gender-affirming care. Doctors would be both prohibited from offering gender-affirming care to trans minors and unable to refer minors to other providers for treatment. This bill passed amid a surge of anti-trans legislation that is being considered in state legislatures across the country. On Monday, Apr. 5, Gov. Hutchinson vetoed the bill calling it a “vast government overreach.” However, considering the overwhelming Republican support, his veto is likely to be overturned. Rather than limiting trans youths' access to gender-affirming care, what are the most important protections that state governments should enact for trans people? How may this bill relate to broader discussions of medical rights for marginalized groups?
(04/06/21 10:00am)
Well, that didn’t take long. It’s been a little more than a week since the Georgia legislature passed its heinous anti-voting law, S.B. 202, and the national press has kicked off the most unfortunate stage of the contemporary civil rights coverage cycle — suggesting we take seriously the civic opinions of the corporate class.
