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Brandeis is holding 14 separate sessions throughout campus today all relating to the continuing war between Israel and Hamas. The lectures are part of a teach-in organized to respond to increased polarization on campus over the last two months regarding various opinions about the war. These events will begin at 9 a.m. and continue throughout the day until 5:50 p.m.
After facing closure in Sept. 2022, the Embassy Theater, located at 16 Pine St. in Waltham, reopened its doors on Oct. 13, 2023. The Brandeis Student Union has joined forces with Tim Nasson, executive director of the theater, to breathe new life into the cultural landmark.
In the aftermath of many complex developments on campus regarding the Israel-Hamas War, debates centered on students’ safety, the boundaries of First Amendment rights, and increasing tensions permeating discussions on campus.
Faculty members held an emergency meeting on Nov. 17 to further discuss the ideas that were brought up during the emergency faculty meeting last Friday, which met to discuss the derecognition of Students for Justice in Palestine. There was also an informal faculty discussion on the night of Sunday, Nov. 12 that had approximately 150 attendees. The purpose of this meeting was to consider the motions that groups of faculty members developed in response to these meetings and to decide if the motions needed any amendments to put to a faculty-wide vote next week.
A small group of approximately 40 students, faculty, and community members gathered in Fellows Garden on Nov. 17 to recognize the one-year anniversary of the tragic Nov. 19 shuttle accident, which resulted in the death of student Vanessa Marks and 27 injured students.
Last year, catalyzed by the Year of Climate Action, an optimistic wave of climate and sustainability-related action — which included new courses, extracurricular programming, a new Decarbonization Action Plan, and more — took place on campus. This year, many of these initiatives have come to a grinding halt — not only because the Year of Climate Action has drawn to a close, but also as a result of former Director of Sustainability Mary Fischer’s departure from the University. As the only staff member of the Office of Sustainability, Fischer’s legacy is striking and simultaneously leaves many unanswered questions about the future of sustainability at Brandeis now that there is no one in her role.
For years, the Brown Social Science Center was seen to many students and faculty as a run-down piece of campus infrastructure with many issues, such as lead in the water. Brandeis administration has planned to renovate Brown for many years and the project is near completion as of this November. The design process began in the middle of 2021 and construction began in 2022. The process was the most comprehensive renovation at Brandeis in many years according to Senior Capital Project Manager Michael Bushey, although the University faced obstacles in their efforts to renovate.
On Nov. 7, the Department of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies held the Annual Eleanor Roosevelt Lecture, entitled “Choreographies of Black Freedom.” Prof. Shoniqua Roach (AAAS/WGS) had a discussion with New York University Professor Aimee Meredith Cox about her book “Shapeshifters: Black Girls and the Choreography of Citizenship,” as well as the evolution of Black girlhood studies.
On Tuesday, Nov. 7, Jeannette A. McCarthy was re-elected mayor of Waltham, Massachusetts for her sixth consecutive four-year term, defeating Jonathan Paz, a second-term city councilor from Ward 9. McCarthy won 58% percent of the vote, with Paz pulling in nearly 40%. Voter turnout was consistent with previous years, with 11,395 voters casting ballots — accounting for only 32% of registered Waltham voters. McCarthy secured 6,628 votes as opposed to Paz’s 4,551; in 2019, 34% (11,790) of Waltham voters went to the polls, with McCarthy winning 3,770 more votes than all of her competitors combined. Paz and McCarthy were the only candidates for mayor; the election is non-partisan, though based on a Nov. 3 email correspondence with City Clerk Joseph W. Vizrad, the Justice found that McCarthy is “unenrolled” in a party, while Paz is a Democrat.
The Student Union Senate passed two Senate Money Resolutions, gave probationary status to two new clubs, and discussed an amendment to the Union’s bylaws at its Nov. 12 meeting.
On Friday Nov. 10, Brandeis held a special Faculty Meeting and Listening Session with President Ron Liebowitz and Provost Carol Fierke to address the dechartering of the Students for Justice in Palestine organization, the meaning of free speech, and the best approach to support students during this time. The meeting was moderated by Prof. Jody Gittell (Heller), the faculty chair of the Senate. Motions were not able to be made during this meeting, as none were submitted in advance.
On Monday, Nov. 13, nearly 200 students walked out of their classes at 11:30 a.m. to gather for a silent sit-in on the Great Lawn.
On Friday afternoon, students gathered in the November cold on the Great Lawn to protest the University’s continued support of Israel and the derecognition of the Brandeis chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. Dressed in green, red, black, and white, the colors of the Palestinian flag, many left in shock and disbelief — and others left in handcuffs.
On Nov. 3, 2023 Jean Fenelon, the driver responsible for the shuttle crash in November 2022, was criminally charged. These charges consisted of motor vehicle homicide and speeding. He has been ordered not to operate a motor vehicle without a license or have any contact with witnesses.
On Nov. 2, author David Anthony Durham led a writing workshop and discussed his oeuvre. This event was part of the Creative Writing Reading Series and was co-sponsored by the Mandel Center for the Humanities.
President Joe Biden awarded Brandeis Profs. Eve Marder (BIOL) and Gregory Petsko (BCHM) with the National Medal of Science on Oct. 24. The National Science Foundation recognizes this achievement as the most prestigious national honor for scientists in the U.S.
For the past month, tensions on campus have been steadily rising as a result of the Israel-Hamas war and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. This conflict is not a new debate at the University, but it has been exacerbated by the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks on Israel and Israel’s subsequent declaration of war against Hamas. While President Ron Liebowitz has released various statements condemning Hamas’ attacks and expressing support for the community, the University had not taken decisive actions concerning the conflict. However, on Nov. 6, the administration derecognized the Brandeis chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine, eliciting strong reactions from the community on multiple sides of the issue.
For the 2023-24 school year, the Student Sexuality Information Service received a significantly smaller budget than they had in 2022-23. While they received a slightly larger budget than they had in previous years, they have seen an uptick in the demand for their services that is not easily supported by this allocation. SSIS, located on the third floor of the Shapiro Campus Center, offers subsidized products and services such as emergency contraception, sexual pleasure products, barrier methods, and confidential peer support. They also have outreach and training initiatives, as well as a library.