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On Thursday, Oct. 31 the Brandeis University InBrief Newsletter announced a change in how to reach Brandeis Public Safety. Previously, to contact public safety, members of the Brandeis community had to call 781-736-3333 or the “6x3333” extension number. Now, individuals are able to call 911 to reach public safety.
Brandeis University’s commitment to campus sustainability began 15 years ago with the hiring of its first sustainability manager, Janna Cohen-Rosenthal BA ’03, MBA ’13. However, Brandeis’ commitment to campus sustainability has come into question with the recent decision to eliminate the Sustainability Office and the departure of former Director of Sustainability Mary Fischer without a replacement, prompting students to seek change.
On Oct 23, the Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps (BEMCo) shared data on Instagram pertaining to calls made from Aug. 25 and through the month of Sept, The post aims to provide insights of the service’s community impact.
MEDICAL EMERGENCY
Election Day is officially one week away — Nov. 5 — and it’s important to know about what’s on your state’s ballot beyond just the presidential candidates. Massachusetts voters are tasked to vote on five ballot questions, all of which received a “No” vote by the State Senate or the House of Representatives before May 1, 2024. This time, the fate of the questions are up to MA voters. Text for the proposed laws for all the ballot can be found in its entirety on the Secretary of the Commonwealth Massachusetts website
On Oct. 21 at 7:00 p.m., the new student organization Jewish Bund at Brandeis held a vigil in the Shapiro Campus Center atrium for the lives lost in Palestine and Lebanon over the past year. A post on their Instagram page asked attendees to “come in the spirit of respect, love, and community.”
On Oct. 22, Brandeis VoteDeis Campus Coalition and the Student Union hosted an social and educational event called “Celebration of Voting.” The occasion included a visit by Weston, the “Vote Goat,” in Fellows Garden. Students received information on how to register to vote and had the opportunity to take a photo with the baby goat. They were encouraged to share the images with friends and family, as well as to check in and remind their loved ones to make a plan to vote.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, the Hadassah Brandeis Institute and Brandeis Hillel co-hosted Prof. Vanessa Ochs, a professor of religious studies at the University of Virginia. The talk, taking place in the Usdan International Lounge, centered on Och’s research on new Jewish rituals in Israel and the diaspora in response to ongoing war. “These new rituals do not answer Jewish theological questions, and Jewish ritual never does,” Professor Ochs explained. “Rituals provide answers to [the questions]: Who are my people? Are there others who know how I feel? How do I go on? Who knows what I’ve been through? How can I tell this story?”
On Oct. 7, Brandeis University was named in a class action lawsuit, accused of conspiring with 39 other top universities and the College Board in price-fixing. The suit was filed with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and alleges the defendants’ “concerted action” has caused the price of tuition to increase for students with non-custodial parents — a parent who does not have primary custody of their child after a divorce or separation.
Prof. Taylor Ackley (MUS) has been teaching at Brandeis since 2022. A doctor of ethnomusicology and specialist in American Roots music, Ackley runs the Roots Music Ensemble and teaches several classes for the music department. According to his website, his research aims to “understand and analyze the American Folk and Roots music as art grounded in the experiences of poor and working class people.”
At 2:00 pm on Oct. 18, the Brandeis faculty met in Rapaporte Treasure Hall for their monthly meeting. The meeting opened with Chair of the Faculty Senate Prof. Jeffrey Lenowitz (POL) giving a welcoming address, informing the staff of a change in timing of the next meeting in order to be able to accommodate an address from Interim President Arthur Levine, Ph.D. ’70. Additionally Lenowitz stated “Though leadership is changing at the University, the structural problems are not. So to this end, I want to assure you all that the senate remains dedicated to working with the administration to ensure that these are addressed in a manner that safeguards faculty interests.” He also discussed future plans to hear and address faculty concerns such as a survey and small group meetings.
For performing arts groups, the beginning of a new academic year is a time of excitement and novelty. Auditions bring in new members, and preparations for an exciting new set of performances are set into motion. This year, however, came with an unexpected obstacle: the University had decided to restrict the amount of time per week for which these groups could reserve rehearsal space. With a new four hour per week restriction, groups have been forced to adapt in order to continue their usual rehearsal schedules.
On Oct. 10, the Heller School for Social Policy and Management hosted a panel discussion, titled “Four Takes on the U.S. presidential Election: Gender, Diaspora, Class, Race.” In discussion were Prof. Faith Smith (AAAS/ENG), Prof. Anita Hill (SP/WGS), Prof. ChaeRan Freeze (NEJS) and Prof. Harleen Singh (GRALL/WGS). Each panelist had the opportunity to share their perspectives of the upcoming presidential election. The panel was moderated by Maria Madison, the Interim Dean of The Heller School for Social Policy and Management.
This fall, Waltham High School students stepped into their brand new building for the first time — a high school that combines traditional classroom learning and vocational programs. The state of the art building allows students to explore a wide range of educational options and decide which style of learning best suits their academic needs.
As Brandeis students return to campus for the new semesteIn September, Brandeis implemented the new learning management platform Moodle. LATTE, an extension of an already existing Moodle interface, was nearing the end of its efficiency span and the technology department began looking at other options.
The Senate convened on Oct. 6, where they began with the Senate hearing from two different clubs about name changes. Additionally, the Senate voted on director seat confirmations.
MEDICAL EMERGENCY
Throughout her work as a trailblazing political philosopher and a proponent of education and community action, Dr. Danielle Allen has remained grounded in her belief that people should always have the freedom to ask “how" instead of “if.” As a self-proclaimed lover of “how” questions, Allen has tapped into the power of building spaces for conversation where collaboration and connection are paramount. Protecting the agency of individuals and their communities invests power in them as co-creators of our shared democracy: this philosophy motivates Allen to base her career around the idea of “democracy renovation.”
On Sept. 25, the Brandeis community was shocked as a new email entered their inbox. The email, written by Chair of the Board of Trustees Lisa R. Kranc ’75, was sent out at 9:42 a.m. and announced the resignation of University President Ronald Liebowitz. This email came just two days after the announcement of the faculty vote of no confidence and one day after the conclusion of the Board of Trustees fall meetings.
On Friday, Sept. 27 at 9 a.m., approximately 100 students, alumni and faculty of Brandeis University flocked to the Spingold Theater. David McCraw, Deputy General Counsel and Senior Vice President of The New York Times, took the stage to tackle big issues in contemporary media and politics. The event was moderated by a duo of Brandeis journalism professors: Prof. Neil Swidey (JOUR) and Prof. Ann Silvio (JOUR).