Two new monthly campus publications, Lies and Take the Lead!, are hitting the stands this fall, according to their respective editors. According to Jen Goldberg '05, one of two editors in chief of Lies, the publication will expose the campus to alternative music-based arts and culture. She also said the magazine will contain feature-length music articles and interviews with bands.

Goldberg and her fellow editor in chief Zachary Reff '05 said the magazine, which was chartered two weeks ago by the Union Senate, is planned to debut early next month.

Take the Lead! is a newsletter created as part of a larger leadership program in the office of Student Life, according to editors Josh Brandfon '05 and Joshua Simmons '06.

Brandfon said the student-written publication-which released its first issue in September-highlights upcoming programs and profiles members of the community. He also said the newsletter will tell student leaders how to get in touch with resources on campus and in Waltham.

Brandfon and Simmons said the first goal of the publication is to provide resources for student leaders through the office of Student Services. They said they plan on creating workshops for student leaders to help organize events and clubs.

"In each issue of Take the Lead!, we try and infuse a good mix of theoretical and practical information," Brandfon said. "The same goes for the subject matter of the workshops."

Another component is a training session for student leaders with trained staff to help teach team building.

Assistant Dean of Student Life Lori Tenser said that she and Stephanie Grimes, director of student activities, served as editors of the newsletter in 2001, but it was discontinued that year due to time constraints.

"The entire division of Student Life is excited about the revival of this publication," Brandfon said. "Numerous quad directors and student activities staff have volunteered to provide content, and many more have said that they are willing to facilitate the leadership training sessions that are being scheduled."

Tenser said she and Grimes are now are part of a five-person advisory board that helps produce the newsletter.

"Having students leading [the newsletter] is fabulous and lets us be in a more advisory role," Tenser said.

The other magazine to arrive on campus this semester, Lies, aims to expose the community to new and alternative music, Goldberg said.

"We felt that there was a lack of stories about alternative music, or really just about alternative culture in general," Reff said.

"The title is a joke because we're going to be very blatantly opinionated," Goldberg said. "We'd like to have an opportunity to do something that the Justice doesn't have the space or time to cover."

Goldberg said Lies is working toward establishing contacts with various record labels and concert promoters. Reff said an important band in the alternative and electronic scene has already expressed interest in being featured in the magazine.

"We don't want this to be our project," Goldberg said. "We want it to be something that a good majority of the school can participate in as well, anyone who's interested."

Both editors said they plan to join the Brandeis Media Coalition and that around 50 students have already signed up to participate in Lies.



Editor's Note: Jen Goldberg '06 and Zachary Reff '05 are staff writers of the Arts section of the Justice.