This week, the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life, along with the Student Union, is sponsoring the first Deis Impact. Deis Impact is a "weeklong festival of social justice. Clubs and academic departments have planned dozens of events throughout the week, featuring talks, performances, exhibits, and discussions," according to the program's brochure. We appreciate the programming, which ranges from a Playback Theater workshop to a discussion led by Prof. Jane Hale (ROMS) on family literacy, that we feel strongly emphasizes a significant pillar of the University.

Although Brandeis students are often involved in "social justice" clubs such as the Brandeis Labor Coalition and STAND, it is especially impressive how well advertised Deis Impact has been over the past few months through emails, flyers and promotions from professors.

Because of all the advertising, we hope that there will be a large turnout at the events. The events cover a wide range of topics hosted by several campus groups including Brandeis Academic Debate and Speech Society, the Hiatt Career Center, the Pre-Law Society and the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies department—just to name a few, that surely any University student can find they have an interest in.

Many students came to the University because of its vibrant history in social justice and activism. Thus, we see this weeklong event as a great way for the University to uphold its beliefs in social and political consciousness. The Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life is committed to programming concerning social justice, but we are happy to see that they are not alone in putting on the event and that student leaders have taken an active position in co-sponsoring the event.

We encourage students to take time in their busy days to participate in programming during Deis Impact, when there are events daily from noon to 9pm. With a high level of involvement and interest, Deis Impact can be the start of many thought-provoking and important conversations on our campus and hopefully the start of many more similar events.