(04/08/14 4:00am)
Clubs including WBRS, Student Events, Archon, Brandeis Television, Brandeis' men's ultimate frisbee team Tron and the Brandeis Boxing Club are opposing the Student Union Constitutional Review Task Force proposal to amend the constitution due to concerns about the language in the amendment that would institute a cap on secured club funding. Currently, the constitution states that the Finance Board is responsible for allocating funds to secured clubs whose funding would be based loosely around certain benchmark allocations. F-Board, however, is allowed to exceed these benchmark allocations should a club require additional funding. In the proposed amendment, the benchmark funding would constitute a cap for a range of allocations that would be different for each club. Furthermore, sports clubs, whose funding has been handled separately from secured clubs, would now have a set allocation range. In an official joint statement between the clubs that oppose the amendment, which WBRS released to the Justice, the clubs note that having such a cap would be "short-sighted in terms of incentives for clubs to better themselves." According to WBRS business manager Carl Lieberman '16, the statement is to be released to the Brandeis student body when the student vote takes place. In an interview with the Justice, Lieberman stated that the main issue with the amendment is how the changes would "undermine the nature" of the way in which secured clubs are funded. The clubs state that the amendment would also remove any flexibility in funding. By "locking the clubs" into a set range of funding, the secured clubs will not be able to adjust to any increases in the Student Union budget as the University increases student tuition. Lieberman also said that the range does not "reflect particular technical expenses" that clubs such as WBRS may encounter. In this past year, he said, WBRS received more funding than its usual allotment to repair the sound board, which he said was expensive but "vital" to the function of the club. When asked whether the Constitutional Review Task Force or the Student Union consulted WBRS about the range of funding, Lieberman said that they did not. Lieberman also noted that the range of funding seems to be based on "incomplete information." He said that the constitutional amendment dictated funding for WBRS that was comparable to this past year's allotment rather than examining club funding over the past couple of years. This year's allotment was significantly higher than usual because of the repairs, he said. "As a Brandeis student," Lieberman said, he would want each club to be funded with an "appropriate amount of money." Members of the CRTF who proposed these amendments and allocations did not respond to requests for comment by press time. Lieberman went on to recommend that the constitution increase club feedback "between the F-Board and the secured clubs ... rather than simply capping the secured clubs." The vote that was supposed to go to the student body on whether or not to implement these amendments yesterday has been postponed to an unannounced later date because of a "need to look at additional facets," according to an email that Student Union Secretary Sneha Walia '15 sent out to the student body on April 7. -Marissa Ditkowsky contributed reporting
(04/07/14 4:00am)
Starting pitcher Kyle Brenner '15, picked up his third win of the season Sunday with a dominating pitching performance in the first game of a doubleheader against Framingham State University. He then transitioned smoothly to his second role as batter in the second game, scoring a run that would eventually allow Brandeis to come away with another victory. Brenner is not an average college baseball player. Just take a look at his overall season statistics: they fill up the stat sheet in just about every category possible. When Brenner is not collecting strikeouts and wins as the ace of the baseball squad, he is compiling runs batted in and hits as a middle-of-the-order hitter. Brenner has been an athlete since he was young, playing a variety of sports ranging from baseball at six years old to basketball and football later on. After graduating high school and receiving recruiting interest from a number of Division I programs, he considered pursuing a collegiate athletic career centered on football. Brenner's decision to play baseball at Brandeis instead of Division I football ultimately came down to three key advantages: its baseball program, its academic rigor and the proximity of Brandeis to his hometown in Brookfield, Mass. "[Brandeis] was potentially one of the best schools that I could get into and it was close to home and [had] a rich baseball tradition," Brenner said. Although Brenner's pitching statistics are impressive-he has pitched 48.2 innings this season with 35 strikeouts and an ERA just above 3.00-he actually came into Brandeis as a catcher. "I pitched a little bit in prep school, but I was a catcher when I came in freshman year," he explained. "So coach said 'no more catching because it's too much on your body' so I originally was in the outfield, then I hurt my leg and moved to the infield. Now it's first [base] and pitcher." Still, Brenner managed to secure a spot in the pitching rotation as a first-year. Then, as a sophomore, he was voted as a captain of the squad by his teammates. Brenner said he still knew his place as an underclassman but embraced his position of captain to help the team succeed. "It was such an honor...that people older than me voted for me to be the captain," he said. "Being on the mound and having that much trust from your teammates makes you feel just that much more comfortable out there." Perhaps the only thing more impressive than Brenner's pitching performance is his ability to produce with a bat. This season, he has a .298 batting average to go along with a .365 on-base percentage. Brenner said that hitting has not inhibited his pitching or vice versa. In fact, Brenner thinks that being a two-way player has helped him succeed in both areas. "Because I hit, I see people's approach to the plate, so I think, 'where would I be the weakest?' [which is] where I like to throw," he explained. Brenner looks to compete in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament this season and move on to the NCAA tournament next season. He will do his best to help the team achieve that goal one pitch-and hit-at a time.
(04/01/14 4:00am)
Medical Emergency Mar. 23-University Police received two separate reports of athletes who suffered injuries at the Athletic Fields. BEMCo responded and transported the persons to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further treatment. The community development coordinator on call was promptly notified. Mar. 23-University Police received notice of a student in Usdan Student Center who reported a lower leg injury. BEMCo responded. While the student struggled to walk, he refused further care. Mar. 25-University Police received notice of a female student at the Charles River Apartments who claimed to have experienced a panic attack. BEMCo responded and treated the student, who refused further care. Mar. 25-A student at Usdan Student Center called University Police to request a psychological evaluation. BEMCo responded and assisted in transport of the student to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The CDC on call was promptly notified. Mar. 25-University Police received a call from a nurse who reported that a student in Farber Library experienced great trouble breathing. Officers and BEMCo units responded, and after treatment, the student refused further care. Mar. 29-University Police received a report of an intoxicated female in front of the Charles River Apartments. BEMCo responded and facilitated the transport of the student to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for alcohol intoxication. The CDC on call was promptly notified. Larceny Mar. 27-A staff member at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center reported theft of cash from the administrative office. University Police compiled a report of the incident. Mar. 29-A student in the Foster Mods reported a stolen iPhone. He tracked the phone off-campus and University Police advised the student to file a report with the Waltham Police Department. Officers at Brandeis also compiled a report of the incident. Traffic Mar. 29-University Police received a report that a bicyclist near Mailman House lost control of her bicycle and struck a parked car. The owner of the car was contacted and BEMCo arrived to treat the cyclist who later refused further care. Officers also compiled a report of the incident. Fire Mar. 25-University Police received a report of a fire alarm in Deroy Hall. The cause of the alarm was a burning microwave. Waltham Fire Department, a Brandeis electrician and the CDC on call were all promptly notified. No persons suffered injuries and officers compiled a report of the incident. Mar. 26-A student reported the appearance of smoke in front of the Shapiro Campus Center. University Police arrived on the scene and reported a possible fire from the trash disposal. Officers extinguished the fire and discovered no damage to University property. Miscellaneous Mar. 26-University Police were notified of a suspicious male wearing a white jacket and acid-washed jeans in a Village common room. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the male was a guest of a resident. No further action was taken. Mar. 27-University Police received a report from a student in Deroy Hall who expressed concern about an email requesting assistance with money laundering. Officers discovered it was spam and advised the student to delete future emails like this. -compiled by Adam Rabinowitz
(04/01/14 4:00am)
An article in News should have identified Margaret Hoffman '15 as a residential Eco-Rep. In addition, the Eco-Reps did not negotiate the 45-cent discount for using reusable mugs on campus, but rather educated the community on these initiatives. (March 18, p. 5) An article in Sports incorrectly identified a type of bow used as a compound bow. It is, in fact, a composite bow. (March 25, p. 13) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(04/01/14 4:00am)
This past Wednesday, the First- Year Leadership in Health and Medicine Leader Scholar Community hosted an event called "Eliminating Stereotypes: Native American Culture and Medicine Through a New Lens." It examined Native American history, contributions and myths through a presentation by Claudia A. Fox Tree, a speaker and workshop presenter for the Massachusetts Center for Native American Awareness. The event was co-sponsored by the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life, the Brandeis Pluralism Alliance and Brandeis AHORA! Fox Tree began the event with a song, inviting the 30 or so audience members in attendance to participate in a traditional song and giving everyone rattles to use along with her drum. "We are an oral tradition culture," she said, explaining why singing is so important to Native American culture. "We pass on things by talking about it, pass along the stories." She then began by clarifying exactly who Native Americans are as "indigenous people of the Western hemisphere before 1492." She said that providing this definition was important because defining who the people are makes them more than simply stereotypes in people's minds. After she made this distinction clear, Fox Tree began to speak about the contributions that Native Americans have made to modern life. When speaking of a group of people for which oppression is a big part of their story, she said that "it's really important to know what wonderful things that group did." She explained that an estimated 60 percent of food eaten in the world today is of Native American origin, such as potatoes, corn and much more. She also told of many medical advancements made by the native people, including treatments for malaria and optic surgeries, among others. Following the positive contributions, Fox Tree described many of the issues surrounding Native American culture today. On reservations, where only about 22 percent of Native Americans live today, the mortality rate from alcohol abuse is 627 percent greater than that of all other races combined. As well, one in six teens attempt suicide and only about half even graduate from high school. Though she said that these statistics were about 10 years old, she said they had not changed much over the years. Fox Tree spent the rest of the event talking about different stereotypes and myths about Native Americans and how they are still extremely prevalent and harmful. Fox Tree had participants engage in a discussion of common stereotypes, beginning by speaking of several of the most common ones. She mentioned that some of the most common are that all Native Americans look the same, that they all wear the same clothing, that they are all violent warriors and that they live in teepees. She then had people engage in a free-association exercise, naming several words-including Winnebago, Pontiac and Redskins-and discussing what we associate with them and how that can be problematic. Winnebago and Pontiac are both Native American words that are more often associated with vehicles than with their original meanings, and Redskins refers to the tradition of scalping Native Americans, yet is now used to name a football team. She then discussed the negative representation of Native Americans in popular culture as well, citing a statistic that 91 Massachusetts schools had "Indian" mascots or logos for their sports teams as of 2011. Fox Tree also told the group how they are rarely portrayed in film or on the news. From 1990 to 2000, there were 5,868 blockbuster films made, and only 12 of them included Native Americans at all, and they were often extremely stereotyped as savage or alcoholics. From 1990 to 1999, there were 175,889 news reports, and only 98 of them were about Native American. Of those 98, the majority of them were negative, speaking of problems with Native American culture rather than anything positive about it. Fox Tree ended by presenting ways to help rectify these problems, primarily by becoming an ally and standing up against pejorative representations of Native Americans. Organizer Irene Wong '17, a member of the Leadership in Health and Medicine Leader Scholar Community, said that the community chose to bring Fox Tree to campus because she said that there is such a low representation of Native Americans among the student body. "We want people to be more aware of the culture and... many stereotypes that we don't normally think of," Wong said in an interview with the Justice. *
(03/31/14 4:00am)
In many ways, the Equestrian Team stands apart from all other club sports. Few allow their members to compete as individuals at an intercollegiate meet, square off against a host of riders from different divisions or are expected to host an all-day meet. The Equestrian Team, however, has the chance to do all three. The club, which competes against other equestrian teams from the Boston area as part of the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association meets twice a week at August Farm in Holliston, Mass. to build skills and prepare for the year's seven shows. Club president Maddy Brown '14 explained the reasoning behind the trip. "Each member is required to take one lesson a week ... and we try to group [lessons] based on riding experience," she said. "Our coach, Katie [Bobola], teaches all the lessons and it's great to have such a knowledgeable person help us." The Equestrian Team took part in five shows last semester and four during the spring semester, all of which led toward a spot in last weekend's Regional Championships. Seven members of the team attended the competition and Hannah Wulkan '16 walked away with a top-two finish in the Walk-Trot-Canter division. With her finish, she secured a spot in next weekend's Zone Championships, a hopeful stepping stone to the national competition. In an equestrian show, riders compete at five levels: Walk-Trot, Walk-Trot-Canter, Novice, Intermediate or Open. Each successive level increases in difficulty. Walk-Trot requires a rider to only ride a walking or trotting horse while Open is divided between flat class, similar to Walk-Trot, and jumping class, which challenges a rider to traverse a predetermined course involving anywhere from six to 10 jumps. "Based off how much experience [a rider] has coming into college, they get placed into one [level,]" said Brown. "[Riders] accumulate points at each horse show and once they get 36 points [total across all events] they get to move up to the next division." As part of the IHSA, the club is expected to host a yearly meet-the Brandeis Horse Show-which took place last October at the August Farm. Brown took fourth in the flat class of the open division, riding in a course against the top level of riders defined by its lack of jumping requirement. "Most of the day for us is just keeping the horses ready and making sure [the horses] are in the right classes" said Brown. "We have to both run the show and get on and ride." "It's super fun, but it's a really long day because warm ups start at 7:30 in the morning and we get to the barn at 6 a.m. and we're there until 4 p.m." Although the majority of the team has completed their events for the year, Brown has gained much more from the Equestrian Team than just a chance to compete. "Our relationship with other teams in the region is really cool ... I've become really good friends with people on the other teams," she said. "That sense of camaraderie not only between the team but between everyone competing is something I'd like to see continue." Even as her time with the club comes to an end, Brown has confidence in the clubs ability to grow. "It's not so much that we have people in a higher division, it's that the people we have are more dedicated," she said. -Editor's Note: Hannah Wulkan '16 is an editorial assistant for the News section of the Justice. *
(03/31/14 4:00am)
Given that the majority of the snow has finally melted from the ground, Saturday's Snowflake Classic at Tufts University proved to be somewhat of a misnomer. However, with the persistent rain, adverse weather conditions still threatened to pose a challenge to Brandeis' track and field squads. The Judges overcame the obstacles, though, to turn in fast times at their first outdoor track and field meet of the season. "It was the first outdoor meet this year, so it was good for the team to get back into the routine of competing after indoor season finished," said Matthew Becker '16, who competed in the men's 800-meter run. "The rain and cold weather made it difficult to compete at our highest level, but everyone did a great job supporting one another and cheering though the tough weather conditions," he continued On the men's side, the 800-meter run featured a trio of competitors sporting Brandeis blue-and-white. Becker led the charge for the Judges, taking 15th in the event in two minutes, 3.97 seconds. Mohamed Sidique '15 was 17th, just .09 seconds behind, in 2:04.06. Trevor Tuplin '16 also competed in the event for the Judges, placing 30th and running 2:09.49 for the distance. In the men's 1500-meter run, two Brandeis competitors turned in nearly identical finishes. Grady Ward '16 completed the distance, dubbed the "metric mile," in 4:11.09, which put him in 20th place. Matt Doran '17 was right behind in 21st, going 4:11.20. Mark Franklin '17 tied for 11th place in the men's high jump with a leap of 1.73 meters. Meanwhile, Jonathan Gilman '15 took ninth in the javelin, throwing 46.34 meters. The men's 100, 200 and 400-meter dashes featured a host of competitors, many of whom also competed in other events. In the 100, Chi Tai '17 took 53rd, running the length of the straightaway in 12.18 seconds. Adam Berger '15 was 75th, completing the distance in 12.90 seconds. There was a role reversal, though, in the 200. Berger led the way for Brandeis, finishing in 24.12 seconds for 27th place. Meanwhile, Tai took 60th in 25.55. Franklin also competed, placing 73rd in 26.95. Nick Wactor '17 was Brandeis' top runner in the 400, completing the one-lap race in 52.73 seconds for a 12th place finish. Jeremy Wilson '17 managed 28th, timing in at 54.35. Berger completed his personal trio of events here, completing the distance in 55.71. Brandon Odze '16 also took part, rounding out the field with a time of 1:00.37. While the women didn't have a full team like their male counterparts-as only four members competed in two events-they managed to put forth some good performances. Maggie Hensel '16 just missed cracking the five-minute barrier in the 1500, running 5:01.50 for 25th place. Teammate Molly Paris '16 was 50th in the event, completing the distance in 5:28.19. Alyssa Fenenbock '15 and Selena Livas '16 put forth efforts of 29.60 meters and 19.03 meters in the javelin, which put them in 21st and 40th places, respectively. Though outdoor track features many of the same events as its indoor counterpart, Becker made it clear that there are a lot more variables in outdoor that can alter pre-competition preparation. "With outdoor track the weather is random which really can affect you as an athlete whether it's hot or cold," he said. "With indoor track, the conditions are always the same wherever you go, so you know exactly how to prepare for your race and what to prepare in. "Also, outdoor tracks are twice as long as indoor tracks, which means you have more time on the straights to build up your speed, turns that are not as sharp which allow you to keep your speed." Following an indoor season in which the Judges hosted the University Athletic Association Indoor Track and Field Championships, Becker believes that the team's experience and desire to improve will result in consistent progress throughout the outdoor season. "Our team is growing both in size and talent," he said. "With three new and young coaches, we set high expectations for ourselves each and every day. "The team improves every week and with a lot of new runners being recruited to the team we certainly have a bright future ahead of us." The Judges will be back at it this Saturday, competing at the American International College Yellow Jacket Invitational, which will be held at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell. *
(03/25/14 4:00am)
Rather than hosting a basketball game or a track meet, Gosman Sports and Convocation Center was used for a far different purpose this past Saturday. The Archery Club hosted its second-annual Shamrock Shoot, a distinct event in the Northeast in part due to the attendees and also the competitions that took place at the event. Dustin Aaron '14, president of the Archery Club, stated his overall satisfaction with his club's event this past weekend. "All things considered, it was small but highly successful," commented Aaron. "This is our second year running it, so we had a lot of experience last year and we learned how to make this a decent competition, so everything ran really well. "It was not as highly attended as we had hoped-about the same as last year-but in terms of quality we got really lucky." The Shamrock Shoot featured some of the top archers in the country, aside from Brandeis students. "We had a No. 1 ranked in the world men's compound shooter, a recent gold-medal winner in the Indoor World Cup a month ago, a team silver medal winner, and another former top archer in the world which was really great," Aaron said. The Shamrock Shoot has been in development for quite a while, and finally, it is starting to take off in just its second year. "This had been something that had been in the works even before I was here," Aaron explained. "Even to just host a tournament at Brandeis is an amazing fundraiser for the team and it's great exposure and unique, and what ended up happening was we had an opportunity to bring even bigger names but constraints on the tournament didn't allow it." The competition is the only 70-meter indoor competition in the United Sates thus far but is styled like an outdoor competition, making it an attraction for all types of archers. Aaron mentioned that a smiliar venue is currently being built on the West Coast, and would host a much larger competition than the Shamrock Shoot. "Archery competitions come in two forms, indoors and outdoors," explained Aaron. "The beauty of our competition is that it's an outdoor style competition held indoors. Being in New England lets people shoot a little bit earlier than they would [have] otherwise. "That's the main draw," Aaron said. "It is the only indoor 70-meter competition so far in the United States. For now it's a great appeal to New England." Aaron explained that shooting indoors allowed archers to begin shooting while the weather was still cold and the outdoor ranges unavailable for use. The tournament gave each competitor four minutes to fire six arrows at a standard bull's-eye. Each of the bull's-eye's concentric rings is given a specific point value with the center standing as the most valuable target. The competitor, meanwhile, stands at a distance depending on their bow to attempt their six shots. Aaron explained that competitors at the Shamrock Shoot used two types of bows; recurve bows and compound bows. Recurve bows, made of wood or carbon fiber, have a single string on which the arrow is mounted and are more closely associated with the classic bow and arrow. Conversely, compound bows are larger bows with multiple strings and wheels at the top and bottom allowing for quicker and more accurate shooting, making them the preferred bow for hunting. Aaron explained that most of the Archery club uses recurve bows. The Archery Club, much like the distinctive event it hosts, stands out as well. "As a collegiate archery team we straddle two different halves of the world," Aaron said. "There's the collegiate competition and the national competition, so we technically belong to two governing bodies, collegiate archery and national archery." Aaron explained that the Shamrock Shoot attracted archers who were competing on their own merit, completely unattached to a college or professional team. "When we run something like this, we do it as a national archery body so we have people coming who are completely disassociated with a college and everyone who shot there shot as an individual, including the few people who shot from [the] Brandeis [team]." Since the competition was an individual event, only the top Brandeis competitors actually took part on Saturday. However this did not detract from the overall experience of the day for Aaron. "If this was a collegiate tournament we'd all be shooting, but since this is an individual tournament, we put our top shooters in the competition," Aaron continued. Aaron explained that the team had an intra-team competiton on Friday to determine who would shoot on Saturday, but stressed that overall he was proud of the direction of the Archery Club. "[As a senior] I really feel like there's a strong base left behind with the team and I honestly expect great things because we're still on the up. Every year we get a little bit closer, we win a little bit more. "Hopefully in years to come this will grow, that's the goal," he said. "We got off the ground last year, we did it right this year, and hopefully in the future we'll do even better." The Archery Club would like to thank club sports coordinator Matt Callahan, without whom the event would not have been possible.
(03/25/14 4:00am)
Guard Kasey Dean '14 has stepped up in every way possible for the Judges over the course of her collegiate career. Two years ago, women's basketball guard Morgan Kendrew '12 ended a storied four year-career with 974 points, 113 three-pointers and a spot in the 2012 New England Women's Basketball Association Senior All-Star Classic. The Judges needed a new leader to step in and emerge as a consistent scoring threat. Enter Dean, who has started in every game throughout the last two years and done just that for a Brandeis squad that is on the rise. After a season in which she led the team in scoring nine times and in assists on 16 different occasions, Dean has become the first player since Kendrew to earn a selection to the NEWBA Classic. This year, the annual all-star showcase will be held at Smith College on March 29. "It feels really great to be recognized, but of course, it wouldn't be possible without our successful season," she said. "We came together in some really big games and I wish others on the team could also be recognized, but this should be a great experience." The NEWBA Classic is an event that seeks to honor outstanding seniors from Division III schools across New England. Players from around the region receive nominations from both their coaches and sports information directors and are placed on a ballot. Coaches proceed to select 22 participants from this expansive field through a vote. Dean captained a team that finished 14-13, earned a 7-7 mark within the University Athletic Association and, most significantly, secured its first playoff berth since the 2008 to 2009 season. Dean's individual accomplishments range far and wide. She led the team with 10 points per game and 3.2 assists per game this year, particularly thriving during the squad's impressive six-game conference winning streak. The senior guard also drained a career-high 20 points in a Feb. 14 loss to then-No. 2 Washington University in St. Louis and dished out a personal record of nine assists in a stunning upset of local rival Emmanuel College, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament. "Every game during that whole streak was just a joy to play in," she said. "We just knew we could win, beginning with that [Jan. 26] victory over Emory [University]." She also believes the critical skills she has acquired in her time with the Judges have figured prominently into her success. "All of my decisions have been based on my basketball career," stated Dean. My self-discipline, ability to work on a team and split-second decision making has all been developed as a result of playing on this team." Even though Dean's storied playing career may end with the NEWBA Classic, she still aspires to stay in the athletics realm. She has considered pursuing employment opportunities in sports marketing or in a collegiate athletic department. Regardless, she knows it is a field she wishes to remain in for quite some time. "I've tried other areas but just haven't had the same joy that I've had, for example, on the basketball court with this team," she said.
(03/25/14 4:00am)
Guard Kasey Dean '14 has stepped up in every way possible for the Judges over the course of her collegiate career. Two years ago, women's basketball guard Morgan Kendrew '12 ended a storied four year-career with 974 points, 113 three-pointers and a spot in the 2012 New England Women's Basketball Association Senior All-Star Classic. The Judges needed a new leader to step in and emerge as a consistent scoring threat. Enter Dean, who has started in every game throughout the last two years and done just that for a Brandeis squad that is on the rise. After a season in which she led the team in scoring nine times and in assists on 16 different occasions, Dean has become the first player since Kendrew to earn a selection to the NEWBA Classic. This year, the annual all-star showcase will be held at Smith College on March 29. "It feels really great to be recognized, but of course, it wouldn't be possible without our successful season," she said. "We came together in some really big games and I wish others on the team could also be recognized, but this should be a great experience." The NEWBA Classic is an event that seeks to honor outstanding seniors from Division III schools across New England. Players from around the region receive nominations from both their coaches and sports information directors and are placed on a ballot. Coaches proceed to select 22 participants from this expansive field through a vote. Dean captained a team that finished 14-13, earned a 7-7 mark within the University Athletic Association and, most significantly, secured its first playoff berth since the 2008 to 2009 season. Dean's individual accomplishments range far and wide. She led the team with 10 points per game and 3.2 assists per game this year, particularly thriving during the squad's impressive six-game conference winning streak. The senior guard also drained a career-high 20 points in a Feb. 14 loss to then-No. 2 Washington University in St. Louis and dished out a personal record of nine assists in a stunning upset of local rival Emmanuel College, the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament. "Every game during that whole streak was just a joy to play in," she said. "We just knew we could win, beginning with that [Jan. 26] victory over Emory [University]." She also believes the critical skills she has acquired in her time with the Judges have figured prominently into her success. "All of my decisions have been based on my basketball career," stated Dean. My self-discipline, ability to work on a team and split-second decision making has all been developed as a result of playing on this team." Even though Dean's storied playing career may end with the NEWBA Classic, she still aspires to stay in the athletics realm. She has considered pursuing employment opportunities in sports marketing or in a collegiate athletic department. Regardless, she knows it is a field she wishes to remain in for quite some time. "I've tried other areas but just haven't had the same joy that I've had, for example, on the basketball court with this team," she said.
(03/25/14 4:00am)
Rather than hosting a basketball game or a track meet, Gosman Sports and Convocation Center was used for a far different purpose this past Saturday. The Archery Club hosted its second-annual Shamrock Shoot, a distinct event in the Northeast in part due to the attendees and also the competitions that took place at the event. Dustin Aaron '14, president of the Archery Club, stated his overall satisfaction with his club's event this past weekend. "All things considered, it was small but highly successful," commented Aaron. "This is our second year running it, so we had a lot of experience last year and we learned how to make this a decent competition, so everything ran really well. "It was not as highly attended as we had hoped-about the same as last year-but in terms of quality we got really lucky." The Shamrock Shoot featured some of the top archers in the country, aside from Brandeis students. "We had a No. 1 ranked in the world men's compound shooter, a recent gold-medal winner in the Indoor World Cup a month ago, a team silver medal winner, and another former top archer in the world which was really great," Aaron said. The Shamrock Shoot has been in development for quite a while, and finally, it is starting to take off in just its second year. "This had been something that had been in the works even before I was here," Aaron explained. "Even to just host a tournament at Brandeis is an amazing fundraiser for the team and it's great exposure and unique, and what ended up happening was we had an opportunity to bring even bigger names but constraints on the tournament didn't allow it." The competition is the only 70-meter indoor competition in the United Sates thus far but is styled like an outdoor competition, making it an attraction for all types of archers. Aaron mentioned that a smiliar venue is currently being built on the West Coast, and would host a much larger competition than the Shamrock Shoot. "Archery competitions come in two forms, indoors and outdoors," explained Aaron. "The beauty of our competition is that it's an outdoor style competition held indoors. Being in New England lets people shoot a little bit earlier than they would [have] otherwise. "That's the main draw," Aaron said. "It is the only indoor 70-meter competition so far in the United States. For now it's a great appeal to New England." Aaron explained that shooting indoors allowed archers to begin shooting while the weather was still cold and the outdoor ranges unavailable for use. The tournament gave each competitor four minutes to fire six arrows at a standard bull's-eye. Each of the bull's-eye's concentric rings is given a specific point value with the center standing as the most valuable target. The competitor, meanwhile, stands at a distance depending on their bow to attempt their six shots. Aaron explained that competitors at the Shamrock Shoot used two types of bows; recurve bows and composite bows. Recurve bows, made of wood or carbon fiber, have a single string on which the arrow is mounted and are more closely associated with the classic bow and arrow. Conversely, compound bows are larger bows with multiple strings and wheels at the top and bottom allowing for quicker and more accurate shooting, making them the preferred bow for hunting. Aaron explained that most of the Archery club uses recurve bows. The Archery Club, much like the distinctive event it hosts, stands out as well. "As a collegiate archery team we straddle two different halves of the world," Aaron said. "There's the collegiate competition and the national competition, so we technically belong to two governing bodies, collegiate archery and national archery." Aaron explained that the Shamrock Shoot attracted archers who were competing on their own merit, completely unattached to a college or professional team. "When we run something like this, we do it as a national archery body so we have people coming who are completely disassociated with a college and everyone who shot there shot as an individual, including the few people who shot from [the] Brandeis [team]." Since the competition was an individual event, only the top Brandeis competitors actually took part on Saturday. However this did not detract from the overall experience of the day for Aaron. "If this was a collegiate tournament we'd all be shooting, but since this is an individual tournament, we put our top shooters in the competition," Aaron continued. Aaron explained that the team had an intra-team competiton on Friday to determine who would shoot on Saturday, but stressed that overall he was proud of the direction of the Archery Club. "[As a senior] I really feel like there's a strong base left behind with the team and I honestly expect great things because we're still on the up. Every year we get a little bit closer, we win a little bit more. "Hopefully in years to come this will grow, that's the goal," he said. "We got off the ground last year, we did it right this year, and hopefully in the future we'll do even better."
(03/18/14 4:00am)
Medical Emergency Mar. 9-University Police received a report that a student may have broken his nose while playing basketball in the North Quad parking lot. Officers arrived at the scene and eventually assisted in a transport of the student to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further treatment. Mar. 13-University Police received a report that a student at 164 Charles River Road injured her foot. BEMCo arrived on scene and transported the student to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further treatment. Mar. 13-University Police received a report that a student in Gordon Hall incurred head trauma. BEMCo responded and transported the student to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Mar. 13-University Police received a call that a student injured his left hand at Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. BEMCo responded and facilitated the transport of the student to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further treatment. Mar. 14-University Police received a report of a student in Rosenthal North that had difficulty breathing and experienced symptoms relating to a panic attack. BEMCo responded, and after treatment, the student refused further care. Mar. 14-University Police received a report that a student at Sachar International Center collapsed and required medical attention. BEMCo responded and the student was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further treatment. Mar. 14-University Police received a report from the Massachusetts State Police that a student at 164 Charles River Road requested medical attention for severe back pain. BEMCo responded, and from there, facilitated transport of the student to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The community development coordinator on call was also notified. Mar. 15-University Police received a report of an intoxicated male student in Rosenthal South. BEMCo responded and from there facilitated the transport of the student to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The CDC on-call was also notified. Mar. 16-University Police received a report of an intoxicated female student in Shapiro Residence Hall. BEMCo responded and transported the student to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Mar. 16-University Police received a report of an intoxicated female student in Shapiro Residence Hall. BEMCo responded and transported the student to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Fire Mar. 12-A staff member notified University Police of a fire in Golding Judaic Center. Officers arrived at the scene along with the Waltham Fire Department but later determined that the fire, which was caused by a piece of photographic equipment, had been extinguished before they had arrived. Miscellaneous Mar. 9-University Police received a report that a suspicious white male pointed his finger at assorted persons and alarmingly yelled "bang bang" in the North Quad parking lot.Officers arrived at the scene but were unable to locate the reported individual. Mar. 13-University Police received a report of a suspicious elderly male approaching the campus' main entrance. Officers later determined that the man had been searching for the Brandeis-Roberts commuter rail station. Traffic Mar. 14-A member of the community reported to University Police that his car had been damaged while parked in Kutz Lot on March 12. Officers compiled a report of the incident and noted no injuries had occurred. -compiled by Adam Rabinowitz
(03/18/14 4:00am)
An article in Sports incorrectly identified Wouter van der Eng '13 as a member of the Athletics staff. He is actually a research assistant in the Politics department. (March 11, p. 15) A photo caption in Arts should have included Bambara as one of the languages Trio da Kali spoke at the event, in addition to French. (March 4, p. 22) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(03/17/14 4:00am)
Foilist Caroline Mattos '16 entered the final pool of the 2014 NCAA Regionals at Wellesley College on March 9 with all of the momentum on her side. She secured a 5-1 record in the opening round and made her way to the finals on the heels of a victory over Harvard University senior Alex Kiefer, the tournament's eventual silver medalist. In the finals, however, Mattos hit a wall and limped to a 2-3 start in the final pool. "My greatest challenge has been controlling my head game," she said. "Keeping a cool mind at all times is a crucial aspect of every sport, especially fencing." In that pivotal sixth match, she rose to the challenge. "I knew that I would have to calm myself down and just focus for each touch if I wanted to start winning," she said. Mattos rolled off five wins in her next six matches to earn a fourth-place finish among all women's foilists in the tournament. In the process she qualified for her second-straight NCAA Championships, to be held at the Ohio State University on Thursday. For Mattos, the journey to Columbus-and fencing on the national stage-has been an unexpected one. A native of Cumberland, R.I., Mattos initially never set her sights on the sport of fencing. Then, her father spotted a recruitment advertisement from Rhode Island Fencing Academy and Club in a local newspaper. He encouraged her to begin lessons with club coach Alex Ripa. One decade later, the rest of her story is history. "It was with Alex's help, as well as the motivation I received from my other teammates at the club, which pushed me to work hard and get to the level I am at now," Mattos said. Two years ago, in heading a core of foilists that include Eva Ahmad '16, Emilia Dwyer '16 and Chaya Schapiro '16, she seamlessly translated her skills and lessons from the club level to the collegiate stage. Mattos contributed to two straight New England Conference Championships, earned a bid to the NCAA Championships in San Antonio in her rookie season and has posted an impressive 67-13 record this season. While her fencing style has mostly remained the same since her time with Ripa, Brandeis head coach Bill Shipman has imparted intangible skills to Mattos that have proven to figure prominently in her collegiate success-confidence, ambition as well as perseverance. "Coach Shipman has been crucial in my motivation to continue to train hard, and has kept me focused on my goals," she said. "Coach has also taught me to be more confident with my actions." This is especially critical as Mattos sets her sights on her second appearance at Nationals. She noted how in her first national appearance in San Antonio last March, a lack of confidence and a concern for meeting lofty expectations resulted in a loss of focus. However, this year, with previous national exposure, Mattos is ready to make a statement. "Since this is my second time attending I now know what to expect," she said. "I am going to try to stay cool and think of each touch within each bout. As long as I stay focused and fight hard I know I will do well." If history is any indicator, Mattos will look to take her own advice to heart this weekend at Ohio State.
(03/11/14 4:00am)
Medical Emergency Mar. 5-The Brandeis Athletics department director reported that a 66-year-old male was in medical distress at Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. University Police responded and transported the patient to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further treatment. Mar. 6-University Police received a request for a psychiatric transport from Mailman House to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Officers later assisted at the scene without incident. Mar. 8-University Police received a report that a student in Renfield Hall injured his foot. BEMCo responded and, after treatment, the student refused further care. Mar. 8-A student in Ridgewood Quad reported that another student had been found comatose and unconscious on the fourth floor of the building. BEMCo responded and transported the student to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further treatment. The community development coordinator was notified of the incident the next morning. Larceny Mar. 3-University Police received a report that approximately $5,200 of photographic equipment had been stolen from an office in the Shapiro Campus Center over the mid-winter recess. Officers compiled a report of the incident. Mar. 4-University Police received a report that an unattended laptop had been stolen from the common room in Village B Residence Hall. Officers then compiled a report of the incident. Mar. 8-A student reported to University Police that a University-rented bicycle had been stolen from the steps outside of Sherman Function Hall last week. Officers compiled a report of the theft. Miscellaneous Mar. 4-University Police received a report that a suspicious white male entered the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center with an odd request to hire students to help unload his truck. The party had been advised to depart from the parking lot and proceed to the Route 128 rest stop. After several hours, the suspect finally departed from the parking lot. No further action was taken. Mar. 8-University Police received a report of two suspicious college-aged males in a black pick-up truck on Loop Road near Usdan Student Center. Officers were notified. No further action was taken. -compiled by Adam Rabinowitz
(03/11/14 4:00am)
Last week, the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance hosted Sexual Violence Awareness Week. The week was designed to address the issues surrounding consent and sexual assault on the Brandeis campus. According to a report presented by Prof. Bernadette Brooten (NEJS) to the Faculty Senate for its Nov. 1 meeting, "over the four years of their undergraduate career, 95 Brandeis males and 385 females (they don't account for gender non-conforming individuals) will have experienced attempted or completed sexual assault." According to the Facebook event page for the week, FMLA wanted to focus specifically on "beginning a discussion on sexual violence on college campuses, educating each other about sex and consent, and making steps to create a positive culture around consent." There were a series of events, including a workshop with Harvard Law professor Diane Rosenfeld concerning the legal tools at hand for students in acting upon a case of sexual assault. Allison Callahan '16, a member of FMLA who attended the workshop, said she found the event interesting, especially when Rosenfeld pointed out the power that the University possesses as a private university. Another event was a workshop titled "Crisis Response Training," hosted by Sexual Assault Services and Prevention Specialist Sheila McMahon, which focused on educating people on "how to respond to a crisis and help those who have been affected," according to the official event description. McMahon was hired as Brandeis' first sexual assault services and prevention specialist in 2013 in response to a call for Brandeis to act on several cases of sexual assault reported on campus. McMahon is an advocate of bystander intervention training, which trains students to instruct other students about intervening in potentially dangerous situations as well as educating their peers on consent. McMahon said in an interview with the Justice that the theory behind bystander intervention focuses on "widening the frame" and helping individuals to identify warning signs to look for in cases of potential assault instead of simply focusing on individual actions such as watching how much someone drinks. McMahon said that she is working on reaching out to clubs, varsity sports and other groups on campus to educate students on how to recognize a "compromising situation" as well as what it means to give consent. She is also currently working on incorporating bystander intervention training into orientation for all incoming first-years. A recent development in making Brandeis aware of sexual violence on campus was unaffiliated with the FMLA. SpeakOut! Brandeis, a student-led anonymous group focused on allowing anonymous submissions of stories from the student body concerning sexual assault, recently launched a Facebook page as well as a blog. The posts include stories of assault, of close misses and of support for what the blog is doing. According to the group's Facebook page, SpeakOut! Brandeis' goal is to "promote awareness of the prevalence of sexual assault" and provide a number of methods in which to submit online as well as through the intercampus mailbox system in order to give the submitters complete anonymity. Callahan said she saw this movement as a positive step for opening the discussion of sexual assault because this way people will be able to speak about their experiences without the "backlash." McMahon also said that the students behind SpeakOut! Brandeis, some of which she has talked to, were "courageous" and were providing an opportunity for others to be courageous. She noted that it is a "social risk" to submit one's story, and said she even anticipates that some people will come out with their stories in person because of the growing support and community in the University precipitated by SpeakOut! Brandeis.
(03/11/14 4:00am)
The Student Union Senate met on Sunday night to discuss its current initiatives and plans, including meal plans for next year, sustainability initiatives and upcoming events such as 'Deis Day and the Midnight Buffet. The Senate approved three Senate Money Resolutions, one for a new copy of Robert's Rules of Order for the Senate, and the other two for several upcoming events. The first events the Senate approved funds for were Zivwoodstock and Modapalooza, occurring April 25 and 26 respectively. These will both be outdoor celebrations in the specified residential areas, and will feature food and activities. The other event the Senate approved funding for was the upcoming Midnight Buffet. Student Union President Ricky Rosen '14 announced in his executive report that plans have been almost finalized for a roundtable discussion between the administration and students about major issues on campus. This will take place from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 20 and will consist of members from all areas of the community. Rosen also announced that 'Deis Day planning is well under way, and that the events will most likely be split between the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center's Red Auerbach Arena and Chapels Field on Sunday, April 6. Rosen said that the event will feature many fun activities for students to participate in and will involve clubs and teams from all over campus, but said that those plans are still in the process of being solidified. Rosen also mentioned that several senators are currently in the process of revising the Student Union Constitution in order to make it more concise and effective with current circumstances in the community. Changes will most likely include cutting much of the unnecessary language, defining clubs in the constitution rather than the bylaws and adjustments to the capital expenditure fund, which will now be more accessible for clubs to propose community improvement projects on which to spend the fund. These changes, along with several others, will be up for a vote at the next Senate meeting. Rosen then reported on several transportation-related initiatives. The task force created to deal with the issue of on-campus parking has been reviewing results from a survey sent out to the student body during the fall semester and is coming up with both short and long-term solutions. Plans to improve parking on campus may eventually include either purchasing more land for parking or building a parking garage. In addition, a bus shelter to be built at the Admissions bus stop has been fully approved and funded, and should be built by the end of the year. The Senate went on to discuss newer projects that are still in progress. Class of 2015 Senator Anna Bessendorf said that the Sustainability Committee was working closely with Sodexo to organize new initiatives, including an event during Earth Week in collaboration with Coca-Cola. She also said that there is a town hall event planned for 6 p.m. on March 18 in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium with local and sustainable food provided by Sodexo, at which all of the different environmental clubs will get a chance to speak and weigh in on the sustainability efforts on campus. The Senate Dining Committee reported that it is still trying to work with Sodexo to find meal plan options that are acceptable to the Brandeis community, and to get them to release possible prices. They are looking at meal programs at other schools and trying to build the best possible plan for Brandeis. -Hannah Wulkan
(03/11/14 4:00am)
Last Tuesday, the Department of Community Service sponsored a discussion about scenarios in volunteer work titled "Sexism in Service." The event was led by Lindsey Miller from AmeriCorps VISTA, member of an AmeriCorps program aimed at fighting poverty, working with the Department of Community Service and its higher education intern Jack Korpob. A diverse group of students and staff, including Associate Director of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life Marci McPhee and Director of the Department of Community Service Lucas Malo, attended the event. Opening the discussion, Kateri Spear '15 shared an experience from her recent work with Habitat for Humanity over February break, during which she and other Brandeis students went to Pennsylvania to build a home. On the last day of the trip, Spear said the overheard an older volunteer make "demeaning comments about one of our female-bodied volunteers" due to the assumption that she could not perform the manual labor of constructing a house as effectively as he could. The experience was "very uncomfortable" for the volunteer, according to Spear. Miller noted that there are "always external factors involved" with working on a service project, and acknowledged that volunteers face the dilemma of how to address these sorts of situations in a respectful manner. Korpob also shared a similar story from his undergraduate study at the University of California, San Diego about a service trip to Belize that he helped lead. Once his group arrived, he noticed that the local workers and liaisons would only speak to him. At first, he said that he did not think much of it, but it soon became apparent that the local members of the organization would not interact with his co-leaders because they were female. "I told [a liaison] that service was the reason that we were there," said Korpob, adding that "telling someone they can't do the same service because they are female simply wasn't going to happen." While Korpob admitted this situation made the trip awkward, he said that his team "fought back" against this discrimination. "Sometimes, you have to be the person to say [something] is wrong." Korpob added that volunteers working in another culture could encounter cultural norms that make it difficult to stand up for their beliefs. While he "saw it to be appropriate" in this instance, he acknowledged that often it is "very difficult" for volunteers to feel empowered in foreign environments. McPhee also added that Sorenson Fellows-students who are given a financial stipend by the Sorenson Fellowship so they may serve abroad with an organization of their choice during a summer-often "feel like they sold out their beliefs" if they choose to accept the gender norms of a different country. The latter half of the discussion was dominated by a recent advertising campaign of the Big Brothers Big Sisters Boston, a service organization that pairs children with older role models. The advertising campaign, called "Chicks Dig Bigs," is an effort to address the chronic shortage of male volunteers for the organization. In a video put out by the campaign, a female narrator claims "93 percent of women are more likely to admire a guy who volunteers with kids." The campaign's web page calls on women to "ask that special guy in her life ... and urge him to help make a difference in a child's life." When the discussion turned toward the reasoning behind the campaign, McPhee acknowledged that a shortage of male volunteers has been an issue for BBBSB, but added that she didn't know "what [she] would do to solve this problem, but [she was] not sure this was it." Spear also called into question the reasons a person volunteers to serve, and remained unconvinced that an individual who joined after seeing this campaign would be "the best person to commit to mentor a child," as opposed to an individual who opted to serve in order to create a meaningful relationship with a child. Sharon Passov '15, a coordinator for Language and Cultural Enrichment, a branch of the Waltham Group that pairs Brandeis students with English language learners from the Kennedy Middle School in Waltham, stated that she found the campaign "silly" and that it played on cultural norms, but did acknowledge that it showed the "desperation that the [organization] faces" with regard to male volunteers. Passov added that male volunteers at Brandeis typically ask to be paired with male children, and desire to spend time in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center "instead of [doing] arts and crafts or other activities." Sophie Brickman '16, a coordinator for Brandeis Big Siblings said that Brandeis Big Siblings' lack of male volunteers could be addressed in more productive ways, such as having "male volunteers speak to other males" to show them that "it is cool to serve." She also said that Brandeis Big Siblings has started working with the Athletics department, and that having a male athlete attest to his experiences with the organization have been successful. This event was the last in a series of discussions put on by the Department of Community Service in an effort to promote dialogue about service.
(03/04/14 5:00am)
As soon as Spain scored the winning goal of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, I started to get excited for 2014. Brazil, home of one of the world's most talented soccer squads, would be the host country. For the first time in FIFA's history of 110 years, back-to-back World Cups will have been hosted by non-European countries. As a soccer fan and a supporter of the Brazilian team, I was thrilled. FIFA has a habit of giving tournaments to the highest bidder, and the fact that two developing countries got the hosting opportunity instead of Europe or the United States blew me away. And who wouldn't want to see soccer's most prestigious tournament played in the country that produced Ronaldo, Luis Fabiano, Robinho and Pele? However, as June approaches, my excitement over Brazil hosting has considerably subsided. The World Cup is supposed to serve as a celebration of the world's favorite sport and, especially for a country like Brazil, an opportunity for development and economic growth. The latter is most certainly not happening. The Brazilian World Cup is plagued by corruption, unsafe working conditions and skyrocketing costs. As of February 2014, the Brazilian government has spent nearly 15 billion dollars on the World Cup, as much as Germany and South Africa, the last two hosts, combined. Part of it could be due to Brazil's economic status, but South Africa is also a developing country and did not have these cost problems. There is currently no evidence that the current spending, which is already more than double projected costs, will actually positively impact tourism or international investment beyond the World Cup, unlike predictions made before Germany and South Africa hosted their respective World Cups. It is also unlikely that Brazilian teams will even use some of the new stadiums, which are in more remote locations that do not have elite teams. Due to these rising costs and the fear that some stadiums won't be finished in time, the government has been especially lax when it comes to safety standards. As of Feb. 8, three workers died building the controversial Arenada Amazonia. Since 2013, Brazilians have been protesting and rioting about many of the government's plans for the World Cup, especially plans about infrastructure and transportation costs. The current infrastructure projects mainly focus on hotels, which would only benefit tourists, and would raise the cost of bus and train fares for normal Brazilians. At least 10 billion dollars have been spent on these infrastructure changes, but very little of that money is benefiting Brazilians. While Brazil is an emerging economic power, an estimated 11.5 million citizens live in favelas, urban shanty towns characterized by drugs, gang violence, police brutality and poverty. Citing safety concerns, the Brazilian government has authorized police raids in Rio de Janeiro and S??o Paulo to relocate nearly 15,000 families. There is little rhyme or reason over which neighborhoods get to remain in place and which stay: some favelas are offering themselves as cheap housing for tourists, while others face deadly riots and brutalities. The government claims that there is a policy of gentrification in place, but in reality, given that there is no sort of payment system for favela families, this gentrification is just another name for forced eviction. Unfortunately, Brazil is not the only World Cup host to be less than ideal when it comes to government policy and work practice. Russia and Qatar were controversially selected to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, respectively. Russia has a pretty weak human rights record, as demonstrated by the jailing of Pussy Riot, continual abuse of the country's Muslim minority and the anti-gay propaganda law that effectively criminalized being openly gay. Qatar is not much better. The 2022 World Cup is nearly a decade away, but there have already been reports of laborers, many of whom were illegally brought over from Southeast Asia and the Philippines, being underpaid or not paid at all. As a soccer fan, I want to celebrate the best teams in the world playing each other. As someone who identifies as a progressive, I am more than troubled. It is wrong that countries with abusive labor practices or egregious human rights violations are rewarded by the international community and get to host these extravaganzas. Obviously, as an American, it is easy to decry the actions of Brazil and wonder why the government hasn't been better about safety and corruption. The United States and Western Europe can afford certain protections that a country like Brazil simply cannot. It is also easy to forget that the World Cup is giving Brazil a major chance to prove itself as an international player. But this doesn't mean American soccer fans should idly sit by and not be critical about the running of their favorite sport. Sports fans must become more aware of the situation in many of these host countries. While it is hard to control a group like FIFA, and raising awareness is not going to solve every single problem Brazil, Russia and Qatar are facing, it might put pressure on domestic and international lawmakers to change policy. A country like Brazil that wants to be a major world player may be more open to reforms if it is clear Americans are paying attention. It is fine to cheer yourself hoarse for your favorite team, but if fans are ignorant or choose not to acknowledge the problematic elements of a host country, it is unlikely that FIFA or host countries will have any incentive to improve how World Cups are hosted. *
(03/04/14 5:00am)
Women's cross-country and track and field standout Victoria Sanford '14 once enjoyed spending her time on a soccer pitch. "I actually started running track in high school just as a way to stay in shape during the [soccer] off-season," she said at the start of her running career. "I had no idea when I started running that I would eventually make it my main sport." After discovering her talent on the track, though, she ditched her cleats and shin guards for spikes and shoes. "For a while I tried to balance both running and soccer, but eventually realized that I needed to pick one [of the two]," she explained. "I picked running." The decision has paid off immensely. Sanford, an All-University Athletic Association honoree in cross-country, has impressed in both cross-country and track, recording personal bests of 22 minutes, 11 seconds for six kilometers in cross-country and 5:03.41 for the one-mile run in track. As a native of Lagrangeville, New York, Sanford was drawn to Brandeis because her soccer coaches attended the school. "They loved it," she said of her coaches' time at Brandeis. "They got me interested and then after visiting the campus and meeting [former head coach] John [Evans], I knew this was where I wanted to be." Sanford, who attributes her development as a runner to an ability to increase mileage, acknowledges that she most particularly enjoys the simple nature of the sport. "I love how very straightforward running is," she said. "The more effort and training you put in, the more results you get out of it. The results are tangible and there's no feeling quite like the one after running a [personal record]." During this indoor track season, Sanford has parlayed that increase in mileage to the most formidable distance event of all: the mile. In fact, she has focused largely on this event throughout her winter season, competing in the mile four times. That effort and persistence resulted in her aforementioned personal best at the Tufts University Stampede on Feb. 1. Sanford also has illustrated her diverse skill set this year, competing in both the 800-meter run and the 3000-meter run. Yet, while she has shone in all three seasons, Sanford's biggest achievement to date arguably came this past fall during the cross-country season. After earning All-UAA honors, Sanford helped guide Brandeis to its first NCAA Division III Championship appearance since 2001, where the Judges-one of five UAA teams to qualify-finished 22nd in the national meet. Sanford spoke fondly of achieving a goal that had been a long-term target for the team since she and fellow standout Amelia Lundkvist '14 joined in fall 2010. "Going to Nationals meant so much to us," she said. "We had it as [as a priority] since our freshman year, so it was amazing to finally achieve that goal. We all worked so hard over the summer and throughout the season and it was so satisfying to see our hard work pay off." With the rest of the indoor season and a full outdoor season still to come, Sanford looks to continue to shine in her senior year.
