(10/29/13 4:00am)
Prof. Jacob Cohen (AMST) is a man of many names. His legal birth name is "Jerome," but his students call him "Jerry." Arriving on campus only a little over a decade after the University's founders in 1960, Cohen is a trove of insights on the history he teaches but has also lived. In 1960, Cohen arrived on campus to interview for a faculty position in the history department. Before joining the Brandeis faculty, Cohen taught at Yale University. Some questioned his decision to leave a school with such a storied academic reputation for a one that was still in its infancy. Yet for him, Brandeis was a natural choice. "My reasons for coming you could put on a Hallmark greeting card," Cohen said. "My family-a Jewish family-a Zionist family, revered the name of Louis Brandeis. It was an absolutely natural fit." Unlike the hiring process today, Cohen met with faculty members across all departments before he was offered a teaching position. "Every major campus intellectual came to speak with me. Everyone was interested in whom the University was hiring and who fit in with the intellectual community ... My heart was pounding, I was thrilled," he said. Cohen says that his teaching style hasn't changed one bit in all the years he's taught. Although he often teaches lecture classes with around 100 students enrolled, he still reads, grades and writes lengthy comments on every paper by himself, a practice he reported is "really stupid and not very bright in terms of my time, as people tell me." Although Cohen is on leave this semester, you may still see him around campus completing various tasks for a book he is writing entitled Inner-Most Part: Brandeis University and the Jewish Question. It will blend historical analysis and personal memoir in an exploration of Judaism and Brandeis as it attempts to understand what it means to be a "Jewish-sponsored" university. Cohen's book will address Brandeis' complicated relationship with its Jewish roots, specifically the identity crisis the University underwent in the 1980s. "There was a conspicuous effort to un-Jew the place," Cohen said. SAT scores were dropping and the administration felt pressure to diversify, a goal they slowly achieved since then, with over 50 percent of the population now being non-Jewish. This is not the first time Cohen has excused himself from teaching in pursuit of other ambitions. In 1963, only three years after he began his career at Brandeis, he left the University for what he considered a permanent separation at the time in order to, as he described it, save the world. "It didn't work," Cohen said. He had left academia to work with a civil rights organization called the Congress On Racial Equality,where he worked closely with the national director of the organization and edited its magazine. Cohen joined CORE when the organization was very much centered on themes of equality and the notion that race doesn't matter, as expressed in Dr. Martin Luther King's famous speech, in which he stated "I look to a day where people will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." But while Cohen was working there, the organization turned an ideological corner. "CORE underwent a dramatic change from the ideology of black and white integration to black separatism ... and black self-assertion." In 1965, he left the organization. "I wasn't supposed to be there," Cohen said. Before Cohen returned to the University in 1968 as a faculty member of the newly formed American Studies department, he spearheaded an initiative called Upward Bound, which worked to get disadvantaged youth into college. When Cohen did return, he would do similar work as a creator and founding director of the Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program in April of 1968. Cohen got right back in the groove of what he likes doing: teaching. "Asking me which is my favorite course is like asking me which is my favorite kid and you know I'm not telling you and I'm not telling them," Cohen said. "But of course I love them all equally," he added. As early as 1971, Cohen began to teach a course about the 1960s, reported one year in the course guide as one of the best classes at Brandeis, and which addressed topics such as the civil rights movement and student radicalism on college campuses. Cohen will introduce a new course for the coming spring semester called "Digital Media and American Culture," a topic Cohen says his students "know a tremendous [amount] about. Not so much how to think about it, but they really know what it means to be in that world." Other courses Cohen teaches include "Sports in American Culture", one on the future as it is depicted in American literature and a popular course on conspiracy theories. In fact, Cohen is a major enthusiast of conspiracies and one of the world's foremost scholars on conspiracies around the John F. Kennedy assassination. Aside from his career at Brandeis, Cohen is a singer and has performed at various venues, including Carnegie Hall in 1995. He is also telepathic, or at least some people think so. He remarks fondly that he still gets a phone call from time to time from a student addressing him as "wizard," another one of his many names. "Hello wizard!" they say and then, as if by magic, Cohen declares the exact playing card in the student's hand for the amusement of everyone on the other side of the call. Cohen explained that this harmless game serves as a teaching moment between himself and his former students well after they have graduated. The trick is a mundane example of conspiracy theories. "Only we know the truth, and we both need to know in order for the lie to be effective," Cohen said.
(10/28/13 4:00am)
Medical Emergency Oct. 20-A student at 164 Charles River Road called BEMCo to report flu-like symptoms. BEMCo and University Police responded. Following treatment, the student refused further care. Oct. 21-A student alerted University Police of the need to be transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for a psychlogical evaluation. University Police then facilitated the transport of the student to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Oct. 21-A student notified BEMCo that she injured her knee outside Pearlman Hall. BEMCo responded and the student ultimately was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Oct. 23-A student reported severe abdominal pain to University Police. BEMCo responded, and the student was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Oct. 24-A student reported that her friend was feeling ill in a vehicle in Theater Lot. BEMCo responded to the student, who refused further care. Oct. 24-A student reported that a Boston University student injured his ankle in Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. BEMCo proceeded to treat the BU student, who refused further care. Oct. 24-A student in East Quad reported that she had a severe allergic reaction. BEMCo responded and treated the student, who refused further care. Oct. 25-A student in Usen Hall reported that she hurt her back after falling from her bunk bed. University Police and BEMCo responded, and the student was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Oct. 26-A student on Charles River Road was reported to be intoxicated. University Police and BEMCo responded and treated the student, with a signed refusal for further care. Oct. 26-A student reported that a person suffered a nose injury while playing on one of the athletic fields. University Police and BEMCo responded, and from there, the student refused further care. Larceny Oct. 20-A student in Scheffries Hall reported that money has been stolen twice from the wallet in her drawer over the past few weeks. University Police compiled a report of the theft and advised the student to store her money elsewhere. Oct. 20-A student reported that her iPod was stolen during a party in the Foster Mods. University Police proceeded to compile a report of the theft. Oct. 23-A student reported the theft of a laptop in Shapiro Residence Hall. University Police compiled a report of the theft and advised Library and Technology Services to track the laptop's location. Harassment Oct. 22 -A student notified University Police of harassment in the Shapiro Campus Center. University Police compiled a report of the incident. Disturbance Oct. 24-University Police received a report that there had been a loud disturbance and possible altercation in the Tower Lot. University Police responded, and discovered that 12 individuals had been involved in a fraternity scavenger hunt. Individuals were dispersed and a report was compiled on the incident. -compiled by Adam Rabinowitz
(10/28/13 4:00am)
The women's soccer standings in Sports incorrectly ranked the teams. The University of Chicago should have been in fourth place, not New York University. (Oct. 22, p. 15) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(10/21/13 4:00am)
The Brandeis volleyball team suffered a string of tough defeats at the hands of several of their University Athletic Association rivals this past weekend at Washington University in St. Louis. The ladies were swept in successive matches against Carnegie Mellon University, Case Western Reserve University and No. 4 Emory University. The Judges managed to take a set against New York University but ended up falling by a three-set to one-set margin in the last match of the tournament. Brandeis, with the set of losses, drops to a 9-17 overall mark and a 1-6 UAA record. The squad also has not won a game since its Oct. 10 road match at Emerson College. The struggles for the Judges stemmed from their low kill percentage throughout the tournament. Outside hitter Liz Hood '15 was one of the few Judges to record a kill percentage of .300 or better in any of the tournament games. Her performance this weekend represented yet another standout performance for the junior, having just earned the distinction as the ninth player in Brandeis history to record 1,000 kills earlier this year. Outside hitter Si-Si Hensley '14 and libero Elsie Bernaiche '15 led the charge defensively for the day. Hensley, in fact, led the team in digs against Case Western and Carnegie Mellon while Bernaiche earned that distinction in the matches against NYU and Emory. The Judges, in their closest match of the tournament on Sunday against NYU, managed to jump out to a 17-14 lead in the first set before losing the lead on an 11-2 rally from the Violets. In a streaky second set, NYU held a lead as large as nine points before the Judges started to fight back. Brandeis managed to pull within four points but the rally proved to be of no avail as NYU secured a 25-20 victory. The Judges were able to regroup and win the third set 26-24 after many lead changes and a key timeout taken by head coach Michelle Kim. The Judges capitalized, initiating a five-point rally that concluded with a winning kill from outside hitter Summer Koop '16. By the fourth set, however, the momentum they gained did not last. The Judges gave up 13 consecutive points and NYU dominated en route to a 25-7 victory. The Judges, before that, ran into a fourth-ranked Emory team that sought vengeance after suffering its first UAA defeat at the hands of the University of Chicago. The Eagles took care of business, defeating the Judges by final scores of 25-6, 25-15, and 25-11. Koop proved to be a bright spot for the Judges, earning a .500 kill percentage in 12 attempts. Before that, the Judges squared off against Carnegie Mellon and Case, suffering defeat in both matches. The Tartans gained the upper hand with 25-15, 25-16 and 25-12 margins of victory while the Spartans won 25-20, 25-19 and 25-19. With these results, the Judges have earned the number seven seed in the upcoming UAA tournament hosted in Gosman Sports and Convocation Center at Brandeis from Nov. 8 to 9. Meanwhile, the Judges are able to look forward to visits from Mount Holyoke College and Smith College for the Hall of Fame Invitational this weekend. According to middle blocker Carly Gutner-Davis, the team knows exactly what it needs to improve on moving forward. "Our team talks a lot about bringing up and maintaining a high level of energy on the court, in warmups, games and practices," she said. "What [our performances this weekend] ultimately came down to is that we struggled to maintain a high and consistent level of energy this weekend and [our energy level] fluctuated. We have to work on bringing and maintaining a consistently high level of energy to the court and work on our consistency as a team." - Henry Loughlin contributed reporting
(10/21/13 4:00am)
Medical Emergency Oct. 14-A student at Lemberg Academic Center reported pain stemming from a past knee injury. BEMCo arrived to address the situation and the student ultimately was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Oct. 16-A student at Mailman House was sent to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for a psych evaluation. Oct. 17-A student reported that he broke his ankle outside Massell Quad. University Police and BEMCo responded, and the student was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Oct. 18-A student reported that a faculty member in the Abelson-Base-Yalem Building had been suffering from dizziness. University Police and BEMCo arrived on scene to respond to the patient, who seemed to have been suffering from high blood pressure and an elevated pulse rate. The faculty member was treated by BEMCo with a signed refusal for further care. Oct. 19-University Police notified a BEMCo unit of an intoxicated female outside Ridgewood Quad. BEMCo treated the patient, who was then transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Oct. 20-A BEMCo staff member phoned a BEMCo unit to treat an intoxicated female in the Foster Mods. University Police and BEMCo responded to the patient, who was then transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Larceny Oct.14-A student reported credit card fraud at Stoneman Building. University Police arrived on scene to compile a report of the incident. Oct. 16-A student arrived at the University Police station to report that his leather jacket had been stolen in Goldfarb Library. University Police compiled a report of the incident. Oct. 17-A student reported that her backpack was stolen from the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. University Police searched for the bag while Library and Technology Services attempted to track her phone. LTS located the phone-and bag-in Goldfarb Library and obtained it without issue. Vandalism Oct.13-Waltham Police notified University Police that the Abraham Shapiro Academic Center had been vandalized with spray paint along with vehicles and other property on Thornton Road. University Police compiled a report and Facilities Services promptly removed the graffiti. Oct. 13-A community advisor in North Quad notified University Police that the side of Reitman had been spray-painted with graffiti. University Police compiled a report and Facilities Services promptly removed the graffiti. Oct. 16-A staff member from Facilities notified University Police that the entrance to a room within Renfield Hall had appeared to be defaced with human waste. University Police arrived to compile a report of the incident and Facilities Services promptly cleaned the affected area. Miscellaneous Oct. 18-A student in Village B Residence reported that a suspicious person was aggressive and accosted him outside of the residence hall. He followed the student inside, and while no further action had been initiated, the student notified University Police. University Police conducted a sweep of the building and were unable to locate the suspect. The community development coordinator's office was promptly notified and a report was compiled. -compiled by Adam Rabinowitz
(10/14/13 4:00am)
The 2013 induction to Brandeis' Athletics Hall of Fame, a fitting culmination to the 2013 Brandeis Athletics' Homecoming, featured yet another class of accomplished athletes and teams. On Saturday night, six individuals (Jules Love '55 and Rashad Williams '02 of the men's basketball team, Mark Bonaiuto '77 of the baseball squad, Michael Goldfarb '99 of the men's swimming and diving team, Victoria Petrillo '99 of the track and field squad and Danielle Fitzpatrick '04 of the women's basketball squad) etched their names into Brandeis Athletics history. Additionally, the 1957 football team and 1984 men's soccer team were inducted. "Someone told me, that if you live long enough, you get to give a speech," joked Arnie Taub '58, who accepted the honor on behalf of the football squad, which went 6-1 during that year. Despite its small roster, given the team had just 39 players, the squad recorded impressive victories against Northeastern University (14-0), the University of Massachusetts Amherst (47-7), the University of Bridgeport (33-12) and perhaps most notably, its biggest rival, the University of New Hampshire (27-0.) "Our accomplishments were truly a team effort in the truest sense of the word," said Taub. "We had an excellent rapport with the student body. The team wasn't sequestered into a particular dorm or treated as a commodity; we were treated as a part of the student body." Williams, inducted for his accomplishments while a member of the men's basketball, came to Brandeis as part of the Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program at the suggestion of former men's assistant coach Wallace Johnson, whom he had played under for a brief stint in high school. "Growing up in California, in the [San Francisco] Bay Area, I had never heard of Brandeis. But when I got the call, my dad said, 'Well, [you should] look at the opportunity.'" After initially taking some time to settle in, he proved to be a huge success, amassing a Brandeis all-time record of 1,928 points. "The first day, when I was dropped off in my dorm room, I said 'I can't live here! It's too small, and I'm 3,000 miles away from home.'" However, he explained that he was able to make the transition to college life, further noting that his teammates were a big part in earning the "great honor." "I said to [men's coach Brian Meehan], you gotta get the boys ready," he added. "[Because] I will give away all of these points for [Meehan] and the boys to have some more wins." All told, with inductees from seven different sports and four different decades, the event was a fitting way to pay tribute to Brandeis athletics success.
(10/08/13 4:00am)
On Oct. 4, the Brandeis Osher Lifelong Learning Institute hosted an event titled "The Feminine Mystique and the Masculine Response" in the Napoli Trophy Room at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. The discussion was centered on the late Betty Friedan, a feminist revolutionary of the 1960s and '70s, and the impact she has had on what is perceived as the role of women. The panelists were author and professor of American studies at Smith College Daniel Horowitz, Prof. Joyce Antler (AMST), Prof.Marguerite Dorn (BOLLI) and David Small, head of human resources at Steward Healthcare. Roberta Salper, scholar in residence at the Women's Studies Research Center, moderated the discussion. The panelists shared their own experiences with and the effects they saw from Friedan's life work and her renowned book The Feminine Mystique. They also analyzed Friedan's attitude during the second feminist wave in the United States and the discrepancies between her views and other feminists' views. In The Feminine Mystique, Friedan wrote about the "the problem that has no name," or the deep unhappiness of suburban housewives, what she believed was the underlying root of the problem, and how she believed women could move forward from it. She was inspired for her book after conducting a survey of her former Smith College classmates for their 15th anniversary reunion and hearing from her dissatisfied and unfulfilled female peers. Salper introduced the discussion, touching on a point that would arise in each of the panelists' commentary: the dilemma of division in women's roles at home and work as it applies to middle-class women exclusively. While Salper said she was positively influenced by Friedan, she said that "the solutions [Friedan] suggested were incomplete ... A factory girl would remain a factory girl, a maid would remain a maid. It seemed to me that unless a women's movement made changing the status of women like Juanita and Vicenta, domestic workers I knew in Spain, as important as achieving more opportunities for my upper-middle class sister-in-law or for me in the United States, the fundamental causes of women's oppression would not be eliminated." Antler shared her troubles understanding her own mother's identity, who did not have a career. "What kind of woman was she if she did not feel this mysterious fulfillment waxing the kitchen floor?" asked Antler, quoting a sarcastic Friedan excerpt. Antler said she did not see her mother at home all the time like many mothers who were exclusively housewives because she helped run her spouse's business. Antler described that rather than merely assisting their husbands in furthering their careers, Friedan insisted that women needed a life plan, or a deliberately chosen career that they followed for themselves. "My mother didn't pass the test," said Antler. Dorn brought a modern evaluation of what it is like to be a female in the workforce decades after Friedan's feminism, stating that females are still dramatically underrepresented in the workforce and have yet to get over "the maternal wall." She spoke on the importance of planning not only for a career, but also for a home dynamic. Dorn gave other tips for the younger generation, such as how to keep in mind the amount that is needed to pay off student loans and accept that tradeoffs are necessary in balancing work and family. The discussion also touched on the difference between working for the betterment and equalization of women and men's roles through structural changes versus only personal changes of learning to balance home and work. They spoke on how structural changes, meaning the expectations such as work schedule and amount of responsibility placed on workers, must better correlate with wages and lesser gender discrimination. Small spoke about how corporations have begun to try to ignore, or do not formally take into account, gender role differences. For one, he cited "parental leave" used an alternative to "maternity leave" and said he supports a protocol that does not force workers to disclose the reasons for their work hours or penalize for them. Small spoke on the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 as one means still working toward lessening gender discrimination in the workforce now that women are gaining more access to different work opportunities. "I think [Friedan] was scared. [Friedan had] tried to join the communist party, and was a writer for the largest communist dominated union in the U.S.; had people known that, The Feminine Mystique would have been trashed," said Horowitz. "I am enormously grateful to Friedan for her courage and intelligence; she was a singular American woman," said Salper, adding how far women have come from Friedan's period when the word "gender" didn't even exist. The audience was invited to take down any questions on index cards during a brief intermission, and a question-and-answer session with the audience followed. "I think it was great to hear Ms. Dorn speak about how ... the pressure is not just on young women, but on the younger generation to be more motivated. There's a huge misconception that the structure is fine and that it's just the workforce that's wrong, but the structure is definitely in need of fixing," said attendee Omar Sedky '15 in an interview with the Justice. Sedky also expressed his surprise in hearing how panelists of the older generation had a lot to say relevant to the younger generation. "What we're trying to do at BOLLI is to have more intergenerational involvement ... We want the students to be more aware that we're there," said BOLLI event coordinator Phyllis Cohen '62, in an interview with the Justice. BOLLI not only provides adults in the area with a range of services including access to courses by Brandeis faculty, but also interacts with Brandeis students through programs such as mentoring and a program for international graduate students at Brandeis.
(10/08/13 4:00am)
Medical Emergency Sept. 30-A student in Usen Hall reported having flu-like symptoms. University Police responded and the student was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Sept. 30-A parent of a first-year student in Deroy Hall reported that her daughter suffered a leg injury several days before that potentially resulted in a blood clot. BEMCo and University Police responded to treat the student, who was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Oct. 1-The Waltham Fire Department received a report of an injured student in the woods next to North Quad. University Police responded along with the Fire Department to reach the student who remained on the opposite side of the fence. Oct. 2-A staff member at Mailman House requested an ambulance to transport a student to McLean Hospital. University Police assisted. Oct. 2-A student was reported to have fainted at the Spingold Theater Center. BEMCo responded and treated the student, who refused further treatment. Oct. 3-A female first-year student in Usen Hall experienced severe oblique pain and requested BEMCo. BEMCo responded and the student refused further treatment. Oct. 5-A student notified University Police that there was an unresponsive, intoxicated female student in Deroy Hall. BEMCo and University Police responded, and after treatment, the student refused further care. Oct. 5-BEMCo was on hand at the fall concert in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Ceter to respond to an intoxicated female student. The student was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Traffic Oct. 2-A former student reported that her vehicle was hit in a parking spot near Usen Castle. University Police responded and compiled a report on the incident. Oct. 3-A student notified University Police that a vehicle struck a parked car in Tower Lot and immediately left the scene. University Police apprehended the suspect in Charles River Lot, revoked that student's registration and towed the car to the Stoneman bulding until further notice. University judicial charges are expected to be filed. Oct. 3-A student reported that a suspect vehicle struck an automobile near the loading dock adjacent to Sherman Dining Hall. University Police responded and compiled a report on the incident. Disturbance Oct. 5-A reporting party notified University Police of persistent screaming and the additional sound of a baseball bat hitting someone near Hamilton Road. University Police and Waltham Police checked each side of the park, and after an extensive search, found that children were just playing in the area. Miscellaneous Oct. 2-An alarm company notified University Police that an alarm was set off for the ATM in the Usdan Student Center. University Police responded and reported that the ATM was, in fact, just in supervisory mode. * -compiled by Adam Rabinowitz
(10/07/13 4:00am)
Walk through any building or open space on campus, including a classroom, and many of the students you'll see will be absorbed in a laptop, smartphone or other device. Too often, you'll see friends out to dinner sitting around the table tapping away instead of interacting with each other. Visit a thriving online community like Reddit, and you'll find countless users (many of whom are young people) making jokes about how they haven't been outside in days because they're so consumed with the Internet, gaming and other virtual pursuits. It sounds like a sitcom joke, but this kind of situation is all to real. Our entitled, instant gratification-generation needs self-control. We need to take walks, read books; we need to look up and interact with the world beyond the screens in front of our faces, because out there is where life takes place. Of course, all of these technological amenities are fantastic innovations, and they have undoubtedly made our lives richer in countless ways. But there's clearly a dark side that many young people choose to ignore in a cavalier manner. To me, the scariest thing is that we're the guinea pigs. Our parents spent their childhoods and teenage years completely without computers and the Internet and have only adopted these technologies in middle age. In addition to these harms that we'll suffer, we have no idea how our constant use of gadgets and screens will affect our physical, mental and social health. Personally, I'm worried about my eyes. According to WebMD, "Between 50 and 90 percent of people who work at a computer screen have at least some symptoms of eye trouble," and people who spend similarly large amounts of time playing video games can also experience eye problems. There's a documented medical issue called computer vision syndrome, which is even discussed on the American Optometric Association website. But perhaps more seriously, it's also true that people can suffer emotional harm by distancing themselves from reality, and many college students will tell you of someone whose social life has fallen apart, replaced by League of Legends or fantasy football. Internet addiction is a serious issue, and one study by Aviv Weinstein at the Hadassah Medical Organization in Israel cites its prevalence in the United States and Europe as being as high as 8.2 percent. Excessive computer use and addiction can lead to mental disorders like depression, anxiety and sleep disorders, with one study published in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine suggesting that to prevent such problems, adult workers should be limited to less than five hours a day on their computers. In the spirit of full disclosure, I'm not standing on very solid ground from which to lecture. I spend much more time than I should playing video games, watching streaming sports and browsing social networking sites, sinking into this alternate world to relax, escape and discover-and subsequently starting to lose the ability to do so elsewhere. It's a dangerous precedent to set for myself and for our generation. To use a clich?(c) often employed by lawyers, Internet addiction can be a slippery slope to an empty, self-centered life. As suggested by the researchers in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine study, I believe that the solution is moderation. When I was a child, my parents placed a "screen time" limit on me, shutting me off after I had spent one or two hours playing games on the computer or watching TV. These days, I sometimes wish I still had some force in my life to do the same; I find it incredibly difficult to monitor and regulate myself. I'm going to try to, though. For an Environmental Studies class I'm taking this semester, I have an assignment for which I am asked to find a "place in the woods" and visit it every few weeks, sketching plants and trees and jotting down my observations. The first time I went out into the Sachar Woods, and I stayed for an hour and a half, enjoying the foliage, the weather and most of all, the quiet. As I was leaving the woods and walking back to campus, I realized with an uncomfortable jolt that I couldn't remember the last time I had gone hiking, taken a walk in the woods or even passed a few hours without thinking about things tied to the virtual world. I'm not going to go "cold turkey" and stop using my computer or the Internet altogether. I am, however, going to try to use them more moderately. Real life is too beautiful and vibrant to constantly ignore.
(10/07/13 4:00am)
Unlike indoor and outdoor track, cross-country is a sport that features different courses for runners every week. The women's cross-country team is showing, this season, that it doesn't matter where the course is-they still have the ability to emerge victorious. Led by Amelia Lundkvist '14, who finished second overall and first among Division III competitors, the women took the Keene State Invitational by seven points. Host Keene State University was second with 59 points. "The race went very well I think," said Lundkvist. "We got out a lot better and faster than [our meet at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth] and moved up [past our competitors] quickly and fairly easily. As we moved up, we had people to [chase] so that made it go by fast. The finish was tough, but other than that it was a very solid race for us as a team." Additionally, the men took second to Keene State, racking up 58 points to the Owls' 24. The University of Southern Maine was third, finishing 10 points behind the Judges with 68. Lundkvist toured the five-kilometer course in 18 minutes, 46 seconds. Yet, while Lundkvist has been leading the pack for her team this year, she wasn't the only Judge to have a good day. Rookie Maddie Dolins '17 was third, just eight seconds behind Lundkvist. Kelsey Whitaker '16 completed Brandeis' sweep of places two, three and four, coming in at 19:04. On a day where Victoria Sanford '14, who is usually one of the Judges' top-three finishers, was absent, the Judges were able to get some scoring help from the team's younger runners. Ashley Piccirillo-Horan '17 successfully broke the 20-minute barrier as Brandeis' fourth runner, taking 15th overall with a time of 19:46. Kate Farrell '17 rounded out the scoring for the Judges. She completed the course in 20:28, good for 34th place. Though the men didn't take the team victory, they managed to upt forth a promising performance despite challenging circumstances. With Ed Colvin '14-who is usually the Judges' top runner-injured, Jarret Harrigan '15 was the first finisher for the men, taking sixth place overall. Harrigan covered the tough, eight-kilometer course in 27:04. Even with Colvin absent, the men showed their strength. Quinton Hoey '17, who was second on the team to Harrigan at a Sept. 21 meet at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, was also the second Brandeis runner across the line, taking 11th place in 27:27. Michael Rosenbach '15 took 14th overall, timing in at 27:42. Rookie Matt Doran '17 was close behind Rosenbach, placing 17th in 27:56. Grady Ward '16 rounded out the scoring for the men, putting all five competitors in the top 20 and taking 19th overall in 28:01. Though the Judges' team performance indicated obvious strengths, they still have the potential to improve. "Last week was an easier week," said Lundkvist. "Most of the girls only did five miles per day, which is less than what we normally do for a normal week of training. Now we're beginning to pick it up again. We should be back to 55-60 [miles] this week and getting back to regular mileage." In addition to upping their training, the Judges are getting excited for competitive meets ahead in their schedule. "A lot of the good New England schools will be at [our next meet at Connecticut College.] We're really excited to race there and see what we can do against some of the best teams in our region. Looking forward to [Division III New England] Regionals, we're obviously hoping to be one of the top seven teams [which advance to the NCAA Division III Championship], but we're just going to do our best and see what happens." Though ultimately the team's training will be the decisive factor on their fitness heading into the larger meets, Lundvist believes that the Judges' attitude is in the right place as well. "We are feeling good," she said. "We are definitely excited to show what we can do. I think we're going to surprise a lot of people." The Judges will race on Saturday, Oct. 19 at the Connecticut College Invitational. *
(10/01/13 4:00am)
Medical Emergency Sept. 23-University Police received a report that a female had a lacerated hand. BEMCo and University Police responded and the party was treated on-scene and eventually transported to an urgent care facility. Sept. 23-University Police received a report that a student hit his head on a concrete slab while playing sports and received a small cut over his left eye. BEMCo and University Police responded, and the party was transported to the hospital for further care. Sept. 25-University Police and BEMCo responded to a student having an allergic reaction. The student was treated on-scene and transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Sept. 26-University Police received a report of a female student who had sustained a head injury while playing soccer. BEMCo responded and the student refused further treatment. Sept. 26-University Police received a report of a female student with a knee injury. BEMCo responded and the student refused further treatment. Sept. 28-A student reported that she felt dizzy and had a headache. BEMCo treated the student on-scene and she was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Disturbance Sept. 25-University Police responded to a call from Sherman Dining Hall, where there was a problem with an employee who was being terminated. Police issued a no trespass warning to the party, who departed without incidence. Sept. 26-A party reported that a parent stated that he was trying to contact his daughter in her dormitory. The reporting party refused to let the parent enter the building. The custodian from the building reported that the male spoke to his daughter and left the building, with no further action taken by University Police. Sept. 27-University Police received a complaint of loud music coming from the Foster Mods. University Police on scene advised residents to shut off the music, and they complied. Sept. 28-University Police received a report of a loud party at Charles River Apartments. Upon arrival of University Police, the party was dispersed by the Community Advisor on duty. Sept. 28-University police received a report of loud music at Charles River Apartments. University Police advised the residents to shut off the music, and they complied. Assault Sept. 23-University Police received a report that a female student had been a victim of domestic assault on campus. When officers arrived, the student refused to cooperate with the police and demanded that the officers leave. The Community Development Coordinator on call was notified of the incident. Traffic Sept. 23-A party reported that his University-operated vehicle was struck by another vehicle. University Police reported that the non-University vehicle was at fault, but no damage was done to the University vehicle. Larceny Sept. 25-University Police witnessed a student using bolt cutters to cut the lock off someone else's locker in the men's locker room in Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. A report was filed and the incident is being investigated. Drugs Sept. 28-A community advisor reported that parties might be smoking marijuana outside a dormitory. When University Police arrived, the area was vacant. -compiled by Sam Mintz
(09/30/13 4:00am)
For Katy Dowling '15, vice-president of the Brandeis crew team, the sport is a family affair. The first annual Alumni Regatta on Saturday presented an opportunity for first-year novices to watch the proverbial "family" unite in memorable fashion. "This provided a valuable opportunity for novice [first-year] rowers to really see how rowing can affect you for the rest of your lives and gave them an opportunity to see their first race," Dowling wrote. In total, 22 alumni returned to compete in the day-long event, and it was as if they never left. "This gave alumni who haven't had a chance to row for many years to get back on the water with people they spent five (sometimes six) days a week with," she said. Dowling she said primarily recruited members of the Class of 2008 to row in the regatta, but there were a few special guests at the ceremony. These guests included Laura Hand '11, a member of Community Rower Inc., a non-profit rowing club located on the Charles River in Boston; novice coach Jeremy Asch '12; and Mei Ling Caldera '11. The novices had been particularly impressed by the appearance of Caldera, who is an educational expert on coxing and well-known among the professional community. "The novice coxswains were very excited to meet Mei Ling, as they had heard about her and read her book," Dowling stated. "They were a bit star-struck to meet her, and their enthusiasm was obvious." Steve Simons '88, a member of the first rowing class at Brandeis, attended the event. For Dowling, it could not have been more fitting that he had the opportunity to see his namesake boat, "The First Class," race. The novices also came to witness these rowers in action, and they certainly witnessed an exciting race. Five teams competed in the one-kilometer race, and while the competitors were close, one boat managed to edge out the rest for first place. Brett Wu '08, Dan Boldyrev '09, Ben Pernick '09, Jeremy Gottlieb '10 and Brontte Hwang '15, who coxed, crossed the finish line in three minutes, 55 seconds to earn top honors. Greg Ryan '12, Jeremy Asch '12, Justin Lambert '12 and Jorge Ascencio '12, with Caldera bringing up the rear as coxswain, took second. Andy Hyde '12, Avital DeSharon '12, Bill Ennis '12, Alex Barnett '11 and Megan Carden '15 as coxswain, rounded out the top three teams. Yet, the biggest surprise of the day for novices and alumni alike may have been at the post-race barbeque in the Napoli Room. University President Frederick Lawrence arrived to note his pride in the crew team's accomplishments and also encouraged novices to partake in this storied tradition. According to Dowling, he discussed how "rowing is a sport that pits a person against both time and gravity ... this is a sport about bettering ourselves, and competing against ourselves."
(09/30/13 4:00am)
Even as a six-time All-American runner from Providence College in 1993, assistant cross-country and track and field coach Sinead Delahunty-Evans had some unfinished business to take care of. She held a dream throughout college to run faster and eventually compete in the Olympics. After signing a contract with New Balance in 1994, her dream started to become a reality. Delahunty-Evans would go on to compete in two Olympic Games and four World Championships for her native Ireland in her 11-year professional career. However, it was as a spectator at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London that she had the opportunity to reflect on her professional career, and ultimately, those initial aspirations she had while a student-athlete at Providence. "For me, I relived what a great achievement it is to compete on the international level," said Delahunty-Evans. "Now, more than ever, I have grown to really be able to appreciate it." Her road to success began when she was young. As a 10-year old in Kilkenny, Ireland, Delahunty-Evans aspired to join the Kilkenny City Harriers, a renowned running club. The next eight years saw her quickly emerge as one of the club's top runners, and was when she found her favorite event-the 1,500-meter run. From there, though, her next step happened to be at Division-I Providence in the United States, where she ran for esteemed coach Ray Treacy. Delahunty-Evans starred at Providence, collecting six All-American honors and establishing numerous school records. She was quick to attribute her professional success to Treacy's adept coaching. "[Track-and-field] is a sport of attrition," she said. "It involves consistency from season to season, and in order to be the best athlete you can be, you must have an honest and clear relationship with your coach." Coaching proved to be quite important, as she embarked on her new career with New Balance in 1994 with her new coach, husband John Evans. He guided and trained his wife to some impressive accomplishments, beginning with a victory in the Fifth Avenue Mile in New York. She won the race in 1995, covering the distance in a quick four minutes, 25 seconds and beating Paula Radcliffe-who is perhaps best known as world record holder in the women's marathon-in a close finish. Yet, it was in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta and 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia where Delahunty-Evans showcased her talent on the world's largest stage. While Delahunty-Evans ultimately advanced to the 1996 semifinals for Ireland in Atlanta, finishing with a time of 4:12.52 in the 1,500 meter, she could not help but be dismayed at her close brush with a potential victory. "1996 was disappointing, especially because I was in such phenomenal shape," she said. "While I made it to the semifinals, nerves still got the best of me." However, one Olympics appearance proved not to be the only one for Delahunty-Evans. She persisted, and after a rigorous training season, managed to once again compete for Ireland in Sydney. While she fell short of another semifinals appearance in 2000, Delahunty-Evans still noted that the experiences were unforgettable for her. "You don't often get to travel around the world with some of the best runners out there," she said. "That's something you'll always have with you." Delahunty-Evans will also always have the memorable experience of competing for Ireland in four International Athletics Association Federation Track and Field World Championships. She continued her strong string of performances, securing top-four finishes in the 1,500-meter in 1997 and 2000. "It is essentially the same as the Olympics-it's the same level of competition but just under a different umbrella," she said of the World Championships. "It was the same great atmosphere, and of course, I loved having the opportunity to represent my country." She took a professional hiatus to raise the couple's first son. However, after some time off, she longed to get back into the sport. After reflecting on the excellent coaching she received as an athlete, she wished to pay it forward, which she began in 2010. "I had great coaching and it is easy to apply the lessons I learned along the way," she said. "There's an art to knowing what your athlete needs to succeed, and hopefully, I've learned that." For the past four years as an assistant coach under her husband, she has more than succeeded. Delahunty-Evans has helped coach eight Brandeis athletes to NCAA appearances, including All-Americans Grayce Selig '11 and Chris Brown '12. This year is a special one for her, though, as it will be the first in which she is a full-time coach. The most exciting part, for her, is being able to see her athletes excel on a daily basis. "The best feeling-for me as a coach-is when someone runs a [personal record]," she said. "I'm so excited to see them succeed this year." If the past is any indication, the squads are in for the experience of a lifetime.
(09/24/13 4:00am)
Before the start of the 2013 to 2014 season, the National Football League made headlines by settling a lawsuit with over 4,500 of its former players for $765 million, putting an end to the players' lawsuit accusing the league of hiding the dangers of concussions. New research surrounding traumatic brain injury is the biggest threat to the future of America's most popular sport, as adults and children alike are increasingly dissuaded from playing. How can football ensure the safety of its players at all levels while still maintaining the integrity of the game? Tom Rand The NFL and football leagues at all levels have incorporated rules recently to try to reduce the potential for concussions. In reality, however, it is a physical game and the risk always exists. The significance of this lawsuit and recent medical research is that now the information about the dangers and long-term effects of concussions is out there. People can now make informed decisions about whether or not to play (or whether or not to allow their children to play). Tom Rand is the associate director of Brandeis Athletics. Aaron Schluger '14 It does not seem surprising that repeated blows to the head could cause some form of damage to the brain. Yet we are far upfield when it comes to understanding the potentially harmful effects of football. Anecdotal evidence suggests that there may be considerable danger to the brain from playing football. There is a need for more systematic study on the danger of repeated high intensity collisions in the sport. First, rigorous research regarding the intellectual functioning and neurological status of football players must be conducted at all ages and levels of competition to gain a clear picture of the spectrum of potential dangers to athletes in high school, college and professional leagues. Second, based on the results of these studies, amendments to official rules of play and drastic improvements in helmet design and other protective equipment should follow to limit risks that may lead to devastating conditions in older age. Football is enormously popular in America and certainly, this new knowledge could threaten the future of the game and of those benefitting from the big business of football. However, the integrity of the game is grounded in the safety of its players. Aaron Schluger '14 is president of the Brandeis Pre-Health Society. Jeffrey Boxer '13 If there were an easy answer to that question, the NFL wouldn't be in the mess that it is in right now. On the one hand, our understanding of concussions has improved tremendously, as has the equipment used to protect against them. Fans no longer applaud bone-jarring hits-those plays now draw penalties and fines. In many ways, football is moving in the right direction. Unfortunately, these are all Band-Aids, not solutions. Today's players are much stronger and faster than yesteryear's and that leads to harder collisions and more opportunities for injury. Some have suggested widening the field of play so that players are more spaced out. Others have argued that contact should be reduced even further. Whatever happens, the NFL, NCAA and youth leagues across the country are going to have a difficult time maintaining the integrity of the sport while simultaneously ensuring the safety of its participants. Jeffrey Boxer '13 is the marketing and promotions coordinator for Brandeis Athletics and a former editor of the Justice. Max Bernstein '15 I feel like it's common sense, but it is extremely dangerous to receive blunt force trauma to the head. The brain is an absolutely amazing organ, but it's fragile and needs to be protected. Football is a dangerous sport in this regard, but you can't get rid of it. It's too American, like apple pie and beer. What would we do as American citizens if we couldn't sit on our couches watching people exercise when we don't want to? In truth, the best way to protect the integrity of the game and the players simultaneously is to improve the protective capabilities of the helmets and reduce the amount of possibly dangerous contact during training so the only time there is significant contact is during games. If practices limited the amount of potentially dangerous tackles, the players would have a better chance of avoiding brain injury while still entertaining us during televised games. Max Bernstein '15 is a research assistant for Prof. Don Katz (PSYC), a Neuroscience and Psychology double major, and a member of Alpha Epsilon Pi.
(09/23/13 4:00am)
The New England Revolution was quite excited to acquire the number-one selection for the Major League Soccer SuperDraft in January. It turns out the squad made a wise investment in right-back Andrew Farrell. A right-back who has started 27 games this season, the 21-year-old Farrell has gained valuable experience in his first year in the MLS. "Growing up in Peru, where soccer is the biggest sport, I played every day after class," said Farrell, a Louisville, Ky. native who lived in South America from ages five to 15 with his parents. "I just played a lot of soccer." Despite his young age, Farrell's pedigree is impressive. A former National Soccer Coaches Association of America First Team All-American at the University of Louisville, he was named Big East Player of the Year as a junior in college, and was an integral part of a team that took part in the NCAA Division I Championship all three years that he played. However, it is his adaptability that is arguably Farrell's biggest asset. After starting his collegiate career as a defensive midfielder, he was switched to center-back and now plays right-back. "I got my technical ability from playing in Peru," he said, explaining that a lot of defenders are mostly known for their physical side of the game. "It's a pretty good level of soccer there, and it's very competitive. Overall, developing that technical ability has helped me throughout my career." When asked who his main influences were, Farrell cited the Revs' head coach Jay Heaps. "[Heaps] played that position in his career," said Farrell. "A lot of what we've talked about is timing. If [left-back] Chris [Tierney] is staying back, I have to go forward and support the attack. When he goes forward, I stay back. When we're chasing the game, we have to support the offense and go forward. [Opponents] can get broken down by us having more numbers up top. "It's kind of like an accordion-when one of us goes somewhere, the other shifts to help out." Though a title such as "number-one draft pick" might come with prestige, Farrell does not let that go to his head. His down-to-earth, driven personality is evident and suggests that his focus and drive have not been altered by the accolades he has received. "At some point, I'd love to represent my country," he said. "Being able to play for my national team would be incredible. As far as my [individual] game goes, I just want to grow offensively-I think my game can still increase a lot in that area. And I'll hopefully get the chance to play in Europe if that opportunity comes." Despite his ambitions, Farrell isn't getting too far ahead of himself, and is appreciative of his current challenge. "I'm happy where I am right now," he said. "I'm in a good place."
(09/23/13 4:00am)
The Boston Red Sox entered the 2013 season after a last-place finish in the American League East and three consecutive absences from the playoffs. Likewise, two years ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers were an organization in shambles. The squad had a controversial owner, Frank McCourt, who bought the team on borrowed money and was forced to sell the team to the Guggenheim Baseball Management group with Magic Johnson as a prominent figure for two billion dollars. Last week, both franchises made a resounding statement following a long road of failure and adversity. Boston clinched the American League East for the first time since 2007 on Friday night, while on Thursday night, the Dodgers clinched their first National League West division title since 2009. It may seem likely, after a sluggish start, that both teams will cross paths in the World Series. So-how formidable are the Dodgers? A slew of injuries had the Dodgers off to a rocky start to the season. Shortstop Hanley Ramirez, all-star center fielder Matt Kemp and free agent signee pitcher Zack Greinke all missed significant time. On June 21, the Dodgers were 30-42 and nine and a half games behind the first place Arizona Diamondbacks. On Aug. 17, though, they were 69-50 and well on their way to securing a first place finish in the National League West. That win on Aug. 17 topped off an unheard-of 42-8 run, the best 50-game stretch in the last 100 years. In fact, that is the most notable stretch of victories in the live-ball era. Outfielder Yasiel Puig could be the biggest reason this run occurred. During those 50 games, Puig's on-base percentage dipped below .400 once-to .398-and was consistently around .425. He played center and right field at an exceptional level, especially while his all-out style of play fueled the team on a nightly basis. Just a month into his baseball career, he was the center of a television advertisement marketing baseball on ESPN. He is not only important for the Dodgers-he is making the sport more popular. Once they were healthy, though, Ramirez and Greinke played tremendously this year. They have both put up all-star numbers since the middle of June. Greinke is 15-3 with a 2.45 earned run average on the year, good for fourth in the league. Ramirez is batting .351 with 20 home runs and 57 runs batted in despite battling injuries all season. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez has 98 runs batted in and has been a force in the field and in the third spot in the lineup during the season. Clayton Kershaw, the ace of the pitching staff, currently has a 1.94 earned run average. He has drawn comparisons to former Dodger Sandy Koufax, one of the greatest pitchers of all time. His 14-9 record is deceiving because he has pitched so well. A little bad luck has contributed to the oddly mediocre winning percentage. Nevertheless, he is on pace to win his second Cy Young award and has made a strong case for the National League Most Valuable Player award. The bullpen has been a huge boost. A formidable bullpen makes a good team great, and therefore, that's exactly what has happened for these Dodgers. Closer Kenley Jansen has led the staff to post a 1.69 earned run average since the all-star break. The biggest contributing factor, though, is money. The Magic Johnson-led group has infused an incredible amount of cash into the organization. After an unprecedented trade with the Red Sox in July 2012 in which the Dodgers acquired $220 million in salary, Los Angeles also extended Kemp and outfielder Andre Ethier's contracts. With the additional signings of premier starting pitcher Greinke as well as No. 3 Ricky Nolasco, the Dodgers boast a $220 million payroll, tops in the league. The Dodgers have championship aspirations, and ultimately, it's looking as if this surging squad will draw the Red Sox in the World Series. That would be quite a turnaround.
(09/23/13 4:00am)
The Judges hosted a three-team tournament this weekend, competing against the Emmanuel College Saints and the Colby-Sawyer College Chargers. The Judges failed to pick up a win, falling to 6-8 on the season, having beaten Wheaton College 3-1 earlier in the season. The Judges' first match went to four sets. Brandeis lost the first two sets 25-20, and 25-19, respectively. However, the hosts rebounded in the third set with a 25-13 win, adding 14 kills and a sense of momentum going into the final set. However, the Judges could not claw back to tie the Saints. Emmanuel won the set by 25-14 and sealed the match. In their second match, the Judges lost in straight sets to the Chargers. The Judges surrendered the first set by a 25-18 score. In the second set, both squads went back and forth but the Chargers were able to scratch out a 25-23 win before wrapping up the victory with a 25-16 triumph in the third set. Despite falling in both of the matches, the Judges featured some notable individual performers. Outside hitter Liz Hood '15 recorded a combined 29 kills on the day, while libero Elsie Bernaiche '15 added 33 digs in the defeat. Setter Maggie Swenson '15 posted 34 assists in the first match and managed to tally up another 19 in the second match. "Liz gets a big kill whenever we really need one," said Bernaiche, who, for her part, led both matches in digs. Though the Judges did have some standout performances in both of the matches, head coach Michelle Kim said she believed that the Judges didn't play to their full potential during the tournament. "We didn't play as a team today," Kim said. "We just didn't have it." Kim said that the team did "okay" with a lot of things, but that ultimately "okay" won't lead to many wins. "It's important that we don't get too comfortable with the way we are playing. We always have to be pushing," Kim said. Co-captain and outside setter Yael Einhorn '14 thinks that attitude is a big part of the winning formula. She additionally noted that the Judges need to make a few adjustments in that area. "If we don't improve our attitude from this past weekend, we are going to have trouble in conference games," she said. According to Einhorn, volleyball is a sport filled with enthusiasm and encouragement. However, she also acknowledged that it is hard to stay positive when each member of the team is highly competitive and in conflict with one another. Despite the challenges that the Judges have faced in that particular area, she said she believes that the team has the potential to improve the issue and, as a result, become more successful. "Still, the team chemistry is fantastic and we all get along great," she continued, "even if sometimes it doesn't totally show when we play together." Earlier in the week, the Judges downed the visiting Lyons of Wheaton. In that game, Hensley stood out for Brandeis, recording a double-double for the second time this season by notching 15 kills and 11 digs. Hensley's kill total was her best this season and second on the team to Hood. When asked about what goals the team had for the year, Einhorn said that the team wants to make it to the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships, and improve their record in the University Athletic Association. "We also want to have more fun when we play, which will lead to more wins, " Einhorn said. According to Coach Kim, the goal is for the team to "play [its] best volleyball." The Judges will play their next match tonight at 7 p.m. at Simmons College. - Henry Loughlin contributed reporting
(09/17/13 4:00am)
A photograph in Sports misidentified the photographer. The photograph was taken by Jonathan Dweck, not Jon Edelstein. (Aug. 27, p. 13) An article in Arts incorrectly identified the date of the auditions for the upcoming BTC show Cabaret. The auditions were held on Sept. 7, not Sept. 15. The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
(09/17/13 4:00am)
This past summer, several "green" initiatives through the Brandeis Sustainability Fund came to fruition, most notably the installation of three electric car-charging stations on campus and solar energy panels on the roof of the Charles River Apartments. We support the implementation of these projects and hope the University continues its efforts to further the sustainability of the campus. Over the past nine months, Vivian Zeng '14 has worked in coordination with the Sustainability Fund to install three electric car-charging stations throughout campus: one in the Tower Lot, one in the Athletics Lot and one station in the Admissions Lot. The stations will also be free of charge. We admire the Sustainability Fund's efforts to implement a project that has the potential of a substantial and practical impact on the environment. The carbon footprint of a gasoline car has long towered over electric cars. According to the United States Department of Energy's website, electric cars convert about 59 to 62 percent of the electrical energy from the grid to power at the wheels while conventional gasoline vehicles only convert about 17 to 21 percent. Furthermore, electric cars emit little to no tailpipe pollutants. Given the project's innovative nature, the installation of the electric car-charging stations aligns well with the social justice mission of the University. A common stumbling block to the purchase of electric cars, especially for students, is the price of the car. While the stations may not be relevant to the community for several years, we recognize that these stations are pioneering a future sustainable campus. The environmental benefits of electric cars are evident and perhaps the introduction of the stations will encourage students to adopt the electric cars themselves. Another impediment to the installation of the charging stations is the lack of energy efficient buildings on campus that can efficiently power the stations, due to the age of the majority of campus buildings. However, it appears the University is attempting to rectify the sustainability of buildings as well. Through the Sustainability Fund, the University has recently installed water-heating solar panels on the roof of the Charles River Apartments, in addition to the solar panels on the roof of the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center that were installed in February 2010. We hope the University continues this trend and moves forward to install panels on other areas of the campus as well. In the past, this board has scrutinized previous projects that have been initiated by the Brandeis Sustainability Fund, which is given $50,000 each semester funded by students to further implement these projects. However, the solar heating panels and electric car charging stations are a progressive step for the University that will help to ensure the campus' future sustainability. We commend those involved in these projects for their efforts and look forward to seeing continued progress towards an environmentally friendly campus. *
(09/17/13 4:00am)
What's your major? If you're a first-year like me, and maybe even if you aren't, you've been asked this a lot over these first couple of weeks. Maybe you know for sure that you're a Neuroscience major. Maybe you're kind of sure that you're an English major. Or maybe you have no idea; you feel overwhelmed and unsettled by even labeling yourself with a major. In any case, this seems to be a big topic of discussion (at least until we can all remember each other's names). But it's paramount that we remember why we're in school in the first place. We are not here just to get a job; we're here to learn and discover-not just about the periodic table, but about ourselves. We're here to find, explore and develop passions and curiosities. We're here to change the world. While we all have to work to live, we are not alive to work. For many of us, high school wasn't about learning and self-discovery; it was about surviving. We convinced ourselves that if we didn't get into the elite IVIES (or Brandeis), we'd end up homeless on the streets. And so it follows that choosing a major became strictly an economic analysis-the safest path into the highest-paying job. A little bit of research yields that engineering, computer science, finance and of course, law and health, come up at the top of that list. According to a recent Forbes article, the average starting salary of engineers is $63,000, while the humanities and social sciences scrape by with $37,000-sorry English majors. But performing such an analysis and calculating our chances based on income seems like a lousy way to go about living. Going to college gives us more job security and more materialistic satisfaction in the long run, but why are we looking for more security and material satisfaction? Are we insecure and discontent with our lives? I'm certainly not saying that anybody should forgo material altogether and starve on the streets, but chasing materialism will lead to an insatiable hunger of its own. Instead of trying to fill this void of insecurity and dissatisfaction with temporary material, why not fill it with something that lasts? Passions and curiosities never die. You gain and lose wealth because it's out of your control, but what you love to do in this world, what you strive to understand, doesn't go away until you find something more captivating. I won't assert that I know everyone's plans, but I will say that we are outlining the paths we'll follow for the rest of our lives, whether we like it or not. Just think about that for a second. If you still feel like you're working toward an end-that this day, this week, this semester or even this year is a necessary evil to achieve something bigger-I implore you to consider this: college is the something bigger. Take a class or join a club you've always wanted to try, or maybe even one you've never heard of. Don't waste four years of your life (and a lot of money) studying something you decided on in the seventh grade without even exploring your options first. Go outside of your comfort zone and take advantage of your time here. College has literally everything you need to explore each walk of life. In college, you can develop your inner jock, artist, scholar or whatever else. Walking through the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center last week, I saw a machine on the basketball courts that catches your missed shots and passes them right back to you, without you needing to move a step, and a machine in the Linsey pool locker room that dries your bathing suit within seconds. This place has it all. But even if you're not willing to don a speedo or pair of Jordans, how about trying out an intro class you're not familiar with? Linguistics, computer science, sociology, philosophy, theater, Chinese music and its origins-whatever it may be, just go for it. If you end up not liking it that much, no big deal; it's only one class out of around 32 you'll take in college. But if you discover something you really do love, and you find yourself eager for the next class, reading ahead in the textbook and feeling mentally engaged and stimulated, then you've made it. "Work" becomes learning. "College" becomes home. Your "major" becomes your life. You can take this time to do what you want to do. No, don't act impulsively and nap all day, but do let your curiosities take hold of you. Free yourself from society's expectations, curiosities and passions, and become captive to your own. Did you know that "Feminist Sexual Ethics in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam" is a class offered this semester? How about "Mobile Application Development?" Whatever classes you end up taking, majors you end up deciding on and clubs you end up joining or, whatever-do it for yourself. *
