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As the clock wound down to the final minute in the men's basketball match against Amherst College last Saturday, Brandeis students stormed onto the court, mobbing the players after a Cinderella upset.
This past week, a student at Florida A&M University was reported dead as a result of excessive hazing by the school's nationally renowned marching band. The marching band has had a persistent history of hazing, this time resulting in the death of Robert Champion, a 26-year-old drum major at the university. Prior to this incident, in 2001, trumpeter Marcus Parker was paddled so severely he ended up in the hospital with kidney damage. Although intense hazing within the marching band is just one instance, the issue is a serious one that needs to be addressed. Though hazing is notoriously more popular among fraternities and sororities, this incident with the marching band shows that hazing is present in even the most unlikely clubs and activities. While hazing hasn't openly been a problem at Brandeis, there have been many colleges that have had issues with the practice. To show some equally severe examples, we can turn to fraternities. Last year, a pledge of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at Cornell University died after reportedly being kidnapped, tied up and then asked to answer questions about the fraternity's history. The consequence for a wrong answer: being forced to drink until his blood alcohol concentration eventually rose to .409. Once he passed out, he was left in the frat house's library to die. Sigma Alpha Epsilon has had issues in other chapters, as well. In 2006, a pledge at the University of Texas fell off a five-story building after a night of forced intoxication and other physical hazing. And even years before, a pledge of the Chi Tau fraternity at California State University, Chico passed away after the fraternity members poured cold water on him in front of powerful electric fans while forcing him to drink several gallons of cold water. The pledge, Ryan Carrington, died from a combination of water intoxication and hypothermia. These are just a few of many examples that prove that hazing is a dangerous and inappropriate practice that can undoubtedly be detrimental to one's physical and mental health. Vicki Hays, the associate director for Counseling and Psychological Services at the University of Michigan, has observed that people "have had a negative emotional or psychological reaction with hazing that's happened to them or even to someone else." Hays also said that other reactions can include anger, confusion and both physical and emotional pain. Sometimes, the psychological effects of hazing are delayed, and people may not think they are affected by it; however, a reminder of the event may trigger an emotional reaction at any time. The concept of extreme hazing is troubling. You shouldn't have to do something terrible just to be able to be part of a group. I understand the concept of a mandatory pledge process, but that doesn't mean that the tasks assigned need to be detrimental to an individual's health. There are ways to initiate a member without crossing the line, such as throwing a party or getting to know them one-on-one through pledging interviews. Nothing inappropriate needs to occur in order for that individual to be accepted into the group. Extreme hazing like this does not build any sort of unity, and students need to understand that they can leave the pledging process if they feel they do not want to associate with a group that makes them do terrible things. They need to have the courage to believe that enduring physical and emotional trauma for the sake of being accepted into a group is not worth it. Universities need to take hazing more seriously and investigate instances where students are being harmed. The worst thing about the marching band death was that Florida A&M had been warned about incidents of excessive hazing but took no solid action other than sending a stern warning to stop it. Of course schools should have a strict "no hazing" policy, but when there is evidence brought to the administration of extreme hazing that may potentially put students in danger, the university needs to take further action. While there can be innocent forms of hazing and teasing, fraternities, sororities, sports teams and other groups need to ensure the safety of their members. This should be their first priority. Admittedly, the pledge process is supposed to be difficult and challenging; however, no member should be forced to cross his or her moral boundaries just to be part of a group.
An article in Arts incorrectly stated the name of a dance performed at Brandeis Dancing With the Stars. Performers Danielle Vasserman '12 and Dima Khazanov began their performance with a jive, not a cha-cha. The article also incorrectly stated that the Ballroom Dance team taught dance moves to viewers. Professional dance instructor Zeke Sublett gave lessons, assisted by members of the Ballroom Dance Team. The article also incorrectly stated the name of the dance studio at which the Ballroom Dance Team practices. The studio is SuperShag Studios, not Dance Fever Studios. (Nov. 15, p. 19)
I was settling into my quiet routine of a Tunnelbana commute from the University of Stockholm, listening to "Teenage Dream"on my iPhone and thinking about which Disney movie I would watch with my very adorable and very blond preschool host brothers that evening, when mass chaos ensued. Hordes of people dressed in yellow and black pushed their way onto the train, chanting, banging the roof and jumping up and down. I gazed at the people and tried to determine what was happening, as the police escorted a group of people off the train. I became quickly lost listening to the Swedish announcement of the conductor, which was nothing like the basic Swedish they teach you in the first week of class. The train started moving again as cheering and singing people drank beers and an electric feeling of excitement imbued the entire car. The train blew by five stops without even slowing down before reaching my destination in Solna Centrum. As the doors opened, crowds of people tried to squeeze out at once to join the masses headed outside. Cell phones, beer bottles and newspapers fell to the platform floor as people pushed to the exit, cattle-style. Suddenly, a firework was launched at the train, and I seemed to be the only one even mildly concerned that it was launched underground. I was contemplating the chaos around me when I finally noticed the escalators ahead. All three had been turned off and were filled with people pushing their way up, scaling the slippery metal area between the escalators in order to reach the outside world faster. I was shocked at how quickly my quiet afternoon routine had turned into utter chaos. I finally reached the outside world. There were fireworks being launched to both my left and right. There were cops with batons forcefully pushing people to the side and out from under the underpass. There were echoing yells. And then I figured it out. There was a big soccer match between Stockholm's two rivaling teams that night, and the riot-like experience was just the Swedish anticipation of a good match, an excitement which often engulfs the soccer-centered country. I had never considered Swedes as very sports-minded people. Before coming to Stockholm, I envisioned Stockholm University as a larger and blonder version of Brandeis. Not only is it supersized, with more than 50,000 students, but students here also don't typically start college until their early to mid-twenties, making for a much older student population than we are used to at Brandeis. I thought the larger size would mean more diverse clubs and different things to get involved in that aren't available at Brandeis, but I was mistaken. The blandness at Stockholm University manifests itself with less than a third of the number of clubs offered at Brandeis, and most of the ones they do have are designed for specific majors or future career paths. I was disheartened and wondered how I would fill my free time in a country so far from my pre-med requirements. I went to Plan B: Google. I looked up any and every interesting-looking activity I could think of that might be offered around the Stockholm area. I searched for extracurricular activities offered in English so I wouldn't be left in a constant state of wide-eyed incomprehension. A member of the Brandeis' women's ultimate Frisbee team, I decided to Google ultimate opportunities in the area. I easily found the website for a mixed team that was based in Stockholm and had a website in English. It looked perfect, but waiting days without a response from the team captain deflated me a bit. By this time, the foreign feeling of having too much free time began wearing on me and I decided take matters into my own hands. With practice times and locations for the Stockholm Syndromes Frisbee team listed on the website, I decided to show up and see what would happen. My confidence dulled as I wandered around lost for an hour among Swedish street signs, desperately trying to find the park. I became increasingly unsure of my decision when I finally stumbled upon a team that moved with a fluency that only comes from significant experience playing together. I joined the team despite my apprehension. It turns out that the Stockholm Syndromes are not as polished and cohesive as they first appeared. Rather, it is an eclectic team with players from all around the globe. I played with the Syndromes that day, and the following I week even participated in the Swedish Nationals tournament. Although the prevalence of ultimate is much lower in Sweden than in the U.S., the "ultimate culture" is similar to that of back home. I've found international friends in the sport that I love. There is a camaraderie about the ultimate players here. It makes the community a most welcoming group and has helped me find my place in Sweden.
When you look at movies like 2009's Old Dogs and this October's The Big Year, the guiding thought behind their creation seems to be, "Let's get aging actors and comedians currently experiencing mid-life crises, put them in ridiculous situations, then watch hilarity ensue." Anyone who's seen even a trailer for one of these types of movies knows that hilarity doesn't ensue. Instead, these movies are cash-grab gimmicks that often disrespect the actual talent of the actors.
When emails have to be sent repeatedly in order to encourage students to do something, it's usually because the students aren't already doing the something in question. So those emails imploring students to attend soccer games two weeks ago probably had something to do with a lack of student attendance at soccer games, or even university sporting events in general. But I think that indifferent attitude extends beyond University athletics to the University in general. Students here may enjoy and appreciate the Brandeis experience, but we're not quick to exhibit too much passionate Brandeis pride beyond campus. That lack of school spirit is mostly treated as some sort of problem in need of repair. But perhaps it shouldn't be. Just because we're not out there cheering and roaring about our love for this university doesn't mean we don't care for Brandeis. We do love it, though maybe just a little more quietly than students at other colleges. It's possible that we appreciate our Brandeisian identity in a different way than most other schools appear to do. Perhaps, though, our apparent apathy articulates something meaningful about Brandeis' Jewish identity. And perhaps it conveys a difference between two very different models of Jewish sovereignty—Brandeis and Israel. When Jews think of 1948 (irrespective of whatever post-identity label they may self-apply), they think Israel. When Brandeisians do the same (provided that they have their facts in order), they think Brandeis. Aside from the year, the respective foundations of Israel and Brandeis share something else: They constitute outcomes of a Jewish effort to solve a perceived problem through the creation of a new entity. Now, it's true that nationalism isn't exactly something that comes to mind when you think of college. But the pride that students feel toward their universities is in some way a kind of nationalist sentiment—although obviously this is a rather loose use of the word "nationalist" since there's no literally national element involved. However, school pride nonetheless represents a way in which people at an institution share and express an associated identity. I don't mean to craft some fictitious equivalency between the struggle of Jews in less-than-amiable foreign countries and that of Jews that faced unfair challenges in dealing with top-tier American universities. However, the processes behind the two were similar, at least conceptually. In each case, Jewish groups adopted a previously un-Jewish model of some type of sovereignty and found some way to, well, give it a Jewish twist. The precise nature of the model they adopted is where the founding of Israel and Brandeis diverge. The upper hand in Zionist politics during and especially after the Holocaust belonged to those who embraced the nation-state as the ideal model for Jewish sovereignty, as opposed to a binational state or a homeland of sorts. Thus, in 1948, the Jews of Palestine established the State of Israel, embracing as Jewish the nation-state model, as well as the state-based nationalist notions that accompany it. In terms of Brandeis, the story is a bit different. Its founders adopted the model of a nonsectarian American university and decided to add some notion of Jewish control. To the founders, Brandeis would be like any other university, except that those supporting and overseeing it—most explicitly from a financial perspective—would be Jewish. You might argue that the Brandeis model doesn't really count as a form of Jewish sovereignty, but I think there's something to be said about a university with an overwhelmingly Jewish board of trustees that has thus far supported hiring only Jewish university presidents. It's true that now, well over 60 years since their respective foundations, each enterprise continues to grapple in some way with the precise nature of its Jewish identity—Israelis with defining their state's Jewishness by something slightly more salient than an ethnic majority and a law of return, and Brandeisians with addressing any nature of our university's Jewish character at all. But more important than a shared identity struggle is perhaps what is most clearly different about the state and the university: their modes of nationalism as it relates to that Jewish identity. So what of Brandeisian nationalism? What does it look like? Our athletic situation captures part of it—some form of apathy instead of any exciting, boasting attitude about facets of our college as compared to others. And maybe—just maybe—therein is the truest manifestation of our university's Jewish character. In response to Zionist discussions, various Jewish intellectuals have presented the ways in which statist sovereignty and nationalism can or cannot be adopted as truly Jewish concepts. For instance, some Jewish thinkers opposed adopting any potentially nationalist model as the model for Jewish sovereignty because they saw something inherently un-Jewish about nationalism—that Judaism and nationalism cannot truly go hand in hand. Similarly, there are also arguments from Jewish intellectuals concerning the elegance of Jews as outsiders. Such views may hold that Jews flourish when living on the periphery of society rather than in the spotlight of civilization, that it was from the sidelines rather than the parliament that Jews best offered something to the world. Maybe these types of fears concerning mainstream Jewish nationalism have incidentally manifested themselves in the nonsectarian college model that Brandeis constitutes: formal Jewish control via actual leadership but openness and tacit pride among students. Do we have some viable alternative to mainstream Jewish nationalism to share with the world? Well, we're a college, not a country, so I'd say probably not. But it wouldn't be the worst thing if we acknowledged what we have and more openly embraced it as our own.
The men's rugby team came into this past fall season aiming for the red zone. While the squad unfortunately fell short of the goal line, earning a 0-4 record, the team and its fans can look forward to a spring season that holds a lot of potential.
Medical Emergency Nov. 15—A party came into Stoneman claiming he was having a panic attack and requested that BEMCo not respond. University Police called a Mailman House staff member who conversed with the party on the phone. The party then volunteered for evaluation at the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. University Police transported him there without incident. Nov. 16—A reporting party stated that her friend took a prescribed medication and the pill did not go all the way down her throat. BEMCo responded and treated the party on-scene with a signed refusal for further care. Nov. 17—A 30-year-old female in the Heller School's Irving Schneider and Family Building stated that she was feeling faint and was also 24 weeks pregnant. An ambulance was notified and transported the party to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Nov. 17—A reporting party in Village C stated that a female fell and hurt her knee. University Police transported the injured individual to the Health Center. Nov. 18—A reporting party stated that her friend had fallen off a stage in the Usdan Student Center but was conscious and alert. BEMCo treated the party on-scene with a signed refusal for further care. Nov. 18—A female in the Charles River Apartments requested BEMCo for a sore throat. BEMCo responded and treated the party with a signed refusal for further care. Nov. 19—A caller in Hassenfeld Residence Hall reported that a female party was intoxicated but conscious. University Police and BEMCo responded; BEMCo treated the party on-scene with a signed refusal for further care. Nov. 19—A caller in Usen reported that his friend was intoxicated. University Police and BEMCo responded. BEMCo treated the party with a signed refusal for further care. Nov. 19—A caller in Pomerantz reported an intoxicated female party. University Police and BEMCo responded, and an ambulance was notified. The party was transported via ambulance to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Larceny Nov. 15—University Police compiled a report on a theft of a coat and wallet that occurred in the Peace Room of the Usdan Student Center on Nov. 12. Nov. 18—A coat with keys and a wallet were taken from the weight room in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. University Police compiled a report on the theft. Traffic Nov. 15—University Police compiled a report on a traffic accident with no reported injuries that took place in North Quad Lot. Miscellaneous Nov. 16—University Police compiled a report on a possibly suspicious male who previously utilized Goldfarb library. Nov. 18—University Police received a report of a suspicious person in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium staring at and watching students. University Police made contact and identified the party; the party was praying. Nov. 18—University Police compiled a report on a former summer school student who was reported missing by his parents since Aug. 12 from the Republic of South Korea. Vandalism Nov. 17—A reporting party stated that a towel rack was ripped off the wall in the Farber Library. University Police took photos and compiled a report on the vandalism. Nov. 19—A reporting party stated that someone ripped off the numbers outside the suites in Ridgewood C. University Police compiled a report on the vandalism. —compiled by Marielle Temkin
Student Union President Herbie Rosen '12 has called for a constitutional review of the Student Union Constitution, two years before an official review would be mandated by the constitution, he said in an interview last night with the Justice. According to Article XIII of the Student Union Constitution, a Constitutional Review Task Force instructed to conduct "a full review of all aspects of the Union" must be formed every four years. The task force would comprise students from various constituencies, including secured groups, club sports, the Union Senate, artistic and performance organizations and religious organizations, as per the constitution. Rosen said the review would be implemented due to questions that have been raised about the constitution. "We are doing it because people have asked me to, … and I looked at [the Constitution] when I got elected and was just like, ‘I don't want to be the president of a Union with this as a constitution, '" said Rosen. Rosen listed past troubles with the student elections voting system and the term lengths of senators as two issues that helped prompt the review. "The voting system, the question of abstain and can that just be worded better—that's the main thing, making our constitution be more clear and less pretentious sounding," he said. Earlier this year, a Justice review of election results revealed that the instant runoff election system used by the Union incorrectly tallied votes and failed to express voter desires in the election results. This tabulation error was largely due to the way the system counted the "abstain" vote. At the time, Rosen said in an interview with the Justice that he would work to fix the voting problems. "Honestly, this is something our union came to inherit. And it's things like this that get brought to our attention that we will move to correct and fix. Sorry for the confusion and inconvenience, but you can expect better from us in the future when we come up with a solution," he said. The last Constitutional Review Committee was convened in fall 2009 by then-Student Union President Andy Hogan '11. The committee submitted 11 proposals to a vote by the student body after months of discussions and town hall meetings designed to hear student opinions. Proposals by the 2009 committee included changes to the structure of the Student Union, added secured organizations, increased funding for BEMCo and the implementation of an instant runoff voting system, among others. The student body approved eight of the 11 proposals, while students rejected major structural changes to the Student Union and did not grant secured status to Students for Environmental Action. Rosen said, "We are a different Student Union, things have changed in two years. … We are not just going to copy what was done there." Rosen expects the review process to formally begin later this semester. The constitution mandates that the task force submit its final proposals no later than the first week of March. As mandated by the Union Constitution, the task force must be composed of one representative from each of the following groups: intercultural community, club sports, religious organization, artistic/performance organizations, secured major media organizations, secured non-media organizations, non-sports competition organizations, Division of Student Affairs, Student Union Executive Office, Student Union Finance Board and the Student Union Senate. Each constituency chooses its respective representative. Rosen, as Union president, would be empowered to appoint three alumni, two members at large and one community advisor to the task force. He would also appoint a chair from among the representatives.
Adagio Dance Company's Dancefest 2011 was not merely a performance but a coming together of a community.
This past weekend, the Brandeis community and student body were invited to come out and support the members of the men's soccer team, who competed for their second Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III New England Men's Soccer Championship title. We congratulate the team for its decisive victory, winning with a score of 8-0 in the championship round against Albertus Magnus College. Furthermore, we encourage the administration to continue advertising campus sports events to raise school spirit and give Brandeis athletics the attention they deserve. While in the past, Director of Athletics Sheryl Sousa '90 and Senior Vice President of Communications and External Affairs Andrew Gully have given attention to sports events and spurred student support, University President Frederick Lawrence took the time to send out two emails for this specific event, including a follow-up email, for both games. Though support from the administration is always important and welcome, Mr. Lawrence's interest gives further credence to the events, showing that the school administrators truly value the school's sports teams and celebrate their successes. To increase student involvement, the Saturday game against Norwich University included a community-wide cookout and on Sunday spectators were offered free pizza. Providing these extra features generated interest among the student body and ensured a substantial turnout. We hope that following this event, involvement in University sports and school spirit will become characteristic features of the University. The attention and promotion that has been given to the men's soccer championship games has potentially set a aprecedent for the upcoming basketball season. We hope the support that the administration has shown for the soccer games will continue for future basketball games, and periodically for other University sports teams. Though in the past, the University has not always actively advertised its sporting events, this recent attention may be moving Brandeis in the right direction toward gaining school spirit that is appropriate for our school. The successful turnout of the men's soccer games was bolstered by the emails sent out by prominent members of the community and the interest of the student body. We implore students and administrators to consider similar efforts for future campus sports events to boost school spirit and give proper attention to University teams.
Sprinter Vincent Asante's '14 rise to track stardom has been nothing short of a Cinderella story at Brandeis. He was named the University Athletic Association Indoor Track and Field Rookie of the Year for 2011. Asante also won the 55-meter dash at the UAA Championships last year, tying the school record as a first-year last season. And he ran a 22.82 second 200-meter dash, missing the Brandeis record books by just four -tenths of a second.
Last Monday, after an action-packed intramural football season, only four teams remained to battle it out in the men's and women's flag football championships. Just Take a Forfeit pulled off a scintillating 35-34 victory over Better With the Lights Off for the men's title, as Chris Ferro '13 roped in a two-point conversion with no time left on the clock. In the women's game, No Punt Intended rolled to a 36-0 victory over Dumbledore's Army in the first half of the night. No Punt Intended struck first, with just over four minutes into the period. Mimi Theodore '12 took a pass from twin sister Ali Theodore '12 and scampered into the end zone for a 6-0 lead. Torre's aerial prowess would continually cause problems for Dumbledore's Army's defense. No Punt Intended went up 24-0 at halftime en route to the 36-0 score. The men's game, however, proved to be a much closer affair. Just Take a Forfeit took a 6-0 lead just 1:15 into the contest. The momentum quickly turned with consecutive touchdowns by Alex Tynan '12 and Sean O'Hare ‘12 to give Better With the Lights Off a 12-6 advantage. However, Ferro struck back with 2:38 left in the half to even the score. The teams proceeded to notch two touchdowns each throughout the second half to keep the score tied. The frenetic finale, however, featured two scores in the final minute. With 45 seconds to play, Better With the Lights Off appeared to have won it with a touchdown by David Aquilino '12. However, Just Take a Forfeit then drove the length of the field, with Ferro catching the game-tying touchdown as time expired. Quarterback Dylan Britton '13 then connected with Ferro for the extra point, setting the scene for a wild celebration. With football wrapped up and volleyball underway, intramural athletes can now look forward to what should be an exciting basketball season.
This week, we decided to review Hall of Fame Pizzeria & Wings on Main Street, which we found through FourSquare Explore with the help of our friend, David Lasher '13. At first glance, Hall of Fame appears to be a typical New York pizzeria kind of place. Pizza boxes with the words "Proud to be American" tower above the counter and portraits of Times Square and the New York City skyline adorn the walls. Upon closer inspection, however, it becomes clear that while the restaurant is in the New York style, it evokes a distinctly Boston charm. As you walk in, you immediately notice two classic stone ovens behind the counter. To the left is a large refrigerator filled with all the drinks you'd expect; to the right, a few simple tables. All of this is enveloped by glorifications of Boston sports teams, which hang from all the available walls and empty spaces. The whole place also has a charmingly gritty feel to it. Pipes are exposed, wires dangle from the TV (which is constantly on ESPN) and the cable box perches comfortably on top of the fridge. One lonely plant sits quietly by the corner, a testament to the rurality of the locale. Founded in 2009 by a young Armenian-American entrepreneur, John Piranosian, Hall of Fame Pizzeria & Wings boasts a menu of "Gourmet Pizza," "Famous Wings," calzones, burgers and chicken and steak rolls. They also offer vegetarian roll-ups and dinners that include steak, chicken, falafel and lahmajoun, which is a type of Armenian pizza. Perhaps the most interesting part of the menu, however, is the crossover calzones, which are essentially classic calzones filled with different flavors of boneless hot wings. We decided to start off with two slices of cheese pizza, which we hereby declare to be the best pizza in Waltham. We find it to be crispier than Prospect Café's and not as chewy as Upper Crust's. The pizza is very New York; the crust is thin (though not charred), the sauce is old-school (not too sweet or savory), and the cheese is mozzarella (shredded). It is important to note that Hall of Fame is not trying to make New York pizza; they make a distinctly Boston slice. Next, we tried the wings, which we thought complemented the pizza quite well. The barbecue and buffalo sauces we sampled were filled with flavor, and it was evident that the chicken was freshly fried. At this point, one of the cooks let us know that our crossover calzone would only be another two or three minutes. The service was fast as well as amiable in a friendly neighborhood type of way. They even let us pay at the end of our meal, which is not typical of pizza-by-the-slice style places. We ended our meal with a honey barbecue crossover calzone, which we found to be pure genius; a true collegiate delight. All in all, Hall of Fame Pizzeria & Wings is a quality eatery that anyone can make into their standby delivery pizza place. They conveniently deliver anywhere in the Waltham/Weston area. We would love to see more of their pizza boxes around campus. Though they may not have Domino's online-order extravaganza or Upper Crust's brand image, we are confident that they offer the best pizza in Waltham. Their stone oven and fresh ingredients render their pies healthier and tastier than most other pizza places, and their well-priced menu is certainly within students' budgets. Hall of Fame is located at 912 Main St. in Waltham. Call (781) 899-0500.
If the "Big One" is a sign of things to come, this could be a great season for the Brandeis fencing squads. Competing at the 2011 Northeast Intercollegiate Fencing Conference Fall Invitational, a non-conference tournament also known as the Big One, the men's and women's fencing teams earned two silver medals and a bronze to start the season off with a bang.
Whether for a laid-back game of coed B League soccer or for the full-court basketball championships, intramural sports figure prominently into the daily lives of many Brandeis students. Last Friday, justSports had the opportunity to sit down with the man behind it all, Associate Director of Athletics Tom Rand, to discuss intramural sports and Brandeis athletics overall. JS: How would you characterize your experience running Brandeis intramural sports? TR: It's been great. I really love my job, and I'm glad to give students the chance to participate in athletics as much as possible. In my eight years here, the intramural program has expanded from nine sports and 700 participants to 13 sports with close to 1300 members. Thanks to use of the turf and lights, we've really been able to expand our program. JS: How has your prior experience prepared you for your current role in Brandeis athletics? TR: I started out as an undergrad at the University of Vermont as a facilities supervisor while refereeing intramural games. Then I had an internship to run intramural sports at the University of Southern Maine, and from there, my path was set. After obtaining my Master's of Education at University of Southern Florida, and working briefly at Keene State, I'm now here at Brandeis as Associate Athletics Director. That experience has been extremely helpful throughout my years helping run the athletics program. JS: How do you think the renovation of the pool and Linsey facility will impact Brandeis athletics? TR: I have a feeling the pool is going to be very popular. We plan to have open swim times, fitness classes, and re-start new clubs such as kayaking and water polo that were once extremely active. This also means we can revive our swimming and diving program. The Linsey Building is also a great addition, given besides the pool, it can be of use for martial arts, squash, and other sports. Overall, it gives us new and exciting opportunities for our athletic program. JS: Do you see any additional room for growth in intramural sports? TR: Well, we're definitely excited to add intertube water polo, now that we have the pool back. This is also our first year offering badminton and table tennis, which is exciting. However, I think our main goal is to move beyond using the turf field. It is difficult to mainly only have use of one field for such a large array of sports, but if we could find other facilities in which to use, new sports such as lacrosse and floor hockey definitely become a possibility.
An article in Arts contained an incorrect statement about the author's family members. Michal Govrin's half-brother died, not her mother's half-brother. (Nov. 1, p. 23) A photo in Sports incorrectly stated the name of the photographer. The photo was taken by Jon Edelstein, not Josh Edelstein. (Nov. 1, p. 13) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
Medical Emergency Nov. 3—A staff member at Stoneman reported a back and groin injury as a result of falling down a spiral set of stairs in the Slosberg Recital Hall. BEMCo was called to the scene, and the party was transported via ambulance to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Nov. 4—The counseling center requested an ambulance for a student at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center in need of a psychological evaluation. Nov. 4—A student in the Foster Mods reported not feeling well. The party was treated by BEMCo and refused further medical aid. Nov. 4—University Police received a report of a student bleeding from the leg. The student was treated by BEMCo with a signed refusal for further care. Vandalism Oct. 31—University Police received a report that the shuttle van booth at the base of Charles River Apartment 110 was broken. Police on the scene determined that the windows had been broken by a thrown object. Authorities were notified to repair the window. Larceny Nov. 2—A graduate student in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center reported that someone stole another person's cell phone. The student requested University Police's presence on the scene. The suspects were gone upon the officer's arrival. Nov. 3—A student reported to University Police that his university-issued phone had been stolen from his apartment. Miscellaneous Nov. 1—Two male parties were caught smoking marijuana behind Deroy Hall. Paraphernalia was confiscated from two students; judicial charges will follow. Nov. 4—University Police received a report from a student that several people appeared to be breaking into a storage area in the South Residence Lot. Officers interviewed the men, who turned out to be contract employees retrieving work materials. Nov. 5—A party came to the University Police station and reported that she had received a threatening email. A follow-up showed that the email was not a threat, just a bad joke. —compiled by Marielle Temkin
Really?
As a basketball fan, this was a rough summer for me. Coming off the heels of one of the best seasons in recent memory, the NBA entered its long-predicted lockout. Seemingly unbridgeable disputes between the players association and the owners concerning revenue splits have led to the cancellation of the first two weeks of the season and it looks as though the entire season may ultimately be in jeopardy. Fortunately, basketball fans can still get a little taste of the NBA this year in the form of 2K Sports' new game, NBA 2K12. Last year's iteration of the series, NBA 2K11, was lauded as the best basketball game of all time, and quite possibly the best sports game as well. NBA 2K12 picks up right where the series left off, keeping all of the elements that made the 2K11 so successful while also improving it in several important ways. Part of 2K11's success was its intuitive gameplay. The animations were incredibly realistic and synced up well with the controls; players had weight, and it factored into how they played and moved about the court. NBA 2K12 has continued to refine and hone this element by including more player-specific animations and improving the general physics of the game. The player-specific animations are in particular a nice treat for fans of the game; if you're playing as Dirk Nowitzki, for example, you can employ his signature off-balance, one-footed hook shot and just as in real life, it will miraculously find the basket. Developer Visual Concepts has also put a lot of work into improving post play, and it shows. The post game is far more robust and includes a wide array of new moves that are mapped to the controller in such a way that they feel natural and give the player complete control. Along with the superior gameplay, 2K12 also boasts improvements in presentation. Character models look even better than in the previous game, and fans of the NBA should instantly recognize their favorite players. The game is clever with camera angles, player introductions and commercial spots that all add to the feeling that the player is watching a nationally televised game. Kevin Harlan and Clark Kellogg, who both broadcast in real life, return as the game's broadcasters along with newcomer Steve Kerr, a five-time NBA champion who has done voice work on other basketball videogames. Some dialogue is taken from previous games, but there is plenty of new banter and trivia, which adds a lot to the game. The commentators respond not just to what's going on in the game, but also refer to the general progression of the season, which adds a lot to the game's realism. The game's several play modes feature significant advancements as well, from the ability to take Association mode online and compete in a league with your friends to the vast improvements in My Player mode, which include the elimination of the tedious Development League games of 2K11 and the new salary your player earns. These can be spent on training camps and signature moves. 2K12 also boasts an all-new NBA's Greatest mode, which lets gamers take control of 15 of the greatest NBA teams of all time including Michael Jordan's championship Chicago Bulls, the '88 to '89 "Bad Boy" Pistons and Magic Johnson's "Showtime" Lakers. Each of these 15 teams is paired up against rival teams from that era and as players win each game, they gain access to both teams and their players in the Quick Game mode. This allows players to match up teams across all eras of the game's great history; if you've ever wanted to pit MJ against King James or Shaq against Dwight Howard, now you can. This feature is absolutely brilliant and gives gamers a reason to pick up 2K12 despite the lack of an NBA season. If I had one critique for 2K12, it would be regarding the ratings the game assigns to certain players. Ranking players is never easy and almost always sure to cause some disagreement, so I'm willing to give 2K12 a little leeway here. I'm not sure that Rudy Gay is better than Blake Griffin, but it's close, so I'll give 2K12 the benefit of the doubt. However, some of these rankings just seem obviously wrong. There's simply no way Amar'e Stoudemire should be ranked higher than Nowitzki. Nowitzki just single-handedly led his Mavericks to a championship against the Miami Heat. Meanwhile, Stoudemire couldn't get the Knicks past the first round of the playoffs, and that was with the help of superstar Carmelo Anthony, who also for some reason ranks higher than Nowitzki. Fortunately, the game does allow players to change the ratings of players in the game, but it would have been nice to have more accurate ratings as the default. Despite this minor complaint, NBA 2K12 replaces its predecessor as the best basketball game of all time. It's a shame that 2K12 won't get the game of the year consideration it deserves simply because it's a sports game, but it is definitely at the top of my list. I give NBA 2K12 a 9.75/10.