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Big Rubber Balls. Butterballs. No Big Teal. These were just some of the 14 teams that competed in last Sunday's first annual kickball tournament to benefit Prevent Child Abuse America, an organization that builds awareness and education about "the abuse and neglect of our nation's children," according to its website.
On Nov. 5, the Brandeis women's soccer team will take the pitch for the final time this season, and for the seniors, it will be their last game wearing a Brandeis jersey. Nov. 5 will also be the last game forward Mimi Theodore '12 and defender Ali Theodore '12 will share as teammates, a bond they have shared since the age of seven.
A photo in Sports was credited to the wrong photographer. The photo was taken by Joshua Linton, not Alex Margolis. (Oct. 18, pg. 13) A photo in Arts was credited to the wrong photographer. The photo was taken by David Yun, not Alex Margolis. (Oct. 18, pg. 18) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@thejustice.org.
Every now and then I find myself asking how and why I ended up somewhere. Blind dates, sweat-storm frat parties, swimming pools of hotels that I'm not staying in, bad concerts of bands that haven't been famous in 30 years, any sporting event not played by professionals (e.g. Little League) and all sorts of other non-ideal situations crowd my life. Usually I get through these situations with the idea that it will one day make a funny story or that I was attempting something noble. But when I find myself staring up at a screen filled with bloodied humans crawling around a warehouse on hands and knees while stapled and duct-taped to each other from mouth to rectum and it's 10 a.m. on a Monday morning, it's a little tough to see the silver lining.
Rivalries: New England sports fans are all too familiar with grudge matches. The Celtics despise the Los Angeles Lakers. The Bruins have their own hatred for the Montreal Canadiens. The Patriots can't stand Rex Ryan and his New York Jets, and of course, there is the rivalry between the Red Sox and the New York Yankees? Sir Isaac Newton once said, "for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction." For every team, there is a most-despised opponent.
In 2002, Brandeis Television, better known as BTV, won a successful bid to gain status as a secured club from the Student Union. As a result, the club, which was described in a November 2002 Justice article as a "24-hour cable television network available only to the Brandeis campus," acquired an annual budget of $14,500, using the money to purchase camera equipment, expand broadcasting of the channel's two original series and further ensure that the channel provides an "optimal rate of production and entertainment and service to the community," said former BTV president Nate Westheimer '05 in a 2002 interview with the Justice.
Medical Emergency
The intramural soccer season ended in epic fashion late last Thursday, with the men's soccer championship going down to the wire on penalty kicks. Joga Bonito prevailed over American Express, winning by a score of 5-3 on penalties after an impressive comeback in regulation. In the coed championship, which was held earlier in the night, Stan Ree blanked Nova 4-0 for the championship. In the men's match, American Express dominated the first half. With the defense able to shut down Joga Bonito's potent offense, American Express was able to fire off two goals. At 15 minutes, 55 seconds left in the half, Billy Geibel MA '12 slammed it into the top left shelf of the net for the first goal of the match. About 10 minutes later, American Express was able to edge in another goal on a laser from Cameron Welter '12 that trickled through the keeper's five-hole to increase the lead to 2-0. However, Joga Bonito broke through with its first score at the 15:55 mark of the second half on a huge rip from IBS exchange student Giulio Tramontana that sailed right through the net. American Express' defense stayed tough, clinging to the one-goal lead until Joga Bonito notched the tying goal with less than five minutes remaining on a strike from the right side by IBS exchange student Angelo Lacroix. The two sides failed to find the net for the rest of the second half and all of overtime, which sent the game to penalties. After each team put home its first three kicks, Joga Bonito broke through with a fourth goal while American Express' fourth attempt sailed wide of the net. Joga Bonito's fifth player nailed the final score of the season, winning the men's tournament. One hour earlier, Stan Ree defeated Nova by a score of 4-0 in the coed final. After 10 minutes of lockdown defense, Stan Ree notched the first goal of the match at 9:10. A counterattack landed Dylan Britton '13 an open look at the net, which was slotted home in the top left of the net. Now a tight 1-0 affair, Stan Ree would start the next half off with a bang, as Stephen Kostel '11 MS '12 earned his team's second goal and his first of two on the match on a fast break just 15 seconds into the half. The team proceeded to notch two insurance goals at the 10:15 and 7:39 marks in the second half on goals by Kostel and Matt Houser '13 to increase the lead to 4-0. Along with an efficient offense, its defense completely neutralized Nova's attack, helping to secure the championship.
Nick Rodis, Brandeis' director of Athletics from 1967 to 1984, died last Friday at the Newton-Wellesley Hospital at the age of 87.
Correction appended
University President Frederick Lawrence released the report of the Ad-hoc Committee on Alcohol and Drug Policy last week, almost a year after then-University President Jehuda Reinharz formed the committee. The report makes a series of recommendations designed to enhance university policies in a variety of areas and protect students from the negative effects of drug and alcohol use and misuse. The committee, however, "did not assess the extent of the alcohol and drug use at Brandeis, nor even the effectiveness of the multiple programs that exist to deal with substance misuse," according to the report. The committee was formed following the weekend of Saturday, Oct. 23, 2010, during which two students were arrested, several were hospitalized due to intoxication and another was found selling fraudulent wristband tickets to the Pachanga dance hosted by the International Club. Then-President Reinharz—only two months away from handing the reins of the University to current President Lawrence—subsequently sent an email that chastised the behavior of Brandeis students. He then formed an ad-hoc committee on alcohol and drug policy. Reinharz named Prof. Len Saxe (Heller) chair of the committee. According to his faculty profile, Saxe "focuses on human behavior and social policy" and his "research includes studies of community substance abuse programs and development of Jewish identity." Saxe said in an interview with the Justice that although he no longer studies issues of substance abuse, he spent two decades studying the topic and it has been a "long-standing interest" of his. The committee took the last six weeks of the fall 2010 semester to complete its report, said Saxe. The findings of the report focused on prevention. "As part of this prevention focus, our goal is ‘harm reduction'; that is, what can be done to reduce the number and severity of problems associated with alcohol and drug use," according to the report. The report is broken into four dimensions "that follow from a model developed by the U.S. Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol, Drug Abuse, and Violence Prevention and NIAAA," according to the report. These four elements are health and safety, treatment, prevention and awareness and environment/culture. Saxe explained that this organization is based on the "best practices" model recommended by the U.S. government. The six recommendations in the health and safety section focus on ensuring that students are not "afraid" to call BEMCo or University Police "during emergency situations for fear of judicial repercussions." In the treatment section, "the committee is satisfied that Brandeis offers excellent treatment services for students who are identified as being at-risk for alcohol and drug problems," according to the report. One of the five recommendations calls for Health Center medical personnel to "consider adding a standard assessment tool for screening individuals for drug and alcohol use during routine annual physical exams and other appropriate encounters," according to the report. For prevention and awareness, the committee recommended that the "emphasis be on proactive alcohol and drug use prevention, rather than a reactive one." This section of the report also calls for additional resources for prevention, awareness and education and an annual survey to collect data about social norms from students. The final section of the report, environment and community, contains 13 recommendations that suggest that "more attention be paid to the environment that promotes positive Brandeis values and reduces harmful alcohol and drug use." Among the recommendations are suggestions to expand weekend social opportunities, enhance student presence at athletics games and increase weekend availability of both the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center and the library to "provide additional options for social gathering." The report also recommends that the University "consider the relationship of currently unrecognized fraternities and sororities to the student body" and "explore the possibility of serving alcohol at large campus events in a way that models expectations for responsible use." Graduate students and the Heller School for Social Policy and Management are also mentioned several times in the report. Saxe said that graduate students are an increasingly large population at Brandeis and their needs and interests should be considered as well. In his role as committee chair, Saxe said it was important to him that the committee "heard as many voices as possible." "My hope is that the committee, both by pointing to some specific things that can be done and also by putting together this framework, helps everybody enhance what they are doing [and] how they are thinking about it," said Saxe in an interview with the Justice. Lawrence, in an interview with the Justice, said, "I think the most important thing to me that comes out of the report is that the focus is not punitive but rather the focus is in terms of helping and ... making information available to people. … I think that's the framework." Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel will be responsible for assessing the report's recommendations and finding ways to implement them. "The [nature of the] recommendation will [help determine] whether it is an implementation or further exploration of what the next steps might be," said Flagel in a phone interview with the Justice. Flagel will "examine the committee's recommendations and determine how best to integrate them into the life of the University. In the near future, he will assemble working groups to help him conduct that assessment," wrote Lawrence in a Sept. 27 campuswide email. Saxe added that the committee was not intended as an investigation of Pachanga. Rather, Pachanga was a stimulus that "simply made faculty, staff and administrators more aware of some of the issues," said Saxe. "Looking at policies across the board is important to do all the time," added Saxe.
This past week, University President Frederick Lawrence released the ad hoc Committee on Alcohol and Drug Policy's report and recommendations. The committee, which was formed after the events that occurred on the night of the Pachanga dance in October 2010 by then-University President Jehuda Reinharz, was asked to "review current Brandeis University policy with respect to student use of alcohol and drugs."
Over 1,200 people crowded into Shapiro Gymnasium in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center Saturday night. The stage was set for opener Jukebox the Ghost and headlining band Guster. A mix of Brandeis students and concertgoers from off campus slowly filled the gym leading up to the start of the show. Many longtime Guster fans were in the audience, which gave Jukebox the Ghost a good opportunity to impress the crowd.
Shaun Oliver '97 has come a long way in the world of soccer. Unlike some former Brandeis men's soccer players who still participate in the sport as high school and college coaches, Oliver has taken on an even bigger role. He has worked in the United States' top-tier league, Major League Soccer, since graduating from Brandeis and is now the director of soccer operations for one of the country's most established clubs, the New York Red Bulls.
Joseph E. Pechinsky, Brandeis' men's fencing coach from 1970 to 1980 and a member of the United States Fencing Hall of Fame, died at the age of 92 last Thursday at the Radius Health Care Center in Danvers, Mass.
Medical Emergency Sept. 19—A staff member in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center was taken by ambulance to a local hospital after complaining of stomach pains. Sept. 20—A student with a mental health issue at the Mailman House was transported by ambulance to a hospital. Sept. 20—A student suffered a back injury on the athletic fields by the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. BEMCo treated the student, and they refused further aid. Sept. 21—BEMCo received a report of a student in Deroy Residence Hall with a dislocated shoulder. The student was transported by police cruiser to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Sept. 22—A caller reported an attempted suicide by overdosing on pills in Hassenfeld Residence Hall. An ambulance responded, and the CDC was on-scene. Sept. 22—A staff member at the Health Center reported a student with a possible bee sting reaction. The student was transported by ambulance to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Sept. 23—A party in Ridgewood C suffered from a possible adverse affect to muscle spasm medication. BEMCo treated the party on-scene with a signed refusal for further care. Sept. 24—An intoxicated party in the Rosenthal Quad was transported by ambulance to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Sept. 24—A student in the Foster Mods reported not feeling well, possibly as a result of low blood sugar. BEMCo treated the party on-scene, with a signed refusal for further care. Sept. 24—A BEMCo supervisor reported that an ambulance transported an intoxicated male from the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Their CDC was notified. Sept. 24—A reporting party stated that his friend was vomiting and suffering from a headache at the University's main entrance. An ambulance arrived on-scene and transported the party to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The party's CDC was notified. Miscellaneous Sept. 20—A custodian reported smelling marijuana in the basement of Brown Social Science Center. University Police checked the area but the suspect was gone upon the officer's arrival. Sept. 21—A reporting party called University Police complaining of loud music as an on-going problem in Pomerantz Residence Hall. Police checked the area and heard no music playing—the reporting party stated that the music had been turned down prior to the officer's arrival. Sept. 23—University Police received a noise complaint in North Quad. Students turned the music down. Sept. 24—A CDC notified the University Police that occupants of a room in the Village came back to their room and found that items had been moved around, but nothing was stolen, and the door was locked upon their arrival. An officer was sent to the room. Residents were satisfied with a log entry, and decided they may call for a locksmith to change the lock. Sept. 24—A University Police officer checked on a car with its lights on at the Brandeis/Roberts Commuter Rail station. A female party in the car was crying because of "money issues," but stated she was OK. Larceny Sept. 24—A student at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center reported that his Leatherman tool was missing. Sept. 24—A student in the Usdan Student Center reported that two males poked an object, believed to be a knife, into his back and demanded his wallet. The robbery occurred inside the men's bathroom near the Levin Ballroom. —compiled by Marielle Temkin
Marketing experts have recently found the need to leave traditional means of advertising in order to find innovative ways to reach a part of society that is young, highly tech-savvy and hard to please: college students. Marketers have found it difficult to gain the attention of students through conventional television commercials or magazines. With a decrease in sales and a gloomy market, companies are seeking better prospects by using multiple forms of social media. They have, however, recently found a more innovative approach: hiring college students as brand ambassadors. In other words, individuals are hired to represent and promote products on campuses. So far, brand ambassadors have been effective in linking marketers to students and students to trendy brands. Their success continues to grow, but their influence over students and college culture may be something to worry about. For many colleges, fall semester marks the start of over 10,000 students working as brand ambassadors on hundreds of campuses, with many in the Boston region. Students are paid to endorse major brand names and retailers already popularized by young adults. Brand ambassadors can be seen marketing American Eagle, Apple, Red Bull and other brands during move-in, orientation and other major campus activities. Students often create their own marketing plans to promote their company's products to extracurricular groups and sports teams. Normally this includes walking around campus wearing logos or passing out products after class. Companies claim this peer-to-peer marketing is a friendly approach. Marketers are not the only ones attracted to the idea of brand ambassadors; it has also created profitable opportunities for students. Brand ambassadors are paid either in cash or products to represent brands, some earning a little over $1,000 per semester. The marketing experience boosts résumés and the potential to be employed by the company after graduation. Some students may already find themselves equipped with the skills to become brand ambassadors. Corporations select students that can tap into the social networks at school, such as students in athletic clubs, fraternities or sororities. The situation can become one where companies are shaping the lifestyle and culture of the universities rather than the students themselves. While these compensations have high appeal, brand ambassadors might be creating a climate clouded with brands rather than an enriched campus culture. Students are potentially hindered from shaping a college community that is original and reflects their own tastes and values. Brands may slowly become accepted as positive ways of identification, especially when the student ambassador is a friend. A brand ambassador could be the popular student on campus or a classmate. Students are more willing to listen to a friend than a stranger pushing a product. A product suggestion becomes less of a marketing tactic when a close friend recommends it. These brands are marketed, if not directed, particularly toward incoming students. Companies and brand names sponsor freshman dinners and provide services for students moving in. In late August, brand ambassadors of American Eagle helped students move in during freshman welcome week at the University of North Carolina and passed out American Eagle water bottles and flip-flops. Within the same week, Target sponsored a welcome party for UNC's incoming Class of 2015. While move-in day presents an open opportunity where ambassadors can easily talk up a product with students and families, it also diminishes the uniqueness of a freshman's first college experience. Freshmen are away from home, parents and close friends as they are trying to fit in and find their own niche in the college community. They are often shopping and making decisions on their own for the very first time. Systematically exposing these students to brands would allow companies to essentially make those decisions for the students. Instead of exploring new interests, students are shopping for interests. Becoming hooked on a product now only means one thing: Companies have secured your brand loyalty to them in the future. It is not surprising that brands are easing their way into college communities. Some colleges are completely unaware of or indifferent to the presence of student marketers or companies on campus. There is little supervision in how these brands and companies access college students for their investments. A brand's strong presence on campus can define the college and the lifestyle of its students, perhaps in a negative light. Brands would become labels that are attached to the name and reputation of college. Marketing energy drinks and highly caffeinated products on campus isn't promoting healthy and appropriate lifestyles for students, but energy drinks and most similar products target the college demographic because of the lifestyle students are assumed to typically lead: one that is restless and without self-control. I am not labeling companies or marketers as evil forces out to fool students. In fact, college students are in need of the free clothing and gadgets that some companies offer, as well as the job opportunities that brand ambassadors can provide. Yet people should be reminded that college is a place for education. Students enter college not to be bombarded by worldly materials but to have the privilege of experiencing the world at their own pace.
There's been a lot of talk on the blogosphere recently about the influence of the media on kids, especially on the sexualization of young girls.
The volleyball team continued to impress last week, taking two out of three matches to improve to a 7-3 record on the year. Before an extremely close 3-2 loss to Colby-Sawyer College to end the week, the Judges pulled off 3-1 wins against both Emmanuel College and Endicott College.
Last Thursday, Academy Award-nominated director Rod Lurie, came to Brandeis as a part of this years' film series, sponsored by the Edie and Lew Wasserman Fund and the Film, Television and Interactive Media Program, to screen and answer questions about his newest film Straw Dogs, the remake of Sam Peckinpah's 1971 cult classic.