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(10/23/12 4:00am)
Last night at 9 p.m., 15 days before election day, presidential candidates Gov. Mitt Romney, and President Barack Obama met in Boca Raton, Fla. for their final debate. The debate, which was moderated by long-time CBS news anchor Bob Schieffer, covered foreign policy, but also made temporary detours into domestic policy. The candidates' comments paid particular attention to Iran and Israel, and included a fiery repartee over China as well. The discussion began with a question concerning Libya and the Middle East. Romney acknowledged the accomplishment of the assassination of Osama bin Laden, but stressed that the foremost goal for his administration would be to stop extremism all over the Middle East by showing a stronger presence and providing for democratically leaning opposition parties in countries such as Egypt and Syria. Obama criticized Romney's foreign policy for being similar to that of the 1980s, stating that previously Romney said in a speech that Russia is the greatest geopolitical foe of the United States. Many of the plans Obama detailed for the future focused on advancing the country's place in the world in terms of math and science education, as well as advancing technology, while Romney suggested that the last four years have made the United States weaker and that he would protect military spending. Obama, however, countered: "We spend more on our military than the next 10 countries combined: China, Russia, France, the U.K., you name it, the next 10. What I did was work with our joint chiefs of staff to think about what are we going to need in the future to make sure that we are safe." When the subject of how to handle Iran's nuclear program arose, Romney ardently called for a series of "crippling sanctions." Obama said that his main objective is to prevent Iran from attaining a nuclear weapon, but that he could not act without evidence. With Obama referring to Israel as the United States's "true friend and greatest ally in the region," both candidates were in agreement regarding Israel. Romney continued his firm criticism of Obama's supposed neglect of China's manipulation of currency. Obama responded by saying that the United States will need to continue to ensure that China is following the rules, but that they have been bringing cases against China's violations of trade rules. While both agreed that China is an important trade partner, Romney criticized China's blatant creation of trade imbalance. "I will get America working again and see rising take-home pay again, and I'll do it with five simple steps," said Romney on one of many economic tangents. He then went on to outline his plans to create 12 million jobs. One student felt uncomfortable with the degree to which the candidates strayed from the central theme. "They didn't talk about foreign policy issues today," said Navrun Jacob '15 in an interview with the Justice. "They were supposed to but they didn't. Most voters are interested in hearing about domestic politics." In his closing statement, Obama brought up a few subjects the candidates did not cover, proposing the return of manufacturing jobs to the United States and asking the wealthy "to do a little bit more." Romney said that with the way Obama has led the United States in the last four years, the nation will face a 20-trillion-dollar debt and an economy on its way to something resembling Greece's meltdown. "The debate tonight was really foreign policy heavy and that's one of the places where I'm most in contention with American government in general," said Malika Imhotep '15. "And while I do support President Obama, tonight was really interesting for me. While there were definitely some 'Hurrah, Obama' moments, there were some things that didn't sit well with me on either side. But I was glad that we got a little bit of feisty Obama tonight." -Sara Dejene contributed reporting.
(05/21/12 4:00am)
Meditating on her fond memories of the time she spent at the University 25 years ago, Deborah Bial '87, founder of the Posse Foundation, advised members of the Class of 2012 about their capacity to affect social change. The 61st commencement was held this past Sunday, May 20 in the crowded Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. Among the family and friends of the 831 graduates attending the ceremony was the President of Honduras, Porfirio Pepe Lobo.
(04/24/12 4:00am)
At the April 15 Senate meeting, the Senate voted to approve three Senate Money Resolutions. An SMR for the WATCH barbecue, an SMR for the Senior Week barbecue that was adjusted to $1,000 and an SMR to pay $1,200 for 200 t-shirts for the Midnight Buffet were each approved with votes of 11 to zero to one. Last Sunday, three SMRs, for SEA Food Day, a barbecue in Massell Quad and the Midnight Buffet, totaling $4,698 were all passed in one vote. The Brandeis Korean Student Association requested approval of a change to its constitution in order to form the Brandeis Korean Courses and Language Initiative. According to its constitution, the BKCLI aims to "enhance" the Korean language "learning experience" and advocate to teach Korean as another East Asian language at Brandeis, in addition to Chinese and Japanese. While KSA will focus on promoting many aspects of Korean culture, the BKCLI will focus on language. The Senate approved the KSA's constitutional change with a vote of 11 to zero to one and the recognition and charter of BKCLI unanimously with 12 approving votes. Student Union President Herbie Rosen '12 proposed a series of changes to the Student Union's constitution that will be sent to the student body to vote upon. At the April 22 Senate meeting, Rosen announced that he would need 10 signatures from Senators in order to approve a student body vote on the changes. The Senate also chartered five clubs and approved three SMRs during last Sunday's meeting. The Senate chartered Cupcake Obsession, Students for Educational Reform, Global China Connection and the March of Dimes Collegiate Council at Brandeis University. Triskelion requested approval of a constitutional change in order to establish the Queer Resource Center as its own chartered club, not as a branch of TRISK. The Senate both approved constitutional change and chartered the QRC. -Sara Dejene *
(04/24/12 4:00am)
Todd Kirkland '13 emerged as the next Student Union president, with 296 votes after the polls closed at 1 p.m. on Friday. The presidential election had a 32.85 percent voter turnout, the highest of the positions up for election. This figure is down from 44.16 percent last year.
(04/18/12 4:00am)
On Thursday, the student body will vote in the first round of Union elections. The open positions are president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, all seats on the Finance Board and representatives to the Board of Trustees, Alumni Association. Senator and Student Judiciary elections will take place in the second round of voting, on Thursday, April 26.
(04/18/12 4:00am)
On Thursday, students will vote in the first round of Union elections. The open positions are president, vice president, treasurer, secretary all seats on the Finance Board and representatives to the Board of Trustees, Alumni Association. Senator and Student Judiciary elections will take place in the second round of voting, on Thursday, April 26.
(04/03/12 4:00am)
The Linsey Pool was closed last Thursday and Friday following a report of stolen equipment, according to Director of Public Safety Edward Callahan in an email to the Justice.
(04/03/12 4:00am)
The University administration announced yesterday that the Board of Trustees approved the budget for fiscal 2013, which includes a 4.1 percent total cost hike for current students and a reduced size for the class of 2016 to between 800 and 820 students. Financial aid will also increase by seven percent, or $5.5 million. Other changes include offering new first-year living options and new first-year seminars, improving campus resources such as advising and career counseling, and supplementing Library and Technology Services and the Rose Art Museum. Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel emailed the student body last night about the changes to the $306.7 million budget. "Chief among this year's concerns was moderating the growth of our student body, both lowering the size of select classes and decreasing the number of incoming first-year students," he wrote. To meet these goals, the full price tag for most Brandeis undergraduates-the cost of tuition, room, board and fees-will rise to $56,022. Total cost for new students will be even higher, at a 4.85 percent increase, or $56,407. The tuition disparity between new and current students is to accommodate families who have already created a financial plan and are committed to the University, explained Flagel. "It was something we could do for our continuing students that could help ease the challenges for them [of increasing costs]." Within the national climate of growing higher education costs, the University is still mid-range in comparison to other colleges, according to Flagel. In an interview with the Justice, Student Union President Herbie Rosen '12 acknowledged the transparency of the administration but said that "it's unsettling that the University is relying on our tuition for prior financial situations," like the renovations of the Rose Art Museum and the Joseph M. Linsey Pool. Flagel also spoke about the budget adjustments the Board had to make for next year to ensure that it "preserve the character of the University" in the face of the University's growing student body and University endowment. The total amount of need-blind/full-need financial aid to be offered for the 2012-2013 academic year, to respond to the increased costs and keep Brandeis accessible, according to Flagel, will amount to $86.5 million. Flagel said that the updated budget will pull from endowment revenues, though there was caution issued in the allocations. "What we're able to do with some of the changes is make some alterations both in terms of revenue from the endowment and student revenue that permit the kinds of investments you see" in the other budget changes. While tuition rises, Flagel projects next year's first-year class size to be between 800 and 820 students, less than last year's 858, which was the largest in University history, according to BrandeisNOW. Flagel said that the goal is to increase the undergraduate student population to 3,600 by next year, a slight increase from the current 3,319, according to the admissions website. Along with reducing the goal for the incoming first-year class, the Board approved limits on select course sizes and provided the finances to offer more sections for some language classes. Provost Steve Goldstein '78 said in an interview with the Justice, "There is good, strong evidence that the strongest way to teach language classes is in small sizes. ... What we wanted to do was aggressively push the classes down in size so that they were in the range of 18 students or less." Library and Technology Services is also receiving more funding for "library collections and subject area librarians; information security; overdue computer refresh and classroom equipment renewals across campus; upgrades to the campus learning management system; data warehousing; and efforts to protect unique archival and special collections from environmental damage," according to BrandeisNOW. The Board also approved more funds for academic advisers. "What we were particularly anxious to do was make sure there were enough staff members so that the students would have ready access," said Goldstein. As part of the Board's goal to address the central aspects of student experience on campus, the budget incorporated a new "Living Learning Community" option for first-year students. The program is designed around common academic and cocurricular interests. Professors will also be involved in the residential community, and "Ph.D. teaching assistants will be hired to facilitate faculty involvement," Flagel explained."The working titles for each community are 'Media, Politics and Society' and 'Global Connections.' " Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan Birren wrote in an email to the Justice that the University will also introduce first-year seminars titled JustBooks. "These small seminars will engage students in humanist inquiry and will honor the university's focus on social justice," she wrote. The Board also approved additional funds for the Rose Art Museum. Goldstein said the "re-energization of the Rose" would give additional funding to support the educational programming and maintenance of the museum for students and faculty. Frances Drolette, senior vice president for finance and chief financial officer, said: "The spending plan is a cautious reflection of the improved financial climate, the desire to fund some immediate priorities that align with the university's values and mission, and a recognition that other initiatives will await the results of the ongoing strategic planning effort," according to BrandeisNOW. All changes will be enacted on July 1, 2012, according to BrandeisNOW. -Alana Abramson, Sara Dejene and Sam Mintz contributed reporting.
(03/27/12 4:00am)
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(03/19/12 4:00am)
The Peter and Patricia Gruber foundation named Prof. Michael Rosbash (BIOL) the first Peter Gruber Endowed Chair in Neuroscience, according to remarks made by University President Frederick Lawrence during last Thursday's faculty meeting.
(03/12/12 4:00am)
The first of five clubs to be chartered at this past Sunday's Senate meeting was TAMID Israel Investment Group, which will offer seminars and business experience to members interested in business and the Israeli economy. The Senate also chartered the Special Olympics Club, which aims to fundraise for the duration of this semester in order to hold a "mini meet" at Brandeis, and the Brandeis Immigration Education Initiative, which intends to "advocate for immigrant student education rights" and increase awareness of immigration issues, according to its constitution. The talent agency Brand New Talent was unanimously recognized. Lastly, the Senate unanimously chartered Young Americans for Liberty, the Brandeis chapter of a national organization which aims to "identify and fight against threats to liberty in the law, intellectual community, popular culture and the University itself," according to its constitution, as well as support libertarian political candidates. The Senate also passed a Senate Money Resolution to raffle items at the University bookstore. Moving on to proposed constitutional changes, the Senate turned down bylaw amendments which specified that a senator would observe the first meeting of a club seeking charter and "report to the Senate on the merits and viability of the club." The vote for each of these measures was four to 11 with two abstentions. However, the Senate did pass an amendment which mandates a minimum active membership of five students for all clubs, unless a club can present a valid explanation for having fewer members. The measure passed by a vote of 11 to four with two abstentions. The Senate also passed two dining amendments. —Tate Herbert and Sara Dejene
(03/05/12 5:00am)
Pippin Ross, a broadcast journalist who had been hired as a professor for the Journalism department this semester, was found intoxicated and unresponsive in her vehicle on campus Feb. 27, according to that day's police log. University Police placed Ross in protective custody and transported Ross to the Waltham Police Department. Dean of Arts and Sciences Susan Birren terminated Ross' employment at the University the next day. Ross' criminal background, according to her blog as well as multiple newspapers, includes numerous convictions for operating a vehicle under the influence, conspiracy to aid an escape from jail and conspiracy in attempting an escape from jail. On Feb. 28, the day after she was placed in protective custody in Waltham, she was arrested for operating under the influence and operating a vehicle after her license was revoked for drunk driving, according to the Barnstable Police Department. The Barnstable Police Department confirmed that Ross has been convicted of OUI more than four times; under Massachusetts law, that many convictions requires a lifetime suspension of the involved individual's driver's license. Conflicting accounts In an interview with the Justice, Ross' husband, Philip Austin, said that he drove Ross to Brandeis on Feb. 27. Austin said that Ross was incorrectly taken into protective custody on Feb. 27 and she should have been offered medical care for a neurological condition instead of taken to the Waltham Police Department. According to the police log, BEMCo was dispatched when officers arrived at Tower Lot after receiving a report that Ross was unresponsive in her car; however, there is no note in the police log of Ross receiving or refusing treatment. "She seems to have some sort of neurological problem that they're trying to diagnose which may have something to do with [why] she was disoriented on Monday," Austin said of Ross, who he says is currently at a hospital in Nantucket undergoing neurological tests and so was unavailable for comment on this article. "I got a phone call from the police department and went up there and rescued her, but she was there for almost six hours in a cell." Austin said that Ross was not intoxicated that day and she was given neither a breathalyzer nor a sobriety test before she was taken into protective custody. According to Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan, unless it is thought that an individual is about to operate or is in the process of operating a car, a breathalyzer test is not necessary. He added that police officers use their discretion based on experience, education and training to determine if an individual is intoxicated. "The [U]niversity stands by the Public Safety report on this incident," wrote Senior Vice President of Communications and External Affairs Andrew Gully in a statement to the Justice. The Waltham Police Department confirmed that if an individual is suspected of being intoxicated but is able to walk, the individual can be taken into protective custody and transported to a police department, hospital or home until he or she is picked up by another person or able to transport him or herself safely. Ross' original account of the afternoon, however, conflicts with both that of the University and her husband. The night the accident took place, Ross sent the students in her course an email that read in part, "At about 11:00 a.m. I had a seemingly benevolent car crash on the Brandeis campus! I wasn't even driving! I got knocked out. Word is—a concussion. It's (strangely) a good plot, we'll talk about it." When asked about the email, Austin was unclear about its content but said that Ross was in a "neurological hallucinating zone" at the time and that she could have "misspoken." Austin said that "there will be an investigation and legal inquiries made about ... the University's handling of basically a professor who was having a medical issue," continuing that no lawyers had yet been in touch with the University legal team. Unknown background Despite the fact that information about Ross' arrests is publicly available through her blog, Google searches and public records, nobody at the University knew about her criminal history before hiring her, according to multiple University officials. Ross, who was hired this semester to take over the Journalism 15A "Writing for Broadcast Media Journalism" course, a requirement for the Journalism minor, was an emergency hire, according to chair of the Journalism program Prof. Maura Jane Farrelly (AMST). Ross filled the position left vacant by Margo Melnicove, who had previously taught the class for 14 years but had to be replaced due to a medical emergency in her family. According to Farrelly, Ross was hired after Farrelly listened to Ross' work on the National Public Radio website and contacted her for two phone interviews over the winter break. Farrelly learned of Ross from Ross' former colleague who currently works for New Hampshire Public Radio; that colleague served as Ross' reference for this position. After the two phone interviews, Farrelly recommended Ross for the job to Birren.Farrelly said that she did not know of Ross' criminal past before she recommended that the University employ Ross. According to an email to the Justice from Senior Vice President for Communications and External Affairs Andrew Gully, "Farrelly was following a standard process for hiring adjuncts" and "was unaware of Ross's criminal record when she was hired." Background checks, formal or informal, are not required for faculty positions at the University, according to an email to the Justice from Birren. The Faculty Handbook states that the requirements for the hiring of a normal faculty members—which include review by a committee of professors—are different for "associate professors of the practice," the title Ross held. Vice President for Human Resources Scot Bemis wrote in an email to the Justice that Massachusetts law forbids the University from asking job applicants about their criminal backgrounds. However, Bemis added that "if asked, a candidate is required to disclose a criminal conviction. The affect [sic] of a conviction depends on the position being filled and the nature of the conviction." Ross was not asked about previous convictions. A Google search for "Pippin Ross" leads to an entry on her blog. The entry explains the content of the manuscript of the book she and her husband are co-writing, Crash Course: A Reporter's Journey Into Prison, which she describes as a "stark, often funny, hopefully intriguing examination of my lost and found years of rape, alcoholism, and eventually incarceration in our nation's oldest women's prison." The Future of JOUR 15A Farrelly explained that she was informed minutes before Ross' class on Feb. 27 that Ross would not be coming to class. Farrelly said she then had decided to fill in for Ross, and was relatively certain that she would be teaching the following week. "At this point, it is not completely clear as to what the instructor situation for the class is going to be," Farrelly said. "My inclination … is that I will take over the class and we will try to bring in a guest lecturer toward the end of the semester." Ross' employment at Brandeis was terminated the day after the on-campus incident, according to an email provided to the Justice by Austin. Ross was informed of the termination in a short email from Birren. Birren issued the decision after a conference with the parties involved, according to Farrelly. In the termination email, Birren wrote to Farrelly that "based on [Ross'] conduct on February 27, 2012," her appointment with the University was terminated effective immediately. Austin said that Ross was not consulted before her termination or contacted beyond Birren's email. According to the Faculty Handbook, "action to suspend or permanently dismiss a member of the faculty is initiated by the Provost." Furthermore, "the faculty member involved must be allowed to present his or her case to the Committee [of Faculty Rights and Responsibilities], in writing as well as in person, and to present pertinent individuals who will speak in his or her behalf." This process, according to the handbook, is followed for all faculty, and adjunct professors are listed in the handbook's definition of "faculty." In an email to the Justice, Birren wrote that "much of the Handbook does not apply to adjuncts because they are short-term, temporary faculty." —Sara Dejene, Rebecca Blady and Andrew Wingens contributed reporting.
(01/06/12 5:00am)
Trustee Robert Shapiro '52, a member of the University's first graduating class, passed away Jan. 6 at the age of 81 after battling cancer for a year, according to a Jan. 7 campuswide email sent by University President Frederick Lawrence and Chairman of the Board Malcolm Sherman.
(12/12/11 5:00am)
Last Friday, the University released its first iPhone application, according to Associate Vice President for Communications Bill Burger in an interview with the Justice. The application currently has seven different features: News, Maps, Videos, Photos, Athletics, Emergency and Library. Brandeis worked in a "development partnership" with a California company called EZ Axess to create the app, said Burger, setting requirements and providing some of the design of the app, such as the icons on its home screen. "We've been thinking about [the application] for a while," said Burger, since many other universities have them. "We were approached by this vendor, with an attractive business model, so it made sense to move ahead," explained Burger. According to EZ Axess' website, the company offers a mobile platform for universities and police departments for free. The company plans to charge in the future for the development of new premium features. The University plans to continue developing the app and adding more features, although none have been announced at the moment, according to Burger. There has only been limited feedback so far, as the app has not yet been officially promoted within the Brandeis community. Burger said that they plan to make a "broader" announcement today and that they will be working during the next few months to raise awareness of the app. "I hope that it gives [the Brandeis community] just another way to interact with Brandeis, to get information about Brandeis," said Burger. The app is available from the iTunes App Store for iOS devices, and there also a web app version with limited features available for other smart phones at m.brandeis.edu. —Sara Dejene contributed reporting.
(12/12/11 5:00am)
Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel presented admissions statistics for the Class of 2015 at Thursday evening's faculty meeting, stating that Brandeis has seen an increased acceptance rate and a decrease in the matriculation rate, while noting that the class of 2015 is "one of the highest-caliber classes that we've had." According to the presentation, the number of students who applied to Brandeis for fall enrollment was 8,917, up from 7,694 in 2010. 3,566 were accepted for a rate of 39.99 percent, an increase of two and a half percent from last year. Out of those, 858 matriculated, or 24.06 percent, a decrease of just over two percent from last year. The acceptance rate has fluctuated around 40 percent for the past two years, while the matriculation rate, or yield, has decreased steadily. Flagel said that the Office of Admissions' goals were to "bring in a size class at 855 [and] to bring in an outstanding caliber class," adding that "there was not a targeted accept or yield rate." In his presentation, Flagel called the data "a very nice trend in upward momentum of the number of people interested in [Brandeis]." Overall, SAT scores, GPA and class rank were higher than previous years, with over half of students in the top ten percent of SAT scorers nationally. However, Flagel downplayed the importance of such rankings, calling them "nearly as statistically relevant as shoe size." "All of them are indicators, [but] none of them tell the story of who our students are," he added. Flagel did not respond to requests for comment by press time. —Tate Herbert and Sara Dejene
(12/12/11 5:00am)
Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel presented admissions statistics for the Class of 2015 at Thursday evening's faculty meeting, stating that Brandeis has seen an increased acceptance rate and a decrease in the matriculation rate, while noting that the Class of 2015 is "one of the highest-caliber classes that we've had." According to the presentation, the number of students who applied to Brandeis for fall enrollment was 8,917, up from 7,694 in 2010. 3,566 were accepted for a rate of 39.99 percent, an increase of two and a half percent from last year. Out of those, 858 matriculated, or 24.06 percent, a decrease of just over two percent from last year. The acceptance rate has fluctuated around 40 percent for the past two years, while the matriculation rate, or yield, has decreased steadily. Flagel said that the Office of Admissions' goals were to "bring in a size class at 855 [and] to bring in an outstanding caliber class," adding that "there was not a targeted accept or yield rate." In his presentation, Flagel called the data "a very nice trend in upward momentum of the number of people interested in [Brandeis]." Overall, SAT scores, GPA and class rank were higher than previous years, with over half of students in the top ten percent of SAT scorers nationally. However, Flagel downplayed the importance of such rankings, calling them "nearly as statistically relevant as shoe size." "All of them are indicators, [but] none of them tell the story of who our students are," he added. Flagel did not respond to requests for comment by press time. —Sara Dejene contributed reporting.
(12/12/11 5:00am)
Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel presented admissions statistics for the Class of 2015 at Thursday evening's faculty meeting, stating that Brandeis has seen an increased acceptance rate and a decrease in the matriculation rate, while noting that the class of 2015 is "one of the highest-caliber classes that we've had." According to the presentation, the number of students who applied to Brandeis for fall enrollment was 8,917, up from 7,694 in 2010. 3,566 were accepted for a rate of 39.99 percent, an increase of two and a half percent from last year. Out of those, 858 matriculated, or 24.06 percent, a decrease of just over two percent from last year. The acceptance rate has fluctuated around 40 percent for the past two years, while the matriculation rate, or yield, has decreased steadily. Flagel said that the Office of Admissions' goals were to "bring in a size class at 855 [and] to bring in an outstanding caliber class," adding that "there was not a targeted accept or yield rate." In his presentation, Flagel called the data "a very nice trend in upward momentum of the number of people interested in [Brandeis]." Overall, SAT scores, GPA and class rank were higher than previous years, with over half of students in the top ten percent of SAT scorers nationally. However, Flagel downplayed the importance of such rankings, calling them "nearly as statistically relevant as shoe size." "All of them are indicators, [but] none of them tell the story of who our students are," he added. Flagel did not respond to requests for comment by press time. —Tate Herbert and Sara Dejene
(12/05/11 5:00am)
The trial runs of extended weekend hours at the Provisions on Demand Market in the Usdan Student Center were completed on Saturday, Nov. 19, and dining services has compiled transaction statistics from the extra hours.
(11/07/11 5:00am)
The Student Judiciary voted unanimously to elect Shirel Guez '12 as chief justice, according to Union Judiciary members in both emails and in interviews with the Justice.
(09/23/11 4:00am)
Sixteen senators, one Alumni Association representative, two Brandeis Sustainability Fund representatives, one racial minority representative to the Finance Board and one member of the Student Judiciary were elected in fall elections Thursday, according to Student Union Secretary Todd Kirkland '13 in an email to the Justice.
