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On Oct. 21 at 7:00 p.m., the new student organization Jewish Bund at Brandeis held a vigil in the Shapiro Campus Center atrium for the lives lost in Palestine and Lebanon over the past year. A post on their Instagram page asked attendees to “come in the spirit of respect, love, and community.”
On Oct. 22, Brandeis VoteDeis Campus Coalition and the Student Union hosted an social and educational event called “Celebration of Voting.” The occasion included a visit by Weston, the “Vote Goat,” in Fellows Garden. Students received information on how to register to vote and had the opportunity to take a photo with the baby goat. They were encouraged to share the images with friends and family, as well as to check in and remind their loved ones to make a plan to vote.
On Tuesday, Oct. 22, the Hadassah Brandeis Institute and Brandeis Hillel co-hosted Prof. Vanessa Ochs, a professor of religious studies at the University of Virginia. The talk, taking place in the Usdan International Lounge, centered on Och’s research on new Jewish rituals in Israel and the diaspora in response to ongoing war. “These new rituals do not answer Jewish theological questions, and Jewish ritual never does,” Professor Ochs explained. “Rituals provide answers to [the questions]: Who are my people? Are there others who know how I feel? How do I go on? Who knows what I’ve been through? How can I tell this story?”
On Oct. 7, Brandeis University was named in a class action lawsuit, accused of conspiring with 39 other top universities and the College Board in price-fixing. The suit was filed with the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and alleges the defendants’ “concerted action” has caused the price of tuition to increase for students with non-custodial parents — a parent who does not have primary custody of their child after a divorce or separation.
Prof. Taylor Ackley (MUS) has been teaching at Brandeis since 2022. A doctor of ethnomusicology and specialist in American Roots music, Ackley runs the Roots Music Ensemble and teaches several classes for the music department. According to his website, his research aims to “understand and analyze the American Folk and Roots music as art grounded in the experiences of poor and working class people.”
At 2:00 pm on Oct. 18, the Brandeis faculty met in Rapaporte Treasure Hall for their monthly meeting. The meeting opened with Chair of the Faculty Senate Prof. Jeffrey Lenowitz (POL) giving a welcoming address, informing the staff of a change in timing of the next meeting in order to be able to accommodate an address from Interim President Arthur Levine, Ph.D. ’70. Additionally Lenowitz stated “Though leadership is changing at the University, the structural problems are not. So to this end, I want to assure you all that the senate remains dedicated to working with the administration to ensure that these are addressed in a manner that safeguards faculty interests.” He also discussed future plans to hear and address faculty concerns such as a survey and small group meetings.
For performing arts groups, the beginning of a new academic year is a time of excitement and novelty. Auditions bring in new members, and preparations for an exciting new set of performances are set into motion. This year, however, came with an unexpected obstacle: the University had decided to restrict the amount of time per week for which these groups could reserve rehearsal space. With a new four hour per week restriction, groups have been forced to adapt in order to continue their usual rehearsal schedules.
On Oct. 10, the Heller School for Social Policy and Management hosted a panel discussion, titled “Four Takes on the U.S. presidential Election: Gender, Diaspora, Class, Race.” In discussion were Prof. Faith Smith (AAAS/ENG), Prof. Anita Hill (SP/WGS), Prof. ChaeRan Freeze (NEJS) and Prof. Harleen Singh (GRALL/WGS). Each panelist had the opportunity to share their perspectives of the upcoming presidential election. The panel was moderated by Maria Madison, the Interim Dean of The Heller School for Social Policy and Management.
This fall, Waltham High School students stepped into their brand new building for the first time — a high school that combines traditional classroom learning and vocational programs. The state of the art building allows students to explore a wide range of educational options and decide which style of learning best suits their academic needs.
As Brandeis students return to campus for the new semesteIn September, Brandeis implemented the new learning management platform Moodle. LATTE, an extension of an already existing Moodle interface, was nearing the end of its efficiency span and the technology department began looking at other options.
The Senate convened on Oct. 6, where they began with the Senate hearing from two different clubs about name changes. Additionally, the Senate voted on director seat confirmations.
MEDICAL EMERGENCY
Throughout her work as a trailblazing political philosopher and a proponent of education and community action, Dr. Danielle Allen has remained grounded in her belief that people should always have the freedom to ask “how" instead of “if.” As a self-proclaimed lover of “how” questions, Allen has tapped into the power of building spaces for conversation where collaboration and connection are paramount. Protecting the agency of individuals and their communities invests power in them as co-creators of our shared democracy: this philosophy motivates Allen to base her career around the idea of “democracy renovation.”
On Sept. 25, the Brandeis community was shocked as a new email entered their inbox. The email, written by Chair of the Board of Trustees Lisa R. Kranc ’75, was sent out at 9:42 a.m. and announced the resignation of University President Ronald Liebowitz. This email came just two days after the announcement of the faculty vote of no confidence and one day after the conclusion of the Board of Trustees fall meetings.
On Friday, Sept. 27 at 9 a.m., approximately 100 students, alumni and faculty of Brandeis University flocked to the Spingold Theater. David McCraw, Deputy General Counsel and Senior Vice President of The New York Times, took the stage to tackle big issues in contemporary media and politics. The event was moderated by a duo of Brandeis journalism professors: Prof. Neil Swidey (JOUR) and Prof. Ann Silvio (JOUR).
On Sept. 24, the U.S. News and World Report released its “Best National Colleges” ranking for 2025, revealing that Brandeis has dropped another three spots from its ranking of 60 in 2024. Now, the University finds itself tied at 63 with George Washington University, Michigan State University, Pennsylvania State University’s University Park campus, Santa Clara University, Tulane University and the University of Miami.
Brandeis graduate students play an integral role as teaching assistants, researchers, and mentors, yet their experience is markedly different from that of undergraduates. While essential services like housing, meal plans, and comprehensive health insurance are often considered in undergraduate tuition, graduate students frequently find themselves navigating a more challenging experience at Brandeis. Graduate students, despite their importance to the University's academic operations, lack the same support systems that are readily available to their undergraduate peers. Many graduate students have voiced concerns that these disparities stem from a non-competitive union contract compared to comparable institutions. However, this sense of insecurity may be reduced with a new union contract.
The first poetry reading of the 2024–2025 academic year was held in Rapaporte Treasure Hall on Sept. 25 by poets Krysten Hill and January Gill O’Neil. The event was a celebration of O’Neil’s latest book, "Glitter Road.” The event began with a reading by Prof. Krysten Hill (ENG) of her previous and latest poetry, the creative approach and her reflection on identity, grief and education. O'Neil shared the creative inspiration behind her new book and read a few of the poems she is most proud of.
On Monday Sept. 23, Dr. Ramie Targoff delivered a lecture entitled “Proxy Weddings, from Shakespeare to Rubens,” in honor of her achievements as the Jehuda Reinharz Professor of the Humanities at Brandeis. Occurring in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall, the lecture was sponsored by the Office of the President.
On Sept. 19, the City of Waltham posted on their news page that State Health Officials have found a mosquito infected with West Nile virus in Waltham. The mosquito was found in the Northeast Quadrant of Waltham and tested positive on Sept. 11.