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Brandeis University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1949 | Waltham, MA

Letter to the Editor: New Frontiers Party

 We recognize and understand the concerns brought forward by Student Union President Peyton Gillespie and Director of Communications Noah Risley. The intention of NFP is not to inject factionalism into, nor assert any kind of supremacy over the affairs of the Student Union or body at large. NFP, as a rule of thumb, avoided establishing overarching policy in order to allow each candidate to assert themselves, and indeed, most did present written platforms in various formats on their Instagram pages ahead of the elections. In truth, the intention was not to bolster a “social club”, as suggested by Director Risley, but to promote and support student involvement early on in the year among people who would otherwise be disinclined to self-involve. We hoped, and continue to hope, to provide a framework to make it easier for those interested to navigate the campaign process. 


Burnout culture: a neurodivergent perspective on productivity

 We’ve begun the fall semester of the 2022-23 school year! If you’re anything like me, an overzealous, career-driven maniac, you might be confused as to why you’re already burned out. You have all these plans for your future and the drive to get there, but you’re having trouble making concrete steps to achieve those goals.  


Regarding campus dining

 This editorial board recognizes that it might take some time for these suggested changes to be implemented and that Brandeis Hospitality remains open to receiving feedback from the student body. To Brandeis students, please be patient with the dining experience – the University is still in a transitional phase —and keep in mind that the dining workers are doing their best to serve us. 


Why Brandeis campus housing must change

 Although happy to welcome the class of 2026 to campus, this board believes that the University is accepting more students than it has the capacity to house safely and effectively. If current trends continue, this problem is unlikely to go away. It is in the best interest of first-year students in particular that the University figures out a way to accommodate these students, whether by admitting fewer or finding more acceptable housing options for the ones that they do admit.  


Reflections from New York Fashion Week, and the importance of inclusivity

 I had been to the city countless times, but when I arrived and walked into the Moynihan Train Hall, it felt different. People in neon pink feathers and heeled metal boots rushed past me on their way to shows. I made my way to Ninth avenue and into my hotel. I nervously waited for the morning when I too could join the spectacle of New York Fashion Week.  


University should carry pandemic-era accessibility lessons into the future

 Despite calls for the administration to maintain these policies, the University has instead reversed course, encouraging faculty to return to pre-pandemic policies. As much as we all want to put the pandemic behind us, to ignore valuable lessons from Brandeis’ COVID-19 era is irresponsible, and it could harm students who have benefited from the more accessible learning environment of the last two years. 


In dark times, have a little hope

 In the words of  Ernest Hemingway, expressing similar sentiments in “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” the protagonist, Robert Jordan, debating with himself if life is worth living in the face of such widespread atrocity and destruction in the Spanish Civil War, has a moment of clarity when he reflects, “If we win here we will win everywhere. The world is a fine place and worth the fighting for and I hate very much to leave it.” It is not the certainty of success that should predicate hope; rather, it is its possibility that things can go another way, and that even an individual can change it. Have a little hope.  


Dear President Liebowitz: put students first and prioritize campus climate, DEI, and accessibility

We urge you, your colleagues, and all concerned members of the Brandeis community to put students first and to take concrete, decisive action on campus climate and the state of DEI, anti-racism, and accessibility at all levels within our institution. We repeat that we are living, breathing students suffering from very real problems to address. Let’s do something about them. 


A ‘thank you’ is no longer enough for Community Advisors

 CAs and students have signed a letter outlining demands that CAs need in order to continue to serve the Brandeis Community to the best of our ability. I, along with other students and CAs now await a response and follow-up actions from administrators regarding our important community impacting concerns. Will Brandeis demonstrate its social justice principles? Finally, are we as students and CAs valued by the administration of Brandeis University or will our concerns, like that of many other students on campus, be pushed aside once again? 


University should compensate Community Advisors

 In light of a recent petition circulating with the hope that the University would begin compensating meal plans for Community Advisors, this board would like to bring attention to the importance of supporting said petition. While the University has already rejected the previous proposal, we would like to bring light to why it should be reconsidered. 


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