The Justice, September 12, 2023

RACE AND GENDER DISCRIMINATION

BUDGET CUTS

Former Brandeis employee wins discrimination lawsuit

■ The jury awarded the plaintiff $2.46 million in a lawsuit against Brandeis.

By RIVER SIMARD JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

A Middlesex Superior Court jury awarded former Vice President of Human Resources Robin NelsonBailey $2.46 million in her lawsuit against the University for racial and gender-based discrimination. The jury reached the verdict on Aug. 30 following a 7-day trial.

“There were three major claims in the case — race discrimination, gender discrimination, and retaliation. They were all part of the case, and they all played a vital role in the trial,” Nelson-Bailey’s attorney, Matthew Fogelman, wrote in a Sept. 8 email to the Justice.

The case stems from NelsonBailey’s demotion in 2018 to the position of vice president of special projects in human resources. The demotion, which led to a decreased salary, was the result of a third-

Brandeis cuts musicology and composition Ph.D. programs

■ The decision has been met with backlash from many members of the Brandeis community.

By SOPHIA DE LISI AND ANIKA JAIN JUSTICE EDITORS

On Aug. 25, Brandeis University released a statement informing their faculty that per the results of a Ph.D. review, the musicology and music composition doctorate programs will no longer be accepting new students. The Justice obtained a follow-up statement sent to faculty Sept. 6, detailing the University’s decision to begin phasing out the program. The statement is signed by Provost Carol Fierke, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Wendy Cadge, and Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences Jeffery Shoulson. The statement explained that the review was a “systematic examination of information about all nineteen of the university’s Ph.D. programs” that occurred between March 2022 and August 2023. The investigation included discussions between division heads, the Graduate Council, the Committee on Academ-

ic Standards and Policy, Directors of Graduate Study, Provost Fierke, and Dean Shoulson.

While the musicology program was initially supposed to go on hiatus due to concerns regarding insufficient student support, this review led the University to recommend officially closing the Musicology and Music Composition programs instead.

“The Music Department does not have enough faculty to easily and consistently fill dissertation committees, especially in Musicology, where all three tenured and tenuretrack faculty are essentially required to serve on the dissertation committee for every musicology Ph.D. student,” the statement explained.

Fierke, Cadge, and Shoulson also expressed concern regarding the consistency of student graduation. During the review period, they found that over 40% of graduate students in these programs were within their sixth year or above. “This is a long progression to [a] degree and longer than the national average for comparable programs,” they wrote.

“The University is not in a position — especially given undergraduate enrollment demands in other departments and disciplines — to invest in the programs as is needed

BranVan firings

 40 student workers were fired from their BranVan positions.

By ISABEL ROSETH AND CAYENN LANDAU

to sustain and grow them,” the administration's announcement said.

“This self-reflection is not only best practice — it is the right thing to do for our students, our faculty, our alumni, and our future.”

In response to the University’s decision, many faculty members, alumni, and community members expressed disapproval.

A petition compiled by alumni has amassed over 100 pages of signatures, including the support from students, faculty, and chairs of music composition and music theory from Cornell University, Columbia University, Berklee College of Music, the New England Conservatory, Boston College, the University of California — Los Angeles, DePaul University, Manhattan School of Music, the Juilliard School, Michigan State University, Harvard University, University of Michigan, and many more institutions.

The alumni called into question what the decision symbolizes: “What message does it send when an R1 [tier one] institution, founded on a liberal arts ethos, implies that the arts can be sacrificed on the altar of the hard sciences, instead of understanding the symbiotic role between the arts and sciences as part of a ho-

party investigation conducted by attorney Walter Prince and Associate Justice R. Malcolm Graham into the Brandeis Department of Athletics. Nelson-Bailey was demoted due to her involvement in the University’s 2017 HR investigation of former Brandeis basketball coach Brian Meehan.

Meehan had been accused of racist behavior towards Black members of the basketball team since he began working for the school in 2003. For many years the team was successful under Meehan, but he was known to be aggressive: screaming at players, treating them poorly, and making generally offensive remarks.

Former Title IX Coordinator and Director of Employee and Labor Relations Linda Shinomoto conducted the initial investigation on behalf of the school in 2017 after six student-athletes, five of whom were Black, came forward with complaints of Meehan’s behavior. There was little guidance in Brandeis’ policy on whether or See LAWSUIT, 7 ☛

Vanessa Mark's family files lawsuit against Joseph's Transportation

The parents of Vanessa Mark, the Brandeis student who tragically died in a bus crash last November, filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Joseph’s Transportation of Medford and Jean Michael Fenelon, the bus driver, in Suffolk Superior Court on Aug. 18.

According to the lawsuit, Fenelon was traveling 54 mph at the time of the crash — in a 30 mph zone. The bus jumped the curb, went airborne, and struck several trees. The lawsuit also alleges that Fenelon was overworked and violated the rule against working more than 70 hours in a week at the time of the crash.

Furthermore, Joseph’s Transportation allegedly failed to obtain a signed duty statement from Fenelon that provides the total time on duty in the preceding seven days, which is required by law. The suit also files a complaint against Joseph’s for neglecting to evaluate Fenlon’s qualifications, including competency, accident history, drug screening, medical certification, training, and prior experience.

Jujustu Kaisen review

 This review is a look at faith and disillusionment in the series second season.

By SAMUEL DIAZ

"Joseph’s Transportation either didn’t know or didn’t care that its driver violated hours of service laws, disregarded safety rules, and drove recklessly,” the family’s attorney Clay Robbins III said in a statement. “If they had performed simple due diligence, the driver never would have been allowed behind the wheel, and Vanessa Mark would still be alive today.”

In addition to Mark, 26 other passengers were injured, including the driver himself. Mark’s parents filed the lawsuit, calling the crash “entirely preventable.”

Shuttle crash report

By SOPHIA STEWART

Campus club crisis

By

THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Spanish soccer scandal

By Jacqueline Floro

— Anika Jain

CECI XILEI CHEN/the Justice

RESILIENCE : Last year's Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts shared a message of defending the voices of artists.

SENATE LOG

The Justice did not recieve a Senate Log as of press time.

POLICE LOG

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Aug. 27—A community member requested BEMCo for a bandage. BEMCo did not treat the community member.

Aug. 28—There was a minor medical call. Patient refused medical treatment.

Aug. 29—A party reported severe heartburn. BEMCo responded. The party refused transport.

Aug. 30—A caller reported a medical emergency. The patient was transported to a local hospital via cruiser.

Aug.30—A party was treated by BEMCo and transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Aug. 31—A Brandeis employee came to the front desk requesting minor medical assistance. BEMCo assisted. Service rendered.

Aug. 31—A caller requested medical aid. The party was treated by BEMCo and refused further medical treatment.

Sept. 2—A caller requested medical aid. The party was treated by BEMCo and transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Sept. 2—A caller requested medical aid. The party was treated by BEMCo and refused further treatment.

Sept. 3—There was an intoxicated party requiring medical attention. Services were rendered.

Sept. 3—There was an intoxicated party requiring medical attention. Services were rendered.

Sept. 3—A student on crutches requested aid to get around campus.

Sept. 3—A party sought medical attention for a fall. The patient was transported to a local hospital.

Sept. 3—A party fell and injured their wrist. They asked for their wrist to be examined. The patient was cleared.

Sept. 3—A party had a fall requiring medical attention. Patient refused medical treatment.

Sept. 3—A party required a well-being check. They were cleared.

Sept. 4—There was a medical emergency. The patient was transported to a local hospital.

Sept. 5—A caller was treated by BEMCo and refused further medical treatment.

Sept. 5—There was a medical emergency. Patient refused medical treatment.

Sept. 5—There was a medical emergency. Waltham Fire Department and Armstrong Ambulance were dispatched as well. The patient was transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Sept. 6—A party required medical assistance. BEMCo responded and attended to the patient.

Sept. 6—A party took prescribed medication that made them sleepy. BEMCo res -

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

■ A news article incorrectly named Lauren Grewal ’09 as a co-founder of the club SPECTRUM. (February 1, 2011).

The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Send an email to editor@thejustice.org.

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ponded and attended to the patient.

Sept. 6—A party reported that their roommate suffered a head injury that may be worsening. The patient refused medical treatment.

Sept. 7—A party was transported to Golding Health Center. The patient refused medical treatment.

Sept. 8—There was a minor medical emergency. The party was treated by BEMCo and refused further medical care.

Sept. 8—BEMCo responded to a medical emergency. The patient was transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Sept. 8—There was a medical emergency. Patient refused further treatment.

Sept. 8—There was a medical emergency in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. Patient was transported to a local hospital.

Sept. 8—There was a medical emergency. Patient was transported to a local hospital.

Sept. 8—There was a medical emergency in the Goldfarb Library. The patient was transported to a local hospital.

ACCIDENTS

Aug. 29—There were reports of a motor vehicle accident in the parking lot. There were no injuries.

Sept. 1—A party reported a minor motor vehicle accident with a cruiser. There were no injuries

FRAUD-UTTERING

Aug. 31—A party reported being the victim of a fraud. The case was cleared.

Sept. 3—A student reported being scammed. The case was cleared.

MISCELLANEOUS

Aug. 29—A party reported a problem with their Amazon order. Brandeis Police assisted and located items in the mailroom. Investigation to follow.

Aug. 30—Two cars were towed for parking in reserved spots.

Aug. 31—A party reported past harassment.

Sept. 2—A party reported the Ridgewood gate arm has been damaged. Investigation to follow.

Sept. 5—A party soliciting on campus was removed.

Sept. 9—A party reported that her vehicle was broken into. The party states that both windows were smashed. Car radio, registration from glove box, and vehicle manual were taken. Investigation to follow.

Compiled by Anika Jain

ELIZA BIER/The Justice

Students acted in this year’s 24-Hour Musical, “The Little Mermaid,” with only a day’s worth of preparation. The cast performed to a spirited audience that took every opportunity to break into song alongisde them, laugh at every joke or unplanned mishap, and praise the performers. The production crew used the 24 hours to create the underwater scenery on stage as well as implement sound effects and music to help the production come alive. No contribution from any of the directors, main cast, ensemble, and production staff went unappreciated by the musical’s attendants. The night ended with thundering applause and standing ovations for all.

ELIZA BIER/The Justice

The University releases shuttle crash investigation report

■ After months of investigation, the University shared the causes behind November’s devastating shuttle accident.

By SOPHIA STEWART JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Months after a fatal accident shook the entire Brandeis community, federal records provide some clarity. On Nov. 19, 2022, at 10:31 P.M, a shuttle returning to campus from Boston crashed, killing student Vanessa Mark and injuring 27 other passengers. In July, the University shared safety review records from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration which detailed the crash’ causes, including violations that Joseph’s Transportation committed prior to the accident.

The investigation of Joseph’s Transportation and the bus crash began on Nov. 25, 2022. The crash report includes findings about the company itself, the driver, violations committed, and recommended remedies for Joseph’s Transportation to implement. The bus driver was a full-time student outside of Brandeis and worked for two transportation companies, including Joseph’s Transportation. Neither company was aware that the driver had two jobs. At the time of the accident, the driver was in violation for working over 70 hours in a week. Joseph’s Transportation adjusted the bus driver’s hours on the morning of the crash, as they realized the driver was close to exceeding the weekly driving limit.

The speed limit at that section of South Street is 30 miles per hour, but the driver was going 54 mph at the time of the crash, according to the report.

Going forward, Brandeis administration continues to take interest in safely providing transportation services. In the interest of safety and efficiency, Brandeis administration created the role of Transportation

System Manager, who is specifically responsible for ensuring the safety of the University’s transportation; however, the position is yet to be filled. Brandeis also dissolved their contract with Joseph’s Transportation and replaced them with DPV Transportation, a company based in Everett, Massachusetts. DPV Transportation has already been in use so far this year for shuttle routes around campus, Waltham, and the BostonCambridge area. In addition, Brandeis’ new safety developments include the Tripshot app’s implementation; monitoring bus speed, braking, and acceleration; as well as ensuring that all vehicles have seatbelts. The shuttle remains an important resource for students, especially with the lack of a Tstation nearby and with rules in place only allowing juniors and seniors to have cars on campus, with minor exceptions. The oncampus shuttle service also allows students who live in the Charles River Apartments and the 567 South Street apartments to access the rest of campus – except for the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center – more efficently.

Students with disabilities also need to have access to shuttle services for day to day life. Overall, Matt Rushton, chief of Public Safety, and Lois Stanley, vice president of Campus Operations, reported that the shuttles provide students with the ability to travel to grocery stores and pharmacies as well as educational and work opportunities.

After the accident, shuttle services were suspended until the beginning of spring semester ‘23 in order for the University to implement a new plan for safe transportation. Accessing Waltham and the Boston area became more difficult and less cost efficient for students during that time.

“The aftermath of this accident has been difficult for our community. As we look to the future of transportation at Brandeis, we will continue to remember its effects and support our students,” according to Rushton

Dangerous power surges in Waltham to go uninvestigated by the state

■ The Commonwealth of Massachusetts denies formal investigation of company following two major power surges in Waltham; city councilors and mayor disagree.

By MESHULAM UNGAR JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

With the charred remains of Waltham resident Raimondo Alonge’s home behind them, Waltham City Councilors Colleen Bradley-MacArthur (D – At-Large) and Jonathan Paz (D – Ward 9), a mayoral candidate this November, demanded that the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities investigate regional power company Eversource after two major power surges in the past year. Mr. Alonge’s home likely burned down because of the power surge, while hundreds of other Waltham residents lost a variety of electronic devices, such as refrigerators and computers. The City Councilors demanded that Eversource fully compensate Waltham residents who suffered property damage due to the surges.

In October 2022 and June 2023, Waltham experienced major power surges, where local power stations sent out more electricity to individual homes than those houses can safely handle. These surges caused hundreds to call the Waltham Fire Department and other first responders, straining the department to the point that the neighboring city of Lexington, MA began sending its fire engines. The Waltham Fire Department did not respond to the Justice’s request for comment in time for publication.

Mr. Alonge and other residents claimed that Eversource would only reimburse damaged items at a depreciated value. Paz and Bradley-MacArthur argue that Eversource should reimburse damaged property in full.

According to an Aug. 30 letter to Waltham city officials from the DPU, the dangerous surges most likely stemmed from rodents fraying control cables at the Automated Bus Restoration power station on Pine Street, which caused the breakers to malfunction, ultimately leading to the overvoltage. The letter went on to say that although the DPU. issued a “strong warning” to Eversource, it would not conduct an investigation, based on but not limited to the seven safety responses promised by Eversource, such as keeping the Pine Street power station turned off until renovations and testing can be done.

Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy, a 19-year incumbent and current candidate for reelection this November, reiterated in a written response to questions from the Justice that she is “not satisfied” with Eversource. McCarthy stated, “On behalf of the residents and businesses in the City of Waltham, I am asking DPU to review and independently evaluate Eversource’s infrastructure and policies.”

In a press conference at Alonge’s home on Tuesday, Sept. 5, Councilors BradleyMacArthur and Jonathan Paz forcefully argued that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts reverse this decision. Paz said, “We demand that the Department of Public Utilities actually move forward with a public investigation of Eversource.” Paz added, “How many firefighters do we have to send in before Eversource does basic maintenance of this system?”

In an interview with the Justice immediately after the press conference, Paz reasoned that a DPU. investigation would shed light on Eversource’s upkeep of its electrical infrastructure and the long-term damage of power surges to homes. To Paz, citizens “need that picture, and we will not get that from Eversource.” When asked if she is confident that there will not be power surges in the future, Mayor McCarthy had a one-word answer: “no.”

CITY ADDRESS : Alonge (center), in front of the remains of his home, and other Waltham residents with damaged property speak to the media with Councilors.

Meet the new Dean of Arts and Sciences Spencer Jefferey Shoulson

get an idea of what to expect from the School of Arts and Sciences going forward.

By ANNA MARTIN JUSTICE EDITOR

The Justice: What drew you to Brandeis?

Dean Shoulson: Brandeis has always been an institution that I’ve admired from a distance. I don’t think I fully appreciated its distinctive qualities until I started to look more closely at this position and the kind of unusual combination of a Research 1 institution with a very, very high research profile but also the size of a small liberal arts college that really focuses on undergraduate education. That combination really appealed to me. I think its history — its legacy as an institution that was founded specifically for the purpose of providing access to opportunities in higher education for people who have been shut out from other places because of their identities and backgrounds — is a very compelling aspect of Brandeis’ identity that I think continues to inform its mission. The role of Dean of Arts and Sciences seemed like a really good match for my interests and where I wanted to go next.

TJ: What is your vision for the future of the College of Arts and Sciences and what steps do you plan on taking to achieve this vision?

DS: I’m especially interested in amplifying what I think is already in place for a lot of undergraduates, which is the opportunity for undergraduates to work closely in a kind of experiential and hands-on ways with our researchers to gain experience in what it means to do research across all disciplines. We currently have opportunities for students to work with our wonderful science researchers and programs like the Humanities Fellowship and the QBReC Fellows program, which are terrific. However, I’d like to see what we can do as far as making those kinds of opportunities available for all Brandeis undergraduates, beginning very early on in their careers and making that a kind of cornerstone or almost a kind of calling card of the Brandeis undergraduate experience.

TJ: What career achievement are you most proud of?

DS: Well, I guess the first thing I would say is being appointed Dean of Brandeis School of Arts and Sciences. I consider that to be a particularly important honor and achievement in my career. I think from a scholarly point of view, I’m very proud of the books that I’ve written and the research that I’ve done. My first book was awarded the American Academy of Jewish Research’s Prize for first book, and that’s something I’m very proud of. I’ve also had the opportunity to spend a couple of years at the University of Pennsylvania at the Katz Center for Advanced Jewish Studies where I’ve done a lot of research — those were really wonderful opportunities for me. With respect to my teaching, I think I take the greatest pleasure in reconnecting with students that I’ve taught years before who have gone on to do interesting things and who stay in touch. It is a wonderful thing, and I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that hearing from former students is a real delight.

TJ: How do you prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion, and what steps do you plan on taking to promote a diverse and inclusive academic environment?

DS: That’s an important question, and it’s a value that I hold very closely. I think that the first way to answer that is to say that that’s a value and a critical priority that has to be at the forefront of every decision that one makes. Even decisions that don’t seem explicitly to have any kind of facet or dimension that is explicitly related to diversity and inclusion inevitably do. There are all kinds of hidden ways in which certain kinds of structural disadvantages are built into the American academic world and higher education that we need to be sensitive to and work to dismantle or to revise so that they don’t disadvantage historically disadvantaged populations. That can be in the context of hiring new faculty. It can be in the context of creating opportunities for students to participate in research experiences. That’s something that I think we sometimes don’t realize that there is a certain kind of cultural capital that students who come from more advantaged backgrounds bring with them that makes it easier for them to identify and take advantage of opportunities than students who may be first-generation college students and just don’t really know what there is to ask for. We need to make that easier.

There are opportunity costs that we need to be aware of for

BRIEF

students who may need to work an extra job in order to pay for some of their expenses. Many opportunities that we might want to provide which don’t necessarily come as paid internships but are originally developed as volunteer internships, and those are problematic because they are not available and accessible to everyone in the same way. I think we need to be talking very carefully about the curriculum and how it reflects the world that we live in now — the demographics of the United States, the demographics of New England and of Boston. I think Brandeis needs to become — and I don’t mean to suggest that this has never been done before — but Brandeis needs to be a conscientious citizen of Waltham, Massachusetts, which is itself a very diverse city, both ethnically and racially but also economically. There are some folks in Waltham who are very well-off and comfortable and there are others who are much less advantaged. Brandeis benefits from being in Waltham, so it needs to be sensitive to those disparities and those inequities. I think it informs every aspect of what we do at Brandeis. I think it has to.

TJ: How do you handle budgetary challenges and do you have any plans for the reallocation of funding throughout the departments?

DS: I don’t want to suggest that Brandeis is unique or unusually disadvantaged, but Brandeis is going to have financial budgetary challenges going forward, like every institution of higher education in the country. To some extent, we’re better off in some places and not as well off in other places. But I think we have to keep in the forefront of our minds — whenever we make decisions about these things — what our primary values and mission [are]. I’ve already mentioned the two things that I think are primary to Brandeis’ identity, which is maintaining its research profile and also sustaining and enriching a broad and deep liberal arts education. Those two sets of goals need to inform lots of the decisions that we make.

With respect to the research, I think it’s important for us to be diverse in the research that we do. It can’t be all located in one area or one discipline or one division. So while we’re very, very proud of our science faculty and the research they do — we have Nobel Prize winners and other kinds of prize winners in the science faculty that we should be very proud of and that we want to continue to support — it can’t be limited to the sciences. It has to include the other divisions, has to include the humanities, the social sciences, the creative arts, and investments need to be made to make those programs and those departments not only viable and sustainable but also with the capacity to grow. But we can’t do everything, and that means making some difficult decisions about things that we ought not to continue doing. We can’t continue to add programs without also subtracting somewhere else. We just don’t have the capacity to do that. And so we have to make difficult decisions. They need to be transparent. They need to be consultative. I don’t want to ever make a decision in isolation without speaking with the folks who might be impacted by it, and that’s something that’s going to guide me as well.

TJ: What is your approach to supporting student and faculty research?

DS: Well, I already mentioned the Humanities Fellowship and the QBReC program, which to me are models precisely because they identify students even before they get to Brandeis. I’d love to see us do more of that. I think that [the University can emphasize] identifying students who are interested in Brandeis, [making] connections with them, [and offering] them opportunities even before they decide to come to Brandeis. Because I think on the one hand that’s going to improve our yield. The people who we accept will want to come to Brandeis. It’s also a way of beginning to introduce that culture to students even before they set foot on campus. Again, another thing that I think is appealing about those programs is the ways in which they work with cohorts of students. You have a kind of community of students that you start with who are interested in the things that you’re interested in that can serve as a really powerful peer group, reinforce the work you’re doing, enrich it, help you find partners that you can work with in various research possibilities.

TJ: Can you share your perspective on the role of a liberal arts education in today’s society?

DS: I don’t think it’s ever been more important than it is today. I think the impulse to specialize quickly and to identify a career quickly is understandable. There are lots and lots of economic pressures that students are feeling. I know that especially with private institutions, students take on enormous debt in some cases that they understandably feel the need to be in a position to repay, and I’m not at all dismissive of those concerns. I worry though that the impulse to focus on a career early on and to narrow the field of study too quickly forecloses possibilities that students might otherwise consider. I think when you start

Breaking down the statistics of the class of 2027

With the start of the new school year, the University has welcomed another class of incoming students to campus. According to the article published in BrandeisNow, the total enrollment of current first-years is estimated to be 873, over 100 less than the estimated 1007 that joined the Brandeis community last year as members of the class of 2026. The estimated acceptance rate for the class of 2027 was 35%, which is 4% lower than the previous year’s 39% acceptance rate.

The mean high school grade point average for these students is 3.9, with the average SAT scores falling between 1410 and 1510. According to College Board’s numbers from June 2022, this estimate puts most of the class of 2027 between the 97th and 99th percentile in comparison to a national sample of

test takers.

The class of 2027 is made up of students from many different backgrounds all over the world. This year, 20% of the students are international. They come from 33 different countries.

Although the University has not specified the countries that these international students represent, a 2021 report suggests that a sizable portion of students hail from China, India, Vietnam, Canada, and Brazil, among numerous others. Furthermore, the aforementioned BrandeisNow article reports that the first-year class features students from 40 states across America, with 18% of them being first-generation university students.

In an email to the Brandeis community, University President Ronald Liebowitz spoke on the Supreme Court decision

that overturned affirmative action in higher education, barring universities from factoring a prospective student’s race. He stated, “We believe that diversity is crucial to academic excellence, innovation, and the free exchange of ideas. We will comply with [the Supreme Court] ruling, but the decision does not change our commitment to these ideals.”

This new class enters the University community on the 75th anniversary of its founding, ready to take on the challenge of embodying the Brandeis spirit.

college, when you’re 17 or 18 or 19 years old, for very obvious and understandable reasons, you have a pretty narrow view of what the options are for you when it’s out there. I would love for students to be able to give themselves the chance to explore, to think beyond the areas that they already know well, to take courses in departments that they haven’t even even heard of before.

I mean, before I started college, I didn’t know what anthropology was. I didn’t know what sociology was because I never had a course like that when I was in high school. I imagine that many students are in similar situations. I also think that a liberal arts education prepares students well — for what seems to me to be increasingly the case for young people — as they go out into their careers. People don’t stay in the same job for very long. They move from one position to another, from one career to another. Those kinds of transitions, those kinds of changes, will put a premium on the capacity to learn, to continue to be learning, to be a lifelong student, to learn new skills, to engage in new ideas, to think through new possibilities, to participate in team kinds of efforts, to think critically, analytically, across a variety of different disciplines, to be able to write and communicate well, to be able to think and analyze data and information critically and analytically. These are all absolutely essential skills that I don’t think there’s a better way for students to refine than in a liberal arts education.

TJ: What are the biggest challenges you believe you may face during your time at Brandeis and how do you plan on addressing them?

DS: I’ll come back to the budget first. I think we have to think hard and long about what we can and can’t do and how we can perhaps increase our capacity to do things through fundraising and development. I’m eager to be involved in that aspect of the Dean’s position. I’m trying to work very hard on developing working relationships with the Institutional Advancement Office and with the President’s office to be part of the conversation around fundraising. It seems to me that the only way that the folks who go out and raise the money can know what we need is if they talk to me and they talk to my colleagues on the faculty, if they work closely with faculty and with department chairs and with division heads. So fundraising and development in a strategic way that really targets the areas of need and the areas that we want to grow in is very high on my list. And I would say that the other thing that I’ve already mentioned is focusing on students, on a comprehensive approach to student experience. How can we help students take advantage not just of the work that they do in the classroom but the lives they live outside of the classroom and make those as fulfilling and as integrated as possible?

TJ: If you could give one piece of advice to your college-aged self, what would it be?

DS: I went to an institution where we had a language requirement, and I was able to pass out of the language requirement by taking a placement test in Hebrew. I have regretted that decision ever since. I should have taken another language because there’s no time after college that I had more freedom and leisure to be able to do that than I did when I was in college. I wish I had taken German or classical Greek or something like that when I was in college because it was a missed opportunity. I also wish I had taken a more advanced class in say math or statistics. I come from literary studies. When I started college I didn’t think I was going to be an English major. I thought I might be a history major or a political science major, but I certainly didn’t think I was going to be working in the sciences or in math. I feel like I’ve been playing catch-up ever since. I would say, speaking to the folks out there, the undergraduates out there who, like me, think of themselves as humanities people, as creative arts people: I would never want you to lose that passion and lose that interest, but don’t be so devoted to it that it keeps you from taking classes and things that will ultimately serve you very well as you go on in life.

TJ: Do you have anything else you would like to say to Brandeis students?

DS: I think one of the sacrifices that one makes when one goes into a position like a Dean is that you lose student contact or lose structured ways to meet and talk to students. So I try to seek them out when I can, but I don’t teach any classes, and I sit in my office and meet with people all day. I’d love to have more opportunities to meet students and get to know them — about what’s important to them, the classes they’re taking, what interests them, those sorts of things. Any chance that I have to meet someone and find out about what makes them tick up, I’d be really happy to do that.

■ The Justice sat down with Dean Shoulson to

— Anna Martin LIGHT THE NIGHT: Brandeis first-years participate in a long-standing tradition at the “Light of Reason” in front of the Rose Art Museum.

JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice

BUDGET CUTS: Music PhD discontinued

LAWSUIT: Ex-employee sues Brandeis

In a Sept. 10 interview with the Justice, third-year musicology student Marie Comuzzo explained the uncertainty that the Music Department is experiencing. “It’s causing us a lot of emotional struggle and exhaustion and also a lot of labor to write letters, to share information, to contact newspapers, and talk [with] each other. Many of us have been completely heartbroken by the decision and are flabbergasted or in shock,” Comuzzo said.

The Department of Music released a statement expressing their outrage on Aug. 28, posing the question, “Why should we aim to become a second-rate MIT when the world so desperately needs a first-rate Brandeis?”

The statement criticized the decision to protect the University’s R1 status at the expense of “two of its oldest, most famous, and highest performing-performing Ph.D. programs.” The Music Department corroborated this statement with evidence proving that music is one of the top-ranked Brandeis Ph.D. departments by many metrics. The department boasts an academic job placement rate of 71% and a low attrition [drop out] rate of 8%, placing them first in the entire university. Their students also have the third highest matriculation rate and fourth highest graduation rate. “Our renown extends far beyond the Brandeis campus, as a recent article in Nature ranked Music’s graduate programs ninth in the nation,” read the statement.

The Music Department argues that it has suffered a shortage of faculty members since the financial crash in 2008, and has alternated between five and seven and a half lines for nearly 15 years. “Our tenure-line faculty — remains smaller than those of our colleague Ph.D.-granting departments in the Brandeis Divisions of Humanities and Social Sciences,” the department explained. They insist that their long history of being understaffed has led them to operate all the same.

During a Sept. 9 interview with the Justice, musicology fourth-year Alexandra Burkot expanded on how the

department thrives despite the obstacles it faces. “The faculty and administration, they are superheroes. Somehow they have managed to make [the department] work on a skeleton crew and threadbare budget for years. It has just been frustrating because they have the potential to do so much more with funding, which the arts rarely have.”

In their statement, the Music Department also highlighted that from a budgeting standpoint, Brandeis can afford to keep the two programs afloat. The programs cost around $300k per year — 0.07% of the University’s $420 million operating budget — or 0.2% of the $145 million that the new engineering building is projected to cost.

“The arts [have] this undeserved connotation of being superfluous,” Burkot stated. “Administrators will often chop the arts if they need a little bit of cash, and arts doesn’t even have that much money to begin with, so they’re not really getting that much out of it.” Burkot highlighted the irony of cutting the arts to conserve funding when music, in particular, has proven to compliment a student’s academic performance.

According to the Music Department’s statement, many of its doctoral students take seminars and incorporate their music studies with other disciplines.

For instance, Comuzzo is in the midst of pursuing her master’s degree in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality at Brandeis while being a part of the musicology program. She stated that one of the driving forces behind her choosing Brandeis to pursue academia was because this was one of the only institutions that would allow a student to work towards a master’s in WGS while pursuing a Ph.D. in musicology.

Comuzzo believes that musicology in its own right is critical to education, not just in respect to other studies. She finds that many people overlook the dedication and work that artists need to become successful.

“Something so profoundly important is to feel that your work matters and people care about it. The very institution that provided me with [that feeling] is also taking it away from people who are like me — who could have never afforded a program like this and could have nev-

er dedicated their life to the study of music without an institution like Brandeis,” Comuzzo said.

CONTINUED FROM 1 listic approach to the university’s mission?”

“The administration is stealing from them,” Burkot said. “They’re stealing from the future generations of students who come to Brandeis. That is truly the greatest tragedy here.”

The ill-timing of the announcement on the eve of Leonard Bernstein’s 105th birthday only served to further exacerbate the reception to the decision. Bernstein, largely considered to be one of the most important conductors of his time, is best known for his internationally acclaimed works, “On the Town” (1949), “Candide” (1956), and “West Side Story” (1957). He served on the Brandeis Department of Music faculty from 1951 to 1956 and was a prominent supporter of the University in its early days. In 1952, he founded the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts, an annual tradition that continues in his honor.

His children Jamie, Alexander, and Nina published a response to the University on Instagram stating, “For decades, Brandeis University has relied on the Leonard Bernstein name to lend luster to its brand, as well as to raise funds. It is unseemly, to say the least, that his contributions to the institution are now being effectively cut off at the knees. That the Brandeis Board of Trustees made this decision in the institution’s 75th anniversary year seems particularly tone-deaf.”

The three called on the Board of Trustees to rethink their decision, attracting the attention of many current and former students alike to the post. Kristin Chenoweth, a Tony-award-winning Broadway actress, commented on the post, “This is a travesty happening more and more.”

Brandeis’s decision to cut its doctorate programs in musicology and composition is part of a larger trend in institutions around the world who are leaning toward the sciences and away from the arts.

Jamie, Alexander, and Nina concluded their post with a famous quote from Bernstein: “It’s the artists of the world, the feelers and thinkers, who will ultimately save us; who can articulate, educate, defy, insist, sing, and shout the big dreams.”

not a written report should be filed at all. Nelson-Bailey pushed for the written report, but higher-ranking University officials opposed it. Ultimately, there was a written report, though higher-ranking University officials ensured there were redactions in the report that would be shared. NelsonBailey oversaw and assisted with the investigation by providing edits to the report, meeting with students, and reviewing University policies.

The 2021 Summary Judgment filed by Nelson-Bailey’s attorneys stated that the HR report concluded that Meehan had “violated the school’s racial discrimination policy and violated the school’s conduct/profanity policy.” While it was not the HR department’s responsibility to recommend actions against Meehan, Nelson-Bailey and Shinomoto both believed that Meehan needed to be fired.

A redacted version of the HR report was sent to then Vice President of Student Affairs, Sheryl Sousa. She used the report to decide what actions, if any, to take against Meehan. The Summary Judgment states that Sousa was a close friend of Meehan and his wife, and found that he did not violate any policies. Sousa concluded that Meehan should receive a warning and attend anger management classes.

Following the completion of the HR report, another Black student came forward, accusing Meehan of saying he would “ship him back to Africa.” The sports publication Deadspin wrote about the student’s experience and Meehan’s actions. On April 5, 2018, Liebowitz sent a message to the Brandeis

community, informing them of Meehan’s termination. The article generated negative media attention for the University, and as a result, Brandeis requested a third-party report conducted by Prince and Graham. The report recommended, “as managers, [Athletic Director Lynne] Dempsey and Sousa are, ultimately, accountable for what happens in the operations they supervise.” While the report did recommend disciplining human resources leadership, it did not specifically mention Nelson-Bailey.

Following the release of the third-party report, Nelson-Bailey was informed that she would be demoted. She was one of three people demoted, all of whom were women, and was the only non-white woman. Nelson-Bailey was also the only Black woman to hold an upper-level position at Brandeis at the time.

“Brandeis administrators took appropriate personnel actions and did not discriminate or retaliate against Ms. Nelson-Bailey. The University relied on the results of an extensive, independent investigation to make personnel decisions, and to expand the options for community members to report discrimination,” Julie Jette, interim senior vice president of marketing and communications said in a Sept. 7 email to the Justice.

“[Nelson-Bailey’s] alleged misconduct paled in comparison to the other White females (Sousa and Dempsey) and the many White men who escaped unscathed,” the Summary Judgment expressed. Sousa received a severance package, while Dempsey and Nelson-Bailey both received demotions and pay cuts of 21%. The Summary Judg-

ment also claimed that Nelson-Bailey received higher scrutiny than her white counterparts. She was placed on probation and was supervised by Larry Lewellen, who was promoted to Nelson-Bailey’s previous position and had reported to her. The summary judgment stated that Lewellen was “hostile and ensured her ultimate failure.”

Following her demotion Nelson-Bailey took a medical leave for anxiety and depression due to the “adverse treatment she faced,” which she had never previously experienced according to the summary judgment. In 2018, she filed a discrimination complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and later filed charges with the Middlesex County Superior Court. Nelson-Bailey was later fired by Brandeis in 2019.

“Brandeis abhors discrimination of any kind. We were very disappointed with the verdict and do not believe that it was supported by the facts of the case,” Jette said. She informed the Justice that the University is appealing the decision. That appeal has not been officially filed as of publication.

“We certainly believe the jury reached the correct verdict, and we are very gratified by the jury’s decision,” Fogelman said. If the University appeals, the plaintiff plans to respond and seek to have the verdict upheld, he explained.

“[Nelson-Bailey] was motivated by trying to reclaim her good name. Her reputation had been damaged. That was the primary driving force behind her bringing this case in the first place,” Fogelman said.

During the Leonard Bernstein Festival for Creative Arts, Brandeis students celebrate diverse cultures

just features

VERBATIM | KATYA

I’m not going to panic because I don’t do that anymore.

ON THIS DAY…

In 1975, Pink Floyd released their ninth album, “Wish You Were Here.”

FUN FACT

Over half a million students across the country rely on a Federal Work-Study stipend.

BranVan student workers fired amid campus transportation change

On Aug. 21, student workers were notified through Slack that they had lost their jobs following the shift to a new shuttle service. The Justice spoke with former employees on their frustrations with administrative communication.

By ISABEL ROSETH AND CAYENN LANDAU JUSTICE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF AND JUSTICE EDITOR

Brandeis’ shuttle service, colloquially referred to as the BranVan, has seen its fair share of modifications following last November’s devastating shuttle crash. Joseph’s Transportation is out, replaced by DPV Transportation, a New England ground transportation service. The student-run campus and Waltham shuttles, however, saw an even more drastic change at the beginning of the semester: they are no longer running. As a result, nearly all the shuttle service’s student employees — a reported total of 40 drivers, coordinators and supervisors, according to chief of Public Safety Matthew Rushton — found themselves out of a job.

On Aug. 21, 10 days before the start of the fall semester, student BranVan employees received a cryptic message in a 72-member Slack group chat from Rushton. The message, described as “ominous” by a student member of the channel, notified the employees of the termination of student-run BranVan services.

“Dear BranVan Drivers,” the message read. “I’m writing to update you all on the last communication that went out related to transportation. As we enter the 2023 fall semester, all driver services will be handled by DPV. With expanded service on weekends and holidays, this is the best way to ensure the safety of our students and improve reliability.”

Rushton’s message went on to state that a new position, with “expanded hours” had been created; students could now apply to work as a “student parking and information attendant” at the main gate booth at the entrance to campus. The message included a link to a Workday application. Former BranVan employees would get priority.

The message was received, but there were crickets in the Slack. “There was silence,” Allison Weiner ’25 said about the message, explaining that “a bunch of people had Slack off this summer” and didn’t see the message when it was sent.

“I mean, what do you say to that?” an anonymous former BranVan driver said of the message.

On Aug. 26, Sam Richards ’24, a former BranVan driver who described feeling “confused,” tried to clarify the

message. “I’d like to be clear: you’re saying there are no jobs for student drivers this year, as they are being filled by [DPV] employees, but instead, Brandeis students can either apply to be parking attendants, or AT [Accessible Transportation] drivers?” he wrote in the groupchat. “Is that correct?”

Rushton did not respond, but Joshua Joseph ’23, the head of events of accessible transportation, did. “Correct,” he said. Joseph said he was not available for comment prior to the publishing of this article.

Summer uncertainty

The shift to DPV, the new provider, was announced July 22 in a Campus Operations email sent to the school body. However, nothing in the email suggested job insecurity for the dozens of student BranVan drivers.

“Over the past several months, we conducted a formal process to select a new transportation provider to operate the Brandeis shuttle service,” the email read. “We are finalizing an arrangement with DPV, a well-known regional operator that currently provides transportation services to other universities … DPV will join us at Brandeis in mid-August. At that time, we will follow up with another email to the community on what to expect with the new service.”

On August 17, Pedro Estrada, the former head of operations for Brandeis Escort Safety Services Shuttle, sent a message into the BranVan Slack group chat that Richards described as the first time he sensed there might be “insecurity in the job.”

“In the coming weeks, ESS will be undergoing some restructuring. Please don’t worry, this is a positive step towards optimizing our operations and ensuring we can serve the community even more effectively,” Estrada wrote. “The coming messages will not be delivered through me.” Estrada could not be reached for comment.

“I think through July and August, they knew ESS was no longer a service students were going to be working for,” said Richards of the message. Richards also speculated that the final message announcing the layoffs had to go through Rushton as the chief of public safety, and therefore Joseph and Estrada — both Brandeis students at the

time — weren’t able to be direct. Richards also highlighted that Joseph had helped him get a new job as a driver for Accessible Transportation (AT), which still uses student drivers.

“There were a lot of students and student drivers who didn’t fulfill their responsibilities last year over both semesters … one out of every three shifts, maybe four, somebody wasn’t there when they should have been,” said Richards of BranVan. But, he said, he strongly disagreed with the handling of the situation. “Was it fair and equitably executed to fire all these students in the way that it was? I don’t think so.”

Work-study, on the rocks

Allison Arazi ’24 had been driving the BranVan since the fall of her first year. “BranVan was one of the few jobs on campus that could still function despite the pandemic, and I loved it,” she said in a Sept. 10 text correspondence with the Justice. “I really enjoy driving, so a weekend in the BranVan was surprisingly restful. I’d often have a friendin the passenger seat with me or I’d curate playlists to listen to.”

Now, Arazi works for accessible transportation, but her hours were severely cut. “In order to make up for the hours I’ve lost, I’ve been looking for employment on-campus and off-campus,” she said. “It’s been difficult, especially at this time of year when everyone is also looking for employment.”

Hannah Murphy ’26 began driving at the end of January 2023. Like Arazi, they also now work for AT. “I had to reapply for the job and am now doing both the booth job and driving AT. It was really frustrating that they did not communicate what was going on until a week before the semester started, especially because I got work-study this year because of my position as a BranVan driver,” she said.

“It felt like the only ones looking out for student drivers were other student drivers,” Arazi said. “We were dropped into silence, without word from administration or Public Safety til the last second.”

LAYOFFS: Student drivers were fired from their positions. ELIZA BIER/the Justice

Weiner began driving for the BranVan in September of their sophomore year. They only drove the campus route, never having arranged to be trained to drive the Waltham route. It wasn’t “cool” or “fun,” they said, but it was a job. For regular weekday shifts they earned $15 an hour, and graveyard shifts — driving late at night — went up to $17.50 per hour.

Like Arazi, Weiner is looking for another campus job, but the search is proving difficult. “I am very confident in saying most of the other BranVan drivers, if not all of them, receive federal work-study,” Weiner said in a Sept. 3 Zoom interview with the Justice. “[The layoffs were] really frustrating as students that are, in quite simplified terms, federally mandated to have a job if we need them.”

Having to scramble for a new job — most of the application deadlines were on Aug. 20, one day before BranVan employees were notified of their termination — is a “horrible situation to be in,” they added.

Campus employment opportunities raise accessibility questions

There are a variety of employment opportunities at the University, but in their efforts to find a new position, Weiner started to notice a pattern. Some positions, such as language tutoring, require a specific skill set that many students do not possess. Weiner and another anonymous student shared with the Justice that students struggle to obtain lab research positions if they don’t already know the professors that are hiring.

Working for the shuttle program was by no means perfect. Drivers already had a hard time getting shifts, the system was “difficult,” according to an anonymous employee, and after their experience and sudden layoff, Weiner has sworn never to work for Public Safety again. But they still believe that the opportunities that Public Safety provided for student employment were quite broad. A license is the

base requirement for driving the shuttle, other than the typical interview and hiring process, but students without licenses were able to coordinate and supervise.

Only a handful of students were kept in employment.

Those who drove for the AT vans were told they would continue doing so, but one student, who is remaining anonymous as of Sept. 3 isn’t positive that their employment is assured, and without a car, they have no other options if they can’t continue with AT. Even if they can, they’ll get “paid a lot less” from now on, according to that same student.

According to Public Safety, a few students will “support a to-be-hired transportation manager with route monitoring this year,” as written in a Sept. 7 email correspondence with the Justice, and both parking attendants and a data scientist intern have also been hired. The positions will total “at least 76 hours of work” per week.

Weiner is trying to get a job at Phoneathon, one of the University’s fundraising efforts, through a friend but nothing is confirmed. “It’s the only egg in the basket right now,” she said. If that falls through, they’ll have no choice but to look for an off-campus job.

A better choice for “better service”

While the student employees were not notified until Aug. 21, the decision to terminate the student-run shuttle service had been in the works for a while. In a Sept. 7 email correspondence with the Justice, Rushton said that the “decision to change BranVan services was driven by priorities for safety, reliability, and reducing our carbon footprint.” The changes were made following the results from a campus transportation study that was conducted from August 2022 to January 2023, and Public Safety is “confident they will result in better service for the Brandeis community.”

Citing the aforementioned study, Rushton explained that several shuttle routes were found to be “redundant”

with other routes, and three vehicles were removed from the road after “merging these services.” This, he said, will reduce the University’s carbon footprint. Furthermore, he wrote that BranVan services “chronically faced issues of minor accidents’’ and drivers often failed to sign up for shifts. Instead, the University is now hiring professional drivers and are including GPS tracking on a new app, Tripshot, in the hopes that these changes “will better ensure safety and reliability” of campus shuttles.

It felt to Weiner that the lack of a proper warning to student employees was a deliberate decision. “It was very evident that this was a decision that they were intimately aware was going to happen when they sent out the ominous email in July,” they said. “They don’t even acknowledge that this might be a hardship.”

The other student that spoke to the Justice elaborated further: “The part that we’re mad about is that they clearly do not respect us, do not care about us whatsoever. Every part of this has been another slap to the face besides being laid off.”

Rushton wrote in his email that “student drivers are typically notified in the spring semester about whether they will be invited to continue driving in the next school year,” specifying that no students were told last spring that their employment would be continued. He also expressed Public Safety’s sincere hope “that every student who was hoping to drive for us this year finds a new work opportunity on campus.”

“There are so few jobs that are just as accessible and employ as many people [as BranVan],” Weiner said. “Phoneathon is similar, but to my knowledge they don’t have nearly as many employees. Nowhere else on campus employs that many people at once.”

PARKED: A line of BranVans sit in a parking lot. ELIZA BIER/the JUSTICE

PARKED: A line of BranVans sit in a parking lot.

Screenshot courtesy of ANONYMOUS SLACK SLACK MESSAGE: Chief of Public Safety Matthew Rushton sent the message to students on Aug. 21.

Isabel Roseth, Editor in Chief

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EDITORIALS

It’s no secret that last semester’s housing selection was a turbulent process. The larger-than-usual class of 2026 took up a significant portion of upperclassmen dorms, as they are guaranteed housing for their first four semesters. This left more upperclassmen than is typical, scrambling to find alternative places to live.

The housing pool for upperclassmen who applied on time was 1,499 students, according to the Department of Community Living. On the first day of selection for upperclassmen, only 665 beds were offered, leaving 834 students who applied for oncampus housing without housing.

Really, this should be no surprise to anyone. In May, the Justice published an editorial criticizing the administration for not preparing students for this inevitable outcome and urging the University to come up with a solution for the students without housing. In the wake of housing selection, students and parents flocked to various Facebook groups to share their outrage and look for off-campus housing.

The University was clearly watching. On June 13, Andrea Dine, vice president for Student Affairs, sent an email to students announcing that Brandeis entered an agreement with Lasell University, a neighboring college in Auburndale, to house students in one of its residence halls, Holt Hall. Dine started the email: “I am writing with good news,” but this editorial board takes issue with that statement. Yes, the University did answer pleas to quickly find a housing alternative for the students who did not receive on-campus housing. However, having students live at another school is not “good news.”

That a University with an endowment of $1.2 billion as of June 2022 would have to rely on another school to fulfill the most basic needs for its own students is quite frankly embarrassing.

In the email, Dine wrote that a shuttle provided by Lasell University would be a main form of transportation for students commuting between the campuses and that, at the time of the email, they were discussing the potential of having a Brandeis shuttle run to the residence hall at Lasell. This shuttle would be a necessity, given that Holt Hall is an hour walk from Brandeis and a 35-45 minute ride via public transportation.

Once again, Brandeis students would be relying on another university for their daily needs, which their own school was unable to provide.

Dine told the Justice that only four students expressed interest in living at Holt Hall, so the University did not proceed with the agreement. But if so many students had nowhere to live at the end of the semester, we can’t help but wonder why more students did not contemplate the option at Lasell. It may not have been perfect, but it was housing.

In a September 8 email to the Justice, Dine wrote that by the end of April, 230 students remained on the pending list. These are students who applied for housing before the deadline and received a number but did not get a bed. There are also students who applied for on-campus housing after the deadline and those students were put on

Non-secured

another waitlist.

By mid-June, there were 97 students on the pending list and waitlist combined. All of those students had the opportunity to select on-campus housing in a secondary selection process on June 20-21, Dine said, but as of the start of the school year, 66 of those students decided to live off-campus or not return to Brandeis. The four students who selected Holt Hall were also offered oncampus housing during that June selection period, according to Dine. So ultimately, everyone who wanted on-campus housing was given it, just as the University normally claims.

Our assumption is that in all of the chaos with so many students initially not receiving on-campus housing, most of those students — over 600 — decided to not remain on the pending list in uncertainty and instead search for whatever was left of off-campus housing. This is probably what led to the disparity between our initial numbers and the official numbers reported by Dine.

But if the University had even a little bit of confidence that many on the pending list who wanted housing would get it, why were they not more transparent about that? Certainly more communication would have helped calm the panic. Perhaps this is because had over 800 students actually remained on the pending list, the administration would not have been able to pat themselves on the back and say that all students who wanted housing were able to receive it.

Regardless, it is unrealistic to ask students to wait until the end of June to get confirmation of whether or not they will be able to live on campus. Waiting that long comes with a risk because ultimately if they did not get a room in a residential hall by the end of June, off-campus housing would be even more limited and expensive.

So without this knowledge that waiting on the pending list until the end of June would practically ensure on-campus housing, it makes sense that most students immediately accepted the fact that they would not be able to live on campus and quickly started their search for other options.

The trend here is a lack of transparency from administration. If there were more frequent updates sent to the entire student body over the summer about housing availability, maybe some students who initially removed themselves from the pending list would have decided to try and pursue on-campus housing rather than signing whatever off-campus lease became available to them.

Both students and administrators were sent scrambling to find solutions to this housing crisis last semester. Brandeis placed a bandaid over its ongoing infrastructure issue with the additional residence hall at Lasell, but what happens when we inevitably face the same issue next year is not worse? Is the University prepared to communicate effectively and start addressing its housing crisis head on? Will portions of the $1.2 billion endowment be used to invest in the building of sorely needed new housing and updates to the current dorms?

As of April 2023, student organizations received emails that caught them by surprise. After a review of the Shapiro Campus Center, it was determined that any non-secured club that held an office space in the SCC would be removed and their spaces would be renovated into flexible meeting spaces available by reservation. These clubs were given only one month to clean out their office spaces without any guidance as to where they would store such items past the summertime.

Members of this editorial board who are executive members of non-secured clubs have emphasized the lack of warning they were given about this transition. Many clubs spent money on office decorations and resources which had to be removed, and communication about further storage of these items have been contradictory. According to the SCC website, a mid-term goal of this renovation is to “continue to increase storage for clubs and organizations.” However, people who are a part of multiple clubs received different emails regarding storage availability.

One executive board member of two organizations said they were given a storage locker for one of their groups and told there was no availability for storage for the other. Club storage was also an extreme challenge during the fall 2023 involvement fair. Clubs needed to access their stored belongings and some had no way of getting into the Student Leadership Office, where their belongings were being held.

In addition to the loss of office space, clubs this semester are facing significant budget reductions. Deepa Khatri, who oversees the financial operations for Brandeis’ undergraduate clubs, attributes these losses to exhausted pandemic funds. “spring 2020, spring 2021, and spring 2022 marathons saw higher than usual allocations, due to unspent funds as a result of a reduction of in-person programming … in spring 2023, Student Union Allocations

Board returned to a more normal funding level as unspent funds were largely spent down over the past two to three years,” she wrote in an email to the Justice.

While club leaders were notified of this anticipated shift in early February, their planning and operations this semester have been severely impacted. Valeria Ayala ’25, marketing chair for Campus Activities Board, states “We were affected by the budget reallocations, due to this we are unable to have a fall concert which we put together annually as a way to welcome new students and welcome back returning students. As for Springfest, we are budgeting to the best of our abilities but it is too early to tell.”

Furthermore, Brandeis’ student yearbook club, Archon Yearbook, a secured club, was shut down this spring due to their lack of funding and time constraints without the consultation of the Student Union.

From concerts, fashion shows, and galas, club leaders are left wondering how they can possibly host their events this year.

Rashmil Wasim ’25, co-chair of Student Union Allocations Board, shared advice for clubs during this challenging transition period. “The biggest thing I would say to clubs as they adjust to these changes is to prioritize and get thrifty … Being thrifty via reusing supplies, finding discounts on Amazon, etc., can also make budgets go a lot further than they would otherwise.”

A source from Waltham Group echoes Rashmil’s sentiments explaining that “We’re sharing our space for our training with the club leader training to save some money. One thing we’re making sure of this year is that every club in Waltham Group uses their whole budget.”

Each year, as prospective students tour the Brandeis campus, student clubs are heavily advertised as a crucial part of our community. However, this downtrend of funding and club leaders scraping to get by is deeply concerning.

Asking for a friend

If you are interested in submitting advice for the upcoming column, follow our Instagram: @thejusticenewspaper.

Q: A:

What’s something you’d reccomend for the incoming first year class and continuing students to be sucessful this semester?

“Please wash your dishes! You don’t want to start an alien eco— Tupelo Evans ’25

“Don’t stress too much about everything. Classes and everything else will work out eventually. Have fun and enjoy college while you can!”

— Tia Tomco ’25

“Take advantage of any and all free food and gifts from campus clubs and events. The less you can spend yourself the better off you will be.”

— Xavier Wilson ’25

The solution to house students at Lasell was not “good news”

clubs need a home, too

ELIZABETH LIU/the Justice

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

On behalf of current and future Brandeis students, alumni, faculty, staff, donors, parents of students, and our concerned community, we strongly implore you to reconsider the proposed elimination of the Ph.D programs in Musicology and Composition and Theory. Although small, the Ph.D programs in Musicology and Composition and Theory have repeatedly proven themselves to be invaluable to Brandeis’ ethos, and its interdisciplinary contributions to the Brandeis community and beyond, as well as strengthening the liberal arts at Brandeis.

As you know, the Music department and the internal Ph.D Review Team have provided data that show the strengths and contributions of the programs, in comparison to internal and external Ph.D programs within the US and internationally. We have not heard arguments for closure that actively engage with the ample evidence for the excellence of the programs, other than that Brandeis is “simply not in a position to invest in the programs as is needed to sustain and grow them.” As mentioned by many commentators, it is unlikely that the savings from closing our programs would result in more than a trifle of additional funding for the sciences. Conversely, a modest investment in the music programs, which have been operating with very limited resources, could immediately and sustainably contribute to the University’s national and international reputation, both concerning Ph.D recruitment and placement. These modest investments would help position Brandeis University as a bulwark against the trend to eliminate, marginalize, and tokenize the liberal arts in American higher education, especially with respect to the arts and humanities. While there is much debate about the contribution of the arts and humanities to higher education, and while reiterating the arguments is beyond the scope of this letter, we wish to point out some of the ways the Ph.D program in Musicology and Composition and Theory specifically contributes to the University’s mission.

For many of us, Brandeis has supported and nurtured our belief that our work and commitment to social justice is an integral part of our musicological scholarship and compositional output, as well as being fundamental in shaping culture and humanity. Brandeis is one of the few institutions that uniquely enables Ph.D students to pursue a joint master’s degree in Music and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, given the interdisciplinary nature of both programs, as well as Brandeis’s commitment to multi-discipline collaboration and connectivity (as outlined in “The Framework for the Future”), eliminating our Ph.D programs jeopardizes Brandeis’ unwavering dedication to collaborative modes of knowledge, research, and development.

Composition and Theory has established collaborative platforms for both undergraduate and graduate composers at Brandeis. New Music Brandeis, for example, fosters and explores cutting-edge research in composition and theory, refining sonic ideas. New Music Brandeis also allows students to collaborate with new music performers worldwide through the New Music Brandeis concert series, such as the prestigious Henri Lazarof Annual Concert from the Brand New Music Initiative. These creative opportunities underpin the inno -

vative learning environment that embodies Brandeis’ academic values. This resonates with Brandeis’ visionary emphasis on both “vertical and horizontal connectivity,” transcending the boundaries of higher education in liberal arts and research institutions. Our Ph.D programs realize this through New Music Brandeis and its connected Ph.D program, Brandeis’ teaching assistantships, the Musicology Interdisciplinary Graduate Symposium, and the Leonard Bernstein Festival of the Creative Arts.

Today, music continues to be an integral part of Brandeis’ core curriculum, ethics, history, recruitment, and successes. Despite operating on a historically marginalized budget, the Ph.D students in Composition and Theory and Musicology have continued to contribute to the excellence of Brandeis and its reputation. Current graduate students as well as recent alumni are teaching at a variety of institutions, including Harvard University, the Berklee College of Music, Southern Illinois University, Hunter College, and the University of Georgia. They are additionally giving back to Brandeis by teaching in the University Writing Program and Brandeis Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. We are also actively participating in scholarly discourse by presenting at national and international conferences, such as the American Musicological Society (AMS), the Society for Ethnomusicology, the Society for Music Theory, the International Association for the Study of Popular Music, the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States, among others. We are excelling in our fields by earning accolades like releasing albums with ZOHO, the Charles Ives Scholarship Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the Schwarz Fellowship for Research on Music, and the AMS New England Hollace Schafer Memorial Award.

Brandeis has been a beacon of hope for individuals who believe that pursuing higher education in music is important. In abolishing our Ph.D programs, you will deprive future generations of a supportive, trailblazing, and caring environment that nurtures creativity, empathy, critical thinking, research and development, and artistic innovation. Brandeis Musicology and Composition and Theory alumni continue to hold distinguished positions within the field of music, higher education, and other leading careers. By silencing our voices and reallocating our precious resources to the sciences, you are doing a great disservice to Brandeis and the principles by which this institution was founded.

Rather than divesting these programs, the administration needs to nourish a department that has been doing a lot with limited resources by approving more faculty, providing more support to faculty, and continuing to nurture incoming and current Ph.D students.

We sincerely entreat you to reconsider eliminating the Ph.D programs in Musicology and Composition and Theory.

Sincerely, Current Brandeis students

By JACK GRANAHAN and STEPHEN GAUGHAN JUSTICE CONTRIBITING WRITER

Amid intense partisan, and often generational divides, the advanced age and extensive tenures of many of America’s leaders at all levels of governance has, over the last few years especially, become a topic of much passionate debate. One possible solution to this matter was proposed by Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) in the form of a constitutional amendment, which would target heightened legislative seniority by limiting the service of Representatives to no more than three two-year terms in the House, and Senators to no more than two six-year terms, with certain caveats and contingencies. In this dialogue-styled column (which we’re calling “Devil’s Advocate”), Granahan will argue in favor of the amendment’s passage while Gaughan will argue against. With regard to this particular topic, both personally hold the views they have represented below.

For (Granahan):

Congress is broken. This isn’t a fringe ideology solely perpetrated by anti-government extremists and emptygesturing populists, but a common sentiment among Americans of diverse backgrounds and political affiliations. As of February 2023, only 18% of Americans approve of how Congress is doing its job. It should therefore be no surprise that 69% of Democrats and 72% of Republicans wish to see term limits for members of both houses of Congress. Considering the detrimental effects that the proliferation of unmitigated career politicians have had on the American political system, it is not difficult to see why Americans want these politicians out.

The status of an incumbent member of Congress does not — or perhaps should not — inherently establish superior qualifications over one’s opponent in pursuit of reelection, and yet, incumbency is arguably the most crucial leg-up a candidate can have. Incumbents benefit tremendously from increased name recognition, established campaign infrastructure, and solid connections with powerful interest groups. Consequently,

91% of House incumbents and 84% of Senate incumbents were reelected in the 2018 midterm elections. In a nation where 82% of citizens do not approve of Congress, there is clearly something wrong when so many of the same members of Congress are consistently reelected.

While on the topic of interest groups, incumbency advantage enables groups such as super PACs and 501(c)(4) organizations to make a significant negative impact on policy decisions. For instance, by December 2007, only 36% of Americans supported the ongoing Iraq War. Despite this disapproval, Congress continued to reauthorize the war over the next few years. Perhaps unsurprisingly, in the 2008 election cycle, defense contractors donated over $12 million to congressional campaigns.

Of these donations, only $65,750 were directed towards challengers running against incumbents. The undemocratic political hegemony of interest groups overwhelmingly benefits incumbents, who are in turn motivated to appease the interests of groups which often seek to undermine the will of American citizens at large.

The anti-democratic practice of gerrymandering is also regularly used to affirm the supremacy of an incumbent in a politically heterogeneous area. In the hopes of receiving special favors or porkbarrel funding from Congress, it is common for state legislatures to draw electoral boundaries that all but guarantee an incumbent’s reelection. It is estimated that 87% of sitting members of the House of Representatives serve in gerrymandered districts. This practice decreases the competitiveness of elections, which in turn leaves candidates unaccountable to voters and leads to the creation of “safe” districts, where candidates must only campaign on one aspect: whether there is a D or an R next to their name.

Forty-two years ago, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) was elected to the Senate. Thirty-six years ago, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was elected to the House of Representatives. No thanks to the lack of congressional term limits, both of these politicians remain in office. Both received millions of dollars in interest group

contributions during the 2022 midterm elections, and, as a result of incumbency advantage, both will almost assuredly continue to be reelected until the heat death of the universe. Just as the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution protected the institution of the presidency by establishing a two-term limit, it is well past time for term limits for members of Congress, as working in government should be a public service, not a career.

Against (Gaughan):

It’s easy for younger Americans, passionate about bringing new ideas and embodying the boldness of generational policy differences, to assert a seeming illegitimacy or unjustness in the entrenched positions occupied by many of our nation’s more senior congressional leaders. And it is true, beyond this student’s reproach, that many of those officials have abused the hand granted them by experience and incumbency. But we must remind ourselves that there is a difference between change and progress.

[For one, while Americans in search of a new approache to] and congressional action on many of the defining issues of our generation — such as climate change and gun safety — may rightfully decry the obstructive powers of institutioningrained legislators in blocking reform, they might also note that much of the strongest opposition they have faced in doing so came likewise from an experienced corner of the national political scene.

Left-leaning Americans might decry the ability of institution-ingrained leaders like Sen. Mitch McConnell to block gun reform legislation, but best not do so before recalling that it was institutional cogs like Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) and former Speaker Rep. Pelosi (D-CA), among many others, who ushered to passage the country’s first major (albeit weaker than many would have hoped) gun control legislation in nearly three decades.

They might also note that it was through the institutional muscle of Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Joe Manchin (D-WV) that the “Inflation Reduction Act” was passed last year, investing billions of dollars in the battle to reduce car -

bon emissions. This is all to say that efficacy and experience ought not always to be dismissed as an unfair advantage or as an evil. Any politician who has been around the block enough times to enjoy a tenure as long as McConnell or Schumer might be suggested to have made deals, compromises, and uncomfortable policy decisions in order to remain in the good graces of the powerful party machines, special interest groups, and of course, electorates that keep them in office. But to suggest that the same might be untrue for any candidate for office familiar with the more powerful bill-footing organizations and general elections system makes little sense. The decision to compromise one’s values reflects on the person who makes it, not the office they hold.

Additionally, we can easily decry the high-level interest group expenditures in campaigns across the country, but the truth is that spending would be equally present — and perhaps, even greater — in an open race. For an example of this, one need look no further than the most expensive Senate race of 2022, excluding Georgia and its December runoff election: Pennsylvania, between then-Lt.-Gov. John Fetterman, and Dr. Mehmet Oz, which according to CNN’s Election Day report, drew a grand total of $373,605,258.

We have a right to expect integrity from our elected officials, but the manner of enforcement should not be an indictment of the offices to which they have been elected, nor of the ability of those who elect them to make sound judgments in whom they choose to represent their interests. With regard to legislative bodies, like the two of which our Congress is comprised, experience matters, and often, but surely not always, derives efficacy.

It should be the goal of the system to ensure the people are represented in the manner they themselves choose, by the leaders they select, not on the basis of a forced lack of experience, through a constitutional system change which would exclude their direct voice on the matter altogether. The success of our republican state demands that the final say on any officeholder lies directly with the constituency they serve.

ANNA MARTIN/the Justice

Justice

Lightning strikes during soccer game against Vassar College

MEN’S

Three players tied for the team lead with 1 goal.

1

Tobias ’24 leads the team with 1 assist.

Tobias 1

UPCOMING

WOMEN’S

VOLLEYBALL

Lacey Mbugua ’27 leads the team with 2 assists.

Historic World Athletic Championships in Pole Vault

■ Moon and Kennedy clear 4.95m, the first pair to share gold at a World Athletics Championship.

By SMILEY HUYNH JUSTICE MANAGING EDITOR

CROSS COUNTRY

TOP

(Women’s)

Team USA, as expected, dominated in the 2023 World Athletics Championships held in Budapest, Hungary. With 12 gold medals and 29 medals overall, there was a strong showing from the U.S. In the 100 meter dash, both Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson sprinted past the field, winning gold, with Lyles also getting the gold in the 200m for the prestigious 100-200 double; the last U.S. athlete to achieve this was Tyson Gay in 2007. In the throws, Crouser dominated the shot put as usual, throwing over a meter more than any other athlete. Grant Halloway repeated his gold in the 110m hurdles. The US had a very strong showing, walking away with 12 gold medals and 29 medals total.

Outside of Team USA, many fan favorites did extremely well.

Faith Kipyegon got the elusive 1500m/5000m double gold for Kenya; Femke Bol won gold in the 400m hurdles, redeeming herself after tripping in the mixed 4x400m for the Netherlands, and Neeraj Choprawon won gold in javelin, which was the first time India has won gold in javelin.

In pole vault, the competition for both the men and women was the strongest it has ever been, with shared medals between the U.S. and Australia on both sides.

On the Women’s side, history was made. Every athlete on the field in the final had to clear the autoqualification height of 4.65m during the preliminary round two days before the final. As a result, four U.S. women competed in the finals: Katie Moon, Sandi Morris, Hana Moll, and Bridget Williams.

Moon, as the reigning champion, was granted auto qualification to compete in the championship. For the first time in World Athletics Championship history, Katie Moon and Nina Kennedy, representing Australia, shared the gold medal. Both athletes cleared 4.85m during their first attempts to get ahead of Wilma Murto of Sweden, and both clinched 4.90 on their third attempts. After both missing 4.95m, Kennedy and Moon decided to share the gold. The controversy of ties occurred days prior to the vault competition in the men’s 100m dash, in which second, third, and fourth were determined by thousandths of a second, with much pushback regarding the photo finish. In vertical jumps, ties with placement after the same height clearance are then determined by the least number of attempts over the last height cleared, and if that is the same, then the least number of missed bars overall is placed higher. If they have the same number of overall missed bars then the competition is declared as a tie. First-place ties are able to be settled with jump-offs, where both competitors are in an immediate elimination competition. Both get a fourth attempt at the previous height and depending on if they miss or make the height, the bar is raised and lowered in small increments. If one vaulter makes the bar and the other does not, the competitor that succeeded wins the event. While this is a possibility, it was shown in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that this was not the only option when Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar shared the gold medal for high jump — the only other vertical jumping event in track. However, when this occurred with Moon and Kennedy, the fan reactions were mixed from both the pole vault community and the track community at large. Many made negative comments, saying it had already happened once before, referring to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, or that

they were shameful, uncompetitive, and showed no sportsmanship. Despite the minor outrage, this was the most competitive pole vault competition the world has ever seen, and there was a short turnaround from the preliminary round to finals.

When this occurred with the men’s high jump, there was much less backlash compared to what was received by the women. Moon made a public statement on her Instagram defending their decision suggesting that due to the duration of the event and the weather, there was an inherent danger to continuing the event. Additionally, as those who watched the event could see, they were gassed and an additional jump would have proven dangerous. This was a historic event in pole vault history and an amazing display of sportsmanship between two world-class athletes

In the men’s vault, there were also multiple firsts. Kurtis Marshall and Chris Nilsen shared the bronze medal, with much less public reaction other than the coincidence of an additional shared medal between Australia and the U.S., respectively. During the competition, after they’re both eliminated, they both celebrate as the competition continues between Armand Duplantis, the favorite for the event by far, and the rising star Ernest John Obiena of the Philippines for his highest placement in a world championship yet. This competition was also very difficult, as just six years ago the third place height of 5.95m would’ve won the entire competition, but now even a 6.00m jump only gets you second place. The 6.00m barrier is huge in pole vault with only 28 athletes in the exclusive 6m club, the competitiveness is only topped by the women’s 5m club consisting of only four members. Duplantis won, showing his dominance in the event with a clean performance of no misses before he attempted a new world record at 6.23m; he won the event with a clearance of 6.10m with much room to spare.

Sports just BRANDEIS MEN'S SOCCER PHOTO RECAP

The Brandeis Men’s Soccer game against Vassar College was cancelled due to lightning, pg. 14.

President of the Spanish Soccer Federation under fire, resigns after unwanted kiss

By JACQUELINE FLORO JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Content warning: mentions of sexual harassment and assault.

“I felt vulnerable and a victim of an impulse-driven, sexist, out of place act without any consent on my part” is what Jennifer Hermoso stated on Aug. 25 after winning the Women’s World Cup final five days before. During the ceremony, she was nonconsensually kissed on the lips by Luis Rubiales, head of the Spanish Soccer Federation. On Aug. 20, the Spanish women’s soccer team won their first ever FIFA Women’s World Cup in an excellent match against England. They won the match 1-0 with Captain Olga Carmen scoring the winning goal. After their win, they were presented with their medals and trophy. As the players went up to receive their medal, they were greeted by Luis Rubiales. As he greeted all the players with passionate hugs and cheek kisses, Rubiales nonconsensually kissed Hermoso on the lips. Many Spaniards took to social media to express their disgust and confusion with the incident. There was also a video released of Rubiales’ grabbing his crotch near Queen Letizia

of Spain and her 16-year-old daughter while celebrating the win.

The next day, Rubiales released a video statement apologizing for his actions, stating, “I probably made a mistake.” He also apologized for his inappropriate behavior in the presence of the queen. That same Monday, Hermoso seemed to downplay the incident, describing it as “no big deal” and done in “the emotion of the moment.” Later that week on Friday, Aug. 25, Hermoso released her own statement to her social media accounts.

She explained that her prior statement was a result of the federation’s pressure to alleviate criticism coming towards the president. Because of her desire to maintain the media’s focus on her team’s win, she agreed, stating that it was “not a big deal.” Hermoso also reiterated that this was a nonconsensual act that she and Rubiales never discussed prior to the incident and that “no person, in any work, sports, or social setting, should be a victim of these types of nonconsensual behaviors.”

Many called for Rubiales’

resignation, including Spain’s main soccer federation, the Union of Professional Female Soccer Players, and several Spanish politicians. On the same day as the release of Hermoso’s statement, Rubailes refused to step down at the federation’s General Assembly. He repeated several times, “I will not resign!” as many applauded him, including Jorge Vilda, the Spanish women’s soccer coach that had just led them to victory. A day after both statements on Aug. 26, FIFA asked for the suspension of Rubiales for at least 90 days. He was barred from any FIFA related activities. Two days later, on Aug. 28, the Royal Spanish Football Federation, who had recently backed Rubiales’ statements, called for his resignation. The presidents stated, “[their] request that Luis Rubiales resign immediately as president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.”

That same Monday, Spanish prosecutors began to look into the incident as a “potential act of sexual assault.” If proven guilty, Rubiales would face prison time. As a result of the pressure from

government officials including the prime minister, the women’s soccer team refusing to play, Spanish prosecution, and a case being opened by the Spanish Administrative Sports Court, Luis Rubiales has stepped down as President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation. In a statement released on Sept. 10, Rubiales said, “After the rapid suspension carried out by FIFA, plus the rest of proceedings open against me, it is evident that I will not be able to return to my position.” He continues to insist that this is a “falsehood” and that the “truth is prevailing more everyday.” It is still developing as to how leadership and the women’s soccer team will proceed, but President Pedro Roach has taken Rubiales’ responsibilities since his suspension. Hermoso and other players have yet to make a statement regarding his resignation.

Amidst this situation, on Sept. 5, Jorge Vilda, the Spanish women’s soccer coach, was fired by the RFEF. The federation stated that “President Pedro Rocha has decided to dispense with the services of Jorge Vilda.”

Vilda is no exception to controversy.

Since he began coaching in 2015, there have been several complaints made against Vilda including unfair wages, sexism, and “controlling behavior.”

Last year, 15 star players refused to play if Vilda did not step down. The RFEF backed Vilda and forced the players to apologize, who complied.

During Rubiales’ speech refusing to step down, as stated before, Vilda showed his support for his boss by applauding him as he refused to step down as president. Despite efforts to distance himself from Rubiales’ after public backlash, his stance was set.

Coach Montse Tomé was announced as his replacement that same day. She will be the first woman in Spain to hold this position and will begin her coaching this September.

The women’s soccer team has a game scheduled for Sept. 22 against Sweden. With Rubiales’ recent resignation, Spain hopes to see their team return to the field and the federation to rebuild itself for the upcoming match.

WINNING GOAL: The Spanish women's soccer team won their first ever FIFA Women's World Cup.

Luis Rubiales, the head of the Spanish Soccer Federation, announced his resignation following backlash for nonconsensually kissing a player on the women’s team.

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

Photo: Eliza Bier/the Justice. Design: Owen Chan/the Justice.

Waltham, Mass.

Abbott Elementary: The sweet season

By MINA ROWLAND JUSTICE EDITOR

Most of us have heard of the hit ABC show “Abbott Elementary.”

For those of you who haven’t, the series is a fresh take on American sitcoms and the mockumentary television style that rose to prominence with shows like “The Office” and “Parks & Recreation”.

Created by Quinta Brunson and set in Philadelphia, the series explores the world of public school through the lens of passionate and hardworking teachers and a dubious yet hilarious principal. What is most heartwarming is the focus on Black joy and Black womanhood through the series despite the setting being a poor, Black neighborhood in Philly. With 15 nominations and three Emmys, including Quinta Brunson’s Outstanding Writing for Comedy Series and Sheryl Lee Ralph’s Outstanding Supporting Actress, “Abbott Elementary” is doing quite well for itself.

For me as a young Black woman with an avid interest in the film and animation industry, watch ing Brunson become the second Black woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing I was in awe. The entire cast of “Abbott Elementary” is extremely talented, and I was thrilled to see the series and its cast receiving recognition. When thinking about directors, producers, writers, and all the people who work behind the camera

and behind the scenes to create a beautiful product, there is often is very little minority representation.

The series exposes an important visibility of representation at work that allows me to envision my own possibilities when entering the film and media industry.

While season one introduced the audience to the world of the teachers, season two did a wonderful job of delving into the characters and further developing their spunky personalities. Audiences get the chance to observe these iconic characters outside of the classroom, from Melissa’s (Lisa Ann Walter) home, to meeting Janine’s (Quinta Brunson) sister (Ayo Edebiri) and mother (Taraji P. Henson) and so much more. In this season, the drama lies in the charter movement called Legendary Charter led by Draemond (Leslie Odham Jr.), who is planning to take over Abbott Elementary. Its neighbor Addington Elementary, with functional restrooms and access to top-quality technology, is viewed as a threat.

Season two introduces important commentary on charter schools as Abbott tries to fight against the expansion. The sad reality is that as public schools become charter schools, both students and teachers can be negatively impacted. From limiting student diversity due to admissions being filtered by academic performances to extending teacher’s hours and not providing tenure, becoming a charter school can have detrimental effects on the

school as well as the community. Throughout this season it is clear that this group of teachers never ceases to make certain every child is accommodated and supported. As new teachers Janine, Gregory, and Jacob are trying to prove themselves even more to their much older and wiser counterparts.

We, at least all of us fans, know that Janine aspires to be like Barbara Howard and views her work relationship as filling the void of her mother, which makes it very interesting when Janine’s mother actually visits the school. Unfortunately for Janine, her mother Vanetta is not proud of her daughter’s success, and is not there to celebrate the milestones she has made in life. Instead, she needs help paying a bill. Through one of the last episodes of the season, the viewer can sense the manipulation and constant toxic gaslighting Janine had to grow up with. Luckily, while she is in the midst of trying to remedy her family crises, the honorable Mrs. Barbara Howard attempts to step in. At the conclusion of the episode, Janine learns to set boundaries and take care of herself instead of constantly putting everyone else first. It was an amazing moment to see Janine grow in maturity and confidence, and of course eventually win over Barbara’s respect. One of my favorite episodes has to be episode nine from the second season, when Janine calls in sick and the principal, Ava (Janelle

James), must navigate substituting.

If anyone knows Ava, they know she likes to do the least amount of work while also getting the most attention and appreciation.

For once, she is actually experiencing all of the challenges her teachers face and beginning to understand them. Unfortunately, she does not learn much. The entire time she is trying to use the school’s printer paper to make a flier for her business of selling skin masks. The rest of the episode follows her attempts at following

Janine’s preparations, including an organized binder and a video for her students warning, “If you are watching this, it means it’s too late for me … to come in today.” Luckily, with a little help from Gregory, it seems Ava is finally realizing how important it is to have a routine and to have empathy — who knew Ava had a heart? But the change is temporary because Ava is definitely going to always be Ava.

‘Jujustu Kaisen’: A look at faith and disillusion in season two

By SAMUEL DIAZ JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

With the long-awaited release of the anime adaptation of the mnga book series “Jujutsu Kaisen’s” Shibuya Incident arc, both manga readers and those experiencing it for the first time are steeling themselves for an especially dark point in the show’s storyline. This anticipation did not appear out of nowhere, however, and it was a previous arc’s handling that made it happen.

The TV series “Secret Inventory” finished airing this past summer, a prequel to all other arcs taking place in the youth of Satoru Gojo and Suguru Geto, the latter having been the main villain. They were hinted to have been allies in the past until Geto betrayed Jujutsu High, a story elaborated in this series. Being only five episodes long, “Secret Inventory” adds a surprising amount of context to the story, but most importantly creates a sense of expectation that enhances the arc that follows it. The plot centers around Riko Amanai, a high school student that Gojo and Geto are assigned to escort to Jujutsu High.

Through certain supernatural rules are perhaps too dense to describe here, she is supposed to be “assimilated” into a higher state of being for the school’s interests. This is a process that would force her to abandon her previous life for an eternity of a spiritual enlightenment of sorts. Although she is aware of her destiny and has accepted it, she resents the fact that she will never see the people close to her again. This was made fairly clear to me given one of her introductory scenes where she presents this fact to the rest of the crew as a point of pride, only for her to reminisce about her high school friends soon after. The main antagonist here is Toji Fushiguro, hired by a cult of non-sorcerers to assassinate

Amanai. The audience is greeted with Tatsuya Kitani’s “Where Our Blue Is” every episode, a very high energy, enthusiastic melody that, if anything, has some melancholic undertones. The opening animation is fairly lighthearted in tone and features Geto, Gojo, and Amanai spending time together, hands clapping, and a low-stakes action scene. This is very much accurate for about half of the arc. As we follow our protagonists’ mission, the story follows a pattern of Amanai enjoying her last few days of freedom — talking to her friends, going to the beach and so on — Toji’s lackeys trying to capture her, and Gojo and Geto easily defeating them. The audience gets to know Amanai throughout these short episodes enough to empathize with her struggle, but the stakes never seem particularly high because her escorts, especially Gojo, have only ever been characterized as the most powerful sorcerers in canon. What truly sets this story apart comes at the end of episode three.

Amanai finally arrives at her destination but the group is intercepted by Toji himself. Gojo immediately attacks as Geto uses the altercation as a distraction to take Amanai to safety. Geto then reveals that both him and Gojo are willing to help her escape the assimilation and lead a normal life, even against the school’s wishes. The viewer likely assumes the most logical story progression: that Gojo will easily defeat Toji, and Amanai will somehow get to live in freedom.

Right as Amanai is about to take Geto’s hand in agreement, a single gunshot is heard. She falls to the ground, her headband ripped in half. Toji, standing at a distance armed with a firearm, has completed his mission. Gojo, the most powerful character in the entire show, was defeated. Against all narrative preconceptions the one character expected to live is no more. This scene was rightfully shocking for

many viewers, and I believe it to be a very conscious choice to burst the audience’s bubble. It is almost mean-spirited in execution; the innocent-sounding ending song “Akari” by Soushi Sakiyama even plays during that final scene to trick the viewer into thinking the episode is over. It is performed so earnestly that even already knowing what would happen as a manga reader, I thought the story would take a different direction.

A later scene depicts Gojo and Geto watching as the cult’s members clap in celebration of Amanai’s death, to which both react differently. Gojo decides to take revenge on Toji directly, seeing him as the villain, but Geto sees this as a demonstration of how ignorant “normal humans” can be. Sorcerers in “Jujutsu Kaisen” are basically a task force designed to protect people from the supernatural, and Geto has just seen those people celebrate the death of an innocent sorcerer.

The clapping hands that appear in the cheery opening sequence are recontextualized; initially an inconspicuous piece of animation setting the tone, they become a signifier for the main characters’ fallout. It is these diverging reactions that led Geto to betray the school and become the villain from the last two episodes on. Just like Geto, the audience receives a heavy reality check. Characters can disappear and be gone for good, no matter how much sense it would make for them to live both narratively and emotionally.

It is decisions like these that set “Jujutsu Kaisen” apart from the majority of anime of its kind, especially those produced from Shonen Jump features. The author, Gege Akutami, consistently challenges the genre’s usual optimistic nature. The contrast is made clearest knowing the fact that “Shonen Jump” also publishes stories like “One Piece” and “My Hero Aca -

demia.” The show is never particularly edgy for anime standards — it even has some comedy — but at this point the audience is more likely to take it seriously.

While the “Secret Inventory” arc is quite short and understated in the greater scheme of the story, it is essential for the audience’s understanding of two of its most important players, as well as the story’s overall tone from this point on. The next part, the “Shibuya In-

cident” arc, is one that is almost infamous for its violence, dark tone, and status quo-shaking nature, but it would not be nearly as effective if “Secret Inventory” was not there to show that the story can and will betray one’s expectations. It is absolutely masterful in execution, both in writing and all technical aspects, and I urge viewers to continue watching to see the fallout of a very well written, high-stakes conflict.

ABBOTT: Quinta Brunson, the creator of Abbott Elementary, also stars as Janine Teauges.

MINA ROWLAND/the Justice

INVOLVEMENT FAIR

By ANNA MARTIN JUSTICE EDITOR

The Brandeis community held its anual Involvement Fair on the Great Lawn on Sunday, September 3rd. Club leaders from different organizations came together to show both new and returning students what opportunitues are available through the many clubs on campus.

Even though the bright sun was beating down, smiles could be seen shining from every corner of the fair as students were welcomed into their new homes away from home.

Photos: CECI XILEI CHEN/the Justice.

Ten STUDENT ART SPOTLIGHT

By ELIZA BIER JUSTICE PRODUCTION ASSITANT

Top 10 cows

Most people would probably base a top 10 list on facts or statistics, but I did not. This is my list of top ten cattle breeds based solely on my limited knowledge of them from living in Texas.

SUDOKU

Samuel Diaz is a digital illustrator from Venezuela. He spends a lot of his time drawing his own characters and writing stories about them. He is also a pre-med student, so he can also be found freaking out about science classes. He enjoys indie video games, anime, and rock music.

1. Brown Swiss

2. Scottish Highland

3. Holstein

4. Black Angus

5. Hereford

6. Charolais

7. Simmental

8. Red Angus

9. Ayrshire

10. Texas Longhorn

SMILEY HUYNH/the Justice