Faculty vote against President Liebowitz
■ Over the last week, the faculty have cast their votes regarding the motion of no confidence in President Liebowitz.
By ANNA MARTIN JUSTICE EDITOR IN CHIEF
On Monday, Sept. 23 at 8:51 a.m., faculty members received an email from Chair of the Brandeis Faculty Senate Prof. Jeffrey Lenowitz (POL) regarding the results of the vote of the motion of no confidence in Brandeis University President Ronald Liebowitz. This email stated “The motion has passed, with 159 votes in favor, 149 votes in opposition, and 26 abstensions.”
The email went on to explain that 76.4% of all eligible faculty members participated in this vote, and clarified that the abstention votes do not count, as the faculty senate follows the rules stated in the 1876 publication, Robert’s Rules of Order.
The concluding sentence of the email from Lenowitz stated “we will discuss next steps and the implications of these results at our next faculty meeting,” but the results of this vote have already begun. The main purpose of this
motion was to take this vote to the Board of Trustees, as they have “the final authority on all aspects of the university’s operations.”
The board would be the ones responsible for the search for a new president, in addition to being able to remove the current one. In a Sept. 23 email correspondence with The Justice, Lenowitz confirmed that conversations among the board are ongoing, explaining that the board is meeting on Sept. 23 and 24, and the vote of no confidence is one of their pre-scheduled meetings.
In this email correspondence, Lenowitz stated "The motion of no confidence passed by ten votes. This reveals what our multiple faculty conversations and debates on it made clear: while faculty are united in their care for Brandeis and their great desire for it to flourish, they are closely divided on this motion.” This has been an exciting start of this new position for Lenowitz, as the role of the chair of the faculty senate is a new one for him, as he steps into this position at the start of this academic year. When discussing the potential for the rest of the year, he told The Justice, “I am excited that so many of our faculty, on
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Waltham’s Fernald
Developmental Center has attracted a slew of unwelcome guests
■ The former institution designed to serve the mentally disabled, continues to be neglected by the city.
By BRIANNA EARLE JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
In 2022, Waltham Mayor Jeanette McCarthy unveiled a major development plan for the site of the Fernald State School which included an extensive recreational facility spanning across the northern portion of the Fernald campus. Although this development has been in the works since the city purchased the land in 2014, there has been little progress made on the site. With the lack of maintenance, there has been an uptick in vandalism in recent years and the city of Waltham has been unable to keep it under control. There has also been a lack of transparency from the city about the progress of the development program.
After acquiring the property in 2014, it was taken over and directly maintained by the state of Massachusetts. Originally, all of the condemned buildings had been protected and fenced off.
Bryan Parcival, a photographer contracted by the city to take photos for the recordation process, was hired directly after the purchase of the Fernald. In a Sept. 20 interview with The Justice, Parcival said he was unable to
begin working until nearly five years later due to a delay in greenlighting his contract and that the property was already in bad shape by the time he and his team were able to start.
According to Parcival, “One of the first things Waltham did was fire the groundskeeper. All of the maintained grounds by the time I came back had been overgrowing for nearly five years. Buildings were falling into disrepair, Waltham had one city employee who would occasionally board things up.”
Although the city has begun construction on the site, it has been a slow process. As the site remains in the early stages of development, there has been an increase in vandalism on the lot, and Waltham residents have expressed concern with the present and future of the project.
Since the 2020 Covid-19 lockdown, vandalism at the site has been on the rise, as many of the buildings remain abandoned and deteriorating.
“There was vandalism, certainly, between 2015 and 2019, no question about that - but not massive. The massive vandalism happened in 2020 and that was directly coincidental with [Covid-19],” said Parcival. “A lot of kids were home from school and had nothing better to do than to show up with baseball bats and just smash things over at Fernald.”
This is an ongoing issue. Early this year, it was reported that graffiti featuring markings of Neo-Nazi groups
Students react to graduate Andy Rueda MS'24 competing on "Survivor."
By GRACE DOH
STUDENT SEXUALITY INFORMATION SERVICES NEWS
Brandeis Student Sexuality Information Service offers
■ On Sept. 13 Brandeis’ Student Sexualtiy Information Service announced the arrival of new gender-affirming products.
By ELIZA BIER JUSTICE MANAGING EDITOR
On Friday, Sept. 13 the Student Sexuality Information Service announced on their Instagram the arrival of new gender-affirming products, expanding their presence on campus. Previously, the only other organization on campus that offered gender affirming products was Brandeis Gender and Sexuality Center, with a gender affirming clothing closet and dressing room. Individuals are encouraged to “drop off clean and gently used or new clothing to a GSC staff member” according to the GSC website. Nonetheless, the new SSIS offerings are a welcomed expansion to gender-affirming products on the Brandeis campus.
Gender-affirming products, according to SSIS and the Trans Wellness Initiative, are any piece of clothing, garment or gear that helps individuals feel more confident and comfortable in their own body and “explore their gender presentation on their own terms.”
Gender-affirming care is vital
to those who identify with a different gender than that which they were assigned at birth. Studies conducted by the Office of Population Affairs found that gender-affirming care is a “supportive form of healthcare” that comprises many services including “medical, surgical, mental health and non-medical services.” Currently, out of these categories, SSIS offers only nonmedical services. Research from the Office of Population Affair shows that gender-affirming care “improves the mental health and overall well-being” of individuals that are trans or gender nonconforming.
SSIS as described by GSC is a student-led organization whose mission is to “decrease sexual stigma” at the University as well as support the sexual health and wellness needs of Brandeis students. Operating since 1973, SSIS is a confidential and non-judgemental space where students can receive peer support, education on sexuality, access subsidized sexual health and wellness products as well as resource and product referrals.
SSIS now offers Spectrum Binders ranging from sizes XXS7XL and in 16 colors, as well as a TransTape starter pack. The TransTape starter pack includes one roll of TransTape offered in
four skin tones and three sizes, four ounces of Jojoba Removal Oil, a small repairing salve and one 10 pack of nipple guards. The way chest binding works is by flattening breasts “by spreading them evenly and compressing the tissue” according to SSIS. In their Instagram post, SSIS gives possible reasons for chest binding. Reasons for chest-binding can include gender dysphoria, defined by the Mayo Clinic as the “feeling of discomfort or distress that might occur in people whose gender identity differs from their sex assigned at birth or sex-related physical characteristics,” gender euphoria or “simply wanting to look different in clothing.”
SSIS also dedicated several Instagram slides to best practices of binding safely. Wearing a binder for longer than eight hours at a time or going to sleep in a binder can cause rib cage damage and should be avoided. They note that ribcage damage can result in complications for those seeking top surgery. Binding while exercising can impede breathing and movement; thus, it is recommended to size up or use alternative methods of binding if you plan to bind while exercising. Additionally, wearing more
Photo courtesy of BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY and GAIL SHULMAN/CBS
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Photo courtesy of Student Sexuality Information Service
POLICE LOG
Medical
Sept. 13—There was a medical emergency for a party with low blood sugar. Patient was refused medical treatment.
Sept. 14—There was a call for a party having a panic attack. Patient refused medical treatment.
Sept. 14—A caller reported their friend had too much to drink. Patient was evaluated by BEMCo and refused further medical treatment.
Sept. 14—There was a medical emergency for a possible broken wrist. The patient was evaluated and refused transportation to a hospital.
Sept. 15—There was a medical call for an intoxicated student. They were treated by BEMCo and transported to a nearby hospital for furt-
her care.
Sept. 15—There was a medical call for a nail in the foot at a party. Patient was treated by BEMCo and refused further treatment.
Sept. 16—A caller reported pains in the right side of their chest. Situation was cleared.
Sept. 16—There was a medical emergency for a student having an asthma attack. The student was treated and transported to a nearby hospital.
Sept. 18—The Brandeis Counseling Center requested Armstrong to transport a party for a psychological evaluation.
Sept. 18—A party in a wheelchair was struck by a vehicle. Patient refused medical treatment.
Sept. 18—A reporting party stated that two basketball players bumped heads while
playing. Patients refused medical treatment.
Sept. 18—Reporting party fell and scraped her leg and arm. Patient refused further medical treatment.
Sept. 19—A caller stated that they weren’t feeling well and wanted BEMCo to evaluate. Patient refused medical treatment.
Sept. 19—A party stated that they had lost consciousness and hit their head. Patient was transported to a nearby hospital for further treatment.
Other
Sept. 13—There was an investigation into a fraud.
Sept. 13—There was a report of a stolen squash bag from Gosman Sports and Commencement Center. Investigation to follow.
Sept. 13—A caller stated their room was disheveled when they got back from class and wanted to know if facilities was there. It was confirmed that facilities was in their room.
Sept. 14—A caller reported they were scammed by fake police online. Investigation to follow.
Sept. 16—A reporting party reported two males following them and asking them questions. Investigation to follow.
Sept. 18—There was a report of suspicious activity related to an online Facebook account.
Sept. 19—There was a report of a disturbance during a Hillel Event. Officer in charge was notified.
— Compiled by Zoe Zachary
Nonpartisan peace start-up, Sharaka, discuss post Oct. 7 mission
■ The panelists visited Brandeis, sharing personal experiences and calling for peace.
By BRACHA GARMAISE JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR
On Wednesday, Sept. 18, Shakara, an organization that seeks to promote peace within the Middle East and North Africa region, hosted an event in the Shapiro Campus Center theater. Six panelist sat on the podium: Canadian-Israeli Ashley Waxman, Dalia Ziada from Egypt, Bedouin Arab-Israeli Tamer Masudin (IBS ’26), Youssef Elazhari from Morocco, and Iraqi-Israeli Dan Feferman. All six panelists represent Sharaka — meaning partnership in Arabic.
The organization seeks to not only normalize relations in the Middle East, but also facilitate “warm peace” in the region. It was founded in 2020, a year after the Abraham Accords were signed. The group refers to themselves as a “peace startup” and identifies as non-partisan. They are composed of journalists, artists, and media personalities — not politicians. The panelists refer to their colleagues as their friends.
Despite how hopeless many feel about peace in the Middle East right now, Feferman stressed that it is “now more important than ever for us to find common enemies: ISIS, climate change, Iran.”
Still, since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas conflict, many of Sharaka’s advocates felt unsafe, Feferman said. Some have received death threats or were told to kill themselves, including Masudin; others claim to have been hacked.
The first panelist, Dalia Ziada, was a first-year student at a university in Cairo, Egypt during the Second Intifada, an uprising against the Israeli occupation, by Palestnians. Like many of her peers, she attended an anti-Israel rally organized by the Muslim Brotherhood.
“The first flag they decided to set on fire was the Israeli flag,
which made sense, because it was a protest against Israel,” she said. “The second flag [they set on fire] was the American flag. This didn’t make sense to me: how was burning the American flag going to liberate the Al-Aqsa mosque? A few minutes later, they also burned the Egyptian flag.”
As she watched her home country’s flag erupt into flames, Ziada realized that she was aligning with “an ugly movement” she knew little about. She said that she decided to “take a step back and do [her] own research.”
From then on, Ziada decided to dedicate her life to the “fight against radical Islamists and promoting dialogue between Arabs and Israelis.” She joined the Ibn Khaldun Center for Democratic Studies, a pro-democracy think tank, eventually becoming its executive director.
After Oct. 7, Ziada said she felt “compelled to speak up for the people brutalized that day.” In her community, conspiracy theories were already circling. Some claimed that the Nova festival site had been “crashed by Israeli helicopters,” to create the illusion of an invasion, she said. Others blatantly supported the attack.
Ziada faced horrific backlash for condemning Hamas: radical Islamists came to her family home and asked her family where she was so they could kill her, they said she wasn’t home. Four Egyptian lawyers filed a lawsuit with the attorney general, claiming she had breached national security, incited violence, and spied for Israel. Fearing for her life, Ziada turned to the Egyptian government and asked them for protection. “They said no,” she said.
When Ziada learned that Egypt had denied her request, she was shocked. “I was a public figure asking for protection … I thought they would help me. I cried all night,” she said. She has now since been expelled from Egypt, she said.
Ashley Waxman, originally from Canada, who moved to Israel during the second Lebanon war. She served in the Israeli air force before going back to school for her master’s degree in counterterrorism from Reichman University, which is near Tel Aviv.
“My thesis was about the radical ideology of the Muslim Brotherhood,” she explained. “I was not surprised by October 7.”
After earning her degree, Waxman started her unlikely career as a YouTuber, posting makeup tutorials online and eventually starting her own makeup line. “At one point, I was the biggest YouTuber in Israel,” she says.
During the May 2021 Israel-Hamas conflict, Waxman noticed people “who had nothing to do with politics use social media to spread hate for Israel” for the first time. In response, she began to incorporate Israel advocacy into her platform.
The Oct. 7 attack was especially devastating for Waxman and her family. “Besides being a mother of four, my husband’s cousin was killed,” she said, “and my cousin, Agam, was taken hostage.” Agam, a surveillance soldier, is still currently in captivity.
After the war began, Waxman felt she had to choose between “drowning in despair and letting hate win, or to spread peace,” she said. Over the past year, she spoke at the United Nations and Israeli parliament.
“On his nineteenth birthday, Agam wished for peace,” she explained.
The next panelist, Tamer Masudin, is currently a graduate student at the Brandeis International Business School. He was born in a Bedouin community called Segev Shalom in the north of Israel. He speaks Arabic, but “identifies as Israeli.” He was raised in a family that loves Israel: his grandfather fought in the War of Independence – on the “winning side.”
As a young adult, he worked for an Arab Israeli youth movement before earning a Bachelor of Art, also from Reichman, in government.
Masudin, who described himself as a Zionist, said he has received death threats and hate mail for his advocacy, but also support from Muslims and Jews alike. “I’m around on campus if anyone has any questions and wants to get coffee,” he added.
Despite the traumas and turmoil experienced by people on both sides of the conflict over the past year, the startup is as hopeful as ever. “I believe those seeking sharaka will be successful in the end,” Ziada said.
■ A feature article was missing a byline. It was corrected to “By GRACE DOH / JUSTICE EDITOR” (September 17, Page 9)
The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Send an email to editor@ thejustice.org.
Moon : Between Sept. 17 and 18, a partial lunar eclipse was visable in the United States.
JONAS KAPLIN/The Justice
Graphics courtesy of CANVA and ELIZABETH LIU/The Justice
Free expression session rebuilds trust between students and administration
■ The Presidential Task Force on Free Expression examined the current principles of free expression at Brandeis and invited feedback from students and staff.
By DIANE MEYER JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISSTANT
In an open letter to the Brandeis community on March 28, 2024, University President Ronald Liebowitz called for an examination of the University’s Principles of Free Speech and Free Expression. Liebowitz declared that Brandeis has a proud history of openness and said that the University is “at an appropriate juncture to conduct a review of these principles and how university policies and procedures relate to them.”
The University’s Principles of Free Speech and Free Expression were adopted by the Board of Trustees in 2018. They include guiding tenets related to how Brandeis should operate as an institution that aims to be what Liebowitz describes as an “open, civil and secure environment for the pursuit and creation of knowledge.” The Principles are as follows: “maximizing free speech in a diverse community,” “developing skills to engage in difficult conversations,” “sharing responsibility,” “rejecting physical violence,” “distinguishing between invited speakers and university honorees” and “University restrictions.” The “University restrictions” maintain that the University will restrict expression that, for example, breaks the law, constitutes harassment, invades confidentiality interests or is “otherwise directly incompatible with the functioning of the University.” With these principles in mind, the task force was created to assess how Brandeis needs to adapt to an ever-changing and ever-volatile conversation about free expression and its place on college campuses — especially in the context of the escalating war between Israel and Hamas and the resulting impact on affected communities across the United States.
In a highlighted portion of his letter, Liebowitz described the goals of the task force, which is chaired by Philosophy department chair, Prof. Kate Moran (PHIL). Liebowitz said that the task force “is expected to engage in information gathering, examine applicable law and regulation, consider policies and practices at other universities, and participate in civil and respectful discussion and debate among its members.” In Moran’s words, “the role of the taskforce is to examine the currently existing principles of free expression and to decide if we want to make any recommendations about amending them.”
On Thursday Sept. 19 at 2 p.m., the task force conducted its first listening session open to the Brandeis community in Levin Ballroom. Attendance was almost non-existent: seven students attended in person, collecting themselves in the front row of the room and leaving rows of folding chairs behind them empty. Given the awkwardness of being up on a stage in front of only a handful of students, the task force wished to adapt to the dismal turnout and sit down with the attendees instead, but the limitations of recording the meeting on Zoom did not allow for this proposed spontaneous round-table.
The listening session began, and what became an unexpectedly intimate and personal discussion between the task force and the attendees offered a special opportunity to reflect on the problem of trust between the Brandeis administration and its students.
Moran first thanked task force members for their time and emphatically told the students present to “please know that [they were] invited to reach out to any [task force member] personally about matters related to their work and free expression.” Task force members in attendance were the Director of Communications, Director of Student Affairs, and Family Liaison, Dvora Pemstein; Graduate representative and Ph.D candidate Nathaniel Walker; recent graduate Eitan Marks ’24; Prof. Anita Hill (LGLS/WGS); Prof. David Katz (HIST); and Prof. Shai Feldman (HIST). Feldman ironically quipped that “he didn’t know why” he was there, but that he was a founding member of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis and that he “has been through a number of, let’s say, dicey situations and dilemmas that [have] needed to be addressed.”
Moran explained that the goal of the listening session was to “allow for us to come together.” She said that she imagined herself saying that “in front of 200 people,” but no matter the turnout, the task force “would like to hear [student] ideas… and experiences.” Moran added that in terms of the type of feedback the task force hopes to get as it works to formulate recommendations to the administration, it would be helpful for students to attend the listening sessions. “All student opinions “[are] on the table,” Moran said. When it comes to the issue of accountability, Brandeis students are critical of their administration and the first student to speak started off the session by pulling on this thread. He asked Moran, “How do you see this task force as a potential solution?”
Moran explained that the taskforce was created “by the faculty senate in response to the events of last year,” and that “the administration formed this task force… [as a] response to these requests.” Going deeper, she identified within his question another question:“If we already have principles of free expression… what do we need to supplement?” The task force wants students to help them answer this question, and as Moran said, “they doubt the answer will be that “everything is fine.” Instead, they anticipate that “the University’s principles about expression can be adjusted… [as well as] their implementation.” Moran noted that the task
force will not be the last stop because the suggestions that the task force eventually makes “will be up to the administration to take.” In hoping that they can have some influence on policy moving forward, Moran and the task force need to solicit feedback. She emphasized that the task force has no “particular agenda” and that the work that the task force does is “an expression of really caring about the University.”
Second among the attendees to address the task force was actually not a student, but a fellow professor. Professor Emeritus, Bernadette Brooten (NJES/WGS/CEMS), brought a unique perspective to the discussion as a faculty member uninvolved with the task force. Brooten “respectfully request[ed] given the size of the audience that [she] might take a little more time,” as originally questions were supposed to be limited to two minutes, to which Moran joked, “I don’t have a buzzer.”
Brooten spoke of her decision to tape a sign to her body that read “from the river to the sea, peace and equality,” which she also “translated into Hebrew and Arabic with a little help,” during the 2024 Brandeis commencement. To Brooten, these words are an “explanation… [or] reformulation” of how she understands the original phrase, “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”, having listened to students explain its meaning to her at demonstrations last fall. The usage of the original phrase was banned on campus on Nov. 6ww of last year.
The phrase, “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” has long been associated with the Palestinian independence movement. Its earliest usage dates back to the 1960s when Palestinians were seeking to break away from the control of not just Israel but Egypt and Jordan as well. For many Palestinians, the phrase indicates a desire to have equality in their homeland, but after being adopted by the terrorist organization Hamas, for many Jewish people the phrase has become a threat to Israel’s existence as a Jewish state.
Walker wished to clarify Brooten’s thought process behind her decision to wear her poster. He asked if the fact that she had adapted the phrase was exactly why she thought she was allowed to wear it, and additionally wondered if she thought that if “a student had [worn] that poster, would they have been allowed to [wear it].” To the latter question, Brooten could not speculate. To the prior, she responded that yes, her understanding of the phrase’s meaning was allowed to be expressed, yet the actual phrase was not. She believes, however, that her meaning is “how many people on November 10th understood it.” Brooten’s Nov. 10 reference was to student demonstrations at Brandeis last year, protesting the University’s derecognition of the Brandeis chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine.
Brooten said of her personal protest at commencement: “I largely had very positive responses as I walked in and as I walked out [of commencement],” most of which came from “students of color and parents of students of color.” She elaborated on an interesting moment of tension she remembered, describing a man that told her, in Hebrew, “may the people of Israel live,” to which Brooten exclaimed “of course [she] fully believes this,” as in her mind there is no difference between what he said and the phrase on her poster.
“Everyone in the region should be free and have equality,” was Brooten’s main point. She believes her rendering of the phrase to be a common thread that people should be able to agree upon. Arguably, rhetoric is the paradoxical culprit of misunderstanding, but also a vehicle of education. Brooten urged the task force to consider that “no specific phrase or word should be prohibited from the beginning.”
Feldman also questioned Brooten, asking her to definitively say if she believed her rendering of the phrase and the original phrase conveyed the same meaning. They are, in meaning, “the same,” Brooten said. The only difference was that her phrase has not been restricted. This revelation about the importance of context was where the session found its most potential for nuanced discussion.
Through Brooten’s story, the session had struck on the “sticky point,” of defining hate speech versus defining free expression, as Moran later explained.
Moran wondered aloud about the capacity of the task force and the wider Brandeis community to decide on how to restrict hate speech as it comes to an intellectual head with the idea of free expression. Another Brandeis student offered her thoughts as a first-year hoping to major in linguistics. She explained that she “understand[s] language to be very contextual,” and related that “everyone has their own interpretation,” of rhetoric. She proposed that there be an “operational definition of what constitutes hate speech,” advising that situations should be assessed according to this operational definition “versus just having a list of words and phrases that students are not allowed to say.” This operational definition would take into account the possibility of the volatile quality of words and phrases used towards others in a violent or oppressive way.
Brooten added on to this point, questioning whether the idea of fair process “might be built into the definition of free expression.” She proposed that “if students say something that others feel is hateful, [this] should go through the student conduct process — that’s the way hate speech should be dealt with, with careful due process for all.”
The intellectual debate about free expression poses a question regarding the adjacency to violence that is commonly attributed to certain rhetoric: if words can be given a violent quality, what does this mean for language as a symbol and who decides what words are violent or deserving of restriction? Here, Walker brought the University’s Principles of Free Expression back into the conversation. The sixth principle allows for the University to restrict speech as it sees appropriate, making the administration the decision-makers when it comes to choosing which words are violent. The list of banned phrases is new — as of Nov. 6, Liebowitz restricted three phrases in the light of the Israel-Palestine conflict. Task force members
noted that conversation about what to restrict is “slightly different from the issue of process, which happens when [we have to decide] what we do when there is an issue of violation.” To this, Brooten stated that the “sixth principle should either be cut or altered so there is a fair process.”
The issue of authority and accountability as it relates to Brandeis administration was also addressed in the context of the organization of student clubs on campus. Rani Balakrishna ’25, president of the Brandeis Student Union, brought her perspective to the discussion on this matter. Applying the guidelines from 2018 to last fall, Balakrishna remembered that “[Brandeis] administrators went over [the] Student Union… [when they] made the decision to derecognize [Students for Justice in Palestine],” and wondered what the task force could do to rectify this. Moran said that this point was “certainly something [the task force] can include [in their information gathering],” because it is “important [to note] that there is a difference in speech and expression [and] expression includes [student organizations].”
Katz, who worked for 41 years at Tel Aviv University before coming to Brandeis, added “this taskforce is not just about freedom of expression relating to Israel-Palestine, [but] about free expression regarding all things.” For Katz,this brought up his thoughts about the upcoming election. Katz asked attendees to remember that the recommendations that the task force makes will encompass a whole range of issues. He asked, for example, how might Republican students be treated on campus, or what about students’ views on the issue of abortion: how will Brandeis handle difference of opinion?
Continuing the discussion, Katz came down on the idea of influence and bias. He revealed that there was faculty pushback on the decision to “emphasize [the] Jewish element of the Brandeis community [in order] to make itself distinctive and raise more money, “ and likened this to how Boston College has emphasized its Catholicism.
The fourth student to speak also touched on this idea of influence when it comes to drawing the line between free expression and hate speech. He told the task force about a time during his childhood when he was sent home from school for saying the word “Jew,” because “the word ‘Jew’ is considered a slur where [he is] from,” Arizona, and shared his experiences about being called a “self-hating Jew” at Brandeis because of his political beliefs. He said that he believes that “the University has a clear directive, [as] students on one camp are excused of virtually all behavior and on the other side they have faced consequences” for their words and actions.
Fleshing out his point, he explained that the Brandeis administration sent an encouraging email for those who wanted to attend the vigil for Israeli victims of the terrorist attack on Oct. 7th, 2023, but the administration sent no similar email for subsequent student-held vigils for Palestinian lives lost. This student shared that he remembered “police surrounding the [Palestinian vigil], and students laughing [while] filming Palestinian students talking about [their] dead family members.” When it comes to remembering the 1,200 Israeli lives lost on Oct. 7th and thinking about the violence in Gaza where the currently reported Palestinian death toll is over 40,000, this student wondered how the University would prepare for possible student demonstrations this year.
The task force was not able to comment directly on this as they do not have the authority to create new policy or control the administration’s current protocols, but Feldman said that “to answer [that question] at least regarding one aspect,” on Oct. 8, the Crown Center will be holding a session in Goldfarb Library including “a senior researcher who is a Palestinian ..., an Egyptian colleague and [himself],” and assured that they “will try to represent different narratives.” Feldman said that he and his colleagues at the Crown Center “are committed to balanced and dispassionate discussion and speech.”
Students have previously expressed their frustration with how the University handled the police presence and arrests made on Nov. 10. A walkout was held last Nov. 13 to protest police brutality after three students were forcibly arrested during the demonstrations. Moran said that she “doesn’t feel like she can announce any opinions of the task force at this stage,” regarding how the University has handled student demonstrations. She said that the task force had “been meeting over the summer to discuss Supreme Court cases and the case at Brandeis,” and stated that this was an “example of the prime problem” when it comes to the “application” of the Principles of Free Expression, “which is what we’re thinking about,” explained Moran. Moran said that recommendations would be “not just abstract recommendations,” but also “some more concrete guidelines about these principles … can be implemented in the moment,” such as when responding to student demonstrations. Walker added that it is important to remember the “principle of rejection of violence,” saying that “there is a precedent for dealing with violence,” and that there will be “room … to discuss this on the task force and in the community.”
At this point in the session, the first student who spoke took another turn at the microphone. He admitted that even though the task force representatives were “well-respected members of the Brandeis community,” to him, he decided that he had “something to say that no one has said yet:the task force is literally just a show of goodwill”. Going further, he would “very politely have to say no,” to the question of “will this task force solve anything?”
This student relayed to the task force the main issue that he had found with the administration: “even though the University prides itself on providing resources for students of color and faculty of color,” to him they seem to “push for one side of the argument.” In his words, the ideal function of the task force would be to “keep the administration accountable,” when it comes to supporting and allowing for diversity in student perspective. He added that accountability was especially important
when concerning President Liebowitz — “when has he ever connected with the community?” Last year, Liebowitz “offered to talk to the Muslim Student Association, but not to the Network of Arab Students,” the student recalled. He pointed out this failure of attention and understanding of Liebowitz’s part because “beyond Jews and Muslims, there are [also] Christians dying in Gaza,” which points to complexity of the situation in the Middle East and also on a campus that includes students from diverse backgrounds.
Katz acknowledged when fielding the student concerns about how little Liebowitz is seen on campus, that the Dean of Arts and Science Jeffrey Shoulson who gets the most facetime with staff and students. Liebowitz’s job is more concerned with “money raising,” he said, but Katz praised Shoulson’s active presence at least with faculty and staff. Pemstein took this moment of reckoning to jump in and take an opportunity for action. She asked if it would be okay if she shared that feedback as she works in student affairs, and could specifically address providing support to the Network of Arab Students. Pemstein said she would try to solve this unequal treatment — she “hope[d that it was] never too late,” for this and that she “hope[d] that outreach would still be helpful.” Pemstein acknowledged that this was out of the hands of the task force because of their inability for direct action, but reassured the students present that although “we’re not here for that, [their concerns were] quite important and I think there are students that could benefit from outreach from the administration.”
Brooten added that she wanted the University to conduct research “on what non-Jewish, nonzionist students or Jewish students that are non-zionist, are feeling.” She added that “especially considering Palestinian, Arab and Muslim students, a colleague [of hers] did an anonymous survey that found a “horrific” impact on such communities,” relating to how the Israel-Palestine conflict has been addressed on the Brandeis campus.
There is a definite lack of trust between Brandeis University and its students — this conclusion was agreed upon by both the task force members and the students. Even yet, Moran wants to work for change. She said that if she was “100% sure that [she] was just checking a box to make things look better, [she] wouldn’t have agreed to this job,” but admitted that she is “also a realist,” and so she understands student concerns that they “do all this work and don’t make a dent.” Moran said “speaking personally,” she still has hope.
In seeking to rebuild this trust, Hill related a point she wanted to consider, saying “that [the task force] need[s] to actually hear from [student] voices,” in order for change to happen. In creating a “just and inclusive community,” she “would encourage [the students that came to the session] to come back [and] bring [their] friends,” because “this is a community function that we are engaged in… [to] make the community safer for people to express themselves.” She asked students to “see this as a community conversation of people who have different perspectives and different concerns.”
Essentially, for the task force to do its job, they need student support in the form of participation. For this to happen, students need to trust, and perhaps this actually means trusting that they can rebuild trust that has been broken. This was concerning for Hill and other task force members. She identified that students were “here because [they] have a position [on this issue] but [they] don’t necessarily expect that there will be an outcome that matches [their] concern.” She said that was “troubling” to her as she and other faculty members “can only ask for you to let us know how we can regain that trust.”
Moran agreed with Hill and said that she expected that “the reason why we’ve had low attendance [at the listening session] … is because of a lack of trust,” related to the University’s communication and messaging. Besides the issue of the trust, the session’s timing was less than ideal during the middle of the school day. Moran closed the session by expressing her “wish to affirm [the task force’s] sincerity.” She vouched for the task force’s genuine intentions to reflect on and convey student opinion through their feedback to the Brandeis administration. Moran said the faculty, staff, and students on the taskforce have a “real love of the University and our students in particular motivating us.”
On record with The Justice after the event, Moran gave a closing message about student participation: “in order to do our job as we would really like to do it in a way that represents the whole community, that takes everybody’s views into account where we do the information gathering that we really want to do, we really do need people to participate.” She added that “of course we understand that people may be uncomfortable saying things in public or with their names attached, so there will be other opportunities to say things anonymously if they want to, but that even if they come to listen to their colleagues and friends, that is a really important part of this process too.”
Hill commented, “It is important for the community to trust that we are deeply committed to change … [and that] everyone in the community feels that they will be protected and heard —– the responsibility falls on the task force to make sure their job is not just ‘performative;” Only by deeply committing to this change, as Hill believes the Brandeis community can do, will Liebowitz’s description of the University as an “open, civil, and secure environment for the pursuit and creation of knowledge” ring true.
The task force hopes to hold more events, and the next Free Expression Listening Session will be on Tuesday, Sept. 24, again from 2 to 4 p.m. in Levin Ballroom. Students are also invited to register for the webinar. Continuing their engagement with the Brandeis community as they strive to gather information and eventually garner traction and support for their recommendations to the administration about the Principles of Free Expression hinges on how willing students are to share their voices.
Why are students losing interest in voting for Student Union elections?
■ There has been a decline of interest in voting for student elections. Members of the Student Union reveal a few potential causes for this trend.
By HANNAH SHAPIRO JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Student government can be an exciting way for students to practice civic engagement and to develop political skills. On Sept. 17, the Student Union sent out an email revealing the winners of their Fall 2024 elections. Hercules Zhang ’28 and Shelby Terry ’28 were elected as Multicultural Senators. Harrison Madnick ’25 was elected as a Class of 2025 Senator. Himanshu Sahore ’28, Monica Lopez Hernandez ’28 and Sarah Hasan Jafary ’28 were elected as Class of 2028 senators and Shyann Rampaul ’28 was elected as the Myra Kraft Achievers Program Senator.
One might expect the politically active students of Brandeis University to leap at the chance to vote in Student Union elections. However, interest in student government elections is waning. According to their email, 53% of first years voted, in sharp contrast to 20% of sophomores, 15% of juniors, and 12% of seniors. Those elected in their respective contest were not elected by a large portion of the undergraduate student body. According to Student Union election data, only 456 students from across all four grades participated in this semester’s election. At the heart of these statistics is one key question: what is the root cause behind the dwindling interest in Student Union elections at Brandeis University?
Starry-eyed first-years arrive on campus ready to seize every opportunity and to change the world one vote at a time. As these students grow older, they start to lose faith as they see the infeasibility of the reforms of which they dreamed. Newly elected Class of 2028 Senator, Jafary, remarked in a Sept.18 virtual interview that “this desire to change and reform wanes with time as
BRIEF
students grow accustomed — or, dare I say, apathetic — to their working conditions. They situate themselves comfortably within the existing context because their efforts at reform may not have proven fruitful, or perhaps they made no effort at all.”
Burnout could be the second leading factor contributing toward the waning lack of interest in voting in student elections as students grow closer to graduation. In an in-person Sept. 20 interview, Student Union President Rani Balakrishna ’25 suggested that “the upperclassmen not contributing; maybe it’s burnout.” She further remarked that “I think the problem lies within busyness. I remember as a freshman I was keeping an eye on my email constantly, and as people get older at Brandeis, that could drop off. People just get tired of, like, you know, seeing all these emails.” Brandeis students get a ton of emails every day. They grow tired of reading boring emails, and they stop checking them at all. Balakrishna attributes this lack of engagement to a lack of awareness and an overwhelming sense of burnout. It is also important to note that during the Fall 2024 Myra Kraft Achievers Program vote, an issue with the voting software was unveiled that only allowed first years to vote. As the issue was overlooked during previous election cycles, it is currently unknown how much it has affected student voter participation statistics.
From a student’s perspective, the lack of communication and transparency between the Student Union and the rest of the student body may be the underlying factor of voter apathy. During a Sept. 21 interview conducted over the phone, Brooke Bass ’25 confided that “no matter who gets elected, I haven’t noticed much of a difference. I always research all of the candidates and vote, but often they run unopposed anyway. Last year’s Student Union was picked by only 6% of the student body.” She further commented that “at the end of the day, when most of [the candidates] are running unopposed and so few students are even involved, I think it’s laughable to claim they represent our student body. They represent under 10% of it, and of those people, we may have voted differently if we’d had more than one option.” This sentiment that the Student Union is not representative of, or respon-
Brandeis releases Annual Security Report
Content warning: mentions of violence against women, domestic violence and rape.
On Sept. 18, the Assistant Vice President of Public Safety, Matthew T. Rushton, shared the University’s 2023 Annual Security Report through an email to the community. The notice was in accordance with the Jennifer Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act which requires colleges and universities to publicize their security data.
The Annual Security report has three major sections — crime statistics, security policies and fire safety. At the end of the report, statistical compilations regarding each of these categories can be found. The report covers safety information from 2021, 2022 and 2023.
The first half of the report discusses major public safety divisions on campus as well as proper procedure for reporting crimes, including contact information and whether or not the resource is confidential. The first quarter of the report also covers emergency notification, as well as security information in regards to dorms. Dating violence is also covered, with classifications and reporting procedures listed out for several different situations involving domestic or dating violence. All of the University’s policy
and procedures for official complaints are listed out in detail. The report also covers crime prevention tips on campus, as well as policies concerning alcohol and other drugs.
Some of the most notable areas of increase from the report include:
Sex offenses — rape, fondling, incest and statutory rape — have seen a slight increase, from six cases in 2021 to five in 2022 to seven in 2023.
Theft, including robbery, aggravated assault and burglary, have also seen an increase. There were no cases of robbery in 2021 and 2022 and four instances of robbery in 2023. There were zero cases of aggravated assault in 2021 and 2022, two cases in 2023 and two cases of burglary in both 2022 and 2023.
Additionally, offenses that fall under the Violence Against Women Act such as dating violence, domestic violence and stalking had a slight increase. There were two and three cases of dating violence in 2021 and 2022 and eight cases in 2023. In 2023, there were three cases of domestic violence, with none reported in 2021 and 2022. There were also three cases of stalking in 2023 after one
sive to, the needs of the student body has led many students to feel that there is no point to voting, since nothing will change anyway.
Meanwhile, Balakrishna expressed that when the Student Union attempted to hold office hours last year “one person came the entire year. So it’s frustrating when we try to make ourselves so available, and then people complain that we’re not hearing them, but we don’t know what people are thinking if they don’t come to us.” She described a plethora of projects that the Student Union is working on behind the scenes, such as getting the Hoot Market to supply multicultural hair products and planning various events that the rest of the student body likely does not realize are going on. There appears to be a continuous cycle of students losing faith in the efficacy of the Student Union, and therefore erasing their own voices, before they can be ignored by those who are supposed to represent them. A cycle of miscommunication is thus perpetuated.
Bass further remarked that “I think just generally more interaction with the student body... [The Student Union] could be doing plenty of things behind the scenes, but if we don’t know what they’re doing, then, to us, they’re doing nothing. It would help with the disconnect between the Student Union and the student body if they updated us on what they were doing in an accessible and public format… I’m not saying their job is easy, because I’m sure they’re doing plenty of things that we can’t see, but if they don’t make them visible then we won’t see them. And if the students can’t see the effect the Student Union has on campus, why would they feel motivated to vote or run for positions?” For Bass, stronger communication may contribute towards an increase in voter turnout. Balakrishna remarked that this growing disinterest in voting “could be detrimental, I think, to everyone’s student experience… electing people that don’t actually represent them.” It seems that promoting open dialogue between the Student Union and the rest of the student body may contribute towards the resolution of this demographic trend.
and three in 2022 and 2021 respectively.
The last third of the report is dedicated to a detailed report on the University’s crime statistics. The report spells out the definitions and classifications of several crimes, which contextualizes the raw data found on the last few pages of the report, showing the statistics of a broad range of crimes committed on or off campus over 2021 to 2023. The final pages also covers fire safety data, which includes fire safety equipment and is a record of all the fires which have happened over the past three years.
It is unclear whether the observed increases are significant enough to indicate a broader shift in campus safety. As most students are aware, many cases of unsafe behavior are not reported properly for a variety of reasons. As Rushton wrote in the report, students are encouraged to review it in order to familiarize themselves with campus security procedures.
Graphic courtesy of WANT LIST RECORDS
JONAS KAPLIN/The Justice
ECLIPSE
Zoe Zachary
SSIS: New offerings at a reduced price
than one binder at a time, or any additional compression garment, will only damage the user's ribcage, not create a flatter or more effective binding result. Finally, SSIS recommends stretching after binding as it can help release muscle pain.
As of Sept. 3, SSIS also started offering TransTape, an adhesive that can be used to “flatten and shape” one's chest. TransTape provides similar results to a binder but “can give a more masculine/androgynous chest appearance.” SSIS addresses the benefits and drawbacks of using TransTape. The tape, unlike a binder, can be worn for multiple days at a time, can get wet, does not completely flatten the chest from compression, is easier to customize and is less visible than a binder under clothing. However, the adhesive from the tape may be irritating to one’s skin as well as possibly being “less effective for flattening larger chests.” TransTape is also not reusable, whereas a binder is.
For best practices using TransTape SSIS recommends to do a test strip of the tape first before using as some people can be se -
verely irritated by or allergic to the tape’s adhesive. They also advise people to wear a “bandage or a nipple cover under TransTape” as to protect the sensitive skin from the adhesive, to “avoid applying over broken skin” to ensure that normal breathing after application and to remove the tape with oil slowly as to “avoid skin damage and tearing.”
On Sept. 15, SSIS posted on Instagram detailing how to access the new gender affirming products in several steps. The first step is to visit the SSIS office in Shapiro Campus Center room 334. Next, individuals will meet with a SSIS member to discuss their needs and then be presented with a choice of either a binder or TransTape. From there the individual will receive safety information on their chosen binding method and try on the products for sizing purposes. After trying on the product an interested party would fill out an order form through SSIS, receive a confirmation email from the SSIS Financial Coordinator, wait up to three weeks for delivery and receive an email to pick up the ordered product from the SSIS office.
FERNALD: More vandalism and graffiti
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had been discovered on the walls of one of the buildings, raising flags from concerned community members.
In a Press Release in response to this discovery, the Waltham Police Department made it known that they were aware of the issue, and they have officers who frequently patrol the area.
“In the past eighteen months Waltham officers have arrested or taken out charges against over fifty individuals who have been located at or identified as having crimes at the property” the press release stated. “According to our federal law enforcement partners, at this time, there are no known organized hate groups operating in the area.”
The hate group related investigation is not the only investigation regarding the Fernald in the past year, it was reported that a federal investigation was to take place regarding a possibility of breach of documents that had been abandoned in buildings on the property. In March, the state sent out a statement regarding an investigation of a major Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act violation in connection to improperly stored documents discovered in improperly secured buildings at the site of the Fernald.
More recently, on Sept. 9, Waltham City Coun-
VOTE: President Liebowitz's fate is now in the
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both sides of the motion, have demonstrated their dedication to helping this place succeed. I look forward to representing them as we work towards that shared goal.”
This morning, 159 faculty members celebrated as they opened their emails. The ongoing conversation since the special faculty meeting on May 30 has been at least partially resolved. In an email correspondence with The Justice on Sept. 23, Prof. Sarah Mayorga (SOC) expressed her excitement regarding this outcome by stating “at its core, this motion was one of care for our university community and its future, and I am so pleased that it passed. I know that the Board of Trustees takes seriously their fiduciary responsibility to Brandeis, and I hope that they see what we see — that new leadership is desperately needed at Brandeis to effectively work with faculty, staff and students and navigate our current challenges.”
Another main supporter for this motion is Prof. John Plotz (ENG), who spoke with The Justice via email on Sept. 23. He began his email with the statement “the faculty care deeply about the university’s future health, and with this vote we are asking the Board of Trustees to respond to eight years of Presidential failures that have imperiled our Research-One status and damaged our national standing.” Plotz then went on to share his thoughts regarding the specific need to vote,
cil held a meeting in which the Mayor approved proposals for the repurpose of three buildings on the Fernald property. These proposals include turning Dolan Hall into assisted and affordable housing for veterans, North Building becoming an adult daycare facility for adults with intellectual developmental disabilities, and the North Nurses Building to become Americans with Disabilities Act compliant housing for people with disabilities and their families. These proposals are extensive and do not fall within the original pitch of a large recreational facility that included playgrounds, a skating rink and sports fields.
Parcival believes that turning the site into a recreational center without any memorialization for the victims of abuse would be a gross mishandling of the property. “They’re building an amusement park there, which is tone deaf considering the site's history,” he said. “Waltham bears horrible burdens of responsibility when it comes to the absolutely aggressive neglect of Fernald and I can't help but speculate that it's intentional.”
The future of Fernald still remains incredibly uncertain, however, the city continues to make progress in developing the many acres of land. The city has not provided The Justice with a statement about the future of the Fernald Development Program at this time.
Board of Trustees' hands
explaining “…over the last eight years President Liebowitz
shut down the normal channels of communication that allow staff, students and faculty to air their views and contribute their expertise where needed. Brandeis has a long proud history as a cosmopolitan and nonsectarian university, but the current President’s narrow conception of our identity has weakened our core pedagogical and scholarly mission.” Plotz also touched on the mass layoffs that have taken place this summer, as well as the rally that took place Nov. 10, 2023, stating “Staff have suffered layoffs caused by [Liebowitz’s] fiscal mismanagement and the students’ right to assemble peaceably and air their grievances has not been respected. I think that my colleagues look forward to the Board charting a new course for the University that many of us have devoted our entire careers to serving.”
While many are happy about the passing of this motion, 149 staff members voted against it. Prof. Avital Rodal (BIO) was the only speaker who spoke against the motion twice at the Sept. 13 faculty meeting, expressing concerns regarding what could be lost if the motion was passed and expressing that Liebowitz was being blamed for more than he was responsible for. In an email to The Justice on Sept. 23, Rodal expressed her thoughts regarding the potential effects of this vote, “I don’t think the results of this extremely close vote will change any minds, or that they send a strong message to the Board of Trustees or our alumni.” She went on to elabo -
rate that the vote reflects what was already known – "that there are worries and divisions among the faculty over how we should be rethinking our programs to align better with our resources and long-term goals, and whether faculty have sufficient influence on these decisions. I hope we can move on from here with a strong commitment from the Board and President to our future as a liberal arts university, and a collaborative process for how we achieve that mission.”
The sentiment of the vote not changing any minds was mirrored by many members of the Brandeis community. In an email correspondence with The Justice on Sept. 23, Prof. Jonathan Sarna (NEJS) stated “I doubt that this close vote will change any minds. It is sad that the faculty is almost evenly divided. The trustees will doubtless weigh in, and will likely affirm their confidence in the president.” A similar idea was echoed in a statement from the University’s Assistant Vice President of Communications, Julie Jette. When asked for comment by The Justice, Jette stated “As it is within faculty purview, including at Brandeis, such symbolic and non-binding votes have become more common at colleges and universities over the past decade.”
While the faculty have made their stance on the matter clear through this vote, it is now up to the Board of Trustees to make the decision for the University. Is Liebowitz the future of Brandeis, or is there another direction to come?
VERBATIM | TONY VLACHOS
I’m not only leading the horse to the water, but I’m gonna make the horse drink the water.
ON THIS DAY…
Christopher Columbus departed on his second expedition to the New World in 1493.
FUN FACT
Jeff Probst was one of two finalists up for the “Survivor” host job in 2000. The other finalist was Phil Keoghan, host of CBS’ other hit reality show, “The Amazing Race.”
Brandeis cheers on alumnus Andy Rueda as he competes on ‘Survivor’
The latest season of the reality television show features a Brandeis graduate. After the premiere of the first episode, Brandeis students have some thoughts.
— The following article contains spoilers for episode one of “Survivor” season 47
On Sept. 18, Brandeis graduate Andy Rueda GSAS MS’24 stepped into the limelight on one of television’s most grueling reality competition shows. Brandeis community members watched in support as the two-hour premiere of “Survivor’s” newest season — filmed on the Mamanuca Islands in Fiji — aired at 8 p.m. on Columbia Broadcasting System and Paramount+.
“Survivor,” now in its 47th season, poses challenges designed to test its players’ physical and mental capabilities as they compete for the one million dollar cash prize. Sorted into “tribes” at the outset of each season, contestants work to build alliances, outwit and outlast each other while dealing with the harsh realities of living in the wild. The show has a massive global fan base and each season brings a new set of twists and challenges designed to narrow the initial group of “castaways” down to the “Sole Survivor.”
Rueda joins a diverse cast this season, facing off against 18 competitors divided into three tribes: Lavo, wearing red; Tuku, wearing blue and Gata — Rueda’s tribe — wearing yellow. Following brief introductions, the castaways were quickly plunged into an intense physical challenge involving a convoluted set of hurdles and puzzles to win the first batch of survival materials.
As a superfan of the show, Rueda said in an interview with Parade, “I tried to do everything under the sun,” in preparation for his appearance. He shared that he studied three dimensional prints of past puzzles, mastered making fire in the wilderness and watched fan analyses of “Survivor” challenge hacks. “I wrote them all in my notebook, and I have it here. And so I take the level of preparation really seriously,” he said.
When news of Rueda’s participation on “Survivor” 47 surfaced, students were eager to see
how one of their own would fare in the high-stakes competition.
At a small watch party held in an apartment off-campus, students cheered as Rueda made his first appearance on screen.
“He sounded like he would be a strong player,” Elaine Walker ’26 told The Justice on Sept. 22. She continued, “I mean, he was smart. He put that forward.”
When Walker saw on the @ brandeisfacts Instagram page that an alumnus would be competing in the newest season, she corralled a small group of
By GRACE DOH JUSTICE EDITOR
While Walker’s friends had expressed some interest in watching the season to follow their fellow “Brandeisian,” they weren’t yet sold on the idea of committing to it. She resolved to have them watch an older season filmed in Cagayan, which was based on a division of tribes into “Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty.” “That really seemed to get everyone really interested and hooked almost immediately so I was like, okay, let’s make this like a serious watch party,” Walker said.
Walker’s friends who watched season 28 of “Survivor” in preparation. They told The Justice on Sept. 22 that with season 28, they had no particular investment in any one player and only formed connections with them over the course of their viewing. But “Survivor” 47 would be different in that respect: “I was interested to see how the experience would be different having a character who I was already interested in and rooting for from the get go.” Rueda’s performance in the season premiere had Walker’s
friends to partake in a weekly watch party as the episodes began to air every Wednesday.
During the pandemic, Walker started watching more reality TV like “Survivor” and “Big Brother.” She grew fascinated with the psychological questions the shows would raise. “You tend to see people push themselves in not just a physical manner, but in a social, emotional and mental manner,” Walker told The Justice.
Walker and her housemates gathered around their coffee table, anxiously awaiting the season premiere that would feature one of their own — an unusual feeling, as it would be one of few mainstream forms of campus representation in the media. The friends already knew who they would be rooting for, as though it were their hometown team playing in the National Football League.
Eden Ikonen ’25 was one of
jaw “on the floor” the entire time. While under a whirlwind of stress and overthinking about his position on his team, Rueda spiraled into a “physical and emotional breakdown” in front of his teammates and host and executive producer Jeff Probst. “I kind of felt like the horse I had bet my life on was dying in this game,” Walker expresse. Based on how things were after the challenge, I was shocked,” Probst said in the newest episo-
de of “On Fire: The Official Survivor Podcast.”
It’s safe to say that everyone thought Rueda was out. Even Rueda himself said that he knew he was “on the bottom” among his teammates — one of whom was to be voted out by the others by the end of the episode. But after conversations among the Gata contestants, some reasoning that Rueda would be needed in physical challenges and didn’t pose a threat in the long run, podcaster Jon Lovett ended up being the player to be voted out at the first “tribal council” — or elimination vote — of the season.
This wasn’t a total surprise to Walker. “If you pay attention to the edit of the episode, there are a lot of hints that Andy might go far,” she said. Over the years, “Survivor” superfans have crafted a way of calculating who would likely be the “Sole Survivor” based on the show’s editing. Walker explained that because of how much screen time Rueda had on the premiere, as well as the kinds of scenes he was featured in — such as talking head interviews and the “mat chat,” in which Probst first engages with the new group of castaways — she thinks that Rueda’s future on the show could be promising.
While Ikonen was, like everyone else, shocked by Rueda’s performance, they also shared that, “It made me think about how I would respond in that context because it’s someone whose experience I can relate to.” With Rueda’s unexpected last minute save, Ikonen shared, “I don‘t really know what to expect going forward.”
As the season progresses, it will be exciting to see how Rueda pushes through the game and what strategies he will employ. Will he make his way to the final tribal council? Or will the unpredictability of the game get the best of him? Only time will tell, but as the season runs its course, Brandeis will be behind him every step of the way.
CHALLENGE: Andy Rueda MS’24 helps carry crate during a challenge in episode one.
Photo courtesy of BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY and GAIL SHULMAN/CBS
Fall activities guide: Explore local festivities this autumn equinox
This guide will direct you to the best places for seasonal activities, ensuring that everyone can embrace the spirit of autumn.
By GRACE DOH JUSTICE
For those of us in the Northern Hemisphere, the autumn equinox happens every September and marks the official start of the fall season. This year, the equinox happened on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 8:44 a.m., and as the crisp air settles in and leaves begin to turn, Waltham transforms into a picturesque backdrop for fall adventures. Here are some of the best seasonal spots and activities:
1. Pumpkin Picking and Corn Mazes
Kick off the season by visiting local pumpkin patches. The Wright-Locke Farm in Winchester, Massachusetts is a historic property and a local favorite, having been operational since 1628. It offers a family-friendly atmosphere with a variety of pumpkins, hayrides and a corn maze. Students can enjoy the outdoors while selecting the perfect pumpkin for carving, especially in preparation for when Halloween comes around.
2. Apple Picking
Just a short drive from campus, Honey Pot Hill Orchards in Stow, MA is a beautiful setting for apple picking. The orchards, founded in 1926 by Clifford Martin, have been run by the Martin family for decades now. Known for their fruit harvest, the orchards’ available apple varieties include Cortland, Empire, Ginger Gold, Cortland, Ambrosia, Spartan, Fuji, Golden Supreme, Honeycrisp, Gala, Smitten and McIntosh. This is absolutely the place to start if you’re planning to make homemade apple cider or pie.
3. Local Festivals
The fall season brings various festivals to Waltham. The Waltham Farmers’ Market runs through October, featuring locally grown produce and artisan goods from cheese, eggs, meats, baked goods, soaps, sauces, wine, mead and prepared specialty meals. The Waltham Oktoberfest is also a great opportunity for students to enjoy food, drinks and live entertainment, making it a perfect spot for a weekend outing.
4. Hiking and Nature Walks
The fall foliage provides stunning views perfect for hiking. Nearby trails in Prospect Hill Park and Charles River Reservation offer natural scenery for outdoor enthusiasts.
5. Halloween Events
As Halloween approaches, students can immerse themselves in local spooky attractions like haunted houses, ghost tours and pumpkin carving contests. Barrett’s Haunted Mansion in Abington, MA offers a range of haunted house events as well as lunch at the Abington Ale House. The famous Boston trolley tours offer “Ghosts & Gravestones” tours and nightwalks which explore Boston’s oldest burying grounds, a haunted hotel and other frightful sites.
6. Seasonal Crafting
The Waltham Public Library frequently holds crafting events and workshops. This month, one of their crafting events is a four-session series, “Knitting 101: Knitting a Cowl
EDITOR
Neck Scarf.” The month of October holds a variety of fall-themed crafting events, including making yarn pumpkins, candles and papercraft haunted houses. All events at the library are free and provide resources for arts and crafts like three dimensional printers, a laser cutter, cricuts, a computer numerical control machine, a sewing machine, a soldering iron, a paper cutter and other crafting supplies.
7. Culinary Delights
Cooler temperatures warrant warmer coffees. Caffe Ollo on Moody Street and Cafe on the Common on Main Street provide seasonal items such as warm teas, coffees and lattes. Diner spots like Leo’s Place and Josephs Two on Main Street offer menus featuring a wide range of hearty meal options. Alternatively, grab a customized crepe at Mr. Crepe in Somerville.
8. Studying Spots
For those looking for a quieter fall experience, consider spending some time in cozy study spots like the seating outside the Rose Art Museum where you can enjoy the natural ambiance. Other options further into the city include the Boston
Kravitz: “Grab your big scarf. It’s the first day of fall.”
HISTORIC: The Philemon Wright/Asa Locke Farm was founded in 1628. Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
LIVESTOCK: Sheep graze at the Wright-Locke farm.
ORCHARD: Honey Pot Hill Orchards are known for their apples. Photo courtesy of Chris Devers/Flickr
FOLIAGE: Golden leaves fall on the ground at Honey Pot Hill Orchards. Photo courtesy of Chris Devers/Flickr
Photo courtesy of Massachusetts Office Of Travel & Tourism/Flickr
FARMS: Visitors ride through a farm on the way to apple-picking orchard. Photo courtesy of Chris Devers/Flickr
Justice
Brandeis University
Anna Martin, Editor in Chief Eliza Bier, Managing Editor
Isabel Roseth, Senior Editor
Leah Breakstone, Tibria Brown, Lauryn Williams, Deputy Editors
Owen Chan, Sophia De Lisi, Julia Hardy, Dalya Koller, Mina Rowland, Madison Sirois, Associate Editors
Lil Lin Hutchinson, Zoe Zachary, News Editors
Grace Doh, Features Editor
Nemma Kalra, Arts & Culture Editor
Jonas Kaplin, Bryan Wolfe, Photography Editors
Lily Chafe, Sara Samuel, Copy Editors
Marina Rosenthal, Layout Editor
Elizabeth Liu, Advertising Editor
Amanda Chen, Niámh Mullen, Social Media Editors
EDITORIAL
Thank you to Brandeis students
The University’s recent decision to lay off approximately 60 staff positions has left many students to unwillingly take on some of the responsibilities left behind,without compensation. This year, the Office of Sustainability and Brandeis Arts Engagement are defunct. With no staff to spearhead them, the initiatives that these programs facilitated risk fading into memory without student intervention. This board intends to recognize students’ hard work in the face of diminished support from the University.
Due to the elimination of the Brandeis Arts Engagement program — previously deemed a “central resource for the arts at Brandeis” — the responsibility to run the Create@Brandeis Craft Market has now been assumed by the student-run organization Art Club. Members of the Art Club received little to no warning that the responsibility to organize the Craft Market would fall on them. After being handed the remaining funds and old materials, they had to salvage a coveted campus event.
This new precedent has also impacted Brandeis’ sustainability efforts. After its former Director of Sustainability, Mary Fischer, vacated the role in September 2023, administration attempted to search for a replacement. After a fruitless search, Brandeis ultimately reached a hiring freeze in March, failing to hire a new director. Instead, the administration opted to leave the Student Union in complete control over Brandeis’ $55,000 Campus Sustainability Fund, giving it sole discretion over how it will be used. Previously, this fund was managed by the Brandeis Sustainability Committee, which included the director of sustainability. Without a faculty member to oversee funding for the student-led initiatives, we worry that the burden of sustainable programming at Brandeis falls solely on the students.
The responsibility to ensure that Brandeis is a sustainable campus should be a priority of our administration — one that is more valuable than only leaving it in the hands of students. While we acknowledge — and emphasize — the importance of including students’ perspectives and ideas, it is irresponsible to provide no further support. It is the nature of a University that students enroll and graduate, taking their hard work and ideas with them, and without a position to ensure that there is someone to maintain these projects, there is no way to guarantee their long-term survival.
With these instances in mind, our editorial board would like to extend our gratitude to
all students who have stepped up to ensure the continued functioning of our university amid these recent changes. Your readiness to take on essential tasks, many of which are far beyond the typical responsibilities of a student, has not gone unnoticed. The University is fortunate to have a community of students willing to put in extra labor to uphold these traditions and initiatives without recognition or compensation.
That being said, you are first and foremost students. You should not be asked to shoulder the burdens that have arisen due to administrative decisions. The responsibilities you have taken on, while vital in keeping programs running, should not detract from your primary purpose here: to learn, grow and succeed academically. It is alarming — and embarrassing — that the University’s leadership has placed students in a position where they are being asked to make up for the institution’s failings. While your contributions are invaluable, it is crucial to recognize that the roles you have assumed were designed for paid full-time staff, not for students who are already balancing the demanding workload of academic and social life. This situation is unsustainable for both you and the University’s longevity, and we must collectively call for solutions that do not place an undue burden on you.
Further, we remind you to take care of yourselves. Do not let these additional responsibilities compromise your studies or well-being. Remember that you have every right to advocate for your own needs and to push back against any expectation that takes away from your life as a student.
We would also like to remind the community that these administrative shortcomings have caused students to salvage what has been left to them, accounting for any disruptions in the way these programs operate. Brandeis students, while diligent and resourceful, are not a fair substitute for full-time staff members who were paid to dedicate their time to these efforts. In taking on these responsibilities, students are donating their efforts and talent into upholding the community.
We must continue to advocate for greater accountability from the University administration and not forget the social justice roots that drew many of us to this school. Why are current students running this school better than the administration?
We urge Brandeis to acknowledge the efforts which have been made to keep things afloat through its shortcomings.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Letter to the editor regarding the Campus Sustainability Fund
By Rani Balakrishna
In the September 17th article titled “Brandeis University quietly eliminates the Office of Sustainability,” a professor was quoted as saying “It was the student government’s decision two years ago to pull [Mary Fischer] out of [administering the Campus Sustainability Fund] … But I don’t think that fund got spent last year. And if I were a student, I’d be really pissed that I’m paying the student fee that’s supposed to go to campus sustainability, and it’s not being used in that way.” The Justice could not independently corroborate the professor’s claims at the time of publishing.
As the President of the Undergraduate Student Union, I take deep pride in the accomplishments of the student government here at Brandeis. After talking to the quoted professor, they understood that the Campus Sustainability Fund (CSF) did fund six different projects last spring (and we have the receipts for all of them!), but it points to a larger issue that I find all too often on campus. When students, faculty, and staff wonder what the Student Union does, the assumption is that we do – nothing.
In my four years at Brandeis, it frustrates me that the 75 years of hard work that the Student Union has done is rendered meaningless by these careless assumptions. Our four branches work tirelessly to meet with administrators, represent the student voice, fund clubs, help start new clubs, complete projects around campus, and so much more. I could
go on and on about our accomplishments but I will end my thoughts with some big recent ones below – and I sincerely hope that the next time someone wonders what the Student Union does that the answer is not “oh, nothing.”
We have collaborated with Athletics, done events over Family Weekend and Homecoming, met with President Liebowitz, Andrea Dine, Dean Shoulson, and other leaders in high administration, as well as offices such as the Office of DEI, the Intercultural Center, and the Center for Spiritual Life. The Community Enhancement and Engagement Fund (CEEF) has funded the Gosman general weight room renovations, signage by the Intercultural Center, the ramp by the Brandeis Counseling Center, the CSF has funded a concert, Turkey Shuttles to transport students during Thanksgiving break, and so much more. The Club Resource Room is managed by the Student Union and our Allocations Board allocates just over $2 million dollars to 200+ clubs over the course of the school year. Our Treasury helps all of those clubs then spend that money!
We provide feedback to Brandeis Hospitality on dining, do crisis management, vote on club status, and pass resolutions to amplify the student voice.
And finally, another fun fact - free laundry was a Student Union initiative on campus many years ago! Please do not discredit us and our work, and do not hesitate to reach out for clarification on anything - we are here to represent students and that does not work unless people bring things to us.
Administrative inaction impedes meaningful change for students
University administration hosted a “Free Expression Listening Session” on Thursday, Sept. 19 encouraging students to help examine “our current principles of free expression at Brandeis” and review “the protocols that the university uses to apply these principles.” Only a handful of students attended the session, which is in part symptomatic of students’ lack of trust in the University administration’s ability to make meaningful change. Many students feel as though their voices will not be heard by the University bigwigs sitting inside the now-locked Bernstein-Marcus Administration Center, so they do not even try.
It is a waste to host dozens of “listening sessions” that students ultimately will not attend. Not only is there a lack of trust, but most students do not care quite enough to go out of their way to attend meetings they think are useless. Administration picks inconvenient times for inconvenient events that have been proven to go nowhere. They do not think about students in their planning — only their public perception. Covering their bases is a band-aid over a bullet wound; it is purely performative.
Progress at the University is, unfortunately, a two-way street. It is nearly impossible to enact meaningful and substantive change through only student activism or administrative proactiveness. While it is the University’s responsibility to care for their students and improve upon campus life at an adequate pace, Brandeis has proven time and time again that they will resist doing so unless pressured by the student population. Students then ultimately face a choice: either they accept their fate or fight against it.
While it is not infrequent that members of
the Brandeis administration put off enacting change as long as possible, student activism has been successful in the past. In the spring of 2023, the housing selection process left many upperclassmen students without any oncampus housing — more so than in previous years. In response, students led a protest during University President Ronald Liebowitz’s presidential address. Since then, the University announced their intentions to build a new dormitory in the Theater Lot and paused their project of building a new engineering center. It is true that such instances are few and far between. That said, the University cannot know what students are unhappy with if they stay silent. The Brandeis community has a tendency to express valid complaints in a manner that will not reach administration. Protests are not the only alternative either. This board urges students to reach out to administration when they have something to say, but for that to be truly useful, administration also needs to be willing to listen.
Admin office hours are largely ineffective and hardly anything results from such meetings. This could be seen during Executive Vice President of Finance & Administration, Stewart Uresky’s, office hours on Sept. 19. Members of the Brandeis Graduate Student Union attended these hours hoping for meaningful conversations regarding their upcoming contract negotiations and were met with apathy and non-responsive admin. If the University desires a better reputation, they must be willing to meet their student body at least halfway. Such a request is embarrassing to have to ask for, but it is the bare minimum for anything else to change.
The framing of the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement by legacy and Black-owned newspapers
By LAURYN WILLIAMS JUSTICE DEPUTY EDITOR
Researchers have explored the impact of news coverage of the civil rights movement and its influence on public and social opinion. A researcher from Princeton University’s political science department, Omar Wasow, suggested that the media covered civil rights protests in the 1960s in different ways depending on whether protests were peaceful or violent. He argued that when protestors remained peaceful, particularly in the face of aggression and violence, the resulting images shocked a complacent nation into action. But when the protestors themselves turned violent, even in self-defense, the media message shifted from a framing around civil rights to one around the need for control.
One glaring example of this coverage was the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, which triggered weeklong violent protests around the country. Legacy newspapers across the country viewed the violent protests as civil disorder, focusing on the mayhem and destruction of the inner cities such as Detroit, Chicago and Los Angeles by out-of-control Black citizens. Moreover, they dictated how anti-Black actions were viewed all over the country by portraying or fabricating the most offensive side of violence as necessary to protect a distressed and victimized white community.
Other news organizations elsewhere either validated the false narrative or remained silent. The stories, photographs and cartoons depicted Black youths looting stores, burning police cars and destroying buildings in their own communities. In contrast, editors of small Black newspapers like the Chicago Defender, the Baltimore Afro-American and the New Courier, and two magazines, Jet and Ebony, focused on the injustices and the inequality between Black and White America. Although these papers had small budgets and limited staff, they attempted to direct America’s focus on the need for improved housing, education and employment. They also depicted civil unrest as a natural response for help from its most vulnerable citizens experiencing racism.
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by four police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In particular, Officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for nine minutes and thirty seconds as Floyd yelled that he could not breathe and, with his final breath, begged for his mother before he died. Bystanders surrounded the scene taking videos and pictures, yelling at the officers to stop. The videos of his murder quickly went viral across social media platforms, which sparked massive, widespread protests against police brutality and racism. Over 15 million people marched in cities across the country chanting “Black Lives Matter” and “No justice, no peace” while holding signs of Floyd’s face and the countless other Black people murdered by police, marking it the largest protest in United States history. The coverage of Floyd’s murder and the ensuing marches
differed between legacy and Blackowned news outlets.
Initially, legacy papers like Fox News attempted to frame the issue around George Floyd’s carceral background and the alleged crime of buying cigarettes with a counterfeit $20 bill to justify law enforcement conduct. When the Black Lives Matter protests erupted across the nation, Fox News, along with similar legacy papers, painted it as a riot. The narrative was that these majority Black protestors were dangerous and posed a legitimate threat to American values. They consistently showcased looting and emphasized that the protestors were causing destruction. Across their platforms, they posted videos of burnt police cars, broken glass, people tear gassed and law enforcement seeminglyvaliantly standing their ground.
In contrast, the National Newspaper Publisher Association, consisting of over 205 community African American owned newspapers from the Birmingham Times to the Dallas Examiner, assembled columnists, photographers and videographers to cover the protests in a more thorough manner. These media professionals framed Floyd as a family man by highlighting pictures of his five children. Additionally, they acknowledged his struggle within the justice system but maintained the narrative that his past did not define him nor justify his murder. Photos during protests focused less on the incidents of looting but instead highlighted the purpose of the protests: to defend human rights. Pictures featured on their social platforms were of people across all different backgrounds holding hands, marching in unison. They drew comparison to the civil rights marches of the 1960’s. Throughout that summer, Black-owned news organizations worked diligently, posting pictures of a mural of Floyd in Pakistan and protests in London, Australia and Madrid.
When it comes to the news coverage of the Black Lives Matter initiated protests, the Pew Research Center found that over seven in 10 black adults (72%) believed the media did a good or excellent job covering the demonstrations. The influence of social media and the immediate response to events has shifted the power of media to hold them more accountable. For example, as mentioned earlier, legacy media during the Martin Luther King Jr. protest were able to control the messaging and focus on the violent aspect. However, with the Black Lives Matter movement, and with social media and global participation, the public’s lens has changed. Even with the violent aspect of the protest, public opinion has shifted in that 44% of Americans thought the acts of violence and destruction received too much attention. Conversely, 51% said nonviolent protests were getting too little coverage. This social shift has forced legacy media to rethink their narrative and explore the context in which the protests are started.
LETTER
TO THE EDITOR
NOW IS THE TIME TO BUILD A BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY HILLEL HOUSE ON CAMPUS: “IF NOT NOW, WHEN?”
On 14 May 1948, the United Nations voted to support the establishment of the independent State of Israel. On 11 October1948, I was one of 107 teen-aged boys and girls who experienced another foundational event: the opening of the first Jewish sponsored, non-sectarian university. Wepioneer students found a haven and extraordinary opportunities on this vacant, 100-acre campus of the failed Middlesex University Medical School and School of Veterinary Medicine. Both schools had been forced to close because Harvard, BU and Tufts Schools of Medicine had closed doors to the primarily Jewish and Black graduates of Middlesexwho sought residency training in local hospitals. Historic quota systems and profound antisemitism prevailed. During this post WWII period the unprecedented horrors of the Holocaust were just gradually being disclosed.
Fast forward to 7 October 2023, Iransupported and trained Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, brutally, horrifically, murdering more than 1250 civilians and taking 200 hostages. The Hamas attack is recognized as the worst single loss of Jewish lives since the Holocaust. Over the past year, as the Hamas-Israeli War has raged, American colleges and universities and other international locations have witnessed the widespread outbreak of Anti-Israel protests and hateful antisemitic violence and harassment and violent threats to Jewish students. Hillel Houses throughout the world have rallied to provide safe havens and strategies for coping with the physical threats and harassment and the social, emotional, educational and intellectual effects.
This recounting of recent historical facts is to put in context the purpose of this Letter to the Editor. It is a plea to thousands of students on the Brandeis Campus, thousands of Brandeis Alumnae/Alumni worldwide, President Ron Liebowitz and to his First Lady Dr. Jessica and the members of the Board of Trustees. NOW is the time to build a
physical Brandeis University Hillel House on campus . Generous funding by Alumni/ae and other donors of all religious and ethnic backgrounds will be necessary. Brandeis Hillel House will continue to work towards its goals of strengthening the community, providing diverse religious and secular activities, educational programming, and sustenance of identity and wellbeing. In addition, Hillel programming teaches enlightened, respectful, communal cooperation and tolerance. For Jewish people well understand the experience of being “the other”. Hosting Holocaust education programs for the campus and the local commnities will also be better available. Rabbi Hillel is especially remembered for his edicts:” If I am not for me, who will be for me? And when I am for myself alone, what am I? And if not now, when?” and “What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbor. The rest is commentary. Go and study.” The International Hillel organization is appropriately named! Elie Wiesel said, “In the place that I come from (Auschwitz), society was composed of three simple categories: the killers, the victims and the bystanders. During the darkest of times, inside the ghettoes and death camps, we felt abandoned, forgotten. All of us did.” Our sages teach us that Judaism expects that we are not to be bystanders but must take appropriate action and participate in Tikkun Olam. Brandeis’s first President, Abram Sachar, came to Brandeis from his years as Chairman of the National Hillel Commission. The very first organization he urged our nascent Student Union to establish was the Hillel Chapter. We did. Since then, a magnificent campus was created to support education and knowledge building as a renowned university. Brandeis Hillel, however, has not had a significant physical home on campus for over 75 years. What could be more fitting in 2024 than to finally fully support the building of a Brandeis Hillel House on campus?
Max J. Perlitsh Brandeis ‘52
Brandeis Soccer Weekend Recap
■ The Brandeis women's soccer team pulls off a pair of wins and the men secure a draw to save their winning record.
By DIANE MEYER JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
After a tough loss to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Engineers last week, the Brandeis women’s soccer team was looking for redemption and a restoration of their win streak. The Judges got to work quickly during their game at Bridgewater State University on Wednesday Sept. 18, the first shot of the game reaching the back of the net only 81 seconds in. Ali Panella ’27 started off this early scoring streak for the Judges, nailing her first of the season of assists from Tanvi Raju ’27 and Rachel Walter ’25. The Judges didn’t waste time, decisively setting the tone for the game with first-year Laurene Creteau '28’s goal from just inside the 18 at 6:50. The Judges allowed a single goal before the half at 32:36 from Bridgewater’s Olivia Robarge ’26.
Starting the second half the same way as the first started, the Judges held steady and extended their lead: at 47:35 Watler’s goal ended up defining the game. Finishing the game with a firm 3-1 victory, the Judges enjoyed a win on the road before coming home.
On Sunday Sept. 22, the Brandeis women’s team solidified their win streak again with an impressive defeat of Johnson and Wales University, with a final score of 2-1. The Wildcats have the fifth ranked offense in Division III women’s soccer in terms of average goals scored, with 4.5 and the Judges came into the game ranked ninth, with 3.83.
Brandeis was quick to dominate in this game as well when in the 18th minute Creteau scored in a skilful play thanks to an perfectly timed assist by Peterly Leroy ’28. In a memorable moment for Madison Sanson ’26, the junior came off the bench as a reserve to score the second goal of her career at 27:23, benefited by another assist from Leroy.
The Judges were almost able to pull off a
JUDGES ON THE RISE
Slater Loffredo '26
■ In a column featuring Brandeis Athletics standout athletes, Midfield No. 13 Slater Loffedo '26 of the Judges men's soccer team reflects on his career midway through the 2024 season.
By DIANE MEYER JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Having a determined “stay in the moment” mentality keeps Slater Loffredo ’26 of the Brandeis men’s soccer team motivated. “I try to push myself to get the most out of each moment I'm in,” he told The Justice. Whether applying that to soccer or life in general, this advice speaks to his goal to stay focused. _
The midfielder scored the first goal of his Brandeis career during the Judges’ victory over Bridgewater State University on Sept. 10. However, more than any individual accomplishment, Loffredo is resolved to contribute to his team as he says, “soccer is the true team sport.” He explains that his favorite thing about soccer is “the camaraderie … due to its low scoring nature, it really is anyone's game on any given day.” Coming together as a team necessitates trusting that “everything happens for a reason,” which is a fitting personal mantra of Loffredo’s.
Loffredo says that “oftentimes the team that wins is not the more talented one, but instead the one that is more of a unit. When a team truly comes together it is a great thing to see and something that is not always easy, but happens with time.”
The Brandeis men’s soccer team is “family” to Loffredo. He believes that throughout the
complete denial of the stunned Johnson and Wales offense, but the Wildcats’ Jessica Lee ’27 pulled off a header in the 87th minute to make the final score, 2-1. Thankfully, graduate student andBrandeis goalie, Rachel Lee, was able to deflect another shot on goal from Lee in the 89th minute to save the win for the Judges.
Still ranked 23rd in the nation for Division III, the Brandeis women’s soccer team will host unranked Lesley University on Wednesday September 25. Aiming to climb the University Athletics Association standings, the Judges are currently tied for second with Emory University as their record is also 6-1. The Brandeis men’s soccer team struggled to get on the right track early in the season, but after a 3-1 win over Eastern Connecticut State last weekend on Sept. 15, they have finally worked their way to a winning record, sitting at 3-1-2.
Against Eastern Connecticut State University, the Judges rallied to score three times in the second half, thanks to goals from Aidan Chuang ’27, Rainer Osselmann Chai ’26 and Yoav Feingold ’28. The Judges out-shot the Warriors 18-7 throughout the game and also dominated shots on goal 8-2.
Facing Union College on Saturday Sept. 21, the Judges fought back after the Garnet Chargers established an early lead in the 28th minute. Despite this early crack in their defense, the Brandeis offense out-shot Union 15-7 and held them to only 6 shots on goal. Throughout the rest of the first half and into the second, both teams were unable to convert. However, with only 2:09 left in regulation time, Christian Godhino ’25 found the net for the first time in his soccer career at Brandeis thanks to a freekick placed neatly into the box from Osselmann-Chai. Godhino headed the ball into the left side of the net to save the Judges from defeat.
Looking to capitalize on the offensive momentum they have found recently with their impressive shooting advantages in both of their last games, the Brandeis men’s soccer team will play Wheaton College on Sept 25. They are currently tied for fourth with New York University in the University Athletics Association standings.
last few years of his collegiate career, his team has truly committed to each other, creating “a really strong group of guys.” Thinking about what “team” means to him, Loffredo says that it is “a group of people that have been put together due to their shared interests,” but “from there it is up to that ‘team’ to become a family.” Loffredo highlights a win last year against Washington University as a personal highlight for him during his time at Brandeis. He remembers the “awesome moment” of trusting the process and coming out on top of a game. Winning this game was an unexpected finish, as the Judges scored the winning goal in the last minute of the game.
Besides his family on the field, Loffredo also thanks his parents for supporting his soccer career. “Without a doubt, they are my biggest motivation,” Loffredo says.
As for pre-game rituals, Loffredo says he does not really have any “unless splashing water on [his] face counts.” What really counts to Loffredo it seems is the drive to contribute to his team and stay focused on the present moment, creating “a good vibe when the whole group is together,” as that’s what matters most to their collective success.
as a whole and making sure athletics at Brandeis remain competitive.
Chapin explained that “a big part of her approach involves taking the time to listen and learn from studentathletes, coaches and staff to understand what’s working well and where there are opportunities for growth.”
Early on in Chapin’s new job, budget cuts at Brandeis have affected the athletics department. She said that the budget cuts have required Brandeis to become more efficient and focus on resource optimization, increasing external fundraising efforts and solidifying
Brandeis Volleyball faces success and challenges at Babson Tournament
Athletics website, “Brandeis never trailed by more than one point in the entire match, a couple of times late in the second set and again early in the third set.” The Judges were able to force Endicott into a negative hitting percentage with their strong defensive skills, while securing “45 digs to just 29 for Endicott.”
By ANNA MARTIN
CHIEF
On Saturday, Sept. 21, at Steake Arena, the Brandeis women’s volleyball team played two opponents, winning one game and losing the other. These games took place away, with the Judges traveling to meet their opponents at host Babson College's home court. The Judges played their first match against Endicott College, taking home an impressive victory. According to the Brandeis
The two star players of this game were Lara Verstovsek ’25 and Anna Ertischek ’26, each obtaining 14 kills. Tatiana Wainer ’25 led net defense with three blocks. In addition to her kills, Verstovsek was recognized on the Brandeis Athletics website for “[leading] the team with 12 digs for her third double-double in a row, seventh of the season and 25th of her career.” The Judges ended up winning this match with a final score of 3-0.
The second match of the day commenced with Brandeis play-
ing the Babson Beavers. Unfortunately for the Judges, this match was less successful than the prior. The final score ended up being 3-0 for the Beavers, though Brandeis put up a solid fight. Verstovsek was once again a dominating force on the court, securing another 13 kills. Ertischek also continued to shine as the second highest in this category with a count of eight more kills. Though the game against Babson was a tough one, the day was not all bad, as the 3-0 victory against Endicott was great for the Judges. The team has a break before their next game at home on Wednesday night as they get ready to travel to New York, New York to face New York University, the University of Chicago,and Carnegie Mellon University. They are hopeful for more 3-0 wins in the future.
the alumni network to ensure necessary financial support for all athletic programs.
“[The budget cuts] have not diminished our commitment to providing a highquality experience for our student-athletes,” assured Chapin.
Overall, Chapin hopes to help create a positive experience for student athletes by emphasizing improved communication between administration and students: “I want to make sure that students feel heard and that their input influences the decisions we make,” Chapin said. Communication is central to Chapin’s
philosophy in serving as the Director of Athletics. So far, her favorite aspect of the job is interacting with student-athletes, coaches, staff and the general Brandeis community. Her goals are centered around the importance of communication in navigating challenges so that everyone can meet their academic, personal, and athletic goals.
Optimistic about the upcoming year, Chapin believes that “while there are certainly challenges…, each one [is] an opportunity to innovate and strengthen our programs, which makes every aspect of the job fulfilling in its own way.”
Sports just BRANDEIS VOLLEYBALL
The Justice Editor in Chief Anna Martin '26 recaps another busy weekend of volleyball action for the 8-4 Judges, p. 10.
Jessica Chapin reunites with the Brandeis community
■ Jessica Chapin '10 reconnects with Brandeis Athletics as the new Director of Athletics, bringing her leadership skills and experience as a former Brandeis athlete.
By SOPHIA STEWART JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
On June 3, Jessica Chapin '10 succeeded Lauren Haynie to become Brandeis University’s 13th Director of Athletics. Chapin received her master’s degree in sports administration from Springfield College in 2013 and her professional career began in 2010 at Western New England University, where she served as the Assistant Women’s Basketball Coach until 2014. Prior to her time at Brandeis, Chapin served as the Director of Athletics for the American International College beginning in 2020.
Brandeis is not a new place for Chapin as she graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Health: Science, Society, and Policy. Additionally, she played on the women’s basketball team during her time as an undergraduate student.
In a statement to The Justice made on Sept. 21, Chapin expressed her gratitude for her time representing the Judges as an athlete. “My time on the Brandeis women's basketball team taught me invaluable lessons in teamwork, discipline, resilience, and leadership. Those experiences have been fundamental in shaping my leadership philosophy as an athletic director. I’ve learned the importance of fostering a supportive, inclusive culture,
and that success comes from a combination of hard work, trust, and effective communication,” Chapin expressed.
As the previous Director of Athletics at AIC, the job is not entirely new to Chapin Her job was operationally intensive, which she said gave her a well grounded logistical foundation to become the Brandeis Director of Athletics.
“At Brandeis, the scope of my role has broadened. My experience at AIC helped me develop the organizational and leadership skills needed to navigate complex challenges, but at Brandeis, I am more focused on long-term vision, collaboration,and elevating the overall student-athlete experience,” Chapin explained.
As Director of Athletics at Brandeis, Chapin also draws on the powerful impact that Brandeis athletics had on her as inspiration for her new job. As her alma mater, Chapin said that Brandeis shaped her identity both personally and professionally.
“My time as a student-athlete at Brandeis left an indelible mark, and the opportunity to return and give back to the university in such a meaningful way was deeply exciting. The chance to lead and enhance the athletic programs that helped me grow, combined with the values Brandeis represents, made it an ideal place to take on this leadership role,” Chapin reflected. Her experience as an athlete at Brandeis motivates Chapin as she is committed to the full circle opportunity she has now as a leader of the athletics department.
As the Brandeis director of athletics Chapin seeks to improve the studentathlete experience, continuing to build community between athletics and
RECORD BREAKING WNBA SEASON
Women’s National Basketball Association stars shine in record breaking season
■ Veterans and rookies alike look to the offseason after an exciting 2024 regular season.
By MILES GOLDSTEIN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
During the 2024 Women's National Basketball Association season, Las Vegas Aces center A’ja Wilson has put the finishing touches on what is likely her third career Most Valuable Player award with some eye-popping records: most points in a season, most points per game in a season and most rebounds in a season. She also leads the league in blocks. It’s a single-season performance unprecedented in WNBA history, but it is the crown jewel in what has been a long line of shattered records in a season highlighted by the leagues’ top-performing stars, new and old.
Rookie sensations Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese have brought an immense amount of attention to the WNBA this season. Reese is a forward for the Chicago Sky and Clark is a point guard for the Indiana Fever. They teamed up in the WNBA All-Star game, which was the most watched event of the season, drawing more viewers than any other WNBA broadcast since 1997, per Entertainment and Sports Programming Network. The two had notable battles in college, with
Reese playing for Louisiana State University and Clark for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. Their first meeting during the 2023 National Championship game saw LSU come out on top, although Iowa won the rematch a year later in the Elite Eight round of March Madness. The history between the two had many anticipating their first professional matchup earlier this year on June 1, which the Fever won 71-70. For their part, the two rookies have been complimentary to each other, asserting that any perceived rivalry exists purely on the court, not off of it. “I love that we’re able to compete and still be cool after, regardless of the outside noise,” Reese told Women’s Health Magazine. The two were locked in a fierce rookie of the year battle, each setting statistical records. Clark set the single season mark for assists, with 337; became the first rookie to record a triple-double; and led the league in three-point field goals made. Reese set a single season record for rebounds per game and recorded 15 straight double-doubles, the longest streak of that kind in League History. The race ended early, however, with Reese missing the final six games of the season due to a wrist injury. Other rookie standouts include the Los Angeles Sparks duo including forward Cameron Brink, who finished second in blocks per game in an injury-shortened season, and forward Rickea Jackson, who became the third rookie in team
history to score over 400 points in a season.
It’s not just new talent that is driving increased attention to the WNBA. Although the most-viewed regular season broadcasts this season featured Clark, average viewership of all broadcasts increased 170% compared to 2023, according to ESPN. This trend held up even into the second half of the season when the league was competing with the National Football League for viewers. It’s the most successful season, ratings wise, for the league since its early days in the 90s. The WNBA playoffs began on Sept. 22. The New York Liberty, led by forward Breanna Stewart and guard Sabrina Ionescu, have the best record in the league and are favorites to win the finals. Their first matchup is against the Atlanta Dream, who upset the Liberty in the final game of the 2024 season to clinch the final playoff spot. During that game, Dream veteran Tina Charles broke the WNBA all-time record for rebounds and doubledoubles. Clark helped propel the Fever to the playoffs after a 1-8 start, breaking the team’s 7-year playoff drought. Wilson and the defending champion Aces will begin their title defense against the Seattle Storm. The playoffs will be headlined by stars, new and old alike. For basketball fans looking to get into the WNBA, there’s never been a better time to start watching.
MILESTONES: A'ja Wilson's stellar personal performance during the 2024 regular season is indicative of an exciting post-season ahead.
Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
GIVING BACK: Jessica Chapin seeks to make a meaningful return to Brandeis Athletics as the Director of Athletics.
Photo courtesy of BRANDEIS ATHLETICS
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justArts & Culture
Photos: Courtesy of Creative Commons and Gianna Morales/The Justice. Design: Jonas Kaplin/The Justice. Waltham, Mass.
J ournalism on screen : J essica P ressler
While doctors and lawyers are often seen on screen as heroes and main characters, journalists remain a narrative device. Is this harmful or helpful?
While the job of a journalist is not glamorous, the profession is frequently represented as a mere narrative tool in popular media. Journalists are often portrayed as plot devices, reducing them to conveyors of information that advance a larger story. This portrayal can be problematic both in the rhetoric it creates surrounding the profession and the way it invalidates some of the world’s most influential storytellers. However, when the journalist is placed in the coveted leading role, the entire nature of the story can shift.
Jessica Pressler, a New York journalist, has been depicted in both of these lights as the side character of Elizabeth in the film “Hustlers,” and the main character of Vivian Kent in the Netflix series “Inventing Anna.” The story of “Hustlers” is based on an article written by Pressler for New York Magazine titled “The Hustlers at Scores.” This film focuses on the subjects of the article: a group of female exotic dancers — using the character of Elizabeth as a glorified time keeper, rather than a character worth noting in the movie. Vivian Kent is based on Pressler’s coverage of socialite Anna Sorokin in New York Magazine. In the series, Kent is both one of the main characters and the driving force behind a much larger and more complex plot investigating Sorokin’s con. Prior to the on-screen adaption of Pressler in “Inventing Anna,” she was represented by the character Elizabeth in “Hustlers.” In such a fast-paced, enthralling film, Pressler had little hope for the on-screen version of her. In an interview with Los Angeles Times she noted how, “Early on, I kept thinking the character [in “Hustlers”] would get cut, because my impression was that journalist characters are not sexy.” The journalist in this on-screen adaptation got significantly reduced during the filming and editing process, ending up only being featured in transitional scenes to aid in demonstrating cuts in time. The character of Elizabeth does not have a last name, and is never seen standing, only sitting, and interviewing the subjects as she crafted the article following the main plot of the story.
To Pressler’s point about journalists not portrayed as sexy, only two details were revealed about Elizabeth during the hour and 50 minute film: she grew up middle class and attended Brown University for her undergraduate degree. This idea is further supported by the wardrobe choices as she is never seen wearing a nonneutral color, with any hairstyle other than straight or with any makeup.
This lack of excitement was directly contrasted by the main characters seen in the show, as they wore very colorful costumes, unique and ever changing hairstyles and bold makeup looks. They held much more complex backstories and were generally far more developed characters than Elizabeth. Just as with “Hustlers,” about a month after publishing the article about Sorokin, Pressler was contacted by Netflix regarding the possibility of a drama series. The original pitch did not feature the journalist as the central character, which was no
By ANNA MARTIN JUSTICE EDITOR IN CHIEF
surprise to Pressler. The character of Sorokin is unlike any other, and navigating the web of lies entangled in her story was a challenging task in itself. As such, Pressler did not expect there to be room for her own experiences alongside Sorokin’s on screen. However, as production of the show began, Vivian Kent as a main character and loose representation of Pressler was introduced. In an interview with “Vulture,” Pressler responded to the inclusion of Kent, saying “It was not a thing I wanted, but I understand the impulse of why they wanted to do it … you wanted a tour guide into this world. It’s useful to have somebody there to take you through it and experience what I experienced.”
Following the experience with “Hustlers,” Pressler was surprised by how central Kent was featured in “Inventing Anna.” It was also made clear to her that while she was the ultimate inspiration for the inclusion of a journalist, the character of Kent was not directly inspired by the person that Pressler is. When comparing herself to the character shown on screen, Pressler explained, “Vivian is like an all-caps angry email of me, but there are things that are very real mixed into it.” In crafting Kent as this animated character, the journalist is elevated to a topic of interest, rather than a vessel designed to convey someone else’s story. The issue then becomes: does placing a caricature of a journalist in the spotlight humanize the profession or further alienate people from it?
The answer varies. One of the genuine, relevant real experiences depicted on screen in “Inventing Anna” was Vivian Kent’s pregnancy. Journalists on screen often contrast the subjects they are covering, as their lives are a lot more relatable to an average person. The choice regarding the inclusion of the pregnancy allowed for the demonstration of a relatable woman in this life stage, humanizing a character on screen and allowing audience members to feel seen. In “Inventing Anna,” while entering a chaotic venture to understand the core of Sorokin’s psyche and story, Kent also navigated very raw and authentic conflicts regarding her pregnancy. She’s seen grappling with the fear of losing her career with a child, as well as facing criticisms of her appearance and abilities. This is all in contrast to the eccentric Sorokin, an already difficult to handle character, who consistently made inappropriate comments regarding pregnancy to a struggling Kent. Representation is important and can be seen in many different forms. Showing a pregnant woman working such an intense and demanding job works to dismantle stereotypes regarding women’s competence, especially when pregnant. Seeing as journalism is a demanding profession, it requires time management and boundaries. Often journalists on screen are seen as stressed and overworked, struggling to find and maintain a healthy worklife balance. The same can be said of Vivian Kent, who was much more focused on her Murder Wall style investigation — an elaborate attempt to string together the players in the story —in her baby’s nursery than
the nursery itself. Vivian ate, slept and breathed this story, answering calls in bed and putting it above quality time with her partner. This narrative can be extremely harmful to aspiring journalists, as it demonstrates an unhealthy path to success that is not necessarily accurate. Pressler expressed that the murder wall was an exaggeration, stating, “To be clear, there wasn’t a murder wall. I had a spreadsheet. But that’s not very visual. That would have been Google Docs: The Show.”
While the inclusion of this all work no play rhetoric displayed by Kent is harmful, so is the idea that journalists do nothing. As seen in “Hustlers,” Elizabeth’s job is reduced to having a conversation and recording it, leaving out all of the hard work done behind the scenes as she is merely a transitional device used to display the passage of time. Both of these scenarios can be detrimental to the industry, as neither paints an accurate picture of journalism, and what it can entail.
While the need for entertaining visual elements and plot points is necessary when trying to advertise media such as a movie or docuseries, it is important to consider the repercussions of potentially harmful rhetoric such as this. Exaggerating the profession in this way both normalizes unhealthy standards for journalists and, as a result, celebrates the results of this unrealistic standard.
Just as she lacks personal boundaries, Kent pushes ethical and professional boundaries, painting journalism in a potentially negative light. Seeing as reporters rely on those related to the story for answers and quotes, the profession relies heavily on the trust of the public. However, in “Inventing Anna,” Vivian Kent is seen crossing some lines that were not crossed in real life. While both Kent and Pressler went to Germany to work on the Sorokin story, Pressler stated “I definitely did not try to break into anyone’s home” in response to the show. She expressed that her visit was much more pleasant for all involved than the one shown on screen.
Depicting journalists as pushy individuals who lack boundaries, while occasionally true, enforces a harmful pattern of dis-
trust. In order to produce the most accurate and thorough reporting possible, members of the public will often need to be contacted. The media portraying characters like Kent as individuals with the inability to respect privacy increases general wariness of journalists, which can be harmful in a multitude of ways.
While barely on screen, the character of Elizabeth also enforced this harmful rhetoric. She is shown as unempathetic to the character of Destiny as she cries in front of Elizabeth due to the questions being asked, with the camera zooming in on the audio recorder on the table in front of them. She appears to be cold and unwelcoming, offering minimal comfort or personal context to the person she is in the room with. It is also revealed that Elizabeth is not fully honest with Destiny, concealing that she has met with other subjects —namely Destiny’s found family — until part of the way through the interview. Once she comes clean, Elizabeth admits to using these sources in order to learn about Destiny’s childhood and life struggles without her knowledge or consent, further enforcing the idea regarding lack of boundaries and morals held by journalists.
While there were many aspects of Kent and Elizabeth’s characterization that could have been improved upon, “Inventing Anna” and “Hustlers” directed a lot of people to their true stories. As print journalism is decreasing in popularity, the recent adaptations of articles in media remains a powerful way to preserve the popularity of the journalism industry
Opportunities such as these to portray journalism in a relatable light could not only encourage current journalists to continue on their journeys, but increase awareness and interest in the profession, working to build the journalism community. While the portrayal of Vivian Kent and Elizabeth have their downsides, Kent is ultimately a much more positive representation of the trade than Elizabeth. Although Kent has her misgivings, the release of the Netflix series brought an unprecedented amount of media coverage to the journalist behind the original work, and by extension, the broader profession.
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RECONCILING BEAUTY WITH THE UGLINESS
Artist Claudia Bernardi returns to Brandeis University to share her work and experiences.
By NEMMA KALRA JUSTICE EDITOR
In the face of violence and conflict in our world, we must ask: How can we repair the fractures within our communities? How do we heal, rebuild and grow in the aftermath of strife?
There is rarely a single “correct” answer to these questions of reparation. However, Argentinian artist and human rights activist Claudia Bernardi has been exploring these challenges for years through her community-based artworks. Bernardi, born in Buenos Aires, was part of a generation that entered young adulthood under a military dictatorship. In 1976, when Bernardi was around the age of many of us, the “Dirty War” began in Argentina, plunging the country into seven-years of brutal conflict. Although Bernardi was able to leave in 1979, 4 years before the war ultimately ended, much of her life was already shaped by political unrest. Her lived experience ultimately blended with her art, leading Bernardi down a path of arts activism.
In November of 2023, Bernardi brought her work to Brandeis, painting a collaborative mural with the students of Prof. Toni Shapiro-Phim’s (CAST) “Introduction to Creativity, the Arts, and Social Transformation” class. This mural, entitled “Waters Breathe, Too:
An Anthology,” was an iteration of Bernardi’s “Walls of Hope” series, which engages individuals in a mural painting process that serves as a profound form of community building. At Brandeis, students from all different cultural and life backgrounds worked together to depict their relationship with water as a global resource. Beyond our university, “Walls of Hope” has built bonds among survivors of torture, children from war-torn areas, children in prisons and so many other communities. Her work is expansive, transformative and will be revisiting Brandeis on Oct. 1.
On April 25, the Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation and the Samuel Center for Community Partnerships and Civic Transformation at Brandeis announced the inaugural Justice Brandeis Practitioner-in-Residence Series, with Claudia Bernardi as the first resident. According to ENACT, the limited series is designed to “expose the Brandeis campus community to spheres of activity that have only become more critical to our interconnected world over recent years.” As such, Bernardi and her mural-making initiative perfectly encapsulate the need for spaces and conversation in a modern world filled with conflict.
There will be two components to Bernardi’s residency at Brandeis. On Oct. 1, she will be giving a lecture on “Striving to Strengthen Safe Spaces/Brave Spaces Through Collaborative Mural-Making” from 2:30 to 3:40 p.m. in the Zinner Forum of The Heller School for Social Policy and Management. The lecture will give an opportunity for the broader Brandeis community to reflect on what it means to honor the truths and trauma of vari-
STUDENT SUPPORT
Brandeis artists call for change
By NEMMA KALRA JUSTICE EDITOR
In the first days of the fall semester, a new Instagram account cropped up with the name “Brandeis Protects Artists.” In their “Who are we?” statement on Instagram, BPA explained, “Our mission is to foster a united front for artists from diverse backgrounds through unions, support groups, and initiatives that protect and promote creativity in every field. We are committed to expanding resources and opportunities for artists, ensuring they have the support needed to thrive.”
This statement seemingly came in response to the diminishing value Brandeis has for arts programming. In the past year, the University has cut the doctorate programs in musicology and music composition, in addition to Brandeis Arts Engagement, a vital resource for students across disciplines interested in the arts. With staff layoffs and budget cuts, many feel the University is failing to prioritize and honor the “arts” segment of a liberal arts institution. In creating BPA, students are pushing back.
On Sept. 20, the Justice had the opportunity to sit down with Brandeis Protects Artists to further understand their formation, goals and stance. To BPA, the high-stress academic nature of the University can often stifle creativity. Art is a form of self-expression that inherently represents our authentic selves, and BPA seeks to protect that experience for students at the University. That being said, what does it mean to protect and foster individuals’ creativity in such a fast-paced collegiate environment?
For BPA, the answer lies in creating a sort of collaborative makerspace. Their current hope is to host art nights every Sunday for a couple of hours, where students will come without their backpacks, free of academic stress, and dedicate time to artistic endeavors. Students will share ideas, feedback, art supplies and stories as they engage in a community that maximizes creativity. BPA also hopes to host workshops with arts professors at the
ous communities through art. The second, more intimate event will be another mural-making project in which 15 students will have the opportunity to work in collaboration with each other and Bernardi over the course of four days. The initiative will begin on Thursday, Nov. 7, with the final product produced on Nov. 10. Students interested are encouraged to apply online by Oct. 7.
Bernardi’s return to Brandeis ultimately creates more space for our community to reflect on unification and communication efforts here and throughout the world.
—Editor’s note: The Justice Editor Nemma Kalra ’26 is employed by ENACT and contributed to the reporting of this story.
— Editor’s Note: Justice Managing Editor Eliza Bier’ 26 was involved in the creation of the original mural and did not contribute to or edit this story.
— Editor’s Note: Justice Editor in Chief Anna Martin ’26 was involved in creation of the original mural and did not contribute to this story.
ART ANNOUNCEMENT
| ARTS | TUESDAY, JANUARY
University to dismantle the stereotype that the arts do not translate into practical careers.
By fostering creative spaces for students, BPA seeks to advocate for the artists on our campus. A founder of BPA noted how they hope to support art initiatives all over Brandeis — from those that are preexisting to those that have yet to be expressed. In addition, many of the artists who support the University’s campus — from decorating our spaces, creating club and program advertisements, to working on shows and arts events — do not get adequate representation and appreciation. Not to mention, many of the jobs students take on are unpaid. BPA believes there should be better wage opportunities for artists; the expectation should no longer be that everything is volunteer based. In platforming these workers, through providing recognition and calling for compensation, BPA will be urging the University to re-invest in the creativity of their student body.
While BPA has these plans to uplift the University’s artists, the club requires support from those very students first. As of right now, BPA has an executive board and plenty of events planned for the coming semester; however, in order to be chartered, they need more students to sign up for the club. The club’s ability to support and honor the work of students in the future rests on action from the student body now. Ultimately, the purpose of BPA is not to define art or create parameters for student expression. Rather, the board hopes to protect and serve students where they are at, in capacities that students themselves define. By the conclusion of our interview, a board member for BPA shared with The Justice, “we want [BPA] to be open to everyone as a space for all kinds of artists. Whether it’s nail art, braiding, poetry or henna, all kinds of creativity are art. Even if you’re planning a creative coding project, I call you an artist.”
‘Hugh Hayden: Home Work’
By ELIZA BIER JUSTICE MANAGING EDITOR
On Friday, Sept. 20, the Rose Art Museum announced via an Instagram post that on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. Hugh Hayden, the artist behind the Rose’s current exhibit “Hugh Hayden: Home Work,” will discuss his work “highlighting his visceral and multilayered sculptures that integrate the ‘American Dream.’” The conversation will be moderated by WBUR reporter Arielle Gray. Tickets are free to all who register for the event through the Rose’s Instagram link tree.
This event perfectly complements Hayden’s exhibit “Hugh Hayden: Home Work,” which arrived at the Rose on Sept. 18 and is set to stay until June 1, 2025. The exhibit features his transformative and complex sculptures, as well as a new site responsive installation. The unique nature of his work can be attributed to his background and artistic training.
Born and raised in Texas, Hugh originally studied as an architect. However, his creations started to arise from his “deep connection to nature and its organic materials.” His artistic practice “considers the anthropomorphization of the natural work as a visceral lens for exploring the human condition.” He accomplishes this by transforming familiar objects through “a process of selection, carving and juxtaposing to challenge” one’s perception of “ourselves, others and the environment.”
Hayden primarily uses wood as his artistic medium and, as stated in his Lisson Gallery biography, the wood used in his creations often has fascinating histories of its own. The wood
Hayden uses often combines “disparate species, creating new composite forms that also reflect their complex cultural backgrounds.” Hayden is known for his sculptures that are inspired by “regional craft-based furniture and objects.” His work aims to question the static nature of current social dynamics and demands the views to self-examine how they exist in that “ever-shifting ecosystem.” His work evokes everyday aspects of the African American identity and the difference was that “history and stereotypes” continue to pervade American culture today.
Through his extensive works and unique form of expressive art Hayden has distinguished himself as a “leading artist of his generation.” The arrival of Hayden’s exhibit to the Rose marks his first solo exhibition in New England. “Hugh Hayden: Home Work” is a curated exhibit of over a decade of Hayden’s work. In a statement to the Rose about the exhibit, Hayden expressed, “All of my work is about the American dream, whether it’s a table that’s hard to sit at or a thorny school desk. It’s a dream that is seductive but difficult to inhabit.” In addition, the new installation to the exhibit is split into five different sections that make up “Hugh Hayden: Home Work:” “The Uncanny Home,” “Soul Food,” “Skeletons in the Closet,” “Playing the Field” and finally “Class Distinction.” The exhibit, as stated on the Rose website, aims to expose and confront “the realization that discomfort — and even danger — often lurk within the confines of our most intimate spaces.”
COLLABORATIVE ART: The original mural Claudia Bernardi faciliated at Brandeis was a reflection on water from the perspective of various students.
Top 10 Cool Experiences
By Niámh Mullen JUSTICE EDITOR
Top 10 things that make me feel really cool, because it’s important to recognize the ordinary things that make us feel remarkable.
1. Receiving a handwritten letter
2. Ordering appetizers
3. Being the only person in the cinema
4. Waking up before my alarm
5. Asking a librarian to help me find a book
6. Shuffling cards
7. My first cup of coffee in the morning
8. Watering my plants
9. Finding money in an old coat pocket
10. Getting caught in the rain–this is last because the payoff of being soaked after kinda sucks, but it is really cool for like five minutes :(
SUDOKU
By NEMMA KALRA JUSTICE EDITOR
ELIZA BIER/The Justice
By DAHLIA RAMIREZ JUSTICE STAFF ARTIST