The Justice, January 21, 2020

the

Justice www.thejustice.org

The Independent Student Newspaper Volume LXXII, Number 14

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B r a n d e is U n i v e r sit y S i n c e 1 9 4 9

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

CAMPUS SPEAKER

his book, ‘‘Finding Chika,’’ which tells the true story of an orphan in Haiti.

By HANNAH TAYLOR JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Mitch Albom ’79, best-selling author of “Tuesdays with Morrie,” gave a talk on Thursday about his newest boom, the memoir “Finding Chika.”

Albom was introduced by Provost Lisa Lynch, who discussed his award-winning career as “an internationally renowned and best-selling author, journalist, screenwriter, playwright, radio and television broadcaster and musician.” Albom also operates the Say Detroit charity in Michigan and the Have Faith Haiti Orphanage in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Lynch said.

“Finding Chika” tells the story of a young Haitian girl named Chika Jeune who met Albom when she was admitted to the Have Faith Haiti Orphanage, and whom Albom and his wife, Janine Sabino, later

Waltham, Mass.

‘BE THE LOVE THAT H8 CAN'T STOP’

Award-winning alumnus gives talk on latest book ■ Mitch Albom '79 discussed

Waltham, Mass.

ended up taking care of when she became sick with a life-threatening disease. During his talk, Albom discussed both his role in the operation of the orphanage and his relationship with Chika. Chika passed away several years ago and Albom wrote this memoir in honor of her memory.

Albom said that Chika was “born tough.” He explained that when the earthquake hit Haiti ten years ago, it killed about 300,000 people — 3% of Haiti’s population — and left about 1 million people — 10% of Haiti’s population — homeless in less than a minute. Though the earthquake destroyed their home, three-day-old Chika and her mother survived, he said. This earthquake is how Albom first became involved with the Have Faith Haiti Orphanage.

He explained that a pastor asked if he could be a guest on Albom’s radio program because he was worried about the children living in his orphanage in Haiti after the earthquake. Albom said, “Something about the idea of children being buried in rubble and nobody know-

See BOOK TALK, 7 ☛

VERA SHANG/the Justice

'UNAPOLOGETIC LOVE & LIGHT': The Brandeis Family, Men of Color Alliance and the Dean of Students' Office sponsored an event honoring Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, Jan. 20. For the fourteenth year, this annual celebration of King's life of activism featured music, dancing, spoken word and more. Dean of Students Jamele Adams emceed the event.

POLICY CHANGE

Non-discrimination Community honors Martin Luther policy now includes caste King, Jr. through memorial event ■ Brandeis is the first

university in the country to prohibit discrimination based on caste.

By GILDA GEIST JUSTICE EDITOR

The University added caste to its list of protected criteria under its non-discrimination and harassment policy, President Ron Liebowitz announced in an email to the community on Dec. 17. “Going forward, the Office of Equal Opportunity will oversee issues and complaints of discrimination related to caste brought forward by members of the Brandeis community, just as it does for other types of discrimination,” Liebowitz explained in his email.

“To our knowledge, within the United States, we’re the first university to actually pursue this at a level where we would actually amend our non-discrimination policy,” Chief Diversity Officer Mark Brimhall-Vargas said in a Jan. 15 joint interview with Prof. Larry Simon (Heller), who is an expert on the caste system.

According to the Office of Human Resources’ website, the University defines caste in the non-

discrimination policy using the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition: “Caste is a system of rigid social stratification characterized by hereditary status, endogamy, and social barriers sanctioned by custom, law, or religion.” The website states that caste is not a protected class under U.S. federal law or Massachusetts state law.

Formal and informal caste systems exist all over the world, but the most prominent and widespread caste systems are in South Asia, especially India, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica. In South Asia, members of the lowest group in the caste system are called Dalits, while members of the highest caste are called Brahmans, who were typically priests or warriors historically.

Simon explained in the Jan. 15 interview that in rural India, Dalits often have to live in separate parts of villages called “caste ghettos.” He also said that Dalits tend to be poorer, face more housing and employment discrimination and can experience physical violence based on their caste.

Brimhall-Vargas explained that caste discrimination looks very different at Brandeis than it does in South Asia. “There are ways that … students, faculty and staff

See CASTE, 7 ☛

■ Members of the Brandeis

that the effects of racial trauma hinder the performance of students of color on college campuses by negatively affecting their memory, sense of self-worth and ability to sleep and focus.

Green also discussed the difference between diversity work and anti-racist work. Diversity work focuses on the desires of white people, Green said, whereas what is necessary for true racial justice is an anti-racist ethic that acknowledges histories of oppression and power dynamics, moving beyond simple “intergroup contact.” According to Green, this work can be facilitated when people of color step back from doing the work in conversations about race and inequality and ask white people to exercise the “muscle,” as Green put it, of engaging in conversations about race. White people, as well as any member of a dominant social group, can also work to hold members of their groups accountable and hold them to higher standards of social justice, he said.

In addition to Green’s speech, audience members enjoyed a performance from Brandeis’ Platinum Step Team, which focused on the theme of what it means to them to have unapologetic love and light.

The Toxic Majorette Dance Line also performed, as well as Kwesi

and Waltham communities gathered to remember King and his revolutionary work.

By ARI ALBERTSON JUSTICE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

In a celebration full of music and laughter as well as reflection and remembrance, members of the Brandeis community recognized the University’s 14th Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, entitled “Unapologetic Love & Light,” in the Carl J. Shapiro Campus Center Theatre Monday night.

Dean of Students Jamele Adams emceed the event and performed his own spoken word poetry.

Dr. Carlton Green, director of Diversity Training and Education at the University of Maryland, gave the keynote speech, called “Trauma and Truth Telling: The On-going Struggle for Inclusion & Equity in Progressive Institutions.” Green spoke about the physiological and mental effects of racial trauma, which he defined as “racial incidents that are unexpected, experienced as threatening and result in significant psychological distress,” including increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Green said

See MLK, 7 ☛

Meet the midyear CORE

Concert at Chum's

Univ. announces increase in campus security

 Get insight into the creation of the Midyear Orientation program.

 Sunflower Bean and Haybaby, two alternative rock bands, performed at Chum's Coffee House.

By LEEZA BARSTEIN

By ELIANA PADWA

By RACHEL STERLING

NOAH ZEITLIN/the Justice

Jones ’21, who gave a comedic reflection on the past decade. Cassipea Stithe ’22 performed a piece of spoken word poetry, and Rasheed Peters ’20 recited and reinterpreted one of King’s sermons in a musical piece.

Aja Antoine ’17 spoke about the legacy of Black mothers’ pain in racial activism through the lens of the mothers of Emmett Till and Trayvon Martin. Both women dedicated themselves to activism after the murders of their sons. Antoine noted the legacy of “collective mourning” in African American history, which she saw expressed in gospel, spiritual, blues and rap music. She also spoke of the necessity for hope in times that seem particularly dark. “We must hold steadfast to our humanity,” Antoine said.

Students from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management invoked King’s anti-Vietnam War stance to advocate against the current conflict with Iran. They invited students to join a rally against further escalation of conflict with Iran on Saturday, the Global Day of Protest.

The event came to a close with a rousing musical performance by the David Marshall Jackson United Voices of Praise choir, a gospel choir based out of both Massachu-

FEATURES 8 For tips or info email editor@thejustice.org

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NEWS 3

The negative effects of the Sanders-Warren feud

By TREVOR FILSETH

FORUM 12

Spotlighting the legendary Willie Randolph

ARTS 18

By EMMA GHALILI

COPYRIGHT 2020 FREE AT BRANDEIS.

SPORTS 16

2

TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020

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NEWS

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THE JUSTICE

NEWS SENATE LOG Senate discusses attendance policy, Rong steps down

MIDYEAR MOVE-IN

The Senate met on Sunday for its first meeting of the semester, where senators discussed a new attendance policy, and Class of 2021 Senator Jake Rong stepped down.

Rong read a letter during the Open Forum section of the meeting, expressing his gratitude to have served on the Senate, but said he felt he was “no longer able to serve the remainder of my term.” He added that he hoped to stay involved with the Union and did not rule out the possibility of running for the Allocations Board in next week’s election.

EXECUTIVE OFFICER REPORTS

Student Union Vice President Kendal Chapman ’22 reported that Chief of Staff Zac Wilkes ’20 is interested in creating a Union newsletter and told senators to reach out to him if they are willing to get involved. Wilkes will be meeting with members of the Justice and The Brandeis Hoot about the newsletter’s content.

Chapman reported that she and Student Union President Simran Tatuskar ’21 had received an email from the Department of Student Activities that said someone had broken a dolly cart at the Midnight Buffet. Chapman said she found it “a little amusing at first, but, on the whole, kind of disappointing.”

“We got an email out the blue during finals, Simran and I, with a picture of a literal cart snapped in half on the side of the road. And then they were like, ‘please explain this. Like, you need to get us a new cart,’ and for every Union event that we’ve partnered with somebody, something has gone missing, been broken or been damaged, and every single time, we didn’t know and communicate it,” Chapman said.

Chapman reported that $4,900 was used for the Union’s new commuter rail subsidy last semester, with over 150 people taking advantage of the subsidy for off-campus internships and jobs.

After the trial run of a Lyft subsidy in November, Chapman announced that the Union will be making the subsidy permanent. Once a month, students can get 50% off a Lyft ride from 10 pm to 3 am to or from the University. Tatuskar is talking with the administration to match the Union’s contribution to the Lyft subsidy.

NEW BUSINESS

The Senate postponed voting for a Senate Representative to the Allocations Board due to low attendance — only 11 of 17 current senators were present, with seven other seats vacant.

Those seats will be filled in next week’s elections. The available positions are the Midyear Senator, Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program Senator, Ziv and Ridgewood Quad Senator and one seat each for the positions of Senator-at-Large, Class of 2021 Senator, Class of 2022 Senator and Class of 2023 Senator.

Chapman introduced a Senate Money Resolution to bring snacks to each Senate meeting and invited senators to suggest food items. The SMR will be formally introduced next meeting, and the Senate will vote on the items “so that we have a stash,” Chapman said.

The snack SMR also has a secondary objective of bringing the public into the Senate meetings and allowing community members to tell the Senate about their accomplishments.

“I think if we’re more engaged with everything that we’re doing, and everyone’s engaged, it will just be better overall and more effective, so one of the ways I want to do that and reward that is invite people into our meetings more to say, ‘Listen, look at all the stuff we’re doing. Look how you can get involved, you can be part of committees.’ That’s why the snacks are something that I’m thinking about, because that’s a way to lure people in a little bit more,” Chapman said.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

The Senate will be rolling out a new attendance policy, with senators permitted two absences total, excused or unexcused.

If a senator misses a meeting, he or she will be required to communicate with Chapman and Executive Senator Scott Halper ’20.

“As long as you communicate your reason, and it’s reasonable to an extent, it counts as an excused absence and there will be no further discussion,” Chapman said.

After two absences, any further absences “will be judged on a case by case basis,” and could result in removal from the Senate. The same policy will apply to committee meetings, but will only be applicable to Senate members of committees.

“The point of the attendance is to make sure that you’re at the meeting, because if you’re at the meetings, then you’re probably doing your work,” Halper said.

SENATOR REPORTS

Halper said he wants to improve the “terrible congestion” for off-campus students traveling to and from campus, including by reducing the number of cars on the road for safety and environmental reasons. He plans to increase the efficiency and frequency of the BranVan to reduce the incentive for students to drive. Halper also addressed broken equipment in Gosman Sports and Convocation Center, which he said will be repaired at the end of this month.

North Quad Senator Krupa Sourirajan ’23 said she is in talks with the administration to get new water filling stations for Gordon and Scheffres Halls. Constituents have complained that water from the current gooseneck water fountains “tastes like chemicals,” Sourirajan said.

—Emily Blumenthal

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The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods.

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NOAH ZEITLIN/the Justice

The latest class of midyears joined the Brandeis community and moved in to their housing on Jan. 12. Over the next several days, the midyears participated in orientation activities such as convocation, “This is Our House” and a volunteer fest.

POLICE LOG MEDICAL EMERGENCY Dec. 9 — In the Shapiro Science Center, a party reported not feeling well. BEMCo treated the party with a signed refusal for further care.

Dec. 9 — A party in Reitman Hall reported an allergic reaction. BEMCo responded to the scene, and the party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital via Cataldo Ambulance.

Dec. 9 — Brandeis Counseling Center staff requested an ambulance for a party.

Cataldo Ambulance transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care.

Dec. 10 — In Scheffres Hall, there was a report of a party who had low blood sugar. BEMCo staff and University Police responded to the scene. Cataldo Ambulance responded to the scene, but the party was treated with a signed refusal for further care.

Dec. 10 — A party in Scheffres Hall reported that they hurt their wrist while at the gym. BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care.

Dec. 11 — There was a medical emergency for a party in Ridgewood B feeling ill.

BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care.

Dec. 13 — BEMCo responded to a party in Ridgewood B who had chest pain. Cataldo Ambulance transported the party to NewtonWellesley Hospital for further care, and the Area Coordinator on call was notified.

Dec. 14 — A party in the Charles River Apartments had flu-like symptoms. BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care.

Dec. 14 — BEMCo staff treated a party in Ziv 129 who stepped on a pencil, with a signed refusal for further care.

Dec. 16 — A caller stated that her friend in Usdan Student Center was too weak to walk to the Health Center. The subject was given a ride to Urgent Care by University Police, because the Health Center was closed. The subject was was checked out by BEMCo with a signed refusal for further care.

Dec. 17 — In Usen Hall, a party did not feel well after taking her medication. BEMCo, University Police, Cataldo Ambulance and the Area Coordinator on call all responded to the scene. The party was transported via Cataldo Ambulance to Newton–Wellesley Hospital for further care. University Police made contact with the BCC regarding the party’s status for follow-up by the BCC later.

Jan. 2 — A party in Feldberg Computer Science Center was transported to Newton– Wellesley Hospital because of back pain.

Jan. 7 — There was a report of a party with a heachache in Goldsmith Hall. The party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital via Cataldo Ambulance for further care.

Jan. 14 — A party in Lemberg reported a hand injury. BEMCo responded, and the party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital by University Police for further care.

Jan. 15 — In the Usdan Student Center, a party was weak and dizzy. BEMCo responded to the scene, and the party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. The Area Coordinator on call was notified.

Jan. 15 — A party in the Mandel Center

for the Humanities suffered from chest pain.

The party was treated by BEMCo staff with a signed refusal for further care.

Jan. 15 — BCC staff requested University Police, and a party was transported to Newton–Wellesley Hospital via Cataldo Ambulance for further care. The Area Coordinator on call was notified.

Jan. 15 — A party in Rosenthal Residence Quad reported a fever and heachache.

BEMCo treated the party and the University Police transported the party to NewtonWellesley Hospital for further care.

Jan. 16 — BEMCo responded to a party in the Usdan Student Center who was feeling ill. University Police transported the party to University Health Services for further care.

Jan. 18 — A caller reported a roommate with alcohol related issues in the Hassenfeld Residence Hall. BEMCo and University Police responded, and the party was transported via Cataldo Ambulance to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care.

The Area Coordinator on call was notified, and a Community Standards Report was filed on the incident.

Jan. 18 — In Shapiro Residence Hall, a party did not feel well and was treated

by BEMCo and transported to Boston Children’s Hospital via Cataldo Ambulance.

The Area Coordinator on call was notified.

Jan. 18 — While on standby at the Levin Ballroom ice skating event, BEMCo staff treated a party with a hand laceration with a refusal for further care.

Jan. 19 — BEMCo and University Police responded to a party who was intoxicated in Deroy Hall. The party was transported via Cataldo Ambulance to NewtonWellesley Hospital for further care. The Area Coordinator on call was notified and a Community Standards Report was filed on the incident.

LARCENY/THEFT Jan. 15 — University Police compiled a report of a stolen NCAA banner in the Gosman Sports Complex. There was no known timeframe of when it went missing.

BURGLARY Jan. 8 — A staff member in the Goldfarb Library reported a damaged door lock at the shipping and receiving access area.

No access was gained to the area though.

University Police compiled a report on the damage.

HARASSMENT Dec. 20 — A staff member in the Sachar International Center reported harassment via email. A report was composed.

Dec. 23 — In Public Safety, University Police composed a report on harassment via email.

Dec. 23 — In Public Safety, a community member reported harassment on the phone.

A report was compiled and a trespass letter was mailed electronically.

Dec. 31 — There was a report of a harassing voicemail in the Heller School of Social Policy. University Police compiled a report on the incident.

Jan. 2 — University Police composed a report from an email about a strange phone

call left with staff at the Shapiro Admissions Center.

DISTURBANCE Dec. 11 — Residents of Hassenfeld Residence Hall who were being loud were spoken to by University Police. They quieted down without incident.

Dec. 13 — There was a noise complaint in Village C for a few students studying and talking. They were advised of the final exam quiet hour rules.

Dec. 14 — In the Charles River Apartments there was a noise complaint. The residents were advised to lower their volume, because of final exam quiet hours.

Dec. 14 — Residents in the Charles River Apartments were advised to lower the volume of their music and complied without incident.

Dec. 16 — There was a report of students talking loud during quiet hours in Village C. A Community Advisor spoke to the parties, and no police action was required.

Dec. 19 — In Ziv 128, there was a noise complaint. Residents were advised to lower their music.

Jan. 9 — The Area Coordinator on call stated that the CA in the Foster Mods received a noise complaint. Upon speaking with the individuals, there was an odor of marijuana. The residents were advised to be quiet, and upon further discovery, the resident of the area provided a false name to University Police. A Community Standards Report was filed on the incident by the police.

Jan. 14 — There was a report of an employee in the Usdan Student Center who was causing a disturbance and refusing to leave. The party was given a trespass warning and escorted off of the campus by University Police. An investigation into the incident followed.

Jan. 17 — On Charles River Road, there was a report of individuals walking in the area yelling and causing a disturbance.

University Police checked the area and all was quiet upon arrival, with no one located in the area.

MISCELLANEOUS Dec. 9 — There was a report of a raccoon stuck in a manhole by the Waltham Police and Fire Departments on Chapels Field.

University Police were informed and a Waltham Fire Engine was dispatched to assist the animal. Waltham Fire attempted to rescue the animal, but it would not leave the manhole.

Dec. 15 — A party reported a suspicious male in the Foster Mods. University Police checked the area and the party was gone upon arrival.

Dec. 20 — University Police received a call about a suspicious male possibly in distress flagging down cars on South Street at the Main Entrance. Police made contact with the male who was waiting for his Uber transport and waving down cars he believed were his ride. No further action was taken.

Dec. 31 — There was an unusual piece of mail received by Public Safety. A report was compiled.

—Compiled by Jen Geller

THE JUSTICE

PROMOTING PEACE AND COEXISTENCE

●

NEWS

NOAH ZEITLIN/the Justice

The Maurice J. and Fay B. Karpf and Ari Hahn Peace Endowment Award for 2019 went to the video “Nzala,” which was screened in the Heller-Brown Building on Thursday, Jan. 16. “Nzala,” meaning “hunger” in Lingala, featured an original song by Prince S. Mujumbe Salama M.A. ’20 (above) and raised awareness about war, poverty and conflict.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Liebowitz announces increase in surveillance, police presence community, Liebowitz said the changes were in response to a number of recent acts of antiSemitism in the news.

By LEEZA BARSTEIN JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

After denouncing recent “violence towards members of the Jewish community” in an email to the Brandeis community on Jan. 3, University President Ron Liebowitz shared that there would be an increase in police presence and surveillance on campus.

In the email, Liebowitz condemned the recent acts of anti-Semitic violence in New York and New Jersey as “painful to the Brandeis community,” and an “affront to the values at the core of our institution.”

Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan said in a Jan. 19 email to the Justice that the decision was made after “reviewing the findings of the campus security report.” He also mentioned that one of the goals of the upgrade was to return to staffing levels that existed pre-2008/2009.

Liebowitz wrote in his email that Brandeis was searching for a night lieutenant and an additional daytime Public Safety officer. Campus transportation systems will also be expanded, and the University will be upgrading camera technology, the email said. Liebowitz also stressed the importance of students reaching out to resources, such as the Brandeis Counseling Center, for support.

Callahan said the daytime patrol officer position had been filled and is currently undergoing training,

and the University is still searching to fill the night lieutenant position.

He explained to the Justice that the addition of these roles will provide “additional services and enhance Community Policing efforts.”

To further explain what Liebowitz meant by the “expansion of campus transportation services,” Callahan provided a list to the Justice of the updates Public Safety made to the transportation service. The list included trackers in all eight Joseph’s shuttles, an extension of the last loop of the BranVan Waltham service to 2:15 a.m., and the addition of a Monday-Friday 4 p.m.-11 p.m. Waltham Joseph’s shuttle. Callahan pointed out that many of these updates started in the fall semester, but take some time to be fully implemented. He said these changes “address most, if not all, concerns students have had regarding the service.”

Callahan advised students to download the Branda mobile app and reserve BranVan seats on the Brandeis website to make the most of the transportation.

Brandeis, however, is not the only university upgrading its security amidst the rise of hate crimes. According to a Dec. 4 USA Today article, security patrols and cameras were increased at Syracuse University after an active investigation uncovered racist and anti-Semitic incidents on campus.

According to an Apr. 30 Boston Globe article, in 2018, Massachusetts ranked fourth in the number of reported anti-Semitic incidents in the United States, while 1,879 incidents of anti-Semitism were recorded in the United States.

Institutions like day schools, synagogues and Chabad centers across the country have not only begun to increase security, but have also ap-

plied for grants to help fund these changes, according to a Mass Live article. The Department of Homeland Security runs the Nonprofit Security Grant Program, which provides funding for target hardening and physical security for “organizations that are at high risk of terrorist attack.” The program provides both state and federal funding, and in Massachusetts, institutions can apply for a Commonwealth Nonprofit Security Grant.

Callahan mentioned that Brandeis is currently working on applying for a security upgrade grant.

According to an Aug. 18 Boston Globe article, 88% of such grant applications in the previous fiscal year came from Jewish organizations.

A Jan. 10 Jewish News Syndicate article pointed out that following attacks like the shooting in Jersey City, security experts are pushing to increase funding for non-profit religious institutions.

Callahan said that students “should feel safe in their surroundings and should continue to advise how we may better serve them along the lines of personal safety.”

Brandeis Bridges, a club where members of the Black and Jewish communities come together to discuss race and religion on campus did not respond in time to provide a student perspective on the increase in security.

Since his arrival in 1978, Callahan explained, the increase in the campus population has led to a more robustly-trained and educated police department. “Communication, cooperation, and connectivity are essential in providing security to the campus community,” he said.

“Officers are trained to mitigate a variety of concerns,” he added.

The 2020 Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize was awarded to Howard C. Stevenson, an expert on racial stress and trauma with over 30 years of experience in clinical psychology. Stevenson will undertake residency at Brandeis from Nov. 10 to 12 that includes his prize lecture, during which he will be presented with a $25,000 prize and a medal, according to a Jan. 13 BrandeisNOW article.

Stevenson’s areas of expertise include violence and bullying prevention, racial/ ethnic socialization and “how educators, community leaders, and parents can emotionally resolve face-to-face racially stressful encounters,” per his faculty profile at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education.

He is Penn GSE’s Constance Clayton Professor of Urban Education. Brandeis President Ron Liebowitz told BrandeisNOW that Stevenson’s scholarship has “brought a better understanding of the detrimental effects caused by racial stress and trauma” and Stevenson himself “actively leads the way in improving the lives of people affected by these issues.”

Stevenson is the executive director of the Racial Empowerment Collaborative at Penn GSE, which studies and promotes “racial literacy and health in schools and neighborhoods,” as stated on the organization’s website. REC explains that racial literacy includes “[d]ecoding racial subtexts” in racially stressful situations, using “racial mindfulness” to reframe racial stress, and resolving the encounters healthily.

Stevenson is also the codirector of Forward Promise which aims to support boys and young men of color through what it calls “healthy village-making,” or the “creation and strengthening of support systems for the youths,” per its website.

The National Institutes of Health has funded two of Stevenson’s research projects, according to the BrandeisNOW article. The first project, “SHAPE-UP: Barbers Building Better Brothers Project,” trains Black barbers to educate young Black men about how to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases. The “Preventing Long-term Anger and Aggression in Youth Project” combines basketball and educational components in a training program that aims to help young Black men “cope daily with rejection from teachers, peers, police, family, and neighbors,” a description of the 2020 program explains.

The Gittler Prize, which the late Prof. Joseph B. Gittler created in 2007, “recognize[s] outstanding and lasting scholarly contributions to racial, ethnic and/or religious relations,” per the prize’s website.

Stevenson joins recent prize recipients John Paul Lederach and Beverly Daniel Tatum. On Jan. 14, Liebowitz invited the Brandeis community to nominate candidates for the Gittler Prize (deadline April 1) as well as the Richman Distinguished Fellowship in Public Life (deadline March 1).

—Jocelyn Gould

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justBRIEFS 2020 Gittler Prize awarded to racial stress, trauma expert

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ITS alerts University phishing email scam

to

Information Technology Services sent an email on Jan. 10 alerting some members of the Brandeis community to an email phishing scam. The subject of the scam email, sent on Jan. 8, was “Part-Time Intern!” and impersonated a member of the Brandeis community.

ITS warned against com-

municating with the sender or giving out the personal information asked for by the scammer. The sender’s email address is ‘drew_project@fastmail.com.’

The scam email was sent on behalf of the Association of Higher Education and Disability, which does not exist at Brandeis, and offers a parttime position as a job administrator.

ITS advised in its email that students who responded to the request for personal information “cease any further correspondence with the sender … do not respond to additional requests for personal, sensitive or financial information” and “do not answer calls from an unknown number.”

ITS advised students who did not respond to the email to “not respond to the message” and “delete the message and permanently delete the message from your ‘trash’ folder.”

—Samantha Goldman

Health Center warns against nearby measles outbreak The Brandeis Health Center notified Brandeis community members in a Jan. 10 email of a measles outbreak in the Boston area, the source of which is a student from Northeastern University.

The Health Center’s email said that students who were at any of the locations listed in the email could experience symptoms through Jan. 27.

They urged students to visit the Health Center if they believed they were exposed.

Symptoms of measles include a cough, high fever, runny nose and red, watery eyes, according to the Massachusetts Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences fact sheet. The Bureau fact sheet also warns that measles is an airborne virus and can remain present in the air for two hours. The email sent out by the Brandeis Health Center named the locations where anyone in the Boston area could have been exposed to the virus. The first symptoms of the disease can appear 10 to 14 days after someone is exposed to the virus.

The Bureau website said that to prevent the spread of the virus, people should get the measles vaccine in a shot called measles, mumps and rubella. Brandeis collects proof of the shot from all incoming students, and according to the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, both doses of the MMR vaccine are 97 percent effective, while one dose is 93 percent effective.

According to the CDC, measles was eliminated from the United States in 2000 with the development of the measles vaccine. Most people in the United States are protected against the virus, but travelers from other countries can sometimes bring the virus into the United States. Because measles is highly contagious, those who are unvaccinated are at a higher risk of spreading the virus.

In an email to the Justice, Diana Denning, Administrative Director of the Health Center, said that the Health Center is “challenged in that some students don’t complete [the health] records before they come to school.” Denning added that “large numbers of students without records would make it hard to manage an outbreak if a student arrived at school here with an active measles infection.”

In the event of an outbreak, Denning said that the Health Center keeps “a list of students who can’t immunize (usually for medical reasons) and would reach out to them directly in the event of an active case.”

—Samantha Goldman

3

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the Marshall Scholarship she won to pursue a master’s degree at Oxford University, where she will study substance addiction.

By EMILY BLUMENTHAL JUSTICE EDITOR

LAUREN BERK/the Justice

Mikhal Dekel, a professor of English and Comparative Literature at the City College of New York and the CUNY Graduate Center, presented “Tehran Children: A Holocaust Refugee Odyssey,” during the semester’s first Schusterman Center Scholars Seminar on Thursday.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Board meets to discuss Univ. branding, campus climate survey November to talk about campus infrastructure, honor the late Mandels and more.

By ELLA RUSSELL JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The University’s Board of Trustees held a retreat on Nov. 18 and 19 to discuss ongoing plans for Brandeis’ future. According to a December email to the community from Brandeis President Ron Liebowitz, the main topics the Board discussed were infrastructure improvements, Brandeis’ brand positioning among other higher education institutions and how the University has responded to the negative results of the recently administered Campus Climate Survey.

According to Liebowitz’s email, Brandeis Campus Operations Office and “external consultants” William Rawn Associates and Leggat McCall Properties are assessing the physical condition of over 100 campus buildings.

Liebowitz wrote that the University’s main infrastructural goals are to increase accessibility and sustainability, improve the quality of residence halls and update the academic buildings to allow for greater collaboration.

Elizabeth Johnson, CEO of higher education marketing and branding company Simpson Scarborough, presented findings related to the University’s brand position. According to Liebowitz, to determine popular perceptions of Brandeis’ image, Simpson Scarborough surveyed 5000 prospective undergraduate and graduate students from

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U.K. awards scholarship to Brandeis graduate ■ Troia Reyes-Stone ’17 will use

across the country, in addition to alumni, parents, philanthropists, friends of the University and academic and administrative leaders. The results concluded that many view Brandeis as providing a foundation in liberal arts to aid in intellectual growth and practical skills; supporting rigorous inquiry and critical thinking; producing important, daring and consequential knowledge and research; and having students and faculty “apply their talents to improve the world.”

Academic Provost Kim Godsoe, Equal Opportunity Director Sonia Jurado and Director of Sexual Assault Services and Prevention Sarah Berg presented the findings of the 2019 Campus Climate Survey. The survey revealed that students’ feelings of alienation on campus and sexual harassment cases were at a similar level to that of the first campus climate survey administered in 2015. According to Liebowitz, the University has responded to the survey by establishing and expanding existing support resources such as the Ombuds Office, Gender and Sexuality Center, Intercultural Center, Office of Equal Opportunity and the Prevention Advocacy & Resource Center, which provides 24 hour support and has seen an increasing number of students engaging with its services. The University has also updated the Support at Brandeis website, which now provides an extensive list of support resources, organized by categories of possible support required, including academic support, mental health support and sexual misconduct support.

Liebowitz updated the trustees on the process of seeking input

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from the Brandeis community on the Framework for Our Future.

After the Board’s anticipated approval in early 2020, the Framework and task force reports will be available to the public on the Framework website. The Trustees split into groups to further discuss key parts of the Framework, including “Nurturing a Culture of Scholarly Inquiry and Academic Excellence,” “Creating an Integrated, Inclusive, and Vibrant Student Experience” and “Reengaging Brandeis’ Founding Ethos.” Liebowitz put the Framework into historical context by discussing the circumstances behind the creation of Brandeis and expressing the value of the University in establishing vertical connectivity (collaboration between faculty, graduate students, undergraduates and staff), and horizontal connectivity (collaboration between departments to create new opportunities for learning and research).

Before the retreat’s main business, the trustees honored philanthropist Morton Mandel, who passed away in October. Mandel donated millions to the University. His wife, Barbara Mandel, passed away shortly after the retreat was held. The trustees also welcomed the newest board member, Monique L. Nelson, into Brandeis’ ad hoc Committee on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Nelson is the CEO of UniWorld Group, a multicultural marketing agency.

To conclude the email, Liebowitz said that he “look[s] forward to engaging the campus community as we continue to plan Brandeis’ future,” and encouraged anyone with questions to reach out.

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Troia Reyes-Stone ’17 is one of this year’s recipients of the prestigious Marshall Scholarship, per a Dec. 9 BrandeisNOW article. She will pursue a master’s degree at Oxford University, where she plans to research the war on drugs and addiction treatment.

The United Kingdom established the Marshall Scholarship in 1953 to thank the United States for the help provided by the Marshall Plan, an extensive foreign aid package that helped rebuild Europe after World War II. Recipients of the scholarship, who must be U.S. citizens, receive a full ride to study at a U.K. university of their choice, according to the scholarship’s website.

At Oxford, Reyes-Stone will study a course in Evidence-Based Social Intervention and Policy Evaluation, which “emphasises research methods for evaluating interventions and policies, as well as the advanced study of evidence-based practice and policy in relation to, for example, children and families, poverty and inequality, mental health, refugees, drug use, violence and injury prevention, and offending,” according to the course’s website.

“My goal is really to have a good technical understanding of how to implement evidence-based social intervention,” Reyes-Stone told the Justice on Thursday. “The future of our country is data-driven policy, and I want to understand how to evaluate it.”

Reyes-Stone said she plans to conduct research on treatment methods for substance use disorders, focusing on how countries prioritize and balance medicalization — the treatment of addiction as a medical condition — and decriminalization.

“You do want to medicalize, but you also want to decriminalize at the same time, so kind of like a mixture of both,” Reyes-Stone said, adding that it is essential for people to have access to treatment for these methods to work.

Reyes-Stone told the Justice she also wants to explore how the United States and United Kingdom differ in

their approaches toward treating substance abuse, and how the U.S. can learn from the U.K.’s slightly “more progressive” policies.

“Something that we’re seeing both in the United States and the U.K. — and these are nascent programs so they’re not necessarily fully formed yet — are law enforcement diversion programs,” she said.

Law enforcement diversion programs direct offenders toward support services instead of cycling them through the criminal justice system.

They currently operate sporadically across 20 U.S. states. In the U.K., these programs are part of a co-responding strategy called “Liaison and Diversion.” In the future, Reyes-Stone hopes the two countries can implement “some kind of cross-cultural data sharing” so these programs can continue to expand.

Reyes-Stone previously worked as a legislative fellow for Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA), where she learned about American drug policy programs and met people who do work on mass incarceration. She also worked with Cartwright on several bills to expand access to substance abuse treatment.

But for Reyes-Stone, the war on drugs is not just a topic of interest — it’s personal. When she was a child, she told the Justice, she saw the war on drugs’ devastating effects on her extended family in Mexico.

“Growing up with half my family in Mexico, I really got to see the effects of the war on drugs, and one of my family members was kidnapped by criminals in Mexico and held for ransom as part of an extortion racket, which became increasingly more common as the cartel grew in power. He fortunately escaped, but that kind of kickstarted my interest [in drug policy],” she said.

Upon learning she received the scholarship, Reyes-Stone said, “I cried. I 100% cried. It was amazing, it was a dream come true. I honestly never thought I would get it, so it was a huge shock. It was also my first day of work, so it was two extraordinary things happening at the same time.”

Reyes-Stone is the fifth Brandeis graduate selected as a Marshall Scholar. Past Brandeis recipients are feminist social historian Eileen Yeo ’63, Cardozo School of Law Professor Martin Stone ’85, Pulitzer Prize finalist and New York Times opinion writer Elizabeth Bruenig ’13 and Thomas Friedman ’75, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and New York Times columnist.

WALTHAM BRIEF League of American Bicyclists ranks Waltham ‘Bronze’ for ‘bicycle-friendly-ness’ Waltham is now officially considered a “bicycle-friendly community” by the League of American Bicyclists, after receiving the award of “Bronze” in their 2019 awards, according to a Jan. 14 Patch Waltham article.

The League of American Bicyclists judges communities on their “bicycle-friendly-ness” based on a variety of criteria, including if there is bicycle education in schools, if there is an active bicycle advocacy group, if there is an active bicycle advisory committee and by the ratio of total bicycle network mileage to total road network mileage, according to the League of American Bicyclists’ website.

The same Patch Waltham article also reported that bicycle friendly towns throughout the nation are given rankings of “Platinum,” “Gold,” “Silver” or “Bronze” by the League of American Bicyclists, though some are also given honorable mentions.

The League of American Bicyclists first noticed Waltham in 2016 when the town was awarded an “honorable mention” in

the Bicycle Friendly Community awards, according to a Nov. 28, 2016 Patch Waltham article, making Bronze a mark of improvement for the city.

Massachusetts as a whole was recently ranked the fifth-best state in the country in terms of “bicycle-friendly-ness” by the same organization, according to a Nov. 25 Patch Natick article. This is despite the fact that at least five bicyclists were hit and killed on roads in Massachusetts in 2019, as that is an improvement upon previous years.

The League of American Bicyclists’ website notes that there are 488 towns throughout the nation recognized as “Bicycle Friendly Communities,” as well as 100 honorable mentions.

The League of American Bicyclists also has awards for bicycle friendly universities, and though Brandeis has yet to be recognized in any capacity by the organization, fellow Waltham college Bentley University was awarded Bronze in 2016.

—Jason Frank

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CONTINUED FROM 1 setts and Connecticut.

Green holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. Green was also recognized as a 2016 Diversity Scholar by the Association of Counseling Center Training Agencies for his work as a staff psychologist at the University of Maryland Counseling Center.

The event was sponsored by the Men of Color Alliance, the Office

NOAH ZEITLIN/the Justice

A POWERFUL STORY: After the event, audience members lined up to have best-selling author Mitch Albom sign their books.

BOOK TALK: Author addresses University on his latest book ing if they were missing or gone — I just couldn’t get it out of my mind.”

Therefore, Albom helped organize a trip to the orphanage. After seeing the destruction caused by the earthquake, Albom explained, he assembled a team of 23 volunteers who helped to rebuild the orphanage over the course of nine trips to Haiti. He said that the memory of seeing the aftermath of the earthquake would “never, ever, leave [his] mind.”

When the team rebuilt the orphanage, they included features that it did not have before, such as toilets, showers, a kitchen, a dining room and a three-room schoolhouse. Albom described how excited the children at the orphanage were to stand under the showers for the first time, and showed video clips of them dancing and singing under the water. Despite these improvements, the orphanage still did not have enough funding for adequate meals, so Albom said told the pastor that he could run it himself. Since then, Albom said, he has “been there every month without fail in those last ten years,” as well as taken in another 46 children, with 52 children in total currently living there. “These are children who have been abandoned, orphaned [and] who have survived abject poverty and natural disasters,” he said.

At the orphanage, Albom explained, the children are educated, well-fed and cared for, and they “dream to go to universities like this and earn degrees and come back to Haiti to make their country a better place.” Because of the education system at the Have Faith Haiti Orphanage, as well as the Michigan College Alliance, Albom said that the 52 children in the orphanage will have college scholarships.

“These are precious children,” he said. “All of them deserve to have a chance, and each one has a unique and poignant story of how they got

here. Chika’s story stood out.”

Chika arrived at the orphanage after her mother died from childbirth complications, since she could not afford a doctor. Albom accepted Chika there, but said, “For every child that I said yes to, I have to say no to ten others. It is the hardest decision and the toughest thing I have to do in my life.” He said that while Chika was at the orphanage, she was loud, bossy, curious and friendly, but when she was five years old, she was diagnosed with Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, a deadly disease with no known cure.

Albom said that he had received a call that Chika’s face was “drooping,” but finding a neurologist and lining up an appointment for an MRI on Haiti’s single MRI machine was complicated. When they finally heard back from the neurologist, the note read, “This child has a mass on her brain in the pons area and whatever it is, there is no one in Haiti who can help.” So Albom said that he decided to take Chika back to the U.S. for treatment, which marked the beginning of a two-year, global search for “a cure for the incurable,” despite doctors saying she would only live four months and that there was “nothing to stop [the disease].”

Albom said that during those two years with Chika, she taught him seven things.

First, he said, Chika taught him that “you are never too old to become a family.” Albom explained that he and his wife married late and never had children of their own, but found a family when they were caring for Chika.

Albom also said that Chika taught him about “time.” Though he believed he understood time and had his routine schedule, having a five-year-old around changed that entirely. “A child is both an anchor and a set of wings, and my old way of doing things was gone,” he said, quoting the memoir.

Chika also taught him to have “a sense of wonder,” Albom said.

TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020

He continued, “pretty much everything [Chika] saw was a miracle.”

Hot water, highways and cars, mailboxes and television were new experiences for Chika, having come from abject poverty. “Every bit of it fascinated her,” he said.

Albom also said that Chika taught him “how tough children really are.” Albom explained that Chika bravely faced all of her treatments and that he and Janine were more worried about them than she was. “Kid tough,” he said, “it’s different from adult tough.” He added, “[Children] accommodate to the difficulty, they adjust to the pain, they find the play.”

Next, Albom said she taught him about “appreciating the happiness in the moment when you get it.” He told stories and played video clips of a joyful Chika playing games and singing. Quoting the memoir, he said, “If I could change anything from those moments, Chika, it would be to stay in them a little longer, immerse ourselves so we never forget.”

Chika next taught him about “[his] own marriage,” Albom said.

He explained that he used to worry about having kids and how it might affect his career and relationship.

However, Chika taught him otherwise. Albom said that having a child in his life allowed him to discover “this rich, loving, nurturing side” of his wife. He said that Janine “seemed to be waiting her entire life to take care of Chika.”

Finally, she taught Albom that “it is only when witnessing the final breaths of life that you can truly appreciate the magnificent and indescribable gift that is life.” Albom said this lesson was the final thing Chika taught him before she passed away. “Chika Jeune lived just seven years,” he said, “but they were seven beautiful, amazing, impactful years. She changed us and she changed pretty much everybody she knew, and it is my hope … that she can change the world for others like her.”

of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Dean of Students Office.

In addition to the memorial, the 10th Annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Interfaith Day of Service took place Monday morning, where participants packed meals for food pantries and congregations that serve homeless communities.

Attendees also spoke with nonprofits about social justice, according to an email from the Dean of Students Office about the day’s events.

CASTE: University policy now protects against caste discrimination CONTINUED FROM 1 informally identify each other” at Brandeis, he said, such as by last names, dietary preferences, religion and more, which can lead to informal social exclusion.

Brimhall-Vargas pointed out, however, that the policy change was largely preemptive. “We do not have to wait for rampant discrimination to exist to proactively address caste and caste discrimination,” Brimhall-Vargas said.

Simon recalled that when he started a graduate program on sustainable development at the Heller School, he met several Dalit students who “felt uncomfortable given some remarks that were being made … about them by other Indians.” For the most part, however, caste is a “hidden discrimination” in most U.S. universities, Simon explained. “Unless you come from a society and culture where caste is still a major determinant of your social well-being, it’s unknown,” he said.

According to an Apr. 25, 2018 NPR clip, a survey called “Caste in the United States” found that twothirds of Dalit respondents said they had faced workplace discrimination because of their caste and that 41% said they had faced discrimination in education because of their caste.

Simon said that he and Brimhall-

Vargas first started discussing caste at a conference Simon held about caste a few years ago. Brimhall-Vargas and Simon later called together a committee of staff, students and faculty who expressed interest in the issue of caste discrimination.

The committee decided that the first step in mitigating caste discrimination would be moving forward on this policy change, Brimhall-Vargas said. They drafted language for the policy change and put it before the University Policy Review Committee. Like most other policy changes, it next went to the University’s General Counsel and was finally approved by Liebowitz. Brimhall-Vargas said the committee work took eight or nine months, while the administrative process took another two or three.

According to Brimhall-Vargas, the committee’s proposal received no pushback from the administration.

Brimhall-Vargas said that the next steps in lessening caste discrimination at the University are through education, including equity training and beyond. Both he and Simon said that the policy change is meant to protect people of any caste, not only Dalits. “Caste in its essence is wrong and should not lead to discrimination against anyone. And that is, I think, very consistent with the founding of Brandeis University,” Simon said.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020● FEATURES ● THE JUSTICE

just

VERBATIM | C.S. LEWIS You can’t go back and change the beginning; but you can start where you are and change the ending.

ON THIS DAY…

FUN FACT

In 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter pardoned men who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War.

Four times more people speak English as a second language than as a native one.

Photos by NOAH ZEITLIN/the Justice

WELCOME MIDYEARS: 133 students from 22 states and six countries joined the Brandeis Class of 2023 earlier this month.

Orientation: A program designed by Judges, for Judges The Justice talked to members of the Midyear Orientation CORE about what makes Midyear Orientation unique.

By ELIANA PADWA JUSTICE EDITOR

Each January, upperclassmen return for the spring semester to find that a hundred new students, the midyear class, have arrived on campus. These bright-eyed, newly convocated Brandeis students move in a few days before the semester begins to take part in Midyear Orientation. Midyear Orientation, like the Orientation at the beginning of the academic year, involves social events and information sessions, and is intended to help new students bond and integrate into the Brandeis community. Realizing that few non-midyear students know what makes midyear orientation unique, the Justice spoke with members of Midyear Orientation CORE for some insight. Their responses, sent via email, are shared below.

What were some highlights of Midyear Orientation for you?

ELI WASSERMAN, ’20: Some of the highlights included the original programs from me and Miranda Lassar [’20], my fellow CORE committee member, where midyears had a chance to reflect on the experiences they’ve had prior to coming to Brandeis, and now as a mid-year student. Some of my favorite and most successful social programs included a battle of the centuries party complete with a chocolate fountain, karaoke, and nitrogen ice cream. Volunteer Fest is another incredible program that allows midyears to engage with the greater Waltham community on a more personal level.

MIRANDA LASSAR: For me, the highlight of midyear orientation was just seeing all of the new students begin to form new connections through the programming Eli and I had planned. We had been working on these events for the past four months, and seeing them come to fruition was pretty surreal.

Because no matter how much you plan or prep for every minute detail of a social event or presentation, you never know what is going to happen when the students show up!

What mindset did you go into planning with?

What were your priorities? What message did you want to send?

EW: I personally wanted to instill in the midyear class of 2023 that coming in as a midyear student doesn’t put you behind your fellow classmates. In fact, midyears have an incredible and unique advantage coming in as more independent, mature, and determined members of the Brandeis Community, as a result of having gone through a midyear semester. In terms of planning orientation, it was important to plan meaningful events that would engage students socially, while also providing them with the necessary information to start their time at Brandeis. No matter how much you plan for events though, they always end up a little different than expected, so it was important to stay optimistic and flexible throughout the process of

Design: Yael Hanadari-Levy/the Justice

planning orientation.

ML: I think January orientation is unique in the sense that it is much smaller than August orientation, which allows for programming to be more reflective purely because of size constraints. Eli and I both incorporated identity building and reflective thinking into our programs because we wanted the students to start forming meaningful relationships. Although it is easy to stay surface level during orientation, our goal was to push the new students to go beyond “where are you from?” and begin exploring what it really means to be a Brandeis student.

Tell me a little about the planning process.

EW: I mentioned a little bit about the planning process above, but generally, each student CORE member gets five/six events they are in charge of for the weekend, at least one social event, an original program, and some of the staple events like volunteer fest and the candle lighting ceremony. We are expected and encouraged to put a spin on events and come up with creative new ways to present these programs to new students. With the help of Jenny Abdou and Scott Berozi, integral members of the orientation team, orientation is planned throughout the fall semester, and then OL’s and CORE come early in January to begin setting up the campus for a weekend of events and activities.

ML: The planning process started this past September. Eli and I were each assigned a certain set of programs to plan and execute, and we worked alongside our amazing supervisors Jenny Abdou and Scott Berozi. Planning orientation is a lot more work than it looks, but at the end of the day it was all worth it when watching students gain something meaningful and enjoy the program you have put together!

In what ways did you draw on your own midyear experience? What were some highlights (or lowlights!) of your own orientation?

BUILDING A COMMUNITY: Midyear students attended several social events and information sessions meant to ease their transition into campus.

THE MIDYEAR CORE: Miranda Lassar ’20 and Eli Wasserman ’20 headed the planning of the Midyear Orientation program.

EW: As a midyear who went on the London program, it was super special to see how much the program has grown since I was midyear. My London class was 27, and this London class was 56. It shows how much the midyear program has grown to be respected and desired by incoming Brandeis students. Being a midyear is super special, and midyear orientation has allowed me to once again reflect on my own midyear identity.

In what ways, positive and negative, do you think the midyear experience is unique?

EW: Positive, being a midyear means you are coming to Brandeis with a built in community of people who have had a diverse range of experiences.

— Editor’s Note: Justice Editor Andrew Baxter was a midyear Orientation Leader this year and did not participate in the writing or editing of this article.

CONNECTING TO WALTHAM: Midyears were able to CONNECTING WITH WALTHAM: Midyears were able to with members interact with Waltham communityinteract members during the of the Waltham community at the ninth annual Volunteer Fest on Jan. 12.

9th annual Volunteer Fest.

THE JUSTICE ● FEATURES ● TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020

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Spring Semester: A new opportunity to grow and learn Useful tips to succeed in the new academic term CHRISTINA KIM/the Justice

By SOFIA GONZALEZ JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

There is no denying that the start of the semester is hard for many students. After three weeks away, getting adjusted to the food, campus, dorms and workload might seem very difficult. However, the new semester may also bring opportunities to take interesting classes, join exciting clubs and make new friends. The Justice looked at some popular self-care and academic advice, in order to share tips with students on how they can make the most out of the new academic session and implement self-care practices during the long winter months.

Many sources cite organization as the biggest determinant of success when it comes to academic achievement. The Purdue University, Lowcountry Graduate Center and the University of Utah all emphasize the importance of staying organized and creating a routine both before and during the semester. One of the best ways to do this is by purchasing a planner and writing down important due dates for each class. Such key dates are often listed in the syllabus provided by the professor. While the dates of lectures, discussions and readings might change because of the weather or any other emergency situation, the same is often not true for exam days or paper deadlines. Creating a visual representation of what the semester is going to look like can help students plan ahead, ultimately reducing some of the feelings of stress and incompetence that accompany such big assignments. It can also be incredibly helpful in handling overwhelming weeks and remaining focused. For those who prefer to use online tools, Google Calendar allows its users to use different colors for each task and to import calendars from other sites.

The University of Utah also highlights the importance of establishing relationships with faculty members. Although they may seem scary at first, professors are typically excited to meet with students and discuss interesting research, academic endeavors and even personal hobbies. Office hours also provide a perfect space to ask questions about the topics presented in class and to find out what questions other students have. Brandeis historically has also made an effort to encourage students to meet with faculty members outside of the classroom. For the fall 2018 semester, for example, the Union, the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences and the Office of Provost, sponsored the “Take Your Professor to Lunch or Coffee” program, in which students could obtain coupons (either directly or through a raffle) to take their professor to lunch in the Faculty Club for free, promoting student/pro-

fessor bonding.

If talking to the main instructor still seems intimidating, meeting with class Teacher Assistants can also be a good way to expand knowledge on the material and create a support network within the class. That being said, taking advantage of both the TAs and professors is the best way to guarantee success in the class. Additionally, Brandeis offers myriad academic resources for undergraduates — including the Roosevelt Fellows, the Undergraduate Degree Representatives and the BUGS tutors — that specialize in study skills and tips and that can advise students on the best classes to take depending on their major. Students should always re-

Thus, working hard, staying organized and using academic resources will not help students build a solid base of knowledge unless they sleep the right amount regularly. Lack of sleep is also associated with a weaker immune system, which makes all members on campus more susceptible to disease in a time when illness is prevalent. Apart from sleep, the Mayo Clinic suggests that being physically active can help prevent and manage several health concerns, boost mood and energy levels and lower stress levels. While exercising in college is a challenge all students seem to face, it is crucial to allocate a specific time of the day to working out. There are multiple sports teams — on varsity, club and

CHRISTINA KIM/the Justice

member that these are resources for them to utilize and that there is no shame in asking for help.

While academic achievement is important, remaining healthy and taking care of oneself should always come first, especially during the winter months. This time of the year can be especially challenging for some because of the shorter days and reduced exposure to sunlight, which can lead to feelings of tiredness and disruptions to the normal sleep/wake cycles, according to the NHS. Spending time in the sun during the day can help reduce fatigue and feelings of sadness. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule is also crucial, especially since the normal cycles guided by the setting and rising of the sun are often altered.

By keeping a routine, students can help their body adjust better to the environment. Moreover, according to Harvard Medical School, sleep is crucial in learning and memory consolidation.

notees: keep a tive cours ta ht on the ti g n a ri u q et g u don’t “For any o y s m le otebook, b y pro ns in the n o ti ec book of an rr co rite your to study” first try. W R eriodically p em th Physics UD it and revis Biological , 20 ’ e ir a del —Fox Bau

“One of the most forma tive lessons I have learned since starting college is knowing when (and to whom) to ask for help! College can be a tough ordeal--pe rsonally, professionally, academically , and more. There’s so much to do and keep tab s on. And so, I think one of the most constr uctive things to keep in mind is that there are always so many incredible resources an d people that are happy to use their own passions, heart, and expertise to lend you a helping hand. For me, that’s crucial to stayin g healthy. We all do a lot, so delegating and receiving support is so important for our im mediate and sustainable happpiness and suc cess.”

—Alison Hagani ’22, So ciology UDR

intramural levels — that people can be a part of, or they can attend other group exercise activities like yoga and zumba that can make physical activity engaging.

The spring semester brings forth new challenges, but also new opportunities for students to set goals for themselves. When deciding what to focus on — whether that be academics, extracurriculars or a job — students should always keep in mind that health and self care influence academic outcome tremendously. Finding time to relax, to engage in physical activity and sleep should be a priority for all.

— Editor’s Note: Justice Editors Andrew Baxter and Jen Geller are the current Chemistry UDRs. Justice Editor Eliana Padwa is a Roosevelt Fellow. None of them particpated in the writing or editing of this article.

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Graphics Courtesy of Creative Commons. Design: Yael Hanadari-Levy/the Justice

10 TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020 ● FORUM ● THE JUSTICE

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Jocelyn Gould, Editor in Chief Jen Geller, Managing Editor Avraham Penso and Natalia Wiater, Senior Editors Andrew Baxter, Hannah Kressel, Yvette Sei, Lily Schmidt-Swartz, Judah Weinerman and Maya Zanger-Nadis, Associate Editors Emily Blumenthal and Gilda Geist, News Editors Eliana Padwa, Interim Features Editor Gabriel Frank, Forum Editor, Megan Geller, Sports Editor Luke Liu, Arts & Culture Editor Noah Zeitlin, Photography Editor Yael Hanadari-Levy, Graphic Design Editor River Hayes and Hannah O’Koon, Copy Editors Frances Hoffen and Yona Splaver, Ads Editors Samantha Goldman, Online Editor

EDITORIALS

Commending anti-discrimination efforts on caste

On Tuesday Dec. 17, University President Ron Liebowitz announced that Brandeis would be adding caste to its nondiscrimination and harassment policy, becoming the first private university to do so. The term “caste” refers to one’s designation within a rigid social stratification system. This statement from the president may have come as somewhat of a surprise, with many Brandeis students unaware that such discrimination happens in the United States where there is no explicit caste system. Banning caste discrimination is an important step toward protecting Brandeis community members from discrimination.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines caste as “a system of rigid social stratification characterized by hereditary status, endogamy, and social barriers sanctioned by custom, law, or religion.”

This is the definition the University has adopted in its nondiscrimination policy, according to a Jan. 21 Justice article. The most widespread caste system is in India, where it is one of “the world’s oldest forms of surviving social stratification,” per a June 19, 2019 BCC News article. Caste is rooted in Hindu law but banned by India’s constitution, However, caste systems are not exclusive to India or Hinduism, and this board recognizes that caste is just one aspect of Hindu culture and that Hinduism itself is not being — and should not be — devalued or looked down upon.

The nondiscrimination policy simply addresses any discrimination that results from such caste systems.

Although it is not explicitly present in American culture, caste bias affects people all over the country. A Feb. 27, 2019 WGBH article detailed an account from the University of Alabama in which an Indian professor “wanted to check on the caste

background of a student whom he was considering for admission.” That student was ultimately denied admission and decided not to take legal action. However, there would have been little legal recourse available should they have chosen to pursue it, simply because there is no precedent for such a suit. Caste discrimination is not illegal in the United States, as a Feb. 28, 2019 BrandeisNOW article explains. Although Brandeis has no recorded incidents of admission denial based on caste, we are not immune to the possibility. This board commends President Liebowitz for making this change and taking steps to minimize caste discrimination at Brandeis. Through this preventative policy, the University is living up to its social justice-focused mission. In fact, the University’s mission statement explicitly cites a “need to analyze and address the ways in which social, cultural and economic inequalities affect power and privilege … at Brandeis itself.” Recent protests have called into question the administration’s commitment to the University’s founding tenets, and this amendment to our non-discrimination policy demonstrates that commitment in a tangible way.

Obviously, the nuances of caste prejudice are complex and the prejudice itself will not be eradicated at Brandeis simply because of its addition to the non-discrimination and harassment policy. Now that we have taken this first step, this board encourages the University to use its resources — including Prof. Laurence Simon (Heller), who is an expert on the caste system — to continue the efforts to minimize discrimination.

This policy will also start important conversations about a type of discrimination that students may not have considered before and shows support for students who have experienced it.

Dining improvements are a welcome development As the spring semester kicks off, many students have noticed Sodexo has raised the quality of options available for students in the dining halls and other retail locations.

Previously, students complained on a daily basis about the food Sodexo has served.

As Sodexo’s current contract comes to an end, this Board has seen improvement and hopes that the University’s future food vendor will continue with this upward trend. This board acknowledges the positive changes made by the University and Sodexo in order to satisfy the needs of students on campus.

Sherman Dining Hall has added new features which have pleasantly surprised students. For example, students have made note of Sherman’s new sauce shelf, which provides students with a larger variety in terms of flavors. Additionally, Sherman added a new miso soup station, at which students can add their own flavoring and ingredients to a broth base. Sherman also has a new sandwich area and added a stir fry station, similar to Lower Usdan’s, which may spice up the dining hall’s appeal.

The Stein has also seen an overhaul.

The menu has new options that this board hopes will eventually be introduced into dining halls permanently. This board commends Sodexo and the Brandeis dining staff for making an effort to grow and expand the options, especially for vegans and vegetarians. Among the changes to the Stein’s menu, students are now able

to order the new and popular Impossible Burger. This patty is a completely plantbased substitute for a beef hamburger patty. However, the Stein removed meal swipe options from their “late night” menu, a useful option that they instituted during last semester and that this board would like to see return. This board recognizes that Nancy Zhai ’22 campaigned to make these changes happen and commends the University and staff for following through.

This timely upgrade occurred just before the University is set to select its next food vendor, a process in which Sodexo is in the running. According to a Sept. 10 article in the Justice, the University’s contract with Sodexo will expire in June 2020.

Although these changes have been a pleasant surprise, the kosher options have seen little to no improvement. This board encourages the University — and future dining contractors — to make improvements to kosher dining the next steps.

Overall, students this semester have been much more satisfied with the food selection provided to them in the dining halls and other retail locations. As the contract with Sodexo nears its end, this board encourages Brandeis to communicate with the future vendor as to not backtrack on the progress made in the dining services this semester. This board acknowledges the dining staff in charge of this change, as well as Senate Dining Committee Zhai ’22, who worked hard to create these changes.

JEN GELLER/ the Justice and EMMA GHALILI/ the Justice

Views the News on

On Jan. 3, Iran’s Major General Qasem Soleimani, the leader of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, was killed in a targeted drone strike by U.S. forces at the command of President Donald Trump. Many have praised this operation, seeing Solemaini as an enemy responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American soldiers, and the Trump administration has claimed that he posed an imminent threat to U.S. forces in the region. Others have questioned if the threat was imminent and see the killing as a rash and poorly-timed decision that could destabilize an already volatile situation, endanger lives and start another Middle Eastern conflict. Do you believe the president was justified in ordering Soleimani’s killing, considering the broader context and the potential consequences? What do you make of Trump’s claim that Solemani posed an imminent threat to American lives in the region?

David Piergo

Eliminating Solemani reminded Iran that continuing escalation is unacceptable and killed one of the most dangerous men in the Middle East. In recent months Iran has committed frequent acts of aggression in the region. The administration’s response to all this had been relatively muted, but on January 3rd, Iran was made aware that it could not attack US forces with impunity. Solemani’s mission was to export terror and violence. He provided Shiite militias in Iraq with IED’s that killed American Soldiers. His Qud’s force maintained Bashar Al-Assad’s brutal regime in Syria and is implicated in the bombing of a Jewish center in Buenos Aires that killed 85 people. Rather than destabilizing the region, the strike will lead to a more cautious and constrained Iran. Regardless whether or not American troops were in imminent danger, it is certain that they have been made safer due to the reestablishment of deterrence and the death of well accomplished terrorist.

David Piergo is a former student of Brandeis University and is currently an active duty U.S Army soldier working as an intelligence analyst..

Prof. Gary Samore (POL) Many legal scholars consider President Trump’s order to kill General Soleimani lawful on the grounds of self defense, regardless of whether Iranian plans to attack U.S. facilities and forces in the region were “imminent.” The more difficult issue is whether the killing was wise. So far, Trump has eliminated a dangerous enemy leader without suffering serious costs. Iran’s limited retaliation allowed Trump to avoid further military attacks on Iran, which could have lead to a war that both sides wish to avoid. After the Soleimani killing, Iran announced that it would no longer be constrained by the nuclear agreement, but it has not taken any significant steps towards producing nuclear weapons. Pressure on the Iraqi government to expel U.S. forces has eased. After the tragic downing of a civilian aircraft by Iran’s military, public attention inside Iran shifted away from vengeance against the U.S. toward anger against the Islamic Republic. Going forward, the question is how Iran will react if the U.S. continues its campaign of maximum economic pressure.

Will Iran lie low, hoping to avoid provoking Trump while waiting for the U.S. Presidential elections? Or, will Iran resume attacks on oil tankers and installations in the Persian Gulf and encourage its various allies to resume attacks on U.S. personnel? In the latter case, the killing of Soleimani will not have intimidated Iran, but instead created conditions for a higher risk of military conflict between Iran and the U.S. Gary Samore is a Professor of the Practice of Politics and Crown Family Director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies.

Prof. Peter Gould (PAX)

I react as a professor. I would not be able to teach my Brandeis class if I had to face those empty seats! Those beautiful young people, back from their Persian honeymoon, back to Canada, back to their studies, back to loved ones — their lives lost in a fiery instant … all innocent collateral damage to decades of hatred. How much longer must we wake up to sorrowful news like this? I blame the patriarchy: a power-hungry autocratic narcissist beats his big chest. Religious zealots thunder back from over the sea. Dangerous tensions rise to the breaking point.

Misdirections by the leaders, too, to their own citizens: “if you impeach me, I’m going to do this.” Or, “if you protest in the streets, I’ll galvanize you into war.” Then: a drone assassination, and a missile fired in mistake, at night. And 170 people, most of them young and full of life like you, never get to see another day, and grow, and learn, and make love, make peace.

Peter Gould is a Lecturer in the Peace, Conflict, and Coexistence Studies department.

Mehmet Zorluoglu ’21 Much of the cable news and White House driven narrative surrounding the killing of Qasem Soleimani has selectively ignored aspects of heightening tensions between the US and Iran. The dominant narrative, that Soleimani is a US enemy responsible for American deaths while posing an imminent present-day threat to American lives are left as complementary rather than primary concerns in light of largely dismissed potential consequences of Trump’s decision. Apart from the fact that the President has not provided any compelling evidence of an imminent threat that the strike he ordered would have swiftly neutralized, questions of destabilization and harming the international reputation of the United States should feature more than it has in the minds of pundits and citizens alike. If intentions should play any role in assessing such decisions, then this move will surely only make destabilization and a potentially violent and bloody war, be it civil due to economic and social distress which the Iranian public blames on its own government, or with the United States which will likely be even more deadly than the disastrous Iraq War, more likely.

The potential for destabilization resulting from this decision for the Middle East in general, and Iran in particular, might be what the administration had in mind, however. That is if we can even ascribe to them any sort of coherent planning, strategy, or thought process when the buck stops with a mindless, indolent babbler.

Mehmet Zorluoglu ’21 is a Politics and Philosophy double major and is a staff writer for the Justice.

Photos: Peter Gould, David Piergo, Noah Zeitlin/Justice File Photo

THE JUSTICE ● FORUM ● TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020

Universities, don’t just divest — invest with impact

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By RACHEL BLAU SPECIAL TO THE JUSTICE

The Climate Movement’s call for divestment has been one of the most widespread and effective movements of our time. And with $617 billion in aggregate university endowments across the country, it’s important that universities invest portfolios that refrain from investing in oil and gas. But here’s the thing: our universities should do more than just divest. Rather, universities must invest in initiatives that support the kind of world we want to see. In other words, universities must start impact investing.

We can’t continue to pretend that universities are not complicit in reinforcing inequalities and contributing to climate change through our financial policies, even if we fully divest from fossil fuels. Divestment is important — critical, even. But universities, with forward thinking values and bold mission statements of social justice, should take a step further. Academic institutions should be the first to take the leap into mainstreaming impact investing and normalizing a lower financial return in favor of higher social and environmental returns.

Impact investing is a vehicle for putting your dollars towards good. This kind of investing prioritizes additivity; not only limiting harm, but creating positive impact. Impact investing enables us to be part of the solutions we care most about — renewable energy, conservation, racial and economic justice, health care and education. It shifts the flow of capital away from big banks and big funds, and instead creates opportunities to finance positive social change.

When we talk about divestment from fossil fuels, we’re asking for “Socially Responsible Investing,” or SRI — not impact investing. SRIs take a “subtractive” approach. They’ll opt to refrain from investing in companies, such as oil and gas, that contribute to fossil fuel extraction.

These ESG-focused funds, or funds focusing on environmental, social and governance factors, are important in that they create alternatives for those looking to make comparable market returns without investing in the climate crisis.

However, these funds still keep dollars in the rotating world of Wall Street; they won’t invest in fossil fuels but will remain invested in Amazon and Big Pharma, for example.

CHRISTINA KIM/ the Justice

In its long-awaited official statement on fossil fuel investment policy, the Brandeis Office of Investment Management stated in November of 2018 that it would “not divest from commingled funds that contain fossil fuel investments.” The statement also promised to review and update the university’s statement on Socially Responsible Investing, which has not been updated — to date — since 1973. Neither statement mentions anything about incorporating impact goals into its investment strategy.

In working towards alignment with institutional values, we must ask that Brandeis move beyond this initial request for divestment in accordance with the climate justice movement. We must demand investment in impact. We must start thinking about how our billion plus dollar endowment, and the

endowments of universities across the country, can be a catalyst for creating renewable energy solutions, empowering marginalized communities and working towards a more equitable society.

Right now, the global impact investing market is $502 billion, according to the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) – about $100 billion less than total US university endowments. Thus, if we put 100% of university endowments into impact, we could literally more than double the size of the entire impact investing market.

Smaller contributions would be meaningful, too. If Brandeis put 1% of their endowment into impact investing funds, we could see an additional $10.5 million dollars earmarked for impact. 3% would be $31.5 million. 10% would be $105 million. That’s not nothing.

There are many ways we could invest in impact. Universities should start by researching local funds. Here in Boston, we have numerous options for impact funds. Boston Impact Initiative, BlueHub Capital and Sunwealth are all investing directly in racial and economic justice, affordable housing, healthcare, childcare, education and environmental sustainability. They are putting dollars behind things that matter. Most cities have local funds like these, and many have united under the umbrella of the New Economy Coalition.

Divestment is important. But our financial strategy shouldn’t just be about not doing bad; we need to hold ourselves accountable for being a part of the solution. It’s time our institutions start living our values. It’s time we start impact investing.

Seventh Democratic debate: recap and candidate rankings

By MEHMET ZORLUOGLU JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The seventh Democratic debate on Tuesday marked the final debate before the Iowa caucus takes place and the race officially gets underway. It was befitting of the night that the debate was held in Iowa, which was no doubt a deliberate choice on the part of the DNC. Among the storylines which soaked up the most media attention in the leadup to the debate was a report that at a 2018 meeting between Senators Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, Sanders told her he thought a woman could not win the presidency in the United States. After Sanders publicly denied the report, it set the stage for a contentious argument on debate night over what really happened at the meeting. Moreover, questions abounded over whether this story was deliberately leaked by the Warren campaign in the leadup to Iowa for political gain — as the meeting had taken place at least a year and a half prior to the debate — and whether one of the two was playing fast and loose with the facts. Overall though, it was a fairly uneventful debate with no clear winners of the night.

Bernie Sanders — B+ Sanders came into the night with controversy hanging over his head, which the media did little to assuage. He made a public statement labelling the accusation that he told Warren a woman could not win “ludicrous” and denying that he made such a statement. When asked about it again on the debate stage, he denied it once again, pointing viewers towards YouTube videos of him decades prior saying that he did in fact think a woman could win the presidency, as well as his push to draft Warren to run in 2016 as evidence that he would not make such a statement. The framing the moderators chose to take by asking Sanders his side of the story, and then turning to Warren and asking her directly how she felt when Sanders did say this to her,

drew incredulous laughter from the audience as well as Sanders himself. It seemed to ignore the fact that there was a disagreement over what was said, with little evidence except for their own word in favor of both Warren and Sanders.

After Sanders and Warren seemed to lay that controversy to rest — at least for the remainder of the debate — Sanders did well in articulating a vision for America and inspiring confidence in his ability to help build the movement necessary to accomplish those goals. It was a decent night for Sanders, who has seen a favorable run of polls as of late, both nationally and in the early voting states. It is difficult to predict how this Warren-Sanders controversy will play out for both of them; although there are some reports suggesting that both camps want to leave this disagreement in the past, there may be supporters — particularly online — of both camps willing to dwell on it far longer than either candidate would.

Elizabeth Warren — B+ Warren came into the night on somewhat of a slide, both in polls and in nomination betting markets, with Bloomberg creeping up on her odds of winning in the latter. She had a good night as well, albeit troubled with the same controversy that was looming over Sanders.

When the moderator asked about how she felt when Sanders told her a woman could not win, she turned her answer into a rallying cry to support women candidates because they can and have won races nationwide. She was also quick to point out that the two women on stage, she and Klobuchar, have never lost an election, whereas the men have lost 10 between them. The other noticeable theme of her debate performance was bringing many disparate issues back to the problem of corruption and how she will attack corruption head-on. It certainly seems like winning framing, but does call into question the all-important confounding variable of how

trustworthy the messenger of “Washington is corrupt” is. For example, Buttigieg seems to be employing a similar tactic, with the added appeal of bringing new blood into Washington, but which of the two will be more successful in delivering that message in a believable way remains an open question.

Joe Biden — B+ Former Vice President Biden had a solid debate performance. If trust — both personally in the candidate and in who is best suited to beat Trump — is the crux of this campaign, it seems like Biden is, at this point, the most unshakably solid candidate on those benchmarks. Sanders has attempted to distinguish himself repeatedly on the Iraq War vote to no avail. This may eventually oblige Sanders to push a bit harder on the main differences between them, although he has proven hesitant to push his opponents too hard, as he was against Hillary Clinton in 2016.

Despite Sanders’ attempts, the crowd and voters at home seem to have a certain level of trust and belief in Biden on issues of foreign policy, perhaps lauding or at least acknowledging Biden’s experience and merely “being there” for a long time as instilling a certain level of confidence. Overall, Biden performed decently and saw no incoming attacks fired his way, which was interesting given he still appears to lead in the polls, at least nationally. Perhaps it is a matter of candidates wanting a state win under their belt before going on the attack, or simply risk-aversion among all the candidates at being the first to go full throttle on the attack, which is how some characterized Kamala Harris’ first debate performance, which eventually only led to an early campaign exit. It may be the case that in a climate where Democrats simply want to defeat Trump and will view any attacks from fellow Democrats as mud-slinging which should not be tolerated, nobody wants to break the unspoken truce.

Amy Klobuchar — B Senator Klobuchar had a good night as well, but suffered insofar as I thought she was mostly overshadowed by some of the other controversy going on. She has seen a marked improvement in her debate performances since the early stages of the campaign, so it is no surprise to see her among the last six remaining on the stage — or five if you call into question some of the antics and sheer ad-buy bombardment used

by Steyer to get on stage. Klobuchar had strong rhetoric with good points sprinkled throughout the night.

There was one awkward moment where she forgot the name of a female politician who she wanted to invoke, which became fodder for late night comedy shows such as The Daily Show and Colbert. Ultimately, the question for her campaign might be (i) whether much of this late push for votes in Iowa comes too little too late, and (ii) whether there is even a specific lane or niche that she can carve out in a field this crowded.

Pete Buttigieg — BFormer Mayor Buttigieg has undeniably mastered the art of politician-speak, which consists of either responding to questions by evading them altogether, by changing the topic or simply repeating the problems either explicit or implicit in the question without offering up his own solution or plan of action.

This plan of attack for debate questions only continued throughout the night, and, as an outside observer, it seems to me that Buttigieg’s charm and erudite articulation has lost the spark it might have had earlier in the campaign when more people were undecided. It was not a bad night for Buttigieg, but he has seemingly fallen to more of an afterthought to Biden, Sanders, and Warren, rather than remaining competitive with the trio.

The opinions expressed on this page are those of each article’s respective author and do not reflect the viewpoint of the Justice.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020● FORUM ● THE JUSTICE

FORUM

The Sanders-Warren feud is bad for everyone involved Trevor FILSETH

SANITY

Tuesday night’s Democratic debate defied my expectations and remained largely civil.

I wasn’t thrilled that my first choice, Andrew Yang, had been excluded because of a dearth of early January polling, but the remaining candidates had a nuanced discussion of foreign policy and largely steered clear of personal attacks. The one notable exception to this broader trend of civility, however, was the messy onstage breakup of progressive candidates Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren.

It’s clear by now that Senators Sanders (IVT) and Warren (D-MA) are natural allies with well-established progressive bona fides.

Warren was instrumental in the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which regulated banks in the aftermath of the 2007 collapse. Sanders’ progressive credentials stretch back decades; his 2016 campaign centered around an opposition to Hillary Clinton from the left. The two candidates worked together in the Senate, their campaign policies are remarkably similar and they have clearly drawn inspiration from one another in the past.

However, some of their respective supporters have always remained wary of one another. In June 2016, after Hillary Clinton won the California primary and secured the majority of delegates, Warren endorsed her over Sanders for the presidency. It’s worth noting that President Obama and Vice President Biden endorsed Clinton on the same day, but Sanders-supporting progressives quickly singled out Warren for criticism, arguing that even though her positions were closer to Sanders’, she had thrown him under the bus for political points. This tension died down after the election, but provided those with an axe to grind against Warren an arguably valid justification for doing so.

The essence of the current Sanders-Warren feud originates in differing accounts of a closed-door meeting that the two held in December 2018. Though the details remain unclear, it has been commonly reported that Sanders and Warren, both of whom planned to seek the Democratic nomination in 2020, made an informal agreement to avoid opposing one another in public. Since they compete for the same base of voters, for either to have any chance of clinching the nomination, one would eventually need the support of the other.

This agreement may have ended last week.

During Tuesday night’s debate, Warren alleged that Sanders had told her privately

AMANDA PYUN/ the Justice

during the December 2018 meeting that he did not believe a woman could win the 2020 election, a contention that Sanders vigorously denies. Though they did not discuss it further during the debate, the two of them were recorded on a hot mic afterwards accusing one another of lying. That seems to be the only possible conclusion; if there is a middle ground between their positions, it is a very small one.

I won’t try to make the judgement of who is telling the truth and who is not. I will observe, however, that whatever else one thinks about Sanders, he’s nothing if not ideologically consistent; for better or worse, he’s been advocating for the same collection of populist policies since he was mayor of Burlington, Vermont in the 1980s. There’s footage of him on YouTube encouraging a classroom of young girls to run for President one day. It’s certainly possible that Sanders believes that many Americans will not vote for a woman, but it seems a stretch for him to think that this would automatically disqualify Warren.

After their sniping on Tuesday night, neither Warren nor Sanders has commented on the incident, and both have since been drawn away from the campaign trail to serve as jurors on President Trump’s impeachment trial. The same cannot be said of their respective fanbases, which have turned on one another with surprising vitriol. This is especially true of Sanders’ adherents on social media, who have inundated Elizabeth Warren’s pages with insulting comments and the “snake” emoji. They have also targeted CNN, whose moderator Abby Phillip was widely ridiculed for asking Warren how she had reacted to the statement that Sanders had made without acknowledging that he denied making it.

Whatever one thinks of CNN and of Warren, though, the debacle reflects particularly badly on Sanders’ partisans on social media, whose smear campaign against Warren straddles the boundary between largely unfair criticism and overt misogyny. This has resurrected old fears that some of Sanders’ adherents — the

“Bernie bros” — support him out of opposition to the women in the race, ironically providing evidence for Sanders’ supposed point.

For more mainstream liberals, it’s hard to see the feud as anything other than a needless division within the Democrats’ ranks. One anonymous Democratic operative described it as “the most idiotic thing [he’d] ever seen.”

Indeed, it’s hard to see what Senators Sanders and Warren are thinking. Whether or not her allegation against him is true, the strategic calculus for both candidates remains the same as it was in December 2018 — they need to pick up the other’s base if the other drops out before they do. This isn’t likely to happen if the two candidates or their supporters are at each other’s throats about an off-the-cuff remark made over a year ago.

In that sense, the only real beneficiaries of the unraveling of the left will be the candidates that both Sanders and Warren hope to defeat — Biden, Buttigieg, Klobuchar, and eventually Trump. The two senators’ adherents ought to take note.

Exploring the tragic contemporary global loneliness epidemic

By JAVAID IQBAL JUSTICE CONTIBUTING WRITER

When we speak about loneliness, we often imagine an old person living in solitude. To a certain extent, our imaginations do not deceive us. The loneliness epidemic amongst Baby Boomers has attracted a great deal of attention over the last few years, and rightly so; one of every 11 is growing old without a support system. However, a major survey of over 55,000 people conducted by the BBC found that the loneliest individuals are not the Baby Boomers, but those aged between 16 and 24. Loneliness among the youth is an epidemic that is found all over the world. Research done by Cigna and market research firm Ipsos found that young people age 18 to 22 are most likely to be lonely in the U.S. In another study conducted by the American Sociological Review, the average person in the U.S. claims to only have one close friend.

Young people are profoundly affected by loneliness because they are still trying to discover themselves, they are out of school and they do not have any institutional securities.

They don’t know how and where to meet other people and end up staying home. South Korea has 5.6 million one-person households while Japan has more than half a million people under 40 who haven’t left their house or interacted with anyone for at least six months.

This pattern can be observed worldwide.

Over the course of six months, lonely people are more likely to experience higher rates of depression, social anxiety and paranoia. The World Economic Forum estimated that the

direct and indirect costs of mental health care amount to over 4% of global Gross Domestic Product, more than the cost of cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory disease combined.

This could cost the global economy up to $16 trillion between 2010 and 2030 if the collective failure to respond is not addressed.

Former Surgeon-General of the United States Vivek Murthy has called loneliness an epidemic and has compared its impact to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. A Dutch study, published in December 2012, demonstrated that people who feel lonely are more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s (and other forms of dementia) than those who do not feel lonely.

Social media is often blamed for the loneliness, depression and anxiety experienced by the youth worldwide. In India, 23% of students are logging more than eight hours on their smartphones daily because of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out). However, we shouldn’t rush to put all the blame on social media. There is no consensus about the impact of social media on the mental health of young adults, as loneliness affects each person differently.

The effects of prolonged Internet usage on the human brain do not appear to directly translate into negative behaviors. Social media is not inherently bad. Isolation among the young has always been there and social media only brought it to light.

Dating apps were supposed to act as a panacea for loneliness, but have not been very helpful. Excessive choices can lead us to doubt ourselves, incite feelings of frustration and have unrealistic expectations. These apps also make people insecure about themselves,

which further depresses them. Research by the University of North Texas found that men who use Tinder had lower levels of satisfaction with their appearances and even lower levels of selfesteem than those not on the dating app.

Loneliness is subjective; it’s an emotional rather than a physical state. A person can have a great social life, friends and family and still feel lonely. It’s the difference between the social relationships you want and the relationships you currently have.

Our society also has played a very important role in pushing young people to loneliness. As a community, we tend to celebrate individual achievements more, and success is determined by what we do instead of how we live our lives.

In many eastern cultures, including my own, acknowledging your loneliness is equivalent to confessing absolute failure.

Young people are made constantly aware that everything they do has to have a purpose; they lose the chance to have conversations with peers which could help them build relationships which could later develop into their personal support system. Sharing experiences with each other will help in dealing with isolation among young people. Humans react emotionally when they hear about other people’s experiences.

These conversations enhance mutual feelings of validation and encouragement and can eventually lead to improved self-esteem.

Parents and counselors also need to play a role in teaching young people about the friendships and what it means to be a good friend. We need to normalize feelings of loneliness, and the innate human need to connect should not be seen as a weakness. Furthermore, health

The opinions expressed on this page are those of each article’s respective author and do not reflect the viewpoint of the Justice.

education classes need to discuss the social well-being of young people. Classes that incorporate social health in the curriculum can help navigate young people who are experiencing loneliness. Additionally, digital tools such as XiaoIce, which was designed to socialize with users, can also be used to help young people develop social confidence and practice new skills within a safe space, where they have control over the interactions.

Human beings are born social, and it’s critical for people living alone to seek social support. The negative feelings that people feel can be greatly reduced by simply talking to friends or family, which would result in improved mental and physical health and would also improve the overall quality of life quality of young people worldwide.

The society we live in needs to realize that loneliness is a prevalent problem amongst young people. Only then can we take steps to tackle it. A campaign was launched in Britain called “Let’s talk loneliness.” This has helped to engage people in this difficult conversation.

One grant of $640 was given to a Birmingham group to buy board games and start a game club.

In another example of people trying to help young people volunteers meet up or speak to people on the phone who are feeling a sense of loneliness through the wolfpack project.

Another group in Denmark Ventilen offers young people a place where they regularly meet for conversations. We need such organic solutions in all cultures and societies so more young people have someone to talk with, which would help them in alleviating their loneliness.

THE JUSTICE ● SPORTS ● TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020

GOSMAN: Judges’ lockers refurbished CONTINUED FROM 16 experience. The timing of the women’s locker room renovation had to do with funding as well, Haynie wrote.

“We were able to create team rooms for each of our programs with the new team rooms including new lockers, flooring and paint,” Haynie said. “In addition, we were

13

LUCKY #13

able to upgrade the flooring in many of the existing team rooms.

There will be additional work over the next 2–3 years to upgrade the lockers and paint all team rooms.”

According to Rand, locker registrations from the old locker room did not carry over to the new locker room. To register a new locker, individuals are instructed to contact Athletics Department Coordinator Kerri Lebel.

FIERCE FOCUS

Photo Courtousy of CREATIVE COMMONS

POWER POSE: Randolph talks to MLB umpire Gary Cederstrom during his time with the Baltimore Orioles.

RANDOLPH: Baseball legend discusses US pastime CONTINUED FROM 16

NOAH ZEITLIN/Justice File Photo

WE WANT THREE: Brandeis' Lawrence Sabir '21 dribbles the ball to the hoop in a game on Nov. 18, 2019.

have different personalities and let them show their personalities and flourish and be who they are, I don’t think you can try to mold players into one way; be yourself, be who you are and have fun.” Currently, Randolph is one of the coaches of the United States Baseball team.

Randolph’s team recently finished fourth behind Mexico, meaning that they did not yet qualify for the 2020 Olympics yet. Even though the team lost, Randolph believes that the team

will “get the job done” in March.

As said above, Randolph has a career filled with accomplishments.

Some players can only dream of going to the Olympics: “It would be pretty much the cherry on top. I just want to be a part of that energy in representing the United States in the Olympics. That is something that I have never done before, and I am excited about it, and that to me would be a really cool thing to have a gold medal with a United States winning team.”

We also had the opportunity to speak to Randolph about how

baseball has been evolving in the way players play and the new technological advancements. He believes that even though analytics is a huge part of the game, a manager needs to remember that if you analyze too much, you forget that the players are human. You need to have a nice blend of analytics and gut instinct. In the interview, he said, “Joe Torre always said to me, 'Willie never forgets the game is played with a heartbeat ...If you get so analytical, the players think that they are just a number; you lose that human element.’”

MBBALL: Team enters 2020 on hot streak CONTINUED FROM 16 Lien extended the Judges lead to 66–62 with a three pointer. Brandeis saw out the final 90 seconds with a final tally of 71–66, ending their non-conference schedule with an impressive 8–3 record.

Judges 76, NYU 71 Brandeis won their conference opener over the New York University Violets on Jan. 11 at Hunter College in Manhattan. Sawyer continued his red-hot form with a game high 19 points while Hagerty and Lien each had 12. Hagerty and Jones each had eight rebounds while Jones dished out five assists. Sam Nassar ’22 started his first game of the season and Darret Justice ’23 played 17 minutes off the bench. The Judges hit 12 of their 35 three point attempts and were outrebounded 36–26 in the victory.

The Judges jumped out to a 21–10 lead at the 11-minute mark of the first

half and took a 46–36 lead into halftime, having led by as much as 19.

Three-pointers by Justice and Austin Clamage ’21 put the Judges ahead 59–44 seven minutes into the second frame, but NYU followed with a 10–3 run to make it a seven point game. The Violets pulled within four on two occasions midway through the second half before cutting the lead to 70–69 with just under two minutes left.

The teams traded layups in the final minute before free throws by Sawyer sealed the game for the Judges at 76–71.

Judges 76, Rochester 54 The Judges put together an incredible first half in front of a strong crowd at Auerbach Arena for a comfortable blowout win against the University of Rochester Yellowjackets.

Sawyer scored 24 while Hagerty added 18, but the story of the game was the Judges’ three point shooting in the first half. They finished 8–12 from beyond after 20 minutes, having made each of their first five attempts. There

was not much the visitors could do as they ran into a Judges’ team that put in their best home performance of the season so far.

Lien opened the scoring with a three pointer 23 seconds in to give the Judges the lead for good. Sawyer, the University Athletic Conference’s second most efficient three point shooter made it 6–2 after 1:50. The tone for the night was permanently set when 6’10” center Mike Gao ’23 knocked down a three from the wing with the shot clock running out at the 16 minute mark. The Judges took care of business in the second half, leading by as much as 28 en route to a final score of 76–54. The atmosphere inside Auerbach arena was loud and matched the product on the court for the opening home game of the semester.

The Judges matched their offensive performance with stout defense all half and led 43–20 against a team which came into the game sporting the same 9–3 record.

Judges 75, Emory 73 The team made it six straight wins with a thrilling upset at home over the Emory University Eagles. Nolan Hagerty paced the Judges with 21 points while also adding 14 rebounds, three assists and two blocks. Chandler Jones scored 19, followed by Eric D’Aguanno with 12. Matan Zucker was impressive off the bench, posting a team-high four assists in only 15 minutes. The Judges’ offense struggled at times, committing 16 turnovers, 12 in the first half and shooting 4–15 as a team from beyond the arc. They held an Emory side which had averaged nearly 90 points per game to 28-70 from the floor, including 3–17 from deep.

The home team started hot, taking a 9–2 lead after 4:08, but Emory responded with a 12–1 scoring run to take a four point lead. It was back and forth the rest of the first half, with Brandeis taking a 34–32 lead into the break. However, the Eagles could have had the lead had they not gone 1-6 from the free throw line in the first half.

A layup by Hagerty put the Judges in front 41–34 early in the second half, and then another layup from the sophomore gave them a nine point lead at the 12 minute mark. The visitors, who entered the game 12–1 with their only loss coming by a point on a buzzer beater, fought back to lead 62–60 with six minutes left. Jones responded with one of the Judges’ four three pointers to regain the lead, but Emory tied the game again at 67 shortly after.

Brandeis scored the game’s next six, leading 73–67 with 1:31 on the clock. A lane violation nullified a Hagerty free throw which would have brought the lead to seven, and the mistake proved significant. Emory took advantage of a five second violation and a pair of fouls to tie the game at 0:22. Jones drove to the basket in the waning seconds, but his attempt was blocked, only for D’Aguanno to find the loose ball and float it in for the game winner with eight tenths remaining.

The Judges are now 11–3 (3–0) and travel to the Midwest next weekend.

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THE JUSTICE

JUDGES BY THE NUMBERS

● SPORTS ●

TUESDAY, JANUARY 21 , 2020

15

Team IMPACT

MEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM STATS

UAA STANDINGS

Emory Rochester WashU Carnegie JUDGES Case NYU Chicago

UAA Conf.

W L D 3 0 0 3 0 0 2 1 0 1 2 0 1 2 0 1 2 0 1 2 0 0 3 0

Points Per Game

W L 12 2 11 3 12 2 10 4 8 6 8 6 6 8 7 7

D Pct. 0 .857 0 .786 0 .857 0 .714 0 .571 0 .571 0 .429 0 .500

Jan. 24 at Washington University Jan. 26 at University of Chicago

Collin Sawyer ’20 leads the team with 14.7 points per game.

Player PPG Collin Sawyer 14.7 Chandler Jones 15.2 Eric D’Aguanno 11.4

Rebounds Per Game Noah Hagerty ’22 leads the team with 7.7 rebounds per game.

Player REB/G Noah Hagerty 7.7 Chandler Jones 7.4 Lawrence Sabir 3.8

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM STATS

UAA STANDINGS UAA Conf.

W L D JUDGES 3 0 0 NYU 3 0 0 Chicago 2 1 0 Emory 2 1 0 WashU 1 2 0 Carnegie 1 2 0 Rochester 0 0 0 Case 0 0 0

UPCOMING GAMES:

Points Per Game

Overall W L D Pct. 8 1 0 .875 7 1 0 .875 7 2 0 .778 6 2 0 .750 5 2 0 .714 4 3 0 .571 5 4 0 .556 3 6 0 .333

Jan. 24 at Washington University Jan. 26 at University of Chicago

Camila Casaneuva ’21 leads the team with 13.3 points per game.

Player PPG Camila Casaneuva 13.3 Hannah Nicholson 12.6 Jillian Petrie 8.9

Rebounds Per Game

Hannah Nicholson ’20 leads with 9.3 rebounds per game.

Player REB/G Hannah Nicholson 9.3 Camila Casaneuva 5.9 Courtney Thrun 5.5

Results from Keene State on Jan. 18.

TOP FINISHERS (Women’s)

100-yard Freestyle

200-yard Freestyle

SWIMMER TIME Tamir Zitelny 49.17 Marcelo Ohno-Machado 49.52 Thomas Alger 51.38

SWIMMER TIME Audrey Kim 2:04.50 Natalya Wozab 2:07.64 Sofia Chevez 2:09.89

UPCOMING MEETS:

Jan. 25 against Wellesley College and Merrimack College Feb. 1 at Clark College

TRACK AND FIELD Results from the Emmanuel College Indoor Season Opener on Dec. 8

TOP FINISHERS (Men’s)

TOP FINISHERS (Women’s)

RUNNER TIME Lorenzo Maddox 7.36 Reese Farquhar 7.44 Patrick Quinlan 7.58

RUNNER TIME Devin Hiltunen 26.41 Anna Touitou 27.28 Sydney D’Amaddio 27.95

200 Meter Dash

60 Meter Dash

UPCOMING MEETS:

Jack joins Team IMPACT ■ Men’s basketball, in partnership with Team IMPACT, drafted Jack Dollar.

SWIMMING AND DIVING TOP FINISHERS (Men’s)

NOAH ZEITLIN/the Justice

PICTURE TIME: Brandeis mens basketball’s newest team member, Jack Dollar, celebrates his draft with the team on Dec. 12.

Data Courtesy of THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS ASSOCIATION and the BRANDEIS ATHLETICS WEBSITE; Images Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS.

Jan. 24 at Terrier Classic Jan. 31 at Branwen Smith-King Invitational

By JEN GELLER JUSTICE EDITOR

In partnership with Team IMPACT, the Brandeis men’s basketball team drafted Jack Dollar to be part of their team on Dec. 12, 2019. According to a Newton Wickedlocal article, Dollar, an 11-year-old resident of Newton, is a student at the Campus School at Boston College and lives with epilepsy.

“We were very excited for Jack’s signing day,” one of the men’s basketball captains, Collin Sawyer ’20, said in an email to the Justice on Dec. 21. He added that Dollar was able to attend a toy drive and basketball clinic in the week after his signing.

“He will attend as many home games as possible wearing his Brandeis jersey and hopefully sit at the end of our bench. We will make an effort to keep him involved in all activities we do on and off the court,” Sawyer wrote.

Team IMPACT is a national nonprofit organization that is based out of Boston that matches children facing chronic or serious illnesses with the athletic teams

of colleges and universities across the country. According to the the Newton Wickedlocal article, Team IMPACT has matched 1,900 children to teams in 48 states at over 500 colleges and universities. Over 55,000 student athletes from these schools participate in these partnerships.

These partnerships aim to increase a child’s optimism and confidence and give them a greater sense of belonging.

The men’s basketball team marks the eighth Brandeis program in the past ten years to partner with Team IMPACT. According to an article about Dollar’s drafting on the Brandeis Athletics website, the men’s and women’s soccer teams, softball team and volleyball team also have Team IMPACT members of their teams. The baseball team and men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have had members of their teams from Team IMPACT in the past.

Sawyer explained that Dollar was matched with their team, when one of the assistant coaches, LJ Harrington, reachied out to the Team IMPACT program to try to start the partnership He added that the process of getting a match can be lengthy, but in this case the team was lucky and received a match quickly. “About a month ago, we found out we would be gaining a

new member through Team Impact and we were able to meet Jack for the first time a few weeks ago,” Sawyer wrote. The team met Jack, his sister Charlotte and his parents as they took a tour of the Brandeis Athletics facilities.

The signing on Dec. 12 was attended by the men’s basketball team, Brandeis Athletic staff, Jack’s family and other members of the Team IMPACT community. At the event, Jack physically signed onto the basketball team and received a Brandeis basketball jersey of his own to signify his membership on the team. The attendees had their photos taken and enjoyed a cake served to celebrate the signing.

Sawyer told the Justice that he thinks all Brandeis Athletics teams should partner with Team IMPACT. He said, “You have to understand that these programs really make a difference for these kids because they really benefit from the positive relationships they build. They are being given the chance to be on a team and experience something we often take for granted. This program makes you really appreciate the opportunity we have to be part of collegiate athletics.” He added that the team is looking forward to getting to know Dollar better throughout their season.

PRO SPORTS BRIEF

Catching up with Joe Burrow, the National Football League and National Basketball Association Ball Talk with Jon Soc is back! Here I am for some pro-sports talk for the first time in a little bit. Let’s dive in!

First a quick Geaux Tigers, and a big shout out to Joe Burreux on winning the college football championship,and completing an undefeated season! The Louisiana State University Tigers have recently won their first college football championship in the last 15 years behind what could very likely be their best team of all time. Full of future draft picks and two potential top-10 picks in quarterback Joe Burrow and wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, the LSU offense and defense were both full of studs top to bottom. Coach Ed states, “The day I stop working out is the day I die.” Ed Orgeron was giving a second shot at coaching almost 10 years after his stint at Ole Miss and it has paid off with him winning the conference and the National championship for the first time.

Second, Joe Burrow had 65 total touchdowns, threw 60 touchdowns, rushed for five, threw for 5671 yards, and had 402 completions with a 76.3% completion rate and 10.8 yards per attempt. Ja’Marr Chase had 20 touchdowns, an average of 20 yards from scrimmage per play and caught 84 passes for 1780 yards. In short, these two had seasons that when you look at the stats make you go “Well, thats just stupid.”

Third, Tom Brady is not leaving the New England Patriots, and he’s already said he isn’t retiring. Leave

me alone.

Fourth, the Titans are the perfect example of why the sport of football might be the best sport to watch in America, and possibly the world.

To show why the Titans are the first example of this, I’m first going to explain what makes football such a good sport to watch. The stakes; football is a 16-game regular season and a single elimination postseason.

Every game is important. A two-game slide can take a 9–7 wild card team to 7–9 lottery team. Second, extremely complicated rules are actually some of the best parts of football. Yes, people don’t always know what’s happening and that’s cool. It’s like watching a chess match with really heavy and tall men running into each other. Third, the strategy, due to the multitude of ways to score. You can score in football by throwing it to someone in the end zone, running it into the end zone, passing it and the catcher running into end zone, kicking the ball through the uprights and running the other team’s quarterback out the back of the end zone. These three factors all combine to mean that a team with a few lucky draws for matchup and who’s hot at the right time can go on a crazy postseason run.

That is, the Tennessee Titans stealing gimmick time wasting plays from the New England Patriots and using them against: the Pats, using Tannehill for rushing touchdowns, and Derrick Henry as a football Lebron James has netted them wins against my two

favorites to win the conference, The Patriots and the Ravens.

Fifth, I’m not worried about Trevor Lawrence. He lost a game, so does literally everyone.

Sixth, basketball talk is back. The Memphis Grizzlies are amazing.

Currently sitting at the eighth seed in the western conference, if the Grizzlies make the playoffs they would have the lowest average age of a team to ever make the playoffs.

Their closing lineup against the Houston Rockets featured 20-year-old Ja Morant, 21-year-old De’Anthony Melton, 23 year old Dillon brooks, 23-year-old Brandon Clarke, and 20 year old Jaren Jackson Jr. The average age of this lineup that closed out a win against a Championship Contender was 21.3 years old. There are multiple players on our Brandeis Judges that are older than that! The Grizzlies also have great and useful veterans in Jonas Valanciunas, Jae Crowder, Solomon Hill and Tyus Jones. This Grizzlies team won’t be making it to the finals this season, but they have the makings of a team that is going to absolutely dominate the league in years to come.

Seventh, as the antithesis of the grizzlies youth movement, the Los Angeles Lakers, currently the number one seed in the Western Conference, would be the oldest team to ever make the playoffs — if they make the playoffs this year — a pretty safe bet. The Lakers have been taking the league by storm since their

three-game skid, going on a ninegame winning streak winning games without Lebron James and Anthony Davis. This Lakers team is sneakily deep and this will be obvious come playoff time when they show all the interesting looks they can put out as a squad.

Eighth, Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan were known at the time for being some of the biggest complainers in the league when they played together. Patrick Beverly, Montrezl Harrell, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard keep this moniker up.

Kawhi Leonard has already picked up multiple technical fouls this season, something we never saw from him before this season. These Clippers bring no effort on defense, and a lax effort on offense. It’s halfway through the season and yet they still lack an offensive identity, still don’t try on defense and are acting like they won the championship last year. At some point you have to build chemistry with your teammates, the whole starting five and Lou Will have barely played any games together, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard have barely played together and Doc is running very few practices due to Kawhi’s injury concerns. I don’t see this team going to the finals unless they have a serious change in philosophy before the playoffs. They are running out of time to flip the “on switch” and I’m starting to doubt that it will be there for roundafter-round come playoff time.

Ninth, the Utah Jazz traded Dante

Exum and two second round picks to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Jordan Clarkson. In his first game as a Jazz, Clarkson scored more points than Exum had scored all season. Since the trade 10 games ago, the Utah Jazz have won 10 games. Nice. Sitting on the second seed in the West, despite being out of the playoff picture earlier in the year, has become a classic Utah Jazz moment. Despite their current success, they will be tested soon with a 14-game stretch starting the 25th of January and consisting of the Mavericks twice, the Rockets three times, the Spurs twice, the Nuggets twice, the Blazers twice, the Heat, Suns, and finally the Celtics. Time to see if the Jazz are contenders or pretenders.

Tenth, the OKC Thunder decided not to tank. In fact they’re the seventh seed right now. Chris Paul leads the league in clutch scoring, Shai Gilgeous Alexander might be one of the best young guards in the league, Danilo Gallinari is scoring like a machine, Steven Adams is averaging a career high in rebounds, and Dennis Schroeder is looking more and more like the player he was drafted to be.

To make matters better, this thunder team is loaded with future picks they can trade for more value or keep and see what kind of players they can get in the future. Whatever OKC does, I would not want to face this hungry team come playoff time.

—Jonathan Sochaczevski

just Sports Page 16

CATCHING UP WITH THE SEASONS Read about Joe Burrow, the National Football League and National Basketball Association, p. 15.

PRO SPORTS INTERVIEW

NEW AND IMPROVED

A few minutes with baseball legend Willie Randolph ■ Willie Randolph, a former MLB player, coach and manager, continues to contribute to the sport he loves as a coach for the U.S. Baseball team.

By EMMA GHALILI JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Willie Randolph is a former Major League Baseball player, coach and manager. Throughout his lengthy career, he won six World Series championships, was awarded the Silver Slugger award and is a Monument Park honoree. At the age of 65, Randolph is currently still contributing his expertise to the sport he loves as one of the coaches for the United States Baseball team.

Randolph was born in Brownsville, Brooklyn and started playing for the New York Yankees at the young age of 21. Even though he was young,as he explained in an interview with the Justice, “I always played against and with guys that were older than me, so I was never really intimidated. I would get maybe a little anxious—I think that it is ok to be anxious.” At a young age,

Waltham, Mass.

Tuesday, January 21, 2020

Randolph played baseball and tried to perfect his craft. Even though hitting a baseball is one of the hardest things to do in sports and most people claim that you have to be born with the talent, he believes that “you can be born with certain gifts, guys, but you really have to work on your craft and practice and you have to really love the game because it is a really frustrating game.”

As a player and a manager, having a good relationship with other players on the team is something that is very important to Randolph, because it is essential for players to communicate on the field without actually speaking.

His key to get a cohesive team environment is trust. In the same interview with the Justice, he stated, “You have to earn trust and try to get to know them as people, not just as ballplayers. Sometimes we lose sight of the fact that this is a fun game.” As a manager, he has worked with a lot of different personalities in MLB, but he said that his secret to handling all the different personalities is that he likes to “find guys on my team that

See RANDOLPH, 13

☛

MEN'S BASKETBALL

Men’s basketball goes 6-0 in 2020 ■ The Judges men’s basketball team has won their last six games, including a last-second win over thirdranked Emory on Sunday.

By JONAH WHITE JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Judges 65, Bowdoin 62 On Jan. 2, Brandeis defeated the Bowdoin College Polar Bears in an encounter decided by three points.

Four different Judges scored double digits, led by 16 from Chandler Jones ’21. Nolan Hagerty ’22 added 10 points to go with 10 rebounds, while Collin Sawyer ’20 and Eric D’Aguanno ’20 scored 11 each. Lawrence Sabir ’21 also put on a good performance, with six points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals.

After allowing the first four points, the visitors went on a 15–0 run. The Judges stretched the lead to 26–10 with 8:44 left in the first half. An 11–3 run for Bowdoin made it 29–21 with five minutes remaining before Brandeis took a 42–29 advantage going into halftime.

The Judges matched their largest lead of the game at 46–30 just 80 seconds into the second period before the Polar Bears cut it to 49–39 at the 14:18 mark. Neither team scored for a full three minutes before Dylan Lien ‘23 made a pair of free throws to put the Judges up by 12. After a free throw by Matan Zucker ’23, Bowdoin scored 11 straight points to bring the score within two before Sawyer made the Judges’ first field goal in

nine minutes and 48 seconds to make it 54–50. Brandeis led 63–54 with two and a half minutes to go before eight straight points by Bowdoin brought the score within a point with 31 seconds remaining. A steal by Sabir and the ensuing free throw with a second on the clock sealed the 65–62 victory.

Judges 71, Bates 66 On Jan. 7, Sawyer and D’Aguanno led the way against the Bates College Bobcats, scoring 20 and 14 points respectively. Hagerty led the team with nine rebounds while Sabir filled up the stat sheet with eight points, six assists, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Sawyer was remarkably efficient from range, knocking down six of the nine triples he attempted, helping the Judges go 13–28 from behind the arc as a team.

Brandeis had to come from behind as a 15–14 lead turned into a 39–22 deficit near the end of the first half.

The Judges finished with their best passage of the half, ending it on a 9–2 run which was highlighted by a Sabir block and coast-to-coast layup.

The hosts picked up where they left off after the break, cutting the deficit to one at 43–42 at the end of a 20–4 run spanning both halves. Sawyer tied the game at 45 and the Judges took their first lead since 12:52 of the first half when Hagerty converted two free throws to make it 55–54. It was extremely tight down the stretch with the teams locked within two points of each other from 8:14 until there was just 1:33 left in the game.

See MBBALL, 13 ☛

NATALIA WIATER/the Justice

REOPENED: Brandeis’ women’s locker room in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center has had two months of renovation.

University unveils locker room renovations ■ After two months of renovation, the women’s locker room in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center is finished.

By JEN GELLER JUSTICE EDITOR

The women’s general locker room in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center reopened last Thursday after almost two months of renovations. The process involved the creation of new varsity team locker rooms as well as a gender inclusive locker room space.

In the first of many emailed updates, Senior Associate Athletic Director Tom Rand notified registered locker occupants on Nov. 14 to remove their belongings by 2 p.m. on Nov. 27, 2019 in order

for the renovations to begin. Any belongings left behind would be discarded, Rand wrote.

The previous locker rooms were built with the building and had never been previously renovated, Director of Athletics Lauren Haynie wrote in a Jan. 14 email to the Justice.

Haynie said the full renovation should be completed by the beginning of February, as there are still some lockers that need to be repaired. These lockers are marked with blue tape, according to a Jan. 8 email to locker occupants from Rand, who added that the locker room will be temporarily closed for “short periods of time” to complete the renovations that were set to be completed on Jan. 13.

Throughout the renovation, students were able to use Gosman’s temporary locker room space,

which is generally used by visiting teams. According to Rand’s emails, students were also welcome to use the locker room in the Linsey pool for the time being.

In addition to the work being done to the women’s locker room, Haynie added “there was a smaller project in the men's locker room space to create a team room for one of our programs,” though it was not as extensive. She said that they were able to create a team room for the Brandeis fencing team out of existing storage space that was in the men’s general locker room.

There are no plans to fully renovate the men’s locker room, Haynie said, but the Athletics department hopes to generate the necessary resources needed to fund additional facilities projects that will enhance the student

See GOSMAN, 13

☛

January 21, 2020

Vol. LXXII #14 Vol. LXX #2

September 12, 2017

just

Waltham, Mass.

Images: Thu Le/the Justice, Creative Commons. Design: Noah Zeitlin/the Justice.

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TUESDAY, THE JUSTICE JANUARY | ARTS 21, 2020 | TUESDAY, I ARTSJANUARY & CULTURE 31,I 2017 THE JUSTICE

CONCERT REVIEW

Saturday is for a rock concert at Chum’s

By RACHEL STERLING JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

On Jan. 18, WBRS hosted its first event of the year, “WBRS Presents: Sunflower Bean with Haybaby,” in Cholmondeley’s Coffee House. The event was created and organized

by April Ginns ’22, the club’s music director, and Anna Bartusis ’20, the live event coordinator. Inspired to bring the world of indie rock to the Brandeis campus, the two put on a concert that transformed Chum’s from a quiet coffeehouse to a lively, energetic concert venue decorated with rainbow-colored lights and posters.

A show’s opener, Haybaby, is a sludge pop-slop rock band from Brooklyn, New York. They captivated the audience with their melancholic and shy lyrics carried out with a punk flair. The lead singer, Leslie Hong, performed with such visceral emotion which left the audience in awe of their performance. Songs like “New Friends” and “Get Down” were crowd favorites. The lyrics were a highlight of their performances, with tongue-in-cheek phrases such as, “We never got along, I think, I think Drake got it all wrong.”

The overall mood of their show was warm and inviting, which mimicked the intimate atmosphere of listening to their music in your own room. In an interview with the Justice, Gabe Trevino ’20 complimented the band’s performance and engagement with

the audience: “I’m really glad that I came out tonight because I would have regretted it if I didn’t. I didn’t know much about Haybaby prior to their performance, but in the end, I’m so glad that WBRS was able to get this amazing band on campus.”

Overall, it was a great way to start the show and the interactions between the band and the audience were filled with laughter and joy.

Sunflower Bean, the headliner of the show, came on stage and was quickly greeted with cheers from the crowd. Sunflower Bean is an indie rock trio from New York, formed

by Kevin Kivlen (singer/guitarist), Julia Cumming (singer/bassist) and Jacob Faber (drummer). The group has previously opened on tours for bands such as DIIV, The Vaccines and Best Coast. Their energy was clearly translated to the crowd as everyone started jumping and waving their hands to the rhythm of the songs. Popular songs like “Fear City,” “Twentytwo” and “I Was a Fool” were anticipated by the crowd, who joyfully sang along with the band as they played. The lead singer, Cumming, engaged with the audience on a level that was beyond expected at Chum’s, coming off the stage to sing in the middle of the audience and getting everyone into a choreographed dance.

The crowd was brought to their feet when the multi-talented musicians picked up different instruments for their solo performances. Even more so,

THU LE/the Justice

FEELS LIKE HOME: Haybaby opened the show with some of their popular songs, easing the audience into the mood of the concert. during the middle of one of their more energetic songs, the audience formed a mosh pit and a student was lifted up above everyone to crowd surf.

After the performances, Anna Bartusis ’20 told the Justice how much she enjoyed the show, “That was the first time I’ve ever been in a mosh pit. I couldn’t have asked for a better venue. Sunflower Bean

were the most energetic, fun band that I’ve ever seen. They really worked the crowd, and this was honestly the best show I’ve seen at Chum’s in a long time,” she said. In my two years of working at Chum’s and several music concerts here, I can say that, without a doubt, Sunflower Bean was the most interactive, dynamic band that really knew how to connect with

ART SHOW

the audience in order to create a wonderful, fun environment.

The concert was a success in an effort to bring Brandeis students to experience and indulge in the world of indie and punk rock.

WBRS remains an important aspect to our student life by hosting events which are dedicated to showcasing different styles and genres of music and performances.

The Rose Art Museum blossoms in 2020

NOAH ZEITLIN/the Justice

By LUKE LIU JUSTICE EDITOR

Have you ever noticed the concrete building with a full glass front on the west side of the campus? Yes, that is our very own Rose Art Museum. It might look small from the outside, but the collection it presents is not shabby at all. It’s also within five to 10 minutes of walking distance from most of the residence halls, so you can always check out their exhibits, even in the middle of the winter.

Dora Garcia: Obstacles

Love

with

Feb 14 - May 17 Having her first solo exhibition in the United States, Spanish artist Dora Garcia prepared a variety of presentations that will be featured in “Love with Obstacles.” Famous for designing interactive projects based on the exhibition space, Garcia’s new

Design: Sara Fulton/the Justice

show is nonetheless unique in that regard. The audience gets to enjoy the show not by simply walking around the museum, but experiencing it through a performance created by the artist and performed by individuals from the Brandeis community.

The show features some of her previous works and two new projects. “The Labyrinth of Female Freedom” discusses the methods practiced by feminist movements. “Amor Rojo” focuses on a Russian feminist author and activist whose work called for the rediscovery of the relationship between different genders.

Garcia will also go through the extensive collections of the Rose Art Museum and select a series of works to be presented with her exhibitions.

INDEX: Host March 21 - September 13 The INDEX series is an binary initiative housed in the Lee

Gallery. It is intended to host a series of site-response exhibitions that stand both as individual projects and as a collection of experiments that can be crossreferenced by the audiences and artists.

As a continuation of “INDEX: Meeting,” which is currently installed at the museum, “INDEX: Host” will be screening films about immigration and climate change. Some may remember the earlier film exhibition “Liminal”

by Maya Watanabe during the summer. Seeing a movie presented on the large-scale curtain is a great opportunity and a unique experience.

The opening celebration for the Rose’s Spring Exhibitions is on February 13 from 6 to 9 p.m.

Stop by to check out their new exhibitions.

— Editor’s Note: Editor Hannah Kressel works at the Rose Art Museum and did not edit this article.

THE JUSTICE I ARTS & CULTURE I TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020

19

FILM REVIEW

Mendel and Bender’s top five movies from 2019

By MENDEL WEINTRAUB JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

1: Parasite — Bong Joon Ho’s genrebending social thriller has rightfully become an awards darling since its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2019, where it won the top jury prize.

More than a biting satire, “Parasite” is a film of exquisite craftsmanship, and evidence that the filmmaking industry still has tricks up its sleeve. It is one of the rare movies that fills you with joy — not because it tells an inherently

2: The Farewell — This film is a hair’s width behind “Parasite” as my favorite film of 2019. Lulu Wang’s debut feature, which draws from her personal experience contending with her grandmother’s terminal cancer diagnosis, stands out by virtue of the elegance Wang employs in telling her story. Standout performances from “My Vag” singer Awkwafina and Chinese veteran Zhao Shuzen bolster an already terrific script. Meanwhile, Wang boldly elects to stay in wide shot

joyful story — but because it leaves you in an ecstatic state in which you cannot decide if you should laugh, scream or cry.

Among the top contenders from the fall movie season, Bong’s masterpiece stands out, not only because of his innovative storytelling, but because the film reflects its audience to itself, directing its gaze through the barrel of a loaded gun — urgent, surprising and, above all, gripping.

compositions, and does so without sacrificing the intimacy of her storytelling. “The Farewell” is a beautiful story, beautifully acted, and a grand debut for a new voice in filmmaking. And yet, despite its brilliance, The Farewell was completely snubbed at the Oscar nominations.

3: Little Women — Like “The Farewell,” Greta Gerwig’s second feature is a masterful piece of art whose direction — when it comes to awards recognition — is too subtle for its own good. In her adaptation of Louise May Alcott’s classic novel about the March sisters, Gerwig avoids treading ground already covered by preceding editions by toying with the story’s timeline. While the script comes off as effortless, it is no less impressive.

Gerwig’s direction, which is equally as deliberate as her screenwriting

choices, nevertheless presents invisibly. The film feels nearly selfsustaining. Beyond Gerwig’s work, there is, of course, the cast, with Oscarnominated turns from the alwayswonderful Saoirse Ronan as Jo and Florence Pugh stealing the movie as Amy. Timothee Chalamet is charming as ever as Laurie. The performances, production design, costumes and a beautiful score by Alexandre Desplat come together perfectly, as they carry the movie from its compelling start to its unexpected and moving conclusion.

4: Luce — Here’s a movie you that flew under almost everybody’s radar. Indie distributor Neon (which also distributed “Parasite”) released this Sundance acquisition to overall positive, but tepid reception back in August. After a short run in theaters, the film made just over $2 million worldwide. Directed by Julius Onah, “Luce” is an adaptation of J.C. Lee’s play, about the adopted, African son of a white couple, named Luce. Played

5: Knives Out — I had to include one mainstream movie on my list. That is not to say that being mainstream is a bad thing. Quite the opposite. It was refreshing to see a film that could cater to the masses without letting its meaning get lost at the bottom of the popcorn bucket. Rian Johnson’s follow-up to the everdivisive “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” stands as further proof that he is one of the best filmmakers working today. The murdermystery, which investigates the death of a

by breakout star Kelvin Harrison Jr, Luce is an all-star student and athlete at his high school. However, when his teacher (Octavia Spencer) comes forward with allegations against Luce due to a concerning essay he’s written, the perfect student turns into somebody else. The film is intense, upsetting and thoughtful as it questions not just Luce’s morality, but that of every character in his orbit — from his adopted parents to his teacher.

mystery writer named Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer), is unique in its decision to use the plot as a device to empower Thrombey’s nurse, Marta (Ana de Armas), a Latina immigrant who gets mixed up in the whole fiasco.

Marta is forced to contend with Harlan’s family, a circus of white elitist snobs, led by Jamie Lee Curtis (naturally), as everybody sits on edge over who will inherit the deceased author’s fortune. To get to the bottom of it, they rely on the help of a detective played with delicious commitment by Daniel Craig, who sports a ridiculous southern accent. The film also features one of the best spoken lines of dialogue in 2019: “I read a tweet about a New Yorker article about you.”

Almost made the cut: “Booksmart” “The Two Popes” “Marriage Story” “Midsommar” “Pain and Glory”

By ALEX BENDER JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

1: The Lighthouse — My favorite movie of the year is perhaps one of the most bizarre yet mesmerizing movies I have seen in a long time. Robert Eggers’ psychological nightmare, “The Lighthouse,” sweeps you into a storm of a flick in which Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe struggle with their own sanity and sense of control inside a remote cabin. Every creative effort in

2: Parasite — Bong Joon Ho’s latest masterpiece, “Parasite,” about a poor family infiltrating the home of a more wealthy one, is as good as you have heard. Suspenseful and absurd, “Parasite” traverses its numerous tones and themes so effortlessly and with such style and ease that the audience remains grounded despite the film’s unpredictable nature.

This wild and original thriller simultaneously offers a poignant social commentary alongside

3: Uncut Gems — Although starkly different than Adam Sandler’s usual catalog of comedies, the Safdie Brothers crafted a wholly unique and unforgettable film in “Uncut Gems” that has firmly imprinted itself on my brain.

Anxiety-inducing, nerve-racking and sometimes hilarious, the film’s frenetic pacing and editing catapult this film

4: Marriage Story — Perhaps the best-executed movie of the year in my mind belongs to “Marriage Story.” Every element of Noah Baumbach’s drama absolutely nails its delivery without fail. Following the story of Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) and Charlie’s (Adam Driver) divorce from one another, the film offers an unapologetic, non-judgemental yet sympathetic look into how people fall in and out of love. Conflicted about their true feelings for one another, Nicole and Charlie struggle to settle things

5: Avengers: Endgame — Scarlett Johansson returns in my number five slot in the form of “Avengers: Endgame” (sorry “Jojo Rabbit” fans) because I am a Marvel sap (sorry Marvel fans). Joking aside, “Endgame” is one of the most satisfying conclusions since “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2” (also a great movie). “Endgame” features grand, emotionally-satisfying spectacle that blew my brain to bits! The characters were broken and relatable, especially after everyone basically died in the last movie (“Infinity War” spoilers but, come on, it’s been two years and the Russo Brothers’ spoiler ban has been over for ages). Its story masterfully interweaves so many plot threads and easter eggs simultaneously that it should

“The Lighthouse” explodes off the screen, whether it is the terrific performances, pitch-perfect cinematography or masterful script that keeps the viewer on their toes. Similar to his last film, “The Witch,” Eggers is never afraid to dive deep into the detailed landscape of his film as the characters and setting transform the experience to an extent rarely seen in Hollywood.

hilarious outtakes.

Containing my favorite ensemble of performances this year, “Parasite” takes the cake in producing fresh, odd groundbreaking cinema.

to a new stratosphere of high octane thrills. Sandler gives the performance of his career as the greedy jeweler and gambler Howard Ratner, a role that is as convincing as the character is intimidating. Through its dedicated and unorthodox style of filmmaking, “Uncut Gems” is the most rewatchable and entertaining movie of the year.

healthily, and matters are only made worse once the lawyers get involved.

Baumbach’s direction is so incisive and seamless that the performances and dialogue are breathtakingly real and hauntingly deep.

be considered an athletic achievement for the screenwriters (the beginning is literally a mainstream version of “The Leftovers” and I could not be any happier). The performances are honestly quite good and represent some of the best work these actors have put forth in regards to these characters. Overall, the film (and franchise as a whole) is a truly massive accomplishment in storytelling that proves that unique creative efforts still exist within the Hollywood system.

All that is required now is to put the MCU on hold, reshape Hollywood to stop making every blockbuster a Marvel-like movie, and allow for diversity to reign so we can get cooler best picture nominees (I like “Parasite”).

Honorable Mentions: “The Irishman” “Ford v Ferrari” “The Nightingale” “The Farewell”

Design: Yael Hanadari-Levy/the Justice

20 THE JUSTICE I ARTS & CULTURE I TUESDAY, JANUARY 21, 2020 JUSTARTS SPOTLIGHT

INTERVIEW

Alfredo Gisholt

ON THE SENIOR MID-YEAR EXHIBITION

This week, JustArts&Culture spoke with Professor Alfredo Gisholt (FA) about the upcoming Drawing Marathon on Jan. 25 and 26.

By ELISABETH FREEMAN JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER On display at the Dreitzer Art Gallery, located Spingold Theater, are compositions created using a diverse array of artistic media.

Why? The Fine Arts Department is sponsoring the Senior Mid-Year Exhibition, offering students the incredible opportunity to view the magnificent works of art created by the students in senior studio.

The gallery is adorned with oil paintings, sculptures, photographs, acrylic canvas paintings and more.

My first observation was that my classmates have a strong flair for creativity. Many of the compositions achieve a sense of wonder through the strategic utilization of multiple artistic media. These compositions implored me to think about the people who produced these artworks and ask, “Why?” The embodiment of the sense of wonder prevalent throughout the entire gallery is an untitled sculpture by an anonymous student.

Its description is simply, “Mylar balloon, hand tailored Mylar suit, plaster chicken wire skeleton, Mylar shoes, Mylar mirror, projector.” The sculpture appears to be a person sitting in a chair, staring into a mirror, with a projector shining upon the balloon that I interpret to be the head. Attached to the projector is a USB drive and a pair of headphones.

I don’t know who made this sculpture, when and how it was produced, and, most importantly, what inspired this artist to create a composition with a thick atmosphere of mystery. But I do know that the sculptor intended to remain anonymous. This decision further begs the following question: What does this sculpture mean?

I stare into the faceless Mylarcoated balloon, in a contemplative attempt to discern the soul of the ethereal sculpture and its artist. But all I can see is my own face staring back at me. At this moment, the answer to the mystery becomes clear to me: there is no objective answer.

I believe that the sculpture represents each and every one of us. It encourages us to look into our own Mylar-coated mirror and see that, when the light of introspection is shone upon us, there is a burst of color that represents that easilyforgotten fact that we are more than the balloon, chicken wire, plaster and Mylar that create us. I believe that the symmetrical use of Mylar for both the person and the mirror indicates that, through our attributes, we have the power to shape how we are seen externally. We are compassionate, intellectual, artistic — we have depth to our souls and offer immeasurable value to the world around us — and we can inspire the world around us by reflecting confidence through the acceptance of our own unique identities. I will likely never know if this is indeed the message the artist had in mind while creating this extraordinary work of art. But I do know this: profound philosophical lessons can be learned anywhere; therefore, it is our imperative to seek out as many opportunities as possible to learn those lessons.

JAC: Please tell us a bit about the Drawing Marathon. Who would participate in the event? What is provided in the event?

GILDA GEIST/the Justice

EMILY RIORDAN/the Justice

SUDOKU

JAC: I’ve previously heard of drawing marathons as an “unorthodox drawing experience” and a way for students to perceive the world and express themselves in an innovative way. What would you say is your expectation for this activity?

AG: I think I would like the students to just have an experience. By that I mean that a lot of visual art is very much concerned with having a certain kind of clarity as to what the outcome is going to be. … when you get to a certain point where you feel like you’ve achieved your original premise, you stop. What I want to do with the drawing marathon, one of the things you probably heard of as being unorthodox, is that we try to create a situation where those explotations are removed. … A set of unexpected things happen, both internally from a personal place and externally in terms of the appearance of the drawing. So for example, some of the things that I may tell students after they drawn for two or three hours, I would say ‘take a cloth and erase the whole thing’ and start over, with your eraser and think about light. It’s kind of the thing that you wouldn’t normally do because you would want to get to the sort of specific outcome that you set up initially, but I do a lot of things where I intervene so that it becomes a new way of thinking about making images. … A lot of other [schools], … [their marathons are] two or three weeks long, eight hours a day. When you come in time after time, things change. … In a way, it is not necessarily image-driven. It’s much more about the experience one gets when participating.

JAC: What happens to the artwork?

Sudoku Courtesy of OPENSKY SUDOKU GENERATOR

STAFF’S Top Ten

NOAH ZEITLIN/ the Justice

Top 10 ice cream flavors

By Abigail Cumberbatch We should appreciate more ice cream flavors that add complexity to our taste buds, not just vanilla and chocalate.

1. Coffee 2. Salted Caramel 3. Butter Pecan 4. Neopolitan Strawberry 5. Cheesecake 6. Cookie n’cream 8. Vanilla 9. Chocolate 10. Cookie Dough

AG: We give it to the student. Last time that we did it, I asked all the students if I could keep their work for a couple of weeks. We work at Epstein, which is by the Women’s Studies Research center, and that’s the studio we use. I brought it up here and I put it up on the wall to share it with everybody. It’s a kind of informal exhibition. And we put it up for a couple weeks and then students keep it. Some that are art majors use it as a source for other works. There were a couple painting majors last year who were very interested in painting figuratively. They brought the drawings back and used them as references.

JAC: Is there anything else you would want our readers to know?

JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISSTANT

7. Chocolate Chip

Alfredo Gisholt: We’ve done drawing marathons in the past. And I think maybe about 3 or 4 years ago, another faculty and I were talking about how special it is to have the opportunity to work in the studio for 8 hours continuously. Because of the scheduling, we don’t have the ability to do that without drawing classes or painting classes. There are precedents for these drawing marathons. We had some in the past hosted by the visiting artists, and there are a lot of other schools that do them. It’s a way to give students an experience that is unlike the daily kind of experience that would have in your studio classes. So it is two days long, eight hours a day, … There is nothing like the continuity of eight hours of drawing. We provide all the materials, I am organizing it so what I like to do is always have a subject to respond to. We, in the past, had models that came in. Last time we had two models for both days and we drew from the figures. We also set up arrangements and people respond to that. In terms of who we invite, we make it public. We encourage all the drawing students to take it, or to participate, but it’s not just drawing students. We advertise here in the Fine Arts building and through our listserv, and that’s kind of the reach out that we do.

Solution Courtesy of OPENSKY SUDOKU GENERATOR

AB: It is an opportunity for students outside of the department to directly participate in activities generated by our department. We do a lot of them.

It is part of our real desire to include more than just Fine Art students.

All you have to come with is a real open attitude and a desire to put in an eight-hour day of drawing. We do these activities to not just meet in the structure of the classroom, to take the activity outside of the classroom, and anyone can join. You do have to sign up.

— Jacqueline Wang