ARTS Page 19
FORUM Reduce campus food waste 12 SPORTS Baseball team wins two of four 16 The Independent Student Newspaper
the
‘ALICE’ of
B r a n d e is U n i v e r sit y S i n c e 1 9 4 9
Justice
Volume LXIX, Number 24
www.thejustice.org
Tuesday, April 25, 2017
RALLY FOR FAIR PAY
Waltham, Mass.
BRIEF
Univ. hires Ira Jackson as new VP of communications
YVETTE SEI/the Justice
MARCH: The Brandeis Labor Coalition and its staff and student supporters rallied and marched around campus on April 4.
Community members rally for equitable pay ■ Staff and students of the
Brandeis Labor Coalition marched campus to call for equitable pay on April 4. By LIAT SHAPIRO JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
“Brandeis, Brandeis, you can’t hide. We will find your greedy side!” protesters chanted on April 4, rallying in support of Brandeis adjunct faculty. The rally, hosted by the Brandeis Labor Coalition, began at Hassenfeld Conference Center and headed toward the Shapiro Campus Center and the Bernstein-Marcus Administration Center. The rally served as a platform for both staff and students to voice their opposition against the inequitable pay faced by Brandeis adjunct faculty, according to organizers. The Brandeis Labor Coalition is a group of undergraduate and graduate students dedicated to supporting workers’ rights both within the Brandeis community and on a global scale. The Coalition’s rally was a com-
ponent of the group’s current focus, the Faculty Forward Campaign. According to the Brandeis Faculty Forward’s official website, non-tenure track professors across departments have joined together to not only build a union, but also fight “for the stability, fair pay, and benefits needed to help our families — and our students — succeed.” In an interview with the Justice, Prof. Michelle Mann (ENG), an instructor for the University Writing Program, explained, “There’s the sense that unions are always about starting fights. … Our union is not like that. Our union is about supporting and protecting and enhancing everything that makes Brandeis great.” Prof. Avraham Boula (MATH), an adjunct professor, explained in numbers for the Justice, pointing to unfavorable student-faculty ratios as a stressor for many faculty members. One of the advanced mathematics courses he teaches has roughly 50 students, he said, adding that if he wishes to help a student, he must make an entire row stand up so that he can walk to that student’s desk. When those students — most of them international —
University President Ronald Liebowitz announced on Monday the hiring of a new senior vice president for communications and external relations. Ira A. Jackson will assume the role after leaving his position as a vice provost at the University of Massachusetts Boston, Liebowitz told the Brandeis community in an April 24 email. Jackson has held seniorlevel positions in not only academia but also government and business, and he is a co-author of “Profits With Principles: Seven Strategies for Delivering Value with Values.” In his capacity as senior vice president for communications and external relations, Jackson will act as a Brandeis liaison with government, businesses and the general public on a local, national and global level, according to Liebowitz’s email. “His ability to communi-
—Amber Miles
STUDENT UNION
pay up to $65,000 a year in tuition, this is not an ideal arrangement for either party, Boula said. Boula revealed that he only gets paid $7,000 for the course as an adjunct professor. “For sure, some of the money goes toward necessary things, but shouldn’t the teacher get more?” he asked. The faculty and staff involved with the Faculty Forward Campaign do not only have themselves in mind. Boula declared, “Forget about the faculty and that we’re [getting ripped off]; everybody knows that. What about the students?” Mann added, “Put simply, faculty working conditions are student learning conditions. You guys pay top dollar to come to a university with a reputation for academic excellence. … You guys should get what you pay for.” The rally attendance — with a 50:50 ratio of students to faculty — was a testament to the fact that a handful of students on campus have adopted the Faculty Forward Campaign as their own. The Justice interviewed Madeline Bisgyer ’20 and Phoebe Dolan ’20, both of whom actively work with both
See RALLY, 7 ☛
Student Union elects seek improvements ■ Students elected in the
last spring elections shared their proposals to improve the community. By ABBY PATKIN JUSTICE EDITOR
In the latest round of Student Union elections on April 3, 16 students were elected to fill positions across the Union for the upcoming academic year. The Justice interviewed several of the recently-elected members to hear more about their goals for next year. Aaron Finkel ’20 Finkel was elected one of the two Senators-At-Large, scoring 49.51 percent of the vote. In an email to the Justice, Finkel wrote that he believes that students face three major challenges on campus: a lack of consistent communication and transparency when it comes to student services,
resources and activities; inefficient student services and lack of proper campus maintenance; and a lack of spirit and pride. “Our campus community seems disconnected at times, and we don't do a good enough job of demonstrating appreciation for the school we all love,” he wrote. “In the future, I see the Union being more proactive and innovative in addressing this issue.” He wrote that he would like to continue working on the free menstrual product initiative that he has helped lead as chair of the Campus Operations Working Group. He added that, among various other initiatives, he would like to improve transparency, efficiency and communication throughout the Union. Above all, Finkel stressed that, as Senator-At-Large, he will be there to serve the entire community. “I'm not just a name on a website. If you have a question, ask me! … Let me try to help you,” he wrote. “My end goal is to make sure that I do everything I can
See SU, 7 ☛
Run Like the Wind
Softball Slump
Secret Lives
Saint Cyr Dimanche ’19 ran in the Boston Marathon.
The softball team dropped all four games played against Washington University in St. Louis.
Nancy Jo Sales spoke about the challenging social climates facing American teenagers.
FEATURES 8 For tips or info email editor@thejustice.org
cate and to implement new approaches will be useful as Brandeis embarks upon a period of renewal and transformation,” Liebowitz wrote in Monday’s email. “Brandeis’ commitment to social justice and to research that matters for society totally aligns with my values and life’s work,” the email quotes Jackson as saying. At a time when Louis Brandeis’ active citizenship and Jewish values are needed to combat ignorance and intolerance, Jackson said, “Brandeis feels like the right place at the right time.” Judy Glasser, who has served as interim senior vice president for communications for two years, will remain at the University after Jackson starts. She will work closely with Jackson, according to Liebowitz’s email.
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INDEX
SPORTS 16 ARTS SPORTS
17 13
EDITORIAL FEATURES
10 OPINION 8 POLICE LOG
10 2
News 3 COPYRIGHT 2017 FREE AT BRANDEIS.