ARTS Page 19
SPORTS Baseball team struggles in only game 16 FORUM Recognize the importance of education 11 The Independent Student Newspaper
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Justice
Volume LXIX, Number 22
www.thejustice.org
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
PANEL
WOMEN IN THE WORKFORCE
Panelists call for Restorative Justice to end violence ■ Boston leaders spoke
about the role of forgiveness in bringing peace across local communities. By PERI MEYERS JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER
HEATHER SCHILLER/the Justice
PANEL: Carol Fulp, Rita Hardman, Ruth Nemzoff and Joanne Pokaski spoke at the workshop for young women on Sunday.
Business leaders echo lessons to young women ■ Women leaders shared
their experiences in making themselves a place in the business playing field. By ABBY PATKIN JUSTICE EDITOR
To succeed in business and management, women must turn disadvantages into learning opportunities and achievements, a panel of industry leaders said at an event on Saturday. “I look at difference as an advantage,” said Carol Fulp, president and CEO of The Partnership, which supports multicultural professionals. “You’ve been in situations when people have devalued you, … and I always say, ‘Isn’t that unfortunate for them?’ … Use it as a strength.” “You have to reframe all your liabilities as assets,” agreed Ruth Nemzoff, a Women’s Studies Research Center scholar, former assistant minority leader of the New Hampshire legislature and former
New Hampshire deputy commissioner of Health and Welfare. At a certain point, Fulp added, raw intelligence stops being an asset and interpersonal skills come into play. “It’s those that have EQ, emotional intelligence, that rise,” she said. Mentorship is an important component of interpersonal skills, the panelists agreed. “None of us get to the position we’re in without a lot of people behind us,” Dr. Rita Hardiman, chief diversity and inclusion officer at Keolis Commuter Services, said. Hardiman, whose company operates the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority commuter rail, added that her field is only about 15 percent women. When looking for a mentor, “someone who shares your values is good,” said Joanne Pokaski, director of Workforce Development at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston. Nemzoff agreed, adding that she has found not a single mentor to guide her but rather “pieces of mentor.”
“It’s great if you find that Prince Charming in the form of a mentor, … but most of us just find pieces of mentor,” Nemzoff said. “And don’t look for someone who looks like you. Look for somebody who can help you with what you need help with.” Still, fearlessness and bravery also factor into success, the panelists said. WSRC scholar Edith Coleman Chears, who facilitated the event, circulated photographs of New York’s “Fearless Girl” statue, which was installed earlier this month. “I would attribute some of my success to being too dumb to be afraid,” Hardiman joked. She recalled being chastised as a child for wanting to play with “boy” toys — “I was too dumb to know that I was bucking the patriarchy,” she laughed. She also recalled writing a controversial editorial for her high school paper and having the superintendent call her mother and tell her to “‘put a muzzle on her daughter.’” Even so, fearlessness does not
See PANEL, 7 ☛
A panel of scholars convened to discuss the role of forgiveness, reconciliation and Restorative Justice in inner-city neighborhoods, wartorn countries and college campuses on Tuesday. “Any time you are dealing with issues around youth violence and gun violence, you’re dealing with broken families, broken communities and people who are incarcerated or getting out of incarceration,” said Reverend Jeffrey Brown, the
University’s 2016 to 2017 Richman Distinguished Fellow in Public Life. Those situations call for Restorative Justice, he argued — a method of mediation between offenders and victims. When asked to define forgiveness, Rodney Petersen, executive director of The Lord’s Day Alliance of the U.S. and the Cooperative Metropolitan Ministries in Boston, said that he thinks of it as “a process, a perception, a way of life that helps us to no longer be victims of our circumstances and transforms us into creators of a new reality.” While forgiveness is an individual process of giving oneself a clean slate, reconciliation asks that multiple people come together to change. Restorative justice brings together the offender, the
See RJ, 7 ☛
CAMPUS SPEAKER
Scholar gives Black Lives Matter keynote ■ Khalil Gibran Muhammad
reviewed the precedents set by the progressive work of historical Black activists. By MAURICE WINDLEY JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
On the eve of the Black Lives Matter Symposium, keynote speaker Khalil Gibran Muhammad delivered an educational address on the effect of Black activists in dismantling the ingrained bias against Black Americans to a packed audience in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall. At the public event on Thursday, Muhammad sought to explain the development of racial disparities. The Harvard Kennedy School professor of History, Race and Public Policy began his speech by explaining the efforts of Ida B. Wells, an African-American journalist and activist, noting that her foun-
dation enabled Americans to “see in a clearer lens the work that was required to transform and make possible the full vision of Black life in America,” though he noted that she still was “met with so much of the same resistance” of today. Continuing, Muhammad explained that “the limits of Black humanity had nothing to do with respectability” but “had everything to do with standing tall and being human.” He said this served to elucidate the notion that America has fostered a narrative against Black Americans in order to maintain a viewpoint that has lasted throughout history. However, he stressed that the movement and efforts of Black Lives Matter, the international activist group organized against systemic racism toward Black people, is not only a matter of physical importance but rather a “battle of ideas,” and he explained that the
See AWARD, 7 ☛
Print Like the Wind
Track Attack
No Drip
The Brandeis 3D-printing club hosted an intercollegiate printathon.
The track teams impressed with a number of top-10 finishes this past Saturday.
A physics professor developed a new drip-free wine bottle.
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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.
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TUESDAY, March 28, 2017
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NEWS SENATE LOG Senate recognizes new clubs and discusses student housing concerns The Senate convened on Sunday to hear recognition and chartering petitions from clubs and to discuss Senate Money Requests for upcoming initiatives. The Brandeis Mathematical Society petitioned the Senate for recognition, with student representatives explaining that their aim is to foster a community for students interested in math, regardless of experience or majors. In a discussion after the students’ presentation, Class of 2020 Senator Tal Richtman questioned the necessity of the club, arguing that academic departments should pick up the slack in student outreach and satisfaction. Executive Senator Hannah Brown ’19 pointed out that many similar academic clubs already exist, arguing that these clubs serve a different purpose than departments. This opened up a larger discussion about clubs that overlap with existing institutions within the University. After a lengthy discussion, the Senate voted to recognize the club. The Aviation Club then approached the Senate for chartering, explaining that they will use funding to purchase quadcopters and smaller drones for students to practice flying. Club representatives explained that these drones are flown not on campus, but rather in a nearby park. The club has hosted one meeting, with a weekly meeting plan in place, and a speaker event planned for next semester. In a discussion after the presentation, a few senators raised concerns that the club has not had enough meetings to figure out a stable leadership plan. Some explained that their impression from the presentation was that the club hinged on one student, which would not be a feasible setup, they argued. The Senate voted to charter the club after another lengthy discussion. Moving on to the rest of the agenda, Brown explained to the senators that the amendment to create an international student Senate seat had passed after the vote was brought before the Union Judiciary for technical issues. The Judiciary deferred judgement to Union Secretary Gaby Gonzalez Anavisca ’19 — the chief of elections — who chose to pass the amendment. In executive officer reports, Brown announced that Student Union President David Herbstritt ’17 had met with Department of Community Living staff, who told him that while they expect housing to be tight, they anticipate that they will be able to provide housing to all students who want it. Midyear Senator Dana Brown ’20 interjected to ask about the reality of “East” bugs and what the Union can do to eradicate pests. Class of 2019 Senator Kate Kesselman responded that while there are some bugs in East Quad, the problem is not as bad as commonly believed. Senator at Large Matt Smetana ’17 added that students should avoid leaving food out so as not to attract bugs. The Senate then discussed an SMR for a screening of “13th,” a 2016 Netflix documentary about the intersection of race, justice and incarceration in America. The senators discussed whether the Social Justice and Diversity Committee would need to purchase the film rights for the event. The senators did some quick research, concluding that Netflix allows non-profit groups to screen the film without purchasing rights, as long as the Netflix logo is not used in promotional materials. The Senate tabled the vote on the SMR until a later date. The senators discussed another SMR relating to the long-planned initiative to provide free menstrual products on campus. In the discussion, Kesselman voiced concerns that students would take more products than they need in order to stock up. The Campus Operations Working Group chair, Massell Quad Senator Aaron Finkel ’20, explained that the Union will be working with Student Sexuality Information Service to measure product usage. He explained that products will be distributed in high-traffic areas, with more products available for free at the SSIS office. The senators also discussed the need for trash cans or waste baskets for men’s rooms, in order to accommodate transgender or gender nonconforming students who use those restrooms. The Senate pushed up voting on the SMR, voting unanimously to pass the motion.
POLICE LOG Medical Emergency March 20—A party came into the Public Safety building complaining of back pain. BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care. March 21—A party in Usen Hall requested BEMCo assistance for a foot injury. BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care. March 21—University Police received a report of a party in the Gryzmish Center with a bloody nose. BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care. March 22—Brandeis Counseling Center staff requested assistance from University Police in a psychological transport. University Police assisted Cataldo Ambulance staff without incident. March 22—A party in Usen Hall reported that they were suffering from a cold and fever. BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for
further care. March 25—University Police received a report of a party in Usdan Student Center having an allergic reaction. The party was transported to NewtonWellesley Hospital via Cataldo Ambulance. March 25—A party experiencing a medical emergency in Sherman Dining Hall was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital via Cataldo Ambulance. March 25—Waltham Police alerted University Police that they had received a call from the father of a non-student who was having a medical emergency on campus. State Police in Framingham also notified University Police that they had received a call from someone on campus who stated that they had taken drugs and needed an ambulance. State Police could not provide a name, but they believed the party was on Loop Road near Mandel Center for the
Humanities. University Police found two parties there, and both were then transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. March 25—A party in Renfield Hall requested BEMCo assistance for a stomach ache. BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care.
Disturbance
March 22—A party in Ridgewood Quad reported loud jackhammering sounds in the area late at night. Upon investigation, University Police found the noises to be coming from a company jackhammering inside barrels of cement mixers off campus. The Waltham Police Department was notified and had the company cease operations for the night. March 26—An area coordinator in Foster Mods requested University Police assistance in shutting down an unregistered party.
WELLNESS DRIVE
n A News brief about the MBTA commuter rail implied that a commuter survey released by the Provost’s office was connected to the possible discontinuation of weekend commuter rail service. There was no connection between the two. (March 21, pg. 2). The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@ thejustice.org.
Justice
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Other
March 22—University Police received a report of a former student who trespassed on campus. University Police compiled a report on the incident. March 23—University Police compiled a report on messages written within restrooms in the Shapiro Campus Center. The messages have since been removed by facilities staff. —Compiled by Abby Patkin
BRIEF
Eversource proposes rate rise for Massachusetts
—Abby Patkin
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS
The occupants were ignoring the AC’s requests, and the area coordinator on call will file a community standards report. University Police dispersed the group without incident. March 26—University Police received a report that a vehicle parked near the Charles River Apartments was playing loud music. The vehicle was gone upon arrival of University Police.
DAISY CHEN/the Justice
Students registered to go door-to-door and collect food and personal care items for Waltham Group’s Hunger and Homelessness drive.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey spoke out on Thursday against a proposed $300 million rate increase by New England energy company Eversource Energy, according to a Friday article in the Waltham Patch. In her appeal to the Department of Public Utilities, Healey called this case “an important opportunity for the Department to reset the balance between company profits and customer rates,” according to the Patch article. Healey argued that Eversource’s recent returns have been far higher than most national public utility commissions would allow, citing a cumulative total return of 89 percent to Eversource shareholders between 2010 and 2015, according to the article. “When so many customers today are struggling to make ends meet and businesses are trying to lower their energy costs to maintain and grow jobs, it is time to return money to customers, not to raise their electric bills to benefit highly profitable utility companies,” she said. Eversource spokesperson Rhiannon D’Angelo, however, contended that the growth in rates was necessary in order to update and improve service, according to the article. In an email to the Patch, D’Angelo noted Eversource’s recent improvement in preventing and responding to power outages. “With continued investments in the electric system and the expansion of our grid modernization efforts, we fully anticipate that we’ll continue to build on that improvement which is so important in our customers’ day-to-day lives,” she wrote. D’Angelo noted in particular the launch of a “Grid-Wise Performance Plan” as a cause of the rate spike. Such a plan would include technology aimed at mitigating power outages and the implementation of an electric vehicle charging infrastructure program, among other energy-saving initiatives, according to the Patch. According to the Patch article, “the increase would affect 1.4 million Massachusetts residents who use Eversource” and, if approved, would begin Jan. 1, 2018. —Carmi Rothberg
ANNOUNCEMENTS Rise Up Exhibition Opening
Come to the opening reception of the Junior Studio Art Majors’ exhibition opening and be the first to see their work. All are welcome and encouraged to come, and refreshments will be served. Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. in Dreitzer Gallery, Springold Theater Center.
Screening: La Buena Vida
A screening will be presented of “La Buena Vida/The Good Life,” an awardwinning documentary about the forced displacement of indigenous Wayúu villagers in Tamaquito, Colombia and the destruction of their way of life by the development of the international coal mining industry. The film will be in Spanish and Wayuunaiki with English subtitles. Refreshments will be served. Wednesday from 5 to 6:35p.m. in Room 219, Shiffman.
The Social Life of DNA
Alondra Nelson will be speaking on her most recent book, “The Social Life of DNA: Race, Reparations, and Reconciliation.” This text takes us on an unprecedented journey into how the double helix has wound its way into the heart of the most urgent contemporary social issues around race. Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in International Lounge, Usdan.
An Evening with Ocean Vuong
This reading by Ocean Vuong breaks the stereotype about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in media, or lack thereof, and will inspire future artists and performers within the Brandeis community to write and engage and share their stories. Thursday from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. in the Atrium, Mandel Center for Humanities.
Ayala 2017: Partido
Get ready to experience the vibrant festivals of Southeast Asia. This will be South East Asia Club’s sixth annual cultural show and charity fundraiser, with a variety of performances, special guest AJ Rafael and free catered dinner. This year’s theme is PARTIDO which means “party” in Tagalog. We’ll be partying our way through a journey of the diverse and fun festivals of Southeast Asia. Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. in Levin Ballroom, Usdan Student Center.
Intercultural Center 25th Anniversary
Join us in celebrating 25 years of diversity! The Brandeis Intercultural Center presents CultureFest. The festival will showcase, culture and festivities by all ICC clubs. Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. in Sherman Function Hall.
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ROSENSTIEL AWARD
BRIEF
Physics professor innovates a new dripless wine bottle For those who drink wine on a semi-regular basis, the problem is a familiar one: after a glass is poured, the bottles can often drip excess liquid, ruining tablecloths and, worse, wasting wine. With his latest work, Prof. Daniel Perlman ’68 (PHYS) aims to fix that. Perlman, who has authored or co-authored over 100 published patents and pending patents since arriving at Brandeis, according to his faculty page, has created a drip-free wine bottle. Over the course of three years, Perlman has studied the flow of liquid across the wine bottle’s lip, according to a March 22 BrandeisNOW article, eventually concluding that a groove just below the lip prevents the problem entirely. While the BrandeisNOW article notes that there are already products available to prevent wine spillage, these products require separate devices that must be inserted into the bottle’s neck. “I wanted to change the wine bottle itself,” Perlman is quoted in the BrandeisNOW article as saying. “I didn't want there to be the additional cost or inconvenience of buying an accessory.” Working with engineer Greg Widberg, Perlman cut a groove just below the bottle’s opening.
With this slight change, droplets of wine cannot move past the groove and end up falling into the glass, BrandeisNOW reports. The drive to create and seek improvement for everyday life, however, is nothing new for Perlman. His previous inventions and innovations include the blend of “healthy fats” in Smart Balance margarine, which he developed with emeritus Prof. K.C. Hayes (BIOL). In December 2015, Perlman also had a patent approved for coffee flour, a food ingredient and supplement made from parbaked coffee beans, which can add antioxidants and caffeine to baked goods. “I’ve been intrigued for a long time with the antioxidants that are provided in coffee and have long wondered whether something could be done to increase the amount or yield of antioxidant in the coffee bean to make it a healthier product,” Perlman said in an interview with the Justice at the time, according to a Jan. 11, 2016 article. “I’ve also been intrigued by whether roasting coffee beans the traditional way resulted in loss of something really beneficial from the coffee bean.” —Abby Patkin
YVETTE SEI/the Justice
SCIENCE: Leah Cowen spoke at the Rosenstiel Award ceremony about her experience and research working with Susan Lindquist.
Rosenstiel Award honors biologist Susan Lindquist ■ Susan Lindquist was
awarded the 46th Rosenstiel Award for Distinguished Work in Basic Medical Research.
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By michelle dang JUSTICE EDITOR
The 2016 Lewis S. Rosenstiel Award for Distinguished Work in Basic Medical Research was awarded posthumously to the late biologist Susan Lindquist, a pioneer in molecular biology, on Wednesday afternoon. Lindquist was a professor of biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and a member of the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, renowned for research contributions to paradigm shifts in biochemistry, cell biology and molecular biology. As the 46th winner of the Rosenstiel Award, Lindquist was honored in recognition of her groundbreaking work on protein-folding mechanisms and the understanding of how protein misfolding manifests in disease. In gathering to present the award, “we’re also celebrating her incredible impact [on] other students and colleagues that she powerfully infected with her enthusiasm, her insights and her incredible dedication,” Prof. James Haber (BIOL), director of the Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center said on Wednesday. Words that describe her career’s work include “fearless”, “creative”, “out-of-the-box” thinking and “intuition,” said Lindquist’s former colleague Angelika Amon, professor of biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. According to Amon, “15 minutes are nowhere near enough to tell you
about how she did science and how she interacted with her colleagues, her students and friends.” Amon emphasized that Lindquist was a “crossthinker” who cemented together fields within biology, always keen to take risks on novel concepts and with a strong intent to have an impact on human health — especially within neurodegenerative disease and cancer. Lindquist built her career during a time when it was not easy for women to enter into academic sciences, said Amon. However, “she knew what she was doing and was relentless in her science.” Amon told the story of how a young Lindquist submitted a grant proposal to the National Institute of Health, only to receive a prompt request for a rewrite. “The cover letter of her second submission [read], ‘I hereby submit the same exact grant. … The reason I do this is because I’m convinced that the experiments proposed in the original grant are the exact right experiments.’” The second submission was approved by the panel, said Amon. Throughout her career, Lindquist’s work transformed the way people understood the mechanisms of prions, the inheritance of information, the role of proteins in evolution and the use of yeast as a model of neurodegenerative disease, said former mentee Sandro Santagata, professor of pathology at Harvard Medical School. Additionally, while rising through the ranks of academic science, Lindquist also made strides in the tech world, co-founding the company FoldRx Pharmaceuticals and founding companies Yumanity Therapeutics and REVOLUTION Medicines. It was the “amazing brilliance of Susan as a scientist, but also her passion,” said former mentee Daniel Jarosz, professor of biology at Stanford University, who highlighted
Lindquist’s dedication as a mentor. “She was an incredible role model,” added former mentee Leah Cowen, professor of molecular genetics at the University of Toronto. “She truly inspired a generation of scientists. People would come from her talks and be completely transformed in how they’d think about their science.” In addition to the award, the recipient receives a cash prize, which Lindquist’s family is donating to a newly established fund at Brandeis called the Susan Lindquist Fund for Professional Development Career Advancements. The fund will help advance the careers of predominantly women scientists. “Given that half my genetic code is made of her DNA, I’m pretty sure I won the genetic lottery,” said Lindquist’s daughter, Nora Buckbee, as she accepted the award on Lindquist’s behalf. “She never lost sight of what is important. Her everlasting goal was to impact the goals of real people and real patients who were dealing with these devastating diseases … [She was] a fierce advocate for women in science.” “Our family remains committed to continuing her research. We’ll be supporting initiatives that support women in science and fund women’s health programs. We will also support her last ongoing research project, the study of her own cancer,” said Buckbee. Established in 1971 by the University, the Rosenstiel Award serves to encourage the development of basic science as it applies to medicine by honoring those who made significant contributions to basic medical research. It is presented annually and by the selection of a board of Bostonarea scientists appointed by the Rosenstiel Basic Medical Sciences Research Center.
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SAVING TUVALU
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ACTIVISM
YVETTE SEI/the Justice
ART: Prof. Aida Wong (FA) (left) and Ambassador of Tuvalu Aunese Sim ati (right) discussed how art advocacy can help save Tuvalu.
Eco-art aids a nation facing climate crisis ■ Art scholars and the
ambassador of Tuvalu discussed how eco-art can advocate for climate change. By michelle dang JUSTICE EDITOR
ADAM PANN/the Justice
Khalil Gibran Muhammad delivered a keynote at the Black Lives Matter symposium on Thursday.
With the Earth’s temperature rising, a small island in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean sits at the frontier of complete encapsulation by the ocean’s rising sea levels. Prof. Aida Wong (FA) welcomed the ambassador of Tuvalu to the United Nations, Aunese Simati, and Mark Cheetham, professor of art history at the University of Toronto, to discuss the role of “eco-art” in saving Tuvalu from the threat of being washed away by climate change. Eco-art is “the idea of artists collaborating ... to stimulate action on climate change,” pulling together the idea of culture in relation to climate change, said Cheetham. “[Tuvalu’s] very existence is threatened by human-induced climate change,” said Simati, who spoke about the challenges and adaptive policies in Tuvalu. Tuvalu, the fourth smallest nation in the UN — a little more than a quarter of the size of Manhattan — is a flat island that exists only two to three meters above sea level. Walls are not enough to prevent flooding, as seawater will rise from underground, and the only way to prevent the absorption
of Tuvalu by the ocean is society’s collective effort to halt climate change, said Simati. “[We’re] trying to find answers to these questions — what happens to Tuvalu or similar nations? ... What happens to their people? We are not merely statistics. ... It’s our security and human rights as a country — our culture [and] our identity,” said Simati. Even then, there is a concern about where the people of Tuvalu would migrate to, said Simati, pointing out that the situation of Tuvalu’s people does not fall under United Nations refugee status. Simati said that it is unprecedented for climate change to be considered a refugee crisis, the criteria of which usually pertains to crises of persecution or war. In comparison, climate change is slow and gradual, yet it is very much the grounds of a crisis, he added. Wong spoke about her collaboration with Vincent Huang, a Taiwanese artist who has been using eco-art to create awareness for Tuvalu’s crisis through art installations. Huang is representing Tuvalu at the 2017 Venice Biennale, an annual contemporary visual art exhibition, with Wong curating Tuvalu’s pavilion. Huang’s work features a flooded pavilion, to represent the challenges ahead of Tuvalu. “Vincent and I are leaning towards and are energized by what German Artist Joseph Boyce called ‘Social Sculpture’ — the theoretical hypothesis that art has evolutionary and revo-
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lutionary power,” said Wong. “Social sculpture fashions everything into art, and everything, including the whole society, should be approached creatively,” she said. In this manner, people of different disciplines can work together as architects of society, said Wong. Students in Wong’s experiential learning practicum this semester, titled “Tuvalu to the World,” worked on eco-art projects researching the crisis in Tuvalu — including sea level rise, coral bleaching and endangered crops. They selected crops and wrote mini biographies in first person to consider how living things feel in their hostile environments, linking humans with non-humans, said Wong. The class’s exhibition will be featured in Usdan Student Center during the Festival of the Arts in April. Eco-art can be a movement to change people’s actions in regard to the environment. “It’s cultural work, not just science, and this is where they meet,” concluded Cheetham, calling upon eco-art as an intersection between art and activism. If society allows the Earth to warm up by the expected two degrees celsius, “We will be inundated, we will be gone,” said Simati, who also noted that climate change will take on many shapes around the world, like expected droughts in the Sahel region of Africa. “Sea level rise is but one existential issue for us.” The event was part of the “Art and Environment Crisis” series sponsored by the Department of Fine Arts.
OUR BARGAINING GOALS AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE BRANDEIS PART-TIME FACULTY UNION TO THE BRANDEIS COMMUNITY
In December 2015, adjunct and part-time contract faculty at Brandeis overwhelmingly voted to form our union. We are now united, with a shared commitment to the twin pillars of the Brandeis mission: academic excellence and social justice. Whether researchers, scholars, artists, or practitioners, we share a dedication to teaching and an understanding that our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions. Adjunct and part-time contract faculty are responsible for one-quarter of the instruction at Brandeis, but we are paid far less than other faculty for teaching. Many of us have been here for years without any job security. Despite delivering the same quality instruction as our full-time colleagues, many of us lack support for professional development and basic resources such as private office space to meet with our students. As we negotiate our first union contract, we seek a commitment from our employer that matches our commitment to Brandeis and its students. We urge the administration to live up to the social justice values of Brandeis University and to honor our contributions to the university’s academic excellence. We seek meaningful job security, equitable compensation, increased access to benefits, greater inclusion in the academic life of the university, and support for our scholarship, creative endeavors, and professional development. During this pivotal moment in the history of higher education in the United States, Brandeis has the opportunity, through these contract negotiations, to become an example, locally and nationally, of the just treatment of all faculty, regardless of rank. Sincerely, Christopher Abrams (Arts & Sciences) Clark Abt (Heller) Jeff Adelberg (Creative Arts) Sonia Almeida (Fine Arts) Christopher Alt (IBS) Peter Anick (GSAS) Leanne Bateman (Rabb) Julie Bernson (Arts & Sciences) Jing Bi (Arts & Sciences) Gregory Block (Rabb) Winston Bowman (Arts & Sciences) Matthew Boxer (GSAS) Bernadette Brooten (Arts & Sciences) Aliza Brosh (Arts & Sciences) Laura Brown (Arts & Sciences) Bronson Brown-deVost (Arts & Sciences) Sean Cahill (Heller) Alfonso Canella (IBS) Robert Carver (IBS) Patrick Chung (Social Science) Margaret Clendenen (Sociology) Steven Cohen (IBS) Cheryl Coleman (Rabb) Sarah Curi (HSSP) Ari Davidow (Rabb) Mark Dellelo (Arts & Sciences) Kathleen Dowcett (Arts & Sciences) Kerry Dunne (Education) Yoni Dvorkis (Rabb) William Ellet (Intn’l School of Business) Joshua Ellsworth (Heller) Mara Eyllon (HSSP) Joseph Falconi (Fine Arts)
Drew Flanagan (Arts & Sciences) Gabriel Sol Fontes (Arts) Steve Freedman (Rabb) Ariel Freiberg (Fine Arts) Aida Galeb (CAS) Denise Guerin (Rabb) Andrew Hart (CAS) Erik Hemdal (GPS) Deborah Hemdal (Rabb) Nathaniel Hodes (English) Maggie Huff-Rousselle (Heller) Judith Jackson (Arts & Sciences) Alexander Jacobs (Theatre Arts) Heyward Parker James (Arts & Sciences) Isabella Jean (Heller) Matthias Jenny (Philosophy) Laura John (Arts & Sciences) Rosalind Kabrhel (Legal Studies) Nina Kammerer (Heller) Kate Kramer (Arts & Sciences) Ryan LaRochelle (Arts & Sciences) James Leu (IBS) Jay Leu (IBS) John Lippitt (Heller) Richard Lockwood (Heller) Marya Lowry (Theatre Arts) Keridwen Luis (Arts & Sciences) David Lundgren (IBS) Sarah Lupis (GSAS) John MacMillan (Rabb) Michelle Mann (CAS) Joseph Martin (Transitional Year Program) Peter May (Journalism)
Marc McAneny (Music) Keren McGinity (AMST) Michael McKay (IBS) Ryan McKittrick (Creative Arts) Debra Michalides (Rabb) James Moore (GSAS) Carl Moore (Rabb) Scott Moore (CAS) Deborah Moriarty (Education) Charles Mutunga (Rabb) Ramesh Nagappan (GPS) Brenda Ng (Rabb) Alice Noble (Heller) Tzofit Ofengenden (Philosophy) Travis Parno (Arts & Sciences) Gail Peretti (Mathematics) Cynthia Phillips (Rabb) Chloe Piazza (GSAS) Steven Plunkett (GSAS) Robert Podorefsky (IBS) Michael Polito (Arts & Sciences) Robyn Powell (Heller) Atticus Ranck (Gender & Sexuality Ctr.) Laura Roper (Heller) Franco Rossi (Arts & Sciences) Malcolm Russell-Einhorn (Heller) John Russo (Rabb) Jocelyn Scheirer (Arts & Sciences) Aviva Scheur (Education) Diana Schor (GSAS) Michael Schultz (IBS) Benjamin Sherman (Philosophy) Dawn Skorczewski (FAS)
Doug Smith (Legal Studies) Daniel Souleles (Arts & Sciences) David Steele (Heller School) Rachel Steele (MKTYP) Elisabeth Stucklen (RABB) Sarah Sutton (History) Leigh Swigart (Arts & Sciences) Mayumi Tamaki (Japanese) Amber Taylor (NEJS) Sharon Thomas (IBS) Amy Todd (Rabb) David Tybor (Heller) Mitch Tyson (IBS)
www.BrandeisFacultyForward.org
Michiel van Veldhuizen (Arts & Sciences) Raghu Verabelli (RABB) Yongge wang (RABB) Wesley Ward (Arts & Sciences) Marc Weinberg (Arts & Sciences) Ben Wendorf (African & Afro-American Studies) Curt Woolhiser (CSA) Conley Wouters (Arts & Sciences) Qingxi Xia (Business) Aline Yurik (RABB) Vitaly Yurik (GPS) Ofer Zmiri (GPS)
THE JUSTICE
PANEL: Women leaders speak at workshop CONTINUED FROM 1
necessarily mean an absence of nerves, Nemzoff said. “While you act fearless, it doesn’t mean you feel fearless,” she said, again emphasizing the importance of a support network. “You have to know yourself,” Nemzoff said. “Get all the help you can, and it usually doesn’t happen by magic. You have to ask for it.” Nemzoff added that even “misery” can motivate women in the workforce, explaining that unhappiness in certain roles motivated her to ask herself, “How do I get out of here?” “Sometimes, the worst jobs leave you in the best places,” Pokaski agreed. Prof. Shulamit Reinharz, Ph.D. ’77 (SOC), the director of the WSRC, said that women are almost like Weeble Wobbles, a toy that rights itself after being knocked over. As the panel fielded questions from the audience, Lissandra Lopez, the vice president of Sales
Strategy and development manager at Citizens Bank, asked the panelists how they stay confident. Lopez explained that she often finds herself subconsciously downplaying her achievements or shifting credit away from herself. Nemzoff responded that she has surrounded herself with a good support network in order to feel confident. “I try not to go out there naked, … without a support group,” she said. Another attendee, Mercedes Hall ’17, explained that she has found it difficult to walk the line between confidence and arrogance when taking charge. Nemzoff advised her to evaluate her options before acting. “You can’t stand up all the time,” she said. “What’s the most effective strategy? Sometimes it’s being a polite bitch.” Hardiman agreed, asserting that confidence and self-motivation can be key. Often, “I look in the mirror [before work] and say, ‘You are a badass, Rita,’” she laughed.
RJ: Panelists advise to foster the vulnerable with forgiveness CONTINUED FROM 1 offended and the surrounding community so that everyone can move forward, Petersen said. In neighborhoods suffering from poverty and crime, the question of restorative justice is especially tricky. In the 1990s, Rev. Brown cofounded the Boston Ten Point Coalition. Composed of clergy and other community leaders, the group has worked to address issues facing at-risk Black and Latino youth in Boston. According to a June 5, 2015 NPR article, the coalition played a key part in Operation Ceasefire, also known as the “Boston Miracle,” which sharply reduced violent crime in the city. “We started that in the streets,” said Robert Lewis, president of the Board of the Values over Violence Institute. “How do we reconcile, how do we get these young men to value something, to value their lives?” One approach was midnight basketball, an initiative to present youth with late-night alternatives to crime. Rev. Brown described how he would join them on the court. “At first they wouldn’t talk to me,” started Brown. “But after a while, when they saw I wasn’t going away — and that, you know, I couldn’t really play any ball, either,” he added, “they started to talk to me.” Lewis pointed out how difficult forgiveness can be for at-risk youth. “'Forgiveness,'” he explained, “wasn’t a word that was thrown around in the inner city.” He added, “When you think of forgiveness and you mention that to a young guy that’s growing up in the city, that’s a word — that’s kinda like, a little soft, man.” Panelists agreed that forgive-
ness and reconciliation are far from easy. Sheila McMahon, the University’s director of Sexual Assault Services and Prevention, talked about how difficult the concept of Restorative Justice can also be on college campuses. “Often, what happens is that the person who has experienced the harm or who is feeling frustrated maybe doesn’t feel like they can address it with that other student,” said McMahon. “And so they talk to their friends — and friends talk to their friends — and then it’s on Facebook, and maybe there’s some other messaging that happens. It gets pretty ugly pretty fast, but then there’s never been an opportunity for some conversation or connection.” Connections are often difficult to make between those who are most vulnerable and those who are in the position to change that, panelists agreed. “You cannot build a program magnetic enough that’s going to bring gang members and drug dealers into your church,” said Rev. Brown, emphasizing the need for pastors to go out into their neighborhood and “take the first steps.” Petersen also noted the importance of knowing when to be quiet and listen, he said, and learn to respect the “other” — someone who is not simply another person, but one’s brother or sister. Petersen also brought up an experience where he brought his students to Zenica, a city in Bosnia, to hold a dialogue with faculty and students at a Muslim academy. The massacre at Srebrenica had been in the news, and the conversation proved tense. “All we want is for somebody to say ‘I’m sorry,’” a man told Petersen. “Somebody from the West. For Srebrenica.” Forgiveness, Petersen emphasized, was not a Christian value but a universal human value.
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BLACK LIVES MATTER
ADAM PANN/the Justice
KEYNOTE: Khalil Gibran Muhammad gave a keynote for the University’s two-day Black Lives Matter symposia on Thursday evening.
SPEAKER: Muhammad reviews the work of historical Black activists CONTINUED FROM 1 ways that African-Americans “set into motion much of the reformist ideas” have changed since Wells’ approach. He explained that other activists, such as W.E.B. Du Bois, the pioneering sociologist of African-Americans in Philadelphia during the nineteenth century, “challenged the conventional wisdom that Black people were their own worst enemies,” a stance that served to bring the necessary improvements of both the Black and white communities into the foreground. Comparing Du Bois’ stance with Wells’, Muhammad says that “[Du Bois] tries in his own way to meet both the objective reality of criminality in the community and at the structural determinants that he noticed in society.” In explaining Du Bois’ point, he said that Du Bois took a different approach to shed light on racism during the early nineteenth century. The sharp contrast between Wells’ and Du Bois’ outlooks
stemmed from Du Bois’ distinct position as a “Rhetorical Strategist” which, as compared to Wells, allowed him to address the potential improvements that needed to be made in both the white and Black communities, Muhammad said. He noted the difference in strategies, as both introduced different perspectives to address the issue of systemic racism, as well as crime, during the late nineteenth century. The importance of differing strategies served to highlight the multifaceted approach that is required to consistently identify and annul racism and discrimination in all of their forms, according to Muhammad. Alternative arrangements served to give activists the ability to recognize everyday discrimination in different forms and be better prepared to address them. As he continued, Muhammad touched upon recent addresses to the complicity of law enforcement and also said that “the first step to understanding what is really going on in our community and our coun-
tries is to gather more and better data related to arrests.” In his conclusion, he explained that the fundamental challenge that we have to come to terms with is best explained by author James Baldwin, who said that “‘[my countrymen and my country] have destroyed and are destroying hundreds of thousands of lives and do not know it and do not want to know it.’” However, the Baldwin quote continues, “‘it is not permissible that the authors of devastation should also be innocent; it is the innocence that constitutes the crime.’” Using Baldwin’s quote, Muhammad explained that it is the responsibility of everyone to resolve the conflicts of systemic racism, as it is perpetuated by innocence itself. Muhammad closed by responding to local policing, asserting, “We cannot have a conversation about what police officers ought to be doing or a retreat against mandatory minimums without talking about an economy that is failing our society.”
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features
TUESDAY, March 28, 2017 ● Features ● The Justice
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VERBATIM | JEAN-PAUL SARTRE Everything has been figured out, except how to live.
ON THIS DAY…
FUN FACT
In 1535, Bloemkamp Abbey in the Netherlands was attacked.
The odds of filling out a perfect March Madness bracket are 1 in 9 quintillion.
CREATING CHANGE: Rev. Jeffrey Brown’s work is partially responsible for the “Boston Miracle,” a twenty-nine month period in which there were no juvenile homicides.
YVETTE SEI/the Justice
Miracle Maker Rev. Jeffrey Brown was named a Richman Distinguished Fellow in Public Life
By LEV BROWN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
If it was unclear before, Rev. Jeffrey Brown has established that miracles really do occur. Brown spoke at Brandeis University after receiving the annual “Richman Distinguished Fellow in Public Life” award on Wednesday, March 22. Brown was recognized for his work fighting youth violence in the streets of Boston, which led to what is known as the “Boston Miracle,” a twenty-nine month stretch which contained zero juvenile homicides. The award presentation took place in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall in Goldfarb Library. The afternoon began with an introduction from Brandeis President Ronald Liebowitz, who briefly discussed Brown’s work in the Boston community. Liebowitz began by formally presenting the award and explaining its significance: “This is in recognition of your exemplary contributions to public life, having a significant impact on improving American society, strengthening democratic institutions, advancing social justice and increasing opportunities for all citizens to realize and share in the benefits of this nation.” Brown began his talk: “It is such a pleasure and honor to be standing here before you this afternoon. … I am very grateful to be chosen as this year’s Richman fellow.” He explained to the audience that his speech was intended to “help you in your leadership journey as you move and grow and come to the directions of what god has for you.” Brown articulated why this award means so much to him and began to tell his life story. As a
teenager, he attended AndoverNewton Theological School and, after graduating, became a pastor at the Union Baptist Church. He also attended Harvard Divinity School in Cambridge. While working at the Union Baptist Church, he saw that other religious figures were deserting the inner cities. He discussed that when working as a pastor, “Many of them [the other pastors] left the inner cities, … where I saw the social and economic structures crumbling before my eyes, and I thought that drain of talent and of energy and of economic power was wrong.” Brown associated the shift of religious figures out of the cities with an increased level of violence. He recalls, “As I was pastoring, it’s true I saw that there was this phenomenon in the community of homicides that were occurring.” He was beyond devastated to work in an area in which such horrible things were happening, explaining that not only gang members, but also all members of society — including innocent civilians — were being targeted as well. As Brown put it, “bullets don’t have names on them, so some people get hit very tragically.” He knew that at this point, something needed to be done. Brown spoke about his first attempts to create new church programs that drew in kids from the streets, in an attempt to improve their attitude through religious work. Unfortunately, this plan did not work, and homicide rates stayed fairly high. He explained his frustrating thought process: “During that time I was searching all of the literature and reading the newspapers and watching on tele-
vision, looking for innovative programming, trying to employ the programming. I restarted the midnight basketball in the Cambridgearea and looked at some of these other best practices that were occurring, but nothing seemed to be making a dent to the violence.” Brown realized that despite his strong effort, he was missing something in his thought process. Brown then told the audience of one moment in which everything changed for him. At a certain point, he realized that he was treating those on the streets as if they were completely different. He was trying to distance himself from them, which did not allow them to feel safe and did not make them feel welcomed by him or the church.
This moment transformed him: “As I started to walk in Cambridge and later on in Boston, it became clear to me that there was this part of doing this work that enables you to overpower or see through or overcome whatever fears that you may have in order to see the authenticity of your work and the authenticity of yourself.” He realized that he had a previous fear of the work that he had to overcome, and that is what he did. He understood that “it was not enough to bring youth within the four walls of our sanctuary; rather, we had to come out of the four walls of our sanctuary and meet the youth where they were.” He then took a new form of action: “We started to walk collectively within the Four Corners area
YVETTE SEI/the Justice
PRESENTING THE RICHMAN: The award ceremony took place Wednesday in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall.
of Dorchester on Friday nights and on Saturday nights” to talk to and interact with these kids. After taking this new form of action and integrating a mindset that was not driven by fear, Brown really did begin to notice change in the community. He explained what happened as a result of listening: “There is a fear of listening that forces a person to stay within their own comfort zone, and once you’re able to live with that fear and step out on faith, if you will, you can consider possibilities you hadn’t even imagined, and it begins to force change.” He described the many myths that he had previously associated with the streets and how they all “melted away” when he spoke and got to know the kids who live there. After a long time spent speaking with these men, it became clear to Brown that he should no longer view “the youth as a problem to be solved, and start looking at them for who they are; as human beings, engaged in a struggle and are in need of people to help them through the situation.” Brown began to spread this word to leaders within these troubled communities to create a feeling that change can come. Soon, a statistic was released that amazed the entire country, to the extent that it was named “the Boston Miracle.” The statistic measured a twentynine-month long stretch of time in which the juvenile homicide rate held at zero. Such a result was unheard of and catapulted Brown to fame. As he describes it, “The real miracle was folks getting out of the blame game on the adults’ side, and being able to come together and do business differently.”
the justice ● Features ● TUESDAY, March 28, 2017 AARON BIRNBAUM/the Justice
PRACTICED PRINTERS: Competitors came from other universities to participate in the Printathon.
AARON BIRNBAUM/the Justice
Fit to Print
Deis3D hosted an intercollegiate Printathon By VICTOR FELDMAN JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
HEATHER SCHILLER/the Justice
HUMANS FOR HUMANS: Competitors were tasked with printing an object that attaches or interfaces with a human.
HEATHER SCHILLER/the Justice
THE FUTURE IS PRINTED: Many people predict that 3D printers will one day become as ubiquitous as laptops.
“When I came to Brandeis, I thought 3D printing was science fiction,” said Gabriel Seltzer ’18 in an interview with the Justice. Then he joined Deis3D, the on-campus 3D printing club located in the MakerLab above Goldfarb Library. He recalls his early days in the club, saying, “I started making my own objects, fixing printers, and helping out … it all sort of just snowballed from there.” Today, Seltzer is the vice president of Deis3D. This weekend Deis3D held a Printathon, an intercollegiate 3D printing competition. For twenty-four hours this Saturday, the mezzanine above Goldfarb library was packed with six teams of engineering and computer science students, almost all young men, from neighboring universities and high schools. Fueled by copious amounts of Red Bull and Dunkin coffee, each competitor appeared entranced in his or her own world, furiously typing computer programs, creating prototypes and hovering anxiously over 3D printers in an intense effort to assemble the best 3D-printed object. “This year’s theme was called, ‘Make It Human.’ This means the 3D-printed object could be something that attaches to a human like a prosthetic or something that interfaces with a human,” Seltzer explained. Each team presented their 3D-printed object before a panel of judges who assessed each entry based on its adherence to the theme of the event, its creativity and complexity and the quality of the presentation. This year, the first-place winner was a blue headband created from a 3D scan of someone’s head so that it fit perfectly. The band contains sound sensors that, when triggered, send small vibrations though the band to alert the person wearing it when there is noise behind them. “It’s a great idea, especially for people who are hard of hearing,” Seltzer exclaimed. “It’s a super solid project.” Stephen Hawes, an engineering student at the University of Connecticut and one of the architects of the headband, could hardly suppress his joy when his team was announced the winner. Grinning, Hawes said, “I know it sounds cheesy, but I just had a blast here. I got to do what I love and kick ass on a project and win!” Hawes had another good reason to be excited. His team was going to back to Connecticut with a major prize: a 3D printer of their own.
As the teams packed up virtual reality headsets, PLA filaments and external hard drives, Seltzer shook hands with the contestants. Seltzer remarked, “I think the coolest thing about 3D printing is that you go from an idea to a physical thing. It’s all within your control. You say to yourself; I want to make something that helps me with a task in life, and then you dream it up, and eventually you can physically hold what was originally only an idea in your head. It’s really a powerful thing.” Later, once the room had cleared, Seltzer admitted, “A lot of 3D printing at this level makes trinkets but not, strictly speaking, useful things. I’ve struggled with how meaningful all this is.” Of course, there are practical applications for 3D-printing that go beyond the trivial. “The 3D-printed prosthetics movement is big because 3D printing is really good at customizing things. Normally prosthetics cost between 20 to 40 thousand dollars, but 3D-printed ones are around 50 bucks. This is useful especially for children who may need a new prosthetic every year,” Seltzer explained. Unfortunately, Deis3D does not have the resources for such endeavors or to compete directly with schools with larger engineering programs. Knowing the limitations of his club, Seltzer said, “I don’t ever expect us to become a rival to MIT where we come up with new technologies. What I do expect and would love to see is a scenario where MIT creates these cool new technologies and then realize that they don’t know what to do with them, so we say ‘we’ll test out your new creation and put it to use.’ I want to see us pioneering new ways to use the technology that already exists.” Seltzer mused, “I used to think 3D printers would become ubiquitous. Part of the problem is that it requires a certain level of tech know-how, but the primary issue is a willingness to fail. If your 2D printer jams and fails to print your homework, you get mad; you expect that printer to work the first time you try it. There is a threshold of failure for 3D printing that you need to be able to meet to overcome an obstacle and learn from it.” Perhaps one day 3D printers will become as ubiquitous as laptops, but for now the 3D printed world belongs to more technologically adventurous people like Seltzer. The way he sees it, nobody should be afraid to walk into MakerLab and explore 3D printing. “We can be a hub for would-be engineering students on campus and say, ‘We have this tech, what do you want to do with it?”
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10 TUESDAY, march 28, 2017 ● forum ● THE JUSTICE
the
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Brandeis University
Carmi Rothberg, Editor in Chief Mihir Khanna, Managing Editor Morgan Brill and Abby Patkin, Deputy Editors Michelle Banayan, Jessica Goldstein, Noah Hessdorf, Amber Miles, Jerry Miller and Sabrina Sung, Associate Editors Michelle Dang, Acting News Editor, Kirby Kochanowski, Features Editor Nia Lyn, Acting Forum Editor, Ben Katcher, Acting Sports Editor Hannah Kressel, Arts Editor Natalia Wiater, Photography Editor Mira Mellman, Layout Editor, Pamela Klahr and Robbie Lurie, Ads Editors Rachel Sharer, Online Editor, Jen Geller and Avraham Penso, Copy Editors
EDITORIALS Recognize the work of the Black Lives Matter movement Beginning March 23, the University hosted a two-day symposium titled “Black Lives Matter: Local Movements, Global Futures.” The symposium sought to help Brandeis students relate their own experiences with the Black Lives Matter movement to those of other activists on a global scale. This board commends the University for recognizing the importance of this movement through the creation of this symposium. The symposium’s events included campus-wide teach-ins, a social justice forum and four panel sessions featuring scholars from across the country. The teach-ins in particular emphasized the University’s core values of education. They were hosted by students as part of the class #BlackLivesMatter: The Struggle for Civil Rights from Reconstruction to the Present, taught by Prof. Chad Williams (AAAS). This board applauds the University for recognizing the importance of having student voices take an active role in the symposium. Hopefully, this two-day event will empower members of the community to become more involved in political and social activism. Each day of the symposium concluded with a keynote address. Thursday’s keynote speaker was Khalil Gibran Muhammad, a professor of history, race and public policy at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Friday featured KeeangaYamahtta Taylor, an assistant professor in Princeton University’s Department of
Acknowledge strides African-American Studies and author of the book “From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation.” The Brandeis campus community has repeatedly vocalized the importance of diversity and inclusion through movements like Ford Hall 2015 and through everyday discourse on campus. This event assisted in the extension of the discussion of these issues beyond the classroom setting. This board applauds the University for recognizing student interest and actively working to create events of relevance to the campus community. Many departments and courses encouraged students to attend events during the symposium. This was clearly evidenced by the massive turnout for the keynote addresses; both events were standing room only. Brandeis’ mission statement asserts that the University “recognizes the need to analyze and address the ways in which social, cultural and economic inequalities affect power and privilege in the larger society and at Brandeis itself.” The creation of this symposium provided an opportunity for students to critically engage with a movement predicated on addressing the inequalities present in American society. This board recognizes the need for open forums for Brandeis community members to examine and digest the tenets and complexities of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Acknowledge female empowerment in the workplace This past week, the University held a panel showcasing a variety of female leaders in the workforce and their impact on women’s empowerment in such a space. This board commends the efforts of the University to uphold its commitment to diversity and, more specifically, to female leadership. In past weeks, this board has discussed the issue of diversity through the lens of race and ethnicity; however, gender equality is an equally important and just cause which needs to be addressed. Women have been notoriously underrepresented in leadership roles within the workplace compared to their male counterparts. This gap has proved to be a major hurdle for those women looking to advance to the upper echelons of management or to contribute meaningful work within certain companies. In presenting this panel of women, the University opened up the discussion about women in the workforce in multiple ways. Female students were able to look to these panelists as role models for future success. The panelists, who came from a diverse set of backgrounds and careers, proved that women are capable of such positions and that no goal is unattainable. Many of the panelists discussed how they represented a small minority of their respective divisions, but nonetheless were able to make a strong impact. This message is crucial for those students who aim to climb the managerial ladder in careers which lack adequate female representation. The idea of finding mentorship
Support future leaders and networking arose multiple times throughout the discussion, something that Joanne Pokaski, director of Workforce Development at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Ruth Nemzoff, former assistant minority leader of the New Hampshire legislature, touched upon. The panel served to do just so, allowing for students to network with like-minded women and seek advice from seasoned female leaders. Moreover, the panelists gave concrete advice to students as to how to circumvent bias and create a persona of confidence. In the face of bias and general discouragement, such an attitude can be critical for those looking to succeed in their respective careers. The University should continue to acknowledge the role of women leadership and its impact on the world. Women have recently made huge strides in this regard; however, there is much work to do in order to create an equal and welcoming environment. The steps made in this panel are but a few of the crucial steps needed to empower women with the voice of confidence and leadership. Professor Shulamit Reinharz, Ph.D. ’77 (SOC) and director of the Women’s Studies Research Center, noted the importance of feminism within the University system and its effect on students. This board encourages the University to uphold its commitment to diversity in hopes that this mentality will permeate the student body and influence their future career decisions.
SABRINA SUNG/the Justice
Views the News on
According to a March 21 New York Times article, President Donald Trump plans on repealing climate change policies set during the Obama administration. In addition to cutting funding for the Environmental Protection Agency by 31 percent, he has also expressed interest in reviving the coal industry — something that President Obama aimed to diminish. Though 75 percent of Americans support regulating carbon dioxide emissions, the White House and Congress are pursuing actions that would limit such regulations. What do you think of the Trump administration’s actions regarding climate change, and what can be done to align these disparate goals?
Prof. Laura Goldin (ENVS)
The Trump administration plans to undo climate change policies set in place to address the realities already felt by the effects of a climate changing in significant part by burning fossil fuel. By what moral or legal code does one president make wholesale decisions which can destroy precious natural resources forever to the loss of generations to come? Furthermore, Trump promises to bring back a wealth of jobs and recharge the dying coal industry...burning natural gas ... although also a fossil fuel, has overtaken coal as a cheaper and cleaner burning alternative. The oil and gas industry and smaller entrepreneurs also have been pursuing alternative energy solutions as the economic future of the industry. A number of states are also taking steps to limit carbon emissions that would effectively prevent new coal plants. Finally, modern coal mining extraction creates limited jobs. Instead it relies on heavy equipment, even removing mountaintops, to leave behind barren wasteland and polluted water. Thanks to our legal and constitutional system, the public has a say in what happens next. We can let our voices be heard now, in our local communities, in our states and in our midterm elections. Prof.Laura Goldin (ENVS) is a professor of Environmental Studies.
Prof. Charles Chester (ENVS)
Is there a silver lining to President Trump’s EPA budget and executive decision-making? No, there really isn’t; recent verbal emissions from the White House constitute the most disheartening news that the public has heard in a long time — possibly ever, at least from a standing president. But right now, silver linings are not what the environmental community — or anyone who breaths air and drinks water — should be searching out. Rather, we need a strong, determined and well-funded push-back against the harmful budget and know-nothing policies that the Trump Administration is espousing. The good news is that there is a great deal of know-how and experience within the environmental community, and they are out there right now fighting the necessary fight. Moreover, from a legal perspective, there is a good deal of opportunity to avert the tragic consequences of an Eden-for-billionaires world. But success in this pushback is not going to be easy; it will require persistent support for rational policies in our words, our actions, and our philanthropy—whether it’s at the scale of $10 or of $1 million. Prof.Charles Chester (ENVS) is a professor of Environmental Studies.
Benedikt Reynolds ’19 There will be consequences. Consider tobacco: without the rules and regulations, the age restrictions and the taxes and the research that caused the stigma, where would we be today? The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) main priority is to protect human and animal health. Subsequently, that means looking at solutions for global warming. Unfortunately, without the rules and regulations, the research, the stigma, the EPA, we’re moving further from those solutions. However, America’s consumers are the decision makers. If company X isn’t working out for you because they don’t recycle, switch to a company that does. Company X will have to catch up, otherwise they could go out of business. It’s change from the bottom up! So, whenever you’re considering a purchase, please look for companies that promise fair trade, organic and recycled products. Make sure their products aren’t trends but are timeless and are meant to be used for years to come. It’s something that you can start immediately and that everyone can participate in. Your money is your vote, and with every purchase, you can vote for protecting the environment. Benedikt Reynolds ’19 is a member of the Senate Sustainability Committee.
Maddox Kay ’19
President Trump’s new climate change policies represent a traditionally conservative view on the environment, yet do little to balance the budget or stimulate the economy. According to White House data, in 2016 the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget represented 0.25 percent of the national budget — a drop in the bucket. Trump is not cutting funding to pinch pennies, but to make a point. This is a line item in a long list of actions Trump has undertaken not in the interest of sound policy, but in the interest of ideological consistency. We see this in his push for coal as well. Coal is a dying energy source being pushed out by natural gas and renewables, and injecting the coal industry with cash will only stave off its decline. As these policies contradict most Americans’ views on carbon emissions and climate change, voters must make climate change an issue in the 2018 midterm elections. All 435 seats in the House and 34 seats in the Senate will be up for grabs, and the outcome will determine whether Trump’s policies are a speed bump or the new norm. Maddox Kay ’19 is a staff writer for the Justice. He is also majoring in Sociology with a double minor in Legal Studies and Spanish.
THE JUSTICE ● fORUM ● TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 2017
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Criticize Trump’s budget cuts to necessary programs Amber
MILES ANONYMOUS KRAKEN
From bigotry to general incompetence, President Donald Trump invites enough criticism on enough of his personal attributes to fill volumes and volumes of books — and commentary on his policies could easily fill a matching set. His proposed budget for the 2018 fiscal year provides an itemized list of such criticisms, and some of these items warrant more critical attention than they have thus far received. Trump’s continued disregard for the concerns of marginalized groups is alarming and unacceptable, but not altogether surprising, as he has no observable stake in the well-being of these people and can therefore selfishly ignore them. The president’s stance on other issues, however, is slightly more surprising, as they hit a little closer to home and actually affect Trump and his groupies. As such, it is in Trump’s best interest to reconsider certain measures on his proposed budget, particularly those regarding the environment and education, because they will hurt everyone — privileged billionaire or not. Trump’s current agenda seems counterproductive to the point of being downright self-destructive. Opponents need not even teach Trump a bit of compassion or human decency, as they do in other situations, in order to persuade him against his environment- and education-related budget points; self-preservation should be enough to convince him to alter course, if he has the same instinct as even the most basic organism. With a 31 percent cut to the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget, the federal government would eliminate more than 50 programs and kill about 3,200 jobs, according to a March 16 Washington Post report. This reduction in the EPA budget would also suspend funding for international climate-change programs, and proposed cuts to the U.S. State Department’s budget would terminate climatechange prevention programs and suspend already-pledged payments to United Nations climate-change programs, according to the same Washington Post report. According to NASA, which cite five peerreviewed scientific studies, 97 percent of active
climate scientists agree not only that climate change is real, but also that human activities contribute to it. Despite this, many politicians on the right continue to resist efforts to curb this phenomenon; indeed, they support actions which actually worsen the situation, such as permitting the continuing construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, as Trump did on Friday, according to a March 24 New York Times article. When it comes to the reality of climate change, the standards for burden of proof are uneven: It seems that Republicans require 100 percent consensus from scientists before they will consider the validity of an observable fact; yet at the same time, only 51 percent of Congress need be in consensus in order to approve a budget that would endanger the planet and everyone on it. According to the not-yet-crippled EPA, the hotter temperatures and more temperamental weather associated with climate change threaten human health, air and water quality, wildlife and even infrastructure. These facts are corroborated by the National Resources Defense Council and the Environmental Defense Fund, among other organizations. The World Wildlife Fund details more thoroughly the effect on wildlife, listing tigers, snow leopards, Asian rhinos, orangutans, African elephants, polar bears and Adelie penguins as some of the many animals that will be negatively impacted by climate change. Now, expecting Trump to care more for these animals than he does for his fellow man may be a stretch, but the United States president does breathe air and drink water, doesn’t he? If America’s leaders had hoped for 100 percent scientific consensus, they are guaranteed not to get it under Trump’s proposed budget — but not because of faulty science. According to the same Washington Post report, the Trump administration seeks to halve the funding for the EPA’s Office of Research and Development, as well as end four NASA missions focused on understanding climate change. The proposed budget’s impact on these programs would effectively stem any research projects that may have convinced the remaining three percent of scientists. In the end, Trump would have the American federal government spend nearly 10 times more on a border wall that only 39 percent of Americans view as important — according to a Jan. 6 Pew Research report — than he would on taking action to protect the planet, something that at least 75 percent of Americans would support, according to a March 21 New York Times article. Trump’s plan for education finances does not look any better, as he intends to cut the Education Department’s budget by about 14
BEN JARRETT/the Justice
percent, according to the same Washington Post report. This includes cuts to teacher training, after-school and summer programs and financial aid programs for low-income and first-generation college students. Federal work study for college students would also be reduced, a measure that seems particularly hypocritical of Republicans, given their insistence that people — including students — should work for what they want, rather than accept “handouts.” An argument can be made for this mentality, but if students do not receive “handouts” or federal work study — a large proportion of the jobs available to students — how does Trump expect them to pay for the ever-increasing cost of necessary higher education? A small loan of one million dollars from one’s parents could help, but many students do not have that luxury. All in all, Trump proposes to spend only $5 billion more on education for the whole country for an entire year than he plans to spend on his border wall. Educational programs outside of the Education Department itself would not fare any better. The proposed budget would destroy most of NASA’s educational programs and eliminate the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a federal agency
that supports tens of thousands of libraries and museums across the country, according to the agency’s website. Education is fundamental not only to democracy and a flourishing society, but also to a barely functional society. Even setting aside goals of progress for the time being, America needs a high-quality educational system to just function, to just survive. All productive contributions to society require some form of education. Crippling America’s educational system to pay for a stack of bricks that only a small percentage of Americans want seems shortsighted and detrimental to the country’s future — to say the least. Realistically, people will have different positions on various policies. Overall, these disagreements are a natural part of informed citizenship and political participation, but protection of the environment and access to highquality education, by virtue of affecting everyone, should be issues of bipartisan agreement. As April and the budget-resolution vote approach, Americans and the politicians who supposedly represent them must scrutinize Trump’s more quietly sinister provisions — hopefully without shutting the government down, again.
Recognize the importance of education in conflict-stricken nations Jessica
Goldstein ubuntu
Notable Swiss psychologist and expert in childhood development, Jean Piaget, once said, “Only education is capable of saving our societies from possible collapse, whether violent or gradual.” For upwards of 59.3 million primary schoolaged students, education remains a denied basic human right, according to the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund. Only 10 percent of girls in the developing world will ever complete secondary school, according to the Peace Corps, due to factors such as genderspecific expectations. This leads to a significant gender gap in future job prospects and an ultimately inefficient society. During the Peace Corps’ Girls Leading our World camp, a teenage girl from Liberia expressed, “I didn’t know that I could write, that I could be an author, that I have a voice.” We have all seen Malala Yousafzai advocate for the education of women, but what happens when education is lessened or targeted in times of conflict? Of the primary students not in school in the developing world, 36 percent are living in conflict zones, according to a 2015 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization report. In fact, a March 23 Human Rights Watch report found evidence of armed militants using
schools or nearby areas as bases; even soldiers in the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic have utilized these spaces for military measures.
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Education is vital to the growth and development of countries in conflict. The conflict in the Central African Republic began in 2013 when Seleka, a Muslim-majority armed group, launched a coup against the government because they felt the government failed to abide by previous peace agreements. As a result, the Christian-majority Anti-balaka formed and reacted to the violence. The UN suspects both groups of atrocities amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. An estimated 3,000 to 6,000 people have been killed and 384,500 are internally displaced. In conflict, individuals not only have to survive, but also have to endure fundamental changes to their way of life. In the same Human Rights Watch report, an 18-year-old-man from Ouaka prefecture shared the challenges he faced since Seleka militants occupied his school: “It is not normal for a child to lose this much time, it has blocked my future.
I wanted to be a doctor, but that is impossible without school.” This man has been waiting four years for his high school education. A school official conveyed a similar sentiment: “The [Anti-balaka] destroyed desks and chairs. We were able to get them to vacate one of the buildings so we could restart the school, but they still occupied half of the school and ruined the building … They used our school grounds as their toilet. They used the desks for firewood.” However, this practice is not limited to the Central African Republic. According to a March 15 article in La Opinion, during the last decade in at least 28 countries, schools have been converted to serve military purposes. This extends well beyond attacks on schools that have been used by militant groups such as the Taliban and Boko Haram. In Nigeria, Boko Haram has made children targets of their attacks — with things such as sexual abuse, torture and imprisonment, according to a Dec. 23, 2015 Al Jazeera article. When armed forces convert schools into military bases and utilize them as munitions storage, schools become a target for enemy forces. Who would send their child to school if, in doing so, it were as though they were sending their child onto the frontlines of a battle? Education is vital to the growth and development of countries in conflict. For some of these, such as the Central African Republic, the largest percent of the population is under the age of 14. According to the Central Intelligence Agency’s World Factbook, 40.27 percent of the population is between the age of zero and 14 years old. These children should be in school because they will soon have to support their country. This cannot be accomplished without
the right to education. Advocacy groups around the world are attempting to alleviate the perils of conflict and lack of education by supporting programs during conflict. Students Organize for Syria, in partnership with STAND, The Student-Led Movement to End Mass Atrocities, created a program called Books Not Bombs. According to the website, the motivation is that “Syria needs a next generation of lawyers, architects, doctors and teachers and we can help with that. Your college can offer a scholarship to a Syrian student, enabling them to receive a safe and quality education.” Currently, 185 schools are considered participating universities, and while this program is geared toward college students, this is not the first attempt on the part of advocacy organizations to bring education to those in conflict zones. Between 2008 and 2014, the Enough Project’s Darfur Dream Team sister schools program provided primary school education to students in Djabal and Goz Amer refugee camps in Chad. As a result, 18,500 Darfuri refugees were educated in primary school. However, the work of non-governmental organizations can only reach so far. Something more must be done. That is why it is important that there is global support for the 2015 Safe Schools Declaration; its purpose is to influence governments with a blueprint on how to better respond to attacks on schools and reduce the threat to schools. While these armed groups may not intend to limit education, children should not be denied one of their most basic rights, as living in a conflict-zone is already challenging enough. In fact, the only chance a country in conflict has for survival is access to childhood education.
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, MARCH 28, 2017 ● forum ● THE JUSTICE
FORUM
Reject current trade imbalances between US and China By Somar hadid JUSTICE staff WRITER
On Nov. 8, 2016, Donald Trump managed to pull off one of the most upsetting victories in American history: He defeated former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the electoral college despite losing the popular vote. Although there are many factors that affected the election — such as voter turnout, the Democratic National Committee hacking and Clinton’s email investigation — no one can doubt that Trump’s appeal to American workers — especially to those in the Rust Belt —contributed to the outcome. The Rust Belt is a term coined in the early 1980s referring to the mass layoffs in the region spanning parts of the Northeast to the upper Midwest States. These states have experienced perpetual economic decline due to deindustrialization in the manufacturing industry, which is primarily due to the massive trade imbalances between the United States and other countries, most notably China. As of today, the United States imports over $347 billion more goods from China than we export, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. This extraordinary trade imbalance is the main cause of this deindustrialization in the Rust Belt; cheaper goods benefit the consumer, but the job loss is cancerous to the American worker. China’s success in terms of trade imbalances with the United States is primarily due to its currency manipulation. These actions have been frequent, most recently occurring in May 2016 when CNN reported that China set their Yuan to a 5-year low. But what is currency manipulation, and how does it affect the U.S. economy? Currency devaluation occurs when a country deliberately makes its currency less valuable by printing more of it or selling more of it in its economy. Today, one U.S. dollar is approximately equal to about 6.88 Yuan. Therefore, to buy something in America that costs 3 units of American currency one needs about 21 Yuan. To buy something in China that costs 3 units of Chinese currency, you only need about 15 cents. It is obvious that someone would rather have 3 dollars than 3 Yuan. According to a report from Dr. Rodrigue of the Global Studies Department at Hofstra University, China has devalued their Yuan from its manipulated, or floating, exchange rate of 3 Yuan per dollar to 6.88 Yuan per dollar today. This manipulation makes an average basket of goods in China cost substantially less than an average basket of goods in the U.S. According to the law of demand, the American consumer demands more of a product the cheaper it is. Also, the Chinese would rather buy their own goods than the more expensive American goods. This contributes to the $347 billion dollar trade imbalance that Donald Trump frequently spoke about throughout his campaign. He traveled county by county through the Rust Belt telling laid-off workers how China and other countries have taken away their jobs, degraded their factories and exploited the U.S. through these trade deals. Donald Trump has made false claims throughout his campaign,
MARA KHAYTER/the Justice
but his claims about the economics of trade were factually spot on. According to the Office of the United States Trade Representatives, U.S. trade imports with China were up 98 percent from 2005 and 382 percent from 2000. One of the most negatively affected states as a result of these trade deals is Michigan, whose residents lost about 81,000 auto manufacturing jobs between 1993 and 2008. These residents heard Trump’s pitch to bring jobs back to America and made him the first Republican candidate to win Michigan since George H.W. Bush won the state in 1988. According to the Economic Policy Institute, Ohio, home to some of America’s largest manufacturing companies like AK Steel and Goodyear, lost about 121,000 of these rubber, steel and other manufacturing jobs from 2000 to 2015. The Buckeye State also came through for Trump, despite its governor’s disapproval of the Republican nominee. The list of states that lost jobs to China goes on and on. Throughout the primaries and more so in the general election, Trump was the only candidate who seemed to lend a voice to the individuals affected by this in the region, which is why Trump’s message to bring back jobs helped him flip some previously blue states to red ones. Now, to be fair, although the United States has lost a lot of jobs in manufacturing, there has been a gain in jobs in other sectors
of the economy. This includes insurance, financial sectors, pharmaceuticals, retail and agriculture, among others. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. unemployment rate is currently around five percent — half the rate during the Great Recession of 2008. Of this five percent, about 1.7 million, or 18 percent of the 9.5 million unemployed Americans come from the field of manufacturing. Five percent may seem like a good number; however, there is a lot of criticism about how the actual unemployment rate is calculated. In order to be considered “unemployed” by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, you have to not have a job and be looking for work. Therefore, if you are a jobless auto-worker and you have not looked for work for over four weeks because you do not think that you will find a job, you are not considered unemployed. Instead, you are considered “out of the labor force,” along with the elderly, disabled, prisoners and others in society who are not looking for work. Therefore, if the Bureau of Labor Statistics included these “marginally attached workers,” people who are able to and want to work but gave up looking for a job, the official unemployment rate would be at about eight or nine percent. Ultimately, Donald Trump is now our president, thanks to these Rust Belt voters who showed up on election day. So far, he has been sidetracked through tweeting
unsubstantiated statements and passing an array of controversial executive orders pertaining to immigration. As it relates to the Rust Belt workers, some economists believe that his calls for a tariff, or a tax, on imported goods will raise prices for consumer goods and cause retaliation from our exporting nations, hurting all Americans, according to a Sept. 29, 2016 CNBC article. The more logical solution that Trump could enforce is the renegotiation of trade deals involving China and other countries. There are mixed reviews about Trump’s renegotiation of trade policies with China. Some economists like Peter Navarro, a professor of Economics at the University of California Irvine, believe that implementing a more equal trade deal with China and other countries could be beneficial to the U.S.; however, this would raise the price of goods produced domestically due to higher U.S. workers’ salaries, according to an Aug. 1, 2016 Bloomberg View article. Others, like Steve Baker of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, believe that manufacturing in the U.S. is a story of the past and the U.S. should retrain workers to develop skills in other fields such as agriculture and oil drilling. In the end, it will be interesting to see whether or not Trump keeps his word to balance out the trade disparities between the U.S., China and other countries in order to help American workers.
Condemn NFL’s prioritization of profit over viewer satisfaction By Ryan Mccarthy JUSTICE contributing WRITER
For the third time in little more than a year, an American football team is packing its bags and moving away. The Oakland Raiders are relocating to Las Vegas, where they await $650 million from Bank of America and $750 million from taxpayers in order to finance a new stadium, according to a March 27 MarketWatch article. The team has the blessings of the National Football League, an organization that is willing to overlook its aversion to sports gambling and small television markets if it can partake in the extortion of yet another community. In the NFL, teams are forever on the prowl for new markets and fancier stadiums, and whatever city is foolish enough to waste public funds on courting a professional football team can part ways with their money with great ease. It shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. Fans of the San Diego Chargers went through the same grief two months ago when the team’s billionaire owner, Dean Spanos, failed to get public funding for a new stadium for which he could have easily footed the bill. So after the citizens of San Diego refused to pay for something they should have been getting for free, Spanos announced to fans in a Jan. 12 statement on NFL.com that the Chargers
would be better off in Los Angeles, where they can play second fiddle to the Los Angeles Rams, who relocated just a year ago. At least the Rams had once been the hometown team of Los Angeles before they returned there last year after a 21-year stint in St. Louis. Yet the Rams, too, forsook genuine negotiations with their former city to pursue the open coffers of Orange County. And while the Rams struggled to fill the stands in their temporary home of the L.A. Coliseum, their own billionaire owner, Stan Kroenke, at least had a more valuable team.
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Whether it be failing ratings, relocation outrage or concerns ... the money will keep coming in. The fans are inconsequential. The NFL is not really about them, after all. Its owners are actually getting quite creative in finding ways to cut them out of the game. When the San
Francisco 49ers opened their new stadium some 40 miles away from the city, owner Jed York instituted personal seat licenses for season tickets. Diehard 49er fans now have to pay a fee anywhere between $2,000 and $80,000 merely for the right to purchase season tickets, which cost another $850 to $3,750 per year, according to an Aug. 12, 2016 Mercury News article. It hardly mattered when the 49ers went 2-14 last season and attendance plummeted; Jed York got his payday. Money, not deflated footballs, is what the NFL really cares about. While New Englanders would love to pin all the ills of the league on Commissioner Roger Goodell, the greed belongs to a 32-man club of onepercenters that somehow manage to avoid blame from their fans. The owners, in fact, must be ecstatic that they get the spoils of three relocation fees totaling $1.65 billion in such a short amount of time. Business is booming, even if television ratings are not. Major media networks paid the NFL roughly $7 billion in broadcasting rights, and those networks themselves made a record $3.5 billion in ad revenue in spite of the 8 percent decline in ratings, according to a March 1 Forbes article. It has proved to be a truly great time to be an NFL mogul, especially with two teams now part of the esteemed Los Angeles television market and another entering America’s most infamous tourist trap. There is little wonder that professional
The opinions expressed on this page are those of each article’s respective author and do not reflect the viewpoint of the Justice.
football is considered to have its own national holiday each February. If it were not for Sunday religious services, the NFL might also be the exclusive owners of a day of the week for five months out of the year. They provide a good product, too: football is particularly notorious for the “any given Sunday” spirit where anything is possible — just ask fans of the Atlanta Falcons. So in many ways, the NFL has nothing to worry about. Whether it be falling ratings, relocation outrage or concerns over the propensity of concussions, the money will keep coming in. There’s little else to watch on a Sunday afternoon, and the American addiction to gridiron action is too widespread. And those fans that lost their team? They can just follow another one! All they need is a $281.94 annual subscription to NFL Sunday Ticket, a more than 9 percent increase in price from last year according to a Feb. 7 Fierce Cable article, all so they can watch all those games no longer being broadcast in their market. Of course, that’s no consolation to football fans in Oakland, San Diego and St. Louis. What has happened over the last year has been a reminder that the NFL is a business that only pretends to care about fostering a community, with cutesy slogans on their official website like “Football is family.” Apparently, that means the kind of family that leaves their longtime home to chase after monied men.
2017
10 THE JUSTICE ● Sports ● Tuesday, MARCH 28, 2017
BASEBALL: Players look to get on roll with win CONTINUED FROM 16 rather subpar record at 1-5, they also did not have the opportunity to play against many teams that they could have potentially beaten, proving that their record may not entirely reflect their capacity for success. Additionally, the group has yet to play an in-conference game, which further shows that they have the potential to turn things around, or at least start to win games that matter most. The Judges look to take on Salem State University this coming Monday at 3 p.m. The squad has a
13
LEADING THE PACK
lot to prove, as they have not put up much of a fight against their opponents so far this year. While they have had some impressive individual performances, they will need to work as a team to start picking up wins. Solid pitching, productive hitting and strong supportive defense will all be necessary for the team to be victorious. The schedule has been scattered and disrupted so far, which might be contributing to the lack of success through five games; regularity might be what this team needs. Perhaps it will start to pick up momentum with what should be an increased frequency of games.
PRO SPORTS: Hield and newcomers have TRACK: Teams dominating put their developing with help of young athletes group back on track
NATALIA WIATER/Justice File Photo
GOING THE DISTANCE: Distance runner Daniel Curley ’20 paces down the track during the Reggie Poyau Invitational on Jan. 14.
CONTINUED FROM 16
CONTINUED FROM 16 to put a ceiling on his potential. Even still, he continues to develop and looks to be a long-term asset on the wing. Fortunately for the Kings, some young big men are showing signs of life as well. Center Willie Cauley-Stein has had some impressive offensive outputs in the wake of the Boogie deal, and first year forward Skal Labissiere has asserted himself as a real NBA player with some big games,
like his recent near-triple-double against the Golden State Warriors, and his 32-point and 11-rebound performance two weeks ago against the Phoenix Suns. The Kings have had players step up in the absence of Demarcus Cousins and might be in better shape than they appear. With the potential to add one of the many high-potential point guards in the lottery, maybe the Kings have something to watch over the next few seasons as they develop their new approach to transforming the franchise.
finishes. The first-years showed their grit in this meet, posting some of the team’s best finishes. Kayla Kurland-Davis ’20 started the day with an eighth-place finish in the 200-meter dash, good for a respectable time of 27.69. Madeline Hayman ’20 continued the first-year onslaught with a silver finish in the 800-meter dash, clocking in at 2:30.60. Maya Bliss ’19 followed her up with a sixth-place finish in the 400-meter dash and a time of 1:02.67. The Judges dominated the 1500-meter dash with three of the top
10 finishes in the event. Kyra Shreeve ’18 led the pack with a time of 5:04.16 and a bronze medal. Meaghan Barry ’19 and Danielle Bertaux ’20 crossed close behind in sixth and eighth, respectively, for their team. Lydia Harris ’20 took a bronze in the 400-meter hurdles with a commanding time of 1:13.28. Willa Moen ’20 edged out Beth Defossez ’18 in the pole vault, securing a silver with a 3.05-meter performance. Defossez managed a 2.90-meter vault for a bronze medal. First-years Kayla Fahey ’20 and Jessie Moore ’20 took home third and seventh, respectively, in the long jump. Fahey jumped a remarkable
4.87 meters, while Moore managed 4.42 meters. Both teams will continue on April 1 at the Tufts Snowflake Classic, hosted by cross-state rivals Tufts University. Last year, the women secured a sixthplace overall finish with 36 points on the day, while the men took ninth place with 30.5 points overall. The team has a lot to look forward to as their new athletes grow and develop, and these rookies will be able to once again show what they are made of at their next meet. The Judges will be up against stiff competition and will need their first-years to continue their dominant performances to lead the teams to victory.
BASEBALL SOFTBALL TRACK TENNIS
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BASEBALL TEAM STATS Runs Batted In
UAA Conference W L Emory 2 2 Case 2 2 NYU 0 0 WashU 0 0 Chicago 0 0 JUDGES 0 0
W 19 8 10 12 8 1
Overall L Pct. 7 .731 11 .421 4 .714 5 .706 4 .667 5 .167
UPCOMING GAMES: Friday at Case Western Reserve Saturday at Case Western double-header Sunday at Case Western Reserve
Ryan Tettemer ’17 leads the team with 4 runs batted in. Player RBI Ryan Tettemer 4 Kyle Lussier 3 Dan O’Leary 2 Marvic Gomez 1
Strikeouts Sean O’Neill ’18 leads all pitchers with 26 strikeouts. Player Ks Sean O’Neill 26 Brandon Musto 5 Liam Coughlin 3 Tim Lopez 3
SOFTBALL UAA STANDINGS
TEAM STATS Runs Batted In
UAA Conference W L W Emory 2 2 17 Case 2 2 9 WashU 0 0 11 NYU 0 0 8 Chicago 0 0 7 JUDGES 0 0 3
Marissa DeLaurentis ’19 has a team-high five runs batted in. Player RBI Marissa DeLaurentis 5 Allison Hecht 3 Madison Hunter 3 Marysa Massoia 2
Overall L Pct. 9 .654 7 .563 4 .733 4 .667 4 .636 4 .429
Strikeouts
UPCOMING GAMES: Wednesday vs. Lesley double-header Friday vs. Case Western double-header Saturday vs. Case Western double-header
Scottie Todd ’20 has a teamhigh 19 strikeouts on the hill. Player Ks Scottie Todd 19 Callie MacDonald 4 Sadie-Rose Apfel 3 Melissa Soleimani 1
TRACK AND FIELD Results from the Tufts Last Chance Meet on March 4.
TOP FINISHERS (Men’s)
TOP FINISHERS (Women’s)
100-meter dash
RUNNER Regan Charie Lorenzo Maddox Michael Kroker
TIME 11.36 11.69 12.01
100-meter dash
RUNNER TIME Kayla Kurland-Davis 13.41 Kanya Brown 13.53 Courtney Page 13.98
UPCOMING MEETS: Saturday at Tufts Snowflake Classic at Tufts University April 8 at Amherst Spring Fling at Amherst College April 14 at Silfen Invitational at Connecticut College
TENNIS Updated season results.
TOP PERFORMERS (Men’s)
TOP PERFORMERS (Women’s)
MEN’S SINGLES Michael Arguello
RECORD 11-8
WOMEN’S SINGLES RECORD Sabrina Neergaard 11-6
MEN’S DOUBLES Aizenberg/Ng
RECORD 9-8
WOMEN’S DOUBLES RECORD Khromchenko/Lehat 8-7
UPCOMING MEETS:
Men, Friday at Bowdoin College Men, Saturday at Bates College Women, March 29 at Tufts University
STANDING HER GROUND
TALYA GUENZBURGER/Justice File Photo
COVERING THE COURT: Sabrina Ross
Neergaard ’20 loads up and rears back for the return during a home match on March 11.
Tuesday, MARCH 28, 2017
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COLLEGE SPORTS BRIEF
jUDGES BY THE NUMBERS UAA STANDINGS
● Sports ●
March Madness filled with surprises ■ Xavier University and the University of South Carolina are just two of the teams to provide shocking upsets. By NOAH HESSDORF Justice EDITOR
The National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament continued this past weekend with the Sweet 16. While the tournament has been both entertaining and surprising, this stage featured some of the best moments of March Madness thus far. Xavier University continued its miracle run as a Cinderella story, upsetting the 2nd-seeded University of Arizona on Thursday. Xavier had entered the NCAAs on a sour note, losing five of their last eight games and star point guard Edmund Summers to injury. All of that was put behind them, though, as the squad pulled off victories against the University of Maryland, Florida State University and now the Wildcats of Arizona. Thursday also featured one of the best-played games of the tournament in a bout between the University of Michigan and the University of Oregon. Michigan, which came into the game as the hottest team in the country, caught fire during critical moments of the contest, but ultimately came up short. The Wolverines had become the tournament’s darlings after their surprising run was preceded by a scary plane accident involving the entire team, which was thankfully unhurt. The saga came to an end at the heels of Oregon’s guards Dillon Brooks and Tyler Dorsey, clutch performers who have learned from their shortcomings a year ago. Another team riding a hot run to overcome their low seed was the 7thseeded University of South Carolina. Even though the Gamecocks entered the tourney with the South Eastern Conference Player of the Year in guard Sindarius Thornwell, the team
was an underdog in almost every game they played. The squad silenced the doubters in the second round with a stunning upset over Duke University, a team many picked to win the entire tournament. South Carolina kept the momentum going with a 20-point victory over threeseeded Baylor University. Head coach Frank Martin has completely resurrected a program that was a perennial SEC bottom-dweller, and led it to what has already been its best season ever. Besides for the upsets from South Carolina and Xavier, most of the heavy hitters took care of business in the Sweet 16. The three remaining one seeds, the University of North Carolina, Gonzaga University and the University of Kansas all advanced to the Elite Eight with victories. Kansas and UNC were able to relinquish their opponents, Purdue University and Butler University, respectively, with relatively little opposition. Gonzaga, however, was up for quite the test against West Virginia University and its infamous FullCourt Press. WVU’s stringy and intense defense gave Gonzaga all kinds of fits as it struggled to put together a commanding lead. Timely outside shooting busted Gonzaga’s tough zone defense from time to time and led to the game coming down to the closing minutes. The Zags led on their experience and veteran players and stayed composed enough to put away West Virginia by three points. While the West Virginia-Gonzaga matchup was an enjoyable spectacle, the most anticipated matchup of the tournament came in the Sweet 16 as the University of Kentucky faced off with the University of California, Los Angeles. The two storied programs have a combined 19 national championships between them. They are the two programs with the most titles and the winner of the matchup looked to be in prime position to capture another crown. The battle was expected to be fought by the guards from both squads, a sentiment that was validated come game time. For UCLA, in addition
to sharp-shooter Bryce Alford, the backcourt was dominated by superstar freshman Lonzo Ball. Besides putting up stats unseen in college basketball since Jason Kidd, Ball, his brothers and primarily his outspoken father have dominated basketball headlines for months. The brash family is unafraid to claim its right to basketball glory, and the country was excited to watch Ball attempt to live up to the hype. Unfortunately for the Ball Brand, Kentucky possesses some impressive guards of its own who were up to the task. Led by the duo of Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox, Kentucky bested UCLA 86-75. Ball struggled, shooting only 4-10 for 10 points, while Fox demonstrated his case for the best guard in the country with a careerhigh 39 points. Ball and Fox were the top rated point guards in their class, and with the impressive stat line and victory, Fox has made his claim to be mentioned in the same league as Ball when the NBA draft rolls around. The best game of the round undoubtedly belonged to the University of Florida and the University of Wisconsin. Wisconsin had just knocked off the top team in the country with Villanova University and looked to be poised to advance to the Elite Eight. However, the team found itself down by three with only seconds remaining in the game. Senior Zak Showalter managed to throw up the only shot he could, a running three-pointer that somehow managed to fall in and tie up the game. A stunned Florida squad was forced to bear down and prepare for the overtime period. The Gators struggled in overtime and were trailing by two points as the game ticked down in its final moments. Guard Chris Chiozza tossed up a floater from beyond the three-point arc, in an attempt similar to the one Showalter had just made. As the Madison Square Garden buzzer blared, Chiozza’s shot went through the net, sending Florida to an Elite Eight appearance. This round was one of the best Sweet 16s in recent memory.
PRO SPORTS BRIEF
Team U.S.A. dominates in World Baseball Classic After four tries, the United States finally pulled off the ultimate win at the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday in Los Angeles, California. The United States played the dominant team from Puerto Rico and completely shut them out with a final score of 8-0 in the championship. This was the first time the United States had ever made it to the finals of the tournament, beating former champions Dominican Republic and Japan in the quarterfinals and semifinals. The United States proved its undeniable talent in the baseball forum. Many Major League Baseball squads were represented on the United States team — such as San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays — bringing unity to the league as a whole. The United States showed that the MLB is in good hands currently with a plethora of talent across the league. These superstars were able to put their abilities on display on an international stage and did not disappoint. With powerful starting lineups both for the United States and Puerto Rico, this was bound to be a game for the record books. Looking at the game more closely, the United States’ starting pitcher, Marcus Stroman from the Blue Jays, delivered an impressive
game. Stroman perfectly rendered the batters from Puerto Rico useless as he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning. He only allowed one hit and one walk throughout the innings he pitched against Puerto Rico. While allowing few hits and walks, his strikeouts were the domineering force that kept the United States in the lead throughout the game. Stroman will look to keep up his recent success, as the start of the MLB season is quickly approaching. With the United States leading off to start the third inning, the moment was prime for an offensive explosion. The United States got on the board when second baseman Ian Kinsler hit a 91-mph fastball over the left-center-field wall. The United States continued to add more fuel to the fire in the fifth inning off Puerto Rico pitcher Seth Lugo, as they started to gain a massive lead. With that in mind, Puerto Rico manager Edwin Rodriguez pulled Lugo out of the game and replaced him with Joe Jimenez. Lugo was branded with the loss for Puerto Rico as he gave up four runs on five hits and four walks to the United States. As the end of the game drew near, Stroman was relieved by another pitcher, Sam Dyson, with two innings left. With the
United States in the lead 8-0, all the pressure was on Dyson to perform and keep Puerto Rico from scoring. Fortunately, Dyson preserved Stroman’s shutout with two strikeouts and a groundout for his first inning on the mound. Then for the final inning, David Robertson, the last pitcher put in, kept the game scoreless and finished the win for the United States. The United States completely dominated their opponents and showed that they can match up against any team in the world. The United States proved that baseball is truly America’s favorite pastime as they celebrated their first ever World Baseball Classic victory. Stroman’s dominant performance earned him Most Valuable Player honors as he led his team in admirable fashion. In 2013, he tweeted his desire to play in the World Baseball Classic for his mother. With the opportunity to play four years later, he went out playing from the heart and came away with spectacular results on the field. The amazing game, not only played by Stroman but also by the rest of the United States players, showed incredible teamwork that rightfully led the squad to victory. —Samantha Proctor
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VICTORY AT LAST The United States took home the gold for the first time ever at the World Baseball Classic on Wednesday, p. 15.
Tuesday, March 28, 2017
TRACK AND FIELD
UP AND IN
Squads show off immense talent ■ Both the men’s and
women’s track teams came away with success from this year’s first outdoor meet. By JERRY MILLER JUSTICE EDITOR
The Judges took off at their first outdoor meet of the regular season, hosted by Bridgewater State University this past Saturday. The men poured in a number of top-10 finishes on the day, while the women took home multiple bronze medals in the non-scoring meet. The men weathered the stormy conditions to take a solid position in the meet. Regan Charie ’19 took his first of multiple top-10 finishes in the 100-meter dash with a time of 11.36 and a sixth-place finish. He followed that up with an improved fifth-place mark in the 200-meter dash and a cool time of 22.91. With Charie’s performance, he advances to the Division III New England Outdoor Track and Field Championship. Irie Gourde ’17 maxed out in the 400-meter dash, sweeping the competition with a time of 50.63 and taking a golden ticket to the Track
Waltham, Mass.
and Field Championship. Brian Sheppard ’18 posted a speedy 4:12.13 in the 1500-meter dash to take seventh place, with fellow Brandeisians Roger Lacroix ’18 and Dan Curley ’20 following in ninth and 10th, respectively. Jack Allan ’20 hurdled his way to the Track and Field Championship with a time of 15.83 in the 110-meter hurdles. Allan’s performance was the fastest of all first-years at the invitational, a feat which earned him third in the event. Fellow first-year Aaron Corin ’20 took home the Judges’ second gold of the day with an impressive 3.80-meter pole vault, tied with sophomore Isaiah Brackels of Southern Vermont College. In the high jump, Mark Franklin ’17 hopped his way into fifth place with a 1.77-meter jump. In the long jump, Henry McDonald ’18 stole sixth place with a 5.98-meter jump, a smidge out of the top five finishers. Scott Grote ’19 landed a fifth-place finish in the discus throw, powering past the competition with a throw of 38.71 meters. The women had a solid showing, earning their rights to multiple top
See TRACK, 13 ☛
PRO SPORTS COLUMN
Sacramento Kings show unlikely potential ■ Even after a lopsided
trade, guard Buddy Hield and the Sacramento Kings should not be counted out. By EVAN ROBINS JUSTICE staff writer
The Sacramento Kings might have hope. Yes, they absolutely made one of the worst deals in National Basketball Association history when they traded away franchise center DeMarcus Cousins for well below his value. Yes, their front office continues to be as big a wild card as exists in sports right now. But, maybe, despite the best efforts of owner Vivek Ranadive and General Manager Vlade Divac, the seeds for future competence are starting to sprout in some of their young players, highlighted by recentlyacquired guard Buddy Hield. Buddy Hield may not be the next Steph Curry, but his game has improved since landing in California’s capital. Hield’s star has dimmed a bit after a dismal first month of his professional career, but since December his play had been trending up. From the end of November to the day he was dealt, he averaged 9.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game on 43 percent shooting from three. He was certainly not at the top of the Rookie-of-the-Year list, but anybody who can shoot 43 percent from deep has a place in the league. Since moving to Sacramento, Hield’s minutes and per-possession opportunity have increased significantly, and in turn so has his production. Not only has Hield been out on the court for more time, averaging 27.8 minutes a night, but in the absence of a superstar teammate like Anthony Davis he also has
had more freedom to direct the possessions he’s on the court for. His usage rate, measuring the percentage of possessions that end with a specific player shooting, being fouled or turning the ball over, has gone from 19.3 to 23.2, now on par with medium-volume guards like Victor Oladipo and Evan Fournier. This has led to a 14.7 points-per-game average on over two more shots per night (8.3 to 10.8 shots per game). The types of shots Hield is taking have changed too. Before being traded, he had a fairly even distribution of field goal attempts that were catch and shoot, pull ups and within 10 feet (36.6 percent, 33.0 percent, and 29.4 percent respectively). In Sacramento, his shooting has become more pull up heavy and the percentage of his shots close to the basket has decreased, 43.8 percent and 22.8 percent respectively. While this doesn’t go far to ease the concerns that Hield is only a distance shooter and can’t score in the paint or get to the free throw line, the fact is that he’s making these jumpers at an extraordinary rate. His effective field goal percentage, which factors in the fact that converted threes are worth more than twos, is at a staggering 60.8, good for fifth of all guards who play over 25 minutes a night and take at least 10 shots a game. It’s important to note that these 15 games constitute a small sample size and that Hield likely won’t shoot this efficiently long term. That regression, combined with the fact that he still rarely drives to the rim (with 2.3 drives per game pre-trade and 2.9 post trade), and isn’t much of a playmaker (he has a 9.6 percent assist rate, which ranks 146th of qualified guards who play over 25 minutes a night), is going
See PRO SPORTS, 13 ☛
MICHELLE BANAYAN/Justice File Photo
STAR SLUGGER: Infielder Jay Schaff ’17 turns on the pitch up high in a game against Rhode Island College on March 31, 2016.
Team continues tough season with loss ■ Pitcher Sean O’Neal ’18 racked up 13 strikeouts in a loss against Worcester Polytechnic Institute. By LEV BROWN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
The men’s baseball team has been unable to notch any wins lately, as it has only faced one team in the past few weeks, the Worcester Polytechnic Institute Engineers, to whom it lost 4-1. Judges 1, WPI 4 In Northboro, Massachusetts on March 24, the Judges took on the Engineers at the New England Baseball Complex, where both teams’ pitching managed to excel. Both sides displayed solid and noteworhty offensive performances, as well. Brandeis’ Sean O’Neal ’18, who pitched for the Judges for the first seven innings, had a dominant outing, as he struck out thirteen of WPI’s batters. This was the most strikeouts by a pitcher since 2014,
when then-junior Kyle Brenner ’15 pitched a nine-inning shutout. However, despite successful pitching, WPI’s offense still managed to have a rather successful day. Senior shortstop Nick Comei had a tremendously successful outing, as he continued his previously dominant week by going 2-4, with a double, a triple and a pair of RBIs. In the first, he managed to knock in a double to bring home freshman Ryan Tropeano. In the same inning, he managed to score on a single by sophomore Matt Howard. Later on, in the fifth inning, Comei batted in Tropeano with a powerful triple. For the Brandeis offense, infielder Jay Schaff ’17 hit on two of three attempts but did not score. Infielder Victor Oppenheimer ’20 went three for four but also did not manage to bring home any runs. Outfielder Ryan Tettemer ’17, however, managed to score the only Brandeis run in the ninth inning off a double from outfielder Dan O’Leary ’20. Thus, the offense was not bad; rather, the Judges were unable to convert enough of their hits into runs until the last inning. Despite the 4-1 loss, O’Neal
dominated the defensive side and several batters managed to get on base multiple times. Nonetheless, it was simply not enough to overtake the Engineers. WPI began each inning with a new pitcher, but sophomore pitcher Sam Bacchiocchi was awarded with the win. Overall, this was a positive game in many ways, as it gave the Judges a lot to learn from. Additionally, several players can and should use it as a confidence boost going forward this season. Aside from this matchup, Brandeis unfortunately had many other games scheduled to play at this time, but due to the excessive snow that has fallen in New England lately, many fields are still covered in white, making it difficult to host games. They have postponed five games against teams that could all be considered important matchups this season. Teams they missed their chance to play against included Babson College, Bates College and Eastern Connecticut State University. Thus, though the Judges have a
See BASEBALL, 13 ☛
Vol. LXIX #22
March 28, 2017
>> pg. 19
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ARTS
Waltham, Mass.
Images: and Design: Natalia Wiater/the Justice.
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THE TUESDAY, JUSTICE march | Arts 28,| TUESDAY, 2017 | Arts January i THE JUSTICE 31, 2017
Pop Culture
Remembering a duo, Carrie and Debbie By Anna Stern JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
The year 2016 was anything but uneventful. From one of the most dramatic elections in modern American history to the most celebrity deaths since 2009 (Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett and the guy who made those infomercials for Oxi-Clean, Billy Mays), 2016 ended on a depressing note. Carrie Fisher, beloved actress, passed away after suffering a cardiac incident on a transcontinental flight. Days later, Fisher’s mother Debbie Reynolds passed away from a stroke, related to the stress of her daughter’s death. The two of them were buried side by side in December at a private funeral, and a public memorial service was held in their honor in Los Angeles on Saturday, March 25th. The service focused on both of their careers as fans were given the opportunity to pay their respects. The service
featured pre-taped highlight reels featuring both aspects of their careers. Other actors, such as Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker from “Star Wars”) and Dan Akroyd (former Saturday Night Live actor and ex-fiancé of Fischer) shared their memories. The most heartwrenching moment was when R2D2 rolled on to the stage, beeping mournfully, and Fisher’s brother Todd kneeled down to comfort him. Both Fisher and Reynolds were incredible Hollywood icons in their own right. Reynolds began her career by starring as Kathy Selden in the classic film “Singing in the Rain.” She then went on to have an incredibly successful career in other Hollywood films and television shows. Millennials remember her playing the quirky Grandma Aggie in the “Halloweentown” movies on Disney Channel. During the course of her career, Reynolds collected film memorabilia and
planned on opening up her home as a film museum. She noticed that props and costumes from many of the old Hollywood movie sets were being thrown away without any recognizing their history. Reynolds also opened up a dance studio for aspiring performers in North Hollywood, California. Most people know Carrie Fisher as her classic character Princess Leia in the “Star Wars” movies. After “Star Wars,” Fisher played memorable roles in films such as “When Harry Met Sally.” Unknown to most, Fisher was a fantastic writer, as well, and was a professional “script doctor” for well-known movies such as “Hook” and “Sister Act.” Her job was to look at existing film scripts and improve them for for public viewership. Another reason that Fisher will be remembered is for her advocacy for public awareness of mental illness. She had suffered from
bipolar disorder, alcoholism, drug addiction and body dysmorphia and did not let it stop her. She was instrumental in discussing her illness and providing a glance into what people struggling with mental health suffer on a day-to-day basis. Fisher’s legacy, besides the world’s obsession with Princess Leia, is that she demystified mental illness and allowed it to be a part of day to day life conversation. The significance in the deaths of Fisher and Reynolds, a famed mother-daughter pair, is that their relationship was tumultuous, although simultaneously filled with love and mutual adoration. If one looks at the stories of children growing up in Hollywood, their lives are anything but glamorous. The Fisher-Reynolds pair was estranged for ten years. Fisher didn’t want to be associated with her famous mother and used her mother’s fame as a reason for self-hatred. However, as the
Comedy Show Review
years passed, Fisher eventually found happiness with her mother and found her mother to be a source of support. The two of them lived on adjoining properties in California up until their deaths. Because of the intense love and connection the two had for each other, it seemed only fitting that their deaths followed each other. As Fisher’s brother and Reynold’s son Todd Fisher said, “[Reynolds] really wanted to be with Carrie.” At the funeral held in January, Fisher was cremated and her ashes placed in an urn that resembled a Prozac capsule, maintaining her sense of humor until the very end. The story of Reynolds and Fisher came to a close as some of Fisher’s ashes were buried in her mother’s casket, a true testament to the glory and heartache that comes with being Hollywood royalty. The memorial service was a time to allow fans to say goodbye one last time.
PHOTOS BY HEATHER SCHILLER/the Justice
A CAPPELLA: Rather Be Giraffes performed during Crowd Control’s comedy night, allowing for a change of pace during the comedy acts.
Crowd Control’s coffee house lacks crowds By Isabelle Truong JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
“Laugh uhhhh Palooza” an initially uncrowded, yet intimate event sponsored by WBRS, Crowd Control and Student events, occurred last Friday night in Cholmondeley’s Coffee House. Facebook pages for the event promised an entertaining evening of standup comedians and collegiate improv comedy, along with an a cappella act (Rather Be Giraffes) and a belly dance routine by Brandeis’ own Belly Dancing Troupe. The evening started strongly with two professional comedians, Alex Giampapa and Josh Day. Giampapa, the opening act, gave a short, 10-minute routine in which he poked fun at hookup culture and double meanings — he pointed out how terms “butt dial” and “booty call,” though seemingly similar, actually have completely different definitions and connotations. To amp up the relatively empty audience and help dissipate some of the awkwardness, a self-aware Day poked fun at the low turnout and the importance of forever maintaining low expectations. After Giampapa finished his set, Josh Day performed next. At thirty minutes, his routine was the longest act of the night. The event was specifically advertised with Day as a special guest, so expectations were more or less high, and they were relatively met. Day’s jokes were mostly pun-based. The surprisingly notcheesy build-up to the one-liners was ironic and self-deprecating. I actually thoroughly enjoyed his sense of humor, which was rather original and not overdone. He had great stage presence, probably due to his large build and crazy hair, which he revealed underneath
his hoodie-flannel combo to the audience. There was a natural flow to his routine that seemed more like a humorous conversation with the audience. An especially funny pun included something about Brandeis sounding like a guy playing with dice and another one asking “what brand dice is that?” Day also made a somewhat controversial pun with his joke about his Jewish motorcycle called a “yamahamika” (hybrid of Yamaha and yarmulke). But because Day’s routine felt so conversational and at some points improvised, he went on tangents that he sometimes did not recover from, making the 30 minutes seem like they were dragging at some points. At many moments during his performance, he would joke, “Okay, now I’m gonna tell some jokes” repeatedly, but he seemed a little distracted. To take a short break from comedy, the Brandeis belly dancing team, which consisted of about five Brandeis students, performed a short routine with simple yet impressive movements and colorful outfits. It was nice to see a piece that diversified the event a bit instead of focusing the whole three hours on mediocre comedy. In addition to Crowd Control and TBA — Brandeis improv groups that performed that night — Crowd Control also invited Northeastern University’s improv group Improv’d and Suffolk University’s Seriously Bent. In both acts, the jokes could have been slightly more transparent. Seriously Bent elicited a few chuckles from the audience, but no one was exactly dying of laughter. Mina Bond ’19 gave perhaps the most enjoyable student stand-
up routine. Her performance came like a breath of fresh air. The audience enjoyed this one, as well: Bond’s act received immense laughter and applause. She had a sort of addictive enthusiasm and confidence that made her jokes all the more hilarious. Her jokes had a great combination of self-deprecation and provocativeness, and it made her stand out from all the other comedians. One of the best ones was about partially wanting to participate in the women’s march in order to sync up with women from all around the world. Bond talked about sex unapologetically and relatably, similar to comediennes like Sarah Silverman and Amy Schumer; however, she kept her routine completely fresh and original. A cappella group Rather Be Giraffes performed songs “Jack Rabbit” by San Fernim, “Youth” by Troye Sivan and “Greedy” by Ariana Grande, featuring strong vocals and soloing. This performance showcased lots of energy and passion. Soon, toward the last hour of the event, more people started to enter Chum’s to watch “Laugh uhhhh Palooza.” The event, which promised a night of comedy, fell flat at some moments. However, overall, the effort was there, and those in attendance — mostly the cliqueish friends of the performers — seemed to enjoy themselves. The night went well but perhaps could have been scheduled a bit better; the hosts also could have presented a little more strongly. It is important to understand that student comedians and improv groups are not professionals, and for juggling school and other extra-curriculars, their work was admirable.
DROLL DUO: Members of TBA, another improv group on campus, guest perform during Crowd Control’s coffee house.
COMEDY CLUB: Students perform skits at Crowd Control’s comedy palooza coffee house this past Friday evening.
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THE JUSTICE i TUESDAY, January 31, 2017 THE JUSTICE i artsi arts i TUESDAY, March 28, 2017
theater Review
PHOTOS BY NATALIA WIATER/the Justice
TWINNING TEAMMATES: Ester (center, Sophia Massidda ’20) and Amy (right, Patricia Cordischi ’18) talk in the locker room before swim team practice.
‘Dry Land’ treats sensitive issues with finesse By Sabrina sung JUSTICE EDITOR
A sincere, caustic and occasionally humorous foray into teenage sexuality, female friendship and the question of reproductive rights in the United States, Brandeis Players’ production of “Dry Land” didn’t pull its punches. Though the same can’t be said for the feigned physical blows in the show, the strong emotional performances from main characters Amy (Patricia Cordischi ’18) and Ester (Sophia Massidda ’20) left the audience bruised and thinking of the play long after it ended. The play by Ruby Rae Spiegel, 90 minutes without intermission, was directed by Peter Diamond ’20, assistant-directed by Zoë Rose ’20 and performed in the Shapiro Campus Center Multipurpose Room. Despite the limitations of
the venue, the production staff managed to make the most of the space with clever use of the main entrance and an efficient set designed by Amanda Ehrmann ’18. An island of tile flooring, three blue lockers, a trash can and a bench established the swim team locker room that would become the main characters’ refuge from social turmoil. Save for one scene, the entirety of the play takes place in this one room, both safe and oppressive in its supposed privacy. “Dry Land” follows the tentative friendship between the acerbic Amy and hesitant Ester, both students at an undetermined high school in Florida and members of the swim team. However, the foundation of their friendship stems from neither school work nor swimming, but rather Amy’s attempts to terminate her pregnancy. In Florida, individuals under the
age of 18 need parental consent to have an abortion, an option Amy feels she cannot consider, forcing her to seek Ester’s assistance in a series of do-it-yourself attempts at abortion. Through their efforts, which range from uncomfortably funny to worryingly unsettling, the girls come to know, though not quite understand, each other. Rather than a ham-fisted commentary on abortion, “Dry Land” manages to be a story about teenage girls: their struggles, their relationships and their resilience. At the start of the play, Ester is still recovering from the emotional repercussions of an eating disorder and attempted suicide. However, through her interactions with Amy and a surprisingly packed conversation with her college-visit host, Victor (Eli Esrig ’19), she seems to settle into her own skin. However, though this play presents the
closing arc of Ester’s recovery, it ends at just the beginning of Amy’s. All advertisements of the production had included a content warning for stage blood. This proved prudent, as Amy’s eventual successful abortion was brought to harrowing life by Cordischi’s agonized performance and Massidda’s display of firm compassion in the face of rejection. Although the playwright Spiegel likely intended for a different line to become the zinger of the show, what lingered in Diamond’s direction was Amy’s distressed cry, “Don’t look at me!” and though Ester does in that moment look away, the line highlighted just how much Ester had watched Amy in earlier scenes. It then, in a following scene, drew attention to how Amy did not look away from Ester. In the end, the greater flaws of the play were not those of
the performers, but the script itself. After the abortion scene, the Janitor (Andrew Hyde ’17) walks in, with earphones in, and wordlessly mops up the blood and supposed afterbirth in an indecipherable step into surrealism. Caroline Kriesen’s ’20 performance as party-girl Reba was laudable, injecting new life into scenes that might have otherwise grown stale, but a number of the character’s one-liners hit too hard. There were also several emotional revelations throughout the play which came off as formulaic, a touch too convenient to feel natural or earned. However, all in all, Diamond and his team took on an ambitious project for their spring performance, and the final product — though with room for polish, had time allowed it — was a powerful one.
LOCKER ROOM TALK: Resident mean girl Reba (Caroline Kriesen ’20) talks to Amy, ignorant of the fact that Amy is pregnant.
MAKESHIFT ABORTION: Ester assists Amy as she goes through medically induced labor to end her pregnancy.
Movie Review
Get out to the theater to see ‘Get Out’ By KENT DINLENC JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
Jordan Peele is a name most people associate with comedy, satire and the title of the witty show “Key and Peele.” Since then, the duo has split off to do independent projects. You’ve most likely seen Keegan-Michael Key in past projects such as “Why Him” and the underrated “Don’t Think Twice,” in both of which Key was the stand-out. His impressive range also extended to brief appearances in television shows such as “The Simpsons,” “Archer,” “Modern Family” and “Bob’s Burgers.” But where has Jordan Peele been in the past two years? Behind the camera making the current horror hit “Get Out.” The film revolves around a man who is invited to meet his
white girlfriend’s family without them knowing beforehand that he is Black. The film begins with a tense and awkward conversation like any other meeting between parents and their daughter’s partner. However, something feels unsettling when the family invites all of their friends (all of whom are white) for a garden party, and the select few Black people are either tending to the party responsibilities or acting blank and unresponsive. I am personally not a fan of the horror genre, but the premise, as well as Peele’s name on the director’s and writer’s chairs, intrigued me. Deviating from the normal techniques used in horror films, “Get Out” uses tension and unease to build the audience’s fear, rather than jump scares and gore. The plot, which I will not
spoil, in itself is terrifying. While fear is subjective when in the theater, I can confidently say that this is still an enjoyable experience for even the faintest of hearts. Yes, there is some gore and yes, there are a few jump scares, but they are few and far between and worth enduring to experience this captivating plot. What I found disappointing about the plot, which was otherwise fascinating and wellwritten, was that it was spoiled by the film’s trailers. Apart from one twist at the end, the mystery was revealed by the film’s first advertisement. You may have thought “Oh, it’s obvious all the Black people are hypnotized,” but that was a big reveal for the audience. Even so, it worked out in the end, still keeping us at the edge of their seats. The audience was
entranced by these visually meticulous scenes; however, it felt like a second viewing after watching any of the film’s ads. Daniel Kaluuya, who played the main character, did an excellent job. His fear was expertly performed in every tense scene; whether it was when he fought against hypnosis or just regular anxiety during awkward conversation with the predominantly white crowd he was enveloped in. Bradley Whitford and Catherine Keener were also disturbing standouts in the film, playing his girlfriend’s parents — one a neurosurgeon and the other a psychiatrist. All that being said, LilRel Howry stole scenes as the comedic relief. While he was stuck at the other end of a cell phone conversation for most
of the movie, his light-hearted comedy gave the audience time to breath and laugh amid the horror inflicted upon his best friend. My only problems with the film were the pacing issues toward the second act and the jarring transition between horror and the aforementioned comedy. Certain scenes did not have a chance to sink in before moving on to the following comedic segment. I assume Peele, with a successful comedic background, couldn’t help himself writing these scenes. The film was his tour-de-force, clearly in his voice, paralleling the horror and comedy of his film with what he experienced in a “post-racist” society. “Get Out” deserves a solid B+ and is worth a venture to the theater. Go for your faith in Jordan Peele, but stay for the intriguing plot and captivating visuals.
20
TUESDAY, March 28, 2017 | Arts | THE JUSTIce
Brandeis TALKS
INTERVIEW
wf
If you could have any addition to the dorms, what would it be?
Peter Diamond ’20
Ben Winick ’17 “I know at some offices they have a room where people can bring their dogs to hang out. If you’re feeling stressed in the office, you can just get up from your desk and hang out with all kinds of dogs. So a dog sanctuary, a resident puppy palace.”
MORGAN BRILL/the Justice
This week, justArts spoke with Peter Diamond ’20, who directed Brandeis Players’ production of “Dry Land.” JustArts: Why did you choose “Dry Land”?
Courtesy of XKCD.com/559
CROSSWORD Jamie Jason ’20 “A trampoline.”
Julie Lubbers ’17
“Probably a baby panda, let’s be honest.”
Rebecca Weiss ’18 “I would really like it if there were music practice rooms in the dorms. I know that other schools have that, and it can be tough when you don’t live near the music building or you only have ten minutes to play your music but you don’t want to bother your roommate.” —Compiled and photographed by Natalia Wiater/the Justice.
STAFF’S Top Ten
Top 10 Best Disney Soundtracks By Yvette Sei
justice editorial Assistant
In order to drown out the beautiful (but constant) Moana that has been floating around the Village halls recently, I’ve turned to a few of my old Disney favorites. God bless the Disney Spotify playlist. 1. “Hercules” 2. “Moana” 3. “Lion King” 4. “Newsies” 5. “Pirates of the Caribbean” 6. “Fantasia” (I mean it’s not original music but it still counts, right?) 7. “Beauty and the Beast” 8. “Aladdin” 9. “The Incredibles” 10. “Sleeping Beauty”
ACROSS 1 Defeat in a landslide, informally 6 Org. with a flat rate box 10 I. M. _____ 13 Word after birth or root 14 Zenith 15 Like some meds 16 What animates a zombie in the catacombs? 19 PBS funder 20 Period 21 Drop _____ 22 Hesitant sound 24 Word said by a bearded man at the start of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus” 26 Join a program, say 30 Magic trick involving a northeastern état? 34 “Morning Joe” netwk. 37 Fa follower 38 He’s played by Zach Galifianakis on “Baskets” 39 Barnyard palindrome 40 Eggs 43 _____ “The Tool Man” Taylor 45 With 72-Across, Exodus miracle site 46 Belgrade resident 48 You’ll fill one in for this clue (abbr.) 50 Like Ron Swanson or the foods he enjoys 23 Mariners’ grp. 52 Ones protecting a French 25 Ones applying to genius? Med Sch., perhaps 56 “Goodnight, _____” 27 Wear for Queen Elizabeth 57 ____ Culpa 28 45-Across, for one 58 Sch. supporters 29 Poor 62 Nest locale 31 Prefix with terrorism 65 60-Down member 32 E, in Morse Code 67 Early people of Brazil 33 Yale alum 68 Hates the collected works of 34 Argentine soccer pro Victor Hugo and Albert Camus? 35 Curse 72 See 45-Across 36 “The _____!” (affronted phrase) 73 Pollux, for one 41 Industrial waste container, 74 Spanish uncle? perhaps 75 Haight and Ashbury, e.g. 42 Director Lee 76 “See you later!” 44 Title for Bovary (abbr.) 77 India, to Pakistan 47 Steeds for Tusken Raiders 49 _____-I-Am DOWN 51 A sixth sense, for short 1 It’s a sight to behold 53 He fiddled while Rome burned 2 Bit of police gear 54 Undersea sucker 3 Equal (with) 55 Anti-substance org. founded in 4 Disfigure 1983 5 Ballet move 59 Singer Mel 6 Your computer may do it 60 See 65-Across automatically 61 Weakling 7 “Told you so!” 63 Formerly, formerly 8 Solemn vow 64 “Como ____?” 9 Candy bar with a crown in 66 Something to tap your feet its logo to 10 One may give you a virus 68 Sot 11 Subjs. of some conspiracy 69 Make a gamble theories 70 ____ Boi (popular meme) 12 Vanilla _____ (rapper) 71 Georg ____ Trapp 17 Sohcahtoa area 18 2015 Oscar-winning film
Peter Diamond: “Dry Land” is a reasonable challenge — challenging in the sense that it forces us to make seemingly unlovable characters likable, as the audience’s experience with the show relies on their sympathy with these characters — yet the proximity of these characters’ ages and experiences to those of many college students allowed us to draw upon our own lives a bit in developing our production of this piece. It also assigns some human faces to issues that are especially threatened right now, namely reproductive justice [and] access to safe reproductive health services. I am interested in creating work that could mobilize people around conflicts that we don’t have time to be complacent about in this era. JA: What was it like using the MultiPurpose Room?
CROSSWORD COURTESY OF EVAN MAHNKEN
PD: Because many organizations use the MPR, we had to strike and re-set our scenery each day, which was a bit labor-intensive. Initially my vision involved adding elements to the space that would mask the fact that it isn’t really built for live theater — like flats serving as a back wall, and a portable lighting system — but ultimately these plans did not pan out. That said, we found a vision that, I think, took advantage of our non-traditional space. For example, using the double doors as an entrance and the room lighting may have created a certain intimacy, and a certain effect of ‘transporting’ the audience, that we wouldn’t have achieved in a traditional theater. JA: What was the most rewarding part of directing the show?
SOLUTION COURTESY OF EVAN MAHNKEN
PD: As usual, the great rewards of directing this piece came in the final days when, after weeks of rehearsing the scenes in conference rooms with folding chairs and pantomimed props, we put all the elements together in a form that was fitting for an audience. Until that point, the play itself can feel isolated from the idea of a total production. Many conversations I had with audience members after performances, who found pieces of themselves or their loved ones or their upbringings in this piece, have resonated with me as well. JA: What was the most difficult part of directing the show?
SUDOKU INSTRUCTIONS: Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.
PD: This play, on one hand, contains certain striking replications to real life — even some of the ugly or boring parts — yet is still a play, still a piece of theatre. Creating near-realism is a tricky balance, because in an effort not to torture this text with a theatricality that it does not warrant, it can be difficult to still maintain an engaging and stage-worthy pace and energy. I think we found a balance in the end. JA: Were there any things from the script you chose to add or take out?
Solution to last issue’s sudoku
Puzzle courtesy of www.sudokuoftheday.com
PD: Our arrangement with the company that owns the royalties to “Dry Land” did not give this production staff authority to alter the script. Furthermore, even without being legally bound, I do not think it is ethical for a director to edit a playwright’s work for a production like this. So, no. —Hannah Kressel