ARTS Page 19
FORUM Criticize pardoning of Arpaio 11 SPORTS Women's soccer tops Lasell 5-3 16 The Independent Student Newspaper
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FALL ARTS PREVIEW of
B r a n d e is U n i v e r sit y S i n c e 1 9 4 9
Justice
Volume LXX, Number 1
www.thejustice.org
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
WELCOME TO BRANDEIS
Administration
Changes made to student Rights and Responsibilities ■ The Department of Student
Rights and Community Standards released student conduct code amendments. By ABBY PATKIN JUSTICE EDITOR
YVETTE SEI/the Justice
CONVOCATION: Dean of Students Jamele Adams opened up the welcoming ceremony on Chapels Field on Aug. 27.
Deis welcomes Class of 2021 in convocation ■ University administrators
welcomed first-year students and their friends and university to the new school year. By Michelle Dang JUSTICE Editor
First-years from 41 states and 21 countries gathered together for the first time on Chapel’s field on Aug. 27 for the annual convocation ceremony. University President Ron Liebowitz opened the convocation by thanking the dedication of orientation leaders, staff and community advisors for making orientation possible. “I have one full year of Brandeis experience on all of you, I hope your first year is as rewarding as mine was,” he added, relaying to the Class of 2021 his observations on “Brandeis’ two most common characteristics.” “First, there is a great passion and loyalty toward the institution,” said Liebowitz, who attested to the faculty’s dedication and care for un-
dergraduate studies alongside the cooperation and teamwork that permeates the University. “My second observation: there is a special kind of openness among students and staff to discuss, … [a] passion for inclusion, openness and debate that I witnessed over my first year.” Liebowitz advised the first-years, “Jump in and don’t hold back … you are joining a community of excellent education, meaningful research and co-extracurricular activities.” However, he warned of jumping in too much — humorously noting the very typical Brandeisian culture of intense curiosity and overachievement, which can lead students to spread themselves thin across many commitments. Referring to the University’s namesake, Liebowitz said that one cannot help but feel a deep commitment to justice. He reminded the students to educate themselves about the University’s historic founding by the American Jewish community in order to understand the precedent of critical thinking and free debate set by the University’s founders.
The University updated its Rights and Responsibilities handbook prior to the academic year, making notable changes to the Special Examiner’s process and the procedure for the disruption of scheduled speakers or events. In an Aug. 28 email to the student body, Director of Student Rights and Community Standards Kerry Guerard wrote that the majority of the revisions in the 2017 to 2018 handbook “centered on clarifying language and processes.” According to the Department of Students Rights and Community Standards, the Rights and Responsibilities policies “provide the definitions, structure, and policies for community life on campus. Adherence
to Rights and Responsibilities is a prerequisite for acceptance and ongoing membership in the University community.” In addition to clarifying its definition of sexual harassment — per 3.2, “Sexual harassment creates a hostile environment when conduct is severe, pervasive or persistent so as to cause a discriminatory effect” — the University also updated the Special Examiner’s process in regards to interviews with parties and witnesses. The new language makes the sexual history of either party with third parties inadmissible as evidence, also stating that immigration status will not be considered during a Title IX report or adjudication. The University also clarified its policy on the disruption of scheduled speakers and events in section 7.5, stating that while “Brandeis maintains a high tolerance for protest, … disruptions that prevent a planned event from continuing are not permissible.” Under this policy, students who disrupt an event in a way that in-
See R&R, 7 ☛
Administration
“A liberal arts education will challenge you to confront many longheld views. … If that is not your experience by the time you graduate, we have failed you,” he concluded. “Look out for one another and intervene with passion.” Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel also welcomed the Class of 2021. “You are diverse, and you are talented, and you are passionate about changing the world, in short. You are Brandeis. … You are now part of this Brandeis family, and you will never be alone,” he said. Flagel’s advice to students on how to get the most out of the Brandeis experience also paralleled the president’s advice, asking the students to use their education and time at the University to challenge both their personal and societal status quos. “I want you all to be safe, but I also want you to challenge yourselves. We have a responsibility at Brandeis to do everything we can to keep you from harm, but also to keep you open to new ideas — to help you become more comfortable with being uncomfortable,” said Flagel.
University welcomes new Hindu Advisor ■ Shrestha Singh was
appointed as Hindu Advisor by the Multifaith Chaplaincy early last month. By SABRINA SUNG JUSTICE EDITOR
Last month, the Brandeis community made its acquaintance with Shrestha Singh, the newly appointed Hindu adviser at the Multifaith Chaplaincy. According to an Aug. 14 BrandeisNOW article, Singh graduated from Harvard Divinity School and is also the Hindu Chaplain at Wellesley College. As the Hindu adviser at Brandeis, she will support all students of Dharmic traditions, as well as facilitate conversations on their spirituality and cultures. Singh will also be responsible for the function of the Dharmic prayer center in the Shapiro Campus Center.
In an interview with the Justice, Singh described her role on campus as that of a “listening ear,” available as a source of guidance for students of Dharmic faith. “The core of it is supporting students: being a compassionate and empathetic presence, and being a sounding board for them as they journey through their years in college,” she said, acknowledging that those years can be as tumultuous as they can be beautiful. She stated that she will be someone that students of Dharmic faith can come to in times of spiritual, emotional, or even personal crises. Although Singh is appointed within the Multifaith Chaplaincy, she said that she doesn’t believe her role requires her to serve students solely through a religious lens. “I feel I also do a lot of work that’s about culture and identity,” she said, explaining how in many countries, faith and culture are deeply intertwined.
See HINDU ADVISOR, 7 ☛
Data to Fight Terrorism
Staying alive
Renovations
Prof. Jytte Klausen (POL) compiled a Western Jihadism Project.
The men's soccer team came out of its first weekend with a win and a loss.
View an infographic on the University's summer renovations.
FEATURES 8 For tips or info email editor@thejustice.org
Waltham, Mass.
Let your voice be heard! Submit letters to the editor online at www.thejustice.org
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, September 5, 2017
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NEWS SENATE LOG
POLICE LOG
Senate convenes for the first meeting of the academic year
Medical Emergency
Student Union President Jacob Edelman ’20 announced his executive board appointees, all of whom the Senate unanimously approved. The appointees present at the meeting gave a brief description of their goals for the year. Chief of Staff Eric Danowski ’18 expressed a desire to increase the flow of information and act as a liaison for students. Communications Director Callahan Cox ’18 set goals to improve the Union’s transparency, provide club support and remain accessible to community members. Chief of Student Affairs Nathan Greess ’19 said he planned to work in conjunction with E-board and the Senate to achieve agenda items. Allocations Board Chair Alex Feldman ’19 said he will focus on the treasury, the club chartering process and connecting with club leaders. Director of the Office of Student Rights and Advocacy Zosia Buse ’20 expressed goals to inform students of their rights and to create a safe space where they feel comfortable voicing concerns. Christian Nunez ’18, Brian Mukasa ’19 and Kate Kesselman ’19 were not present at the meeting but they were confirmed as the junior representative to the board of trustees, the president of the campus activities board and the executive director of outreach, respectively. Union Vice President Hannah Brown ’19 explained the rules and expectations of the Senate, including an attendance policy of two permitted absences and a minimum requirement of three office hours per senator. Senators are also expected to participate in at least two committees, unless they serve as a committee chair. Committee selection and committee chair appointments will take place in the coming weeks. Elections for executive senator are to be held next Sunday, Brown said. Elections for additional Senate and Allocations Board positions will be held in the next few weeks, and the Union office will host an informational meeting regarding these elections at 8 p.m. on Thursday.
May 22—A party in Ridgewood Quad reported a laceration on their hand. University Police transported the party to an urgent care facility for further care. May 24—A party reported a scratch on their hand. University Police transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. June 9—A party in the Shapiro Life Sciences building reported that they were bitten by a black labrador. The party refused medical treatment. June 10—Staff in Ridgewood Quad reported that an individual could not get out of bed. University Police on the scene reported that the person had a family member coming to take them to the airport and no further assistance was needed. June 10—Event staff in the Shapiro Campus Center reported that an elderly individual had fallen but was conscious and alert. The party was transported to Newton-Welles-
ley Hospital via University Police cruiser. June 24—Waltham Police received a report of a party in the Abraham Shapiro Academic Center who was complaining of chest pains. The party was treated by Cataldo Ambulance staff and transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. June 27—A party in the Science Complex reported that they were dizzy. University Police transported the party to an urgent care facility for further care. June 29—Brandeis Counseling Center staff requested a psychological evaluation transport to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The party was transported via Cataldo Ambulance without incident. July 5—A custodial supervisor in Gerstenzang Science Library reported that their employee had a chemical burn causing skin irritation. University Police transported the party to an urgent care facility
for further care. July 5—A party in the administration complex reported that they were feeling faint and believed they were possibly experiencing a heat stroke. University Police escorted the party to Health Services for further care. July 12—A contractor in Village Quad reported that they were experiencing extreme stomach pain. The party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. July 20—A construction worker in Goldfarb Library reported that they suffered a lacerated thigh while working on the Goldfarb patio. The party was transported to NewtonWellesley Hospital for further care. July 20—University Police received a report of a party suffering from chest pains and shortness of breath in the administration complex. The party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care.
MOVE-IN
Pedestrians hit by automobile parking on Moody Street in Waltham
Write for News at The Justice! Contact Michelle Dang at news@thejustice.org
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@ thejustice.org.
YVETTE SEI/the Justice
Orientation leaders and residential community advisors assisted first years moving into Massell and North Quads dormitories last Sunday.
Justice
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The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods. Editor News Forum Features Sports Arts Ads Photos Managing Copy Layout
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Three pedestrians were taken to the hospital on Saturday after being hit by an SUV on Moody Street. The driver, a 60-year-old woman from Weston, was backing into a parking spot when the collision occurred, according to a press release from Waltham Police. The incident took place at approximately 12:20 p.m. outside 300 Moody St., the location of J&M Dollar Discount, according to the release. In a graphic surveillance video posted on social media, the car is seen backing over the curb, hitting two pedestrians and trapping a third underneath the vehicle. The victims — a 55-year-old woman and two men aged 59 and 22 — were taken to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, according to the release. The two individuals inside the vehicle were not injured, according to a Sept. 3 Boston Globe article. The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but alcohol and speed are not considered factors, the Globe reported. A similar accident occurred in Waltham in November 2016, when a car accelerated while backing up and pinned a Hannaford employee beneath the vehicle. The car also hit another person, a shopping cart corral and five parked cars, according to a Nov. 23, 2016 CBS Boston article. The Hannaford employee was conscious and alert following the accident. He was hospitalized with minor injuries, according to the CBS article. “We heard screams of shock, gasps and everything,” one witness told CBS Boston at the time. —Abby Patkin
ANNOUNCEMENTS Waltham Group Recruitment Night
the
See POLOG, 4 ☛
BRIEF
—Amber Miles
n The Justice has no corrections or clarifications to report for this week.
Aug. 1—A party in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center reported that they had sustained a small laceration on their hand while lifting weights. University Police assisted the party with a signed refusal for further care. Aug. 8—A party in the Sherman Function Hall reported that they were experiencing dizziness and chest discomfort. The party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Aug. 9—A party in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center reported that they pulled a hamstring while playing soccer. University Police transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Aug. 16—A party in the Charles River Apartments reported an adverse reaction to marijuana. The party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital and DCL staff was notified.
Interested in volunteering in the local community? If so, come to Waltham Group Recruitment Night and learn more about how to get involved with the largest student organization at Brandeis. Whether you’d like to volunteer with children, the elderly, individuals who are experiencing homelessness or the environment, the Waltham Group offers a program that caters to your interest. Wednesday from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room, Shapiro Campus Center.
DEIS Impact Launch Info Session
What’s your social justice? We’re looking for workshops, discussions, performances, speakers, films and exhibits that explore or advance social justice for DEIS Impact February 2018. Come learn how to organize and obtain funding for a DEIS Impact event. Wednesday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the atrium
of the Mandel Center for Humanities.
Rose Art Museum Fall 2017 Exhbition
The Rose Art Museum opens its doors to view the Fall 2017 Exhibitions. Admissions are free always. Refreshments will be served all day. Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rose Art Museum.
Screen on the Green: Wonder Woman
Bring your friends and a blanket to enjoy this free screening of “Wonder Woman” (2017). Free snacks, including popcorn, will be provided. Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. at Fellows Garden.
Japanese Student Association Sushi Night
Sushi Night is JSA’s first event of the semester. Stop by and learn how to make your own sushi. We will have music and performances.
Sunday from 8 to 11 p.m. at Carl J Shapiro Theater, Shapiro Campus Center.
Looking Back, Looking Forward: 100 Years of the Arab-Israeli Conflict
Join us for this exciting half-day public conference on the occasion of the 100 year anniversary of the Balfour Declaration. The conference will bring together top scholars and public figures to assess the past and discuss the future for both Israel and Palestine in three sessions. A light Middle Eastern lunch will be served. Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Schwartz Auditorium.
13th Annual 24-Hour Musical
Come see fellow students put on an entire musical in just 24 hours. This once per year production is a show you won’t want to miss. Sunday from 8 to 11 p.m. at Carl J Shapiro Theater, Shapiro Campus Center.
the justice
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TUESDAY, September 5, 2017
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Brandeis Renovations USDAN WALKWAY: The pathways surrounding Usdan Student Center have been repaved.
CASTLE CONSTRUCTION: Construction on Usen Castle’s replacement is ongoing, with the new dorm set to open in the fall of 2018.
GOLDFARB LIBRARY: The front of the Goldfarb library entrance has been renovated, and the plaza above the University Archives was repaired and waterproofed.
CHUMS REOPENING: Cholmondeley’s Coffee House has been renovated and is set to reopen in the second week of September.
MAIN TRAFFIC WALKWAY: The pathway between the library and Fellows Garden have been replaced.
SCIENCE CENTER PLAZA: The plaza received pathway updates and a new tree.
SQUIRE BRIDGE: The bridge received structural steel replacements and was repainted. PHOTOS: NATALIA WIATER/the Justice DESIGN AND LAYOUT: MORGAN MAYBACK/the Justice
TIME TO UNPACK
RENOVATIONS University reopens with upgrades and replacements across campus residential and administrative facilities This summer, the University’s campus underwent significant renovations both internally and externally.
Additional Renovations • North Quad’s road and lot have been repaved. • Rosenthal and Massell Quad received new hot water heating systems. • East Quad roofs were replaced and new window installments were finalized. • Bassine and Kosow roofs were replacements. • Pearlman received a new fire alarm system,. • A chilled water line was placed between Brown Hall and Usdan. • Farber Library’s HVAC system was upgraded • Shiffman received heating and cool-
ing system and lighting upgrades. • Usdan and Goldfarb received new steam lines. • Lindsey pool filtration system was upgraded.
Ongoing Renovations • Admissions and Mandel Center will undergo HVAC repairs. • An obsolete cooling plant in Usdan will be replaced. • The temporary chiller in HellerBrown lot will be relocated to the Shapiro Campus Center after the cooling season. —Michelle Dang Editor’s note: Details are courtesy of the Campus Operations and Facilities Services.
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YVETTE SEI/the Justice
First year students move into their first dorms during orientation.
@theJustice
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TUESDAY, September 5, 2017
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POLICE LOG CONTINUED FROM 2 Aug. 21—A party in East Quad requested BEMCo assistance for a nose bleed. University Police transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Aug. 24—A party in East Quad reported that they were feeling ill. BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care. Aug. 25—University Police received a call from the parent of a Foster Mods resident. The parent said that their child needed to see a police officer. The party did not answer a knock on the door or a phone call from University Police. The party was found unconscious on the floor and was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Aug. 26—A party in 567 South St. reported that they were feeling ill. BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care. Aug. 30—A party in the Shapiro Campus Center reported that they had fallen down and struck their head. BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care. Aug. 30—A party in the Foster Mods reported that they were having an adverse reaction to a bee sting. BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care. Aug. 30—A party in the Shapiro Campus Center requested BEMCo assistance for an ankle injury. The party was transported to NewtonWellesley Hospital for further care. Aug. 30—A party in the Usdan Student Center reported that they were experiencing stomach pain. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to NewtonWellesley Hospital for further care. Aug. 31—A Sodexo employee in Usdan Student Center was struck in the head by a fallen kitchen pot. The party was transported to NewtonWellesley Hospital for further care. Aug. 31—A party in East Quad
reported that they were feeling ill. The party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Aug. 31—BEMCo staff treated a party in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center for an ankle injury. University Police transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Sept. 1—A party in Renfield Hall reported that they were feeling ill. BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care, and University Police transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Sept. 1—BEMCo staff treated a party in the Charles River Apartments with a laceration on their finger. University Police transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Sept. 2—University Police received a report of a party in Shapiro Hall who fell down and hurt their head. BEMCo staff treated the party with a signed refusal for further care. Sept. 2—A party in Usen Hall requested BEMCo assistance for a fever and nausea. The party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Sept. 2—A caller in Fellows Garden requested BEMCo assistance for an intoxicated party. The party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Sept. 2—University Police received a report of an intoxicated party in Deroy Hall. The party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Sept. 3—University Police received a report of an intoxicated party in a bathroom in the Sherman Function Hall. The party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Sept. 3—BEMCo staff treated an intoxicated party in Ridgewood Quad with a signed refusal for further care.
Disturbance
July 12—University Police received a noise complaint in Ziv Quad. University Police officers on the scene asked three parties to quiet down and go inside. The problem was resolved without incident.
Drugs
May 23—The area coordinator in Ziv Quad requested that University Police take possession of a glass pipe used to smoke controlled substances. The Department of Community Living will handle judicial sanctions against the pipe’s owner. Aug. 12—DCL staff in the Foster Mods requested that University Police take custody of drug paraphernalia found in an apartment. University Police compiled a report on the incident.
Larcency
June 1—A party in Usdan Student Center reported that their debit card was compromised. University Police compiled a report on the incident and the card owner notified their banking agency. June 5—A staff member in Gerstenzang Science Library reported a stolen Jupiter 2 Laminator from a common area. University Police compiled a report on the theft. July 12—A party in Usdan Student Center reported that their debit card was compromised. University Police compiled a report on the incident. July 18—A party reported that their iPad was stolen after it was left unattended in the library. University Police compiled a report on the incident. Aug. 13—A party in Scheffres Hall reported the theft of cash from their unlocked room.
Harassment
July 20—A party in Pearlman Hall reported that they received a suspicious letter. University Police compiled a report on the incident. Aug. 25—A staff member reported receiving a harassing email. Uni-
versity Police compiled a report on the incident.
Assault
Aug. 30—University Police investigated a domestic dispute near Village Quad. Waltham Police responded, and one of the parties was escorted off campus and given a written warning of trespass. University Police transported the suspect to the Newton Marriott Hotel without incident.
Other May 22—University Police received a report of vandalism in the baseball dugout. The Facilities Department cleaned the area and University Police compiled a report on the incident. June 1—University Police received a report of vandalized fliers in the Science Complex. University Police compiled a report on the incident and will conduct extra patrols of the area. June 12—University Police received a report of damage to a bed in the Faculty Center. University Police compiled a report on the incident and Faculty Club event center staff will look into the incident. July 12—A staff member reported an attempted fraud by check scheme. University Police compiled a report on the incident. July 14—A party reported that their vehicle was struck while parked in G-Lot. The other driver left a note and University Police compiled a report on the incident. July 20—A staff member reported that their parked vehicle was struck in Kutz Lot. University Police compiled a report on the incident. July 21—A staff member reported that their vehicle was struck in Kutz Lot, with no information left behind. July 21—A party reported damage to his BMW, which was parked in the Theater Lot. July 23—University Police officers assisted with traffic at a fire at
Moody and Pine Street. July 23—University Police assisted Waltham Police with the evacuation of a senior living complex at 144 Moody St. July 25—Staff in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center reported that a male party was refusing to leave the gym. The party left the area prior to University Police arrival, but University Police will review closed circuit television footage in an attempt to identify the party. July 28—University Police received a report that construction crews working on the Castle area had violated a city ordinance by operating jackhammers at 6 a.m. University Police advised worksite staff on the scene. Aug. 1—Waltham Police reported that workers on construction sites in East Quad had violated a city ordinance by operating too early. University Police checked the area and food no violation. Aug. 2—A party in the Sachar International Center reported that there was a snake outside of a room. Staff members were able to remove the snake and relocate it to the adjacent wooded area. Aug. 7—University Police responded to an accident at the Brandeis/Roberts Train Station involving an injured T employee. Aug. 18—A party turned in some over the counter medication they found near the railroad tracks. Aug. 23—A University staff member received an emailed bomb threat. University Police notified proper authorities and the University was closed and evacuated. The campus was checked with nothing out of the ordinary found. Campus was reopened for business the next day. Sept. 2—A custodial supervisor in the Village Quad reported a box near the kitchen area. Upon further inspection, the box was empty and placed near the trash. —Compiled by Abby Patkin
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THE JUSTICE
Alumni
Community donates to GoFundMe campaign for alumnus ■ A GoFundMe raised funds
for Eduardo Keane ’14, M.S. ’15 who fell into a coma suddenly in June. By Abby Patkin JUSTICE Editor
Friends remember Eduardo Keane ’14, M.S. ’15 as someone who would go out of his way to help others. Now, those friends are returning the favor by raising money to cover his medical bills and travel expenses after Keane suffered a life-threatening fall in Thailand in June. In Thailand on vacation after visiting his sister in Singapore, Keane fell from a vertical cliff face at Railay Bay during a climb and was rushed to First Standard Clinic in Krabi Province via speedboat, according to a June 28 Phuket Gazette article. Four of his friends — Ethan Harris ’16, Eli Kaminsky ’16, Cameron Wolfe ’16 and Genevieve Oliveira ’15 — created a GoFundMe page to help his family cover his medical bills and bring him back to the United States. Keane arrived at Ryder Trauma Center in Miami on July 18. Keane suffered multiple injuries in the fall, including a skull fracture that resulted in a coma, according to the GoFundMe. He underwent a decompressive craniectomy to relieve pressure on his swollen brain, an update on the page read. In another update, the friends wrote that Keane is no longer considered medically to be in a coma, and his physicians hope that he will soon begin responding to his environment. For his friends, the decision to help Keane was an easy one, because they knew he would do the
same for them if the roles were reversed. “He’s my brother,” Oliveira wrote in an email to the Justice. “We always have so much fun together, but the memories that speak to Eduardo’s character the most are the ones where he dropped everything he was doing to be there for others.” Oliveira wrote that Keane was always patient when talking to her family members — then recent immigrants — and answering their questions about living in the United States. She also recalled one night from her first year at Brandeis, during which Keane went out of his way to cheer Oliveira up and give her a taste of home. “I wasn’t having an easy time adjusting to college and despite having to study for his own test, he biked over to a Brazilian market in the freezing winter, got all the ingredients to make the one Brazilian dessert that would always cheer me up, came over to my dorm in Massel [sic], made me the food and played the silliest Brazilian songs that always cheered me up,” she wrote. The GoFundMe has raised $79,223 of an $80,000 goal as of press time, and the friends plan to continue fundraising as long as the family wants them to, Oliveira wrote. The fundraiser has garnered donations from 1,204 individuals. In the meantime, Keane’s friends and family are optimistic about his progress. “Eduardo is making steady progress, both physically and neurologically,” Oliveira wrote, “and we are hoping that he can come home through a medivac early next week!” —Editor’s note: This article originally appeared online on July 10. It has been updated for publication in the Sept. 5 issue of the Justice.
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TUESDAY, September 5, 2017
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LIGHT THE NIGHT
YVETTE SEI/the Justice
On the welcoming evening of orientation, the Class of 2021 lit up the dark night together with LED candles while surrounding the Light of Reason art installation.
Public Safety responds to University and Waltham bomb threats ■ Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan addressed improvements to be made to emergency notification. By Amber Miles JUSTICE Editor
The University is working to improve aspects of its emergency response systems after an emailed bomb threat last month, Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan wrote in an email to the Justice. “There are a number of things we can and will do better in the future,” Callahan wrote. “But the basics are in place, and the right people are on point.” In response to the threatening email sent to administrative offices, Brandeis began to evacuate shortly before 10 a.m. on Aug. 23, and campus remained closed for approximately seven hours, according to messages from the Brandeis Emergency Notification System. University staff and students were alerted of the threat through BENS with the text “bomb threat.” Residential students and staff
at the University were relocated across the street and housed in Gosman Gym auditorium until all of main campus was searched by Waltham police and fire personnel for clearance, according to an email from University President Ron Leibowitz on Aug. 23. BENS is among the improvements the University plans to make. “We are updating the BENS system with additional templated messages that will enable us to use its full capabilities more automatically in an emergency. We will also conduct more training with the staff who are authorized to issue emergency messages,” Callahan wrote. The University is also working with the Waltham Police Department to develop better evacuation procedures and improve automobile and pedestrian traffic flow in emergency situations, according to Callahan. “Nothing is more important than the safety of our students, faculty and staff,” Callahan wrote. “Incidents such as this are disruptive and disappointing, but it is important that we use them as opportu-
nities to learn and improve our response, which is exactly what we are doing.” The Waltham Police Department continues to look into the Aug. 23 bomb threat as part of “a very active investigation of a rash of bomb threats made in the city over the last several months,” Callahan wrote. On Aug. 30, 24 similar threats were sent to various locations around Waltham, including Waltham Public Schools, according to an Aug. 30 Waltham Patch article. These threats appear to be hoaxes, the Patch reports, but the Waltham Police Department is still investigating. Prior to Aug. 30, the Patch counted 16 bomb threat hoaxes in Waltham since the beginning of the year. Targets included Waltham public elementary schools, the Waltham Public Library and Brandeis. Mayor Jeannette McCarthy stated that similar threats have been made to City Hall, city offices and the Waltham Senior Center, according to an Aug. 30 article by the Waltham News Tribune.
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THE JUSTICE
HINDU ADVISOR: University appoints Singh to support Dharmic community
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TUESDAY, September 5, 2017
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BLUE AND WHITE PRIDE
CONTINUED FROM 1 She looks forward to working with the Intercultural Center and developing a program regarding cultural identity and how it relates to gender, sexuality, race and social justice. Singh also stated that dedication to social justice was one of the many factors that drew her to Brandeis. She pointed out how the University, through its Jewish roots, is an example of a relationship between a strong history of social justice and a strong interest in spirituality. “And that’s where my passions lie, ” she said. “Social justice and spirituality. And, to do that, from a Dharmic lens, just seemed like a really exciting opportunity.” Working with the Intercultural Center, Singh also hopes to reach out to students living with multiple cultures and identities, such as Asian-Americans and children of immigrants. Singh is the child of immigrants herself, as she stated in the BrandeisNOW article, and she aims to help students who “are similarly navigating multiple cultures and identities.” During the interview, Singh also expressed her appreciation of the Brandeis student body. “The students were so wonderful, engaged, and friendly and open,” she said, “and that sense of openness was something that I really, really appreciated and was drawn to.” Another exciting side to that sense of openness, according to Singh, is the potential for growth as a community. As well as new programming, she is eager to help students
of Dharmic tradition develop their presence on campus and help their voices be heard. However, her new role is not without its challenges.“I’m serving a really broad range of traditions,” she said Singh will be working with students of Sikh, Jain, Hindu and Buddhist faiths, all of which may share similarities but are ultimately different traditions. Singh stated that navigating where these communities overlap and where they have distinct needs will be a challenge, especially as hers is a part-time position. Singh also foresaw a challenge in getting the word out and helping the Brandeis student body to understand what her presence on campus as Hindu adviser would entail. She hopes that open communication with students will help facilitate discussion and interest. She invites students to seek her out and converse with her at the Dharmic prayer center, and despite these challenges, she is excited to help build a strong foundation within the community for future growth and guidance. In the BrandeisNOW article, Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel commended and welcomed her to the University. “[Singh] has an excellent understanding of the spiritual and cultural needs of students from all Dharmic traditions,” he said, “and will be a great asset to our Department of Spiritual and Religious Life and the Multifaith Chaplaincy.”
Do you enjoy museums, music or movies?
YVETTE SEI/the Justice
Class of 2021 students cheer for the blue team at the orientation spirit rally on Aug. 28.
R&R: Student Rights releases code of conduct changes CONTINUED FROM 1
terferes with its ability to continue as planned will be warned and then asked to leave the event. If a student refuses to comply and cease disruptions, they will face undefined “disciplinary consequences,” according to the handbook. In March, political scientist Charles Murray was prevented from delivering a planned speech at Middlebury College when protesters chanted and yelled vulgar language during the event. Protesters — many of whom objected to Murray’s alleged racist and homophobic views — also surrounded and threw rocks at the car Murray and a faculty member were in. “While such behavior cannot and will not be tolerated on our campus, I am afraid that, absent a shared understanding of what free expression means and how it relates to one’s education, what happened at Middlebury could happen at any American college or university,” University President Ronald Liebowitz wrote in an email to the Brandeis community following the incident.
“A democratic society, and an education worth anything, must include the kind of engagement that challenges and extends one’s own limited understanding of any issue, including hearing views that potentially alienate, anger, or upset us,” he added. The University made additional changes to code 2.11, which asks community members to refrain from using electronic devices in a way that invades another’s privacy when there is a reasonable expectation of privacy. The new language defines “public spaces” and clarifies that the policy is not meant to apply to commonlyaccepted journalistic practices on campus. “Public spaces in general are not areas in which privacy can be reasonably expected,” the policy reads. “A public event is defined as an event held either in a public and open space on campus or to which a general announcement has been made or a general invitation has been extended.” A note on the amended document explains that the rationale for the
change was to clarify information in a way that allows student journalists on campus to use recording devices at public events. Other major revisions include the prohibition of the use of drones and hoverboards on campus. Hoverboards were previously prohibited on campus in January 2016 due to the well-documented risk of spontaneous combustion, according to a Jan. 5, 2016 email from Vice President for Campus Operations Jim Gray. The University also convened a drone committee in the fall of 2015 to examine safety and privacy issues related to the use of drones on campus. “Although there wasn’t a specific incident on campus that drove our decision, there have been reports across the country of drones flying into and injuring people. There is also the issue of one’s right to not be photographed or videotaped without permission, and many drones are equipped to capture photos and videos,” Gray wrote in an email to the Justice at the time.
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TUESDAY, September 5, 2017 ● Features ● The Justice
just
VERBATIM | DR. SEUSS Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.
ON THIS DAY…
FUN FACT
In 1609, Henry Hudson became the first European to discover the island of Manhatten.
There is a name for a fear of fun: Cherophobia.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CREATIVE COMMONS
GAMING THE SYSTEM: Jack Peters ’20 explains how to win at scabble using what he calls “high probability words.”
A Way With Words
Jack Peters ’20 Won a National Scrabble Championship NATALIA WIATER/the Justice
MEMORIZING THE DICTIONARY: Jack Peters ’20 has memorized every two and three- letter word that exists. By Lily B. Richard JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
Jack Peters ’20 is a typical sports-loving student with an exceptional accomplishment; he is the 2017 champion of the division three North American Scrabble Championships. Though most people consider Scrabble to be a casual if slightly dated board game, for Peters it has been a passion that has taken over his life. Growing up, Peters, who lived in London in his youth but now lives in Concord, Massachusetts, began casually playing Scrabble at the age of seven with his mother and grandmother. “They used to beat me all the time,” he said, although now he has his fair share of wins against his family. As he gained skills from playing at home, Peters entered a few local competitions at the ages of eight and nine. After these competitions he took a 10-year hiatus from competing. It was not until 2015, with the encouragement of his uncle, that he began to compete in national competitions. The competitions are “pretty intense,” he admitted. “You’re in a giant room with hundreds of other people, but it’s very quiet aside from the noise of the game.” Learning to perform
under pressure, he went on to claim the division champion title. When he’s not playing with words, Peters enjoys watching and participating in all sports, but especially baseball and football. Though Scrabble and sports may appear to be vastly different, his knowledge of strategy on the field helps him navigate his strategy on the board. “One of the things about Scrabble that people don’t realize is that there is a wide range of skills and things you have to consider when you’re playing.” He pointed out that one of the most important skills is the ability think critically. On top of having a vast knowledge of words, it is important that a Scrabble player knows how to anticipate upcoming plays in order to, “make a play that would be more conducive to scoring points in the future.” Obviously, basic memorization is key. “I know all of the two and three letter words,” Peters said, but he acknowledged that he had met players who knew far more words. Knowledge of seven letter words is also essential. Peters explained that, “If you put all 7 letters in a row it’s called a bingo and you get a 50 point bonus.” Therefore, contestants like Peters familiarize themselves with ‘high probability words,’ or words that players have the highest chance of being able to play. One example of this is the word “etesian.”
Despite all his experience playing Scrabble, fellow word lovers may have a chance at victory when competing against Peters in the popular Scrabble-inspired app. Words with Friends. “The board is completely different; it changes everything,” he lamented. “I would have to totally change my thinking to play that.” However, it can be expected that with his knowledge, Peters would wipe the digital board with his Words With Friends competitors. Since there is no outlet for Scrabble on campus though, convincing Peters to take up the Facebook game may be the only chance fellow Scrabble fanatics have for improving their skill while at Brandeis. After years of practice, Peters explained that his victory at the North American Scrabble Championships was “pretty surreal; I never expected it to happen until it actually happened.” And he has no plans to stop playing. “I want to continue building my rating and getting better,” he said, hoping that that one day he may get matched up with some of the best players in the world. Next year, Peters will be moving up to division two, and he has plans to compete at next year’s national scrabble competition in Buffalo, New York. Until then, he’ll be doing what he knows best: playing the game of Scrabble.
the justice ● Features ● TUESDAY, september 5, 2017
Using Data to Fight Terrorism Brandeis professor creates database to understand terrorist attacks By Kirby kochanowski justice editor
On March 22, an attacker drove his car into crowds of people on Westminster Bridge in London. On April 7, four pedestrians died when a man drove his truck into a crowd in Stockholm. On April 20, a police officer was shot and killed in Paris. On May 22, 22 people died at a concert in Manchester after a bomb exploded. On June 3, men drove a car into pedestrians on the London Bridge and stabbed those nearby. On Aug. 17, a van drove into Barcelona crowds, killing 13 people. And at Brandeis, Prof. Jytte Klausen (POL) compiles information from attacks like these into her Western Jihadism Project database. Started in 2006, this global terrorism database began in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. Klausen began the project as a way to study Al-Qaeda inspired terrorist offenders in Western Europe, Canada and the United States. It has since expanded to a Django-based administrative framework, which allows for the digital creation of a user interface to examine the data points. “There aren’t a lot of projects focused on collecting as much data as we have; we’re definitely unique in that sense,”Priyanka Renugopalakrishnan said in an interview with the Justice. Renugopalakrishnan is a project manager for the Western Jihadism Project and is a master’s candidate at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. She has experience in data and project management from her time working for the United States Army and experience in the non-profit and private sectors. “I’m a very proactive person, so about a month before my program started, I started looking online for on
campus jobs ... and when I saw there was a lab on campus that focuses on Western Jihadism and understanding the phenomenon of terrorism as it affects the West, I just knew immediately that I had to be involved,” she explained. After beginning as a research assistant, Renugopalakrishnan was promoted to the role of project manager three months ago. She oversees the daily goals of the project, whether that be assisting in the collection of data for publication or working to advance the computer science aspects of the project to improve the user interface. The project staff is currently comprised of students. “Over the years, we’ve had students from a variety of different departments from Brandeis, even some outside students. We’ve had students from Islamic Studies, Anthropology, [from] more technical degree [programs] like Computer Science, Economics and even Business,” Renugopalakrishnan said. She credits a great deal of the project’s success to having such a diverse team. “Each department the students come from provides … a unique perspective in which they view the world or conflicts and issues they encounter.” Most students involved in the project are research assistants in charge of documenting data. “The work we do really lights a passion in many of our students,” Renugopalakrishnan said. Over 5,500 individuals, 797 terrorist plots, local and international organizations linked to extremists, and approximately 23,000 links between data points have been recorded as part of this project, according to the project website. When looking at data for entry, the Western Jihadism Project team doesn’t designate an individual as a global terrorist; the individuals they examine have already been classified by an outside authority.
“Our determination of whether or not we would enter them into the database is dependent on how much data is available on said individual,” Renugopalakrishnan explained. The data information gathered is all publically available. The team makes use of government reports, press releases, court documents, news articles and even social media to gather information. Another unique element of the project is the nature of the data itself. “The thing is, when you go into the world of research and data analytics, people focus on qualitative data or quantitative data,” Renugopalakrishnan explained. The Western Jihadism Project makes use of both. The project really aims at understanding the bigger picture of global terrorism. The team has outside collaborators who use the data for academic research, although there is a protocol that must be followed regarding access. “There’s even the DOD [Department of Defense] that accesses our database, and they use it for their specific mission, whatever that may be,” Renugopalakrishnan said. Klausen also publishes scholarly articles based on the data regularly. Her most recent article, “British Intelligence Fails Again: Will the London Attack Lead to Reform?” was published by Foreign Affairs Magazine. “Dr. Klausen is very knowledgeable in this field, and it’s been an absolute pleasure working with her,” said Renugopalakrishnan. As the project moves forward, Renugopalakrishnan predicts the data from new attacks will push their focus in the direction of certain regions. Yet the objectives of the project won’t change. The Western Jihadism Project will still work to understand the broader picture of global terrorism through data and the dedication of its students.
SEARCHING FOR ANSWERS: Prianka Renugopalakrishnan is the project manager of the Western Jihadism Project database.
DATA DRIVEN: Prof. Jytte Klausen (POL) compiles info on terrorism into her Western Jihadism Project Database.
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF PRIANKA RENUGOPALAKRISHNAN
YEARS IN THE MAKING: Prof. Klausen (POL) began working on a database that compiles info on terror attacks in the West since 2006.
UNDERSTANDING TERROR: The Western Jihadism Project aims to understand the bigger picture of global terrorism using data collection.
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10 TUESDAY, setember 5, 2017 ● forum ● THE JUSTICE
the
Justice Established 1949
Brandeis University
Abby Patkin, Editor in Chief Amber Miles, Managing Editor Carmi Rothberg, Senior Editor Michelle Banayan, Lizzie Grossman, Noah Hessdorf, Mihir Khanna, Jerry Miller and Sabrina Sung, Associate Editors Michelle Dang, News Editor, Kirby Kochanowski, Features Editor Nia Lyn, Acting Forum Editor, Ben Katcher, Sports Editor Hannah Kressel, Arts Editor Natalia Wiater, Photography Editor Mira Mellman, Layout Editor, Pamela Klahr and Robbie Lurie, Ads Editors Jen Geller and Avraham Penso, Copy Editors CARMI ROTHBERG/the Justice
EDITORIALS
Acknowledge completed campus improvement projects Brandeis’s decaying infrastructure has long been a financial and aesthetic issue for the University, and this summer’s work to address campus construction represents a strong positive development in the University’s institutional planning and organization. In a Sept. 22, 2016 open meeting on the financial state of the University, economist and consultant Kermit Daniel described the declining state of campus infrastructure, according to a Justice article from Sept. 27 of the same year. “It’s been a very long time since anything was done about the infrastructure here, and … it’s beginning to show,” Daniel said in the meeting. This summer, the University has worked on a number of projects to restore and renovate the campus, including the demolition of Towers C, D, E and Schwartz Hall of Usen Castle; improvements to a number of campus heating and cooling systems; considerable work on Squire Bridge and a number of repaving projects. The improvements were a necessary step for improving living conditions and making the University more sustainable, both financially and environmentally, and were critical in minimizing costs of future decay and lessening the University’s financial burden in the long run. This board commends the University for staying on schedule in achieving these crucial improvements. In a May 10 email to the student body, Vice President for Campus Operations Jim Gray and Executive Director of
Recognize positive change Facilities Services Bob Avalle described the planned work to be done on the campus over the summer. The email listed projects such as “[s]ite preparation and utilities work for the new residence hall on part of the former Usen Castle,” with an estimated completion date of Aug. 2018; new roofs in a number of buildings; the installation of new heating/cooling systems in Schiffman, Usdan, Schwartz, Brown and Lemberg; the replacement of the library plazas and the replacement of North Road and North Lot. A later email on Aug. 29 confirmed the accomplishment of all of these projects, as well as the additional installation of new steam lines and heating systems in Massell Quad, significant renovations to Squire Bridge and an upgraded filtration system in Linsey Pool. This attention to campus infrastructure, as well as the University’s timeliness in keeping with its summer repair schedule, is certainly to be commended; however, it is vital that the University continue to prioritize such long-term projects. This board hopes to see the beginnings of repairs to the Science Complex in the near future, a project which may cost upwards of $100 million, according to Daniel’s presentation in the Sept. 2016 open meeting. In addition to physical infrastructure, we would like to see the University focus its efforts on updates to information infrastructure, another project that requires serious attention.
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Following the events occurring in Charlottesville, Va., debates over the presence of Confederate monuments in public spaces have intensified. While some feel that Confederate monuments celebrate a history of racism, others feel that they are “a symbol of resistance by ordinary people from the South who stood up to the rapacious North,” according to an Aug. 30 New York Times article. Do you feel that the presence of Confederate monuments is harmful, or are they just another aspect of American history that should be preserved?
Mark Hulliung (HIST) My belief has long been that the best course of action is not to tear down the Confederate monuments but rather to place them in museums alongside newly created monuments displaying the horrors of slavery. A policy of simply tearing down the monuments plays directly into the hands of bigots and demagogues, such as Donald Trump. Unfortunately, Trump has a point when he says “where will it end?” Few figures in our history are purely innocent. We should not delete Jefferson from our history because of his miserable record on slavery. Far better it is both to hold him accountable and to remember that his words in the Declaration of Independence were invoked by Frederick Douglass and by Martin Luther King to demand full citizenship for all. Prof. Mark Hulliung (HIST) is a professor of History.
Abigail Cooper (HIST) Confederate monuments were mail-order markers of white supremacy erected during Jim Crow during a national retreat from racial justice. They were often paid for with tax dollars of Black citizens with no voting rights. The NYT quote you cite comes from what historians call the “Lost Cause” mythology in which white southerners actively erased slavery and race as factors in secession. These days “anti-racism” packs more of a moral punch than “anti-rapacious North.” What is notable about how this is all going down — it’s not elite northeasterners or federal bureaucrats accelerating local towns’ and universities’ interest in removing Confederate statues — it’s the statues’ defenders’ explicit invocations to white supremacy. It’s more difficult now to say your Confederate symbol is about “heritage not hate” when it has been so effectively employed to unite white nationalists. Taking them down will be up to local communities, but the discussion hitting a nerve outside the South is noteworthy. What I want to see next is bigger than statues — a national reckoning with this country’s history of slavery and its legacy.
Recognize new additions to the Rights and Responsibilities Prior to the start of fall classes, the University made annual updates to the Rights and Responsibilities handbook and informed the community of the changes with an Aug. 28 email. The updates include alterations in the handbook’s language as well as specific policy changes. Among the updates, the University has added clarifying language to give a clearer definition of sexual harassment, which can be found in section 3.2. The new language reads, “Sexual harassment may be sex or gender based and occurs when the behavior is directed at someone because of their actual or perceived sex or gender or the behavior is sexual in nature. Sexual harassment creates a hostile environment when conduct is severe, pervasive or persistent so as to cause a discriminatory effect.” Giving a clear explanation of sexual harassment is important for identifying and addressing it, and this board commends the University for this clarification. Further, the new Rights and Responsibilities handbook includes some new rules for the Special Examiner’s process, specifically with regards to interviews with parties and witnesses. Section 22 reads, “The sexual history of either party with third parties or the character of either party will not be admissible … [and] Immigration status will not be considered during a Title IX report or adjudication.” This boards applauds this addition and urges the University to use it to support sexual assault survivors and ensure every investigation is fair. In addition to these changes, the new Rights and Responsibilities handbook includes a restriction regarding protest
Keep students informed and disruption of events. Section 7.5 reads, “Brandeis maintains a high tolerance for protest, but disruptions that prevent a planned event from continuing are not permissible.” Under the new policy, students who disrupt an event to the point where it has to be cancelled will receive warnings, and if they persist, they will face undefined “disciplinary consequences.” Protest has a powerful place on campus, and this board supports students’ free expression of speech and right to protest. However, the distinction drawn here is important; protest to the point of cancelling an event shuts down a crucial exchange of ideas, an unfortunate outcome that this board believes should be avoided. The cancellation of an event also limits protesters’ ability to challenge and disprove concepts they deem harmful. As such, disruption to the point of cancellation should be discouraged, and this board supports the new policy. However, disruptive protest in and of itself is not bad, as it is often necessary for students to be heard. This board understands the University’s desire to have events run smoothly, but we urge the University to limit restriction of protest to only those actions that would completely cancel an event. Any further limits on protest would be contradictory to Brandeis’ purported commitment to social justice and harmful to students’ expression of speech. All in all, many of this year’s changes to the Rights and Responsibilities handbook are a step in the right direction, and this board encourages all community members to familiarize themselves with the University’s policies.
Prof. Abigail Cooper (HIST) is a professor of History.
Annie Lieber ’18 In this country, there seems to be an increasing conflation between “preserving” and celebrating some reprehensible and scarring times in our nation’s past. There is a huge difference between continuing to teach about prominent Confederate figures in the American Civil War and memorializing and approving them and their values and actions by continuing to allow statues of and memorials to them and their cause stand. The South lost, and that makes those in the Confederate army rebels and traitors to their country, plain and simple, who do not deserve for the country they actively went against to allow them to be remembered with any kind of sympathy or tacit approval. Because that’s what statues are meant to do. While we need to continue to teach about the Civil War — all sides and viewpoints — in an objective manner, elected officials have a right to remove any public statues they wish, so long as they are not blatantly violating laws. And no, the removal of these statues does not violate free speech. Annie Lieber ’18 is a Politics Undergraduate Departmental Representative.
Ryan McCarthy ’18 One thing to keep in mind is that a majority of these Confederate monuments are not in places of historical significance. Certainly, there are some on the site of former Civil War battlefields or National Historic Landmarks, but by and large, these statues and memorials do not contribute to the historical representation of their location. Often they make little sense: The major highway running parallel to Arlington National Cemetery and the Pentagon is named “Jefferson Davis Highway.” But perhaps worse is the fact that many Confederate monuments are on courthouse or school grounds, public spaces which have been co-opted to glorify traitors to our nation. Confederate symbols have no business in those places, and it makes it clear that these monuments were erected as political statements in defense of a defeated and immoral cause. Ryan McCarthy ’18 is a History Undergraduate Departmental Representative.
THE JUSTICE ● fORUM ● TUESDAY, September 5, 2017
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Condemn President Trump’s pardoning of Arizona sheriff By judah weinerman JUSTICE staff writer
Joe Arpaio served as sheriff of Maricopa County, the most populous county in Arizona, for almost 25 years. In that time, “America’s Toughest Sheriff” used the powers and privileges of his office to terrorize the people of Maricopa County in ways few could imagine. According to Phoenix New Times, he set up a self-described concentration camp for convicted and sentenced prisoners called “Tent City.” Amnesty International singled it out as a “method of incarceration [that] violates basic worldwide standards of human rights.” According to a July 3, 2011 article in The Arizona Republic, temperatures in Tent City often reached 145 Fahrenheit — hot enough to melt one’s shoes after a short walk — and inmates had extremely limited access to water. He also reinstituted chain gangs and created the first-ever female and juvenile chain gangs in the United States. According to an Oct. 28, 2008 Phoenix New Times article, Arpaio faked an assassination attempt on his person as a publicity stunt, putting an innocent 18-year-old in jail for four years. His office is estimated to have improperly cleared over 82 percent of sexual assault cases, ending investigations without even attempting to identify a suspect or interview the victim, according to a Jan. 19, 2010 article from NBC 12 News. When the judiciary finally began to crack down on his flagrant abuses of power, Arpaio brought forth corruption charges against his political opponents, charging every single judge, county supervisor and administrator who had previously opposed him, according to a Dec. 20, 2013 article in AZ Central, targeting those as high up as the then-mayor of Phoenix and Arizona’s Attorney General. Arpaio was willing to bend any law and incur any human cost in order to keep Maricopa County as his personal fiefdom, his tough-cop reputation paid for in blood. Arpaio also gained national attention for his departmental policy of automatically racial profiling Latinos under the belief that any Latino citizen of Maricopa County is
an illegal immigrant and should be treated as such. According to the plaintiff in the Melendres v. Arpaio case, Arpaio has said that he instructed officers to pay attention to “their speech, what they look like, if they look like they came from another country.” He also openly bragged about having no officer training to reduce the risk of racial profiling, stating that “if we do not racial profile, why would I do a training program?” Residents described a system where the mere act of driving while being Latino was a criminal offense, with the looming threat of police stops and commands of “show me your papers” being ever-present. Imagine Rudy Giuliani’s “stop-and-frisk” program a hundred times more pervasive without even the basic pretense of being racially neutral, and you’ll have an idea of what Arpaio’s system looked like. Although the voters of Maricopa County finally ousted him from his post in the November 2016 election, Arpaio remains the embodiment of every single thing that is wrong with American law enforcement. Arpaio’s failure to comply with 2014 judicial orders to stop pervasive racial profiling and police brutality led to a contempt of court charge, of which he was found guilty on July 31 of this year. It should come as no surprise that President Donald Trump considers “Sheriff Joe” a role model for American law enforcement, calling him an “American patriot” who “kept Arizona safe,” according to an Aug. 23, 2017 article in the Guardian. If you believe the president, then “Sheriff Joe was convicted for doing his job” and the sentence of six months in jail for decades of torture and oppression is too much for him. While Trump’s praise for Arpaio always represented serious issues of poor jurisprudence and promoting police misconduct, Trump has completely undermined the rule of law and the rights guaranteed to all Americans with his recent actions. On Aug. 25, Trump granted full executive clemency to Arpaio, officially absolving him of any wrongdoing and fully condoning his actions. To call that a slap
JULIANNA SCIONTI/the Justice
in the face to the rule of law would be an understatement. By pardoning Arpaio, Trump is giving legal legitimacy to the former sheriff’s barbaric vision for law enforcement and his iron-clad view of unequal justice. The Maricopa County Sheriff Department effectively set up a system that created a permanent underclass by denying those the Sheriff perceived as Latino basic tenets of our Bill of Rights — the right to a trial, the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, the right to not be subjected to cruel and unusual punishment. Trump’s pardon is tantamount to an endorsement of this system. Make no mistake: Trump’s pardoning of Arpaio is, in effect, openly declaring war against the judiciary. Trump has made it clear that he despises the limits of executive power placed upon him by judges and administrators and has actively undermined the ability of the courts to curb executive overreach and criminal activity. Not only
does pardoning Arpaio essentially give other police carte blanche to act however they please knowing that Trump could easily wipe away their crimes in an instant, but it also shows clear contempt for a court’s orders — the exact crime for which Arpaio was indicted in the first place. While Arizona’s Republican senators John McCain and Jeff Flake were quick to criticize the pardon, light criticism won’t stop the rampant abuse that Trump has now sanctioned. If politicians really want to send a message to Trump, they should do so by standing against everything Arpaio represents by enacting real criminal justice reform — taking it straight to the corrupt institutions that allow monsters like Arpaio to get away scot-free. As it stands, Trump throwing his lot in with Arpaio has confirmed every fear about his presidency — the xenophobia, racism, authoritarian tendencies, contempt for rule of law — a thousand times over.
Reject unfair criticism of affirmative action on college campuses Nia
lyn purpose
On Aug. 3, the Boston Globe published an article revealing that the majority of the students accepted into Harvard University’s class of 2021 were non-white. While this is true, it still remains that the seated class of 2021 — the students who actually enrolled — is more than 50.8 percent white and 47.9 percent non-white, according to data from a freshman survey conducted by the Harvard Crimson. Despite this, admissions methods such as affirmative action are still being called into question for the alleged discrimination against white applicants. According to an Aug.1 New York Times article, the Trump administration is looking to investigate and possibly sue institutions with admissions policies that seem to discriminate against white applicants. An official document obtained by the Times mentions investigating practices that support “intentional race-based discrimination,” which clearly alludes to programs designed to increase the number of students of color on college campuses. Per the same Times article, Roger Clegg, a former top official of civil rights during the Ronald Reagan administration, stated that civil rights laws were meant to protect students against discrimination, yet white and Asian students are often overlooked. Reminiscent of the 2016 U.S. Supreme Court case Fisher v. University of Texas, current Duke University student Austin Jia and several others are now at the center of a lawsuit regarding race-based discrimination. According to an Aug. 2 New York Times article, Jia was a stellar student in high school: high GPA, near perfect SAT score and involvement
in several clubs. When he was rejected from top Ivy League schools while his non-Asian classmates with lower GPAs were accepted, he began to question the validity of current admissions processes. According to the same Times article, a Princeton study found that students who identify as Asian need to score 140 points higher on the SAT than white students in order to be a qualified candidate, a phenomenon known to some as the “Asian tax.” The article also mentions that Ivy League schools also seem to have a cap on the number of Asian students admitted; in 2013, 14 to 18 percent of students at Harvard and five other schools were Asian. However, the classes of 2020 and 2021 have seen an increase with 22 to 28 percent of accepted students identifying as Asian, according to each University’s self reported data. Though students’ feelings are justified, and they reserve the right to question their acceptance status, race is not the only factor that determines one’s acceptance into an Ivy League school. Who would a university rather have — the student with a 3.9 GPA who had to travel 3 hours every day to get to class and work to help pay for school fees, or the student with a 4.5 GPA from a middle class family who was captain of clubs yet faced no adversity? Current admissions standards encourage schools to look at the holistic image of a student. They want a student who has shown resilience and still has the determination to apply themselves in school, as opposed to a student who is a cookie cutter mold of all their other applicants. The American Civil Liberties Union describes affirmative action as any measure that takes race, national origin, sex or disability into consideration to provide opportunities to individuals that have been historically denied these opportunities. According to a June 16 CNN article, affirmative action dates back to President Lyndon B. Johnson’s Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibited discrimination in public workplaces. It was first challenged in 1978 Regents of the University of California v. Bakke case. Here, a committee of minorities oversaw
admission for other students who identified as minorities and began accepting students on that sole basis. Students admitted under this “special admissions program”’ were not required to meet the University’s 2.5 GPA cutoff and were not ranked against other students in the admissions process. It is clear how this is a violation of anti-discriminatory admissions practices that favors minority students — which is why it was declared unjust. What the case did determine, however, is that race is still a valid portion of an applicant’s holistic picture so long as it is not the sole basis for admission. Another such case was Grutter v. Bollinger; Barbara Grutter, a white Michigan resident, was denied entrance to the University of Michigan Law School despite her high GPA and LSAT score. Though she felt that she was denied admission based on race, the court ruled that since the school conducts a specialized review of each individual student, no student’s acceptance or rejection was based on race. Though individuals like Austin Jia and Barbara Grutter feel that affirmative action works to their detriment, it still stands that Black and Hispanic students are underrepresented in top colleges. According to an Aug. 24 New York Times article, as of 2015, Black students only make up 9 percent of students in elite schools — a figure that is practically unchanged from 1980. Hispanic students comprise 15 percent, an increase from 1980, yet a relatively low percent when one considers the rising number of Hispanic youths in the United States. According to the Pew Research center, as of 2014, there were 17.9 million Hispanic youths aged 18 and under in the United States. Looking at all 8 Ivy League schools, Black and Hispanic enrollment has seen little change while white enrollment has decreased and Asian enrollment has increased. Similarly for top liberal arts colleges, Black and Hispanic enrollment remains historically low, with enrollment increasing only in a few schools, such as Amherst College. Since 1980, Amherst has shown an eight percent point increase in
Black students and a 13 percent point increase in Hispanic students, while Pomona College has seen a 9 percent point increase in Black students and a 16 percent point increase in Hispanic students. Other top universities, including Geo Caltech and Stanford, are still largely populated by white students, with Black or Hispanic students together comprising less than 25 percent of the student body. The real admissions bias that needs to be addressed is the issue of familial ties. According to a Sept. 1 article from MarketWatch, nearly 30 percent of Harvard’s incoming class of 2021 has at least one family member who attended the school. According to the article, “among a group of similarly distinguished applicants, the daughters and sons of Harvard College alumni/ ae may receive an additional look.” Taking this into account, the university is continuing a trend of accepting wealthy, advantaged students who do not truly represent the diversity of the nation. Though Harvard and other elite schools are known to offer generous financial aid packages, only a small number of students are actually able to take advantage of such. The lack of students from low-income families further contributes to the diversity problem at Harvard. According to Harvard’s financial aid office, financial aid is expanded to students whose families earn less than $80,000 a year while admission may be free for families earning less than $60,000. Per the earlier Crimson article, families of athletes earning $80,000 per year or less comprise 17.5 percent of the class of 2021, families of legacy students earning less than $80,000 per year make up 4.3 percent, and first-generation students comprise 12.8 percent. Harvard and other elite schools are only perpetuating an elitist cycle that caters toward wealthy and privileged students. What the Trump administration considers discrimination against white applicants is actually a useful means to give underrepresented students the chance to obtain beneficial opportunities. Affirmative action is a necessity, and to believe otherwise is to ignore the true injustice of college admissions.
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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12
TUESDAY, September 5, 2017 ● forum ● THE JUSTICE
FORUM
Acknowledge detrimental effects of social media on youth Andrew
jacobson reality check
“Why our screens make us less happy” was the title of a TED talk given by psychologist Adam Alter this April. During his talk, Alter identified a marketing phenomenon called “dog-fooding,” where companies test-drive their own product, so-to-speak, to boost investor and consumer confidence. Alter described how he once heard that the head of a large pet food company would go to the annual shareholders meeting and eat a can of his company’s own dog food. His point was, if it’s good enough for people, it’s certainly good enough for dogs. According to an Oct. 28, 2013 New Republic article, “dog-fooding” has been a standard practice for years now and there are a few notable exceptions. These notable exceptions, it turns out, include Steve Jobs. This was revealed in a Sept. 10, 2014 New York Times article. The interviewer recounted a conversation with Jobs following the seemingly easy question: “So your kids must love the iPad?” His response was unexpected. “They haven’t used it,” Jobs told the interviewer, “We limit how much technology our kids use at home.” Is there something Steve Jobs knew that we don’t? It seems so; many studies are beginning to show the adverse effects of technology overuse, especially for children who are growing up with a screen always within reach. A May 2017 study from Duke University demonstrates the potential results of adolescents spending more time online. A group of researchers surveyed 151 young adolescents, ages 11 to 15, three times per day for a month about their daily technology use. All adolescents studied were of low socioeconomic status and at risk for mental health problems. Eighteen months later, the researchers checked-in to gauge the byproducts of overuse. The study found that on days when the teens spent more time on technology, they were more likely to exhibit behavioral and attention issues and symptoms of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. It’s no surprise that the web provides instant gratification. What do we do when we want to find a statistic? We search for it on Google. What about when we want to send a friend a message? They receive it immediately.
Though attention-related disorders have many causes, the correlation between the uptick in social media use with an increase of ADHD or related diagnoses is clear. In fact, more than one in 10 children ages four to 17 are diagnosed with ADHD, according to a 2011 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. Some experts justify the numbers by saying the disorder is overdiagnosed, while others say that doctors are just better able to spot ADHD today than in the past. Still, attention spans are decreasing. Think of the prevalence of the fad of the fidget-spinner last spring, which probably distracted kids more than it helped them pay attention. In fact, 87 percent of over 2,000 middle and high school teachers say that technology is creating an “easily distracted generation with short attention spans” and 64 percent say this technology “do[es] more to distract students than to help them academically.” according to a 2012 Pew Internet survey. One startling 2016 study from IBISWorld shows that ADHD medication has increased in sales by eight percent every year since 2010. It’s a booming business. For Professor Richard Scheffler of the University of California-Berkeley, this troubling increase is especially common in “cultures that put a premium on productivity and high academic achievement,” according to a 2015 Mother Jones article. Rigorous universities including Brandeis are certainly members of this type of high-pressure culture,along with the U.S. as a whole. The 2009 documentary “Race to Nowhere” and its sequel “Beyond Measure” discuss, in great detail, the complex issues that constitute the high-pressure culture of the U.S. education system. Standardized testing has replaced creative thinking, both movies assert, and competition has replaced collaboration. Sometimes, kids even get physically sick from lack of sleep and overworking. According to the American Psychological Association, chronic stress can lead to heart attack and even death, while Harvard’s Division of Sleep Medicine reports that sleep deprivation can lead to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity. The high stress levels of school, combined with the instant gratification offered by technology, provides an environment ripe for the development of symptoms of ADHD and learning disorders, such as poor attention spans, impulsivity and forgetfulness. Still, the consequences of overusing social media can be worse, even fatal. A May 5 CNN article reports an “alarming” rise in recent years of the number of children hospitalized with suicidal thoughts or actions. The largest surge is being seen among teen girls, the article reports. And, though the root causes are hotly debated, I think the uptick is
RACHEL KLINGENSTEIN/the Justice
no coincidence. Some say cyberbullying is the main factor, while others say the prevalence of social media and academic pressure play a bigger role. While the internet can sometimes aid in suicide prevention, I would argue the net effect of social media is negative. It is so dangerous because, on its surface, social media looks benign. At first glance, social media is wonderful; it helps us connect with friends and family around the world and maintain contact with people who may have otherwise drifted out of our lives. But, digging deeper, we see that social media encourages obsession over selfimage and detracts greatly from our engaging with the world. We are not as present as we once were and certainly much less able to focus. One article from the Child Mind Institute says that kids are “growing up with more
anxiety and less self-esteem.” With the prevalence of immediate digital feedback online such as likes, kids can become more attached to their image and less to hobbies and passions. Or, in other words, they’re escaping the real world for the virtual one. The issue, largely, is that with social media there is no limit. “The ‘bottomless’ news feeds of Twitter and Facebook make it too easy,” said Adam Alter in his TED talk. Unlike reading a book or watching a television show or movie, on social media you can scroll on and on for hours without any stopping cues. This, also, contributes to the wasting of time. People should remain aware of how social media affects them and limit time spent looking at a device. And, if you’re daring enough, put it away for a few hours. The flowers outside really do need smelling.
Reconsider possible strategies for US-North Korea relations By Somar hadid justice staff writer
When a CBS news journalist questioned U.S. Secretary of State James Mattis on a possible war with North Korea, Mattis’ austere and perturbed response was that this war would probably be “the worst kind of fighting in most people’s lifetimes,” according to a May 28 CBS article. It’s possible that the U.S. would defeat North Korea in any hypothetical war, but at what costs? Considering the past and current wars in which the U.S. has been directly or indirectly involved, such as the Iran-Iraq War, the Bosnian War, the war in Afghanistan or the Syrian Civil War, Mattis’ statements should not be taken lightly. High death counts, chemical weapons, indiscriminate cluster bombings and countless human rights violations are all aspects of these wars; nonetheless, a worse conflict could happen in the not-so-distant future. To understand the current North Korean crisis, one needs to understand why the North Korean regime sees the U.S. as adversaries. More importantly, one needs to understand the recent events that led the supreme leader of North Korea, 33-year-old Kim Jong-un, to conclude that the use of nuclear weapons is the way to stay in power. In the Korean Conflict of the early 1950’s, North Korea, with the support of its communist allies in China and the Soviet Union, invaded South Korea. The U.S. and several other of its NATO allies later interfered the war, which claimed over two million casualties, half of whom were North Korean military and civilians, according to a June 10 CNN article. After the war, the country became divided along the 38th parallel and over six decades later more than 37,500 U.S. troops remain there, according to an April 15 NBC News article.
There have been numerous border incidents since then none of which have deteriorated into nationwide conflict. However, the situation remains unremittingly strained, and it seems that every now and then the North Korean supreme leader decides to conduct another nuclear or missile strike, the latest of which was conducted a few days ago, according to a Sept. 3 CNN article. The question that comes to mind is why the North Korean leader feels that he needs to conduct all of these tests when the two superpowers, the U.S. and Russia, haven’t conducted one since the early 1990s, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency. According to a July 10 CNBC article, analysts believe that Kim’s nuclear weapons serve as an insurance policy to keep him in power given the relatively recent usurpations of Muammar Gaddafi and Saddam Hussein: two dictators who were taken down and killed with the help of Western intervention. Neither leader had nuclear weapons when they fell from power. Gaddafi agreed to give up his arsenal for economic relief in 2003. As for Saddam Hussein, rigorous searches following the invasion of Iraq repudiated former President Bush’s vehement assertions about alleged “stockpiles”.
“
As the days, weeks and months go by, the notion of direct military conflict is not going away. Now, how can the U.S. and its allies attempt to de-escalate this crisis? Several
U.S. presidents claimed to be able to solve and allay tensions between the U.S and North Korea but all previous efforts have been futile. North Korea is still one of the most isolated and sanctioned sovereignties in the world and the current regime has been unremitting in conducting its military drills. Economic sanctions should continue to be implemented, but they will not hamper North Korea’s yearning to develop its nuclear weapons program. Furthermore, according to the Central Intelligence Agency, 76.3 percent of North Korea’s exports go to China, a nonNATO member who has essentially flouted American calls to cut ties to the quarantined nations and even argued for removing current sanctions, according to an Aug. 23 Washington Post article. Russia has also refused to cut its ties with North Korea. A preemptive military strike is too perilous given that tens of millions of South Koreans as well as tens of thousands of American troops would be facile targets given that the metropolitan city of Seoul lies only 35 miles south of the border. To make matters worse, China, which has the world’s largest army and the second largest military expenditures in the world according to Forbes, claimed that it would prevent the U.S. from interfering with the Kim Regime — should the U.S. attack North Korea first — according to an Aug. 10 Reuters piece. It has also vowed to stay neutral in the event North Korea strikes the U.S. Recent attempts from the U.S. to conduct military exercises with its Japanese and South Korean counterparts have only seemed to provoke the crises because North Korea has recently accentuated the crisis following these joint drills, according to an Aug. 26 CNN article. The only alternative left is for the U.S. to try to establish a positive relation with North Korea by offering economic sanctions reliefs in return for peace talks. This may seem counterproductive and
The opinions expressed on this page are those of each article’s respective author and do not reflect the viewpoint of the Justice.
appear as another way for the regime to fund their nuclear program; however, this path may be promising. According to a Dec. 29 2015 Wall Street Journal piece, North Korea’s economy is very poor. Its dilapidated countryside coupled with its starving people make it undoubtable that they covet economic relief. Continuing with the status quo, which is just constant talks about military tactics and the nuclear weapons issue, will not be helpful to their economy and therefore will not help the crisis. The biggest incentive for a country which has one of the lowest GDP per capita rates in the world, according to the CIA, is sanctions relief. The West should slowly and periodically try relieving economic sanctions and stipulate that the extra funds should be used to help the struggling nation feed its people and restructure its health care program. In return, under the agreement, the isolated nation would agree to cut back its nuclear weapons program and start negotiations, per restrictions created by the International Monetary Fund. Given that we have tried and contemplated an eccentric range of political, economic, military and psychological options such as U.N. Resolutions, economic sanctions, military drills and propaganda threats by loudspeakers across the Korean Demilitarized Zone, we should try something new. Whether or not the regime will acquiesce to the world’s demands to disarm is up for speculation. However, if we try this approach and North Korea still remains disruptive to the international community, it is more likely that China and North Korea will begin to gradually move away and completely isolate the regime, forcing it to comply. As the days, weeks and months go by, the notion of direct military conflict is not going away. The U.S. should try a novel tactic to deal with this reclusive country given that decades of all other tactics have failed.
2017
10 THE JUSTICE ● Sports ● Tuesday, SEPTEMBER 5, 2017
WSOCCER: Team strives to continue its winning ways CONTINUED FROM 16 despite a tough season-opening loss, hold their heads high and snatch a win against Lasell. Against Lasell, Brandeis showed tremendous improvement compared to the previous game, as they managed to take 18 shots and score an impressive five goals. The group looked sharp and synchronized, showing their capacity to learn and improve. Now with a 1-1 record, the team still has potential to start the season off strong, but they must continue to learn together as they did from the MIT game. More of
13
DRIVE-THRU
the same will be necessary to put this squad back on top. The team clearly has the talent and ability to be one of the top groups in the nation. Resiliency is a huge part of that, and the Judges showed that early on by cutting their losing streak short after just one game. They did not let a season-opening loss get them down and they put their impressive determination on display just two days later. Brandeis will play their first home game on Tuesday Sept. 5 against Bridgewater State University as they look to attain a winning record, and extend their winning streak to two games.
PRO SPORTS: With Chris Paul gone, the MSOCCER: Club will look to Clippers will need to earn 2nd win on Saturday use a fresh approach
NATALIA WIATER/Justice File Photo
FANCY FOOTWORK: Josh Ocel ’18 masterfully dribbles past his defender against Tufts University on Sept. 24, 2016.
CONTINUED FROM 16
CONTINUED FROM 16 you? Or do you give up and tear it all down? The movie doesn’t show us what Llewyn chooses to do, but we probably know anyway. We know, despite his failed attempt to get a non-music job, that he can’t come to terms with a life outside of music, telling his sister that anything else is just “existing.” So, despite being beaten up and broken down, and soon to be overshadowed by the arrival of Bob Dylan, he probably
keeps going. For years that’s what the Clippers did too, even after their own Bob Dylan, the powerful Golden State Warriors, arrived on the scene. Perhaps there’s something to be said for sticking to who you are and running the boulder back up the hill even if deep down you know it’s going to fall back as soon as you let go. Llewyn made some good music, and those Clippers teams made real, audible noise. However, it sure would have been nice to win.
inability to claim victory in the second overtime’s eighth minute, when forward Josh Ocel ’18 assisted Handler on the game’s golden goal. Woodhouse finished with a careerhigh-tying 10 saves. The victory brought the Judges to 1-1 on the season. The loss dropped Hobart to 0-2 on the year. Judges 2, SUNY Cortland 3 In their first action of the season, the Judges were unable to dig themselves out of an early hole against the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons. Despite a valiant comeback
attempt, the squad ran out of gas by the match’s end, ultimately dropping their first game coached by someone other than Mike Coven in 44 years. The Red Dragons initiated scoring in the 27th minute, when junior forward Migell Ormsby netted the season’s first goal off of an assist from junior midfielder Jake Keller. The Judges hole only grew deeper from that point on, as the Red Dragons struck again in the 50th minute, with Keller showing his offensive versatility and burying a goal of his own. Adding insult to injury, the Red Dragons tacked on another goal in the 74th minute, when junior midfielder Michael Miner headed a cross from
sophomore defenseman Garrett Sweeney into the back of the net. The Judges found new life just 16 seconds after Miner’s score, when forward Andrew Allen ’19 drilled a goal from the top of the box to put the Judges on the board. The squad followed that up with another strike in the 86th minute, when forward Patrick Flahive ’18 hit an open forward Mike Lynch ’18 for a beautifully assisted goal. Though Brandeis had one more shot attempt in the 88th minute, Cortland’s senior goalie Connor Young made an impressive, game-saving stop to keep the Judges from completing their exciting comeback effort.
SOCCER VOLLEYBALL TENNIS TRACK
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jUDGES BY THE NUMBERS
● Sports ●
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
15
VOLLEYBALL
Men’s Soccer UAA STANDINGS
TEAM STATS Goals
Andrew Allen ’19 is tied for the team lead with one goal. UAA Conf. Overall W L D W L D Pct. Player Goals Emory 0 0 0 2 0 0 1.000 Andrew Allen 1 Rochester 0 0 0 2 0 0 1.000 Noah Gans 1 Chicago 0 0 0 1 0 0 1.000 Joshua Handler 1 Case 0 0 0 1 0 1 1.000 Mike Lynch 1 NYU 0 0 0 1 0 1 1.000 WashU 0 0 0 1 0 1 1.000 Assists JUDGES 0 0 0 1 1 0 .500 Patrick Flahive ’18 is tied for Carnegie 0 0 0 1 1 0 .500 the team lead with one assist. Player Assists EDITOR’S NOTE: Patrick Flahive 1 Josh Ocel 1 Saturday vs. Babson College Jake Warren 1 Sept. 13 vs. WPI Sept. 16 vs. Elms College
WOMen’s Soccer UAA STANDINGS
TEAM STATS Goals
Carnegie Case Chicago NYU Rochester Emory WashU JUDGES
UAA Conf. W L D 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Overall W L D 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0
Pct. 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 1.000 .500
EDITOR’S NOTE: Today vs. Bridgewater State Saturday at Wentworth Sept. 13 at Eastern Conn. St.
Haliana Burhans ’18 is tied for the team lead with two goals. Player Goals Haliana Burhans 2 Samantha Schwartz 2 Hannah Maatallah 1 Mackenzie Smith 1
Assists Sasha Sunday ’19 leads the team with two assists. Player Assists Sasha Sunday 2 Hannah Maatallah 1
VOLLEYBALL UAA STANDINGS
TEAM STATS Kills
JUDGES Chicago Rochester WashU NYU Emory Carnegie WashU
UAA Conf. W L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Overall W L Pct. 2 1 .667 3 1 .750 3 1 .750 2 1 .667 0 4 .000 2 1 .667 4 0 1.000 2 2 .500
EDITOR’S NOTE: Friday vs. Bowdoin College Saturday vs. Anna Maria Saturday vs. RIT
Shea Decker-Jacoby ’19 led the team last year with 207 kills. Player Kills Shea Decker-Jacoby 207 Emma Bartlett 196 Jessie Moore 130 Grace Krumpack 118
Digs Yvette Cho ’19 led the team last year with 445 digs. Player Digs Yvette Cho 445 Grace Krumpack 247 Marlee Nork 160 Shea Decker-Jacoby 129
cross cOuntry Results from the Wellesley College Inivitational on Sept. 1.
TOP FINISHERS (Men’s)
TOP FINISHERS (Women’s)
5-Kilometer Run RUNNER TIME Luke Ostrander 16:30.1 Mark Murdy 16:32.3 Josh Lombardo 16:36.0
5-Kilometer Run RUNNER TIME Emily Bryson 18:31.8 Julia Bryson 18:58.8 Meaghan Barry 19:32.7
EDITOR’S NOTE: Sept. 16 at UMass Dartmouth Invitational Sept. 30 at Keene State College Invitational
YDALIA COLON/the Justice
ATTACK FROM ABOVE: Outside hitter Shea Decker-Jacoby ’19 leaps for the kill against Wellesley College this past Friday.
Squad starts season strong with two wins ■ Right side hitter Marissa Borgert ’21 dominated in her Judges debut with 22 assists against Wellesley College. By SAMANTHA PROCTOR JUSTICE STAFF writer
The women’s volleyball team began the season strong, coming out victorious on two out of its three games, giving it a starting overall record of 2-1 for the season. Judges 1, Franklin 3 On the first Saturday of the year, the Judges struggled to maintain a lead as the match resulted in a 3-1 victory for Franklin College with scores of 17-25, 25-19, 15-25 and 2325. In the first set, the Judges could not hold the lead over Franklin as they lost by eight. In the second set, however, they regained their power and showed their greatness with a win. Their burst of power was short lived as the remaining two sets ended in defeat. Even though the Judges could not come out on top, their motivation for the sport helped them stay close right to the end. Although the average team stats were lower this game than in the previous, the team still pulled out
some great plays. The total digs the team pulled off was incredible as libero Yvette Cho ’19 had 24, outside hitter Clare Meyers ’21 had 18, outside hitter Jillian Haberli ’18 had 12 and many others were in the double digits for total digs. Assists were high as well from setters Marlee Nork ’19 and Leah Pearlman ’19 as they had 12 and 5, respectively. Middle hitter Emma Bartlett ’20 scored the most points throughout the sets with a total of 10. Judges 3, Smith 0 In the second game on Friday, the Judges proved their endurance and resilience by completely sweeping the match against Smith College 3-0, with scores of 25-10, 25-16 and 25-18. Brandeis topped Smith with hitting percentages of .438, .239 and .094, respectively. The Judges overall had an average kill percentage of .223, 47 total digs and 29 total assists — all impressive statistics for the beginning of the year that can only be improved upon throughout the remainder of the season. Again, the team showed another exemplary performance even during its second game of the day. Cho continued to show her skills with the most digs on the team with a total of 17. In her debut performance, middle hitter Belle Scott ’21 showed
her great potential with a dominant kill percentage of .571 along with Bartlett, who continued to show her strength with a .444 kill percentage. Setters Pearlman and Megan Osorio Moran ’21 each excelled in assists as they each had 16 and 10 respectively, which shows the great potential rookie Osorio Moran will bring to the team moving forward. Judges 3, Wellesley 1 On the first Friday of the season, the Judges started their season with a strong win 3-1 against Wellesley College, with scores of 25-17, 25-15, 26-28 and 25-19. The Judges came out strong, taking the first two sets with hitting percentages of .190 and .207, respectively. The third set, however, was a close one for the Judges as they only lost by two. By the fourth set they came back much more powerful, ultimately sweeping the competition. Throughout the sets, Bartlett shined with a fantastic kill percentage of .300 and scored a total of 16 points. Nork gave a stellar starting performance with a total of 23 assists and two service aces, starting her season of serving strong. Cho came out on top with a total of 24 digs, while right side hitter Marissa Borgert ’21 began her debut with the Judges with a total of 22 assists to lead Brandeis to victory.
PRO SPORTS BRIEF The King will be joined by The King in the Fourth as Isaiah Thomas officially heads to Cleveland The Cavaliers’ chokehold on the Eastern conference title is slowly slipping out of their grasp. With the drama surrounding point guard Kyrie Irving’s alleged trade request, Cavs general manager Koby Altman quickly dished the player in a blockbuster trade. The Cavs relinquished their leash on one of the best point guards in the league for Celtics point guard Isaiah Thomas, forward Jae Crowder, center Ante Zizic and two draft picks. In a season with tectonic changes in the National Basketball Association, this deal may go down as the most seismic of all. Irving, who won one championship alongside guard LeBron James and made it to three consecutive Finals appearances, allegedly requested a trade from
the Cavaliers. The rumored reason involved Irving’s publicized displeasure with his second-class status in comparison to James’ superstar status and a desire to become the lone leader of a franchise. With the clock ticking on the offseason and the ensuing drama shaking up the Cavaliers’ locker room, the general manager agreed to a shocking trade with their Eastern Conference rivals. The Celtics, who lost to the Cavs in five quick games in the 2016 Eastern Conference Finals, add an offensive star to a championship caliber team, headlined by newly acquired forward Gordon Hayward. Hayward signed a four-year, $128 million deal to leave the Utah Jazz and join Boston. Hayward reached his first All-Star game in 2016,
posting a career-high 22 points per game and 5.4 rebounds per game. The one-two duo will be bolstered by veteran center Al Horford and a budding star in guard Jayson Tatum. Tatum took the summer league by storm, pouring in 18.7 points per game and nearly 10 rebounds per contest. The Cavs sacrificed their point guard position, downgrading from Irving to Thomas, while adding a much-needed defensive presence in Crowder. While Thomas recorded 28.9 points per contest, Irving averaged 25.3 per game on better shooting from the field and markedly better shooting from beyond the arc. Irving, though not known for his defense, has the physical advantage when matching up with players on the defensive
side, as well as under the basket. Irving posted 3.2 rebounds per game, while Thomas averaged half a board less per game. Most noticeably though, Thomas is coming off a hip injury, which sidelined him during the final games of the postseason matchup with the Cavs. Altman leveraged Thomas’ injury to pry a secondround pick from the Celts. The move was a steal for the Cavs, but only time will tell if it was worth the damaged goods. The team also added a 2018 firstround pick, a contentious move by the Celtics upper management, to pad their future prospects should James leave. While the Celtics held the best conference record, posting two more wins than the Cavaliers, the
Cavs easily bested the Celtics in the playoffs. With the addition of Irving, the Celtics are looking to upend the Cavaliers three-year stronghold and make it their first finals appearance since the 2010 season. While the Irving-Thomas trade may have changed the tides, LeBron is still the king of the East, coming off one of his best seasons of his storied career. And anyways, the Golden State Warriors proved last year that winning the East is a meaningless accolade, making the Celtics’ efforts a futile endeavor indeed. Despite the big changes, the Celtics still do not seem equipped to top the overpowering Warriors squad over the course of a full playoff series. —Jerry Miller
just
Sports
Page 16
ROYALTY IN RED The Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics finalized a blockbuster trade as they swapped All-Star point guards, p. 15.
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Men’S SOCCER
TERRIFIC TOSS
Team comes away with thrilling win ■ Joshua Handler ’19 played
the role of hero on Sunday, scoring the game winning goal in double overtime. By GABRIEL GOLDSTEIN JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER
After a thrilling 2016 season that culminated in the squad’s first Final Four appearance in 32 years, the new-look Brandeis men’s soccer team hit the turf on Saturday to begin their journey back to the postseason. In their opening week of play, the club's first match under new head coach Gabe Margolis did not go as planned, as the preseason No. 4 came up short in their comeback bid against the State University of New York Cortland Red Dragons. The Judges, however, were able to bounce back on Sunday, as rising phenom midfielder Joshua Handler ’19 led the squad to what would prove to be Margolis’ first victory as a head coach for the team. Judges 2, Hobart 1 The Judges’ first victory of the season came in exciting fashion, as the squad battled the Hobart College
Waltham, Mass.
Statesmen in a back-and-forth duel that culminated in a Handler golden goal in double overtime. After a scoreless first half, Hobart sophomore forward Kyle Patrick initiated the scoring in the 48th minute. After maneuvering his way into goalie Ben Woodhouse’s ’18 box, Patrick was able to dupe the respected keeper and bury an opennetted goal to give the Statesmen the lead. That lead did not last long, though, as Brandeis responded only three minutes later, when forward Jake Warren ’20 assisted rookie midfielder Noah Gans ’21 on his first career goal. After this brief, actionpacked frenzy, both squads’ offenses dried up, with neither team able to net the decisive goal throughout regulation. The Statesmen had a solid opportunity to claim victory with 3:40 left in the first overtime, but Woodhouse’s characteristically heroic play kept the Judges hanging on by a thread. The Statesmen nearly struck gold again with 6:26 left in the second overtime, but Kyle Patrick’s shot attempt just narrowly bounced off of the crossbar. The Judges capitalized on the Statesmen’s
See MSOCCER, 13 ☛
PRO SPORTS COLUMN
The era is over for the Los Angeles Clippers ■ After six years of great
showings, but no rings, the Los Angeles Clippers must finally start over again. By EVAN ROBINS JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
The Los Angeles Clippers are the best team in the National Basketball Association. Okay, okay. Fine. You’ve convinced me, they’re not. But for a moment, one special moment on May 10, 2015, they were. After dominating the Houston Rockets to the tune of a 3-1 series lead in the 2015 conference semi-finals, the Clippers were statistically favored to win the NBA championship by ESPN’s Basketball Power Index metric. Yes, really. And then they did just that. The end. Nope. The Clippers collapsed in impressively shocking fashion, losing to the Rockets in a historical collapse. As All-NBA point guard Chris Paul left the Clippers earlier this summer after six complicated years with the team, we now know that Clippers-Rockets series to be definitively the high point and the low point of this Clippers era. These years were the most successful seasons in franchise history, as together with All-Star teammates Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, the team reeled off six straight seasons with playoff appearances. At the same time, the team didn’t win the Championship. They just didn’t. Beyond that, they didn’t even get to the Western Conference Finals, exiting first and second rounds through both poetically inopportune injury and stunning feats of self-sabotage. At least Clippers fans will always have May 10. Losing Chris Paul is big, and not just because he continues to
be a top-10 player in the league and was the engine that made these Clippers teams kind-ofcontenders. Great players can be replaced, and the Clippers have done an admirable job of filling out the roster to remain competitive. However, losing Chris Paul is big because it means this era, the greatest era in franchise history, is over. And that means that the greatest era in franchise history was a failure. Nothing can change that now. It’s done, and it leaves a lot unresolved and incomplete. This was bound to happen eventually. Year after year of playoff exits, ranging from the expected to the heart-wrenching, just couldn’t continue. Despite this, it was still a massive shock when news broke that Chris Paul was heading to the Rockets. This era honestly just didn’t make sense — until the 2010s Clippers are analyzed through the comparative lens of Llewyn Davis. "Inside Llewyn Davis", the 2013 masterpiece by the Coen Brothers, traces a week in the life of talented but unsuccessful folk singer Llewyn Davis in 1961 New York. In the movie, Llewyn is unable to make money from his records and exists in the Greenwich Village folk scene perpetually broke and unable to advance in his career. More than that though, he’s unable to succeed on his own terms as a solo artist. In order to move forward, he’s forced to compromise his principles in order to make any money, either by playing as a studio artist on a novelty song or as part of a trio. Ultimately, both Llewyn and the Clippers were forced to confront the same questions: What if it just doesn’t work out? Do you keep going, running the same thing back only to watch others surpass
See PRO SPORTS, 13 ☛
AARON BIRNBAUM/Justice File Photo
THROWING IN: Kerin Miller ’20 hurls the ball into play against Eastern Connecticut State University on Sept. 13, 2016.
Judges end weekend on high note with victory ■ After losing the first game
of the season, the Judges bounced back on the road with a win over Lasell College. By LEV BROWN JUSTICE STAFF writer
The Brandeis women’s soccer team began the season with two games this past week. They lost the first match to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Engineers, but won the second against the Lasell College Lasers. After a disappointing Final Four loss at the end of last season, the squad is looking to set themselves up for success this fall. However, with the first two games in the books, the Judges are beginning to get a sense of the work they must put in to meet such a goal. Judges 5, Lasell 3 On Sunday, Brandeis traveled to Newton to take on the Lasers. In just the third minute, Lasers forward Casey Meissner scored the first goal by Lasell against Brandeis since 2015. Just 13 minutes later,
the Judges’ Hannah Maatallah ’19 bounced back with a goal of her own to tie the score. Again, the Lasers went ahead 2-1 after a goal by forward Carly Zdanek, but the Judges managed to tie it with a tough shot by forward Samantha Schwartz ’18 from the left corner. In the second half the team started off strong, scoring their first goal off a Lasell defensive error. Next, forward Sasha Sunday ’19 executed a perfect corner kick to set up a goal by defender Mackenzie Smith ’21. Brandeis led 4-2 until Zdanek scored her second goal of the game in the 64th minute. This back and forth action seemed unable to come to a stop until forward Haliana Burhans ’18 put the Judges up by two with 18 minutes to play, and the Lasers weren’t able to recover. Judges 2, MIT 3 On Friday, the Judges took a trip to Cambridge to challenge the Engineers, where they fell three goals to two. The game began with a quick eighth-minute goal from Schwartz, which marked the 22nd of her career. Schwartz had her best season last year, when she became one of the most important offensive
forces for the group. Schwartz will look to continue her success this season. After her shot, however, MIT responded with two goals in the 23rd and 35th minutes scored by defender Maya Nielan and forward Montana Reilly, respectively. In the tenth minute of the second half, Burhans scored off an assist from Sunday. As the intensity rose, MIT’s defender Hailey Nichols scored a rebound goal off her own miss, giving the Engineers a onepoint edge. A Schwartz shot came close to tying the game in the 81st minute but was saved by MIT goalkeeper Lily Mueller. The game was the first collegiate appearance by Judges’ goalie Sierra Dana ’20, who had an impressive six saves but could not fully defend against the hungry Engineers offense. Additionally, they trailed the Engineers 26-5 in attempts, knowing they would have to work to take more shots in future games. It is likely that the loss of Lea McDaniel ’17, who scored a tremendous 24 goals last season, contributed to the struggling Judges offense. However, Brandeis showed that they were able to,
See WSOCCER, 13 ☛
Vol. LXX #1
September 5, 2017
just
ARTS
Out with the old, in with the new Waltham, Mass.
Images: Yvette Sei/the Justice. Design: Natalia Wiater/the Justice.
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TUESDAY, THE JUSTICE sEPTEMBER | Arts 5,| TUESDAY, 2017 i Arts January i THE JUSTICE 31, 2017
boston
Free falling into Boston’s art scene
By Hannah Kressel justice editor
See the work of Brandeis Prof. Sean Downey (FA) at the Steven Zevitas Gallery in Boston’s South End. The show, titled “Wholly Idle,” features a new group of large scale paintings that critique the underlying circumstances of an image’s origins. Drawing on the history of mechanical reproduction, Downey makes powerful assertions on the role of image production as it is compared to lived experience. Wholly Idle is on display until Oct. 28; gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Head to the Boston Arts Festival this weekend to experience and support Boston’s up and coming artists and musicians. The festival, which is run by the organizers of the Beacon Hill Art Walk and Artists Crossing Gallery, will feature over 70 local artists, craftspeople and musicians. The festival will present a multitude of vendors, demonstrations and free music performances throughout the weekend. The Boston Arts Festival will be held at the Christopher Columbus Park in the North End on Sept. 9 and 10 from 11 a.m. until 6:30 p.m.
Celebrate the musicians of Jamaica Plain this Saturday at the seventh annual JP Music Festival. The festival, which boasts free admission, will consist of two stages spotlighting the vibrant local music scene and many food trucks. The lineup includes a wide range of styles and features those at the convergence of genres, including The Bella Lunatics, Mamadou and Bird Language. The JP Music Festival is on Sept. 9 from noon until 7 p.m. at Pinebank Baseball Field.
See the work of contemporary Japanese artist, Takashi Murakami, in the Museum of Fine Art Boston’s upcoming exhibition, Takashi Murakami: Lineage of Eccentrics, as it is juxtaposed to traditional Japanese pottery and prints. The work is brought together by Nobuo Tsuji and handpicked with Murakami in conjunction with the MFA. Takashi Murakami: Lineage of Eccentrics is on display at MFA Boston from Oct. 18 until April 1, 2018.
Enjoy the music of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim at this one-night concert event, “Lenny & Steve: the Music of Bernstein and Sondheim,” created and performed by Maria Friedman with musical direction by Jason Carr. Friedman will perform the works from both Bernstein and Sondheim’s separate catalogs as well as feature the work from their joint masterpiece, “West Side Story.” “Lenny & Steve” will occur on Monday, Sept. 18 at the Huntington Avenue Theatre.
Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons
pop culture review
Talk show hosts turn political critiquing Trump By Anna rae stern justice Staff writer
Summer is traditionally a calm time for the media. Very few things go on in the White House, late night talk shows are not a big deal and the headlines tend to focus on minor issues. However, summer 2017 proved to be one of note as, day after day, the news went from shocking to interesting to simply unfathomable. When the biggest stories in popular culture end up being related to politics, talk shows ultimately have to comment on them, inviting imperative dialogue and awareness into what was previously mindless entertainment. The majority of this was because of the disorderly administration that currently inhabits the White House. Major news highlights of this summer included the allegations of Russian involvement in the 2016 Election, most notably Donald Trump Jr. admitting to meeting with Russian officials in person and engaging in email conversation with these officials. Additionally, the Trump administration has been notorious for its plethora of resignations. However, this is merely a snippet of news from the West Wing. President Trump has declared his stance on social issues as well. He announced a plan to ban all transgender military personnel and even went so far as to not admonish the Neo-Nazis and Ku Klux Klan members who marched in a white supremacy rally in Charlottesville, Virginia claiming that there was “blame on both sides.”
While average Americans struggle with the constant ping of news notifications on their phones, read newspapers and take solace in the unity of Twitter, there have been a select few who have thrived on these issues, thereby making their mark in popular culture. These people
as guests, nothing else political was capitalized on or emphasized. However, both “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers” have proven themselves to be not only comedians but political commentators. Colbert’s monologues traditionally
Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons
SETH MEYERS: Meyers is one of the many talk show hosts who have chosen a more political route for the content of their segments. are the late night television hosts. When Jon Stewart hosted “The Daily Show” and Stephen Colbert had “The Colbert Report,” both on Comedy Central, those were the only two politically charged comedic outlets on television. Although talk shows such as “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “The Late Show with Dave Letterman” had presidents and other politicians
begin with a recap of the headlines of the day. Unlike his conservative character from “The Colbert Report,” Colbert has established a new persona in which he uses the news as a way to critique the administration. He not only admonishes the administration for its flaws but elicits applause from the audience in his rallying cries declaring President Trump unfit for office and urging Trump’s resignation
or impeachment. Additionally, because Colbert stands as he delivers his impassioned monologues, his showmanship draws viewers to him, knocking his competitor Jimmy Fallon out of first place in the ratings, according to an article from Variety. Undoubtedly, it is Colbert’s outlandish brand of humor that distinguishes him. Colbert created “Russia Week,” dedicating a full week of pre-taped segments to discuss his overtly political trip throughout Russia. One night, he stayed in the same hotel room where the rumored clip of Russian prostitutes urinating on Trump’s bed was filmed. Another night, he aired a day in the life of a Russian oligarch. He also asked various Russians on the street their thoughts and opinions on America and Trump. Russia Week is one of the main reasons why Colbert’s ratings and critical acclaim, according to the same article from Variety, have increased, as he creates a world within the current political one, thereby allowing some escape. Meyers has chosen a different approach from Colbert. Based on his previous experience as anchor of the “Weekend Update” segment on “Saturday Night Live,” Meyers opens up every show with the news headlines of the day. He sits at his desk and recalls key headlines with witty punchlines. However, Meyers goes even further than that and, during the election season, began a segment called “A Closer Look,” in which he dives deeper into key stories. There is no question that this detailed segment, as well as its counterpart, “The Check-In,” (which
describes other topical issues that do not dominate the conversation) offer a liberal bias and a harsh condemnation of President Trump and his administration. However, each segment is carefully crafted with detailed information and compelling news clips. While the goal is to point out the hilarity of the news, Meyers also makes a point to be informative and teach his viewers about the pros and cons of various issues. As an attendee at one such show taping on July 25, I asked Meyers during a question and answer session with the studio audience what his favorite segment was to film. His response was “A Closer Look,” as he felt that these pieces were the most informative and add a new dimension into the topics dominating the political conversation. In fact, the second news stories break, prior to taping, the writers of “Late Night” often scramble to write “A Closer Look” segments to describe what actually happened just minutes prior. Although late night shows were once home to song parodies and slapstick games with celebrities (often humanizing stars who seemed the most unrelatable) Colbert and Meyers have taken to an alternative approach. While the summer is a time of fun and relaxation, this summer has proven it can also be a time of turmoil for a country, especially with someone like Donald Trump at the helm. Therefore, just as this new era of talk show reminds us, it is our responsibility as citizens of the United States to stay informed in addition to being entertained because politics does not take a summer vacation.
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THE iJUSTICE i arts i TUESDAY, January 31, 2017 THE JUSTICE arts i Tuesday, sEPTEMBER 5, 2017
movie review
Independent cinema shines in summer By Kent DinLenc justice Staff writer
One might be under the impression that after the dismal reports of this summer’s low blockbuster turnout and disappointing box office performance that there has been a shift in audience preferences. The last four months’ films have been a combination of critical bombs and uninspired sequels and remakes. Instead, this summer has been home to indie darlings and the occasional blockbuster phenomenon. This shift has proven that audiences are fatigued by CGIriddled action movies and watching the “nth” installment to nearly decade-long franchises. One of these blockbuster phenomenons is “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” the third reboot of a character within two decades, and the sixth Spider-Man film in that time. Undesirable and unnecessary as that may have seemed earlier in the year, it turned out to be the best iteration of the character and arguably the best movie of the six installments. This film’s success cannot only be credited to its stellar casting of Tom Holland, Michael Keaton and the remaining high school class; it also managed to have a solid script, which kept the film grounded and tonally consistent (despite the film’s six different writers). The film’s producers made a smart decision in choosing to create a comedy that happened to be a superhero flick rather than a replica of the previous “SpiderMan” installments’ joke-scattered plots. The only other major blockbuster I care to mention is July’s other phenomenon and the latest film by director Christopher Nolan,
“Dunkirk.” I am not ashamed to admit my partiality to his films, and, regardless of my “fanboy” status, “Dunkirk” deserves an A-. Its masterful sound design pulled me in and kept me in the crossfire between the Allies and the Germans. The practical effects — which included cardboard cutouts of soldiers — added the authenticity a computer generated war film could never accomplish. While it may be true that amid this perfect technical production individual characters did not emotionally resonate with the audience, Nolan’s intent was to highlight the victory of survival during a bleak time in history, something he did successfully. While I wouldn’t put this film down in my list of favorite movies of all time, its technical mastery merited it at least an Aand the place as the best film of 2017 so far. As for indie films, three come to mind as stand-out successes. One of these successes, and the first indie film released this summer, is “The Big Sick.” This remarkable story full of heart and complex family relationships is one of the funniest comedies I have seen in a while. Centered around the screenwriters’ experience meeting one another and the complicated health issues which followed, Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon open up about a time in their lives that gave hope to love and virtue to loyalty. Contrary to what appears to be heavy subject matter, the film succeeds through its funny characters and lighthearted comedy. This film merits an A-, held back only by Nanjiani’s amateur grasp of dramatic acting. The second indie released this summer that deserves mention is “Ingrid Goes West” which follows a shy 20-something who lives
vicariously through the Instagram accounts place as one of the tensest thrillers of of people she has never met. After finding the decade. Jeremy Renner gives the best a particularly fascinating user, she decides performance of his career thus far as a game to start a new life in California for the sole hunter not so subtly hired for the purpose purpose of befriending this Instagram star. of tracking down another predator. His Aubrey Plaza plays Ingrid as a sociopathic character struggles with personal issues obsessive who will stop at nothing to conjured up by the murder of his best impress and seek validation from her new friend’s daughter, prompting sympathy friend, played by Elizabeth Olsen. The in wanting to impose our own forms of film’s criticism of disjointed and impersonal justice on those who have wronged us. friendship is ever-present, yet loneliness Elizabeth Olsen proved that 2017 is and acceptance are the underlying themes one of the best years of her career to and driving forces of the characters. date as she impressively dishes out two Plaza’s Oscar-caliber performance notable performances in the best indies and the engaging screenplay are to be of the year. This A- is definitely worth a lauded in this highly recommended A-. viewing while it still plays at the Embassy The last indie film deserving of mention is Cinema. Don’t miss out on one of the most “Wind River,” a highly anticipated film from cathartic, satisfying and poignant stories writer-director Taylor Sheridan. Known for of the year. It seems that audiences are his immaculate scripts from “Sicario” and pulling towards independent cinema, “Hell or High Water,” Sheridan completes leaving the homogenous blockbusters in his unofficial “Frontier Justice” trilogy with the dust, a shift that should be embraced. this triumph set in Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons the Wind River ‘SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING:’ Native American Reservation “Spider-Man: Homecoming” was in Wyoming. a surprisingly good reboot of the Set around the popular character. investigation of a raped and murdered young woman found in the middle of a blizzard, the film trudges through themes of identity, personal strength and grief, earning a
theater
Upcoming student theater at Brandeis by Hannah Kressel justice editor
Coming this Halloween season, prepare for “Blithe Spirit,” directed by Marek Haar ’20. Do you believe in ghosts? Have you ever wanted to communicate with the other side? Ever wonder what happens when a man’s ex-wife materializes from the dead to wreak hilarious haunting havoc upon him and his new spouse? Mischief and magic! Lunacy and laughter! See “Blithe Spirit,” Oct. 19 through the 22nd!
“Metamorphosis,” based on the novella by Franz Kafka and adapted by Steven Berkoff, follows a hardworking traveling salesperson who wakes up one morning and realizes they have turned into a disgusting insect. According to Sivan Spector ’18, the play will show this transformation through the deterioration of the person’s mental health and relationship with the rest of their family. Spector, who is directing the play writes, “This play speaks to the way capitalism destroys us emotionally and tears us away from our humanity.” See “Metamorphosis” in the Shapiro Campus Center theater Oct. 6 through the 8th.
“The Sparrow,” directed by Leah Sherin ’19 tells the story of Emily Book, a small-town girl returning home ten years after a terrible accident that took the lives of her entire second grade elementary school class, as stated by Sherin. As the townspeople struggle to accept the girl who reminds them of their loss, Emily tries to hide the special powers that make her different. The Sparrow will be performed Nov. 2 through the 5th in the Shapiro Campus Center theater.
Go see Brandeis’ student-run Shakespearean theater group, Hold Thy Peace’s, production of “Hamlet” this fall. Director Abi Pont ’19 takes the wellknown Shakespearean play and will reinvigorate it with a modern twist and a change of antagonist. Catch “Hamlet” Oct. 26 through the 29th in the Merrick theater.
Hold Thy Peace’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” directed by Gabe Walker ’19, will be told as a psychedelic soap opera, exploring the subject matter through intensified music and visual themes. Walker writes, “I cannot wait to kick this season off, there’s so much great, imaginative theatre happening on campus this semester.” Catch this classic Shakespearean play imbued with modern artistic choices in the Multipurpose Room of the Shapiro Campus Center Dec. 1 through the 3rd.
Go see the Undergraduate Theater Collective’s “Once Upon a Mattress,” a hilarious musical re-telling of the beloved tale, “The Princess and the Pea,” directed by Sarah Salinger-Mullen ’19. Following an unorthodox princess, a naive prince and a king that communicates exclusively through charades; “Once Upon a Mattress” is sure to enthrall and delight audiences. Catch the royal tale Nov. 16 through Nov. 19 in the Shapiro Campus Center theater.
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TUESDAY, sEPTEMBER 5, 2017 | Arts | THE JUSTIce
Brandeis TALKS
INTERVIEW
wf
What’s the coolest thing you did this summer?
Tres Fimmano ’18 NATALIA WIATER/the Justice
Maxwell Krims ’19
This week, justArts spoke with Tres Fimmano ’18 who is the president of the Undergraduate Theater Collective.
“I went to the beach and dug up quahogs and made clam chowder.”
justArts: What’s your background in the Undergraduate Theater Collective? How did you get involved?
ROMAN LOPER/the Justice
Hannah Sussman ’19
“I had an internship at this organization in Boston called GrubStreet. I heard about it through connections at Brandeis. It has to do with creative writing, which is one of my majors and also development, which is something else I do, so it was really nice to combine the two.”
Adrian Ashley ’20
“I volunteered in India for a month; I worked in health clinics.”
Cameron Braunstein ’19
“The coolest thing I did all summer was I drove down with some friends to South Carolina and we saw the solar eclipse.” Compiled and photographed by Natalia Wiater/the Justice.
STAFF’S Top Ten
Top 10 Foods I Ate Abroad By Lizzie Grossman justice EDITOR
Recently I returned from an unforgettable abroad experience in Copenhagen, Denmark, and let’s be real — some of the best memories I have involve food. Here are some of the best foods I tried while I was abroad: 1. Smorrebrod (Denmark) 2. Swedish meatballs (Sweden) 3. Paella (Spain) 4. Potato casserole (Germany) 5. Dutch Pancakes — with Nutella, of course (The Netherlands) 6. Bubblewrap waffles (England) 7. Escargot (France) 8. Churros with chocolate (Spain) 9. French onion soup (France) 10. Cinnamon rolls (Denmark)
CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Barbershop offering 5 Response to a good comeback 11 Cute animal at a petting zoo 14 Indonesian vacation spot 15 Et ______ 16 Counterculture’s enemy, with “the” 17 Leatherworking tools 18 *Get on video, in the olden days 20 Russian autocrat 22 Important org. for retirees 23 Clash song from “London Calling” 28 Big deal 32 “_____ Gloves & Madmen, Clutter & Vine” 33 _____ the Nation 35 One with impulse control? 36 Don’t want _______ 38 _____ avis (birdwatcher’s find) 40 Small change, for short 41 *Northern profiteers during the Reconstruction Era 44 Gun, as an engine 45 “Kiss From a Rose” band 46 Kool-Aid Man’s declaration 48 Having a lot of tension 50 Killed, as a dragon 52 Insurance giant 53 Kama ______ 55 Cheater’s notes 57 Little rascal 59 Post-WWII alliance 60 *1999 movie about an amateur rocketeer 65 Shakespearean king 69 Tiny, to a Scot 70 French star 71 “Or ____!” 72 Like some lights 73 Delivered an invective 74 Final word at an auction DOWN 1 Not yet decided, on a sked 2 Like steak tartare 3 Ailing 4 *Get foggy, as a window 5 Group of eight 6 Get info about from the grapevine, say 7 Motor oil co. 8 Word before a maiden name 9 Times on an airport timetable (abbr.) 10 Bel ______ (Italian cheese) 11 Genre for many an angsty teen 12 Counterculture song by Edwin Starr 13 Finish 19 Vena _____ 21 Prepares, as tea 23 Texter’s qualifier 24 Marcel ______ 25 Canadian territory 26 Birdwatcher’s find 27 Org. with Beavers and Wolverines
Tres Fimmano: I started as a first-semester freshman. I was an assistant stage manager for a show by the club Tympanium Euphorium for “Spring Awakening.” … Then it all just started to build up from there. I wanted to get involved the next semester, so I did a little bit more, and the next one I did a little bit more, and here I am now. JA: What’s new about UTC this year? TF: So many things are new about UTC this year. One of the biggest ones is that the clubs that used to make up the Undergraduate Theater Collective have now become one club, which streamlines all the shows so that they are all being worked on with equal attention. … The e-board is now expanded and a lot bigger so that we can have people focusing on things with more attention. … Things like that. JA: What are your goals for the UTC this year?
29 Give off, as waste 30 Out of one’s mind 31 Heavy wts. 34 Word in a conclusion 37 Bad grades 39 Simply horrified 42 Soothing powder 43 *What Charlie Brown’s ghost costume had too many of 44 Shows to one’s followers, on Twitter 47 Word after old or black 49 The Dixie Chicks, e.g. 51 Rip Van ______ 54 Preservative in “Jurassic Park” 56 Howled 58 Anti-cruelty org. 60 Tootsie pop mascot 61 Middling grade 62 “How I Met Your Mother” protagonist 63 Friend of Harry and Hermione 64 Command to a dog 66 “Mr. Blue Sky” band 67 Tongue that doesn’t use one’s tongue? 68 Color of the first part of each of the starred clues
CROSSWORD COURTESY OF EVAN MAHNKEN
TF: My first goal is to make sure that this transition into the new e-board and the new structure goes not only as smoothly as possible, but also allows us to be a more productive and more welcoming club. … In addition to that, I hope that ... it’s going to allow us to do things we might not have done before, ... that we’re able to experiment a little and take more risks. JA: What are you most excited about this year in the UTC? TF: I’m very excited to be working with this e-board right now; I know that everyone that’s involved got involved because they were excited about everything that we’re doing that’s new, and that’s really exciting for me. ... I’m also very excited to see what new opportunities we’re able to afford ourselves because of this new system. JA: What makes the UTC important to Brandeis?
SOLUTION COURTESY OF EVAN MAHNKEN
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.
TF: I think one of the central purposes of the UTC is making theater not only accessible to students but open to all students. ... If a student wants to be a carpenter, they can be the carpenter for an entire show; if a student wants to act, then there will be a role for them. That’s something that’s very unique. JA: If you could see the UTC take on any production which would it be? TF: There are so many shows I would love to see us do. I’m particularly big on musicals. Some of the ones that are my favorites I don’t think I foresee happening within the next few years: things like “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” “Hamilton,” of course; everyone loves “Hamilton.” Of course, I’m not going to throw out the idea that those could ever happen, but it’ll take some time, probably. —Carmi Rothberg
Solution to last issue’s sudoku
Puzzle courtesy of www.sudokuoftheday.com