The Justice, October 9, 2018 by The Justice

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Justice www.thejustice.org

The Independent Student Newspaper Volume LXXI, Number 5

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

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Waltham, Mass.

GITTLER PRIZE AWARD LECTURE

CAMPUS EVENTS

CGES hosts ambassador

■ Diplomat Emily Haber lectured at the 20th birthday dinner for the Center for German and European Studies. By MAURICE WINDLEY JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

On the first night of a two-day event celebrating the Center for German and European Studies’ 20th anniversary, members of the Brandeis community gathered to hear German Ambassador Emily Haber discuss the importance of the continued communication and allyship between the United States and Europe in the aftermath of World War II. Haber was appointed as German ambassador to the U.S. in June 2018. Her keynote address, “Reflecting on the Past, Envisioning the Future,” focused on the impor-

Thu Le/the Justice

ACROSS LINES OF DIFFERENCE: Dr. Beverly Tatum accepted the Gittler Prize from President Ron Liebowitz on Wednesday.

Scholar of race relations receives $25,000 Gittler Prize ■ Dr. Beverly Tatum

discussed the "empathy gap" in her award acceptance lecture. By NAKUL SRINIVAS JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Oct. 3, University President Ronald Liebowitz presented Dr. Beverly Tatum with the 2018 Gittler Prize, which recognizes outstanding scholarly work on racial, ethnic and religious relations. According to Liebowitz’s introductory remarks, the members of the Gittler prize selection committee described Tatum’s work as “brilliant, elegant, insightful, unpretentious — a model for all in the academy.” Prof. Derron Wallace (SOC), a member of the selection committee, listed Tatum’s qualifications as he introduced her as the winner. He explained that Tatum has written three books but is best known for “‘Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?’: And Other Conversations About Race,” which was named the multicultural book of the year by the National Association for Multicultural Education in 1998. “I believe this should be University-wide reading for all of us here at Brandeis,” he said. Recipients of the Gittler Prize receive $25,000 and a medal. To guide her speech, Tatum looked to the doctrine of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to better understand how facilitating dialogue between different groups can help close the “empathy gap” between them. Tatum explained that American public schools were actually less segregated in 1980 than they are now. More specifically, 75% of Black students attend “majority minority

schools” where over 60 percent of their classmates live in poverty. According to Tatum, “the result is…that young people are growing up in racially divided communities and are almost as separated from each other … as they were 50 years ago.” Tatum explains that with no interaction or knowledge of each other’s life experiences, no genuine empathetic relationships between whites and people of color can exist. This is the empathy gap. According to Tatum, another factor hindering interracial dialogue is the homogeneity of American social networks. Tatum also elaborated on exactly what needs to be discussed in crossgroup conversations. She explained that less well-known aspects of the history of racism should be touched upon in productive dialogue. For instance, she mentioned that Georgetown University was funded by the sale of slaves. Knowledge of a fact like this can change one’s attitudes toward race. The most important part of cross-group dialogue is knowledge, according to Tatum. Unless racial groups have knowledge of each other’s current and historical conditions, she said, they cannot have empathy for each other. Dr. Tatum expressed hope that interracial dialogue will become more prevalent. She cited programs such as the University of Michigan Intergroup Relations Program and foundations such as the Kellogg Foundation that have committed themselves to promoting interracial dialogue throughout the country. In the IGR program, she explained, students take courses “carefully designed to engage students in careful listening and shared explorations of the meanings of social identities, conflict, community, and social justice in those contexts.” According to Tatum, there is re-

tance of learning from history and began by discussing the histories of Germany, Israel and America. University President Ron Liebowitz opened the event by explaining that “the lessons learned from Germany and Europe can help build a more tolerant future.” Haber reflected on the shared histories by saying, “The different vantage points that Germany, the U.S. and Israel [have] must make sure that our joined history won't fade away.” Here, Haber referred to the countries’ involvement World War II and said she hopes that we each take strides to learn from the past to build a more connected future. She believes that the history that connects these countries is the point upon which each country can create a secure future through building a stronger and more unified political and social understanding with each other. She ex-

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WALTHAM

search evidence that dialogues like those facilitated by the IGR program are effective in bridging the empathy gap between races. These programs change the attitudes and behaviors of both white students and students of color for the better, Tatum said. Students involved in the programs had “increased self-awareness about issues of power and privilege, greater awareness of the institutionalization of race and racism in the United States, better cross-racial interactions, less fear of race-related conflict and greater participation in social change.” Tatum addresses the counterargument — that discussions about race only create tensions where none previously existed. Tatum believes that silencing conversations on race and racism “is just another way to maintain the status quo. You can’t solve a problem without talking about it.” Finally, Tatum reiterated her main point: “We can allow the forces leading to greater segregation to drive us further apart as a nation, or we can use our leadership as active citizens to engage one another in the work of building community across lines of difference.” She shared a quote from Dr. King: “Racial understanding is not something that we find, but something that we must create.” Tatum ended by praising the Brandeis motto: “Truth even unto its innermost parts.” “That’s exactly what I’m talking about,” she said. “We need to explore truth even unto its innermost parts, even the parts that don’t feel right.” She explained that our motto can guide our faculty toward representing diversity on campus. She said that “If we only talk about the experience of white middle class” people, we are not exploring “truth unto its innermost parts.”

Local authorities react to Justice poll results ■ City councilors discussed

the survey findings and how students feel about Waltham. By CHAIEL SCHAFFEL JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Waltham Municipal officials responded this week to a Justice poll that asked students to report how safe they felt in the city. The Justice interviewed Councilor-at-Large Diane LeBlanc, Ward 5 City Councilor Joseph LaCava and Ward 7 City Councilor Kristine A. Mackin Ph.D ’14. The officials highlighted the high incidence of sexual harassment in the poll as well as the positive and negative aspects of the University’s relationship with its host city.

Sexual Harassment

The officials contacted by the Justice expressed concerns about the poll’s results on sexual harassment. 30 out of 79 of the poll’s respondents said they had been sexually harassed within 15 minutes’ walk of campus, while 21 reported being harassed on Main or Moody Streets. Waltham City Councilor-at-Large Diane LeBlanc said in a phone interview with the Justice that the results warrant a closer look at how Waltham handles sexual harassment. “I think this presents an opportu-

nity for further discussion. We really need to take a look at the incidents of sexual harassment, because that is pretty troubling,” she said. LeBlanc said that she needs to better understand what was already being done by Waltham officials in order to find new solutions to fix the problem. She said that curbing sexual harassment was a matter of the resources available to the Waltham and Brandeis police departments, but that a solution needed to be found. “You don’t have the luxury of putting a police officer on every block,” she said, clarifying, “but the people that are doing these things are horrific, and nobody should have to put up with that. There needs to be a consequence.” Sexual harassment is a uniquely difficult problem to solve, according to Ward 7 Councilor Kristine A. Mackin, Ph.D ’14. Ward 7 covers the University campus and much of South Street. She said in a phone interview with the Justice that she reached out to Waltham Chief of Police Keith MacPherson to see what could be done to solve the problem. However, she said that catcalling is difficult to stop, “because it happens quickly, the reporting rates are really low,” and when people do report, finding and then prosecuting perpetrators is difficult. This means harassment is typically only enforceable if a police officer immediately witnessed the

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Race Talk

Evening of Arts

‘Pitch Perfect’ author discusses career

 A renowned author shows us how to talk about race.

 Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum admires student art works at the Intercultural Center.

By GILDA GEIST

By CHRISTINE KIM

By ELIANA PADWA

NEWS 5

Criticize Texas school board censorship By GABRIEL FRANK

FORUM 11

Women's soccer streak ends ANDREW BAXTER/the Justice

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

YDALIA COLON/the Justice

Make your voice heard! Submit letters to the editor to letters@thejustice.org

ARTS 19

By MEGAN GELLER

SPORTS 16

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018

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NEWS

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THE JUSTICE

NEWS SKYLINE OPENING

SENATE LOG Senate renames Brandeis Conservatives Club, discusses purchase of pianos The president of the Brandeis Conservatives Club, Brandon Musto ’20, appeared before the Senate to propose changing the club’s name to the Young Americans for Liberty Club. Brandeis had hosted a club also called the Young Americans for Liberty Club until last year, when the club disintegrated due to leadership problems. Musto said the current club name “pigeonholes” its members as exclusively conservative, when many of them are more interested in personal liberties, like free speech. The BCC currently has Republican, Democratic and Libertarian members, he said. Musto said changing the name would “expand membership” and that associating with the YALC would provide them resources and connections with Young Americans for Liberty clubs at Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Class of 2021 Senator Noah Nguyen ’21 questioned whether the name change was deceptive, designed to decouple the BCC from its reputation in the student body. She explained that students occasionally remove BCC posters from around campus. Class of 2020 Senator Aaron Finkel ’20 reminded the Senate that it is never right for a club to have its posters removed and indicated that he was supportive of the change, because it would only affect the club’s name, not its purpose. The Senate passed the name change by a vote of acclamation, with Nguyen the only dissenting vote. Chairs of Senate committees then reported on the progress their committees had made toward achieving their goals and whether they were experiencing any problems achieving those goals. Senator for Rosenthal and Skyline Quads and Chair of the Health and Safety Committee Joshua Hoffman ’21 proposed converting the second, smaller common room in Skyline into a weight room and added that there was interest in adding scales to the gyms. He also proposed working with the Student Sexuality Information Service to put free condoms in the dorm bathrooms. Senators Alex Chang ’22 and Linfei Yang ’20 proposed a Senate Money Resolution that would allocate $765.96 to purchase two upright pianos and benches for the two first-year residence hall quads. The pianos would have auxiliary ports for plugging in headphones to eliminate noise disturbances. The Senate voted to discuss the proposal at the next meeting. Senator for Village and 567 Jake Rong ’21 proposed a motion allowing non-Senators to serve on the Bylaws Committee that passed by acclamation. Rong reminded Senators to complete the Senate agenda at least 24 hours before Senate meetings. Rong also reminded Chang and Yang that Senate Money Resolutions must be submitted to the Bylaws Committee at least 24 hours prior to the meetings. Finkel said he was able to reduce the ticket prices for the Thanksgiving break New York- and New Jersey-bound Turkey Shuttles from $35 to $25. Director of Programming appointee Adrian Ashley ’20 is working with Director of Student Life Dennis Hicks to reintroduce DeisBikes, an on-campus bike share initiative. Class of 2019 Senator Kent Dinlenc proposed changing the name of the program to “Deicycles,” rousing the otherwise quiet meeting into laughter. The Services and Outreach Committee is also working to provide shuttles to polling centers for the November election. A Senate Money Resolution to allocate $200 for Brandeis Toxic dance group was passed by acclamation. —Sam Stockbridge

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS n A News article incorrectly stated that Bahalim Student Fund would offer $5,000 for proposals. This was corrected to $1,500. Also, the original article said that Bahalim donated to the Gates Foundation. This has been corrected to clarify that he works at the Foundation and that the Foundation also donated to the Fund. (Oct. 2, Online) n A News article was updated to include that Jocelyn Gould contributed reporting. (Sept. 18, Page 1) n A Forum cartoon did not credit Creative Commons as a source for part of the image. (Sept. 18, Page 12) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Send an email to editor@thejustice.org.

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BRIEF Waltham resident exposes himself to Brandeis student on South Street

SAM STOCKBRIDGE/the Justice

Student Union president Hannah Brown ’19 spoke at the grand opening and dedication of the Skyline Residence Hall on Thursday, Sept. 27.

On Oct. 1, a white, middle-aged man driving a light-colored sedan exposed himself to a Brandeis student walking down South Street, according to an Oct. 4 email from Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan. The Department of Public Safety reached out to the Waltham Police Department and are conducting a joint investigation into the incident, per the same email. In a phone interview with the Justice, Detective Sergeant Tim King of the Waltham Police Department said that the incident had taken place at 10 a.m. Moreover, he explained that the female student in question saw the man twice— first near Longview Place when walking on the east side of the street and again near the corner of Highland Street and South Street. At that point, he stopped near her and was “exposing himself and masturbating.” The incident is being investigated and could be punishable by up to three years in prison under charges of “open and gross lewdness,” according to King. Callahan sent the student body another email on Oct. 5, reminding students that Public Safety have an emergency telephone number (763-781-3333) and would like to be contacted as soon as possible after an incident occurs. Receiving timely information enhances Public Safety’s ability to assist students and assess a situation, per the same email. Moreover, Callahan advised students on certain precautions that can help students remain aware of their surroundings “whether on campus or off.” These include not walking with earbuds or headphones in, walking in groups and taking the Branvan or calling the University’s Escort Safety Service. Though the incidents have abated in recent semesters, the 2015-16 academic year saw at least six incidents of indecent exposure on South Street, according to a 2016 Justice article. —Eliana Padwa

POLICE LOG MEDICAL EMERGENCY September 18—BEMCo staff treated a party experiencing stomach pains in Pomerantz Hall. University Police transported the party to NewtonWellesley Hospital for further care. September 18—A custodial supervisor requested help for a coworker with an injured ankle in the Epstein building. BEMCo staff treated the injured party; University Police drove the injured party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. September 19—University Police and BEMCo staff responded to a report of an intoxicated party in the Scheffres Hall lounge. A Cataldo Ambulance transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Responders notified the Area Coordinator On Call of the incident. September 19—BEMCo staff treated a party for malaise in Rosenthal South. The party signed a refusal for further care. September 20—A party in the Science Complex fainted in class. BEMCo and University Police responded and notified the Area Coordinator On Call. A Cataldo Ambulance transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. September 21—University Police and BEMCo staff responded to a party experiencing an allergic reaction in Ziv 127. BEMCo staff treated the party, who signed a refusal for further care. September 22—BEMCo staff treated an unconscious intoxicated party in Ridgewood C. University Police and BEMCo staff notified the Area Coordinator On Call. A Cataldo Ambulance transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. September 22—University Police and BEMCo staff responded to a party experiencing severe stomach pain in Renfield Hall. The party signed a refusal

for further care after being treated by BEMCo staff. September 22—The BEMCo standby crew at a soccer game assisted to a party with a minor scrape. The party signed a refusal for further care. September 22—The BEMCo standby crew treated a party with a wrist injury at a soccer game. The party signed a refusal for further care. September 23—University Police and BEMCo staff responded to an intoxicated party in a Village B restroom. BEMCo treated the party, who signed a refusal for further care. September 23—A Cataldo Ambulance transported an intoxicated party at Reitman Hall to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. University Police and BEMCo notified the Area Coordinator On Call of the incident. September 23—University Police and BEMCo staff responded to an intoxicated party at Skyline and notified the Area Coordinator On Call of the incident. A Cataldo Ambulance transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. September 23—BEMCo and University Police responded to an intoxicated party near the Castle Lot. University Police and BEMCo notified the Area Coordinator On Call, and a Cataldo Ambulance transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. September 25—A party in Ridgewood C reported a possible allergic reaction to peanuts. BEMCo requested a Cataldo Ambulance and notified the Area Coordinator On Call. The ambulance transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. September 27—BEMCo responded to an intoxicated party on the steps near the Health Center and notified the Area Coordinator On Call. A Cataldo Ambulance transported the

party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. September 27—University Police stood by with a party awaiting a Cataldo Ambulance near Mailman House. The ambulance transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. September 28—A party in Village C requested BEMCo assistance for pain associated with sickle cell anemia. BEMCo requested a Cataldo Ambulance and notified the Area Coordinator On Call. The ambulance transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. October 6—BEMCo staff treated an intoxicated party in Cable Hall. The party signed a refusal for further care. October 6—BEMCo staff treated an intoxicated party in Gordon Hall and informed the Area Coordinator On Call. Cataldo Ambulance staff transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. October 6—Cataldo Ambulance staff transported an intoxicated party from Cable Hall to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. BEMCo staff notified the Area Coordinator On Call. October 6—BEMCo Staff requested a Cataldo Ambulance for an intoxicated party in Pomerantz Hall. Staff treated the party, who signed a refusal for further care. The Area Coordinator On Call was notified. DISTURBANCE September 17—A loud party caused a disturbance in the upper area of the Foster Mods. The party was not present when University Police arrived at the scene. September 23—The Area Coordinator On Call responded to a noise complaint from a South Street resident about a party at the Foster Mods, dispersing the parties without incident. September 28—University

Police responded to reports of a loud stereo from 178 Charles River Road. The party agreed to turn the music down. HARASSMENT September 20—A staff member in Stoneman Infirmary and Public Safety building received a harassing email. University police compiled a report on the incident. October 3—Faculty and staff received harassing emails from multiple sources. University Police compiled a report on the incident. VANDALISM September 29—A Community Advisor for the Charles River apartments reported broken glass at 110 Angleside Road, entrance G. University Police compiled a report on the incident and advised that the entrance be secured until the glass could be replaced. October 5— University police received a report of two plastic green signs that were vandalized. They filed a report, but there are no suspects. SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY October 4—A student reported suspicious activity at Stoneman Hall that could be part of a for-profit scam. University police compiled a report of the incident, with an investigation to follow. October 4—University Police compiled a report on a past incident outside Sherman Function Hall. A party reported a suspicious party near the construction fence. University Police advised the party to report suspicious behavior as soon as possible in the future. October 6—University Police received a report that a vehicle may have been stolen, but upon further investigation, they learned that the vehicle was not stolen. — Compiled by Sam Stockbridge

THE JUSTICE

OEO tasked with clarifying Univ. reporting policies

Equity and Inclusion will provide resources for concerned students. By LIAT SHAPIRO JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

In a Sept. 4 email to the Brandeis community, University president Ron Liebowitz announced the creation of the Office of Equal Opportunity, which is expected to be operational by spring 2019. The Justice spoke with Dr. Mark Brimhall-Vargas, the University’s chief diversity officer and vice president for diversity, equity and inclusion, about the creation of this new office. The OEO will report to the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The OEO will bring cohesion and direction to various initiatives promoting diversity, equity and inclusion that are already in place on campus. In an interview with the Justice, Brimhall-Vargas said, “It’s important to recognize that diversity, equity and inclusion efforts existed prior to my arrival [in January 2017].” “What wasn’t happening,” he continued, “was system-wide, University-wide, strategic direction for that effort. And [with the creation of the Office of Equal Opportunity], that’s what we’re trying to do.” Brimhall-Vargas explained, “The purpose of [the OEO] is to provide coherence, clarity and ease of use for people to enter a system that they don’t have to figure out. There are systems that can handle it right now,” he continued. “All we’re trying to do is make the system more coherent and user-friendly.” Although the University has done its best to consolidate resources to make it easier for students to file complaints, there are so many offices involved in the reporting process that knowing where to start can be intimidating, Brimhall-Vargas said. Brimhall-Vargas explained that in order for a student to file a complaint under the current system, “they need to understand the mechanics … and the structure of the University in a way that nobody can reasonably expect a student to know.” According to Brimhall-Vargas, it is currently expected that the OEO will operate as a three-person office. Paula Slowe, currently the Title IX case manager, and Anthony Sciaraffa, the Title IX investigator, will join the office and have expanded roles. The University is also looking for a director for the OEO. Brimhall-Vargas said that the director will “help structure where and how we parse out the work of the office.” The OEO will continue reporting to the ODEI. The description of the OEO director position, posted on Glassdoor, calls for an individual who “shall serve as the University’s primary Equity Compliance Officer with respect to ensuring the University’s compliance with

state and federal anti-discrimination and anti-harassment laws.” The Justice also conducted interviews with Allyson Livingstone, the director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Education, Training, and Development, as well as with two student workers at the ODEI. Livingstone is responsible for developing the educational and training strategies of the office’s programs. Livingstone shared that her work centers on expanding Brandeis community members’ “understanding about what diversity, equity and inclusion mean in 2018, at Brandeis University.” Bringing almost 15 years of social justice education experience with her, Livingstone said her work “is really about dialogue and collaboration and shared, mutual learning.” Livingstone continued, “I hope and aspire to do this work with real collaborative energy, with a wish to learn from and with a wish to engage.” Livingstone does not limit her work to engaging with faculty and staff of the University about diversity, equity, and inclusion pedagogy. She also supports students looking to promote diversity, equity and inclusion. One example is helping students learn about “social justice leadership.” The ODEI also has student workers who support their undergraduate and graduate peers with issues of identity and inclusion. Talia Franks, a graduate student at Brandeis, gave the example of providing Amber Abernathy ’18, who served as the Union Diversity and Inclusion officer last year, with background information regarding Brandeis student-run clubs and minority representation. According to a March 2018 Justice article, Abernathy presented on how the Student Union could better ensure equitable club funding. Franks worked with Abernathy to find and analyze statistics that showed despite comprising roughly 50 percent of the student body, clubs representing the Asian, Black, and Hispanic/Latinx communities received a smaller percentage of their requested money. In an email to the Justice, Edith Suarez, another graduate student, explained her tasks at the office. One of her main jobs is developing and updating web content for ODEI. Suarez explained that it is an “ongoing task to continue brainstorming and developing ways to ensure that the website serves as a way for people to find information and resources that are critical to their experience at Brandeis in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion.” The ODEI exists not only to support those negatively affected by incidents stemming from bias or harassment, but also to educate and promote engagement on issues surrounding diversity on campus. To this end, the ODEI partners with the Intercultural Center, the Gender and Sexuality Center, the Multifaith Chaplaincy, and the Office of the Ombuds to help provide students resources.

NEWS

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018

MAKING A STORY ‘PITCH PERFECT’

COMMUNITY

■ The Office of Diversity,

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YVETTE SEI/the Justice

CAREER EVOLUTION: On Wednesday, Mickey Rapkin shared how he transformed from a magazine writer to a screenwriter through writing his nonfiction book about college a cappella groups that would inspire the “Pitch Perfect” movie franchise.

‘Pitch Perfect’ author discusses adventures in journalism, screenplays ■ Mickey Rapkin told the

story behind the source of the “Pitch Perfect” movies. By GILDA GEIST JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Wednesday, writer Mickey Rapkin detailed his journey from a wandering college graduate to magazine journalist to author to screenwriter, speaking to an audience of Brandeis students and a cappella fans. Rapkin is best known for writing “Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory,” the 2008 nonfiction book upon which the “Pitch Perfect” movies are based. Two University a cappella groups, VoiceMale and Company B, surprised the audience by performing before the lecture. Rapkin studied communications (and participated in an a cappella group) at Cornell University before moving to Madrid, where he spent several months teaching kindergarten before getting a job writing for a magazine. He later moved back to New York, where he worked for two magazines, Details and then Gentleman’s Quarterly. It was at GQ that he wrote an article that got the attention of a book publisher, who told Rapkin he should write a book. After working on and pitching his book proposal, Rapkin began work

on “Pitch Perfect.” While working a full-time job at GQ, Rapkin found time for his book by using his vacation days to take Fridays off and shadow any of the three college a cappella groups he was writing about. “I would leave on Thursday night and I would go to meet them wherever they were,” he said. “I would go to early rounds of competitions, I would go to the recording studio, I went to spring break with the group from Virginia, just hanging around, a fly on the wall.” While Rapkin was writing the book, actress Elizabeth Banks heard about the book and contacted him about making a movie. “[Banks] was like, ‘The movie’s going to be ‘Bring It On’ for a cappella groups,” Rapkin said. When the book came out, Banks took the idea to Universal Studios, and they bought it. Rapkin said that throughout the process, even after Universal bought the movie, he remained skeptical about whether Banks’s plans would be realized. When he received the contract for the movie rights, he thought, “I don’t care, they’re never going to make this movie anyway. I’ll just take the check,” and signed away all the rights without reading the contract. Years after Banks initially contacted him, Rapkin received a call from Banks inviting him to the set of “Pitch Perfect.” She told him that

filming would start in three weeks. “I never imagined a film studio would want to make one movie, let alone three movies, about college a cappella groups,” Rapkin said. Rapkin described his awe upon seeing the movie set for the first time. He recounted, “I fly out to the set of the movie. Anna Kendrick’s sitting here, she’s reading ‘Game of Thrones’ on the side, … and I’m meeting everyone, and there’s Rebel Wilson, and it says on the back of the chair ‘Pitch Perfect,’ and I’m like, ‘This is the craziest thing that will ever happen to me.’” After the first movie began production, Rapkin chose to leave his “dream job” at GQ to focus on screenwriting, which he does now, along with freelance magazine writing. Rapkin said he recently sold a musical horror movie and alluded to a “Pitch Perfect 4,” saying that although he is skeptical, “it is possible.” Ten years after publishing “Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory,” Rapkin reflected on his book. “There’s a billion things I would do differently.” He paused and shrugged. “Too late.” Rapkin said that part of the reason his idea did so well was that he was passionate about the subject matter. “It’s really been this incredible journey that oddly all started because me and my friends loved, more than anything, to sit in a room with a pitch pipe.”

Image Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

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Justice!

Sunday, October 14, 2018, 4 p.m.

Brandeis University Ruth Shapiro Theater, Shapiro Campus Center HADASSAH-BRANDEIS INSTITUTE

Reception to follow in the Campus Center Atrium This lecture is free and open to the public.

Diane Markowicz Lecture on Gender and Human Rights with Catharine MacKinnon

Sexual Harassment: The Law, The Politics, and The Movement

Catharine A. MacKinnon is the Elizabeth A. Long Professor of Law at the University of Michigan and James Barr Ames Visiting Professor of Law at Harvard Law School. Long before the #MeToo movement, Professor MacKinnon pioneered the legal claim for sexual harassment and, with Andrea Dworkin, created ordinances recognizing pornography as a civil rights violation. This is a can’t miss event in the #MeToo era. Co-sponsors: The Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University, Brandeis Women’s Studies Research Center, Brandeis University Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program, Journey to Safety of Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Greater Boston, and Brandeis Student Activities. The Diane Markowicz Lecture Series on Gender and Human Rights is part of HBI’s project on Gender, Culture, Religion and the Law and was created by GCRL Founder Sylvia Neil and her husband Dan Fischel in memory of Sylvia’s late sister, Diane Markowicz, to honor her commitment to gender equality and social justice.

THE JUSTICE

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NEWS

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018

‘BRANDEIS BELIEVES SURVIVORS’

BRIEF New members elected to the Board of Trustees On Sept. 26, the Brandeis Board of Trustees elected four new members, bringing the total Board to six officers, 33 trustees, five faculty representatives, three student representatives and nine trustees emeriti. The Board serves as “the final authority on all aspects of the university’s operations,” according to the University’s website. The Board of Trustees, in additon to other duties, is responsible for electing the University’s president and for holding the president accountable for all academic, administrative, financial, and other activities. Fran Bermanzohn ’78, Bram Shapiro, Cynthia Berenson, and Jayne Beker P’99, P’04, P’15 have all now started their fouryear terms on the board. Board members are eligible to serve for up to 12 consecutive years. Bermanzohn was the deputy general counsel of Goldman Sachs, where she was responsible for the trading, investment banking and merchant banking businesses, according to a Sept. 26 BrandeisNow article. After graduating from Brandeis, she received her law degree from Boston University School of Law. She also currently serves on the boards of trustees for the Brooklyn Academy of Music and for DreamYard, a New York organization dedicated to creating equity through the arts, according to their website. Shapiro works as a corporate partner at Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo, P.C., a law firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions. Prior to joining the Boston office, Shapiro worked in New York City.

He received his Bachelor of Arts from Vassar College and his law degree from Boston College. Shapiro is also currently a member of the Board of Overseers of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Berenson was already an active member of the Brandeis community before being elected to the Board. According to the same BrandeisNOW article, she “is a board member for the Women’s Studies Research Center, Women’s, Gender and Sexualities Studies Program and the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism” and has also been a University Fellow since 2000. With her family members, Berenson has helped create programs like the Allen/ Berenson Distinguished Visiting Professorship in Women’s Studies at Brandeis and the Cynthia L. and Theodore S. Berenson Chair of Fine Arts. She received her B.A. from Simmons College. Beker is a clinical psychologist and worked for 20 years at the Family Center at Bank Street College of Education, per the same article. In 1983, she founded the Beker Foundation with her husband. The foundation supports “organizations doing work that is creative, community-centered, and collaborative, both Jewish and secular,” according to the foundation’s website. Beker received her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Business Administration from New York University and her doctorate from Yeshiva University’s Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. —Kirby Kochanowski

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Students stood in solidarity with survivors of sexual, domestic and gender-based violence by silently holding signs and distributing flyers on the Rabb Steps midday Monday.

CAMPUS EVENTS

Scholar explores teachers’ role in diversity, inclusion ■ Gittler Prize recipient

Beverly Tatum shared advice from her research and her experience as a professor. By JOCELYN GOULD JUSTICE EDITOR

In a moderated discussion with high school and graduate students, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum encouraged members of the Brandeis and Waltham communities to think about whose voices are heard in classrooms and what teachers can do to influence participation from diverse perspectives. The 2018 Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize recipient shared experiences from her time as a professor and explained the ideas developed in her famous book, “‘Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?’ And Other Conversations About Race.” Prior to the event, students from Waltham High School and the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, one of the University’s graduate schools, submitted answers to questions posted online, helping to structure Thursday’s conversation about diversity and inclusion in education. Respondents answered five questions that asked students whether their social circles and classrooms were diverse and whether they felt that their voices were heard and their identities (such as their race, ethnicity, gender or sexuality) were validated in those spaces. More high school students answered “yes” to these questions than did Heller graduate students. Tatum acknowledged that this seems to conflict with the Heller school’s self-image as a diverse teaching community. Speaking at the beginning of the event, Prof. Joseph Assan (Heller) highlighted a central problem the in-

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stitution faces: In a group of students who each have diverse identities, individuals often “feel part but not really part of the community” at Heller. In the discussion, Tatum often drew on the idea of what it means to have one’s identity “left out” or not included visually or thematically. She stated that everyone has many different identities, but value some of them more than others. “The identities that matter to us are those … that we are usually looking to have affirmed,” she said. When people enter new social spaces like classrooms, she said, they look to see if anyone who shares those identities are included and visible. “Affirmation of identity starts with a very simple question: … Who is missing from the picture?” she said. Tatum believes that affirming identities through inclusion and visibility is a key step to building communities and cultivating engaging leadership engage “across lines of difference” — what she calls her ABCs of creating “inclusive learning environments.” Tatum also encouraged students to engage with those who have different identities and life experiences. She made it clear that she understands why students often self-segregate along racial lines in the cafeteria — the image captured in her famous book’s title — because students want to relax with those who have similar life experiences. To encourage students to break out of this separation, Tatum said, “Don’t start in the cafeteria. … Start in the classroom.” For Tatum, the classroom is an incredibly important site for building these cross-group relationships. She argued that these relationships are formed “when people are brought together on an equal playing field and asked to do something collaborative toward a common goal … in an activity sanctioned by an authority figure.” Tatum explained that a sports team

provides this structure, but she wants the same idea to apply to classrooms. Tatum believes that when teachers use their authority appropriately, they can create the same unifying environment as an ideal sports team has to foster inter-group bonds. Throughout the talk, Tatum emphasized that “leadership matters.” She repeatedly stressed the power teachers have to promote diversity and inclusion in their classrooms. Heller graduate student Evan Joy McLaurin recounted how she often feels that professors use students of color as “classroom resources” when they ask faculty to diversify the perspectives included on their syllabi. “We feel that we’re doing a lot of free work,” McLaurin said. She worries if she does not speak up, future students will feel excluded in the same way she currently does. While Tatum encouraged students to raise questions when they see syllabi that contain predominantly white and male perspectives, she also said that “it certainly is not the student’s responsibility to do the homework of the faculty member” by fixing the syllabi themselves. Tatum also emphasized the importance of what teachers say at the beginning of the semester or each class period to create inclusive class discussions. As a professor, she tried to create an environment that encouraged those who rarely speak in class to share by reminding the whole class to “share the airtime.” She also encouraged professors to begin class conversations by reminding the group that each student only speaks for themselves, to help students with different identities not feel as though they are speaking on behalf of their entire group. “For people who are preparing to be leaders, understand that your leadership matters in terms of the kind of creative, … inclusive climate you can create if you are intentional about it.”

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crime, according to Mackin. The challenges to enforcing sexual harassment laws are frustrating to Mackin, who spoke candidly with the Justice about her experiences with harassment in Waltham. “The nastiest thing anyone ever said to me was at the corner of Moody and Main street,” she continued. “I think it’s going to take a lot more pressure from people from the community to actually try to do something about it.” Joseph LaCava, the City Councilor from Ward 5, grew up in Waltham. He called the fact that sexual harassment happens on main streets in Waltham “brazen” and “crazy” and said that he had not heard of harassment as a major issue in Waltham until he saw the results of the Justice’s poll.

Feeling Unsafe in Waltham

“It’s eye opening, all across the board,” LaCava said about respondents to the poll feeling unsafe in Waltham. LaCava admitted to feeling defensive about his hometown when he first read the results. The Councilor is in his 10th month on the City Council. LaCava said he felt safe walking on Moody and Main Streets but understood how some Brandeis students — or even residents of North Waltham — might not feel safe there. “People who did live in suburbs or in rural areas who come to Waltham, maybe for the first time being in somewhat of a city area, it can be scary walking down South Street,” he said. LaCava said that he thinks students may feel unsafe because of a rise in the homeless population along Main Street, although he made it clear that he does not believe they pose a danger to residents. He credited Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy for improving the lighting and sidewalk in the downtown area. Moody Street has a higher rate of foot traffic late at night and better lighting, which probably leads to students feeling more safe in the area than on Main Street, according to Kristine Mackin (Ward 7). Mackin said she will be taking classes with the Waltham Police Department this fall to learn more about what the police do on a regular basis and if there is anything she can do to make Waltham feel safer. LeBlanc said that additional conversations should take place with Brandeis students, potentially in the form of a focus group, to establish why they feel more unsafe in certain areas of the city. In an email to the Justice, Brandeis Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan said his department was “gratified to know that students mostly feel safe on campus.” But he still recommends students use techniques to stay safe off-campus, including walking in groups, using the Branvan/escort safety service and not walking with earbuds that block out ambient noise. Callahan explained that the Uni-

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018

versity Police collaborates with the Waltham Police Department on matters of “students’ health and safety off campus, including landlord tenant disputes, well-being checks, fraud situations, crime prevention and noise complaints.”

Relationship Between Waltham and Brandeis

All three City Councilors felt that the University had a positive relationship with the city. “For the most part, the residents of Waltham have a very positive opinion of both of the universities that are really an integral part of our community and of the students,” said LeBlanc. “I would say that differs maybe a little bit the closer you live to one of the universities,” she said, referencing how parties created a “troubling situation” for some residents. Kristine A. Mackin agreed that the attitude towards the University varied on the location of her constituents. Mackin herself lives on a property directly behind East Quad and says it’s mostly quiet on campus. “You guys are the boringest undergrads ever. I never hear a peep out of those dorms,” she said. Mackin said she thinks the trouble happens off campus. She gets complaints about noise, trash and glass in the streets from the residents in her ward that live next to some of the University’s unrecognized fraternities, a sentiment that LeBlanc echoed. Also, the housing pressure in Waltham is intense, and the Brandeis student body is driving up rents and home values (thus raising property tax rates) in the neighborhoods closer to campus, according to Mackin. LeBlanc said that the housing issue is exacerbated by speculators that buy up property in Waltham with the express intention of renting to students. Mackin noted, however, that the people who live farther from Brandeis view it in a different light. “The people who have that less immediate impact overall view Brandeis really favorably,” Mackin notes. She highlighted that there are residents in her ward who benefit from the tutoring Brandeis students do at local elementary schools, and there are residents who are parents of older students who are looking at Brandeis as an option for higher education. Councilor Mackin thinks that Brandeis students and Waltham residents should make more of an effort to get to know each other. “I don’t see the students talking to the neighbors very much, honestly. I know of three houses that are rented within a block of mine to Brandeis students. I say hi to them, they say hi back … but I don’t know them. Part of that's on me, I could be doing more outreach… [But] it’s on everybody to make more of an effort.” —Editor's note: Jocelyn Gould and Sam Stockbridge contributed reporting.

ANDREW BAXTER/the Justice

ICH BIN EIN BRANDEISIAN: German ambassador Emily Haber spoke to faculty at the 20th birthday dinner for the Center.

CGES: Lecture examines U.S.-European relations CONTINUED FROM 1 plained that although relationships between these countries are “constantly undergoing change,” there “must be a joint understanding of where we want to go and which challenges can block us from reaching that goal.” This method of thinking, Haber argued, requires us to ask ourselves what the dangers are of achieving a transatlantic partnership, referencing modern issues such as “Russian cyber attacks” and the “consequences of emerging terrorism,” and what we can do to prevent them. She explained that only through examining this forward-thinking approach can we find that our countries are “aligned in wanting to defend ourselves and maintaining how we want to live.” Furthermore, Haber explained that in order to effectively utilize our history to improve the future, “we must be honest” about our actions and confront and learn from our differences and our histories. As different as we are, Haber said

of these nations, we have to act together in order to unify and strengthen ourselves based on our countries’ common interests. The necessity of having international relationships helps the U.S. connect with other countries based on our core values which “far outweigh the differences” between the nations, she continued. In her closing, Haber explained the “vision of transatlanticism”: the belief that the U.S. and European countries “need new inspiration from the younger generation” so they can confront new challenges together, defend their ways of life and inspire others to build similar relationships. After the keynote address, Prof. Sabine von Mering (GER), director of CGES, and Sonja Lahnstein-Kandel, a key advocate and promoter of civil rights and tolerance in Germany and a partner of the University of Haifa, were introduced for a conversation regarding anti-Semitism and modern right-wing populism. When asked about the factors responsible for the recent surge of

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anti-Semitism in Germany, Lahnstein-Kandel explained that though Germany has strict anti-Semitism laws, right-wing populism is still rising. When asked what factors contributed to this trend, she explained that this movement is driven by factors including “the question of immigrants, the issue of Israel and how the policy in Germany is perceived,” leading to what she sees as “the breaking of taboos through the right-wing populist party.” Connecting to this, LahnsteinKandel was asked about the Trump administration's right wing rhetoric that seems to contradict its support of Israel. She explained that although “U.S. policy has always been friendly to Israel” economically, the current administration’s “racist ideology is still racist.” Lahnstein-Kandel pushed back against this dynamic by stressing the fact that “developing [social and economic] projects together” helps improve our countries and develop our international relationships.

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018 ● FEATURES ● THE JUSTICE

just

VERBATIM | HELEN KELLER Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light.

ON THIS DAY…

FUN FACT

In 2012, human rights activist Malala Yousafzai was shot three times by the Taliban.

Another word for a flock of crows is a “murder.”

Let’s talk about race Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum led a faculty discussion on race and diversity.

ANDREW BAXTER/the Justice

RACE BARRIER: Dr. Tatum asks the question: How do we get students from various backrounds to talk about race relations?

By CHRISTINE KIM JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

With the words “I remember…” magnified on an otherwise blank slide behind her, Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum asked the audience of faculty members before her to take a moment to think about their earliest race-related moment. When she asked at what age these memories occurred, many faculty members shouted out, “five.” She then asked them to raise their hands if they had any recollection of having a conversation about these moments with an adult. Only a few hands went up. The 2018 winner of the Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize, Tatum led a faculty discussion about diversity on Oct. 3 and examined how to discuss race when, somewhere along the way, people have learned that they aren’t supposed to talk about it. If at the age of five, we have already learned to be reluctant to discuss an uncomfortable experience related to race, how do we get students of various races in a college classroom to have a productive dialogue? Tatum’s critically acclaimed book, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race,” was first published in 1997 and then re-released in 2017. When asked what was different about the two versions, Tatum replied, “The two populations.” Born in 1954, she grew up in a United States in which the population was 90 percent white and 10 percent non-white. By 2017, the U.S. population had shifted dramaticaly with around 57 percent of the population being white, 18 percent Latinx, 13 percent black, 6 percent Asian and 2 percent Native American. “The Brandeis of today is different from Brandeis 20 years ago, I’m thinking. Whether it is or not, the world is,” said

Tatum. “The world is more diverse, but also the U.S. population is more diverse and as a consequence, our students need to be able to engage with people different from themselves if they want to be effective citizens of the world.” Tatum cited research done by the Public Religion Research Institute, which found that 75 percent of white people have entirely white social networks without any minority presence. Although Tatum recalled efforts made to initiate conversation, such as Bill Clinton’s Presidential Initiative on Race in 1997 to which she was invited, other subsequent events quickly captivated the nation and buried the conversation of race.However, Tatum encouraged the audience, noting that progress is not always straightforward and urging them to consider the student perspectives that educators now face. Using 2014 survey results from young participants, Tatum illustrated the attitudes that the current generation of students generally holds. While white youth and youth of color differed in their responses regarding treatment at school due to their ethnic background, many youth found common ground in witnessing instances of bias and fear of addressing bias due to risk of conflict. “Color silent is not color blind. They don’t want to talk about it, but it’s not that they don’t see it,” said Tatum. “And that’s not that different from previous generations. Does this resonate with the students that you see in your classrooms?” Drawing from her experience as a professor of psychology and education at Mount Holyoke College for 13 years, dean and vice president for Student Affairs and President at both Mount Holyoke and Spelman Colleges, Tatum shared the discomfort and fear that she encountered in many people during conversations about race. She explained that while a student who is 18 years old today would have

grown up with President Obama on TV, experienced the killing of Trayvon Martin at 12 and the Ferguson unrest at 14, there is a certain cycle through which we learn about racism. She spoke about how people receive information about others both different and similar to themselves in the form of stereotypes, bias, and missing history. They get information and examples from songs, books, parents, government and houses of worship which are not always quite true. “It’s impossible to avoid this misinformation. It’s in the air, like smog; we all breathe it and we’re impacted by it. Breathe some in and then it’s not surprising we breathe some out. We internalize this process and see misinformation as truth,” said Tatum. “This cycle is always operating, even without our awareness … It impacts everyone, but not in the same way. But here’s the thing: It is not our fault … Just like the air is polluted; I might’ve contributed but I didn’t pollute all of it by myself. It may not be our fault, but it is our responsibility. And the cycle can be

“

Color silent is not color blind. Dr. BEVERLY DANIEL TATUM interrupted, but not without effort.” Tatum noted that people are often interested but nervous. While many people do not want to experience the anger, guilt, confusion and alienation that accompany these topics, there must be movement in the conversation through that discomfort to experience the joy on the other side. “For a number of years I

did professional development with K-12 teachers in the greater Boston area who … worked in METCO districts. Most of the teachers were white women— not all but most of them were,” said Tatum. We interviewed them about being white educators doing anti-racist work. And they talked about how energizing it was, and I started to think about it as a function of how much energy we use not talking about it. If we repress stuff it takes a lot of psychological energy to say ‘I didn’t notice.’ But when you give people permission to notice and do something about it, that energy gets released.” As she took more questions from the audience, she offered them her acronym: “ABC: affirming identity, building community, cultivating leadership.” Tatum asked the audience what they would do if they were handed a group picture in which they were present. Immediately, most answered that they would look for themselves. Tatum responded, “That’s the only answer. Look for yourself and if you see yourself in it and you’re looking good, you’re satisfied. But if for some reason you’ve been digitally removed or everyone else had his or her eyes open and you were looking away, you’re going to be unhappy. And so that notion of stepping into an environment and seeing yourself represented and represented in a positive way is something that everyone wants. One question we all have to ask ourselves is, ‘Who’s missing from the picture?’ As she continued to describe the other aspects of her acronym, she illustrated an arc of discomfort. At first, everyone is excited, and then when we realize that it’s going to be hard and we want to stop, but we have to keep going. Eventually the discomfort plateaus and we might even feel good. Tatum encouraged the audience to change their approach in order to avoid a one-shot experience and to create one that allows for ongoing dialogue.

THE JUSTICE ● FEATURES ● TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018

Photo Courtesy of MARCI MCPHEE

HER LEGACY: Marci McPhee (left) and her mother, Lyn Gregory, wear ’DEIS Impact shirts celebrating the festival of social justice McPhee championed at Brandeis.

Making a lasting impact Marci McPhee played a pivotal role in ’DEIS Impact By LIAT SHAPIRO JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

While waiting for physical therapy, a group of student athletes noticed Marci McPhee’s sweatshirt and asked what sport she coached. “Uh...” McPhee responded. “It’s a social justice thing — ’DEIS Impact.” Since 2012, McPhee has been the force behind the weeklong festival celebrating social justice. In 2018, McPhee retired from Brandeis, yet the legacy that she left on campus lives on. Despite having overseen ’DEIS Impact since its inception, in an interview with the Justice, McPhee said, “I’m not the director, I’m really just a coach.” “Thinking about social justice as a school sport and my being the coach,” she continued, “[I’m] not the person doing the work, [I’m] the person who’s sitting on the sidelines giving them good suggestions and cheering them on.” McPhee’s connections to Brandeis University go farther back, to when Brandeis wasn’t Brandeis but the Middlesex College of Medicine and Surgery. According to a file obtained by the Justice from the Robert D. Farber University Archives & Special Collections, McPhee’s father, Bunnie Enloe Gregory, applied to the Department of Veterinary Medicine and received admission for the 1938 to 1939 session. McPhee confided, “It was astonishing to work [at Brandeis] many years before finding out that the library had those in the archives. Dad grew up in Missouri and the time he spent [at Middlesex College of Medicine and Surgery] was one of the few times he was north of the Mason Dixon Line ever.” “He enjoyed visiting me at Brandeis,” McPhee continued. “He enjoyed seeing the original buildings like, the Castle and what was Ford Hall ,where I once used to have my office.” McPhee’s Brandeis career started in 1988 when, as she explained it, “being a part-time secretary gave me something positive to do to help support my family.” With her youngest child in kindergarten, she could only work the hours her children were in school — 9a.m. to 2p.m. — and the part-time position at Brandeis allowed her to continue attending to her family, which remained her first priority. Having started her family straight out of college, McPhee had never held a job. “At the time I was looking for the closest thing to being a professional student that I could manage,” she said. “Working in higher education seemed like the next-best thing.” After her children were, as McPhee put it,“old enough to fend for them-

selves,” she began taking on more responsibilities, moving quickly to positions of higher responsibility culminating in her becoming director of campus programs at the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life. As she continued her work at the University, McPhee realized that she had stumbled upon a special place. “What kept me coming back from Brandeis speaks to the core of who I am and what I care about in terms of its social justice mission,” she said. As a committed member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints, McPhee said that regardless of exactly what religion, one is, Brandeis is “informed by social justice aims amd informed by a cause greater than even social justice.” That mission of inclusion was, and remains, important for McPhee. McPhee also points out that Brandeis is an “enormously high-profile school

for its size.” McPhee vividly remembers 2007, the year former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton visited the campus. “It was just very exciting to be part of that,” she said. “To have everything be possible at Brandeis. To have crazy ideas like the Ethics Center and to have that be possible. To have the sky-is-thelimit kind of thinking at Brandeis.” A pivotal moment came for McPhee when she served as an usher during the Dalai Lama’s 1998 visit to campus. McPhee recounted to the Justice how powerful it was to witness the Dalai Lama disassemble the sand mandala created by Tibetan nuns into Chapels Field. Historically, only monks would make mandalas. “To have Brandeis be the site where the Dalai Lama disassembled the first mandala made by women is pretty special,” McPhee said. “It was wonderful to be an usher there because it felt

Photo Courtesy of MARCI MCPHEE

HAPPY MEMORIES: Marci McPhee’s father, Bunnie E. Gregory attended Middlesex College of Medicine and Surgery. McPhee recalls her father enjoying returning to campus to visit her and see the old buildings.

in the spirit of the service, to be beyond an audience member, to be helping.” Some aspects of Brandeis never change. The University still “speaks for social justice and all its manifestation,” McPhee said. Despite doing so imperfectly and still lacking in areas, she believes that the University is always trying. In fact, McPhee referenced initiatives such as the recently founded Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, now carrying forth the spirit of DEIS Impact as the program’s current administrators, as indicative of how Brandeis has evolved into an institution paying “a lot more attention to a lot more issues.” Although not one to tout her own accomplishments, McPhee told the Justice that she considers the relationships she’s built at Brandeis as her highest achievements. “I count those individual relationships and life journeys as what I like to think of as my greatest accomplishments,” she said. McPhee said, “I was in Texas and said, ‘Well, what now?’ and decided that here was the opportunity to reinvent myself and so now I’m doing my writing that I was doing all along, but doing it more.” She mentioned that her blog, PrimaryinZion, which she has been posting weekly since September 2011, has received visitors from 176 countries. The book she edited, “Fifty-Five Days of Faith,” will be published in October of this year. A portion of proceeds will support Operation Underground Railroad, an organization dedicated to rescuing children in 17 countries from sex trafficking. Although Marci McPhee can no longer be found on the Brandeis campus warmly greeting students and encouraging them in their efforts to pursue social justice, her influence continues to lead her former students. Hangil Ryu ’20 said of McPhee: “Imagine a being who teaches past the academic and recognizes the personhood behind the lesson. Imagine a being who cares deeply and astutely for other people in a way that seems more than human. Then, hold the precious opportunity to be in the presence of Professor McPhee, so you need not imagine anymore.” Before McPhee left for Texas to care for her mother, who passed away in May at age 93, the student leaders of DEIS Impact suggested creating matching ’DEIS Impact sweatshirts. McPhee’s reads “Coach,” and her mother’s reads “Mom.” Throughout the “29 years and a little more,” as McPhee describes her time at Brandeis, she has imparted countless words of wisdom to faculty, staff, students alike. Despite retiring as coach of social justice at Brandeis University, McPhee remains “Coach” in the hearts of many.

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Skyline construction highlights missed opportunities The University is evidently proud of Skyline, the new, environmentallyfriendly replacement for Usen Castle. The Castle was no longer suitable for student living, and this Board supports the construction of additional on-campus housing. Unfortunately, the layout and cost of Skyline raise concerns about the University’s decision-making during the construction process, and this Board cannot fully support the final product. For a building of its size, Skyline simply doesn’t add enough beds to a campus that desperately needs the additional housing. Skyline only holds 164 beds, split across 52 singles and 56 doubles. The large number of singles is particularly unfortunate, especially given their size — they range from 120 to 140 square feet, which is larger than many other singles and is unnecessary for most students. Building more doubles instead of singles and reducing their size to a more realistic amount would have been an easy way to fit in additional beds. In a March 2017 Justice article, Vice President for Campus Operations Jim Gray explained that Skyline adds approximately 60 more beds than did the previous residence hall. In light of Skyline’s $38 million price tag, we are disappointed by the meager increase in living space. Similarly, Skyline is full of unassigned space that could have easily been designated as additional housing. The dorm is full of lounges and meeting spaces that, while potentially useful on occasion, will likely see little daily use. Most inexplicable is the 100-person multipurpose room which does not fulfill an obvious campus need. Though many of Brandeis’ newer dorms, such as the Village and Ridgewood, have plenty of open space, Skyline’s prioritization of additional meeting spaces over living areas is perplexing and inefficient. Skyline’s price tag is also exorbitant. Put simply, 164 beds should not cost $38 million. This Board commends the University’s decision to install geothermal vents and solar panels into Skyline and understands that significant up-front investment is required for these alternate energy options. However, even in light of these expenses, the building should not have cost as much as it did. Per a May 2014 report from College Planning & Management Magazine, the median cost for a 182-student dorm is about $14.4 million, or about $82,000 per student. Even in the Northeast, where construction costs are higher, the median dorm costs around $116,000 per student. Skyline, however, cost around $232,000 per student. Even accounting for rising building costs since the report’s 2014 publication, Skyline’s per-student cost is over the top. Had the University spent a more reasonable sum on its new dorm, it could have added extra housing while also improving existing residential spaces. The following is a list of housing improvements the University could have addressed with the money it spent on Skyline, and should seek to implement in the future. 1. Improving the accessibility of existing dorms. Skyline’s larger rooms and elevators help house students who need accommodations, but that

Housing issues remain also could have been accomplished by modernizing existing dorms. Massell Quad, North Quad, East Quad, Rosenthal Quad and the Charles River Apartments are all inaccessible to students unable to climb stairs. Though students are given alternate housing options, lack of accessibility inhibits students’ ability to participate fully in Brandeis’ social life and student clubs. 2. Increasing the size of existing dorms. Most University dormitories do not exceed three or four floors. Instead of spending money on Skyline, the University could have added new floors to these dorms, thus increasing housing in a more cost-effective manner. Ridgewood, which already has elevators, could be expanded without constructing an additional elevator. 3. Refurbishing first-year housing. In their first year of college, students are placed in dorm rooms with worn-out furniture and crumbling paint. They are woken up by loud heaters in the winter and swelter in the warmer months. By spending its money on modernizing firstyear dorms, the University should have fixed first-year dorms to improve the student experience for a significantly larger number of undergraduates. 4. Creating a laundry stipend. At Brandeis, students pay for laundry through WhoCash — in other words, real money. At many other universities, tuition and housing costs include a stipend for laundry; this allows students to wash clothing without reflecting on the opportunity cost of every load. 5. Installing more (and more reliable) laundry machines. Not only is laundry expensive, but machines often fail to dry clothing fully, causing students to pay twice for the same service. Moreover, many quads, such as the Foster Mods or Charles River Apartments, simply do not have enough washing machines per resident. Adding a few more working machines in each residence quad would solve both issues. Furthermore, the University should install laundry rooms in Gordon and Scheffres Halls. At present, students living in those halls must use laundry rooms in Cable or Reitman, which is inefficient and problematic during days with poor weather conditions. 6. Building additional kitchens in East Quad. There is currently only one kitchen available for the up to 373 students that live there. Since there is only enough space for five people to occupy the space at one time, students have to trek to Polaris lounge or Skyline to prepare a meal. 7. Adding air conditioning units to the Charles River Apartments, Foster Mods, East Quad, North Quad, Massell Quad and Rosenthal Quad. This could be done over the summer, when students do not occupy most of these residence halls. During the beginning of the Fall semester, end of Spring semester and especially over the summer, the heat can become unbearable. This forces students to either bring in numerous fans, which consume additional electricity, or outside air conditioners, which pose fire hazards.

HARRISON PAEK/the Justice

Views the News on

On Sept. 30, the New York Times reported that the Trump administration put forth a comprehensive repeal package for the legislation that prevents mercury emissions from coal plants. Current Environmental Protection Agency Director Andrew Wheeler, a former lawyer for Murray Energy Corporation, has indicated his full support for the measure. Supporters of the repeal say that current regulations unfairly target coal plants, while detractors claim that this constitutes the most brazen attempt yet to repeal environmental action on behalf of the fossil fuel industry. Is this repeal legally sound, and what kind of effects could this repeal have on the environment and nearby communities?

Prof. Sabine von Mering (GER) Of course it is awful. The World Health Organization has shown that mercury emissions may harm the developing nervous system in babies, making them less able to think and learn. Perhaps that’s the sinister goal, given that the government doesn’t want anyone to learn or think? But seriously, this travesty of environmental protection is why we need to get fossil fuel money out of politics so that we can elect politicians who hire EPA directors who work for the good of the people and not those who only care for the profits of the coal, oil or gas industry. Check out nofossilfuelmoney.org. That’s also why Brandeis must join the fossil fuel divestment movement and thereby use our privileged position as a leading institution of higher learning and say that we need environmental protection and climate action now. By the way, there is an election on Nov. 6. Register. Get involved. Canvas for environmental champions. Vote! Prof. Sabine von Mering is the director of the Center for German and European Studies, specializing in German literature and climate change in the humanities.

Melanie Rush ’20

Unfortunately, the questions of legally admissible and morally justifiable are questions that have become disconnected within our current administration. While scientifically it is clear that the proliferation of fossil fuel emissions must be significantly decreased, the unfortunate backing of the EPA provides this repeal an air of legitimacy. As the current administration receives aid from the Republican controlled congress and soon to be Republican controlled judicial branch, the likelihood of viable opposition to this type of repeal is unfortunately slim. Large-scale support for environmental deregulation only serves the interests of the fossil fuel industry yet will affect the entire global community for generations to come. The continued relaxation of environmental regulations can only bring the consequences of global warming at an even faster pace. Melanie Rush ’20 is Vice President of Mock Trial Internal Affairs and Recruitment, Events, and Media coordinator for Brandeis Quiz Bowl.

Jess Spear ’21 Every human should have the ability to breathe clean air and live a healthy life, and the proposed legislation threatens to directly impede this inalienable right. The World Health Organization lists mercury as a top chemical of major public health concern, especially threatening children in utero and infants. The communities surrounding coal plants are disproportionately poor and/or of color and already face significant adversity. Experiencing heightened air pollution should not be one of these struggles. Many developed countries are moving towards relying more on renewable energy sources; this would be a step in the opposite direction for America. If we wish to pride ourselves on being a leader on the global stage, we must also lead in taking care of the Earth and its people. All sources of mercury pollution should be restricted; coal plants should not be the exception. This repeal is despicable. Jess Spear ’21 is a member of Brandeis Climate Justice.

Linzy Rosen ’22 I’m extremely worried about this decision. It’s negligent for the EPA to replace the importance of “co-benefits”, such as health and safety, with the need to satisfy the coal industry. Mercury could severely damage species and work its way up the food web. Rain washes mercury into the ocean where fish and other organisms absorb it. These organisms are then exposed to the harmful, behavior-disrupting chemical and may be consumed by other species higher up the food chain, such as humans, where mercury will continue to reside. Communities near coal plants are also at stake. Mercury is a known neurochemical, meaning it disrupts the nervous system and can cause birth defects. Protecting human health and the planet is worth the costs. It’s very clear that this is another attempt of the Trump administration to fill the pockets of polluting industries and disregard the well-being of people and our environment. Linzy Rosen ’22 is a prospective Environmental Studies and Politics major. Photos: the Justice; Sabine von Mering; Linzy Rosen

THE JUSTICE ● FORUM ● TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9 , 2018

Texas curriculum changes threaten to whitewash history By GABRIEL FRANK JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Throughout nearly all of U.S. history, the state of Texas has generated its fair share of controversy. Recently, the state has come under a great degree of scrutiny due to numerous and significant changes implemented by the Texas Board of Education regarding the curriculum arrangement and standards of elementary, middle and high school U.S. history classes. The latest series of modifications, which were voted on mid-September, concern the way U.S. history is taught in Texas. They seek to “streamline” what students are learning regarding important and influential figures in U.S. history, as well as the intellectual and philosophical basis for the establishment of a country independent from Great Britain. Some of the more mild changes include the elimination of Hillary Clinton and Helen Keller from the list of important Americans that Texas students are required to learn about. An argument can be made for eliminating figures whose degree of importance within the context of the history of the U.S. can be reasonably debated. Hillary Clinton is a former first lady, senator, and the first female presidential nominee, but it is theoretically possible for one to have a deep understanding of U.S. history without learning about her. The same could be argued about Helen Keller, who, while an inspirational figure, is not all that game-changing in the grand scheme of American history. Perhaps time learning about historical figures is better spent learning about the Roosevelts or Ronald Reagan, presidents who actions in office permanently altered the course of the country. At first glance, this appears to be the intent of the Texas Board of Education: trimming down the curriculum for the sake of classroom time and practicality, which could very well benefit millions of history students throughout the state. However, a deeper, more nuanced exploration of some other changes the school board has made in addition to similar actions in the past show numerous exaggerations and outright fallacies within the curriculum. What can be seen is an ongoing desire to manipulate the school history into eliminating the more murky aspects of American history, twisting the state and country’s history as a whole into appearing

more one-sided. While it is legally permissible to sanitize the curriculum, such pedagogy has no place in a history classroom. It is dangerous not only because of their lack of objectivity, but also because whitewashing can alter an individual’s perception of facts: something counterintuitive, anti-intellectual and dangerous. In 2010, numerous elementary-school textbooks from differing publication series contained a questionable description of the causes of the American Civil War. According to the Texas Freedom Network, the books de-emphasized slavery as a leading cause and made it appear equal to sectionalism, states’ rights and tyranny on the part of the government. It is a known fact that slavery was the most prominent and leading cause of the war, and to put less weight on it in teaching one of the most dynamic events in the history of the country creates numerous problems down the road.

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While it is legally permissible to sanitize the curriculum, such pedagogy has no place in a history classroom. While a case can be made for sectionalism, states’ rights and tyranny on the part of the government to be a cause, the fact that slavery, an inherently wrong and immoral way of living, is de-emphasized here is indeed troubling. Such a tainted understanding of one of the darkest periods in American history is quite disconcerting, as any elementary school student that learns the Civil War in this way may have difficulty grasping the extent to which institutional racism and discrimination exist in this country both in the present as well as the past. It could potentially desensitize one towards quite disturbing issues of human rights, positioning them as less pressing issues and of less importance within a curriculum centered around the history of one individual country. Indeed, one of the dominant reasons the

JEN GELLER/the Justice

Confederate flag is still being flown is not racism, but genuine ignorance about the meaning of the symbol in the context of the way of life the Southern states were fighting for. Such a method of teaching could leave an entire generation vulnerable to grave misinformation, which could in turn, over the long run, alter exactly how the country views and speaks about a divisive, disturbing, yet necessary-to-understand period. An equally disconcerting dimension to the changes undertaken by the Texas board involves the requirement for students to identify, as opposed to evaluate, the changes brought about by Civil Rights-era activism and legislation. What is particularly troubling about this change is the degree of power and threshold for intellectual pursuit put on a given student. When one is asked to simply identify, they can simply look within a textbook and regurgitate the information read. The act of evaluation, however, forces one to engage in an analysis of the information

they read; to question what is presented and to form unique, distinctive ideas and, most importantly, to simply think. Eliminating the “thinking” aspect of a study in America’s system of race relations and human rights constitutes an outright deprivation of a student’s ability to think for themselves. This is underscored by a deprivation of thought in an area of study that, to truly understand, demands some degree of introspection and subjective analysis. The Texas school board’s seizure of this learning opportunity resembles an attempt to whitewash the state’s history, accomplished by tricking students into thinking they understand this given area of academia simply from reading information which may or may not be false. Without a doubt, this change in curriculum is contrary to the very institutions of civilized debate and study that make America such a unique country and undermines the very idea of freedom of thought as a core educational and human right.

Blame Senate Republicans for nightmarish SCOTUS hearings By YAEL HANADARI-LEVI JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

This isn’t about the truth. It’s not about due diligence or due process. It’s not about honesty or credibility or integrity. It’s not about who we believe and who we think is lying. Republican senators have made it abundantly clear: This is about them not caring about women. It was proved during the hearing on Thursday, Sept. 27. The Republicans initially chose Rachel Mitchell, a sex crimes prosecutor, to ask Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh actual investigative questions. In the middle of Kavanaugh’s testimony, though, that changed. One by one, Republican senators took over, instead using their time to apologize to Brett Kavanaugh for the “hell” he has been through. Or at least that’s what Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called it during his five minutes to speak during Kavanaugh’s testimony. “This is not a job interview,” he said. “This is hell.” Kavanaugh’s testimony against allegations of sexual assault consisted of such painful, tormenting questions as “Are you willing to ask the White House to authorize the FBI to investigate the claims that have been made against you?” levied by Kamala Harris, D-CA, “Was there ever a time when you drank so much that you couldn’t remember what happened … the night before?” asked by Amy Klobuchar, D-MN, and “I wish you would join us in calling for an FBI investigation for one week” offered by Chris Coons, D-DE. Despite all this questioning, the committee was really there to accomplish one thing, and one thing only: Republicans apologizing to Brett Kavanaugh.

It started with Senator Graham, who spent his minutes all but screaming about how a vote against Kavanaugh would be “legitimizing the most despicable thing” he’s ever seen in politics. He attacked Democrats, saying that “what [they] want to do is destroy this guy’s life” instead of acknowledging the seriousness of the accusations. People were seeing a partisan divide even before Graham started speaking up, but his behavior turned the hearings from a contentious debate into a farce. Sure, a few Republicans occasionally ceded an apology to Dr. Ford as well, although it was mostly for the way Democrats were acting instead of for the trauma she says she lived through. They pointed to the long period of time between Ford reaching out to Senator Feinstein and Democrats bringing the allegation before the Judicial Committee. But that was an aside, a distraction from what they were really upset about: the horrible trauma of Kavanaugh possibly not getting everything he wants immediately without being questioned. There’s a disgusting sense of entitlement about all this. The Republicans in the Senate are arguing that he didn’t do it, but that’s not their main point. If it were, they would all have been clamoring for an investigation, for real due process, for witnesses and evidence. Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX) said that “if someone’s going to make that accusation … then they need to come forward with some corroboration,” but that’s what the FBI probe is meant to do. The Senate’s hearing didn’t look at other alleged witnesses, and an FBI investigation would be able to look deeper into the testimony of people like Mark Judge in order to confirm or reject the corroboration

of Ford’s claims. Instead of supporting the investigation to get closer to the truth, what the actions of the Republicans are saying is “how dare you.” How dare Democrats let their perception of Kavanaugh be affected by an accusation like this. How dare people acknowledge a possible history of sexual assault as in any way relevant. How dare we act like this matters. They’re saying that, in their eyes, none of this — Ford’s testimony, her credibility, the accusation itself — none of it matters. And that’s the thing. Women and the men who support them have been responding, yelling at Republican lawmakers and begging them to please, please believe women who come forward about things that even powerful and respected men have done to them in the past. But it doesn’t matter whether or not they believe women. Many Senate Republicans members have said that they see Ford’s testimony as “credible.” And yet too many of them are still willing to vote to confirm Kavanaugh without a deeper investigation into the allegation. Of course, there are few exceptions — Jeff Flake (R-AZ) was the one who demanded the week-long investigation before he would vote to confirm the judge, although he did vote to move the confirmation hearings out of committee and to the floor — but if it hadn’t been for his single voice on the Republican side, nothing would have happened. In the end, these Republican politicians, from the Senate to the White House, just don’t care. They don’t think sexual assault matters, so they don’t see the accusations as relevant to the hearings.

And they can mislead and lie as much as they want, but what that comes down to is that Republican lawmakers don’t care about women. Because if you don’t listen to what women are saying, you don’t think hurting women is a disqualification for one of the most powerful positions in our country and you’re so willing to trust a man that you’ll refuse to even look into what a woman told you: You don’t care about women. Yes, the Senate Judiciary Committee finally asked for the FBI probe after Flake got scared when two protesters confronted him the day after the hearing. Did that probe affect the final vote? Hardly. Their behavior during the hearings showed that they deeply do not see sexual assault as serious or disqualifying. So, what? What if the investigation revealed that Kavanaugh is guilty? What if it had uncovered some incontestable evidence that convinced everyone that he did sexually assault Ford in high school, therefore proving him guilty of not only sexual assault but also perjury? It’s not a conviction; he won’t be sentenced or held legally accountable unless Ford or the FBI take separate action. Chances are, he’ll sit on the court without controversy, just like Clarence Thomas before him. All but a few known swing Republicans in the Senate made up their minds before the testimonies even began. To them, Kavanaugh already isn’t a bad guy. He’s an athlete, a Christian. He got into Yale and Yale Law. He’s a man who deserves this, no matter what. Graham said it himself: He believes that “the Supreme Court… is exactly where [Kavanaugh] should be.”

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

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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018 ● FORUM ● THE JUSTICE

FORUM

The North American Free Trade Agreement: In Memoriam By TREVOR FILSETH JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After a 25-year lifespan in which is helped define the economic relationship between the United States, Canada and Mexico for the start of the 21st century, the North American Free Trade Agreement, better known as NAFTA, has finally been replaced. Its successor, the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, contains most of NAFTA’s provisions, with a few updates that help bridge its shortcomings. President Donald Trump, who was sharply critical of the old agreement, helped to negotiate the USMCA, alongside Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Despite Trump’s claims that the USMCA is a “brand new deal,” it seems to essentially be NAFTA 2.0. The main objective of both deals is to lower North American trade barriers, and the new deal seems to keep most of NAFTA’s substance while fixing several of the old legislation’s largest issues. Like NAFTA, USMCA maintains standards for labor safety. It contains provisions for competitive wages in Mexican car manufacturing, a concern among American automakers who have to compete with lower employment costs there. It also benefits the American agricultural industry by reducing barriers in the Canadian dairy market. Even under NAFTA, Canada put significant tariffs on American dairy products, essentially closing off the Canadian market. This was a source of considerable ire for American farmers, and quickly became one of Trump’s causes célèbres, both on Twitter and at the 2018 Group of 7 meeting in Quebec. Despite flaws such as these, though, NAFTA’s legacy deserves to be celebrated, and its significance to North American relations in a world where those relations are fraying ought to be reexamined. The deal was initiated in 1988 by President George H.W. Bush. At that time, the United States and Canada already had a free trade agreement, and the main concern with the deal was over labor practices in Mexico. At the time, the Mexican economy was underdeveloped compared with those of America and Canada, and many Americans were concerned that jobs would be lost to Mexico. In the 1992 presidential debate, only Bush was in favor of the NAFTA deal. His challenger, a young Arkansas governor named Bill Clinton, wanted to renegotiate it, believing it would come at too great a cost to American workers.

AARON MARKS/the Justice

Ross Perot, a third-party candidate who opposed the deal, famously claimed that the trade deal would create a “giant sucking sound” of jobs migrating south of the Mexican

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Only a fool would think that this historic friendship has been restored because of the USMCA. border. Despite this, after defeating Bush, the newly elected President Clinton supported the deal, and it entered law in 1994. 25 years later, it is essentially beyond dispute that NAFTA was good for the United States. A 2012 Initiative on Global Markets poll of leading American economists revealed that 95 percent either “strongly agreed” or “agreed” with the assertion that American citizens were better

off under NAFTA than if the previous trade rules had been left in place. Taken on its own, the renegotiated USMCA is a rare win for President Trump. The deal is a good one for the U.S. and speaks well of an embattled, scandal-laden president who was elected partially on the promise of being able to negotiate good deals. All else being equal, the president has succeeded admirably in this regard. Beneath the surface, though, the USMCA fails to adequately resolve the tension that the president’s actions have created or return North American relations to a pre-Trump era. NAFTA was negotiated in a post-Cold War, pre-9/11 world where the U.S. reigned as the sole superpower, her role as world guardian went unchallenged and nearly everyone desired better relations between our southern and northern neighbors. Neoliberal economic principles were dominant in government, and protectionist challenges were few and far between. Despite USMCA’s successful negotiation, that world is far behind us. Donald Trump won the presidency in 2016 on a protectionist platform; he criticized the concept of free trade and repeatedly slammed NAFTA, calling it the “worst deal in history” and promising to get rid of it.

On his first day in office, he withdrew the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a larger free trade deal between the United States and several Asian economies. Later, he started several trade wars, which he declared in a March 8 tweet were “good, and easy to win,” against American allies like Canada and the European Union. Such actions make it unclear whether Trump sees these countries as allies or adversaries and undermines confidence in our international partnerships. Indeed, at times it seems as if Trump sees the world as a zero-sum game; in his view, if Canada benefits from a trade agreement, the United States loses, and America should therefore conduct as little business with the outside world as possible. In short, NAFTA is gone. We are no worse off for its loss – the new USMCA is a worthy successor in seemingly every respect. But it seems to me as if NAFTA itself is a metaphor for something past — if not for international commerce, then for genuine friendship between the three countries it affected, built on trust and mutual respect. Only a fool would think that this historic friendship has been restored because of the USMCA. I suspect that it will not be for a long, long time.

CHAPLAINS’ CORNER The importance of contemplating life’s many spiritual beginnings and endings in a season of changes By SHRESTHA SINGH HINDU CHAPLAIN

The Chaplains’ Corner, a new Forum feature, provides our chaplains with an opportunity to explore the intersections of campus and world events, student life, social justice, and spirituality. This past semester, my third as a Brandeis chaplain, I have had the honor of teaching “First Year Experience: Spirit, Mind, and Body,” a class that supports first-year students as they begin their first semesters of college. In our second class session, this group of driven and thoughtful first-years shared with one another their experiences of transitioning to college. They talked about learning to share space with roommates, missing home, balancing their and their families’ expectations, and the pressure to perform. I was reminded during our conversation that this fall season, a season of endings and beginnings, is a chaotic one, not only for firstyears, but for all students, and for staff and faculty as well. The fall for us school-goers can mark the loss of less structured days, the loss of a summer experience or time away from Brandeis, or the loss of an old way of being. With that comes the anxiety of entering into something new and its associated questions: what will the year be like? Will I be able to handle it? How will I keep in touch with the friends I spent time with over the summer? What if I don’t do well in this class? Can I keep things from changing? In an excerpt of a book I assigned to my students, Managing Transitions by Dr. William Bridges, Bridges writes about the three stages of transitions: “Endings,” “The Neutral Zone” and “The New Beginning.”

During “endings,” he writes, we supposedly disconnect and disengage from our previous roles. A teen becoming an adult, for example, may disconnect and disengage for some time from their high school friends. A woman getting married may find herself no longer going bar-hopping with her single friends as she enters into a more settled and mature phase of her life. In the “neutral zone,” we find ourselves between stages. We haven’t crystallized our new identities

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We are all in a process of becoming. This is what our journeys here at Brandeis, and throughout life, are about. and are still in the process of letting go of the old one. Think of the caterpillar in its chrysalis — it is not quite a butterfly, but no longer the soft creature that once inched along the leaf. This “neutral zone” is an uncomfortable space in which to exist, a space in which we may feel unsure of ourselves and out of our element. We may not know what will come as we undergo a transformation. At the end of it, however, we arrive at a “beginning,” a space in which we have aligned ourselves with our new identities and enter more solidly and confidently into it. Reflect on your own life for a moment. In which places do you feeling you are ending one phase and beginning another?

In his book, Bridges mourns the loss of rituals that allow us to feel these transitions deeply and to devote our time and energy to them. There was once a time when those who were undergoing transitions carved out time, space, and rituals that facilitated and sanctified the process. We still do visible rituals for some key moments in our lives — quinceañeras, bat and bar mitzvahs, graduations, weddings, and funerals — but our willingness to take the time to emotionally and mentally process these and other transitions breakups, birthdays, new seasons, the end of a friendship, moving in with friends, etc. — seems compromised in our current culture. Not only that, but we don’t like to admit that even positive changes like getting married, having a kid, or going off to college can be accompanied by feelings of sadness, confusion, and grief. Recently, I was talking with my husband, who is a pastor, about death — what else do those of us in the spiritual professions talk about? I shared that in the Hindu tradition I was raised in, women often wear white for some time after their husbands die, signifying that they are in mourning. Several centuries ago, it was customary in the West for those who had lost a loved one to wear black armbands for months to communicate to others that they were in the process of grieving. Nowadays, however, we experience life’s changes and get a few days or weeks leave at most before we get back to the “same old, same old.” While I was at my previous job, I got into a car accident in which my husband and I spun across all four lanes of the highway, miraculously missing other vehicles, and ended up crashing into the highway median before stopping.

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

We ended up with a totaled car, but with our bodies somehow intact. I returned to work that week, shaken but in one piece, and was surprised by the tacit expectation that I go about business as usual. Besides my officemate, few colleagues followed up to see how I was doing. I had almost died! How could business resume as usual? How could I not pause for a moment? The expectation was absurd. When I got a replacement car about a month later, I had my friends in the spiritual professions gather around my new vehicle and offer it and me a blessing. To drive again after a traumatic event is no small thing, and I wanted to honor that transition and give room to some of the anxiety around returning to the road again. It calmed my rapidly beating heart. Brandeisians, honor life’s transitions. Speeding by them because we live in a culture in which there is “no time” to reflect and feel our feelings keeps us from bearing witness to the incredible growth and shift that is happening within us. One of my favorite quotes by the poet Alice Walker reads: “Those long periods when something inside ourselves seems to be waiting, holding its breath, unsure about what the next step should be, eventually become the periods we wait for, for it is in those periods that we realize that we are being prepared for the next phase of our life.” We are all in a process of becoming. This is what our journeys here at Brandeis, and throughout life, are about. When we let ourselves experience our own becoming, trusting the process and letting its uncomfortable and surprising waves move through us, we emerge wiser and more selfaware.

THE JUSTICE

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SPORTS ● FEBRUARY 14, 2017 10 THE JUSTICE ● SPORTS ● TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018

MSOCCER: Judges look to keep up the momentum CONTINUED FROM 16 University to Gordon Field and try to defend their home turf. This game will also be the team’s senior day, so it is extra important to go out and show your support. This is a defining time in the season. If the Judges continue their winning ways, the team should have no issue securing a premier playoff position. The Judges have had their fair share of top performers through their first 11 games of the new season. Before the season, the team welcomed a new transfer student, Bryant Nardizzi '20. He has been electric thus far, scoring five goals

CONTINUED FROM 16

MIDAIR MADNESS

and racking up two assists to boot. Jake Warren '20 has four goals and an assist to his name as well. Andrew Allen '19 and Casey follow with three goals apiece. The trio of Nardizzi, Warren, and Allen have played in all eleven games. Credit must also be given to goalkeeper Greg Irwin '20. He has allowed just four goals in nine games this season and has been the goalkeeper in five shutouts this season. He holds a 5-2 record as the starting goalie, with an impressive .897 save percentage. Irwin, combined with a stout defense led by Michael Burch '22 and Walter has been a primary reason for the Judges sucess.

TENNIS: Team has had a strong opening half of their season victors after an 8-5 finals battle. Looking forward, the men’s team will attend the Tufts/Brandeis Invitational on the weekend of Friday, Oct. 12, and the women will attend the Middlebury Hidden Duals on that same weekend Both teams have had their fair share of top performers that have shined above all others at this point in the season. Tyler Ng '19 has had success in both singles and doubles action. He has had

wins in each area of play. While last year's dynamic duo of Kogan and Coramutla have been split up, they are both performing well with their new partners. On the women's side, Leavitt and Bertsch continue their sucess from last season. They will continue to be the premier women's doubles duo that the Judges have this year. Isabel Cepeda '21 and Ana Hatfield '22 have shown similar cohesiveness early on. Practice will only improve the duo's success.

YDALIA COLON/Justice File Photo

JUST MISSED IT: Forward Julliete Carreiro '22 kicks the ball past the defender from Case Western during their game on Sept. 29.

WSOCCER: Club will look

to defeat UAA opponents CONTINUED FROM 16 the game started two hours late. However once the game began, neither team scored in the first half of the game. After 52 minutes of play, Daria Bakhtiari ’21 scored past Carnegie Mellon University’s goalie Carolyn Botz. With about 10 minutes left in the game, Katie Hayes ’22 doubled the team’s lead. During the game, Dana made three saves for her second solo shutout of the season. With this win, Brandeis defeated its third ranked opponent, after Massachusetts Institute of Technology (14th) and Tufts University (23rd).

Coming up, the Judges go head to head with the University of Rochester Yellowjackets on Friday, followed by Emory University on Sunday. Overall, the Judges 9-1 record is absolutely a team effort and credit should be given to all the players and coaches alike for this dominant start to their season. But the team has had a few top performers that have stood out and made an extra difference in key moments of the season. Hayes is the team's leading goal scorer with five goals in the first 10 games of the season. She is followed closely behind by fellow midfielder Bakhiari, with a

respectable four. Following them are senior forwards Julia Matson and Sam Volpe, with two goals apiece. Starting goalkeeper Sierra Dana '20 has been an absolute rock in goal. She has started all ten games of the season and has only allowed three goals. She holds an 8-1 record, including two shutout wins. Dana also has 23 saves and a stout .885 save percentage up to this point. Her goalkeeping, combined with the strong defense of Amanda Fernbach ’20, Hannah Maatallah ’19, and Emily Theim ’19, has been a major reason for the Judges success thus far.

SOCCER VOLLEYBALL TENNIS TRACK

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SOCCER VOLLEYBALL TENNIS TRACK

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JUDGES BY THE NUMBERS

● SPORTS ●

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9 , 2018

VOLLEYBALL

MEN’S SOCCER UAA STANDINGS Chicago JUDGES WashU Carnegie NYU Rochester Case Emory

TEAM STATS Goals

Bryant Nardizzi ’20 leads the team with five goals. Pct. Player Goals .958 Bryant Nardizzi 5 .591 Jake Warren 4 .550 Andrew Allen 3 .818 Devan Casey 3 .800 .850 Assists .792 Max Breiter ’20 is tied for the .800 team lead with three assists.

Overall W L D 11 0 1 6 4 1 5 4 1 8 1 2 8 2 0 8 1 1 9 2 1 8 2 0

UAA Conf. W L D 2 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 2 0

Player Assists Max Breiter 3 Jared Panson 3 AJ Mercer 2 Bryant Nardizzi 2

EDITOR’S NOTE: Friday vs Rochester Sunday vs Emory Oct. 17 vs Clark

WOMEN’S SOCCER UAA STANDINGS

TEAM STATS Goals Overall W L D Pct. 11 0 0 1.000 9 1 0 .900 10 1 1 .875 6 4 1 .591 7 3 1 .682 7 4 0 .636 6 4 1 .591 6 5 0 .545

UAA Conf. W L D WashU 2 0 0 JUDGES 2 0 0 Chicago 2 0 0 NYU 2 0 0 Carnegie 0 2 0 Emory 0 2 0 Rochester 0 2 0 Case 0 2 0

EDITOR’S NOTE: Friday vs Rochester Sunday vs Emory Oct. 17 at Westfield State

Katie Hayes ’20 leads the team with five goals. Player Goals Katie Hayes 5 Daria Bakhtiari 4 Sam Volpe 2 Julia Matson 2

Assists Makenna Hunt ’22 leads the team with two assists. Player Assists Makenna Hunt 2 Juliette Carreiro 2 Emma Spector 2 Sasha Sunday 2

VOLLEYBALL UAA STANDINGS

TEAM STATS Kills

Chicago Carnegie WashU Emory Case NYU Rochester JUDGES

UAA Conf. W L 3 0 3 0 2 1 2 1 1 2 1 2 0 3 0 3

Overall W L 21 2 14 5 15 4 13 4 13 8 13 8 18 5 7 10

Pct. .913 .737 .789 .765 .619 .619 .783 .412

EDITOR’S NOTE: Today at Regis (Mass.) Saturday vs Rochester (at Carnegie) Saturday at Carnegie Mellon

Emma Bartlet ’20 leads the team with 176 kills. Player Kills Emma Bartlett 176 Shea Decker-Jacoby 132 Belle Scott 88 Marissa Borgert 75

Digs Yvette Cho ’19 leads the team with 242 digs. Player Digs Yvette Cho 242 Kaitlyn Oh 239 Grace Krumpack 122 Marlee Nork 86

CROSS COUNTRY Results from the Bowdoin College Inivitational on Sept. 29.

TOP FINISHERS (Men’s)

TOP FINISHERS (Women’s)

5-Kilometer Run RUNNER TIME Josh Lombardo 26:37.7 Matthew Driben 26:39.4 Dan Curley 27:02.9

5-Kilometer Run RUNNER TIME Emily Bryson 21:37.7 Julia Bryson 22:16.3 Jac Guerra 22:38.5

EDITOR’S NOTE: Oct. 13 at Conn. College Invitational Sept. 28 at UAA Championships

ANDREW BAXTER/Justice File Photo

SUPER SPIKE: Kaisa Newberg ’22 leaps high over the net to spike the ball against Case Western Reserve University on Sept. 30.

Team looks to get season back on track ■ The Judges have lost five straight games, but hope is not lost for a talented, eager volleyball team. By JEN GELLER JUSTICE EDITOR

Entering the month of October, the Judges played against Worcester Polytechnic Institute that inflicted their fifth straight loss, a streak they have yet to overcome. They are now 7–10 for the season, while the Engineers improved to 14–3. Looking ahead, the Judges face Regis College on Tuesday Oct. 9, hoping to overcome this mid-season slump. In this game, the only match of the week, the Judges fought hard, but were defeated by a score of 2–3. The first set began right out of the gate in favor of WPI. After two kills from WPI’s Abbie Gilbert, Belle Scott ’21 put the Judges on the scoreboard with a kill that brought the score to 1–2. Later, after five additional points in favor of WPI due to three attack errors — two from Marissa Borgert ’22 and one from Scott — and two service aces, the Judges called a timeout.

This set continued to prove a struggle for the Judges, as they failed to overtake WPI. The set was full of errors made by both teams, contributing to the points scored on both sides. Attack errors made up 17 of the points awarded to either team during the first set, according to the Brandeis Judges website. In the end, though, the Judges fell to WPI in the first set 18–25. The Judges would fall to WPI in the second set with a score of 20–25. This time, however, there were more kills for both teams. The set opened with a kill by Borgert before WPI immediately responded and pulled ahead to make the score 1–3. Emma Bartlett ’21 responded with two additional kills to tie the game. The set would tie again at a score of four with a kill by Kirsten Frauens ’19. In this set, the Judges and WPI were neck-and-neck as both teams exchanged the lead. Ultimately, WPI broke ahead and took the set. The Judges managed a victory in the third set of play. In a very tight set, the Judges emerged victorious with a score of 26–24. In this set, there were more tied scores than in the prior, with ties at scores of 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23 and 24.

The fourth set would be a clearer victory for the Judges, as they were able to maintain their lead for the entire set and end with a score of 25–15. Unfortunately, in the fifth set, the Judges lost the momentum they had built in sets three and four. In this shorter set, WPI captured the match, but not without a fight. With Bartlett scoring the first point of the set, WPI then struggled to maintain a lead until after the score was tied at four, before they pulled ahead and left the Judges behind for the rest of the set. Despite the tough loss for the team and another game in their losing streak, there were many remarkable aspects of this match for the Judges. Borgert claimed her second-straight double that would allow the Judges to win a set after being 0–2 after the first two. Her double-double consisted of an impressive 14 kills and 27 assists. This is her fourth doubledouble in her career in kills and assists. However, it was Bartlett who delivered the team-best 17 kills in this match. Marlee Nork ’19 contributed 19 helpers and three aces, Kaitlyn Oh ’22 brought 25 digs, and Yvette Cho ’20 brought 15 digs for the Judges.

PRO SPORTS BRIEF The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams are the league’s two top powerhouses in 2018 We are now weeks into the NFL season and it has been chock full of surprises. Here is a breakdown of how each division is shaping up so far. AFC North: The Pittsburgh Steelers entered the season as the heavy division favorite due to the offensive trio of Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and Le’veon Bell, but due to drama surrounding Brown and Bell, they haven’t played and the team now resides in the cellar. The Cincinnati Bengals currently own the division lead. They are followed by the Baltimore Ravens, who are a good team riddled with offensive inconsistency. The upstart Cleveland Browns have now doubled their win total from the past two years and own the tiebreaker over the Steelers. AFC South: The AFC south is a pretty mediocre division this year — not necessarily living up to preseason

expectations. The Jacksonville Jaguars were supposed to be more dominant than their 3-2 record thus far, and Deshaun Watson’s return has not spelled immediate success for the Houston Texans. The Tennessee Titans — with their stout defense and shaky offense — currently own the division lead with a tiebreaker over the Jags. The Indianapolis Colts are 1-4 and in fourth place. AFC East: The New England Patriots are not their usual dominant selves, holding a 3-2 record thus far, but the division still runs through Foxborough. The Miami Dolphins hold the same 3-2 record, but have not been as good statistically. The Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, led by their rookie quarterbacks, each hold 2-3 records a piece. This early on in the season, it is still anyone’s division. AFC West: The Kansas City Chiefs

are the league’s biggest surprise of this season, so far. They hold one of two perfect 5-0 records, led by an electric offense. QB Patrick Mahomes is having an MVP-caliber season out of nowhere to lead the charge. Phillip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers are in second place at 3-2. The Denver Broncos follow at 2-3, with the Oakland Raiders in the cellar at 1-4. NFC North: A questionable pick from the 2017 draft, Mitchell Trubisky is now proving why he was drafted #2, overall. The Chicago Bears are shocking the league with a 3-1 record which leads the NFC north. The Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings follow in second and third, each holding a 2-2-1 record. The Detroit Lions, with their struggling defense, fall to fourth. NFC South: The NFC south was one of the league’s best divisions

in 2017, and many expected that to continue. The New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers both hold identical 3-1 records. The Saints have had no trouble scoring points, even if it means outscoring opponents in shootouts. On the other hand, the Panthers don’t have to put as many points on the board due to their defense. Ryan Fitzpatrick’s career revival is the story of the Buccaneers, but they are still at .500 with a 2-2 record. The Atlanta Falcons have been disappointing to say the least and hold a division worst 1-4 record. NFC East: Statistically, this division is among the league’s worst. The Washington Redskins pace the division at 2-1 but have not been fully tested as a potential playoff team. The defending super bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles have been struggling. Their 2-3

record is tied with the cowboys. The New York Giants — with their own internal drama — sit at 1-4. NFC West: The Los Angeles Rams are red hot right now, riding one of the league’s most potent offenses and an above-average defense. The team reminds fans of Kurt Warner’s greatest show on turf, when they were still in Saint Louis. No one in the division even comes close to matching their firepower. The Seattle Seahawks have returned to mediocrity the past few seasons and currently stand at 2-3. The Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers are both 1-4 and are looking to turn things around. This is how this NFL season is shaping up through five games. Stick around, because there is still a lot of football left to play. — Zach Kaufman

just Sports Page 16

RAMS, CHIEFS SHINE SO FAR The LA Rams and Kansas City Chiefs have dominated the NFL through the first five weeks, p. 15.

WOMEN’S SOCCER

EYE ON THE BALL

Winning streak comes to an end ■ After a perfect 8-0

start, the Judges were finally defeated by Lesley University. By MEGAN GELLER JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Coming into the month of October, the women’s soccer team’s winning streak came to an end after a game against Lesley University. Despite the loss, the Judges are still pushing on with the season. With 10 games behind them and seven left to go, this team is in an excellent position for the rest of the season. The Judges are ranked 10th in Division III by United Soccer Coaches and 13th by D3soccer.com. Lesley 1, Judges 0 On Oct. 2, the Judges played Lesley University at home. This game resulted in the first loss of the Judges’ season. After the game, the Judges fell to 8-1 and Lesley improved to 7-3. In its previous eight meetings with Lesley University, Brandeis was 7-0-1. Neither team scored in the first half of the game. In this half,

Waltham, Mass.

Tuesday, October 9, 2018

Brandeis out-shot Lesley with an impressive 10-5 margin. Starting in the second half of the game, Lesley University senior Jordan Mitchell scored the first and only goal of this game, which took place in the 51st minute of play. Dipping just under the crossbar, her shot was slightly out of reach of Sierra Dana ’20. Following the goal, the Judges earned three corner kicks in five minutes. However, none of these were able to break through the defense. The Lesley goalkeeper Brittany Gaan stopped every attempt by the Judges to score a goal. In the end, Brandeis finished with a 20-11 edge in shots, including 8-5 in shots on goal. Although resulting in a loss, the Judges look forward to the next game to get back on their feet. Carnegie Mellon 0, Judges 2 This past Saturday, the Judges faced Carnegie Mellon University at Carnegie Mellon. After their first defeat against Lesley University, the Judges punched back, resulting in an impressive win and improving the Judes to a 9-1 overall record, according to D3soccer.com. Due to lightning,

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TENNIS

Tennis team impresses in first three meets ■ The Brandeis tennis teams have had success in doubles and singles action to start the season. By MEGAN GELLER JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Starting their seasons off on Sept. 22 and 24, respectively, the women’s and men’s tennis teams are both off to a very strong start through three meets. James Wallach Invitational The first week of October, the team attended the James Wallach Invitational at Bates College in Lewiston, Maine. For the second year in a row, the men's tennis team won the A Doubles flight. Tyler Ng ’19 and Jeff Chen ’22 defeated Ruparel and Fung from Amherst, along with Davis and Quijano from host Bates, and advanced to the semifinal round. During the semifinals, the Judges defeated Wang and Jiang from Bowdoin, 8–6, to reach the finals. ITA Regionals The weekend of Sept. 28, the Intercollegiate Tennis Association tournament took place in Middlebury, Vermont. This was the third year in a row in which the team reached the semifinal round, as well as the second year in a row that the Judges have a doubles team in competition on the final day of play. Single Nikhil Das ’21 defeated Guilherme Barbosa of Nichols College in the first round and then Harris Foulkes of Amherst College. Das is expected to play Arturo Kam, eighth-seed from Williams College, in the third round. In doubles, Jackson Kogan ’19 and Adam Tzeng ’22 were the second seeds in the draw in their first round.

On Sept. 22, the women’s tennis team attended the Bates Doubles Tournament. The team ended with a 17–6 record in the opening meet of the season. Olivia Leavitt ’19 and Lauren Bertsh ’21 held the top record of the weekend. The duo won the third place match of the main draw on the first day of action. On the second day, they went 3–0. On the first day, Isabel Cepeda ’21 and Ana Hatfield were 3–0. On the second day, Cepeda ended 2–1 posting a win with senior Sophia He and ending 1–1 with Rachel Zubrinsky ’21. Middlebury College Invitational On the weekend of Sept. 16, the men’s tennis team attended the Middlebury College Invitational. In this tournament, three of the men’s team duos went to the finals. In the A fight, Jackson Kogan ’19 and Adam Tzeng ’22 took home the championship, defeating a doubles team from Colby College, Tufts University, and Bates College. In the B fight, duos from Brandeis made up the 1 and 3 seed. The Judges did not disappoint, with both pairs of teammates making it to the final. The top seeded team was comprised of 2018 NCAA tournament qualifier Anupreeth Coramutla ’21 and Colt Tegtmeier ’22. They defeated duos from Colby College, Middlebury College, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on their way to the final. The third seeded pairing was comprised of Rajan Vohra ’21 and Nikhil Das ’21. They made quick work of teams from RPI, Bates College, and Tufts University on the way to the finals where they would ultimately meet their teammates. While a final featuring four Brandeis students has no loser, Vohra and Das came out the official

See TEN, 13 ☛

YURAN SHI/Justice File Photo

KICKIN IT: Midfielder Josh Handler ’19 gains control of the ball during a game against Case Western Reserve University on Sept. 29.

Judges win both games during short road trip ■ After starting off the

season 2-1, the Judges have dropped two straight games and stand at 2-3. By ZACH KAUFMAN JUSTICE EDITOR

The Brandeis men’s soccer team went on the road this week and pulled out two key wins. On Tuesday, they took a trip to Massachusetts Institute of Technology and defeated the Engineers. Then, on Saturday, they travelled to Pittsburg and earned a key conference win. Here is how the team performed this week. Carnegie Mellon 0, Judges 1 Coming into the game, Carnegie Mellon was ranked eighth in all of Division III men’s soccer by the United Soccer Coaches and D3soccer.com. The Judges have had a season of ups and downs, but overall, they have not been meeting their preseason expectations. The team definitely had their work cut out for them, but the Judges were able to put on a performance

typical of a team ranked fourth in the preseason poll. Brandeis had the shot advantage in the first half, 8-3, but the Tartans exploded back in the second half, 7-0, to own the advantage for the game at 10-8. CMU also had an 8-5 advantage in corner kicks. However, the scoring margin is what matters most. Following a CMU turnover in their own half of the field, Devan Casey ’19 blasted a goal from 20 yards out inside the left crossbar. Greg Irwin ’20 had four key saves in his fifth shutout of the season and sixth of his career. The game was a bit physical at times, with 22 fouls and 11 yellow cards called total, with about an even split. With the win, Brandeis improved to 6-4-1 overall including 1-0-1 in UAA play. The Tartans were handed their first loss of the season, dropping their record to 8-1-2 (1-1-0 in UAA play). Brandeis is now undefeated in their last five meetings with Carnegie Mellon, owning a 4-0-1 head-to-head record. This was the team’s first road win at CMU since 2011. MIT 1, Judges 2 The Judges went on the road to MIT on Tuesday and were able to

defeat the Engineers, ending with a score of 2-1. The scoring began in the 37th minute, when Casey ripped a ball from the right side of the field into the back left net of the goal. The game was quiet through halftime, and it was not until the 65th minute that Brandeis would add on to the advantage. Casey originally headed a corner kick toward the net, and then Alex Walter ’20 scored on the put back, giving the Judges a 2-0 advantage. Greg Irwin would have to wait until Saturday’s game against CMU to record a shutout. In the 87th minute of play, the Engineers’ Kaleb Blake scored, cutting the lead in half and spoiling Irwin’s wouldbe fifth shutout of the season. The Judges were able to hold on for the last few minutes of the game, giving them the 2-1 win. Looking ahead, Brandeis returns home for the next few games. On Friday, the Judges will take on the Yellowjackets of the University of Rochester, their third of seven University Athletic Association conference games. On Sunday, the Judges will welcome Emory

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Vol. #5 Vol. LXXI LXX #2

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Photos: Ydalia Colon/the Justice. Images: Creative Commons. Design: Andrew Baxter/the Justice.

TUESDAY, THE JUSTICE OCTOBER | ARTS 9, 2018 | TUESDAY, I ARTS IJANUARY THE JUSTICE 31, 2017

TELEVISION REVIEW

Netflix’s ‘Maniac’ intrigues By YDALIA COLON MOLINA

JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A deep-voiced narrator begins to speak: “Two million years ago, an amoeba. Wait, let’s back up. I’ve skipped too many connections.” This kicks off Netflix’s new psychological black comedy “Maniac,” an engrossing TV show centered around human connections, most notably those that occur in the brain. "Maniac" combines the aura of mystery found in "Blade Runner" with the intense fear and foreboding of "2001: A Space Odyssey.” However, it never feels unoriginal or too reliant on science-fiction tropes. The show’s 10 episodes explore the trajectory of protagonists Anna (Emma Stone) and Owen (Jonah Hill) as they submit themselves to an experimental drug trial for a medication that

can potentially permanently treat all mental illness and trauma without any therapy sessions needed. Viewers also discover that the two main characters are bound by a predestined connection, and most of the plot revolves around that point of convergence. However trite this premise sounds, the creator Patrick Somerville and director Cary Fukunaga manage to turn the conventional boy-meets-girl storyline into a beautiful, enthralling exploration of the subconscious. The show’s creative team draw heavily upon Japanese pop culture and language. This unique aesthetic maximizes the possibilities to develop eye-catching, fluorescent-filled sequences, expertly brought to life by art directors Audra Avery and Anu Schwartz and cinematographer Darren Lew. However, the plot does not take place in any part of Japan,

as it sometimes may appear, but rather in an eerie, timedefying New York City. Here, the technology screams “futuristic,” but is more reminiscent of 1980s aesthetic values. “Maniac” never makes it clear which year it’s set in, which plays into the excitement of the series where audience members can identify the setting based on which attributes from the future or the past they decide to project onto the setting. The bemusing aspect of this push and pull has generated rave in the online world because of the fascinating, interactive quality it provides to the narrative. In a show that so clearly relies upon psychological themes, the audience’s controlled confusion successfully emulates the intricacies of the human unconsciousness. The confusion gets heightened by Owen’s diagnosis of schizophrenia, which drives

some of the show’s plotlines. Jonah Hill heartbreakingly illustrates how it feels when his family treats him as a scapegoat because of his diagnosis. Regardless of Owen’s compelling story, the most notable character has to be the extremely caricatured Dr. James Mantleray (Justin Theroux), whose mommy issues led him to create the revolutionary drug. Part of his work in the narrative is to figuratively give birth to a smart computer (GRTA, a shortened version of the name Greta) that runs the experiments in the test subjects’ minds. The GRTA closely resembles H.A.L. from “2001” and is voiced by Sally Fields, who also plays Dr. Mantleray’s mother. The starstudded cast works perfectly in the ensemble, each member giving the most moving performance of their character. However, the show’s weak-

ness can be found in its somewhat lengthy surreal sequences, which can drag and eventually prompt viewers to skip parts of the show. Nonetheless, getting through these boring moments is rewarding. Towards the end of the show, viewers are completely linked to the characters and begin to feel their pain as they navigate their deepest insecurities during the trial. In a show so obsessed with delusion, the direction allows to exist it in a parallel version of 2018. The technology appears so close to reality that it hits rather close to home and seeing oneself reflected in the screen is not a difficult task. The confusion always serves a point in the narrative, as one of the characters says: “It’s called a fantasy, James.” So just flow through the dream states and enjoy the beautifully crafted world of “Maniac.”

FILM REVIEW

Brandeis enjoys special film screening By MENDEL WEINTRAUB JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

On Oct. 4, the Wasserman Cinematheque hosted a special screening of Debra Granik’s ‘85 “Leave No Trace.” The movie, an adaptation of Peter Rock’s 2009 novel “My Abandonment,” follows the nomadic parentchild pair of Will (the captivating Ben Foster), a veteran suffering from PTSD, and his daughter, Tom (played with deliberateness by newcomer Thomasin McKenzie) as they try to adjust after a disruption in their lives. The film, Granik’s first narrative feature in six years since her Academy Award-nominated “Winter’s Bone,” is a welcome return. Once again, she has crafted a thoughtful, observational film that is considered unconventional in a medium that has veered more and more into dialogue-heavy material. Much of the film’s action plays out wordlessly, relying on the strong, heavily nonverbal performances of its two leads to bolster the narrative. When the film begins, we are introduced to Tom and Will leading simple lives in the forest, relying on each other for survival. When their tranquil existence is disrupted by a hiker discovering them, the two are expelled from their wooded home by law enforcement and forced to live among members of contemporary society. Much of the film simply observes the tension brought about by this change, as Tom grows more comfortable with life surrounded by First World culture, while her father remains wary of it. McKenzie’s portrayal of Tom, wide-eyed, contemplative and restrained, is nuanced and revelatory. Her performance conveys so much of the emotion in the story when the dialogue cannot. Foster brings as much bravura to his performance as his

young costar. Somehow, he manages to balance on the tightrope between gruffness and tenderness. The combination of the two performances is utterly captivating. Make no mistake: McKenzie and Foster are only part of the team that created this near-perfect film. Granik’s direction imbues “Leave No Trace” with its neo-realistic and submersive atmosphere, and ultimately drives the story. Simple moments, like a father and daughter eating together, become more than their face value. They bear a depth not found in most films. Everything Granik does feels intentional— her background in documentary filmmaking is undoubtedly to thank. “Leave No Trace” is deeply observational. You get so lost in the small moments depicted in the film that, for an instant, they become real life. Some of that can certainly be attributed to Granik’s insistence on having non-actors playing minor roles in her films. One of “Leave No Trace’s” most memorable scenes features Tom interacting with a beekeeper, who is played by an actual Oregonian beekeeper. There is poetry in this moment, largely due to the very real human interaction that is happening before the camera. As the beekeeper teaches her trade to Tom and the bees peacefully crawl along Tom’s hands, you feel completely one with her in the moment. As the credits rolled, the film received enthusiastic ovation and applause from the audience, as did Granik when she took the stage after the screening for a discussion with Prof. Alice Kelikian (HIST). Ms. Granik was gracious with her time, taking questions for 20 minutes after the discussion concluded. As she answered questions, Granik displayed her passion for her film with gusto, a passion that, as the audience saw just minutes before, clearly translated into something truly great.

Image Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

DEBRA GRANIK ’85: In 2010, Granik attended the Deauville American Film Festival, where she won the Prix du Jury for her film, ‘Winter’s Bone.’

THE JUSTICE I TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017 THE JUSTICE I ARTSI IARTS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018

CONCERT REVIEW

Small crowd at the Light of Reason By LEAH SAMANTHA CHANEN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

On Friday night, WBRS held a concert at the Light of Reason in conjunction with the Student Committee for the Rose Art Museum. The people in the sparse crowd, supportive friends of the performers, were clearly excited for a relaxed jam. The opener was “Satan’s Pillow,” a student band led by Michael Harlow ’19, which was followed by “Three at Home,” a Boston-based duo. “Satan’s Pillow” had never played together before this performance’s sound check. However, their lack of experience together didn’t show. Bassist Vince Lauffer ’19 and drummer Max Halpern ’20 were able

to communicate well and delivered a passionate, dynamic performance filled with great covers — or, as Harlow called them, “originals by other people” — as well as an original song written by Harlow called “Sleep.” Harlow’s original was smooth, with interesting chords and a wide vocal range. During one of the first phrases, he popped down to an amazingly low bass note. The song sounded like one that Michael Bublé would want to cover. The skilled and passionate combination of Lauffer and Halpern, along with Harlow’s bubbling energy, made their opening performance a great success. The crowd was less excited for the main act, “Three At Home,”

which, contrary to what their name suggests, is a duo. The two performed both covers and originals, covering artists such as U2 and Shakey Graves. Their original songs were of a similar style, but felt rather generic. Their energy was a tad awkward, possibly due to the very small crowd. However, the generic style gave the vocalist and keyboard player, identified only as Mary, an opportunity to show off her impressive vocals. The crowd was also very impressed and people looked to each other in amazement when she expertly pulled off a difficult riff. The crowd was incredibly supportive, cheering on their friends during the opener and even asking for an encore

from “Three at Home.” They danced a bit, took pictures of themselves and the band, enjoyed hot chocolate and donuts and seemed to have a great time. The event organizers, SCRAM and WBRS, were very friendly and made sure that everyone knew about upcoming events and performances. Overall, though the concert was grossly under-attended, it was fun and welcoming. Events at the Light of Reason are pretty few and far between, but it was a great spot for this kind of event. It has the potential as a concert venue for more intimate jams such as this. Both bands performed incredibly well, the vibe was amazing and the location was ideal. It is unfortunate that so few people got to enjoy it.

CULTURE

Students express pride in their identities By ELIANA PADWA JUSTICE EDITOR

Does your hometown define who you are? Are your intersecting identities all of what make you you? On Oct. 4 at the Intercultural Center, students gathered to reflect on these questions and more through “An Evening of Art, Identity and Lived Experience,” part of the Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize Award Presentation and Residency. Throughout the event, students shared poems, dances and artwork that reflected who they are and their unique experiences of selfevaluation and discovery. The works of several students shared themes of racial discrimination and queer identity, and many works also explored moving to Brandeis from a different city, region or even country. Sponsored by the Martin Luther King Jr. Fellowship and the Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program, “An Evening of Art, Identity, and Lived Experience” began in 2017 and will be an annual event as part of the Gittler Prize celebrations. At the event, several first-year students who had participated in the MKTYP presented art that they have created since coming to Brandeis. The first performer of the night, Daniella Castillo ’22, shared a poem styled after Jamaica Kincaid’s “Cold Girl.” Castillo’s poem, “Perfecta,” was a heart-wrenching piece about being discriminated against as

YDALIA COLON/the Justice

DANCING: Two performers enter holding hands before showing off their dance moves at the Intercultural Center. a Dominican immigrant to the United States. She shared how, in America, she could “love [her] country, but not too much,” and was “a guest in someone else’s house.” Victoria Richardson ’20, the only junior to present, read about being a person of color at Brandeis, a

predominantly white institution. In her powerful poem, she described the pressure to code-switch, declaring that speech “is a cultural choice.” Brandeis is her home away from home, she said, and so she “refuse[s] to be uncomfortable.” Richardson is “intelligent,

YDALIA COLON/the Justice

EMCEE CHARI: Chari Calloway ’19 introduced Dr. Kathryn Bethea, the director of the Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program.

articulate, and also hood.” Denezhia Fahie’s ’22 poem, a powerful piece about slavery and the commodification of Black bodies, reflected on “lily whites, crimson reds, sky blues,” and noted how “Black bodies always made the perfect muse.” “Ain’t it a blessing to inherit a palette of privilege?” she asked. Other student presenters included Kamil Banks ’22, who shared a poem about transitioning from the Bronx to Brandeis; Angel Henriquez ’22, who hopes to transform the District of Columbia into a city “where Blacks and Latinos can thrive;” Catherine Romero ’22, a childhood cancer survivor whose obstacles “did not define her;” Julian Meraz ’22, who shared artwork about intersecting identities and struggles but concluded that “life is short, so enjoy it!”; Michala Coates ’22, who is “too loud, too gay, too Black, too proud,” but “still here!;” Giselle Urena ’22 and Nikky PolancoDiaz ’22, who danced to Johnny Ventura’s “Merenguero Hasta La Tamba” and Jackie Rodriguez ’22, who joked about her heritage before her refrain “moving on, because that’s what we do best!” Introduced by emcee Chari Calloway ’19, Dr. Kathryn Bethea,

the director of the MKTYP, congratulated all participants before sharing her own poems. As she read “Come on in, empathy,” the room fell silent, rapt, and she was greeted with cheers of “yeah, mom!” afterward. In an interview with the Justice, Bethea said the event was a way for students to be creative “in ways that they might not have thought possible.” Elizabeth Botolo, assistant director of Academic Fellowships, added that she hopes the enthusiasm of the evening will “translate … to the rest of campus” and encourages students to express themselves in any space. The event’s capstone was a speech by Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum, recipient of the 2018 Gittler Prize. In her speech, Tatum spoke about her personal ABCs: “affirming identity, building community, cultivating leadership.” She said, “One of the things that was really incredible about this evening as I experienced it was people bringing their whole selves and being able to express that.” To Tatum, students creating a space to share who they are without “concern about how others are perceiving [them]” made the evening special, and she expressed gratitude that she could share in the joy of their unapologetic self-expression.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2018 | ARTS | THE JUSTICE

INTERVIEW

Brandeis TALKS

What are the best and worst emoji and why?

Brandon Less ’19 and Chila Haber ’19

Roman Loper ’20

Photos: Chila Haber; ANDREW BAXTER/the Justice

“The best emoji is ... the cat face with the heart eyes because cats are the best, and for the worst emoji ... one of those symbols that nobody ever uses.”

This week, justArts spoke with Chila Haber ’19, the president of Brandeis Starving Artists, and Brandon Less ’19, the president of Brandeis VoiceMale. JustArts: What are your responsibilities as presidents?

MARA KHAYTER/the Justice

Benji Schwartz ’21

“The best emoji is the thumbs up emoji because you can use it for anything. The worst emoji is the alien emoji because no one ever knows what you mean.”

Angel Henriquez ’22 “The two that I use [are] the flexing one and the 100 one and that shows ... how much I really care about you so those are the two best emojis for me. The worst emoji is ... probably the ones I don’t use.”

Abby Smurzynski ’21 “I think the best emoji is the kissy face emoji because you can spread love in such few words.” —Photographed and compiled by Andrew Baxter/the Justice.

STAFF’S Top Ten

Justice file photo

Top Ten Paint Colors By Avraham Penso JUSTICE EDITOR

Painting is fun. Paint colors, especially fake ones, are even more fun. Here are ten of my favorites — see if you can guess which ones are AIgenerated. 1. Sandbork 2. Centaur 3. Bath Salts 4. Potentially Purple 5. Bagel 6. Clardic Fug 7. Likeable Sand 8. Grandma’s Sweater 9. Ghastly Pink 10. Golder Craam

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Male _____ (term in film criticism) 5 How a celebrity couple may be described 9 Problem for Beijing 13 Coin used as payment to Charon 14 Savoir _____ (social knowhow) 15 One partner of Emerson 16 Ichabod Crane portrayer 18 “Madama Butterfly” sequence 19 Teachers’ org. 20 Something you can lend without giving it up 21 _____ top 23 Major figure in New Journalism 26 Playing hard to get, say 27 Frasier Crane portrayer 31 Morning break time 33 Drunkard 34 Foretell the future by using a crystal ball 35 Pub quaff 36 Type of plot 40 Org. that requires clinical trials 41 Leopold and _____ (1924 criminals) 43 Chemical suffix 44 Literary lion 46 Jonathan Crane portrayer 50 Egg container 51 Slanted 52 Spanish capital 55 Iowa college 56 ____ Alamos 59 Fe 60 Marion Crane portrayer 64 Rob of “Parks and Recreation” 65 Civil rights activist Medgar 66 Big do 67 “___ 2012” (viral video) 68 Many Little League game attendees 69 Small sound DOWN 1 Oscar night attire 2 “___ Baby” (“Hair” number) 3 Author Émile 4 Late start? 5 “Amen to that!” 6 Score at the start of overtime 7 Blunder 8 Go well together 9 Tries to go downhill fast 10 Time-traveling character of 3 films 11 Refugee from the Dust Bowl 12 Equipment 14 Stable babies 17 Kings’ domains 22 Obama’s signature legislation, for short 23 Something to steep 24 “All ___ go!”

Brandon Less: The main task is group morale. Administratively, I have to make sure to keep everyone on task, but my main thing is making sure that everyone is having fun and feeling like they’re a part of the group. I’m not the music person. Chila Haber: I would basically say the same thing. I’m responsible for group morale, making sure everybody feels comfortable in the group. If anyone is struggling with anything ... they can come to me. … Also, just checking in with the other leaders and making sure that they’re doing their jobs. I also do everything with money. JA: Why would a new student choose to join an a cappella group rather than (or in addition to) a choir or a chorus? CH: I can only speak for Starving Artists when I say this, but I think that joining a cappella is like joining a family. … You are friends forever… and it’s such a good way for [new students in] their first week of college to … feel like they have people that they can confide in and that they trust right off the bat.

CROSSWORD COURTESY OF EVAN MAHNKEN

25 Honors awarded to Rita Moreno, for short 27 Prepares to be knighted 28 GPS offering 29 Wagner’s earth goddess 30 Politico Paul 31 Baby powder ingredient 32 Foes of the Morlocks, in literature 37 Langley org. 38 Kendrick of “A Simple Favor” 39 Enter from the roof, as a SWAT team might 42 _____ Stone 45 Ship’s pronoun 47 It’s Nice here? 48 Stomach condition 49 They’re put down in one’s hometown 52 Half of half-and-half 53 Richard Nixon’s catchphrase on “Futurama” 54 Played at a club, perhaps 56 Game with a multicolored spinner 57 Shrek, for one 58 Mart 61 “Selma” director DuVernay 62 Homer’s neighbor 63 “The Raven” literary monogram

BL: To build off that, … I think it’s really amazing that we are all contributing our own individual instruments to create this larger instrument. … The fact that you’re creating something that is more than yourself [while] you are such an integral part — that adds to being part of that community. JA: Why do you hold a new-member debut event?

SOLUTION COURTESY OF EVAN MAHNKEN

CH: I think it’s really important for the [new members] and it gives us something to prepare for, too, which is awesome. …[The group] is always turning over and always reinventing itself, and I think that that’s something to celebrate and that’s something really beautiful. BL: This is such a calm setting… it’s just fun, it’s relaxing, it helps get the jitters out. We have a bigger fall concert next week. ...We’re going on tour this year, we’re making an album, we have really high aspirations and it’s really important to build up confidence early on.

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.

JA: What is your favorite, or the weirdest, syllable you’ve ever encountered while doing a cappella? BL: The bass part for “Letter.” [It’s] “doo-op ba-day-ow doo-op ba-day-ow doo-op ga-dang ga-dank gang ga-flibbity-gank ga-dank gank ga-dank gank” CH: We have a part that goes “scoobee-doobee-doobee-doo.”

—Maya Zanger-Nadis

Solution to last issue’s sudoku

Puzzle courtesy of www.sudokuoftheday.com