ARTS Page 21
SPORTS Fall season preview 16
SUMMER FASHION
FORUM Buried by the media 12 The Independent Student Newspaper
the
of
B r a n d e is U n i v e r sit y S i n c e 1 9 4 9
Justice
Volume LXIV, Number 1
www.thejustice.org
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
administration
A STORMY START
Univ, plaintiffs reach settlement in Rose lawsuit ■ The settlement requires
the Rose to remain open to the public and professionally staffed. By SARA DEJENE JUSTICE EDITOR
The 2-year-old lawsuit that was brought against the University by four Rose Art Museum overseers concerning its management of the museum during the 2009 financial crisis has been settled, according to a BrandeisNOW press release. “The settlement agreement, which brings to an end all claims concerning management of the Rose and the potential sale of artwork, states that the Rose is, and will remain a university art museum open to the public and that Brandeis has no plan to sell artwork,” the press release stated. In an interview with the Justice, University President Frederick Lawrence said that the University will now focus on the museum’s upcoming 50th anniversary by exposing the Rose to the outside world through
TALI SMOOKLER/the Justice
TREE DOWN: A large branch outside the Village Residence Hall near South Street broke off Sunday during Tropical Storm Irene.
Irene disrupts arrivals, causes minor flooding ■ Tropical Storm Irene blew
through much of the Eastern Seaboard this weekend and left millions without power. By ANDREW WINGENS JUSTICE EDITOR
Scattered branches. Pools of water. Droves of first-years following yellow-shirted orientation leaders. The sun shone brightly on campus yesterday with little noticeable damage other than a few lingering puddles and tree branches strewn about in the wake of the Hurricane-turnedTropical-Storm Irene. Other than minor flooding and branches falling, the most significant disruption Irene caused was the cancellation of Sunday move-in activities and the opening of campus on Saturday to new students. The University was “prepared for the worst” with emergency supplies and “had lined up a lot of people in advance, both in-house help and some contractor support,” said Se-
nior Vice President for Administration Mark Collins in an August 29 interview with the Justice. The basement of the Goldfarb Library flooded with about 5 inches of water on Sunday, but that was immediately taken care of with water pumps and ventilation within about an hour, according to Collins. Although no permanent damage was sustained, “Goldfarb [Library] was our biggest problem, and we had a couple of leaks in the Usdan [Student Center] area,” Collins said. The University administrators first took action to protect students from the impending storm on Thursday afternoon. In an email to new students, Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer announced that campus would be open to new students on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for those students who wanted to move in ahead of Irene’s predicted impact. On Friday, following the declaration of a State of Emergency by Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick, Sawyer announced in a campuswide email that no move-in activities would be conducted on Sunday.
traveling exhibitions of artwork typically on display at the Rose. According to the settlement agreement provided to the Justice by Senior Vice President for Communications and External Affairs Andrew Gully, Lawrence and the plaintiffs “engaged in a series of constructive and collegial conversations” about the museum and its future. They settled the dispute on the terms that the museum will remain open to the public; professionally staffed and committed to “collecting, preserving, studying and exhibiting fine art”; hire a director with expertise in modern and contemporary art; and that the University will have no plans or intent to sell any of the artwork. Then-University President Jehuda Reinharz formed a search committee to recruit a new director for the Rose on Sept. 16, 2010, according to a Sept. 21 Justice article. Now that the lawsuit is settled, Lawrence said that the University is able to truly move forward and “focus on the selection of a
See ROSE, 7 ☛
ADMINISTRATION
Board appoints Steve Goldstein next provost
“Essential campus services will be operating, including dining. Some activities planned for Sunday will be moved to Monday or another day. Some activities will be canceled. ... The emphasis, of course, will be on safety. We will have emergency procedures in place for Sunday if the weather conditions warrant,” wrote Sawyer. According to Assistant Director for Operations and Off-Campus Housing Greg Jones in an interview with the Justice, about 650 new students had arrived on campus by Saturday evening. An additional 200 students were expected to arrive yesterday, said Jones. Some scheduled activities were simply delayed and relocated such as the New Student Barbecue. The University also scheduled a pizza party from midnight to 6 a.m. on Monday. Jeffrey Maser ’15, a first-year who took advantage of Saturday move-in, wrote in a Facebook message to the Justice that the ground floor of Reit-
■ Goldstein ’78 is a
professor at the University of Chicago and will begin as provost Sept. 1. By ANDREW WINGENS JUSTICE EDITOR
See IRENE, 7 ☛
The Board of Trustees voted to appoint Steve A.N. Goldstein ’78 as the next provost of the University, University President Frederick Lawrence announced June 1 in an email to the Brandeis community. Goldstein is a professor of pediatrics at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and director of the Institute of Molecular Pediatric Sciences. He will replace Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Marty Krauss,
who announced last August that she would resign as provost by June 2011. The informal transition period for Goldstein began in June, and Krauss served in her current posiGoldstein tion until the end of June, according to Senior Vice President for Communications and External Affairs Andrew Gully in a June 1 email to the Justice. Goldstein will serve as the first provost with the guidelines outlined in the Nov. 29, 2010 report of the Administrative Structure Advisory Committee to then-President-elect
See PROVOST, 7 ☛
A couple’s cupcakes
Meet Coach Kotch
New dean chosen
Mia Bauer ’91 and her husband Jason teamed up to start Crumbs Bake Shop, a national cupcake chain.
JustSports sat down with Mike Kotch, the new coach of the revived swimming and diving program.
Prof. Susan Birren (BIOL) was appointed the new dean of Arts and Sciences this summer.
FEATURES 9 For tips or info e-mail editor@thejustice.org
Waltham, Mass.
Let your voice be heard! Submit letters to the editor online at www.thejustice.org
INDEX
SPORTS 15 ARTS SPORTS
17 16
EDITORIAL FEATURES
10 8
OPINION POLICE LOG
10 2
COMMENTARY
11
News 3 COPYRIGHT 2011 FREE AT BRANDEIS. Email managing@thejustice.org for home delivery.
2
TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011
●
THE JUSTICE
NEWS AP BRIEF Power outages, flooding from Irene in Massachusetts BOSTON—A fading Tropical Storm Irene rolled into Massachusetts on Sunday, bringing gusty winds and flooding but lacking its earlier menace. Many people ignored the Governor Deval Patrick’s advice to stay inside as swimmers hit the beach, children splashed in puddles and stormwatchers headed to the shoreline. “The media overhyped it,” said resident Jim Harkin, as he watched the sailboats rock on the surf under dry, breezy skies at Plymouth Harbor. No deaths or serious injuries were reported in Massachusetts on Sunday as the storm system gained speed and lost strength, with winds down to 60 mph as the storm center headed through western Massachusetts. The western part of the state saw the worst of Irene, as flooding closed roads and bridges and forced evacuations within the Berkshire towns of Charlemont, Ashford and North Adams. State police said the rising Westfield River was flooding Route 20 in Chester, and the Farmington River in Otis flooded. The early flooding reports may be only the “tip of the iceberg,” said Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency spokesman Scott MacLeod, noting some parts of central and western Massachusetts were drenched with 5 inches of rain. But across the state in Boston, the storm barely interrupted Sunday routines, as people ignored advice from Patrick, who said Saturday that people shouldn’t go outside during Irene, adding he planned to stay home and play Scrabble. On Boston Common, children played in puddles. Nearby, the Thinking Cup café was filled with patrons reading, chatting with friends and hunched over laptops. “We’re bumping. I think we’ve got the market cornered right now,” said Jesse Wood, a café employee. In Hull, a swimmer was arrested by state police and released on bail after he refused orders to leave the beach. In Plymouth, Jimmy Green took his boys, 5-yearold Jimmy and 8-year-old George, to check out the sights along the harbor wall. Trees were downed around the state, and utilities reported about 325,000 customers without electricity by early afternoon. Schwartz said a “relatively minor” mudslide in North Adams compromised a natural gas line in the western Massachusetts city Sunday morning, but no injuries were reported or evacuations needed. On Cape Cod, about 75 people sought shelter at Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School from Saturday into Sunday. The guests included about 60 football players and coaches from Austin Preparatory School in Reading who had been at a football camp on the Cape since Thursday. Head Coach Bill Maradei said he and the other coaches decided Saturday morning to take the players to the high school ahead of Irene. “I told them we were going on an adventure,” he said by phone from the shelter. The team tried to go outside to stretch Sunday morning but the wind kicked up sand in the parking lot, forcing them back inside. Maradei said the shelter workers were accommodating and open-minded. “You hear 50 teenage boys are coming at you, that might make you a little bit nervous, but they have been pleasantly surprised,” he said. Wind gusts up to 72 mph were reported at Fairhaven in southeastern Massachusetts at midmorning, the National Weather Service reported. Hundreds of fishing boats and other vessels rode out Irene in the harbor at New Bedford, a historic whaling port that remains one of New England's largest fishing ports. Mayor Scott Lang called the sight “amazing.” The city closed its hurricane gate at 5 a.m. Sunday and later closed a second gate on the south end of the city. Lang says there were reports of 8- to 12-foot swells in the outer harbor. In Boston, the MBTA suspended service on Sunday morning to help prepare for the Monday morning commute. Logan Airport remained open, but no flights were scheduled. Tolls were suspended on the Massachusetts Turnpike, where travel was light.
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@ thejustice.org.
Justice
www.thejustice.org
The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods. Editor in chief office hours are held Mondays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Justice office. editor@thejustice.org news@thejustice.org forum@thejustice.org features@thejustice.org sports@thejustice.org arts@thejustice.org ads@thejustice.org photos@thejustice.org managing@thejustice.org
AP BRIEF
Medical Emergency Aug. 22—A party reported that an elderly male fell outside the Foster Biomedical Labs and had a bump on his head. Waltham Fire Department and University Police responded and transported the man to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Aug. 26—A caller reported a female feeling nauseous in the Shapiro Campus Center. The female was reported to be conscious and alert and with her parents. University Police responded but the party refused further care. University Police took no further action. Aug. 26—A 19-year-old female fell and hurt her ankle but was conscious and alert. University Police provided an ice pack with a signed refusal for further care. Aug. 26—A party reported that a community member hurt her ankle in the Shapiro Campus Center. University Police responded and the party was transported to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital.
Aug. 27—A caller reported a female party feeling faint in North Quad. University Police, BEMCo and the Waltham Fire Department responded and the party signed a refusal for further care. Aug. 27—A party reported a college-age male with an eye injury sustained while playing basketball. Two individuals bumped heads in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. One individual was transported to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. The other signed a refusal for further care.
Miscellaneous
Aug. 24—A University Facility Services staff member reported an unknown individual in the Epstein stockroom. University Police located the party and indentified the party as a student worker. University Police took no further action.
The Justice Brandeis University Mailstop 214 P.O. Box 549110 Waltham, MA 02454-9110 Phone: (781) 736-3750
—compiled by Andrew Wingens
Salvatore DiMasi, Former Massachusetts House speaker, asks for 3-year sentence BOSTON—Lawyers for former State House Speaker Salvatore DiMasi say 3 years in prison is enough punishment for his conviction on corruption charges. The defense sentencing recommendation, filed in U.S. District Court on Friday, is significantly lighter than the 12 1/2 years sought by prosecutors. DiMasi, 66, was convicted in June on charges he used his clout as speaker to steer two lucrative state contracts to a software firm in exchange for payments. His lawyers, in their sentencing memo, say he “derived a very small personal benefit from the offense” and has a long record of dedicated public service. “Mr. DiMasi did not devote
his life to becoming Speaker of the House so he could abuse his office,” attorneys Thomas Kiley and William Cintolo say in their memo. DiMasi, a Democrat who resigned in 2009, was found guilty of conspiracy, extortion and theft of honest services by fraud. He plans to appeal. DiMasi’s sentencing memo contains excerpts from numerous letters written on his behalf to U.S. District Judge Mark Wolf, who’s scheduled to sentence him Sept. 8. Prosecutors, in their sentencing memo, filed earlier this week, say DiMasi deserves a lengthy sentence because he was an elected public official with significant authority whose offenses involved multiple bribe payments.
AP BRIEFS
Merriam-Webster adds 100 new words
SPRINGFIELD, Mass.—Here’s something for your Twitter feed: Tweet has earned a spot in the Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary. The term, used both as a noun and a verb, is among more than 100 other new words in the venerable dictionary publisher’s newest edition. Some other newcomers include helicopter parents and boomerang child, and the folk- and country-influenced music genre known as Americana. Merriam-Webster’s president says he considers fist bump among the stars of the new words. Though the knuckle-tapping action has been around for years, fist bump’s place in popular culture was cemented by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama when they did it at the 2008 Democratic nominating convention.
Health officials find bat with rabies in Back Bay
Welcome barbecue
TALI SMOOKLER/the Justice
New students enjoyed an indoor barbecue hosted by orientation leaders as a part of Orientation. The event, which was rescheduled due to Tropical Storm Irene, took place Sunday night in Lower Usdan Café.
BOSTON—Health officials are still looking for a person who was reportedly bitten by a rabid bat found on the sidewalk in Boston’s Back Bay area. The bat tested positive for rabies Wednesday, a day after animal control officers picked it up from the sidewalk on Clarendon Street. Authorities say at least two reports suggest someone had been bitten by the rabid bat. Public health officials are asking anyone who had direct contact with the animal to notify them and contact a physician. Bats are the primary source of rabies deaths in the United States; only about two to three people die of rabies each year on average, but thousands of people get shots to prevent rabies after exposure to rabid animals. It generally takes more than two months for rabies to fully develop.
ANNOUNCEMENTS Anthropology department welcome
There will be a Fall Welcome Reception for new and returning students, faculty and colleagues, sponsored by the Anthropology department. Friday from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in the Rapaporte Treasure Hall.
Social justice leadership forum
the
Editor News Forum Features Sports Arts Ads Photos Managing
POLICE LOG
Committed to social justice but not quite sure how to make a career of it? Learn how Brandeis alumni and other professionals have pursued careers dedicated to social justice. Follow their journeys from their Brandeis experience—from academics, mentorships and student leadership to study abroad, internships, and social life—to their current careers in public service. The event will feature an expert panel presentation followed by round table networking sessions with alumni and other industry professionals. Tuesday, Sept. 6 from 6 to 9 p.m. in the Hassenfeld Conference Center.
9/11: How It Has Changed Our Thinking
Marking the 10th anniversary of 9/11, members of the Brandeis community will reflect on this defining moment in American and world history and its ongoing impact. The discussion will feature Prof. Kanan Makiya
(NEJS), award-winning author and one of the most influential commentators from the Arab world of the last 2 decades; Prof. Dan Kryder (POL), noted professor of politics and Fulbright Scholar; Prof. Isabella Jean, MA ’06 (COEX), international peacebuilding and development consultant; Michael Perloff ‘12, economics and politics major and Eli J. Segal Citizen Leadership Fellow. Wednesday, Sept. 7, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in Shapiro Campus Center 317.
Moderated by Prof. Shai Feldman, Director of the Crown Center for Middle East Studies. This program is cosponsored by the Crown Center for Middle East Studies and generously supported by the Israel on Campus Coalition. The program will be streamed live and can be accessed on the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies’ homepage. The deadline to RSVP and submit a question is September 5. Wednesday, Sept. 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the Hassenfeld Conference Center.
U.N. Recognition of Palestinian Statehood
Summer internship workshop
This September, Palestinian representatives will call for a unilateral declaration of statehood in the United Nations. The implications and consequences of such a step will be explored by two experienced observers and participants in Israeli/Palestinian negotiations: David Makovsky, Ziegler Distinguished Fellow and Director of the Project on the Middle East Peace Process at the Washington Institute, and Ghaith al-Omari, Executive Director at the American Task Force in Palestine (ATFP) and adviser to then-Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas. Introduced by Prof. Ilan Troen (NEJS), Director of the Schusterman Center (POL) for Israel Studies.
Learn about the various sources of University funding available to support your unpaid summer internship. Hear from representatives of the Sorensen Fellowship, World of Work, Rapaporte Grant, and Segal Program. Thursday, Sept. 8 from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Alumni Lounge of the Usdan Studen Center.
When Hope Ends in Slavery
Founding Executive Director of ATZUMJustice Works Rabbi Lauer will discuss the trafficking crisis in Israel and how activists on the ground are trying to stop it. Question & answer session to follow. Light refreshments will be served. Tuesday, Sept. 13 from 7 to 9 p.m. in Rapaporte Treasure Hall.
THE JUSTICE
administration
Brandeis from his previous position as dean of admissions at George Mason University. By Andrew wingens JUSTICE editor
University President Frederick Lawrence announced in a August 8 campuswide email that he appointed Andrew Flagel to the position of senior vice president for Students and Enrollment. Flagel, who previously served as dean of admissions and associate vice president of enrollment development at George Mason University, will begin serving in his new role at Brandeis on Sept. 1, according to Lawrence’s email. Lawrence wrote, “Andrew impressed the search committee and all those he met on campus with his intelligence, his passion for higher education and his engaging manner.” The post of senior vice president for Students and Enrollment has been vacant since Jean Eddy’s departure for the position of senior vice president for Students and Enrollment at the Rhode Island School of Design at the end of September 2010. The duties of the Division of Students and Enrollment have since been fulfilled jointly by Vice President for Enrollment Keenyn McFarlane and Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer. Flagel said he is excited and energized by his new position. “In all the institutions where I have worked or consulted, [I have] never found an institution that excited me as much or aligned as closely with my values and beliefs as Brandeis,” he said in an interview with the Justice. “Add to that the opportunity to join President Lawrence and help to bring into reality the vision that he has painted for the next phase of Brandeis’ development, it’s an incredibly exciting and energizing opportunity and one that I am anticipating greatly.” Flagel explained one goal that Lawrence and Provost-elect Steve Goldstein have discussed with him as “establishing a seamlessness in our service to students.” “The provost[-elect] and I have had a great conversation about the need to enhance the teams that we have in place to make sure that that set of services that you receive really starting from the moment of interest in Brandeis all the way through your relationship during your life seems more continuous and appears seamless to you,” he said. Flagel, who is active on Twitter, also expressed his commitment to social media. “I love being in touch with students across campus and being accessible to them. Not just with an open-door policy but with that kind of media access. So I intend, with the president’s forbearance, to continue particularly on Twitter,” he said. The position of senior vice president for Students and Enrollment has changed following the Nov. 29, 2010 report of the Administrative Structure Advisory Committee to thenPresident-elect Lawrence and thenPresident Jehuda Reinharz, which evaluated the roles of provost and senior vice president for Students and Enrollment. The committee, among other suggestions, strengthened the role of the provost and redefined the role of the senior vice president for Students and Enrollment, according to the No-
vember committee report. “Working with the president, provost and other senior administrators, the senior vice president will focus on the recruitment, retention, quality of life Flagel and post-graduation outcomes for the entire student body,” according to the committee report. Departments reporting to the senior vice president will include Undergraduate Admissions, Student Financial Services, the Hiatt Career Center and the Student Life areas of other departments. The Division of Students and Enrollment will also shift focus from primarily undergraduate services to include the needs of the graduate school population, according to the committee report. The committee report additionally repeated the point that the senior vice president will work closely with the president, the provost and other senior administrators in carrying out the responsibilities of the Division of Students and Enrollment. Lawrence and Reinharz accepted and announced these new guidelines in a Dec. 2, 2010 campuswide email. The search for Eddy’s replacement began in January 2011, according to a Jan. 28 campuswide email from Lawrence. The committee, chaired by Senior Vice President for Administration Mark Collins, was comprised of students, faculty, administrators, a member of the chaplaincy and a university trustee. Two undergraduates, then-Student Union President Daniel Acheampong ’11 and Rebecca Bachman ’13, served on the committee. According to Lawrence’s email, the University retained Witt/Kieffer, an executive search firm, to aid the process of filling the position. According to Witt/Kieffer’s website, it is “the preeminent executive search firm that identifies outstanding leadership solutions for organizations committed to improving the quality of life.” Witt/Kieffer is not the same search firm used in the provost and president searches, which also took place over the course of the last year. Flagel was also the executive director for the Washington Journalism and Media Conference held at George Mason, which hosts 30,000 students from 140 countries, according to the conference’s website. Flagel graduated from George Washington University with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in education, according to the conference’s website. He earned his Ph.D. in Higher, Adult, and Lifelong Education at Michigan State University, according to BrandeisNOW. The conference’s website also states that Flagel served as director of admissions and recruitment at the University of Michigan-Flint and later as director of admissions and enrollment management for the Congressional Youth Leadership Council. Flagel also served as the regional director of admissions at The George Washington University. According to BrandeisNOW, Flagel is a columnist for My College Options, a website for which he writes about the college admissions process. Editor’s note: This is an updated version of an article originally posted online August 8.
3
GREETING THE CLASS OF 2015
Flagel will fill vacant SVP for Students and Enrollment job
■ Andrew Flagel joins
TUESDAY, august 30, 2011
●
TALI SMOOKLER/the Justice
Presenting with pride University President Frederick Lawrence presented the banner for the Class of 2015 with two first-years during Brandeis Beginnings, a welcome for new students and parents that took place in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center on Monday.
administration
Prof Susan Birren becomes dean of Arts and Sciences ■ Birren, who began her
term July 1, will succeed Adam Jaffe, who served in the position for 8 years. By sara dejene JUSTICE editor
Prof. Susan Birren (BIOL) was announced as the new dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, according to a June 17 campuswide email from University President Frederick Lawrence. Birren succeeded Dean Adam Jaffe, who served in the position for 8 years. According to the announcement, her tenure as dean began July 1. In an interview with the Justice, Provost-elect Steve A.N. Goldstein ‘78 said that Jaffe will be on sabbatical for the 2011-2012 academic year before returning to the Economics Department. Birren said in an interview with the Justice that Jaffe did an “excellent job” during his term as dean and that she was excited about her future role. “It’s such an opportunity to really interact with this university at a completely different level with colleagues of different disciplines ... and really do what I can to foster research, education and teaching and all these different components of the university that come together,” said Birren. Birren, who earned her Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, currently conducts research on the development of the nervous system and the establishment of functional circuits.
She is affiliated with the National Center for Behavioral Genomics; the Volen Center for Complex Systems; the Health: Science, Society and Policy Program; and the Psychology DeBirren partment. Additionally, Birren has served as chair of the Committee on Centers and Institutes and been recognized for her work in developmental neurobiology. According to the announcement, the decision was based on recommendations from a search committee appointed by then-Provost Marty Krauss. The committee, according to a March 8 campuswide email from Krauss, was chaired by Prof. Robin Feuer Miller (GRALL) and was also comprised of Profs. Peter Conrad (SOC), Sarah Lamb (ANTH), Eve Marder (NPSY), Charles McClendon (FA), Dean of Career Services at the Hiatt Career Center Joseph Du Pont, Assistant Vice President of the Office of Budget and Planning Kris McKeigue, Near Eastern and Judaic Studies PhD candidate Daniel Schwartz and undergraduate student Gabrielle Kaplan ’13. According to the Justice article, the committee sought nominations from the Brandeis faculty for a candidate who was already a member of the University’s faculty. This process was different from the search for Krauss’ successor, which resulted in the appointment of Goldstein—a professor of pediatrics from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine.
Goldstein said that the committee encountered difficulty narrowing down 30 “strong” candidates during the first round but said that Birren had a “long list of superlatives” that made her stand out from the other candidates, including her international recognition as a scholar and her embrace of the University’s mission, in addition to her vision of the University that is “much broader than the sciences.” Birren said that her interest in serving as dean resulted from her work on the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee, where she was able to work with faculty members of different disciplinary backgrounds. She also served on other committees and eventually became chair of the UCC. “It made me realize that we live in such a diverse interdisciplinary and disciplinary world. ... I’ve really grown to appreciate the opportunity to work with this very broad range of people who are interested in different but fascinating things.” In the announcement, Miller called Birren a “great addition to [Lawrence’s] stellar team.” Lawrence called Birren a “distinguished scholar, an experienced academic leader and a talented educator” in his email. Goldstein said that Birren was “energetic and thoughtful” and that she would serve the University “beautifully” during her upcoming term. “She brings everything to the table that you would want in the dean of [the College of] Arts and Sciences,” said Goldstein. “I could not be more enthusiastic.” Editor’s note: This is an updated version of an article originally posted online June 17.
Take pictures for the Justice!
Asher Krell/the Justice
Contact Yosef Schaffel and Tali Smookler at photos@thejustice.org for more information.
Read
Justice online!
the
www.thejustice.org
THE JUSTICE
finances
5
Trustee, donor Kraft ’64 dies at 68
■ Myra Kraft served as vice
chair of the Board of Trustees for 10 years and was the daughter of Jacob Hiatt, an early leader of the University. By Nashrah rahman JUSTICE editor
■ The rise in tuition reflects
new projects and the rising “cost of doing business” and is consistent with increases of prior years. By Marielle temkin JUSTICE editor
The total cost of attendance for all University students increased by 3.9 percent for the 2011-2012 academic year, according to a letter sent to Brandeis students in May by Vice President for Enrollment Keenyn McFarlane. The total amount for tuition, room and board and fees for the 2011-2012 academic year is $53,754, which is an increase from last year’s total of $51,668, though both numbers can vary depending on a student’s choice of meal plan and housing. In an interview with the Justice, McFarlane said that this year’s increase in tuition is “a moderate increase, though moderate is a subjective word because to families for who 3.9 [perecent] is a lot of money, it is upsetting.” He then added, “Brandeis has seen larger tuition increases, and I can’t think of a time when there has been a smaller increase.” In the letter McFarlane sent to Brandeis parents, he wrote, “We will continuously strive to control our costs, work more efficiently and more creatively, and invest in areas that directly serve our students.” The three areas he mentioned that would benefit from this increase were support for financial aid, an upgrade of the campus technology network and the renovation of the Linsey Pool. McFarlane said that the pool and network are “fairly visible and easy to point to for people to identify with,” but that the increase in tuition also reflects the fact that “the cost of doing business goes up every year because of inflation costs, labor costs and the cost of wages, … and all of the staff and the faculty you see, … the maintenance of existing buildings, also the cost of all contracts [Brandeis] holds.” In that same vein, he also said, “When tuition goes up, it goes up to support the overall academy and experience of the students.” And while tuition has increased, Brandeis’ new financial aid policy meets the full need of incoming students, according to McFarlane. He said that this policy says to parents that “[The administrators] know [tuition is] expensive and we’re trying to help out with that.” In an April interview with the Justice, Director of Network and Systems John Turner said that the network upgrade, which has a price tag of $6 million, “will revamp both the wireless and non-wireless networks.” In an April interview with the Justice, Senior Vice President for Administration Mark Collins said this upgrade is necessary because “the numbers of mobile devices that people are carrying … has just grown enormously over the past few years.” The Linsey Pool renovation “has been an important concern for students since it closed,” then-Student Union President Daniel Acheampong ’11 said in a March interview. The $3 million project will “help with the development and the growth of [Brandeis],” said Acheampong.
TUESDAY, August 30, 2011
obituary
A BELATED WELCOME
Univ tuition rises by 3.9 percent
●
LYDIA EMMANOUILIDOU/the Justice
Monday move-in Students and parents move belongings into residence halls on Monday, a day after Tropical Storm Irene hit and administrators canceled opening day events.
International business school
Provost reappoints Magid to a second term as dean ■ Dean of the IBS Bruce
Magid also received recognition for the IBS MAief program from the Financial Times. By SHANI ABRAMOWITZ JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
Provost Marty Krauss and Provost-elect Steve A.N. Goldstein ’78 announced this summer that Bruce Magid has been reappointed to serve a second 5-year term as dean of the International Business School, according to a June 29 BrandeisNOW press release. Magid joined the Brandeis faculty as dean of IBS in August 2007, and his upcoming term will run from July 1, 2012 to June 30, 2017, according to the press release. In an email to the Justice, Magid highlighted some of his goals for his upcoming term and indicated that the next few years will mark the beginning of a refreshing period for IBS. “We will maintain our distinctly global focus, … we’ll build on our reputation for delivering academic excellence, attract the best students from around the world and open up new job and internship possibilities—especially in emerging economies,” he said. “We will actively seek new opportunities to collaborate with departments and groups across the Brandeis campus. [And] finally, we plan to grow our visibility around the world especially in the business community.” “In addition, an important element of my role is to ensure [that] the school contributes to the wider Brandeis community,” wrote
Magid in his email to the Justice. Provost-elect, Steve A.N. Goldstein, who will officially begin work as provost on Sept. 1, said in the press release that he is looking forward to working with Magid in the future. “Bruce is a dynamic and visionary leader. His energy and commitment to excellence have helped bring well-deserved praise to [the] Brandeis International Business School,” Magid said Goldstein. Director of IBS Curriculum and Chair of the Undergraduate Business Program Edward Bayone said in an interview with the Justice, “Bruce did a great job leading us through the difficult years and has positioned IBS for growth and recognition as a world-class, globally focused business school.” Bayone praised Magid as “a champion of the new undergraduate Business major” and wrote, “Once the financial crisis eased, Bruce was able to recruit research-active faculty in a number of key fields, including marketing, finance and organizational behavior.” Magid, who has overseen the expansion of IBS to over 500 graduate students, is “very comfortable mingling with our students who come from more than 70 different countries,” wrote Bayone. Prior to working at Brandeis, Magid served as dean of the College of Business and the founding dean of the Lucas Graduate School of Business at San Jose
State University in San Jose, Calif. Before that, he was the founding executive director of MSU Global, Michigan State University’s Eli Broad Graduate School of Management, according to the press release. Prior to entering academic administration, Magid served as a managing director and senior vice president at Bank of America for 21 years. In addition to his duties as dean of IBS, Magid serves as treasurer and board member of the Massachusetts Office of International Trade and Investment and until recently was cochair of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities’ Sloan National Commission on Online Learning, according to the press release. IBS, under Magid’s leadership, recently received praise when it was ranked No. 1 in the United States for its Lemberg Master of Arts program in International Economics and Finance (MAief) in the Financial Times’ first ranking of the Top 30 Global Masters in Finance programs that do not require students to have prior work experience. The MAief program is designed to develop students’ expertise in international finance, economics and business. It is a program particularly suited for those planning careers in finance and economic policy around the world, according to the IBS website. “This recognition reflects the extraordinary progress the school has made in its short history. It is a tribute to our academic excellence due to the ceaseless efforts of faculty, staff, students, alumni and our friends who support the school,” said Magid in an email to the Justice regarding the No. 1 ranking.
Trustee Myra Kraft ’64, a “prominent and generous” alumna who supported several initiatives and student scholarships at Brandeis, died of cancer at the age of 68 on July 20, according to a BrandeisNOW press release on July 20. “I said this at the time and I believe it even more strongly today: with the passing of Myra Kraft, a great light has gone out in the world. She gave so much to so many, with her time, her caring and her tenacious Kraft advocacy,” wrote University Presi- dent Fredrick Lawrence in an August 22 email to the Justice. Kraft became a University trustee in 1986 and served as vice chair of the Board of Trustees for 10 years. She also served on the presidential search committee that brought Lawrence to the University. Along with her husband Robert, who is a businessman and owner of the New England Patriots football team, Kraft supported University initiatives as a chair in Arab politics and the Alumni Annual Fund. The Krafts also hosted important Brandeis events at their home, including one for Lawrence and his wife the night before his inauguration on March 31. In his email to the Justice, Lawrence wrote that Kraft, the daughter of Jacob Hiatt, who established the Hiatt Career Center, was a “true Brandeisian.” “The daughter of one of the visionary early leaders of Brandeis, she was a distinguished graduate and a trustee for a quarter century, all of which gave her a deep understanding of the university as both an institution and a community. She connected with students, faculty and staff, and her fellow trustees on a very personal level and people felt that and responded to her,” Lawrence wrote in his email. Along with her commitments to Brandeis, Kraft was involved in wider philanthropic efforts through the Robert and Myra Kraft Family Foundation, which supports “numerous institutions and organizations from small grass roots causes to major universities,” according to the Kraft Group website. Kraft also served as president of the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit organization that supports “charitable and philanthropic agencies throughout New England,” according to its website. Jonathan Davis ’75, a Brandeis trustee who worked with Kraft both as fellow alumnus and on local philanthropist efforts, said in an interview with the Justice that they were “very close acquaintances and friends.” He said that Kraft was a “unique” person with a “boundless sense of generosity” whose passing is a “huge loss for the community.” Senior Vice President of Institutional Advancement Nancy Winship, who knew Kraft for 20 years, said an interview with the Justice that she admired the way in which Kraft treated people. “It wouldn’t matter what position you were in, whether you were an administrative assistant or you were a senior vice president, [Kraft] treated everyone as equals,” Winship said. “Her generous support of causes and organizations from Boston to Israel has been well documented, but she was not just a philanthropist, she was a humanitarian in both the personal sense and the community sense. This is a tremendous loss and we can only hope that the remarkable life that Myra lived will inspire all of us, in our own ways, to follow her legacy of giving and caring,” Lawrence wrote in his email to the Justice. Kraft is survived by her husband; her sons Jonathan, Daniel, Josh and David; her sister, Janice; and six grandchildren, according to the BrandeisNOW press release.
6
TUESDAY, August 30, 2011 ● THE JUSTICE
ADMINISTRATION
Lawrence connects with Israel
faculty
Professor Anita Hill practices law as of counsel at DC firm ■ Hill will continue in
her position at Brandeis University as a full-time faculty member while working at the firm, located in Washington D.C. By SARA DEJENE JUSTICE EDITOR
PHOTOS COURTESY OF OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS
INSPIRED BY AN ALUM: University President Frederick Lawrence met with CEO of the Jerusalem International YMCA Forsan Hussein ’00, the first Muslim CEO of a YMCA.
■ Lawrence traveled with a
delegation to several Israeli schools, spoke at a panel and hosted alumni events. By SARA DEJENE JUSTICE EDITOR
This summer, University President Frederick Lawrence and several administrators traveled to Israel to explore opportunities for collaboration in the sciences and to connect with education leaders, alumni and friends of the University in Israel, according to a June 12 BrandeisNOW press release. The trip, which Lawrence wrote about on his blog, lasted from June 12 to 23. According to BrandeisNOW, Lawrence and his delegation visited several Israeli research universities as well as Al-Quds University, a Palestinian school that has campuses in the West Bank and Jerusalem. Brandeis has had a partnership with Al-Quds University since 2003 and staff and student exchanges since 2005. Lawrence met with Al-Quds University President
Sari Nusseibeh and later met with Hebrew University President Menachem Ben-Sasson, according to Lawrence’s blog. Lawrence wrote that he and BenSasson discussed opportunities for collaboration between Brandeis and Hebrew University, “such as ways in which faculty members from both schools can work together to pursue shared interests.” At the University of Haifa, Lawrence wrote that his meetings “[held] seeds for potential collaborative efforts in faculty research and student exchanges.” Lawrence’s wife Kathy Lawrence; Vice President for Global Affairs and Director of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life Dan Terris; Associate Director of the University’s Office of Development and Alumni Relations Ruth Aronson; Provost-elect Steve A.N. Goldstein; Prof. Seth Fraden (PHYS); Prof. Lizbeth Hedstrom (BIOL); and Associate Provost for Innovation Irene Abrams accompanied Lawrence on his trip. In addition, Lawrence wrote on his blog that he and his delegation visited several Israeli high schools.
“[W]e shared the Brandeis vision with some of Israel’s most inquisitive and energized—I dare say, Brandeisian—students,” wrote Lawrence. According to his blog, Lawrence also visited Yemin Orde Youth Village, where refugees from Darfur, Sudan and Ethiopia live and study. Lawrence wrote that the village instills a sense of community among students and helps them continue to graduate schools and some of the “highest positions” in various fields in Israel. During his trip, Lawrence also spoke as part of the Israeli Presidential Conference in a forum titled “The Universities of Tomorrow,” according to BrandeisNOW. On his blog, Lawrence wrote that he presented what he called the “Brandeis vision” of preparing students for both the immediate job market and for the next generation. According to his blog, at the same event, Lawrence also spoke alongside former Chief Justice of Israel’s Supreme Court Aharon Barak about freedom of speech in both Israel and the United States. Lawrence wrote that this discus-
sion would be a “model for future Brandeis-Israel collaborations.” According to his blog, Lawrence hosted two events for alumni in Israel, one in Jerusalem and one in Tel Aviv. “[I]t was inspiring to see the enthusiasm, spirit and support of Brandeis alumni on the ground in Israel,” wrote Lawrence. “I know that these members of the Brandeis family will be very helpful to our efforts.” In an interview with the Justice, Lawrence said that Israel is an obvious partner for Brandeis. Lawrence also described his trip in an Aug. 17 email to the Brandeis community. “The trip was inspiring,” wrote Lawrence, “and led to a strengthening of the historic ties between Brandeis and a wide range of institutions in Israel. ... This visit was an important step forward in our strategic initiative to build Brandeis into a true global liberal arts university.” Lawrence also wrote in his email that he is planning a similar trip to India this winter. —Angrew Wingens contributed reporting.
RESEARCH
Court ruling causes policy evaluation ■ The United States
Supreme Court ruled by majority against Stanford University in a patent case. By aNDREW WINGENS JUSTICE EDITOR
A recent United States Supreme Court ruling has caused the University to evaluate its policies regarding intellectual property rights, according to Associate Provost for Innovation and Executive Director of the Office of Technology Licensing Irene Abrams in an interview with the Justice. In June, the United States Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of Roche Molecular Systems over Stanford University in a patent dispute. The case originated from a situation in 2005 in which Stanford University sued Roche Molecular Systems, Inc. for patent infringement, said Senior Vice President and General Counsel Judith Sizer in a November 2010 interview with the Justice. An appeals court decision in 2010 ruled against Stanford and granted
Roche the rights to federally funded research that was done at Stanford. The patent in dispute was for methods of evaluating the efficacy of anti-HIV therapies, which Stanford University postdoctoral fellow Mark Holodniy developed with funding from the federal government. In November, Abrams said that if the Federal Circuit Court decision were to stand, this case could create a problem for the University. “The concern is that it will put a chill over investment in early stage research, which is an issue for Brandeis as a university,” she said. According to Sizer, at the heart of this case was the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, which attempts to clarify ownership of research conducted at universities and give universities the clear title to their research that is funded by federal money. Abrams explained in a November 2010 interview with the Justice that Brandeis has benefited from the Bayh-Dole Act with patents on products such as Smart Balance, developed by lipid expert Prof. K. C. Hayes (BIOL) and research scientist Dan Perlman (BIOL). According to a Nov. 4 BrandeisNOW press release, the University
has nearly 300 active patents and 53 active license agreements. Abrams added that Brandeis receives most of its research funding from the federal government. Roche argued that Stanford did not hold the full title to the patents because the Stanford faculty inventor had signed a visitor confidentiality agreement while using a Roche lab, which gave Roche ownership of any invention from subsequent research at the lab. In response, Stanford claimed that the involvement of federal funds provided the University with ownership to the patent because of the Bayh-Dole Act, which is legislation that gives universities the right to assume ownership of federally funded research. In December of 2010, after the Supreme Court agreed to hear the case, Brandeis and 53 fellow members of the Association of American Universities filed a brief arguing that the Supreme Court should overturn the earlier appeals court decision that had granted Roche the rights to the research, according to Sizer in an email to the Justice. In August 2011, following the Supreme Court ruling against Stanford,
Abrams said in an interview with the Justice, “In some ways [the ruling] doesn’t change anything because [the University wasn’t] really relying on Bayh-Dole as our means of ownership. … From that point of view, what it really did is highlight the fact that universities have to be really careful about their policies.” Abrams said she, in coordination with the General Counsel’s office, is evaluating the University’s policies to determine if changes need to be made. According to a June 7 Brandeis press release, the AAU and the Biotechnology Industry Organization issued a joint statement following the ruling of the Supreme Court. “Although BIO and the undersigned higher education associations held different views on the Stanford v. Roche case, the organizations are united in the desire to ensure that the U.S. technology transfer system continues to generate these public benefits through the robust provisions of the Bayh-Dole statute,” it read. “We are committed to working together in light of the Supreme Court’s decision to ensure the continued vibrancy of public-private partnerships and success of our shared objectives.”
Prof. Anita Hill (Heller) is joined the Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll Civil Rights and Employment Practice group of counsel, according to the firm’s website. Partner and Head of the Civil Rights and Employment Practice group Joseph M. Sellers stated in a July 21 press release from the firm that the firm was “honored and excited” to have Hill Hill working with them. “Outrageous discriminatory acts still routinely take place in everyday life,” said Sellers. “Anita’s extensive civil rights experience and broad network of contacts will allow us to quickly identify wrongdoing and seek redress for victims.” Hill declined a request for an interview, but did say that she wanted to clear any “misconception[s]” that she would be leaving the University. “I will not be leaving Brandeis,” said Hill. “I will remain here on the faculty at a full-time position.” In an email to the Justice, Hill wrote that she will “be working with Cohen Milstein as [her] responsibilities to Brandeis permit.” In the press release, Hill described the firm as “prestigious and committed” and said that she “look[s] forward” to joining Cohen Milstein to “fight race and gender discrimination of all kinds.” According to the University’s website, Hill, who is a professor of social policy, law and women’s studies, first started her law career as an associate with Wald, Harkrader & Ross, a Washington D.C. law firm. She became special counsel to the assistant secretary of the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights in 1981. She then worked as adviser to the chairman of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1982 to 1983. She then taught at as an assistant professor at Oral Roberts University until 1986, when she joined the faculty of the University of Oklahoma College of Law. She also served as a visitng professor at the University of California’s Institute for the Study of Social Change and Brandeis University’s Women’s Studies Program. She then became a faculty member of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll specializes in antitrust, securities fraud, investor protection, civil rights, human rights, consumer protection and unsafe products, employee benefits and public client cases. The practice holds offices in Washington D.C., New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Florida.
THE JUSTICE
IRENE: Storm brings heavy rain, wind
CONTINUED FROM 1
man Residence Hall experienced about a 1/2 inch of floodwater early Sunday morning. Maser and his roommate clogged the space under their door with towels and they then found that the water was seeping through the basement door. “It was an absolute waterfall,” he wrote. Facilities Services responded in “a few minutes and were extremely helpful and efficient in attending to the situation. … They went along the hall with a water vacuum and used it to suck up the water beneath all our beds. ... They found the source of the problem, a clogged drain right outside the basement door and handled the problem fully within the hour,” wrote Maser. University President Frederick Lawrence wrote on his blog, Brandeis First, that “Hurricane Irene was no match for the enthusiasm and energy of our newest Brandeisians. … Irene called for flexibility and creativity and our team excelled in both.” Hurricane Irene hit North Carolina first on Saturday and then proceeded up the East Coast, hitting the New York City area, while weakening to a tropical storm, according to The New York Times. One death was reported in Massachusetts on Monday, while 700,000 residents had no electricity during the height of the storm on Sunday, according to boston.com. Other areas of the Eastern Seaboard were hit harder with 21 reported deaths and millions without power.
●
TUESDAY, august 30, 2010
7
ORIENTATION GAMES
TALI SMOOKLER/the Justice
Playing ninja Orientation Leaders wore bright yellow shirts and entertained their groups playing an icebreaker game called “ninja” in the Levin Ballroom following the New Student Barbecue, which took place Sunday evening.
ROSE: Settlement not to require any monetary payments to plaintiffs CONTINUED FROM 1 top-tier ... director.” In addition, the settlement agreement does not require Brandeis to make monetary payments to any of the plaintiffs; it must only uphold the agreement and act in the best interests of the museum and its future. The plaintiffs in the suit were members of the Rose Board of Overseers Meryl Rose, Jonathan Lee, Lois Foster and Gerald Fineberg. Their claims against the University have been dismissed by the Suffolk Probate and Family Court in Boston, and the Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General terminated its review of the University on June 20. All of the plaintiffs agreed in the settlement to “release and relinquish their claims in the Action,” meaning that they will no longer pursue legal action against Brandeis. In the case of Fineberg and his wife Sandra, who are funding current renovations
to the museum aimed at making the building more energy efficient and aesthetically pleasing, the University agreed to double the size of a plaque that recognizes the Finebergs’ donation and display the plaque more prominently in the museum. In an interview with the Justice, Lee said that he was happy with the settlement. “I would certainly say I am getting what I want, which is the assurance that the University is not going to sell its art,” said Lee. According to Lee, Lawrence was directly involved in the settlement decision. “He’s agreed not to sell any of the art and he wants to get an appropriate museum director hired and he wants to restore the Rose to its glory, if you will,” said Lee. “So all of this is good news to my ears.” The dispute began in January 2009, when the Board of Trustees voted to authorize the sale of artwork from the museum if necessary, according to
the press release. The Justice reported in an Oct. 20, 2009 article that “the lawsuit ... seeks to maintain the Rose collection by stating that the University’s decision to close it and sell its paintings would violate museum ethical codes. ... [It] also states that the University’s decision violates its commitment to the Rose family to maintain the museum solely as a public museum.” This authorization was made in an effort to help Brandeis cope with an endowment that had been severely diminished during the financial crisis, according to The New York Times. The Board’s 2009 decision drew national attention and criticism, and the University ultimately sold no artwork. In March, Brandeis announced widespread renovations to the Museum, funded by the Finebergs. In an email to the Justice, Prof. Ellen Schattschneider (ANTH) wrote, “I am enormously relieved to learn
of the settlement between Brandeis … and the plaintiffs in the Rose lawsuit. ... Many of us on the faculty are looking forward to a close working relationship with the Museum, which is so vital to the special intellectual and cultural missions of Brandeis.” About the financial situation that led to the decision to sell artwork and the resulting lawsuit, Lee said, “It was an unfortunate road that we all had to go down. I’m just pleased that it’s over and that it’s come out the way that it has. You don’t want museums to be at risk of losing the stuff that reminds us of where we’ve been and what we are as a society because of a short term financial problem. This lawsuit has established that for a wider audience.” —Emily Kraus and Sara Dejene contributed reporting. Editor’s note: This is an updated version of the article originally posted online June 30.
PROVOST: Goldstein to serve as Univ chief academic officer CONTINUED FROM 1
Lawrence and then-President Jehuda Reinharz, which evaluated the roles of provost and senior vice president for Students and Enrollment. The committee, among other suggestions, strengthened the role of the provost and defined the position as the “Chief Academic Officer and the second-ranking member of the administration,” according to the November committee report. Under these new guidelines, which Lawrence and Reinharz accepted and announced in a Dec. 2, 2010 campuswide email, both Academic Services and the Office of the University Registrar now report to the provost instead of the senior vice president of Students and Enrollment, according to the report. Lawrence wrote in his June 1 email that, “As provost, Steve will serve as the University’s Chief Academic officer.” In that role, he explained, Goldstein will supervise many of the University’s senior officers, the Office of the Arts and the Rose Art Museum, as well as research centers and institutes. Since becoming president in Janu-
ary, Lawrence has placed an emphasis on developing a strategic plan for the University, and Goldstein will have a leadership role in that planning process, said Lawrence in a June 2 interview with the Justice. According to Lawrence, “One of the most important goals for Steve is that he will play a very important leadership role in the strategic planning process that will begin even this summer and continue on through into the fall as we begin to plan the next steps for Brandeis.” In an interview with the Justice, Goldstein also emphasized the role of a strategic plan for the University’s future. “I think where we are is excellent, where we’ve come in 60 years is impressive, and where we can go is hard to fathom, and so I think the strategic plan is crucial to charting the right course for the next 5 to 10 years, and so I am enthusiastic about being involved in that with all levels of the institution,” he said. A search committee to find Krauss’ successor was formed in January. According to a Jan. 5 email from Lawrence, the committee was comprised of six faculty members, three staff members, a trustee, a graduate
student and one undergraduate student. The provost search committee was chaired by Prof. Sacha Nelson (BIOL), includes Ph.D. candidate Jane Harries, Student Union Director of Academic Affairs Marla Merchut ’12, Prof. John Plotz (ENG), Chair of East Asian Studies Prof. Aida Yuen Wong (FA), Prof. David Cunningham (SOC), Prof. Anita Hill (Heller), Prof. Carol Osler (IBS), Senior Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer Frances Drolette, Dean of Academic Services Kim Godsoe, Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Michaele Whelan and member of the Board of Trustees and Heller School Board of Overseers Thomas Glynn, according to a Jan. 18 Justice article. The committee also partnered with the search firm Storbeck/Pimentel and Associates, LLC, the same firm that helped identify Lawrence as a candidate for president, to recommend potential candidates for the position, according to that Justice article. In a June 2 interview with the Justice, Plotz, who served as a faculty representative on the committee, said, “The thing that came up again and again [in the search process] that
I think really relates to Steve is that people really wanted vision, and they wanted people ... who were not afraid to take chances and to try out new ways of thinking about the model of what makes a great university. The president had signaled really strongly that he was interested in ... people looking forward to completely different ways of conceptualizing what a university is. [Goldstein] was exciting in that way. Steve Goldstein was someone who stood out, I think, to everyone who met him as someone who has this incredible creativity, imagination and vision.” When asked in an interview with the Justice what advice she would impart on Goldstein, Krauss said, “He is going to need a good year to really understand the calendar of Brandeis and to get to know the faculty and the academic programs and I think he should take that year to become fully aware of all of the strengths and challenges Brandeis faces.” Lawrence wrote in his email that Goldstein grew up in New York City and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brandeis in biochemistry in 1978, graduating Phi Beta Kappa. Goldstein also holds an M.D. and
Ph.D. in immunology from Harvard University and “is a leading authority on the molecular mechanisms underlying normal cardiac function and sudden life-threatening diseases of the heart,” wrote Lawrence. Goldstein served from 1993 to 2004 on the faculty at the Yale University School of Medicine and in 2004 he became the chairman of the department of pediatrics and physician-inchief at Comer Children’s Hospital at the University of Chicago. Goldstein said, “Both as an undergraduate and as a postdoctoral trainee at Brandeis, I received the precious gift that the school bestows so naturally: a personalized education,” in a BrandeisNOW press release. “Here, students are given a remarkable opportunity to pursue their dreams. I cannot think of a more exciting challenge than returning to Brandeis to help others find new ways to shape the world in which we live.” —Emily Kraus contributed reporting. Editor’s note: This is an updated version of an article that was originally posted online on June 1.
8
features
TUESDAY, august 30, 2011
just
●
THE JUSTICE
VERBATIM | VIC BRADEN The moment of enlightenment is when a person’s dreams of possibilities become images of probabilities.
ON THIS DAY…
FUN FACT
In 1836, the city of Houston was founded by Augustus Chapman Allen and John Kirby Allen.
About 18 percent of animal owners share their bed with their pet.
A trendy democracy
PHOTO COURTESY OF SAM SISAKHTI
ENTREPRENEUR : Fashion-forward Sam Sisakhti ’07 works as the CEO of UsTrendy.
Sam Sisakhti ’07 gives consumers a voice in fashion with UsTrendy By rachel miller justice CONTRIBUTING writer
In a world where democracies are tenuous, Sam Sisakhti ’07 insisted on establishing a business in which democracy reigns. After coming to the realization that the fashion industry was not providing designers and consumers with much of a say in the processes of producing and buying, Sisakhti set out to change it. In 2008, UsTrendy.com was born. After graduating from Brandeis with a degree in Finance and Economics, Sisakhti landed what he calls a “pretty decent job” in the corporate finance world but left after only 4 days. “I was trying to escape the corporate rat race mentality and doing the same thing every day,” he explained in an interview with the Justice. Confident that his friend, another Brandeis alumnus, was going to be the next big designer but seeing that the friend had lost about 20 pounds because of his struggle with breaking into the industry, Sisakhti recognized the difficulties that new designers faced. This realization combined with his passion for fashion convinced Sisakhti to move from finance to fashion. Sisakhti believed that with the use of technology and the Internet, he would be able to “sidestep a lot of the traditional gatekeepers in the industry” to create a unique and innovative business. “I was cognizant of the fact that it seemed like [fashion] was a medieval industry, and I felt like technology
had modernized a lot of industries. But for some reason, fashion was kind of lingering behind,” he explained. With the use of technology, Sisakhti would have the ability to help designers from around the globe reach consumers directly without going through traditional retail systems. Sisakhti wanted to help these independent designers break through the barriers of the notoriously difficult fashion industry. On the same token, he wished to allow the consumers to play a part in the process of discovering these designers and deciding for themselves which designers should be successful through a voting process. “I also realized that there was a select few people deciding what’s in and what’s out, and it didn’t seem like it was a business decision; [it was] just their personal intuition.” And so, Sisakhti established UsTrendy.com as a website that sells independent, vintage and vintageinspired clothing lines while serving two constituencies. “It allows designers from around the world to break all political, economical and other restrictions the fashion industry puts on them and at the same time allows consumers to be able to shop from designers all over the world and also have a voice in the fashion process,” the founder and CEO said. To begin planning for the success of UsTrendy.com, Sisakhti began by writing a weekly updated business plan. Finding himself a cofounder that would compliment his skill set was another early step that Sisakhti
PHOTO COURTESY OF SAM SISAKHTI
BUSINESS IN STYLE: Knowledgeable in both business and fashion, Sisakhti has combined his skills to change the fashion world. took toward the creation of his company. Together, Sisakhti and his partner starting raising money to get their business going, seeking out those who funded their competitors to fund them as well. Initially, Sisakhti spent a lot of time knocking on venture capitalists’ doors but soon realized that rather than allowing the venture capitalists to dictate his business, he should spend his time and energy on building the business, without their help. “My advice to entrepreneurs is bootstrap as much as you can in early days. … If you show good progress the funding will come.” Taking matters into his own hands, or bootstrapping, Sisakhti visited over 30 fashion school campuses and sought out students with whom to build partnerships. Sisakhti found students who were attracted to the competitions that UsTrendy.com initiated. “I was pretty happy with the fact that we didn’t have to spend very much money and we were able to fill our designer base in a viral way.” In this way, Sisakhti helped build the business and make its name known and respected in the fashion world. In addition to forming designer networks, Sisakhti needed to know exactly what the designers needed. “When we first started, we didn’t really know how much help [the designers] needed. … Pretty soon we found out that all of the designers were at different stages in their careers and needed different things, so we wanted
to be able to provide them with a full gamut of services.” Since Sisakhti did not want to be the one to decide which designers received funding and which ones didn’t, he started seasonal competitions in which the public can vote on which designers they like best. Once finalists win and are elected to receive funding from UsTrendy, UsTrendy puts them in touch with production facilities. According to Sisakhti, the designers need the most help promoting their clothing using the e-commerce system and managing their inventory and logistics of a clothing line. UsTrendy provides designers with workshops teaching them how to do sketches, how to fund their clothing lines and informing them about the e-commerce and marketing aspects of a fashion line. A highlight of the many successes of UsTrendy is its ability to provide designers with their own runway shows at London’s Fashion Week, one of the four biggest fashion shows in the world, along with the shows in New York, Paris and Milan. While at first the London Fashion Week committee was not very receptive to UsTrendy, “by the next year we had so many designers, … so they [said], ‘Hey, maybe we can work something out.’” UsTrendy was therefore able to give independent fashion designers their own runway shows, “an opportunity of a lifetime,” according to Sisakhti. While Sisakhti may have struggled at first, today UsTrendy.com is an established and successful fashion de-
sign data base. “You’ll be amazed at how far you can get with perseverance. I had so many doors closed in my face. I was in Silicon Valley for almost a year and a half, and no one would fund my company. I stuck with it and ended up getting funding from one of the biggest [venture capitalists] in the world.” Today, UsTrendy is comprised of 14 people and has offices in Kendall Square, Mass. and Silicon Valley, Calif. Of the 7,000 clothing lines that are sold on UsTrendy.com, over 95 percent of them are indie fashion, while the rest are vintage or vintageinspired. In 2 years, UsTrendy has become one of the largest fashion design databases on the web. The advice the entrepreneurial Brandeis grad gives is to just “go for it. If you overthink it, you’re going kill yourself because you can think of a million reasons of why not to do something. Just jump in.” For Sisakhti, the best part of the job today is that “every day is different and I don’t know what to expect,” keeping the creative and innovate entrepreneur busy and enjoying work. “I was always creative, maybe because I was an only child, [and had] to humor myself and entertain myself in the house,” he says. “But if you would have told me that I was going to be in fashion, I would have never believed it. I always enjoyed it as a hobby, but it never seemed like a realistic career path for me,” he continued. UsTrendy certainly became realistic and even stylistic.
THE JUSTICE
●
TUESDAY, august 30, 2011
9
The Crumbs craze
BIG TREATS: One of Crumbs’ one-of-a-kind cupcake collections, the Signature Size Picnic Pack, is made of cupcakes as heavy as 6 ounces and close to 4 inches in height, almost double the size of the average cupcake.
Mia Bauer ’91 cofounded the largest US-based cupcake chain By dafna fine justice editor
It started a national cupcake craze. It has 35 company stores in six states, spanning the map from New York to California. It has over 50 varieties, ranging from the classic red velvet to key lime to margarita. It started as a neighborhood bakery and today is listed on the NASDAQ stock exchange. It has revolutionized the cupcake. Founded in 2003 by Mia Bauer ’91 and husband Jason Bauer, Crumbs is the largest U.S.-based cupcake retailer. The idea to start the business came as a kind of “revelation,” according to Mia, who loved to bake as a kid. Feeling that her previous career as a lawyer was “naturally coming to an end,” the two decided to go into business together because they felt there was “something [that] worked really great in our personal relationship that we thought would work really well in a business relationship,” Mia said in an interview with the Justice. In a short 48-hour period of exploring a few ideas, the two decided to open a bakery. “We [said], ‘Yeah, let’s do it; because we were so confident we’d be able to put it together, and we just jumped in,” Mia said, adding that if they had spent the time creating a proper business plan, they may never have done it. In March 2003, the couple opened the doors of a small neighborhood bakery—the first Crumbs store—on the Upper West Side of Manhattan without any formal baking training. A full bakery with a wide variety of baked goods available, the couple decided to add a few cupcakes to the mix. Cupcakes were not a popular dessert at the time, but were a personal favorite for Mia which she would eat when she was a child. “Up until we opened, people weren’t seeking out cupcakes necessarily. Within a week of us opening our doors, we saw the demand for cupcakes was huge. … People were crazy for the cupcakes,” Mia said. Slowly adding cupcake flavors and varieties to their selection to keep up with the demand of their customers, the Crumbs cupcake craze only grew. “[Cupcakes] are such a nostalgic treat. ... They’re the perfect individualized dessert, and they make people feel a certain way. … I think we’ve tapped into that feeling with people; it just makes people really happy to
BUSINESS-SAVVY BAKERS: Crumbs cofounders Jason and Mia Bauer show off their famous cupcakes. have a cupcake,” Mia said. The demand quickly turned the small neighborhood bakery into a national phenomenon, with stores popping up in Connecticut, Illinois, Virginia and Washington D.C. as well as 14 in New York City alone. Their revenue was $542,200 in 2003 and grew to $31.1 million in 2010. The Crumbs sales for 2011 are projected to be $40-45 million and to almost double in 2012, according to the company’s website. Starting at 1 inch in size and small enough to pop in your mouth, the Crumbs cupcakes are available as large as 6 1/2 inches high, which serve as many as eight people. Over 1 million cupcakes are sold each month to customers ranging from kids to businessmen, and Crumbs ships nationwide. The plan is to expand to 200 stores by 2014. “I always tease Jason; I don’t really know what was going on in his head [when we started]. … I thought we were just opening up
a neighborhood bakery, but given where we were 7 years ago, 8 years ago, and where we are now, I have to believe that somewhere in his head that first week, [when] we had lines out the door, … his mind started going,” she laughed. A business major “since he was three,” as Mia joked about her husband, with a degree in marketing and finance from Boston University and an entrepreneurial attitude, Jason possesses business skills that have been instrumental in making the company what is today. And while the Brandeis alumna, who studied Politics and holds a juris doctor from New York Law School, says she knew nothing about business when she started, today she is equally involved in the business end of Crumbs. This year, the couple was named the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year New York Award Winners, and both are listed on Forbes.com. “Often in conversation or in interviews I
get referred to as an entrepreneur, and I really kind of look to my left and my right and I’m like, ‘Who are you talking about?’ she joked. Business-savvy as she has become, Mia still loves the “creative baking end” of owning Crumbs, making the two the ultimate partners. While she holds the title of chief creative officer, he is the chief executive officer. “We’re a very good balance. I’m at one end of the spectrum, and he’s at the other, and we always meet in the middle,” Mia said of working with her husband, calling Crumbs a love story. In touch throughout the day even when he’s in the office and she’s in the field, the couple still have Crumbs on their mind when they go home at night. “We talk about business all night, too. And we enjoy it. I don’t think either one of us see it as a chore,” Mia said. While the Crumbs business has become huge, becoming the first publicly traded cupcake chain, the Bauers work to maintain the neighborhood feel they started with back in 2003. “It’s one of, if not the most important component that our customers feel like it’s their neighborhood bakery, no matter how many locations we have,” Mia said. Always looking to keep its customers happy, Crumbs frequently adds new and uniquely flavored cupcakes to the mix, taking suggestions from employees and customers. “I’m just inspired by everything. … You’ll see a color or a movie or something so random can inspire a flavor or a look of a cupcake and that’s always been the case for me. … I love talking to kids about what they want in a cupcake because there’s no filter, which is what I want. The craziest idea they can come up with is the best,” Mia said. The old-fashioned chocolate and vanilla cupcakes have been joined by blackbottom cheesecake brownie, cookie dough, cappuccino and vanilla coconut, along with dozens more, as a result of the Bauers sheer creativity, savvy business skills and desire to keep their customers happy. Their favorite flavors? “Jason’s is definitely the hostess. I’m all over the map. For years it was raspberry swirl, more recently red velvet. I take for granted how many years I had to work to get that right,” Mia said. Raspberry swirl or red velvet, they’ve sent America into a cupcake coma.
♦ Photos courtesy of Crumbs Bake Shop
10
TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011
●
THE JUSTICE
Justice Justice
the the
Established 1949, Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Established 1949
Emily Kraus, Editor in Chief Nashrah Rahman, Managing Editor Brian N. Blumenthal, Production Editor Hillel Buechler, Deputy Editor Rebecca Blady, Asher Krell, Tess Raser and Robyn Spector, Associate Editors Sara Dejene, News Editor Andrew Wingens, Acting News Editor Dafna Fine, Features Editor Eitan Cooper, Forum Editor Jeffrey Boxer, Sports Editor Wei-Huan Chen, Arts Editor Ariel Kay, Acting Arts Editor Yosef Schaffel and Tali Smookler, Photography Editors Nan Pang, Acting Layout Editor Marielle Temkin, Copy Editor Cody Yudkoff, Advertising Editor
A proper settlement for the Rose During the summer, the University and plaintiffs Meryl Rose, Jonathan Lee, Lois Foster and Gerald Fineberg settled their 2-year Rose Art Museum litigation. In an email he sent out to the Brandeis community June 30, University President Frederick Lawrence stated that, “The agreement emphasizes that the Rose is and will remain a University art museum open to the public and that Brandeis has no plan to sell artwork.” This board would like to congratulate all involved for settling amicably and for securing the future of the Rose Art Museum. According to the settlement agreement, the parties settled with the understanding that the museum would remain public, professionally staffed and, above all, committed to the arts. This editorial board is pleased that the Rose remains an important part of this campus and a priority of the University. We support this commitment to the arts, which are an integral and significant part of the University’s mission and crucial to the liberal arts education Brandeis promises to all of its students. This board also congratulates Mr. Lawrence’s active and strategic role in the settlement. Mr. Lee attributes the settlement to the president’s shared goals for the Rose with the plaintiffs. In an interview with the Justice in June, Lee said, “Lawrence agreed not to sell any of the art, and he wants to get an appropriate museum director hired, and he wants to restore the Rose to its glory, if you will.” We applaud Mr.
Kudos to all parties involved Lawrence’s direct role in securing the future of the Rose, as it demonstrates his personal commitment to the Rose Art Museum and University arts as a whole. This in particular is a point of pride for our entire community in the wake of the 2009 scandal that called the University’s commitment to the arts into question in a very public manner. In Mr. Lawrence’s fall campuswide President’s Letter, he affirmed that the settlement marked a close to one chapter of the Rose’s history and that the University could now “turn [its] attention to the Rose’s fiftieth anniversary celebration, the much-anticipated renovations to the building, and the hiring of a new director for the museum.” This board is excited to witness this new chapter of the Rose, beginning with the upcoming 50th anniversary celebrations and the new renovations happening this fall. As Director of Museum Operations Roy Dawes told BrandeisNOW in May 2011, “It’s absolutely terrific. … The cleanliness of the lines will enhance the space and our ability to display artwork. The circulation of viewers through the space will be greatly improved and new display opportunities will be created.” We look forward to seeing these changes in the upcoming months, and we are excited to finally see the University’s image strengthening in the art world as we put an ugly chapter of the history of the Rose Art Museum behind us.
Despite Irene, move-in a success This past Sunday, the steady winds and drenching rains of Tropical Storm Irene swept through campus for several hours. This board commends the Division of Student Affairs, Escort Safety Services and Facilities Services for their responsiveness to the unclear and late weather forecasts. Fortunately, University administrators decided on Thursday to make Saturday an optional move-in day, and by Friday, the original Sunday move-in and formal start of first-year orientation was shifted to Monday, a change that allowed the University to sidestep the possible dangers and chaos of undertaking the day’s logistical challenges in tropical-storm conditions. Overall, it appears that the alternate move-in days were successful. The large banner on the University’s website as well as easy-to-find information on the Orientation website was frequently updated and helped to facilitate a relatively smooth move-in. We appreciate this gesture, which eased communication and certainly alleviated some potential confusion. The success of the overall move-in for the Class of 2015, despite the last-minute logistical alterations, also stems from the ease with which the several dozen energetic orientation leaders adjusted to the new schedule and coordinated move-in last Saturday, one day early. Furthermore, we commend the Core
Crisis averted thanks to OLs committee and the rest of the orientation leaders on what has thus far appeared to be a smooth scheduling transition for first-year orientation. While it would have been preferable for the first-years to have had some type of organized activities available on Sunday during the peak hours of tropical storm conditions, the overall response to the storm was generally appropriate. The availability of campus dining options was greatly appreciated. The Crystal Shuttle bus route on Loop Road throughout Sunday was a thoughtful idea by Escort Safety Services, as it allowed students to safely move through the main area of campus if they needed to leave their rooms. We also commend Facilities Services for their speedy and continuous responses to the problems that arose on campus, from flooding to fallen tree limbs. Crews could be seen throughout campus pumping water from flooded areas the day of the storm, and there were also carpet-repair teams on site in advance of the weather. The tropical storm, although less severe than expected, could have potentially been a larger stressor for new and returning students. However, relevant parties within the University handled the situation in a meticulous, attentive manner that we commend.
NASHRAH RAHMAN/the Justice
Honor our legacy of liberal education By Andrew FLAGEL SPECIAL TO THE JUSTICE
“Those persons, whom nature has endowed with genius and virtue, should be rendered by liberal education worthy to receive, and able to guard the sacred deposit of the rights and liberties of their fellow citizens; and … they should be called to that charge without regard to wealth, birth or other accidental condition or circumstance.” Having spent the past decade in Virginia, quoting Thomas Jefferson can become an occupational hazard. The quotation above, however, seemed particularly relevant as I begin my tenure at Brandeis. My good friend and dear colleague, Rick Davis, in addition to being a spectacularly well-loved professor of theater, also blogs about the liberal arts for the American Association of Colleges and Universities. Citing the quotation above in a recent post, he reminded me of our many conversations regarding the virtue—and obligation— of a rigorous liberal arts education. Unfortunately, in a sweeping and potentially inaccurate generalization, our society has not recently been over-supportive of the liberal arts. Apart from a visceral fear of the term, “liberal,” the public and, by extension, many parents and students, appear largely focused on career and income. I am not, of course, disputing the importance of either income or career success, and I wish tremendous helpings of both for all of our students. I find it confounding, confusing and altogether discombobulating, however, when families openly accept a false dichotomy between these values and a liberal arts education. The reality is that most employers—certainly those that hire in the most lucrative, engaging and expanding fields— tend to look less at preparation for specific vocational tasks and seek more to hire individuals that demonstrate mastery of vital skills: communication, problem solving, critical thinking, collaboration and synthesis, just to name a few. Conveniently, these are, to one degree or another, the results of a great liberal arts education. Brandeis, as a result, is uniquely positioned to offer you more than the limited success of entry-level placement in a field. Instead, we offer arguably the premiere program for preparing you for success in a variety of careers, enhancing your enormous potential to help you meet and overcome future challenges. I am excited and energized to join wonderful teams dedicated to that mission. I am confident we will continue to recruit truly outstanding students from around the world and across this nation, raising our profile and ranking not as an ends, but as a result of expanding our reputation of excellence. I also hope to meet with many of you in the coming weeks and months to hear your vision of Brandeis’ future, and look forward to working with you as we continue to build on our dynamic culture. The vitality of our campus life has been and will continue to be driven by our amazing students and faculty. Staff members in all of our offices will do all within our power to support the ’Deisian experience you love while creating new opportunities for engagement, service and fun. I consider my position one of service leadership with a strong responsibility of stewardship. We are the inheritors of a legacy of vision, of founders who believed that the act of creating an exceptional educational institution, without bias or quotas, would help change the world. They did something few would have believed possible in an incredibly short period of time. We must honor that accomplishment and recognize the obligation to continue our part in realizing that dream. As a result, when I meet you on campus, don’t be surprised if I do not ask your major. I may, more likely, inquire as to your interests, your favorite activities and your passions. I might even ask how you plan to make a difference at Brandeis and in the world. Having now moved to New England, it seems only right that I shift to quoting a more local founding father, John Adams: “I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. ... Let us tenderly and kindly cherish, therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak and write. ... Liberty cannot be preserved without general knowledge among the people. ... If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind whom should we serve?” I look forward with great anticipation to serving you and welcome you all, new and returning, to this wonderful community of scholars. Editor’s note: Andrew Flagel is the incoming Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment.
OP-BOX Quote of the Week “I think we’ve tapped into that feeling with people; it just makes people really happy to have a cupcake.” —Mia Bauer ’91, cofounder of Crumbs Bake Shop, on the high demand for cupcakes she and her husband experienced when they first opened a bakery in New York City. (See Features, page 9.)
Brandeis Talks Back How did Hurricane Irene affect your move-in and orientation experience?
Rachel Zelcer ’15 “It made it feel like it wasn’t a cohesive experience.”
Emma Hoyle ’15 “It was delayed.”
Clara Nice ’15 “We’re unified!”
Nicole de Vastey ’15 “My dad was stuck in Boston for 2 days when he should have been working at his job.” —Compiled by Rebecca Blady Photos by Yosef Schaffel/ the Justice
THE JUSTICE
●
TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011
11
Look toward Israelis’ political passions Liz
POSNER But I digress
The upcoming 10-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks will provide a time for reflection and review. While keeping an eye on future threats, both domestic and foreign, it is crucial that we recall the bizarre position American society faced in the weeks and months after the attacks and continue to try learning from it. Perhaps an unlikely source for juxtaposition are the current tent city protests, that have sprung up all across Israel. The protests began in early July in response to the gradually rising prices of housing and basic food products in Israel, which the media has portrayed as otherwise reasonably unaffected by the faltering global economy. A law passed in the Knesset in mid-July to prohibit domestic calls to boycott Israeli products, a method frequently used by activists to protest Israel’s occupation of the West Bank, may have also inspired the widespread protests, as some on the left fear that the law discourages free speech. More than anything, these tent protests prove that Israelis are not willing to sacrifice government attention to their pressing domestic concerns just because the external political climate is as tense as ever. The Israeli middle class has been stretched far too thin by economic constraint, high taxes and frozen social mobility, and it has, for the past month, been adamant in its declaration that it will not abide by the status quo. The threat of terrorism has not paralyzed Israeli society like it did in the U.S. 10 years ago. Though the Sept. 11 attacks certainly brought out a rejuvenated sense of brotherhood and patriotism throughout the country, evidenced by the flags waving from almost every suburban home in the fall of 2001, they also led to an alarmingly unyielding faith in the executive office. Former President George W. Bush’s approval rating, according to a Gallup Poll, reached 90 percent in the days after Sept. 11—in my opinion, due to little more than the president’s donning a windbreaker and a bullhorn and perching among some World Trade Center rubble. His approval ratings remained remarkably high—above 80 percent—until April 2002. This desire for strong leadership led to the misguided Iraq War and the suppression of basic First Amendment freedoms under the Patriot Act. Also characteristic of this era was increased evidence of xenophobia and persecution of Muslim Americans, motivated by fear and rampant distrust under the false label of “patriotism.” Israelis could live like this all the time.
AVISHAI TEICHER/PikiWiki
THE RISE OF THE TENT CITY: Israeli activists set up tents on the prominent Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv to protest the high costs of living in Israel. This past summer, protests and tent cities have sprung up all over the country and are supported by 87 percent of Israelis, according to a recent Haaretz poll. Their leaders certainly try; constantly reminding their constituents of the many daily threats they face from neighboring enemy governments is a go-to tactic for quelling opposition to unpopular domestic policies. And though there may be a degree of truth in this assessment of Israeli society, Israelis do not live in an atmosphere similar to the one seen in the U.S. in the months after Sept. 11. The recent protests are a testament to the spirit of self-criticism within Israel. Though Israelis live under a near-constant threat of attack, Israeli society is not plagued by fear and paranoia, and Israelis are not afraid to question the authority of their leaders. Finally, the spirit of these protests demonstrates the true beauty and diversity of Israeli society. People are really coming together
from all facets of life; Der Speigel writes that “Artists, boy scouts and lesbians sit alongside soldiers, settlers and devout Jews, next to the shopping carts of the homeless” in such scenes of “cheerful anarchy,” as they put it. The snapshots of long-haired Tel Aviv hippies sprawled on the threadbare couches that seem ubiquitous in these tent cities are heartwarming (and perhaps a symbol of the middle class that intends to remain in these tents for as long as it takes but wants to lounge on something more comfortable than slabs of cardboard in the downtime between rallies?). Their harem pants and acoustic guitars remind us of the liberalism and idealism that first accompanied the Israeli democratic tradition 60 years ago. More symbolically, Jewish and Muslim Israelis alike have joined in on the protests,
as the inequality and high cost of living affect all regardless of religion. This is nothing like the xenophobia the U.S. saw after Sept. 11; it is the mood we should constantly strive for in a democratic society. Nor is this “Israeli model” one that should only apply in times of vulnerability. Politically, this has been one of the most divisive summers in recent American history. Our polarized Congress is merely the tip of the iceberg revealing the deeper truth that Americans can’t seem to agree on anything. Obviously neither extreme is preferable: Americans need to restore the spirit of political cooperation and empathy by fighting together for whatever it is they want. It would be tragic, in more ways than one, if it took another terrorist attack to pull us together again.
Republicans restore spirit of American Dream Elizabeth
STOKER BREVITY
About midsummer, I realized that I’m halfway through my college career and there are still no jobs in sight. As a first-year, I had fantasized about the recession conveniently ending sometime during my stint in college, giving birth to a vibrant economy that would sport enough jobs for myself and my peers. Now, there’s nothing but talk of doubledipping, even from the president himself. In recent speeches given in Illinois, President Barack Obama painted a pretty dire picture of a broken-down, jobless country. “There’s no reason why we shouldn’t put Americans back to work all across the country rebuilding America,” he said, stating that he intends to beg Congress for a comprehensive job package in September. “All those folks who got laid off from construction because the economy went south or the housing bubble burst, they’re dying for work. Contractors are
Write to us
The Justice welcomes letters to the editor responding to published material. Please submit letters through our Web site at www.thejustice.org. Anonymous submissions cannot be accepted. Letters should not exceed 300 words, and may be edited for space, style, grammar, spelling, libel and clarity, and must relate to material published in the Justice. Letters from off-campus sources should include location. The Justice does not print letters to the editor and oped submissions that have been submitted to other publications. Op-ed submissions of general interest to the University community—that do not respond explicitly to articles printed in the Justice—are also welcome and should be limited to 800 words. All submissions are due Friday at 12 p.m.
willing to come in under budget and on time,” he added. Obama seemed disappointed in the recent debt-ceiling debacle, saying, “Now, I can’t excuse the self-inflicted wound that was that whole debt debate. It shouldn’t have happened the way it did. We shouldn’t have gotten that close to the brink. It was inexcusable.” Rebuilding. Self-inflicted wounds. Underbudget. Could. Would. Should. It’s pretty hairy out there to hear it from Obama, and by all accounts, I believe the president’s picture is an accurate one. But it’s not the only picture available. To hear it from contenders for the Republican nomination, everything is A-O.K. and only headed upwards. Just take a look at former Minnesota Governor and former Republican candidate Tim Pawlenty’s economic growth plan. Along with “pro-business” measures like slashing taxes, removing regulations and reducing government involvement in the private sector, Pawlenty’s plan stated an economic growth goal of 5 percent—a rate practically unheard of in the last century. But things like reality and rationale don’t deter Republicans like Pawlenty, who maintain the position that America is exceptional. To some Republicans, if you doubt America’s
Fine Print
The opinions stated in the editorial(s) under the masthead on the opposing page represent the opinion of a majority of the voting members of the editorial board; all other articles, columns, comics and advertisements do not necessarily. For the Brandeis Talks Back feature on the opposite page, staff interview four randomly selected students each week and print only those four answers. The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. Operated, written, produced and published entirely by students, the Justice includes news, features, arts, opinion and sports articles of interest to approximately 3,200 undergraduates, 800 graduate students, 500 faculty and 1,000 administrative staff. In addition, the Justice is mailed weekly to paid subscribers and distributed throughout Waltham, Mass. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods. Advertising deadlines: All insertion orders and advertising copy must be received by the Justice no later than 5 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the date of publication. All advertising copy is subject to approval of the editor in chief and the managing and advertising editors. A publication schedule and rate card is available upon request. Subscription rate: $35 per semester, $55 per year.
ability to gallop straight out of a recession into an unprecedented economic boom, you’re just anti-American. You have no faith in America, no vision for it, no hope. Frankly, you’re cynical. And Republicans aren’t. In my view, it’s this distinct lack of cynicism that will bolster support for Republicans in the upcoming election. Republican frontrunner Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann’s (R-MN) view on the economy is just as drastically different from Obama’s as Pawlenty’s. In a recent speech given in Iowa, she expressed her view, saying, “It won’t take that long [to repair the economy] if we send signals to the marketplace.” Bachmann stated that the economy would begin to recover as soon as she became president. There’s something special behind a proclamation like that, and it isn’t the worldweary realism that suffuses the speeches of Obama. It’s something almost magical, faithful, the type of certainty that arises from something like religious belief. It is starryeyed and full-steam-ahead, which perhaps best describes the Republican image of America, even in the current recession. In September of last year, Bachmann remarked, “The American Dream isn’t an idea of yesteryear, but rather a pursuit that must be
The Staff
For information on joining the Justice, write to editor@ thejustice.org.
reawakened. As reaffirmed in the Declaration of Independence, we are endowed by our Creator with unalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. ... It is my wish that all people may be inspired to believe in the American Dream again.” The capitalization of “dream” is all Bachmann’s, and it’s revealing. To Bachmann, and to the Republican candidates who are currently racing against her, there isn’t a dream that has some American qualities; there’s an American Dream, an ideal we can all aspire to that is specifically for us and by us. Themes like these are a throwback to Obama’s campaign of 2008, but revamped and repackaged to suit the right rather than the left. For Obama, there are contractors willing to work for basically anything because the economy has continued to deteriorate, in part due to rifts in the American government. If you look around, you’ll notice that Obama’s vision—though not without its own brand of hope—is the one that most reflects reality, while Bachmann’s is notably dreamy. Obama took hope to the ballot boxes last time, but this time around, it appears that Republicans plan to mount the platform of hope, dreams and good intentions, regardless of what they can deliver.
Editorial Assistants Forum: Shafaq Hasan Staff Senior Writer: Josh Asen, Max Goldstein Senior Illustrators: Rishika Assomull News: Shani Abramowitz, Daniel Heinrich Features: Dave Benger, Rocky Reichman, Deborah Salmon Forum: Aaron Fried, Hannah Goldberg, Shafaq Hasan, Rebecca Kellogg, Diego Medrano, Liz Posner, Sara Shahanaghi, Leah Smith, Avi Snyder, Elizabeth Stoker, Naomi Volk Sports: Julian Cardillo, Jonathan Epstein, Sam Liang, Jacob Lurie, Adam Rabinowitz, Natalie Shushan, Jonathan Steinberg Arts: Aaron Berke, Alex DeSilva, Leah Igdalsky, Elly Kalfus, Olivia Leiter, Morgan Manley, Amy Melser, Douglas Moore, Leanne Ortbals, Alex Pagan, Mara Sassoon, Sujin Shin, Shelly Shore
Photography: Amy Bisaillon, Jenny Cheng, Lydia Emmanouilidou, Morgan Fine, Nathaniel Freedman, Rachel Gordon, Hilary Heyison, Davida Judelson, Joshua Linton, Alex Margolis, Maya Shemtov, Josh Spiro, Diana Wang, David Yun, Janey Zitomer Copy: Aliza Braverman, Rebecca Brooks, Allyson Cartter, Hilary Cheney, Erica Cooperberg, Philip Gallagher, Patricia Greene, Celine Hacobian, Rachel Herman, Liana Johnson, Lauren Katz, Eunice Ko, Felicia Kuperwaser, Rachel Miller, Tarini Nalwa, Mailinh Phan-Nguyen, Maya Riser-Kositsky, Mara Sassoon, Holly Spicer, Dan Willey, Amanda Winn Layout: Rachel Burkhoff, Nadav Havivi, Denny Poliferno, Lenny Schnier, Michelle Yi Illustrations: Stacy Handler, Ari Tretin Ads: Nicholas Violette
12
TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2011
●
THE JUSTICE
FORUM
College students must regain empathy Shafaq
HASAN into the fire
I think the importance of empathy emerges on the playground. Whenever we cut in line or teased the outlier, we were chastised and told to treat others the way we would like to be treated. Therefore, pushing, shoving and bullying were discouraged. However, somewhere between elementary school and college, this message seems to have gone astray. It has been misplaced among the Advanced Placement tests, college applications and mid-marking period reports over which we agonized. According to a study conducted by the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research last year, since 2000, college students today are 40 percent less empathetic than their college-age counterparts from 30 years ago. Following the release of the study, psychologists and researchers scampered to understand what could have led to this generation’s substantial decrease in empathy. Generation X, more popularly known as “Generation Me” or the “Look at Me Generation,” has become characterized for its selfishness and narcissism. A 2007 survey by the Pew Research Center for the People indicates that today’s young people are most concerned about fame and fortune. Born into a culture where most expect to go to college and then later make large sums of money, the self-centeredness creates focused, confident individuals but also breeds apathy. The need to succeed in an increasingly competitive society has slowly superseded the human necessity to empathize with one another. Ironically, although our generation is overcrowded with unfeeling overachievers, empathy is a key element for attaining success. Whether it’s success in one’s career or in a relationship, being able to understand people and respond to their emotions creates the trust necessary to build lasting rapports. While empathy is often portrayed as a trait that is unbecoming of a strong leader, employees are unlikely to support
NAN PANG/the Justice
an executive that is incapable of appreciating someone else’s perspective. In 2009, President Barack Obama drew criticism from Republicans when he noted empathy or, in his words, “understanding and identifying with people’s hopes and struggles,” was a key element in choosing the next Supreme Court Justice. Though Republicans misinterpreted the remark to mean that Obama was encouraging judicial activism in the court, logically recognizing the plight of a single mother or the obstacles facing the poor will facilitate better-informed judgments. By taking the time and considering someone else’s thoughts and feelings, individuals can use that information to strategically make better decisions. Being able to relate to others and appreciate their situation is an invaluable skill in any business. How can students become more empathetic? If something changed
between our elementary school years and college, is higher education the place to reevaluate this issue? The knee-jerk reaction of most would be a resounding “no” because, admittedly, the idea of “teaching” empathy in college sounds misplaced and even inappropriate. More importantly, can something that requires real-life interactions be taught in a classroom? I think empathy is an innate characteristic, and while it can’t be learned through a textbook, it can be nurtured if given the opportunity. Professors need not dedicate a class to it, but they can certainly encourage students to respect others’ opinions and broaden their concerns beyond themselves regardless of the subject matter of the class. Earlier this year, Capital University in Columbus, Ohio took the discussion outside of the classroom with its Empathy Experiment. 160 students applied, but only six were
chosen for the 8-week experiment that required the students to experience real-life situations of the working poor like eviction, homelessness and hunger. From spending a night in a homeless shelter to being temporarily evicted from their dorms for a night, the students chronicled their experiences in journal entries and video logs. The purpose of the experiment was for students to immerse themselves in difficult social situations and see worlds to which they wouldn’t normally be exposed. Putting themselves in someone else’s shoes and experiencing those hardships was a way to curb the selfishness that is hampering this generation. At the end of the experiment, the six students felt that they not only better understood the difficulties facing the poor but also that they were moved to help them. To these six students, it wasn’t just enough to have empathy; you needed to get involved and do something
with it. Even the students who don’t suffer from selfishness and lack of concern can benefit from a program like the one employed at Capital University. While the classroom can help students learn to interact, the most effective method of fostering empathy is to go out and learn— not from books but from others. Universities can follow the example of Capital University and create similar environments for students to further their education in a practical manner. The experience of attending college goes beyond writing papers and sitting through class. A comparable empathy program can simulate these life lessons during a time individuals are opening themselves up to diverse and unique situations. This feasible experiment demonstrates the active role a school and its student body can take to expand circles of awareness.
Media skew coverage of the Republican primary By AARON FRIED JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
After a long first year at Brandeis that kept my focus far away from current events, I couldn’t help but spend much of the summer catching up. I’ve taken quite a bit of time during these past few months lazily perusing articles online, watching the news and even flashing back to the 1990s by reading an actual newspaper. Being very politically inclined, I can’t help but gravitate toward stories concerning the Republican presidential primary race for the 2012 election. At some point during an election season, some candidates and their supporters tend to perceive some sort of media bias and cry foul. Most of the time, allegations of unfair coverage are minor and tend to be ignored; however, in this primary race, there has been an undeniable prejudice among the mainstream media—television news and newspapers—against Texas Congressman Ron Paul. The more time I spent learning about the Republican candidates, the more interested I became in Congressman Paul. Of course, that was partly a result of our similar views on liberty and America’s wars overseas, but it was also because I found myself perplexed by how little coverage from the media he received. Considering the current influence of the Tea Party in the GOP and the general desire to change the status quo, I found it very strange that a Constitution-first, liberty-minded
candidate with the most fiscally conservative voting record on all of Capitol Hill was getting so little attention. After all, one would think that such a candidate would be the darling of the Tea Party and anyone else who wished to depart from the past decade’s expansion of federal authority. Though Paul’s name had been constantly marginalized since his 2008 presidential bid, his supporters were optimistic that if he placed well in the Ames Straw Poll in Iowa, it would legitimize his primary run and bring him to the forefront of the election. Despite having a historic number of votes and finishing only 152 votes behind the winner, Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, Paul’s participation in the poll was all but forgotten by hosts on news programs including Fox News and CNN, among many others. Several commentators, most of whom are Web-based, have blown their whistles at the mainstream media. Perhaps most notably, comedian Jon Stewart lashed out against the blatantly dishonest “reporting” and even pointed out an instance in which a CNN host said on the air that they would avoid playing any footage of Ron Paul preaching his message. Another one of Stewart’s clips reveals a group of Fox News hosts establishing Michele Bachmann as a member of the “top tier” in the Republican primary as a result of her first-place finish at Ames. The hosts then proceeded to glorify a candidate who did not place in the top three, all with no mention of Ron Paul,
the runner-up by a hair. The bias goes deeper than a few “gotcha” moments caught by a comedian’s writers, however. According to the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, Ron Paul is the third-least-mentioned candidate in the media among the GOP field. Given the supposed importance of a victory at the Ames Straw Poll, which was enough to propel Bachmann to the front of the primary race in the media’s eyes, one must ask why the man who missed first by ninetenths of a percentage point is, according to Pew’s study, considered a newsmaker only one-fourth the amount of times that Bachmann is. The answer is obvious: There is a strong tendency among the media to marginalize Paul’s campaign. To me, it seems that many among mainstream Washingtonians would prefer one of their own to a stalwart opponent of the status quo. Regardless of the media’s motive, however, people from all points on the political spectrum can agree that when the media seem to be attempting to influence the outcome of an election, it can greatly jeopardize the integrity of the democratic process. Demanding that the media be forced to give each candidate a fair shake would not be consistent with the ideal of maintaining a free press. The beautiful thing about having a free press, however, is that we have the liberty to choose the presses to which we pay attention. I would advise against gathering information passively—by sitting in front of a television
JAYEL AHERAM/Flickr Creative Commons
ON THE TRAIL: Ron Paul’s supporters campaign before the 2008 primary election. or flipping through a publication, as I mistakenly did too often these past few months. This is a surefire way for you to only hear about what those news sources want to discuss. Instead, I would suggest actively seeking out the full story online. If you hear about an interesting new poll on television, but they only mentioned how two of the candidates placed, seek the full version on the Internet.
This applies to far more than elections, though. For the first time in human history, every person has the ability to choose what information they receive. The web is the most valuable tool at our disposal; with it, we can gain a broader understanding of the world around us and amass the knowledge necessary to maintain our liberties. The responsibility to take the initiative is at your fingertips.
THE JUSTICE
●
TUESDAY, August 30, 2011
13
SPORTS
WSOCCER: Judges revitalize fall lineup Judges hope to continue solid run
volleyball
CONTINUED FROM 16
reading the game. Despite their first-ever tourney appearance last season, the Judges fell in a heavy 6-0 loss to Williams College in the second round. They will be looking to fare better in this season’s tourney. “Every season we want to make it back to the tourney. I think because we made it last year we have such high expectations for this year. No team ever wants to fall short of the year before,” said Theodore. This year’s season kicks off with a home game against Clark University on Thursday at 6 p.m.
JOSHUA LINTON/Justice File Photo
AT THE NET, ON THE ATTACK: Offensive hitter Si-Si Hensley ’14 attempts to spike the ball during the Judges’ 3-2 victory over Endicott College on Sept. 14, 2010.
■ With the Blascos now graduated,
the volleyball team looks toward a fresh start with its fall 2011 lineup. By ADAM RABINOWITZ JUSTICE staff WRITER
Led by captains Abby and Paige Blasco ’11 and Nicole Smith ’11, the volleyball team was poised to make a run for the University Athletic Association title last fall. While the team fought admirably, their efforts fell short, and the squad finished seventh in the UAA. Now, with the faces of Brandeis volleyball departed for their postgraduate plans, it’s up to a new team to rebound. Without the Blascos, who led the team in both kills and assists last year, or Smith as middle blocker, that would seem to be a tall order. But coach Michelle Kim is confident in her squad. “With a fresh start right now, they are searching for a new identity and trying to find that team chemistry. These are a talented group of girls, so once that happens, I have no doubt they’ll find success,” Kim said.
Yael Einhorn ’14 showed great potential in her first season with the Judges and seems poised to step in for Abby Blasco at setter. Einhorn was second on the team in assists last season with 300. Becca Fischer ’13 battled injury for much of last season but looks to be a threat at middle blocker this fall. Despite limited participation, Fischer still notched a solid 87 kills with 68 blocks in the 2010 campaign. Finally, Brandeis will return two contributing outside hitters in Si-Si Hensley ’14 and Lauren Berens ’13. Hensley posted 200 kills with 1.75 per set, while Berens contributed another 124 at 1.24 per set last fall. Berens was also third on the team in blocks with 62. Susan Sun ’13 returns as the team’s primary defensive specialist. Additionally, Kim has brought in a large firstyear class to help cope with the graduated seniors. “We have a large incoming class and, right now in preseason, I’m impressed,” she said. “We’re looking to put the pieces of the puzzle together, but by the start of the season, I’m looking forward to the new talent we will have on the court,” she added.
This season, Brandeis will face many familiar opponents, including the always-challenging UAA teams. After a disappointing 2-8 record within the conference last year, with both wins against last-place University of Rochester, the team is looking to improve its in-conference record. “The focus is to make the team as a whole better, and if we go into these matches 100 percent, then we have as [good] a chance to win as any team out there,” Kim said. The Judges will travel to two UAA round-robin tournaments this season: at Washington University in St. Louis and Rochester during the season. Overall, Kim said that she is excited about the upcoming season. “Right now on the court, the energy level is extremely high, we’re uniting as a team, and I am very excited to see what this squad can achieve.” The Judges kick off their season at the Western Connecticut State Invitational, squaring off against Johnson and Wales University on Friday at 7 p.m. They also take on Keene State College and Western Connecticut State University in a morning/afternoon doubleheader on Saturday.
XCOUNTRY: Both men and women mobilize for new season CONTINUED FROM 16
course with a time of 23:08.2. Selig was most noted for her accomplishments on the track. She placed second in the mile run at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track Championships last March with a time of 4:58.47, missing first place by 1.01 seconds. Selig also received Academic All-District honors and graduated with a 3.719 gradepoint average in neuroscience. Kate Warwick ’12, the only runner besides Selig to have received all-New England honors, figures to be the lead runner for the women’s team. Warwick placed 27th at regionals, running the course in 23:14.0. Amelia Lundkvist ’14 ran regionals in 25:03.8, Erin Bisceglia ’12 did so in 25:13.2 and Victoria Sanford ’14 finished in 25:20.9. All three will play a key role in the team’s current itineration. Both the men’s and women’s teams kick off the season at the University of Southern Maine on Friday.
MSOCCER: Talented recruits join the ECAC champs CONTINUED FROM 16 rookies, plus a handful of players who missed chunks of last season due to injury. Midfielder/forward Luke Teece ’12 had the secondmost number of goals on the team last season but missed the end of the season due to injury. In addition, forward Sam Ocel ’13 was sidelined for the entirety of the season because of leg injuries. “We have a very good group coming back. I’m keeping [my] fingers crossed that we’ll do well,” Coven said. “We lost some good players, and we lost some leaders. On paper we look pretty good, but we have got to see how it all works out.” Coven mentioned the losses of graduating seniors Taylor Bracken and Kyle Gross. Gross was one of the team’s leaders and served as captain while Bracken had a sterling senior year between the goalposts. But Coven be-
lieves that his returning squad and the incoming first-years will step up. Two of Coven’s biggest additions are Robbie Lynch ’15 and Tyler Savonen ’15, two local standouts who both earned All-State New England honors. But the despite the addition of solid young talent, the biggest question mark at present for Coven is in goal, especially after losing Bracken. “We have [Blake] Minchoff, who is a junior who’s been our backup and really hasn’t played much. He’s untested. We also have two freshmen, Stephen Lopes and Joe Graffy. So goalkeeping is tenuous right now.” With the exception of the goalkeeper selection, Coven knows what kind of a team to put on the field ahead of the opener on Sept. 3. The Judges will line up in a 4-3-3 formation, which will give the fullbacks a chance to come out of defense and overlap the midfield on the wings.
ALEX MARGOLIS/Justice File Photo
GOING FOR THE GOAL: Midfielder Kyle Feather ’14 dribbles upfield during a game against Emory University.
Advertise in theJustice and reach the entire Brandeis community! Run your ad for the rest of the semester and receive a 25-percent discount. Classified ads starting at $10. Perfect for advertising local businesses or club events.
To place an ad or for more information, contact Cody Yudkoff at ads@thejustice.org.
THE JUSTICE
New at the helm TALI SMOOKLER/the Justice
SWIMMING RETURNS: Mike Kotch, new coach of the revived swimming and diving team, is busy preparing for the team’s future.
Kotch discusses plans for the swim team Coach Mike Kotch, who served as head coach of the swim team and director of aquatics at Regis College since 2008, was named coach of the reinstated swimming and diving program this summer. JustSports sat down with him to ask some questions about his plans for the team, which will begin competing again in the 2012 to 2013 season. JustSports: What have you been doing since you got here, and what is the process for next season? Mike Kotch: The biggest thing that I’ve been trying to do is familiarize myself with the intricacies of Brandeis University. I’m meeting with as many of the different coaches in the department and trying to pick their brains to find out what has been successful through the recruiting process. I spent the majority of the summer recruiting for another college, so now I need to play catch-up. But now I’m just trying to get organized and get the word out there and let people know that there is now a coach, and just trying to build a team.
JS: Will you be involved with the club team at all this year? MK: Next year, once we get into the college season, my role will be 100 percent focused on the college team. I have no problem helping out or advising, but my attention will change dramatically. JS: How is the pool coming along? MK: Right now it looks exactly like it did 6 months or 3 years ago. There’s no water in the pool, obviously, but they have completed the asbestos removal and now they are ready to start cranking and banging down walls and doing the cosmetic upgrades as well as the new filters, new heating systems, all of those things. At the end of the day, the plan is that construction will progress on time, and we will be able to open the pool to the student body for second semester of this year. But it’s going to be the same pool that people saw 3 years ago, just a lot nicer. JS: Jim Zotz was the former swim coach, and he’s still at Brandeis, though now in a different position.
[Zotz is now an assistant director of Athletics, and in charge of Strength and Conditioning.] What kind of role will he play with the team this year? MK: He clearly has a new role here within the athletic department, and he has been more than helpful in answering my questions. Deep down, I know that he will always have that passion and that interest in the swim team, and what that does is, number one, it motivates me because I know what a good job he had done, so I want to get back up to the standards that he had set, and I want to surpass those standards. And also, having someone who was a swim coach for over 30 years, it’s going to be a fantastic asset in that he’s going to know exactly how to design strength and conditioning programs for swimmers. … He’s someone who has been a great mentor and a great friend to me, so I look forward to having him around and making him proud of the next chapter in Brandeis swimming. —Jeffrey Boxer
BOSTON BRUINS BEAT
After big win, fans await Bruins’ return ■ On the heels of a spectacular
close to the 2010-2011 season, fans readily await the Boston team’s return to the ice this fall. By Josh asen JUSTICE senior WRITER
With a six combined championships won by the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics and New England Patriots in the past 10 years, the Boston Bruins were stuck at the bottom of the totem pole in the hearts of Boston sports fans. The Bruins repeatedly broke fans’ hearts, especially for the past 3 years, when they were eliminated from the playoffs each year in a decisive Game 7. They could not be trusted to win a big game. Those days are now over. When Bruins defenseman and captain Zdeno Chara hoisted the Stanley Cup over his head June 16 in Vancouver, a 39-year title drought ended for the Bruins. The pain and agony of an organization, a state and a region vanished. Just like that, the Bruins became kings of the hockey world. The Bruins defeated the Vancouver Canucks 4-0 in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals to capture the sixth championship in the team’s 87-year history with 37 saves from goalie Tim Thomas and 2 goals apiece from center Patrice Bergeron and forward Brad Marchand. The clinching game was the first time in Bruins history that the team won a Game 7 on the road. They also became the first team in National Hockey League History to win three Game 7s in one postseason. Once Game 7 ended, Thomas became the oldest Conn Smyth Trophy winner, given to the most valuable player of the playoffs, in NHL history. Thomas set records for the most saves in the playoffs with 798 and in
RUBYSWOONS/Flickr Commons
BRUINS IN ACTION: Bruins players skate along the ice at a game against the New Jersey Devils. the Stanley Cup Finals with 238, not bad for a 37-year-old goalie who did not start one playoff game last year for the Bruins. Thomas also beat out Canucks goalie Roberto Luongo, who criticized Thomas’ playing style during the series, for the Vezina Trophy, given to the league’s best goalie during the regular season. With the Stanley Cup back in the Hub of Hockey, hundreds of thousands of Bruins fans attended the team’s June 18 victory parade, which stretched across the streets of Boston from the TD Garden to Copley Square. Bruins players, coaches and management rode in Boston Duck Tour duck boats and thanked the loyal Bruins fan base that waited so long for a title.
Books, magazine articles and DVDs have all been made over the last several months chronicling the Bruins’ Stanley Cup season, but Boston sports fans aren’t satisfied, and are already looking forward to adding to their Bruins collections next season. It all starts Oct. 1, when the Bruins raise the banner celebrating last season to the TD Garden rafters in their regular season opener against the Philadelphia Flyers. For the second year in a row, the Justice will have the inside scoop on all the action. Be sure to check back as the season progresses for weekly updates from our reporters at the games. Hockey is back in Boston. See you in October.
●
TUESDAY, August 30, 2011
15
AP Briefs
Former Washington Wizards player charged with murder in Atlanta ATLANTA—Javaris Crittenton, the former NBA player once suspended by the league for bringing a gun into the Washington Wizards’ locker room, was arrested at a California airport Monday night, days after being charged with murder in the shooting of a woman on an Atlanta street. Police spokesman Carlos Campos said Friday that police had secured a murder warrant for the arrest of Crittenton in connection with the shooting death of 22-year-old Jullian Jones on Aug. 19. Campos said that Crittenton, a former Georgia Tech player, was not at that time in custody and was wanted. Crittenton was arrested at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, Calif. On Friday night, Atlanta Police Maj. Keith Meadows had told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Crittenton was believed to be in the Los Angeles area. He also said the FBI is involved in the investigation. Jones, a mother of four, was walking with a group of people on the city’s southwest side when she was shot by someone inside a dark-colored SUV, police said. Investigators say they don’t believe the woman was the intended target. Campos said the motive appears to be retaliation for a robbery in April, in which Crittenton was a victim. Messages left for an agent who has represented Crittenton weren’t immediately returned Friday night. Crittenton most recently played in the NBA with Washington for the 2008-09 season. He was then sidelined by an ankle injury that kept him out of action the entire next season and was involved in the locker-room gun confrontation with teammate Gilbert Arenas. Crittenton was suspended for the final 38 games of the 200910 season by the NBA after he and Arenas acknowledged bringing guns into the locker room. Two days after a dispute stemming from a card game on a team flight, Arenas brought four guns to the locker room and set them in front of Crittenton’s locker with a sign telling him to “PICK 1.” Crittenton then took out his own gun. Crittenton pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor gun charge on Jan. 25, 2010, and received probation. After the Wizards declined to re-sign him, he signed a nonguaranteed contract with the Charlotte Bobcats before last season. The Bobcats waived him on Oct. 15, and he then played five games in China for the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, averaging 25.8 points. He also played 20 games for the NBDL’s Dakota Wizards, averaging 14.3 points. Crittenton was drafted 19th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2007. He only played a little with Los Angeles and was traded to Memphis in his rookie year, then to Washington in December 2008. Crittenton averaged 5.3 points and 1.8 assists in 113 NBA games.
Woods to participate in the Frys.com Open after largely quiet summer NORTON, Mass.—Tiger Woods will play in the Frys.com Open in California the first week of October, his first time competing in the PGA Tour’s Fall Series as he tries to get his game ready for the Presidents Cup. The Frys.com Open is Oct. 6 to 9 at CordeValle Golf Club, about 45 minutes south of his alma mater at Stanford. “I always enjoy competing in my home state, and this tournament fits my schedule perfectly,” Woods said Monday on his website. “I’m looking forward to seeing some old friends.” Woods said a week ago he might add a tournament because of his limited schedule this year due to leg injuries. He chose a tournament from the Fall Series in which he has never played. The Frys.com Open, in only its fifth year, was one of the more exciting tournaments of the Fall Series last year. Rocco Mediate holed out for eagle in each of the four rounds, including the 17th hole in the final round, for a one-shot win. It also offers a $5 million purse, the biggest among events after the FedEx Cup. “John Fry and his company have supported the tour, and I’ve heard good things about the event and the golf course,” Woods said. “One of my goals this year was to participate in a tournament I hadn’t played before. And now I will.” Woods has played only eight PGA Tour events this year because of injuries to his left knee and Achilles’ tendon. He went 4 months without completing a tournament—from the Masters in April to the Bridgestone Invitational in August—so he could make sure his injuries were fully healed. He said at Firestone that his leg felt as good as it had in years. His results raised questions about his golf, however. He tied for 37th at Firestone, then missed the cut at the PGA Championship, the first time he had ever finished outside the top 100 in a major. When he plays the Frys.com Open, it will be his first event in 6 weeks, although Woods is to play in a 1-day exhibition in upstate New York on Wednesday to support Notah Begay’s charity work. “It’s been a long time between the PGA and Frys, and I’ll be anxious to compete,” Woods said. Fred Couples said last week he told Woods he would be a captain’s pick for the Presidents Cup, even though he was 28th in the standings and had been out of golf for much of the summer, and had missed two majors. Couples said he wanted Woods to play more before the Australian Open in November, a week before the Presidents Cup. Even though there was speculation about Woods going to Disney or Las Vegas—two tournaments he had won as a rookie —the Frys.com Open had been a possibility all along. The tournament consultant is Duke Butler, a former business executive with the PGA Tour who had come out of retirement in 2007 to help launch the AT&T National, which supports Woods’ foundation. “This is a good start,” Butler said. “We’d like to think that players and caddies and fans who have been here have enjoyed it, and they’ve been spreading the word.” It likely will be the only Fall Series event that Woods plays. He is hosting the first Tiger Woods Invitational a week after the Frys.com Open at Pebble Beach to raise money for his foundation. Proceeds from the 3-day event on the Monterey Peninsula will support college-access programs for underprivileged youth. Woods has some appearances in Asia before going to the Australian Open in Sydney on Nov. 10 to 13, followed by the Presidents Cup in Melbourne. After a week off, he would finish his year at the Chevron World Challenge, assuming he is eligible. That’s for the top 50 in the world, and Woods fell to No. 38 in the world ranking this week.
just
Sports
Page 16
REVIVING SWIMMING AND DIVING Newly hired coach Mike Kotch talks to justSports about the upcoming return of the swimming and diving team, p. 15.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Waltham, Mass.
women’s soccer
men’s soccer
Judges gear up for new season Squad
looks to improve UAA results ■ The Judges intend to
improve their game for the upcoming season, with an eye set on improved performance in the UAA. By JULIAN CARDILLO JUSTICE staff writer
with other girls who play college soccer around the area, and ran in a road race which helped me work on my endurance throughout the summer.” Coach Denise Dallomora expressed absolute confidence in her team; when asked if this squad could repeat the success of last season, she responded with just one word: “Absolutely.” Dallomora was also impressed with the level of training and practice over the summer. “I am very pleased with everyone so far—the entire team,” she said. Dallomora, however, said that the team needs to work on mental toughness, winning 50/50 balls, and
The men’s soccer team is looking to build on last year’s successful campaign and is set for the season opener against Fitchburg State University on Saturday. According to head coach Michael Coven, now entering his 38th year at the helm, the team is looking for a higher-profile finish than last season. Though the Judges boasted a 12-7-1 record at season’s end, it wasn’t enough to propel them to a NCAA tournament berth. “We finished very nicely last year winning [the Eastern College Athletic Conference],” said Coven. “But this year, our first goal is to do well in the UAA, where we haven’t fared well in 3 years. We want to do well in the conference and then jump up to the NCAA tournament. If we do well in the UAA, we should get [a] bid to NCAAs.” The Judges managed to dismantle most regional teams without too much trouble last season, but were dismal in UAA play, compiling a weak 1-5-1 record. And with just two UAA teams qualifying for NCAAs, the Judges will need to rack up positive results against each of their conference foes. Last season, the Judges were competitive in each of their matches against UAA teams despite winning just once. But this season, the Judges are bringing in a core of talented
See WSOCCER, 13 ☛
See MSOCCER, 13 ☛
JOSHUA LINTON/Justice File Photo
KICKING TOWARD VICTORY: Defender Ali Theodore ‘12 takes control of the ball at a game during the women’s soccer team’s historically victorious campaign last fall.
■ Hoping to continue last
season’s success, the women’s soccer team will look to replace key graduates. By MAX GOLDSTEIN JUSTICE senior WRITER
The women’s soccer team has enjoyed success lately, winning 12 or more games in each of the past four seasons. Last year’s squad was even more impressive than usual, winning 15 games, including the team’s first-ever NCAA Tournament victory. However, the pressure is on after the graduation of the most successful class in the program’s
history. “It will be difficult with losing such a great senior class,” said midfielder Mimi Theodore ’12. “However, we have brought in a strong freshman class and, in addition, everyone else has another year of experience under their belt, which I think will help us cope with losing such a core group of players and help us be successful this upcoming season.” Last year’s seniors won 51 games in their 4 years at Brandeis, including two Eastern College Athletic Conference championships and the NCAA tournament game. Sofia Vallone ’11 scored 17 goals last season, which tied her for a Brandeis record, and Tiffany Pacheco’s ’11 29
assists in her career set an all-time Brandeis record. This year, Theodore, who netted five goals and nine assists last season, will be called upon to lead her squad’s offensive attack. “Being a senior means stepping up both on and off the field. After already playing three seasons of soccer at Brandeis, there are no surprises. I know the competition will be tough, but at the same time, I know our abilities as a team and our abilities to make a strong run this season,” Theodore said. “I did a lot of training over the summer. In addition to working out every day and doing my testing, I played in the Eastern Massachusetts Women’s Soccer League, where I got to play
Cross country
Teams keep on running despite losing graduated seniors
■ Down several key, recently
graduated players, both cross country teams look to revamp for this season. By Jonathan epstein JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
The men’s and women’s cross country teams each had impressive seasons last fall, with the men’s team finishing as the 16th-best team in all of Division III and the women’s team placing two runners among the top 30 in New England.
With the graduation of eight seniors from the men’s team and four from the women’s team, both squads will face an uphill battle to replicate last season’s impressive performances. The men’s team graduated their first, fourth, fifth and seventh runners from nationals. Co-captain Paul Norton ’11 placed 70th at nationals with a time of 25 minutes, 17.3 seconds on the 8-kilometer course at Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Kerwin Vega ’11 finished 138th in the race, at 25:41.4. Devon Holgate ’11 ran a 25:48.0, good for 152nd place, and co-captain Dan Anastos ’11 finished in 197th, with
a time of 26:08.0. All four graduated this spring, leaving a large gap for underclassmen to fill. In addition to leading Brandeis to its best finish as a team at nationals since 1998, Norton was named to the Academic All-America Third Team by the College Sports Information Directors Association this past June. Norton graduated summa cum laude, majoring in economics and music. He also received AllAmerica honors for finishing seventh in the 2009 NCAA cross-country championships. This season the Judges will depend on seniors Chris Brown ’12
and Marc Boutin ’12 to fill Norton’s shoes. The two placed 94th and 107th, respectively, at Nationals, with times of 25:25.3 and 25:29.2. “Paul was a great runner, and no one man can ever fill, or exceed, his shoes,” Boutin said. “I just hope to carry on the program of excellence he kick-started to the best of my ability with the help of all my teammates.” Ed Colvin ’14 will look to build upon a solid rookie campaign, in which he finished 161st place at nationals, with a time of 25:50.8. Despite returning only eight runners from last season, Boutin is op-
timistic about the team’s chances. “We have a small team, but it’s a team full of potential that I am excited to work with, and I think we’ll have a season that this university has come to expect from us,” he said. The women’s cross country team faces similar challenges of size and experience, returning seven runners from last year’s team of 11. Most sorely missed will be cocaptain Grayce Selig ’11. Selig finished in 23rd place at the NCAA DIII New England regionals at Williams College, running the 6-kilometer
See XCOUNTRY, 13 ☛
just
August 30, 2011
ARTS
p. 19
Photos: doug88888, craigCloutier, shankar, shiv and Ferrari/Flickr Creative Commons. Design: ASHER KRELL/the Justice.
18
TUESDAY, august 30, 2011 ● THE JUSTICE
POP CULTURE RECAP
INSIDE ON CAMPUS
19
■ Music course preview
19
JustArts looks at six courses students should check out for the fall 2011 semester. From world music to free improvisation to The Beatles, there’s something to expand anyone’s musical mind.
OFF CAMPUS
20
■ Summer TV roundup
20
From ‘Burn Notice’ to ‘Suits,’ this summer’s television offered no shortage of programs to watch when trying to beat the heat. JustArts picks the cream of the crop from USA and TNT.
■ Top summer fashion trends 21 Trends that dominated women’s fashion in New York City this summer were maxi dresses and skirts. In a city filled with influential style makers, people on the street wore these styles in a variety of ways.
■ ‘L.A. Noire’ review
23
Rockstar’s latest game may have its flaws, but its use of impressive animation and its gripping storyline make it a masterpiece.
■ ‘Glee Project’ retrospective 23 Alex, Lindsay, Samuel, Damian or Cameron? Young singers competed for a guest spot on ‘Glee’ this summer in the Oxygen reality show ‘The Glee Project,’ which had its season finale last week.
Get involved in the Arts at Brandeis! Visit the Arts and Activities Fair on Monday, Sept. 5 1:30 to 3 p.m. on the Great Lawn
CALENDAR
Well goodness, kids, it’s been a heck of a summer. The race for the Republican presidential nomination is in full swing, the economy’s a mess (anyone else getting excited about paying for grad school?), and apparently not even cold cuts of turkey are safe anymore. But enough about that—let’s focus on something more important, shall we? Celebrities! Yes, readers, this summer in Hollywood was almsot as exciting as it was in the real world. Births, deaths, weddings, imprisonments and ends of eras, all crammed into the 3 brief months we spent away from the culinary delights of Sherman. Let’s take a look back and see what our favorites have been up to, starting with the happiest of occasions: new babies. On July 10, David and Victoria Beckham welcomed a baby girl, Harper Seven, to join older brothers Brooklyn, 12; Romeo, 8 1/2; and Cruz, 6 1/2. According to David Beckham, Harper’s name comes from the author Harper Lee of his wife’s favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Seven comes from Beckham’s jersey number for Manchester United and the English national team. As any self-respecting Spice Girls fan knows (yours truly included), Victoria was always the most fashion-driven of the ladies, and no doubt little Harper came home to the most decked-out baby closet ever. In addition to celebrity births (the Beckham’s was probably the most significant of the summer, so I won’t bore you with the list), there were also a slew of celebrity weddings this summer. Most recently, supermodel Kate Moss tied the knot to The Kills guitarist Jamie Hince in a fairytale-esque wedding inspired by gypsy culture and fashion. Gay marriage was legalized in New York on June 23, and New York-dwelling celebs headed to the courthouse to tie the knot. True Blood star Dennis O’Hare and his partner Hugo Redwood turned their longtime love into a recognized marriage on July 28. Earlier in the week, Rod and Nicky, the gay puppets from Avenue Q, made it official in a ceremony on the steps of City Hall. Call me sentimental, but that’s just cute. The most controversial wedding of the summer was undoubtedly the marriage of 51-yearold Lost actor Doug Hutchison to 16-year-old aspiring actress and singer Courtney Stodden. No, you read that right: a 51-year-old marrying a 16-year-old. Don’t worry, it was legal; Stodden’s mother signed off on the documents. But seriously, when did we get back to the 1700’s? The couple has been making a circuit of major talk shows defending their “true love” (um, ew?), but this particular writer thinks that the whole thing is ridiculously creepy. In vaguely marriage-related news, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s housekeeper came for-
Interview
by Shelly Shore
A songwriter’s video debut
Ellie Ann Hutchinson ’12, a selfmade pianist and vocalist, looks forward to her first music video.
FYUNKIE/Flickr Creative Commons
SUMMER SHOCKER: Amy Winehouse becomes the latest musician to join the “Forever 27 Club.”
ward this summer and revealed that she and Schwarzenegger had been having an affair for years and that they have a son together. Schwarzenegger’s wife (and Kennedy princess) Maria Shriver would have none of that, thanks very much, and is in the process of filing for divorce, requesting full custody of her and Schwarzenegger’s underage children and hefty alimony payments. You go girl. Lord Voldemort officially bit the dust in the release of the final Harry Potter film on July series has been hailed 15. The as “the books that inspired a generation to read,” and millions of viewers turned out to bid farewell to a childhood fantasy. The major non-fictional death this summer was, of course, singer Amy Winehouse, who passed away at the age of 27 in her London home on July 23. Amy’s battle with drug and alcohol addiction was well publicized, but recent pictures of her out and about in London shortly before her death gave many fans hope that she was on the road to recovery. No narcotics were found in her system during an autopsy, but medical officials believe that her body was simply ravaged by drugs. Amy’s music was inspirational and beautiful, and while she wasn’t exactly a lifestyle role model, there’s no doubt that the world of music lost an amazing voice that day. There you have it readers: the celebrity life cycle in one article: birth, marriage, divorce, death. Here’s hoping for another fabulous school year of celebrity antics.
What’s happening in Arts off campus this month
Mass Brewers Fest
Beer brewers from throughout Massachusetts come together this Friday to celebrate their craft and check out their competition. The festival, in its second year, features over 80 different beers as well as live music courtesy of Three Day Threshold. Friday at 6 p.m. at the Seaport Boston Hotel, Seaport World Trade Center Boston, located at 200 Seaport Blvd., Boston. This event is open to those 21 and older. Tickets are $35.
‘Quidam’ by Cirque du Soleil
Wild gymnastics and stunning costumes are hallmarks of Cirque du Soleil, the world-famous French acrobatics company. Quidam, an ephemeral and dream-like piece, tells the story of Zoé, a young girl who finds freedom and companionship in an imaginary world. Running Wednesday, Sept. 7 through Sunday, Sept. 11 at Boston University’s Agganis Arena, located at 925 Commonwealth Ave., Boston. Tickets start at $35.
Dropkick Murphys and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones concert
The two bands, both native to the Boston area, unite for a night of ska punk music. MMB first formed nearly 30 years ago and have produced eight full-length albums. Dropkick Murphys originally rose to fame for their annual St. Patrick’s Day performances. Since gaining mainstream popularity in 2007, their music has been featured in the Academy Award-winning Boston-based film The Departed. Thursday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. at Fenway Park, located at 4 Yawkey Way, Boston. Tickets start at $37.
Chris Tucker stand-up performance
The actor-comedian Chris Tucker, known primarily for his roles in the Rush Hour and Friday film series, performs his newest comedy routine. Saturday, Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Wang Theater, located at 270 Tremont St., Boston. Tickets start at $90.
‘Fighting Over Beverly’
This show tells an unconventional love story, featuring a cast of septuagenarians caught in a love triangle. Broadway veteran Sandra Shipley
FOTOS GOV/BA/Flickr Creative Commons
AS IF IN A DREAM: The performers of ‘Quidam’ wave to the audience at the end of an awe-inspiring performance. The troupe dances on stilts, climbs tall metal poles and displays gymnastic feats during the show. stars as the titular Beverly. Running until Sunday, Sept. 11 at Glouster Stage, located at 267 East Main St., Glouster, Mass. Tickets start at $27.
New England Comic Con 2011 Wizard World Convention
Thousands of pop culture nerds gather together to learn about the latest in movies, television, video games, comics and more at New England Comic Con 2011. Saturday, Sept. 17 to Sunday, Sept. 18 at the Hynes Convention Center, located at 900 Boylston St., Boston. Tickets are $25 for one day and $40 for both days.
Enrique Iglesias concert
The chart-topping Latino singer will kick off his 20-city tour in Boston in late September. Iglesias will be joined by collaborators Pitbull and Prince Royce and will perform such hits as “I Like It” and “Tonight.” Thursday, Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. at TD Garden, located at 100 Legends Way, Boston. Tickets are $35 to $100.
James Van Praagh talk
Praagh, a noted medium, or communicator with the dead, presents his skills to a live audience in this spiritual performance. Praagh asserts that he can “feel the emotions and personalities of the deceased,” and he provides access to the thoughts and feelings of the dead to those still on Earth. Saturday, Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Wilbur Theater, located at 246 Tremont St., Boston. Tickets are $40 to $50.
‘Big River’
Big River is a musical adaptation of Mark Twain’s classic novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The show confronts the racist notions of the late 19th-century South through a friendship between two runaways: one a young boy, the other an escaped slave. Country-pop musician Roger Miller composed folky, bluesy music for the production. Running until Saturday, Oct. 8 at the Lyric Stage Company, located at 140 Clarendon St., Boston. Tickets are $25 to $53.
Ellie Ann Hutchinson ’12 is very excited. The self-managed singer-songwriter will debut her first music video this Saturday on her YouTube channel. The video, produced by Tribal Films from Burlington, Mass., took over 7 hours to film and features Hutchinson singing on piano with two modern dancers. The video is for her latest single, “When He Lied,” which premieres on iTunes on the same day. Hutchinson, who is a Music Composition major, sat down with justArts to talk about how she got started with music, her plans for the future and singing Raffi when she was 2. JustArts: So you’ll be releasing your firstever music video on Sept. 3. Ellie Ann Hutchinson: I’ve come out with a lot of videos on YouTube before, but they were only slideshows. I’ve received over 70,000 hits just on those videos. I wanted to make a fulllength music video because that’s what people go to YouTube to watch. So I contacted someone from Burlington with a film company. We shot it this summer, and I’m excited that it’s premiering soon! JA: What was filming a music video like? EH: It was very long. We shot it at Brandeis on a Sunday at Slosberg Recital Hall. For the same 3 minutes of video we shot for 7 hours straight. I was singing and playing piano for 7 hours straight. He took so many different angles. We had a lot of water. JA: How many takes was that? EH: Seven hours divided by 3 minutes, I guess. We shot from inside and outside the piano. There were close-up shots, stage shots, midshots, etc. JA: You mentioned you had two modern dancers filming with you. EH: The filmmaker’s friend is a choreographer, so she choreographed the music video and brought in two dancers. Imagine dancing that routine for 7 hours straight! JA: Is the song for the video a new composition? EH: It’s called “When He Lied.” It’s premiering on iTunes on the same day. About a year and a half ago I released my first song on iTunes and YouTube, but it was just the audio. It’s an original song off of my demo CD. The song itself is autobiographical. It’s an extremely slow and sad song. The other two [on the CD] were upbeat and fun. I wanted to round out the whole demo CD with a slower ballad. JA: How much time do you dedicate to promoting your music? EH: It’s pretty much my life. It takes over everything I do. It’s not like at a concert when you’re telling people about your music after the show. You can’t tell how exactly it will affect publicity, but when you’re promoting online, you can tell how many hits you get per week and how many followers you get on Twitter. I can remember all the numbers—I just reached 18,000 followers on Twitter, I have 117,000 channel hits on Youtube and 2,100 Facebook Likes. JA: As a senior, your career must be on your mind. What are you plans for after graduation? EH: I want to be a full-time musician. That’s my goal. I’ve found a bass player (Jake Weiner ’13), drummer (Josh Goldman ’11) and guitarist (Ben Gartenstein ’14) at Brandeis. And I’m planning to do gigs around Boston—we’re playing a gig in October. I assume I need a day job coming out of graduation and that it’s going to take longer than my senior year to do music full time. JA: How did your passion for music begin? EH: I’ve played piano for 12 years and sang since fifth grade. I’ve always wanted to be a singer-songwriter. I never wanted to be anything else. I think I was 2 when I performed Raffi songs in front of my family. I started composing in high school and began studying composition in college. JA: What are you musical influences? EH: Alanis Morissette. Jagged Little Pill is my favorite album. I listen to everything, which is hard sometimes when I’m composing to see what style I want. I also love Elton John. JA: How do you compose your songs? EH: All my songs are autobiographical. This can be frustrating because all my friends and family can analyze them and figure out how I’m feeling about them. When I compose, I just like to sit in my room and express something. In 3, 4, 5 hours, out comes some song. JA: What was the first song you wrote? EH: My mother has my first song. It was a song about my mother who was the “birds in my sky” and the “sand in my beach.” It’s in her notebook, all the way from second grade. I was a horrible speller then, and I wrote in two directions with both hands. JA: What are you hopes for the new video? EH: The way most people are “found” is now through YouTube. A lot of people produce videos and get a million hits. That’s how people get signed onto record deals. So even if it might be a long shot, that’s what I hope will happen. —Wei-Huan Chen
THE JUSTICE
●
TUESDAY, august 30, 2011
19
ON CAMPUS academics
Six music courses you should check out ■ The 2011 fall semester
brings a wide variety of new and exciting music classes. By wei-huan chen JUSTICE editor
Now that I’m a senior, I suppose I should make myself useful and offer up some course-taking advice to Brandeis’ incoming class. And while my top suggestion—taking interesting courses—sounds like a no-brainer, selecting those four or five classes that will really expand your mind can be as difficult as taking the courses themselves. Over my 3 years here, I’ve realized that Brandeis’ Music Department has one of the most diverse and stimulating lineups. Here are a few music courses that first-years and upperclassmen alike should consider. AAAS 171A: Reggae, Race and Nation No music background required. Prof. Wayne Marshall is a Harvardeducated ethnomusicologist who has published works such as Reggaeton, Musical Antinomies of Race and Empire and Treble Culture. He has taught world music, hip-hop, American music and reggae at Brown University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the University of Chicago. Marshall is also a journalist who has written about music from North America, Africa and Jamaica. Although I’ve never taken a course with Marshall, my peers have me convinced that he just may be one of the most memorable visiting professors at Brandeis. The course is a special offering that examines the narratives of reggae and Jamaican music through the lenses of race, gender, sexuality, religion, nation and diaspora. MUS 4A: Introduction to Chinese Music No music background required. The music in China spans a history of over 3,000 years and countless genres, so I’m curious to see how Prof. Yu-Hui Chang, a well-known composer, pianist and conductor, tackles the subject. Will she explore Chinese opera of the Tang and Yuan dynasty, or detail the beginnings of Chinese rock with Cui Jian? What about studying the uses of the pentatonic scale, the history of traditional Chinese instruments or modern pop icons like Jay Chou? The course is open to all students. It examines the history and practice of Chinese music, as well as how music affects Chinese-speaking communities, through listening, reading and class discussions.
MUS 33A: The Beatles: From “Yesterday” to “Tomorrow Never Knows” Music background required. I can’t tell you how excited I was when I found out that Prof. Eric Chasalow was offering a brand-new course on The Beatles. Almost everyone loves The Beatles, and countless scholars have studied the band’s influence on music and culture. Examining songs like “Tomorrow Never Knows” and “Happiness Is a Warm Gun” with Prof. Chasalow, an electronic music composer and producer of the Brandeis Electro-Acoustic Music Studio Electronic Music Marathon, should give students a musician/producer’s point of view of the music. Note that this is not a generalinterest or music-history course. It’s an intense and hands-on music course that requires arranging, playing and composing songs by the Beatles. The course requires the ability to read and perform music. Prerequisites are MUS 5a, MUS 101a or an audition with the instructor. According to the course description, the course “explores why the Beatles were much more than simply the most famous band of all time. … We will play the songs, analyze the music and its technical production, and create our own arrangements.” MUS 86A: Improv Collective Music background required. If you Google the phrase “free improvisation,” Tom Hall’s website, freeimprovisation.com, is often the second hit. There are countless explanations of what free musical improvisation is, and Hall has even written a how-to guide for free improv. But even the most seasoned jazz improvisers, avant-garde classical composers or Phish-inspired jam bands have something to learn from the tenor saxophonist and musical director. I’ve been a member of Brandeis’ Improv Collective since my first semester here, and each semester has brought new insights to how to break and form boundaries, establish and disregard relationships with other players and just have fun. Some tips: Sign up early and try to learn to “speak” through your instrument. The course is an experiential learning course that yields half course credit. Placement auditions are held at the start of the semester. The course can be taken as an extracurricular, noncredit activity and culminates in a final performance. MUS 153A — Music and Culture in the Middle East Music background preferred but not required. Prof. Ann Elizabeth Lucas both teaches and performs Persian and
MIKE LOVETT/Brandeis University
“TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS”: Prof. Eric Chasalow, above, will examine why Beatles producer George Martin was so influential. Arabic music. She is an ethnomusicologist with a Ph.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles who specializes in the history of music in Iran. According to her website, she is “currently working to create a new Middle East Ensemble for Brandeis.” One-time-offer courses can sometimes serve as pseudo-experiments for the University to see which courses are popular in addition to accommodating visiting professors. So if enough students express interest in this course, it may be possible that Brandeis will get its own Middle East Ensemble.
PHOTO COURTESY OF YU-HUI CHANG
CHANG ON CHINA: Prof. Yu-Hui Chang plans to delve into Chinese music history and practice with “Introduction to Chinese Music.”
The course examines music and culture in the context of the Arab Levant and North Africa, as well as Iran, Afghanistan and Turkey. Basic music knowledge is required. MUS 87A: Music and Dance from Ghana No music background required. This course is everything “Brandeis,” and I mean that as a compliment. Students learn about a nonWestern culture (although it doesn’t seem to fulfill the non-Western course requirement) through experiential learning from a visiting professor.
They learn to dance, drum and sing from the ground up and perform for an audience at the end. The course is taught by Ghanaian drummer/ dancer Tommy Nani Agbeli and is the brainchild of Prof. Judith Eissenberg, who organizes a world music residency at Brandeis each semester. This is a music ensemble offered on a credit/no-credit basis. The drum ensemble includes bells, rattles and drums. Singers learn call and response singing in local languages. Dancers have choreography to follow as well as opportunity for individual expression.
PHOTO COURTESY OF TOM HALL
JUST PLAY: Tom Hall’s Improv Collective music ensemble can now be taken for credit.
20
TUESDAY, august 30, 2011
●
THE JUSTICE
OFF CAMPUS television
Summer shows perform better than ever ■ Cable TV produced a slew of
engaging dramas and comedies during the summer, normally a low point for quality shows. By Mara sassoon JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
It used to be that summertime meant lots of reruns on television, but in recent years, summers have been characterized by the premieres of some great new series. With even more fun shows premiering this summer, there was no shortage of programs to watch when trying to beat the heat. Here is a recap of just some of the great series that have been on television this summer: Burn Notice (USA): USA seems to be the go-to channel for breezy and fun original summer series, as is evident by looking down this list. Burn Notice, which came back this summer in its fifth season, was one of the series that launched the phenomenon that is a summer season of good television. The Miami-set show follows burned spy—meaning he has been blacklisted by all U.S. intelligence agencies—Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan); his on-again, off-again girlfriend Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar) who is an ex-IRA operative; and his friend Sam (Bruce Campbell), a former Navy Seal and military intelligence operative, as they help out local citizens with investigative tasks. This summer’s season found Michael recently un-burned and back with the CIA, which has made for some interesting storylines. A real standout in this show, however, is Sharon Gless as Michael’s hilarious mother Madeline. If you didn’t catch Burn Notice this summer, you can always watch it when it comes back in its fall season. Covert Affairs (USA): Another USA series, Covert Affairs premiered last summer and stars Piper Perabo as Annie Walker, a young CIA field operative who goes undercover on a different mission in each episode under the guidance of her blind colleague Auggie Anderson (Christopher Gorham). Annie keeps her real job a secret from her sister Danielle (Anne Dudek) and instead maintains a cover that she works at the Smithsonian Institution. However, at the end of this summer’s season finale, Annie causes a rift between her and her sister. Like Burn Notice, more episodes of Covert Affairs will be shown in the fall season. Franklin & Bash (TNT): An entertaining new show this summer, Franklin & Bash stars Breckin Meyer and Mark-Paul Gosselaar as the titular lawyers and best friends Jared Franklin and Peter Bash. They are hired to work at the prestigious law firm Infeld Daniels by the quirky Stanton Infeld (Malcolm McDowell), and they bring their unconventional style with them. Franklin and Bash’s ridiculous courtroom antics make the show fun to watch, as does the over-the-top bachelor pad that the two live in. Even more amusing is their agoraphobic legal aid Pindar (Kumail Nanjiani), who lives with them in the outrageous home. The Glades (A&E): A&E’s South Florida-set drama, which premiered last summer, has something major going for it: The characters are believable—not too over-the-top, not too overacted. The Glades stars Matt Passmore as Detective Jim Longworth, a homicide detective from Chicago who transfers to the town of Palm Glade,
FRISKYTUNA/Flickr Creative Commons
BURN, BABY, BURN: ‘Burn Notice’ tackled a new plot line this season when protagonist Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan, front) returns to the CIA solving crimes in Miami.
COURTNEYBOLTON/Google Creative Commons
IN WITH THE OLD: Reformed con-man Neal Cafferty (Matt Bomer, right) falls back into old habits on this season of ‘White Collar.’ located near the Everglades, to work for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Here, he encounters his fair share of swamp creatures while investigating murders, and he strikes up a relationship with Callie (Kiele Sanchez), a tough nurse who, in this summer’s second season, has been hired as the FDLE’s forensic nurse. In addition to believable characters and dynamics, the mysteries are not easy to figure out, and the unexpected twists that occur in each episode really keep the show exciting. In Plain Sight (USA): In this drama, which had its fourth season this summer, U.S. Marshal Mary Shannon (Mary McCormack) works for the Witness Protection Program and is based in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Aside from focusing on the federal witnesses that Mary and her partner Marshal Marshall Mann (Fred Weller)—yes, that’s right, a marshal named Marshall—must protect, the series also examines Mary’s dysfunctional fam-
ily, including her recovering alcoholic mother, Jinx (Lesley Anne Warren) and her former wild-child younger sister, Brandi (Nichole Hiltz). But it’s Mary’s tough-as-nails attitude combined with her snarky quips and clever insight that make her such a likeable character and make the series so wonderful. In Plain Sight will return for a fifth (and unfortunately final) season in the spring. Necessary Roughness (USA): Another new series this summer, Necessary Roughness stars Callie Thorne as Dr. Dani Santino, a psychotherapist in the midst of divorcing her cheating husband, who is hired by the local professional football team, the New York Hawks, to counsel the team’s out-of-control wide receiver Terrence “TK” King (Mehcad Brooks). Dr. Santino must counsel other high-profile athletes and celebrities while dealing with the unpredictable TK popping in unexpectedly on her and her family. Rizzoli & Isles (TNT): Rizzoli & Isles
is based on the series of novels by Tess Gerritsen and stars Angie Harmon as the tough and tomboyish Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzoli and Sasha Alexander as her good friend, medical examiner Dr. Maura Isles. Rizzoli and the slightly high-strung and socially awkward Isles balance each other out, and the two work closely together in each episode to solve murders, each using her own area of expertise. This summer’s season has also focused a little more on the two women’s families, including Jane’s nagging mother (Lorraine Bracco); her brother Frankie Jr. (Jordan Bridges), who is also working to become a detective; and her other brother Tommy (Colin Egglesfield), who has recently been released from prison. Maura’s pretentious and slightly cold mother (Jacqueline Bisset) also makes a rare appearance in her life and stirs up some emotions. Royal Pains (USA): This show about Hamptons concierge doctor Hank Lawson (Mark Feurstein) started
Subscribe to theJustice! http://go.thejustice.org/subscribe
its third season this summer. Hank comes to the Hamptons with his brother, Evan (Paulo Costanzo), who convinces him to start HankMed and work as a concierge doctor by making house calls and treating the superwealthy residents of the Hamptons with the help of his physician assistant Divya (Reshma Shetty). This summer’s season has also dealt with Hank and Evan’s father Eddie’s (Henry Winkler) release from prison and delves deeper into the mysterious life of Boris (Campbell Scott), the wealthy German duke who lends his guesthouse to Hank and Evan. Suits (USA): Yet another new offering this summer, Suits is a clever comedy-drama about Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), a college-dropout genius with a photographic memory who has made some poor life choices. After Mike tries to flee from a compromised drug deal at a swanky hotel, he stumbles into an interview with debonair lawyer Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht). Harvey winds up hiring Mike on the spot and the two must make sure to hide Mike’s lack of a degree from the rest of the firm. This proves a somewhat hard act to keep up, with the grating, rat-like Lewis Litt (Rick Hoffman), a partner in the firm, constantly badgering both Mike and Harvey. Mike also finds it especially difficult to hide his secret from the firm’s pretty paralegal Rachel (Meghan Markle). White Collar (USA): In White Collar, suave con artist Neal Caffrey (Matt Bomer), an expert forger and thief, is finally caught by FBI agent Peter Burke (Tim DeKay). Instead of jail time, Neal wears a tracking device on his ankle and works closely with Peter and the other Feds, using his own criminal knowledge to help catch other wanted criminals. In this summer’s third season, Neal shows that it is difficult not to go back to his old ways, and he works with his peculiar and always amusing friend Mozzie (Willie Garson) to hide a cache of stolen artwork from the Feds.
THE JUSTICE
This tall blonde stylishly contrasts with her short bob with a floor-skimming maxi dress. Her dress is quite colorful, and the number of accessories she can coordinate with is endless, but she chooses a green cross-body bag that picks up the color in her dress. (Her outfit is also practical—check out the pockets!) Photographed in Brooklyn.
●
TUESDAY, august 30, 2011
The way this redhead styles her maxi draws many similarities to the subject in the top left and the bottom second to the left, from the sunglasses to the green bag. However, this maxi is a bit more body-conscious without being too tight. I especially like the empire waist detailing, which provides a flirty effect. Her espadrilles and shiny jewels definitely give her a more “uptown” look as she heads that direction from midtown.
These friends spotted in Brooklyn both model midis. The black skirt’s high slit adds intrigue and sex appeal, while the drawstring skirt provides a chic yet comfortable look. The women also show how these styles can be adapted for colder weather.
Summer fashion wrap-up The women of New York show off the season’s hippest styles By amy melser JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
The length of her dress is actually referred to as a midi. Therefore, while she may be showing just a touch more skin, her dress still has the loose feel of a maxi. This striped frock hits her in all the right places, and the belt highlights her tiny waist. This stylish girl proves that feminine dresses do not have to be paired with feminine accessories as she adds a bit of ruggedness to her look with motorcycle booties.
The pleated maxi has been all the rage this summer. While I’ve seen many in white and cream, this easy-going gal goes for emerald. A similar skirt can be purchased at American Apparel. Photographed in Chelsea.
As an fashion journalism intern in New York City this summer, I was surrounded by some of the best-dressed individuals in the country. I would catch these men and women in all their sartorial greatness in the most ordinary places, including the elevator, cafeteria and break room. However, just because these highly influential style makers were at my
This wavy-haired beauty dons quite a similar look as the subject on the top left, opting for a more casual bag. The look allows her to move freely and catch a breeze in Brooklyn.
viewing disposal does not mean I considered the rest of the city’s population drab “wannabes.” In fact, I was inspired by the accessible fashions worn by New Yorkers on the street. Trends that dominated this summer were maxi dresses and skirts. One may think smart choices in sultry weather are shorts or miniskirts, but the abundance of women in Manhattan and Brooklyn donning loose-fitting maxis proved that you can stay cool and comfortable while still looking stylish.
This petite brunette models an “of the moment” trend: the “evolution” skirt, also referred to as the “high-low” look.The cut is shorter in the front than in the back, which could help ease all you miniskirt lovers into the maxi look.
I spotted yet another midi, but the style was interpreted differently. This stunning woman did not go unnoticed while walking the streets of Brooklyn Heights. Pairing her silky dress and killer nude wedges with a casual denim jacket gives her more of a downtown look.
What’s more appropriate for summer than a linen skirt? I love the pale pink and olive combination. Photographed in Union Square.
♦ Photos by Amy Melser/the Justice
21
Join
Justice!
the
Whether you are interested in covering campus events, sharing your opinion, taking photographs, copy editing articles or laying out pages, the Justice wants you to join our team!
Two great opportunities to sign up and learn more about Visit our table at the Fall 2011 Arts and Activities Fair on Monday, Sept. 5 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. on the Great Lawn.
the
Justice:
Join us at Recruitment Night on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium.
For more information, contact Nashrah Rahman at managing@thejustice.org.
Join the Arts section of
Justice!
the
Write reviews for theater, movies, dance and music. Contact Wei-Huan Chen at arts@thejustice.org for more information. AMY BISAILLON/the Justice
THE JUSTICE
●
TUESDAY, august 30, 2011
23
gaming
Stunning effects set ‘L.A. Noire’ apart
GAMEWAY/Flickr Creative Commons
PUT YOUR DUKES UP: Although ‘L.A. Noire’ takes its inspiration from previous Rockstar titles such as ‘Grand Theft Auto IV,’ the game focuses is more heavily on story, suspense and character development.
■ Though not perfect, Rockstar
Games’ newest open-world epic proves to be the gaming hit of the summer. By dan willey JUSTICE contributing writer
Before I start my review of L.A. Noire, I should disclose that I have pretty high standards when it comes to video games. I would consider myself a core gamer: I’ve been playing video games since I was about 3 years old, cutting my gaming chops on classics like the original Super Mario Bros. I’ve attended midnight releases for several of my favorite series and purchased several titles on day one. I keep up on industry news with several major gaming outlets like IGN and Game Informer, and I like to think that I am pretty aware of what’s going on in the gaming world. So by the time L.A. Noire came out at the beginning of the summer, I had pretty high expectations from all the hype that preceded its release. Set in 1940s Los Angeles, L.A. Noire puts you in the role of war hero and
rookie cop Cole Phelps as he ascends the ranks of the Los Angeles Police Department while simultaneously exposing its seedy underbelly. Developer Team Bondi and publisher Rockstar Games successfully recreate the classic film noir aesthetic with all of the familiar tropes as Phelps takes on a series of assignments from several desks within the department, including traffic, vice, homicide and arson. Those familiar with previous games published by Rockstar, such as Grand Theft Auto IV and Red Dead Redemption, should feel right at home, as the gameplay mechanics during car chases and shootouts are nearly identical. What sets L.A. Noire apart from those previous offerings, however, is its use of the brand-new MotionScan facial animation technology. By employing 32 cameras, each filming from its own angle, Team Bondi was able to intricately capture the expressions and emotions of the actors it employed, creating the most realistic facial animation seen in video games to date. Gamers will recognize many talented actors from several popular television series and movies. Aaron Staton, known for his role as Ken Cos-
grove in the AMC hit Mad Men, plays the main character Cole Phelps and does a fantastic job portraying one of the most complicated and intriguing characters I’ve encountered in a game. While the animation is amazing in its own right and helps make the characters seem believable, Team Bondi manages to incorporate the technology into the gameplay as well. Throughout the game, players will interrogate suspects and witnesses while attempting to sort truth from fiction by reading the characters’ faces. If players wrongly accuse a witness of lying, the witness will shut down and refuse to answer their questions. This can lead to missing clues and wrongful arrests, making the interrogation sequences incredibly intense and immersive. I was truly impressed by Team Bondi’s ability to take the new MotionScan technology and create an entirely new genre of detective games. It’s rare when a game comes along that changes video game industry standards. I’m confident that many other developers will see the potential of this technology and use it in similar ways in the future. While the range of fascinating and
believable characters make the world seem truly real, Team Bondi also made a great effort to make the settings and locations as realistic as possible. Using over 110,000 aerial photos of Los Angeles from the era, the developer meticulously created a stunning replica of the city. Every street corner looks amazing, and gamers will be tempted to put their investigation aside to explore. Unfortunately, the experience isn’t very rewarding. As great as the scenery looks, it feels completely lifeless. Unless a building is necessary for an investigation, it can’t be entered, and citizens can’t assign quests or interact with the player in any meaningful way. All of this is particularly disappointing since Rockstar’s previous games have taken place in incredibly interactive, open-world environments that reward exploration. Gamers familiar with Rockstar’s previous work will also be frustrated by the gameplay. While the mechanics are nearly identical to their past games, the difficulty is startlingly underwhelming. I was able to breeze through the game without any difficulty and rarely had to repeat mis-
sions. Team Bondi even goes so far as to allow the gamer to skip every action sequence in the game in order to move to the next interrogation and advance the story. In a way, I can understand the decision: Team Bondi is clearly trying to make the game more accessible to less-experienced gamers who simply want to play through the story and find out what happens next. The interrogation sequences have nothing to do with traditional video game skills, and so L.A. Noire has an opportunity to bring in a new audience of gamers who may not be able to get through the more difficult action sequences of a game like Grand Theft Auto. Nonetheless, it would have been nice to see an option to increase the difficulty of the game for those who are more experienced. This has become quite standard in video games over the years, and it’s baffling that it has been omitted here, especially given how easy the default is. While L.A. Noire clearly has its faults, the gripping story and unbelievable new animation technology make it a must-play, especially given the lack of quality games this summer. I give the game an 8.5 out of 10.
Television
‘The Glee Project’ features new musical talent
■ ‘The Glee Project’ featured
talented young stars competing for a spot on the next season of ‘Glee.’ By LEANNE ORTBALS JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
I’m a Gleek. But after watching two seasons of Fox’s musical-comedy Glee, I feel that the show needs a boost. Luckily, the creators of Glee agreed and offered a solution: The Glee Project. Over 40,000 hopefuls tried out for The Glee Project, a summer-long competition on Oxygen for a chance to compete for a seven-episode guest-starring role on Glee. Vocal producer Nikki Anders, choreographer Zach Woodlee and casting director Robert Ulrich narrowed tens of thousands of competitors down to 12 finalists, the contestants on The Glee Project. Each episode of The Glee Project included a homework assignment, a group performance for Ulrich and a special guest from the cast of Glee. The contestants also shot a music video and tested their vocals, dancing chops, acting and ability to work on a set. The three competitors with the weakest performances were given a final chance to sing for
Glee co-creator Ryan Murphy. After the “last chance performances,” Murphy gave one of them the boot. Each week, Ulrich posted a callback list for the contestants. In episode seven, Cameron Mitchell from Fort Worth, Texas chose to give his spot on the list to almost-eliminated contender Damian McGinty, offering the most notable reality TV moment of the series. I had pegged Mitchell as one of the strongest candidates, even though his awkward dance moves and love for cardigans gave him a nerdy demeanor. He elected to leave the competition after feeling uncomfortable kissing another contestant on camera due to his strong Christian values. Episode nine brought another shocker. After the final four competitors left their hearts on the stage in their “last chance performances,” Murphy gave all four contestants, Alex Newell, Lindsay Pearce, Samuel Larson and McGinty, a slot in the finale. Newell, 18, from Lynn, Mass. struggled early on in the competition with his diva-like attitude. He sang “I Am Changing” from Dreamgirls for his last performance on the show, and won Murphy’s approval not only with his vocal range but also with his confidence, which he showed by dressing in drag. Early in the series, Pearce, 20,
GLEEPROJECT/Flickr Creative Commons
LUCK OF THE IRISH: Damian McGinty brought heart and sincerity to the competition. from Modesto, Calif. put up a tough façade to hide her vulnerabilities, losing a little of Murphy’s favor. However, with her performance of “Gimme Gimme” from the musical Thoroughly Modern Millie in the finale, she showed off both her powerhouse voice and a softer demeanor.
Larson, 19, from Los Angeles, sang “Jolene” by Dolly Parton in his last performance to show off his individuality. Larson’s dreadlocks, indie-rock voice and Christian faith helped him stand out in comparison to most actors on television today. McGinty, 18, from Derry City, Ire-
land brought heart and sincerity to the competition, not to mention a fabulous Irish accent. He dedicated Bobby Darin’s “Beyond the Sea,” his final number, to contestants Hannah and Cameron before lighting up the stage. After the final four performances, my stomach was in knots as I waited for Murphy to call out the victor. And the winner is … all four? Murphy first announced Larson as the winner of The Glee Project, but after about 30 seconds of celebration also broke the news to McGinty that he shared the victory. Both Larson and McGinty won seven-episode arcs on Glee in the upcoming third season. To add to the celebration, Murphy also awarded Pearce and Newell two-episode guest-starring roles on the show. I’ve never seen a reality TV show in which 33 percent of the contestants won. I guess the knots in my stomach were all for nothing. After a summer of watching The Glee Project, I feel sad it has come to an end. I loved getting my Glee fix during the show’s summer hiatus while feeding my reality TV addiction at the same time. Now I can look forward to Glee’s season three premiere on Sept. 20, and I can’t wait to see what kind of pizazz the new cast members add to the story line.
24
TUESday, August 30, 2011 ● THE JUSTICE
TOP of the
ARTS ON VIEW
TRIVIA TIME 1. Who were the opponents in the Trojan War? 2. Which nation’s most important river is the Vistula? 3. Which U.S. president was the target of an attempted assassination in Sacramento, Calif.? 4. What was the full name of Bill Haley’s band, which recorded the hit “Rock Around the Clock”? 5. Who wrote the book Mary Poppins? 6. When did the war crimes trials at Nuremberg, Germany, begin? 7. Where was the ancient kingdom of Cumbria located? 8. Which one of the arts was Rudolf Nureyev’s claim to fame? 9. What was the first name of TV detective Kojak? 10. How many hectares are in 1 square kilometer? 1. The Greeks (Achaeans) and Trojans 2. Poland 3. Gerald Ford 4. Bill Haley and his Comets 5. Pamela Lyndon Travers 6. 1945 7. England 8. Ballet 9. Theo 10. 100
SHOWTIMES 9/2 – 9/8 Rise of the Planet of the Apes Fri-Mon: 1:10, 3:40, 6:40, 9:05 Tues-Thurs: 2:10, 4:50, 7:40 Midnight in Paris Fri-Mon: 1:40, 4:00, 6:30, 9:15 Tues-Thurs: 2:30, 5:00, 8:00 One Day Fri-Mon: 1:00, 3:30, 6:20, 9:00 Tues-Thurs: 2:00, 4:50, 7:30 Our Idiot Brother Fri-Mon: 1:50, 4:10, 7:00, 9:20 Tues-Thurs: 2:40, 5:10, 8:10 The Guard Fri-Mon: 1:30, 3:50, 6:50, 9:10 Tues-Thurs: 2:20, 5:00, 7:50 The Help Fri-Mon: 1:20, 4:40, 8:00 Tues-Thurs: 2:50, 7:20
For additional showtimes, call (781) 893-2500 or check online. The Embassy is located at 18 Pine Street in Waltham
CHARTS Top 10s for the week ending August 28 BOX OFFICE
1. The Help 2. Colombiana 3. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark 4. Rise of the Planet of the Apes 5. Our Idiot Brother 6. Spy Kids: All the Time in the World 7. The Smurfs 8. Conan the Barbarian 9. Fright Night 10. Crazy, Stupid, Love.
NYT BESTSELLERS
TALI SMOOKLER/the Justice
BEACH BUM: Justice Photography Editor Tali Smookler ’13 took this photo of a warm, calm day at Nantasket Beach in Hull, Mass. “Nantasket” derives from a Wampanoag word meaning “low-tide place.”
ACROSS 1. Symbol of intrigue 4. iPhone download 7. Nut job 12. Actress Longoria 13. Meadow 14. Foreigner 15. Part of UCLA 16. Beatles ditty 18. Schuss 19. Heavens above 20. “Phooey!” 22. Green prefix 23. Castro’s home 27. Young fellow 29. Trafalgar admiral 31. Daniel who’s played 007 34. Prepared 35. Gilligan’s boat 37. Scratch 38. Carry 39. Simile center 41. Entanglement 45. Its participants must form a line 47. Spring mo. 48. “The Swedish Nightingale” 52. Conk out 53. Alaskan islander 54. Nourished 55. Cozy lodging 56. Boston newspaper 57. Wayne and Worth (Abbr.) 58. Roulette bet DOWN 1. People of Pontypridd 2. Bring forth 3. Fundamental 4. Swiss range 5. Cheated at hide-and-seek 6. “War of the Worlds” effect 7. Methods 8. Every iota 9. Spy-novel org. 10. Jennings of Jeopardy! 11. Inseparable 17. Night light?
CROSSWORD
Fiction 1. The Omen Machine — Terry Goodkind 2. A Dance With Dragons — George R. R. Martin 3. Full Black — Brad Thor 4. The Help — Kathryn Stockett 5. Cold Vengeance — Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child Nonfiction 1. A Stolen Life — Jaycee Dugard 2. Unbroken — Laura Hillenbrand 3. In the Garden of Beasts — Erik Larson 4. After America — Mark Steyn 5. 1493 — Charles C. Mann
iTUNES
1. Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera — “Moves Like Jagger” 2. Foster the People — “Pumped Up Kicks” 3. Rihanna — “Cheers (Drink to That)” 4. Gym Class Heroes feat. Adam Levine — “Stereo Hearts” 5. Lady Gaga — “You and I” 6. LMFAO feat. Lauren Bennett and GoonRock —- “Party Rock Anthem” 7. Lil Wayne — “How to Love” 8. One Republic — “Good Life” 9. Cobra Starship feat. Sabi — “You Make Me Feel...” 10. Adele — “Someone Like You”
BILLBOARD
21. A Fish Called Wanda Oscar winner 23. Office worker 24. N.A. portion 25. Physique 26. Whatever number 28. Past 30. Historic time 31. Nashville-based MTV offshoot 32. Carnival city 33. Pismire 36. Cry like a banshee 37. Fridge decoration
40. Check for smells 42. Bottom 43. Put one’s two cents in 44. Pollster’s find 45. Info measure 46. Toteboard tally 48. Show that spawned NCIS 49. Right angle 50. Ultramodernist 51. Gist
1. Jay-Z and Kanye West — Watch the Throne 2. Adele — 21 3. Various Artists — NOW 39 4. Luke Bryan — Tailgates and Tanlines 5. Jason Aldean — My Kinda Party 6. Eli Young Band — Life at It’s Best 7. Eric Church— Chief 8. Blue October — Any Man in America 9. Beyonce — 4 10. Kidz Bop Kids — Kidz Bop 20 Album information provided by Billboard Magazine. Box office information provided by Fandango. iTunes top sellers provided by Apple.com. Bestellers list provided by The New York Times.
STAFF PLAYLIST
King Crossword Copyright 2011 King Features Synd, Inc.
“Summer Storms”
STRANGE BUT TRUE
By MAYA RISER-KOSITSKY
It was revered American comedian Bill Cosby who made the following sage observation: “Human beings are the only creatures that allow their children to come back home.” iHere’s a disturbing statistic for parents: If your child is like the average American youth, between the ages of 5 and 15, he or she will see approximately 13,500 people killed on television. Most languages change dramatically over time. If we in modern America were to try to read Beowulf (which was written in Old English), for instance, only those who have spent time studying the language would be able to make out more than a word or two here and there. If you’re from Iceland, however, this isn’t the case—the written language there has remained virtually unchanged for more than 1,000 years. Modern Icelanders have no trouble reading sagas that were written in the 10th century. Relative to body size, humans, unsurprisingly, have larger brains than any other animal. Of all nonhuman animals, the bottlenose dolphin has the largest brain.
When Great Britain’s current Queen Elizabeth—then Princess Elizabeth—wed Prince Philip, their wedding cake weighed a whopping 500 pounds. As legend has it, in 1288, when Dusseldorf, Germany, was granted its city charter, children all over the city began turning cartwheels for joy. The cartwheel has been an enduring part of the culture there ever since, and in 1937 the city even inaugurated an annual international cartwheel championship. Those who study such things claim that when you’re playing Monopoly, you’re likely to land on Illinois Avenue and the B&O Railroad more than any other squares. The Mexican Jumping Bean is not a bean. It is actually a thin-shelled section of a seed capsule containing the larva of a small gray moth called the jumping bean moth. Thought for the Day: “I always find it more difficult to say the things I mean than the things I don’t.” —W. Somerset Maugham
Justice COPY STAFF
Here are some songs that reflect the transition from summer back into the school year.
THE LIST 1.“Summer in the City”— Regina Spektor 2. “Dog Days Are Over” — Florence + the Machine 3. “Summer Skin” — Death Cab for Cutie 4. “After the Storm” — Mumford and Sons 5. “It’s Thunder and It’s Lightning” — We Were Promised Jetpacks 6. “You! Me! Dancing!” — Los Campesinos 7. “I’m a Pirate, You’re a Princess” — PlayRadioPlay! 8. “Oxford Comma” — Vampire Weekend 9. “Love of an Orchestra” — Noah and the Whale