The Justice, August 28, 2012

ARTS PAGE 20

FORUM Students debate Akin’s comments 10

UTC PREVIEW

SPORTS Men’s soccer looks to defend title 16 The Independent Student Newspaper

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Justice

Volume LXV, Number 1

www.thejustice.org

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

ROSE ART MUSEUM

BRANDEIS BEGINNINGS

Chris Bedford appointed new Rose director ■ Bedford was formerly the

chief curator at Ohio State University's Wexner Center for the Arts.

By ANDREW WINGENS JUSTICE EDITOR

After a search that took nearly two years, the Rose Art Museum will have a new director starting this September who hopes to transform the museum into a landmark for both the campus and the greater region.

Christopher Bedford, the chief curator at Ohio State University’s Wexner Center for the Arts, will lead Brandeis’ prized museum as the Henry and Lois Foster Director of the Rose.

The position has been vacant since the University chose not to renew former Director Michael Rush’s contract in 2009. Since Rush’s departure, Director of Operations Roy Dawes has filled the role.

In an interview with the Justice, Bedford said that one of his goals will be to make the Rose a place for social discourse and gathering. “Basically what I would like to do is turn the museum into a social and intellectual hub both for the campus and for the broader Boston community.”

Bedford declined to name specific projects that he will pursue because he wants to give them “time to unfold” and assure support from the University. He said, however, that he would like to commission a “major work of public sculpture for outside the museum that would also serve as a beacon for the broader institution.”

The sculpture would also relate

specifically to Brandeis, he said.

“I am very interested and have been compelled throughout this process by this idea of Brandeis as a university committed to social justice, so Bedford I imagine this work of public art having a pretty direct relationship to that agenda.”

Bedford’s expertise is in modern and contemporary art, a condition required by last year’s settlement of a lawsuit brought against the University by several Rose patrons.

Commenting on the 2009 Rose controversy, Bedford said the difficulties were “resolved in exactly the right way.” He noted the recent renovations to the Rose and said that the president and provost have shown a strong commitment to the museum.

“Even negative circumstances like that can create great opportunity. One byproduct of the really difficult period was that it raised the consciousness of the Rose in the art world, and I think there’s that consciousness there to be exploited right now and it’s my every intention to do exactly that,” said Bedford.

Although the search committee for a new director was formed in September 2010, it did not begin to look for candidates in earnest until fall 2011 due to the pending lawsuit against the University.

After the suit was settled last summer, the committee hired search firm Phillips Oppenheim to conduct a na-

See BEDFORD, 5 ☛

Waltham, Mass.

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

Presidential welcome Two incoming first-years unfurl their class banner along with University President Frederick Lawrence. See page 8 for more coverage and photos of orientation.

STUDENT ACTIVISM

Student protester arrested in WV ■ Dorian Williams ’13 took

part in a protest at Hobet 21 coal mine in West Virginia.

By TALI SMOOKLER JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

On July 28, Dorian Williams ’13 was arrested with 19 others in Charleston, W.VA for trespassing and obstruction at a protest hosted

by Radical Action for Mountain People’s Survival. Initially held on $25,000 bail, Williams was released

from jail after ten days with a fine of $500.

According to its website, RAMPS is a campaign in West Virginia aimed at ending coal mining in Appalachia in order to fight for the survival of land, people and a healthy, sustainable future.

The event this summer, “Mountain Mobilization,” shut down the Hobet 21 coal mine for three hours after scores of activists, including Williams, locked themselves to a truck in protest.

“I had made the decision before-

hand that it was worth the risk,” Williams said in an email to the Justice. This is Williams’ third arrest for environmental activism.

“Mountaintop removal is one of the most glaring injustices happening in this country right now. One of the fundamental issues here is that no one should have to die so that we can keep the lights on,” she said.

Mountaintop removal involves blasting mountain tops with explosives to reach coal underneath. Wil-

See ARREST, 5 ☛

HELLER SCHOOL

Center for Youth and Communities receives Walmart grant ■ The Center for Youth and

By FIONA LOCKYER

Communities is run by the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and supports nearly 3,000 students across the country.

JUSTICE EDITOR

In early June, the Walmart Foundation announced that more than $20 million in grants would be dispersed to six nonprofit partners, including a $5 million gift to the Heller School for Social Policy and Management Center for Youth and Communities,

which aids programs that prepare youth for college and working life via research, policy work and technical assistance. The Center, which operates in all 50 states, will be able to employ, educate and support nearly 3,000 students in cities across the country using the funds, according to a press release from the Heller School.

According to the BrandeisNOW press release, eight cities nationwide will benefit from Walmart’s gift that Brandeis has distributed. With this grant money, government and nonprofit agencies that implement strategies to keep youth productively engaged in at-risk communities in Arizona, New York, Connecticut,

See WALMART, 5 ☛

A writer of many talents

London calling

New COO named

 Theresa Rebeck, writer for the television series “Smash,” created a Broadway show about Cincinatti, her hometown.

Tim Morehouse ’00 sat down with justSports to discuss his experience at the 2012 Olympics.

 Steven Manos was formerly an executive at Tufts University and Wheaton College.

FEATURES 6

For tips or info email editor@thejustice.org

Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan and California will receive $800,000 each for their programming.

The other five nonprofit partners —YMCA of the USA, the National Recreation and Park Association, the National Summer Learning Associa-

Let your voice be heard!

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INDEX

SPORTS 14 ARTS SPORTS

17 16

EDITORIAL FEATURES

10 6

OPINION POLICE LOG

10 2

NEWS 3 COPYRIGHT 2012 FREE AT BRANDEIS. Email managing@thejustice.org for home delivery.

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TUESDAY, august 28, 2012

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THE JUSTICE

NEWS WIRE BRIEF

POLICE LOG

WIRE BRIEF

Convention goes on despite storm

Medical Emergency

All male school goes co-ed

TAMPA, Fla.—Greeted by rain and howling wind, Republicans gathered Sunday for a convention partly waylaid by Tropical Storm Isaac, which threatened to swamp this low-lying city and hijack precious days of attention from presidential hopeful Mitt Romney.

Having already canceled Monday’s opening schedule, strategists for the unofficial GOP nominee said they managed to squeeze most speakers into three remaining days and would not alter the convention program as a result of the unfolding natural disaster—though that could change.

“There’s a weather event. We all know that the weather event is there,” Russ Schriefer, a top Romney strategist, told reporters Sunday night. He said the campaign would closely watch developments but, for now, “We’re going to continue with our Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday schedule.”

Campaign strategists have long viewed the convention as a key moment in the tight presidential race.

With repeated polls suggesting a likability problem for Romney, a mix of testimonials and attacks on President Barack Obama have been crafted to both humanize the former Massachusetts governor and convince voters he can better relate to their economic struggles.

But if Sunday’s split-screen TV coverage was any evidence, Romney may have to compete for at least the next day or two with weather maps, storm trackers and reports of evacuees and relief efforts along Isaac’s projected path.

The more practical concern here in Florida was the safety of residents and the 50,000 or so delegates, reporters and other political travelers gathered for four days of pomp and partying in this bay-front city.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott urged delegates and others attending the convention to avoid unnecessary travel in the flood-prone region on Monday. Scott, a Republican, earlier said he would skip the convention altogether to devote his full energy to the storm.

“Don’t start venturing into the Tampa site, because you don’t know what’s going to happen as far as your ability to get home,” Scott said after a morning briefing with local, state and federal officials.

Weather forecasters said that Isaac, which killed nine people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, may strengthen into a hurricane and make landfall late Tuesday or early Wednesday on the Gulf Coast of Alabama or Louisiana. Although Tampa is hundreds of miles away and would not take a direct hit, Scott said the concern was flooding from storm surges in the region, which is still saturated from Tropical Storm Debbie earlier this summer.

Obama spoke Sunday with Scott to “make clear that the administration, through (the Federal Emergency Management Agency), would continue to make resources available as necessary to support the state,” according to a statement from the White House.

As Florida and other gulf states hunkered down, Romney campaigned via the TV talk-show circuit, offering a rare boast about the health care plan he pushed through as Massachusetts governor.

Romney cited the program in an interview on Fox News Sunday when asked about the party’s firm antiabortion stance and Democratic assertions the GOP is waging a “war on women.”

“Look, I’m the guy who was able to get health care for all the women and men in my state,” Romney said. “We actually did something and we did it without cutting Medicare and without raising taxes.”

Romney rarely discusses his state’s health care plan, which served as a model for Obama’s national overhaul, because the expansive program is anathema to many conservatives.

Aside from the threat posed by Isaac, parts of Tampa were quite possibly the safest place in the world. Like rings around a bull’s eye, concentric circles of security surrounded the Tampa Bay Times Forum, where the convention was to gavel open for a brief, perfunctory session Monday.

Nearly 4,000 armed police officers and uniformed members of the National Guard, part of a force involving more than 60 different law enforcement agencies, swarmed the streets and peered down from the top of parking garages, effectively turning a large chunk of downtown into an armed camp.

—Tribune Washington Bureau (MCT)

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS nAn article in Forum misspelled the name of its columnist. The columnist who writes "Voice of Reason" is named Avi Snyder, not Avi Synder (May 22, pg. 10).

The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@ thejustice.org.

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Aug. 21—A party in Usen Castle reported that a female party fell while skateboarding and scraped her knee. University Police rendered first aid.

Aug. 26—University Police reported a student with an eye injury at the Sherman sundial. The student was treated and transported to the Health Center by BEMCo for further care.

WIRE BRIEF

Aug. 26—A reporting party stated that his room window was hit with two rocks but did not break; he did not see anyone who might have thrown them. Officers checked the area and did not find anyone. All appeared in order.

LOS ANGELES —Deep Springs College, the small but prestigious school and ranch north of Death Valley, Calif., has begun accepting applications from women for the first time in its 95-year history.

Despite an ongoing legal battle aimed at stopping the shift at the 28-student campus, college officials announced this week that they are inviting women to apply for admission in 2013.

Deep Springs’ trustees voted last year to break with the all-male tradition at the 120-square-mile ranch as a way to keep up with contemporary ways of training future leaders.

But in May, two college trustees sought to block the change in court. Critics contend that enrolling women would violate the campus’ founding trust and mission to educate “promising young men” in a setting away from the distractions of women and drinking.

Deep Springs is a tuition-free two-year college from which many graduates transfer to Ivy League universities.

Officials also said they plan to admit a class in 2013 that is at least half women, according to a release.

—compiled by Marielle Temkin

—Los Angeles Times (MCT)

Larceny

Aug. 23—A party in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center reported that his unattended cell phone was stolen from the bathroom. The party called University Police back and stated that he used an app on his computer to locate the phone, which was “somewhere in humanities.” University Police located the phone in a recycling bin, and it was returned to the party.

Disturbance

ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

A warm Brandeis welcome First-years applaud at the “Brandeis Beginnings” welcoming ceremony in Gosman Sports and Convocation Center on Sunday.

President Frederick Lawrence and Student Orientation Coordinator Mitchell Schwartz ’14, among others, welcomed the students.

New class, new mindset

If you’ve never seen an actual airline ticket (no, that’s not the same as a boarding pass), never mailed a firstclass letter for less than 30 cents and never known Los Angeles to have a pro football team, then you might be an incoming college freshman.

So says the latest Beloit College Mindset List, which attempts to summarize what members of the Class of 2016 know—and what they don’t—by referencing the cultural touchstones that have come and/or gone in their lifetime.

The list, released Tuesday, is a collection of references to pop culture (Justin Bieber and Dakota Fanning are their age), politics (a woman has run the U.S. State Department for much of their lives) and technology (their world has always existed in cyberspace).

To members of the Class of 2016, many of whom were born in 1994, “The Graduate” protagonist Benjamin Braddock could be their grandfather.

Other points on the list show not just the passage of time, but also the evolution of behavior. This year’s college freshman would likely think it strange for White House security to greet a group of gay elected officials by wearing rubber gloves, as happened during President Bill Clinton’s first term. (A Clinton spokesman later apologized.)

Beloit College english and humanities professor Tom McBride and former college Public Affairs Director Ron Nief have compiled the list annually since 1998. As for larger trends among this year’s college freshmen, McBride said one is clear.

“They’ve come into their teenage years at a time when there are real doubts about America’s future, about whether America will continue to be a No. 1 power, about crushing debt, about recovery from the economic recession,” McBride said in an interview.

“This is a generation for whom DE-B-T is going to be a four-letter word.

They’re aware it was excess debt that caused the recession. They’ve seen older siblings graduate college and come back home without any prospects for a job. They’ve heard the word ‘underwater’ and they know it isn’t referring to a swimming pool.”

In the minds of incoming college freshmen: People don’t carry luggage, they roll it.

They don’t have new encyclopaedias.

Kurt Cobain has always been dead.

The Real World has always stopped getting polite and started getting real.

Los Angeles has never had a pro football team.

Robert De Niro isn’t the young Vito Corleone in The Godfather II or Jimmy Conway in Goodfellas; he’s Ben Stiller’s father-in-law in Meet the Parents.

Bill Clinton is a senior statesman, not a recent former president.

They had Furbys.

“Star Wars” was always just a film, not a defense strategy.

There have always been blue M&M’s, but no tan ones.

See the full list at www.beloit.edu/ mindset.

—Chicago Tribune (MCT)

ANNOUNCEMENTS Roosevelt Fellow Ice Cream Social

Build an ice cream sundae while meeting and socializing with the Roosevelt Fellows, your purple-shirted peer academic advisors.

Today from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium.

Deis’ Glow

This is no ordinary dance party! Come out and get splattered with some neon paint! Get excited for another experience that is ‘Out of this World’.

Today from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on the Great Lawn.

Trisk Breakfast

Triskelion, Brandeis’ queer and allied group, would like to welcome all incoming students to a breakfast with other students, faculty and staff who are members and supporters of the LGBTQA community.

Tomorrow from 8 to 9:30 a.m. in Sherman Function Hall.

Physical Education Test

The PE Fitness Test is offered four times during a student’s first two years at Brandeis.

It is a voluntary test that gives students the opportunity to test out of all or part of the physical education requirement.

The Fitness Test includes a beep test to measure endurance, a sit-and-reach test to measure flexibility, a sit-up test and a plank test.

Sneakers and comfortable clothing are required.

Tomorrow from 1 to 3 p.m. in Gosman Sports and Convocation Center.

On-Campus Employment Workshop

Learn everything you need to know about job opportunities on-campus. Representatives from Student Financial Services will walk you through the process of obtaining an oncampus job.

Please be sure to bring your passport or Social Security card and a photo ID to complete the I-9 form.

Tomorrow at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. in Levin Ballroom in Usdan Student Center.

Study Abroad 101

Learn how to earn credit while spending a summer, semester, or even a year studying abroad. Topics covered include choosing a program, planning your Brandeis classes to accommodate study abroad, the application process, and financing your time abroad.

Tomorrow at 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. in the Alumni Lounge in Usdan Student Center.

Hillel Open House

Stop by the Hillel Lounge to meet some of the staff and student leaders, and find out about Jewish life on campus and all that Hillel has to offer!

Tomorrow from 3 to 4:30 p.m. in the Hillel Lounge in Usdan Student Center.

Dancin’ in the Moonlight

Orientation and Student Events are teaming up to provide a laser dance party. Expect music, giveaways, and a stellar laser show.

Saturday from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Chapels Field.

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012

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ACADEMICS

A NEW LOOK

Hamilton prof will lead AAAS ■ Chad Williams, known for

his scholarship in African American military history, assumed the post in July.

By SUZANNE SCHATZ JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Joshua Linton/the Justice

Fresh start Facilities launched several renovation projects this summer, including a $1.2 million update of the bathrooms in East Quad and Shapiro Hall in Massell Quad. Pictured here is a bathroom on the first floor of Shapiro.

ADMINISTRATION SHIFT

Manos joins Brandeis as COO ■ The former executive vice

president of Tufts has been appointed chief operating officer, resurrecting the position after two years.

By ANDREW WINGENS JUSTICE EDITOR

Steven S. Manos, the former executive vice president of Tufts University, has been appointed to oversee Brandeis’ budgeting, administrative and financial operations.

Manos, who will report to President Frederick Lawrence as senior vice president and chief operating officer, was recruited to the University by Provost Steve Goldstein ’78, according to BrandeisNOW. “Success to me does not just mean a good bottom line,” Manos told BrandeisNOW. “It means working with academic colleagues to create a stronger faculty and to provide a better education for the students.”

At Tufts, Manos had been credited with eliminating the school’s deficit and helping the university grow physically and financially in his 26-year tenure there.

“ S t e v e ’ s wealth of experience and record of accomplishment will be tremendous assets to Brandeis as we begin implementing our vision for the future,” Lawrence told Manos BrandeisNOW. Brandeis has not had a chief operating officer since summer 2010, when Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Apfel resigned the position soon after Lawrence was chosen to become president.

Peter French had held the EVP/ COO position for 12 years before Apfel. He was second in command after the president.

“Previous fiscal challenges along with an under-developed financial analysis, planning, and risk management system resulted in this organizational structure,” wrote a 2010 report commissioned to review the roles of the University’s top administrators.

After Apfel’s resignation, however, the University did not hire a

new EVP/COO. Instead, Frances Drolette, the chief financial officer, and Mark Collins, the vice president of campus operations, were promoted and split the administrative and financial tasks of the EVP/COO position between them. Drolette and Collins will now report to Manos.

Collins told the Justice that although he has only had the opportunity to work with Manos for a matter of days thus far, “I think he [has] been interested in learning as much as he can from me about Brandeis, and I’m looking forward to working with him.”

In November 2010, an advisory committee recommended that the provost assume many of the responsibilities of the former EVP/ COO and become the second in command.

“The next Provost should take the lead in long-term planning and priority-setting decisions, and work in partnership with the Chief Financial Officer to assure that resource and budgetary plans are in line with institutional priorities,” according to the report.

In his final year at Tufts, Manos earned $356,618, according to Tufts’ federal tax filings.

Neither Manos nor the president or provost were available for comment by press time.

Before beginning at Tufts, Manos was assistant executive director of the American Bar Association in Chicago and senior administrator of the department of psychiatry of New York Hospital-Cornell University Medical Center in New York City. He went on to work as the director of management systems for the Manhattan District Attorney and serve as chief executive officer of the nonprofit Manhattan Bowery Project. Manos was also a corporate attorney on Wall Street.

Since 2007, when he retired from Tufts, Manos has been active as a mediator, serving as the president of the Community Dispute Settlement Center, a nonprofit organization that provides mediation services. He was also a trustee of the Cambridge Health Alliance and a consultant at Wheaton College, assisting the president there in developing a five-year financial plan.

Manos earned a B.A. from the University of Minnesota in 1962, a J.D. from New York University School of Law in 1968 and an M.P.A. from New York University in 1974.

Gully resigns communications post ■ Andrew Gully left the

University after three years to take a similar position at Sotheby’s auction house.

By ANDREW WINGENS JUSTICE EDITOR

Andrew Gully, senior vice president for communications and external affairs, resigned his post at Brandeis June 15 to become senior vice president, worldwide director of communications for Sotheby’s, an international art auction house, on July 16.

“Sotheby’s is such a leader in the art business and such an esteemed company that it’s a great opportunity and hard to pass up,” explained Gully in an interview with the Justice.

“We wish him well and this is a great adventure for him and a great next step for him, but he will be terribly missed. He’s done a wonderful job for us since he came on board,” said University President Frederick Lawrence in an interview with the Justice.

Brandeis’ Office of Communications will be run by its current staff, led by Associate Vice President for Communications Bill Burger, and in coordination with the Office of Gully the President, according to Law- rence and Gully.

In an email to the Brandeis community, Lawrence announced that a search committee had been formed to help identify a replacement for Gully. The committee has 13 members and is co-chaired by Senior Advisor to the Provost Prof.

Anita Hill (Heller) and Chief of Staff David Bunis ’83. The committee includes faculty members, administrators, trustees, staff, and one student, Alex Thomson ’15.

“The successful candidate [for senior vice president for communication and external affairs] will be someone who is a strategic thinker and a team player who is very comfortable in the world of digital media,” wrote Bunis in an email to the

Justice.

The executive search firm Storbeck/Pimentel & Associates has also been retained to help with the search process. According to Lawrence’s email, the firm has “worked with Brandeis in the past and is very familiar with the University’s needs.”

Gully became familiar with Sotheby’s through Brandeis’ connection with the institution in the wake of the Board of Trustee’s 2009 decision to sell artwork from the Rose Art Museum. Sotheby’s asked Gully earlier this year if he would apply for the communications director position, he said. He applied and went through a series of interviews before he was selected to fill the role.

“I’m really excited about the opportunity at Sotheby’s, but I will always have a great affection for Brandeis,” said Gully. “It’s been an amazing two-and-a-half years here and it really was a pleasure to work at Brandeis.”

Gully began working at the University in November 2009 under then-University President Jehuda Reinharz. He dealt with the after-

math of the Board’s decision to sell artwork from the Rose and remained when Lawrence replaced Reinharz in 2011.

“He did a terrific job in his first major project—which predates me—dealing with the aftermath of the Rose Art Museum, and then throughout his time he has been terrific in all capacities, especially as a good judgment person,” said Lawrence.

The University has also made arrangements with Boston firm Rasky Baerlein Strategic Communications, Inc, “if circumstances require the services of an outside communications consultant,” according to an email announcement from Lawrence.

Gully graduated with a Bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University and worked as a reporter and editor at the Boston Herald for 21 years before beginning work at Boston branding firm Kelley Habib John. He came to Brandeis in 2009 from Sovereign Bank, part of the Santander Group, where he headed corporate affairs.

—Sam Mintz contributed reporting

Chad Williams was named the new chairman of the Department of African and Afro-American Studies. Williams, who was an associate professor of history at Hamilton College and an instructor at the W. E. B. DuBois Scholars Institute, succeeded Prof.

Faith Smith (ENG) as department chair in July.

Since receiving a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and master’s and doctorate degrees from Princeton UniWilliams versity, Williams has gone on to receive several scholastic accolades, including multiple awards for his book on AfricanAmerican soldiers during World War I. “I am delighted that Dr. Chad Williams will be joining the faculty as the Chair of AAAS,” wrote Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Susan Birren in an email to the Justice. Birren praised William’s scholastic accomplishments and expressed her enthusiasm about his appointment as chairman. “Professor William’s distinguished scholarship in the history of African Americans in the military, combined with his energy and leadership abilities, make him an outstanding choice for this position,” she wrote.

In an email to the Justice, Williams expressed great optimism about the future of the AAAS department, stating, “I think that AAAS is uniquely positioned to potentially become one of the premier African American studies departments in the nation.”

Williams said that he plans to build on the work of his predecessors, rather than provide stark changes to AAAS, as it is “already a very strong department.” While expanding on the department’s foundations, Williams said he hopes to simultaneously bring new ideas and life to AAAS. In a long-term effort to expand the department, Williams said he aims to create partnerships with African-American studies departments at neighboring institutions.

More immediately, he hopes to attract more students to the AAAS department by broadening and strengthening the curriculum, and by working with other departments at Brandeis. Williams’ plan for AAAS is clearly influenced by his experiences at Hamilton, where he said he “learned a great deal about the value of collegiality and interdepartmental cooperation.”

Birren stated that she expects Brandeis as a whole to benefit from the appointment. “Under [Williams’] leadership I expect that AAAS will contribute to the education of all Brandeis students, whether they have major or minors within the department or not,” she wrote.

While at Hamilton, Williams was honored with the Dean of the Faculty Notable Year Achievement Award. His book, “Torchbearers of Democracy: African American Soldiers in the World War I Era,” was named a CHOICE Outstanding Academic Title and has won awards from both the Liberty Legacy Foundatio, and the Society for Military History.

Additionally, Williams has received a Woodrow Wilson Foundation Career Enhancement Fellowship.

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012

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THE JUSTICE

OBITUARY

Mentor, trustee dies at age 73

■ Ken Kaiserman ’60 was

a theater enthusisast who made a living in real estate.

By SAM MINTZ JUSTICE EDITOR

Trustee Ken Kaiserman ’60 died of cancer on Aug. 19 at the age of 73. Kaiserman was known for having a strong relationship with the University and a commitment to its values, which manifested itself in his mentorship of young alumni.

University President Frederick Lawrence called Kaiserman a “gentle, gracious man with a profound interest in ensuring that Brandeis continues to provide a life-changing educational experience for students.”

Kaiserman joined the Board of Trustees in 1995 and until his death was an influential figure for the University. Nancy Winship, senior vice president of institutional advancement, told BrandeisNOW that he “played an instrumental role in the fundraising success we have enjoyed through the years.” Winship also said that Kaiserman was a “mentor and trusted friend,” and that she would miss his “wise counsel, warmth, loyalty and generosity.”

In his role as a mentor to young alumni, Kaiserman developed a special relationship with Diony Elias ’04 who, according to BrandeisNOW, called Kaiserman

a “friend, a mentor, and a teacher … His interest in me was heartfelt and genuine.”

The Philadelphia native was the president of Kaiserman Company, Kaiserman a real estate firm founded by his father in the 1920s, according to an obituary in the Philadelphia Inquirer, the newspaper where he also once worked.

As an undergraduate student at Brandeis, Kaiserman studied theater, a pursuit which he remained interested in long after graduating. He spent 34 years on the board of the Philadelphia Theatre Company, was a member of VOX, a New York City opera laboratory, and “would have attended theater every night if he could,” according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Kaiserman was also involved with the Alumni Association, the Alumni Annual Fund, the organization of his class reunions, and the renovation of Brandeis House.

He loved to travel, and became involved with philanthropic projects directed towards Ethiopian Jews after a trip to Ethiopia.

Kaiserman is survived by his wife Susan, brother Ron ’63, sister Constance, daughters Amanda and Laura and grandson Quentin.

BRIEF LTS to make LATTE more secure and easier to use Library and Technology Services began improving the University’s online learning tool, LATTE, this summer by initiating an upgrade to make it more secure and easier to use. The renovated LATTE is planned to be fully rolled out by spring 2014.

The update will include an improved interface and will make uploading files easier, though for the most part the new LATTE “will do for the community what current LATTE does today,” Josh Wilson, LTS director for academic support and user services, said in an interview with the Justice.

Additionally, the upgrade is necessary to prevent LATTE from becoming susceptible to security threats.

The update was spurred by the recent release of a new version of Moodle, the open-source platform that is customized by Brandeis to

create LATTE. Because the new version of Moodle came out only recently, LTS has not decided exactly what the next version of LATTE will look like, said Wilson.

The update will cost $250,000 over two fiscal years, most of which will be spent on developer salaries, Vice Provost for Library and Technology Services and Chief Information Officer John Unsworth told the Justice. The update is viewed as necessary over the long run. “There’s nothing broken here. This is just LTS doing the responsible thing and being forward-looking and positioning Brandeis appropriately,” said Wilson. “It’s a proactive focus instead of a reactive focus.”

After the January 2014 release of the new LATTE, LTS will create a five-year plan for another major

LATTE update, though there will still be periodic minor upgrades.

The plan will take into account a soon-to-be implemented study of LATTE usage by students, faculty and staff.

LATTE has been used by Brandeis since fall 2007. LATTE replaced WebCT, which had been in use since fall 1997. LATTE is currently used by nearly 80 percent of Brandeis courses, with 40,000 log ins a week.

Ongoing LTS projects include work on “flexible spaces for collaboration” on Farber 1 and Farber Mezzanine in the library, according to Unsworth.

Additionally, LTS recently finished a campus-wide network upgrade, redesigned its website and started a new blog.

—Jonathan Epstein and Sam Mintz

CAFÉ CONSTRUCTION

OBITUARY

Esteemed alumna passes away at 74 ■ Esther Kartiganer ’59

was a senior producer and editor of the television show ‘60 Minutes.’

By TATE HERBERT JUSTICE EDITOR

Esther Kartiganer ’59, a trailblazer in the field of journalism, as well as an esteemed and involved alumna of both Brandeis and the Justice, passed away on Aug. 1 in Aspen, Colo. after suffering a heart attack.

Kartiganer, 74, was perhaps most well-recognized outside of Brandeis as an Emmy awardwinning senior editor and senior producer of CBS’ television news magazine 60 Minutes. She began her 40-year career at the network as a temporary assistant.

Kartiganer rose to editorial and production positions in a field that was still overwhelmingly male dominated, and established herself as a “highly respected colleague at ‘60 Minutes’ [who] worked on many major news stories,” in the words of Brandeis trustee and CBS senior producer Allen Alter ’71 in an interview with BrandeisNOW. In an interview for a 2006 Women’s and Gender Studies newsletter, Kartiganer attributed her professional success to her choice not to marry or have children. “Only single women had the flexibility to put work at the top of their priorities,” she said. “During that year [when she worked as a temporary assistant], I got to know almost everyone at CBS, and that’s how the temporary job became permanent.”

She further broke down gender barriers as a founding mem-

ber of the National Board for Women’s and Gender Studies.

She also served as the Board’s co-chair for many years.

Brandeis’ Women’s and Kartiganer Gender Studies program created the Kartiganer Prize in her honor in 2007. The prize is awarded annually to an undergraduate student in recognition of his or her work in journalism and women’s and gender studies.

“She saw first-hand how difficult it was for women, and wanted to live out the Brandeis values of equality and justice,” said Prof. Sue Lanser (WMGS), chair of the program, in an interview with BrandeisNOW. “She saw the Women’s and Gender Studies Program as a path to do it.”

Kartiganer was also involved in the Brandeis community in several other ways. She can trace her journalistic roots to the Justice, for which she worked during her time as a student. She also played for the women’s basketball team and was inducted into the Joseph M. Linsey Brandeis Athletic Hall of Fame in 2003 as part of the undefeated 1955-56 team.

She served on both the Alumni Association Board of Directors and the Brandeis Board of Trustees for several years during the 1980s, contributed to the Alumni Annual Fund and was a member of the Sachar Legacy Society.

She is survived by her brother, Joseph and his wife, Audrey, two nieces, Alison Beth and Deborah Lynn and Deborah’s husband and two children.

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

RENEWAL AND RENOVATION: Construction continues on a coffee shop in the Farber Green Room in the Goldfarb Library. The shop is tentatively scheduled to open sometime between Sept. 10 and 17, behind schedule.

BRIEF IBS diversifies offerings with new specializations The International Business School has added four specialization programs to its curriculum for the 2012-2013 academic year.

The Asset Management, Corporate Finance, Risk Management and Marketing specializations aim to give the school more flexibility and will join the Real Estate specialization program created last year.

IBS created these programs in response to the high interest in finance courses. The specializations attempt to further educate students on economics and business. In an interview with the Justice, IBS Dean Bruce Magid said that the goal of these programs to “give students specific skill-sets and training that we believe to be critical in today’s global economy. We constantly

adapt our curriculum to meet the needs of our students and the opportunities presented in the job market.”

The Asset Management specialization focuses on the risk associated with investment opportunities and how this information can be used when working with investment portfolios. According to the IBS program guide, the Corporate Finance specialization “is useful for students who will work in corporate financial operations and in other finance assignments, such as fundamental company analysis, private equity, mergers and acquisitions, etc.”

The Marketing specialization will take into consideration the needs of the market and the resources a business or organiza-

tion has. The Risk Management Specialization will focus on the response the market has to different kinds of risks.

Besides including an overview of the new specializations, the IBS program guide also has a list of the required electives students must take in order to declare a specialization.

“In talking to employers about the skills they most value, it became clear that developing specializations in these subjects would be a natural fit for our curriculum,” said Magid. “Students have expressed excitement about the possibility of diving deeper into these topics, which have never been more timely or relevant than they are now.”

—Rachel Starr

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THE JUSTICE

ARREST: Student protester detained overnight in cell CONTINUED FROM 1 liams learned about the issues of mountaintop removal from a documentary called The Last Mountain which she watched in 2011. According to the documentary’s website, the health and environmental cost of coal production is estimated to be $345 billion annually, and contributes to over 43,000 premature deaths every year from health hazards such as brain damage and asthma. Additionally, it says that while coal production in West Virginia has increased 140 percent in the last 30 years, 40,000 jobs have been eliminated.

Opposition to coal mining both for environmental and labor reasons, has been going on for decades.

According to the RAMPS website, this summer’s protest was part of a series of events called “Summer of Solidarity Against Extraction,” a series of events and protests from many environmental organizations against extracting fossil fuel, either from coal mining or otherwise.

Brandeis alum Rachel Soule ’12 also participated in the action, although she did not risk arrest. In an email to the Justice, Soule describes that one of the reasons she chose to participate is because of coal’s impact on climate change.

She said that because of climate change, “People are boiling in their homes across the country, their crops are dying of thirst because of the droughts, and their back yards are torched by wildfires.”

Prior to the event, the activists participated in trainings to prepare and organize.

On the morning of July 28, one group from RAMPS, including Soule, rallied at Kanawha State Forest to distract the police so the other activists could lock themselves to the truck at the mine site, according to Soule.

Williams and the others climbed up a large truck at the Hobet mine site and locked themselves to railings using bike locks, chains and pipes. The police arrived after they were set up.

The police then arrested the protesters and brought them to a processing center to take fingerprints and check each arrestee’s identification. There, Williams said that “several of the arrestees who continued to be non-compliant … were met with police brutality,” saying that the violence she witnessed

was one of the scariest parts of the whole experience.

She saw the police dragging an arrestee across the gravel by his feet, tearing his shirt and skin, and eventually hitting his head on a door frame. “Witnessing physical violence is nothing like seeing it on TV…I felt as though the breath had been knocked out of me,” she said.

Williams and the other arrestees were brought to Western Virginia Regional Jail and kept in holding overnight, which was “not one of the most comfortable experiences of my life,” Williams said. “We were all glad when they gave us those classic orange jumpsuits and let us go to bed, even if it was on the concrete.”

While in jail, support in the form of letters and phone calls from friends and family kept her spirits high, she said. She was in the same pod as the other ten female arrestees from the action, as well as other inmates who showed them the ropes, played cards with them, and lent them books. “Small kindnesses in foreign places can mean the world,” said Williams.

At her court hearing on July 31, she was released with the other remaining arrestees after the prosecutors representing West Virginia dropped the obstruction charge on the condition that she does not set foot on mine sites for a year.

“What Dorian did was amazing,” said Soule. “She really gets the crisis we are in and she does not compromise one bit what needs to be done and what is easy.”

Soule described counter-protesters, mostly miners, speaking out against RAMPS from an organization called Friends of Coal.

According to the FOC website, coal in West Virginia pumps more than $26 billion into the economy annually, including more than $3.2 billion in wages, and employs more than 60,000 people. FOC says that mountain top removal “is unfairly singled out … as somehow harmful and immoral,” and that “the mining industry is committed to environmental stewardship.” FOC did not respond by press time.

Soule said that these arguments “made me feel for them, because it is obviously a difficult situation that they are in. However, my reasons for opposing coal extraction are stronger; millions of people’s lives are at risk from coal use and climate effects.”

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CIRCULAR JOURNEY

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

FESTIVE GATHERING: New students sit with their orientation groups at the Dean of Student Life Welcome event on Sunday.

BEDFORD: New director plans public sculpture CONTINUED FROM 1 tional search.

Nine candidates were interviewed on-campus and six were recommended by the committee to Provost Steve Goldstein ’78, who made the final decision, according to Scott Edmiston, chair of the search committee and director of the Office of the Arts.

Edmiston said the search committee “felt this was not a typical search.”

“Because of the unique position that the Rose was in historically, given the crisis of 2009 and [the fact that] it had been without a director for three years, we really wanted to get this one right,” said Edmiston in an interview with the Justice. “We made sure we were really thoughtful and deliberative in the process.”

Edmiston lauded the provost’s choice as a good fit for the University and a final step in moving past the 2009 controversy.

“I think Chris is an exceptional match for Brandeis. Brandeis tends to attract people of bold ideas and bold ambitions,” he said. “I think Chris is very much that kind of person.”

Goldstein said, according to BrandeisNOW, “Chris Bedford understands the potential for art to impact society,

the importance of art to help us understand the human experience, and the ability of art to change us. … He has a breadth of understanding that is rare and inspiring, even awe-inspiring.

“He also has his feet on the ground,” Goldstein added. “He knows how to get shows on, how to communicate with artists, donors, collectors and others in the museum world. He understands what it takes to do the work of the modern art museum.”

Bedford, a native of Scotland who grew up in England and the United States, graduated with a B.A. in art history from Oberlin College in 2000 and received a master’s in the same subject from Case Western Reserve University in 2003. He previously served in various curatorial roles at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. In 2008, he began as the curator of exhibits at Ohio State University’s Wexner Center for the Arts and became its chief curator in 2010.

Bedford has written widely for a variety of publications, including The Burlington Magazine, Artforum, Art in America and more.

Prof. Jonathan Unglaub (FA), a member of the search committee, said Bedford would generate new ex-

citement for the Rose, according to BrandeisNOW. “During the interview process, Chris demonstrated a commanding knowledge of the contemporary art world and earlier modernism, a thoughtful eloquence in articulating the challenges of running a museum, a real strategic vision about building audiences and reaching out to university constituencies and a practical know-how that belied his seeming youth,” Unglaub said.

Bedford said he believes university museums have the potential to flourish, especially by collaborating with academic departments and serving the students and faculty.

“The primary constituents [of the museum] are the students and the faculty so it will be my absolute commitment, particularly using the expertise of the curator of education, to extend ourselves as much as possible to the faculty,” he said.

He added that he taught courses while at Ohio State and he hopes to continue teaching if called upon.

“I can’t say that I’ll be in university museums my entire career, but right now it’s absolutely my passion and one of the reasons for that is the students and faculty,” said Bedford.

WALMART: Center suggests national study of youth programs CONTINUED FROM 1 tion, Innovations in Civic Participation and Building Educated Leaders for Life—will provide similar programming. The Brandeis CYC will serve as the national program office for the Walmart funding, a position the Center was nominated for, based on its 30 years of experience with summer workforce development.

“We are a broker,” said CYC Director Susan Curnan in an interview with the Justice, explaining the role of the CYC in the youth summer employment community. "We’re running the program … [and] we re-grant the funds to program operators in this case in each of the seven cities.”

In deciding how to distribute the $5 million from Walmart, members of the Center set up a competitive process and searched American cities for programs that they could fund, based on poverty, unemployment and dropout rates, according to Curnan.

After interested groups sent in their proposals, the Center put together a national review panel of experts to evaluate the applications.

The chosen seven, expanded from the goal of only five organizations after realizing the extent of the need, were

then required to participate in a program on the Brandeis campus before funds were dispersed.

Regardless of national location and specific issues, the chosen programs all embrace the theme of what Curnan described as “employ, educate and support.” The programs, which employ at-risk youths during the summer, also work to educate them for the post-high school world as well as provide mentorship for these youths.

This is not the only collaboration between the CYC and Walmart: according to BrandeisNOW, the CYC will coordinate the Walmart Summer Youth Employment Initiative with the White House Summer Jobs Plus Initiative, which will educate the youth population in order to prepare them to enter the workforce.

This is not the first collaboration between the CYC and Walmart, either. Curnan explained that in 2011, Walmart asked the CYC to evaluate the investments that they had made in a number of communities, and the Center prepared a report in response.

Additionally, the CYC is serving as the national program office for the corporate coalition to address hunger in America, where Walmart

and a number of other corporations are pooling money to fund different programs nationwide. According to the press release, the Walmart Foundation has dedicated itself to philanthropy, making a “historic” pledge of two billion dollars in the next two years to fight hunger throughout the United States.

Through these projects, Curnan said, the Center has cultivated a very positive relationship with the company. “What we appreciate very much about Walmart,” Curnan said, “is that they are very thorough and very serious, thoughtful grant-makers and they do their homework before they move forward on anything."

Aside from its collaboration with Walmart, the Center is currently coordinating 17 different projects, mostly studies, stemming from a variety of different financial backers.

For example, there is both a study concerning the implementation and outcome of Detroit’s after-school programs, funded by the Skillman Foundation, a private grant-making foundation, and a General Electricfunded longitudinal study of the national “College Bound” college access program .

The CYC website explains that

these studies seek to evaluate different programs launched with the intention of helping increase youth education and life-readiness, and help the programs better serve their community’s youth population.

This endeavor, to better serve youth populations in at-risk communities, is one that the Obama administration lauded in a June publication from the White House Council for Community Solutions. According to the report, “The population of opportunity [at-risk] youth is large and eager to take charge of their futures, but at the same time, it has complex and diverse needs. The benefits of reconnecting these youth to education or employment are enormous and require urgent action from all sectors.”

At Brandeis, the Center for Youth and Communities has seen first-hand what the White House references in its report.

Curnan explained that many students who participate in these programs have meaningful remarks about the impact of the program on their lives. For example, a young man from Chicago asked a member of the Center to “please tell Walmart that they saved my life and the life of my friends.”

This comment came from an interview conducted during one of the most homicide-ridden years in recent history in Chicago, as the homicide rate from January to June outpaced deaths in Afghanistan during the same time period by 58 percent, according to a July 18 article in the Christian Science Monitor.

“That might sound like hyperbole or something sensational,” Curnan said, “until you look at the neighborhoods and realize that this is reality and that’s really something.”

The CYC, thus far, has suggested that Walmart fund a five-year study to analyze the role that these kinds of programs play in youths’ lives during their high school years. While it is not yet known whether or not Walmart will fund such a study, the CYC has shown an interest in how the program-employed youths are spending their summer money.

The answer?

According to Curnan, it's a short list. “We’re not talking about the latest sneakers, we’re talking about food, clothing and shelter,” she said.

Most of the youths involved in the program are happy enough to contribute to their family’s income, without making purchases for themselves.

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THE JUSTICE

VERBATIM | RUDYARD KIPLING I always prefer to believe the best of everybody; it saves so much trouble.

ON THIS DAY…

FUN FACT

In 1898, Caleb Bradham invented the carbonated soft drink that was later called “Pepsi-Cola.”

Approximately 49 moons could fit into the earth.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JEMAL COUNTESS

THEATER TEAM: Rebeck founded The Lilly Awards, which celebrates women’s work in the American theater, with Julia Jordan and Marsha Norman.

Writing for

the world’s stage

BRANDEIS BOND: Rebeck M.A. ’83, M.F.A. ’86, Ph.D. ’89 holds three degrees from the University.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL CHILDERS

Theresa Rebeck writes a Broadway show about her hometown By celine hacobian JUSTICE editor

While many students use their time in college to discover themselves and their passions, others begin their college years with a set career path in mind. The latter was the case for Theresa Rebeck M.A. ’83, M.F.A. ’86, Ph.D. ’89, who calls herself “delusional” about the theater.

Rebeck spent much of the 1980s at Brandeis: she earned an M.A., an M.F.A. in Playwriting and a Ph.D. in Victorian-era melodrama, all from the University. She received her undergraduate degree in English from the University of Notre Dame.

Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Theresa Rebeck believes the theater “claimed me when I was young,” she said. “It happened before I knew what was happening.”

The sense of community at Brandeis, particularly in the theater, had a great impact on Rebeck. Her playwriting major required “crew commitments,” meaning that every student in the program was expected to dedicate a number of hours each semester to running the light board, assisting backstage or creating costumes, regardless of the student’s central talents or focus.

Rebeck spent most of her hours with the lighting crew and stage management. “I would ask any playwriting student to do this if I could design my own program, because it really taught us all about the physical life of the theater,” Rebeck explained. She said be-

ing in the department was thrilling because the community felt like a “tribe.”

The sense of unity continued to play a central role in Rebeck’s first job in Hollywood: writing for the television show American Dreamer.

Director Sam Weisman, who was involved in the Brandeis Theater Arts department before Rebeck was a student, often visited and taught classes at the University. The chair of the department at the time, Prof. Michael Murray, passed along some of Rebeck’s plays to Weisman, who helped her land the position in professional screenwriting.

Rebeck continued to benefit from Brandeis connections; alumni David Crane ’79 and Marta Kauffman ’78 hired Rebeck as a writer for the TV show Brooklyn Bridge in the early 1990s.

“Time works very differently in film and television because … you can see it becomes vastly more psychological and human than you are prepared for,” said Rebeck, who wrote for the TV show Smash this past year, starring Debra Messing ’90, another graduate of the University. Of all her writing roles, however, she feels most at home as a playwright, as this form is how she imagines her stories first. “I think of language rising through character and [believe] that spoken word is the way that truth is conveyed.”

Rebeck’s current project is a Broadway show called Dead Accounts. She was asked to write this play about Cincinnati, her hometown, for Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park.

She wrote the show and had it produced in the past year.

Rebeck said she sees a lot of herself reflected in the play, in that “you grow up in Ohio and you’re taught a certain kind of morality, and then you feel like moving into the wider world and then suddenly all the rules change.”

Rebeck, who has also helped write and produce episodes of Law & Order: Criminal Intent, has more than her Brandeis education and relationships to thank for her success, however. She credits her continuous hard work for her achievements in Hollywood.

“I work really hard,” she said. “You have to practice a lot more than you think you have to.”

There were years during which she wrote all the time. “Sometimes I go through periods where I write less, but I never really stop writing,” she said.

She still carries the sense of community and loyalty she appreciated while she was at Brandeis in her work with actors in her productions today. While she does not own a specific company, she said, “I have my people and we’re very loyal to each other.”

So much so, that when “you don’t end up in a situation where it works [because] they’re doing a television show or you’re working with a producer who really sees the part in a different way … you really want to be working with the people you’ve been working with for [so long],” she said.

Rebeck taught at Brandeis not long after she was a student here herself. As Martin Halpern, professor emeritus of playwriting, was on sabbatical, Rebeck was called to substitute for him. She said that the role was more of a “big sister version” of a professor because she was only a few years older than the students in the program. As a teacher, she had students write 10-minute plays and produce the plays themselves to see how empowering it was to produce their own work.

Although she has taught at Columbia University several times over the years—most recently five years ago—it took a while for her to adjust to the life of an academic because of the separation between the actors, directors and playwrights. “It wasn’t the kind of teaching that I was used to, writing in isolation from all the other elements,” she said.

While she has experience writing in many different styles, Rebeck believes that the amount of control a writer has over her material changes with the medium. “[What you write is] always going to look different than it was in your head. It’s going to start in your head, onto a stage into the bodies of these actors and in space and time,” a feeling Rebeck calls “unbelievably thrilling.”

Rebeck’s intuition that she was meant to be a writer was cemented as she was completing her Ph.D. at Brandeis. She knew she had no interest in becoming an “academic.”

“I was more interested in just telling stories,” she said.

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ACTIVITIES IN ART: Brandeis interns created projects for the Ghanaian kids involving drawing, photography and writing.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MALIKA IMHOTEP

The universal

art language of

LIFELONG GOALS: Balmuth-Loris ’14 hopes to continue in non-profit work after she graduates from Brandeis.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMMA BALMUTH-LORIS

Five students travel to Ghana to teach art through nonprofit

By DAFNA FINE JUSTICE senior WRITER

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMMA BALMUTH-LORIS

LASTING IMPACT: Balmuth-Loris ’14 calls the students from the Philia School, ages 3-5, her favorite class.

It was a summer of creativity, with projects ranging from drawing to photography and writing. Offices were replaced with classrooms, and Internet access was less frequent in West Africa. It was a rare summer opportunity for five Brandeis students who traveled to Ghana for their summer internships.

The students spent nearly 10 weeks in Ghana as interns at the Attukwei Art Foundation, co-founded by Jessye Kass ’13, who began working on the project in 2010.

A non-governmental organization in Ghana, the Foundation focuses on “schools lacking in funds, urban slums and street children to find cathartic means of expressing themselves through art,” according to its website.

Though this was Kass’ fifth summer in Ghana, it was the first summer that other Brandeis students worked as interns at the NGO. “I’ve known Jessye since we were midyears and I’ve known about her organization in Ghana since it started,” said Breanna Beberman ’13, who was one of the five students in Ghana this summer. “I wanted to help and do what I can, travel and see Ghana, have the experience and be in the schools with the kids.”

For Emma Balmuth-Loris ’14, the opportunity was the perfect summer internship given her hope to work in developing nations doing NGO and non-profit work after graduation.

Malika Imhotep ’15, who toured Ghana for a brief two weeks when she was 13, decided to become an intern after discussing her interest in anthropology in Africa with a professor who suggested she get in touch with Kass to discuss her organization.

Alia Goldfarb ’13, a friend of Kass, is interested in theater and used her skills to create a theater project at the AAF for the schoolchildren in Ghana.

Once in Ghana, the girls lived together in the home of the son of Kass’ original host mom. They worked five days a week and visited three different schools each week, working with students as young as two years old in some classrooms and as old as 20 in others.

“We had themed weeks, so we did a lot of self-portraits, autobiographies; we had an animal week; we had a crafts week where they made backpacks and visors [and] the little kids made crowns,” Balmuth-Loris said.

As part of one project, Beberman gave a classroom of students their own disposable cameras to take pictures of people with animals. A pre-veterinarian student, Beberman studied the ways Ghanaians relate to animals

and the diseases they transfer back and forth as part of her summer project.

“None of the kids I gave the disposable cameras to had any photography experience or had ever used a disposable camera or anything like [it],” Beberman explained of their excitement for the project. “I had to spend almost an hour teaching them how to use the disposable cameras, so that was definitely really exciting for them.”

Beberman is now working to form a collection of both her pictures and those the students took to tell a photographic story of Ghanaians relating to animals.

Imhotep, who is majoring in Anthropology and African and Afro-American Studies and minoring in Creative Writing, worked to incorporate poetry and writing into her work with the students.

“When I asked a class of 12- and 13-year-olds to write about what they thought was beautiful, one of the girls wrote that she thought obroni were beautiful. ‘Obroni’ is the word for Westerner or foreign person or white person.”

When the volunteers realized they wanted to have more of an impact after their first three weeks, they began a leadership group after school for girls ages 10-18 and asked them what they wanted to learn.

“They wanted to know about politics, culture, personal hygiene and how to take care of themselves. They wanted to know about love and all these different things,” Balmuth-Loris said.

In response, the Brandeis students arranged a personal hygiene week, focused on educating the girls and answering any relevant questions they had. Nervous about cultural differences, they met with a group of Ghanaian women they were friendly with to discuss a long list of questions the Ghanaian students compiled.

“I didn’t even realize the impact that we had until our last day at one of the schools,” Balmuth-Loris said of the experience. “There was a very small class and we got to be really close with them because most of the classes were 40-plus and they were only 17. When we went to say goodbye, every single kid was crying.”

“They really enjoyed spending time with us, playing games with us [and] doing the artistic activities,” Beberman said of the kids and young adults they worked with during their time in Ghana. “The schools would complain if we went to one classroom one day and hadn’t been to another classroom in a few days. They missed us and wanted us to come back.”

Balmuth-Loris described the kids as unforgettable. “The kids there love life to the fullest,” she said.

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ORIENTATION 2012

First-ye BRANDEIS BEGINNINGS: Mitchell Schwartz ’14, Orientation coordinator, addresses incoming first-years on move-in day.

THE CIRCLE OF LIFE AT BRANDEIS: First-years and their Orientation Leaders join togeth

The Class of ’16 emba epic journey out of thi By eitan cooper JUSTICE editor

FRIENDS FOREVER: Two first-years bond at the oxygen bar on their first night of their undergraduate career during Orientation week.

On a warm, sunny day completely unlike last year’s Irene-interrupted organized chaos, more than 800 new first-years joined the Brandeis community. Move-in day proceeded smoothly, including U-hauls, endless unpacking, hugs goodbye, and, perhaps the most prevalent ingredient: speeches.

Sunday officially kicked off Orientation Week with Brandeis Beginnings, the annual ceremony at which the Brandeis Alma Mater is sung, a new class flag is unfurled and first years are addressed by University President Frederick Lawrence. Immediately after the conclusion of the event, students broke into their all-important AIDE groups. This year’s orientation leaders sport orange shirts, which promise to permeate campus both in color and smell for the next week.

The first day of orientation also saw a barbecue, followed by an event titled “Walking in a Dream” which featured a tarot card reader, henna tattoos, an aromatic oxygen bar, some exceptional acrobatic performances and delicious chocolate treats.

The program was in keeping with this year’s

GRAND ALMA MATER: Orientation leaders serenade first-year students and families with the Brandeis Alma Mater in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center.

orientation theme Following the Monday morning, more serious topi table professors a of the importance academic fair wa an event called “ learned what mak tended a values pr of humorous skits This year’s orie citing component popular program institutions, now a formation portal f a full orientation of student activit campus map and app promises to b students.

While students tion can be overw boring, first-year ing nicely. With complete and two their way to beco Brandeis commun

ACADEMIC ACCLIMATION: The Academic Fair in Gosma

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ORIENTATION 2012

ears blast through

orientation

her in a group activity during Orientation Week, which is designed to acclimate new students to the campus and to their fellow members of the Class of 2016. They arrived Sunday afternoon for a sunny move-in.

arks on an is world

e, “Out of this World.” traditional class photo taken , students devoted their time to ics. Some of Brandeis’ most noaddressed students on the topic e of academics, after which an as held. The day also included “College 101,” where students kes Brandeisians unique and atrogram that featured a number s put on by orientation leaders. entation included a new and ext: a mobile app. “Guidebook,” a that includes guides for many allows users to download an infor Brandeis. Users can access schedule (as well as a schedule ties for the entire semester), a other important updates. The be a valuable resource for many

s often complain that orientawhelming, exhausting and even rs are nonetheless acclimattwo full days of orientation o more to go, first-years are on oming integral members of the nity.

FRED GREETS FIRST-YEARS: University President Frederick Lawrence welcomes the Class of 2016.

an taught new students about the different academic offerings available at Brandeis.

BUMP, SET AND SPIKE: It’s not Misty May-Treanor, it’s a first-year playing volleyball with her AIDE group on the Great Lawn.

MYSTICAL MAGIC: A first-year student gets his palm read by a psychic during an “Out of this World” Orientation Week event.

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Justice Justice

the the

Established 1949, Brandeis University

Brandeis University

Established 1949

Andrew Wingens, Editor in Chief Marielle Temkin, Managing Editor Eitan Cooper, Production Editor Fiona Lockyer and Robyn Spector, Associate Editors Sam Mintz and Tate Herbert, News Editors Celine Hacobian, Features Editor Shafaq Hasan, Forum Editor Adam Rabinowitz, Sports Editor Emily Salloway, Arts Editor Jenny Cheng and Joshua Linton, Photography Editors Nan Pang, Layout Editor Sara Dejene, Online Editor Maya Riser-Kositsky, Copy Editor David Wolkoff, Advertising Editor

Fundraising woes Fiscal year 2011 saw the lowest amount of contributions, gifts and grants given to the University in at least 10 years, a Justice analysis of federal tax filings has found.

In fiscal 2011, the most recent year for which numbers are publicly available, the University reported a total of nearly $29 million in income from fundraising dollars, a roughly $7-million decrease from the previous fiscal year, and a $70-million drop from the height of university fundraising in fiscal 2008.

This decrease may be detrimental for a university still finding its financial footing after a harsh recession.

University development officials have told the Justice that the decrease in fundraising dollars is largely due to the presidential transition period. Fiscal 2011 encompasses the last six months of President emeritus Jehuda Reinharz’s presidency and the first six months of President Frederick Lawrence’s tenure.

“Fiscal year 2011, which ended on June 30, 2011, was a presidential transition year as you know,” wrote Bill Burger, associate vice president for communications, in an email to the Justice. “It also came near the end of a long and successful capital campaign. So I wouldn’t draw any conclusions or make any broad judgments based on that one-year snapshot in time.”

This board understands the inherent challenges resulting from a presidential transition: It takes time for donors to trust a new president, and Mr. Lawrence needs time to cultivate his own network of patrons, not just relying on Reinharzera contributors.

The University is also coming off of a capital campaign—a fundraising initiative to raise money for facilities and scholarships that began in 2000—and therefore it cannot be expected to match

previous years of fundraising. The aftershocks of the great recession are also still reverberating.

Despite these challenges, the downward trajectory of fundraising dollars is deeply concerning. In fiscal 2011, the University operated at a deficit of nearly $20 million, and the administration has consistently increased the price of a Brandeis education over the past several years.

Without a strong network of donors, the University cannot possibly remain affordable because tuition will continue to rise, and financial aid will not be able to match it.

However, it is comforting that the strategic planning process, which Mr. Lawrence began upon his arrival, plans to take into consideration the University’s financial status and anticipates a future capital campaign.

The Strategic Planning Financial Task Force will propose new funding strategies and identify new opportunities for the University, according to its description on the strategic planning website.

Another task force plans to identify methods to engage alumni with the University, providing a potential treasure trove of new donors.

But even with these initiatives, Mr. Lawrence has no small task ahead. Mr. Reinharz left a legacy of monumental fundraising over his 16 years here.

The challenge moving forward is how Mr. Lawrence and his team of top fundraisers, including Nancy Winship, senior vice president of institutional advancement, will tap into a new network of donors.

We hope Mr. Lawrence will be successful: the future of the University depends on it.

On the right track Over the summer, the Brandeis International Business School announced that four new specializations will be added to the graduate school’s offerings this semester.

The specializations—Asset Management, Corporate Finance, Risk Management and Marketing—join the real estate specialization, which has already begun helping students find relevant job offers and internships, according to Trenery Dolbear, senior associate dean and professor emeritus of economics at IBS. This editorial board commends the International Business School for creating these new opportunities.

The specializations focus on subject matter pertinent to entering the business world.

In the wake of the 2008 recession, asset and risk management are two relevant topics that are useful for students who are intending on going into the business field.

The tracks are available to graduate students throughout IBS, regardless of their program. This allows the tracks to be utilized to their full extent, not excluding any students from participating.

The creation of these specializations is a response to a growing student interest in these specific subject matters. This communicates the fact that IBS is dedi-

SARA WEININGER/the Justice

Build and maintain relations

Specializations meet needs cated to serving its students and staying in touch with their needs and desires.

Consequently, this helps to both retain and recruit students, according to the IBS website.

Moreover, these additions are beneficial for the community at large and the reputation of both Brandeis and the International Business School. In Brandeis’ effort to become a “global university,” and grow its international engagement, offerings such as these specializations are crucial.

While English is the primary language spoken at IBS, the center is diverse. Over 75 nations are represented, and students are required to have some type of international experience by the time they graduate. Throughout the University, there are 105 countries represented by both students and scholars. Of the 1,132 international students enrolled at Brandeis, 413 attend IBS. Therefore, these new tracks not only help the University become more marketable to prospective students from all over the world, but they create a more textured liberal arts community and a learning environment where students can immerse themselves in about a more varied range of subjects.

Views on the News While competing in the Missouri Senate race earlier this August, Todd Akin said, “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut the whole thing down.” Republicans and Democrats alike have denounced his statements. Do you feel Akin’s comments merited the backlash they have received?

Sarah Park ’14 Considering the powers that he may wield as a senator, his comments are troubling. The response he has received is both merited and necessary to maintain a civilized discussion of abortion. They go beyond political rhetoric and demonstrate his fundamental ignorance of reproduction. Given that abortion is currently a hot-button issue, it is imperative to have rational and highly educated policymakers debating this matter.

Sarah Park ’14 is the secretary of Young Americans for Liberty.

Adam Rabinowitz ’14 Representative Todd Akin’s comments regarding legitimate rape certainly warranted an intense national backlash. His position on this issue is alarmingly ludicrous. As a watchdog organization, the national media possesses a responsibility to report on, as well as provide insight into such matters. As a potential U.S. senator, and a candidate whose inaccurate views could greatly impact the course of such a hot-button debate, it is certainly a controversy that merits a national stage and intense scrutiny.

Adam Rabinowitz ’14 is a member of the Brandeis Democrats and is the Sports editor for the Justice.

Hailey Magee ’15 Todd Akin’s insensitive and medically inaccurate comment about rape survivors having the biological ability to prevent pregnancy reveals both his lack of medical knowledge and his lack of compassion for rape survivors. Liberal and conservative voices have contributed to the intense, well-deserved backlash Akin has received. However, perhaps our energies as a society would be better spent examining the implications behind the term “legitimate rape” —a term that is, in fact, accurate legal jargon. Demonizing Akin may remove one ignoramus from the controversy, but doing so ultimately isolates the issue as a mere testament to Akin’s ignorance. Instead, using this opportunity to understand and reconstruct how society views rape as a whole will have permanent benefits for all parties involved.

Hailey Magee ’15 is the co-president of the Feminist Majority Leadership Association.

Morris Didia ’14 It did merit the backlash because the statement was ridiculous with the poor choice of words. I do not condone his remarks and I believe it was foolish on his part to make such a statement considering the liberal bias in the media and their readiness to attack conservative politicians. It is unfortunate that his apology and explanation are not taken seriously and the matter not be put to rest so that more important issues can be put before his constituents. Yet, Vice President Biden has made numerous inappropriate comments for which he gets a pass.The damage is done and it would be best for Congressman Akin to step aside from his campaign for the good of the Republican Party.

Morris Didia ’14 is the vice president of the Brandeis Libertarian Conservative Union.

Avi Snyder ’13 Todd Akin’s comments were not only offensive and stupid, but they have harmed the pro-life movement. I consider myself pro-life, and while I don’t believe it myself, I think there are legitimate arguments to be made that abortion should be illegal even in rape cases. Junk science and insinuations that some rapes are “illegitimate” are not among them. Abortion is a serious issue that deserves thoughtful discussion; that means we should exclude those who don’t think before they speak from the discussion.

Avi Snyder ’13 is a member of the Brandeis Libertarian Conservative Union and a columnist for the Justice.

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August 28, 2012

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FORUM

Brandeis remains haven from violence Naomi

Volk Et Cetera

I took a trip down to Washington, D.C. at the beginning of the summer.

While there, I was confronted by a group of protestors proclaiming that Sept. 11, 2001 was God’s punishment for the people of our country living a sacrilegious lifestyle.

Growing up in an area of New York where many people were deeply affected by the attacks on Sept. 11, I guess I had been spared from people using the horrendous attacks as a means of promoting enmity. Doing so seemed inconceivable. It suddenly hit me how far people will go to perpetuate their hatred.

Since that experience, it seems as if the summer has been filled with ideas of hate. From the perpetual catfight between politicians, to the slew of shootings, violence in all of its forms has been inescapable. No matter where you go, when you plug yourself in to the rest of the world, you are confronted with animosity that seems completely ubiquitous.

But not Brandeis. Brandeis is the light at the end of the tunnel; a respite from the hatred that lives all around us.

After that, other stories began to pop up, like when protestors chanted “Monica” and threw tomatoes and shoes at Hillary Clinton during her visit to Egypt in mid-July or the continuous stream of political attack ads in the months leading up to November’s election.

Or a more explicitly violent incident: a shooting at the midnight premiere of The Dark Knight Rises in Aurora, Colorado. Many of the shootings of this past summer, including the one at Texas A&M University on Aug. 13,

TZIPORAH THOMPSON/the Justice

can be attributed to mental illness. But the attacks were not confined to madmen shooting without reason. On Aug. 5, a man walked into a Sikh temple in Wisconsin and killed six people.

This is a type of crime you can’t dismiss with a plea of insanity: it’s a hate crime. The man, Wade Michael Page, killed himself after being wounded in police gunfire and was later connected to a white supremacist movement.

It’s mind-boggling to even try to

understand how people could be so filled with hostility. Instead, you just have to pray for the victims who fall at the hands of such hurtful, abhorrent people. In response to the tragedy, the University’s Interfaith Chaplaincy sent out an email to the Brandeis community condemning the violence and expressing sympathy for the Sikh community. But, tellingly, the Chaplaincy also extended its condolences to the entirety of society, which hurts as a

result of this one individual’s blind and remorseless hatred. The email also harkened back to our founding as a school that was created to serve as a place free from hatred or prejudice.

Brandeis was, and is, a place where everyone is embraced, accepted and loved.

It is particularly telling that minutes after the shooting, according to The Huffington Post, Fred Phelps, the leader of the Westboro Baptist Church,

sent out a tweet saying, “Beautiful work of an angry God who told Wisconsin to keep their filthy hands off his people (WBC)!” The Church, commonly recognized as a hate group posing as a church out of Kansas, is known for targeting homosexualities and Jews, as well as picketing the funerals of American servicemen.

Only people so filled with malevolence like those in the Westboro Baptist Church could, like the protestors I found in Washington, D.C., delight in the killing of innocent humans for their own perverted pleasure and goals. And yet, in 2010, when the Westboro Baptist Church protested at our University, we did not give in to their hatred.

Instead of dignifying such behavior with a response, we celebrated who we are as a school. We celebrated love. Violence and hostility will not go away, this much we know. But if this summer has shown anything, it is that our world is constantly at the brink of being consumed by them.

As a society, we seem to have forgotten what it means to be human and to accept how precious life is. However, luckily for Brandeisians, we have a haven away from this violent reality.

After a summer filled with such pervasive violence and hatred, it is a relief to go back to a place that I can count on to love.

Brandeis has not strayed from its ideals and it has not given in to the bigotry that seems to have taken over the rest of the world. As I go into this upcoming semester, I can only hope that it stays this way. I think we can all do our part to make this the special community it is, where hate is not tolerated because we recognize that everyone is special and unique.

Let us all pledge to maintain and continue the Brandeis tradition of accepting one another no matter how far from that path the rest of the world strays. Let’s keep Brandeis the way it is. In a world so concentrated on hatred, we choose to love.

Reduce students’ debt-burden by encouraging saving Avi

Snyder voice of reason

Politics is a messy business. Despite all the politicking and speechifying of candidates and political parties, there are rarely obvious answers to the complex problems of public policy.

But sometimes, it is perfectly clear that everyone is full of crap and that the discussion about an issue has gone entirely off track.

One such issue is the endlessly controversial discussion of federal student loans. Earlier this summer, we witnessed Democrats and Republicans wrangling with each other about how to finance an extension of the current 3.4 percent interest rate on Federal Stafford Loans.

These are fixed interest-rate loans offered by private loan providers and backed with the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. The discussion surrounding student loans has been revived once again as partisan debators rage over cuts to federal student aid in vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan’s budget proposal.

Write to us

The federal government has been offering student loans since the 1950s, and the Stafford Loan program that was the subject of the most recent controversy has been in existence since 1965. Since then, it has been the national government’s policy to expand access to post-secondary education by subsidizing debt.

Subsidizing debt seems like a good idea, but it has very serious consequences. Over the past several decades, colleges have had virtually no incentive to control costs. With more college aid available to students in the form of grants or governmentbacked loans, colleges can simply boost tuition as the cost to students is offset.

These tuition hikes prompt greater calls for aid to students and continue a vicious cycle that drives up tuition costs. Brandeis students are certainly no strangers to this harmful trend.

Last year, Brandeis’ total cost of attendance rose 3.9 percent. This year, the total cost of attending the University has increased by 4.1 percent for returning students, and almost five percent for new students.

That means costs totaling $56,022 for returning students and $56,407 for first years—not exactly small change.

Furthermore, it is an iron law of economics that when you subsidize

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Fine Print

something, you get more of it. Subsidizing student debt will lead to more students taking on debt, more graduates who will have to work for years to pay off their debts and even more pressure on students who are graduating into an inhospitable job market.

However, politicians and experts from both parties take it as a given that the federal government should subsidize student debt.

So, what’s the alternative? Instead of subsidizing student loans, the government should begin to subsidize student saving. This would help move people away from debt-financing solutions and encourage them to build savings that could defray tuition costs. Not only would this reduce individuals’ debt burdens, but if people were financing college by depleting hard-earned savings rather than by receiving “free” money in the present, they may become more cost-conscious.

This could, in turn, put downward pressure on college costs. People would be encouraged to start saving as early as possible, so that savings could be built that might be as sizable as any loans they could have gotten. The argument here is that people tend to view loans as “free” money in the present, since they don’t have to be paid back until graduation. That makes people less

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cost-conscious. It’s psychologically very different to deplete a savings account than to receive a loan.

A simple way to encourage saving while encouraging lower education costs would be to provide a federal tax deduction for higher education costs.

This deduction could have a fairly high cap of the average annual cost at a four-year public college or university.

The federal government could also expand tax-preferred education savings accounts. The $2,000 per beneficiary contribution limit on Coverdell Education Savings Accounts could be raised, allowing people to save more money tax-free for their children’s educations. Similarly, efforts could be made to expand the use of state-run 529 college savings plans, especially among low-and moderateincome earners.

An even bolder policy would be exempting all saved income from taxation until it is spent. This would greatly encourage personal saving among all groups of people, and put every American family in a better position to finance the college educations of their children.

Several bills have been proposed in Congress over the past decade that would create a system of universal, tax-preferred child savings accounts.

Editorial Assistants Layout: Rachel Burkhoff Arts: Jessie Miller Staff Senior Writers: Josh Asen, Aaron Berke, Jeffrey Boxer, Dafna Fine, Senior Illustrator: Sara Weininger Senior Photographer: Alex Margolis News: Shani Abramowitz, Danielle Gross, Luke Hayslip, Raquel Kallas, Suzanne Schatz, Rachel Starr Features: Selene Campion, Rachel Miller, Gabrielle Santoro Forum: Glen Chagi Chesir, Aaron Fried, Philip Gallagher, Sara Shahanaghi, Avi Snyder, Naomi Volk Sports: Jacob Elder, Henry Loughlin, Jacob Lurie,

The KidSave Accounts Act of 2007 and the ASPIRE Act of 2009 were two such efforts. These bills would have provided every child in the country with a seeded savings account at birth into which contributions could be made until the child reached adulthood.

Lower-income Americans would receive government matches for their contributions. These accounts would allow every child to build substantial savings by the time they began their higher education, and are worthy of serious consideration.

This is far from a comprehensive list of proposals for moving toward a system of financing college education through saving rather than debt. None is perfect.

Exempting savings from taxation could greatly reduce the tax burden of wealthier Americans, shifting the burden to the middle-class.

Child savings accounts could prove paternalistic, costly, and fail to build savings among lower-income Americans.

But they all avoid the pitfalls of our current system of subsidizing the student loans, which leaves too many college graduates with too much debt.

Making college affordable to more Americans will require much more than preserving the student loan status quo. It will require upending it.

Jacob Moskowitz Arts: Damiana Andonova, Alex DeSilva, Olivia Leiter, Mara Sassoon, Ayan Sanyal, Maya Shemtov, Aziz Sohail, Viet Tran Photography: Jon Edelstein, Morgan Fine, Nathaniel Freedman, Josh Horowitz, Josh Spiro, Michelle Wang, Anna Yatskar Copy: Aliza Braverman, Jennie Bromberg, Kinza Kukhari, Patricia Greene, Andrew Hayes, Max Holzman, Brittany Joyce, Eunice Ko, Megan Paris, Christine Phan, Mailinh Phan-Nguyen, Leah Rogers, Will Schneiderman, Amanda Winn Layout: Jassen Lu, Denny Poliferno, Michelle Yi Illustrations: Mara Sassoon, Arielle Shorr, Tziporah Thompson

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TUESDAY, August 28, 2012

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THE JUSTICE

FORUM

Restore Louis Brandeis’ free speech legacy Aaron

Fried free thought

The Brandeis community should be embarrassed. The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a nonpartisan organization whose mission includes preserving free speech on college campuses, has placed Brandeis on its list of the “12 Worst Colleges for Free Speech in 2012.”

Our University has consistently appeared on this list for the past several years.

Given our namesake, this is appalling. As a Supreme Court justice, Louis D. Brandeis had a sterling record of upholding free speech from the bench. Justice Brandeis’ concurring opinion in the 1927 Supreme Court case Whitney v. California is regarded as one of the greatest defenses of free speech written by a Supreme Court justice. This precedent was essential in later Court decisions to uphold free speech.

Our university is private, meaning that it is not legally bound to Justice Brandeis’ interpretation of the First

Amendment and can legally censor its students; however, this does not mean it should. It is evident that our community has held Louis Brandeis and the ideals he espoused in high regard since its founding, and rightly so.

Despite this fact, there seems to be a dichotomy between the free “marketplace of ideas” advocated by Justice Brandeis in his opinions, and the speech-chilling policies that our University upholds, of which the Justice would surely be ashamed. Such a contradiction ought not to exist, and steps must be taken to rectify it.

FIRE’s website features a speech code rating system, called Spotlight, which allows users to see an assessment of campus speech policies according to a traffic light motif.

This grading is done by analyzing the harassment policies, speech zones, internet policies, and commitments to free expression in each school’s student policies. Each of these categories is given a traffic light of its own, and their aggregate makes up each school’s overall rating. After reviewing our Student Rights and Responsibilities Handbook from 2010-2011, FIRE graded our University with a red light.

On the webpage that explains our University’s “red light” rating, by category FIRE graded only three ar-

eas as green: our mission statement, a section discussing openness to demonstrations and protests and another section that affirms the University’s commitment to maintaining the health, safety and rights of its community members.

These three areas represent what I believe to be the community’s true attitude towards free speech on campus. I am convinced that Brandeisians, like the man our school is named for, ardently value an atmosphere that cultivates intellectual openness, mutual respect and intelligent inquiry. This is worth more than the lip service in our Handbook.

“

Explicitly defined criteria allow rules to be enforced objectively.

Unfortunately, other areas of our speech policies run contrary to these ideals, most notably, our harassment policies, which FIRE has red-lighted.

These well-intended policies nominally fulfill the goal of promoting a respectful and orderly campus, where students can live without fear

of being mistreated.

In reality, some of these policies are incredibly vague and, like any poorly defined set of rules, run the risk of unfair, subjective interpretation.

For example, the Handbook’s definition of sexual harassment is ambiguous. One example of sexual harassment is “subtle pressure for sexual activity.” Imagine all of innocent situations that fit this bill. Flirting—in nearly any context—can certainly be taken as subtle pressure for sexual activity.

The same section on sexual harassment also prohibits “offensive sexual graffiti or cartoons” (doodlers, beware!), and “whistling, cat-calls [and] obscene gestures.”

You might do all of these if you decide to be rowdy at a soccer game on Gordon Field. Are you sexually harassing the visiting team? Probably not, but we couldn’t be sure from the way this is written. Wouldn’t it make a little bit of sense to put some clarity and specificity into these rules? Explicitly defined criteria allow rules to be enforced objectively, equivocal rules prevent that.

When rules are written in a way that opens them to loose interpretation, any case that is not clear-cut can only be dealt with in two ways.

First, honest people see the rules as

impotent, since they do not address anything specific, and do not take them seriously.

The second is that dishonest people see them as omnipotent, since they can be made to address anything, and can potentially use them vindictively. Both are dangerous to the Brandeis community, and must be avoided.

The speech policies in our Handbook must be rewritten. As a community, it is imperative that we cooperate amongst ourselves, as well as with outside organizations like FIRE, to give Brandeis University a proper free speech policy, befitting of its namesake.

When these policies are rewritten, they must be strong enough to protect students from genuine harm, but narrowly tailored to cases of explicitly defined harassment and violence.

While vaguely worded rules may offer us some comfort that no one may slither through a loophole, it is important to remember that these often have the unintended consequence of chilling speech.

To quote Justice Louis D. Brandeis: “Fear of serious injury alone cannot justify oppression of free speech and assembly. Men feared witches and burnt women. It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.”

Voter apathy is detrimental to function of the Union

By Jassen Lu JUSTICe Contributing WRITER

Elections are central to the proper functioning of a democratic government. They signal to candidates the policies that voters support, and convey messages of voter approval.

Student representation at the Board of Trustees’ tuition discussions and reforms to the dining system were among the issues candidates debated in last years’ Student Union election.

Although participating voters made their decisions and gave their support to their preferred candidates, the final ballots could hardly reflect the opinions of Brandeis students overall.

Last April, the majority of eligible voters did not participate in the Student Union’s spring elections. This lack of participation is truly detrimental to the Union’s function. According to Student Union polling data from last April, less than 50 percent of eligible voters participated in the elections.

The presidential election saw only about 33 percent of undergraduates voting, with our new president, Todd Kirkland ’13, securing only 296 from a possibility of about 3,500 votes.

Most of the senatorial elections received even lower results. Student

Union statistics indicate that the Class of 2013 senatorial election only had 18 percent voter participation, compared to elections for Class of 2014 senators with 26.12 percent and Class of 2015 senators with 41.68 percent. The 2015 senatorial election received the highest turnout in both the spring and fall elections—42.8 percent last fall.

When more than two-thirds of eligible voters do not participate, the Union acts just for the minority who bothered to vote. It cannot tailor its work to the needs of the general student body, and it will not operate at its maximum potential to serve Brandeis students.

While canvassing through North and Massell Quads as a candidate for class senator, the greatest problem I found was a lack of knowledge about the Union among students. Therefore, it is not surprising that many students did not vote, since it is difficult to maintain interest in a subject they barely understand.

Resolving voter unawareness is central to boosting turnout. Much of this effort needs to come from the Union officers. Officers must actively engage students to educate them about the Union and go beyond office hours and emails. Periodic face-to-face interaction with students would greatly in-

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crease understanding and motivation.

It demonstrates that the officer cares about his constituents, and would truly like their votes. When students are more informed about the process, they are more likely to participate in it.

The election’s timing can impact

turnouts too. The Union hosted the last elections towards the end of April, when many students started preparing for their final exams and projects.

With a greater need to focus on their academics, voting became a second or even third priority for them.

Campaign periods at Brandeis should be extended for another week to give candidates more opportunities to meet with voters. Spring elections could also be moved to early April, allowing busy, but nevertheless interested, students to vote without the burden of final exams.

Above all, however, students have to start caring about the elections. Even the best solutions will stall if students continue to persist in their apathy. As Brandeis citizens, we should leave the University in a better state than we came to it. This includes participating in a process that greatly influences undergraduate life. With each year, voter participation should increase rather than decrease.

I am sure that many students are unhappy that the Union does not respond to their interests.

However, by not voting, you will have only cemented your fate by not being represented or heard at all by the school.

To all students, returning and new, we have limited time to improve our school as undergraduates. If we want student life to reach its full potential, we must start at the student government level, and we start by casting our ballots on Election Day.

America’s negative image hinders full immersion in culture Leah

smith In a word

Before I went abroad last semester to Salvador, Brazil, I thought that the great amount of traveling I have been blessed enough to have done in my life somehow made me more “cultured” and therefore less typically American.

I’ve always associated American-ness with ignorance, entitlement and selfabsorption. Thus, I’ve never wanted any connection with America.

Unfortunately, my semester and summer abroad in Brazil taught me that no matter how little affinity I want with America, my American identity is not something I can ever escape.

I chose Salvador because it was an ideal location to conduct research for my thesis in anthropology. In order to

conduct better research, I decided two things that I hoped would help the process along. The first was that I would learn Portuguese, and the second was that I would immerse myself so completely as to “be” Brazilian.

Though I thought learning Portuguese would be more challenging, that was actually the easy part. In the Brazilian state of Bahia, hardly anyone speaks English. Thus, if you want to get around, Portuguese is a necessity. Between classes and talking to my friends and host family everyday, I was speaking Portuguese within a month.

Becoming Brazilian was a different story. By the end of my six months in Bahia, my friends called me “Bahiana de coração” (Bahian at heart). Yet, despite that, there was still a significant barrier between me and my goal of becoming Brazilian. No matter how fully I immersed myself, I was never able to adopt or understand the Brazilian mindset, and I was never able to “become” Brazilian. As an American, it was impossible.

What was it about my American

identity that made total immersion insurmountable? I spent many hours agonizing over this question and feeling hurt that this culture I wanted so badly to be part of had essentially rejected me.

Ultimately, I came to realize that my cultural rejection was out of my control. Whether I wanted it to or not, my American-ness always represented more than just my nationality to the people that I encountered.

For all of the reasons that I had always wanted to escape from my American identity, Brazilians often viewed me with disdain. This was exacerbated by the fact that the United States has a particularly nasty history of imperialism in Latin America. Brazilians are rather resentful of the fact that their northern neighbors think they have the right to push everyone around.

If I wasn’t treated with disdain, I was placed on a pedestal by those who had so internalized America’s hegemony as to believe that America actually is bigger and better in every way.

Yet, whatever the reaction was, the

way people related to me was almost always a reflection of how they viewed the United States, and whether negative or positive, it always rendered me as “other.”

Before going to Brazil, I had aspirations of working in overseas humanitarian aid.

After this experience, I have seriously started to question the validity and ethics of these aspirations. If I couldn’t connect with regular people on a social level, how would I be able to connect with and give aid to the most vulnerable populations in Brazil, or anywhere?

It’s true that America does not have the same imperialist history everywhere in the world as it does in Latin America.

Yet even so, our leadership’s bombastic rhetoric on the need to defend freedom and liberty, which somehow entitles us to do whatever we want in other countries, projects an image of domination and manipulation that reflects not just on our leadership, but our people.

Furthermore, I would never be OK

with a foreigner coming to America and telling me that they understood the complexities of America’s social problems well enough to help, so why should it be ok for me to do the same in another country? There is a lot of misery in the world, but maybe our presence as foreigners abroad trying to “help” only compounds that misery by creating unnecessary cultural conflicts and forcing the world’s most vulnerable populations to submit to our need to carry the “white man’s burden.”

So now I have moved my aspirations inwards. Perhaps the biggest contribution I can make towards a better world is working to make my own country better.

If America is better educated, more just and less power-hungry, not only will the lives of Americans improve, but we can also lessen our negative impact on the rest of the world.

And then, perhaps, some of the cultural barriers I experienced will be broken down, and my original goal of becoming Brazilian will be a lot more attainable.

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012

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WSOCCER: Squad aims to succeed against UAA foes

JUMP BALL

CONTINUED FROM 16 18 games last season and showcasing defensive prowess, defenseman Kelly Peterson ’15 should anchor the group. Defenseman Corinne Bortniker ’15 saw some time on the wings as a first-year and could be partnered by classmates Marissa Bello ’15 or Jessica Peck ’15.

Despite continuous shuffling in preseason, the Judges’ strengths lie in their offensive attack. Midfielder Mary Shimko ’14, who notched seven goals and 13 shots on goal in a full season, figures to be a notable presence in the center of the pitch.

Fellow midfielder Maddy Stein ’14 should also be a strong candidate to excel in the midfield. Midfielder Sapir Edalati ’15 shined as a first-year, recording two goals and 11 shots on goal, and she should serve as a crucial part of the Judges’ strategy.

Defenseman Alec Spivack ’15 started in 15 games as a first-year, earning three assists and eight shots on goal. Midfielder/forward Alyssa Fenenbock ’15 also displayed promise—her ability to play well with both feet is certainly an asset. Forward Emma Taylor ’15 saw some time last year at striker and shows great potential.

The lingering question rests in the health of new transfer forward Dara Spital ’15, who played for Di-

vision I University of Central Florida last season. Spital started two of the seven games she appeared in, where she recorded one assist on the season. Despite an injuryriddled season while at UCF, she looks to showcase her talents for the Judges in Division III. In addition to always-challenging games against other teams in the UAA, in which the Judges went 0-6-1 last year, they will clash with Bates College and Bowdoin College.

While the Judges lost to Bowdoin last year, they have triumphed against the Polar Bears the past three even-yeared meetings between the two teams. This could prove a pivotal game in the schedule that can provide a good measuring stick for the squad’s success, given the New England Small College Athletic Conference is a strong collegiate soccer conference.

If the team wishes to succeed this year, Dallomara stated that the team needed to make improvements on both sides of the field.

“We need to make improvements on defense, winning 50/50 balls, and the ability to read plays on the field,” she said.

The team kicks off its season in a road match against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Friday at 4 p.m.

JOSHUA LINTON/ Justice File Photo

OUTNUMBERED: Si-Si Hensley ’14 (right) and Lauren Berens ’13 vie for a point over an Endicott College player in a win last September.

Team seeks to improve results with experience ■ The women’s volleyball

squad is set to surprise the conference with a rejuvenated roster.

By JACOB MOSKOWITZ JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

After a promising 7-2 start to the 2011 season, the women’s volleyball team looked to move past their 2010 season woes in a chase for the University Athletic Association title.

The Judges won the first set against Colby-Sawyer College by a score of 25-17 last September 18, but then struggled to stay in the match and eventually fell 16-14 in the fifth and conclusive set. The Judges looked like an entirely different team after that pivotal match, winning just two of the next 21 matches and finishing without a victory in UAA play.

The team, without any seniors and a corps of five first-years last season, certainly experienced its share of growing pains. However, the rookies displayed great promise and are poised to succeed in their second year. Libero Elsie Bernaiche ’15 led the team with 400 digs, while outside hitter Liz Hood ’15 recorded a team-leading 304 kills.

Bernaiche noted that with an experienced core with a greater sense of maturity, the team should be able to maintain its focus in crucial situ-

ations and excel in the latter half of the season.

“I believe our team now has the knowledge of what it takes to really succeed this season,” she said. “The maturity of this team allows us to stay calm under pressure this year, rather than lose focus as we have in the past during tough points.”

Bernaiche also stated that, with veteran leadership, the first-years should expect an easier adjustment to collegiate competition.

“We can pass this experience on to the four new [first-years] to help them get used to college-level competition more quickly,” she said.

“We can capitalize on this experience by having a lot of returnees guiding the younger players in the positions on the court.”

Setter Yael Einhorn ’14 led the Judges with 726 assists and will be a crucial presence up at the net.

Middle blocker Becca Fischer ’13 led the team with 73 blocks and also delivered 144 kills.

Brandeis also returns a formidable outside hitter duo in Si-Si Hensley ’14 and Lauren Berens ’13.

Hensley notched 210 digs and 213 kills, while Berens contributed 113 kills. Susan Sun ’13 will anchor the defense as a specialist in her final year on the squad.

Brandeis will face many familiar opponents this season, including the always-challenging UAA teams.

With an experienced core, the team looks to avenge its winless record

in conference play. The Judges will travel to two UAA round-robin invitationals at the University of Chicago and Carnegie Mellon University.

Bernaiche said that she is optimistic about the team’s prospects and looks forward to seeing the team improve over the full course of the regular season.

“On a smaller scale, we have high expectations for each other, too,” she said. “We really want to see each other work hard and improve every single practice and game.”

Middle blocker Carly GutnerDavis ’15 agreed, noting that each member of the squad is devoted to helping the Judges succeed this season.

“We have versatile, hardworking and dedicated players who, as a team, are determined to step on the court and put forth their best effort in every competition this coming season,” she said.

“It will be a long and trying season, but at the end of the day, our passion for volleyball and our shared desire to become the best possible players and teammates brings us together."

The Judges begin competition this Friday in a match against Salve Regina University at the Western Connecticut State University Invitational. The squad will then face off against Johnson and Wales University as well as the host Western Connecticut State in a doubleheader on Saturday.

JOSHUA LINTON/Justice File Photo

BOLTING AHEAD: Defenseman Alec Spivak ’15 races for the ball in a win over MIT.

XC: Judges strive to make a big statement with their new talent CONTINUED FROM 16 All-Americans. [Boutin] was also very talented and was ... like a father figure to the team. To have two great senior captains like that was fantastic. Our team is definitely going to be missing a piece without those two around.”

However, he also said that he is optimistic about the team’s potential this season, especially with a new corps of first-years to replenish the ranks.

“We have a good [first year] class coming in this year, which is sure to make an immediate impact because we are looking at a fairly small team this year,” he said.

The women’s team, who lost Erin Bisceglia ’12, Monique Girard ’12, and Alyssa Pisarik ’12, in addition to Warwick, will also need runners to step up and fill new roles.

Ali Kirsch ’14 demonstrated an impressive outing at Regionals

with a 41st-place finish at 22:38.15.

Amelia Lundkvist ’14 and Victoria Sanford ’14 also showed promise with top-100 finishes at the seasonending meet. Miriam Stulin ’15 ended her inaugural season with the team on a high note, placing 51st at 22:50.08.

Colvin noted that the squads’ goals this season are to perform to the best of the team’s ability.

“As always, we are looking to qualify for nationals and finish top in our region,” he said. “Summer training went very well for our team. I did more work and training than I've ever done over the course of a summer, so I'm very excited to see what I can do at my best. Same goes for the rest of the guys; everyone put in a good summer and we are looking forward to the season.”

The men and women host their first meet this Friday against the University of Southern Maine.

14

TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012

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THE JUSTICE

Going for gold PHOTOS COURTESY OF TIM MOREHOUSE

PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO: Tim Morehouse ’00 (third from left) is pictured with his fellow “Champions of Change” at a White House ceremony honoring AmeriCorps’ most renowned devotees to community engagement.

Tim Morehouse ’00 excels in the Olympics and civil service

By Adam rabinowitz JUSTICE EDITOR

NIGHTS WITH NBC: Morehouse is interviewed by NBC anchor Bruce Beck for his Olympian feats.

GAME FACE: E! News reporter Ross Matthews readies for a fencing lesson with Morehouse.

As a high-school freshman, Tim Morehouse ’00 faced a decision between gym class and competitive fencing. He chose to join the saber squad on the Riverdale Country School fencing team. The rest is history.

Morehouse earned three All-American honors during his Brandeis career, competed in two Olympics and accrued numerous professional awards, eventually rising to the distinction as the United States’ No. 1 saber.

He set out on another important endeavor earlier this summer at the London Olympics, hoping that his third try to win a gold medal would be the charm.

Morehouse, ranked No. 20, competed in both individual and team play at the Games, including a historic top-8 finish in the solo competition, the first American saber ever to accomplish such a feat. He notched upsets over No. 11 Veniamin Reshetnikov of Russia and No. 5 Dimitri Lapkes of Bulgaria before eventually falling in a 15-9 quarterfinal defeat to Italian saber Diego Occhiuzzi.

Morehouse noted that his rigorous and consistent training regimen over the past four years was a key factor in his success in London.

“The excitement level is a little higher [in training],” he said. “You ramp things up. There is more physical competition in the impending months before the Games. It’s not like cramming for a final exam; there is a lot of preparation that has to go into such a monumental event.”

While he ultimately failed to win a medal in either competition, Morehouse treasured the enriching experience of competing in the Olympics, and noted his ability to succeed in such a high profile tournament.

“I certainly wanted to win a medal, but it’s so rewarding to just be able to compete at the Olympics,” said Morehouse. “I was particularly proud to excel under the pressure and turn in one of the best individual performances in our nation’s history.”

The Olympic experience is nothing new for Morehouse. He served as an alternate in the 2004 Athens Games and was a key contributor to the US team’s silver-medal finish in Beijing in 2008.

Even so, while Morehouse stated that he felt more at ease in his third Olympics, he was still awed by the high energy level and intense nature of competition.

“I was definitely able to handle London a little better given my experience,” he stated. “There was just such an amazing spirit and feeling though. London really defined what the Olympics are all about: good-spirited competitiveness.”

He cited, however, that his most memorable moment from the Games occurred away from the fencing mats.

Morehouse, who was named a voter in the election to appoint a flag-bearer for the American procession in the Opening Ceremony, had the opportunity to make history. He had the

chance to break a gender barrier for a deserving American athlete and he did.

Morehouse nominated saber Mariel Zagunis to serve as the first American female to hoist the nation’s flag in the Opening Ceremony.

After a election in which the voting panel was torn between Zagunis and sprinter Bryshon Nellum who was shot in the leg in 2008 and underwent three surgeries in order to compete in London, Zagunis was elected to the post.

While Nellum was later named as the flag bearer for the Closing Ceremony, Morehouse was the first to break the news to Zagunis and had the privilege to walk right behind her in the procession, basking in the dazzling display.

“It was just such an honor to be a part of history,” said Morehouse. “She absolutely deserved it, and it’ll always be one of my proudest moments.”

Despite his professional success in London, Morehouse’s accomplishments would not have been possible without the support and tutelage of coach Bill Shipman.

After all, Shipman was the one college coach that took a risk on Morehouse by recruiting him to the Judges squad.

“I could not have done any of this without having the opportunity to compete at Brandeis,” Morehouse noted.

“Shipman was the one coach to identify me in high school and he was such an encouraging presence, always pushing me to reach for higher goals. With his guidance and great teammates, I definitely had a great foundation for the future.”

Along with his fencing exploits, Morehouse is excited for the opportunity to continue his other career as an engaged community activist. He was honored on August 17 at the White House as a “Champion of Change” for his accomplished work at AmeriCorps, where he was one of 12 honorees to utilize his national service experience and career influence to make an impact as a leader in his community.

After graduating from Brandeis with a major in History and earning of a master’s education from Pace University, Morehouse has taught in elementary-level classrooms and led community efforts in high-risk neighborhoods surrounding New York City.

He is also thrilled to start work on launching his new foundation: Fencing in the Schools.

“I am very excited about the prospects of my foundation to increase the visibility of fencing, establish it as a consistent part of [physical education] curriculums and use it as a tool to encourage physical fitness for young children,” he said.

When asked if he was thinking about competing at Rio de Janeiro for the 2016 Olympics, Morehouse stated that he wanted to sit back and reflect on what lies ahead.

“You never rule anything out, but there are a lot of different opportunities out there, and I want to find what I’m passionate about,” he said.

One thing is for sure: His story is far from over.

THE JUSTICE

jUDGES BY THE NUMBERS

●

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

15

SUMMER AWARDS RECAP

Men’s Soccer UAA STANDINGS

TEAM STATS Goals

2011-2012 Statistics UAA Conference Overall

W L D W L D Pct. WashU 5 2 0 14 3 1 .806 Case 5 2 0 14 4 0 .778 Emory 4 3 0 10 8 0 .556 JUDGES 3 3 1 12 5 1 .694 Rochester 3 3 1 9 5 2 .625 Carnegie 3 4 0 7 8 1 .469 Chicago 2 5 0 9 7 2 .556 NYU 2 5 0 7 9 1 .441

Three players led the team in goals last year with six.

Player Goals Lee Russo 6 Tyler Savonen 6 Sam Ocel 6 two tied with 5

Assists Steve Keuchkarian ’12 and Sam Ocel ’13 led in assists.

Player Assists Steve Keuchkarian 6 Sam Ocel 6 Tyler Savonen 5 Theo Terris 5

UPCOMING GAMES Saturday vs. Ithaca Sunday at Keene State Wed, Sept. 5 vs. Colby-Sawyer

WOMen’s Soccer UAA STANDINGS

FINAL TEAM STATS

2011-2012 Statistics

Points

UAA Conference Overall

W L D W L D Pct. Emory 6 0 1 15 0 2 .941 WashU 5 2 0 15 4 0 .789 Case 4 2 1 12 3 3 .750 NYU 3 4 0 12 6 0 .667 Carnegie 3 4 0 9 7 0 .562 Chicago 2 3 2 9 6 2 .588 Rochester 2 4 1 8 7 1 .531 JUDGES 0 6 1 6 11 2 .368

Mimi Theodore ’12 led the team in points with eight.

Player Pts Mimi Theodore 8 Mary Shimko 7 Hilary Andrews 5 two tied with 5

UPCOMING GAMES: Friday at MIT Saturday at Clark Wed, Sept. 5 vs. Roger Williams

Shots Alanna Torre ’12 led the team in shots taken with 60.

Player Shots Alanna Torre 60 Hilary Andrews 31 Mimi Theodore 31 Mary Shimko 27

VOLLEYBALL UAA STANDINGS

FINAL TEAM STATS Kills

2011-2012 Statistics UAA Conference Overall

W L W L Pct. WashU 9 1 32 1 .970 Emory 9 1 34 4 .895 Chicago 7 3 29 5 .853 Case 5 5 22 10 .688 Rochester 4 6 21 15 .583 NYU 3 7 19 16 .543 Carnegie 3 7 15 15 .500 JUDGES 0 10 9 21 .300

UPCOMING GAMES: Friday vs. Salve Regina Saturday vs. Johnson & Wales Saturday vs. Western Connecticut

Liz Hood ’15 led the team in kills last year with 304.

Player Kills Liz Hood 304 Si-Si Hensley 213 Becca Fischer 144 Lauren Berens 131

Digs Elsie Bernaiche ’15 led the team in digs last year with 400.

Player Digs Elsie Bernaiche 400 Si-Si Hensley 210 Susan Sun 181 Yael Einhorn 173

cross cOuntry Results from last year’s UAA Championships at UChicago

TOP FINISHERS (Men’s)

TOP FINISHERS (Women’s)

RUNNER TIME Chris Brown 26:00.5 Marc Boutin 26:20.2 Ed Colvin 26:35.2 Alex Kramer 26:40.1

RUNNER TIME Kate Warwick 23:22.8 Miriam Stulin 23:55.9 Ali Kirsch 24:08.7 Victoria Sanford 25:14.7

UPCOMING EVENTS Friday vs. University of Southern Maine Sept. 22 Shriners Invitational at UMass Dartmouth

JOSH HOROWITZ/Justice File Photo

SWINGING FOR THE FENCES: Second baseman Sean O’Hare ’12 was one of many Judges to receive an award for this summer

Judges succeed in their award season ■ Brandeis Athletics

boasted many awards in honor of its accomplished athletes this past summer.

By ADAM RABINOWITZ JUSTICE Editor

While school was out for the summer, the Brandeis Athletics Department remained busy by giving an array of awards to its athletes for their accomplishments last season.

Carley Cooke ’15 headlined the Judges’ award season with her distinction as an Intercollegiate Tennis Association Division III All-American.

She was selected as the first women’s tennis All-American in Brandeis’ history due to her 16-6 overall record, 15-4 record in dual matches and exceptional performance in the No. 1 slot as a rookie.

Sean O’Hare ’12 was selected to start at second base in the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association All-Star Game on June 4, notching a 1-for-4 perfor-

mance in his All-Star debut.

The NEIBA nominated O’Hare for his team-leading 11 doubles, four home runs and .651 slugging percentage. He also had a .349 batting average and knocked in 12 runs, all while missing 17 games.

Brian Lambert ’98, assistant coach of the baseball team, was also honored by the NEIBA with the Kevin Burr Assistant Coach title, which is awarded for the “consistent integrity and dedication that he has exhibited as an active New England assistant coach.”

In his 13-year tenure under coach Pete Varney, he has helped guide the team to four University Athletic Association titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances.

Pat Nicholson ’11, MA ’12, rounding out the honors, was selected to the second-team All-ECAC Division III New England squad.

The first-baseman led the squad with 38 hits and a .384 batting average, while also tallying 13 multihit games and a conference-best 15-game hitting streak.

In addition to his formidable offensive performance, he was also

one of the Judges’ most reliable pitchers, throwing 35 and 2/3 innings and starting in six contests.

Centerfielder Lauren Porcaro ’12 also made a splash on the regional stage as an end to her softball career, earning a nod to the All-New England Division III second-team.

She made her case for the selection with a career-high .352 batting average, 16 stolen bases and 36 RBIs. Chris Brown ’12 earned Capital One Academic All-America Division III Honors after his impressive performance at the NCAA Track & Field Outdoor Championships. He finished fourth with a time of three minutes, 56.36 seconds, .06 seconds shy of his indoor record the previous season. He also earned All-America honors at the NCAA cross country championships and was featured in Sports Illustrated for his accomplishments.

Brandeis athletics has much to look forward to this fall with resurgent soccer teams, cross country squads poised for success and an experienced volleyball corps.

The awards should only continue for the Judges.

Boston Bruins PREVIEW Bruins look to recover from a stunning first-round playoff exit without netminder Tim Thomas The Boston Bruins’ most important off-season transaction ultimately was a decision that team personnel did not even make. Goalie Tim Thomas decided not to play in the upcoming season, a move that will ultimately determine whether the Bruins improve upon their first-round exit in the playoffs last year.

Thomas, the Conn Smythe and Vezina Trophy winner during the Bruins’ 2010-2011 Stanley Cup winning season, announced in June that he would forgo his $3 million salary this year for personal reasons.

“At the age of 38, I believe it is time to put my time and energies into those areas and relationships that I have neglected,” Thomas said. “That is why at this time I feel the most important thing I can do in my life is to reconnect with the three F’s. Friends, Fam-

ily and especially Faith.”

While Thomas’ latest decision to back Chick Fil-A amidst its gay marriage controversy has caused great debate among Bruins faithful, the pressure is now on goalie Tuukka Rask to make fans forget about Thomas’ success as a Bruin.

Rask started all of the team’s playoff games in the 2009-2010 season and led the league with a 1.97 goals-against average during Thomas’ recovery from a lingering hip injury. However, Rask’s past two seasons have not compared to his breakout year in 2010. While he has ranked among the top secondstring goalies in the league in the past two years, Rask’s performances often never seemed to be enough. However, he is showing promising signs. After going 11-14-2 with a 2.67 GAA in 20102011, Rask rebounded last season and

recorded a record of 11-8-3 and a 2.05 GAA. The Bruins, trusting that Rask is bound to end his slump, signed the 25-year-old goalie to a one-year $3.5 million extension.

“He’s a calm, poised goaltender— you see a little bit of the fiery temper here and there and I don’t mind that— you generally speaking he’s a goalie who is composed,” Bruins General Manager Peter Chiarelli said. “He’s technically very good and athletic at the same time. I don’t have any reason to think that he’s not going to emerge as the No. 1 for years to come.”

Goalie Anton Khudobin, who started and won his only game for the Bruins last year, will be the primary backup to Rask in the net for the Bruins.

Although much of the coverage this off-season has focused on the men be-

tween the pipes, fans should be satisfied that the Bruins kept much of the team’s nucleus intact with the re-signing of several key supporting players. Forward Chris Kelley received a four-year deal worth $12 million and opposing forward Gregory Campbell signed a contact worth $4.8 million over the next three years. Forward Daniel Paille also signed a three-year deal, valued at roughly $1.3 million per year.

Chiarelli moved forward Benoit Pouliot, who scored 16 goals for the Bruins last year, to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for forward Michael Ouelett and a fifth-round pick in the National Hockey League entry draft, which was used to draft forward Seth Griffith. Ouelett has not appeared in an NHL game since the 2008-2009 season, but he has exhibited

potential during his stint with the Norfolk Admirals of the American Hockey League, scoring 16 goals and recording 15 assists.

The Bruins also traded for and signed Chris Bourque, the son of Bruins’ Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, to a $1.1 million deal.

With nearly their entire starting roster intact and a goalie that has the potential to be one of the top netminders in the league, the Bruins have the talent to contend for a second Stanley Cup in three seasons. However, as hockey always does, the season hangs on the shoulders of the goalie. If Rask fails to meet expectations, Chiarelli might have to call the man who is focusing on the F’s instead of the X’s and O’s.

— Josh Asen

just

Sports

Page 16

FRESH START The women’s volleyball team is poised to succeed with an experienced core of players and infusion of new talent, p. 13.

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Women’s soccer

Waltham, Mass.

RETURNING CHAMPIONS

Judges revive hopes in 2012 ■ The women’s soccer squad seeks to rebound from a lackluster year with a healthy lineup.

By HENRY LOUGHLIN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

While the women’s soccer team disappointed with a 6-11-2 finish last season, this season’s squad has the potential to be much brighter with an experienced group of players.

The sophomore corps, including defenseman Alec Spivak ’15, midfielder Sapir Edalati ’15, who received considerable playing time in their first year, looks to carry the team. They will especially be needed after the graduation of second team All-University Athletic Association midfielder Alanna Torre ’12, defenseman Ali Theodore ’12 and midfielder Mimi Theodore ’12.

Head Coach Denise Dallamora was impressed with her squad’s resolve and dedication during summer training.

“I am very pleased with everyone so far in our summer practices,” she said.

Dallamora opted to alternate goalie Francine Kofinas ’13 and then first-year goalie Michelle Savuto ’15 in the net last season in light of a season-ending injury to Leah Sax ’14. Kofinas allowed eight goals and recorded an 84.7 percent save percentage, while Savuto proved to be equally promising with 14 goals allowed and a 75.0 percent save percentage.

While Kofinas and Savuto will battle for playing time this season, Sax will be another name to add to the mix for the Judges.

Though forced to say goodbye to All-UAA Selection midfielder Fran Shin ’12, All-UAA Second Team selection defenseman Allison Maresca ’12 and defenseman Jessica Schulman ’12, the defensive unit features several key returning players. After starting all

See WSOCCER, 13 ☛

JOSHUA LINTON /Justice File Photo

OFF TO THE RACES: Midfielder Robbie Lynch ’15 surges ahead of several defenders for the ball in a victory over the Wentworth Institute of Technology last October.

Men look to protect ECAC title ■ The men’s soccer team

readies to build off of their ECAC championship with a revitalized core of players.

By HENRY LOUGHLIN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

While the men’s soccer team was dismayed over its inability to qualify for the NCAA Division III Tournament last season, winning the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship was a nice consolation prize.

The Judges completed a 15-5-1 campaign by ending the season with a resounding 8-0 romp at home over Albertus Magnus College in the ECAC final.

Despite last year’s success, the squad still has quite a few holes to fill.

The Judges lost All-University Athletic Association First Team midfielder Theo Terris ’12, as well as as All-UAA Second Team center-backs Ari Silver ’12 and David McCoy ’12. However, the team still looks to keep the good times rolling.

Coach Mike Coven, entering his 40th year at the helm for the Judges, stated that losing the senior trio would undoubtedly be a big blow to

the team, but the new recruiting class should ease the transition.

“Our big question is, ‘How has our bench developed?’” said Coven.

“Most of our incoming freshmen have played at a high level, which will make things easier, but they’ve got to adapt quickly. Last year’s senior class was very special. We lose some depth, scoring, and three of the best players we’ve ever had.”

The return of All-UAA Honorable Mention goalie Blake Minchoff ’13 should certainly help. He recorded 12 shutouts last year in net, two shy of the school record. He will look to anchor a defense that led the UAA in goals-against average, shutout percentage and save percentage.

The biggest questions for the team this year remain to be answered: who will play in the rear guard for the Judges? Although Brandeis returns Ben Applefield ’14 and Robbie Lynch ’15 at left-back and right-back, respectively, Coven may prefer to move both of those players up to the center of the field.

“We’re not sure what to do with [Applefield],” said Coven. “He’s indicated that he would like to move forward. He could be as good as anyone.” “[Lynch] was always an attacking player. My position is that you always want to have your best 11 players on

the field. He came in at right-back as a [first-year] and did a very nice job,” Coven explained further.

There are several players who will look to make an impact. Ethan Berceli ’14, who missed the entire season last year due to injury, returns. Martin Freeman ’15 has been touted as a potential central defender. Gaelen Oliver ’15 and Steve Twerago ’15 could also fill the gaps at center.

In addition to his already-established squad, Coven eagerly awaits the arrival of his first years. “Some of the freshmen might have to come in and play defense right off the bat,” he said. “They’ll have to be ready to do that.”

Regardless of who comes in, Coven says that most players—including those coming in—have played at a high level of club soccer, which will make the adjustment easier.

In the center of the pitch, the loss of Terris certainly hurts. However, the Judges boast a midfield that can go toe-to-toe with most teams. Joe Eisenbies ’13, poised to build off his ECAC Player of the Tournament distinction at the end of last season, will look to dictate the tempo of the game from his defensive midfield position.

Additionally, Sam Ocel ’13 and Lee Russo ’13 can switch between midfield and forward. Their presence in the

center of the park rests on whether Applefield and Lynch come forward from the back.

Kyle Feather ’14 scored six goals last year and will certainly look to add to that total this season.

Up front, Tyler Savonen ’15 netted an impressive eight tallies as a striker. Coven is confident that Savonen’s regained health will result in a breakout season. “[Savonen] wasn’t ready to be a starter last year, as he was just coming back from shoulder surgery. Towards the end of the season, though, he became more and more comfortable. He’s unique.”

Though there is a lot of tweaking still to be done, Coven is optimistic about this team’s chances.

“One of the biggest reasons we are so successful is because our players are passionate about the game,” he said. “They just love to play soccer.

They work hard, are passionate about the game, and the team is most important. They’re a great group.

“I’m looking forward to Monday.”

Given what this group accomplished last year, so should his team’s fans.

The Judges will kick off their season with a match against Ithaca College at the Keene State Tournament this Saturday.

CROSS-COUNTRY

Squads gear up for success despite losing several seniors

■ The cross country teams

look to excel in a transition year without key runners.

By JACOB LURIE JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The men’s and women’s cross country teams have undergone a significant transformation from last year. Marc Boutin ’12 and Chris Brown ’12, as well as Kate Warwick ’12, have all graduated from their

Judges careers.

These seniors represent big shoes for the Judges to fill.

Co-captains Boutin and Brown repeatedly made headlines for Brandeis, earning All-New England honors and All-University Athletic Association honors at the UAA Championships. Brown was also featured for his success last spring in Sports Illustrated’s "Faces in the Crowd," a distinction awarded for his achievements as the “New England Division III outdoor runner of the year.”

Warwick also was a steady presence for the women’s squad and made a huge statement at the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III National Tournament. She finished 48th in the six-kilometer race out of a field of 288 runners with a time of 21 minutes, 54.82 seconds.

While it may be a difficult transition for the Judges this season, both squads look to build on strong performances from last season.

Coach John Evans expressed the idea that both of his squads have the

potential to exceed expectations and succeed this upcoming year.

“I think the girl’s squad will be even better, and the boys will get to be where they need to be, hopefully making Nationals again,” said Evans.

Alex Kramer ’13 and Taylor Dundas ’14, who both finished in the top 50 at the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Regionals with times of 25:41.37 and 25:45.59 respectively, look to headline the men’s squad.

Ed Colvin ’14, who ran to a top 50 spot at last fall’s five-kilometer

race, finishing in 25:45.59, has found a niche as part of Brandeis’ cross country squad. With last season’s seniors gone, the young star will need to shoulder more of the load on race day.

Colvin stated that the loss of Boutin and Brown undoubtedly will have a significant impact on the makeup of the team this season.

“Losing [Brown] and [Boutin] is going to be very hard,” he said. “We all saw his real talent with his two

See XC, 13 ☛

just

just

February 2012 August 28,7, 2012

A R T S

New England’s

Hot spots and Hidden Gems p. 20

P. 20

Photos: Robyn Spector/the Justice. Design: Jenny Cheng/the Justice.

18

TUESDAY, august 28, 2012 ● THE JUSTICE

POP CULTURE

INSIDE ON CAMPUS

20

■ Fun Activities for Fall

20

■ UTC semester preview

20

JustArts recommends restaurants, theaters and parks in the local area for you to take advantage of this autumn.

The Undergraduate Theater Collective’s season has been finalized and JustArts has information to assist you in your theatergoing decisions.

OFF CAMPUS

21-23

■ ‘Premium Rush’ review

21

■ ‘Goats’ review

21

Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars in this fast-paced chase film with a few surprises up its sleeve.

This Sundance film about a family in Tucson, Ariz. disappoints with its underdeveloped plot and lackluster characters.

■ ‘Dark Knight Rises’ review

22

■ ‘Bourne Legacy’ review

22

■ ‘Newsroom’ TV show review

23

The third installment in the Batman trilogy, despite its fantastic actors, fails to live up to its huge hype.

Writer-director Tony Gilroy confuses audiences in this reimagining of the popular Bourne action series.

The West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin’s newest series about the inner workings of a broadcast newsroom combines reality and fiction to mixed reactions from its viewers.

CALENDAR

Interview

by Erica Cooperberg

I hope everyone had a restful summer and has returned to campus bright-eyed and bushytailed, ready to climb Rabb steps again—uh oh, too soon? Well, you’re not just coming back to campus to meet a new slew of first-years— there’s a new pop culture columnist on the block!

While the rest of the world spent the summer sweating out the hottest July in recorded history by discussing the Romney/Ryan pairing or waiting to find out if Obamacare would be declared constitutional, I sat in my air-conditioned home keeping up with E! and pouring over my weekly issues of US Magazine all in an effort to provide you with a comprehensive recap of pop culture: version summer 2012.

Putting aside all the political hubbub of the past few months, the summer was certainly defined by the London Olympics; as always, the United States did not fail to impress, bringing home the most medals of any country! We were introduced to the Fierce Five, the highschool aged gymnasts whose “perfect” vaults made jaws drop and whose hairstyle choices set twitter ablaze; we watched as Michael Phelps became the most decorated Olympian in history and we witnessed South African Oscar “Blade Runner” Pistorius become the first amputee to compete in the Games.

But onto the real news. The summer wasn’t all smiles; despite the heat, two of Hollywood’s most talked-about couples fizzled. To the surprise of most—including Tom Cruise himself— Katie Holmes filed for divorce from her husband of five years in June. It appears the demise of TomKat was largely due to Katie’s desire to raise their daughter, Suri, outside of Scientology – and, of course, because she was sick of cleaning his shoe stains off the couches.

Oh, and in August, Kristen Stewart was exposed cheating on her boyfriend, Robert Pattinson, with a married father-of-two and director of her film, Snow White and the Huntsman. But we

Shakespeare class back for another round  English professor describes his Fall 2012 course and recommends some of his most recent reads.

ACCIDENTAL PAPARAZZI/Wikimedia Commons

FIANCEE FOR ‘FRIEND’: Celebs Jennifer Aniston and Justin Thereux are now engaged. all know that drama will really start to get juicy in November, when the final installment of the Twilight saga premieres.

Have no fear: the summer covers of US were not always filled with break-ups. August headlines screamed a phrase all Friends fans were happy to see: “Getting Married!” Although the public has yet to see Jennifer Aniston’s rock, we can still be excited … right? And in July, we met Penelope Scotland Disick, daughter of Kourtney Kardashian and boyfriend Scott Disick, and were able to rejoice in another Kardashian who was able to avoid the K-name kurse.

Well, that’s about it for now. Go back to listening to “Call Me Maybe”—I bet you uploaded your own version to Youtube—I’ll catch you next week!

What’s happening in Arts on and off campus this semester

ON-CAMPUS EVENTS ’Deis Glow Paint Party

Student DJ Octokyu provides the backbeat to an Orientation-sponsored party. Dresssed in old clothes, students will receive paint and get the chance to start the semester off in a crazy way.

Tonight at 10 p.m. on the Great Lawn.

Move-in Market

Looking for a lightly used lamp, chair or printer? How about school supplies for your desk or clothes hangers for your closet? The Campus Sustainability Initiative is sponsoring the annual move-in market where you can buy all of these items for extremely low prices. The proceeds from this sale will go to local shelters and food banks.

Thursday at 4:30 p.m. on Chapels Field.

Poster sale

Decorate your dorm with posters from your favorite movies, your favorite bands or some gorgeous artwork.

Thursday and Friday from 9 a.m to 5 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center atrium.

Arts and Activities Fair

Meet representatives from many of Brandeis’s clubs and performance groups and find out information regarding auditions, try-outs or how to get involved.

Monday at noon on the Great Lawn.

‘Playback Theatre & Desert Roots: Journey of an Iranian Immigrant Family’

Mitra Shavarini (WMGS), a lecturer at Brandeis, is celebrating the launch of her new book, Desert Roots: Journey of an Iranian Immigrant Family. This personal narrative represents a chronice the events and people that brought her parents to America and then back again to Iran. The event will feature faculty and student panelists. Shavarini’s talk will be followed by a response

by Prof. Kristen Lucken (IGS); a song performed in Tagalog by Leila May Pascual ’15; and a performance by Playback Theatre exploring themes drawn from the book. Persian food will be served.

Sept. 7 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the Laurie Theater in the Spingold Theater Center.

All-Arts Welcome Party

This is an annual welcome party for the Brandeis arts community. Enjoy free food, live music and giveaways. Sponsored by the Office of the Arts, Student Activities, and the Undergraduate Theater Collective.

Sept. 10 from 5 to 7 p.m. outside Slosberg Music Center.

Dor Guez

The Rose Art Museum will open “100 Steps to the Mediterranean,” a solo exhibition of photography and video installations by Dor Guez, one of the most compelling emerging artists in the Middle East. It will be his first major museum exhibition in the United States.

Beginning Sept. 20 at the Rose Art Museum.

TALI SMOOKLER/Justice File Photo

WELCOME TO THE FAMILY: Representatives from the over 125 clubs at Brandeis reached out to new members of our community at the Arts and Activities Fair last fall.

OFF-CAMPUS EVENTS Annie Royer live

The 2012 Waterfront Performing Arts Series at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park concludes on Aug 28 with Annie Royer performing popular French cabaret songs, followed immediately by a showing of the French classic film The Wages of Fear. Annie Royer is a native of Paris whose charismatic style has wowed audiences for years.

Tonight at 6 p.m. at the Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, Boston.

Paula Cole

Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and producer, Paula Cole returns to Rockport to sing selections from her latest album Ithaca and hits like “I Don’t Want to Wait” and “Where Have All the Cowboys Gone?”

The concert marks the final weekend of the 2012 summer season at the Shalin Liu Performance Center.

Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. at the Shalin Liu Performance Center, 37 Main Street, Rockport, Mass. Ticket prices range from $41 to $61.

‘Marie Antoinette’

David Adjmi, playwright of last year’s OffBroadway phenomenon, Elective Affinities, brings us this comedy. Marie Antoinette provides a peek into the life of everyone’s favorite representative of the one percent—the infamous queen of France and cake enthusiast. Though she delights with her three-foot tall wigs and extravagant haute couture, times change and even the most fashionable queens go out of style.

Sept. 1 through 29 at 2 p.m., 7 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. at the Loeb Drama Center, 64 Brattle Street Cambridge. Tickets start at $25.

Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings

This R&B group made #15 on the Billboard 200 with its release of its 4th album, I Learned the Hard Way in 2010. Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings will be opening the 10th Annual Boston “Ahts” Festival.

Sept. 7 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park, Boston.

Harvest Festival featuring the Yesberger Band

ZUMIX celebrates the beginning of the fall season with the annual Harvest Festival.

Compete for prizes and the title for bestbaked apple pie and locally grown harvest.

There will be free food, live music, games and family activities. All apple pie and produce entries should be registered by 2 p.m.

The Yesberger Band, founded in early 2010 at Berklee College of Music, is the project of lead singer and pianist Devon Yesberger, backed up by good friends Spencer Stewart (bass) and Gabriel Smith (drums).

Sept. 9 at 3 p.m. at Piers Park, 95 Marginal St., East Boston.

‘Kite Runner’

Based on the 2003 best-selling novel, this epic drama follows boyhood friends Amir and Hassan in 1970s Afghanistan. After witnessing terrible brutality and betraying Hassan, Amir immigrates to the United States with his father, his regret and his shame. When Amir is summoned home to Afghanistan thirty years later to help an ailing friend, secrets are uncovered. This beautiful and complicated story shares an inside view of Afghani culture, while exploring the price of loyalty and friendship, the desire for integrity and hope for redemption.

Running from Sept. 9 to 30 at Arsenal Center for the Arts, 321 Arsenal Street, Watertown, Mass. Student tickets are $20.

JustArts emailed with Prof. William Flesch (ENG) who teaches one of the most popular classes among humanities students at Brandeis, “ENG 33a: Shakespeare:” Flesch earned his B.A. from Yale University and his Master’s and Ph.D. from Cornell University.

He has been awarded several prizes, including the Lerman-Neubauer for Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring.

JustArts: How long have you been a professor at Brandeis?

William Flesch: Since, I am amazed to say, 1985. But don’t tell anyone: they might think I was older [than] I really am.

JA: What is your favorite class to teach?

WF: “English 11a: [Close Reading: Theory and Practice],” which is a course on close reading: it’s not how much you read but how deeply. We’ll sometimes spend a month on a single poem. And that will feel rushed.

JA: Why do you think it is important to study literature, for example Shakespeare?

WF: Life is hard and gets harder. One of the things that make it worth living is thinking.

Thinking can be about any number of things: poetic meter, math, philosophy, jazz, love, time, God, loss, art, Nash equilibria, political history, the physiology of vision, for example.

Learning how to think about them deeply, to love thinking about them, is what education is about. If you do learn to love thinking about them, you’ll get through many dark nights of the soul, and will have much to offer those you love as well. And, I firmly believe, you’ll value more what should be valued in the world, and will tend more to do justice and love mercy (to quote the prophet Micah).

JA: What makes your Shakespeare class so popular to Brandeis students?

WF: Shakespeare!

JA: What is your favorite work of Shakespeare’s?

WF: I go back and forth between King Lear and Antony and Cleopatra.

JA: What are the highlights of your Shakespeare class this semester?

WF: King Lear and The Winter’s Tale.

JA: Have you read any interesting books over the summer?

WF: I am finally reading, and loving, Antony Powell’s twelve-volume cycle [A] Dance to the Music of Time. And I thought Suzanne Collins’ [The] Hunger Games trilogy, especially the first novel, was, though badly written, brilliantly plotted and worth, well, thinking about (talk about Nash Equilibria!). I liked Steve Erickson’s These Dreams of You, about the arc of history from [Robert F. Kennedy] through [Barack Hussein Obama] via David Bowie and Addis Ababa with a little time travel thrown in. I read some Naguib Mahfouz and a really good story by Jeanette Winterson, “The Green Man.” The always amazing Alice Munro had two stories in the New Yorker. So did F. Scott Fitzgerald, seventy-six years after he submitted it. And an unknown story by Sylvia Townsend Warner, author of the wonderful Kingdoms of Elfin, was recently found and published. Richard Moran’s philosophical treatment of first-person experience, Authority and Estrangement, is pretty astonishingly good.

JA: If you could be any literary character from any novel, who would it be?

WF: Psmith, from P.G. Wodehouse’s Psmith books, especially Leave it to Psmith. Psmith is better even than Jeeves, and Wodehouse (the inventor of both) is one of the great geniuses of twentieth century literature.

JA: Why do you think Shakespeare’s work has had such a lasting impact on world culture and literature?

WF: Because it’s the best thing ever. Because Shakespeare thought more deeply than anyone about the intersection of art and craft, depth and sheer skill, that’s the center and origin of all our experiences as humans in a human world.

JA: What do you think of modern remakes of classic Shakespeare plays, like West Side Story, Shakespeare in Love, Romeo & Juliet and other modern movies influenced by his plays?

WF: I am all for them. I have to say I think Kurosawa is the best. And Kiss Me, Kate. I do like Susan Cooper’s [Young Adult] novel King of Shadows.

JA: What is your opinion on the conspiracy theories that Shakespeare was not who he claimed to be or was not the real author of the plays?

WF: I heard he was born in Kenya.

— Jessie Miller

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TUESDAY, august 28, 2012 ● THE JUSTICE

New England fall offers much to do JustArts recommends plans for a day, or night, on the town By emily salloway JUSTICE editor

Welcome to our University, new Brandeisians, and welcome back, everyone else!

Whether you are looking forward to starting classes or not, one thing is certain: it’s always great to be back at Brandeis!

Personally, having spent a great summer in New York City, I am looking forward to going into Brandeis’ surrounding towns and cities and enjoying some of the places that make our location special. During my three years here (and my entire life as a native of Massachusetts before that) I have always loved trying new restaurants, theaters and outdoor activities. Before I graduate at the end of the semester, I wanted to share some ideas of fun days or nights out to any first-years and encourage those in their final semesters to visit some old and new favorites.

Waltham Hotspot: Moody Street. There are great eats up and down Waltham’s main drag.

From Lizzy’s Ice Cream to the always-delicious Little India, there is cuisine suitable to even the pickiest of diners. The street is also home to the Embassy Cinema, which plays first-run movies at a reasonable price—Monday through Thursday, there is a student price of $8 and on Tuesdays, all shows are only $6. Best of all? It’s just a short 25-minute walk or even shorter (fiveminute) Branvan ride away from campus.

Hidden Gem: Right behind the Charles River Apartments is Mt. Feake Cemetery.

Sounds kind of morbid, but actually, this gorgeous resting place is a park with paths

wide enough for walking with friends (Just be sure to follow cemetery rules!). The official cemetery entrance is located on Prospect Street, and offers a great view of our very own stretch of the Charles River. New England is at its most beautiful in autumn, so take advantage of the perfect weather and get outside!

West Newton Hotspot: Washington Street. If you have a car, you can take a short drive to the West Newton Cinema, which plays indie films and is also one of the hosts to the Boston Jewish Film Festival (this year from Nov .7 to 19). There are also specialty grocery stores like Trader Joes and Whole Foods.

Hidden Gem: Cabot’s Ice Cream is designed in the style of a classic ice cream parlor, with big booths, tables for two and an old-fashioned countertop. They serve up 70 flavors of ice cream and frozen yogurt and have 35 types of toppings. For those who don’t eat dairy, they have dairy-free frozen yogurt with which they can mix all kinds of extras like fruit, candy and baked goods.

out Wagamama also on JFK Street, a worldwide Japanese chain whose only U.S. locations are in Cambridge and Boston. Across the street from Wagamama is the Boston Tea Stop, which serves up bubble tea of all flavors and mochi ice cream, a dessert made from sticky rice. Mr. Bartley’s burgers is a staple right down Mass Ave. with delicious sweet potato fries and items that were featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Driveins, and Dives. Finish off the night at the interestingly-placed Club Passim/Veggie Planet, across from the Harvard Coop, for some tunes and vegetarian pizza. This semester, I am definitely going to buy tickets to an American Repertory Theater show, quite possibly at the Oberon (a nightclubesque theater venue on Mass Ave., home to The Donkey Show, a disco-themed version of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and other equally intriguing performances).

Not-so-hidden gem: No trip to the Square is complete without a browse around the Coop. This three-story bookstore and cafe has all the latest titles and the greatest classics. If you enter on Brattle Street and go up the escalators, you can cross the sky bridge that stretches over a small alleyway.

Somerville

Cambridge Hotspot: Harvard Square. The Crystal Shuttle takes you right to the gates of historic Harvard University. The cobbled streets offer plenty of shopping, from Gap to Newbury Comics to Urban Outfitters on JFK Street, which features a bargain basement with generous mark-downs that bring some items as low as $5. For food, be sure to check

Hotspot: Davis Square: the hangout for Tufts University students. This nearby hotspot is only one Red Line stop away from Porter Square, where our MBTA commuter rail stops, and two stops away from where the Crystal Shuttle stops at Harvard Square. Lit up with Christmas lights yearround, this area is home to the Somerville Theatre, a venue for old films, new films

and the occasional live show. Diesel Cafe at 257 Elm Street has an old-school photo booth where you can snap some shots with friends, and Mr. Crepe right outside the Davis Square T-stop can satisfy both a sweet tooth or a craving for savory.

Hidden Gem: Anna’s Taqueria, also on Elm St. Don’t be surprised when your quesadilla comes rolled like a burrito; this Mexican eatery knows what it’s doing. The interior is nothing special, but the dishes sure taste great.

Boston And then there’s the main attraction: Boston. You don’t need me to tell you about the endless things to do in this great city.

Go out and explore! Some of my favorites, however, are the vast food court at Fanueil Hall, the window shopping one can do on Newbury St., the Museum of Fine Arts (Brandeis students get free admission), the Museum of Science Mugar Omni theater where you can catch the latest science flicks on a dome-shaped screen, and the House of Blues near the iconic Fenway ballpark. Go on a ghost tour starting in the Back Bay neighborhood or head over to Mike’s Pastry in the North End. Walk the Freedom Trail or attend a film festival (or the Boston Book Festival on Oct. 27).

Do one, two, or all of these things, and I guarantee a fun semester. And, when you’re thanking me later (or if you have something better to suggest) write to us at arts@thejustice.org and let us know which places are your Brandeis hotspots!

theater

UTC fall season promises music and drama ■ Members of the

Undergraduate Theater Collective discuss the shows they will take on this season.

By emily salloway JUSTICE editor

The Undergraduate Theater Collective is hitting the ground running this year. Led by Kelsey Strouse ’13 and Tess Suchoff ’13, the UTC has prepared an excellent fall season, complete with traditional events like the 24-Hour Musical on Sept. 9 and a fresh set of dramas and comedies.

Confused about which shows to see?

JustArts emailed with several UTC directors and is here to help!

The 24-Hour Musical is an annual event put on by Hillel Theater Group and Tympanium Euphorium in which all students are invited to participate, either on stage or behind the scenes. “We’ll be holding auditions for four days, 4-5 hours each day during the week prior to 24 Hour,” threetime stage manager and first-time president of the 24-Hour, Strouse, explained in an email to the Justice.

“Every person is asked to prepare a fun, upbeat song that they’ll sing a cappella. … Beforehand, we come up with prompts for specific characters, but we’ll also throw in our fair share of decoy prompts—prompts that may lead people to think it is a completely different show or just prompts that are hilarious but completely unrelated to the show itself.”

Only a few days after the auditions, the show is revealed (usually along with a kitschy, Jewish-themed spoof title), rehearsed and performed, all within 24-hours. Past productions have been huge hits; to put on a performance as entertaining and fun as previous years’ (like Legally Blonde the Jewsical and The Wedding Tzinger) HTG and Tymp will need all the help they can get. Co-director of this year’s show, Ellyn Getz ’13, confessed in an email: “When a show comes together in 24 hours, it’s almost impossible for it not to be filled with improvised moments to cover up forgotten dances, dialogue, blocking, and music.”

Though it may seem like a lot of work, co-director Viktoria Lange ’13

assured that the experience is one of the most enjoyable of the year: “When is the next time you’re going to camp out in the [Shapiro Campus Center] and have it be a fun, positive, wacky, crazy good time? Certainly not when you’re studying for your bio final in the library come December, let’s be real.”

And if you want to be involved with the UTC during the rest of the semester, the 24-Hour Musical is a good place to start: co-director Yoni Bronstein ’13 compared it to “the orientation for Brandeis undergraduate theater.” Strouse added, “It’s an intensive day of theater that unites Brandeis theater veterans, first years, and people who have always wanted to work on a show but never had the time … The last two years there were over 100 people in the cast, so there is never a dull moment!”

Brandeis Players’ Or, directed by Justy Kosek ’14, will begin rehearsing shortly after the Musical finishes, and will be performed the weekend of Oct. 11 to 14. Or, written by Liz Duffy Adams, premiered off-Broadway in 2009. The New York Times, in a 2009 review of the show, compared Adams to Tom Stoppard, with her ability to “take liberties with the facts” and entertain. Kosek revealed that he chose to bring the play to our University because he thought it was “a piece Brandeis thespians will be able to pull off with a lot of aplomb.” He is a huge fan of the show because he feels it connects “the art and politics” of the 1660s, and that this juxtaposition of the two seemingly separate realms is something we see today as well. The story revolves around Aphra Behn, the first female playwright following the removal of Puritans from the governance of England and the return of the royals. Adams stretches the truth and provides a comedic take on the illicit relationship between Behn and King Charles II. Hopefully Kosek’s take on the show will echo what The New York Times declared “a tribute that is more funky daisy chain than funerary bouquet” in its first run.

Rounding out October, on the 25 to 28, is Brandeis Ensemble Theater’s Metamorphoses, written by Mary Zimmerman. For some (minus Latin nerds like myself) Jessica Rassp’s ’13 decision to direct Zimmerman’s ver-

TALI SMOOKLER/Justice File Photo

SLEEP-DEPRIVED BUT HAPPY The cast of last year’s 24-Hour Musical, The Wedding Tzinger, had a good time putting on the show. sion of the Roman poet Ovid’s Metamorphoses might not seem like a good one. Fear not: though the play takes its plot from a series of well-known myths (like those of King Midas, Orpheus and Eurydice, and Narcissus), Zimmerman’s telling is very modern and allows these tales to show their relevance to our lives. Rassp hopes to emphasize this aspect of the play (her first as a director at Brandeis, though she assistant-directed for Rent in 2011) and “truly put [her] heart into everything onstage.” With Rassp at the helm and the universality of these ancient stories, Metamorphoses has a good chance at providing something for everyone.

Tympanium Euphorium brings us Bat Boy: The Musical Nov. 8 to 11, directed by Lizzy Benway ’14. The show is based on the Weekly World News story of which you surely have heard, even though it came out when most current Brandeis students were not yet born or were in their first years of life. If you aren’t familiar, here’s the gist: In 1992, the tabloid

published an article about a boy-bat hybrid found living in a cave and detailed his upbringing. Keythe Farley and Brian Flemming took this seed of an idea and nurtured it into a fullfledged musical about race, religion and prejudice.

When three spelunkers discover Bat Boy and bring him home with them, neither the sheriff nor the local veterinarian know what to do with him. Eventually, the vet’s wife takes him in, but many people in the town are not happy about the presence of this interspecies being. An angry mob gathers, and Bat Boy, re-named Edgar by the vet’s daughter, must hide, while at the same time face his self-inflicted shame.

Benway has big plans for the show, which she admits is “a difficult production to put together, with complicated music and an outrageous plot line.”

Judging from the plotline and the play’s messages, as long as Benway casts actors who have strong musical ability, this show has the potential to

be the highlight of the semester.

Lovers of I Love Lucy or Arrested Development, Hillel Theater Group may have just the show for you! Fan of playwright Neil Simon (who also penned Sweet Charity) Neal Rabinowitz ’13 will be directing Simon’s Rumors Nov. 15 to 18. Rabinowitz writes that Rumors is “suspenseful and hilarious” and that he is excited to take on the show as his directorial debut. In the play, wealthy guests at a dinner party show up at their hosts’ home to discover that the host, the deputy mayor of New York City, has shot himself through the earlobe and his wife and servants have disappeared. The guests decide together that they must hide the scenario from the police and media, and comedy ensues. Full of farcical moments and unforeseeable events, this show seems worth the wait!

Auditions for these plays will be held Sept. 3 to 6. Auditions for the 24Hour Musical will be held Sept. 4 to 7.

Visit the UTC tables at the Activities’ Fair on Sept. 3 for more information.

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2012

IN THEATERS NOW

‘Rush’ is a crazy ride start to finish ■ You’ll need to catch

your breath at the end of this new bicycle chase film from David Koepp.

By EMILY SALLOWAY JUSTICE EDITOR

I’ve seen them myself. They flit between cars like hummingbirds, their legs moving so fast you can barely see them pumping those pedals. They’re fearless and determined and the only guaranteed way to send packages quickly and safely through New York City’s traffic-clogged streets.

But I’ve never seen anyone quite like Wilee, the bike messenger in director David Koepp’s Premium Rush. Played by the always-handsome Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Wilee doesn’t believe in brakes or gears, riding what’s called a “fixie,” a bike that has only one gear attached to the back wheel. He has a sixth sense for finding his

way between oncoming taxicabs, speeding sedans and slowmoving pedestrians. He lives to ride, and boy, is he good at it.

Having dropped out of law school, Wilee now works full time delivering high-security items around the city. He’s the best there is, which is why his dispatcher gives him the most important delivery of the day: a premium rush.

After picking up the premium rush, an envelope from his friend Nima (Jamie Chung), he finds himself being pursued by NYPD Detective Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon). Monday is merciless and unyielding in his chase that includes a cringe-worthy stint against the flow of traffic on a one-way street and an obstacle course of construction work, orange striped blockades and all. But Shannon’s portrayal of the evil cop is also hilarious, with the bulging eyes reminiscent of Jeffrey Jones as Principal Ed Rooney in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and the cuss-littered

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ENDLESS CHASE: Monday catches a battered Wilee before another go.

vocabulary of Paul Gleason as Principal Richard Vernon in The Breakfast Club.

It’s your average game of cat and mouse with a few stunts that will take your breath away. The plot is easy to follow, and the contents of the trouble-making package remain a mystery until just the right moment.

While the characters’ backstories are practically non-existent, the situation creates a tangible sense of desperation that replaces the need for a deeper connection to Wilee and his friends. You worry for Nima because she seems to be in over her head. You angrily curse Wilee’s nemesis, fellow biker Manny (Wolé Parks) for delaying the end goal. You cheer for the romance between Wilee and Vanessa (Dania Ramirez) because, well, JGL is gorgeous, and Ramirez isn’t too bad herself.

The cinematography of Premium Rush keeps the film’s audience engaged, with quick cuts, point of view shots and constantly changing camera angles. The graphics that map out the city are sharp, and the ticking clock in the bottom right corner of the screen helps to spoon-feed plot points that might otherwise leave the audience in the dust.

My only complaint about the film is that it is a bit draining to speed across the city for a runtime of 91 minutes (but that’s also an accomplishment for Koepp, since you actually feel like you are speeding across the city for 91 minutes). Unfortunately for Columbia Pictures, this could lead to a poor reception post-theatrical run, since fans of the big-screen adrenaline rush might not want to re-watch the exhausting adventure now that we know how it ends.

But since it just opened Aug. 24, you still have a chance to see it in theaters, and I definitely think you should. But don’t forget your helmet.

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MANIAC MESSENGER: Wilee (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) speeds through the streets of New York City, trying to make it to Chinatown by 7 p.m. and avoid the evil Detective Bobby Monday (Michael Shannon).

FILM

‘Goats’ disappoints with nonexistent plotline ■ Sundance release ‘Goats’

provides a character sketch of an Arizona family, but does not move forward in story.

By jessie miller JUSTICE editorial assistant

What do you get when you combine furry four-legged animals, marijuana, a unique family dynamic and a desert landscape?

Well, I suppose you could get lots of results, but you also get Goats, a limited-release film that first premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January and premiered theatrically in early August.

I had high hopes for Goats, mostly because I thought it would be a fun, learn-an-amazing-lifelesson type of movie. It turned out to be neither of those things.

I spent most of the movie wishing something would happen and that

someone would become more of a dynamic character.

The plot of the film is fairly basic: Ellis Whitman (Graham Philips), 15 years old, is spending his last few days in Tucson, Ariz. before heading off to a prestigious East Coast boarding school.

In Tucson, Ellis lives with his mother Wendy (Vera Farmiga), who is divorced from his father, Frank (Ty Burrell). Self-absorbed and seemingly unaware of the outside world, Wendy’s laissez-faire parenting style often leaves Ellis to handle his own upbringing. She lives off of a trust fund and is more interested in mystical forces than paying the bills, which she leaves for Ellis to do. An already-strained relationship becomes even more difficult once Ellis leaves for school, which happens to be the same boarding school his dad attended.

As in many divorced families, Goats shows how Ellis is caught in

the middle of his parents, choosing between staying home in Tucson with his mother or attening the same boarding school as his father. By choosing boarding school, he alienates his mother, but he does not fit perfectly into his father’s world either.

The saving grace of this broken family is Goat Man, a house guestturned-gardener turned pseudofather figure to Ellis. Goat Man moved into the pool house and never left. After Ellis’ real father left, Goat Man filled the void and became the only real father Ellis has ever known. Eccentric, freespirited and earthy, Goat Man spends his time, besides growing marijuana, taking the family’s two pet goats on long treks through the Arizona desert.

Ellis joins Goat Man on his treks, bonding over a joint and having feeble conversations about the future. Goat Man does not hesitate to carry him on his back when

Ellis’ new hiking boots give him blisters. Yet, even though they obviously share a strong bond, while Ellis is away at school, neither Ellis nor Goat Man write letters nor pick up the phone, despite how much they both long to communicate with each other.

But this already weird scenario isn’t enough. Of course, a little teenage attraction is thrown in for good measure.

Once Ellis gets to school, he encounters Minnie (Dakota Johnson), a “townie” who works in the dining hall and secretly borrows classic novels from the school library. Their relationship never takes flight, though Ellis acts interested and they share a few special moments. The movie plays up his interest in her, but leaves Minnie characterized as the local school whore. Minnie’s character, much like Frank’s, is an addition to the film that seems important, but adds nothing to the story.

Instead, both characters detract from the relationship between Goat Man and Ellis, an unrealized father-son bond. Wendy never takes off her parenting horse blinders. At the end of the movie, Ellis is still just as confused and alone; there was struggle, but no growth.

Unfortunately for first-time director Christopher Neil, who had previously served as a dialogue and acting coach on the sets of Star Wars and The Virgin Suicides, the best scene of the film was the backdrop for the credits: home videos of baby Ellis, Goat Man and Wendy laughing, playing and acting like a real family, which were so completely different than the absentee mother and almost-father in the rest of the movie.

The film was disjointed and messy, this is true. But maybe that’s the way it should be, leaving life unsettled and messy, just like the real world.

21

22

TUESDAY, august 28, 2012 ● THE JUSTICE

SUMMER SEQUELS

‘Rises’ falls short of high expectations ■ With the reputations of

its amazing preceding films, ‘Dark Knight Rises’ was set up to fail, despite all efforts.

By AARON BERKE JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER

Tackling a third film in a successful franchise is a risky move. These films tend to go up against unfortunate hurdles, be they creative failure (Return of the Jedi), unnecessary existence (The Godfather: Part III), unwarranted backlash (Spider-Man 3) or other film-specific problems. Despite this trend, director Christopher Nolan’s latest film in his massively successful Dark Knight trilogy has been treated with nothing short of colossal excitement.

Internet message boards were pulverized with unrelenting fan speculation. Fans lapped up the smallest news bytes like rabid dogs. The marketing was sharp, with trailers and advertisements revealing little of the film’s plot—even though it was nearly impossible to turn a corner without seeing a giant bat poster splashed on the side of a building. But like many overhyped sequels, it is perhaps the anticipation of greatness that has resulted in The Dark Knight Rises culminating as something of a disappointment. It’s a good film in its own right, but compared to its predecessors, the whole thing plays a bit shallow. In place of innovation is convention, and a director who usually puts character first seems to have turned his concentration to sheer spectacle.

The Dark Knight Rises takes place eight years after the events of The Dark Knight, which portrayed Batman (Christian Bale) taking the fall for the crimes of district attorneyturned sadistic killer Harvey “TwoFace” Dent (Aaron Eckhart). Broken both physically and spiritually, Batman/Bruce Wayne has become a recluse, locking himself in Wayne Manor. The passing of assumed-martyr Dent, meanwhile, has established the Harvey Dent Act, all but eliminating organized crime in Gotham. But the peace proves to be temporary thanks to the emergence of the terrorist Bane, who forces Batman out of his self-imposed retirement.

These events are interesting enough, but their presentation is backwards. Sparingly little of the film’s mammoth two-hour-and45-minute run time is devoted to Batman’s “rise,” unless you count the scenes featuring Bruce trapped underground, faced with the impossible task of literally rising out of a miles-deep pit. The pit is meant to mirror the circumstances that first transformed Bruce into Batman (his fear of bats was born from falling into a pit full of them). But where Batman Begins presented similar scenes with focused tension, here the emotions are somewhat strangled due to the film’s insistence on constantly cutting back to the chaos in Gotham.

Such action sequences plod on for so long that we almost forget about Bruce’s predicament. It’s a striking change considering that the first two films were chock-full of suspense and action but never at the cost of their story’s psychological core. Here, Nolan has reversed the elements, and Bruce Wayne’s personal struggles feel buried underneath the apocalyptic melodrama.

But in all fairness, my gripes with the film come from a fan who expected nothing short of a masterpiece.

From a less-biased point of view, there is still much to love, particularly in the acting.

Bale gives his best performance to date as both Bruce Wayne and Batman. Bruce is now approaching middle age, so there are intriguing elements of weariness and regret that Bale is allowed to combine with his usual stoic behavior. The conflicting elements serve to move the character to his dynamic best.

Michael Caine is phenomenal once again as Alfred, and though he unfortunately has far less screen time than in the previous films, he brings the character to emotionally stirring heights. The two actors give us some of the most moving interactions we’ve seen between Bruce and Alfred. The film may be overloaded with visceral indulgence, but character moments like these really stand out.

Morgan Freeman, as Lucius Fox, and Gary Oldman, as Commissioner Gordon, are in fine form as usual, though they don’t get to do anything nearly as interesting as they did last time around. They’re underutilized as leaders of Gotham’s charge against Bane, existing as little more than part of the crowd.

Tom Hardy delivers a powerful performance as Bane. His great physical presence combines with his offbeat, jolly mannerisms to create a truly unsettling character—Bane is the type to snap a man’s neck as calmly as sipping tea. Hardy’s voice is a bit muffled underneath his breathing mask, and Bane’s vocal intonations and fetish for world-scale destruction lead me to believe his characterization was based on Marvin the Martian. But what counts about Bane is his physicality, and he is the perfect physical foil for Batman; the fight scenes between the two are by far the best shot and choreographed of the series.

Anne Hathaway is surprisingly brilliant as Selina Kyle/Catwoman.

The finesse with which Hathaway switches between channels of helpless damsel in distress, seductive femme fatale and sharp-tongued assailant is a delight to behold.

She is also a great counterpart for Batman, acting as both adversary and sidekick. There’s an undeniable comic book thrill watching Batman and Catwoman on-screen together, taking out criminals as artfully as a dynamic duo dancing a ballet.

Selina’s romantic interludes with Bruce dart in and out of the movie

RON PHILLIPS/Warner Bros.

ON TOP OF THE WORLD: Bale reprises the role of Bruce Wayne/Batman in this summer’s installment, The Dark Knight Rises. as often as her feline alter ego, Hathaway’s chemistry with Bale flitting cat-like across the screen.

A second love interest for Bruce comes in the form of Miranda Tate, (Marion Cotillard). She brings some vitality into what could have been a rather dull character. It doesn’t exactly stimulate her acting skills, but she fits into the role perfectly.

The most interesting new character is detective John Blake, played with earnest heroism by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. One of Nolan’s goals seems to be to illuminate how Gotham’s ordinary people can rise up and defend themselves without the help of Batman. Gordon-Levitt gives us the finest example of courage that doesn’t (necessarily) need to wear a cape and cowl.

The Dark Knight Rises has every working element of a fine superhero film. Heroic characters, brilliant action and a stirring Hans Zimmer score. As a swan song to the series, it is appropriately epic, and the film ultimately seeks to resolve the theme introduced in Batman Begins: the difference between Batman, the symbol, and Bruce Wayne, the man. On that level, the film nicely ties up both ends.

If this film were the conclusion of a trilogy directed by Tim Burton or Joel Schumacher, I would call it the director’s finest effort. But in the face of creative giants like Batman Begins and The Dark Knight, Rises is a comparatively run-of-the-mill effort. It doesn’t rise as high as the first two, but The Dark Knight Rises is a fitting conclusion to the greatest comic-book film series ever made.

RON PHILLIPS/Warner Bros.

FASHIONABLE FELINE: Newcomer Anne Hathaway expertly portrayed Catwoman.

Latest ‘Bourne’ flick lacks charm of prequels ■ Director Gilroy’s take on

the popular series is short on depth, confusing in plot and underdone in character.

By marielle temkin JUSTICE editor

To say that The Bourne Legacy was a disappointment would be an understatement. As a major fan of the original Bourne trilogy, I was wary of a Bourne movie without Matt Damon or even the title character, but I wanted to believe it would all work out.

It didn’t.

The film started with an icy pool of water into which Aaron Cross (Jeremy Renner, The Hurt Locker, The Avengers) dove to fetch a certain tube containing a map. From there, we followed him as he inexplicably took green and blue pills and marked his

progress on the map while he leapt around on snow-capped mountains in the Alaskan wilderness. Confused yet? I sure was.

However, I wanted to be patient because action movies don’t really get going until guns are pulled and fists start flying. Also, I told myself that the plodding plot might just be a result of the fact that there was no dialogue for the first bit of the movie.

But even when dialogue kicked in, it didn’t get any better and was often weighted down with scientific and spy jargon.

Interspersed with the shots of Cross traversing mountains were scenes of official-looking people having official meetings about Treadstone—the CIA’s top-secret assassin behavioral-modification program of which Jason Bourne was the last survivor. They had some trouble with people sticking their noses where they didn’t belong, so naturally, the

Treadstone officials decided to shut down whatever agents they could.

Cut to some shots of people taking yellow pills and bleeding to death out of their nostrils in various countries.

Through some circuitous backstory, we learn that the Treadstone agents were dosed with pills while out on assignment so they could enhance their minds and bodies, explaining Cross’ seemingly endless on-screen pill-popping.

Once Cross makes his way out of the Alaskan wilderness, his motivation for the rest of the movie is to find more pills because he’s run out of them. I spent a good amount of time wondering why he couldn’t simply stop taking the pills, which was never exactly explained.

Regardless, he finds his way to Dr. Marta Shearing’s (Rachel Weisz) house. She was the doctor in charge of giving the Treadstone agents regular checkups, so Cross assumes

she has access to his crack pills. She doesn’t, but she does know where he can get them: naturally, the Philippines.

After doctoring up some passports, Cross and Shearing are off to Manila to “viral off,” a phrase they use a lot but never explain in layman’s terms to the audience. There are some fight scenes in the pill factory in Manila and foot chases through the street as the government agents track down Cross and Shearing—but these scenes are nothing remarkable when compared with the previous Bourne films.

And I won’t give the ending away (not that it would really make a difference), but it might have been the most abrupt, awkward ending I have ever seen in a movie.

If none of this seems logical, it’s because none of it is. Director and writer Tony Gilroy, who also wrote the first three films, seems to have

lost his mojo. The plot, if you can call it that, is extraordinarily scattered and more often than not, I simply had no idea what was going on or why something was happening.

There was one lengthy chase scene—yes, only one—that was so choppy and blurred that I felt like I was on a tilt-a-whirl at a carnival.

Although, to be honest, that would have been more amusing.

For what Renner had to work with material-wise, he did a decent job, but Damon’s absence was definitely felt.

Rebooting a series is a tricky business, especially when the original trilogy is well regarded by fans and most critics. You would think a new director would have wanted to start off with a solid base of a feasible plot.

But apparently with all the remote locations, color-coordinating of sugar pills and hype, Gilroy didn’t have time for such trivial matters.

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, august 28, 2012

23

A GLIMPSE OF OUR WORLD

MELISSA MOSELEY/Home Box Office

INSIDE THE NEWSROOM: Mackenzie MacHale (Mortimer), Will McAvoy (Daniels), Don Keefer (Thomas Sadoski), Sloan Sabbith (Munn), Neal Sampat (Patel) and Jim Harper (Gallagher, Jr.) watch the news as it breaks.

HBO series is preachy, but improving

■ Aaron Sorkin’s latest TV

series started off poorly, but with each episode, is becoming more engaging.

By ANDREW WINGENS JUSTICE EDITOR

If you’ve seen just one of Aaron Sorkin’s works, you know his classic style —witty, verbose, entertaining and fast-paced—and his newest HBO series, The Newsroom, is no exception.

The series is Sorkin’s first crack at a television series since his much-beloved The West Wing ended in its seventh season and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip failed in its first season six years ago.

Just as The West Wing provided liberals with the perfect president in Josiah Bartlet, The Newsroom

offers a romanticized news anchor willing to bash the Tea Party and Republican candidates.

The premise of the first season revolves around a popular news show hosted by veteran anchor Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels). The show was a success until Will had a breakdown and took a hiatus forced on him by his corporate bosses. When he returned to work, Will found that his staff had jumped ship to run a different broadcast.

Will is forced to rebuild his show with the few remaining staff and his former girlfriend and newly appointed executive producer, Mackenzie MacHale (Emily Mortimer).

It isn’t long before we learn that Mac, as she is known, cheated on Will when they were dating several years earlier, providing one of several romantic plotlines.

This new nightly broadcast—affectionately called “News Night 2.0”

by its energetic and surprisingly competent staff—gives Sorkin his chance to build an idyllic newsroom that ignores the ratings and isn’t afraid to offer opinion based on Will’s understanding of the facts.

Sorkin believes the news industry has lost its way and The Newsroom may just be his instructions on how to fix it.

Perhaps the most intriguing difference between The West Wing and The Newsroom is Sorkin’s use of the recent past in his new series, which allows for an even more potent message. This device, however, also creates new problems for Sorkin’s TV show.

One episode, for example, tracks the news team’s response to the killing of Osama Bin-Laden. The viewer watches as the team (John Gallagher, Jr., Alison Pill, Olivia Munn and Dev Patel, among others) tries to confirm that the terrorist leader

We Deliver!

is dead.

Other episodes take aim at the Koch brothers, the Tea Party and Nancy Grace’s coverage of the Casey Anthony trial.

“The commoditization of news has created an environment in which we’re told that certain things are important that simply aren’t,” Sorkin told The New York Times.

Overall, the mission of the show seems to be twofold. One: convince viewers that there is something wrong with the way this generation of newspeople reports the news, and two: bash the Republicans.

The message, however, is all too clear in the characters’ diatribes and rants. Sorkin’s sermons therefore are often patronizing and selfrighteous. They are particularly condescending because of the reallife element of the show.

Mackenzie, for example, erupts in a rant in the first episode: “There

is nothing that’s more important in a democracy than a well-informed electorate,” she says to Will. “When there’s no information, or much worse, wrong information, it can lead to calamitous decisions and clobber any attempts at vigorous debate.”

A great writer allows viewers to absorb a lesson through the length of a TV show or book; Sorkin, however, tries to shove it down our throats.

Sorkin has been known to spout his political views through The West Wing and lectures in Studio 60. The difference is that the Washingtonbased show maintained the allusion of pure fiction. It was believable to imagine a utopian presidency in a make-believe realm. However, injecting fiction with reality, as Sorkin does in The Newsroom, turns me off to his lessons of newsroom purity.

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24

TUESday, AUGUST 28, 2012 ● THE JUSTICE

TOP of the

ARTS ON VIEW

Brandeis “

CHARTS

TALKS

Top 10s for the week ending August 26

“Even negative circumstances ... can create great opportunity. One byproduct of the really difficult period was that it raised the consciousness of the Rose in the art world, and I think there’s that consciousness there to be exploited right now and it’s my every intention to do exactly that.”—Chris Bedford, (News, p. 5)

BOX OFFICE

1. The Expendables 2 2. The Bourne Legacy 3. ParaNorman 4. The Campaign 5. The Dark Knight Rises 6. The Odd Life of Timothy Green 7. Premium Rush 8. 2016: Obama’s America 9. Hope Springs 10. Hit and Run

What was the best movie of the summer?

Why?

NYT BESTSELLERS

ROBYN SPECTOR/The Justice

MOMMY AND ME: Associate Editor Robyn Spector ’13 took this shot of a woman carrying her son on her back at a marketplace in Northern Rwanda while interning there this summer.

Ben Winick ’16 “The Avengers because it didn’t take itself too seriously and it’s Joss Whedon!”

Judith Giller-Leinwohl ’15 “Brave really touched me.

It was unlike other Disney/ Pixar movies.”

Katie Holbert ’16 “Seeking A Friend for the End of the World because it ended realistically.”

Across 1. Like a visit from Benedict XVI 7. Ginormous 11. Currier’s partner 14. Sans chaperon 15. Mystery writer __ Stanley Gardner 16. Maryland athlete, briefly 17. Former kids’ show title character named for the large pockets in his coat 20. U.K. record label 21. Egg container 22. Popular name for a tree-lined rd.

23. Any of the “Be My Baby” singers 26. Scott of Happy Days 27. Fuse blower 32. Like the first stage of a car wash 35. Really riles 36. TV Guide’s We don’t know yet 37. Pseudo-sophisticated 38. Chopper blade 40. __ Harry Met Sally...

41. Understand 42. Mrs. Dithers of “Blondie” 43. Nuisances 44. Apollo Theater tryout for nonpros 48. Morse creation 49. Yellow-disked flowers 53. Puppet pal of Fran and Ollie 55. Pants part 57. Teachers’ lobbying org.

58. Judge’s demand, and a hint to this puzzle’s theme words, which end 17-, 27- and 44-Across 62. Hymn starter 63. Brussels-based defense gp.

64. Where eagles dwell 65. Toy with theme parks 66. No.-crunching pros 67. Kennel club classification Down 1. Harness race horse 2. Texas mission 3. Show up unannounced 4. Tiny soldier 5. Where the herd grazes 6. Plywood layer 7. Boats like Noah’s 8. Blind component 9. Perfect score

CROSSWORD

“Magic Mike because it was visually pleasing.”

iTUNES

BILLBOARD

10. Slanty, typewise 11. Martini ingredients 12. Love personified 13. Notice 18. Division word 19. Shifted car parts 24. Notice 25. Biblical possessive 26. Oktoberfest draft 28. One of a powerful race of gods 29. __-Magnon 30. “As if!”

31. Beachgoers’ hues 32. Epic story 33. Utah city 34. Junkyard guard 38. Casanova 39. Bruins Hall of Famer Bobby

40. Makes moist 42. Fragrant wood 43. __ Beta Kappa 45. City west of Cleveland 46. Gem State potatoes 47. Scandal suffix 50. Accustom (to) 51. Paranormal, say 52. Filled completely 53. __ & the Gang: “Celebration” group 54. Yen 55. Go past one’s breaking point 56. Jazzy James 59. Ltd. counterpart, in the States 60. Airport queue vehicle 61. Above, in verse

“[The] Bourne Legacy. It integrated the first films of the series into the new story line well.”

—Compiled by Emily Salloway Photos by Joshua Linton/ the Justice

1. 2 Chainz — Based on a T.R.U. Story 2. Various Artists — Now, Vol. 43 3. Rick Ross — God Forgives, I Don’t 4. Insane Clown Posse — Mighty Death Pop 5. Maroon 5 — Overexposed 6. Justin Bieber — Believe 7. One Direction — Up All Night 8. Adele — 21 9. Zac Brown Band — Uncaged 10. Yellowcard — Southern Air

Top of the Charts information provided by Fandango, the New York Times, Billboard. com and Apple.com.

STAFF PLAYLIST

“Summer Lovin’”

By JENNY CHENG

SUDOKU

Justice PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR

INSTRUCTIONS: Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Jesse Ruth ’16

Nonfiction 1. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption — Laura Hillenbrand 2. The Amateur — Edward Klein 3. Solo: A Memoir of Hope — Hope Solo 4. Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail — Cheryl Strayed 5. Obama’s America: Unmaking the American Dream ­— Dinesh D’Souza 1. Taylor Swift — “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” 2. Maroon 5 — “One More Night” 3. Flo Rida — “Whistle” 4. Fun. — “Some Nights” 5. Owl City & Carly Rae Jepson — “Good Time” 6. Justin Bieber feat. Big Sean — “As Long As You Love Me” 7. Carly Rae Jepson — “Call Me Maybe” 8. Phillip Phillips — “Home” 9. Cher Lloyd —“Want U Back” 10. Neon Trees — “Everybody Talks”

MCT Campus

Samantha Gordon ’14

Fiction 1. Gone Girl — Gillian Flynn 2. The Inn at Rose Harbor — Debbie Macomber 3. Where We Belong — Emily Giffin 4. The Kingmaker’s Daughter — Philippa Gregory 5. The Light Between Oceans — M. L. Stedman

Check back next week for new puzzles and for the answers to this issue’s crossword puzzle (above) and Sudoku (left).

Even when the temperature hit above 90 degrees and I’d have rather stayed home and literally chilled, these songs kept me out and active.

THE LIST 1. “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” – The Proclaimers 2. “Carry on My Wayward Son” – Kansas 3. “Moving in the Dark” – Neon Trees 4. “You Make My Dreams Come True” – Hall & Oates 5. “Jump on My Shoulders” – AWOLNATION 6. “Kill the DJ” – Green Day 7. “Grounds for Divorce” – Elbow 8. “Night is Young” -Empires 9. “Kill The DJ” – Green Day 10. “Bottom of the River” – Delta Rae