The Justice, December 11, 2012 issue

ARTS Page 21

SPORTS Men’s basketball falls to Amherst 16

AT HOME IN RUSSIA

FORUM Liberal campus deters all students 12 The Independent Student Newspaper

the

of

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

Justice

Volume LXV, Number 14

www.thejustice.org

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

dining services

HANUKKAH CELEBRATION

Einstein Bagels to extend hours

■ The bagel shop in the SCC

will be open 24 hours a day from Sunday to Thursday next semester.

By sam mintz JUSTICE editor

Starting next semester, students who stay up late or get up early will be able to get their bagel fix in the middle of the night, as Einstein Bros. Bagels will be open 24 hours a day from Sundays to Thursdays.

The change, initially proposed by the Student Union, comes just two weeks after the University completed a

Waltham, Mass.

campuswide dining survey, which was the first part of a comprehensive dining review taking place this year.

This is the second semester in a row that Einsteins’ hours have been extended, as last semester the Student Union successfully pushed for the shop to open at noon instead of 5 p.m. on Sundays.

Biana Gotlibovsky ’15, the co-chair of the Senate Dining Committee, said that she and co-chair Danny Novak ’15 brought the idea to Director of Dining Services Aaron Bennos because they recognized that there was a great student demand for the change.

See EINSTEIN, 7 ☛

student health

Student diagnosed with tuberculosis, tests recommended ■ The University Health

Center has been in touch with public health officials monitoring the situation.

By ANDREW WINGENS JUSTICE EDITOR

Last week, a Brandeis University student was diagnosed with an active case of tuberculosis, causing at least 250 students, staff and faculty to be interviewed, and if necessary, tested for the illness. No other members of the community tested positive for the active disease as of Monday afternoon.

In an email announcing the health concern on Thursday, Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel said the student has been isolated and is responding to treatment.

“At this point there is no reason to believe that this issue will impact the day-to-day operations of the university,” said Flagel.

University officials paid special attention to several students who had close ties to the student with TB, according to Bill Burger, associate vice president for communications.

Burger declined to provide the location or any additional details about the student with TB, citing privacy concerns.

Noone has tested postive for the disease, according to Diana Denning, the nurse manager at the health center.

University health workers have been in close contact with state public health officials, who have commended the University for its response, according to Denning.

In an interview with the Justice, Denning said that “the school was very proactive and immediately started thinking about the best way to inform [the community]. They made a choice to broadly inform the entire community.”

“The more information people have, the more we could help sup-

See TB, 7 ☛

JOSH HOROWITZ/the Justice

University President Frederick Lawrence leads the ceremony at the menorah lighting event on Saturday, the first night of Hanukkah, in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium.

faculty

Professors discuss strategic plan

■ University President

Frederick Lawrence reported that the Board of Trustees asked for more “fizz.”

By tate herbert JUSTICE editor

Thursday’s faculty meeting began with a moment of silence and concluded with a heated discussion on the role of graduate programs in the forthcoming strategic plan.

After a tribute to and moment of silence for Prof. Emeritus John Lowenstein (BCHM), who passed away Nov. 3 from pancreatic cancer, discussion launched full force into broad plans, the achievements of various programs and professors and the current

status of the strategic plan.

University President Frederick Lawrence presented the framework of the plan to the Board of Trustees at its most recent meeting on Nov. 27, and will present a final draft to the Board in January. University administrators began work on the plan early last fall.

“Not surprisingly ... much of the feedback from the board at the afternoon plenary session was that all seems well and good, but where’s the pop, where’s the fizz, where’s the great, landscape-changing views?” said Lawrence at the faculty meeting.

He said he saw their perspective, and said that it was a good thing to receive this kind of critical feedback. He said his method of approaching the board was “how we can build what we need to be in a sustainable, ongoing way,

See FACULTY, 7 ☛

Bunny invasion

Mixed week

New JBS programs

A student created an outdoor display of small wooden bunnies as a message for the community to consider.

 After beating Endicott at home, the women’s basketball team fell to Roger Williams on Saturday.

 The University will offer two new Justice Brandeis Semester programs.

FEATURES 8

For tips or info email editor@thejustice.org

and let them push back and say, ‘let’s lift the ambitions even higher.’” Lawrence called them an “extremely engaged” Board of Trustees.

Addressing the financial plan for the University, Lawrence said that “we’ve reached a level of stability that lets us think more long-term going forward.” However, this stability is largely based on “extensive borrowing from the future,” he added.

This includes borrowing from the endowment and not investing.

Prof. Sacha Nelson (BIO), a faculty representative to the Board, reported that the faculty perspective on the board meeting was the same as Lawrence’s. Nelson said he was surprised to hear a lot of similarity between Board and faculty concerns. “There was a lot of concern on the part of the

Let your voice be heard!

Submit letters to the editor online at www.thejustice.org

INDEX

SPORTS 16 ARTS SPORTS

17 16

EDITORIAL FEATURES

10 8

OPINION POLICE LOG

10 2

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

2

TUESDAY, december 11, 2012

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THE JUSTICE

NEWS SENATE LOG

POLICE LOG

Senate allocates $2,000 for show

Medical Emergency

On Sunday, a relatively large group of 19 out of 23 Student Union senators recognized two education-related clubs, chartering one, while they turned down the umbrella organization Brandeis Associated Nerd Groups for recognition. The Senate also approved a $2,000 Senate Money Resolution to support an effort between various groups to bring CollegeHumor to campus.

In its first order of business, the Senate quickly recognized and chartered the club Hobby Hour, which aims to bring Brandeis students together to teach each other various skills and hobbies in hour or half-hour seminars. Areas in which club leaders said they had seen interest expressed included web design, ballroom dance, crochet and improvisational comedy.

After a brief discussion on the possibility of duality of purpose with other clubs, the Senate ultimately approved the group. Charles River/567 Senator Daniel Schwab ’14 asserted that the club would likely encourage students to join other clubs, if it had any effect on their membership at all.

The discussion on duality of purpose regarding BANG had a different outcome. There was some disagreement amongst senators about what the senate’s role was regarding umbrella groups, and it was agreed upon that a clear policy should be developed later. After a spirited debate, BANG was not recognized.

The club’s leaders said it seeks to promote collaboration between its eight member clubs, which include common-interest clubs such as the Brandeis Anime and Cosplay Association, Game Knight and Console Gamers X, but has no jurisdiction over any of them.

The club Education for Students by Students was also recognized. According to club leaders, its mission is to promote a “love of learning” in local high school and middle school students by having Brandeis students teach their skills and interests at an event each semester on campus.

The Senate then approved an SMR which it had discussed in executive session in previous weeks. The SMR, presented by Class of 2013 Senator David Fisch, called for $2,000 to support Student Events’ and WBRS’s initiative to bring the comedy group CollegeHumor to Brandeis next semester. If it is not successful, the money will be available for Senate use again. Fisch said that the overall budget for the event would be around $13,000, the remaining costs of which would be covered by WBRS and Student Events.

Executive Senator Ricky Rosen ’14 estimated that the Senate had spent roughly $17,000 of its budget thus far and, after the SMR was approved, had about $8,000 left to work with for the rest of the academic year. This number does not include money which had already been allocated to events such as the spring semester Midnight Buffet.

In a report to the Senate, Student Union President Todd Kirkland ’13 encouraged senators to come to the State of the Union address (taking place today at 7 p.m. in the International Lounge in the Usdan Student Center). Kirkland also said that he was involved with both the strategic plan and administrative efforts to address dining on campus. While he did not provide details, he said that the strategic plan is “definitely going in the right direction.”

Dec. 4—Mailman House staff requested an ambulance for a student for a volunteer psychological evaluation. The University Police requested that the community development coordinator be called and advised, and the student was transported to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital without incident.

Dec. 5—Mailman House staff requested a transport for a voluntary psychological evaluation. The party was transported via ambulance to the hospital, and the University Police assisted without incident.

Dec. 6—A party in Olin-Sang stated that a 20-year-old female was having trouble breathing and forgot her inhaler. University Police notified BEMCo and an ambulance, and the party was transported to the NewtonWellesley Hospital.

Dec. 6—A party in the Foster Mods reported experiencing chest pains and requested medical assistance. BEMCo responded, and the party was trans-

ported to the Health Center via police cruiser for further care.

Dec. 7—A staff employee tripped and fell at the Sherman Dining Hall loading dock and hurt her hand and wrist.

University Police and BEMCo responded, and the party was treated on-scene.

Dec. 8—University Police received a report of a female party at the main entrance to campus having difficulty breathing. An ambulance transported the part to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care.

Dec. 8—A student in Usen was reported to have the stomach flu. BEMCo was dispatched and treated the party on-scene.

University Police transported the party to the Health Center, which then requested that the student be taken to urgent care.

University Police provided the transport.

Disturbance

Dec. 4—University Police received a complaint of loud music coming from a Charles River

Apartment. The residents were asked to turn down their music, and they complied.

Dec. 7—There was a report of a fight in progress between two males in the lower level of Usen.

University Police responded and found the altercation was verbal. The director of Community Living was advised of the situation, and a report was compiled.

Dec. 7—University Police received a call about a loud party on the third floor of Rosenthal East. It was a registered party, and the students were informed to turn down the music. They complied without incident.

Dec. 8—Approximately 25 people were loitering in the Foster Mods after registered parties ended at 1 a.m., and University Police dispersed them.

Vandalism

Dec. 6—A party reported that a swing behind Rosenstiel had been torn apart. University Police compiled a report on the damage.

NOTE TO READERS: Check our website, www.thejustice.org, periodically for updates.

JENNY CHENG/the Justice

n An article in News did not correctly identify its subjects’ full titles. Rabbi Elliot Kaplowitz ’02 and Toby Kaplowitz are the co-directors of the Orthodox Union’s Seif Jewish Learning Initiative on Campus at Brandeis.

(Dec. 4, p. 5) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@ thejustice.org.

Justice

the

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The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods. Editor in chief office hours are held Mondays from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Justice office.

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Miscellaneous

Dec. 5—There was a threat to commit an act of violence by handgun in the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, and it was reported to University Police. An investigation was conducted, and it was concluded that it was the wrong use of language in a joking manner with no real threat.

Dec. 8—University Police received a report of a white male in his mid-20s in a white jacket trying to walk on the window ledge on the ground level of Kutz. There was no damage or access gained to the building, and a report will be compiled on the incident.

—compiled by Marielle Temkin

New benches installed

The Justice is on hiatus for winter break.

Our next issue will be published Jan. 15.

n An advertisement in News was misleading. The ad quoted Walter Cronkite, but the photo in the ad was of Dan Rather, not Walter Cronkite. (Dec. 4, p. 7)

Dec. 9—A party in Hassenfeld Lot reported a motor vehicle accident with no injuries. University Police responded and assisted the parties. Photographs were taken, and a report on the accident will be compiled.

BRIEF

—Tate Herbert

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

Traffic

Dodge, duck, dip, dive and dodge Ben Laffin ’15 (left) and Matt Chamberlain ’15 compete in the Intramural dodgeball tournament on Sunday night. The contest attracted 24 teams, which were split up into men’s and women’s divisions.

Students walking through Fellows Garden, between the Shapiro Campus Center and the Shapiro Science Center, this past week may have noticed the appearance of some new benches.

The yellow, wooden benches are a design called “Trapecio,” which is produced by Landscape Forms, a Michigan-based company which designs outdoor furniture and installations.

According to Vice President for Planning and Institutional Research Dan Feldman, the benches are the latest installment in the Facilities department’s initiative to increase informal social gathering places around campus, particularly outdoors.

Feldman said that these efforts grew out of feedback received this summer by the Facilities and Campus Evolution strategic planning task force, of which he is a member. Several students participated in the discussions, he said. From the feedback, Feldman said the task force perceived a desire for more spaces such as these.

While Feldman said the benches were “not inexpensive,” he could not provide an exact figure relating to their cost. Associate Vice President for Facilities Services Peter Shields was unable to be reached for comment Monday night.

Feldman said the team of himself, Shields and Senior Vice President for Administration Mark Collins decided to place the benches in Fellows because of its status as “prime real estate on campus” which was not being maximized.

Brandeis is “a pretty special environment architecturally,” said Feldman, and they wanted to maintain that character with the addition of some unusual or “funkier” benches.

Other areas where there have been additions of benches or small tables this semester include the plaza in front of Goldfarb Library, the path that cuts across the Great Lawn and the area between Fellows and the Gryzmish administration building.

—Tate Herbert

ANNOUNCEMENTS State of the Union

Every year, the Student Union president gives an address to the student body about the state of the Student Union. Come learn about everything the Student Union has done this semester and hear Student Union President Todd Kirkland ’13 speak about new initiatives for next semester.

Today from 7 to 8 p.m. in the International Lounge in Usdan Student Center.

Immigrant Support Practicum Presentation

A city where over a dozen languages are spoken at home, Waltham presents an array of opportunities and challenges for a substantial community of immigrants. Join the students in the “EL 94A: Immigration Support Services Practicum,” taught by Marci McPhee, associate director of the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life, as they share their learnings from a semester of working with organizations in Waltham supporting immigrants.

Tomorrow from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in the Luria rooms in Hassenfeld Conference Center.

Midnight Buffet

Come celebrate the last day of classes and the end of the semester at the semesterly event: Midnight Buffet, hosted by the Student Union Senate.

Enjoy free food provided by all of your favorite Waltham restaurants, including Lizzy’s Homemade Ice Cream, Asia Wok, Waltham Pizza, Little India, Paisano’s and Baan Thai.

The Student Union will also be throwing out hundreds of its customary Midnight Buffet T-shirts. So come on down, grab some food and celebrate the end of the semester.

Tomorrow from 11:55 p.m. to Thursday at 1:55 a.m. in Levin Ballroom.

Witches, Pagans and Political Activity

Does worshipping the goddess result in women retreating from feminist activity?

Relying on a large survey of pagans, this talk will examine pagans’ participation in three social movements—feminism, environmentalism and gay rights—to help to explore metaphysical practice and political activity.

Thursday from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the Liberman-Miller Lecture Hall in the Women’s Studies Research Center.

Faking Bad in the Age of Alzheimer’s

Should a person indicted for crimes against humanity be excused from trial because he or she has received a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease?

Some suspects fake the symptoms. How can such attempts be detected when they try?

These are some of the difficult and absorbing questions confronting justice systems today.

The “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual” is about to make “mild cognitive impairment” a “mental illness.” Both are phenomena of “The Age of Alzheimer’s”—a panic, a label, an excuse.

Scholar Margaret Morganroth Gullette will speak on this subject.

Thursday, Dec. 20 from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the Liberman-Miller Lecture Hall in the Women’s Studies Research Center.

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, december 11, 2012

3

administration

EXPRESS YOURSELF

Burger leaves position ■ Bill Burger will assume

a vice presidential role at Middlebury College.

By andrew wingens JUSTICE editor

JENNY CHENG/the Justice

THE FIRST AMENDMENT: Students exercise their right to free speech on a white board installed in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium by Young Americans for Liberty.

Club erects wall of free speech in SCC ■ Young Americans for Liberty

was motivated by the new sexual harassment codes.

By ariel glickman JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Last Friday, a free speech wall was erected in the Shapiro Campus Center

by Young Americans for Liberty, with support from Brandeis Democrats and the Brandeis Libertarian Conservative Union. The groups made a formal request in an effort to spread awareness about and amend University speech codes on sexual harassment.

The wall will remain in the building until tonight.

The motivation for the wall stems from the release of the Rights and Responsibilities handbook in August, said Nahum Gilliat ’14, YAL vice president, in an interview with the Justice.

After attending the Oct. 18 Town Hall meeting on the newly established Special Examiner’s process, Gilliat has advocated for a change to what he believes are vague sexual harassment codes.

“According to the way that they’ve phrased it [in Rights and Responsibilities], … if I asked you about your family, or … if I flirt with you in a certain way that can be sort of sexual harassment,” said Gilliat. “There should be codes for sexual harassment. They should be delineated, clear, objective, not very vague.”

Gilliat takes issue with Section 7.2 in the handbook regarding examples of sexual harassment. He finds the following language ambiguous: “making

or using derogatory comments, epithets, slurs or jokes with a sexual content” and “displaying of sexually suggestive objects, pictures, cartoons or posters, suggestive or obscene letters or e-mails, notes [and] invitations.”

YAL’s petition to preserve free speech states, “Our school’s policies should prevent people from persistent, unwelcome advances of a sexual or bullying nature, but should not protect people from ideas and expressions that they don’t like.” Some of these “ideas and expressions” YAL defines as “displaying, sending, forwarding, downloading or otherwise distributing sexual materials via the Internet, computer, cellular data network, or email” and “comments to, or about, any individual or their [sic] appearance that is sexually graphic or would otherwise tend to be degrading.”

But, getting signatures for their petition is not sufficient, said Gilliat.

The end goal, he added, is not merely to inform people but to amend the free speech codes. “[O]n the one hand, we’re just raising awareness, … trying to engage [the Brandeis community] and see what they] think. … But, at the end of the day, we have to give Brandeis an alternative.”

Director of Student Rights and Community Standards Dean Gendron did not respond for comment by press time.

Another catalyst for the wall was when on March 27, 2012, the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, a nonprofit organization aimed at protecting free speech on American college campuses, released a list of the 12 worst colleges for free speech. At number 12, Brandeis joined the ranks

of Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins and Tufts. Since February 2008, Brandeis has been on FIRE’s Red Alert list which labels schools that it believes disregard student and faculty rights.

Brandeis is on the list for its mistreatment of Prof. Donald Hindley (POL).

In a Latin American Politics course in fall 2007, Hindley used the pejorative term “wetbacks” and was accused of violating Brandeis’ non-discrimination and harassment policy. Hindley faced dismissal, and a monitor was placed in his classes.

The process for putting up the free speech wall was fairly straightforward. The request was forwarded to Stephanie Grimes, director of Student Activities, on Nov. 22. After meeting with representatives from YAL, the club was given the green light. “We work with student organizations … all the time,” said Grimes in an interview with the Justice. “And, it’s not necessarily whether we say yes or no, it’s more how can we work with the vision within the policies and procedures … in order to not only meet the vision of the program but also meet the needs of the community.”

Grimes’ concern was not with having the wall itself but with libel. “You want to make sure that people understand that they have the ability to say what they feel and what they want to say,” she said, but at the same time she wanted to ensure that defamatory comments were not made. “I think it’s very easy to put something up that is negative to a community when you can be anonymous,” said Grimes.

In her discussions with YAL president Aaron Fried ’14 and Gilliat, the students agreed to monitor the white-

board wall and erase any libelous statements. There is also a note on the board telling people to avoid libel. Profanity, however, is allowed.

“I was kind of shocked,” said Gilliat in an interview with the Justice.

“I expected resistance, and, what I got was okay, when can we do this? Do you have the materials? … [W]hat will it look like? … Also, what if this does get out of hand? … How can we deal with that?”

Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer said the idea of a free speech wall was never problematic. “I don’t want anybody to think that the students had to go to Stephanie to get approval to have a board. That’s got nothing to do with approving free speech. I mean that’s kind of an oxymoron on this campus, of course. Free speech is an everyday of the experience here,” he said in an interview with the Justice.

“Teachers teach us sensitive subjects—could it be on the Middle East, could it be on gay and lesbians … or could it be on whatever issue makes us feel uncomfortable,” said Gilliat. But, he continued, that while this is an important issue to raise, the free speech wall is not focused on it. Gilliat wants to talk to Hindley before addressing the matter. Hindley did not respond to a request for comment.

The free speech wall is just one component of YAL’s agenda this academic year. Next semester, the club hopes to address affirmative action in light of Fisher v. University of Texas and argue for a color-blind admissions process.

Editor’s note: Aaron Fried ’14 is a columnist for the Justice.

academics

University offers two new summer JBS programs ■ Two past programs will

also return, bringing the total to four offered programs.

By marissa ditkowsky JUSTICE editorial assistant

On Dec. 3, the University announced the Justice Brandeis Semester course offerings for the summer and fall of 2013, including two new offerings and two returning popular programs.

The two new JBS offerings are entitled “American Democracy: Version 2.0” instructed by Prof. Daniel Kryder (POL) and “Food, Lifestyle and Health” instructed by Prof. Elaine Lai (HSSP) and Rebekah Zincavage, a Ph.D. candidate in Sociology. Both programs will take place on the University campus during summer 2013.

The JBS programs are offered in order for students to “gain real-world experience through experiential learning … build close relationships with professors and small groups of

students … [and] acquire skills that will make them stand apart from their peers after Brandeis,” as stated on the University website.

According to the University website, the Politics program, “American Democracy: Version 2.0,” will allow students to “consider competing notions of citizenship and examples of social movements in the past and in today’s ‘new’ age, seeking to connect their theoretical foundations and practical results to current experiments in making democracy work.”

The program will run from June 3 to Aug. 9 and involves an internship component in addition to learning inside the classroom.

Program Manager Amber Thacher commented on the origin of the course title. “The course title does not signify a second version of the program, but rather is a play on the technological aspect of the world today (i.e. Windows 2.0),” wrote Thacher in an email to the Justice. “Among other things, the course will look at how technologies like social media impacts citizens’

participation in the political process.”

The Health: Science, Society and Policy program, “Food, Lifestyle and Health,” will run from June 3 to July 26. According to the University website, the course delves into “hands-on inquiry into the science of nutrition and the current health care system.”

Students will “delve into the diabetes epidemic as an embodiment of various social, biological, behavioral, and environmental factors.” The program will involve hands-on food labs and visiting local health care facilities.

In addition to the two new course offerings, two returning programs, the Environmental Studies program “Environmental Health and Justice” and the Computer Science program “Mobile Applications and Game Development,” will be offered again in 2013.

“Environmental Health and Justice,” which was previously offered during summer 2010 and fall 2011, will be offered in the fall of 2013, while “Mobile Applications and Game Development,” which was previously offered during summer 2011, will be offered

during the summer of 2013.

These courses have been selected to run again due to their past popularity. According to Thacher, 14 students participated in the ‘Mobile Applications and Game Development’ course in summer 2011 and 11 students participated in the ‘Environmental Health and Justice’ course in fall 2011.

According to Thacher, University students have already expressed interest in all of the upcoming JBS courses since the announcement of the offerings was released.

JBS is a recently developed program that began providing courses in summer 2010 and has continued to provided hands-on learning experiences during the summer and fall semesters. Previous courses have included “Filmmaking: From Script to Screen,” “Health and Society,” “Environmental Field Semester,” “Web Services an Mobile Applications,” “Web Services and Social Networks,” “Ethnographic Fieldwork” and “Civil Rights and Racial Justice in Mississippi.”

Bill Burger, associate vice president for communications, is leaving Brandeis at the end of December to begin work as Middlebury College’s new vice president for communications.

Burger—who has been running the Office of Communications since the departure of Senior Vice President for Communications and External Affairs Andrew Burger Gully in June— will begin at Middlebury on Jan. 1.

A search is currently nearing its end for a new senior vice president, but it is still unclear who will be handling the daily operations of the Brandeis Office of Communications in the interim.

“It’s very much to be determined,” said Burger in an interview with the Justice.

University President Frederick Lawrence announced at this month’s faculty meeting that he has interviewed the final two candidates and a decision is expected in the next few weeks.

“It just felt like a good fit,” Burger said of Middlebury.

“A great group of people and a terrific institution so it just felt like the right move, the right career move.”

Burger will manage and develop communication strategy for Middlebury and for the Monterey Institute of International Studies, a graduate school of Middlebury College in Monterey, Calif.

Burger said that his portfolio at Middlebury would be similar to his roles at Brandeis, including directing news, publications and crisis management, “but with a real emphasis on brand and identity.”

Middlebury President Ronald D. Liebowitz said in a press release: “Bill’s primary charge as vice president will be to develop and implement an integrated communications strategy that meets the needs of the college and each of its individual schools and programs, clarifies our internal communication processes, and enables the institution to represent its collective identity to the wider world.”

Burger began working at Brandeis in March 2010. It was his first position in higher education.

Burger said he is most proud of improvements in Brandeis’ Web presence while he has been at the University. These include improving BrandeisNOW, revamping the undergraduate admissions site and redesigning Brandeis magazine with a website.

“I’ve worked with a lot of really terrific people and people who care deeply about the place and so I think it’s been good preparation for Middlebury and I have nothing but good feelings about [Brandeis] and I wish everyone [at Brandeis] all the best.”

Burger worked for 14 years as an editor and writer for Newsweek and has since worked in telecommunications, online publishing and information services, before moving to Brandeis.

“We’re working on a transition plan for how the department will be organized and operate during from the time I leave until the new person is hired and so I’m working with [Chief of Staff] David Bunis ’83 and people in our department about creating that transition plan,” said Burger.

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THE JUSTICE

CAMPUS SPEAKER

ACADEMICS

■ In a visit sponsored by Young America’s Foundation, Horowitz spoke about the Middle East and education.

■ Dickson’s new position at

David Horowitz speaks on conservative values JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

On Dec. 4, the Brandeis Libertarian Conservative Union held an event in the Shiffman Humanities Center featuring notable conservative author and speaker David Horowitz discussing conservative values and beliefs.

This was Horowitz’s third time speaking at the University, and the event was organized through Young America’s Foundation. “We worked with Young America’s Foundation, which tries to promote conservative values on college campuses and encourages conservative students not to be embarrassed about themselves and to be proud of what you believe in,” said BCLU president Morris Didia ’14 in an interview with the Justice.

Horowitz primarily focused on education and the situation in the Middle East. Horowitz critiqued the current education system in terms of both primary and university education, sharing his insights on the bias of certain universities, including Brandeis.

“Brandeis … pretends to be inclusive and pretends to be examining and conducting an inquiry in the interest of knowledge,” said Horowitz during the event. “You have almost no conservatives on your faculty …

It’s a deliberate exclusion of conservatives from faculties, or no interest whatsoever in providing students with diverse points of view.”

Horowitz proceeded to explain that such deliberate exclusion is not conducive to open discussion on a college campus, where such discussion should be not only existent, but encouraged, by professors. “If you don’t have two sides to a debate, you can’t actually pursue the truth. What you’re doing is you’re persuading people to your side … Even if you don’t realize it, because you’re students and don’t have the knowledge, you’re being indoctrinated,” said Horowitz.

In addition to university educa-

By ALLYSON CARTTER JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

INNOVATIVE IDEAS: Horowitz spoke about bias in primary and higher education. tion, Horowitz assessed K-12 education and its flaws, primarily caused by the lack of competition and rewards based upon merit for public school teachers. Following this statement, he made the distinction between conservatism and progressivism.

“The one basic difference between left and right is that progressives’ judgments are based on something that is imaginary; it never existed …

The left is a delusional progressivism,” said Horowitz.

Horowitz suggested that this idea behind progressivism has led to false perceptions of events in the Middle East, and unwarranted support of peoples that are led by openly antiSemitic organizations.

However, Horowitz himself could not coin a solution to the conflict in the Middle East. “Conservatives don’t have solutions. Conservatives

have a realistic view,” said Horowitz.

Despite his lack of a solution, Horowitz still believes that America should be involved in support of Israel. “The world is one unit … America can’t detach itself. I’m not for isolationism; I’m for realism,” said Horowitz.

The event was open to those who supported and disagreed with Horowitz’s views; those who opposed or needed clarification on his opinions were encouraged to challenge him in a question and answer session.

“Even though we lost the election, we wanted to show heavy liberal arenas like colleges campuses that the conservative message is still alive,” said Didia. “It’s just a way to give college students another point of view and to show that we’re still alive and we’re still out there.”

TUESDAY, december 11, 2012

5

PJ Dickson leaves Academic Advising for Bentley offices Bentley is similar to the one he now holds at Brandeis.

By MARISSA DITKOWSKY

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P.J. Dickson, director of ClassBased Academic Advising and coordinator of First-Year Academic Programming, will be leaving Brandeis on Friday for his new roles as the assistant dean of Academic Services and the director of the Advising Center at Bentley University.

Dickson also supervises the Roosevelt Fellows academic peer mentoring program and is the academic advisor for students with last names beginning with letters L through Q. According to Dean of Academic Services Kim Godsoe, a search to fill his position has begun.

“We have a good application pool, and we’re starting interviews,” she said.

Until the position is filled, students with last names L through Q may see Godsoe or any of the other four classbased advisors, she continued.

According to an email from Dickson, Assistant Director of Class-Based Advising Katie McFaddin and Senior Department Coordinator Talia Abrahams, who have jointly supervised the Roosevelt Fellows program with Dickson this semester, will take over his role with the program.

In an interview with the Justice, Dickson said that some of his “dayto-day responsibilities” in his position at Bentley, which is also located in Waltham, will be the same as he performed at Brandeis. At Bentley, he will “continue to work with students individually as well as support professional advisors as they’re doing their work with first-year students,” he said. He will also run a peer-advising program “not unlike the Roosevelt Fellows,” he added.

Additional responsibilities that he will take on include overseeing Bentley’s faculty advising program, Dickson continued.

Dickson first came to Brandeis in 2002 as a full-time student in the U.S.

History doctoral program. He has now completed all but the dissertation portion of his Ph.D. degree, he said.

He then began to work part-time with the Office of Student Enrichment Services, one of the two offices that merged to become what is now the Office of Academic Services. During this time, he was also a mentor for Brandeis Liberal Arts Posse, a meritbased scholarship program that has now expanded to include a Science Posse.

Dickson then became the advisor for the first-year class, and transitioned to his current position in 2009, around the time that the advising system shifted from a class-based advising split to the alpha split by last name, he said.

According to Dickson, the position at Bentley is “one of those opportunities that was just too good to pass up.”

“It was one of those few things that I would think of leaving Brandeis for and was fortunate to be offered it,” he said.

Though excited about his future endeavors, “it is hard to say goodbye to Brandeis,” Dickson said.

In an interview, Roosevelt Fellow Maya Jacob ’13 said that Dickson has set a “tone of … work and play” in supervising the program, and Abrahams and McFaddin are “definitely able to bring that” in their work with the Roosevelt Fellows.

Of Dickson, Roosevelt Fellow Margaret Huey ’13 said in an interview that, “I really value what he has to say and his techniques in terms of listening and how to be a good and effective advisor.” “[Dickson] gives so much to us [the Roosevelt Fellows program] that it’s really rewarding and refreshing to work with him,” she added.

Roosevelt Fellow Dave Benger ’14 said in an interview, “I think it’s hard for the average student at Brandeis to really know how much P.J. does for them, even if they’ve never come into contact with him.”

“He lives and breathes helping students, and he’s been a phenomenal asset at Brandeis, and I think he’s going to be a phenomenal asset to Bentley, as well,” Benger added.

CAMPUS CLUBS

Second-ranked BADASS faces Yale in informal debate

■ The two teams tackled the

issue of whether or not Israel should assassinate Iranian nuclear scientists.

By MARISSA DITKOWSKY JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

The Brandeis Academic Debate And Speech Society held a public debate last Friday against the Yale Debate Association during this past weekend’s Brandeis-hosted tournament. The public, informal debate, which had no announced victor, examined whether or not Israel should assassinate Iranian nuclear scientists, and, also, if assassination is an appropriate approach.

Both the Yale and Brandeis teams are members of the American Parliamentary Debate Association, which is comprised of over 50 universities primarily along the East Coast, including Harvard University, Johns Hopkins University, Princeton University and the University of Chicago.

The Yale Debate Association currently holds first place for APDA Club of the Year, while BADASS holds second place.

Brandeis acted as the opposition team and chose the stance in favor of assassinating Iranian nuclear scientists. The Yale Debate Association was left to defend the argument that such assassinations are unjustified.

The debate featured one two-

JENNY CHENG/the Justice

GREAT DEBATER: Keith Barry ’13 emphasizes his point at Friday night’s debate in Olin-Sang. An official winner was not declared. person team from Brandeis and one from Yale. Yale Debate Association members Michael Barton and Zach Bakal, both sophomores, who are currently ranked 10th and eighth for APDA Speaker of the Year, respectively, and sixth for Team of the Year, took on BADASS president Russell Leibowitz ’14 and Keith Barry ’13, who are currently ranked third and seventh for Speaker of the Year respectively, and third for

Team of the Year.

“We’ve worked really hard to build our team. It was just a few years ago that we weren’t even top 10,” said Leibowitz in an interview with the Justice. “We’ve moved all the way up to second now, which is the highest that Brandeis has ever been in history, so it’s pretty cool.”

After all four speakers completed their arguments, the floor then opened for any of the approximately

45 spectators to make a one-minute speech and convey their own opinions.

Barry, for Brandeis, and Barton, for Yale, concluded the debate. Only two students volunteered to speak when the floor was opened; one supported the assassinations and one opposed the assassinations.

“We just really want to bring discourse to the Brandeis community, and we thought that holding a pub-

lic debate … would really have an opportunity for people to hear about an important issue that’s going on now, and start some dialogue about it,” said Leibowitz.

Leibowitz also made it clear that much of the team’s success is due to an emphasis on open participation, and with this public debate the team had an opportunity to get this point across to the University community.

“We’ve spent a lot of time making sure that everyone knows we have an all-comers policy, that we’re open to anyone who wants to join,” he said. “So people just make a really good group of friends on our team, and that encourages practicing more, going to tournaments and really just building a good environment to people who care.”

Although no winner was announced and the event was only an opportunity to interest the Brandeis community, both BADASS and Yale Debate Association members were engaged and elated to be a part of this public debate.

“Debate is amazing because it allows for an interchange of ideas at a very logical level with lots of different comparative analysis about different arguments and different things people say,” said Bakal in an interview with the Justice. “We love coming out here and debating with our friends at Brandeis … and we really do like being out with them, so it’s fun to just come here, but it’s also really fun to engage in this debate.”

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FACULTY RELATIONS: Prof. Sacha Nelson (BIO), a faculty representative to the Board, reports on the recent Board meeting.

FACULTY: Search for new SVP for communications almost complete faculty over the lack of specific details, specific vision, and that was ... what the Board was saying as well. Is, as one Board member put it, ‘tweaking the model’ really sufficiently visionary to serve as the foundation for a capital campaign?”

However, Nelson added that Lawrence made a compelling case for the plan at the meeting, and that he argued that “fulfilling the promise” of a liberal arts education at a research university was, in fact, visionary.

He described a “feisty” discussion of the plan, in which one of the trustees urged the other representatives to garner concrete feedback from students. Overall, Nelson’s impression of the Board was that “They seemed to really get it.”

According to Nelson, feedback from the student representatives to the Board, Beneva Davies ’14 and Jack Hait ’14, was that the academic model we have now is what brought students to the University.

Over the next decade, the University will also address deferred maintenance on buildings and infrastructure. According to Lawrence at the faculty meeting, the current budget funds about $2.5 million a year in deferred maintenance, which he said was “not sufficient.” The plan will build a “serious multiple of that number.” As a part of the 10-year financial plan, tuition would hopefully increase less than in recent years,

but the University should still expect some difficulty with financial aid and affordability, which “hardly makes us unique,” said Lawrence. However, he emphasized that, “This is a plan that is not designed to make cuts in the academy.”

The end of the plan projects surpluses, he said.

Sponsored faculty research is expected to maintain a “flat line,” which Lawrence said was optimistic.

Conversation for the bulk of the rest of the faculty meeting turned to the role of graduate studies in the strategic plan, with Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Prof.

Malcolm Watson (PSYC) moderating the discussion.

Provost Steve Goldstein ’78 estimated that the student population at Brandeis is now approximately 40 percent graduate students, adding that there is “certainly not parity” in the resources for undergraduates and graduates.

“The growth of the master's programs has changed the dynamics of their ability to balance between education and scholarship,” he said.

Faculty debated the need for such a large graduate program and what the appropriate size might be, with two prevalent topics being which programs might stay or go, and the revenue brought in by master’s and doctoral programs.

Many nodded their heads in agreement with Prof. Len Saxe’s (Heller)

THE JUSTICE

comment that, “My preference, in fact, would be a strategic plan that says ‘we’re going to have master’s students because the world today needs people that are trained in a different way and we have a unique opportunity,’ rather than, ‘this is a way we can bring in revenue.’”

Lawrence also announced that the search for a new Senior Vice President of Communications is nearing an end, as they are “down to the last couple candidates.” Lawrence said he has interviewed both, and is confident that they are both very good options to fill the position. All have “extensive University experience,” he said.

Lawrence also recapped his recent travels to London and Israel, mentioning that he had met with a few potentially significant donors to the University.

Donations that have already materialized include $50,000 to renovate Laurie Theater in the Spingold Theater Center.

Director of the Rose Art Museum Chris Bedford addressed faculty with an update on plans for the museum, including strategies to “align” the Rose’s exhibitions and programming with classroom curricula. Bedford also announced progress on plans to bring an outdoor sculpture installation to the area in front of the Rose, and showed the audience a sketch of a light installation that he had received from artist Chris Burden.

“I think Brandeis really needs this change because there aren’t really a lot of options past 2 [a.m.] during the week,” said Gotlibovsky in an interview with the Justice. “I think it’s nice to have an option available for students who are studying.”

Student Union President Todd Kirkland ’13 agreed that the demand is there. “Students want some sort of option any hour at night, especially during the week day when you see students up very late … working on a paper or an exam,” he said in an interview with the Justice.

When the Sunday hours were extended last semester, Monday service at the Stein was cut to compensate. Gotlibovsky said that the hope for next semester’s change is that profits from the extra hours will make up the costs.

Kirkland said that the extension could have lasting effects on the future of University dining.

“I think the change is a step in a positive direction, and it will be interesting to see how well it fares next semester in terms of sales and usage,” he said. “In my eyes, this is a trial run. If it works out really well, maybe this is something that

could be expanded to other dining options.”

It is not yet clear who will work at the bagel shop during these latenight hours, but Gotlibovsky said that if students are willing to work, Aramark is more than willing to hire them. Otherwise, Aramark will provide workers.

Members of Dining Services, including Aaron Bennos, did not respond to requests for comment by press time.

Students were intrigued by the idea, but ultimately wondered whether the extra hours would be utilized.

“I go to bed really early, so it doesn’t really make a difference to me,” said Megan Carden ’15. “I think it would be cooler if they changed the weekend hours instead.”

“I think [the longer hours are] a good thing. Personally, I’m not going to be up past two generally, but if I have to pull an all-nighter to write a paper, I’m sure I’d appreciate it being open,” said Jeffrey Lowenstein ’15.

Imara Roychowdhury ’13 suggested an alternative to the extended hours. “It might be cheaper if they put a coffee machine over with the vending machines,” she said.

TB: No additional students infected with tuberculosis CONTINUED FROM 1 port their concerns. I feel like things were handled pretty well,” she continued.

TB is a bacterial infectious disease that usually affects the lungs but can spread to other parts of the body, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website. A person with the active disease can spread TB through the air.

Not everyone with TB becomes sick and the bacteria can live in an individual’s body without showing symptoms, according to the CDC. Fourty percent of the world carries this form of the disease, called

“latent tuberculosis.” A person with latent TB cannot spread the bacteria to others. TB cannot be spread through shaking hands, sharing food or drink, touching bed linens or toilet seats, sharing toothbrushes or kissing, according to the CDC. Symptoms of active TB disease include a bad cough that lasts three weeks or longer, pain in the chest, coughing up blood or sputum, weakness or fatigue, weight loss, no appetite, chills, fever and sweating at night.

According to Denning, the health center screens all incoming students for TB at matriculation, which is helpful in the case of an active diagnosis such as the one last week.

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EINSTEIN: New hours cater to late-night work

BOARD REPORT

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Justice

The Independent Student Newspaper of Brandeis University Since 1949

8

features

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012

just

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THE JUSTICE

VERBATIM | FRED ROGERS There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.

ON THIS DAY…

FUN FACT

In 1946, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) was established.

Hamburgers were first referenced in print in the Los Angeles Times in 1894.

Beyond the bunnies Sarah Bierman’s ’14 rabbits represent the reality of unattainable aspirations

By ARIEL GLICKMAN JUSTICE StAFF WRITER

First there were the little copper people that she systematically designed and arranged in the trees of the Mandel Academic Quad. There were copper men and women that told a story—a girl taking a picture, a boy lying on a hammock and two parents pushing their daughter on a swing, among others. From October 2011 to April of this year, she was consumed with them. Then it was the wooden bunnies, nestled in the grass in front of the Goldfarb Library, that engaged her.

For Sarah Bierman ’14, her bunny project started with a prompt. As a Studio Art major given permission to enroll in Senior Studio, two months into the semester she was asked to complete a site-specific installation.

She asked department head Prof.

Tory Fair (FA) to allow her to take the class to help her prepare for studying abroad in London in an unstructured environment. She was looking out the window of the library café when her idea for “There are Bunnies Everywhere” came to fruition.

“I did a series of watercolors over the summer of bunnies on a hill,” Bierman said in an interview with the Justice.

“It started with one bunny on a slope, and then, eventually, there are … 20.

So, that site by the library was the perfect place for this to become 3D.” Yet, unlike her decision to use the library hill, her choice of bunnies was not accidental. As a child, her favorite book was The Runaway Bunny by Margaret Wise Brown. Her favorite stuffed animal was a bunny rabbit. And, since arriving at Brandeis, she has associated the University with them.

“When I started staying late nights at the studio, I would walk back to my dorm and often find bunnies everywhere, and I kind of made a connection to my youth,” Bierman said. “So,

I guess, as a result of that, it influenced a lot of my artwork.”

What began with only Google images of bunnies is now an exhibition that has not only captivated the Brandeis community, but has compelled some to ponder its deeper meaning. Bierman is no exception; while writing her artist statement and reflecting on her work, she realized her intention: to capture what seems out of reach and elusive.

“Often we yearn for things. We desire things, and we think about them all the time. And, after a while, they become a figment of our imagination,” Bierman said. “And, when they finally do manifest themselves—whether it’s a guy or a girl or a dream job, whatever it might be once it manifests itself in reality, it doesn’t compare to the image you’ve built up in your mind.”

To her, the bunnies represent longing—a desire to obtain what is unattainable. Bierman described her disappointment after approaching the bunnies on campus and seeing them flee. “It would frustrate me because … they were cute. I would want to be their friend,” Bierman said.

She believes that this project reconciles that feeling of inaccessibility. While her bunnies are fake, they can be “adopted”, so what “initially seem[s] unfair can evolve into something worthwhile,” Bierman added.

To execute her project, she first pasted images of bunnies on plywood with rubber cement. With a band saw, she then cut the bunny out of its background, added fake fur trim and drilled holes for steel stakes. Altogether, she produced about 90 bunnies, using some of her own money as well as part of a stipend she received for her class.

Her plan was not without its problems. In waterproofing the bunnies, she used trial and error—first trying matte finishing and sprays, which forced her to wear a Darth Vader-like mask, then Elmer’s Glue and polyure-

thane, before deciding on spar urethane.

Last Thursday at 11 a.m., students and staff gathered to adopt their very own bunnies in what Bierman called a “free-for-all.” Without any formal sign-up process, people were told that the bunnies would be given on a firstcome, first-served basis.

For Bierman, however, adoption was an afterthought. “I didn’t think of what was going to happen after I installed the bunnies. All I wanted was to replicate this watercolor series and maybe make a flipbook.”

Yet Prof. Peter Kalb (FA) warned her that people might steal them after they were installed, so she decided to change the purpose of her project: share the bunnies. Those who adopted were asked to name their bunny and post pictures of them on a Facebook page she made for the assignment.

“I want to see where the bunnies go after they leave the lawn over there,” Bierman said. “My goal for this was … to get to know people I don’t know through something that I created. I want to see where the bunny’s new environment is, what the bunny’s name is, you know, who adopts this bunny.”

For those unable to adopt, she has established a waitlist. If she is still interested in making bunnies next fall, she will continue.

“Apparently they were all gone in about six minutes; I showed up far too late,” Miriam Sokolow ’13, a wannabe adoptive parent, said in an email to the Justice.

For now, Bierman’s sights are set on London, where she will be studying at the Slade School of Fine Art in the spring. She will bring to London a newfound focus for working in an unstructured studio environment.

“I know this is what I want to do.

There’s nothing more real to me than expressing myself in a creative way,” Bierman said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH BIERMAN

CAMPUS CREATION: Bierman is a studio art major who built nearly a hundred bunnies herself using plywood, rubber cement and fake fur.

PHOTO COURTESY OF JONATHAN WEXLER

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES: Sarah Bierman ’14 chose to cover the hill next to Goldfarb Library with bunnies because even as a kid she was surrounded by them in the form of her favorite picture book and stuffed animal.

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, december 11, 2012

9

PHOTOS COURTESY OF JESSE APPELL PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY NAN PANG/the Justice

NATIONAL FAME: Jesse Appell ’12 made his way to the television screen when he performed his parody song “Laowai Style” live on Beijing Television.

Comedy cracks stereotypes Appell’s trip to China made him a sensation on the web SAM MINTZ

JUSTICE EDITOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF JESSE APPELL

COMEDY ACROSS CONTINENTS: Appell is studying xiangsheng comedy in China for one year through the Fulbright program.

When Jesse Appell ’12 traveled to China on a Fulbright Scholarship last spring, he never expected to be dancing in public in front of hundreds of fascinated onlookers. But after a friend suggested that he make a parody of the wildly popular “Gangnam Style” by South Korean pop star Psy, that is exactly where he ended up.

The video he produced and starred in, “Laowai Style” (laowai means foreigner in Chinese), has collected more than 65,000 views on YouTube and a staggering 370,000 views on YouKu, the Chinese equivalent of YouTube. Appell says that when you include pirated copies, it has been viewed well over a million times. When filming the video, Appell says, “We went around and were doing all this dancing in these silly places.

Everywhere we went, immediately like 200 or 300 Chinese people would just start flooding in and watching us. I convinced some of them to dance with us.”

For his Fulbright, a program that sends recently graduated students to study abroad for one year, Appell is studying a traditional Chinese form of standup comedy called xiangsheng. Xiangsheng is performed in two-person dialogues or solo monologues and, according to Canadian performer Dashan, the closest Western equivalent to xiangsheng would be skits like Abbot and Costello’s “Who’s on First?”

“I’m apprenticing myself to a master performer, who is a really famous xiangsheng teacher here,” says Appell. He is also taking extensive Chinese lessons at Tsinghua University, one of the top schools in China, and while he definitely has a good grasp on the language, some challenges remain.

“I’m more than able to communicate—but slightly short of being able to convince people of stuff,” he says. Convincing people is an important part of being on stage and being funny, and according to Appell, he sometimes has trouble keeping up. “Xiangsheng is also difficult linguistically, so that’s also pushing me very hard as I’m trying to perform,” he says.

Appell has been interested in comedy since going to high school in Newton, Mass., where he was part of an improv comedy troupe. His love of comedy continued at Brandeis, when he wrote for the satirical newspaper The Blowfish and performed with the improv comedy group False Advertising, in addition to performing stand-up comedy at Cholmondeley’s and taking part in other improv events. He was also interested in China, majoring in East Asian Studies and International and Global Studies. But despite taking away a full academic and extracurricular experience, there was one thing he missed out on: “I applied for Boris’ Kitchen three times,” he says with a resigned sigh, “but they didn’t take me.”

Now studying in China, Appell is still trying to get laughs, but he is also addressing slightly

more serious issues with his comedy. While “Laowai Style” certainly was “an excuse to go and be silly in public,” Appell also intended it as a kind of social commentary.

“I wanted to write lyrics for Chinese people to break down stereotypes they thought about laowai,” he says. “There’s a misconception of foreigners in China of going to bars, getting crazy drunk, harassing Chinese women and making more money than Chinese people would make in their life. I wanted to go in and do a video where I’d talk about not having a lot of money, having a crappy phone, studying Chinese culture at Tsinghua and trying to turn those stereotypes on their head.”

Appell said that he has been surprised by the success of his video given that he’s still working on understanding Chinese comedy. “It’s been funny having this success with a skillset that’s still very lacking when there’s so much room for improvement and so much chance for future projects,” he says.

In addition to giving him his 15 minutes (though by now, it has been more like a month) of fame, the video has created some once-in-alifetime opportunities for Appell, such as when he performed the song live on Beijing Television, a government-owned TV network in China.

“That was a really interesting process because I basically was a TV producer for three weeks, and they didn’t pay me,” says Appell.

The network made several tricky requests, like asking him to find 20 friends to perform a choreographed dance in the appearance—and then asking him to get passport photos from all those friends. He even had to negotiate with the producers about some lyrics that the network thought were inappropriate; luckily he was able to save two of the three lines in question.

“It taught me which hoops I can avoid and which hoops I need to jump through if I’m going to use TV as a medium for getting messages out,” he says. He plans to do exactly that when he’s done with his classes in January.

In addition to making more funny videos and continuing to hone his stage performance skills, he says, “I’m looking to put together a comedy team in China and maybe even try to develop a TV show and try to get it online or on TV. The idea of making this multicultural, multilingual show that shows Chinese people and foreigners having fun together and living like real people and doing funny stuff—that message would be really powerful.”

He also hopes to further master Chinese and learn more about the country that he’s grown to love.

“There’s no point at which you ever know Chinese or understand China. You learn a little more, you work a little harder, you can speak a little better, but it’s still a bottomless pit. There’s no way to ever be perfect, but that’s good because you can keep applying energy to it and keep getting a reward out of it,” he says.

10 TUESDAY, december 11, 2012 ● THE JUSTICE

Justice Justice

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Established 1949, Brandeis University

Brandeis University

Established 1949

Andrew Wingens, Editor in Chief Marielle Temkin, Managing Editor Eitan Cooper, Production Editor Jeffrey Boxer, Fiona Lockyer and Robyn Spector, Deputy Editors Shafaq Hasan, Nan Pang and Adam Rabinowitz, Associate Editors Sam Mintz and Tate Herbert, News Editors Celine Hacobian, Features Editor Glen Chagi Chesir, Acting Forum Editor Henry Loughlin, Acting Sports Editor Phil Gallagher and Jessie Miller, Arts Editors Jenny Cheng and Joshua Linton, Photography Editors Rachel Burkhoff, Layout Editor Sara Dejene, Online Editor Maya Riser-Kositsky, Copy Editor David Wolkoff, Advertising Editor

Consider January term As students prepare to leave the University campus for winter break, many are looking forward to the three weeks during which they will be unencumbered by coursework, club listservs and campus jobs. However, too often the long stretch over winter break devolves into an unproductive period.

To help students better utilize this period of time, the University can adopt winter sessions of study, more colloquially known at other universities as a January term. By incorporating this optional abbreviated academic semester into the University’s curriculum, students will have an additional opportunity to earn credits, study abroad and complete their courses of study.

A January term is a concentrated period of study prior to the start of the spring semester that is utilized by students at other universities for a number of reasons. The January term could function as an extended form of the existing Justice Brandeis Semester over the winter break.

Whether students want to accumulate credits to graduate early or catch up on their major’s requirements in order to graduate on time, a January term session at Brandeis would provide students the flexibility to potentially complete a number of courses in a short period of time.

While we understand the economic burden the University would have to undertake to hire professors and employees and to maintain campus facilities for an extended three weeks after the conclusion of the fall semester, there would also likely be a demand for these courses. Students that have studied abroad recently, were on medical leave or generally unable to complete their course requirements would find an extra three weeks of study a worthwhile alternative to not graduating with their class.

Aside from satisfying requirements, Brandeis could also include intensive courses or research seminars of interest that may not be available during the year.

Given this demand, the January term

Better utilize winter break would also serve as a source of revenue for the University to compensate for the costs of implementing the program.

Further, the University should consider using this winter session as a study abroad opportunity, as do the University of New Hampshire and New York University. Currently, the UNH offers a politics course in Costa Rica, a class looking at plant ecology in the West Indies and a Classics course in Rome, among other opportunities. Perhaps the University could offer the Brandeis in the Hague program currently in place for the summer and spring semester during this January term. Students who may not have been able to afford to take an entire semester abroad, could still have a similarly enriching experience over their winter break.

Moreover, as the University has recently joined a consortium of other schools in the “Semester Online” initiative, it could consider providing these courses during the January term. Other universities in the consortium would also likely have to participate in the winter session and have a demand for those courses. Washington University in St. Louis, one of the ten schools in the consortium, has a January term for its Engineering program. As the initiative is still in the early stages, we hope the University will consider incorporating these online courses into the January term to further expand on the nontraditional learning opportunities available to students.

While we understand this initiative will not be able to be put into effect immediately, other universities like Middlebury College and the University of Maryland have recognized the benefit of the initiative to students. A January term at Brandeis would provide students more convenience and flexibility in their course load than what is currently being provided by the University.

Open new study spaces As another semester comes to a close, students will once again encounter the stressful obligations inherent in preparing for final examinations. University officials in the past few years have made strides in alleviating stress for students, including the maintenance of 24-hour library hours as well as collaboration with former Student Union President Herbie Rosen ’12 to open academic buildings for extra study locations. While this board appreciates these aims, we still believe that more enhancements are possible.

This board recommends the establishment of extended hours for newer buildings such as the Mandel Center for the Humanities and the Carl J. Shapiro Science Center. The lounge setting of these buildings provides for a more productive, yet comfortable environment, as opposed to older buildings such as Olin-Sang American Civilization Center. However, having opened additional study spaces for two semesters in Olin-Sang and Levine Ross, the University has still not opened the Mandel Center and Science Complex for additional study hours this semester.

We believe the establishment of these

Keep student needs in mind new study locations, in turn, would be welcomed and properly utilized. This is especially pertinent in light of the study spaces in the library removed in the construction of the new EcoGrounds coffee shop in the library.

This board also believes the new coffee shop would be even more beneficial to students if it were open for 24 hours a day during finals period. While we recognize that it requires foresight and logistical planning to ensure the shop can be open all day, it would have been wise for the University to anticipate the benefits of this expanded service.

Creative solutions and initiatives are always appreciated by students. The Hiatt Career Center recently introduced programming that will allow for use of its space during finals week for free printing, pizza and as yet another study destination. With Hiatt’s recent innovation, as well as the initial efforts to open study spaces, we encourage the University to continue keeping its students’ needs in mind at this crucial time in the semester.

NAN PANG/the Justice

Views the News on

Nov. 29 marked a victory for the long term prospects of a Palestinian state with an United Nations vote of 138 to 9 (41 abstained) to grant Palestine non-member observer state status. This was also a personal victory for Mahmoud Abbas, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization and president of the Palestinian Authority, who, according to polls in the region, was losing support after the recent escalation of violence in Gaza. Do you think the U.N. vote is significant and how will it affect the Israeli-Palestinian peace process in the long run?

Michael Kosowsky ’14 I think that the U.N. vote will negatively affect the Israeli-Palestinian peace process. The move to go to the U.N. went against the commitments the Palestinians made in the Oslo Accords, and caused the Israelis to retaliate by authorizing new housing, so as not to lose face.

Additionally, as seen with the Arab invasion of Israel in 1948, a true peace cannot be achieved by documents signed in the U.N., but rather by direct negotiations by the parties involved. Lastly, the vote weakens the influence of the United States in the negotiations, because the passing of the resolution reflects poorly on the Obama Administration, which repeatedly tried to convince the Palestinian Authority not to go to the UN and for Europe to vote against the measure.

Michael Kosowsky is treasurer of the Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee.

Catie Stewart ’16

The vote is significant in that it shows a huge amount of international support for an independent Palestinian state, thus refocusing the conflict and peace process. I don’t think this was a move for peace, as it was unilateral; instead, it was a Palestinian bid for dignity and some feeling of self-determination. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s subsequent announcement that there will be settlements built in E-1, an area that if built upon, will be the end to the notion of a contiguous Palestinian state, shows that the two-state solution is not the top priority for Israel. Until Abbas and Netanyahu are willing to work bilaterally, I do not see a two-state solution, which I believe is the only real way to achieve peace, happening.

Catie Stewart is an active member of J Street U Brandeis.

Natan Odenheimer ’15 The Palestinians’ overwhelmingly successful U.N. bid changes the framework for all involved parties. Through his recent actions, Palestinian Prime Minster Abbas displayed that he is acting proactively and plans to build a state—with or without a partner. The international response resonated loud and clear: there is broad support for a Palestinian State and equally broad rejection of further Israeli expansion in the West Bank. One might ask, “Why would Israel make a move that seems to further international isolation?” Henry Kissinger, a former Secretary of State, once said, “Israel does not have foreign policy, only internal policy.” Israel’s actions seem to correspond with this saying. The question now isn’t whether the U.N. vote was good or bad for Israel or the peace process. Instead, we must think about how Israel will respond, what the Palestinians will do next, and what can be done to permanently break the entrenched conflict given the new diplomatic reality and upcoming elections in Israel. Israeli leadership needs to make a decision: align with the international community and make progress or keep sticking its head in the sand but win the upcoming elections.

Natan Odenheimer is a founder of Brandeis Visions for Israel in an Evolving World.

Ari Moshkovski The recent U.N. vote has only exacerbated the stalemate in the IsraeliPalestinian peace process. Abbas’s U.N. gambit may have successfully isolated Israel in the General Assembly. However, Netanyahu’s response—announcing massive settlement expansion—sent a forceful, two-fold message: the U.N. cannot affect reality on the ground and Israel is capable of exacting a price for Palestinian unilateralism. Real progress toward the establishment of a Palestinian state will require both sides to negotiate painful compromises on the issues at the core of the conflict: recognition, borders, security, refugees and Jerusalem.

Currently, mistrust between the two sides makes meaningful negotiations impossible. If the international community is truly interested in advancing the peace process, it should encourage Israelis and the Palestinians to take steps which signal to the other side that they are serious about the peace process. Anything else is simply theater.

Ari Moshkovski is a Ph.D. candidate at the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies.

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, December 11, 2012

11

Religious institutions have no place in politics

By Jennie bromberg JUSTICE contributing WRITER

Brandeis is often seen as a microcosm of the Jewish community, and the fact that we have so many Israel-related groups on campus shows the diversity in views and opinions of college students regarding Israel. From the more liberal J-Street U to the more conservative Brandeis Israel Public Affairs Committee, Brandeis students’ views of Israel vary from person to person, within denominational religious groups and even within groups about Israel.

If you want to actively support Israel on campus, you can find the group that best matches your perspectives regarding Israel, even if you don’t agree with its stance 100 percent. As the example of the Jewish community that the Brandeis student body represents, it says a lot that the groups about Israel on campus are separate from the religious groups on campus.

A little over a week ago, the non-denominational synagogue B’nai Jeshurun in New York City sent out an email to the congregation applauding the United Nation’s vote to upgrade Palestine to a non-member state. The congregation’s reactions to the email varied from supportive and enthusiastic to frustrated and disappointed.

Because of the size, location and popularity of the synagogue, much attention was given to the decision to send out the email. The synagogue had put forth a political statement that stretches beyond the religious institution that it is.

This controversy brought attention to the greater dilemma of the synagogue’s role in addressing Israel: should a synagogue issue such a strong and opinionated statement to its congregation?

Addressing Israel on behalf of a group stretches beyond the clergy emailing a congregation. Recently, the Union of Reform Judaism issued statements condemning both Israel’s decision to expand settlements and the UN’s vote on Palestine’s status. When such statements are issued, it seems to couple specific beliefs on Israel with a whole synagogue or denomination.

While putting out statements on behalf of a synagogue or a denomination may seem to create a united front on behalf of the Jewish people with regard to Israel and its policies, it’s only masking the many opinions that people have. Jews can be united in their love for Israel while still having different perspectives, just as Jews are all connected through their religion, even though they may have different beliefs and practices.

At Brandeis, there are no political statements issued about Israel by any one of the various prayer services.

All of the religious groups and all of the Israel groups are under Hillel, setting an example to be followed that what one believes about Israel is not coupled to what one believes religiously.

Putting out such a statement may also cause congregants to feel pressured to think a specific way about Israel. If you belong to a synagogue that has one specific stance on Israel, does that mean you have to share that same stance?

And if you disagree, does that mean you have to find a new synagogue?

Putting forth such statements as B’nai Jeshurun did adds a political connotation to the synagogue—if the clergy thinks one way, it can be assumed that the congregants have the same views.

But, because Israel is so closely tied to Judaism, it would be nearly impossible to have a synagogue that removes itself from the politics of Israel.

This gives the synagogue a major role when it comes to the connection between American Jews and Israel.

Thus, the current events regarding Israel and her future should not be ignored or avoided by synagogues.

It is important to keep members of synagogues up to date on what is going on is Israel—but that does not necessarily mean issuing a political statement.

Israel should be addressed in a way that keeps the dialogue open, and a synagogue should be a place where people feel free to express and discuss their thoughts.

This is a daunting task—how does one support Israel and the many different opinions in a congregational or denominational setting?

The first step would be eliminating any statements issued on behalf of a group, as they often do not represent the various views that people have.

The next step would be implementing a system where people feel open to talk and discuss Israel.

This could be done by working with other synagogues and Jewish organizations in the area to create joint events where people with different beliefs and backgrounds can come together, much like the way that Brandeis’ different Israel-related groups sometimes hold programs and discussions together.

By opening up the dialogue, there would be less hesitation to share opinions, and more opportunity to listen to each other.

The example we set at Brandeis shows that different opinions of Israel are not limited by

HANNAH KOBER/the Justice

the denomination with which you associate yourself.

We are beginning to show that dialogue should be more open not just between factions of Jews, but between everyone interested in the conflict.

Even within the past year and a half of be-

ing a student here, I have seen an increase in the amount of collaboration between the different Israel-related groups on campus.

With an open dialogue, we can continue to learn from each other and share what we think, and we can move away from the polarization that is attached to the conflict.

Student decisions should be made without societal input Eitan

cooper down to business

In less than a week I’ll be graduating. And instead of getting a job, getting a bachelor pad and venturing out into the world by myself, I’ll be getting married and going to live on a kibbutz in Israel for three months.

Call me crazy—you wouldn’t be alone.

Since my engagement, I’ve had numerous conversations in which my peers react with shock. Most likely this is because of my age; the U.S. Census Bureau reported in 2011 that on average, men and women in the United States are first married when they are 28.9 and 26.9 years old, respectively.

I am a mere 23.

Additionally, popular culture idealizes the bachelor and bachelorette lifestyles. Numerous television series and movies depict the exciting lives of those who are single, as if to suggest that these are the prime years of someone’s life.

We label marriage as “settling down” and “taking the plunge,” as if to suggest that the vigor of life is sucked from a person when

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they choose to be married.

Society dictates certain prerequisites for marriage, most notably a stable income and a certain degree of life experience. I meet neither one of these expectations.

Notwithstanding society’s disapproval, I still intend to move forward with my plans.

These days, we hear a lot about how people are pro-life, pro-choice, pro-guns, pro-Israel and much more. Simply put, I am pro-marriage.

“

Definitions of what it means to be “ready” for marriage are totally dependent on society.

Numerous psychological studies have cited the physical and mental health benefits of married life.

Married couples live longer, and are overall happier people.

And while few may disagree with my promarriage stance, many may say that the benefits of marriage should be reaped only when we are “ready.”

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My answer? If marriage is so beneficial, why not commit sooner?

Simply put, if there is so much good to be had from a marriage, tying the knot should be a no-brainer.

One may claim that “moving in” should a necessary, multi-year prerequisite for marriage.

But studies have shown non-married couples that live with one another do a poor job of simulating the positive effects of marriage.

In fact, a New York Times article published last April detailed the “downside of cohabiting before marriage.”

Moreover, definitions of what it means to be “ready” for marriage are totally dependent on society.

For instance, if I lived in Chad, Niger or Nepal my plans for marriage would be normal for my age.

And the average man who is married in the United States is still very young by Swedish and Danish standards—where men are married in their mid-30s.

More significant than any psychological or sociological evidence, however, is the simple reality that I want to get married. Putting aside any societal objection to my plans, my own personal desire trumps all else.

The unfortunate truth is that far too often we make choices based on precedent, ignoring crucial realities.

Whether the reality is the benefits of mar-

The Staff

For information on joining the Justice, write to editor@ thejustice.org.

riage, or more importantly the reality of what we want as individuals, our decisions are often framed around how they will appear to others.

In the United States, our societal standard puts a premium on a clear and rigid trajectory, emphasizing the importance of upward mobility.

We choose to live the expected life, abiding by a script that has been written for us by common practice.

I’d like to think that we could do better than this. If I’ve learned or gained anything from my time here at Brandeis, it’s the firm belief that our choices should be made based on what we want, not on what others expect.

The principle seems simple, yet a staggering number of college students are increasingly choosing majors, professions and lifestyles that they do not actually desire. As an example, statistics show that the business major is one of the most popular fields of study nationwide.

Yet I would wager that a significant number of students do not actually enjoy the study of business.

Marriage may not be everyone’s cup of tea.

And I understand how my decision to get married would be frightening to some.

What’s important, though, is for students to be able to confidently claim that they are pursuing what matters to them. In fact, this is all that should matter.

Editorial Assistants Arts: Rachel Hughes, Eli Kaminsky Photos: Josh Horowitz, Olivia Pobiel Features: Jaime Kaiser News: Marissa Ditkowsky Ads: Schuyler Brass

Staff Senior Writers: Josh Asen, Aaron Berke, Allyson Cartter, Dafna Fine Senior Photographer: Jon Edelstein, Alex Margolis, Tali Smookler, Jane Zitomer News: Shani Abramowitz, Ariel Glickman, Danielle Gross, Luke Hayslip, Raquel Kallas, Suzanne Schatz Features: Selene Campion, Rachel Miller, Forum: Michael Abrams, Aaron Fried, Noah M. Horwitz, Liz Posner, Leah Smith, Avi Snyder, Naomi Volk

Sports: Ben Freudman, Avi Gold, Tara Gordon, Jacob Moskowitz, Jonah Price Arts: Aliza Vigderman, Aaron Berke, Erica Cooperberg, Alex DeSilva, Aliza Gans, Rachel Hughes, Haemee Kang, Olivia Leiter, Emily Wishingrad Photography: Wendy Choi, Brianna Mussman, Josh Spiro, Karina Wagenpfeil, Michelle Wang, Copy: Aliza Braverman, Jennie Bromberg, Hilary Cheney, Patricia Greene, Andrew Hayes, Max Holzman, Brittany Joyce, Eunice Ko, Kinza Kukhari, Megan Paris, Christine Phan, Mailinh Phan-Nguyen, Leah Rogers, Will Schneiderman, Amanda Winn Layout: Elana Horowitz, Rebecca Lanter, Jassen Lu, Denny Poliferno Illustrations: Rishika Assomull, Hannah Kober, Mara Sassoon, Arielle Shorr, Tziporah Thompson

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TUESDAY, DEcEMber 11, 2012

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THE JUSTICE

FORUM

Ban on bottled water masks root problem Noah M.

Horwitz Civil Affairs

I have noticed that there seems to be a large, environmentally conscious presence on campus, perpetually attempting to change policies through campaigns and petitions. One such petition going around seeks to ban the sale of bottled water on this campus. In my opinion, this is ill-sighted for many reasons.

While seeking to reduce plastic rubbish in a mindset of ecological consciousness is a valiant goal, it is not the best course of action to impose this mindset upon other people.

Rather, a better idea would be an awareness campaign against bottled water in an attempt to educate people about the ills of the product. Such a campaign would attempt to make known the very real downside of purchasing water in a bottle, thus discouraging the use of bottled water while retaining the personal choice to purchase it.

While it is true that bottled water damages the environment, and that the product is, on average, no safer or cleaner than tap water, as made evident by studies published in The New York Times and USA Today, there is not a convincing reason to ban the sale of bottled water.

Soda, orange juice and seltzer water all come in similar plastic containers, and are, therefore, just as harmful to the environment.

Unless these products are also sought to be banned, it makes little sense to single out water.

Most illogical of the reasons for a ban, though, is that because water is a basic need of humans, it is immoral to charge such a high mark-up and the practice should be banned all together.

The proponents of such a ban have argued that the bottled water industry should not exist because of the excessive profits for a basic product. However, what the proponents for the ban forget is the principle of the marketbased economy in which we live. One person’s extraneous absurdity is another person’s quintessential need.

For example, I find paying more than about $25 for a pair of blue jeans is unnecessary.

However, in our society, one is free to sell his or her blue jeans at whatever price is desired so long as someone wants to purchase the item for that price.

In this system, people buy blue jeans for hundreds, even thousands of dollars. Water, like blue jeans, can come in all different shapes and sizes.

RISHIKA ASSOMULL/the Justice

There is mineral water, distilled water, rain water and fluoridated water among others. Water should be the same way, where merchants are free to sell their products at whatever price someone agrees to pay for the water at.

Individuals should be free to purchase more expensive water in a bottle. Their rationale might be a desire to have the taste of crisp, mineral water, or perhaps fear of fluoride and other foreign substances. Whatever one’s reasons may be, it is not the place of an authority, whether that be the government or a college’s administration, to prohibit these transactions from occurring.

The ecological and financial downsides to

bottled water are very real and good reasons to not use it, and much good can be done if these reasons persuade students to reduce their overall consumption of bottled water.

Instead of a blanket ban upon water in a bottle, it would be far more effective, and pragmatic, to embark upon an awareness and education campaign.

In my opinion, most people, if given the facts about the very real downside of bottled water, will choose to mitigate his or her consumption and use of the product.

Instead of forcing students to give up bottled water, a far more effective approach would be to convince students to choose not to use bottled water, making that personal deci-

sion on their own.

For example, even though I am strongly opposed to this proposed ban or any variation thereof, I have been making a conscious effort for many years to use as little bottled water as possible.

This is because I recognize the many ills of bottled water, such as its environmental impact to produce once disposed of the packaging. Only through a positive campaign, such as education and awareness, as opposed to a negative action, such as this proposed ban, may we solve such problems.

Accordingly, a prohibition of water in a bottle would not solve the problem: only education can do that.

Liberal-heavy campus harmful to students of all parties Avi

Snyder voice of reason

“I’m not shy about my views; all my friends and professors know I’m a conservative. No one tries to silence me. I even write conservative columns for the school paper!”

That is what I told conservative writer and activist David Horowitz last Tuesday when he came to speak on campus. Horowitz spent a good deal of time speaking about alleged persecution of right-wingers on college campuses, and I therefore felt obliged to offer my own experiences.

Sure, Brandeis is a liberal campus, but no one tries to silence or persecute conservatives or Republicans.

It is unpopular to be conservative, but it is not unsafe.

After I offered Horowitz my defense of Brandeis, I found myself in class the next day learning about the German sociologist Max Weber.

Our professor was discussing Weber’s belief that teachers ought to never use their classrooms as soapboxes to express their own political opinions.

In the middle of this discussion, the professor went on a tangent to discuss how the Tea Party movement doesn’t understand the American government’s history of economic intervention.

The irony of this situation prompted me to rethink whether I had judged our University

a bit too favorably when I was speaking to Horowitz.

But what I ultimately realized was that the pervasive liberalism of our student body, faculty and administration does more harm to campus liberals and progressives than to conservatives.

Even if a fiercely partisan Republican wanted to keep himself in a bubble, he could not. Every economics major has to listen to Prof. Michael Coiner (ECON) talk about “f-ing Republicans.”

Every Anthropology and International and Global Studies major has to learn how to operate under the assumption of “cultural relativism.” You can get all your information from Fox News and the Wall Street Journal, but unless you want to have only six friends during your time here, there will inevitably be some smart and interesting liberals in your social circle.

Consequently, to be a conservative at Brandeis is to have your beliefs and ideas questioned at every turn.

Brandeis’ conservatives have all heard the other side’s arguments, both good and bad.

We have read liberal thinkers, understood liberal ideas and argued with countless liberal friends and teachers who have challenged and pushed us.

And we’re better for it.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for our University’s Democrats and progressives.

It isn’t hard to imagine how a first-year could come here as a liberal Democrat and hear very little in four years that would challenge his political beliefs.

Most of his friends will be liberal or indifferent.

Most of his professors will make jokes and speeches that confirm, rather than challenge, what he already thinks.

He’ll be given the arguments behind his positions instead of the ones that oppose them, jotting them all down in his notes. Perhaps he’ll be perfunctorily presented with a conservative argument in class, only to have it quickly rebutted by the professor or his fellow classmates.

There has been a lot of talk in the media lately about the “conservative echo - chamber,” in which Republicans deceive themselves by only talking and listening to those with whom they agree.

“

The pervasive liberalism of our student body... does more harm to campus liberals than to conservatives.

But there are also liberal echo chambers, and Brandeis University is one of them.

As a liberal arts university, Brandeis prides itself on teaching its students how to think.

We are here to have our ideas challenged, our beliefs questioned and our assumptions overturned.

That is what a real college education should be about.

When it comes to the political environment on campus, very few of these things happen for the average liberal Brandeisian.

He may act as if he’s being pushed out of an ideological comfort zone, but too often he is simply deluding himself.

With the help of his teachers, he acts like a free-thinker, while actually being stuck in an ideological bubble.

We can do better.

First, professors should include a wider range of thinkers and theorists in their curricula.

For example, economics students should be able to study the generally free-market based Austrian and Chicago schools in addition to aggregate demand-based Keynesian economic theory.

Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, professors ought to be far more careful about using their podiums as soapboxes on which to express their own political views.

Teachers aren’t there to sound off; we have plenty of pundits for that. Their job is to educate.

Professors ought to take on the role of devil’s advocate far more often, challenging the liberal assumptions of students while also taking on the assumptions of those who are more conservative-minded.

Finally, the University’s clubs, departments and institutes ought to make an effort to bring more conservative and libertarian speakers to campus.

Why shouldn’t an economist like Thomas Sowell or writer like Ross Douthat be invited to Brandeis?

It cannot only fall to our small campus conservative groups to bring these kinds of speakers.

As a conservative Republican, I will leave Brandeis confident that I received an education that challenged me in countless ways, often made me uncomfortable and forced me to rethink my opinions.

I want every student at this University, including liberals, to have the same opportunity that us conservatives were given.

THE JUSTICE

WBBALL: Team endures mixed week at home CONTINUED FROM 16 game, burying seven crucial points to give the Judges an advantage.

Versus Endicott, the Judges were on the ropes for much of the first half, yet they took a one-point lead into the break. After the interval, however, Dean made key contributions on both ends of the court, including two baskets and two steals, that helped the Judges break open a seven-point lead. And though the Gulls would tie it back up at 28-28, Brandeis was able to build a sixpoint lead. From there, they never relinquished the lead and ran out the clock on the 59-48 win. Cain led the squad with 11 points, while Dean led the team in the assists category with four.

The squad began its week with a match against the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and, yet, failed to eclipse the 50-point mark, resulting in a heart breaking loss.

Senior forward Colleen Moriarty torched the Judges with 22 points, the final two coming with just five seconds left. Dean kept the Judges in the game with a team-leading 12 points, but unfortunately, her efforts were not enough to give Brandeis

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012

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DIGGING DEEP

the extra push.

Despite the fact that the Judges went 1-2 over the past week, the squad actually posted an increasingly improving field goal percentage in every game this week. Thus, the Judges’ struggles, according to Coach Carol Simon, may be best explained by the number of turnovers that the Judges have compiled in the losses. The squad had 14 against Endicott, while versus Roger Williams, they had 21. She noted that this performance “was greatly inconsistent and needed to be improved upon.”

However, the season is still young for the Judges. Their next five games are at home, three of which are against conference teams. The squad will take on Simmons College tonight at 7 p.m. for its final home game before the winter recess.

Simon, though, noted that her eye is on the two impending non-conference games.

“We still have two non-conference games, so that’s what we are focused on now,” she said.

Her aim for the short term will be to bring her squad to great heights.

Under Simon’s watchful eye, this team has the potential to make a lot of noise. Only time will tell.

SWIMMING AND DIVING

Squads show their progress at Clark Teams compete well in lone

JON EDELSTEIN/the Justice

KEEPING PACE: Grady Ward ’16 finished eighth in the mile run at the Reggie Poyau Memorial Invitational on Saturday.

■ While the swimming and

diving teams have not taken team victories in a meet yet, they continue to post many standout individual marks.

By JEFFREY BOXER JUSTICE EDITOR

The Brandeis swimming and diving teams, in action for the last time in 2012, had their closest dual meet of the season. Using a variety of swimmers in unique events, the men’s team finished just 10 points behind Clark University, falling 138-128. The women’s team fell to the Cougars 172118.

“I think it went really well,” Ruth Zeilicovich ’14 said. “We had [a] really good chance of winning. Individually, people swam well.”

Brandeis actually won 11 of the 15 events on the men’s side, but a lack of depth still led to a team win for Clark.

Nine of Clark’s points were uncontested. Brandeis doesn’t have a diver on the men’s side, giving Clark sophomore Ben Ewald the easy victory.

“We’re [a] small team,” Padraig Murphy ’14 said. “So to lose by 10 points wasn’t a bad result. Especially since they had the only diver.

It shows that we have a lot of strong swimmers.”

Murphy and Max Fabian ’15 led the way for the men’s team, as each of them picked up victories in all three of their individual races. Murphy swept the backstroke events, finishing the 100 in 58.00 seconds and the 200 in 2:07.76. Murphy also swam the 500-yard freestyle, winning in 5:16.15.

Fabian’s three wins came in different events than he typically swims.

Normally a distance swimmer and having set the school’s 1,000-yard freestyle record just the week before, he found himself instead competing in the 200-yard butterfly, 200-yard breaststroke and 400-yard individual medley. And yet, he still won all three.

“He’s such a strong swimmer,” Zeilicovich said. “He didn’t swim any of the freestyle events that he usually

swims. He swam other events and he still did amazing.”

Stepping up to replace Fabian in the 1,000 was Niko Karkantis ’13, who typically swims sprint events for Brandeis. A surprise entry, Karkantis won the event by nearly 30 seconds, finishing with a time of 11:33.41.

Brian Luk ’16 was a double winner for the Judges, sweeping the 100-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly in 49.20 and 55.12, respectively.

Ariel Baron ’16 won the 200-yard freestyle, and the men’s team’s scoring ended with a win in the 200-yard freestyle relay.

The women’s team was led by Holly Spicer ’13, who swept both of the breaststroke events for the third time this season. Spicer finished the 100 in 1:09.49, while her time of 2:35.26 in the 200 was more than 18 seconds better than the second-place finisher. “[Spicer] competed well,” Murphy said. “She always does—those are her events.”

In addition to winning the freestyle relay, the women had three other victories against the Cougars, all from rookies.

Fay Laborio ’16 placed first in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:06.32. Fellow first-year Lauren Cruz ’16 grabbed first in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:40.88. Gabby Drillich ’15 rounded out the top results, winning the 200-yard butterfly in 2:33.41.

Neither team will compete again until a Jan. 11, 2013 meet at Boston College, but that doesn’t mean that either will be taking much of a vacation.

“We’re all practicing here until [Dec.] 21st, then we will be practicing at home with our club or high school team,” Murphy explained. “Then we will come back and head to Puerto Rico on Jan. 3, [2013] for our training trip.”

The team will be training in an Olympic-style, 50-meter outdoor pool. But the squad won’t be on break there—Murphy said that the team will be swimming about eight hours per day.

“We won’t just be on vacation,” he said.

home meet of the campaign ■ Both squads placed fifth

in fields of eight teams and featured several top-three finishes in their second meet.

By TARA GORDON JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The Judges were in their element this past Friday at the Reggie Poyau Memorial Invitational at Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. Both squads were able to display their mettle in front of a supportive home crowd through several strong finishes. The men’s and women’s teams finished fifth—44 points for the women and 55 points for the men—out of eight teams, which included Stonehill College, Bentley University, Lasell College, Emmanuel College, Keene State College, Connecticut College, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Vincent Asante ’14 started off the evening with an impressive win in both the preliminaries and the finals of the 55-meter dash, recording a finish of 6.52 seconds. And Asante was quick to point out that he enjoyed this opportunity to compete in front of a home crowd.

“The competition rises as the performance level rises,” said Asante.

“So at a meet like this where we are just out to compete and not out to win, we just like to make sure that we are happy with ourselves and we have fun. We look for good results and enjoyment, because that’s what’s important in the end.”

Kensai Hughes ’14, Galen KarlanMason ’16, Jacob Wilhoite ’15 and Jonathan Gilman ’15 then rounded out the field in the 55, finishing in 6.78, 6.91, 7.01 and 8.15 seconds respectively. Asante, Hughes and Brittany Bell ’13, who sprinted to a third place

finish in 7.43 seconds, all qualified for the finals. Asante and Hughes ran in 6.52 and 6.78 seconds for first and fifth places respectively, while Bell ran 7.44 for fourth place.

Mik Kern ’13, Greg Bray ’15 and Grady Ward ’16 all headlined a formidable field in the one-mile run.

The trio ran in four minutes, 24.22 seconds, 4:33.54 and 4.40.15 for second, sixth, and eighth places respectively.

Amelia Lundkvist ’14 finished second in the women’s mile, finishing in 5:25.78. Maggie Hensel ’16 and Molly Paris ’16 rounded out the field in 5:35.34 and 5:56.97, good for third and eighth places.

“It was an interesting first collegiate race,” said Paris. “I came in the middle of the pack and we started out kind of slow, and I think that affected my time.”

Pace is certainly not a problem for the 400-meter dash. Joshua Hacunda ’16 and Trevor Tuplin ’16 bolted ahead of the field for seventh and tenth place finishes with times of 53.65 and 54.48 seconds, while the veteran Joshua Hoffman-Senn ’13 ran 55.09 for eleventh place. Senior runners Casey McGown ’13 and Anifreed Sinjour ’13 ran side-by-side in 1:03.54 and 1:03.59 for fourth and fifth place finishes.

Newcomer Matthew Becker ’16 excelled in his first collegiate 600-meter race, finishing third in 1:36.73. He later joined Hacunda, Hoffman-Senn, and Tuplin in the 1600-meter relay for an overall time of three minutes and 37.24 seconds for fifth place.

In the 800-meter run, Carl Lieberman ’16 finished fourth in 2:04.22.

Nora Owens ’16 and Gabriella Guillette ’15 ran for fifth and sixth places on the women’s side in 2:42.65 and 2:43:82, respectively.

Newcomers continued to make their presence known, especially in the 1,000-meter race. Liban Aden ’16 took fourth place in 2:47.66, while

Kelsey Whitaker ’16 and Rachel Keller ’16 ran for second and sixth places in 3:09.18 and 3:22.96.

Asante reappeared in the 200-meter dash, fresh off his 55-meter win, looking to replicate his success. He came quite close, securing a third place finish in 23.21 seconds. Karlan-Mason and Wilhoite followed Asante with finishes in 24.53 and 25.84 seconds, good for 15th and 32nd place. Firstyears Adam Berger ’16 and Brandon Odze ’16 continued to make noise for the bright core of first-years, rounding out the field in 24.71 and 24.78 seconds for 18th and 29th places. Odze later came back to sprint another race, the 55-meter hurdles, in 10.29 seconds for 10th place.

Brandeis fielded three standout finishes in the competitive 3000-meter run. Alex Kramer ’13 took a noteworthy second place in 8:37.93, while Ed Colvin ’14 and Jarret Harrigan ’15 ran for 11th and 13th places in commendable times of 9:02.89 and 9:06.89.

In the shot put, Kris Stinehart ’14 and Jonathan Gilman ’15 threw the shot at 12.40 meters and 7.74 meters for eighth and 22nd places. Alyssa Fenenbock ’15 and Ashley Klein ’16 threw 7.46 meters and 7.21 meters for 12th and 13th places.

Hansen Yang ’16 participated in the high jump, jumping 1.72 meters for eighth place, while also jumping 11.41 meters for ninth place in the triple jump. Berger joined Yang in the latter event, jumping 12.31 meters for sixth place, as well as Kim Farrington ’13 who jumped 10.70 meters for fourth place.

Berger returned to jump 5.63 meters for sixth place in the long jump, while Hughes jumped 5.96 meters for fifth place. Bell also landed at 4.91 meters for sixth place.

The teams will next compete at the Dartmouth College Relays on Jan. 13, 2013.

14

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012

●

THE JUSTICE

g i B SPEEDY SPITAL: Forward Dara Spital ’15 led her team to the NCAA Elite Eight, the program’s best season to date.

JON EDELSTEIN/the Justice

DAZZLING DRIBBLER: Mid-

fielder Sam Ocel ’13 scored 13 goals and provided eight assists for Brandeis this season.

JON EDELSTEIN/the Justice

e y r a s l p g a e rner m it

w a a e r d m i s t ib g

Ocel and Spital named All-Americans

By HENRY LOUGHLIN JUSTICE EDITOR

The Brandeis men’s and women’s soccer teams made history this year by both making the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Last Tuesday, though, proved to be yet another monumental day for both squads. On that day, midfielder Sam Ocel ’13 and forward Dara Spital ’15 were named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of America Division III All-American teams.

“I’m so happy for [Ocel],” said men’s head coach Michael Coven, who himself was named NSCAA New England Division III Coach of the Year. “I think he’ll be the first to tell you that his award, though it recognizes him, wouldn’t have been possible without the team. If it wasn’t for [forward Lee Russo ’13], who was Sam’s strike partner, Sam might not have received this great honor.”

As a first-year, Ocel scored two goals and dished out a team-high four assists. After being sidelined as a sophomore, he came into his own as a junior, scoring eight goals and producing seven assists, second to Russo in terms of goals and second in the assists category to midfielder Theo Terris ’12.

This year, though, he would have no peer.

Ocel opened his scoring account in a 4-0 win over Keene State College on Sept. 2, burying a free kick from 24 yards before netting a second later in the game. He headed home the winner in a memorable 2-1 doubleovertime victory over rival Babson College on Sept. 19. His next goal was the first in a crucial 2-0 home win over Case Western Reserve University, his first in University Ath-

letic Association play. His prowess for scoring in tough UAA matchups continued with strikes in victories over Washington University in St. Louis, Emory University and New York University.

Then, in the NCAA Division III Tournament, Ocel buried all three of the Judges’ goals, netting twice in a 2-0 win over Baruch College.

Arguably, though, he scored the biggest goal of his career in the second round against Vassar College, where he headed home a cross from Russo with 29.4 seconds left to give the Judges the dramatic win.

After the end of a storied season, Ocel scored 13 goals (nine of which were game-winners), had eight assists and was named as First Team All-UAA and UAA MVP. “He scored big goals,” said Coven of Ocel. “He’s at the right place at the right time.

He’s fearless. [In scoring the winner against Vassar], he threw his face in front of the ball. He’s not afraid to go through traffic, to stick his head into the middle of the mixer. He will sacrifice his body. As a striker, you’ve got to have a nose for the goal, you have to be fearless. He has such courage in the 18-yard box.”

Spital was also humbled to receive the honor, deflecting the accolade toward her teammates.

“I’m thrilled,” she said. “I’m really happy because our team worked so hard this year. I always have high expectations for myself, but I couldn’t have imagined that we would have had the success that we had this year.”

A transfer from NCAA Division I University of Central Florida, Spital came to Brandeis after a freshman campaign in which she had one assist. She made a massive impact right from the beginning, scoring the lone goal in a win over the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Spital then provided big goals in 1-0 wins over Gordon College, Bates College and the University of Rochester.

She proved her penchant for the clutch in a must-win clash against New York University on Nov. 3, scoring twice in a 3-0 victory that arguably resulted in the Judges’ bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament. In the tournament, she provided an assist in a second-round win over Lasell College before burying two goals against SUNY Cortland.

In addition to scoring 14 goals, Spital was also able to help out her teammates, dishing out five assists.

She was named First Team AllUAA. “Dara came in great physical shape and brought an extremely strong work ethic,” said women’s head coach Denise Dallamora. “Her attitude toward the game and her teammates was always positive.

She also has a brilliant shot. I expect her to improve as a player and keep having a strong influence on her teammates’ work ethics and attitudes and score a lot of goals.”

While happy with the season that just passed, Spital is already looking forward to next year.

“Obviously we lose a couple of great players [in goalkeeper Francine Kofinas ’13 and midfielder Zoe Siegel ‘13] but we return a lot,” she said. “I have high expectations for the team next year to do as well as or better than [this] next year.”

Ocel could not be reached for comment by press time.

Though the next season is still many months away, both of these individuals—and their respective teams—had seasons to remember this year.

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, December 11, 2012

15

COACH OF THE YEAR

jUDGES BY THE NUMBERS Men’s BASKETBALL UAA STANDINGS

TEAM STATS

Points Per Game

Not including Monday’s games UAA Conference Overall

W L D W L D Pct. Rochester 0 0 0 10 0 0 .1000 WashU 0 0 0 8 1 0 .889 NYU 0 0 0 6 1 0 .857 JUDGES 0 0 0 7 2 0 .778 Emory 0 0 0 7 2 0 .778 Case 0 0 0 5 3 0 .625 Chicago 0 0 0 4 3 0 .571 Carnegie 0 0 0 1 7 0 .167

UPCOMING GAMES Tonight at Framingham State Sat., Dec. 29 at Bates Sat., Jan. 5 vs. NYU

Gabe Moton ’14 leads the team with 14.2 points per game.

Player PPG Gabe Moton 14.2 Youri Dascy 10.6 Ben Bartoldus 10.6 Derek Retos 10.6

Rebonds Per Game Gabe Moton ’14 leads the team with 7.1 rebounds per game.

Player RPG Gabe Moton 7.1 Alex Stoyle 5.7 Youri Dascy 3.8 Ben Bartoldus 3.2

WOMen’s basketball UAA STANDINGS

TEAM STATS

Not including Monday’s games

Points Per Game

UAA Conference Overall

W L D W L D Pct. Emory 0 0 0 8 1 0 .889 WashU 0 0 0 6 1 0 .857 Carnegie 0 0 0 6 2 0 .750 Rochester 0 0 0 6 2 0 .750 NYU 0 0 0 5 3 0 .625 Case 0 0 0 4 3 0 .571 JUDGES 0 0 0 4 5 0 .444 Chicago 0 0 0 1 6 0 .143

Hannah Cain ’15 leads the team with 8.7 points per game.

Player PPG Hannah Cain 8.7 Kasey Dean 8.4 Erika Higginbottom 6.4 Mikaela Garvin 6.0

UPCOMING GAMES Tonight vs. Simmons Mon., Dec. 31 vs. Husson Sat., Jan. 5 vs. NYU

Rebounds Per Game Hannah Cain ’15 leads the team with 5.6 rebounds per game.

Player RPG Hannah Cain 5.6 Erika Higginbottom 5.0 Samantha Anderson 4.7 Kasey Dean 3.8 JAN VOLK/Sportspix

ONE OF A KIND: Men’s soccer head man Michael Coven was named NSCAA New England Division III Coach of the Year.

FENCING Results from the Brandeis Invitational at home on Sunday, Dec. 2.

TOP FINISHERS (Men’s)

TOP FINISHERS (Women’s)

SABER Adam Mandel

VICTORIES 7 wins

SABER Zoe Messinger

FOIL Noah Berman

VICTORIES 7 wins

FOIL VICTORIES Caroline Mattos 11 wins

ÉPÉE Harry Kaufer

VICTORIES 4 wins

ÉPÉE VICTORIES Sophia Glickman 6 wins

VICTORIES 9 wins

UPCOMING MEET: The men’s and women’s teams will next compete at Wellesley College on Wednesday, Jan. 23.

Coach caps memorable year with special honor ■ In his 40th year in charge, Michael Coven added another honor to his already-impressive collection of accomplishments.

By HENRY LOUGHLIN JUSTICE EDITOR

TRACK AND FIELD Results from Friday’s Reggie Poyau Memorial Invitational.

NOTABLE FINISHES (Men’s)

NOTABLE FINISHES (Women’s)

55 METER DASH Vincent Asante

55 METER DASH Brittany Bell

TIME 6.52

3000 METER RUN TIME Alex Kramer 8:37.93 Ed Colvin 9:02.89

1000 METER RUN Kelsey Whitaker Rachel Keller

TIME 7.44 TIME 3:09.18 3:22.96

UPCOMING MEET: The men’s and women’s track teams will next compete at the Dartmouth Relays on Sunday, Jan. 13.

Though Brandeis has had some great coaches over the years, it’s safe to say that men’s soccer coach Michael Coven—this year’s National Soccer Coaches’ Association of America Division III New England men’s coach of the year—is one of a kind.

Four years after coming to Waltham to take over the men’s soccer program in 1972, Coven’s squad won the 1976 NCAA Division III National Championship against The College at Brockport: State University of New York. Eight years later, his team lost a close 2-1 overtime decision to Illinois’ Wheaton College.

Since then, he has guided the Judges to Eastern Collegiate Athletic Confer-

ence Championships in 2006, 2010 and 2011.

And while this year’s team didn’t make it to a championship game, it certainly had a season to remember.

The squad went 16-2-1 in the regular season, and finished in a four-way tie for University Athletic Association champion with Carnegie Mellon University, Emory University and Washington University in St. Louis.

Then, in its first NCAA Division III Tournament appearance since 1985, the Judges beat Baruch College and Vassar College at home in the first two rounds before falling in the Sweet Sixteen to Williams College to finish 18-3-1.

“This was one of my favorite years of coaching, so I’m thrilled to receive this great honor,” said Coven in a statement from the Brandeis Athletics website. “I was blessed with a great group of seniors and unbelievable fan support that made this season a pleasure.”

Coven’s players received postseason recognition, too. Midfielder Sam

Ocel ’13 was named a New England Division III first team all-star, UAA Most Valuable Player and NSCAA Divsion III All-American. Defender Joe Eisenbies ’13 was named a New England Division III first team allstar and first team All-UAA. Forward Lee Russo ’13 was also named to the New England Division III second team and second team All-UAA. Though Coven was happy to be recognized, he was quick to credit the work of assistant coach Gabe Margolis.

“It’s my honor and [his] honor,” he said in an interview with the Justice.

“The UAA calls it ‘Coaching Staff of the Year,’ and I like that label. Realistically, I wouldn’t get this award if it wasn’t for Gabe. He deserves it as much as me.”

Coven plans to recognize Margolis when the two travel to the NSCAA All-American Banquet for Coven’s recognition, which is slated to be held Jan. 16 to Jan. 20 in Indianapolis, Ind. “We will [receive] the award together,” he said.

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS BEAT Red Sox attempting to strengthen lineup with big-name signings after lackluster regular season The Boston Red Sox—only months after trading away nearly one quarter of a billion dollars in salary money—are in the full swing of rebuilding mode. General manager Ben Cherington, just in time for the holiday season, has put together a noteworthy off-season to date—even if some question marks still exist for the Red Sox. The Red Sox knew that coming into this month’s Winter Meetings, the team had plenty of holes to fill.

High profile free agents, general managers and other staff people converge at a Nashville hotel for three days in December. General managers and other major league baseball personnel attend the Winter Meetings to sign top-tier free agents to contracts and, every once in a while, help bring about a blockbuster move.

Cherington and the Red Sox had two goals this off-season: improve both the offense and the starting pitching. The Red Sox offense was only slightly above the league average in runs scored, scoring just 13 more runs than the league average while also posting a team batting average of .260, just five points above the league norm.

In stark contrast, the starting rotation recorded a sub-par season.

The Red Sox team 4.70 ERA was the fourth-worst team ERA across baseball, and they gave up an astounding 806 runs, far above the MLB average of 701.

Cherington has made great strides this off-season in improving the offense. He has addressed some of the Red Sox’ biggest holes in the offense, signing free agent catcher Mike Na-

poli and outfielder Shane Victorino during the winter meetings. He had already signed outfielder Jonny Gomes and catcher David Ross, both welcome additions in their respective positions. The story, however, lies with Napoli and Victorino.

Napoli, who two years ago set a career high with 30 home runs and a .320 batting average, still managed 24 home runs last year, and finished the season with an on-base percentage of .812, earning himself a spot on the American League all-star team.

Napoli, who split his time last year between catcher and first base, will be primarily used as a first baseman for the Red Sox. With a .947 fielding percentage at first base, he will help shore up offensive production that was lacking after the departure of first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

Victorino, praised for his speed and contributions at the top of the lineup, split his time between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Los Angeles Dodgers last year, where he had an on-base percentage of .321. In fact, he is only two years removed from a gold glove in center field.

Signing Victorino allows new manager John Farrell flexibility in setting up the dynamics of his outfield.

Farrell will pair Victorino with Jacoby Ellsbury, givingthe Red Sox a formidable combination of Victorino, Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia at the top of the lineup.

Cherington did not overlook the pitching, though, in the course of his spending spree this winter. He also signed free agent relief pitcher Koji Uehara to a one-year deal. Uehara allowed only seven runs in the 36

innings he pitched all season, and struck out almost 11 batters per nine innings. Uehara will help solidify a weak Red Sox bullpen that only saved 61 percent of all games last year.

Coming into the off-season, Cherington had a clear goal for the Red Sox, and so far he has converted that goal into reality. While he has yet to address the starting rotation, he has vastly improved the offense in signing Napoli and Victorino and helped shore up the bullpen by adding Uehara. Moving forward, the offense only needs a few minor tweaks. Cherington will spend the rest of the winter, then, with a focus on improving whatever remnants of a starting rotation the Red Sox used last season.

— Avi Gold

just

Sports

Page 16

A FITTING END TO A GREAT YEAR Head men’s soccer coach Michael Coven was recognized as New England Division III Coach of the Year by the NSCAA, p. 15.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Waltham, Mass.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

WOMEN’S BASKETBALl

Squad unable to recover from Judges slow start in loss to Amherst fall at home versus Hawks

■ Despite beating MCLA at

home on Wednesday, the team was not able to beat Amherst on the road.

By JACOB MOSKOWITZ JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Last season, the Amherst College men’s basketball team traveled to Brandeis as the second-ranked team in Division III. The Judges sent them home with a resounding 76-61 victory, which led excited fans to storm the court.

Last Saturday, the two teams faced off again. This time, No. 10 Amherst had its revenge, defeating Brandeis 76-64 at Amherst College in a game in which the Judges never led. The loss ends the Judges’ winning streak at seven and brings their record to 7-2.

This team has had its struggles on the road. They went 4-7 on the road and 8-5 at home last year. Two seasons ago, they were 7-7 on the road and 10-2 at home.

This year, Brandeis is off to a rocky start as well. They have scrapped together a 5-0 record at home but have managed to go just 2-2 on the road so far.

“I think we have a tendency to come out flat in the first half on the road,” guard Ben Bartoldus ’14 said. “When we come out flat we put ourselves in a hole that we spend the whole second half trying to get out of. This tendency is why we struggle.”

The Judges got off to a slow start on Saturday, trailing 11-3 just three minutes, 33 seconds into the game. The lead stretched to 10 points after Lord Jeffs senior guard Allen Williamson drained a three pointer to give Amherst a 24-14 lead with 10:19 to go in the first half.

Center Wouter van der Eng ’13 cut the lead to just two, 26-24, with his two free throws at the 6:49 mark, but the Judges never got closer than that.

Brandeis found itself with a 39-31 deficit at halftime.

The second half did not prove to be any better for Brandeis. They again started off slowly, and following a Williamson layup to stretch the lead to 54-38 with 14:10 left in the game, coach Brian Meehan called a timeout.

Point guard Gabe Moton ’14 cut the lead to seven with 8:05 left, forcing a 30-second timeout by Amherst. The two teams played relatively evenly the rest of the way, and Brandeis managed to come within six points but could never get over that hump.

Moton led the way with 21 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Bartoldus added 14 points and the two starting

■ Despite playing a strong

first half, the team was not able to keep its lead and fell to visiting Roger Williams.

By BEN FREUDMAN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

JOSH HOROWITZ/the Justice

RISING HIGH: Forward Alex Stoyle ’14 goes for a shot during his team’s game against the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. guards combined for 55 percent of the Judges scoring. Center Youri Dascy ’14 managed just four points and one rebound in 19 minutes.

Meehan turned to the bench early and often in this contest, with all but two starters struggling to find any rhythm offensively. Van der Eng played 18 minutes off the bench and scored seven points to go along with his two rebounds, two assists and one block. Guard Colby Smith ’16 played 27 minutes off the bench, replacing the struggling guard Derek Retos ’14 throughout the game. Retos scored just two points and shot 0-4 from beyond the three-point arc.

Bartoldus noted that the Judges' issues with fouling caused Meehan to rotate players in and out.

“We ran into foul trouble relatively early and had trouble in certain areas offensively,” he said. “We rotated guys

in to try and provide a spark, ultimately it didn't work out the way in which we planned.”

Last Wednesday, the Judges defeated the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 86-65 in a non-conference home game. The Judges’ sloppy play in the first half resulted in just a twopoint lead at halftime, up 34-32. However, they made 65 percent of their shots from the field—including 16 of their first 22--leading to a 52-point outburst in the second half.

Bartoldus led the Judges with 18 points and seven rebounds. Forward Alex Stoyle ’14 scored 13 points and dished out five assists. Dascy tallied 12 points, and Retos had 10 to round out the starting five.

Last Tuesday, Brandeis defeated Lasell College on the road, 72-56. The Judges took a 31-15 lead into halftime thanks to 11 straight points from Retos

to hand Brandeis a 20-14 edge.

The teams played the second half to a draw. Lasell cut the lead to seven twice, but Dascy and Retos answered each time for the Judges.

Retos led the way with 28 points, tying a career high. He made seven three-pointers for the second game in a row.

Moton scored 12 points and dished out three assists. He and Retos were the only two players to score in double figures for the Judges. Dascy had nine points and eight rebounds in just 25 minutes. Forward Connor Arnold ’14 grabbed eight rebounds off the bench.

Brandeis travels to Framingham State University tonight at 8 p.m. They play their last non-conference game at Bates College on Dec. 29 and begin University Athletic Association play at home against New York University on Jan. 5, 2013.

INTRAMURAL SPORTS

Volleyball finals prove to be thrilling culmination to yet another exciting Intramural Sports season On the night of Dec. 5, the Brandeis University Intramural volleyball world came to a head as the three divisions, men’s, women’s and coed, squared off in their respective championship games to end an exciting intramural sports season.

In the men’s division final, which contained two sets, Of Mike and Men beat Don’t Tell Dan Gad two games to zero games by scores of 25-21 and 25-16, respectively. The Mecca of Intramurals, the championship, was filled with high competition and some fireworks as both teams vied for that elusive championship T-shirt.

Hard-hitting yet quietly elo-

quent, Mike Swerdloff ’13 of Of Mike and Men just outmatched and outplayed Don’t Tell Dan Gad, leading his team to victory.

The coed final was one for the ages as CTMB rose like a phoenix and came back to win the match after dropping the first set to Bump Set Mike, which displayed killer instinct in dominating the first set.

CTMB won the match 2-1, by scores of 25-27, 25-11 and 15-9. Though CTMB featured a cohesive team performance in executing the victory, the performance of volleyball players Bella Hu ’13 and Lauren Berens ’13 was just too much for Bump Set Mike to handle.

In an equally exciting match in

the women’s division, Airborne defeated Practice Safe Sets 2-1 by scores of 19-25, 25-21 and 15-9 to earn themselves the title of Intramural Champions. Jolie Whitebook ’13 and Stephanie Anciro ’16 led the way for Airborne with a series of sets and spikes, and ultimately sealed the match for their team.

Although there was quite a bit of passion evident out on the court given the stage of competition, it appeared that overall, the season was successful in terms of balancing competition with enjoyment of the game.

Intramural veteran and six-time champion Pat Seaward ’13 shared his thoughts on the season quoting

Sun Su; “‘The art of war teaches us to rely not on the likelihood of the enemy’s coming, but on our own readiness to receive him; not on the chance of his not attacking, but rather on the fact that we have made our position unassailable.’ I think this quote perfectly sums up what I saw out there on the volleyball courts in 2012.”

With the Intramural volleyball season concluded, the next competitions are table tennis and then badminton and basketball after the break. The Intramural Sports would like to thank all participants for a fun and exciting tournament.

— Courtesy of Intramural Sports

The women’s basketball squad has succeeded when the offense has gained momentum. In the Judges’ victories this year, the squads have tallied 89, 50 and 71 points. However, Brandeis failed to eclipse the 60-point mark this past week and, as a result, lost two out of its three games.

While defeating Endicott College by a score of 59-48 on Thursday, the squad suffered losses at the hands of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth and Roger Williams University by margins of 50-49 and 54-47. The team, after the defeats, drops to 4-5 on the season.

Brandeis surged to a quick start in the match against Roger Williams, boasting a 27-21 lead at the half. Yet, no Judge had more than five points heading into the locker room. The Hawks capitalized, roaring out on a 7-0 run to begin the second half, outscoring the Judges by 13 en route to a 54-47 victory. The Judges only shot eight for 26 from the field, recording a 31 percent field goal percentage.

However, Brandeis struggled to combat Roger Williams’ full court press, which they utilized with great regularity in the second half.

The Judges were stunned, and in a second half in which they performed inconsistently on offense, did not have an answer.

Many of the Judges’ offensive plays in the second half seemed to be identical. After bringing the ball up the floor, the Judges’ guards would repeatedly overlook wideopen players in the paint for easy baskets. However, much credit must go to the visiting Hawks for their enduring defense that left Brandeis without answers.

Guard Hannah Cain ’15 led the charge for the Judges with 11 points, six of which came in the second half. Forward Nicolina Vitale ’14 added a season-high eight points from the bench while forward Samantha Anderson ’13 chipped in six rebounds.

The Judges’ fate on Thursday, however, proved to be a different story. Seven players on the squad totaled five or more points against Endicott. Guard Kasey Dean ’14 emerged as the key contributor in this victory, compiling a line of 10 points, six rebounds, four assists and four steals. Cain added 11 points and five boards, while forward Erika Higginbottom ’13 posted nine points and seven rebounds and two blocks. Guard Samantha Mancinelli ’16 had an imposing performance in the second half that helped Brandeis seal the

See WBBALL, 13 ☛

just just

ARTS

February11, 7, 2012 December 2012

Giraffes turn 10 P. 20 Photos and design by: Olivia Pobiel/the Justice.

18

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012 ● THE JUSTICE

POP CULTURE

INSIDE ON CAMPUS

19-21

■ Brandeis Cares

19

National fundraiser for AIDS comes to Brandeis, featuring student performers.

■ Brandeis Wellesley Concert 19

The inter-school orchestra brings European folk-tales to life in Slosberg.

■ SCRAM Column

19

Art enthusiast explains the work of Bruce Conner that is on display at the Rose.

■ Rather Be Giraffes

20

The student a cappella group rocks the house at its fall semester show.

■ Voicemale Semester Show

20

“Steamy Winter” a cappella performance ends fall season on a high note.

■ New Rose Exhibitions

21

■ Russian Jewish Play

21

Rose director discusses future exhibitions and new artwork acquisitions.

Performance of Doroga experiments with unprecedented theatrical techniques.

23

OFF CAMPUS ■ Family Christmas Movie

23

The Fitzgerald Family Christmas touches upon family values but fails to blow minds.

■ ‘The Words’ Review

23

The Words intrigues viewers but ultimately lacks character development and substance.

CALENDAR

Interview

by Erica Cooperberg

I’m happy to report that for the final column of this semester, I have the year’s biggest news to announce: Kate Middleton is pregnant! The royal news was officially announced by the palace last Monday, prompting an end to the “Is she/Isn’t she?” rumor mill that’s been spinning since the couple wed in one of 2011’s most lavish and elaborate ceremonies.

The announcement of a new royal baby seems to be the missing piece in the duo’s perfect puzzle: the current Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are college sweethearts, and the British and international public alike have been enamored with the modern-day love story of royalty and commoner. Regardless of the gender of the new addition the baby will be heir to the throne. As Prime Minister David Cameron explained, “Put simply, if the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were to have a little girl, that girl would one day be our queen.”

While the entirety of the pop culture world spent the past week buzzing over potential baby names and just how many buns Kate has in the oven, the expectant mum has been cooped up at King Edward VII Hospital in London after suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum. Basically, Kate is suffering from a “rare but acute” form of morning sickness that results in dehydration and weight loss. Experts also claim that since the illness can be associated with having twins, which indicates that the British style icon is possibly carrying more than one heir.

Not sure if I buy an explanation based in such uncertainties, but it’s fun to imagine!

Unfortunately, news of Will and Kate as parents-to-be was overshadowed by another event– the now-infamous prank call that resulted in a nurse’s apparent suicide. On Dec. 4, one day after the palace’s huge announcement, DJ’s Mel Greig and Michael Christian from Australia’s 2DayFM, phoned the hospital where Kate was staying. The hosts impersonated Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, with the hopes that they would end up speaking directly with either

Rosen reflects about AIDS fundraiser  Joey Rosen ’14, who coordinated this year’s Brandeis Cares show, explains his motives, goals and hopes for future performances.

Nick Warner/ Creative Commons

BABY JOY : Kate’s pregnancy fulfills expectations. of the expectant parents. The innocently-intentioned prank became foul play when Jacintha Saldanha, the nurse who initially answered the “hoax call,” was found dead this past Thursday in a suspected suicide.

For their part, the disk jockeys are removing themselves from the situation as best they can. Australian media company Southern Cross Austereo released a statement expressing their sympathies to the family of Saldanha and “all that have been affected by this situation around the world.” It adds that the hosts “have decided that they will not return to their radio show until further notice out of respect for what can only be described as a tragedy.”

Since there is currently no conclusive evidence that Saldanha’s death was linked to the radio prank, the situation begs the question—is anyone at fault here? Was anyone acting in the wrong? Hopefully, this tragedy will be put to rest so we can all focus on the real reason 2012 was so great–Kate’s pregnancy!

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

ON-CAMPUS EVENTS Brandeis Improv Collective

Prof. Tom Hall (MUS) directs this group of improv musicians, with a jazz edge, they just make it up as they go along. It’s been said that this group is the best. No program, just pure improv to the core. Come catch the groove.

Today at 7 p.m. in Slosberg Music Center.

Opening reception: Senior Studio Show

Enjoy the fall semester’s work in painting, drawing, sculpture and printmaking. On view through Jan. 28, 2013.

Wednesday from 5 to 7 p.m. in Dreitzer Gallery, Spingold Theater Center.

Annual “Messiah” Sing The community brings the cheer, and the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra and University Chorus bring their musical expertise to a participatory holiday performance of Handel’s “Messiah.” Scores are provided.

Thursday at 4 p.m. in Shapiro Campus Ctr.

OFF-CAMPUS EVENTS Holiday Pops Concert

Experience a holiday season celebration with Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Orchestra this December. You and your family are invited to historic Symphony Hall Dec. 5 to 24 when it will be transformed into a magical place for all ages.

Be part of the traditional Pops sing-a-long, and enjoy a visit from jolly old St. Nick! Join together with the thousands of others and order your tickets early for upcoming concerts which include special kids matinee performances.

Next available show time is today at 8 p.m. at the Symphony Hall in Boston. Tickets range from $29 to $94.

Actors’ Shakespeare Project:

Two Gentlemen of Verona smacks of youthfulness and young love in this romantic comedy perfect for the holidays. Love is idealized by the characters and even comically caricatured by the author.

Join ASP’s lively contemporary production as we investigate Renaissance notions of love in a modern contemporary context.

Experience the abandon of young lovers and the sage perspective of comic wits and foiled nobility complete with live music, lyrical poetry and a wonderful twist of an ending.

Wednesday, Dec. 12, at 7:30 p.m. at the Davis Square Theater in Somerville, MA.

Chicago Tribune/MCT Campus

MR. BRIGHTSIDE: Lead singer Brandon Flowers and the Killers will be performing in Boston.

Bazaar Bizarre Boston

For the past eleven years, Bazaar Bizarre Boston has offered handmade goodness to the people of Boston (and beyond) during its winter fair. This, the twelfth BBB, is sure to be the best one yet. Bazaar Bizarre is a Boston tradition. Held in the Cyclorama in the South End, this all-day event is a shopping spectacle. Right before the holidays, it’s a great way to kick off your gift shopping and a place to find unique, end-of-the-year treasures for yourself.

Sunday, Dec. 16 from 12 to 6 p.m. at 539 Tremont Street in Boston. Entrance fee is $1.

ДLeonard Cohen at the Wang Theater

One of the most fascinating and enigmatic if not the most successful—singer/songwriters of the late ‘60s, Leonard Cohen has retained an audience across four decades of music-making interrupted by various digressions into personal and creative exploration, all of which have only added to the mystique surrounding him. Seeing him in concert is a special experience.

Sunday, Dec. 16 at 8 p.m. at the Wang Theater in the Citi Performing Arts Center in Boston. Tickets range from $75 to $253.75.

Arnez J Comedy Show Arnez J is quickly emerging as one of the hottest, most talked about comedic artists in the game.

His raw energy, talent and comedic skill quickly landed Arnez the coveted hosting slot on BET’s longest-running comedy series, Comic View, for two seasons, joining the ranks of hosts such as D.L. Hughley and Cedric the Entertainer.

Friday, Dec. 14 at 10 p.m. at the Wilbur Theater in Boston. Tickets from $22.50 to $35.

The Killers at Agganis Arena

Las Vegas rock quartet The Killers will play Boston’s Agganis Arena in support of their recently released album Battle Born.

Monday, Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m. at the Agganis Arena in Boston.

Boston Ballet’s ‘Nutcracker’

The Boston Ballet’s new “Nutcracker,” with its sleek and bejeweled costumes and spa-

cious, regal sets, brings a softness and light — a wistful knowingness — to the venerable holiday classic. It, like artistic director Mikko Nissinen’s past version, is all about the dancing, not just an homage to pageantry and mime (though no worries: There’s plenty of magic afoot). This production celebrates its closing night.

Closes on Sunday, Dec. 30 at the Boston Opera House in Boston. Tickets from $35.

My Morning Jacket at Agganis Arena

My Morning Jacket, famous for their massive, stadium sound, frontman Jim James’ wild falsetto and their fantastic records, will rock Boston’s Agganis Arena, having not stopped touring since the release of their previous album, 2011’s Circuital.

My Morning Jacket, considered one of the top touring acts of the modern rock era, have both opened for top artists such as Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers as well as headlined shows at massive venues such as Madison Square Garden.

Monday, Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m. the Agganis Arena in Boston. Tickets cost $60.

Closing Night of ‘Memphis’ Turn up that dial ... From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, comes a hot new Broadway musical that bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love.

Inspired by actual events, Memphis is about a white radio DJ who wants to change the world and a black club singer who is ready for her big break. Come along for the closing night of this incredible production!

Sunday, Dec. 23 at 6:30 at the Colonial Theater in Boston. Tickets from $34.

JustArts sat down last Friday with Joey Rosen ’14 to discuss the Brandeis Cares event that featured the talents of our students.

JustArts: This is Brandeis Cares’ third installment. What is this event, how did you initially get involved and how did you come to get such a huge leadership role?

Joey Rosen: Actually this is its third year on campus. It was on last semester, so technically this is its fourth installment. But, so I got involved when I ran for vice president of Tympanium Euphorium Musical Theater Company.

I’ve been involved in theater with the 24-hour Musical, and lot’s of tech, and putting stuff together is kind of my forte I guess. So Brandeis Cares is Tympanium Euphorium’s extension of Broadway Cares, where Broadway puts on a show to benefit AIDS research and the way we do it is we have a collection, kind of a cabaret of acts. Mostly songs from different musicals, however this year I tried to expand it and we invited a couple different alternative performers … there’s an original song, a tap-dance number and not necessarily other songs from Broadway, I guess, but songs that fit the theme.

The idea is that Tympanium Euphorium extends to the community, and we use musical performance to bring the community together.

JA: Is Brandeis Cares directly affiliated with Broadway Cares?

JR: We send our proceeds to them, and they help us with some funding. This year they donated some money to get some show posters and one of our executive board members is friends with the piano player of Phantom of the Opera and we actually got some Broadway tickets that we are auctioning off tonight.

JA: What performances are you most excited about seeing at the event?

JR: I don’t like to pick favorites [laughs] but Top Score is doing two numbers. They’re doing Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables, and Les Mis is big because the show, the movie is coming out and Phantom of the Opera currently just broke the record for the longest running show on Broadway and probably the most successful, so they’re kind of the most popular, I’d say. And, otherwise, we just have a lot of talent coming from different places. The majority [is] from the theater community, but we’ve also got some outside surprises this year. So we’re looking forward to it.

JA: Where do you think Brandeis will take the fight against AIDS after Brandeis Cares?

JR: So, in between now and the next annual show, we’re hoping to spread some more awareness and collaborate more with the [Brandeis Face AIDS] group on campus. Just because Broadway has a close affiliation, we feel like trying to bring that affiliation here because we’re kind of, I guess you could say, a minor extension from Broadway and so [we feel like] kind of bringing that microcosm [to] campus.

JA: How did you become so interested in theater?

JR: I started out as a techie. I did 24-Hour Musical my sophomore year. I was okay at it.

I had a lot of fun doing run-crew and kind of diving around backstage. Building things has always been a hobby of mine. I’m not much of an actor, but I just love the theater in general and being behind the scenes.

JA: What’s your favorite show?

JR: [My] favorite Broadway show is definitely Phantom of the Opera.

JA: Have you seen it on Broadway?

JR: I have seen an in-concert version on Broadway and I’ve watched performances of it and live recordings and everything of the show. It’s amazing. Hopefully I’ll actually get to go and see the show in person.

JA: Do you plan on pursuing a career in the industry after graduation?

JR: I haven’t thought about that much yet.

For me, I look at theater from kind of the behind-the-scenes side, and I really like the business side of it. It’s a really volatile and difficult career to go into the business side of theater, and the acting side as well, but I find that I’d be more suited for the business side.

JA: How can Brandeis Cares grow and develop in the future?

JR: Every year we’ve had a steady growth of people. Last March, we filled Sherman Function Hall, so we set some more places out and we hope to see a bigger turnout. We have a lot of big performing names on campus. We’re hoping that next year we’re can try to expand to a bigger show, inviting more members of the community than just the regular theater troupes. [We want to get] everyone involved.

—Eli Kaminsky

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, december 11, 2012

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ROSE ART MUSEUM

CHARITABLE PERFORMANCE JON EDELSTEIN/the Justice

HELPING HAND: Caley Chase ’16 encourages Ray Trott ’16 during a duet performance of the song “You’re the Top.”

Eccentric exhibit on display at the Rose ■ Eclectic artist’s long relationship with Rose Art Museum endures because of his unconventional artistic tastes and unforgettable personality.

By DANI DEMITROVA SPECIAL TO THE JUSTICE

Brandeis Cares fights AIDS ■ The collaborative musical

and theater performance served to raise funds for AIDS awareness.

By ELI KAMINSKY JUSTICE editorial assistant

As the lights dimmed on Friday, Dec. 7 in Levin Ballroom, Rachel Benjamin ’14, Jason Dick ’14 and Marlee Rosenthal ’14 took the stage, delivering a powerful rendition of “The I Love You Song” from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee that captivated the audience. The number was the opener for the fourth Brandeis Cares fundraiser, a collaboration with Broadway Cares, a nonprofit organization that raises funds and awareness about AIDS. The event, coordinated by Joey Rosen ’14, was a series of musical and theatrical performances by various student and other troupes.

As Rosen elaborated in an interview with the Justice, the proceeds

from the evening were sent to the Broadway Cares organization that has been raising money in support of AIDS research since 1988. After the first act, Bethany Adam ’15 and John Schnorrenberg ’14 called Dick back onto the stage to act as a third master of ceremonies with them.

The three used their strong comedic chemistry and playful banter to fill gaps within the program.

The first section of Brandeis Cares included several performances of songs from Broadway musicals. Caley Chase ’16 and Ray Trott ’16 performed an exuberant duet of “You’re the Top” from Anything Goes, jumping from chairs, moving across the stage and energetically interacting with each other. Following “You’re the Top” the all-female a cappella group Up the Octave creatively and stunningly performed 1980s rock band Journey’s hit “Lights.”

One of the more eccentric acts of the night was the Hooked on Tap tap-dance squad’s rattling swing number that had the stage clacking

and the crowd clapping.

Following the fifteen-minute intermission, Rosen introduced representatives from Brandeis Face AIDS, an on-campus club supporting the fight against HIV/ AIDS. The group, which recently commemorated World AIDS Day on Dec. 1, sold pins at the event to raise money for a health center in Rwanda, which employs HIVpositive women in order to save them from working in the illicit sex trade.

Rosen then prefaced the second section of Brandeis Cares, stating that “One of the most important parts of Broadway is the Broadway Pit.” Brandeis University’s own student orchestra, Top Score, which performs pieces from various films and musicals rather than classical compositions, then took the stage. The group performed medleys from the well-known productions Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables.

Though the event opened strongly, its ending shined just as

brightly. Brian Haungs ’15, Danny Steinberg ’15 and Sarah Minkoff’s ’14 adorable “I Think You’re Swell” from Victorious featured lyrics like “If you’re Puff the Magic Dragon, then I’m Peter Paul & Mary,” that could have come straight out of the 2007 award-winning film Juno.

Brandeis Cares closed on a remarkable note with a near perfect three-way a cappella performance of “Up the Ladder to the Roof” from Everyday Rapture by Ell Getz ’13, Abby Armstrong ’13 and Erica Rabner ’13. These lovely ladies displayed an astonishing handle on vocal power and control that left the audience in awe and amazement. That statement can truly be applied to every act of the night.

Each group of thespians boasted a different set of talents and interests, making the event diverse, interesting and not dull for a moment. The event brought together an exciting array of flair in support of such a relevant cause, combining Brandeis’ focus on the arts as well as social justice.

CONCERT REVIEW

Orchestra showcases European tastes ■ With inspiration ranging

from fairy tales to war victories, Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra diversifies musical story.

By YEHUDA HAREL JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Sunday night, the little hall in Slosberg Music Center struggled to contain the music performed by the BrandeisWellesley Orchestra. They played selections from Hansel & Gretel, Vltava (The Moldau) and the “1812 Overture.”

These three pieces come from three distinct countries: Germany, Czechoslovakia, and Russia. Prof. Neil Hampton (MUS), the conductor said a few words before the “1812 Overture,” comparing the concert to a voyage across the European countryside. His comparison seems correct, considering Hansel and Gretel get lost in a German forest, Vltava is a river that runs through Bohemia, part of the Czech Republic and “1812” interprets the French Campaign through the Russian Countryside.

The concert began with Hansel & Gretel, an opera based on the story from Grimm’s Fairytales, adapted by Engelbert Humperdinck. Instead of hiding in a pit, the orchestra took center stage, with the singers walking on to sing their roles. The singers each acted their parts, but the star of the show was clearly the orchestra. When the music began, I immediately felt a relationship between the forest referred to by the music and the orchestra performing the music. At times I forgot I was in the hall as the sounds took the form of the story. There Han-

sel was picking berries with Gretel, while the forest was getting darker.

The music was condensing time, and the story seemed to pass in stages, with each flux in rhythm referring to another passing hour.

When Hansel, Prof. Pamela Dellal (MUS), and Gretel, (Andrea Matthews, Professor of Music at Wellesley), walked on, I was struck by the fact that two older women were chosen to play the roles of children. However, they approached the music with such enthusiasm that I was again engaged in the story, and I could link their two voices to the imaginary children. Tamar Forman-Gejrot ’16 sung the “Sandman’s Aria” sweetly, changing the mood to the calm night of the woods that invites the children to sleep. The Dew Fairy (Elizabeth Crisenbery, a master student in Musicology) brought with her the morning light to wake the children, singing punctually with the orchestra. The witch (Marion Dry, Professor of Music at Wellesley) was well performed, as the singer seemed to conduct the music with sudden movements of her arms, empowering the witch she was playing. Sitting close to the front, I was hoping she wouldn’t mistake me for Hansel. The piece ended triumphantly with Hansel and Gretel pushing the witch into the oven.

A nationalistic spirit characterized the next two pieces. “Vltava” is the second of six symphonic poems under the title of “Ma vlast” (My Fatherland) composed by the Czech musician Bedrich Smetana. I have heard this piece many times before, and I always felt it was very personal despite its nationalistic reference. Brought to life again in Slosberg, I felt it maintained its vigor,

OLIVIA POBIEL/the Justice

ALL TOGETHER, NOW: The orchestra recreates childhood story “Hansel and Gretel.” and the strings kept playing the difficult passages in complete unison.

The conductor developed the pacing and included his own interpretation in the piece. When the melody was introduced, it sounded free and almost uncontrolled, like the very river it was describing. Every time the melody retuned the notes sounded more deliberate and definite. This emphasis gave each return to the melody a more developed character. I felt like the piece was maturing during the performance, just as a child’s personality traits solidify through the passing years.

The “1812 Overture” is a sweeping depiction of the invasion of the French into Russian territory. The piece begins with only a few members of the orchestra, reflecting the image of an army approaching in the distance.

Once the rest of the orchestra joins in, the piece is almost frightening in

its description of movement, synchronizing rhythms, pointing to the massive movements of an army through wide plains, from the foot soldiers and the cannons, to the officers on their horses. The French national anthem rings in at certain points, identifying the French army through the melody of the music. Electronic canons blast through when the anthem “God Save the Tsar” sounds, reflecting the coming victory for the Russians. The performance successfully brought to life the war between the French and Russians through the music of Tchaikovsky.

Overall, I left the concert quite enthralled. These pieces were each played well, and each member of the orchestra seemed engaged in the material. The result was a lively concert and a standing ovation that challenged the very cannons preceding it.

This article is part of an ongoing series about the Rose Art Museum written by members of the Student Committee of the Rose Art Museum.

Meet Bruce Conner: he faked his own death for a prank … twice, ran for office in San Francisco and his major policy speech consisted of a list of desserts (he won 5228 votes!).

He sent out Christmas cards with pins saying “I am Bruce Conner” to all the people in the United States who bore the same name as him, and the list goes on and on.

The abundance of funny stories surrounding Conner makes it very easy to forget that he was a great artist who was one of the pioneers of new genres like the music video and the art of assemblage.

At the same time, only focusing on the artist and not on the interesting man he also was can make us forget that art is not just about being quiet and reverent at a museum but also being passionate and engaged with the art work.

Conner, who hated going to the openings of his own shows so much that he handed out the “I am Bruce Conner” pins in the first few minutes and then left (he claimed the contractual obligation of Bruce Conner being present was being more than fulfilled) is the perfect reminder of the multitude of ways people can experience viewing artwork.

Going to an exhibit doesn’t have to be about knowing a ton of facts about the history behind a painting or having to figure out exactly what the artist meant. Visiting a museum is a very personal experience and while some may enjoy going to gala dinners and grand openings, it doesn’t mean all are obliged to feel the same way.

The fact that Conner, whose work is exhibited in places like the Museums of Modern Art in New York and San Francisco, really disliked formal openings is a testament to that fact. If you are one of the people who loves quiet reflection in museums, that is fine, but so is just going to the Rose with an open mind to enjoy some really beautiful art work (like Bruce Conner would)!

A little-known fact on campus is that Conner had his first solo museum exhibition at the Rose in 1965. The show was called “Bruce Conner: Sculptures/Assemblages/ Drawings/Film,” and it was one of many risky exhibits the museum put on over the years. Why was it risky? Nowadays Conner’s work has been on view alongside pieces by Marcel Duchamp, Robert Rauschenberg, and Andy Warhol, all incredibly well-known and renowned artists.

The museum director at the time then took a risk because he chose to showcase the work of a man who wasn’t well-known and now, as a result, the museum owns three pieces – “Light shower,” “EVERAY-FOREVER” and a small collage, by Conner, an artist who is in art history textbooks.

These works of art deal with issues like death, sexuality and how desensitized humans can get by the media. These issues are all incredibly relevant to this day. Nowadays acclaimed to be one of the fathers of the music video, Conner’s works can provide a different point of view on life and on what the museum experience should be.

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TUESDAY, december 11, 2012

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THE JUSTICE

TRIP TO THE ZOO OLIVIA POBIEL/the Justice

ANIMAL BEHAVIOR: Lilah Zohar ’14 performs “Faster” by Matt Nathanson at the Rather Be Giraffes semester show.

RBG rocks 10th anniversary concert ■ A cappella group Rather

Be Giraffes delivers another strong performance at its fall semester show.

By jessie miller JUSTICE editor

As I settled into my seat in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater last Sunday, images of past Rather Be Giraffes memories played across the large projection screen—from previous performances to behind the scene moments. The coed a cappella group also played songs from their album, mostly featuring songs from last year. As I heard “The General” by Dispatch playing, it reminded me of RBG shows I saw last year and immediately put me in an a cappella mindset. The show this semester was called Rather Be Giraffes Travels Through Time, in honor of its 10th anniversary as a group.

The show began with the three new members, Ryan MulvihillPretak ’16, Kyle Davis ’16 and Dani Glasgow ’16, standing apart from the rest of the group. As part of their initiation, they were tasked with finding their lost mascot, Roxy the Giraffe. Somehow, they stumbled upon a time machine equipped with pop culture objects that allowed them to travel to any time period. With each time period that they visited, they met a different member of RBG. The theme behind each character was cleverly

related and integrated into the song that each member had a solo in.

Not only can the 13 members of RBG belt out some great tunes, but their short skits were also creatively written and provided for smooth transitions between unrelated songs. After having heard RBG perform several times at coffeehouses and in Cholmondeley’s, I found it pleasant to hear them perform in an actual theater with better acoustics and a real stage. Additionally, several of the members performed different songs than they did last year, allowing the singers to show off more of their vocal prowess.

Last year, Deanna Heller ’15 performed “Bulletproof” by La Roux, but this year, she sang “Love, Save the Empty” by Erin McCarley. I thought this song better showed off Heller’s range and beautiful voice, and her voice sounded stronger and more confident. Her character was Cindy-Lou Who, agreeing to join the time travelers because the Grinch stole the Christmas presents, just like in the famous movie.

Allen Ganjei ’15 next performed “Bones,” originally by The Killers, dressed as Harry Potter. I could not have imagined a better performance from his character impersonation to his pitch. Ganjei had also improved his performance of “Bones” since the last time I heard him perform, so I enjoyed hearing one of my favorite songs with an RBG, a cappella-style twist.

In the final song of the first act, Nicole Wittels ’15 performed “Some Nights” by Fun., the main

act at SpringFest last year. After hearing Wittels in a few musicals as a supporting role over the past year, I thought it was a nice change to hear her individual voice leading the group in a popular, catchy song.

The next act featured four more songs soloed by Kate Davis ’14, Dillon Fleming ’14, Karan Malik ’15 and Sophie Golomb ’13. Davis has been performing “That Man” by Caro Emerald since the first time I heard RBG perform last year, but this was the best version I’ve heard her sing thus far because of her powerful voice.

At the end of the show, the three first-years found Roxy and the rest of RBG revealed the true reason for their quest: each character they encountered represented the theme of a past RBG semester show, from Harry Potter to Disney princesses theme. In light of the group’s 10th anniversary, the allusions to past shows represented the history of RBG in a creative fashion.

Another interesting aspect of the 10th anniversary show was the guest appearances of alumni group members. At the very end of the show, both current members and alumni all went on stage and performed “’Til I Hear It From You” by Gin Blossoms. It may not have been the best performance of the night, but the group camaraderie made up for the lack of vocal unison.

Once again, RBG delivered a funfilled, entertaining performance that showed off the diverse talents of each member.

OLIVIA POBIEL/the Justice

MAKING MAGIC: Allen Ganjei ’15 performs “Bones”, originally by The Killers, while dressed as Harry Potter with the trademark scar, glasses and wand.

STUDENT PERFORMANCE

Voicemale’s perfomance heats up a cold night ■ At its semester show,

Steamy Winter, the all-male a cappella group delivered a dazzling vocal delight.

By rachel hughes JUSTICE editorial assistant

“Would you mind scooting down a bit?” a girl approaching me asked as a line of people followed her into the pew I was sitting in. The entire pew filled up in a few seconds, and the rest of Berlin Chapel seemed to go from moderately full to bustling with people just as quickly. It was the evening of Saturday, Dec. 8, and the audience seemed to pack itself even tighter in anticipation of Steamy Winter, the semester show of Brandeis’ all-male a cappella group, Voicemale.

In a few minutes, the group of six young men, wearing identical black suits, blue shirts and silver ties walked down the aisle of the chapel and positioned themselves in a semi-

circle at the front of the stage. Without a word, they started singing, and the audience fell into a wonderful state of captivation as their undivided attention shifted to the group. Brandeis students came out to show support for the group, but there were also a great many parents and family members eager to see their boys perform—there were even a few moms carefully holding up video cameras for the duration of the show.

Voicemale’s opening song, “Where’s The Love,” originally performed by Hanson, was powerfully rendered with great volume and charisma, as the singers shuffled and swayed, snapped their fingers to the timing of the music and smiled brightly. Because of the small size of the group this year, their performance was much more intimate, and each part had to be executed with more precision than would be required in a larger group. Voicemale is comprised of Jason Sugarman ’13, Schuyler Brass ’14, Dan Schreiber ’14, Eli Siegel ’14, Adam Jones ’15 and their newest

member Elan Wong ’15. Besides hosting concerts like Steamy Winter each semester, the group is hard at work during the academic year with studio recording and traveling for competitions and performances. They are currently preparing to work on a new studio album to follow up their critically acclaimed album Phoenix, which was nominated for four Contemporary A Cappella Recording Awards, including Best Male Collegiate Album.

Though the Steamy Winter show was generally a tame and polished performance, there was one song during which Voicemale completely cut loose and the audience roared with laughter and screams. That song was none other than the highly loved, yet mocked “What Makes You Beautiful”

by One Direction. In preparation to perform it, they each threw off their black jackets and moved into a pyramid-shaped dance formation that all of us 90s children are used to seeing in early *NSYNC or Britney Spears music videos. The dance—choreographed by Emily Zoller ’14—was

hilarious. While the group translated One Direction’s autotuned pop sound into a resonant, harmonic a cappella masterpiece, they were moving around the stage waving their arms and shaking their hips like a regular boy band.

While Voicemale’s performance was obviously well-rehearsed, thoughtfully arranged and delivered with much enthusiasm, there were moments during which I thought there was room for improvement. As a genre, a cappella music usually features one soloist and a much larger number of singers providing ‘instrumental’ sounds and harmonies, which can sometimes drown the soloist’s voice and make it difficult to discern the actual lyrics of a song. Because Voicemale consistently does an excellent job at maintaining a balance between the volume of the soloist and the rest of the group, the moments when the soloist was overpowered by the group were very apparent. On louder anthems like “Here We Go,” originally performed by Dispatch, I

would have liked to hear the soloist a bit better.

Steamy Winter also featured an impressive performance by the Chorallaries, the oldest coed a cappella group at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While this is a much larger group than Voicemale, with 20 members compared to Voicemale’s six, the two groups were quite matched in the quality of their performances. The Chorallaries performed three songs in the middle of the show, including a medley of Justin Bieber’s “As Long As You Love Me.” Possibly even more refreshing than their energetic performance was seeing that a group of students from an institution as intense at MIT can have enormous fun getting down to tweenage pop music.

Overall, Steamy Winter was everything it promised to be and more. As someone who is not involved in the world of a cappella, I was extremely impressed with the group dynamics that made Voicemale’s performance so melodically cohesive and enjoyable to watch.

THE JUSTICE

Experimental ‘Doroga’ brings immigrant story to forefront performance pulls from the personal experiences and memories of its actors.

By ADELINA SIMPSON JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

At some point, every moment becomes a memory. It will be the ordinary moment of serving soup to your father. It will be the extraordinary moment of leaving your first love behind at the airport. The Lost & Found Project, an experimental theatrical production, turned these black-andwhite snapshots into color last Saturday night in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater of the Shapiro Campus Center through the nostalgic play, Doroga.

The Brandeis-Genesis Institute for Russian Jewry and the Russian Club brought the Project, composed of 10 Russian-Jewish actors all born in the former Soviet Union, to Brandeis. What followed was an ongoing conversation about memory, specifically those of Russian immigrants now living in the United States.

The actors drew from their own experiences and from stories family members told them about what it was like emigrating from Russia in the late twentieth century. The purpose of the play was to provide an opportunity for the actors to explore their roots in order to come up with realistic characters for the play. “It was a good excuse to talk to our families,” Boris Zilberman, one of the actors, told the audience afterward.

Some of their families fled to Serbia, or to Ukraine, and others ventured as far as New York City.

Anna Zicer, playing a resettled grandmother in New York, depicted the frightening unknown that her ancestors faced: “What if New York decided to close for the day? What if they told me to come back next year?”

This is a question that each family living in America today had to confront at one point. The play encouraged the audience to ponder their own roots, too.

As Naum (played by Sergey Nagorny), the elderly owner of an

old-timey shop filled with Russian antiques said, “There’s no such thing as a real American.”

Nagorny’s Naum was perhaps the most captivating part of the show: it was easy to imagine him as your very own Russian grandfather. He appeared as the embodiment of the Old World, playing sentimental Russian folk tunes and offering sage advice to young, immigrated Russians who flocked to his store looking for a piece of home.

One of these shoppers was the recently engaged Marina (played

by Marina Reydler). After admiring a vintage, handcrafted veil in the store, her fiancé, more in touch with the 2000s, insisted that he needed to leave for the Apple Store. There’s tension involved with remembering the motherland.

Just ask Nikka (played by Ruvym Gilman). He returned home one day only to tell his girlfriend that he quit his job so that he could travel to Ukraine to visit his long-lost relatives. His suitcase has been packed for a while now, he told her. When his shocked girlfriend (the relatable Jordan Gelber) asked him what he finds so damn fascinating about returning, he responded soberly, “I don’t know.”

But we understand what he means: the whole story asks why people can’t be happy where they are. Indeed, many of the characters in the play have gone through double-immigration processes themselves, making the idea of home a hazy one.

Nikka does not speak Russian, nor does he remember anything of where he came from, yet he feels an obligation to confront his motherland, as if it’s the most worthwhile thing about him.

It’s reminiscent of the 2005 film Everything is Illuminated, when Elijah Wood’s character journeys to a Ukrainian village with only cigarettes, maps and an old photo to find the woman who saved his grandfather’s life during the Holocaust.

As Lista, the last remaining survivor of Trachimbrod, tells Wood’s character about the idea of a homeland: “It does not exist for you. You exist for it. You have come because it exists.”

JENNY CHENG/the Justice

21

Bedford discusses new art

■ One exhibit will feature artwork of the Rose’s Perlmutter Award recipient.

By PHIL GALLAGHER JUSTICE EDITOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF VICTOR VIKTIN

INTROSPECTION: Actors contemplated their family heritages in ‘Doroga.’

JENNY CHENG/the Justice

BUDDING ROMANCE: The play touched on immigrant relationships.

SHARING A MEAL: The cast of ‘Doroga’ shares a tense meal while they each privately mull over the meaning of their homelands.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2012

ROSE ART MUSEUM

FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE

■ The Russian-Jewish

●

Exciting plans are underway at the Rose Art Museum. Christopher Bedford, the director of the museum announced that three new exhibitions will open in the coming semester.

The design of the exhibitions reflects the new balance that the Rose displays. The museum has commited to an approach that varies, introducing the works of new artists to the museum and using innovative methods to curate the permanent collection.

One of the exhibits will feature artwork from the Rose’s permanent collection, co-curated by Bedford and Walead Beshty, a well-known photographer and sculptor. Another exhibit with artwork by Ed Ruscha will draw heavily from a collection at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The third exhibit will display the video work of Sam Jury, a recipient of the Rose’s Ruth Ann and Nathan Perlmutter Award, establishing her as an artist-in-residence on campus.

Bedford elaborated on the plans for these new exhibitions in an interview with the Justice. The exhibit co-curated by Beshty and Bedford will focus on post-war abstraction painting and sculpture, making use of both the upper and lower floors of the Feinberg Gallery of the Rose.

The upper floor will be dedicated to cleaner and more orderly works in both two and three dimensions, while the lower floor will give the appearance of a cavern, focusing on “messier” forms of abstraction, according to Bedford. A recent acquisition of an abstract work by Mark Bradford entitled “Father, You Have Murdered Me” will also be included in this exhibit.

As a part of this exhibit, Beshty is preparing to install a multi-layered mirrored glass floor throughout the Feinberg Gallery. As visitors walk through the gallery, the floor will respond to their touch and crack, creating an abstraction from the visitor’s presence. These floor tiles can then be hung up on a wall, and from there Bedford mentioned the possibility of using the tiles as a “framing device” for a future exhibition.

The exhibition of Ed Ruscha’s work comes in large part from an exhibit at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art curated by LACMA’s head photography curator Britt Salveson. The Rose’s exhibit, though, will be supplemented by works both from the Rose’s collection and other area collections, according to Bedford. The exhibit will feature works from Ruscha’s distinguished career in a variety of mediums. Bedford explained that Ruscha also works heavily with literary sources, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of a Brandeis education. Given Ruscha’s range of artistic inspiration, Bedford hopes that this exhibit will cater to a larger group of students and faculty with varying academic pursuits.

The third new exhibit will feature video artwork by Sam Jury, a British artist who has not yet had a major show at an American institution.

Bedford praised Jury’s artwork, describing her career as being “demonstrably on the upswing.” Jury’s exhibit will be curated by Dabney Hailey, director of academic programming at the Rose.

Bedford also mentioned that the Rose is exploring the possibility of obtaining an outdoor sculpture by Chris Burden, using his refurbished street lamps. Those street lamps would serve as a beacon to welcome visitors to the museum and create a new artistic icon for the museum.

Burden is well-known for his “Urban Light” sculpture outside the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. The three upcoming exhibits will be open in February of 2013.

“Brandeis and The World”

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●

TUESDAY, december 11, 2012

23

FAMILY TIES

PHOTO COURTESY OF TRIBECA FILM

THREE’S COMPANY: Though the Fitzgerald family, like many American families, generally does not get along, the movie captures rare moments of cooperation and synchronicity between the family members.

Christmas drama reflects family values ■ While the movie failed

to bring comedic value, the individual actors gave strong performances.

By jessie miller JUSTICE editor

Kicking off my holiday season movie marathon, I eagerly tuned into The Fitzgerald Family Christmas—released Dec. 7 and directed

by Edward Burns—a drama that chronicles a family’s numerous struggles in the days leading up to Christmas. The Fitzgerald family consists of absentee father Big Jim (Ed Lauter), matriarch Rosie (Anita Gillette) and their seven adult children. When he walked out on the family 20 years ago, Rosie swore she would never let Jim back into her home after he had an affair–a vow she kept until he asked to spend Christmas with the family this year.

Older brother Gerry (Edward Burns) lives at home with their mother after the death of his wife– subtly explained with a reticent reference to Sept. 11. In a resolute mission, he aims to gather all the siblings together for Rosie’s 70th birthday, though truthfully he wants to discuss whether or not Jim should be allowed to spend Christmas Day with them. It is clear that there is a long history behind this family conflict, and not all members feel the same way about Jim’s return.

Fitzgerald was not a spectacular film; it didn’t tug at my emotions or make me question any deeper meanings of life. But it is a very realistic portrayal of a family and the problems they face as individuals which, in turn, affect the entire family dynamic. Most family-centered movies depend on some humor, but there was no comedic relief to break up the endless parade of serious topics, which ranged from marital affairs to

substance abuse.

There was no love between the characters, no sparks of a common bond between the siblings. Even with their differences, the natural bond between siblings should have been portrayed in the film because, for the majority of the film, they seemed isolated from each other.

I can only point out one scene between Sharon (Kerry Bishé) and Skippy (Brian d’Arcy James) that displays a sibling bond, but even during that scene they were talking about how they barely knew each other.

Each sibling made his or her entrance to the movie in a scene in which viewers gained a descriptive glimpse into what each person’s life was like, whether it was married with a baby or casually dating an older man. That first taste of each of their lives was enough to draw me into the emotions and development of the film because I wanted to know

what happened to them all.

In terms of individual characters, Burns came off as clichéd, stuck-up and desperate to unite his family; he works so hard to bring his family together, but he doesn’t even realize how damaged all their relationships are. Out of the four sisters, I thought Dottie (Marsha Dietlein) was best portrayed in her role as a mother newly separated from her husband after having an affair with the gardener. Looking a bit strung out, the movie portrays Dottie during her mid-life crisis as she tries to figure out what she wants in her life. Younger sister Connie (Caitlin Fitzgerald) is tragically pathetic in her role, yet it fits the character perfectly; she is the sibling that needed rescuing and her hesitant behavior exemplifies that perfectly as she remains a shy wallflower.

The climax divides the siblings into two groups as they struggle to find a solution to their Christmas

dilemma: three younger siblings versus the four older ones. At this point, I became more interested in the three younger siblings—Connie, Sharon and Cyril (Tom Guiry)—because the three of them seemed to have much more in common than the rest of the siblings, partially because they have the most issues in their lives—the result of being raised without a father figure.

In the end, Fitzgerald struggled to leave a lasting impact, though it does stir up the themes of the importance of family and forgiveness in the spirit of the holidays.

Despite some strong performances, the lack of plot development and interaction between the characters strongly detracted from the film. It would have highly benefited from the use of humor to break up dense performances and illustrate that despite all of its drama, family is still a magical thing—especially during the holidays.

MOVIE REVIEW

‘The Words’ struggles with uninspired dialogue

■ Stand-out acting by Jeremy

Irons and Bradley Cooper help correct for hackneyed components of the plot.

By shafaq hasan JUSTICE editor

Consider the power of the word that can provoke and divide, heal and wound. The literary world hinges on the harnessed energy of the written word and the authors that wield that power. Told as a story within a story, The Words, the newest film by Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal, tries to deliver a contemplative characterdriven drama that explores the authenticity of the literary word. While the movie darts between being a fulfilling romance and a smart thriller, the characters themselves lack the substance to follow through with its profound message about self-worth and greatness.

The movie is separated into several layered narratives. The outer layer follows successful author Clay Hammond as he reads sections from his novel to an audience assembled for a book release party. Hammond’s novel provides the second layer of the movie, which follows struggling writer Rory Jansen (Bradley Cooper).

The audience is first introduced to Jansen as he fights to find an agency to publish his novel. After hitting the proverbial wall with rejection letters, Jansen falls into a deep depression as he questions whether he will ever truly accomplish what he had envisioned for his life as a successful writer.

Months later, Jansen finally achieves the literary success he had always hoped for when he publishes his first novel, the idea for which is not his own.

Before long, the lie snowballs and, in the next scene, Jansen is signing a contract with an agency and being called the “darling of the New York literary world.” But, of course, Jansen must contend with the fact that the success he so desperately wanted comes from the words and ideas of the Old Man, played by Jeremy Irons.

Here audiences will see the third layer of the movie unravel, in which Irons relays his own story in France during World War II where he originally wrote the novel.

The premise of this movie will appeal to any writer, artist or creator who understands the simultaneous grief and gratification of producing something of his or her own. The very effort of creating involves leaving some part of yourself in the work.

Whether you’re writing, painting or filming, you bring your own experiences and emotions into every word, stroke and scene. For Jansen to then operate as a virtual succubus and steal another’s words violates every artistic standard.

However, the movie also functions as a more prominent commentary on how the literary world contemplates authenticity and truth in its writers.

Audience members may remember the firestorm James Frey, author of A Million Little Pieces, endured after he revealed several parts of his novel illustrating his real-life drug withdrawal were exaggerated and, in some parts, completely fabricated.

CHAD J. MCNEELEY/Creative Commons

SPEAKING UP: Actor Bradley Cooper plays the down-and-out novelist Rory Jansen.

While his book was labeled as nonfiction and readers would approach the book with a different expectation of the truth than a fiction novel, the wide-spread backlash indicates how we hold writers to a certain standard.

We enter into an unspoken contract with the author who guarantees some revelation or truth at the conclusion of his or her book. Jansen’s subversion of that truth provides an interesting note on the authenticity

of the literary world. When we can no longer trust the author to truthfully relay his or her words and the experiences that derived those words, what becomes of the reader-author relationship?

That being said, the fault in The Words lies in how it relies on cliché after cliché to carry its convoluted narrative: the French damsel bidding goodbye to her American lover at the train station, the egotistical

author entertaining a young groupie and the poor young writer in love with a difficult woman. Ironically, while the film revolves around the importance and quality of words, the dialogue in the movie seems to lack any kind of depth or substance. Consequently, without convincing dialogue, Jansen’s struggle with losing his self-respect fails to resonate with the audience. And the tired love story between Irons and his French wife illustrating how Jansen’s novel was originally written appears stiff and unoriginal.

Although the movie suffers from the generic and lackluster dialogue, the performances by Irons and Cooper shine through the multilayered narrative. Irons provides a deep, moving portrayal of the man held prisoner by the words he wrote decades before that upended his marriage. His out-of-place, subtle British accent completes the tortured portrait of the tired old man. Cooper also illustrates well the inner turmoil of a writer robbed of his ability to judge his own self-worth. When his accomplishments are tied to the work and words of another, Jansen will never be able to discern whether he could have achieved the same success by himself.

Despite these performances, the characters’ lack of depth and the movie’s disingenuous use of clichés hinder the success of the film. While a worthy attempt at an abstract commentary on the elusive literary world, the movie is unable to move past its two-dimensional characters and uninspiring dialogue. In the end, The Words falls short.

24

TUESday, december 11, 2012 ● THE JUSTICE

Brandeis

ARTS ON VIEW: UPCOMING Photo Contest

CHARTS

TALKS

Quote of the week

Top 10s for the week ending December 10 BOX OFFICE

“Students want some sort of option any hour at night, especially during the week day when you see students up very late … working on a paper or an exam.”

--Student Union President Todd Kirkland ’13 on the extension of Einstein [Bros. Bagels] hours next semester. (News, p. 1)

1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2 2. Skyfall 3. Rise of the Guardians 4. Lincoln 5. Life of Pi 6. Wreck-It Ralph 7. Killing Them Softly 8. Red Dawn 9. Flight 10. The Collection

How do you feel about the new benches near the SCC?

NYT BESTSELLERS

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

Adam Gelman ’14 “They look nice but a little bit awkwardly placed.

Very uncomfortable. I tried it because I was curious.”

RUSTIC PARTS: Justice Photographer Joshua Linton ’14 took this photo inside a dock by the Bank of America pavilion in Boston. The machinery in the room was used to control locks which operate the dock.

NEXT Issue’s THEME: “festivity”

Submit your creative photo to photos@thejustice.org to be featured in the Justice!

CROSSWORD

Sarah Sue Landau ’14 “They’re really weird. I was unaware that they were benches. But I look forward to trying them out now that I know they are benches.”

Aviva Paiste ’14 “I think they’re ugly and need to get painted.”

Brian Beckett, Ph.D. Candidate “I think they’re cool. They’ll probably be useful in the spring.”

ACROSS 1 14-time All-Star catcher Rodriguez, familiarly 6 Smarten (up) 11 Data proc. equipment 14 Amer. economic assistance 15 Dermatologist’s concern 16 Skill 17 *“Karma Chameleon” band 19 Boot part 20 __ Sutra 21 Dipped in a well, maybe 22 Behold, to Livy 23 Tilts 25 *Space traveler 27 Corrida celebrity 29 Global positioning fig.

30 __ alai 32 Turner memoir 34 State with a 45-mile Canadian border 38 Notable time 39 With 40-Across, kid’s toy ... and a word that can precede the first word of the starred answers 40 See 39-Across ... and a word that can precede the last word of the starred answers 42 White __ 43 Ministers to 45 Lengthwise 47 “Deadwood” channel 48 Tampa NFLer 50 Learn well 52 *It’s not good to meet with it 56 18-and-overs 59 Programs for 11-Across, briefly 60 __ Reason 62 Trendy NYC section 63 Hwy. 64 *Used car selling point 66 D. Petraeus’s title 67 Shorthand system 68 Seen enough 69 Not quite right 70 “The Gondoliers” bride 71 Actor Mike DOWN 1 Kings shoot them 2 Unremarkable 3 Firehouse mascot 4 Jeans brand 5 URL ender 6 WWII weapon 7 Singles out 8 Shoreline recess 9 Middle Aged?

10 “Swell!”

11 Sewing kit item 12 Spring bloomers 13 Awfully expensive

Fiction 1. Cold Days — Jim Butcher 2. The Black Box — Michael Connelly 3. Notorious Nineteen — Janet Evanovich 4. The Forgotten — David Baldacci 5. The Racketeer — John Grisham Nonfiction 1. Killing Kennedy: The End of Camelot — Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard 2. Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power — Jon Meacham 3. Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever ­— Bill O’Reilly and Martin Dugard 4. No Easy Day: The Firsthand Account of the Mission that Killed Osama Bin Laden — Mark Owen with Kevin Maurer 5. America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren’t ­— Stephen Colbert

iTUNES

1. Bruno Mars — “Locked Out of Heaven” 2. Taylor Swift — “I Knew You Were Trouble” 3. The Lumineers — “Ho Hey” 4. PSY — “Gangnam Style” 5. Ke$ha — “Die Young”

BILLBOARD

18 Not back down from, as a challenge 22 Founded: Abbr.

24 Outwits on the stand 26 One invoked during a drought 28 “Live! With Kelly” host 30 Shark attack victim?

31 “__ you for real?”

33 Lots 35 Fair-haired 36 Fireplace food-warming shelf 37 Tic-tac-toe loser 41 Dicey 44 Two-baggers: Abbr.

46 Birds do it 49 Eau __ 51 “Project __”: fashion design show 52 Red River city 53 Made a choice 54 Topple 55 Actress Moorehead 57 The enemy’s 58 Separates by type 61 “Three Sisters” sister 64 Pvt.’s boss 65 Electrical measure

1. Alicia Keys — Girl on Fire 2. Taylor Swift — Red 3. Rod Stewart — Merry Christmas, Baby 4. One Direction — Take Me Home 5. Phillip Phillips — The World from the Side of the Moon 6. Rihanna —Unapologetic 7. Michael Buble — Christmas 8. Lady Antebellum — On This Winter’s Night 9. Blake Shelton — Cheers, It’s Christmas 10. Kid Rock — Rebel Soul Top of the Charts information provided

by Fandango, the New York Times, Billboard.com and Apple.com.

STAFF PLAYLIST

“One-Hour Energy”

By ADAM RABINOWITZ Justice editor

Solution to last week’s crossword

Crossword Copyright 2012 MCT Campus, Inc.

SUDOKU INSTRUCTIONS: Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

Rachel Starr ’15 “Not a waste of money.

You are never wrong adding a place to sit. If you need a quiet place to talk, you can just go outside” —Compiled by and photos by Olivia Pobiel/the Justice

TOP of the

Solution to last week’s sudoku

Sudoku Copyright 2012 MCT Campus, Inc.

It’s that time of the year again.

I’ll crank out paper after paper, go through endless coffees, and pull my fair share of allnighters. Here are the songs that help me get through the late hours of the night.

THE LIST 1. “Catch My Breath”—Kelly Clarkson 2. “No Faith in Brooklyn”—Hoodie Allen 3. “The Space Between”—Dave Matthews Band 4. “Freaks and Geeks”—Childish Gambino 5. “Blinded”—Third Eye Blind 6. “Black Balloon”—Goo Goo Dolls 7. “These Hard Times”—Matchbox Twenty 8. “Everything You Want”—Vertical Horizon 9. “Lose Yourself”—Eminem 10. “Vindicated”—Dashboard Confessional