The Justice, February 8, 2011 issue

ARTS Page 21

SPORTS Fencers fight to victories 16

CHARITY DANCE

FORUM Analyzing the chaos in Egypt 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 LXIII, Number 19

www.thejustice.org

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Waltham, Mass.

STUDENT LIFE

ADMINISTRATION

■ Recent weather conditions

associate provost

Leaks occur in Castle Krauss appoints and frozen roof drains have caused flooding in some areas of the building.

■ Prof. Dan Perlman (BIOL)

By FIONA LOCKYER

will serve as associate provost for the assessment of student learning.

JUSTICE EDITOR

Students residing in the Usen Castle experienced ceiling leaks due to clogged and frozen roof drains as a result of the extreme weather conditions last week, according to Associate Vice President for Facilities and Services Peter Shields.

“It was a phenomenon based on the weather we’ve had over the past couple of weeks,” Shields explained in an interview with the Justice.

“We had some frozen roof drains and then rain on top of everything else, which had water puddling on the roof areas, and unfortunately the water from the puddles on the roof had migrated into the building.”

According to Shields, a leak in the roof of the Castle Commons resulted in flooding that affected the rooms below it.

Senior Director of Community Living Jeremy Leiferman said in an interview with the Justice that in the past year there have been “a few isolated leaking areas” in the Castle, but that to his knowledge, “this is the first time that [leaking has] affected [student dorms] versus a common space.”

Michelle Sinnreich ’13 and Nusrath Yusuf ’13, both residents of the Castle who experienced room damage last weekend due to the ceiling leaks, said in a joint interview with the Justice that the Department of Community Living offered them the opportunity to move into alternate rooms multiple times.

“That was one of their priorities— to make us comfortable,” Sinnreich said.

However, both Sinnreich and Yusuf decided to stay in their rooms.

“We like the castle and we like our rooms,” Yusuf explained.

According to Leiferman, “[The Department of Community Living] take[s] it on a case-by-case scenario whether or not the student would need to be moved depending on the severity of the situation.”

Sinnreich said that the leak in her room began last Monday, Jan. 31, and slowly progressed over the week as the severe weather conditions worsened.

“I spoke to people [from the Department of Community Living] on Thursday and Friday, but it was still just in one isolated corner,” Sinnreich said.

When Sinnreich and Yusuf returned to their rooms on Saturday night after going out to watch a movie, the leaking had increased, they

By emily kraus JUSTICE editor

On March 1, Prof. Dan Perlman (BIOL) will begin serving as Associate Provost for the Assessment of Student Learning, according to yesterday’s campuswide e-mail from Perlman Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Marty Krauss.

According to Krauss’ e-mail, “As Associate Provost, Prof. Perlman

See PERLMAN, 5 ☛

STUDENT UNION

Students campaign for open Senate seats ■ A total of seven students

are running for the three available Student Union positions.

By fiona Lockyer JUSTICE editor

TALI SMOOKLER/the Justice

DOING DAMAGE: The leaks in Usen Castle have affected several students’ rooms. explained.

“When I came home, it was raining in my room. We put on raincoats and started moving as much stuff as possible,” said Sinnreich.

Yusuf explained that her pillow, blanket and rug were all water-damaged and her roommate’s notes and artwork experienced water-damage as well.

According to Sinnreich and Yusuf,

they are being reimbursed for the damages to their possessions.

Repairs being made to the rooms should be finished by today, according to Shields.

“We had the roofers in there all morning as soon as they were able to get in there,” Shields explained.

“At this point we’re pretty confident that the water infiltration has been stopped.”

Special elections for the Senator for Village Quad, the Senator for East Quad and Senator for the Class of 2012 will take place tomorrow, according to Student Union Secretary Herbie Rosen ’12.

Morris Didia ’14, Nathan Israel ’14 and Sarah Pace ’13 will be running for the Senator for Village Quad position; Travis Rapoza ’13, Ravnit Bhatia ’13, Francine Kofinas ’13 and Andrew Hayes ’13 will be running for the Senator for the East Quad position; and Andrew Ramirez is campaigning to be the Senator for the Class of 2012.

The Senator for Village Quad position opened after Missy Skolnik ’12 went abroad this semester.

In an interview with the Justice, Didia said that his goal as the Sena-

tor for the Village would be to create more social gatherings and mixers. “It’s really what the students want, and I’ll fight for it,” he said.

Pace said in an interview with the Justice that she is interested in trying to expand the Turkey Shuttle services currently offered by the Student Union by either broadening it regionally into Pennsylvania or by accomodating other holidays like Passover.

Israel, a midyear, explained in an interview with the Justice that he does not have an official platform; instead, he is listening to the different concerns of the residents of the Village and identifying their main complaints, like those concerning food on campus.

The Senator for the East Quad position opened after Albert Feldman resigned on Jan. 31, according to a press release by the Executive Board. (See “Feldman resigns East Quad senator position,” page 3).

Hayes said in an interview with the Justice that he feels that East Quad gets overlooked in terms of

See ELECTIONS, 5 ☛

The vaccination debate

Woes on the road

Senior Class Gift

Prof. Michael Willrich (HIST) discusses the differing views on vaccines.

 The men’s and women’s basketball teams both lost two road games last weekend.

 A dance party hosted by the Senior Class Gift Committee collected over 60 donations.

SPORTS 16

News 2

FEATURES 7 For tips or info call (781) 736-6397

will be responsible for university assessment efforts by working with academic and non-academic departments on developing assessment plans and coordinating the assessment of learning goals inside and outside the classroom.”

In an interview with the Justice, Krauss said that she chose Perlman for the position after she sent an e-mail to the faculty that solicited applications and received a recommendation by Prof. Sarah Lamb (ANTH), chair of a review committee for the position.

Krauss wrote in her e-mail that Perlman has been a member of the Provost’s Committee for the Assessment of Student Learning since the committee’s formation in 2006. Perlman said in an interview with the Justice that the committee came up with Universitywide learning goals and that

Let your voice be heard!

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

INDEX

ARTS SPORTS

17 16

EDITORIAL FEATURES

10 7

OPINION POLICE LOG

10 2

COMMENTARY

11

COPYRIGHT 2011 FREE AT BRANDEIS. Email managing@thejustice.org for home delivery.

2

TUESDAY, February 8, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

NEWS BRIEF

Seniors donate more money this year for scholarships, operations The Senior Class Gift Committee brought in 60 donations at the 100 Days ‘til Graduation Party held last Saturday night, which is about three times as many gifts as the Committee received at last year’s dance party, explained committee co-chair Aaron Louison ’11 in an interview with the Justice.

The Senior Class Gift Committee is raising money this year to be used for University scholarships or for University operations rather than for a tangible object to be placed on campus, said committee co-chair Louison.

The 100 Days ‘til Graduation Party was a dance party held at the Stein and organized by the Senior Class Gift Committee to celebrate the fact that graduation would occur in 100 days. According to the Facebook page for the event, DJ Vicious (JV Souffrant ’13) provided the entertainment and there was free food.

“We doubled the amount of gifts that we had brought in up to that point in the semester just in that one night [of the dance party],” said Louison.

The Senior Class Gift Committee’s goal is to get 75 percent of the senior class to contribute to the Annual Fund, a fund that helps pay for the University’s institutional needs as well as student costs.

“We’re on a rate this year to hit that goal,” said Louison.

Louison explained that so far this year about 15 percent of the senior class has donated, while at this time last year only 11 percent of the senior class had donated.

“We’re asking for $20.11 to be the mean gift that we’re getting from students and the average right now is a little higher than that; it’s probably $25 to $30 dollars per gift,” said Louison.

With a donation of about $20, students would be able to attend a cocktail reception with President Frederick Lawrence and various faculty members at the Faculty Club in April, explained Louison.

Louison stated that it is very important for students to participate and make a donation to the Senior Gift Committee.

“Now that we’re making that transition toward being alumni we’re trying to get out how important it is to give back to the University. … It’s just a spirit of support,” he said.

POLICE LOG Medical Emergency

Jan. 31—A woman in the Charles River Apartments reported to University Police that she was having chest pain.

BEMCo treated the woman onscene with a signed refusal for further care.

Jan. 31—A female in Ziv Quad had an allergic reaction and had difficulty breathing. BEMCo responded, and the party was transported to the NewtonWellesley Hospital.

Jan. 31—An employee had a seizure in the third-floor hallway of Usen Hall. The employee was transported to the NewtonWellesley Hospital and the facilities supervisor was notified.

Jan. 31—A female student fainted in Olin-Sang. BEMCo treated the party on-scene with a signed refusal for further care.

Feb. 1—A party reported that an 18-year-old female in the Goldfarb Library had trouble

breathing and was possibly asthmatic. BEMCo responded and the party was transported to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Feb. 4—A party complained of dizziness in Reitman Hall. BEMCo treated the party on-scene with a signed refusal for further care.

Feb. 4—A party reported that a 22-year-old male fell and potentially broke his leg near the Shapiro Science Center. BEMCo responded and the party was transported to the NewtonWellesley Hospital. Facilities services were notified to put more salt on the walkways.

Traffic

Jan. 31—A party reported a minor traffic accident in Hassenfeld Lot. The parties exchanged paperwork and the University Police compiled a report on the incident.

Feb. 3—University Police were informed of an accident involving a Brandeis Escort van at the intersection of South Street and Shakespeare. Waltham Police and University Police responded. No damage was noted on the Brandeis van and there was no second vehicle on-scene.

Drugs

Feb. 2—A party reported the smell of marijuana in a stairwell in the Charles River Apartments. University Police was unable to smell any odor of marijuana.

Feb. 4—A Community Development Coordinator reported that five individuals were smoking marijuana in Rosenthal Quad. The Community Development Coordinator filed a report.

Harassment

Feb. 2—A Community Development Coordinator asked for

BJ’s Wholesale Club operator may be selling off the entire company

n An article in Arts mispelled the name of the writer.

The writer’s name is Rebecca Kellogg, not Rebecca Kellog. (Feb. 1, pg. 21) n A headline in Arts mistated the title of a book. The title of the book is Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, not Battle Hymn of of the Tiger. (Feb. 1, pg. 21) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. E-mail editor@ thejustice.org.

Justice

the

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

Editor News Forum Features Sports Arts Ads Photos Managing

editor@thejustice.org news@thejustice.org forum@thejustice.org features@thejustice.org sports@thejustice.org arts@thejustice.org ads@thejustice.org photos@thejustice.org managing@thejustice.org

ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

Seniors begin to give back

Robert Culver ’11 and Jeffrey Culver ’11 donate money at the 100 Days ’til Graduation Party, a dance party that raises money for the senior class gift. The fundraiser collected three times as many gifts as last year’s did.

The Justice Brandeis University Mailstop 214 P.O. Box 549110 Waltham, MA 02454-9110 Phone: (781) 736-3750

—compiled by Andrew Wingens

The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee updated the Senate on its actions as is required by their constitution. UCC representatives Jenna Rubin ’11 and Usman Hameedi ’12 told the Senate that they are examining possible changes to the pass/fail system. Changes to the system might include counting a pass/fail class toward General University requirements and raising the required passing grade to a C-minus from a D-minus.

The Senate unanimously agreed to change the name of the Brandeis Tea Party Chapter to the Brandeis Tea Party Nation.

The Student Union also chartered the Brandeis Sephardic Initiative.

The goal of the initiative is “to increase awareness and appreciation of Sephardic Jewry and culture, through communal activities, ethnic experiences, education and spiced foods,” according to the initiative’s charter.

Senator for the Class of 2011 Michael Newborn proposed a bylaw amendment last week that would allow the executive senator “to deny a certain individual or group from getting on the agenda.” At this meeting, Newborn presented an edited version of the amendment that would allow the Senate to overrule the Executive Senator’s decision by a majority vote instead of by a twothirds vote. After a discussion, the Senate approved the new bylaw.

Senator-at-Large Aziz Sohail ’13, Senator for North Quad Shekeyla Caldwell ’14 and Senator for the Class of 2014 Dylan Harvey ’14 reported that they are planning a First Year and Sophomore formal event to take place this semester.

Executive Senator Abraham Berin ’11 reported that the Student Union is organizing a Beat the Police: Game Night in the Usdan Student Center game room this Thursday evening. Berin added that he worked with The Office of Facilities Services to have the roads around Grad housing salted due to the significant amount of ice in the area.

—Andrew Wingens

ANNOUNCEMENTS ‘The Shah’ by Prof. Abbas Milani

The Crown Center for Middle East Studies and the Department of History present a book talk with Prof. Abbas Milani, the Hamid and Christina Moghadam Director of Iranian Studies at Stanford University.

Today from 12 to 2 p.m. in Olin-Sang 207.

Institute for the Exploration of the Deeper Dimensions of Torah. Today from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Rappaporte Treasure Hall.

Summer study abroad info session

In the 1960’s, Matina Horner proposed the concept “fear of success” to explain why so many women anticipated negative consequences of competitive achievement, while men did not. Is fear of success still meaningful today in 2011? Combining formal presentation with structured discussion activities, this workshop will offer an opportunity to assess the relevance of “fear of success” to women and men today. Today from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in Epstein Women’s Studies Research Center Lecture Hall.

The summer study abroad info sessions are designed to give an overview of the summer off-campus study process at Brandeis including: tips for researching programs and destinations, the application process, getting credit for work off campus, financial aid and detailing resources and services the Study Abroad office provides. Attending an information session is mandatory for students wishing to study off campus. After attending an information session, it is encouraged to set up an appointment with a member of the study abroad or Brandeis in the Hague staff. Tomorrow from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center Multipurpose Room.

Yuri Foreman speaks

Communications careers forum

“Fear of Success”—is it still with us?

www.thejustice.org

Feb. 1—University Police observed a person shoveling snow onto a parked motor vehicle via the CCTV monitor. The student appeared to be confused. The oncall Community Development Coordinator and a Director from the Psycholgical Counseling Center were notified.

Feb. 2—A party reported a suspicious male wandering around Usen Castle. University Police located the male and identified him as a student who lives in the building and was waiting for a food delivery.

Senate charters Sephardic Initiative

AP BRIEF

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

Miscellaneous

SENATE LOG

—Andrew Wingens

WESTBOROUGH, Mass.—Warehouse club operator BJ’s Wholesale Club Inc. said Thursday that it is considering selling itself after months of buyout speculation.

The company said that it is evaluating its strategic options and has hired Morgan Stanley & Co. as its financial adviser.

Its stock jumped $5.46, or 12.7 percent, to $48.47 in morning trading.

BJ’s, based in Westborough, Mass., has been rumored as a possible takeover target since July, when Leonard Green & Partners, L.P. bought a 9.5-percent stake. The Los Angeles private equity firm has reportedly expressed interest in purchasing the company.

Leonard Green & Partners is not new to retail buyouts, announcing in December that it would buy fabric and craft store chain Jo-Ann Stores Inc. for about $1.6 billion. It is also involved in the $3-billion deal for J. Crew Group Inc. Some analysts have supported a BJ’s acquisition, saying it would likely help the regional warehouse club operator expand nationally.

BJ’s said it has not made a decision to pursue any specific deal or other strategic option. There is no guarantee the company’s evaluation process will result in a sale and no timetable has been set for the process.

BJ’s, which has 189 warehouse clubs in 15 states, announced last month that it was closing five stores .and cutting nearly 500 jobs.

assistance with a student making veiled threats on Facebook.

The Department of Student Life was notified and responded to the incident.

In 2009 Yuri Foreman won the World Boxing Association Super Welterweight Belt title. Yuri Foreman studies the Talmud and Jewish mysticism with Rabbi DovBer Pinson and attends rabbinical classes at the

Join Brandeis students, faculty and staff for the first annual Communications Careers Forum & Networking Night, sponsored by the Hiatt Career Center. The event will feature an expert panel presentation,

followed by a series of round table “speed” networking sessions with 25 advertising, marketing and public relations professionals. Professional dress required. Tomorrow from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Hassenfeld Conference Center.

Chinese education initiative info session

Come to this info session to learn about how you can make a difference in the lives of China’s students and impact the future of Sino-U.S. relations. A CEI representative will be available on campus to answer questions and discuss the program. Thursday from 12 to 1 p.m. in the Hiatt Career Center.

Karen Naimer, human rights lawyer

Come meet Karen Naimer, a human rights lawyer who has worked at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the Volcker Commission investigating corruption in the United Nations’ Oil-forFood Programme and as a consultant to international organizations. She will speak about her professional experiences and discuss career pathways in international law.

Thursday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the Abraham Shapiro Academic Complex Atrium.

THE JUSTICE

faculty

Faculty at meeting discuss JBS ■ Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe says that the program is under review, but is not being changed this year.

By Brian fromm JUSTICE editor

University faculty discussed the status and future of the Justice Brandeis Semester program at last Thursday’s faculty meeting, at which Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe led a discussion about what is still considered a pilot program.

In an interview with the Justice, Jaffe explained that despite this discussion, the program is not being changed but simply being reviewed.

“It was brought up at the faculty meeting because the faculty asked for an update, … and we’re still in sort of a pilot phase. I think eventually we will make some decisions about whether we want to continue it in its current form or perhaps make some changes, but there’s nothing imminent,” he said.

Senior Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences Elaine Wong wrote in an email to the Justice that there is currently “no need to refocus [the program], as JBS was always a signature [experiential learning] opportunity.”

Jaffe explained that JBS allows students to engage in a more intensive experiential learning program that would not be possible “within the confines of the normal academic calendar … when they’re taking three other courses from three other professors.”

JBS was originally planned as a program that would allow students to study off campus during the fall semester for a semester, reducing the strain on campus resources due to a growing student population, according to the original proposal.

A March 6, 2009 Justice article explained that, according to Jaffe, “the proposals were passed in an effort to increase Brandeis’ applicant pool to 1,000 over the next four years and increase the undergraduate student body by 100 students per year for four years.”

According to the minutes from the March 5, 2009 faculty meeting, where the JBS proposal was introduced, Prof. Sacha Nelson (BIOL), who cochaired the subcommittee of the Curriculum and Academic Restructuring Steering Committee responsible for developing JBS, stated that “the motivation for this [JBS] proposal is the additional 100 students/year and how it affects housing, dining and classrooms.”

The JBS program was originally passed in a first reading at a faculty

By ANDREW WINGENS JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

The Department of Public Safety, in conjunction with the Office of Students Rights and Advocacy, a function of the Student Union, held an Eat and Greet last Thursday. The event aimed to provide a forum for dialogue between the student body and the University Police, explained Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan in an interview with the Justice.

“The purpose of the event is to help ameliorate the relations with the student body as well as with the Police and the Public Safety Department,” explained OSRA member and coordinator of the event Ariel Glickman ’13 in an interview with the Justice.

In attendance from the Department of Public Safety were Callahan and Associate Director Bette Reilly.

Director of Student Rights and Community Standards Dean Gendron also attended.

Approximately two dozen students attended the event. Representatives of the Student Union, Brandeis Es-

3

Student union

Feldman resigns East Quad senator position running as candidates for his seat in the Student Union Senate for the special election to be held Feb. 9.

By sara dejene JUSTICE editorial assistant

MAYA SHEMTOV/the Justice

BRAINSTORMING CHANGES: Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe discusses the JBS program at last Thursday’s faculty meeting. meeting on March 5, 2009 meeting and in a second reading one week later.

The March 6, 2009 Justice article noted that faculty expressed concern that the JBS proposal had been brought to a vote prematurely. “I don’t think many of us know what we’re voting for,” Prof. Mary Baine Campbell (ENG) said during the discussion at the March 5, 2009 meeting.

Jaffe said in his interview that moving students off campus for a semester is no longer a goal of the program.

“We pretty much decided that the JBS as a mechanism for getting students off campus doesn’t work. So we have given up on that objective as through the JBS program,” he said.

Jaffe also said that there has been discussion regarding the number of JBS programs being offered.

“Some [faculty] thought that we’d like to be offering more than we have been, but also some question whether the demand is there for more, so that’s up in the air,” he said.

He explained that another point of discussion is the current structure of the program.

The current program is worth 12 credits, though the possibility of an eight-credit program is currently under consideration, which would be “less expensive but also less intense,” said Jaffe.

At Thursday’s meeting, the faculty discussed possible reasons the JBS program has not been as popular as they had originally expected, including the cost and timing of the program.

“It’s clear that that cost is one of the reasons why more students aren’t interested. So that’s one of the things we’re thinking about … if we wanted to get more students interested,” Jaffe said.

Wong explained in her e-mail that the cost of a summer JBS is currently set at 75 percent of the cost of a normal Brandeis semester tuition, though financial aid is available. She also wrote that normal summer classes are charged by course.

According to the Office of Student Financial Services website, tuition for the 2011 to 2012 academic year is $20,257 per semester. Three-quarters of that amount is $15,192.75, for 12

credits or $1,266.06 per credit.

According to the Brandeis Summer School website, tuition for the summer 2011 semester will be $2,160 for a four-credit lecture course, or $540 per credit, and $1,450 for a two-credit lab course, or $725 per credit.

Jaffe also pointed out that “for summer programs, there’s just a lot of different things that students either like to do or need to do in the summer, and [JBS] may not fit in.”

Jaffe said in his interview with the Justice that the current discussions will not affect this year’s program four JBS offerings but that “whether we would make any changes for the following year will be decided over the next 6 [to] 8 months.”

JBS Program Manager Alyssa Grinberg wrote in an e-mail to the Justice, “As we move forward with the four JBS offerings in 2011, we will continue to assess the programs and their impacts.”

—Fiona Lockyer and Sara Dejene contributed reporting.

University Police host Eat and Greet discuss the role of the University Police on campus and new possible events.

TUESDAY, February 8, 2011

■ Three students are

EVENT

■ Students gathered to

●

cort Service and Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps were also present.

This event was the first in a series of several events that will be held jointly with the Student Union and the Department of Public Safety.

This series of events comes at a time when Public Safety believes that it has received negative attention from the student body, particularly following the interaction between police and students on the night of Pachanga last fall, explained Callahan in an interview with the Justice.

Callahan said in an interview with the Justice that “it would be good to establish or re-establish communications with students, … especially since there were situations that occurred during the fall semester.”

Callahan added that the events of last semester were “the impetus to conduct several other events” that would be planned by the Student Union and Public Safety.

“We had some situations as a result of Pachanga, not specifically Pachanga itself, … and then some students formed some stereotypical attitudes of the police without sharing or knowing information that [the Brandeis Police] have about the situation,” said Callahan in an interview with the Justice.

Throughout the event with students, Callahan stressed that he be-

lieves that the Brandeis Police are “amicable,” and that they are not primarily a disciplinary force.

“We are here more to educate than we are to enforce. … One of our main jobs is to mentor people,” said Callahan. He further assured students that “arrest is not the norm on campus.”

He added, “The balance of security and safety and individual freedom is very much a concern. The University wants you to have an exorbitant amount of personal freedom but on the other hand we rely on you to lock doors and not let people into residence halls behind you.”

Callahan added that University Police often contact representatives from the Division of Student Affairs in order to discuss the best methods of handling incidents involving students and the police.

This Thursday, Public Safety and the Student Union will cosponsor a game night, and police officers will be in attendance playing video games, pool and ping-pong with students in the game room.

The police force currently consists of 15 patrol officers and five sergeants.

Reilly said in an interview with the Justice that her department is looking to cosponsor a Thirsty Thursday at The Stein. Similarly, events—although not yet planned—may be titled “Coffee, Cops and Donuts”and

“Party with the Police.” These would potentially take place at the end of March.

According to Reilly, previous efforts to engage students with the police have failed. For example, she mentioned ice cream socials and officer liaison programs held several years ago that “flopped.”

This time, however, Reilly is optimistic that the events will succeed because Public Safety is now working with the Student Union.

Senator for North Quad Shekeyla Caldwell ’14 attended the event and wrote in an e-mail to the Justice, “I found the event with public safety to be a beneficial experience for Brandeis students because I can now put a face [to] the department and begin knowing the people within the department on a personal level.”

She added, “Building a relationship with those in charge of your protection is much more important and useful than most students would initially believe.”

Head Coordinator of the Brandeis Escort Service and Executive Senator Abraham Berin ’11 said in an interview with the Justice, “The event was a positive step forward in the relationship between the police and the student community.”

Editor’s note: Ariel Glickman ‘13 is a member of the Justice Copy staff.

Senator for East Quad Albert Feldman ’13 has resigned from his position, according to a Feb. 4 press release from the Student Union.

According to a Feb. 7 e-mail to the Justice from Student Union Secretary Herbie Rosen ’12, Feldman resigned on Jan. 31, but Rosen said that he did not know the reason for Feldman’s resignation.

In a Feb. 7 e-mail to the Justice, Executive Senator and Senator for the Class of 2011 Abraham Berin also said that he did not know why Feldman resigned.

“I personally did not speak with him,” said Berin. “I was informed that he resigned when Herbie disclosed that they were replacing the East Quad Senator.

I just know he hasn’t been to any Senate meetings since the beginning of this semester; he had been to all of the Senate meetings last semester.”

Feldman declined requests for comment.

The press release did not state why Feldman chose to resign but said that the Student Union looks forward to working with a new Senator for East Quad, “whoever that may be.”

The Student Union press release praised Feldman for his contribution as senator: “We commend him for his hard work and dedication to the student body while a member of the Senate.”

Feldman was first sworn in to the Student Union as Senator for Village Quad in February 2010 and was sworn in as Senator for East Quad in Oct. 2010.

During his time as senator, Feldman has worked with Berin and Senator for the Class of 2013 Liya Kahan to organize the Thanksgiving Turkey Shuttles.

The shuttles provide transportation for students to South Station and Logan Airport in Boston and Pennsylvania Station in New York before Thanksgiving break.

Feldman organized ticket sales and co-drafted a Senate Money Resolution.

Feldman also drafted a Senate Money Resolution for the ’DeisBikes program.

The program offers bike rentals to students on campus, according to a Nov. 16 Justice Senate log.

The SMR allocated $25 for a logo enhancement competition.

Additionally, Feldman organized a pumpkin carving event in East Quad last October.

He proposed an SMR to allocate $250 for pumpkins, which was passed by the Senate.

A special election to replace Feldman will be held tomorrow.

(See article Students campaign for open senate seats, page 1).

The students running for the position are Travis Rapoza ’13, Ravnit Bhatia ’13 and Andrew Hayes ’13.

—Fiona Lockyer contributed reporting.

4

TUESDAY, february 8, 2011

●

THE JUSTICE

STUDENT LIFE

ADVOCATE GETS AWARDED

BranVan begins inspection policy ■ At the beginning of their

shifts, BranVan drivers now have a new form to fill out recording any damages.

By tyler belanga JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The BranVan service implemented the use of a new form at the start of the spring 2011 semester that must be completed by every driver before the start of his or her shift.

Drivers must now arrive a few minutes early to inspect the van and fill out a form before his or her shift begins, detailing any damages already present on the interior or exterior of the vehicle, according to Abraham Berin ’11, head coordinator of operations for the Escort Safety Service, a division of Public Safety.

This form, which was developed and implemented by Berin along with Head Coordinator of Maintenance Nana Owusu-Sarpong ’12, was designed to keep the transportation vehicles in better condition and ensure that drivers are held accountable for any type of damage to the vans that might occur during their shift. In addition, if it is successful, it will also help avoid placing wrongful blame on student drivers.

“It is really just a strategy to avoid damage and to ensure the vans remain in good shape. It really protects [the drivers] in a way. If we notice damage, and the driver honestly did not do it, we need some type of way to demonstrate that,” said Berin in an interview with the Justice.

The new form asks drivers to document such things as pre-existing vehicle damage, the amount of gas in the van, mileage and cleanliness.

Berin stated that there were not any incidents that led directly to the

creation of the form, and it is simply an effort to improve the BranVan system.

“This is fairly normal protocol for responsible organizations [that] employ drivers who are responsible for their vehicles,” said Berin.

Berin said that there are already policies in place regarding mechanical issues to guarantee safety, which includes, but is not limited to, daily inspections of each vehicle in the Escort fleet. The implementation of this new policy focuses mainly on cosmetic issues, and Berin stated that driver feedback has been positive thus far.

“From my perspective, the employees have reacted positively.

This is because these forms will keep the Escort Safety Service management updated on the condition of the vans in real time. As a result, we will be able to address any cosmetic issues faster,” said Berin.

Berin also mentioned the gradual replacement of older vans, which have center-facing seats with newer vans that have forward-facing seats as another change in the BranVan service. According to Berin, the Escort Safety Service now owns two of these newer models, whereas 2 years ago all vans had center-facing seats. Berin said that although the vans do not fit more people than the older models, they are “more comfortable and safer” than the older models. One such van was purchased at the beginning of the fall 2010 semester.

Also, due to high demand for transportation, there is an extra Branvan running from campus to Waltham this semester, which runs from 7:15 to 11:15 p.m. during the school week. During this time slot there are now three vans running, in addition to the Crystal buses, which have extended their hours several times within the last few weeks due to poor weather conditions.

AWARDS

Sillerman award aims to further philanthropy ■ The award, which is in its

sophomore year, awards students with impressive philanthropic ideas.

By DANIEL HEINRICH JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

On Jan. 26, the Sillerman Center for the Advancement of Philanthropy announced that it will be offering a cash prize of $5,000 for students who suggest innovative ideas for furthering philanthropy on college campuses. The submission deadline is March 11, and the winner or winners of the prize will be announced by Friday, April 15, according to the application.

This is the second time the Sillerman Center has run this contest. Like last year, the Center offers a cash prize of $5,000 for students who suggest innovative ways for people to “increase their personal philanthropy,” Director of Capacity Building,Claudia Jacobs ’70, one of the coordinators of the contest, said in an interview with the Justice.

Jacobs said that the prize would “make sure that college students think about their values and habits for their future adult life … and their philanthropic approach to life with an aspect of civic engagement.”

The cash prize is an incentive for students, said Jacobs.

The application allows students to work alone and/or in groups in order to submit a “written plan not to exceed five to eight single-spaced pages answering the questions in the application.” The finalists will be selected by a panel of judges

made up of University officials from the Sillerman Center and two outside philanthropists, according to the Center’s website. Finalists will be called back to give an oral presentation and after further deliberation, a winner will be announced mid-April.

The Sillerman Center was endowed by the Sillerman family in 2007 in order to “increase social justice and philanthropy … through research, education, practice and leadership development,” said Jacobs. Since 2008, the Center, in association with the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, has been teaching graduate and undergraduate courses in philanthropy and have set up internships for Heller students in nonprofit organizations across the country. In the past few years, the Center has hosted various talks, lectures and movies on the subject of philanthropy.

Last year, first prize was split by Heller Master of Public Policy student Charles Francis, International Business School student Yuki Hasegawa ’09, Robin Lichtenstein ’11 and Julian Olidort ’11 for their plan titled the “National Student Philanthropic Front” which now exists on campus in the form of the philanthropy club Phront. A team of six students from various schools at Brandeis collaborated and won the runnerup prize of $1,500. Jacobs said that, “although the Center would like to see Brandeis students applying, they would like more involvement from other universities.”

The application is available online and submissions are due by Friday, March 11.

TALI SMOOKLER/Justice File Photo

CAGE-FREE WARRIOR: After campaigning for cage-free eggs for months, Seth Grande’s work is reflected by his new award.

Grande receives award from Humane Society ■ Seth Grande ’12 is one of

four students nationwide to win an award for promoting cage-free eggs on campus.

By sara dejene JUSTICE editorial assistant

Seth Grande ’12 has been awarded with one of the four 2010 Humane Society of the United States Student Leadership Awards, according to a Jan. 31 press release from the Humane Society of the United States. Grande was recognized for his collaboration with Brandeis University Dining Services to switch to serving only cage-free eggs.

In a phone interview with the Justice, Grande said he was notified about 2 weeks before the press release that he would be receiving an award. Grande was one of four students, all from colleges or universities, recognized for working with their dining services “to create more humane practices,” according to the spokesperson for the Humane Society of the United States Josh Balk in a phone interview with the Justice. Balk said all recipients of the award worked specifically with their respective university’s dining services to serve cage-free eggs on their campuses.

According to Balk, the Humane Society of the United States found out about Grande and his efforts in March 2010 when Grande called the organization to ask what he could do to further promote cage-free eggs to Brandeis’ Dining Services.

“Seth exhibited tremendous leadership and professionalism in

moving the campus to switch to cage-free eggs,” said Balk.

Grande said that he took up the cage-free egg initiative at the beginning of the fall 2010 semester.

Grande was a member of the Real Food Coalition, which is now affiliated with the Students for Environmental Action, which began its campaign by asking students to sign a petition in support of serving cage-free eggs in dining halls.

According to Grande, about 1,200 students signed the petition. Grande also gathered support from about ten faculty members, including Prof.

Gordie Fellman (SOC).

Grande said the Student Union helped the effort by passing a unanimous resolution on Oct. 31 to Dining Services advocating for cagefree eggs.

“The Student Union gave [the cause] a lot of legitimacy,” said Grande. “It made it much more weighty.”

According to Grande, the biggest obstacle was dealing with the lack of information among the Brandeis community about cage-free eggs and battery-cage systems.

“People just didn’t really know about the issue,” said Grande. “[The Real Food Coalition] did a good job of educating people. When we told them about [the issue], people pretty much agreed.”

Grande also credited news media on campus for publicizing the issue and informing students.

Student Union President Daniel Acheampong ’11 announced in his past State of the Union address that the University will be serving exclusively cage-free eggs by fall 2011.

According to the Humane Society’s website, cage-free eggs are obtained from hens raised in a “significantly improved level of animal welfare” than hens raised in traditional battery cages. Balk explained that hens that are raised in a battery-cage system have less than the area of a sheet of standard letter-size paper to live in for their entire lives.

“Most hens are confined in barren wire cages so small they can’t even spread their wings,” said Balk.

“The confinement of hens in battery cages is so cruel that it has been banned in states like California and Michigan.”

Balk praised both Dining Services and Grande for their collaboration on shifting to cage-free eggs.

“Brandeis University Dining Services deserves a lot of credit for its work to shift all of its eggs to cage-free,” said Balk.

“Students like Seth who have successfully worked with dining operations have dramatically increased the welfare of many animals. We think this deserves praise,” said Balk. “They deserve the recognition.”

When asked if he had any other initiatives after his success with cage-free eggs, Grande said he did not have any specific issues that he wanted to take on but would like to help other students who have issues they would like to resolve.

“There’s a lot to be done,” said Grande. “There are a lot of people with great ideas, and I’d love to be able to help.”

Grande also expressed interest in writing and blogging about foodrelated issues.

THE JUSTICE

PERLMAN: BIOL prof starts in March CONTINUED FROM 1 it is now working with individual departments and programs to come up with their own learning goals.

According to the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, the organization responsible for accrediting New England universities, learning goals are “the systematic means to understand how and what students are learning and to use the evidence obtained to improve the academic program.” In an e-mail to the Justice, Perlman wrote, “We are currently working with departments to help them articulate what they want their students to learn and how to instanti-

ate those learning goals in individual courses as some departments have already started doing.”

Perlman wrote that his duties as associate provost will include “chairing the assessment committee and working with departments and programs, as well as with individual professors, holding workshops, trying to highlight the role that assessment plays in the educational mission of Brandeis.”

The newly created associate provost position will report directly to the provost, Krauss said. She said that Perlman “will be the key point person in the administration on these [learning assessment] issues.” Krauss also said, “the issue

of assessment of student learning outcomes is a very critical issue for our accrediting agency, and we have been doing a lot of work on that. … I just thought that it would be important to see if we could get a faculty person to lead this initiative into the future.”

According to a Nov. 17, 2009 Justice article, the NEASC found in a 2007 report that Brandeis “does not have a systematic, broad-based and integrated approach to assessment of student learning.”

Krauss said in her interview, “the accreditation process is the backdrop, but the work that needs to be done to do a good job on that is a university-level responsibility,

and so this position was in response to the university-level responsibility.”

Perlman said that reevaluating the assessment process is exciting because it entails “articulating what you want your students to learn and working backward from there, thinking about how you can help them learn those things and learn them in a way that lasts longterm.”

He continued, “[The process] is one that I think that many people at Brandeis have been thinking about, and I’m looking forward to working with people and helping them think about how we can effectively help our students learn.”

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2011

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OBITUARY

Alan Slifka, PAX donor, passes ■ The philantrophist, who donated to the University, died of cancer at the age of 81.

By NASHRAH RAHMAN JUSTICE EDITOR

TALI SMOOKLER/the Justice

Giving the gift of life A University student donates blood that could save up to three lives during the Waltham Group’s annual Winter Blood Drive, which took place in Sherman Function Hall from Feb. 1 to 3 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

ELECTIONS: Positions open after study abroad CONTINUED FROM 1 campus renovation, but “I feel like if I were a senator I [could] do a lot to … work with the Facilities staff and clean up the whole dorm a lot.”

In an interview with the Justice, Bhatia explained that as a transfer, although it is his first semester here, he finds East Quad and the description of the Senator for East Quad

position to be “very personal,” and that “if there is an opportunity for me to do something to change [living conditions in East Quad] I wanted to … take part and become active at Brandeis, especially where I am living.”

Rapoza explained in an interview with the Justice, “I’m always trying to make things better, and so I think that through the Senate, being a sen-

ator for East Quad, I’ll have that ability … to represent my classmates.”

He also wants to hold meetings to find out if people are having facilities-related problems in their rooms.

The Senator for the Class of 2012 position opened after Abby Kulawitz ’12 left to study abroad.

Ramirez said in an interview with the Justice that, even though he participates in on-campus, activities

he feels that he lacks substantial responsibility. “I felt like … if I’m going to put in all this effort I might as well … have ... the grounds to better the campus and the student body.”

Election results will be updated on the Justice website after they are announced tomorrow.

—Nashrah Rahman contributed reporting.

AP BRIEF Filings: Treasurer is among Massachusetts’ political candidates who sought financial donations BOSTON—Steven Grossman, who was elected Massachusetts’ treasurer last year, solicited campaign donations for the state Democratic Party from lawyers and executives of firms that have business with him, seek treasury work or are regulated by his office, according to campaign finance filings.

The Boston Globe reported on Sunday that Grossman then received hundreds of thousands of dollars in financial support from the party.

Grossman said that he made numerous calls to potential contributors, but that his fundraising was part of an effort with Gov. Deval Pat-

rick and other leaders for the Democratic Party.

“Nobody should have any illusion that they would get special treatment from Steve Grossman for contributions to my campaign or the Democratic Party,” Patrick said.

No law was broken, but campaign finance reform advocates say a loophole was used to avoid disclosures and limits on contributions to candidates.

Grossman’s political committee detailed in the campaign finance filings financial support it received from the party. Grossman and other party leaders say they did not coordi-

nate Grossman’s fundraising or the party spending on his behalf, but the arrangement gave him a way to raise more money for his successful race for treasurer against Republican Karyn Polito.

In its year-end report last month, the Democratic State Committee said it spent more than $728,000 on Grossman’s campaign, most of it on radio and TV advertising in the final weeks of the race.

The Globe reported that Grossman helped raise for Massachusetts Democrats thousands of dollars from executives of Scientific Games, which has a $12-million-a-year con-

tract to supply instant tickets to the state Lottery, which Grossman now chairs.

He also solicited contributions from executives of liquor distributors that are regulated by his office and from at least one law firm seeking work with the treasury on pension-fund litigation.

Grossman said the party believed his candidacy was vulnerable because Polito could mount a major advertising campaign.

“If the state party hadn’t leveled the playing field, we may well have ended up with a Republican in the treasurer’s office,” he said.

Alan B. Slifka, a philanthropist whose foundation made a gift to the University to expand the Master of Arts in the Coexistence and Conflict program, passed away from canSlifka cer at the age of 81 last Friday, according to a BrandeisNOW press release published yesterday.

“Alan was a kind, caring human being who truly believed it is possible to make our world a better place, and went about all his life trying to do just that,” University President Emeritus Jehuda Reinharz said in the press release.

The press release states that the University received a $4.25 -million gift from the Alan B. Slifka Foundation last year that “established the Alan B. Slifka Chair in Coexistence and Conflict, moved the program to the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and provided additional faculty and program enhancements.”

A Sept. 22, 2010 BrandeisNOW press release states that the Slifka Foundation is a “private grantmaking institution” that assists in promoting “strategies to encourage political and civil society leadership, public policy, and institutional and structural change to create, nurture and sustain shared societies, in which cultural, religious, ethnic and other forms of diversity are embraced.”

Slifka also created the Sylvia and Joseph Slifka Israeli Coexistence Scholarship at Brandeis, which is usually awarded every year to two Israeli citizens—one Arab and one Jewish, according to the press release. The University’s Scholarship and Financial Aid website states that, “The scholarship is open to Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs, who are committed to, and will work to foster, greater tolerance and understanding between Arab and Jewish Israelis.” The press release states that Slifka founded and served as co-chair of Halcyon Asset Management, which is described as a “leading global asset management firm” on its website.

He also co-founded the Abraham Fund Initiative, “the first not-forprofit organization created to further coexistence between Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens” and was the founding chair of the Big Apple Circus, a touring nonprofit performing arts circus, according to the press release. A memorial service will be held for Slifka at B’nai Jeshurun synagogue in New York on April 10 and the funeral service will be private, according to the press release.

the sillerman prize for

Innovations in Philanthropy on College Campuses

Submit your innovative, creative and original business plan to increase philanthropic behavior, attitudes and practices on college campuses. Application deadline is Friday, March 11, 2011.

A $5,000 prize will be awarded for the best plan.

Visit sillermancenter.brandeis.edu, email cjacobs@brandeis.edu or call (781) 736-3806. the 2011 philanthropy business plan The Sillerman Prize for Innovations in Philanthropy on College Campuses

$5,000 PRIZE! deadline is march 11, 2011

for more information visit sillermancenter.brandeis.edu

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Music @ Brandeis University

This Weekend Feb. 12 & 13

Saturday, February 12, 8:00 p.m.

From Yale

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The Professors of Bluegrass with guests Big Chimney

In 1990, now Yale University Provost, Peter Salovey, and fellow Psychology Professor, Kelly Brownell, assembled a group of Yale community members who, like themselves, loved to play and listen to bluegrass music.

Big Chimney plays reinvented rock, pop, and really old American tunes through a bluegrass and old time lens.

Tickets $5-$20 at the Shapiro Box Office or online*

Peter Salovey - Bass/Vocals Sten Havumaki - Guitar/Vocals Matt Smith - Fiddle Katie Scharf - Fiddle/Vocals Craig Harwood - Mandolin Oscar Hills - Banjo

Sunday, February 13, 3:00 p.m.

A Musical Celebration in honor of the 80th birthday of

Sunday, February 13, 7:00 p.m.

Brandeis University

Prof. Marty Boykan

Great American Music from the 1920s, 30s and 40s

concert includes premieres of two new works performed by mezzo-soprano Pam Dellal and pianist Donald Berman. free and open to the public

Online Ticketing: http://go.brandeis.edu/brandeistickets Students only $5 for Professors of Bluegrass

Chamber Choir James Olesen, director

free and open to the public

Slosberg Music Center Brandeis University 415 South Street Waltham, MA

just

features

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2011

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VERBATIM | JOSEPH CONRAD Only in men’s imagination does every truth find an effective and undeniable existence. Imagination, not invention, is the supreme master of art as of life.

ON THIS DAY…

FUN FACT

In 1924, the first state execution in the United States by gas chamber took place in Nevada.

Lifejackets used to be filled with sunflower seeds for flotation.

Exploring the

vaccination debate

KREG.STEPPE/Flickr Creative Commons

Prof. Michael Willrich (HIST) discusses two views on vaccines By marielle temkin justice editor

About 40 percent of American parents of young children have refused one or more vaccinations for their child, according to Prof.

Michael Willrich (HIST). This current refusal rate shows an increase from recent years, perhaps because roughly a quarter of parents believe that vaccines cause autism.

This belief stems from a 1998 medical report written by the British medical researcher Andrew Wakefield and colleagues that was published in the medical journal Lancet and has been repeatedly discredited and debunked.

Willrich, a specialist in social and legal history, has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at Brandeis since 2000. His passion for education is clear, and he remarks multiple times on how much he enjoys teaching Brandeis students.

But something in addition to his students has occupied his attention lately—the discussion about vaccines.

His determination to help ease the tension and open communications between the two very polarized groups—people who are provaccinations and people who are anti-vaccinations—is evident.

In an op-ed titled, “A Century of Vaccine Scares,” which was published in The New York Times on Jan. 20, he argues for candor in a discussion about the risks and benefits of vaccinations.

Willrich also addresses the article

by Wakefield in his op-ed. “This is a report that has been repeatedly discredited and debunked, but is still widely cited by anti-vaccinationists today. It helped to heighten parental concerns about vaccines,” he said.

These concerns about vaccines are ones that Willrich focuses on.

“I think there is too much of a tendency among supporters of government-mandated childhood vaccinations to simply ridicule people who have concerns about vaccines.

I think that one of the things that needs to be done today is to understand better where these fears are coming from–to fight misinformation with good information but also to try to better understand the social and cultural origins of these concerns,” he said Willrich’s interest in vaccinations started when he began research for his new book, Pox: An American History, which will be released April 4.

While Willrich makes it clear that he has no scientific expertise or medical training, he has been working on his book since 2003. Once he started researching, he said he just “went down the rabbit hole” and

ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

NOTABLE HISTORIAN: Prof. Michael Willrich (HIST) has gained fame for his recent New York Times op-ed that discusses vaccines. started a research process that took 8 years and a writing process that took 3 years.

The book, which is about the smallpox epidemic that started in the 1880s, was going to be about civil liberties during America’s progressive era. Yet once he started researching the history of compulsory vaccination in America at the turn of the twentieth century—a period when many were compelled, sometimes by gunpoint, to take the smallpox vaccine—the more he realized that the vaccination question had once been “one of the most important, if not the most important civil liberties issues in America,” which compelled him to focus on it in his book, he said.

In this time period, when small-

pox epidemics broke out in much of the country, people often refused vaccines because they believed— with good reason—that they or their children might react adversely to the shot. Willrich explained that at the turn of the 20th century, there were virtually no governmental controls of vaccine production in the United States. Many smallpox vaccines on the market were not produced under particularly antiseptic conditions, which allowed for bacteria and other impurities to seep into the vaccination.

Compulsory vaccinations sometimes led to rioting and efforts to change the laws in order to outlaw compulsory vaccination. “I’m a legal historian, and that’s really how I got into this topic. I was really inter-

ested in all the cases that came up as a result of these compulsory vaccinations,” he said.

Willrich became interested in vaccines once he started to wonder “if it’s consistent with the Constitution to compel someone to undergo a medical procedure against their will. … It’s a violation of their bodily integrity,” he said.

Willrich wrote the op-ed for The New York Times because he “wanted to speak to the broader public about this question,” he said. And it seems that he did reach the public—he said that his inbox was filled with e-mails by 9 a.m. on the day that the article was published.

“I had a range of responses, and I never have had such an immediate response [to an article],” he said.

In the op-ed, Willrich is “trying to argue that the public health community should use this moment as an opportunity to not just vilify or ridicule the people who are concerned about vaccines, but to have a candid, open discussion about the risks and benefits of vaccinations,” he said.

“Vaccines today are far safer than they were a century ago, but there are also many more governmentmandated vaccines, which affects how people view them,” Willrich notes.

One of the main factors that is shaping how people understand vaccines today is the fact that many of the diseases that vaccines protect us from are not as prevalent today, if at all.

“Some diseases on the [vaccine] schedule are no longer with us visibly. And it’s complicated by the fact that there are so many vaccines that are mandated today in order for kids to go to school, or anywhere,” Willrich said. The vaccine schedule refers to the list of vaccines that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children receive by the time they reach certain ages.

In addition to the decrease in frequency that measles, mumps and rubella are visibly seen today, there is also the fact that polio is extremely rare today but was once a crippling disease that affected many people. Smallpox was eradicated by an international campaign using targeted vaccination coupled with quarantine and surveillance.

“People have forgotten how bad these diseases are. People are able to forget because vaccines have helped to make those diseases so scarce. … If you think about it that way, public education becomes such an important part of these issues,” he said.

Willrich wants to help the provaccine majority grow by educating the public on the dangers of low immunization levels.

“How do we convince people who are on the fence, as many parents are; how do we convince them to fall into full compliance? I think that by taking their concerns seriously and by reminding people of the dangers of low immunization levels and the serious possibility that some of these diseases could come back and start afflicting kids again. … These are things to talk to the public about,” he said.

“I think that one of the … fears that people bring to the table is the sheer number of vaccination shots that their babies and young children have to have now. The medical community needs to be understanding about that,” he said.

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TUESDAY, February 8, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

GRABBING A BITE: MOCA members recently held a meeting in a relaxed setting where they could also eat.

A TIGHT-KNIT GROUP: Students in the alliance spend time bonding together during their weekly meetings.

The creation

of a Color

Alliance

Members of the Men Of Color Alliance empower one another

By Dave benger JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

When walking around the campus on a Friday afternoon or a Saturday morning, it is common to run into a student wearing a suit or similar formal attire to welcome the Sabbath, which comes every Friday evening. It is not so common, however, to see students wearing suits and ties on a regular weekday.

It is this act of dressing up simply for daily classes that the Men of Color Alliance has discovered as an outward expression of selfrespect.

MOCA, which was created about 3 years ago by a group of students, just after the founding of the on-campus Women of Color Alliance, is an on-campus organization dedicated to serving as a support system for men of color on campus and to serving the greater community.

“We serve as mentors, as students and as friends who just want to help each other,” Daniel Acheampong ’11, a member of MOCA, said.

The club, which exists at a number of other universities as well, is symbolically organized without a president or any kind of hierarchical structure.

“We come to the table as equals,” Associate Dean of Student Life Jamele Adams explained.

While there was not a specific incident of prejudice that sparked the creation of MOCA, club members stress that it is important for any minority group within a larger community to have a space where they can “talk about problems we have in a safe environment,” according to MOCA member Anwar AbdulWahab ’11.

The focus of the organization is for members to provide support for one another. “In classes, being the only person of color, I sometimes feel like I have something to prove,” Abdul-Wahab said. This feeling is one of many issues that club members discuss during their weekly meetings.

While Abdul-Wahab was abroad in London for the semester when the idea to dress up on weekdays was first put forth, he certainly supports the initiative. “When you dress up, you carry a different demeanor. It’s a psychological thing. You feel better about yourself,” he said.

Adams, who acts as an unofficial adviser to the club, explained that the club itself was

founded long before it officially took the name MOCA. “It started out as a group of people who would meet in this office periodically,” Adams said, gesturing around his own office, decorated with musical paraphernalia, science-fiction statuettes and all kinds of Brandeis mementos.

As the organization grew, the weekly meetings moved to the Trustees boardroom. The club allows anyone who is interested to attend their meetings and therefore does not have an exact number of members.

The choice of the Trustees boardroom was not accidental, according to Adams. The room, which is decorated with portraits of former chairs of the Board of Trustees, is the perfect setting to inspire members of MOCA to accomplish extraordinary things.

“The desire is to have some folks who sit around that table have their picture on the wall,” is how Adams puts it.

As far as his own role in the group, “I would consider myself probably a motivator.

I appreciate being a resource for all the folks around the table,” Adams said.

Yet members of MOCA describe Adams as that and more. Abdul-Wahab described Adams like family.

“You can tell him anything. Things you wouldn’t feel comfortable telling other folks,” Abdul-Wahab said.

According to Adams, the decision to dress up for regular days of class was made in order to dissuade stereotypes that men of color choose not to dress professionally.

“All the fellas in MOCA can attest to a difference in the way they [are] interacted with when they dress professionally,” Adams said, echoing Abdul-Wahab’s sentiments about demeanor.

“Something as simple as changing the way you dress changes the expectations people have of you and your character, which is particularly important as a male of color in the context of this country’s history.”

Adams believes that the ability to inspire these young men is a fantastic opportunity to make an impact on the future.

“It’s not about race relations, it’s human relations,” Adams said.

He wants the members of MOCA to feel comfortable with their background and to use that comfortability “to be active citizens of the community and to contribute to the majestic place that is Brandeis,” he says.

A CASUAL MEETING: Makensley Lordeus ’11, Lys Joseph ’14 and Karia Sekumbo ’14 (from left) swapped stories and discussed various issues during a meeting that was held at The Stein on a recent snow day.

MOCA MEMBERS: Usman Hameedi ’12, Jermyn Addy ’11 and Daniel Acheampong ’11 (from left) attended.

Photos by Hilary Heyison  the Justice

THE JUSTICE

Walt Disney World

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TUESDAY, February 8, 2011

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to

MICKEY’S HAT: Steven Wong ’13 worked in Hollywood Studios last semester while he was on a leave of absence from Brandeis and visited Mickey’s Sorcerers Hat, a symbol of Hollywood Studios that lights up at night.

Steven Wong ’13 spent this past semester at Hollywood Studios By eitan cooper JUSTICE EDITOR

For most people, giving back to the community happens in places like soup kitchens, hospitals and homeless shelters. We associate the most selfless acts with those venues. On the other hand, when we think of vacation spots like Walt Disney World, we imagine exhilarating rides, the Magic Kingdom and Mickey Mouse ears. In places like Disney World, we are able to leave our everyday lives behind and indulge in what, in many ways, is a selfish experience.

But these associations do not hold true for Steven Wong ’13, who has a very special connection with Disney World. Wong has gone to the theme park in Orlando, Fla. with his mother every year but one since 1997. He says that he has been there so often mostly because his mother was “deprived as a child,” so she decided to bring her children there as often as possible.

Last semester, Wong had the chance to spend even more time at Disney World when he took a leave of absence to embark on an internship at the famed theme park.

Wong spent his semester in sunny Florida as an employee of Hollywood Studios.

During winter 2009, Wong sat at his home with his family in Boston watching a special on the Home and Garden Television Network about how Disney World decorates its theme parks for the holidays—one of its busiest times of the year. The program describes how the artists manage to construct decorations outside of the park and then put them up after hours.

As someone with a passion for the arts who is considering a Fine Arts major, Wong found the program fascinating. Knowing he had the skill and motivation to help out those who work at the park, he decided to do some research.

Wong’s motivation to work at Disney was by no means selfish. While he did make a minimum-wage salary, Wong’s longtime connection with Disney World and his desire to “give back” motivated him to pursue this opportunity.

“The guest services there are amazing. ...

They are way too nice, way too polite, and they are real and genuine. They just want you to have a good time, … so I thought I could give back to the people who visit the park,” Wong says.

After some research in the days after watching the television show, Wong discovered that Disney World offers the Disney College Program, which was designed to offer students a chance to work in the theme park and take classes in business and marketing at the same time.

While Wong’s father was not supportive of the idea because he did not want his son to leave the state for such an extended period of time, his mother fully backed his plan, partly because of her love for Disney World.

When he returned to campus in spring 2010, Wong went to his academic adviser to further explore the idea. While the classes in the Disney College Program would not count for credit at Brandeis, he nonetheless elected to take a leave of absence for fall 2010.

As a result, Wong must now take five classes every semester in order to graduate on time, in addition to participating in the five Waltham Group volunteer services in which he takes part, as well as the Photog-

LIGHTING UP DISNEY WORLD: The Cinderella Castle is decorated with jewels each Christmas and lit up.

DISNEY CREW: Steven Wong ’13 hung out with Minnie Mouse and other characters while he was at Disney. raphy Club and Business Club. Needless to say, the rest of his Brandeis career will be no walk in the park.

Learning how to work at Disney World was by no means a simple process. Famous for its stellar guest services, the park requires a training session for all its workers.

Wong described the training for his job as intense but manageable. “It was overwhelming the first day, but after a few weeks you get used to it,” Wong says.

To prepare for his work at Hollywood Studios, Wong woke up at the crack of dawn and boarded a bus that traveled behind

Magic Kingdom—a place far removed from the public eye, where “no one who visits the park ever goes,” Wong says.

His training included a class called “Traditions,” in which participants learn the history of the theme park and the origins of Mickey Mouse.

Eventually, Wong’s training became more specialized. He had other training sessions in which he learned how to operate the cash register and count change “the Disney way,” he says. Employees at Disney World must say “19, 20, here’s your change,” instead of simply “2 dollars.” According to Wong, this manner of counting change is more “formal,” and thus Disney insists on it.

Once he started his work at the park, Wong began each day by boarding a free shuttle to the theme park. Once at the park, Wong had to walk behind the scenes to the costume department, described by Wong as a “Home Depot of clothes.”

Wong was required to wear a white-collar dress shirt, black pants and black sneakers.

In addition to this strict dress code, employees are not allowed to have facial hair, must cover up their tattoos and cannot let their hair go below their earlobes.

After receiving his outfit, Wong made his way over to the casting department, where he received his assignment each day. Most of the time, his day-to-day responsibilities included merchandising, checking inventory, working the cash register, stocking merchandise and helping at guest services.

Wong was also able to take advantage of one particular perk of the job: access to free rides. He rode Space Mountain, one of his favorites, at least 30 times.

But Wong thought the part of his day when he gained the most was interacting with the visitors to the park. The task of interacting with customers was totally new to him. His lack of experience resulted in a few embarrassing encounters.

“I embarrassed myself in front of an English guest. He asked me a question in an English accent ... and for some reason I responded in an English accent. As I was walking back, I thought to myself, ‘Shoot. I didn’t mean to do a fake accent.’”

Wong pursued his internship at Disney in order to help with the artistic creations in the park. When he arrived, though, he found that there was not much for him to do in the way of art. However, this did not take away from his experience.

“You get into the swing of things. … I did get to do some artwork at the end, … so I wasn’t too disappointed,” he says.

While Wong’s passion lies in the arts, many of his nonartistic experiences proved the most memorable.

“Just to see a kid’s face when he sees a picture of Mickey Mouse is … mind-blowing,” he says.

A self-described quiet individual, Wong says that Disney World allowed him to discover himself. Before his experience at Disney, Wong says that he was less outgoing and more reserved.

Now, however, Wong plans on going into a career that involves customer service.

While Disney World no doubt provides great memories for the average visitor, the experience of working at Disney proved transformative for at least one of its employees.

 Photos courtesy of Steven Wong

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TUESDAY, February 8, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

Justice Justice

the the

Established 1949, Brandeis University

Brandeis University

Established 1949

Brian Fromm, Editor in Chief Rebecca Blady, Managing Editor Brian N. Blumenthal, Production Editor Emily Kraus, Deputy Editor Ian Cutler, Asher Krell, Nashrah Rahman, Robyn Spector and Jillian Wagner, Associate Editors Fiona Lockyer, News Editor Dafna Fine, Features Editor Eitan Cooper, Forum Editor Jeffrey Boxer, Sports Editor Wei-Huan Chen, Arts Editor Yosef Schaffel and Tali Smookler, Acting Photography Editors Debra Friedmann, Layout Editor Marielle Temkin, Acting Copy Editor Cody Yudkoff, Advertising Editor

Address problematic residences In the past week, a number of rooms in the Usen Castle have been affected by flooding from melting snow on the rooftop of the building. This board urges the Department of Community Living to warn students about rooms that are susceptible to damage prior to the upcoming housing lottery and room selection. Additionally, this board recommends that DCL remove the rooms that are known to have serious problems from the room selection process.

Nearly a year ago, part of the ceiling in a student’s room in Schwartz Residence Hall caved in onto the student’s bed while he was not in the room. At the time, this board called on the University to improve campus infrastructure.

While this board still considers the repairs of facilities on campus to be of the utmost importance, we recognize that the University does not have enough resources to address every problem on campus. It may be impossible at this point in time to make repairs in every building on campus. We also acknowledge that closing the Castle as a residence hall is not a feasible solution in light of financial concerns and the rise in housing demand that will increase as the student body grows.

At the very least, though, this board strongly recommends that DCL compile a list of rooms that have sustained damage and those that may be at high risk for damage.

If possible, rooms that are known to have problems should be posted on the room selection website. Then, prior to the selection of housing, students will be aware of the risks that a particular

Warn students about hazards room carries. Those participating in the housing lottery must be aware that certain rooms have a history of damage and that electing to live in such rooms comes with risks.

Students pay a set amount to live in a certain type of room on campus; damaged singles in the Castle, for example, cost just as much as every other single in the Castle.

We expect, then, that all rooms that cost the same amount would meet the same basic standards; however, that has proven not to be the case. While some rooms are relatively problem-free, others have damage and flooding that makes living in them a major inconvenience. DCL could take these issues into account and provide discounts on these rooms.

Additionally, this board feels that there are certain rooms on campus that should not be part of the housing lottery at all. While a simple warning before the housing lottery may suffice for some rooms, it’s clear that other rooms—particularly some of those in the Castle— are not acceptable student residences. It is simply unacceptable to allow students to live in rooms that pose too high of a risk to students’ safety and belongings.

While we recognize that there is a housing shortage on campus, students should never be put in rooms that can potentially compromise their health or damage their possessions. We hope that the University can take the appropriate course of action in order to prevent future incidents of this kind.

JBS deserves renewed attention At last Thursday’s faculty meeting, Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe led a discussion about the Justice Brandeis Semester program, which according to Mr. Jaffe is being reviewed after the faculty asked for an update about its status.

This board commends the faculty for considering changes to a program about which we have expressed reservations in the past, and we hope that the review leads to substantial changes in the way JBS is run.

JBS was originally conceived as a way to alleviate overcrowding by encouraging students to complete requirements over the summer; however, Mr. Jaffe said in an interview with the Justice, “We pretty much decided that the JBS as a mechanism for getting students off campus doesn’t work, so we have given up on that objective as through the JBS program.” As JBS has proven ineffective at attaining one of its central goals, it is fitting that the faculty reconsider it in light of the existing academic needs it could meet.

On March 10, 2009, after the faculty approved JBS, this page wrote, “The success of the JBS program relies too much on assumptions made about student preference.”

In the years that have passed since then, it is clear that JBS in its current form does not appeal to as many students as the administration originally hoped it would, and we are glad that the faculty has taken this opportunity to re-

Original purpose unfulfilled evaluate its position.

JBS was problematic in that it failed to give students real incentives to receive instruction over the summer or off campus instead of taking a traditional oncampus semester of classes. When the program was conceived, there was no student input and little faculty discussion.

We hope that, moving forward, those considering changes to the program take care to find out what type of structure would actually appeal to those taking part.

Since the program’s focus seems to be shifting toward on-campus experiences for students, this page recommends that those in charge of JBS look into consolidating resources with the Experiential Learning program to benefit the maximum number of students and faculty.

Since the central goal of JBS seems to have shifted, it seems that what constitutes the program and differentiates it from existing EL programs could change as well.

Students would benefit from the opportunity to immerse themselves in dedicated study if the program was reshaped to better meet student and faculty needs. Faculty should continue to investigate JBS—improvements to the program could change it from a drain on University resources to an asset to the community as a whole.

A. ELI TUKACHINSKY/the Justice

Don’t compromise admissions essays Naomi

Volk Et cetera

OP-BOX Quote of the Week “Just to see a kid’s face when he sees a picture of Mickey Mouse is ... mindblowing.”

—Steven Wong ’13 on his experience working in Disney World last semester.

(See Features, p. 9).

Brandeis Talks Back According to an article in the Cornell Daily Sun, The Essay Exchange recently went into business online, buying admissions essays from recent graduates of Cornell University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Stanford University. These purchased essays would then be sold to college applicants who could use the model essays to learn how to structure their own essay in ways that are, supposedly, top-tier school approved.

The Essay Exchange allows the graduates of such high-end colleges to upload their admissions essays to the website. These uploaders are then paid whenever someone buys one of their essays—creating an opportunity for continual revenue from the site. Prospective applicants can buy essays for as low as $7.50, when bought in bulk. The website, in theory, was created to be “an affordable way to provide admissions essay insight,” Rory O’Connor, the CEO of the company, told the Daily Sun. One may assume that students are using this website to plagiarize their college admissions essays. According to the Daily Sun, the site’s founders, graduates of the Harvard Business School, are deeply concerned about the possibility of plagiarism. The founders say that the website “not only requires users to sign an anti-plagiarism pledge, but also has partnered with admission offices nationwide, making its database of essays available to them.”

The company’s mission is surprisingly altruistic; the idea is to give prospective applicants an even playing field for admission, especially because some of the applicants don’t learn how to write properly in high school.

Yet this in no way excuses applicants who would use such a method to get accepted into a college. The purpose of the college admissions essay is not only to give a measure of the applicant’s writing skill but also of who the applicant is—and how such a person would fit into the college’s community. By formatting his or her essay around an already existing one, the applicant is not giving the college a true account of who he or she is.

How is the admissions office then supposed to make a decision about an applicant if the admissions officers never know who the applicant actually is? After all, the point of the college admissions process is supposed to be that both the applicant and the admissions office find good matches. Maybe the college admissions process has become too much of a game for students to care about the “right fit” anymore. In a culture that strives only to get into a certain sect of “name schools,” have we forgotten what the point of finding a college really is?

And the funny thing is, at least according to admissions officer Scott Anderson’s article for insidehighered.com, “Essays play an important role in a student’s application, but they rarely seal the deal in the way that essay vendors imply.” In the end, the applicants are judged more on how they portray themselves in a multitude of ways rather than through a single essay question. The entire admissions process does not come down to a single piece of writing—in fact, according to Rhodes College’s website, the most important piece of an application is the rigor of the applicant’s high school classes.

Applicants are already learning how to play the game when it comes to the SAT, which courses to take in high school and to what extracurricular activities to take part in. Should the essay, already the subject of much “gaming,” be further degraded by becoming just another piece in the puzzle? Anderson also said that “applying to college comes with distinct responsibilities, and chief among them is portraying oneself accurately and honestly.” If so, this “game” of essay selling is most certainly not fitting the bill.

Many applicants have already had everyone under the sun read their essays, making sure that it sounds “just right.” But all the other application pieces ultimately rest in the applicant’s hands. If the essay is a reformatted version of someone else’s essay, then the applicant is no longer showcasing themselves.

And while it may seem like a good deal in the short run, admissions officers, it seems, would much rather hear from a real person, flaws included, than a perfect person whose success rides on that of another. Assistant Dean of Admissions for the College of Arts and Sciences at Cornell University Pat Wasyliw told the Daily Sun, “In a nutshell, if you think this is a good idea in any way, you do not belong at Cornell or any comparable institution of higher learning.” Maybe he has a point.

What are your thoughts on the physical condition of campus dorms?

Marisa Langdon-Embry ’12 “I think they’re gross. They need to be renovated, especially East and the Mods. But I’m happy with the Grad renovations”

Zahin Huq ’14 “Some of them are nice, but they can definitely use some work, especially the bathrooms.”

Benny Sternberg ’14 “I believe that some dorms are excellent, and some are absolutely disgusting.”

Shumay Williams ’13 “I definitely think a lot of work needs to be done in North and the Castle.”

—Compiled by Eitan Cooper Photos by Tali Smookler/ the Justice

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, February 8. 2011

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READER COMMENTARY Newspaper mischaracterized Bunis To the Editor: I want to thank the Justice for your front-page article on Feb. 1, 2011 announcing my new role as chief of staff. It is a thrill to find myself back here at my alma mater so very many years (as the cartoon on page 10 made clear) after my graduation. But I feel that I should set the record straight on one point. I did not, in fact, found the Jewish Repertory Theatre. Someone else with the name David Bunis did that, and although it looks like

a great project, I cannot take any credit for it.

And for that matter—and for anyone Googling my name to learn more about me—I am not the David Bunis who lives in Buffalo, N.Y., the David Bunis who wrote A Guide to Reading and Writing Judezmo or the David Bunis who wrote to boatbanter.com looking for swim platform support brackets for his houseboat. The truth is, I haven’t been to Buffalo since my cousin Barry’s wedding, I can’t speak or write Judezmo and I don’t have a houseboat. In all seriousness, though, I appreci-

ate your interest in my return to Brandeis, and I sincerely hope that your readers will feel free to stop by my office and introduce themselves. My door is always open, and I am looking forward to working with all of you.

—David A. Bunis ’83 The writer is the University president’s chief of staff.

Cigarette bans can be successful In response to your article “Cigarette bans

promise to be ineffective” (Forum, Feb. 1): Actually, smoke-free campus rules have been very effective, and are often suggested and enforced by the students themselves. Quite a few of the colleges and universities in Minnesota have gone smoke free. The latest was Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minn.

—Robert Moffitt The writer is the communications director of the American Lung Association in Minnesota.

Show your colors: Support Brandeis basketball

By JeffreY Boxer JUSTICE Editor

About two weeks ago, I attended the men’s and women’s basketball teams’ games against the University of Chicago. While the women’s team struggled and fell to 9-6 on the season, the men’s team, fresh off of a new school record of an 11-game-winning streak to start the season, defeated the University of Chicago Maroons 59-53 to move to 12-2 on the season. The main thing I took away from the two games, however, was not the off night that the women’s team had, nor how well guard Ben Bartoldus ’14 (who led Brandeis with 20 points) and the rest of the first-years on the men’s team played. I left the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center that night absolutely embarrassed by how poor of a turnout there had been at the two games, particularly at the women’s game.

At both the men’s and women’s games, the Chicago fans both outnumbered and outcheered the Brandeis fans. Despite the fact that the Maroons’ Hyde Park campus is nearly 1,000 miles away from Waltham, the team’s absurd cheer of “Gimme the speed of light, ‘C!’ Gimme Planck’s constant, ‘H!’ Gimme root negative one, ‘I!’ …” could be heard loud and clear throughout the gymnasium.

One fan who was particularly displeased with the turnout at these games was Brandeis’ notorious superfan, Allen Karon ’91. Karon attends all of the team’s games and is by far the most vocal Brandeis supporter, often running up and down the bleachers urging the team and the fans on. Commenting on the Justice website on the Jan. 25 article on the game, Karon wrote, “I never want to see 70% to 80% of the crowd in my building rooting for the opposition ever again. Brandeis students—be proud of your university and represent the school every game!”

It truly is disgraceful for the Brandeis supporters to be outnumbered three- or four-toone in our own gymnasium. Essentially, our basketball teams were forced to play two extra road games each. Historically, both the men and women have played better with large home crowds, as all sports teams do. Whether or not a strong home crowd would have changed the outcome of any of the games is debatable, but Brandeis’ three losses would have been, most likely, at least a bit closer.

The games were even more difficult for the women’s team, which had a ridiculously low

number of supporters at its games. For the two games against Chicago, 400 people attended the men’s basketball game, while just 175 attended the women’s game. The numbers were similar, 350 and 200 people, respectively, for the games against WashU. Karon correctly points out in his comment that both the Brandeis Athletics Department and the student population are at fault for the lack of attendance at the men’s and women’s contests thus far this season. The Athletics Department at Brandeis has, in the past, thrown events such as “Brandeis Beach Bashes,” which encouraged students to come to games dressed in beachwear. Free pizza used to be offered at halftime of some of the games.

While the Athletics Department has done a good job of pasting flyers around the school with the teams’ schedules and did give away temporary tattoos at the games against Emory University, more could certainly be done.

Ultimately, it’s the responsibility of the students, not the Athletics department, for the games to be better attended. Several years ago, the students of the newly formed Alpha Delta Phi fraternity led the crowd in cheering and encouraged students to attend the games. Any of the fraternities or sororities at Brandeis could choose to take up this call and likely could help to greatly increase student attention. Students not involved in Greek life are just as responsible for the poor attendance

SARA WEININGER/the Justice

figures. Other clubs or individuals could also encourage fellow students to go to the games, or people could just choose to show up with a few friends or on their own.

Few, if any, can be as committed as Karon is and manage to attend every game. People have work, social events and numerous other activities that can make attending games difficult.

Jews attending services may find making the Friday night games impossible, just as churchgoers may be forced to miss the early Sunday games. But at the end of the day, the games are free entertainment, a chance to socialize and hang out with friends and a chance to support our school. More people should take advantage of that opportunity.

While under the influence, coerced sexual acts equal rape Elizabeth

STOKER bREVITY

One might recall the initial uproar surrounding so-called “state-funded abortion” when debates about universal health care began back in the early days of the Obama presidency. Recently, the issue arose with fervor once again due to the creation of the “Smith bill,” authored by Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.) and sponsored by intellectual luminaries such as Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and Congressman John Kline (R-Minn.). The intention of the bill was to prevent any taxpayer money from funding clinics that perform abortions, either domestically or overseas. Exceptions were made for cases of incest and “forcible rape.” The bill was later quietly changed to remove the “forcible” qualifier, though only after much ado.

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The brouhaha that resulted from the original wording was due to the inclusion of the notion of “forcible rape” as opposed to acts of sexual violation that are presently considered rape under the law. In short, the supporters of the bill would have it that the only rapes considered serious enough to warrant treatment are those which occur at gun or knifepoint in back alleys to nice girls who happen to be walking home late.

Yet that image doesn’t resonate with the instances of sexual assault and rape that college students are frequently exposed to. Campuses with strong athletic cultures and the presence of Greek life are especially vulnerable to high numbers of rapes and sexual assaults, presumably due to alcohol abuse by the victim. Sociologist Peggy Sanday made this very point in her book “Fraternity Gang Rape,” and more recent statistics, such as those brought forth by University of Northern Colorado Professor Nicholas Syrett in his June 2009 article “Bros Before Hos: College Fraternities and Sexual Exploitation,” suggest that 70 to 90 percent of all campus rapes are committed by fraternity brothers.

The conservative position seems to be either

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that states of intoxication simply do not exist, or that people who become intoxicated automatically become interested in any and all sexual activity that they may be coaxed into participating in. My assumption is that people who hold these views simply have never met a person who is severely intoxicated, as one of the first things that becomes apparent in those encounters is that the intoxicated individual in question is not thinking clearly.

What is required for the idea of sex with a person who cannot give consent to become socially conceptualized as rape in every circumstance is a mass shift in attitudes. This shift is not going to start at the top, within institutions or in the minds of conservatives or others who aren’t frequently exposed to instances of rape via intoxication. This shift has to start with us—the witnesses, victims and culprits.

To make it unthinkable that anyone would coerce, coax or otherwise force an intoxicated person into sexual activity and have it be considered anything other than rape, we have to change our attitudes about engaging in sexual activity with intoxicated individuals. It can no

The Staff

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

longer be seen as cute, funny, clever or even normal; it must be seen for what it is: predatory, calculated and ultimately dangerous. For the more we, as students, normalize the abuse of people under the influence of alcohol, the more the notion that those actions are common and minimal becomes acceptable to our lawmakers.

This is our responsibility. It’s time to do whatever we can to respond harshly to sexual activity with intoxicated people. We have to condemn it, reject it and openly decry it en masse if we are going to rid ourselves of its creeping normalcy and remove it from the domain of acceptability in the minds of lawmakers. If party culture takes a hit, it’s a small price to pay for the legal protection of people who have been taken advantage of.

Luckily, in this instance, the outcry generated by that very suggestion has induced the author of the bill to change the wording to reflect the reality of rape, rather than a conservative’s fantasy of it. But one capitulation does not signify the overall shift of social attitudes that needs to occur to ensure that “forcible rape” does not become the only rape we recognize as legitimate.

Editorial Assistants News: Sara Dejene, Andrew Wingens Arts: Aaron Berke, Emily Salloway Staff Senior Illustrators: Rishika Assomull, A. Eli Tukachinsky News: Tyler Belanga Features: Dave Benger, Rocky Reichman, Deborah Salmon Forum: Hannah Goldberg, Shafaq Hasan, Rebecca Kellogg, Ethan Mermelstein, Liz Posner, Sara Shahanaghi Leah Smith, Avi Snyder, Elizabeth Stoker, Naomi Volk Sports: Josh Asen, Julian Cardillo, Jonathan Epstein, Max Goldstein, Sam Liang, Jacob Lurie, Adam Rabinowitz, Jonathan Steinberg Arts: Taylor Baker, Eric Chow, Alex DeSilva, Julia Jerusalmi, Leah Igdalsky Elly Kalfus, Morgan Manley, Amy Melser,

Douglas Moore, Alex Pagan, Bryan Prywes, Sujin Shin, Shelly Shore Photography: Genevieve Armstrong, Amy Bissaillon, Lydia Emmanouilidou, Nathan Feldman, Morgan Fine, Nathaniel Freedman, Rachel Gordon, Hilary Heyison, Davida Judelson, Joshua Linton, Mansi Luo, Alex Margolis, Maya Shemtov, Jonathan Wexler, Janey Zitomer Copy: Taylor Baker, Rebecca Brooks, Allyson Cartter, Jacob Chatinover, Hilary Cheney, Erica Cooperberg, Philip Gallagher, Ariel Glickman, Patricia Greene, Celine Hacobian, Rachel Herman, Liana Johnson, Mailinh PhanNguyen, Maya Riser-Kositsky, Mara Sassoon, Dan Willey, Amanda Winn Layout: Nadav Havivi, Nan Pang, Denny Poliferno Illustrations: Stacy Handler, Ari Tretin

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TUESDAY, February 8, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

FORUM ANALYZING THE CHAOS IN EGYPT

Appreciate Egypt’s democratic protest Liz

Posner But I Digress

The current uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia have occupied the Western media’s attention for the past several weeks. Political commentators and analysts have obsessed over the motivations behind the revolt, the nature of the protest and its possible consequences both locally and elsewhere in the Middle East. The domino effect of revolution seems to be one matter everyone can agree on. Similar stirrings of anger and rebellion have been sighted in Sudan, Algeria and Syria, and pundits are speculating over the next Arab country to be pulled into the democratic winds.

It is important, though, to take a step back and assess the tone of the ongoing conversation and coverage by these media outlets. The current revolt in Egypt is a perfect case study. After the first few weeks of straightforward reporting, the Western media’s particular concerns and biases regarding the protests have become very clear. Journalists remark on how social media networks like Twitter and Facebook helped fuel the flames of revolution. Politicians worry about possible repercussions of the rebellion on radical Islamist groups. Another hot topic is the consequence of a full-out revolution in Egypt on its neighbor Israel.

It seems like a disproportionate number of editorials and op-eds in The New York Times have focused on Israel and Egypt. Some Israelis and Israel empathizers in the United States are justifiably concerned about the consequences of the recent uprising in Egypt against President Hosni Mubarak. Although Mubarak has been found responsible for rampant corruption and social oppression within Egypt, he has also been Israel’s most stable ally among the Arab nations of the Middle East since the 1979 Camp David Peace Accords. Concern for its own safety and security understandably takes priority in Israel, and the political stability of its neighbors is crucial. However, fueling Israel’s hesitancy towards the Egyptian uprising is fear of the unknown. As conditions remain fragile in Egypt’s politics, it remains to be seen whether Mubarak will fall and be replaced by a ruler less sympathetic to Israel’s interests.

Similarly understandable is the West’s fear of the spread of Islamic

RAMY RAOOF/Flickr Creative Commons

PROTESTS FOR FREEDOM: Thousands of disgruntled Egyptian citizens have been protesting the current government and its policies in Tahrir Square, Cairo since Jan. 25. fundamentalist movements in the aftermath of revolt. The possible rise of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt is not just an Israeli concern.

The United States as well fears an Islamic revival among Egyptians that would restrain political freedom and popular democracy in the region. Contributing to this fear is the relatively positive attitude of regular Egyptians regarding traditional Islam. A 2008 Gallup poll reported that 64 percent of Egyptians believe Shariah, the religious law of Islam, should be the only legal code informing Egyptian law.

However, it has been difficult for outsiders to gauge the general sentiment of the Egyptian public and determine the extent to which the preservation of traditional Islam has been a priority of the cur-

rent revolution. Egyptian officials have criticized remarks made by Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei regarding what he sees as the “Islamist awakening” in Egypt. Truly, the general character of the protests in Egypt suggests a stronger concern for rights than for religion, as protesters have taken to the streets to demonstrate for more jobs, freedom of speech and an end to a dictatorship.

In the past week, I have come across more articles online concerning these subtopics than the protests themselves. I wonder whether these are all part of the way Western media contextualizes foreign stories in order to make them relevant to their audience. Of course, it makes sense that these are all concerns and priorities of the West and Israel. We want

to know how these protests relate to and affect us.

I think it is important, though, that we appreciate these revolutionary movements simply for what they are. They represent the ascent of democracy: common people speaking up for their rights after years under an oppressive authoritarian regime and better communication among citizens of developing nations. The long-term benefit of these features to humanity outweighs the immediate consequences of the protests, no matter how they are resolved in the coming weeks.

Mubarak’s regime is guilty of innumerable human rights violations and has been characterized by episodes of police brutality, corruption, censorship and lack of freedom of speech. It is hard to argue with the

simple fact that the world is better off with one less authoritarian dictator. I am not saying at all that his likely fall from power will not have complicated consequences for the Western world.

However, I do think this speculation and worry should be accompanied by simple appreciation for the process of democratic revolt by the people. It has been a number of years since the United States has witnessed a developing nation’s turn to democracy unprompted by the meddling of Western powers. We are constantly defending our involvement in foreign wars by citing our mantra of supporting democracy worldwide.

Egypt and Tunisia now present the U.S. the rare opportunity to be supportive by doing little besides cheer on the protestors.

End the American empire in the Middle East

By Steven Pieragastini Special to the Justice

Standing at a lectern, speaking to anxious and expectant listeners throughout the Arab world, United States President Barack Obama uttered these words: “[I] have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed, confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice, government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people, [and] the freedom to live as you choose. .… Governments that protect these rights are ultimately more stable, successful and secure. Suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. America respects the right of all peaceful and law-abiding voices to be heard around the world, even if we disagree with them.”

Sadly, these words were not spoken in response to the recent protests in Tunisia, Egypt and elsewhere throughout the Middle East, but they were instead part of

the president’s June 4, 2009 speech in Cairo. After an initial period of painful waffling, the Obama Administration has done what it does best—emit a lot of noble-sounding hot air while settling for an agreement negotiated behind closed doors. Perhaps this is inevitable in politics, especially when it comes to foreign policy.

But the administration’s policy, championing “stability” and “security” over democracy since largescale protests began in Egypt, is based on a faulty presumption.

Egypt is not about to become Iran or Gaza 2.0; people on the streets are demanding freedom and democracy, not Islamic theocracy (an unlikely prospect in a country with a large Christian minority and widespread secularist sentiment). Allowing Mubarak to dally increases the sense of political crisis and ennobles the radical elements of the opposition. It is probably true that a more democratic Egypt would be less friendly towards Israel, like a democratic Turkey and a quasi-

democratic Lebanon. But the army and middle class are and will remain a force for moderation; these voices will be more legitimate without patronage from the Mubarak regime.

Our post-World War II geopolitical interests have convinced most of the world that for all our talk about freedom and democracy, when push comes to shove, we will always back the anti-Communist/ anti-Islamist/pro-business faction within a country, no matter how unsavory its methods of enforcing these policies.

The current protest movements in the Middle East are providing us with an opportunity to make good on decades of empty promises, but only if we are willing to break with our outdated assumptions about this region and about the value of reluctant alliances with the likes of Mubarak. Our president is fond of speaking about “turning pages” on “new chapters” in history, but this is impossible as long as he keeps reading from the same old

textbooks.

Instead, he should try reading the history of the end of European empires in the decades following World War II. Like Britain and France in the years after World War II, the United States can no longer afford to maintain an empire while at the same time trying to spur domestic economic recovery and development. Within 25 years of the end of World War II, the British and French empires had almost completely vanished as independence movements used these countries’ rhetoric of democracy against them.

The U.S. is in a nearly identical position today. The 2003 invasion of Iraq, which seemingly marked the apex of American domination in the Middle East, now ironically looks as if it only diminished our ability to dictate the course of events in the region. American hegemony will continue to decrease as emerging economies, particularly China, become the preferred customers of oil-producing nations.

The Middle East really may be entering its own springtime of nations, akin to Europe’s revolutions in 1848 and 1989 or the aforementioned anticolonial movements from the 1940s to the 1960s. There are both structural and commonplace political reasons for this— young populations facing high unemployment and crushing inflation on the one hand, fatigue with decades of sclerotic dictatorial rule on the other.

The Middle East is changing; American power in the region is declining. We should use what remains of our “soft power” to push for immediate reforms in these countries and thereby make good on decades of moralizing. The alternative is to reinforce the dictators and drop the pretense that we are anything but a self-interested imperial power. Either way, these regimes will soon collapse, and that is change we should all believe in.

Editor’s note: The writer is a thirdyear Ph.D. candidate in the History department.

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, fEBRUARY 8, 2011

13

SPORTS Track and field

Runners sprint to the podium at Tufts meet ■ The men’s and women’s

track and field teams raced against a a national field of runners last Saturday.

By natalie shushan JUSTICE contributing WRITER

The Brandeis men’s and women’s track teams had several topthree finishes at the Tufts Invitational last Saturday. The meet included runners from Division I, Division II and Division III, as well as professional runners.

In the men’s events, Vincent Asante ’14 finished in second place in the 60-meter dash, running a brisk 7.05 seconds.

The Judges’ runners also excelled in the 1-mile run, with two Brandeis runners placing in the top three. Chris Brown ’12 and Paul Norton ’11 scored a total of 4 points for Brandeis, coming in second and third place, respectively.

Brown finished in 4 minutes, 19.00 seconds, and Norton crossed the finish line just 1.60 seconds later, earning him the bronze. Dan Anastos ’11 ran the mile in 4:26.85, fin-

ishing in 11th place.

Brown was featured as the Athlete of the Week in the Jan. 25 issue of the Justice for his top finish in the 800-meter run at the Greater Boston Track Club Invitational at Harvard University. Brown did not compete in the 800-meter run this past weekend.

In the 400-meter dash, Mingkai Lin ’12 finished 14th with a time of 53.09. Josh Hoffman-Senn ’13 finished 1.71 seconds and 12 spots later. Vincent Ferlisi ’14 came in 29th place, finishing in 55.06 seconds.

Mik Kern ’13, who typically competes in the 800-meter and mile events, set a personal record for the 600-meter run, finishing in 1:24.90. His time was good for sixth place. Kern rarely runs the 600-meter and said that he was very happy with his time.

“I ran better than expected,” he said. “I haven’t run the 600 in a long time, and I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to do well. It gives me confidence for the future and I look forward to seeing what our team can do in the following meets this season.”

“We had a lot of people running events that they don’t always run,” added Casey McGown ’13.

HARD TO THE BASKET

Ben Bray ’11 finished the 800-meter in 11th place with a time of 2:00.99. Sam Donovan ’11 was 16th, finishing in 2:02.36 Michal Dichter ’13 placed 18th in the 1,000-meter run. He finished in 2:44.67.

In the women’s events, McGown set a personal record for the 400-meter dash. She came in third place and finished in 1:01.98.

Annifreed Sinjour ’13 followed only 0.51 seconds behind, which was good for sixth. Sinjour also placed ninth in the 200-meter dash, which she finished in 27.53 seconds.

Marie Lemay ’11 came in second place for the 1,000-meter run, finishing in 3:05.59. Victoria Sanford ’14 ran the 1,000-meter in 3:09.08, which was good for sixth.

Hannah Lindholm ’11 ran the mile in 5:22.67, which put her in third place.

McGown said that overall, the team was pleased with its results.

“A lot of people placed in their events,” she said.

Both squads will next compete at the Boston University Valentine’s Classic, which takes place this weekend.

MBBALL: Judges lose to

two conference rivals

TAKING IT TO THE RACK: Guard Kasen Dean ’14 dribbles past an Emory defender.

3 from 3-point range.

Guard Tyrone Hughes ’12 had a game-high eight assists to go along with 7 points. Guard/forward Vytas Kriskus ’12 led the team with six rebounds.

The Judges’ bench outscored the YellowJackets’ with 14 points to 9. Forward Alex Schmidt ’14 had 4 points and five rebounds off the bench, and guard Derek Retos ’14 contributed 4 points and two rebounds.

“It was rough,” Bartoldus said.

“We struggled from the first half to make shots. We couldn’t get anything going offensively. We had spurts, but we couldn’t really get it going perfectly. On the defensive end, we couldn’t get on the shooters, and that just killed us. It was just a really rough game.”

Last Friday night, the Judges lost to the Emory Eagles, a team

CONTINUED FROM 16

CONTINUED FROM 16

that they had beaten at home the week before. The teams were neckand-neck at the beginning, as the first half had seven lead changes.

With 35 seconds left in the half, the Judges were up by 1 point, thanks to a pair of free throws by forward Alex Stoyle ’14. But Emory retook the lead after Emory freshman guard Jake Davis converted an and-one play that made the score 33-31 at the break.

Three minutes into the second half, the Judges remained within 2 points, but Emory went on a 3017 run and stretched the lead to 15 with 6:50 left in the game. The Judges were never able to make a comeback, as the game ended with the same margin between the two sides.

The Judges were led by Dascy, who had 18 points and five rebounds and was 7-9 from the field.

Hughes had 13 points and two assists, and forward Christian Yem-

ga ’11 had 11 points, four rebounds and two assists.

The Judges’ bench played as well as Emory’s, scoring 18 points compared to Emory’s 19. Guard Jay Freeman ’13 and Stoyle had 4 points and three rebounds apiece.

“We played really well in the first half,” Meehan said. “We gave them a hard time defensively. But in the second half we started giving them easy shots. We had a lot of turnovers and had a lot of trouble transitioning. We played a really strong offensive team and if you can’t stop them then you’re in trouble. They jumped out on us and we lost our composure on defense and we just unraveled.”

The Judges have three games this week. They will face Amherst College tonight at 7 p.m., before playing Carnegie Mellon University on Friday and Case Western Reserve University on Sunday in the last home weekend of the season.

FENCING: Women go 3-3, men 2-4, against top competition CONTINUED FROM 16 match 19-8 (épée, 5-4; saber, 7-2; foil, 7-2), but foil Julian Cardillio ’14, was an impressive 2-1.

“Julian had a good day overall.

He had some good wins against Penn and Penn State,” said Shipman.

The men easily handled Yeshiva 23-4 (épée, 6-3; saber, 9-0; foil, 8-1) in their next match, but lost 1910 (épée, 6-3; saber, 3-6; foil, 8-1) against rival NYU in the third round. Brandeis fell to Penn State

20-7 (épée, 7-2; saber, 5-4; foil, 8-1) in the fourth round but regrouped and defeated Hunter 19-8 (épée, 8-1; saber, 8-1; foil, 3-6). The team’s final match against Duke played out similarly for the women, as Brandeis proved to be out of gas and fell 24-3 against a tough Duke squad.

Despite going 2-6, the men showed fortitude against difficult teams.

“The team fought hard today but against really tough opposition,” men’s épée Mike Zook ’13 said.

“There was a lot more spirit; kids fought for every point. Everyone

was focused, and the strength of schedule was pretty high today.”

Shipman added, “the competition was difficult with Penn and Penn State; [they are] always among top teams in the country, top four or five, and so is Duke.”The women are next in action at the Steven’s Tech Invitational in Hobken, N.J. on Feb. 13, while the men will next compete in the Boston Beanpot Tournament on Feb. 16.

Editor’s note: Julian Cardillo ’14 is a Sports staff writer for the Justice.

JOSHUA LINTON/Justice File Photo

WBBALL: Squad falls flat against Emory and Rochester on road trip of her attempts from beyond the arc.

Guard Morgan Kendrew ’12 added 11 points, her 15th double-figure game in 20 games this season. Forward Samantha Anderson ’13 added 4 points and five rebounds, and forward Amber Strodhoff ’11 contributed 8 points.

Last Friday night, Brandeis was in Atlanta for a rematch against Emory.

Despite a close first half, the Eagles had the Judges’ number in the second half, winning the game 72-55 to earn a split in the season series.

The teams traded shots through the first 8 1/2 minutes, but the Judges rallied off 8 straight points to take a 17-10 lead with 9:19 to go in the first half.

Brandeis held the lead until 3:16 left, when the Eagles went on a 8-2 run to end the half and head into the break with a 30-29 lead. Kendrew paced the Judges with 10 first-half points.

The Eagles rallied off 4-straight points to start the second half to take a 5-point lead. The Judges cut the deficit to 2 with 15:33 left, but a 9-2 run by the Eagles left the Judges in a 9-point hole, and the Judges couldn’t respond. The closest Brandeis would get the rest of the game was within 6 points, but the Eagles finished the game on a 27-16 run, pushing the lead as high as 22 before winning 72-55.

The Judges were able to keep the Eagles’ shooting in check in the first half, holding Emory to just 30 percent from the floor and 23 percent from beyond the arc. However, the Eagles found their mark the second half, shooting an impressive 71.4 percent from the field and 62.5 percent from 3-point

land. In fact, the Eagles would miss just 6 shots the second half, hitting 15 of their 21 shot attempts.

The Judges shot 40.9 percent in the second half, insufficient to keep up with Emory. Both teams also had difficulty making free throws the second half, with each shooting under 50 percent from the line.

Subpar defense also plagued the Judges in the second half.

“We were not good defensively at all,” Simon said. “We didn’t defend the drive at all. When the other team shoots 72 percent in a half, it makes it very difficult to dig your way out of a couple of holes.”

Kendrew led the Judges with 16 points for the game. DePalo added five assists and three steals, as well as six turnovers. Anderson played a team-high 30 minutes and contributed 4 points and four rebounds. Strodhoff added 8 points and a team-high five rebounds.

Two first-year guards also had solid games, as Kasey Dean had 6 points and four rebounds on the game and Julia Scanlon ’14 added 8 points.

Simon stressed that ball control would one of the focuses for this week’s practices.

“Our biggest problem is giving points off of turnovers,” she said.

“We’re going to make mistakes, but it’s what you do after that mistake where you have to dig even deeper to get a stop.”

The Judges will return to action this weekend for contests with UAA rivals Carnegie Mellon University and Case Western Reserve University on Friday and Sunday, respectively.

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THE JUSTICE

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK Adam Austin ’11

3 16 2 17 8

wins for the women’s fencing team against top competition at the Eric Sollee Invitational in Cambridge last weekend.

points for guard Morgan Kendrew ’12 during the women’s basketball team’s loss to Emory University last Friday.

nd place in the 60-meter dash for Vincent Asante ’14 at the Tufts Invitaional last weekend.

points for men’s basketball guard Ben Bartoldus ’14 in a loss to the University of Rochester last Sunday.

assists for guard Tyrone Hughes ’12 during the team’s loss to Rochester, which tied a career high.

15

Bruins pound Stars with fists and sticks before falling to the Sharks

discussed his role as the team captain, his coaching over the years and his goals for the rest of the season and after graduation.

Judging numbers

TUESDAY, February 8, 2011

BOSTON BRUINS BEAT

■ The senior saber fencer

Saber Adam Austin ’11 joined the men’s fencing team because of his passion for the sport, and he has not only become one of the top fencers on the team but also in the country. Now a senior, Austin has been named a University Athletic Association Academic Honoree for the past 2 years and was named the team’s captain for this season.

“It’s not easy being the captain,” Austin said. “I have to be that guy, yelling at people to show up to practice, but I wouldn’t do it if I didn’t love it.”

Austin has fenced ever since he was a freshman in high school when he joined the team after being encouragement from a friend. He has been very successful this season, especially during the first tournament of the season, when the team took home two gold and two bronze medals, with Austin claiming one of the golds.

“For the team, I’d say our first tournament was the highlight,” Austin said.

“We had the most fencers earning medals out of any team in the conference, which was a pretty good accomplishment.”

When asked about his success, Austin said that he has not only his coaches but also his parents to thank.

“My coach has been a great motivator,” he said. “I get a lot of help from an outside coach as well. There’s a whole different world of fencing outside of Brandeis for me. I have a private coach I go to two to three times a week in Billerica, [Mass].

She’s been a huge help. And my parents; they have no idea how fencing works, but both of them are the best supporters.”

With less than 2 months until the end

●

MIKE TURESKI/Sportspix

of the season and graduation approaching, Austin has big plans ahead. While he has big dreams of becoming a television writer, fencing will continue to remain a part of his future agenda.

“I’d like to continue fencing after col-

lege, so I’m doing everything I can with that level of competition so that I can start competing internationally,” Austin said. ­—Jennifer Im

UAA STANDINGS Men’s Basketball

Women’s Basketball

UAA Conference Overall

W L W L Pct. Rochester 8 1 16 4 .800 Emory 7 2 16 4 .800 WashU 5 4 11 9 .550 Chicago 5 4 8 12 .400 Case 4 5 8 12 .400 JUDGES 3 6 13 6 .684 Carnegie 3 6 6 13 .316 NYU 1 8 12 8 .600

UAA Conference Overall

W L W L Pct. Chicago 9 0 17 3 .850 WashU 8 1 17 3 .850 Rochester 6 3 16 4 .800 Case 5 4 11 9 .550 NYU 4 5 10 10 .500 JUDGES 2 7 10 10 .500 Emory 2 7 9 11 .450 Carnegie 0 9 2 18 .100

Not including Monday’s games

Not including Monday’s games

TEAM LEADERS Men’s BBall (points per game)

Women’s BBall (points per game)

Vytas Kriskus ’12 leads the team with a 10.8 points-per-game average.

Morgan Kendrew ’12 leads the team with a 13.8 points-per-game average.

Player PPG Vytas Kriskus 10.8 Youri Dascy 9.3 Tyrone Hughes 8.3 Ben Bartoldus 7.6 Derek Retos 7.4

Player PPG Morgan Kendrew 13.8 Amber Strodthoff 9.0 Mia DePalo 7.0 Kelly Ethier 5.5 Janelle Rodriguez 3.9

Men’s BBall (rebounds per game)

Women’s BBall (rebounds per game)

Christian Yemga ’11 leads the team with 5.3 rebounds per game.

Amber Strodthoff ’11 leads the team with 6.5 rebounds per game.

Player RPG Christian Yemga 5.3 Youri Dascy 4.9 Vytas Kriskus 4.6 Alex Schmidt 3.3 Tyrone Hughes 3.2

Player RPG Amber Strodthoff 6.5 Samantha Anderson 4.6 Mia DePalo 4.1 Brighid Courtney 3.6 Kasey Dean 3.1

UPCOMING GAME TO WATCH Senior Day for the basketball teams The Judges will face Carnegie Mellon on Sunday in both teams’ home finales.

The men’s and women’s basketball teams play their final regular season home games this weekend, taking on Carnegie Mellon University on Friday before facing Case Western Reserve University on Sunday. Sunday’s game will be the final home game of the season for both the men’s and women’s teams,

meaning that it will be the last home game for the seniors on both squads.

The men’s team lost 66-63 at Carnegie Mellon in the two teams’ first meeting, while the women’s team dropped to the Tartans 56-38.

The men will play at noon, and the women play at 2 p.m.

For the 2010 to 2011 season, justSports has been given a press pass to attend Boston Bruins home games. We will cover these games periodically throughout the year.

Three fights, two goals and an angry crowd made for a historically tumultuous first 80 seconds of play last Thursday night at the TD Garden in Boston. After an additional seven goals and a headshot that resulted in a lengthy suspension, the Boston Bruins came out on top, 6-3, over the Pacific Division-leading Dallas Stars.

The Bruins failed to carry the momentum to their next game, falling 2-0 to the San Jose Sharks last Saturday. The team now stands at 30-16-7, good for first in the Northeast Division.

One second after the opening faceoff against Dallas, a fight broke out between Bruins forward Gregory Campbell and Stars forward Steve Ott. The two men grappled with each other and threw short hooks before the refs broke up the fight after 10 seconds.

On the next faceoff just 1 second later, Bruins forward Shawn Thornton and Stars forward Krystofer Barch mixed it up. The two threw down their gloves and multiple punches were thrown. Two seconds later, defenseman Adam McQuaid of the Bruins and forward Brian Sutherby of the Stars got in each other’s faces. McQuaid took down Sutherby and pummeled him, repeatedly punching him in the face.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the last time six fighting majors were called in the first 5 seconds of a game occurred in a game between the Montreal Canadians and the Buffalo Sabers on March 22, 1996.

Thirty-five seconds into the game, the Bruins scored.

On a two-on-one breakaway, Bruins forward David Krejci passed it to a waiting and eager Milan Lucic 5 feet away on Stars goalie Andrew Raycroft’s right side. Lucic flipped the puck over the goalie’s left shoulder.

Lightning struck twice, as the Bruins scored again just 45 seconds later. Forward Brad Marchand passed to forward Patrice Bergeron right in front of the goal. Raycroft reached out to intercept the pass, but failed, and Bergeron easily stuck the puck in the back of the net.

Dallas pulled Raycroft, and Kari Lehtonen was placed in net. However, changing goaltenders was not sufficient to make up for the Stars’ shoddy defense. Dallas let the Bruins take numerous shots and failed to clear rebounds in front of the net.

Two and a half minutes after the change, defenseman Andrew Ference of the Bruins and forward Adam Burish got into yet another scrum. Burish fell to the ice before the fight was broken up, and the seventh and eighth fighting majors of the game were handed out.

After the game, Ference said that it was simply a matter of two teams that never back away from a fight.

“Their guys like to mix it up,” he said. “We knew it was gonna be a physical game, and that doesn’t just mean fighting. We have two teams that don’t mind getting their noses dirty. Playing with that emotion, it just happens. ... Guys were full of piss and vinegar.”

The Bruins scored twice more later in the period, with Bergeron netting his first, and Thornton scoring with 4 minutes left to put Boston up 4-0.

With 16 minutes left in the second period, Boston captain and defenseman Zdeno Chara earned a 10-minute misconduct penalty, earning boos and vulgar chants. As the obscene calls were cascading, the Bruins appeared to score only to have the goal called off for interference in the crease, earning the loudest boos of the night.

Midway through the second period, on a Dallas breakaway, Bruins forward Daniel Paille hit Stars forward Raymond Sawada on the head at full speed. Paille was immediately ejected and subsequently suspended for the next four games.

In the second and third periods Dallas scored 3 unanswered goals to close the deficit to 4-3 before Boston scored again with 15 minutes left in the game. Forward Tyler Seguin scored on a slapshot. Marchand scored the final goal for the Bruins with 3 minutes remaining.

Two days later, the Bruins faced the Sharks and were unable to continue their momentum. Due to Sharks goalkeeper Antti Niemi’s third shutout of the season and Boston’s failure to execute on a power play for the fifth-straight match, the Sharks earned their seventh win in eight games.

“San Jose won more battles than we did—that’s where the game was decided and ultimately the biggest difference,” Bruins coach Claude Julien said. “This [play] is a result of players that just need to be better as we head down to the stretch.”

The first period was a defensive one, as the two teams battled it out, unable to score amid sterling goalkeeping by Niemi and Bruin goalie Tim Thomas. However, a Bruins penalty resulted in a Sharks power play at 14:23, and San Jose capitalized with a tip-in goal by center Logan Couture. Left wing Ryane Clowe and defenseman Marc Edouard-Vlasic came up with the assists. From there, the game once again became a defensive battle of wills. Even with two power plays and 8 shots on goal, the Bruins failed to capitalize and the deficit remained 1-0 at the end of the period.

Defense and solid goalkeeping set the tone once again for the second period. Despite 16 shots on goal, 10 coming from the Bruins, neither team could take advantage.

Both teams still struggled to gain offensive control of the match in the final period. Boston and San Jose combined for another 16 shots on goal but Thomas and Niemi still were impenetrable in the crease. The Bruins had their fourth power-play opportunity in the middle of the period but still could not utilize it to their advantage.

Krejci was disappointed with the team’s power plays.

“There was good traffic, but we just couldn’t execute when we needed to,” he said.

Boston failed to execute throughout the rest of the game, and in haste to tie the game in the final seconds ceded a goal with 3 seconds left. San Jose right wing Devin Setoguchi fired the puck down the rink into an empty net to extend the lead to 2-0 and seal the match. Clowe and Vlasic provided their second assists of the night.

“We wish it could’ve been a better situation, but we just didn’t have the same energy in the building,” McQuaid said.

The Bruins take on the Montreal Canadiens tomorrow at 7 p.m. The Canadiens are currently 2 points behind the Bruins in the Northeast Division.

—Jonathan Epstein and Adam Rabinowitz

just

Sports

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE The men’s and women’s track and field teams had several top finishes at Tufts last Saturday, p. 13.

Page 16

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

fencing

UP AND UNDER

Fencers fight off top foes at MIT

Waltham, Mass.

Women’s Basketball

Women drop two UAA road games ■ The women’s basketball

team lost to Emory University and the University of Rochester last weekend.

■ The men’s and women’s

fencing teams pulled off multiple wins against teams from across the country.

By jonathan steinberg JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

dropped defensively and we give up offensive rebounds and possessions. It got to the point where we didn’t score and then they got the ball and they scored.”

The Judges were able to slow down the YellowJackets’ assault down the stretch, but it was not enough. In the last 6 minutes, the Judges scored 5 points, compared to the YellowJackets’ 9, and Rochester won the game by 20.

“Until we become a much better defensive team, we’re going to continue to struggle,” Meehan said. “So we have to keep getting better on that end of the floor. It’s traditionally what we’ve been very good at. On the bright side, Ben Bartoldus had a great game and Youri [Dascy] ’14 had a tough second half but continues to show a lot of promise.”

The Judges were led by Bartoldus, who had 17 points and was 7-8 from the field, including 2-for-

The women’s basketball team headed into Atlanta. and Rochester, N.Y. looking to sweep the season series against the Emory Eagles and respond to last week’s loss to the Rochester YellowJackets. Unfortunately, the Judges, now 10-10, 2-7 in University Athletic Association play, couldn’t find their mark against either opponent and lost both games last weekend.

Last Sunday afternoon, the Judges faced the YellowJackets, who beat Brandeis 61-50 last weekend. The Judges held a slim lead until midway through the first half, when the YellowJackets began to fire on all cylinders and control the game from then on, pulling away for a resounding 80-51 win.

In the first half, the Judges and YellowJackets maintained a tie game until 16 minutes, 1 second when the Judges went on a 7-0 run to take a 13-6 lead. Brandeis held this lead until 6:23 to go in the half when Rochester tied the game at 22 apiece. The YellowJackets got hot from the field and went on a 15-2 run to end the half, heading into the intermission with a commanding 37-24 lead.

It wasn’t the Judges’ shooting that went cold but rather their defense that couldn’t match up against Rochester.

“We struggled defensively at some points,” said coach Carol Simon. “We fight hard, but we just have some breakdowns that tend to affect us on the offensive end.”

The Judges couldn’t get a rally going early in the second half, trading points with the YellowJackets through the first 9 minutes. Leading by 9 points with 11 minutes to go, the YellowJackets began to pull away. Rochester silenced the Judges’ shooters on pace to a 14-1 run to push the lead to 23 points with 5:22 left in the game. With the starters checking out of the game with 3 minutes left and a lineup of five rookies, the YellowJackets cruised the rest of the way, outscoring the Judges 29-9 from the 11-minute mark through the end of the game.

Other than points-in-the-paint and blocks, the Judges were on the losing end of all major statistical categories.

The YellowJackets dominated the Judges in rebounds, steals, assists and bench points. Rochester’s defense shone in the game as well, forcing 17 turnovers, on pace to a 22-0 edge in points off turnovers. It also held the Judges to 0 second-chance points compared the YellowJackets’ 18.

“It came down to key turnovers, and [Rochester] executing on the other end,” Simon said. “They were taking advantage of our mistakes, and we didn’t take advantage of their turnovers. We didn’t make them work hard enough, and they made us work very hard.”

Guard Mia DePalo ’11 led the team with 14 points and added three rebounds. DePalo also was locked in from 3-point range, hitting on all four

See MBBALL, 13 ☛

See WBBALL, 13 ☛

By max goldstein JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The men’s and women’s fencing teams faced their toughest meet of the year last Sunday and produced positive results at the Eric Sollee Invitational at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge.

The two squads faced some of the best fencing programs in the nation, including Duke University, Penn State University and rival New York University. Both teams, especially the women, responded strongly to the competition. The women went 3-3, while the men finished 2-4.

The women dropped their first match against a strong University of Pennsylvania side, 21-6 (9-0 in épée, 5-4 in saber, and 7-2 in foil). They did, however, fight hard in a solid start to the day. Saber Alex Turner ’11 and foil Vikki Nunley ’13 led the team with 2-1 records in this match.

Brandeis easily won its second match against one of the weaker teams, Yeshiva University, 23-4. The Judges went 6-3 in épée, 9-0 in saber and 8-1 in foil.

The third round was perhaps the most impressive match of the day for the women, as the women defeated University Athletic Association rival NYU 15-12 (épée, 7-2; saber, 6-3; foil, 2-7). Épée Leah Mack ’12, who went 3-0 against NYU, led the women.

“The women had a really nice win over NYU; it’s always good to beat a UAA rival,” said coach Bill Shipman.

Despite losing 22-5 (épée, 9-0; saber, 6-3; foil, 7-2) to Penn State in their fourth match, the women continued to impress and battled hard against arguably the best team on the women’s side.

“We fenced our best versus Penn State, the best team there. Our saber team did quite well,” Shipman said.

Anna Hanley ’11 went 3-0 against Penn State to lead the team.

The women easily defeated Hunter College in the fifth round 23-4, going a perfect 9-0 in épée, 6-3 in saber and 8-1 in foil, The team fell to Duke in 23-4 in the sixth and final round, which Shipman said was a hardfought contest.

“We fought hard today, but especially against Duke,” he said. “We were really gassed by the sixth round.”

The men’s team also fared well on Sunday, winning two of its six matches, and staying competitive throughout. The team had to cope with injuries to épée Harry Kaufer ’13, épée Tucker Robinson-Neff ’13, and several other fencers who were fighting colds.

“Our men’s team was down a bit with injuries, and we were a bit inexperienced,” said Shipman.

The squad fell to Penn in its first

See FENCING, 13 ☛

JOSHUA LINTON/Justice File Photo

TAKING FLIGHT: Guard Ben Bartoldus ’14 soars for a reverse layup during the team’s Jan. 28 victory over Emory University.

Men struggle against conference opponents ■ The men’s basketball

team kept its games close at the start but still lost by double-digit margins.

By Sam Liang JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

At the end of the first half against the University of Rochester last Sunday afternoon, the men’s basketball team was down by just 2 points. But the Judges were unable to take the lead and struggled down the stretch, ultimately falling to Rochester 77-57.

The loss brings the Judges’ record to 13-6 and 3-6 in University Athletic Association play, after losing to Emory University last Friday night by a score of 85-70.

With 6 minutes, 33 seconds left in the first half, the Judges were up by 2 after a 3-pointer by guard Anthony Trapasso ’13 and a layup by guard Ben Bartoldus ’14.

From that point on though, the Judges began to lose momentum, and the game went back and forth before the YellowJackets secured a 6-point lead with 1:57 left to go.

The Judges were able to cut into the deficit, making two quick shots just before the break to make the score 35-33 at the half. In the first half, the Judges shot 59.1 percent from the field and were three-for-six from downtown.

The YellowJackets expanded their lead early in the second half, going up by 7 points with 11:43 left in the game. They then reeled off a 15-6 run over the next 5 minutes to take control of the game. The Judges faltered, shooting just 32.1 percent from the field and two-for-eight from downtown in the second half.

“We played a very good first half,” coach Brian Meehan said. “The guys executed on the floor pretty well. But in the second half, we got into the spot where we make mistakes and we

just

ARTS

February 8, 2011

s s ’ e m m u o h c l C we

p. 20 Photos: Nathaniel Freedman and David Yun/the Justice. Design: Robyn Spector/the Justice.

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TUESDAY, february 8, 2011 ● THE JUSTICE

POP CULTURE

INSIDE ON CAMPUS

19-21

■ Rose Art rentals

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■ Y-Love and Diwon

20

■ Dance Marathon

21

■ ‘Under the Shadow’

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The Student Committee for the Rose Art Museum offers rentals of pieces from the Museum for $5 each.

The Brandeis Orthodox Organization hosted the two Jewish rappers as well as student performers at its Cholmondeley’s concert last Saturday.

Adagio co-sponsored this event with Children’s Miracle Network, and all proceeds were donated to the Children’s Hospital Boston.

This workshop production of a play by a Palestinian-Israeli playwright focused on the strained relationship between an Israeli man and a Palestinian woman.

OFF CAMPUS

22-23

■ ‘Sanctum’ review

22

James Cameron’s new 3-D underwater adventure film offers stunning visuals but a less attractive plot.

■ ‘Emperor of Atlantis’ review 22

The Boston Lyric Opera presented a modern opera about war and destruction stemming from a game of chess.

■ New Iron & Wine album

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Singer-songwriter Sam Beam’s new album, ‘Kiss Each Other Clean,’ offers new sounds while still maintaining his folk-style.

CALENDAR

Interview

B-DEIS Records jams out again

by Shelly Shore

I’ve never been a fan of people who let their televisions do their parenting for them. I’m even less of a fan of people who let their televisions do their parenting and then blame television for their children’s inappropriate actions.

This week, the Parents’ Television Council, an organization devoted to “promoting and restoring responsibility and decency to the entertainment industry” (from their website—I can’t make this stuff up), petitioned the attorney general’s office to open an investigation into whether local cable and satellite providers have violated state and local laws by airing MTV’s Skins, a show based off the British series of the same name.

Skins is a show about a group of teenagers who, like most TV kids, lead incredibly interesting lives full of sex, drugs, alcohol and—well, frankly, more sex. Although only a few episodes of the series have aired on MTV so far, it’s already clear that the adaptation is much less raunchy than its British namesake. That being said, however, several major sponsors of the United States version have already dropped out in the wake of complaints made against the network about the underage sex acts depicted in the show. Last Wednesday, despite the fact that the actors involved in the scenes are all over the age of consent, the PTC called on the Department of Justice to look into whether Skins violated child pornography laws.

Fans of the show reacted to news of the lawsuit with annoyance and disgust, claiming that the American version of the show has not even begun to measure up to the U.K. version, and that the majority of the show aired so far has been “tame.” While the insinuation that the show would only get raunchier probably won’t do much to dissuade the PTC from its anti-Skins campaign, another fan said, “There are ratings and parental controls—use them to control what your kids are watching and leave every-

 JustArts recently spoke with Sungtae Park ’12, the president of B-DEIS Records, and Charley Wolinsky ’12, its director of resources.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MTV

TOO MUCH ‘SKIN’: The new MTV show faces some charges of child pornography from the PTV.

one else’s experience out of it.” Another fan agreed, commenting that members of the PTC should monitor their own children instead of complaining about what was available for them to watch. Considering that Skins airs at 10 p.m., one would think that these so-called exemplary parents of young children would be putting their kids to bed well before the show was on.

What do you think is more of a problem, Brandeis? The availability of raunchy shows on television or the failure of parents to keep their 7-year-olds from watching softcore porn on MTV?

What’s happening in Arts on and off campus

ON-CAMPUS EVENTS

B.O.M.S. final slam hosted by Jamele Adams

Come to the Brandeis Open Mic Series’ last competition before the Brandeis slam poetry team is decided. Featuring 11 student poets, the performance will include some of the writers’ best performance pieces of recent note. Associate Dean of Student Life Jamele Adams, a well-known slam artist, will host the event.

Tonight at 9 p.m. in the Castle Commons.

‘Race to Nowhere’

Race to Nowhere is a documentary exploring the public education system, featuring young people’s stories of the negative effects of high-pressure schooling.

Directed by a mother-turned-filmmaker, the film challenges the way we look at our country’s preparation of children for the real world.

Tonight at 7 p.m. in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater. The event is free and open to Brandeis students, faculty and staff. Watch for notices on how to reserve a seat.

Punk, Rock n’ Roll Club concert

The first show of the semester is brought to us by the Punk, Rock n’ Roll Club.

Performers include Caspian, Screaming Females and Ryan Power, three regional alternative bands with very different sounds, ranging from danceable to serene.

Thursday at 9 p.m. in Cholmondeley’s. Free admission.

Professors of Bluegrass

A group of Yale professors who have a passion for listening to and performing bluegrass music are coming to Brandeis.

Guest performance by Big Chimney, a group that plays pop and rock music through a bluegrass lens.

Saturday at 8 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall. Tickets are $5 for students, $10 for the Brandeis community and $20 for general public.

Student Events concert: Super Mash Bros.

The mash-up group will be performing with an opening act by Brandeis’ own DJ Sensation, winner of Battle of the DJs. Saturday at 9 p.m. in Levin Ballroom.

Doors open at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $8 for students.

‘Thom Pain (based on nothing)’

Ben Rosenblatt (GRAD) presents a oneman show that explores the inner workings of the human mind, written by Pulitzer Prize finalist Will Eno. Sunday at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and Monday at 8 p.m. in the Spingold Merrick Theater.

‘Little Monsters’

This new play by Maria Alexandria Beech tells the story of a poet named Sarah who lives with a hypochondriac mother in a small studio apartment in New York.

Feeling isolated by her small and relatively solitary existence, Sarah attempts to find a significant other through Internet dating sites. Throughout this journey, she learns

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUPER MASH BROS.

MIXED WITH MEDIA: Student Events is bringing us Super Mash Bros., a group of three friends who combined their interests in music and technology to fuel a wild career in the mash-up genre. that she is looking for much more than a mate; she is looking to find herself and a way to express herself through writing. This workshop-style production will be presented along with post-show discussions with the playwright and members of the creative team, giving audiences an opportunity to contribute to the play’s continuing development.

Thursday, Feb. 17 through Saturday, Feb. 20 in the Spingold Laurie Theater. Tickets are $10 general admission.

OFF-CAMPUS EVENTS John Blake Quartet and Afro Blue

John Blake, one of the world’s leading jazz violinists, is performing at Berklee School of Music as part of a series co-sponsored by the American Roots Music Program and Africana Studies Program. Afro Blue is a group of alumni from Howard University that will perform pieces from Blake’s album.

Thursday at 8:15 p.m. at the Berklee Performance Center, 136 Massachusetts Ave., Boston. General admission tickets are $10 and available at the box office, at ticketmaster.com or by calling (617) 931-2000.

‘Mary Poppins’

Broadway Across America is bringing the hit show to Boston. The musical follows the story of the classic Disney film, with additional songs and theatrical magic. The story follows the Banks family and its new nanny, who brings fun and joy to the Banks’ daily routine.

Thursday, Feb. 17 through Sunday, March 20 at the Boston Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston. Ticket prices and times vary.

Tickets are $10.

‘The Secret Garden’

This revival of the play based on a classic book written by Frances Hodgson Burnett

will take to the stage at the Wheelock Family Theatre. This new production is being headed by author and lyricist Jane Kosoff and composer Jane Staab, whose original ideas breathe new life into this enchanting classic.

The story revolves around British orphan Mary Lenox who must move in with her uncle, Archibald Craven, who is consumed with grief over his deceased wife, Lily. Craven’s constant absences from his Yorkshire estate leave Mary alone, surrounded by confining castle walls and an empty road in front of her. Her life is mysteriously reinvigorated when the chatters of a secret garden begin to call to her. Mary enlists the help of Colin, Archibald’s ill and bedridden son, and together the two of them set out to find the garden, and bring meaning back into their lives.

Monthlong run at 7:30 p.m. at the Wheelock Family Theatre, 200 The Riverway, Boston.

Tickets range from $20 to $30.

An Evening with Bill Cosby

Comedian, humanitarian and crowd favorite Bill Cosby is coming to Boston for a night of laughs, fun and good food. Known for his successful family sitcoms and excellent representation of the African-American community, Cosby is a legend in the entertainment industry.

Saturday, Feb. 19 at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Boston Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Ave., Boston. Tickets range from $50.50 to $70.50.

Girl Talk concert

Greg Gillis is Girl Talk, a mash-up artist from Pittsburgh whose gift for combination has led to five successful full-length albums since his high school beginnings. A Girl Talk show is guaranteed to be an energetic party, full of song bits from the last decade.

Saturday, Feb. 26 at 6 p.m. at House of Blues, 15 Lansdowne St., Boston. Tickets range from $25 to $35 and are available from ticketmaster.com.

B-DEIS Records executive board members Sungtae Park ’12 and Charley Wolinsky ’12 talked to justArts about the club’s goings-on.

JustArts: What’s going on with B-DEIS Records?

Sungtae Park: B-DEIS Records recently threw a dance/rave party, themed Snow White, with three of our own DJs. It was highly successful as much as it was profitable. Snow White was the first of its kind that the club has done, and it was much more successful than we initially expected.

Besides the new dance event, B-DEIS Records is doing what it usually does: providing resources for independent musicians of Brandeis, hosting music concerts, providing free music lessons and working with the activist clubs. At the same time, we are in the process of finding and integrating student DJs of Brandeis into the club. After all, B-DEIS Records is a club that supports all genres of music.

JA: Which charities have you supported in the past?

Charley Wolinsky: We have done concerts supporting Haiti Relief, Flood Relief for Pakistan and Colleges Against Cancer, as well as many others.

JA: Why do you guys choose to support these charities?

SP: We believe in general that charity should always be an integral part of one’s life. You can contribute to charities in many ways. As a music club, throwing benefit concerts is our way of contributing to worthy causes. Indeed, one of our core objectives of the club is to work with the activist clubs.

JA: How do you guys interact with student performers?

CW: We send out e-mails to the listserv frequently, and people who are interested contact us about performing. After we’ve determined who plays, we make the list as varied as possible.

JA: Does the club provide any guidance for new performers or students wanting to join a new band?

CW: B-DEIS Records provides two main services to students besides putting on concerts and charity events: We offer instruction to anyone who wants to learn instruments, and we also provide the rehearsal space and equipment for bands. The practice space is available in the Shapiro dorm first floor lounge in Massell Quad from 2 to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 2 to 6 p.m. on Sunday.

It’s particularly useful for drummers because there are not many other options around campus. This is a way our members can get together and rehearse for any of their gigs. We also have lessons that our volunteer instructors offer. We offer guitar, vocal, bass, keyboard, drum and DJ lessons. The DJ lessons are new, and it’s pretty exciting.

JA: How do DJ lessons work?

CW: [Laughs] I was thinking about taking one, actually. I think a laptop is required, and maybe a few programs, but you better ask a DJ that question. If anyone is interested, he or she can e-mail bdeisrecords@gmail.com and we can match you with our DJ instructor.

JA: There seems to be a rise in popularity of DJ-focused events on campus.

SP: Certainly. And I believe that B-DEIS Records and Student Events will be the two main organizations that will be sponsoring on-campus DJ-based events from now on, and we could even be seeing some collaborations, and we actually have collaborated in a number of areas before.

We are continuing to strive to make our events diverse and innovative. We will probably be seeing some integration of other musical acts in between the DJ acts in the future.

JA: Do you teach lessons?

CW: I’m currently taking on three students.

How it works is that we pick a time and usually meet for 30 minutes a week. We always find something to work on, and I learn as much from them as they do from me. Making progress with a student who doesn’t meet frequently can be tough, but it’s generally very rewarding. My newest student is from Spain, and he’s a midyear. He’s actually already really good. We’re just jamming a little bit now, and I’m showing him a little bit about theory.

JA: What are you future goals for B-DEIS Records?

SP: B-DEIS Records is still in its growing stage both for its general membership and the executive board. We are also looking for ways to incorporate more DJs into B-DEIS Records. One very important long-term issue that Brandeis as a community needs to tackle is the fact that the University has still yet to provide a permanent, decent rehearsal space for the whole community.

CW: There’s one thing that I really want to do,which is band making. It’s tricky to go about matching students with each other sometimes.

People don’t seem to be aware that band matchmaking is something that we do, so it can be hard for me to make a band if only two students sign up. Another tough thing is the lack of Brandeis facilities that allow a band to rehearse with a drum set. It’s hard to soundproof a dorm or a lounge, and there are problems with moving a set to the Shapiro Campus Center too. Even so, we’re all working hard to grow and prosper as a club.

—Wei-Huan Chen

THE JUSTICE

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ON CAMPUS fine arts

Art loaning offers unique opportunity ■ SCRAM has reinstated

Rose Art Museum student rentals and will be loaning pieces for $5 each.

By robyn spector JUSTICE editor

Kevin Monk ’13 has been in a yearlong battle with blue tack and falling wall decorations. His sophomore living quarters, adorned with family photographs, ticket stubs and Tibetan prayer flags, needed more than the average John Belushi college poster to create a sense of home.

But thanks to the Student Committee for the Rose Art Museum, sufferers of non-sticky tack and barren-wall syndrome are now able to stop fretting.

This semester, SCRAM brought back the Student Loan Collection, a combination of two rental collections—the Charna Cowan Student Loan Collection and the Robert W. Schiff Student Loan Collection— that were donated to be lent out to the undergraduate on-campus community, according to the informational handout from the event last Thursday.

SCRAM members, with the help of Dabney Hailey, director of academic programs for the museum, selected 30 pieces from the 500-piece collection, featuring works by Robert Rauschenberg, J. Thurstan Marshall, James Rosenquist and Jasper

Johns, to be distributed to students for a $5 rental fee along with their student identification.

To take home artwork, a student needs to sign a Loan Agreement Form, holding him or her liable for possible damage to the piece.

Transportation of the object back to one’s dorm must be held in consideration when deciding to rent art, given the recent wintry conditions afflicting our campus. The contract warns that though the pieces are insured, “Grades and diploma may be withheld until a satisfactory arrangement is made for the repair or replacement of the object.”

Around 30 students meandered through the Shapiro Campus Center Art Gallery in the afternoon, and 18 walked out with plastic-wrapped art pieceS that would compliment their dorm roomS. “I’m glad they brought [the program] back,” Matthew Schmidt ’11 admitted, as SCRAM member Emily Leifer ’11 wrapped up his newly claimed masterpiece. “I’ve been waiting years.”

The program was suspended in spring 2009, according to SCRAM member Rebecca Ulm ’11, after the University announced its plans to close the Rose. Its aim is “to make art available to students in their dormitory rooms so that the appreciation of art becomes a part of everyday experience rather than just a separate classroom situation,” as written on the Collection’s informational handout.

SCRAM consists of approximate-

DIANA WANG/the Justice

STUDENTS WITH STYLE: Kevin Monk ’13 talks to SCRAM members to check out a piece of art from the Rose Art Museum. ly seven members, though Nera Lerner ’12, who has been involved with the student group since her first year at Brandeis, hesitates on defining an exact number because the group remains loosely defined by students who decided to get involved with the group when it “went guerilla,” advocating for the Rose 2 years ago.

In addition to the Student Loan Collection, SCRAM is busy organiz-

ing more events for this semester, including movie nights, which allow students to bring their own pillows and blankets to enjoy art-related films in the Museum’s Lee Gallery, and “Visual Thinking Thursdays,” a program that allows students to openly discuss the Rose’s collection with Hailey.

In an interview with justArts after last week’s event, Monk admits, “I really love [the art].” He has an

untitled 1966 Jim Huntington piece hanging opposite his bed that greets him every morning.

Amalia Bob-Waksberg ’14 ogled the art options but said, “I wish they had had more art to choose from.” And though the majority of big-name pieces went quickly, Leifer assured students in the Gallery, “You don’t have to know who made it to want something pretty in your room.”

literature

Alumna shares writing with current students ■ Linda Schlossberg ’91

visited her alma mater to read from her novel and encourage young writers.

By mara sassoon JUSTICE contributing writer

Last Thursday, a sizeable crowd gathered in the Reading Room of the Mandel Center for the Humanities to listen to novelist Linda Schlossberg ’91 read from her first novel, Life in Miniature, at a School of Night event, a series of seminars co-sponsored by the Mandel Center and the Creative Writing program. Schlossberg—currently the assistant director of Harvard University’s Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies program—majored in both English and American Literature and Women’s and Gender Studies while at Brandeis and went on to receive a Ph.D. in English Literature from Harvard. During the event, she read some captivating passages from her novel, talked about the coming-of-age genre of literature along with Prof.

John Plotz (ENG) and also provided an insider’s look at a career in writing while fielding questions from the audience.

After an introduction by Plotz, who has known the novelist since soon after she left Brandeis, Schlossberg began by giving the audience some background information on her novel. Life in Miniature is narrated by Adie, a young girl living in California in the early 1980s, who returns home from school to find that her mother has suffered a nervous breakdown.

The novel centers on Adie; her older sister, Miriam; and their mother, Mindy. Schlossberg described their mother’s paranoia as being largely rooted in the cultural fears of drug use and abuse, anxieties that were prevalent in the early 1980s. As the novel progresses, Adie must learn to see the world for herself, according to her own thoughts and not according to her mother’s delusional imagination.

Schlossberg’s use of a combination of wit and the present tense makes for a very engaging novel. She transported the audience to Adie’s world of a small girl living in the 1980s who is on her journey toward coming of age.

The present tense lends to the por-

trayal of Adie’s keen perceptiveness.

Adie’s detailed accounts of the sights and sounds around her give her descriptions a certain degree of tangibility. Schlossberg told the audience that she started writing the novel in the present tense and had experimented with changing the tense but noticed that doing so changed Adie’s voice too drastically. She said that she “figured out Adie’s voice very early in the writing process, and knew she was the one to tell the story.”

Plotz started the discussion after the reading by commenting on Schlossberg’s “incredible use of comic lines … in a situation that’s inherently unfunny.” Schlossberg maintains that she does not think of the novel as comic. Nevertheless, laughter erupted from the audience after moments such as when Adie describes an earthquake drill and talks about having to crawl under a desk, explaining that “usually there’s gum stuck under the desk, and it gets tangled in [her] hair.”

She humorously follows by expressing that,“The only way to get it out is with peanut butter, which is worth it even if it makes your hair smell like a sandwich.”

As part of the discussion, Schlossberg gave the audience an insider’s perspective of the writing process and the journey to the publication of her novel. When asked to discuss her revision process, she first simply said, laughing, “It’s endless.” Indeed, Schlossberg expressed the time and hard work that it took to get her novel published. “For most writers,” she said, “the journey from idea to publication is a very long one. You have to have a lot of patience, and you really have to love writing, because finishing a novel is going to take a long time. I was lucky enough to have a really supportive writing group, and I shared many drafts of the novel with them before I sent it out.”

Schlossberg had many inspiring words for the people in the audience, which was comprised of many students who are currently enrolled in creative writing workshops and who are aspiring writers. She took a short fiction seminar during her senior year at Brandeis, and it was her first writing class and her first-ever experience with creative writing. “I realized right away that I loved writing. It opened up a whole new world to me.”

LYDIA EMMANOUILIDOU/the Justice

ENCOURAGING WORDS: Linda Schlossberg ’91 was a great speaker, offering humor, advice and a passion for creative writing.

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MUSIC

Jewish artists take the Cholmondeley’s stage ■ In a concert featuring

students and off-campus performers Y-Love and Diwon, lyrics strayed from the normal realm of hip-hop topics.

By ARIEL KAY JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Last Saturday’s Hip-Hop Night at Cholmondeley’s featured energetic performances from three Brandeis students, as well as headliner Y-Love, a self-proclaimed “Jewish hip-hop artist” who tries to promote “positive hip-hop” through his songs.

Naveh Halperin ’12 and Shea Riester ’12, collectively known as Two Spirit Ones, emceed the event as well and performed two songs of their own. Halperin’s song, admittedly about students’ self-esteem issues, sounded like spoken-word poetry laid over simple synthesized beats. Riester performed a song of his own next, which criticized the obsession many of his peers have with digital media and the Internet. Both members of the duo are Jewish, and elements of their religious upbringings were apparent in their raps. While their songs were appropriate for a night featuring several Jewish artists, their performance also included perhaps the most crass lyric of the night, rapped

by Riester: “I want my rhymes to ring eternal, like Anne Frank’s journal.”

Not the best moment in Jewish entertainment.

After Two Spirit Ones’ short performance, Brandeis first-year and rapper Saz.É (Osaze Akerejah) took the stage. Saz.É has recorded one mixtape, Little Black Box, and is at work on a second, called Invincible Tomorrow, which he plans to release this summer. Both these recordings were made near the artist’s home in Franklin, N. J. Saz.É was a better lyricist and performer than the previous act, mixing more complex beats with personal

DAVID YUN/the Justice

SPITTING FAST: Y-Love (Yitz Jordan), who showed off his rhythm and rhyme at Chum’s last Saturday, is also a convert to Judaism. stories. The artist clutched the microphone with one hand and pantomimed lyrics with the other.

Saz.É started off his performance with one of his higher-intensity tracks, “War Room,” which was about taking back the music industry from acts who aren’t “real” or who

aren’t truly interested in connecting with an audience. Before performing each song, he provided background information on what the track was about and what state of mind he was in when he wrote it. Most of Saz.É’s songs deal with experiences from his own life, including one about be-

ing involved in a self-professed “love square” with three women from home. This song, “Last Summer,” was his best performance of the night.

Saz.É has also performed at Snow White and other events on campus.

The last performer of the night was Y-Love (real name Yitz Jordan), an

Orthodox Jew from Baltimore and his DJ Diwon (Erez Safar). Y-Love performed songs off of his first album, This is Babylon, as well as his upcoming release, This is Unity. The rapper arrived at Chum’s wearing a sweater vest, skinny jeans and Timberlands, an outfit more appropriate for a Brooklyn hipster than a man whose music is compared to Matisyahu’s. But as soon as Y-Love started rapping, it was clear that religion was the main focus of his songs.

The artist rapped extremely fast, making more than a smattering of lyrics difficult to pick out. Yet the word kosher or the phrase 613 (referring to the 613 mitzvot, or commandments, mentioned in the Torah) were mentioned in nearly every chorus.

Y-Love was focused on spreading his message of spirituality: Many of his songs also included verses from Jewish texts or mentions of Jerusalem, and at one point he called the crowd of students “beautiful children of HaShem,” which is a Hebrew name for God. Despite declaring his disdain for artists who rap about bling, girls and other less spiritual matters, the rapper incorporated several more conventional tracks from other hip-hop artists into his show. The DJ Khaled egoistic anthem “All I Do is Win” and Busta Rhymes’ “Arab Money” were both big crowd pleasers.

Y-Love is also an educator in the Jewish community. He has taught at yeshivas in Brooklyn and has mixed rap, graffiti and digital presentations into his more traditional classes. The artist says his goals are to “get Torah into the hearts and minds” of his listeners and that he expresses his religion through his lyrics.

Hip-Hop Night at Chum’s featured intelligent artists using their talents to promote unity and respect among their listeners. This unique type of rap certainly has a place on the Brandeis campus, where so many students are working toward these same goals.

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Dancers and families unite for charity DAVID YUN/the Justice

PLAYTIME FOR CHARITY: Adagio Dance Company and other student clubs brought Brandeis students back to their childhood roots, leading numerous activities to raise funds for the Children’s Hospital of Boston.

Dance Marathon raised over $5,000 for the Children’s Hospital Boston By sujin shin JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

DAVIDA JUDELSON/the Justice

SHOWING OFF MOVES: Dancers learn to move with style during a lesson.

DAVIDA JUDELSON/the Justice

ARTS & CRAFTS: Students rest their legs and work on creative projects.

On Saturday, Brandeis hosted its first-ever dance marathon, joining forces with the Children’s Miracle Network to raise money for the Children’s Hospital Boston. The event was held in the Levin Ballroom, from 6 p.m. to midnight. Full of high-energy dancing, raffle prizes and great performances, 6 hours seemed to fly by.

The most poignant part of the night occurred when two families whose lives were touched by the Children’s Hospital of Boston came forward to tell their stories. Both families had come to Boston from Mexico after difficulties diagnosing their children. Both were directed to the Children’s Hospital of Boston in order to have a better chance of curing them. It was a moving part of the night—their stories were depicted through pictures and film testaments, but it was when they showed their children’s incredible progress that the significance of their struggles hit home. In the end, the families said it was only

because of the Children’s Hospital of Boston, the donations given to their research departments by organizations and funds raised through events like Brandeis’ Dance Marathon that help give happy endings to their stories.

When the time came to dance, the coordinators from the Adagio Dance Company brought great energy and wonderful performers to help keep the spirits high and the bodies swaying on the dance floor. The Adagio members started off with a short performance and danced to a remix of some recent popular songs, followed by a group dance lesson to keep the participation high. Throughout the night, the atmosphere was relaxed and fun. People played Twister, made arts and crafts and got their faces painted. Participants were also able to enjoy a slice of the 30 pizzas donated by Cappy’s Pizza & Subs until more performers came to pump up the atmosphere.

First, there was a fast, kinetic dance by the African Dance Club.

There were no melodies to accompany the steps, but it goes to show

that one only needs a great beat to get people up and dancing. Afterward, the club taught their dance to an eager audience.

The second performance group was Kaos Kids, Brandeis’ hip-hop group. Their performance was also engaging; the audience cheered throughout and had a great time trying to learn the difficult choreography.

The last performance of the night was by the Israeli dance group B’yachad, who performed Shakira’s “Waka Waka (This Time for Africa).” It was lighthearted and had easy choreography—everyone enjoyed learning the moves to one of the most popular songs of last summer.

Because of the dedication of the Adagio Dance Company coordinators and eager participation of all the people present at the event, the Dance Marathon was a definitive success.

The total amount of money raised grew to over $5,000 by the end of the evening and participants can rest assured that their hours dancing will all go to a good cause.

theater

An Israeli-Palestinian romance brings conflict to the stage ■ This short workshop

production took place at the Merrick Theatre, presented

by Hybrid Theatre Works.

By aaron berke JUSTICE editorial assistant

Theatrical production workshops are always an interesting experience in that they feature a work-inprogress show and the full participation of the audience. Last Saturday I was able to offer my own critiques and improvements at a theatrical production workshop for a play entitled “Under The Shadow.” Written by a Palestinian-Israeli playwright named Aida Nasrallah, who is also a poet and art critic who works in Israel helping young Arab women who wish to become involved with the arts, the play deals with the intense topic of a romantic relationship between an Israeli man and a Palestinian woman.

Performed at the Merrick Theatre in Spingold Theater Center, the workshop was presented by Brandeis Freeplay in conjunction with Hybrid Theatre Works. Directed by J.J. Elfar, the play ran only 30 minutes long and is still in very rough shape—while the inter-

cultural dynamics between the two characters (aptly named “She” and “He”) were well crafted and made excellent use of metaphorical structure, the play never really seemed to figure out what it wanted to be, constantly struggling to find a balance between the realistic and the metaphorical. Although there were never any direct references to the larger Israeli-Palestinian conflict, or to the war in the Middle East, the show seemed to hammer away its initially clever metaphors to the point where they were no longer subtle.

The show begins when He and She (played by Gily Gitz and Lola Hamdan, respectively) enter the stage immersed in an argument about “that thing” (meaning sex) and the fact that she can’t have it because of her religion. The lack of sexual relations between He and She becomes the springboard for the argument of cultural differences that will crop up between the two.

The remainder of the play is devoted to delving into the thoughts of each of the two characters, told through monologues directed toward the audience. A particular point of contention between the two characters was the mention of “freckles” on his skin. The freckles were mentioned several times before their importance was explained, an

importance which was supposed to represent his time in the “Desert.”

From the monologues that follow, we come to understand that He developed these freckles because of his extended exposure to the sun. He also apparently needs to hide these freckles, because he doesn’t want her to see them. As we learn from her in another monologue, She is suspicious of his freckles, because it would indicate that he did, indeed, spend time in the desert. She then comes to the conclusion that if he was in the desert, she should break up with him. Confused yet?

From what I gather, “desert” is meant to imply that He fought in the Israeli army and spent time in the desert mounting offensives against the Palestinians. She, I presume, is upset by this, because it would mean that he killed many of her people.

This premise is all fine on its own, but the problem is that the dialogue is so immersed in metaphors that it becomes difficult to follow. As I mentioned before, the writer doubtlessly intended for the references to the war to be vague, so that the centralized focus could be kept on He and She, but there are two problems with that. One, it’s very difficult to keep such matters as the PalestinianIsraeli conflict out of the forefront when it has so clearly influenced

the central characters’ attitudes.

Two, if the intention is to keep the references vague, then throwing in metaphor after metaphor is counterintuitive to that intention. These characters are clearly part of a reality, yet they are essentially kept inside a box with no direct references to the outside world, even though they are entrenched with endless metaphors about that same world.

The resolution of the play is also quite odd, with He revealing that his son became lost in the “desert” and was never found—meaning essentially that his son was recruited to the Israeli army and died in the war.

This revelation brings She to accept He, and the two appear to resolve their differences and strive to stay together.

This is a nice ending, but the problem is that it, as with the rest of the play, is so tied up in metaphors that it’s difficult to fully understand their reasons for ultimately staying with each other.

The discussion after the show proved very helpful, with 12 to 15 audience members contributing to the development of the script. I introduced several of the ideas that I mentioned in this review, and there were many constructive suggestions given by others as well. Someone mentioned that the romance be-

tween the two characters didn’t have a strong foundation and should really be more fleshed out (I too agreed with this assessment). Though Nasrallah is currently in Israel, I hope she will receive these notes and take them into consideration.

It should be noted that the show’s idea in and of itself is very good, and with a lot of tweaking and more focusing on characters’ arcs, the show could be great. The performances were also quite good. Gitz, a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and Hamdan, an intern at The Actor’s Studio in New York City, played off of each other very well and portrayed their respective struggles convincingly. I just wish the characters had spent more time interacting onstage and less time spouting monologues.

I think this play has a lot going for it, and the best option for the playwright is to rewrite the show in a much more realistic setting, so that the characters are fully understandable and relatable. Keeping the sense of cultural connectivity is a must of course, but Nasrallah should let those connections stand for themselves and not allow the show to be bogged down in constant metaphors. If this can be done, then I believe a great show could be in the works.

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TUESDAY, february 8, 2011

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THE JUSTICE

OFF CAMPUS opera

‘Atlantis’ tells a modern musical tale

■ The Boston Lyric Opera

presented ‘The Emperor of Atlantis,’ the bold and intriguing story of a chess game with high stakes.

By sujin shin JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

I love to listen to opera in my spare time. For example, right now I’m listening to La Traviata, one of Verdi’s most influential and popular works.

I truly enjoy classical music, and I’ve listened to countless different versions of the world’s finest arias sung by the world’s most talented singers.

I’ve always steered clear of modern opera, because some of the music is awkward, some of it is off-putting, and some of it is just plain weird.

But because I exposed myself to most classical operas, I thought that I would be prepared for anything.

Viktor Ullman and Petr Kien’s The Emperor of Atlantis or Death Quits, produced by the Boston Lyric Opera, is truly one of the most intriguing, strange and poignant productions that I’ve ever experienced.

Unlike most of the opera that I’ve seen put on by the BLO, which were staged in the beautiful and classic Shubert Theater in Boston’s theater district, The Emperor of Atlantis was performed in the Calderwood Pavilion, a more modern building with none of the ornate, fancy appeal of the Shubert. The entire show seemed to start as soon as I walked through the door. Lining the walls were what seemed to be ushers, but they were all chanting the same eerie mantra, asking each audience member to “please excuse the state of the venue because it was under repair,” which was evident as the walls were covered in plastic sheeting. It all felt very Big Brother to me, which suited the overall feel of the spectacle that would follow.

The show began with the world premiere of a short piece called “The After-Image.” A very reflective piece, almost dreamlike, it provided me with 20 of the most confusing minutes of the night. The main voices—Jamie Van Eyck playing the Daughter and Kevin Burdette playing The Photograph of the Father—were both quite refined and suited for the pensive atmosphere of the piece, but I didn’t know what to make of the piece itself. It was basically an exchange between the daughter and the picture of the father as she reflects on a photo she found of him, but nothing really grabbed and pulled me in. Instead, I felt blocked at every attempt to be pulled into the story. The lyrics were quite beautiful, drawing upon the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke, Friedrich Ruckert and William Henry Fox Talbot, but the music seemed almost formless—perhaps a reflec-

tion of the mystery and inward focus of the tableau itself, but it was difficult to follow. The original rhythmic qualities of the poetry were lost in the rhythms and strange melodies of the music. In the end, “The AfterImage” is a piece for quiet, abstruse interpretation and listening, not for driven storyline and hummable melodies.

The Emperor of Atlantis proper began with the setting of the stage, done in full, plain view of the audience, almost theatrical within itself.

The story begins with the introduction of all the characters. Death (played by Kevin Burdette, who had also played the Photograph of the Father in the prologue) and Harlequin (played by John Mac Master) are first on the stage. Then introduced is the Drummer (played by Jamie Van Eyck, who was also the Daughter), Emperor Überall (played by Andrew Wilkowske), a Soldier (played by Julius Ahn) and a Soldier Girl (played

by Kathryn Skemp).

Death and Harlequin are playing chess, lamenting that both death and laughter are taken so lightly in this day and age. They discuss how people used to dress up for Death in celebration, but now no one fears him. When the Drummer enters and proclaims a tremendous war that Death would lead himself, Death becomes furious—he makes it so that no one is able to die. The Emperor tries to save face and proclaim that it is he who banished Death and that all can now fight without fear—but the chaos makes him afraid. In the meantime, because of their inability to kill each other, the two soldiers instead fall in love. Finally, the Emperor begs Death to resume his duties, and Death agrees, only if the Emperor will be the first to die. The Emperor agrees.

The BLO’s production of The Emperor of Atlantis is daring and takes no prisoners. The Emperor’s castle is just a bunch of scaffolding covered in plastic sheeting.

Death, Harlequin and the Emperor are made up in such a way as to be ridiculous. Meanwhile, the music and lighting are bright, harsh and bombastic. It is a hell of a show— humorous in an unorthodox way.

Kevin Burdette, who plays Death, is definitively the man to watch. In addition to his powerhouse bass, his indomitable stage presence makes Death the most interesting and dynamic character throughout. Death and the Emperor’s final scene together is the most moving moment of the show, and though it lasts only a few minutes, the skill with which the actors handle the timing makes it feel as though the time stretches to keep the Emperor alive for just a little longer.

The music throughout is typically modern. Strange jumps up and down the scale, bombastic and strange chords and uncommon time

JEFFREY DUNN/Boston Lyric Opera

DEATH’S DIRGES: Van Eyck plays the daughter as the ghost of her father (Burdette) stands behind her in “The After-Image.” signatures mark this score. But interestingly, by the end of the opera, I began to recognize normal time signatures, and harmonies began to make more sense. The rhythm slowed down, and the melody became more recognizable. With the restoration of order to the world, the music became noticeably simpler. It

was a powerful choice on Ullman’s part, and thus the final act is a stirring visual and aural feat.

Again, I reiterate that I love the classical opera. Give me Handel and Verdi any day; the genre wouldn’t be what it is today without those visionaries of the last century. But now, I will also make sure to expose

myself to modern opera as well. The Emperor of Atlantis has been one of my most memorable opera experiences, and I can’t wait for the next modern opera to come my way. If as well performed and well staged as the BLO’s production, I’ll gladly throw Ullmann in my iTunes library right up there with Puccini.

film

‘Sanctum’ takes a plunge but never resurfaces ■ Producer James Cameron’s

3-D underwater adventure, directed by Alister Grierson, proves to be shallow but visually thrilling entertainment.

By leaNNE ORTBALS JUSTICE contributing WRITER

Sanctum, James Cameron’s latest effort as a producer, takes audience members on an epic adventure through the depths of Earth’s uncharted caves. The story follows Josh (Rhys Wakefield), a young man at odds with his father, Frank (Richard Roxburg); Josh and Frank, joined by Carl, the money-lender (Ioan Gruffud); Victoria, Carl’s girlfriend (Alice Parkinson); and George, Frank’s trusted friend (Dan Wyllie), must thwart death as a

storm traps the expedition team in the unmapped caves.

Australian director Alister Grierson, known for Kokoda (2006) and Bomb (2005), joins Cameron to create a visually spectacular experience. Sanctum showcases the same 3-D technology that helped catapult Cameron’s Avatar to the head of the all-time box office revenue charts.

While Sanctum’s visual caliber holds true to Cameron’s high standards, the film falls flat as Grierson presents an ultimately predictable and cheesy movie.

The first scenes showcase the movie’s most glaring flaw: unnatural and forced dialogue. I found myself laughing at the dramatic lines and cringing at bad jokes. I wasn’t the only one, either. I started to second-guess the $17.50 fee of the IMAX experience and found myself checking my watch, waiting for the pace of the first act to quicken. Luckily, once the storm hits, forcing the char-

acters into a crisis, the movie earns its first reprieve.

At the start of the second act, the characters begin their perilous journey through flooding caves. Since a decent portion of the journey takes place underwater, I was spared from sitting through more dreadful dialogue. Except for a few notable bad lines, the actors regain credibility at the start of the second act, and the movie’s momentum picks up.

Though I felt a little bored at the start of the show, the 2 hours of staring at Wakefield, the 22-year-old Aussie actor, allowed me to forgive any weaknesses in dialogue. He captured my attention with his Australian accent, toned biceps and puppy-dog eyes. I felt impressed by his performance as well, considering he fooled me into believing he was scaling the walls of the caves.

In fact, the other cast members also succeed at appearing to be skilled cave divers and climbers.

Given the challenge of promoting his status as the most talented cave diver in the world, Roxburg triumphed.

I must acknowledge that neither Wakefield nor Roxburg would have appeared as skilled cave divers without the help of computer-generated imagery, great camera work, stunt doubles and suspension of disbelief, but since the finished product does not grant me access to those aspects of moviemaking, I must ignore them.

Seeing the film in IMAX also helped me let the film’s faults slide as I felt mesmerized by the up-close and personal virtual tour through the caves. With a “don’t try this at home” message, Sanctum offered me the opportunity to take part in the hazards of repelling, cave diving and spelunking in safety and comfort.

The 3-D effects brought the caves into the theater, and I felt that I could participate in the adventure. My heart raced at the threat of drowning with the characters, and the haz-

ards of the caves felt immediate. The IMAX experience aided in my suspension of disbelief and, at the same time, justified the dent in my wallet.

If little else, the film looked amazing.

Sanctum’s viewers must decide if the decent casting and visual spectacle outweigh the poor dialogue, the imperfect pacing and the plot’s predictability. Anyone can guess at the ending from the first few seconds of the film.

However, the 2 hours of adventure through the caverns of the Earth provide enough entertainment to warrant a Friday-night trip to the theater.

Though Sanctum’s box office ratings will not reach the level that Avatar’s did, the movie deserves an audience. No, Sanctum will not receive Oscar buzz and will not linger at the cinemas for long, but the movie does guarantee an entertaining evening at the movies. Overall, I give Sanctum 2 1/2 stars.

THE JUSTICE

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TUESDAY, february 8, 2011

23

FOOD

BEARD FOLK

Barrels change flavors of beer Douglas

MOORE INNERMOST BREW

PARTTIME MUSIC/Flckr Creative Commons

A BEAUTIFUL VOICE: Sam Beam, the singer-songwriter otherwise known as Iron & Wine, performs a song from his newly released album, ‘Kiss Each Other Clean.’

Beam releases sweet sounds

■ Indie-pop singer Iron & Wine releases his latest album, expanding his style into a more complex and interesting sound.

By leah igdalsky JUSTICE staff WRITER

“Beard-folk.” Silly as it sounds, this style of music is growing into its own subgenre of indie-pop. Acts like Bon Iver, Fleet Foxes and Band of Horses are often grouped together based not only on the prominent beards of their lead singers, a style some refer to as “hipster lumberjack,” but also based on their hushed, emotional lyrics; acoustic instrumentation; and association with prominent independent labels, like Sub Pop Records.

On Jan. 25, the original beard, Iron & Wine, released its first album, titled Kiss Each Other Clean, since 2007’s The Shepherd’s Dog. Iron & Wine has been the stage name for singer-songwriter Sam Beam since the early 2000s, when Sub Pop Records reached out to him after hearing an initial demo tape. That demo-style, raw, almost unpolished sound has followed Iron & Wine’s career, characterizing albums and extended—play albums.

On Kiss Each Other Clean, Iron & Wine moves this simple style in a more complex direction. The album’s first single, “Walking Far From Home,” opens with the traditional Iron & Wine sound.

Beam’s vocals have a hint of static, as though he recorded the track in some sort of home studio without any polishing or editing. However, as the track moves on, the static disappears and is replaced by a cooing chorus of Beam’s falsetto. The drums, slow at first, start to build and are joined by guitar and bass parts. The lyrics, which feature sinners, lovers and angels, old women and children, trace an independent journey—the idea of exploring the world on one’s own before returning to the comforts of home. These lyrics are classic Iron & Wine, full of metaphors and symbolism about the individual experience as well

PARTTIME MUSIC/Flckr Creative Commons

HELP FROM FRIENDS: Iron & Wine is often accompanied by a band while on tour, adding depth and polyphony to concerts. as personal relationships.

“Tree by the River,” the album’s third track, is a joyful celebration of youthful love. Beam’s vocals, backed by harmonizing female voices and his own cooing, are more pop than folk on this track.

Jody Rosen of Rolling Stone compared the kind of pop on Kiss Each Other Clean to something that could be heard on the radio in the 1970s. Much of the album feels breezy, particularly “Big Burned Hand,” which has a beachy, calypso feel and a funky bass line.

Still, other elements of Kiss Each Other Clean exemplify decidedly modern leanings. “Monkeys Uptown” highlights the more cynical, dark side of Iron & Wine. Rather than lyrics about “the sun in our faces” from “Tree by the River,” Beam croons about “all the mud and the rain,” criticizing some of the downfalls of modern society,

which is controlled by the “monkeys uptown.” There is something particularly striking about Beam’s voice, which usually sounds as if it could be singing a lullaby, cursing about the unavoidable demands placed on each of us by said “monkeys.”

Also striking to those very familiar with Iron & Wine is “Your Fake Name is Good Enough for Me.” The record’s last track features a funky horn section. Except for a more stripped-down section in the middle of the song, “Your Fake Name is Good Enough for Me” seems oddly uncomfortable. It sounds as if Beam sat in on a recording session with a funk group and simply added vocals on top. While new listeners may appreciate this direction, many who have been with Iron & Wine since the beginning might feel alienated by this track, as it is such a stark departure from

the band’s trademark sound.

Still, trying out a new sound is not necessarily a bad thing. While the stronger pop and funk influences on this album are something different for Iron & Wine, one also has to wonder how many innovative changes would have remained for Beam if he had stuck to his signature hushed, folkie sound, especially given the growing popularity of said beard-folk.

Iron & Wine is no longer the new, wide-eyed addition to the indie scene; Kiss Each Other Clean was released by Warner Brothers.

Beam has been releasing albums for nearly a decade now and has earned the ability to explore new options without losing his fan base or credibility. For the most part, Iron & Wine’s new album manages to balance its roots with different directions in a manner that should satisfy most listeners, new and old.

Two weeks ago, I attended Cambridge Brewing Company’s Barleywine Festival, where I got to drink several Barleywines from 2005 to 2010, each vintage aged in a different barrel. On my 22nd birthday last Tuesday, I enjoyed a Brooklyn Monster Ale Barleywine from 2009 that I had let sit in the cellar of my house for over a year. In both of these cases, I got to enjoy one of the most interesting aspects of beer: cellaring and aging.

I am not a fermentation scientist, but in a beer there are numerous organic compounds, among them diacetyl, esters and the alcohol itself. All of these gain improved flavor when they are allowed more and more time to mature. The alcohol fades, and other compounds are enhanced by time.

The result is a more developed, flavorful drink with significantly less booziness.

This works great for imperial stouts, barley wines, Belgian quads and other high—alcohol beers. It should be said that not all beverages get better over time; there needs to be enough alcohol to act as a preservative. Most beers have a shelf life. Lower alcohol beers will spoil over time and should be drunk within a year or so. You should never age a very hoppy beer. Hops are quite volatile and will fade in a beer quickly, especially in hop-bombed double India Pale Ales. Therefore, you should drink these quickly.

Aged beers demonstrate a lot of change in their flavor profiles. A perfect example of this is the Brooklyn Monster Ale. A year ago when I had this beer, it was a boozy mess. It was hot, the alcohol overpowered everything, and the sugars made the drink very thick and syrupy. One year later, that syrupy nature was gone, and I was treated to a drinkable high-alcohol beverage with great dark fruit and biscuit notes. I think another year or two would only make this beer even better.

Beer can mature in bottles, as well as in other containers. A new aspect of the American beer tradition is the idea of maturing beer in wooden barrels previously used for aging liquor.

The result is that the beer gains new characteristics not attainable in the standard brewing process, such as notes of wood and those of the alcohol previously stored in the barrel.

One of the places where this could be found was at the Cambridge Barleywine Festival: Nearly all of their Barleywines had been matured for a few years in barrels. Their most recent one was aged in rye whiskey barrels. Other barrels included those that originally stored port, bourbon and chardonnay. Each barrel revealed different flavors and brought out different notes in all of the beers, which were otherwise from the same recipe.

The final barleywine I tried was a 2005 vintage that was not aged in any barrel. After 6 years of aging, this brew had produced an incredibly clean malty and fruity taste. I’m glad that, in the end, they kept the earliest vintage out of the barrel to develop what the beer actually should taste like.

In conclusion, beer aging is a wonderful technique to improve highalcohol beers. It’s very easy to try on your own. Just find a cool, dark place in your house and leave the beer upright for an extended period. The cap can produce strange flavors, however, so be sure that the beer never touches it.

Next week, I’m going to focus on the polar opposite of aging beers: session beers.

24

TUESday, February 8, 2011 ● THE JUSTICE

TOP of the

ARTS ON VIEW

TRIVIA TIME 1. Where did Charles Lindbergh start his famous solo flight across the Atlantic Ocean?

2. How many letters are in the English alphabet?

3. When did Armistice Day become Veterans Day? 4. For which city’s police department did Chief Robert Ironside work?

5. Which philosopher was imprisoned for his pacifism in 1918?

6. What was the name of Pecos Bill’s horse?

7. What were the first names of the two famous Gish sisters?

8. In the Old Testament, where did Jacob’s Ladder lead?

9. Who wrote the opera Der Ring des Nibelungen?

10. What type of gift is traditional for a 20th-wedding anniversary?

ANSWERS 1. Long Island, N.Y. 2. 26 3. 1954 4. San Francisco 5. Bertrand Russell 6. Widow-Maker 7. Dorothy and Lillian 8. To heaven 9. Richard Wagner 10. China

SHOWTIMES 2/11–2/17

The Fighter Fri-Sun: 1:10, 4:05, 6:50, 9:25 Mon-Thurs: 2:20, 5:00, 7:50 The Illusionist Fri-Sun: 1:40, 4:25, 7:10, 9:10 Mon-Thurs: 2:40, 5:30, 8:20 The Eagle Fri-Sun: 1:20, 4:15, 7:00, 9:30 Mon-Thurs: 2:30, 5:10, 8:10 The Social Network Fri-Sun: 3:55, 6:40 Mon-Thurs: 2:10, 7:40 127 Hours Fri-Sun: 1:30, 9:20 Mon-Thurs: 5:20 The King’s Speech Fri-Sun: 1:00, 2:00, 3:45, 5:00, 6:30, 8:00, 9:15 Mon-Thurs: 2:00, 3:00, 4:50, 7:00, 8:00

CHARTS Top 10s for the week ending Feb. 6 BOX OFFICE

1. The Roommate 2. Sanctum 3. No Strings Attached 4. The King’s Speech 5. The Green Hornet 6. The Rite 7. The Mechanic 8. True Grit 9. The Dilemma 10. Black Swan

NYT BESTSELLERS Fiction 1. Tick Tock – James Patterson 2. The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet’s Nest – Stieg Larsson 3. The Inner Circle – Brad Meltzer 4. Strategic Moves – Stuart Woods 5. The Help – Kathryn Stocket DIANA WANG/the Justice

WINTER SHAPES: Diana Wang ’13 photographed these glistening icicles, which intertwine in a variety of shapes that invoke potentially creative images. What shapes do you see in this photograph?

ACROSS 1. Recipe meas.

4. Chops 8. Partner of Peter and Mary 12. Overwhelm 13. Tiny bit 14. Grooving on 15. Exaggerated advertising 17. Favorable votes 18. Computer-use period 19. X rating?

21. Neither’s mate 22. Big bother 26. Virago 29. Corral 30. Moray, for one 31. Pork cut 32. Tavern 33. Corporate symbol 34. Regis and Kelly’s network 35. Weep 36. Feel 37. Attention-getting call 39. Sine — non 40. Suitable 41. Sans celebration 45. Lash 48. Pokey 50. Aid 51. Pennsylvania port 52. Actress Myrna 53. Unmatched 54. Landlord’s due 55. B&B DOWN 1. Forbidden (var.)

2. Trade 3. Hide 4. Pile–up area in a barn 5. Former anesthetic 6. Court 7. Suffocate 8. Schroeder’s instrument 9. Whatever number 10. Salt Lake athlete 11. Part of UCLA 16. Irish export 20. A billion years 23. Drudge

CROSSWORD

iTUNES

1. Bruno Mars – “Grenade” 2. Pitbull & T-Pain – “Hey Baby (Drop it to the Floor)” 3. Katy Perry – “Firework” 4. Far East Movement – “Rocketeer” 5. Diddy-Dirty Money – “Coming Home” 6. Enrique Iglesias –“Tonight (I’m Lovin You)” 7. Avril Lavigne – “What the Hell” 8. Rihanna– “S & M” 9. Christina Perri – “Jar of Hearts” 10. Britney Spears - “Hold It Against Me”

BILLBOARD

24. Stamina 25. Lotion additive 26. Dispatch 27. Vagrant 28. Puerto — 29. Remuneration 32. “Whew!”

33. Draft in an apartment?

35. Police officer 36. Western event 38. Glad 39. Keystone of an arch 42. Wrinkly fruit 43. Lunchtime, maybe 44. 17th-century actress Nell 45. Personal question?

46. Coop occupant 47. Under the weather 49. Raw rock

1. Amos Lee – Mission Bell 2. Iron & Wine – Kiss Each Other Clean 3. Nicki Minaj – Pink Friday 4. Various Artists – 2011 Grammy Nominees 5. Bruno Mars – Doo Wops & Hooligans 6. Mumford & Sons – Sigh No More 7. Taylor Swift – Speak Now 8. Wisin & Yandel – Los Vaqueros: El Regreso 9. Kidz Bop Kids – Kidz Bop 19 10. The Decemberists – The King is Dead Album information provided by Billboard Magazine. Box office information provided

by Fandango. iTunes top sellers provided

by Apple.com. Bestellers list provided by The New York Times.

STAFF PLAYLIST Solution to last week’s crossword

“All Smiles’”

By LEANNE ORTBALS

Justice CONTRIBUTING WRITER

King Crossword Copyright 2011 King Features Synd, Inc.

STRANGE BUT TRUE  It was Irish author Oscar Wilde who made the following sage observation: “There are only two kinds of people who are really fascinating: people who know absolutely everything, and people who know absolutely nothing.”  The sun is 1 million times the size of the earth.

The Embassy is located at 18 Pine Street in Waltham

Nonfiction 1. Unbroken – Laura Hillenbrand 2. Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother Amy Chua 3. The Next Decade – George Friedman 4. The Hidden Reality – Brian Greene 5. Cleopatra – Stacy Schiff

 Coffee was first discovered around 1000 A.D. by Arabs.

At the time, it was used strictly for medicinal or religious purposes.  Harper Lee’s iconic novel To Kill a Mockingbird celebrated the 50th anniversary of its publication last year. The film will celebrate its anniversary next year, marking 50 years since Gregory Peck portrayed Atticus Finch, whom the American Film Institute named the greatest movie hero of the 20th century. Harper Lee was so impressed with Gregory Peck’s performance, that she gave the actor her deceased father’s pocket watch. Peck, however, lost it.  Before the roller coaster was invented, some inspired entrepreneur began building deliberately undulating tracks

for cars. Early thrill–seekers would pay a fee to drive on them.  Those who calculate such things say that the odds of the same number coming out on top in eight successive rolls of a six-sided die are 1 in 1,679,616.  Fifth-century conqueror Attila the Hun died on his wedding night, though it’s unclear from the records whether he died from internal bleeding caused by too much drinking or was murdered by his bride.  If you’re like 24 percent of women in the United States, you shave every day.  In 1978, the endangered Hawaiian bird the palila was named as the plaintiff in a lawsuit. In Palila v. Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources, the bird won.

Thought for the Day: “The saying ‘Getting there is half the fun’ became obsolete with the advent of commercial airlines.” —Henry J. Tillman

I like to keep my iPod on shuffle so I’m always surprised.

Though I may skip some songs that pop up, a few selections always bring a smile to my face.

No matter when or where, I love these tunes.

THE LIST 1. Mumord & Sons – “Little Lion Man” 2. System of a Down – “Aerials” 3. Tenacious D – “Tribute” 4. Florence & the Machine – “Dog Dayws are Over” 5. Christina Perri – “Jar of Hearts” 6. Led Zeppelin – “Stairway to Heaven” 7. Bon Jovi – “Livin’ on a Prayer” 8. Good Charlotte – “Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous” 9. Cee Lo Green – “Forget You” (explicit version) 10. The Verve Pipe – “The Freshman”