May 22, 2012 issue by The Justice

arts page 20

FORUM Implement language dorms 12

SUMMER FLICKS

SPORTS Cooke wins berth at NCAA tourney 16 The Independent Student Newspaper

the

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

Justice

Volume LXIV, Number 28

www.thejustice.org

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Waltham, Mass.

dining services

Einstein’s to open earlier on Sunday

61ST COMMENCEMENT

■ To compensate for

extended hours at the bagel shop, the Stein will close on Mondays starting in the fall. By tate herbert JUSTICE editor

For students who have lamented the lack of hot, fresh bagels available on Sunday mornings, good news is on the way: Beginning this fall, Einstein Bros. Bagels will now open at noon on Sundays instead of the usual 5 p.m. To compensate for the added hours, the Stein will no longer be open on Mondays, according to former Student Union President Herbie Rosen ’12. Rosen announced the scheduling change to the student body in his second and final State of the Union address on May 3 in the International Lounge of the Usdan Student Center.

The change in hours was the culmination of a Union initiative to extend Einstein’s hours and the capstone to a year in which campus dining received much attention. Other changes included the extension of Saturday Provisions on Demand Market hours and the launch of an in-depth review of Dining Services by the University administration. The Einstein’s hours adjustment is the product of a campaign spearheaded by the head of the Senate Dining Committee, Senator for the Class of 2014 Ricky Rosen. According to Ricky Rosen, the changes will remain in place for a full academic year, after which time Brandeis Dining Services will review them and make a decision to either renew or discontinue them. Dining Services goes through a similar review process for all hours at all locations annually. In an interview with the Justice, Ricky Rosen specu-

See EINSTEIN’S, 4 ☛

ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

BRANDEISIAN TO BRANDEISIAN: Deborah Bial ’87 reflected on her years at Brandeis and current social issues.

ADMISSIONS

University receives fewer applications

Bial urges graduates to build on social justice ■ Alumna and founder

of the Posse Foundation Bial ’87 addressed the graduating Class of 2012. By FIONA LOCKYER JUSTICE EDITOR

Reflecting on her fond memories of the time she spent at the University 25 years ago, Deborah Bial ’87, founder of the Posse Foundation, advised members of the Class of 2012 about their capacity to affect social change. The 61st commencement was held this past Sunday, May 20 in the crowded Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. Among the family and friends of the 831 graduates attending the ceremony was the President of Honduras, Porfirio Pepe Lobo. Bial was awarded a Doctor of Hu-

mane Letters, alongside honorary degree recipients Sydney Brenner, a molecular biologist; President of the Juilliard School Joseph W. Polisi and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen. Prominent philanthropist and former Trustee Myra Hiatt Kraft ’64, who died in July 2011, was awarded a degree posthumously, which was accepted by her husband Robert Kraft to a thundering standing ovation and tears from University President Frederick Lawrence. Bial began her speech with humor, alluding to an opinion article in the Justice about her differences from Jon Stewart, host of the popular The Daily Show on Comedy Central. She transitioned into her speech by reflecting on her time spent at Brandeis, including living in the residence halls with her college friends and the events she used to attend on campus, such as the “Screw Your Roommate” dance.

acceptances numbered 3,233 and the acceptance rate was 38.6 percent.

While she maintained that “there’s just something really special about this Brandeis experience,” her speech was not exclusively positive. She cited a Rutgers University study that claims that only half of recent college graduates are working full time, and fewer than a half of those graduates have jobs that require a college degree. “That’s scary,” Bial said, as the audience chuckled and then fell silent, “because there are no jobs out there. It is worse than I think many people realize.” The focus of the speech shifted to what Bial felt Brandeis students are responsible for: carrying on the tradition of social justice. Discussing social issues, such as inequality that exists between genders, races and income levels in the United States, Bial said that “the progress we’ve made [in civil rights issues] has

By ROBYN SPECTOR JUSTICE EDITOR

In a climate where the number of applications to many of America’s elite universities is rising, the number of students who applied to Brandeis for the Class of 2016 declined in comparison to last year. As of the end of April, 8,379 students applied for admission to the University, according to Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel. In 2011, 8,917 had applied by the same date. These numbers include Regular and both Early Decision deadlines. This year, the acceptance rate as of May 1, 2012, the date by which accepted students must notify the University of their intention to enroll, was 38.6 percent. This rate,

See GRADUATION, 9 ☛

however, does not include students accepted off of the waitlist, as the University is still in the process of admitting those students. The total number of acceptances was 3,233, which includes the 183 Early Decision I and 79 Early Decision II acceptances. According to Brandeis University’s Common Data Set, the acceptance rate for the Class of 2015 was 39.9 percent with 8,917 applicants and 3,566 students accepted after students were accepted from the waitlist. The University’s yield, which refers to the number of students who accept the University’s offer of admission divided by the total number of acceptances, also changed. Last year’s yield for the Class of 2015 was 24 percent; the yield this year is 26 percent. The yield for this year is calculated from the 854 students who have enrolled in the University as of May 1. This number, however, is still changing as students are still

See ADMISSIONS, 4 ☛

Applied science

Consolation prize

State of the Union

Frances Colòn was recently appointed deputy science and technology adviser to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

 Ranked No. 1 in the ECAC tournament, the Judges fell just short of the championship in an upset loss to Endicott College.

 Herbie Rosen ’12 delivered the biannual address and swore in Todd Kirkland ’13 as Student Union President.

FEATURES 7

For tips or info email editor@thejustice.org

■ As of May 1, total

Let your voice be heard! Submit letters to the editor online at www.thejustice.org

INDEX

SPORTS 16

ARTS SPORTS

17 16

EDITORIAL FEATURES

10 5

OPINION POLICE LOG

10 2

News 3

TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012

●

THE JUSTICE

NEWS SENATE LOG

Senators, Union officers sworn in The Senate swore in its newest elected members and elected Ricky Rosen ’14 as Executive Senator at its last official meeting of the year, on May 1. Members of the Senate and other Student Union officers who were elected in April convened in the Peace Room in the Usdan Student Center. Outgoing Student Union President Herbie Rosen ’12 swore in Todd Kirkland ’13 as the new president, and Kirkland, in turn, administered the oath of office to the gathered officers and senators en masse. Outgoing Executive Senator Missy Skolnik ’12 called the informal ceremony a “bittersweet moment” for graduating senior senators and Union officers. An official, public swearing-in ceremony took place at the State of the Union address later that week. In the executive session that followed, the Senate named re-elected Senator for the Class of 2014 Ricky Rosen as the Executive Senator for the Fall 2012 semester, Rosen confirmed in an interview with the Justice. —Tate Herbert

WIRE BRIEF

POLICE LOG Medical Emergency

May 1—A caller in Ziv reported experiencing rapid heart palpitations and chest pains. The party was transported to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital via ambulance. May 4—A female party in Deroy fainted and fell to the floor—she consequently started bleeding from her nose. An ambulance transported the student to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Community Living was notified. May 9—A party in the Usen Castle reported that his 20-year-old friend was experiencing pain on his left side and difficulty breathing. BEMCo treated the party onscene, and an ambulance then transported the party to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital. May 10—A party in the Shapiro Science Complex stated that his girlfriend was having a panic attack. BEMCo responded and treated the party on-scene with a signed refusal for further care.

Traffic

May 7—The Waltham Police Department requested assistance with an off-campus car accident involving two cars. There were no injuries and very minor damage. May 7—A Library and Technology Services employee struck a parked motor vehicle in I Lot.

May 9—A BranVan coordinator reported an accident at the main entrance gate. The University Police on scene reported that there were no injuries. A report was compiled.

Disturbance

May 11—University Police received a complaint of loud music coming from the Foster Mods. The group inside was dispersed, and one student will be charged through the judicial board.

Larceny

May 2—A party approached the University Police on patrol and reported that his or her wallet had been stolen from Sherman Dining Hall. University Police compiled a report on the incident. May 11—A student arrived at Public Safety to report that his laptop had been stolen from Deroy. University Police compiled a report on the theft. May 12—A student claimed that his laptop was stolen from Hassenfeld Residence Hall. University Police compiled a report.

Miscellaneous

May 4—University Police received a call that two males attempted to steal bikes from outside the Shapiro Campus Center.

Economic outlook bleak for grads

Facebook stock flops

—Los Angeles Times (MCT)

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

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS n The name of a forum columnist was misspelled. Her name is Sara Shahanaghi, not Sara Shahnaghi. (May 1, pg. 12) The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@ thejustice.org.

Justice

the

www.thejustice.org

The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods. Editor in chief office hours are held Mondays from 1:00 to 3:00 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

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

—compiled by Marielle Temkin

WIRE BRIEF

LOS ANGELES—For most recent college graduates, these are gloomy times. Only about half are working full-time, with the majority starting with less pay than expected while also dealing with huge student debts. Nearly six in 10 think they’ll end up less financially successful than their elders. It’s a pessimistic outlook for the subjects of a study from Rutgers University, which this spring surveyed hundreds of people who graduated college between 2006 and 2011. About 12 percent are underor unemployed (many of the rest are volunteers, in the military or still in school). Workers who graduated during the recession— from 2009 through last year—earned a median starting salary of $27,000—or $3,000 less annually than earlier graduates. Nearly a quarter of all respondents said their current job pays much less than they’d anticipated. Female graduates earned $2,000 less than their male counterparts. Most fresh college grads said their first jobs didn’t help them advance along a career path—and that the positions didn’t even require a four-year degree. Four in 10 said they took the work just to get by. Even to get their current jobs, a quarter of recent grads said they’ve had to look below their education level and outside their professional field. Many have also had to accept less-than-optimal hours and go without health benefits. Many are still struggling. Among recession-era graduates, the majority get some kind of financial help from their families. A third live at home or get help for housing costs; a quarter rely on family to pitch in for food and healthcare costs. Student-loan debts—which in 2010 totaled one trillion dollars, or more than the amount Americans owed in credit debt—don’t help. A quarter of all the recent graduates haven’t made any progress in paying off what they owe; four in 10 recession-era graduates are in the same boat. The pressures of education loans have caused 40 percent of graduates since 2006 to delay major purchases such as a home or a car. The burden has caused nearly 30 percent to put off more education. Marriage or committed relationships are currently out of the cards for 14 percent of debtors.

The Justice is on hiatus for summer recess. Our next issue will be published Aug. 28.

The police checked the area but were unable to locate the parties. A report on the incident was compiled. May 5—Unknown parties were seen with an open fire behind the Foster Mods. University Police discovered a small campfire attended by several seniors. The fire was extinguished with one glass of water. May 7—A student came into Public Safety requesting a no-contact (restraining) order. May 7—University Police found Brandeis students walking around on the roof of Stoneman and advised the students that they will face University judicial charges. No damage was observed in the area where they were walking. A report was compiled. May 10—University staff reported two male parties starting a fire in the Theater Lot. University Police identified the parties involved, and the fire was extinguished. Judicial charges will be filed—there was no permanent damage to any university property. May 11—A community development coordinator in Ziv 127 found drug paraphernalia. University Police confiscated the item and compiled a report.

JENNY CHENG/the Justice

Graduating with the Posse Dimple Patel ’12 spoke about her experience as a Posse scholar at a reception for members of the program on Saturday. The ten members of Brandeis’ and the nation’s first Science Posse graduated with the Class of 2012 on Sunday, along with Brandeis’ 11th Liberal Arts Posse.

NEW YORK—The big pop in Facebook, Inc. shares never came. Buyers did not rush into the market to snap up shares of the social networker. And the big Wall Street banks that brought Facebook public scrambled to prevent the stock from collapsing into declines. The underwriters averted a potential debacle by scooping up shares of the company during the Nasdaq Stock Market debut. This propped up the stock, keeping it above the $38 offering price through most of the day. “When a deal gets priced and breaks price on the first day, that’s definitely a major embarrassment,” said trader Andrew Frankel, co-president of Stuart Frankel & Co. “But it didn’t do that here—at least for the time being.” The practice is pretty standard during initial public offerings, especially high-profile ones like Facebook. The big banks buy into a wave of selling as a way to prevent their customers from suffering big losses. The syndicate of underwriters led by Morgan Stanley helped prop up shares after the Nasdaq experienced technical problems processing trades. A number of brokerages reportedly said they were having problems trying to trade the stock. “There are currently industrywide delays in reporting trade executions,” Michael Cianfrocca, a spokesman for brokerage Charles Schwab, told Bloomberg News. “These issues do not appear to be unique to Schwab.” The problems could threaten the Nasdaq’s reputation as the premier platform to list big blue-chip technology companies. The exchange won a hard-fought battle against the New York Stock Exchange for a chance to list Facebook. Spokesmen for the Nasdaq did not return several telephone calls and emails seeking comment. Many traders, Frankel said, “backed away from trading Facebook because Nasdaq had such system issues.” The stock bolted at the open to $42.05, but then quickly withered in the first hour of trading. It touched $38 several times, but eked out a small rebound and leveled off at about $40. —Los Angeles Times (MCT)

WIRE BRIEF

Jewish Council for Public Affairs votes to protect Jewish college, university students DETROIT — Concerned about increasing anti-Israel activity on some campuses, a Jewish-American umbrella group passed a resolution during its annual conference— held in Detroit last week—that calls for Jewish organizations to help protect Jewish students at universities nationwide. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs voted late last Sunday to pass the detailed resolution, Jewish leaders said the following day. It encourages Jewish groups to work with university administrations, students and others to make sure there isn’t a hostile climate for Jewish students. But it also said free speech should be honored on campuses. “We’re committed to the Bill of Rights, and we’re committed to freedom of speech,” said Allan Gale, associate director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Metro Detroit, one of 125 councils across the United States that are part of the JCPA. In addition to the councils, other Jewish groups are part of the conference, which ended Tuesday. The event at the GM Renaissance Center drew about 300 leaders from across the U.S.

Participants have discussed issues from poverty to Darfur to engaging young Jews. The resolution on universities has been intensely debated the past few years. In recent years, there have been a number of cases where Jewish students or Israeli officials visiting campuses have been harassed or singled out. Such disputes have at times spilled over into anti-Semitism, said Jewish leaders at the conference. Passed overwhelmingly, the resolution says Jewish groups should “develop well-coordinated strategies for protecting Jewish students from hostile campus environments, and to support initiatives that promote Israel and the well-being of Jewish students.” The resolution also said that Jewish groups should consider invoking Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act—which prohibits discrimination in federally funded programs—in ensuring protection of Jewish students. The act doesn’t specifically mention religion, but after lobbying by the JCPA, the U.S. Department of Education decided in

October 2010 to effectively include Jews and other religious groups under the act. In some cases, legal action could be taken under Title VI, said the resolution. But it cautioned against using legal action as a knee-jerk response. In recent years, some Jewish groups have resorted to lawsuits or threats of lawsuits in response to anti-Israel activity. But the JCPA said such actions are too aggressive at times and can cause a backlash. “We feel very strongly that people should not be parachuting in looking for problems,” said David Luchins, a member of the Orthodox Union and chairman of the political science department at Touro College in New York City. “It’s very counterproductive.” Wendy Wagenheim, ex-president of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Metro Detroit, said: “The safety of Jewish students on campus is extremely important to us, as well as a robust and legitimate debate on campus.” —Detroit Free Press (MCT)

THE JUSTICE

STATE OF THE UNION

By sam mintz JUSTICE editor

JENNY CHENG/the Justice

A NEW ERA: At his State of the Union, outgoing Student Union President Herbie Rosen ’12 swears in Todd Kirkland ‘13.

Rosen swears in Kirkland

emphasized transportation and dining as the key focuses of his presidency. By jonathan epstein JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Former Student Union President Herbie Rosen ’12 delivered his final State of the Union address as president on Thursday, May 3 in the International Lounge of the Usdan Student Center. During his thirty-minute speech, Rosen highlighted the Union’s successes and the areas in which it can improve. The one new piece of information in Rosen’s speech was that Einstein Bros. Bagels would open five hours earlier, at noon, on Sundays next semester. Rosen highlighted three key areas he worked on during his presidency: transportation, dining and facilities. In an effort by the Union to make transportation to Boston more convenient, the administration conducted trials of a weekend shuttle to the Riverside Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority stop. Rosen stated that the Union now believes that the best means of getting students to Riverside would be to include it as a stop on the Waltham Crystal Shuttle. Rosen and other Union members also lobbied against planned MBTA cuts to commuter rail service. Rosen stated that improvements have been made to campus dining and that there is potential for more change. He lauded the new and longer service hours at Einstein’s on Sundays and at the Provisions on Demand Market on Saturdays. He called for more “real food” on campus and encouraged students to get involved in the upcoming Dining Services review, during which the University may decide to replace Aramark as its food

Hickey announces handbook changes form a University committee on sexual assault.

services provider. Rosen cited an array of improvements to facilities that began to take place this year. He applauded the opening of study spaces in academic buildings before and during finals but said that more space could be made available. Rosen said he hoped the planned renovations to East Quad bathrooms would happen this summer and highlighted the creation of the Union Senate’s Campus Operations Work Group, which will petition the administration for improvements to various campus facilities. Additional successes over the past year cited by Rosen included the feedback given by over 500 students during the strategic planning process, the creation of a committee of students to advise on the University budget and tuition process and the restoration of the Pachanga dance next semester. Rosen also trumpeted the Union’s co-sponsoring of some thirty events this academic year, including Hiatt Career Center events, barbeques and mixers, lectures by Christie Hefner ’74 and other businesspeople and academics, Earth Day and Food Day events, Midnight Buffets, a town hall meeting on hate crime and discrimination, a celebration of service, Health and Fitness week, the inaugural ’Deis Impact Festival of Social Justice and the reopening of the pool in the Joseph M. Linsey Sports Center. Taking a critical lens to his work, Rosen brought up three areas in which the Union could improve: finance, accountability and operations. In terms of finance, Rosen said that the marathon process for allocating funding to student clubs has to become more transparent and easier for students to engage in. He added that recently passed amendments to the Union Constitution will begin to alleviate this problem. Rosen went on to say that Union officers have to fulfill the duties of their

TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012

Faculty

■ The Faculty Senate will

■ Herbie Rosen ’12

●

positions as outlined by the Union Constitution. The Union Judiciary also must improve in monitoring and reacting to constitutional issues, he said. Rosen added that the Student Representatives to the Board of Trustees need to be more responsible in keeping the student body informed of the Board’s activities. Lastly, the Union needs to train its members better, Rosen stated, citing the lack of training he received when he was elected. To address this issue, he said he is writing a Union manual. Critiquing himself, Rosen said that he often acted unilaterally and did not delegate responsibilities sufficiently. Commenting on the tenure of University President Frederick Lawrence, Rosen said that he should remain “continuously engage[d] with the student body,” even once his “honeymoon” period is over. He added that Lawrence’s decision to live in Waltham instead of Newton next year was a positive step, and humorously encouraged students to trick-or-treat at his home. Speaking about how he came to the position of Union President, Rosen told the audience of how he was waitlisted when applying to Brandeis and had to write a letter stating what he could accomplish if accepted to the University. “I had no idea that this would be that,” he exclaimed. “The state of the Union is stronger than it was last year,” Rosen concluded. “And it will be stronger again next year. We are leaving the Student Union again in a better place than where we found it.” Rosen finished his speech by welcoming incoming Student Union President Todd Kirkland ’13, who added that he too had been waitlisted when he applied. Rosen ceremonially swore in Kirkland, who then swore in newlyelected Union senators. Rosen will participate in Teach for America in New York City next year.

At Thursday’s faculty meeting, Prof. Tim Hickey (COSI), chair of the Faculty Senate, made two significant announcements to the assembled professors, regarding the creation of a new University committee and a proposal for amendments to the faculty handbook. The Senate Council is considering the formation of a committee made up of students, faculty and administrators to examine sexual assault and harassment on campus. In an email to the Justice, Hickey described the planned committee as “a short-term committee to look into Brandeis’ current policies and best practices at other institutions and to propose concrete steps.” He continued that “we are not so much reevaluating as looking at best practices elsewhere and seeing what makes sense at Brandeis.” After citing several studies that discuss the rise of sexual harassment and assault at high schools and colleges, Hickey concluded that the Senate hopes for “Brandeis to become a leader in the fight against sexual harassment and sexual violence on college campuses.” This announcement comes at a time when sexual assault is a focal issue on campus and has also been a frequent topic of discussion in the Faculty Senate. Hickey also announced several pro-

posals for amendments to the faculty handbook. Four of the amendments were “explicit reference[s] to the Contract Faculty Guidelines,” which will help clarify the language in the handbook. Two of the amendments created new professor ranks outside of the tenure structure. One of them was the rank of “Instructor,” which will be used mainly by the Mathematics Department. The other was a position called “Associate Professor of the Practice.” Another amendment decreased the term for “in-residence” professors from five years to three years. The final amendment called for the “inclusion of [the] Heller [School for Social Policy and Management], [the International Business School], and Student representatives in the Councils of the University,” according to Hickey’s summary of the amendment. The faculty passed all of the amendments unanimously. Also at the faculty meeting, University President Frederick Lawrence announced that this year’s senior class broke the senior class fund-raising record with their class gift, with 72 percent contributing as of Thursday. Lawrence said that he and his wife, Prof. Kathy Lawrence (ENG), would match the class’ contribution. Finally, University Registrar Mark Hewitt provided some statistics about the graduating class. He said that of the 832 students who received Bachelor’s degrees, 39 percent were double majors, which is four percent lower than last year. He also announced that the number of Ph.D.s given this year was lower than last year, while the number of master’s degrees rose.

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

FACULTY CHANGES: Prof. Tim Hickey (COSI) speaks a t Thursday’s faculty meeting.

student union

Student body approves several Union constitutional changes ■ The amendments aim to

improve communication between students, the Board and administrators. By sam mintz JUSTICE editor

Students approved all seven of the constitutional amendments proposed by former Student Union President Herbie Rosen ’12 and endorsed by Student Union President Todd Kirkland ’13 in a vote on May 2. Out of 3,504 undergraduates, only 202, or 5.8 percent, voted. “Overall, I think the amendments will lead to a better communication structure for the Union,” said Kirkland in an email to the Justice. Most of the amendments are geared toward making sure that students are accurately and fully represented in different sectors of Brandeis, including the Board of Trustees and the Alumni Association.

The first amendment, which will create a Senate work group to address facilities issues, passed by a vote of 170 to 93, the second highest number of “yes” votes. Kirkland wrote that “it’s pretty important to have a formal organization to advocate improvements to University facilities.” The second amendment, which requires candidates for Student Union Treasurer to have previously served in the Treasury or Finance Board, passed with 83 percent of the vote, 146 to 29, the fewest number of votes for approval of any of the amendments. The third amendment incorporates a staff member of the Department of Student Activities into the Finance Board allocation process in an advisory capacity. This amendment won 154 to 33, with 82 percent of the vote. “Student Activities is a valuable resource for clubs and they can offer a lot of great advice when it comes to event programming,” wrote Kirkland. Rosen added, “I am excited that we can add another voice to help the F-Board

operate smoothly.” The fourth amendment will require that the senior representative to the Board of Trustees sit on the Union Executive Board in order to enhance communication between students and the Board of Trustees. This amendment won 176 to 9 and was the most popular amendment, with 95 percent of the vote. This amendment followed a recent tuition raise by the Board that was widely unexpected by students, many of whom have been calling for better communication between students and trustees. Rosen wrote that he wants the Union to be able to “react to decisions by the Board of Trustees and make more of an effort to engage students” with this amendment. In an email to the Justice, Student Representative to the Board of Trustees Jack Hait ’14 wrote that he would “generally be in favor of any amendment that helps encourage a greater conversation between the student

body and the board.” The fifth amendment modifies the means of student representation to the University Alumni Association by mandating that each student representative be an appointed co-chair of the Future Alumni of Brandeis instead of being elected by the student body. This amendment passed 154 to 17, with 90 percent of the vote. Rosen wrote that “this new partnership will ensure that we have better access to the office of Alumni and Development, and there will be more resources for students to engage with alumni.” Student Representative to the Alumni Association Andre Tran ’14 wrote in an email to the Justice that he feels that “the amendment will help the position function effectively.” He also wrote that “the reason for the change is simple. The representative position and the club go hand-in-hand.” The sixth amendment expands the Student Judiciary’s role to include oversight of the constitutional review process, which now will be initiated

either by request of a student or every four years. This amendment passed 150 to 15, with 91 percent of the vote. “The judiciary [is made up of] the Student Union members that know the constitution the best,” wrote Kirkland. “It only makes sense that they recommend changes to the constitution to make sure it is adaptable to our current student body.” No current members of the judiciary could be reached for comment. The seventh and final amendment will adjust the language in the constitution to make it gender-neutral. This amendment won 148 to 35, making it the least popular of the seven with only 81 percent of the vote. “In all honesty, why not?” said Kirkland. “All in all, I am very appreciative towards the student body for voting in favor of these amendments,” wrote Rosen. “I wanted to leave the Union in a better place than I found it, and based off the passing of each of these amendments, I think that has been done.”

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012

ADMISSIONS: 854 students enrolled so far for next fall

WORDS OF WISDOM

CONTINUED FROM 1 being accepted from the waitlist and also inform the University of possible plans to defer their attendance. Flagel said that the target size for the Class of 2016 is approximately 30 students fewer than last year’s class size. The incoming first-year class size is projected to be between 800 and 820 students, compared with last year’s 858, which was the largest in University history, according to BrandeisNOW.

The discrepancy between the number of students who are currently enrolled, 854, and the projected class size, Flagel explained, is due to “class melt”—those who decide ultimately not to attend despite having paid a deposit—in addition to deferrals, an option open to accepted students until June 1. While the numbers are still in flux and will be likely will continue to be until around mid-July when the University has finished accepting students off of the waitlist, Flagel said that he is pleased with the admissions process this year.

faculty

JENNY CHENG/the Justice

FINISH WELL: Prof. Gregory A. Petsko (BCHM) applauded and advised the 84 newest 2012 Phi Beta Kappa inductees.

Petsko speaks at Phi Beta Kappa induction ceremony ■ The society inducted the

top students of the Classes of 2012 and 2013. By TATE HERBERT JUSTICE EDITOR

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes, always be skeptical, and “finish well.” That was the advice given to the 84 newest members of the Brandeis University Mu Chapter of Massachusetts Phi Beta Kappa by Prof. Emeritus Gregory A. Petsko (BCHM) at their induction ceremony in the Spingold Theater Center on Saturday. The academic honor society inducted 77 new members from the Class of 2012 and seven from the Class of 2013, representing the top students of those classes according to their academic standing, range of courses taken and recommendations from faculty. Two alumni from the Class of 1952 were also inducted, the final members of the Brandeis Honor Society from Brandeis’ first graduating class

to receive the honor. Neither was able to attend the ceremony. According to a history of Phi Beta Kappa presented by Prof. Emeritus Frank Trenery Dolbear, Jr. (ECON) at the induction, the society is only established at about 10 percent of colleges and universities in the United States, while each chapter elects only 10 percent of its school’s students, meaning that members are among the top one percent of students in the country. Petsko, the Gyula and Katica Tauber Professor of Biochemistry and Chemistry, centered his address around the story of nineteenth century French scientist Louis Pasteur, who administered the first rabies vaccine to a human, using the historical anecdote to illustrate the importance of daring and learning to “embrace error.” “One of the most important things I’ve learned in 40 years of being a scientist is that if you are afraid of making mistakes, you won’t get very far,” said Petsko. He also advised students to keep an open mind and remember the importance of character. He stressed that,

in their future endeavors, it “doesn’t make a difference how many defeats you have. The only battle you ever have to win is the last one”—the main idea behind his concept of “finishing well.” Having a Brandeis professor deliver the Phi Beta Kappa address, as opposed to an outside speaker, “will become a tradition, I think,” said Mu Chapter President Prof. Kathryn Graddy (ECON) in an interview with the Justice. “I think we have some fantastic academics at Brandeis, such as Greg Petsko, and I thought he gave an unbelievable address.” Last year’s speaker, Professor Elaine Scarry, the Walter M. Cabot Professor of Aesthetics and General Theory of Value at Harvard University, drew mixed reactions from the audience with her controversial comments on nuclear weapons. University President Frederick Lawrence, who became a member of Phi Beta Kappa as an undergraduate at Williams College, commended the new inductees in his opening remarks. “It is a great honor, and one that you’ll carry with you for the rest of your lives.”

EINSTEIN’S: Hours changed CONTINUED FROM 1 lated that the only thing that could cause the new Einstein’s Sunday hours to be reduced or reevaluated is if students do not use them. But, Rosen added, “We would expect that that’s not going to be a problem.” “If it’s burning money, I’m sure they’ll rescind it, but I think it’ll be popular enough that it will keep going,” said Herbie Rosen in an interview with the Justice. Judging by survey results and constituent feedback, Ricky Rosen said that “this is something that is going to be very well received by the students. … We’re expecting even more of a stark response” to Einstein’s changes than to the two hour P.O.D. Market extension which the Senate Dining Committee and University Dining Services implemented last semester. Herbie Rosen cited low Monday

attendance at the Stein as the reason for the choice to cut hours there. “We looked at the PULSE surveys, where the Stein is ranked quite low in terms of student attendance and interest, and we thought it was a reasonable decision to make,” said Rosen. Senior Vice President of Administration Mark Collins approved the exchange in hours between the Stein and Einstein’s late this semester, days before Rosen gave his State of the Union address. The elimination of Monday service will be a change from the Stein’s usual daily hours of 5 to 9 p.m. According to Ricky Rosen, weekend Einstein’s hours were first pinpointed as a student concern at the beginning of the spring semester, when the (then ad-hoc) Dining Committee evaluated student feedback from its general surveys. A survey specifically regarding the matter was sent to the

student body via email in early January. The survey garnered responses from 748 students, or just over 21 percent of the undergraduate student population—what Rosen called an “extraordinary” amount of feedback. According to survey data, the vast majority of respondents—96 percent—said they were unsatisfied with Einstein’s weekend hours, while 80 percent said they would prefer to extend Sunday hours as opposed to Saturday or Friday hours. An overwhelming majority of respondents, 92 percent, said that they would make purchases earlier on Sundays if the store were open. Several individuals indicated in free-form responses that they were often in the Shapiro Campus Center, where Einstein’s is located, early on Sundays and would find it convenient for the primarily breakfast-oriented shop to be open during that time.

Five faculty members retire after long terms ■ Prof. K.C. Hayes (BIOL),

who contributed to the development of Smart Balance, will keep his lab. By sara dejene JUSTICE editor

Five members of the Brandeis faculty—Profs. Robert Meyer (PHYS), Carolyn Cohen (BIOL), Michael Gilmore (ENG), Rachel McCulloch (ECON) and K.C. Hayes (BIOL)— retired after this semester, according to a May 15 BrandeisNOW press release. Meyer, who has taught at Brandeis for 33 years, is a member of the Condensed Matter and Biophysics Experiment research group, serves as the director of the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center and has held the position of chair of the Physics department. In 2004, Meyer received the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Physics from the Franklin Institute of Philadelphia and in 2005, he won the Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Prize from the American Physical Society. Cohen, who has been a faculty member for 40 years, “is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a Founding Fellow of the Massachusetts Academy of Sciences,” according to the press release. Meyer and Cohen could not be reached for comment by press time. Gilmore has spent 37 years in the University’s English department, in addition to serving as chair of the department, according to the press release. In an interview with the Justice, Gilmore said that his time at the University was “very satisfying and productive” and that he will

remember the students with whom he has worked. Gilmore, who has authored several books, said that he plans to not only spend time working on a new book, but also to “take time to reflect” on his career and retirement. Hayes, who has served as chair of the Biology department and will continue his role as director of the Foster Biomedical Research Laboratories, has spent 28 years at the University, according to the press release. During those years, Hayes contributed to the development of Smart Balance butter substitute with his research on the effect of diet on lipid and glucose metabolism. In 2008, he became a fellow of the American Society for Nutrition and in 2011 he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Malaysian Palm Oil Industry. In an interview with the Justice, Hayes said his time teaching was “delightful.” Although Hayes will not be formally teaching anymore, he will keep his laboratory at the University. According to Hayes, his goal is to continue his research to build a “newer and better” version of Smart Balance. McCulloch, who has taught at the University for 24 years and served as chair of the Economics department, has published almost 100 scholarly articles, according to the press release. She is a member of the Academic Advisory Council for the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and serves on the Board of Editors for the Journal of International Economics and Economic Policy. In an interview with the Justice, McCulloch said that she plans to continue research and look into teaching after retirement. McCulloch also said she plans to spend more time in Washington, D.C., where her grandchildren reside and her main academic collaborator works.

Be the first of your friends to know what’s going on around campus: join the News section! Contact us at news@thejustice.org

just

features

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012

VERBATIM | NELSON MANDELA Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

ON THIS DAY…

FUN FACT

In 1980, Namco released the highly influential arcade game Pac-Man.

Average college graduates receive 7.5 cards and high school graduates receive 17.5.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS: Eight students studying in The Hague attend a conference to discuss NATO and the EU. PHOTO COURTESY OF CARLY LENHOFF

Witnessing

a president’s trial

AT COU RT: Carl y

Lenhoff ‘13,

PHOTO

who stu URTESY OF CARLY died in LE The Ha NHOFF gue.

Lenhoff ’13 observes the trial for Charles Taylor abroad in The Hague By SELENE CAMPION justice staff writer

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL KAMBER/MCT

ON TRIAL: Former President Taylor served Liberia from 1997 to 2003.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CARLY LENHOFF

TOURING: Lenhoff (left) and Laura Mandel ’13 visit Peace Palace.

This May marks the sixth year on trial for former Liberian President Charles Taylor, who has been facing charges of war crimes in the International Criminal Court at The Hague, since 2006. Carly Lenhoff ’13 was offered the unique experience of being in the public gallery for judgment day and in the courtroom for closing appeals. As a student participating in the Brandeis in The Hague semester program, she is conducting a practicum, an opportunity she refers to as “a really lucky accident,” in the Special Court for Sierra Leone, along with Kochava Ayoun ’14. Lenhoff is pursuing a major in Philosophy and a minor in Legal Studies and describes the Brandeis program as a “really appealing mix of location, size and academics.” The program is geared towards Politics and International and Global Studies majors and focuses on international law and international relations. Through her connection with the SCSL, she was invited to attend parts of the trial, as the court is now in the process of sentencing Taylor. There are four other special courts in the ICC, and the SCSL is the first of them to finish its mandate of convicting war criminals. Lenhoff described the atmosphere in the courtroom as “jittery, excited and a little bit tense.” Lenhoff found herself among numerous former SCSL staff members, prominent diplomats and various politicians from both Europe and Africa. There were also many Sierra Leoneans, both victims and ordinary civilians. “It was very, very interesting to be among these people who were all invested in the trials and all invested in different ways,” Lenoff said. Taylor was convicted of aiding and abetting in eleven counts of war crimes. Although the prosecution asked for eighty years in prison, a defacto life sentence for the sixty-four year old, the longest

sentencing would be fifty-two years in prison in Rwanda. “We’re hoping the sentence will be lenient enough such that he can get out and spend time with his family before he dies, but no one knows for sure,” Lenhoff said. “International law is very interesting because of the high-profiles of defendants and the political implications that often go along with it. It’s rife with politics, and as much as we don’t like to acknowledge it, that can really play a role in prosecutorial and media portrayal.” Lenhoff, who originally was not going to study abroad, greatly values this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness history and to be a part of the SCSL team. “Working with the SCSL and really being steeped in this living, breathing work environment that is the legal system has been really interesting for me” she says. Although she has had two other internships in the past, “here it feels a lot more salient, a lot more prescient. I really enjoy it. It’s great to be surrounded by people who love what they do and are dedicated to what they do. People here, they live, eat, breath, sleep their jobs, and I say that in the best possible way.” Lenhoff has learned a lot from her exposure to Taylor’s trial and her time in The Hague. “I’ve gotten more in touch with the fact that law is a process,” she says, “We see the really exciting bits, we see crossexaminations portrayed on Law & Order, we read about major trials like [that of] Casey Anthony, and we don’t really realize that what goes into those little snippets that make it into mainstream media is really just a long, hard slog of work.” The verdict for Taylor’s trial is long overdue and was supposed to be given in November 2010. Nearly two years later, his sentencing date is set for May 30, and could be followed by appeals, which can take two to three months. “The SCSL is notorious, and other tribunals are as well, for being over-optimistic with their scheduling,” Lenhoff explained. “So we’re actually not sure

how long it will take.” A realization struck Lenhoff while she watched the trial and worked with the SCSL that, “it’s really all of that fact-sifting, paying attention to detail, and those hours and days and weeks of work that really is what makes the law great. Without it you have no foundation, and without it you have no [understanding] because it’s reasoning,” said Lenhoff. The importance of an international legal system presents itself in Taylor’s ongoing trial. Other war criminals tried at the ICC include Slobodan Milosevic, former president of Serbia and Yugoslavia. “At this point in global development I don’t think we can really function without [an international legal system] because it’s so easy to get from country to country and state to state,” Lenoff said. International law is a new field, and Lenhoff points to some looming questions that have already presented themselves. The most pressing of these is the idea of moral consensus, “that in order to have a international criminal legal system we have to have some things that we agree are universally bad. To do that there needs to be this sense of collective outrage from the international community.” The last few months of the Taylor trial have been particularly important because the ICC has dropped its first-ever judgment, which consists of six hundred pages. In addition, the SCSL is about to finish its mandate; it is the first court to do that, even if the full written judgment has not been released. Lenoff said there is a complicated process involved in achieving a global legal system. “[It’s] really taught me that if we’re going to have a comprehensive international legal system, we’re going to have to answer some really difficult questions about continuity, about fairness and about international morality if we actually can, ever, reach a consensus about what we universally think is wrong.

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012

Making movements Elson ’00 continues her passion for dancing in Rainbow Tribe By DAFNA FINE JUSTICE senior writer

She danced her way through her senior year, adding up to six hours of rehearsal a week to her rigorous academic studies. She continued through four years of medical school, finding time in her busy schedule to dance before she found time to sleep. And thirteen years later, now working as a doctor, Lauren Elson ’00 still makes time for some tap and hip-hop as part of her continued work for Rainbow Tribe, a group that unites dancers of different abilities. A physician specializing in sports medicine at Newton-Wellesley Hospital and at Spaulding Rehabilitation in Wellesley, Mass., Elson first began dancing for Rainbow Tribe, which works to “bridge cultural differences and foster a universal appreciation of dance in all its forms,” according to its mission statement online during her senior year of college. A Boston-based organization, the purpose of Rainbow Tribe is to “bring communities together using dance,” Elson said in an interview with the Justice. The group consists of over 20 dancers from unique racial backgrounds with varying levels of dance experience who “serve as good role models for children and young adults interested in pursuing a professional, or even a casual interest in dance,” according to its website. The organization aims to positively influence and motivate at-risk, under-served children and adults with different skill levels through its performances, which range from jazz to tap to hip-hop. It was founded in 1992 by Carleton Jones, a dancer who appeared on Broadway in A Chorus Line in addition to his work with Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul. Elson decided to audition for the organization after a trip to West Africa where she had been studying African dance. After spending the summer after her junior year of col-

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIZA VOLL PHOTOGRAPHY

YEARS OF SKILL: Elson ’00, a physician specializing in sports medicine, dances for Rainbow Tribe, a group she joined 13 lege in Gambia as part of her Coexistence Fellowship from Brandeis, Elson heard about Rainbow Tribe from another student in her dance class in Boston. She decided to dance for the organization after realizing the similarity of Rainbow Tribe’s mission to what she was doing in Gambia: bringing people together with storytelling and communication through dance. As co-president of Adagio, one of the dance groups on campus, the

California native already had experience dancing and choreographing when she auditioned for Rainbow Tribe. In addition to starting the Brandeis Dance Ensemble, she also spent time studying dance from an academic angle as a double major in Neuroscience and an Independent Interdisciplinary Major in Dance and Human Movement Studies. “I was looking at motor control and dance so it was a combination of the sciences and dance,” she explained.

After being accepted to Rainbow Tribe during her senior year, Elson began rehearsing and performing with the group and decided to continue during her time in medical school at Tufts University. “At the time, we were rehearsing a lot more. Back then we were probably doing closer to six hours a week and it was kind of one of those things I had to do to stay sane. So I would have rather danced then sleep,” she said of balancing dance with medical school.

For Elson, the motivation to dance comes from “the opportunity to perform, the people that you meet [and] the audiences that [the group] reach[es],” she explained. “The biggest compliment that we often get is that we make people want to dance or motivate people to go dance.” Rainbow Tribe has performed in order to get participants excited and motivated at events such as the Walk for Hunger. “We’ll also get hired by companies to do flash mobs to get people excited, to bring people together,” she said. In addition to performing, Rainbow Tribe dancers offer classes all over the Boston area and workshops on topics ranging from Zumba and tap to dance wellness and injury prevention and nutrition. And the amount of dancing experience of Rainbow Tribe’s performers varies too, according to Elson, who says the group practices for two hours twice a week together. “All the women have had some training, to various degrees, but some of the women in the group are teachers or professional dancers,” Elson said, noting that others have less professional backgrounds. “There are people that are more street dancers or hip-dancers or more ballet. [Rainbow Tribe] basically looks to see what each person can bring. They’re looking for high-energy performers,” said Elson, whose personal favorite style of dance is tap. Now finished with medical school and working as a physician, Elson still finds time in her busy schedule to dance with the group, thirteen years after first joining Rainbow Tribe. The group recently performed in celebration of its 20th anniversary. “[The group] really is dedicated to providing a motivational presence in Boston,” Elson explained of the organization that she says tries to get kids involved in dance with high energy. “[Dance is] something I enjoy doing so much that I want people to enjoy it also.”

science lab Washington

From the to Alumna becomes deputy science adviser to Secretary Clinton By CELINE HACOBIAN JUSTICE EDITOR

When considering a neuroscience degree, we commonly picture scientists conducting research in a lab. We don’t usually visualize them continuing on to careers in policy and influencing environmental and scientific global issues that affect daily lives. Frances Colón, who received her Ph.D. in Neurobiology from Brandeis in 2004, was always interested in science. She recently became the deputy science and technology adviser to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Colón, together with her boss, Dr. Bill Colglazier, and their staff, is responsible for creating a dialogue about science and technology between the United States and countries around the world. As the deputy adviser, Colón leads a staff of nine people, mostly scientists, with whom she writes policy papers and prepares briefings on foreign policy topics that are influenced by science and on science that is affected by foreign policy. She collaborates closely with agencies such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey. Before her current job, Colón acted as the science and environment adviser at the Western Hemisphere Affairs Bureau at the State Department, providing advice on scientific topics that affected U.S. foreign policy in the Americas. She worked on projects such as monitoring receding glaciers in the Andes mountains and other climate change and clean energy initiatives. During her time with the Western Hemisphere Affairs Bureau, Colón wrote policies regarding cli-

mate change for President Barack Obama’s 2009 Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas. The program consisted of initiatives calling for collaboration with Latin America and the Caribbean in creating clean energy, the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and climate change adaptation. President Obama announced the Partnership at the Summit of the Americas in 2009. Colón worked on the Partnership from 2009 until she left the Bureau about a month ago to take on the new position as deputy adviser. “[This role] was important to me because it allowed me to create a lot of programs that were actually of use and were things that these countries actually needed and wanted to work with us on,” she said. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, she attended the University of Puerto Rico as an undergraduate, where she majored in biology. While taking classes at Brandeis to complete her Ph.D. requirements, Colón enjoyed the quality of the classes she took, especially a Neuroscience class that “was a [composite] of the professors on campus in their different fields of expertise. We got to hear from many of the professors throughout the course. … So we got a chance to be taught by some of the best scientists in the neuroscience field.” Colón studied under Prof. Susan Birren (BIOL), now the dean of Arts and Sciences, during her graduate work at the University. With Birren’s encouragement, Colón applied for the American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellowship in Science and Technology, which matches Ph.D. students with government agencies that need policy

advising. Colón was matched with an office in the State Department, where she worked for two years as an AAAS fellow. At the end of this period, she was given a permanent job as the science adviser for Latin America and the Caribbean. After working in this position for four years, she was offered the deputy position she now holds. While she was in school, however, Colón pursued interests outside of neuroscience. She was very active in community organizing in Boston, such as political campaigns and advocacy groups. “I was always involved in a lot of things … outside the lab. I always knew that I wasn’t the typical ‘bench’ scientist and that there were other areas that I wanted to explore, but I also knew that I had a passion for science that I somehow needed to channel,” she said. With the AAAS fellowship, Colón was able to combine all of her passions into one job, as it “married my interests in advocating for social issues, economic issues, political issues, with my passion for science, so I was able to bring all those together in the job that I do now,” she said. Colón’s new job makes her the State Department’s highest-ranking Hispanic scientist. She explained the importance of this distinction, saying, “I’m very proud of the fact that I can not only represent my country … but that I can represent my community and my people, the Hispanic community. I’m glad I can be a role model for young women [and] young Latinas that may aspire to careers in science and math and engineering.” “I’m hoping that they see that they can do this and that this is another opportunity or door that is open to them and that they can make a dif-

PHOTO COURTESY OF FRANCES COLóN

SCIENCE IN POLICY: Colón discusses and writes scientific papers on global issues. ference,” she continued. “I hope they can see that in me.” Colón credits Brandeis with providing her with a “rigorous” environment in which she grew academically as well as felt compelled to get involved in her field outside of the classroom. She attributes this to the professors she encountered. “[The University] paired me with faculty that were very committed to the field of science … but it also allowed me the flexibility to explore other things,” she said.

“Many people told me that while I was expected to focus on my lab work and research … I was being encouraged to engage in other activities [to attain] a world perspective to what I was doing, which was how I got involved in political campaigns and community activism, which allowed me to make that jump from bench to policy,” Colón explained. “I think Susan Birren’s encouragement [and] the Brandeis community as a whole being encouraging of my branching out, led to where I am now.”

TUESDAY, may 22, 2012

●

THE JUSTICE

COMMENCEMENT 2012

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

JENNY C

Colorful celebration

Above left: Daniel Liebman ’12 addresses his assembled classmates. Above: Senior the Class of 2012 banner down the aisle. Near right: Students pose for a picture aft ceremomy. Far right: Robert Kraft departs the ceremony. Below: University Presi Frederick Lawrence awards Sydney Brenner with the Doctor of Science Honorary Left: Students throw their caps in the air as they celebrate their graduation.

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

JOSHUA L

FAREWELL CLASS OF 2012!

Excerpts from the Commencement speeches Commencement speaker Deborah Bial

“What are you going to do when you go out there? You’r ing to take the passion that got started here at Brandei there into the world and I want you to make it big.”

♦

Student speaker Daniel Liebman ’12

“I won’t pretend to know how you will leave your ma can’t say where you will find your niche. I don’t know you will change the world. But I can say, with certainty without hyperbole, that simply by entering the world, you change it in some way, just as you have changed Brand don’t mean this in some esoteric, metaphysical way. I me realistically. You will leave your mark. You will always a mark on your surroundings. And since ‘You Are Bran chances are good that mark will be sizeable.”

♦ University President Frederick Lawrence

“A vital and potent combination of intellectual intellig emotional intelligence and a willingness to leave your fee quite sure where you’re going to come down, will equip y adapt to change over time, the greatest challenge that we all face in the coming decades.”

JOSHUA LINT

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, may 22, 2012

COMMENCEMENT 2012

GRADUATION: Lawrence tells students to make their mark CONTINUED FROM 1 been too slow.” She expanded upon these problems by giving specific examples of what she felt was wrong with the current condition of the U.S, saying that “we can’t let ourselves become part of a system that promotes stratification and exclusion.” “Did you know that 50 million people in this country are poor? And another 50 million are what we call ‘near poor.’ That’s nearly one third

of the American population. We should be ashamed of ourselves,” she said. Bial asked all of the graduates to stand if they had ever “became involved in a cause, or joined a campus organization to address or discuss or work on a social or political challenge, or traveled to another country to help another community,” amongst other events. Nearly all of the Class of 2012—834 undergraduates and 883 graduate

students, according to the Office of the Registrar—stood. “Look around you,” Bial said. “This is an army. … Look at the more than 800 of you in this graduating class who care.” Lawrence outlined a similar idea during his address, which was nearly identical to his 2011 commencement address, earlier in the commencement ceremony: Brandeis graduates are charged with the responsibility of improving the world.

“And if we cannot fully repair this world,” he said, “then we can— we must—leave it a little better than we found it.” In response to Bial’s speech, Fina Amarillo ’12 said in an interview with the Justice, “It was excellent.” “She spoke to us like she would to her friends. It made me emotional and happy and excited and sad at the same time.” Yuri Levin-Schwartz ’12 said of Bial’s speech, “I liked it a lot; I en-

joyed her message of getting out and being active.” Jacob Chatinover ’12, however, felt differently about Bial’s speech. “I thought that a lot of the messages were kind of standard … which isn’t necessarily a bad thing,” he said, “but I didn’t feel like there was a particular, solid message imparted.” —Tate Herbert and Sara Dejene contributed reporting.

CHENG/the Justice

rs carry ter the ident y Degree.

ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

2012 HONORARY DEGREE RECIPIENTS

LINTON/the Justice

s ’87

re gois out

ark. I w how y and u will deis. I ean it leave ndeis,’

gence, et not you to e will

TON/the Justice

ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

ROBYN SPECTOR/the

JENNY CHENG/the Justice

PHOTO COURTESY OF MIKE LOVETT/Brandeis University

Sydney Brenner

Deborah Bial

Myra Kraft

Joseph Polisi

Amartya Sen

Sydney Brenner, a Nobel Prizewinning geneticist and molecular biologist, was awarded the Doctor of Science honorary degree. His work in cell physiology pioneered research in the study of DNA and proved the existence of messenger RNA. His research with roundworms has also produced knowledge of nerve cell function and death. Brenner is the founder of the Molecular Sciences Institute in Berkeley, Calif., which aims to “significantly advance understanding of how living systems function and evolve,” according to its website. Born in South Africa, Brenner is the child of Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe.

Deborah Bial ’87 is the founder of the Posse Foundation, an innovative organization which aims to provide a college education to disadvantaged students all across the country. Bial graduated from Brandeis 25 years ago, and returned Sunday to deliver the commencement address. She was also awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degree. Bial began her career in the New York City public schools system, where she developed her idea for the Posse Foundation. The Foundation has since been recognized by the White House, and Bial was granted a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship in 2007.

Myra Hiatt Kraft ’64, a former trustee and philanthropist who passed away in July, was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degree posthumously. Her husband, businessman and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft accepted the degree. Kraft had a long legacy at Brandeis: her father, Jacob Hiatt, was one of the University’s founders and she served as vice chair of the Board of Trustees for a decade. Kraft helped lead numerous other philanthropic organizations such as the Combined Jewish Philanthropies, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Boston and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation.

Joseph W. Polisi received the honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts from the University. Polisi has served as president of the Juilliard School since 1984, overseeing a “transformation of its curriculum” and a plan “that increased student financial aid and faculty compensation,” according to BrandeisNOW. Polisi is also the founder of the Academy, a joint two-year fellowship program between Juilliard and Carnegie Hall, the Weill Music Institute and the New York City Department of Education. The Academy is designed for “musicians who wish to redefine their role as musician and extend their music,” according to its website.

Economist Amartya Sen was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters honorary degree by the University. Sen, who is currently a professor of Economics and Philosophy at Harvard University, has won a Nobel Prize in Economic Sciences and received the National Humanities Medal from President Barack Obama for his work on poverty, famine and hunger. After being named the chair of the Department of Economics at Jadavpur University at the age of 23, Sen has since taught at Delhi University, the London School of Economics, Oxford University and other institutions before joining the faculty at Harvard.

TUESDAY, may 22, 2012

●

THE JUSTICE

Justice Justice

the the

Established 1949, Brandeis University

Brandeis University

Established 1949

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

Publicize sexual assault policy Last Thursday, Faculty Senate Chair Tim Hickey (COSI) announced at the faculty meeting that the Senate will form a committee to assess the University’s sexual assault procedures as compared to other universities. According to a recent study by the U.S. Department of Justice, one in four women will be sexually assaulted during their college careers. At Brandeis, this translates into roughly 120 women in every class. As sexual assault is a problem that universally permeates college campuses, we appreciate that the administration is critically evaluating its procedures for any potential shortcomings. It is both healthy and productive to inspect policies that carry such significance. Along with assessing the University’s policies on sexual assault, we also urge the administration to educate students about school policies and available resources for victims. While the information about where to report a sexual as-

Consolidate information sault and the various offices available for students to contact are prominently featured on the Department of Public Safety’s website, the University’s policies and approach to sexual misconduct are only available on the Department of Student Rights and Community Standards’ website. By consolidating these resources in one place, they will be more easily accessible to students. Further, the University should consider holding seminars during Orientation to advertise the resources that are available and then routinely reminding students where to find these resources through pamphlets and flyers over the course of the year. Sexual assault is an important issue on every college campus. We hope that the committee’s work is beneficial and that the University takes this opportunity to further educate the community about sexual assault and campus policy.

Thank you, departing editors As another year comes to a close, we would like to extend our congratulations and gratitude to the Class of 2012 and departing Justice writers and editors for their relentless efforts and innumerable late nights working for the Justice. We wish them the best in their future pursuits and thank them for their dedication. Emily Kraus displayed her steadfast commitment to the Justice during her time from the Copy staff to Copy editor to editor in chief. Her decisive decision-making and unwavering support for writers and editors has allowed for the Justice to thrive under her leadership. She fostered a calm and positive environment with her amiable personality and unflustered demeanor. Brian Blumenthal has displayed his tireless dedication to the paper since his first year at Brandeis, serving as Layout editor, associate editor and production editor, a position created for his specific skill set. His vision has defined the design of the paper over the past year and his deft attention to detail will sorely be missed. Rebecca Blady’s impressive term as the Forum editor began only months after she joined the Justice. As she moved from managing editor to associate editor, she became the Justice’s moral compass, infusing the staff with journalistic ethics and integrity. Nashrah Rahman, who served as News editor, associate editor and managing editor, illustrated her poise and journalistic ethics in her coverage of difficult news stories. Her coverage included the controversy surrounding the Rose Art Museum and myriad other important issues. Hillel Buechler’s tremendous commitment to the paper was best illustrated through his leadership positions from opinion columnist and Forum editor, a spell as deputy editor and finally associate editor. Perhaps most notably, he created and held the position of the Online editor, leaving the Justice a legacy of continued and consistent improvement. Alana Abramson, who served as News editor and associate editor, led the News section’s coverage of important issues such as the Rose Art Museum contro-

Graduates will be missed versy. Her unyielding pursuit of facts and information produced fair and balanced coverage of the University. Bryan Flatt has proven his spirited commitment during his time as Arts editor and associate editor. Producing the entire Arts section by himself, Bryan exhibited the sincere investment of an editor working to better the Justice. Rebecca Klein’s enthusiasm for the Justice was first evident through her dynamic relationship with her staff. As she evolved from a Features writer to Features editor and then an associate editor, her infectious optimism has energized the office for the past four years. Asher Krell’s dedication to stunning photographs and videos elevated the newspaper to higher multimedia standards. While he is not a graduating senior, his coverage of every aspect of the University was the tour de force of his time as Photography editor and associate editor. Tess Raser displayed her devotion to the paper as Features editor and associate editor but also by actively contributing to other sections of the Justice. Her warmth and friendliness made working with her enjoyable and her passion for writing will be missed. Ariel Kay’s unremitting dedication as the Arts editor and her superb musical taste showcased the ideal qualities needed in an editor. Although she is not a member of the Class of 2012, her absence will be felt. Wei-Huan Chen carried the Arts section as its editor with his exceptional writing talent and knowledge of the Arts. His byline and lively prose will be missed. Cody Yudkoff illustrated her friendliness and consistency during her two-year term as Advertising editor, during which she maintained the paper’s advertisements. In addition to graduating editors, we also congratulate Senior Arts Writer and Pop Culture Columnist Shelly Shore as well as Forum Columnist Diego Medrano for their of dedication to the Justice. We wish them, along with the rest of the Class of 2012, the best of luck.

SARA WEININGER/the Justice

Go beyond textbooks and continue learning Avi

synder Voice of reason

Studying abroad can have a profound effect on people. Trust me, I know this firsthand. While spending a semester abroad in Beijing, many of my views about my future plans, my religion and my education underwent profound evolutions. If it’s not too bold for a lowly junior like me to offer a parting message to the graduating class, I’d like to share the following lesson I learned while abroad. What I realized is that you don’t have to be in school to learn. This should have been obvious to me but it was obscured by the educational system of which I had been, and continue to be, a part. I entered Brandeis with a strong, if somewhat nerdy, thirst for knowledge. Looking in the course catalogue at all the different classes I could take was overwhelming in the best of ways. As I started college, I wanted to learn all that I could. Every time I sat down to do my work, I was excited to learn. Yes, there were obviously times when homework and midterms got stressful or unpleasant, when lectures were boring and when I would have preferred to stay in bed rather than go to class. But I tried to remind myself that my education was a privilege and that I was happy to be in school. During those first semesters of college, my biggest fear was graduation, I thought I wouldn’t have the opportunity to learn anymore after I left Brandeis. Of course, with time, this enthusiasm began to wane. Like so many sophomores, I hit a slump of sorts, overwhelmed by the workload I had, in my naive enthusiasm, taken on. That “I love education” frame of mine just didn’t cut it anymore. I was perpetually stressed, overworked and unhappy. I was tired of term papers and tests; I was tired of assigned reading and response papers; I was tired of sitting in class for hours every day as I feverishly scribbled down notes. I envied those seniors who would finally be taking a break from schooling. Honestly, I thought I didn’t want to learn anymore. Then, I went abroad. Where I went and what I studied is not as important here as the fact that I was not studying anything related to my major and previous academic interests. Instead, I began to educate myself about the things I used to love studying. I read books on my own time, I debated issues with friends over dinner and I even kept reading academic papers and journals. I know, the message sounds a bit hackneyed. Okay, really hackneyed. But when I say that learning can take place outside of school, I don’t mean it in the sense that most people do. I don’t mean to say that you will learn more on the job than in the classroom. Nor do I mean that the most useful skills are developed in the home or through extracurricular activities. All of those things may be true. But what I mean is that traditional book-learning need not take place in college, graduate school or any other academic environment. Too often, high school and college students forget that a teacher doesn’t have to assign Homer, Dostoyevsky, Austen or Kant in order for us to pick up one of their books and read it. You need not be in a class in biology or public policy in order to read journals or newspaper articles that could teach you about these disciplines. An essential part of growing into adulthood is learning how to become responsible for your own education and how to read and study without any coercion or grades. In fact, as one becomes responsible for one’s own learning, the pressure and stress that comes with coercion can begin to inhibit rather than promote educational success. Leaving college is an opportunity to do a great many things. Careers, families and so much more await us out in the real world. But we ought not forget that among the challenges and opportunities that await is the opportunity to study, learn and grow on one’s own terms.

OP-BOX Quote of the Week “I suppose my most inspiring moments as a musician arise when I make people smile or cry, or otherwise take people out of their emotional comfort zone.” —Anna Hirst ’15 in the Interview column on (See Arts pg. 18.)

Brandeis Talks Back In this moment, how do you feel about graduating?

Ynbal Landesman ’12 “Pretty good, I feel oodles of closure.”

Melanie Shapiro ’12 “It’s exciting. It doesn’t feel like the end. It feels like the beginning.”

Jacob Chatinover ’12 “Very sad. I’m grieving about leaving this place.”

Daniel Liebman ’12 “Still a little bit of disbelief. It’s great to see everyone together, but it’s surreal.” —Compiled by Shafaq Hasan Photos by Nan Pang/ the Justice

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, May 22, 2012

Students require ethical, moral guidance

By Jessie Stettin special to the Justice

Are universities producing ethical members of society? After three years at Brandeis and one particular class discussion, I am not confident that they are. While I had assumed nothing but the best about my fellow Brandeisians, a recent conversation in an International Business School classroom left me disillusioned. As a capstone to this year’s entrepreneurship class, we were prompted with the following ethical dilemma: You’re meeting with a customer of yours, and during the meeting you notice a cost proposal from one of your direct competitors. The customer leaves the room momentarily to get you a cup of coffee, leaving you alone with your competitor’s proposals in sight. What would you do? To me, this was hardly a dilemma. The answer was obvious: you do nothing at all. But as I listened to my classmates, it became clear that it was not quite as obvious to everyone else. I was in the minority. Most of my classmates indicated that not only would they succumb to the temptation of looking at a customer’s private information, but they would conceal the fact that they had seen the documents, and in turn use that information for their benefit in business. Students used every justification they could find. As long as it benefitted their shareholders or themselves, anything was fair game. Breaching the trust of a customer or invading his or her privacy didn’t matter if there was a potential to profit. The question of “right or wrong” was off the table; we were talking about how to justify essentially unjust behavior. Many of my classmates exclaimed, “that’s what business is about,” and for the first time, I critically examined the intentions of my peers. As the Hiatt Career Center constantly reminds us, creating a network among classmates is essential. As an entrepreneurialminded student, I have always worked toward building this network. However, at that moment in class, I looked around a room teeming with 20-year-old Gordon Gekkos and I realized that my perspective on business was starkly different than that of the majority of my classmates. “That’s what business is about.” The phrase continues to haunt me. To know that some of my classmates—liberal arts students who represent a university that prides itself on honesty and social justice—think of business merely as a means of making personal gains at any price is heartbreaking. Have I missed an addendum to the school motto of “Truth Even Unto Its Innermost Parts” that excuses business from a moral

NAN PANG/ the Justice

code? Isn’t this greed and dishonesty the same attitude that led to the financial crisis we are all suffering from today? Our current economic situation is a direct result of banks and brokers focusing solely on increasing their own profits without consideration for the others involved. Perhaps this diagnoses a problem with the current system of education. Maybe we are putting too much focus on career development and salary in our definition of success and thereby training the mind to place the value of financial benefit before the risk of social harm. I urge Brandeis to implement a mandatory ethics course for Business majors and minors. Before learning the tools to analyze markets, economic climates or brand positioning, stu-

dents must be instilled with a strong moral code to promote sound professional judgment. I am not picking on my fellow business students in particular; I am sure the problem is not limited to business students. This is merely a case study from a business class that illuminates the much larger need to discuss morals in all academic disciplines. As future leaders of society in any field, our decisions will have huge impacts. As we burst out of the “Brandeis bubble,” we will have the power to determine whether those decisions have positive or negative impacts on our society. We have the chance to make things better, but without a solid ethical foundation, we can make them worse; we can dig the economic hole deeper, create further class stratifica-

tion, or destroy the natural environment. As one of my Business professors said, “At some point in your life, you will have twoand-a-half minutes to make a multi-million dollar decision.” It is my hope that when each one of us faces this decision, we make the right choice: that we choose ethics, morals and justice before personal financial gain. In order to ensure that this is our priority, ethical training must be a foundational element of all curricula. This is a plea to schools across the nation, but I urge Brandeis, a school that prides itself on honesty and social responsibility, to take the initiative. The writer is a member of the class of 2013.

Protests must maintain decorum to be effective By GLEN CHAGI CHESIR JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

One of the main tactics used by Martin Luther King, Jr. as part of the African-American Civil Rights movement was non-violent civil disobedience. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about his protests for equal rights and said, “The unjust law is what makes civil disobedience a moral act and not merely an act of lawbreaking.” King went as far as to say that part of our American social contract is to disobey when you feel the law is unjust. Civil disobedience, and, by extension, protests, are an integral part of democracy, according to King. Protests can be very effective if planned and handled correctly. However, violence, among other aspects, can be detrimental to a protest and a cause. For on-campus protests made by students, it is even more important for the violence to remain at bay. Campus protests are an integral part to the social justice agenda of many colleges and as students under the domain of the university, it is imperative that demonstrations be peaceful.

Write to us

The Justice welcomes letters to the editor responding to published material. Please submit letters through our Web site at www.thejustice.org. Anonymous submissions cannot be accepted. Letters should not exceed 300 words, and may be edited for space, style, grammar, spelling, libel and clarity, and must relate to material published in the Justice. Letters from off-campus sources should include location. The Justice does not print letters to the editor and oped submissions that have been submitted to other publications. Op-ed submissions of general interest to the University community—that do not respond explicitly to articles printed in the Justice—are also welcome and should be limited to 800 words. All submissions are due Friday at 12 p.m.

CampusReform.org, a website dedicated to promoting campus protests, outlines many reasons why campus protests are critical to any cause. According to the website, protests force people, including those who would not have otherwise known about the subject of the demonstration, to listen to your cause. Another positive effect of a campus protest is the added coverage by the various university media outlets. However, campus protests must be contained in order to be effective. The Occupy University of California, Davis protest this past November, part of the Occupy Wall Street Movement, garnered substantial negative attention due to the excessive violence on the part of both the students and campus police. A now-viral video has documented students being pepper-sprayed by police and has become a form of “Occupy-propaganda,” painting the police as the oppressors and the protesters as the victims. This video is now one of the many promotional videos for the Occupy movement. However, due to the violence and apparent mayhem that occurred, neither the Occupy protesters, the university officials nor the police ultimately appear in a positive light.

Fine Print

The opinions stated in the editorial(s) under the masthead on the opposing page represent the opinion of a majority of the voting members of the editorial board; all other articles, columns, comics and advertisements do not necessarily. For the Brandeis Talks Back feature on the opposite page, staff interview four randomly selected students each week and print only those four answers. The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. Operated, written, produced and published entirely by students, the Justice includes news, features, arts, opinion and sports articles of interest to approximately 3,200 undergraduates, 800 graduate students, 500 faculty and 1,000 administrative staff. In addition, the Justice is mailed weekly to paid subscribers and distributed throughout Waltham, Mass. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods. Advertising deadlines: All insertion orders and advertising copy must be received by the Justice no later than 5 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the date of publication. All advertising copy is subject to approval of the editor in chief and the managing and advertising editors. A publication schedule and rate card is available upon request. Subscription rate: $35 per semester, $55 per year.

As a result of this incident, on Friday, May 4, UC, Davis released a draft report about how to better handle campus protests both in regard to police protocols and campus policies. The report outlines 50 tactics that utilize the perspectives of the university, the campus police and the student demonstrators. The report asks the police to shift away from the old-school focus of maintaining order by using force such as pepper spray and batons and instead use a less violent approach. The report also recognizes that the student protestors need to take more responsibility for their actions. The situation at UC Davis represents a growing issue of campus protests, both at our University as well as at schools across the nation. Through this report, UC Davis’ administration is trying to understand how to best manage demonstrations, allowing students to express themselves and further their social justice agenda while still maintaining peace and order. The solution to this problem is not clearcut; it’s relative to each individual university and protest. One protest may naturally attract more tension than another depending on both the

The Staff

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

cause of the protest and the location. However, there is one fundamental concept that is relevant to all student protests. Both the university officials and the student demonstrators need to have an understanding of the other party involved. The university must acknowledge and accept the need for student protests on campus as part of the social reform agenda for which universities often strive. Likewise, students need to recognize that the university will not tolerate violence on campus. Part of the responsibility of a university is to ensure the safety of all students, and students must realize that safety is a major concern. With this mutual understanding, student protests can be effective. Protests can be successful, and, like Martin Luther King, Jr. said, are integral to democracy. Campus protests are essential to the social justice agenda of college students. Brandeis, as a school founded on the principles of social justice and reform, can benefit from more protests. However, these protests must be conducted with decorum and integrity in order to be effective.

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

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

TUESDAY, may 22, 2012

●

THE JUSTICE

FORUM

Implement language education in dorms Philip

GALLAGHER BACK TO BASICS

I have often felt that both the student body and the administration devalue the importance of learning a foreign language at Brandeis. University graduation requirements mandate the equivalent of three semesters of foreign language proficiency, enough to apologize to a native speaker for your limited vocabulary and American accent. Upon meeting the requirement and discontinuing language study, students proceed to forget almost everything that they learned and are left with a skeletal knowledge of the language. The importance of being proficient in a foreign language cannot be overstated. Yes, it’s true that English is a global language, and we can expect to find English speakers almost wherever we go. But, as a result, we need to be linguistically and culturally accommodated while abroad. Without the knowledge of a foreign language, we are relegated to the role of the tourist whose hand must be held while exploring another culture. Even in Anglophone countries, where Americans may feel most “at home” while abroad, the cultural history is often based in a foreign language. Canada’s history is partially based in French, much of Wales primarily speaks Welsh, and I was thrown for a loop in Ireland when my cousins broke out Irish Gaelic, the country’s first official language. Given the importance of language proficiency, it’s very concerning that the few brave students who decide to continue language study beyond the three-semester requirement are provided with minimal resources outside the classroom to facilitate their development. As a student of French and Spanish, I have found this lack of support frustrating. It seems that, as my language class is dismissed for the day, so is my ability to improve my speaking skills. The only opportunities that I know of outside the classroom are film nights run by Undergraduate Departmental Representatives approximately once a semester, which are insufficient to really foster language development. Having recognized this problem, Prof. Bernadette Brooten (NEJS) offered some thoughtful solutions to the administration last March, during University President Frederick Lawrence’s Inaugural Symposia, in her essay titled “Let Brandeis Sound Like the United Nations.” My favorite suggestion of hers is the creation of language dormitories, which are residence halls in which all residents sign a pledge to speak a common foreign language. They’re commonplace at other universities, easy to implement and, most importantly, a logical method to encourage language proficiency.

TZIPORAH THOMPSON/the Justice

Language dormitories are a frequent arrangement at several other reputable colleges around the country. Tufts University, Boston University, Brown University, the College of William and Mary and the University of Massachusetts Amherst all offer some form of language immersion residence halls—usually in several different languages including Spanish, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Arabic and Chinese. Cornell University even hires international graduate students to live in the dormitories as native speakers. To create a language dormitory, the Department of Community Living would need to cordon off a section of a residence hall, find a Community Advisor or similar authority figure who is a native speaker of the assigned language and locate interested and capable students to live there. Creating these dormitories should not contribute to the current housing shortage, as they would merely be organizing students with a common interest who plan to live on campus

in the same location. The only potential obstacle, depending on the number of residents participating, would be the cost of specially assigned CAs. There would undoubtedly be numerous benefits from a language dormitory. Students would be able to build their foreign language skills in an informal environment with similarly motivated peers. Given the amount of time that some students spend in their dorms, it would be close to an immersive experience, especially if the hall had several group activities that encouraged dialogue. These group activities, potentially led by the CA, would allow students to learn about the culture associated with the language, such as film and food, in a more intimate and accessible setting than what has been provided in the past by UDRs. The dormitories could also serve as an alternative for students who are interested in improving their language proficiency but do not have the time or resources to study abroad. For instance, science students often express

an interest in studying abroad but are unable to do so because of requirements for their majors during the year and lab work during the summer. For these students, participation in a language dorm would be ideal, as it fits naturally into their schedules: Students always have to return somewhere in the evenings. I’m confident that students would take an interest in a language dormitory. Although it may not be prudent to create dormitories for every language offered at Brandeis, dormitories in Spanish and Hebrew would likely generate the most interest early on, given both languages’ current popularity on campus. It would be worthwhile for the Department of Community Living to consider implementing language dormitories as an option for students. Brandeis needs to more strongly encourage language growth and development among its students. Providing a space for extended language immersion would be a valuable step toward this goal.

Protest Jordan’s anti-Palestinian measures By Michael kosowsky special to the justice

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan recently announced that it has decided to strip several Palestinian Authority and Palestinian Liberation Organization leaders of their Jordanian citizenship. This decision is the latest incarnation of an ongoing trend of anti-Palestinian reforms in which the Jordanian government has, seemingly without cause, revoked the Jordanian citizenship of thousands of Palestinian Arabs, many of whom have been living in Jordan for generations. According to an article last year in the Jordanian newspaper Al-Arab Al-Yawm, the Jordanian government plans on revoking the citizenship of close to 1.5 million Palestinian Arabs who currently live in Jordan. The loss of citizenship presents major problems for Palestinian Arabs living in Jordan. They lose their rights to free education and to certain positions, such as legal and government jobs. They also have to pay much higher fees for driver’s licenses and passports. Human Rights Watch has reported over 3,000 cases of Palestinians being stripped of Jordanian citizenship since 2004. According to the organization’s formal report on the issue, titled “Stateless Again: Palestinian-Origin Jordanians Deprived of

their Nationality,” “No official informs those whose nationality has been withdrawn of that decision: rather, they are told that they are no longer Jordanian nationals during routine interactions with the bureaucracy such as renewing passports, registering a child’s birth, renewing a driver’s license, or trying to sell shares.” This removal of citizenship is illegal according to Jordan’s 1954 Law of Nationality, which grants citizenship to anyone born of a Jordanian father or of a stateless father and a Jordanian mother. The law also guarantees citizenship to all Arabs living in Jordanian land between 1949 and 1954, provided that they are not Jewish. Not only do the Jordanian anti-Palestinian reforms disenfranchise Palestinian Arabs currently living in Jordan, they also imperil those who struggle to flee proximal war zones. For instance, of the almost half a million Palestinians who live in Syria, a portion are attempting to flee civil war and find refuge in Jordan where they have family. However, the Jordanian government is actively trying to keep them from immigrating. According to an April 4 article from The Jerusalem Post, around 1,000 Palestinians are currently stranded on the dangerous Syrian-Jordanian border, their entry to Jordan prevented by the government. The Jordanian parliament also recently

passed a law that aims to restrict Palestinian representation in the government. Cities with large Palestinian populations, such as Russeifa, a city with a population of 700,000, are no longer being proportionately represented in the parliament. Many of these cities are losing seats in the government for the unstated purpose of minimizing Palestinian presence in the legislature. Jordan is trying to force the Palestinian refugee problem entirely on Israel. Nearly half—about 2.5 million people—of the Jordanian population is Palestinian, and many have lived there for years and want to remain there. The Jordanian government is disenfranchising its Palestinian Arab population, but this story rarely makes the news. Jordan strategically uses the media’s obsession with Israel to shift public attention away from its treatment of the Jordanian Palestinians. Pro-Palestinian activists largely ignore what is happening in Jordan, choosing instead to focus all of their attention on Israel. They care so deeply about Palestinians not being able to enter Jerusalem in an expedient manner, yet do not say anything about the mistreatment of Palestinians by the Jordanian government. When was the last time one of the pro-Palestinian groups at Brandeis staged an event

to protest Jordan’s treatment of its Palestinians? When was the last time any group at Brandeis held a similar event? If we do not stand up for the rights of Jordan’s Palestinians, we will allow the refugee problem to intensify exponentially. The United Nations Refugee Agency considers resettlement one of the desired solutions to a refugee problem. In the case of the millions of Palestinians living in Jordan, the solution should be simple. They should be allowed to remain in their homes. They already have Jordanian citizenship and have lived in Jordan with their families for decades. Most of them were not expelled from Israel. Before 1967, there was no practical difference for Palestinians living on the East or West banks of the Jordan River, so many left of their own accord. Many of these Jordanian citizens identify with Jordan, and want to continue living their lives as full citizens in Jordan. They are being thrust into limbo by the Jordanian government—not by Israel. If we care about the Palestinian people, we must protest Jordan’s treatment of them. The writer is the Brandeis campus fellow for the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America.

THE JUSTICE

CONTINUED FROM 16

COURTESY OF TOM RAND

FIELD OF DREAMS: Grout Bullies, ranked No. 6 in the intramural softball bracket, surged to a surprising first-place finish.

Grout Bullies, BWB win intramural softball leagues best control pitchers in the league: the Psychos’ Jeff Boucher (GRAD) and the Grout Bullies’ Shami Bery ’13. Offensively, Derek Retos ’14 paced the Grout Bullies by going 5-6 on the day with three extra base hits, four runs scored and two RBIs. Anthony Trapasso ’13 also had a big night for the Bullies, going 5-6 with three runs scored and six RBIs, including a big home run in the decisive sixth inning. Jeremy Kronick, a Ph.D. candidate in international economics and finance, led the Psychos by going 5-6 with three runs scored, three RBIs and a solo home run in the first inning. Josh McGrath ’12 and Chris Vecsey, a Brandeis staff member, also hit home runs in the loss. The top-seeded Ballah Bustahs and second-seeded BWB squared off for the women’s championship earlier in the afternoon. Despite losing two players to injury, BWB lit up the scoreboard early

TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012

SOFTBALL: Team falls just short at ECACs

CHAMPIONS

After a month-long season filled with both success and heartbreak, four teams remained in contention for the Brandeis Intramural Sports Softball Championships. These squads not only fought for bragging rights but also the opportunity to take home the much-coveted Intramural Championship T-shirts. The No. 6 Grout Bullies beat the No. 8 Psychos 19-17 in a 9-inning thriller in a men’s tournament that was cluttered with upsets. The Grout Bullies put up five runs in the top of the first inning to jump out to an early lead, highlighted by a home run from Alex Stoyle ’14. However, the Psychos battled back, and after five innings, the score was deadlocked at 12-12. The Grout Bullies scored six runs in the top of the sixth inning to pull away and escape with the narrow victory. The game featured spectacular defense behind two of the

●

by jumping out to an 11-0 lead after two innings. The Ballah Bustahs defense then tightened up, sending BWB down in each of the next two innings. However, its offense couldn’t capitalize, leaving the bases loaded in two different innings. The Ballah Bustahs finally broke through with one run in the fifth inning and four runs in the sixth inning, but the early deficit proved to be too much to overcome. BWB tacked on some late insurance runs to win by a final score of 21-5. Hannah Cain ’15 and Dominique Chen ’15 each reached base six times for BWB. Chen, Nicolina Vitale ’14, and Mikaela Garvin ’15 scored four runs apiece. Zahava Horowitz ’14 and Ariel Barnehama ’13 led the offense for Ballah Bustas, both reaching base three times. — Courtesy of IM Sports staff

center field to cut the lead to one run. The light was at the end of the tunnel – but it was not close enough. Endicott held on for the 7-6 lead and the ECAC championship. However, just a few hours before, the Judges looked like a different squad, cruising by the Gulls in a 5-1 victory. First baseman Marianne Specker ’12 and outfielder Lauren Porcaro ’12 launched RBI singles to break the game open. After a few key errors, from the Endicott infield, Brandeis pulled away for the win. Miller sealed one of the most memorable wins of her career in the Judges’ first game against Simmons College when she struck out 11 batters in a 3-1 win. Brandeis jumped on the scoreboard in the first inning after an RBI single from third baseman Anya Kamber ’15. Second baseman Leah McWilliams ’14 bolted home on a groundout from Specker to add some insurance runs in the sixth inning. Porcaro also sent an RBI single into right field to extend the lead to 3-0. On May 12, Endicott pulled off the upset of the weekend. The Judges looked to cruise into the finals as the top seed in the tournament, but the Gulls blasted four home runs en route to a 6-1 victory. While Miller conceded two runs in the first inning, the Judges cut the lead to one run on a sacrifice fly from Grimm. The RBI marked the 100th of her career. From there, Miller looked lost. She surrendered another three home runs to put the game, and the championship, seemingly out of reach for the Brandeis

women's team. The Judges continued their success in the tournament by sweeping last Saturday’s doubleheader. In the second game, Brandeis started off the scoring with an RBI single from Porcaro. After struggling to break through in the second and third innings, Brandeis earned four runs in the fifth inning. However, the scoring came from a lack of control. The Judges benefited from three walks with the bases loaded. Heading into the top of the seventh inning, Brandeis held a comfortable 7-1 lead. However, things got shaky for Nolan, as she surrendered four runs in the frame before eventually pulling through with the victory. The Judges started off the weeklong event with a 7-1 blowout of Daniel Webster College. Miller shined again, fanning 11 batters and surrendering only three hits in seven innings. Miller and left-fielder Megan DeNubila ’12 launched RBI doubles to put the Judges on the scoreboard in the first inning. DeNubila, Grimm and Porcaro all contributed to the win with RBI singles. Miller stated that the No. 1 seed posed demanding challenges for the team, but yet, she was impressed by the squad’s perseverance throughout the tournament. “Being the No.1 seed means everyone is coming for you,” she said. “The team put ourselves at the top from the beginning, and while we had a rough outing Saturday afternoon, we came back stronger then ever Sunday and pushed through a demanding 21 innings."

TRACK: Runners triumph in final events CONTINUED FROM 16 with a 7th place finish at 4:46.65. For the men, Kensai Hughes '14 placed 10th in the long jump with a distance of 6.22 meters, only 4.75 inches from taking eighth place and scoring for the Judges. Mik Kern '13 finished in the 800-meter run with a notable finish of 1:57.01. Overall, the men’s squad finished 24th, while the women placed 21st in a field of 50 teams. Brown stated that after the NCAA Championships, he will miss the invaluable experience of running for the Judges but also noted that his running career will not end with the NCAAs. “I’m going to miss the team and the coach, and it is going to be different to not see them every day,” he said. “However, it would be really nice to continue running after college. I think I’ll have a successful career, especially all that has happened in the past year.”

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

Kicking to the finish You Look Like I Need a Drink defeated Kostel's Still Blasted by a close 10-6 margin to win the intramural Senior Week Kickball tournament. Twenty-six teams of Brandeis seniors competed in the annual Senior Week kickball event, vying for one last chance at the elusive winning T-shirts.

the

Justice

congratulates the Class of 2012!

Joshua Linton/the Justice

THE JUSTICE

jUDGES BY THE NUMBERS UAA STANDINGS

TEAM STATS

Not including Monday’s games

Kenny Destremps ’12 led the team this season with 18 RBIs. Player RBI Kenny Destremps 18 Zach Malis 15 Pat Nicholson 15 Brian Allen 13

Runs Batted In

Overall W L Pct. 26 11 .703 27 12 .692 26 16 .616 13 19 .406 8 31 .205 22 11 .667

EDITOR’S NOTE: The baseball team ended regularseason action after its games at Trinity College last Sunday.

TUESDAY, mAY 22, 2012

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

baseball

UAA Conference W L Emory 7 1 WashU 5 3 Case 4 4 Rochester 3 5 JUDGES 1 7 Chicago 0 0

●

Miller shines in final starts of college career

Strikeouts Mike Swerdloff ’13 led the pitching staff with 32 Ks. Player Ks Mike Swerdloff 35 Kyle Brenner 26 Colin Markel 21 Pat Nicholson 20

SOFTBALL UAA STANDINGS

TEAM STATS Runs Batted In

Not including Monday’s games UAA Conference Emory WashU Rochester Case JUDGES Chicago

W 6 4 4 3 3 0

L 2 4 4 5 5 0

Overall

W L 34 5 28 12 29 15 26 15 27 18 22 9

Pct. .872 .700 .659 .634 .600 .710

EDITOR’S NOTE: The softball team concluded its season after its second place finish at the ECAC tournament.

Brittany Grimm ’12 led the squad this year with 41 RBIs. Player RBI Brittany Grimm 41 Marianne Specker 40 Lauren Porcaro 36 Caroline Miller 23

Strikeouts Caroline Miller ’12 led all pitchers with 177 strikeouts. Player Ks Caroline Miller 177 Melissa Nolan 68 Casey Ducinski 22 Nikki Cote 18

TRACK AND FIELD Results from the New England Open Championships at MIT.

NOTABLE FINISHES (Men’s)

NOTABLE FINISHES (Women’s)

800-METER RUN TIME Chris Brown 1:51.01 1500-METER RUN TIME Alex Kramer 3:57.03 LONG JUMP DISTANCE Kensai Hughes 6.22 meters

1,500-METER RUN TIME Amelia Lundkvist 4:46.65 10,000-METER RUN TIME Kate Warwick 36:22.29 HIGH JUMP DISTANCE Lily Parenteau 10.86 meters

UPCOMING MEET: Chris Brown ’12 and Kate Warwick ’12 will next compete at the NCAA Division III Championships at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif this Friday.

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

LAST HURRAH: Starting pitcher Caroline Miller ’12 delivers the pitch in the ECAC tournament against Daniel Webster College.

■ Starting pitcher Caroline

Miller ’12 has proved to be an invaluable asset for the Judges’ pitching staff. By HENRY LOUGHLIN

TENNIS

JUSTICE Staff WRITER

Results from University Athletic Association Championships.

NOTABLE FINISHES (Men’s)

NOTABLE FINISHES (Women’s)

MEN’S SINGLES Steven Milo

RECORD 7-5

WOMEN’S SINGLES Faith Broderick

RECORD 13-3

MEN’S DOUBLES Milo/Jordan

RECORD 8-2

WOMEN’S DOUBLES Broderick/Cooke

RECORD 13-5

EDITOR’S NOTE: The men’s and women’s teams ended their seasons after performances at the University Athletic Association Championships in Orlando, Fla.

While one outing on the mound in a softball game is enough to tire the arms of most pitchers, starting pitcher Caroline Miller ’12 proved to be unfazed by the task. On the last day of the ECAC Tournament on Sunday, May 13, Miller hurled the top-seeded Judges out of the consolation bracket and back into the championship with wins against Simmons College and Endicott College. Despite falling to Endicott in the title game that Sunday, Miller appreciated the confidence her coaches had during her collegiate career. “I was honored to have the opportunity to pitch all three starts on Sunday,” said Miller. “The situation was a rare one and the season was on the

line at all times. I wanted them to feel as though I was confident and had all the faith in the world in them.” This confidence was on full display throughout the entire season. In 38 games, Miller earned a 17-9 record, posting a team-high 177 strikeouts and a 3.51 ERA. She also recorded a batting average of .340 and an onbase percentage of .320. Her 31 hits included eight doubles, one triple and six home runs. Miller’s slugging percentage stood at a notable .608, good for third on the team. Even despite her superlative season, Miller was disappointed to have the season end on a sour note. “The loss was especially hard in that it was my final game, on my home field and with my incredible teammates,” she said. “The love we have, though, for each other leaves me with no regrets.” Instead of focusing on her individual achievements, Miller preferred to cite the many accomplishments that have come from her time at Brandeis. “I have learned numerous lessons

over my softball career at Brandeis,” she said. “When it comes to my team, I have learned respect and compassion in regards to working with people of different personalities.” She noted that the skills she learned through her career in softball will be invaluable for her future. “In balancing softball and school, I have learned responsibility and gained the ability to prioritize my objectives,” she said. “Most importantly, I have learned that beyond setting goals, the most important thing in the world is putting yourself in a position to achieve those goals.” The outgoing senior stated that the varied experiences of her time with the Judges paved the way for an unforgettable career. “I would never change any experience, obstacle or success that I have achieved with my teammates,” she said. “These girls have been the most important thing to me over the past four years. I am so grateful for them.” They were certainly grateful for her too.

PREMIER LEAGUE SOCCER Manchester City makes Premier League history with shocking championship win over QPR club Who said soccer couldn’t be exciting? One would be wise to give the sport a second look after the action in England on Sunday, May 13. The Premier League final marked one of the biggest days in the history of soccer. Manchester City roared back from a 2-1 deficit against Queens Park Rangers to win 3-2 and deny Manchester United its third title in four years. “I swear you’ll never see anything like this ever again,” said Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler. “This is the greatest Premier League season ever,” said ESPN commentator Ian Darke. Since both teams finished with identical totals of 89 points, this season was significant for a variety of reasons. United started the season in unassailable fashion, winning its first five

games with a score of 18-5. City, though, stormed back to take a five-point advantage at the end of November, picking up a 6-1 romp at United’s Old Trafford Stadium in the process. Undeterred, United took an eight-point lead with six games to go. United has a history for finishing the season strong, so City had been all but written off. Yet, there were more twists to come. On April 11, United lost 1-0 to Wigan Athletic. After winning 4-0 against Aston Villa, the Red Devils drew against Everton, losing a two-goal advantage with seven minutes left. City, meanwhile, won its games against Norwich and West Bromwich Albion, bringing the difference down to three points. Then, on April 30, City and United played in a rematch. This time, City did not disappoint, winning 1-0. Break-

ing even in points, City’s eight-goal edge put them in prime position. Having won their games against Newcastle United and Swansea City the previous weekend, City and United kicked off home against QPR and at Sunderland, respectively, at 3 G.M.T. last Sunday. With QPR languishing in 17th place and having the worst away record in the Premier League, City — who won 17 out of 18 games at home this season — looked to have an easy task. If United didn’t win at Sunderland by nine goals, a City win would seal the title. And when City took the lead through left-back Pablo Zabaleta’s goal, it looked as if they had it won. However, QPR equalized with a goal from striker Djibril Cisse, having earlier taken a lead on striker Jamie Mackie’s header in the 65th minute. In

just under 20 minutes, City had seemingly lost the title. A two-goal comeback looked impossible. Meanwhile, 140 miles away at the Stadium of Light, United fans, whose 1-0 victory against Sunderland had just concluded, were celebrating that City was down 2-1 in stoppage time. They also figured a rally was not in the cards for Man City. They were wrong. City forward Edin Dzeko headed in the equalizer with 91:05 gone in the game. Having run the ball back to the center circle to kick off again, City regained possession and stormed into the penalty area. Sergio Aguero played a clever one-two with Mario Balotelli before smashing a near-post strike past QPR goalkeeper Paddy Kenny. The strike sent the Ethiad Stadium into absolute bedlam. Television cam-

eras broadcasting the game shook. Fans had been sobbing moments before, thinking their team had fallen at the final hurdle. At the final whistle though, they were crying tears of joy. Meanwhile, United fans, who thought they had won the title, endured the opposite fate. Upon hearing the news, the fans — as well as the United camp — went silent, stunned at what happened. A blue moon rose over Manchester on Sunday night. Yet, the Red Devils will seek revenge next season. For now, though, City fans will celebrate. Either way, even a neutral party would argue that this season— and Sunday—were perhaps the most incredible day and year in Premier League history. — Henry Loughlin

just

Sports

Page 16

CLOSING TIME Caroline Miller ’12 ended her career on a high note for the Judges with season-high totals in wins and strikeouts, p. 15.

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

TRACK AND FIELD

Waltham, Mass.

SWINGING FOR SILVER

Squads excel at end of season ■ Chris Brown ’12

and Kate Warwick ’12 stood out at the Open Championships at MIT. By JACOB ELDER JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

After strong finishes throughout the spring season, Chris Brown ’12 and Kate Warwick ’12 came to the New England Division III Championships at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with high expectations on May 5. The two seniors did not fail to disappoint; they earned top-three finishes in their respective events and received All-New England honors. Both runners also used the intense competition at the meet to prepare for their races at the 2012 NCAA Division III Outdoor Track championships at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif. this weekend. Brown was Brandeis’ top finisher of the day, finishing second in the 800-meter run with a time of one minute, 51.01 seconds, which was less than two-tenths of one second behind the first-place finisher. While Brown was somewhat disappointed by finishing second in the race, he still was impressed by his performance. “It wasn’t my usual event, and I was just trying to go for the win,” he said. “It was a good race, and [thefirst-place runner] just cut me at the line by a little.” Brown recorded the sixth-fastest time in the event in Division III this season, which put him in the national top 50 and in a NCAA qualifying position. With his third-ranked time in the 1,500-meter run, Brown can even compete for All-American honors in two events – the 800 and 1,500-meter runs. Warwick ran only her second 10,000-meter event of the season at the meet, but she still excelled, placing in third with a time of 36:22.29. Warwick, only eight seconds behind the first-place finisher, cut more than 12 seconds off of her University Athletic Association Championship time and moved to 17th place in the NCAA standings. She has already made a statement at two previous NCAA tournaments this school year, finishing 48th at the cross country meet and 12th in the 5,000-meter run during the indoor season. While there were only two Brandeis scoring finishes at the meet, two other members of the men’s and women’s outdoor track and field teams fell just short of All-New England honors. On the women’s team, Lily Parenteau ’12 finished 13th in the high jump, where she jumped 1.53 meters. Amelia Lundkvist '14 also impressed in the 1,500-meter run

See TRACK, 13 ☛

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

POWER AT THE PLATE: Rookie catcher Cori Coleman ’15 launches a ball to deep left field in a 7-1 win over Daniel Webster College in the first round of the ECAC tournament.

Judges earn second-place finish

■ After an upset loss to

Endicott College, the Judges recovered to notch second at the ECAC tournament. By adam rabinowitz JUSTICE EDITOR

Starting pitcher Caroline Miller ’12 walked to the mound for the last time of her collegiate career on May 13 to cement her legacy. She had already done the impossible. Relegated to the consolation bracket after a loss to Endicott

College, Miller led the No. 1 ranked Judges to two consecutive wins that day, including a decisive victory over the Endicott Gulls, to advance to the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference title match. However, to win the title — their second in school history — Brandeis would once again have to best Endicott. The difference: Brandeis sent out Miller for her third start of the day. Unfortunately, the third time was not the charm. Miller surrendered two early runs in the first inning and the Judges could not recover, eventually falling 7-6 to claim second-place honors.

Miller noted she was honored that her coaches chose to stick with her as the starting pitcher until the very end of the tournament. “The fact that my coaches and team had enough confidence in me to push through the demands of the day means more to me than words can describe,” she said. Miller was disappointed to lose the final game of her collegiate career but also stated that she was proud to have had such a rewarding career. “I am incredibly proud of the fight my team put up and could not have asked to end my career with a better

group of girls, win or loss.” While Endicott cruised to a 4-0 lead in the top of the third inning, the Brandeis seniors would not surrender that easily. Shortstop Brittany Grimm ’12 launched a ground-rule double that landed in the right-field seats with two runners on-base to cut the edge to two runs. After the Gulls notched another run in the fifth inning, Grimm saved the game for Brandeis once again, sending an RBI single to left-center field. After exchanging two runs each in the next inning, relief pitcher Melissa Nolan ’14 sent an RBI single to

See SOFTBALL, 13☛

BRIEF Carley Cooke earns selection to NCAA DIII Women’s Tennis Championship Carley Cooke ’15, in just her first season of play for the women’s tennis team, has made quite the statement. In addition to a 16-5 record at the No. 1 slot this season, Cooke was named University Athletic Association Rookie of the Year for women’s tennis. She topped off her honors last week with a selection to compete at the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Individual Championships at Meredith College in Cary, N.C. Cooke attributed her success to the rigorous team practice schedule, as well as her individual training with Coach Ben Lamanna. “As a team, we trained so hard in the fall and the offseason that I think we were in great shape going into

our spring season,” she said. “I also played a lot individually with my coach, which I think helped as well.” Cooke is just the third Brandeis women’s tennis player to be selected for the NCAA Championships in the Judges’ history, along with Abby Lerner ’05 and Jane Chae ’05. She is also one of just 32 individuals selected from Division III schools to compete at the national level. “It's really great to be able to represent Brandeis at NCAAs as a [firstyear],” she said. “It's an honor to get to go and play at the highest level possible in Division III, and I'm just really excited!” Lamanna noted how impressed he was with Cooke’s accomplishments but also stated that he looks forward

to mentoring Cooke throughout her next three years at Brandeis. “This is a terrific opportunity for Carley,” said Lamanna. “I am excited to have this opportunity to work with her this year and to see her progression throughout her career. Carley is everything Brandeis could ask for in a student-athlete.” Cooke, at the top slot, led the Judges to a No. 19 ranking in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association and an eventual fifth place finish at the UAA Championships. In addition to her singles play, Cooke was distinguished by her doubles play with Faith Broderick ’13. The duo was named as an alternate to the Division III Doubles Championships. Cooke and Broderick,

also at the No. 1 spot for the Judges, earned a team-best 14-5 mark in dual play. The duo is seeking to become the second pairing in the Judges’ history to be selected to the NCAA Tournament, along with Lerner and Colleen Donnelly ’08, who accomplished the feat in 2005. With the tournament approaching, Cooke stated that she must work on intensifying her training regimen to prepare for the tough competition. “Over the next couple weeks or so, I'm looking to improve my fitness and get more mentally tough to be ready to compete against the best in the country,” Cooke stated. — Adam Rabinowitz

just

May 22, 2012

ARTS

JustArts recommends summer films p. 20 & 21 Photos: Sony Pictures, Focus Features, Pixar Animation, Balaji.B/Flickr Creative Commons. Design: Jenny Cheng/The Justice.

TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012 ● THE JUSTICE

POP CULTURE

INSIDE ON CAMPUS

■ Triskelion Annual Drag Show 19

Triskelion, Brandeis’ LGBTQ umbrella organization, put on its highly entertaining drag show, featuring both Kings and Queens lip-syncing for their lives.

OFF CAMPUS

20-23

■ Summer movie preview

■ ‘Avengers’ review

JustArts fills you in on which films to watch in May, June, July and August, including ‘Moonrise Kingdom,’ ‘Hope Springs’ and ‘The Amazing Spider-Man.’ The Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow, Captain America and Hawkeye team up to defend the world from aliens in Marvel’s answer to the Justice League.

■ ‘Dark Shadows’ review

Johnny Depp and Tim Burton team up for the eighth time to recreate this spooky, over-the-top film, originally a television show that aired in the 1960s and ’70s.

■ ‘The Only Place’ review

California surf-rock duo Best Coast released its second album, The Only Place, on May 15. The CD features a more adult, less scruffy sound than the band’s debut.

■ Guanachapi’s restaurant

Guanachapi’s, on Moody Street, is a lesserknown restaurant among Brandeis students. It also serves the best Guatemalan food in Waltham, particularly its enchiladas.

CALENDAR

Interview

by Ariel Kay

Reality show singing competitions may have originated back in the late ’90s (anyone else remember Say What? Karaoke and Making the Band?), but they have never been bigger than right now. American Idol crowned Kelly Clarkson the first winner 10 years ago, and the show’s Wednesday and Thursday episodes are still the second- and fourth-highest-rated hours on TV today, respectively. Idol’s biggest rival, The Voice comes in only slightly behind. Seeing how popular these programs are, it only makes sense that other entertainment figures are trying to cash in. Jennifer Lopez revitalized her entire career when she became an Idol judge last season. Maroon 5’s Adam Levine saw similarly increased album sales when he became a judge on The Voice, and even Christina Aguilera, who hasn’t released any music of her own since starting on that show, scored a top-10 single as a featured vocalist on Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger.” It was her first hit in four years. Becoming a reality TV judge used to be a career move for older stars like Paula Abdul or Lopez, who were looking to reach a younger audience. More recently, however, it has become a viable path for pop singers who are still popular. On May 14, X Factor creator and judge Simon Cowell announced that Britney Spears and Demi Lovato would replace season one judges Nicole Scherzinger (of the Pussycat Dolls) and Abdul. Cowell and the other continuing judge, music mogul L.A. Reid, brought Spears and Lovato onto the show on May 14 to introduce them as the new judges. We know these women can sell albums, but how will Spears and Lovato do as judges? Spears is now known almost more for her wild behavior than for her music, which has become more and more auto-tuned and overproduced with each album. She has appeared on reality TV once before in 2005’s Britney and Kevin: Chaotic. The show documented Spears and then-husband

Poet-musician prepares to take the next step  Anna Hirst ’15 has been playing the guitar since elementary school. She spoke to justArts about her plans to record a CD and to perform her original work at Brandeis.

CHICAGOFABULOUS/Flickr Creative Commons

ON THE SMALL SCREEN: Britney Spears and Demi Lovato have been named ‘X Factor’s’ latest judges.

Kevin Federline’s life together. It was critically panned and lasted for less than a full month on UPN, so no great vote of confidence there. Much less is known about Lovato, the 19-year-old former Disney Channel star. She has released three albums in the last four years, all of which reached the top four or higher on the Billboard charts. Though she hasn’t come close to Spears in terms of a public image crisis, she has had a few scandals of her own. In 2010, she entered a rehab program for an eating disorder and self-harm. Auditions for X Factor’s second season have already begun. The season will air in September. Until then, well, let’s hope that Lovato and Spears can stay out of trouble long enough to prove they can be as successful as the stars who have judged before them.

What’s happening in Arts off campus this summer

OFF-CAMPUS EVENTS Cultural Survival Bazaar

This celebration of native culture features performers and artists bringing their own traditions from around the world to the Boston area. Native Americans, Latin Americans, Tibetans and others share their crafts, food, storytelling and more. Items will be available for purchase. Saturday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Amherst Town Common, located on Boltwood Avenue in Amherst, Mass. Admission is free.

‘Bovinus Rex’

Guerilla Opera presents this original chamber opera by Rudolf Rojahn. Guerilla Opera, in cooperation with the Boston Conservatory, produces operas accesible to modern audiences. Bovinus Rex concerns a farmer who develops a more efficient method for killing his cattle. For political reasons, his daughter attempts to thwart his plans. The opera “explores the nature of identity and the calculus of suffering,” according to the Guerilla Opera website. Running through Sunday at The Zack Box, located at 8 The Fenway, Boston. Tickets start at $10 for students.

Gogol Bordello concert

Gogol Bordello combines the classic punk aesthetic of Fugazi and The Clash with traditional Eastern European Gypsy and Jewish music and instruments to create one of the most unique sounds in modern punk music. The band, which currently consists of eight members from the Ukraine, Russia, Israel, China, Scotland, Ecuador, Ethiopia and the United States, has been releasing music since 1999. They scored their biggest hit with “Start Wearing Purple,” which was released in 2006 on the band’s third album. Gogol Bordello is known for its constant touring and engaging live shows. June 1 at 7:30 p.m. at the Bank of America Pavillion, located at 290 Northern Ave., Boston. Tickets start at $45.

Disney’s ‘Beauty and the Beast’

We grew up watching this beloved Disney classic, one of the first films from the Mouse House to transition to Broadway. Now Broadway in Boston brings the musical to you. Featuring such favorite numbers as “Be Our Guest” and “Beauty and the Beast” and seven original songs, Beauty and the Beast is a show best seen up close and in person. Running through June 3 at the Boston Opera House, located at 539 Washington St., Boston. Tickets start at $33.

‘Xanadu’

Disco may be dead, but it’s alive and well in Xanadu, the Tony-nominated groovy musical set in a 1980’s roller rink. Greek muse Clio travels to Venice Beach, Calif. to inspire Sonny, the rink’s owner. But when Clio and Sonny (played by Cheyenne Jackson in the original Broadway cast) fall in love, complications ensue. Xanadu is known for its overthe-top numbers and crazy costumes. Running through June 9 at the Calderwood

CAITLYN RIDENOUR/Flickr Creative Commons

GYPSY KINGS: Eastern European Gypsy-punk band Gogol Bordello will perform on June 1 at the Bank of America Pavilion in Boston. The band is famous for its theatrical concerts and unique sound. Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts, located at 527 Tremont St., Boston. Tickets start at $52.

‘Salvador Dali - Make Me Hot’

In this surreal, magical play (the original title of which was References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot), a lonely young housewife named Gabriella talks to the moon, portrayed as a dapper violin player who sits on the top of her refrigerator. They discuss love, life and culture in this piece of magical realism by José Rivera, the first Puerto Rican screenwriter to be nominated for an Academy Award. Rivera was nominated in 2004 for The Motorcycle Diaries, a Che Guevara biopic. Through June 9 at the Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater, located at 2357 Route 6, Wellfleet, Mass. Tickets start at $10.

The Next Generation, Youth Composers

Four talented young musicians from the Boston area will present their original works in this concert, presented by Rockport Music and featuring the Composer-PerformerRepertory Ensemble. Nicholas Davies, Lev Mamuya, Christopher Staknys and Matthew Woodard will discuss their music after the performance with composer Howard Frazin, president of the Composers in Red Sneakers collective. The talk will be moderated by Rockport Music Executive Director Tony Beadle. June 12 at the Shalin Liu Performance Center, located at 37 Main St., Rockport, Mass. Admission is free.

Crosby, Stills and Nash concert

First formed in 1968, Crosby, Stills and Nash has had a profound impact on American rock and folk music. The group is known for its numerous hit songs and albums, in-

cluding “Our House,” “Ohio” and “Just a Song Before I Go,” and Déjà Vu and CSN. The band is also known for its political activism. Since the 1970’s, they have been a voice for the counterculture, beginning when they strongly protested against the Vietnam War and Richard Nixon. June 18 at the City Wang Theater, located at 270 Tremont St., Boston. Tickets start at $48.

Arts Alive Festival ’12

This festival, located in Falmouth, Mass., features over 50 performers and artists. The three-day event includes plays, concerts, spoken-word recitals and dance performances. Artisans and crafters will also sell their products at the festival. There will be a town dance on June 22 and a rock fest featuring rock music on June 23. June 22 from 5 to 9 p.m., June 23 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and June 24 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Falmouth Library lawn, located at 300 Main St., Falmouth, Mass. Admission to all events is free.

Mark Morris Dance Group

Mark Morris is an extremely accomplished dancer-choreographer in the world of modern ballet. His style is known for its humor and creativity as well as his unique and often unexpected musical accompaniments. Morris has won numerous awards in the ballet industry, including the Leonard Bernstein Lifetime Achievement Award for the Elevation of Music in Society. The Mark Morris Dance Group performance will be accompanied by the Tanglewood Music Center musicians, who will play works by Walton, Schubert and Hummel. June 28 and 29 at the Tanglewood: Seiji Ozawa Hall, located at 297 West St., Lenox, Mass. Tickets start at $19.

Hirst sings, writes her own music and lyrics and plays the guitar and ukulele. She’s also a member of Up the Octave (Brandeis’ all-female a cappella group), the University Chorus, and the Chamber Choir. This summer, she and a few other musicians from her home region of Cape Cod will raise money to begin recording their first CD together. JustArts: How did you first begin writing your own music? Anna Hirst: I started in elementary school. Just about everyone in my immediate family plays guitar, so between learning from them and teaching myself, I picked it up fairly quickly. I wrote my first song in the fifth grade and continued to write throughout middle school. It wasn’t until high school that my songs reached what I would consider performance quality, but my desire to write and affinity for writing started early. JA: What kind of music do you play, and what instruments? AH: I play what I would consider folk or folkpop. The songs I write are fairly simple musically, since my main focus is on singing and communication of stories and emotions. I take a lot of pride in the words I write. They are never arbitrary and are always based on real events and people in my life. I play quite a few instruments (piano, trumpet, French horn, guitar, ukulele, some flute) but wouldn’t consider myself an expert in any particular instrument. My voice is my primary instrument, so for my own music I typically play guitar or ukulele for accompaniment. JA: Which artists inspire you? AH: Bob Dylan is probably my greatest inspiration since I’ve been listening to his music basically since I left the womb. I consider him more of a poet who plays guitar than anything else, which is what I aspire to be. I do hope that, compared to Bob Dylan, what I lack in poetic ability I make up for somewhat with vocal prowess. ... I also am very influenced and inspired by Joni Mitchell, the Weepies, and the Decemberists. JA: Have you ever performed at Brandeis? AH: I have only performed at Brandeis in the context of other groups: the University Chorus, the Chamber Choir, and Up the Octave. ... The two choirs have held various formal concerts during my year here, and with UTO I’ve performed at coffee houses and, of course, at our semester shows. Although I hope to soon, I haven’t yet performed any of my own music at Brandeis, unless you count informally playing for my friends in the hallway of my dorm. Those are probably my favorite performances of all. JA: Where else have you played? AH: I live on Cape Cod and often play with other local musicians at benefit concerts and open mics. For instance, I wrote music for and performed with my high school’s world music ensemble, which plays at the annual Clothesline Concert, a benefit concert which helps victims of domestic violence as part of the Clothesline Project. I’ve also performed at the annual Ukulele Cabaret which is, as expected, a night of ukulele performances by musicians near and far. JA: What are your goals for your music? Would you like to play professionally? AH: Some fellow musicians from the Cape and I are hoping to record an album soon and are in the process of raising money for recording. I haven’t yet decided if I would like to pursue a professional career in music. I would love to play professionally, but I needn’t remind you that it would be a risky endeavor and I’m not sure if I quite have the confidence yet to take such a risk. JA: Have you taken any music classes at Brandeis that influenced you at all? AH: Yes. I’ve been taking music theory and private lessons and have been participating in University Chorus and Chamber Choir, and both have been very encouraging and influential in my potential decision to pursue music as a career. Every single professor I’ve had has been inspiring, and I would be nowhere without them. JA: What has been your biggest succes? AH: So much of my time as a musician has been spent raising money for various charities which has all been worthwhile and rewarding. I suppose my most inspiring moments as a musician arise when I make people smile or cry, or otherwise take people out of their emotional comfort zone. I was once playing a benefit concert and after I ended one of my songs, there was what my choir director from high school calls the “pregnant pause”: the moment right before the applause where there is a beautiful, intense silence. In this instant, in the middle of the silence, I heard one person give the most incredible sigh, as if a weight has been lifted from his shoulders, and then applause came in. That one person may never know what an extraordinary gift that one sigh has been to me. I don’t think audiences realize how much their participation as audience members means to [the] performer. — Ariel Kay

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, MAY 22, 2012

ON CAMPUS PERFORMANCE

Trisk’s Drag Show celebrates sexuality ■ Triskelion’s Annual Drag Show

included 17 acts of lip-syncing, dancing and poetry from queer and ally performers. By ARIEL KAY JUSTICE EDITOR

I had never been to a drag show before I walked into the Levin Ballroom on May 1. I knew little of what to expect other than what I’d gathered from movies and about one and a half episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race. So when I sat down to watch Triskelion’s Annual Drag Show, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was about to see. All of the performers stepped out onto the stage in drag—which, according to the Gender Equity Research Center’s website, is “the act of dressing in gendered clothing as part of a performance. Drag Queens perform in highly feminine attire. Drag Kings perform in highly masculine attire. Drag may be performed as a political comment on gender, as parody, or simply as entertainment. Drag performance does not indicate sexuality, gender identity, or sex identity.” The evening’s hosts, Ms. Janae Jaxxxon and Mr. Kendall East, began the night in high spirits, telling jokes and getting the audience pumped up. The event’s judges—Intercultural Center Program Coordinator for Sexuality and Gender Diversity Jesse Beal, Director of the Office of the Arts Scott Edmiston, Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel, Director of the Intercultural Center Monique Gnanaratnam and Senior Associate Dean of Arts and Sciences for Undergraduate Education Elaine Wong—also got into the spirit, donning rainbow-colored suspenders and multicolored ribbons. Jaxxxon was a sight to behold. She stood well over six feet tall, and her spike-heeled black leather boots only added to her imposing height.

She also sported a brunette wig and a skin-tight black mini-dress that I suspected had been originally designed as a long shirt. East, on the other hand, appeared to be only a few inches above five feet. He donned Timberland boots, baggy jeans and boxers, a T-shirt and a goatee. The height difference between Jaxxxon and East made for a hilarious visual, especially when each host performed his or her “signature walk.” Drag performances typically include lip-syncing, salacious dancing and over-the-top personas. Given that Trisk’s show featured 17 performances, there was a lot of attitude to be found. Many of the acts, such as Halee Brown and Robyn Lederer’s “Do You Love Me?” were comedic in nature. The song, from Fiddler on the Roof, describes an old married Jewish couple. Lederer wore typical shtetl chic, including a long skirt and a babushka, which is a cloth tied around the head. Brown wore a man’s cap and peyos. Overall, the act was a very funny and unexpected take on a drag performance, which tends to be more sassy than sweet. Other similarly playful acts include Voice“Male”’s interpretation of Carly Rae Jepson’s über-hit “Call Me Maybe” and Princess Pine’s “Disney Bitch Returns.” In the former act, lead singer and VoiceMale President Chase Hiller replaced the phrase “call me” with evermore vulgar phrases. All members of the group performed in drag, and the crowd obviously enjoyed the bawdy number. In Princess Pine’s act, Pine set up a small mirror, a dressing table and a changing screen. The music to “Reflection” from Mulan played as Pine examined themselves in the mirror, clearly distraught that their external appearance did not match their internal gender identity. As the song concluded, Pine snuck behind the screen and returned wearing a more masculine outfit. Mulan’s “I’ll Make a Man Out of You”—really, could you

ask for a more appropriate song?—accompanied their actions. Some of the acts were far more serious than Disney parodies, however. Two performers, Lani Gustavson and Jason Lederer, used spoken-word poetry to express their experiences with gender and sexual nonconformity. These acts were deeply affecting, especially as they focused on issues of gay bullying and teen suicide. Another act that was rather unexpected was L. Savage and Anderson’s “I’m Speechless on the Edge with Yoü.” Savage and Anderson performed an interpretive dance to a medley of Lady Gaga songs. The number was rather melancholic compared to the other performances, but it was also artistically complex, and the choreography was some of the most captivating of the night. One of the last performances was also the most outrageous: Jessika Savage’s “3” was a dance-theater act performed to the Britney Spears song of the same name. Savage took on the role of “mad scientist,” complete with lab coat, orange mesh booty shorts and a black mesh bra. After writhing on the stage in front of a tarp-covered object at the beginning of the song, Savage whisked away the covering to reveal three other dancers kneeling on the floor in a “human centipede” configuration. The rest of the act consisted of Savage interacting with her “creation.” The number was bizarre and more than a little dirty and raunchy. And the audience went crazy for it. The judges handed out awards to each performer at the end of the night. Nearly all of the award categories were made up on the spot: The Burly Bear Best Facial Hair Award, for example, went to Halee Brown for squir exquisite Jewish locks. Trisk’s Drag Show showcases the diverse talent and creativity (not to mention flexibility) of our school’s queer community. It is fun, sexy and outrageous. I can’t wait to see what Trisk comes up with next year.

JOSHUA LINTON/the Justice

ALL DOLLED UP: Janae Jaxxxon, one of the night’s hosts, gets the crowd excited.

Join the Arts section of

Justice!

the

Write reviews for theater, movies, dance and music. Contact Ariel Kay and Emily Salloway at arts@thejustice.org for more information. AMY BISAILLON/the Justice

TUESDAY, mAY 22, 2012

●

THE JUSTICE

Summer movie preview Four films are set to break out this summer By emily salloway JUSTICE editor

Congratulations on making it through finals, and, for those graduating, for making it through four years (or more) of college! Now that you have all this time on your hands, why not celebrate the summer with a good movie or two? JustArts recommends one up-and-coming film for each month of break.

May 25, 2012

‘Moonrise Kingdom’ Directed by Wes Anderson After premiering at the Cannes Film Festival a few weeks ago, Anderson’s unique story will make its way to the States soon. It’s the 1960s and two twelve-year-old children fall in love and run away together, trailed by a search party made up of their family and friends. Edward Norton, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton round out the cast, joined by several other big names and a few newbies. This film makes our must-see list for its gorgeous cinematography and the freshness of its plot. Moonrise Kingdom starts the summer off right: some innocent mischief, a New England coastal setting and a bit of humor.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FOCUS FEATURES

June 22, 2012

‘Brave’ Directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman The Disney-Pixar team has not yet led us astray, so why shouldn’t the company’s latest release be as great as its predecessors? Princess Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald) is tired of being told what to do. Her conflict with her parents, the King and Queen (Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson, respectively) comes to a head when they try to force her into an arranged marriage. Merida wants to create her own destiny, so she seeks the help of a witch who grants her wish. This comes with a set of unforeseen, unwanted consequences. Merida must confront some of her biggest fears and find the meaning of bravery in order to reverse the curse. With the vocal talents of Thompson, Craig Ferguson and Julie Walters, this is one film that has fans of all ages counting the days until its release. PHOTO COURTESY OF PIXAR ANIMATION STUDIOS

July 3, 2012

‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ Directed by Marc Webb In this re-boot of 2002’s Spiderman, Andrew Garfield plays our beloved, awkward high school studentturned-superhero from Stan Lee’s imagination. When Peter Parker finds a briefcase that once belonged to his deceased father, he is drawn into his family’s mysterious past. This time around, he faces The Lizard (Rhys Ifans), the alter ego of Dr. Curt Connors, his father’s former business partner. As the two duke it out, Parker learns to accept his future as Spider Man. The film’s trailer promises lots of action, special effects and drama in this newest addition to Spidey’s saga. JAMIE TRUEBLOOD/Columbia Pictures

Aug. 10, 2012

‘Hope Springs’ Directed by David Frankel Meryl Streep, a chameleon-like performer and the recipient of this year’s Academy Award for Best Actress, stars in this quirky comedy about a husband and wife who attend a weekend-long intensive couples’ therapy program. Tommy Lee Jones is Arnold, Streep’s spouse of 30 years, a curmudgeon who grudgingly agrees to meet with Dr. Bernie Feld, played by the always-funny Steve Carell. Complete with cringe-worthy—but ultimately giggle-inducing—discussions of marital sex, Hope Springs is a heartwarming alternative to the ever-growing popularity of divorce in our country. From the director of Marley & Me and The Devil Wears Prada, this film is sure to put a smile on your face. BARRY WETCHER/GHS Productions

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, may 22, 2010

film

Marvel’s ‘The Avengers’ earns its acclaim ■ Six heroes defend planet

Earth in this film, which has smashed box-office records. By wei-huan chen SPECIAL TO THE JUSTICE

By now, The Avengers has already earned more than a billion dollars, sold a bunch of comic-book-themed merchandise to boot and pummeled Battleship and The Dictator so hard at the box office that Disney/Marvel might as well have been shouting “Hulk smash!” Distributor Walt Disney Pictures has wiped its hands of John Carter, the company’s early-2012 bomb, Marvel Studios is scheming up a Spidey-Web flowchart of future tiein sequels, and writer-director Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly) is celebrating the long-deserved mainstream success that might make him the sci-fi/fantasy film director of the decade. None of this could have happened without CGI. The Avengers brims with so many mutants, explosions and flying ships that its digital effects seem almost banal compared to what’s not digitally produced—human interaction, love, faces—the “real” stuff that helps us care about the movie when we’re not amazed by its effects. I call it the Avatar effect, although The Avengers has less computerized hocus-pocus and a more meaningful plot and dialogue than James Cameron’s love letter to computer graphics. There were high expectations. The build-up leading to this Justice League-style brouhaha consisted of Iron Man, Iron Man 2, The Incredible Hulk, Thor and Captain America—the clash of the comic book titans. Like last summer’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, The Avengers was a culmination of many things and many people, and it could not afford to fail. Instead, it soars. It gave me more than just the regular superhero-geek satisfaction. It was the warm feeling of good in the form of ass-kicking awesomeness triumphing over evil. The premise of The Avengers is simple. It’s a movie that brings together the various superheroes whose stories have been brought to the big screen by Marvel over the past years, the same way The Avengers comic book brought

ZADE ROSENTHAL/Marvel

BETTER TOGETHER: Hawkeye (left), Captain America (center), Black Widow (right), Iron Man, The Hulk and Thor defend the world from Loki, an evil Norse god. together all the Marvel superheroes in the 1960s. S.H.I.E.L.D., the most powerful covert peacekeeping organization on Earth, has employed a team of talented fighters to serve and protect the human race against villains. This was leader Nick Fury’s (Samuel L. Jackson) dream until a blue glowing cube landed on Earth via a blue, glowing portal. All you need to know about the “Tesseract”—essentially a McGuffin that borrows its name from Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time—is that it’s really important and everyone wants it. The suspense comes from the clash between the good guys, while the sole villain, a wily magician named Loki (Tom Hiddleston), does what he can with his screen time. Whedon’s genius lies in giving each male lead the time he needs as a full-fledged character without going over the three-hour mark. Each superhero’s backstory

is complex and important to the plot without punishing the viewer for not seeing the previous Marvel movies. An example: “Volatile, self-obsessed, and doesn’t play well with others” is the self-ascribed personality profile of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, a cynic with a suit of steel and a heart of gold (Or is that just a reactor core?). Iron Man, also known as the billionaire weapons inventor Tony Stark, cares more about buying the world than saving it, so his transformation from narcissist to hero is a joy to watch. If you remember the mediocre Iron Man 2, then you’ll note that he’s gone a long way from drunkenly urinating inside his suit. Mark Ruffalo shines as Bruce Banner, the sensitive outcast scientist with a dark, green secret. He’s better than Eric Bana and Edward Norton as the Hulk, and Marvel would do well to keep him on board for future Hulk

films. And, like almost every male protagonist in the film, Banner has a bit of sexual tension with the Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson). Johansson’s Widow isn’t merely a femme fatale but an emotional force in the film. She should have fallen for the burly Captain America (Chris Evans), but instead remains romantically attached to Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner)—the only character without a tie-in movie. Then there’s Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the demigod from Norse mythology and Loki’s older brother. He’s pretty. Canadian actress Colbie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother) landed a great role as Maria Hill, Fury’s righthand woman. Clark Gregg reprises his role as Agent Phil Coulson, Fury’s right hand man. S.H.I.E.L.D. would have been a typical bore, however, if not for its impressive method of travel: an aircraft carrier that flies.

All that needs to be said about what actually happens: Loki obtains the Tesseract to create a portal with which to unleash aliens to take over the world, and the Avengers try to stop him via lots of epic battles. The action of the film must be lauded. Behind the computerized gloss of every scene is a creative imagination that redeems the superhero movie as a genre. This isn’t the epic clutter of effects you find in Transformers, but well-choreographed flashes of the past and present. Loki, like all supervillains, is soundly defeated. But I’m grateful he was there to help spawn the sequels I’m already eager to watch. Stay until the end of the credits—the actual credits—and you’ll see why the next Avengers film might be even bigger and better. The author is a member of the Class of 2012 and a former editor of the Justice.

film

Depp and Burton debut creepy, campy remake ■ ‘Dark Shadows’ isn’t the

pair’s best work, but the acting talent is immense. By ariel kay JUSTICE editor

Johnny Depp has long fostered the identity of the bizarre outsider. Often, it seems as though he purposefully picks the most caricature-like, cartoonish roles he can find, looking to escape anything with a traditional leading man. Tim Burton tends to be the director providing these unorthodox characters. Dark Shadows is the eighth film Depp and Burton have worked on together. Their first, and best, was 1990’s Edward Scissorhands. They also made Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (their worst effort), Corpse Bride, Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and Alice in Wonderland. It’s funny: Outside of his films, Depp is considered one of the best-looking men in Hollywood. He’s got a rakish, devil-may-care attitude, and he always sports a deep tan, long flowing hair and several tattoos. Tim Burton, on the other hand, looks like he would fit right in with the characters in one of his surreal films. He has dark, wild hair and a pale complexion. Interestingly, in each of Depp and Burton’s collaborations, Depp comes to look more and more like Burton himself and less and less like Johnny Depp. In Dark Shadows (based on the 1960s and ’70s television show), Depp plays Barnabas Collins, a (pale, dark haired) vampire who was locked in a coffin in the 1760s and is accidentally dug up 200 years later, in 1972. Everything about the swinging ’70s, from cars to televi-

PHOTO COURTESY OF MCT

NOSFERATU 2.0: Barnabas Collins (center) comes to live with his descendants after being stuck in a coffin for 200 years. sions to women’s lib, is new and foreign to him. Much of the film’s humor comes from placing Barnabas in situations where a man born two centuries ago would have no idea how to react. Barnabas’ backstory is a bit complicated: He comes from a wealthy family who founded the seafaring village of Collinsport, Maine shortly after arriving in the New World from England. He has an affair with one of the family’s maids, Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green) but never loves her. Instead, he becomes engaged to his true love, Josette DuPres (newcomer Bella Heathcote). Unfortunately for them both, Angelique is a witch who hypnotizes Josette to jump to her death. Barnabas witnesses her demise and jumps into the ocean after her, hoping to die as well. Angelique curses him with vampirism, however, so he cannot die. In addition, Angelique sets the

town against him and locks him in his coffin, where he is forced to lie in timeout for two centuries. When Barnabas is awakened by a crew of unsuspecting construction workers (whom he promptly devours), he sets off to find what remains of his family and their estate. He discovers that only four members of the Collins family are left and that their fortune has dwindled significantly. Elizabeth (Michelle Pfeiffer, in her second collaboration with Burton) is the family’s long-suffering matriarch. Her daughter Carolyn (Chloë Grace Moretz) is a terribly bored, disaffected teenager. Roger (Johnny Lee Miller), Elizabeth’s brother, also resides in the collapsing Collins mansion, along with his young son David (Gulliver McGrath), who tells everyone he meets that he can communicate with the ghost of his dead mother. David’s au

pair Vicky (also played by Heathcote) joins the family just before Barnabas resurfaces. Like many Depp/Burton collaborations, much of the fun of Dark Shadows is in the visuals. Cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel (Amelié, Across the Universe, A Very Long Engagement) creates beautiful imagery of the stormy Maine countryside, and production designer Rick Heinrichs (Sleepy Hollow, The Big Lebowski) overfills Collinsport with so much awful ’70s decor that it appears at times as though the audience is on an acid trip along with one of the film’s aging hippie characters. Then there are Depp and Pfeiffer, the latter of whom stole every scene in which she appears. These two have much experience creating eccentric, campy characters who don’t as much chew the scenery as they rip it to shreds and come back for seconds.

Pfeiffer appears haughtily disdainful (and later, haughtily helpful), preening about the set like a queen forced to bunk with the stable hands. Depp, for his part, can’t quite match Pfeiffer’s sneering, but his misunderstanding of 20th-century customs (women doctors? what?) is humorous. In Dark Shadows, this overacting is appropriate. The entire production is over the top. This approach works wonderfully for the first 30 minutes of the film. Eventually, though, the movie runs out of steam. There are simply too many characters, too many side plots and too much backstory to fit into 113 minutes. Burton tries to speed things along by including several montages, but they’re a cheap substitute for real storytelling. The main plotline, I suppose, concerns Barnabas’ rekindled love for Vicky/Josette (the film never explains how Heathcote plays both characters, even though Vicky also interacts with Josette’s ghost). Honestly, Depp has little chemistry with either Heathcote or Green (as a witch, Angelique has also been around for 200 years, and she and Barnabas can’t seem to keep their hands off each other when they meet again, his undying love for Vicky/Josette aside). To me, Barnabas appears rather nonsexual, though the plot revolves around his crazed love life. If I were writing Dark Shadows— which was actually written by Seth Grahame-Smith, who also wrote the novels and screenplays Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies—I would cut out all the extra junk and just concentrate on Depp, Pfeiffer and Green—another master of antipathy. Few of the other characters are necessary. Just let these three masters of creepy-kooky camp play around. Dark Shadows doesn’t need everything else.

Complete Package Deal From $253 Reserve yours today!

Just 5 minutes from campus!

Check out brandeis web banner the Justice on Facebook: facebook.com/thejusticeonline

brandeis 1/8 page

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, may 22, 2012

MUSIC

Surf-pop duo Best Coast matures with new album ■ ‘The Only Place,’ Best

Coast’s second album, contains a more polished sound and complex lyrics. By fiona lockyer JUSTICE editor

PHOTO COURTESY OF MEXICAN SUMMER

WEST SIDE: Bethany Cosentino (bottom) and Bobb Bruno make up Best Coast, a band that was previously known for its messy feel.

I think of California and I imagine Tupac, beaches and Hollywood—a laid-back life lived in the sun’s rays that shine all year long. Listening to Best Coast, all of these notions about California are confirmed—except for the Tupac connection, I suppose. The bright, yet laid back, sound of the music makes me feel as though I’m on the beach in the ’60s. If this is any indication of its sound, the band, composed of vocalist and songwriter Bethany Cosentino and her multi-instrumentalist musical partner Bobb Bruno, has a one-line biography on its website: “Inspired by life and love and everything else.” It seems as though the duo lives the relaxed life that their music portrays. Two years after the band’s first release, 2010’s Crazy for You, Best Coast is back. After months of buzz and an early release of the album’s eponymous first track, the sophomore effort, titled The Only Place, was released on May 15 through the label Mexican Summer for purchase and for streaming through National Public Radio. I had heard the title track a few weeks ago and figured that it fit with the album art: a big brown bear holding the state of California, a play on that state’s flag. The song is a veritable anthem for Cosentino’s home state. She sings “So leave your cold behind/We’re gonna make it to the beach on time … Why would you live anywhere else?” The track opens with an upbeat guitar riff that immediately reminded me exactly of the song I’d want to listen to on a drive to the beach. My second thought? Anger and irritation. It’s April in Boston, Bethany. It’s 40 degrees out, and I haven’t put sandals on in months— yes, I suppose California would be the place for me! While I enjoyed the track, the listening experience left me a little bitter, as I wondered whether the entire album was going to be a repetitive rehashing of how wonderful California is, along with a few references made to Cosentino’s cat, Snacks, who made an appearance in the album art of the band’s debut album.

As I continued to listen to the rest of the album, I was pleasantly surprised that nocat references appeared on the album. The songwriting and production on the second album has taken a turn for a slightly more polished and adult sound, leaving the fuzz behind, and, along with it, the cat references. Two changes stick out the most: the sound is clearer, and the lyrics are slightly darker. Cosentino forgoes the super angst-ridden lyrics of the first album (for example, “I’d love him to the very end/But instead he is just a friend/I wish he was my boyfriend”) and replaces them with something slightly more serious, like the lyrics from “Last Year”: “But I don’t do that anymore/Kicked my habits out the front door.” The lyrics still have the signature simplicity of Cosentino’s past songwriting but take on more grown-up themes about self-definition and relationship management throughout the album. If the lyrics are more grown-up, then certainly the recording quality has followed suit. The band had the opportunity to work with well-known studio producer Jon Brion—who has also produced for artists Fiona Apple and Kanye West and for film scores like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Punch-Drunk Love.

The album certainly moves away from the fuzzy, low-fi sound of the previous album and toward a more stylized, in fact, almost too studio-stylized, sound, complete with faux-sounding horns in the first track and strings coming in at the end of the final track, “Up All Night.” The shift in Best Coast’s sound comes through most clearly on what seems to be the standout track, “My Life.” While it isn’t as upbeat as some of the other tracks, the lilting strumming and Cosentino’s perfect surfer-pop voice keep the song airy and light. Other standout tracks include the heavier “Last Year” and the heavily produced “Do You Love Me Like You Used To.” Listen for a certain, more twangy, country feel, especially on “Dreaming My Life Away,” where this influence seems to be the most prominent— although boring. Those listening to Best Coast’s new album will find themselves confronted with a question: Did we love Best Coast because it was so low-fi and fuzzy, complete with the cat references? Does this more “grown-up” version of Cosentino’s musical efforts still fit the niche of surfer-beach-rock that it filled before? Maybe, but for a different set of surfers: ones who have stopped getting tattoos and now make their plans in advance.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MEXICAN SUMMER

COOL COLLABORATION: ‘The Only Place’ was produced by hit-maker Jon Brion.

Food

Guanachapi’s masters Guatemalan classics ■ Waltham is bursting

with great Guatemalan restaurants, but stop by Guanachapi’s for the best. By wei-huan chen SPECIAL TO THE JUSTICE

There are three Guatemalan restaurants in Waltham: Mi Tierra, Paisano and Guanachapi’s. Guanachapi’s is my choice as the ideal spot for hungry, budget-conscious college students. It’s a far more authentic experience than the more popular Mexican restaurant Margarita’s right next door on Moody Street. First-years: Avoid the enchiladas at Margarita’s like the plague and order them at Guanachapi’s instead. You probably know the place just from walking past it. You’re not sure what it’s called, but you know that

it’s that Mexican-looking place with less-than-fancy tables that never has too many people inside. Don’t let that trick you into thinking that it’s not one of the best Guatemalan venues in Waltham. Guanachapi’s is the real deal with great portions and a robust menu of rice plates, enchilada dishes, side orders, drinks and desserts. When I ate at the restaurant last week, my friends and I ran into a Mexican student from Brandeis who was familiar with the types of foods found on the menu. She informed us that Mexican and Guatemalan cuisine share many similarities. She recommended three dishes to me, and they were delicious. My favorite part of Guanachapi’s came at the beginning of the meal. Like any Guatemalan restaurant worth its salt, lime and tequila, Guanachapi’s serves complimentary tortilla chips and salsa. Unlike other restaurants,

the salsa is homespun perfection in a bowl. It’s thin, almost watery, and orange in color. Rather than large chunks of onions and red tomato, the restaurant’s salsa is a blend of just a few ingredients combined into this soup-like sauce. Not everyone at the table was accustomed to this type of salsa, but it worked wonders for my taste buds. Try to get the waitress to refill your table’s chips and salsa, though it doesn’t work every time. For my entrée, I ordered the steamy, meaty beef enchiladas ($9). The beef is ground up and wrapped inside three tortilla rolls with cheese and served with flavored rice, refried black beans and a salad consisting of lettuce, cucumber and a hearty slice of avocado. This is a classic meal in Latin America, and apparently Guanachapi’s serves the dish in its own Guatemalan style. I highly recommend the enchiladas for anyone daring enough to order

such a big plate of food. The best part was undoubtedly the refried black bean side, with its creamy consistency and blend of salty and savory flavor. According to our Mexican expert, the chicken tamales ($3) are the most famous dish at Guanachapi’s. Indeed, the tamales were all gone when I tried to order them. If you get to try them out sometime, let me know how they are. For now, I’m going to have to trust the masses with this one. When it comes to beverages, I’m always surprised at the types of sodas and soft drinks Mexican and Guatemalan restaurants serve. Some are so tasty I wonder why they never caught on in the States. For example, why don’t more people drink horchata ($2.25)? It’s a creamy, refreshing blend of sugar, soda and coconut milk that washes down the rice and beans delightfully. When you stop by Guanachapi’s, experiment a little with the

drink menu, and you might find a new drink to replace your current Diet or Coke Zero obsession. Of course, no meal is complete without dessert. The platanos con crema ($3.45), another Guatemalan classic, are fried plantains with sour cream. If you haven’t had this South American staple before, then try it. It’s that simple. Don’t think of it like eating a banana on a plate with a fork; it’s more like eating a wonderful, natural and creamy pastry with a light touch of sour cream to counterbalance the rich sweet taste. Two final tips: First, don’t eat too much or you’ll get a stomach ache (it is beans and cheese, after all). Second, disregard the first rule sometimes, and try everything you can on the menu. The author is a member of the Class of 2012 and a former editor of the Justice.

TUESday, MAY 22, 2012 ● THE JUSTICE

TOP of the

ARTS ON VIEW

TRIVIA TIME

CHARTS

1. Who wrote and performed the song “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard”? 2. My Fair Lady is a modern musical adaptation of which play? 3. The Palace of Versailles is located near what city? 4. What is the branch of physics that deals with light? 5. Who wrote Doctor Zhivago? 6. What is the American term for the British perambulator? 7. From what house did Great Britain’s King Edward VIII descend? 8. What does someone fear if he or she has chronomentrophobia? 9. What is an ichnite? 10. Which U.S. president said, “The chief business of the American people is business”?

ANSWERS 1. Paul Simon 2. Pygmalion 3. Paris 4. Optics 5. Boris Pasternak 6. Baby carriage 7. The House of Windsor 8. Clocks 9. Fossil footprint 10. Calvin Coolidge

STRANGE BUT TRUE oIt was, unsurprisingly, comedian and writer W.C. Fields who said, “I am free of all prejudices. I hate everyone equally.”  Even if you haven’t heard the They Might Be Giants song “Istanbul (Not Constantinople),” you are probably aware that the Turkish metropolis has undergone name changes throughout its long history. It seems that when the name was Constantinople, it was common for residents of the area to refer to things “in the city,” which in the Aegean dialect of Greek is pronounced “is tan polin.” Eventually the name stuck, and in 1930 Turkish authorities formally adopted the name Istanbul.  The giant squid has the distinction of possessing the largest eyes of any animal—they’re as big as pie plates.  For a queen bee, laying 3,000 eggs is all in a day’s work.  Today only a quarter of Americans live in rural areas, evidencing a drastic change in the nature of the United States since its agrarian beginnings.  The next time you’re in the jungle observing gorillas, be sure to notice if one sticks out its tongue. That means it’s angry.  In the filming of the original Star Trek television series, the ship’s transporter was used simply to cut costs. With it, characters could move from one set to another without having to shoot costly landing scenes. As a side note, the sparkling effect that could be seen when characters were transported was created by aluminum dust.

Top 10s for the week ending May 20 BOX OFFICE

1. The Avengers 2. Dark Shadows 3. Think Like a Man 4. The Hunger Games 5. The Lucky One 6. The Five-Year Engagement 7. The Pirates! Band of Misfits 8. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel 9. Chimpanzee 10. Safe

NYT BESTSELLERS

Fiction 1. 11th Hour — James Patterson and Maxine Paetro 2. Deadlocked — Charlaine Harris 3. Bring Up the Bodies — Hilary Mantel 4. The Road to Grace — Richard Paul Evans 5. In One Person — John Irving JOSHUA LINTON/The Justice

CALMING VIEW: Photography Editor Joshua Linton ’14 captured this image of an abandoned chair floating in a pond near the Charles River Apartments at sunrise on the first day of summer break.

ACROSS 1. Lose it 5. Bit of derring-do 9. Wager 12. Top-notch 13. Jason’s ship 14. “Go, team!” 15. Fictional girl detective 17. Work with 18. Plumed military hats 19. Host 21. Type measure 22. Donny’s sister 24. Brazen 27. Highland hat 28. Skirt feature, maybe 31. Shock and 32. Catcher’s place? 33. A billion years 34. Accomplishment 36. Dawn goddess 37. Penny 38. Marine from Mayberry 40. “Little Women” woman 41. Less improved 43. Mountain range 47. A Gershwin 48. Super Bowl XLIV MVP 51. Chaps 52. Tittle 53. Money 54. Cauldron 55. Vacationing 56. Art Deco pioneer DOWN 1. Without 2. Ark captain 3. Faris or Paquin 4. Ate like a bird 5. Crazes 6. Blunder 7. Time of your life? 8. Pisa landmark 9. Martial-arts film star 10. Facility 11. Quaker’s pronoun 16. Thither 20. Wrong (prefix) 22. City head 23. Iowa city

CROSSWORD

Nonfiction 1. The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson — Robert A. Caro 2. In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin — Erik Larson 3. Most Talkative: Stories from the Front Lines of Pop Culture — Andy Cohen 4. Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake — Anna Quindlen 5. Heaven is For Real: A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of His Trip to Heaven and Back — Todd Burpo and Lynn Vincent

iTUNES

24. Awful 25. Have debts 26. Shampoo Oscar winner 27. Genealogy chart 29. Charged bit 30. Stick with a kick 35. Two, in Tijuana 37. Strong-arm 39. TV, radio, etc. 40. Triangular sail 41. Weakling 42. Black-and-white cookie 43. Convince 44. Back 45. Leftovers 46. Arthur of tennis 49. Tier 50. Greek vowel

1. Carly Rae Jepson — “Call Me Maybe” 2. Gotye feat. Kimbra —“Somebody That I Used to Know” 3. Flo Rida feat. Sia — “Wild Ones” 4. fun. feat. Janelle Monáe — “We are Young” 5. Justin Bieber — “Boyfriend” 6. One Direction — “What Makes You Beautiful” 7. Jennifer Lopez feat. Pitbull — “Dance Again” 8. Train — “Drive By” 9. Pitbull — “Back in Time (From Men in Black III)” 10. Rihanna — “Where Have You Been”

BILLBOARD

1. Carrie Underwood — Blown Away 2. Adele — 21 3. Lionel Richie — Tuskegee 4. Various Artists — Now 42 5. Norah Jones — ... Little Broken Hearts Top of the Charts information provided by Fandango, the New York Times, Billboard. com and Apple.com.

Solution to last week’s crossword

SUDOKU INSTRUCTIONS: Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

 If you’re like the average American, you’ll eat nine pounds of peanuts this year.  Those who study such things say you’re more likely to be bitten by a mosquito if you’ve just eaten a banana. Thought for the Day: “Eminent posts make great men greater, and little men less.” — Jean de la Bruyere

Solution to last week’s sudoku

STAFF PLAYLIST

“Motown Jams” By MARIELLE TEMKIN

Justice MANAGING EDITOR

Songs on the radio lose their appeal quickly, but oldies stations play a solid selection of Motown hits that I never tire of. THE LIST 1. “ABC” — The Jackson 5 2. “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)” — The Four Tops 3. “Dancing in the Street” — Martha Reeves and the Vandellas 4. “The Great Pretender” — The Platters 5. “Penny Lane” — The Beatles 6. “That’ll Be the Day” — Buddy Holly 7. “Have You Ever Seen the Rain?” — Creedence Clearwater Revival 8. “I Heard it Through the Grapevine” — Marvin Gaye 9. “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay” — Otis Redding 10. “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” — The Temptations