The Justice, August 26, 2014 Issue

Page 1

ARTS PAGES 19

FORUM End partisan culture in DC 11

ROSE REVAMP

SPORTS Judges to focus on team races 13 The IndependenT STudenT newSpaper

the

of

BrandeIS unIverSITy SInce 1949

Justice

Volume LXVII, Number 1

www.thejustice.org

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

STUDENT LIFE

DRAWING A CROWD

Sexual assault policy shuffles ■ The Special Examiner’s

Process left the two students involved with concerns on the University’s protocol. By MARISSA DITKOWSKY JUSTICE EDITOR

This summer, the University’s protocol regarding cases of sexual misconduct among students has been publicly scrutinized—by both a student who claims to have survived multiple sexual assaults and the student he accused of assaulting him. The accused student was found guilty after the Special Examiner’s Process, but only received a disciplinary warning and sanctions to complete a special educational cur-

Waltham, Mass.

riculum. However, both students involved claimed that the University mishandled their case. Since the University’s actions during the investigation process have been reported on by the national media, several measures to reevaluate and improve the way in which Brandeis handles reported sexual assault cases have been taken. Since Joseph Babeu ’15, who initially filed a Community Standards Report against the accused student, posted a letter that the University sent to him explaining the results of the Special Examiner’s Process for his case to Facebook, the Brandeis community has led an outcry via social media rallying support for him. The accused student has asked to remain anonymous. Many students reposted the let-

See PROTOCOL, 7 ☛

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

LaFarr chosen as executive director ■ The University has hired

Michael LaFarr to manage the Psychological Counseling Center and Health Center. By KATHRYN BRODY AND MARISSA DITKOWSKY JUSTICE EDITORIAl ASSISTANT AND EDITOR

This July, the University appointed Michael LaFarr, the former associate director of the Psychological Counseling Center, to take over the position of executive director of the University’s Health and Wellness Resources. LaFarr will oversee the Psychological Counseling Center and the Golding Health Center, and work closely with Assistant Vice President for Health and Wellness and Director of Athletics Sheryl Sousa ’90. The position was created after Hodgins Beckley Consulting, a consulting firm specializing in higher education health care management, released a review of Brandeis’ health and wellness resources last November. The review was commissioned by the administration in order to give a detailed overview of the status of the

health and wellness resources. Various organizational problems were revealed by the review, according to a November 5 Justice article, and the administration stated then that it hoped to address these problems by installing an executive director. Among the problems noted was a lack of communication within the Health Center. At the PCC, the review stated that the “wait times for intake appointments can be a serious concern.” Most students who are new patients to the PCC, according to the report, are not necessarily seen within the oneweek period that the center advertises as its maximum admittance time. In an email to the Justice, LaFarr wrote that his new position is concerned with a “wellness component [that] is about proactive/health education and outreach efforts in ... three areas,” which include the PCC, the Health Center and nutrition thereby solving the communication gap noted in the report. Dr. Robert Berlin, the former senior director of the PCC, has retired. And in addition to her current position as senior associate director, Joy von Steiger has been named clinical

See LAFARR, 7 ☛

MORGAN BRILL/the Justice

Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel addressed incoming first-years at the convocation ceremony this Sunday afternoon on Chapels Field.

STUDENT ACTIVISM

University responds to petition

■ The University published a

plan to address the concerns of Brandeis Students Against Sexual Violence. By HANNAH WULKAN JUSTICE EDITORIAl ASSISTANT

On June 12, the University published a response to a petition created on April 8 by Brandeis Students Against Sexual Violence—a group that formed in the spring and is not recognized by the University as a club or group—which garnered 2,706 signatures as of press time. The petition listed a set of demands made to the University, calling for it to revise and expand protocols and resources for handling reported sexual assaults. In the petition, B.SASV listed 11 specific demands, asking for clear and accessible information on existing reporting paths, options and resources,

a permanent on-call crisis response counselor, a psychologist on the Psychological Counseling Center staff who specializes in sexual trauma, violence and assault for long-term counseling and proper training of University staff, faculty and administrators on the roles and responsibilities of mandated reporters and responsible employees under Title IX. The group also asked for workshops addressing pro-social bystander intervention, effective consent and healthy relationships at Orientation and throughout the entire school year, specific sexual assault response training of Brandeis police, an effective campus-wide campaign to combat rape culture, awareness of non-abusive sexual behavior and list of resources as part of party registration process, safety networks for students and engaging broader campus resources and a permanent rape crisis center. On the University’s website, a webpage posted in June responded to each

See B.SASV, 3 ☛

Iconic professor passes

Into the box

Provost departs

Former English Professor Allen Grossman was a champion for poetry and the humanities.

The men’s soccer team begins the year ranked No. 17 in the country

Steve Goldstein ’78 will leave the position after serving for about four years

FEATURES 8 For tips or info email editor@thejustice.org

request individually, explaining exactly what they have planned. On Aug. 21, Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel wrote in an email to students that the University has created a website that lists sexual assault services and reporting procedures and processes. They have also published two different resource guides that will be widely available around campus called “A Resource Guide for Sexual Assault Survivors” and “Sexual Assault on Campus: Supporting Our Students—A Step-by-Step Guide for Faculty and Staff.” In the response, the University said it also plans to work with Sheila McMahon, the first sexual assault services and prevention specialist who was hired last academic year to expand sexual assault emergency response services to a 24/7 model. They have established a new student-run Rape Crisis Center located by McMahon’s

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

INDEX

SPORTS 16 ARTS SPORTS

17 16

EDITORIAL FEATURES

10 8

OPINION POLICE LOG

10 2

NEWS 3 COPYRIGHT 2014 FREE AT BRANDEIS. Email managing@thejustice.org for home delivery.


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