The Brandeis Hoot - 10/26/2012

Volume 9 Number 23

www.thebrandeishoot.com

Brandeis University’s Community Newspaper • Waltham, Mass.

Student concerns raised at strategic plan town halls

By Lassor Feasley Staff

and Rachel Hirschhaut Editor

Following the release of individual subcommittee reports last week, students voiced concerns and perspectives over the preliminary framework of the strategic plan in a series of open workshops this month.

The largest source of contention did not involve the clauses present in the framework, but those absent from it. The framework, which will be used to produce a final draft in January, will serve as the foundation for a new strategic plan.

In Tuesday’s student meeting with Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel, students suggested a wide range of improvements.

Jacklyn Gil ’14 explained how Brandeis could remap the campus to consolidate all academic, social and student life resources into respective areas. Dorian Williams ’13 expressed desire for more living-learning communities, and “cooperative living” within dorms like the Village, where hall programs could revolve around

environmentalism and preparing communal meals. Williams also emphasized the need to play a more active role in dealing with climate change. Flagel responded that the university, consistently a winner of silver and gold LEED certifications, plans to invest $5 million into changing the energy systems on campus.

Lawrence opened last week’s meeting with comments reflecting his frustration with the unrealistic proposals some participants had presented at previous workshops.

“On certain issues, I have a rationally-closed mind,” Lawrence said, referring directly to the potential creation of a law school or medical school at Brandeis. He advocated “leveraging the model” by building to the schools strengths, rather than injecting new programs which might exhaust school capital and fail to integrate with the school’s developmental goals. Lawrence voiced hope that the workshops would produce a document with “a large majority saying ‘that’s the school I love, recognize and aspire to.”

The presented plan had boiled See PLAN, page 4

METAMORPHOSIS

Staff

One of the most striking accusations against the White House this election cycle is its supposed policy of “picking winners and losers” in the economy. This first became a perennial talking point against the president with the failure of Solyndra Corporation, a solar power company, which the Obama administration gave more than $500 mil-

lion in taxpayer backed loan guarantees.

This month, the Waltham-based A123 Systems, another green energy initiative failed. The company, which received more than $200 million dollars in federal grants, specialized in manufacture of specialized batteries, often used in electric and hybrid cars.

Already, Romney has pounced on the bankruptcy, claiming it reflects a broader failed policy within the

Editor

photo by maya himmelfarb/the hoot metamorphosis Brandeis Ensemble Theatre presents Metamorphoses by

Mary Zimmerman Thursday to Sunday.

administration.

“A123’s bankruptcy is yet another failure for the president’s disastrous strategy of gambling away billions of taxpayer dollars on a strategy of government-led growth that simply does not work,” a Romney spokeswoman told reporters earlier this month.

According to the Wall Street Journal, more than 30 companies specializing in high performance and experimental batteries have been

Editor

Ruth Shapiro, who through philanthropic gifts with her husband Carl, transformed the university’s campus infrastructure and identity under former President Jehuda Reinharz, died on Oct. 14 in Boston surrounded by her family. She was 95.

Married for 73 years, the Shapiros, neither of whom attended Brandeis, made their first gift, of $10, to the university in 1950. After accumulating a fortune by manufacturing women’s apparel in a New Bedford factory, the couple established the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Foundation in 1961.

In the coming decades, they would

Inside this issue:

donate millions to Boston’s leading educational, medical and cultural institutions, including, in 2000 the largest gift in Brandeis’ history -- $22 million to build the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Campus Center, completed in September 2002. They also donated funds to build the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Admissions Center, completed in 2009 and the Carl J. Shapiro Science Center, completed in summer 2009.

Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement Nancy Winship recalled Ruth Shapiro’s elegance, generosity and attention to detail.

“She was a woman of such elegance and taste, understated but always exquisite in quiet way,” Winship said.

See SHAPIRO, page 8

Page 3 News: Brandeis narrows size of student body Features: Heller scientist studies soldiers’ health Page 8 Page 9 Arts, Etc.: ‘Escape’ extols family Sports: ’Deis Football: a footnote in history Page 13 Editorials: Secretary’s emails innapropriate Page 16 Page 17 Opinion: On-campus dining is lacking

beneficiaries of government support in one form or another. Two, including A123, have gone bankrupt. Several of A123’s factories have been purchased in bankruptcy by another company named Johnston Controls, which plans to salvage A123’s automotive operations, which should lighten the collateral damage of the proceeding by retaining employment and recoverSee A123, page 5

Brandeis has sold its President’s house in Newton. After selling the historic home in 1990 and then buying it again, at the beginning of former university president Jehuda Reinharz’ tenure as university president, the university sold the historic home after President Fred Lawrence moved into a rented Waltham apartment this summer.

The house at 66 Beaumont Avenue in Newton, located five miles from campus, was on the market for five months and sold quickly for a house valued at $2.21 million, according to Bill Burger, Associate Vice President of Communications. A Newton family bought it for $2.06 million dollars.

The 5,600-square-foot colonial with four bedrooms has a lot size of 35,000 square feet. It was built circa 1910 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1998.

“The house is configured for entertaining on a large scale,” Brandeis’ real estate broker, Ezra Stillman of Hammond Residential Real Estate, told the Boston Herald earlier this month.

“You could comfortably have a party for 100 guests because you have some very large rooms and the kitchen has three ovens, multiple fridges—multiple everything.”

It is notable that the university sold the house because of its long history as an off-campus extension of Brandeis.

The university acquired it in 1948, the same year that Brandeis was founded.

University presidents beginning with Abram Sachar, Brandeis’ founding president, have lived there and hosted many prominent public figures, including Albert Einstein, Eleanor Roosevelt and the Dalai Lama.

The house was sold for the first time in 1990, to Roger Berkowitz, founder See HOUSE, page 3

Women’s soccer now 11-3-1

Ruth Shapiro, key benefactor who transformed campus, dies at 95

By Jon Ostrowsky

Univ house sold for $2.06M

By Rachel Hirschhaut

Waltham-based A123 Systems files for bankruptcy

By Lassor Feasley

October 26, 2012

eye on the ball Judges beat Lesley 1-0 Oct. 18, with their season record at 11-3-1.

Adagio “Unleashed”

Swimming’s return

Arts, Etc.: Page 10

Sports: Page 13

Adagio Dance Company puts on its annual show with 21 dances, ranging from hip hop to lyrical.

Swimming and diving teams compete in their first meets since the pool closed in 2008.

photo by nate rosenbloom/the hoot

news

2 The Brandeis Hoot

Students holds multi-partisan debate

By Debby Brodsky Editor

Brandeis held a multi-partisan debate Wednesday night, that offered political club leaders an opportunity to share their beliefs on pressing political issues. The debate, moderated by the politics department, was organized into discussions on the economy, foreign policy and social issues, much like the structure of the recent Presidential and Vice-Presidential debates.

Represented at the debate were Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), Brandeis College Republicans (BCR), Young Americans for Liberty (YAL), the Brandeis Libertarian-Conservative Union (BLCU) and the Brandeis Democrats (’Deis Dems).

The debate focused heavily on the current economic situation, and each club representative was given a tightly-moderated 60 seconds to express his or her club’s viewpoints, followed by an optional rebuttal from opposing clubs.

“We are not in an economic recovery,” Nipun Marwaha ’12, of BCR said. “Unemployment has only recently dropped below 8 percent, which means banks shouldn’t be running around willy nilly. If we reign in government that’s trying to manipulate the market, that’s how we’ll get an economic recovery.”

Contrary to Marwaha’s strong belief that the United States is not in an economic recovery, Russell Leibowitz ’14 of ’Deis Dems responded, “We don’t have a slowdown in the economy anymore, we’re in a recovery.

We’ve had 30-straight months of private sector job growth, and we need to adjust existing debt in a balanced way. There should be $2.5 of spending cuts for every $1 of revenue increase.

It’s not just as simple as saying we need to cut spending,” Leibowitz said, emphasizing that cutting spending could seriously hurt funds designated for impoverished children or federal support funds for college students.

Aaron Fried, ’14 of YAL, presented

a much less balanced approach to the problem of the current national debt.

“We need to cut spending now,” Fried said. “We currently have $16 trillion in debt, so both parties need to stop spending. Republicans especially need to realize that we can’t keep up this military spending.

What’s the point in having 150 military bases overseas?”

Daniel Goulden ’14 of SDS presented a viewpoint much like that of students who attended Occupy Boston last year in Boston’s Dewey Square.

He criticized big business and the “1 percent” for taking over our government.

“Nothing is going to get done if big businesses continue to shut down our government. The 1 percent has taken over our government, and it’s impossible to get anything done.” Goulden continued to criticize U.S. military spending, saying “Why on Earth do we need a global military? The United States exists in the Western Hemisphere and it should stay there. The majority of our money is going to the military, which we don’t need.”

Goulden emphasized that SDS is a leadership-less club, where much like at the Occupy protests, club decisions are reached through a consensus vote.

“Everyone in SDS is equal and has an equal say. We protect the rights of minorities and the people who don’t speak as much. The government is a way for the community to work together to come to decisions, and should be made up of community members. Government shouldn’t be like our current government where citizens have a voice only once in four years,” Goulden said.

Goulden continued to emphasize that the only way to solve the U.S. financial crisis is to “make the richest people in our country pay their fair share. This is an easy crisis to solve,” Goulden said. “We need to cut military spending, make the rich pay more and make sure that big banks don’t run our country.”

As the debate continued, the discussion topic gradually shifted to

health care, and American access to it. Nahum Gilliat ’14 of YAL spoke of his loss of hope for the future of programs like Medicare and Social Security.

“Medicare and Social Security are both unsustainable,” Gilliat said.

“There is investment fraud, so Social Security can’t last. You need a constant supply of new investors in these programs, and our generation represents the latest batch of investors who are getting screwed having to pay for Baby Boomers. Medicare is just putting in less and getting out more, therefore it is not sustainable. No future in these programs for our generation, and we need to phase them out right away, to let the young opt out.”

Leibowitz countered Gilliat’s comment with a more balanced point of view.

“Medicare and Social Security have their issues, but they aren’t ponzi schemes and we shouldn’t get rid of them. People who earn more money, currently pay less. That should change. We should also raise the retirement age because we live in an age where people live longer and work longer. By doing so we can ensure everyone is paying into these programs to make sure they’re solvent for many years to come,” Leibowitz said.

Contrary to Gilliat and Leibowitz, Goulden stressed that health care of all kinds should be free in the United States. “No man is an island, we need to provide free health care for each other,” Goulden said. “We need health care reform, which we didn’t get under Obama. We have the highest health care costs out of many countries and poor delivery of care.

We need a system where everyone has access to free health care. We need to provide this human right.”

Following a lengthy discussion on the state of the American economy, club representatives spoke about issues such as the rise in tuition rates, national security and social issues like the legalization of marijuana and same-sex marriage.

October 26, 2012

College Notebook

Amherst sexual assault leads to policy changes

photo from internet source

By Gordy Stillman Editor

An article published in Amherst College’s student newspaper, The Amherst Student, on Oct. 17 published former student, Angie Epifano’s account of her experience at the school after being raped in May 2011 at the end of her first year.

During her sophomore year, after experiencing a breakdown and going to her school’s counseling center, as her article reminds readers she was encouraged to do, she ended up in the Psychiatric Ward of the local hospital.

She then encountered problems returning to the school. Amherst policy required parental supervision for a period of two weeks before full readmission would occur.

Without her parents here, she still managed to return to Amherst. After working on her recovery, including a continuation of her plans to study in Africa during her junior year, she found herself extremely limited by restrictions enforced by the administration, including the cancellation of her study abroad plans. After making a pros and cons list regarding Amherst, in which the cons outnumbered the pros by more than three to one, she withdrew from the college.

In preparing to leave, she learned through the Boston-based Victims Rights Law Center that Amherst was known for problematic policies regarding victims of crimes. As might be expected, Amherst leadership made numerous attempts to convince her to stay. She did not. As she put it in her article, “He [her rapist] graduated with honors. I will not graduate

from Amherst.”

Administrators tried to convince her that she should take some time off and then return to Amherst later.

Epifano made detailed plans to work at a dude ranch in Wyoming. That too was criticized with arguments that Wyoming was not like Amherst; that Wyomingites, at least the people at the ranch, would not be well educated and wouldn’t understand her.

Last Thursday, the day after the article was published, Amherst College President Biddy Martin released a statement regarding the university’s policies and response to the article.

In the statement, she announced that she was investigating the handling of Epifano’s case. Additionally, Martin assured students that there “will be consequences for any problems we identify, either with procedures or personnel.”

Reminding students that issues such as sexual misconduct and assault are some of the most difficult and consequential problems on campuses and not unique to Amherst, she stated that Amherst’s “commitment to community, and its size” should lead it to becoming a model for other schools.

After releasing the statement, Martin hosted a meeting open to students as an opportunity for students to share their experiences. From that meeting, steps announced include adding student membership to the school’s Title IX committee, improving campus support resources and various other changes. Additionally, with the help of nationally recognized legal and policy expert Gina Smith, new policy recommendations will be considered.

Ethics center brings renowned peace builder to campus

By Nathan Murphy Needle Staff

Visiting practitioner and peacebuilder Michel Noureddine Kassa has spent over a decade building bridges between warring parties in Zaire and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

He spent last week in residence on campus, during which he delivered lectures and held talks concerning his experience promoting humanitarian diplomacy in war-torn African states.

During his stay, which was hosted by the International Center for Ethics, Justice & Public Life, Kassa participated in events shedding light on the current situation in Africa, leading up to a keynote address in Rapaporte Treasure Hall last Thursday.

“I can’t overstate how it is to feel that what we are trying to achieve on the ground, on the other side of the planet, is understood and can yield so much empathy,” Kassa said.

In his career as a peacebuilder,

Kassa has worked with Congress and the United Nations to promote peaceful ideals and cooperation throughout the continent. In 1995, he began his work as the head of the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the DRC, which is ranked last of 187 countries on the Human Development Index.

According to Marci McPhee, associate director of the Ethics Center, Kassa is the most recent of six distinguished visiting practitioners.

“One of the overarching principles of the work of the ethics center is the bridge between scholarship and practice,” McPhee said. “It undergirds everything we do … nowhere is it more evident on campus than when we bring these distinguished visiting practitioners. It serves to bridge scholarship and practice as students are learning in the classroom, but also hearing from someone that has this lived experience that can inform their thinking.”

For five years, the Visiting Distinguished Practitioner program has

brought world-renowned thinkers to spend a week on campus, which McPhee described as “the longest week of their lives.” During this time, the practitioner teams up with a faculty sponsor from any university department, funded by a grant from the Ethics Center for travel and other expenses. The practitioners make visits to classes and clubs, holds public events, shares advice with students interested in following a similar career path, and meets with individuals oneon-one.

According to ethics student and debate team member Kateri Spear ’15, “the Distinguished Visiting Practitioner program is a great initiative for students to contextualize ethical dilemmas that are static and theoretical in the classroom setting. Kassa engaged the audience in the problems of reaching stability when multiple factions’ interests are involved … the talk highlighted the difficulties in remaining objectively interested in all parties involved in a conflict.” photo by nate rosenbloom/the hoot

October 26, 2012

NEWS 3

The Brandeis Hoot

String of car robberies alarms campus

By Jon Ostrowsky Editor

With several cars broken into and one student the victim of an unarmed robbery earlier this month, university police have urged students to remain cognizant of criminal activity.

Community members reported at least four cars parked in the Theater and South Residence parking lots broken into on Oct. 13-14, one of them forcibly, with GPS navigation units and money stolen, director of public safety Ed Callahan said.

In a separate incident, an unarmed suspect robbed a female graduate student walking on Oct. 7 on Moody Street at the River Walk, shortly before midnight, Callahan said. The male suspect, described as wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans, took the student’s wallet with money and personal items.

“Tough economy that precipitates these things. Sometimes it’s a factor,” Callahan said. “Things have been relatively quiet, but it’s kind of peculiar that someone would come into the fringes of the campus.”

Several of the cars were left unlocked overnight, and police reminded students not only to always lock vehicles, but also to remove the GPS holders and suction cups often left on windshields, which reveals that a GPS

is likely inside the car.

Following a notification to the community on Monday, a student living off campus at the Charlesbank Estates also reported her car entered and a GPS stolen early Sunday morning.

University police increased patrols in parking lots, and reviewed surveillance video footage but because the camera pans across both parking lots, police have not yet found footage of the incidents.

Waltham Mayor Jeannette McCarthy, who had her own house broken into within the past year, said that the city’s increased number of break-ins to cars and homes could be linked to the economy’s slow recovery.

“Overall, with the economy, we are having a little spate of things like that but we are vigilant,” McCarthy said.

The Mayor said that a common technique for house break-ins has involved suspects ringing the doorbell and then entering after no one comes to the door.

Regarding, the unarmed robbery, Waltham Police reported the incident to the university, and Callahan notified the community in an email on Oct. 9. He explained how the student tried to catch the suspect immediately after the incident.

“The community member chased after him but obviously couldn’t catch the person,” Callahan said.

Univ sells historic Newton home for $2.06M

photo by max shay/the hoot

Callahan reminded students to remain aware of surroundings at night, and to keep wallets or purses out of plain sight.

“You have to be cognizant of your surroundings,“ Callahan said. “You basically just have to walk with a friend or walk in a group and stay in well-lit areas.”

McCarthy said that Waltham Po-

Editor

HOUSE, from page 1

of Legal Sea Foods. Brandeis reacquired it in 1994 to accommodate Reinharz at the start of his presidency. Reinharz and his wife, Shulamit, director of the Women’s Studies Research Center, lived there from 1994 until 2009, when he retired. At this point, the house needed “TLC and some significant repairs and maintenance work,” Burger said.

The university decided to sell the President’s House this year, when instead of moving to the mansion, Lawrence and his wife, Dr. Kathy Lawrence, moved from a rented Cambridge apartment to one of the newly renovated Watch Factory Apartments on Crescent Street along the Charles River in Waltham. The university signed a three-year lease on the apartment, according to Mark Collins, senior vice president for administration.

Lawrence is now the first Brandeis president to permanently reside in Waltham. Past presidents lived in university-owned houses in Weston and West Newton, or in their own homes. Lawrence, however, chose to live within walking distance of campus, less than a mile away, instead of a university-rented apartment in Cambridge so that he could become a more active and visible participant in daily student life.

Now, Lawrence easily strolls back

and forth from campus on Friday nights after attending Brandeis Shabbat dinners, and occasionally invites students over for dinner.

“Brandeis is a big part of this city and we’re excited about joining the Waltham community as residents,” Lawrence said in a statement earlier this year to BrandeisNOW. “It will be more convenient for students, faculty, staff, trustees and friends of the university to join us at our home. It is something we really enjoy and this will allow us to do more of it,” he said.

“Yes, the President’s House does have important historical value and sentimental value for some people, but that was not enough to outweigh the Lawrences’ desire to be closer to campus, and have more frequent meaningful interactions with students,” Burger said.

Reinharz, who entertained students, faculty, alumni and friends at the house constantly, said that he respect’s the university’s decision to do what Lawrence and the board think is best.

“It’s really not for me to say what is the right thing for the current president and the board of trustees,” Reinharz said.

The sale of the house will also benefit Brandeis financially, according to Burger. Brandeis plans to keep the proceeds from the sale and use them to continue improving campus after the economic downturn, or keep them to possibly invest in another presidential residence in the future.

data available. Last fall, police reported the robbery of a student in a men’s restroom by a suspect with an unidentified object, following a large concert and dance on campus.

In fall 2010, two students also reported assaults and unarmed robberies off campus on Bedford St. and South St.

Univ narrows size of student body

By Connor Novy

photo from internet source

lice regularly patrol the area near the River Walk, including the use of officers on bikes. In addition, she recommended residents to use the city’s anonymous tip line as part of neighborhood crime watch efforts.

In 2011, university police reported one robbery, three burglaries, and one motor vehicle theft on campus, according to the most recent crime

Brandeis, according to a report that Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel presented to faculty on Oct. 12, is narrowing the size of its student body from the 2008 crisis, which led to a surge in population due to financial strain, but still maintaining its commitment to diversity.

“What we’re already seeing in trajectory would be explosive and somewhat stunning in the next couple of years,” Flagel said, adding that the university is poised for a change in the student body.

What the Brandeis student body will look like, however, is unclear.

“I think it’s a fascinating question. I hope that we will look steadily more diverse, and I mean that on a number of levels,” he added.

The percentage of international students attending United States colleges has increased dramatically over the past decade. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, 2011 claimed a 5 percent increase, the highest since 2008.

Many universities, including the University of Washington, where 18 percent of the 2016 incoming class is international, have openly admitted to accepting larger percentages of their international applicants in order to increase their university’s revenue.

“Any institution that is looking to maintain its access needs a number of students who are paying more so that other students can pay less,” Flagel said. “Whether that be international or domestic has been a way schools have explored it, but not the only way schools have explored it.”

International students do not have access to federal grants and loans, and though there are a number of programs that Brandeis offers to help fund non-U.S. residents, inter-

national students often pay a larger fraction of the full tuition bill.

“It’s not an easy challenge, with resource constraint,” said Flagel, to provide all students with their entire financial need. Part of the previous administrative plan, called CARS, called for a dramatic increase in the size of the student body in order to cover costs during the financial recession. The extra students, however, increased stress elsewhere on the campus.

Last year, Brandeis found difficulty housing the widely expanded class of 2015. According to Flagel, feedback from the student body and faculty acknowledged the desire for smaller future class size. As the university recovers financially from the 2008 financial downturn, class sizes become smaller.

After a sharp increase last year, the 2012 admissions numbers have dropped by .88 percent. The class of 2016 has about 50 fewer students than the prior year. While the number does not yet include mid-year or transfer applicants, Flagel believes the trend—a conscious decision on part of university administrators— will hold.

“I think all in all, we’ll meet all our fiscal-metric goals for the year while having less resource stress on the campus,” Flagel said. Despite the nominal increase in student body, Flagel says Brandeis has had a steady percentage of financial aid paid out to the student body. Students were receiving relatively the same level of financial, despite the increased number of those in need.

The Institute of International Education reports that foreign students in the United States contribute about $21 billion a year to the national economy. It is appealing to universities to charge international students, who value a United States education far above one in their home country, additional fees to

attend. Purdue has instituted that a $1,000 surcharge will double the following year.

While Brandeis has no additional charges, the administration reports a huge increase in the number of overseas applicants. “We’ve had a huge surge,” Flagel said, which he attributes to transitional programs, which train English proficiency for students who are otherwise qualified to attend Brandeis, but are not up to the fluency standard. “It’s one of the reasons we’ve grown precipitously in both international reputation and enrollment.”

With national rates on the rise in far larger numbers—some universities report over 10 percent more overseas students—Brandeis’ international student population has increased by 8 percent since 2008.

Twelve percent of the student body hails from outside the U.S. Language fluency is one of the largest concerns with the rising population of overseas residents.

“I think that with all of our admissions decisions, our starting point should be, are we admitting students who are going to contribute to and benefit from what Brandeis has to offer?”

SAT scores are down slightly from last year, following the country’s average. Flagel, however, believes that while the Common Application will lead to a surge in application numbers, the admissions methods used to admit students will lead to a less traditional student body.

He believes that as Brandeis transfers completely to the Common Application, application rates will increase dramatically, leaving the administration in a position to choose the face of its student body.

“The question of who we select out of that pool becomes harder and harder.”

4 NEWS

The Brandeis Hoot

October 26, 2012

AAAS sponsors race and gender discussion, Hill moderates

By Nathan Murphy Needle Staff

Three local activists and scholars gave their thoughts on race and gender in the election Tuesday night, in a forum moderated by Professor Anita Hill (HS) and sponsored by the African and Afro-American Studies department. The panel, the first of two forums preceding the election next month, was held in Boston’s South End and was widely attended by members of the Brandeis and Greater Boston community.

Hill posed questions to the three panelists, who responded with insights from their knowledge and life experience as erudite activists. The panelists included Callie Crossley, host of “The Callie Crossley Show on Boston Public Radio,” Lani Guinier and Kenneth Mack, both professors at Harvard Law School.

“They are leaders in their fields

who have worked with democracy and election projects,” Hill said of the speakers. “Rather than talking about the election, they’ve actually done some work on it.”

The topic of race took center stage, as the three gave their opinions on what stance Obama has—and should—take on the role race plays in politics. “Race is everywhere, and it’s nowhere,” Mack said.

Mack added that previous elections have been devoid of race, a topic that both parties have avoided in recent years. While politicians have avoided talking directly about race, it is ever present in the election, with hate speech such as “put the white back in the White House” and Newt Gingrich’s reference to Obama as a “foodstamp president.”

Guinier added that race and merit have become the language of class, and avoiding the talk about race steers-clear of discussion of a skewed class system.

“We need a new narrative about how wealth is distributed in this society,” Guinier said. “Race is everywhere, but it can’t be talked about.”

Clay Campbell ’13, said the talk about race and minority groups is essential to the election. “Politicians should not be afraid to talk about race. It is a polarizing issue, but discourse is necessary,” Campbell said.

“It’s not always the case that constituents determine the issues that candidates are addressing; people talk about the issues that candidates are talking about.”

Campbell added that he was slightly disappointed by the overly onesided discussion by the panelists. “I left the panel feeling a bit torn. I’m disappointed with the nature of the political discourse because it has become so polarizing that liberals seem to have lost the ability to be self-criticizing. All of the panelists were reluctant to say anything critical about the president.”

Despite the packed audience and passionate question-and-answer session, there was little discussion of gender by either the panelists or the public. “Gender did seem to fall out of the conversation,” said Chad Williams, Brandeis professor and AAAS chair. “I think this speaks to the difficulty, even among scholars, of connecting gender to discussions of race.”

At one point, Hill posed a question that tied the two issues together, and the panelists struggled to answer. “I certainly hope that we do have more discussion about gender at the campus forum on Tuesday, and expect that we will,” Williams said.

A key driving force behind the event, Williams was pleased with the evening.

“The panelists did a great job, considering how complex the role of race in our politics is and the numerous issues we could have potentially discussed,” he said. “I appreciated how the panelists provided a historical

context for understanding the function of race in the modern electoral process, and linking this to contemporary issues surrounding the election.”

Williams did note that while Hill was a logical choice to represent Brandeis and moderate, choosing the panelists was a difficult feat, as a number of speakers were in the running.

“Ultimately, we decided to focus on individuals who were in the Boston area, had connections to the community, and were engaged in addressing these issues from different perspectives,” Williams said. “I wish we had even more time for discussion, but we probably would have been there all night.”

Another forum will be moderated by Williams on campus Tuesday night, and will include professors Jill Greenlee (POL), Ibrahim Sundiata (HIST) and Daniel Kryder (POL).

Strategic plan committee reports released for feedback PLAN, from page 1

photo by maya himmelfarb/the hoot

down to five “Strategic Directions and Strategies” in an effort to narrow the scope of the discourse. Provost Steve Goldstein helped color the true nature of the document. “We have some of the most aggressive and vociferous placement coming out of the business school,” he said.

Goldstein hoped that the workshops would present solutions to create “synergy” between the branches of the school. “Our strengths are diffuse, we need to bring them together,” said Goldstein. If we build a program based on the pieces we already have … we can own special niches. Maybe one day it turns into a medical school, maybe it doesn’t.”

But rather than building off of the framework provided in print to

everyone in attendance, the scope of commentary seemed boundless.

One participant complained bitterly about clauses emphasizing Brandies’ role in the Jewish community, saying they “had disappeared entirely.” Others despaired at the lack of common interdisciplinary space. Still others chided that the framework did not address the lack of athletic sponsorship at Brandeis.

A common concern among students was the need for Brandeis to “go against the status quo” in regards to social justice and take bold stances on issues.

“We should lead by action, not just by name,” said Daniel Goulden ’14, a member of several student activist groups. “It is cool that Brandeis was a space for left-wing radicals and people who were marginalized in the 1950s, and we should continue that today.”

During last week’s committee meet-

ing, Goldstein summed up his hopes for the planning process: “We’re trying to be practical in these financially demanding times, we are trying to think about the value proposition in the way we use our own resources and what we offer to students.”

By inviting such a large range of constituencies to participate so actively, the administration might be forced to ignore a large portion of the feedback they receive, or turn the framework into a meandering list of demands. Flagel believes the input, however, may come to fruition. “The plan is a living document,” Flagel said.

“As much as ever, it depends on your input.”

According to Flagel, the next phase of the strategic plan depends on feedback from the board of trustees. Administration officials are in the process of writing the next draft of the plan.

Ridgewood residence hall renamed in honor of Reinharz

By Dori Cohen Staff

In recognition of the contributions to Brandeis by former President Jehuda Reinharz during his service to the university, Brandeis University’s Board of Trustees voted on Oct. 15 to rename Ridgewood A the Jehuda Reinharz Residence Hall.

“By any measure, Jehuda transformed the university,” President Fred Lawrence wrote in an email announcing the trustees’ action.

During his 17-year tenure, Reinharz, who announced his resignation in 2009 and left office at the end of 2010, led a campuswide expansion that included 36 endowed faculty and staff positions, 29 new or renovated campus buildings, and 17 new research centers and institutes.

“Ever since my graduate school days at Brandeis, beginning in 1968, I heard about the inadequacies of student residences,” Reinharz said in the university’s announcement. “Ridgewood was beloved, but needed major reno-

vations, and we were able to raise the funds to create state-of-the-art residence halls there. I am proud to have my name attached to this residence hall, and I am grateful to President Lawrence and the Board of Trustees for honoring me in this way.”

Upon arriving at Brandeis, Reinharz said students repeatedly voiced concerns about Ridgewood. “It became clear that they [the dorms] were no longer functional and no longer safe,” Reinharz said, explaining how the goal was to begin construction as soon as possible.

Reinharz received a doctorate in modern Jewish history from Brandeis in 1972. He then went on to teach at the University of Michigan before becoming the Richard Koret Professor of Modern Jewish History at Brandeis in 1982, and provost and senior vice president for academic affairs from 1991 to 1994, after which he was named the seventh president of Brandeis University.

Reinhartz currently serves as director of the Tauber Institute, and president of the Mandel Foundation. photo by ally eller/the hoot

October 26, 2012

NEWS 5

The Brandeis Hoot

Univ again in running for ‘Most vegan-friendly college in US’

By Debby Brodsky Editor

For the seventh year in a row, Brandeis is in the running to be the most vegan-friendly college in the United States, according to a study conducted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

Brandeis was named the runner-up to Northwestern University last year, and is vying for first place this year.

The year before, Brandeis lost in the contest semi-finals.

According to Marta Holmberg, Associate Director of Youth Outreach and Campaigns for peta2, PETA’s youth division, there are a total of 64 colleges nominated this year, 32 large schools and 32 small schools.

“Round winners are determined by the number of votes received, the quality and variety of vegan foods offered by the schools, the schools’

enthusiasm in promoting vegan options, and student feedback,” Holmberg said. “The two winning schools—one large U.S. school and one small U.S. school—will hold the title of Most Vegan-Friendly College for a year and will also receive certificates recognizing this honor to hang in the school’s dining halls.”

Since peta2 began its annual “most vegan-friendly college in the U.S.” contest seven years ago, the number of students who identify as vegetarian on U.S. college campuses has risen by 50 percent, and the number of vegan students has more than doubled. This leap at Brandeis has been aided by student activism, and Aramark’s receptivity to student feedback. Aramark, Brandeis’ food service provider, is highly conscious of student likes and dislikes, and has adjusted its dining hall menu this

year to better serve the needs of vegan students.

“Just like all the nominees on our Most Vegan-Friendly Colleges list this year, Brandeis University has responded to student demand by offering delicious, cruelty-free dishes on campus, including vegan chili dogs, tofu scampi, sweet-and-sour vegan meatballs, and ginger-sesame noodles with tofu,” Holmberg said.

Director of Dining Services Aaron Bennos said Brandeis now offers an extensive range of vegan meals at multiple locations on campus. For example, students may choose between items like Indian pita wraps with cilantro-lime jicama slaw and bamboo broccoli salad, and sweet and sour vegan meatballs with steamed broccoli and toasted barley on a daily basis.

“Many of the Amy’s products that are approved on the C-Meal list are both

gluten free and vegan. Some are kosher, too. Sunneen products approved for the C-Meal in the P.O.D. Grab and Go cooler are all vegan.” Bennos said.

In addition to hundreds of other U.S. schools, both large and small, Brandeis Dining Services offers a variety of tasty non-vegetarian and nonvegan meal options as well. With new access to knowledge of how animals are bred and killed however, students nationwide are demanding vegetarian and vegan meal options for their own peace of mind, and to make an impact on the meat packing industry to show their support for pain-free ways of killing animals, free-range, cage-free meat and the environment.

In addition to meat-free diet choices, students are actively supporting sustainability and locally grown fruits and vegetables to support industry in Waltham and in Massachusetts. According to Bennos, Brandeis puts a high priority on the voice of its student body.

“There is an increased demand on vegan products, so we are increasing our offerings accordingly. However, I think many people are unaware of all the vegan products and menu items we do offer besides the Nature’s Balance location in the Usdan Café. We

welcome ideas for menu items. We have also added more protein items to the salad bar based on student feedback,” Bennos said.

Vegan and vegetarian needs are but one unique category. According to Bennos, the real challenge Brandeis Dining Services faces is creating spaces where they can serve customers that present these dietary restrictions.

There are students who keep kosher, are gluten free, dairy free, have allergies to peanuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, wheat and more. Dining Services also displays their concern for animal welfare in all campus locations by offering cage-free eggs, purchases locally grown products when in season and recycles and composts most of its trash.

“To give Brandeis the best chance possible, students who want to support their school in this competition should go to peta2.com to vote.

Round one voting ends on October 16, and final winners will be announced on Nov. 15,” Holmberg said.

“Dining is an important part of the college experience,” Bennos said. “By earning this recognition, we will feel proud that we are creating a positive experience for students who choose to be vegan.”

Mods party registrations reinstated

By Debby Brodsky Editor

photo by ally eller/the hoot

A123, with gov loans, goes bankrupt A123, from page 1

ing lost assets.

In defense of the government’s investment, Dan Leistikow, Director of Public Affairs for the U.S. Department of Energy, wrote a statement downplaying the failure.

“A123’s manufacturing facilities and technology will continue to be a vital part of America’s advanced battery industry,” Leistikow said, highlighting how the manufacturing capacity and technologies are not being shut down entirely, but instead merely consolidated into the broader industry.

According to Leistikow, when A123 Systems started its work five years ago, its battery technology cost nearly twice as much as they do today. Through its work, and the work of the industry, he argues that the failure can be written off as collateral damage in the government’s efforts to reduce the cost of clean technology. He concluded his statement by citing economic national defense prerogatives.

In its intervention in green energy markets, the United States is “continuing to support American workers and (create) new technolo-

gies that will reduce our dependence on foreign oil.”

The extent to which A123’s operations will continue under new management is still unclear. Johnson Controls has indicated that it plans to maintain operations in several of the factories it acquired, although its interest in the company

was probably motivated by intellectual property as well. It has committed up to $72 million to continue the operations of A123 in addition to the $125 million purchase price of the Automotive Assets. Other assets, like its municipal power business, are as of yet unaccounted for as the bankruptcy proceeding continues.

photo by nate rosenbloom/the hoot

Within the first few weeks of school, parties at the Foster Mods got out of hand, resulting in noise complaints to the Brandeis Police from nearby Waltham residents, crowding problems and trouble obeying the Open Container Policy that prohibits any consumption of alcohol outdoors. After meeting with Mods residents and university police, Community Living has reopened party registration in the quad.

“Within the first four weeks of classes we got reports of three underage alcohol transports from the Mods, which is scary,” George Marshall Jr., the Charles River and Foster Mods Community Development Coordinator (CDC) said. “It is against our policy and against the law to provide minors with alcohol. There were also a number of unregistered parties. Registering parties is a way to educate the party hosts about how much alcohol is in a handle of vodka, for instance.”

After this fall’s repeated run-ins with BEMCo and the Brandeis Police, the Department of Community Living, including Marshall, and Foster Mods Community Advisors, Sarit Friedman ’13 and Jeetayu Biswas ’13, enacted a one-week party registration freeze.

Marshall continued to say that there have been reports of items being stolen during parties. He also mentioned that there was a serious problem with the amount of people gravitating outside during parties, when Massachusetts state law and Brandeis Police both prohibit drinking alcohol outside, through the Open Container Policy.

“We wanted to put a hold on things because it felt like it was snowballing downward, and things seemed like they were getting out of control,” said Marshall. “This is pretty typical.

When you get a bunch of seniors together and you’re on your own, it’s a neighborhood environment where everyone is over 21. When you get a large crowd together it will inevitably create noise.”

During recent encounters with the Brandeis Police, some Foster Mods residents complained about experiencing occasional hostility from officers, even if the resident who called the police had not been drinking or attending a party. Marshall, Friedman and Biswas have addressed this issue by encouraging residents to politely request the name of the offending officer, and then report the name to them. They then would report the officer’s name to the Director of Public Safety. This, explained Marshall, is the best way to improve relations between police and students, and help students feel safe and welcome to call the police at any time.

“If there is a run in with an officer that seems rude, you can report that.

You can come to me and I can take it from there,” Marshall said.

The intent of the party registration freeze was not to punish Mods residents, Marshall said. Rather, the intent was to give residents a break, and to provide them with time to meet with Marshall, Friedman and Biswas to express concerns or questions.

This past Wednesday, Friedman and Biswas held a town hall-style forum with Mods residents to clarify unanswered questions and party registration guidelines. Senior level university staff was not permitted at the forum to ensure a sense of privacy.

“We put parties on hold to give us time to meet with the Mods senator and to give everybody a break. We want to move forward with this so Jeet and Sarit could hold the town hall forum and so Mods residents could be more aware of registration sheets.

There is a shared responsibility for what we and the Mods residents can do. They are adults, and we respect them,” Marshall added.

6 The Brandeis Hoot

features

October 26, 2012

Benbaraka recalls Morocco and challenges in United States

By Dana Trismen Editor

For the month of October, Aramark dining services have nominated Omar Benbaraka for Employee of the Month. Born in Casablanca, Morocco, Benbaraka has been employed by Aramark for eight years.

Benbaraka describes his hometown as “the biggest city there.” Passionate for soccer, he explored his enthusiasm for the sport by playing in Morocco for 10 years. Originally, Benbaraka held a job making tires, and would work as well as play on a club soccer team. In describing how the tire plant closed down, Benbaraka says, “when they closed, like it meant 740 people without jobs, and it’s hard to get work there, and I was so happy to get a job here.”

Benbaraka describes that his main difficulties in immigrating to the United States involved the language barrier and the weather.

“When I come here, it is very hard time. I came in wintertime, it was snowing, I never seen the snow in my life. We have snow in Morocco, but only in the mountains. I just saw the pictures,” Benbaraka said. He explained that when he first applied for his Visa, he did not know anyone living in the United States. By the time he moved, he located a friend of a friend who lived in Waltham. Despite the snow, Benbaraka said, “I love Waltham. Now it is like a second Casablanca.”

Benbaraka admitted that learning English came with many challenges.

He met these difficulties face on, with the help of Brandeis students. “I knew just a little English before I came here, students at Brandeis gave me free English, I really really appreciate it,” Benbaraka said, mentioning students who would teach him English for free.

He also admits that Brandeis students helped him pass his citizenship test.

Before working at Brandeis, Benbaraka held many jobs from landscaping to plowing. Once he began working for Aramark, his position shifted many times. “I started working the stocks, after that I work everywhere, dishes, everything, set up the room for parties, etc,” he said. Now, Benbaraka serves as a driver for Aramark, a job he describes as “I do everything, catering, going and picking up the food, and driving the truck around campus.” He claims his favorite part of his job is the mornings.

While Benbaraka has benefited from Brandeis students teaching him English, he eagerly repays his debt by engaging in relationships with students. “I start to get a relationship from talking and if you need help, call me, I am just five minutes from here,” Benbaraka said. He explains how he has given students rides to Logan Airport when students need to fly home and cannot find easy or cheap transportation. “I even see them waving at me in Waltham,” Benbaraka said.

“When I driving I stop to pick them

omar benbaraka Aramark employee of the month

up and bring them to school sometimes,” he added.

Benbaraka claims his favorite Aramark food is the sushi here at Brandeis. Environmentally conscious,

Benbaraka explains how “just today we were joking, I tell my friend, please stop sushi because not enough fish in the ocean!”

Benbaraka is proud of his accom-

photo by dana trismen/the hoot

plishment in winning Employee of the Month. “It is good because all the crew is hard working,” he said. “I was proud to be picked out of hard workers.”

Presentation highlights Mafia’s impact on Italian politics

By Victoria Aronson Editor

Following the 20th anniversary of the assassinations of Italian magistrates Falcone and Borsellino, who lost their lives in their struggle to combat the mafia, Alexander Stille, San Paolo Professor of International Justice at Columbia University, presented the lecture “Voicing the Outrage of Silence: The Mafia and Italian Politics” to the Brandeis community last Friday.

Denouncing the misperception of the mafia as “enjoying a mythical status as a supernatural being,” having been seen for years as “an anthropological phenomenon running through the veins of Sicily,” Stille expressed the need to sever the mafia’s ties to legitimate political institutions in order to eradicate its power.

Professor Paola Servino (ITAL) began the event, introducing Stille as “one of the most renowned and controversial writers and journalists of New York” citing his lecture as “a most powerful tribute to Judges Falcone and Borsellino.”

Commenting on the fear instigated by the presence of the mafia within a community, Stille recalled a local businessman who explained his lack of ambition by stating “I try to keep my business small, if it gets too big, I’ll attract attention.” Stille himself revealed his own personal experiences dealing with the infiltration of the mafia within legitimate institutions. Originally asked to contribute an essay to a photo exhibition established in Washington in collaboration with the Italian embassy, Stille later received a phone call requesting the censorship of statements connecting the mafia to politics. Due to his refusal, the essay was not displayed with the exhibition, a trend which emerged periodically throughout his career.

As a journalist in the late 1980s for a prominent Italian newspaper, Stille experienced a similar phenomenon when an individual known to have connections to Berlusconi, a controversial political figure in Italy, was appointed editor of the paper. Stille was denied the opportunity to publish a piece on the indictment of several individuals known to be close to Berlusconi for mafia activities under the premise that the newspaper wished to avoid charges of libel.

Tracing the mafia’s power surges throughout history, Stille refutes the concept that Sicilians are inherently violent, instead pointing to the periods in which homicides dramatically fell as evidence to the contrary. He describes the mafia as “an organization comprised of real humans that can be investigated, arrested and put on trial,” as evidenced during time periods in which he explains, “the state was embarrassed into taking action.”

Referencing the revolutionary work of Italian magistrates Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino, Stille described their innovative method of attacking the mafia issue through the analysis of financial records. Prior to the witness protection program established in 1993, Stille said, “it was inconceivable that there would be witnesses against the mafia,” proving a seemingly insurmountable obstacle to prosecutors. By tracking the foreign currency exchanges and financial relationships within the heroin trade in Sicily, however, Falcone managed to reconstruct evidence without the necessity of witnesses.

Through the establishment of the Maxi pool of Palermo, created by Judge Rocco Chinnici, responsibility regarding the prosecution of mafia trials was established, diminishing the ability of the mafia to halt a prosecution through the specific targeting or assassination of a single judge. The Maxi trials which followed, culminat-

ed in 344 convictions, with approximately 100 not-guilty verdicts as well, according to Stille.

The political scene in Italy during the late 80s, however, continued to become unstable, as Stille recalled the circulation of anonymous letters within Palermo containing accusations against Falcone. Describing this moment as “the middle act of a greek tragedy,” Stille said that “the mafia has ways of undermining public representation and discrediting individuals before killing them.” Falcone and Borsellino were assassinated in subsequent bombings following their work with the Maxi trials.

Stille asserted that in order to truly combat the mafia, it is essential “to remove the mafia from their supernatural identity to the scope of a human problem.” According to Stille, following the assassinations, over 7,000 soldiers were sent to Sicily, “as if it was a foreign country.”

Despite these immediate attempts to negate the power of organized criminal activity, Stille cites the parallel interests between political figures and members of the mafia serve as a prominent obstacle preventing the success of these efforts. In particular, he references the election of Silvio Berlusconi as prime minister of Italy, stating his “counterrevolution to the anti corruption campaign” proved “to be sweet music to the ears of those in organized crime.” According to Stille, key members under investigation for involvement in the mafia, such as Giuseppe Guttadauro, were informed of wiretaps in their homes by the Sicilian government.

Accrediting the power of the mafia to connections with political figures, Stille further cited the difficulties in combating organized crime. Building projects aimed at industrializing the south were dominated by the mafia, yet by halting such projects and thus cutting profits to organized crime, the

falcone and borsellino

possibility of losing support from natives arises as well. Furthermore, aspects of the Italian legal system, such as the statute of limitations, which places a time constraint on the prosecution of criminals, and the right not to respond to questions at trial, serve as obstacles as well. Stille states “the time between indictment and trial creates the opportunity for threats and bribery,” resulting in the lack of evidence against suspected criminals.

Stille acknowledges the complexities of the struggle against organized crime, yet adamantly asserts “these people are just a bunch of thugs and gangsters. They are below average bums, they can be arrested, they can be targeted, and they can be put in prison.”

Commenting on the romanticized view of the mafia popularized by films such as “The Godfather,” he asserts the need to recognize these individuals as “parasites sucking and

photo from internet source

feeding off of the lives of the community rather than men of honor that deserve to be respected.” Furthermore, he dismisses the stereotype that members of the mafia only enact violence against each other, instead stating “people need to understand the price of the presence of the mafia … it keeps good, honest, hardworking, energetic people from fulfilling themselves. It is sad that an area has to be proud of the people that got away.”

Dedicated to combating the power of the mafia, Stille has published numerous works, including “Benevolence and Betrayal,” “Excellent Cadavers,” “The Future is the Past,” and “The Sack of Rome” in addition to his career in journalism.

Stille urged voters to generate a “taboo toward politicians having associations with organized crime,” stating that the “mafia’s power is only derived from its connections to the legitimate world.”

October 26, 2012

The Brandeis Hoot

FEATURES

7

Crisis services encompass both emergency and counseling support

By Dana Trismen Editor

Students in crisis seeking peer support can find counseling at both STAR and the Brandeis Counseling and Rape Crisis Hotline.

“I think both services are vital, honestly,” said Lauren Grewal ’13, cocoordinator of STAR referring to both services.

STAR refers to “Students Talking About Relationships,” and is composed of a group of peer counselors who hold weekly office hours. Founded in 2004, Grewal described STAR’s mission as “to be there for the student body in a safe, non-judgmental, confidential environment.”

Grewal said there is always a person present during open hours to talk to or answer emails. Grewal also explained that the training for STAR is intensive.

“All of our counselors go through a month of training for about 30-40 hours before they begin having office hours in a number of subjects. We also have an E-Board which is comprised of seven returning counselors who are an extra resource to the rest of the counselors,” Grewal said.

New counselors have to go through an application process, which includes interviews. If accepted, Grewal said, students must “agree to make STAR training in the fall a priority, considering that trainings are mandatory.” With this training, counselors go on to have face-to-face meetings with students attempting to cope with

varied problems. STAR attempts to aid in all ways possible.

“We keep pamphlets and resources in the room where people receive counseling. We are able to be a resource when something is pressing during the day, since all you need to do is come inside for however long you want,” Grewal said.

The Brandeis Counseling and Rape Crisis Hotline is a phone service open every night from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. where students may call in anonymously. Due to its anonymous nature, the hotline is unable to answer questions about the size of their staff, but they are composed of undergraduates at Brandeis who go through training and testing with only a few chosen to serve on the actual hotline.

The hotline was created in the early 1970s, to serve students when they were experiencing moments of panic or crisis. The organization realizes that sometimes all students are looking for is a friendly person on the other end of the line.

“Sometimes all you need is someone who cares enough to listen. If you need to talk about anything at all, always feel free to call. If you are concerned about a friend, we are also here to listen and help you through that,” the BCRCH said in a statement.

While the hotline and STAR’s areas of expertise overlap, there are differences between the two.

“STAR is an in person, peer to peer counseling, while BCRCH is anonymous and confidential over the phone.

Also, while STAR specializes in relationships, BCRCH is for any moment

star office STAR holds office hours weekly to cater to student needs

of crisis or just needing someone to talk to,” the BCRCH said.

Grewal commented on the differences in times of operation, saying “I think they compliment each other well in the sense that together the two services allow people on campus to seek help for around 12 hours a day.”

While students may have a preference for one service over another, BCRCH insists, “both resources are well trained and prepared to support students, and Brandeisians should feel free to use whichever one they are most comfortable with.”

Both services are also aware of the stigma that is often attached to psy-

chological support services.

“The stigma exists here like it does everywhere else in society,” Grewal said. “The only way to combat that is to have more acceptance for psychological services. If more people were open about seeing someone, or if more people admitted they have seen someone or would see someone if they needed to, I think the stigma would be broken down a bit.”

BCRCH admits that everyone heals differently, but some people do find it helpful to use a hotline or a form of therapy. “You should never be embarrassed to seek help. It is completely normal, and many people choose to

photo by nate rosenbloom/the hoot

utilize hotlines or therapy to help further explore their options or feelings.

It is very brave to take the steps to help yourself heal,” the BCRCH said.

STAR will be holding a number of events on campus this semester, in order to raise awareness about the club and its potential benefits.

“Speaking as students of Brandeis University, we would just like to express to the public that sexual assault and rape can happen to anyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, age or location. The survivor is never to be blamed, and should never be made to feel attacked or at fault,” the BCRCH said.

SEA changes makeup without changing mission

By Emly Beker Staff

In existence since 2007, Students for Environmental Action (SEA) as an organization is constantly changing. Recently, SEA is trying out a new structure where they vote on initiatives raised by members of the club. With 13 initiatives last semester and eight this semester, some are quick tasks but others are ideas that will take time to work toward. Initiatives range from Earth week in April to their semi-annual local food banquet.

“SEA has accomplished feats such as eliminating sale of water bottles in all but three venues on campus, collaborating on the Climate Action Plan with President Reinharz, helping create the Brandeis Sustainability Fund, holding a semi-annual banquet

for 150 students to come together, assisted in increased recycling solutions around campus, and helping the campus convert to cage-free eggs,” Maura Boughter-Dornfeld ’14 said.

While many of these changes were not advocated publicly, SEA still maintains a loud presence on campus. The reusable take-out containers that a lot of students now use or are encouraged to use when eating in Usdan are one of their accomplishments. In addition, the SEA water bottles numerous students carry around remind the campus of SEA’s role in assisting Brandeis’ environmental movement.

In terms of goals for SEA as an organization, Boughter-Dornfeld said that “some SEA goals are fluid and stick with the group year to year.” She elaborated that the structure of the club has changed to try to encourage a

more involved group where everyone has a role and a hierarchical structure does not exist.

“The initiatives are a way in which everyone involved (typically smaller groups of people five to seven) can have their own role, and the representatives for each initiate help continue momentum but do not independently do all of the work,” she said.

Recently, SEA has chalked the campus with creative and thought provoking quotes to increase awareness. The club has also been cleaning up and learning about Sachar Woods, starting a Food Coop here on campus, and working to divest subsidies away from fossil fuel utilization. Some of their campus-geared activities are campuswide cleanups, advertisement of and conjunction with eco-friendly brand names, as well as their semi-annual

Free Organic Banquet, scheduled for Nov. 13. In addition, SEA has established a relationship with Waltham Fields Community Farm, so members may begin volunteering there in the spring.

SEA’s mission extends outside the Brandeis campus to many different organizations in Waltham, Boston and often other neighboring cities.

SEA has weatherized houses, volunteered at local farms, cleaned woods and trails and done cleanups around Waltham in addition to working with 350.org. SEA has linked with groups from other colleges in Boston to further the green initiative.

Over the next two years, SEA’s main goal is “to inform the student body about climate change, and find ways to act together to combat it.” Actions SEA is going to take to do this are help

organizations and institutions around them take sustainability to the next level and utilize the constantly evolving technology to implement systems that will take care of the environment. SEA is hoping to create more dialogue, establish community with other nearby schools, plan actions that everyone has a part in, and join with department clubs. SEA hopes to match with off-campus organizations as well in addition to other groups to “create intersectionality and crossdiscipline discussion and action.”

“SEA is a group of individuals who are all committed to joining together to discuss and work toward action, just as any other club is,” BoughterDornfeld said. “We have different degrees of our personal pieces of how we interpret environmentalism and welcome all ideas.”

Sundiata, in Italy, leactures on peacemaking

By Rachel Hirschhaut Editor

Brandeis students often hear about the value of experiential learning and putting knowledge and theory into action. Professor Ibrahim Sundiata (AAAS) embraced this idea when he found himself in a room full of diplomats, journalists and members of government in Lake Como, Italy on Oct. 10, applying his three decades of teaching experience to solving international problems in Africa.

The symposium, called “From Liberation Movement to Government,” focused on the state of African nations that rebuilt their governments after revolutions. It was sponsored by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the Brenthurst Foundation, foreign policy organizations that promote democracy, stability and international understanding in the developing world.

Dialogue focused on “the transi-

tion from liberation movements and armed resistance” to democracy and “the multiplicity of ideas.”

Sundiata found it fascinating that the symposium emphasized that young people must learn how to organize nonviolently, so that they can play a role in social movements.

“Transition is about democracy and the triumph of ideas. Elders have wisdom, but young people must become leaders for the future,” he said.

He cited the evolution of the African National Congress (ANC), the party that fought apartheid against blacks in South Africa, as an example of social change. The ANC is now South Africa’s “multiracial and multicultural” governing body, and people of all races are represented.

At Brandeis, Sundiata is teaching “Introduction to African History” and the new course “History of Black-Jewish Relations in America” this semester, both courses that draw on the social movements of the past as a means of understanding the present and the

future. He hopes to impart to his students the idea that “social change demands discussion, dialogue, speaking up, even in cases where it might cost jobs and liberties.”

He plans to retire from teaching

at the end of this year, and will begin writing a book about the role of President Obama’s African-American identity.

“People need to know that [Obama’s election] is a step on the journey to

equality, not the destination,” Sundiata said. “Now we need more class diversity. Getting rid of racism, sexism and classism should be the ultimate goal for our society.”

8 FEATURES

The Brandeis Hoot

October 26, 2012

Heller scientist participates in study of soliders’ mental health

By Zoe Richman StafF

Mary Jo Larson, a senior scientist at the Heller School, researches effective types of mental health care and the related financial components, and was one of committee members who published a new report initiated by the U.S. Department of Defense and the Institute of Medicine, titled “Substance Use Disorders in the U.S. Armed Forces.”

“I’ve always been interested in what makes people tick,” Larson said. Larson earned her undergraduate degree in psychology and a Masters in Public Administration from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She admits she always wanted to conduct research related to social justice, initially in welfare policy. But throughout her career she continued to be more drawn to mental health policy.

“And mental health policy involves social justice, too,” she said.

Substance abuse in the armed services has been a persistent concern for several years, but recently the problem has worsened.

Between 1998 and 2008, the latest year for which data is available, monthly binge drinking increased by 12 percent and prescription drug misuse increased by 9 percent, according to the report. Concerned with the increasing number of suicides and overdoses related to the surge in

substance abuse, Congress asked the Department of Defense to explore the problem. The DoD requested the Institute of Medicine form a committee charged with researching substance abuse within the United States military. Because of Larson’s expertise in the mental health field, coupled with her insights into military, she was chosen to be apart of the 14 member committee, which has now completed the report.

Relying on the committee members’ significant background and familiarity with the functions and intricacies of the military system, they were able to dive in immediately. The team hoped to identify the causes of the recent surge in substance abuse and suggest strategies to remedy the problem. They researched together for 15 months, investigating the rudimentary question: What is the military doing to prevent the abuse of drugs and alcohol?

The conclusion: not much. While military commanders are not tolerant of substance abuse, they are also not taking the necessary public health approach, the report argued. As Larson explained, in order to prevent substance abuse, early intervention is key. Identifying early warning signs and providing early treatment would alleviate the problem considerably.

Instead, substance abuse is treated as a disciplinary issue, akin to bad behavior. In actuality, it is a “condition,”

mary jo larson

photo from internet source

Larson said, with “different risk factors and environmental factors. If you ignore the problem … you can’t just wish it away.”

Alcohol abuse has become part of military culture, infused with machismo and providing an avenue to cope with stress, the report found. Drinking is a normalized behavior for soldiers in their “work hard, play hard”

environment. However, the dangers of this component of military culture are often unrealized.

“Commanders need to change the drinking environment, to identify personnel with elevated risk, to educated personnel about how heavy drinking impairs adjustment after combat deployments, and to offer confidential, medically-based inter-

ventions,” Larson said.

Although forming policy changes from research is difficult, committee members are optimistic and motivated to see improvement. Larson said the committee’s goal now is to disseminate their research findings and advocate for new grants to help evaluate their conclusions “so the policy makers inside can say ‘here’s the evidence.”

Ruth Shapiro, philanthropist and major univ donor, dies at 95 President Fred Lawrence mourned the loss and expressed gratitude for the generosity of the Shapiro family to Brandeis.

“On this sad day when we mourn the passing of Ruth Shapiro, we also celebrate a life dedicated to helping others,” Lawrence told BrandeisNOW. “Carl and Ruth Shapiro have been instrumental in helping Brandeis become the institution that our founders envisioned in 1948. May her memory ever be a blessing.”

It was Brandeis’ connection to the Jewish community that drew the Shapiros to support the university.

“The reason that they came to Brandeis was because of its Jewish roots,” Winship said. “There’s the particular that was Judaism, and then there were universal values that were important to them.”

In Boston, the Shapiros have supported Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston Medical Center, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Institute for Contemporary Art, Museum of Fine Arts, Museum of Science, Children’s Museum and

ruth and carl shapiro

SHAPIRO, from page 1

“That was true of her homes and that was true of the way she looked at the interior of buildings here.”

A resident of Boston and Palm Beach, Fla., and a 1937 graduate of Wellesley College, Ruth Shapiro frequently talked with her husband over the details of architecture and design of the buildings they donated to Brandeis. Born to parents George and Dorothy in Chelsea in 1917 as Ruth Gordon, she majored in music at Wellesley and met Carl on Nantasket Beach in Hull in the late 1930s, according to The Boston Globe.

Former President Jehuda Reinharz, under whose tenure the Shapiros made their largest donations, praised the family’s deep commitment to philanthropy.

“We have totally transformed the

photo from internet source

center of the campus thanks to the contributions of the Shapiro family,” Reinharz said. “Carl always consulted with Ruth. Ruth was a very quiet, modest lady but also has a lot of steel in her.”

Before the Shapiros built the new campus center, a parking lot filled the space of the Great Lawn. Winship said that Carl was insistent on where the main entrance of the building face, rejecting original plans so that it could open instead to a large green lawn in front.

“A lot of what you see in [those] three buildings is not just the work of the architects,” Reinharz said, noting the attention to detail Carl gave to each of the buildings bearing the couple’s name.

When architects and administrators used to discuss building dimensions and attempt to complete calculations on paper, Carl would beat them to the

final answer by doing the math in his head, Winship said.

Winship also remembered Ruth Shapiro’s thoughtfulness and passion for taking care of her family. “She was beautiful. She was extremely smart.

Totally devoted to family,” Winship said.

When it came to fundraising, her kindness and respect for all people helped a great deal, she added: “She understood fundraising and she treated fundraisers at whatever level as important people. She knew how important fundraising was.”

Along with the three large buildings in the center of the campus, the couple also donated the the Carl Shapiro Chair in International Finance, the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Center for Library and Technology and Journals, and the Zinner Forum at the Heller School for Social Policy and Management.

WGBH. In Florida, their philanthropy has benefited the Norton Museum of Arts, Palm Beach Opera and Kravis Center for the Performing Arts.

In addition to her husband, Ruth Shapiro leaves her daughters, Rhonda Zinner who serves on the Brandeis Board of Trustees, Ellen Jaffe and Linda Waintrup; her three three sonsin-law, Michael Zinner, Robert Jaffe and Daniel Waintrup; seven grandchildren, Jennifer, Jonathan, Steven, Michael, Andrew, Samantha and Kimberly; six great grandchildren and her brother Roger. She was predeceased by her sister, Amy. Rhonda Zinner told The Boston Globe that the values which built the family’s foundation were instilled from their youth.

“The kitchen table in our home became the family foundation’s boardroom,” Zinner said in a statement to The Globe. “That’s where my parents decided how and where they could make the greatest impact on the lives of others. My sisters and I were blessed to be raised by a father and mother whose values taught us the importance of doing all you can to try and make a difference.”

arts, etc.

October 26, 2012

The Brandeis Hoot 9

‘Voltaire & Frederick’ wields sophistication and grace

By Juliette Martin Editor

The Center for German and European Studies presented “Voltaire & Frederick: A Life in Letters,” Monday to a full Mandel Center for the Humanities Atrium, exhibiting a show at the crossroads of history, philosophy, politics, biography and art.

The show brings noted Boston actors Thomas Derrah (Voltaire) and John Kuntz (Frederick) to campus, in a production imagined by Detlef Gericke-Schönhagen and directed

by Guy Ben-Aharon. The small team brings together and presents a selection of letters exchanged between the philosopher Voltaire and his student and friend, Prince Frederick II, who in the course of their lifelong friendship, ascended to his role as the King of Prussia.

The crowning achievement of “Voltaire & Frederick” was its two stars.

With literally no set besides the two chairs in which they sat, and nothing to create atmosphere aside from their presences, the two actors truly held the entire weight of the performance on their shoulders, and they carried it with ease and grace. Derrah and Kuntz, who boast impressive acting resumes, stepped effortlessly into the shoes of their characters. An additional challenge in portraying these real historical figures was that rather than follow a script in an imagined version of history, the performance consisted of the words of the historical figures themselves.

These actors portrayed an exact reality in the friendship between Vol-

thomas derrah Derrah portrayed Voltaire last Monday in ‘Frederick & Voltaire: A Life in Letters’ at the

Mandel Atrium.

taire and Frederick II, a challenge to which they truly rose. The two men brought life and investment to longdead letters, giving them the weight and power to which they are due as correspondences between two great thinkers and, ultimately, flawed human beings—in Derrah and Kuntz, all the complexity of Voltaire and Frederick as men (rather than as respected historical figures) unfurls.

Though the actors did an incredible job of carrying the play, they did so without aid from their environment.

Though the lack of set emphasized the play as the unfolding of a relationship rather than a conventional

show, the venue of the Mandel Center for the Humanities Atrium was not particularly conducive to the performance. Without even dimmed lights, the overall immersion of the play suffered. It was difficult to become truly involved in the subtle relationship presented by “Voltaire & Frederick” in such an atmosphere. It was due to this, and not particularly to any flaw in the performance or story itself, that allowed the audience’s attention to wander.

Despite this issue of location, the play itself is a fascinating exploration of leadership, friendship and personal growth. At its beginning, Frederick II

photo by firstname lastname/the hoot

is only twenty-four, a student and follower of Voltaire, who was at that time already established and respected as a great philosopher. Over the course of the play, the audience watches Frederick grow from an enthusiastic youth and a compassionate prince, to a man bent under the weight of kingship. Under the pressure of a war that his dear friend condemns, Frederick struggles to be the philosopher king that Voltaire encouraged him to become. He continues on his quest to be the best man he can, while still falling prey to fallibilities of human nature and the corrupting influence of political clout. The result is a remarkably

human portrait of the Prussian king, a rare and humanizing look at a man who we now know only by his deeds as a historical figure.

“Frederick and Voltaire: A Life in Letters” is true in every word as an unaltered exchange of letters, but the story of Frederick’s kingship plays out like fiction in its epic, compelling scale and in viewing Frederick as both a man and a character of history.

Both characters command enormous sympathy despite their flaws, as fellow humans struggling to be the best kind of man they imagine. Though they both suffer many pitfalls along this path, pitfalls that for a long time estrange one from the other, their ultimate compassion and sincere desire to be earnestly good men both draws them back together as philosophers and wins the hearts of the audience.

“Frederick and Voltaire: A Life in Letters” was particularly compelling in that despite dealing with longdead historical figures, it asks questions that are poignantly relevant to the modern day, particularly with a looming presidential election. The struggles that Frederick faces in trying to balance himself as an intellectual and political figure raises important questions about the people who lead, and what sort of person ought to serve as leader.

Despite flaws in venue, ultimately “Frederick and Voltaire: A Life in Letters” is fascinating in its marriage between history and humanity, as the audience meets Voltaire and Frederick, played respectively by the talented Thomas Derrah and John Kuntz as philosophers, leaders and ultimately, as men.

Full of dark humor, ‘Escape from Happiness’ extols family

By Zach Reid Editor

Last weekend in Laurie Theater, the Brandeis Theater Company, the university’s primary graduate theater group, performed “Escape from Happiness.” Written by George F. Walker, directed by Doug Lockwood, who teaches at the Boston Conservatory, and stage managed by Hannah Roth ’14, “Escape from Happiness” delivered a star look at the difficult issues facing an impoverished family.

The tale of the highly dysfunctional Quinn family is central to the plot of “Escape from Happiness,” starting with Nora (Laura Jo Trexler), the mother. She lives in a cramped apartment in the east end of an unspecified large city with her youngest daughter Gail (Nicole Dalton), Gail’s fiancé Junior (Sam Gillam), their baby daughter Gwen, and Nora’s middle daughter, Mary Ann (Sarah Bedard). Nora’s husband Tom (Jonathan Young) also lives in the apartment, although she refuses to acknowledge him as her husband.

Their lives all take a turn for the worst as the play opens with Junior lying battered on the apartment’s floor, beaten within an inch of his life.

Following this, police officers Mike and Dian (Brandon Green and Sara Schoch) arrive to investigate the beating, and the family is slowly dragged into the dangerous world of drugs, attempted murder, pornography, assault and other criminal actions fueled by the sense of desperation surrounding the characters throughout the show. The two criminals with whom Junior gets involved, Rolly and Stevie (Alex Jacobs and Eddie Shields) provide another plotline for the show. It adds another dimension and quickly establishes that “Escape from Happiness” will focus on the moral gray areas of life, and how it is

difficult to classify many situations as either completely right or completely wrong.

The sheer intensity and depth of the character development in “Escape from Happiness” sets it apart from other shows. According to director Doug Lockwood’s playbill notes, “strength can arise from naked vulnerability,” a trait that certainly characterizes this family; each member seems to have a different type of significant issue, such as panic attacks, chronic stress and dementialike symptoms, among others. Each

character was clearly in a state of crisis, and the cast did a great job of portraying this—from Mary Ann’s obsessive need to cook, to Nora’s apparent apathy to the terrible things occurring to her family, each one gave a very believable portrayal. Conflicting decisions as to forgiving Tom for his previous actions also help define the characters, from Gail’s kind and compassionate understanding to Elizabeth’s fiery denunciations and refusal to even see him.

This is not to say that only members of the family are well developed—

fury and passion Tom ( Jonathan Young) and Junior (Sam Gillam) in a heated exchange

Mike and Dian themselves embody a conflict between traditional and more unorthodox approaches to police work, and Green and Schoch portray this very well. Their constant sniping and bickering portrayed this conflict well, as did their escalating rivalry, which culminated in a deadly standoff. Rolly and Stevie also give the audience a look at the sympathetic side of crime via their obvious poverty and desperation.

Technically speaking, the show was very well put together. While the setting of an impoverished apartment

could have been constructed very minimally, the effort the tech crew had put into the set was very clear.

Care had obviously been taken to get even the tiniest detail right, such as ensuring that there was an even spread of wood chips around the apartment’s edge—a touch that oddly enough added an extra feel of poverty and destitution to the set.

“Escape from Happiness” also had a great selection of props, including a real chocolate cake for one scene— this was fitting, given that it was a See ESCAPE, page 12

photo by mike lovett/brandeisnow

10 ARTS, ETC.

The Brandeis Hoot

October 26, 2012

‘Unleashing’ the talents of the Adagio Dance Company

By Brittany Joyce

Special to the Hoot

Adagio Dance Company held its fall show Dancefest, “ADC Unleashed,” this Wednesday in Levin Ballroom. Over the course of two hours there were 21 different dances ranging from hip hop to lyrical.

The show opened with the Adagio Dance Ensemble’s contemporary number, slow and graceful movements that set the stage for an eclectic presentation. The number that followed, however, Yifei’s Hip Hop Dance, can only be described as awkward. It lacked clear choreography, and it was not well executed, leaving much to be desired. The show quickly recovered, and really got started, once the Hooked on Tap ensemble took the stage. With flashing lights and matching floral dresses, they had a far more professional look than the previous numbers. The crowd also responded to the burst of energy brought by Hooked on Tap. The energy continued as Suffolk University’s W!cked Hip Hop Dance Crew took the stage, eliciting cheers from the crowd with each difficult dance move, or with each change between popular songs. The crowd favorites of the night included the hip

hop dances, which consistently received persistent applause. One, “The Perkins Asylum,” choreographed by Shaquan Perkins ’13, had eerie music and dance movements in line with the insane asylum theme. It was very appropriate for upcoming Halloween.

One of the best dances of the night came from MIT’s group, Ridonkulous. They had a theme that was perfectly executed alongside their dance. It opened with the dancers attempting to lull one of their own to sleep, appropriately along Samuel L Jackson’s reading of the popular mock-children’s book “Go the F--- to Sleep” by Adam Mansbach. The use of the audiobook worked beautifully to create a cute scene, and opened up a whole narrative for the dance. The large ensemble quickly changed out of pajamas and into monster-like outfits, transitioning into dances relating to nightmares in the dreamland the boy enters, and culminated appropriately with Chris Brown’s “Don’t Wake Me Up.” The group as a whole wowed with professionalism and skill.

Another outstanding piece was “Welcome to Kaos Land” by the Kaos Kids. The large hip hop ensemble moved in flawless unison, while also highlighting the talents of individual dancers. The piece and group are apt-

adagio Students choreographed, costumed and danced at Wednesday’s Adagio Dancefest.

ly named, bringing a controlled chaos to their performance that made the viewer excited for the show to return for its second act.

The show, however, consisted of much more than crowd-pleasing hip hop. The “Allegro Dance,” performed

by Adagio Alumni, was the most beautiful piece of the night. The dancers were statues come to life, appropriately dressed in Greek-style costumes. Their motions were fluid, and yet controlled, as if they were actually statues. The romantic piece was previously performed as “Midnight at the Museum” for the Leonard Bernstein Festival for the Arts.

“Let the Drummer Kick,” danced to the song of the same name by Citizen Cope, was a “modern piece [that] explores symmetry and structure,” according to the program. The end of the dance was identical to its opening, and the dancers wore simple white and black. The only focus: their dancing. It was a modern dance that emphasized simple, effective movements that also recalled other dance forms, such as ballet.

Other highlight performances from the show included, “Stand Out/Fit In,” a unique jazzy piece that stood out for its different form of dance; “On the Nature of Daylight,” which opened the second act, was performed to music that incorporated the sound of rain, creating a slow, purposeful piece. The So Unique step team was also notable as another crowd pleaser because of their energy and skill.

All the pieces were intermixed, showcasing high energy to more relaxed performances throughout the night. The show culminated with another Adagio Dance Ensemble piece that combined these two extremes to create an upbeat performance that had the dance elements of some of the peaceful numbers. Titled “Just Another Place to Die,” the finale piece was about “overcoming the heavy weight of our past and being able to move forward with our lives,” according to the show’s program. The music for the piece was Fun’s “One Foot,” which emphasized the idea of moving forward in a literal way, as the dancers put one foot in front of the other, though in a more elegant and elaborate way as compared to the common meaning. For a piece with an unhappy title, it was a joyous performance.

“ADC Unleashed” showed off an immense amount of skill from the Brandeis community, as well as from the guest schools, that kept the crowd engaged all night.

photo by ally eller/the hoot

October 26, 2012

ARTS, ETC. 11

The Brandeis Hoot

‘Pokemon Black and White 2’ finds refuge in nostalgia

By Gordy Stillman Editor

Three weeks ago, Nintendo released its latest Pokémon games in the United States. Unlike any previous game in the long-running series, these latest games are a direct sequel to the previous releases: Pokémon Black and White. While in the past Nintendo has connected the stories of one set of games to another—such as using Pokémon Gold and Silver as a setting three years after Red and Blue—this is the first set of games to take place entirely in the same region and includes many of the same characters from the previous game.

Black and White 2 continues the story of the Unova region two years after the previous game, from the perspective of a new hero from the western side of the region. Even before reaching the first Pokémon Gym, the hero rescues a lost Pokémon from Team Plasma, the villains from Pokémon Black and White, who were supposedly disbanded after their defeat two years prior. This immediately affirms the connection between both sets of games and sets the stage for the plot.

Two of the biggest changes from the last game appear within the first hour of play: namely, the variety of Pokémon and the specialties of the early gyms. Unlike Black and White, which did not include Pokémon from

prior generations until after completing the main story, Black and White 2 includes 300 Pokémon from earlier games. With this change, players who possibly skipped Black and White, or those who are returning to Pokémon can immediately feel familiar with the Pokémon they encounter. The overall progression of gyms is well balanced and by the time more difficult gyms are encountered, players have numerous opportunities to catch new Pokémon that can counteract the gym leaders’ arsenals. For example, while the second gym leader is strong against Grass-type, discouraging the use of the grass starter, there are many other Pokémon available by that point to offset this disadvantage.

One of the greatest flaws of the

game is the continuation of the experience system introduced in Black and White. In prior generations, experience earned from battles depended on the strength of opponents, while in Black and White 2, battling the same opponents will successively result in less experience. While this encourages the player to travel through the story and not grind through battles to reach higher levels, it makes the game more challenging in a way that some players might not enjoy. For example, instead of spending a couple of hours training before challenging a gym, the game encourages players to challenge the gym and lose once or twice before becoming strong enough to win.

One of the game’s new features is the Pokéstar Studio side game. In it,

the player can act out scenarios and make films with their Pokémon. It’s rather cheesy, as the facility is run by a man named “Stu Deeoh,” but the side game has a lot of potential and can also be used to earn rare and valuable items. While it’s not a part of the main game—other than the mandatory introduction to the studio game—it can be an enjoyable diversion. Another interesting side game is the Pokémon World Tournament, which offers the chance to battle the gym leaders of older games. This side-event is available after completing the main game and offers a fun opportunity to nostalgically battle opponents like Brock and Misty.

See POKEMON, page 12

Reviving the Rose with conversation and Gene Davis

By Max Randhahn Staff

The first of many interdisciplinary art discussions took place at The Rose Art Museum on Wednesday. The discussion of Gene Davis’ “Moondog” is part of new director, Christopher Bedford’s desire to make The Rose a more prominent institution on campus.

Bedford himself was one of the two main voices in the conversation, alongside Judith Eissenberg, founder of the Lydian Quartet at Brandeis and professor of the Practice of Music “Moondog.” The object of analysis is a psychedelic work of art consisting of uniform stripes of varying colors. The piece was created in 1965 and given to the university as a gift from Davis the following year.

The piece’s true depth was argued

by Bedford in a remarkable display of artistic rhetoric. He explained that “Moondog” was created by Davis for an arts magazine: Journalist Gerald Nordland wished to document the total creative process behind creating a work of art, and observed Davis in his studio until the painting was complete. His findings were published in the 1966 issue of Art News, which gave considerable insight into the creative process. Bedford remarked that “Moondog” was a piece created for critics rather than a wider audience, as Davis knew that the story of the creation of his piece would be intrinsically tied to its merit as a work of art. In that spirit, “Moondog” gives the appearance of having structure

while simultaneously disobeying all of that structure’s rules.

The colors of the stripes demand that the viewer move so that he or she does not view one facet of the piece at a time. Davis would complete roughly eight stripes a day, with a pair taking around 2.5 hours to complete, the set of which he would consider a complete painting. Despite this, however, he did not create the stripes in a linear order from left to right; his clusters of eight cropping up in various orders around the canvas.

Bedford continued to detail what differentiates Davis’ piece from others like it. Because the creation of the stripe is a repeated mechanical gesture, its importance is removed from the piece, placing emphasis on color. Bedford attributes this to Davis’ beginnings in abstract expressionism, and observed that while we have limitations in describing art, the fact that those limitations exist means that art itself is completely limitless.

Eissenberg proved knowledgeable on the music side of the discussion, revealing the origin of the piece’s title and some possible inspiration for its creation. “Moondog” was the pen name of Louis Hardin, born in 1916 in Kansas to an Episcopalian preacher and his wife. Blinded at 16 via an accident involving a dynamite cap, Hardin learned the principles of music theory, ear training and composition from various schools for the blind across the Midwest. In 1943, Hardin moved to New York City to make a living as a street musician. Hardin took the name Moondog from a hound he knew back in the Midwest that howled at the moon nearly every

night. Because of his unusual style of music and his tendency to dress as the Norse god Odin, he quickly earned the nickname “The Viking of 6th Avenue.” Despite the poverty associated with busking, Hardin did not want for friends or occupancy; Hardin was well acquainted with several jazz musicians and composers, including Leonard Bernstein and Philip Glass, the latter of whom he lived with for a year. Hardin also maintained an apartment for most of his time in the city, but preferred to live on the streets. In 1974, he moved to Germany, composing and touring until his death in 1999.

Eissenberg further elaborated on Moondog’s relation to the piece’s title by playing some of his music. Hardin was a pioneer of early minimalism, arranging certain instruments in autonomous loops and layering them together to create new sounds.

“Moondog” could be thought of as a piece that can be translated into a song; Eissenberg’s initial reaction was, “How do I hear this painting?”

The linear pattern of stripes lends itself well to having each color represent a pitch, making Davis’ painting an abstract musical score. Coupled with the piece’s tendency to make the viewer’s vision wander, “reading” the painting as a series of notes is incredibly easy.

The discussion was incredibly informative and interesting. The audience listened to Bedford and Eissenberg with rapt attention, occasionally asking questions; one member had the privilege of seeing Moondog perform live, and related his story to the crowd.

moondog Judith Eissenberg and Christopher Bedford

discuss Gene Davis’s ‘Moondog at Wedesday’s event.

photo by maya himmelfarb/the hoot

12 ARTS, ETC.

The Brandeis Hoot

February 4, 2011

Darkness and hope in ‘Escape from Happiness’

Arts Recommends books

photo from internet source

The Mists of Avalon

photo by mike lovett/brandeisnow

Published in 1983, “The Mists of Avalon” by Marion Zimmer Bradley is one of many retellings of the legend of King Arthur. Although there are numerous adaptations of this sort, for as long as Arthurian legend has been a part of our culture, “The Mists of Avalon” distinguishes itself in many ways. The legend of King Arthur has been, throughout its history, an overwhelmingly masculine tale, centering on the King, his father, and the Knights of the Round Table (most notably, Sir Lancelot). The women of the story have existed primarily as side characters: jealous antagonists and prizes to be won. Bradley’s imaging, however, casts the women—particularly the ever morally ambiguous Morgan le Fay, in this version named Morgaine. Morgaine is portrayed as a tragic hero, a victim of fate torn between love and loyalty, struggling with conflict between her loyalties to the Priestesses of Avalon and her love for the ever-desired Sir Lancelot. It also focuses on the slow demise of the ways of Avalon, called the Old Religion, an ever-relevant struggle in a constantly shifting world.

“The Mists of Avalon” brings the lives and struggles of the women of King Arthur’s story into the light, adding a sense of feminism to a traditionally masculine tale. Though an exceptionally lengthy and often dense tome, clocking in at over a thousand pages in most editions, it is surely a worthy read for any reader looking for a challenge or a fresh take on an old legend.

juliette martin, editor

movies

ESCAPE, from page 9

graduate show with access to greater resources than an undergraduate production. The audio tracks of the show, consisting of a cacophony of sounds from a city, including sirens, trains and traffic, lent another element of realism to the production, and seldom missed a beat. There were a few minor lighting hiccups that obscured some characters before their scenes were finished, but by no means did these detract from the show as a whole.

Humor provided some of “Escape from Happiness’s” most disconcerting and enjoyable aspects. The audience found itself laughing at small moments of mirth and joy in otherwise horrible situations, from Elizabeth’s sardonic one-liners during family

fights to Rolly’s attempts to seem intimidating by emphasizing his “inner thug” in conversations once he’s no longer begging for his life. Rather than making the audience feel ashamed or wonder why it’s amused by such terrible things, these moments help reinforce the idea that one must follow the characters’ examples and take heart from whatever small amusements they can find in the world, even as it rapidly becomes more bleak and ominous.

“Escape from Happiness” offers the audience a powerful portrayal of a family forced to live in an undesirable situation, and how they are forced to cope with their lives. It is through the characters’ decisions, not the environment, however, that the audience sees just how far they are willing to go and sacrifice to protect each other. It’s a world where an insane family is the glue that holds sanity together.

‘Pokémon’ arrives with fresh plot

photo from internet source

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest If a court declares one insane, is the battle for sanity over, or merely beginning? “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” (“Cuckoo’s Nest”), directed by Milos Forman and based off of Ken Kesey’s novel of the same name attempts to answer this question through the journey of Randle McMurphy (Jack Nicholson), after he is transferred to an Oregon mental institution in an effort to spend the remainder of his 15-year prison sentence in a more comfortable environment. Upon arrival, he meets nurse Ratched (Louise Fletcher), the ward’s overseer and tyrannical ruler. McMurphy then begins an insurrection against her rule, and tries to rekindle the other patients’ senses of pride and self-respect.

“Cuckoo’s Nest” focuses on the brotherhood that develops among the patients thanks to McMurphy’s struggle against Ratched. Despite mixed feelings toward him, he quickly becomes friends with the other patients, and becomes an icon of resistance in the ward. He even goes so far as to help them break out of the ward to go on a fishing trip, in an effort to remind them what freedom feels like.

The portrayals of the other inmates can even overshadow Nicholson’s brilliant performance at times, due to the sheer realism they imbue in their roles. Billy Bibbit (Brad Dourif) brings a sense of childlike innocence to the ward, while Dale Harding (William Redfield) provides a sense of intelligence and education, tempered with a healthy dose of paranoia.

“One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest” is one of the best dramas ever produced by Hollywood and as the slew of awards it has earned shows, is a movie that is not to be missed. zach reid, editor

photo from internet source

POKEMON, from page 11

Stylistically, the new games are gorgeous. The graphics are very good considering the game is on the Nintendo DS (raising the question of why the games were not released on the Nintendo 3DS, which has been around for over 18 months). The environments are vibrant and detailed, the weather effects are fitting and the detailed sprite animations are all enjoyable. In terms of the music, for players that like music while playing handheld games, it’s similar to previ-

ous games. There are, however, new remixes and themes that set the tone for different areas.

It’s no surprise that Pokémon is still going strong. Nintendo has not needed to do much to adjust the formula of the games to keep them fresh. Even now, with a general preference toward earlier games, these latest entries are still as enjoyable and addictive as ever. Easily, the $35 investment in a copy can provide around 40 hours of fun for a casual player, and hundreds hours of fun for a completionist or competitive battler.

October 26, 2012

SPORTS

Brandeis football: a footnote in history

By Brian Tabakin Editor

While President Theodore Roosevelt is regarded as the man who saved football, in an ironic twist, his niece, former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, was a key figure in eliminating the football program at Brandeis University.

The early incarnations of football were a barbaric display of physical prowess often resulting in lethal injuries. With little protective gear, players sustained injuries ranging from broken ribs that pierced hearts, crushed skulls from the weight of and force of gang tackles, and broken spinal cords.

In 1904, The Chicago Tribune reported that there were 18 football deaths on the gridiron and 159 serious injuries. The Beaumont Express editorial board wrote, “The once athletic sport has degenerated into a contest that for brutality is little better than the gladiatorial combats in the arena in ancient Rome.”

President Roosevelt intervened, and through a series of calculated actions and safety regulations, saved the game and sent it on the path to what we see today. Roosevelt’s actions, however, were focused on the gruesome nature of play on the field, rather than issues of character off of the field.

In the early 1950s, Eleanor Roosevelt was a lecturer and a member of the Brandeis board of trustees. According to the April 1950 issue of The Justice, many Brandeis donors and officials were upset with the football program and were trying to make a concerted effort to ban it.

Stemming from its early roots as a Jewish University, early criticism of the program emerged as a result of games played on Saturdays. University officials believed it was inappropriate for a Brandeis team to play on the Sabbath. Furthermore, there was a growing consensus among professors

that the behavior of players was unacceptable in the community.

The criticism of the athletes was not an opinion shared by the entire university. Reijo Mattila, a Finnish student studying at the university as part of the International Scholars program started by Trustee Lawrence Wien, submitted an article to The Justice articulating his viewpoint on the issue.

“The athletes are often looked upon as inferiors in the academic field while in fact some of them make the Dean’s List. In my opinion, the athletes are more human than the intellectuals just because they express themselves. I have the impression that at Brandeis, intellectuality is regarded above human value. An antagonistic attitude between campus groups does not build but tears down school spirit.”

Wien was also a prominent booster of the football program, and at the crucial Trustee meeting concerning the future of the program he tried to convince his fellow trustees to maintain the program; however, Wien was unsuccessful in persuading his fellow trustees. He believed that the issue was framed in a way that painted the program in a bad light. It was proposed that the funds needed to sustain the football program would have to come from student tuition, thereby resulting in a $1,000 or more increase per student.

After hearing this proposal, Eleanor Roosevelt declared, “Take it from me, it’s better to have no publicity at all than bad publicity.” Roosevelt admitted that her views on the football program were influenced by the negative talk surrounding the issue on campus.

According to The Justice archives, immediately after Roosevelt’s statement the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to eliminate the football program and appropriate the previous football funding to establish a tuition freeze and increase student

The Brandeis Hoot 13

Brandeis football star Bill McKenna passes away

By Brian Tabakin Editor

photo from internet source

scholarships and faculty raises. Wien, however, was not present at the time of the vote to express his displeasure as he “stormed angrily from the room cursing in French, German and Norwegian before the vote was taken.”

The University Athletic Director, Benjamin Friedman, was on a recruiting trip for the football team in the Midwest at the time the vote was taken. When he heard the news of the trustees’ decision to eliminate the program, Friedman immediately resigned in protest.

Ironically, a university founded on its belief of understanding and diversity eliminated its once proud football program as a result of stigmas hidden behind the guise of the need for additional funding. Despite the sport’s continued popularity, Brandeis has made no decision or indication that they will revisit Roosevelt and the trustees’ decision to scrap the football program.

Since that meeting in 1959, the gridiron has remained closed and doesn’t appear to be opening ever again.

Before the doors to the Brandeis gridiron were shut, Bill McKenna ’55 roamed the field. McKenna was the university’s first ever All-American and he continued his successful career for many years in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He passed away on Oct. 19 in Calgary, Alberta.

McKenna displayed great versatility, playing both offensive and defensive end. In the football program’s short-lived existence, he became the Judges’ leader in points scored in a game and a career, as well as most receiving yards.

In 1993, McKenna was inducted into the Brandeis Hall of Fame and then two years later in 1995, he and his former teammates traveled to Canton, Ohio to see Benny Friedman, their former coach, inducted into Pro Football Hall of Fame, posthumously, for his pioneering of the forward pass.

Dick Bergel ’57, one of McKenna’s teammates, reflected on what truly made him special.

“Bill was certainly one of the more respected and accomplished athletes in the history of Brandeis athletics,” Bergel said. “Not only did he have outstanding physical talents, but he had the uncanny and unequaled ability to focus in the moment.”

“Bill was a tremendous person.

He was your friend for life and when someone needed help he was the first to volunteer.”

McKenna’s talents and dedication to his sport led the Philadelphia Eagles to draft him in the seventh round of the NFL draft. He played the majority of his professional career, however, with the Calgary Stampeders of the CFL from 1955 to 1963, where he totaled 88 receptions and 1,436 yards, along with 10 touchdowns, while at

photo from internet source

the same time also playing on the defensive side of the ball.

While McKenna had many prominent and memorable games during his collegiate career, his teammates consistently reflected on a game against Wayne University in 1953 as McKenna’s defining performance.

With Brandeis clinging to a 6-0 lead in the closing minutes, Wayne drove down the field and reached the Brandeis one-foot line.

On the last play of the game, Wayne called a power sweep toward McKenna; however, he bulldozed the blocker and tackled the ball carrier just shy of the goal line to preserve the win for the Judges.

Bergel asserts that McKenna’s success on the gridiron helped publicize and give a face to the brand new university. “His decision to play at Brandeis and for Benny Friedman helped put the school on the map.”

McKenna is survived by his wife, Myken; his three daughters, Lisa, Michelle and Susan; two brothers; Dick and Jake; six grandchildren; and his nephew Bob McKenna ’77 who was a standout player for the Judges’ basketball and baseball teams.

Swimming and diving returns to action after absence

By Brian Tabakin Editor

Competing for the first time at home since the 2008 season, the Brandeis swimming and diving team announced their return to competition with a new school record in a pair of losses to the Wheaton College Lyons.

The Lyon men defeated the Judges 159-97 while the women defeated the Judges 163-120.

Coach Mike Kotch reflected on the excitement of returning to action with a home meet.

“The meet went very well. It was exciting to have the stands packed with faculty, staff and students. It was exciting for the team and they deserved it,” Kotch said.

Despite losing both meets to the Lyons, Kotch was impressed and satisfied with his team’s performance.

“I thought we competed. We’re not a big team but we have talented kids.

We won a lot of events and now the goal is to just try to build upon the talent,” he said.

In the previous years, Kotch had been focused on recruiting students for the team while the pool underwent repairs.

Max Fabian ’15, a recent transfer, won three of the Judges 15 events and

set the highlight of the meet for the Judges with a school record-breaking performance in the 1,000-yard freestyle. His time of 9:58.06 breaks the record formerly held by Hal Grossman ’06 by seven seconds. In addition to his win in the 1,000-yard freestyle, Fabian also won the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:02.22, and the 200 butterfly with a time of 2:06.05.

Brian Luk ’16 joined Fabian, by also winning three events. He won the 50 freestyle with a time of 22.65 seconds, just .03 seconds ahead of his closest competitor, and the 100 freestyle in 48.98 seconds, as well as winning the 100 butterfly with a time of 56.37 seconds.

On the women’s side, Theresa Gaffney ’16 won the Judges’ first event of the day with a time of 11:43.44 in the 1,000 freestyle as well as winning the 500 freestyle in 5:44.05.

Lauren Cruz ’16 joined Fabian and Luk with wins in different strokes winning the 200 freestyle in 2:05.94, and the 200 backstroke with a time of 2:25.02.

“Recruiting went well and I think now that the freshmen are starting to put up results in meets it will allow us to show recruits something tangible and viable. This is the direction of the program and this is how you can fit in,” Kotch said.

One of the few holdovers from the

on your mark Swimmers dive off the blocks in the first meet at the new Lindsey Pool

swimming team before its absence, Holly Spicer ’13 won both of her breaststroke events, winning the 100 with a time of 1:11.27 and the 200 with a time of 2:37.05.

Other winners for the Judges included David Lazarovich ’16 who won the men’s 100 breaststroke in 1:05.55; while Gabby Drillich ’15 won the women’s 200 butterfly with a time of 2:30.04 and Fallon Bushee ’16 won

the women’s 50 freestyle with a time of 26 seconds.

Kotch’s main goal over the course of the season is to create a team culture.

“I want to establish a competitive culture and a foundation of hard work. That is something I’ve stressed to the team from day one because what we do this year will directly influence what the team does next year,” he said.

photo by ally keller/the hoot

“If we don’t have a competitive culture then we’re not going to get topnotch recruits. We’re trying to run a tight ship so we can be taken seriously by recruits and so we can be proud in what we do,” he added.

The team will return to action this weekend when they travel to Rochester for a mini-meet before returning home on Nov. 3 for a meet against Roger Williams.

14 SPORTS

The Brandeis Hoot

October 26, 2012

Women’s soccer bounces back from two straight losses with two home wins

By Evan Goldstein Staff

With wins against Lesley and Lasell this past week, the Brandeis women’s soccer team sits with a 12-3-1 record with three matches left in the season.

It was a tough road trip last week, with the Judges not playing their best soccer and losing to University of Chicago and Washington University in St. Louis.

“We just didn’t come together as a team in the field,” Melissa Darling ’16 said. The Judges had an opportunity at redemption this week, however, and they seized it.

Brandeis controlled both matches.

The Judges outshot Lesley 15-6 and Lasell 25-9 for a total of 40 shots—as compared to 15 shots for the opposition. In shots on goal, Brandeis also led with 22 against five for the opposition. These stats express the offense coordination and competence as well as defensive prowess and the ability to move the ball up the pitch, which the Judges have continued to show throughout the season.

Michelle Savuto ’15 and Francine Kofinas ’13 have been part of the Judges’ clutch defense. Even though there was one goal allowed against Lasell, the tandem made four out of five saves, and six out of six against Lesley, some of which were diving fingertip-saves that could have changed momentum of not just the match, but the season as well. This has been and will be a key to the team’s future success: making clutch saves when needed.

With the exception of the previous week’s games against Chicago and Washington University in St. Louis, the defensive line that has complemented the keepers has performed well. In fact, the 1-0 victory against Lasell ties a school record for clean sheets, which has been achieved in only three other campaigns. It is often said that defense wins championships, and in this case, a consistent Brandeis defense could hold any team off of the scoreboard.

The reality, however, is that the three matches that the Judges have lost this season have been matches where two or more goals have been allowed. These matches have featured inconsistent defense, and will not be beneficial as the season comes to close in the next couple of weeks.

The most recent clean sheet was the match last week against Lesley.

Brandeis proved to dominate the 1-0 victory as the aforementioned stats display. But the stat sheet does not tell the full story of Alec Spivack’s ’15 game-winning goal for the Judges.

Spivack was able to brilliantly curve a set piece (from about 20 yards out) into the far left post of the Lesley goal.

The goal turned out to be Spivack’s first of the season and first of the match against Lesley keeper Emileigh Lloyd, who kept the Judges to only one goal with six saves. It was only the fifth goal allowed by Lloyd—and the Lesley defense—all season. The win was just another one of the impressive wins against top opponents for the Judges, as Lesley had been 11-1-2 before losing to Brandeis.

The Lasell match was much less

on the attack Dara Spital ’13 eyes a pass before releasing a shot

intense in terms of defense, with the Judges moving the ball easily up the pitch and dominating offensive movement around the box. Although Lasell did manage to sneak a goal through the Judges’ defense, Brandeis had goals from its top scorer as well as a rookie on her birthday. Dara Spital ’15 would find the first goal of the match with a scorching, strike of a cross from Sara Isaacson ’16. This is Spital’s tenth goal of the season, a team-leading figure and an amazing total for her stat line.

With the Judges scoring many shots on goal during the match, it was up to Lasell keeper Leah Pappalardo to keep her side from disintegrating under pressure. With her twelve

saves over the entire match, she kept the relentless attack from the Judges at bay, allowing her team a chance for victory. Pappalardo, however, could not stop Sapir Edalati ’15 from making her presence known. Edalati, a constant force on the team, both in her work around the goal as well as in the midfield, scored her goal in the 87th minute as an insurance goal for the Judges’ 3-1 victory. The goal, from 35 yards out, was a powerful strike that crossed the goal line just under the crossbar. She had also assisted on the goal from Mathilde Robinson ’16 earlier in the match.

In the 63rd minute, Edalati would furnish a cross from the corner right into the heart of the box, finding the

photo by nate rosenbloom/the hoot

swift foot of Robinson for a deft touch into the back of the net. This was Robinson’s first goal of her college career and the match-winner for the Judges.

Overall, it was very beneficial to win these two matches as the Judges maintain playoff hopes, but it was not necessary. The last three matches are against conference opponents, all with winning records.

The Judges need to get good results from these matches to move into playoff contention. It will be a challenge. Emory, the Judges’ next opponent, is undefeated and ranked first in the nation. The match will be at home on Friday at 4 p.m. and the match against Carnegie Mellon will be home on Saturday at 11 a.m.

Volleyball springs back; goes 2-1 at Hall of Fame Invitational

By Dani Chasin Staff

The women’s volleyball team rebounded from their recent round robin losses this weekend by coming out strong at the Hall of Fame Invitational.

Finishing the tournament with a record of 2-1, the Judges were able to defeat Bridgewater State and Smith College, but fell short to Middlebury in the second match. Now holding a season record of 16-11, the team looks to further their offensive performance and carry home victories

from the remaining tournaments.

Going into the invitational, the Judges were focused on their games and refused to accept three-straight defeats.

“Our team is great at using past weekends to help improve our upcoming tournaments,” Senior middle blocker Becca Fischer ’13 said. “After playing four very tough teams [at the second Round Robin] we were able to channel that into our tournament this past weekend.”

In the first match against Bridgewater State, the Judges were able to secure an easy 3-0 win over the Bears.

going up Judges attept to spike the ball over the net to end the point.

The Bears, holding a season record of 10-13, were unable to hold a candle to the Brandeis players who managed to produce a high-scoring game. The scores of the three sets were 25-20, 25-19 and 25-19.

Four of the Brandeis players recorded double-digit stats in the tournament opener. Junior setter Yael Einhorn ’14 nailed a double-double with 28 assists and a team-high 11 digs. She now carries a total of 906 assists and 218 digs for her career performance. Junior outside hitter Si-Si Hensley ’14, just shy of scoring a double-double, recorded nine

photo by alex patch/the hoot

digs and a team-high 11 kills for the Judges. Sophomore outside hitter Liz Hood ’15 tallied 10 kills, while libero Elsie Bernaiche ’15 added 10 digs.

The second game against the Middlebury Panthers proved to get the best of the Judges. Beating the Judges 3-0 in all three sets, the Panthers held a tight grip on the Judges’ offensive opportunities.

The Judges got close to making a comeback in the second set; however, the Panthers managed a 23-25 set point win. Unable to fend off Middlebury, who carry a 17-5 season record, the Judges lost all three sets by margins of 19-25, 23-25 and 16-25.

Unlike the Bridgewater State game, the match against the Panthers saw relatively lower scoring from the Brandeis players. Hood recorded nine kills, while teammate Hensley gained seven. Einhorn contributed 24 assists and Bernaiche added 10 digs. Although none of the Brandeis players were able to record a double-double, the Judges felt confident going into their final game against Smith.

Keeping their eye on their target, the Judges dominated the first set against the Smith College Pioneers by a score of 25-19. Unwilling to accept a defeat early in the game, the Pioneers made a comeback to win the second set 25-22.

The Judges, maintaining their momentum, responded with a 25-21 score in the third. Far from ending the game, the Judges and the Pioneers fought two more sets, the Pioneers taking the fourth and the Judges com-

manding the fifth. The set points for the match were 25-19, 22-25, 25-21, 18-25 and 15-11, making the final score for the closely contested match 3-2.

The top performers for the Judges included Hood who scored 15 kills; however, the pivotal plays from the match were made by the middle blockers. Rookie Maddie Engeler ’16 achieved her career-high 10 blocks and scored nine kills.

Senior Lauren Berens ’13 tallied a season-high 12 kills and had two block assists. Fischer totaled 10 kills and had only three errors in 20 attempts as well as one block assist.

Altogether, the Judges recorded 81 digs; Bernaiche earned 25, Hensley had 16, Susan Sun ’13 secured 12, and Hood added 11 to achieve her second double-double of the season. Hood’s stellar performance for the Judges, with 34 kills at the invitational, was rewarded with All-Tournament Honors.

Finishing off the season and performing well at the remaining tournaments is both exhilarating and emotional for the Judges, especially for the seniors.

When asked how she felt about ending her final season, Fischer responded, “We have become a more united team over the season. Every game allows us to learn new things and utilize them in the following game. We have two tournaments left and we are all hoping for a strong finish. Each match is important and we are going to play our hardest and show how much we have all improved.”

October 26, 2012

SPORTS 15

The Brandeis Hoot

Men’s soccer sees unbeaten streak end; rebounds with three straight wins

By Brian Tabakin Editor

Two weeks ago, the men’s soccer team 17-game unbeaten streak came to an end after a 1-0 defeat against the University of Chicago.

Following the loss, the Judges dropped from ninth in the country to 18th in the country. But they responded from the loss by winning the next three games to improve their record to 14-1-1 (2-1-1 UAA).

Tyler Savonen ’13 believes that the end of the unbeaten streak may be a blessing in disguise.

“It can work to our advantage. We hadn’t felt a loss in a while,” Savonen said. “It motivated us. It gave us the taste of losing again. Now we can refocus and move on.”

Having won two games last week, the Judges entered their match against the Mount Ida College Mustangs, ranked 17th in the nation. The Judges completely dominated the Mustangs with a 5-0 victory.

Midfielder Kyle Feather ’14 led the Judges on the day, tallying two goals, one in each half, as well as an assist.

The Judges started off the match

strong, setting the tempo and striking first. Forward Sam Ocel ’13 put the Judges on the scoreboard just seven minutes into the match.

Forward Lee Russo ’13 rocketed a shot toward goal from 25 yards out that landed at Ocel’s feet after deflecting two defenders.

Ocel immediately took advantage of the fortuitous bounce, slamming the ball home to give the Judges a 1-0 lead. The goal was Ocel’s seventh of the season. The goal also moved Ocel into 20th place on the Brandeis alltime points list.

Just two minutes after Ocel’s goal, the Judges struck again. Feather threaded the ball toward the goal box where Russo gained control and easily deposited the ball into the net, for his team-leading 12th goal of the season, to put the Judges up 2-0.

With a goal and an assist on the day, Russo became the 10th in program history to reach 80 career points as he now sits in a ninth place tie on the Judges’ all-time scoring list.

The Judges kept the momentum going and immediately looked to put the game out of reach for the Mustangs with continued offensive pres-

sure. Less than five minutes after Russo’s goal, Russo took a free kick in the Mustangs’ zone that Jake Picard ’16 had a chance to take, but was unable to put on goal. The defender’s attempt to clear the ball out of the zone went directly toward the foot of Feather who took advantage, slipping the ball past the keeper into the left corner to put the Judges ahead 3-0.

Brandeis enjoyed an 8-2 advantage in shots and a 4-1 advantage in corner kicks in the half.

While the Mustangs were able to keep the Judges off of the scoreboard during the first half, they were not so lucky in the second half.

The Judges came back onto the field and once again dominated possession and dictated the pace of play as they duplicated their offensive efforts from the first half with a 13-6 advantage in shots and a 7-3 edge in corner kicks.

Feather continued his stellar game, opening up the scoring in the second half in the 58th minute.

Midfielder Foti Andreo ’15 started the play off when he found defender Ben Applefield ’14 running down the right side of the field. Applefield then crossed the ball to the box where

Feather blasted the ball past the keeper to put the Judges up 4-0.

In the 79th minute, after the Mustang’s keeper made an initial save on a rocket from forward Savonen, forward Chris Bradley ’16 wrapped up the scoring for the match when he gained control of the rebound.

After gaining control of the rebound, Bradley dribbled the ball toward the other side of the keeper and tapped the ball into the empty side of the net.

Blake Minchoff ’13 once again shut out the opposing team, making one save in the first half while Joe Graffy ’15 and Kenn Fryer ’16 split the time in net in the second half, combining to make only one additional save as the Mustangs struggled to maintain or generate any offense.

Savonen argued that the teams execution was key in the victory.

“We played well and tired them out. We were the better team and we played to our level,” Savonen said. “It was good to have a game where we scored a lot to get our confidence up heading into the final stretch.”

If the Judges win their next three games they will win the UAA and

automatically qualify for the NCAA tournament.

“Everyone is pumped up; we all know what’s at stake,” Savonen said.

“We know we can win these games, but we just have to execute.”

If the Judges don’t win the UAA, they could still qualify for the NCAA tournament through an at-large bid; however, it’s not an ideal situation.

The NCAA assigns at-large bids based on regions.

Last year when the Judges were unable to win the UAA they had to hope to gain an at-large bid. Babson, however, who had been predicted to win their conference, failed to do so, and therefore took an at-large bid and the Judges did not qualify for NCAAs. “We’d rather just win the upcoming games and get in. It’s better to keep it in our hands instead of leaving it up to someone else where anything can happen,” Savonen said.

The Judges will look to continue their new winning streak when they face Emory at home on Friday at 6:30 p.m. as they make their push toward winning the UAA and earning an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

photos by nate rosenbloom/the hoot

editorials

16 The Brandeis Hoot

“To acquire wisdom, one must observe.”

Editor-in-Chief Jon Ostrowsky Managing Editor Leah Finkelman Emily Stott Associate Editors Nathan Koskella Brian Tabakin Connor Novy News Editor Debby Brodsky News Editor Rachel Hirschhaut Deputy News Editor Victoria Aronson Features Editor Dana Trismen Features Editor Juliette Martin Arts, Etc. Editor Zach Reid Deputy Arts, Etc. Editor Zoe Kronovet Impressions Editor Morgan Dashko Copy Editor Nate Rosenbloom Photography Editor Senior Editors Ingrid Schulte Suzanna Yu Business Editor Gordy Stillman

Volume 9 • Issue 23 the brandeis hoot • brandeis university 415 south street • waltham, ma

Founded By Leslie Pazan, Igor Pedan and Daniel Silverman

October 26, 2012

Secretary’s email updates inappropriate

A

s a board, we like to reserve this space for weighty matters, like conversation gripping the student body in a given week, analysis of Brandeis’ goals for the future or our take on a critical community decision.

But we have been distracted this week, as the community has been all semester, by the conduct of Carlton Shakes, the Student Union Secretary.

We have already written at length about the debacle during last month’s elections. Shakes neglected his duties as chief elections officer, failing to even submit the list of voters to the system.

But it is his behavior regarding his only other constitutional power, that of Union communications through the weekly campus-wide email, that concerns us now. His emails are an embarrassment to this university.

Shakes’ emails contain far too much personal information about the writer himself, and far too little about

actual goings-on at Brandeis. Some of the gems, contained in subject lines or introductions: “So … awkward ... Mondays are a thing again … Good morning ‘Deisykins!”

“Carlton’s 20th Birthday Recap: AMAZING. EPIC. SUPERFANTABULOUS. PERFECT. DADA LIFE. PARTY BUS. CRAZY. INSANITY. HAPPYBIRTHDAYTOME!!”

“WHAT’S GUCCI BRANDEIS!!!!???”

“I deliriously studying for my Calculus midterm. I swear, my ceiling started to move...I am definitely suffering from Lack of Sleep Disease....-___-” And this week, in what was the entire subject line, (and sent from his personal address): “So...this weekend was definitely a blur.” The header was “Wakie Wakie Brandizzle!!”

We will not even go so far as to critique for grammar and punctuation.

But at a school like Brandeis, we believe students should be able to expect more from their elected officials. A bare modicum of professionalism is not too much to ask.

Emails, even if official, can be funny.

We are not throwing stones because we don’t do funny. Shakes just isn’t even that. Former Union President Herbie Rosen, when secretary, included the occasional YouTube video and nearly always an incredibly corny joke.

This board had, to say the least, a sizable share of complaints about his presidential administration. But Rosen never strayed from a competent and organized communication policy, one that better merited the Brandeis email from which it was broadcast. Shakes has not only tarnished this legacy but has correspondingly shamed the Union at least once each week.

We hope there will be a noticeable difference in communication next week.

Mission As the weekly community student newspaper of Brandeis University, The Brandeis Hoot aims to provide our readers with a reliable, accurate and unbiased source of news and information.

Produced entirely by students, The Hoot serves a readership of 6,000 with in-depth news, relevant commentary, sports and coverage of cultural events. Recognizing that better journalism leads to better policy, The Brandeis Hoot is dedicated to the principles of investigative reporting and news analysis. Our mission is to give every community member a voice.

SUBMISSION POLICIES The Brandeis Hoot welcomes letters to the editor on subjects that are of interest to the community. Preference is given to current or former community members and The Hoot reserves the right to edit or reject submissions. The deadline for submitting letters is Wednesday at noon. Please submit letters to letters@ thebrandeishoot.com along with your contact information. Letters should not exceed 500 words. The opinions, columns, cartoons and advertisements printed in The Hoot do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editorial board.

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CORRECTION

Due to a reporting error, an article titled, “Local hotels increase prices for Fall Fest weekend” published on Oct. 11 incorrectly referred to Framingham and Natick as east of Waltham. They are west of Waltham.

Letter to the Editor

B

Republican Scott Brown’s policies harmful for Brandeis students

randeis University students, whether or not you’re originally from Massachusetts, you should be deeply concerned about the policies promoted by Republican Scott Brown, especially in the area of health care. Republican Scott Brown’s signature policy position on health care is working to repeal ObamaCare, and that will have a directly negative impact on you.

Prior to the passage of ObamaCare, young adults in Massachusetts could only stay on their parents’ health insurance plan for up to two years after losing tax-dependency. This means that those students graduating from college, going out on their own, and starting jobs at the age of 21 could only stay on their parents’ health insurance plans until the age of 23. After that, you’re on your own for coverage. If you don’t get health insurance through your employer and you don’t qualify for subsidies for low-income adults in Massachusetts, the average premium for you in Massachusetts would cost $437 per month (or over $5,200 per year).

Because of ObamaCare, which Republican Scott Brown wants to repeal, your parents can keep you on

their family plan until you turn 26 years old, regardless of when you lose taxdependency. Over 20,000 young adults in Massachusetts have already gained insurance coverage as a result of the new health care law. Nationwide, this provision has increased insurance coverage to 3.1 million young adults, including Republican Scott Brown’s own daughter!

(It is noteworthy that Republican Scott Brown takes advantage of a policy for his own family that he wants to eliminate for you and your family.)

That’s not the only benefit Brandeis students should be aware of. Starting in August 2012, all new private insurance plans must cover key preventive services with no co-pays or additional costs. This includes contraception and contraceptive counseling, including the Pill, Nuvaring, diaphragms and IUDs. According to the Center for American Progress, prior to ObamaCare, a woman with insurance would pay $35 to $250 in out-of-pocket costs for the doctor’s visit, plus $15 to $80 per month ($180 to $960 per year) for the Pill. This means that, thanks to ObamaCare, she will save anywhere from $200 to over $1,000 a year on her contraception alone. If Re-

publican Scott Brown gets his way and ObamaCare is repealed, you lose these cost-free benefits.

Health care isn’t the only area in which the policies of Republican Scott Brown have been directly harmful to college students. On May 8 of this year, Republican Scott Brown voted against the Stop the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike Act of 2012. On that day, Brown voted to double your student loan interest rate from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent.

Fortunately, after this vote took place, leadership in the U.S. Senate achieved a compromise to keep the student loan interest rate at 3.4 percent, but that doesn’t change Republican Scott Brown’s record of voting to double your student loan interest rate.

Policy decisions made in Washington, D.C., have a real and direct impact on us. The policies that Republican Scott Brown is advocating would have a decidedly harmful impact on Brandeis students.

Mathew Helman ProgressMass

October 26, 2012

OPINION

The Brandeis Hoot 17

Weekly Kos

Debate more noteworthy for what candidates didn’t say

By Nathan Koskella Editor

I am a politics and policy junkie. I know each tax bracket, appreciate the differences between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney’s positions versus their party’s platforms and I can name every senator. But the final presidential debate, last night in Boca Raton, Fla., concerned foreign affairs.

This is the closest I’m going to get to the rest of us, who fortunately do not share the disease that is politics-obsession. I like domestic affairs: health care, taxes, budgeting and spending, with a bit of education and a heap of social issues all stewing in Washington, D.C. Being able to name the crown heads and ministers of Europe would never prepare me for this debate, and so I came into it with about as open-minded a view, compared to most of the viewing public and especially those last few undecided voters among us, as possible.

Foreign affairs, as even I know, has been consumed as of late by the tragedy in Libya on Sept. 11 and the Obama administration’s response in its wake. Mitt Romney suffered a liveTV instant fact check last week when he brought it up, but last night’s coverage drew a more evenhanded picture.

The gist of Libya is this: All Americans mourn the loss of Ambassador Chris Stevens and our other fellow countrymen. But the Republican attack that Obama officials have tried to obfuscate the cause is unfounded.

Obama has both blamed violence in the wake of the anti-Islam video and called it a terrorist attack. That the GOP has refused to consider the possibility that both of these things could be true was Romney’s mistake in the last debate.

On Monday night, he avoided such embarrassment, which was good for those of us supporting the president: the bravado with which he boasted his role as commander-in-chief was too much. He has verged too close to the charges of lack of patriotism that liberals faced after criticizing former President George Bush. It is perfectly legitimate for Romney to ask questions about the Libya attack, without him being accused of “politicizing a tragedy.”

So last night did not include the too-zealous Democratic attacks either.

Indeed, the major takeaway from last night is just how much the two parties agree.

In Syria, Romney basically prescribed joint action with allies in the

By Jake Newfield

Each year Brandeis spends copious amounts of money on events, faculty and facilities, yet when I walk into Usdan at 7:05 p.m. on a Saturday night expecting dinner, my only options are the slim remainders of wilted salads and week-old turkey sandwiches on the far side of the C-Store.

And, if I’ve already used a “meal” that day any time after 4:45 p.m., I will be prohibited from using another “meal” for the rest of the evening.

Brandeis is home to 3,500 students, many of whom are required by the university to be on a meal plan. This means that a large portion of the student population relies on campus food to fill their stomachs every day of the week. But the students had better be quick, for campus dining frequently closes at inconvenient times, such as Saturday nights. Does the university think that all students are done eating by 6 p.m. on a Saturday night so that we can curl up in bed by 8 p.m. and be ready for an early breakfast the next morning? Surely, this cannot be the case because most of Usdan is closed until approximately noon on Sundays.

It’s no wonder Asia Wok knows every single dorm building on campus better than our own tour guides and why some first-years think that “Tiki House” is somewhere near Slosberg.

Frankly, even when dining is available, the amount of time it takes to order and receive a delivery from Asia Wok is faster than the amount of time it takes for Quiznos, especially

ment. Obama, even as his campaign has called Romney’s worries about China’s dominance overblown, has taken many steps, right before the election, to appear “tough” on our biggest trading partner. Obama challenged them in the World Trade Organization a few weeks ago, and last night touted his push for ending a supposed Chinese advantage in the market for tires. A president named Romney would have taken the same steps.

And finally, both Obama and Romney embarrassed themselves, and the nation, by practically prostrating themselves before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. If the debate portrayed how few differences lay between the two party leaders, once

graphic by jun zhao/the hoot

On-campus dining leaves much to be desired Special to the Hoot

region, dialogue with other world powers outside the region and a stance calling for President Assad’s regime to end immediately. This is exactly what Obama has done.

On Iran, both men sounded the same tune. While Romney has traditionally taken the hard-line position, last night Obama reminded the world that “the clock is ticking” on Iran’s supposedly disbanded nuclear program. The instruments both men were sounding were the drums of war. Both men are hoping we never get to that point, but feel they must declare themselves willing to act.

On China, put aside Romney’s threat to label them a currency manipulator, both presidential candidates are calling for increased engage-

during rush hour lunch periods, to lethargically place, piece by piece, every individual slice of tomato and lettuce on your chicken sub.

I’m not sure if there is anyone at Brandeis who doesn’t already realize this (but apparently there must be since we have yet to fix this problem), but it is technically impossible to use all 21 Meals on the 21 Meal Plan! Why is it called the 21 Meal Plan if there are not 21 mealtimes in a Brandeis week?

As it turns out, there are only two meal times offered on Sunday, limiting the week to only 20 mealtimes total.

I spent my first year at Brandeis attempting to find a loophole that would allow me to eat 21 meals a week without having to resort to eating Sherman roasted potatoes and pentagonal turkey burgers. My mission was unsuccessful, however, and hundreds of meals later (but no more than 20 a week) I opted for the “Combo” plan, which is still not a good option due to its insubstantial amount of meals and points.

My primary issue with Brandeis’ dining plan is that they are blatantly profit-oriented. Yes, all businesses should aim to maximize their profits, but when you have a company that works hand-in-hand with a university and essentially has a monopoly over the food establishment of the student population, they should be monitored to assure that they do not abuse their power.

Unfortunately, at Brandeis this is not the case. Regardless of Aramark’s See DINING, page 18

the discussion leaves our shoreline, it is Israeli affairs that were the pinnacle of the sorry exercise. The great number of Jews in the Boca Raton audience may have had something to do with it, but if I were an undecided voter just tuning in last night I would have been forced into the notion that Israel can do no wrong, and that Netanyahu’s recent warmongering with Iran are anything other than dangerous. And most dreadful of all: 15 minutes of touting Israel as America’s greatest ally, a dodged question on a possible Bibi strike on Iran, and nothing whatsoever about the people or rightful future nation of Palestine.

Remember when Israel-talk at debates was about the conflict with the Palestinians? Last night they were abandoned, and as with so much, by both men and parties. Which brings us to the second part of the one-two punch a voter got from last night’s debate, that the Palestinians weren’t alone in being ignored.

Neither man mentioned global warming or international climate issues at all. Neither man mentioned North Korea, fresh with a new diminutive dictator and their own notso-new nuclear program. There was no mention at all, other than a slap at Greece again from Romney, about the biggest near-term threat to the United States, a collapse of the global financial system by a crisis in the euro currency zone. In fact the only continent mentioned last night was South America. Asia had only China to represent it and there was no discussion of non-Middle East Africa.

So much for a debate on foreign policy. And as for what was said, “I agree” was probably the most popular phrase out of each man’s mouth, so much for a debate at all.

Winning, but at what cost?

By Zoë Kronovet Editor

We all want to be winners.

Throughout our lives, from pee-wee soccer and homecoming court to class rankings, we all want to be on top. Recently, we’ve seen that winning comes with a cost. Across the globe, from the locker rooms in State Park, Penn., hotel rooms in Paris, France and classrooms in Chapel Hill, N.C., we have witnessed the underbelly of winning—and it is an unpleasant site.

America is enamored with winning. Tuning in to the presidential debate last night or any other kind of political event ever held, we repeatedly hear the rhetoric of America as number one in the world, along with the insistence that our country remain at the top of the podium.

This past summer, in two of the very few manifestations of my patriotism, I sweated and screamed until my throat was hoarse as I watched, enraptured, the Olympics. The Olympics along with the other annual summer sports, even, the Tour de France, are two highly competitive, international events that grab the attention of all Americans and highlight the importance and value we find in winning.

It was a huge blow to the cycling and sports community as well as Lance Armstrong’s reputation, when earlier this month the U.S. AntiDoping Agency revealed its results of the expansive trial of Lance Armstrong, which revealed Armstrong to be the ringleader in a massive doping practice. Their findings lead us to attribute the once commendable Armstrong as a cheater, manipulator and liar, a far cry from his once lofty

praise. Unable to fathom the idea of not wearing the yellow jersey or having his name inscribed in the cycling hall of fame, Armstrong injected himself with the blood-boosting hormone known as erythropoietin in order to remain on the top of the podium as a winner—both on and off the bike.

Our society values and perpetuates the importance of winning and of being number one. Armstrong is not alone in exposing America’s addiction to winning.

In State College, Pennsylvania, the disease of winning spread in the locker rooms, coaches’ offices and administrative buildings of Pennsylvania State University. Swept up in the tide of maintaining their greatness, the coaches and administrators at Penn State did what they believed they had to do to keep winning, regardless of the law. In the perfect example of how important winning has become to all Americans, it was not the indictment of Sandusky nor the death of Joe Paterno that pushed the Penn State fans over the edge. It was the fact that the NCAA stripped the school of its winning games and seasons during the time of Paterno’s tenure that was the last straw on the camel’s back.

It isn’t a bad idea to value someone who has done the best job; in fact, our society is founded on it. Promotions at work, elections in our own student government, the sports teams we so ardently ignore here at Brandeis—all of it comes back to winning. It would be absurd to think that our society as a whole, would be able to rethink our societal goals and how we value people. Most of what we set out to do in our lives relies on our capacity to beat out others, which is the standard we set in determining ourselves successful.

Yet when confronted with the truth, too often people are content to let the team, the hero remain on top all because we want to be winners.

As a friend of mine passionately discussed the horrors that occurred at Penn State, in the same breath she defended and deflected against the accusations of the University of North Carolina men’s basketball academic program that violated countless laws in an attempt to keep players eligible.

The actions that the school undertook to maintain players at Carolina in order to win basketball games, goes unnoticed by the Carolina community.

Quick to point fingers at Paterno, they refuse to see their own shortcomings.

While seemingly unnecessary to point out, it remains an uncomfortable truth in our nation’s culture: these basketball players, football coaches and ultra-athletes serve as an inspiration to thousands of Americans who pledge not only their loyalty to these schools, teams and people, but also their time and money. We valued Lance Armstrong because he was the supreme winner. The man who climbed the impossibly high mountain with thigh muscles bulging, had previously preserved blood from weeks earlier running through his veins. These are the values that we are teaching the next generation and even the current ones: that winning, at all costs, is acceptable.

All of these factors in our society perpetuate America’s preoccupation with winning. Our global outlook as a country would be radically different if we weren’t so concerned with maintaining our number one status in the world.

As a nation, and a people, we need to find more value in the activities in which we partake.

18 OPINION

The Brandeis Hoot

Students face dining dilemmas DINING, from page 17

business model, it is still Brandeis’ responsibility to make sure that its students (many of whom are paying over $200,000 to get their degree) have easy and affordable access to food.

As a top-ranked international liberal arts university, Brandeis’ primary objective is to optimize their students’ experiences—including classes, facilities, sports and, of course, food. It is therefore Brandeis’ responsibility to provide its students with food at reasonable prices and at reasonable hours during the day, which in this case requires negotiating the prices and hours that Aramark assigns to our dining halls. In reality, however, the prices of many foods in Usdan have been raised and various foods have been deemed exempt from counting toward “meals,” an attempt to push students toward using more of their points.

Perhaps you disagree with me and believe that Brandeis does not have an obligation to provide its students with guacamole-compatible quesadillas, which don’t require an extra dollar for the one teaspoon of guacamole that presumably costs Aramark $10 for the hundred pounds of it they bought in bulk and conveniently packaged into pathetically small containers.

Even if you somehow believe this is justified, how can one justify that you can’t buy a large 11-inch Quiznos sub using a “meal,” yet you can buy two small five-inch subs on a “meal,” which together cost more than a large sub? An 11-inch Quiznos sub costs $7.50. You cannot purchase this on

October 26, 2012

‘Brandeis goggles’ just aren’t necessary

a “meal;” you must use points. Two 5-inch subs (10 inches total) costs $10.

You are able to buy this on a meal, yet it will go over the assigned dollar amount of a “meal” and you will have to use points. This is just one example of the nonsensical dining we are subjected to as students.

Unfortunately, this problem affects more than just our satisfaction at meal times. As it turns out, Brandeis’ lack of Class-A dining is part of what has prevented us from earning a top-30 ranking. While schools like Emory and NYU offer versatile, affordable options for food, our proudest food establishment is Einsteins, which, like our other dining halls, is closed at unusual hours and often has lines of students piling out into the bookstore.

If school rankings only concerned academics, we’d be golden. As we know, however, and as Brandeis is presumably aware of yet still negligent toward, assets like dining impact these rankings. Student life and quality of student living experience make a difference.

The conclusion for students is not ideal yet it is simple: Don’t put yourself on a meal plan unless you have to, and if you do, opt for the least expensive plan while utilizing cash as a backup.

You’ll save a lot in the long run. And maybe if administrators open their eyes and step up to their responsibility of providing convenient, affordable dining, I will be able to go into Usdan at 8 p.m. on a Friday night, use only one “meal,” and be able to get what I want.

Maybe there might be some free guacamole on the side. Or, at the very least, priced at less than a dollar.

T-Bak’s Back Talk

GOP: Take note of country’s changing demographics

By Brian Tabakin Editor

I n the saturated 24-hour news cycle, I’m sure you have seen GOP political rallies for Governor Romney and other candidates. They tend to feature a predominantly white audience with very few Hispanics and African-Americans. While Republicans do have some rising Latino stars in the party, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida and New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez, these stars are not correlating into Hispanic support.

According to a recent poll by the highly respected polling firm Latino Decisions, President Obama is winning the Hispanic vote by a staggering 71 percent to 20 percent margin over Governor Romney. The increasing Hispanic support for Democrats has altered the typical presidential map.

Obama won Colorado by 9 percent in 2008, marking the first time the state had voted for a Democrat since 1992.

Similarly, Obama won Nevada by 12 percent in 2008, the first time the state had voted for a Democrat since 1996.

Finally, New Mexico, typically a swing state in elections, is now safely Democratic.

The Hispanic population in the United States has grown each year, and in each election they have comprised a larger part of the electorate.

While Hispanics used to be an unreliable voting group in getting to the polls, Latino Decisions reports that 84

percent of Latinos are certain to vote in this election.

Led by the increasing Latino population, the changing demographics of the country have put the future of the Republican Party in danger. Consider that according to the most recent census, Hispanics make up 37.6 percent of the population of Texas, 29.6 percent of Arizona and 22.5 percent of Florida, with these percentages increasing every year. If Democrats continue to win the Hispanic vote by large margins, the once reliable Republican strongholds of Texas and Arizona will be put into question and the eternal toss-up state of Florida will start to become increasingly Democratic.

Let’s look at a little arithmetic. Assume that over the next four to five presidential elections Democrats will continue to win the majority of the Northeast votes as well as keep the reliable Democratic states of California, Oregon and Washington. Now, with the increasing Hispanic populations in Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona and Florida these states will continue to lean Democratic unless Republicans can re-gain the Hispanic vote.

If a Democrat were to win these six states, they would already have enough electoral votes to win the presidency without even factoring in typically Democratic leaning states such as Michigan, Illinois, WisconSee REPUBLICANS, page 19

graphic by linjie xu/the hoot

By Aliya Nealy

Special to the Hoot

Do you wear Brandeis goggles?

There’s a pretty strong consensus that if you attend Brandeis, you wear them, whether you realize it or not.

I remember around this time last year someone first mentioned Brandeis goggles to me and I was beyond confused. Then they explained that Brandeis goggles is a phenomenon that occurs when you attend Brandeis. The general idea is that based on the perspective shift you experience, the level of attractiveness decreases so much that you, unknowingly, put on “goggles” that make everyone seem more attractive .

If you haven’t heard of this idea of Brandeis goggles until now, it may seem like an accurate description of trying to assess physical beauty on this campus. And if you have heard of Brandeis goggles before, you may be like so many people I know that actually go through the trouble of rating Brandeisians on a “real world” scale. They decide whether or not they would find someone from Brandeis attractive if they saw them on the streets back home. I personally don’t agree with this practice; if I think you’re attractive, then I think you’re attractive and it doesn’t matter what the setting is.

Clearly, attractiveness is an important factor. Our society places a huge emphasis on beauty and how someone looks is the first thing you notice, even if you only notice it subconsciously. But is that all that matters?

We all notice the physical and it plays a part in whether or not we find someone appealing. But I believe, though attractiveness is important, that other factors are more important.

So what do Brandeis goggles mean for us Brandeisians? It means that we’re well aware of the slightly shallow desires we all have in wanting to be surrounded with extremely goodlooking people. But most of us can count on one hand the amount of times we’ve been to events, schools, or just anywhere that seemed to contain an un-earthly amount of beautiful people in one place.

I actually do believe that there are more attractive people at Brandeis than most students let on. The main

“

There’s an underrated amount of attractive people as well as a multitude of individuals with captivating personalities.

”

reason people don’t recognize this is the result of the overarching conclusion I’ve reached in my Brandeis dating theory. My theory contains a growing list of concepts that attempts to explain the difficulty of dating at Brandeis, many of which will come up in subsequent articles. But the overarching conclusion of my theory is that Brandeis is extremely small. The university’s size plays a part in social relationships in ways most people don’t even think about. When you get used to seeing the same people on a consistent basis, unless it’s Beyoncé, Channing Tatum, or people with an unmistakable level of beauty, you pay less and less attention to how attractive they are because you see them so frequently. So it’s easy for a majority of

us Brandeis students to write off some of the attractive people we see constantly. We also write off some attractive people because we’ve placed them in the friend zone or the brother/sister quality they hold with us that we don’t acknowledge their attractiveness.

I understand that it’s always nice to have a good amount of eye candy around. I also get that the suggestion of looking at someone’s personality is only given when said someone is unattractive, but I truly mean it. In addition to intelligent students at Brandeis, there are musicians, athletes, poets, dancers, socially conscious individuals and so much more. And while I do understand wanting to be with someone that is gorgeous, there are more factors that play a role.

So, no maybe Brandeis doesn’t have a student body that reaches a level of physical perfection only rivaled by the cast of 90210, but what school does? No, the admissions committee doesn’t accept headshots as a way to take attractiveness into account when making decisions on who will attend Brandeis. But one thing I have noticed on Brandeis’ campus is that there’s an underrated amount of attractive people as well as a multitude of individuals with captivating personalities.

And I know, personally, that I’m more attracted to someone that can captivate me intellectually and emotionally than someone that solely captivates me physically. But it truly is a personal preference.

Maybe Brandeis goggles exist in the way we limit our options based on worrying about being with or around outstandingly beautiful people. I implore you all to take off your “goggles” and let yourself see all the attractive people, all the talented individuals, all the powerful people and all the people that fall in these and more categories.

October 26, 2012

OPINION 19

The Brandeis Hoot

The difficulties of being vegan at a supposedly ‘vegan-friendly’ school

By Alison Thevdt Staff

I lost count of how many emails were sent last fall that encouraged students to vote for Brandeis as the most vegan friendly small university.

I voted, not even giving a thought as to whether Brandeis is actually vegan friendly or not—I knew we had a vegan station in Usdan and a vegan section in the C-Store, and that was good enough for me. All I cared about was supporting my school.

And now, because of that public poll with the majority of the votes being cast by non-vegan students, we have signs in Sherman and in the C-Store proclaiming our vegan-friendliness.

In reality, however, we have a long way to go before anyone should be calling Brandeis “vegan friendly.”

As a first year student last year, I thought the dining here was pretty good, just a bit repetitive—but I thought all schools were like that. It wasn’t until I decided to be a vegetarian during Lent that I began to realize our dining halls are centered around meat. I was eating the same things over and over again for six weeks: cheese quesadillas, pasta, rice, mac & cheese and smoothies. And if I wanted some vegetables, I almost always had to have a salad, which would usually take up a whole meal. While it was partially my fault for being too lazy to walk anywhere besides Usdan from North Quad, I was getting tired of the food.

And that was just the start of it.

This year, I decided to actually try eating a healthier diet, and it’s definitely been a challenge. My vegetables mostly come from salads I eat, and they’re no different from day to day: spinach, cucumber, lettuce and tomato. Sometimes I add raw broccoli or some of those paper-thin carrot strips. I’m happy if there are green beans or cooked broccoli at one of the stations in lower Usdan.

I began to wonder what it would be like to actually be a full-time vegan or

vegetarian here on campus.

Marissa Cecala ’14, president of the vegan/vegetarian club, expressed frustration over the meal plan. The vegan option offers the same meal for lunch and dinner, she pointed out, and it’s closed on the weekends.

“It’s like a soup kitchen,” she said.

Cecala did concede that the vegan section in the C-Store is an “improvement,” but that it’s not fresh food and mostly noodles and grains. “There aren’t any vegetables … Just trying to eat healthy here is really hard.”

Kimiko Van Wickle ’14 also expressed unhappiness with the vegan options on campus: “I don’t want Usdan vegan meatballs everyday. Veganism doesn’t equal tofu.” Currently a junior, Van Wickle chose to live off campus this year because of the limited options that Brandeis offers.

And looking around Usdan, I have to agree. Some days, there are only one or two vegetable options in lower Usdan, and often they are in stir-fry form. Why don’t we have a station that offers whole, plain, cooked vegetables daily?

Both Cecala and Van Wickle talked about running out of points on their meal plans, during their first years here. Van Wickle recalls running out of points after only one month, and Cecala remembers spending hundreds of dollars on food aside from her meal plan during her first semester at Brandeis. “I would go to the salad bar in lower Usdan for vegetables, and then go to the C-Store and get noodles or something. It was expensive.” Cecela spoke about having to order-in a lot on the weekend, and how frustratingly hard it is to get the right nutrients as a vegan: “Why are we paying so much to feel disrespected?”

Leah Staffin ’15, a former vegetarian, also stated that there is a lack of variety in food for vegetarians. When asked on how to improve life as a vegetarian here at Brandeis, she replied with, “more variety, for sure.” When asked whether she thought Brandeis was vegan or vegetarian friendly, she

The downfall of the Republicans REPUBLICANS, from page18

sin and toss-ups like Ohio, Virginia, North Carolina and Iowa. This simple electoral math paints the grim picture that Republicans now face.

After years of bashing Hispanics, alienating gays and lesbians, restricting a woman’s right to choose, the GOP has been limited to a party of white male and female seniors. While the GOP still has some Hispanic, African-American, gay and lesbian support, it is nowhere close to the support the Democrats get from these groups.

The Unites States is quickly becoming a minority-majority country. For the first time this past year, minority births accounted for more than 50 percent of all recorded births in the United States. The GOP’s inability to attract this ever-growing population may lead to its demise from the political spectrum.

Can the GOP combat these rapidly changing demographics? The answer is cloudy, just like the future of the Republican Party. The crux of the GOP’s problem stems from their problems with Hispanics. It began when the GOP took its hard-line stance against immigration policy, pandering to their white base. While the strategy

worked in the short-term, helping them in elections from 2000 to 2006, the shortcomings of the strategy became evident in 2008, when then candidate-Obama remade the electoral map behind his support from Latinos.

While Republicans should be able to regain some of the Hispanic vote stemming from conservative leaning Latinos, the reality of the situation is different. Hispanics have increased their support of Democrats during the last 12 years, and this Democratic support is beginning to become ingrained in the community. Just like AfricanAmericans overwhelmingly vote for Democrats based on embedded feelings that date back to the battle over civil rights, Hispanics are developing these feelings from the GOP’s hard line immigration stance.

Regardless of the outcome of the 2012 election, the Republican Party’s days of relevance may be coming to an end if they cannot attract Hispanic and minority voters. The GOP can’t continue on the same path dictated by its most extreme members. They must once again grow their party to encompass Americans from all backgrounds or become part of a long list of American political parties lost to history.

Hopefully, they address the elephant in the room instead of keeping it in the corner.

graphic by sindhura sonnathi/the hoot

responded, “we’re definitely ‘friendly’ … like [Brandeis and vegetarianism are] more than acquaintances, but not so close.”

Cecala talked about the idea of creating a vegetarian and/or vegan meal plan, which sounds like a fairer idea.

It really isn’t fair that vegans and veg-

etarians are paying the same amount of money for a school that doesn’t provide fresh, diverse and healthy options. It really is, as she said, disrespectful.

Brandeis is hardly health friendly and certainly not vegan friendly. I don’t think it’s accurate to say to the

rest of the world, including and especially prospective students, that Brandeis is a good place for vegans. I do admit, though, that there have been some minor improvements to the dining system this year—but it needs to go to a whole other level before I’d call us “vegan friendly.”

Call Me, Tweet Me

Ditch the subtlety, just be assertive

By Leah Finkelman Editor

One of my friends just doesn’t get subtlety. At all. He doesn’t get some of the jokes his friends make, and he certainly doesn’t realize what’s happening when a girl is flirting with him, even if she’s making what might seem like blatant sexual advances.

For example, a girl he had been involved with sent him a text asking what he was doing later, because she was going to need some “serious stress relief.” He responded with an offer to get her ice cream.

Let’s just say that if confronted with a girl complaining about how cold it was, he’s the kind of guy who would instantly go to the thermostat—offering his sweatshirt or putting his arm around her wouldn’t even cross his mind.

“Be extremely subtle, even to the point of formlessness … Thereby you can be the director of the opponent’s fate,” Sun Tzu wrote in “The Art of War.” So my friend’s doing alright, yes?

He controls the fates of those around him, thus controlling his own? Right?

Not quite.

If you’re trying to defeat an enemy, subtlety and mysteriousness are certainly two excellent defenses. If, however, you are trying to communicate with friends or other people you care about, you’re much better off skipping the subtlety.

Winston Churchill put it best: “When you have an important point to make, don’t try to be subtle or clever. Use a pile driver. Hit the point once. Then come back and hit it again.

Then hit it a third time—a tremendous whack.”

Subtle communication certainly serves its purpose. Body language and the vibes we send out through our physical appearance, tone and expres-

sions help others decode our meaning, but the words we say do even more. Being unclear with them only serves to complicate communication.

That’s one of the most valuable valuable lessons I’ve learned from being friends with him: It’s so much easier just to tell him exactly what I mean and exactly what I need. Being coy and subtly hilarious might work with other people, but when it comes down to it, it’s just easier to be completely direct.

Effective communication stems from a conscious effort to be clear, concise and direct, and is the best way to actually get a point across, and there are several things to keep in mind while doing so.

In order to make sense when you’re talking, you have to know what you’re going to say. You don’t have to plan out each sentence before it comes out of your mouth, but when you enter into a more serious conversation, know where you want to go with it. There’s no point going to a professor’s office hours or having a talk with your significant other about the future of your relationship if you don’t know what you want the outcome to be, whether that means an extension or exclusivity.

There are four main types of verbal communication: passive, aggressive, passive-aggressive and assertive.

There are some styles that overlap, but generally all communication fits into one of these categories, with ranging levels of subtlety.

In an effort to appear easygoing, many people choose to remain passive in conversation. This does not, of course, mean that at heart they are passive people (though they may be), but rather that they are using subtlety or even being vague and noncommittal because they want to avoid conflict or don’t think the conversation is worth an argument. This is useful in some scenarios, like dealing with someone unreasonable by simply say-

ing, “OK, you win.” Usually, though, being passive leads to unproductive discourse.

Aggressive communication gets an even worse rap, and is by far the least subtle—but not in a good way.

It’s thought of and described as being crudely expressive, to the point of being emotionally and verbally abusive.

It’s used to criticize and blame others, but sometimes, that needs to be done.

There’s a fine line between aggressive and assertive behavior, and it needs to be carefully confronted: “This is your fault” and “I don’t think I should be blamed for this because x, y and z,” come across very differently to fighting friends and frustrated bosses.

Being passive-aggressive is perfect if you just want to tear someone down. It’s often too subtle for people to catch on (and often that’s the point) but when they do, you can really tear their heart out with one little “No, it’s fine, I guess I don’t mind.” Fun and fulfilling in the right context, but overall not a very productive mode of communication.

Assertiveness takes the best of each. While acknowledging your own needs, you also recognize the desires of the person you’re talking to, and the removal of subtlety from the conversation makes everything more understandable.

The other forms of communication have their place in conversation, but if you’re trying to have reasonable discourse with a reasonable person, your best bet is assertiveness. You will show that you are clear about your goals, and able to articulate them without getting carried away.

Subtlety is great if you’re trying to be tactful, but who has time for that?

After all, if you want something, you should just go for it. If you’re subtle or unclear in any way, you might get lucky, but there’s a much better chance that someone isn’t going to understand you or your point.

20 The Brandeis Hoot

THIS WEEK IN PHOTOS

October 26, 2012

Swimming and diving reopens at home

photo by alyson eller/the hoot

take a dive Brandeis swim team flies toward the finish at the Lindsey Pool this week

Super Smash Bros Brawl

Stripes at the Rose

photo by nate rosenblum/the hoot

going for the gold Above: Brandeis plays with balls! Adagio springs for gold hot shorts, and we always appreciate fre

food. Right: Abstract expressionalism at The Rose.

photo by bella hu/the archon yearbook