The Brandeis Hoot - 11/17/13

Volume 10 Number 22

www.thebrandeishoot.com

Brandeis University’s Community Newspaper • Waltham, Mass.

Dance marathon raises over $8,000

By Victoria Aronson Editor

While her brother Martin lost his life as the youngest victim of the Boston Marathon bombings, sevenyear-old Jane Richard, who lost her leg in the attack, is currently recovering following 39 days in the ICU and a round of 12 intensive surgeries at Boston Children’s Hospital. Jane’s mother, Denise, suffered a severe eye injury, while her father bore shrapnel wounds from the incident.

Despite her injuries, Jane has not relinquished her passion for dance.

She is but one of the countless inspiring children receiving treatment at Boston Children’s Hospital, one of the top pediatric hospitals in the nation.

In a campus-wide effort to help children like Jane, the fourth annual Brandeis Dance Marathon hosted on Nov. 2 succeeded in fundraising a record total of $8,175 for Boston Children’s Hospital as hip hop, classical ballet and tango dancers, among others united to lead performances and interactive lessons for the Brandeis community. A total of 165 participants were registered for the event.

Brittany Ritell ’15, coordinator for the event, reveals how touched she was by Jane’s story and the resilience of other children currently being treated at the hospital. “The dance ones always get me. As someone who has loved dance my whole life, I couldn’t imagine not being able to do it. It’s incredible,” she says.

Although the Adagio Dance Ensemble, the official sponsor of the event, originally aimed for a goal of $10,000 in fundraising, Ritell remarks on the noteworthy accomplishment of reaching $8,125, far surpassing efforts in previous years, which had raised at most $5,000. According to Ritell, fundraising for the event increased by 60 percent from the previous year. A diverse assemblage of dance teams performed and led instructional lessons for those in attendance, including the Swing Dance Team, the Argentine Tango Society, the Ballroom Formation Team, Adagio Dance Ensemble, Kaos Kids, B’yachad, Hooked on Tap and Zumba led by Dani Nurick ’16.

During the first half of the event, patients and members of the Boston Children’s Hospital were present, See MARATHON, page 3

Kind acts on campus

other, be kind, and donate to community members in need. Above, students create trail mix for the Community Day Center in Waltham.

FMLA brings controversial feminism topics to debate team

By Robin Briendel Editor

photo by sarah stein/the hoot

parmy olson Journalist discusses Anonymous and the future of “hacktivism.”

Staff

One of the fieriest topics in recent news cycles has been the activity of the online hacker/activist/internet troll group Anonymous. From their defacing of the CIA website to public demonstrations against Scientology, the mysterious and decentralized

Inside this issue:

group has brought much discussion to the modern debate on internet privacy and other issues. One of the most famous Anonymous groups, the hacks and data thefts committed by hacker collective LulzSec in 2011, was detailed in Forbes journalist Parmy Olson’s 2012 book “We Are Anonymous.” The book details the rise and fall of LulzSec during the year of 2011

News: Amity Conference combats racism Page 2 Arts, Etc.: Netflix offers student escapism Page 8 Opinion: Is diversity accommodated at Brandeis? Page 12 Sports: Women’s soccer rebounds too late Page 11

photo by sarah stein/the hoot

spread the love Students across campus came together Thursday to show their appreciation for each

Journalism and music investigate Anonymous

By Jess Linde

November 17, 2013

as seen by Olson through her correspondence with the group, including interviews with leaders Sabu and Topiary, as well as an analysis of the hacker culture that gave birth to LulzSec and Anonymous.

On Thursday the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism See HACTIVIST, page 3

On Monday night, Brandeis’ Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance (FMLA) and Brandeis Academic Debate and Speech Society (BADASS) collaborated to co-host a public debate. The debate held in Olin-Sang 101 at 8 p.m. focused on the portrayal of women in the media and each side consisted of two BADASS members arguing whether or not it is better to have realist or idealist portrayals of women in powerful roles on TV. The debate was held in formal debate style: Each side had an initial seven minutes to present their position followed by a five-minute round of rebuttals, an open forum to attendees and final remarks from each side.

Amelia Katan ’15 had the initial seven-minute presentation arguing for realistic portrayal of power roles held by women, and Shira Almeleh ’14 followed for seven minutes, arguing the merits of depicting women in idealistic roles of power. Michael Norton ’16 and Russell Leibowitz ’14 argued with rebuttals for the realistic and idealistic portrayal sides, respectively.

FMLA Vice President and BADASS member Cecile Afable opened the debate. She introduced the debaters for each side and briefly explained the

format of the event.

On the side arguing for the merits of realistic portrayals of women in power roles on TV, Katan and Norton presented several arguments: TV should show the struggles of real women providing a contemporary media outlet, and seeing the struggles and successes of real women helps gain momentum for the feminist movement. The two debaters discussed that idealistic TV shows often minimize the sensitivity of issues such as abortion, rape and sexual assault and how these depictions harm women overall and promote the rape culture many are trying to eliminate.

In her arguments, Katan mentioned a positive portrayal of the psychological burdens and stress associated with abortion on the TV show “Girls” and how real life depictions such as those shown by a main character attempting to get an abortion provide more helpful and relevant information to viewers. Debaters on the realistic portrayal side also referenced that there are powerful women in our society, and we can feature real role models in TV shows, such as Hillary Clinton and Oprah.

On the side of idealistic depiction

‘Edges’ worth watching

Soccer Results

Arts, etc.: Page 9

Sports: Page 16

Edges has no storyline, instead we’re given a glimpse into the lives of six young people as the discover the meaning of life.

See DEBATE, page 3

Men’s soccer team finished the season with a win at home against NYU, continuing to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

news

2 The Brandeis Hoot

November 17, 2013

Jackson ‘16, MLK devotee, attends influential conference

cynthia jackson

By Theresa Gaffney Editor

Cynthia Jackson ’16 is the president of Brandeis’ MLK and Friends Club. Although she is not an MLK

photo courtesy cynthia jackson

scholar, she knew that she wanted to be as involved as possible when she joined the club last March. MLK and Friends works to support community service through the principles of Martin Luther King, Jr. They have participated in projects such as cleaning the

Charles River and helping to build playgrounds at Waltham schools.

When Dean of Student Life Jamele Adams told Jackson about the National Race Amity Conference in Norwood, MA, she didn’t quite know what to expect. She applied for a scholarship from SOAR (Students Organized Against Racism) and received it, which allowed her to attend the conference on both of the two days that it was held. The SOAR scholarship paid for the weekend of meals, panels, breakout sessions and an awards gala. The conference took place on Friday, Nov. 1 and Saturday, Nov. 2. While other students attended the conference, Jackson was the only one who was able to go on both days.

The conference was attended not only by undergraduate collegiate students but also by graduate students, teachers and professors. “I wasn’t expecting so many people to be there from so many places ... it was a very mixed crowd,” Jackson said. The majority of the weekend was spent in breakout sessions, which consisted of discussions lead by prominent community leaders from all over the nation. Each session lasted for about an hour, and there were always around five to choose from.

“Is there race in my movie?” was the topic of discussion in one of the breakout sessions that Jackson attended, which was led by Frederick Gooding. Jackson attended this particular session after having a discussion with its leader the previous day about Tyler Perry movies and whether or not they represent the black community. However during the breakout

session, Jackson said they discussed the new “Planet of the Apes.” While a moviegoer doesn’t necessarily focus on whether the antagonist is black or not, the session considered the question, “Would we leave the movie saying, ‘Wow, that black guy was awful’?”

By far, Jackson’s favorite breakout session was led by Xernona Clayton.

Clayton used to work for MLK himself, which immediately drew Jackson to her. “She’s this older woman with this cute Southern accent ... about 4’11” or 5’, but she speaks with power, when she speaks, the room listens, she has command in her tone,” Jackson said of Clayton. Clayton was hugely inspiring to Jackson, especially as she told a story about her relationship with a Ku Klux Klan member, and how after about a year of talking and being challenged and intimidated by the KKK member, eventually he denounced the KKK and credited the move to Clayton. “Through his change of heart, she was able to influence a lot more people. But I think the best part was that she gave all of the credit to God, which was so inspirational for me.”

Apart from the breakout sessions, the conference included a gala for more leaders in race amity from all over the nation. Leaders won medals and gave speeches. One awardee was William Winter, former governor of Mississippi, who made a huge impact on race equality in education in the state. The 90-year-old man accepted his award Friday night at the gala.

On Saturday, before the breakout sessions, the day started with an activity at tables of about six people.

Everyone had one notecard on which they wrote down six words that came to mind when they thought of race, and another notecard on which they wrote 12 words that described their own personal experience with race.

“It sounds similar but it was actually very different,” Jackson explained.

Jackson learned not just about race at the conference, but also about what it means to be a leader. “You’re not always someone who’s speaking up— it’s okay to be quiet and just listen to people, which is something I struggle with. Sometimes I feel like I need to speak up more, but you can listen because that’s also leading, which was very encouraging.”

“You don’t always have to be a leader to have influence ... Overall I learned that you can always do something with whatever situation you’re in,” Jackson said.

One fun surprise at the conference was how many people knew and appreciated Dean Adams. “People asked me if I went to Brandeis and I thought that they were going to talk about me, but then they were like, ‘Tell Dean Adams I say hi!’” Dean Adams also took part in the conference, leading a breakout session about SOAR, the scholarship that gave Jackson the opportunity to attend the conference.

Jackson was joined at the conference by classmates Witney Christie ’16, Naya Stevens ’16 and Aja Antoine ’17. Jackson urged others to attend the conference, “I really recommend people to go next year ... a lot of people didn’t know this was a thing, I didn’t know about it ... but it will definitely change your life.”

Dancers contribute thousands for Boston Children’s Hospital MARATHON, from page 1

dancing alongside Brandeis students.

Ritell comments on the impact of social media and required registration for all performing groups this year as one of the key factors contributing to the success of the event.

Stories such as Jane’s were published on Facebook as “Miracle Mondays,” serving as sources of inspiration leading up to the event. Featured as another “Miracle Monday,” Paige Welch was kayaking with her family off the coast of Trinidad when tragedy struck, as a speed boat suddenly crashed into their kayak. Rushed to medical centers where she was stabilized along with her father, Paige was then flown to Boston Children’s Hospital, where she underwent an arm amputation. However, like Jane, Paige has not let this loss hinder her love for athletics, continuing to dedicate herself to tennis.

“Reading these, it just makes it more real, what we’re helping to keep alive. We’re helping this hospital to help children,” Ritell explains.

Revealing her desire to become involved with the dance marathon, Ritell states, “On a personal level, it was a really awesome way to mix my major with something I’m passionate about.” With a major in business and minors in film and journalism, Ritell has been dancing her entire life and hopes to potentially pursue a career in business development, fundraising for nonprofit organizations.

Ritell further attests to the prestige of Boston Children’s Hospital, stating, “People come from all over the world to come to this hospital because they know their children will get the best care.” For the past 19 years, the hospital has been ranked as one of the top two children’s hospitals in the coun-

try. “They will take you no matter your ability to pay,” she says.

As she eagerly anticipates studying abroad in Australia in the spring, Ritell reaffirms her desire to serve as coordinator for Brandeis Dance Marathon again in the future. Although she originally thought she would want to serve as president of Adagio, she confesses she fell in love with the position of coordinator. In the future, she aims for the event to be an even greater success, stating, “I want to actually hit the 10,000 next year.”

Expressing her gratitude to the Brandeis Pluralism Alliance and sponsors such as Cappy’s for their generous donations, Ritell also cites the collaborative efforts that led to the event’s success: “I want to say a huge thank you to my committee. It was not a one person effort by any means.”

November 17, 2013

NEWS 3

The Brandeis Hoot

BADASS debates roles of women in power on TV

DEBATE, from page 1

Search begins for firstyear book forum

By Dana Trismen Editor

of women in powerful roles, Almeleh and Leibowitz presented arguments saying that idealistic TV shows are necessary to normalize the presence of women in positions of power, that TV is a method of social change and that TV provides a unique opportunity to depict a better world. They noted that in modern society women in powerful roles do not represent all different types of women and their struggles. Almeleh made particular reference to the concept that TV in its idealistic depictions of women in powerful roles could provide role models and sources of experimentation for different ways of tackling and overcoming sexism. They also discussed the notion that TV shows could provide a guide for men and male allies of feminists to engage in discourse of women’s rise in positions of power and how to help them get there.

While the event certainly provided an interesting discussion, its formal structure was somewhat confusing to follow and understand for a first exposure to the debate scene. Despite this lack of clarity in structure, all attendees seemed engaged and interested in the debate. Several attendees volunteered to offer their own opinions on the issue in the open forum portion of the debate.

This year, Brandeis first-years delved into the world of antebellum Virginia, a land of tense race relations and slavery. After reading “The Known World” over the summer, students heard the author Edward P. Jones speak on campus about his award-winning novel. Students were able to ask questions of this famous author while they were officially welcomed to Brandeis.

“I was quite surprised [when I heard my book was selected] because the book has been out for several years, and I felt very privileged,” said Jones in an interview with The Hoot earlier this year.

In years past, Brandeis students have read varied works from “Fun House,” a graphic memoir by Alison Bechdel, to “The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by Junot Diaz, who won a Pulitzer Prize for the same novel. Each year, a committee is assembled to choose the book for incoming first-years.

“I came to hold a spot on the committee because I was coordinator of orientation last year,” said Joseph Babeu ’15. Babeu is no longer a coordinator, as the position lasts only a year, but he was asked to stay on the book forum committee because he took the initiative last year. “I started the process of engaging incoming students in the forum early online,” he said.

Babeu states that the committee has existed for a number of years, and the participants vary from year to year, with usually eight to 10 members. The process of choosing a book can be a long and tedious one.

“The process starts with a long list

compiled from staff and faculty suggestions, which can sometimes be upward of 50 books. We then narrow them down to a manageable number (say, four to eight books) by reading synopses and checking out authors. From there, we read the remaining books in their entirety and order them in terms of preference as a group. Authors are then reached out to for the event in order of preference,” Babeu said.

The deadline for the committee is quickly approaching, as the book is chosen at the start of the spring semester.

Babeu argues that the book forum is imperative to Brandeis first-years for a number of reasons.

“It’s a good concept for first-year students as the book can do a lot to impact their impressions of Brandeis before they even arrive on campus.

Also, it serves as a mutual experience that the entire class can share in. Additionally, it introduces them to a good book, and they get to meet a famous author,” he said. “In my opinion, the goal is to academically engage students in a way they’ve never been engaged before by being in a college setting and having the opportunity to hear the author speak and ask them questions in person. It’s a good introduction to college literature.”

Babeu states that while each person on the committee is searching for different qualities in novels, he feels as though “the most important qualities for the book to have are thoughtprovoking ideas, real meaning and a vibrant writing style.”

This year, the committee includes other students such as Trevor Tuplin ’16, who has been selected as the coordinator of orientation for the class of 2018.

‘HackPolitik’ to showcase Anonymous HACTIVIST, from page 1

photos by jingru wang/the hoot

photos by sarah stein/the hoot

hosted Olson for a discussion on the story of her investigation into Anonymous and its challenges. Also part of the program was a presentation by Brandeis Music Phd and composer Peter Van Zandt Lane, who composed a ballet based on scenes from the book called HackPolitik, which recently had its premiere at Boston University. The audience packed into Heller’s Zinner Forum and included students, guests and faculty. Lane began his talk after a quick organization

by Schuster Institute founder Florence Graves, and discussed the challenges in composing music for dance around a theme that does not exist physically.

“I wanted to allow dancers, through music, to explore ideas not associated with human movement,” said Lane, who also invited his choreographer to the podium during the question and answer section at the end. Lane, who specializes in experimenting with both electronic and acoustic instruments, also stated that the influence of Anonymous’ anarchistic roots helped him compose the music. Lane finished his presentation with a video clip of HackPolitik, which featured jarring choreography and very experimental music.

In her presentation, Parmy Olson described her interesting connection with LulzSec and hacker culture. She first discussed how she learned by chance about the group’s origins on the forums of 4Chan, and how she initially only became interested in troll culture on the site. She came in email contact with hackers such as Topiary, and kicked her project fully into gear when an early version of LulzSec hacked the emails and social media of the head of a major private tech security firm. After this attack, Olson stayed in touch with Topiary and Sabu, and met other members of the group, once or twice in person, throughout LulzSec’s short run of activity, until Sabu was revealed to be an FBI informant and many members were arrested. According to Olson, her inspiration for writing her book was the sheer amount of information she collected. After a question and answer session, during which Olson expressed her optimism for the future of “hacktivism,” the event ended with a book signing and seasonal refreshments.

4 The Brandeis Hoot

this week in photos

November 17, 2013

photo by shanlai shangguan/the hoot

photo by shanlai shangguan/the hoot

minimalism Christopher Bedford presented “The Sexual Politics of Minimalism� at the Rose Art Museum

photos by matt brondoli/the hoot

on Wednesday. The exhibit will be available until Dec. 15.

photos by mariah beck/the hoot

arts

November 17, 2013

The Brandeis Hoot 5

SCRAM Jam infuses party with art

By Michelle Kim STAFF

Last Thursday, Student Events and the Student Committee for the Rose Art Museum (SCRAM), co-hosted SCRAM Jam as part of Louis Louis Brandeis Spirit Week 2013.

SCRAM Jam is an annual event at the Rose Art Museum. According to SCRAM committee member Christa Caggiano ’17, “It happens when all the amazing, artsy minds on SCRAM decide to throw a party. We aimed for it not only to be fun and approachable for a range of different people, but also to keep it tasteful and sophisticated.”

Stylishly dressed students began lining up before the doors of the Rose opened and filed in. Unsurprisingly, many students made a beeline for the beer garden, where alcohol was served for those of legal age.

For much of the night, they lingered around the alcohol, chatting and later

heading over to the dance floor.

SCRAM went all-out with this year’s party—contortionists and a jazz band performed on the center staircase, attendees could have fun with a photo booth and the drinks and cheese bars were strategically placed at different parts of the museum.

Unlike many parties, SCRAM Jam was brightly lit throughout the night so that attendees could examine the artwork.

The music was something to admire as well. Brandeis’ own DJ, King Pleaxure, Ayan Sanyal ’14, took over for the night, playing a variety of well-selected songs, from soft electro background music to bass-thumping dance songs.

During the first half of the night, only a few brave students occupied the dance floor, which was in the Foster Gallery. But by the end of the night, everyone who was not drinking was dancing. Although rumor has

photo from internet source

rose art museum The annual SCRAM Jam party was held last Thursday

it that the dancing aspect of this year’s SCRAM Jam was a disappointment in comparison to previous SCRAM Jams, it was still a fun time for all.

The people who deserve a loud round of applause are the members

of SCRAM. Throughout the entire night, they were responsible and well organized. Partygoers were prevented from accidentally destroying art pieces, and drinks were carefully administered (although there was no short-

age of tipsy guests, they were all at least 21 years old). SCRAM thoughtfully tucked the photo booth in a different room than the one used for the dance floor. This layout gave enough room for the photo booth line to be exceptionally long without interfering with the rest of the party.

Although I overheard some experienced SCRAM Jammers complaining that the art was not highlighted, a majority of the students seemed to enjoy the party. For many, the works of art were noted for their contribution to the chic ambiance and were by no means unappreciated.

Every year, SCRAM Jam is the biggest and most successful attempt to pull people into the Rose. This year, a record-breaking 770 people attended.

The reason for this large turnout cannot be pinpointed. Was it the free alcohol? The posh cheese bar? The free, universally appealing, color-changing tumblers? Whatever it was, SCRAM Jam 2013 was an impressive night.

Matt Nathanson enthralls audience at House of Blues

By Dana Trismen Editor

Matt Nathanson only achieved nationwide recognition at age 36 in 2009, with his hit single “Come on Get Higher.” But for die-hard fans who know the artist’s work dating back to 1993 with the release of his first album, “Please,” Matt Nathanson has always been a beloved singersongwriter with beautiful lyrics and haunting melodies. Now 40, Nathanson sold out the House of Blues this Saturday, on tour for his newest album “Last of the Great Pretenders.”

Nathanson’s voice sounded possibly even better live than it did on the album, as he played more popular tunes like “Mission Bells” and “Heart Starts.” Nathanson did not disappoint even when melodies were on the higher end of his vocal range, such as in his song “Faster.” Nathanson is on tour with three other band members; perhaps the most notable is Aaron Tap, Nathanson’s guitar player and lifelong friend. Tap sang background vocals and played excellent guitar melodies that knew just when to fade in the background as to not drown out Nathanson’s vocals.

Nathanson is known for having an energetic and enthralling stage presence, and Boston audiences were not disappointed on Saturday. From dancing a constant little side-step to calling out people in the audience who weren’t looking all that enthused, Nathanson always found a way to keep the audience involved.

It also helped that he is from Boston.

Born and raised in Lexington, Nathanson called Bostonians his people, talked about the Boston Marathon and at one point came out wearing a Red Sox jersey. This connection seemed genuine; it was as though all audience members were able to bond with Nathanson just based on our knowledge of similar landmarks, roads, accents and behaviors.

Nathanson would even tell full five-minute stories on stage, and audiences would still stare at him with rapt attention. When introducing one of the most popular songs on his new album, titled “Kinks Shirt,” Nathanson spoke of the inspiration behind the song. He said while he

photos from internet source

on tour Matt Nathanson is on tour for his newest album, ‘Last of the Great Pretenders.’

was recording his album, he would often eat at the same café, which had a very attractive, tattooed waitress. He would imagine sexual escapades with her, and it was this attraction that inspired the hit song. Nathanson then talked about how he was worried she would figure out the song was about her, and his fears were soon realized once both his manager and a crazy fan found the waitress and informed her.

The way Nathanson told the story was hilarious, and the song that followed was even more on the mark, perhaps the best performance of the night. (The tale of the “Kinks Shirt” song gets even more interesting when audiences remember the fact that the video Nathanson created for the song involves Nathanson falling in love with a girl, and then still loving her once he realizes she is transgender).

While Nathanson’s entire performance was fantastic, it remains true that behind Nathanson’s energy and charismatic stage presence, he re-

mains insecure about his popularity. He made jokes that people in the audience were perhaps there by accident, and thought his name was “Mike Nickerson.” Nathanson also has a nasty habit of playing too many covers. I own 90 songs by Matt Nathanson; he has a very wide repertoire and 10 albums. But Nathanson seems to feel as though he has to play covers to entertain crowds, because they don’t know his music and would be bored unless he played better-known tunes. This simply isn’t true. Nathanson routinely sells out the House of Blues every time he comes to Boston; he needs to understand that audiences are there to hear him sing his own songs. While Nathanson’s covers are usually wellexecuted and audiences do sing along, many people in the crowd scream out names of Nathanson’s songs that he then doesn’t have time to sing because he is too busy singing other artists.

Nathanson needs to accept that he does have a solid fan base, especially in the Boston area, and we would love

to hear him sing some of his older, but still beloved, tunes.

The times Nathanson did revisit his old albums were met with much success. When introducing his tune “Bulletproof Weeks,” Nathanson said that he used to refuse to play the song even when audiences begged for it because it was about a personal relationship and made him upset. But now that more time had passed, he felt comfortable playing it. The song was beautiful and haunting, one of the best slower songs of the night.

Another older song was “Answering Machine” from his album “Still Waiting for Spring,” which came out in 1999. On this tune, Nathanson involved the audience, as we sang one part of the song he would sing over us, to form a vibrant harmony.

While Nathanson may be 40, he has lost none of the lyrical genius and vibrato that he started out with.

When he comes back to the area with yet another album, audiences should flock to see this Boston native take the stage.

arts, etc.

6 The Brandeis Hoot

November 17, 2013

True Confessions of a Netflix Addict

‘Dawson’s Creek’ a blast from the ’90s Past

By Sophia Baez Staff

It is that time of year. Those weeks right before Thanksgiving break, where all teachers want to fit in some tests, papers and hell right before we leave for one of the best holidays ever.

I think the last couple of weeks have been rough on everyone, and I do not doubt that all the pain will continue until the night before break begins. It is times like these when I think, “Do I really need a college education?” and

“I should live day-to-day because I could die tomorrow,” and “YOLO, you know?” During these dark days, I turn to my Netflix account, escaping the world of a History and Italian Studies major for a world filled with vampires, airbenders and, this week, teenage melodramas.

Netflix suggested that I watch a James Van Der Beek show, the show that put him on the map: “Dawson’s Creek.” I had obviously heard of this late ’90s-early 2000s teen soap opera.

Van Der Beek stars as Dawson Leery, who lives in a small town on the wa-

ter named Capeside. Everyone in this show has an amazing view of the water, so instead of driving everywhere, they canoe. Unlike his “Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23” character, Dawson is a moody teenager who idolizes Steven Spielberg and is never funny. He wants his perfect life to be as exciting as the movies he worships.

His life slowly becomes a movie when a girl flies in from New York City. Jen Lindley, played by Michelle Williams, has a dark past and comes to Capeside to escape it. She ends up moving in with her sick grandfather

and über-religious grandmother, who live next door to Dawson Leery himself. Dawson “falls in love” with Jen. Here is where the twist comes in: Dawson’s best friend Joey (Katie Holmes) is in love with Dawson. They have known each other since birth, have sleepovers and have friendly banter that oozes with sexual tension.

When Jen comes to town, Joey is immediately threatened and does everything in her power to break them up. Meanwhile, Dawson’s other best friend, Pacey Witter (Joshua Jackson), is in a student-teacher relation-

ship. This covers the first season of the show.

While the writing might not be the best, and Dawson and Jen always get on my nerves, this show feeds my drama fix. There are multiple interwoven storylines, including cheating parents, a father in jail and a jerk cop brother. I am on the second of the six seasons, and I am still eager to know what happens next. If you are in need of a wholesome teenage drama with four semi-well known actors and waterside views, “Dawson’s Creek” is the show for you.

Eminem new album met with instant success

By Shreyas Warrier Staff

“The Marshall Mathers LP II” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 with an enormous 792,000 copies sold in its first week. It comes in just behind Justin Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience,” which debuted at 968,000 copies in its first week, and well ahead of Drake’s “Nothing Was the Same”. Eminem has also become the first main artist since the Beatles in 1964 to boast four tracks in the Billboard Top 20. The album is titled as second part to the enormously successful Marshall Mathers LP, which sold over 1.76 million copies in its first week in 2000. Eminem himself stated that the Marshall Mathers LP II was meant as a visitation to its namesake, not a direct successor.

The album is notable for Eminem’s unmatched ability to play with words—he has a propensity for using compound syllable rhymes, verses of internal rhymes, puns, homonyms and a great ability to verbally slaughter anyone who offends him in the slightest. This is compounded by his ability to marshal his voice to any beat, play with accents, flirt with controversy and, indeed, tell extended stories that paint images in the listener’s head. The rapper teams up with Rick Rubin, a mainstay in the rap game, to create this album, as he continues to experiment with more producers and styles of rap.

The album opens with the track “Bad Guy,” a chilling story told from the perspective of Matthew Mitchell. In the original Marshall Mathers LP, the track Stan, (which has been lauded as one of Eminem’s greatest ever songs), told the tale of a fan in desperate circumstances, who wrote multiple letters to Eminem, but received no response. Upon not hearing from his idol, Stan, who was on the verge of breaking down, with no support, finally went over the edge, and “drove his car over a bridge/ and had his girlfriend in the trunk, and she was pregnant with his kid.” There is a line in Stan, which states, “You could have at least signed an autograph for Matthew, that’s my little brother man he’s only six years old.” As “Bad Guy” progresses, we find out that Matthew in this song is Stan’s younger brother, grown up and with a violent taste for revenge—he wants to make Eminem feel just like he did, wants him to learn how badly it hurt to have his family ripped apart. Just like in Stan, Eminem takes on the persona of Mat-

thew for three verses, before replying in his own words.

The next track on the album is a skit called “Parking Lot” which begins with the end of the skit from an older song, “Criminal,” where Eminem goes to rob a bank and shoots the clerk after she gives him the money. However, in “Parking Lot,” Eminem, running out of the bank, realizes that his getaway driver has ditched him and he is forced to flee from the cops. The skit ends with him shooting a police dog.

“Rhyme or Reason” is the third track on the album, one that vividly displays Eminem’s lyrical and mental prowess, tackling his long-standing issues with his father at the same time. The song samples The Zombies’ signature tune, “Time of the Season.” It begins with “Who’s your daddy?” to which Eminem responds, “I don’t have one/ my mother reproduced like the Komodo dragon.” He then goes on to call himself “Michelangelo with a paint gun in a tantrum about to explode all over the campus,” before switching into a Yoda accent and likening Rick Rubin to Yoda. His ability to link together multiple rhyming words in one line is highlighted by the line “a dire desire.”

Throughout the song, Eminem lays the blame on his father for his attitude to the world now.

The album continues with “So Much Better,” which revisits Eminem’s roots in his troubles with women and his continuing trust issues. His exwife Kim is again mentioned, though through metaphors and analogies, rather than expressly, as in the Marshall Mathers LP. The album continues with “Survival,” a feel good song of the same mold as Recovery’s “Won’t Back Down,” and “Legacy,” a song in which every line ends with a quasi-rhyme with the word “fallin.” The track “Brainless” then recollects the song “Brain Damage” from Eminem’s “The Slim Shady LP.” It takes a humorous take on the original, in which Marshall Mather’s mother hits him across the face, knocking his brain out of his head.

Here, the chorus states “Mama always said/ if you had a brain you’d be dangerous.” He shows his ability to retain and rhyme words when he states “Still in my skull is a vacant empty void been using it more as a bin for storage/ Take some inventory, in this gorge there’s a Ford engine, door hinge, Syringe, an orange, an extension cord, and a Ninja sword/ Not to mention four lynch pins and a stringent stored/ Ironing board, a bench, a wrench, or a winch, and an attention whore/ Everything but a brain,” highlighting an enormous rhyme scheme with orange, a word

photo from internet source

said to be impossible to rhyme. At the end of the song, Eminem recognizes his own talent, stating “Who the fuck would’ve thought that one little lone MC/ Would be able to take the whole culture and re-upholstery it/ And boy did they flock; can’t believe this little hick locked/ This hip-hop shit in his hip pocket.”

Perhaps the strongest song on the album is “Rap God.” The last line of the song asks “why be a king/when you can be a god” and on this track the rapper proves he is the true god of rap, alive and in the flesh. He raps quicker than most people can even think, pouring on the controversy faster and faster. Many members of the LGBT community have attacked Eminem for his homophobic lyrics in this song, but Eminem insists that personally he supports homosexuals.

With the song “Love Game” came the long awaited collaboration between Eminem and Kendrick Lamar, one of the most respected rappers in the world today. The song takes

an unorthodox sample from Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders’ song “Game of Love”.

It details a humorous tale of Eminem and Kendrick’s collective inability to quit the rap game and their troubles with women as well, following the mold of Eminem’s “As the World Turns” from The Slim Shady LP and “Goodbye to Hollywood” from “The Eminem Show.” Eminem starts the song with a description of coming back to his house to find his significant other cheating on him, and his regret at not realizing that she was just another gold digger, as they went to third base on the first date. Kendrick continues with the second verse, almost copying Eminem’s style and trying to match him on his clever use of words—in all Kendrick leaves his regular style to blend more with Eminem, who then takes on the third verse by telling a humorous story about a car chase with the spouse, ending with the conclusion that he will always be in the rap game.

The song “Headlights” has a direct comparison to the song “Cleaning Out My Closet” on The Eminem Show. It is, however, an apology to his mother—in fact, he states that he cringes when the song plays on the radio, and doesn’t perform it at shows anymore.

The song takes on a long backwards lens of his life, looking back over his relationship with his mother and thanking her for raising him as “both a mom and a dad.”

Overall, the album highlights Eminem’s incomparable technique and flawless verbal delivery, along with his withering social critiques and humorous story-telling. While critics have attacked Eminem for not moving on to other subject matter, this album does not mean that Eminem is stuck in a rut. This is album is a re-visitation; the point of it is that Eminem is cleverly revising and rehashing his own material. Eminem isn’t just back in the rap game; he never truly left it. We should respect him for the Rap God that he is.

November 17, 2013

ARTS, ETC. 7

The Brandeis Hoot

Protest the Hero turns it up a notch with new album

By Jess Linde Staff

Earlier this year, Canadian progressive metal five-piece Protest the Hero took two big jumps in their career. First, founding member and drummer Moe Carlson left the band in order to pursue higher education, and he was replaced on their next album by Lamb of God’s Chris Adler.

Second, said album was completely crowd-funded by an Indiegogo campaign.

According to a YouTube video on Protest the Hero’s channel, working with a label simply put too much focus on paying off their recording advances and touring exhaustively, instead of their music.

They set a goal of $125,000 but claimed that they did not expect to reach it. However, thousands of fans contributed, raising the final amount to over $300,000.

Now after months of waiting and tease after cruel Twitter tease, “Volition” has arrived, and it is worth every penny.

Like Protest the Hero’s first three records “Kezia,” “Fortress” and “Scurrilous,” “Volition” begins with a bang.

“Clarity,” “Drumhead Trial” and “Tilting Against Windmills” are all fiery anthems with explosive drums,

an intense layer of bass and amazingly complex guitar parts. The members are all in top form here, with time signatures and riffs that even the most talented YouTube guitarists will struggle to imitate.

But Chris Adler is the one who really shines, keeping up with the band’s speed and complexities despite his background in Lamb of God’s slower groove metal style. “Without Prejudice” and “Yellow Teeth” are equally intense, with special credit to singer Rody Walker. Walker’s voice transitions perfectly from death metal screams to gorgeous tenor melodies, using his voice as an instrument to great effect.

“Plato’s Tripartite” and “A Life Embossed” highlight Walker’s lyrical skills, addressing themes such as poverty, violence and even institutional sexism fearlessly and honestly. There are no fancy metaphors here—the songs get right in your face about the issues and never let up. “Mist” features more amazing drumming from Adler, and “Underbite,” a critique of image issues in music, has some lead guitar parts from Luke Hoskin that I actually had to rewind the song to convince myself they weren’t three people.

The final two songs, “Animal Bones” and “Skies,” are very different.

“Animal Bones” is operatic in both Rody Walker’s vocals and its general

protest the hero The Canadian band was funded by an Indigogo campaign.

scope, with constantly changing time signatures and instrumental parts that never repeat themselves. It’s the most pure showcase of instrumental skill on the record, and even gives bassist Arif Mirabdolbaghi the chance for some funky slapping. “Skies,” a six-

minute blast of anger and epicness, is pretty slow for the first minute and a half, before the volume suddenly gets turned to 11. The guitarists still sound like they have extra fingers, and the lyrics are outstanding.

Ultimately, “Volition” is not my fa-

SEAC explores culture through cuisine

By Victoria Aronson Editor

With events dedicated to desserts, exotic fruits and karaoke, the Southeast Asia Club (SEAC) sponsored a week of events designed to immerse members of the Brandeis community in the culture and authentic cuisine of Southeast Asia.

Flower Le ’15, co-president of SEAC, expressed the desire to “spread awareness about Southeast Asian culture and to share in delicious food while discovering their cultural significance.”

As a double major in biology and chemistry, Le nevertheless has remained committed to her extracurricular pursuits despite her rigorous academic pursuits.

She explained her desire to serve SEAC, stating, “I’m Southeast Asian, and I grew up in a predominately white community, and cultural clubs have always been a way for me to connect with other people.” She noted the accepting attitude that marks SEAC. “SEAC welcomes everyone, regardless of race, which also makes the group great for learning and teaching each other.”

Over the course of the week, SEAC hosted events feautring exoctic fruits such as lychee, star fruit, dragon fruit, mangos, durian, pomegranates and rambutan, among others. Engaging students in a friendly culinary competition, SEAC challenged those in attendance to produce a creative design using Southeast Asian fruits. Participants rose to the occasion, producing a bunny they lovingly deemed Carlos and a mixture of fruits that evoked a space invasion theme.

Noting the creativity of the designs, Le said, “It was fantastic and totally

photos from seac’s facebook page

seac Students celebrated the culture and authentic cusine of Southeast Asia this week, along with hosting a karaoke night. SEAC is open to all students of all ethnicities and backgrounds.

out of the norm, which is so fun to see. The winner was the space invasion because they were able to showcase all of the fruits in a very different way.” SEAC further devoted an entire evening to a delicious range of desserts characteristic of the region, as well.

Embracing the cultural significance of local dishes, SEAC encouraged students to sample exotic dishes including khua mee, satay kabobs, bajigur, banh xeo and pay kyaw from the countries of Laos, Singapore, Indonesia, Burma and Vietnam during an event cleverly titled SEAC Safari.

Le revealed that she, alongside other members of the club, prepared most of the dishes, purchasing ingredients at Asian markets if she was unable to find them locally in Waltham.

“We tried sampling many different dishes this week, ranging from desserts and drinks to appetizers and main entrees,” Le said. “The flavors differed a lot as well because some

countries are more influenced by bitter tastes while others enjoy a sweeter flavor.” Although she explains that the various countries in Southeast Asia share similar dishes due to their physical proximity, she emphasizes the unique flavors characteristic of each region.

Concluding a week of delicious cuisine, SEAC hosted karaoke night Thursday evening, offering snacks to those in attendance as well.

Exposing students to the rich cuisine of Southeast Asia, SEAC is open to students of all ethnicities and backgrounds. Le encourages anyone interested to attend. “We are always open to anyone and everyone, and I’m actually happy to see that we’ve had new members this week,” she said. Stressing the importance of keeping an open mind and gaining exposure to various cultures, she said, “It’s usually just a lot of people hanging out, getting to know each other and of course eating some delicious food.”

photo from internet source

vorite Protest the Hero album (that goes to “Fortress”), but I do prefer it to “Kezia” and maybe even “Scurrilous” at points. If nothing else, “Volition” shows how far the band keeps pushing themselves with every release, which can only be a good thing.

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November 17, 2013

November 17, 2013

ARTS, ETC. 9

The Brandeis Hoot

‘Stuff Happens’ brings hilarity to recent history

By Rachel Dobkin Staff

This weekend, the Brandeis Free Play Theatre Cooperative, Brandeis’ experimental and social justice theatre group, presents a play titled “Stuff Happens” by David Hare in Mandel Atrium. The play is described as “a history play of recent history,” which is focused on the events leading up to the Iraq War, paying special attention to the dynamics between England and the United States.

The play was uniquely set in the lovely Mandel Atrium, utilizing the cozy fireplace, elegant seating areas, and a projector with different images consistent with play scenes as the office of the Bush administration. Pessimistic music such as “American Idiot”

by Greenday graced the ears of the audience upon entrance, intermission and exit, adding to the marriage of pop culture and the controversial Bush administration.

Amanda Stern did a beautiful job directing the play, resulting in extremely few errors. The play focuses on George Bush, Dick Cheney and Tony Blair, presenting them as “stock characters in pop-culture,” and com-

bining verbatim press conferences, speeches and other modes of communication with imagined conversation of the Bush cabinet. Stern says in the director’s statement: “To the greatest extent possible, I have sought to clarify the real v. the imagined scenes through use of projections,” which was an integral part of the set.

The play stayed relatively true to the original production, with one major augmentation: all of the actors played additional roles as narrators as opposed to the three that were in Hare’s version. Stern did this to illustrate the parts that all of the individuals played in history, not just Bush (Miriam Ester Goldman ’14), Cheney (Sarah Steiker ’17), and Blair (Bezaye Takele ’15).

Goldman did an impeccable job mastering not only the trademark accent of George W. Bush, but also hilarious gestures, facial expressions and intonation. She truly embodied the essence of Bush, without seeming overly imitative. She portrayed Bush as somewhat incompetent, irresponsible and immature. Condaleeza Rice, affectionately known as Condi, (Maya Cooper ’15) was extremely possessive of Bush, and often took a very protective and loyal role over him. She definitely wore the pants in her relationship with Bush, and held the reins

during cabinet meetings. Cooper had an alliance with the passive-aggressive and bitter Cheney, both of whom disliked Colin Powell (Aja Antoine ’17), the logical military strategist. Cooper took on an extremely pretentious role that nicely accentuated Steiker’s perpetually angry, bitter, jealous façade.

These actors contrasted interestingly against Antoine’s sweet, ethical, and funny personality. Antoine was extremely animated, Other notable actors were Donald Rumsfield (Sara Fried ’15), the aggressive and feisty secretary of defense, George Tenet/David Manning (Andrew Agress ’17), a childish and lovable director of central intelligence/ blasé British diplomat, and Paul Wolfowitz (Sid Mehra ’17), foreign policy advisor/pretentious academic. There were enormous amounts of hysterical sexual tension between Rumsfield and Bush, Condaleeza and Bush and Wolfowitz and Bush, while Mehra never failed to crack the audience up with his creepy sexual gestures and funny voice.

Some memorable scenes of the play were when Goldman pulled out a bag of M&Ms and started to eat them during a serious conversation with Blair, oblivious to the gravity of the 9/11 aftermath and Steiker’s unforgettable

in the oval office From left to right: Sara Fried ‘15 as Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld; Miriam Goldman ‘14 as President George W. Bush; Sarah Steiker ‘17 as Vice President Dick Cheney

furious rant at Antoine. The acting throughout the play was completely enthralling.

A confusing part of the play was an implied set change, which took place in Blair’s office, resulting in the transformation of Agress from Tenet to Manning. There were no errors except for Takele messing up on a line and repeating it so professionally, that it could have been in the script.

Although some actors stood out

more than others, all of the actors in this production were excellent. The play was executed almost flawlessly, very professionally and was extremely enjoyable. Republicans be warned: you might be offended with the content of this play as well as how Bush and others are portrayed. If you are looking for some hilarious entertainment and to acquire some knowledge about the events of Bush’s first term, come see “Stuff Happens.”

‘Edges’ presents great acting, but rough vocals

By Michelle Kim Staff

I love romantic musicals, especially when they consist of tender and passionate lines such as “I hope you die.”

“Edges,” starring Katie Jacobs ’16, Jamie Semel ’17, Bethany Adam ’15, Eli Siegal ’14, Makalani Mack ’16 and Ray Trott ’16, is a song cycle, meaning that songs are sung one after another with little to no dialogue. Unlike most musicals, “Edges” has no overall connective storyline; instead, through song, we’re given a glimpse into the lives of six young people, all of whom are want to discover the meaning of their lives.

Overall, this musical is worth watching if you can tolerate imperfect vocals. However, if you are looking for a Broadway-esque production, you should probably turn and walk the other way. The opening song, “Become,” was somewhat of a rough ride for everyone. Most of the cast members had weak vocals; there were pitch problems and the harmonies did not work. Some of them sounded a little sick (blame the cold weather), but they managed to pull through. However, everything else played out well. The stage choreography was appropriate and enlivening, the costume changes were mind-bogglingly fast, and the stage presence of each character was strong.

The turning point of the musical began with the song “I Hmm You”, sung by Ray Trott ’16 and Katie Jacobs ’16. Cute, in tune, and charming, both characters managed to convince the audience that “Edges” would be worth the watch because, although all of the characters had different partners in each song, they convincingly acted like a very affectionate couple, so much that “I hmm you” is a phrase that at least one couple from the audience will start using after walking out of the theater.

Every song after “I Hmm You” was sung incredibly well; for a moment, I thought that they’d changed the vocal chords of the cast. Whatever it was, something changed midway in the show and it worked. The magic of the show had begun—halfway through the show. It makes me wonder if

they started out badly to represent the growth of the cast. Another crowd favorite was “In Short,” which was performed by Jamie Semel ’17. With passion-filled lines like “Die, die, die, die, die, die, die, die/Die, die, die/Die, die, die, die/Die, die, die, die, die, die, die,” Semel was truly able to establish herself as an essential cast member.

Something also very essential to the delivery of “Edges” was the production team. Transitions between scenes were quick and clean; the instrumentalists played very serene background music and the lights were used extremely well. The only thing I can complain about is something I often experience at other events at Brandeis: the show did not begin on time. Out of all the shows I have watched this year, “Edges” definitely has the best production team, which is quite refreshing considering the many production slip-ups in the past few plays and musicals.

For the most part, the second half of the musical is what convinced me (as well as everyone else sitting in the audience) that “Edges” was worth a try.

The audience cheered and laughed for the best parts of the show and politely clapped for the less noteworthy bits.

One thing I noticed is that a few of the actors have participated in multiple shows this semester. Ray Trott, for

the cast The cast of “Edges” presented heartwrenchingly romantic songs.

example, also played Robert in Boeing Boeing, which was performed only a few weeks ago. Despite his commitment to two shows, he still performed

the musical “Edges” is made up of different songs with a shared theme.

amazingly well.

Although not a strong production overall, “Edges” is still a fun guilty pleasure. If you are willing to overlook

romance “Edges” is a fun and guilty pleasure.

the vocal flaws, and are looking for something to make you smile along with quality acting, please go watch “Edges.”

photos by sarah stein/the hoot

EDITORIALS

10 The Brandeis Hoot

November 17, 2013

Study abroad costs unfairly inflated “To acquire wisdom, one must observe.”

Editor-in-Chief Emily Stott Lassor Feasley Managing Editor Victoria Aronson Managing Editor Dana Trismen Managing Editor Dani Chasin Sports Editor Morgan Dashko Copy Editor Theresa Gaffney Copy Editor Jesse Zeng Photography Editor Jun Zhao Graphics Editor Katie Chin Online Editor Andrew Elmers Deputy Copy Editor Rachel Hirschhaut Deputy News Editor

Volume 10 • Issue 22 the brandeis hoot • brandeis university 415 south street • waltham, ma

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Shota Adamia, Zachary Bellis, Emily Belowich, Dani Chasin, Andrew Elmers, Iona Feldman, Ben Fine, Evan Goldstein, Jaye Han, Maya Himelfarb, Eli Kaminsky, Michelle Kim, Julie Landy, Jess Linde, Nathan Murphy Needle, Vinh Nguyen, Alexandra Patch, Charlie Romanow, Emily Scharf, Alec Siegel, Naomi Soman, Diane Somlo, Sindhura Sonnathi, Jennifer Spencer, Matthew Tagan, Alison Thvedt, Shreyas Warrier, Linjie Xu

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.

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very semester, students planning to study abroad learn that the experience is too expensive to consider. Even students who thought they had their plans set in stone, who applied to a program through Brandeis and were accepted sometimes realize that they are effectively priced out, just months before their departure. Interestingly enough, most study abroad programs are significantly cheaper than an on-campus education. How do we account for the students at this University who learn late in the process that study abroad is unaffordable?

Part of the reason is the perverse economic structure which Brandeis has imposed upon the process. Study abroad programs typically cost between 10 and

15 thousand dollars a semester—a fraction of Brandeis tuition. Even programs in London, the most expensive locale, is several thousand dollars less than Brandeis tuition. Strangely, however, all Brandeis students are required to pay full tuition as if they were studying on campus even if study abroad is significantly cheaper.

In effect, Brandeis is holding study abroad credits hostage, ransoming them for the difference between the program cost and regular tuition fees. When presented with the facts of this scheme, the students’ responses indicate their disagreement. The university should not collect fees on a service it is not rendering. Students can transfer credits earned before enrollment with no additional

fees. It simply does not compute.

One may argue that many other universities are guilty of the same financial engineering. That does not make it right.

Further, other universities are not outrageously over priced compared to their competitors, and have tuition fees which are closer to those typically charged by Study Abroad programs.

Study abroad is expensive. Even without Brandeis’s outrageously inflated prices, the cost of airfare, insurance, food and lodging will often exceed regular tuition prices. And yet Brandeis insists on taking advantage of the financial leverage it has over undergraduates.

Students know that it is wrong and they feel cheated.

sports

November 17, 2013

The Brandeis Hoot 11

Men’s soccer advances to NCAA tournament

photo by mariah beck/the hoot

By Charlie Romanow

Editor, Staff, Special to the Hoot

The men’s soccer team finished the regular season with a win at home against New York University.

Brandeis will continue their play in the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The team’s Senior Day match was a 2-0 shutout on Saturday. Despite their eager nine offside penalties, Brandeis dominated throughout, allowing only one shot on goal. The first goal came in the 16th minute as forward Tyler Savonen ’15 beat the defender off of a pass by Ben Applefield ’14 and hit the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal.

This is Savonen’s 10th goal of the sea-

son. The insurance shot took place in the 70th minute as Savonen assisted rookie forward Evan Jastremski ’17, which was Jastremski’s fourth of the season.

The Judges outshot the Violets 8-3 in the second half and led in corner kick opportunities 4-1. Goalkeeper Joe Graffy ’15 needed only one save in the 53rd minute to secure his fourth consecutive shutout and sixth of the year. Savonen had more shots on goal than the entire Violet’s team attempting five shots. Chris Ramirez had the lone shot on goal for NYU. Brandeis ends the regular season at 14-4-1 overall and 3-3-1 in-conference. NYU falls to 6-8-3 overall and a winless 0-6-1 in the UAA. The team’s seniors were honored

photo from internet source

before the game began: Applefield, Ethan Bercelli, Matt Brondoli, Kyle Feather, Tudor Livadaru, Sam Ocel, Matt Peabody, Stephen Salazar, Harold Salinas and student assistant coach Jordan Zides. During the group’s four years, the Judges have been 59-19-4 and won two New England Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships. They have received numerous individual academic and athletic honors from both the University Athletic Association and National Soccer Coaches Association of America. They earned a share of the UAA championship last year and made it to the Sweet 16, finishing the year 13th in the country.

The Judges were chosen for the tournament of 61 teams on Monday

during this year’s NCAA Selection Show. Brandeis was one of 20 teams to earn a spot in the tournament that did not win their conference. In addition to earning a place in the tournament, Brandeis will play host to a regional match of the tournament.

They face the Great Northeast Athletic Conference champion Johnson and Wales University on Saturday.

The Wildcats are 14-1-6 and are taking part in the tournament for the first time since 2007. Brandeis finished the regular season ranked 17th by the NSCAA and 20th by D3Soccer. com. Despite their national recognition, they finished fifth in the conference. UAA foes Carnegie Mellon and Rochester were also in the tournament. Rochester won the conference

title.

Johnson and Wales defeated Lasell College to earn their conference title.

Johnson and Wales lost to Mount Ida, which Brandeis was able to defeat. Johnson and Wales was 1-0 in the regular season against teams that have earned a place in the tournament; Brandeis was 2-2 against tournament teams.

Brandeis will also host a matchup between the at-large bids of Rutgers University-Newark and Roger Williams University. The winner of each match will play one another on Sunday. The Judges will take the field on Saturday at 5 p.m. and the second game on Sunday will occur at the same time.

Women’s soccer ends postseason on penalty kicks

photos by jan volk/sportspix

By Charlie Romanow Staff

The women’s soccer team had an exciting couple of games this past week, but unfortunately their season ended. They finished the regular season with a 2-1 come-from-behind win on Saturday and a defeat by penalty kicks on Wednesday.

Saturday’s senior day game was against UAA opponent New York University. The Violets got off to a quick start with a 13th minute goal.

The scoreboard remained quiet for the rest of the half, but defender Kelly Peterson ’14 tied the match at one in the 58th minute on a long free kick attempt. Midfielder Madeleine Stein ’14 scored the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute off of another free kick. This was Stein’s first goal of the season. Midfielder Sapir Edalati ’15 drew both fouls that led to the decisive free kicks. She also led the game with four shots.

NYU took control of the first

half, outshooting the victors 5-3 and had the half ’s only two corner kicks.

Brandeis responded strongly in the second, outshooting the Violets 13-5 and leading overall in shots on goal 7-4. Cassie Steinberg led the game with five saves for NYU, while goalkeeper Michelle Savuto ’15 had two.

Stein, Peterson and forward Cidney Moscovich ’17 each had multiple shot on goal attempts. The Violets’ lone scorer had two attempts on goal while teammate Erin Ahmed had three shots.

Savuto, the team’s regular starter, only played the second half, allowing senior Leah Sax ’14 to finish her career with a start. Prior to the game, Sax, in addition to the team’s other seniors, Stein, Mary Shimko, Peterson and Megan Kessler were honored. Shimko has been injured for the past few weeks but was able to have control of the ball at the very start of the game. The departing seniors have been a part of the program’s recent success, making the NCAA Tournament in 2010 and 2012, securing a

school-high 16 wins last year as they made their way to the Elite Eight.

This year they were ranked as high as eighth overall and first in New England.

NYU finished the season at 7-8-3 overall and 0-5-2 in the conference.

Brandeis found out about their postseason opportunity on Monday. They earned a spot in the New England Tournament of the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference. This is their 10th postseason berth in the last 11 years. The four UAA teams ahead of Brandeis all earned NCAA Tournament berths.

The second-seeded Judges played seventh-seeded Castleton State College at home in the first round of the ECAC New England Tournament on Wednesday. Brandeis has exhibited great success in this tournament, winning it in 2007 and 2008 and finishing in second in 2009. Castleton is 138-1. They previously won the North Atlantic Conference the prior three seasons. The teams played each other in 2009 and 2010 with Brandeis win-

ning both.

The tournament match against Castleton was a thriller, as only one goal was scored in the first 85 minutes, but three were scored in the final five minutes of regulation. Edalati scored the first goal of the game, ninth of the season; in the 36th minute off of an assist by rookie midfielder Michaela Friedman ’17 from forward Melissa Darling ’16. This was Friedman’s first point of her career.

The Judges played strong throughout most of the rest of the game, allowing only one shot attempt in the first 35 minutes of the second half.

The Spartans’ goalie Jessica Binkowski made a few saves early in the second half from a shot by forward Holly Szafran’s ’16 and soon after on a shot

by Edalati. Szafran led the game with six shots. Jenna Bostwick threw the ball in the 85th minute to Mallory Costello who scored her 19th goal of the season for the equalizer. This was Bostwick’s ninth assist of the year.

Brandeis responded well in the 87th minute as Darling assisted Szaf-

ran for her fourth goal of the season.

The Judges needed to stop the Castleton offense for two more minutes but they scored on a last minute shot after a corner kick by Nicole Wershoven.

Dominique Valencias passed it to Bri DiPhilippo for her first career goal.

Castleton was not able to muster a single shot attempt in overtime as Brandeis had seven, and the Judges were busy on offense throughout the game, attempting 36 shots allowing Binkowski to finish with 21 saves while Savuto had three.

The tenuous set of penalty kicks ended after Spartan Kelsey Lenney made the seventh round shot to push them ahead 5-4 in PKs. The teams were tied after three rounds of kicks as the Spartans would lead 3-2 after four rounds. Castleton will face third seeded Wheaton College on Saturday for the New England semifinals at Albertus Magnus College in New Haven. Brandeis finished the season at 10-6-3.

opinion

12 The Brandeis Hoot

November 17, 2013

The Young Grasshopper’s Guide

One-size-fits-all approach to diverse classrooms

By Lassor Feasley Editor

I was raised on a small island off the coast of New York. As you might imagine, almost all of my friends and family also resided on that island, and on a day to day basis I rarely encountered anyone who did not also spend the bulk of their life confined to this patch of land. It was an insular culture to say the least, and to make matters worse, it seemed like everyone on this island had a similar background.

They all went to the same schools, they all spent their work days tallying up numbers, and they were all highly ambitious and successful. You didn’t see a lot of diversity on this island.

So obviously, when I came to Brandeis, I was confronted with a broad range of new mentalities from across the east coast and many parts of Asia. What a shock it was to realize that not everyone was thirsty for world domination. It turned out that plenty of people in the suburbs of New England are satisfied simply to put in their time and reap the mildly cliche rewards most aptly described as the American Dream. A two car garage, a golden retriever named rover, and some lacrosse crazed offspring.

Plenty of Brandeis students have more ambitious goals in mind.

Alongside these suburban lifers, I have met plenty of students who are fated to carry on prestigious legacies, managing the multinational corporate dynasties their ancestors betrothed them. Imagine that; of two students with the same education, one will mark his territory with a 30 year mortgage in a suburban enclave and another will probably never spend more than a month on the same continent.

But what I have found is that economics rarely influences the formation of cliques on this campus.

Regardless of what a persons long term goals in life are, the way they go about achieving those goals is a greater uniting factor than the scope of their ambitions. In many cases the

photo by Jun Zhao/the hoot

way in which students go about solving problems is often educated by the culture from which they hail.

Take for example, the classic American way. American’s are, in general, goal oriented. They identify an outcome they hope to achieve and then consider a menu of approached by which they can get there. Its not an assembly line approach. You are expected to blaze your own path in getting from point a to point b, the standardization of process is discouraged.

Success which can be replicated is hardly success at all. Where other cultures might idolize a person for their great achievements, Americans are

prone to place true admiration with people who creatively engineered their rise.

Take the presidency, for instance.

All serious candidates have had incredible careers. They are eminent leaders of vast communities. But rarely to they point to their achievements as proof that they are the ideal candidates. If it were that easy, we could simply vote for the candidate who had achieved the highest status. But status is not a currency which holds a lot of weight in American society. Instead, candidates emphasize the uniqueness of the path which led them to their high posts in life. We judge them for

the boldness and creativity they displayed in their life’s journey.

But not all cultures are like this.

There are still places in the world where being born into poverty is a disgrace, a stigma which can never be lifted, no matter how much wealth one acquires. Unlike goal oriented Americans, some cultures are process oriented; they ground their perceptions of success in the traditions of their ancestors. They take pride in creating wealth and status the exact same way it was always done. You wake up and you see the road ahead.

It is long and strait and you know where it leads.

In the liberal arts, this mentality is largely looked down upon. One of the foundational moors of classic American thinking is that the ways of our predecessors have failed us and cannot be revived. It will take creative, adaptive thinking to meet the challenges of the future. The road is curved and foggy and you can only guess where it might lead. This is why American industry is constantly on the forefront of the changing tides of industry; agriculture to manufacturing to service to information.

I sometimes wonder why the plutocrats of the world would send their children to receive their education at Brandeis, or any elite liberal arts institution for that matter. I do not imagine that the aristocratic father of a Chinese student found success in Asia by adopting American ideals. But by sending the younger generations west to be educated, it would seem that they are doing just that.

I often see students from process oriented cultures attempt to apply a fundamentally repetitive mentality to exorcizes meant specifically to ignite the creative impulse. I don’t think most professors ever imagined that part of their curriculum might be challenged in this way. As foreign students become a larger constituency in American Universities, and especially Brandeis, professors may have to consider that part of the reason students come from abroad is with the hope that they would be assimilated to American modes of thought.

It is safe to say that international students did not come to America just for an education. They came for an American education. But American curriculums were not designed for process oriented cultures. In order to make the investment in an American education valuable to international students, we have to learn to understand their cultural differences.

We have to decide if we are going to accommodate them or change them.

But what we cannot do is continue to teach as though the vast majority of the classroom was still American.

Defending the student code from criticism

By Andrew Elmers Editor

I come from Morris County, a very conservative part of New Jersey, where for the past eighteen years, a Republican has represented my neighborhood and the area around it in Congress. The eleventh district is stereotyped to be middle class white folks who are afraid of change and wish to maintain the status quo. In my own home, my father ate his oatmeal to Fox and Friends, listened to Rush Limbaugh at work, and fell asleep to Bill O’Reilly. It was safe of me to assume that coming to Brandeis would be a whole different world where progressive ideas met diverse backgrounds and used free expression as a lubricant in their passionate lovemaking. Yet, I have found that liberal critics of the school are present, and it seems to claim that Brandeis is the exact opposite of that liberal utopia I expected.

After researching for a recent article about the student code, I came across a foundation’s website that had listed Brandeis among the twelve worst colleges for free speech in the

nation. It piqued my interest, as well as the little red stoplight they used to display how bad the university’s speech code was rated, based on prior practices and the current student code. I felt surprised by this. Like any other college student, I have my reservations against the administration; I always want more and forfeit less, but I always viewed the school as willing to protect as many rights as possible. As well as being open to good, but not necessarily good, ideas.

The Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, or FIRE, in 2012 listed the university as one of the worst in the country in regards to protecting free speech. The majority of their grade was based on a single case from 2007 that involved faculty member Donald Hindley, as it was used in a short video produced by FIRE listing all twelve of the worst schools. Professor Hindley had explained the origins of the term “Wetbacks” to a class, and was condemned and found guilty of racial harassment for doing so. The problem with the case was that Hindley was not afforded a formal hearing by the administration nor was the basis of the accusations presented to

photo from internet source

him in writing. FIRE has every right to call out Brandeis on their handling of this case. I agree with them fully on every aspect of it. Yet I do take issue with this being used in 2012 as an example of the dictatorial administration.

While a five-year-old case is relatively still young, one has to look at the context surrounding it to understand how relevant it is now. Since 2007, there has been a great deal of change in the administration here at Brandeis. Notably, a new president and provost have been in place, and

have certainly shown a different way of handling things compared to the old regime. Many other administrative positions have changed hands recently, some with controversy, some without, but Brandeis in 2013, and 2012 when this list was created, is a much different environment.

Delving deeper into the FIRE profile on Brandeis, they list all of the different areas of the student code that could be held to debate and grade them on their ever-so-official traffic light scale, where green means it does not inhibit free speech and red

means it does. The majority of what was listed as part of their grading was ranked with an amber light, which is not good, but maybe should not constitute an entire red light grade for the school. The only policy they actually do list as red and “clearly and substantially reflects freedom of speech” is sexual misconduct information provided by the Department of Student Rights, which is not necessarily an official part of the student code that See FIRE, page 14

November 17, 2013

OPINION 13

The Brandeis Hoot

Breaking away: off-campus spots offer peace

By Jennifer Spencer Staff

It’s almost finals time. Yep, two weeks from today is Thanksgiving, and unfortunately soon after comes what many deem as ‘hell week’ (where did the time go?). When December rolls along after a food baby inducing Thanksgiving feast, studying comes into full fruition. Whether you are a seasoned library goer, or have spent the majority of time split between studying, and reading buzzfeed articles in bed, you will feel a sense of urgency. Venturing off campus could provide the best option for getting work done.

Regardless of where you have chosen to study over the course of the semester, it is time to evaluate if studying in a different type of environment away from campus may provide more comfort and efficiency. Picking the optimal study environment is crucial to surviving finals with the least

amount of agony. So plan ahead and save yourself the burden of having to study formulas to the backdrop of the latest campus gossip/chatter.

Perhaps this article is for the more adventurous who dare drive, take public transport, or find a ride to study destinations off campus. If studying on campus is set and stone in your mind, there are many spots on campus that students have utilized for studying, and will continue to be available. Be it the comfy chairs in Mandel, the modernized upper green room, or you’re secret undisclosed favorite spot, take your pick. However, it is important to note that all of these will likely be moderately… make that significantly more crowded come finals time. Keep in mind that getting around the Greater Boston area is not a difficult as it may appear. Perhaps, you can split some time studying on campus with time added in off campus. Within a 5 mile radius of Brandeis there are many gems for eat-

ing, and studying available if you seek them out. Down the road is Panera’s which will hopefully be open any day now, and there is a Panera’s already open on Lexington Street near the Waltham/Lexington border.

If you like Starbucks, but don’t want to deal with library chaos, there is a fairly small, usually quiet one in Newton Lower falls that welcomes students. There is always Prime Deli with many tables open if you go at the right time, as well as South Street Market both very close. Dunkin Donuts can be a hit or miss depending on how crowded it is, but besides being all over Massachusetts most Dunkie’s have wi-fi, many tables, and of course great coffee as well.

My personal favorite study spot is Cafe on the Common on Main St., it’s spacious and provides a warm, comfortable atmosphere. So what are some added perks of studying off campus? Well besides everything aforementioned, studying off campus

lets you get away from the stressful atmosphere on campus around finals time. Generally cafes and coffee shops are positive, upbeat places with nice music, good food ,and perhaps even a warm fire. A variety of people will be at the cafe be it for relaxing, studying, or doing work outside the office.

This can be much less pressure than on campus where everyone is overloaded with limited time and space to accomplish what needs to get done.

In addition, many cafes and coffee shops have large windows so that you do not feel as trapped per say, and can take a look at your surroundings/people watch instead of wasting time on facebook when you need a break. You also don’t have to worry about lack of outlets, unless it is super crowded on that particular day. Best part, but perhaps not so for your wallet, if you need a snack you have fresh pastries, bread, yogurt etc waiting to be purchased. It’s important to know what make a good study spot for you when

choosing an off campus destination.

Some people prefer some noise, others prefer complete silence so knowing what fits your style is key when it comes to choosing a place. General necessities include Wi-fi, comfortable seating, and a desk to do work on. I like to have an environment where it’s not too hot or cold and there is ample space away from the door so you don’t have wind casually blowing in your face whenever anyone walks in. I also like to make sure there is no limit on how long I am allowed to stay until closing time. There is nothing more aggravating then finally being all to get work done/ started than being told there is an hour stay limit. Or getting angry glares suggesting such.

With all this in mind it can be very rewarding to break away from your usual spot and try something new. If you’re friends, preferably those with automobiles, aren’t too much of a distraction then you can help them out too come the craziness that is finals.

Intramurals create strong sense of community

By Naomi Soman Staff

Let’s face it. Brandeis is not known for its athletic ability. We are certainly known for our brains, but sports sort of fall by the wayside. Brandeis in general does not focus that much on sports. This past week’s events certainly proved that wrong though as I discovered.

It was down to the last playoff game in Intramural Football, and two of the teams were the Boys’ and Girls’ BOO teams (Brandeis Orthodox Organization). Abeshter’s Army (Boy’s BOO team) was slightly behind and pulled out a win 26-25 at the last minute with some expert passes against Patchworkers, the Brandeis athletic staff.

The girls’ team, “Remember the Karpoff,” my team, had a rough season losing to the Softball team, “Back That Pass Up,” 61-0 the first game and 12-2 the second game with only a safety. After defeating “Tom Brady Bunch” with an expertly caught pass in overtime, “Remember the Karpoff ” had to once again face their bitter rivals, but this time they came prepared. With star player Roni Rosen, brilliant quarterback and captain Sarah Sue Landau, interception expert Rachel Gordon, master-plan coordinator Shani Weiner, coach Talia Holtzman, and all other players who pulled in their part, the team discovered how to work together and pull out a stunning win of 13-0. Though “Back That Pass Up” almost scored a touchdown in the middle of the game with a long run, the Karpoffs stopped them just in the nick of time. From a whopping 61-0 to 0-13, this team was truly the story of the underdog.

Though this was my first time ever participating in intramural sports, I was pleasantly surprised. I’ve always been athletic participating in track and field for 3 years and gymnastics for 11, but as these are both individual sports, I’ve never had the opportunity to play on a team. While high school is a great time to try lots of different activities, college requires more specificity. Students can only play on a varsity sport if they have a considerable amount of experience, and while there are clubs, the playing field is no longer as even as in high school as some people simply have more experience than others.

photo by Jun Zhao/the hoot

Intramurals though are a hidden gem here where previous experience is not necessary. I have never played football before now, and most of the girls on Remember the Karpoffs did not even know the rules of the game, which we found out as we went along.

However, the greatest part is just playing the game. Intramural sports do not actually matter for anything greater beyond themselves as they end after the championship when the team disperses. Winning the Intramural championship does not move the winner up to another level, but

ends where it is. Yes, the winning team does get t-shirts and a trophy in displayed in Gosman, but the true purpose in participating is the camaraderie and teamwork.

None of us had any idea what we were doing that first game, but by the championship, not only did we coordinate complicated plays, but we also became much closer friends. We didn’t win because we had the most athletes on our team, we won because we learned how to work together, take advantage of our strengths, and make up for our weaknesses.

If you haven’t tried out Intramural sports at Brandeis, you are missing out on a great experience that does not require a large time commitment and does not require any talent or prior experience. This is an opportunity to get together with a group of friends and engage in some friendly competition. Competition naturally drives members of a team closer together in the presence of a common enemy, creating the perfect atmosphere to draw on teamwork, leadership, hard work, dedication and communication skills all necessary life skills relevant

not only to everyday interactions but also important for offices and employment. The athletic world is actually a microcosm for the interactions within any office where one has to work both individually and as a team to succeed.

After hearing the final bell ring indicating the game ended and we won the t-shirts and the massive trophy against all odds just goes to show necessity of breaking stereotypes and that one should never discount sports as they represent fundamental values in today’s society.

14 OPINION

The Brandeis Hoot

November 17, 2013

Alone abroad: Brandeis needs to sponsor more options

By Debra Edelman Staff

Studying abroad is gaining tremendous popularity both at Brandeis and at universities around the country. According to the Office of Study Abroad, nearly 40% of the junior class, on average, studies abroad at some point during the academic year, with even more students taking advantage of summer programs. Students who choose to study abroad during their junior year have a wealth of options and support from the University, which ensures that students select and apply to programs that meet their academic and personal interests and find a foreign city that will be exciting and fulfilling.

I was fortunate enough to take part in one of these programs this past spring. After several meetings with the Office of Study Abroad, I decided to apply to the Boston University London Internship program. When I received my acceptance to the program, I was instantly eager to begin preparing for what would be the most exciting semester of my college career.

Now, I do not want my opinion to discourage students from studying abroad. Speaking from my own experience, I think that every student should participate if they can and want to study abroad. It was truly the experience of a lifetime and provided me with an entirely new world view,

among many other things. Having participated in a Boston University program, however, I will say this: I do wish that Brandeis sponsored at least some of its own abroad program.

While Brandeis does directly sponsor two programs, one in Israel and one in the Hague, these programs appear to be limited in their academic direction. While the Boston University program that I participated in provided me with many incredible opportunities as I had the chance to live and work in one of the most bustling cities in Europe, the students who attended the program who were students at Boston University undoubtedly had an advantage.

Not only were academic expectations better understood, but course transfer credits were more easily obtained, and students from BU had an advantage in attending a program with friends and many familiar faces.

While many Brandeis students do study abroad on other University programs with friends from Brandeis, I feel that this creates a bit of an isolating experience. Students from the home University also had the advantage of having many friends who had attended the program in prior years, who could be used as resources in terms of what to pack and the best dorm to live in etc.

Studying abroad is, in my opinion, one of the most important experiences that students should have while

photo from internet source

in college. The opportunity to live in a foreign city and see the world is unmatched. There might be no better time than while in college for a person to have that experience. In order for Brandeis students to have the most options in choosing an abroad experience, I feel that Brandeis should consider providing their own programs,

Eliana’s Advice

A chorus of questions

By Eliana Sinoff Staff

Dear Eliana, My neighbor is an aspiring DJ, and likes to play his music loud so I can hear it through the thin walls.

The problem is, all of the remixes he makes are terrible, and he plays them all the time. He is constantly replaying the same 5-second clip to get it just right. It turns out to be so annoying, and then his roommate likes to play his electric guitar as well, and he isn’t very good either. How do I get them to turn their music down without ending up punching them in the face?

-Deaf Dear Deaf, Have you ever thought that maybe you just don’t appreciate genius, and your neighbors are the next One Direction? But if you are correct, and you do indeed have super annoying neighbors, then there are a few things you could do. You could talk to your neighbors and nicely ask them if they could perhaps use headphones or something and not play while you are trying to be productive or sleep. You could also try to make some sort of arrangement with a schedule, so you know when to avoid the area. If they don’t listen to you, maybe talk to your CA and let them know that there is a problem. While it may be tempting, I would strongly suggest restraining from physical violence- you could always just play your music louder.

Also, just in case, you may want to invest in earplugs.

-Eliana Dear Eliana, I seem to always be late for class, no matter what I do, and it’s getting to be a real problem. How can I make sure I get there on time?

-Late

Dear Late, I know how it feels to not want to get out of your nice warm bed in the morning, but it is just one of those things that needs to be done. If you’re having trouble getting to morning classes on time, try to set more alarms and make them for earlier times.

Another useful strategy could be to choose your clothing and make sure all your things are together and ready to go the night before. In terms of afternoon and evening classes, you just need to keep track of time and know when you need to leave where you are in order to get to class on time. Also, you could try just running everywhere. You would get places faster and get in shape at the same time!

-Eliana

Dear Eliana, My backpack is a ridiculous weight.

It has a million textbooks and my computer in it, and it’s starting to hurt my back. How can I lighten my load?

-Big Backpack

Dear Big Backpack, One very simple solution is to either stop buying the books for classes, or buy a new, lighter laptop, like a MacBook Air (if you happen to have the money lying around because you didn’t buy books). A more realistic solution is to only carry around the books you will need in the near future.

If you don’t have a class that day, you probably won’t need to carry the book around with you all day. Also, if you have time, you can stop by your room between classes and switch the books you have with you. A lot of classes just have the textbook for you to use Dear Eliana, In my youth, I was really into mu- at home, so you don’t always need to sic and I listened to everything. The lug them all the way to class. If none problem is, now that I’m in college I of this will work for you, you can alnever seem to have any time to listen ways look into buying eBooks, so that to music. I’m just always so busy. How you only have to carry around your can I get back into music with my full computer instead of a giant textbook.

Also, you could invest in a stylish rollschedule? ing backpack and be the envy of all -No Time for Music your friends. I hope you don’t throw out your back!

Dear No Time for Music, -Eliana College is a busy time, and you sometimes have to sacrifice the things Dear Readers, you enjoy a bit more. However, in your If you can’t already tell, this is an case, listening to music is something that can be done at the same time as advice column and I’m here to help other things. For example, many peo- you with any questions that you might ple like to listen to music while they have! If you want more exciting quesstudy or do homework. You could also tions, send them in and I will do my bring your iPod to listen to between best to answer them. Whether it’s reclasses, or at meals if you want to be lationships, social problems, or just slightly antisocial. Another option is life in general—send them here.I can’t to join some sort of music club so that wait to start hearing about everyone’s you are more motivated to set aside problems (how often do you hear peosome time to focus on music stuff. Just ple say that? Oh yeah, never). Send try not to be too loud and disturb your questions to Elianasadvice@gmail. com. Thanks! neighbors!

-Eliana -Eliana

or better yet, partnering with one of more schools to create campus specific programs. That way, students can at least have the option of choosing a program that had direct links to their home University, both academically and socially.

I do not in any way feel that a lack of Brandeis-sponsored abroad pro-

grams should discourage any student from studying abroad; there are many amazing programs that Brandeis allows students to participate in. I do, however, feel that if Brandeis wants to be on the cutting edge in terms of its global offerings, the University should consider sponsoring, or cosponsoring more abroad programs.

Is student code protective of rights?

photo from internet source

FIRE, from page 12

actually governs the students. They specifically highlight examples of sexual harassment listed, which include “subtle pressure for sexual activity”, “offensive sexual graffiti or cartoons”, and “whistling, cat-calls, or obscene gestures”.

I am to believe that this section was called into the highest disregard due to its ambiguity in language. However, this phrasing has to be ambiguous in order to provide an umbrella over any activity not specifically stated. Even harassment itself is ambiguous, since it is defined by the accuser and how the actions affect their emotional state, an ambiguous place already. As previously mentioned, these examples are only provided as part of an effort to better inform students of what can be considered harassment, not what is declared as unethical by the student code and could be grounds for punishment. These words are not used to rule student behaviour.

Yet this is the section found to drop Brandeis from an amber light to a red light, according to FIRE, even though there are two areas they graded as a green light. If you look at it mathematically, you would say that the one green section would cancel out the red, and the average of the whole policy would be amber. Maybe FIRE needs to reassess their grading scale, because they state that even one red-

lighted section gives the whole school a red-light, even if the rest of the policies are given the green-light. This is not a bunch being spoiled by a single rotten apple.

Even if FIRE were to change their grading scale, that would still leave Brandeis with an amber light. Maybe that is due to Brandeis being a very liberal school to begin with, substantially more liberal than the rest of the typically-liberal college community.

Dean Geldron would let you know every day and twice on Sunday that the student code is what its name implies - the student code. While the actual student code is physically written by Dean, input from students is always taken into consideration. There is also a panel, which includes students, that actively assesses the Rights and Responsibilities handbook yearly.

With that knowledge, it is fair to say that it is not the administration that is restricting the rights of the student body as FIRE is all so eager to claim, but instead the students who might be too apathetic and ignorant about the student code to try to change it. Either way, the code does not have a deathgrip on the rights of students, it is an ever-changing document that has to live up to the will of the community and provides protection for those that need it. Brandeis would not be any less vibrant of a community if we were not allowed to draw penises on our friends’ notebooks.

November 17, 2013

OPINION 15

The Brandeis Hoot

Students need to get more involved in political process

By Ed O’Brien

Special to the Hoot

Pundits all around Washington and in the media credited youth for turning out in the 2012 election and propelling President Barack Obama in his victory over Republican and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney. But if you ask me, a loyal but thoughtful Democrat in college, Obama’s “Get out and vote!” message was received with a “meh. I suppose—hey, what’s on Tumblr?” from our electoral cohort—and that’s a huge problem. Granted, Obama still won the youth vote over Romney, but many have viewed that vote without full support policy-wise.

Youth are increasingly not finding resonance in Democratic financial accountability and fairness platforms.

These include progressive income taxation structures and the communal, social justice basis of public welfare to help those in the most need. Even though these policies are advocated by the Democratic Party, who protect us from cut-throat conservative economic proposals like the privatization of Social Security and the removal of education grants as part of budgetary allocations. So there is a disconnect present in our society—today’s youth are diverging politically on issues and not identifying with the legitimate political parties—and that needs to change.

What does all this mean from a long-term political standpoint? Is the Democratic Party soon to be disbanded because they promote laziness and economic inefficiency with dense,

unsustainable bureaucratic systems?

Is the Republican Party going to be a thing found in history books because they advocate divisive, interventionist wars in an increasingly globalized society with an apparent distaste to some degree for anyone that isn’t a white, wealthy, religious, heterosexual male?

I certainly hope not—and that goes for both parties.

While the youth can (in a sense) “stick it to the man” by promoting renegade, anti-establishment candidates for office, the reality is that there are few times (if any) in American political history where a politician built a successful electoral coalition with youth at the foundation. Youth simply have no sway as their own bloc, and the only way to change it is to follow a great mantra I heard early on in my Looney Tunes watching years (hat tip to Yosemite Sam, circa 1950): “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em”.

Now let’s take good ol’ Yosemite Sam’s quote and dissect it for a bit.

You, a young person, no matter how well-intentioned or brilliant you may be, will not win on your own. Youth do not generally work the ropes of campaign finance law, or organize at a level so as to most effectively flex their political muscle. They absorb, maybe discuss, maybe vote, and go on with their life, and then repeat as often as their political conscious permits them. But there is a solution to strengthening the youth presence in American politics, and it is diving head on into the forces that are so often see as destructive into society. I think more youth need to run toward the political fire of party organizations

photo from internet source

than run away from them. That’s how we win.

Don’t believe me? Think that politics can’t be for you because you aren’t graying or because you aren’t famous or rich? Think again. Both political parties operate like a sports team in one particular sense—they are always looking for the future. Showing interest in the inner workings of party functions at whatever level

you prefer is a great way of getting involved, regardless of what your political affiliation is in relation to everyone else. You will connect with decision makers, and over time you will be seated at the decision-making table. Don’t like a candidate because he/she doesn’t align with your views?

Let it be known, and you can lead the charge within the party to change.

You may be asked to serve on a party

committee of some level, where you will get the chance to speak on behalf of your fellow party members. This is a great start for those interested in public service—because after all, you are serving the public. So don’t think of politics as this scary way to destroy America—think of it as a vehicle to solve our problems. Pick a side, get involved, but most importantly, serve your country.

November 17, 2013

THIS WEEK IN PHOTOS

The Brandeis Hoot 11

Kindness Day

photos by mariah beck and shanlai shangguan/the hoot