The Brandeis Hoot, October 8, 2021

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Volume 19 Issue 6

“To acquire wisdom, one must observe” www.brandeishoot.com

Brandeis University’s Community Newspaper · Waltham, Mass.

October 8, 2021

Staying healthy for Flu season By Jacob Gehtman and Victoria Morongiello staff and editor

The Brandeis Health Center staff recommends community members get vaccinated for COVID-19 and the flu when advising the study body on how to approach the cold and flu season while the COVID-19 pandemic continues, said LaShaun Shaw, Administrative Director of The Brandeis Health Center, in an interview with The Brandeis Hoot. The Health Center for the past eighteen months has been at the forefront of Brandeis’ COVID-19 response, making it their mission to provide students with the care

they need, said Shaw in an interview with The Hoot. To stay informed on colds and flus, the Health and Wellness promotion program, offered through the Brandeis Health Center, has a webpage dedicated to the care and prevention of colds and flus as a resource for students, according to the Cold and Flu webpage. The page provides information for students and community members on how best to combat the cold and flu season, while also remaining safe from COVID-19. “The best way to prevent catching a cold or flu is to wash your hands frequently and get your annual influenza vaccination,” according to See FLU, page 4 PHOTO BY THE HOOT

Brandeis announces further commitment to sustainability By Emma Litchenstein editor

University President Ron Liebowitz announced further commitments to sustainability from the Brandeis administration, according to an email sent to the Brandeis community on Oct. 6. In his email, Liebowitz highlighted ways Brandeis will “advance and deepen” efforts of sustainability. The university is not going to make any new partnerships

with fossil fuel companies, continuing the tradition started in 2016, according to the email. “Brandeis has no intention going forward of making any new investment in fossil fuel private limited partnerships. Brandeis has not made any such investments in over five years, and the legacy investments, comprising approximately four percent of our portfolio, will continue to be liquidated as they run off in accordance with their normal life cycle,” reads the email. Lieb-

owitz also stated that Brandeis will develop a toolset that can track the progress and success in reducing greenhouse emissions associated with the university. Moving forward, the university is going to try to “better respond to the threat of climate change.” This program is going to be furthered in the next five years, wrote Liebowitz in the email. “This will be consistent with our target risk and return standards and will include carbon emission reduction technology,

conservation, renewable energy, energy optimization, energy efficiency, alternative and renewable energy, sustainable forestry, and circular economy investments.” The last way the university will become more sustainable is through tracking “Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.” According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), “Scope 1 emissions are direct greenhouse (GHG) emissions that occur from sources that are controlled or owned by an organization (e.g.,

emissions associated with fuel combustion in boilers, furnaces, vehicles). Scope 2 emissions are indirect GHG emissions associated with the purchase of electricity, steam, heat or cooling.” The EPA considers Scope 1 emissions to be direct, caused by operations of an organization, while Scope 2 emissions are considered indirect. According to the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol Scope 2 Guidance See SUSTAINABILITY, page 4

Mold in Village housing removed by facilites By Peter Mitelman

to have been tripped, accord-

special to the hoot

area was cleaned by the HouseStudents reported mold growing on the ceiling of the main tember as well as in the bathHall, according to Assistant have

since

been

addressed.

that was isolated to some insulation on some of the pipes,” said insulation has been removed.” Despite this mold having been reported last month,

Administration and Department of Environmental Health & Safety helped provide him with the information concerning both the growth of the mold Mold has been a recurring isprevious Hoot article, as there have been other instances of it being reported. In 2019, some students claimed to have seen it growing in Deroy Hall, according to another previous Hoot article. Some considered it a safety hazard, and a few students who fell ill around the time of the growth of the mold stated that

how long it had been present. of the exhaust fans were found

Inside This Issue:

See MOLD, page 3

News: Brown water in Gerstanzang Ops: Introducing Herbicide-Free Brandeis Features: Brandeis Police fundraise for cancer Sports: Cross country dominates Editorial: Staying safe during the flu season

Page 2 Page 14 Page 7 Page 6 Page 9

PHOTO FROM KSWA.COM

TikTok Talks

Washington Post ‘s TikTok guy, David Jorgenson, speaks on journalism. FEATURES: PAGE 8

In the empty More like out of the full. ARTS: PAGE 19


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