The Brandeis Hoot 09/15/2017

Volume 14 Issue 12

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

Mailroom backlog causes wait times of over 90 minutes

By Rachel Ordan special to the hoot

mailroom Freshman

September 15, 2017

Brandeis University’s Community Newspaper · Waltham, Mass.

photo by elianna spitzer/the hoot

have now been entered into the mailroom system, but long wait times persist.

Students have expressed frustration at long mailroom wait times since school started on Aug 30. The wait times, which can be up to an hour and a half, are the result of multiple factors including new staff, system errors and package quantities.

The backlog can in part be attributed to the fact that first-years had not been inputted into the mailroom system until the middle of last week. The Xerox company oversees mailroom operations, and their Client Operations Director, Paul Bevilacqua, confirmed that first-years are now integrated into their system. He has spent the last two weeks working 15-hour days in the Brandeis mailroom to ensure that the backlog gets resolved.

Physical equipment is main-

tained by Xerox. Occasionally that equipment relies on data provided by the university and ITS provides support. The failure to input firstyears into the mailroom sorting system can be attributed to all three parties: the mailroom, ITS and the university.

Xerox continually searches for ways to improve its processes, and each semester there are minor tweaks to optimize the sorting and storage process. The fundamental process of receiving, staging and shelving packages has been in place since Xerox arrived on campus in 2014.

The mailroom is staffed to its full capacity by 14 employees who are working overtime to help improve the flow of packages out of the mailroom, including Saturdays. New hires are still getting used to the mailroom processes and need time to adjust, said BevSee MAILROOM, page 2

Students respond to Hurricanes Harvey and Irma

By Samantha Lauring and Ryan Spencer staff

When Hurricanes Harvey and Irma ravaged parts of the southern United States and the Caribbean over the past three weeks, some members of the Brandeis

community were affected as others united in relief efforts.

Several students from Houston were affected by Hurricane Harvey, which caused major flooding and killed at least 70 throughout its path. A few students could not make it back to campus before the first day of classes; Miranda Hurtado-Ramos ’19 had to drive

to Dallas and then fly to Boston because her original flight from Houston was cancelled.

“You couldn’t find water or batteries anywhere before the storm came,” said Hurtado-Ramos, who prepared for the storm though her neighborhood escaped the worst of it.

Hurricane relief shelters in

Houston were overflowing with volunteers, but were often unorganized due to the chaos of the natural disaster, according to Hurtado-Ramos. Many volunteers sorted through clothes, diapers and other materials that were donated to shelters.

Hurricane Irma, which roared through most of the state of Flor-

ida early this week, caused large scale power outages and heavy damages.

“My parents were originally planning on evacuating,” said Miami resident and Brandeis student Aaron Finkel ’20. “After the storm shifted to the west, they See HURRICANE, page 4

Library printing delays corrected

By Rebecca Goldfarb special to the hoot

Software complications reduced the total amount of functioning printers in the Goldfarb library from four printers to one. During the service outage, large crowds of people gathered around the single functioning printer in the printing alcove. When that printer began malfunctioning, the library allowed students to print on the faculty printer across from the circulation desk. Piles and piles of discarded documents lay stacked

next to the printers.

The issue persisted from the summer until late last Friday afternoon. The printing has been free throughout this time, though students expressed frustration at the win-lose situation: Printing was free, but since only one or two printers were working, many people were waiting up to at least an hour and a half to only print one piece of paper.

Many people took advantage of the free printing and printed lengthy documents. Large printSee PRINTERS, page 4

Inside This Issue:

News: IBS creates new masters program Ops: Making the choice to go abroad Features: Resources increase finanical literacy Sports: Men’s soccer team defeats rival, Babson EDITORIAL: Evaluating the mailroom delays

suessical The

Research

photo by katie decker-jacoby/the hoot

24 hour musical drew crowds for a night of hilarity. Check out the review in ARTS page 8.

Page 3 Grants Page 14 Page 6 The need to continue funding scientific studies Page 12 Page 7 FEATURES: PAGE 5

Women’s Volleyball Brandeis team goes 2-1 in New England Invitational SPORTS: PAGE 12

2 NEWS

The Brandeis Hoot

Mailroom traffic expected to decrease by end of the month

MAILROOM, from page 1

ilacqua. Bevilacqua brought in temporary and student workers to lessen the workload.

Students trying to pick up packages before they were ready has also lengthened wait times.

Packages have to be handled four times, explained Bevilacqua.

They are received, staged alphabetically, shelved and distributed when students come to the window. Students receive an email to come collect their package at the third stage.

A status of “delivered” on an online package tracker often means it has arrived at the carrier distribution center, but not necessarily at the Brandeis mailroom. An email from the mailroom is the only real signal that a

package is ready to be picked up.

This issue was further complicated because first-years were not receiving these emails and had no confirmation their packages had arrived before getting in the line.

The school is now conducting a root cause analysis. When they have more data, any necessary changes will be implemented.

“We want to note that lines of some length have always been a part of the fall rush period, due to the extraordinary package volume received at the beginning of the school year,” wrote Jim Gray, Vice President for Campus Operations.

Bevilacqua estimated that they had received around 1,000 packages a day from Sept. 4 through Sept. 8.

The level of package congestion at the beginning of the academic

year is somewhat typical. A large backlog occurred last fall when the mailroom received a similar influx of early-semester packages.

Gray sent out an email to the student body using similar tactics to address the backlog. They hired additional staff, updated technology and added weekend hours.

Bevilacqua is optimistic that the traffic will lessen along with the wait times by the end of the month.

The mailroom will continue to have hours on the weekend while the peak demand for packages exists. Those hours can be found posted on their door. Typically, the mailroom will be open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, although this past weekend the hours were extended to 4 p.m. to help deal with the backlog.

September 15, 2017

IN THE SENATE: September 13, 2017 •

Report from Executive Board Meeting (Vice President Hannah Brown ’19)

• E-Board will have a Union diversity officer that the

Senate will need to confirm • Committee Chair Reports

• There were no committee chair reports; chairs are to

be appointed, perhaps on Sunday at retreat.

• New Business

• Aaron Finkel ’20 elected Executive Senator

• Racial Minority Senator Hangil Ryu ’20 appointed

Clerk of the Senate • Bylaw Amendments:

• A bylaw to change campaigning period from five

days to four academic days, in order to have

the elections meeting happen on the same day of the

week as the election the next week, was introduced

• Motion to suspend the rules and vote on this bylaw

change was passed, and the vote passed • Class of 2020 Senator Tal Richtman and Class of 2018 Senator Abhishek Kulkarni gave presentation on proposed changes to club support

• New proposition on club funding: any club that is

considered non-exclusive may be considered for fund

ing immediately, all those exclusive cannot

• New proposition on probationary status: new clubs

would need to prove themselves to club support committee

• Proposition included second probationary

term if goals are not met.

• New goals with club support should be established

• If they don’t meet goals, Senate will dissolve the club

• Grandfathering: Any club currently

recognized will remain, as will chartered clubs

• This proposition only applies to news clubs - Zach Phil Schwartz, Editor

photo by elianna spitzer/the hoot

Crown Center for Middle East Studies hosts six speakers to discuss Israeli-Palestinian conflict

By Ariella Gentin special to the hoot

This past Sunday, the Crown Center for Middle East Studies at Brandeis hosted the “Looking Back, Looking Forward” event centering the Israeli-Arab conflict. The panel featured six speakers from diverse backgrounds who addressed three topics: Zionism and the Arab World, the future of Palestine and the future of Israel.

The event emphasized several landmark developments in the history of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Shai Feldman, the director of the Crown Center and professor of Middle East politics, organized the event, held on the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration. In the Balfour Declaration, the British empire stated their support of a Jewish national home in Palestine.

2017 also marks 70 years since UN Resolution 181, known as the Partition Plan, and 50 years since the Six Day war.

The first two speakers, Jehu-

da Reinharz, seventh president of Brandeis, and Abdel Monem Said Aly, the senior fellow at the Crown Center, addressed Zionism over the last century. Reinharz spoke about the pre-state Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann and his vital role in turning the Balfour letter into the ‘Balfour Declaration,’ arguing Weizmann turned “one more piece of paper not of central importance” into “the basis for the establishment of the State of Israel.”

Said Aly addressed the complexity of the Arab-Zionist relationship post-1948. He noted that “creations of realities on the ground have always been stronger than legal or moral arguments,” which he used to explain the difference between the Israeli and Palestinian political situation.

Zionists were successful in laying the foundations for a country because they were able to create social, political, and economic institutions.

He concluded by arguing Israelis and Palestinians should stop blaming each other because they “are sharing the same land, and

probably the same destiny” and will likely end up as a single entity due to their dependence on one another.

The second panel addressed the Palestinian future. Ziad Asali, president and founder of the American Task Force on Palestine, explained why neither a One-State solution (Israel annexing the West Bank and granting some forms of citizenship to Palestinians) nor Two-State solution (Palestine becoming an independent state that exists peacefully alongside Israel) are completely viable, and called for the international world to keep supporting the Palestinians to help them get to a place of empowerment, which could lead to statehood. He called on Israel to recognize that “occupation is incompatible with long term stability.”

George Bisharat, professor of Law at UC Hastings College of Law, took a different perspective.

He called Palestinians “the first victims of Zionism” and Mizrahi Jews (Jews originating from the Middle East) the second. He also said that Palestinians need a “jus-

tice reboot,” restoring core rights for Palestinians and ensuring Palestinians receive justice when it comes to family property lost to Israeli Jews. Bisharat stated that Palestinians should affirm “protective justice” for Israelis, meaning that because Jews are now as a historical fact living in Israel-Palestine, they can remain there. Bisharat is an advocate of the OneState solution.

The last panel addressed the future of Israel. Asher Susser, Stein Family Professor of Modern Israel Studies at the University of Arizona, opened his talk by calling Israel “a place of justice for the most oppressed in the aftermath of World War II.” Susser went on to say that that Jews “will not be a free people in our country until the Palestinians are a free people in theirs,” and said that the end of the Israeli occupation was necessary for remaining both the nation state of the Jewish people and a legitimate member on an international scale as a nation state. He advocated strongly against a One-State solution, calling it a euphemism for

the undoing of Israel.

Martin Kramer, the founding president of Shalem College in Jerusalem, offered a different approach. Kramer argued Israel’s situation would not improve even if they evacuated Israeli settlements in the West Bank. In a time of relative peace, he said, Israel should not remove its people from the settlements, that should only give “land for peace, not land for nothing” which he says would be the outcome of a withdrawal from the territories.

Young Israelis are optimistic for the future, Kramer said. “You can’t sell fear for Israelis. You can only sell hope.”

Feldman felt that the convergence of the three anniversaries served as an impetus to reflect on the future. He was proud to have hosted an event that addressed important topics in a calm manner and hopes that this respectful dialogue can be applied to other areas as well. Feldman stated, “We were able over six hours to talk about sensitive issues in a civilized way. That goes beyond the subject matter.”

September 15, 2017

NEWS 3

The Brandeis Hoot

Students compete for seats on Student Union

By Juliana An special to the hoot

Candidates expressed interest in uniting the student body and providing equal representation in the Student Union after declaring their candidacy in the 2017 Fall Elections.

Thirty-five candidates are running for 13 seats in the Senate, Allocations Board (A-board) and the Judiciary. The Student Union holds three elections every year. On the ballot, students will find candidates for eight seats on the Senate, two two-semester A-board representatives, a three-semester A-board member and the racial minority A-board member, plus one seat on the Judiciary.

The Brandeis Hoot was unable to reach out to all thirty-five candidates before press time. This article highlights the views of only a few candidates.

Ethan Harris, Brandon Jo, Rachel McAllister, Noah Nguyen and Simran Tatuskar are running as Class of 2021 Senators. Senators are responsible for chartering and supervising clubs and upholding Union bylaws. Nguyen, an international student from Vietnam, understands how difficult it can be for new students to study in a different language. Her campaign focuses on increasing international students’ participation and expanding first-year presence on campus.

“I think I can unite international students and domestic students. That’s the reason [international students] came to America…to study and connect with people from different countries,” she said in an interview. Nguyen also wishes to increase social events for first-years on campus with “networking nights, dance parties and prom.”

Tatuskar, who was chief-of-staff of her high school’s debate organization, believes that student government is very important because “students’ voices get lost

in between bureaucratic and administrative affairs.” Tatuskar’s platform specifically addresses the lack of contraceptives around campus. “I think it’s really important to have contraceptives in residence halls, not just in health centers. They should be more readily accessible as people are exploring themselves,” she said in an interview.

Harris believes that it is important for the Student Union to be receptive to all groups of this year’s class. As former Lieutenant General in Youth Government, Harris thinks he can best represent the wide spectrum of needs of the Class of 2021.

One issue expressed by his friends is the distinct lack of feminine hygiene products in bathrooms. “It’s something we can bring to Brandeis, especially if we want to claim that we’re as progressive as we are,” he said. Last year, the Senate took up the issue of providing free menstrual products on campus and piloted a trial in the spring.

Eight students are running for two seats as two-semester representatives to Allocations Board.

The A-Board is primarily responsible for creating fiscal plans for Chartered and Secured Clubs.

The Student Activities Fund

(SAF) funding comes from one percent of Brandeis University tuition, which is approximately $1.7 million for the 2017-2018 academic year, according to the Student Union website. Kate Kesselman ’19, a veteran member, has helped reform the board and keep it stable for the past two years.

Kesselman was a senator for two years and served as their representative to A-board.

“When I first joined Allocations Board, the board was a complete mess. There was no leadership and no organization,” she said in an interview. This year, one of her goals is to create long-term structures with clubs. “I want to work with clubs individually to make long-term fiscal plans for future big events. It’s important that they know how to allocate,” she said.

The Allocations Board also includes a racial minority representative. This position entails working with minority groups to make sure that their needs are met and brought to the forefront of the Student Union’s goals.

Rohan Mullangi ’21, who has lived in India for the past six years, understands the importance of a racial minority representative. “I plan to be there for racial minorities. I’ll be there to make a case for their needs. Every club at least

needs an opportunity,” he said in an interview. Mullangi also has six years of student government experience. “In India, student government is very different. In India, when students enroll in high school, they are divided into one of four houses. I was elected captain of one of the houses,” he said in an interview.

Elyane Ndayizigiye ’21, a domestic student born in Rwanda, is also running for one of the seats as a racial minority representative. A main factor in her decision to run was the platform the position provides for her to voice opinions for

racial minorities. “Even if one is from a world completely different from Brandeis and a majority of its students, they still have representation in the Student Union. It makes me hopeful for my experience at Brandeis,” she wrote in an email. Ndayizigiye intends to focus on budgeting for festivals, presentations, and events to increase interest and membership of racial minority clubs.

A complete list of candidates for all positions can be found a Sept.

13 email from Student Union President Jacob Edelman ’18.

photo courtesy noah nguyen

photo courtesy rohan mullangi

photo courtesy ethan harris

IBS now offering one year Master of Science degree in Business Analytics

By Daniel Johnston special to the hoot

The International Business School (IBS) at Brandeis University has recently announced a new, one year Master of Science (MS) degree program in Business Analytics. Due to begin in the fall of 2018, the program aims to teach its students the skills needed to analyze vast quantities of data. IBS believes this ability will be in high demand, and will be useful to graduates seeking jobs in many fields. Business school deans see this program as a natural outgrowth of the courses and resources it has on hand. While the program is pending the formal approval of the Board of Trustees, the administration has given the go-ahead.

The program will include eight courses taken over the academic year, an internship in summer and a final core analytics course. The eight courses will be made up of 24 core credits, 12 elective credits for the business analytics degree and four general elective credits

in the business school. Examples of core course titles are “Big Data 1,” “Applied Econometrics”, and “Programming for Business Analytics.” Elective offerings cover different branches of analytics, such as “Marketing Analytics,” “Machine Learning,” and “Supply Chain Analytics.”

The summer internship will take the form of a consulting project, according to IBS Senior Associate Dean Kathryn Graddy.

“That will be four or five students with a faculty member, and they will have a project that a company will give us, and they will work on that all summer,” she said.“[The program is ] the answer to businesses and professionals getting access to a lot more data than they have had in the past and developing the skills and the insights that you need to use it to run businesses much more efficiently,” said Peter Petri, interim dean of IBS and the Carl Shapiro Professor of International Finance. He views the MSBA as a springboard to a vast array of opportunities. “It’s finance, it’s marketing, it’s publications trying to

figure out…what to publish and in what format.”

IBS administrators hope graduates will be in high demand.

Graddy estimates the average salary could be as high as $65,000, compared to the $60,000 average salary for the MA program. According to the proposal by IBS, “there is strong growing demand for the degree.”

Ninety-four percent of schools submitting data reported an increase in applications in the business analytics field, compared to just 43 percent of MBA programs.

“Katy [Kathryn Graddy] and I were new in the job last August, and we thought this was a great project to get behind and move forward,” Petri relates. He halfjokes, “We don’t want to be the last.”

Graddy says this program is not a true novelty at IBS. A concentration in Business Analytics already exists as part of their MBA and MA programs. The proposal asserts the majority of the classes and faculty are in place. “It’s a natural extension of what we were already doing. We want to make

it solely focused on data analytics.” Recent graduates of the MA program have been getting jobs in analytics, with titles such as “Market Research Analyst” at Blue Stream Lab. “This is not kind of overnight…it’s clear now that it’s becoming a separate skill,” Petri explains. “It all seemed to come together.”

IBS has several experts in statistics and econometrics, related fields to business analytics.

Professor Blake Lebaron is a renowned specialist in high-technology finance, while Assistant Professor Davide Pettenuzzo is internationally recognized for expertise in econometrics. IBS is hiring new faculty, including Assistant Professor Bhoomija Ranjan, who brings knowledge of marketing analytics, and IBS plans to hire another faculty member next year.

The Rabb School of Continuing Studies at Brandeis already offers a part-time online MS in Strategic Analytics. “We do not expect our program to impact the Rabb program,” the proposal states, explaining that the two

have very different target audiences and areas of focus. One advantage of the MSBA is that it is STEM-classified, meaning international students can stay to work, in the area of their degree, for up to 36 months after graduation rather than the usual 12. This grants them more time to procure their employers’ sponsorship of an H-1B visa, which permits employers to hire foreign workers in positions requiring specialized knowledge or degrees.

With the first class entering next fall, admissions are ramping up. “We think it’s going to be pretty competitive,” Graddy said.

“You’ll have to take the GMATs, and we hope to enter about 30 to 35 people the first year.” The only other prerequisite for the program is a statistics course.

As several of the courses will be available to undergraduates, Petri believes the MSBA will enhance the undergraduate experience as well. He also encourages current Brandeis undergraduates to apply.

“I hope [undergraduates] will be among those who are interested in it,” he said.

4 NEWS

The Brandeis Hoot

September 15, 2017

Brandeis community members devote resources to hurricane relief efforts HURRICANE, from page 1

decided to stick around.” Finkel’s neighborhood lost power and a few trees were downed but nearby areas were hit harder, he said.

“My family didn’t evacuate, they put some hurricane shutters outside and got some food and candles,” said Claudia Roldan ’18, who is from San Juan, Puerto Rico.

There have been many hurricanes in the area, according to Roldan, though few were as powerful as Irma, where the winds reached 190 miles an hour.

Students worried about their families and friends back home as Hurricane Irma swept through the southern U.S. and Caribbean.

“It was very worrisome, of course, to be away from my family because I didn’t know if they were going to be okay,” said Roldan.

“Thankfully, everyone is okay!”

Dean of Students Jamele Adams also reached out to the campus.

“Whether you are concerned for family members, need to replace materials that were lost, have a new financial situation, are confronting new emotional challenges or any range of other situations, we are here to help,” he wrote in an email Wednesday morning.

Adams urged students directly and indirectly affected by the hurricanes to reach out to the Dean of Students Office as well as the Department of Community Service if they need support.

Individual students and campus groups have contributed to relief efforts. Students made 35 no-sew blankets which were shipped along with a large card to Houston, according to Marissa Lazaroff ’18, co-president of the Waltham Group (an umbrella organization

of Brandeis philanthropy and community service groups).

More blanket making events will be held in October and November, according to the Department of Community Service website.

Sodexo offers more ways for students to help Harvey and Irma victims. They will be donating $1 for every social media user who follows them on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and $1 for every student who completes a coming Customer Satisfaction survey.

Students will also have the option to add a designated donation item to their purchase from the Hurricane Relief display in the C-Store. Monetary and toiletry donations are being collected in the SCC atrium, at the Department of Community Service, at the Waltham Group Office and outside Hillel Lounge.

Mobile printing to become available in upcoming weeks, says ITS PRINTERS, from page 1

ing jobs would sometimes print about two pages per minute, so if someone printed 60 pages, it would take a half hour for the job to be done.

Printing jobs that were only one or two pages would not take long to physically print, but these shorter print jobs could only be processed after the longer document had finished printing.

One of the many people who waited in this line was Jaiden Gividen ’21. “Someone was printing an entire textbook,” she explained. “Just because it is free doesn’t mean there shouldn’t be a system in place to hold printer users accountable for the usage.”

As of Friday, new printers are up and running. Despite having to pay, printing is quick and easy once again.

Over the summer, a process began to switch the printing software on campus from the company Ex Libris to PaperCut, with the intention of the new software being ready for the fall semester.

Information Technology Services began this process with the procurement and sustainability offices to help lower administrative printing costs and resources (such as paper, electricity and toner cartridges).

“With 110 administrative and 11 student printers across campus, our community has much to gain from this work. As part of this effort, we encountered an issue with the software that controls the card-swipe function,” explained Dr. Jim La Creta, the Chief Information Officer of ITS. The card swipe technology was not interacting properly with the new software and required the swipe system to be replaced.

“The only option we had, besides free printing, was to not have printing at all, which was never considered,” said La Creta.

The ITS team has been working to solve the problem with the PaperCut software vendor. The single printer in the library has been replaced with four high volume software printers as of late last Friday afternoon. The other printers that are on campus are being replaced within the next few weeks.

“These changes will soon allow mobile printing, which is something that students have been asking for,” La Creta adds. “Information Technology Services staff has been testing this new feature and we look forward to making it available to campus in the coming weeks.” Mobile printing will serve as a huge convenience for those who do not have a printer in their rooms.

photo by elianna spitzer/the hoot

Zamira Korff named Senior VP of Institutional Advancement

By Celia Young special to the hoot

Zamira Korff, formerly of Combined Jewish Philanthropies (CJP), was named senior vice president of institutional advancement and will begin work on Oct. 23 as a fundraising executive for Brandeis.

Korff is replacing Nancy Winship, who in June became chief philanthropic advisor to President Ron Liebowitz.

At CJP, Korff served in a variety of roles, starting in 1977 as director of the women’s division and working her way up the corporate ladder to become senior vice president of strategic philanthropy.

Korff ’s fundraising experience is extensive. At the CJP she was responsible for raising $55 million every year and brought in over $12 million during a capital campaign while she served as senior vice president of strategic philanthropy.

Graduating with a B.A. from American University, Korff also has a penchant for politics, and

later worked in Washington, on behalf of senator Joseph Biden, as a legislative aide to the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on European Affairs.

In the announcement released

by Brandeis, Korff had optimistic words for the university.

“Fundraising is about realizing our best hopes and dreams and I believe Brandeis, under the bold and passionate leadership of President Ron Liebowitz, has a truly extraordinary vision for the future.”

From CJP president Barry Shrage to Liebowitz, Korff has received high praise for her fundraising work and character.

“I know her warmth, intelligence, energy and good humor will be embraced by Brandeis supporters, alumni, parents and students,” said Liebowitz in a press release. Zamira is looking forward to developing strong relationships with donors who have supported Brandeis for decades, and to forging relationships with new donors and expanding our reach, regionally, nationally and globally.”

photo from brandeis.edu

September 15, 2017

FEATURES

The Brandeis Hoot 5

Federal funding for the sciences supports ground-breaking research

photo from blogs.brandeis.edu

By Polina Potochevska editor

Have you ever wondered how much money goes into funding the scientific research that goes on at Brandeis? With seven departments and five interdepartmental programs in the sciences and a large focus on research, it’s no secret that federal funding plays a huge role in ensuring that research can continue.

For the past 10 years, the science department has brought in approximately $35-38 million a year, according to Professor John F.C. Wardle—a professor of astrophysics and the head of the division of science within the College of Arts and Sciences.

That figure went even higher in 2010 and 2011, said Wardle, when due to the “financial meltdown,” there were “recovery funds made available and it went as high as 45 million.”

There are two pieces of federal funding which are important to distinguish: direct and indirect costs. Direct costs are the majority of the total, ranging from around $25-30 million a year, and they

include individual grants to PI’s (Principal Investigators), training grants and other programs.

The indirect costs, also known as overhead costs, are around $11 million a year, and they help to pay for infrastructure and electricity.

The total amount of grant money the university receives is around $60 million dollars, according to a division of science database, so a majority of that amount, approximately 40 million, goes towards the science departments.

In the physics department, the main source of funding is from MRSEC, the Material Research Science and Engineering Center, which is an NSF (National Science Foundation) program.

Wardle said there are around 20 other MRSEC programs around the country funded by the NSF for periods of five years at a time.

Brandeis is one of the smallest universities to be funded by MRSEC, and the only one without an engineering department.

Wardle mentioned the Brandeis MRSEC is a project that blends biology and biophysics. According to the Brandeis MRSEC website, the program “seeks to create new materials that are constructed from only a few simplified components, yet capture the remarkable functionalities found in living organisms.” This MRSEC program is funded with around $4 million a year.

Wardle said this funding supports several labs, but it is also interdisciplinary so professors in other departments can participate and interact with the research.

“It’s wonderful, it’s something that Brandeis does very well… we reach across and cooperate.”

Within physics, the department of energy also receives federal funding. In their lab, the experimental group is helping to build a large hadron collider by making part of one particular detector, called a muon detector, and so some of the funding goes to ma-

terials.

Wardle said it is a “huge collaboration with thousands of people,” and “It’s great because we are players together with several other local universities on one of the biggest projects in the world.”

The large grants the science departments receive also fund graduate and undergraduate students, especially those who do summer research programs. A summer salary is “common throughout the sciences,” explained Wardle because while Brandeis pays the professors for a nine month salary, the NSF allows professors to earn a two-month salary during the summer.

In the Life Sciences department, the main source of funding for research is from the National Institute of Health (NIH). The NIH also gives training grants, which are called “umbrella grants” and help to support graduate students.

Graduate students are funded by the university for two years while they work as Teaching Assistants, but afterwards, the student needs a grant to continue researching.

A typical individual PI grant lasts for three years at a time. NSF grants are very competitive, as only about ten to fifteen percent of applicants receive funding.

About 400 people at Brandeis

brandeis research

are paid directly from research grants as employees, according to numbers pulled from the division of science databases by Jessica Maryott. This includes around 140 graduate and undergraduate students in departments such as biology, physics and psychology, about 130 staff members and post-doctorates and approximately 130 Ph.D students. A comparable number of others also may benefit directly or indirectly from the grants, including via summer salaries, according to Steve Karel, Senior Research and Technology Specialist of the Division of Science.

In Wardle’s field of astrophysics, there are also NASA grants. The Graybiel Lab at Brandeis, directed by James R. Lackner and Paul DiZio, was funded by NASA for many years. Researchers there studied the effects of space and zero gravity on the human body.

Wardle himself receives grants from NASA. Scientists apply not for a monetary amount but first for “observing time on the telescopes which then comes with a small budget sufficient for carrying out your project” Wardle clarified. “[Federal funding is] a hugely important thing for the university, and like life blood for the sci-

entists, because this is how you get to have a lab, and do your research and publish it and work with graduate students,” said Wardle. He compared a biology lab to a small village based on the sheer number of professors, graduate and undergraduate students and others that participate in the research.

The threat that the grants like the NSF may get cut back is very prevalent and has been an issue for years.

At present, President Trump proposed to cut 11 percent of the NSF’s 2018 budget, and while the original proposal of cutting $672 million from NSF’s six research directorates was rejected by the House spending panel, the same budget that the directorates received this year of $6.03 billion was approved, according to sciencemag.org. For undergraduates especially, doing research in college is often the start of their career as scientists and it is a very necessary experience to have.

As Wardle explained of the power of research, “we are training the next generation of scientists.” In that way, having funding available for the sciences is vital for research to continue, as it allows many opportunities to open for both students and professors.

Professor Avi Rodal and students in the MRSEC program hard at work.

photo from softmaterials.brandeis.edu

Hackett addresses value of federally funded research

By Charlotte Aaron editor

The Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee, in a bipartisan effort, rejected President Trump’s proposed budget cuts for the National Institute of Health (NIH) by approving a bill that would instead increase funding by $2 billion. This money, according to Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), would help fund research to cure diseases such as Alzheimer’s, address the opioid epidemic, and fund projects such as Combat Antibiotic Resistant Bacteria, and more.

While the work of the Appropriations Subcommittee comes as a welcome surprise to many researchers and citizens alike across the country, it is a small blow to an administration that has attempted to make significant cuts in funding for research.

To learn more about why exactly federal funding for research is so important, The Brandeis Hoot spoke with Brandeis’ Vice Provost for Research Edward Hackett.

“You need to take one step back to think about research,” said Hackett. “The thing with research is that we all benefit from it so no one has a specific interest in paying for it.” Hackett is no newcomer to the realm of federal funding for research. “I’ve worked on all three sides,” he stated, referencing his time working as the division director for the National Science Foundation (NSF), as an outside grant reviewer, and as a university provost and professor.

In a time when “federal funding” can be a taboo in politics, Hackett addressed exactly why research requires such government funding. “We’ve got a library full of books. You can read any of them and look at the articles online and learn things. Those are gifts that cost a lot to produce and cause a great deal of societal benefit,” said Hackett. “So, if the federal government doesn’t pay for it, who will?”

Though there exists an argument that such research would be funded by private corporations and nonprofits, Hackett explained that this argument is flawed in two ways. First, corporations’ responsibilities are to their shareholders, he stated. “As much as

we’d like to think they’re friendly places—Google has bright colors and wants to do no evil—their purpose in life is to make money.”

Further, in addressing the prospect of now federally funded research being pursued by nonprofits, Hackett noted that only issues of interest to those with money would be addressed. “We have a good sense if they [neurodegenerative diseases] are hereditary, so when a rich person finds out that he comes from or she comes from a family that’s afflicted with this, they have a strong incentive to invest,” Hackett said. “So the prenatal care of poor women would probably not matter so much.”

While the private and nonprofit sectors may not address issues such as prenatal care of poor women, Hackett explained that oftentimes when the government comes upon an problem that needs to be researched and addressed, it will create competitions or grants for researchers of that specific problem. In his position with the NSF, Hackett was responsible for a $100 million budget used to fund research for the social and economic sciences. In 2017, NSF was respon-

sible for funding “24 percent of all federally sustained research in US colleges and universities, according to the NSF website.

At Brandeis, Hackett is responsible for overseeing the $60 million a year the universities receives in direct and indirect federal funding, working to ensure the “research enterprise” continues to move forward. He tracks federal funding and the government, follows the work of other universities, and oversees the research administration. “Federal funds come with strings attached, so we have to follow the rules,” said Hackett. He explained that his office ensures research proposals are properly prepared when they are sent out from Brandeis and that the research done complies with federal procedural requirements.

In his second year at Brandeis, Hackett has already seen many faculty project proposals sent out and approved. The best and hardest part of his job, he explained, is the intellectual challenge he faces every day of trying to “take faculty ideas and make them necessary.” Helping with development of proposals, he aims to advise faculty members during

photo from brandeis.edu

the application process, although he is aware of the “risk of giving advice,” unable to be certain that his suggestions are better than what the professors propose.

Although Hackett worries at times that the United States research system is in jeopardy, he is confident that the nation will move forward and regain intellectual curiosity.

“Don’t despair. Act,” Hackett advised current Brandeis students.

6 FEATURES

The Brandeis Hoot

Office of student financial services balances federal grants and university budget

By Sara McCrea special to the hoot

$65,928. That’s the number that landed Brandeis the 23rd slot in Business Insider’s 2017 list of “The Most Expensive Colleges in America.” To many families, that amount is not only nerve-wracking, but completely unattainable.

Which brings us to the tedious and confusing forms students fill out in the midst of the college application process: the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and the College Scholarship Service (CSS) profile from the College Board. These forms estimate the amount families can contribute towards tuition using a mix of past earnings, current earnings and future loans, but they may result in very different numbers.

“The federal calculation is very simplistic,” said Sherri Avery, Brandeis’s Director of Financial Aid. “It doesn’t look at home equity, it doesn’t dig into people’s businesses, and it ignores different types of income families may have. It’s very vanilla.”

In most cases, Brandeis relies on the CSS calculated estimate for each student’s need. Since there is often a substantial gap between what federal funding the government offers and what the CSS estimates, Brandeis fills

By Zach Cihlar

the need with additional scholarship money from the school’s endowment or institutional budget.

“There probably is not a single person who agrees with what the [federal] formula says they can pay,” Avery said. “The formula is less about how much they think your family can write a check for and more about a systematic way to compare families in similar situations.”

Brandeis is able to meet this “estimated need” of 95 percent of students, according to the College Board. Additionally, the university’s financial aid website states that Brandeis meets 100 percent of the demonstrated financial need for international admitted students.

When the government cancels federal loan programs, Brandeis must replace what those programs provide. This applies to the Perkins Loan, a federal loan program available to high-need students, now in its final year.

These types of programs must be reapproved by Congress, and so if lawmakers do not reach a deal the program will expire.

Perkins has allowed students to borrow up to $5,500 a year—money which Brandeis now must provide, without help from federal funding.

According to Avery, 52 percent of Brandeis students have federally funded financial aid, though more may have declined

loans. The most common loan is the Stafford Loan, which can either be subsidized or unsubsidized. A subsidized loan means while the student is in college, the federal government pays the interest, while they must begin paying accrued interest immediately on unsubsidized loans.

Still these federal loans do not come close to covering the pull cost of tuition. The Federal Pell grant, the largest federal grant, is only $5,900.

The financial aid department is still responsible for much of what makes it possible for students to attend. Tuition continues to climb from year to year, while the federal grants have stayed the same amount, barely adjusting for inflation and placing even more of the burden on universities and families.

In the 2016 presidential election, finding solutions to the unaffordability of universities was a center of the Democratic candidates’ campaigns. It is yet unclear how the loan systems will change.

“It’s anyone’s guess at this point as to what is going to happen,” Avery said. “One of the things they conjecturing about is that the two types of Stafford Loans won’t exist anymore, and they would take away the subsidized loan. I don’t see them greatly expanding the grants, and in this political climate, I’m not expecting anything good.”

able mugs for free to the student body to minimize paper/plastic cup waste, partnering with DCL to do sustainability programs in first year dorms, and a weeklong ‘Weigh the Waste’ campaign in lower Usdan to raise awareness about food waste in dining halls,” according to Guthrie Diamond, the club’s vice president.

The work SEA does is campus-focused. It looks to inform about ways Brandeis can become a greener, more environmentally friendly campus, and puts initiatives in place to help students move towards this goal.

“Our impact on environmental activism is definitely on a smaller, campus-wide scale,” Diamond said, “but all changes start small!”

Diamond also mentioned that, historically speaking, Brandeis has “lagged behind other comparable college campuses in the northeast, using more energy per square foot, recycling less, producing more waste, and only beginning to compost within the last few years.”

In 2015, Brandeis found that it uses approximately 25 percent more energy than comparable schools, based on climate and

building characteristics, according the school’s new Climate Action Plan. The national average recycling rate for universities is 40 percent of waste, but as of 2015 Brandeis’ recycling rate landed at only 20 percent.

Since then, Brandeis has implemented the action plan and lowered it carbon footprint for the first time in years. The university has also initiated a more aggressive recycling campaign.

SEA’s activism expands beyond that of the three or four initiatives they do each year.

Throughout the year, they also opportunities for the club’s members to practice environmental activism through social justice work as well as political activism.

One program that SEA partners with is a volunteer organization called Daily Table, which reshelves “expired” food products that grocery store chains throw away and offers the food at discounted prices in disadvantaged neighborhoods. The program gives low-income communities opportunities to purchase affordable food, while also aiming to minimize unnecessary waste.

Offering opportunities for on-

September 15, 2017

photo from brandeis.edu

With federal funds becoming less effective in times of inflation and rising tuition, it is more important than ever students speak up for their education rights.

Brandeis tuition consistently rises several percent each year.

“Students should advocate as much as possible with their Senators or wherever they possibly can for more federal funds for their education, because it certainly is not keeping up with the economy,” Avery said. “It’s difficult out there for parents and students.”

Student Financial Services works with students and families to manage the enormous costs of college. They also coordinate on-campus student employment and maintain a

list of on- and off-campus job opportunities on their website.

To encourage financial literacy amongst Brandeis students, the financial aid department is launching Salt (named for an old universal currency which unfortunately cannot be used in exchange for tuition), a program offered through American Student Assistance which helps students learn about budgeting, loan-repayment, credit scores and common pitfalls for college students. On their website, the program states, “Salt...features an easy online platform and one-on-one counseling to help you plan for, pay for, and repay the cost of a degree.” The literacy program will begin at Brandeis within the next month.

SEA making waves towards a greener campus

editor

As the earth experiences its second hottest summer of all time, the sea is becoming an ever important focus of environmental justice.

At Brandeis, students are talking about SEA as well—Students for Environmental Action, that is.

SEA is one of the many clubs that falls under the political and activism umbrella of student organizations. It also happens to be the largest student-run environmental organization on the Brandeis campus.

On Sept. 6, SEA held their first meeting—a massive brainstorming session with all members that focuses on starting initiatives to make the campus more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Each year, they focus on three to four initiatives, and break off into committees designated with the task of advancing one of the initiatives proposed in the kick-off meeting.

In the past, SEA has led a wide variety of initiatives focusing on many facets of environmental action, including “distributing reus-

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recruitment

SEA recruited new members at the Club Fair.

the-ground action as well, SEA helps coordinate club trips to protests such as the March for Science in Boston last spring, as well as holding an Earth Week celebration every April, Diamond mentioned.

The most important impact that SEA has on the Brandeis community, according to Diamond, however, is giving the students a space to voice their opinion on the matter of envi-

Join the Features Section to engage with the Brandeis community and become part of a new one.

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ronmental action at Brandeis. If students want an outlet to express an idea, SEA is a great platform to see it potentially put into action.

Students partaking in the club plan to vote on the initiatives they will be implementing by the end of this week.

If you are interested in joining, SEA meets every week on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. in the Mandel Atrium.

EDITORIALS

September 15, 2017

“To acquire wisdom, one must observe.”

Editors-in-Chief Hannah Schuster Emily Sorkin Smith Senior Managing Editor Allison Plotnik Senior Editors-at-Large Charlotte Aaron Zach Phil Schwartz Senior Copy Editor Sarah Terrazano News Editors Abigail Gardener Elianna Spitzer Arts Editor Katie Decker-Jacoby Opinions Editor Katarina Weessies Features Editor Polina Potochevska Senior Sports Editor Sarah Jousset Sports Editor Zach Cihlar Photo Editor Karen Caldwell Deputy Photo Editor Yarisa Diaz Layout Editor Candace Ng

Volume 14 • Issue 11 the brandeis hoot • brandeis university 415 south street • waltham, ma

STAFF

Faria Afreen, David Aizenberg, Jordan Brodie, José Castellanos, Elizabeth Cayouette-Gluckman, Anindita Chanda, Brianna Cummings, Shea Decker-Jacoby, Gabriel del Carmen, Sanin Dosa, Daniel Freedman, Ally Gelber, Noah Harper, Sophia He, Daniel Kang, Jonah Koslofsky, Matthew Kowalyk, Samantha Lauring, Santiago Montoya, Katharine Mound, Faiyaz Rahman, Ryan Spencer, Lily Wageman, Emily Botto

MISSION As the weekly community student newspaper of Brandeis University, The Brandeis Hoot aims to provide our readers with a reliable, accurate and unbiased source of news and information. Produced entirely by students, The Hoot serves a readership of 6,000 with in-depth news, relevant commentary, sports and coverage of cultural events.

Recognizing that better journalism leads to better policy, The Brandeis Hoot is dedicated to the principles of investigative reporting and news analysis. Our mission is to give every community member a voice.

SUBMISSION POLICIES The Brandeis Hoot welcomes letters to the editor on subjects that are of interest to the community. Preference is given to current or former community members and The Hoot reserves the right to edit or reject submissions. The deadline for submitting letters is Wednesday at noon.

Please submit letters to letters@thebrandeishoot.com along with your contact information. Letters should not exceed 500 words. The opinions, columns, cartoons and advertisements printed in The Hoot do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editorial board.

CONNECT phone • (781) 330-0051 e-mail • eic@thebrandeishoot.com online • brandeishoot.com twitter • twitter.com/thebrandeishoot facebook • facebook.com/thebrandeishoot

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To reserve your space in the paper, contact us by phone at (781) 3300051 or by e-mail at ads@thebrandeishoot.com.

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To learn more, send us an e-mail at join@thebrandeishoot.com, or visit our website http://brandeishoot.com/join.

UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONS We welcome unsolicited submissions from members of the community sent by e-mail to eic@thebrandeishoot.com. Please limit submissions to 800 words. All submissions are subject to editing.

The Brandeis Hoot 7

Evaluating mailroom frustrations

T

he problems at the mailroom have been on the forefront of many students’ minds. With long lines and wait times of more than 90 minutes, combined with the added frustration of first-years who hadn’t been entered into the computer system yet, the mailroom has been a frustrating place for both students and workers.

We see several areas where the mailroom can improve a frustrating system; however, we also think it is necessary to recognize the work that has gone into addressing the issue.

Despite these difficulties, employees have remained kind and understanding of student frustrations, even when the room is overflowing with impatient students.

The mailroom also extended its hours to be open until 8 p.m. every weekday and from 10 a.m. from 4 p.m. on the weekends. These employees are working long hours— standing for hours and running back and forth retrieving packages.

Everyone should recognize the effort they are putting in.

The university has also remained communicative, updating the student body several times through email messages. Kevin Collen, Director of University Services, encouraged students in a campus-wide email to reach out to him personally with any specific problems, such as misplaced or late packages. The university has also been transparent with the issues

causing delays.

Still, this beginning of the year backlog is not a new phenomenon. Every year, as students order books and items for their rooms, there is a large volume of packages that flow into the mailroom.

However, this year has seen record long wait times. As a result, Collen announced Brandeis would begin a root cause analysis of the delays, a project we support.

There are some steps that the mailroom could take to prevent future backups, which we hope the study will examine. For instance, it is neither practical nor efficient to take a large batch of ID cards, say 15 at a time, and then leave all those students waiting for close to an hour, so that they don’t know when their name is going to be called, but also cannot leave because they don’t have their ID. This can be especially frustrating when students try to stop by the mailroom in between classes, when they don’t have an unlimited amount of time to wait in line.

Additionally, it becomes difficult to maintain order in the line when everyone is crammed into the small waiting area, and it isn’t clear whose ID has been taken or who is still waiting for their package.

Perhaps one of the greatest causes to the mailroom holdup is that many of the mailroom employees are new each year and do not have much practice before they are bombarded with the influx of

early-semester package orders. This is a rather inevitable situation, but any options to increase stability or pre-semester training should be explored.

Furthermore, mailroom employees are contracted workers, meaning they are hired by Xerox—the company that the Brandeis mailroom outsources to—and not hired directly by Brandeis like Facilities workers.

The Board of Trustees voted to raise the minimum wage for fulltime non-student employees to a living wage of $15.05. However, at a faculty meeting in February 2016, professors expressed concern that this did not apply to outsourced workers like mailroom and Sodexo employees. This can contribute to high turnover, and though Brandeis does control the salary paid to its contracted workers, the university should take any steps it can to ensure all those employed on this campus earn a suitable wage.

While it is understandable for students to be frustrated about the mailroom situation, it is also important to keep in mind that even though mailroom employees have no direct tie to Brandeis, they have been kind and gracious throughout this whole ordeal, and they are just trying their best to do their jobs. It is up to the Brandeis administration to make critical changes in the training processes and organization of the mailroom.

ARTS

8 The Brandeis Hoot

September 15, 2017

13th annual 24-Hour Musical stuns and charms with ‘Seussical the Musical’

By Katie Decker-Jacoby editor

Anything’s possible, as Dr. Seuss reminds us in “Seussical the Musical.” And he’s right—anything really is possible.

Creating a full-length musical in just 24 hours is possible. Putting on a fun, humorous, quirky show with a meaningful message, exuberant characters, spectacular set design, vibrant costumes and an overall feel-good energy is possible.

On Sunday, a host of spectators—Brandeis students, alumni and other community members—crowded into the Carl J. Shapiro Theater in the SCC for the 13th annual 24-Hour Musical. And when I say crowded, I mean two rows of students sitting on the ground at the front of the theater in addition to more students stacked on the theater’s stairs. There was extra seating in the SCC atrium for those students who couldn’t get their hands on much coveted tickets. Those who left the winding ticket line empty handed could sit and watch the live steam of the show right outside of the theater.

What started out as a student’s senior thesis 13 years ago is now one of Brandeis’ most popular school traditions and theater productions. The Undergraduate Theatre Collective (UTC) has put on their renditions of musicals such as High School Musical, Peter Pan, Grease and others in the past in just 24 hours. Each year is a success, and this year’s “Seussi-

cal” was no exception.

Dr. Seuss is a classic, and that’s that. Many of us grew up marveling at Dr. Seuss’ wild, inventive stories. It’s Suess’ ability to transport us to these alternative worlds and spark the childish imaginations we once all had that makes his works so memorable and beloved.

With music by Stephen Flaherty and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, “Seussical the Musical” fuses some of Dr. Seuss’ best stories and characters into one show. This musical features famous characters including Cat in the Hat, Things 1 and 2, the Grinch, Horton, Jojo, the Sour Kangaroo from “Horton Hears a Who!” and General Genghis Khan Schmitz from “I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew.”

Though the intertwinement of all of these characters can get hectic, the Cat in the Hat (Ben Greene ’21) narrates the entire musical in rhymes.

“Seussical” tells the story of Horton discovering the Who’s, a species of tiny people, on a speck of dust. In a comical series of events, Horton loses track of the speck—and gets tricked into protecting an egg for 51 weeks by the manipulative character, Mayzie La Bird.

Horton, played by Noah Schultz ’21 is ridiculed for believing in the Who’s existence. He even faces a court hearing against his belief in and protection of the speck and egg, but then Whoville resident Jojo (Ryan Del Vasto ’20) shouts “YOPP” and proves him right.

Gertrude McFuzz (Lauren Komer ’21) is the one to find the

lost speck. She and Horton fall in love and their mysterious red and white polka-dotted egg hatches into a strange half elephant, half bird baby creature. All the while, the Cat in the Hat is trying to teach Jojo that it is okay to “think”—the Who’s look down on imagination and thinking outside the box.

Speaking of the Cat in the Hat, he truly stepped up to the plate.

Greene had such a huge stage presence from the get-go, never deviating from his character—except for when the actors messed up or got confused, but that is the very nature of the 24-hour musical.

Greene claimed his spot as the musical’s narrator when he first jumped and pranced onto the stage wearing cat face makeup, black, white and red clothing, and, of course, the red and white striped top hat.

He not only looked the part, but he fully embodied the Cat in the Hat through his wide smiles and quick, energetic movement across the stage. There wasn’t a dull moment with the Cat in the Hat—Greene sang, danced and jumped around throughout the entire show.

The other protagonist, Horton, was nothing but entertaining and humorous. Although Schultz oftentimes looked confused or timid, that helped him embody the Horton character, and he was fun to watch. His performance brought tons of laughter to the packed theater.

Jojo, played by DelVasto, Gertrude McFuzz and Sour Kangaroo (Leah Chanen ’20) mastered their

roles and impressed the crowd with their singing abilities. Most notable was Chanen’s continuous belting of notes every time she took to the stage. These three actors came to impress and to entertain, succeeding in both.

General Genghis Khan Schmitz’s (Nate Rtishchev ’21) angry expressions and mannerisms were so perfect for his role that even actors on stage were trying hard to suppress laughs during the scene where they chant lines from Dr. Seuss’ “Green Eggs and Ham.” The set and costumes were well-thought-out and executed— tall trees topped with fluff-balls from “The Lorax.” The platform showed a river sandwiched between two green bushes that were covered in little rainbow-colored pom-pom balls.

The set was vibrant, almost as vibrant as the costumes. Mayzie La Bird and her bird squad commanded the stage with their bright shirts, tutus and feathers.

The Cat in the Hat’s costume was spot-on with the red suspenders, the signature top-hat and face make-up.

The most memorable moments of this year’s 24-Hour Musical was the trial where Horton is accused of insanity for talking to a speck of dust and sitting on an egg. Yertle the Fighting Terrapin (Ben Steinberg ’18) presides over this case in a white judge’s wig and black cloak, gripping a cardboard gavel that says “Brandeis Judges” on it. Thing 1 and Thing 2 stand on both sides of Yertle. One holds a sign that reads “We Came to Bang,” and the other holds a

sign that reads “The Gavel,” making fun of Brandeis’ spirit song.

At Circus McGurkus, characters blurted out where they’re all from: Waltham, Tokyo and California, among others. But then one character says “Bentley” and the next responds “I prefer Brandeis,” which was a crowd-pleasing joke.

Comical moments that weren’t scripted or staged, like Horton slowly and sadly wheeling himself off stage on a chair (because somebody forgot to help him exit the scene), also prompted loads of laughter.

Other times, actors forgot their lines, cracked up on stage or simply didn’t know what they were doing (but, again, slip-ups are why the 24-Hour Musical is so hilarious and high in demand each year).

As the show went on and the actors all made silly mistakes—in the spirit of 24-hour—the actors seemed to get more comfortable on stage. Kudos to this year’s co-presidents Sivan Ertel ’18 and Zak Kolar ’18, the production staff, the techies, the cast and crew and UTC’s executive board for putting on such a lively show.

“Seussical the Musical” brings to life all of Dr. Seuss’ classics and allows your mind to roam free.

Not only did this year’s 24-Hour Musical elicit the nostalgia of our beloved childhood stories, but it reminded audience members of the importance of loyalty, unity, acceptance and uniqueness.

With the chaos happening around our world today, the UTC’s performance provided a refreshing energy that everyone in the theater felt.

photos by katie decker-jacoby/the hoot

September 15, 2017

ARTS 9

The Brandeis Hoot

Summer movie recap: a quality paradox

By Jonah Koslofsky staff

Now that Labor Day is in the rear-view mirror, it’s time we talk about the 2017 summer movie season. The 2017 summer box office is a bit of a paradox. You’ve probably heard by now that this was the worst summer for Hollywood in the past decade, in terms of the cumulative total amount of money made by all movies released from the first weekend in May until Labor Day. And yet, Hollywood easily released more ‘good’ movies this summer than it did in either of the previous two summers, along with the obligatory quality indie releases that sneak out during peak popcorn season.

Summer 2016 may have been more lucrative than this past summer, but that’s because, although movies like “Suicide Squad” and “X-Men: Apocalypse” were both garbage, they made a ton of money on their opening weekends. By contrast, this summer’s bad movies were huge commercial flops.

Take “King Arthur,” “The Mummy” or “Transformers: The Last Knight,” all of which were awful and didn’t get their studios much of a profit.

The failure of the latter two is especially interesting, as both came equipped with name recognition, “franchise potential” and big stars. It feels like 2017 was the first summer in recent memory where the top grossing movies were all pretty good, and audiences really rejected the movies that sucked.

Four of the five most successful movies caught my attention—sorry, “Despicable Me 3.” The biggest movie of the summer ended up being Patty Jenkins’s “Wonder Woman,” which is amazing. It’s great to finally see a female superhero on screen, it’s great that it ended up being way more successful than anyone in the industry expected and it’s a downright awesome, crowd pleasing film.

Furthermore, it gave me some hope for the DC Cinematic Universe, as it turns out that fourth time’s the charm. The secret to the success of movies like “Deadpool” and “Logan,” two somewhat risky superhero movies, was repeated in “Wonder Woman”; when you give passionate, creative people who understand the source material control of a recognizable character, you’ll make a very good

photos from imdb.com

movie, and you’ll make a lot of money.

Coming in at numbers two and three are “Guardians of the Galaxy 2” and “Spider-Man Homecoming,” the latter of which I greatly prefer. “Guardians 2,” meanwhile, feels a bit trite, a sequel that’s nowhere near as good as the original. It has some striking visuals, and when all of the titular Guardians are on screen together, it’s a blast. But overall, it’s a movie I wanted to love and ended up only liking.

“Homecoming,” on the other hand, was spectacular. Somehow even after three reboots in the Spider-Man franchise there are still fresh, new ideas. It just might be the best Spider-Man movie ever—or perhaps that title still belongs to Sam Raimi’s “Spider-Man 2.” But in my mind, the Tobey Maguire movies of the 00’s always

felt a little campy, while “Homecoming” requests the audience take the movie as seriously as one would take a John Hughes movie. It’s a tonal shift that absolutely works, and I can’t recommend “Homecoming” enough.

Rounding out the top five is Christopher Nolan’s “Dunkirk,” a true return to form for one of Hollywood’s best working directors.

While light on plot and characters, “Dunkirk” succeeds in capturing the terror of the Second World War and the bravery of those who did the right thing when their survival was at stake.

Nolan has made some of my favorite movies of all time, but after the disappointments of “The Dark Knight Rises” and “Interstellar,” I started to lose faith in the filmmaker.

However, thanks to “Dunkirk,”

that faith has been restored. The Oscars should take notice, finally handing this prolific Brit that Best Director statue.

But my favorite movie of the summer, which I think is just barely better than “Dunkirk,” and which just barely didn’t make the top ten highest grossing movies of the summer list, is “Baby Driver.”

Directed by certifiable genius Edgar Wright, this movie is so well edited and so entertaining that I think I had a smile on my face throughout the entire runtime.

It’s a blast, with an incredible soundtrack, becoming this sort of lovechild of “Drive” and “LaLa-Land.” It’s a bit of a pastiche of nineties action movies, a bit of a musical, and just a whole lot of fun.

I’d also be remiss if I didn’t mention some of those obligatory indies that snuck out this sum-

mer. “The Big Sick” was an absolute triumph, and it’s available to rent this Friday, so check that out if you missed it in theaters.

Also from the indie scene, Taylor Sheridan’s “Wind River” ended his frontier justice trilogy with success (as he also wrote “Sicario” and last year’s “Hell or High Water”).

So to recap, the great movies of this summer were “Wonder Woman,” “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” “Dunkirk,” “The Big Sick” and, last but not least, “Baby Driver.” Furthermore, the superhero genre proved that it still produces success, while just about every other big blockbuster flopped because they weren’t very good.

It’s an exciting time in the movie industry, and I’m glad the quality of summer films trended upward this year. We’ll see if this trend continues.

10 ARTS

The Brandeis Hoot

September 15, 2017

‘Despacito’ leaves impact on summer charts and Latin music

By Rebecca Goldfarb special to the hoot

Ask someone what the “song of the summer” is and you’re bound to hear a variety of answers. You might get “I’m The One” or “Wild Thoughts,” both by DJ Khaled.

They could say it was “Humble”

by Kendrick Lamar, “Body Like A Back Road” by Sam Hunt or “Shape of You” by Ed Sheeran.

They might tell you something you’ve never heard of.

This summer, however, the answer seemed to always be, “Despacito,” the hit song by Luis Fonsi and Daddy Yankee featuring Justin Bieber.

Luis Fonsi is a Puerto Rican singer who has been making music since 1998. He is well established in the world of Latin music, but “Despacito” is his first hit song for the United States and the rest of the world. Daddy Yankee, like Luis Fonsi, is a Puerto Rican singer and rapper who has been making music since the 1990’s.

Daddy Yankee is also very prominent in the Latin music scene, but has had a few hit songs in the United States back in the 2000s such as “Gasolina,” “Rompe,” and “Oye Mi Canto.” Nonetheless, “Despacito” is still Daddy Yankee’s biggest hit song to date.

The impact that “Despacito” has made on the music charts and on the Latin genre in mainstream music is inexplicable. “Despacito” was the number one song on the Billboard Hot 100 for 16 consec-

utive weeks, tying the record for spending the most weeks at the number one spot with Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men’s “One Sweet Day” in 1995. It was the first majority Spanish language song that topped the charts since Los Del Rio’s “La Macarena” in 1996.

It took the number one spot the week before Memorial Day and remained in that spot until Labor Day, making it the only song in history to remain at the top of the charts during the entire summer season tracking period.

The music video for “Despacito” was the very first YouTube video in history to hit 3 billion views and is now the most viewed YouTube video of all time. The original version of the song was released in January and became an instant hit on the Latin charts.

At that time, it was only charting modestly on the mainstream music charts in the United States.

It was not until April, when Justin Bieber remixed the song and added in English verses, that the song started to become a worldwide hit.

People may now think of “Despacito” as just another Justin Bieber song, but the path that this song has paved for popular music is more than anything else Bieber has released. The popularity of Despacito created a trend for more Latin songs to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 than ever before.

Before Despacito, if a Latin song were to chart, which was rare, it would chart moderate-

ly, and make it into the top 70 at most. Since “Despacito’s” popularity, rising hit Latin songs such as “Mi Gente” by J Balvin and Willy William, “Felices Los 4” by Maluma and “Escapate Conmigo”

by Wisin ft. Ozuna are beginning to break into the top 50 and even the top 30 of the Billboard chart.

“Despacito” has single-handedly created a boom of Latin music into the mainstream and has exposed more people to Latin music and culture.

It is frustrating to think it took a well-known pop singer’s remix to the song to the level of success that it achieved.

The addition of Justin Bieber’s English verses takes away the Latin authenticity of the song and turns it more into an Americanized, generic pop song. The fact that Bieber could not even remember the Spanish lyrics of the chorus when he was singing it live shows how much little passion he has for the song, and furthers the idea that he only sang on the remix for publicity.

Fonsi and Yankee are even singing and rapping some parts in English on the remixed version as well. When comparing the remix to the original version, there is so much more dedication and enthusiasm in the vocals in the original, mainly due to be it being less manufactured for the mainstream.

Nonetheless, Bieber’s addition on the song has generated many people to go back and check out the original version of the song.

photo from itunes.apple.com

This song is still different than most songs that are on the radio today. The worldwide success of “Despacito” can inspire any international artist that one does not have to make a song in only English for it to have global accomplishments. Maybe one day, another song that is entirely in another language can have worldwide success without the help of an English remix featuring a wellknown pop singer.

Mainstream music in the summer of 2017 brought a wide range of music, compared to the

monotony of popular music that came into the spotlight during the school year. There was so much more substance and genre variety in each of the songs this summer, compared to the dominance of songs with tropical house beats and mumble rap features during the past year. With the array of genres that were played on the radio within the past few months, there was one song that defined the summer of 2017 that was completely different than any song that has ever been in the mainstream—“Despacito.”

Brandeis in Siena fuses studio art and art history into an unforgettable summer

By Katharine Mound staff

Most students’ idea of a fun way to spend their summers is not going to summer school. The students in the Fine Arts Department’s Brandeis in Siena summer program, held at the Siena Art Institute, agree their experience was thoroughly enjoyable. It was the highlight of their summer.

Curiously enough, though, attempting to describe the marvel of the experience is difficult and insufficient, as Alli Steinberg ’19, an Art History and Business double major, pointed out. “I just can’t do it justice,” admitted Steinberg, a participant in the immersive program, which ran from July 11 to Aug. 18.

Nevertheless, she tried, delighting in recounting her memories of the ocean of energy and excitement that enveloped her

as she watched horses and their jockeys wildly circle the Piazza del Campo during the famous Palio di Siena. In preparation for the grand and thrilling horse race, surrounding Italian communities, called Contradas, hold weeklong festivities to welcome the centuries’ old competition back into the city and to celebrate the deeply-rooted Italian culture.

Ironically, the actual race only takes up a fraction of the time spent celebrating in anticipation for it, lasting about two or three minutes. After the race, Steinberg recalled an enormous outpouring of emotion from the crowds surrounding her, seeing everything from “happiness [to] disdain” as the winner received the grand prize: a banner. “The prize is just a banner,” Steinberg started, “but it’s also victory [and] glory.” It was that moment and countless others that opened up Steinberg’s understanding of and appreciation for

photos courtesy alli steinberg

the rich culture of Italy.

Not all of Steinberg’s time was filled with adrenaline fueled horse-racing, though. Like any good summer school student, she attended classes: basic Italian, Early Renaissance art history, and “Painting Siena,” a studio art class where students took up their brushes and easels and literally painted Siena through the view from their studio. The studio art and art history courses are essentially semester long Brandeis classes tightly packed into the five-week international program, so classes were slightly more rigorous, according to Steinberg.

As an Art History major, Steinberg reveled in the presence of famous works like Michelangelo’s massive Sistine Chapel frescos, Duccio’s elaborate Maestà, and Bernini’s celestial Ecstasy of Saint Teresa. Seeing these works after studying them only solidified her passion for art history and reinforced her effort to explore local art spaces and culture wherever she travels.

The program makes an effort to forgo the standard classroom experience, instead pulling students out of classrooms and into the streets of Siena to identify traditional architecture, visit local art museums with Siena Art Institute professor Roberto Fineschi, and create works of art that are visually grounded in their surroundings.

Although her field of interest is art history, Steinberg was surprised at how much she was

able to learn from and appreciate her painting course taught

by Brandeis professor, Joseph Wardwell. “It was nice to be able to work with the actual craft that you’re studying,” Steinberg proposed. “It’s a two-fold kind of appreciation for the act of looking at the art and appreciating it from a more formal perspective.”

During downtime, Steinberg and the other students enjoyed traveling to the quaint town of San Gimignano to eat award-winning gelato and sitting down for relaxing two hour lunches between classes.

Her group also traveled to the Venice Biennale, a contemporary art show held in Venice every two years, featuring art pavilions from countries across the globe. At the American pavilion, the group linked up with former Rose Art Museum Director, Chris Bedford, who curated works of art from Los Angeles-based artist, Mark

Bradford, for a tour of the gallery and a talk.

Steinberg emphasized the vibrant culture of Siena and how it cultivated a truly generative environment for her to learn and create in. “You’re going to a place so rich in culture and history and that’s the beauty of it, that it’s so authentic to its roots….There’s so much appeal to be studying art in Siena because the integrity of the city is still there.” The culture shock of living in a completely different environment from her own for several weeks was an adjustment. However, Steinberg says, “Making a genuine effort to understand the culture better won’t go unappreciated.”

Her advice for students considering taking the trip next summer?

“Even if it’s something that you’re not familiar with, embrace it.” In other words, “When in Rome…” or, in this case, Siena.

September 15, 2017

The Brandeis Hoot

The National explores relationships in gloomy but complex ‘Sleep Well Beast’

By Noah Harper staff

One of my main criteria for art is whether or not it produces a reaction. Did it actually make me feel something? Most things don’t. It takes a truly special work of art to pierce my general apathy.

Next I ask, if the piece was effective in the moment, did I want to return to it? Was the art well-constructed enough to keep my interest and, upon further examination, deep enough to reveal something new?

The National makes melancholy music. Despite being ostensibly a rock band, they’ve always been characterized by their smooth vocals and exact instrumentation—not exactly music to dance to. Instead, they excel at producing quiet music that draws you in, its aura of simplicity concealing a world of depth and precision.

Their new album, “Sleep Well Beast,” provides a deeply moving, poignant meditation on the difficult nature of relationships.

The band is made up of two

sets of brothers: Bryce and Aaron Dessner, on the guitar and piano, and Scott and Bryan Devendorf, on the bass and drums—each respectively a master of their craft.

The fifth member, frontman and vocalist Matt Berninger, admittedly can’t even play the tambourine.

What’s particularly fascinating about The National’s lead vocalist is that while he’s surrounded by accomplished music savants, each with their own bands and projects, he instead uses an improvisatory free-associative technique to write his lyrics. The melding of these two methodologies shouldn’t work: Yale-trained musicians making music with a former graphic designer sounds like a recipe for disaster. And yet, The National’s discography is nothing if not arresting, authentic and exactingly-crafted.

The new album, “Sleep Well Beast,” doesn’t differ much from the band’s typical somberness.

There are the spare piano riffs, the sharp and diffuse percussion, the instrumentation that starts out low and then crescendos. But

there are a few moments of tonal difference: a rare guitar solo in “The System only Dreams in Total Darkness,” the surprisingly fastpaced “Turtleneck.”

A relationship narrative slowly emerges in “Sleep Well Beast.”

Berninger wrote the lyrics with his wife Carin Besser, and the emotional intimacy really shows.

“I’ve been talking about you to myself / Cause there’s nobody else,” Berninger sings in “Empire Line.” There’s an authentic conversation about the difficulties of maintaining a long-term relationship, and the depth behind the lyrics is powerful.

In one of my favorite tracks, “Guilty Party,” quiet synthesizers and drums build in the background while Berninger sings in the chorus: “I know it’s not working / It’s no holiday / It’s nobody’s fault / No guilty party / We just got nothing / Nothing left to say.”

The combination of profound lyrics and precise, building instrumentation yields something that’s indicative of the whole album: a simple, lasting effectiveness.

When I think about married

photo from rollingstoneaus.com

photo from billboard.com

people, I tend to think of their relationship as something static and assured, but “Sleep Well Beast” conveys quite the opposite.

The dysfunction, the inability to express oneself, and the resentment are all quite adeptly told.

“So blame it on me / I don’t really care / It’s a foregone conclusion,” Berninger sings in “Carin at the Liquor Store.”

“Sleep Well Beast” tells a story about two committed people who are struggling with their relationship with one another— who still love each other, but are having problems. But, in the end, Berninger commits to continue struggling, despite the bleakness that the future might hold. In the second-to-last song, “Dark Side of the Gym,” he says, “I’m gonna keep you in love with me.”

This is what makes the album relatable, and I think, cathartic.

Though it’s definitely melancholic, in the end we get the feeling that Berninger’s been able to adequately express these feelings he’s been having and make a decision about them. “I write sad songs as a way of staying above water,” said

ARTS 11

Berninger in an interview in The Independent. The National’s ability to perfectly conjure these universal feelings and then convey them in a striking way is why I think the album is worth listening to: though it’s sad, it’s cleansing, and I wasn’t demotivated. I felt better, relieved.

“I’ll destroy you someday, sleep well beast,” Berninger sings in the outro to the album’s final song, the synthesizers and strings and light drums perfectly complementing the vocals. It’s hauntingly beautiful.

“Sleep Well Beast” provides a soothing melancholia for troubled times. It made me feel sad, but also, after some reflection, purposeful.

The band really excels at conveying this quiet, honest desperation, melding arresting vocals from Berninger’s baritone matched with spare, accomplished instrumentation from world-class musicians.

After listening I wanted to sleep, to continue to ponder the profound depth that the album had conveyed.

photo from grantland.com

Riley Sager’s novel ‘Final Girls’ pleases with thrills and drama

By Courtney Garvey special to the hoot

Quincy Carpenter doesn’t like being called a Final Girl. Sure, she was the sole survivor of the Pine Cottage Murders that killed her five best friends, but that’s ten years behind her. Now, she’s a successful baking blogger. Now, she and her public defender boyfriend live in a comfy Manhattan apartment. Now, she’s healed.

Or so she tells herself.

When the news breaks that Lisa Milner, the first of the other two living Final Girls, females who have survived gruesome and headline-worthy massacres, is found dead in her bathtub, the cracks in Quincy’s charming life start to show. Fear that her own attacker (or someone worse) is still out in the world washes over her. Then, as the second Final Girl, Samantha Boyd shows up on her doorstep and starts prodding for information, the weight of Quincy’s repressed memories crashes onto her, and there’s only so much her Xanax addiction can

do to keep her from losing control.

Riley Sager’s “Final Girls” is a thrilling and intricately constructed web of blurred truths and unclear intentions, leaving the reader guessing who the real danger is until the very end. Who can our heroine trust: the press?

The police? Her new friend, Sam, who is determined to rehash the horrors of that night?

We watch Quincy’s walls of safety and understanding collapse around her as she tries to make sense of Lisa’s death and Sam’s arrival, a task made even more difficult by the fact that she’s still grappling to find a secure sense of self.

Peppered throughout the storyline are snapshots of what happened the night of the Pine Cottage Murders, inviting the reader into a night Quincy swears she can’t remember. The novel begins by placing us within what Quincy believes to be her one memory of the event: racing through the woods after she has escaped her attacker, only to collapse into the arms of a police officer. Quincy is blood-soaked and terrified. From

here, the story is largely a matter of unraveling the preceding events.

But with every new and nerve-wracking flashback, we discover that what we expected the night to look like is nothing close to the truth.

Sager knows how to craft a complex story, but while his characters are likewise thoroughly developed, their personas are overdone. Quincy’s wholesomeness plays as saccharine (does she truly believe in the science of baking and its therapeutic properties so much that it was necessary to gush about them for multiple pages?).

And even as she transitions into the Good Girl who could be a Bad Girl, who maybe is a Bad Girl, Sam is an overwhelming cliché of the latter. She calls Quincy “babe” one too many times for it to still be cheeky, and her twilight Central Park hunt for trouble comes across as forced. Quincy and Sam’s polar personalities prove to be critical for the plot’s development, but the stereotypical fashion in which Sager designs them

photo from goodreads.com

diminishes their depth as characters.

Despite the darkness and deceit, the novel maintains a sense of fun

and combined with those edgeof-your-seat thrills, it was the perfect combination for an addicting summer read.

12 The Brandeis Hoot

By Zach Cihlar

SPORTS

September 15, 2017

Men’s soccer bests Babson 2-1

editor

Brandeis men’s soccer advanced their season record to 2-1 on Saturday, Sept. 9 as they defeated Massachusetts rival Babson College. In head-to-head competition, the Babson Beavers lead the Judges 29-26. However, the Judges have secured a winning advantage in recent years, winning the last five of six meetings between the teams.

In their meeting last year, Brandeis dropped the game to Babson 0-1 during a shaky first few weeks of the 2016 season.

Now higher ranked than ever, Brandeis sought to redeem last season’s loss to the rival team.

Much of the first half of play saw back-and-forth advantages from both teams, with a few shot opportunities from both teams.

Just as the first half was drawing to a close, the Judges offense found themselves within the 18yard box.

As it began to rain in the 42nd minute, the Judges scored the first goal of the game, contributed by two players relatively new to competition. Junior Colin Panarra ’19 expertly guided the ball to team-

mate Devan Casey ’19 who buried the shot just past the fingertips of the Babson goalie and into the net to secure the first lead of the game. It was Casey’s first career goal.

The second half brought with it harder rainfall, as well as a goal that eluded both teams throughout most of the half. For much of the second half, the Judges dominated play, leading in shot opportunities and corner kicks.

Babson found the net, however, in the 83rd minute. After a Babson corner kick play, their defender Jackson Greenspan ’19 crossed the ball into scoring territory.

Babson forward Chris Czarnecki ’20 found the ball, heading it past the Brandeis defense.

Just 46 seconds later, Brandeis found itself with an opportunity to reclaim the lead.

After a Babson play was red-carded, Brandeis got a free kick opportunity, which went to Josh Ocel ’18.

A little over 18 yards out, Ocel shot the ball past Babson’s defensive wall and hit the net to gain the lead for Brandeis once again. The goal was Ocel’s sixth game-winner in his career, but his first since the 2015 season in his sophomore year.

For the last six minutes of the

game, Babson pressured the Brandeis defense, taking three shots and coming close enough to hit the crossbar in the 89th minute in a climactic ending to the game.

The visiting team couldn’t quite make it, however, and Brandeis walked away winning and wet with rain.

The Judges will return to the field again for the second game in their four-game homestand against Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) on Wednesday, Sept. 13 at 7 p.m.

WPI boasts a 3-1 record since their season began a few weeks ago. In the Brandeis-WPI matchup of the 2016 season, Brandeis

left the WPI home field with a 0-0 tie after a slow start to what would become a spectacular season.

Building off the momentum of the Judges Final Four berth and now continuing with elevated expectations and rankings, the Judges will look to prove their skill and success in a schedule very similar to last season’s.

photo from brandeisjudges.com

Women’s volleyball wins two out of three games in New England Invitational

By Sarah Jousset editor

The women’s volleyball team was back in action this past weekend in the New England Invitational hosted by Brandeis. The three-game series for the Judges started on Friday, Sept. 8 with a loss to Bowdoin College.

However, the Judges came back strong on Saturday, crushing both Anna Maria College and the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT).

Friday’s game against Bowdoin resulted in a three set loss for the Judges with scores of 25-20, 25-22, 25-17. The judges put up a solid defense with Captain Yvette Cho ’19 with a team high of 15 digs in the game, and rookie Clare Meyers ’21 putting up 10 digs for the Judges.

It was the Judges offense that couldn’t seem to come together for them with kill totals spread across four players, but none exceeding the seven kills contributed by Emma Bartlett ’20.

The Judges had a team hitting percentage of .144, while Bowdoin’s offense came out on top with a .303 hitting percentage for the game.

The Judges came back strong on the second day of the tournament with three set wins against both Anna Maria college and RIT. \In the first game against Anna Maria, the Judges won handily with scores of 25-17, 25-20, 25-13.

The Judges blew away the opponents with a .255 hitting percentage compared to Anna Maria’s -.023 percentage for the game.

Shea Decker-Jacoby ’19 (a staff writer for The Brandeis Hoot) led the team with 10 kills in the game and a personal hitting percentage of .444. Kirsten Frauens ’19, Ma-

rissa Borgert ’21 and Bell Scott ’21 tailed Decker-Jacoby with seven kills each.

The setting duties were split between Leah Pearlman ’19 and Megan Osorio Moran ’21.

Pearlman proved a force for the Judges on Saturday with some key plays for the Judges and 22 assists in the game.

Osorio Moran ’21 held her own as well with 13 assists against Anna Maria. The team’s libero, Yvette Cho ’19, was again the defensive standout for the Judges with a team high of 15 digs in the match.

The Judges didn’t lose their fire going into the second game of Saturday against RIT. The team beat RIT 25-20, 25-11, 25-14, gaining leads on their opponent early in each set. They also dominated offensively with a .308 hitting percentage for the match. Decker-Jacoby served a stellar performance for the Judges against RIT with leading numbers in digs and kills.

Brandeis had multiple players contribute to their offense. Decker-Jacoby led with nine kills, Bartlett followed close behind with eight and six other pla produced at least three kills to help the team toward victory.

Pearlman led her team in assists with another strong performance for the Judges.

Defensively, Decker-Jacoby led the team in digs against RIT with a season high of 12, while Cho managed 10 digs for the Judges’ defense.

The Judges faced off against the University of Massachusetts Boston at home on Wednesday, losing 1-3. The loss brings the Judges’ record to 4-3 so far this season.

The women’s volleyball team will be back in action Saturday against Southern Vermont College at 3 p.m. in the Auerbach Arena at Gosman Athletic Center.

Cho, libero for the Brandeis volleyball team, makes a dig at a match during the New England Invitational. yvette cho

photos from brandeisjudges.com

September 15, 2017

SPORTS 13

The Brandeis Hoot

Women’s soccer beats WIT in double overtime

By Shea Decker-Jacoby staff

In a double overtime win this past Sunday, the Brandeis women’s soccer team took on the Wentworth Institute of Technology and improved their overall record to 3-1.

Brandeis outshot Wentworth 24-8 for the game with nine shots on goal. After a scoreless first half, the Judges caught a break and earned a penalty kick inside the box in the 64th minute of play.

The attempt hit the post deflecting the ball wide, leaving the score 0-0 for another 37 minutes.

Haliana Burhans ’18 had a point-blank header in the 88th minute of play, but it was saved

by WIT’s goalie. The Judges came out strong in the first overtime period, having two of their five corner kicks for the game. Daria Bakhtiari ’21 nearly ended the game with only 15 seconds left in the first overtime period, when her shot hit the crossbar to bring the match into it second overtime

period. In the 102nd minute of play, Maddie Marx ’19 crossed the ball into the box to classmate Sasha Sunday ’19 to end the match with a final score of 1-0 Judges.

Sunday’s goal was her second of the season, both being the game winning goals. This was also her sixth career goal. Marx’s assist was her first career point in her 30th game played as a Judge.

During the match, Samantha Schwartz ’18 had a team high of seven shots on goal, and goalie Sierra Dana ’20 earned her second shut out of the season.

The Judges are putting up an average of 2.5 goals a game and 17.5 shots per a game. They are on a three game winning streak which started with their win against Lasell at the beginning of the month.

The Judges continue their season with a two game road trip to eastern Connecticut State University on Wednesday, Sept. 13, Johnson and Wales on Saturday.

Sept. 16. The Judges then face-off against their Boston rivals, Babson, when they return to their home field on Sept. 19.

photo from brandeisjudges.com

New marketing director joins Brandeis Athletics administration

By David Aizenberg staff

Andrew Vatistas joined the Brandeis athletics community as the Assistant Director for Marketing, Promotions and Community Relations. Vatistas grew up in the New England area where sports are a culture and has spent time working in the marketing discipline of athletics with the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers and the University of New Hampshire. He also worked with ESPN College GameDay at the highly coveted Harvard v. Yale football game.

“I have been involved with athletics my whole life,” Vatistas said,

“I grew up playing basketball and baseball, both of which I continued through most of my twenties.”

In addition to his playing experience, Vatistas has been a part of the managerial duties of athletics since he could remember. “I have been involved with sports marketing and event planning since high school, where I planned and executed an athletics related charity event.”

A graduate of Endicott College, also in Division III, Vatistas brings his expertise to the Brandeis community. He is excited and motivated to begin his work at Brandeis. “I [have] met many administrators, coaches and student-athletes who made it

clear to me that being a member Brandeis community would be a great move for me.”

In his new position, Vatistas is in charge of game-day marketing operations, increasing attendance at sporting events and alumni relations. Vatistas hopes he can draw from his time dressing up as the University of New Hampshire mascot in bringing crowds to Brandeis athletic events.

However, outside of Vatistas’ responsibilities as an athletic director, he is excited to be a spectator too. As anyone involved in Brandeis athletics can attest to, Homecoming weekend is a great spectacle and event to be a part of. Vatistas is no stranger to the

excitement of the weekend: “I am very excited to be involved with my first Brandeis Homecoming weekend!”

Along with the excitement of Homecoming weekend, Vatistas has a personal agenda for his time at Brandeis; the development of a student loyalty program compatible with both Android and iPhone. This program will aim to encourage, engage and energize Brandeis athletics. Vatistas hopes this program will bring forth an increase in school spirit and attendance at athletic events.

We are very excited to welcome Andrew Vatistas to the Brandeis community and are excited for the future of Brandeis athletics.

photo from harvard crimson

Crimson Tide ready to return to the top

By Robert Banks special to the hoot

“The quarterback is ready to snap the ball. He receives the snap… and takes a knee! Brandeis wins the 2018 College Football Playoff Championship-” Despite not losing a game since 1960, the Brandeis football team,

unfortunately, won’t be hoisting the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy.

Rather than white and blue confetti raining down on the field at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium after the final whistle of the championship game, it seems likely that the stadium will bleed crimson and white on January 8th.

Led by the reigning Southeast-

ern Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year Jalen Hurts, the Alabama Crimson Tide seems primed to avenge last season’s championship game loss to Clemson. Assuming Hurts continues on his current trajectory as he approaches 700 career passing attempts, his completion percentage of 64.75 percent would rank 65th all time

photo from bleacher report

among FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) quarterbacks who have reached the 700 career passing attempts mark, and 29th among “power five” (including the ACC, Big 10, Pac 12, Big 12, and SEC) conference signal callers. Regarded by Barrett Sallee of Bleacher Report as a player with “the feel of youth with the mindset of a seasoned veteran,” Hurts’ nearly unparalleled composure and confidence allow him to excel in a leadership position.

The Tide once again are favored to bring the trophy back home to Tuscaloosa. As of Aug. 31, the Crimson Tide have been presented as the 5-2 favorite to win the championship in 2018 (Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook) and were ranked as the number one team in the nation by sportingnews.com and the Associated Press in their respective preseason polls.

Since the inauguration of the current College Football Playoff format in the 2014-2015 season, no team has been granted a position in the field of four when losing more than one game. With a 62.5 percent chance of finishing with one loss or fewer, according to Sports Blog Nation (SB Nation), Alabama is the only school with a probability above fifty percent. Following in second

place, Oklahoma University’s percentage trails by 25.9 percentage points, sitting at 36.6 percent.

In the three seasons in which the College Football Playoff system has taken effect, any undefeated team in one of the commonly regarded power five conferences have made the prestigious postseason tournament (third-seeded Florida State in the 2014-2015 postseason, top-seeded Clemson in the 2015-2016 playoff, and number one ranked Alabama last year). Given a 24 percent chance to finish the regular season undefeated, even in the notoriously tough Southeastern Conference, Alabama is the only team in the nation to be given greater than a 10 percent chance to finish the regular season with a zero in the loss column (SB Nation).

Alabama has already cruised to victory in arguably its most losable game of the regular season (against preseason number three seed Florida State, 24-7), and strolled past Fresno State 41-10 a week later. With the team’s exceptional early-season performance, along with the top-rated recruiting class in the nation, it is safe to say that Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide are in high contention for another championship win.

OPINIONS

14 The Brandeis Hoot

Septermber 15, 2017

Leaning towards studying abroad?

Don’t overthink it.

By Zach Phil Schwartz editor

Like many of my peers in the Class of 2018, I have recently returned from a most memorable study abroad experience. I spent the Spring 2017 semester living and studying with the Brandeis in The Hague program, out of Leiden, The Netherlands. There are too many positive adjectives in the English language that qualify for how I would characterize my experience in The Netherlands in sum, but a couple would definitely include “formative” and “life-changing.”

My four months in the Hague constituted a major life journey.

This was not always my attitude about this and I certainly did not expect to be dazzled before I left the United States, though.

I was admitted into the Brandeis in The Hague program on the doorstep of my junior year, very much uncertain whether I was serious about traveling to Europe for such an extended period of time. After all, I had spent the entire summer half-doubting I would admitted into the program.

Compounded with my family’s concerns about the terrorism and security problems in Europe in 2016, at the beginning that September there was a very real

chance that I would simple step back and walk away from the opportunity.

I had even expressed my concerns to a professor and sought his advice. He did not let me doubt myself for a minute, and I saw the point in his words to not throw away such an opportunity over uncertainty and what may have been overblown concerns.

Still tentative, I went forward and embarked on the pre-program meet and greets and other orientations here at Brandeis. Each one of these sessions represented a step in the right direction and assuaged my concerns. By the middle of fall 2016, I had adopted a gung-ho attitude about the trip. I was ready to go.

However, I was still uncertain about my future in The Netherlands when I landed at Schiphol Airport and saw Amsterdam for the first time. I stayed there with my father for the first few days, and we took in the sights.

Even then, though, I still was not 100 percent ready. The minute I stepped foot in Leiden—the city where we lived during the Hague program—I realized that things were different. Professor Richard Gaskins of the Legal Studies department and the Brandeis in The Hague program director was the first face—a familiar face—that I saw, and I hadn’t even left the

train station.

Leiden (a city in between Amsterdam and The Hague and the base for Brandeis in The Hague) is a beautiful city: warm, safe, rich with history. It felt like home. The Hague had a similar, yet more professional and urban appeal, but was still as friendly, inviting and breathtaking as Leiden.

It wasn’t just the location, though, that made my experience formative and life-changing; it was the people around me. I found the Dutch warm and friendly. The Brandeis in The Hague cohort was terrific. The academic faculty and staff that we worked with were incredible. I made lasting friendships and, even in a place with so much to do and see, managed to learn a thing or two about international law and what I may want to do with my life.

Had I succumbed to self-doubt and worry about going to Europe for an entire semester, I wouldn’t have had these life-changing experiences. I recommend that students thinking about studying abroad to not overthink it. Consider if doing so would be right for you, but don’t be overtaken by the “what ifs” and fear of leaving your comfort zone.

Had I not consulted that professor and articulated my concerns and had he not responded with such powerful words, I would not

brandeis study abroad students in leiden, netherlands

have been able to meet the people that I met. I would not have been able to physically, personally and academically go on a life-changing journey.

I believe that I would be a different person had I stayed here at Brandeis, and I would be none

photo courtesy fatma siddique

more the wiser as to the world outside the United States.

So, if you are thinking about studying abroad, think through your options carefully, but don’t let yourself miss out on what might be a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Environmental racism is not a joke

By Katarina Weessies editor

A disturbing trend has been sweeping right-wing media that combines anti-environmental sentiment, racism and hatred of college students and protest movements. Right-wing YouTubers, social media moguls and news sources have been ridiculing the concept of environmental racism.

Environmental racism is the tendency for the effects of climate change and pollution to be directed toward people of color. The concept does not imply that the actual weather is somehow racist, but rather that the powers that be direct the effects of environmentally harmful behavior, like air and water pollution, toward disadvantaged communities of color.

Of course, right-wing media like Breitbart reports on the concept of environmental racism differently. A 2016 article is titled “Guardian: Global Warming is ‘Racist’,” in reference to a Guardian article describing the effects of environmental racism. The Breitbart article reports that the Guardian supports the “wild theory that global warming is a racist crisis, perpetrated by wealthy whites.” It goes on to use the Guardian article as an example of the ridiculousness of the liberal media.

There are similar example in the less-formal corners of the rightwing media. Popular conservative YouTuber Chris Ray Gun posted a video, also in 2016, titled “GLOBAL WARMING is RACIST!— Black Lives Matter vs. Air.” The title of the video is an obvious hyperbole meant to attract as many clicks as possible using shock value by using crude humor to claim Black Lives Matter activists think

that people of color are being personally targeted by the weather.

The problem with these articles and videos is the fact that they minimize the issue of environmental racism by taking the name at face value and turning it into a joke. Readers and viewers come away from this content thinking that they understand what activist groups mean by the term “environmental racism,” and are thus not open to actually considering the issue or helping to solve it.

The examples from Breitbart and Chris Ray Gun follow just after a British chapter of Black Lives Matter released a video explaining environmental racism, and protested to shut down an expansion of the London City Airport that would displace lower income London residents. Conservative and Neo Nazi groups were quick to turn the concept of environmental racism into a compelling strawman that made the Black Lives Matter movement look unreasonable, generating valuable readership from racist readers and viewers.

This warped view on environmental racism is not only irresponsible journalism, but it also has the potential to worsen the situation of actual victims of environmental racism. One of the key examples of environmental racism in America is that of Flint, Michigan. Most Americans probably know about the water crisis in Flint. The town’s water supply has been contaminated with lead since 2014, and despite extensive press coverage, charitable donations and charges leveled against community officials, the contaminated water in Flint has yet to be fixed.

The U.S. Census shows that Flint is 57 percent black and 41 percent below the poverty line. The ra-

cial and economic makeup of the town paints a clear picture of why it still lacks clean water. Citizens lack the social power to force the state government to fix the water pipes. If the water in Newton or Chestnut Hill was found to have a similar lead content, I’m confident the issue would be fixed within days.

Additionally, the environmental changes associated with climate change, such as flooding, can affect people of color—especially those in formerly colonized countries—with the most severity. In wealthier, whiter areas, residents can afford houses constructed to withstand floods and flood insurance in case the house is damaged. Hurricane Ir-

protestor in flint, michigan

ma’s recent movement over Florida exemplifies this phenomenon.

While wealthier residents could afford to leave their jobs and evacuate on airplanes or by car, poorer Floridians had to either shell out large portions of their income on gas or transportation tickets, or stay home and try to weather out the storm.

The economic aspect of evacuation was made clear when a Marriott boat helping escaping the hurricane refused to allow non-Marriott tourists onto the boat, leaving with 200 empty seats, and leaving many tourists and residents stranded. This economic aspect of Irma puts poorer Floridians, who are statistically likely to be people of color, in

danger, both physically and financially.

When sites like Breitbart turn the tragedy of environmental racism into a strawman mockery of anti-racist and activist groups, they bring the victims of environmental racism further from the help that they need. They use lies to bait their readerships into contributing to violence and victimization of marginalized people.

It’s unclear what portion of politically active Americans are actually buying the alt-right definition of environmental racism, but its effects on marginalized people probably won’t improve unless more people realize the reality, cruelty and ultimate avoidability of environmental racism.

photo from cnbc.com

September 15, 2017

OPINIONS 15

The Brandeis Hoot

Advice to first-year pre-med students

By Anindita Chanda columnist

These past two weeks I have had many conversations with firstyear and sophomore students pursuing the sciences. I feel nostalgic when an underclassmen expresses these worries about the pre-med track or what classes to take because many of their worries were once mine.

Needless to say, I am not worry-free having reached senior status, but it’s an interesting feeling having gone through the “rite of passage,” these underclassman must now go through.

I want to give my two cents on a few issues, including the recommended classes for pre-med students, the possibility of declaring a second major and having an overall healthy college experience.

I have come across a lot of freshmen students who are considering the pre-med program, or want to go into grad school, or are on the fence about which to choose. Regardless, for these students, biology classes are a must.

However, many students do not realize that unlike in high school, they should take biology classes along with chemistry classes. The typical pattern is to take two semesters of general chemistry with lab courses, along with Biology

14 and Biology 15 during your freshman year. Sophomore year, one would take a year of organic chemistry with lab courses, plus Biology 16 and two semesters of biology lab.

You don’t necessarily have to take the classes in that order, but it is important to keep track of the classes you need to both fulfill your requirements for medical school or grad school as well as complete your major.

On that note, if you are an underclassman who might be considering medical or grad school, I would highly recommend that you visit the Pre-health Advising department in Usdan. You can either go to the drop-in hours or schedule an appointment online.

Either way, the Pre-Health advis-

ing department is, in my opinion, one of the best resources that Brandeis has to offer us. Many students are under the impression that the only time to visit the Prehealth department is when you are a junior or senior and diving into the application cycle—but that is not true. If you are a firstyear or sophomore, they will welcome you and provide any guidance they can.

Many underclassmen that I’ve spoken to have also asked me about my major. I tell them my majors are Biology and Anthropology.

The look in their eyes often says: “but Anthropology has nothing to do with Biology” or if they know that I am a hopeful pre-med, “but Anthropology has nothing to do

usdan student center, where pre-health advising is located

with medicine.”

Well the truth is, I chose to pursue Anthropology as a major simply because I am passionate about it. If anything, my Anthropology major has given me new perspectives on issues I had known or thought little about.

Some students forget the importance of pursuing a field or a class purely out of interest. With that said, you should pursue a second major only if it makes sense for you.

So, consider your reasoning.

Examine whether you are pursuing the second major because you want to be able to say you have a second major or because you care about what you are learning. As cheesy as it sounds, this consideration is very important, otherwise

you will find taking classes for the second major to be a chore.

In the end, or rather from the beginning: It’s important to keep your options open. Always be aware of the fact that the road ahead is going to be difficult, but as long as you plan ahead, stay aware and use the resources we are fortunate to have, you will be okay.

Be mindful of the limits that face us, but also keep in mind that there are endless possibilities as long as you take the opportunity to explore.

Go in with a plan, but also be open to the idea that life happens and your plans may need some tweaking—with this perspective, you will have a much healthier academic college experience.

carl j. shapiro science center

photos from brandeis.edu

The Red Sox cheating scandal: the latest in a new pattern for Boston sports

By Joseph Silber special to the hoot

Last Tuesday, the New York Times came out with a bombshell report in which the New York Yankees accused the Boston Red Sox of using an Apple Watch to steal hand signals during an August series at Fenway Park.

To many sports fans outside of New England, this report helps validate what has been a decade long theory: Boston sports teams often cheat their way to the top.

According to the Times, the Yankees, citing video of the incident, “contended the video showing a member of the Red Sox training staff looking at his Apple Watch in the dugout. The trainer then relayed a message to other players in the dugout, who, in

turn, would signal teammates on the field about the type of pitch that was about to be thrown.”

Confronted by MLB investigators, the Red Sox admitted “that their trainers had received signals from video replay personnel and then relayed that information to Red Sox players—an operation that had been in place for at least several weeks.”

Back in 2007, in their season opener against the New York Jets, the New England Patriots were caught filming Jets’ defensive coaches signals. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell brought down the hammer on the Patriots: The team forfeited its 2008 first-round draft pick, was fined $250,000 and head coach Bill Belichick was fined $500,000, in what was the largest fine issued in NFL history.

In 2015, the Patriots had another infamous run-in with Roger Goodell. In what became known as “Deflategate,” the Patriots were accused of using under-inflated footballs during their 45-7 rout of the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship game. Goodell, just six years removed from handing down the largest fine in league history, went a step further this time. The Patriots were fined $1 million, forfeited their 2016 first-round pick and 2017 fourth-round pick and lost their star quarterback, Tom Brady, to a four-game suspension at the start the 2016 season.

Most Patriots fans complained about what they saw as unfair treatment from Roger Goodell.

However, the facts are the facts— they cheated, twice, and deserved all the repercussions that came

their way.

In light of these latest allegations, all accusing a Boston sports team of cheating and lack of sportsmanship, including the Red Sox’s own admission of stealing signs, it is time for MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred to act.

Manfred, who succeeded Bud Selig as Commissioner in 2015, told reporters, “We will conduct a thorough investigation on both sides.” Nevertheless, Manfred seemed hesitant to place blame on the Red Sox: “Could it happen?

You know, is there the authority to do that? I think the answer to that, under the major league constitution, is yes. Has it ever happened with this type of allegation?

I think the answer is—I know the answer is no.” Manfred added, “It’s just very hard to know what the actual impact on any particular

game was of an alleged violation.”

These lukewarm comments from the MLB Commissioner are deeply troubling. If Rob Manfred whiffs and lets the Red Sox off the hook, other teams will start pulling similar shenanigans, just as they did during the Steroid era. During this time, Bud Selig refused to take the issue of PEDs seriously and it led to epidemic Steroid use.

While it is foolish to say that cheating is the paramount reason for the Patriots and Red Sox’s success over the past decade, it remains a legitimate issue that needs to be dealt with appropriately.

Roger Goodell was right to severely punish those that undermined the integrity of the game.

It is now time for Rob Manfred to do the same.

Take advantage of little-known Brandeis services

By Sarah Terrazano editor

As a junior at Brandeis, I’ve come to learn about a variety of programs and services that are interesting, useful and beneficial to undergraduates—but which are often underutilized by, or unknown to, the student body.

For instance, did you know that through a program called DeisBikes, you can rent a bike for an entire semester? DeisBikes offers semester-long rentals to students who are chosen from a lottery system at the end of each semester. If you only need a bike for one day, you can also take advantage of the daily rental system.

DeisBikes offers an environmentally-friendly mode of trans-

portation on campus that many students have never even heard of.

Students can also partake in the Take Your Professor to Lunch program. After filling out an application, students on a first-come, first-served basis will be provided a voucher by the university to treat a professor to either lunch or coffee. This is a great way to get to know a professor in a more informal setting, and the university couldn’t make it any easier by covering the monetary expenses.

Through the Waltham Group, you can also donate your unused guest meals to people with food insecurity in Waltham. The food goes to the Community Day Center, a Waltham organization that helps provide meals to people facing poverty.

The Rose Art Museum is chron-

ically taken for granted. Many students may not know that they could be the lucky renters of professional paintings held in the Rose’s collection. For a fee around $10, any student living on campus is eligible to rent out a work of art from the Rose for the full academic year. In October, the museum will set aside a rental day when students can browse the collection at the museum and pick out a work of art on a firstcome, first-served basis. After filling out rental agreements and learning how to properly handle the artwork, students can have a beautiful addition to their dorm for the rest of the year.

As a student employee of the Brandeis library, I can also attest that the library is full of a wealth of resources that are often underutilized by the student body.

For instance, did you know that in addition to checking out books, you can also check out phone and laptop chargers, headphones and external DVD drives, just to name a few?

Say you’re studying late in a poorly lit carrel—no problem, just head to the desk and check out a desk lamp for up to 24 hours. Laptop trackpad not working? Check out a Bluetooth-enabled mouse.

Or, for a study break, check out one of the library’s newest collections—board games! Behind the Information and Borrowing Desk is a slew of popular games for rental.

The library also provides services for obtaining academic resources. First, Interlibrary Loan (ILL) is a free service that delivers books not available at the Brandeis library. This doesn’t mean you

have to dip into your savings to buy a semester’s worth of books— instead, you can use ILL to order books from other libraries, in the Boston area or worldwide. You simply log in with your Brandeis username and password, request the books you need and then pick them up at the circulation desk when they arrive.

While, unfortunately, you cannot request textbooks, ILL is a great service for humanities and social science classes that will save you some money—and will keep you from waiting in the mailroom line.

These are just a few of the countless little-known services offered to the student body, services students are already paying for. You should definitely take full advantage of these programs during your time at Brandeis.

16 The Brandeis Hoot

WEEK IN PHOTOS

photo by rebecca goldfarb/the hoot

study abroad fair

“suessical the musical” Read about this year’s 24-hour musical on Page 8.

photo by kofi owusu-koranteng/the hoot

9/11 rememberance and community reflection event

photo by polina potochevska/the hoot

russian delicacies

pancakes.

The Russian Club kicks off the year with traditional Russian

volleyball game v. bowdoin college

September 15, 2017

photo by katie decker-jacoby/the hoot

East Quad CAs bring ice cream to their residents as a part of their September program.

i scream, you scream

photo by candace ng/the hoot

photo by katie decker-jacoby/the hoot