The Brandeis Hoot 02/05/2016

Volume 13 Issue 4

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

Brandeis University’s Community Newspaper • Waltham, Mass.

February 5, 2016

Five indecent exposure incidents reported near campus

By Elianna Spitzer and Abigail Gardener Editors

There have been five reported incidents of indecent exposure off-campus since mid-November.

All of the incidents occurred between approximately 10 and 10:30 p.m. and involved a man exposing himself to one or more students.

The locations of the incidents vary, but South Street is a common factor. Some of the locations included South Street near the power plant (0 miles from campus), near Shakespeare Road (.2 miles) and near Wheelock Road and William F. Stanley Elementary (364 feet). An incident was also reported near 110 Angleside Road (.4 miles).

Each incident was followed by an email from Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan. Emails sent after the flashings included a description of the perpetrator, de-

scriptions of the location where the incident occurred and a word of caution from Callahan himself.

As of now, Callahan also requests that any information regarding these incidents or suspicious activity be reported to the Brandeis Police so that the campus community can be updated.

This is not the first time that indecent exposures have occurred near or on campus. “We have had to address this issue in the past.

This is a societal issue that has occurred for years, unfortunately, and is not unique to Brandeis or the city of Waltham,” said Callahan in an email to The Brandeis Hoot.

The Department of Public Safety is working in conjunction with the Waltham Police to investigate these incidents further. Brandeis police officers do not have jurisdiction off-campus which makes their work with the Waltham PoSee FLASHER, page 4

‘deis impact 2016 Germane Ingram, a tap dancer, singer and activist spoke at several ‘DEIS Impact events this week. ‘DEIS Impact is a week-long festival of social justice which featured a wide range of events this year.

Students asked to provide feedback on housing lottery

By Hannah Schuster Editor

The Department of Community Living (DCL) and the Student Union are asking students to provide input on two possible changes to the housing lottery.

The two proposals are separate.

The first, which removes class distinctions from some dorms, would take effect for the housing selection process beginning next month. The second, which creates incentives for students who live on-campus throughout their time at Brandeis, could not take effect until the next year.

The selection process “follows a set of guidelines established more than a decade ago with very few changes,” according to an email from DCL and the Union. DCL established student focus groups to discuss changes and review systems at other universities, but all students are now encouraged to provide feedback which help shape any implemented plans.

“The only way to have a system

Inside this issue:

that meets student needs or desires is by students participating and providing their honest feedback,” said Emily Conrad ’17, Student Union representative to the Board of Trustees. “If more people vote, then we can get a better understanding of what change students do or do not want within our housing system.”

The Union will send out a poll for students to vote on the new proposals in a few days, according to the email The first proposal eliminates class-specific housing, except for first-years or senior-only options. Sophomores, juniors and seniors will receive numbers from the same pool. Housing in East, Rosenthal, Usen Castle, Ziv, 567 South Street, Charles River, Ridgewood A and Village A will be available to them.

This would open up apartment-style housing options with kitchens to sophomores and allow upperclassmen to continue living in more hall-style buildings, such See DCL, page 4

News: Panel explores FBI survaillance Opinion: Make campus more sustainable Arts: Global Gala celebrates diversity Features:Mountain club increases presence Editorial: Univ.’s plans too little, too late

Page 2 Page 13 Page 8 Page 5 Page 7

‘Deis Impact keynote speaker addresses inequality in the law

By Max Gould Staff

Germaine Ingram, keynote speaker of ’DEIS Impact’s weeklong Festival of Social Justice, gave her keynote address “The Law and the Stage: Platforms for Pursuing Social Justice” this Wednesday.

Director of TriO Student Support Services Program Jennifer Morazes, Interim President of Brandeis University Lisa Lynch and President of the Undergraduate Student Union Nyah Macklin ’16 all went on stage individually beforehand to introduce Ingram and violinist Diane Monroe.

Ingram’s keynote address, lasting just over an hour and more than solely a speech, was infused with dancing and signing with Monroe’s covers of “Amazing Grace” and other songs on violin.

The speech itself focused on social change in both the worlds of law and art, and the ways in which the words “change” and “transformation” have become corrupted.

“I am suspect to transformation in law and in art,” said Ingram, as she began to recount anecdotes from her career in law and draw

Deis Impact

GrubStreet Artist director delivers talk on the importance of point of view

NEWS: Page 3

parallels from the history of the United States. Ingram spoke of legal transformation as something finite, and as something that would not prevent a situation from devolving into something equally bad, or worse, than what it originally was. Over 50 years since the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, schools are still racially segregated, according to Ingram.

“Why do I feel that legally induced transformations rarely go as far as they need to and rarely last as long as they should?” she asked.

Drawing on her experience at Community Legal Services in Philadelphia in the 1980s, Ingram spoke of representing a class of 300 African American men in employment discrimination claims against the union that represented ironworkers.

Her clients had been denied larger salaries, long-term jobs and other privileges that were awarded to white workers. Ingram got the union to open apprenticeship spots to minorities and made sure they got long-term jobs and lump sum monetary payments. The change did not prevail for long,

Quickies

Nine short student performances enterain audiences

ARTS: Page 9

however, and soon all the benefits that the workers had won were gone. After the contract ended, many of the workers were thrust into poverty and legal binds prevented another class action lawsuit from being brought on the union. It has become common for contracts to include clauses that require any legal issues to be dealt with in private arbitration rather than in court, according to Ingram.

Ingram also spoke about the adversarial climate of law as a deterrent to real and lasting values involved in social change, as well as a move towards privatization in law that often bar Americans from having their “day in court.”

In Ingram’s experience, the adversarial nature of law often values winning as a primary objective and meaningful social change as a coincidental byproduct.

“I sometimes found that the legally achievable outcomes were not well matched to what my clients felt were the primary interests and objectives,” she said as she introduced an anecdote about See KEYNOTE, page 2

NEWS

2 The Brandeis Hoot

February 5, 2016

Tap dancer, activist delivers multifaceted keynote See KEYNOTE, page 2

one of her past clients for the purposes of her. Her client was able to use the law to his personal advantage in order to enact change.

“It took me a while to realize what [her client] really wanted was not the standard currency in legal cases. Much more than money, he wanted to be seen and acknowledged as a hard working loyal employee,” said Ingram. When her client won a monetary settlement in the case, he donated it all back to the hospital, where it was used to promote care and comfort of patients.

The keynote address was not entirely a speech, but also performances by Ingram that occurred as she changed themes in her speech. The different dances happened in the introduction, and three other times throughout the speech as Monroe performed “Amazing Grace.” After the Q&A that followed the speech concluded, the audience met Ingram and Monroe with a standing ovation.

Though Ingram’s performance and speech mark the keynote events of the Weeklong Festival of Social Justice, the festival still has many events planned to run through Sunday, Feb. 7.

photos by daniel kang/the hoot

Panelists discuss their experience exposing FBI surveillance

By Hannah Stewart Staff

On March 8, 1971, eight people broke into an FBI office in Media, PA and stole over 1,000 documents that exposed FBI surveillance activity and leaked them to newspapers and congressman.

The Washington Post printed the incriminating documents, helping to bring about the end of the career of then FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover.

Two of those burglars, Bonnie and John Raines, as well as Betty Medsger who reported on the documents for The Post came to Brandeis on Wednesday for a panel discussion, hosted by the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism.

The panel discussion followed a screening of Johanna Hamilton’s film “1971” which tells the story of the break-in and its aftermath through interviews with reporter Betty Medsger and burglars have stepped forward and revealed their identity.

On Wednesday, Florence Graves, founding director of the Schuster Institute, was joined by Medsger and “burglars” Bonnie and John Raines. Graves described the married couple as “analogous to Edward Snowden.”

The burglary occurred three

months before The New York Times began to release excerpts from the Pentagon Papers and several years before Watergate or WikiLeaks.

On March 8, 1971, they broke into an FBI office in Media, PA, stole the documents and leaked the most incriminating, thereby bringing about the end of the regime of the notorious J. Edgar Hoover. These eight burglars were never caught; that is, not until Medsger told their story in her book, “The Burglary,” published in 2014.

The story of the burglary began, according to John Raines, in 1968, when America was “falling apart.”

That was the year of North Vietnam’s Tet Offensive against South Vietnam and the United States, the assassination of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the murder of Robert F. Kennedy. In 1970, at Kent State University, in Kent, OH, the Ohio National Guard opened fire at unarmed students on the college campus.

Eleven days later, two more students were killed when police fired into a dormitory building at Jackson State in Mississippi.

During the panel, Raines said he sees a similar “culture of resistance” and “enough is enough” in America today, citing issues like wealth inequality.

Prior to the release of the files, the FBI had been both loved and

feared. As an organization, it was popular and even had its own television show. However, according to the film, “politicians were afraid of the FBI. Even the president was afraid.” Hoover’s agents were instructed to make Americans fear that there was an “FBI agent behind every mailbox,” the film said. All black communities across the nation were placed under strict surveillance, regardless of the threat presented.

At the time of the burglary, John and Bonnie Raines were already the parents of three children and understood the risks that they were taking.

The planning of the crime took place in the basement of the Raines household. Information about the FBI office was collected from frequent casings of the street, and even involved Bonnie Raines going into the office disguised as a Swarthmore student asking about opportunities for women with the FBI. In the film, Bonnie Raines spoke about the challenge of being forced into the “woman’s” role during the planning period, but an audience member commented that her fake interview was one of the most important actions.

“There was not equality in the movement at that time,” said Bonnie Raines during the panel. She would put the kids to bed and then help with the planning.

“I had to push … I had to insist,” she said of maintaining a role in the project.

The date for the burglary was chosen because it was the same night as the “Fight of the Century,” better known as the final boxing match between champion Joe Frazier and his undefeated challenger Muhammad Ali, when anyone who might catch them would be preoccupied with the fight.

The heist did not go off flawlessly, but thanks to Bonnie Raines’ earlier reconnaissance and significant degree of quick-thinking, improvisation and patience, all eight members made it inside the office and out with all of the documents, files and correspondence.

After selecting which documents they wanted to release out into the public, John Raines mailed the files from a post box in Princeton, NJ. Copies were sent to two congressmen and three newspapers. Many returned the documents to the FBI, but not Medsger. The Post published the papers on the first page of the next morning’s edition.

Of the documents they stole, 60 percent were political and 40 percent dealt with true crimes, according to the panelists. The bulgars distributed only the former, in packets every 10 days.

During the panel, the Raines’ explained they had known Meds-

ger from her work with the anti-war movement while reporting for The Philadelphia Bulletin. The Raines had not revealed their part in the burglary to her until 1989 when the friends were catching up over dinner. Medsger was shocked to hear the news and felt that the burglars’ story needed to be told.

The greatest accomplishment of the burglary is said to be the discovery of COINTELPRO, a series of covert and illegal FBI projects aimed solely at discrediting American political movements. As a result of the reveal in 1975, out of the Senate arose the “Church Committee” which was charged with investigating the overly aggressive and criminal activities of the FBI. Such activities ranged from placing agents within the mail rooms of college campuses and opening student mail, to mailing threatening letters to Martin Luther King, Jr., advising him to commit suicide. The findings of the Church Committee have since led to the formation of permanent oversight committees over the United States’ intelligence agencies.

The event was part of ’DEIS Impact, a weeklong festival of social justice. To kick off the night, Graves asked the question, “Can ordinary citizens really make a difference?” In the spirit of ’DEIS Impact, the answer would be yes.

February 5, 2016

The Brandeis Hoot

NEWS

Brandeis community participates in range of ‘DEIS impact events

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Empowering Youth Through Business and Education

The nonprofit organization More Than Words came to Brandeis on Monday to give a presentation titled “Empowering Youth Through Business and Education: The Story of More Than Words.” With locations in Waltham and Boston, More Than Words is an organization that empowers youth to take charge of their lives by teaching them the skills they need to succeed in the job market.

The ’DEIS Impact event began with an activity in which groups of attendees were asked to come up with a short list of things that youth need to successfully transition into adulthood. After going over responses, Education and Employment Manager at the Waltham location Ryan McCarthy began his presentation.

He explained More Than Words’ mission to empower youth who are in the foster care system, court

system, homeless or out of school and how they have successfully helped these young people learn life skills and achieve their goals.

The event ended with a group discussion and question and answer session.

More Than Words is always happy to accept book, CD, DVD and video game donations.

- Abigail Gardener

Step Inside My Head

For one night, the Alumni Lounge of Usdan became a safe space for discussions about mental health. The event, titled “Step Inside My Head,” was part of the ’DEIS Impact weeklong festival for social justice. Beginning at 5 p.m. on Tuesday night, the event, hosted by Active Minds, invited Brandeis students to share their personal narratives about mental health.

Some individuals shared what

it was like to live with depression, anxiety disorders or schizophrenia. Some told the stories of family members with mental health concerns. One student offered a “rant” about the need to be able to laugh. For some, this was an opportunity to ask questions while others chose simply to offer an ear. For all, though, this was a night about bringing awareness to mental health issues and about eliminating stigma.

Cassidy Tatun ’17, the host for the night and the president of the Brandeis chapter of Active Minds, described the necessity of eliminating the stigma around mental illness: “Stigma causes shame; Shame causes silence; Silence hurts us all.” For more information on how to get involved in the conversation, join Active Minds in their weekly meetings on Thursdays at 8 p.m. in SCC 313.

-Hannah Stewart

Creative Approaches to Conflict Transformation Germaine Ingram is an activist and tap dancer as well as the keynote speaker for ’DEIS Impact.

She spoke with Cindy Cohen, the director of Brandeis’ Peacebuilding and the Arts program, about the importance of art in the midst of conflict on Wednesday, Feb. 3.

The conversation centered around Ingram’s experience as the head of a legal team in the Philadelphia school district.

According to Ingram, the school district faced a consistent problem in terms of effective schooling.

This problem, like many other is-

sues in terms of education, arose from a lack of funding on the part of the state. Ingram and her legal team sued the state of Pennsylvania in state courts and federal courts for increased school funding. These efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.

However, Ingram’s passion for improving the district extended outside the courtroom. Ingram and Cohen discussed positive artistic programs that she was able to implement in the district. She used discretionary funding to pay for resident artists in a particu-

larly troublesome middle school.

Though it’s hard to quantify these artists’ impacts, Ingram feels that they positively influenced the students at the school. They facilitated conversations between students and teachers that would not otherwise have taken place.

Throughout her conversation, Ingram indicated that she hopes art will be used in the future as a way of expression and creativity, particularly in times of conflict.

-Elianna Spitzer photos by matthew kowalyk/the hoot

Reclaiming Narrative through African Disaporic Cuisine About 40 students and guests enjoyed different types of food such as cornbread, macaroni and cheese and creamed corn, while discussing the role of food in African culture at the ’DEIS Impact event, “Reclaiming Narrative through African Diasporic

Cuisine” last Monday, Feb 1. The event was held in the Mandel Center Atrium.

The focus of this event was the importance of food in relation to identity and culture and the significance of food to different individuals. One central topic dis-

cussed was soul food and what it means to different people. Many people described soul food as food that makes them comfortable and food they are familiar with.

The event made students “more knowledgeable about the stories

that surround the food we eat and the love, sweat and tears that go into making soul food,” said Edwin Morales ’19 to The Brandeis Hoot.

Others said that soul food is food they associate with home and represents people’s different

backgrounds. “The food we have on a plate is often taken for granted, but a moment’s reflection allows us to understand the history and larger implications associated with it,” said Morales.

- Samantha Lauring

photos by marian siljeholm/the hoot

NEWS 4

The Brandeis Hoot

February 5, 2016

Director of Public Safety increases patrols in response to flasher incidents FLASHER, from page 1

lice vital to putting an end to the exposures.

Callahan speaks daily with the Waltham Police about these incidents. “We have a strong working relationship with them,” he wrote.

It is unknown whether there are multiple flashers; the descriptions of the men vary. Callahan could not disclose any specific information about the investigation as it is still active. However, according to the Waltham Public Arrest List, there was one incident of indecent exposure relatively recently, in September of 2015.

The perpetrator in that case does not match the estimated age of the current suspect(s). He is 64 while the possible suspects in the five Brandeis-affiliated incidents are thought to be in their mid 20s or 30s.

If caught, the perpetrator will be subject to Massachusetts Commonwealth Law. According to General Law, “persons guilty of indecent exposure shall be punished by imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than six months, or by a fine of not more than $200, or by both such fine and imprisonment.”

While the investigation continues, Callahan wants students to know the Department of Public Safety has taken action and that various resources are available to them.

Public Safety has “sent out broadcast emails to campus after

photo by karen caldwell/the hoot

each event to alert the Brandeis community, increased patrols of all pertinent areas, informed our campus partners in the Department of Community Living, Student Life, the Rape Crisis Center and the Psychological Counseling Center to help them be prepared to help those students have been affected by incidents,” said Callahan.

The Office of Prevention Ser-

vices has been working with Brandeis police to provide assistance to students who have been affected by these incidents, according to Sexual Assault Services and Prevention Specialist Sheila McMahon, who also said that they have been working with Brandeis Police.

“We are happy to help any students who need further assistance in terms of organizing rides and/

or walking buddies,” she said in an email to The Hoot. “I have found Brandeis Police to be very helpful and responsive to students who have concerns or have been impacted in any way by these incidents.” Resources are readily available to any students who have already been affected by any of these incidents. Students harassed off-campus can contact Waltham Police for immediate as-

sistance by dialing 781-314-3600 and should also report the incident to the Brandeis Police (781736-3333) so the community can be updated. The Rape Crisis Center, located in Usdan, is open from 12-5 p.m. on weekdays and also has an after-hours urgent care line (781-736-3370) for students who have experienced any kind of sexual harassment or misconduct.

DCL survey asks students for feedback on two housing proposals See DCL, page 1

photos by marian siljeholm/the hoot

Theft reported in multiple campus locations

By Ryan Spencer Staff

A spate of recent thefts have occurred in multiple parts of campus, according to the Brandeis University Police Department logs. The various locations reported include the Usdan Student Center, Village A, Shapiro Campus Center (SCC), Gosman Sports Complex and the Goldfarb Library, and items stolen include laptops, wallets, currency and debit cards.

The thefts have inspired an increased sense of caution among members of the Brandeis Community; Jay MacDuffie, area coordinator for the Massell and Rosenthal Quads, sent an email to his residents informing them to be aware of their property and to make sure they are locking their doors for security purposes. “Being diligent about locking your door is the best way to secure your room,” wrote MacDuffie.

North Quad Area Coordinator Habiba Braimah also warned her residents, writing in an email to “keep a watchful eye,” when dealing with theft and security.

“Do not allow tailgating at the en-

trances of the building. Brandeis is known for kindness, but we all need to be aware of whom we are letting into the building,” said Braimah.

“I trust students so I feel comfortable leaving my stuff in the library, even if I’m not there,” said Gaby Sierra ’19.

“I might have a false idea that campus is secure because I leave my stuff around, but I am surprised when thefts happen,” said Susannah Miller ’19.

“I leave my stuff around and it doesn’t get stolen, but now I will be more careful about leaving my things around campus,” said Saumya Datta ’19.

“Universityadministrator seem to be actively responding to security concerns,” said Class of 2019 Senator Nathan Greets, noting the administration’s recent attempts to restrict off-campus residents’ access to campus buildings and residence halls. Still, Gress advised caution. “In the pursuit of a safe and secure campus, the administration must be wary of dividing the community with targeted measures such as off-campus restrictions,” Greess said.

Greess also spoke of plans to work

alongside the Student Union to monitor this issue closely.

“These thefts are largely crimes of opportunity, in which a person sees something in the open, no one near it, and they choose to take it,” said Brandeis University Chief of Police Edward M. Callahan. According to Callahan, most thefts would not occur if students monitored their belongings and did not leave them unattended, even for short intervals of time.

Callahan advised students to ask friends to watch their property if they are leaving their belongings for short amounts of time. “We can all work together to reduce the chance of theft,” said Callahan. one near it, and they choose to take it,” said Brandeis University Chief of Police Edward M. Callahan. According to Callahan, most thefts would not occur if students monitored their belongings and did not leave them unattended, even for short intervals of time. Callahan advised students to ask friends to watch their property if they are leaving their belongings for short amounts of time. “We can all work together to reduce the chance of theft,” said Callahan.

as East, which costs $8,500 for a year, compared to Charles River which costs $10,300 for a single room in a suite. Under the new system, sophomores, juniors and seniors would be allowed to live together in most residences.

North and Massell quads would remain first-year-only housing and the Foster Mods and Ridgewood B and C will be senior-only options.

First and second-year students will still be guaranteed housing.

There will be beds set aside in most housing options, based on the number of sophomores who request housing. Sophomores will be guaranteed a certain number of rooms in particular living arrangements, such as Ziv. Upperclassmen will not be able to select the sophomore-reserved housing, though sophomores can pull upperclassman into those rooms.

The first proposal would give students more options to select from, according to the survey form.

Under the current set-up, underclassman housing is “dry,” meaning no alcohol can be consumed in the residences. Upperclassman quads are “wet,” meaning that residents over 21 may consume alcohol. If the new system of mixed-class residence halls were to go through, many quads would be considered “moist,” meaning that areas with a majority of upperclassmen would

be considered “wet,” while others would be “dry.”

The second proposal, which would not take effect in the upcoming selection, gives priority in future housing lotteries to students who continue to live on campus.

“There would be two sets of lottery numbers, an on-campus lottery, and an off-campus lottery,” according to the proposal. Students who have ever lived off-campus would be entered into the off-campus lottery. The “on-campus” pool would contain the lowest numbers.

Time spent away from Brandeis while studying abroad would not affect your lottery pool; however choosing to move off-campus or “non-medical leaves of absence would terminate the incentive program,” according to the proposal.

The second proposal would not take effect in the upcoming selection process; however students’ choice to live on or off-campus next year would impact their lottery placement the following year.

Under this plan, students might be divided even more based on their ability to afford the cost of on-campus housing, according to a list of pros and cons for the proposal.

“This is your housing selection process, and your input is critical to providing ongoing efforts to make it as good as it can be,” said the message from DCL.

FEATURES

February 5, 2016

The Brandeis Hoot 5

Mountain Club connects students to the outdoors

By Albert Reiss Staff

Brandeis students often tend to lead busy lives; they go to class, eat in the dining hall and go to the library to study. For many, most of the day is spent indoors, away from the bucolic greenery of our campus and suburban Massachusetts. One club striving to get people outside and away from this seemingly sedentary lifestyle is the Brandeis Mountain Club.

The Mountain Club “organizes trips and activities that try to touch on all sorts of outdoor recreation,” said Nina Sayles ’17. This week, The Brandeis Hoot caught up with Sayles, a member of the Mountain Club to give some insight into the club.

Even when Brandeis students have time to go outside, they often cannot commit to day trips.

Given the unpredictability of schoolwork and extracurricular activities, committing to outdoor excursions can be tenuous. The Mountain Club, however, understands this and therefore has been “working to increase [their] on-campus presence so that students can spend time outside without committing to longer, more advanced trips,” said Sayles.

Nina also spoke about the various on-campus activities that have been popular such as slack lining events, snow shoeing and hosting a sledding event with hot chocolate and donuts. No matter what the commitment level, the Mountain Club has events to suit any and every student’s schedule and interests.

For students so inclined, the Mountain Club also offers a variety of popular off-campus trips.

According to Sayles, “This se-

mester we will continue to run cross country ski trips, the first of which was extremely popular, within the Boston area and hopefully up north, too. Members will also have to chance to go ice climbing, and we will continue to run indoor rock climbing trips, which continue to be one of our most popular activities.” These trips often fill up fairly quickly so interested students are advised to show interest as early as possible.

What makes Mountain Club particularly unique is its “welcoming, uncompetitive environment.” commented Sayles, continuing, “Beginners never seem intimidated, and members with experience in certain activities are always willing to help teach others.” For those without much experience in the outdoors, the club’s laid back and friendly attitude will come as a pleasant

surprise. Also, first timers to the club need not worry that they are the only novices, since Mountain Club “always has people on our trips who are participating in a Mountain Club event for the first time,” said Sayles.

Future goals for the Mountain Club include being able to “recruit and train more trip leaders so that we can offer a wider variety of activities and lead trips more often than we do now.” With this increase in total trips, Mountain Club seeks to appeal to a greater audience of Brandeis students.

From day one, Mountain Club’s mission has been to get the larger Brandeis community outdoors and to promote a healthy and active lifestyle. Sayles noted the importance of maintaining this lifestyle, stating, “It is important to get people outdoors, but what I like most about the mission of

the Mountain Club is that we try to show that it isn’t hard … long road trips to remote places can be really great and offer experiences that you just can’t get elsewhere, but they also require huge time commitments that most students don’t have.” Even those with small-scale outdoor experience stand to reap the benefit of physical exercise encouraged by the Mountain Club.

Finally, Sayles pointed out that many of the Mountain Club trips are local and easily accessible to students. “We like to show that outdoor recreation is possible even in the Boston area and taking advantage of the opportunities do not need to be a huge undertaking. We go cross country skiing on a golf course in Weston, we’ve taken local day hikes, and the Charles River is a great asset for the club. Even at Brandeis, we

Prof. Woll reflects on Brandeis’ changing political landscape

By Katarina Weessies Staff

Politics professor Peter Woll has been teaching at Brandeis since the 1964. He has witnessed the reactions of Brandeis students to historical events such as the Vietnam War, the Reagan era and the War on Terror. Throughout his years of teaching, Woll has written several books on American politics, including “American Government Readings and Cases and Civics: Government and Economics in Action.” As an expert on American Politics, he is a uniquely astute observer of American political culture and the ways in which that culture is reflected by the Brandeis student body.

When asked about his views on Brandeis political culture, Woll had plenty to say about Brandeis’

reputation as a radical institution, noting that Brandeis students are “politically motivated, but not necessarily radical.” He shared a story of a telling interaction with his conservative-leaning friends: “When I explained to my golfing friends that I taught Politics at Brandeis, they would joke around by saying that I was teaching communism. Of course, things have changed now, but the public still views Brandeis as radical.” Woll’s perspective on Brandeis diverts from this view.

Professor Woll explained that Brandeis’ political leanings have changed in accordance with the changing political eras, but it remains a relatively moderate school. For example, Brandeis had its most formidable Republican presence during the Reagan administration, and was at its

most radical during the student protest movement of the late 60s and early 70s. Woll observed that changes in Brandeis political culture are “primarily a generational phenomenon” that, like most other universities, remains fluid in its political leanings from era to era.

Woll remembers the start of the Obama administration as one of the most exciting times in Brandeis politics. Before the 2008 election, the American population was frustrated and exhausted with their political and economic woes, from the Iraq War to the financial crisis. According to Woll, “Obama’s election invigorated the student body,” reawakening its political fervor. Brandeis students were thrilled to see the inauguration of America’s first president of color, and Obama’s stances on political issues were considered

refreshing and exciting.

Brandeis’ excitement about politics contrasts sharply with traditional American attitudes, stated Woll. He observed that “politics is a pejorative term” in American culture, since “most people see politics as synonymous with corruption.” To illustrate this point, Woll told an amusing story about his roofer: “When I came back from work, I made conversation with a roofer working on my house. He asked about my job, and I told him that I was a Politics professor. He responded with, ‘Oh! You teach politics. That means that you teach your students to lie, cheat and steal.’” Woll believes that Brandeis’ enthusiasm for political change diverts from this quintessentially American contempt for politics.

Despite oscillations in our uni-

versity’s political culture, Woll makes an effort to keep his teaching style consistent. He stated that, “As time passes, I might add more content to my historical curriculum, but I try to keep my teaching straightforward.” Woll resists changing his curriculum or teaching style in order to provide an even, balanced learning experience for his students, despite the unique challenges of the political era in which they live.

Brandeis students have much to learn from Professor Woll. He has lived and taught through several major political and historical shifts, yet has remained steadfast in his teaching style. His views on the enthusiastic political culture at Brandeis display his appreciation for the student body with which he has worked for half a century.

Purple Party attempts to unite younger voters

By Jacob Edelman Editor

Who expects to run for president in the future? Deval Patrick?

Elizabeth Warren? They’re mum on the subject, however Shaquan McDowell ’18 is forthright in stating that his hope is to run for president one day.

McDowell is the co-founder and president of the Purple Party, which is an independent youth organization that promotes unity among younger generations.

From there, they plan to use their youth-oriented platform to form a united front to fix problems they see in government.

McDowell comes from Atlanta, GA, however before he lived there, he was from South Carolina. Majoring in Politics and History, McDowell chose to attend Brandeis due to a strong sense of its being socially active and socially aware. Originally, McDowell wanted to go into acting, however after his mother pointed out to him his skills at speech and debating, she suggested he pursue legal studies. One thing led to another, and his interest in American history, public speaking, and the law culminated in his focus

on politics, political thought and political theory.

Formed in 2011, the Purple Party’s ideology is intended to be shaped more by its members than by its leaders. “I can have a particular view, my vice president can have a different view, and our members having different views from those. The party is spearheaded by different members, not by one. It emphasizes participation,” McDowell explained.

When asked whether the Purple Party is a populist organization, McDowell disagreed. He explained that those who have political interests do not always need to have full understanding of the structure of government.

He elaborated, “Using what [the masses] are saying combined with the knowledge that we have forms an ideological platform.”

McDowell sees the party as somewhat of a unity device for the current generation of youth.

“As the youth grows, we no longer will be an organization that pertains to the youth. As the youth grows, they’ll acquire positions of leadership […] When they go into their positions of leadership, they’ll already have the mindset of unity.”

“We want to acquire as much membership of the youth of both [major party] political bases,” McDowell commented, “We want to allow them to go and reestablish how our government works once they’ve been brought together by this unified party. They’ll be operating on this common platform and common basis. They’re not operating on exclusively liberal or conservative properties. By using common ground, they’ll be able to navigate the system more effectively.”

McDowell indicates that a specific failing of the current system, indicating the inability for congress to come together to pass effective legislation. “A prime example is gun legislation,” McDowell pointed out, “there’s not a big disagreement that gun legislation is a necessity. The problem is that people are so fixated on enforcing their party’s viewpoint in Congress that they won’t come together and pass something clear and effective.”

After his undergraduate years, McDowell plans to attend law school and potentially teach. “As I grow and involve myself more, it’s important to understand the generations that are up and com-

purple party co-founder shaquan mcdowell

ing so we can better serve all of America instead of just one generational demographic. Someday, my goal is to run for president.

That’s the end point, but it’s a long way from now,” he explained.

Asked about who he supports for the 2016 presidential election, however, McDowell is very up-front in his support for Secretary Clinton. “I believe that we need someone like her who can navigate the system’s structure as it is now. I believe not only that,

photo courtesy shaquan mcdowell

but that she has experience that goes beyond just the legislature […] Thinking in terms of how the executive is supposed to be, I’m going for Clinton.”

For individuals with interest in getting involved with the Purple Party, the group will be having its first meeting following February break, so they should stay tuned for meetings. McDowell recommends them to message him on Facebook, or message the Purple Party’s Facebook account.

SPORTS

6 The Brandeis Hoot

February 5, 2016

Softball team gets seasoned coach

By Sarah Jousset Editor

The Brandeis women’s softball team started their season Monday with their first official practice, and with the new year comes a new coach and new promise for the season. Danielle Delponte has taken over the role as new head varsity softball coach. Delponte speaks to her excitement to be part of the Brandeis community, “My experience at Brandeis has been nothing short of amazing so far. The support from our department and other coaches has been outstanding. I have a great team that has really taken to my coaching style and want to work hard … I can’t ask for anything more as a coach.”

Head Coach Danielle Delponte has been named as this season’s new head softball coach. Delponte is a 2009 graduate of the University of Connecticut where she majored in education. During her time at UCONN she played as a catcher for the softball team and still ranks in the top five in career home runs and RBI. She was a two time Big East All-Academic selection and National Fastpitch

Coaches Association All-Academic team member. Delponte was an assistant coach at Boston University before earning her first head coaching job at Daniel Webster College for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. In 2012 she led the Daniel Webster Eagles to their best record in program history and a spot in the ECAC Division III New England tournament.

For her accomplishments in that season Delponte was named 2012 New England Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year. In 2014 Delponte worked as the head softball coach at Anna Maria College, where she also served as an admissions counselor. Delponte is excited to start her journey as Brandeis’ head softball coach.

“Being part of the Brandeis community is a privilege and I am very fortunate to have been given this opportunity. Brandeis, from an academic standpoint, is a top university in the country and that is extremely appealing for prospective student-athletes and their families,” admits Delponte.

The Brandeis softball team has been to the ECAC Division III New England tournament its last five seasons and won the title last season. Delponte has even higher hopes for her team, stating mak-

ing NCAA’s and winning the UAA conference tournament among this year’s goals. “I hope to take the program to the next level and compete at the national level. I have a great group of young women and with my passion and their dedication we are a team that can go pretty far in the post-season,” states Delponte. The Judges return seven of ten starters from the ECAC tournament, making their potential lineup one full of experience. “We have great leadership in our senior class and our team is working very well together. The returners know how talented this team is and want nothing less than a UAA championship under their belt.” In addition to the veteran returners, the Judges have six first-years this year, and expect big things from them. Coach Delponte commented, “Every one of them has the ability to make a huge impact. It is so important for our sport to have depth at all positions, and we have that which can make us a very tough team down the stretch.” However, with an 18-person roster, every player will be fighting for her position.

“Practice brings friendly competition, and it’s going to make my job harder when it comes to making final decisions. Every stu-

Swim team celebrates seniors

By Zach Cihlar

dent-athlete knows what it takes and they determine their role on this team.”

Coach Danielle Delponte has already implemented positive changes for the Brandeis softball team. Normally the team’s first games outdoors are in March on the team’s trip to Florida for UAA conference play. These games can determine the team’s standing and whether or not the team gets into the NCAAs. This season the Coach has raised funds to help establish a trip to California over February break, so that the team gets to play on dirt before some of the most important games of the season. “Being a New England team we are at a disadvantage with our conference championship being played at the beginning of our season. This trip to California gives us the ability to play some outside competition and see where we are at as a team,” added Delponte. Especially with crazy New England weather, the team is at risk of losing some games due to cancellations, so every game counts. “…weather in New England can change at any moment and like every other team we need to adjust and work to be ready for every situation,” commented Delponte.

Volleyball with a spin

Staff

By Shea Decker-Jacoby

The Brandeis men’s and women’s swim and dive teams celebrated four seniors at their Senior Day Meet, Saturday, Jan. 30 at 2 p.m.

Graduating from the team are David Lazarovich ’16, Fallon Bushee ’16, Fay Laborio ’16 and Theresa Gaffney ’16, editor-in-chief of The Brandeis Hoot.

The send-off for the seniors began with flowers and photos as the teams prepared for an intense meet against Clark University.

The first event saw a Brandeis win in the 200-yard medley relay featuring co-captain Bushee in the second spot. The scores remained close through the entire meet until the women fell to Clark by only three points in a 144-147 loss.

In an intense 1,000-yard freestyle, Joanna Murphy ’17 led the Judges, taking second place behind Clark University’s Melissa Orzechowski. Co-captain Gaffney took third place for the event, adding three points to the Judges’ overall score. The action came in the race for fourth place, as Morgan Kolb ’17 stole fourth from Clark’s Amanda Brackett by only 0.04 seconds.

Bushee went on to steal two event wins for the Judges, taking first in both the 100-yard breaststroke and the 200-yard breaststroke. She also took second place in the 200-yard individual medley. Co-captain Laborio earned the Judges four points for a second place in the 200-yard breaststroke.

Other Brandeis first prize placements on the women’s side came from Sherry Tu ’18 in the 100yard backstroke, Kylie Herman ’19 in the 200-yard butterfly and Amy Sheinhait ’18 in the 100yard freestyle.

The loss resulted in a 4-9 record for the women’s swim team.

The men had a more successful day on Saturday, outracing

The men’s club volleyball team has been practicing three times a week for their upcoming spring season since September. With guidance from Head Coach Brett Crandall and Assistant Coach Jim Crandall, the club has become a well-established program in New England. Brett has been involved since the start of the program in 2008 as the assistant coach and took the head coaching job two years later. Crandall started assisting the team in 2010.

The team competes in the New England Collegiate Volleyball League (NECVL), where division placement is based on talent, and our Judges compete in Division I. Nationally, the team is currently ranked 24th in Division II, where division placement is based on school size.

In November 2015, the team hosted their annual Turkey Tournament. This tournament consists of 10 to 12 teams competing from the varsity level to the club level with schools from all over the region. The Judges placed third in the entire tournament, taking sets from Assumption College, Daniel Webster College and the University of Vermont, as well as a single set from Boston University, showcasing talent from the newest players on the team in Kevin Vallejo ’18 and Wyatt Emenaker ’19.

Last week, the team faced off in a scrimmage with UMass Lowell, taking the match 3-0 at home.

Jake Shafran, a graduate student, tells us that he is most excited for “showcasing our talent and winning New England.” The best the team has placed in New England is fifth and Shafran believes they can do better. “This season we have all the right tools to win,” he adds. The club has “become

Staff

(left to right) David Lazarovich, Fay Laborio, Fallon Bushee, and Theresa Gaffney saturday before their last home meet. senior night

Clark University to take the win with 160 points to Clark’s 132.

They took first place in the first four events until a swimmer from Clark University finally snapped the streak. The meet win was their second win in a row, improving the team’s record to 2-8-1 for the season.

The meet began with the 200yard medley relay with two teams of Brandeis swimmers facing off against two teams of Clark swimmers. The first Brandeis team took first place by a solid 1.3 seconds, while the second team, featuring Lazarovich, trailed the Clark’s second place team by 6.34 seconds.

In the men’s 1,000-yard freestyle, Zach Diamond ’18 made an impressive showing with a time of 10:18.48, stealing the win by 46.49 seconds.

The Judges performed in two events where Brandeis took first, second and third place over Clark swimmers. In the 200-yard back-

photo courtesy jason kasman

stroke, Edan Zitelny ’17, Taku Harada ’18 and Lazarovich outswam all the opposing swimmers.

Lazarovich, who took third in the race, was 9.21 seconds ahead of the nearest Clark swimmer in the event. Also, the Judges outperformed every other competing Clark swimmer in the 200-yard individual medley. Similarly, Zitelny took first place, while Diamond and Lazarovich were close behind in second and third place, respectively. Each of these two events supplied the Judges with 16 points, only giving Clark three.

Event wins also came from Cam Braz ’17 in the 200-yard freestyle and 500-yard freestyle, Eb Weber ’17 in the 100-yard backstroke and 100-yard butterfly, Zitelny in the 200-yard butterfly and Diamond in the 100-yard freestyle.

The seniors will finish their season at the UAA Championships beginning Feb. 17 at the University of Rochester.

photo from internet source

Danielle Delponte looks forward to what’s to come for the Judges, “We compete in the UAA and in my opinion it is the toughest conference in Division III. The UAA also attracts some of the best talent in the country, which makes recruiting exciting but extremely competitive with the other UAA schools.”

The Judges travel to California Feb. 14 for their short tournament at Vanguard. The women’s softball team won’t play at home until March 19 against Clark University.

a more encompassing program” that builds friendships off the court. “We are all really good friends. We get dinner and hang out off the court, which makes the on-court cohesion that much greater,” states Vallejo, who just started playing volleyball last semester. For Vallejo, the “team camaraderie” and “being able to enjoy myself with people I see regularly” is the best part. He also confesses that he “feels more active on campus and using my time more productively.”

Phillip Cooper ’18, who has played since his first semester at Brandeis, shares that his skill as a player has “improved exponentially,” coming from no previous experience to now being the starting middle hitter. He tells us he enjoys “getting the chance to do something that I love more and more and hang out with people I enjoy spending time with.”

The team competed in their first in-season tournament, the Marty Open Tournament, this past weekend. The team traveled to the University of New Hampshire, where they faced Fairfield University, Northeastern University, Bryant University and Tufts University. They ended the weekend with a record of 3-1, taking wins from Fairfield, Northeastern and Bryant, but falling to Tufts with a close score of 23-25. The team travels to Boston College this weekend for their first Division Tournament. After, the Judges compete on Feb. 13 in their second Division Tournament hosted at Brandeis.

The team welcomes all newcomers; previous experience is preferred, but not needed. Practices are held in Gosman Gymnasium on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9-11 p.m. and Fridays from 3-5 p.m. The men’s club volleyball team encourages anyone interested to join and come support the Judges on Feb. 13 in Gosman.

EDITORIALS

February 5, 2016

“To acquire wisdom, one must observe.”

Editors-in-Chief Theresa Gaffney Julie Landy

Senior Managing Editor Jess Linde Senior Editor Andrew Elmers Senior Copy Editor Allison Plotnik News Editors Hannah Schuster Emily Sorkin Smith Deputy News Editors Abigail Gardener Elianna Spitzer Arts Editor Sabrina Pond Opinions Editor Zach Phil Schwartz Features Editor Jacob Edelman Sports Editor Sarah Jousset Copy Editor Sarah Terrazano Photo Editor Karen Caldwell Deputy Video Editor Matt Kowalyk Editors-at-Large Charlotte Aaron Mia Edelstein Lisa Petrie

Volume 13 • Issue 4 the brandeis hoot • brandeis university 415 south street • waltham, ma

Founded By Leslie Pazan, Igor Pedan and Daniel Silverman

STAFF

Clayre Benzadon, Rachel Bossuk, Sharon Cai, Zach Cihlar, Amanda Ehrmann, Talia Franks, Zachary Gordon, Emma Gutman, Curtis Zunyu He, Sophia He, Alana Hodson, Daniel Kang, Emma Kahn, Naomi Klickstein, Adam Lamper, Nabi Menai, Monique J Menezes, Santiago Montoya, Joon Park, Nicole Porter, Albert Reiss, Emily Scharf, Marian Siljeholm, Eliana Sinoff, Ryan Spencer, Hannah Stewart, Michael Wang, Katarina Weessies MISSION As the weekly community student newspaper of Brandeis University, The Brandeis Hoot aims to provide our readers with a reliable, accurate and unbiased source of news and information.

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

SUBMISSION POLICIES

The Brandeis Hoot welcomes letters to the editor on subjects that are of interest to the community. Preference is given to current or former community members and The Hoot reserves the right to edit or reject submissions. The deadline for submitting letters is Wednesday at noon. Please submit letters to letters@thebrandeishoot.com along with your contact information. Letters should not exceed 500 words.

The opinions, columns, cartoons and advertisements printed in The Hoot do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editorial board.

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The Brandeis Hoot 7

Students should pay attention to rushed housing proposals

T

he Department of Community Living and the Student Union released two proposals today regarding changes to the housing lottery, as The Brandeis Hoot reported in a news article this week.

Though The Hoot editorial board recognizes that it is time to make changes to the system, we are unsure whether these proposals adequately address student need.

The Brandeis Hoot editorial board strongly opposes Proposal 2, which would enact a policy in which students who move off campus would receive worse lottery numbers in subsequent years. The proposal would create a system where “loyal” on-campus residents receive the first numbers, and off-campus students are put at the end.

If a student receives a bad lottery number when they are a rising junior and is forced to move off-campus, then even if they wanted to live on campus as a senior this would prove difficult as they would be entered in the “off-campus” lottery.

Even if a student moves off campus for their sophomore year and returns to campus for their junior year, they will still be placed in the “off-campus” pool when selecting senior housing.

By Naomi Klickstein

This proposal seems spiteful and an unnecessary punishment for students who move off campus, even in cases when it is not their first choice. If a student receives a bad lottery number just one year, this system disincentivizes them from ever returning to campus, which seems to run counter-intuitive to the stated goal of fostering loyalty and inclusion.

Proposal 1 removes class distinctions from several housing options and would take effect immediately, in the upcoming selection process.

There are pros and cons to this plan. The ability for sophomores, juniors and seniors to live with friends of different years will allow stronger community ties between class years, rather than stratifying friend groups by age.

Additionally, the housing currently available to juniors and seniors is more expensive than that available to sophomores, allowing students to choose their housing from a wider range of living styles and price ranges could present a benefit to those who struggle to afford the more expensive housing. This benefit is especially relevant since those who choose to live in the more expensive dorms with kitchens no longer have the option to save money by foregoing a meal plan.

However, rising juniors and seniors, but especially juniors, may get pushed out of the more traditionally appealing housing options like Ridgewood by sophomores who are guaranteed housing. Additionally, losing large sophomore-exclusive housing may be a loss to some students who prefer the community aspect of living within class years.

While we understand the need to change the housing lottery due to the lack of availability in the Castle, Proposal 1 comes too late in the year for students to adequately prepare.

Particularly rising juniors and seniors who may not be able to find on-campus housing need time to search for off campus options.

These changes would be confusing and stressful to students even if they were proposed in September. To try to enact ideas for the current housing lottery in February, when available off-campus leases are already beginning to disappear, leaves many students uneasy.

The Hoot editorial board strongly encourages students to provide feedback on the proposals. Any changes to the housing lottery would have a large effect on students, and so it is important that DCL hear everyone’s comments and concerns regarding the proposals before implementing a new policy.

Amino Harm

staff

Across 1. Something to read 5. Office communication (abr.)

9. Done 14. Black and white cookie 15. Son of Shem 16. Caribbean island 17. Average 18. Zero 19. Outcast 20. Feeling evoking neither fight nor flight 24. “______ so vain” 28. Philanthropist Winfrey 37. Payment 32. Frozen princess 33. Three of four directions 34. Donkey-horse hybrid 36. Releasing from captivity 40. Prefix for dynamic 41. The A of AIM 42. There’s one in 20, 36 and 36 across 43. Annex shape 44. Australian critter 45. Prefix meaning “gland” 46. Locale of Michelangelo’s upside-down masterpiece 58. Earthy 59. International alliance 60. Small bit 61. Witchy town 62. Blue 63. Olden verb 64. Rest 65. Healthy

66. Expression of desperation Down 1. Pageantry 2. Length times width 3. Shakespearean king 4. Painting subject, with “Lisa”

5. More than a few 6. Greek god of love 7. Spa procedure 8. Harbinger 9. Baby cow 10. Italian “areas” 11. Insect life stage 12. Ride service 13. Road material 21. Falsity 22. Tooth covering 23. “________ this!” expression of enthusiasm 24. Shouted 25. Bullfight call 26. Typical 27. Competition 28. Be in debt 29. Flower segment 30. Busy place 31. Yard divider 33. Alarm clock button 35. Insert 37. Annoy 38. Grp. in some gated communities 39. Ado 45. Embers 46. Carbon form 47. Home of the Bulldogs 48. Hook’s mate 49. Furnace outlet 50. Foot segment 51. Actress Rivera 52. Abr. at the end of a list 53. Ice cream container 54. Musical with Elton John’s music 55. Billiards 56. Singer James 57. Sounds from a singer’s warm-up 58. Exeter private school

8 The Brandeis Hoot

ARTS, ETC.

February 5, 2016

IBS’ Global Gala celebrates the diversity of cultures

By Sabrina Pond Editor

The room was outlined in a parade of color, as countless flags, in all of their brazen harmony, clung to the walls.

If the flags themselves didn’t introduce enough flair to the third annual Global Gala, which occurred on Jan. 29 in Levin Ballroom, the performers themselves most certainly did. Donned in exquisitely patterned clothing, representing Indian, African and Chinese cultures among many others, the performers shot across the stage like fireworks, enamoring the audience. It would appear that the fourth of July had come early this year.

Although the event lacked publicity, the Brandeis International Business School (IBS) sponsored Global Gala was anything but lacking in talent, precision and grace.

The celebration of cultures, which involved a smaller student body than MELA and more cultural events of that scale, was actually of a higher quality throughout.

The Global Gala’s success was bent on its smaller scale, and the smaller audience reaped the benefits of varied food, sophisticated dance routines and spot on vocal performances.

When the first MCs walked on the stage, it was apparent based on the ease with which they conversed—with each other and with the audience—that this was going to be unlike other campus events.

Varun Visawadia and Riddhish Rege broke the ice when one of them made the blunt statement “Two Indians … one stage … so global,” which made audience members let out a bunch of raucous laughter.

The ridiculousness of the statement was just right to set the

mood of the evening.

When the introduction came to a close, as part of IBS tradition, one of the MCs, Kate Goldfield, hit a gong that reverberated its relaxing vibes through the ballroom.

The African dancers, who were clad in wonderfully loose and brightly colored garments, jump started the performance on just the right note. Though the number had only three dancers, it really didn’t matter; the ease with which Bernice Appiah and Vennesa Duodu took the stage made them both obvious leaders who would have easily outshone a group.

The choreography, which included moves that exhibited delicate arm movements and interpretive dance, was absolutely breathtaking throughout. What was particularly captivating about this specific performance, which showed rapid changes from one

song to the next in a kind of remixed fashion, was the way that the choreography told a story through the most subtle movements.

In another memorable act, husband and wife Eric Chasalow and Barbara Cassidy performed two traditional Irish songs, titled “Bonny Light Horseman” and “The Water is Wide.”

The first song, which has its roots in the late 18th century, tells the tragic story of a woman whose lover died in the Napoleonic wars.

Cassidy’s high pitched vocals paired with the ever so simple strumming of a guitar generated a lullaby-like tune that had found its comfort in human suffering.

This combination of elements resulted in a wholly lamentable mood, though the somewhat happier tone of the second song helped equal out the overwhelming range of emotion.

The Latin dance was full of poise and the kind of intimacy that can only be found in a couple’s dance. Multiple couples lined the stage and were capable of the most saucy and graceful movements.

Their synchronicity was so exact as to make it difficult to tell where one partner ended and the other began.

In an all-around joyful performance that finished in two parallel lines, with the upbeat popping of the background music setting the stage for the moment, the Latin dance showed audiences a different and somehow more enticing form of dance.

To conclude the celebration of cultures off with a show of elegance, the event finished with a fashion show that represented countries including Vietnam, India, China, Pakistan, South Korea and the Republic of Congo, among many more. Clad in the

traditional or most representative clothing of each nation, the fashion show exhibited the most stereotypical outfit that best characterized that culture. Far from a negative statement, these ensembles, when contrasted against each other, showed the range of human experience and culture, each with their own individual clothing style.

The last nation to make its way down the runway was none other than the United States; the suspense built as the audience tried to imagine what outfit was the most “American.”

Fittingly, a woman shimmied down the stage wearing a short and incredibly sparkly gown.

It looked very much like a disco ball, shining in every and all directions.

In a way, that’s a great way of rethinking American culture.

More so than anyone else, America sure knows how to shine.

photo by karen caldwell/the hoot

February 5, 2016

ARTS 9

The Brandeis Hoot

Up-and-coming artist releases latest album ‘Malibu’

By Emma Kahn Staff

Anderson Paak might not be a familiar name to most, but the release last month of his new album, “Malibu,” has surely piqued interest in the music crowd. Paak emerged to fame most prominently with the release of “Compton”

by Dr. Dre, in which Anderson Paak is featured in six out of 16 tracks. Now with his Jan. 15 “Malibu” release, he boasts a full album with his own featured artists such as Rapsody, ScHoolboy Q and The Game, among other high-profile musicians. His album blends the best of a new generation of lyrically mindful rappers with a light and soulful yet classic style. Despite being in the music industry for roughly a decade, Anderson Paak’s name is just getting out following “Malibu’s” release. Lately, Paak resembles an up-and-coming artist, featured by Rolling Stone who described him with beautiful precision as “a dreamer and a romantic who blends hip-hop, R&B, rock and soul into a funky world all his own.” After an interview with NPR, host Scott Simon acutely labeled his music as “a kaleidoscopic mix of ‘60s funk, ‘70s soul, hip-hop, R&B, electronic music and rock ’n’ roll.”

“Malibu” contains the gritty rap style of Kendrick Lamar, the funk and soul of Bruno Mars and hints of vocal talent reminiscent of Frank Ocean. Each track varies greatly in particular flare and lyrical content, and the album as

photo from www.spin.com

a whole is an eclectic collage, piecing together dense and carefree subject matter with mellow beats that scream west California.

He even sprinkles some surfing dialogue into his tracks. Although he doesn’t surf, he does identify with the surfing vibe, recounting to The Rolling Stone, “I just see myself as one of those surfers, riding that wave, carving out.

And the ocean’s big enough for everybody.”

Littered with a multitude of musical styles such as jazz piano excerpts and samples from a family choir, Paak has identified himself as an artist boasting unorthodox arrangements. He is inspired by a host of life experiences, including his challenges with a biracial upbringing, homelessness and loss of a job, amid a slew of other difficulties. Such dynamic experiences come across fluidly in his lyrics. He is the voice of the underdog, outlier and the social outcast.

The complexity with which he entered into a music career, combined with the challenges of his youth, refuses to dampen his cheerful and optimistic sound, bringing positivity to the most tragic verses. “Malibu” is his most personal and vulnerable project yet, speaking to his deepest concentrations, worries and hopes.

As for musical style, he expresses attachment to the black gospel choir sound in several interviews alluding to the first time he attended Baptist Church, urged by his sister to check out the choir and the church band. He incorporates many soul and R&B instruments and styles into his music, preferring a rougher, uneven beat to a precise style of rhythm. As a producer and musician, Anderson Paak promotes the boom-bap sound and expresses in interviews the dismaying lack of artists and producers interested in boom-bap production, a style self-reflex-

ively titled for its onomatopoeic chopped percussion sound. The combination of influences present in “Malibu” blend together into a lighthearted and carefree sound very rare in new album production today.

It’s no wonder Anderson Paak has such an ear for production style, as he worked to produce many high-profile yet innovative albums, including Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly.” Not only does Anderson Paak provide a lyrically and instrumentally complex and interwoven album, but his verses prove dynamic and enticing as well. His cheeky jokes and colorful attitude serve well when listening to serious subject matter, such as in his track “Carry Me,” and his gritty voice contrasts well with his sexy lyrics, such as in “Room in Here.”

Much of the beauty of his music comes from simple contrasts such

as these, paired with a willingness to experiment and blend. This album proves that Anderson Paak is truly capable of transcending all genres and all limitations.

“Malibu” is an album for easy listening and can be enjoyed with much versatility. Each track suits itself to any activity, whether that be strolling through campus, studying in the library, working out in the gym or just relaxing.

Anderson Paak is the perfect example of when lifestyle and art become interchangeable. His fans can expect to see him in the spotlight soon, set to perform at various music festivals this year.

Proving himself an emergent musical talent in 2015, Anderson Paak is sure to be reaching headlines throughout this new year, starting strong with his release of “Malibu,” now available on YouTube, Spotify, iTunes and Pandora.

photo from ww.vibe.com

BET’s ‘Quickies’ wow with student written plays

By Alana Hodson Staff

While full-length plays and performances require the most time, effort, staff and material, there is still much to be said for the shorter works of theater as their production may be just as well-liked and entertaining for the audience.

The true brilliance of short plays was demonstrated Sunday, Jan. 31 with the collection of 10-minute plays in a show called “Quickies 2016” presented by the Brandeis Ensemble Theater (BET).

The show, produced by Emily Galloway ’18, Morgan Winters ’17 and Halley Saul ’17, was a big hit with the Brandeis community, drawing in a large audience in the SCC Theater and keeping them fully engaged throughout the performances. The show featured nine short plays, and they were all completely unique. The first act was called “The Bagel Angle: A Half-Baked Playgel Based on Engels” by Aaron Goodwin ’18

and Abbie Goldberg ’17, and it opened the evening with an upbeat musical comedy. This play takes place at a shop called “Brandew’s Bagels” where the employees attempt to rebel against the tyranny of their boss, Brandrew, through a song promoting social justice in the workplace. Although the staff ultimately fails, the play ended with a surprising twist as several bagels were flung into the front row.

The next Quickie took on a more serious note, exploring the struggle to take a friendship to the next level. Barbara Spidle ’16 and Lilia Shrayfer ’18 delivered strong performances in their roles in the play “Waves” by Margot Grubert ’17, where two best friends discuss the nature of change and permanence, moving from the abstract concepts and crashing into reality as a sudden kiss brings their discussion into context.

Another play that peered into the more solemn aspects of human nature was “Incendiary” by

Ben T. Montrym ’19, which focused on the marriage of a husband and wife, both of whom seems to have a curious fascination with fire. The play touches upon social movements like breaking traditional gender roles, as the husband believes that it is the man’s job to fully provide and care for his wife while the wife states that she is able to stand on her own. However, the main theme of the performance was to observe a moment of a marriage bending under the strain of financial burden, recent trauma, family issues and even alcoholism. Still, the end of the play suggests that there is still hope for their marriage, since despite all the hardships, the two still care for one another.

The exaggerated absurdity of some traditional gender roles was made the star of a play called “Once Upon a Matriarchy” by Winters, which was a parody of classic Disney tales like Cinderella and Rapunzel. This performance probably won the most

laughs from the audience due to its creative twist on the typical model of fairytales. In this version the men and women switch roles, and it was now the princesses who got to rescue the handsome prince. Furthermore, the prince was the one with the “magical” fairy godmother, and “royal ball” was actually more like a Brandeis orientation party, featuring the infamous “Wobble” dance. The play concluded with the characters realizing the absurdity of gender roles, the prince refusing to marry the princess and then the princess hooking up with the fairy godmother.

One Quickie of the night that was particularly relatable (especially to those from the more rural areas of the country, including myself) was “This Literally Happened” by Ana-Sofia Meneses ’16 and Bethany Greenbaum ’16.

Consisting of a narrative of the horrors of public transportation while attempting to travel from Boston to New Haven, this play brought to the stage the greatest

strife in a fast-paced life where pretty much everything that could go wrong did go wrong, including delays, crazy passengers, mistaken trains, misleading instructions and getting disoriented in the stations.

However, despite the immense frustration caused by the trip, it all seems worth it in the end when the narrator finally meets up with her close friend.

The show displayed a wide range of talent on the part of the writers, producers, directors and actors, and also featured a variety of themes from comedy, love, human nature, free will and even the effects of narcotics. Other incredible Quickies of the night were “Metharoni and Cheese” by Carly Chernomorets ’16, “Movie Plot” by Amanda Ehrmann ’18, “Cogitas Ergo Sum” by Jacob Regenstein ’17 and “Birds” by Jason Kasman ’16. Although 10-minute plays may not hold the production power of full-scale performance, they undoubtedly hold their own in the world of Brandeis Theater.

photo by karen caldwell/the hoot

10 ARTS

The Brandeis Hoot

February 5, 2016

‘DEIS Impact panelists discuss the importance of social justice

By Ryan Bunis

Special to the Hoot

In a collaboration between the Brandeis Undergraduate Student Union and the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life, ’DEIS Impact presented its fifth annual “Festival of Social Justice.” It runs from Jan. 28 to Feb. 7, with a collection of all sort of events, workshops, etc. that explore social justice not only on campus, but around the world.

It engages the campus community to discuss what social justice really means and what students can do to make their own impact.

On Tuesday, Feb. 2, an event called “Supporting Youth-Led Social Justice Organization” was held in the International Lounge of Usdan. Not as many people showed up; however, you could tell that the speakers were ready to share some important information. It was panel style, with Bethlehem Seifu Belaineh ’16, a member of the ’DEIS Impact Steering Committee, as moderator. There were four speakers on at the table, Boston Black Lives Matter leader Daunasia Yancey, Student Union President Nyah Macklin ’16, Khadijah Lynch ’16 and Heller students Christian Perry and Rima Chaudry.

Though the title of the event was to focus on the funding of social justice organizations, a lot of the discussion focused on measures surrounding the Ford Hall protests last semester. Students sat in at the Bernstein-Marcus ad-

photo by adam lamper/the hoot

ministration building of Brandeis University with a list demanding racial equality in a letter outlined to President Lynch. Some of the demands included a 10 percent increase in the number of fulltime African American faculty at Brandeis, a curriculum that would have more racial awareness and an appointment of a vice president of diversity and inclusion.

Their demands were eventually addressed by the administration and came to an agreement.

The most intriguing part of the panel had to do with Lynch, who was one of the leaders of the discussion. During the summer of 2014, she made a tweet from her personal Twitter account about police violence. She said she was so frustrated with what was going on that she had to speak her mind.

Once she had tweeted it, she said she got a message from someone

instantly saying that they were going to write an article on her.

Everything got blown out of proportion, and Lynch said she was receiving all types of messages,

from death threats to journalists asking for comments on what she said. Lynch and her fellow panelists reiterated the statement, especially in regard to the Ford Hall

protests that Brandeis University “says it supports social justice but is run by white supremacists who don’t do what the college stands for.”

One essential question that was asked near the end of the panel was how do organizations such as Black Lives Matter receive funding? One of the main debates was on wealthy white people who donate money to Black Lives Matter groups. These people, according to the panelists, are similar to the Brandeis Administration who say they support social justice groups, but when push comes to shove, really don’t. However, a majority of the panelists said that they would accept their money.

Students certainly should make an effort to come out to some of the ’DEIS Impact events, as this panel was highly informational.

photo by matthew kowalyk/the hoot

Deep conversations abound in ‘The End of The Tour’

By Amanda Ehrmann Staff

It is always respectable when well-known and established actors participate in independent films for the art of it. And that was the perfect way to describe my experience seeing “The End of The Tour.” It was purely artistic.

The plot followed the interviewer David Lipsky’s conversations while shadowing author David Foster Wallace on a book tour. Lipsky was attempting to write an article for Rolling Stone magazine about the author’s private life. The film was based on a book, “Although of Course You End Up Becoming Yourself.”

As with most independent films, the initial focus was on detail. In a commercial, Hollywood film, an unbelievable amount of thought is put into details and background. In one of the first shots of the film, the main character, interviewer David Lipsky, took batteries out of an electric toothbrush to replace the dead

ones in his tape recorder. From the beginning of the film, I was immediately drawn to the beauty in these random, everyday lapses from and struggles in ordinary life. The camera shots were brilliant; for example, when a voiceover mentioned New York City, the camera cued in on a crowd of people waiting to get into a club.

Unlike most feature films, which would immediately gravitate toward grand shots and bird’s-eye views of the city, the charm and truthfulness of New York came from an eye-level shot. Additionally, many point of view shots were used when the main character, David, was exposed to new situations and places. This immediately established the viewers on David Lipsky’s level. Like Lipsky, we were unsure what to think about David Foster Wallace, his private persona, and his life on which we were intruding.

As the film progressed Lipsky and Foster Wallace continued their conversations about life. I was challenged to understand the plot and some meaning behind

all of their conversations. Lipsky kept up his incessant need to tell a story of Foster Wallace as a one-sided character. This mirrors my own struggle to make sense of David Foster Wallace.

Jason Segel (star of “How I Met Your Mother” and “I Love You Man”) broke away from his historical typecast with his portrayal of David Foster Wallace.

Far from Segel’s usual quirky, romantic-comedy characters, David Foster Wallace is an honest, nervous guy with a dark history of depression, drinking and mental illness. Jason Segel was unrecognizable, and portrayed David Foster Wallace in a way that was far from a superficial imitation.

They filmed in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which added a noticeable level of truth to the acting.

An obviously unplanned gust of wind caused Jesse Eisenberg’s scarf to fly off his neck. It was evident that this and other details, such as a chatter of the teeth in the cold, were unplanned.

It was a wonderful script full of quick quips that echoed life.

photo from popculture-y.com

photo from woodtv.com

There were things that I had never known I even thought or agreed with because they were views on life that I never know how to voice, how to put into words. For example, one of the conversations between the author and the interviewer focused on the author’s infamous bandana.

When Lipsky brought it up, Foster Wallace responded, “I wish you hadn’t asked.” Now, all the pressure was on the author, anything he decided to do about said bandana would come across as a conscious choice, as if he was presenting himself for his fans rather than just being himself.

The movie brought to life the struggle between public and private personas.

Throughout the tour, Lipsky was horribly self-aware of his relationship to Foster Wallace.

His personal struggle was how to relate to Foster Wallace: whether to look up to him as an idol, or knock down his self-worth and dismiss him and his talent. Lipsky ultimately learned that neither was necessary.

It was impossible to see the movie just as series of big plot movements. The movie progressed through subtle character developments. But far from being a boring movie about a series of conversations, each moment was laced in a struggle of interests and desperation to understand each other, to connect and have some form of friendship in their lives.

February 5, 2016

ARTS 11

The Brandeis Hoot

‘Drunk Enough’ intoxicates audiences with allegory

By Adam Lamper Staff

Brandeis’ latest theater performance “Drunk Enough to Say I Love You?” comes by way of the Artists’ Theater of Boston, a company dedicated to increasing knowledge of systematic injustices through artful collaboration.

Written by Caryl Churchill, who is well-known for her work in postmodernist theater and plays such as “Cloud 9” and “Top Girls,” this performance embodied the themes of politics, injustice and sexuality that fans have come to expect from her works.

However, despite its predictable motifs, through its skilled performers and integration of contemporary media, the show further surpassed the impact of Churchill’s message, perpetuating ideas of past atrocities committed by the United States into the pop-culture of today.

Presented in Merrick Theater, a subsidiary of the larger Spingold Theater, the set design of the performance resembled that of a bar, perhaps in literal reference to the more figurative title of the play. Though small in stature, the quaint atmosphere of the theater most definitely enhanced intended and unintended, but well-recieved, interaction between the cast and audience members, as well as the electronic, audio-visual imagery that played a pivotal role throughout the performance.

From the moment the house opened, allusions to the true

theme of the play became more and more apparent, as projected center-stage was a series of slides reciting many of the evils mankind has committed since the Vietnam War, focusing heavily on aspects of the Cold War and conflicts in the Middle East, while simultaneously incorporating present-day strifes, chiefly the Black Lives Matter movement and environmentalism. Opening the night’s performance was an interpretive dance by Brontë Velez ’16, who is no stranger to the Merrick Theater, having graced the stage with her talent last se-

mester during the performance of “COLLISION.” Set to a spoken word interpretation of the shooting of Renisha McBride, Velez’s dancing artfully and powerfully mimed the strength of the ethereal imagery created from lines like, “The stars weep at the sunrise, for this means death to the Moon.

This is why they call it mo[u] rning.” Though not directly credited in the program, the speaker and writer of this short segment in the larger context of the performance had one of the greatest emotional and thought-provoking impacts of the night.

photo from creativemarket.com

As the lights came up for the second time that evening, signifying the start of Churchill’s original play, the scene showed a scantily-clad, homosexual couple, known only as Sam #1 and Guy #1, as the roles are also simultaneously played by three actors and four actresses respectively.

Churchill takes a route that aims more attention at the distribution of power within relationships, rather than on hypersexuality.

Though not completely evident at first, it becomes increasingly clear that the relationship between the characters of Sam and Guy represent the figurative relationship between the United States and its citizens. Sam, while not being able to represent an entire country, acts instead as an amalgam of high-standing political personalities who are known for abusing their powers, ranging from President Reagan to the head of the U.S. Public Safety program and alleged torture expert, Dan Mitrione.

Not unlike its use to convey the everyday person in Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451,” Churchill’s Guy represents the everyday American citizen, who initially falls head-over-heels in love with the powerful and masculine force that exudes from the character of Sam, who evidently abuses his power over Guy in the relationship. The play’s title, “Drunk Enough to Say I Love You?” plays on alcohol’s ability to inhibit critical thinking and to act on urges of lust, begging the question, “How drunk must one

be to blindly follow and support the borderline barbaric actions and movements of an inhumane political power?”

Another interesting addition to this play was the role of pop-culture and other forms of media used to influence the political standing of the general populace, as well as to distract them from the truly critical issues facing our world today with trivial, celebrity news, often portraying stars such as Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift.

In this sense, the idea that dystopian futures are not as far from the present as we would like to imagine is solidified. Further distinguishing of this is brought through the mentioning of the various techniques of torture inflicted to prisoners of United States Army, while, at the same time, superimposing many of the recently popular music videos depicting U.S. soldiers doing nothing more than “goofing off” at their overseas base. Again, a seemingly systematic attempt at nullifying the actions of these soldiers, and therefore the greater horrors of war.

With its incorporation of various genres of art, Churchill’s signaturely fragmented writing style, and wholehearted relevance to issues of today, “Drunk Enough to Say I Love You?” is a must-see for students with a passion for theater or social activism alike.

Two more performances will be held on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., in the Merrick Theater.

Violinist and pianist masterfully perform for spring concert series

By Santiago Montoya Staff

The Brandeis University’s spring concert series started this past weekend, with the special presence of Daniel Stepner on the violin and Janice Weber on the piano. They debuted this year’s concert series on Jan. 31 at the Slosberg Music Center, a show that compelled virtually everyone to attend, even interim president Lisa Lynch.

The show’s program began with a composition by Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924), two sonatas for violin and piano from 1876, which was a breakthrough work back then for the 30-year-old composer.

Before the composition was printed, Fauré was known chiefly as a composer of songs and short piano works, mostly played in salons and other private settings.

In fact, during his time, chamber music and serious song recitals

were not as popular in France.

Brandeis is planning on devoting a weekend festival on March 12 and 13 to Gabriel Fauré, who is considered an under-appreciated composer. The weekend will consist of three scholars reading papers on Fauré. There will be a presentation of his best work, but also his less known work, which includes orchestral and choral pieces. The following day will contain a Masterclass for singers with Dominique Labelle, soprano. And there will be a round-table discussion with several scholars and experts.

Fauré’s “Sonata” is a splendid work, a joy to play. The content remained fresh, highlighting its individualism. According to Camille Saint-Saëns, Fauré’s former instructor, “In this sonata you can find everything to tempt a gourmet: new forms, excellent modulations, unusual tone colors and the use of unexpected rhythms … and a magic floats above every-

thing, encompassing the whole work, causing the crowd of usual listeners to accept the unimagined audacity as something quite normal. With this work Monsieur Fauré take his place among the masters.”

The second piece that was played during the show is titled “For Violin Alone” by John Harbison. The language in this Harbison’s work alternates between modal and chromatic, usually overlapping harmonic spheres.

The opening ground is a set of variations on a Blues-like progression. The most outstanding part is the duet because it engages two voices in strict counterpoint, and the epilogue quietly and smoothly ties motives together.

The performers were breathtaking; Daniel Stepner, who moved to Boston back in 1975, has been highly involved in several aspects of the Boston area’s musical life, including being a concertmaster, chamber player, recitalist, record-

photo by daniel kang/the hoot

ing artist, conductor, concerto soloist, private teacher, theatrical musical director, among other roles throughout his extensive career.

Since 1987, his main work has been as a first violinist of the Lydian String Quartet, in residence at Brandeis, where he is a professor of the practice.

For approximately 20 years, he was concertmaster of the Handel and Haydn Society Orchestra under Christopher Hogwood and Grant Llewellyn, and for 30 years he was artistic advisor to the concert series at the Museum of Fine Arts.

Stepner has recorded extensively on modern and period instruments, including music from Monteverdi through Harbison, four string quartets. His recording also includes the recordings of the Sonatas and Partitas of J. S. Bach, the Five Violin Sonatas of Charles Ives, chamber music of Yehudi Wyner, and the Late

Quartets of Beethoven, with the Lyds.

The other performer, Janice Weber, has performed in numerous prestigious places, such as the White House Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, the National Gallery of Art and Boston’s Symphony Hall and has appeared with distinct orchestras throughout North America.

Her recordings include Rachmaninoff’s complete transcriptions; with the Lydian Quartet, Leo Ornstein’s vast Piano Quintet; flute and piano works of Sigfrid Karg-Elert; and waltz transcriptions of Godowsky, Rosenthal and Friedman. In addition, she has solo piano works of Leo Ornstein and Ross Lee Finney’s Chamber Music, among others.

The event was packed with energy from beginning to end, and the material was fresh and masterful just as the two skillful artists were.

photo from joshuagordoncello.com

OPINIONS

12 The Brandeis Hoot

February 5, 2016

Recent server outage highlights need for backup

By Zach Phil Schwartz Editor

On Wednesday, Feb. 3, all of the Brandeis network went silent. The login portal, LATTE, sage and all other resources based out of the Brandeis server disappeared.

Bandwidth usage dropped from 970 to zero at around 7:15 p.m., and all students were thrown off the grid, save the few who resorted to wireless data and still could not access the Brandeis network.

Normal service was not restored until around 9 p.m. Although rare, these events happen, and there needs to be a backup solution to make sure students are not in the dark for hours.

The outage had come out of the blue as one of those “eduroam is crashing” moments that just would not end. I found several students with research papers they could not write, LATTE assignments they could not do and sage accounts they could not check. A close friend of mine who had been dependent on the WiFi after receiving a faulty SIM card for his cell phone went dead and off the grid. Those two hours were among the most worrying, especially as several students I encountered concluded that the

network outage was a result of a DDOS attack.

According to LTS’ status page, the outage was related to network hardware, which they have yet to specify in depth. The site says that the problem has been resolved, but it will take time for LTS to figure out what specific part of the system went wrong. When it does, LTS needs to make sure that this type of outage can never happen again.

I am unfamiliar with Brandeis’ network servers and I am therefore unqualified to make any assertion about how they function.

It is then with much tenacity that I ask why a single hardware issue would be able to knock out the entire Brandeis network without there being any backup. The count of resources under the umbrella of brandeis.edu is vast and should not be vulnerable to a hit like this. Thankfully, this was only a hardware issue, but this outage shows that such an issue was able to take down the network for two hours; what would happen in the case of a cyberattack?

This has not been a good academic year for security by any means. There have been thefts from the Shapiro Campus Center (SCC) to the Office of the

Registrar, where two university computers had been stolen over the weekend of Oct. 24, 2015, according to an email from Senior Vice President for Finance and Treasurer Marianne Cwalina. According to that email, sensitive student information, possibly including social security numbers, was contained in one of the stolen computers. Should a cyber attack occur, the university may run into a similar dilemma.

In an article published by Jacob Edelman in The Brandeis Hoot on Oct. 30, 2015, University Librarian, Chief Information Officer and Vice Provost for Library and Technology Service John Unsworth explained how the university withstands “hundreds of thousands of cyberattacks on Brandeis’ network per month.”

This is a testament to LTS’ commitment to cybersecurity, but in an ever-advancing world, not all cyber-attacks can be stopped.

The university needs to make sure that these types of network failures do not happen again, both for the sake of security and that of students’ well-being. To have hardware failure knock out the entirety of Brandeis’ networks for an extended length of time hurts the many students who

off the grid

Brandeis’ network went silent for two hours

need to access eduroam, LATTE coursework or submission channels and any other resources offered through the login portal. If something worse happens to the network, we may not be as lucky when it comes to restoration time.

Brandeis should continue to build upon its commitment to cybersecurity as outlined by Unsworth, but it should also look into ways to keep some important portions of the network still running in the case of an outage.

Roughly two hours without network access on Feb. 3 threw many into a panic just as the academic semester kicks into full gear.

graphic from brandeis.edu

A prolonged outage is something the university and students cannot afford, in particular if such an outage is more than just a hardware issue. If the network has any vulnerabilities, they can be exploited by individuals with malicious intent, resulting in losses much greater than the outages themselves. The recent outage showed that the network is not perfect and that it needs to be improved. In the name of cybersecurity and academic well-being, the protection of the Brandeis network should be a top priority for the university.

Quickies’ misguided humor pokes fun at addiction

By Amanda Ehrmann Columnist

Theater is often used as a means of social change, offering the audience different perspectives on controversial or tough subject matter. That’s why I was incredibly shocked when one of BET’s Quickies this year seemed to capitalize on meth addiction. It’s hilarious, right? People can do funny things under the influence of methamphetamine. For example, experience large amounts of euphoria, which are soon replaced by oblivion to the world around them? Have uncontrollable violent tendencies? Terrifying hallucinations? Memory loss? Paranoia? While the Quickie “Metharoni and Cheese” did not focus on all of these symptoms, it came dangerously close to finding

brandeis ensemble theatre

humor at the expense of a serious illness: addiction.

“Metharoni and Cheese” was a quirky play featuring a large ensemble and a few main characters.

It began as lights came up on two brothers guarding a pot of Mac and Cheese (presumably meth), as third brother sat off to the side overseeing the process.

Throughout the play their sister Ellen discovers that her brothers are making and selling meth.

When Ellen asks about the customers, lights came up on several actors lining the walls of the theater. These were the customers, and they made their way towards the stage itching and picking at their skin, lolling their heads and portraying zombie-like physicality. After attempting to peek inside the pot and failing, Ellen called the police. When the police arrived they discovered that the pot

Quickies are put on by students under BET every year

did actually hold mac and cheese.

When they left, Ellen once again saw the customers in the audience. The play ended without a sense of finality.

The result of this was confusion.

Many of the audience members in front of me turned to each other and muttered, “What just happened?” I was not sure either.

Was this a commentary on meth addicts? Was it at the expense of addicts? If Ellen was an addict, I wish that the show focused more on her journey with addiction instead of presenting it as a source of humor. Additionally, if the whole performance was a phenomenon focusing on placing the audience in the shoes of a meth addict in order to mirror the confusion which is a symptom of meth, it was far too confusing and light-natured. Even if it was well intended, the audience still

laughed at the portrayed symptoms of the meth addicts.

Although the representation of meth addiction in the show was based on accurate media portrayals of meth abuse (such as skin-crawling), it also picked up on the violent tendencies that accompany meth addiction. Randomly Ellen’s brother, the guy in charge of the meth operations stood up and threw his chair on the ground. The audience immediately laughed after this, and I was not exactly sure why we, as a society, are trained to laugh at something with which we are unfamiliar. I was not sure if the playwright intended this to be humorous, or if it was the director’s choice, but either way the laughter was encouraged.

After this violent spontaneity, the actor did not appear to be unstable and the action was dis-

photo from brandeis.edu club sites

missed without much discussion.

Basically, the lasting impacts of violent tendencies and the emotional and mental pain the meth addict faces with these tendencies was not explored in the slightest.

Which brings me to a bigger point: how we view addiction.

Many people dismiss addiction as a weak, easy escape from the stress of everyday life. This viewpoint refuses to consider addiction’s comorbidity with depression, anxiety and schizophrenia, among other mental disorders. These other disorders can exacerbate or motivate addiction. Addiction is a complex brain disorder where the compulsive need for drugs and drug abuse lead to devastating effects. In fact, the DSM-V identifies addiction as a disorder, distinguishing between drug abuse and drug dependence. Additionally, there are genetic and environmental vulnerabilities that predispose people to addiction, making them more susceptible to try and become addicted to drugs.

You may think that I am being picky, trying to find some fault in the show, something to make a case about. I think that the mere fact that we are dismissing a show, which does not deal with addiction in a considerate or exploratory manner, is indicative of the necessity for mental illness education. That means educating ourselves about disorders such as addiction and other mental disorders that are viewed as “personal faults” by those who are ignorant.

Last year there was a controversy around one of the Quickies.

This was very fair as the play was attempting to find humor at the expense of an alcoholic. So why is it not the same with meth addiction this year?

February 5, 2016

OPS 13

The Brandeis Hoot

Univ. and students must do more to make campus more sustainable

By Sabrina Pond Editor

From the first moment I stepped on Brandeis’ campus, I had the feeling that it was the place I wanted to study; the part that sold me the most, however, was the heart shaped pond wedged between the three chapels, each of which will never cast a shadow on the other. Brandeis seemed to be a university deeply concerned with the pursuit of social justice— even the slogan, “truth, even unto its innermost parts,” further supported that claim. It wasn’t until later that I realized that this was, in many cases, more of a feel good mantra than a reality.

Although I understand that this campus is home to many students who feel very strongly about various issues, I also think that as a human being every person on campus should be, to some extent, concerned with environmental issues. If that’s too much to ask, I would hope that they’d at the very least take small steps to live more sustainably, which would include doing things like recycling and turning off the light. As it turns out, I’m wrong on both accounts.

No matter what time of day I go into the bathroom in East, the lights are always left on, regardless of whether or not there are people in there. I’ve seen so many residence hall rooms where chargers are left plugged in while they aren’t in use. On top of that, students are prone to leave the heat on when they aren’t in the room, and no one seems to know how to properly recycle on campus even though it’s a zero-sort process. If that wasn’t enough, the amount of

turn it off

food waste on campus is beyond disgusting. Sodexo just started a composting program this past week and have already accumulated over 1,500 pounds per dining hall of food scraps that people needlessly threw away.

Let’s take a step back for a moment. Although these complaints may seem harsh, they actually aren’t. In light of the stats, Brandeis is significantly behind when compared to other universities. For one, according to Mary Fischer, the sustainability manager on campus, Brandeis committed to reducing its carbon footprint by 15 percent by 2015 over 2008 levels, but our footprint has actually increased since then. This one percent increase in carbon dioxide emissions would have been even more severe if the electric grid’s carbon intensity had not decreased. In the case that the electrical grid had continued to function with the same level of carbon intensity, Brandeis would have seen an eight percent increase in carbon dioxide emissions in the year 2015.

If these statistics weren’t already discouraging enough, Brandeis uses approximately 25 percent more energy per square foot than our peer institutions, even those in the same climate zone with similar building types, sizes and age. Between 2008 and 2015 Brandeis used an average of 45,000,000 kWH of electricity per year and spends approximately 6.3 million dollars just to meet the campus’ electrical needs.

How is it that Brandeis, a school that has such a reputation for advocacy and justice for all, appears to care so little about the environ-

ment? Why is it that the student body lacks any and all interest in individual change to benefit the environment?

The only way that I can unpack this overarching theme is that Brandeis students feel that because of the high price of tuition, they need to do everything in their power to get their money’s worth. This can be viewed as their way of spiting the university for asking so much to get a college tuition, which, at around $60,000, is an astronomical expense. Even so, that doesn’t disregard the plain and simple fact that constantly leaving dorm room light switches on and taking 30-minute long showers is recklessly wasteful.

Something that students should keep in mind, though this extends to Brandeis staff and faculty as well, is that small efforts go a long way. Taking action into one’s own hands is the greatest liberty that we, as Americans and Brandeisians, have the privilege to choose.

Unfortunately for many others, and the majority of the globe in fact, this choice doesn’t exist.

Aside from the guilt trip I just pulled, the bottom line still rings true: It isn’t that difficult to put in just a little more effort to conserve. Though many people are unaware of this fact, leaving electronic devices plugged in uses electricity, so leaving both phone and laptop chargers plugged into the outlet uses electricity regardless of whether or not a device is connected to the charger. That means that those people who never unplug their chargers are continuously using, and wasting, energy.

According to Mary Fischer, the

mary fischer

most powerful way to make an impact is as simple as turning off appliances when they’re no longer needed—it may not seem like it would make a huge difference, but the extra effort to turn off the switch in the common room when no one’s there is actually the quickest and easiest way that Brandeis can lower its carbon footprint. To add to that, Brandeis students’ recycling habits can most certainly improve; Brandeis has a 20 percent recycling rate at

An initiative launched in Summer 2015 aimed at reducing energy consumption

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD Write a letter to the editor to express your views on our writers opinions and see yourself featured in next weeks issue! Submit to letters@thebrandeishoot.com Have a piece you want published? Submit it to us at eic@thebrandeishoot.com Have an idea for a column? Contact join@thebrandeishoot.com

photo from brandeis.edu/now

the present moment, which is especially troublesome considering how easy it is to recycle. Since Brandeis functions under a policy that allows people to place all recyclable materials in one bin, sorting isn’t an issue.

Brandeis students can definitely do more to lead more sustainable lifestyles, and as the last generation that can do something about climate change, it’s more important now than ever to try to make even a small difference.

photo from brandeis.edu/turn-it-off

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14 OPINIONS

The Brandeis Hoot

February 5, 2016

Offer feta cheese at campus dining locations

By Emily Sorkin Smith Editor

Dining hall food is notoriously bad, and Brandeis is no exception to this rule. We’ve written about it and protested about it, and yet it seems the quality of the food never improved. Plates are still often dirty, requiring diners to pick up several different ones before they find something clean. There

are still days when popcorn replaces the pasta bar, eliminating a popular meal and reducing the number of options students have.

I had all but given up on Sodexo when, one day last week, they did something that gave me hope. In a small silver container alongside the hot foods, they provided feta cheese. It transformed an otherwise bland meal into an edible and exciting lunch.

In its salad bar, Lower Usdan typically provides only one type of cheese. Sodexo offers pre-shredded, fluorescent orange cheddar, satisfying neither taste nor health concerns. This cheese, though it might be lower in cost than some other cheeses, is hardly a good option. Feta is one of the only cheeses that works equally well in salads as it does on hot foods, and it does not require chemical

dyes to make it appealing. It can be easily added to pizza and goes well in omelettes and pasta salads.

The versatility of feta means that it can be bought in bulk and used for multiple dishes, unlike other specialty ingredients that can only be used in certain products.

Cheddar, the only type of cheese Sodexo regularly serves, is higher in both calories and sodium than feta, with 9.5 grams of sodium and

photo from personalchefpasadena.com

110 calories as opposed to just 6 grams of sodium and 74 calories, according to CNN Food Central.

In a dining hall where much of the food is incredibly high in sodium, offering a healthier cheese option benefits all diners. For vegetarians, feta could provide a vital source of protein without adding too many calories.

“The feta in the dining hall was a welcome, but utterly surprising, treat. In my omelette? Delicious.

My salad? Probably the best one I have had in lower Usdan,” said Matt Schattner ’18. “I had moved beyond expecting an expansion of the cheese range in the dining hall, so the sight of feta completely shocked me. It was game-changing.”

Cheddar can only be used in American cuisine, allowing for no diversity. Feta is a traditional ingredient in Greece, Iran, Israel, Turkey and several other countries. The process for producing feta cheese was described in Homer’s “Odyssey.” Such a rich and diverse traditional background is found in few foods, especially foods than cater to students’ health needs and the school’s budgetary restrictions.

Instead of occasionally putting on theme nights, most of which are disappointing, Sodexo should focus their efforts on what has proven to work for its customers.

They should provide options that would work for many different people in a variety of dishes.

If Sodexo provided a small container of feta cheese alongside the cheddar cheese and other salad toppers, they would be giving their customers an easy way to satisfy their appetites and vary their diets.

What to expect when working in research labs

By Michael Wang Columnist

Working in a research lab is often one of the most exotic and/ or intimidating prospects in the minds of those who enter college with the intention of studying the natural sciences. I assume that whether you’re in a lab doing experimental work, theoretical work, computational work, biology work, chemistry work, history (it’s a course; look it up) or any other type of work, it might feel a bit daunting to wade into the intellectual morass that is the world of university-based professional research.

After all, the people you ultimately have to speak to in order to secure positions in these labs are typically famous intellects, seasoned veterans who succeeded long ago in making their names dredging the murky depths of ill-understood natural mechanisms and obscure trends for the majority of their—more often than not—rather venerable lives.

Just how exactly does one broach the topic of whether they might be able to work in such an environment?

If you expect this article to be a treatise on how one actually gets into research, I’m afraid I can’t really help you all that much.

My experience with getting into my particular lab was marred by an extremely debilitating sense of awkwardness, since I initially didn’t really know how to approach my PI like a normal human being, nor was he specifically trained in the ways of communicating with socially uncoordinated 18-21 year-olds. I personally just fell into the position after submitting vague queries to my current PI every few weeks for a while, talking with the constituent members of my current lab about their own work and ultimately asking, “Hey, can you teach me some of that sweet wizardry?” to a number of the post-docs and graduate students present. Don’t emulate me on this front.

Being straight up about what you might be interested in doing experiment-wise and perhaps

the science complex

seeing if anybody is doing something similar would be a preferable route towards finding work in a research lab. Don’t skimp on sending emails to professors either, since not doing so is kind of a death sentence.

I suppose if anything, the most important advice I might be able to give a curious undergraduate would be to find something that genuinely interests them, such that they’ll be willing to spend a few hundred hours doing it over the course of their college career.

Cliche as it may sound, this is arguably the most practical piece of advice contained within this opinions article; I’ve known people whose abilities and technical experience far outstrip mine who have nevertheless been ejected from their duties or left of their own will due to a perceived lack

of interest or motivation in their work. Do not underestimate the morbid power of lethargy. From what I’ve seen, if you want to do research, you ought to be ready to set aside a rather significant portion of your weekly schedule for it, lest you anger the powers above and/or get very little done.

It just so happens that the process is a good deal easier, should you actually derive a reasonable sense of satisfaction from it.

You’ll also be tired all the time because—hey—you’re still in college and all your other obligations still exist.

Aside from the actual execution of experiments and doing benchwork or writing stuff at your desk in the physical lab, there are other pretty cool things that go on about as well. Each week a lab will hold a lab meeting, where

photo by jacob edelman/the hoot

someone will present the findings they’d gathered since they’d last presented. At mine, there’s also always a dessert rotation schedule where somebody provides the lab with some sort of fruit or light pastry. I guess the idea of the lab meeting is pretty self-explanatory; I personally bring a notebook to take notes, since I still have a bit of trouble understanding experiments that explore questions that aren’t really that related to mine.

Aside from that, there are also inter-departmental/departmental pizza talks in which people present their findings to a large group of people whose members exceed that of a single lab. They’re basically the same in my estimation, only they feel a little more official because they take place in bigger rooms and eponymously provide pizza for those who decide to attend. Also, more questions at the end.

All in all, that’s my cursory opinion on working in a research lab. Perhaps I’ll come back to this topic another day and delve deeper into the subtler details of what I actually do and of the colorful melange of people I’ve met, but for now, I hope I’ve given you a superficial idea of just what to expect from these surprisingly informal bastions of scientific progression.

February 5, 2016

OPINIONS 15

The Brandeis Hoot

Studying in residence halls can be marred with distraction

By Jason Suwandi Special to The Hoot

It’s the year 2016, and with the start of a new year comes opportunities to make Brandeis a better place for its students. I’ve been hearing a few suggestions from the students around Brandeis, and I think that it would be a good idea to list them out in this article.

For starters, let’s talk about food. Personally, I think that Sodexo could provide more food variety for its catering services. I see the same food they serve over and over again. As a resident of Massell Quad, I often eat at Sherman and after a semester here at Brandeis, I practically know what to expect from Sodexo. At breakfast, you can expect five things that will never go away: scrambled eggs, omelets, sausages, bacon strips and potato wedges; don’t forget the daily influx of sausages, grilled chicken, beef patties and french fries for dinner. Those items are classics and I’m not complaining about them.

They make up a majority of my body after all.

It’s just that I understand that Sodexo offers Recipes From

Home, a service that allows students to submit recipes to Sodexo online. However, based on what I’m seeing at Sherman, either Sodexo doesn’t care about the recipes Brandeis students submit, or students aren’t using the Recipes From Home service enough. I don’t know what the reason behind it is, but I believe that I can speak for almost everyone at Brandeis University that it would be nice to see more varieties of food coming from Sodexo.

It would also be nice to have more places at Brandeis that accepts point, but that’s a conversation for another time in the future.

Moving from food, let’s talk about studying. For me personally, it is 100 percent impossible for me to study in my residence hall. There’s the bed in front of me softly whispering to me, “Just lie down and relax. Forget the other stuff you have to do today.”

Next, there are the occasional loud noises from the hallway that break your concentration. Finally, there’s just something about studying in the library that you can’t get from studying from your dorm. It just primes you into the right mindset for studying.

At your residence hall, you have tons of other options besides studying. You could hang out at

your friends’ rooms one floor above you. How about playing ping pong or foosball at the Shapiro lounge? At the library, things change. Sure on the first floor it’s a little loud, and you could sneak in an occasional chat with a familiar face in a class you’re taking.

Once you hit the quiet room, it’s different. You could literally hear a pin drop in the floor. Everyone is focused on what they have to do and they give off an aura of, “Don’t talk to me. I’m doing work.”

My advice to all adjusting midyears: Don’t study in your residence hall. Study in your residence hall if you don’t have a choice. My next tip is if you’re studying in a group, go to first or second floors of Goldfarb library, or maybe by Starbucks. However, if you’re studying by yourself, the best place would definitely be the quiet room. There’s nothing else distracting you from your work in your tiny cubicle. There’s just the textbook in front of you and a bunch of other people minding their own business. Sure, it might take more work carrying your textbook to the library, but I promise you, studying at the library is simply more efficient than studying at your dorm. Who knows? If you plan your studying schedule just right, you might

be able to snag one of the course reserve textbook from the front

desk without carrying your textbook around.

photo by jacob edelman/the hoot

Admissions does good work to stimulate campus diversity

By Santiago Montoya Columnist

This week, the Brandeis Immigration Education Initiative (BIEI) organized an event titled, “The Immigrant Experience at Brandeis,” which aimed to stimulate learning more about the different and unique immigrant experiences in the U.S. They organized a campaign that would display different portraits and original stories of the diverse students at Brandeis—very much a la Humans of New York (HONY).

The event took place in the Shapiro Campus Center (SCC) on Feb. 4, 2016, and it centered on proving that the immigrant experience is not one single narrative as many would think. In fact, the photo installation tried to show that there are immigrants in the

admissions

U.S. from distinct countries, races, religions, social backgrounds and personal experiences in one common place: Brandeis’ campus.

Transfer student Zoë Dickstein ’18, said that she never encountered much diversity back at the University of Pittsburgh. She added that compared to other campuses, Brandeis University is as diverse as it can be, and that she has been able to meet people from all kinds of places, such as China, Colombia, Haiti and India, among others, whom she would not have met had she remained being a student at Pitt.

Students demonstrated this yearning for an improved campus diversity in the recent protest, Ford Hall 2015. The students do not take into account that the administration has also been working hard to bring in more students from other backgrounds and eth-

nicities. It is not that Admissions has a penchant for overpopulating the campus with white people; the truth is that they happen to be their largest pool of applicants.

However, Brandeis attracts students from all walks of life.

According to an email from Jennifer Walker, dean of admissions, “Brandeis considers all applicants equally and fairly, by focusing on the student’s academic merit and university fit, regardless of religion, ethnicity, socioeconomic status and citizenship.”

In fact, Brandeis accepts undocumented students every year, which can be a challenge, especially in terms of financial aid: “[Undocumented students] cannot receive federal or state financial aid, excluding them, for instance, from Pell Grants and Perkins and Stafford Loans.

DACA status allows students to

receive work-study appointments on campus, but it is not a factor in the admissions process.”

Brandeis is so committed to bring in students from all backgrounds that they meet “the demonstrated need of these students with a combination of institutional scholarship and loans.

These are combined with work awards for those who are eligible under DACA. The loan portion of the award is in the form of a Brandeis Loan. The terms of this loan mirror those of the Federal Perkins Loan, including the waiver of the 5 percent fixed interest rate while the student is enrolled in school and a 9-month grace period for repayment.”

As a matter of fact, it is not entirely Brandeis’ fault that the campus is not as diverse as the students yearn. In fact, Walker’s email said that the university wants to “en-

photo by zach phi scjwartz/the hoot

courage all students who believe Brandeis University to be a good fit for them to apply, regardless of their immigration status.” Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel, who, prior to coming to Brandeis, had advocated admission issues for undocumented students “asked that we [Brandeis’ admissions] clarify these policies to be sure that undocumented students were in no way disadvantaged in our application process.”

The problem is attracting such minorities to consider Brandeis as their next four-year home. Admissions admits that in the last couple of years, there has been a significant increase of applications from “students who were out-of-status at the time of their application submissions. The total applications remain a tiny fraction of our more than 11,000 applications, still well below one percent.”

Nevertheless, the campus continues to be heterogeneous, with 666 non-resident undergraduate students enrolling during the Fall of 2014 and 718 graduate students, according to the Brandeis website. In addition, in 2015, College Prowler gave the institution an “A” in diversity.

Walker’s email explained that “Brandeis hopes for the inclusion of different ideas and perspectives in academic and social campus interactions, challenging our student body to expand their experiences.” That is exactly what BIEI proved on Thursday, that Brandeis students form a cohesive and culturally rich student body and that they do not have one single story.

The students have a lot to learn from one another through their different social backgrounds as well as their personal experiences. And, at the end of the day, we ought to recognize that Admissions has made extraordinary efforts to diversify the campus— because after all, the journey of a student starts at Admissions.

16 The Brandeis Hoot

the bagels and the birds

blood

WEEK IN PHOTOS

February 5, 2016

Nature is weird sometimes.

Students lay back as nurses take their blood to put it to better use.

all the pretty faces

Posters in the SCC showcase our classmates’ faces and histories.

photos by adam lamper/the hoot