The Brandeis Hoot 10/10/2014

Volume 11 Number 19

www.thebrandeishoot.com

Brandeis University’s Community Newspaper • Waltham, Mass.

CTL expands educational possibilities

By Andrew Elmers & Hannah Schuster Editor & staff

There have been renovations within Farber Library recently, resulting in the formation of a new facility with impressive conference tables and

monitors. More important than the construction, however, is the formation of the Center for Teaching and Learning, or CTL for short, on Farber 2 around the corner from the Schuster Institute. The CTL will offer a place for faculty to “share and explore ideas about teaching and learning,” as stated on its website.

photo by karen caldwell/the hoot

After being established in August, the CTL held its inaugural gala this past Monday. Professors from several departments attended the gala, offering words of congratulations to those involved in the construction of the Center. They also engaged in discussion about the value of education. The gala also featured speeches from President Fred Lawrence, former Provost Steve A. N. Goldstein ’78 and the Director of the CTL Dan Perlman.

The CTL seeks to become a place where Brandeis faculty, graduate students and postdocs alike can explore new teaching practices and enhance student learning. A premise of the CTL is that we learn best from our peers and our colleagues.

Thus the Center encourages the exchange of knowledge and expertise between teachers at Brandeis and beyond Brandeis.

In his speech, Perlman explained what he hopes the Center will become.

“It’s about talking and sharing ideas,” said Perlman. “Teaching is not separate from scholarship; it is a subject of scholarship. I hope one of the things that will come out of our Center is that we conduct a serious study of how students learn and See CTL, page 3

new center Brandeis students, faculty and staff celebrated the opening of the CTL this

week.

October 10, 2014

Students describe summer dialogues at Al-Quds

By Emily Belowich Editor

A group of Brandeis students shared their experiences from spending five days this summer in Israel, with students from Al-Quds University, a Palestinian institution with campuses in Jerusalem, Abu Dis and al-Bireh on Tuesday, Oct. 7 in Pearlman Lounge.

The trip was sponsored by a $10,000 Projects for Peace grant, funded by the Davis United World College Scholars Program. Two Brandeis students, Catie Stewart ’15 and Eli Philip ’15, were the recipients. The event was cosponsored by the Brandeis Democrats and the departments of Peace, Conflict and Coexistence Studies (PAX), sociology and Social Justice and Social Policy (SJSP).

Their project, “Brandeis University—Al Quds University Student Dialogue Initiative,” strove to create the basis for a long-term student dialogue between the two universities. The core of the project, the five-day intensive trip, included a tour of a Palestinian city to visualize life in the West Bank, a day at Al-Quds to engage in conversations between students and Al-Quds professors and discussions about how to continue to dialogue in the future.

On the third day, a Heller School graduate from the program in Coexistence and Conflict, met the group and helped to facilitate a dialogue about a further relationship between the two universities.

Four Brandeis students shared their personal stories about the experience of connecting with the Al-Quds students and being on their campus.

“I couldn’t get my head around how it would be to go to school every day and not know if you might walk into a pile of tear gas,” said Mitchell Mankin ’16, referring to a day that the group experienced tear gas on the Al-Quds campus this summer. “Here we have students protesting when the dining halls get converted, so what would we do if we had tear gas canisters going off on South Street?”

Another student, Elizabeth Villano ’16, described her experience as “the summer of opposites.” She spoke about how her understanding of Israel was formed by growing up in a conservative, Jewish community and how some of this changed when she went on Birthright, a free trip to Israel for See AL-QUDS, page 2

Gustavo Gutiérrez wins Gittler Prize

By Emily Smith Staff

On Sunday, Oct. 5 in Rapaporte Treasure Hall, Gustavo Gutiérrez, Catholic priest and founder of liberation theology, was awarded the Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize.

Gutiérrez’s acceptance speech and talk focused on his efforts to eradicate poverty and its relationship to his Catholic beliefs.

The Gittler Prize, established by its namesakes, is awarded by the Brandeis International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life to people whose work has significant and lasting impacts on racial, ethnic and religious relations. The prize comes with a $25,000 award and is presented annually at a public lecture and ceremony. Past recipients include Kwame Appiah, a Ghanaian novelist and philosopher, and Patricia Hill Collins, author of “Black Feminist Thought.”

Gutiérrez is a Peruvian priest who is considered to be the founder of liberation theology, an element of social Christianity that focuses on liberating oppressed groups, especially the poor. Poverty is seen by liberation theologians as a response to unjust social systems. Gutiérrez’s 1971 book “A Theology of Liberation: History, Politics, Salvation” focuses on sup-

Inside this issue:

porting the poor in protests against poverty. Gutiérrez has won, among other awards, the Legion of Honor by the French Government in 1993 and is a member of the Peruvian Academy of Language.

He is currently the John Cardinal O’Hara Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame.

In his speech, Gutiérrez discussed the need to change the way people view poverty and the way the poor view themselves.

“For a long time, humanity considered poverty as fate,” said Gutiérrez.

“Today we are conscious that poverty has causes, human causes. Persons have the responsibility for poverty.

We have made poverty, and we need to eliminate poverty.”

Gutiérrez discussed the perceived conflict between some of Christianity’s core beliefs and the reality of poverty. He explained that many poor people believe their situations to be the result of God’s will, but that this is not the case.

“Behind this, for many of them, they think it is the will of God, the will of God is to have poor persons and rich persons,” Gutiérrez said.

He went on to explain that his beliefs see poverty as a man-made See GITTLER, page 11

News: BLC discusses Sodexo employee conditions Page 3 Arts, Etc.: “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” inspires Page 4 Opinion: Health Center deserves more respect Page 13 Sports: Men’s soccer continues winning streak Page 8 Editorial: Al-Quds relationship is beneficial Page 10

men’s soccer triumphs Both men’s and women’s soccer have exceeded expectations this season. The men are currently ranked #4 and

women are ranked #20 in Division Three. For more information, see SPORTS page 8.

photo by marian sileholm/the hoot

Univ. implements bystander intervention training

By Victoria Aronson Editor

With investigations for Title IX allegations underway and the recent departure of Sexual Assaults Services and Prevention Specialist Sheila McMahon, on the basis of academic leave, the university’s policy toward victims of sexual assault has been in the spotlight recently.

Student protesters assembled outside the Rose for the ceremonial lighting of the “Light of Reason,”

duct tape covering their mouths, bearing poignant messages such as “It happens here.” Signs demanded the university “Shed light on the truth of sexual assault.”

In the wake of student protests, university efforts to combat the prevalence of sexual assault on campus continue to be implemented, such as bystander prevention training. According to Andrew Flagel, senior vice president for students and enrollment, “Bystander intervention training is currently the most recommended practice for re-

ducing incidence of sexual assault and changing campus culture in relation to gender based violence.”

Initially introduced during the spring of 2014 term, the training program was held for a second time this past September. The program was implemented according to the recommendations of the Violence Against Women Act grant task force and is See BYSTANDER, page 10

MKTYP

New Dreitzer Show

News: Page 11

Arts, Etc.: Page 9

Students honored for their efforts at the home of Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

Faculty and staff work showcased secret talents within the Brandeis community.

NEWS

2 The Brandeis Hoot

October 10, 2014

Students revive Al-Quds relationship From AL-QUDS, page 1

young Jewish adults, this summer.

“When we talked about the conflict, which wasn’t often, it was referred to in very broad terms,” said Villano.

“They very specifically told us to call the Wall a ‘security fence.’”

Nathan Young ’15, an observant Jewish student, spoke about his experience of interacting with the students from Al-Quds. Though he was hesitant to wear his kippah and tzitzit, traditional items of Jewish clothing worn by men, he recounted a story about he was later relieved to hear that they were actually expecting him to do so, because they wanted him to feel comfortable around them.

Naomi Hornstein ’15 shared a personal story about her grandparents who were refugees, and how this connected her with a handful Palestinian students who also identified as refu-

gees.

“I understand now that the identity of a refugee holds many meanings,” Hornstein said. “This is important in understanding the Palestinian narrative, as well as contextualizing my own identity.”

In 2003, then Brandeis president Yehuda Reinharz and Al-Quds president Sari Nusseibeh created a partnership to, “improve the administrative and infrastructure capacities at Al-Quds, one of Palestine’s nascent civic institutions; strengthen academics and offer opportunities for faculty, staff and students at both institutions and educate the campuses about the advantages of cooperation, goodwill and understanding.” The partnership was supported early on by the Ford Foundation, that gave $1 million in funding to sustain academic and administrative exchanges between the universities, as well as documenting the partnership’s development

We the Jury to incentivize sports attendance

By Gabby Drillich Special to the Hoot

At Boston College, getting a gold pass to sporting events will cost students between $170 and $200. A large part of the student body pays this amount without even a second thought. They then religiously attend games, hoping to earn points so they may have a chance of scoring a ticket to a hockey game.

Here at Brandeis, students don’t have to pay a cent to go to sporting events, and still the turnout is low.

This is why We The Jury, an incentive program based on points, was created.

We The Jury, created by Kyle Martin, marketing and promotions intern, with Brandeis Athletics, is here to get more students to come out to games. The idea revolves around a points system, in which students get points at each game they attend.

Depending on what type of sporting event, students will get between one and three points per game.

The points given at a game depend on how well-attended the games have been in the past. If someone goes to a soccer game, which usually has a bigger crowd, they will receive one point, while if someone attends a fencing match, they will receive three points.

The system is still in the works, but Martin has figured that the lowest threshold at which students can start to receive prizes will be 30 points, which will make students eligible for a drawstring bag and travel mug unavailable in the bookstore.

Martin got the idea from University of Massachusetts Lowell, his alma mater. Though UMass Lowell also had a points incentive system, Martin said students’ mindsets about sports

roll deis roll!

were very different.

“At Brandeis, the atmosphere is very much academics first and then athletics. At Lowell, it was almost the opposite,” he stated. Martin also noted that students here are involved in a large and diverse range of activities, making it is hard for them to find time to come out to sporting events.

Kyle Brenner ’15, head of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and a senior on the baseball team, is a partner in Martin’s We The Jury program. He noted a similar trend.

“It is hard to get people ‘across the bridge,’” he stated. Brenner agreed that an incentive is needed to get people to come out to games and can inspire people to find time in their busy schedules to come support the athletics program.

Martin also added that they had chosen to partner with a company called Best Attendance, which can track attendance at games and monitor points.

Although for some sports the crowd size doesn’t make a big difference, for others it can influence a prospective student’s choice when deciding if they want to play for Brandeis.

Brenner said that recruits will ask, from time to time, what kind of turnout there is at games.

This past summer, Brenner also got to play baseball for the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks, a team in the Future Collegiate Baseball League. There he played in front of 3,000 people as opposed to the 50 who typically show up to a Brandeis game. The biggest difference that Brenner noticed was that “it was no longer just a game, it was an event.”

And hopefully that is what the We The Jury program will create. Martin also has promised, “The winner will get something big!”

photo from internet source

through videos, photographs and publications.

However, in November of 2013, the partnership was suspended after a rally took place at Al-Quds. The events of the protest were described as “glorifying portrayals of hatred and violence that are antithetical to the institutional values of both Brandeis University and Al-Quds University.”

Nusseibeh issued a statement after the demonstration, that was published in both Arabic and English, condemning the events of the protest.

Lawrence called the statement “unacceptable and inflammatory” and also suspended Nusseibeh from the advisory board of the International Center of Ethics, Justice and Public Life.

Stewart and Philip, among others involved with the project, hope that somehow the partnership can be restored because they believe their experiences from this summer demonstrated a relationship of acceptance

and the power of effective dialogue.

“We believe that only through mutual understanding on an individual level can we change policies on a larger scale, and thus that meaningful dialogue between students from a Jewish-sponsored university and students from a Palestinian university is an important step—both practically and symbolically—in shaping a more peaceful future between Jews and Palestinians,” the proposal stated.

Faculty involved with the project include Professor Susan Lanser (ENG/WMGS/COML) and Professor Daniel Kryder (POL), both of whom have traveled extensively to Al-Quds and have been among the leaders of the partnership. Lanser noted that President Lawrence is supportive of student efforts to keep the conversation going and mentioned that the administration is “well-aware that our work will continue.”

Professor Gordon Fellman, chair of

the PAX Program, was also in attendance at the event and commended the group of students for their efforts.

“I just wanted to say how incredibly proud I am of this group,” Fellman said. “I am bursting with pride to what you have done.”

Philip said that they are currently working toward fostering more dialogue and hopes that there will be more exchanges between the two universities in the future.

“In terms of next steps, we are building a broad coalition of students, campus groups and faculty to show support for the partnership with Al Quds University, and encouraging President Lawrence and the administration to officially reinstate the partnership,” said Philip. “We’re excited by the large and diverse turnout at our launching event, and hoping President Lawrence will show leadership and take bold steps moving forward.”

Irony and Marcuse: Martin Jay delivers sharp first keynote

By Joe Vigil

special to the hoot

Students, faculty members and academics of various ages and backgrounds assembled in Rapaporte Treasure Hall on Oct. 1 to hear the keynote address of the first day of “The Many Dimensions of Herbert Marcuse” conference, delivered by Martin Jay. The conference explored the critical theory of Marcuse and coincided with the 50th anniversary of the release of his book “One-Dimensional Man,” which Jay discussed in his address “Irony and Dialectics: One-Dimensional Man at Fifty.”

Marcuse was an influential member of the Frankfurt School of Critical Theory and is widely regarded as the father of the New Left political movement. He taught classes in philosophy, politics, social science and the history of ideas at Brandeis from 1958 to 1965 and published “OneDimensional Man” in 1964.

Jay, who is the Sidney Hellman Ehrman Professor of History at the University of California, Berkeley, was introduced by European history major Benjamin Steele ’15. Jay researched and “has had a huge personal and intellectual involvement with many members of the Frankfurt School,” according to Steele.

Jay spoke first about the impact of the book and the theories that were presented by Marcuse. “I remember it as a sort of shocking book,” Jay said.

“It was one that jostled you out of a certain notion of American exceptionalism.”

Jay also spoke passingly about Marcuse’s view that people have a total inability to bridge the gap between an ideology and reality. He discussed the role that irony plays in “OneDimensional Man.” He did this first by speaking about the role of irony in the postwar world and specifically cited the views of Theodor Adorno, another member of the Frankfurt School.

“Adorno concluded that both satire and irony are no longer possible,” Jay said. He contended, however, that Marcuse used irony despite Adorno’s conclusions, and said that “Marcuse’s reliance on irony in fact in the book went beyond the surface rhetoric of his argument.”

Jay then attempted to pinpoint what kind of irony Marcuse used in

his book and whether it had criminal or negative implications. He defined three types of irony: cynical irony, paradoxical or unstable irony and dramatic or world historical irony. Jay contended that cynical irony relates to “impotent surrender” and does not imaginatively resist reality but instead provides “unresisting accommodation.” He did not think that this was the form of irony demonstrated in “One-Dimensional Man.” “Marcuse, I think, did not embrace this kind of ironic or cynical tactic,” said Jay. Similarly, he concluded that paradoxical irony, which can be represented by a philosopher that strives endlessly to achieve absolute truth that will result in satiation that is just outside of the realm of possibility, is not the kind of irony employed by Marcuse either.

The third kind of irony that Jay discussed, dramatic or world historical irony, is classified as an audience’s knowledge of crucial information at the beginning of a drama that a character lacks until the end of that drama. In historical context, it is classified as the knowledge a historian has of historical figures and both events that happen to them and their intentions before the event takes place.

Ultimately Jay concluded that, while “One-Dimensional Man” contained elements of all three ironies, the irony

herbert marcuse

most closely represented is that of dramatic or world historical irony.

“Marcuse was a hopeful historical materialist who still believes the future can somehow against all odds redeem the promises of the past, however much they’re now thwarted,” said Jay. Overall, Jay argued that Marcuse presented the belief in “One-Dimensional World” that the world is not entirely hopeless and beyond positivity.

After Jay concluded his address, he answered a few questions from the audience regarding things like Freudian irony’s place relative to Marcuse and incestuous political relationships and their place in the reality imagined

by Marcuse. The address was followed by a reception in the Mandel Atrium.

The keynote address was preceded by a day of correspondences delivered by people such as University President Fred Lawrence, Marcuse’s son, Patrick of Columbia University and various professors from Brandeis and other universities.

There were also debates and reexaminations of Marcuse’s theories, interspersed with refreshment breaks.

The second day on Oct. 2 followed a similar pattern, and the keynote address was delivered by Douglas Kellner of UCLA. The event was a function of the International Herbert Marcuse Society.

photo from internet source

October 10, 2014

The Brandeis Hoot

NEWS

3

CTL strives to promote sharing of ideas From CTL, page 1

what we can do to help them learn.”

During the gala, there was a video corner set up to record guests at the gala speaking about a memorable teaching moment. Some discussed a favorite teacher or gave tips for fellow teachers. Scattered throughout the gala were tall whiteboards asking what the CTL could do to best assist faculty written at the top, and all were invited to fill the boards with their answers. The interactive quality of the opening gala reflects the Center’s belief in collaborative, teacher-to-teacher learning. Spirits at the celebratory gala were high as those in attendance declared their appreciation for the hard work and dedication of Perlman and their eagerness to become involved in all the CTL has to offer. Many faculty members have stated plans to participate in the upcoming workshops and believe the CTL will prove a great asset to the Brandeis campus.

“If we can get people to talk with each other about student learning, how we can help them learn more effectively and in long-lasting ways, that’s going to be huge,” said Perlman. He also noted this is not something which occurs at all major research universities.

Perlman, in addition to his position as director of the CTL, also serves as the associate provost of innovation in education and a biology professor. He granted The Hoot an interview to cover the role the CTL plans to have on campus in the future. Perlman stated that the CTL will hold workshops on topics such as teaching to a large class and formulating effective writing assignments, offer one-on-one consulting for teaching issues and help faculty gain access to campus resources, such as those from the office of Experiential Learning, which they might not have known existed.

Perlman explained that three separate parents sparked the creation of the CTL. The first of which was the university’s strategic plan of 2013.

The strategic plan called for an office of innovation and education, which evolved into the CTL. The second parent was the Committee for the Support of Teaching, headed by Senior Associate Dean of Arts and Sci-

photo by karen caldwell/the hoot

TEACHING: Faculty gather to share ideas

ences for Undergraduate Education Elaine Wong, which for decades has offered workshops on effective teaching methods for faculty and will be co-sponsoring some workshops with the CTL in the future. The last parent is former Provost Goldstein who has been very supportive of the center, from its inclusion in the strategic plan until present. Perlman sees the CTL as being a major portion of Goldstein’s legacy on campus as he moves on from Brandeis in the coming weeks.

Perlman also acknowledged the Davis Teaching and Learning Fellowship, where he serves as facilitator, as a great model for what the CTL can accomplish. The Davis Fellows, a group of faculty who meet to discuss successful teaching ideas, was first started in 2012 and has proved to be a great promoter of discussion between professors from all areas of the university.

“Something I have learned from participating in the Davis fellowship is how much we can learn from different corners of the university, such as seeing the ways a chemistry professor and economics professor can learn from watching each other teach,” Perlman noted. “This multidisciplinary interaction is fantastic.”

The 2013 class of Davis Fellows, for example, have independently organized to meet twice a month to continue their dialogue on the best ways to teach after their terms had finished. Perlman hopes this sort of interaction among faculty will continue and be expanded through the CTL, and eventually move beyond the walls of the center.

And the CTL looks to aid more than just the faculty. Graduate students and postdoc fellows will be able to benefit from programs focusing on the basics of teaching. These programs and workshops will help boost their confidence when they go out on the academic job search, being able to say they know their field and they know how to teach. Perlman mentioned that other universities already offer teaching training for their graduate students, and the CTL will be able to attract more candidates to pursue their graduate education at Brandeis.

During the interview, Perlman mentioned this quote by colleague Sharon Feiman-Nemser (NEJS): “Teaching is the second most private thing we do behind closed doors.”

Perlman objects to that. “Throughout my career, teaching has not been a solitary, private endeavor [as it is for

most professors] but a team sport.”

And Perlman knows that other faculty members see it that way as well, adding “watching colleagues light up and share ideas is wonderful to see.”

While it will be difficult to accomplish, Perlman acknowledges the help he and the center have received from the advisory committee of some of the best faculty and staff at the university. This committee consists of Jen Cleary (THA), Michael Doonan (HS), Irina Dubinina (GRALL), Tim Hickey (COSI), Susan Lanser (ENG/ WMGS/COML), Marya Levenson (ED), Karen Muncaster (Rabb), Joshua Wilson (LTS) and Elaine Wong.

It will be the students who have the most to gain from the formation of the CTL, as their professors will undoubtedly cultivate their teaching skill and utilize the resources available to them to make a better classroom experience. And Perlman believes this will be easy to attain. “If we can help people explore the beauty of teaching and learning, we will be successful.” That exploration will start, then, at the Center for Teaching and Learning on Farber 2.

BULLETIN BOARD: Faculty share ideas about the new center.

photo by karen caldwell/the hoot

BLC and Sodexo general manager discuss employee working conditions

By Joon Park staff

Twelve members of the Brandeis Labor Coalition (BLC) gathered in Upper Usdan on Tuesday, Oct. 7 to hold a meeting with Sodexo’s General Manager Shawn Monaghan.

In the beginning of the meeting, BLC member Andrew Nguyen ’15 introduced himself and discussed the concerns of the BLC. “We wanted to have a conversation with you, in terms of the stories we hear from the workers,” said Nguyen.

He continued to talk about what some of the concerns are and how they wish to best approach them. “As students, we want to know how these issues are addressed,” Nguyen said.

“We are a part of the same community as workers, and their concerns are our concerns.”

Nguyen continuously pointed out that management is a main concern.

“We wanted to know what management was doing in order to solve the issues that we are having,” he said.

Monaghan replied that first, he

wanted to get the facts straight. He expressed confusion about why the working condition of Sodexo employees was being dealt with through this channel.

“The reason I agreed to meet with you … it is rather outside of the norm … Because the employees are protected by the bargaining unit,” said Monaghan. He later stated that employees should directly talk to their supervising managers regarding the grievances.

Monaghan moved on to ask if anyone has read the union contract, saying that there is a procedure in filing the grievance. He explained the process could take longer than expected according to the union contract.

BLC member Cecile Afable ’16 said that all the stories club members have heard were workers’ direct, firsthand experience. Club members therefore believe that they are a more accurate depiction of what is happening on campus to Sodexo workers. BLC members have gone through many sessions of listening to the workers’ grievances.

Students said they will look up the union contract, and asked if the latest grievance has been reviewed.

“We are challenged running operations,” said Monaghan. “At this point, we have 11 open positions for workers. We work for the bargain unit on a referral program.” In response to the question about the latest grievance petition, Monaghan said there was a meeting held with the employees last Wednesday, Oct. 1. He also added that he started working this summer, stating he was not responsible for an uncovered grievance from April.

Nguyen sought affirmation from Monaghan, asking if he would routinely check the grievances. He also asked for a timetable of when grievances will be reviewed. The manager stated it was impossible to review every single grievance, because some of them are regurgitations, and the company is also striving to run a business.

Monaghan discussed how Sodexo’s duties on campus have expanded this year. Sodexo anticipated a rise in the number of students eating in Lower

Usdan after changing to an all-youcan-eat buffet, and the population during lunchtime did increase to 1,000 students. Sodexo struggled with a lack of workers, and some employees also had to change locations to keep business running smoothly.

In busy times, cashiers also had to help out. This detail answered the question of why some workers were doing jobs that were not signed in the contract.

Nguyen asked why the updated schedules of employees working extra hours were not posted frequently.

He also stated that workers felt intimidated by managers working in the field. He added that the extra working hours could benefit some workers financially. Monaghan stated that more managers were on the floor due to the lack of workers overall. He also stated that, as a general manager, he believed that managers often needed to come out of the office and help out.

Students stated that the workers had had no issue with working conditions under Aramark,

Brandeis’ previous dining contractor.

Monaghan stated that the students should go ask the employees if they would want Aramark back. On the issue of whether or not Sodexo favors temporary workers to union workers, Monaghan claimed every temporary worker requires time for training, and it is inefficient to spend resources in just training people.

BLC stated that they were going to keep talking with the workers and checking in about their feelings on Sodexo. Monaghan stated, “People are passionate about the situation— the employees, students and the management.” He said he would have dialogue with the employees.

“This is a collective issue, not just a management issue,” Monaghan said. “I really thought this meeting had value, and that is why I made accepted the meeting. I wanted to hear what the students directly thought … Now, BLC [can help with the] improvement of Sodexo. I encourage you to keep probing employees, and we should have a meeting in the near future.”

ARTS

4 The Brandeis Hoot

October 10, 2014

BTC gives inspiring performance of ‘Dead Man’s Cell Phone’

By Jess Linde Editor

It is clear from the very beginning of “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” that this play wants to say something. Countless bits of dialogue reference the emotional metaphysics of technology and communication and assure us, the audience, we should listen to what it is saying.

“Dead Man’s Cell Phone” tells the story of Jean, who decides to answer the cell phone of a man who has died quietly next to her in a cafe. Jean, played by Samantha Browne-Walters ’15, is a woman who will spin a web of lies to make others feel better. She creates a mental picture of the man, Gordon, which she chooses to honor by answering the phone. This leads her to the man’s dysfunctional family and clandestine job, which teach her about Gordon, as well as love, truth, death and herself.

The Brandeis Theater Company

production of the play, directed

by Professor Adrianne Krstansky (THA) premiered last night, Oct. 9 in Spingold’s Laurie Theater. The stage was sparsely decorated with hanging lights, and the play’s props were minimal beyond tables and chairs set up by the play’s ensemble. As a result, the audience was drawn more directly to the action of the play itself and its players.

Browne-Walters gives a fantastic performance as the protagonist Jean, portraying the character with an honesty that is both endearing and, in relation to the part’s pathological lying, at times frustrating. The supporting cast is equally compelling.

Sarah Brodsky ’15 is both funny and sad as Gordon’s unstable mother, Aaron Fischer ’15 endears as the timid Dwight, and Aliza Sotsky ’15’s honest portrayal of Gordon’s jilted wife drew genuine gasps from the audience.

Jacquelyn Drozdow ’15 provides

great comic relief as a mysterious stranger, and Alex Davis ’15 is wonderful as Gordon, embodying the character in a way that fully illustrates his selfishness, despite it being a small role. Krstansky directs the play with a precision that makes use of the minimalist set and simple costumes. The actors are always placed in such a way that the audience’s eyes are drawn to them, and they interact disarmingly realistically. In one scene, two characters are supposed to be in a closet, which is highlighted simply by one spotlight.

Even the actors’ facial expressions seem carefully crafted with a purpose. Overall, the characters are made to feel genuine, emphasized especially through the acting.

Unfortunately, some of the dialogue was lost due to the odd shape of the Laurie Theater, and the fact that I was sat high up and to the side. Without additional microphones, which did not seem to be present, it was

sometimes hard to hear what was being said on stage. This was especially noticeable because “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” is extremely dialoguefocused, with most if not all of the major plot and character points being delivered through monologues.

Several scenes, including a key one in the second act, feature loud music and other sound effects that sometimes overpowered the actors completely. This was only an occasional issue, though. For the most part, I heard the dialogue, and I could always see all of the show.

Where the acting of “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” inspires, the play itself, written by playwright Sarah Ruhl in 2007, fails to deliver on the highlights of the production. Again, the dialogue and plot are always bursting at the opportunity to deliver a statement on a social issue in our modern world. Luckily for the characters in the play, they exist in a world where everyone says exactly what they want

others to take away from the play in every word of dialogue. The play is happy to tell us how to think about this and that, and some parts feel more like a lecture than a performance. At the same time, the story throws in some weird twists and turns that are more fit for an action film than a rumination on social interaction in the digital age.

Despite this failing in the show itself, “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” is brought to life by the Brandeis Theater Company. They manage to inject a not-particularly-interesting story with gravitas using great performances and stylish direction.

Enjoyable because of the talent involved and hard work that has clearly gone into the play, “Dead Man’s Cell Phone” is very worth seeing.

“Dead Man’s Cell Phone” will play Friday night at 8 p.m., two Saturday shows at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. this weekend in the Laurie Theater.

First-year begins all-inclusive a capella group

By Michelle Kim Editor

A capella has had a strong presence at Brandeis for many years. Each semester, many students flock to auditions in hopes of making it into one of the many groups on campus. The newest a capella group, No Singer Clef Behind, had its first meeting last Tuesday. Steven Hoffman ’18 began the group because he felt that there needed to be an all-inclusive group on campus.

“When I auditioned for my high school’s co-ed group at the beginning of freshman year and didn’t get in, I made it my goal to improve my voice and, in the process, figure out what it takes to be successful in an a cappella group,” he said in an interview.

By the time Hoffman graduated high school, he had made it into the group and had performed at both Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall.

In addition, he has arranged many a cappella pieces and was mentored by numerous professionals. “Overall, my experience with a cappella has always been educational. I’m always learning something new about singing, music and even myself. A cappella helped me improve both my musical abilities and self-esteem. I was really looking forward to doing a cappella at Brandeis,” he disclosed.

However, when he came to Brandeis, he was unable to continue his passion for music and a capella right away. “I auditioned for five groups at the beginning of this semester: Manginah, Company B, Rather Be Giraffes, Starving Artists

and VoiceMale. I got five callbacks … and five rejections. The simple answer is that I really wanted to keep doing a cappella, and I knew there were others in the same situation.”

As a result, he and Emily Kalver ’18, vice president of the group, spearheaded the all-inclusive movement. “Many members of the Brandeis community may feel intimidated by existing a cappella groups.

They think they’re not good enough to join, or are alienated by the competitive, exclusive atmosphere surrounding auditions.”

The club’s name, No Singer Clef Behind, mimics the idea of “No Child Left Behind,” though it isn’t meant to be mocking. The singers want to encourage an open, inviting and fun atmosphere for other students. The idea is based on an all-inclusive a cappella group at Skidmore College, the Treblemakers.

Article I, Section 2 of the club’s constitution states: “The purpose of AIAC shall be to foster an inclusive, fun and educational musical experience … and promote the development of musicianship and singing

no singer clef behind Steven Hoffman ‘18 makes new a capella group

skills within the Brandeis community.”

In the upcoming semester, Hoffman plans for the group to get on their feet and establish themselves for the future. No Singer Clef Behind has four to five potential songs in mind, including an easy and fun arrangement of MKTO’s “Classic.” The group is aiming to learn around six to seven songs per semester.

“I also hope to incorporate work from student arrangers, and even collaborate with other a cappella groups here at Brandeis,” he says.

According to Hoffman, college a capella serves a musical and a social function. Because the community has such a large presence on campus, this effect is amplified. “A cappella on campus allows everyone to connect to the vibrant arts community at Brandeis, whether they’re a music major or a biochem major on the premed track,” he said. A capella benefits many, he believes, because of its positive effect on campus. Students should look out for concerts by No Singer Clef Behind as the semester continues.

photo courtesy steven hoffman

CALLING ALL ARTISTS! Do you like talking about theater, music, art and etc. ?

WRITE ARTS FOR THE HOOT! email eic@thebrandeishoot.com and start today!

October 10, 2014

ARTS 5

The Brandeis Hoot

YouTube artist defies all odds

By Theresa Gaffney Editor

Orla Gartland was 13 years old when she posted her first video on YouTube, after only about a year of being able to play the guitar. Growing up in Dublin, Ireland, Gartland first learned how to play the violin and fiddle, but it wasn’t until she was 12 that she got into the guitar.

At first, Gartland posted covers of pop songs, from Beyonce’s “Halo” to “First Day of My Life” by Bright Eyes.

Soon Gartland was writing her own songs and posting them online.

She sang practically every song in front of the soon-to-be famous yellow wall in her bedroom. Gartland says that her inspiration comes from folk/pop artists like Joni Mitchell and Regina Spektor. After posting countless songs on YouTube, her first official single was “Devil on My Shoulder,” released in 2012.

The track reached No. 2 on the Irish Singer/Songwriter charts on iTunes.

Gartland was 17 years old.

Since then, Gartland has been gaining more and more popularity. Her YouTube channel has over 10 million views, and her first EP “Roots” was released in November 2013. Since then, Gartland has gone on tour and will soon be releasing her second EP. Part of what makes Gartland so great as an artist, in addition to her amazing voice and playing skills, is how real she is. Having started out by simply picking up an instrument and singing along for fun, Gartland

truly loves making music and is always so grateful for the success that she has had thus far. “This tweet is a reminder that I fancy you,” she posted this week.

Always reaching out and talking to her fans on social media, Gartland recently announced a new project. In lieu of the release of her second EP, Gartland is going to make a music video for the title track.

The song is called “Lonely People.”

“It’s not at all as grim as the title suggests,” Gartland said in a YouTube video. “It’s a really upbeat and hopeful song. It’s about youth and not wasting it and not wasting your days.”

And now, fans have the opportunity to show how they are living their days. “I want footage of real people.

Real people, real footage … and that’s it.”

With a deadline of Friday, Oct. 10, fans all around the world can send Gartland footage that may be used in her music video. Footage shouldn’t be edited but rather simple, raw video of people. On Oct. 11, Gartland will begin watching all submitted clips herself, and then begin putting them together into the music video.

After, every person whose footage is used in the video will receive a goody bag from Gartland, including exclusive posters not available to anyone else. In 2011 Gartland had a similar contest, where fans sent in EP artwork.

It is projects like this that show how passionate Gartland is about her music and her fans. “Roots” was No. 1 on the main Ireland iTunes charts, No. 15 in the U.K. and No. 2 in the

orla gartland Orla Gartland’s first EP “Roots“

Singer/Songwriter chart in the U.S. With her success only growing, one can expect great things from Gartland’s second EP, to be released some-

time this month.

Gartland is an upbeat and folky artist. Her songs stick in your head and are great to sing along to. Look

photo from internet source

out for her new EP this month and check out her YouTube channel for more details on her music video footage submission details.

Polonsky appointed chief historian of Polish Jews museum

By Liya Wizevich

Special to the Hoot

The Museum of the History of Polish Jews will open in Warsaw on Oct. 28. Brandeis professor Antony Polonsky, the Albert Abramson Professor of Holocaust Studies (HIST/ NEJS), was appointed as chief historian of the new museum.

Polonsky was born in South Africa to Jewish parents from Lithuania and Belarus. He grew up in Johannesburg and attended the University of the Witwatersrand. He went to England on a Rhodes Scholarship in 1961 and read modern history at Oxford University. Until 1992, when he came to Brandeis as a visiting professor, Polonsky taught international history at the London School of Economics and Political Science. In 1999, he was

honored with the position of Albert Abramson Professor of Holocaust Studies. This appointment is held jointly at Brandeis and at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

Polonsky’s expertise in East European Jewish history and Holocaust studies then led him to the position at the museum.

The Association of the Jewish Historical Institute of Poland, the City of Warsaw and the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage officially founded the Museum of Polish Jews in 2005, but permanent exhibitions will not open until this fall. The Museum stands in what was once the center of Jewish Warsaw, the area the Nazis made the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II. This location was chosen for its proximity to the Monument to the Ghetto Heroes, also an important place in the Polish-Jewish

past.

The museum will cover all aspects of Jewish history. The core exhibition will tell the story of Polish Jews from the first Jewish merchants in the 10th century until present day. Polonsky emphasizes that “there are still Jews in Poland and elsewhere in Eastern Europe, and the complex civilization the Jews created here remains a source of admiration and inspiration to both Jews and non-Jews. It is our hope that the museum will contribute to the preservation and informed appreciation of the history and accomplishments of the Jews of this region.” Polonsky acknowledged the most difficult topic to cover was the Holocaust. “In our display we stress that the adoption, planning and implementation of a policy of the mass murder of the Jews here was the work of the Nazi leadership and the Ger-

man people who for the most part, willingly or unwillingly, followed their lead.” One of the most important themes of the museum will be to show the contribution of Jews to Polish culture and history.

Polonsky’s primary role as chief historian will put him in charge of the museum’s academic board, and he will also act as a member of its core exhibition committee. He will give an annual lecture at the museum, chair the academic board of Global Educational Outreach Program (GEOP), which allocates funds for specific academic programs and

assess them afterwards, head the GEOP Research grants and scholarships program committee and advise the museum director and other team members.

Polonsky’s appointment as chief historian of the museum is the culmination of more than 35 years of work on the history of Jews in Poland and Polish-Jewish relations. His goal for the museum is to “not only make better known the complex history of Jews in the Polish lands, but act as a major stimulus to its scholarly investigation in Poland, Europe, Israel and the rest of the world.”

photos from internet source

museum of the history of polish jews New museum in Poland will open soon

antony polonsky Brandeis professor appointed chief historian of new museum

October 10, 2014

ARTS 6

The Brandeis Hoot

Brandeis Film Collective to release first big project

By Michelle Kim Editor

The Brandeis Film Collective, dedicated to the production of short films, will be releasing a student-produced Halloween film this year. Although the club has kept its lips sealed when asked what the film will be about, it disclosed that it will not be a movie for the faint-hearted.

“We don’t want to give anything away. You’ll have to see it to find out!

The one thing we will say is that this film will be frighteningly realistic,” revealed Naomi Rodriguez ’16, who is in charge of public relations. There will be a screening on Oct. 30, the Thursday before Halloween.

The organization is a chartered club dedicated to the production of short films and offers opportunities to aspiring filmmakers, screenwriters, actors and actresses, composers and editors to produce a video of their own making. “We utilize highquality film equipment and teach club members on how to operate it so that they can be a part of our film crew.

Once we have our footage, we take editors down to Getz Media Lab and teach them how to use programs such as Adobe Premiere Pro, Avid Media Composer and Adobe After Effects,” explained Rodriguez. The BFC’s main goal is to educate club members and to expose them to the filmmaking process.

The BFC executive board knew Halloween would be a great topic to focus its first big project on because there are were many possible creative ideas. “The genre could be horror, drama, comedy or action, depending on the direction the production team chose. Our first priority was to find screenwriters to get the creative process started. We used our Facebook page to scout interested writers, actors and actresses, film crew members, editors and film track composers. Then, we posted a sign-up list.

Once we received the ideas from the writers, an email was sent out to the list-serv, inviting club members to vote for their favorite idea. When voting ended, the e-board got to work on fusing suggested scenes into one comprehensive script. By this week, we will have found our cast and had our first day of shooting. Also, we will have recorded some creepy music using the recording studio in the library.

We are very excited for the Brandeis community to see our final product,” said Rodriguez.

The BFC executive board wants BFC to serve as a creative outlet for anyone who is interested in film.

While Brandeis does offer the Film, Television and Interactive Media major and minor, the opportunities for actual filmmaking are limited. Christine Kim ’17, BFC treasurer and a Film and Computer Science double major, said, “BFC supplements the

film major with the hands-on production and creative aspects. While in class, we learn about theories and analysis. In BFC, we apply them.” The club promotes the film major, especially the Film Production I course offered each year, which is where some of the club members learned how to use film editing programs.

However, Rodriguez emphasized that while the club supports the film major, they support the involvement of students from all fields of study.

The executive board, for example, is composed of Health: Science, Society and Policy, business, women’s studies, International and Global Studies and computer science majors.

Although the BFC is endeavoring to produce a longer film this month, it usually aims to create a short video of some sort every week during their meetings, which are on Thursdays at 8 p.m. at Starbucks in the Goldfarb Library. They are constantly on the lookout for creative minds, new ideas and a passion for filmmaking, so all interested students should look for them on Facebook. “Ultimately, the eboard wants to see students take film seriously, even if they are producing a comedy … especially if they are producing a comedy.”

brandeis film club Executive board members (from left to right): Christine Kim ‘17, Yiyao Zhu ‘15, Kristen War-Chalk ‘16, and Naomi Rodriguez ‘16

photo by naomi rodriguez/the hoot

7 FEATURES.

The Brandeis Hoot

October 10, 2014

FEATURES

Duggan celebrates passion for comedy

By Theresa Gaffney editor

With the fall semester in full swing, seniors all around campus are settling in for their last year as undergraduates before they head off into the real world. Some, however, have decided to embark on that journey a bit earlier than usual, by graduating a semester early and packing up this December.

Emily Duggan ’14 is one of these brave souls. Duggan arrived at Brandeis as a first-year in the fall of 2011, after already completing two semesters at two different secondary institutions. Her credits did not transfer, despite the semester she spent at Bryn Mawr College, and another at Suffolk University. She finally chose to attend Brandeis because of its specific creative writing major.

“It was the only school that had its own creative writing major,” Duggan said. While Emerson College had a writing major that she also looked at, she appreciated the interdisciplinary requirements, such as a studio art class, for the Brandeis creative writing major. Duggan is a single major in creative writing, but enjoyed taking a wide variety of courses in all different subjects throughout her time at Brandeis. “I just don’t have six majors to show for it all,” she joked.

If she was going to have another area of study, it would have been theater, Duggan said. She took some theater classes, but also had her full share of theater experience outside of the classroom. “Every time I get on stage at Chum’s, I think, ‘That’s something I want to do for a long time.’”

Duggan has acted in various plays at the university including “Rabbit Hole,” “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Almost, Maine.” She also joined an improv troupe and the sketch comedy troupe on campus. As a firstyear, she joined Bad Grammer, and she was accepted to the sketch troupe Boris’ Kitchen at the beginning of her sophomore year.

While she had gotten involved on campus by performing in comedy troupes, it took more time for Dug-

gan to see that it was comedy she was interested in pursuing after graduating. One of her most significant comedic scenes took place during a straight play—Brandeis Player’s “Rabbit Hole,” which she acted in during her second year at Brandeis. “Rabbit Hole” is a tragic story of how a family mourns the death of their young son.

Duggan played a grandmother in the show, and in one scene, she sat on the grandson’s bed and spoke, quoting another character. During one of the last rehearsals, she took a stuffed animal from the bed and held it as if it was talking, as she quoted the other character. Her director loved it, and they kept it in the scene.

“Every time we did it the audience laughed, a lot. It was my signature thing. The thing I brought to [the show] was this lightheartedness in this moment,” she said. It was moments such as these that led Duggan to realize how she wanted to use her own “weirdness.” This was when she realized that she wanted to pursue comedy after college. “I saw that there was a function, it wasn’t just weird for weird’s sake,” she said.

Her experience on stage is not the only thing that has helped her along the way. “I did things that I was really good at, and I did things that I really wasn’t good at.” While improvisation and acting came somewhat naturally, often it was the activities that she struggled with that opened her eyes.

During her first year at Brandeis, she took a painting class. “I was very concerned with realism,” said Duggan, “I just wanted it to look like exactly what I was seeing ... and I’m just not that good of a painter.” Part of the problem, her professor noted one day, was that she was painting too lightly. Afraid to make a mistake that she couldn’t go back over, her strokes were so light that the canvas could still be seen through the color. He told her to use bolder strokes. Duggan took this advice to heart, carrying it into her daily life.

“If you are wishy washy about stuff, and too afraid to go all into it, you don’t really get anywhere,” she said. “I learned how to be satisfied with doing the best that I could.”

Three years later, Duggan is a copresident of Boris’ Kitchen and Bad Grammer as well as a co-writing coordinator for Boris’ Kitchen. She consistently writes sketches for the troupe to perform. Her success at Brandeis is tangible in the laughter she creates when given an audience.

But with only a few months left of school, Duggan is beginning to consider the next big question: What comes next?

Ideally, Duggan will be able to explore new scenery after graduation.

Having grown up in Melrose, a town less than an hour from Waltham, Duggan is looking to branch out this winter by either doing volunteer work, or perhaps obtaining an unpaid internship. While she would like to travel somewhere such as Chicago or even Europe, she has no definite plans yet. No matter where she is going or what she is doing though, she is determined to be write.

“I’m trying to decide if I want to be in a big city, or in a quieter area...so that’s what I’ll be figuring out in the

next couple of months,” she said.

As for the long-term, Duggan has a vision of what sort of career her passion may lead her to. She wants to work in a collaborative creative environment, most likely for a tv show— a comedy, of course. She could be a writer, an actress, a director or perhaps all three.

If one thing’s for sure, it’s that Duggan loves what she is doing. “If we all felt that we were on stage a bit more,” she said, “if we all felt that same freedom … we would all feel happier. I would feel happier.”

“If you are wishy washy about stuff, and too afraid to go all into it, you don’t really get anywhere. I learned how to be satisfied with doing the best that I could ” Emily Duggan

“

photo from internet source

SKETCH Boris’ Kitchen specializes in a sketch comedy. Duggan is also a part of Bad Grammer, an improv group.

“Every time I get on stage at Chum’s, I think, ‘That’s something I want to do for a long time.’”

photo from internet source

PASSION Dugan participating in activities that she struggled with in order to discover hidden talents.

BORIS’ KITCHEN It was only after joining Boris’ Kitchen the beginning of her sophomore year that Dugan realized her passion for comedy and her after college plans.

photo courtesy jason kasman

SPORTS

October 10, 2014

SPORTS 8

Women’s soccer wins 11th straight game

By Sarah Jousset editor

Tuesday the Brandeis women’s soccer team won their 11th straight game this season. The team broke a record in their previous game against Case Western Reserve University, as they reached 10 consecutive wins in the University Athletic Association (UAA) home opener.

The Judges won 1-0 in Saturday’s game against Case, when the single goal was scored in the 12th minute of the game. On the second of nine corner kicks that game, Holly Szafran ’16 passed the ball to Sapir Edalati ’15 who headed the pass under the crossbar past Case Western goalkeeper Abbey Smith. This goal not only sealed the new record of Brandeis Women’s Soccer, but marked the first goal allowed by Smith since Sept. 14, over more than 442 minutes of play.

Brandeis kept rolling on Tuesday with a 1-0 shutout win over Eastern Nazarene College. This was the Judges’ eighth straight shutout this season.

The Judges started off strong with a diving block by goalie Michelle Savuto ’15 which set the pace for rest of the game. The Judges played a tight, fast-paced game with the Lions, in a back and forth game. The Judges got ahead with a single goal in the 18th minute. Forward Edalati dribbled the ball through the midfield before passing to the left of the 18 yard box.

Then Samantha Schwartz ’18 proceeded to drill a shot from the left corner of the box into the upper right of the goal, marking the first-year’s seventh goal of the season.

The Lions’ goalkeeper, Kristen Farley, kept the contest close with six saves during the game. The Judges

winning streak Women’s soccer extends their streak to eleven consecutive wins, while shutting out the

photos by karen caldwell/the hoot

last eight opponents faced..

outshot the Lions 14-7 and played a tough defense the rest of the game to keep the Lions from scoring. Brandeis goalies Savuto and Alexis Grossman ’17 split time in goal, each with one save in the game.

The Judges not only extended their record to 11 straight with this win over Eastern Nazarene, but are 11-1 on the season giving them a No. 20 ranking. Brandeis women’s soccer has now outscored their opponents 26-3 this season.

Brandeis will look to continue its winning streak this Saturday at 4 p.m. when they travel to the University of Rochester.

“

Brandeis kept rolling on Tuesday with a 1-0 shutout win over Eastern Nazarene College.

”

Men’s soccer beats Case Western in close match

By Sarah Jousset Editor

Saturday was a good day for Brandeis athletics when the No. 4 ranked Brandeis men’s soccer team racked up their 10th win of the season in their home opener of the University Athletics Association (UAA) conference.

The Judges (10-1 for the season) faced a tough opponent in Case, as the teams struggled to surpass strong defenses on both ends. The Spartans’ first-year goalkeeper, Calvin Boyle, had four stops during the game. His team’s offense was also busy putting pressure on the Brandeis defense.

Brandeis goalkeeper, Joe Graffy ’15, had two saves, keeping the first half

scoreless.

Both teams came out in the second half determined to get the win, so both teams had to take serious risks in order to get ahead. Spartans junior, Chris Cvecko, tested Graffy with a free kick shot. Graffy had to punch over the net to keep the Spartans from scoring. Brandeis had plenty of opportunities to score, outshooting the Spartans 20-9, but just couldn’t convert anything. The two teams battled until the end of regulation still tied at 0-0.

Brandeis pushed past the Spartans in overtime, holding their opponents to no shots, while producing seven attempts at goal themselves.

However, neither team seemed to be able to conquer their opponent’s de-

fense, sending the game into double overtime. With 1:46 left, the Judges finally scored. Tyler Savonen ’15, took the ball deep into the box, only to be tackled by a Case Western Reserve University player. This resulted in a penalty shot for Savonen, which proved to be the downfall for the Spartans.

This intense game gave the Brandeis men’s soccer team its 10th straight win and longest streak since 1985, when the Judges managed 15 consecutive wins.

Brandeis men’s soccer played again Tuesday at MIT, where they won, extending their streak to 11 wins this season.

The Judges play again at Rochester University this Saturday at 1 p.m.

overtime Men’s soccer went into double overtime Saturday against Case Western Reserve University.

photo by marian siljeholm/the hoot

October 10, 2014

ARTS 9

The Brandeis Hoot

Minus the Bear’s new album deserves a close listen

By Clayre Benzadon Staff

On Oct. 7, indie band Minus the Bear released their new album “Lost Love.” The interesting and random band name “Minus the Bear” actually came from an inside joke between a friend in the band and lead vocalist Jake Snider.

The new album includes songs with original names that seem to represent a sort of pain (“Broken China” and “Cat Calls & Ill Means”) and irony (“Patiently Waiting” and “The Lucky Ones”), describing the feeling of loss toward the love that they refer to in each song.

Most of the songs seem to have a similar tune and are heavily packed with guitar riffs, but the lyrics contain much more depth than the album title seems to indicate.

A lot of the lyrics contain a setting that grounds the song into a more somber tone that the audience can appreciate. For instance, in “Cat Calls and Ill Means,” the metaphor for the day on the lover’s face is “just late night, bar light/ a street lamp, a moonlit bedside … falling apart before sunrise.”

The beautiful imagery emphasizes the representation of the woman’s transient nature, being compared to the night, disappearing before sunrise. Toward the end, the lyrics mention, “the sun on our skin will start fires,” which is another rhythmic

comparison due to the alliteration that powerfully reflects the power that the woman has on the speaker as she turns into a sun, causing their “skin to start fires” which demonstrates the suffering and frustration that she has caused each of them.

The song “Electric Rainbow” is one of the songs that contains more irony than anything else. Even the title suggests it with its colorful appearance. Through the lyrics, we can also see the sarcasm in the speaker’s voice: “Your mark has made you his, / And if you want to live,/ Let me suggest this:/ Get a gun,/ And get a car./ Get on the 25 South to Mexico./ Find some place and lay low, just lay low.” A lot of different interpretations can be made from this excerpt, but what came to mind is that the speaker views the woman’s new lover as someone who has complete control over her.

“Patiently Waiting” is another satirical song that again captures the bitterness the speaker feels toward his lover finding someone new.

Again the dark imagery is set up in the song, with the night and the hotel bar and the “losing track of time” through the emptying of the glasses. The speaker swiftly and clearly changes to point out his disdain: “He found your gaze but you made him yours/ did you know you could take a man so easily?”

And again we also see the fleeting moments of the “morning.” This time

we see that karma has come around through the next scene of lyrics: “Morning came and saw you alone/ he had turned into a note:/ ‘thanks girl, next time in my town/ just pick up the phone’/ it found the floor/ you found you weren’t at home/ it was a note/ just like any other guy.” These lyrics stand out because they aren’t as generic as most songs. The wordplay of “found” creates an unexpected juxtaposition of the note “finding the floor” compared to the woman, negatively “finding that she wasn’t at home.”

Additionally, the man’s written note is a bit different and bit absurd— he tells her to “call him,” which just dramatizes the irony even more with the inclusion of such a ridiculous situation (usually, people involved in one night stands unfortunately don’t even bother to leave notes—keeping contact with each other after is even more unthinkable).

But even after everything the lover has done to the speaker, at least he still thinks about her and gives her advice through the songs: “move, baby, move/ your life is falling on you”. Even though it may be through a mocking tone, the mood switches like a double-edged sword. He makes fun of her because, through unfortunate situations, she ended up with her other lover. Yet, his words of wisdom indicate he still cares about her.

At first listen, “Lost Loves” seems to be a trite album full of love, heart-

photos from internet source

minus the bear Indie Band releases new album

break and simplicity, but the lyrics prove otherwise through their wit, cleverness, irony and powerful im-

agery. Like their original band name, Minus the Bear succeeds in writing up creative lyrics.

JustArts exhibit reveals hidden artistic talent

By Dana Trismen Editor

On Wednesday, Oct. 8, Brandeis launched a new art exhibit in the Dreitzer Gallery titled the “JustArts Faculty/Staff Exhibition.” Full of paintings, sculptures, drawings and more, this represents the best art of the Brandeis community. Professors, staff members and researchers alike contributed to the gallery, and the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Fine Arts sponsored the exhibit.

Maggie McNeely and Johanna Adams contributed the two best artistic moments in the gallery. McNeely has been a university archivist at Brandeis since 2005, and her job involves collecting mementos from the history of Brandeis. Her paintings on display include “Where the Rocks Open Widely,” a depiction of a rock outcrop that looks eerily like a sheep, “Shift” which shows a rodent-like creature blossoming into a tree and “Primo Prime Primi” where a person’s shadow rises out of the body of a lizard.

McNeely’s bio on display states that the inspiration for these paintings form “in my brain at odd hours” and that art allows her to understand existence more fully, and share the love “between people and an appreciation of nature.” McNeely’s love for nature is evident in the way the very earth seems alive in her paintings, from the deep brown dirt to the towering trees in “Shift.” She is also an excellent painter of animals. The sheep in “Where the Rocks Open Widely” stares at the viewer helplessly, like it hopes it is still hidden from view, but perhaps the viewer could help in some way.

Adams is a researcher in the Griffith Lab, and has been at Brandeis only a year. She spends her time studying circadian rhythms at work, and studies memory. She enjoys “rambunctious creativity” and “quiet book reading” while her artwork “explores the evolution of the individual in the context of a changing environment.”

Her drawings are plain, and may re-

mind audiences of Tim Burton cartoons like “Coraline” and “Nightmare Before Christmas.” One of her drawings depicts a woman looking down, holding a stuffed teddy bear behind her back. The earth glows above her, and the drawing prompts a feeling of intense isolation and abandonment in the viewer. They are simple drawings, but very moving all the same.

Another bright moment came with the work of Katherine Lobo, adjunct professor of education at Brandeis.

Her bio states that her books have been in museum and library collections for years and on display in Australia, Japan, China and the United States. Her piece on display, “China Exchange,” marks the 25th anniversary of her art studies at Tianjin Fine Art College. Lobo is known for her appreciation of other cultures. She speaks multiple languages, and in addition to her position at Brandeis she is also an English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher in the Belmont Public School system. Her art has a sense of worldliness that brings the viewer in.

Another interesting piece in the gallery is a sculpture created by Karen Klein. Klein is an associate professor of English and the Interdisciplinary Humanities (Emeritus) at Brandeis,

since 1964. After teaching literature for 37 years, Klein turned her attention towards dancing and sculpture.

The piece on display in Dreitzer is a warped piece of wood, aesthetically pleasing and fascinating for the eye to look at, given some parts of it are flat and others are wound and branching.

In one spot, the bark is even peeled off. “Wood is one of the materials with which I work,” stated Klein in her bio. The sculpture, titled “What Remains” is made of “bittersweet, fish skeleton and a slice of a hardwood tree … the sculpture reminds us that something beautiful and meaningful can be made even of leavings.”

Other remarkable artists on display include Department Coordinator of the Computer Science Department Katie Marchese, Senior Research Technician at Rosenstiel Research Center Quiqin Wu and Professor of Psychology Mick Watson.

This exhibit is a must see for Brandeis students, as it illustrates a passionate, creative side of professors and staff at Brandeis that students are not usually privy too. It is proof that people who are not professors of art can still be artists, and that having art as a hobby can lead to fruitful results.

This exhibit will remain on view on the Dreitzer Gallery until Oct. 26.

maggie mcneely “Where the Rocks Open Widely” is on display at the Rose Art Museum

justarts faculty/staff exhibition Professors, staff and researchers exhibit works ain

new Rose Art Musuem installiation

photos by dana trismen/the hoot

EDITORIALS

10 The Brandeis Hoot

“To acquire wisdom, one must observe.”

Editor-in-Chief Dana Trismen Senior Managing Editor Victoria Aronson Managing Editors Theresa Gaffney Andrew Elmers News Editors Emily Belowich Jess Linde Senior Copy Editors Mia Edelstein Julie Landy Deputy Features Editor Nathan Benjamin Deputy Arts Editor Michelle Kim Deputy Sports Editor Sarah Jousset Senior Layout Editor Sasha Ruiz Graphics Editor Linjie Xu

Volume 11 • Issue 19 the brandeis hoot • brandeis university 415 south street • waltham, ma

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STAFF

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October 10, 2014

Brandeis should reinstate partnership with Al-Quds University

I

n this week’s issue of The Hoot, we feature a group of students who shared their experiences spending time in Palestine and at Al-Quds University, a former partner of Brandeis.

Last year, the university suspended their relationship with the Palestinian institution over a Nazi-themed demonstration by an Islamic fundamentalist group. An abhorrent act, it was still one that was not representative of the entirety of Al-Quds University, as demonstrated by the experiences these students had. To give up on Al-Quds after one event would undermine the spirit of community that Brandeis claims to hold dear, as well as demean the hard work and resolve of the students involved.

In the spirit of second chances, Brandeis should reinstate its partnership with Al-Quds to further cultivate the original mission of fostering cultural understanding and provide

more educational opportunities. Additionally, by renewing the partnership, Brandeis may inspire positive feedback from both the Muslim community and the academic community as a whole.

The stories that students shared with their “Brandeis University—Al Quds University Student Dialogue Initiative” highlight how much can be gained from a relationship with Al-Quds.

These included an observant Jewish student speaking about fearing antiSemitism before having his expectations shattered after actually interacting with members of the Al-Quds community. This is a testament to Brandeis’ students commitment to social justice on a global scale.

On campus, conflicts in the Middle East elicit extremely strong opinions from students, especially those relating to the Israel-Palestine situation. It is rare that discussions do not devolve into arguments, especially over Face-

book. This does nothing but drive wedges into the Brandeis community and ends any possibility for rational and vigorous debate or sharing of ideas. Refusing to budge on positions or opinions helps no one, and the student visit to Al-Quds proves that Brandeisians are tired of this.

We at The Hoot applaud these students for making an effort that the administration refused to make, as they reacted so quickly (and perhaps rashly) to the initial incident and President Nusseibeh’s response. Again, the event was unacceptable and indefensible, but Brandeis missed an opportunity to move forward by instantly judging the response from the Al-Quds administration, rather than seeking direct dialogue with the university. One can only hope that the administration will finally listen to the accounts of these students and move forward in re-establishing ties with Al-Quds University.

NEWS

Intervention training combats sexual assault BYSTANDER, from page 1

is led by the Office of Prevention Services, a service created just over a year ago.

“Bystander intervention training has been widely embraced and encouraged by the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education that oversees enforcement of Title IX,” Flagel explained.

According to Flagel, between the two training sessions, approximately 70 students were in attendance, “meaning that there are about 70 qualified trainers on campus.” The Office of Prevention Services is currently working with these individuals to extend training to various clubs

and organizations across campus.

Flagel attributes the rapid implementation of these programs to McMahon. Her current absence from the university has resulted in Brendan Weintraub ’16, an undergraduate student and staff assistant at the Office of Prevention Services, taking over responsibility for coordinating training sessions for student groups across campus.

Although The Hoot contacted Weintraub individually, Flagel compiled the responses for both himself and Weintraub in response to our inquiries.

Explaining the content of this training initiative, Flagel stated, “The

best of these programs seek to engage community members as a support system for each other, offering students a way to try and defuse situations that might lead to sexual misconduct, making campus safer and better educating our students about these issues.”

Students may request bystander intervention training by going to the Office of Prevention Services website and clicking on the “Prevention and Education” tab.

“We want to make sure students feel comfortable intervening in situations that they may view as risky, and do so in the safest possible manner,” Flagel states.

NEWS

11 The Brandeis Hoot

October 10, 2014

Year in Service and Volunteer Fair bring opportunity for networking and skill-building

By Hannah Stewart Staff

The Year in Service and Volunteer Fair brought together over 200 students and more than 50 representatives from various organizations in the Waltham, Boston and national communities on Tuesday, Oct. 7 in Hassenfeld Conference Center. Cosponsored by the Hiatt Career Center, the Department of Community Service and the Waltham Group, this event was designed to provide students, staff, faculty and alumni with a way to explore service and volunteer opportunities.

“For students, the event serves as a one-stop shopping for those interested in exploring careers, learning how to get experience through volunteering, experience networking with employers and building resumes,” explained Lucas Malo, director of community service.

The fair began with a Community Partner and Employer Lunch. Students spoke directly with representatives from several non-profit groups, such as Teach for America, the Peace Corps and Haven from Hunger, as they networked and discussed current projects and upcoming goals.

Employers have weekly and monthly opportunities to return to campus, in order to participate in the brown-bag lunch program in which they can sit down with up to 20 students to discuss their organization and promote volunteerism. Many students often work for and with a specific group for several consecutive years, and some continue to do so even after graduation.

“I think that for students it is a unique opportunity to see how they can give back to our community … you can do anything from environmental justice to food justice to working with youths … [and] for

the Waltham community, it’s important for them to see students get involved,” said Caroline O’Shea, the assistant director of employer relations at Hiatt.

Malo agreed with O’Shea’s idea about the diverse volunteer opportunities and spoke about how the fair represents this. “The fair supports the requests from local organizations and employers to engage with the extremely active and social justice-oriented student body. Our community partners/employers always say that the Brandeis Year in Service and Volunteer Fair are the best in the circuit,” Malo said. “This year we expanded to encourage faculty/staff to attend the fair to help them learn of opportunities of how they can also personally volunteer in the community.”

Students and faculty were invited to walk around the fair and speak with any of the 54 representatives, running the gamut from United Way

to City Year to Household Goods.

“It’s kind of like a career fair with a twist,” said Lauren Labrecque-Jessen, another assistant director of employer relations at Hiatt. “It’s got jobs, but it’s also got the great volunteer opportunities, which is great for staff and alumni who have been involved in the community before and want to continue to get involved.”

At the end of the day, some organizations and charities held on-site informational and screening interviews that students could sign up for during the fair. Labrecque-Jessen also spoke about the importance of having student volunteers in these groups.

“A lot of these groups are small, nonprofit organizations. Student volunteers allow them to use the donations most fully,” she said. “I think that what they’re really looking for are students who want to get involved and because there is such a diversity of organizations that come, it’s people

who want to get involved in a variety of different things in different ways.”Malo concluded that he hopes students will always value this opportunity just like they would value a fair for careers.

“I hope that students take away opportunities to volunteer, intern, work or serve in the community,” Malo said. “We want upper-class students who may be considering a year of service after graduation to be aware of the variety of opportunities available to them, and we want underclassmen to network with attendees, to prepare their elevator speeches and learn what skill set they need to further develop during their time at Brandeis as they look to explore these opportunities down the road. All guests will leave [with an] a areness of organizations in the local community, many of which are national, and how they can get involved with them in the future.”

MKTYP event hosted at the home Gutiérrez speaks on of Robert Kraft campus

By Rachel Bossuk staff

In the home of Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, 20 Brandeis students gathered on Tuesday, Sept. 30 to be honored. These students are members of the Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program (MKTYP), which helps students who had inadequate educational opportunities before Brandeis adjust to college. It was renamed last year in honor of the passing of Kraft’s wife and Brandeis alumna and trustee, Myra Kraft.

MKTYP alumnus, Mohamed Sidique ’15, attended the event and spoke about the differences between this year’s event and past years’ at the Kraft home.

“The cameras weren’t there, so he got to be a lot more personable with us and tell us how much the program means to him and why the Kraft family chose to adopt the program,” said Sidique.

Mr. Kraft spoke about his wife and how she gave back not just to Brandeis, but also to the community of the greater Boston area.

“That’s a very special family,” said

Sidique, “They give so much, and they care so much about everyone that surrounds them. “ University President Fred Lawrence also spoke at the event. He discussed Ms. Kraft’s impact on the university as a whole. He congratulated the students, but also explained that they have work to do and that they must always give back.

Another speaker was Victoria “Alex” Carter ’17, who completed the MKTYP last year and is now a second-year undergraduate student at Brandeis. In her speech, she told the crowd about the difficulties she faced growing up in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and how hard she had to work for her education.

For Sidique, Carter’s story really hit home.

“She valued education so much that nothing could stop her from going to school and getting her work done,” said Sidique.

What meant a lot to Sidique was the opportunity to be able to see the Kraft family as they truly are, without the cameras.

“It was a lot more intimate,” said Sidique. After the speeches, Mr. Kraft sat next to some of the students and

had conversations with them.

“He doesn’t see differences. The way he interacted with us was like we were all the same,” said Sidique. That action alone meant a lot to Sidique and the other students.

Mr. Kraft also surprised the students by bringing out one of the Patriots’ Super Bowl Trophies to show them. In addition, he gave out clublevel Patriot tickets to 21 randomly chosen MKTYP students. Sidique was lucky enough to be one of them.

Sidique loves the legacy that the MKTYP has created at Brandeis.

Although he doesn’t know what the future might hold for the program, Sidique hopes that there will be more opportunities to connect the students to the Kraft family through work or community service. What he enjoys the most about MKTYP is “the motivation that it gives the students who are part of the program and how appreciated the students are.”

Sidique hopes to make the community more aware of the program so that “they have a better understanding of what the program is… and how each student in the program comes from a background that not many Brandeis students come from.”

From Gitlter, page 1

GUSTAVO GUTIÉRREZ

ROBERT KRAFT: Owner of the New England Patriots

photo from internet source

condition and that as a liberation theologian, he works with the poor to understand what causes poverty.

Gutiérrez has spent a significant portion of his career living and working with the poor people of Peru, in his home country, to try to eradicate poverty.

Gutiérrez spoke about the different types of actions against poverty and the merits of these actions. He said that while trying to feed the hungry is a noble goal, he wants to eradicate hunger altogether. Gutiérrez acknowledged that in Latin America, where he is from, this goal can be dangerous at times.

“We have hundreds of Christians assassinated because they were committed to the poor,” Gutiérrez said.

He cited Archbishop of San Salvador, Oscar Romero, who was shot

photo from internet source

and killed in 2009. Romero’s assassination came the day after he gave a sermon calling Christians to resist the government’s violations of human rights.

Gutiérrez told his audience that working to eradicate poverty and hunger are integral parts of his beliefs as a Christian and as a liberation theologian. He explained that part of his commitment to the poor is recognizing the complexities of poverty and the many factors that shape their experiences. Merely looking at the economic causes and effects of poverty is not sufficient, according to him, to create an understanding of the reality of life as a poor person.

“My goal is not to be the voice of the voiceless,” Gutiérrez said. “The goal must be that the voiceless have a voice, to be agents of their destiny.”

OPINIONS

October 10, 2014

The Brandeis Hoot 12

Administration’s history shows it won’t listen

By Andrew Elmers Editor

Students at Brandeis often try to get their voices heard in many different ways. Be it through art around campus, protests or Facebook events, one of the most intrinsic characteristics of students here is to try and enact change. And it usually happens, more or less. Yet the students need to realize that they aren’t at the top of the priority list for the administration.

In 2013, Brandeis released the culmination of a two-year project, the Strategic Plan, which laid out the outline for the direction the university would take in the upcoming years. Focusing on improving the academic institution through investing in faculty, programs and the overall community, the Strategic Plan was formulated from a number of different contingencies. With input from students, faculty, staff and alumni, this capstone project has a large influence on the current state of affairs.

While the initiatives it plans to carry out are helpful and will make the university better, the process through which they were chosen was staggering. A student committee was chosen to represent the entire body when the Strategic Plan was still being drafted over the 2011-2012 academic year and they presented the desires of the population. An interesting read to say the least, to discover the problems of a few years ago, the most notable issues brought forth were based on campus facilities and hous-

ing. Other concerns were mentioned, some of which have certainly been addressed, such as striving for a more environmentally sustainable campus; others have not and were not even addressed in the Strategic Plan.

Looking at the student session summaries, it’s evident that the most important area of concern for the students was a general inferiority of facilities and housing. The committee mentioned being upset about housing is not guaranteed all four years and about poor classroom facilities throughout different buildings, as well as numerous other problems.

Not only have these problems, and more importantly student concerns, not been amended, but they were barely mentioned in 2013’s Strategic Plan. In the sixth initiative of the Strategic Plan, the admission is made of the importance of continuing to update campus facilities and improving in aspects of technology and sustainability, using lofty language expressing how vital it is to have the quality of the physical classroom match the quality of the education that takes place there. While this addressed part of the concern from the student committee, no mention was made on the importance of improving housing and not laying the burden on students to find off-campus housing.

In the actions section, where specific operations are laid out, the plan mentions vague goals of renewing older residence halls and establishing graduate student housing. That was all that the administration had to say about a major student con-

cern. Although it would be a fairly expensive one to address by building new residence halls to house each undergraduate, the student session summaries point out other areas that could be addressed. It mentions providing more technological help at different areas around campus, not just in the library. Also the disabilities services pertaining to making buildings more accessible was mentioned as a potential improvement. Both of these fairly smaller projects were not even brought up once with the Strategic Plan, highlighting a major problem with the administration. They do not take student concerns all that seriously, and this strategic plan is just one example of the lack of response to the student body.

The administration, however, has

made numerous efforts to address student concerns over handling cases of sexual misconduct and with the dining services. Whether or not they have been effective is a different matter; at least they are continuing to make the attempt.

Yet in the cases where students were asked to give their input on a matter before it was decided, typically in a way that will not garner much attention, their voices are silenced. Student concerns are briefly identified and are hardly addressed.

The Strategic Plan might have been a bit dull to challenge and might not have garnered much attention, but it is still going to affect numerous aspects of student life at Brandeis over the next few years.

And this lays the focus on the un-

deniable fact that the administration does not take student concerns all that seriously.

If there is any chance for fall out over a decision or policy change, the administration fails to realize this time and time again and waits until after the backlash to then start listening to student concerns, which is a major problem and showcases the lack of aptitude within the administration, if they cannot identify the problems that will be significant and will elicit an outcry.

So while it is encouraged for students to stand up for what they believe in and try to enact change, one shouldn’t be surprised when the administration eventually puts you down. Because it’s already been done numerous times before.

graphic by katherine selector/the hoot

A musing on food

By Emily Scharf Staff

Reflecting on this past weekend, my thoughts inevitably turned to the annual Break the Fast on the Great Lawn. The event is held to allow all students who have fasted for Yom Kippur to participate in a community celebration of its completion, with friends of all religions, regardless of whether or not one actually fasted.

The event is always a wonderful time with wonderful food.

Looking back on Yom Kippur in general, I think largely about food.

I successfully fasted for the ninth year, and it definitely isn’t an easy task. A large number of my Jewish friends chose not to fast, and I can’t blame them. People and food go together, for lack of a better metaphor, like peanut butter and jelly. Going a full 24 hours without food and water can be quite taxing. We who can afford food eat regularly, and an empty stomach is unpleasant. Yet food is so much more than just sustenance.

Food is an art form and has been for centuries. I saw a comic poking fun at the extent to which we consider food art, chiding the way we so often upload to Instagram pictures of our meals before eating. In the panel next to the one depicting this was a sketch of a cavewoman drawing a cow on a cave wall, telling the caveman to wait a bit longer so she could finish drawing their meal. It was a thought-provoking comic, even if its only purpose was humor. Perhaps even ancient peoples thought of their food as art.

Food is a popular blogging topic.

There are numerous websites dedicated to perfecting dishes, improving recipes and making beautiful creations out of food. The Internet is

littered with tutorials on cake design and frosting ideas. New flavors and ideas erupt out of the ever-changing culinary landscape. There will always be a new and greater chef to take our taste buds a leap further. How could anyone not call food art? It’s some-

thing everyone shares, so much so that it has its own television channel.

The amount of cooking and baking shows across the world is ridiculously vast, riddled with celebrity chefs like Gordon Ramsay, and everything from competitions to plain old cook-

ing shows that make your mouth water.

Food is an art form, even if your intention is not to eat the food. There is a series of books and calendars, created by Joost Elffers and Saxton Freymann, all with the same theme:

Play with your food. It’s a delightful series of photos of different food items, manipulated with other food items, made to look like different animals or characters or scenes. These See FOOD, page 15

photo from internet source

October 10, 2014

OPINIONS 13

The Brandeis Hoot

Health center: In need of publicity for good services

By Sophie Warren Special to the Hoot

The common thing between Antarctica and the Brandeis University

Health Center is that most of the firstyear class have not been to either. I do not have many issues with the Health Center, where I’ve been twice. Once was when they strong-armed me into

handing in a Tuberculosis form in order to add and drop classes the first week. The second time was to paint a more accurate picture, and fill in the details on the Health Center for this

graphic by linjie xu/the hoot

opinion article. I do not really have a problem with the offerings of the Center, but with the accessibility and awareness of the establishment to the students.

The Health Center is, in fact, a lovely place. With warm lighting, a charming waiting area littered in classic brochures and a fishbowlstyle glass container in the corner storing the complimentary condoms, it also boasts a staff that seems almost unjustly happy.

I sat down with the utterly kind Diana Denning, who for my firstyear peers and others, is the Nurse Manager/Administrative Director of the Center. As a member of Brandeis Students for NARAL and FMLA, and with an interest in going further with women’s health in and after college, I did intend to ask more specific questions in this field, but she began by giving me a larger overview of services. She told me about how this year, as of Aug. 15, each student enrolled either three-quarter- or full-time in degree-granting programs will have access to health services. These range in scope and depth, though it is important to note that they are not a licensed pharmacy and are limited in many areas of more specific measures of care, but with a focus on referrals and intent to best care possible.

She told me that the Health Center does offer Plan B and Ella, both emergency contraception, to students, and will do so only to the intended user of the product. This will be a free service this year, but in future years, it may move back to $15 per service. They can prescribe birth control, will perform STD testing,

but may send a patient close-by for a more invasive procedure, which includes IUD insertion.

This is not to say they are not qualified to perform these services, it is merely in the interest of highest quality of care and sending students offcampus for these procedures can be the more preferred option.

While there are areas of note that can be pushed for improvement by different groups on-campus, this is a great baseline to begin on, with healthcare professionals that care deeply for and about the services they are providing.

Throughout our talk, it became increasingly frustrating that these services, while not sexy or revolutionary, are not more easily accessible.

This could be improved in Orientation by way of a formal presentation during the Health and Wellness or Sexual Services presentations, and otherwise could be provided a space that allows the students of Brandeis to feel as though they know exactly what they are offered.

As if to poetically tie my piece together, when asking a friend in my dorm to help edit my article and she found out the topic was the school’s Health Center, she looked up at me in surprise, “We have a Health Center? Where is it? Why are you writing about it, is something wrong?” The answers are yes, by the Public Safety building, and because what’s wrong is exactly my necessity in answering such important questions. It does not matter what is offered or how we can work to improve offerings, if we don’t work on what we all have access to today.

A time to change, a change for time

By Kevin Healey Staff

Could you give me the time? It is a simple question, having been asked among strangers on buses and trains since the invention of the wristwatch (and, of course, the bus and the train). In a bygone era, it could have been the beginning of a great conversation, an icebreaker used to talk to the attractive girl or guy sitting next to you. Nowadays, in the heyday of the information era, the concept that someone could not be carrying a device on them that could show them the time (as well as the Dow Industrial Average, the chance of rain in Ouagadougou and the photo of the dress your stepmother sewed you for Christmas) is utterly inconceivable.

Instead of excitement at the chance to talk to someone new, or even mild annoyance at an interruption in their day, if you ask a stranger for the time nowadays, they will respond with a condescending mix of pity at your obvious poverty and delight in showing their new fancy gadget that you couldn’t upstage. These phone elitists, as they are becoming increasingly known, then initiate one of the most trying experiences in all of college life. While the asker looking for the time most likely needs to rush off to an impending class, doctor’s appointment or court-appointed anger management class, the phone elitist revels in describing each step in the process of turning on their phone to see what time it is.

Now let’s say you’re in Lower Usdan, when you suddenly realize your roommate’s birthday party started three hours ago and you were supposed to pick up the cake. Rushing toward the exit, you glance up at the clock on the wall to see if you can still make it before the health department closes down the bakery, only to

photo from internet source

realize there is no clock on the wall in Lower Usdan. Every day across our fair campus, situations just like these play out with horrifying results: missed labs, late papers and inappropriately cakeless birthday parties.

We have an obligation to each student to provide the support they need to thrive here at Brandeis, whether or not they have the financial means to order a fancy phone (or the social skills to find a better friend to pick up their birthday cake.) Not

everyone can afford an electronic device to give them the time: They might be Amish, or allergic to rare earth metals, or have had the Apple Corporation put a hit on them. They might have a family member who was tragically killed by a rogue Blackberry giving him driving directions into a brick wall.

If we can afford to spend $2 million on a couple of lampposts, surely a $4.99 wall clock from Target wouldn’t break the bank. At over

$45,000 a year per student and over 3,600 undergraduate students alone, the university could actually afford 32,464,929 wall clocks from Target—enough to put one in every room on campus and still have over 32,000,000 left over. Heck, with even 1/1,000,000 of the budget of the university there would still be more than enough to provide this basic service to our campus. Heck, we could even splurge for a clock tower somewhere so even people outdoors could know

the time. With such a small expenditure of resources, a truly positive change could be made in our campus community.

Let’s face it—clocks are important.

They allow us to function in a modern community like Brandeis, and thus must be provided to our community. And let’s be real: If we can cut down on the number of cakeless birthday parties, perhaps we won’t need as many court-appointed anger management sessions.

14 OPINIONS

The Brandeis Hoot

October 10, 2014

A responsibility to the community

By Monique J Menezes Staff

Every community is built upon a set of rules. Brandeis is no different.

As members of the community who follow these rules, we are granted certain privileges. In fact, all of our rules and privileges are listed for us in a book aptly named “Rights and Responsibilities.” Every year, we get an updated version of these rules and privileges. For now, it can only be

found online.

Last month, all members of the Brandeis community were notified via email that the latest “Rights and Responsibilities” was on its way. A final version seemed to take its time to show up. It makes me wonder, why?

We are all aware of the concerns about sexual misconduct swirling around in the campus atmosphere.

The concerns that have been explicitly expressed by the students seemed to have been addressed. I cannot think of a better explanation for the latest edition of “Rights and Respon-

sibilities” to be delayed.

The truth is that this is a concern sweeping through the community of not just our campus, but on campuses across the country. Brandeis is not the only school where students have been protesting, or taking a stand for something that seems utterly and without a doubt obviously right. Sometimes, we just have to wait for the rules to catch up with what is right, and sometimes, individuals of the community are able to encourage that catching up.

Students just want to hear the insti-

tution, the place they have chosen to call home, is going to deliver justice.

They want to hear that such misconduct will not be tolerated. They want to know that any such misconduct will be dealt with swiftly and effectively.

This year’s “Rights and Responsibilities” shows that the administration is trying to make an attempt to do just that. Nevertheless, there is more happening behind closed doors than people know. Before the final draft can become official, certain people in authority have to approve

photo from internet source

of it. This fact is the most plausible explanation for why it took a little longer than usual for “Rights and Responsibilities” to come out to the public. It’s the most realistic reason.

Some individuals in the administration not only hesitated to give their okay, but still question how to deal with this topic.

The administration does not live on the same campus as the students do. Physically, yes, it’s the same place.

Yet, most administrators have a home off-campus. These people who make the rules and who we expect to figure out ways to deal with these incidents are not in our dorms or at our parties.

Maybe they really don’t understand, and maybe that is why they might just not know how to handle it. Their chosen tactic, then, makes me wonder about another facet of an established community.

“Rights and Responsibilities” is a great reference to what the institution as a whole expects from its population. It’s made up of carefully chosen words and purposeful sentence structures. The “Rights and Responsibilities” is just one example of how the administration tries to respond to issues such of that as sexual misconduct. This year, they used this publication as an opportunity to show that they are going to at least try to address the concern of the community.

Brandeis constantly makes changes to the handbook, or at least edits it every year. A pessimistic side of me considers that this year’s specific addressing of the sexual misconduct issues may be a tad political. It wouldn’t be the first time people were told what they wanted to hear. On the other hand, an optimistic side of me hopes it is the rules finally catching up to what is right. “Rights and Responsibilities” has more than just listed expectations this year. Brandeis has expressed a responsibility to its community and what its community has long determined to be right.

Living in a company town

By Samuel G. Scudere-Weiss Special to the Hoot

In the early 1900s, company towns were commonplace in the United States. These were places where a parent company, usually a mining facility or factory, owned all of the land in a town such as housing and the town market. Employers were then able to pay their workers in credit, which they could use at the local store to buy their food and other goods. This inherently skewed system meant that the employer made a double profit from their workers, once for the labor they provided in the factory or mine and again for the purchasing of food and goods from the company store by the workers.

These companies would take advantage of the workers because the company towns were too isolated for it to be feasible for the workers to go elsewhere to buy their goods. This inherently unfair system was phased out for a number of reasons, the leading of which was improvements in transportation infrastructure, making it easier for workers to escape the town’s market.

Unfortunately, there is one modern example that feels all too similar to a company town-style business.

Food on a college campus. This is not a Brandeis-specific issue, but a much broader societal one. An issue that originates in the capitalist underbelly of society but is monopolistic in its execution, undermining the ability of a market system to do its job.

Students on a campus are required to

photo from internet source

buy a meal plan, which is fine because they will inevitably need to eat while they are at school. However, once students buy into these programs, they are bounded by arbitrary rules and restrictions. When they can eat, where they can use “points” versus “meals,” and how many meals they can use in a given time frame. This becomes frustrating as time moves forward and can be a great point of contention for many students.

The biggest frustration for many students is not that they must have a meal plan, or the quality of food, or even the hours of operation. It’s the

fact that deep down everyone knows that someone somewhere is making a profit from our dietary needs. Not that a company making a profit is inherently wrong, but when it’s from a group of people who are already in the national agenda for accumulation of an incomprehensible amount of debt, there must be something morally unjust.

When someone goes to a theme park such as Six Flags or Disney, they expect to be charged an absurd amount for food. But when a student goes to the campus store to buy their small amount of groceries for the

week or a snack for while they are studying they should not be charged double the amount as they would be at a standard convenience store or supermarket.

The goal of a campus food provider should be to benefit the students in as many ways as possible, not to profit off of every miniscule thing they can think of and get away with. Living on a college campus shouldn’t feel like living in a company town, where one group has a monopoly no matter how much one resents it. At some point they’re going to have to bite the bullet and buy into the system.

If the United States wants to be a truly capitalist society, it must incorporate true capitalist values into every market. Colleges cannot only have one food vendor. Towns cannot have only one cable provider. Society must do better. As Brandeis students we must, however, do more than complain. There is already a group of students working with Sodexo over the issues that students have voiced. We can push for a rethinking of the entire network of college food systems from groups looking for profit to groups looking to help students. We can improve our society.

October 10, 2014

OPINIONS 15

The Brandeis Hoot

A march for the ages

By Nabi Menai Staff

On Sept. 21, Manhattan witnessed one of the largest marches in its history. It address climate change and the way in which global leaders have, for the most part, failed to address it.

The streets quickly filled with a sea of people ranging across all social strata, demanding a more robust and efficient plan to combat climate change.

One of the most prominent groups protesting was college students who descended upon the city from across the country. Although the march itself may not have propelled everyone

to take a fiercer stance on the issue of climate change, it is nonetheless a testament to the power that a unified mass movement can have in this country, as well as in others.

One of the most crucial aspects of the march in New York was the eclectic mix of people who took part. Celebrities like Leonardo DiCaprio and renowned politicians such as Robert Kennedy, Jr., were all present as well as vociferous about their passion for reform. In fact, DiCaprio himself addressed the United Nations Climate Summit calling for “a need to put a price tag on carbon emissions and eliminate government subsidies for oil, coal and gas companies,” as well as urging governments to turn “to answer humankind’s greatest chal-

lenge.” Citizens, politicians and celebrities all stood side-by-side as they swarmed the streets, the world watching. The march received global attention from news stations and thus resonated with citizens on a global scale as well as a domestic one.

For all the attention the march received, however, it is important to remember how instrumental a part students can play in combating pertinent social issues and the actions that they can take. Social media is often used as a powerful tool to express one’s views as well as support many causes, but it often has to be coupled with action to be effective. Though marches like the one in New York show us how passionate and adamant people are about certain issues, there

has to be a clearly defined overarching message as well as a set of goals.

“Raising awareness” about grand issues such as climate change is no longer a necessary step to overcome.

As a result, in order to accelerate a process of reform, there must be clear demands from the people which can be acted upon. This way, it is easier for officials to take accountability as well as confront matters in a more deliberate manner. It is therefore important to always remember that protests, complaints and marches at any level, from those staged in college cafeterias to those in major cities, are not aided by a random clamor of voices and demands. One of the best ways to demand change is to be united for a clearly defined cause.

Lastly, the greatest lesson that everyone can learn from the events in New York is that it is never too late to take a more environmentally friendly step with regards to how we live. The ways in which each of us can make a difference are abundant. Minor acts may seem insignificant but if everyone does their part they have the capacity to make a huge difference.

It is no longer a point of contention that the polar ice caps are melting, sea levels are rising, and the Earth is getting exponentially warmer. If we want future generations to enjoy a similar standard of living, then serious action must be taken. Eventually a point will be reached where it has become too late. And it is the present generations who will bear the guilt.

photo from internet source

Forging new prospectives from fasting FOOD, from page 12

creations give creativity and imagination to what you can do with your food, besides eating it. It’s an adorable

way to allow childhood creativity to come to life. Dolphins made out of bananas, screaming pumpkins, a cucumber car—anything is possible.

Food is cross-cultural and omnipresent—everyone can relate to food.

Granted, what we eat from country

to country is jarringly different. Photographer Peter Menzel and writer Faith D’Aluisio created a stunningly eye-opening book and photo exhibition titled “Hungry Planet: What the World Eats.” The photos alone are beautiful. The duo photographed 30

families across the world sitting with what, for them, is a week’s worth of groceries. These photos give us a snapshot of what other cultures eat, how much they eat and how much they spend in a week on food. Across the globe, some families spend as lit-

photo from internet source

tle as a few dollars a week to as much as over $700. It’s also fascinating to see the difference across cultures in the amounts of packaged foods consumed versus fresh grains and vegetables. The display is really quite stunning. There’s a family in Sicily whose table is largely covered in bread and fresh fruits, a family from Mexico that has mostly fresh fruits and vegetables, but a dozen Coca Cola bottles too, a family from Ecuador whose foods are entirely fresh grains, fruits and vegetables, and spends only $31.55 a week, as well as a family of six in Chad, who spends only $1.23 on the week’s groceries. Countries like the United States, Great Britain and Norway see a larger amount of packaged, and likely processed, foods, as well as fast food items.

In my opinion, it’s very rare for a person to not have a passion for food.

Most people, when asked what their favorite food is, will immediately have a couple dishes come to mind and start wanting nothing more than to eat those foods. It’s uncommon for a person to have little to no opinion on food. Hunger is universal, as is the desire to appease it.

Reflecting so much on food, it’s important to remember that not everyone has access to it. A big part of Yom Kippur in most synagogues is remembering to donate food to those less fortunate. On a day where you are forbidden from eating, allow someone else the ability to eat. Donate what you would have eaten instead in order to strive for a planet where no one goes hungry. Fasting should always be optional.

16 The Brandeis Hoot

THIS WEEK IN PHOTOS

October 10, 2014

STUDENT CENTER : Path to Shapiro Campus Center

CAMPUS: Students enjoy fall weather

photos by vardges tserunyan/the hoot

JUDGES RUGBY: Womens rugby players face Univerity of New Hampshire team

WOMENS RUGBY: A rugby player is tackled during a game

ROSE ART: New outdoor art instillation outside Rose Art Museum

SCIENCE CENTER: Science Center building in the sunlight photos by marian sileholm/the hoot