The Brandeis Hoot 10/14/2016

Volume 13 Issue 19

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

October 14, 2016

Brandeis University’s Community Newspaper · Waltham, Mass.

Diversity and applications increase

By Hannah Schuster editor

photo courtesy lucas malo

50th anniversary Multiple generations of Afternoon Enrichment coordinators pose for a photo at the Waltham Group gala.

editor

Almost 200 people celebrated 50 years of mentoring youth and organizing blood drives through the umbrella organization the Waltham Group on Oct. 8.

The weekend-long celebration included a gala, silent auction, time capsule and multiple service projects. Alumni participated in service projects with Waltham Group programs they volunteered with during their time at Brandeis, such as returning to Prospect Hill to see the new community center that opened in Fall 2014 thanks in part to Waltham Group volunteers.

Gala attendees included students, alumni, campus partners, administrators and the mayor of Waltham. “It was great to see so many different people from so many different parts of the Brandeis community,” said Brian Quigley, community service specialist at the Department of Community Service (DCS). The event featured speeches by the founders of the organization and University President Ron Liebowitz.

The two founders and their graduate school adviser at the time said that the Waltham Group started as a political activist organization, interested in civil rights and social inequality.

Krishna Narayanan ’17, co-president of the Waltham Group, was surprised to hear that

the Waltham Group facilitated protests and had a difficult relationship with the campus police in the 1970s, with the Civil Rights Movement and anti-Vietnam War protests going on. He said that today’s group is “not as activist-oriented, but it still tackles the same issues of social inequality.”

Lucas Malo, director of the DCS, said that activism remains central to the Waltham Group’s goal. “Our campus is known for activism. I don’t think people put Waltham Group in that activism bubble. I think they put us in a service bubble,” Malo said.

In 2009, the organization introduced a mandate called Educational Outreach. It requires each program to create at least one project or event to educate the community about the program’s larger goal.

Liebowitz spoke about his time at Middlebury College and the importance of working collaboratively with community outreach organizations, such as the Waltham Group. Narayanan said it was his first time seeing the new president in person. The speech made Liebowitz seem “open and engaging and available,” according to Narayanan.

Alumni contributed to the gala through attendance and donations. A silent auction during the gala raised at least $4,500. Alumni helped organize the auction.

See ADMISSIONS, page 3

ICC promotes education about indigenous peoples

Waltham Group celebrates 50th anniversary

By Elianna Spitzer

The diversity and the overall size of Brandeis’ applicant pool increased this year, according to a presentation on admissions statistics from Andrew Flagel, the senior vice president for students and enrollment, at last Friday’s Faculty Meeting.

The diversity of Brandeis’ first year class has been increasing at all stages of the admissions process. Brandeis is reaching out to more students of color, 49,704 “prospects” in 2016 compared to 34,064 in 2014. This includes students reached by emails and mailings as well as through com-

munity partners.

From this, Brandeis received 1,996 applications from students of color, up from 1,509 in 2014.

This constitutes a 32.27 percent increase in the number of applications from students of color for the two-year period. Just from 2015 to 2016 there was a nine percent increase in applications from students of color.

Last year, the Ford Hall 2015 movement demanded Brandeis increase the percentage of black students to 15 percent of the school (it was 5.3 percent in 2015, according to university

By Samantha Lauring staff

Professors and student groups gave presentations at the Indigenous People’s Day Teach-In, which was held in the Intercultural Center (ICC) on Monday, Oct. 10.

The purpose of the teach-in was to hold “a day of learning for the entire Brandeis Community focusing on Native culture, history and their struggle for social justice,” according to the Brandeis event page.

Madeleine Lopez, director of the ICC, stressed the importance of the teach-in, especially considering Brandeis’ lack of a Native American Studies program. “It is important that all of us gain a better understanding of the Indige-

nous Peoples’ experiences and activism,” she said in an email to The Brandeis Hoot. “The absence of a program should not preclude us from taking steps to educate ourselves and tap into the resources and scholars we do have here.”

The teach-in ran from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. Most events were split into half-hour segments so students could easily “drop in” for 30-minute sessions and attend as many or as few events as they pleased.

Greg Childs, assistant professor of History, discussed the different phases of conquest models and how different eras of Native American history were defined in his presentation titled Sixteenth Century Spanish America: Conquest or Non-Event—A “Loser’s History” of the “New World.”

“If the 18th century is defined by epic history and tragedy, the early 1900s until 1950s is defined by the idea that the indigenous lose because of spirituality,” said Childs.

Among the different types of models, Childs noted that during the 1970s and 80s, people began facing a language barrier. Childs discussed how language creates a problem for conquest and posed several questions including, “How does language create a problem for conquest?” and “Do indigenous people realize this is a conquest?” Conquest was difficult between people who did not speak the language, leading to a period of miscommunication, stated Childs.

See TEACH-IN, page 2

See WALTHAM GROUP, page 4 photo by sam sano/the hoot

Inside This Issue:

News: Analysis of Regular Marathon results Opinions: Stop politically charged vandalism Arts: TSA’s Asian cuisine delights Sports: Volleyball 1-1 for homecoming Editorial: Vital work of ICC Teach-In

JustArts

Page 3 and staff showcase Page 6 Faculty artistic talents.

Page 16 Page 11 ARTS: PAGE 13 Page 10

Priorities Univ. should prioritize menstrual products over junk food.

OPINIONS: PAGE 7

NEWS

2 The Brandeis Hoot

October 14, 2016

Faculty approve Indigenous People’s day at Brandeis

photo by mia edelstein/the hoot

By Hannah Schuster editor

Brandeis faculty voted Friday to change “Columbus Day” to “Indigenous People’s Day” on the university’s academic calendar.

“Our students have led us to this day. It appears to be a calendar change, but it is so much more than that,” said Susan Curnan, chair of the Faculty Senate, referencing a Student Union resolution and campus-wide movement as she introduced the vote at the full Faculty Meeting on Friday.

On Sept. 22, the University Advisory Council (UAC) was presented with a Student Union

resolution on Indigenous People’s Day. The council, which decides on calendar changes, supported the proposal, according to members interviewed. However, they made a motion for the Faculty Senate to weigh in and then bring it to the full faculty. The Senate “unanimously supported the change,” according to Curnan; and Friday’s affirmative vote was followed by applause.

Curnan shared a quote from Wilma Mankiller, the first woman chief of Cherokee nation who worked to improve education, health and housing in the Cherokee nation and was awarded the Medal of Freedom by Bill Clinton.

In the face of political, social and health-related challenges, she said, “‘The secret, the real secret of our success … is we never, never, never give up.” Curan continued, “She went on to say ‘I want to be remembered as the person who helped us restore faith in ourselves.’”

For Brandeis’ first Indigenous People’s Day today, the Intercultural Center (ICC) is hosting a teach-in, co-sponsored by the Latin American and Latino Studies Department. Until 4 p.m., there will be sessions on history, current events and culture of indigenous peoples. Most are 30 minutes long, and the day is designed so students can come and go when they are free.

Sessions include Invisible in Their own Lands: Indigenous Peoples, Colonization, Nation-States & Development with Prof. Cristina Espinosa from Heller and Indigenous Messianic Movements in 16th Century Mesoamerica with Prof. Javier Urcid (LALS).

Brandeis Climate Justice will discuss resistance to environmental issues such as the Dakota Access Pipeline—which would carry oil through the Standing Rock reservation, under its main water supply and near sacred burial sites.

There is still work necessary to have this change “reflect in our campus culture,” said Sophie Warren ’18, a leader of the coalition, citing the teach-in as part of

this. The event “does critical work to change what was celebration of colonialism, genocide and white supremacy, to a … celebration of the diverse cultures, history, organizing and resistance of indigenous communities,” Warren wrote to The Brandeis Hoot.

She thanked many for their contribution to this initiative, from student leaders and faculty to those who have led other movements for justice on campus—mentioning Ford Hall 2015, last month’s rally against police brutality and Brandeis Climate Justice’s work urging fossil fuel divestment—and indigenous resistance such as that seen at Standing Rock.

“There is work being done all the time and connecting that work has been critical in this past year of students working to bring Indigenous People’s Day to Brandeis,” Warren wrote.]]]

The movement for Indigenous People’s Day began at Brandeis last year when Warren approached the Union and created the resolution with Lorenzo Finamore ’18, the senator-at-large. Ahead of the UAC vote, a student coalition created a Change.org petition that garnered over 600 signatures, posted flyers and led a social media effort. After the motion for a faculty vote, they encouraged students to email their professors and urge them to vote “yes.”

Materials (including the peti-

tion and resolution) state that this legacy conflicts with the school’s stated emphasis on social justice.

It aims to recognize “that Columbus is not a figure to be celebrated, but one who enacted genocide on Indigenous People/Native Americans, the effects of which continue today,” and replace the holiday with a celebration of Indigenous People’s culture and history.

This faculty meeting also featured a presentation on the university’s enrollment data. This included trends in the number of underrepresented students of color entering Brandeis.

One student in this first-year class identifies as “American Indian/Alaskan Native” according to the presentation. This number was five in 2009 and has fluctuated around these low levels in between, according to the graph presented by Andrew Flagel, the senior vice president for students and enrollment.

A professor called attention to these “concerning” numbers with Indigenous People’s Day approaching, and Prof. Bernadette Brooten proposed increasing recruitment efforts in states with larger Native American populations.

According to university statistics for fall 2015, 0.1 percent of undergraduates and 0.2 percent of graduate students identified as “American Indian/Alaskan Native”

Students attend Indigenous People’s Day teach-in TEACH-IN, from page 1

“After the conquests, after the initial battles, whether it’s Columbus or Cortes or Pizarro, what the Spaniards are looking at is a land in which they’ve subdued the natives, but the natives still practice certain cultural manifestations, certain religious practices that need to be extirpated,” said Childs. In the first 50 years of conquest, converting Native Americans was how the Spanish asserted control over the New World, he said.

Professor Cristina Espinosa, associate professor at the Heller School, gave a presentation on the development and democracy of indigenous peoples. She spoke about how although there are 350 million indigenous people in the world—who make up 5 percent of the world’s population—they struggle to define their identity.

“The indigenous identity is inclusive,” Espinosa said; an indige-

nous person can have other identities. For example, an indigenous person who is a U.S. citizen could also consider themselves a Native American, although historically this is not the case.

The term “indigenous people” is very ambiguous, she said.

The term denotes heterogeneity, which has often been a problem in Western perception of indigenous people. When speaking of their marginalization, “They don’t have languages, they have dialects; they don’t have culture, they have superstition” in the eyes of the West, Espinosa said.

Brandeis Climate Justice, a student-run coalition encouraging and pressuring for climate justice, held a discussion at the teach-in about “Standing Rock and indigenous groups that are resisting various pipelines and anti-environmental actions in recent history,” according to the event page. Native Americans from the Standing Rock reservation are protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline which

photo by sam sano/the hoot

would flow through their water sources and under a sacred burial ground.

“The focus of our presentation was climate colonialism, which refers to the ways in which fossil fuel extraction and global climate change disproportionately harm indigenous communities and communities of color,” said Iona Feldman ’17, a member of Brandeis Climate Justice.

Feldman noted that as a climate justice organization, “It is important for us to hold ourselves accountable to our own professed commitment to stand in solidarity with those who are already being harmed the most by the actions of the fossil fuel industry.”

In addition to contributing knowledge to the campus discussion on indigenous solidarity, Brandeis Climate Justice hopes to expand the general conversation on climate change. They want students to recognize how closely it is related to oppressive institutions such as racism, colonialism, imperialism and capitalism, according to Feldman.

“I really hope there will be more opportunity to continue these conversations in months to come,” Feldman said to The Hoot.

Lopez was satisfied with the turnout for Brandeis’ first teachin. “The faculty presenters provided a wide scope of historical, political and anthropological perspectives,” she said in an email to The Hoot.

“The Brandeis community participated enthusiastically. It truly was a day of learning.”

Brandeis faculty recently voted on Friday, Oct. 7 to change the name of the holiday from Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day.

teach-in

photo by sam sano/the hoot

New head of ICC, Madeleine Lopez helps organize Indigenous People’s Day teach-in.

photo by sam sano/the hoot

October 14, 2016

The Brandeis Hoot

NEWS 3

A-Board uses 2/3 of budget, appeals still to come

By Hannah Schuster and Elianna Spitzer editors

The Allocations Board (A-Board) used approximately two-thirds of their available budget during Regular Marathon last week, where 131 clubs submitted funding requests, according to decisions released through the club leaders listserv on Oct. 9.

Marathons are funding requests periods that happen every semester.

Clubs requested a total of $322,774.71 and A-Board allocated $191,353.94 of their total budget of about $300,000, according to Alex Feldman ’19, chairperson of A-Board.

A-Board funded about 60 percent of requests in Regular Marathon, according to the results spreadsheet. However, this figure is misleading as there are some requests in SUMS that were doubled or unrealistic.

If a club made a mistake in their request, A-Board or the budget analyst, Steven Costa, tried to inform them prior to Marathon closing.

To fix some errors, club treasurers then created new requests altogether. The old, incorrect requests were left in the system. This inflated the total amount of mon-

ey requested because duplicate requests were rejected once and approved once. There were over $15,000 in duplicate requests.

Allocation requests are not always realistic. Game Knight asked for a tank that would cost $20,000.

As a result, the total requested amount for the fall semester increased by $20,000. This request got a laugh out of the A-Board.

“Talk to public safety,” said the description for the rejection.

During this Marathon, A-board funded everything they thought deserved money, except for some clubs that entered requests incorrectly or did not provide information A-board needs to make determinations. A-board asked many of these clubs to come back for Appeal Marathon.

For example, Feldman said the Fashion Design Club planned a great event, but they did not submit their Google form and were told to come to appeals. A-Board introduced a series of Google forms last year that ask clubs to provide details about this purchases/events (number of participants, price comparisons, etc.) that A-board needs to know when making decisions.

A-Board also rejected requests for funding because of an incorrect RA type. RA type refers to the category that a request is filed under. If a club does not list a request

in the right area, A-Board cannot approve it. “I feel so bad whenever we need to deny a club because of incorrect RA type. It’s ridiculous,” Feldman said.

A-Board could not approve requests if they went against policy.

They cited concerns over items being used as personal property.

For example, they denied a request from Kaos Kids for team clothing and requested that the club speak to A-Board members during appeals. A-Board also denied food requests if a separate custodian request was not filed.

A-Board denied requests that they thought were giveaways and events that did not promote inclusivity. For example, the Black Student Organization requested allocated funding for Black Lives Matter bands and were denied on the basis that it was considered a giveaway. A girls night event for the Muslim Student Organization could not receive allocated funding because the event was exclusive. A-Board’s policies restrict them from funding events not open to all Brandeis students.

A-Board tries to correct as much as they can, via email and during the drop-in sessions with their members. Every club is required to attend a session. However, if clubs have not finished forms when they come to drop in hours or don’t submit them until right

before the deadline, A-Board cannot check them. It can also be difficult for new A-Board members to catch every error.

A-Board wrote that the clubs should attend appeals in the description of over 20 requests, that either had errors or not enough information. Appeals let A-Board “fix a lot of mistakes,” Feldman said. The appeals process includes making a new, fixed request and speaking to A-Board members during their office hours. The window for appeals closes on Oct. 15.

The A-Board does not aim to stay under budget, according to Feldman. “We normally try and use all of our budget. In April, we had a lot of trouble staying within our budget,” he said of the last Marathon (for funds to be used this semester).

Still, Feldman said: “We’re happier being under budget than being over budget, like what happened last Fall, because that was just a total disaster.” Last fall, there were student concerns about the amount of requests A-Board was able to meet.

This led to Student Union A-Board amendments that increased the size of the board and added some three-semester positions so there would always be experienced members. They also implemented the Google form

and drop-in session system.

The increasing number of clubs at Brandeis poses a challenge for the A-Board, Feldman said. The Student Union typically charters one or two clubs per week, so they have to stretch their budget more.

Some clubs that have similar purposes often seem to be duplicating common requests, he said.

“That’s frustrating to us.”

“We’re in no position to tell a club that we can’t fund it, because if they’re chartered, that’s our job, is to make sure they get equitable funding. Ryan Tracy [chair of the Student Union Club Support Committee] is in no position to say to a club that they can’t be a new club because his job is to help people start new clubs. That really leaves it up to the Senate as a whole to vote more critically about each club and make sure that things stay manageable,” he said. Encouraging co-sponsorship of events and examining duplicity of purpose has been a Student Union initiative.

The Marathon process is changing moving forward. Instead of having request periods in April and again in September for the fall semester, or in November and January for the spring semester, there will be one period for each.

This means clubs that want money for next semester must make their requests this November.

Science majors trending up, humanities trending down ADMISSIONS, from page 1

statistics). To this end, Brandeis pledged to “accelerate the trajectory of applications from underrepresented students of color with the goal of 5-10 percent annual increases in applications starting Fall 2017,” the diversity action plan released after Ford Hall states.

The number of underrepresented students accepted increased from 454 to 624 over this two-year period. The yield rate increased as well: 137 of those accepted students chose to attend Brandeis this year compared to 105 in 2014. This marks a four percent increase in the number of students per first year class.

Eight percent of this first-year class is African American (67 students). This is up from seven percent (55 students) in 2009 and has been trending upwards for several years.

The number of Latino students is also increasing, up from four percent (35 students) to seven percent (61 students) this year.

There is one first-year who identifies as Native American/Alaskan native. There were five in 2009, and this number has fluctuated around these low levels.

Prof. Anita Hill (WMGS/HS) questioned these “concern[ing]” numbers with the school’s first Indigenous People’s Day approaching, and Prof. Bernadette Brooten (NEJS) proposed increasing recruitment efforts in areas where Native American populations “are less decimated.”

This proves difficult with a small admissions staff, according to Flagel. The team generally concentrates their efforts in higher density areas, Texas and Arizona as opposed to Wyoming and Montana, he explained.

There were, however, two Native American students who partic-

ipated in “SEED” last weekend, he said.

SEED, Students Exploring and Embracing Diversity, is a program that brings students from diverse backgrounds to Brandeis for a weekend to learn about the school and the admissions process. This year’s group of 70 students was the largest ever, said Flagel.

The way Brandeis recruits students has changed, Flagel said.

They no longer focus primarily on “suburban and elite private school visits” he said, but reach out to a greater variety of schools and utilize community partner programs like SEED. “We have made a very concerted effort to diversify the schools that we work with and … to create our outreach to community-based organizations,” said Flagel.

The total number of applications Brandeis receives is increasing. The number rose by seven percent this year to 11,351.

This number is up from 6,766 in 2009 and has been increasing by around five percent for the past few years.

With this increase, the number of accepted students, and the size of our first year classes have gotten larger, but Brandeis’ acceptance rate is down, 33.5 percent compared to 42.7 in 2009.

There are 843 students in this entering class, up from 797 in 2009. With the increasing size of first-year classes, there have been more lofted triples—when a double room is configured for three people—in North and Massell Quads and no new housing added.

Class size is down from 2014, when the entering class spiked to 859 students.

In part, this is due to an unexpectedly high number of international students (particularly Chinese students) that accepted a spot at Brandeis in 2014—the

photo from brandeis.edu

class of 2018. Approximately 24 percent of that entering class was international students, compared to 16 percent in 2012, according to a previous admissions presentation. This figure has come back down to 17 percent this year, and international students now comprise 19 percent of total enrollment.

The majority of Brandeis’ international students are from China, but the number of students from other countries is trending upwards, Flagel’s presentation showed.

Overall regional diversity of the school has improved, according to the statistics. Though Brandeis used to be around 70 percent New England and Mid-Atlantic residents, it is now 58 percent.

In addition to student demographics, the university also ex-

amined student majors. More students are majoring in the sciences at Brandeis, while fewer choose to study humanities and the creative arts. There are over 2,000 students majoring in social sciences—which includes the Health Science, Society and Policy (HSSP) major and the business major. There are 932 students majoring in the sciences compared in 272 majoring in the humanities and 130 in creative arts.

These numbers add up to more students than are enrolled, as it records data for each of the students’ majors.

The university has implemented fellowship programs to try and both attract humanities students, and convince those accepted to choose Brandeis. There is a new humanities fellowship with Prof. John Burt (ENG).

One first-year was deciding between Brandeis and the University of Chicago but decided on Brandeis after receiving this fellowship.

Brandeis uses these kinds of fellowships to attract the highest caliber students, said Flagel.

Brandeis reintroduced “modest merit awards” in 2012. However, it has also started “coupling those awards with academic opportunities,” in some cases. This includes the humanities fellowship, a biochemistry fellowship and the Leonard Bernstein music fellowship.

Flagel affirmed that as the total number of applications increases, the caliber of students remains high. Brandeis is not just getting anyone to sign their name on an application, he said.

4 NEWS

The Brandeis Hoot

IN THE SENATE: Oct. 9, 2016 Senate began with recognitions, charters and de-recognition • Brandeis Peace Action was recognized, but with a few abstentions • Robotics Club was recognized, passed by acclimation • Brandeis Mentors for Urban Debate failed to submit anti-hazing form and requested de-recognition. Passed by acclimation • AHORA’s name change to Brandeis Latinx Student Organization (BLSO) on grounds of clarification and showing that it is a cultural organization was passed by acclimation Officer reports • Vice President Paul Sindberg ’18 explained how he is working with Club Support Chair and Class of 2017 Senator Ryan Tracy to get all club leaders bystander trained • Sindberg also mentioned interest in an intercollegiate student organization and is working on a committee chair toolkit/training session • Executive Senator Hannah Brown ’19 held her report until committee chair reports Committee chair reports • Brown, the Chair for Support and Outreach, said that Student Union sweatshirts are going forward. Also discussed a poll to gauge interested in extending BranVan service in the weekend further. Turkey Shuttles have also been reserved and Levin is reserved for the Midnight Buffet on Dec. 7 • Sustainability Chair and East Quad Senator Elijah Sinclair ’19 said committee met with Mary Fischer on state of sustainability.

• COW-G Chair and Senator-at-Large Shaquan McDowell ’18 was working on a COW-G Facebook page and was investigating out-of-date elevator registrations on campus • Dining Chair and Class of 2019 Senator Kate Kesselman explained committee met with Sodexo and is looking for opinions on what to put in Village Dunkin location.

Unfinished business • Article 12 in bylaws, which dealt with amending bylaws, was repealed and replaced in favor of cleaner text • The bylaw repeal and replacement passed unanimously Senate representative to SEEF • Class of 2020 Senator Tal Richtman gave brief speech on position, was elected by acclimation Meeting ended in Executive Session

October 14, 2016

Waltham Group alumni return for gala

WALTHAM GROUP, from page 1

“We have an awesome committee of alumni who dedicated a lot of time to putting that together,” said Quigley. Students and DCS staff also helped organize the spreadsheets and bidding for the auction.

Items at the auction included two VIP tickets to Late Night with Stephen Colbert, four park hopper Disney World passes, a Red Sox baseball autographed by Joe Kelly and the flag that flies above the Castle.

The group has not met its fundraising goal of $50,000. Malo estimated the total fundraising from donations and the auction to be at least $12,500. The Waltham Group will host more fundraising events to help reach the goal by the end of this school year.

The money raised throughout the year will go to enhancing programs, according to Malo.

The Waltham Group received $59,950 in allocated funds for the 2016-17 school year. The organization is secured, meaning that it competes with 11 other clubs to receive a portion of secured funding every year. Allocations Board (A-Board) allocated $829,293 for secured clubs for the 2016-17 school year.

Allocated funding can only be used for particular purposes, laid out in A-Board policies. “If we want to buy a gift for a community partners to say thank you, for example, the Student Union can’t fund that,” Malo explained.

He added that the Union helped them pay for one of six vans used

photo by abigail gardener/the hoot

to transport volunteers to partner sites. “That’s $40,000 to lease another van every four years,” Malo said.

Gala attendees placed items into a time capsule that will be opened in 25 years at the 75th anniversary. Items included signed t-shirts, letters and memorabilia from individual programs. “A lot of it is shared memories,” Quigley said about the time capsule.

Members of DCS and the Waltham Group began working on the 50th anniversary celebration in May. “All throughout the summer the Department of Community Service was working really hard to put it all together,” Narayanan said.

The Waltham Group started as a program for mentoring and tutoring youth from the Prospect Hill Community, a low-income housing area in Waltham. In 1966, the program ran with 30 students.

The following year that number doubled to 74 students mentoring

90 youths.

The organization now has 20 programs that send volunteers to 40 partner locations. There are 75 coordinators overseeing 1,250 volunteers yearly. “For a program to be this sustainable and to be pure volunteerism where students are not getting credit or not getting paid or not getting work study is very rare,” Malo said.

Over the last 50 years, approximately 20,000 people have volunteered with the organization, and today it is the largest club at Brandeis. Volunteers have played around 3,600 games of Scrabble with elderly and collected 100,000 cans through the Halloween for the Hungry door-to-door collection effort, according to a press release. They have helped solve 75,000 elementary student math programs and collected 12,400 pints of blood in their annual blood drive—the 2016 drive is next week.

photo courtesy lucas malo

Student Union member profile: Class of 2018 Senator Christian Nuñez

By Ryan Spencer staff

Christian Nuñez, the class of 2018 Student Union senator, is aiming to uplift marginalized voices, make campus safer and work with clubs during his term this year. He stressed the importance of including groups which are often not directly involved on campus in voting, such as members of Greek organizations.

Senators are required to be on two committees. Nuñez is on the Social Justice and Diversity Committee and the Outreach Committee.

“I believe that we should strongly work together with those clubs that are trying to uplift minority

voices,” Nuñez said in reference to his decision to join the Social Justice and Diversity Committee.

In listening to and partnering with students of minority groups, Nuñez believes he is helping “to make all voices stronger.”

Nuñez equated his involvement in the Outreach Committee to his goal of being able “to work more hand in hand with clubs and club leaders.” He hopes that he can help get things “running more efficiently.”

Nuñez also stressed the importance of getting clubs and club leaders involved with bystander training and other important training processes. Last week, the Student Union announced that all club leaders must participate annually in bystander intervention

training with the Office of Prevention Services.

Keeping an open discourse between the administration and students about the progress made after student groups such as Ford Hall 2015 released lists of demands from the university, is particularly important according to Nuñez. “As longs as [students] know that [administration] is doing something, or even just looking at it, people feel more calm and more patient and can work more efficiently,” Nuñez said.

He said that whenever an issue is being discussed, it is important for both students and administration to notice they have the goal of making Brandeis a better university.

Certain groups of students vote

in Student Union elections less often than other groups according to Nuñez. In particular he spoke of Greek life, explaining that he thinks those involved in fraternities and sororities don’t always vote because Greek life isn’t recognized by Brandeis and therefore they feel that the Student Union doesn’t affect them.

He also asserted that others don’t vote because they “didn’t really know how the Student Union functioned or what exactly it did.”

Nuñez suggested reaching out to groups such as fraternities and sororities to let them know that they can come to the Student Union offices with concerns. He also suggested working directly with with clubs to inform people to vote.

Candidates running for the student union are held to a “paperless campaign” which means they cannot post fliers to support their campaign. The goal of the “paperless campaign” is to reduce waste and to create an even playing field for candidates since printing costs money.

Nuñez said the paperless campaign “shocked” him at first but forced him to focus on policy rather than publicity. Since the “paperless campaign” restricted him to mostly just using social media for outreach, Nuñez said it forced him to think, “What can I write that people need, I can actually do, and I am somewhat informed in?” He felt that the “paperless campaign” provided a fair playing field for all candidates.

OPINIONS

October 14, 2016

Why is Physics 18A different this year?

By Anindita Chandal

The Brandeis Hoot 5

Enough with the fire escape already

By Eli Esrig

columnist

special to the hoot

When people think about a physics lab course, they imagine cars being pushed down a ramp, masses hanging off of spring scales and applying a bunch of memorized formulas to their experiments. Depending on which level physics course a student is in, it may mean they have to either apply more conceptual knowledge to their experiments, or make sense of all of the calculus they have to do to get to the right answer. Regardless, premed students often find physics to be the bane of their existence, as it has “nothing to do with becoming a doctor,” (ironic, because physics takes up a good chunk of the MCAT exam).

To make the Physics 18A lab course more applicable for premed and life sciences students, the course was completely redesigned by Dr. Melissa Kosinski-Collins, Dr. Ben Rogers and Dr. Zvonimir Dogic.

To address the question of how the Physics 18A course has now become more oriented around biology, Dr. Kosinski-Collins explained: “At Brandeis, Physics 18A/B is the course series specifically designed for life sciences majors and pre-med students.

Many ‘calls to action’ suggesting

Before I begin, let me make one thing clear: I love my room in Castle Tower B. I’ve got a big room with a sink inside it. I share a bathroom with only three other guys. If I wanted to, I could avoid seeing anybody who lives on my floor for the entirety of the semester. And yeah, at some point they’ll be kicking me out to condemn this enormous mishmash of masonry and plumbing, but for now I’m content to wring every ounce of enjoyment out of my Rapunzel-esque living quarters as humanly possible.

Unfortunately, I cannot do so.

There is something that keeps me up at night, fair reader. I hear voices outside my window as I struggle to sleep. The lyrically complex verses of Kendrick Lamar drift through my walls as I do my best to scrape together a passing grade in multivariable calculus. I return to my room after a long day to find it smelling like a skunk with severe hygiene issues.

So what is it that plagues me?

The ghosts of Castle residents past? The transients that live in the walls? Overly intelligent raccoons? No. What torments me is, in fact, the fire escape outside

physics lab or biology lab?

reform in undergraduate education for life scientists have been issued suggesting the need to include interdisciplinary approaches to learning in all introductory courses. These reform efforts have suggested that interdisciplinary approaches will increase student retention, learning and conceptual understanding in the biological sciences.”

With that being said, though, many students who are currently enrolled in this course often talk about how physics lab just seems to be a reiteration of biology lab (“biology lab 2.0”), or

photo from photoshelter.com

that they are not really learning any physics from it and so do not see what they are learning from the course. Furthermore, a lot of students often express frustration both in and out of lab about the lack of directions.

Students often discuss how at least in biology lab we were given manuals, which had thorough experimental procedures listed out—which is not the case for physics lab.

Kosinski-Collins explained that this is because “we see the See PHYSICS, page 7

my window, five stories above the ground.

Hang-out spots at Brandeis can be quantified in terms of two categories: accessibility and beauty.

The average student’s dorm room is accessible, but not very beautiful. The crystal caves underneath Usdan are beautiful, but not very accessible without a pickaxe and a working knowledge of speleocartography (the administration will tell you that the Caves don’t exist and that I am “in a lot of trouble” because I “dug a hole” in the “floor” of the ‘mail room.”

They just don’t want you to know what’s down there! #fightthepower).

The fire escape outside my window has the misfortune of being both accessible and beautiful. After an easy stair climb, anybody can have a spectacular view of the Boston skyline at the low, low price of marginally lowering my quality of life.

Of course, just like republicanism and militant beekeeping, I’m inclined to believe that the most troublesome examples of this phenomenon represent a minute portion of the population. Many of the people I’ve complained to over the past semester have grinned and waxed nostalgic See ESCAPE, page 7

An open letter to former Trump voters

By Daniel Freedman special to the hoot

This election has recently evoked the Flight 93 allegory: We are on the hijacked plane destined for the capital building. We can storm the cockpit and still probably die, or sit back and await our fiery deaths.

If we accept the premise that Clinton is evil-incarnate and the destroyer of American sovereignty, and we accept that Trump is not in fact the volatile mass of compressed air hurtling toward Washington, D.C., then the comparison holds water. If Trump’s constituents think the country is in such dire straits and a Clinton presidency will spell certain ruin, then by all means they should subscribe to the Flight 93 logic.

My only desire in all of this is that they at least hold to some internal sense of consistency. Now after the allegory of the doomed plane made headlines, a lewd Trump video went viral, and his steadfast followers began wavering in their support, while a long list of congressional backers have finally had enough. Trump was caught joking about how as a star he can assault women without repercussion. If this is truly the Flight 93 election, that comment should not matter, nothing should matter short of him declaring his intention to destroy America.

Now, I know not all of his supporters champion the allegory presented, and thus their support is not predicated on the desperate times-desperate measures mantra. That said, to the growing list of governors, senators and representatives who are now re-

scinding endorsements, I must ask: why now? Is this comment so vulgar that you can no longer, in good conscience, support this man for president?

After the Birther movement and accusations that our president is Muslim, Trump was still an upstanding patriot. After accusing Mexicans of bringing drugs and being rapists, Trump was still an upstanding egalitarian. After denying John McCain credit as a

war hero because he was captured, mocking a reporter’s disability in front of a rally, advocating for torture as well as war crimes (killing terrorist family members) and admitting interest in dating his own daughter, Trump was still an upstanding candidate. After calling women pigs, dogs, slobs and saying that Megyn Kelly had “blood coming out of her wherever” on a public broadcast, we didn’t expect misogyny, objectification and a

propensity for sexual harassment?

I don’t mean to beat a dead horse, but you see the point. For the sake of both your time and mine I have to cut short the list of obscenities and inappropriate behavior that have become hallmarks of the Trump “brand.”

These are not hot-mic faux pas, these were not instances when he did not know the world was listening—these are the veritable views of the man himself. If you

have supported him this far, but are turned off enough to leave his camp on account of his latest comment, where have you been?

This predates all the instances listed above, and few are surprised by the egregious nature of the comment. No one had this perfect image of Trump that was rocked by his latest and greatest. If you supported Trump, it was not for his self-proclaimed “best temperament,” so why change now?

photo from latimes.com

6 OPINIONS

The Brandeis Hoot

October 14, 2016

Campus attitudes about stress

By Gabriel del Carmen columnist

The glorification of stress is something I have observed quite often on this campus. Perhaps it is a symptom of an increasingly competitive job market or the ever-decreasing graduate school acceptance rates. Whatever the cause may be, unhealthy behaviors seem to be touted around campus as a badge of honor, a symbol indicating that “yes, I too belong at Brandeis.” The badge goes to the individual who has slept the least, taken the worst care of themselves and has consumed the most amount of caffeine.

These attitudes about the overwhelming amount of stress we experience –which has created a competition of sorts – seem to perpetuate the notion that it is good to be stressed to the point of making oneself physically or

mentally unwell. We brag about how much caffeine we have had to drink, how little sleep we’ve gotten and how many tests we have in quick succession of one another. And some of the students on campus with different time commitments feel shunned for prioritizing their self-care over their academics.

While this attitude is certainly uniquely salient among science majors and pre-med students (perhaps as a result of the intensity of the course-load and the unforgiving exam schedule), I find it extends to all other fields of study.

And, perhaps hypocritically, I am undoubtedly as guilty as anyone else on this campus of placing my academic performance over my self-care and then discussing it with other people. But it is only because there is a pressure on campus to act a certain way when discussing academia. Talking about “stress” is not done in hushed tones, but is shouted from

the top of Rabb steps. Did you really study that hard if you slept? I sometimes wonder the same.

These attitudes are obviously antithetical to health. What can be done to reverse a culture so ingrained in the minds of Brandeisians? Perhaps, instead of creating an environment that glorifies these notions of stress as any priority under academia, we ought to create one that pushes self-care as the most important priority.

While their roles are different, students and faculty are both responsible for the culture they create on this campus. Faculty ought to encourage extensions over a student’s sacrifice of their health, or simply improve the leniency by which they implement their extension policy. Improving the state of the mental health resources on campus is a huge step in the right direction.

The role of a student is just as important. Only they can create an environment that promotes

the wellbeing of their classmates.

Instead of trying to one-up each other as the “most stressed out,” we ought to be asking each other if we’re alright. I believe this will, ironically, improve our overall academic performance. There is

much less to surmount if one only has to deal with the stress of impending stress, rather than having to deal with that same stress while dealing with physical and mental exhaustion. It is far from easy, but it is rather worth it.

photo from pixabay.com

Politically charged vandalism does not reflect Brandeis values

By Zach Phil Schwartz editor

All students at Brandeis know that the student body is a political one. We love to talk national politics. We love to talk about the issues that are most relevant to us.

Most importantly, we all have our differing opinions, and we should be accepting and constructive about this. Unfortunately, some of us are not.

Over the last few years, there has been a string of politically charged vandalisms of installations that were interpreted as or were political in nature. Why were they vandalized, you ask?

Because the vandals disagreed with the perceived messages and were driven to remove them rather than to discuss them.

Last year, a 9/11 memorial of 3,000 American flags planted in the ground that had been set up on the Great Lawn outside of the Shapiro Campus Center (SCC) had been re-arranged to spell out the phrase “PROUD OF IRAQ?” The installation had been done on reserved space with private property in an apolitical fashion—by members of Brandeis Democrats and Brandeis Conservatives alike—and was changed to express a political position.

I wrote about the incident a few days later, labelling the act vandalism and calling it an inappropriate way to express politics. I said that “we need to make sure that free speech is available for everyone on campus so that students do not feel as if vandalism and other similar acts are necessary to get their opinions across.” My point was that we need to accept that people don’t always agree with each other on their opinions, but we should not violate someone else’s freedom of expression to do so instead of building constructive dialogue.

The perpetrator responded anonymously and defended their act a week later. This was the kind of dialogue I hoped would happen. The memorial defacement story ended there, but the politically charged vandalism did not.

Fewer than 10 days into this semester, a poster in support of

Hillary Clinton was ripped off of my door in the Village and torn to shreds. I was distraught. I had the same poster mounted in the exact same spot on my door last year. I even lived in the same building. Why was it torn down?

Someone who happened across it disagreed with it. For that reason, my freedom of expression was in that instance torn to shreds. Is this how the expression of politics at Brandeis works? Someone disagrees with somebody else and therefore their poster needs to be vandalized?

And it continues. Aclose friend of mine and columnist for The Brandeis Hoot, José Castellanos ’18 recently had a sticker completely removed off of his car parked on campus. What did the sticker say? “Vote Democratic: We’re not perfect, but they’re nuts.” It’s a sharp slogan, but it’s certainly not worth removing from someone’s car without their permission. That amounts to vandalism. Asked about the sticker removal, Castellanos said, “While I understand the frustrations that some people may have with the Democratic party and the two-party system in general, that in no way warrants the defacing of someone’s private property.

Doing this is an act of immaturity that in no way promotes a sensible dialogue.”

The key word here is “dialogue”; those who vandalize others’ political or politically-interpreted installations are not looking to build dialogue. Doing so is akin to saying that the political message being removed and/or destroyed is not worthy of being said.

According an an article written

by Editor-at-Large Emily Sorkin Smith ’18 to The Brandeis Hoot published on April 1, 2016, a banner for last semester’s Israeli Apartheid Week hung by Brandeis Students for Justice in Palestine (BSJP) had been taken down multiple times, at one point being found on a shuttle bus to Boston/Cambridge. No matter what your stance on the matter is, denying the right of a student group to say what they want to say is tantamount to saying that they do not matter.

photo by zach phil schwartz/the hoot

Sadly, the trend continued into yesterday.

On Oct. 13, an installation in the road beyond the SCC leading up campus promoting J Street U Brandeis’ “Havdallah Against Demolition” event, during which the organization is hoping to advocate against the demolition of Susya.

“Susya is a Palestinian village in Area C of the west bank. Area C is completely militarily and civically controlled by Israel. It is currently under threat of demolition to make way for a neighboring settlement also called Susya,” said Sivan Ben-Hayun ’19, membership coordinator for J Street U Brandeis.

The aim is to “put pressures on the American Jewish community and the Israeli government” to save the village before the demolition decision date, previously postponed by that government, now set for Nov. 15.

This afternoon, the poster that had been planted in the ground promoting the event had been vandalized. The sign, which had been stuck in the ground, had been thrown down to the ground, its supports snapped.

According to Ben-Hayun, who helped to set up the installation, “it is clear that [the perpetrator] was somebody who was against the idea of Susya existing, against the idea, or against what we’re doing essentially.”

Here I’ll restate my questions.

Is this how the expression of politics at Brandeis works? Someone disagrees with somebody else and therefore their poster needs to be vandalized? It’s utterly ridiculous that this is how some of us choose to express disagreement.

Ben-Hayun expressed a similar frustration with the situation in a Facebook post earlier in the day. She wrote: “I am so unbelievably disappointed in the Brandeis community right now. A sign marking a peaceful demonstration is torn down and broken so that it can barely stand erect?

Is this what it means to support Israel on Brandeis’ campus now? Does it mean destruction of anything that does not fit into a specific narrative? Does it mean aggression over dialogue?”

Sivan brings up an excellent point; vandalism like this is not dialogue and does not promote

progress.

If you think that tearing up someone else’s political or politically-interpreted sign or poster equates to meaningful dialogue, I strongly urge you to reconsider.

To have and to express a political opinion is a right and a virtue, but something that we must allow others to have and do as well. Tearing down someone’s car sticker or door sign plainly shows the vandals’ points of view, but ceases expression of the opposing viewpoint.

The vandalism that took place at last year’s 9/11 memorial and that that took place at yesterday’s J Street U Brandeis installation does not promote dialogue; it is vandalism that aims to discredit, disqualify and silence the demonstrations’ aims. It’s vandalism: pure and simple. It is wholly counterproductive and runs antithetical to core Brandeis values. It must be stopped if we are to move forward as a community on any of our issues through constructive dialogue.

October 14, 2016

Course designers clarify intentions PHYSICS, from page 5

introductory chemistry, biology/organic and physics labs as a cohesive curriculum unit. In chemistry you learn how to follow an explicit set of directions guiding you through every step of a traditional laboratory protocol. In the biology and organic chemistry labs, you are asked to take part in designing some aspect of your own project in a guided inquiry experience. In the physics labs, we are now giving you a principle and tools and then you are asked to design the entire experiment. We hope by participating in this triumvirate of experiences, students will feel more comfortable with the uncertainty, open-endedness and variability of scientific research.”

As this Physics 18A course was restructured and put into action for the very first time this year, there are pros and of course cons that have been voiced by students taking the class. Many of the pros are centered around how students appreciate the link between the two subjects (physics and biology) that they did

OPINIONS 7

The Brandeis Hoot

An appeal to common decency: find somewhere new ESCAPE, from page 5

not think had much of an association with one another. A lot of other students have explained that they like that this course’s material is not fully dependent on what someone is simultaneously learning from the Physics 10A (lecture) course.

Most of the cons (lack of instruction being the major issue among students) have already been addressed previously.

Nonetheless, while many of us who are taking this course currently are the guinea pigs, improvements will be made to the course as needed.

“I have received both positive and critical comments about the structure of the course, but my hope is that as we reiterate the course over the next year we can both focus on the course strengths as well as remove or alleviate the weaknesses,” Dogic responded.

So for students who are satisfied or not with this course, their voices are being heard and will continue to be heard in an effort to improve the class.

about the view from right outside my window. (One unfortunate first-year burst into my conversation having heard the words “fire escape” and enthusiastically told me how excited he was to go up there!) If every person who apparently has taken advantage of the view had been as distracting to me as the worst cases were, I’m sure they would have carted me off in a straightjacket a long time ago. But there are still enough distracting visits for me to put in the considerable effort of submitting an op-ed to this venerable institution.

The ideal situation would be not having a chic hang-out spot right outside my window. Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s going to happen any time soon.

This situation is like littering or water conservation: It requires an appeal to human decency, and it expects people to actually listen to the kind of crazy people who actually contribute to their campus newspaper.

So here’s my appeal, short and sweet: Please be civil. I under-

photo from static.panoramio.com

stand the urge to seek out beautiful places. I understand the urge to bring beautiful people to beautiful places. I understand how wonderful it feels to be up so high and to see so much. But unfortunately, I also understand what it’s like to clutch a pillow around my ears at one in the morning to drown out the rowdy

conversation outside. So, knowing full well that I cannot stop you guys from climbing the fire escape without committing a federal offense of some kind, I beg you to please, please think of the residents of Tower B. Or, y’know, just go to Chum’s.

Chum’s is pretty cool, too.

We need menstrual products, not vending machines

By José A. Castellanos staff

On Sept. 23, 2016, I wrote an opinion piece for The Brandeis Hoot stating that we needed to provide free menstrual products on campus for the students who need them.

Implementing such a change would almost undoubtedly have widespread positive effects around campus, as it would mean that students who menstruate would no longer have to worry about potentially missing an important lecture or assignment or exam due to an unexpected period. And students who might not have the financial resources necessary to always have menstrual products on them would be able

to better care for themselves by having more access to the products that they need for a bodily function they cannot control.

The article quickly caught fire, with an overwhelming number of Brandeis students supporting the proposal. Taking note, I emailed an administrator, who for the purpose of this article and in the name of privacy will remain anonymous, suggesting the change.

The response given was that the archaic vending machines around campus, which many students have reportedly told me they have not seen, are enough, and providing menstrual products free of charge to students who menstruate is an unsustainable cost.

At 3:02 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 13, the day this article was writ-

ten, an email was sent by campus operations to students, faculty and staff. The email was proud to announce that Brandeis is “upgrading [their] food and beverage vending services around the campus.” The new machines will “offer greater variety and healthier snack choices. Additionally, the new machines will accept more payment options: WhoCash, credit cards, Apple Pay, Android Pay, Samsung Pay and cash.” This email was sent out less than two weeks after I had reached out to administration citing the support behind the article, and less than two weeks after administration had effectively told me that there was not enough money in the budget for these crucial health products that are needed by the several thousand Brandeis stu-

dents, staff and faculty, who menstruate. However, it would seem that there is enough money in the budget to afford new vending machines.

Obviously, there is an enormous disconnect here between what I was told by administration and the announcement of new “upgraded” vending machines on campus. Frankly, it’s absolutely shameful and ridiculous that Brandeis can claim not to have sufficient funds to provide menstrual products for its students, but it can, however, upgrade the several vending machines on campus. Katarina Weessies ’18 (deputy Opinions editor for The Hoot) voiced this frustration by saying, “I have never used the vending machines on campus, but I use tampons every month.

It would be a much better use of Brandeis’ resources to put this money toward providing pads and tampons for students who menstruate rather than buy new snack machines.”

At this point, Brandeis administration has so much to answer for. Besides the fact that they need to catch up and provide menstrual products for the students who need them, they need to address the fact that they somehow had enough money to upgrade vending machines on campus after stating that it would be too expensive to provide free menstrual products, and they need to state exactly why snack machines seem to be a higher priority to them than the health of students who menstruate.

SUBMISSION POLICIES

MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD Write a letter to the editor to express your views on our writers opinions and see yourself featured in next weeks issue! Submit to eic@thebrandeishoot.com Have a piece you want published? Submit it to us at zpschwar@ brandeis.edu or kweessie@brandeis.edu

The Brandeis Hoot welcomes letters to the editor on subjects that are of interest to the community.

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

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

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

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8 The Brandeis Hoot

WEEK IN PHOTOS

photo courtesy leah levine

tsa night market

photo by sam sano/the hoot

Read more on page 16.

photo by sam sano/the hoot

animal house

havdallah against demolition

page 6.

photo by mia edelstein/the hoot

Read more about J Street’s display and its vandalism on

October 14, 2016

The Homecoming petting zoo featured furry friends of all sizes.

photo by sam sano/the hoot

October 14, 2016

WEEK IN PHOTOS 9

The Brandeis Hoot

photo by emma hanselman/the hoot

teaming up

TBA and Bad Grammer switched up troupes for a show. See page 13.

photo by katie decker-jacoby/the hoot

photo by sarah terrazano/the hoot

new vending machine in east

CALLING ALL STUDENTS STUDYING ABROAD! The next Week in Photos sections will be study abroad themed: Week in Photos Abroad.

Submit photos to eic@thebrandeishoot.cm with your name, where the photo was taken and a caption if you’d like.

EDITORIALS

10 The Brandeis Hoot

“To acquire wisdom, one must observe.”

Editors-in-Chief Mia Edelstein Julie Landy

Managing Editor Allison Plotnik Senior Copy Editor Sarah Terrazano News Editor Hannah Schuster Deputy News Editors Abigail Gardener Elianna Spitzer Arts Editor Sabrina Pond Opinions Editor Zach Phil Schwartz Deputy Opinions Editor Katarina Weesies Features Editor Charlotte Aaron Deputy Features Editor Albert Reiss Sports Editor Sarah Jousset Deputy Sports Editor Zach Cihlar Photo Editor Karen Caldwell Layout Editor Lisa Petrie Editors-at-Large Matt Kowalyk Emily Sorkin Smith

Volume 13 • Issue 19 the brandeis hoot • brandeis university 415 south street • waltham, ma

Founded By Leslie Pazan, Igor Pedan and Daniel Silverman

STAFF

Emily Altkorn, Sharon Cai, José Castellanos, Shea Decker-Jacoby, Gabriel del Carmen, Jacob Edelman, Amanda Ehrmann, Andrew Elmers, Zachary Gordon, Max Gould, Emma Gutman, Sophia He, Alana Hodson, Daniel Kang, Emma Kahn, Naomi Klickstein, Adam Lamper, Samantha Lauring, Monique J Menezes, Santiago Montoya, Candace Ng, Polina Potochevska, Faiyaz Rahman, Caroline Rourke, Ryan Spencer, Hannah Stewart, Lily Wageman, Michael Wang MISSION As the weekly community student newspaper of Brandeis University, The Brandeis Hoot aims to provide our readers with a reliable, accurate and unbiased source of news and information.

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

SUBMISSION POLICIES

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

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

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

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GIVE A HOOT, JOIN THE HOOT!

Writers, editors, photographers and graphic artists wanted to join The Brandeis Hoot, your weekly community newspaper.

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

UNSOLICITED SUBMISSIONS

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

I

October 14, 2016

Teach-in important follow-up to campaign

n support of the recent campaign to change Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day, the Intercultural Center hosted an Indigenous People’s Day TeachIn throughout the holiday. The teach-in was an invaluable way to educate the Brandeis community about the reasons for the name change and the legacy of oppression.

The schedule included a variety of events in increments throughout the day so that students could stop by at any time, even if just for half an hour, making it easy to fit into their busy schedules. The discussions garnered more support than even the organizers intended; throughout the first few hours, more chairs had to continually be brought into the ICC to accommodate all the students attending.

Programs included talks by Prof.

Charles Golden in the Latin American and Latino Studies department and Prof.

Greg Childs in the history department, as well as a presentation by Brandeis Climate Justice on the Standing Rock pipeline and

By Naomi Klickstein

the impact of other anti-environmental actions in indigenous communities. The teach-in focused on both historical and present-day contexts, explaining oppression of indigenous people in Mesoamerica during 16th-century Spanish colonization and the modern issues of Standing Rock and environmental justice.

At a university with a remarkably low population of indigenous or Native American students, who may feel invisible not only within national culture, but on campus as well, the teach-in was a valuable resource to educate members of the Brandeis community about an often marginalized group. According to Fall 2015 enrollment statistics, only 0.1 percent of undergraduate students are identified as “American Indian and Alaska Natives.” This comes out to less than five students. Aside from the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), there is not an organization specifically for indigenous or Native American students.

The Teach-In also recognized the fact that the burden of educating should not fall on the marginalized group in question. White people, who have a disproportionate amount of privilege, need to use their position of power and resources to educate other white people and do the labor of explaining oppression. We know that it is violent to ask marginalized people to continue to explain why they deserve equal rights. As a majority-white editorial board, we recognize that it is our obligation to support and uplift the voices of historically oppressed groups.

The teach-in was an opportunity to both prioritize marginalized voices and provide a space for white people to educate themselves on issues that they are not forced to face on a daily basis. The better-than-expected attendance rate, as Prof. Espinosa indicated at the tail-end of her presentation, speaks to the willingness of the community to confront the difficult history and continuing oppression of indigenous people.

Drought of ideas

staff

ACROSS 1. One knowing shorthand 6. Handle 10. Banshee cry 14. Lowest point 15. Sharp barks 16. Board game related to Parcheesi 17. Wine by-product 18. Suspicious of 19. Mother of King Emund of Sweden 20. A place to make a call, dehydrated 22. Word with cheeks or cakes 23. Florida theme park 25. Good person (var.)—the answer to this is mensh, which is spelled wrong, not quite sure what to do about that 26. Item found in a dozen 29. May be green or black 30. Alter 31. 007 e.g.

33. Google Earth of old 37. Giants Manning 38. Couple 39. Tire filler 40. Tattoos 41. Word with wave or satellite 43. Bashful 45. Indian flatbread 46. Conservative party (abbr.)

48. Light bite 49. “_____, matey!”

52. Wind sound 56. Device on tow trucks 58. President’s residence, dehydrated 62. Hieroglyph meaning “life” 63. Essence 65. Add 66. Prefix for one thousand 67. End of a threat 68. Cut 69. Natural time of death (from Arabic) 70. Not on the rocks 71. Cursed DOWN 1. Button alternative 2. Mountain lake 3. Perimeter

Last week’s solution

4. Daughter of Tantalus in Greek myth 5. Lowest deck on a ship 6. Former Japanese capital 7. Grandmother’s nickname perhaps 8. Chooses 9. Tanglewood players, frequently 10. Healthy bread choice, dehydrated 11. “The Age of Anxiety” author 12. Twiddles one’s thumbs 13. Unwilling 21. Spooky month (abbr.)

22. Like some campaigns 24. Outdo 26. At all times 27. Fancy fete 28. This puzzle e.g.

31. Call for help (abbr.)

32. Expression of joy 34. Dishonest feline?

35. Against

edited by emily altkorn and caroline rourke

36. Child’s gait perhaps 38. May be gold or rotten 42. Place teens learn, dehydrated 44. “___ to use” 47. King in France 49. Roused 50. Relating to wine 51. Place for a monitor 53. Small hooter 54. Secret ___ 55. Therefore 57. May be star-nosed 59. Operating system brand 60. Military dictator and president of the Democratic Republic of Congo Mobutu ___ Seko 61. Crossed out (var.)

63. Congressperson (abbr.)

64. Olympic chant

L C R O S S WO R D S ?

V E Become a hoot crossword creator. email eic@thebrandeishoot.com if interested.

October 14, 2016

SPORTS

The Brandeis Hoot 11

Volleyball splits Homecoming games

By Zach Cihlar editor

Hosting two teams for Homecoming, Brandeis volleyball split the games, earning a win against Eastern Connecticut State University but falling to Salve Regina University, Saturday, Oct. 8.

The Judges entered the weekend coming off three away game losses, and a couple injuries altered the lineup. Some players were moved to different positions, but the team was able to adapt, according to team member Shea Decker-Jacoby ’19. “I am very proud of how the team played this weekend, mainly due to the fact we had two injuries, and some players had to play different positions, but still everyone worked hard and supported each other,” she said.

Brandeis broke some records against Eastern Connecticut. In the four-set win, Brandeis setter Marlee Nork ’19 achieved a career high of 40 assists, doubling her previous record, which she

earned last season.

Brandeis captain and libero Yvette Cho ’19 also broke a career high, serving five aces at the first game. Cho held the match high of 20 digs for the two teams as well.

The Eastern Connecticut game saw aggressive play from the Judges. Both Grace Krumpack ’19 and Decker-Jacoby reached a total of 11 kills, leading the team in that area. Another notable offensive player of the game was senior captain Jessica Kaufman ’17, who reached 10 kills. The team dominated the visitors in kill percentage, achieving a .228 to Eastern Connecticut’s .069.

The Judges came out strong in the second game, taking the first set against Salve Regina 25-20.

The team could not hold onto the lead, though, dropping the next three sets. Brandeis recovered from a deficit in the third set to ultimately tie the score at 25-25. Salve Regina would ultimately seize the third set win 27-25.

Brandeis team members once again set records in this game.

Nork shattered another career record in the second game, achieving 44 total assists. Decker-Jacoby set a career high of 18 kills. Krumpack broke a personal record, with 20 digs, leading the team in the area. Rookie Emma Bartlett ’20 also earned a notable 13 kills against the opposing team, while Cho earned 17 digs.

The Judges beat out Salve Regina in digs 70 to 66, but dropped the advantage in kill percentage, blocks and aces.

Brandeis ended the double-header with a 7-10 record.

The team is a little over halfway done with its season, with seven more home games still on the schedule.

The Judges will host the second round of the University Athletic Association’s second round robin tournament. The team will play four games in two days against University of Rochester, Case Western Reserve University, Emory University and New

homecoming

photo from brandeisjudges.com

Leah Pearlman ’19 sets ball for a kill during homecoming games.

York University.

“We are very excited to host the second round robin and invite the entire Brandeis community to come out and support,” Decker-Jacoby said.

The teams will be competitive, the Brandeis player said, but the Judges are “a very different team from years past,” and she urges Brandeis students to attend the high-stakes conference games.

MLB postseason: Born to be wild

photo from copy2trophy.com

By Zach Phil Schwartz editor

Major League Baseball’s 2016 campaign came to a conclusion two weeks ago, on Oct. 2. Two days later, the postseason kicked off with two extraordinary Wild Card games in Toronto and in New York. On Tuesday, Oct. 4, Edwin Encarnacion channelled his inner 1993 Joe Carter and walked the Toronto Blue Jays off

into an American League Division Series (ALDS) rematch versus the Texas Rangers. On Wednesday, Oct. 5 in New York, the National League Wild Card game developed into an epic pitcher’s duel into the ninth inning, when the Giants’ Conor Gillaspie hit a three-run home run off New York Mets’ closer Jeurys Familia. This proved to be the game-deciding hit, as the Giants won and moved on to play the Chicago Cubs in the National League Division Series (NLDS), thus finalizing the eight-team postseason bracket.

This year’s National League postseason bracket had three out of four teams vying to make significant history: The Washington Nationals were looking to win their first World Series, the Cubs were looking to win their first World Series in 108 years and the Giants were looking to win their fourth consecutive World Series

Minnesota Vikings extend undefeated season

By Kevin Costa

special to the hoot

Through five weeks of play, the Minnesota Vikings remain the only unbeaten team in the NFL. The team is now considered a likely Super Bowl contender, which was originally doubtful considering its early setbacks. Even before the season started, rising star quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a season-ending knee injury. Later, in the Vikings’ Week Two matchup against the Packers, Adrian Peterson suffered a meniscus tear in his knee after leading the league last year with 1,485 rushing yards.

Part of Minnesota’s success has come from a stout defense that head coach Mike Zimmer has built over the past two years, according to the team’s website.

The team has allowed the fewest points per game (12.6) and the fewest yards per play on first downs (3.5). A lot of this success has come from the front seven.

Multiple blitz schemes have put continual pressure on some of the top quarterbacks such as Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning and Cam Newton. Under a stifling defense, these quarterbacks have managed only 34 points and a combined quarterback rating of 28.5. Moreover, Xavier Rhodes has played a huge role in an already lights-out secondary. Tasked with covering Odell Beckham Jr., Rhodes limited the Giants’ number-one receiver to just three catches for 23 yards. With an upcoming bye week, the Vikings have extra time to prepare for the Philadelphia Eagles and possibly extend their undefeated streak.

in an even year (they’ve managed to win the 2010, 2012 and 2014 series). While a championship would not make substantial, franchise-changing history for the Los Angeles Dodgers, the team is still looking to win its first one since 1988.

The NLDS matchups were the Dodgers versus the Nationals and the Giants versus the Cubs.

Although it is an even year, the Cubs decimated San Francisco and eliminated them from the playoffs. The Dodgers took their NLDS in a nail-biting decisive fifth game, denying the Nationals their first ever NLCS for at least another year.

The NLCS matchup between the Cubs and Dodgers should be nothing short of thrilling.

The Cubs sport an excellent 3.77 team FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching), compared to an equally excellent 3.76 Chicago team FIP. Batting-wise, the Cubs have

a great .772 OPS (On-base Plus Slugging) and an above average 107 OPS+ (an adjusted metric of OPS that takes ballparks into consideration; 100 is considered good). The Dodgers sport a 3.61 FIP pitching-wise and a .728 OPS and 98 OPS+ on the offensive side. Expect the Cubs to take the series.

In the American League, the ALDS matchups were Blue Jays versus the Rangers and our hometown Boston Red Sox versus the Cleveland Indians. In a surprising turn of events, the Indians swept Boston out of the playoffs, effectively putting an end to Big Papi’s career, while the Blue Jays did the same to the Rangers.

Expect a big offensive performance in the American League Championship Series (ALCS); the Indians sport a good 3.91 team FIP, and have a good .759 OPS and a 94 OPS+. The latter

statistic is just a bit lackluster.

The Jays on the other hand sport a less respectable 4.05 FIP. Offensively, though, the Blue Jays’ OPS clocks in at .755, with an OPS+ of 100. Look for a lot of runs and an exciting series that could go seven games.

The World Series will be difficult to predict given the championship series hasn’t started yet. The American League has home-field, so in my predictions the Blue Jays would have at least that advantage. The Cubs have better hitting statistics, which will work well both at Rogers Centre in Toronto and at Wrigley Field in Chicago. They are also in much better shape pitching-wise, and good pitching will be key to winning the series. If I had to pick one to win, look for the Cubs to win it all for the first time in 108 years.

All statistics were taken from BaseballReference.com.

Soccer looks to UAA play

By Sarah Jousset editor

This past weekend marked Brandeis’ annual homecoming, where alumni from the athletic community came back either to participate in scrimmages against current teams or watch the teams from their sport play, as well as participate in various seminars and events throughout the weekend. The men’s soccer team played Case Western Reserve on Saturday, Oct. 8 as part of the festivities, while a small carnival complete with a petting zoo took place in the parking lot next to the Gosman Athletic Center.

The game went into double overtime, ending in a draw.

Goalkeeper Ben Woodhouse ’18 had four saves in the game. Case edged Brandeis in shots 14-10, but Brandeis couldn’t convert their 7-3 advantage in corner kicks.

The Judges played again on

Monday at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. The game again went into double overtime for the seventh time in the last eight games.

Brandeis’ only goal came at 2:06 into the second overtime when Patrick Flahive ’18 headed a pass from Evan Jastremski ’17 into the goal during a scramble in front of the net. The goal was Flahive’s fourth of the season and third game winner. Woodhouse held up the Judges on the defensive end for Brandeis, earning six saves in his fifth win and third shutout of the season.

Brandeis outshot Massachusetts Maritime Academy by 19-11, with 13-6 on goal. The Judges also held an edge in corner kicks with eight versus Mass. Maritime’s three.

The Brandeis men’s soccer team is on the road this weekend, playing the top-ranked University of Chicago on Friday in Chicago and Washington University in St.

photo from brandeisjudges.com

Louis on Sunday in two University Athletic Association matches before heading back to Waltham.

The Judges go into this weekend with an overall season record of 5-3-3, with two ties in their only two conference games so far this season.

12 The Brandeis Hoot

FEATURES

October 14, 2016

Students reflect on openness of campus dialogue

By Polina Potochevska staff

Last week, the Features section of The Brandeis Hoot investigated the diversity of political ideas on campus. After a poll was distributed to about 500 students, it was revealed that 27 percent of the student body usually does not share their political opinions, and four percent never share. For those students who said that they hesitate to share their political opinions, 40 percent said it was because they feared verbal attacks.

“If you have an opinion that isn’t what the majority thinks, it’s hard to share it without being verbally attacked and feeling judged for it,” said an anonymous senior. The anonymous student also mentioned that “both sides of political discussion should be on campus, but only one side is.”

Other students also mentioned that liberal thought is the majority on campus and how it affects the academic atmosphere. “I’ve

noticed that being a liberal campus, someone with conservative opinions is hesitant [to share political views], and it’s a problem,” Itay Kazaz ’20 said.

“Politically conservative students don’t feel comfortable expressing academic opinions … I feel like there is something wrong with that,” William Amara ’17 said about the poll results. In his opinion, “If there’s no dialogue, if no one feels comfortable discussing political opinions, that leaves open the door for slander of people’s opinions.”

Amara’s thought was echoed by other students, like Olivia Tardif ’18, who worries about being verbally attacked for her views after being “insulted and called names” after posting a written opinion piece online a few months ago.

Victoria Sharaga ’20 is hesitant to share political opinions because she is “afraid that people would judge me.”

Not every student had these views, however, such as Alessia Stewart ‘20 who said, “I think

because I’m more liberal, I’m not afraid of being attacked. But I welcome people challenging my beliefs.” This reflects the poll results, which show that Brandeis has a majority of students who identify as liberal and feel more comfortable sharing their political opinions than their conservative counterparts.

For Charles and Michael, both juniors who asked that their last names be withheld, political discussion was something that they felt was very important “in the college setting.” Charles said that “if we were sheltered in a bubble, we would never learn anything different. It’s good to hear conservative voices; you don’t have to agree, but you can reflect.”

Tardif also mentioned that at Brandeis, “We are in this bubble but it’s important for us to talk about real world things.” Michael said that he has noticed “that to disagree with someone means you shouldn’t be talking,” and Charles added, “When you talk, you don’t listen; we need to listen

to each other also.”

All interviewed students agreed that there should be political discussion on campus. “Brandeis students should discuss politics in public, especially at a university that is supposed to believe in social justice,” said Amara.

“The only way that things will get done is with discussion, as long as it is done respectfully,” Stewart explained. While Kazaz said that discussion “is an important part of gaining knowledge,” he also mentioned that “there are not many safe spaces for everyone” to voice their opinions without fearing retribution.

Sharaga brought up the fact that political discussion is necessary on campus, “especially during this election. It’s intense.”

In the poll, 31 percent of the students answered “other” for the reason that they hesitate to share their political opinions on campus, elaborating they felt that they did not know enough to share their opinions.

Michael said that “to not have

[political] discussions is to miss out on world views.” Amara stated that “most people know at least something [about the election] … People feel like their political voices don’t matter. Every voice matters … every voice is a good voice to have in political dialogue to sort out problems.” He added that from his experience, “Brandeis students … would rather say nothing than say something that people disagree with.”

Most interviewed students agreed that open political discussion on campus would be ideal, but as Michael mentioned from his experience in the classroom, the environment in certain situations is “more tense than it should be.”

The poll reveals insight into the way that politics are discussed, or restrained, on campus. “If Brandeis students could discuss diverging opinions respectfully, while listening to diverging opinions, the political climate of Brandeis would be much more hospitable,” Amara said.

How has this election, specifically, impacted political discussion on campus?

Leading up to the 2016 presidential election, conservative and liberal Brandeis students will be prompted with a weekly question.

Below are their responses.

By Albert Reiss staff

No two elections are alike.

However, the 2016 election is unlike any other that we as a country have previously experienced.

As Americans, we are forced to choose between an unproven candidate who lacks the temperament for the job and another who lacks the trust to be Commander-in-Chief. Because of these two equally bad choices, political conversations on campus have devolved to an almost intolerable level.

Given the liberal nature of the

Brandeis campus, conservatives feel marginalized and forced by liberals to defend every position taken by Trump. However, for many conservatives, Trump’s version of conservatism is entirely different from theirs.

In contrast, the conversation about Hillary Clinton on campus often revolves around her being the “reasonable” and “tempered” candidate. But it is Clinton who has put America’s security at risk, whether it be by her actions in Libya or her use of a vulnerable private email server.

Given the high displeasure elicited for rival candidates, conser-

vatives and liberals on campus are forced only to talk among each other about political issues.

Conservatives who voice support for Trump are targeted as bigoted while liberal students in a conservative’s presence may feel they are supporting an untrustworthy candidate.

The only solution is for conservative and liberal students to come together and have a serious conversation about both candidates. The more we know about each other, the better informed our student body as a whole can be about the issues during the election.

By Pro-Choice Club special to the hoot

This election brings a change in the political discussion on campus, due to the unprecedented nature of this campaign cycle. As an institution, Brandeis and its students are known to be generally Democratic and liberal while conservative voices are often an unheard minority. Last week’s political survey in The Brandeis Hoot showed that students who find themselves in this minority on campus often feel afraid to share their political opinions or thoughts on the election due to

anticipated judgement. While this suppression of non-mainstream opinions is a negative effect of the election on campus discussion, in principle it comes from a positive collection of political enthusiasm from liberal students at Brandeis.

These students feel passionately about the issues they care about in this election and excited to have a candidate that represents these ideals. For us, the Brandeis Pro-Choice club, we are proud to support reproductive rights and a woman’s right to choose and are glad to see a candidate fighting for and supporting this crucial cause.

Last week The Brandeis Hoot released data from a poll asking students how they politically identify and how comfortable they feel sharing their political opinions on campus. The last question asked students why they hesitate to share their opinions, if at all. Below are anonymous student responses to this question, identified by their political identification and likelihood to share their opinion on campus.

“Although I usually do feel comfortable, I am very aware of peers who aren’t.

They fear judgment from peers and verbal attack with a sort of mob mentality.”

– Democrat, shares more often than not “I am hesitant to share because of ‘accusations of -isms and whatever phobias.’”

– Democrat, usually does not share

“I fear for my safety as a person who holds marginalized identities.”

– Liberal, shares more often than not “I don’t want to be told I don’t have the right to contribute to conversations about issues of race/oppression because I am not a member of a particular racial or ethnic group.” – Democrat, shares more often than not “I don’t want to offend others.”

– Democrat, always shares

“The typical Brandeisian tends to live in an alternate reality (socioeconomic background), hence sharing political views ends up being a large waste of time due to the disconnect between peers.”

– Libertarian, usually does not share “Brandeis is too one-track minded. There’s no point sharing political opinions that will get shunned. It’s boring, tiring, unintellectual behavior.”

– Independent, usually does not share

“I do not want to appear as though I am not tolerant of other people’s opinions.”

– Democrat, always shares “I don’t want to deal with the ignorant opinions of others.”

– Democrat, shares more often than not “I don’t like to share my opinion because it upsets others.”

– Independent, usually does not share

“I don’t want to say something stupid, uninformed, ignorant, incorrect or that gets interpreted in a way I don’t intend.” – Democrat, shares more often than not “The people on campus censor others in ways that may be too much/I never know if I’m right/am saying the right things/don’t want to offend people.”

– Liberal, usually does not share

ARTS, ETC.

October 14, 2016

By Ben Benson

The Brandeis Hoot 13

TBA, BG get audience with slap stick comedy

staff

On Saturday night, Brandeis improv comedy staples Bad Grammer and TBA performed a joint show unlike their usual coffeehouse fare. The cross-over show featured members of both troupes divided into two teams.

The two teams showed up at the Pollack lecture hall at 10 p.m. ready to entertain the rowdy crowd, which was so large that many were left sitting on the stairs or standing in the back of the large lecture hall.

The show began strong with a hilarious bit in which TBA’s Becca Groner ’17 and Bad Grammer’s Hauke Ziessler (HS) flirted outrageously with a member of the audience. The two improvisers played off each other seemingly effortlessly, with the crowd hooting and hollering with laughter after each line was delivered.

Ziessler, the only graduate student performing in a Brandeis improv troupe, wowed throughout the night with his off-kilter brand of comedy.

The show was hosted by two smartly dressed improv newbies, Bad Grammer’s Blair Webber ’20 and TBA’s Evan Moloney ’20. The two hosts served both as emcees and directors of the show, often in charge of deciding when bits

photo by ben benson/the hoot

photo from facebook.com

started and ended and when improvisers were to switch roles. It was also Webber and Moloney who handled audience contributions, picking a single word from the cacophony that ensued every time they called for a suggestion.

Many of the games were easily recognizable as the same used by both troupes at their regular shows.

The show was hit or miss with its jokes, but the performers were able to make up for the blunders with their strong senses of humor.

A couple of performers stood out throughout the show.

There was Bad Grammer’s oddball graduate student from Germany, whose one-liners elicited roars from the audience. TBA newbie Abby LeRoy ’20 exhibited excellent comedic timing throughout the night, especially during a “Weekend at Bernie’s”-style game, which had her manipulating her castmates like puppets. TBA’s Julia Green ’18 left the crowd in stitches during the closing line game.Also notable was TBA’s Conor Amrien ’19, whose energetic performance style helped keep the show lively.

A surprising but welcome addition to the cast was transfer student and former Bad Grammer member Zak Benedek, who came in from Cornell to crack jokes with his old crew.

One of the more shocking mo-

ments of the night was during Bad Grammer’s staple game “ice bucket,” this time played by TBA’s Green and Amrien, who took turns improvising a scene with Bad Grammer’s Lauren Stark ’20. In a cruel twist, while one of the TBA performers was doing the scene, the other had to keep their head submerged in a bucket of cold water. When they ran out of air, they tapped the table and switched places, leading to some crazy moments in which a drenched, shivering improviser had to piece together their scene in the few seconds before having to dive back into the bucket so their partner could breathe. By the end, the crowd was thoroughly impressed with their improv comedy chops.

In total, the crossover show was not the most cohesive improvisational comedy performance Brandeis has seen. That said, it was very fun to watch and the audience seemed to be having a great time.

The general vibe of the show was best exemplified by the fact that as soon as the show ended, a dance party erupted with performers and audience members alike partying on the “stage” at the floor of Pollack for quite some time. This was exactly the sort of event we needed to remind us that Brandeis still knows how to have fun.

Various Brandeis staff and faculty display hidden talent in JustArts

By Katharine Mound special to the hoot

Many gathered by the doors of the Dreitzer Gallery in the Spingold Theater Center and anxiously awaited the JustArts Faculty/ Staff Exhibition that opened at noon on Thursday, Oct. 13. Sponsored by the Office of the Arts, the Office of Human Resources and the Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences, the exhibition features a vast display of works produced by Brandeis University faculty and staff from various departments and offices.

Inside the Dreitzer Gallery exists a diverse collection of paintings, photography, sculptures, drawings and other pieces that exhibit a wide range of artistic talent from Brandeis staff and faculty. The extensive exhibition is curated by Ingrid Schorr, the Acting Director in the Office of the Arts, who has been organizing these exhibitions for the past five years. She came to the idea for the Faculty/Staff Exhibition from a similar event held at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology called “Artists Behind the Desk,” where the school’s faculty were able to display their art for any and all to see. Although Schorr ceded that Brandeis’s version of the exhibition was smaller than MIT’s, she asserted that the artistry of this year’s exhibition is incredible.

The exhibition itself, on a smaller scale, certainly rivals that of other collections found on the esteemed walls of art hubs like the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

What may surprise you, though, is that many of the works featured in the exhibition were not created by those in the Fine Arts Department at Brandeis. Featured artists like Andy McKenzie and Ann Kardos work in Library and Technology Services, and Martin

photos by katharine mound/the hoot

photo by sam sano/the hoot

photo by sam sano/the hoot

Levin is a politics professor.

Murmurs of lively chatter and moments of silent admiration filled the inside of the room while the pleasant sound of guitar strumming and the soulful singing of musical duo Roberto and Kathryn could be heard from just outside the Gallery. The opening of the exhibition was bursting with excitement from students and staff alike, and the works certainly impressed their audience.

In passing, a man exclaimed that

photographs captured by Emily Corbato, a Resident Artist and Scholar from the Women’s Studies Research Center, were “exceptional.”

But what’s most intriguing about the exhibition is the level of artistic talent shown. These works could be placed next to artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat or Pierre-Auguste Renoir, as they elicit similar styles, techniques, messages and feelings as artists we hail today. Elena Brunner, a Gal-

lery Attendant and Art Handler at the Rose Art Museum, exhibited powerful, absorbing pieces that deal with “interpersonal relationships, power dynamics, and social cues,” and were among my favorites in the exhibition.

Schorr explained that many of the artists on display at this year’s exhibition also had featured works at previous JustArts Faculty/Staff exhibitions. Previously, Schorr had wanted to hold the event every year, but contribut-

ing artists wanted more time to work on their pieces because of their occupations. Along with returning artists from previous exhibitions, newbies like Tom Gatton, an “IT guru” by day and a “photographer and musician” by night, submitted their art to be displayed next to both fellow and unfamiliar staff and faculty.

Even Schorr herself had pieces in the exhibition: two “smaller, freeform” woven pieces that she crafted with a book by sculptor Sheila Pepe in mind. The works not only have a homemade, handcrafted and tangible look to them, but they were created by Schorr on a wooden handloom, a medium that she regards as great “for experimentation and improvisation.” Upon closer inspection, the visible labor and personal flair of Schorr’s woven works gives the viewer an extra sense of familiarity with how the pieces came into being, and projects onto the audience the rustic feeling of crafting the pieces as Schorr did.

But this feeling of closeness to the art displayed at the exhibition pervades more than just Schorr’s work. Looking at the art displayed in the Dreitzer Gallery (especially to a Brandeis student like myself) doesn’t feel like a trip to the Museum of Modern Art or even to the neighboring Rose Art Museum.

Although I’m sure I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting or interacting with all of the contributing artists on campus, between us is a common Brandeis thread, which makes the art feel more personal and relatable to students, faculty and staff. It’s important that we remember the creative minds at work on Brandeis’ campus, whether they’re behind lecture podiums or library desks.

If you would like to visit the JustArts Faculty/Staff Exhibition, it will be on view at the Dreitzer Gallery in the Spingold Theater Center until Nov. 13.

14 ARTS

The Brandeis Hoot

October 14, 2016

‘Blair Witch’ poorly attempts to replicate the vital essence of horror

By Adam Lamper staff

The second sequel to Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez’s cult classic “The Blair Witch Project,” the aptly-titled remake “Blair Witch” recently hit theaters as yet another Halloween-time butchery of a classic horror story.

1999’s “The Blair Witch Project” remains one of the few “modern” horror films that truly takes a psychological toll on viewers to this day, even given its meager $60,000 budget.

In fact, it has had such an impact in the world of motion pictures that it has been the foundation on which the “found footage” genre was launched into pop culture, being the inspiration for contemporary films like “Paranormal Activity,” “Apollo 18” and “Project X.” Given the success of the first film, 2016’s “Blair Witch” had extremely large shoes to fill, yet instead, director Adam Wingard chose to increase the budget

a hundred fold to produce a $5 million, piece-of-garbage film in standard Hollywood fashion.

The biggest draw of the 1999 movie was its originality at the time of release, and the emotional valence and relatability that intrinsically came with the lo-fi quality and mostly improvised dialogue, all of which are absent from the sequel. Wingard’s version, which features myriad filming equipment from drones to ear cams to GPS-capable walkie talkies, removed the thrilling sense of isolation that the three-person, two-camera crew experienced in the original.

Likewise, the added special CGI and audio effects in the sequel completely ruin the feel of the “found-footage” aspect of the film to such a degree that it is impossible to see it as anything but Hollywood-produced, especially in scenes that utilize the overdone “creepy music effects” and even those at the end that feature an animated representation of “The Blair Witch” itself.

Another factor that earned the original its place in the film world was its complete believability. Given their small budget, it comes as no surprise the original is nearly void of any type of special effects. This, combined with aggressive and realistic marketing selling the “realness” of the film, led many to believe that it was, in fact, true footage of a group of college-aged students’ last moments alive. This, along with the absence of the three relatively unknown indie actors, caused an enormous media explosion at the time of release, helping to achieve the final box office earnings of $248.6 million and secure the film as one of the most successful indie films to date. Today, the movie has received much backlash, as many viewers go into it knowing the truth behind the footage and are unable to appreciate the film for its truly terrifying and mind-bending style. The new movie, simply for the fact of it being a sequel, leaves little room for the imagination, and what is left is

photo from screenrant.com

photo from thedailybeast.com

completely demolished by its unrealistic effects.

As a whole, this movie has faced the biggest dilemma of contemporary horror: the integration of technology. It comes as no surprise that the majority, if not all, of the greatest horror films were produced before the age of cellphones, and of those that came after, the majority are set in a time period before the 1980s. While the original film developed an intimate relationship with the sole purpose of video production, the sequel pulls out all the bells and whistles of a typical “ghost hunting” team with a group of technology-dependent twenty-somethings who seem as though they’ve never set foot outside their suburban lifestyle, let alone spent a week camping in the northeastern wilderness.

Not only was the production of

the film a mess, but the acting and dialogue were nothing to applaud for either.

The actions and reactions of the characters are not only unconvincing, but also completely stupid, for lack of a better word, and Wingard even manages to find a way to insert not one, but two love interests into a plotline that already has minimum buildup to the climax of the film. On a more positive note, there is one thing that this movie did right – adding an interesting storyline to the open ends that were left in the original movie. However, the rest was so untactfully done that this seems to be the only correlation between the two films. If you’re looking for a scare this Halloween, I suggest saving $15 and watching the original at home instead.

Prof. Weinberg’s students take their first stab at stand-up comedy writing

By Brianna Cummings staff

Some people dream of becoming comedy writers and work toward it their whole lives. For some lucky students in Prof. Marc Weinberg’s (ENG) Writing in Television course, this dream may soon become a reality. Comedians from the Boston area will perform jokes written by Brandeis students in Weinberg’s class next Tuesday, Oct. 18. These comedians include Brandeis alumnus Anthony Scibelli ’09, Wes Hazard, Suzi Berlin and Brett Johnson.

“Basically, the project challenges our class to write materials for stand-up comics as we would if we worked for a show like “Late Night with Seth Meyers” or “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.” It’s really cool because we basically break down jokes into a formula, so it’s almost a science to comedy,” Danielle Balanov ’17 said.

The students learned how to write jokes from Weinberg and also learned about different comedians’ styles. Some will tell jokes, and others will tell funny stories.

The students then viewed videos of the comedians, voted on which one they wanted to work with and were split into groups. Each group was given a head writer. After the group came up with their jokes, they met with their comedian and went over which jokes worked and how to mix all the jokes together into a monologue.

As a television writer, “You get hired and then you have to write to that comedian’s voice,” Weinberg explained.

A former screenwriter in Los Angeles, Weinberg has a lot of experience with television writing

photo from facebook.com

photo courtesy abby leroy

opic about Harry Houdini. He has sold scripts to a variety of studios, from Citadel to Paramount. The professor knows more than anyone that television writing is not an easy business to break into.

“Television writing takes timing, luck and skill,” Weinberg said.

“First, you need to know why you want to become a television writer. Is it for money? Because a lot of jobs pay well.”

In order to break into the business, television writers usually write speculative scripts and enter

them into contests. Many comedy writers start as stand-up comedians. This being the 21st century, writers sometimes begin their careers on the Internet.

One of Weinberg’s former students, Josh Gondelman ’07, created the Twitter account Modern Seinfeld, which constructs contemporary “Seinfeld” episodes in 140 characters or fewer. He eventually joined the staff of “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” and recently won an Emmy for his screenwriting on the show.

photo courtesy anthony scibelli

and screenwriting.

“My wife and I were both screenwriters. I wrote scripts for The Discovery Channels and she worked for Disney,” he said.

Weinberg’s envious career includes working as a story analyst for companies like 20th Century Fox, MGM and Interscope Communications. A graduate of UCLA’s prestigious M.F.A. in screenwriting program, Weinberg has worked on many projects, ranging from a supernatural thriller on USA Network to an A&E bi-

photo courtesy danielle balanov

Gondelman’s success is what inspired Weinberg to focus his class, which usually revolves around writing speculative scripts, on “late-night styled” comedy writing, including monologues. He hopes to see more of his students find success in their writing careers.

“Late night success is easier than prime time,” Weinberg said.

“If it is a way students can break in, let’s try it.”

The class means a lot to many of the students because having a career in comedy is their dream.

“This is a really exciting opportunity for me to write for this show, as an amateur stand-up comedian myself. I know of several other students in the class who are also stand-up comedians,” said Ben Benson ’18, one of Weinberg’s students. “As someone working on my own skills as a comedian, getting to work with and learn from a working comic is really cool.”

The students respect and admire the comedians whom they are writing for and are excited about working with them.

“I was assigned to be the group leader to Suzi Berlin, who is extremely sweet and incredibly funny. It was incredibly inspiring, as a woman in comedy and the director of an improv group on campus, to meet another woman who loves to joke around as much as I do,” Balanov said. “I’m honestly so amazed Suzi can just go on stage and do such remarkable storytelling completely from memory.”

In addition to being fun, the event is a great way for the talent of these young writers to be discovered. The comedians will perform the students’ work on Tuesday, Oct. 18 at 8 p.m. in Chum’s.

October 14, 2016

By Katie Decker-Jacoby

ARTS 15

The Brandeis Hoot

Brandeis embarks on new voyage with Indigenous People’s Day at Chum’s

staff

Brandeis Labor Coalition (BLC) and Cholmondeley’s Coffee House (Chum’s) hosted a “Fuck Columbus Dance Party” to celebrate the passing of a resolution to change Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day in Brandeis’ Academic Calendar, on Monday, Oct. 10.

Faculty members held a meeting on Friday, Oct. 7 to vote on the proposal, which Sophie Warren ’18 originally brought to the Student Union a year ago. The group unanimously voted yes to altering the holiday’s name on Brandeis’ calendar.

The resolution intends to “acknowledge the legacy of imperialism, colonialism, enslavement and white supremacy which has displaced and oppressed Indigenous People/Native Americans,” according to the “Vote to Change Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day at Brandeis University” petition on change.org.

Brandeis joined other colleges including Brown University and Tufts University at the vanguard of adapting a more appropriate name for the controversial national holiday.

After a year of hard work and support by many Brandeis students and organizations, it was time to commemorate these strong efforts. Dimmed lights, loud music and refreshments set the mood for a celebratory dance party in Chum’s last Friday night.

The dance party began at 10 p.m., but a discussion about the movement to change Columbus Day to Indigenous People’s Day preceded the festivities. Angel Del Amour ’19 led the discussion

photo by karen caldwell/the hoot

from an indigenous person’s point of view. He talked about the “motivations behind the party, the historical context and why this is happening, why this is necessary,” explained Divanna Eckels ’18.

The discussion also included decoration-making. Signs and chalk art with messages such as “Fuck Columbus,” “Fuck Colonialism,” “Stand with Standing Rock,” “Columbus = Genocide” and “End Colonialism” adorned the coffee house’s walls.

Eckels joined BLC in her sophomore year because she was moved

by BLC’s campaigns and felt the need to help. Eckels hopes this change starts a conversation on campus. “I’m hoping for self-reflection,” she added.

A dance party for such serious matters may seem a bit peculiar and unexpected. “A lot of students on campus are feeling that burden, students of color and students who are at the intersections of other marginalized identities

… Having these moments of joy in the midst of what sometimes seems like constant pain and stress, especially with being in school, is really important,” Eckels explained.

Aaron Goodwin ’18 played an essential role in planning this event. He organized a similar event in previous years, but added the discussion to this year’s agenda. Instead of merely hosting a dance party, students were able to exchange thoughts and hear an indigenous student’s perspective.

Goodwin had valuable connections to students like Del Amour who were eager to help with the discussion and dance party.

“I think it’s more of a symbolic victory. I don’t think things about this school will change, but I think it’s important to recognize true history and the way history has been manipulated,” Goodwin expressed.

In addition to designing the event, Goodwin created a playlist

photo by katie decker-jacoby/the hoot

consisting of de-colonial songs.

Goodwin selected songs by The Coup, a hip hop group from Oakland, CA, whose music ridicules capitalism and colonialism among many other worldly affairs. “I’d like to take a moment to say, ‘Fuck Columbus!’” the group exclaims in its song “Dig It!” Goodwin’s playlist also featured songs by Shadia Mansour and Ana Tijoux. Both female artists use their music to stand up against colonialism.

Apart from The Coup, Shadia Mansour and Ana Tijoux, Goodwin additionally included contemporary songs about self-empowerment and combating oppressive norms, according to Eckels. Songs from Beyoncé’s new album “Lemonade” appeared in the evocative playlist as well.

The next step for this campus-wide movement was the teach-in designed by the Brandeis University Intercultural Center.

The comprehensive program,

which took place on Indigenous People’s Day, ran from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and featured several professors, Brandeis Climate Justice, a film and student led discussions.

“American Indians” make up 0.1 percent of Brandeis’ undergraduate student body and 0.2 percent of its graduate population, according to the university’s Fall 2015 enrollment statistics. Although a small number of undergraduates and graduates identifies as indigenous, it is critical that the entire community be respectful of all races, ethnicities and groups on campus, especially with Brandeis’ emphasis on social justice.

Ultimately, Oct. 7 will forever mark a monumental victory for Brandeis University, and most importantly, for the indigenous community.

BLC and Chums threw a spectacular and illuminating dance party that definitely screamed “Fuck Columbus!”

Mac Miller fails to fully explore women in ‘The Divine Feminine’

By Emma Kahn staff

When a friend told me I had to check out Mac Miller’s new album, I didn’t expect to play it twice. Mac Miller had never struck me as anything iconic or innovative, and although his bars can be catchy, his overall sound never brought anything new to the table.

However, his newest album has become a recent favorite of mine, often on repeat as I walk through campus or catch up on some homework. Released on Sept. 16, “The Divine Feminine” is easily Mac Miller’s most noteworthy album and marks a changed sound that finally brings his verses the foundation they need. Miller finally joins the new, funky, inquisitive sound side of the modern rap game.

“The Divine Feminine” features several noteworthy artists in its 10 tracks. Bilal begins the album

in “Congratulations,” setting the warm, atmospheric tone of the entire project. Anderson Paak brings in the second song, “Dang!” a song impossible to play just once.

Written about losing several loved ones in his life, Paak adds depth to the project and lends Miller his clean, funky, airy sound. “Dang!” undoubtedly comprises the essence of what Miller is starting to do right. “Cinderella” features Ty Dolla $ign followed by “Planet God Damn” which features Njomza. “We” brings in CeeLo Green, another track that reflects Mac Miller’s new sound and willingness to explore. Finally, Ariana Grande, who is heard scattered throughout the album, joins in prominently in “My Favorite Part,” a vocal-heavy duet uncharacteristic of Miller. To finish the project, “God is Fair, Sexy Nasty” features Kendrick Lamar over an easygoing, lethargic and contemplative final song. These 10 separate tracks not only speak to the

same sound and invite a fluid listen of the full album, but are also perfect single works to intersperse in your latest playlist.

This album does feature more stereotypically feminine sounds, but it is by no means a feminist work. Mac Miller has not left out all of his characteristic vulgar and at times misogynist verses. I was initially turned away by the title of his album, a definite risk for any male artist and especially for Miller. I do often find myself fast-forwarding through parts of songs that feature sexual noises. “Skin,” a solo track by Miller, is simply a detailed account of sex with a woman, the least explicit lines still questionable lyrically, such as the hook, which goes, “It’s okay that you like it babe / And it’s alright that you misbehave” and transitions to the bridge which ends on a strange note: “I’m taking care of each and every part / I opened up your legs and go straight for your heart.” The feminine voice here is

photo from pitchfork.com

photo from inverse.com

certainly missing.

It’s clear listening to “The Divine Feminine” that feminism is not the intent. Instead, you will find that Mac Miller is testing his boundaries, bringing in a warm and inviting sound, a sharp turn from his prior albums which are bursting at the seams with self-interest and pandering. Miller is now exploring a softer feel to his music.

He explained in an interview with Zane Lowe’s Beats 1 Radio show, “It was actually a concept that was told to me about just the energy of the world being a female energy, the energy of the planet. And just kind of like how that mirrors the soul of a woman,

and you know, like Mother Earth and falling in love with the universe.”

There is no doubt that Miller would benefit from more of an exploration of femininity. However, “The Divine Feminine” does reap the benefits of a softer, more vulnerable and explorative sound and represents a turning point in Mac Miller’s career.

The question now stands, is this reflective of a new Mac Miller who brings us more vocals, more ideological work and less pandering or boasting? Hopefully with time, we will see Mac Miller bringing more of the sound heard in “The Divine Feminine” and improving on this new aesthetic.

16 ARTS

The Brandeis Hoot

October 14, 2016

Brandeisians enjoy Nightmarket food under the stars

By Sabrina Pond editor

Over the weekend, Fellows Garden was the center of campus life, with brilliantly strung lights and contemporary pop songs resonating through the crabapple tree branches—nothing could have better set the mood for the Taiwanese Student Association’s (TSA) Nightmarket. As the sun set and the night slowly darkened, a line began to form around the SCC as students waited with extreme anticipation. From year to year, some things never change.

The second largest event with free food on campus, just one step behind the Midnight Buffet, TSA managed to host an event meant to represent the bustling streets of Taiwan. On Saturday, Oct. 8, students were confronted with the

most delicious food from a number of ICC clubs, including TSA, BAASA, BBSO, BC3, Club Cantonese, JSA, KSA, SASA, SEAC, VSA. Unlike previous Nightmarkets, this one incorporated a far greater range of cultural clubs in order to promote more diverse cultures at what has always been a very popular event.

“This year we tried focusing on collaborating within other cultures rather than staying within ourselves because … it was more about blending cultures together rather than trying to promote our own culture,” vice president of KSA Sang Min Lee ’18 said. “I felt like this year … we had the mindset of blending our cultures together, and I really like where KSA’s going right now because this year we were trying to collaborate with many different clubs.”

A sample of the event’s food

included BBSO’s fried fish and cornbread, JSA’s curry rice, SEAC’s mango tapioca pudding and plentiful vegetarian options.

Those few dishes, however wonderful, do not tell the full story of the diversity of food offered at the event.

What’s really fantastic about the format of Nightmarket is that it gives students the opportunity to get out of their comfort zone and try foods that they wouldn’t have necessarily tried otherwise.

In other words, Nightmarket is conducive to open-mindedness in genres of food in a way that restaurants simply aren’t. That, in and of itself, might account for the high rate of attendance to each year’s Nightmarket.

The lines began forming at least a half hour before the start of the event at 6 p.m. However, when the clock struck six, students were left

waiting another 10 minutes to begin the epic feast, which made the tantalizing food behind the yellow tape seem all the more appealing.

Whatever the wait, the delicious plates were more than worth it.

The way I view it, it’s more or less the cost of free food.

Though it can be very difficult to accommodate so many people in such a small space, something that future Nightmarkets can improve upon is organization.

The tables at the front of the line are interminably packed with students as they rush in for food, slowing down the flow of the line and thus forcing others to check out the end tables. I don’t think it’s too much to say, however, that a little extra planning might make this process more efficient and speedier.

That one criticism aside, Nightmarket is an event that brings

Brandeisians together under the night stars, emphasizing a sense of community among the student body. When the food is warm and perfectly prepared as students sit together on the lush grass of Fellows Garden, there’s no better picture that I can think of.

“I think this is a really cool event because all the cultural clubs get to come together and share a bit of their cuisine with the whole school, and because it’s in Fellows Garden, everything is really close together, and they’re able to decorate it really nicely,” attendee Alana Hodson ’19 said. Her positivity abounded as she went on to say, “It puts a really good communal mood to everything … but I feel that it really represents what Brandeis tries to put forward as their most attractive component, the sense of community.”

photos by sam sano/the hoot