Volume 14 Issue 11
“To acquire wisdom, one must observe” www.brandeishoot.com
September 8, 2017
Brandeis University’s Community Newspaper · Waltham, Mass.
McMahon, Rickey depart, univ. seeks replacements By Hannah Schuster and Abigail Gardener editors
photo by elianna spitzer/the hoot
involvement fair Over
200 clubs tabled the Fall Involvement Fair hosted by the Department of Student Activities. Students flocked to the Levin ballroom for the chance to sign up for clubs and organizations.
Brandeis is seeking new employees at the Office of Prevention Services (OPS) and Rape Crisis Center (RCC) after both Sheila McMahon, the director of Sexual Assault Services and Prevention, and Julia Rickey, the Survivor Advocate and Education Specialist, resigned over the summer. With both McMahon and Rickey gone, the OPS and the RCC fall under the supervision of Sheryl Sousa, the vice president for Student Affairs. “I’ve been working closely with professional and student staff to oversee the operation,” she said in a statement to The Hoot. McMahon left the office she helped found in 2013 for a faculty position at the Barry University School of Social Work. She
told Brandeis she was leaving in mid-July, and Rickey left in August. McMahon had already left campus by that point, and did not know Rickey was going to leave. Rickey could not be reached for comment by press time. Some professional staff have taken on interim positions while replacements for McMahon and Rickey are found. Carrie Robertson, who has worked in the Title IX office and in graduate admissions, is Interim Program Manager. She is also supervising student staff in the OPS, which runs the bystander education program, Sousa said. McMahon was involved in bringing on Robertson. “She [Robertson] is super organized. She’s one of those people who just gets things done,” McMahon said in a phone interview. She said the student OPS workers bring a lot of talent and creativity, See OPS, page 3
Rights and Responsibilities sets new speech guidelines By Elianna Spitzer editor
Policies on free speech, protests, recording devices and drones were updated in this year’s edition of Rights and Responsibilities, the student conduct code.
Each year administrators alter language and update sections over the summer in preparation for the new school year. More often than not, the goal of altering the code is to clarify existing sections. However, new sections were added to guide student conduct for the 2017-18 edition.
Section 7.5, titled “Disruption of scheduled speakers or events”, is new to this edition. The section prohibits students from protesting in a way that interferes with “the ability of an event to continue as planned”, according to the handbook. While this section does not prohibit the actual act of
protesting, it vaguely defines interference. Whether an act of protest meaningfully interferes with an event can be subjective. Campus free speech became a national issue in May of 2016 after a protest at Middlebury College turned violent. Over 100 students prevented the speech of
a scheduled conservative speaker, Charles Murray, by shouting him out of a room. Fire alarms were pulled and as Murray exited the building, protesters surrounded him and some began to shove him. The event prompted a naSee UPDATES, page 2
Leonard Bernstein piano on two-year nationwide tour
By Samantha Lauring staff
The first childhood piano of Leonard Bernstein, usually housed in the lobby of Slosberg Music Center on campus, is going on a two-year nationwide tour celebrating the 100th anniversary of Bernstein’s birth. The tour, called Leonard Bernstein at 100, is a traveling exhibition celebrating Bernstein’s career as a successful conductor, composer and musician. The exhibit will premiere in Washington, D.C. at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Sept. 21, 2017, accord-
ing to the exhibition page on the Grammy Museum website. The exhibition was created by the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, California, which holds exhibitions that celebrate a diverse range of musical genres and people. About two years ago, a member of the museum contacted Ingrid Schorr, Director of the Office of the Arts at Brandeis, asking to borrow Bernstein’s piano for the exhibit. Schorr works with both the Music Department and the Office of the Provost. The process of getting permission to borrow the piano from the Music DepartSee PIANO, page 2
Inside This Issue:
News: Prof. appointed dean of Heller school Features: Waltham Group recruits volunteers Arts: Check out these upcoming free art events Sports: Pro athletes aid in hurricane relief EDITORIAL: Support those on DACA status
photo by hannah schuster/the hoot
A student admires Carrie Moyer’s “Vieni Qui Bella,” available for viewing at the Rose Art Museum from Sept. 8 to Jan. 28. Read more about new exhibits in ARTS page 7. new exhibitions
Women’s
Page 3 volleyball Page 5 Page 8 Brandeis team serves up two wins at start of season Page 14 Page 11 SPORTS: PAGE 14
Chaplaincy New chaplaincy position supports student growth FEATURES: PAGE 5
NEWS
2 The Brandeis Hoot
September 8, 2017
Fall Involvement Fair sees large student and club member turnout
By Elianna Spitzer editor
Members from over 200 Brandeis clubs and organizations tried to attract new members in the Levin Ballroom on Sept. 3 for the Fall Involvement Fair. Brandeis boasts over 250 clubs and involvement fairs are hosted each semester by the Department of Student Activities. The event, held at the start of every semester, enables new students to connect with clubs on campus. It is also a way for upperclassmen to get more involved in new clubs. In the past, involvement fairs have been located on the Great Lawn outside of the Shapiro Campus Center (SCC) or in the ground floor area of the SCC. This semester’s fair was moved to Levin Ballroom due to rain. Members of the Archery Club walked around with bows, prompting curious students to stop and ask about their group.
Other organizations handed out pamphlets, copies of their recent publications or slips of paper leading interested students to club meetings. The ballroom was full of club leaders, signs promoting their clubs and new students signing onto listservs, often with the promise of a free t-shirt or sticker. Clubs could only fit two to three members into the cramped space behind their assigned table. It was difficult for other club members to walk around the ballroom because of the amount of people. Though it was raining and in the low 60s outside, the ballroom was hot and humid. Groups were spread between the main ballroom and the balcony above it. They were divided into sections of tables based on general themes. Some students expressed concern over how crowded the ballroom had become. Others were just happy to be able to sign up for a new club.
photo by emily sorkin smith/the hoot
Grammy Museum takes famous Brandeis prof.’s piano on tour PIANO, from page 1
ment took about two years, which included the Grammy Museum president coming to Brandeis to look at the piano. The piano is nicknamed “Aunt Clara’s piano,” because Bernstein’s Aunt Clara gifted him the piano in 1928 after witnessing his natural musical talent. Years later, Brandeis Professor Nahum Glatzer, who used to work in the Near Eastern and Judaic Studies Department, bought the piano from the Bernstein family. After Glatzer’s death, his daughter, a Brandeis alumna from the class of 1962, gave it to the Brandeis Music Department, where the piano now lives. In addition to Bernstein’s childhood piano, the exhibition will feature items like his conductor’s
baton, the desk used to compose “West Side Story,” handwritten score sheets for songs from “West Side Story,” including “America,” “Tonight” and “Maria,” photographs and more. The exhibition will also include interactive displays that allow visitors to gain “deep access into Bernstein’s creative mind and music legacy,” according to the online exhibition page. Other locations of the tour will include New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Tulsa, Chicago and Portland, O.R., according to the exhibition flyer in Slosberg. Bernstein was a professor in the Music Department at Brandeis from 1951 to 1956, where he created and directed the Festival of the Arts for the university’s first commencement in 1952. The Leonard Bernstein Festival of the
Creative Arts, now a weeklong celebration every spring, honors his legacy at Brandeis. “The annual Festival of the Creative Arts showcases nationally acclaimed performers and visual artists together with music, dance, theater, film, and artwork by more than 300 Brandeis students and alumni,” according to a Brandeis webpage. The Brandeis campus will also be celebrating Bernstein’s centennial anniversary, which will officially begin in August of 2018, said Schorr. This will include Festival of the Arts events centered on his work, classes taught about him, and campus-wide events celebrating his life and career, according to Schorr, who said that “there is going to be programming around the world celebrating Bernstein.”
photo from brandeis.edu
Sections in student code revised for clarity UPDATES, from page 1
tionwide discussion about free speech and campus protest. The protest at Middlebury was not an isolated incident, and college campuses across the country have struggled to find ways to ensure the safety of students and invited guests in a politically charged environment. The issue has now reached the state, and may soon reach the federal level. In the last few months, a number of state legislators introduced or passed bills to protect free speech on campus. The new bills, passed in at least seven states, force universities to remain politically neutral, meaning that the schools cannot choose to disinvite a controversial speaker. Similar to the new section of R&R, the bills would impose penalties on students who interfere with an event or speaker. Massachusetts has not passed a law concerning free speech on college campuses. Another addition to Rights and Responsibilities also deals with free speech. In section 6.1, “Posted notices,” the new handbook prohibits posting flyers or banners that contradict other parts of the handbook. This means that a posting that interferes with an event may not be approved or removed if posted. It also means that posters are held to the same standard as speech or conduct. Kerry Guerard, director of Student Rights and Community Standards, clarified that any act of protest, including a sign, would only be stopped if it disrupted the event. “Signs in the back of an event would not seem to interfere with an event, but a sign in the middle of Commencement that prevented those around the sign from seeing the proceedings might need to be addressed. The section was added to provide
clarification and guidance to our community on these issues,” she said. Changes to Rights and Responsibilities clarified rules for student journalists. Using a device to record another student when there is a reasonable expectation of privacy is still prohibited. However, the new version of R&R clarifies that the rule is not meant to prevent journalists from recording interviews or audio at public events. A public event is characterized by an open space and a general invitation extended to the student body. The part of the handbook that handles sexual assault and harassment was updated. A change to the Special Examiner’s process ensures that sexual history of either party will not be taken into account during the process. Immigration status will also have no bearing on a Title IX report or adjudication. In an email sent to the student body on Aug. 28, Guerard highlighted two other new sections. Sections 2.15 and 2.16 make the use of drones and hover boards illegal on the Brandeis campus. They were already not allowed on campus, but that had been reflected in an email rather than a formal copy of the conduct code. Guerard’s email also highlighted the addition of vaporizers and electronic cigarettes to the smoking policy outlined in 5.0. They may not be used inside buildings or within 30 feet of university owned vehicles or buildings. A full list of revisions, as well as the new version of Rights and Responsibilities, can be found on the Department of Student Rights and Community Standards website. That website also features a suggestion form which can be used to offer advice form the next update of Rights and Responsibilities.
September 8, 2017
NEWS 3
The Brandeis Hoot
Interim survivor advocate for RCC to be hired within a week OPS, from page 1
but need someone whose job it is to keep them organized and on schedule. McMahon said, on one hand, it’s unfortunate the search could not begin until the semester started because “you want to be able to have someone in the position when the school year starts, but the good side of that I think is that students can then have a more active role in the search committee process.” She also hopes that having some extra time will allow the university to attract high quality candidates. McMahon knows Robertson is competent and is happy the office “wasn’t left to float along until a new director was hired.” McMahon had been considering the possibility of a faculty position for some time, but turned down a job at Barry University when they first offered it to her.
However, this spring she decided to accept a new offer from Barry so she could spend more time researching and writing. Now at Barry, McMahon is teaching three classes (one undergraduate and two graduate), but is also able to focus on writing. Trish Glover LMHC, a mental health/trauma therapist for the Brandeis Counseling Center (BCC) has taken on the role of clinical supervisor for RCC staff and advocates, according to Sousa. Aside from Rickey, the RCC has been staffed by student “peer advocates.” Brandeis Students Against Sexual Violence (B.SASV) has repeatedly called for the RCC to hire more fulltime, professional staff members. The Rape Crisis Center office remains open from 12-5 p.m., and there will still be “access to professional staff,” according to Sousa. Students can also speak with a professional counselor after hours
by calling 781-736-3370. Additionally, Elba Valerio, who served as program coordinator for the Intercultural Center (ICC), is taking on administrative responsibilities at OPS as Interim Program Manager, Sousa said. To supplement Glover’s work, the office will hire an Interim Survivor Advocate until a permanent one is found. This person will “be available in the RCC to meet with survivors,” Sousa said. “We’re interviewing finalists this week and should have someone in place within the week.” While the interim positions are in effect, the office is searching for candidates to fill the two empty full-time positions. The Director of Sexual Assault Services and Prevention position (McMahon’s former role) was posted mid-summer, according to Sousa, and they will be screening candidates soon. The Survivor Advocate and
Education Specialist position has yet to be posted, but only because they want the input of the new director when hiring for Rickey’s former position. “Our plan is to fill the Director position first so as to give the new Director an opportunity to have input in the selection of the Survivor Advocate,” said Sousa. “There will be an Interim Survivor Advocate in place until the position is filled permanently. Both searches will include input from faculty, students and staff.” Sheila McMahon helped build OPS into what it is now. Her job responsibilities included developing prevention trainings, including the “Train the Trainer” program which prepares other students to lead bystander trainings. McMahon also provided counseling for survivors and worked with administrators to steer university policy. As a survivor advocate, Rickey
offered counseling to survivors of sexual and domestic violence, for example. She also worked on campus outreach programs and helped train/supervise RCC peer advocates. McMahon and Rickey were both confidential resources, meaning students could talk to them without deciding to file a report. During their time at Brandeis, both developed close relationships with students involved in sexual assault advocacy on campus. McMahon was away from Brandeis from September 2014 to December 2015, on academic leave finishing her dissertation. In her absence, several employees helped fill the hole at OPS, holding office hours or serving as confidential resources. During this period, McMahon stayed in contact with staff, as the RCC and bystander program were coming together.
Waltham Group Recruitment night inspires students to serve their community By Abigail Gardener and Emily Sorkin Smith editors
Over 100 students came to Waltham Group Recruitment Night on Wednesday to learn about and sign up for community service opportunities. Founded in 1966, Waltham Group is an umbrella community service organization that contains 18 different volunteer programs. The programs vary widely, ranging from volunteering with the elderly, working with kids at after-school programs, tutoring, visiting with special needs adults, organizing blood drives, Habitat for Humanity, and teaching English to non-English speaking adults in the Waltham community. The programs serve the Waltham community and the Greater Boston area, according to
the Waltham Group’s website. Waltham Group has revamped their recruitment process, hosting a Wake-and-Shake outside Usdan and, for the first time in several years, tabling at the Fall Activities Fair. This allowed students who weren’t able to attend the recruitment night to find out more about Waltham Group. At Recruitment Night, each program set up a table in the SCC atrium. Coordinators for the programs staffed their table and informed interested students about the volunteering opportunities they offer. A Google form allowed interested students to sign up for the programs they wanted to participate in. This year, seven of the groups tabled in the MPR of the SCC, moving some of the activity out of the atrium and to the second floor. None of the programs had
to share tables due to space concerns. This allowed the recruitment night to run more smoothly, according to co-president Lee Wilson ’18. “It was a really big success and we were happy with the way it turned out,” said Wilson of the new recruitment strategy. Will Brummett, the newest member of the Department of Community Service, attended the event to promote his new initiative, the Rich/Collins Community Leadership and Impact Fellowship. Other members of the department went to the event to answer questions and help the Waltham Group recruit new members. On Wednesday, coordinators and members posted photos with the hashtag #whywednesday, explaining why they joined the group, hoping to drum up more interest in Waltham Group programs. photo courtesy lee wilson
photo from facebook.com
photo courtesy marissa lazaroff
4 NEWS
The Brandeis Hoot
September 8, 2017
Liebowitz sends letter urging Trump administration to maintain DACA By Abigail Gardener editor
President Ron Liebowitz emailed a statement Tuesday denouncing President Trump’s plan to end the Deferred Action against Childhood Arrivals program, commonly known as DACA. “This news is very upsetting, undermines the academic endeavors of our own students, and is contrary to our basic values,” Liebowitz said. DACA, since its implementation in June 2012, has protected
around 800,000 undocumented children living in the United States from deportation, and allowed them to work and study legally. Liebowitz noted that there are Brandeis students who are DREAMers (children protected under DACA). Liebowitz said the university is committed to doing whatever is possible to help. “To the students directly affected by this decision and to everyone at Brandeis: we remain committed to the safety, well-being, and educational success of our all our undocumented students,” he said. “That commitment will not change.”
Trump is giving Congress six months to decide whether they will reform, maintain or do away with DACA, meaning there is still time before any new laws would be enforced. Brandeis, along with other universities, is using this time to figure out the best way to proceed. “At this time, we are consulting with other universities and immigration attorneys to make sure we are doing everything we can to keep our undocumented students safe and in school. As we learn more about how to address this situation, we will inform the campus of our progress,” Liebowitz said.
Not only did Liebowitz voice his disagreement of Trump’s plan to the Brandeis community, he also sent a letter to the White House, which he included in the statement he sent out. In the letter, Liebowitz speaks of the positive contributions Dreamers have made to the U.S. “Dreamers and others affected by DACA regularly contribute to the health of our entire community, and play a special role in higher education, where they are embraced and welcomed,” he said. “Through no fault of their own, these young people have arrived in the United States, have expressed loyalty to this country,
and have provided service and benefits to our society.” Liebowitz is not the only one asking Trump to keep DACA; the presidents of Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Brown, Cornell, Amherst, NYU and Duke have also written personal letters to Trump in support of DACA, according to an article in The Atlantic. Liebowitz strongly urged Trump to maintain DACA. “As a nation founded by immigrants, we can, should, and must do better…I implore you to exercise political courage and moral leadership in maintaining DACA and upholding the highest traditions of American values,” he said.
Professor and former Obama administrator appointed dean of Heller School By Chengcheng Xiang staff
David Weil, a former administrator appointed by President Obama, has been named the new dean of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management and a full professor beginning Aug. 14, 2017. Working as an economics professor for the majority of his career, Weil has always had his research focus on social policies. Speaking of his experience with the Obama administration, Weil described it as “incredible but very challenging… It was a very political position in the sense that my former agency enforced minimum wage over time, child labor, (and) guest worker programs were all very challenging tasks,” Weil said. “President Obama and former Secretary of Labor Tom Perez were very anxious to move forward on helping working people in general, particularly low-wage workers who have faced very difficult and eroding conditions for decades. My task as the head of the labor department was basically to help them and see what we could do to change something that had been happening in the
world,” he said. Weil speaks highly about the Brandeis community. “Brandeis has a very exciting environment,” Weil said. “We have an incredible set of faculty, staff and students.” More importantly, he holds that the fundamental mission of the Heller School is to enact social justice. “Brandeis is so mission-focused as a university. I was really fascinated by a lot of different ways that things are happening here.” As the new dean of the Heller School, Weil looks forward to creating an impact by enforcing social justice strategically. “It is really figuring out, how do we undertake the mission effectively?” Weil said. Weil talks about his biggest challenge as the dean. “People believe in knowledge advancing social justice. But you have got to translate that in terms of, how we teach, how we integrate our research in our teaching, (and) how, as an institution, we behave.” He believes that there exists a vast gap between the training at academic institutions and the reality in the policy world, which is what he attempts to eliminate. “So the research we are doing, the way we are training our students really gives you the ability to affect all the kinds of public
photo courtesy brandeis.edu
policies,” Weil said. Having focused on the study of economics, Weil believes that his academic experience will benefit his performance and understanding as the dean. “Economics, I find, is a very powerful tool to think about things like, how... you allocate resources effectively,” Weil said.
He believes that economics can play an essential role in terms of impacting social justice. “Social justice is a profound statement of values. You still have to think about how to achieve that in the context of how society works and to understand how society works is through economic institutions,” he said.
With this in mind, Weil is looking forward to his new role. “A dean is someone who needs to bring together the faculty, students and staff. A big part of what I view my next year will be engaging my colleagues here in the discussion...and making sure that people really have ownership in that direction forward,” he said.
Paid distributor position with The Brandeis Hoot! The Hoot needs someone to distribute papers around campus on Fridays. Pay is $300 for the semester. Contact eic@thebrandeishoot.com ASAP.
FEATURES
September 8, 2017
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Newest Waltham Group educates to protect the environment By Polina Potochevska editor
With the many issues that college students face today, it can be hard to find a balance between focusing on yourself and focusing on the environment around you. For Symbiosis, a program within the volunteer-based Waltham Group at Brandeis, students can balance both and make a difference within their local community. Marissa Lazaroff ’18 is an Environmental Studies major with a minor in French and Francophone Studies, and is one of the Coordinators for Symbiosis, as well as one of the student Co-Presidents of Waltham Group. Lazaroff along with her other Coordinator, Allan Zelaya ’19, organize the group, contact community partners, manage transportation and food, and set the semester-long calendar of events for Symbiosis. Because Symbiosis is the Waltham Group program focused on the environment, Lazaroff said “they wanted to pick an environmental name” that would be fitting for their goals. Symbiosis is a biological term meaning a relationship that affects two different organisms, and so the group
strives to create a positive relationship between humans and the environment. The program was chartered by Waltham Group at the end of Lazaroff ’s first year in the spring of 2015 because at that point there was no Waltham group that was focused on the environment. Lazaroff was looking for more opportunities to participate on campus, and after going on a volunteer vacation trip with Waltham Group to do trail work on the Appalachian Trail, she immediately applied for the chance to work with the newly founded Symbiosis. She was hired as the first ever coordinator-in-training for Symbiosis and the group really took off in the fall of 2015. It is now on its third year of running, with more than 200 members on their listserv and upwards of 50 volunteers attending their events. Symbiosis has three main projects that they focus on during the semester. The first is environmental education at the Prospect Hill Kid’s Club, which is another Waltham Group program. Symbiosis goes once every other week to Prospect Hill to “put on an environmental themed program and games, things like potting plants,” explained Lazaroff.
photos from facebook.com
The second project is new for the group and is being tested this semester. Symbiosis is partnering with Lemberg Children’s Center and doing something that Lazaroff named “Eco-Architecture,” meaning that they will be learning how to build structures like greenhouses, and waterfalls that can be used as water fountains at the center. This will be beneficial for the kids because “they will be able to use them in their garden and be more eco-friendly,” and will also help Symbiosis learn how to work with the environment in ways that can later be brought to Prospect Hill or other programs, said Lazaroff of the project. Finally, Symbiosis hosts multiple one-time service events during the semester for volunteers to get involved in. These include river cleanups and “weatherizing,” which Lazaroff explained meant volunteers would go into low income homes in Waltham and make them more environmentally friendly. For example, volunteers have put weather proofing around windows which helps with home insulation and also reduces the cost of bills. “One of our favorite one-time events is also farming. We love to go farming!” Lazaroff mentioned. Another very popular service event with Symbiosis is volunteering at local animal shelters. In terms of why Symbiosis is important, Lazaroff said that “with Brandeis’ mission of social justice, it’s really difficult to tackle a lot of the other issues we’re tackling if our environment is failing.” She said that there are a lot of environmental justice issues in the surrounding area and “we need to support our planet.” “A lot of the work we do doesn’t seem important.” Lazaroff said Symbiosis volunteers in the past had a one-time service event of weeding around campus, and while it may not seem very impactful, Lazaroff said that “some people may not care about the environment unless it affects them.” So, if the environment around them looks beautiful due to these small tasks, then they may feel more invested. This semester, Symbiosis also has several goals related to their volunteers. They want to increase participation and make sure the volunteers feel like they are doing
meaningful work in the community. She would want everyone to know the history behind the farm they’re working at, for example, so they understand what they are doing there and how their actions are making an impact in the community besides just assisting with the farming itself. Lazaroff ’s favorite event that Symbiosis has done so far was the first event that the group held. “We went garlic planting at Land’s Sake Farm in Weston,” a farm that was actually started with the help of Brandeis Professor Brian Donahue, “and it has become a CSA [Community Supported Agriculture] which is a program like a crop share,” Lazaroff explained. The volunteers planted garlic to go towards the crop share, and part of the share goes to a local homeless shelter. Because produce from crop shares is sold for a lower price than in grocery stores, the garlic they planted would go to people in need. “It was so much fun to just be in the dirt, but it also felt like we were really helping out the community,” Lazaroff explained. Lazaroff also returned to the farm with Professor Donahue’s Food and Farming class and was able to see the field of garlic that they had planted, and said that it was an amazing feeling to see the outcome of their hard work. Lazaroff explained that joining the Waltham Group is important for her because “we are so lucky
to be at Brandeis, there are so many things we can do to make the world a better place even if it’s very simple. We don’t have to save the world, but we can make a little difference” by joining various programs and becoming involved in the community. As Lazaroff stated, “The environment of Waltham is extremely diverse and we want to celebrate it.” One of Lazaroff ’s favorite parts about being a coordinator for Symbiosis is being able to sift through all of the different projects in the greater Boston area that the group can get involved in, because “seeing all of the amazing work that people are doing is so inspiring.” Even if they can’t get involved in all of them, she said it was uplifting to know that they are happening. The time commitment of a Symbiosis volunteer varies, since the Prospect Hill volunteers meet every week for either an hour to plan their interactive activities or an hour and a half when they travel to Prospect Hill. The Lemberg project is still being developed but it will either be weekly or biweekly for no more than two hours. One-time events can last anywhere from ten minutes to five hours. Lazaroff says “you can do as much or as little as you want and still help make a difference.” If you are interested in joining Symbiosis or learning more about upcoming events, send them an email at wgsymbiosis@gmail. com.
The Chaplaincy Report, a document coordinated by chaplains and administrators, called for several changes to the Brandeis chaplaincy. The Director of Religious and Spiritual Life would coordinate religious leaders that are not members of the Chaplaincy—such as [people] who religious clubs bring to campus—and ensure these advisors are cultivating a healthy community. The report asks for a clear mission statement from the Director, but Stern plans to get to know the needs of the Brandeis community before laying out that statement. Stern was ordained by the Hebrew Union College in 1984 after graduating from Vassar College, where she studied religion. She attended rabbinical school but never expected to end up as a congregational rabbi. In fact, Stern wasn’t even sure a woman could serve in that role or ever find a con-
gregation that would hire them. In addition to her roles at Eitz Chayim and Brandeis, Stern is an active member of her Newton community. She played recreational hockey for a decade after realizing that skiing, another of her passions, would not fit into her already busy life. A new mother at the time, Stern saw a woman on her way to hockey practice and decided to give the sport a try. Her backyard is home to 12 chickens and swarms of honeybees, former residences of Eitz Chayim’ Cambridge rooftop,. The bees, she explains, serve as a reminder that everyone has an important role to play in the world. Each bee will only make about a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime, but its contribution to the hive can’t be easily measured. She sees people the same way—though individual contributions may seem small, they
add up to form rich communities. Stern also serves on the Rabbinic and Cantorial Board of J Street, a Jewish activist group that supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. As someone who deeply loves Israel but has felt saddened by humanitarian issues and political gridlock, J Street has provided her a space to both reconcile her feelings and work towards a peaceful solution. She said there aren’t many places liberal Jews can feel comfortable voicing concerns about Israel while maintaining their love and support for the country. Though Stern’s office is tucked away in a quiet wing of Usdan and has yet to be decorated with family photos or posters, the Rabbi fills it with warmth and respect. It’s a safe space for all students, Jewish or not, to come and laugh, cry and share their worries. After all, that’s what the chaplaincy is for.
New Director of Religious and Spiritual life brings support to Brandeis community
By Emily Sorkin Smith editor
Rabbi Elizabeth “Liza” Stern was named the first Director of Religious and Spiritual Life, a position called for in the Chaplaincy Report published in May 2015. Stern will serve as Director and the Jewish Chaplain, taking on a role that includes religious advising and administrative roles. Prior to becoming Director, Stern was a part-time chaplain at Brandeis. She also serves as the Rabbi at the Eitz Chayim synagogue in Cambridge. In her new role, Stern hopes to get more students exposed to the chaplaincy, regardless of their religious background. The chaplaincy often seems hidden, out of sight in their Usdan offices and not often included in official letters from the school administra-
tion or in academic discussions. Their invisibility means they can’t fully reach the student body and serve as the positive and impactful resource Stern believes they can. No student should leave Brandeis without having met a chaplain or feeling that the chaplaincy isn’t an active part of the community, Stern said in an interview. She wants the chaplaincy to be more visible and provide resources for all students. College is a time of personal growth, and the chaplaincy can be there to support and encourage that growth, no matter what kind of spiritual or religious traditions a student follows. The chaplaincy should be seen as another important resource and support system for the community, and Stern hopes that she can facilitate that by getting out of her office and meeting students all around campus.
6 FEATURES
The Brandeis Hoot
September 8, 2017
Co-presidents Wilson, Lazaroff look to build Waltham Group community By Zach Cihlar editor
Lee Wilson ’18 took the traditional progression of leadership within the Waltham Group. Applying at the onset of his first year at Brandeis, he volunteered for Prospect Hill Kids’ Club, an organization partnering with the Prospect Hill Terrace community center to afford after school programs for low-income families within the community. Dedicated to his organization, he had a quick succession into the position of Waltham Group coordinator for Prospect Hill by his sophomore year. From then he led the group throughout his junior year as well, and even found himself applying for co-presidency of Waltham Group while taking a semester abroad. Assuming the role of co-presidency, Wilson must balance the duties and responsibilities of the position while continuing to lead the Prospect Hill Kids’ Club community role as well. Wilson’s co-president is Marissa Lazaroff ’18, a coordinator
for Symbiosis, another service club that falls under the umbrella of the Waltham Group. The two of them split a range of duties which include managing the 18 different Waltham Group organizations, balancing the budget for all the programs and organizations, working with the 70+ coordinators, planning recruitment nights and Monday coordinator meetings, and more, Wilson said of the job. The Waltham Group serves a dual role in their outreach: Club officers must reach out to the larger Waltham community and to the individual volunteers and coordinators interested in serving the community. In that sense, Wilson said, he and Lazaroff, the rest of the Department of Community Service, and club partners must engage with the community to gauge how best to serve the needs most important to Waltham’s demographic. Groups like Prospect Hill Kids’ Club and other Waltham Group organizations have histories embedded in the needs of the Waltham community, focusing its energies on the area traditionally thought of as the city’s southern
portion, where more low-income families tend to reside. The 18 clubs that fall under the umbrella of the Waltham Group serve varying communities within the Waltham area and even beyond the city’s borders. The organizations that the clubs partner with are constantly changing along with the communities it serves. “Some programs have changes in community partners since last semester, and some programs they are changing how they do things, there’s always a sort of constant change that’s going on,” Wilson said of the fluidity of management for each of the organizations the Waltham Group partners with to put volunteers in the community. For example, Lazaroff is coordinator for Symbiosis, and her program had to change their scheduling commitment with an animal shelter that they volunteered with from weekly to one-time events during the semester. These administrative and practical changes are some of the things Wilson, Lazaroff, and the Waltham Group coordinators must maneuver through to be effective in serving the community. The Waltham Group also fo-
to go and fix it up,” said Wilson. A joint effort by the Brandeis Department of Community Service, Bentley University, the Waltham Police, as well as other donors, helped raised the funds to restore the first floor of the community center. “It’s been really successful. You walk in and you enter and there is this open area with games, a little space to work … a first-grade room, and a nice little living area with couches,” said Wilson of the center. He also noted the kitchen that is used for special after-school programming events and a specific middle-school area for homework help. Following the restoration of the center, Brandeis and Bentley students teamed up to develop the Kids’ Club. “It’s one of the first times that we’ve worked so closely with a partnership where ...we’re working equally with an-
other university,” said Wilson. Generally, both schools bring about 10 to 15 students to volunteer after school each day, as well as coordinators representing each school to help run and shape the direction of the program. “We’ve had some difficulties working with Bentley and the Bentley University students,” Wilson stated. With so many students from both schools involved in the leadership of the Kids’ Club program, it can be hard to reach a consensus about the general direction of the program, Wilson said. At times, Bentley has had up to 13 student-coordinators for the program in addition to Brandeis student-coordinators, meaning there were over 20 students involved in the program’s organization and daily functioning. To help resolve issues with negotiations, when he joined the program as a first-year, the Brandeis and Bentley students agreed to assign one point-person from each school to work with the Prospect Hill program director and make decisions. “I took that responsibility on the spring semester of my sophomore year and the fall semester of last year,” said Wilson. “We have hit some roadblocks, but it’s really been very successful… all of us have really found the best way to work with the program.” Because the program is so young, it has been the responsibility of the coordinators to bring new ideas to the table about how to improve the program and run it most efficiently. Wilson explained that because the students
photo from facebook.com
cuses on outreach to the Brandeis community as well. Wilson and Lazaroff are using their presidencies to enhance outreach and recruitment of volunteers, as well as building stronger relationships between co-presidents, coordinators, and volunteers. Wilson emphasized one club specifically, Teaching Assistants in Public Schools (TAPS), a club with extremely limited contact between coordinators and vol-
unteers. The TAPS coordinators now implement check-ins throughout the semester in order to remedy the distant relationship natural to the organization. After wrapping up recruitment night on Wednesday, Sept. 6, Wilson and Lazaroff will work throughout the semester with the staff in the Department of Community Living to provide volunteer opportunities for a student body dedicated to service.
Kids’ Club volunteers shape program direction
By Charlotte Aaron editor
Teamwork. Program Development. Leadership. While these skills are typically associated with Business, HSSP and other academic programs at Brandeis, for Waltham Group Co-President Lee Wilson ’18, they defined his experience with Prospect Hill Kids’ Club, a Waltham Group program that provides after-school tutoring and games for children living in the largest low-income housing complex in Waltham. In the 1970’s, Wilson explained, the Prospect Hill community center, home to today’s Kids’ Club, was used frequently. However, over the course of many years, the building fell into a state of disrepair and went largely unused by the community. “They were not able to really do anything about it, and they didn’t have the funding
photo from facebook.com
recruitment
Lee Wilson and fellow coordinators for Prospect Hill Kids Club
are “honest about the fact that the center isn’t always running as smoothly as it possibly can be,” it provides the opportunity for students to present new ideas. “Our relationship with Bentley has definitely been strengthened,” Wilson stated, highlighting the cooperation of students to make the program the best it can be. As much as the Prospect Hill Kids’ Club has provided Wilson an opportunity to grow as a leader, he noted that it’s the small interactions with the actual kids that make the experience worth the work. “It’s hard, and you put in so much time, and every-
thing doesn’t work out the way you planned it, but knowing that they really appreciate the work you do makes it all worth it.” The program has been both educational and rewarding for Wilson. “I really love how much we actually help these kids and help these parents that need this help … I definitely understand the poverty that is in Waltham a lot more and understand how important the work that we do is.” Prospect Hill Kids’ Club runs Monday through Friday from 2:45 to 5:30. To participate, contact the Club coordinators at wgprospecthillkidsclub@gmail.com.
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September 8, 2017
ARTS 9
The Brandeis Hoot
‘Halt and Catch Fire:’ The best show nobody watched By Noah Harper staff
AMC’s “Halt and Catch Fire” is a show that deserved better. Averaging 337,000 viewers last season (compared to the 16.5 million for this season’s “Game of Thrones” finale), “Halt and Catch Fire” has been low-rated for years, without ever really gaining any traction— so how did it get to four seasons? “Halt,” set in the mid-1980’s, is about a handful of technological visionaries, computer scientists, and electrical engineers that find themselves on the verge of a computing revolution. Initially in Texas (the Silicon Prairie), and then San Francisco, the show adeptly conveys that exciting feeling that something world-changing is just around the corner. The title, “Halt and Catch Fire,” refers to a computer command that essentially tells the system to self-destruct. Self-destruction is a powerful, running theme of the show—there’s no antagonist here in the traditional sense, only human beings, flawed and with frag-
ile egos, trying to work together to make something revolutionary. Watching the first couple episodes of the fourth and final season, I was reminded how truly good this show is. It has made me care about the characters (no small feat) and it’s a joy to see them back together again, even if it’s just for one last time. The three-dimensional characters are key: There’s Cameron Howe (Mackenzie Davis), the young, idealistic computer genius who doesn’t play well with others; Joe MacMillan (Lee Pace), the manipulative, visionary entrepreneur; Gordon Clark (Scoot McNairy), the brilliant engineer with brain damage; and his tech-savvy wife Donna Clark (Kerry Bishé) who supports the family and has aspirations of her own. These four main characters are compelling and they’re easy to empathize with. Over the past two years of watching, I’ve become really invested in them. In a crowded TV landscape of over 500 scripted shows (and counting) currently in production, “Halt and Catch Fire” creators Chris-
photos from imdb.com
topher Cantwell and Christopher C. Rogers made a stand-out show with sympathetic characters who I actually care about. It’s the excitement of watching the characters come together and try to create something that changes everything that makes “Halt” so compelling. But they’re human, flawed, their own worst enemies, and seeing characters you’re invested in try to work together despite their flaws on a visionary project is extremely interesting and enjoyable. Part of the joy of “Halt and Catch Fire” comes from knowing that our characters really are on the precipice of world-altering discoveries. While I’m not particularly knowledgeable about technology, I do know that laptops and internet browsers and web search didn’t exist in the eighties, and seeing Joe MacMillan get an idea for the first laptop computer, or Cameron Howe come up with the concept for online gaming is exciting—because you know they’re onto something. The relatability of these characters is key, and it’s why I think “Halt and Catch Fire” is such a great, criminally under-watched show.
You don’t have to be a technology geek to enjoy the show, the protagonists are so deftly written and acted, that understanding tech jargon isn’t necessary. Technology is a framing device for a great story about relationships over time, an emotional journey that we can all easily relate to. But if the show’s so great, then why doesn’t anyone watch it— how is it even still on TV? We live in an interesting time in television, when the lifespans of shows are no longer solely dictated by their ratings. Sure it’s great if something gets tens of millions of viewers, but not every show can be “Game of Thrones” or “The Walking Dead,” and TV executives have a new rubric for deciding what to keep on the air. FX’s Head of Original Programming Nick Grad said it this way at the ATX Television Festival, “The audience gets a vote, we [the network executives] get a vote, critics get a vote, and if you can get two of those three, you’re probably gonna stay on the schedule.” “Halt and Catch Fire” is universally beloved by TV critics. They’ve been yelling praises for almost four years now, and I think that the executives at AMC
realized that they had something special too. It’s a show that, even though there’s not really an audience for it right now, has the potential of becoming something more in the future. It has value as part of AMC’s brand, and it’s content that they can get revenue from deals with streaming services. In seemingly dark and hopeless times, we need shows like this more than ever. Shows that are about real people trying to put aside their differences and change the world—and all the inherent problems that come with it. “Halt and Catch Fire” possesses an optimism about the future that’s not really represented right now, and we need more shows like it. So, I know it’s too late to give “Halt and Catch Fire” any more runway—Season 4 is its last, after all—but instead, I ask that you give it a shot on Netflix, where you can stream the last three seasons, and, if you like it, tell other people about it. I think it’s something quite special and rewarding that a lot of people would really enjoy—I sure have. The fourth and final season of “Halt and Catch Fire” airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. on AMC.
Robert Pattinson proves his worth in intense crime thriller, ‘Good Time’
By Jonah Koslofsky staff
“Good Time” is a film that requires a bit of a preface. It isn’t a movie you’ve heard of. It isn’t a particularly pleasant or crowd pleasing film. Honestly, “Good Time” isn’t a good time. I can’t say I loved it, but in a summer dominated by duds like the fifth “Transformers” and the fifth “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Good Time” fills the void as a strong, mature film that boasts an incredible performance by Robert Pattinson and some generally spot-on direction. Pattinson stars as Constantine “Connie” Nikas, who, after a botched robbery with his mentally handicapped brother Nick, must do everything in his power to free his now incarcerated brother. That’s pretty much the whole movie. We quickly meet Nick and understand his disability, cut to Nick and Connie robbing a bank, see Nick get arrested and Connie get away and then spend the remainder of the run time watching Connie try to get back to and free his brother. It’s a very 70’s premise, and would fit right into the era of gritty, quality dramas. And there’s a real intensity in
this semi-retro filmmaking. Directed by brothers Jonathan and Ben Safdie, the latter of whom plays Nick, the film leans on these extreme close-ups (as well as longer shots of Pattinson storming down a hallway). With the Safdie brothers, it’s rare that a frame will contain more than just an actor’s head, creating this sense of claustrophobia that’s thematically consistent but deeply unsettling. After all, Pattinson is constantly on the run, so it makes sense that he’d feel paranoid and cramped, and the filmmaking translates that tension very well, but again, that doesn’t mean it’s a
good time. I’d be remiss not to mention the quality lighting, which is a nice contrast to the gritty, claustrophobic aesthetic. As the film progress, the Safdie brothers have some fun lighting Pattinson’s face with weirder and weirder colors, and the film descends into very psychedelic situation by the third act. My problem with “Good Time” is that Pattinson’s character isn’t very sympathetic, and he needs to be for this story to work. The audience needs to believe that Nick is in better hands with Connie than he is with the state therapist, and aside from one or maybe two
photo from imdb.com
scenes, there isn’t much evidence that Connie is very good at taking care of his brother. Connie does so many awful things throughout the film, including bringing his brother to the inciting bank robbery that he—at least in my mind—loses any moral justification for his actions. This isn’t the fault of Pattinson, but the writing, as Pattinson works overtime to make Connie seem rational and warranted, and nearly succeeds. The script just slightly pushes his character out of the audience’s sympathies, but that being said, Pattison’s actions
are pretty morally ambiguous, and there’s nothing off about his performance. Considering what Connie is trying to accomplish (escaping with his brother, an impossible feat) and just how despicable he is (which is sort of up for debate), the film sort of starts to feel like watching a rat trying to solve a maze that’s just a bit too complicated for its tiny brain. I can’t exactly recommend “Good Time” to anyone, and I didn’t love it, but if what I’ve described fits your acquired taste the film is certainly worth checking out. It’s made with a level of quality that’s increasingly hard to find these days, but it would be just as great at home on a laptop screen as in a theater. “Good Time’s” real significance is that it definitively proves Robert Pattinson is way more than just a paranormal romance star, and has some serious dramatic chops. I’d love to see him in more roles along these lines, and I’m also going to be keeping an eye on the Safdie brothers. They have a handful of other feature films under their belt already (none of which I’m familiar with), and “Good Time” is easily their most mainstream success. I’m excited to see where Pattison and the Safdie brothers go next.
8 ARTS
The Brandeis Hoot
September 8 , 2017
Lady Gaga makes history at Fenway Park By Adam Lamper staff
Tens of thousands of Little Monsters from every corner of New England flocked to Fenway Park this past weekend to witness what was truly a concert well worth braving the cold weather. Singer, songwriter and musician Stefani Germanotta, more formally known as the one and only Lady Gaga, made the trek to The Walking City as part of her 2017 Joanne World Tour. Not only did the popstar manage to completely sell-out the stadium both Friday and Saturday nights, she also made history as the first woman to headline an event at the park since its opening in 1912. “Thank you Boston. I feel so honored, but at the same time, I have to tell you, I’m sorry that you all had to wait over 100 years for a woman,” said Gaga, before delving headfirst into “Scheiße,” a song from her 2011 album “Born This Way,” that expresses strong, outward messages of female empowerment. In addition to successful songs from her latest album, “Joanne,” such as “Perfect Illusion,” “Million Reasons,” and separate single, “The Cure,” Gaga charmed long-term fans with a string of
songs from her debut album, “The Fame,” and EP, “The Fame Monster.” In addition to robust vocals, an array of electronic visuals and pyrotechnics enhanced the concert experience. In particular, many songs were accompanied by the use of fireworks launched from the empty seats reserved behind the stage, as well as a hydraulic platform system on the stage itself, which allowed for an ever-changing set for Gaga and her team of amazingly choreographed backup dancers. However, despite the grandeur of the visuals, the best moments of the concert by far were those when it was just Gaga and her piano or guitar, with soulful songs like the title track, “Joanne,” and “The Edge of Glory,” which she dedicated to her team member and close friend Sonja Durham, who recently passed away after a long battle with cancer. One striking aspect about the audience was the unexpected demographic, as nearly all attendees seemed to be above the age of 20, with a larger-than-anticipated amount of middle-aged people. Perhaps this is due to the toneddown country vibe of the latest album, or maybe it is just the passage of time and aging of a worldwide fan base that began nearly 10 years ago. When the 31-year-
old talked about how much has changed in her life since the beginning of her music career, she made it clear that Lady Gaga will refuse to senesce any time soon into the litany of forgotten pop icons. The only inglorious moment of the show came at no fault of the headliner herself, but rather by that of her opening act, DJ Whiteshadow, with whom Gaga has had an extensive career history, most notably on her “Born This Way” album and on 2013’s “ArtPop.” Though the music itself was not off-putting, and it was accompanied by incredibly psychedelic digital imagery, the performance lacked one of the most crucial elements of live EDM performance: volume. The volume was nowhere near the levels that make you want to dance. One of the major takeaways of the show is that the legacy of Lady Gaga is far from over. Though perhaps not reaching the same critical success as in her heyday of 2008-2011, Gaga has surely made her talent known, dabbling in nearly all genres of music from jazz to EDM to country, and even finding time to land lead roles in productions like “American Horror Story” and 2018’s “A Star is Born,” starring Gaga and Bradley Cooper. However, underneath all of the glam and prowess lies a
photo from facebook.com
genuineness seen by few outside of her tight-knit fanbase. For years, Gaga has used her fame not for personal gain, but as a voice to speak out for injustice Though predominantly directed toward problems facing the LGBTQ community, the singer has also used her music as a way to address many social problems facing the modern world, such as
women’s rights, drug addiction and the Black Lives Matter movement which Gaga addresses in the swan song of her “Joanne” album, “Angel Down,” which she has stated was written in honor of Trayvon Martin and other victims of police brutality in the U.S. It is for certain that this artist will continue to make her mark on the world for years to come.
Free arts events in Boston this weekend By Katie Decker-Jacoby editor
Admittedly, the Brandeis arts scene seems a bit slow at the beginning of the semester. The Fall Activities Fair took place this past Sunday, Sept. 3, which means clubs are now in the process of re-booting and recruiting. If you are a fan of the arts, but aren’t sure where to look for fun, affordable events, have no fear, here are three vibrant arts events happening this weekend in Boston, all free of charge. First up is The Boston Arts Festival, where more than 50 Boston artists will showcase their work and a dozen musicians will take the stage. On Saturday, Sept. 9 and Sunday, Sept. 10 from 11 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., this annual tradition is the perfect place to get introduced to and support local art-
ists. Festival attendees can gather at the Christopher Columbus Waterfront Park in Boston. This event is free and open to the public, and will go on rain or shine. The Boston Arts Festival was launched by Mayor Thomas M. Menino and the City of Boston’s Office of Arts, Tourism and Special Events, in 2003. Menino and Boston’s Office of Arts aimed to shed light on the city’s open studios. 14 years after the festival’s inception, the organizers of the Beacon Hill Art Walk and Artist Crossing Gallery now manage the festival, which attracts more than 50,000 visitors. The best part of this festival is that it exhibits the works of myriad artists across the Boston area, artists that may not necessarily be as well known, but certainly have much to offer to the Boston arts scene. If you are looking for dorm dé-
photo from mainetoday.com
cor or a gift, check out Irene and Jonas Hastings’ illustrative paper products. The husband and wife dynamic duo met 20 years ago and together launched Hastings Studio. Irene and Jonas take part in every step of the creative process. They design the prints and greeting cards together, and then Jonas prints all of the final products himself. The team covers their prints and cards with animals and pops of bold colors. One card has a drawing of a corgi dog on top of a bright solid yellow background. Another features a navy-colored lobster with hints of pinks and reds, covering a plain turquoise background. The two definitely take a more minimalistic approach to their graphics, which adds a playful and animated flair. Oana Lauric blends realism and abstraction together in her soft, airy paintings. Lauric was born in Romania and has worked in Paris and now Boston. Lauric has managed to establish a distinct style of painting evident in her works. The artist zooms in on architectural buildings and personal memories, relying on illumination two-ways. She utilizes light and shadow to project a romantic and mysterious ambience in her paintings. She also uses illumination, as in spiritual enlightenment, to present drama and obscurity. Lauric definitely takes a unique and unconventional approach to illustrating architectural subjects by blurring the details, lines, contours and hues of buildings. Traces of these details can be seen in her depiction of the Custom Tower House in Boston. If you are looking for handmade, one-of-a-kind jewelry for yourself or a gift, visit Anke Ueckert’s booth. Ueckert is a German-born creator of sterling silver jewelry. After apprenticing for a jewelry company, she launched her own line, which draws inspiration from her passions for gar-
dening and the sea. Festival goers can see delicate, sparkling, plain yet elegant accessory pieces that incorporate starfish, shells, flowers and more into their designs. In addition to these three extremely talented artists, you can find photographers, sculptors, fashion and accessory designers and even one furniture designer all at the festival. Saturday’s musical line-up introduces Fiona Corinne, Didn’t Planet, Ariel Strasser & Ken Budka, blindspot, Red Right Hand, Audible Crayons, Lockjaw Smile and Sam Woolf to the Waterfront Stage. Sunday welcomes Mint Green, Nick Zaino, The Inebriations, Matt York and the Missed Flights, Molly Pinto Madigan, Dave Crespo, Atlas Lab and Chris Moreno. The festival is right across the street from Faneuil Hall and the North End, making it is easily accessible and nearby to plenty of other nearby attractions. If you would like to stand among and in front of the works of countless talented artists, the first annual “Underground GetDown” block party and celebration might be for you. The Underground Mural Project, hosted by the Underground at Ink Block, will feature 150,000 square feet of newly finished mural walls. This event will reveal murals created by prominent street-artists such as Cey Adams (New York), Don Rimx (Puerto Rico), Imagine876 (Boston), Hoxxoh (Miami), Marka27 (Boston), Percy Fortini Wright (Boston), Problak (Boston), Upendo (Los Angeles), Vyal One (Los Angeles), Ewok (Boston) and Thy Doan (Boston). Along with the unveiling of the murals, there will be a beer garden, ping pong, lawn games, food trucks and DJs Gucci Vuitton and Braun Dapper. The event is free, but you should register online. The celebration will take place at the Underground at Ink Block
park beneath the Expressway in the South End, on Saturday, Sept. 9 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Last but not least, the Cambridge Carnival takes to the streets this Sunday, Sept. 10 from 12 to 7 p.m. This year marks the carnival’s 25th annual festival, so it is sure to be jam-packed and entertaining. Among the festivities, you can watch dance troupes twirling and spinning in handmade costumes, bright feathers, dazzling jewels, stunning face makeup and intricate masks. Last year, Tempo International Rhythm Section Percussion Group, Boston Socaholics, Cumm Cross Productions, Soca and Associates, D’Horizon, Camo Band and Majestical Force performed in the parade. This year’s performers are sure to please and put on a vibrant show. A costume competition will also ensue after the parade. You can also enjoy international foods and buy multicultural crafts from local vendors, as well as KidsFest, the family area with face painting, arts and crafts, stilt walking and train rides. The live music of local musicians and DJs will continuously fill the streets of Kendall Square. This year’s theme is “By The People For The People,” so the carnival is planned by the community for the community. Even though this event is rooted in African traditions, the organizers hope to bring the city together to celebrate Cambridge’s diversity. Like the two aforementioned arts events in Boston, this carnival is free of charge and open to the public, so head on down to the bustling streets of Kendall Square to get a good view of the parade and other festivities. If you find yourself wondering what you should do this weekend and can’t find any on-campus arts events to attend, take a look at these three functions. They are all this weekend, in Boston, free and guaranteed fun.
ARTS
September 8, 2017
The Brandeis Hoot 7
Rose Art Museum starts semester with diverse and vibrant works
By Courtney Garvey special to the hoot
A new semester means a new schedule of classes, but for the Rose Art Museum, it means a new lineup of exhibitions. On Thursday, Sept. 7, the Rose opened its sparkling glass doors for a campus-focused open house, inviting the Brandeis community to explore the Fall 2017 exhibits a day before they open to the public. Two exhibitions in the lineup, “Body Talk” and “Buckdancer’s Choice,” exclusively showcase works from the Rose’s permanent collection. Little known to many students, the collection boasts over 8,000 objects, and so this semester is a chance for the Rose to reaffirm what an artistic resource it can be for the university. Visitors’ first taste of the new shows is “Body Talk,” an exhibition fixated on the complexities of the body as an artistic subject. Located in the first gallery that visi-
tors enter, the space forces museum goers to face representations of the nude body and themes of sexuality. Through a combination of paintings, sculptures and video, “the body is revealed to be as much a source of agony as it is ecstasy,” according to a Rose press release. Comprised of new and old acquisitions, the show is the first in a series of exhibitions designed to explore thematic lines through the permanent collection. The left side of the gallery highlights abstract representations of the body, such as Carrie Moyer’s “Vieni Qui Bella.” Fleshy reds bleed down the canvas, giving a sense of movement under the flat rib cage-like web painted over it. Across the room, more external images of the body are shown. Two female nudes, one painted by a man, the other by a woman, hang side by side, calling into question gendered interpretations of the human form. Whereas Mel Ramos paints in the style of a pin
up shot with “You Get More Salami with Modigliani,” Joan Semmel’s “Horizon with Hands” positions the viewer as though she were the artist looking down on her own body. More pieces from the Rose collection line the walls of the Lower Rose Gallery as part of “Buckdancer’s Choice: Joe Bradley Selects.” An eclectic selection of paintings and sculptures, the exhibit features masterworks such as Paul Cézanne’s “Nu de Jeune Baigneur” to lesser known pieces, such as Marisol’s “Cat” sculpture that starred in the open house’s programming. Save for a map of the space labeling the objects and describing Bradley’s selection process, the exhibit is free of extended text, allowing the pieces to speak for themselves, along with one another, and allowing visitors to build their own connections between the pieces. The Mildred S. Lee Gallery features new work by Syrian artist
photo by la’dericka hall/the hoot
Kevork Mourad in “Immortal City,” including “Strata of Memory” (2017), which dominates the space. The 3-D painting—created specifically for the exhibit—depicts Mourad’s beloved city of Aleppo as it’s ravaged by the war in Syria. Because of its suspended construction, the piece pops off of its sleek gallery wall and sways just enough to bring the city to life. This visual effect serves the artist’s intention for creating in the first place; for Mourad, art is a means of “mediating the experience of trauma through detailed yet abstracted imagery that both celebrates identity and mourns its loss,” according to the Rose’s description of the exhibit. Not to be overlooked is the smaller, 18th century etching by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, which hangs at the entrance of the gallery. The artwork mirrors Mourad’s raw and moving portrayal of a city in ruin in its overwhelmingly detailed and mono-
chromatic sketching. Mourad’s works face the entrance to Rose Video 11, John Akomfrah’s “Auto Da Fé” (2016). The piece, which translates to “Acts of Faith,” cycles through eight historic displacements forced by religious persecution. Each migration is introduced with a location, date and a line suggestive of the indicated tragedy. Viewers sit in a completely dark room facing parallel screens, with each screen focused on the character actors from different angles to create a surreal experience of their account. The Lois Foster Gallery and the Foster Stairwell will open on Oct. 15 with Bradley’s solo exhibition and Tony Lewis’ mural, “Plunder,” respectively. Plunder will be on view until June 10. Rose Video 11 and “Immortal City” will be on view until Jan. 21. “Body Talk,” “Buckdancer’s Choice” and Joe Bradley’s solo exhibit will be on view until Jan. 28.
photos by katie decker-jacoby/the hoot
10 ARTS
The Brandeis Hoot
September 8, 2017
American Horror Story: Cult premiere is bizarre, underwhelming and something new By Katie Decker-Jacoby editor
The FX anthology series American Horror Story (AHS) is back, but not better than ever. The last AHS episode to air was “Chapter 10” of Season 6 Roanoke November 16, 2016, so it has been quite a while for AHS fanatics. We’ve been waiting not so patiently for Season 7 of Cult. A lot of hype gathered around this season, especially as it is based in suburban Michigan during the 2016 presidential election. AHS creators Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk injected today’s extremely relevant political strife into this season, and they did so with full force. They didn’t just leave subtle hints of Trump, Clinton and the election. The premiere, dubbed “Election Night,” starts off with media clips of the actual election. First up on the screen are news headlines, and of course, the faces of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Murphy and Falchuk make their intentions clear from the get-go. Ally (Sarah Paulson) seems to be the main protagonist. She lives comfortably with her partner, Ivy (Alison Pill), and son, Oz (Cooper Dodson). The two run a restaurant together and reside in a beautiful, spacious suburban abode. However, viewers quickly understand that Ally deals with very serious anxiety, including intense panic attacks. Clowns and other strange things (like tiny holes) haunt and upset her, resulting in a turbulent time in her life and marriage. Her fear of clowns is clearly going to continue to negatively impact her relationships. Ivy is growing more impatient and less forgiving with Ally, and the couple’s young son is seeing a different side of his seemingly perfect little family. Meanwhile, Kai (Evan Peters) is a peculiar and rambunctious young man who yells and then humps the television when he watches Trump win it all on television. Kai sports long blue hair, which he ties into a bun when he vehemently protests against additional security at a Jewish Community Center. This leads into Kai’s parting words with the council: “There’s nothing more dangerous in this world as a humiliated man.” This stand-out
quote definitely sets the tone for Kai’s character and his foreseeable role as a villain throughout the remainder of the season. The most ambiguous character in this season premiere is Winter (Billie Lourd), who viewers can assume to be Kai’s sister since they both share the same last name of Anderson. Winter is introduced as a huge Hillary supporter and initially shows distaste towards Kai when Trump wins. Then, out of the blue and with no clear explanation, they twist their pinkies together, signifying some probably evil pact. Kai coats his face with Cheeto puff dust and outlines his eyes with rough eyeliner as they form this unsaid pact. Winter comes back into the frame as Oz’s new babysitter. In the job interview, she presents herself as a firm Hillary proponent and extremely kid-friendly ex-Vassar student. All seems okay, but her ominous pinky promise with Kai looms in the background. By the end of the episode, all is not okay. Winter is the world’s worst babysitter. She seems kind of evil, but her loyalties are ultimately unclear. It is, however, clear that Murphy and Falchuk aim to criticize both liberals and conservatives throughout this episode. They condemn the privilege of white, affluent liberals like Ally and Ivy. They also make fun of Winter, who left Vassar to join the Hillary movement, who bragged about the time Lena Dunham retweeted her tweet and pondered the reason behind CNN not giving viewers a trigger warning before the election broadcast. The two AHS creators also bash on conservatives. Kai pees into a condom and and throws it at a group of racially diverse construction workers. He also speaks against extra security at the threatened Jewish center, advocating using fear to control people. He abruptly spills his drink all over Ally and Ivy on the streets, not apologizing and instead calling them a bitch. Clearly, Murphy and Falchuk want to make a political statement on the current political climate of our country. They create this frightening, chaotic world that has the potential of turning into a reality (besides the killer clowns). Their message is bold and attacks both
photo from out.com
photo from tvline.com
sides of the political spectrum, which certainly takes guts. The premiere ends with a—you guessed it—murder. What else would you expect from AHS? The murder ending may have been predictable, but feelings of disappointment were not. I admittedly binge watched seasons one through five of AHS last school year while trying to juggle school work and extracurricular activities. AHS is just so addicting. Since AHS is an anthology series, each season has a unique storyline and new set of characters, so you can jump in whenever you please. However, I watched one episode after the other. Rinse and repeat. The first season was Murder House (2011); then came Asylum (2012-13); Coven followed (2013-14); next up was Freak
photos from theverge.com
Show (2014-15); Hotel (20152016) succeeded Freak Show; and finally, Roanoke (2016), which I have not been able to watch yet. Murder House, Asylum and Coven were spectacular, while Freak Show and Hotel were not. What is undeniably true to any AHS devotee are the unbelievable acting performances by Jessica Lange, Evan Peters, Sarah Paulson and Kathy Bates throughout the six, now seven, episode series. AHS fans are expecting more outstanding performances by Peters and Paulson in this season, along with newcomers Colton Haynes and Lena Dunham. Not to mention, Freak Show veteran Twisty the Clown (John Carroll Lynch) returns for a cameo at the very beginning of the Cult premiere. Nonetheless, Cult is off to a weird, unpredictable, somewhat
confusing start. I am not sure how I feel after watching the first episode of the season plus next week’s episode preview, but I am left a bit disappointed and underwhelmed. The characters are so far pretty outlandish, the plot is just okay and there are no jump scares. Although this season strays away from the realm of the supernatural for the first time ever and instead spotlights today’s political landscape, it is hard to tell if Cult will prevail and please the masses. Murphy and Falchuk have created such a successful and popular enterprise out of AHS, but whether Cult will live up to the series’ high standards or not will be determined soon. Brandeis Students can decide for themselves by indulging in AHS Cult on FX every Tuesday at 10 p.m.
HOOT SCOOPS: What was your song of the summer? “Hashem Melech by Gad Elbaz because it reminds me of all the Israelis I met this summer in Israel!” -Jamie Jason ’20
“My song of the summer was Woman by Kesha. She had a difficult legal battle against her manager. There was a lot of downs throughout her legal case, but from those downs came out a beautiful album. For her to go through all that she did and come out with an empowering and strong song was very inspirational.” -Kate Kesselman ’19
“My song of the summer is May I Have This Dance (Remix) [feat. Chance the Rapper] because it sounds like a modern Phil Collins. It reminds me of working all day and not getting home until midnight, but not caring because I had a milkshake and people I loved when I got there.” -Casper L’esperance-Kerckhoff ’19
“I listened to Malibu by Miley Cyrus all summer long because it has that beachy feel.” -Megan Catalano ’21
EDITORIALS
September 8, 2017
“To acquire wisdom, one must observe.” Editors-in-Chief Hannah Schuster Emily Sorkin Smith Senior Managing Editor Allison Plotnik Senior Editors-at-Large Charlotte Aaron Zach Phil Schwartz Senior Copy Editor Sarah Terrazano News Editors Abigail Gardener Elianna Spitzer Arts Editor Katie Decker-Jacoby Opinions Editor Katarina Weessies Features Editor Polina Potochevska Senior Sports Editor Sarah Jousset Sports Editor Zach Cihlar Photo Editor Karen Caldwell Layout Editor Candace Ng
Volume 14 • Issue 11 the brandeis hoot • brandeis university 415 south street • waltham, ma
STAFF
Faria Afreen, David Aizenberg, Jordan Brodie, José Castellanos, Elizabeth Cayouette-Gluckman, Anindita Chanda, Brianna Cummings, Shea Decker-Jacoby, Yarisa Diaz, Sanin Dosa, Daniel Freedman, Ally Gelber, Max Gould, Noah Harper, Sophia He, Daniel Kang, Jonah Koslofsky, Matthew Kowalyk, Samantha Lauring, Santiago Montoya, Katharine Mound, Faiyaz Rahman, Ryan Spencer, Lily Wageman
MISSION As the weekly community student newspaper of Brandeis University, The Brandeis Hoot aims to provide our readers with a reliable, accurate and unbiased source of news and information. Produced entirely by students, The Hoot serves a readership of 6,000 with in-depth news, relevant commentary, sports and coverage of cultural events. Recognizing that better journalism leads to better policy, The Brandeis Hoot is dedicated to the principles of investigative reporting and news analysis. Our mission is to give every community member a voice.
SUBMISSION POLICIES The Brandeis Hoot welcomes letters to the editor on subjects that are of interest to the community. Preference is given to current or former community members and The Hoot reserves the right to edit or reject submissions. The deadline for submitting letters is Wednesday at noon. Please submit letters to letters@thebrandeishoot.com along with your contact information. Letters should not exceed 500 words. The opinions, columns, cartoons and advertisements printed in The Hoot do not necessarily represent the opinions of the editorial board.
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The Brandeis Hoot 11
Brandeis must continue to support students on DACA status
S
ince its founding, Brandeis has provided a refuge for students not welcome elsewhere. The 1948 Brandeis admissions brochure put “meeting the growing problem of discrimination against minority groups in American universities” as one of the university’s primary goals. In response to anti-semitism prominent in the admissions processes at other academic institutions, Brandeis set roots as a university home to Jewish and other minority students. Brandeis has grown immensely in the last 50 years in both numbers and quality of education. In 1985 Brandeis became a member of the Association of American Universities, a prestigious organization of academic research institutions that includes Brown, Princeton and Yale. In 2002 the Shapiro Campus Center was built—an architectural feat that represented a continued commitment to the quality of stu-
dent life. This year, Brandeis welcomed its largest first-year class ever, with students from all over the world and the United States. Yet, as the academic programs, campus and student body continue to grow, the university must maintain an unwavering commitment to its original purpose—welcoming all students regardless of race, religion, immigration status, or any other identity. With Attorney General Jeff Session’s announcement this week to terminate Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, The Hoot stands proudly by the Brandeis administration as it takes a firm stance in support of its DACA students. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, an immigration policy passed by President Obama, has allowed people who entered the U.S. as minors to remain here without fear of deportation. However, with Trump’s call
for Congress to address the status of these DACA individuals in the next six months, the safety and status of immigrants is threatened. These students are the subject of national debate and proposed policy, but, more importantly, they our study partners, dinner dates, teaching assistants, and teammates. We applaud President Liebowitz for firmly championing DACA and the cherished presence of these students on campus in his letter to President Trump—an action that we believe embodies the spirit of Brandeis founders and today’s students. Leibowitz wrote that administrators have begun speaking with immigration attorneys to decide how to best protect every member of our community. We hope Brandeis will provide students on DACA status with the support they need, including making sure they are aware of resources they can seek out and the next steps they should take.
12 The Brandeis Hoot
spreading the love
WEEK IN PHOTOS
photo by emily sorkin smith/the hoot
rose art museum opening
photo by emily sorkin smith/the hoot
castle construction
photo courtesy yael matlow
Sarah Skrovan ’18, Emma Hanselman ’18 and Allison Plotnik ’18 kick off their senior year with a visit to their first year residence hall. back to shapiro
Read about the Rose Art Museum opening in ARTS page 7.
shabbat dinner with hillel
September 8, 2017
photo by katie decker-jacoby/the hoot
photo courtesy benjamin siege
photo courtesy jena glasscock
ice cream social
cream.
Cru Bandeis Christian Fellowship welcome first years and returning upperclassmen to campus with ice
September 8, 2017
SPORTS
The Brandeis Hoot 13
Women’s soccer loses season-opener to MIT
By Shea Decker-Jacoby staff
The Brandeis women’s soccer team opened their season with an away game against MIT on Sept. 1. The sixth-ranked team in the nation took a hard loss against the MIT Engineers with the final score at 3-2. Senior Samantha Schwartz ’18 started the game strong by earning her 22nd career goal in the eighth minute of
play with her signature shot from the top of the 18-yard line. MIT answered with two goals earned in the 23rd and 35th minutes of play. Brandeis took control of the second half with Haliana Burhans ’18 scoring her eighth career goal with the assist by Sasha Sunday ’19. In the 65th minute the Engineers scored the decisive goal despite the attempt by Schwartz in the 81st minute. Victoria Richardson ’20 had four saves in the first 35 minutes of play in her
third collegiate appearance. Goalkeeper Sierra Dana ’20 made six stops in the final 55 minutes in her first collegiate action. Despite the loss, the Judges came back two days later to take down Lasell with a 5-3 win. In just the first three minutes of play, the Lasers earned their first goal of the game and their first goal against the Judges since the 2015 season. Hannah Maatallah ’19 scored a goal to even out the score with 29 minutes left of play in the
first half. After the Lasers scored their second goal of the game, Schwartz scored shortly after on a breakaway into the lower left corner. Burhans also contributed one goal respectively and rookie Mackenzie Smith ’21 earned her first career goal ending the game for Lasell. Brandeis had an 18-11 advantage in shots. Dana made four stops for her first collegiate victory. The Brandeis Judges had their home opener Sept. 5 against
photos from brandeisjudges.com
Bridgewater State University ending with a 2-0 victory. Ending the first half with an even score of 0-0, the Judges came back in the second half to earn a pair of goals in the final 20 minutes of play. Sunday scored her goal in the 70th minute of play with an assist from Julia Matson ’19. Matson later earned a goal with an assist from Katie Hayes ’20 in the 79th minute. These were the first goals for Sunday and Matson this season. Dana had three saves of the game to earn her first career shutout. The Judges dominated the game by outshooting Bridgewater 10-5 in the first half and then 12-0 in the second half. When Bridgewater State got close to 18-yard line, Sam Volpe ’19 shut them down, denying any chance of taking a shot on goal. The Judges improved to a 9-21 all-time against Bridgewater State, including a six game winning streak. The Women’s soccer team goes on the road for the next three games, starting with a game at Wentworth Institute of Technology on Saturday at noon. They will return to Brandeis Sept. 19 against Babson College.
Men’s soccer split on the road to open 2017 season By David Aizenberg staff
The Brandeis men’s soccer team opened up their season at the Hobart College Invitational last weekend. Starting the season ranked as the number four team in the country, the Judges looked to build off their dream run to the final four of the NCAA tournament from the previous season. First up for the Judges was a battle against the SUNY Cortland Red Dragons. The first scoring action of the game was in favor of the Red Dragons as they took a 1-0 lead in the 26th minute. Following halftime, the Red Dragons notched their second goal of the game in the 49th minute and managed a third goal in the 74th minute for a 3-0 lead.
Luckily, this was not the first time this Judges squad had faced adversity. Sixteen seconds after the Red Dragons took a 3-0 lead, Andrew Allen ’19 of the Judges cut the lead to 3-1. With more work to be done, Mike Lynch ’18 pushed the ball into the goal following a hectic sequence in the 86th minute to bring the Judges within one goal of tying the game. However, the valiant comeback by the Judges called just short as the Red Dragons took the game by a score of three goals to two. The number four ranked Judges team earned their ranking for a reason: resiliency. Following their loss earlier in the weekend, the Judges bounced back with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Hobart College. Again, the Judges fell behind following a 48th minute goal from Hobart,
however the Judges quickly rebounded as first-year Noah Gans scored a goal off the crossbar in the 51st minute. After both teams were unable to find the back of
the net in regulation, the tie game went to overtime. Eleven minutes into overtime, Joshua Handler ’19 found the right side of the net to give the Judges and well-earned
2-1 victory. Next up for the Judges is their game against Babson College this coming Saturday at home at 7 p.m.
photo from brandeisjudges.com
Women’s cross country sets off on a winning foot By Zach Cihlar editor
Brandeis’ women’s cross country team took six of the top eight spots at the Wellesley College In-
vitational 5k run over the weekend. The team was just one point shy of a perfect score, with four Brandeis women earning the top four spots. Runner Emily Bryson ’19 led the pack almost 30 seconds ahead
of her sister Julia Bryson ’19, who took the second place position. Emily Bryson’s leading time was 18:31.8, while Julia Bryson earned the next spot with a 18:58.8 time. Following shortly behind the Brysons were Meaghan Barry ’19
photo from brandeisjudges.com
in the third position and rookie Niamh Kenney ’21 in fourth. Kenney’s debut collegiate race saw her timed at 19:33.9, while Barry started her third season with a 19:32.7 race. Beginning the season ranked at the #33 spot in the nation, the team has quite a bit to look forward to in the upcoming season. The prospective success has the team more determined than ever to make an impact in the University Athletic Association (UAA), as well as a spot in the national rankings. “It’s easy to get caught up in rankings early in the season,” E. Bryson warned. The fact that the team is nationally ranked does not seem a source for added pressure, the junior said. “It’s a long season so I think it’s important for now we just focus on one meet at a time.” After barely missing out on a nationals spot last year, the team seeks to redeem the loss and look
for an invitation to the meet this season. They will take that mindset with them as the focus their energies on a strong showing in the postseason at the UAA Conference tournament in late October and regionals in early November before a possible nationals showing. “We have a much younger team this year than we’ve had in years past,” E. Bryson noted, leaving quite a bit of time and room for development. The team looks forward to the greater potential that this seems to offer the team not only in the 2017 season, but for a few seasons to come. Brandeis’ women’s cross country team is set to compete in three more invitationals before heading to New Jersey for the UAA Conference tournament. They will run at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on Saturday, Sept. 16. Cross country is a marathon, not a sprint, and the lady Judges are in it for the long haul.
14 SPORTS
The Brandeis Hoot
September 8, 2017
Women’s volleyball starts season with two victories, one loss
By Sarah Jousset editor
The Brandeis women’s volleyball team started off their season on Friday, Sept. 1 with a sweep of Wellesley College and Smith College in the Brandeis Invitational. Brandeis began their season with a 3-1 victory over Wellesley and then moved on to crush Smith 3-0. In the final game of the day, Brandeis fell to a 2-1 record via a 1-3 loss at the hands of Franklin College. In the first game against Wellesley, the Judges took the first sets, winning 25-17 and 25-15, before falling short in the third set 28-26. They secured their win in the fourth set of the match with
a comfortable margin of 25-19. Rookie Clare Meyers ’21 led the way for the Judges with 12 kills in her first collegiate appearance. The Brandeis Hoot’s Shea Decker-Jacoby ’19 also provided a strong performance for the Judges as well with 10 kills. The Judges hit .164 overall in the match against Wellesley. Marlee Nork ’19 and rookie Marissa Borgert ’21 split time setting, offering nearly equal performances with 22 and 23 assists. Decker-Jacoby contributed defensively as well with 11 digs, while Captain Yvette Cho ’19 was the team leader with 24 digs for the team. Meyers delivered 15 digs, Nork earned 13 digs for the Judges and Borgert contributed 12 digs. The second game for the Judg-
es on Friday was a clean sweep of Smith with a three-set match, winning 25-10, 25-16, 25-18. The Judges proved to have a deep bench with entirely different standouts in the second game of the day. Leah Pearlman ’19 and rookie Megan Osorio Moran ’21 split setting duties, with Pearlman producing 16 assists and Osorio Moran ’21 supplying 10 assists. Emma Bartlett ‘20 was the major offensive force for the Judges, with a game-high 9 kills. The Judges produced a team hitting percentage of .223. The Judges proved a force on defense as well with 8 blocks and 47 digs in the match. Cho earned 17 digs for the Judges, while Moran and Pearlman contributed 10 digs each. Decker-Jacoby commented on
the wins Friday, saying “We came into the game with a winning mentality and that translated into beating a team we have struggled against the past two years.” The Judges suffered their first loss in the final game of the Invitational on Saturday against Franklin College. The women’s volleyball team lost 1-3, dropping the first set before coming back in the second, only to fall in the next two sets of the match. The team generated a strong defense, but offensively couldn’t find the holes in Franklin’s defense with a hitting percentage of .034. Bartlett led the Judges with 6 kills and 5 blocks. Zara Platt ’19, Decker-Jacoby and Meyers followed close behind with 5 kills each. Defensively, the Judges produced
86 digs total, with Cho contributing 24 and Meyers 18 digs in the game against Franklin. The loss put the Judges at 2-1 for this season. As for Decker-Jacoby’s thoughts on their lost and what is to come for the team in the future, she commented, “Our game on Saturday taught us we are going to face a lot of teams who have a very strong defense...(but) our focus every day is playing for each other and improving for not just yourself but for your teammate standing next to you.” The Brandeis women’s volleyball team plays again this Friday, Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. against Bowdoin College in the New England Invitational, hosted by Brandeis at the Auerbach Arena.
photos from brandeisjudges.com
Professional athletes donate to Hurricane Harvey relief By Kevin Costa staff
In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, the sports world has responded with generous donations, offering hope to the thousands of Southeastern Texans affected by the storm. Last Thursday’s preseason game between the Houston Texans and Dallas Cowboys was cancelled due to the hurricane, according to NFL.com. The game was initially relocated from Houston to Arlington. The Texans flew to Dallas that weekend following week three’s game in New Orleans and practiced at Ford Center that Monday and Tuesday, according
to the Dallas Cowboys’ website. But, the next day, both teams decided to cancel the exhibition game to allow Texan players to assist with relief efforts and spend time with their families. In lieu of the game, the Cowboys held a live telethon at AT&T Stadium during a team practice, raising over $3 million for the Salvation Army. Roughly 30 current and past Cowboys took calls for donations on makeshift telephones as the rest of the team practiced. The event was televised on CBS11 and streamed online. Even the Cowboys’ owner Jerry Jones made a sizeable $1 million donation during the telethon. Here, sports and competition showed their more compassionate sides.
Many other NFL members and organizations have raised funds for Houston, ESPN reports. Owners Robert C. McNair and Steve Bisciotti of the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens respectively donated $1 million to the United Way of Greater Houston. The owners of the Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots, Detroit Lions and New York Jets also pledged $1 million to the American Red Cross. Most notably, J.J. Watt started an online fundraiser that has received over $17 million. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ellen DeGeneres, Tennessee Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk and NBA player Chris Paul have all contributed to the fund, according to USA Today. J.J. Watt,
a Wisconsin native but all-pro defensive end of the Houston Texans, had initially set a goal of $200,000. Days later, as an outpouring of donations started to come through, he reset that modest goal to $10 million, according to wwl.com. And when donations exceeded that figure, Watt raised the goal to $15 million, according to CNN. Now, his goal is $20 million and he plans to keep the fund open as it continues to exceed expectations. Watt is now focused on how best to use the money to head relief efforts across flooded Texas. To help guide his efforts, Watt contacted multiple companies that contributed to Hurricane Katrina relief in New Orleans.
Watt wanted to learn about the successes and shortfalls of those companies back in 2005 to help best aid Harvey relief efforts. In an interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, he said, “The best thing that people have told me so far is take your time to make sure you do it right.” This past weekend, the defensive end, along with fellow teammates, filled nine semi-trucks with water, food, supplies and clothing. This is only phase one, and Watt is implementing a plan to help with the long-run rebuild of the devastated area. Watt also told Cooper, “I’m not just here for the initial fundraiser. I’m here to make sure that we take care of you down the road.”
September 9, 2017
OPINIONS
The Brandeis Hoot 15
Brandeis is not a model democracy By Matthew Kowalyk columnist
Brandeis isn’t the model of inclusive and effective governance we think we want it to be. Our university claims to have social justice embedded in its doctrine. We want a united campus spirit celebrating differing opinions. Brandeis’ students should want to create a community that is truly inclusive, active and dangerous in a good way. Our community is good and does good in ways that should not be downplayed: We have a campus culture of activism, since its foundation as an example of inclusion contrary to the practices of the Ivy League in the 1930s and 40s. That ethic continues through the Civil Rights movement in the 60s, resistance to Apartheid South Africa in the 1980s, the myriad interest groups and clubs we have, and is always present in Waltham Group. This ethic has been present for most of its (relatively short) history, only beaten out in recent rankings by five other schools in the US. That is nothing at all to shake a stick at. However, when it comes to our own community, we fall short. When you review participation in campus elections, for example, our participation only breaks with the national average in class president elections, the ones that
By Katarina Weessies editor
One of the most important debates in the modern music industry is that on intellectual property rights. Intellectual property rights are expressed in the art and music worlds through copyrights. A copyright, in short, gives the artist the exclusive right to make money off of their work and to decide who is allowed to use their work. Artists like Taylor Swift have brought the flaws of intellectual property law into full view. Swift is notorious for taking full financial advantage of intellectual property law, taking all un-approved copies of her music off of YouTube and attempting to copyright phrases such as “the old Taylor can’t come to the phone right now.” She has also spoken to the press about the financial unfairness of illegally downloaded music, commenting that it robs hardworking artists of their money. Most people found Swift’s comments to be humorous and out of touch. Swift has a net worth of $280 million as of August, so her lamentations about losing money to illegal downloads came off as entitled and greedy. But Swift isn’t necessarily wrong. Wealthy celebrities like Swift aren’t the only artist whose work is illegally downloaded. Anyone can download the audio from any YouTube video (which is not technically illegal, but still deprives artists of their money). It’s likely that all artists’ music is illegally downloaded at about the same rate at which it is bought, meaning that all artists are losing a similar proportion of money. The reason people are so resistant to Swift’s ideas is more complicated than resistance to her entitled reputation. Our culture is generally reluctant to pay artists. Typically, artists are paid meager wages unless they are backed by a
require speeches and minor controversies among candidates that some mistake to be evidence of the periphery of larger political conflicts in our country. In short, they are the elections with the most personality. The smaller elections, which take place in the winter, spring and fall tell a different story. Many fewer votes are cast among the minority who remember to check their emails. For example, take my own election. I ran my campaign for Class Senator from a laptop while I travelled on my abroad program last spring, and was elected with fewer than 100 votes to represent the 800+ member senior class that, when I was a first-year in 2014, was called at convocation “the largest class Brandeis has ever had.” Worse, the two senators representing the Class of 2018, my friend and I, ran unopposed. What makes the situation with our student representation seem more undemocratic is the fact that most people who run are from a group of around 100-200 people who have been active in Student Events, with the Union for a long time, who are heads of other clubs, or who work in campus journalism. It is almost as if Brandeis has its own political or cultural elite. It is natural for such things to
arise in any organized society. Societies form hierarchies of power and admiration, and I do not think it is an elitist thought to believe that we should have the most active and informed people in charge of our tuition and to represent our interests to Brandeis board members and administration. Despite the good it does with many good people heading it, our Student Union does not have the power that similar organizations have at other schools. From such large schools as Penn State to smaller ones like the College of Wooster, their Student Union-equivalent organizations make much more consequential decisions, sometimes involving the construction of new buildings and actual policy pertaining to campus operations. What keeps young people from making mistakes in these cases is the large amount of faculty support they receive in decision-making. Often faculty or administration members will advise decisions. Their hands are somewhat guided by their advisors, but the students make the final votes. Does Brandeis have a student body ready to elect the best and most qualified among its classmates to make such big decisions with the school’s endowment? I could sympathize with an admin-
istration that would want to keep a student government’s powers limited. So what can be done to bring more students into the fold? I believe that a more active student body working to better the life of its fellow members in a tangible way on campus would be a great way to create an example system for its students to create once they leave for the real world. It would
photo by karen caldwell/the hoot
shapiro campus center
SCC.
Student Union and other club offices are housed in the
Artists deserve to be paid more large union. Even then, it is difficult for artists to find high paying work. Americans spend all day consuming art. We wear clothing created by graphic designers and fashion designers. We browse websites with artfully designed advertisements and creatively written articles. We spend hours absorbing comedy on the TV and internet. Almost everything we do on a day to day basis has some connection to some type of artist. We have two divergent notions of who artists are and how they live. Our first conception of artists is that of the rich celebrity. When Taylor Swift advocates against violations of copyright law, most people envision that the “victims” of the intellectual property crimes are these rich celebrities. Our second archetype is that of the starving artists. We see artists who are not multimillionaire celebrities as poor, downtrodden and unproductive. This archetype is not completely inaccurate, since most art not consumed on a large scale does not bring the artist much income. However, Americans come into contact with the work of the “starving artist” far more often than they realize. Freelance artists often design logos, websites, and advertisements for small companies. Many popular songs involve album artists, producers, and writers who are not nearly as wealthy as the archetypical rich celebrities. Creative industries rely on a surprising amount of art from “starving artists.” These artists, from conventional musicians and actors to fashion designers and video game designers, prop up our society. So why are so many of them underpaid? Part of the problem is greed. People don’t want to give up their money for something that they previously accessed for free, even if they do have the means to buy art. Another part of the problem
is the matter of which artists are heard, and which are silenced by their lack of means. The artists with the most access to the ear of the public are naturally those with the most money. Thus, they are in the best position to advocate for artists with less attention and fewer resources. But because these wealthy artists are the ones advocating for increased pay of all artists, their advocacy comes off as greedy. Despite all this, the financial burden of the starving artists is primarily not the fault of illegal downloads. Typically, artists are underpaid by the wealthier companies employing them. At these record companies, magazines, and other artistic media, executives rather than content creators collect most of the profits. Even so, public unwillingness to pay for art can be a significant
help create bonds that would form important professional contacts and fulfilling friendships. It could give students agency in a world where so many people feel that they do not. Of course, there would be a steep learning curve to achieve this, but it is not impossible. It is true that one has to start with a vision, but the attainment of that vision by individual action is what matters most.
factor. Today, most of our art is obtained online. When people with disposable income are given the option to pay for their art or to download it illegally, they will often choose to download it illegally. Obviously, this is less severe of an issue when the person consuming the art cannot afford it, given that it might be their only way of obtaining the art. However, many of the people who do have the necessary income are not willing to pay. Everyone would rather obtain something for free than pay for it. The only way to meaningfully improve artists’ financial situations would be forcing publishing organizations to pay artists more. This can be done most successfully through unions, which could regulate the pay and conditions of otherwise unregulated artistic careers. Unions such as SAG-AF-
TRA for film actors and Equity for theater performers have successfully regulated wages and working conditions for member artists. For example, Equity requires that performers be paid for rehearsal time Artists’ pay could also be improved through government regulations, but that is a less precedented and probably less likely option than unionization. Artists deserve to be paid for their work. The largest obstacle between artists and the money they deserve is unrealistically low pay from large organizations who publish them, but public unwillingness to pay for art worsens the artist’s’ situation. In order for art to be lucrative, and for artists to be financially secure, the burden will likely fall to artists to unionize. Artists’ unions will have to form, grow, and push for more fair work.
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The Brandeis Hoot
September 8, 2017