The Brandeis Hoot - 1-16-09

VOL 5, NO. 14

JANUARY 16, 2009

B R A N D E I S U N I V E R S I T Y ' S C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R

THEHOOT.NET

Combating hate: Union raises money to rebuild church

BY ARIEL WITTENBERG Editor

After learning of a Springfield church that was burnt to the ground on election day, members of the Brandeis Student Union Government are working to raise funds to help rebuild the church.

The predominantly black Masadonian Church of God in Christ was destroyed on Nov. 4 when it was, according to the Boston Globe, “purposely set ablaze in a possible hate crime” in response to the election of Senator Barack Obama, resulting in an estimated $2 million in damages.

“I think that we have an obligation to all of the communities we are a part of to help when we have a tangible way to make change,” Student Union President Jason Gray ’10 said of the Church, which is located about an hour and a half drive from campus.

“We should judge the causes we become involved in not by distance, but by purpose,” he continued. “We have the opportunity to prove that there’s more goodness in the world than hate, and that Brandeis can be a part of that goodness.”

Gray said that he first learned about the church when university President Jehuda Reinharz contacted him.

While Reinharz did not return requests for comment, Gray speculated that Reinharz got involved because he “is active in the world of community service and philanthropy and he is interested in social justice prevailing in this country.”

After learning about the fire, Gray appointed North Quad Senator Andy Hogan ’11 to organize the relief efforts.

“I think that in a post-election world it’s easy to think that we’re also in a post-racism world,” Hogan said. “But we can’t forget that there are Americans who still haven’t See CHURCH p. 13

PHOTO BY Max Shay/The Hoot

SCIENCE CENTER: The Shapiro family contributed a $14 million naming gift for the soon to be finished Carl J. Shapiro Science Center.

Effects of Madoff Ponzi scheme unclear

BY ARIEL WITTENBERG Editor

Though the Shapiro Family Foundation’s announced last month that they would remain committed to the university despite their losses in the $50 billion Bernard L. Madoff Ponzi scheme, the effect of the scandal on other university donors still remains unknown.

As the university’s largest benefactor and as prominent Boston area philanthropists, Carl and Ruth Shapiro’s $145 million losses to Madoff have been widely publicized by both local and national media, including the Boston Globe and the New York Times.

The Shapiro Family Foundation’s Dec. 16 press release, posted on their website states that the foundation “plans

to fulfill all of its current obligations,” including Brandeis’ new science center and admissions center. The press release has also been widely publicized.

However, the fate of other, less famous university donors still remains largely unknown.

While university President Jehuda Reinharz wrote in his Jan. 5 campus wide e-mail that the university itself did not have any money invested with Madoff, he admitted, “It is very hard to calculate the immediate and long-term effects on the university’s fundraising results.”

Three days after the Madoff fraud made national headlines, President of Brandeis’ Ethics Center Daniel Terris received a call from the Justice, Equality, Human Dignity See MADOFF p. 12

University to cut Ph.D. enrollment

One week before inauguration Sorensen compares Obama, JFK

BY ALEX SCHNEIDER Editor

In anticipation of Inauguration Day, former John F. Kennedy speechwriter Theodore Sorensen spoke last Tuesday about the role of inaugural speeches at an event titled “From ‘Ask not…’ to ‘Yes we can.’”

The event, co-sponsored by the International Center for Ethics, Justice, and Public Life, Gen Ed Now, and the Student Union, attracted a crowd that filled the 250-seat Shapiro Campus Center Theater, with some students even sitting on the floor or standing in the back in order to hear Sorensen speak.

“There is such an excitement coming off the Obama win and running up to the inauguration that people were very enthused about the event,” Gen Ed Now co-president Daniel Gillman ‘10 said.

Sorensen, who has chaired the advisory board of Brandeis’ International Center for Ethics since 2000, was an early supporter of President-Elect Barack Obama.

In a conversation with The Hoot before his presentation, Sorensen explained that while Obama may not have had as much executive experience as other candidates.

“The key quality in the White House is not experience. The White House requires judgment,” he said.

Sorensen said he supported Obama in part because he saw parallels between the

INSIDE:

judgment shown by Obama when he opposed the Iraq War and spoke of the importance of communicating with foreign leaders and judgment shown by President Kennedy.

“I think he is the first president since JFK who has had that ability,” Sorensen said.

Throughout his talk, Sorensen reviewed why the presidents who have come after Kennedy have failed to live up to Kennedy’s legacy.

While presidents such as Ronald Reagan focused on the economy and other domestic and partisan issues in their inaugural addresses, “JFK was talking about the need to push back deserts, tap the ocean depths, and engage in negotiations without fear.”

Sorensen also gave his take on what he called “myths” about Kennedy’s inaugural speech.

He addressed the question of who wrote the speech, and in particular, who wrote the words “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country,” saying “the question is not who penned particular words, but why Kennedy’s values and policies that were stressed through that speech have been largely for-

BY ALISON CHANNON Editor

PHOTO BY Max Shay/The Hoot

gotten.”

He also deflected claims that the inaugural was a Cold War address, noting that Kennedy said that America must unite “against the common enemies of man” – a phrase that “doesn’t sound like a cold war speech.”

As to whether the speech was Kennedy’s most important, Sorensen disagrees, citing Kennedy’s commencement address at

The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences will reduce first year doctoral student enrollment by approximately half for fiscal years 2010 and 2011 as a cost saving measure, Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe said. The university faces a predicted budget shortfall of $5.8 million for FY 2010. Predictions for FY 2011 have not been announced.

Departments were offered the option of not admitting students one year and admitting a regular number during the other, Jaffe explained. Only the Mathematics department chose this option. This year, the university enrolled approximately 80 doctoral students.

“PhD students are paid a stipend which is typically $20,000 a year,” Jaffe explained.

The reduction in PhD students will save the university $800,000 in FY2010, Jaffe said.

“It’s an issue of how much money can be saved how quickly,” Jaffe remarked. “In the long run,” he added, closing weaker doctoral programs is “the best way to reduce the cost of the graduate school.”

However, “that can’t be done quickly,” Jaffe commented. “It just seemed like the See PH.D. p. 13

See SORENSEN p. 12

A LITTE LEARNING HEART AND SOUL

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Reinharz e-mail too little, too late

N

ews of Bernard Madoff ’s $50 billion ponzi scheme broke in the second week of December.

A few days later, we learned that Yeshiva University lost $100 million in the scheme and Tufts University had lost $20 million. Anyone who had been reading the news knew that many of Madoff ’s investors were prominent Jewish philanthropists who donated to Jewish charities and organizations. And Dec. 15, the New York Times confirmed many of our fears – Brandeis’ most prominent benefactors, Carl J. and Ruth Shapiro, for whom our campus center, new science center, and new admissions center are named, were victims of the scheme.

Over the course of December, more and more information began to surface about Shapiro and his losses in the Madoff scheme. Papers all across the country, local and prominent alike, reported on the ponzi scheme and Shapiro’s connection. It seemed Brandeis students were learning of the fate of their university from the press rather than the administration.

Indeed, it was not until Jan. 5, nearly a month after the Times and the Boston Globe reported that Shapiro had suffered losses, that university President Jehuda Reinharz sent a campus wide e-mail that mentioned Madoff. He referenced the “Madoff debacle” and the “Madoff aftershock.”

He noted the losses of “some of Brandeis’[] most staunch and generous supporters.” He wrote that the financial effects on the university are as of yet unknown.

To his credit, Reinharz acknowledged the financial challenges facing the university and the need to find innovative and creative solutions to budget constraints in his e-mail.

But to his detriment, his e-mail failed to fully address the fear surrounding Madoff ’s scheme. No one expects him to know precisely how Brandeis’ finances will be affected at this point, but to acknowledge uncertainty in a way that also acknowledges real fear is the mark of a truly compassionate leader.

While, “in the face of adversity, we can also find opportunity,” Reinharz wrote, in the face of adversity, Reinharz’s e-mail did too little, too late.

SUBMISSION POLICIES The Hoot welcomes letters to the editor on subjects that are of interest to the general community. Preference is given to current or former community members.

The Hoot reserves the right to edit any submissions for libel, grammar, punctuation, spelling and clarity. The Hoot is under no obligation to print any of the pieces submitted. Letters in print will also appear on-line at www.thehoot.net.

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valid email address and include contact information for the author. Letters of length greater than 500 words may not be accepted.

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

The Hoot is a community student newspaper of Brandeis University. Produced entirely by students, The Hoot serves a readership of 6,000 with in-depth news, relevant commentary, sports and coverage of cultural events. Our mission is to give every community member a voice.

E-mail: editor@thehoot.net

January 16, 2009

January 16, 2009

The Hoot

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IMP RES S IONS A Little Learning

A few comments in defense of the State of Illinois

BY MATTHEW KIPNIS Columnist

In light of the abuse hurled at my native state in the wake of Governor Rod Blagojevich’s arrest last month, I would like to make a few comments in defense of Illinois.

Yes, we are corrupt. The fact is not really debatable. Consider for a moment the city of Chicago; the current Mayor Daley (Richard M., as opposed to his father, Richard J. of 1968 convention fame) has been mayor four months longer than this writer has been alive.

One story ought to be sufficient to illuminate Richard M. Daley’s methods: some years ago there was a small airstrip near downtown Chicago named Meigs Field.

Mayor Daley was determined to close the airfield, and one night in 2003 he did just that, sending bulldozers by cover of darkness to gouge out an "x" through the landing strip, rendering it unusable.

Not a few in the press condemned the mayor’s thuggish action, but to no avail. Because in Illinois, people care about getting things done.

Does the Daley machine control Chicago politics? Absolutely. Do the employees of the Civil Service (Civil Circus) Department spend their days playing cards and flying paper airplanes (no joke here)?

Well, they did once. But do the streets get plowed (not a minor issue in a city where it snowed for 21 hours straight last weekend)?

Yes, the streets get plowed. Yes, the garbage gets picked up. The city runs. And are most people willing to tolerate a bit of corruption for that result? Again, yes.

Now an amusing tale of Illinois corruption for you. In the early 1970s a gentleman named Paul Powell was the Illinois Secretary of State. In Illinois, the Secretary of State is responsible for the Department of Motor Vehicles. Every time you need to renew your driver’s license, you must pay a fee, with the result that large amounts of money pass through the Secretary of State’s office (this should explain the Licenses for Bribes scandal that brought down former Governor George Ryan for his actions as Secretary of State).

Anyway, when Paul Powell was Secretary of State, all fees had to be paid by check, and the clerks instructed you to make the check out to Paul Powell.

Now suppose every day thousands of people were making checks out to you? Powell died in office, and under his bed and in his closets were discovered hundreds of shoe boxes filled with uncashed checks made out to Paul Powell.

As an Illinoisan, I hope you’ll excuse me for admiring the man’s

moxie. Indeed, for many years afterward cars could be seen with a bumper sticker saying “I gave to Paul Powell.”

But back to Rod Blagojevich.

When the Illinois General Assembly voted to impeach on Friday, they did so for a number of reasons. Yes they wanted to punish the Governor for attempting to sell Barack Obama’s senate seat. And for interfering with the freedom of the press. And for trying to shake-down Children’s Memorial Hospital.

But this is only part of the story.

After all, George Ryan’s wife went around to state employees during their lunch hour demanding kick-backs. No, for those versed in the Illinois school of politics, Blagojevich’s sins were much worse.

First, he was sloppy. Daring the FBI to tap your phones – now that takes a bit of hubris. Second, the state simply failed to function: it didn’t run. Budgets came in perennially late; the governor barely spoke with dozens of other state officials. It took a lot for Rod Blagojevich to enter this scandal with a 13% approval rating.

How did things degenerate this way? I think I can answer that question the same way the governor does, with poetry.

In his now famous press conference, Blagojevich quoted the opening lings of Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If,” though I think a later couplet says more about the Governor’s state of mind. “If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,/ Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch,” Kipling proclaims in the last stanza.

As the transcripts released

by Patrick Fitzgerald reveal, Blagojevich had long since become a king in his own mind, convinced his could manipulate any situation to his own advantage.

Yes, Illinois is corrupt. But Rod Blagojevich was delusional.

Thoughts on national identity: A view from across the pond

BY AARON UDEL Special to The Hoot

When I studied abroad in Scotland during the autumn semester, my American identity suddenly became very important. I have always been faintly aware of this identity, but living in a foreign country forced me to become much more conscious of it. I became slightly uncomfortable and defensive when asked where I was from. I resented the fact that the word ‘American’ seemed to imply certain things about me. Among others things, it associated me with the policies of our unpopular government.

Just what does ‘American’ mean?

What do all Americans share? One obvious answer is that we share a geographic domain. That answer does not go far enough, however.

There is something more implied by the word ‘American’. After all, I have only met a fraction of the people living in the United States.

I’ve traveled west of Illinois once (during a trip to Arizona). Geographically, Alaska and Hawaii might as well be foreign lands since they are so far away from Massachusetts, my home state.

In addition to sharing a common land, we also share a common government.

Americans have always been proud of the basic principles of their government, and with good reason. The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are certainly impressive documents and deserve to be celebrated. In a sense, these documents, and the ideals they espouse, bind us together as Americans. We appreciate their force and importance.

On the other hand, Americans are often bitterly divided over the decisions made by our government.

No one should ever confuse a government with the people it governs. They are two separate entities. Thomas Paine began his revolutionary pamphlet Common Sense with that thought in mind.

“Some writers have so confounded society with government, as to leave little or no distinction between them; whereas they are not only different, but have different origins,” Paine wrote.

There are a number of things I like about America, but not enough to continue the exaggerations promoted by our politicians (be they Republican, Democratic, or Independent). I am both amused and mildly irritated when I here a politician claim that "America is the greatest country in the world." This type of rhetoric is definitely not helpful to our image abroad. Seemingly harm-

less statements of this kind can do damage, as I learned while living overseas. They make Americans seem inflated with self-importance. America does enjoy various advantages over other countries, but that is not a reason to send the message that it is better than them.

A few of my European friends made fun of the kind of rhetoric our politicians use. “Are your workers really the best in the world?” teased one friend after hearing John McCain make that claim. To be fair, President-elect Obama has made nearly identical statements. In the defense of McCain and Obama, there is tremendous pressure in American politics to be as ‘patriotic’ as your political rivals. Consider how Obama was criticized by some Republicans for not adorning his suit with an American flag pin.

My friends at Edinburgh University were very interested in American politics. A few of them complained that British politicians were dull. By contrast, American politicians are engaging and entertaining, somet i m e s foolish and ridiculous, but rarely uninteresting. Think about it. We have McCain the war hero and friend of Joe the Plumber, Sarah Palin the moose-shooting Alaskan, and Obama, the charismatic orator.

Even President Bush, loathed as he is in some parts of the world, is a source of entertainment. How can Gordon Brown possibly compare?

Perhaps this is why the election received such extensive coverage in the British media, never mind the stark differences between the

I resented the fact that the word ‘American’ seemed to imply certain things about me.

candidates and severity of the problems confronting the next president. Signs of the election were abundant. In the week leading up to the big day, one of the bars in the student union building served Obama and McCain burgers. After the election, one café in Edinburgh set up two tip jars, with Obama’s name on one and McCain’s on the other.

A note instructed customers to place a tip in the jar of the candidate for whom they would have voted. Not surprisingly, Obama’s jar was full; McCain’s was empty.

It is amazing how Obama’s victory seems to have changed the way Americans (not just our government) are perceived. I could sense a lot of goodwill on Nov 5, at least toward those who voted for Obama. Let me summarize what happened: Americans elected Obama, most Europeans like Obama; therefore most Europeans like Americans a little more as well. Certainly not every European supported Obama, but I think it is fair to say that Americans gained a boost in reputation because of his victory. I welcome any goodwill Obama’s victory has created, but I am slightly uncomfortable with it nonetheless. I am uncomfortable with the fact that foreigners may think our leaders closely r e p resent o u r s e lve s .

O u r leaders do represent us, but o n l y to an extent. We often disagree with them about various issues, even when we vote for them.

The label ‘American’ can only say so much about individual Americans, just as the word ‘Scottish’ can only say so much about individual Scots, or ‘English’ about individual Englishmen, etc. We are all individuals first and citizens second. It is hard to fault people for associating each other with the leadership of their respective countries, but we must exercise caution in the process.

My friends at Edinburgh University were very interested in American politics.

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January 16, 2009

IMPRESSIONS

The Hoot

One Tall Voice

Do yourself a favor, don't donate

BY JORDAN ROTHMAN Editor

Two summers ago, I was a slave.

I was blindly engaged in AmeriCorps because of altruistic propaganda, rather than the self-interested motives that would drive me to re-enroll the next summer. This invisible servitude also propelled me to drag my brother and myself to a community blood drive, where we heeded the call to service and donated our time and our precious biological material. Once there, so full of the euphoria after fulfilling a silent societal obligation, I thought it would be great to put myself on the bone marrow registry. I didn’t think much of it then, and never thought I would actually get called to donate.

Two years later, after I had realized the glorious truth of objectivist ideology, I was told by the bone marrow registry that I was a match for someone needing marrow back in New Jersey. After giving it some thought, I not only decided that I didn’t want to donate marrow, but requested that I be permanently removed from their list.

This experience reinforced my belief that blindly and irrationally helping others, i.e. donating blood and bone marrow, is wrong. I think it is important for me to relate my sentiments, as calls to sign up for the bone marrow registry and to donate blood have been flooding our campus. I would like to speak against these pleas and ask others to think rationally and selfishly before they make their donations. I warn you, dear reader, that I have already made 3 people cry by conveying my beliefs on this topic. Beware, continue at your own risk!

Our current system of donation is both inefficient and wrong. It tries to rally people with messages of servitude and assistance, as individuals are told that they are obliged to donate to other community members. I don’t want to expound upon objectivist philosophy, other than to say that it dictates that the self is the fountainhead of all things, and that one’s purpose in life is to serve no one but themselves. The idea of blood

donation goes completely against this ideology. You get nothing in return, save a free t-shirt and perhaps some stickers or cookies. You are forced into a somewhat painful and time-consuming process without obvious self-interest in sight. Donating marrow requires even more effort, as you must schedule multiple visits, donate blood to be used in a transfusion during your own surgery, and have follow-up check-ins with medical personnel.

And why do people volunteer?

Many individuals weakly adhere to the propagandistic messages of service and duty. People are so swept up in emotion, that they don’t think about how foolish this blind obligation really is. If you can truthfully say that donating makes you happy, then do it.

But if, like me, the pain and time of giving blood or marrow is too much, then make the rational choice and don’t donate. To be motivated by non-existent bonds and obligations is foolish and, I’d say, almost irrational.

I think there is a far better way to handle donations. Well, actually, my system would not involve donations altogether, but would rather pay people to give their blood or marrow. Perhaps a private “blood insurance” company could be founded and people could opt into this plan with a small premium. Then, when people donate blood, their contribution could lessen their premiums so that there is an incentive for people to contribute to the pool.

Others would be paid to donate, at perhaps $20 a pop. Then, when people need blood in hospitals, they would either pay for blood or have it covered with their separate blood insurance plan.

As far as bone marrow goes, a similar system could be adopted.

People would volunteer to be in the registry and once they are matched, they would get paid perhaps $500 to $1000 to give their marrow. I am sure that this system will increase contributions of both blood and marrow, as more powerful, economic incentives are used to propel people to donate. It also eliminates the blind selflessness that oftentimes accompanies

donations.

I once heard that in some Asian language, the word for “thank you” roughly translates to “you shame me.” This anecdote illustrates why my system would be more beneficial. People would not have to be ashamed at receiving the charity of others, but will accept it in an economic transaction. I guess you could apply this philosophical position to organ donation, hair donation, and a variety of other situations.

I don’t feel bad when individuals say that I am a “mean person” because they knew someone (in one case their father) who needed marrow and I would condemn them to die. I don’t want them to perish, but would like them to pay for their life-saving treatment by reimbursing those who are undergoing the pain of donating.

Someone once mentioned that my system was unfair because she couldn’t donate blood. Well then, you should have to pay for that precious commodity and how dare you think yourself freely entitled to donations when you yourself do not add to the pool.

Such a moocher! An individual even said that I killed someone by refusing to donate my marrow. Stop being so melodramatic!

I’d rather not be a bondsman and would have done it for the bargain price of $500.

Once again, I want to stress that if donating blood gives you pleasure, you should definitely go ahead and donate. Do it for yourself, and for no one else. But if you just contribute because of some blind societal obligation, you should think twice, and reason whether it is in your best interest to donate.

Writer’s note: I welcome and encourage your letters and comments responding to this column and other articles I have written.

I just want to convey that I would appreciate well-reasoned responses that discuss my arguments and logic. I have increasingly been receiving ad hominem attacks that degrade my character rather than my logic. This is inappropriate, as only by using reason and being civil can we have a true scholastic dialogue.

Hiatt Career Corner

Think creatively in a bad economy

BY CARY H. WEIR LYTE Special to The Hoot

Even in a strong economy it takes hard work and creativity to reflect on your skills, explore careers, and connect with organizations for jobs and internships. So what should you do during a slowing economy?

Continue to research opportunities while acknowledging that the world is changing; you may need to find ways to apply your skills in new fields and sectors that are still growing.

By thinking strategically about your career search you can still find opportunities and land a great job or internship. According to workforce analysts, growing fields include management, scientific, economic, and technical consulting; education; internet publishing and broadcasting; computer systems design; homeland security; the federal bailout; energy consulting, conservation, and green jobs; media and entertainment; biotechnology; and mental health. Liberal arts student gain skills that are transferable to all of these careers.

But what does this mean in today’s job market? Students need to broaden their thinking about how to apply their skills. If you had your heart set on working at a big investment bank, consider joining the finance department of Staples, one of the biggest employers in Massachusetts. If human resources is your passion but you can’t find open positions, consider other opportunities that allow you to build skills you can eventually transition into an HR position.

Brandeis alumna Kate Forrestall ’01, Global Recruiter for Marketing at TripAdvisor explains, “It's great to see candidates who have a diversity of sectors as well as a variety of internships, interests, and extra-curricular activities.” After graduating with a BA in American Studies, Kate worked at the Waltham Boys and Girls Club as the After School Program Director. She later completed a Masters of Policy and Management at The Harvard Graduate School of Education and parlayed a dual-departmental internship in Human Resources and Educational Programs at the Museum of Science into a full-time position. While at the museum Kate discovered her pas-

sion for human resources, which led her to TripAdvisor, where she secured a more senior position with greater responsibilities.

Forrestall acknowledges it takes hard work for students to convey how their experiences relate to specific opportunities. “Sometimes, it is clear students have done great internships and jobs, but there is no clear focus that relates back to a major/minor or a career goal. I think this is where Hiatt can help.

Hiatt can help translate those professional experiences into a strong, unified resume that not only speaks to a desired post-college career path, but to a particular job description,” says Forrestall.

Sridatta Mukherjee ’09 had a similar epiphany to Kate’s. “Last year, I was completely focused on investment banking,” says Sridatta.

Through a summer internship in commercial banking, Sridatta discovered she liked working with clients – something she would not have experienced initially at an investment bank. Sridatta did her research to explore other fields. “I spoke to friends who were interning in economic consulting firms to find out more. I also attended information sessions that Hiatt hosted on campus. These allowed me to get an in-depth idea of what kind of work I could actually be doing.” Sridatta recently accepted an offer with KPMG’s Economic and Valuation Services division, and is one of three seniors who have been hired by KPMG through Hiatt’s on-campus recruitment program.

Whether you are just beginning to explore careers or want to research new opportunities, it is never too late or too early to visit Hiatt. Hiatt can help you think creatively about how to fulfill your career goals even in a slow economy.

Stop by and see us on January 20th during our Inauguration event, “Yes You Can!” in the Shapiro Atrium and the Hiatt center from 10am-3pm where you can watch the inauguration events, get career advice, and enjoy free hot chocolate and popcorn.

Editor's Note: Cary H. Weir Lyte is the Associate Director of Employer Relations for the Hiatt Career Center.

Are you disgusted by donations?

Do you have the worst haircut this side of Rod Blagojevich?

Or are you just a generally angry person?

Write for The Hoot Impressions!

E-mail Bret Matthew at bmatthew@brandeis.edu

January 16, 2009

IMPRESSIONS

An ode to hope hiding under murky waters

Our economy is in shambles and apparently we can’t trust people we thought were our friends.

And we can’t forget that it’s going get a lot worse before it gets any better. Anyone feeling any better now?

Despite the gloomy intro to this column, this is not a doom and gloom article decrying our economy and our misery. We’ve had enough of that. Instead, it’s an ode to the hope that’s hiding under ne at h the murky waters we’re swimming in right now.

Un l e s s you’ve been living under a rock, you must know about the state our economy is in.

And if you’re a member of the Brandeis community, you’ve surely heard about the Bernard Madoff financial scandal. So if we’re really in a recession and the people that were supposed to be safe guarders of money are really schemers, then where is the hope?

Well, like all difficulties, there indeed lies a silver lining in our current state. And ever the eternal optimist, I believe just that.

Maybe this is a situation to learn from our mistakes and pinpoint what’s really important instead of continuing to believe in superficialities.

Take spending, for example.

I’m no economist, so I won’t pretend to evaluate our economic situation or the mistakes that led us to our current problems.

But it appears to me that maybe in addition to crying about what fiscal mistakes our government has made, we should also take this as a lesson we can apply to ourselves.

Now that we all need to watch our spending more closely, maybe we should start to think before we spend. It seems like such a simple concept: don’t spend what you don’t have. Easier said than done, though, when there are credit cards that seem to promise an

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Book of Matthew

Shopping for Truth

BY CHRISSY CALLAHAN Editor

The Hoot

endless supply of magical money.

By the name of this column you’ve probably deduced that this girl loves to shop and in doing so you’d be right.

But this girl also understands that credit cards aren’t like fairy dust. And like our parents told us when we were younger, “money doesn’t grow on trees” and that’s a cliché we’d all do well to heed.

College students in particular are vulnerable to racking up considerable credit card debt purely because of the many applications that flood our mailboxes. So maybe this is the time to evaluate all of our spending habits and not only the government’s.

And what about trust?

Certainly those close to Madoff trusted him with their money until they found out that the man they’d trusted had fooled them.

From this we should take caution.

Sadly not everyone is as they seem and we often have to learn this the hard way.

But that doesn’t mean that we need to become cynical. It just means we learn to be realistic and appreciate that much more the friendships and business partnerships that are true and solid, like family.

In times of hardship, we all rely on our families; this time is nothing different. Maybe in this difficult time we’ll really learn to appreciate our families and stop the rush rush rush that our society has become.

And the last lesson we should all learn from our current state is hope. Hope that things will get better.

Hope that we will come out of this stronger and more equipped to ride the next storm.

No one would volunteer to go through a tough economic time if they had a choice, but attitude is everything and before panicking, simply recognize the opportunity before us. Like Frederick Douglass once said, “If there is no struggle there is no progress.”

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you must know about the state our economy is in.

Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Healthcare, Part 1

BY BRET MATTHEW Editor

In this day and age, one would think that Americans would be able to have faith in their medicine. After all, we live in the wealthiest nation in the world.

We live in the 21st century. This is the height of human scientific achievement.

We should be able to take medicine when we need it, without having to worry about whether it will work, or whether it will drive us into bankruptcy.

Not so, says Big Pharma.

“Big Pharma,” in case you were wondering, refers to the pharmaceutical industry. And what a big industry it is. According to the annual Fortune 500 survey, the pharmaceutical industry is the most profitable business in America and has experienced growth even as other industries have succumbed to the difficult economy.

To some, this news may come as a surprise—we have, after all, gotten used to hearing stories about cutbacks in consumer spending and the subsequent drop in business revenue—but to others it makes perfect sense. Big Pharma, after all, is an enormous marketing machine that takes advantage of our annoying habit of “putting our health first.”

Nothing is more telling than Big Pharma’s budget. Although not everything is known about how these companies spend their enormous revenue, we do know that they spend, on average, twoand-a-half times as much money on marketing as they do on research and development.

Which means that most of the money made from the sale of these ridiculously high-priced drugs goes not to the search for new drugs that people need but to those smiling faces on television asking you to, “ask your doctor about…” some drug that you don’t need.

I am, of course, referring to the incredible number of pharmaceutical drug commercials that are aired on television every day.

So often, in fact, that it is almost impossible to make it through a commercial break without seeing one.

These commercials are quite effective. They target the masses perfectly, by portraying people whose lives were in shambles (or close to it) until they asked their doctor about whatever miracle drug that they are trying to advertise. They consists of 95% emotion, 5% information, and we the viewers cannot help but fall for them I’m not kidding. People actually do go into their doctor’s office and demand to be prescribed a drug that they saw advertised on television because they feel that they have developed the symp-

toms described in the advertisement. In many cases, doctors— who may be very intelligent but cannot read minds—are forced to prescribe drugs to people who do not need them.

That money, of course, goes back into Big Pharma’s advertising budget, and the cycle continues.

The truly scary thing is that Big Pharma makes so much money by selling us drugs that we do not need, it has shown little concern with making drugs for people who do need them. In fact, about three-quarters of all new drugs approved by the FDA each year are not “new”, but rather, iterations of drugs already on the market.

These drugs, known in some circles as “me-too” drugs, are perfectly legal, even if they are less effective than the drugs that they are imitating. The only requirement is that they be more effective than a placebo (which has no effect at all).

It’s actually kind of ironic. After all, Big Pharma spends an incredible amount of money trying to stop generic drug makers from imitating their drugs when they do it themselves all the time.

But then again, why waste time, effort, and money on serious research when you can make a good haul selling people the same thing in a different package?

The reason why I bring this up is not only so you will be more careful about what you see on television (even though we all

should). I mention it because Big Pharma is a huge player in our national healthcare crisis.

While politicians, journalists, and television personalities argue over what we should do to solve the insurance crisis and how we can provide all Americans with universal healthcare, it seems that we have all forgotten about the products that this reformed healthcare is supposed to help us buy.

But what is true in the realm of health insurance also applies to Big Pharma. It has become increasingly clear that market solutions do not work.

I would immediately suggest that the government treat Big Pharma the same way it has begun to treat the tobacco industry, by banning their television advertisements. This act alone would free up incredible amounts of money that pharmaceutical companies could use purely for research.

I would also suggest strengthening restrictions on “me-too” drugs, so that pharmaceutical companies would be forced to spend more money on researching drugs that people need, rather than drugs they can already get.

In short, we must not be afraid to get tough with big business, particularly one that is supposed to serve our needs.

We must realize that drugs are not meant to make buckets of cash for corporate executives.

They are meant to help people who are suffering.

The Hoot accepts submissions to the Impressions section on any topic of consequence to any member of the campus community. Our mission is to give every community member a voice.

The views expressed in the Impressions section do not necessarily reflect the views of The Hoot's editorial board.

6

January 16, 2009

The Hoot

FEATURES

Heart and soul of the Chaplaincy

BY CHRISSY CALLAHAN Editor

Walking the halls of the Chaplaincy is like walking into biting winter air. Jackets and gloves are required in this chilly corner of campus, but one soul warms up the whole department: Department Administrator Ellen Afienko.

Everyone calls her Ellie. This jovial mix of Italian and Irish heritage is the fireplace of the chaplaincy and the Mary Tyler Moore of Brandeis. In her own view she serves as a “good spokesperson or good welcoming place where people can feel comfortable when they come into the chaplaincy.”

Sitting in a borrowed office, Afienko forfeited the high swivel chair adjacent to the office desk and took right to the comfy couch. A simple action on the surface, but one you understand better after sitting with her for some time.

This room holds special significance, Afienko explained. It serves as the office of current interim Rabbi Elyse Winick '86: the rabbi who once attended Brandeis; the young woman she witnessed grow into the wife and mother she is today. Just like all of “my students,” as she calls them, Winick fills Afienko with great pride.

Over the 30 years she’s worked at Brandeis, people and buildings have come and gone, but Afienko has been the one consistency within the Chaplaincy.

She’s witnessed the department grow from three chaplains-Catholic, Protestant and Jewish-to include a fourth, Muslim chaplain.

She’s also watched more than seven Brandeis graduating classes pass through the university. Because of this long tenure, Afienko “probably loves this university even more than any alum ever could,” Rabbi Winick said.

With the warmth of a good friend you’ve known for ages, Afienko talked of the changes she’s seen since she started at Brandeis part-time, the very nature of her job in the Chaplaincy and her love for her work.

Employed by both the Chaplaincy and Hillel, Afienko reports to a slew of people on any given day. She oversees budgetary concerns, schedules transportation for chaplaincy excursions and writes contracts, among other tasks. “I’m sort of the clearinghouse, the middleperson,” she explained.

How does Afienko juggle all of this? Maybe her organizational skills come from the time management course she took when her two children were younger. Afienko ensures that chaplaincy-sponsored events run smoothly, addressing any last minute issues that come up.

But she doesn’t sit at a desk for eight hours and she isn’t tied to her chair all day.

In fact, Afienko much prefers the one on one interaction with others that her job affords her.

“I don’t think I’d be happy working at a ‘business business.’ I enjoy so much working in a job where [the] human element is there…I don’t think I could just sit at a desk and deal with paper; I need to do this

[human] interaction,” she said.

This news junkie and Millis resident is never too busy to listen to a student in need and over the years has literally been the shoulder to cry on and friendly face for many a student--Rabbi Winick included.

As a Brandeis undergraduate and later a member of Hillel, Rabbi Winick often ran into Afienko in the halls of the chaplaincy and instantly noticed her “deep sense of concern for students.”

When she returned to Brandeis as a staff member of Hillel in the early 1990s, many aspects of Brandeis had certainly changed, but for Winick, Afienko was still the same “supportive, listening ear” she’d always been. “[Afienko] has an incredible quality of making students feel welcome,” Rabbi Winick said. “People like that are few and far between.”

To Afienko, working with students and helping them through any difficulties they might have during their time at Brandeis is just as important as guiding them through their academic endeavors.

“That’s really the key to the chaplaincy: that we realize that it’s just not an academic adventure, it’s an emotional and personal journey and we need to help our students along on that journey in any way that we can,” she said.

And there are no deals with the devil to sign in this corner of campus. “We’re the one office, --Rabbi Elyse Winick I say to people, where you don’t have to fill out a form, where you don’t have to sign your life away, so to speak. We’re here to answer your questions, to make you comfortable,” Afienko said.

Working with interfaith and diversity, Afienko explained that the chaplaincy works “not only with the individual groups, but also trie[s] to bring those groups together for different programs… so one gets to know the other and they can interact.”

This Catholic has learned a lot from the several faiths filling the Brandeis campus and feels as though she is “a part of every single religion on this campus through

[Afienko] has an incredible quality of making students feel welcome. People like that are few and far between.

PHOTOS BY Jodi Elkin/The Hoot

Chaplaincy: Chaplaincy Department Administrator Ellie Afienko works closely with all four chaplains: Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Muslim. Afienko has worked in the Chaplaincy for 30 years and has watched the department expand from three to four chaplains.

osmosis.” “I think [exposure to other religions] just makes me a better person…

It is such a treat to be able to have really a diverse group of people to deal with on a daily basis and to learn about the various customs and traditions that they uphold,” she said.

Working in a collegiate setting is natural for Afienko, whose mother was a teacher.

Before starting at Brandeis, Afienko worked in Boston at the antipoverty agency Action for Boston Community Development as a teaching assistant.

“The topping on the cake is to meet the students when they’re [first-years] and see their excitement there… [and] walk with them in some small way through their journey here,” she explained.

But you better make sure you can keep pace while walking with this avid speed walker. And don’t take offense if she slides on her headphones and drowns you out with her 60s music.

As she says, she’s a very sociable person, but has to keep moving. So try to catch up if you can.

January 16, 2009

F E AT U R E S

The Hoot

7

Students create a united Phront Student Philanthropic Front combines fun and fundraising to bring electricity to Peru

BY CHRISSY CALLAHAN Editor

Maybe you noticed members of Voices of Soul, Brandeis’ a cappella group, strutting around in their bathing suits in the freezing cold one night late last semester soliciting money. Or perhaps you saw members of Tron, Brandeis’ men’s ultimate Frisbee team gliding door to door, dressed in full game garb requesting donations.

No? Well maybe the candygrams being sold in Usdan caught your eye on the way to the mailroom. Or maybe you attended the cocktail party/concert at Biagio’s Ristorante & Bar with performances from Brandeis’ own rockin’ artists and Boston’s the Van Buren Boys.

Still not ringing a bell? Maybe you missed out on the Student Philanthropic Front’s--Phront for short--first fundraising campaign. Supporters of the Phront raised $1435.86 last semester to support a cause in Peru selected

by Brandeis students.

With the somewhat 250 clubs listed in the mybrandeis directory, perhaps you missed this fairly new club with the catchy nickname and the unique approach on fundraising.

“We’re trying to be a service for the community for those that want to give and don’t necessarily have the time to give directly to a cause or research a cause,” Phront president Julian Olidort ’11 said.

At the start of each semester, Olidort explained, the Phront hosts a meeting where any member of the Brandeis community can present a cause or mission they’ve been working on in the hopes of being elected as the club’s cause of the semester. From here on, members of the Phront dedicate themselves to raising the money necessary to meet the goal of the elected cause.

Members of the Phront work off the motto of “tangible impact,” Olidort said, meaning rather than merely giving money to a charity or to a foundation, the Phront gives money to a student who “becomes the middle person and gets it to a final destination or final cause.”

After its first fundraising campaign, the Phront has become that “bridge between those that want to give and those that need the funding for projects,” Olidort said.

Growing up, Olidort, an Orthodox Jew, was used to donating to charity on a regular basis. When he arrived at Brandeis last January for his first semester as a midyear student, though, this practice changed. “I had a hard time finding that outlet where I would be able to give even small amounts on a regular basis,” he said.

Seeking an outlet that would keep him “in the same charitable mentality” as before, Olidort decided to develop his own service and enlisted the help of Julie Judson '11 and Robin Lichtenstein '11.

He envisioned the Student Philanthropic Front as a service that would come to students’ doors “in a non-imposing way on a relatively regular basis and give them a cause that a fellow student is passionate about and a cause that has been elected by students.”

Alex Ball ’09 had been raising money to bring electricity to a rural village in Peru when he heard about the Phront’s election meeting just days before it was to take place.

Though he’d raised quite some money through fundraising campaigns in local Peruvian high schools, Ball found himself a bit short of his goal of $7000. So he decided to check out the new club for himself and members of the Phront soon elected his cause as their first ever fundraising campaign.

Though he was initially skeptical when he first heard of the methods the Phront was planning to raise money, Ball was pleasantly surprised in the end. “They were incredibly helpful,” he said.

Members of the Phront hosted four main fundraising events to raise nearly $1500: selling candygrams, organizing a concert at Biagio’s, hosting an a capella singoff and planning Tronstorm, a dormstorming event with mem-

PHOTO BY Max Shay /The Hoot

Phront: Julian Olidort '11 (left), president of the Student Philanthropic Front (Phront for short), speaks to members Wednesday night, during their first official meeting of the semester. At the beginning of each semester, members of the Phront elect a charitable cause presented by a student and work to raise money to help the student meet their goals. Last semester members of the Phront raised $1435.86 to help bring electricity to a village in Peru. Fundraiser events ranged from a concert at Biagio's to a dormstorming event with members of the Brandeis men's ultimate frisbee team. The Phront will host their election meeting Thursday Jan. 22.

fundraising events.

“Not only is this a miraculous feat on the part of Tron, who was able to help us raise money based solely on their charm, looks, and etiquette, but it also shows how willing the community really is to --Julian Olidort '11 support fellow students in raising money for bers of Tron. a humanitarian cause that one In their quest to help the Phront, Brandeis student has been pasmembers of Tron split into two sionate about,” Olidort said. groups, made the rounds of the Voices of Soul singer Ji Yun Lee dorms on campus and raised ’11 said she and her fellow a capclose to $500 in one night, more pella singers were more than hapthan any of the Phront’s other py to help out the Phront and even

We’re trying to be a service for the community for those that want to give and don’t necessarily have the time to give directly to a cause or research a cause,

dressed up for the event--in their bathing suits. “It was a great cause and it was a good opportunity for us to interact with our fans,” she said.

Because of the Phront’s concentration on one cause, Lee said, their goals are that much more feasible and members “are able to stay focused.”

Thanks to the money members of the Phront raised, helping to meet Ball’s goal, residents of one Peruvian village will now have less expensive and more sustainable electricity methods. “It’s interesting the effects or the benefits that this type of power project can bring,” he said.

Without electricity, Ball explained, residents of the village depend on expensive and environmentally damaging kerosene and batteries to fuel their power sources. He hopes to stop in Lima, Peru to purchase some supplies for the project on his way to study

WWW.THEHOOT.NET

abroad in Brazil.

After supporting a cause of international breadth last semester, members of the Phront now plan to focus on an issue closer to home and hope to impact the lives of those living closer to the Brandeis campus.

The spring semester cause election meeting will take place next Thursday. Students interested in more information can contact members of the Phront.

In other plans for the club, members of the Phront will apply for a Student Union charter this semester and hope to “give as much help to humanitarian causes as we can,” Olidort said.

“No matter to what degree students' interests vary, we almost all value charity,” Olidort said. “That is what the Phront is trying to do, and, the community, when given the opportunity to listen and act, performed beautifully.”

12

January 16, 2009

The Hoot

N E W S New weight room finished but incomplete Madoff’s effects on gifts unknown

BY ELI SEDRANSK Staff

Student reaction to the newly renovated weight room in the Gosman gym has been mixed, as students are both thankful for the new machines and space, but aggravated by the lack of machines some consider weight room essentials.

The renovated weight room, which opened last week just in time for the beginning of the Spring semester, was funded by $100,000 in Student Activity Fees rolledover from Spring 2008.

The new weight room features a full set of Cybex weight machines purchased by Brandeis Athletics through Gym Source, a new set of free weights and a new set of dumbbells—something the previous weight room had been lacking.

However, many of the gymfaithful were disappointed by the new facilities.

John Homans ’12 was frustrated because some machines that he considers to be staples of the weight room were missing..

“They left out some of the essentials,” he said. “The gym needs a lat pull-down and seated row machine to be complete…any improvement in the quality of apparatuses is negligible compared to the absence of necessary equipment.”

The lack of specific machines,

MADOFF (from p. 1)

PHOTO BY Napolean Lherisson/The Hoot

PUMPING IRON: Fjodor Melnikov ‘09 lifts a new set of free weights in the old dance studio adjacent to the newly renovated weight room. The free weights, along with Cybrex weight machines and dumbbells, are brand new for the weight room which was paid for by the Spring 2008 SAF rollover funds.

considered essential by many users of the weight room, was pinpointed as a break down in communication between students and the Athletics department staff.

Jacob Bockelmann ’09 agreed.

“What is most upsetting about the weight room is how the equipment selection process was closed to students. [Athletics] was all to eager to take the [SAF] money but were not willing to listen to students,” he said.

Additionally, many students felt that the weight room could have been completed during the summer break.

However, Union Treasurer Max Wallach ‘09 explained that “it

Faculty give salaries, save jobs

BY ALISON CHANNON Editor

Approximately a third of the Arts and Sciences faculty and donated $90,000 to a charitable fund in an effort to limit staff layoffs made necessary by the university’s fiscal year 2009 and predicted fiscal year 2010 budget deficit, Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe explained.

Originally, during informal talks with the Faculty Senate, Senate Chair Prof. William Flesch (ENG) suggested a voluntary 1% faculty salary cut because “it seemed symbolic enough that people would be willing to do it, and real enough that it would make a difference,” he wrote in an e-mail.

Instead of a 1% salary cut, a donation model was used for faculty, Jaffe explained. “We let people donate whatever amount [of their salary] they wanted,” he said.

While the “original motivation” was for faculty “to donate to benefit staff,” the option was opened up to staff after sufficient interest was demonstrated, Jaffe added.

“The deal was that this would be anonymous – that is, that there would be no negative list of shame consisting of those not on the list of contributors,” Flesch explained in a statement.

Some administrators “were a little wary about [the voluntary salary cut initiative],” Flesch explained. “They didn’t want to cut salaries, and didn’t want this to look like a backdoor way to cut salaries. But on balance, they decided that the pluses outweighed their anxieties.”

When Jaffe first heard the idea,

“frankly, I wasn’t sure it would work, but I’m pleased it did.”

“We did not want to cut salaries as a budget cutting measure” because it is not sustainable and it lessens the university’s competitiveness in hiring, Jaffe said.

Some administrators, including President Reinharz, donated to the fund. Reinharz did not respond to requests for comment.

The volunteered salary reductions will go into effect July 1, the beginning of fiscal year 2010, and will last through June 2010, Jaffe said. “We are looking at a whole range of actions [to reduce costs] for [fiscal year] 2011,” he added.

The fund reached $90,000, which amounts to 1% of 30% of the salary paid to faculty, Jaffe said. That money will prevent two staff layoffs.

“There’s still layoffs,” Jaffe said.

“The impact for mitigating pain for employees is not huge. I would hope for the staff who remain,” Jaffe continued, “it feels good to be at an institution where faculty is willing to make this effort.”

Prof. John Burt (ENG) explained via e-mail, “I felt that we who have relatively secure jobs owe something to the people who don’t. It was little enough, I’m sorry to say, and plenty of people are still going to be hurt by what will happen here over the next year.”

The initiative was picked up by the New York Times Business section in late December. Jaffe commented, it is “excellent to have the message in the broader community that Brandeis is a university where social justice is more than words.”

wasn’t a realistic goal” to have the weight room completed during the summer.

Student Union President Jason Gray ‘10 added that attempts to finish the weight room early would have resulted in the acquisition of inferior machines, and ultimately an inferior facility.

Homans and Bockelmann both noted that in neglecting the student voices the weight room was unable to be as good as it could have been.

Bockelmann commented, “I think we ended up with a decent commercial weight room…[not a] stellar collegiate weight room.”

and Tolerance Foundation informing him that the Foundation would be unable to pay the Ethics center one-third of a $12,000 grant the center had been promised because the Foundation had been “100 percent invested with Madoff,” Terris told The Hoot in a phone interview.

The resulting $400,000 gap in the Ethics Center budget is the only known immediate consequence of the Madoff fraud to the university, as it is the only commitment that has been revoked.

Still, the long-term effects remain unknown.

In an e-mail to The Hoot, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Peter French wrote, “we have no idea, and no insider information, on how many of our donors have been affected by this.”

Additionally, Shapiro Family Foundation spokeswoman Diana Pisciotta, who has been hired by the foundation in response to the Madoff fraud, said that the future of Foundation gifts to the university is “still under consideration.”

“It’s so complicated that it’s just going to take a while to untangle,” she said.

Also unclear is how personally connected the university is to Bernard Madoff himself. While the Boston Globe has reported that Carl Shapiro has long been a personal friend of Madoff, Shapiro has been deemed a victim of the Ponzi

scheme, not a collaborator.

Shapiro’s son-in-law, Robert Jaffe, however, has escaped neither public criticism nor legal investigation.

The Boston Globe has described Jaffe on occasion as being under investigation for his role as “Madoff ’s middle man.”

According to The Globe, Jaffe worked for a brokerage firm that recommended clients to Madoff ’s firm. He had been subpoenaed to meet with the Massachusetts Securities Division to discuss his knowledge of the Ponzi scheme on Tuesday; however, he failed to appear.

As the scandal has unfolded, Jaffe has insisted that he knew nothing of the scheme and that he was a victim of Madoff; however, when the scandal broke, he and his wife stepped down from their roles as co-chairs of an annual gala held by the DanaFarber Cancer Institute in Florida.

French wrote in an e-mail to The Hoot that Jaffe has been “long considered a friend of the university, though he is not a regular donor.”

While French would not specify how much money Jaffe has donated in the past, he did write that Jaffe was recognized by the university in the 1980’s as being a member of the President’s council—an honorary society that recognizes service to the university but “has no specific functional role at Brandeis and has not been active for several years.”

French would not say whether Jaffe would step down as a member of the President’s council.

Sorensen compares Obama oration to John F. Kennedy’s speaking style

PHOTO BY Max Shay/The Hoot

SPEECHES: Ted Sorensen, speech writer for President John F. Kennedy speaks Tuesday to a full crowd in the Shapiro Campus Center Theater. In his speech Sorensen detailed his experiences as a speech writer for JFK; however he did not disclose who was responsible for writing the line: “ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.

SORENSEN (from p. 1)

American University as the most important, because it “called for a reexamination of the cold war and relations with the USSR.” After debunking myths, Sorensen discussed his expectations of Obama’s own inaugural address, saying that he believes that Obama’s inaugural address will follow Kennedy’s non-partisan tradition.

“An inaugural address should not be a campaign speech…I predict that Obama will not attack the

Republican party or George Bush in his inaugural address,” he said.

Sorensen also explained that just as Kennedy “wanted to emphasize foreign policy” in his inaugural as a way of “[defining] him and his policies to the rest of the world,” Obama will “focus on international, global matters.”

After Sorensen’s address, Professor Peniel Joseph (AAAS) responded to the talk, adding that he expects that Obama, like “the best American presidents” will ask “the nation to look beyond its current paradigm.”

Both Joseph and Sorensen see the Obama’s inaugural speech as a first step for Obama to lay out such a vision, just as Kennedy did 49 years ago.Sorensen, though, will not play a role in implementing Obama’s vision.

When asked by the Hoot whether he would play a role in Obama’s administration, Sorensen invoked a line from the beginning of Kennedy’s inaugural speech: “The torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans, and I am not part of that generation.”

January 16, 2009

NEWS

The Hoot 13

Middle East violence discussed at panel Wednesday

BY JASON WONG Staff

Shai Feldman, the Judy and Sidney Swartz Director’s Chair of the Crown Center for Middle East studies and professor of politics at Brandeis University argued that Israel needs a more political approach to resolve the conflicts in Gaza at the Crown Center for Middle East studies panel discussion Wednesday.

“In my opinion, there is no military solution to this problem” said Feldman. “[Israel] needs to end this politically.”

Feldman outlined Israel’s objectives and the main issues being negotiated to end the violence. Israel’s two conditions are a “stable cease-fire” and an “antimilitary buildup regime,” he said. Hamas has one condition for peace; to allow crossings into and out of Gaza through Israel, Feldman said.

He explained the Israeli’s hope to establish a “stable and total cease-fire” so that neither party will continue aerial bombings or mortar attacks. He also explained that stopping the thousands of bombings and attacks that happened around Gaza is the first step toward resolution. Feldman continued to assert for a more politically powerful Israeli authority.

“Israel is losing the political game,” Feldman said. He explained that if Israel weakens Hamas’ military, then he will gain political power because of his importance in the conflicts.

He also explained that both Hamas and

Israel rejected cease-fire after their limited Ta’hdia (period of calm). However, Hamas has nothing to lose in continuing to reject a cease-fire while Israel would eventually be destroyed in the circumstance.

Amaney Jamal, assistant professor of Politics at Princeton University, took a more personal stance in the Gaza issues.

Jamal expressed concern for the hundreds of casualties being killed and took note of the poor economic conditions in Gaza. She had personally visited Gaza and found the living conditions there to be terrible.

Jamal also explained how she believes the Obama administration will take a more neutral stance to help end the conflicts in Gaza.

“The Obama administration is going to be more fair and just” said Jamal, comparing the President-Elect to the Bush administration. She commended Hilary Clinton in her compassion toward the Israeli’s, who have nowhere to flee from the bombings.

Both Feldman and Jamal agreed that the smuggling of weapons into Gaza was an issue that needed to be resolved.

The audience was also interested in considering one-state solutions, two-state solutions, and three-state solutions. Neither Jamal nor Feldman settled on a “best” solution but did mention that 72% of the Palestinians voted for the two-state solution, which would separate the region of Palestine into two separate states: one Jewish and the other Arab.

Cuts made to Ph.D. program PHD (from p. 1)

fairest way was an across the board reduction.”

According to Jaffe, reducing the number of doctoral students in FY2010 and FY2011 “gives us time that by FY2012 we’ll have implemented measures [to create a] sustainable measure for the future.”

Jaffe predicted that a reduction in doctoral students would have a “direct” and “potential indirect” effect on graduate and undergraduate programs. First, Jaffe said, there will be fewer doctoral candidates to serve as teaching fellows and “labs will have fewer people to work on their grants.”

“I expect that most of the changes for the next two years will be pretty invisible to the students. We will have a few less teaching fellows for ‘lab’ sections, but not so few, I hope, that classes will be impacted much,” Prof. Eric Chasalow (MUS), graduate program chair of composition, explained in an e-mail message.

Jaffe said that this plan would reduces the savings but not eliminate them, as the university would have to hire people to fill the positions left by the Ph.D. students.

Jaffe also said that a cut in Ph.D. candidates would make the graduate program more competitive and selective.

“For students hoping to come into our Ph.D. [program],” Chasalow wrote, “the competition is already very fierce…and this will make the competition even tougher.”

“Ordinarily,” Prof. Paul DiZio (PSYCH), graduate advising head in Psychology, explained, his department enrolls four to five new doctoral students each year. “In terms of sheer numbers, it’s not huge. If it turns out to be one year, the impact is relatively low,” he said. He added that the Psychology department will enroll more master’s students, who pay tuition, in the upcoming year.

Because the “educational goals of master’s students are quite similar [to those of doctoral students], it won’t change the character of the graduate students,” DiZio said.

Even so, “it will be harder to keep research going,” DiZio continued. “Graduate students are intellectual lifeblood.” Thus,

“we certainly want to support our younger faculty members who really need people for their labs,” he commented.

In addition to limiting the number of teaching fellows available for undergraduate courses, Director of Graduate Studies for the Politics department Prof. Daniel Kryder (POL) also believed the reduction in graduate students could negatively impact research.

“A smaller graduate student population would also over time reduce some faculty members’ research output,” he wrote in an e-mail message. “This might also affect undergraduate education by reducing the amount and quality of ‘cutting edge’ research brought into the classroom.”

“In the short run,” DiZio said, “we can take it.”

CHURCH (from p. 1)

got past racism, and the church incident reminds us of that.”

Hogan said that he has been in contact with Masadonian Church leader Bishop Bryant Robinson Jr. in order to plan fundraising events. Robinson did not return The Hoot’s phone calls by print time.

While no concrete plans have been set, Gray said that he hopes the fundraising efforts will emulate the Union’s fundraising techniques last semester, when various clubs used their previously planned events to raise money for hurricane relief.

Additionally, Hogan said that tables would most likely be set up in Usdan and Sherman dining halls where students could donate money to the cause.

Gray said that while he does not expect the Union to raise the full cost to rebuild the church, he is optimistic about the message that the fundraising itself will send to those who perpetrated the crime in the first place.

“I know we’re not going to be able to raise enough money to build back the church,” he said, “but it’s a symbolic and tangible act of unity that can and will combat the hate that started the fire.”

PHOTOS BY Max Shay/The Hoot

MIDDLE EAST CRISIS: Shai Feldman (above) and Amaney Jamal (right) spoke on Wednesday at the Crown Center for Middle East Studies panal on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. While Feldman insisted that peace could not be acheived until the Palestinians stop attacking Israelis, Jamal, who has visited Gaza recently, held that the conflict is one that must be solved politically and not militarily. Both Jamal and Feldman agreed that a solution to the smuggeling of weapons into Gaza must be reached.

Pipe bursts in Rosenthal East over break, nothing harmed

BY CHRISSY CALLAHAN Editor

All Rosenthal East suites suffered minor water damage on Saturday, Jan. 3, when a main pipe burst in the building’s fourth floor stairwell and triggered the sprinkler system and fire alarm, according to a police log from that day.

Pressure incurred from an open window in the stairwell may be to blame for the bursting of the four inch pipe, according to Interim Co-Director of Residence Life Jeremy Leiferman.

Near-freezing temperatures in the days leading up to the incident and the subsequent thawing exacerbated pressure on the pipe and caused it to burst, which in turn activated the sprinkler system.

The system, which is tied to the fire alarm, monitors water pressure in the pipes and activates the sprinklers when that pressure changes, Leiferman said. A police log shows the sprinkler system triggering the fire alarm at 11:03 a.m., immediately notifying campus police.

Because of the nature of the Rosenthal building, Leiferman explained, a fair amount of water damage was prevented and any damage incurred was minor.

“There isn’t a lot of ability for water to travel through the floor or in turn through the ceiling; it’s pretty tightly sealed,” he said.

Instead, water traveled down the stairs and seeped under the door and into the common rooms of every suite in the building. Most bedrooms were not affected by the leaking, with only 16 bedrooms having minor water damage, according to a police log.

Three public safety officers were the first to respond to the call, and a third party cleanup company, Service Master, arrived within hours of the incident.

Residents of Rosenthal East were notified of the incident the day of the leak via an email sent by Community Development Coordinator for Rosenthal and Castle

Quads Ashley Skipwith.

In an email to the Hoot, Skipwith said she initially received a few general questions about the status of the building, but since she originally notified the residents, no students have contacted her about specific damages to their property.

Rosenthal East resident Leah Lehrer ’11 said she returned to her suite to find some water damage to some of her books.

When Julia Rabkin ’11 initially heard about the leaking, she was concerned because of her top floor room’s proximity to the broken pipe. She said that in the email residents received, “the situation itself wasn’t explained that well but they did explain the steps they were taking to take care of it.”

Members of Residence Life surveyed each room to assess the damage, picking up any clothes or bedding that might have been damaged and sent it out to be dry-cleaned, Leiferman said. All linens and clothes were returned to residents’ rooms within the next week and the university paid for all laundry expenses.

Cleanup workers first extracted water from and then treated carpets in the residence hall to prevent mold. The crews then used dehumidifiers to take the moisture out of the air and carpets. Because of this dehumidification, the air in the building is now dry and students might experience “crunchy” floors upon their return to campus, Leiferman said.

Rabkin found no damage to her belongings but she and one of her suitemates, David Park ’11, found the rug they kept in their common room gone. The two assume the rug was removed to be cleaned after water damage.

Rosenthal East Community Advisor Anum Irfan Khan ‘09, who had no damage to her personal belongings, explained that restoration workers moved around furniture to ease cleanup and said that so far none of her residents have expressed any concern with damaged property.

Cleanup was completed the following Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. in time for residents to move back in Sunday.

14

January 16, 2009

The Hoot

SPO RTS

Swimmers sweep at Wheaton

BY ADAM HUGHES Staff

The Brandeis swimming and diving teams went down in defeat on Wednesday, losing very close meets at Wheaton College. The Wheaton Lyons defeated the Judges by a score of 118-113 in the men’s meet and 125-118 in the women’s meet.

The Brandeis men started very strongly with a solid victory in the opening 400-yard medley relay; the team of Justin Wellins ‘10, Marc Eder ‘12, Aaron Bennett ‘11, and Michael Rubin ‘09 finished with a time of 3:43.96, over 8 seconds ahead of the top Wheaton team. Robert Morse ‘09 followed the relay with a 10:25.85 1000-yard freestyle, giving him an 11 second margin over Wheaton’s Edward Gillie ‘11.

Brandeis went on to win 9 of the 11 swimming events, the only exceptions being the 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard backstroke. Among the other standout performances were Aaron Bennett’s 1:59.67 200-yard butterfly and Marc Eder’s 2:17.17 200-yard breaststroke. Brandeis was able to finish strongly as well, as Joshua Allgaier ‘12, Eli Tukachinsky 11, Robert Morse ‘09, and James Liu ‘10 swam the 400-yard freestyle relay team to a 13second victory.

The Judges’ lack of divers ended up hurting them most, as Wheaton picked up 26 uncontested points in the two diving events.

The Brandeis women were even more successful in claiming individual event victories, winning 10 of the 13 total events.

The 400-medley relay team turned in the most impressive performance with a new school record in their meet-opening win; Angela Chui ‘12, Hollis Viray ‘10, Siobhan Lyons ‘10, and Julia Derk ‘12 completed the race with a time of 4:07.46. The diving team was also very strong. Dana Simms ’11scored 221.40 points in the 1-meter dive and 225.00 points in the 3-meter dive to sweep both events, and Brandeis outscored Wheaton 22-16 in the dives.

It was Wheaton’s superior depth, however, that decided the final result. Wheaton took two of the top three spots in every single event besides the 3-meter dive. Particularly critical were the 50-yard freestyle, in which Wheaton swept the top three positions, and the 400-yard freestyle relay, in which Brandeis’s lone entrant finished last out of three relay teams.

The men fall to a 3-4 duel meet record on the year, and the women drop to 4-3. Both teams will see their next action on January 21st at Clark University.

Brandeis men upset Carnegie-Mellon 69-57

BY ZACHARY ARONOW Editor

Facing fourteenth ranked Carnegie-Mellon on January 11, the odds were against the Judges. However they had a four syllable response to those who had wrote them off early.

Steve DeLuca (GRAD).

Scoring a season high 28 points and 10 rebounds, DeLuca helped pave the way for the Judges 69-57 upset against the Tartans for their first UAA win of the season.

Two free throws from Rich Magee ’10 put Brandeis up by one at the 11:57 mark of the first half. The Judges would not relinquish their lead for the rest of the game, quickly going on a 14-4 scoring run in the next four minutes of the half. In the second half, CarnegieMellon could not come closer than a seven point deficit with under ninety seconds left, but Brandeis drained 5 of 6 free throws to seal the win.

Kenny Small ’10 scored 16 points off the bench to go along with 3 assists and Kevin Olson ’09 chipped in 12 points of his own, nailing all three of his three point attempts. Terrell Hollins ’10 and Tyrone Hughes ’12 also provided three assists in the contest. Terrance Bouldin-Johnson finished one point shy of a double-double for the Tartans, scoring nine points and matching DeLuca’s total of 10 rebounds on the day. Ryan Einwag was the only

player to reach double digits for Carnegie-Mellon. The Judges outshot Carnegie Mellon 42 percent to 37 percent and converted 15 Tartan turnovers into 12 points. Brandeis also drained 16 of 18 free throws in the second half.

The victory was a much needed salve following a disappointing loss to Rochester in their UAA opener 69-73. Furiously rallying from a thirteen point deficit in the second half, Andre Roberson’s ’10 three point brought the Judges to within one basket, 69-71. On the ensuing possession however, Mike Chmielowiec converted on both free throws to ice the game.

Kenny Small led the offense with 15 points off the bench while DeLuca and Roberson had 12 and 11 points respectively. Roberson also dished out four assists in the losing effort.

The Judges however had no answer for Rochester’s Mike Chmielowiec as he finished with 25 points on 7-13 shooting including going 4-6 from the three point stripe. Marcus Robinson followed with 11 points and Nate Novosel put in 10 points and a game high six rebounds.

With their January 5 win over their final non-conference opponent of the season, an 8450 demolition of Curry, the Judges are now 7-5 with a 1-1 conference and look to build on their upset win as they host New York University on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 pm.

Women’s Basketball defeats Carnegie Mellon

BY ZACHARY ARONOW Editor

Carnegie-Mellon never had a prayer. Looking to avenge their first loss of the season, Brandeis never trailed once as they coasted to a 65-44 victory over the visiting Tartans.

A three pointer from Jessica Chapin ’10 gave the Judges the first lead of the contest. Carnegie Mellon managed to cut it to two at the 14:53 mark of the first half but Brandeis responded with a 15-2 run, which included back to back three’s from Chapin and Diana Cincotta ’11. From there, it was autopilot for Coach Carol Simon’s squad, never allowing the Tartans much opportunity to come back.

“It’s always a tough game especially with that kind of – you don’t overlook games but that Sunday game is always a hard game because you only have one day to prepare for it but I thought we handled ourselves well. Intensity was pretty good. We were a little sloppy with the ball but we’re going to work on that.”

Chapin lead the offense with 15 points and shared a team high six rebounds with Cassidy Dadaos ’09. Diana Cincotta had nine points in the contest while Amanda Wells ’09

and Lauren Orlando ’09 each pulled in five rebounds. The Judges dominated the interior, outrebounding CarnegieMellon 43-34 and finished with a decisive 20-8 margin for points in the paint. Brandeis also converted 15 of 18 free throws including a perfect 8-8 in the first half .

Carnegie Mellon found most of their offense coming off the bench, as Corey Innes led the team with 12 points and Jacki Cortese had 10. The Tartans were held to 25.8% shooting in the game.

The victory was a timely one as Brandeis needed to show they could rebound after a disappointing loss at home to number one ranked Rochester 62-66. After keeping pace with a tie score following the first half, the Yellowjackets went on a 16-5 run to open up the second half and put the game out of reach from a furious Brandeis rally. A three pointer by Cincotta made it a one possession game with 1:33 left but a costly turnover on their next possession and clutch free throw shooting produced the final outcome.

“It was disappointing” Coach Simon said, “but you know obviously with Rochester, they are a very good team. You can’t have any lapses with them and that was really, you know, the biggest problem with us. We had that four minute lapse in the beginning of the second half and they took advantage of it, got us in a little hole. But the nice thing is

you know, that we did come back and we had our opportunities but whether we turn the ball over or whatever, just didn’t happen.”

Jess Chapin led the team with 20 points and 8 rebounds.

Amber Strodthoff ’11 had 11 points off the bench. Melissa Alwardt guided Rochester with a game high 21 points.

Brandeis outshot Rochester 51% to 42% but committed 20 turnovers to Rochester’s 16.

Over the break, Brandeis wrapped up their non-conference portion of their season with a New Year’s Eve victory over Regis 64-58 and inaugurated 2009 with a total domination of Rhode Island College 77-47. The Judges are now 11-1 on the season including a 1-1 conference Now number 7th ranked Brandeis remains at home as they take on arch-rivals 13th ranked New York University Violets on Saturday at 1:00pm. Always a competitive affair, Coach Simon knows that this is one opponent Brandeis can’t take lightly.

“NYU is obviously a very good team as well... We’ve got to come with the same intensity. We know it’s going to be an up and down game, a physical game, you know they’re a very good team so we’ve got to come out with you know, three or four good practices this week and come into the game strong.”

The Deis Board TEAM MBasketball

WBasketball

Swimming Track and Field

LATEST SCORES January 5 v. Curry W 84-50 January 9 v. Rochester L 69-73 January 11 v. Carnegie-Mellon W 65-44 December 31, 2008 v. Regis W 64-58 January 6 at Rhode Island College W 77-47 January 9 v. Rochester L 62-66 January 11 v. Carnegie-Mellon W 69-57 January 14 at Wheaton College

MSwimming L 113-118

WSwimming L 118-125

NEXT GAME January 17 v. New York University 3:00pm January 20 at Amherst 7:00 pm January 17 v. New York University 1:00 pm

January 21 at Clark January 17 at Bowdoin Invitational 12:00pm

January 16, 2009

SPORTS

The Hoot 15

Not entirely pumped about pumping new iron

BY JORDAN ROTHMAN Editor

During the break, I couldn’t wait to get back to Brandeis so that I could head down to the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center and try out the new weight-room. I was extremely happy that the Brandeis student body had chosen to select this option to purchase with their leftover SAF funds, as all the other alternatives were truly hippie and unnecessary indeed. While walking down the hall of the downstairs area of Gosman, one can smell the aroma of the new machines as the space gives off a scent not dissimilar to “new car smell.” After changing my clothes and running a few miles on the track, I later headed in to see what new devices we had acquired.

The weight room looks much better than it did mere weeks before, as a new paint job has been added to give more light to the space. Also, the machines are in much better condition, and the room is something we can now be proud of rather than the “sweat shop” that we previously possessed which should only be found in the film “Rocky.” The weight area has now been extended to encompass two rooms, as one mainly contains lifting machines while

the other room (which used to be utilized for dance practices) possesses mostly free weights. It should be noted that what used to be the Varsity weight room now looks like a rowing area, as I could now only find rowing machines in that space.

There are definitely a lot of advantages to the new weight room that I think will benefit the entire community. One is that the area contains much more space, as the machines have been positioned in such a way as to maximize the amount of room in the area. This is a really great improvement, as many near-accidents have occurred in the past due to the fact that people were working out too close to one another. In addition, the machines are newer and allow more options to users. For instance, many of the new devices contain a knob that allows individuals to add 5, 10, or 15 pounds to the current weight they are lifting, greatly increasing the amount of control people have over their workout. One other notable improvement is the whole new set of dumbbell weights ranging from 2.5 pounds to well over 110 pounds. This gives people greater opportunity in their workout but I’m not sure how many people are going to be using the dumbbells on the upper end of the weight spectrum.

Also, there are far more mirrors in the new area, which is good for two reasons.

Now people will be able to better monitor their form on various machines and also gaze at the new muscles they have crafted due to the better devices. I would also say that the new condition and configuration of mats is a plus, as they are positioned near a mirror, which can assist an individual monitoring his or her form during abdominal or other types of exercises. Furthermore, in some cases, the machines are much more height-friendly than they used to be, which is greatly appreciated by me and other members of the tall community.

I do have to point out that there are some disadvantages to the new weight room. One is that there doesn’t seem to be as many abdominal machines as there used to be. I can do crunches and knee-lifts without the assistance of a machine, but it is always nice to take a break from these exercises. In addition, although the old weight room contained two of these devices, there doesn’t seem to be a single “Lat Pulldown” machine in the new area. There is some sort of seated device that purports to exercise the same muscles, but I am a little disappointed as I was truly fond of that device. Also, and I may be wrong, but there seems to be a dis-

proportionate number of leg machines in the new room. This is weird, as most college kids don’t usually exercise their lower body much, but would rather bulk up their chest, back, and arms, as this is somehow seen as more desirable. Lastly, and this is not due to any inadequacy of the space, but because there is an increased number of dumbbells, it can get confusing to locate a specific weight if people don’t put their dumbbells back in the right position. For some reason, Brandeis students are horrible at returning their weights to the appropriate place, and this problem is magnified by the increased number of dumbbells.

Overall, I am very fond of the new weight-room and would like to thank everyone who voted for this option over the less-desirable alternatives.

Its very presence is enough to give me more motivation to work out, and I now find the experience of “pumping iron” more enjoyable. Although there are some drawbacks, these are almost all countervailed by the advantages that I have previously explained. I also encourage you to go down there and see the new room for yourself; your money paid for it, and you should enjoy the full benefits of our new workout area.

16

January 16, 2009

The Hoot

W ee k end F U N Spotlight on Boston

Back By Popular Demand:

Bootie Boston:

Friday to Saturday, Jan. 16-17, 10 p.m.

14 JFK St., Harvard Square

Photo courtesy of event website.

www.BootieBoston.com

Friday, Jan. 16, 8 p.m.

40 Prospect St., Cambridge

Dance into the early morning at a bootleg party! DJs use their creative talents to mashup pop songs producing addictive tunes which will get you on the dance floor! 21+, $10 cover. Under 21? Download free bootleg songs off of the event's website.

What's going on at Brandeis?

The King Legacy: Monday, Jan. 19, 4 p.m.

Shapiro Campus Center Theater

Honor Dr. King's influence on our nation in an evening of special events. Along with a recitation of MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech, there will be performances from singer Louise Grasmere, dance crew Status Quo and more.

Photo courtesy of e-strategyblog.com

Involvement Sunday, Fair: Jan. 18, 1 to 3 p.m.

Are you a Flight of the Conchords fan?

You should check out the fake and funny rock ‘n roll group, Brown Paper Bag. Featuring Lulu Von Pelt and Emma Lee, the band will make you laugh with their tongue-in-cheek hits. www.improvboston.com

Photo courtesy of event website.

Jan. 17, 3 to 6 p.m.

Winter Saturday, Shapiro Campus Center Atrium Carnival:

Is the cold weather bumming you out? Go to the carnival to get in a chipper mood! Celebrate winter and keep warm at the same time.

Broomball:

Shapiro Campus Center Atrium

Photo courtesy of Anna Farmery.

Have some free time? Don't know what to do after your classes? Stop by the Spring Involvement Fair and learn about the campus's many organizations and clubs.

Photo courtesy of usabroomball.com.

PHOTO: Napoleon Lherisson/The Hoot

Saturday, Jan. 17 Great Lawn

The title of this sport is selfexplanatory. Get a broom and a ball and sweep your way to victory. Teams sign-up in the Department of Student Activities.

Hoot COMIC Strips Sleazy

laughingwarlock

By Matt Kupfer

Insert Comic Here

By Anthony Scibelli

By Ian Price

Do you draw comics in your spare time? contact:

kdsantos@brandeis.edu