The Brandeis Hoot - 10-23-09

VOL 6, NO. 9

OCTOBER 23, 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

Union to advocate for student rep. on presidential search committee

BY ARIEL WITTENBERG Editor

PHOTO BY Lien Phung/The Hoot

CHOCOLATE FALL FEST: Students an parents line up to taste the chocolate fountain at the “Student Events and the Chocolate Factory” Fall Fest kickoff last night in Sherman Function Hall.

Campus ‘falls’ for festivites

BY NATHAN KOSKELLA Special to The Hoot

Parents and relatives from around the globe arrived at the Shapiro Campus Center (SCC) atrium to pick up information guides last night to kick off the university’s Fall Fest family celebration, which will continue through Sunday.

One of the first activities of the weekend was a chocolate-tasting and student competition, held last night in the Sherman Function Hall. Guests and students cast

votes for a “Best of Brandeis” chocolate recipe, created their own campfire-style s’mores, and qualify to win a raffle using pre-mailed Willy Wonka-esque golden tickets.

Today’s activities include a Faculty Spotlight with Professor Jim Haber (BIOL) who will be giving a presentation on his work with chromosomes at 2 p.m. Students and guests can also have their picture taken until 3 p.m. along with the school’s mascot, Ollie the Owl. See FALL FEST, p..2

SEA advocates ‘green fees’ to pay for more sustainable Brandeis

BY ARIEL WITTENBERG Editor

Students for Environmental Action (SEA) has posted a poll on the server surveymonkey.com in order to appraise whether Brandeis students would be willing to pay an extra $15 on their yearly tuition to go toward environmentally-friendly initiatives on campus.

If it elicits favorable reactions, the poll will serve as a platform for SEA to advocate for Brandeis “green fees.”

With green fees, students would have the option of paying an extra $15 on their yearly tuition—or $60 over their college career—to be put into a fund, which would be divvied up among student proposals on campus by a student committee.

Member of SEA’s green fees committee Robyn Blumberg ’11 said the club is still in the process of finalizing how to adapt green fees to Brandeis, and does not yet know specifics for the program, such as how much money students would pay, or what the deliberative process for disseminating the fund would be.“The survey is really our first step,” Blumberg said. “We only want to do this if students want this.”

Thus far, the first 100 students to complete the green fees survey have been supportive of the idea, with 30 percent of students agreeing to pay $15 per year, and 27 percent of students agreeing to pay $25 or more.

Students already are required to contribute one percent of their yearly tuition—or

IN THIS ISSUE:

$375 per year—to the Student Activities Fund, which finances student clubs.

“There are people who say tuition is high enough already, and they can opt out of this,” Blumberg said, “But $60 over four years is less money than the Student Activities Fee, and students will have more control over how we spend green fees than over how we spend that.”

Blumberg said SEA decided to bring green fees to Brandeis after hearing about it at PowerShift, a conference for environmentally-conscious college students held in Washington, D.C., every spring.

Many other schools have adopted green fees, including New York University and colleges within the University of California school system. SEA hopes to have an official proposal to bring before the Board of Trustees next semester so that the fees can be implemented by next school year.

Green fees could be used for projects ranging from buying reusable dishware to use in place of paper plates at barbeques, to saving up money for solar panels on more campus buildings.

One of the advantages of green fees is that it will enable students to make campus more sustainable, despite the university’s $23 million budget shortfall by 2014.

“Obviously the university has other priorities it is focusing on right now that don’t include greening a barbeque,” Blumberg said. “But SEA’s motivations are to make the campus greener, and that’s what this will help do.”

NOH8 campaign poses for marriage equality Diverse City, page 9

Student Union President Andy Hogan ’11 and Student Representatives to the Board of Trustees Heddy Ben-Atar ’11 and Jon Kane ’10 will meet with Board of Trustees Chair Malcolm Sherman today in the hopes of negotiating the inclusion of a student member on the Presidential Search Committee, according to a source with knowledge of the meeting who wished to remain anonymous because negotiations are ongoing.

The meeting marks an effort on the part of the Union to include the student body in the presidential search process.

As it stands now, the Search Committee would be comprised of over 10 people, with three faculty representatives. The rest of the committee will include members of the Board of Trustees.

In addition, there would be two “consultative” committees, one for students and one for faculty, which would advise the official search committee and would inter-

view potential presidential candidates, but would not have the ability to vote on the next university president, Sherman said The source was hopeful that if tomorrow’s meeting is successful either Hogan, Ben-Atar or Kane would most likely be the representative to the search committee because they are already acquainted with the Board of Trustees.

However, Sherman told The Hoot that though the official makeup of the committee is not yet finalized, “there is very little possibility there will be students on the committee.”

“The executive session of the Board of Trustees has already met and said the committee will not include students,” Sherman said.

Sherman declined to explain this decision, saying “that would require too much detail.”

Hogan would not comment on tomorrow’s meeting, but did say that “students need to be involved in the presidential search process in the most influential way possible.”

JBS finances and programs finalized

BY DESTINY D. AQUINO Editor

The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) reviewed nine Justice Brandeis Semester (JBS) pilot program proposals yesterday, which will be reviewed

by Dean of Arts and Sciences Adam Jaffe for approval next week.

Jaffe refused to discuss which proposals the UCC had or had not approved, explaining that he wished to notify members

involved with the proposals before he informed the press.

The UCC has also decided that admissions to the JBS summer program will be need-blind and that all students will have access to both merit-based and need-based financial aid, Dean of Financial Services and JBS committee member Peter Guimette said.

In this sense, JBS will divert from Brandeis’ traditional summer school fiSee JBS , p. 3

INFOGRAPHIC BY Alex Schneider/The Hoot

Making a difference in admissions Features, page 13

AUDIO @ THEHOOT.NET Third Wavelength: Podcasting about feminist blogging - raising consciousness on the web one post at a time.

2 The Hoot

October 23, 2009

N E W S

Burmese monks advocate democracy, civil rights

BY SEAN FABERY Staff

Three Burmese monks spoke about Burmese civil rights and democracy to a packed room in the Usdan International Lounge in an event sponsored by the Brandeis chapter of Amnesty International Wednesday night.

Monks U Agga, U Gawsita, and U Pyinya Zawta participated in the 2007 Burmese Saffron Revolution in which monks led anti-government protests against the ruling military junta after an economic crisis.

The Burmese military violently suppressed these protests, killing and jailing numerous monks, students, and activists who took part. The three monks, like many others, fled the country in order to spread their message.

“We are so happy to speak about human rights and democracy here,” said U Agga.

“We could not do this freely in Burma.”

Each of the monks shared his own story about the work he has done to foster democracy in Burma.

U Pyinya Zawta, the eldest monk, has been involved in civil rights movements within Burma for over 20 years. Before going into exile in 2007, he served nine years in prison for leading various pro-democracy movements.

Though no longer allowed in his home country, Zawta has continued his involvement in the cause. In 2007, he founded the All Burma Monks’ Alliance, which supports monks currently held as politi-

PHOTO BY Yuan Yao/The Hoot

‘DOING’ CIVIL RIGHTS: Burmese Monk U Agga advocates for democracy and civil rights in his homeland with fellow monks U Pyinya Zawta and U Gawsita. All three were exiled from Burma after participating in pro-democracy protests.

cal prisoners, as well as other monks who went into exile. Most importantly, the Alliance has worked with other groups to promote human rights and democracy within Burma.

U Gawsita shared a similar narrative about his foray into political activism. “[One day I asked] Why is Burma so poor? Why are there so many problems?

When I looked for an answer, I saw there was no freedom of speech, no freedom of press. There were no human rights in Burma,” he said.

Hamza says ‘Talk to an Iraqi’

BY JON OSTROWSKY Staff

24 year old Iraqi journalist and photographer Haider Hamza spoke about his experiences living through the Iraq War at a lecture Tuesday evening in Goldfarb library.

Hamza lectured and presented a slideshow of photographs to students, professors, and adults in the Rappaporte Treasure Hall. The event was sponsored by the Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism in celebration of the institute’s fifth anniversary.

Hamza, who requested that his lecture be entirely off the record due to security concerns, has had his photos appear numerous times in several international publications.

Hamza decided to travel to the United States as part of a Fulbright scholarship in 2007 in order to better understand American civilians’ feelings about the war in Iraq.

He has since spoken about the war in 35 states. Working for various major news networks, including Reuters and ABC News, Hamza covered the 40 live trial sessions of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the country’s elections.

Wherever he travels in the United States, Hamza takes with him a sign that reads “Talk to an Iraqi,” and his story and journey were shown on Showtime’s “This American Life,” as well as on NPR. “Journalism unfortunately is a job where you’re really only as good as your last story,” Hamza said in an interview with The Hoot, immediately following his presentation. “In Iraq, everyday is a breaking story.

Then you realize there’s always going to be another story,” he explained.

Hamza spoke openly about his experience covering the war at such a young age and answered several questions from the audience, while he revealed graphic photographs containing mutilated bodies, nudity, and bloodshed.

Becky Sniderman ‘10 was impressed with the power of Hamza’s photographs.

“It made me realize that a picture is extremely powerful. It makes you feel very connected to the people that are featured in the photos,” she said.

Hamza said while it was difficult to witness such suffering without helping those he photographed, he needed to maintain his identity as a journalist.

“When you are in such a big crisis, and you realize that whatever you do, you aren’t going to save enough people, then you’ve got to say I’m a journalist, I’m not an activist, I’m not a UN relief worker,” he said in the interview.

Through his explanation of the difficulties faced when photographing atrocities, Hamza conveyed how taking a photo allows him to feel that he is actively doing something about what is occurring.

“Everyday you feel angry. I feel angry more than the average person because I’m exposed to more than the average person is,” Hamza said.

“You feel you want to do something. But then you go back and every time you snap a shot some part of that anger goes away, because you feel you’ve done something.”

The event was brought to Brandeis, after Professor Gordon Fellman (SOC), a sociology professor at Brandeis for 40 years, suggested that the Social Just Leadership Series invite Hamza to speak at their opening event for the current school year.

“His intention was good – to be objective and give honest information, as opposed to a biased ulterior motive that I often see in reporting,” said an American soldier present at the talk who asked to remain anonymous.

He elaborated saying,“That makes a big difference to me as a soldier, because he’s [Hazma] talking about sensitive things.

As a viewer, as the consumer, that’s what I value in reporting and journalism.”

Gawsita presented a slideshow depicting him leading a protest march consisting of monks from his monastery as well as students. He repeatedly stressed the nonviolent nature of his march, but it made little difference to the ruling junta.

He illustrated this through a series of slides in which a Japanese journalist can be seen in the background taking pictures of the march. Over the course of several pictures, the crowd around him dissipates as soldiers attack.

In the final shot, the journalist is shot

dead at pointblank range.

In addition to telling the audience about the history of their struggle, the monks also spoke about what Americans can do to end the military junta in Burma.

“If the international community speaks with one voice and the people of Burma rise up, Burma can change,” said Zawta.

He praised recent sanctions imposed by the United States against the Burmese government after the government chose to extend the house arrest of Nobel Peace Prizewinner Aung Sang Suu Kyi earlier this year.

He also called on American businesses to stop dealing with Burmese firms.

The event was sponsored by the Brandeis chapter of Amnesty International, which worked in partnership with an Amnesty chapter from Somerville to bring the monks to Brandeis.

Catholic chaplain Reverand Walter Cuenin and Professor Andreas Teuber (PHIL) briefly introduced the monks before they spoke.

Cuenin cited Buddhism as a “way we to deepen our own spiritual connections,” while also praising the monks for their bravery and courage.

Teuber discussed the revolution’s role in encouraging positive rights in Burma, which is in contrast with the United States, where negative rights—instated to protect the people from the government—are stressed. He also attested to the monks’ courage.

“I study civil rights, but these three people do human rights,” said Teuber.

Fall Fest welcomes parents to campus groups. All attendees can tie-dye a t-shirt, Today will also include a type of parental eat at the buffet, and show off optional (but culture shock as families can sit in on all encouraged) bellbottoms and platforms.

“The Friday Night Fever is the most creclasses.

Fall Fest family weekend is historically ative program and probably brought the a university-wide event for which Student Core Committee together,” Grimes said.

“Friday Night Fever will be a great place Events begins planning in the January of to create and collect your Fall Fest memothe previous year.

For Fall Fest, “the institution invites un- ries,” Gershon’s email said. “Fun is what Fall dergraduate families to see what Brandeis Fest is all about.”

Tomorrow will feature the “Boston Adis about,” Director of Student Events Stephventures,” according to the Student Acanie Grimes said.

Formerly called simply Family Weekend, tivites Web site. From the New England the event seeks to include “not just families Aquarium to the Boston Museums of Fine but all students” in the celebration of the Arts and Science, parents and students will be spread around the university, she said. city enjoying the uniThe Fall Fest Core versity’s proximity to Committee, a group some of the most celof students selected ebrated institutions in

by Student Activithe country. ties to coordinate “One of the things I the festival, advised look forward to during that the term was more inclusive for - Stephanie Grimes Fall Fest…is showing families from different all prospective parparts of the country, ticipants. and even the world, The theme of Fall Fest 2009 is “The Way We Became the how beautiful and rich Boston is,” Mints, a lifetime Bostonian, wrote.

Brandeis Bunch.”

Saturday night, Brandeis guests will reThe Core Committee “really focused on a family-oriented theme…all of the ac- turn for the variety show at 8 p.m. in the tivities are centered around this theme of Levin Ballroom.

“Saturday our main focus is on networkbringing families together,” Yuliya Mints ’11, the Core Committee’s off-campus pro- ing. We start our conversations and ingrams coordinator, wrote in an e-mail to troduce people who families will want to know,” Grimes said, referring to the “CroisThe Hoot.

“It’s more than just bringing a specific sants and Conversation” event on the Web family together, but bringing together fam- site, which will start on Saturday morning. ilies of different students who met here at “Faculty presentations also [are networking events], and we’re really looking forward to Brandeis,” Mints said.

One of the most anticipated events of them-there are a lot of new ones [presentathe weekend is tonight in the Sherman tions].”

Sunday will follow with “Coffee with the function hall of the Hassenfeld Conference Center—Friday Night Fever. The 70s President,” during which families will hear music-themed party will offer the perfor- from President Jehuda Reinharz on topics mance of renowned magician Peter Boie such as “where Brandeis is and it is headand a myriad of student performance ed—this is a pivotal year,” Grimes said.

FALL FEST (from p. 1)

The institution invites undergraduate families to see what Brandeis is all about.

NEWS

October 23, 2009

Doctor who lost three daughters in Gaza War addresses need for peace

BY JON OSTROWSKY Staff

A doctor who lost three daughters during the Gaza War spoke about the need for peace and cooperation in the Middle East in Olin-Sang auditorium Wednesday.

Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, whose three daughters were killed when Israeli tanks destroyed his home on Jan. 16, explained that action towards peace and not discussion must be the ultimate goal.

Abuelaish, currently a professor at the University of Toronto’s Dalla Lana School of Public Health, lived through the 22 day Gaza War last winter. The three week struggle left about 1,740 dead and 5,500 wounded, according to Abuelaish. Before moving to Canada, he worked as a physician in Israel.

In a presentation of words and images, Abuelaish described a photo of his daughters’ bedroom, indignant that the tanks would attack children’s bedrooms.

“This is their room that was full of weapons. These are their weapons – books and toys,” he said.

“I hope [some]one from Brandeis to tell me what is the definition of peace,” Abuelaish continued. “I am not coming to convince you, but maybe to awaken the human feelings among all of us.”

After losing his wife last fall in addition to his three daughters during the war, Abuelaish stressed he did not want to blame one side or the another, but rather to create a joint effort to end the fighting.

“Darkness will never drive out darkness,” he said. “Only love, understanding, and

care can drive out darkness.”

Abuelaish, calling hate a disease, expressed how he was able to move on and demand peace after the tragedy he suffered.

“The choice is between being sick and diseased or being healthy with a scar.” he said. “Immediately, I decided to be human and not to be sick with hate.”

In a conflict full of opinions and prejudice, Abuelaish explained the need to look at both sides of the issue.

“Our problem, Palestinians and Israelis, is that we don’t know each other,” he said.

Though he was repeatedly asked by the audience to take a political position, Abuelaish replied that, “we must look for the best who can lead - not the one from this party or not.”

“I think if you want to know you must open your eyes and use them both because the coin has two sides,” Abuelaish said.

Proud of his daughters’ academic success in high school, Abuelaish also discussed the importance of equal opportunity for girls and women in Gaza.

On one of the slides during his presentation, the doctor quoted Martin Luther King’s famous “I Have a Dream Speech,” stating that he has his own dream of peace in his homeland.

“It’s a matter of action. Willingness and talking is good, but it is not enough,” he said. “I think it’s a moral and ethical responsibility of each of us to defend the Gazans not because they are Palestinians but because they are humans.”

Stressing that the problem is urgent, Dr. Abuelaish said, “The patient is suffering.

The patient is in pain.”

The Hoot 3

Grinberg hired for JBS

BY DESTINY D. AQUINO Editor

Before coming to Brandeis Alyssa Grinberg worked for a division of Americorp and at the International Honors program (IHP), which “offers students a unique opportunity to examine major social justice and sustainability issues facing the world today. Students examine a thematic topic in multiple countries in the semester or academic year, exploring how people in different countries create varied solutions to the common problems they face,” according to the IHP website.

Grinberg did her undergraduate work in film production, something she believes will aid her main objective as JBS manager - publicizing the program.

In the long term, Grinberg said her job is to be “the person bringing all the pieces of the puzzle together,” adding that JBS “can be a model of experimental learning for other universities.”

Grinberg has already started work meeting with administrators and students in

a collaborative effort to “get to know the campus and figure out how everything works.”

Professor Tim Hickey (COS), who is one of two faculty chairs of the JBS committee, said he believes Grinberg will be a helping hand to the program.“Alyssa had the unanimous support of staff, faculty and students. Everyone felt that she would make significant contributions to the program.

Her background in marketing educational programs is also very helpful,” said Dean of Academic Services Kim Godsoe.

“Alyssa was enthused about taking on the challenge of building the JBS program and helping to make it a success and possibly a national model for a new, alternative approach to higher education” Hickey said. “ I think all the candidates were highly qualified and had great backgrounds in higher education, but Alyssa seemed really prepared because of her backround in IHP. I really think she’s going to do a great job,” said Bronshvayg who also participated in the selection of the JBS manager.

JBS to be need blind, nine programs up for consideration JBS (from p. 1) road to then realize you can’t” said Guimette. nancial-aid policy. While admissions to the Professor Tim Hickey (COS) wrote in an university during the school year are need- e-mail to The Hoot that the committee has blind, Brandeis summer school is not. done its best to make JBS available to all This is because JBS will be run through students.

Academic Services, not through the Rabb “The JBS programs are being designed to summer school. allow students to continue to receive their On-campus housing for a standard dou- financial aid and in some cases can be less ble room and the most common meal plan expensive. For example, the extended sefor students will be factored into the cost of mester JBS that I’m developing for Comthe JBS and can be covered by any financial puter Science would allow students to use aid awarded. their usual financial aid, Merit based aid will but the semester would be awarded for JBS on a be extended from the percentage basis, therenormal Aug-Dec to a fore if a student has 75 Jun-Dec semester, and it percent of their tuition would provide 5 course covered during the typicredits for that usual - Peter Guimette tuition. Students would cal school year they will have 75 percent of their be able to be housed on JBS covered said Guicampus during the summette. mer, but no guarantees could be made for Need-based aid will be reviewed on a case- the academic year. This is currently the by-case basis, because state and federal grants status quo for juniors and seniors anyway such as the Stafford loan may have been pre- since more people want housing than is viously maximized for the school year. available,” Hickey wrote in his e-mail.

Private loans are always an option for There will be two deadlines for this sumstudents to make up the gap between what mer’s JBS, with early decision applications the university grants and a student’s family due Jan. 29, and regular decision applicais able or willing to pay, however it has not tions being due Mar. 15. An admissions been decided whether Brandeis institution- committee that includes both faculty and al loans will be available for JBS. Plus loans, administration will review applications. a loan taken out by the parent of a student Information sessions will be held in Defor any costs associated with education, cember and January, and Undergraduate will be available to both students who cur- Department Representatives will be charged rently have one and students who don’t but with raising awareness about the programs. qualify, said Guimette.

“The key challenges now are getting the Guimette advises all students to make an word out about the current JBS pilots as appointment with financial services for an well as getting students involved in helping individual counseling session while they to fine tune these JBS pilots,” Hickey wrote. are in the application process for a JBS. Proposals for next fall and spring’s JBS “You don’t want to have to go down the programs are due by Dec. 1.

You don’t want to have to go down the road to then realize you can’t.

4 The Hoot

October 23, 2009

E D I TO R I A L Established 2005 "To acquire wisdom, one must observe."

Alison Channon Editor in Chief Ariel Wittenberg News Editor Destiny D. Aquino Deputy News Editor Bret Matthew Impressions Editor Chrissy Callahan Features Editor Hannah Vickers Sports Editor Alex Schneider Layout Editor Jodi Elkin Layout Editor Max Shay Photography Editor Leon Markovitz Advertising Editor Vanessa Kerr Business Editor Danielle Gewurz Copy Editor Leah Lefkowitz Backpage Editor Samantha Shokin Diverse City Editor Senior Editors Sri Kuehnlenz, Kathleen Fischmann

FOUNDED BY

Leslie Pazan, Igor Pedan and Daniel Silverman

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.

The deadline for submitting letters is Tuesday at 8:00 p.m. All letters must be submitted electronically at www. thehoot.net. All letters must be from a valid e-mail 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.

CORRECTIONS In “Brandeis major leaguer has jersey number retired” (Oct.16, 2009), Joe Galli’s class year was misidentified. He is a member of the class of 2012.

Indirect clout

T

oday, the Student Union President and Representatives to the Board of Trustees will meet with the Chair of the Board of Trustees Malcolm Sherman to discuss the possibility of appointing a student to the Presidential Search Committee, which has yet to be formed.

As of last night, Sherman did not intend to include any students on the actual search committee, and the likelihood of him changing his mind is impossible to gauge.

Certainly, students have a right to be involved in the process of selecting a new president. Already, there is a consulting committee which will be com-

prised entirely of students.

Given Sherman’s stated reluctance to permit a student on the search committee, perhaps the efforts of the Student Union would be better spent on increasing the clout of the consulting committee.

Having a student on the search committee itself does pose some problems.

It is unlikely that the student would have a vote or take an active role in interviewing candidates. Furthermore, the involvement of a single student on the committee could have the unfortunate effect of disempowering the student consulting committee if the Board decides that the ‘voice’ of the student body has already been heard.

Finally, only having one student undermines the purpose of a consulting committee because it eliminates the representation of diversity of viewpoints from the student body.

Truly, The Hoot understands and appreciates Union President Andy Hogan’s ’11 perspective, and we applaud Union efforts to ensure that students are heard in this process.

We believe that community voices are of the utmost importance. But in this instance, advocating for one student representative on the search committee is not the most effective way of ensuring that a multiplicity of student perspectives are honored by the Board of Trustees.

Cash rule everything around the environment

S

tudents for Environmental Action has introduced an online poll to gauge student sentiment on a “green fee” surcharge on tuition.

The “green fee” would be an optional program that would allow students to pay an extra $15 on top of their tuition to a fund for environmental projects on campus.

While SEA has yet to determine a distribution model, members of the club have indicated that students would have a significant role in allocating the funds.

While still in its infancy at Brandeis, the “green fee” proposal has the potential to be a significant force for positive

change on our campus.

With a university budget that is in red, funding for sustainable projects is going to need to come from alternative sources. SEA has already been successful in finding outside funding as shown by the solar panel agreement reached last month.

Certainly, $15 from every single undergraduate student is not enough to finance the solar panel system that will soon grace Gosman. Indeed, $15 a year from the entire undergraduate community amounts to just under $50,000.

But significant steps towards lessening our environmental footprint can be made with little money.

Among other things, the money

could be used to sustain the new organic garden in Massell Quad or finance the distribution of a limited number of reusable coffee mugs à la last year’s water bottles.

The “green fee” model represents an innovative way of empowering students to better their university. If the “green fee” is instituted, and we hope that it is, our community can only gain from the initiative.

The increased revenue will help finance projects that might otherwise be impossible and the increased opportunity for student participation will help satisfy many who feel that student voices are too often quieted on our campus.

Even small amounts of money talk.

Letter to the Editor

J-Street op-ed represents poor journalism Dear Hoot Editors, I’m writing to express my dismay at the fact that you ran Leon Markovitz’s Oct. 16 article, “A few thoughts on Brandeis ‘progressive’ Zionists: J Street.”

This article is opinion writing at its worst.

It misrepresents very basic factual information, like the policies of J Street (which are listed very clearly on J Street’s website).

The article is also inflammatory in its implicit assertion that J Street did wrong to accept contributions from similarly-minded Iranians and Arabs--an accusation that borders on racism. Is this really appropriate content in a publication at Brandeis University, of all places?

Worse is Markovitz’s tone - does The Hoot really want its opinion page to become a forum for sarcasm and rhetoric void of content? Beyond the fact that Markovitz’s chosen style for his opinion -- to sarcastically adopt a hyperbolized voice of J-Street - is actually confusing to read, it’s poor journalism. Had Markovitz fairly represented J Street’s views and then mounted his own cohesive argument in response, it would have been an acceptable, conversation-furthering article.

Instead, it’s a personal rant with little cohesion. What right does Markovitz have to put words in the mouth of an organization, particularly one he so clearly misunderstands? Does The Hoot need a Brandeis

equivalent to Maureen Dowd? At the end of his article, Markovitz writes that there are “priorities and interests that must be kept to protect Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state.” He never says what they are. What kind if opinion is this?

Finally, Markovitz quotes a comment of mine that was printed in the Justice following its appearance in their online edition.

If you refer to the quote in question, you will see it is taken largely out of context and, in my opinion, gratuitous. Markovitz does not directly address the content of my quote. Instead, he simply uses it as a starting point to make up more of his own dialogue, ostensibly coming from my mouth. The result of this has been for my name to appear on Websites that claim to track defamation against Israel and Jews.

As a Jewish supporter of the state of Israel, I find this beyond offensive. It’s absurd that this should happen, just as it is absurd that the editors at The Hoot found Markovitz’s article print-worthy.

In the future, I hope you will hold your opinion articles to higher factual, intellectual, and professional standards. It will benefit your publication, your writers, and your readership.

Jeremy Konar ’10

N O S U ET E M ?

IA D E F O M L N A A I F A OC E S M E O K I C L E B .

K O O FACEB

The Hoot 5

October 23, 2009

IMPRESSIONS SEA Change

Green fees can do it

PHOTO COURTESY OF Students for Environmental Action

BY ROBYN BLUMBERG, NAOMI OLSEN, AND MATT SCHMIDT Special to The Hoot

“Four Years Tuition at Brandeis: $200,0000. $60 towards saving the environment…At this point, who’s counting? Green Fees Can Do It.” For the past week, the Rabb Steps have housed colorful banners sporting the slogan: “Green Fees Can Do It.” But the question is, what are Green Fees, and what can they do? Green Fees are a student run payment incurred at the beginning of each school year, allocated towards improving the sustainability of a campus. The concept is very popular in California, The Green Initiative Fund (TGIF) has been launched at UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara, and UCLA. The money raised has been used to install solar panels on campus buildings, create organic gardens, and improve waste management and energy efficiency.

The Green Fee would differ from the mandatory Student event and activities fee that appears on a bill statement at the beginning of each year, as the entire student body would have equal access to applying for this fund by designing projects.

Students for Environmental Action (SEA) is working to figure out the details of the Green Fee’s implementation, and a proposal will be brought to the Board of Trustees at the beginning of next semester.

An official survey will be created in mid November, further gauging the opinion of the student body. If

3,200 undergraduates paid $15 at the beginning of each year, $48,000 could be invested yearly in energy efficiency, green buildings, greening events, and improving waste management.

Students were first inspired to introduce the Green Fees concept to Brandeis after attending the annual Powershift environmental conference last February. Over 10,000 college students gathered in Washington D.C. to discuss pressing environmental issues, actions, and solutions for a sustainable future.

After hearing from Rachel Barge of CampusInPower, who had introduced Green Fees to the University of California, Berkely, members of SEA wanted to test the feasibility here. Introducing the Green Fees concept to Brandeis would mesh well with recent environmental initiatives taken on campus, which have helped to establish Brandeis as a leading institution in sustainability practices. Brandeis students overwhelmingly supported the removal of bottled water from dining service locations on campus, and in the last month, President Reinharz introduced the plan to bring solar power to Gosman Sports Center.

Initiatives like these help bring Brandeis closer to achieving our Climate Action Plan Goals, established with the introduction of the American College & University Presidents’ Climate Commitment.

The implementation of a green fund like this would allow students

to play an increasing role in helping to make the campus more sustainable, as undergraduates would help determine the allocation of the ‘green’ money. Symbolically, the introduction of Green Fees represents the idea that our current generation has the potential to take hold of our future, as students will chose which green projects are most important to them. Can solar panels on Shapiro Campus Center help make it more efficient? Will Usdan offer reusable cutlery and plates for barbeque events to reduce waste? Can students bring a wind turbine to campus? Green Fees will allow students to make our voice heard.

The slogans featured on Rabb Steps encourage students to respond to an unofficial survey of four questions produced by the Green Fees policy group of SEA. The survey asks what ‘green’ activities the money should be used for, whether the individual would design and/or apply for a Green Fee grant, how much the fee should cost, and whether an opt-out or opt-in system works best. SEA is hoping that with student input, the program can be better designed to fit the needs of the Brandeis community, while making the campus increasingly environmentally friendly and sustainable. With the support of the student body, green fees can do it!

To complete the survey, please visit http://seabrandeis.org.

Maestro of Dissent

Give students a voice

BY DANIEL ORTNER Columnist

Regular readers know that I have hardly been the most passionate defender of the Student Union, but I have to give credit when it’s due. Student Union President Andy Hogan ‘11 has been doing an excellent job of fighting to ensure that students have a say in the process of selecting a replacement to University President Jehuda Reinharz. In recent weeks, there have been unfortunate suggestions that students should not have a say in this process, and it is encouraging to see a Student Union leader fighting for student involvement in this critical time.

Indeed, one thing that I have learned in my years at Brandeis is that students are not the President’s first priority. President Reinharz did not attend the class of 2010’s orientation in person, for instance, because he had pressing business concerns. In four years I’ve seen him perhaps a half dozen times. Indeed, his absence has been more notable than his presence.

His conveniently “unalterable plans” on the day of former President Jimmy Carter’s visit stand out in particular as an infamous display of cowardice.

It is this absence that created such a void that allowed for such abusive and questionable decisions as the Hindley case, Student Activities Fund changes, or the attempt to close the Rose Art Museum to occur without consultation or consent. Students and faculty took a backseat to lofty fundraising goals. While the latter skyrocketed, trust between students and faculty and the administration hit new lows. The increased academic prestige and fundraising success of Brandeis is an accomplishment to be proud of, but the corrosive and deteriorating relations are not.

Reinharz is not the first president to make the mistake of not listening clearly to student voices. Former President Evelyn Handler’s attempts in the 1980s in “dejudification,” as her critics called it, was especially notable for its lack of student input. Handler forgot to actually ask the student body whether they felt Brandeis should reduce emphasis on its Jewish roots. The result was uproar among students and the Jewish community that led to Handler’s resignation.

It seems like University leaders learned all the wrong lessons from this incident. While attempting to untangle the paradox of a “non-sectarian Jewish University” is of course problematic and bound to upset people, the biggest problem was the unilateral and unexpected decision on the part of the administration. Interestingly, this is the same combination that led to the explosive and debilitating Rose Art fiasco this year. It seems that our administration has yet to learn the value of consultation with students and faculty.

The only way to get the kind of accountability needed is to give students and faculty a vital stake in selecting the new university leader. The trustees involved will likely be the same ones who supported the Rose decision and did not speak up during other administration debacles. Thus, a significant change is dependant on the involvement of outsiders. The faculty is going to be given one or two slots on the roughly ten-person search committee, which is satisfactory but seems like a bare minimum to me. Students, on the other hand, have not been involved in the search committee. There will be advisory committees of students and faculty involved in the process, but their role has yet to be clearly defined.

President Hogan should work with the search committee to ensure that the student advisory committee has a real impact on the process. Unfortunately, as I’ve written about in the past, the Union has a history of forming neutered committees that do nothing. The student committee should be intimately involved in the selection and interview process even if its members do not have a final vote. The faculty should likewise work to ensure that its advisory committee is representative of the will of the Faculty Senate and that it gets a voice in the proceedings.

Responding to 'inaccurate' attacks on J Street's views

BY JEREMY SHERER Special to The Hoot

In The Hoot’s Oct. 16th edition, Leon Markovitz ‘10 published an article, “A few thoughts on Brandeis ‘progressive’ Zionists: J Street,” a piece that was factually inaccurate and completely unrepresentative of J Street’s views. The first argument in this article insists that J Street believes past lobbying activity has intended to fuel the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mr. Markovitz then continues, “So this new group has decided to give dialogue, and ‘critical analysis of governmental policies’ another chance.”

Nowhere on J Street’s website or in any of the organization’s literature can one find support for this notion that other lobbies

have intended to fuel the IsraeliPalestinian conflict. J Street believes that honest negotiations, fueled by robust American leadership, represent the only way to resolve this conflict. Of course all of the organizations in the American-Israel lobby want to see the Israeli Palestinian conflict resolved! The hint of nuance Markovitz misses is that these groups believe that there are different ways to achieve that goal.

In saying that J Street has decided to give critical analysis of governmental policies “another chance,” does that imply that active citizenship was at some point put on hold? Critical analysis of governmental policies is a pillar of responsible citizenship and true activism. Without

critical analysis, citizens simply stamp their approval on any initiative a government presents, regardless of its merits. If Markovitz wishes to move forward without critical analysis, does that mean that it was wrong when Americans opposed the War in Iraq? This is, after all, an example of critical analysis of governmental policies.

Markovitz states that J Street believes that it understands the Israeli-Palestinian conflict better than the Israelis living on the ground, which is completely inaccurate. One will not find J Street outlining policies on final status issues, such as borders or the status of Jerusalem, because the organization recognizes that these are issues to be worked out by the parties involved. This

information can be found in the “Policy” section of J Street’s website.

The disapproval of American involvement in Israeli politics included in Markovitz’s piece seems to ignore the amount of support the United States sends to Israel. Israel annually receives an average of $3 billion from the United States in direct foreign assistance. In per-capita terms, this breaks down to $500 per Israeli citizen. The number two recipient of American foreign aid, Egypt, receives $20 per person.

This information is not included to promote a decrease in US aid to Israel, but rather to point out that there is a reason for heavy American diplomatic involvement in Israel, where

American leadership is relied upon. No major breakthrough in the name of peace, whether Camp David I and the resultant peace treaty with Egypt or the Israel-Jordan Peace Treaty, has come about without heavy American involvement.

The article includes the claim that J Street does not support Israel’s right to defend itself. This indicates a fundamental misunderstanding of J Street and its positions. At www.JStreet. org, J Street’s position on “Security and Terror” clearly states, “J Street condemns without question the indiscriminate firing of rockets from Gaza by Hamas and other entities at Israeli civilians – and recognizes the unSee DEFENDING J STREET, p. 7

6 The Hoot

IMPRESSIONS

Book of Matthew

Hypocrisy, thy name is Republican

October 23, 2009

The Self Shelf

BY BRET MATTHEW Editor

This may surprise some of you, but there’s a lot of hypocrisy in Washington these days, and it’s coming from the right side of the aisle.

Let’s recap: Back in early 2009, as the economy seemed to be headed toward the greatest depression since the Great one, members of Congress engaged in a heated debate over the merits of an economic recovery act. After much finagling over the makeup and cost of a potential bill, lawmakers finally decided on a $787 billion package.

Signed by President Obama on Feb. 17, the officially named American Recovery and Reinvestment Act began to stave off the decline and save hundreds of thousands of jobs. Americans, though still wary, began to breathe a collective sigh of relief.

Mind you, this was done with almost no help from the GOP. The Recovery Act received only three Republican votes in the Senate and none in the House, since most Republican lawmakers were too busy demonizing the bill to even consider supporting it (or, for that matter, adding anything useful to it). On the floor of Congress and at the podiums of town hall meetings, they spread horror stories about how the act would destroy our country and leave in its place some sort of combined socialist-communist-fascist society in which freedom would be lost forever. Or something like that.

These lawmakers then sat back and watched as their crazed rightwing supporters took to the streets across America in protest of what they saw as skyrocketing government spending and the threat of higher taxes in order to pay for it. With picket signs in one hand, tea bags in the other, and without the slightest hint of irony, these protesters made their stand against an act that had, unbeknownst to them, actually lowered their taxes.

But I digress. The point is that after putting up that kind of fierce opposition, you would think that the last thing Republicans would want to be near is stimulus money being dispersed from Washington. If anything, they ought to be trampling over each other to get as far away from it as possible.

This has not been the case. Let’s be honest, this is Washington we’re talking about. In Washington, “turning down money” is a foreign idea.

It turns out that 67 Congressional Republicans who opposed the Recovery Act have since tried to claim its benefits for their home districts, as documented by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) website.

For example, there’s Representative Frank Wolf (R-VA), who recently attacked Virginia Governor Tim Kaine for being too slow in spending recovery money on state transportation. It’s a funny position to take, especially for someone who didn’t want to give his state the money in the first place.

Then there’s Representative Bill Young (R-FL), who claims to have opposed the Recovery Act, but clearly not enough to take down the various links on his congressional web site that help his constituents “take advantage of federal stimulus money.”

High-ranking Republicans are no strangers to this kind of doubletalk either. House Minority Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA)—the secondhighest ranking Republican in the House—was one of the strongest voices opposed to a government stimulus. That is, until he started pushing for the construction of a high-speed rail line from Washington to Richmond.

But I have to say that my personal favorites are the Republican Congressmen who tried to hide the fact that the money they brought home to their district was actually stimulus money. Congressmen like Jack Kingston (R-GA), who presented a $625,000 check to Cedertown, Georgia, for the purpose of improving the town’s sidewalks—without bothering to tell anyone where the money came from.

It must be nice. It must be really nice. These guys get all the political benefits of bringing home the bacon while still appearing fiscally conservative. And as their supporters complain about Democrats printing increasingly worthless paper money (apparently signed by Treasurer of the United States Friedrich Engels and Secretary of the Treasury Karl Marx) they can sit back and relax, knowing that they are free from criticism.

You know, if this list were made up of Democrats, I can only imagine what kind of smears the right-wing media would push against them (Anti-American socialist flip-floppers!!!). But since it’s just a bunch of Republicans, no one seems to care how hypocritical they are.

I guess what they say in the blogosphere is true: IOKIYAR (It’s OK if you’re a Republican).

Afghanistan: democracy inaction

BY ALEX SELF Columnist

There’s nothing more rewarding to the Western liberal world than when a previously autocratic regime adopts democracy. Afghanistan, once a prime example of authoritarian excesses, has become a shining beacon of liberty to all of the world. After the United States spent billions of dollars and scores of lives in the hopes of creating a stable democracy, Afghanistan has finally bloomed.

Look no further than the recent election in which Afghan President Hamid Karzai beat out thirty-six other candidates with over 50 percent of the vote. All of this came about in spite of the widespread allegations of fraud, corruption, and general incompetence on his part. What a wonderful example of the democratic process.

And then reality set in.

The election was rigged. Karzai has no real mandate of power as he subverted the will of the people to his own ends. Afghanistan, instead of becoming a political model of the United States, is currently closer to Zimbabwe.

Due to unrelenting international pressure from the Western world (particularly an annoyed United States), there will be a runoff between Karzai and leading opposition candidate Abdullah Abdullah on Nov. 7.

The irony of this outcome is that this is what would have happened had the fraud not occurred.

Karzai was a huge favorite over Abdullah in spite of his alleged misdeeds. He most likely won the majority of votes anyway, and he probably would have won a runoff. He may still win the runoff, but now he and his entire country face the burden of illegitimacy.

Meanwhile, underreported because of the inconspicuous fraud of the election reports were those atavistic anathemas to democratic progress, the Taliban. In a completely expected move, the Taliban terrorized voters in certain areas and committed wanton acts

of brutality in order to try to subvert the election. They decried it as illegitimate, fraudulent, and anything else they could think of in order to sabotage the perception of the election.

The breakdown of the democratic process has given legitimacy to their criticisms while taking away from that of the government. After all, it was the Western world’s pressure which resulted in the runoff. Thus, the Taliban can use the election as a strong propaganda tool.

Meanwhile, with the Taliban revival movement in full swing, this political setback could not have happened at a less opportune time. The urgency of the situation in Afghanistan begs the question of how the Afghan government can best restore its legitimacy and make sure that the voice of the people is not subverted in such an obvious way in the future? The answer, unsurprisingly, comes through compromise.

The first step in damage control has already been taken by the United States—make sure there’s a runoff election and monitor it to ensure that it’s relatively free of fraud. In the meantime, perhaps consider putting a few more troops around to protect people in regions where the Taliban utilize their unique forms of discouragement on the voting populace.

The second step is to create a government system in which the power-hungry nature of one person cannot subvert democracy. One way in which to do this would be to get rid of the presidency altogether. There’s already a parliamentary system in place.

Why not have a system with a party in power rather than a specific individual?

This will ensure that Afghanistan will have a smaller chance of regressing to dictatorship and that the ambitions of one man can’t result in the embarrassment that has taken place with Karzai.

Finally, if you really wanted to fully address the short-term situation, you could create some kind

of power-sharing agreement between Karzai and Abdullah. This would not really make up for the wrong that has been committed , but at least this way justice would be somewhat served. Also, if a power sharing system was implemented long-term, it would allow for more stable government and lower the risk of civil war.

The most important step that hasn’t been taken, however, is to somehow make Karzai drop out of the presidential race. He’s been dogged with disturbingly valid accusations of corruption, he’s committed electoral fraud, and his hold on power in Afghanistan is as legitimate as that of Salman Rushdie. It’s time for Karzai to go. He helped pilot Afghanistan through its inaugural years, but he has clearly overstayed his welcome.

Of course, even if all of these steps were followed, it wouldn’t undo all of the damage that has been done to the government’s image, but it would certainly go a long way towards stopping the bleeding.

Also, this is not a death blow to the Afghan political system. In a country with no tradition of democracy, the idea that its second election should go off without a hitch is a little ridiculous. The mere fact that an election is taking place amidst the strife of Afghanistan is a good sign.

Meanwhile, another good omen is that in spite of the violent resistance of the Taliban, people are still defying them (even if some of them were accosted). While the ideal depiction of Afghanistan described in the beginning of this article is not a reality, contemporary Afghanistan is not lost.

However, the steps proposed here are worth taking in order to help bring Afghanistan closer to becoming a smoothly functioning democracy while dealing a blow to the Taliban.

It is high time for reform in Afghanistan, lest democratic inaction leech away the legitimacy of the Afghan government.

IMPRESSIONS

October 23, 2009

The Hoot 7

Geocities: the end of an Internet era

BY ALEX SCHNEIDER Editor

When the history of the Internet is written, Geocities.com will probably be a footnote.

Still, I can’t help but feel regret that Yahoo! will be closing the 15-year-old website this Monday.

Geocities originated in the 1990’s as a service that allowed members to create and host free web pages. It was a huge success—after going public in 1998 with an initial stock value of $17, the stock rose to $100. By early 1999, Yahoo! had bought the company for $3.57 billion in stock options.

In other words, Geocities was the Facebook of yesterday. It offered everyone the chance to build an online website with its simple-to-use interface and basic templates. Without paying as much as a dime, users from all walks of life could contribute to the World Wide Web. I joined Yahoo! in Oct. 2000 (according to my member profile) and built my first Geocities website shortly thereafter. I still remember how frustrating it was to connect to the Internet in those days with Prodigy (another company that was soon bought by Yahoo!), yet how rewarding it was when after almost an hour of waiting, Geocities’ ‘Page Builder’ application loaded, and I was able to begin to put together my web pages.

Geocities offered everything that now defines an amateur website: clip art, ‘site meters,’ and mandatory advertisements. Those were

ILLUSTRATION BY Andrea Fishman/The Hoot

the days when websites used ‘tables,’ ‘frames,’ and other basic elements rather than more complex ‘style sheets.’ Unfortunately, as time went by, Geocities never updated ‘Page Builder,’ leaving website designers using its service with outdated software.

Web design was certainly changing. On Apr. 3, 2006, The New York Times unveiled a website that was more interactive and made greater use of digital media—including video and audio—something that was revolutionary for the time. Other websites soon followed. Almost every major website has undergone a redesign since 2006, attesting to the changing nature of the web. Due to the outdated software, however, websites made on Geocities were already looking ancient.

Meanwhile, other companies began to compete with Geocities. Google, for one, unveiled Google ‘page creator,’ a “What You See

is What You Get” website builder that mimicked Geocities, just with newer technology.

Google’s prototype was much less successful, though, and Google discontinued the program.

Another website, Weebly.com, continues to offer free websites that are much more attractive than their Geocities counterparts. Still, Weebly allows users to publish a blog along with their site, something Geocities always lacked. With blogs more popular than ever before, Weebly promises to last for some time.

Geocities users were not bloggers. They published ‘vanity’ pages rather than informational sites and focused on layout rather than content. There is an old saying among web designers that “content is king,” and this idea certainly applies: Geocities content was home-made, unedited, and unattractive. It was raw, amateur stuff, and no one seemed

Win-doze 7: An outsider's perspective, and why I am not excited about it

BY ANDREW HUSICK Special to The Hoot

As a person who has never depended on a Windows machine, or even used one outside of a school computer lab, I lack some of the fundamental experiences that define the children of my generation.

I have never had a computer virus.

If my computer crashes, it is a 20 second ordeal, after which I continue working, and I have never lost a research paper minutes before it is complete. Not to say that my MacBook never gives me any problems, but they are few, infrequent, and relatively easy to fix.

For the past few months I have been reading about Microsoft’s new operating system, “Windows 7.” I have never used or even seen this operating system, but from all of the hype surrounding this release I imagined a historical event on par with the third coming of Christ.

I can’t help but notice that Microsoft’s business model seems to be creating a problem and then selling us the solution. For example, take Microsoft’s new Internet search engine Bing. Microsoft’s clever ads pitch Bing as a “decision engine” to cure the problem of “search overload.” Personally, I didn’t know that search overload was a problem (or that it existed) until Microsoft spent millions of dollars trying to convince me that it was (not unlike the infamous restless leg syndrome, a disease which nobody had before it was invented.)

Sure, Windows 7 does cure some pretty big problems. Vista’s slow reaction time, incompatibility with various peripherals, and propensity to crash all merit a fix, but the absence of those are all things I expect in an operating system, not as features, but as a part of the sales agreement between creator and

consumer. Nearly a decade past Y2K, I know it may be picky, but I expect my computer to work. I don’t understand why people are so excited to shell out $100 or more for a new copy of Windows 7, and ignore the fact that Microsoft’s faulty programming caused the problem in the first place. How short our collective memory is if we forget that Vista was billed as the cure to XP and its “blue screen of death;” Windows ’98 was the cure to Windows ’95 and all of its bugs; the list goes on.

I am reminded of Charles Schultz’s cartoon “Peanuts,” when Lucy always told Charlie Brown that she would hold the football for him to kick, and without fail would remove it just before he got to the ball, and Charlie Brown would end up falling hard on his back. Every week, Lucy would find some new way to convince Charlie Brown to kick the ball, but every time she would trick him, and he would fall down.

Every few years, Windows agrees to hold the ball for all of the Charlie Browns in the world, Microsoft convinces us of a new and great product to revolutionize the Microsoft brand, and without fail most people who invest in Redmond’s promises fall flat on their backs.

In preparation for this release, Microsoft has done a good job convincing America that Macintosh computers are more expensive (a truly monumental job given that they actually do cost more upfront), and has implied that any Apple product is just trendy, or paying for a brand. Personally, I am willing to pay more money for a product that works, and works well. I am willing to shell out twice as much money for a pair of shoes which will protect my feet in the cold and snow, than for a pair that will fall apart

when wet. For some people, a cheap Windows machine is exactly what they need, but most people would prefer a computer that works well consistently. Studies have shown that a Windows machine in the workplace can be a nearly continuous expense both in actual costs to hire tech people for upkeep and in lost productivity.

There is an old Amish saying about farming, that “you must count your labor as profit.” For those of us who do not find work as enriching as the Amish, a computer which is easy to use, and easy to upgrade should be the first priority. Surely after three years of Vista’s incompatibility with hardware and software, and the major trouble many people had upgrading, Windows 7 should be easy to install and easy to use. I was therefore quite surprised when I read in David Pogue’s article in The New York Times that current XP users (pretty much everyone with a choice in the matter) would have to do a clean install if they want to run Windows 7, or purchase a new computer entirely (a surprisingly common practice which should cast doubts over whether an iMac or a MacBook is really more expensive).

Pogue also mentioned that Windows 7 does not come with applications previously included on Windows machines (and standard on every Mac) such as: mail, calendar, movie maker, photo manager, a PDF reader, or an address book. Its OK though: people who want their computers to do these basic tasks need only download them from the Microsoft Web site, a process which has “always” worked well for the numerous drivers and plugins of years past.

I believe the words you are looking for are, “Oh, good grief!”

to care, no matter how amazing the clip art.

While Twitter, MySpace, Wordpress, and Facebook allow users to interact by creating interfaces conducive to discussion, Geocities was simply a bad monologue. Anyone, even an eleven-year-old kid, had a voice on Geocities.

That said, Yahoo! should not abandon Geocities. Every page hosted on that website is a piece of history, representing a simpler time on the web. Removing all those pages from Yahoo’s is akin to burning books and ought to be re-considered.

That said, the fall of Geocities is a reminder of just how fast the Internet is changing. Imagine Facebook closing or Google—with its $500 stock—folding. It’s unimaginable today, but as the story of Geocities teaches, entirely possible tomorrow.

In defense of J Street J STREET (from p. 5)

questioned right of Israel to take action to answer acts of terror and violence.”

Additionally, there is specific support for J Street among Israel’s military brass and security officials. J Street supporters include the former head of Israel’s internal security service, Admiral Ami Ayalon, retired; Former Chief of General Staff of the IDF Amnon Shahak; 27-year IDF veteran and Brigadier General Israela Oron, retired; former Foreign Minister and Internal Security Minister Shlomo BenAmi, retired; and former chief of IDF military intelligence Major General Shlomo Gazit, retired.

But what do they know about Israel’s security-related interests?

As is highlighted in Markovitz’s article, there are Arab and Muslim Americans, including Iranians, who donate thousands of dollars to J Street. This, the author implies, means that J Street must not have Israel’s best interests in mind.

This nefarious conclusion borders on racism. While I cannot speak for other Israel-advocacy organizations, I trust that they, like J Street, accept support based on the substance of a person’s thoughts, not their regional background or religious beliefs.

The author concludes his piece by stating the importance of Israel remaining a Jewish democracy. I completely agree, and it is for precisely those reasons that Israel desperately needs to pursue negotiations.

According to Arnon Soffer, professor of geography at the University of Haifa, by 2020 there will be more Arabs than Jews in land controlled by Israel.

Unless both Jewish and Palestinian states exist within those boundaries, Israel will then be forced to choose between its democratic system of government and its Jewish character.

If it chooses democracy, all citizens must be granted the right to vote, bringing about the problem of protecting Jews in a country where they are a minority population. If Israel chooses to maintain its Jewish majority, Palestinians living in the West Bank must be denied their voting rights. This is a ticking demographic time bomb threatening to destroy the state of Israel, one that the IDF cannot combat and can only be defused by the creation of a Palestinian state.

Markovitz also references a statement by Brandeis J Street U member Jeremy Konar ‘10, that “J Street U was not created at Brandeis in order to sling facts and figures back and forth between groups of different opinions.”

He interprets Mr. Konar’s statement as one of pompous arrogance, which could not be further from the truth. Konar meant that J Street U intends to facilitate a civil and dispassionate debate about American Middle Eastern policy among Brandeis students. Markovitz’s smear article, which egregiously misrepresents J Street and J Street U and misinterprets statements from their members, indicates that he may not share the same interest.

Of course reciprocity is needed in negotiations, as Markovitz states at the end of his article.

However, a bit of urgency from the Israeli side of the table may be equally critical.

12 The Hoot

October 23, 2009

FEATURES

Commemorating 50 years of knowledge advancing social justice

BY DESTINY D. AQUINO Editor

Last weekend marked The Heller School for Social Policy and Management’s 50th anniversary. The weekend was not only a time of nostalgia for the school as it sponsored speeches, discussions and events focusing on the past, but it was also a chance for alumni and faculty to consider their hopes for Heller’s future.

Named for Florence G. Heller, the first female president of the National Jewish Welfare Board, the Heller school, Brandeis’ first professional school, has come a long way since its humble beginning in 1959.

In 1994, Heller made U.S. News and World Report’s Top Ten List of Social Policy Schools; in 2004 it made top three on the same list.

Members of the Heller community have always been among the most respected in their fields. Over the last 50 years, faculty members have participated in presidential committees and served as expert witnesses in monumental cases.

One such professor is Gunnar Dybwad, who served as the lead expert in a 1974 Pennsylvania class action suit that earned students with disabilities the right to education. Then there’s former Heller Dean Stuart Altman, who was selected as chair of the United States Prospective Payment Assessment Commission to oversee the Medicare payment policy to hospitals in 1983.

Today, Heller community members often make media appearances to discuss topics ranging from the job market to Medicare. This year alone, members of the community have made over 30 media appearances.

One of the major events highlighting the weekend’s mission was Provost Marty Krauss’ Past and Present Dean’s Breakfast.

Over breakfast Saturday morning, the last two Heller deans, along with the current Dean Lisa Lynch shared their thoughts on Heller’s history, its future and its place both domestically and internationally.

Krauss introduced former dean Stuart Altman by explaining the situation Heller faced when he became dean.

“When Stuart became dean in 1977, none, I repeat, none of the nationally known centers and institutes that give such a sterling reputation to the Heller school existed,” Krauss said. “Stuart was a builder, a visionary of how to propel the research enterprise of the Heller School in a totally different way that had existed for its first quarter century.”

Krauss described how Altman’s vision for the school relied on expanding the kinds of professionals who would build their careers at Heller, and how under his management, the Heller school launched its first master’s programs.

Altman began his remarks with a bit of humor, naming himself “the ghost of Hanukkah past,” and going on to offer his own perspective on the situation Heller was in during his time as dean.

“I was brought into Heller being told, ‘You don’t have to do anything but bring in the first-rate faculty,’” he said.

“Everyone was living in the Great Society of Lyndon Johnson in the 60s,” he continued. “People with money came to [Heller] and begged us to take their money, for research, for teaching, for everything. Life was wonderful.”

Altman went on to explain his personal guilt over “almost killing the Heller school” in the 70s. When the Nixon administration came in, he explained, they

took all the grants away, leaving Altman feeling lost.

“I felt like I had become dean and someone took my lunch away,” he said. “Five senior faculty members got up and left [and] I was responsible for replacing them.”

In spite of the challenges he faced during his time as dean, Altman still looks back fondly on this period of his life.

“Being dean was a labor of love. All of its history, its insights…I rePHOTO COURTESY OF Lisa Lynch member the institute forming, BREAKFAST: Former Heller deans and current Dean Lisa Lynch discuss how the school has grown and changed in the last 50 years at an the good people, anniversary event Saturday morning. the good teachers, the people of the world.”

After Altman’s speech, Krauss introduced fellow former Dean Jack Shonkoff, who was dean from 1994 to 2005.

Krauss highlighted his desire to better coordinate the spheres of activity and the “drastically expansive research enterprise” that Altman’s leadership ushered in.

“He labored long and hard on strategic planning—not always a welcome exercise at a school that was so entrepreneurial and far reaching—but he did it,” Krauss said.

It was Shonkoff who created the Heller school’s motto, “knowledge advancing social justice.” He explained the meaning behind the lasting words.

“The key to ‘knowledge advancing social justice’ is more teaching, less preaching,” he said.

Shonkoff added that the most important issue facing students today is a need PHOTO BY Robbie Hammer/The Hoot for “new ideas, new theories of change driven not just by values…but by knowl- BASKING IN THE GLORY: Former Heller dean Jack Shonkoff coined the Heller school’s motto and raised edge.” “Tweaking what people knew 50 money for the new building. years ago — it’s not sufficient,” he said.

Shonkoff was also behind the creation of work, underworked or significantly “The panel was very interesting. I feel of the renovated Heller building that was struggling…36 percent of workers unem- like the panel couldn’t quite make its completed in 2007 after The Irving Sch- ployed have been unemployed for more mind up between highlighting accomneider and Family Building was opened than six months,” she said. plishments or focusing on issues relevant in 2006.

“It’s important for the Heller School to to the respective eras—it’s hard,” said Jim In her remarks to the crowd, Krauss make sure it’s prepared to respond to both Gorman, M.A ’73, Ph.D. ’78. stressed gratitude to Shonkoff for creat- immediate causes of issues and the long“I thought that particularly the coming the new building. term problems they create…We have to ments of [Schankoff] and Lynch gave us “[Shonkoff] made this happen. He be designing policies that will make a sig- important things to think about. They raised the funds. He set the priorities,” nificant difference, especially to the most focused on different mindsets than we she said. “[The building] is a true gift to needy members of our society,” Lynch would have normally,” Elizabeth Pressien us all…who will reap the benefits of your added.

M.A.’81 said. dogged persistence that the work of the A question and answer session folSome alumni were thankful for the hisHeller school would be enhanced by be- lowed the remarks from Krauss, Altman, torical aspect of the speeches. ing in a building complex that inspired Shonkoff and Lynch. The session focused “It was all very stimulating; the different collaboration and visionary thinking.” on unemployment. During the session, histories and approaches, the changes as In 2005 Shonkoff stepped down as dean. a Heller alumni explained to Lynch how well as the different leaders and advances In the interim, Altman became dean once she had been out of work for more than the school has had gave me a great insight again, and the search for someone who a year, despite the fact that she had two into how much Heller has changed since I could continue Heller’s mission began. In master’s degrees. knew it,” said Nancy Stone, wife of Lenny 2008 Lisa Lynch became dean of Heller.

Lynch responded with great emotion Bloksberg Ph.D. ’66.

In her remarks, Krauss praised Lynch’s saying, “It pains me to hear of a Heller Marc Cohen Ph.D. ’87 summed up the subsequent work: “She walks on water, graduate, with all the school embodies, weekend’s atmosphere and the hope for she has a passionate commitment to the out of work.” the future: “Great new dean, incredible betterment of society through Heller.”

Lynch also recommended that alumni thoughts, a real go-getter. I feel like the Lynch discussed her hopes for what the in such situations see the career center future is very bright for Heller.”

Heller school will accomplish in the fu- and alumni network because “we’ll help ture and simultaneously addressed issues you and make sure you succeed.” facing the current economy.

Reaction to the panel was mixed among Nathan Koskella contributed to this re“Almost one in five workers are out alumni present. port.

F E AT U R E S

October 23, 2009

The Hoot 13

Admissions counselor shares love for Brandeis

BY CHRISSY CALLAHAN Editor

When Luigi Solla applied to Fairfield University in his native Connecticut, he did so because of a suggestion from his English teacher.

The youngest child of Italian immigrants, Solla had been schooled on the value of education many times, so going to college wasn’t a question: the big issue was where.

Solla’s family had two prerequisites for him: Go to school in state, and earn lots of money. So he attended Fairfield, where he studied psychology and studio art as an undergraduate student. After graduating, he moved out of state to attend Northeastern University, where he earned his master’s degree in counseling and college student development.

Now an Associate Director of Admissions at Brandeis, Solla draws upon his personal experiences every day when he speaks to prospective students.

“I get to share that experience with some of the students that I meet, and let them know that there’s a whole lot more to college than just the paycheck that you may end up getting when you get a job [after] college,” he says.

As the first member of his family to attend college, Solla brings that perspective to the oftentimes daunting college application process.

“When no one in your family has gone to college and you’re coming from a high school where the resources aren’t good, you don’t know that the SAT matters, you don’t know that your essay matters…you just pick up things here and there, and you sort of navigate the admissions process solo,” he says. “And that’s a tough process to navigate. So a lot of the students that I work with, I get to sort of relate to them in that way.”

Solla, five feet and nine inches tall, with dark hair and a cheerful smile, has a tendency to lean forward in his seat when he gets engrossed in an interesting point of conversation, expressing his excitement both through his words and his body language.

Solla’s office is a lot like he is: welcoming, colorful, filled with admiration for loved ones and friends and childlike at heart.

The desktop space and shelves of his office in the new admissions building are meticulously arranged with gifts he’s received from friends and family over the years. There’s the Charlie Brown music box that plays a song of friendship that one of Solla’s best friends gave him upon graduating from college, and the Mr. Potato Head Solla received from a friend because he’s a kid at heart.

Then there’s the collection of Luigi caricatures – one from the Super Mario Brothers video game and the Simpsons character – he’s accumulated over time.

“People have given me these Luigi figures over the years. And, you know, they’re all stereotypically Italian,” he says, and laughs.

“But they’re meaningful because they’ve come from people who are meaningful to me.”

“So I get to keep them in my office,” he says, then continues humorously. “They get dusty, but I don’t tell them that.”

Solla is in the start of his seventh year

Making A Difference PHOTO BY Max Shay/The Hoot

STILL IN LOVE: After three years as a quad director, Associate Director of Admissions Luigi Solla left to work at Northeastern University, only to come back after one year when he jumped at the chance to join the admissions team.

working at Brandeis, and his fourth year working in admissions. Although he’s made a cozy home for himself in admissions, Solla didn’t always envision himself in this line of work.

“I never really thought that I ever wanted to go into admissions,” he says. “I wanted to stay in residence life or do new student orientation or student activities. That was sort of what my training was in, and that’s really what I wanted to do.”

Ten years ago, Solla, 31 years old, moved to Massachusetts for graduate school.

Straight out of school, he started work in Brandeis’ Department Community Living as a Community Development Coordinator (CDC) for East Quad and the Village. Solla worked in residence life for three years, the maximum time a CDC, is allowed to stay on.

When his three years as a quad director were up, though, Solla found himself at a crossroads.

“I wanted to stay at Brandeis because of how connected I felt to the community, but there weren’t any opportunities for me here,” he says.

So he started work as an academic advisor at Northeastern University and stayed

there for a year before realizing it just wasn’t as good a fit as Brandeis.

When he heard about an open position in Brandeis’ Office of Undergraduate Admissions from a former residence life colleague, Solla figured he’d give it a shot.

“I did and I fell in love with it, and it’s been a really good fit for me,” he says.

Solla says Brandeis has remained a good place for him for two reasons: “One, because it’s an institution that I can buy into and believe in. And two, because at the end of the day, I sort of discovered that I very much enjoy sharing college access and getting people excited about college and the opportunities that college can give.”

As an Associate Director for Admissions, Solla’s work ranges from coordinating oncampus events to help with recruitment and yield, to managing diversity student recruitment and the application process for the Transitional Year Program.

He helps organize many large-scale oncampus events such as fall Open House, Preview Day and Admitted Students Day, and oversees campus tours, visits and info sessions with fellow admissions employee Ethan Feuer ’07.

Assigned to the territories of Greater

Boston and West Massachusetts, Solla also travels around the state to meet with prospective Brandeis students and their families.

Currently in the middle of his travel season, which starts in mid-September and ends in early November, Solla views this traveling as paying it forward.

“Brandeis has given me so much that [this recruitment traveling is] a way I get to give back to Brandeis,” he says.

When asked his favorite aspect of working as an admissions counselor, Solla’s eyes light up and, with his trademark enthusiasm, he cites the same traveling experience that seems to be mutually beneficial for both him and the students he meets.

“I just get to meet some really neat people [on the road] and get them excited about an institution that I believe in,” he says. “And sort of giving them that same sort of excitement about Brandeis that I have [is rewarding].”

Sitting in his office in the newly reopened admissions center, Solla’s laser eye contact becomes momentarily distracted as something out in the hallway catches his eye.

“Oh my gosh, it’s Gil [Villanueva, former Dean of Admissions],” he exclaims, and jumps up out of his chair to greet his recently departed boss.

It’s this childlike excitement that endears Solla in the hearts of so many Brandesians.

Lisa Fay has worked with Solla in admissions for nearly three years and says Solla’s passion for his work is admirable.

“He truly, truly enjoys what he does. He loves talking to [students]. He just is absolutely in the right job for him,” she says.

Fay says Solla is always willing to “go the extra mile” and help his colleagues: “He’s always willing to step in [to do] whatever needs doing.”

Four years into his time at admissions, Solla still speaks of his work with the enthusiasm of a fresh-out-of-college student who just landed his dream job.

“Thankfully I love my job, so I’m not one of those people who has to wake up in the morning dreading going to work,” he says.

“That piece of appreciating what I do is [still] there.”

This enthusiasm for his place of and line of work helps Solla sell Brandeis to prospective students.

“I love why Brandeis was created; the social justice mission of the institution and providing access to those who are denied access,” he says. “That is amazing to be a part of and to invite students to become a part of.”

The conversation turns to talk of the new admissions building, and Solla speaks happily of the new space and how thankful he is to move in. There is, however, one thing missing, he says: a touch of home.

“I just want coziness inside,” he says, and mentions the need for art on the walls.

He’s the type of guy who’s content to enjoy time with family and friends and stay inside on a snowy day. When he’s not working, Solla, who lives in Cambridge, loves walking his beloved dog Jackson and cherishes every opportunity he has to spend time with friends and loved ones.

“At the end of life or at the end of the day, those memories are going to be pretty important,” he says. “And so I want to create as many of those memories as possible.”

Like what you read?

Visit us online at www.thehoot.net.

14 The Hoot

October 23, 2009

SPORTS

New season brings many changes for the Minnesota Wild

BY SARAH BLOOMBERG Staff

The National Hockey League season has been going on for a few weeks, and some teams are off to much better starts than others. One of those teams who is not doing as well as hoped is the Minnesota Wild.

Last season, the Wild went through some of the biggest changes of its entire history.

First, the general manager Doug Riseborough was fired and replaced by new GM Chuck Fletcher. Then, during the summer, Jacques Lemaire, the only coach in the team’s nine year history left and was replaced by Todd Richards- the San Jose Sharks assistant coach and Minnesota native.

Along with all the management changes, the Wild lost its last player from the original team, Marian Gaborik. Gaborik was the team’s first pick, fifth overall in the 2000 draft, and was their franchise player for many years. He is an amazing player and is one of the fastest skaters in the entire league; the only issue is his health.

He has had chronic groin issues, which have caused him to miss many games (he only played 17 games in the 2008-2009 season).

He also had contract problems with the Wild in the past.

In 2003 he missed the first six games of the season due to contract holdouts, and there was never really any contract discussion this past summer. Gaborik signed with the New York Rangers for $37.5 million dollars over five years.

So now the Wild has a new general manager and coach and without its franchise player. To

make up for the loss of Gaborik, the Wild signed Martin Havlat for six years and $30 million dollars.

In six games this season, he has one goal and four assists, and is a consistent player, but is not the pure goal scorer that Gaborik is.

The team also tried to sign unrestricted free agent Saku Koivu, brother of current Wild captain Mikko Koivu, but was unsuccessful as Saku signed with the Anaheim Ducks.

The Wild started the season with a lot of hopes and just as many questions. This was the chance to get away from playing the trap that Lemaire loved so much, and many players hated.

A new coach would bring a new style of play, but so far the team has been having some troubles.

They are currently 2-6-0, for a total of four point, after eight games and are last in the Northwest Division as well as last in the Western Conference.

In fact the only team in the entire league that is doing worse than the Wild is the Toronto Maple Leafs, who have a record of 0-6-1 and only one point.

So what is the Wild’s problem? One issue is that the Wild is struggling to adjust to Richard’s system. Lemaire’s system stressed being in the right position and knowing exactly where each player would be at any moment, and some players are having more difficulty playing a different style of game. GM Fletcher and Coach Richards are trying to stress that the new system is not the reason games are being lost; it is more that games are coming down to individual battles being lost or individual mistakes which end up costing a goal or even the game.

GRAPHIC FROM Internet Source

The players are feeling the uncertainty as well. Forwards Eric Belanger and Andrew Brunette both feel that the forecheck is lacking, and players are not sure whether to attack the puck or be more passive like in the Lemaire system. It is also hard to tell if people are just not sure whether to attack the puck or if they are playing lazy.

Another issue that can be seen from the stats is the no one on the team has a positive +/-. This is one of the more confusing statistics of the hockey game, but the basic gist of it is that if you are on the ice when your team scores

an even strength or shorthanded goal you get a +1, and if you are on the ice when the other team scores at even strength or shorthanded you get a -1.

It is a way of seeing how well all players are at playing both offense and defense, but is best used for defense and defensive forwards.

Since no one on the Wild has a +/higher than 0, the team is having some issues with defense, and that will have to change if they want to start winning games, specifically the games with a one-goal difference.

There are still a lot of questions that will need to be answered, and

soon. The team will have to go through a lot of changes because of the different personnel, but this is a team that has a fan-base that is waiting for a big season. Every game at the Xcel Energy Center has been sold out, and the fans are getting impatient.

Not only that, but I am sure that players are getting impatient and want to win. It should get better as the team becomes more at ease with Richards’ style of coaching, but will that be enough?

The team needs to turn around the season; the question is if it will be able to and in time to have a successful one.

Men’s soccer goes 2-1 on the week Golf finishes out fall season

BY HANNAH VICKERS Editor

After losing 1-0 to the Carnegie Mellon University Tartans last Friday and falling 3-0 to the Emory University Eagles on Sunday in University Athletic Association (UAA) play, the Judges snapped their four-game losing streak by taking down the Springfield College Pride on Wednesday 3-1. The Judges are now 5-8-1 overall and 1-3 in conference play.

The only goal of the game came at the 8:16 mark by midfielder Pat Lutz ’10, his seventh goal of the season, off an assist by midfielder Ryan Brown ’10. Browne got the ball to Lutz who dribbled past a defender to get a high shot into the net. The rest of the game remained scoreless thanks to a career-high eight saves by keeper Matt Lynch ’11 and some great defense by the Judges.

The defensive combination kept the UAA’s leader scorer Ricky Griffin to just two shots on goal. Griffin has 17 goals on the year so far. The Tartans outshot the Judges 17-6 overall and 9-1 in shots on goal.

Carnegie Mellon is 13-1 on the season and 4-0 in conference play. They are also currently ranked ninth in the nation for Division III teams according to the NCAA. The University of Rochester, another UAA rival, is ranked 13th.

The Judges travelled south to Atlanta to face Emory on Sunday, but suffered another shutout loss. The game-winning goal came in the 34th minute by Zach Samuels

who had a breakaway after stealing the ball at midfield. The Eagles tacked on two more goals, one with just a few seconds left in the first half and another in the 5th minute off a penalty kick. Lynch had two saves in the loss, and Brandeis held an 11-9 shooting advantage in the game but weren’t able to translate those shots into goals.

After the disappointing losses in conference play, the Judges faced off against Springfield. Both teams went into the match with a four-game losing streak.

Brandeis struck first when forward Alexander Farr ’12 converted a loose ball in the box into a goal in the 17th minute of play.

The assist went to classmate David McCoy, the first of his career.

The eventual game-winning goal came in the 59th minute courtesy of forward Luke Teece ’12. Teece had a breakaway up the side and put the ball into the back of the net unassisted. The final Brandeis goal came less than five minutes later when midfielder Kyle Gross ’11 headed a cross from Corey Bradley ’10 into the net. This was Gross’ first goal of the season.

The hosts responded in the 72nd minute and finally got on the board, but they could only get one goal out of Lynch. He recorded four saves for the win while Chris Walton had five for the Pride in the loss.

The Judges will face off at home against Lasell College in their last non-conference game on Tuesday at 7 p.m. before hosting the final three UAA games of the regular season.

on a high note the week

BY HANNAH VICKERS Editor

The Brandeis golf team had two tournaments this past week to finish out their fall season.

The first was the NYU/Manhattanville Invitational in Mamaroneck, N.Y. on Saturday Oct. 17 where Brandeis tied for 10th out of 12 teams.

They then went on to play in the New England Intercollegiate Golf Association (NEIGA) Championships in Brewster on Tuesday where they had one of their best showings in school history, finishing 17th overall and sixth amongst Division III schools.

Play in Mamaroneck was cut from two days to one due to inclement weather.

Charles Sacks ’11 certainly came out shining despite the rain when he had his third top-10 finish of the year with a final score of 75, just three over par.

Yet the Judges only had two finishers in the top half. Aaron Cusato ’12 shot an 81 (+9) to tie for 30th. Scott Beaulac ’12 had an 82 (+10) and ended up tied for 37th.

The final scorer for Brandeis was Lee Bloom ’10, who shot an 86 (+14) for 57th place. The Judges finished with a team

score of 324 at the Invitational.

Brandeis went on to have a record showing at the NEIGA Championships just a few days later.

Cusato shot a 77 (+5) in the first round but went on to shoot an even-par 72 in the second round for an overall score of 149, finishing 18th overall and fifth in Division III. In doing so, he set a new school record for low-round score as well as for best finish.

Cusato’s score of 72 in the second round was the second lowest of any Division III competitor in the tournament and set him aside as one of just a dozen golfers to shoot par or better on the day.

Beaulac shot 78-82-160 (+16) to tie for 79th place while Sacks had 82-80-162 (+18) ad tied for 92nd.

Bloom was the final scorer for the Judges with 83-82-165 (+21) to put him in 111th place. Classmate Daniel Goldsmith was 87-92-179 (+35) and was the team’s final player.

Brandeis finished 17th thanks to a twoday score of 636. This was a spot improvement over their performance last year and was also 14 strokes lower than last year’s school record.

The Judges are not scheduled to play again until April.

SPORTS

October 23, 2009

The Hoot 15

Women’s soccer goes 1-0-1 in UAA play, Coach reaches 250-win plateau

BY HANNAH VICKERS Editor

The Brandeis women’s soccer team is now 1-2-1 in University Athletic Association (UAA) play after tying the Carnegie Mellon Tartans last Friday 1-1 and beating the Emory Eagles on Sunday 4-2. The Judges’ overall record has improved to 7-4-3.

Despite attempts by both sides, the game between the Judges and Tartans remained scoreless into the second half. In the first half, Carnegie Mellon had six shots and Brandeis managed four, but neither team was able to get the ball to the back of the net. Midfielder Mimi Theodore ’12 was finally able to break onto the board in the 66th minute. Theodore found herself oneon-one with Tartan goalie Anya Rosen ’11 after breaking through two defenders and put the ball to the far post. This was the first UAA goal for Brandeis this season and the team-leading sixth on the season for Theodore.

The Judges didn’t hold onto the lead for long, though. Less than two minutes later, Carnegie Mellon responded when Elsa Wu ’12 got a deflection in the box and sent the ball past Brandeis keeper Hillary Rosenzweig ’10. Like Theodore, this was also a team-leading sixth goal of the season for Wu. Thanks to some great saves by both Rosen and Rosenzweig, neither team was able to pull ahead in the two overtimes.

Rosen stopped Brandeis forward Melissa Gorenkoff ’10 twice in the first few minutes of extra time while Rosenzweig had a diving stop in the 94th minute to prevent a game-wining goal. Rosenzweig had six saves in the game, while Rosen had seven.

Brandeis continued their UAA weekend by traveling to Atlanta to face off against Emory. The Judges struck less than four minutes into the contest with Tiffany Pacheco ’11 sending one to the back of the net off an assist by Gorenkoff. This was the 24th career assist for the co-captain and with it she moved up the Brandeis career list past Kelley Vaughan ’88.

Despite outshooting their hosts 16-4 in the first half, Emory was able to get on the

board to tie it up 1-1 in the 27th minute off a converted corner kick. The Judges kept up the aggressive play in the second half and regained the lead in the 58th minute.

Theodore headed the ball into the net after Eagles keeper Kirsten Baecher mishandled a ball sent her way by Sofia Vallone ’11.

The Judges wouldn’t fall behind again from that point on, tacking on an additional two goals in less than nine minutes.

The eventual game-winning goal came off the foot of Gorenkoff in the 65th minute off another misplayed ball by Baecher.

In addition to her milestone assist earlier in the game, this put her in a tie for seventh place in school history with 70 career points as well as 10th place with 23 career goals. Theodore tacked on another insurance goal 3:30 minutes later by sending one home with an assist off a free kick from defender Stevie Phillis ’13.

The Eagles made one more goal off Rosenzweig with less than 10 minutes left to play, but were unable to come back and fell to the Judges for the first time since 2003. Emory, who had been 22-0-5 at home-coming into the game, suffered their first loss at home since Oct. 27, 2006.

Thanks to Theodore’s three goals on the week she was named UAA Athlete of the Week. Her eight goals this season and her 20 points make her the team leader in both categories. They also tie her for third and fourth in the UAA, respectively.

This was the Judges’ first win in UAA play this year, and also marked an important milestone for Head Coach Denise Dallamora: her 250th career win. Coach Dallamora is just the 16th coach in Division III women’s soccer history to reach this plateau.

Brandeis faced off against Bowdoin on Thursday afternoon in non-conference play, but the score was not available at press time. The last three games of the regular season are all UAA play and will be home games for the Judges. They will face Washington University next Friday, Oct. 30, at 7:30 p.m. followed by Chicago Sunday at 11 a.m. The final game of the season will be Saturday Nov. 7 at 1:30 p.m. against New York University.

PHOTO BY Max Shay/The Hoot

FIGHTING FOR POSITION: Brandeis’ Ali Theodore ‘12 (No. 11, left) fights for position against Rochester midfielder Brittany Huber ‘11.

PHOTO BY Phil Small/The Hoot

GOING FOR THE BALL: Rochester’s Stephanie Diebold ‘10 (No. 10, right) goes after the ball during their 1-0 win against Brandeis.

PHOTO BY Phil Small/The Hoot

PREPARING TO CLEAR: Brandeis defender Francesca Shin ‘12 (No. 7 pictured) prepares to clear the ball against Rochester on Oct. 10.

16

The Hoot

October 23, 2009

WEEKEND Spotlight on Boston Canobie Lake Park Screeemfest Friday, October 23, 5:00 p.m.

Canobie Lake Park, Salem, NH If you want to go on a little adventure this weekend, visit Canobie Park in Salem New Hampshire for its Screamfest. Enjow some preHalloween fun and ride rides, eat food, and see shows!

The Donkey Show Friday, October 23, 8 p.m/ Saturday, October 24, 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.

Oberon 2 Arrow St, Cambridge MA After a six year run in New York, The Donkey Show is now playing in Boston. It is a creative retelling of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream through Disco music. You can join in the fun and dace yourself!

What's going on at Brandeis?

Fall Fest Variety Show

Charles River Bashment!

Saturday, October 24, 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Levin Ball Room

Saturday, October 24, 10:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.

Charles River 150, Commons

Come witness some the amazing talent at Brandeis as part of the Fall Fest.

Several a cappella groups will perform, amongst other groups.

The Eco-Reps and the Department of Community Living are throwing an eco-themed party.

Come join the eco-fun!

Editor's Pick:

Fall Fest Friday Night Fever

Obbini Tumbao Concert

Saturday, October 24, 8:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Slosberg Recital Hall

Friday, October 23, 9:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.

Sherman Function Hall As part of the Fall Fest this weekend, come see Peter Boi the award winning magician perform. Afterwards you can also tie-dye, dance to disco, enjoy a buffet, see a Brandeis talent show, and play games. For extra fun, come dressed as a hippie.

Experience the unique music of Obbini Tumbao with its strong horn section, congas, timbalas, bongos, piano, bass, and great vocalists. If bought in advance, tickets are tickets $20 regular admission, $15 Senior/ Brandeis Community, $10 Students. The night of the show, tickets are five dollars more.

Tzedakah Box Making

Hoot Comic Strips Sleazy

By Matt Kupfer

Saturday, October 24, 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Pearlman For an arts-n-crafts study break, BaRuCH is organizing an opportunity to decorate Tzedakah boxes for your favorite charity.

Up

Friday, October 23, 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m./ Saturday, October 24, 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.

Olin Sang Auditorium As part of the Student Events' Fall Film Series, come see a free showing of Up this weekend.

Photos from internet source.

Humor is Dead

By Xander Bernstein

Can you draw and write comics?

Want to see your work in print?

E-mail lelefko@brandeis.edu