VOL 4, NO. 26
APRIL 18, 2008
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
After second appeal hearing, Darwish returns to campus BY ALISON CHANNON AND PAT GAROFALO Editors
Following a hearing before the University Board of Appeals on April 16, TYP student Mamoon Darwish, who had been suspended for nearly two months, returned to campus. Darwish’s hearing Wednesday came after a hearing April 8 in which charges against him for an ‘alleged incident’ were dismissed
after the reporting party retracted the accusation. Darwish was thus found not responsible for those charges. The hearing April 16 concerned a fist fight, Director of Student Conduct Advisors Laura Cohen ’09 said in an e-mail message. Cohen has served as Darwish’s advocate throughout his appeals process. Darwish did not respond to requests for comment. Unlike Darwish’s April 8 appeal, Darwish was found responsible
for the first fight. The hearing concerned not his responsibility but his sanctions. In order to file an appeal with the Board of Appeals, a student must claim procedural error, fraud, new evidence, or a rights violation, University Board of Student Conduct member Ryan McElhaney ’10 explained. McElhaney could not specify the grounds for Darwish’s appeal. After accepting Darwish’s ap-
jurisdiction of Senior Vice President of Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy in November. “The Union presented all their changes in terms of its fiscal year—they said we’re willing to go above and beyond funding you may receive from any other source from Jean, from everyone,” said Student Events Financial Direc-
tor Ben Gordon ’08. “Considering we want to make bigger events, we came to an agreement that means we will get a guaranteed amount of money and work in the framework that we need.” “The Union really wanted us to come back, from what they’ve said
THEHOOT.NET
CRICKET MATCH
See DARWISH p. 12
After negotiation, Student Events returns to F-board oversight BY DAVID PEPOSE Editor
Following two weeks of negotiations, Student Events has agreed to return under the oversight of the Finance Board. Student Events, citing delays and inefficiency with the F-board’s method of accessing funds, placed themselves under the
See STUDENT EVENTS p. 16
PHOTO BY Max Shay/The Hoot
AT BAT: Students enjoy spring weather on the Great Lawn.
Markey discusses Alum’s bookstore faces closure a green revolution Back Pages owner reaches out for help BY BEA PATERNO Staff
Massachusetts Congressman Edward Markey, Chair of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, spoke on Sunday afternoon about Congress’s efforts to address climate change and the need to go green. Following the lecture in Rapaporte Treasure Hall, a panel of environmental entrepreneurs discussed the profitability of a green revolution. This was the main event of Earthfest 2008. “It all began right here in Waltham 200 years ago when Charles Cabot Lowell and James Moody invented, for the first time, a way of putting cloth together in one place,” began Markey, following an introduction by President Jehuda Reinharz. He continued, “when that industrial revolution began, there were 280 parts per million of CO2 up in the atmosphere. 200 years later there are 380 parts per million up in the atmosphere.” He explained the problems that have already begun to occur as a result of climate change. “Lakes are being formed because it’s so warm up in Greenland. The water is now so warm…that over the course of the summer they create crevices that burrow all the way
INSIDE:
down the ice.” Markey also noted ice quakes that measure up to 4-5 on the Richter scale as signs of increasing instability. According to Markey, the private sector will present a huge challenge to the fight against global warming, as companies will be reluctant to take the steps needed to address this issue. He applauded the efforts of Wal-mart, who planned to sell 100 million fluorescent light bulbs, in convincing General Electric to increase their production of more efficient bulbs. In addition, he condemned automobile companies like Toyota for their unwillingness to adapt to the growing crisis. Markey pointed out the responsibility of Americans to fight climate change, since “most of the CO2 is red, white, and blue. We’re the ones putting it up there, along with the Europeans.” Americans must be the first to take action to help all the “poor countries all around the world that don’t have the capacity to adapt to that kind of dramatic change,” he said. Last December, Congress passed what Markey called “the most important energy legislation in 30 years.” He discussed how this legislation would help America in fighting See MARKEY p. 13
BY ALISON CHANNON Editor
Last week, in the shadow of his three year anniversary, proprietor of Back Pages Books Alex Green ’04 sent an e-mail to over 800 friends, acquaintances, customers, and colleagues detailing his store’s financial woes. After three years on Moody Street, his business is on verge of shutting its doors. “[W]ithout significant increased financial support,” he wrote in his e-mail message, “I will have to
close the store in the immediate future.” In an interview, Green described the challenges the bookstore has faced over the past three years. “When we started, banks weren’t going to lend us any money, we had no personal property,” he said. People were skeptical of the store’s viability, “but it took off so massively.” Even so, six months after the store’s opening, another bookstore, More Than Words, opened two doors away from Back Pages. While the stores each have a dis-
tinct niche, Green explained, the presence of More Than Words was less than a blessing. Shortly thereafter, Green’s business partner, Ezra Sternstein ’04 departed. “It was very hard when he left,” Green commented. Adding to his troubles, Green was paying high rent in an unsuccessful location. Thus, Green decided to move from 368 Moody Street to the store’s current location at 289 Moody Street. After beSee BACKPAGES p. 13
REMEMBERING V-TECH
PHOTO BY Napoleon Lherisson/The Hoot
VIGIL: Students commemorate the first anniversary of the shootings at Virginia Tech.
ONE TALL VOICE
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STUDENT-PROFESSOR LUNCH
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SEXILED
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BRANDEIS MLB PLAYER
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THIS WEEKEND
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COMICS
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