The Brandeis Hoot - 8-29-08

VOL 5, NO. 1

AUGUST 29, 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

Union VP resigns

THEHOOT.NET

TO MARKET, TO MARKET

New election set for September

BY ALISON CHANNON Editor

A new election for Student Union Vice-President will be held in September after Michael Kerns’ ’09 resigned from his post. Kerns, a former Village quad senator, was elected Vice-President in April.

He will not return to the university this fall “for personal reasons,” according to a campus-wide e-mail sent out by Union Director of

Communications, Jamie Ansorge ’09.

Included in Ansorge’s e-mail was a short comment from Kerns. “I should like to take this opportunity to express my great confidence in and admiration for our Union and its representatives,” Kerns wrote.

“I anticipate leadership of the highest remark this coming year.”

Kerns did not respond to requests See RESIGNATION p. 16

After year of debate, Public Safety now armed

BY ARIEL WITTENBERG Editor

After much debate and controversy last year, all but five Brandeis Police Officers have been certified for and are currently in possession of firearms.

The first group of officers to be armed completed their firearm training in mid-June, and, while Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan would not say exactly how many individuals serve as Brandeis Public Safety Officers for safety reasons, he did say that the remaining five officers should be in possession of firearms within three

to four weeks after they complete firearm training.

All officers will carry their firearms with them on their shifts.

Callahan said that officers also will carry a chemical OC spray, similar to pepper spray, and a baton to use as an impact weapon.

“They have always carried these weapons, so those aren’t new,” he said.

“We hope that there isn’t a need to use any of those weapons, but they are alternatives which would be used before firearms. The firearms are not our Plan B. They’re See FIREARMS p. 13

PHOTO BY Max Shay/The Hoot

C-STORE: Students return to revamped C-Store. See story page 12.

Weight room plans in final stages

BY ALISON CHANNON Editor

Student Union President Jason Gray ’10 dismissed rumors that the Union lacked sufficient funding to refurbish the weight room in Gosman.

That the Union had only $50,000 rather than $100,000 available for the project is untrue, Gray stated.

“It’s just a rumor,” Gray said.

Last spring, the Union conducted a campus-wide vote to determine how to spend excess Student

[Urso] to see how much money would go towards it.”

Gray added, “we’ve been working with Athletics to decide on bids [and] we’ve been working separately with the administration to see how it will be funded.”

“The final decision will be made with Athletics regarding what the renovation will look like and how it will be financed,” he commented.

Urso explained that currently there is nearly $138,000 available to See WEIGHT ROOM p. 12

Admin. hires GLBTQ Fundraising campaign affairs consultant sets record

ON THE ROAD

BY ALISON CHANNON Editor

PHOTO BY Max Shay/The Hoot

BREAKING NEW GROUND: OLs welcome incoming first-years.

INSIDE:

Activities Fee monies. Several student groups submitted proposals including one to send a campus delegation to Rwanda and another to outfit a university building with solar panels. In the end, the weight room renovation proposal received the greatest number of votes.

According to Gray, the athletics department received bids from various companies during the summer at the same time that Union members “were working with [Director of Budget in the Department of Students and Enrollment] Frank

Over the summer, the university hired a consultant for GLBTQ affairs in response to a proposal put forth by members of Triskelion, the university’s GLBTQ organization, in the spring of 2007.

Alison Better, a doctoral candidate in the sociology department who also teaches first year writing courses, will hold the new position.

“Intellectually,” Better said, “this is where my work lives. My research is on sex and sexuality.”

Former Queer Resource Center coordinator Marcus Simon ’07 remarked in the Apr. 27, 2007 edition of The Hoot that Trisk needed structural support in order to further its goals and offer a full range of services. To that end, he and other members of Trisk and QRC, a branch of Trisk, met with Associate Dean of Student Life Jamele Adams. “They had just said ‘we’ve been doing a lot of work for a long time [and] we’d like a staff member to help us see this stuff through,’” Adams said.

Adams explained, “we came up with a smaller job description that would allow us to create a graduate

opportunity and then working with some folks in the graduate world, we put the word out.”

When evaluating candidates, “I didn’t want someone who would be status quo,” said Adams. Better, he commented, “will push us to reach a higher plateau with having an inclusive community.”

At present, the consultant for GLBTQ affairs is a part-time position. Better is only scheduled to work 10 hours per week. However, Adams commented, “it’s just the beginning. The university is clearly in support of this initiative and dedicated to seeing it be effective.”

“I’m a little disappointed that it’s just 10 hours,” said Trisk General Coordinator Megan Straughan ’11, “but it does mean a lot that we have her.” She added, “I’m hoping this will go really well and it’ll be an example to the administration that we need more time.” “[Better] is genuinely interested in how things are now and how things are changing and what that means for Brandeis,” said Straughan.

At present Better’s duties are “very fluid.” “I haven’t really See GLBTQ CONSULTANT p. 12

ONE TALL VOICE

PG 5

WALTHAM EATING GUIDE

PG 8

SUMMER IN NICARAGUA

PG 6

TALKING TO TIM MOREHOUSE

PG 14

BY KAYLA DOS SANTOS Editor

During the 2008 fiscal year, Brandeis raised $90.4 million in cash gifts, the most donations the university has ever raised in a single year. Since 2001, the Campaign for Brandeis has received a total of $790 million in pledges and cash gifts. In five years the Campaign hopes to reach the goal of $1.22 billion.

Nancy Winship, who is beginning her fifteenth year as Brandeis’ Senior Vice President for Institutional Advancement, attributes 2008’s fundraising success, in part, to an active university president.

“Brandeis is fortunate to have President Reinharz, who is an inspirational leader and fundraiser, and has been building wonderful connections to friends and alumni since 1994,” Winship wrote in an e-mail to The Hoot.

She also listed a committed Board of Trustees as having a great effect. The Board of Trustees, which consists of 50 members, has See FUNDRAISING p. 13

THIS WEEKEND

PG 16

COMICS

PG 16

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The Hoot

EDITORIAL

August 29, 2008

Established 2005 "To acquire wisdom, one must observe."

Sri Kuehnlenz Editor in Chief Kathleen Fischman Editor in Chief Alison Channon News Editor Bret Matthew Impressions Editor Ben Sacks Features Editor Chrissy Callahan Features Editor Jordan Rothman Business Editor Kayla Dos Santos Backpage Editor

Napoleon Lherisson Photography Editor Danielle Gewurz Copy Editor Jamie Fleishman Advertising Editor Ariel Wittenberg Design Editor Max Shay Technology Officer Adam Hughes Sports Editor

Senior Editors Zachary Aronow

FOUNDED By Leslie Pazan, Igor Pedan and Daniel Silverman

This semester, see more than the C-store

Q

uiznos and a revamped C-Store aren’t the only new additions to the Brandeis community this semester. While these renovations are part of the campus’ exciting new face-lift, there are other initiatives that will have a lasting effect on the university’s values.

With the start of the fall semester, Brandeis has introduced two initiatives seeking to promote social and environmental justice on campus. The Campus Sustainability Initiative is giving a free reusable water bottle to every undergraduate student in order to reduce the community’s negative environmental impact, and a GLBTQ affairs consultant was hired to further the University’s commitment to diversity.

While the distribution of water bottles will not lead to the immediate replacement of disposable water bottles on campus, it is a sign of the community’s dedication to sustainability. It also a one part of a greater, long-term effort to reduce the university’s ecological footprint.

Moreover, the hiring of Alison Better as a part-time GLBTQ advisor came in response to Trisk’s proposal for greater administrative support and as Dean Adams said, “it’s just the beginning.” Considering that Brandeis was left out of the Advocate College Guide for LGBT Students in 2006, the creation of this position bodes well for fostering a more inclusive environment in 2008.

In a college setting, administrators and students often butt heads, but these recent actions show the fruits of collaboration between university officials and the student body. These efforts should be applauded and hopefully this trend of effective teamwork will continue in the future.

However, we need to recognize that there are more steps to go. For instance, while many students are now equipped with an eco-friendly water bottle, the renovated C-store now offers an even larger bottled beverage section than before. In the future, Brandeis may have to decide whether some of its popular, new features necessarily coincide with its values. While the expanded food and drink selection at Brandeis is the center of conversation this semester, it will be the university’s environmental and social justice efforts that will have an impact in semesters to come.

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 to editor@thehoot. net. All letters must be from a valid email

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

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

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

E-mail: editor@thehoot.net

Visit us online at thehoot.net to read our latest articles, watch our latest videos, and listen to our latest audio clips.

August 29, 2008

The Hoot

3

IMPRESSIONS

Think you're ready to be a right-wing radio talk show host?

BY ZACHARY ARANOW Editor

HOW TO BE A RIGHT WING RADIO HOST: You! Yes, you over there! Tell me something, are you unemployed? No education past 11th grade? Have a deep love of country but feel that this proud land is under attack by forces only you are aware of and that not only are those opposed to you wrong, they're ANTIAMERICAN!?

If you said yes to any or all of the above then my friend, you belong on talk radio. Yes, the medium providing millions of Americans a chance to hear from a REAL PA T R I O T I C AMERICAN like yourself and unlike television, they won't shut you off just because you don't happen to look as glamorous as those "limousine liberals" who care about petty things like equal rights for minorities and civil liberties.

You know who wins when civil liberties are upheld? THE TERRORISTS! See, already you're on the right track. To help you on your way, here are some keys to success.

1. CALLER CATCHPHRASE Nothing defines a talk radio program like a caller catch phrase.

Rush Limbaugh for instance has his "Dittoes" and Sean Hannity doesn't have callers, he has "Great Americans" who let Hannity and America knows that he is a "Great American". Listeners need to feel that by calling in on The Sean Hannity Show, they're more than loyal listeners, they are GREAT AMERICANS! 2. REPETITION Nothing sticks to the subconscious like repetition. Repeat sentences, repeat words, repeat entire paragraphs over and over again for weeks on end until Americans understand what is at stake. Michael Savage for instance reminds listeners that "liberalism is a mental disorder" and will also helpfully tosses off titles of some of the 30 plus books he has written. Sean Hannity has utilized "drill here, drill now, pay less!" to great success recently.

Never mind whether or not it's actually true (it isn't) but as long as THINK it's the truth, it doesn't matter and by the time the facts are introduced, the public will have already moved on. Why else would 12 percent of the popula-

tion believe Barack Obama is a Muslim, and why else would a sizable number still believe that Iraq was involved with 9/11?

The answer is REPETITION, REPETITION, REPETITION! Do I need to repeat myself ? I'm telling you people, repetition is key...see that just now? It's that easy.

Take a snippet from a speech, for example Obama referring to Iran as “tiny” and “not a serious threat.” Never mind the original context that he was comparing them, in terms of military capability, to the threat the Soviet Union had posed and just play that snippet over, and over again. Suddenly, Obama is unprepared for the true threats to this nation!

Repetition also works in an argument. Did you hear that China is drilling 60 miles off of Florida’s shore? Actually that’s not true but they are PLANNING such a thing and environmental extremists are going to allow this to happen. Just

HE! However if certain evil groups like Media Matters for America happen to post an item up of you making an idiot of yourself complete with transcript and audio clip, they took you out of context.

Heck, Talk Radio Network, while covering for Michael Savage over his autism comments, introduced what they called "context" for his autism comments not mentioning that all of the audio provided for the context came from after the controversy erupted.

The point is context is accurate when aimed against your enemies and out and out distortion when actually implied against you.

Remember rule number two, as long as you repeat something often enough, it becomes something like the truth.

4. PICK YOUR TARGETS You have to pick your targets carefully, Michael Savage being a perfect example of why you need to do so. Attacking black people is racist but attacking "affirmative action" or “Black liberation theology” is perfectly acceptable. Attacking the Latino and Hispanic community is a no-no. Decrying the "invasion" from "illegals" on the other hand is a perfect rallying call.

And attacking gay marriage isn't an attack on equal rights and a complete contradiction in limiting government but actually a defense of personal freedom and moral values.

Attacking women is sexist and over the top but attacking "feminazi's" or referring to Hillary Clinton as a "stereotypical bitch" (thank you Glenn Beck) will see minimal fuss except from the "radical extremists on the left who want me off the air."

Should you tread on a hot button issue, cover yourself first by taking the previous lesson, "I was taken out of context" and then you find yourself an ally.

If you offended the black community for instance, Juan Williams will be more than happy to help out. So are Armstrong Williams and JC Watts. It's also good just

Nothing sticks to the subconscious like repetitions. repeat this in increasingly louder tones should someone point out that the offshore acreage Cuba owns has been leased to six different oil companies, none of them affiliated with China.

Repeat, yell, repeat, yell louder.

3. CONTEXT Ah context, it can be a tricky term. When used properly, any liberal will seem nuts and never mind that it was only a tiny snippet as part of a larger frame of reference. For instance, Wesley Clark was not contradicting Bob Schieffer's implication that John McCain's combat experience makes him more qualified as a candidate, no, Clark ATTACKED HIS PATRIOTISM! HOW DARE

to have them on to prove that you are not racist but the other side actually is.

And there we go; all that's left to do is hook on with a syndicate.

Please note that if you're a woman, then your best bet is to bleach your hair blonde and get frequent guest spots on Bill O'Reilly, Hannity, or Steve Doocy.

So my loyal ultra-patriotic American who has so much love for your country that you know that

even if they answer it. Also, frame the question in a way that the only proper answer is the one you are advocating. If all else fails and this person is actually getting through and undermining everything you pretend to believe that’s made you successful – hang up on that person. If you’re a panelist on a program, repeatedly interrupt until the inevitable commercial break.

5. WRITE A BOOK Congratulations, you’re well on your way to your own program on a 24 hour cable channel but despite the three plus hours you spend on the air, you feel that not enough people are getting the right information and once again PHOTO BY Max Shay/The Hoot it’s up to you to prowe would never, ever do anything vide that. wrong despite what "history" has It’s time to publish your first New taught us (i.e. Watergate, Japanese York Times best seller. It’s very Internment, just about every gov- simple, you take everything you say and put it into text w i t h s o m e lovely semi-accurate graphs and pie charts to supernment change in South and Lat- port your somewhat valid point. in America during the Cold War) Don’t worry about publishing, if you do well enough, you could the good people at Regnery Press move on to the promised land. have helped voices like Michelle Should your targets or surro- Malkin and Jerome Corsi be heard to the masses and bulk purchases of your book from conservative groups like the Heritage Foundation will propel you to the top and in turn lead to numerous appearances on cable channels from the friendly ones (Fox News, CNN’s Glenn Beck) to the more hostile (any MSNBC program not hosted by Joe Scarborough, Pat Buchanan, or Contessa Brewer).

And so my patriotic American, you now have the steps to succeed in this great, no, greatest nation in the world that we call America.

Remember all the little people who support your show – single parents, lower-class underpaid workers and be proud that you have succeeded in livgates of targets appear on your ing the American dream by getshow to defend their point, you ting your audience to go against first must take step number two, their best interests. repetition and repeatedly change God bless America and nuke the subject. Find a tangent and France! repeatedly ask the same question

Attacking black people is racist but attacking “affirmative action” or “Black liberation theology” is perfectly acceptable.

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August 29, 2008

IMPRESSIONS

The Hoot

Shopping for Truth

Just say what you mean to say

BY CHRISSY CALLAHAN Editor

When you’re younger, everything is as simple as a schoolyard game.

Everything comes with rules and if you break them, that’s it. There’s no gray area, no in between, no ‘exceptions.’ But suddenly things change and you grow up.

Now that I’m older, I sometimes wish that life came with a user’s manual- How should I deal with this situation? What in the world am I supposed to say to that? -But sadly, none exists, and if it did, it would surely shatter all of J.K. Rowling’s’ sale records.

When you’re a kid, you can say anything you want to say even with a limited vocabulary.

So why is it that brilliant adults and young adults have trouble saying what they mean to say in even the most simple of situations?

Someone can be so academically intelligent, but completely-excuse the bluntness-downright clueless when it comes to interpersonal dealings with other human beings.

People don’t know how to say what they mean to say to other people and oftentimes end up avoiding a question or sugarcoating what they really mean.

But why must we dodge the issue so much like a game of lily pads?

I can’t help but recall how, as a young child, I used to play leap around the lily pad with my older sister. At that young age, you truly believe that you must jump around the lily pad or something terrible will happen. Now looking back, I can clearly see that the worst that could have happened was maybe that I would scrape my knee on the pavement if I wasn’t careful enough (not that that wouldn’t already have happened because I’m so clumsy).

It’s like the well-known saying “Do these pants make me look fat?” What are you supposed to say to that? Do you tell the person that they actually do look terrible in those pants or do you let them walk out the door looking horrible?

I’ve come to believe that most people only feel completely comfortable “Saying what they need to

say” in front of those they trust the most. I for one have always been unabashed in front of my immediate family. People always have said that this is because your family will always love you. In hearing this, I cannot help but be reminded of a quote from the film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants.

In the particular scene I am thinking of, one of the main characters, Carmen, asks one of her

louder than words. Take promises, for instance. There is absolutely nothing worse than the serial promise maker. We all know one of them-they roll off all of these promises of things they will do, fill their text messages with multiple “defs,” and yet, they never actually follow through on what they ‘promised’ they would do.

In this situation, perhaps it would be better to simply say what you mean to say and tell people you “might” be able to do something or you’re not sure, rather than saying “def.”

Personally, I’m much more likely to forgive and forget if someone is upfront with me and tells me they “might” be able to help or do something rather than lie to me about their true intentions.

The world would be a much more considerate one if people stepped out of their own minds and actually tried to consider other people's feelings for more than just a fleeting second.

So, we’ve covered how people don’t say what they mean to say.

Now come the cases where we actually don’t say what we mean to say, we write it. As a writer, I completely value the opportunity that writing affords us to eloquently express what we need to say when emotions might otherwise prevent us from presenting our thoughts in a cohesive manner, so write away! But that doesn’t mean that we should use technology as a copout. If writing is really the only way you can express your thoughts, go ahead, but that does not by any means excuse laziness.

In our age of text messages and emails, we need not actually muster up the courage to face someone face to face with the ugly truths; we no longer must truly address what is on our minds. An apology is as simple as a quick text, a Facebook wall posting, or a one sentence email where we need not show our emotion.

Don’t think I hate texting because I think my unlimited texting plan would show you otherwise, but perhaps we should be more aware of what we do so automatically. Say-don’t write or skirt around-what you need to say, because if it is worth saying than it’s worth the risk.

Like John Mayer says in his song of the same title as this column, “It’s better to say too much than never to say what you mean to say.”

Enough said.

Why is it that brilliant adults and young adults have trouble saying what they mean to say in even the most simple of situations? best friends, Tibby, why it is so easy for her to be mad at Tibby but not at her own father. Having had relatively small contact with her father since her parents divorced years ago, Carmen plays the lily pad game and shies away from telling her father she is upset at him at many points in the film.

Tibby, wise soul that she is, replies “because you know we’ll always love you.” So simple, but so true. Because if you cannot be honest with the ones you deem

It’s better to say too much than never to say what you mean to say. closest to you, what do you really have?

Surely, there are many instances where one should zip their lips to avoid trivial and passing conflict.

Like the boy who cried wolf, no one will listen to you if you are forever whining, but there comes a time in everyone’s life where they cannot simply sit back and watch anymore. But if someone is worth your time, than you owe it to them to at least be honest with them.

And that goes with actions also.

It is cliché, but actions do speak

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

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

Book of Matthew

Offshore drilling: A terrible idea

BY BRET MATTHEW Editor

According to a recent opinion poll published by CNN/Opinion Research Corp., sixty-nine percent of Americans favor an increase in offshore drilling, while only thirty percent oppose. Fifty-one percent of Americans believe that such an increase will result in lower gas prices by as early as 2009.

Rarely is such a blatantly ter-

Sounds like a lot, doesn’t it?

It’s too bad that oil is traded on the world market, because in 2006, the world consumed about 84.6 million barrels of oil per day. By 2015, it is believed that this number could rise to 96.1 million barrels of oil per day. Suddenly, it seems inconceivable that such a small number like 250,000 barrels, whenever they will be able to enter the market, will actually influence the price of oil any more

Rarely is such a blatantly terrible idea met with such public approval. rible idea met with such public approval. For that, you may thank some of our deliberately misleading (or just plain idiotic) politicians, along with their corporate and media allies.

Every day, the pro-drilling crowd attacks the weakness of otherwise sensible Americans – the pain inflicted by high gas prices. They write newspaper and magazine articles, make bold announcements on television and radio, and even stage protests in the halls of Congress. Readers, I am sure that over the summer you have been familiar with their antics. In the coming weeks, you may even read articles in this publication that use the same talking points, the same faulty logic in order to convince you that the only way out of this energy crisis is to drill like there’s no tomorrow. But readers, you deserve more than that. You deserve the truth.

Now that President Bush has symbolically removed the executive ban on drilling, areas off the coasts of Florida and California are currently only being protected by a ban issued by Congress, which is set to expire on September 30th of this year.

If this is allowed to happen, it will only be a matter of time before oil companies begin to build their rigs.

It must not be allowed to happen.

First of all, it isn’t even practical to use these offshore oil reserves as a way to lower gas prices. If the ban were lifted tomorrow, and oil companies began the process of drilling tomorrow, it might take five, ten, even thirty years before these oil rigs would be able to operate at “full capacity”, a quantity that has been estimated to be about 250,000 barrels of oil per day.

than a few cents.

But math aside, there is a second reason to hold on to this ban. Our environment. As far as the environment is concerned, drilling for or transporting oil over water is generally a bad idea. Oil spills are devastating for marine life, and equally devastating for economies that depend on this life (fishing, etc.). The Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989, for example, was such a disaster that even now, nineteen years later, its effects are still felt by the wildlife and people who populate the area.

All it takes is another damaged oil tanker, another hurricane, another earthquake, and we could be dealing with another oil disaster.

Well readers, it seems like we Americans are not doing a terribly good job of solving this crisis. We could be pushing to halt to use of oil altogether, while simultaneously pushing for a rapid expansion of safe, proven, alternative sources of energy like solar, wind, geothermal, hydroelectric, and hydrogen.

But we are not. Like a junkie who is beginning to run out of drugs, we are engaged in a mad rush for what little oil is left in the world. Instead of ending our addiction once and for all, we only make sorry, halfhearted attempts, and then we return to our oil-loving ways.

September 30th is coming fast. I suggest you write to your Senators and Congressmen, and urge them not to listen to the oil hype. Remind them that the age of oil is over, and that, in the words of T. Boone Pickens (of all people), “this is one emergency we can’t drill our way out of.”

August 29, 2008

IMPRESSIONS

The Hoot

5

One Tall Voice

Celebrating racial "God Bless You": A personal story diversity is pointless

BY Ariel Wittenberg Editor

BY JORDAN Rothman Editor

During the collegiate experience, we are constantly told to celebrate diversity. This concept is literally shoved down our throats as our institution and others have crafted “celebration statements” to expound upon this sacred principle.

Diversity is extolled as a noble concept, an ideal people blindly pursue.

I for one believe celebrating racial diversity is overrated. Many of the benefits associated with this concept, such as increased perspective and dialogue, are never realized. Furthermore, promoting diversity takes us further away from principles we should be fostering such as commonality and brotherhood. I will probably be deemed a racist for composing this article, but I have been labeled as such many times before. Yet perhaps, dear reader, you may get a perspective outside the typical propaganda and, I dare say, benefit from diversity of ideological opinion.

Celebrating racial diversity does not accomplish its stated m i s sion of bringing greater perspectives and experiences to intellectual discourse. One way in which it fails is that not all members of racial minority groups have different backgrounds simply due to their race. Blacks as well as Whites can come from the inner city, just as members of all races can hail from differing walks of life. It is therefore unfair and inaccurate to believe that minorities have a different perspective simply due to ethnicity. Furthermore, even if an increased perspective was present, I have no idea how it would benefit the community. It is not like open debate on monumental issues occurs regularly in the classroom or around campus.

Nor is it as if cultural values and perspectives make an impression upon our intellects through osmosis. I fail to recognize any benefits from interacting with people of different racial backgrounds, as I have little to gain and do not see how this benefit can be conveyed.

In addition, I do not believe that diversity is the value that we should be pursuing. Nearly every monumental instance of bigotry ever committed revolved around the attempt to differentiate classes of people along ethnic lines. Emphasizing people’s racial differences can have a deleterious effect.

It separates humanity, classifies us into arbitrary categories, and has a number of other negative consequences as well.

I think that people should not celebrate diversity, but should rather focus on how we are all alike. I began to believe this during my first summer with Americorps where I was one of the few Caucasian members of the staff.

My coworkers were interested in different things, and had varying experiences. If I were to have focused on our differences, I would have never been able to connect with my coworkers on any meaningful level. Rather, I looked past our superficial differences and instead focused on our common interests.

If our society is to truly move beyond racial distinctions, we must not emphasize racial diversity, but should rather accept that we are fundamentally the same, and find the similarity among ourselves.

Different cultures need not be celebrated, unless this brings us closer to understanding that we are all humans inhabiting the same earth, sharing the same sky. To do otherwise separates humanity by unfairly exposing our petty differences.

Focusing merely on diversity and uniquen e s s makes no unity possible, as the dialogue about sameness is grossly overshadowed. Racial diversity and distinctions are overrated in that they do not emphasize the characteristics that truly matter: the ones that make us similar.

I even think that instead of a celebration statement, our university should adopt a Bill of Sameness.

Rather than have seminars and discussions on diversity, we should rally around the characteristics that we all share. This is the path our university should take, the course that will truly bridge different groups of people. Promoting the celebration of diversity takes us further from this ideal as it pushes us away from this meaningful discussion.

Celebrating diversity is truly overrated. It shifts the focus from what makes us similar to what separates us apart. Some have told me that by celebrating diversity, we can find the things that we all share in common. This is hogwash. The most effective means of finding equal ground is to focus on similar characteristics and take the emphasis off what makes us different. And so I truly believe that celebrating diversity is overrated.

I furthermore think that people should focus on what makes us the same. This is not to say that the Hoot insert is overrated. Diverse City is a wonderful cultures section and its quality as a publication makes it worthy indeed.

Blacks as well as Whites can come from the inner city, just as members of all races can hail from differing walks of life.

More than anything else in the world, I want to take a road trip to the Deep South. It’s a possibly irrational fantasy of mine that I have had ever since I went on a cross-country teen tour during the summer after Sophomore year of high school, and one that my mother does not understand.

Nice Jewish girls from Newton Massachusetts who go to Brandeis University are just not supposed to want to cross the Mason-Dixon line, unless, of course, it’s to go to Florida. And even then, only Boca Raton and West Palm Beach are acceptable destinations.

But nevertheless, something inside me burns to go there. I find small town life quaint. I’m infatuated with Evangelicals, obsessed with Confederates, and determined to prove to my mother that the South is not what it was before the Civil Rights Acts of 1964.

The one obstacle to living my dream—aside from where to get the car and the gas money—is that I can’t stand it when people say “God Bless You.” Don’t get me wrong, I love that people find God, Jesus and the rest of the Bible comforting.

It’s a soothing notion for me that there are people out there like that. I romanticize the idea that people can be saved by having faith, that miracles still happen and that if someone asks him to, God will save your life after you sneeze.

I just don’t believe in it.

Maybe me being Jewish has something to do with it. After all, Jews generally don’t say “God Bless You” unless it’s in the form of “Gesundheit,” in which case it’s more out of good manners than concern for your soul leaving your body.

More than that, though, the God I believe in stopped interfering with the world a long time ago.

And, just in case he’s picked it up again, he should probably start off with ending the Genocide in Darfur or Poverty or War in general before he bothers himself with the state of my life.

This was especially true this past summer, seeing as the state of my life was great. For one, it was summer, and on top of that, I had a job. A newspaper job at that.

I was working as an intern at Waltham’s Daily News Tribune— a small town paper with a reporting staff of about three. When one of the reporters quit and there wasn’t enough money in the budget to hire a new one, I was allowed to take time off from answering phones in order to actually write articles.

With that news, I was already in cloud nine when I was assigned to write an article about a firefighter who had just come back from his third tour of duty.

I was intrigued and excited. I thought of it as the first step toward my road trip. After all, in post-9/11, politically polarized America what could be more Southern or Conservative than a man returning home from service in the Middle East?

So I called up the guy’s wife just about as soon as my editor finished telling me the assignment and set up a time to go over to his house.

She said that he didn’t really like talking about his experiences overseas, but that she thought it would make a good article and would convince him that I should come over the next morning.

I thanked her, and as I was about to hang up the phone, I heard her say those three words: “God Bless You.” I hadn’t sneezed, so I didn’t know what to do. It was as if the words had had the reverse effect of what was intended.

Instead of giving me my breath back, they took it away from me and left me paralyzed with the phone pressed between my ear and shoulder.

After a short yet awkward pause, I managed to muster a “see you tomorrow” before hanging up the phone.

That night, I called my friend Annie, who is from Arizona, and therefore, despite being an Atheist, has more experience with being blessed than I do.

I told her about it, and how the phrase had stopped me in the tracks, my mind fumbling with what to say, hating the phrase while knowing it was said with the best intentions.

She suggested that next time, I just say thanks.

The next morning, I drove to his house. His street looked as though Uncle Sam had thrown up on it.

Everywhere you looked it was red, white and blue. It was like being trapped inside of a fun house at a carnival with all patriotic decorations.

Every tree had a yellow ribbon, every house had a flag. There were signs that read “land of the free because of the brave.” It was Fourth of July on steroids, except that it was June.

Now, I’m a pretty patriotic person. I love America. I think it’s great. I especially love the Constitution, and the First Amendment, considering that I’m counting on them to keep me employed for the rest of my life.

The Constitution for me is like a quasi religion. I’m culturally Jewish, but when it comes to believing in something larger-than life, I turn to the founding fathers, or Truth, Justice and the American way.

With the Constitution as my bible, and George Washington as my Abraham, it goes without saying that I disagree with the War in Iraq, a war which was never declared by Congress (as the Constitution says all wars should) and which lead to the Patriot Act and Extraordinary Rendition.

So while I respected the guy I was about to interview for his service (I hold that it is possible to support the troops and not the war effort—i.e. want to bring them home), the excessive jingoism that his homecoming provoked reminded me of Bush’s taking advantage of 9/11 to finish what his Daddy started.

I pulled over next to his house and rang the bell. The guy came

out wearing a t-shirt his three daughters had made him a few Father’s Days ago.

Understandably, he didn’t want to talk about his war experiences.

All he wanted to talk about was how good it was to be home, and how much he loved the decorations, nice, uppity stuff like that.

As I was about to end the interview though, he told me about a prayer card he had taken with him overseas. The prayer card was given to him by a neighbor who had used it during the Vietnam and Korean wars. That neighbor had gotten it from another neighbor. The theory was that if you read the prayer on the card three times a day, God would bring you home safely.

The firefighter also told me that he had given it to a 19-year-old kid who lived on the street and who had left that morning for basic training after joining the Marines.

In August, the kid was getting shipped over to Iraq.

It was a cute anecdote. It added depth to my story. And that was that. The army man’s wife said, “God Bless you” to me again, and, after a slight pause, I did like Annie told me to and said thanks.

Before I could leave, though, the 19-year-old kid’s mom came by the house to drop off some photos she had taken from the night before when the firefighter came home. I was introduced and took advantage of the opportunity by asking her a few questions about her son.

He would get a leave for July 4th, but by the time I was back to Brandeis in the fall, he would be dodging sniper bullets in Iraq, holding onto that stupid prayer card for good luck, and praying that God would bless him and keep him safe through something just a little more life threatening than a sneeze.

I thanked her, and shook her hand. Before I could turn around to leave, she too said those three words.

“God Bless You.” I started walking to the car, but I couldn’t shake the image of her son, Derek, from my mind.

His mom had shown me his picture. In it he was all dressed up in his army fatigues with his helmet and riffle. Derek wanted to be a police officer when he got back from the war.

His face was young. He was my age, but being 19 and working behind a desk for the summer made 19 too young to dress like a GI-Joe and to be shipped off to a foreign desert to risk your life for your country.

I’m a patriot. And for me, that means speaking up against a war you disagree with.

But for this kid, who was a patriot too, it meant paying back a country that lets you speak out whenever you want with his body, maybe his life.

That struck a chord in me. So I did something I never would have done. Something that I may not ever do again. I turned around, gave a little wave and said: “You too.”

6

August 29, 2008

The Hoot

FEATURES

A sustaining summer trip

Brandeis student travels to Nicaragua with Harvard group

BY CHRISSY CALLAHAN Editor

Every night before getting into bed last May, David Drayton would check it for scorpions. Then, kicking back and reflecting on the work he had done that day in El Limon, Nicaragua, he would journal for an hour.

Woken up at 2 a.m. by rising roosters, and then again at 5:30 by either cool air or an alarm clock, Drayton ’09 had to be quick if he wanted to take a shower in the morning.

Trudging outside with a little bucket filled with ice cold water, he would enter the tiny stall and take a quick shower in a makeshift bathroom space.

Hopping in a truck, Drayton was then off for the day to perform fieldwork. Maybe he would work with water development today.

Or perhaps he might take part in a community dance. Whatever it was, it was sure to be an adventure, he recalled.

This past May, Drayton took part in a trip to Nicaragua hosted by a group of Harvard University students and their group Harvard Project for Sustainable Development (HPSD).

The vision of HPSD is twofold, including both an academic outreach component on campus and actual fieldwork. Through campus outreach programs including speakers and workshops, HPSD seeks to inform their peers first in the issues of development.

After doing so, members of HPSD travel abroad to put their knowledge to practical use, taking part in fieldwork trips.

“Our goal is development that’s sustainable, development that’s rigorously responsible,” HPSD’s co-president Toby Norman described.

Countless hours of preparation go into one trip, as members study the history of development and strategize on how best to execute the specific projects they are about to encounter. HPSD’s work is based out of the Nicaraguan village of El Limon, but they work in several other communities in the vicinity, taking two trips a year to the country.

Through his work as Director of Operations for the Millennium Campus Network (MCN), Drayton met Norman at an MCN event. Comprised of several university student groups, MCN is an organization started

by Brandeis students Sam Vaghar ’08 and Seth Werfel ‘10. By uniting several college groups with similar goals, MCN supports the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which seek to eradicate extreme poverty. Brandeis’ Positive Foundations is one such member.

Impressed with HPSD’s work, Drayton started to attend most of their meetings and help out wherever he could.

Back at Brandeis, Drayton formed a group at Brandeis comprised of Positive Foundations members and others with the goal of supporting HPSD. This group conducted research on metals in water to support HPSD’s water project, and Drayton gave water filter lessons to members using a filter borrowed from HPSD. Eventually, Drayton helped to raise about $1000 for HPSD. May came and so did show time, and Drayton departed for Nicaragua with 16 other students. Before landing, Drayton caught his first view of the country’s landscape, eyeing one of the first volcanoes he had ever seen.

But incongruously juxtaposed to all this geographic splendor was the hard hitting re-

AT WORK: David Drayton '09 examining water samples with a fellow member of HPSD.

ality of the poverty prevalent in this second poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere, Drayton said. Next to this beautiful landscape, outside of this modernized airport, were beggars, vendors, and poor housing conditions. “It was a really shocking experience and it took awhile to get used to,” Drayton described.

As were many other aspects of the journeythe early wakeup calls and open- door community policy not excluded.

One thing Drayton got used to fast though was the welcoming environment of his host family and the surrounding community. Some good, natural tasting meals did not hurt either.

Taking part in one important component of this year’s trip-the water project-Drayton and other HPSD members distributed ceramic water filters, or ceramic water purifiers (CWP’s) to the village’s 60 households and some in nearby villages and schools. This year, a lot of research went into how best to approach the water project, with field analysis in how to test water.

These colloidal silver-coated ceramic water filters extract bacteria, protozoa, parasites and the like from water, making it potable.

While this method doesn’t solve every problem associated with water such as the abundance of or transportation of water, when done well it drastically reduces infection rates.

Though each member of HPSD specialized in a specific project, like Drayton did with water, they all assisted each other wherever they could. For instance, Drayton also helped to transport and unpack computers and handed out toothpaste for HPSD’s den-

PHOTO COURTESY OF David Drayton

musical sounds of his host family and neighbors who came to visit and pass the night away.

Learning about and witnessing how a different culture operates earned Drayton’s respect and also surprised him. With an open door policy, the people of El Limon keep their doors unlocked and spend their nights relaxing.

“It was just a really, really relaxing experience the whole time and it kind of added a lot more depth to what this community was like so instead of just looking at [thinking these people need help] you get to know the people and the way they live and it completely changes the way you look at the situation,” he said.

Fresh from his experience, Drayton started a summer job with Mercy Corps, --David Drayton '09 a nonprofit organization which works around the world to alleviate poverty and assist in development.

Though these challenging moments of Ranging from simple administrative tasks debate caused many a moment of stress for such as getting the mail, to projects dealing Drayton, they also taught him an important with greening the office and learning how lesson. “You don’t learn anything if a trip to keep a clean paper trail, Drayton’s duties goes really well, but you learn a lot if you taught him increased organizational skills have to work through a lot of problems that and revealed some of the inside workings of you didn’t expect,” he said. a nonprofit business.

In addition to actual field work, Drayton Drayton also even helped to evaluate a and other members of HPSD took part in potential partnership with a philanthropic talks with community leaders at which any tea company seeking to create closer ties problems the leaders were facing would be with Mercy Corps in an attempt to improve discussed. Later in the day, HPSD members the lives of plantation workers. might play soccer with the local children or Still involved with HPSD and MCN, Drayhave a community dance to get to know the ton also is dedicated to the Millennium Stulocals. dent Initiative, (MSI) a new project formed Though he had underestimated the value

by Brandeis students which will launch later of the cultural aspects of development work this fall. MSI seeks to both raise money for before this trip, by the end of his stay, Draya millennium village in Africa and create a ton realized that understanding and relatcross-country dialogue among all college ing to the community in which one works students. is more important than he ever could have Drayton also anticipates more work with imagined.

Brandeis’ Freshwater Initiative, a group In fact, forging connections with the lowhich working to bring fresh water solutions cal community proved to be both an invaluto impoverished areas of Peru. If his work able and enjoyable part of his experience, he so far says anything, it will be that Drayton said. has a busy year ahead of him.

Drayton’s evenings were filled with the tal project.

But even though their fieldwork succeeded in many tangible ways, not everything went so smoothly, as Drayton recalled. HPSD members and the Nicaraguan advisors they had hired did not always agree on what development actually meant, and how extensive HPSD’s work should be.

You don’t learn anything if a trip goes really well, but you learn a lot if you have to work through a lot of problems that you didn’t expect.

August 29, 2008

F E AT U R E S

The Hoot

When unpredictability proves predictable

7

Brandeis student brings back much more than a postcard from summer stay in Senegal

BY GINA GOTTHILF Staff

As Brandeis students came out of exam rooms dragging their limp hands behind them, most knew what to expect from the upcoming summer.

But while many of us soaked in the comfort of home or perused around all-too-familiar Waltham, Anastazyia Vareschi ’09 was headed for Senegal, where she would spend six weeks learning Wollof and studying Senegalese film and literature. “Ankara’s one of the most developed cities in Africa, but I had no idea what to expect from that,” she explained.

The tall, Caucasian senior from New Hampshire soon came to realize that she too was unexpected. As she landed across the ocean filled with curiosity about a completely different culture, she was stared at with equal interest.

“While walking on the street, I’d get hollered out by fifteen people,” she recalled.

Intimidated by the unusual attention warranted by her position as a Tubaab (white tourist), Vareschi’s initial desire to venture out into a new culture was cloaked by one of her first cultural lessons.

“There’s a lot of pressure put on women to look respectable and keep boundaries up, whereas men can do whatever they want,” she explained.

But imbedded in what might seem like a culture of hostility

and discrimination to the eyes and ears of an outsider, the generally religious people of Senegal value their relationships with everyone around them above most other tenets.

“It’s a really warm, welcoming culture,” Vareschi said. “You greet everyone on the street.” Yet the role of greetings, unlike in America, far surpasses that of politeness, and unlike at Brandeis, represents more than verbal diplomas indicating one’s graduation from Social Skills 101.

Countless minutes are spent every day greeting each person one interacts with, and to abstain from this practice is considered undeniably rude or offensive. “Being responsible for acknowledging people and talking to them is very important,” recounted Vareschi. “You can’t stay in your bubble like in America – it’s very disrespectful.”

The value for relationships also goes beyond pre-conceived family positions. Kinship roles bleed into one another, and just as the decision to greet someone is blind, so is the attitude toward those living in one’s household.

“People couldn’t actually figure out who was their mother or who was their sister because there are lots of different people living in the same house. So everyone is treated like family,” said Vareschi.

Not all interactions, however, are based on warmth and the desire to uphold the value of social balance. Conveying the surprising presence of vendors keeping shop at each traffic light, Vareschi recounted a humorous anecdote that portrays the locals’ characteristic desperation to profit from American tourists. While driving back from St. Louis, the bus transporting the fifteen American students in Vareschi’s program

play,” she explained. In America, music lessons tend to be more structured. Following directions, students study music theory instead of immediately participating in joint improvisation sessions or performances. Vareschi was invited to play with the Djembe group at orphanages and even during rehearsals with a professional dance group. And while students in the U.S. usually interact with their teachers in controlled environ-

Countless minutes are spent every day greeting each person one interacts with, and to abstain from this practice is considered undeniably rude or offensive. stopped for mangoes.

“When we stopped the bus full of white touristy looking people, about thirty women ran toward us with bowls of mangoes on their heads trying to sell them to us.

We didn’t even have to move away from the bus,” said Vareschi.

As part of her curriculum, Vareschi took Wollof, film/literature classes. During her free time, she attended Djembe (African drum) lessons with some local musicians.

“It wasn’t at all like music lessons in the states; you sit and

ments, following tacit hierarchical norms, Vareschi and some of her colleagues were often invited by their teachers for tea after practice.

After classes, Djembe, and tea, Vareschi would head home to her Christian host family, who, unlike most other families in the country, did not practice polygamy.

“Most fathers in Senegal aren’t even in the picture,” said Vareschi, “and they often live with another wife.” Her family was also unusually fortunate monetarily. “They even had an oven and an indoor

kitchen, which is a really big deal,” explained Vareschi.

Yet outlining the financial disparity between American and Senegalese upper-middle class citizens, she described an intriguing experience at the house. Because American tourists are instructed not to drink tap water in Senegal, Vareschi had accumulated several plastic bottles during her stay which she kept in her room. On her last day, as there was no trashcan in the house, Vareshi’s sister asked her to leave the bottles on the kitchen counter.

“My (host) mother emphatically thanked me for leaving those plastic bottles for them. She said it was incredibly nice of me,” said Vareschi. In a country where glass bottles have only been slowly substituted for plastic during the past three years ,leaving the bottles was seen as a generous act of reciprocity for their hospitality.

Other than the typical photographs, friends, and experiences most tourists bring back to the United States, Vareschi returned with a more Senegalese way of looking at her life. At home, she is now a slightly different woman than the one who left for Senegal: “I gained more self-assurance in terms of being able to handle myself in a completely uncomfortable situation.” And that is much better than a souvenir.

Yes we can: Deis Dems bring DNC to SCC Students gathered in the Shapiro Atrium last night to watch Barack Obama accept the Democratic Party’s nomination for President.

The event was made possible due to a collaboration between the Brandeis Democrats and Student Event.

Over 100 students attended the event, cheering for Obama when he mentioned eliminating student debt and increasing energy effeciancy.

Sen., John McCain is expected to accept the Republican nomination for President at the GOP Convention which begins Sept., 1, however the Brandeis Republicans have not planned a similar event.

--Ariel Wittenberg

PHOTO BY Andrew Rauner/The Hoot

PHOTO BY Andrew Rauner/The Hoot

12

August 29, 2008

The Hoot

NEWS

Usdan Student Center gets summer facelift C-Store moves, Quizno’s under construction Gameroom space halved for new C-Store In what was once Usdan’s C-Store, a Quizno’s sub shop will open towards the end of September.

To accommodate the new Quizno’s, Usdan’s gameroom was divided in half and the new C-Store will now be stationed in part of the former gameroom space.

In an e-mail message, Michael Newmark, director of Dining Services, said the idea to add a Quizno’s and expand the size of the C-Store originated five years ago as part of a dining master plan. This plan, developed

by Aramark, Brandeis students, and the administration, featured student surveys, community focus groups, and studies on traffic flow analysis, campus layout, and preferred national brands. The plan has been consistently evolving over the past five years, Newmark explained, based on various surveys and student feedback from the Student Union’s Dining Committee.

The old C-Store spanned just over 800 square feet, but the new store will exceed 2000 square feet. Because of its newly expanded space, the new store, named P.O.D. Market (Provisions on Demand Market), will now include many more options than its smaller space allowed.

Both the newly renovated C-Store and the new Quizno’s space have been completely renovated and rebuilt, according to project manager Bob Elias. Construction began this summer and should be completed within the next month. P.O.D. Market opened in time for arriving first-year students and Quiznos is slated to open in late September, Newmark said.

In both the Quizno’s and P.O.D. spaces, new ceilings, flooring, and electrical equipment have been installed, new walls have been built, new heating ventilating and air conditioning equipment and drain lines have

been installed. ConTo accommodate

BY CHRISSY CALLAHAN struction seems to be Editor the newly expanded on schedule, Elias said, C-Store, and the addiand it should be finished tion of a Quizno’s to quickly once trailers with equipment arrive in Usdan, the space for the gameroom was cut late August. in half over the summer.

Newmark believes the C-Store’s “shopping Towards the end of last semester, Araexperience will be greatly enhanced” because mark approached Student Activities to sugof the increased space. gest an expanded convenience store space.

Because of the increase in space, P.O.D. Construction commenced this summer. The now includes an expanded bottled beverage new C-Store, P.O.D. , occupies part of the selection and coffee/espresso and fountain old gameroom space. beverage areas. The frozen food selection While Quizno’s and P.O.D. required most and grab and go area have both been ex- of the major structural renovations this panded to fill the new space. summer, only minor structural changes P.O.D. Market’s produce and fruit market were needed in the gameroom, Metevier exwill feature various organic and local op- plained. Most of that work consisted of the tions. The new space also features a hot food construction of a dividing wall to separate it bar with Rotisserie chicken and various other from the new C-Store. Minor rewiring and hot food take-out options. redirecting of some lighting fixtures also ocReach-in coolers have also been installed curred. along the back wall of P.O.D. More storage While the gameroom lost square foothas been added to ensure that coolers and age, according to Student Activities Operashelves are fully stocked. The front of the tions Specialist Mark Metevier, the quality of store now has a small seating area, and music the game room itself has improved. “Even will now be played in the store. though we might be cutting something in With the changes made to the newly- half, we really want[ed] to bolster everything named P.O.D. Market and the construction for the student body,” he said. of the new Quizno’s, Newmark believes that The new space features new ping-pong taDining Services will successfully continue to bles and shuffleboard. All of the pool tables offer the entire Brandeis community several have also been re-felted and re-leveled, Metedining options and that it will create “even vier said. He explained that because of their greater flexibility to meet everyone’s differ- popularity, the pool and ping pong tables ent schedules, lifestyles, and food prefer- were two items Student Activities made sure ences.” to not only retain but to improve. The new Quiznos will be open Monday through tables will feature covers and inserts to keep Saturday 11 a.m. to 12 a.m. and will take them in good condition. There are plans to all forms of payment accepted at Brandeis’ transfer those ping-pong tables from the other dining locations. Both P.O. D. Market previous space that are still in decent condiand Quizno’s will use the C-meal program, tion to various residence halls, he added.

Newmark said.

A total of five flat screen televisions, all of which will be connected to cable, line the

game room’s newly painted walls. The new space will also feature a new Xbox, a Playstation 3, and a Wii system. Metevier said the gameroom has not lost any games, but will rather benefit from the new equipment and library of games.

Metevier is working with one outside company to bring in stand up arcade games and with another that will send Brandeis a library of video games for the consoles. This library will be constantly stocked and properly licensed, allowing Metevier to send back the editions that might not be as popular as others. “Our library of video games will always be fresh,” he explained.

The gameroom now features new countertops, which line the glass walls and face the outside.

The Student Service Bureau, which will remain stationed in the gameroom, has also been improved, Metevier commented. A new fridge featuring a glass case front will allow Student Services to better display the items they sell, such as birthday cakes.

In making all these changes, Metevier said he and the Student Activities team paid close attention to both students’ former requests and the latest trends at other colleges.

Metevier said he is excited about the new space and “want[s] to encourage people to make this place the place to be.” He said there are hopes to host more tournaments in the gameroom, and there will be a karaoke event in October.

Though he anticipates there might be some disappointment among students upset that their space was essentially cut in half, Metevier believes, “in the long run, students will react positively” to the changes.

Student Activities will host a grand opening event Oct. 3 to celebrate the newly-renovated space.

Are you intrepid?

Do you like meeting new people?

Would your name look sexy on the front page?

Contact Alison Channon at achannon@brandeis.edu to write for The Hoot!

Urso confirms availability Staff position created to help Triskelion ing bureaucratic stuff allows us to all grapple with sexuality. We all more on the student body.” have bodies.” of funding for weight room thought about an agenda because focus She added, “her pure purpose is to “Her office is in the ICC, which GLBTQ CONSULTANT (from p. 1)

WEIGHT ROOM (from p. 1)

the Union in rollover SAF money.

The Union will hold $25,000 in a capital reserve fund. After funding the reserve, the Union will have a balance of $112,600 available, Urso said. “They had a higher balance at one point,” he explained.

Last year, Urso said, some of the available rollover money was spent on projects for student organizations, among other things. Even so, Urso explained that the $112,600 figure is “a conservative number because we built in $10,000 contingency into the system’s project so that we know we’ll have enough money.”

“If Frank is verifying that they have enough money, they have enough money,” said Director of Athletics Sheryl Sousa, “as of to-

day, the money is there.” The question that existed in May, she said, is “how much the Union would be able to allocate.”

Over the summer, Sousa said, the Athletics department received “three competitive bids.”

“We can get it done for under $100,000,” she said. “As soon as the Union signs off and releases the funds, we can get it done pretty quickly.” Sousa said she would meet with Gray next week to finalize details of the project.

Once the financial decisions are complete, “we should be able to get [the weight room] done with minimal interruption to use,” Sousa stated. “We think it’s going to be a great space.”

“The weight room will happen,” said Gray, “there’s really no problem.”

my agenda is [Trisk’s] agenda,” she commented. “I need to begin with everything that’s on the table.”

Some of Trisk’s current projects include the gender-neutral bathroom project and the gender-neutral housing initiative. “She will be wonderful for those things – pushing the administration in ways that we can’t,” Straughan remarked.

“The great thing about Alison is that she will be a great advocate for cutting through the bureaucratic tape we’ve had to deal with in the past,” Trisk Pride coordinator Matt Shear ’11 said.

Furthermore, said Straughan, “having her there as an extra bounce for the extremely frustrat-

be our advocate. It lends us amazing amounts of power and influence.”

Better agreed, commenting on the importance of being able to “work with staff as staff.” Her position, she said, “allows for a connection between Trisk and Res Life that couldn’t happen before.”

In addition to working with Trisk to further their goals, Better will also hold office hours for all members of the community.

“Alison isn’t just for Trisk. Alison exists for our community,” he remarked.

Indeed, regardless if one identifies as GLBTQ, Better commented, “we all grapple with gender. We

is wonderful because Trisk is really trying to open itself up especially in terms of diversity,” Straughan commented. “We’d like to become a bigger part of the ICC.” Better reports to ICC Director Monique Gnanaratnam, who in turn reports to Adams.

“I look forward to a beautiful addition to the ICC family,” Adams commented. Her presence in the ICC and Trisk’s increased involvement, he said, will lead to a “greater sense of being able to be yourself on campus.”

“This is a demonstration of what happens when students and administrative folk come together,” Adams added.

Visit us online at www.thehoot.net

August 29, 2008

NEWS

The Hoot 13

Students, admin. work to ‘Friends of Brandeis,’ alums reduce campus waste contribute record amounts

BY KATHLEEN FISCHMAN Editor

As part of a collaborative effort between students and the administration to decrease bottled water consumption at Brandeis, the Campus Sustainability Initiative is distributing a free reusable water bottle to every undergraduate student and installing water refill stations on campus.

Matt Schmidt ’11, President of Students for Environmental Action, explained that recycling is an energy-intensive process and it is more efficient to reduce and reuse.

“We want to create a more sustainable campus with less bottled water by providing alternatives,” he said. “It really reinforces our commitment to sustainability.”

Sustainability Coordinator Janna Cohen-Rosenthal added that the water bottle project “is a great way to educate the community because it highlights how the decisions we make have big implications.” She also emphasized that while the water bottle project will be a “big lifestyle change” for Brandeis, it is just one part of greater sustainability efforts which include hiring student Eco-Reps for each quad, switching to single-stream recycling and much more.

The bottled water project grew from Tap That, a campaign started

by SEA to encourage the consumption of tap water in place of bottled water in order to reduce the university’s environmental impact. This campaign turned to larger policy action when students approached President Jehuda Rein-

harz to ask for a significant reduction in or elimination of the use of bottled water on campus.

In response, Reinharz has requested that Aramark discontinue the use of bottled water at catered events on campus and has also asked Senior Vice President for Students and Enrollment Jean Eddy to create a committee comprised of students, faculty and staff to review the issues of bottled water on campus. Reinharz explained his decision to “take a leadership role on the issue of bottled water and other environmental issues” in an e-mail to the Brandeis community. “[T]he purchase of bottled water has crucial social, environmental, economic, and health implications,” he wrote. “The production, transport, and disposal of bottled water are wasteful, energy intensive and polluting, and, on a national basis, more than 85 percent of water bottles end up in landfills.”

So far, the water bottle initiative has garnered positive reactions from many students. Environmental Studies major Lindsey Sarquilla ’10 said, “this is one of the coolest things they’ve done at Brandeis so far. I think people sometimes focus too much on the recycling aspect of the triangle instead of the more important aspects, reducing and reusing, and these water bottles do both.”

Water bottles will continue to be distributed next Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 12 to 3 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center atrium.

FUNDRAISING (from p. 1)

contributed a third of this year’s donations.

The Board of Trustees sets the Campaign for Brandeis’ goals and votes whether or not to continue with the Campaign once an objective is reached. At the Campaign’s inception, according to Winship, the board was “very nervous” about whether a young university would be able to reach the substantial goal of $470 million. When the Campaign exceeded the original goal of $470 million in 2006, however, the trustees unanimously voted to attempt to reach $770 million

by June 2009. This goal was surpassed in April, more than a year before the deadline, and the board once more voted to continue with the Campaign.

The majority of the funds this year, $33.6 million, came from friends of Brandeis. Winship wrote, “What makes Brandeis unique from other institutions is the money that is able to be raised from friends…[like] the Jewish community, which has supported Brandeis from the beginning.”

She detailed that donors who do not have a permanent connection to Brandeis are attracted by the university’s commitment to social justice or see a cash gift or pledge as an “investment.”

Last year, the Schusterman Family Foundation, an organization whose self-declared mission is “helping Jewish people flourish,” gave a $15 million gift to establish an Israel Studies center.

Alumni have consistently contrib-

uted to the Campaign for Brandeis as well. In the 2008 fiscal year, two alumni made record-breaking gifts and pledges. Robert Sillerman ’69 gave a cash gift of $10 million, the largest cash gift from an alumnus, to create a center for the advancement of philanthropy. Donald Soffer ’54 pledged $15 million to support the sciences. The money will help fund Brandeis’ science initiative, which includes the largest single capital endeavor in Brandeis’ history, the Carl J. Shapiro Science Center.

Over the past few years, alumni have been donating more frequently and in increasing amounts. For example, in 1995 alumni gave $4.1 million, compared to this year’s $25 million. Winship, however, emphasized the importance of small cash gifts. The average age of a Brandeis alum is 41, so many are unable to donate great sums of money. “The difference is made up by many people who make generous, but smaller gifts,” Winship said.

The Phonathon, a program in which student callers solicit alumni, parents, and friends for annual gifts, received an average pledge of $150. In total, the Phonathon raised a record high of $900,400.

Matthew Magida, the Annual Giving Officer, commented on why the Phonathan is essential to the fundraising effort. “It’s the largest form of communication alums have with Brandeis and more alums respond to it than direct mailings,” Magida said.

He also stressed the significance of alumni participation through donations because college ranking

sites (such as U.S. News and World Report) look at alumni cash gifts or pledges as signs of alumni satisfaction.

Donations and pledges are used to fund a variety of aspects of university life. According to the Office of Capital Projects website, since 1994, 90% of capital projects have been gift-funded. Recently, the Mandel Foundation has pledged $22.5 million to establish a Mandel Center for the Humanities. Carl and Ruth Shapiro have also donated $14 million to build a new campus admissions center; 15 years ago they provided the funds for the original. Donors can endow scholarships, fellowships, and faculty chairs, as well as contribute funds for current-use.

The Campaign for Brandeis is entering its third phase, which focuses on continuing to gather funds for the science initiative and on raising $154 million for student scholarships.

Winship said, “We believe that the transformation in the lives of Brandeis students and alumni created by the scholarships is a compelling reason for alumni, friends, and parents to support this initiative.” She explained that more money needed to be raised for scholarships, in part because of the worsening economy.

In regards to how the state of the economy will impact future fundraising efforts, Winship was confident. “Brandeis has never rested on its laurels, or held back from a challenge, so we are aiming for another record year for 2009.”

After training and certification, officers armed undergo before receiving their firearms.

The committee included three underthe last letter of the alphabet,” he added. graduate students – former Union president Before gaining possession of the firearms, Shreeya Sinha ’09, Matt Rogers ’08, and FanCallahan said, every officer underwent an inny Familia ’09. After the selection of three tense training program, which included lesundergraduate representatives, the Union sons on verbal skills, diversity training, how held forums for students to express their to escalate and de-escalate violent situations, various concerns. and psychological and drug testing.

Lacombe said that he is concerned that, The drug testing will continue yearly for despite the training, the presence of guns on all officers in possession of firearms, and campus increases the possibility of a fatal the psychological test (which is similar to the police-student conflict. test officers take when they apply to work at “I know that the officers are trained to the university) will be reviewed on a need-be only use the guns in situations when they basis, Callahan said. feel their lives are at stake, but violent situCallahan himself has been through the ations can quickly escalate and become untraining and now carries a firearm. clear. Accidents happen.”

In response to the Virginia Tech shooting Callahan, however, wants to assure the in April 2007, Brandeis University President campus that the police having possession of fireIn the year between the decision to arm campus police and their acquiring firearms, the arms will prove beneficial.

Brandeis campus exploded with protests, petitions, forums and debates. Here’s a look at what happened when.

“It’s a perception thing. Most November 18, 2007 people, when they SODA meets with Reinharz to voice their concerns. see an officer, will June 12, 2008 September 12, 2007 Reinharz agrees to holding an informational panel The first Brandeis police officers pass probably look at Reinharz decides to about the guns, but does not alter his decision. training and receive firearms. their guns right arm camous police. away, especially at Brandeis,” he said. “I know that guns have a sort of stigma here, April 16, 2007 but they are nothOctober, 2007 November 27, 2007 September, 2008 Shootings at Virginia Tech ing to be afraid of.

All campus officers will be armed SODA (Students Opposed to Student Union Outreach Dream cause Brandeis AdministraIt’s another tool when on duty. the decision to Arm) is formed Team hosts forum to answer tion to rethink their decision towards increasing

by Ben Serby ‘10 and Phil student’s questions about the armto arm campus police. the safety, not deLaComb, ‘10. ing of campus police. creasing it.”

FIREARMS (from p. 1)

Jehuda Reinharz, along with an advisory panel, made the decision to arm Brandies Public Safety officers last September.

The panel ultimately decided that there was a “legitimate gap” in response time between the Waltham Police and Brandeis Public Safety that made the arming of campus police a necessity, Callahan said.

The decision was met by protests and petitions across the campus, and resulted in the Democracy For America DFA sponsored group, Students Opposed to the Decision to Arm. SODA took action in the form of petitions and even met with Reinharz to encourage him to rethink the decision.

While Reinharz agreed that the Student Union should hold a forum to answer stu-

In the line of fire:

dents’ questions about the arming of campus police, he did not change his mind about the issue.

Phil Lacombe ’10 co-founded SODA with fellow junior Ben Serby in October of 2007 after hearing about the decision to arm.

“With Brandeis Police having guns, it makes guns a part of our campus life,” Lacombe said. “I like to think of Brandeis as a safe zone where we can keep certain things away from our community, but now guns are a part of it.”

After many students expressed concern about his decision, Reinharz created a Firearms Policy Advisory Committee in order to determine how the firearms would be introduced to campus. The result was the intense, month long training that all officers must

14

August 29, 2008

The Hoot

SPORTS

Brandeis alumnus wins Olympic silver

Tim Morehouse talks about his Brandeis experience and his journey to the top of the fencing world

BY ZACHARY ARONOW Editor

Many fencers have come and gone through Coach William Shipman’s program in his 27 years at Brandeis. August 17 however gave a first for Coach Shipman and Brandeis: an Olympic medal-winning Brandeis alumnus.

Tim Morehouse ’00, the first alumnus to qualify for the Olympics back in 2004 as a reserve, became the first Brandeis medalist as the US Men’s sabre team surpassed heavily favored Hungary and Russia and picked up the silver, falling to France in the gold medal round.

The silver was the first medal won by the US sabre team since the 1948 games where they brought home the bronze.

“WE DID IT TODAY!” Morehouse wrote in his blog on August 22. “Unbelievable! I keep pinching myself to make sure that I didn’t just dream the fact that we won an Olympic Silver Medal! I have never cried tears of joy until today. I can’t even begin to describe what it felt like to clinch our medal and especially in the dramatic fashion with which it occurred.”

For Coach Shipman, it was another pinnacle reached in his long reconstruction and rebuilding of the Brandeis fencing program.

“When I first got here,” Shipman explained, “it was the men’s teams and the women’s teams that were more separated.

The women’s team was quite accomplished, one of the better handful of teams in New England and had been prominent nationally on occasion. The men’s team was not, it was more of a club team with little structure and took kids directly out of phys ed classes straight to the team, so it’s a big difference between now and then.”

Shipman later added, “To be competitive, even a low national level, you have to recruit, so we endeavored on that. I came from Penn where recruiting was pretty crucial to the program and there’s, we’re the National Champions while I was there. So we just started recruiting and we still trained a lot of athletes on campus until the early 90’s probably.”

Tim Morehouse could never have predicted where fencing would take him when he first took part in the sport. “It got me out of gym when I was in 7th grade, so I signed for it,” Morehouse explained, “[I] didn’t know what fencing was but I kind of wanted to get out of PE so I joined the fencing team, and I didn’t go to fencing practice but I also didn’t go to PE and actually almost got kicked off the team for missing practice, the coach sat me down and was like, “you miss another practice, you’re off the team.” And then from that point on, I decided that I enjoyed On Wednesday, August 27th, the Brandeis Athletics Department released the schedule for its Group Fitness classes during the Fall 2008 semester. These classes cover a wide range of exercise activities and are designed to provide a cardiovascular or strength training workout. They also focus on giving attendees the training necessary to practice proper fitness activities outside of class.

it enough to basically work at it and really didn’t miss a practice from that point on.”

Morehouse and Shipman crossed paths at the Mamaroneck Invitational in 1996. “Well we’ve had a relationship with his high school and his high school coach [Riverdale’s Martin Schneider] for quite a long time.” Shipman explained, “We’ve had about five or six kids from his high school here, so I always take a look at his better fencers at that school in Riverdale. And I was at that Mamaroneck Tournament and his coach mentioned him to me so I watched him, and asked him if he would be interested. I could see he was a good fencer, you know we’re always on the lookout for good fencers, we’re in no position to be selective at that point so we’re glad to have him. He actually wanted to go to Penn but Penn didn’t take him up on his offer so we’re lucky to get him.”

“I was very cocky when I came to school initially,” Morehouse recalled, “although I wasn’t recruited, but I felt could beat a lot of people. My first year was actually humbling, I didn’t do very well, and it made me rethink everything and kind of realize that, you know, continue to work hard but it was going to be a bigger challenge than I expected it was going to be. In terms of my year, I think I was very unpolished, you know I was six foot two still but hadn’t grown into my height, so I was a little bit, I was not as coordinated as I would become later on.”

Coach Shipman was there to witness everything.

“He was still gangly as a freshman here and then as a sophomore, he was not too strong, he had mono his freshman year so that helped him, set him back a little bit but he developed physically and became much stronger, bigger, you know, it’s all between the ages of 18 and 22 roughly, so maybe he’s little bit late bloomer physically. And he started training more, I think he started fencing more often, really putting more effort and he certainly became stronger you know on his – used his axis more strategically right along.”

In his last tenure at Brandeis, Morehouse was a three time UAA Champion, three time All-American, served as captain in his last two years with the squad, and in 2000, was voted NCAA’s men’s Fencer of the Year after leading the Judges to a top-10 finish in the Division I NCAA championships. Although he had built himself up on South Street, Morehouse still had a way to go. So Morehouse combined his two passions: fencing and education.

“I joined Teach for America after graduating in 2000,” Morehouse said, “and I taught in New York, and New York is where kind Each class is taught by a certified fitness instructor and is held one day a week. They are free for all members of the Brandeis community and do not require registration or regular attendance.

All classes will be held in the Gosman Aerobics Room. Contact the Brandeis Athletics Office for more information.

of a hub for state-level fencing for the men so while I was teaching, I was also training and, you know I started to slowly like, every year, I moved up in the national ranking when I graduated from Brandeis and each year I moved up about four or five spots and then in 2003, I think I was sixth in the country and I was within a shade of making the team, and in ’04 I trained, I coached while I was doing it but for the most part I was training full time and, you know, I was fortunate enough to make my first team, I finished fourth in 2004 from that year on, I was making the world champion team every year.”

Morehouse made the 2004 squad and was at Athens as an alternate where he witnessed teammate and friend Keeth Smart lose backto-back 45-44 matches dropping the Americans to fourth place. “2004 was a great experience,” Morehouse said, “it was the first team I made. Even though I didn’t get to compete in Athens, I went, I saw everything you know when you’re sitting on the bench, you feel like you’re almost in there, you can really feel the intensity of it, and I think that the reason why the team is able to fence so well at the Olympics was because of a bad experience.”

After the eyes were dried, Morehouse and the US men’s sabre team returned to work, and before long, 2008 rolled around, and the sabre team entered the competition ranked seventh and considered heavy underdogs.

The US first faced off against world champion Hungary where Keeth Smart pulled off a 45-44 victory in the final match to send the US to the semi-finals against Russia. Once again, Smart provided the heroics with another 45-44 win to send the US to the gold medal finals, where they fell to France 4537.

“France, they were favored to win, they have a very solid team up and down their line up” Morehouse said, “…Basically we beat Hungary and Russia to make the gold medal match and both of those are professional teams, Hungary was the world champion last year and we are, I worked 30 hours a week the last two years so it was pretty remarkable. Keeth Smart worked also that we basically, a team that’s not professional, not making money, you know, fencing was able to beat, you know, professional teams, kind of like a triple-A team making it to the World Series, guys who aren’t making too much money are knocking off million dollar players, and that’s potentially what we did, and it was amusing...”

Morehouse had outscored Hungary 7-2 in the opening round and was responsible for 17 points in the semi-finals, including a criti-

cal 7-5 victory against the Russians. France shut Morehouse down to seven points. Earlier in the Olympics, Morehouse was defeated in the individual sabre competition and finished 22nd overall.

Even with time to process everything returning to the States, Morehouse still finds difficulty in conveying what winning the medal was like and the aftermath of it. “It was just one of the most amazing experiences in my life, it’s like burned into my memory – the emotion, the feeling, all of it and it’s something I’ll cherish and tell my children and grandkids about for the rest of my life.

Just amazing, to win a medal for your country…seeing the American flag being raised and knowing that you were a part of that, it’s a tremendous feeling.”

With a silver medal in hand, the future is an ambiguous decision for Morehouse. When asked about his future plans he replied, “I haven’t decided yet if I’ll go on to London and try to make that team. Right now, just trying to figure out, for the next few months I’m going to take time and kind of enjoy the celebrations that go along with winning a medal. And I’ll try to figure out what I’m going to do with my career and how fencing fits in. But the short term plan is to continue fencing and see how long if it continues to work with my career, and if I find I continue to enjoy it, then I will obviously stay healthy and continue in the fall but if there’s another path that lies ahead in education or something like that, then I could see going that route as well. We’ll see, time will tell at this point.”

The only certainty in the near future for Morehouse is a visit back to Brandeis where plans for a “Tim Morehouse Day” are underway for the next couple of months. Accompanying him will be a lovely silver guest all the way from Beijing. It’s an event that Morehouse looks forward to. “People at Brandeis have been so amazing to me. I’ve gotten countless messages on Facebook and from email from students, from alumni, from incoming freshman and I just want to thank everyone in the Brandeis community for supporting me, its been tremendous, and I’m looking forward to bringing the silver medal to campus and letting everyone check it out and really sharing the dream with the Brandeis community.”

So congratulations are due to two champions of Brandeis, Tim Morehouse and William Shipman: one Olympian and one of the many individuals who helped that Olympian reach that mark.

Group Fitness Class Schedule Cardio Express with Raquel Rosenblatt: Wednesdays, 12:15-1:00 Cardio Toning with Beth Bracken: Tuesdays, 5:30-6:30 Kickboxing with Beth Bracken: Thursdays, 5:30-6:30 Step Aerobics with Xu Simon: Mondays, 5:30-6:30 Yoga with Alexandra Schoolman: Wednesdays, 5:30-6:30

August 29, 2008

SPORTS

Ben Premo, head coach Mike Coven lead Men’s Soccer in 2008

BY ADAM HUGHES Editor

Under the helm of Mike Coven, the veteran head coach entering his 36th year, Brandeis’s men’s soccer team is ready to begin their season and looking for redemption after a disappointing 2007. After winning the 2006 ECAC Division III New England Championship, the Judges fell to 8-9-3 last season and failed to register even one conference victory, finishing at the bottom of the University Athletic Association. The team has a lot to look forward to however; a new field and some young talent should combine with some established stars to make the 2008 season exciting for all Brandeis soccer fans.

Senior co-captain Ben Premo ‘09 is the primary force behind the Judges’ attack. A former All-UAA selection, Premo’ career statistics of 28 goals and 19 assists give him 75 points, placing him tenth on Brandeis’s all-time scoring list.

Premo’s 9 points last year in the face of constant double-teaming represented a slight drop-off

from the torrid pace of his first two seasons, but a strong rebound could move him as high as fourth on Brandeis’s career chart. Premo will be complemented by classmate and fellow forward Alex Mithoefer ‘09, whose excellent .238 shooting percentage made him last year’s most prolific goal scorer despite only 9 starts.

Co-captain Adam Guttman ‘09 is the senior leader of the Brandeis midfield, a strong unit that includes Corey Bradley ‘10, the leading midfield scorer in 2007, and the more defensive-minded Alex Zenerovitz ‘10. Bradley and Zenerovitz each started 18 games last year, tied for the lead among returning field players.

The defense is suffering from the loss of two All-UAA selections and will feature some fresh faces in 2008. Nick Howard ‘11 earned 10 starts as a freshman in 2007 and will play a big role in anchoring the unit. Experienced leadership will come from co-captain Kevin Murphy ‘09, a combination midfielder and defender.

Taylor Bracken ‘10 returns to tend the net after a mammoth sophomore year in which he started 18 games, registered 5 shutouts, and led the UAA with 86 saves, earning an all-UAA honorable mention.

The Judges will not have to battle high expectations this year, as the preseason UAA poll pegged Brandeis to finish last in the eight team conference. The UAA schedule promises to be difficult, as four teams earned a spot in the NSCAA/Adidas Division III Rankings, including last year’s UAA champion Washington University and this season’s UAA #1 Emory University.

Brandeis’s 19-game schedule begins on Saturday, August 30th, at home against Endicott College.

The game is at 1:00 PM at the newly renovated Gordon Field, which features a brand new scoreboard and A-Turf playing surface.

Conference play commences on October 4th on the road against the University of Rochester.

Women’s Soccer team young but ready to defend ECAC title

BY ADAM HUGHES Editor

After a triumphant 2007 campaign, the Brandeis women’s soccer team is set to continue their extended streak of quality play as the 2008 season begins. Last year, the team’s fifth consecutive postseason appearance culminated in a 2-0 defeat of Keene State in the ECAC Championship game, the first such title in the history of the program.

Now, the team is prepared to make a run to equal or better their 13-6-2 record from last year and improve upon their average 3-3-1 record in the always difficult UAA. The challenge for head coach Denise Dallamora, assistant coach Kerry O’Malley, and the players of this year’s squad will be to recover from the loss of their two leading scorers, Tzlil Castel ‘08 and All-UAA selection Sarah Jasik ‘08. Fortunately, junior co-captain Melissa Gorenkoff ‘10 proved more than capable of picking up the slack with a stellar 2007. Go-

renkoff scored 8 goals and added 6 assists to total 22 points, earning more than twice as many shots on goal as any other player on the team. Her hard work was rewarded with an All-UAA selection, and further growth is expected as she moves into a more prominent role in the offense.

The forward position will be strengthened by a pair of promising sophomores, Tiffany Pacheco ‘11 and Kelly Cozzens ‘11.

Pacheo’s 17 points as a freshman were good for fourth on the team, and Cozzens finished sixth, specializing as a late-game player with 20 appearances despite only one start. Another sophomore, Sofia Vallone ‘11, will look to improve on a three-goal rookie year as she takes a more active role in the midfield.

Two co-captains will be expected to provide the leadership on an otherwise youthful defensive group. Abby Shields ‘10 and All-UAA honorable mention Meredith Milstein ‘09 both started all

21 games last season, providing invaluable defensive strength that the team hopes will inspire its promising young players like Taryn Martiniello ‘11 and Ruth Orbach ‘11. Martiniello and Orbach both appeared in every game as freshmen, experience that should help them play like seasoned veterans in their second year.

Goalkeeper Hilary Rosenzweig ‘10 also started every game during the championship run, compiling a superb 1.18 goals against average and a .790 save percentage while shutting out Brandeis’s opponents 7 times, including all three games of the ECAC tournament.

Despite last year’s success, the preseason UAA poll places Brandeis sixth out of eight teams, with Emory University and the University of Chicago tied for first.

The Judges’ season-long attempt to defy this pessimistic outlook starts on August 30th at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before returning home on September 3rd against Gordon College.

Interested in writing sports for The Hoot?

E-mail athughes@brandeis.edu to get into the game!

The Hoot 15

Both Men’s and Women’s Cross Country teams welcome new members to bolster already strong squads

BY JORDAN ROTHMAN Editor

While many students were finishing up their summer breaks, both the men’s and women’s Cross Country teams arrived a week early to Brandeis in order to prepare for the upcoming year. Both squads come off strong seasons, as each team made respectable progress last Fall. The men ran strong all throughout the season and posted a fifth place finish at the UAA Championship meet in October.

This mark was merely four points away from a top three finish, and Brandeis runner Mekonen Gendebo ’11 claimed Rookie of the Year status at that competition. The women likewise ran some strong races last season, culminating in a sixth place finish at the UAA meet hosted by Brandeis and an 18th place mark at the New England Division Three competition.

The men’s squad will be losing some of its runners this Fall as several athletes on the team graduated in the Spring. The team loses John Guilinger ’08, a strong runner who faced some injuries last season.

He was a formidable athlete and had posted notable times in both the Cross Country and Track seasons. The team also said goodbye to Tim Condon ’08 and Dan Suher ’08, both longtime runners on the squad. The women’s team, however, will be returning all its members, and the group is happy to be returning in full. “It’s really exciting because the girls team didn’t lose any seniors last year,” commented Beth Pisaruk ’10. “And I can tell that everyone worked hard over the summer to come back stronger than ever.”

The women are welcoming a talented class of four new first-year runners. Some of these athletes are siblings of recent or current members of the team. Erin Bisceglia ’12 is the sister of Cross Country star Megan Bisceglia ’07. The team also welcomes Alyssa Pisarik ’12 who is the sister of current runner Beth Pisarik ’10. In addition, the women welcome two more runners who excelled in the high school Massachusetts Cross Country circuit.

Kate Warwick ‘12 and Molly Shanley ‘12 are now on the roster, and if their collegiate running is as good as their high school achievement, these women will be a true resource to the team.

The squad is excited about these newcomers and the contribution

that they will make to the program.

“The freshmen girls are awesome,” commented Co-Captain Katy Agule about the rookie runners.

She went on to explain, “I feel like they already fit in with the other girls really well and they already know what is expected of them and have come back to school in great shape.”

The men welcome five new athletes to the roster, each of them providing speed and energy to the team. Veteran runners express much confidence in their first-year teammates. “We welcome a class of true distance runners,” explained Mike Stone ‘09 about his new teammates. “We have much more depth and quality depth at that.” These runners will hopefully help fill the gaps left by departing seniors and give the team new vigor to attack the upcoming season.

The women seem excited about their potential for the upcoming season. Beth Pisarik ‘10 is optimistic about the future of both squads this year. “All in all I think we will have a great season on both the girls and the guys side of the program,” commented Pisarik. “Brandeis will definitely be a Division III powerhouse and a tough force to reckon with throughout the Fall.” Co-Captain Katy Agule ‘09 echoed similar sentiments: “I am really excited about this upcoming year.” She continued by commenting, “Everyone came back in great shape, and we are a really tight knit team.

Everyone is ready to run really fast this season and, just like the freshmen, ready to dedicate themselves to cross-country and beyond.”

Members of the men’s team expressed similar feelings but conveyed some obstacles to their prospects for this year. “Given our larger numbers, we will have challenges in communication to overcome,” related runner Mike Stone ‘09. “But in general, having numerous talented and hard-working runners will be a boon for the program for years to come.”

The team will compete this weekend at Weston high school against cross-town rivals Bentley College.

The meet is more of a laid back competition for the Judges but will prepare them for more important performances later in the season.

The upcoming competition will also be a good indication of how the team stands as they welcome new teammates and say goodbye to veteran runners.

16

August 29, 2008

The Hoot

WEEKEND FUN Spotlight on Boston

Shear Madness:

Friday to Saturday, Aug. 29-31, 2008 74 Warrenton St., Boston Is your best friend's name Watson?

Are you the next Nancy Drew?

If you answered yes, then you should buy a ticket to this play. The audience solves the crime. College rush special: $20 at the door, bring your college id.

www.shearmadness.com

Campfire Music Festival: Friday to Saturday, Aug. 29-31, 2008 Club Passim, 26 Church St., Suite 300, Cambridge

Club Passim hosts a ccelebration of folk music where old favorites and newcomers will perform.

How can you resist bands with names like

VP post vacated RESIGNATION (from p. 1)

for comment from The Hoot.

Sign-ups for the new election will begin Sept. 3, Union President Jason Gray ’10 said. “Unfortunately [resignations] happen and you move forward,” Gray commented. “We have everything in place to make sure the process moves smoothly.”

Recently elected Union Secretary Tia Chatterjee ’09 will oversee the election process.

Last spring, Kerns defeated four other candidates, including former secretary Nelson Rutrick ’09, former Senator-at-Large Andrew Brooks ’09, former class of 2009 Senator Julia Sferlazzo, and former Finance Board member Jordan Rothman ’09, to secure his position.

In the final round of the election, he defeated Rothman by just over 5 percentage points. Sferlazzo and Rothman have since been elected to the Union Judiciary.

Before securing the vice-presidency, Kerns was involved in a gender-neutral housing initiative.

He had been party to talks between members of TransBrandeis and Residence Life officials. That project, Gray explained, “will be picked up by other members of the E-board.”

In the interim, before a new vice-president is elected, Executive Senator Eric Alterman ’09 will fill Kerns’ spot overseeing the Union Senate meetings, per the Union Constitution, Gray explained.

Blue Moose and the Unbuttoned Zippers? $18,00/day pass. www.passimcenter.org Cuddle Magic and

What's going on at Brandeis?

'80s Night:

Friday, Aug. 29, 2008, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Levin Ballroom, Usdan Student Center

PHOTO BY Napoleon Lherisson/The Hoot

New and Old Kids On the Block, party like it's 1989! Wear '80s fashion and get your footloose on while '80s cover bands rock the night away.

Woodstock Extravaganza:

Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008, 4 p.m. to 8 p. m.

Shapiro Campus Center, Great Lawn

Free food, free music, tie dying , flip-flop decorating, and a bungee run...under those circumstances, who would not want peace & love for everyone?

Construction Site:

Saturday, Aug. 30, 2008, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Levin Ballroom and Alumni Lounge

You've seen the construction sites on campus, now party in a reconstruction of one! Expect black lights, music, t-shirts, and highlighters.

Safety helmet not required.

Judge B. Owl

PHOTO BY Max Shay/The Hoot

By Ian Price

Insert Comic Here

By Anthony Scibelli