The Justice, December 5, 2017 by The Justice

ARTS Page 19

FORUM Realize the value of privacy 11 SPORTS Women’s basketball improves to 4-2 16

‘MIDSUMMER’ NATALIA WIATER/the Justice

The Independent Student Newspaper

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Volume LXX, Number 12

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Tuesday, December 5, 2017

LABOR UNION

OPEN FINANCE MEETING

Univ. police press administration for contract response

■ ACOPS Local 20 sent an

email to President Liebowitz asking for a response on their contract negotiation. By AMBER MILES JUSTICE EDITOR

The Brandeis University Police Association contacted University President Ron Liebowitz late Sunday night, urging him to “do what is right and take the necessary steps” toward resolving more than a year of contract negotiations, according to an email that the union shared with the Justice. After its contract expired in July 2016, the union — an American Coalition of Public Safety chapter known as ACOPS Local 20 — sought contract changes that would improve officers’ morale, efficiency and quality of life, ac-

cording to Sunday’s email. These changes included requests for additional training and adjustments to officers’ work schedules, which two union representatives elaborated upon in an interview with the Justice last spring. During negotiations, ACOPS Local 20 called for more training for active-shooter and mass-casualty incidents, and it proposed pushing officers’ shifts up by one hour, according to a May 2 article in the Justice. ACOPS Local 20 sent the letter to Liebowitz after participating in eight negotiation meetings from October 2016 to March 2017 and seven federal mediation meetings since July 2017, according to the email. “Despite our best efforts to work with the University’s committee, meaningful progress was virtually unattainable,” the email read.

See ACOPS, 7 ☛

FACULTY

Faculty retirement plan goes into effect ■ President Liebowitz

announced the new faculty retirement plan in his Trustees meeting summary. By ABBY PATKIN JUSTICE EDITOR

In response to an aging faculty and calls for more support for senior and emeriti professors, the University recently announced a retirement plan for tenured faculty, according to a Nov. 27 email from University President Ron Liebowitz. The Brandeis Pathways to Retirement Plan for Tenured Faculty is “designed to provide enhanced retirement options to eligible fulltime tenured faculty members providing the equivalent of up to one-year of their base salary,” according to an informational hand-

out that the University administration provided to the Justice. The voluntary plan is available to full-time tenured faculty members over 65 who have at least 10 years of service at the University and who have not already signed a retirement agreement. There are three options included in the plan: a one-year option, a two-year option and a three-year option. Under the one-year option, the faculty member has no teaching or service obligations and receives full pay for a year. The second option allows the faculty member to teach half-time for two years and receive full salary and benefits during that time. The last option allows tenured faculty to teach half-time for two years with 75 percent pay and quarter-time the last year with 50 percent pay. Notably, the University does not offer medical or dental care to retirees.

YVETTE SEI/the Justice

UNIVERSITY FINANCES: The open forum on finances was held in the International Lounge, Usdan on Monday afternoon.

Finance administrators meet with community in forum ■ Administrators met with

the community for a forum on University finance reports and expectations. By DANIELA MICHANIE JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Brandeis’ endowment falls short in comparison to peer institutions, creating an unsustainable and constrained budget, according to various administrators who spoke at an open forum Tuesday evening. Convened by University President Ron Liebowitz and Steve Uretsky, the executive vice president for finance and administration, the forum also outlined financial and administrative goals for the coming fiscal year. These included developing a University financial framework and longrange financial models, supporting campus dialogue on divestment and reviewing benefits and wellness programs. It has been at least a decade since the University has done an indirect cost analysis to evaluate Brandeis’ yearly and long term budget, according to Uretsky. In an effort to promote transparency around the University’s financial, adminis-

trative and operational functions, Uretsky, as well as Sam Solomon, the University’s chief financial officer, revealed that the University is “financially viable but constrained.” The current market value of the University’s endowment is $976 million, meaning the University would have to raise $900 million, nearly double the current amount, in order to match the median endowment per student of peer schools like Princeton University, Johns Hopkins University and Northwestern University. Solomon also explained that although the last fiscal year marks the third straight year of a surplus, the profit margin that the University is generating is not large enough to invest in the University. “The surplus we are generating — about $1.2 million, on an operating budget of over $330 million — is pretty small, and a very small percentage,” said Solomon. “It’s not generating the amount of money we need to invest in programs and buildings and deferred maintenance.” Student revenue, Solomon explained, accounts for 45 percent of the total revenue, making it the University’s largest source of rev-

enue, followed by research, the endowment, gifts and other miscellaneous sources. He noted that although it accounts for about 18 percent of revenue, research revenue does not pay for central costs, as every dollar earned for research is spent on additional research. A breakdown of expenses by program also showed that the University spends nearly an equal amount of the budget on auxiliary services (housing, dining and stores), student services, academic support and institutional support, which includes the president’s office. Solomon also explained that 60 percent of the University’s expenses are spent on people, including faculty, academic support staff and the administration. Yet benefits and wellness programs for employees of the University were among the problem areas that were highlighted during the forum. As of now, Brandeis does not provide paid parental leave for its employees and does not provide a 457(b) plan, an employer-sponsored retirement savings plan. “There are significant examples of where we are lacking in that space,” said Uretsky. “And so our expectation is [that] over a three-

See FINANCE, 7 ☛

Puzzled

Early Struggles

Giving Tuesday

 Art historian Annie Storr talked about a new way to look at art.

 The men’s basketball team lost its third straight game this past Sunday at Tufts University.

The University raised nearly $400k on the International Day of Philanthropy.

DILLON GARVEY/the Justice

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See RETIREMENT, 7 ☛

Waltham, Mass.

Let your voice be heard! Submit letters to the editor online at www.thejustice.org

FEATURES 9

INDEX

SPORTS 16

YURAN SHI/the Justice

ARTS SPORTS

17 13

EDITORIAL FEATURES

10 OPINION 8 POLICE LOG

10 2

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2017

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NEWS SENATE LOG Senate approves new clubs and discusses spring semester plans The Senate convened for its final meeting of the semester on Sunday. Madeline Bisgyer ’20, Phoebe Dolan ’20 and Alina Sipp-Alpers ’21 appeared on behalf of the Brandeis Labor Coalition to seek probationary club status. Sipp-Alpers said that the club wanted funding to recruit members at the Student Activities Fair and to become an official member of the United Students Against Sweatshops, as well as use its recognition to develop a relationship with the University. Sipp-Alpers presented the BLC’s one-semester plan, which included regular meetings with the workers and a voucher program for students to share a meal with a worker. The Senate voted to grant probationary status to the Brandeis Labor Coalition. After a discussion about exclusivity in ethnicity vs. exclusivity in culture, the Senate voted to charter the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers. Student Union Vice President Hannah Brown ’19 reported that Aseem Kumar ’20 was elected the chair of the Allocations Board. Brown met with Assistant Dean of Students Stephanie Grimes to discuss student concerns about lack of follow-up after the Nov. 20 armed robbery. Health and Safety Committee Chair and East Quad Senator Samantha Barrett ’20 reported that the committee met to discuss the armed robbery incident. Barrett stated that the committee will work on the issue of the prohibition of pepper spray on campus. Campus Operations Working Group Chair and Senator at Large Shaquan McDowell ’18 reported that the committee met with Vice President for Campus Operations Jim Gray to present the results of its menstrual product initiative. Club Support Committee Chair Tal Richtman ’20 reported that the committee has decided on its projects for next semester: adding an advisor for every club, updating the renewal form that every club needs to submit each semester and deciding the meaning of a probationary club status. Executive Senator Aaron Finkel ’20, also the chair of the Services and Outreach Committee, reported that the Turkey Shuttles were successful, though there were some issues with students missing buses. Class of 2020 Senator Jonathan Chen reported that many Chinese parents were concerned about the armed robbery incident and had seen fake news circulating in the Chinese media about the incident. Chen worked to create a translation of President Liebowitz’s statements to dispel these rumors. International Senator Linfei Yang ’20 reported that the alert system for international students on campus over the break was successfully beta-tested. Yang added that the hours and food in the Stein over the Thanksgiving holiday were poor for international students staying on campus. Richtman, also the Chair of the Community Emergency and Enhancement Fund Committee, announced the decisions for CEEF funding. $10,817 will be allocated to the Brandeis Farmers Club for adding study spaces on the roof of the Shapiro Science Center and growing food. Another $6,133 will go to the Student Music Initiative for student musicians to use Cholmondeley’s Coffee House as a practice space, with instruments provided. The remaining $25,750 will go to a safety initiative for a crosswalk with a lighting and sound system to provide better accessibility for disabled students.

POLICE LOG Medical Emergency Nov. 20—BEMCo treated a party in the Goldfarb Library who burned their finger. Nov. 21—University Police received a report of a staff member in the Usdan Student Center who was feeling ill. BEMCo staff treated the party, who was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Nov. 22—A party in the Foster Mods reported that they suffered a laceration to the hand. University Police provided bandages for the bleeding, and the party’s friends drove the injured party to the hospital for further care. Nov. 27—Brandeis Counseling Center staff requested a voluntary psychiatric evaluation. The party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital,

with assistance from Cataldo Ambulance staff. Nov. 28—A party in the Usdan Student Center reported that they were feeling ill. BEMCo staff treated the party, who was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Nov. 30—University Police received a report of a party who was unconscious and not breathing in the Sachar International Center at the International Business School dean’s office. The party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital via Cataldo Ambulance. Dec. 1—A W.B. Mason driver was hit in the nose by a box at the Shapiro Life Sciences Building. BEMCo staff treated the driver with a signed refusal for further care. Dec. 1—A caller reported

that a female party was feeling ill from drinking too much alcohol. University Police and BEMCo responded to the scene, and the party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care. Dec. 2—A party reported that there was loud music coming from their building in Ziv Quad. University Police checked the area and found it quiet upon arrival. Dec. 3—University Police received a report of a party who was having a panic attack in East Quad. The party suffered from a nerve disorder and had allegedly ingested marijuana. University Police and BEMCo staff responded to the scene, and the party was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital for further care.

INNOVATION SHOWCASE

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS YURAN SHI/the Justice

n The BTalks feature incorrectly spelled the name of Mathias Boyar ’20. (Nov. 21, page 20).

The Hassenfeld Family Innovation Center held the third annual Innovation Showcase, featuring startups, inventions and scientific discoveries born from the University community on Thursday evening.

n A Forum op-ed incorrectly reported a figure from a Reuters report. Instead of “3 trillion Yuan ($450 billion)” the figure was actually “3 billion Yuan ($450 million).” (Nov. 21, page 12).

ANNOUNCEMENTS

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The Justice Brandeis University Mailstop 214 P.O. Box 549110 Waltham, MA 02454-9110 Phone: (781) 736-3750 The Managing Editor holds office hours on Mondays from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.

See POLICE LOG, 5 ☛

Office of the Provost appoints Matthew Sheehy as University Librarian following national search

The Justice will resume printing on Jan. 16.

The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Email editor@ thejustice.org.

Nov. 21—University Police received a report of yelling outside the Charles River Apartments. University Police checked the area and found it quiet upon arrival. Nov. 25—A party reported the strong smell of a controlled substance in East Quad. University Police found the area normal upon arrival. Nov. 30—A caller reported a loud argument in progress in Shapiro Hall. University Police on the scene reported that the argument was verbal and both parties had been advised to separate and leave the scene. No further action was taken by University Police. Dec. 3—University Police received a complaint of loud mu-

BRIEF

—Emily Blumenthal

n In an Arts article about MELA, one of the three emcees of MELA was not Farzana Afreen ’19; it was Farzana Parveen ’19. (Nov. 21, page 19).

Disturbance

Singing Party

Come enjoy an end of the semester show. Two undergraduate singing classes come together for a super-sized Singing Party in the Laurie Theater. Composers represented include Sondheim, Rodgers, Coleman, Kander, Schwartz, Loesser, Weill and Lippa. Today from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Laurie Theater, Springold Theater Center.

Immigrant Experience in Waltham,” taught by Director of Campus Programs at the International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life Marci McPhee, as the students share what they learned from a semester working with Waltham Family School or WATCH CDC. Wednesday from noon to 12:50 p.m. in Levine Ross, Hassenfeld Conference Center.

Socrates Café

Self Care Event: Managing Stress

Sponsored by the Brandeis Philosophy Department, the Socrates Café is an informal philosophical dialogue in which students from all disciplines explore a question chosen at the beginning of the discussion. No prior knowledge or preparation is required. We learn more when we question together. Wednesdsay from noon to 12:50 p.m. in Room 338, Rabb Graduate Center.

The Immigrant Experience. Our Experience.

Join the students in the practicum “The

Come in for a quick study break and learn how to manage your stress during finals. Make stress care kits, learn to meditate and do some yoga. Wednesday from 6 to 7 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room, Shapiro Campus Center.

Conversations with Extraordinary Women

Karen V. Hansen, director of the Women Studies and Research Center and professor of Sociology and Women Gender Studies, will interview cultural critic and prize-winning

Matthew Sheehy was appointed University Librarian on Nov. 28, according to an email on the same day from Provost Lisa Lynch. Sheehy began working at the University in November 2014 as associate University librarian for collections, and he has served as interim University librarian since June 2016. Lynch wrote in the email that the search committee chose Sheehy from 40 applicants from across the country. “His background, experience, work with other universities, and management skills all make him more than qualified to take on this position in a permanent capacity,” said a statement from the committee. According to the University administration’s website, Sheehy holds a Master of Library and Information Science and a Master of Arts from the University of Buffalo. Before coming to Brandeis, Sheehy was head of access services at Harvard University Libraries for three years and acting director of reference and research services at the New York Public Library for four years. Prior to that, Sheehy held leadership positions at Adelphi University and Rutgers University. Additionally, Sheehy has served in leadership roles in the HathiTrust program steering committee, the Boston Library Consortium’s Heads of Resource Management Committee and the Manhattan Research Library Initiative, all of which focus on expanding resource sharing and e-resource licensing between academic and research libraries. As University librarian, Sheehy will oversee all the operations of the library and set priorities for the disposition of budget resources, staffing and facilities, according to the Library and Technology Services website. Sheehy’s oversight includes research and instruction; collections, access and technical services; and archives and special collections, according to the University administration’s website. —Michelle Dang

writer of nonfiction, WSRC scholar Margaret Morganroth Gullette on “Rescuing 17 Million College Students from Ageism.” Register for the webinar online. Thrusday from noon to 1 p.m. on Brandeis Zoom Online.

Stories of Growth Towards Justice

Join the 2017 Sorensen Fellows as they present for the final time about the work they did this past summer in locations around the world. The students will be talking about their work at various locations around the country. Thursday from 2 to 4 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room, Shapiro Campus Cener.

Undergraduate Composers’ Collective

Undergraduate student composers present new compositions, performed by fellow students as well as professional musicians. Friday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Slosberg Muisc Center.

the justice

ADMINISTRATION

President Ronald Liebowitz reports on the Board of Trustees meeting ■ President Liebowitz sent

a summary of the three-day meeting, in which the board reviewed reports and updates. By MICHELLE DANG JUSTICE EDITOR

At the most recent Board of Trustees meeting and retreat, the trustees discussed, among other topics, a retirement plan for tenured faculty and the draft principles on free expression, according to an email from University President Ron Liebowitz. The trustees will address the hot-button topic of fossil fuel divestment at the January board meeting, he wrote. “As the report suggests, Brandeis has much work to do to be the institution it has aspired to be from its founding. My hope is that many of you will join in working toward this goal, providing the ideas, energy, and goodwill,” Liebowitz wrote in his Nov. 27 email to the community. During the meeting, which took place from Nov. 13 to 15, the full board voted to accept three resolutions from the Academy Committee, including the promotion of Prof. Olga Papaemmanouil (COSI) to associate professor with tenure and the approval of two new graduate school programs: Master of Science in robotic software engineering within the Rabb School of Continuing Studies and Master of Science in business analytics within the Brandeis International Business School. The Academy Committee also heard a report on the Pathway to Retirement Plan for Tenured Faculty, which was first proposed in 2014 and has since become University policy. The board also received summary updates on the town hall discussions from the Task Force on Free Expression and the new general education curriculum approved by faculty earlier this month. Undergraduate admissions reported an increased number of applicants, both domestically and internationally. The Nominating and Governance Committee, meanwhile, reviewed a list of potential trustee candidates and discussed goals for the coming year, including University bylaw review and assessing trustee orientation. Additionally, they approved a proposal to appoint a senior administrator to serve as University treasurer. The Risk Management and Audit Committee gave a report on the University’s information and technology security and gave updates on both the Affirmative Action Plan audit from

the U.S. Department of Labor and the Enterprise Resource planning “workday” effort — an administrative software update, which Liebowitz notes is a “multi year multimillion dollar implementation underway.” The Resources Committee heard a presentation from Executive Vice President of Finance and Administration Stew Uretsky on the goals for the 2018 fiscal year, which also included a discussion with the board on the range of higher education impacts that could occur from tax legislation from the U.S. The Advancement Committee reported that the University raised $99 million in FY17, including the largest gift in the University’s history at $48.4 million. The University seeks to increase programming and foster relations with new friends and alumni, Liebowitz reported. The concluding plenary session of the board included a discussion on administrative structure and the division of “student life” and “enrollment.” Liebowitz said, “The goal of this phase … is to integrate more consciously the academic and nonacademic aspects of both our undergraduate and graduate students’ education.” Graduate and undergraduate student representatives discussed with the board issues and challenges they face regarding student life. The board’s two-day retreat following the meeting sought to “revisit roles and responsibilities of trustees in what for many of them is an unfamiliar environment — higher education,” and engaged in discussions of best practice for “when and how trustees should engage with students, faculty, or staff,” Liebowitz wrote. He concluded his report with a summary of his executive session with the trustees, in which he reported on 33 self-reflection documents regarding University programming and their independent analyses of impact. He noted that two immediate issues were highlighted during the session, both featuring faculty resolutions: The forfeiture of University retirement contributions by faculty during recession and the divestment of fossil fuels from the University’s endowment. “The trustees agreed that we need to engage both issues as a full board and cost to resolution, if not total agreement, on each,” wrote Liebowitz, who explained that time will be set aside in January for the board to meet with faculty, staff and student representatives. However, he noted, “I cannot guarantee a particular outcome for either issue.”

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2017

NUCLEAR DEBATE

YVETTE SEI/the Justice

CLEAN ENERGY: Kerry Emanuel and Christoph Stefes spoke to an audience in Usdan’s International Lounge last Monday.

Visiting profs debate clean energy initiatives

■ Kerry Emanuel and Christoph

Stefes discussed the differing views of clean energy between Germany and the U.S. By JOCELYN GOULD Justice STAFF WRITEr

Representing two countries’ views on the controversial issue of nuclear power, Professor Kerry Emanuel and Christoph Stefes debated each other last Monday night, asking the question: “Is Nuclear Energy Clean Energy?” Hosted by the Center for German and European Studies, the debate was inspired by the distinct difference in the way nuclear energy is regarded by German and American audiences. As Prof. Sabine von Mering (GER), who introduced and directed the debate, explained, climate scientists in America are generally in favor of nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuels, while German scientists and citizens generally reject nuclear energy in favor of renewable energy sources. A professor and climate scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Emanuel represented the “American” perspective in the debate. Stefes, a University of Colorado Denver professor of post-Soviet Union political development, represented the “German” point of view. Emanuel’s argument focused on the danger our environment faces from carbon dioxide emissions from burning coal. Looking for “an intelligent mix of non-carbon energies,” Emanuel argued that nuclear power — alongside renewable energy sources — is a necessity for powering the world without coal. Renewable energy sources like solar and wind power face technological and storage limitations, and will only be able to provide, on average, about 30 percent of the world’s total energy needs, according to Emanuel. These problems stem from the fact that renewable energy sources are hard to control, and that current storage technology is not equipped to

store extra energy for days when not enough energy is created. Stefes countered Emanuel’s assertion that renewable energy sources should always work in tandem with nuclear ones. Rather, Stefes sees nuclear energy as a “‘bridge technology’ … something to use until you find something better.” Instead of investing money in nuclear energy sources, governments should put resources into improving renewable energy “to realize the transition toward a truly green, sustainable energy systems,” he said. The specific issue of the debate — whether nuclear power is a green source of energy — was a point of agreement for the professors at first, as they both said nuclear energy is “greener” than coal. However, they disagreed on the value of that difference, with Stefes arguing “that is not saying much” and that nuclear power is “still a relatively dirty and dangerous energy source.” That view of nuclear power is common in Germany, where there were massive protests against nuclear power after nuclear reactors were damaged by a 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Fukushima, Japan. As a result, German Chancellor Angela Merkel “immediately shut down eight of the country’s 17 reactors” and under her leadership, “Germany is now scheduled to take its last nuclear power plant off the grid by 2022,” according to the event’s description online. Since then, Germany has revolutionized its energy system, providing massive government subsidies for renewable energy, according to Stefes. “I think Germany is well on the way to a green … renewable energy system, and we can do that without nuclear power,” he said. While Emanuel agrees the German example has been a success, he sees it as a “miracle,” rather than a solution which can be adopted by the entire world. While Germany has had certain days where its solar and wind farms have powered the country with entirely renewable energy, Emanuel points

out that these energy sources are not constant or controllable. When renewable sources do not provide enough energy, “you have to have neighbors to buy [energy] from” — neighbors with reliable energy sources, like nuclear power. The developing world’s new and ever-increasing need for energy — an important component in modernization and escaping poverty — was an issue prevalent throughout the debate. Emanuel saw nuclear energy as the only way to satisfy developing nations’ energy needs without massive carbon dioxide emissions from burning coal. According to Emanuel, modern nuclear reactors, which are safer and more effective than older, traditional models, could be the key to helping the developing world without speeding up climate change. Stefes agreed the problem existed, but he did not believe nuclear power is the answer. According to Stefes, the energy production system a nation establishes in its beginning sets the country on a path which is “particularly difficult to get off.” The developing world has a chance to establish renewable energy sources as the standard, rather than something which must be later reached for, he asserted. “The developing world right now actually … has a chance to make a new path,” Stefes said. This debate centered on important issues which will, in one way or another, shape the future of our world, and which attract strong opinions to different sides of the debate. However, von Mering reminded the audience at the beginning of the debate that disagreement between the experts was the point of the event, saying, “We too often seem to be in agreement with each other.” This debate concluded the 2017 Campusweeks program at Brandeis, a series of debates about issues relevant to Germany. This program, sponsored by the German embassy in Washington, encourages universities to host events centered on Germany. This year’s theme was “Making Choices.”

COMMUNITY

Giving Tuesday proves successful with donation challenge ■ Over 1,000 gifts from

alumni and friends helped the University surpass its goal for the annual philanthropic event. By LIAT SHAPIRO JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

On Nov. 28 — Giving Tuesday, the International Day of Philanthropy — Brandeis #MadeItGrand. By Wednesday morning, the University had raised $391,045. According to Brandeis’ Giving Tuesday website, if the University “made it grand” by securing gifts from 1,000 donors, a $141,000 challenge gift presented by a small group of alumni and friends of Brandeis would be unlocked. By midnight on Wednesday, a total of

1,099 donors had given $250,045. Madalyn Friedberg, a trustee and the current president of the Brandeis National Committee, contributed $100,000 of the $141,000 gift. According to the BNC’s website, the organization is “dedicated to providing philanthropic support to Brandeis University.” In a statement directed toward potential donors on the campaign’s website, Friedberg wrote, “I am proud to be part of the Brandeis community, and hope you will join me in supporting our students and the great work being done at this University.” Two other challenge gift supporters are Brandon Pick ’08 and Marissa Pick ’07. In an interview with the Justice, Interim Director of Annual Giving Aaron Louison explained that the couple are “both athletes. Brandon was on

the baseball team, Marissa was on the softball team.” Louison also disclosed that both have been very involved as alumni. For example, both Marissa and Brandon served as national co-chairs for the Brandeisians of the Last Decade initiative. Marissa now serves as the co-president of the New York City alumni club of New York City and Brandon is vice chair for Friends of Brandeis Athletics. On the campaign’s website, the Picks shared their motivation behind their contribution to the challenge gift. It was at Brandeis where “we met each other, we met our best friends and we received a world-class education. Without the generosity of others, none of that would have been possible.” As highlighted by Friedberg and the Picks’ generosity, Giving Tuesday’s 1,099 donors have diverse, wide-

ranging relationships to Brandeis. The website’s donor affiliation breakdown shows that alumni made up 62 percent of all gifts, parents 12 percent, students 7 percent and friends 3 percent. This year’s total number of gifts is a 46 percent increase from last year’s Giving Tuesday total of 754. Louison explained that in the past, similar campaigns have been “directed mostly just toward undergraduate [alumni]. This year, we wanted to bring the entire community together — kind of like one Brandeis.” The success of this campaign stems in part from accomplishments achieved by members of the Brandeis community. Louison cited different landmark events and awards like the $50 million gift back in June, the Nobel Prizewinning professors and the three professors who were named fellows

of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Louison believes that “the success of this [campaign] was a lot of excitement about what’s going on at Brandeis today.” Zamira Korff, senior vice president of the Division of Institutional Advancement, adds that “it is gratifying to see so many members of the Brandeis family — both on campus and off — participate in Giving Tuesday. Their collective generosity will support our unique educational culture, which combines boundless inquisitiveness, a desire to improve the world, and a commitment to collaboration between faculty and students.” Regarding plans for next year, Louison suggested an even bigger challenge — perhaps 1,948 donors in celebration of Brandeis’s 70th anniversary? But for now, it is more than enough that Brandeis #MadeItGrand.

Your backstage pass is waiting. Email Yvette Sei and Natalia Wiater at photos@thejustice.org

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Northeast Mental Health Announces New Waltham Office! Northeast Mental Health is pleased to announce the opening of our Waltham office on November 1, 2017. We will provide diagnostic and treatment services for children, adolescents, teens, adults, and beyond. Location: 11 Spring St. in downtown Waltham. From Brandeis Campus we are 11 to 12-minutes by bicycle or bus. Parking is also available nearby. Students who lack insurance coverage receive an initial session at no cost. Eric Ranvig, BA. MA. Psychologist

C.Davenport Hanson, MD. JD Board certified in Psychiatry and Neurology

*Applications- We are also accepting applications for office staff positions and undergraduate paid internship positions.

Contact information 11 Spring Street Waltham MA, 02451 978-968-5633 Charleshansonmd.wordpress.com Ne_mh@yahoo.com

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons

THE JUSTICE

CAMPUS SPEAKER

able to escape the Syrian crisis when she was admitted to the Heller School. By EMILY BLUMENTHAL Justice STAFF WRITER

Since the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War in March 2011, refugees have been fleeing the country and seeking asylum all over the world, creating the largest migration of peoples since World War II. The Women’s Studies Research Center’s World Cultures Study Group’s Nov. 28 event, “Finding Lina: Reflections on the Humanitarian Crisis in Syria,” sought to tell a story rarely told in the media about the crisis — that of a Syrian refugee. The panel featured scholars Rajashree Ghosh, Linda Bond, Karen Frostig and Pnina G. Abir-Am as well as the eponymous subject Lina Hussein MS ’16, alumna of the Heller School for Social Policy and Management. In her introduction of the panel, Frostig stated, “When Lina’s plight was brought to our attention, it was our instinctive response to help. Contemporaneously, the news was saturated with refugee statistics, especially from Syria. The region has remained in conflict and horrific accounts about migrant populations and refugees seeking asylum continue to this day.” Ghosh reminded the group of the infamous photo of Alan Kurdi, the 3-year-old Syrian refugee who drowned during an illegal boat ride to Kos, Greece. The photo’s publication caused a tidal wave of outrage in the western world about countries’ lack of action concerning the refugee crisis. In Lina, Ghosh says, the panel was “looking for an authentic voice” to tell the story of the disaster in Syria. While introducing Lina, Ghosh told her own refugee story. Her parents “were rendered refugees during the Partition in India, and [she has] inherited the sense of loss of community.” Ghosh added that “the immigration process in this country brought me onto a journey of temporariness.” Ghosh stated that when speaking to Lina, the scholars worked to assess

her needs. One of the most pressing was a job for her husband which paid in cash; Lina’s husband was on a dependent visa, which allowed him to “live and travel in this country, but not take … payment for any job legally.” Ghosh added her personal experience with this visa, stating, “I’ve been on that visa. It undervalues you, it treats you like a non-person.” Hussein told her story to the group, first giving some background on her life before she fled Syria. She is part of the Ismaeli, a minority group which Syrian President Bashar al-Assad considers an enemy of the regime. In the early days of the Syrian Civil War, Hussein was alone on her way to work when she was held at gunpoint and kidnapped by armed men. As a result of this incident, Hussein choose to leave her town because of the trauma of this event. Yet Hussein decided to remain in Syria until bombs went off at a cafe she was sitting at, which led her to make the difficult decision to leave her home country. Hussein applied for asylum in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States and was denied by all of them. However, Hussein was admitted to Brandeis’ Heller School and was able to immigrate to the United States to pursue her education. Abir-Am stated that Hussein was trying to immigrate to Canada to avoid the complications of her visa status in the United States, but is still having troubles with the immigration systems of both countries. Bond showed the group a movie about Hussein’s story, stating that she was “so moved by her story that [she] and [her] husband asked to videotape Lina.” Bond added that “for most of us, these experiences of war are mediated. We’re reading about it in a newspaper, but we’re not there, and I didn’t know anyone from Syria, so meeting someone and having this be a personal experience ... it inspires me to make work that possibly communicates something about this personal human experience to others in a different way.” At the end of the panel discussion, an audience member asked, “What are the two or three things you wish people would know before working for someone in your situation?” Hussein replied, “I need a job so I can keep my dignity.”

POLICE LOG CONTINUED FROM 2 -sic in the Foster Mods. The residents were asked to quiet down and complied without incident.

Larcency Nov. 20—A party called University Police to report that three students had been robbed at gunpoint by two suspects, both described as Black males in their early- to mid-teens. One male had cornrows and was reportedly dressed in a black goose down winter jacket. Department of Community Living staff, University Police, Bentley University Police and Waltham Police responded to the scene, and the three students were brought to the University Police station to give statements. Law enforcement officials were unable to locate the suspects, and the investigation is still ongoing. Nov. 21—A staff member at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center reported that there had been a theft from the men’s locker room. University Police compiled a report on the incident.

Other Nov. 20—Waltham Police requested University Police assistance in locating a party suspected in an incident of breaking and entering. Law enforcement officials worked along the fence line behind the Abraham Shapiro Academic Complex, but

were unable to locate the suspect. Nov. 20—Some time after law enforcement officials attempted to locate a breaking and entering suspect, University Police stopped a party near Usen Castle matching the suspect’s description. Waltham Police were called to speak to the party, and University Police compiled a report on their involvement. Nov. 25—A Waltham Police officer observed a Brandeis student committing a traffic violation on South Street. The driver pulled into the Charles River Apartments, University Police assisted Waltham Police in stopping the car, and the Waltham officer issued a citation. Nov. 28—DCL staff reported a party sitting next to a vehicle in the Theater Lot. DCL spoke to the party, who said they were fine. DCL requested an officer to check on the party, who was on their cell phone and did not appear to be in distress. University Police took no further action. Nov. 29—A party in the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center reported that they saw a suspicious male party in the men’s locker room. The suspicious party was described as being approximately 6’2” and 30 years old with blond hair, a beard and a gray Harley Davidson hoodie. The reporting party believed that their locker had been broken into. University Police will investigate the matter. —Compiled by Abby Patkin

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2017

CHRIS LU

Alumna and Syrian refugee speaks about experience and immigration ■ Lina Hussein MS ’16 was

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NATALIA WIATER/the Justice

CONVERSATIONS WITH THE DEAN: Chris Lu (right) spoke to David Weil (left) on Wednesday about his career and experiences.

American legislator talks about career and pursuit of social justice ■ American legislator Chris Lu was interviewed by Heller School for Social Policy and Management Dean David Weil. By MACK SCHOENFELD Justice STAFF WRITER

In the latest installation of Conversations with the Dean, Heller School for Social Policy and Management Dean David Weil conversed with his former boss Chris Lu, a titan in the public service industry. The conversation highlighted Lu’s career and his zest for representing people that have been unfairly denied the opportunity to be represented by most politicians. This passion led to his career within the political sphere, where he is particularly known for his involvement in the Obama Administration in important positions such as legal counselor, cabinet secretary and head of the initiative for Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. Lu said many factors in his life shaped his interests in both politics and addressing injustice, such as his family. As a child of immigrants, Lu said that he experienced a multicultural upbringing that culminated in his understanding that all citizens should be respected and well-represented. He moved to Washington, D.C. when he was 8 years old, and this American political hotbed helped demonstrate to Lu that anyone can enact change if they have the passion and the courage to do so. The first step toward achieving his ambitions was to complete law school. Lu explained that law school was an important step for him not only for his law degree, but also because it is where he met the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama. After law school, Lu became a clerk for a federal judge and then a counselor on the Congressional Oversight Committee, through which Lu as-

sisted Congress in reviewing and supervising federal agencies and policy implementation. Then, he became legislative counselor for the future president when Obama was elected to the senate. Lu stated that he was elated to play a role in the span of Obama’s political career, from senator to president. He added that a person “should never mistake luck for skill,” because even in law school he identified Obama as “remarkably gifted” and “knew this person was going somewhere.” Lu said working for the Obama Administration was an honor and an exhilarating period of his life. However, he also humbly admitted that it was a lot of responsibility. During Lu’s time with the Obama Administration, he became the first person to start working on the transition into Obama’s presidency, which he thought would be difficult because it was the first presidential transition post-9/11. Additionally, he had to deal with the fact that during the beginning of Obama’s presidency in 2009, the U.S. economy lost 800,000 jobs, and the stock market was in poor condition. Lu and the rest of the Obama Administration had many daunting challenges to face with only so many resources to face them with. Thus, Obama decided to effectively focus on one issue at a time rather than spread the government’s resources to maximize efficacy. Regarding this, Lu stated, “I think people forget the amount of hurt at that time and Obama wanted to be singularly focused on the issues affecting people’s lives. The world does not cooperate when you are trying to fix one problem.” Lu then discussed his role as cabinet secretary, during which his responsibility was to ensure the cabinet’s voice in the White House. “It was like conducting an orchestra, but you don’t know how to play any instruments, but you know how it should sound,” he explained. It took Lu time to adapt, but eventually, he was able to

proficiently perform his duties by having an end result in mind while carrying them out. While Lu enjoyed all of his time with the Obama administration, he said he particularly loved his initiative with Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, a passion project for him. He discussed how there has been a significant increase in Asian-Americans and other minority groups getting involved with politics. He appreciates the diversification that is currently happening in politics and believes that “it’s a good thing when the White House looks like the people we’re trying to represent.” Lu explained that he believes this diversifying of politicians was greatly needed and that a substantial portion of it is credited to the results of the 2016 election. Weil and Lu concluded with a comparison of the Obama and Trump administrations. Lu first compared how both Obama and Trump ran their campaigns. Lu said that Obama ran on specific, well-thought out policies that had the capacity to be legislated. Trump, on the other hand, ran on broad themes that frequently contradicted each other, Lu said. For example, his signature “Make America Great Again,” could not be translated into specific policies or legislation. Additionally, Lu said Obama, like his predecessors, followed the processes for getting his policies implemented, which he described as “getting people in a room and discussing the policy rather than posting it on social media and then retracting it after it receives criticism.” Although Lu does give Trump some credit for some of his brazen actions, he ultimately believes the Obama Administration had a better grasp on the government’s overall state. After the discussion concluded, Lu took questions from the audience and presented his “shameless plug” of his twitter — @ChrisLu44 — to keep up with the latest political news.

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ACOPS: Police union requests administration’s contract response CONTINUED FROM 1 “From the onset it seemed that the University’s committee had contrived a bargaining plan designed to frustrate and marginalize our committee into submission,” the email read, adding that this included arriving late to meetings and avoiding discussion. “It’s difficult to fathom that an employer could show such utter disregard and even contempt for its workers,” the email read. The University declined to discuss specifics of the ongoing contract negotiations, but Director of Media Relations Julie Jette pro-

vided the Justice with a statement regarding the matter: “Brandeis deeply values its police officers and all they do to keep our campus safe. We remain committed to bargaining in good faith with the police union to agree on a new contract.” “Significant concessions have been made on both sides, and with continued efforts, we are sure an agreement can be reached,” the University’s statement read. An ACOPS Local 20 representative declined to comment to the Justice on the union’s email at this time, noting a desire to give Liebowitz an opportunity to respond.

RETIREMENT: New University policy plan aids faculty up to three years post retirement CONTINUED FROM 1 Participating faculty will also receive $4,000 in research funds, which will carry forward each year until fully spent, according to the handout. Faculty members may also add accrued sabbaticals to the three options, and the sabbatical may be used to reduce teaching and service obligations or increase the number of years of full-salary payments. The plan supplements the retirement resources currently afforded tenured faculty, allowing faculty members to plan ahead and phase their retirement over as many as three years, according to the handout. Eligible faculty members will be able to sign a retirement agreement any time between Nov. 15, 2017 and June 30, 2020, at which point the University will re-evaluate the plan and either extend or modify it. The plan came after a September 2014 report on senior and emeriti faculty, a copy of which was provided to the Justice. The report, authored by the Task Force on Senior and Emeriti Faculty, called for a new policy that will help faculty members transfer to retirement. In compiling the report, the task force — made up of Profs. David DeRosier (BIOL), Tren Dolbear (IBS), Erica Harth (ROMS), Sarah Lamb (ANTH), Sue Lanser (ENG), Bob Meyer (PHYS) and Connie Williams (HS) — looked at other universities’ practices and gathered information from around Brandeis. While the median age of university-level faculty has increased in recent decades and other colleges and universities have responded accordingly, “Brandeis has lagged behind the curve of innovation even though 46% of full-time tenured Brandeis faculty are over 60 and a large percentage of our emeriti remain active in research or creative work,” the report notes. Specifically, policies are needed to engage retired faculty, aid senior faculty in the transition to retirement and recognize the range of contributions that emeriti can

make on campus, according to the report. Following the 1994 Age Discrimination Act, many faculty members have continued to teach for longer — in fact, the report noted that the number of professors who retired by the age of 72 dropped from 90 percent to 30 percent following the new law. As of 2014, 46 percent of the fulltime, tenured Brandeis faculty and 49 percent of all faculty were over the age of 60. Many colleges and universities provided for their senior staff and emeriti faculty with new policies and privileges, but “Brandeis does less for its emeriti faculty than nearly any institution we surveyed,” according to the task force. This lack of support from the University can also contribute to feelings of isolation for many senior faculty members, the report noted. “Many have lost the comradeship of colleagues even in their own departments, along with a sense of place and intellectual community, at the university where they served for decades as distinguished teachers, scholars, and university leaders,” the report explains, adding that the University, in turn, loses out on valuable scholars. As of the 2014 report, emeriti faculty were only awarded two rights and benefits: the right to the rank of emeritus/a at the discretion of the provost and the right to attend and participate in faculty meetings without voting rights. Retired faculty are also able to keep their email accounts, library privileges, parking permits, theater and concert ticket discounts and access to athletic facilities, according to the report. “What emeriti faculty most need — and what the university therefore most needs to offer its current and prospective emeriti — is concrete affirmation and support for their continuing professional contributions and active inclusion as ongoing members of the university. … The status quo is not a viable alternative either for our senior and emeriti faculty or for the institution as a whole,” the report concluded.

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NEWS

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TUESDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2017

DRAWING CLUB SHOWCASE

YVETTE SEI/the Justice

The student-run Drawing Club posted their final art pieces of the semester on the walls of Usdan Student Center, featuring graphite sketches and mixed media.

FINANCE: Uretsky announces that University finances are “viable but constrained” CONTINUED FROM 1

year period we will look at all the different components of our benefits program.” Jim Gray, the vice president of campus operations and sustainability, discussed other areas in which the University is looking to invest, including modernizing outdated security systems that pose digital security risks and renovating buildings that have hit their functional age and operate at higher energy consumption rates. Brandeis hired Sightlines, a facilities management company, to analyze the functionality of the campus’ buildings in comparison to peer institutions. According to their analysis, nearly half of Brandeis’ buildings have reached their functional age, a figure that will rise to approximately 60 percent by 2020. “Buildings built in the post-war era that are over the age of 50 are exhausted and overdue for what I would call a full renovation,” said Gray. The deferred maintenance of most of the campus’ buildings not

only constrains a limited budget but inhibits the University’s ability to make sustainability initiatives. In response to a question from the audience about why the University was not investing in renewable forms of energy like solar energy, Gray explained that because so many buildings need to be renovated, it would not be financially viable to install the panels yet. Other members of the audience expressed concerns about the limitations of the budget and how that may affect the quality of Brandeis programs. Prof. Ann Olga Koloski-Ostrow (CLAS), the chair of the Department of Classical Studies, spoke to all of the members of the panel to express the disconnect she felt as a faculty member between the reports on the financial condition of the University and “how small [she] can feel in the big financial picture that [they] paint for us.” In reference to Solomon’s earlier concern about keeping the growth rate of tuition down in order to keep

the sticker price of tuition competitive, Ostrow commented on the importance of shifting the panel’s focus to the quality of Brandeis’ programs. “[If] we don’t have good quality programs and departments offering students excellence, it’s going to be even harder to keep students coming here,” said Koloski-Ostrow. Hardly any undergraduate students were in attendance in the packed International Lounge, raising questions about the accessibility of University finances and administration for students. In response to a question from the Justice about how to engage students in a conversation about Brandeis finances, Uretsky expressed commitment to meeting with students in a less formal setting. “I met with [Student Union president] Jacob [Edelman ’18], and we are thinking of holding a mini-version of this for students, because the scheduling of these forums isn’t always convenient for students,” said Uretsky.

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TUESDAY, december 5, 2017 ● Features ● The Justice

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VERBATIM | SOREN KIERKEGAARD Once you label me you negate me.

ON THIS DAY…

FUN FACT

In 2008, O.J. Simpson was sentenced to 33 years in prision on charges of kidnapping and robery.

50 percent of the people in Uganda are under the age of 15.

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For Us by Us: The Untold Stories of People of Color on Campus

This is the third installment of “For Us by Us: The Untold Stories of People of Color on Campus.” I wanted to write this piece to highlight people of color on campus. To create a space for our accomplishments, hardships and experiences. To be recognized and acknowledged. To expose ourselves to other cultures, religions and to each other. To realize that we are not alone in our experiences or on this campus. To continue these forms of communication and to hopefully develop new ones. —Arlett Marquez ’20

I Am Daryl Cabrol By arlett marquez JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Daryl Cabrol ’20 was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, and came to the United States when he was six years old. When asked about his childhood in Haiti, Cabrol recalls, “I moved in with my aunt and cousin around the time my mom got sick, which is when everything started to get crazy. It started to spiral out of control, basically, because after her funeral I moved to many different places. I didn’t even see her get buried because there was a family feud between my mom’s side of the family and my dad’s side of the family. It was more of a mixture of miscommunication and not trusting one another... I started living with my grandmother after that, and then my father got shot. He got shot three times and was in critical condition; thankfully he survived. I think that was his wake-up call of how dangerous it was getting. So that was when we moved to Queens, New York, to live with my grandfather.” Arlett Marquez: Where did you go to when you first came to the U.S? Daryl Cabrol: I moved to Brooklyn ... and then moved to Florida. Before moving to Florida, though, I was living with my dad’s best friend and it was just horrible. On the weekdays during the summer since there was no school programs, I had to go to my dad’s work all the way in Manhattan. It was so irritating — there was nothing to do. I was by myself all the time. I don’t have any siblings, which is so fucking sad. My imagination ran wild. When we moved to Florida we were sleeping on the floor, and the situation just got awkward and we ended up

kind of being kicked out. Where we were in Florida it was just not working out; there was nothing there for us. It was not fun. It’s such a depressing state. It was so slow. I think the hype comes mainly from tourists and not the people who live there permanently, and I wasn’t living like in Orlando or near Disney. Finally, we moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts and I haven’t moved since. AM: How is your relationship with your father? DC: I’ll just say this: not every relationship is perfect. I think the biggest factor in a lot of problems is miscommunication. In a parent and child relationship that miscommunication stems from generational differences. Even worse for immigrant children who have been accustomed to the United States while their parents haven’t. It clashes a lot of the time. Also, when there are differences in sexuality and not having that space to talk about it, it is even worse. It’s detrimental to kids of color most predominantly because we do not have access to talk about these things even outside of home. It’s very common in our communities, where education, class and religion play a big role in ignorance. People of color in low-income houses are forced to not question certain things. AM: How was school when you first got here? DC: School was weird because I got bullied. Kids teased me about a lot of things. The charter school that I was in at the time was predominantly Haitian and Latino kids. I went to high school in the same place I went to middle school. The

graduating class was about 86 people. I’m glad it was a small community. I think it would have been really tough for me if I went to a big school, which is one of the reasons I chose Brandeis. I also just wanted to leave home. I was in a mentally and physically abusive environment. One of my primary goals was leaving my fucking house and never coming back. Or just having an escape to be able to be myself. AM: How has your experience on campus been? DC: Can we talk about this campus and how hypocritical it is? I am just learning and understanding the importance of Louis Brandeis and how his vision — on paper — was to create an institution that pushed for social justice and having an inclusive and diverse community. However, we’re seeing this as just another white institution whose main goal is to provide for its — in this case — white Jewish students who are predominantly upper-middle class. This school plays a really big role in how it affects students of color who don’t have a Jewish background and are being forced to assimilate without having that mutual understanding. We can have all these Jewish holidays but don’t acknowledge the Muslim students and their religion, the Christian students and their religion or the non-religious students. It is a Jewish school, but this is also a school that promotes itself on inclusivity and diversity. I hate that false advertisement because I was one of these fools out here that fell for it. I think that if you’re going to promote all this shit you talk about, then put it into action. I find beauty in all religions and there’s all

types of similarities, but why is it that only Jewish holidays are the only prominent ones at Brandeis? Brandeis needs to start making these different spaces available. AM: Where do you find your space? DC: I don’t have a space here. I think I’ve been struggling with that a lot. With the lack of education, you come into college not knowing where you are. If you’re not in a program like POSSE [Brandeis Posse Scholars] or TYP [The Myra Kraft Transitional Year Program] or MLK [Dr. Martin Luther King Fellowship], then you’re not going to get the help that you want. They do a great job with mental health here but they are not focusing on students who really need it, who are not accustomed to it. I haven’t talked to my counselor in a while and reaching out is not done properly. This has been the worst year of my life because I don’t know what I’m doing. AM: Who are you, how do others see you and how do you want to be seen? DC: Who am I? I am a — I would like to use queer at the moment — I am a queer man. A queer Black man. To me, queer means not really identifying with or knowing where you are in the spectrum but still being on the spectrum that is nonnormative to gender and sexuality. I don’t know what that entails concerning my gender and sexuality but that’s where I am right now. Trying to figure out that aspect of me. I want to say I am a Haitian American queer man who sees beauty in everything. Who has a hard time expressing himself to the fullest

potential that he wants others to understand him. I want to become someone who is at peace with all of his identities and how he maneuvers in the world so he is able to help others. I think that has to do with my education having that enlightened moment or moments where I excel and levitate spiritually, mentally and physically. I don’t know how others perceive me. I think it’s all different because I give people different energies. I would want others to see me as a cool person who is not just defined by his sexuality or his Blackness or his education but as a human who has a lot of potential and a lot to offer. I think people want certain things from you or are attracted to certain aspects of you without accepting the rest of the baggage that comes with it. So I want people to see the whole me. People do that a lot here. They’ll say “oh this guy’s funny”; “you’re hilarious” but really don’t want to sit down with me and have a conversation. I think it’s just a mixture of miscommunication and lack of knowledge, where people make their own assumptions and don’t seek out what’s real and what’s not real. I really like having conversations that go outside our comfort zones and that help us understand the world better. AM: Have you reached that level of conversation/communication with someone? DC: Yes, with certain people, but I’d like to go deeper. It’s partly my fault because I need to open myself more. I’m not perfect. I think a lot of people try to be. I’m not saying that you’re obligated to be open, because that all depends on a person’s experience, but if you can — do it.

the justice ● Features ● TUESDAY, december 5, 2017

DILLON GARVEY/the Justice

A DIFFERENT WAY OF LOOKING: Art historian Annie Storr says that people who view art should be comfortable with ambiguity.

Don’t Try to Solve These Puzzles Art historian Annie Storr talks about how to look at art and embrace the unknown By sophie fulara JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Looking at art may seem like a simple activity, but Annie Storr, an art historian and educator at at Montserrat College of Art, believes otherwise. During her presentation, Exercises for the Quiet Eye on Nov. 30, Storr asked viewers to reflect patiently on and directly with works of art in an attempt to avoid the premature rush to understand what we see. EQE is a series of techniques for looking at art or artifacts to obtain a direct, personal experience. There are about 50 exercises that involve looking at a work of art in a different way every few minutes. Some involve drawing and walking around, while others involve singing and standing in place. But all of the exercises are both independent and social, beginning alone and ending in a community. In practice, EQE is part of the Slow Art Movement, a movement aimed at getting people who look at art to slow down. The average time spent looking at a work of art has increased from 17 seconds to 22 seconds. But in this time, a viewer is merely able to get the name of the work and the artist without establishing an “I/Thou” relationship between themselves and the work of art. The relationship explores a great dichotomy, which is the objectivity-subjectivity split. A phrase that is subjective would be, “I don’t like it,” while something more objective would be, “That picture wasn’t worth painting.” The confusion between subjectivity and objectivity is at the heart of a great deal of the anxiety and frustration that individuals have with art and it’s at the core of discussions in art schools. What EQE tries to do is expand the looking time to more than a few seconds, to a couple of minutes, 20 minutes, or even a few hours. By purposely switching back and forth on the impending solitary moments and shared moments with a work of art, EQE reduces anxiety. Storr says that there are two major causes for anxiety when we look at art. One is that people are afraid to possibly expose a lack of education. The second cause for anxiety is more simple:

that they will mispronounce an artist’s name. The reason for this anxiety is found on none other than the popular dating website, match. com. One of the best places to go on a first date used to be an art gallery, but in response to the website’s clients, art galleries were taken off their list and put on the list of places not to go on a first date. It was found that looking at art with another per-

son takes a great deal of trust, so much trust, in fact, that it makes us anxious about giving a proper response to a piece of artwork without disclosing our ignorance. At its core, EQE reduces a viewer’s anxiety by letting go of the gratification for understanding a work of art. Generally, when an authoritative figure or an insightful onlooker says something seemingly cogent on

a tour, the entire group comfortably agrees with their interpretation. Storr and other educators always notice when the entire group relaxes because any interpretation is taken as a sign of closure or an easy way of letting the anxiety go. EQE, however, keeps viewers engaged without letting them truly figure out the meaning behind a work of art and giving them the time to discover that the ambiguity of art is one of

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ARTSY POWER: Annie Storr recalls gazing at Rembrandt’s “Parable of the Prodigal Son”. She says the experience showed her the transformative power of art and taught her that some art is ambiguous and not meant to be fully understood or “solved.”

sits strongest facets. As an art historian and educator, Storr began to talk about her own experiences with art. She believes that teaching is an art form subject to the same creative, reflective, and presentational forms as all art (paintings, sculptures, music, etc.), and that art changes lives. She showed the audience a painting called the Parable of the Prodigal Son. The first time she saw it was on her way sprinting to the European Gallery of the Hermitage Museum. Even with her thirteenmonth-old son vomiting in her arms, she forced herself to stop and look. The painting hung low at the head of the long corridor of the museum and was smaller than life size. She immediately noticed how the prodigal son’s neck was green, indicating that he was a corpse, but he wasn’t dead in the story. About 12 years before, she was in her early twenties, visiting a museum with her boyfriend. She headed up to the modern section that she normally dislikes and sat down on a bench in front of the “Tempest” painted by Oskar Kokoschka. The painting depicts Kokoschka and his wife after sex, and his mind is running with confusion, clarity, and lack of resolution in a moment. She doesn’t remember what she thought of the painting, other than that her boyfriend was somewhere in there, but at that moment, the guards came over and said, “We know you’ve been here [at the museum] every day, but the gallery closed a half hour ago.” That was over two hours since she had arrived. Storr believes that something about the mysteriousness of sexuality touched her early on in life when it mattered most. What these two experiences have in common is the time frame. The amount of time Storr took to simply look at the paintings without any historical context showed her what it meant to engage and live in the moment. Her confusion with each work of art made her realize that many works of art aren’t meant to be understood. As she said, “I know that art changes lives, so I want to encourage people to bravely look at art because we can’t crack it, we can’t master it, we can’t figure it out and dismiss it.”

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Urge University to make health resources more accessible Several weeks ago, this board commended the Brandeis Counseling Center for responding to student concerns and improving its services. Mental health care is increasingly important on campus, and it is necessary that all students know where and how to access it. However, in light of the recent passing of Chinese Brandeis International Business School student Chuanchuan “Kurtis” Zhang, this board calls on the University to better publicize mental health resources for graduate students, especially students for whom English is not a first language. While the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and Graduate Student Affairs all include a link to the BCC on their websites, this board could not find any mention of or links to the BCC on any IBS pages. Even on its student portal, IBS makes no mention of the BCC. This board finds this oversight regrettable, though the fix is simple. The University as a whole does a decent job of publicizing mental health resources on campus, but it falls short in ensuring that these efforts also reach non-native English speakers. There are fliers up around campus advertising the 6TALK hotline and other resources, which are also in English. The University should look to the Rape Crisis Center as an example; the RCC includes versions of its resource guides in various other languages. The University took a step in the right direction with a Nov. 21 statement from University President Ron Liebowitz and IBS interim Dean Peter Petri regarding Zhang’s passing. Anticipating an increased

Recognize language barriers need for mental health resources in Mandarin and Cantonese, the University included a Mandarin version of the statement below the English version. The letter included the hours for the BCC and a note that additional Mandarin-speaking staff would be available in person, with multilingual counseling services available after-hours by phone. Having these resources available in multiple languages ensures that campus services are aimed at international students, many of whom are far from home. This board commends the University for its outreach efforts, but there is still more to be done. As reported in the Nov. 14 issue of the Justice, the BCC employs one parttime Mandarin and Cantonese speaking counselor. The BCC has tried for years to hire another such counselor, but has failed to overcome visa and green card issues. A good start for the University would be dedicating more resources to hastening this process. According to University statistics, 21 percent of undergraduates and 32 percent of graduate students are international, with many hailing from China. Hiring another Mandarin and Cantonese speaking counselor is a necessity. After all, it can be difficult to articulate mental health issues in a first language, let alone a second or a third. The University has made significant strides in increasing cultural competence and improving campus mental health care. However, there is still work to be done, and this board advocates that change be enacted sooner, rather than later.

Condemn DCL for their response to bedbugs on campus Starting on the night she first slept in her East Quad room, Student A woke up to discover bug bites on her body. After her roommate, Student B, trapped and killed a bedbug, A reported the issue to the Department of Community Living in late October but was not able to fully resolve the matter until a month later due to “lack of communication.” This board urges DCL to establish clearer lines of communication. In an email to the Justice, Student A recounted three separate occasions during which her room was treated for bedbugs, as well as a lack of communication on the part of DCL regarding when exterminators would be entering her room or how many treatments were necessary. “If they knew that one treatment usually doesn’t completely solve the problem, why would they let me sleep in a bed that likely still has bedbugs for a week?” the student wrote. After the second treatment, Student A was assured that it was safe to stay in her room, but continued to find bedbugs there. Student A told DCL officials that she had “nowhere to sleep, basically,” to which they told her that she was not allowed to sleep anywhere else on campus. In an email to the Justice, Student B wrote that “[DCL] expressed little remorse for our situation.” The roommates received no reply after responding to an email from Anthony Manzi, assistant area coordinator of East Quad. On Nov. 8, the pair were put into contact with Paris Sanders, assistant director of DCL, who told the pair to wash and dry on high heat everything they

Accommodate students owned, and provided them funds to do so. “Paris expressed genuine concern for our situation,” Student B wrote. Student A stayed at a hotel in Waltham for three days, for which DCL later reimbursed her, an action the board commends. However, Student A continued to find bedbugs even after the third treatment, which included replacing mattresses and bed frames. After this failed to work, DCL decided to relocate the roommates to a new room in East, and there have been no issues since. Student A wrote that while she realizes the bugs are “ultimately out of DCL’s control, … something that is within their control is communication and support.” People would enter her room without any notice, and “DCL personnel assumed we knew the pest company’s bedbug protocol even though we’ve never dealt with this problem ever before.” Once, after walking into her room that had a “strong chemical smell,” Student B said that DCL “tried to insist” that the room had not been sprayed and that it was safe to go back, only to retract their statement to say she should wait before going inside. While DCL cannot control a bedbug outbreak, the department can notify students when their rooms will be treated and be more understanding if a student asks for new accommodations. DCL has dealt with bedbug outbreaks before and should know how to deal with these situations and tell students what the process entails and how long it should take.

JULIANNA SCIONTI/the Justice

Views the News on

According to a Nov. 29 New York Times article, Hawaii plans on reinstating tests for a Cold War-era warning system that will inform citizens of an impending nuclear attack. Beginning on Dec. 1, the alarm will play on the first business day of every month, along with the already regular natural disaster warning tests. Though the system has not been used since the mid-1990s, recent threats from North Korea make this precaution necessary, according to Richard Rapoza, spokesperson for the state’s emergency management agency. What do you think of this decision, and is it appropriate?

Adina Scheinberg ’21 I think that current tension between the United States and North Korea deems Hawaii’s warning system extremely necessary. The possibility of a nuclear attack becomes more and more likely each day, and the United States needs to take preemptive measures to keep its citizens safe. Though one could argue that this alarm will only instill fear in Hawaiians, I believe that, like other warning mechanisms, it will inform people what to do in case of an emergency, ensure that equipment and procedures run smoothly and, most importantly, avoid panic. It can be easy to go about our daily lives without thinking about the threat of a nuclear attack. For this very reason, the government needs to make citizens aware and prepared for the worst so that if an attack does occur, citizens will know what to do and respond as calmly as possible. Adina Scheinberg ’21 is the interfaith coordinator for Brandeis Hillel.

Ilana Blumen ’21 I believe that the decision of reinstating the Cold War-era warning system would only serve to contribute to the growing fear culture in America today. The alarms themselves are pointless; there is no action a civilian can take to contribute to their safety in the event of a nuclear attack. These sirens, when they first appeared during the latter half of the twentieth century, created a period of near-constant panic over an attack that never came. The resources dedicated to the renewed operation of this alarm system would be better spent developing an air defense system similar to Israel’s Iron Dome to protect Americans from foreign nuclear threats. Ilana Blumen ’21 is a member of Brandeis Hillel.

Amanda Kahn ’20 I think that the decision to reinstate the nuclear attack warning system is an appropriate one, given the current political climate. It is extremely important to be as prepared as possible for situations like this, and having drills to help prepare people is crucial to that end. The threat of a nuclear attack from North Korea is becoming more and more real, and it is important that the proper precautions are taken. The threat seems especially imminent as our president continues to exacerbate the situation by insulting Kim Jong-un. Therefore, I think reinstating this warning system is a wise decision. Amanda Kahn ’20 is majoring in Biology with a minor in History.

Tafara Gava ’20 I find nothing problematic in Hawaii’s plans to reinstate Cold-War era warning systems. It’s more important these days to ensure the safety and well-being of citizens. The fact that North Korea has already conducted several missile tests and that its media employs aggressive rhetoric toward the United States and Japan warrants this level of panic. Politically, the world rests in a very fragile, awry state. Outside of this crisis, terrorist attacks (both religiously-motivated and secular) in the west are on the rise. As such, it’s more exemplary than a problem that this state is conscientising its citizens about what to do and how to keep safe in potentially life-threatening moments. It’s important not only for the North Korea threat — however threatening — but also in general. The times we live in necessitate that we know how to get to safety in times of crisis. Tafara Gava ’20 is a staff writer for the Justice.

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THE JUSTICE ● fORUM ● TUESDAY, december 5, 2017

Recognize the important nature of stem cell research Nia

lyn purpose

A recent study conducted by researchers from Lund University in Sweden revealed the future implications of amniotic fluids in stem cell research. During normal cesarean section procedures, the amniotic fluid is discarded as medical waste. However, recent evidence proves that amniotic fluids are a viable source of stem cells. Amniotic fluid contains Mesenchymal stem cells, a type of connective cell that has the ability to be converted into different types of cells for use in medical treatments. According to a Dec. 4 Science Daily article, research on the implication of MSCs in treating neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes and cardiovascular disease has proven to be successful in the past. However, MSCs are usually taken from adult human and animal sources, and they are, therefore, in limited supply. The researchers from Lund University have developed a novel technique for extracting MSCs from the amniotic fluid of patients undergoing scheduled C-sections. The procedure involved inserting a soft catheter into the amniotic membrane to collect the fluids shortly after the cesarean operation was performed, lengthening the procedural time only by only 90 seconds, according to the lead clinician, Andreas Herbst, in the same Dec. 4 Science Daily article. This is far from a new discovery; in 2007, it was first confirmed that amniotic fluid contains viable pluripotent stem cells, according to a Jan. 8, 2007 Washington Post article. Despite this scientific advancement and the knowledge of the potential uses of stem cells, there is still controversy surrounding the topic, more

specifically that of embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are cells taken from the inner layer of a cell mass during embryonic development. These cells are special in that they can essentially be used as a blank slate to differentiate into other type of cells and replace those that may have been damaged due to illness or aging. This differs from amniotic stem cells, because those are not entirely pluripotent. Though beneficial, the use of embryonic stem cells is highly controversial because of the ethical concerns that many have. One of the greatest arguments against the use of embryonic stem cells is that taking a “human life” is unethical. Even former president George W. Bush vetoed the 2006 Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, stating that the use of stem cells for research would “support the taking of innocent human life in the hope of finding medical benefits for others,” according to a Jan. 20, 2006 Washington Post article. The cells used for research are taken from a blastocyst, a cluster of cells, grown in a petri dish. It is neither a potential child nor something developing inside a woman’s uterus — the blastocyst is a group of cells and nothing more. In an interview with the publication Stem Cell Lines, Harvard University professor Michael Sandel offers that the same logic used behind calling a blastocyst a human life could be used to call a simple skin cell a human life. Regardless of the facts presented, even today there is debate surrounding what actually determines a human life. More recently, the Trump Administration backed the 20-week abortion ban, according to an Oct. 2 article in the Hill. With this bill, the only exceptions for abortion are cases of rape and incest or in order to save the woman’s life. While this is not the same as utilizing embryonic stem cells for research, the same method of thinking dictates both policies — the rights of nonexistent “humans” are taking priority over scientific exploration. Quite possibly the greatest danger to

CARMI ROTHBERG/the Justice

science is ignorance. One may hear the term “embryonic stem cell” and assume the worst of modern scientists and of the fate of the embryo, but that is far from the truth. Before policymakers and concerned citizens rally against a cause, some basic research should be conducted. As previously stated, utilizing the stem cells from amniotic fluids is an option that many find more ethical, but the experiment conducted by Luden University utilizes a new technique, and it is unknown when that technology will readily available for widespread use. According to the National Institutes of Health, embryonic stem cells are immortal and have unlimited developmental potential. While it is possible to “reprogram” adult cells to behave in a manner similar to that of embryonic stem cells, not utilizing all of the resources available is doing the field a

disservice. A Jan. 24, 2012 article in Time magazine describes two patients whose lives were changed drastically upon having embryonic retinal cells injected into their eyes to treat macular degeneration. One patient, who only went by Rosemary, stated that “I don’t have to grab my magnifying glasses or reading glasses as much anymore, and I don’t have to blow things up on my monitor.” Her vision improved to 20/800, and she went from being able to only see vague hand gestures to making out individual fingers. Knowing this, the doctors at University of California Los Angeles, where the surgery was performed, expressed intent to continue such research. This is just a small victory, and there is the possibility for many more, but this can only happen once the public realizes the true importance of scientific research.

Urge social media generation to realize the value of privacy Andrew

jacobson reality check

My New Jersey grandma, like many during Thanksgiving, lamented the postmillennial generation for their penchant for publicizing themselves online. “They have no boundaries,” she said over the 12-pound turkey, “and absolutely no sense of selfidentity.” Age breeds wisdom, the adage goes. And she’s not wrong: In our age of locationsharing and Bitmoji-creating, our sense of privacy has undoubtedly become severely diminished. But why? One word: Fluidity. Our postmodern era collapses boundaries for fluidity. The general dissolution of national borders, for instance, with the mass migration of refugees, can be demonstrated by two related trends. The first is the belief that borders are harmful because they cause wars and strife. In “Imagine,” John Lennon captured this sentiment. He sings, “Imagine there’s no countries … no religion, too,” glorifying the totally homogenous world devoid of distinctness that so many dystopian authors, Orwell and Bradbury included, warned us about. We also see this trend toward bordererasing with our keenness to designate ourselves “citizens of the world” but nearrevulsion at calling ourselves proud, exceptional Americans. But borders between countries and other boundaries have not been the only ones to suffer collapse with postmodernism; those between the private and public spheres have disappeared as well. And the result is an unfortunate lack of privacy. It makes sense: Privacy stands in direct opposition to this blurring of boundaries; rather than demolish borders, privacy seeks to establish them. For its “building of borders” and inhibition of fluidity, this sequestration

of the inner self from the eyes of the public may appear to many post-millennials as a source of conflict. But, as history and personal experience teach us, borders are essential; they are the critical filters that enable us to have the relationships, safety and dignity we need. Most of us wouldn’t tell a professor, for instance, about our sexual habits, nor would we want to. We also wouldn’t want, as a nation, to allow the entrance of terrorists onto our soil. But in our postmodern age of relative truth, the instituting of boundaries may seem gratuitously egotistic, selfish or suggestive of a superiority complex. We may take it personally, for example, when a friend refuses to share a piece of information with us, or perhaps we suspect that the friend who doesn’t use Facebook thinks him or herself “too good for it.” I would argue to the contrary. In the case of privacy, boundaries are a matter of respect for yourself and the other, and privacy is essential to maintaining the boundaries that accord us proper dignity. Another reason that privacy is important is surely that it protects us — not only our tangible assets like intimate conversations and relations but the more abstract ones as well, like our individuality and self-identity. If we expose our inner self to the outer world, inevitably the former will be subjected to the judgment and criticism of that latter — a slippery slope. While such feedback, in healthy circumstances — such as from close family and friends — can feel supportive, these responses online can become harmful. Taken seriously, positive feedback — primarily in the form of “likes” and comments can become addicting. The result is a social dependence on the affirmation and acceptance of mere acquaintances, or even strangers. Many of our younger siblings, I’m sure, have fallen prey to this alarming phenomenon. In a March 26 article in Psychology Today, Dr. Victoria Dunckley explains the issues that social media engenders in adolescents. Such a dependency on the “likes” and comments

of others leads — as it has with my all-toopopular younger brother — to a deficiency in the cultivation of the self, not to mention what pediatricians dub “Facebook-depression.” Instead of learning to play piano or reading Harry Potter, too many children are nowadays spending hours framing their next Instagram shot or taking selfies in the mirror. This is not merely the lamenting grandma in me; it is genuinely disconcerting: Many of the skills kids are building are those that will leave them empty — both empty-feeling and emptyhanded, in their lack of actual skills. Another implication of our penchant to publicize is the lengthening of childhood — we’re prolonging the time it takes for us to mature. By replacing skill development, hobbies, and general playtime with swiping down screens, we’re effectively ignoring, avoiding and forgetting that this person inside — the self — exists independently of what others have to say and desperately needs our undivided attention. In fact, a 2011 article in The Atlantic cites our decline in play-time over the last few decades as a reason we’re becoming less connected with ourselves, our emotions and our decision-making processes. Due to the ubiquitous presence of socialmedia platforms like Snapchat, being alone and not sharing your day’s activities with the outer world has become so stigmatized that it’s practically impossible to spend a Sunday as such, reading or playing an instrument. But I don’t think the self can only be cultivated alone: Our close familial and friendly bonds can also help us concretize our identity. But as for those mere acquaintances that “like” our statuses and photos, I’m afraid they can’t. And I’m afraid their effect on the development of our identities is insidious — subtle, gradual and harmful, primarily for the vacuum they leave behind. What they provide — namely, an instant sense of affirmation — is artificial. Their “liking” us is actually quite deceitful: Real and meaningful on the surface and yet supremely vacuous and fake beneath. And herein lies the problem: the apparently benign but actually malignant nature of

spreading ourselves thin over social media platforms. What seems like a harmless way of living is actually a significant invasion of privacy, and as college students “we are too young to gauge the long-term harm,” as my grandma might say. This harm, primarily, is a reduction or dilution of the self. In America, there is also a sense in which privacy is the protection of individual freedom. Take the Third Amendment, for instance, which stipulates that United States soldiers cannot, in peacetime, be “quartered in any house, without the consent of the owner,” nor during wartime, except “in a manner to be prescribed by law.” This law is clearly about privacy. Residents being forced to house soldiers would undoubtedly constitute an infringement upon their freedom. Most notably, the Fourth Amendment protects us against unreasonable search and seizure, arbitrary arrests and other government invasions of privacy. In 1890, Boston lawyers Samuel Warren and Louis Brandeis published their influential article “The Right to Privacy” in the Harvard Law Review. What prompted the piece, Brandeis and Warren explained, was the unbecoming slander and gossip pervading the news pages. Thus, a protection of Americans’ intangible goods — not only of reputation but other assets — became necessary. “[O] nly a part of the pain, pleasure, and profit of life [lies] in physical things,” they wrote. “Thoughts, emotions, and sensations [also] demanded legal recognition.” The way to protect these intangible goods is with what Brandeis and Warren termed “the right to be let alone” — in essence, privacy, or more specifically intellectual-property law. That Brandeis and Warren found it so necessary for the government to protect the dignity of the individual should teach us that we, too, should protect this dignity of ours. What’s the lesson? Listen to your grandmas. But really: Privacy is essential, as a protector of our inner lives, the cultivation of our individuality and even our freedom. So maybe think twice next time before posting something online.

The opinions expressed on this page are those of each article’s respective author and do not reflect the viewpoint of the Justice.

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Editorial Assistants

Sports: Gabriel Goldstein*, Evan Robins, Donnie Weisse

Sports: Zach Kaufman

Arts: Kent Dinlenc, Mariah Manter, Emily See, Anna Stern,

Copy: Eliana Padwa, Lily Swartz

Isabelle Truong, Mendel Weintraub

Photography: Andrew Baxter

Photography: Ydalia Colon, Lucy Frenkel, Dillon Garvey,

Forum: Judah Weinerman

Talya

Guenzburger,

Chelsea

Madera,

Adam

Pann,

Clements Park, Heather Schiller*, Anna Sherman, Staff

Yuran Shi

News: Emily Blumenthal, Jocelyn Gould, Junsheng He,

Copy: Erica Breyman, Sarah Fine, Sara Fulton,

Will Hodgkinson, Liat Shapiro, Spencer Taft,

Klarissa Hollander, Rachel Moore, Emily See, Billy Wilson*

Arianna Unger*, Maurice Windley

Layout: Winnie Qin, Shinji Rho

Features: Christine Kim, Leah Leybzon, Leigh Salomon

Illustrations: Ben Jarrett, Mara Khayter, Aaron Marks,

Forum: Ben Feshbach*, Tafara Gava, Somar Hadid,

Julianna Scionti

Andrew Jacobson*, Maddox Kay*, Santiago Montoya, Elias Rosenfeld*, Ravi Simon

* denotes a senior staff member.

TUESDAY, december 5, 2017 ● forum ● THE JUSTICE

FORUM

Evaluate Federal Reserve’s role in growing interest rates By morris nadjar special to the justice

The future of the United States economy is unpredictable, and its savior lies in the hands of the Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve, also known as “The Fed,” is the watchdog of the U.S. economy; its purpose is to oversee and protect the U.S. economy. Dangers exist just as threatening as enemies like the Great Recession and the Great Depression that have occurred in the history of our economy. Although not formally known as the “Central Bank of the United States,” it serves the exact same purpose and is deliberately established free and separate of Washington’s grid of politics. Founded by Congress in 1913, its role in banking and the economy has expanded and has been revolutionized. The Fed has three main functions, which include an effective payments system, supervising and regulating banking operations and conducting monetary policy. According to Townsend Asset Management, the Fed’s mandate is “to promote sustainable growth, high levels of employment, stability of prices and levels to help preserve the purchasing power of the dollar and moderate long-term interest rates.” In other words, the Fed’s job is to foster a sound banking system and a healthy economy. So what now? The Federal Reserve raises or lowers interest rates through its regularly scheduled Federal Open Market Committee, the monetary policy arm of the Federal Reserve Banking System. The FOMC sets a target for the federal funds rate after reviewing current economic data. Most recently, Fed Chair Janet Yellen began working toward ending the quantitative easing program. Quantitative easing is an unconventional monetary policy, in which a central bank purchases government securities or other securities from the market, in order to lower interest rates and increase the money supply. QE is an unconventional form of monetary policy where a Central Bank creates new money electronically to buy financial assets, like government bonds. This process aims to directly increase private sector spending in the economy and return inflation to target, which in the U.S. is roughly 2 percent. Now, whenever interest rates are rising or falling, you commonly hear about the “federal funds rate.” This is the rate that banks use to lend each other money. Higher interest rates usually means higher borrowing costs and people will eventually start spending less in a variety of ways. A growth increase presumably leads to an unemployment decrease, which further leads to an inflation increase, which then calls for an increase in interest rates. The rise in interest rates also leads to less investment as it costs firms more to borrow — this affects unemployment. The way it does so, for example, is reducing consumption (as mortgage repayments increase), making borrowing money from banks cost more, and as mentioned aggregately ‘less consumption.’ From the firm’s perspective, there is less

JEN GELLER/the Justice

demand for workers. The U.S. has been the leading world economy for many years, arguably since 1880. In terms of innovation and business, the U.S. has always been a leader, and since the turn of the 19th century, it has been recognized as a world leader. The problem Americans face now is continuing that legacy. How interest rates can influence long-run aggregate economics seems like a gamble to the most experienced Janet Yellen. As far as economics has grown thus far, there is much more yet to be discovered. The modern world is in its teens and currently experimenting with new tools in every sector of the economy. Whether it be the healthcare systems, Brexit, Venezuelan extreme inflation or dealing with Greece’s debt repayment, the world is figuring it all out through the same — maybe more sophisticated — trial and error. Higher interest rates will bring about more investment in the American economy from abroad. My reasoning does not have to do with the U.S. and in fact may clash with the views of Janet Yellen. According to an Oct. 15 New York Times article, Yellen mentioned that she saw little evidence of soft inflation in the United States as a result of change in the global economy. I agree with Yellen’s statement. I very much believe that because

the rest of the world is a volatile, chemical combustion, the U.S. appears extremely stable under this context. We are not dealing with the trade deals, rip-ups and rewrites between the European Union and Britain, nor hyperinflation in some developing countries. In fact, we aren’t even dealing with coups or mass riots in our streets, as most people in America trust the process and have trusted in democracy and capitalism for a long time. Our latest fear is how to approach our future and whether we should continue to raise interest rates or how it will impact our growth of inflation or whether there is more to the picture that we are not seeing. The most obvious concern is the weakness of inflation, which has remained below the Fed’s 2 percent annual target since the financial crisis. The unemployment rate stands at around 4 percent, and labor force participation has stabilized. While wage growth remains weak by historical standards, Yellen said that it was mostly the result of slow growth in productivity, meaning that it will, in time, correct and that wages should increase. As far as the recent tax cuts, Yellen said the prospect of tax cuts or other changes in domestic fiscal policy has not influenced the

Fed’s monetary policy plans at this point. She stated,“We’re uncertain about the size, timing and composition of changes that will actually be put into effect,” according to the same Oct. 15 New York Times article. Meanwhile, Republicans often say the total tax cut will be $5.5 trillion over 10 years, and the reality is most of the reductions are paid for by raising taxes elsewhere. The tax cuts that are financed by taking on new debt add up to $1.5 trillion. This may have an impact elsewhere and not in productivity, as it may not transfer directly to consumer spending or vice versa and therefore lead to the growth that Janet Yellen and the board have been looking for. To be able to watch inflation rise with the growth of the economy is a natural occurrence; however, part of the Fed’s plan is to monitor this rate to a max of 2 percent so that the Fed will be able to control the speed of the growth of the economy and relax it from too much heat. In simple words, as the economy grows faster, so does the money that is pumping into the system. This requires a cool down system that monitors price levels and maintains stability in a massive economy — in fact, the largest, with a GDP of $18.57 trillion dollars. There is a large collar for this domestic animal, and we must ensure the string won’t rip again.

Condemn the ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya in Myanmar By JESSICA GOLDSTEIN special to the justice

In an interview with GlobalPost on Jun. 20, 2013, Buddhist monk and hate monger Ashin Wirathu said, “Muslims are like the African carp. They breed quickly and they are very violent and they eat their own kind. Even though they are minorities here [Myanmar], we are suffering under the burden they bring us.” More importantly, Wirathu is a leader in the 969 Movement, a Buddhist Burmese nationalist and hate group that encourages the exclusion of Muslims within the country. Since independence in 2011, the Burmese government has targeted the Rohingya, a Muslim minority population. The United Nations has referred to the violence as ethnic cleansing, according to a Sept. 11 article in the UN News Centre. In the most recent wave of violence, an estimated 620,000 Rohingya citizens became refugees. On Nov. 22, United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson finally labeled the violence in Myanmar as ethnic cleansing, thereby encouraging significant pressure for political action, according to a Nov. 22 BBC article. The following day, Myanmar and Bangladesh also reached an agreement that allows the Rohingya displaced by the violence to return home. However, the plan seems a little too good to be true. Human Rights Watch’s refugee rights director, Bill Frelick, stated, “The idea that Burma will now welcome them back to their smoldering villages with open arms is laughable.” In no way should we assume that Myanmar is filled entirely with hate for the Rohingya, but how can we possibly expect their safe return if a country so blatantly fails to

recognize their existence? Use of the name “Rohingya” has become a political statement. In September, Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s chief counsellor and a former human rights superstar, claimed the media’s depiction of the Rohingya crisis was characterized by “a huge iceberg of misinformation,” to the benefit of the “terrorists,” according to a Sept. 6 CNN article. This rhetoric is not expressed by Suu Kyi alone. In fact, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the commander-in-chief of the country’s military, expressed an equally alarming sentiment. During a meeting with Tillerson, the general said, “The situation must be acceptable for both local Rakhine ethnic people and Bengalis, and emphasis must be placed on [the] wish of local Rakhine ethnic people who are real Myanmar citizens. Only when local Rakhine ethnic people accept it, will all the people be satisfied by it.,” according to a Nov. 16 Radio Free Asia article. While the concern about political instability and violence is entirely warranted, the suggestion that the Rohingya are actually Bengalis is false. The Rohingya inhabit Mrauk U in the Rakhine region of Myanmar. The group has gained media attention since the violence against them began in 2012. In June 2014, New York Times journalist Nicholas Kristof documented violence against the Rohingya, including evidence that some 140,000 were living in modern-day concentration camps. The Rohingya are essentially stateless, even though their families have lived in the region for the entirety of the region’s recorded history. According to a June 26, 2015 National Geographic article, the Rohingya likely trace

their roots to the Indo-Aryan population that lived in Arakan for the first 2,000 years of the region’s recorded history. A census from 1901 found 21 percent of those living in Rakhine were Muslim. The Buddhist Burmese population’s effort to rewrite history is despicable. An erasure of a people and their history is often referred to as ethnocide, or the deliberate destruction of a particular ethnic group’s culture. Raphael Lemkin, the Polish Jew who coined the term genocide, believed ethnocide to be a part of genocide focused on the killing of a given ethnic group’s culture. The violence against the Rohingya population suggests further violations.

“

In the most recent wave of violence, an estimated 620,000 Rohingya citizens became refugees. As refugees, the Rohingya are guaranteed the right to return, but it is essential that the rights of those exploited are prioritized, and the Burmese government must do its due diligence to ensure their safety. Additionally, no refugee should feel the obligation to return. In a Nov. 24 Dhaka Tribune opinion piece, Frelick took it a step further. He wrote, “Refugees and internally displaced people who were

The opinions expressed on this page are those of each article’s respective author and do not reflect the viewpoint of the Justice.

arbitrarily or unlawfully deprived of their homes, lands, properties, or places of habitual residence have the right to return to their place of residence or choice, and the return of their property. Myanmar should respect the rights of those who are unwilling to choose compensation for the loss of their homes and properties.” Currently, the plan outlined by the prime minister of Bangladesh fails to address the needs of these refugees as she calls for safe zones. Establishing safe zones in Myanmar fails to allow the successful return of refugees and internally displaced people to their homes. Instead, it creates the real risk of dependency on aid while failing to allow the Rohingya to rebuild their lives across the border. Most importantly, if we have learned anything from history, “safe zones” fail to protect the personal safety of civilians. Safe zones risk potential anti-Rohingya violence, and individuals living in confined areas run extreme health risks. As long as the government and military fail to renounce violence and hold individuals accountable for the violence, the return of the Rohingya is impossible. In order to preserve the rights of Rohingya refugees, it is essential that those within the international community continue to liberally donate humanitarian aid to those living in refugee camps in neighboring Bangladesh. Hopefully, Suu Kyi will continue her support of Rohingya repatriation and will begin to take steps toward the recognition of the Rohingya ethnic minority group. While this endangered population still faces many challenges ahead, it seems as if the international community is finally beginning to recognize their exploitation.

2017

10 THE JUSTICE ● Sports ● Tuesday, December 5, 2017

WBBALL: Team enters December with a 4-2 record CONTINUED FROM 16 than Goncalo, with 19 points as the game’s leader. She shot an impressive 70 percent from the field on her way to a dominant offensive performance. Fernandes also had the most rebounds and blocks for her squad, with six and two, respectively. Through six games, the Judges have gotten off to a fast start, posting a record of 4-2. Of the two losses, one was just by a mere point, and the other was to a Tufts University team that has long been a dominant force in the region. Looking ahead, the team still has

CLUTCH POINTS

some important non-conference matchups as they look to gear up for the University Athletic Association conference schedule. The team’s next battle will be with Gordon College this Saturday at home, followed by a long threeweek break at the end of the semester. When the squad returns, it will have two final New England games before the UAA season begins at New York University on Jan. 6. The team has been playing at a whole new level this year. Propelled by young talent, the Judges show no signs of stopping any time soon.

TRACK: Athletes looking forward to MBBALL: Club hopes to a promising 2018 bounce back vs. Newbury season this winter

YURAN SHI/Justice File Photo

LEADING THE PACK: Guard Eric D’Aguanno ’20 sets up his free throw shot against Becker College at home on Nov. 18.

CONTINUED FROM 16

CONTINUED FROM 16 competition, finishing 19th overall in the 5000-meter with a time of 14.38.96. The Brandeis track and field teams have performed exceedingly well the past few seasons in this event, and this year continued that trend. More than that, this trek to the South Shore has consistently been a coming-out-party for the team’s rookies. A year ago Churchill and Gourde finished second and fourth, respectively, in the 400-meter, and

the year before that Ogundiran won the 800-meter and Julia Bryson won the 3000-meter in their first collegiate meets for Brandeis. With this infusion of new talent on full display, the Judges will be in a great spot to continue the program’s success when they return from winter break. The teams’ next event will be the Reggie Poyau Memorial Invitation on Saturday, Jan. 13 where they will look to show off the immense potential of the Brandeis track and field program. Fans can look forward to intense competition.

five, but it was too little, too late and the Judges simply ran out of time.

Judges 70, UMass-Dartmouth 76 The Judges blew a 17-point lead last Tuesday in a rough loss to the University of MassachusettsDartmouth. The team went up early 19-7 as the defense stifled UMass, holding them to 3-14 shooting. In the remaining 10 minutes of the half, however, the game was more even and Brandeis was ahead at the half 40-27. The Corsairs made some adjustments at the break and scored the first eight points of the second half as part of a 14-4 run, cutting the

Judges lead to just three. After a Brandeis run, UMass slowly chipped away at the Judges remaining lead and eventually went ahead 60-59 with 3:49 to go. A late three and a few key free throws gave UMass the win. Looking ahead, the Judges have two more games before winter break and the team wants to get some momentum going. On Thursday, the team will welcome Newbury College to Waltham and on Saturday, the Judges will travel to Wesleyan University to take on the Cardinals. The Judges will return to action on the final day of 2017 as they take on Bates College before hosting Fitchburg State University in the penultimate game of regional play.

The team then has two games each against fellow University Athletic Association teams, which will close out the season and determine its placement in the UAA standings. If the Judges manage to turn it around, they could make the NCAA DIII tournament. The team has the talent and depth to go far this postseason, but it will need to come together after break to be successful. While it may not be March Madness, that is still the number one goal on the minds of the team as they progress through a long season. The Judges will look to keep their championship hopes alive when they come back in the winter. It will be exciting to see who will step up.

SOCCER BASKETBALL SWIMMING TRACK

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THE JUSTICE

● Sports ●

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

MEN’S SOCCER

jUDGES BY THE NUMBERS Men’s BASKETBALL UAA STANDINGS

TEAM STATS Points Per Game

UAA Conference W L Rochester 0 0 WashU 0 0 Emory 0 0 Carnegie 0 0 NYU 0 0 Chicago 0 0 Case 0 0 JUDGES 0 0

Lawrence Sabir ’21 leads the team with 16.0 points per game. Player PPG Lawrence Sabir 16.0 Eric D’Aguanno 13.7 Latye Workman 11.5 Nate Meehan 9.7

Overall W L Pct. 5 1 .833 5 1 .833 4 2 .667 3 2 .600 3 2 .600 3 3 .500 2 4 .333 1 5 .167

Rebounds Per Game Latye Workman ’18 leads the team with 9.3 rebounds per game. Player RPG Latye Workman 9.3 Eric D’Aguanno 4.3 Chandler Jones 3.7 Akim Sanni 3.7

EDITOR’S NOTE: Thursday vs. Newbury College Saturday at Wesleyan (Connecticut) Dec. 31 at Bates College

WOMen’s basketball UAA STANDINGS

TEAM STATS Points Per Game

UAA Conference W L W Rochester 0 0 6 Carnegie 0 0 5 JUDGES 0 0 4 Chicago 0 0 4 WashU 0 0 4 Emory 0 0 4 NYU 0 0 4 Case 0 0 3

Overall L Pct. 1 .857 1 .833 2 .667 2 .667 2 .667 3 .571 3 .571 3 .500

EDITOR’S NOTE: Saturday vs. Gordon College Dec. 29 vs. Endicott College Jan. 2 at Regis College (Massachusetts)

Katie Goncalo ’20 leads the team with 11.2 points per game. Player PPG Katie Goncalo 11.2 Jillian Petrie 8.3 Hannah Nicholson 7.8 Camila Casanueva 6.8

Rebounds Per Game Hannah Nicholson ’20 leads with 8.3 rebounds per game. Player RPG Hannah Nicholson 8.3 Jillian Petrie 5.5 Camila Casanueva 4.3 Katie Goncalo 4.0

SWIMMING AND DIVING Results from Gompei Invitational at WPI on Dec. 2.

TOP FINISHERS (Men’s) 400-yard IM

SWIMMER TIME Richie Selznick 4:11.85 Zach Diamond 4:27.26 Matt Arcemont 4:34.54

TOP FINISHERS (Women’s) 400-yard IM

SWIMMER TIME Kylie Herman 4:49.14 Talia Bornstein 4:58.17 Sabrina Greer 5:00.91

DILLON GARVEY/Justice File Photo

STRONG STEP: Forward Patrick Flahive ’18 cruises past his Rutgers University-Newark defender during a match on Nov. 12.

Season concludes with a heartbreaking loss ■ The Judges’ season ended with a 3-2 loss in double-overtime in the NCAA Division III semifinals. By Gabriel Goldstein JUSTICE Senior writer

EDITOR’S NOTE: Saturday vs. Colby College Jan. 13 vs. Boston College Jan. 20 at Keene State

CROSS COUNTRY Results from NCAA New England Regional Championships on Nov. 11.

TOP FINISHERS (Men’s)

TOP FINISHERS (Women’s)

8-Kilometer run

6-Kilometer run

RUNNER TIME Ryan Stender 25:37.2 Mitchell Hutton 26:05.1 Liam Garvey 26:16.1

RUNNER TIME Emily Bryson 21:12.8 Julia Bryson 22:02.5 Niamh Kenney 22:41.7

EDITOR’S NOTE: The teams concluded their seasons on Nov. 11, with each team sending one runner to the NCAA Division III Championships on Saturday.

The men’s soccer season ended in heartbreaking fashion on Friday night, as the squad fell to Messiah College in the Final Four of the National Collegiate Athletic Association tournament for the second consecutive year. The loss caps yet another tremendous campaign for the Judges, who will return a talented crop of players next fall. In the final press conference of his first season at the helm, head coach Gabe Margolis summed up the Judges’ emotional season perfectly: “Soccer is a funny game, and a cruel game, and it’s also a great game. Today we were on the wrong end of it, but I can’t say enough about how well our team represented Brandeis University and Brandeis Soccer.” Judges 2, Messiah 3 Despite several opportunities to hold onto victory, the Judges were unable to stave off Messiah College’s gritty offensive attack in

a semifinal matchup that will be remembered for decades. The two perennial powerhouses duked it out in a physical first half of play, with neither team netting a goal. Both squads had five shots in the first 45 minutes of play, but neither could break through before intermission. Brandeis finally initiated the scoring in the 60th minute, when defender Sam Vinson ’18 cleaned up a Noah Gans ’21 miss, punching home his first and only goal of the 2017 season. Messiah responded in the 72nd minute, evening the score off a header from freshman midfielder Adam Cole. Cole was able to connect on an uncharacteristically misplayed punch by Judges goalkeeper Ben Woodhouse ’18, who rarely errs in big-time matchups such as this one. Brandeis regained the lead in the 80th minute, when star forward Andrew Allen ’19 netted his sixth goal of the season off a perfectly placed assist from defender Colin Panarra ’20. The Judges enjoyed a 2-1 lead for all of 40 seconds, as Messiah’s relentless attack broke down the squad’s defense again in the 80th minute. Messiah evened the score off a beautiful strike from freshman midfielder Kirby Robbins. Despite each team having another solid shot at netting the decisive goal in regulation, neither side was able to

keep the match from continuing on past regulation. After a relatively uneventful first overtime session, Messiah was finally able to put the Judges away for good with a golden goal from junior defender Justin Brautigam. The shot just barely slipped under the crossbar and out of Woodhouse’s long reach. It was a fittingly dramatic end to the Judges’ storybook season, the squad coming just short of breaking through the semifinals for the second straight year. Central to Messiah’s victory was a steady and resilient attack on offense that kept Brandeis on its heels throughout the match. Messiah outshot Brandeis 21-10 by game’s end, with a 7-4 advantage in shots on goal. Messiah outshot Brandeis 8-4 on corners. Despite Brandeis’ defense being its strong suit throughout the past two seasons, the squad was unable to hold onto each of its two leads. That being said, Vinson had a phenomenal showing on Friday night, proving his worth throughout the entirety of the match. Speaking about transferring to Brandeis two seasons ago, Vinson expressed his pleasure with that decision by labeling the past two years “the most fun two years of my life.” The Judges end their season with a 17-5 overall record.

Pro Sports brief The final weeks of the NFL regular season promise to be exciting as teams make final playoff pushes With the National Football League entering the final leg of the season, playoff hopes have started to actualize — at least for some teams. The New England Patriots, as per usual, will take an easy sweep of the American Football Conference East division while the Pittsburgh Steelers seem a shoe-in for the top spot in the AFC North. That leaves two tight races in the AFC South and AFC West. In the South, the Tennessee Titans look to avenge their narrow denial of the playoffs last year, going up against the unexpectedly talented Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags, led by newly minted running back Leonard Fournette, will look to their final regular-season game when they face off against the Titans in what may be a win-or-go-home situation. The two teams’ upcoming schedules are nearly

identical, making the final game all the more likely to be the deciding factor. The Jaguars nearly led the league in losses last year with a 3-13 record, making their flight to the top all the more dumbfounding. The West is looking particularly sad this season, with the sub-par Kansas City Chiefs leading the pack with a 6-6 record. The Chiefs have been dismal as of late, losing their last four games, including one against the horrific New York Giants. The Chiefs have somehow held onto a share of first, tied with the Los Angeles Chargers and Oakland Raiders. Moving toward the National Football Conference, the Philadelphia Eagles have come out of nowhere, led by soon-to-be-star quarterback Carson Wentz. The Eagles have it made in the East and with the dismal Giants and

suspension-plagued Dallas Cowboys, the Eagles will strut into the playoffs with swagger. The NFC North looks much the same, with the Minnesota Vikings benefiting from Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ injury. The Vikings have had their ups and downs but have found their way with a stellar duo in running back Latavius Murray and quarterback Case Keenum. In the NFC South, there lies a threeway race for the playoffs, pitting the New Orleans Saints against the Carolina Panthers and the Atlanta Falcons. The Panthers took a lead in the standings over the Saints this week after their head-to-head matchup, while the Falcons fell to 7-5 after a loss to the Vikings. In the West, it looks like the change of scenery was all the now-Los Angeles

Rams needed. With a first-place seat in the division, the Rams need only to overcome the Seattle Seahawks to crack the playoffs for the first time since 2004. The Rams still have a tough road ahead, though, facing the Seahawks, Titans and Eagles in their final five games. The times are changing in the NFC, and the shakeup has made the races all the more exciting. If the playoffs were to start today, not one NFC division leader from last year would be a division leader this year, and the Falcons would be the only team to have made the playoffs in both years in the NFC. The conference has been changing due to new players stepping up to carry their teams on their backs. Wentz and Keenum have been particularly outstanding, with Wentz only in

his first professional campaign and Keenum never having played like this in the past. However, with the regular season coming to a close, these two gunslingers are proving their worth: their respective teams have become legitimate contenders. Needless to say, the playoffs will be exciting as always. Yet with the looming fear of missing out, this time of year runs a close second for many fanbases. But in the end all is for naught, as reasonable people can agree that the 2017-2018 Super Bowl champions were chosen long ago in the early games of the preseason — the universally hated New England Patriots. With quarterback Tom Brady having another MVP-caliber season, little can be done to stop them. —Jerry Miller

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Sports

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THE END OF THE ROAD The Brandeis men’s soccer team lost to Messiah College and will not advance to the NCAA Division III championship, p. 15.

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

MEN’S BASKETBALL

EYES ON THE PRIZE

Team still looking to hit its stride ■ The Judges dominated the Brandeis Invitational tournament this past weekend with two victories. By ZACH KAUFMAN JUSTICE Editorial Assistant

The Brandeis men’s basketball team has not started the season the way it intended. While the team has kept most of its games close, it has not had much luck finding the win column, starting off 1-5, including three straight losses. The season is still young, so the team still has time to put the pieces together, but the schedule is not going to get any easier as the team enters conference play in the coming months. Judges 74, Tufts 76 Mere weeks after ending the Jumbos’ men’s soccer season, the Judges lost a heartbreaker to Tufts University on the road court on Sunday. The Jumbos held onto a solid lead for most of the first half, but then the Judges made their comeback. Down 12 with less than eight minutes to play in the half, the Judges used some key Tufts misses

Waltham, Mass.

to propel their run and entered the break ahead 41-37. The second half was fast paced and exciting. Both teams traded leads for the majority of the half and the Judges found themselves leading 74-73 with 2.7 seconds left. But the Jumbos had a pinpoint cross-court pass before quickly calling timeout. Senior guard Vincent Pace was given the inbounds pass and nailed his shot to give Tufts the win at the buzzer. Judges 81, Babson 89 The team played a hard fought game against defending National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III champion Babson College. Four different Judges had double-digit point totals, but that was not enough to win Saturday’s contest. This was a game of huge runs and momentum changes. Babson used an 18-0 run to go up 24-5 early on in the contest, but the Judges persevered, eventually closing out the first half with a 19-5 run of their own to bring the game within 10. The Beavers increased that lead to 20 points early in the second half and led 71-51 with 10:40 left in regulation. A 28-15 run by Brandeis narrowed their deficit to

See MBBALL, 13 ☛

TRACK and field

Runners look great in first meet of the year

■ The men’s and women’s

track teams ran well at the University of MassachusettsBoston Invitational. By EVAN ROBINS JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The Brandeis University track and field teams competed in their first event of the year at the University of MassachusettsBoston Invitational on Saturday. Led by a rookie in her first college competition and a graduate student in his final year of National Collegiate Athletic Association eligibility, the teams put together great performances, with major contributions coming from up and down the rosters. Mid-distance runner Lisbeth Valdez ’21 began both her season and her Brandeis career with an incredible run, winning her first race with a time of 2:27.10 in the 800-meter. Valdez is the first firstyear to win in her debut of any Brandeis track athlete in recent history. Lisbeth’s twin sister, middistance runner Leinni Valdez ’21, also had an impressive day in her first collegiate competition, running both the 500-meter and the 200-meter races, and finishing second in the 500-meter with a time of 1:20.92. The women’s team also had great success in longer distance events, as distance runner and fellow first-year Niamh Kenney ’21 took third in the 3000-meter with a personal-best time of 10:58.34, while her teammate, distance runner Christine Minor ’19, crossed the finish line in fifth with a time of 11:10.2. While these events took place at UMass-Boston, a group of Brandeis distance runners also competed at Boston University. Success followed the Judges across the

city. At BU, distance runner Doyin Ogundiran ’19 had the best time of all Division III runners, and third overall, in the 1000-meter event with a time of 2:59.18. This exceptional time qualified her for the Open New England Championship. In the 3000-meter run, distance runner Julia Bryson ’19 ran a time of 10:20.84, placing third among Division III athletes and 15th place overall. Finally, distance runner Emily Bryson ’19 ran the 5000-meter in 17:31.70, finishing 31st overall. The men’s team had a similarly successful Saturday. Sprinter, and graduate student Irie Gourde ’17 continued his tremendous success from last season, winning the 400 meter with a time of 49.88. After walking onto the team a year ago as a senior and making it all the way to the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track and Field Championships in his first season, Gourde showed Saturday that more of the same looks to be on its way, as his time improved from his finish a year ago at this event. Sprinters Jack Allan ’20 and Patrick Quinlan ’21 also finished in the top five in their events, with Allan taking fifth with a time of 8.79 seconds in the 60-meter hurdles and Quinlan putting up a time of 51.18 seconds to take fifth in the 400-meter. Over in the triple jump, jumper Churchill Perry ’20 brought home an impressive second-place finish with a leap of 13.44 meters. Middistance runners Max Whitmore ’18 and Harper Pollio-Barbee ’21 both finished in the top five for the mile, with Whitmore coming in fourth through a time of 4:29.24 and Pollio-Barbee close on his heels to finish fifth with a time of 4:30.89. Finally, distance runner Ryan Stender ’18 was the fastest Division III runner at the BU

See TRACK, 13 ☛

NATALIA WIATER/the Justice

TEARDROP SHOT: Forward Joelle MarkAnthony ’19 jumps up for a highly contested shot during a home game last Tuesday.

Judges keep up their hot start with victory ■ Guard Sarah Jaromin ’19

impressed off the bench, scoring 13 points against Salem State University. By NOAH HESSDORF JUSTICE eDITOR

The Brandeis women’s basketball team trounced its regional rivals, Salem State University, 68-48 this past Tuesday evening. The victory brought the squad to the impressive record of 4-2, while Salem State remained winless at 0-5. Judges 68, Salem State 48 In the first quarter, both teams battled admirably as the game went back and forth. While the squad would eventually finish the quarter on top, 16-14, it had difficulty stopping forward Kia Fernandes of Salem State. Fernandes went on a tear during the period, scoring 11 points off of an unblemished 5-5 from the field. She dominated all aspects of the game, even recording two rebounds, as well as a block. The Judges began to put their foot on the gas in the second quarter,

outscoring Salem State by seven in the quarter. Forward Joelle MarkAnthony ’19 was dominant, scoring six points, which gave the team a nine-point lead as it went into the halftime break. While Salem State competed for a tough 19 points in the third quarter, the Judges as a team shot the ball better, en route to putting up 21 for the quarter. The energy showed by Salem State disappeared in the fourth, as Brandeis put on some stifling defense that limited its opponents to just six points in the quarter. The game ended as a 20-point blowout. Efficient shooting and intense defense were the keys to the team’s victory on Tuesday. The Judges outshot Salem State 40.7 percent to 28.1 percent for the game as a whole. However, this strong statistic did not translate to the charity stripe, where the Judges shot just 61.5 percent. Salem State, however, was perfect from the line, going 9-9. In addition to shooting and defense, the Judges were significantly bolstered by both their rebounding and strong bench play. On the glass, the team outrebounded Salem State by the large margin of

53-31. MarkAnthony was key in that statistic, gaining four offensive and five total rebounds in action. However, forward Jillian Petrie ’21 was the leader for the Judges on the boards, collecting 10 total boards in the contest. The double-digit mark was the first for Petrie in her young collegiate career, and was the highest by a player on either team in the game. The squad’s bench scored a total of 30 points, 14 more than their opponents had. Guard Sarah Jaromin ’19 was a big reason for this, scoring 13 points, a new careerhigh for the junior. MarkAnthony also had 11 points for the team off of the bench. The scoring leader for the young team on the night was guard Katie Goncalo ’20, who put up 18 points in one of the best games of her career. In addition to tying her career-high in points, Goncalo also hit two three-pointers, and had an impressive eight rebounds from a guard. She was also second on the team in minutes, playing 28 total, behind only Petrie’s 30. For Salem State, Fernandes actually scored more points

See WBBALL, 13 ☛

Vol. LXX #12 Vol. LXX #2

December 5, 2017 September 12, 2017

A Midsummer Nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dream >>pg. 19

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Waltham, Mass.

Images: Natalia Wiater/the Justice. Design: Andrew Baxter/the Justice.

THE TUESDAY, JUSTICEDecember | Arts | TUESDAY, 5, 2017 iJanuary Arts i THE 31,JUSTICE 2017

film review

‘Call Me By Your Name’: a tale d’amore By mendel weintraub justice Staff writer

There is an effervescent joy that arises in the body when one witnesses a masterpiece of cinema unfold before their very eyes. It is an almost overwhelming sensation. Luca Guadagnino’s “Call Me By Your Name,” an adaptation of André Aciman’s debut novel of the same title, is a rare gem that evokes such emotions. Based on a screenplay by Hollywood veteran James Ivory, “Call Me By Your Name” tells the story of Elio Perlman (the astonishing Timothée Chalamet), a 17-year-old spending the summer at his parents’ North Italian villa in 1983. The film follows the romance that develops between Elio and a 24-year-old man, Oliver (the perfectly stoic Armie Hammer), a visiting research assistant of Elio’s father, who is a professor. As the film progresses, we follow the romance as it slowly unfolds over a healthy 132-minute runtime. Yes, the film is slow, but with good reason. Guadagnino seems to be utterly unconcerned about creating an unnecessarily smooth pace, composed of tidy cuts that occur immediately at the conclusion of conversations. He deliberately allows the single 35mm lens on which he captured the film to continuously linger, resulting in shots like ones that reveal the occasional fly crawling along Elio’s body. These small details inject an impeccable vividness and believability into the environment that Guadagnino creates and captures. Further, not only does the unbroken gaze of the lens perfectly evoke the endless feeling of the summer days Oliver and Elio spend together, but it also gives us the opportunity to spend time with the film’s characters and locations as we absorb the beautiful landscapes of Crema, Italy (captured by the lush cinematography of Sayombhu Mukdeeprom) and observe Elio as he privately contemplates his decisions in silence. The experience of the movie is immersive and sensual. You don’t just watch “Call

Me By Your Name” — you feel it: As the leaves on trees flutter before your eyes, you can almost feel a summer breeze on your neck; as the clear waters of Italy glisten on screen, you are tempted to jump into them; shots of the fruit trees in the Perlmans’ orchard provoke a craving to reach out and pick their fruits. If there is one thing that becomes abundantly clear as the events of the film progress, it is that Guadagnino is wholly unconcerned with portraying the consummation of desire and, instead, lets his focus rest on the subject

ly portrayed in queer cinema to burst through the seams: the emotional romance between two men — in this case, Elio and Oliver. Here, the lovers share an attraction for each other’s personalities that is far stronger than their lust after one anothers bodies. Other than their own apprehensions about pursuing each other, there is nothing keeping Elio and Oliver apart; at no point in the film does somebody tell them that they cannot be gay, nor does the couple demonstrate any instinct to hide. This absence is precisely what enables the film to

Photo Courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

FIRST FLIRTATIONS: Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie

Hammer) spend time together at Elio’s parents’ villa in Northern Italy. of desire itself. He strips his subjects bare but refuses to do so with the bodies of Elio and Oliver; about halfway through the film, when we reach the climactic moment of unity between the two characters, the camera drifts away to an open window and lingers as we simply hear Elio and Oliver in the act. It is a choice that has drawn some criticism: Some people have asserted that Guadagnino is perpetuating the overwhelming suppression of queer sexual expression in modern cinema. However, this choice also allows for something not common-

avoid repeating the cinematic trope of translating gay romance into an exotic spectacle. Guadagnino’s decision to make the relationship between Oliver and Elio revolve around emotion, rather than the obvious fact that they are of the same gender, allows “Call Me By Your Name” to subvert the cliché of the forbidden gay love story, making for a universally relatable on-screen romance. Never before has a same-sex relationship been allowed to exist so passionately on film. While the movie focuses heavily on Oli-

ver and Elio’s relationship, there is a slew of minor characters that orbit around them: the groundskeepers of the Perlman’s villa, Marzia — a young woman with whom Oliver has a fling — and finally, Elio’s parents. They are all given a perfect amount of space to breathe and, as a result, are succinctly fleshed out. This fact, combined with the dedicated performances of the supporting cast who portray these characters, makes them surprisingly compelling, to the point that they almost match the allure of the film’s leads. They are all people who have stories to tell, but ones that we never hear — that is until one of the film’s final scenes in which Elio’s father (Michael Stuhlbarg) delivers a revelatory and moving monologue. It perfectly captures the film’s message and is among the greatest movie speeches in recent memory. Two fine touches in the film are its contemporary costumes and its soundtrack, which is a collection of songs by Sufjan Stevens and a compilation of piano compositions. They play over the scenes of the movie with intensity, perfectly manipulating our emotions and pulling at our heartstrings. With all that said, none of the aforementioned attributes of “Call Me By Your Name” are any match for the performances of its two leading men. Hammer is incredibly subtle in his portrayal of Oliver, leaving us feeling a curiosity and infatuation with his character that eerily matches the sentiments Elio feels for him. Chalamet gives an intelligent breakout performance with a startling level of nuance. He has the rare ability to perform complex emotions with an astounding level of effortlessness, which translates into rather beautiful simplicity. Combined, the performances of Hammer and Chalamet translate into a magnetic, unforgettable chemistry that propels an equally unforgettable film. “Call Me By Your Name” is perfect. This reviewer could watch it on a loop for the foreseeable future, basking in it and swooning as he does so. It is, quite simply, beautiful.

sketch comedy review

Comedic cooking in Boris’ Kitchen disappoints

LUCY FRENKEL/the Justice

FLAILING AND FUNNY: Members of Boris’ Kitchen bounce around the stage during their sketch comedy festival.

By Kent Dinlenc justice Staff writer

It’s quite hard for me to find a show that makes me laugh. I consider myself to be a very tough audience member to please. I rarely laugh out loud, and my taste in comedy is quite distinct, being much darker than most. One group, however, has consistently made me laugh in the past: Boris’ Kitchen. My laughter may have been intermittent throughout the show, but nevertheless, they do what most can’t. With that said, I decided to visit their Friday performance, day one of their two-day Sketch Comedy Festival “Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving” in the Shapiro Campus Center theater. The show featured two acts with three groups: Emerson College’s “Jimmy’s Traveling All-Stars,” Yale University’s “The Fifth Humour” and our own Boris’ Kitchen. Among the three, Yale was the funniest. Their skits were a blend of wit, perfect timing and a bit of social commentary –– everything you want in good satire. Though not every skit was a home-run, they did produce the funniest of the night: a coffee shop bartender yelling out embarrassing items ordered by the same man. A close second was a sketch about a man whose bank account

security questions caused deaths for the important people in his life. When asked to type in the name of his best childhood friend in front of his two best friends, the other is killed. It continued with his favorite teacher and so on, as if the bank were holding the man emotionally hostage just to answer their security questions. Both sketches were quick and to the point, hitting their marks with a funny punchline every time. I feel the way these sketches were executed embodied what was lacking in the rest of the show. Sketches are usually written

backwards. Once a strong punchline is thought of, the scene is set up and written for the purpose of ending with that joke, sprinkling bits of comedy along the way. The journey is usually supposed to peak at the end, not intermittently throughout. If the best joke isn’t done at the end, that’s usually what makes comedy sketches forgettable. A sketch isn’t memorable unless it sticks its landing. Most of Boris’ Kitchen’s sketches were written like regular stories. This doesn’t necessarily critique their joke-writing ability; it’s more about the final execution. Comedy depends on perfectly-timed LUCY FRENKEL/the Justice

BUNCH OF BANANAS: Members of Boris’ Kitchen dress up in banana costumes for a skit.

delivery. Because Boris’ Kitchen’s punchlines were sprinkled in the middle of their sketches, the jokes overstayed their welcome. The elongated setups not normally featured in sketch comedy diluted their punchlines with the smaller jokes. I’m looking at the program for the evening as I write this, unable to recall the main punchline for any sketch. Everything blended together. I vaguely remember laughing at a skit involving Matt Damon on a dinosaur and a banana with a crossword in hand. The best way I can label my overall enjoyment is

“amused.” I was amused by the odd mise-en-scenes, I was pleased with the jokes, I was charmed by the wacky props; but I didn’t find anything laugh-out-loud funny. It was an above-average experience that still could not live up to the high expectations Boris’ Kitchen and set with its previous shows. I’m not claiming Boris’ Kitchen is void of talent in or out of the writer’s room, and this is not to say that I didn’t laugh during the show. There is definitely potential in these cast members and writers. I lauded their previous efforts earlier this semester! Perry Letourneau ’20 did the funniest pratfall I had ever seen on stage! I feel that this time, much like the jokes featured, Boris’ Kitchen missed its mark. However, they were still immensely better than Emerson’s group, which I am convinced is made up of a capella rejects who turned to comedy (I came to this conclusion after half of their show consisted of singing). I could not attend Saturday’s show featuring Tufts’ “Major: Undecided,” Suffolks’ “Who’s Askin’” and Boris’ Kitchen Alumni (I think it’s a prerequisite that sketch group names be plural possessive). I wish Boris’ Kitchen luck next semester. I will definitely return, as I always enjoy their shows. This time it just didn’t do it for me.

THE JUSTICE arts i TUESDAY, January 31, 2017 THE JUSTICE i arts ii Tuesday, DECEMBER 5, 2017

theater Review

A midwinter day’s dream in the SCC By Kent Dinlenc justice Staff writer

If you walked in to Hold Thy Peace’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” expecting a somewhat-faithful adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic playthis weekend, you were definitely disappointed. I try my best to walk into Shakespeare productions with an open mind because the director will always have a unique vision or interpretation. However, I was still skeptical going forward. The play was staged in the Shapiro Campus Center’s multi-purpose room, which, beforehand, had not seemed like an optimal location for the play. I had also heard beforehand that the adaptation of the typically two-to-two-and-ahalf-hour play was shortened to roughly 70 minutes. My skepticism washed away when I entered the room. As soon as I made my way through the hung string lights, I felt as though I had not entered the multi-purpose room; I was in a dream. The set designer should be lauded for their creativity. I was immersed in someone’s twisted dream taking place in the Athenian woods, but if the Athenian woods were made of colorful lights and trash. The inspired vision is accredited to Aislyn Fair ’19, the scenic designer. The technical aspects of the play (choreography, lighting design, costume design, etc.) were all combined to create one consistent tone, an attribute of good directing.

Gabe Walker ’19, the director, clearly saw that there was potential in the story with different perspectives to explore. This may be why he chose to feature music in his adaptation. When I say adaptation, I do mean an adaptation in the loosest sense. The plot points and characters were present, but a myriad of scenes were cut to produce this abridged version. The music’s prominence replaced more than half of Shakespeare’s available dialogue. If BT Montrym’s ’19 music had not been so appropriate and complementary with Walker’s direction, I don’t think it could have been pulled off. Caitlin Crane-Moscowitz’s ’20 and Hannah McCowan’s ’19 choreography was seductive, the use of the small space was efficient and creative, and the singing was outstanding, particularly by Karina Wen ’20, Sophia Massidda ’20 and Rebecca Myers ’18, who played Hermia, Helena and Titania, respectively. However, their male counterparts, while good actors, did not reach their level. A major problem that I had, however, was the way the play was adapted. I didn’t mind the incorporation of music and the provocative choreography, but it wasn’t a true adaptation. As one of the most famous comedies of all time, I hardly laughed, and neither did most of the audience, though it wasn’t because jokes fell flat, it was because the play didn’t seem to go in that direction. Instead, most of the evening’s laughter came from the fairies in the back (which I found particularly annoying, like how I find a laugh track dur-

MANIC MONOLOGUE: Puck (Haia Bchiri ’20) recites her final monologue as Titania and Bottom are frozen around her.

Photos by NATALIA WIATER/the Justice

LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT: Titania (Becca Myers ’18) wakes up and falls in love with Bottom (played by Remony Pearlman ’19).

ing a sitcom). The performers did their job well, but I felt their incessant laughter was distracting and unnecessary. Because I was unaware that the play was going to be altered in such a drastically unique way, I did not get as much out of it as I had hoped. If I had known this was not a straight adaptation or if I went back in a second time knowing what I was getting into or if I had known it was practically a musical, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. I’d say it’s not really a criticism of the play itself, so much as a comment on the way it was advertised. As mentioned, I like to keep an open mind when entering these productions, but I did not expect to be taken aback with such a significant a deviation from the original script. I can’t be mad at a play that had tonal and stylistic consistency just because I didn’t expect it. I admire the risk, the expectation subversion spearheaded by Walker. I’d look out for any future directorial efforts by Walker. His quality is consistent and unique, as I wasn’t completely put off by “Urinetown,” his previous effort. Watch out for him as well as the main stars who all formed a great ensemble cast.

SPELL BROKEN: Titania (Rebecca Myers ’18) falls in love with her husband, Oberon (Dan Souza ’19).

pop culture

Sequels and remakes dominate 2017 cinema By Anna rae stern justice Staff writer

The saying “history repeats itself” has never been more prevalent than in the year 2017. I am not talking about how our current government slightly resembles 1939 (except we have the blessing of checks and balances — thanks, Founding Fathers). This year has been filled with the revival of television shows, sequels, remakes of movies and the comeback of various popular artists. One would think that 2017 was a revival of a culture that harkens back to the glory days of the early 2000s. Let’s begin our journey through 2017 by discussing the reboots in television. “Fuller House,” a revival of “Full House,” premiered its third season in mid-2017. The original stars (minus Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen) reunited to recreate their charming show for a new generation. Us-

ing 21st century references, relying strongly on the nostalgia factor of familiar catchphrases (ex. “How Rude!” and “Have Mercy!”) and frequent discussions of John Stamos’ never-aging hair, “Fuller House” tries to stay relevant while maintaining its now aged fan base. I was born in the year that “Full House” ended and grew up with it on DVD (remember those?) and reruns of it on ABC Family and Nick@Nite. “Fuller House” appeals to just that demographic: college students trying to procrastinate on Netflix while striving to recapture their innocence. However, “Fuller House” also appeals to the children of the generation who actually watched “Full House” when it aired, maintaining the show’s family-friendly vibe. “Will and Grace” jumped on the reboot train after creating a viral hit during the election season urging people to vote. The seven-minute video caught up with the original four characters after ten years and used

current popular culture and politics to influence voters. The reboot of “Will and Grace” uses the same tactics that “Fuller House” uses, such as appealing to the audience’s nostalgia by bringing back popular phrases (“Just Jack”) and writing episodes featuring returning guest actors. “Will and Grace” was revolutionary because it was the first show to have gay characters in the leading roles. “Will and Grace” tackles this issue again in the 21st century by featuring an episode where Jack’s estranged grandson is sent to gayconversion-therapy camp. The leaders of the camp are ironically played by the-out-and-proud actors Andrew Rannells and Jane Lynch. Jack and his grandson share a tender moment where Jack tells his grandson that he should embrace his identity. In another episode, Will is forced to share gay liberation history with his much younger date (played hilariously by Broadway’s Ben Platt), teaching the new generation that will watch this

show that gay culture wasn’t always as widely accepted as it is now. “Will and Grace” proudly embraces the 21st century, which enhances, rather than detracts, from the show. Before we move on to film, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the “That’s So Raven” sequel, “Raven’s Home,” and the “Boy Meets World” sequel, “Girl Meets World,” both of which have done an awesome job of bringing in a new generation of viewers to the shows we college students all loved to watch in our childhoods. In film these days, it seems that every other movie is a sequel, prequel or trilogy. When are filmmakers going to realize that we need original ideas? Disney has been building off of its success from liveaction remakes of popular Disney classics and, in this writer’s opinion, has been doing it all wrong. “Beauty and the Beast” was certainly a spectacle, but it didn’t make me feel for Belle as much as the original ver-

sion did. Why didn’t Emma Watson’s Belle react at all during “Be Our Guest?” Has Watson, because of her experience as Hermione Granger, become completely immune to reacting to empty space that will eventually be a computer generated object in post-production? Besides “Incredibles II,” which is much needed in 2018 and does not deserve any early criticism, Disney needs to focus on the originality that made it so spectacular during its prime era from 1989-1999, beginning with “The Little Mermaid” and ending with “Tarzan.” This year has been a year of turmoil for our world. People often harken to their childhoods as a source of comfort. With natural disasters signaling that we may be entering the “End of Days” and the sinking ship that is our current administration, this kind of reminiscence may be the virtual hug that we need. May 2018 be such an influential era that we will attempt to emulate it in 2040.

TUESDAY, December 5, 2017 | Arts | THE JUSTIce

Brandeis TALKS

INTERVIEW

If you had to pick a celebrity to run away with, who would it be?

Gabe Walker ’19 NATALIA WIATER/Justice File Photo

Candice Jiang ’19

This week, justArts spoke with Gabe Walker ’19, who directed Hold Thy Peace’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

“I would run way with Karlie Kloss, because she is awesome. She is a model and has her own company. I think she has a lot going on with her career and I would love to just get to know what she does and how she manages her life being a model and having her own company.”

justArts: How did you decide that you wanted to direct “A Midsummer Night’s Dream?

NATALIA WIATER/the Justice

CROSSWORD Hannah Borgida ’21 “I think I would pick Michelle Obama. I feel like she would be really cool. You can rely on her and do something really fun.”

Jessica Lam ’21 “J. Law. Because I feel like she is fun and has it together and is chill.”

Sarah Magda Zainelabdin ’18 “David Tennant.”

--Compiled by Jen Geller/the Justice and photographed by Yvette Sei/ the Justice.

STAFF’S Top Ten

Top 10 Unused Top Tens By Eliana Padwa

justice EDITORial assistant

After a semester of Top Tens, I thought we should take a moment to reflect upon top tens which, for one reason or another, did not actually make it to press.

1. Best bathrooms around campus 2. Spots around Brandeis that should be cafes 3. Forrest Gump quotes 4. Fraternities at Brandeis 5. Best Hoot articles 6. Most underrated Disney movies 7. Professors 8. Grammatical errors APStyle doesn’t have a solution for 9. Wild animals that should not be on campus, but are 10. Colleges that aren’t this one

ACROSS 1 Gone rotten 7 ____ fixe 11 ____ to be tied 14 House party? 15 Fixer 16 “The Duplex” character 17 1941 Orson Welles film* 19 It leads to many an untimely death in videogames 20 Certain Girl Scout cookies 21 Part of the Corn Belt 22 Big blowout 25 1999 M. Night Shyamalan film, with “The” 28 Neeson and Hemsworth 30 “Yikes!” 31 Atoll part 32 Modest declaration in poker 35 “Deal or No Deal” netwk. 38 1968 Franklin J. Schaffner film* 41 French seasoning 42 Knight’s arm 43 “No biggie!” 44 Inventor Whitney 45 _____ Dame 46 1996 Gregory Hoblit film* 53 Swamp plant 54 Swoosh, e.g. 55 Car you don’t want to get a ride from? 57 100 percent 58 What each of the starred clues has, in more ways than one 63 Corp. bigwig 64 Artist whose music came preloaded on some iPhones, to much dismay 65 Musician on the road 66 Prefix with skeleton 67 Ooze (out) 68 Florida Gulf city, to locals

Gabe Walker: So, I was thinking about a lot of the Shakespeare that I’ve worked with in the past, and something that I’ve always really wanted to experiment with is how music can be used to help audiences understand and engage with Shakespeare’s work. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” feels so musical to me, with all the fairies dancing and running around, and the lovers running through the woods and getting into drama and all the chaos. I really wanted to explore that through a musical lens, so I started working with fellow student and composer BT Montrym (’19), who is absolutely fantastic, and they wrote a brilliant score for it, and that’s how it came to be! JA: Did you do anything, besides adding the music, to abridge the play or make it any different?

29 “A Streetcar Named Desire” character 32 Sodium or chlorine in water 33 Rank below cpl. 34 Anagram and past tense of 51Down 35 Tale of adventure 36 Videogame in which the player controls an evolving species 37 Odwalla competitor 39 Follow, as a gumshoe might 40 Accumulated 44 Downbeat music genre DOWN 46 Put one’s finger on 1 2002 Olympics site, for short 47 Status symbol 2 Much-hated Ajit 48 Cool place to live? 3 On break, perhaps 49 North Sea feeder 4 Group discriminated against 50 Man of morals? in the 1800s 51 See 34-Down 5 Robert’s co-star in “New York, 52 Is overly worried New York” 56 Little brat 6 Overflows (with) 58 Conan’s netwk. 7 Climbing necessity 59 Misery 8 Kirsten of “Eternal Sunshine 60 Red state? of the Spotless Mind” 61 End up making 9 Tide rival 62 Test for srs. 10 “Yikes!” 11 One who committed tax evasion, say 12 Bowled over 13 Frat wear 18 “There’s ____ in team!” 21 “Sorta” 22 Dots on a radar screen 23 Grocery store division 24 Pacific Northwest shrub 26 Diner offering 27 Enter through the shallow

CROSSWORD COURTESY OF EVAN MAHNKEN

GW: Yes, very different actually! It’s very much an adaptation inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” I really wanted to focus it specifically around a lot of the relationships in the show, and I also wanted it to be viewed through the lens of fairies, and the fairy chorus, rather than just kind of presenting it. So, I turned four characters who are normally very small roles — Peaseblossom, Mustardseed, Moth and Cobweb — into a Greek chorus that was kind of leading the show, which was a lot of fun! And I also did a lot of reinterpreting the character of Bottom. I ended up eliminating all of the other mechanical roles that I had, and [made it more about] the fairy chorus. JA: What was your favorite part of directing? GW: There’s a lover’s choral, halfway through the show, when the love potion has affected both the men and they’re falling in love with wrong person, and it’s very funny. We turned that into a lover’s quartet; so it was the four of them singing at each other and over each other, and it was hilarious. It was a lot of fun to work with!

SOLUTION COURTESY OF EVAN MAHNKEN

SUDOKU INSTRUCTIONS: Place a number in the empty boxes in such a way that each row across, each column down and each small 9-box square contains all of the numbers from one to nine.

JA: If you could do it all over again, is there anything you would do differently? GW: I mean, it was a very short rehearsal process, we only ended up having about three-and-a-half weeks of rehearsal. I think I would really like to play around with how you could bring the audience into the forest; I had them all sitting in the back and kind of just looking at everything, which I was really happy with. But I would want to really play around with how could I have the fairies moving people throughout the forest, really seeing all the little things, and seeing all the action that’s happening everywhere? How the audience engages with the show is definitely what I would want to take another look at. JA: Is there anything you hope the audience took away from watching the show?

Solution to last issue’s sudoku

Puzzle courtesy of www.sudokuoftheday.com

GW: I just hope they had a good time! “Midsummer” is a great show, and there were some subtle things I was putting in that I was really interested to see whether people picked up on or not, but the most important thing for me was just that it was an enjoyable experience. —Lizzie Grossman