The Justice, December 1, 2009

ARTS PAGE 20

FORUM Frivolous protesters at UC 11

SENIOR ARTISTS

SPORTS Norton’s experience in Kenya 16 THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER

the

OF

BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY SINCE 1949

Justice www.theJusticeOnline.com

Volume LXII, Number 14

Waltham, Mass.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH PROGRESSES

STUDENT UNION

Midyear senator position proposed ■ The Student Union Senate

recently passed a resolution supporting the creation of a midyear senator position.

By MIRANDA NEUBAUER JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER

Student Union senators are lobbying the Constitutional Review Committee, which is considering changes to the Student Union Constitution, to consider the creation of a midyear senator position as the committee undertakes its review this year.

The Senate passed a resolution Nov. 22 supporting the creation of such a position. The resolution was submitted by Village Quad Senator and midyear Leigh Nusbaum ’11, Senator for the Class of 2012 Brendan Fradkin, Senate Representative to the CRC Ryan Fanning ’11, Castle Quad Senator Mark Trilling ’12, Senator for the Class of 2011 Michael Newborn and Foster Mods Senator Amy Mandel ’10.

The first midyear class entered Brandeis in January 2004, a year

ASHER KRELL/the Justice

STUDENT INPUT: Trustee Meyer Koplow ’72 addressed students and Brandeis community members at yesterday’s meeting.

Pres search committee hears student opinions ■ Committee members

from the Board of Trustees, faculty and student body attended the meeting.

By ALANA ABRAMSON JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Seven members of the Presidential Search Committee held a town hall meeting on Monday night for students to express their views and opinions about the upcoming search for a new University president.

The members present at the town hall meeting included Chairman of the Board of Trustees Malcolm Sherman, Student Union President and nonvoting committee member Andy Hogan ’11, trustee and Fundraising Chair Barbara Mandel, Search Committee Chair Meyer Koplow ’72 and Profs. Gregory Petsko (BCHM) and Leonard Saxe (Heller).

The committee was formed in the wake of the Sep. 24th resignation of University President Jehuda Reinharz. Reinharz will remain president until a successor is chosen or until June 30, 2011.

“The purpose of this meeting is to see what students want,” Hogan said in his introduction.

Amanda Hecker ’10, the Student Union vice president, was the first student to comment about the search. She said that she wanted a president who already loves Brandeis and is committed to the institution, because she believes that will lower the new president’s learning curve at the onset of the first term.

Heddy Ben-Atar ’11, the junior representative to the Board of Trustees, said that she wanted a president who was willing to take the initiative to foster closer connections with students and lead the rest of the administration in doing so as well.

“We want a stronger connection with our leader,” said Ben-Atar.

Rachel Markman ’10, a member of the Student Advisory Committee to the Presidential Search Committee, said after the meeting that she wished more students had attended, but she was very impressed with the students who came.

Jason Gray ’10, former Student Union president, echoed Ben-Atar’s claims about the desire for a president whose chief concern is forging

before the last Constitutional review in 2005. The first midyear class, consisting of 76 students, was housed in various dormitories on campus. In subsequent years, midyears lived in renovated first-year dorms. This year, due to a lack of funds for renovation, the increase in the undergraduate class and the new study abroad policy, midyears are living in the Village.

This January’s entering midyear class is expected to have 87 students, according to information presented at a Sept.

3 faculty meeting.

Nusbaum said she had gotten the idea to submit a resolution from previous senators’ efforts in the same area.

Jon Freed ’09 (GRAD), a midyear, spoke to the Senate Nov 15. about a constitutional amendment proposal creating a midyear senator position that he had drafted as senator for the Foster Mods at the end of last semester.

According to the Union Constitution, a constitutional amendment proposal must be signed by 10 Senators, presented to the Senate and submitted to the Union secretary. The amendment must then be voted on by the student body in a constitutional

See MIDYEAR, 5 ☛

STUDENT LIFE

Study space will be increased during finals

connections with students.

“If you walked into [the] Usdan [Student Center] and asked students what they want in a president, their first answer would be someone who is deeply committed to what students want. We need someone who connects with students,” said Gray.

Gray said his other two chief recommendations for a new president were someone who emphasized the importance of financial aid and someone who may not want to put their whole career into Brandeis.

Julian Olidort ’11 and Nicholas Hornstein ’11, both members of the Student Advisory Committee, raised the issue of the search committee’s opinion on the importance of selecting a Jewish president. Olidort said that this issue had come up among the Student Advisory Committee, but they had not reached a consensus.

In response, Koplow explained that it was a necessity for the president to connect with the donor base, many of whom are people of Jewish faith.

“We have learned the hard way that if the President cannot connect with the donor base, then there are

■ Extra study space will be

available in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium and lounge, beginning Dec. 4.

By LIZ POSNER JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The Campus Life Committee has decided to increase the amount of study space available to students during finals starting Dec. 4, according to Student Union Director of Community Advocacy Jenna Brofsky ’10.

Director of Student Activities Stephanie Grimes wrote in an e-mail to the Justice that extra tables and chairs will be placed in the Shapiro Campus Center television lounge and in the Atrium. The Campus Center Art Gallery will also be available as a study space with additional tables and chairs. All additional study spaces will be open 24 hours during finals.

See SEARCH, 5 ☛

Additionally, the computer library, the first-floor library and Conference Room D on the third floor will be available for studying.

As always, the building will be accessible by Brandeis identification card 24 hours a day, Grimes wrote.

The decision was made at a Campus Life Committee meeting on Nov. 6. Grimes and Student Activities Advisor Sarah Richardson originally made the suggestion for the additional study space, Brofksy said. Brofsky and Grimes then researched how to convert the campus center space into a suitable study environment.

The conversion of space in the campus center will not cost the University any extra money, as the tables and chairs will be taken from other buildings on campus, Brofsky said. If more furniture is needed, Campus Life will consider renting or

See STUDYING, 5 ☛

Controversial seat

Team loses first game

Home page changes

■ The senator for racial minorities position has been a source of controversy.

■ The women’s basketball team lost its first game of the season to Tufts University last Sunday.

■ A new Flash movie will be on the Brandeis home page before winter break.

FEATURES 7 For tips or info call Let your voice be heard!

Submit letters to the editor online (781) 736-6397 at www.thejusticeonline.com

INDEX

SPORTS 16 ARTS SPORTS

17 16

EDITORIAL FEATURES

10 7

OPINION POLICE LOG

11 2

COMMENTARY

11

NEWS 3 COPYRIGHT 2009 FREE AT BRANDEIS. Call for home delivery.

2

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

●

THE JUSTICE

NEWS AP BRIEF

POLICE LOG

Early reports indicate Americans are spending more than last year

Medical Emergency

NEW YORK—As shoppers crowded stores and malls around America in the wee hours Friday to grab discounts and hard-to-find items, early reports pointed to some renewed spending vigor.

The nation’s retailers ushered in the traditional start of the holiday shopping season with expanded hours and deep discounts on everything from toys to TVs in hopes of getting consumers, many of whom have slashed spending to focus on basics amid high unemployment and tight credit, to open their wallets.

Early reports from Best Buy and mall operator Taubman Centers offered some encouraging signs that consumers were buying more for themselves and that crowds were larger compared with last year.

Toys “R” Us CEO Gerald Storch said that on average about 1,000 were in line for the midnight opening for each store.

“So far, we are seeing that consumers are willing to spend a little more than what was on their intended list,” said Marshal Cohen, chief retail industry analyst at NPD Group Inc. “This is a big gift for retailers. It was missing from the equation last year.”

The traditional start of the holiday shopping season has high stakes for U.S. retailers who have suffered through a year of sales declines. It’s also important for the broader economy, which could use a kick-start from consumer spending.

Black Friday gets its name because it traditionally was the day when huge crowds would push stores into “the black,” or profitability.

But the weekend doesn’t necessarily predict spending for the rest of the season, which accounts for as much as 40 percent of annual sales and profits for many stores.

Still, retailers closely study buying patterns for the Thanksgiving weekend to gauge shoppers’ mindset— what kinds of items they’re buying and what deals are luring them.

Worries about jobs clearly were on shoppers' minds as they lined up for big bargains on TVs and practical gifts.

Robin Fryman, 47, of Mount Orab, Ohio, said she, her daughter, a friend and her husband got out at 6:30 a.m. for deals at Best Buy. Her hours as a food worker were recently cut from 40 to 25 per week.

She said she usually shops on Black Friday but got out earlier this year to find a camera for her daughter. They bought a $300 Nikon camera for $172.

At a Walmart in suburban Marietta, Ga., early morning specials on flat-panel televisions, cameras and other electronics were sold out before 7 a.m., two hours after the store started selling the early morning specials.

Most of the Walmart stores were open on Thanksgiving to prevent the mad dash for the 5 a.m. opening in the aftermath of the death of a Walmart worker on Black Friday in a Long Island store.

After suffering the worst sales decline in several decades last holiday season, the good news is that the U.S. retail industry is heading into the Christmas selling period armed with lean inventories and more practical goods on their shelves that reflect shoppers’ new psyche.

Still, with unemployment at 10.2 percent, many analysts expect that total holiday sales will be at best about even from a year ago.

Optimism rose in early fall as shoppers spent a little more, but stores say they’ve seen a sales slowdown since late October.

AP BRIEF or damage. The operator cleared the area.

Nov. 24—A female was reported to have had an allergic reaction off campus. BEMCo and the University Police responded. She was treated on-scene and transported to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Nov. 25—A party reported a patient who was potentially unconscious in the Foster Mods. University Police reported the party was conscious and breathing upon arrival.

BEMCo and the Waltham Fire Department responded. The patient was transported to the Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Traffic Nov. 25—University Police responded to a report of a vehicle that was involved in a car accident with a fire hydrant by the Chiller plant near Loop Road. There were no injuries

Miscellaneous Nov. 25—University Police observed three people on the roof of the Bassine Science Building. Two were identified as students, and one was identified as a nonstudent. Judicial charges will be filed.

Nov. 25—A community advisor in Deroy Hall reported to University Police that a community advisor from Shapiro Residence Hall had called with a complaint that a group of potentially intoxicated males were running through the halls and knocking on doors. Two males were stopped by the entrance to the building. Both parties said that they were going to stay with a resident of the building.

University Police took no further action.

—compiled by Alana Abramson

DAVIDA JUDELSON/the Justice

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS An article in News last week was unclear about the cost of a meal plan. The “$1,400 All-Points Meal plan” costs $2,473 per semester, not $1,400; students receive $1,400 in points. (Nov. 24, p. 3)

The art of teaching Northwestern University professor and Director of the Master of Science in Education Program Sophie Haroutunian-Gordon spoke at yesterday’s “Learning to Teach Through Discussion” event.

An article in News last week should have included an editor’s note. Daniel Orkin ’10, who is mentioned in the article “Chum’s institutes changes because of series of thefts” because of his role as president of the Punk, Rock n’ Roll club, is a staff writer for the Justice. (Nov. 24, p. 3)

ANNOUNCEMENTS

A segment in Forum last week incorrectly characterized a reader’s relationship to Abram Sachar. Roger Sachar Jr. is not Abram Sachar’s grandson. (Nov. 24, p.

11)

President Jehuda Reinharz will designate approximately 10 minutes for each student that comes to visit him during his office hours. He will be available on a firstcome, first-served basis. Today from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. in Irving 113.

The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. E-mail justeditor@ brandeis.edu.

Funding Your Summer Internship Information Session

theJustice The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods. Editor in chief office hours are held every Wednesday from 1 to 2 p.m. in the Justice office.

Main Line News Forum Features Sports Arts Ads Photos Managing

(781) 736-3750 (781) 736-6397 (781) 736-3746 (781) 736-3754 (781) 736-3745 (781) 736-3753 (781) 736-3751 (781) 736-3752 (781) 736-3567

The Justice Brandeis University Mailstop 214 P.O. Box 549110 Waltham, MA 02454-9110 E-mail: justeditor@brandeis.edu

President Reinharz to hold office hours

Previous student recipients and staff will provide information about the various Brandeis sources for undergraduate summer internship funds, including Hiatt Universal World Of Work, Social Justice WOW, Eli Segal Citizen Leadership Fellowship and the Rapaporte Internship Grant. The event is sponsored by the Hiatt Career Center. Thursday from 1:30 to 3:30 in the Alumni Lounge, Usdan Student Center.

Jewish Women and Work: A Panel Discussion This event will highlight the landmark research in “Gender and American Jews: Patterns in Work, Education & Family in Contemporary Life.” As a panel discussion, the event will address how Jewish women juggle work, family and Jewishness. Thurs-

day from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Liberman-Miller Lecture Hall in the Women’s Studies Research Center.

Study Abroad Information Session: Choosing a Program for 2010-2011 Students can attend an information session designed to provide an overview of the off-campus study process at Brandeis. The information session includes tips for researching programs and destinations, the application process, getting credit for work off campus, financial aid and resources and services provided by the Office of Study Abroad. Although this session will focus on a particular special interest, all sessions will cover the information necessary information to get you started with the study abroad process. Attending a general information session is mandatory for students wishing to study off campus for the semester or academic year. Friday from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Usdan Student Center.

Generations Visit Students can join Generations for a visit to the Coleman House, a Jewish assisted living facility, for an intergenerational program with its residents. Sunday from 12 to 2:30 p.m. at the Rabb steps.

Activists debate emphasis on marriage rights SAN FRANCISCO—Leland Traiman, who runs a sperm bank in California, worries about his lesbian clients in more conservative parts of the country when he hears fellow gay rights activists talk about winning the right to wed.

With 34 states lacking any legal recognition of same-sex relationships, Traiman wonders if all the emphasis on matrimony is misplaced.

“When I speak to women from Florida or Wisconsin or Minnesota, they are like, ‘I don’t care what it’s called, I just want to be able to visit my wife in the hospital and cover my children with my health insurance,” said Traiman, who helped pass the first domestic partnership law in the U.S. a quarter-century ago in Berkeley, Calif.

In the weeks since voters in the northeastern state of Maine handed the country’s gay marriage movement its 27th electoral defeat in five years, other activists have voiced similar qualms about making marriage their main goal. Gay rights leaders have insisted that anything less than full marriage equality is unacceptable, but some are asking whether the uncompromising strategy has forestalled interim steps that could improve the lives of gay men, lesbians and their families.

“They think the best way to achieve their goal of marriage with all the rights and benefits of marriage is a complete frontal assault, and any other strategy is a betrayal of their goal,” Traiman said.

The only U.S. states that permit same-sex marriage are Iowa, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut and New Hampshire.

Activists like Traiman point to the success of efforts to extend spousal rights and other civil rights protections to same-sex couples, even as the passage of gay marriage bans grab headlines.

On the same day that Maine rejected a gay marriage law approved by its legislature, for example, voters in Washington state approved a law giving same-sex couples or straight older couples who register as domestic partners all the state rights and responsibilities of marriage. Washington’s so-called “everything but marriage” law passed by the same margin as Maine’s gay marriage rebuff, 53 percent to 48 percent.

And earlier this year, Nevada lawmakers overrode a veto by Gov. Jim Gibbons to enact a domestic partnership law extending marriage rights to couples, gay or straight, who “have chosen to share one another’s lives in an intimate and committed relationship of mutual caring.” Colorado’s legislature and governor also adopted a “reciprocal beneficiaries” law providing some legal benefits for all unmarried couples. Colorado and Nevada are among the 29 states with constitutional prohibitions against gay marriages.

The success of partner measures in those states suggests that there’s room for gay couples to secure spousal protections even if they can’t marry, said William Dobbs, a veteran activist in New York.

“There is a real need among some folks to put their lives together, to have joint credit cards, a house and children,” he said. “We need a set of actions for that, but the marriage fight is toxic to other types of reforms.”

Since 2004, $78 million has been spent on fighting efforts to outlaw same-sex marriage, according to the National Institute on Money in State Politics.

Out of 28 elections, gay marriage supporters have won only one: Arizona voters rejected a 2006 measure that would have outlawed domestic partnerships as well as same-sex marriages. Arizona subsequently approved a constitutional ban on gay marriages last year.

Dan Hawes, the head organizer for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, agrees that it makes sense to seek even limited legal protections in states where gay people have none but disagrees that fighting for marriage has detracted from that work.

“It’s not that these fights are mutually exclusive of each other, so that’s why we don’t think it makes sense to negotiate against ourselves,” Hawes said.

Even if activists set their sights on a status short of marriage, there’s no guarantee that would diffuse the organized opposition they have faced from religious and social conservatives.

NOTE TO READERS: The Justice is on hiatus for winter break. Our next issue will be published Jan. 19, 2010. Check online for News updates.

Log onto our Web site at www.thejusticeonline.com.

THE JUSTICE

ADMINISTRATION

evaluate University administrative practices and management structure.

By MIRANDA NEUBAUER JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER

The Administrative Resource Review Committee began its efforts to consider the University’s staffing levels, management structure and ways to improve the efficiency of work processes at its first meetings, which were held Nov. 5 and 10.

Chaired by Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Jeffrey Apfel, the committee members are Vice President for Human Resources Scott Bemis, Vice President for Budget and Planning Fran Drolette, Prof.

Sarah Mead (MUS), Executive Director for Media and Public Affairs Dennis Nealon, Assistant Vice President for Students and Enrollment Frank Urso, Vice President for Development Myles Weisenberg and Vice Provost for Academic Affairs Michaele Whelan.

The committee’s charter states that it intends to review “overall trends relative to staffing levels and other administrative matters at the university.” The committee will also look at “financial data, both internal and comparative, aimed at providing insight as to the overall resource use of administrative areas in comparison with other university functions.” The charter further states that the committee intends to review “administrative practices, with an eye toward making recommendations concerning efficiencies, economies and synergies, best practices and needs for adequate staffing.”

University President Jehuda Reinharz had announced the creation of the committee at a Sept. 3 faculty meeting.

The committee intends to present initial findings to the president by Jan. 31.

“We wanted to get a balance between people who were high enough up in the organization that they could implement change, [and] I thought it was good to have a roll-your-sleeves-up kind of mentality, so I wanted to make sure we had people, who, unlike me, weren’t too executive in their orientation,”Apfel said.

In initial discussions about the committee, “I got a lot of different interpretations as to what people thought [a staffing committee] was supposed to be,” Apfel said. “As I put the charge together, I tried to reflect the various threads that were out there in terms of the kinds of things that the staffing committee should be paying attention to.”

He said that other institutions conducting similar studies, such as the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, “aren’t going out to prove that there’s too few or too many people in the physical plant, … but really, it’s taking a broader view of it to say, ‘Are there organizational efficiencies that we can generate? … Are there areas where we can consolidate functions, that are separately structured and find ways to combine them?’”

“I think that that [the review of administrative practices] is the one that we’re going to be teasing out as the primary one over time,” Apfel said.

“Last year we tended to emphasize across-the-board cuts, and people sort of felt like we’re at the point where we’re having a hard time delivering some of the services we want to deliver,” Apfel said.

“If we’re going to be looking at additional savings, I really don’t want to be doing it in an across-the-board kind of way. I think we have an obligation, if we are going to look harder at these things, to look at them in a strategic sense so that we understand [if there is] a way to do things better rather than do we a have to do things less well,” Apfel said.

He said that he expected the committee would find the University thinly staffed in terms of the number of employees available to do work, particularly after last year’s budget cuts.

He added, however, that some faculty had expressed concern about the size of the administration.

Emphasizing that no final conclusion had been reached regarding staffing or the size of the administration, Apfel stated that “my suspicion is that we’re not going to find that we have too many staff in lots of different areas or too many managers, … which is one of the reasons why [the focus is on] how do you think about restructuring, reorganizing, handling things more economically and efficiently.”

One of the conclusions the UNC study reached was that “there were too many managers compared to the [number of] people they were supervising,” Apfel pointed out.

Apfel said the committee was still figuring out how exactly it was going to go about its work. The initial discussions were about establishing a “common framework for everybody to work from.”

He said that he did not think the committee would finish all its work by its Jan. 31 deadline. “We have budget issues, so if by January if we can collect any good information for the budget we’ll do it, but some of these things they take a couple of years to work through, so I think we’ll deliver a report in that time frame, and it’ll be useful for the president, but I don’t think that’s going to end it.”

According to summaries of the Nov. 5 and Nov. 10 meetings posted on the ARRC’s website, the committee members have been reviewing organizational charts and trend information as its first step, which they plan to post online once the documents have been updated.

Also according to the summary of the second meeting, the committee “turned its attention to possible areas of inquiry. Specifically, what areas of university operations might benefit from a dialogue over best practices, process improvements or structural change.”

The summary states that “several ideas emerged for further discussion, including graduate student services, international student services, information technology, admissions (across the university), global issues, purchasing and budget tracking” with a note that the list is in no particular order and not purporting to be comprehensive.

“Because last year the academic side of things underwent the whole [Curriculum on Academic Restructuring and Steering committee] review, the faculty are interested to make sure that the administrative side of the university is similarly looked at in detail,” Mead said.

“I think the [ARRC] is very much in the early stages. … [We’re] just looking at the overall organization of the administrative side of the University and deciding what information we need to gather in order to assess whether there are areas in which there could be savings,” she said.

“I think once we’ve begun to make an assessment, I can be the conduit at faculty meetings for passing on the information that we’re gathering,” she said.

She added that she felt that her biggest role on the committee is asking questions and clarifying terms. “There may be things people on the administrative side are so used to talking about that they don’t realize that they’re not terms that the faculty are entirely cognizant of,” Mead said.

Apfel said that the committee would communicate with the community through its Web site and encourage staff members to give feedback on their individual departments. “We’ll also be asking people to come to our meetings … to talk about their area and try to understand how they’re organized,” he said.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

3

INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Review of staffing levels is under way ■ The committee will also

●

MAX BREITSTEIN MATZA/the Justice

Human rights in Rwanda Director of the Ethics Center Dan Terris (left) and Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda Hassan Bubacar Jallow were engaged in discussion even before yesterday’s event, “Developments and Reflections on the Future” started.

TECHNOLOGY

New Flash movie to premiere ■ The Brandeis Home Page

will debut a Flash movie based on a new marketing theme before winter break.

By EMILY KRAUS JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

The Home Page Redesign Committee has developed a new Flash movie featuring the new marketing theme of “Community, Opportunity and Justice” for the Brandeis Web site’s home page that will potentially be put up on the site before winter break, according to Assistant Vice President of Communications Ken Gornstein.

The committee, which is composed of faculty, staff and students, met throughout the fall to find a way to implement the marketing themes suggested by the Curriculum and Academic Restructuring Steering committee’s Subcommittee on Admissions and Marketing last year.

According to the CARS report, “A major dimension of the new communication/recruitment strategy is a complete redesign of the Office of Admissions Web presence, which was doing a poor job of communicating who we are, what we do, and why students should come here.” The themes of “Community, Opportunity and Justice” are meant to address values and outcomes that result from the Brandeis experience.

The Flash movie on the Web site in 2008 featured Smart Balance spread, a butter alternative created by Brandeis researchers. The movie went on to call Brandeis the “smart choice” for prospective students.

Faculty concerns about the home

page also led to the changes. In the March 10 issue of the Justice, Prof.

Marc Brettler (NEJS) said, “The issue with Smart Balance was it seemed silly to many faculty to be represented by a margarine—even if it is a healthy one that we created on campus.”

Jamie Fleishman ’11, who served on both the CARS Subcommittee on Admissions and Marketing and the Home Page Redesign Committee, said that the former Web site “did not really … portray what Brandeis was about. … Overall, I think that the home page [without the changes] does not do the best job of portraying Brandeis to prospective students … or to the community here.”

Fleishman said that “if Brandeis wants to think of itself as a top school, we need a Web site that reflects that, and I can’t stress that enough.” He went on to say that he and the other students on the committee, Benjamin Gorelick ’11 and Yale Spector ’11, looked at the Web sites of over 40 different schools to determine changes that Brandeis might want to make to its site.

Spector said, “Generally speaking, I believe that the home page is sort of like the entryway into Brandeis University from an outside perspective. … The brilliance of the school should come through on the home page.”

The new site features Flash videos that go along with the marketing theme of “Community, Opportunity and Justice.” According to Gornstein, “This is an organic, always-evolving process, and so the Web site will never stay the same for very long. We’re always looking at ways we can improve it and ways that we can take advantage of new technologies as they come along. For instance, these videos in

short order will probably have more than one video to look at.”

Audrey Griffin, the director for integrated marketing who is on the committee, stressed, “It was a collaborative effort of students and faculty. … There was a lot of hard work between the committee members.”

Fleishman discussed the role that he and other students played on the committee, saying, “I think that the student input was very important.

Students were heard loud and clear on the committee.”

According to Spector, the students on the committee did not come up with new ideas but instead shared their feedback on proposed changes from the Office of Communications.

Spector said that while he would like to participate in a complete overhaul of the Web site, “I think that it’s a pretty great step forward, because now you have real student stories from Brandeis students and real experiences coming through, and it feels more honest. I think it’s a very positive change, and while it’s not perfect, it’s a great first step.”

Gornstein said that he hopes that the new site will be active before winter break. He said, “We have to get through the final approval process. …

We have sent it out to faculty, students and senior administration for feedback. Then we will regroup the home page committee that we had. We will take account of all the feedback and then make the final tweaks.”

The next aspect of the home page that may be redesigned is the bottom of the page, according to Gornstein.

He said, “It would surprise me if nothing changed on the bottom, so I would say stay tuned.”

AP BRIEF Anonymous text messaging service aids officials in cracking down on crime BOSTON—A mother in Boston tells police her eight-year-old boy was shot to death in their apartment by gunmen in hooded sweatshirts during a home invasion.

Officers later received a text message from an anonymous tipster that led them to a much different conclusion: The boy’s seven-year-old cousin accidentally shot him while the two boys were playing with a loaded 9-milimeter handgun.

Meanwhile, authorities in Douglas County, Colo., thwarted a threatened Columbine-style attack after an anonymous text about a student’s “kill list” led them to weapons in the child’s home.

After struggling for years with an anti-snitching culture that made witnesses too afraid to come forward, police across the country are getting help from text-a-tip programs that allow people to send anonymous text messages from their cell phones.

In Boston, the first city to heavily

promote texting for crime tips, police have received more than 1,000 tips since the program began two years ago. Police credit text tips for providing them with key leads in at least four high-profile killings, including the accidental shooting of Liquarry Jefferson by his cousin, an arson fire that killed two children, the shooting of a Boston teenager on her 18th birthday and the fatal stabbing of a man during a bar fight.

Officer Michael Charbonnier, who oversees the program, said people who live in high-crime neighborhoods are often afraid that if they talk to police, they could be hurt or even killed by gang members, drug dealers or other criminals.

“It’s either call 911 or live with the bad guy. And if you call, there could be repercussions,” Charbonnier said.

“So when they have this option of texting us—knowing no one will know who they are—well, now, people give us license plate numbers;

they give us names,” he said.

In the past, people feared retaliation for talking to police, but with the texting programs, police never see the tipster’s name or telephone number. The text messages are sent to a separate, third-party server, where identifying information is stripped out, and they are assigned an encrypted alias before being sent to police.

Texting programs have caught on across the country. The exact number is hard to pinpoint, but Anderson Software, one of the leading providers of technology for text-a-tip programs, has at least 400 law enforcement agencies as clients, including Tucson, Ariz.; Savannah, Ga.; Hartford, Conn.; San Diego; Seattle; and Miami.

Company founder Kevin Anderson said text-a-tip programs are rapidly gaining popularity and could soon become as popular as anonymous Web tip programs, which have been around for about five years.

THE JUSTICE

SEARCH: Input given at meeting

●

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

5

HITTING THE BOOKS

CONTINUED FROM 1 bad results,” he said.

Saxe added that, whether Jewish or not, the new president needed to be able to connect with the values of the Jewish community.

“There are people that can do that who are not Jewish,” he said.

Tara Metal ’10 expressed concern that no fine arts or humanities professors had been selected to serve on the Presidential Search Committee.

Koplow said that he would be meeting with the humanities faculty before other segments of the faculty. He did not say when these meetings would occur.

Jonathan Sussman ’11 also stated his belief that the committee was not representative of the majority of the Brandeis community, as there is minimal faculty representation and the only student is a non-voting member.

The Presidential Search Committee, chaired by Koplow, was formed after the most recent Board of Trustee meetings at the end of October and includes thirteen people in total, nine of whom are trustees as well as three faculty members and Hogan as a student representative.

Sherman responded to Sussman’s claims by saying that he was not necessarily looking for percentages of representation but for the best possible committee members.

“I can only say that a huge amount of thought went into it,” he said, adding that it was virtually impossible to satisfy all constituencies.

Metal also questioned the committee members about the status of the Rose Art Museum and how the search committee related to this issue.

Koplow said that “he did not want to get off on a Rose detour,” but explained that the committee had enthusiastically welcomed the recommendations from the Committee on the Future of the Rose Art Museum's final report at their last meeting in October.

Koplow also said the decision whether or not to sell any art would likely be determined before there is a new president.

Markman said she was pleased with the meeting and that the search committee seemed receptive to the student’s ideas.

“I am very happy to hear students’ concerns and emotions. I think in the next phase we need to hear how students want Brandeis presented,” Professor Saxe said after the meeting.

MAX BREITSTEIN MATZA/the Justice

CROWDED SPACE: Students study in the Shapiro Campus Center library, the hours of which will be increased during finals week in order to provide more study space.

STUDYING: More study space to be available in Shapiro beginning Dec 4 CONTINUED FROM 1 purchasing additional chairs, according to Brofsky.

“In previous years, the Shapiro Campus Center has had extended hours staffed by our Campus Center Team (our student staff that work in the building),” Grimes wrote. “This year because of tighter student employment budgets, we needed to not offer these extended hours. We knew going into this year that this might be troublesome to our community during the stressful finals time.”

“Students are always complaining about lack of study space,” Brofsky told the Justice, “especially late at night and during finals.

We’re going to use this as a pilot to see if the extra tables and chairs work and if we need to add more for next semester.”

“I'm sure further discussions will happen next semester about what we can do to offer more space, but there are no concrete

plans,” Richardson wrote in an email to the Justice.

The Campus Life Committee does not intend to make the additional study space a permanent fixture during nonexam periods, as these rooms are needed for other uses throughout the year.

“We are cautious about dedicating additional spaces in the building during the full semester, when this building is used so heavily for programmatic purposes, club life, and socializing,” Grimes wrote. “[The campus center] is a busy building in the evening,” Richardson wrote, so a permanent conversion “of the public areas into study spaces isn’t the most ideal utilization of space during the school year. We’re a campus center, not a library.”

The extra space in the campus center is one of several locations available to students during finals period. Brofsky said that the main library, the Gerstenzang Science Library, Polaris Lounge in North

Quad and Shapiro Lounge in Massell Quad are all good choices for studying. “During finals the library gets crazy,” she told the Justice. “We also recognize not all students like studying in the library.”

Brofsky and Student Union President Andy Hogan ’11 both said that overcrowding on campus is an issue related to the lack of sufficient study space during finals.

Both graduate and undergraduate enrollment has increased in recent years, and the University plans to add 400 undergraduates by 2014, according to a Nov. 11 Justice article.

“I have heard complaints about the limited amount of [study] space,” Hogan wrote in an e-mail to the Justice.

“I am worried about overcrowding issues. I feel that study space is yet another service that needs to be increased as the student body increases in size. [The

Student Union is] proactively working on this before the problem gets too bad.”

“The addition of extra tables and chairs to [the] campus center will be beneficial to students because it will give them more room,” Brofsky said. “I hope that Student Union and the administration can continue working together to serve the needs of the student.”

Some students voiced their opinions about study space on campus.

“The most annoying thing about the study space available on campus during finals has been that in past years, the library hasn’t been open 24 hours during study days,” said Ellen Abramowitz ’11.

“I think that there’s enough study space on campus,” said Anna Jursik ’11.

“Even if they added more tables and chairs in Shapiro, I think it would still be too loud for me to study there.”

MIDYEARS: Senators advocate creation of new Senate position after the presentation.

Union Secretary Diana Aronin ’11 wrote in an e-mail that a proposal had been submitted to her last semester but that “we have not put it to a student vote because we are still deciding whether we are just going to include it in the constitutional review process.”

She wrote that Freed was aware of this and that “we are still prepared to have a student vote if need be.”

Nusbaum told the Justice, “Unfortunately I jumped on the cause a little late, as I’m going abroad next semester, so I figured the least I could do is pass a resolution.”

“When they start talking about the makeup of the Student Union Senate, they will know that the Senate passed a resolution saying that we believe that a midyear senator should be included in the constitution,” Nusbaum said.

Fanning said he would support the resolution as the Senate Representative to the Constitutional Review Committee. “I think it will be part of larger structural changes in

how the Student Union is constructed, how different constituencies are represented and I think because of the resolution the Senate passed … I’ll certainly work very hard to make sure that that becomes part of the new constitution,” he said.

Noting that nobody attended the committee’s town hall meeting held Nov. 21 for students to express their opinions, he said there would be another town hall meeting next semester, where students supporting this or other changes could speak to the CRC committee members.

Midyear Jordan Caruso ’11, senator for off-campus students, said he supported the resolution. “One of the main issues concerning the midyear class is where to house them; last year [the administration] decided to house them in the Village, and maybe if there was a midyear senator there would be different input [on that issue]”, he said.

“I feel like midyears deal with unique problems their quad or class senators may not necessarily deal

with,” Nusbaum said. “Although a midyear might succeed me as Village Quad Senator, the Village won’t necessarily be midyear housing forever.”

“I didn’t feel integrated into the rest of my class until sophomore year, and maybe having a midyear senator speaking directly for the midyears … they will figure out how to close this gap,” Nusbaum said.

Nusbaum said there was discussion at a Senate meeting about problems faced by the last year’s midyear class when they did not receive keys to other buildings, aside from card access to their own dorm, and could not visit other students in their year until they had an opportunity to complain to the Massell Quad Senator.

“My year, neither the Massell nor the 2011 senators ever came to talk with the midyears or introduce themselves. … We had midyear mentors, we had other people to help us ease the transition to Brandeis, but in many ways still I felt like I was thrust headfirst into this problem,” she said.

Freed said it was often the minor

issues that were difficult. “Something as small as getting e-mails for the other class; when I was a sophomore, I would get freshman e-mails. … You don’t feel good about yourself as a midyear if you’re getting these reminders that you’re different,” he said.

Nusbaum said she started a Facebook group, which had 43 members as of Monday, to encourage support for the creation of the position and let students from the incoming midyear class of 2013 know bout the issue. “The midyears clearly love Brandeis enough that they are sacrificing their fall semester to go here; they deserve a voice.”

Freed said he supported the committee looking into the issue but still thought a student vote on the issue would be important. Even if the proposal did not completely achieve the required two-thirds approval to pass, he said the committee might still be able to see “that a good portion of the student body did find it important.”

Freed emphasized that “there is

nobody [midyears] get to vote on … every decision that happens in the spring, when they get there, they have absolutely no say. … It’s a bunch of people making decisions for a complete group without trying to understand what their view is on it.”

Jane Horowitz ’12, a midyear last semester, said he had been concerned about coming in the middle of the year but that she made friends once she arrived.

She said she liked the idea of a senator but was not sure how many issues there would be for such a senator to address.

She did, however, echo concerns about midyear housing in the Village.

“We felt that it was a bad decision; they are already socially isolated. ...

They are going to completely isolated [there], and it’s going to be hard for them to break out of that bubble.”

Rachel Herman ’12 added that another concern midyears was whether they would graduate on time.

Editor’s note: Rachel Herman ’12 is a member of the Justice Copy staff.

THE JUSTICE

just

features

●

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

VERBATIM | Bret Harte The only sure thing about luck is that it will change.

ON THIS DAY...

FUN FACT

In 1900, author Oscar Wilde died at age 46.

Ninety percent of New York City cab drivers are recently arrived immigrants.

Fighting for representation

By MIRANDA NEUBAUER JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER

Student Union Senator for Racial Minorities J.V. Souffrant ’13 has his work cut out for him. Not only does Souffrant have the responsibility of serving as a representative for racial minorities on campus, but he also has to address the legality of his position and discuss the issue with members of the Constitutional Review Committee.

“Honestly, I feel that this is an issue that needs to be addressed. A lot of people that I know are tired of it, are tired of the same issues that are being raised every single year at the same time, so ... my goal ... is to at least make the position into something that everyone can respect,” said Souffrant.

Last year, the Student Union Judiciary held a trial regarding the legality of the senator for racial minority position. The trial sought to determine whether the position of Senator for Racial Minority Students was unconstitutional by racially discriminating against students who do identify as racial minorities. Gideon Klionsky ’11 and Ryan McElhaney ’10 filed suit after they were denied participation in the election by the Union Secretary on the grounds that they were not racial minorities . The UJ did not reach a majority decision on the issue and encouraged the Constitutional Review Committee to reconsider the issue this year.

However, during the trial, neither petitioners, defense counsel, witnesses nor Union Judiciary members clearly stated how or why the senatorial position was created.

There was speculation that it must have come into existence during the height of the Civil Rights Movement or perhaps during the Ford Hall occupation in 1969.

Research in the University archives reveals that over the past 30 years, the position has evolved from an appointed Union executive board to a senatorial position as Brandeis students have continuously debated the position’s role and appropriate constituency.

According to the current Union Constitution, the senator for racial minorities “shall be elected by a majority vote of all Union members who have declared themselves to the University as being racial minority students.”

This year’s incoming class was one of the most diverse in the University’s history, with 24 percent of the Class of 2013 identifying as minorities. In 1976’s and 1977’s incoming classes, however, only 6.96 and 9.2 percent identified as minorities, according to a September 1977 Justice article. Two years earlier, according to a 1974 Justice article, some African-American students faced discrimination when they sought off-campus housing. The term used in Justice articles for minority students was “Third World students.”

In November 1976, the Justice reported on efforts to restructure the Constitution in order for it to be more representative. At the time, the Senate president, Rolando Morales ’78, which is the current equivalent to the Student Union president, had taken office “as only the second non-Jewish student to the hold the post in Brandeis’ 28 year history.”

Subsequently, a 1976 news analysis suggested that, “his Third World background could prove a unifying force on this racially polarized campus.”

Union officials Eric Stern ’78, Steven Greenfield ’79 and Lauren Levy ’80 recommended in a February 1977 Justice op-ed the creation of a new executive board position “directly promoting the involvement of and better relations with those groups which have been historically misrepresented on this campus.” The position they recommended for later became the director of community relations.

Students approved most of that group’s recommendation, but an April 1977 article warned that due to mistakes in the wording of the Union Constitution, “the director is neither a senator nor a member of the Executive Board. ... As a result, the director has no voice or vote in the Senate.”

Later that year, Keith Jenkins ’79 was appointed the first DCR. Jenkins, already a Sen-

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT D. FARBER UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

CHANGING THE CONSTITUTION: During 1977, the Student Union struggled with finding a position that accurately represented minority students.

The Student Union Senator for racial minorities position has evolved over time

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT D. FARBER UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

PUSHING FOR PROGRESS: The Student Union, pictured above in 1977, discussing during a meeting. ate member, was at that time the first black senator to serve in three years.

However, in the fall of 1977, Jenkins resigned from his position. “The job entailed no responsibilities. I felt completely ineffectual,” particularly because he had no vote.an October Justice article that year quoted him as saying.

The next step in the position’s further evolution came in March 1978 when Keith Jenkins was elected Senate president and students passed referenda granting the DCR the same responsibilities and voting rights as other senators, defining the position “as a liaison between the Student Senate and the various interest groups within the campus community.”

However, in September 1986, a Justice columnist criticized the DCR position, stating that “[minorities] are no less capable than anyone else of expressing their views to

7

their senators.”

The DCR at the time, Jennifer Barner ’89, and other senators came to the defense of the position. One senator quoted in a Justice article disagreed, saying, “I am truly insulted by the notion that people think that because my skin is white I can only deal with issues affecting white students.”

Against that backdrop, the position became an elected one during an 1987 constitutional revision, which stated that “any member of the Union may be elected to serve as the Director of Community Relations,” with only minority students eligible to vote.

Taking note of criticism from minority groups that the DCR was not representing their interests, the Justice editorial board noted “that part of that quagmire will be dealt with next year as the DCR position goes from an appointed one to an elected one.”

However, the two candidates who ran for

the position in March 1988 were both white.

One member of the Brandeis Black Student Association ran as a write-in candidate and achieved third place in the election.

“It shouldn’t matter what color my skin is. … I want to work to represent these students and work together with the community,” the winner, Marcy Baskin ’90, said in an April 19, 1988 Justice article.

The article explained that even though the ballot specified that only minority students were to vote for the DCR, no official list of minority students existed and many white students voted nonetheless.

Minority students successfully impeached Baskin with a document called the BIAS list (Blacks, International, Asian-American students) compiled by the Admissions Office used to verify voters’ ethnicity, according to a 1988 Justice article.

Baskin argued that the DCR’s definition should be extended “to represent any member of the community who feels marginalized, such as gay and lesbian students, non-Jews and religious Jews.”

The position was lastly reorganized in February 1993 into two Senate positions: senate for racial minorities and senator-at-large.

The SRM “would serve as the direct representative of the students of color on campus.”

The SAL “would serve as ombudsman for those groups and individuals who feel underrepresented for a particular reason.”

Since then, one key development has been that since fall 2000, elections take place online, allowing for a much greater control over who casts votes in an individual election with minority status information automatically fed into the system from the registrar.

This past election cycle, about 22 percent or 716 undergraduates out of 3,254 undergraduates were eligible to vote for the racial minority position. This number is likely to grow to some degree as Brandeis seeks to increase its student body. In addition, next year the University will adopt a new ethnicity coding system mandated by the government, allowing students to identify as multiple ethnicities.

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

Adjusting to life on the other side of the ocean The only three Brandeis students from Pakistan talk about life in the States Anum Irfan Khan ’10 JustFeatures: What is your major?

Anum Irfan Khan: I am double majoring in [Health: Science, Society, and Policy] and Environmental Studies and minoring in Business.

JF: What has your experience been being one of only three Brandeis students from Pakistan?

AIK: I’ve been extremely fortunate, and I’m very lucky to be here. It has been an amazing experience. If I were to go back and do [the past four years] all over again I would. I have been surrounded by great professors and have been given great opportunities. It was definitely a transition—my first year was my hardest year—but every year gets better and better.

JF: Do you feel like your time at Brandeis has brought you closer to your Pakistani culture or farther away?

AIK: My time at Brandeis has been an interesting experience. A lot of [how you feel in relation to your culture] depends on the social circles that you move in and any exposure that you subject yourself to. There definitely are cases when you have to be a representative voice for your whole country, and I’m sure that’s true for so many other people on campus. But there definitely is support on campus in terms of cultural groups and resource centers. Am I closer to my culture? No, probably not. I think a lot of it is because of acculturation. If anything I’ve moved a little away.

JF: Do you feel you had a hard time fitting

in with the Brandeis population?

AIK: Not at all. I was very fortunate in the social circles that I was exposed to and admitted to. First year, I was fortunate to be surrounded by people who were very open-minded and outgoing individuals who really took me in for who I was and all the baggage associated with it. I’m very fortunate in that I didn’t struggle to find people who cared about me and vice versa. It made up for the fact that I didn’t have family here. … I had never been to the States before I came to Brandeis. I really had no idea or expectations about what it would be like.

JF: What differences have you found between your life in Pakistan and your life at Brandeis?

AIK: It’s like I’m living a double life. It’s very different. I come from a country where country and religion are deeply intertwined. It’s a very conservative patriarchal society. I’m always going to be Pakistani and that’s never going to change, and my upbringing obviously influences everything I do, but I’m very appreciative that the religious aspect of life is not as prominent in the States. … Where I come from there’s a lot more homogeneity. The exposure has been challenging and really helped me to grow. But it’s also given me great appreciation for my own culture.

—Rebecca Klein

ROBYN SPECTOR/the Justice

COPING WITH COLD: Aziz Sohail ’13 said transitioning to Boston weather has been an adjustment.

Aziz Sohail ’13 Nadir Daudi ’10 JustFeatures: What is your major?

Naudir Daudi: My major is Economics and my minor is Business.

JF: What made you decide to come to Brandeis?

ND: One thing was the scholarship I received. And secondly I wanted to come to the United States and without knowing much about where to apply and what to do; it just fell into place.

JF: What was your transition like from Pakistan to Brandeis?

ND: The transition was very smooth. In the beginning I was just excited to be in a different place, in a new surrounding. I actually found it easier than I was initially expecting. After a few weeks it actually hit me that I was here so it actually became a bit more challenging a few weeks in. But I’ve found the program and people here really great.

JF: What has been the hardest adjustment

to life at Brandeis?

ND: The hardest adjustment would be the workload and the way things are done in the system here. I wasn’t used to having exams on a regular basis; I was used to having one final exam at the end of the semester. And I guess also sharing my living space with two other roommates because I was living in a forced triple.

JF: What has been your greatest triumph?

ND: I think my greatest triumph I would say would be being able to excel in classes and maintain a very active extracurricular life. I made sure classes would not be the only thing I spent my time on. I got myself involved in a lot of extracurriculars. In the overall picture I think my triumph is that I have been able to excel in all these areas without letting one particularly suffer.

—Rebecca Klein

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY MAX BREITSTEIN MATZA/the Justice

ENJOYING ADJUSTMENT: Nadir Daudi ’10 is majoring in Economics and minoring in Business.

JustFeatures: Where are you from?

Aziz Sohail: Karachi, Pakistan.

JF: What made you want to come to school in America?

AS: I didn’t know what I wanted to major in, so I wanted to come to a liberal arts school in America, because the American system lets you explore in that way. It’s multidimensional; I have many broad interests, so if I want to study art and history or theater and peace and international relations, I knew that the American system would support diverse interests.

JF: How did you hear about Brandeis?

AS: My school counselor’s brother-inlaw went to Brandeis and so did my Economy [sic] teacher’s friend.

JF: What made you choose Brandeis over other schools?

AS: I wanted financial aid and Brandeis gives financial aid to international students and gives at a higher rate than other schools. It is close to Boston, which was important to me, because I come from a city of 16 million people. I want to study peace and politics and be able to interact with different religions to prepare me for studying peace and international relations.

JF: What is your favorite thing about Brandeis?

AS: There are so many things. It’s got an amazing [Near Eastern and Judaic Studies] program, and I know I want to study that.

It has a great campus. People are socially nice and accepting.

JF: Is English your first language?

AS: No, Urdu is the national language of Pakistan. I also know Memani. an ethnic dialect, but I have been learning English since I was little because I lived in Dubai for four years, and I lived in Kenya for two years.

JF: Does the fact that English is the primary language make it difficult?

AS: Well, I tend to speak very fast, and I have an accent. If it was just my accent, I don’t think it would be very hard to understand me but the fact that I speak fast and I have an accent— people ask me to repeat things a lot, but I haven’t had many problems communicating.

JF: Are there any other difficulties that come with going to school in another country?

AS: The weather here is always an issue.

It’s so cold! Also, living alone is tough, but that’s something that all college students probably go through. Also, the school system in Pakistan is different in that you only have one large assessment in your classes at the end of the year, and here there are many more assessments throughout the year and they are all important.

JF: What is the greatest challenge you’ve faced at Brandeis?

AS: Living alone and the weather, and making people understand that Pakistan has a great culture and getting past the bad reputation of Islam.

JF: What has been your greatest triumph?

AS: The fact that I am becoming part of the community and getting involved in things that I didn’t expect I would. I’m exploring new interests here and I’m letting my voice be heard even though I have different views.

JF: What are cultural differences you’ve found in an American school?

AS: The sense of dress and the fact that we can call our professors by their first names. Meals are also different. Here, lunch is around [noon] and dinner is around 6 [p.m.] or 7 [p.m.]. In Pakistan, lunch is around 2 [p.m.] and dinner is around 8, and breakfast is the big meal.

JF: What do you miss most about your home country?

AS: Pakistani food and warmer weather.

JF: Do you feel you can relate to the Brandeis culture?

AS: There are definitely things that they don’t have here, like Pakistani or Indian food. There are some Indian restaurants in town, but there’s never a substitute. It just makes things new and fun and different.

—Missy Mandell

9

10

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

●

THE JUSTICE

the Justice Established 1949

Brandeis University

HANNAH L. KIRSCH, Editor in Chief J OANNA SCHORR, Senior Editor ANDREA FINEMAN, Managing Editor ANYA B ERGMAN and SHANA D. LEBOWITZ, Associate Editors NASHRAH RAHMAN, News Editor HARRY SHIPPS, Acting News Editor REBECCA KLEIN, Features Editor REBECCA B LADY, Forum Editor IAN CUTLER, Sports Editor J OSH ASEN, Acting Sports Editor SARAH BAYER, Arts Editor JULIAN AGIN -LIEBES and MAX B REITSTEIN MATZA, Photography Editors B RIAN N. B LUMENTHAL, Layout Editor B RIAN FROMM, Copy Editor B RAD STERN, Advertising Editor

Offer options for winter break As the lengthy winter recess approaches, this editorial board advises the University to consider implementing two options for students who often cannot find anything productive to do over the course of the four- to five-week vacation. By offering classes as part of a shorter winter term or helping students to find weeklong externships, the University would not only help students pass the time but also encourage students to continue pursuing intellectually stimulating activities over vacation.

Various colleges and universities offer winter terms, using the available weeks for unique and original courses of study. For example, according to its catalog, during Middlebury College’s winter term, “Each student may enroll in only one course; each instructor teaches only one course,” allowing for an intimate learning environment of fewer classes and lower enrollment, more so than during the hectic fall and spring semesters.

Should Brandeis choose to adopt this sort of program for the winter month, it would mimic the University’s already-popular summer semester sessions, which offer small classes with regular professors. During these sessions, students also can similarly only enroll in a maximum number of three courses for credit.

Furthermore, the University can make accommodations to efficiently house students as well as classes on campus without spending a vast amount of money. With the Village already emptied of juniors with plans to study abroad in the spring, students interested in participating in the winter term can move in for the month. As with during the summer months, only Sherman Dining Hall would need to

Students can use time better remain open for these students.

Because the University would offer just a small number of courses, it would need to keep just one building open to conduct classes. Finally, the library remains open over break, so students would have sufficient study space and library resources.

With the University cutting back on all areas of campus life to deal with the financial situation, implementing a new program that requires little funding could help continue to enhance students’ educational experiences without costing the University a fortune. Since the University prides itself on outstanding relations with alumni, this page encourages using those connections to help students find productive placement in the work force during break through externships.

Externships give students the chance to do more than simply shadow someone in the field of their choice without doing as much work as an internship.

Externships give students the information needed to make important decisions about academics and open up their career prospects. Moreover, externships allow students to establish meaningful contacts with alumni and their co-workers. These networking opportunities could benefit students as much as, if not more than, as career fairs. Hands-on experiences and prolonged interactions with contacts in fields of interest can only enhance students’ academic experiences.

While students certainly need a break in between rigorous academic semesters, opening doors for productivity through the University over such a long break would surely be beneficial.

Increased study space needed The Student Union recently announced an initiative to increase study space during finals period by arranging extra tables in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium. The creation of a new study area temporarily resolves the problem of study space; however, this editorial board would prefer to see the University administration take the problem of overcrowding more seriously by organizing permanent additional study spaces.

The steadily increasing size of the freshman classes is not only a problem for campus housing and dining, issues that this editorial page has emphasized in the past: The need for makeshift study space shows us that academics are already beginning to be affected. The library and Shapiro Campus Center are already consistently filled with students studying and writing papers, particularly during finals period. At present, there is simply no place for an extra 400 students to study.

Furthermore, while we appreciate Jenna Brofsky ‘10’s effort, along with the effort of University staff like Stephanie Grimes, it should not be a Union initiative or campus center administrator project to provide new study locations. The administration, along with actively pursuing longterm solutions, should be at the fore-

Current setup is inadequate front of organizing temporary study locations, perhaps in response to student complaints or discussions with Union members. Academic administrators and Academic Services staff must be proactive in devising temporary and permanent solutions to the increasing overcrowding problem.

While the Atrium makes for a better study space than no space at all, the University should instead designate other campus locations as study rooms. For example, the administration can coordinate with the Department of Community Living to make certain common areas in residence halls official study spaces during finals periods. Empty rooms on the third floor of the campus center might also become study rooms at the end of each semester. Once classes end, the University might even seek to open one building in the Mandel Academic Quad where students can work without distraction.

The issue of limited study areas will not disappear with the end of this semester. If the University values its students’ academic experience as highly as it suggests, it should make sure to find permanent ways of increasing study space on campus as soon as possible.

A. ELI TUKACHINSKY/the Justice

Study variety of views

OP-BOX Quote of the Week

Matt

LAWRENCE MODEST PROPOSALS

Brandeis students are generally liberal.

Brandeis students are generally closed-minded.

One of these statements seems wrong; together, they must be somehow contradictory. It is my contention that both of these two generalizations have at least a grain of truth, and their related nature helps explain the nature of student politics at Brandeis.

The first claim is perhaps the more familiar one. Evidence of Brandeis’ leftward slant is so commonplace that it can be hard to single out. For what it’s worth, U.S. News & World Report considered our student body to be the ninth most liberal in the country. Cranky conservative David Horowitz found two of the 101 most dangerous academics in America at Brandeis, including the generally beloved Prof. Gordon Fellman (SOC). Why so dangerous? Predictably, Horowitz worried that these professors would brainwash students with liberal values.

While I don’t mean to dig this controversy up again, Horowitz’s argument is silly for an important reason: Most students don’t need any help converting to the cause of leftleaning liberalism. Furthermore, for many, liberalism is less a thoughtful political cause than a reflex, a worldview held by many who demand it be upheld at every possible instance.

The example for this can be seen in the familiar pattern of behavior that occurs every time a speaker is invited to campus. The speaking engagement somehow turns into a debate, Brandeis students inevitably protest this change and a storm of controversy builds up until the actual event when the speakers say exactly what everyone knew they were going to say, and few, if any, minds walked out unchanged.

To men, it has always seemed telling that students are often petrified of debate. Needless to say, a fear of hearing someone else’s ideas does not demonstrate a confidence in one’s own: witness the reactions to the on-campus presence of Alan Dershowitz and the lingering fallout from the Gold/Goldstone controversy. Remember, the cause of the latter event’s disruptive protest was the lack of a Palestinian person onstage: Anyone of a different background was judged a priori to have nothing to contribute. This reflexive concern for style—i.e. diversity over substance—or whatever this non-Palestinian person actually would have said—is indicative.

There is, to be fair, some tension between theory and practice. The Politics department offers a class on conservative political thought. The enrollment figures suggest there is considerable interest in this course. In an e-mail to the Justice, the course’s instructor, Prof. Bernard Yack (POL), claims that in his years of teaching this course he has encountered “no problem with resistance to the material.”

Yack stresses how the course is concerned more with classical political thought and not so much with “contemporary conservative [activism].”

The Chronicle of Higher Education, in two articles this year alone, has been concerned about classes like Yack’s. A recent one proposed precisely the opposite of Yack’s, namely a course that would study recent political developments up close. A more thoughtful article from earlier in the semester stressed how courses on conservative thought need to present the right as “a tradition” and not “a pathology.” This seems to be what Yack is saying, although I wonder if many students interested in this “use” the tradition as a way to criticize the more “pathological” elements in the contemporary right wing.

The latter article from the Chronicle mentions Horowitz’s aforementioned list; it concedes that Horowitz is an annoying man but annoying at least partially because he has something of a point. It seems somehow academically insufficient to allow politically involved students at a historically politically involved institution to graduate without an understanding of such a significant force in American politics. Professors like Yack will surely continue to offer meaningful and serious classes on classic conservative political thought that some students will surely always approach with genuine curiosity. But many more students will walk through college without this experience and will shirk away from new ideas. We Brandeisians, and left-leaning college students everywhere, would do well to seek out and listen to political viewpoints foreign to our own.

“It kind of makes you realize that even though your goals and aspirations are not [the same], that the desire to get the most out of yourself is the same regardless of your level of ability.”

—Brandeis cross country runner Paul Norton ’11 speaks about his experience working with KIMbia Athletics in Kenya (See Sports, page 14).

Brandeis Talks Back What do you think about making new study space in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium?

YONI BRONSTEIN ’13 “I think it might be a pretty good idea considering the library is open for a limited number of hours.”

ASHER FEIL ’12 “I think that’s not the best idea. This is a place where people come and relax and not have to worry about distracting other people.”

JAIMIE CORDIER ’12 “It would be good. ... The couches are full, and there is a lot of wasted space.”

STEVIE PHILLIS ’13 “I think it’d be a really good thing. I’ve come here and there’s been no space left.”

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

11

Protest with a forethoughtful agenda

READER COMMENTARY University must keep swim team Regarding your article “Swimming & Diving: Team dominates and enters poll for the first time” (Sports, Nov. 24): School pride comes in many forms. This is just as evident with a team full of athletescholars who continue to study, work and train hard, despite the possibility of their team life ending soon, as it is in one of the many purely academic successes that Brandeis can rightly boast of.

President Jehuda Reinharz and members of the Board of Trustees, please allow the swim/dive program to continue, even if it is in the current structure.

The surrounding universities and colleges have been supportive of the Brandeis University Swimming and Diving Team, opening their pools to them.

Other universities, including rival schools, have sent in letters supporting their fellow athlete-scholars and team.

Even d3swimming.com had an article last week supporting the team and asking the University to reverse its decision to end the program. Local and national support!

Brandeis should be more than equal in its support of its own team. Keep the program going!

— Norman Bennett Norman Bennett is the father of Aaron Bennett ’11, a member of the swim team.

Eitan

COOPER DOWN TO BUSINESS

The other day, I learned that Brandeis University has a weight lifting club—who knew? The club consists of a very committed group of students who unfortunately are missing some crucial equipment for safe lifting.

Which is why, while sitting in Sherman Dining Hall, I was asked to sign a petition. If the club obtained a certain amount of signatures, the Student Union would fund its expenditure. I eagerly signed their letter (and also wondered if I should join them. Maybe I could fulfill my dream of competing in ESPN’s “World’s Strongest Man” competition).

I’ve always thought that petitions are great; what better and truer form of democracy can there be? Here’s a situation where the people say what they need, rally support and get it. It is an example of a system that is run by the students, for the students. It may be one of the best ways for students to, quite simply, get what they want.

But a few days before my World’s Strongest Man fantasy/democratic experience, I read a piece online that told quite a different story— one in which students are clearly not getting what they want. Apparently, the University of California regents approved a 32-percent hike in tuition—more than a $2,500 increase. For the first time in its history, UC will cost more than $10,000 per year. The whole situation is quite troubling, a clear sign of the challenging economic times. (The university is facing its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.) But for me, the poorly planned student reactions that followed were even more disturbing.

Students from all of the UCs—including Santa Cruz, Berkeley and Los Angeles—decided to take over buildings and block administrators from entering and exiting. As one man who had voted for the tuition hike left the campus, over 100 students crowded around him and repeatedly shouted, “Shame on you!”

Students created tent cities in protest, picketed and held up signs that read, “R.I.P. our education” and “Fare hike, we strike!” They barricaded libraries, and many students caused enough trouble to get arrested (and, in some cases, beaten). The highlight was in Santa Cruz, where students presented the university with a list of 25 short-term and 11 long-term “demands,” including repealing the 32-percent tuition hike, ending all campus construction and offering complete amnesty for all of the protesters.

But after reading these demands, one has to ask: What do these students actually think they are going to accomplish? Is this really an effective way to protest? Will the administrators suddenly look at the massive chaotic

Review of ‘Dybbuk’ was misleading Regarding your article “HTG’s ‘Dybbuk’ doesn’t translate” (Arts, Nov. 24): The message of the play is that a promise, once made, can’t be broken without terrible consequences.

Through the supernatural intervention of a Dybbuk, the cosmos itself insists that a promise of marriage be honored.

Love, destiny and the sacredness of a vow are the themes, not “the essence of mysticism which plays such an integral part in the Hasidic experience.”

The dialogue doesn’t embody “abstract philosophical questions thrown into the mix.”

The reviewer’s confusion about the play and its ideas should not mislead readers about the lasting importance and relevance of this classic work of theater.

—Aryeh Yehudah

‘Dybbuk’ production disappointing In response to your article “HTG’s ‘Dybbuk’ doesn’t translate” (Arts, Nov. 24): A play only remains a classic if it is given life in a believeable, accessible production.

This review echoed my sentiments pretty closely.

The actors did well but the production did not succeed in making the themes clear.

—Lara Grey ’76

PHOTO COURTESY OF ROBERT D. FARBER UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS

A HISTORICAL DEMONSTRATION: The Brandeis Afro-American Society rallied at Ford Hall on Jan. 9, 1969. scene and say, “Oh, now we get it. They have a point. We were totally wrong. Let’s not raise tuition!” While I understand that this situation is extremely difficult—maybe even depressing for some—the students mistakenly treated this situation like the university was out to get them, as if some terrible injustice had been done to them. They painted themselves as the victims.

But really, this situation is just as bad for the administrators who have to make these difficult decisions. Faculty members are being laid off. The average university worker is taking a pay cut of 8 percent. And many other universities are beginning to heavily recruit the famed UC Nobel laureate professors, who may find it impossible to continue teaching under these conditions. The university is struggling to stay afloat, and many of the professors and university workers are literally sacrificing their well-being in order to ensure that students can keep learning.

I think the UC students could have learned a lesson from our own weight lifting club. You see, there are times for civil disobedience protests. But there are also times for civil obedience protests. There are times when the university and the students have to work together, jointly acknowledging the unfortunate situation. Perhaps they could then uncover the real problem here: massive state budget cuts.

Then, instead of beatings, arrests and chaos, something might actually get done.

Sometimes, we have to play by the rules to get

what we want.

But there is an even greater point here about protests: Civil disobedience can and should be used when students actually have a plan—a viable plan—to change the way things are run.

That’s exactly what Brandeis students did 40 years ago on Jan. 9, 1969. It was on that date that approximately 70 members of the Brandeis Afro-American society took over Ford Hall. They renamed the building Malcom X University and made 10 demands for African Americans at Brandeis. These students were facing terrible injustice and in their desperation had to take a stand. They presented the University with a realistic picture of how they should be treated. True, the majority of the Ford Hall students’ demands were not met. But really, civil disobedience is not about winning or losing. It is about showing the public who is at fault and rallying support for your cause.

The UC students failed in this regard. They displayed a poor understanding of what is fair and just. These protesters naïvely demonized their own institution—which was, in no way, at fault. They painted their university as the perpetrator when really state budget cuts were the real criminal.

Here’s the point: Disturb the peace and complain about your university when you really think that you could run the school differently if you were in charge. Otherwise, you just end up causing a lot of needless trouble, while simultaneously making yourself look incredibly uninformed.

Let intellectual curiosity trump career ambitions in choice of major Hannah

GOLDBERG EVERYTHING ILLUMINATED

One of my most vivid memories from my childhood occurred right after my fourth birthday party. Sitting on the floor of my grandparents’ house, I unwrapped the last of my gifts and sternly, out of the blue, declared to my parents that I wanted to be a chemist, or rather, a “chemisist,” when I grew up. In retrospect, after completing the first half of “General Chemistry,” I have to admit that I would rather gouge my eyes out than spend my entire career in a chemistry lab.

However, since that declaration, I have also wanted to be a food allergist, a firefighter, a neurosurgeon, a linguist, a journalist for The New York Times, a roller coaster tester, a novelist, a professor and a philosopher.

Now that I have finally (for now) settled upon a double major in Neuroscience and Philosophy with a Hebrew minor, I am begin-

Write to us

ning to narrow my career goals. When I was a child, perhaps the most significant aspect of a career was the uniform you wore.

However, in college, students become poignantly aware of how their career choices will affect their future life in ways other than their daily wardrobes. A person’s career will eventually dictate his lifestyle, social circle and, which my four-year-old self was unaware of, his salary.

Money and creative ways to make and save it play a large role in the lives of college students. Students begin to wonder if the career destinations set out by the path of their college majors will eventually support their desired lifestyles. Unfortunately, success of this kind is often confused for happiness. The idea of happiness is more synonymous with satisfaction than success.

It is an unfortunate side effect of our capitalist-driven economy that the concept of wealth satisfies people. People in America have historically believed that wealth will satisfy them, but it will not. Money provokes only a superficial, passing sense of happiness. As a result, far too often, college becomes a time for students to study what

The Justice welcomes letters to the editor responding to published material. Please submit letters through our Web site at www.thejusticeonline.com. Anonymous submissions cannot be accepted. Letters should not exceed 300 words, and may be edited for space, style, grammar, spelling, libel and clarity, and must relate to material published in the Justice.

Letters from off-campus sources should include location. The Justice does not print letters to the editor and op-ed submissions that have been submitted to other publications. Op-ed submissions of general interest to the University community—that do not respond explicitly to articles printed in the Justice—are also welcome and should be limited to 800 words.

All submissions are due Friday at 5 p.m.

they believe will ultimately put them in the position to make the maximum amount of money. However, college should be the time in life that is most densely packed with exploration—there is such an abundance of opportunities available, interesting people with whom to discuss, and freedom to do as much or as little exploring as you would like.

College is the time to take what you are given and stretch it to maximize its creative potential. It is the time to make something generic into something different in a way that only one’s own experiences and ideas could allow.

For this reason, students should study what interests them now, for satisfaction will undoubtedly follow. One should not feel obligated to study to be a Business major if one is actually interested in psychology, just as one should not study to be a doctor if one is more interested in anthropology.

A few weeks ago, I wrote an article in which I commended Brandeis for forcing students to expand their horizons by placing a seven-semester residency requirement on all students. This obliges students who are too hasty to graduate with their desired degrees to continue exploring new classes that stray

The opinions stated in the editorial(s) under the masthead on the opposing page represent the opinion of a majority of the voting members of the editorial board; all other articles, columns, comics and advertisements do not necessarily. For the Brandeis Talks Back feature on the opposite page, staff interview four randomly selected students each week and print only those four answers.

The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. Operated, written, produced and published entirely by students, the Justice includes news, features, arts, opinion and sports articles of interest to approximately 3,000 undergraduates, 800 graduate students, 500 faculty and 1,000 administrative staff.

In addition, the Justice is mailed weekly to paid subscribers and distributed throughout Waltham, Mass. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods.

Advertising deadlines: All insertion orders and advertising copy must be received by the Justice no later than 5 p.m. on the Thursday preceding the date of publication. All advertising copy is subject to approval of the editor in chief and the managing and advertising editors. A publication schedule and rate card is available upon request.

Subscription rate: $35 per semester, $50 per year.

Fine Print

The Staff For information on joining the Justice, write to justeditor@ brandeis.edu.

from their existing interests. As a liberal arts college, Brandeis helps students who are reluctant to drift from their predetermined academic paths to realize the full scope of not only their academic potentials but also their potentials for happiness. Majoring in a random humanities field may not hold the promise of a successful career, but in addition to making you a more well-rounded candidate for a job in a separate field, it makes you a more interesting person. As a more wellrounded person, extra opportunities such as internships and travel destinations become appealing, thus making life an exciting and unpredictable confluence of events. By ignoring peripheral interests, one will miss out on these opportunities, which will cause one to lead the most simple life he or she has planned.

As children, we were full of dreams and unlimited possibilities laid out before us.

Now that we are in college, who is to say that we must curtail our options by being so serious about following the path of a specific career? At our ages, why should our goals be dependant upon what degrees could make us the most money?

EDITORIAL ASSISTANTS NEWS: Alana Abramson FORUM: Hillel Buechler ARTS: Amy Melser PHOTOS: Asher Krell, Robyn Spector LAYOUT: Debra Friedmann COPY: Emily Kraus ADS: Cody Yudkoff STAFF Senior Writers: Miranda Neubauer, Melissa Siegel Senior Photographer: Rebecca Ney Senior Copy Editor: Joyce Wang Senior Illustrator: A. Eli Tukachinsky News: Erin Doniger, Liz Posner

Features: Tess Raser Forum: Eitan Cooper, Hannah Goldberg, Rebecca Kellogg, Matt Lawrence, Ethan Mermelstein, Leah Smith Sports: Jeffrey Boxer, Max Goldstein, Jonathan Steinberg Arts: Wei-Huan Chen, Marianna Faynshteyn, Bryan Flatt, Morgan Manley, Daniel Orkin, Alex Pagan, Bryan Prywes, Justine Root, Ben Serby, Sujin Shin, Shelly Shore Photography: Genevieve Armstrong, Maegan Bautista, Jaxson Dermer, Nathaniel Freedman, Paula Hoekstra, Shaefali Shandilya Copy: Ariel Adams, Danielle Berger, Jacob Chatinover, Hilary Cheney, Jenn Craig, Camille Dolfen, Patricia Greene, Rachel Herman, Liana Johnson, Daniella Kohlhagen, Lauren Paris, Zane Relethford, Jared Stoen, Marielle Temkin, Liat Zabludovsky Illustrations: Rishika Assomull, Stacy Handler Layout: Nadav Havivi, Karen Hu, Nan Pang

12

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

●

THE JUSTICE

FORUM THE CASE FOR CLASSROOM INNOVATION

RISHIKA ASSOMULL/the Justice

Students should always get course readings in print Hillel

BUECHLER AND SO ON

As yet another finals week is at last on the horizon, I’m hit once again with the most shocking of realizations: I may not have done all of my assigned readings this semester.

I suppose that this has become somewhat of a ritual end-of-thesemester admission. But though I am at fault for not printing all of the hundreds of pages from LATTE that I ideally should have, after a few semesters at this university it has become clear to me that the University, as well, is at fault for my repeated failures to complete my readings.

There are essentially four types of readings that instructors hand out to students: Books, course packets, in-class handouts and LATTE postings.

The three earlier methods share a common trait that makes them highly conducive to students reading them—they’re all tangible from the get-go.

In those situations, you can hold the reading in your hand, easily flip back and forth between pages and mark up whatever you want with your pen from the very beginning.

However, for a LATTE reading, those things are simply not true.

With an online posting, access to the reading is immediately greatly limited.

Even if you have a tablet laptop, taking notes on and highlighting sections of readings on your computer screen is a tremendous hassle. Going back to previous sections by scrolling through often temperamental programs is also no simple feat.

Worst of all, reading lengthy assignments on a computer screen can be a literally painful task.

Some readings, though often too few, can be read in a normative format that is easy to your eyes, much like a word processing document. But far too many readings posted online are copied pages from books or odd-font PDFs, which physically strain your eyes if you try and read them online.

Lately, medical research has pointed to a new category of disorders under the title of “computer

vision syndrome.” The syndrome encompasses various types of eye problems that arise in people who spend lengthy periods of time staring at computer screens.

College usage of computers is obviously high to begin with.

There’s no need to expand the potential danger to our eyes by reading hundreds of pages online each week.

Now obviously there’s something seemingly simple that any given student could do to alleviate this issue—just print the reading.

And when it comes down to paperwriting time and you need to use the readings to write something coherent, that’s exactly what many students do.

But we shouldn’t be forced to stock our rooms with printer cartridges or make daily trips to the Intercultural Center to use our 20 free pages a day, which over the course of four days could help crank out that 80-page reading.

Quite frankly, it’s an annoying burden upon students to get everything printed.

What I propose the University do to mend this widespread issue is simply turn the burden on its head and require instructors to offer course packets that include any and all material posted on LATTE. Students such as myself who would rather pay 20-something dollars for a preprinted course packet and have all readings at their disposal for the entire semester should be allowed to do so.

If most students are going to have to print pages at some point anyhow, then it’s not as if we were ever “going green” by using LATTE. LATTE became a case of instructors using the Internet, perhaps unintentionally, as a somewhat of a cop-out for preparing a course packet, which requires a significant amount of preparation to produce.

The abundance of LATTEdependant courses is far from being the reason that students fail to complete all their course readings.

And requiring course packets for each course isn’t a panacea to student apathy with regard to required readings.

It’s a courtesy that the University should offer its students across the board, one that would make our lives just a little bit easier.

Keep “tweeting” out of the classroom setting

By LEAH SMITH JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

With 10 minutes left of my Introduction to International and Global Studies lecture, I found myself slumping in my chair, checking the clock nearly every 5 seconds and praying with all my heart for the class to finally be over. I carefully surveyed my notes for the day and realized that I had been drawing doodles in the margins for the last half hour.

When the professor posed a question to the class, I didn’t even think to raise my hand because I knew that whatever I said would probably sound incredibly stupid and indicate quite clearly that I had not been paying attention to any of the discussion that had ensued for the past 50 minutes.

At long last, the clock struck 11, and I was out of the classroom before the professor could even get his closing words out of his mouth.

Although my complete loss of focus was quite unusual considering my typically studious disposition, a general lack of interest and engagement among college students is a far too common problem for both students and educators.

According to an article in The Chronicle of Higher Education titled “Teaching with Twitter: Not for the Faint of Heart” by Jeffrey R. Young, the latest innovation for remedying this problem is using Twitter, an online social network, as a new form of forum for discussion in the classroom. Several professors at colleges and universities across the country have been trying Twitter as a means of getting their students more involved in class discussions.

According to the article, the online forum emboldens quieter students to participate and ask questions via “tweets”—short 140-character posts that can be submitted via a laptop or cell phone.

In addition, it allows students to engage in an ongoing discussion about class material both inside and outside of the classroom.

Using Twitter as a classroom tool certainly seems like an interesting idea.

Admittedly, when I first read the article, I found myself wishing my IGS professor would adopt a similar system.

But on second thought, I real-

ized that using Twitter in the classroom is actually detrimental to an esteemed academic environment.

Twitter is undoubtedly an effective way to get students engaged, but the problem is that students would be engaging the wrong skills.

One obvious downside to using Twitter in the classroom is that the open, unlimited access to this online forum draws students’ attention away from the lecture.

According to the Chronicle article, in Prof.

Sugato Chakravarty’s consumer sciences and retailing class at Purdue University, the experimental Twitter project causes “a constant stream of comments, often tangential. … During one session … students took over the back channel to ask the professor to cancel class Thanksgiving week.”

“

Twitter is undoubtedly an effective way to get students engaged, but the problem is that students would be engaging the wrong skills.

Clearly, the students are participating in this online discussion, but their chatter is often not related to the subject material at hand.

If a serious lack of focus is already a problem, it seems counterproductive for professors to then provide a forum for unmediated discussion in Twitter.

If Twitter is used as a tool for instruction, then students are given license to discuss anything they like, relevant to class or not, under the pretext of participating and paying attention.

So rather than encouraging active classrooom participation, professors are actually allowing their students’ minds to wander through the distractions of the Internet with absolutely no consequence.

Another issue with Twitter as a forum for discussion, though perhaps one less obvious, is the limitations that the Web site places on students’ ability to

communicate and express themselves.

For one thing, tweets can only be 140 characters long. This seriously limits a student’s ability to ask questions or make insightful comments.

Prof. Monica Rankin at the University of Texas addresses this limitation on her blog about her experience with Twitter.

During her Twitter experiment, she encouraged her students to use more than one tweet if necessary to get the whole point across.

But displaying a comment or question in segments still interrupts the thought processes of the student writing the comment and the person reading it, particularly if another tweet pops up in between the multiple parts of one comment.

With such limited space, Twitter definitely makes deep, analytical and meaningful class discussions, which are key to an excellent learning experience, more difficult if not impossible.

And of course, let’s not forget the important skill of oral communication.

Twitter, which relies solely on comments and questions written by students in the class, takes the emphasis off of oral communication altogether.

Not every student is a stellar speaker, but there is a reason why oral communication is a core requirement at Brandeis.

The ability to effectively express oneself via oral communication is an extremely valuable skill both in the academic world and the professional world.

If less-outspoken students can use Twitter as a “get out of jail free” card to avoid speaking in class, they will never learn to effectively express themselves through speech.

There are probably several more reasons Twitter could be detrimental to an academic environment. Luckily, at present this popular social networking Web site isn’t being used nearly enough in college classrooms to feel the effects of this detriment on the traditional academic setting. One can only hope that professors will find a better way to draw their students into classes instead of relying on a distracting and limiting Web site.

Student apathy may be a huge problem in the classroom, but that is no reason to turn to Twitter, which does more harm than good.

13

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

●

THE JUSTICE

SPORTS TO THE HOOP

SWIMMING & DIVING

A one-on-one with Coach Jim Zotz ■ JustSports conducted an

interview with swimming and diving coach Jim Zotz to discuss the squad’s season and future.

Faced with the impending suspension of the program at the conclusion of the season, the men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams have continued to swim well without deterrence. After five dual meets, the men are 4-1 while the women are 2-3. Both teams have placed swimmers in the top 25 and top 50 swimmers in Division III, and the men are ranked 48th in the College Swimming Coaches Association of America top 50 poll for Division III teams for the first time in program history.

Head coach Jim Zotz spoke with JustSports to comment on the season so far and to give his thoughts regarding the future of the swimming program.

JustSports: Faced with the knowledge that the program is to be suspended at the end of the season, what has been the biggest adversity to overcome this season?

Jim Zotz: Obviously we couldn’t recruit. Looking at the program each year, you try to improve from the people you have, but obviously you try to improve it even more through recruiting additional student athletes.

JS: How was preparation this offseason any different from previous seasons?

JZ: Just having to be upfront about the status of the program. We would still be hearing from athletes we had been in contact with from their sophomore or junior years [of high school]; they were contacting us and they were at the point where they were coming to visit. It was difficult knowing that you had to be sure that these prospective students knew what the status was.

Obviously, you would still try to cultivate interest in the University, but obviously without the guarantee that they would have a team; that made it difficult to do that type of job.

JS: With regards to status of the program, how do the athletes view the issue?

JZ: Regardless of how well they have been handling it, it is still a constant source of frustration. It is kind of something hanging over their heads, and it doesn’t help to have it there on days when things are not going well. It also can be a driving force and motivation, but it differs from athlete to athlete in their perception of the matter.

JS: Who stood out as a team leader at the beginning of the season?

JZ: Well by design and by numbers, we have four men and four women seniors. When you look at the size of the team, it is a pretty good percentage. This goes back to last year. Once we knew we were getting an additional season, as soon as the banquet was over, it was

important that all the seniors recognize that I was going to be depending on them. But more importantly, they came to me and said that they didn’t want it to be the last season for the team. They said that they realized that they were going to get their four years and asked what they could do that they weren’t doing yet so that the classes behind them could get their four years.

JS: What has been the team’s biggest strength?

JZ: I would have to say the versatility. We have been able to operate and swim very competitively because of the versatility of the athletes, meaning they can swim in different events. Our individual medley swimmers are usually our best swimmers because by swimming the individual medley, we know that they are pretty good in the other events as well, and that has really allowed us to address the strengths and weaknesses of other teams, and beat some of the teams that we wouldn’t have beaten if we don’t have that versatility.

JS: With one tournament remaining in the fall schedule, what has been the team’s greatest accomplishment?

JZ: The men going 4-1. I think that is very impressive. Also the fact that that for the first time they got votes in the collegeswimming.com. That was obviously very impressive.

Getting a lot of our men and women into the top 25 and top 50 in the country in Division III that was very important.

JS: What does the team need to do to keep performing the way it has been?

JZ: After the Thursday and Friday study days, we are not allowed to practice as a team, so anyone practicing is doing it voluntarily. If individual team members aren’t training on their own, we will be too far behind to get back into it without repercussions. We don’t have a whole lot of time. We have three dual meets, the [University Athletic Association] championships, and the [Eastern College Athletic Conference Championships. We have very little margin of error, so I would say the biggest challenge is everyone keeping in shape one way or another.

JS: What should the University know about the swimming program?

JZ: The University should know that the team could continue to be as successful or even more successful than we have been with still training off campus. This has no effect on our ability to be a viable program, with individuals and the team accomplishing greater goals. The only thing stopping us is this uncertainty that does not allow us to recruit. Brandeis is a great school, and we are still going to get those students who are interested in coming to Brandeis. The extra challenge of going off campus is not going to turn away anyone. Is it ideal? No. But is it a program stopper?

Definitely no.

—Jonathan Steinberg

ASHER KRELL/the Justice

DRIVE: Guard Morgan Kendrew ’12 dribbles towards the basket in the team’s 60-50 loss to Tufts University on Sunday.

WBBALL: Squad unable to remain perfect with home loss to Tufts CONTINUED FROM 16 Guard Morgan Kendrew ’12 notched 17 points, one rebound and two assists, while guard Carmela Breslin ’10 contributed a dozen more points, three assists and a rebound.

Breslin noted the importance of Chapin as an offensive force.

“Obviously she’s one of those players whose hands you want the ball in,” she said. “And she wants the ball in her hands. So when time’s running down a lot of the plays revolve around her.”

Kendrew reiterated Breslin’s words, adding that “more individual players need to have confidence, myself included, so that when the ball is in our hands we know we can shoot

and make it count.”

Rashford chimed in, adding that more players taking on leadership roles will help in conference play against strong defensive opponents that may focus on shutting down Chapin.

“We all need to step it up,” Rashford said. “There will be times when we won’t be able to rely on [Chapin] as our only option.”

Chapin was in tune with Rashford, accrediting much of her scoring potential to the loss of several key players last year alongside the multitalented 2009 to 2010 squad.

“We need to look to other players on the team now,” said Chapin.

“Players like [Kendrew], [center Kasey Gieschen ’10] and [foward

Amber Strodthoff ’11].”

The Judges took an early 31-7 lead and finished the half in control leading the Blue 36-14. Brandeis led by as many as 26 in last Tuesday’s game, staving off a ferocious Wellesley offensive attack in the second half.

The Blue outscored the Judges 3828 in the second half, bringing the score within double-digits in the final two minutes.

With Wellesley closing in and the score 57-49, Chapin knocked down a 3-point shot that would help secure the Judges’ fifth win of the season 6452.

The Judges play tonight at 7 p.m. at Emmanuel College and Friday afternoon on the road at 3 p.m. against Roger Williams University.

MBBALL: Judges rebound after first road defeat of the season CONTINUED FROM 13 The Corsairs built a 35-11 lead midway through the first half but Brandeis fought hard to cut the halftime deficit to seven.

However, UMass-Dartmouth opened the second half with an 8-0 run to take a 57-42 lead. Though the Judges battled back to cut the lead to as low as 3, they were never able to tie the score or take the lead.

Meehan thought his team was inconsistent in its loss to the Corsairs.

“We played well at times and played extremely poorly,” he said.

“It was one extreme to another. ... It was a disappointing effort overall because we thought it was a game we thought we could have gone in and won.”

Hollins and Roberson joined Small in double figures with 10 points apiece, while Kriskus and Magee each dropped in 8.

Just as he did in the game against Vassar, Roberson led the team in rebounds and assists, grabbing six boards and dishing five assists. He did, though, have a game-high 10 turnovers, though the Corsairs turned the ball over 24 times to the

Judges’ 23.

Brandeis dropped the game despite winning the turnover battle, having more steals and free throws, and out-rebounding UMassDartmouth.

What ultimately hurt the men’s team was a disparity in shooting percentages.

UMass-Dartmouth shot exactly 10 percent higher than Brandeis from the field, connecting on 56.6 percent of their shots.

The Corsairs also managed to hit 13 of their 25 three-point attempts, while Brandeis hit only four of 15.

Down the road, Meehan wants his team to play more consistently and improve on both sides of the ball.

“We need to become much more consistent and be much more concerned about what we do, regardless of who the opposition is,” Meehan said. “We have to be a lot better defensively ... We need to get better at half court offense too.”

The Judges will play four games this week, starting tonight as they visit the Clark University Cougars in Worcester, Mass.

Meehan will go for his 100th victory as the Judges’ head coach as he

goes against his alma mater at Clark, where he also served as an assistant coach from 1990 to 1991.

The team also travels to Framingham State University on Thursday before competing in the Big Four Challenge at Tufts University over the weekend.

The four games this week will conclude the team’s play for the semester. The team will resume action on Jan. 4 at Curry College.

—Josh Asen contributed reporting.

14

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

●

THE JUSTICE

NORTON: A cross country experience in Kenya CONTINUED FROM 16 history of producing successful track athletes.

According to Norton, of the four Kenyan women who received medals at the most recent World Championships, three of them graduated from Singore.

Norton also is involved with KENSAP, the Kenya Scholar-Athlete Project, which helps Kenyan students receive admission to elite colleges in the United States.

One of the students aided by the program is Limo Sadalla ’09, who graduated as a Computer Science major here at Brandeis.

Norton spent two months in Kenya this summer working on these projects, and in the mornings, he would wake early and run with some of the track athletes.

These runners routinely showed why some of the best runners in the world come from the region.

“I stuck out a lot,” siad Norton. “It was very humbling because I can do well in Division III races here [at Brandeis], but over there, I’m getting my butt handed to me,” Norton would often question himself, but he came up with a feasible answer. “[I] also kind of said to myself, ‘Why am I doing this, spending so much time in the sport that so many people are so much better at?’ But I think I kind of realized that I can only worry about myself and I can’t let other people’s accomplishments diminish mine, ” Norton said.

And Norton stuck out in a quite different way as well.

“Every run in the morning, every day it was like, ‘Mzungu, mzungu’ [“white person” in Swahili]; you just have it yelled at you all the time,” Norton said. “I’ve never stuck out so much and gotten so much attention, so that was really new for me.”

While Norton does not know if this experience helped him improve his running this season, it did help reinforce some lessons his coaches have emphasized to him.

“The biggest thing for [the Kenyans] was listening to their body, because when you’re at altitude and you’re training as hard as they are, if you push it a little too far you’re just screwed; you’re struggling and you never recover,” Norton said. “And I think even though that’s something

[Coach John Evans] stressed a lot I kind of learned it even more there because of how much more important it is in their altitude, so I think that was something I learned to do was listen to my body.”

Norton even got to run with and spend time with some of the most successful track athletes in Kenya, including Philemon Terer, who recently finished second in the Boston Athletic Association Half Marathon.

Another runner was Paul Koech, who won the International Association of Athletics Federations World Half Marathon Championships in 1998.

“I think [Terer and Koech] were all incredibly encouraging and supportive of my running endeavors despite the fact that the level I was at was nowhere near what most of them were,” Norton said. “So it’s a lot of fun when someone like [Terer], who’s a 61-minute half-marathon, or Paul Koech, who’s one of the best 10,000-meter runners ever … will say, ‘Oh, how’s your training going, how’s your races been?’ It must seem so trivial to them, but I think they kind of enjoy seeing someone who is in it because they love it and for no other reason, because in Kenya running is sort of looked at as a way of making money.”

But despite these clear differences in culture, Norton was able to bond with his Kenyan friends over their mutual running experiences, which only served to reaffirm his love of the sport.

“I think it’s really good to know that they’re just people, and all of them had the same experiences of great races and terrible ones and having trouble training and focusing, and they get the same feeling crossing the finish line after a good day,” Norton said. “It kind of makes you realize that even though your goals and aspirations are not [the same], that the desire to get the most out of yourself is the same regardless of your level of ability. I think kind of realizing that just gave me a great perspective on the sport and why I do it and made me enjoy running here even more.”

Next season, Norton will lead a lengthy list of returning runners to the Brandeis cross country team. The team will have seven of its top runners back and they will look to improve in the offseason for Norton’s senior year.

UNIVERSAL SPORT

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL NORTON

ABROAD: Above, Paul Norton ’11, center, eats dinner with Philemon Terer, far right, and Hilda Kibet, third from left. Left, children stand outside the Silgich Hill Academy, Paul Koech’s primary school and an institution that children sponsored by KIMbia attend, left.

PHOTO COURTESY OF PAUL NORTON

THE JUSTICE

■ The men’s basketball guard

scored a career-high 38 points in a loss to UMass-Dartmouth on Tuesday. Small leads the team in scoring and started every game of the season so far.

10

-point differential in the women’s basketball 60-50 loss to Tufts University on Sunday. It was the team’s first loss of the season.

31

points scored by women’s basketball guard Jessica Chapin ’10 in the team’s two games last week. Over the weekend, Chapin moved into Brandeis’ top 10 for points in a career.

38

points scored by men’s basketball guard Kenny Small ’10 in the team’s loss to the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth on Tuesday.

48

th place for the men’s swimming and diving team in the College Swimming Coaches Association of America top 50 poll for Division III teams. It was the first time in the program’s history that it entered the poll.

59.6

percent shooting for the men’s basketball team in its 79-52 victory over Vassar College on Sunday.

ASHER KRELL/the Justice

With a record of 3-1, Small thinks the team is improving.

“I think we are getting better as a team,” Small said. “Every game is a test for us to try new things. [We want] to get the chemistry going more.”

However, Small feels that the team needs to make adjustments over the

course of the long season.

“The biggest thing right now is coming out with the same energy,” Small said. “[We have] to attack teams and get in the lanes. Coming out with the energy and focus to beat teams down the stretch.”

—Melissa Siegel and Josh Asen

UAA STANDINGS Men’s Basketball UAA Conference WL Rochester 0 0 Chicago 0 0 Washington 0 0 JUDGES 0 0 Emory 0 0 New York 0 0 Case 0 0 Carnegie 0 0

Women’s Basketball W 5 4 3 3 3 3 4 2

L 0 0 0 1 1 1 2 3

Overall Pct. 1.000 1.000 1.000 .750 .750 .750 .667 .400

UAA Conference WL JUDGES 0 0 Case 0 0 Chicago 0 0 New York 0 0 Washington 0 0 Rochester 0 0 Carnegie 0 0 Emory 0 0

W 5 4 4 4 4 3 3 2

L 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 3

Overall Pct. .833 .800 .800 .800 .800 .750 .500 .400

TEAM LEADERS MBball (points)

MBball (minutes)

Guard Kenny Small ’10 leads the team with 18.8 points per game.

Guard Andre Roberson ’10 leads the Judges with 33.5 minutes per game.

Player Kenny Small Terrell Hollins Vytas Kriskus Andre Roberson Tyrone Hughes

Player Andre Roberson Kenny Small Tyrone Hughes Christian Yemga Rich Magee

PPG 18.8 14.3 13.0 12.8 7.3

MPG 33.5 31.5 29.3 23.0 21.8

WBball (points)

WBball (minutes)

Guard Jessica Chapin ’10 leads the Judges with 18.2 points per game.

Guard Jessica Chapin ’10 leads the team with 30.7 minutes per game.

Player Jessica Chapin Morgan Kendrew Diana Cincotta Kasey Gieschen Brighid Courtney

Player Jessica Chapin Morgan Kendrew Diana Cincotta Brighid Courtney Two tied with...

PPG 18.2 8.5 8.0 7.0 5.2

MPG 30.7 26.5 25.6 23.3 20.3

UPCOMING GAME OF THE WEEK Men’s basketball vs. Clark University tonight The men’s basketball team will travel to face Clark University tonight at 7 p.m.

21

turnovers committed by the women’s basketball team in its loss to Tufts University.

15

Tebow shines on senior day as Florida beats Florida State again

Kenny Small ’10

Judging numbers

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

AP BRIEF

ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

After starting just eight of his team’s 26 games last season, men’s basketball team guard Kenny Small ’10 is making the most of his increased opportunities this year.

Small, who has started all four games this season, scored a career-high 38 points in the team’s loss to No. 8 University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth on Tuesday. It was the highest single-game total by a Brandeis player in head coach Brian Meehan’s seven years as head coach of the team.

Small connected on three of the eight 3pointers he attempted and made nine of 11 free throws, both of which led the team.

Coach Brian Meehan noted Small’s impressive performance and hopes he can play at that level for the rest of the season.

“We’re looking for Kenny to do that every game,” Meehan said. “[We want him] to be a force regardless of who the opposition is. He did a great job that night, but we need him to do that night in and night out.”

Small’s career game against UMassDartmouth elevated him to the top of the team in several categories. He leads the team with 18.8 points per game, .381 3point percentage, eight 3-pointers and 21 free throws made.

In the team’s win against Vassar College on Sunday, Small had just 6 points, connecting on two of five shots.

However, Small contributed in other ways with three assists and two steals.

●

After losing its first game of the season at the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, the men’s basketball team looks to win its first road game of the season when it faces Clark University tonight.

Last season, the Judges defeated the Cougars on Dec. 12 at home by a score of 72-63. Guard Andre Roberson ’10

scored 13 points in the win, while forwards Terrell Hollins ’10 and Christian Yemga ’11 each contributed 11 points of their own.

The Cougars, 4-1 on the season, lost their only game to Rhode Island College 74-72. The squad is captained by senior forward Mark Alexander and senior guard Chris LoPiano.

GAINESVILLE, Fla.—His perfect season is starting to look shatterproof.

Florida quaterback Tim Tebow accounted for five touchdowns in his home finale, a triumphant farewell that included tears on the field and in the stands, and top-ranked University of Florida thumped rival Florida State University 37-10 Saturday for its sixth consecutive victory in the series.

“I don’t want to say goodbye,” coach Urban Meyer said. “The good thing is we’re not done. The negative is we're done in this great stadium.”

The Gators stayed unbeaten heading into next week’s Southeastern Conference showdown against No. 2 Alabama, extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 22 games and improved to 12-0 for just the second time in school history.

Tebow may have even secured a third consecutive trip to New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation.

He gets one more chance to impress on the big stage next week in Atlanta against the Crimson Tide with a trip to the national championship game on the line.

The Seminoles (6-6) lost for the second time in six games, and longtime coach Bobby Bowden’s likely finale at Florida Field showed exactly why some FSU faithful are urging him to retire: Florida outplayed its in-state rival at every position.

Bowden said he has some “soul-searching” to do before making a decision about his future at Florida State.

“I want to coach next year, but let me say I want to go home and do some soul-searching,” said Bowden, who has 388 career victories, the second most in major college football. “I’ve got to run this thing through my mind a few times.”

It might be hard to keep images of Tebow embarrassing Bowden’s defense again out of those thoughts.

Tebow completed 17 of 21 passes for 221 yards. He also ran 15 times for 90 yards against a defense that might be Bowden's worst in 34 seasons.

It was hardly a surprise considering Tebow torched the ’Noles the previous two years, totaling eight touchdowns in those.

This one could have been even more lopsided than the 45-12 drubbing in 2007 and the 45-15 beatdown last year. But Meyer pulled many of his defensive starters late in the third quarter.

The Seminoles trailed 30-0 before Bowden opted for a field goal on fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line on the final play of the third quarter. They added a touchdown with 6 minutes, 3 seconds remaining to make it 37-10.

“They have solid players at every position, very fast, very strong—they’re good,” said FSU quarterback EJ Manuel, who threw two interceptions and was sacked three times. “We’ll get to that level one day. Our energy level wasn’t high enough to match their energy level.

They’re a high-energy team.”

Manuel's touchdown pass to Jarmon Fortson was the team’s only cause for celebration on a day that belonged to Tebow, linebacker Brandon Spikes and their fellow seniors who have more wins (47) than any other class in South Eastern Conference history.

The revelry started with Tebow making his final walk into The Swamp amid 90,000-plus fans screaming his name. Tebow and Meyer embraced at the 30-yard line as tears flowed down Tebow’s cheeks. Spikes kissed the ground as he was introduced. Receiver Riley Cooper was wearing eye black—much like many others in attendance.

Fans paid tribute to Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, by wearing his famed eye black patches.

Meyer’s wife and two daughters also donned the little ovals under their eyes.

“That was special,” Tebow said.

So was the rest of his day.

He had two touchdown passes to Aaron Hernandez and another to Cooper, his roommate. Tebow scored on an 18-yard run in the second, then added the 56th rushing touchdown of his career early in the fourth. The stadium was lit up by camera flashes as he zipped across the goal line.

It capped his best performance of the season. Tebow left the game to a long, standing ovation after the first play of Florida’s next possession.

“I was so happy for him,” cornerback Joe Haden said.

“Tebow’s probably one of the best college football players ever to play the game. All the credit he gets, I still don’t think it’s enough still for all he does for the team and all he does for everybody. He’s way more than a football player.”

When it was over, Tebow jogged to midfield to shake hands with Seminoles defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews and Bowden. He sang Florida’s alma mater with teammates and then started his final victory lap.

It seemed to take forever. He was soaking it all in.

“My relationship with the fans is great,” Tebow said.

“One reason is [because] I’m such a passionate Gator fan. I care so much about this university and this team because I’m such a big fan. They know I appreciate them.”

Tebow handed out high-fives, handshakes and hugs.

He came across several crying faces, telling one girl, “It’s OK. I’ll be around.”

He also stepped on a cheerleader.

“She went down hard,” he said. “I felt terrible, so I gave her a big hug. She was a little embarrassed. I felt bad about that. They were all laughing, so I think she’s OK.” Many of Tebow’s teammates came out of the locker room and danced around the “F” at midfield as he worked his way around the stadium.

Tebow finally caught up with them back inside, just in time to join the seniors in sharing a few words in front of the team.

“Jermaine Cunningham probably said it best. He put both arms up and said, ‘I’m living a dream,;” Meyer said.

The Gators are two wins from a third national championship in four years. They have more celebrations planned, and they could be better than this one even for Tim Tebow.

just

Sports

Page 16

TALKING WITH ZOTZ An interview with swimming and diving coach Jim Zotz on the team’s season so far and the program’s future, p. 13.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

IN THE AIR

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Judges fall to unranked opponent for their first loss ■ The women’s basketball

team lost its first game of the season to Tufts University last Sunday.

By QUINCY AUGER JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

With 1 minute, 42 seconds remaining in the women’s basketball game against Tufts University at home last Sunday, the Judges trailed 49-43 after coming back from a 13-point deficit earlier in the half. As Tufts came off a 30-second time-out, they fought through the Brandeis full-court press to knock in a 5-foot jumper.

The Judges responded with fury, kicking the ball out to guard Lauren Rashford ’10 on the left flank.

Rashford dropped a 3-pointer to bring the Judges within 5 points for the first time in the second half, but the team could not salvage the comeback, losing their first game of the season 60-50 and dropping the team’s record to 5-1 after it defeated Wellesley College last Tuesday.

Tufts’ high-energy game appeared to be more than the Judges could handle. Coach Carol Simon’s squad appeared sluggish, failing to decisively move toward the ball or box out on rebounds. Including several turnovers on offensive pass attempts, Brandeis turned the ball over 20 times, more than twice as much as the Jumbos.

Once again leading the team with 13 points and nine rebounds was guard Jessica Chapin ’10, who com-

Waltham, Mass.

mented on the Judges’ sloppy offense.

“We just didn’t play our game; we let Tufts control the tempo,” Chapin said. “They started out quick[ly]. ...

We kept fighting back. but we just couldn’t get over the top. We were playing Tufts ball, not ours.”

The Jumbos took a 13-point lead, their largest of the game, midway through the second half. Brandeis responded by bringing the score back within 10 and eventually 5 on Rashford’s 3-pointer but was unable to make much headway.

Rashford suggested improved confidence in games and more intensity in practice would help the team once again rise to victory.

“It’s really about playing in practice the same as we do in games,” Rashford said. “Those same mistakes that we make in practice are the same mistakes that are going to show up when it counts.”

Particularly important to Rashford was that she and the team knew which personnel would be on the court at any given moment in the game.

Guard Diana Cincotta ’11 notched an additional 11 points and five rebounds in the loss.

Before the loss to Tufts, the Judges won their third straight road game in a 64-52 victory at Wellesley.

Delivering a game-high 18 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals, Chapin led the way for Brandeis and moved into the program’s top 10 all-time scoring list with 971 career points.

See WBBALL, 13 ☛

ASHER KRELL/the Justice

Working for a greater purpose Paul Norton’s ’11 time spent in Kenya

By MELISSA SIEGEL JUSTICE SENIOR WRITER

On Nov. 21, Brandeis cross country runner Paul Norton ’11 finished in seventh place at the NCAA Division III Championships, the school’s best male cross country finish in ten years.

Before his success this season, Norton’s experience this past summer provided him an entirely new perspective on his experiences as a runner.

Norton spent the summer in Kenya working for KIMbia Foundation. According to the KIMbia Web site, “The sole purpose of the KIMbia Foundation is to use its position in the world of athletics to support education in Kenya.”

The foundation is run by KIMbia Athletics, an agency that represents “some of the best distance runners in the world.”

“It changed my perspective on the sport a lot, especially because a lot of these people, they’re saying, ‘If I have a good season, I can buy a house or I can buy a car,’” Norton said of the Kenyans. “For me, if I have a good season I get a cute little plaque that says All-American on it, but it kind of changes your perspective on running and keeps you grounded, which I think was really important for me.”

One of the projects run by this foundation that Norton has been involved with is “Sponsor a Student,” where a person donates money to pay for a child’s school fees, and then receives progress reports and letters from the student throughout the year.

Another is “Track Project,” which aims to rebuild the track at the Singore Girls Secondary School, which has had a long

See NORTON, 14 ☛

POWER: Forward Terrell Hollins ’10 goes up for a layup in the men’s basketball 79-52 victory over Vassar College last Sunday.

Squad regains momentum after losing its first game of the season ■ The men’s basketball

team defeated Vassar College by 27 points last Sunday after falling on the road 92-82 to No.8 UMassDartmouth last Tuesday.

By JEFFREY BOXER JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

After posting its first loss of the season last Tuesday, the men’s basketball team bounced back in resounding fashion last Sunday, trouncing Vassar College by a score of 79-52 for its largest win of the season.

The Judges, now 3-1 on the season, posted double-digit margins in both halves and shot a season high 59.6 percent from the field.

The home win followed the 92-82 road loss to the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth earlier in the week.

Against Vassar, the Judges were led by a 19-point effort from forward Terrell Hollins ’10, their fourth different scoring leader in as many games.

Coach Brian Meehan was

pleased with his team’s play against a young team in Vassar.

“I thought we did a nice job rebounding the ball,” Meehan said. “For the most part, we ran pretty good offense, and for the most part, although we had some defensive breakdowns, did a good enough job against a young team.

It was a good game to have after a holiday break. Everything worked out pretty well.”

Forward Vytas Kriskus ’12 added 16 points off of the bench for Brandeis, while guard Tyrone Hughes ’12 chipped in 10 points and a game-high four steals.

Center Rich Magee ’10 had 9 points for the squad, all coming in the first half to help the Judges build a 12-point first-half lead.

Overall, the Brandeis starting frontcourt outscored the Brewers’ 28-7.

The Judges’ inside game played a huge role in the victory, as they outscored Vassar 38-10 on points in the paint and had a 14-6 advantage in second-chance points. They also had a 29-26 advantage in total rebounds.

Starting guard Andre Roberson ‘10 led the team in rebounds with six and also scored six points,

while adding a team-high six assists as well.

The Brewers were led by a gamehigh 31-point effort by sophomore guard Caleb McGraw. McGraw had 17 of Vassar’s 26 points at the break and shot 11 for 24 from the field overall but received little help from his teammates.

The frontcourt tandem of Hollins and Magee combined for 17 points im the first half as well, which offset McGraw’s effort.

Against UMass-Dartmouth, Judges’ guard Kenny Small ’10 had a career-high 38 points Small’s impressive total matched the highest point total a men’s player has had during head coach Brian Meehan’s seven-year tenure with the squad.

“Kenny has the athletic ability,” Meehan said. “He was the beneificary of good passes. He finished really well when he was going strong to the basketball. He hit his shots and had a great game. What we are looking for Kenny is to do that every game.”

Small went 13 for 21 from the field, including 3 of 8 from behind the 3-point line. He also hit nine of 11 shots from the free-throw line.

See MBBALL, 13 ☛

just

December 1, 2009

ARTS

Seniors prepare for studio art show p. 20 Photos: Julian Agin-Liebes and Asher Krell/the Justice. Design: Julian Agin-Liebes and Max Breitstein Matza/the Justice.

18

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

●

THE JUSTICE

POP CULTURE

INSIDE ON CAMPUS

’Tis the season to spread joy—and celebrities are getting in on the action.

California’s unemployment rate hit 12.5 percent in October. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says more people are “food insecure” than ever before, and more homeless than ever are eating meals at the Los Angeles Mission, a nonprofit organization serving the homeless who live on the streets of downtown LA’s Hope Central (known as Skid Row). For the past 17 years, the Mission has served a full Thanksgiving meal to those in need.

Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas and his wife, Anne, hosted the event for the fifth year in a row, serving meals themselves. They were joined by hundreds of volunteers from the entertainment industry, the government and the community.

Celebrities who turned out included primetime TV celebs like Naya Rivera (Glee), Zuleikha Robinson (Lost) and Erin Cummings (Dollhouse). Daytime soaps were represented

by Kate Linder (The Young and the Restless) and Taylor Spreitler (Days of Our Lives).

Stars of the big screen were on hand too, including Corbin Bleu and Olesya Rulin (High School Musical), Booboo Stewart and Julia Jones (The Twilight Saga: Eclipse) and Zoe Saldana (Star Trek). Moving away from the entertainment industry, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Congress members Maxine Waters and David Dreier, Sheriff Lee Baca and others were also among the volunteers.

Celebrities were out and about and spreading the holiday spirit outside of the LA Mission, too. Ex-Girl Next Door Holly Madison spent Thanksgiving at Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts serving meals to at-risk students and disadvantaged senior cit-

18-19

■ Zanois 19 Justice McDaniel ’12 spoke to justArts about the band he plays in with his father and brother.

19 ■ Quickies Participants in Brandeis Ensemble Theater’s one-act festival talked about their work.

20 ■ Senior studio art show Seniors majoring in Studio Art discussed their upcoming exhibition in Dreitzer Gallery.

OFF CAMPUS

19-24

21 ■ ‘Secrets of Tomb 10A’ The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston displays a number of Egyptian treasures.

21 ■ Fashion forecast One fashionista recommends wearing old favorites rather than investing in new pieces.

22 ■ Pop Muse Rihanna’s new album ‘Rated R’ is mature and dark without forfeiting a pop sensibility.

22 ■ ‘Look at the Birdie’ Kurt Vonnegut’s posthumously released collection of short stories was uneven.

23 ■ Top 10 albums This year provided musical masterpieces, according to one writer’s retrospective.

■ Top 10 movies 23 A justArts writer looked back at 2009’s best movies and previewed upcoming releases.

CALENDAR

INTERVIEW

by Shelly Shore

Gainer gears up for annual ‘Messiah’ Sing with the BWO ■ Trumpeter Andrew Gainer

(GRAD) spoke about his work with the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra and his upcoming performance in Brandeis’ ‘Messiah’ Sing.

MATT SAYLES/The Associated Press

MODEL CITIZEN: Hugh Hefner’s former girlfriend Holly Madison, helped out at a charity dinner. izens. Keyshia Cole, nominated for Favorite Soul/R&B Female Artist at the American Music Awards, headed home to Cleveland, giving away turkeys and groceries to 150 families at the Bethany Baptist Church.

So get into the spirit of giving, Brandeis!

Thanksgiving weekend was remarkably free of celebrity scandal—Lindsay stayed sober, Britney’s not pregnant, and even Lady Gaga seems to have kept her pants on. Let’s be thankful for small miracles and start hoping for snow!

What’s happening in Arts on and off campus

Chamber Music Recital The students of MUS 116a: “Chamber Music Performance” will perform a selection of chamber works, including pieces by Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Max Bruch and others. Prof. Judith Eissenberg (MUS) directs.

Today from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall.

Crowd Control semester show Improv comedy group Crowd Control will perform its final show of the semester. False Advertising will also perform some improv comedy sketches.

Today from 10 p.m. to midnight in Cholmondeley’s.

To Be Announced semester show The campus improv comedy group TBA will celebrate the end of classes and bid farewell to its members departing for a semester abroad with a series of improvised sketches.

Tomorrow from 9:30 to 10:30 p.m. in the Alumni Lounge.

GENEVIEVE ARMSTRONG/Justice File Photo

Gallery Talk with Roberta Paul The creative mind behind the Women’s Studies Research Center’s current exhibit, Shame: Work By Roberta Paul, now on view in the Epstein Building, will present an informal talk about her work. Paul’s paintings invoke the image of Eve as she is portrayed in Masaccio’s famous painting Expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

Thursday from 12:30 to 2 p.m. in the Kniznick Gallery in the Epstein Building.

‘Messiah’ Sing No prior musical experience is necessary to participate in this heartwarming Brandeis holiday tradition. Sheet music will be available for those who wish to sing along with members of the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra and other campus ensembles as they perform selections from Georg Friedrich Handel’s Messiah.

Thursday from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Shapiro Campus Center Atrium.

Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 and 6 p.m. and Sunday at 1:30 and 5:30 p.m. at the Spingold Mainstage.

House, a local safe haven for GLBTQ youth.

Friday at 8 p.m. and Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall.

Boris’ Kitchen 10th Annual Comedy Festival

Bernstein Scholars Recital

The Brandeis sketch comedy ensemble Boris’ Kitchen will perform new humorous skits.

Friday from 8 to 10 p.m. in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater.

This concert will feature the Leonard Bernstein Scholarship ensembles from the classes of 2010 through 2013 performing classical works.

Sunday from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall.

Brandeis University Jazz Ensemble concert Under the direction of Prof. Bob Nieske (MUS), students will perform classic jazz tunes as well as newer works for both big band and small ensembles. Tickets are $10 for the general public and $5 for students and seniors.

Saturday from 8 to 10 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall.

The dancers of Jose Mateo Ballet Theatre present the perennially popular holiday ballet with music composed by Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky.

Tickets are $15 to $50.

Brandeis University Improv Collective concert Local improv saxophonist Tom Hall will lead the collective in an innovative improvisational performance.

Sunday from 7 to 9:15 p.m. in the Slosberg Recital Hall.

Fourth annual Quickies Festival ‘Bare: A Pop Opera’

‘The Nutcracker’

WHAT’S ON?

BATTLE OF THE PREPSTERS: Austin Auh ’10 (left) and Benny Gronich ’12 rehearse a sword fight for the play ‘Bare: A Pop Opera’ about a secret romance between two Catholic school boys.

This play, which has been covered in a series of feature articles in the Justice, tells the story of a secret romance between two boys at a Catholic boarding school. Admission is free, and donations will be collected for Waltham

Brandeis Ensemble Theater presents six original student-written, directed and acted one-act plays. For more information, see the article on page 19.

Sunday from 8 to 10 p.m. in the Carl J. Shapiro Theater.

JustArts: How did the Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra’s semester concert go? What songs did you play and were you happy with the performance?

Andrew Gainer: The two concerts this semester … went extremely well. At the former, we performed the Brahms Akademische Festouvertüre and a Mendelssohn piano concerto ... along with Beethoven’s Symphony [No.] 2; at the latter, we played Tchaikovsky’s Symphony [No.] 2 and another Mendelssohn piano concerto.

All were really fantastically successful and a lot of fun to play with this ensemble.

JA: Have you started preparing for next semester, and if so, what are you preparing?

AG: As far as I know, the program for next semester hasn’t been determined yet. We certainly haven’t started rehearsing any of it.

JA: Were you familiar with the music for Messiah before playing last year?

AG: I was casually familiar with Messiah —after all, everyone knows the Hallelujah chorus, and I had attended Boston’s Handel and Haydn Society’s performance last year —but last year’s Brandeis sing was the first time I had ever played any of the music. It was a lot of fun; we got everything prepared very quickly, so the pace and energy were very high.

JA: How did you prepare for the singalong? Is it different from preparing for a regular performance?

AG: Preparing for the sing isn’t really different from preparing for any other choral accompaniment gig. We have to get everything together very quickly, of course, as we only have one rehearsal the night before the sing, but that’s pretty normal. The choir is great to work with; their enthusiasm for this performance really makes it a lot of fun for the instrumentalists as well.

JA: What’s your favorite movement of the ones you played last year and why?

AG: I think that my favorite movement of the Messiah really is the Hallelujah chorus; it’s fantastically overdone these days, of course, but that’s because it is so powerful and so fun. Like the climax of Beethoven’s Symphony [No.] 9 (the famous “Ode to Joy”), it’s just an explosive expression of rapturous joy, which really comes out in the music and makes it a lot of fun to play as well as to sing.

JA: How long have you been playing trumpet? How did you first become interested?

AG: I’ve been playing the trumpet since I was in sixth grade. I’d been doing music before that—mostly piano—and my father’s old trumpets were around the house, so it was a natural choice.

JA: How do you combine your graduate work in mathematics with your musical pursuits?

AG: I think my mathematical background has served me well in my musical career—orchestral parts often involve complex rhythms, which it’s important to be able to decipher quickly, and I think my having spent so much time in a quantitative field has helped with that. I think, however, that my interest in music comes more from its simply being fun—both the musical and the social aspects of playing in an ensemble are really rewarding.

—Sarah Bayer and Andrea Fineman

Top 10s for the week ending Dec. 1

Box Office

College Radio

Billboard

1. The Twilight Saga: New Moon 2. The Blind Side 3. 2012 4. Old Dogs 5. Disney’s A Christmas Carol 6. Ninja Assassin 7. Planet 51 8. Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire 9. The Fantastic Mr. Fox 10. The Men Who Stare at Goats

1. Flaming Lips – Embryonic 2. Monsters of Folk – Monsters of Folk 3. Raveonettes – In and Out of Control 4. Built To Spill – There Is No Enemy 5. Avett Brothers – I and Love and You 6. Xx – The Xx 7. Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs 8. Flight of the Conchords – I Told You I Was Freaky 9. Dead Man’s Bones – Dead Man’s Bones 10. Thao With the Get Down Stay Down – Know Better Learn Faster

1. John Mayer – Battle Studies 2. Andrea Bocelli – My Christmas 3. Norah Jones – The Fall 4. Casting Crowns – Until the Whole World Hears 5. Justin Bieber – My World (EP) 6. Michael Jackson – Michael Jackson’s This Is It 7. Soundtrack – The Twilight Saga: New Moon 8. Carrie Underwood – Play On 9. Taylor Swift – Fearless 10. Them Crooked Vultures – Them Crooked Vultures

Album information provided by Billboard Magazine. Box office information provided by Yahoo!Movies. Radio charts provided by CMJ.

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

19

ON CAMPUS THEATER

FAMILY BAND

BET brings Quickies back to Brandeis ■ Brandeis Ensemble Theater’s

festival of one-act plays provides a fun setting for students to test their writing and directing skills.

By SARAH BAYER JUSTICE EDITOR

A. ELI TUKACHINSKY/the Justice

Zanois shows the filial love ■ Guitarist Justice McDaniel ’12

spoke to justArts about the eclectic sound of Zanois, the band he is in along with his father and brother.

Last Wednesday, I spoke to Justice McDaniel ’12 on the phone about his band Zanois. Composed of McDaniel, his younger brother Zane, his father and Zane’s friend Kyle O’Dowd, Zanois offers an eclectic mix of pop and ’70s guitar rock as well as an indie aesthetic. The Manchester, N.H.-based band recently released its first full-length album on iTunes, titled The Benevolent Beast. Zanois is planning to make its Brandeis debut early next semester at Cholmondeley’s. To hear more, check out http://www.myspace.com /zanois.

JustArts: How do you pronounce your band name? I was pronouncing it “Za-Nwa” but then somebody told me it was actually “Za-Noise.”

Justice McDaniel: I think the correct pronunciation is “Zay-Noise.” We do get a lot of “Za-Nwa”s.

Well, my little brother’s name is Zane, and we make noise, so Zanois.

JA: Who are the members of Zanois?

JM: So, my little brother Zane plays keyboard and sings. His friend Kyle plays bass and occasionally either backup or lead vocal.

JA: How old are they?

JM: Zane is 15 right now. Kyle is 17. On the other end of the spectrum, my dad is normal dadage.

JA: Did you start this band in your hometown then, in high school?

JM: Actually, a lot of the songs we play are songs Zane wrote and recorded originally by himself. One day, Neil Cicierega of Lemon Demon said, “Hey, come to a show of ours in Kingston.”

Zane asked Dad and me to play drums and guitar for a backup band. We learned about nine songs for that. Then I went off to school, and they tried to get Kyle and another guy to do it, but I guess they never got a chance to practice. So, two weeks before the gig that they were preparing for they called me and said, “We really need you again!”, and we’ve been playing together ever since.

JA: And where are you from?

JM: We are from Manchester, N.H. JA: Has the band been named under other in-

carnations? I noticed your Yahoo address is heavy_metal_lemon. Was that another band?

JM: That was my band in high school. There have been other band names. Originally, the first name was Z.A.N.E., which stood for “Zane And No one Else.”

JA: Under what genre would you classify your music?

JM: Oof. It really depends on the song. Some of it is ’70s rock mixed with indieish stuff; I guess that’s the overall feel.

JA: Do you think it conveys a certain kind of image at all? Or do you imagine playing to a specific audience at all?

JM: Not really. There are different songs that appeal to different people, whether they’re our families or our friends.

JA: Is this band primarily for you and your friends, or do you imagine a wider audience for it?

JM: We’d really hope for a wider audience. It’s pretty poppy stuff.

JA: So do you think that adds to the appeal?

JM: Yeah, I think they’re really catchy songs, so people will be like, “Hey, I recognize that!” Actually, our first full-length album just came out on iTunes.

JA: Can you tell us what the album is called?

JM: The album is called The Benevolent Beast.

JA: And it just recently came out, you said?

JM: Yeah. We’ve been working on it since the beginning of summer, as far as recording goes, but we just finished it up earlier this month.

JA: What songs are on it—mostly new stuff or recording of older stuff?

JM: It’s all new recordings. Eleven songs. I’d say ... about half of them are about the Apollo 11 mission.

JA: So you’d say that’s the thematic center of your album?

JM: Well, these songs came from an album Zane made by himself two years back, all about the Apollo 11 mission.

JA: And the other half is newer stuff you’ve done recently?

JM: Yeah, one of the songs is something Dad wrote, and there are a few others that we’ve added.

JA: What are your favorites?

JM: My favorites are any of the ones where I get to do a long guitar solo. I really like “Chatter

Teeth”—it’s good; it’s like elevator music mixed with straight up rock. It’s really cool. And then I like “Schizophrenic Lullaby” and “Mercury Fetus.”

JA: Does Zanois do any covers, or is it usually just originals?

JM: When we play live we always do a good chunk of covers.

JA: What songs do you cover? What kind of music do you draw from when you do covers?

JM: We cover pretty much anything. We cover anything from Katy Perry to Genesis to KC and the Sunshine Band and Beck. Oh, and we do a song from Jesus Christ Superstar. A smattering of stuff.

JA: Do you have any songs that you really like to perform live?

JM: They’re all pretty fun to play live. It’s just fun to play live. That’s why we do it. And to have other people hear it, too.

JA: Is that your driving motivation, then, to be able to perform for other people?

JM: It’s just fun to play music for people. If they enjoy it a lot, that’s great too.

JA: So at Brandeis do you do music-related stuff besides the band?

JM: My roommate, Adam, is really musical.

Right now we’re working on an ambient album using only Casio keyboards. And once a week we do this thing called Solar Fetus where we invite a bunch of people to our room, and usually only about half of the people show up, and they only know a key and sometimes a theme, and everyone starts playing and we’ll record.

JA: Oh, are you part of the improv ensemble?

JM: No, people tell me, “You should go join this thing.” I haven’t gotten the chance to check it out yet, though.

JA: Is there anything about the album you’d like to mention? Or are you looking for shows and gigs?

JM: Yeah, we’re always looking for gigs. The Greater Boston area is always great; if it’s a bit further away and there are a couple gigs in the area, that’s also worth it. Also, we’re going to be playing at Brandeis in late January or early February.

JA: Are you going to be playing at Chum’s?

JM: Yeah.

JA: I’ll definitely tell people to keep an eye out.

—Joyce Wang

This Sunday, Brandeis Ensemble Theater will bring its fourth annual Quickies Festival to the Carl J. Shapiro Theater. The evening will feature six original one-act plays written, directed and acted by Brandeis students.

Despite the festival’s name, the process of bringing these works to the stage has been anything but brief. Starting last school year, writes co-producer Becca Freifeld ’10 in an e-mail to the Justice, “We spent the semester soliciting one-acts from the whole campus by sending out emails to all the listservs we could think of—all the UTC groups, English majors/minors, Creative Writing majors/minors, Theater majors/minors, and Prof. Ryan McKittrick’s (THA) playwriting class.” This thorough effort yielded 16 submissions by the deadline this year, a number that was then whittled down to the final six.

The rush to participate can be explained by the festival’s easygoing reputation. “Quickies gives people the opportunity to see their work produced and performed on stage without the nervousness and constant workshopping that goes with a full-length production,” explains Freifeld. Director Dan Katz ’12 agrees, mentioning that “It’ll be, like, a 10-hour process as opposed to four hours a night” of rehearsal.

“Because it’s a shorter play you can play with it more,” he adds.

As an example of this innovation, Katz cast Marti Dembowitz ’10 as the Grim Reaper in Because I Could Not Stop For Death even though writer Patrick Mullen’s ’12 script called for a man in the role. “When people think of death, they think of a male character. I wanted to put a little twist on it,” he explains.

Katz describes the play as “a comedy that humanizes the Grim Reaper.” Indeed, many of the Quickies playwrights offer up a lighter take on potentially dark situations. Andrew Litwin’s ’11 52% is “a farce, full of misunderstandings and physical humor” about a man who works as both a marriage counselor and divorce lawyer, according to the play’s director, Rachel Kelmenson ’13. Kelmenson co-wrote The Mourning After with Rachel Garbus ’13, and describes it as “a very silly, odd scene” about a married couple’s argument in the aftermath of a funeral.

Zohar Fuller ’10, on the other hand, promises that her contribution, Interpretive Art, is “a drama, and not the most relaxing.” She wrote the play, which she says is about “an artist’s responsibility to her fans,” for a playwriting class and then revised it for submission to Quickies.

Other writers found that they worked better under pressure. Kelmenson recalls that she and Garbus were feverishly writing until 5 a.m. in order to submit their play by the deadline.

“Most of the dialogue was written by Rachel and I just sitting and improvising a scene together for several minutes, then trying to write down what we said. As a result, the dialogue feels quick and natural,” she says.

Whatever their method, most of the writers express eagerness to let the directors apply their creative vision. Fuller says she hasn’t been too involved in the production process of Interpretive Art, directed by Aaron Arbiter ’10.

“Part of me wants to just be surprised, see how it goes,” she says.

Instead, Fuller is focusing on her acting role in The Spring Ahead, a Quickie written by Sujin Shin ’13. Similarly, Garbus is hard at work directing Oopsie, a play written by Nathan Hakimi ’11, which will star 52% playwright Litwin. Hakimi, meanwhile, will also act in The Spring Ahead. The complex web of participation reveals the devotion of many students to this “extra burst of theater at the end of a long semester,” as Kelmenson puts it.

The Quickies audience can expect a barebones production as casts cycle on and off the stage every 10 minutes or so. “You take away the set, you take away the props. It’s really about the acting,” explains Katz.

Editor’s note: Justice staff writers Sujin Shin ’13 and Aaron Arbiter ’10 are participating in the Quickies festival.

20

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

●

THE JUSTICE

JULIAN AGIN-LIEBES/the Justice

ONE STEP BACK: Catherine McConnell ’10 surveys her work before the exhibit in Dreitzer Gallery. Profs. Marcus Baenzinger (FA) and Joe Wardwell (FA) helped students put finishing touches on their work last week.

Artists’ ‘Brushes’ show creativity Seniors prepare their penultimate art show

By ANDREA FINEMAN JUSTICE EDITOR

JULIAN AGIN-LIEBES/the Justice

WORKS IN PROGRESS: Two paintings hang in the studio.

Every year, the Fine Arts department holds an exhibition of the senior Studio Art majors’ work at the end of the first semester.

Brushes With Greatness: Midyear Exhibition will take place this year, as in previous years, in the Dreitzer Gallery in the Spingold Theater Center.

Our fellow students have been painting feverishly to prepare for the exhibition. The selection of paintings was only finalized and placed on the walls yesterday, according to Miriam von Guggenberg ’10, a Studio Art major. The artists each discussed their work individually with Prof. Joe Wardwell (FA) last week and brought their paintings to the Dreitzer Gallery yesterday to make final decisions and arrange the work in the gallery space.

Like most Brandeis students, this year’s crop of senior studio majors have a variety of interests and a variety of directions they plan to go in life. Though many of

the students who spoke to the Justice said they were considering a higher degree in creative arts, most seemed to be keeping their options open. Said Sarah Palmer ’10, “Though my professors would love to hear it, I am not staying for the postbac program and continuing on to graduate school for an M.F.A., at least not yet. I plan to student teach next fall to complete the requirements for a teaching certificate in secondary education.

I am planning to apply to some service corps afterward and am toying with the idea of a master’s in art therapy.”

“After Brandeis I’m hoping to join the Peace Corps for a few years before coming back and going to graduate school,” said Deborah Maxey ’10.

The show will provide a valuable opportunity to see one of the last campus exhibitions of these students’ work before they graduate.

The opening reception will take place today from 5 to 7 p.m. The paintings will be up until the end of the semester.

JULIAN AGIN-LIEBES/the Justice

RENAISSANCE MAN: “Art makes me feel like a human rather than a science robot,” says Adam Ryave ’10, who plans to attend medical school.

JULIAN AGIN-LIEBES/the Justice

FLOOR PAINTING: A student sits and works on her painting.

JULIAN AGIN-LIEBES/the Justice

LADIES IN RED: A painting stands in the Prospect Street Studio.

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

21

OFF CAMPUS MFA MUMMY

FASHION

It’s in with the old for a trendy new year ■ Rather than invest in expensive

designer attire, trendwatchers should delve into the depths of their wardrobes to find original retro styles, recommends one budget-conscious fashionista.

By DANIELLE SHMUELY JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BOSTON

MASKED MAN: The above mummy mask, from Egypt’s Middle Period, is now on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston’s exhibit ‘The Secrets of Tomb 10A.’

MFA takes a peek into ‘Tomb 10A’ ■ In ‘The Secrets of Tomb 10A: Egypt

2000 B.C.,’ the current exhibit at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, visitors can view never-before-seen relics from an Egyptian pyramid that dates back to the Middle Period.

By REBECCA BROOKS JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Were you sitting at home during Thanksgiving break thinking, “Wow, a 4,000-year-old mummy would really liven up this place?” Or did you see a cute boy or girl from your high school days and say to yourself, “Dang, I’d like to build a pyramid with that body?” If so, you should check out The Secrets of Tomb 10A: Egypt 2000 B.C. currently on display at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. This exhibit, which runs until May 16, has multiple rooms devoted to the tomb, and the price of admission cannot be beat: Brandeis students get in free.

George Reisner and a group of archaeologists from the Museum of Fine Arts discovered the tomb, which contains the body of Djehutynakht and his wife, in 1915 in Deir-elBersha, Egypt. The archaeologists soon learned that Djehutynakht was the governor of his province 4,000 years ago, and his tomb shows exactly what a wealthy Egyptian would carry into the afterlife. A team of Belgian ex-

cavators decided to go back to the site in 2009 and finish what the previous archeologists started.

The first room of the exhibit contains a panorama of the 1915 archaeological findings with descriptions of the days spent on site. An original diary written by Hanford Lyman Story, the head archaeologist, is on display.

Descriptions of the diary explain that although Reisner led the expedition, he put Story in charge of the actual digging in Egypt.

Story apparently resented this and hated the hot days and long hours of searching for the tomb. He makes accurate descriptions in the journal, however, of the tomb’s dimensions and the state in which it was found. This allows the museum to make an accurate model of the tomb’s size later on in the exhibit.

In the tomb, the archaeologists discovered a lot more than mummies. The small space was littered with goods that the couple planned to use in the afterlife and symbolic objects that would help them on their journey, things that are now featured in the second room of the exhibit. Story’s team excavated 58 miniature boats from the site, the most ever found in an Egyptian tomb. The boats were supposed to figuratively deliver the couple to their next life. Other figurines of Egyptians, such as weavers and farmers that represent the slaves and workers that they would have in the afterlife, were pieced together carefully after being destroyed by grave robbers soon after the couple was entombed. The coffins, dis-

played in the third room, had every inch covered by protective spells or writings, some even on the inside so the mummy could read them. Jars of food were also discovered at the site, which archaeologists believed was sustenance for the couple in the next life.

The coolest part of the entire exhibit is the room within a room that contains the mummified head of either the governor or his wife.

The unidentified head is so well preserved from mummification that parts of the skin are observable. Archaeologists are currently testing the DNA of one of the head’s teeth to determine whether it belongs to Djehutynakht or his wife. The smaller room’s dimensions match the exact dimensions of the tomb, which is astounding considering the amount of carvings and figurines that were able to fit in there.

The final room contains a panorama of the Belgian archeologists currently working at the site. When the Belgians revisited the tomb, they mostly found objects left by the original MFA archeologists, such as pens and paper.

They have, however, discovered other objects hidden in the area and are searching for more hints about the life of Djehutynakht and his wife.

So Brandeis students, come one and all.

Take a break from those long study periods, and throw aside your final papers to take a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The Secrets of Tomb 10A: Egypt 2000 B.C. is not an exhibit to miss.

As 2009 comes to a close and the new year awaits us, the common mentality is “Out with the old and in with the new.” In times of an economic recession, however, what we may consider to be old and outdated may actually be our most prized possessions. Vintage clothing shops have recently gained a boost in popularity as ways through which fashion-conscious frugalistas can prevent the economic crisis from turning into a fashion crisis.

When capital for fashion investment is low, it is advisable to take some time to sift through that closet in your attic filled with your mother’s old clothing. Last weekend, as part of a visit to New York for a family event, I happened to show my mother a blazer I was going to purchase. My mother promptly climbed up the stairs to the attic and proudly marched back with a chic red tuxedo blazer with black lapels. Upon my return to campus, I was showered with complimentary inquiries as to where I found my “new” red blazer that transformed my classic black leggings and a Hanes T-shirt from blasé to bombshell. I felt up-to-date and confident without having spent a penny.

While the blazer is a timeless piece that dresses up any outfit, vintage clothing also ensures originality because most pieces are one-of-a-kind items. The lesson? Sticking to classic looks and finding ways to spice up your wardrobe while adapting to current economic conditions is a winning strategy.

Such a mantra has been immortalized in the words of haute couturier Yves Saint Laurent, who believed that “fashions fade; style is eternal.” As one of the most influential designers of our time, the late YSL left a legacy of undying trends such as the tailored tuxedo jacket from his “Le Smoking” collection, the little black dress and the sheer peasant blouse. Even 40 years after their first unveiling, these looks, despite their modern touchups, are still staple pieces in every fashionista’s closet.

In order to enter into this new year with a resolution to stay sophisticated, fearless and financially stable, remember the simple words from a classic children’s song to “make new friends but keep the old.” Find ways to reinvent the classic pieces you already own and pair them with trendy updates.

Give the seductress in you an outlet with this season’s little black dress designed with asymmetrical necklines and unexpected cuts.

The one-shoulder fitted dress merges the Greek goddess with the chic Madison Avenue exec.

For all of you Brandeisian activists, your membership with PETA will remain intact and untainted when you rock out in a faux fur vest or synthetic leather motorcycle jacket.

Paired with a standard yet chic black minidress and tights, these outerwear pieces reflect the cold of winter without looking dreary.

I’m also a firm believer that women can be sexy without being uncomfortable. The boyfriend jean allows you to feel comfortable when running around campus and looks fabulous with that blazer hanging in your closet.

Remember though, since this style is a bit baggy, match the blazer and jeans with a fitted top. These jeans can also be paired with high pumps and a sequined vest, giving it a fresh but “not trying too hard” evening look.

While this season’s must-haves are sure successes, confidence remains the one ultimate key to style that won’t make you feel the recession’s sting. YSL once said that he “learned that what is important in a dress is the woman wearing it.” Confidence has the ability to take your look from simple to stunning without having to break open your piggy bank.

22

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

●

THE JUSTICE

RIHANNA ROCKS

JASON DECROW/The Associated Press

SOULFUL SINGER: Rather than explicitly refer to her much-publicized abusive relationship with Chris Brown, Rihanna showed stoic strength with angry lyrics and introspective ballads on her new album, ‘Rated R.’

‘Rated R’ suitable for mature audience Brad

STERN POP MUSE

In the aftermath of the Chris Brown incident, Rated R could have gone one of three ways for Rihanna: A schlocky, inspirational and ballad-filled account of her experience; an ignorance-is-bliss continuation of her winning 2008 dance-floor formula; or something much, much more daring than anything she’s ever done before. Lucky enough for us, she’s gone ahead with the last option.

Rated R finds the singer in a dark place. One need look no further than the moody, high contrast, Ellen von Unwerth-shot promotional photos for the album that feature the singer in a variety of S&M-lite poses, pointing her fingers like a gun and taking aim toward the camera in a skintight corset and standing bare-breasted within a lasso of barbed wire. In her video for “Russian Roulette,” the camera flashes between scenes of her partaking in the deadly game of chance to shots of her inside a padded cell, awaiting execution in the aftermath of the game. She’s in a murderous mood for sure, which is why at a certain point I began referring to the artist by a new, more fitting nickname: “Rihannoir.”

Trading in her umbrella for a few gats and a razor sharp tongue, Rihanna’s weapons of choice

have evolved significantly over the past year as she goes on the offensive for a large part of Rated R. Lyrically, Rihanna has all but rejected the meaningless dance-floor romps like “Don’t Stop the Music” and “S.O.S.,” instead greeting us with an in-your-face attitude, ballsy statements and sarcastic quips: “I’m such a fucking lady,” she taunts on top the repetitive, winding thuds of buzz single “Wait Your Turn.”

On the roughest of cuts, including the menacingly paced “G4L,” Rihanna lets loose a deluge of blood-chilling statements: “I lick the gun when I’m done, ’cause I know that revenge is sweet,” she purrs as the song begins before later announcing, “We got our guns, got our guns / We got our guns in the motherfucking air.”

“Hard” finds Rihanna at her most defiant, pulling out all the stops to prove just why she’s so, well, hard: “I’ma rock this shit like fashion, as in goin’ til they say stop / And my runway never looked so clear / But the hottest bitch in heels right here,” she proudly proclaims over a grinding series of industrial beats, horns and piano chords. Regardless of whether one is inclined to accept Riri’s newfound street cred, it’s all but impossible not to want to play along in the meantime.

The album isn’t completely icy, however, as the artist breaks down her defenses more than a few times for a series of introspective though somewhat uneven, jams. “Stupid in Love” is both the album’s only traditional ballad and also the most skippable part of Rated R, as the singer plods through a somewhat embarrassing chorus: “This is stupid / I’m not stupid / Don’t talk to me like I’m

stupid.” Other slow numbers, including the masterful, 6-minute “Cold Case Love” and the guitarheavy “Fire Bomb” all offer subtle clues as to how she’s feeling: “Your love was breaking the law, but I needed a witness / So wake me up when it’s over, it don’t make any difference,” she coos through “Cold Case Love.”

But if anything’s meant for Brown, it’s the soaring, gut-wrenching “The Last Song,” the album’s outro, which may also go down as Rihanna’s most overlooked artistic piece of work yet. Equipped with overdriven guitars and a slow-building series of strings, “Last Song” is an exceptional, emotionally charged number that finds Rihanna neither angry nor complacent but simply torn wide open: “Maybe we gave our all, a song we’ll never forget / Baby, let ’em play it / Maybe it’ll save the world /They gon’ miss hearing it when it’s gone,” she mutters before unleashing another howling power chorus.

This album is not, however, the confessional many thought it might have been. In fact, Rihanna delves into a host of other topics and issues including the triple-take-worthy “Te Amo,” which follows a female suitor’s unsuccessful attempts for the singer’s affections atop a swaying, Latin beat.

“I’m all for feeling the love, but I don’t feel that way,” Rihanna pleads as the song’s bridge fades.

Be it the young singer’s first foray into lyrically exploring her sexuality or simply a not-so-subtle round of homophobia, “Te Amo” proves about as earnest in its replay value as Rihanna’s unrequited love.

Whatever Rated R lacks in synthesizers and

dance-floor vagueries is more than made up for in “Rude Boy,” the only dance-oriented number of the album. Grinding, grooving and downright filthy, “Rude Boy” is destined to be the album’s best-kept secret if it remains unreleased as a single meshing the island sway from her Music of the Sun days with the naughtiest come-ons that Rihanna has ever brought into the recording booth: “I like when you tell me kiss it there, I like when you tell me move it there / So giddyup, Time to get it up / You say you’re a rude boy, show me what you got now.”

From an artist who already has enough trouble making “Disturbia” seem thrilling in front of a live audience, the moody, at times beatless contents of Rated R have made for quite possibly the worst concert experience of all time. Yet as a body of work in its own right, Rihanna’s fourth studio album provides the Barbados-born songstress her transition from fleeting radio obsession to legitimate pop icon in the making. The album is immensely listenable from start to finish, one of the most delightfully unexpected major label releases of the year and certainly her best record to date.

Though Rated R is not nearly as commercially viable or even as accessible as her past three records, the album offers a taste of what Madonna’s Bedtime Stories and Kylie Minogue’s Impossible Princess provided in their underappreciated, experimental production value—a distinction that may not make itself apparent until years down the line. Congratulations, Rihanna: You’ve assembled the first few pieces of your new throne.

BOOKS

‘Birdie’ a fleeting glimpse of Vonnegut’s legacy ■ The posthumously published short

story collection is an uneven literary work but serves as a tender farewell to the talented author who penned the novel ‘Slaughterhouse Five.’

By MARIANNA FAYNSHTEYN JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Over 2 1/2 years ago, Kurt Vonnegut passed away, leaving behind the legacy of his 26 books, the legacy of his humor and the yet-to-be determined legacy of his unpublished short fiction—14 stories in all, under the heading Look at the Birdie. In the introduction to the book, which was released in October, Vonnegut’s friend, novelist Sidney Offit, gets right to the skepticism of fans: “It may well be that these stories didn’t appear in print because for one reason or another they didn’t satisfy Kurt.”

For the first 100 pages or so you might agree.

The first few stories (particularly “Ed Luby’s Key Club” and “Shout About It from the House-

tops”) lack Vonnegut’s subtle sense of tragedy.

“Ed Luby’s Key Club,” especially, with its pile of absurd plot developments, leaves little room for relief and requires the reader have a staggering threshold for pain. The 50-page extravaganza traces a straight-laced couple’s journey from snubbed restaurant patrons— turned away on its 14th anniversary after years of patronage by former Capone henchman/restaurant owner Luby—to wrongly accused murderers, facing an ill fate in the corrupt town of Ilium. But fear not, justice does present itself. In fact, it quite literally unveils itself. A Kafka fan might appreciate the tale, but the story’s wrenching themes would, in all likelihood, puncture a hole in most readers’ sympathetic cushions.

“A Song for Selma” does a better job of achieving the combination of despair and hope for which Vonnegut is known. Timid Selma’s clerical error (confusing weight for IQ within the file cards of the school records) convinces the school genius, Schroeder, and the school sluggish oaf, Big Floyd, that they are wrongly aligned in the intellectual spectrum. The story’s emphasis on IQ may induce a smile, re-

flecting on the rigid ways of the “good” old days (such a contrast to modern times, with opportunity-friendly tests like the SAT), but the smile lasts throughout the tale. Selma’s mistake creates a surge of motivation (on Floyd’s part) and resignation (on Schroeder’s), and culminates in a ballad in her honor, which all agree—high IQ or not—is a masterpiece.

Look at the Birdie seems an authentic Vonnegut product with the comedic puzzle “Little Drops of Water.” Vonnegut’s classic irony carries the tale, skewing the common understanding of the comfort of habit with the characterization of Larry, the rigid bachelor singing coach. Through Larry’s unwavering dedication to routine—even the unwanted aspects which accrue—Vonnegut delivers an insightful and underhanded commentary on the stuff of life, reducing it all to something we have to do because, well, we’re used to doing it.

The best of Vonnegut’s stories brush aside the author’s abundant self-doubts, which he provides in a letter to editor Walter J. Miller in the book’s preface: “This letter is sententious crap, shot full of self-pity. But it’s the kind of letter writers seem to write; and since I quit

[General Electric], if I’m not a writer then I’m nothing.”

With that reflection, so determined and yet so defeated in all the ways Vonnegut and his work is known to be, how fitting that the last short story, and perhaps the most profound, in the collection, should be entitled “The Good Explainer.” The tale contains a subdued suspense throughout, presenting Joe Cunningham from Cincinnati, who comes to Chicago under the misinformation that Dr. Abekian is a famous fertility specialist with knowledge about Joe and his wife’s childless state. The truth lurks somewhere in Abekian’s subconscious, and in a concrete place in Mrs. Cunningham’s memory, but more clear than the direction the story takes is the difficulty of placing the truth onto the surface.

There are no traces of fantastical qualities or even Vonnegut’s trademark black humor in “The Good Explainer.” Instead a pain—not sharp, but heavy—penetrates, inspiring memories of unfortunate events to which explanations are hard to apply, a nutshell of the circumstances that provided the foundation of Vonnegut’s literary career.

THE JUSTICE

●

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

TOP 10 OF ’09

Musicians finish off another decade with a flourish ■ The best releases of

2009 rank with all-time classics in terms of quality.

By BEN SERBY JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

It seems like every decade for the last 50 years has ended with an outpouring of excellent popular music.

1959 saw the release of not only Ray Charles’ What’d I Say but also Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue. 1969—the year of Woodstock —brought The Band and Abbey Road. Perhaps the knowledge that a 10-year epoch—the standard unit of measurement in musicology, as in so much else—is coming to a close heightens the urgency for an artist to go above and beyond and create something that will define the time period forever after. This is certainly true of 2009. The following list by no means captures all of the many remarkable albums of the year, just the 10 “best of the best.”

10. Yo La Tengo – Popular Songs: The middle-aged members of Yo La Tengo are the veritable Energizer bunnies of indie. Nearly a quartercentury and over a dozen albums into their career together, the Hobokenbased trio once again show on Popular Songs that they’re nowhere near stopping—hell, they’re not even slowing down! Popular Songs follows the band’s tried-and-true formula of catchy pop songs and mellow interludes with several longer meditations to conclude the album. This time around, elements of Motown find their way into the mix.

9. Neko Case – Middle Cyclone: The lore surrounding Middle Cyclone is almost as great as the album itself (I said almost). Case recorded most of the tracks in a barn filled with eight free pianos that she acquired on Craigslist. Cryptic lyrics, including a whole song told from the perspective

of a tornado, are laden with unsettling nature-themed imagery. Wilderness metaphors, coupled with threatening gestures and pronouncements run pretty heavy, making this no countrynoir record for the faint of heart.

8. The Xx – Xx: A rather straightforward pop album filled with short songs and catchy melodies, this summer release garnered a lot of attention. The young Londoners sing with characteristic British understatement, creating a mood that complements the bare instrumentation on masterfully produced songs like “VCR.” Simple arrangements and spacey, reverberant guitars work for them where, in the hands of less attentive musicians, they might feel canned.

7. The Flaming Lips – Embryonic: In case anyone had any doubts, in 2009 the Flaming Lips proved that redemption is possible. After a decade of struggling to recapture the magic that lost in the wake of The Soft Bulletin (1999), the quartet finally delivered its promise. The artful upshot of their studio experimentation is a treat for long-standing fans and newcomers alike, drawing on influences from Chick Corea to the Beatles to sciencefiction soundtracks.

6. Atlas Sound – Logos: Deerhunter frontman Bradford Cox shows that he can cut it as a solo artist as well. Every song on Logos is different, but all share a similar sound-collage aesthetic that never leaves you bored, even when the overall effect is dreamy. The brightest gem of the record is “Walkabout,” which features fellow-genius Noah Lennox (a.k.a. Panda Bear). When you hear it, it won’t leave your head for weeks.

5. Girls – Album: A new band from San Francisco, Girls are unapologetic about their obsession with the Beach Boys and ’50s rock. But whereas nostalgic tribute can slip into the lamentably derivative, this is in no way true of Album. Lead singer Christopher

RISHIKA ASSOMULL/the Justice

Owens’ voice—at times scratchy, at others gentle and imploring—is both original and inimitable. Despite the frivolity implied by the album and band names, an overpowering anguish emanates from the record, differentiating it from the sunny vibes of the early rock’n’ roll that it ostensibly imitates.

4. St. Vincent – Actor: Singer-songwriter Annie Clark (a.k.a. St. Vincent) has clearly learned a thing or two from her former touring bandmate, Sufjan Stevens. While the Midwestern indie-folk Yoda is in hibernation— having “suspended” his mythical “50 states project”—Clark is stealing his thunder. On Actor, she combines an orchestral, baroque sensibility with danceable electronic pop, seamlessly weaving the two strands with her beautiful, feathery voice and highly distorted guitar playing. Some of the most compelling melodies of the year

are right here: seriously, no one can afford to miss “The Neighbors.”

3. Dirty Projectors – Bitte Orca: Before this year, we already knew that Dave Longstreth had a dizzying imagination. Prior Projectors records were full of highbrow concept, featuring complicated time signatures and unpredictable melodies. On Bitte Orca, the six-member ensemble took these elements and made something less hopelessly cerebral (read: pretentious). When you put this fantastic record on, you will still be mesmerized by the details, but you will actually hum along with a catchy melody and even, at moments, (gasp!) want to dance.

2. Grizzly Bear – Veckatimest: Listeners who come to this album with the expectation of easily dissolving into comfortable pop melodies will be disappointed. Veckatimest has a few catchy tunes (especially “Two

Weeks”), but most of the album is laboriously layered and supremely subtle. In short, it takes time, but the effort pays off. Veckatimest is just as much a choral album as it is a rock album, and its most haunting moments demand to be played in a dim Gothic cathedral.

1. Animal Collective – Merriweather Post Pavilion: Somehow, the three members of Animal Collective brilliantly interweave English folk melodies, Brazilian techno, Brian Wilson and much, much more, in the space of 11 psychedelic songs—and it always works. At base, these songs are all rather conventional pop songs, but the way that they have been taken apart and reconstituted makes them mysterious and arresting. It’s only fitting that Merriweather, which came out in the very first week of 2009, ended up being the best album of the year.

Box office sees satisfied customers in ’09 ■ The studios offered up a

number of fun films as well as deeper flicks this year.

By BRYAN FLATT JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

The year of 2009 has come and almost gone, and what a year it has been.

With hundreds of titles released, the job of narrowing down the best of the best is not an easy one. Some small films have really risen to the top while some blockbusters have bombed. By the end of the year, this top 10 list may change a little, but all in all, big or small, this list contains the movies I think are the best of the best—the must-sees of 2009.

10. Earth: This Disney documentary takes the focus away from humans and shifts it to the animal kingdom in this beautifully shot film. Going from Africa to Antarctica and polar bears to elephants to blue whales, this documentary really gives a great view of the diverse animal life on our planet.

Even if you aren’t a nature lover, the incredible stories following different animal families trying to survive in a world of aggressors gives us something to cheer for.

9. Zombieland: If you think Zombieland is just another Shaun of the Dead, then you are very wrong. Starring Woody Harrelson, Jessie Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, Zombieland follows around Columbus (Eisenberg), one of the last survivors of a zombie infestation (thanks to his neurotically effective rules). If you are looking for a good laugh, a hilariously surprising cameo and some great one-liners that you will be repeating again and again, Zombieland is just for you.

8. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince: I really enjoy the Harry Potter books, and I really don’t enjoy when a good book is ruined by a lackluster movie. Luckily for me and many fans, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince pulls off the balance between

staying true to its story while still making a great movie. Knowing that director David Yates will return for the final two films is uplifting because he did such a good job with this one.

7. Where the Wild Things Are: Spike Jonze’s adaptation of Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s book came out to mixed reviews. Some thought it was too grown-up for a younger audience, some thought it tried to extend the source material too far, but I thought it was just right. Jonze, one of the most interesting directors in Hollywood, managed to create a film that truly captures what it is to be a confused child growing up and all of the emotions from anger to fear to just wanting to be loved.

6. A Serious Man: From Fargo to The Big Lebowski to No Country for Old Men, Joel and Ethan Coen have made everything from funny to strange to dark movies to a mix of all three. A Serious Man is a tale about Larry Gopnick (played by newcomer Michael Stuhlbarg), a Jewish man living in the Midwest in 1967, as his life unravels by its seams like that of a modern-day Job. With a script filled with allegory and symbolism, the actors (most of whom were new to feature films) all rise to the occasion and make one of the weirdest and most thought-provoking movies I have seen in a while.

5. Star Trek: Star Trek isn’t just for the hardcore fans anymore. This sci-fi action flick from acclaimed director J.J. Abrams starred quite a cast, including many breakout stars like Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto and Anton Yelchin as well as many other big names (Eric Bana, Leonard Nimoy).

The movie was interesting and even kept me, a nonfan, very much involved and wanting more Kirk, Spock, Scotty and the rest of the crew soon after it ended. This was a great reboot to the series and can be loved by anyone: man, woman, child or Romulan.

4. The Hangover: What can be said about the most-quoted buddy comedy of the summer that hasn’t already been said? The premise of four guys

getting drunk in Vegas for their buddy’s bachelor party and waking up with a trashed hotel room and missing their friend is nothing new, but the journey is what made this so special.

With perfectly cast actors and a surprise breakout performance from Zach Galifianakis, along with some amazing cameos (Mike Tyson, specifically), this is a great comedy that proves director Todd Phillips (of Old School fame) still has it.

3. Moon: Probably the least recognizable on my list, Moon (no, not the Twilight one) is the story of a man, Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell), who is approaching the end of his lonely threeyear stay on the moon where he has been sent to help solve the Earth’s future power problems. Rockwell gives the should-be Oscar-winning performance of a lifetime as essentially the only on-screen character for two straight hours (he is kept company by his robot GERTY, voiced by Kevin Spacey), carrying the film with apparent ease. The plot contains many great twists that will keep the viewer guessing until the very end.

2. District 9: The sleeper hit of the summer, directed by then-unknown Neil Blomkamp, is about the relationship between aliens forced to live in slumlike conditions after their ship lands in Johannesburg, South Africa and the humans who are trying to figure out who the aliens are. Though it appears to be a basic sci-fi action film, it is actually so much more than that.

A film that has both incredible character development and such relevant commentary on how humanity deals with the unknown creates a very strong dynamic. Factor in the incredible effects and this becomes a mustsee.

1. Inglorious Basterds: Quentin Tarantino doesn’t come out with a movie every single year, but when he does, it’s always worth seeing. Aside from the superb acting from Brad Pitt, Eli Roth and Christoph Waltz, there was also an amazingly smart script shot in a beautifully stylistic way that only Tarantino could pull off.

A preview of upcoming releases Any definitive list of movies cannot be complete without including the months of December and early January. It is at this time that studios release their major blockbusters pushing for big Oscar nominations. While there appear to be upward of 20 great films in the coming months, here are the top five movies I’m most excited to see over break!

Nine: Take another musical directed by Rob Marshall, director of Chicago. Throw in Daniel Day Lewis, scantily clad women (Penelope Cruz, Fergie, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman) and skillful singing and dancing, and it’s sure to be a great time.

Adapted from a 1982 Tony Award-winning musical, which was adapted from a play, which was adapted from Federico Fellini’s classic film 8 ½, it looks like this film has something for everyone.

Avatar: If you haven’t seen a preview for Avatar, James Cameron’s $400 million technologically advanced sci-fi love story, then look it up now. James Cameron has literally created a world out of nothing with a technology so advanced he had to wait 10 years for science to catch up to his vision. With Cameron, master of both the romantic love story (Titanic) and sci-fi action film (Terminator, Aliens), a crossover epic is very welcome.

Sherlock Holmes: Pair Guy Ritchie, the king of heist movies

(Snatch, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), with Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Rachel Weisz to bring Arthur Conan Doyle’s sleuth to the 21st century. The trailers look very promising, with a much different and more explosive Sherlock Holmes than we imagine but without forgetting the sleuthy nature at the core of the character.

Up in the Air: Director Jason Reitman (Thank You for Smoking, Juno) comes back this time dealing not with lobbyists or teen pregnancy but with the mid-life crisis. The film follows Ryan Bingham (George Clooney), a constantly traveling corporate hire whose idea of a good time is picking up frequent-flyer miles and sampling the hotel bar.

When his company decides to permanently ground him, he is forced to look at the life he has made for himself and see if he is really happy. Handling heavy characters with light charm is what Clooney and Reitman do best, and with extremely positive early festival buzz, this is definitely a must see.

Invictus: Invictus dramatizes Nelson Mandela’s efforts to rally post-apartheid South Africa in support of the 1995 national Rugby World Cup team led by Francois Pienaar. Directed by the acclaimed Clint Eastwood and starring Morgan Freeman as Mandela and Matt Damon as Pienaar, this film has awards written all over it.

—Bryan Flatt

23

24

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2009

●

THE JUSTICE

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Make your holiday preparations one step at a time in order to avoid being overwhelmed and leaving things undone. That confusing family situation continues to work itself out.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Ease this year’s holiday money pressures by letting your thrifty side guide you as you look for those perfect gifts that typically reflect your good taste and love of beauty.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You’ll have a good handle on potential holiday problems if you delegate tasks to family members, friends or co-workers—most of whom will be more than happy to help out.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Right now you are especially vulnerable to holiday scams that seek to take advantage of your generosity. Best advice: Check them out before you send out your checks.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) The upcoming holiday season gives the Big Cat much to purr about. Relationships grow stronger, and new opportunities loom on the horizon, just waiting to be pounced on.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A changing situation brings conflicting advice about how to go forward with your holiday plans.

Your best bet: Make the decision you feel most comfortable with.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Holiday plans get back on track after some confusion about the direction you expected to take. A potentially troublesome money matter needs your immediate attention.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your holiday preparations are on track. But you need to confront a personal situation while you can ACROSS 1. Vacationing 4. Told a tale 8. React in pain 12. Romanian money 13. Between jobs 14. Competent 15. Stevenson’s personification of good 17. Leave at the altar 18. Whine 19. E.T.’s carrier?

21. Under the weather 22. Sex for Dummies writer 26. Eccentric 29. Attention getter 30. Vast expanse 31. Libertine’s feeling 32. Foundation 33. Minus 34. Mound stat 35. Monkey suit 36. Circumference 37. Oprah adviser 39. Wambaugh or Wapner (Abbr.)

40. Moray, for one 41. Dermatologist’s case 45. Sail support 48. A Study in Scarlet narrator 50. Head light?

51. — and terminer 52. Expert 53. Unimprovable place 54. Money 55. Longing DOWN 1. Automaker Ransom Eli — 2. Spore producer 3. Honshu mountain 4. Probable 5. Pastoral opus

still keep it from overwhelming everything else.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Tight financial matters ease a bit during this holiday season. But the sagacious Sagittarian is well-advised to keep a tight hold on the reins while shopping for gifts.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Don’t put off making decisions about this year’s holiday celebrations, despite the negative comments you’ve been getting from several quarters. Do it now!

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) The holidays will bring new friends and new opportunities. Meanwhile, be careful to use your energy wisely as you go about making holiday preparations.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) There’s good news coming from a most unlikely source.

And it could turn out to be one of the best holiday gifts you have had in years. Remember to stay positive.

BORN THIS WEEK: You are respected for your honesty and loyalty. You make friends slowly—but with rare exceptions, they’re in your life forever.

BRANDEIS

Through the Lens

Solution to last issue’s crossword.

ASHER KRELL/the Justice

Evening Sun The late afternoon sun marks the end of a day at Brandeis. Students who live off campus leave by car, while others walk in the fresh air.

Sudoku

6. Blueprint addition 7. Tricked 8. Collegian’s choice 9. Sapporo sash 10. The whole enchilada 11. Bottom line 16. Oust 20. Saute 23. Addict 24. Criterion 25. Scrambled eggs side dish 26. Coaster 27. Kitten’s sound 28. Now, on a memo 29. Whammy

32. Edition sold the night before 33. “Hungaria” composer 35. Dead heat 36. Kid’s racer 38. Egret’s cousin 39. “You Were Meant for Me” singer 42. Catch sight of 43. Additional 44. Any time now 45. That girl 46. Cushion 47. Ginger — 49. Reuben holder

King Crossword Copyright 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

■ It was American comedian Joey Adams who made the following sage observation: “If it weren’t for the fact that the TV set and the refrigerator are so far apart, some of us wouldn’t get any exercise at all.”

■ A butterfly’s sense of taste is located on its feet.

■ You know that smoking is hazardous to your health, but you might not realize all the different types of damage it can do. For instance, a shop in Great Britain required more than $400,000 in repairs to its roof due to a fire from a cigarette. A fire from an inadequately extinguished butt is not at all unusual, but in this case it wasn’t because the owner—or any other person—was careless. It seems that a sparrow that had been building its nest in the store’s eaves liked to use cigarette butts. The bird evidently picked one up that was still burning and eventually set the building alight.

■ Someone with too much time on his hands once determined that there are 293 different

combinations of coins that will make change for a U.S. dollar.

■ Every year, doughnut maker Krispy Kreme uses a whopping 1 million pounds of sprinkles on its pastries.

■ Coffee is one of the most traded commodities on earth, second only to oil.

■ If you, like many others, are trying to figure out how to meet that special someone, you might want to reconsider the use of personal ads. Those who study such things claim that approximately 35 percent of people who use personal ads for dating are already married.

■ The shortest complete sentence in the English language is “Go.” Thought for the Day: “My way of joking is to tell the truth. It is the funniest joke in the world.” —George Bernard Shaw

Enter digits from 1 to 9 into each blank space so that every row, column and 3x3 square contains one of each digit.

Sudoku Copyright 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

Students depart for winter break soon, only to return to colder weather. Don’t forget to bring your winter jacket in January!