The Brandeis Hoot, September 16, 2022

Brandeis History of Ideas panel: Can Individuals Make History?

By Roshni Ray editor

e Brandeis History of Ideas program held a panel discussion with the focal question of “Can individuals make history?” featuring faculty and student speakers. Director of the History of Ideas program David S. Katz moderated the event.

e panel aimed to dissect the role of individualism in history-making from multiple angles by sharing the perspectives of Brandeis community members from diverse elds such as biology, politics, history and creative arts.

Zalman Abraham Kekst Professor of Neuroscience Susan Birren spoke rst on the issue, where she cited examples from the history of science and noted gures regarding the demographic makeup of scientists to develop her argument against the “Great Man” theory.

In short, this theory takes the

See HISTORY , page 2

stance that history is made by individuals who are mostly white men that are to be regarded as admirable by the general public.

Birren demonstrated a misconception of who society views as important scientists in history, using the metaphor of a mountain range where each peak represents a scientist’s contribution and where the altitude of the peak represents the degree to which present day society deems the contribution as valuable.

She posed the question, “Why [do the highest] peaks that are coming up, based on the work of so many people, why are they mostly men?” Birren described the need to look at scienti c history in a more nuanced way, highlighting that the discourse of contributions by women and minorities have been shadowed by their more privileged counterparts and that minorities in science have o en been stripped of their credit in the process.

Furthermore, Birren emphasized that the process of conducting science relies on the

Brandeis community reaches Green COVID-19 status

By Victoria Morongiello editor

“Our community’s near-total vaccination rate and low rates of community transmission have given us the condence to make this adjustment at this time,” reads the email.

e Green status level indicates the transmission rate on campus is low and has a minimal impact on the community operations, according to the university’s COVID-19 Response page. As students came back to campus the university was in a Yellow status, which had an open campus status but a higher rate of

transmission of the virus than in comparison to the Green state. e email notes the main differences in COVID-19 policies between the Green and Yellow statuses. In the Green status, masking on campus is optional with the exception being in certain areas including classrooms, university shuttles and admin-

istrative o ces where there is a posting that masks are required. If students arrive to classrooms without a mask, professors can ask the student to leave, though it is up to the discretion of the faculty member teaching to decide whether students have to mask or not. e email notes that community members should

have masks “at the ready” in the event that masking is required in a location they intend on going to. Masking is required for community members who are identi ed as close contacts or who test positive for COVID-19. According to the email, in this

See GREEN, page 3

Interview with Student Union President Peyton Gillespie

By Cooper Gottfried editor

e president of Brandeis’ Student Union, Peyton Gillespie, sat down for an interview with e Brandeis Hoot to talk about the Union, his administration’s plan for the people and himself.

What changes do you plan to make to Brandeis this year?

ere are quite a few that we are looking at implementing on campus. One of our primary initiatives is the free menstrual product initiative [with Period Activists at ’Deis/PAD]. Our ultimate goal is to incorporate free

menstrual products into both high tra c areas on campus and residence halls.

We also want to have transparent and open communication with the student body. at entails organizing town halls where all students and faculty are invited to listen to us talk and ask us questions. at’s something that we feel is really important.

In addition to those things we’re taking into account that this is the Year of Climate Action. Our Director of Climate Justice and Sustainability, Anna, is working very closely with the O ce of Sustainability and the Brandeis Sustainability Ambassadors to

Is

ensure a smooth Year of Climate Action and to push some of our administration’s sustainability goals. One of those [goals] is providing a compost stockpile for clubs to have access to free of charge so that they’re more sustainable in their on-campus events.

We’ve also begun working closely with the ICC [Intercultural Center] and the O ce of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to ensure that the ICC, religious clubs and LGBTQ+ clubs have the support that they need from the Student Union …. We had a meeting with the O ce of Diversity Equity and Inclusion to outline some goals and expectations. One of

those would be that we’re hoping to unite the ICC Coalition this year, which is something that struggled last year, but we think that we can push through this year. e goal of that is just to unite ICC clubs under a broader umbrella to strengthen their relationships with one another. Another one of those goals is to make the A-board [Allocations Board] process and the Marathon process more clear, and answer questions that ICC clubs have for A-board. It was brought to our attention that there were some miscommunications and struggles last year between ICC clubs and A-board and we want to iron that out as much as possible.

Can

OPS: PAGE 13

How are communication channels chosen for union communications?

In terms of choice, Instagram, of course, is under our control. We don’t have to go to anybody higher up to ask permission to post information about di erent events or about what we’re doing. Email is a di erent story. Originally—this was years ago— everybody on the union had the ability to send an email to the entire student body. en it was narrowed down to just the secretary, president and vice president. en it was narrowed down to just the president, and now we

See INTERVIEW, page 4

Read about how one of our editors predicts this season going for the Bruins

ARTS: PAGE 6

PHOTO BY STEVE BRIGGS

Faculty and student speeches at History of Ideas panel

HISTORY, from page 1

incremental accumulation of knowledge from teams of many people over the course of time. She stated, “No one is making [scienti c] discoveries on their own,” thereby countering the notion that history is made by individuals.

Following Birren, Professor of Middle East History and Director of Research at the Middle East Crown Studies Naghmeh Sohrabi spoke, addressing the notion of how present day North Americans understand history and using a television show to emphasize that groups are the force of history making as opposed to individuals.

Sohrabi utilized the American supernatural television series about a young woman who is destined to slay mythical creatures called “Bu y the Vampire Slayer” as a modern day media thread throughout her speech. While the narrative of the television show may underscore the main character Bu y as the sole hero, Sohrabi noted that “Season a er season, Bu y fought the vampires and demons while embedded within a group of people, each of whom brought their particular skill set to the ght.”

Sohrabi spoke of the dual meaning of the word history as both the past and the process of narrating the past. She noted that the telling of history o en implicitly casts individuals into the quests of revolutions and movements of the past, thereby emphasizing the individual component of history making, especially in North American storytelling. Despite this tendency, she asserted that “Individuals can only make history when they are embedded in and connected to others. inkers, orators [and]

readers need listeners, and those who having heard, choose to act.”

Katz then introduced the rst student speaker Gonny Nir ’25, who studies politics and is a part of the History of Ideas Program.

Nir discussed the di erent possible viewpoints one may adopt when studying history; scholars can emphasize the broader historical movements or emphasize the leaders at the forefront of those movements. She asserted the notion that “great men do not exist in a vacuum” but are rather malleable to the discourse in the society and environment they reside in. “Environments matter too much to be overlooked,” she stated. erefore, the conclusion Nir reached was that the advancements individuals make and the ideas they have are not attributed to themselves but are rather a re ection of their community.

While Associate Professor of Chinese Literature and Culture Pu Wang was invited to speak, he was unable to attend due to personal circumstances, so Katz delivered his speech instead. Wang wrote about his viewing of an art piece at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston titled “ e Apotheosis of Napoleon I,” re ecting on how Napoleon was a powerful individual since he was an emperor, but that he was rst and foremost an emperor of the people. According to Wang, historical leaders are able to make an impact because their ideology coincides with existing historical movements and contexts and resonates with others in the community. He meditated on the narration of history from the perspective of world historical gures or the common person in today’s society, saying “We no longer live in the age of Napoleon …. We live

in an age where no convergence between act[s] of individuality and the collective will seem possible anymore …. at’s our true crisis of understanding history.”

A erward, Cooper Gottfried ’25, an Environmental Studies major, spoke on the issue. He began his speech by saying, “Individuals, no matter how remarkable they are, cannot make history alone.” He cited legislation and actions from former President Donald Trump’s presidency that were detrimental to the environment, saying that while it is o en simpler to cast the credit onto one individual, “Donald Trump did not make history alone.” Gottfried explained how via the support of Republican Party members and through purposeful decisions made by large corporations, Trump undertook numerous egregious actions against the environment. “Correctly placing blame on enabling governing bodies or malevolent corporations can o er real dialogue” instead of mindless and unactionable change, Gottfried concluded.

e next speaker was Amalia Ben-Porath ’23, who studies neuroscience and biology and is part of the History of Ideas Program. Her response to the focal question of the discussion was that individuals cannot make history. She stated, “While history can start with one person, it cannot change with one person.” She utilized the scientist and mathematician Nikolaus Copernicus as an example of how our knowledge of the solar system was only advanced through the e orts of a group and not of an individual. Copernicus sought to determine whether the Earth revolved around the sun or vice versa. His ndings suggested the truth which is known today,

that the Earth revolves around the sun. However, this challenged the Catholic Church and he was disparaged. It took the investigation of his scholars and other scientists to rea rm his ndings for history to mark the truth as society knows it today. Additionally, Ben-Porath cited a recent example of the development of the COVID-19 vaccines, saying that the work leading to the discovery “builds on the shoulders of scienti c discoveries of the past,” thereby negating the argument that individuals make history alone.

e following speaker was Chris Martin ’24, who studies English, history and music at Brandeis. Martin shared his thoughts on what history is, saying “History is more than a record of things that happened. I’d like to make the distinction of history as that set archival method, and history as the living, breathing, ever-changing account [that is] as much inuenced by those who create it as the retrospective of the people who come a er it.” He concluded that the common person may exert as much in uence on society’s perception of history than a particularly remarkable individual.

A erwards, Director of Arts Engagement Ingrid Schorr spoke on the issue, citing Leonard Bernstein as an example of a historically renowned individual who contributed greatly to the world and informed some of Brandeis’ traditions today. Leonard Bernstein was one of the most inuential and celebrated musical conductors in the 20th century. Schorr spoke of Bernstein’s mission to nd a universal grammar in music and how he presented rigorous lectures on his discovery of four crucial notes in seemingly disparate musical contexts.

Schorr also noted that Berstein believed “a man’s capacity for laughter is much greater than his capacity for su ering.” While Bernstein witnessed travesties such as John F. Kennedy’s assassination and the AIDS crisis, he stood out in history for using music to harness joy in moments of darkness. e nal presenter of the evening was University Professor of Social Policy, Law and Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies

Anita Hill. Hill posed a question tangential to the inquiry of whether an individual makes history and whether the “Great Man” theory should prevail, asking the audience to consider, “Why should anyone want to make history?” She arrived at the conclusion that individuals do not need to t the “Great Man” box in order to be part of the movements or change they wish to see in the world. Furthermore, Hill spoke of her personal conviction regarding the individuals making history, describing how in her own work, “My priority is that it is the movement, … the motion forward, not the woman, that I want to re ect in the work that I do. Yet the woman, me, should be true to herself, because believers in the cause crave authenticity.” e History of Ideas Program seeks to impart knowledge regarding the dissemination of history and the expression of beliefs. More information regarding the Brandeis History of Ideas Program can be found on their website. Editor’s Note: Cooper Gottfried is the Opinions editor of e Brandeis Hoot and he did not contribute to the writing or editing of this article.

By Victoria Morongiello editor

Breonna Taylor, an African American medical worker, was murdered by Louisville law enforcement in March 2020 in her home a er a misled pursuit of a drug dealing operation, according to a New York Times article. In her memory, students on campus created a memorial at the entrance of Sherman Dining Hall. e memorial has since been moved to the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion O ce a er nearly two years, according to a sign posted in Sherman.

“A er two years on public display, the makeshi memorial has been disassembled and moved to the O ce of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI),” reads the posted sign. e memorial sat in the window near the entrance to Sherman. ere was a handdrawn portrait made of Taylor memorializing her. Surrounding the portrait were photos of Taylor as well as owers and LED candles. “ e Breonna Taylor Memorial created an opportunity for Brandeis community members to come together to mourn and re ect on the tragic loss, while also raising awareness about the

systematic gendered racism that disproportionately a ects Black Women,” according to the sign.

In July 2020, a petition circled in the Brandeis community demanding justice for Taylor, according to an email sent to community members on July 7 by Lucas Malo, director of the Department of Community Service. At the time, Taylor’s killers had still not been sentenced for their crime, even though it was four months a er the murder. Over two years since the murder occured, new evidence was revealed that the police detectives falsi ed information on the warrant issued to search Taylor’s home in relation to a drug dealing operation, according to the district court document. e police o cers violated “Fourth Amendment rights by obtaining and approving a search warrant based on ‘materially false’ information,” reads the document. On Aug. 23, the former Louisville Metro Police Department (LMPD) Detective Kelly Goodlett pled guilty in federal court to conspiring to commit two federal crimes, according to a Department of Justice page. In Goodlett’s plea, she admitted to falsifying the information used to obtain the a davit, without the falsi ed information there would not have been probable cause to

have the search warrant issued, according to the page.

“To establish probable cause, information in an a davit accompanying a search warrant must be truthful and timely.

Goodlett admitted that she knew that the a davit in support of the warrant to search Taylor’s home was false, misleading and stale,” according to the immediate release from the Department of Justice. In the plea, Goodlett also admitted to the court that the suspect they were looking to search in relation to the drug dealing operation—J.G.—had not been known to have visited Taylor’s residence in the weeks leading up

to the search warrant’s issue.

Also, in the wrongful nature of the warrant issued the Louisville police department secured a “no-knock entry” because, “the alleged drug dealers that LMPD was investigating had a history of eeing from the police and destroying evidence,” according to the document. Goodlett admitted to the courts that none of the information provided for the “noknock entry” warrant was true in regards to Taylor. In addition to having the warrant falsi ed, a er Taylor’s death Goodlett admitted to being involved in conspiring to obstruct justice, according to the immediate release document.

Goodlett and other Louisville Police Department detectives provided false information to investigators looking into Taylor’s death. “Goodlett stated that she and the other detective provided a false ‘investigative letter’ to criminal investigators, repeating the false and misleading claims from the warrant a davit about J.G. receiving packages at Taylor’s home and using Taylor’s home as ‘his residence,’” reads the document. e Brandeis Hoot reached out to the Vice President of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion LeManuel “Lee” Bitsóí for comment, but did not receive a response in time for publication.

Univ. COVID-19 restrictions lessen in Green status

situation, community members should follow the instructions provided by the Brandeis Community Tracing Program.

In the email, the administrators included a note for community members that despite the relaxing of policies the university is in support of those “wishing to add a layer of protection for themselves.”

According to the email, “many individuals feel more comfortable wearing a mask where risks are known to be higher, such as in large, enclosed group settings.”

In the Green status level, gathering size is at full capacity and there are no restrictions on visitors, according to the COVID-19 Response page. Travel is unre-

stricted for community members, though it is encouraged that if a community member travels overnight that they take a rapid antigen test three days a er their return, according to the page.

During that duration back from their tryp students should also mask around others, according to the page.

Testing is on a for-cause only basis, according to the page, meaning that it is only for students exhibiting symptoms or having been exposed.

Students can receive PCR testing from the Health Center and sta , faculty and a liates can also receive PCR and rapid testing.

“We know that COVID transmission is likely to rise as the weather gets colder, and as many community members travel around upcoming holidays and

school breaks. Our community should be prepared to see a return to more precautions if case

rates follow previous trends,” the administrators noted in the email. For more information on the

GREEN, from page 1 PHOTO FROM

university’s COVID-19 policies, students can visit the university’s COVID-19 response page.

By Thomas Pickering editor

Erich Schumann, a professor at the Brandeis International Business School (IBS), alongside a team of students, recently developed a mobile app to better protect individuals and their private data, according to a press release from IBS. Banks across the country and throughout the world collect personal data on their clients, and this app is designed to increase personal information security, speci cally through the implementation of blockchain technology.

Jonathan Skidmore MBA ’22, a student who helped to develop the app said in the press release that “ ere is a low level of trust in general, especially when it comes to data protection.” Schumann and his team believe that block-

chain technology has the ability to provide Americans the security they desire while having a bank account. is would allow Americans to feel protected while they build credit, increase savings and better protect their income. Fincludio, as the app is called, allows users to pick and choose the services they desire from the banks they are willing to work with. As described in the press release, the personal information is stored securely in a digital wallet on the user’s smartphone. Once the user determines the services and bank they would like to work with, the bank is then only provided the information that it is required to collect by law to verify the identity of their new customer. is gives users the peace of mind that they know exactly what information the bank has received and what they have kept secure and private on their own devices.

e app is built on blockchain technology. As de ned by IBM, blockchain technology is “... a shared, immutable ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network.” e assets in question here can best be described as anything of value to an individual. ey can range from real world objects such as homes and land to intellectual objects such as copyrights, patents and digital creations. e crux of these objects however, as Solulab (a technological consulting rm) describes it, is that they must be an “immutable ledger.”

For an object to be considered an “immutable ledger” and properly integrated into blockchain technology it must be highly unchanging and unaltered. As expressed by Solulab, the importance of the unchanging nature of these objects and informa-

tion is that the data is reliable and unable to be changed in bad faith. e central idea behind the blockchain ledger is that the data is under tight security and has not been changed or altered.

Banks, to verify the identity of their clients, collect highly personal and unchanging data about them as is in accordance with state and federal laws in the United States, as explained by the IBS press release. Personal information about clients, such as race, gender identity, birthdays and social security numbers, are all collected by banks. is, in turn, instills a level of discomfort and skepticism among Americans who do not wish to have their private information being shared with major corporations.

As discovered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) in their 2019 survey on Household Use of Banking and

Financial Services, 5.4% of U.S. households were “unbanked,” meaning that no one in the household had access to a checking or savings account at a bank. e report also showed that while 5.4% of households were unbanked, this was the lowest rate of unbanked Americans since the survey began in 2009. However, as shown in the Brandeis press release, the families who are most likely to be unbanked due to a lack of trust in nancial systems are Black and Hispanic. Fincludio aims to reduce that racial disparity by increasing the level of security any individual has over their own data and information. Schumann explained this in the press release by saying, “You have your information. We put that in a wallet and it is secured by blockchain technology. And you decide to whom you want to give access to your wallet.”

Brandeis researchers receive 2022 Gilliam Fellowship

By Mia Plante editor

In July, Brandeis Ph.D. student Natasha Baas- omas and her thesis adviser, Donald Katz, were awarded the 2022 Gilliam Fellowship. e fellowship, which was created by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in 2004 to honor the late James H. Gilliam Jr, is awarded to students who are leaders in the scientific community and are “persons from populations historically excluded from and underrepresented in science,” according to the fellowship website.

Baas- omas and Katz were awarded $53,000 for up to three years alongside 51 other pairs, the largest group of Gilliam Fellows to date. Baas- omas and Katz are the second-ever pair of individuals from Brandeis University to be awarded the fellowship. Previously, student Andrea Guerrero and her adviser Gina Turrigiano were awarded the fellowship in 2020.

e Gilliam Fellowship is meant to help prepare students to become leaders in the eld of science through providing “high-quality mentoring, nancial support, an inclusive lab environment, and a supportive community,” stated HHMI senior

director for science education, David Asai, in an article on the 2022 Gilliam Fellowship. “Diversity in science should be the norm,” mentions Asai in the article. e Gilliam Fellowship is working to encourage students from diverse backgrounds to become scienti c leaders of the future.

Alongside nancial assistance, Gilliam Fellowship advisers are given the opportunity to complete a course on culturally aware mentorship through the Center for the Improvement of Mentored Experiences in Research in order to “make the academic environment more inclusive so that students see themselves in science,” explains HHMI’s article.

Baas- omas told the Brandeis Blog on the topic, “I am honored to be selected as a 2022 Gilliam Fellow.

I hope to use the award to advance my leadership abilities as I work towards a professorship position. I am also excited by the mentorship focus of this award, which I can implement to improve diversity and inclusivity at Brandeis.”

Katz is looking forward to utilizing the mentorship tools that the Gilliam Fellowship curates for advisers, telling the Brandeis Blog , “...I’m excited to learn from the expert mentorship training team

that HHMI has put together. e Gilliam program is quite unlike anything that has come before, in the multi-pronged approach that it takes to promoting diversity and opportunity in science.”

The Hoot interview Student Union president

INTERVIEW, from page 1

cannot do it at all by ourselves, really. We have to run it by the administration, and by administration I mean several people up the ladder [have] to look at it, review it, propose edits, and then send it out. at was one of the issues we had with elections, … to be frank, this cycle was communicating e ectively with the administration and setting expectations for when the email would be sent out that contained all of the election information. Of course, as students are aware, it wasn’t sent out until days a er elections, so we had to push elections back a few days …. One of our goals is working with the administration to streamline that [process] so that it’’s only one person that we need to go to review [the email] ….

e other thing that was a concern that we have talked to the administration about was the amount of emails that come from the Student Union. ere were talks about, you know, students potentially paying less attention to Student Union emails the more we send out. We’re still working on discussing what is appropriate in terms of the volume of emails that are sent out to the student body, what they contain and how they contain it. At least for now, something that will remain consistent and has been consistent is what’s called InBriefs. ey’re sent out by the union and contain information related to events and policies; it’s not just Student Union-related, it’s also club-related. [ ose] contain a lot of information and we highly, highly, highly encourage students to open those and read through them because there’s a lot of important information.

What do you make of the political parties in the Student Union?

I think ultimately it’s unnecessary, but it does excite me to see that people are ready to get involved in student government and that they are passionate

about student government and that they want to make change, though. We are going to be discussing the implications of political parties and whether or not this is something we want to allow going forward. e goal of the Student Union is not to form coalitions as to faction the union and develop di erent pockets or di erent cliques that work against one another. e goal of the Student Union is to work together in harmony. My initial thoughts, with these political parties, is that one, they’re unnecessary, and two, they have the potential to create factions within the union. At the moment, it’s not something that is technically forbidden but it is something that we, as a larger e-board, having seen the developments of the new political parties, will be discussing in the future.

What steps have you taken since your term began?

ere were several things we did during the summer, one of which was joining Boston Intercollegiate Government, which was a long term goal of ours. [Boston Intercollegiate Government] is a coalition of between 13 and 20 colleges in Boston, representing over 240,000 undergraduate students.

It was founded by the city of Boston in the ’90s, and the goal is to promote collaboration between colleges’ student governments to push wider initiatives. ey hosted a mayoral debate last year and they pushed a menstrual product initiative, which is something that we are working with them on.

What problems have arisen during your time in o ce?

One of the very rst issues was of course, as a new administration, the operations of the Student Union are not something that we are privy to coming into the role. But that’s the purpose of the constitution: to provide a guide to the operations of the Student Union and the o cial capacities through which things work. In consulting the constitution …, it’s come to our attention that it is not very

clear in a lot of places …. A term that I abhor is “this is how we’ve always done it.” Unfortunately, there was a lot of that because there are certain ambiguities in the constitution. One of our goals is to streamline that and potentially do a constitutional review or make certain edits to make it more clear for the next administration.

Why Brandeis?

I’ve known that I wanted to go to Brandeis since I was late into my sophomore year in high school. My family is Jewish, but I didn’t grow up Jewish because I grew up on the west coast of the United States in certain states that are not particularly accepting of Jews. ere were not communities of Jews where I felt very welcomed, so by the time I moved to Hawai’i and had my bar mitzvah, I felt like I could be open about who I am and about my religion. I found Brandeis and thought, “this is a school that embodies the values of not only social justice, but of community and acceptance of people from all backgrounds, all races, religions, sexual identities, et cetera.” It was a place that I knew that I would feel accepted [at] and that I would meet like-minded people [at], but also people who are not like-minded, who I would learn from.

One of my goals was to go to a university that was liberal arts. Another was to go to a university that was small, that would more resemble a community and not one of these massive state schools where I’d be lost in a crowd. I wanted to be able to make a large amount of friends and learn from them. I strongly believe that 50% of the things you learn in college are from classes and the other 50% is from the people you surround yourself with. So those are some of the reasons I came to Brandeis.

Interestingly, my Hebrew name is “Emet,” which is what the Brandeis logo [has inscribed on it].

What do you have to say to students interest-

ed in joining the Union?

I’m a little biased when it comes to working in student government, but I do want to emphasize that the Student Union is not just for politics majors or pre-law [students]. It is for students of all academic backgrounds and of all varieties of interest. If you are even remotely passionate about advocacy, or if there is something on campus that frustrates you that you would like to see changed, I highly encourage you to join the Student Union because it is a body of collaborative students who all share the same goal of making positive change around campus. Student Union is a great opportunity to learn not only about the advocacy process and the process of developing policies to implement change, but it’s also a fantastic opportunity to be able to work with students who have all di erent kinds of ideas and who come from all di erent kinds of backgrounds to develop collaboration skills and to be able to work in a team much better.

Why did you choose to run for president so early in your college career?

I did a lot of di erent student government roles in high school, including being the vice president of the Maui District Student Council Organization …, so I had experience coming in. I knew I wanted to run for Student Union and I did so in running for the [Massell Quad] Senate Seat. I did a lot of work partnering with clubs and developing di erent initiatives; I was chair of the Senate Sustainability Committee, I was co-chair of the Brandeis Sustainability Committee. At the end of the year, one of my friends proposed to me that we run for president and vice president, and I agreed to be vice president because I thought “that is an appropriate step up from Senator,” and something that I was interested in doing. I was interested in having the opportunity to work more closely with the administration and leading the union

in terms of developing policy.

I think it was three days before [the deadline] to declare what you were running for when this person and I had a very frank conversation and they said that being president would be too much on their plate, which was a very fair thing because it is a lot of work …. So I began searching for somebody to run for president [with me as their vice president] and I talked to people who had been with the union for a long time and who had a lot of experience. I had somebody kind of mentoring me through that process who had a lot of union experience, and he was going to be graduating. We could not nd anyone because being president is such a big commitment. rough conversations with [my mentor] and other people on the executive board, [I was] encouraged to run for president … so I said, “okay, I will run for president.” My mentor and I began the search for a vice president and then a lot of people began saying “yes, I’d like to be vice president,” because it’s a little bit less of a time commitment.

So we began talking to di erent people and exploring our options.

Leah [current Student Union Vice President] was a senator at the time and I had worked with [her] on initiatives before. I sent her a text and I said “Hey, I hear you’re interested in potentially being on the ticket with me, let me know when you’re available to meet.”

She immediately responded, “I’ll meet you at Massell Pond in 10 minutes.” So I ran down to Massell Pond, Leah and I had a conversation for maybe 30 minutes and we had the same goals in terms of continuing to promote positive change and interacting with the student body and representing the students properly. Right then and there we [decided that] we were going to declare that night to run on a ticket together ….

I’m excited to see who is elected in the Union this year. Let’s strive for greatness and see what we can accomplish!

Harvest Table hosts ‘Welcome Home’ event

By Victoria Morongiello editor

e university’s hospitality group—Harvest Table—hosted a ‘Welcome Home’ event for community members in Fellows Garden on Sep. 15.

Allison Deyo—Harvest Table’s Sustainability Manager on campus—talked with e Hoot about the hospitality group’s hopes to increase transparency and conversations between the hospitality group and community members through pop-up events like this.

e event featured various drinks and snacks for community members to dine on that showcased the group’s initiative to procure local foods in support of sustainable dining.

e event had apples from Carlson’s Orchards, which is located in Harvard, MA, only 18.37 miles away from campus.

e event featured the hospitality group’s Sweet Loren’s cookies which are also in Sherman and Usdan Kitchen dining halls.

e cookies are vegan and glu-

ten-free—though Deyo noted they are not made in a gluten-free facility. e cookies are also free of the top 8 allergens, Deyo told e Hoot.

e event also featured zucchini bread and pumpkin quick bread, with ingredients that were also locally sourced. e event also featured QR

codes linked to the hospitality group’s webpage, to increase transparency with the community on their culinary commitments.

By Justin Leung editor

It was a warm day with plenty of humidity as two rival teams prepared to face o in their yearly matchup. On Sept. 10, the Brandeis men’s soccer team played against Babson College for a physical matchup that did not disappoint. In 2018, Babson got the better of Brandeis 2-0, however in the very next year the Judges bounced back and won 2-1. e battle continued in 2021, as the Judges traveled to Babson and ended up losing 0-1. is year, the Judges had the home eld advantage and were ready to get back into the win column against their rival.

e game started o with very little o ense from both teams. Babson had a shot a er seven minutes, but it went wide right. Brandeis got their o ense rolling a few minutes later with a couple of corner kicks from freshman mid elder Rainer Osselmann-Chai ’26 and a shot by junior forward Max Horowitz ’24. Although his shot was saved, Brandeis got another opportunity in the 14th minute. is time they made it count as Osselmann-Chai made a pass toward senior for-

Men’s soccer beats rival Babson SPORTS

ward Sancho Maroto Tobias ’23. He took a shot that went past a defender and the goalie into the top le corner of the goal. is was Marato Tobias’ second goal of the season and Osselmann-Chai’s third assist in just four games.

e two teams traded shots for over 30 minutes but neither team could score. As the game approached half time, it seemed as if Brandeis would hold onto a 1-0 lead going into the second half. However, Babson tied the game 1-1 in the 40th minute following a corner kick. At the start of the second half, Brandeis wasted no time trying to get back on top. Maroto Tobias took advantage of some space on the right side of the eld and got a cross into the box. It was de ected by a couple of Babson defenders before going into the net in the 46th minute.

e game progressed with Babson out-shooting Brandeis in the second half as they attempted to tie the game. Brandeis played a physical game with nine fouls in the second half alone. eir physical game, though, paid o as the Judges won 2-1, the battle between the two schools continuing to alternate. Babson outshot Brandeis 18-9, however Babson only had two more shots on target than Brandeis. Senior goalie

Aiden Guthro ’23 had a phenom-

enal game. He had seven saves in the game while allowing just one goal. His two saves in the second half ensured the Judges’ victory. Between the two teams, there were 23 fouls; Brandeis had 14 of them. e Judges also had

three yellow cards, while Babson had two. Each team had eight corner kicks, but Babson had the only goal o of a corner kick.

Brandeis’ season record is now 2-1-1 a er their tough win against Babson. eir next two games will

U.S. Open Recap: the big wins and the big losses

e last two weeks have surely been a rollercoaster for the tennis world. It was the nal Grand Slam of the year: the U.S. Open. Even though the year is not over for the tennis players, this is the last of the big tournaments. It was certainly a great way to cap o 2022’s Grand Slams. e U.S. Open has historically been the tournament that goes a little crazy, and this year was no exception. In fact, I would say this tournament was even wilder than last year. e women’s side had a fairly predictable nal, with the rest of the draw being a little all over the pace. en on the men’s side, it felt like a tournament where anything could happen. We even have a brand new No. 1 tennis player for the men. I made my predictions for the tournament a few weeks ago. My top choices did not make it to the nals, or even the semi- nals. I’m not saying that I am dumb for the predictions that I made. I am saying that it is hard to tell what can happen at the U.S. Open. I did mention the winners in my article as possibilities, so nothing was totally out of the blue, but it was still exciting. If you missed watching this tournament, then here are the highlights from the U.S. Open and a reminder to mark your calendar in 2023 so you don’t miss it again. Let’s start with the men. At the end of the two weeks, the last man standing in the draw was none other than No. 3 seed Carlos Alcaraz, who beat No. 5 seed Casper Ruud. With this win, Alcaraz has now become the No. 1 male tennis player in the world and the youngest No. 1 male tennis player ever at 19 years old. It was just last year Alcaraz came onto the scene and he is now making waves, win-

ning in his rst ever Grand Slam nal. is was Ruud’s second Grand Slam nal and he de nitely showed in this tournament that he deserved to make it at least this far. Both of these players were extremely talented and I would have been happy if either of them won. While people might have had an inkling that Alcaraz could win, there were some big players that originally stood in the way. First, there was the No. 1 seed and reigning champion Daniil Medvedev. People expected he would do well and he de nitely did a fantastic job. However, he got out in the Round of 16, which was a bit earlier than people expected. at is, until they saw who he lost to. Medvedev lost to the bad boy of tennis, Nick Kyrgios. Kyrgios had been on a hot streak lately and people had a feeling that despite his No. 23 seed, he was going to do well. Just a month ago in Montreal, Kyrgios beat Medvedev in the second round. In the U.S. Open, he was able to recreate that magic against the reigning champ. Kyrgios then ended up losing to Karen Khachanov in the next round, but certainly put up a ght.

Another big competitor was Rafael Nadal, who currently has the most Grand Slams of any male tennis player, two of which he received this year. Even though he was recovering from injuries, he’s still Rafael Nadal. However, like Medvedev, Nadal got out in the Round of 16. He lost to American hotshot Frances Tiafoe. Tiafoe is a fairly consistent player but has not really made it far in any big tournaments and was not expected to beat Nadal at all. However, he was able to use a lot of strength and energy to take out Nadal, marking the biggest win of his career. Tiafoe brought a lot of excitement to this tournament and he is obviously only getting better. He made it all the way to

the semi- nal—his rst Grand Slam semi- nal—before losing to eventual winner Carlos Alcaraz. ere were also some other big wins of the tournament that should be highlighted. It was interesting the amount of big people we lost early. For instance, No. 4 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas lost in the rst round to quali er Daniel Elahi Galan, and No. 10 seed Taylor Fritz lost to quali er Brandon Holt, a player who had never played in a professional tournament before. It wouldn’t be a good tournament if there weren’t any upsets, so it is always interesting to see them happen. One of the most thrilling matches of the tournament was between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. Sinner was my original choice to win the tournament and even though he lost this match in the quarter nals, I can’t say I am disappointed in him. He truly put up a ght. is match lasted over ve hours, ended at three in the morning and it was impossible to tell throughout the match who was going to win. It is matches like these that make tennis such a fascinating sport. Now on to the women. is side of the tournament ended with No. 1 seed Iga Swiatek defeating No. 5 seed Ons Jabeur. is is Swiatek’s third Grand Slam and her second one this year. However, this is her rst time winning the U.S. Open. Her previous Grand Slam wins were French Opens and people mostly saw her as a clay court specialist, but she has now proven that she can succeed on hard courts. She is certainly living up to her seed. With Jabeur, even though she has still not won a Grand Slam, she certainly proved herself this tournament and it was easy to see that she can be a tough player. It is clear that she is going to get that Grand Slam win one day. e question is not if, but when. is is one of the rare nals

be away on Sept. 17 and 21. e rst game will be against Wesleyan University at noon and the second game will be against Wheaton College at 4:30 p.m.

in women’s tennis where bothnalists were already seen as two of the best and were expected to do well. In recent women’s Grand Slams, it felt like anyone could make it to the top. However, these women showed why they are two of the best. It was very di erent from last year where Emma Radacanu won out of nowhere. Unfortunately, Radacanu could not recreate that magic this year. She lost in the rst round to Alize Cornet, which brought Radacanu’s ranking down from 11 to 83. Is she a ash in the pan or can she bring herself back? Only time can tell.

Another name that people were paying attention to this tournament was none other than Serena Williams. She has been a legend of the sport for decades and her career may be coming to an end soon. While she hasn’t made an o cial announcement, she has implied that she will be retiring soon. is means that this could be her last U.S. Open ever. is de nitely put the focus on her for a while and brought out a lot of the crowds. While she seemed to do really well at rst, including defeating No. 2 seed Anett Kontaveit, she was defeated in the third round by Ajla Tomljanovic. Williams put up a good ght and she showed why she will be remembered for years to come.

Speaking of Tomljanoivc, she had a good showing in this tournament. She was unseeded but she showed that she has talent. Along with beating Williams, Tomljanovic was able to make it to the quarter nals of this tournament before losing to eventual runner-up Ons Jabeur. She actually also made it to the quarternals of Wimbledon this year, but unfortunately, there were no points for that tournament. If she keeps it up, she could be a force to be reckoned with soon enough. ere were also some notable

upsets for the women’s draw that brought some thrills to the big event. For instance, my original pick Simona Halep lost in the rst round to quali er Daria Snigur. Halep has had a few injuries lately, and those could have gone back to bite her. Other upsets include No. 3 seed Maria Sakkari losing to Wang Xiyu, as well as No. 25 seed and most recent Wimbledon champ Elena Rybakina losing to quali er Clara Burel. Anything can happen at the U.S. Open, and it shows that all it can take is someone to have a particularly bad day, or a particularly good day in other cases, for a lot to change. We are approaching a new era of tennis. We have people like Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams losing early in Grand Slams, and people like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic not even competing. ese are just a few of the older players who have been dominating tennis for years. When they lose or don’t compete, it helps make room for the next generation. All of the semi- nalists, men and women, were under the age of 30. e men’s winner was only 19. Tennis is becoming less predictable as we make room for the younger crowd. is tournament shows what it is like when that crowd is in action. at is one of the reasons why I found this year’s U.S. Open to be very entertaining. I liked seeing the young guns show their skills, their strength and their tenacity. I look forward to seeing what they are going to be like at next year’s U.S. Open, and all of the U.S. Opens a er that for the next 10 or so years. I am proud of our winners, as they demonstrated what makes this sport great.

2022-23 Boston Bruins season preview

By Natasha Girshin editor

With a swi rst round exit in this year’s playo s and star players on injury reserve, the Bruins’ upcoming season is not looking up. However, with the oneyear addition of captain Patrice Bergeron and Bruins veteran David Krejci, the team might not be as down on their luck as expected. O season recap Bergeron received a $2.5 mil-

lion deal, and Krejci signed for $1 million with the potential for $2 million more. Bergeron is fourth on the Original Six franchise’s all-time scoring list with 982 points, and Krejci is ninth with 730. Krejci has 215 goals and 515 assists in 15 years in the NHL, all with Boston, and led the Bruins in scoring during the 2011 Stanley Cup run with 12 goals and 11 assists in 25 games. Playing for HC Olomouc last year, he led the team with 20 goals, 26 assists and 46 points in 51 games.

Bergeron has 400 goals and 582 assists in 18 seasons—all with the Bruins, who selected him in the second round of the 2003 dra . Since then, he has established himself as the league’s dominant two-way forward and one of the most respected players in the game. ese o season moves will solidify the Bruins roster for this season and allow for some veteran presence among the younger team, likely boosting team morale in the process.

Season prediction

With the Bruins core disintegrating with time, the former Stanley Cup-winning roster is seeing its last years with the Boston team. However, star quality players emerging in the form of David Pastrnak and Charlie McAvoy, among others, are proving to be the Bruins’ saving grace. While Bergeron will likely be stepping down as captain this year, one can hope that his last year with the Bruins can be a proper sendo My prediction is that the Bruins won’t make the playo s but

will make the best of their regular season performance with Brad Marchand and Charlie McAvoy missing from the roster for the rst half of the season. However, these losses could result in other smaller players stepping up to ll their roles and allow some growth within the roster. While this might be a low performance season for the Bruins, there is hope that this is the beginning of a new younger era of the Bruins.

Volleyball has best start since 2010

By Justin Leung editor

A er starting o the season 3-0 without dropping a single set, the Judges played their rst set of away games of the season. e rst game was just 20 minutes away at Emerson College. Last year the two teams faced o in a similar early season matchup, however the game was at Brandeis. A er going down two sets, the Judges won three consecutive sets to beat Emerson 3-2, so the pressure was on Brandeis to repeat that success this year.

Emerson started the Sept. 8 game with a 3-0 run before Sydney Bent (GRAD) got the rst kill of the game for Brandeis. Two more kills from Bent led Brandeis’ rst lead at 6-5. Two kills from sophomore Lara Verstovsek ’25 and a kill from sophomore Arianna Jackson ’25 brought the lead to 9-7. en the set slowly started to slip away from the Judges. Emerson went on two 4-0 runs and one 3-0 run that made it very di cult for Brandeis to keep up. e Judges got a few points from service errors by Emerson, but it wasn’t enough. Emerson nished o the set with another 4-0 run to win the set 25-16.

In the second set, Emerson maintained their momentum with a 4-0 run. First-year Anna Ertischek ’26 stopped the eight consecutive points from Emerson with a kill. Bent and Ertischek proceeded to combine for ve kills out of the team’s rst seven points. However, the Judges were behind early in the set 7-11. e de cit continued to grow a er a 3-0 run from Emerson. Brandeis scored a few points on attacking errors from Emerson, but ultimately the set was decided by a 6-0 run by Emerson to seal the win. Junior Ines Grom-Mansencal ’24 and senior Emerson White ’23 added kills of their own towards the end of the set, but the de cit proved to be too large. Emerson took the second set 25-13. is was a somewhat familiar situation for this Judges team. Last year, they were down two sets before making a remarkable comeback to win 3-2. Set three was very competitive to start. Early kills from White and Ertischek helped Brandeis keep up with Emerson. ey took the lead 12-11 a er consecutive kills from junior Rita Lai ’24, Bent and White. Emerson immediately followed with a 3-0 run to take the lead right back. Shortly a er, the Judges had their own 3-0 run to once again take the lead. e two teams were just going back and forth. Every time one team went on a run, the other would answer with one of their own; that is, until the Judges had a 4-0 run to put them up 21-18. Emerson scored a few more points to get closer,

but Brandeis moved forward and were just two points away from winning. en everything fell apart for the Judges. A er playing a very strong third set, just four points made the di erence, as Emerson nished the set o with a 4-0 run to win the match 3-0.

Bent led the team in kills with nine and Ertischek followed with six. Grom-Mansencal led the team in assists with 21 out of the 26 for the team. Junior Ella Pereira ’24 led the team in digs with 15. Emerson had 12 aces compared to the Judges’ four.

Just one day later, the Judges went on to Williams College, whom they had not faced since 2009. at match 13 years ago resulted in a Williams 3-1 victory over Brandeis. is time, the matchup was a di erent story.

Set one started out very well for the Judges. Kills from Grom-Mansencal, Bent, Ertischek and Lai paved the way to a commanding 14-8 lead. ey continued their lead all the way up to a seven-point di erence between the two teams. However, Williams showed resilience as they went on a 4-0 run to cut down the de cit. A er a few attacking errors from Williams, the Judges led 24-20 and needed just one point to win the set. Williams proceeded to score ve consecutive points to take a 2524 lead. Brandeis then tied it on an attacking error from Williams, but then proceeded to drop the set a er two kills from Williams.

e Judges lost the set 25-27.

e next set had a similar start. Brandeis started o strong as they built a 13-8 lead. A er a few 3-0 runs from Williams, once again the Judges’ large lead was cut down. However, this time Brandeis did not let up. Kills from Verstovsek and White helped maintain a lead for the Judges. ey also got a few points on attacking errors by Williams. Ultimately it was 23-

20 as Brandeis needed just two more points. Williams quickly responded with two points but could not nish the comeback after a bad set. White then nished o the set with a kill to end the set loss streak at four. Brandeis narrowly won set two 25-22.

A er dropping the previous set, Williams started o set three with an incredible 8-1 run. However, White stopped their momentum with a kill to start a 4-0 run. Williams began building up their lead again and ended up getting to a 12-6 lead. e Judges responded with a 4-0 run that led Williams to take a timeout. is timeout didn’t seem to help as Brandeis went on a 4-1 run to take the lead 14-13. During the run for the lead, Bent had two kills while Verstovsek and Lai added kills of their own. Williams stayed competitive throughout the entire set, but Verstovsek and Bent could not be stopped. e two combined for six out of the teams’ last 11 points. Brandeis took set three 25-21.

Set four saw the o ense start again with kills from Bent and Verstovsek. Brandeis took the lead early 6-5 and made sure that they were leading or barely losing for the rest of the set. e team went on two 3-0 runs, but Williams countered with a big 4-0 run that gave them their only lead for the rest of the set. A er that Brandeis seemed to be in rm control of the game. e Judges would score a few points and hold Williams to a point every once in a while. Following a 3-0 run that was capped by a Vervstovsek kill, Brandeis led 21-18. Bent proceeded to complete her strong performance by having three kills to end the set 25-21. Brandeis got their rst win against Williams since 2008. Bent led the team in kills with 16 and also had 12 digs to give her a double-double. As a graduate student transfer from the Univer-

sity of Notre Dame, this was her rst double-double with the Judges a er having 10 with the Fighting Irish. Vervstovsek had a great game as well with 12 kills and seven digs. Grom-Mansencal led the team in assists with 36, which is currently her season high. Pereira led the team in digs with 23, which is also currently her season high. e next matchup was against the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB) on the a ernoon of Sept. 13. Last year, UMB got the better of Brandeis with a 3-0 sweep, however this year the team is di erent. e Judges once again got o to a strong start in the rst set. Back-to-back aces from Verstovsek and three early kills from Ertischek set the tone early. Brandeis went up 10-6 on a kill from Lai. is forced UMB to take a timeout to regroup and Lai proceeded to follow the break with another kill to make the score 11-6. UMB responded with a 5-0 run to tie the game at 11. Bent stopped the run with a kill and took the lead back. e rest of the set was a lot of back and forth. ere were two lead changes and ve ties. As the set approached its end, the score was 23-22 in favor of Brandeis. e team won the set 25-22 with a kill from Bent and an ace from Pereira.

Set two began with the two teams neck and neck, but UMB had an early 9-8 lead. Brandeis proceeded to go on a 4-0 run to take the lead and never look back. Ertischek and Vervstovsek led the way with a combined eight kills in the set. e Judges’ lead got up to 22-14, before UMB went on a 5-0 run. Brandeis took a timeout to recollect and get ready to nish the set. With just three more points to go, Bent got a point with a clutch kill and was followed by an attack error from UMB. en just like the previous set, it was nished with an ace,

but this time by Ertischek. e nal score of set two was 25-19. Lai got the rst point of the third set with a kill and proceeded to start an o ensive explosion from the Judges. e entire team got involved early as the Judges went on a 14-2 run to start the game. Bent had three aces and Grom-Mansencal had two kills during the run. UMB had a few runs, but they were halted by kills throughout the set. Ertischek was especially e ective in stopping UMB from coming back, as she had four kills to contribute to four out of the Judges’ last seven points. She even nished o the set with two consecutive kills to make the score 25-14. e rst two sets were close, but the nal one saw Brandeis go on an early run that UMB could not come back from. Ertischek had a strong o ensive performance as she led the team in kills with 14 and a .522 kill percentage. Verstovsek had an all-around great game with seven kills, two assists, two aces and 10 digs. Pereira and Bent tied the lead in digs with 13 each. Grom-Mansencal led the team in assists with 26 and also had four kills. e all-around great performance from everyone helped Brandeis complete the 3-0 sweep in their rematch. e win against UMB gave the Judges a 5-1 record, which is their best start since 2010. eir next two games will be at the University Athletic Association (UAA) Round Robin in St. Louis. On Sept. 17 the team will rst play against Carnegie Mellon University, before playing New York University (NYU) later that day. Last year, the Judges lost to Carnegie Mellon 2-3 in Chicago for their rst UAA game of the season. Brandeis also lost to NYU last year 1-3 in a matchup during the second half of the season.

PHOTO FROM BRANDEISJUDGES COM

Women’s volleyball: home opener 2022

By Francesca Marchese staff

e Brandeis Women’s soccer team had an e cient week, advancing to 3-2 on the season with a win at home and a win on the road. e #21 ranked Judges, according to the United Soccer Coaches national poll, defeated Johnson and Wales University on Gordon Field 3-1 and Clark University 2-1. All three of the Judges’ goals were unanswered against JWU, as the Brandeis women’s soccer team overcame an early de cit in the 30th minute.

In the 37th minute, junior mid elder Charlotte TeKrony ’24 played a long ball to senior All-American Juliette Carreiro ’22 who successfully chipped over

JWU’s keeper to tie the game up before hal ime. In the second half, graduate student Makenna Hunt (GRAD) assisted junior forward Sydney Lenhart ’24 inside the box. Lenhart red the ball into the goal, gaining a 2-1 advantage for her squad. e insurance goal in the 58th minute was scored by graduate student Bailey Cullen (GRAD), who converted Carreiro’s cross to make it 3-1. e Judges outshot their opponent 14-10, including 11 shots on goal compared to JWU Wildcats seven. Additionally, sophomore keeper Hanna Bassan ’25 executed six saves for her second win of the 2022-23 season. Carreiro continued to make history in the Judges’ defeat of the Wildcat’s as she had her rst threepoint game of the season and

By Thomas Pickering editor

Bright and early on Sunday morning on September eleventh the sixteenth race of the twenty two race season in Formula 1 took place in the quiet northern Italian town of Monza. Ferrari fans lined the entire track with red, black and yellow to throw support behind their home team. In order to properly dissect the action and importance of last weekend in the F1 season it must rst be established why Monza, the Italian Grand Prix, is so important to Formula 1 fans and teams.

From a historical perspective, the Italian grand prix is the oldest race in Formula 1. Along with the British Grand Prix, it is the only race to be held every year since the sport’s inception in 1950. It is the h oldest national grand prix in history and holds the record as the most run grand prix in history.

From a motorsport perspective, Monza holds one of the most important distinctions that other tracks do not. It is the fastest track on the Formula 1 race calendar. is distinction is no small matter as it has allowed Monza to earn the nickname “the temple of speed.” Now, there exist quite a few reasons for this being the case. ey all relate to the design of the track because Monza is designed with mostly straights and only a few turns which require heavy braking. On a single lap at the Italian Grand Prix drivers will be driving at full throttle for eighty three percent of the lap. is means that

the seventh of her career, while also moving into 17th place on the Brandeis career points list; Carreiro currently has 53 points and 17 assists, placing her sixth all-time on the career assist list, too. Sydney Lenhart has emerged for the Judges, scoring both game-winning goals for the Judges and three total for her career.

Despite a non-conference cancellation because of inclement weather, the Judges sustained their momentum and successfully defeated the Clark University Cougars 2-1. Akin to JWU, Clark established an early one-goal lead in the 9th minute over the visiting Judges. Senior Morgan Clark ’23 answered in the 28th minute,

perfectly heading the ball into the net o a timely pass from sophomore back Rachel Walter ’25. With just 55 seconds remaining in the rst half, Madison Sansone ’26 delivered Carreiro a perfect cross at the far post which she placed beautifully in the wideopen net. e Judges dominated the second half, allowing the Cougars just one shot, while individually, Walter and Sansone earned their rst collegiate points.

In Brandeis University’s victory over Clark, the Judges outshot their opponent 15-5, including 7-3 in shots on goal. Defensively, Bassan won her second consecutive game, third of the season, totaling two saves. Clark scored

Madness in Monza

lap times and overall race times are the shortest in Monza while average speeds are at their highest. e highest speed ever recorded was in the 2020 Monza circuit when Lewis Hamilton was recorded as reaching 264.363 kilometers per hour (164 miles per hour) in average speed. e shortest race – which went the regulation race distance – in Formula One history was in 2003 when Michael Schumacher won in 1:14:19.838.

For reference the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) which is the governing body overseeing Formula 1 and all of its sub-divisions does not allow for races to be longer than two hours and most races are anywhere from eighty to one hundred minutes in length. Five minutes in the Formula 1 world is a lot of time and with Monza clocking in at around seventy ve minutes in length makes it quite the short race.

Car design also plays a major role in the increased speeds of the racecars over the Italian Grand Prix. Most grand prix races are loaded with lots of slow corners and hairpin turns because it provides drivers with more opportunities to catch up to and overtake cars in front of them. From a racing and fan perspective this makes the race more dynamic as there is more guaranteed drama and action from cars racing to utilize those points to overtake and ght each other. So to help the formula 1 race cars slow down e ciently without destorying or overheating their break they equip a spoiler (or tail) which

provides lots of downforce to the car. is slows the cars down and relieves pressure from the breaks. However, in Monza, the cars have their usual spoilers removed in favor of specially made tails which have reduced down force. Because braking is not an important or all too prominent feature of the Italian Grand Prix Formula 1 teams are willing to give up downforce as it will increase speed. All of this means in simple terms that when you are in Monza the cars go really really fast around the track!

And on top of all of this technical information as to why Monza is considered one of the most unique tracks in the Formula 1 season is the simple fact that it is Ferrari’s home Grand Prix. Not every team on the Formula 1 grid has a home Grand Prix but for Ferrari it is something special. Ferrari has one of the best pedigrees in motorsport and speci cally when it comes to Formula 1 as they have the most constructors and drivers titles of any company on the grid.

But now that that is all squared away the results from this week’s race can be delved into! With little drama and few surprises this weekend, it was a fairly uneventful race. Ferrari fans were in good spirits showing up to the race as Ferrari held pole position with Charles Leclerc behind the wheel. Leclerc was in the number one spot on the start grid with Mercedes’ George Russell right behind him in the second spot. In third and fourth were the orange McLaren’s with Lando Norris one spot ahead of Daniel Ricciardo.

But most shocking were the cars in seventh, eighth and nineteenth on the starting grid. In seventh was the reigning world champion Max Verstappen in Red Bull and right behind was a Williams but it did not have its usual driver. Rather than Alex Albon in the Williams, he was replaced by Nyck de Vries as Albon was dealing with a poor case of appendicitis. e Dutch fourth row was still not as big of a shock as Lewis Hamilton starting the race from nineteenth place (second to last).

For Ferrari this race was highly important as coming in rst would put them in a better place to challenge Red Bull for the drivers world championship. Red Bull even announced in a press release before the race that this race was not important to them. ey claimed that since Max Verstappen was so far ahead of everyone else in points this season that the main goal was nishing the race and not neccessarily winning it (foreshadowing). But all things seem to turn out right for Verstappen and the Red Bull team the race ended in an all to prediactable way. Verstappen climbed from seventh place to third in one lap and then nished the race in rst place taking home the trophy.

A saddened Ferrari team had to settle for a second-place nish at their home grand prix and come to terms with the fact that it is no longer possible for them to overtake Red Bull in the standings unless a true miracle happens. But, for Lewis Hamilton the race took a better turn as he was able to nish

her rst goal of the season and the third of her career, while Carreiro captured the team lead scoring her third goal of the season. Carreiro’s goal was her rst game-winner of the season and the eighth of her career, tying for 13th place in school history. at’s not all, though, as Carreiro’s goal was the 19th of her career, moving her into 19th place. With 55 points, Carreiro now ranks 17th all-time on her team’s career points list. e Judges look to gain another victory on Gordon Field against the visiting Emerson College on Saturday, September 17th at 1 p.m.

in h place coming back from the very back of the starting grid. Disaster, however, seems to follow Daniel Ricciardo everywhere he goes this season. In Spa it was announced that Ricciardo would be released from his contract with McLaren which would have been good for one more season with the team. But unfortunately, bad things do not seem to stop happening to the driver as he dropped a total of twelve positions in the race. He nished, by a tachnicality, in seventeenth place but was unable to nish the race.

e Formula 1 season is slowly coming to its end. ere are only six races le in the season with the next on October second in Singapore. Red Bull is preparing an early celebration as Max Verstappen crushes the competition with his right-hand man Sergio “Checo” Perez in the other Red Bull on the grid. Ferrari seems to be living in a fantasy land where they think they can still compete for rst place in the driver’s world championship. Mercedes is wondering what happened to them and how they ever landed in a position like this one a er winning the driver’s championships for seven years in a row. And as for Daniel Ricciardo, fans all around the world are asking the same question as him right now, “will he ever be able to come back from this or is this the end?” Maybe when the lights go out in Singapore will the answers everyone is looking for appear!

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOPHIE SALGIAN

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOPHIE SALGIAN

Interviews with Brandeis University’s academic leadership: the Environmental Studies Program

By Cooper Gottfried EDITOR

e chair of Brandeis University’s Environmental Studies Program, Professor Colleen Hitchcock, sat down for an interview with e Brandeis Hoot to shed a little light on the program, its future and herself. is interview is part of a series of interviews with the chairs of a plethora of di erent academic departments and programs at Brandeis. Editor’s Note: is interview was recorded during the 2022 spring semester.

What do you wish that students knew about the Environmental Studies Program?

We are an environmental “studies” program, which means we’re an interdisciplinary program that marries the sciences with the social sciences and the humanities, and brings all of those things together. So we think about and integrate di erent perspectives in our program and our curriculum. e other thing that I think is really a nice strength is our Applied Learning Experience, which is an opportunity for students to take what they’re learning in their courses and apply it either through an internship or a study abroad program or even a senior thesis. ose are great ways to kind of make those connections to a community, however you de ne community. Whether it be your local community or the global community, [students make an impact].

What do you think that the Environmental Studies Program does right?

We focus on our students. All the faculty are pretty accessible; just email us to set up a time to chat and we’re happy to connect with you. So putting students at the center of who we are and what we do is de nitely a strength.

What do you think the Environmental Studies Program could do better?

One area where we’re de nitely trying to grow our courses that provide students with more “discreet marketable eld skills.”

at’s something that I would like to see Environmental Studies continue to grow in.

How is the Environmental Studies APPLE (Applied Learning Experience) requirement most o en ful lled by students?

Many of our students go abroad and participate in one of the programs that’s approved for the Applied Learning Experience, which tend to be programs that actually give you eld experience and provide a cohort or community experience. Some of those eld experiences can be things like doing tropical eld research and others can be more about sustainability in cities. So there’s a kind of diversity of ways to compliment what you do [in the classroom].

e other thing that I think is super exciting is—even students who study abroad do this—is an internship. ose students just might not use the internship to ful ll their Applied Learning Experience. So the internships that students wind up doing are really exciting and can range from

eldwork to advocacy, and the internships really kind of run the gamut of people’s interests. So internships are the place where you see many students really kind of shine. en there’s always a handful of students, but de nitely fewer, who elect to do senior research or a senior thesis. We have maybe two to three of our graduating seniors do that and we have about 25 seniors a year graduating from the program. So internships are de nitely [the most popular choice].

How has the launch of the Climate Justice, Science and Policy (CJSP) minor gone?

I think it’s gone really well. We’ve had 12 students enroll in the program in the rst year. For a new minor, that’s a pretty strong showing. I think it’s de nitely addressing a need and desire that students had. I’d say that’s another strength of the Environmental Studies Program: taking into account what our students want and trying to gure out ways to make it happen. We anticipate in the next three years that we’ll be able to expand the number of courses that are being o ered within the CJSP minor. So that’s an area of growth that is exciting to see within the University’s curriculum overall.

We really think that there’s interest beyond students who are majoring in Environmental Studies to join the CJSP minor because of how it compliments so many other topics and interests.

What can you tell me about citizen science on Brandeis’ campus?

ere are two chronolog stations on campus. ese are a way to create time-lapse photographic

records of places. One is behind the Science Parking Lot and the other one is in front of the Rose Art Museum. [I will be working with researchers to] look at questions around phenology, climate change and the regeneration of native habitats …. It would be nice for students to know that they’re welcome to come and chat with me at any time to gure out a way to integrate science into their future, whether they want to become a professional scientist or not. At the core of what I do

is thinking about how the public can participate in the engagement of science in the future.

What is your favorite class to teach?

It’s actually not hard for me to choose, it’s my citizen science class. It brings together all aspects of what I really like about the kind of science that I do, and really brings together science, community and education, which are three of my passions.

Behind the failure of Storage Squad’s box delivery to Skyline

By Jenny Zhao EDITOR

e move-in experience for Skyline residents who used Storage Squad this year has not been ideal, according to student interviews with e Brandeis Hoot. Storage Squad is an outside company that has partnered with Brandeis for the past few years and is in charge of moving students’ boxes out of and into their dorms at the end and the beginning of the school year.

ree weeks ago, the students moving into Skyline that used Storage Squad did not see their boxes in their new dorms as expected. e boxes were found stacked up in the Skyline Multi-Purpose Room (MPR), and the students had to move them to their rooms.

Skyline was used as the summer housing for those who took summer classes, and when the time came for Storage Squad to move fall residents’ boxes, the current summer residents’ belongings were not yet moved out of their dorms. Due to the summer housing still being occupied, Storage Squad had to leave the boxes out in the multi-purpose room, Kai Gallman ’24, a worker for Storage Squad, explained to e Hoot. With this change in plans, the fall residents were not informed that

their belongings had not been moved where they had anticipated they would be, leading to disappointment and frustration.

e Hoot interviewed Elena Yang ’25 who lived in Skyline during summer and Dorothy Gu ’25 who currently lives in Skyline and used Storage Squad for movein to understand their move-in experience and di culties. Gallman also spoke with e Hoot on how things were operating on his side as an employee for Storage Squad.

As a summer resident of Skyline, Yang told e Hoot that she rst spotted the Storage Squad sta in Skyline at the beginning of August, which was surprisingly early for fall move-in, she noted.

Yang also told e Hoot about an encounter with a Storage Squad sta member who entered her room when her roommate was asleep, without knocking.

e sta member had boxes in his hands when he came in, but didn’t leave them in the room upon seeing her and her roommate still occupying the room, she explained. She later spotted the boxes out in the common area of Skyline in the next few days.

Some students who paid for Storage Squad’s services were le unsatis ed. Gu, one of the current Skyline residents, told e Hoot:

“I initially thought Storage Squad lost my boxes, then my CA [Community Advisor] told me that

they were all in the multi-purpose room.” Gu only had two boxes, so it wasn’t a large undertaking for her to move her belongings, she explained, but she wasn’t satis ed with the fact that she didn’t get the service she paid for.

“It did not mean that I deserved … poor service like this, as I paid extra money for room service already,” she said, “plus, I believe that a lot of folks are storing more than two boxes, and some of the boxes may be things like furniture. It was also not cheap to pay for room service for more amounts of boxes. It would be really hard to move these boxes upstairs when they are heavy.”

Gallman, a Storage Squad employee who also lived in Skyline during summer, told e Hoot his side of the story.

According to Gallman, the rst date that Storage Squad was told to come to Skyline was Aug. 10, but the move-out date for summer housing was Aug. 12. “I was living in Skyline so I knew the tenth was going to be a problem because people were still having classes. On the tenth, knowing there was a problem, we had to load the truck and then unload the truck because we could not move the boxes into the rooms. Almost all the rooms had people living there. It was just a waste of time and money.”

e second time Storage Squad came in was Aug. 12, but most

people were still staying in their rooms since they had not yet nished their classes, according to Gallman. Since Storage Squad could not leave the boxes in the occupied rooms, Gallman and his coworkers had no other choice than to leave the boxes in the multipurpose room on their second try.

Storage Squad did not come back to Skyline the following week; Gallman explained that he had to go to Ithaca that week to move boxes for students at Cornell University. He did not know how the executives at Storage Squad negotiated the move-in date for Skyline with the Department of Community Living (DCL), but stated that “[DCL] should know what they were doing [with the summer class schedule].”

Gallman posits that DCL should have done a better job coordinating the dates and taking over the responsibilities. When he later came to the DCL o ce as a Brandeis student, DCL sta directed him to Storage Squad. He also suggested that more work should be put into making the intended move-out date e ective. A CA knocked on his door to remind him before the move-out date of Aug. 12, but he argued this was not enough enforcement if DCL really wanted to have everyone out by that time.

On the move-in day, Gallman received complaints from parents

because he was wearing a Storage Squad uniform. Although he understood their anger, he still suggested they take their complaints to DCL, instead of putting the blame on a student worker from Storage Squad.

e Hoot also reached out to Julie Jette, the Assistant Vice President of Communications at Brandeis, who spoke on behalf of DCL. According to Jette, although Storage Squad was unable to deliver boxes to each individual room, boxes were stored securely in the Skyline Commons. During move-in time, DCL moved items directly to students’ rooms, except for early arrivals, because DCL was unable to free up sta at the time of their move-in to directly deliver the items. Early-arriving students were provided carts to use to move their belongings to their rooms.

However, according to the interviewees, students had to nd their boxes among the piles in Skyline multi-purpose rooms. ere were carts to borrow but no sta present to provide help to them. As shown above, students were unhappy at this miscommunication and disorganization which resulted in them not receiving the full services they paid for.

GSC Open House: ‘Out at The Fair’

By Mia Plante EDITOR

On ursday, Sept. 15 the Brandeis Gender and Sexuality Center (GSC) hosted its annual Open House event, this year titled “Out at the Fair.” Over 50 students gathered inside the GSC O ce in Usdan and outside on the grass to experience the county fairthemed event by eating snacks, petting service animals and learning about the queer resources and student groups on campus.

One Pride Rep, Alexander Wicken ’23 spoke to e Brandeis Hoot about the event, stating that “every year the GSC does an open house, I think this year’s may be the biggest thing we’ve done,” while motioning to the enclosures outside Usdan holding baby goats, a pig, chicks, ducks and rabbits. “Last year I don’t think it necessarily had a theme, but I think the theme has been successful so far,” explained Wicken. GSC Director Julián Cancino and Program Administrator Eli Sobel thought up the theme and organized the event with the goal of healing in mind. When explaining the background of the event to e Hoot, Cancino wrote, “Gilbert Baker designed the rainbow ag for the 1978 San Francisco’s Gay Freedom Celebration. Each color of the Pride Flag has a meaning. At the beginning of each year, each GSC Pride Reps cohort selects a color that best represents them. is year’s GSC Pride Reps cohort selected the color orange, which means healing.”

Healing through knowledge, community and engaging with nature and each other was the goal of the event alongside being an introduction to the campus queer resources and the GSC in particular. “We believe that engagement with nature, however small, is a powerful way to heal,” wrote Cancino, and the number of students who attended the event proved that it was a powerful act of joy for Brandeis University. “We really want to be able to reach the campus community, and we wanted to have an experience that everyone could enjoy.” e event, as well as the Gender and Sexuality Center as a whole, is not just a space for LGBTQ individuals but for everyone to feel safe and supported at Brandeis. e event had representatives from various on-campus resources, including LGBTQ and

Women’s groups, tabling inside the GSC O ce. Groups represented were the Peer Advocacy and Resource Center (PARC), Student Sexuality Information Services (SSIS), Women of Color Association (WOCA), Queer Jews at Brandeis (QJAB), the Queer Trans People of Color Coalition (QTPOCC), Triskelion, Period Activists at ’Deis (PAD) and a Queer Professionals group. e Hoot spoke with the President of Queer Jews at Brandeis on the importance of groups such as QJAB focusing on the intersection of unique marginalized identities. President of QJAB Esme Kamlet ’25 explained that “[b]eing queer and Jewish is sometimes something that isn’t very talked about, especially when you become more religious or conservative with your views … [QJAB] is a place for everyone who has that type of identity to see where it intersects and talk about it as a community.”

At the event, QJAB was discussing and advertising their upcoming event on Sept. 18 where they will be building community and playing a “Jewish version of Cards Against Humanity,” according to Kamlet.

Alongside club tabling, the GSC O ce held various queer identity ag pins, t-shirts, snacks and drinks for students to take, as well as Pride Rep-run tours of the ofce every half-hour. During the tour, visitors were able to learn about the variety of resources that the GSC has including a free gender-a rming closet and on-site changing room, pamphlets on LGBTQ issues, queer, woman and POC-authored books and many comfortable places to hang out and chat. Pride Rep Alexander Wicken ’23 helped facilitate some of the tours, and called the GSC “a space for people to nd community” and “a great place for people to take space as they need it.” With comfortable seating, calming lighting and welcoming sta , the GSC is a unique space on campus for all students, including Kristianna Lapierre ‘24, a new Pride Rep at the GSC. Lapierre told e Hoot that “I think my time at Brandeis I’ve found a queer community and I wanted to work at the GSC to build that community. ere’s de nitely a community on campus, I just think that people need to learn about it which is why this [open house] is so awesome.”

A student in an in atable cow costume came outside halfway through the event to an-

nounce to the crowd of people surrounding the farm animals that a costume contest would begin shortly. e costume contest was to emphasize inclusivity and gender a rmation through costuming, with the theme “Queer County Fair.” e information on the costume contest wrote to students that they should “bring [their] best Miss County Fair Queer Pageant crown and sash, Wild West cowboi boots, quiltblock denim overalls, or cotton candy inspired haute couture for the ultimate show stopper!”

Brandeis University’s Vice President of Diversity Equity and Inclusion Lee Bitsoí stopped by the event to enjoy the community experience, and chatted with e Hoot shortly about supporting LGBTQ communities on campus. Bitsoí explained that Brandeis’ welc0ming and accepting nature is part of the reason he came to work at the university but “of course, we could do more for all of our groups that come from underserved groups and marginalized communities.” Bitsoí remarked, “I think that just having a queer presence on campus indicates that the institution is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and if I had my wishlist, I’d ask for a million dollars so we could invest in and really support our student programming in these areas.”

Even without such resources, Brandeis’ GSC and queer community is still thriving, with numerous events coming up throughout the academic year. “We’re having a combination of social events and academic programming,” Cancino explained to e Hoot. “We are bringing back the Winter Reception where we bring together students, faculty and sta , including graduate students… we have an event that’s hosted by Triskelion — the oldest LGBTQ group on campus — Queer Trans People of Color Coalition and Queer Jews at Brandeis, and it’s the Inviting In Ball which is in honor of Black History Month and the intersection between racial identity and sexuality.” Pride Rep Alexander Wicken elaborated on the meaning of the Inviting In event as an intersectional celebration of ballroom culture. e event “celebrate[s] ballroom culture and is intentionally in February, Black History Month, to honor that ballroom culture is originally part of Black culture.” Last April, the GSC hosted their rst Inviting In

ball, featuring a performance by Providence, RI-based drag artist, Nerukessa. When discussing the future ball with Wicken, he mentioned the opportunity for Brandeis drag artists to perform “encouraging people who do drag on campus to have space and opportunity to perform if they would like to” is very important for an event such as Inviting In and for cultivating queer community and art at Brandeis, explained Wicken.

Director Julián Cancino elaborated further on the “academic programming” that the GSC will be working on, explaining that it involves “inviting faculty to talk about their research through a gender or sexuality lens… Next week we have an event with Professor Mayorga where she’s talking about her research and her latest publication on race in white neighborhoods.

She’s looking at the research through what it means to be a woman researcher, a woman academic, doing racial justice work.”

Overall, the GSC Open House brought many students with many unique identities to enjoy the programming of the a ernoon. Cancino was enthusiastic about the event’s outcome and what it means for future GSC events. “I think what we see here is what we want to see every day, and so how do we make that happen?” Cancino remarked. “What I am seeing here is connection, visibility, and normalizing being with di erences. You see here people with multiple identities and it’s not a debate, it’s not a teaching, it’s honestly just spending quality time together and I’d like to see more of that.”

“To acquire wisdom, one must observe.”

Building into the next generation

Editors-in-Chief

Victoria Morrongiello

Thomas Pickering

Madeline Rousell

Managing Editor Mia Plante

Copy Editor Logan Ashkinazy

News Editor Roshni Ray

Arts Editors Rachel Rosenfield

Cyrenity Augustin

Opinions Editor Cooper Gottfried

Features Editor Jenny Zhao

Sports Editor Justin Leung

Deputy Sports Editor Natasha Girshin

Editor-at-large Lucy Fay

Volume 21 Issue 4 the brandeis hoot • brandeis university 415 south street • waltham ma

FOUNDED BY Leslie Pazan, Igor Pedan and Daniel Silverman

STAFF

Ayash,

You may have seen it—or potentially heard it during your lectures—but the university is making some changes to campus. Some of the updates are long overdue and we are excited to see the nal projects and how they will propel the university in the future. e university has never been known for its cohesive architectural style. While the building’s architectural designs may be mismatched and uncoordinated, they tell a story about the university and how it has grown since its inception. e various styles are indicative of the decades when they were made, and thus show a glimpse of the university from years past. It is wonderful to see these points in time, though there comes a point when it is no longer functional or safe to keep them in their original condition. By updating these buildings, we can both honor the history of the university while also looking to expand in its future. e university is growing and changing and it only seems right for our infrastructure to change to match this new age. Updates are being made all throughout campus: Construction is underway in Brown Social Science Center and outside Mandel Center for the Humanities to update plumbing systems, giving them a much-needed overhaul. Gosman Athletics Center and Hassenfeld Conference Center both have new lounge areas for students to more easily study in. e

lounge area for student-athletes is a great space to do work between practice and game times and helps give students a space to truly be students and athletes. Renovations were also made to some bathrooms and kitchens in the upper Foster Mods residence halls, as well as to the Stein. While the changes made to Mods were less drastic and cosmetic, the new stoves and kitchen tiles make the spaces feel newer. While only half of Mods has received the updates to the kitchens and bathrooms, the changes make a big di erence in the space and make the dorms feel less dated. ese changes, both large and small, show progress, both in increased safety for university sta , faculty and students, but also in providing a more comfortable and accessible space for all university community members. e updates to the buildings do not go unnoticed or unappreciated by students on campus. e updates are nice and refreshing by all accounts. It also shows how the university is taking initiative a er concerns from community members about the conditions of the buildings. e renovations to Brown were undoubtedly necessary a er reports from professors of leaking o ces when it rained and contamination in the drinking water from the lead pipes. Known as one of the older buildings on campus, Brown was undeniably in need of renovation. ere is a long

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history to the architecture on campus. Prior to opening in 1946, the grounds of Brandeis were home to Middlesex Community College.

e university inherited many of the Middlesex buildings including Smith Hall, Science Hall (also known as Ford Hall), a greenhouse, a wishing well and a grape arbor.

e only inherited building still on campus from Middlesex is Usen Castle—formerly known as Smith Castle. ough the university began work on the castle in 2017, removing a majority of the structure le approximately 30% still intact on campus today. e demolition took place in the summer of 2017, with part of the building being preserved a er community members fought to preserve some of the beloved building. According to a previous Hoot article, the university decided to demolish part of the castle due to the expense required to renovate it, and the fact that renovations would result in fewer beds than building a new residence hall—Skyline, which began to house students beginning in 2019. While it is sad to let some of our histories go, like never knowing the library was a horse stable in another life, it is exciting to watch the future being built. One day these buildings will be where students go to study or cry a er they failed that midterm. ey will become part of someone’s Brandeis story and we cannot wait to see how the university continues to transform.

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Sam Finbury, Zach Katz, Sarah Kim, Joey Kornman, Josh Lannon, Kristianna Lapierre, Max Lerner, Rafi Levi, Francesca Marchese, V, Abigail Roberts, David Shapiro, Matt Shapiro, and Alex Williams

By Gonny Nir special to the hoot

Note: This piece was adapted from a speech given at the History of Ideas program’s “We Don’t Need Another Hero!” event.

I think this theory gets at something more fundamental than simply “does history make great men, or do great men make history?” I think this theory boils down to a question of emphasis. When we look at history, do we place a heavier emphasis on movements, that is, general waves or directions societies move in, or do we emphasize persons at the forefront of that shi ? e question of where to place the emphasis is largely, in my mind, at the very least, up to each individual who studies history.

But for what it’s worth, in my

attempt to tackle this question of emphasis, I’ll begin with the assumption that great men do not exist in a vacuum. Great men interact with a group of people and sociopolitical circumstances that shape their purposes, but rather than remaking those circumstances or making those people, great men serve as re ections of what that group of people wants from their existing circumstances. I nd Ralph Waldo Emerson’s writing on this matter, that great men are representative of “things” and “ideas,” in “Uses of Great Men,” most helpful in understanding this historical phenomenon as it captures the externalities that establish men as historically great forces.

And as a footnote, I would like to specify that my remarks do not only pertain to men.

In 1840, the Scottish Calvinist omas Carlyle delivered “On Heros, Hero-Worship, and the

Heroic in History;” his six-lecture series was given as traditional platforms of authority were being torn down by gregarious mavericks who were sickened by a status quo of lavish aristocracy and neglect of the common man. Carlyle concluded that “the history of what man has accomplished in this world, is at bottom, the History of the Great Men who have worked here.” On its face, Carlyle’s thesis is attractive because it exists harmoniously alongside the narrative-driven historical tradition in which we interpret history through a lens of thematic sequences that demonstrate the nature of relations between groups and their dogmas. Further, there is a degree of truth to Carlyle’s conclusions. A er all, where would our societies be without the brilliancies of Gutenberg’s printing press, Fleming’s discovery of penicillin, or Cerf’s DARPA project that gave us the internet?

However, I think Carlyle’s thesis so earnestly reveres the charisma of the great man that it overlooks the externalities surrounding him. Alternately, in his 1873 “Study of Sociology,” Herbert Spencer, an English Victorian, teased out the importance of the environment to the great man. Spencer submitted to Carlyle’s prioritization of the personality but precisely sensed that charisma couldn’t amount to much if the society it was attempting to capture wasn’t—for a lack of more re ned words— ready for it. Spencer noted that in every hero’s rise to in uence, there are sociological preconditions that li him to prominence;

he wrote that “before the great man can re-make society, his society must make him.” Spencer’s characterization lodges the hero at the nucleus of his society; he is within his society’s existing social fabric, he is a byproduct of it.

Carlyle, and later in his writing, Weber, characterized the hero as a kind of external Schumpeterian disruptor who transforms the nature of his society by reshaping the substance of social conditions according to his so-called “charismatic will.” Spencer and the turnof-the-century American psychologist Charles Horton Cooley rightly understood that, while charisma is indeed a powerful tool, the hero’s real power comes from his appeal to our most-ingrained habits and tendencies, which are innately internal. e hero is appealing to something that is already there—so deeply ingrained that we fail to even notice when it is being appealed to.

Enter Emerson, who in 1849 wrote that the hero’s success is stringent on his relatability to his society. He is, in a sense, accountable to his society throughout his glori cation. is is precisely so because he serves as a re ection of that society. e hero can be understood as a sociological mirror: he re ects his society’s most sacrosanct traditions, its greatest shortcomings, as well as its lo iest aspirations. In this sense, the hero cannot stray far from his society’s pursuits whilst still expecting to retain his status within it because he would cease to be a re ection; he becomes something else entirely.

I think Emerson’s observations

on the accountability of the hero are perhaps most promising in understanding the role of the hero in our society, as “the constituency determines” the hero’s vote. e hero serves a function akin to an elected representative’s, advocating for us on our behalf. I understand the crux of Emerson’s argument to be that we use heroes to change the nature of existing circumstances of societies. In a certain sense, heroes serve a sel sh purpose; just as James’ observation that individuals of deep religious conviction use God “for the value of the fruits, he seemed to yield” similarly, societies use heroes to establish the future they wish to exist in. I think this is the ultimate end of the hero.

From this understanding of the hero, I think it can be inferred that heroes serve an exact and narrow purpose: to re ect their societies’ essence and ultimate desires. us, I don’t think that individuals make history. I don’t think they can, individually, at the very least. Environments matter too greatly to be overlooked; the environment makes the man, not the other way around. e existing societal features predetermine the man’s mission because heroes are meant to be used for a higher purpose, they are to be exploited to enact change, which is always a mission greater than themselves. is is the hero.

The skull-pture and other outdoor art at Brandeis: the perfect ominous addition to the landscape

By Jamie Trope staff

A er lumbering for a time through the temperate lands, the beast lays down its head and goes into a deep sleep. e land around it changes, its skull bleaches in the sun and still the beast does not move. All that remains is a skull. is is the image I would like to evoke, to dramatize the events that occurred as I walked up past Brandeis’ art building (Goldman-Schwartz) a few days ago on a rainy morning. e “skullpture” stared at me with blood red plastic eyes, and I was compelled to walk o the concrete path and explore the skull in its natural exhibit landscape.

ough I have never spoken with the artist or artists, I have an overwhelming amount of appreciation for the outdoor art pieces I have seen so far on campus. Along the craggy rocks near the skull, there is also a small white church, a hand reaching out of a tree stump grasping a stick and sculpted mushrooms within the hollow of a dead tree. All of these sculptures are integrated within the Brandeis landscape, and they each tell their own story. Alternatively, when observed as a collective group, they can come together to form some sort of post-apocalyptic landscape in which only one small building

remains, and a giant skull lies not too far away from it.

ese sculptures have made me more alert on my walks in the area, and I am always looking for new pieces. I love the concept of adding small details to the landscape in a way that adds to the overall impact of the nature. e foliage is not being altered in any way, and nothing from the sculpture is leaching into the soil. ey are placed in a way that adds to the landscape—adds context and story. Despite each piece inducing a shudder down your spine, it opens up a dialogue about the meaning of the piece and its placement. Why is the hand clenching the branch? Why is it trying to escape from the tree stump? What is down there?

And on the topic of art made in Goldman-Schwartz, the art building is truly a hidden gem on campus. It is not part of central campus, so ending up near there is an active decision that needs to be made. Pottery club hosts dropin hours to use the pottery wheel and glaze pieces, and art majors frequently have art displays along the inner walls of the buildings. If you have the time, I cannot recommend it enough—every Brandeis student should visit the art building before graduating at least once.

You gain a deeper appreciation for the campus when you are always on the lookout

for the newest addition to the landscape. e Brandeis campus already has so much personality, with its endless hills and staircases, that adding art sculptures to it helps to further personify the campus. Last semester, as I was walking past the science building, some students had drawn di erent chemical structures on the sidewalk. Despite me not being a STEM major, it was still fun to slow down for a moment and look at the drawings and descriptions. e way that Brandeis students interact with the physical campus has always fascinated me, and I would love to see an event where Brandeis students can make a whole village of sculptures as a group art exhibit. ere is something about walking, outside, through and between art pieces that allows you to enjoy and interact with them in a way wholly unique from seeing a painting hung up on a wall in a museum. is temporary modi cation of the landscape allows for students to interact in an interdisciplinary manner (even more so than usual, as Brandeis students are well known for double majoring and even triple majoring). e skull near Goldman-Schwartz creates a new conversation for passersby and fosters intrigued about what other students are creating on campus. I hope that anyone associated with this project continues

to add more pieces; it makes the walk to the International Business School a more intriguing

one. I cannot wait to see how the history of this small piece of land evolves.

PHOTO BY JAMIE TROPE/THE HOOT

PHOTO FROM BRANDEIS EDU

Individuals don’t make history alone

By Cooper Gottfried editor

Note: This piece was adapted from a speech given at the History of Ideas Program’s “We Don’t Need Another Hero!” event.

No person can make history without a cast of key supporters and people that are willing to follow them. Without companies to use his polluting technology, omas Midgley wouldn’t be in environmental history textbooks. Without his cadre, Donald Trump wouldn’t have been the destructive gure we all know him as. Pinning the actions of many upon one person may be easier, but it silences the true story behind many historical events.

To pick a recent example, Donald Trump did not make history solo. In o ce, his in ammatory and destructive actions were not carried out by his hand alone. One of Trump’s most egregious actions, the revival of the Keystone XL Pipeline project, was not done alone. e project couldn’t have been revived without the help of several key entities, including Canadian provincial governments and the energy company that owns the pipeline, TC Energy. is pipeline, which would have run across swaths of Indigenous land to carry barrels upon barrels of the planet’s dirtiest oil from Alberta, Canada to mid-UnitedStates processing facilities, was not solely Trump’s doing. Without the culturally-destructive approval of Canadian legislators, Keystone XL couldn’t have happened.

Without the inane commitment to environmental destruction from TC Energy, Keystone XL couldn’t have happened. Although this pipeline’s approval is rightly labeled as one of Trump’s worst actions, it was not his action alone.

Trump also frequently receives full credit for the passage of problematic bills, with headlines like “5 Problematic Laws You Didn’t Know Trump Passed” making the former president seem solely culpable for destructive legislative changes. But, these laws wouldn’t have even landed on his desk were it not for congressional Republicans. When Trump signed legislation that repealed stream protections, allowing coal companies to freely dump debris in rivers, he was rightly ridiculed. In criticism of this bill, it was said over and over again that “Trump just killed a rule restricting coal companies.”

While Trump did play an absolutely instrumental role in the repeal of this vital environmental protection, he wouldn’t have even had a chance to sign it were it not for a majority in both chambers of Congress choosing to pass the law.

While the Keystone XL revival and stream protection repeal happened because of Trump, he was not requisite for their occurrence. A di erent, like-minded Republican president would have started the pipeline project again. Any Republican president would jump at the opportunity to spite Obama and give bene ts to polluting companies at the same time. While Trump set the pipeline and the repeal in motion, he was cer-

tainly not the only one who could have done so.

Another example of an individual who has received more credit than they deserve is omas Midgley. Midgley was the inventor of tetraethyl-lead-added gasoline and helped improve the synthesizing process for chloro uorocarbons (also known as CFCs). In less scienti c terms, Midgley added lead to our gasoline and atmospheric-ozone-depleting chemicals to our planet. But, he had no idea of the worlds to come when he invented these calamitous chemicals.

Midgley, who has been said to have “had more impact on the atmosphere than any other single organism in Earth’s history,” certainly made a signi cant impact on the planet. Leaded gasoline killed millions and CFCs helped create a hole in our planet’s ozone layer.

While Midgley’s discoveries were transformative, they wouldn’t have been signi cant if the technology wasn’t used by massive corporations. Gas companies and car manufacturers alike jumped on leaded gasoline, because it signi cantly reduced engine knock and allowed engines to output more power.

Midgley couldn’t have had the same massive, unending impact on our environment had his inventions not been used worldwide. CFCs were used in aerosol sprays and refrigerants for decades, until an unprecedentedly large and successful international convention came together to regulate their use in 1987. A er multiple international conventions on

the use of these ozone-depleting chemicals, they are being phased out for less-harmful Hydro uorocarbons, or HFCs.

e inventor of the chemicals is not at fault for the destruction that they wrought upon our stratosphere, though. e massive corporations that used them and denied their harm are at fault. Using these chemicals recklessly, a er being made aware of their risks, is what made history. e ozone hole that appeared in the late 20th century was not created by Midgley, it was created by refrigeration corporations who used CFCs to save money and make a “better product.”

A similar truth holds for the use of leaded gasoline. Lead was introduced to gasoline in 1922, and its sale was stopped in 1996. Although it was only used for a short time, it caused immense damage to millions of people each year it was in use. Tetraethyl lead gasoline, an invention of Midgley’s, was used by companies despite their knowledge that lead is toxic to humans.

But, much like with CFCs, Midgley is not at fault for the

damage that leaded gasoline did to the population. e companies that chose to implement his invention into marketplaces without proper consumer protections, and with an eye only for their bottom line, are at fault.

Although Midgley may have enabled history to be made, big corporations who used and abused his products are truly to blame. ey degraded our environment, not Midgley. Blame the polluter, not the inventor.

In case you can’t tell by the topics I touched on, I’m an environmental studies student. I abhor the destruction of the planet around us, and I think it’s incredibly important to attribute blame properly. I nd that although it’s easy to place blame on individual legislators or otherwise misguided actors, it’s o en not the right way to go about things. Correctly placing blame on enabling governing bodies or malevolent corporations can allow for real dialogue instead of mindless mudslinging.

Do you hear that? It’s a Brandeis helicopter parent.

By Victoria Morrongiello editor

e Brandeis Hoot has been in contact with an insider source of the Brandeis Parents Facebook Community—Michael [last name redacted]. is informant has been willing to share some details of the messages being shared in the chat. And let me tell you— it is some juicy information.

“My son lost a favorite jacket

on campus last week. Does anyone know if there is a central lost and found or where they store objects?”

My rst question: how old is your child?

My second question: why?

I completely understand that it can be very di cult to let your child leave for college where you don’t get constant contact with them. It’s a shi in life going from having someone to care for and keep alive for 18 years to maybe

getting a call once a week if you’re lucky. at being said—while the change is di cult—it is necessary for growth.

Your child has to learn how to lose stu and remedy the situation on their own. Yes, you are still their parent, that doesn’t change when they go to college, but you are no longer responsible for xing every little hiccup of things that goes wrong in their life.

My favorite response to this post—“I’m inclined to just let the college student handle things like this.” And to that, I agree.

But the drama does not end there. ese helicopters are still hovering.

“Wondering how other parents see their kids’ grades? Do you just ask your student to log in and show you?”

Maybe this was just me, but my parents stopped looking at my grades when I le Intermediate school. It became my responsibility in high school to maintain my grades and share with them whether I was doing well or not. Never once have my parents asked me what my grades are in college. Because they trust that I will maintain my grades.

If you are sending your child to Brandeis—and paying for it—I would hope you can trust them to stay on top of their grades or at the very least communicate with you if there were a serious problem. It comes down to one thing—trust.

If you are letting your child go away for college you have to trust them—it’s as simple as that. End of story. When they go o to work are you going to ask their boss for a progress report? When will this hovering stop, because it will have to eventually.

e Facebook group also features recommendations for good locations to get chicken noodle soup and matzah ball soup for their children when they are sick. Which is cute, I’ll admit. But as someone who has been sick on campus and unable to go home, let me tell you it is one of the greatest lessons you can learn living independently. Learning how to take care of yourself while you are sick is a huge milestone in your life cause yeah it sucks being sick and not being home where you can just curl up into bed until everything is magically better sucks.

You’re congested and you’re achy and you really don’t want to take care of yourself, but guess what, you’ve got to. Parents in the Facebook group if any of you are reading this—please, let your children gure out how to get their own soup. Let them learn how to cope with being sick as an individual because they will have to learn how to do it eventually and now is the time to.

And last but not least—parents asking if their children are having trouble making friends.

I am not a great people person. Making friends can be tough, I know, especially if you aren’t into the frat or sorority scene. I understand that I was lucky to be on a team that had my friends instantly built into it. But as a parent, you cannot make friends for your child.

ere are going to be things you cannot do as a parent when it comes to taking care of your kid.

ere is a point when you have to let go of their hand and let them walk on their own. is is one of those moments. When your child

is in college they are no longer a baby, they are still your baby, but they aren’t a baby. And you can’t treat them like that, otherwise they are going to think that is how the world should treat them. And they will be in for a very rude awakening.

Love your children. It is a wonderful thing. But don’t go trying to micromanage their lives, because when it comes time for them to manage their own lives, you will realize what a disservice you have caused them.

Let your children mess up. Let them live and realize that life isn’t perfect. Let them get hurt and scrape their knees. It builds character. And you know what, even if they do fall, they’re gonna be alright. ey will nd their people and place in their own time. Sure, it might not be right away but life has a funny way of bringing us to those we need.

ere is no right way to parent, and I write this opinion piece too easily because I am not a parent. But I write this as someone who has two pretty great parents who never once tried to nd my lost coat for me in college but instead pushed me to go out and nd it on my own.

By Justin Leung editor

I want to preface this article by saying I do enjoy eating ice cream, however in general I am not a dessert person. Now, I can say with absolute certainty ice cream is one of the most overrated desserts. At one point it seemed like a novelty. When you were a kid, you may have been excited when you heard the melody of the ice cream truck as it rolled around the corner. Maybe your school had ice cream day or when you did something well a teacher gave you an ice cream. At that point ice cream was a treat and something that people really wanted. Now, that novelty has worn o ink about this scenario: you are sitting in your o ce and your boss praises you for doing something well and decides to give you some ice cream as a reward. Does that re-

ally have the same e ect as it used to? Ice cream is good, however I think the feelings we had toward it when we were younger may have carried over. at’s partly why ice cream is overrated. It feels like its reputation is better than it actually is because in the past it was such a treat.

Another reason why ice cream is overrated is because its avor is consistent across all sorts. For example, this past summer I went to the grocery store to get ice cream. At the store there are tons of di erent companies that make ice cream and obviously some are more expensive than others because in theory they are better than others. However, I honestly never really taste a signi cant di erence. Yeah, some de nitely taste better than others but is it really worth double the price? Every time I was at the store, I didn’t care what company it was; all I cared about was what was the best

deal. e avors across di erent companies and stores are relatively the same. Again, the avor and consistency of ice cream is good; however, it’s kind of just good everywhere. I am never truly overwhelmed by ice cream. Maybe I have never had absolutely incredible ice cream before, but they all are just good. How good can ice cream really get? It’s just frozen milk and sugar, not necessarily a revolutionary combination. Since some companies’ ice cream is more expensive, you may overrate it and say it’s so much better to justify the purchase. But in reality, you will likely be equally satis ed with Starmarket’s Signature Select $3 ice cream and Breyer’s $6 ice cream. One of the good things about ice cream is that there are so many avors. Since it’s such a simple dish, it almost seems easy to have so many variations of it. However, this aspect of ice cream

also causes it to be overrated. Most people have a favorite avor of ice cream. Maybe it’s chocolate, strawberry or even peanut butter. ese avors are speci c to something that you can get outside the form of ice cream. So, I think that people don’t necessarily really love strawberry ice cream, but instead really like strawberries. Having the avor in ice cream may elevate it, but it’s almost like a mirage. You think it’s the ice cream part of your strawberry ice cream that is making you love it, but in reality, it’s just because you really like strawberries. A specific avor in a di erent form may make you think it tastes a lot better than it actually is. My biggest issue with ice cream is how frequently people put toppings on it. If ice cream was truly this unbelievable dessert, people would not need to put extra stu on it. I know people would argue that toppings

Changing educational values

By Vincent Calia-Bogan staff

Brandeis University, as we, the students, all know, prides itself on its strong academics. It rightly should, as it is ranked #44 by U.S. News and World Report for American universities (that said, the methodology used is now in question, and the actual value of such statistics at all is another debate entirely).

Regardless, Brandeis and its community should be proud, given this statistic. For the most part, the educational prowess of the professors and classes o ered here are up to a universal standard: students are compelled to understand and answer the questions “why” and “how” in addition to the question “what.” Additionally, Brandeis has what many other universities in the top 50 of these rankings struggle with: e support system for students historically has been, on average, not terrible. At least in my experience, my professors have all been very understanding when I’ve needed to skip class for personal or medical reasons, and have also been very willing to engage me in deeper conversations on the sub-

By SSIS special to the hoot

My partner asked me if I would be into watching porn with them as a form of foreplay. How do we have a conversation about what I want?

Discussions regarding pornography can be di cult, because

ject matter when I have questions beyond the scope of the class. e culture of academic curiosity is, at least from my perspective, as strong as it’s ever been.

I was one of the many students who caught COVID-19 following orientation, which the university should have seen coming. I did everything I was supposed to—I contacted my professors and kept them updated as to my status, I watched lecture recordings and kept up on classwork, I was proactive in rescheduling a laboratory section to minimize the time missed out of other classes and cooperated fully with the health center—all from the solitary isolation of my dorm. Isolation hit me hard—I’m someone who doesn’t do super well when I’m not allowed out of my dorm for ve days straight—but, in addition to the wonderful support I got from friends and family, what carried me through was the understanding that my professors and the university were working with me to make sure I lost as little of my education as possible when in isolation.

is history of phenomenal academics combined with a exible and accommodating approach is what makes my more recent ex-

perience so dizzying. A couple of my classes have Echo360 quizzes as participation—they open and close while in class. Despite my close coordination with professors, I recently found out that I had lost points while under a university mandated quarantine. Now, I was able to follow up with those professors, who were luckily willing and able to retroactively grant me exemptions from those assessments such that I didn’t lose points. Despite the professionalism and kindness shown to me by my professors, this points to a larger, systemic issue within the university’s current COVID-19 policy: the fact that I had to follow up at all on those attendance assignments, especially when I was already in contact with my professors, is inappropriate. I am very happy that my professors sorted my situation out quickly and kindly, as it speaks to their willingness to work with and advocate for students in the face of an incomplete and ignorant university policy.

What’s far worse, though, is that I have been told there are even classes that are not allowing students sick with COVID-19 to make up an exam they miss: they have to take an exam on that material at the end of the class. While

this is not a zero in the gradebook for these students, it is certainly not doing them any favors: it substantially increases the stress involved of being isolated, to say nothing of the impact that taking an assessment potentially months a er the material was covered in class has on performance. Where my very minor point deductions were inconvenient, but ultimately reversible, this policy smacks of a more personal disdain for students who catch COVID-19 and are not allowed to go to class. Last year, the university had guidelines in place: I was able to make up an exam within a week when I missed it because I overslept, and friends of mine were able to take exams from COVID-19 isolation. e method and style varied from professor to professor, but the overall directive from the university seemed to be clear: students should not have to worry about missing an exam and not being able to make it up until the nal. is seems to have been scrapped at the start of this year—and while some professors are continuing with policies that they developed last year, some are clearly not. It seems to me that some community members are forgetting a simple fact: When a student, or any community member for that matter, catches COVID-19, it is not

make the food taste better but at that point it’s not just ice cream anymore. I have de nitely seen people put so many toppings on the ice cream that the ice cream is just a side part. Good food does not require extra stu . Take a good steak for example. A really good steak likely does not need extra sauce. However, apparently with really good ice cream, people still need sprinkles and chocolate sauce? at doesn’t make sense to me. I don’t believe you can say the ice cream was great when your ice cream was covered in a million di erent toppings. Overall ice cream is a great dessert. It’s great for so many occasions. You can eat it at almost any time. But I think we are blinded by some aspects of ice cream that cause us to overrate it. So, the next time you go out and are about to buy ice cream, ask yourself if ice cream is really as good as you think it is.

their fault: we are still living with the pandemic. I wore a mask and didn’t go to parties, and I still got it. COVID-19 demands exibility, from students and for professors. To do anything less is at best unfair and inconvenient to the individuals involved, and at worst borderline academic malpractice motivated by ideals di ering from educational impartiality and characterized as poorly de ned ignorance, sloth or agrant disinterest.

is is not the rst opinion piece I have authored criticizing the university’s COVID-19 policies; it is because I believe them to be inadequate. I’m not arguing for decreased freedom or mobility of Brandeis community members. What I am advocating for is maintaining the exibility that allowed us to carry through the earlier parts of the pandemic without failing in some drastic fashion. What I am truly advocating for is the preservation of and strengthening of the academic quality that makes this institution a phenomenal place to learn, regardless of COVID-19: I am arguing for the preservation of exibility for all community members—it is integral to the very culture of this university.

porn preferences or interests are very personal. Similarly, foreplay preferences can be very personal and speci c to your needs and wants. So although the conversation may be tricky to start or feel daunting, talking with your partner about both of your tastes could be bene cial to the pleasure of everyone involved. at being said, it may be help-

ful for you to do some personal re ection on your boundaries regarding bringing porn into you and your partner’s intimate moments. Is this something you are okay with? Are there certain types of porn you prefer to stay away from, or conversely, are there certain types of porn that make you really excited? Is there a type of porn you like the best? Audio

porn? Written? is re ection is something that your partner could do as well.

Once you have determined your own wants, conducting an open conversation with your partner is the next step. It may be helpful for each partner to each have a few moments to simply talk about what you both have re ected upon, without interruption or

questions. en, the conversation can be opened up to a dialogue of compromise, establishing boundaries as a partnership or worries and fears. In the end, introducing a new element into your intimate life should be fun and exciting, and as long as there is full consent from everyone involved, trying new experiences can make intimacy more pleasurable.

Venice Film Festival and what you should expect for

the novel by Don Delillo. Many people thought this book would be very di cult to adapt, but the reactions don’t seem that bad.

lm director/screenwriter, McDonaugh has been a reliable creative force for many years now.

Summer is about to end which means we are heading into fall. Not only is this a transition for the weather, but it is also a transition for lm. When we enter into the fall, we are entering into the beginning of the Oscar contenders. A sign that the higher tier lms are coming is the lm festivals. is is where a lot of lms will have their premieres for the critics and some of the big people in Hollywood. A lot of the Oscar buzz will start at the important lm festivals and we are now at the beginning. e rst lm festival of the season was the Venice Film Festival. From Aug. 31 to Sept. 10, celebrities ocked to Venice, Italy to watch and promote some new lms. Yes, it was more than just Timothée Chalamet in a backless jumpsuit and Harry Styles kissing Nick Kroll. While people who were not at the festival have not seen these lms, we have received the rst reactions and have an idea of what will have some notice. e festival then ends with some awards that give a true picture. Here is what you might have missed from the Venice Film Festival and what you should look out for.

A lot of these lms had been talked about for a while in expectation, and this festival was the time to see if they were worth any hype. e opening lm was Noah Baumbach’s “White Noise.” Baumbach is mostly known for directing slice of life romance lms, but this one is a little di erent. Starring Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig, this lm is a comedy about an apocalypse, based on

is was certainly not the rave of the festival and there were some mixed reviews, but it seems the response seems overall positive.

As a big Baumbach fan, I am looking forward to this break from his usual genre.

Speaking of emotions, a lm that caught many people’s attention at the festival was Darren Aronofsky’s “ e Whale.” If you know anything about Aronofsky, then you know this will probably be very psychological and will probably make you think a lot. Based on the play of the same name, this lm centers around a 600-pound man dealing with the grief of his dead boyfriend while trying to reconnect with his daughter. is lm stars Brendan Fraser and this festival showed that it is de nitely time for the “Brendanaissance.” Brendan Fraser was once a star but was blackballed in the industry a er he was the victim of sexual assault by a lm executive. e fans are backing his comeback and awaiting his vindication. With the seven-minute standing ovation and the positive reviews that have come out, mostly in reference to Fraser’s performance, it seems that this will be his time.

Now on to what won awards.

Venice Film Festival Does not give out many awards, so you really have to pay attention to what does get award recognition.

e grand jury awards are really the main awards for this festival. A lm that got two of the jury awards is Martin McDonaugh’s, “ e Banshees of Inershin’’. An accomplished playwright and

is lm was no exception. is story of two men in a remote island who end their friendship gave McDonaugh the award for Best Screenplay and star Colin Farrell the Best Actor award. It got a thirteen-minute standing ovation, the longest of this year’s festival, so this is de nitely a lm that should be on your list.

In terms of Best Directing, that went to Luca Guadagnino’s “Bones and All,” a love story about two cannibals. is stars Taylor Russell, who won the newcomer award, and Timothée Chalamet, who won the uno cial backless jumpsuit award. is story may sound unconventional, but Guadagnino has proved his success in the past with lms like “Call Me By Your Name,” so this award could prove that his lm is more than what meets the eye. For the Best Actress award, that went to the incomparable Cate Blanchett for her performance in “Tár.”

Written and directed by Todd Field, this drama centers around Blanchett as a German composer and shows what it is like to deal with the “cancel culture” of today. While the lm itself has received many positive reviews, everyone is singling out Blanchett’s stunning performance. She always knocks it out of the park, so this movie should be a real treat.

e top prize of the Venice Film Festival, the Golden Lion, ended up going to “All e Beauty and the Bloodshed.” is is a documentary, which makes it the second documentary ever to win the Golden Lion. is lm is about Nan Goldin and how she is trying to take down the Sackler family

due to their connection with the opioid crisis. e opioid crisis is a hot button topic right now, especially with the recent success of the mini series “Dopesick.” It is an important one that should be talked about, and this lm is not shying away. is lm was directed by Laura Poitras, who won an Oscar for her work on “Citizenfour” about Edward Snowden. is shows she is willing to confront serious topics head on. “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” has received glowing reviews so far, and winning the Golden Lion shows that this is a lm that we should remember.

Of course, this isn’t all of the lms that premiered at the Venice Film Festival. ere was Andrew Dominik’s “Blonde,” a risqué story about Marilyn Monroe and Florian Zeller’s “ e Son,” an emotional story serving as a spiritual successor to Zeller’s “ e Father.” ere are a lot more, but I do not

have the space to talk about them here. Most of them were able to put on quite a show and walked away with many favorable reviews. is festival is a great place for the lmmakers to get ready for Oscar season and to get people talking. Clearly, this is working well for them. Now, we have a while before the Oscar nominations come out, let alone the Oscars being broadcast. However, there is no harm in paying attention a little early. We’ll look back on this festival in a few months and see if this was a good predictor. In the meantime, we have a lot more festivals to go. Next up is the Toronto International Film Festival, let’s see how that goes.

Nine fantasy gems BookTok hasn’t found yet

Alongside romance, fantasy is one of BookTok’s favorite genres, and recommendations abound. But if you’re a little weary of coming across the same recommendations over and over again, I’ve got nine recommendations to add to your reading list, for every type of fantasy fan.

“ e Golem and the Jinni” by Helen Wecker: Part fantasy, part historical ction, this altogether engrossing novel immerses the reader in an alternate universe turn-of-the-century New York. Making their way through this world are the titular golem and jinni. e pair must learn to survive in a world populated by colorful side characters, both friends and foes. is is a perfect read for readers who love character-driven, history-based fantasy, or readers who are looking to diversify their fantasy shelves. Plus, if you enjoy it, the sequel novel “ e Hidden Palace” is equally excellent. “

e Rook” by Daniel O’Malley: “ e Rook” is probably best known for its absolutely abysmal TV adaptation. Unfortunately, the fantastic book doesn’t receive much love or attention in the fantasy world. Perhaps best de-

scribed as urban fantasy crossed with “ e O ce” crossed with Marvel, this novel features one of the best uses of the amnesia trope I’ve ever seen, wonderfully unique powers and character ideas and perfectly balances its fantasy, sitcom, horror and murder mystery elements. Protagonist Myfanwy (both versions of her) is one of the most loveable leads in fantasy. is is a perfect novel for fans of quirky, urban fantasy, or any reader who loves a good spy thriller.

“ e Queens of Innes Lear” by Tessa Gratton: Tessa Gratton’s gorgeous fantasy adaptation of King Lear wouldn’t be out of place next to your copies of “ e Wheel of Time” and “Priory of the Orange Tree.” e magic of its setting oozes out of the pages, and it’s hard not to fall in love with its charismatic protagonists. Gratton also wrote a second novel set in the same universe, “Lady Hotspur,” a lesbian re-imagining of Shakespeare’s “Henry IV,” which is just as brilliant. If you’re a fan of fairytale/classic adaptations, queer fantasy and/ or Shakespeare, these novels are must-reads.

“ e Women’s War” by Jenna

Glass: Feminist fantasy has become one of the most common fantasy subgenres. However, nding quality can be di cult. is

he y novel (coming in at 560 pages) is not for the faint of heart, as it unapologetically tackles subject matter like murder and sexual violence. It certainly lives up to its title as “epic,” with a wide range of time and place and featuring several perspective characters. e novel’s protagonist is beautifully well-rounded, and a rare example of a middle-aged woman taking the lead in a fantasy novel. e magic system is excellently realized, and the politics of the novel are de ly handled, clearly making themselves known without ever becoming too preachy. If you’re an advanced fantasy reader looking for your next feminist read, a fan of dystopian fantasy and/or love your worldbuilding, this is a great read for you.

“Four Dead Queens” by Astrid Scholte: Love it or hate it, but it’s hard to deny that YA fantasy has become a darling of the publishing world. So much so that it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the number of YA fantasy novels on o er, both standalone and series. is is one of the strongest standalones published in recent years. Essentially a murder mystery, this novel rushes along at a breakneck pace, with complex characters and some jaw-dropping twists. It’s a quick, easy-to-binge read, and a great addition to any YA fantasy lover’s bookshelf.

“ e Daevabad Trilogy” by S. A. Chakraborty: You might recognize this trilogy for its pretty covers, which tend to draw the eye at a bookstore. But the shiny covers pale in comparison to the brilliant prose and story they contain. is Middle Eastern-inspired fantasy trilogy is wide-reaching, with absolutely brilliant characters and an un inching political edge. e worldbuilding is some of the best in modern fantasy, and with each book, you’re guaranteed an absolutely showstopping climactic scene. If you’re looking for your next big fantasy commitment, this is the one for you. But make sure you clear your schedule, because you’re not going to put this series down.

“Freya” by Matthew Laurence: From “American Gods” to “Percy Jackson,” “gods on Earth” has been a fun fantasy subgenre to track. “Freya” is the subgenre’s millennial version, with the Norse goddess Freya trying to make it as a 21st century woman in her 20s. e novel’s o -beat humor, irreverent take on gods on earth and speedy pace make it an entertaining and refreshing read. e banter is top-notch, and each character is well-rounded with a distinct voice. If you’re a Percy Jackson fan, or just looking for your next urban fantasy YA read, put “Freya” on your list.

“A Ruthless Lady’s Guide to Wizardry” by C. M. Waggoner: Although it’s billed as a sequel to “Unnatural Magic,” this novel works equally well as a standalone. A sapphic medieval fantasy story with a whole lot of heart and humor, this is a great book to get you out of your reading slump. e protagonist, Delly, is an absolute joy to read, and the story is full of enough twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat while still laughing out loud at the antics of its cast.

“Wicked As You Wish” by Rin Chupeco: Some fantasy novels give you a long time to get acclimated to their world. “Wicked As You Wish” is not one of those novels. Plunging you directly into the action, this YA fantasy epic is a brilliant example of the found family trope, and is set in a world that’s a seamless blend of fairytale folklore and modern day. Tala is an incredibly loveable heroine, and this novel is notable for its excellent Filipina representation. If you’re looking for a “ragtag team on impossible quest” type of story, check this out immediately.

By Naomi Stephenson special to the hoot

PHOTO FROM TOMANDLORENZO COM

Emmys recap: a celebration of the best that

ere are a lot of television shows out there and it can be hard to decide which one to watch.

at is why it is nice to have a reliable opinion on the matter. is is where the Emmy Awards come in. e Emmys celebrate the absolute best in television every year.

e 74th Annual Emmy Awards were held this past Monday, Sept. 12, and they surely showed what makes television special. Hosted by “Saturday Night Live” legend Kenan ompson, it was a night of hilarity, celebration and glamor.

e night started with an opening sketch of dance groups dancing to the theme songs of various shows, from “ e Brady Bunch” to “Stranger ings.” I believe they could have gone bigger with this opening, but it was still a lovely start. ere weren’t that many jokey parts of the night, but ompson still did a great job in transitions between presenters. We got a “Kenan and Kel” reunion when Kel Mitchell appeared, and that’s the sign of any great program. Of course, this is a night about the awards, and those were the parts of the night that created the most thrills and the most anticipation.

ere is one group of categories where the television shows have only one chance to impress people. at is, of course, the limited series categories. ere were a lot of exciting shows as nominees. By the end of the night, it seemed clear that this was a terri c ceremony for the hit series “ e White Lotus.” is drama about the guests and employees at a resort hotel took home four of the main award categories for limited series, including the top prize of Best Limited Series. It also received Best Directing and Best Writing, which both went to creator Mike White, who wrote the whole series himself. In terms of acting awards, the show received Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, which went to Murray Bartlett and Jennifer Coolidge respectively. at’s right: Jennifer Coolidge is an Emmy winner now, what a fun

world we live in. Even with this great showing, “ e White Lotus” was not the only limited series to receive awards. Best Actor went to Michael Keaton for “Dopesick,” a harsh story about the opioid epidemic. Somehow this was Keaton’s rst Emmy, when he should always get all of the awards. Best Actress went to Amanda Seyfried for “ e Dropout,” which was about disgraced eranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Seyfried really gave it her all in that performance and it is great that we are in an era where people take her seriously as an actress. Get ready for some laughs, because we are moving on to the comedy categories. ere were a lot of comedies competing and they all would have deserved the awards. e best showing in the comedy categories was certainly “Ted Lasso,” the heartwarming story of a football coach coaching a soccer team. e rst season captured people’s hearts and it seems that the second season is continuing the magic. It took home the top prize of Best Comedy Series as well as Best Directing. It also received Best Actor which went to Jason Sudeikis who plays the titular character. To think this all started with Sudeikis’ commercial for NBC Sports, and now he’s winning Emmys for the role. e show also received Best Supporting Actor for Brett Goldstein’s performance. Other than directing, “Ted Lasso” received all of these awards last year, and this demonstrates that the success of this show is here to stay.

“Abbott Elementary,” a workplace comedy about elementary school teachers, also did a fantastic job in the comedy categories. is was especially impressive considering it was the only nominated freshman comedy this season. Best Supporting Actress went to Sheryl Lee Ralph from “Abbott Elementary,” and that is de nitely well deserved. Her speech also involved her singing “Endangered Species” by Dianne Reeves as a part of her acceptance, and she is a Tony nominated actress, so obviously she killed it. e shows also recieved Best Writing, which was accepted by the show’s creator Quinta Brunson. As some-

one who grew up watching Buzzfeed videos that starred Brunson, I feel proud of her in a way. She has always been hilarious and now people can see that YouTube success can be replicated in the real world. en there was Best Actress, which went to Jean Smart for her role in “Hacks,” where she plays an aging comedian trying to make a comeback. Smart won this role last year and she is constantly proving why we should applaud her. Between her and Ralph, older women in Hollywood are nally getting their appreciation and respect. en there are the serious categories of the dramas. is is usually regarded as the most important category, as Best Drama is always the last award. To probably nobody’s surprise, that award went to “Succession,” a show about a ruthless family and their billion-dollar company. People have sung the praises of that show for a long time and it was basically a lock that it would win. It also took home Best Writing and Best Supporting Actor, with the latter going to Matthew Macfayden. e line of the night came from creator Jesse Armstrong in his acceptance speech for Best Drama series: “A big week for successions: A new king in the U.K., this for us. Evidently a little bit more voting involved in our winning than Prince Charles.” It is these kinds of sharp remarks that have made “Succession” so watchable, so it makes sense that the creator can create these lines for real life. is satire on the business world has provided a sense of escapism for society and is sure to impress the public yet again with its next season. Even though “Succession” was basically a lock to win, a lot of other dramas got to shine at this ceremony. “Squid Game,” the wildly popular Korean show about deadly games for money, also had a nice showing by taking home Best Directing. It also received Best Actor, which went to Lee Jung-jae. Lee’s win makes him the rst actor to win for a non-English-speaking series. is is certainly a sign of progress and shows that we—meaning American society—are allowing

non-English voices to be heard. For the second year in a row, the Best Actress award went to Zendaya for “Euphoria,” the hot and gritty high school drama. Zendaya won this award last year, and this win makes her the youngest actress to win two Emmys. Our paper has shared a lot of opinions on her acting and the show, so I don’t think I need to get into it if you have been paying attention.

Best Supporting Actress went to Julia Garner for “Ozark,” a crime drama about a family that has to move to the Ozarks. Garner’s performance has been a consistent win for this show, usually being the only part of the show that takes home an award, and her win has always been well deserved. While some of the award winners may be going through a new experience, others have constantly done fantastic and are always turning in an award winning performance.

ere were also non-acting categories that got recognition, such as “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” winning Best Variety Talk Series for the seventh year in a row (so it must have been a real shock to win again), “Saturday Night Live” winning Best Variety Sketch Series for the sixth year in a row (again, real shock) and “Lizzo’s Watch Out For e Big Grrrls” winning Best Competition Series for the rst time (yay for something di erent). Even though these shows don’t tell full scripted stories, they can still make us laugh while also sharing true stories of the world. en

there was the non competitive award: the Governor’s Award. is is an award that is meant to recognize someone’s contribution to the arts and society by the governor’s board. at went to the widely revered actress Geena Davis, speci cally the Geena Davis Institute of Gender in Media. Davis created this institute to look into gender representation in lm and make sure there is equal representation and her work to create gender equality. She showed why she has been an important gure for years and her speech expressed her beliefs of feminism and how they belong in the media. is is what happens when a celebrity sees the power and status that they have and uses it responsibly.

Overall, it was a fairly predictable night and everyone that won was de nitely worthy of their award. You are going to nd people who say things like “‘Better Call Saul’ was robbed” or “‘Barry’ was a victim of category fraud” or maybe some other takes that are actually hot takes. While those people may be making a point, this was still a night of worthy celebration. is is one of the award shows that I look forward to every year. Even when I don’t watch all of the shows, I still pay attention to the predictions and see what is expected to win. Watching this show is always a thrill and I look forward to the competition to come next year.

BookTok worth it or not: ‘The Guest List’ by Lucy Foley

By Victoria Morrongiello editor

I’m back and likely not going away anytime soon my dudes. ’Cause guess what, I’ve got books so I’m gonna review them. Are my reviews terrible and entirely biased? Yes. But whatever, joke’s on you ’cause you’re reading this. Here’s what I do: I see books on BookTok. I decide whether I should read them or not—this is largely in uenced by whether or not I can get a copy of the book or not. And then I read it—or sometimes just stare at it—and then I come here and do my thing. is week’s victim: “ e Guest List” by Lucy Foley

“ e Guest List” has been featured on Reese Witherspoon’s— AKA Elle Woods—book club

list. Being certi ed by Reese’s Book Club can make your way in the BookTok world. Everyone freaked out over “Where the Crawdads Sing” by Delia Owens (which is controversial and I’m not getting into it but I can’t support that book no matter whether Taylor Swi wrote a song for the movie or not). It also brought “Daisy Jones and the Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid and “Little Fires Everywhere” by Celeste Ng into the spotlight.

All of these books, mind you, are either actively being turned into lm adaptations or are in the works to being converted to another media. So being in this club is a big deal. I also have liked the recommendations from the book club so far, aside from “ e Firekeepers Daughter” by Angeline Boulley, which was just too much for me.

“ e Guest List” was something else. It’s a thriller, and again that is not my go-to genre, so it was a little out of le eld for me.

I really enjoyed the ending but it took a long time to get there.

e build-up of the plot is fun and Foley is most certainly thorough in developing all of her characters. is story does involve a lot of characters so the attention to all of them is nice but maybe a tad overdone. I felt like I got to the middle and just wanted it to be over already. Like I probably could have skipped 50 pages in the middle and it wouldn’t have made that much of a di erence.

“

e Guest List” brings together a whole slew of characters gathering for the wedding of Julia and Will. Julia runs a successful online magazine and Will is a TV star— they are a match made in heaven, described as a handsome pair-

ing. But everything is not what it seems, and you spend the course of the novel unraveling the guests’ secrets and the truth that is hidden beneath. You get the point of view (POV) of the wedding planner, the bridesmaid, the plus-one, the bride and the best man in order to piece together the murder that occurs on the day of the wedding. Someone on Goodreads called the story fast-paced. I would beg to di er. e story goes into depth drawing out the characters and their traits. You learn their pasts and their presents while piecing together this murder. ere are a couple of time jumps that I found slightly annoying as someone who is not a fan of time jumps.

ough I’m usually not a fan of multiple POVs, this one wasn’t too bad, but that is because of the tradeo where she spends a millennia explaining everything.

e ending, though, really does save the book, because while I was getting bored in the middle, I kept pushing myself to want to know who did it and more importantly why they did it. But boy oh boy was it an e ort to keep going. And I was not disappointed in the ending; it was most de nitely worth it. It’s a great book for a rainy day when you’ve got nothing else to do. It’s a thriller that keeps you on your toes—just make sure you are ready to really pay attention to the narrative and everything that is going on. It’s de nitely not a light and fun read if that is what you are looking for, but not bad if you want something a little more dense.

‘Beauty and the Beast’ and Brandeis: a spectacular

By Cyrenity Augustin editor

e 24-Hour Musical, a musical production that is taught, rehearsed, designed in the span of 24 hours, returned to the stage on Sept. 11. e musical choice for this year, “Beauty and the Beast,” tells a classic tale of love and not judging a book by its cover, and the 24-Hour cast and crew put on a beautiful display.

e beauty of the 24-Hour Musical is that everyone knows that it’s not going to be perfect. e cast, crew and audience are all there to prioritize having fun over having perfection, and it’s a relaxed environment. erefore, even though there were a few lulls and technical problems, I can say that I walked away saying that the show was great! To be completely honest, when I rst heard that the musical was “Beauty and the Beast,” I was a bit disappointed. I assumed that I’d be seeing just a classic (boring) Disney romance. However, I was pleasantly surprised, and I think that the choices made by the 24-Hour cast and

crew (both premeditated and improvisational) brought a new level of life and humor to the show that le me wanting to stream the songs upon going home.

Speaking of songs (since it is a musical) one of my favorite performances of the night had to have been “Be Our Guest.” e song is one of the central pieces of “Beauty and the Beast’s” soundtrack, and I felt that the cast and choreographers made sure to deliver a memorable performance in turn.

e choreography was full of energy, and the cast kept that energy up throughout the whole number.

e various dance breaks allowed for various crew members to show o their skills, and I loved being able to witness such a wonderful performance! e opening number also served as a glimpse into what the show would be like, with beautiful vocals and acting choices throughout the number.

Speaking of acting choices, I found that the cast did a wonderful job taking the show and making it their own. Moments like the Beast (Cam Steinberg ‘26) being icked o and the random masked individual sitting in the corner during Lumiere (Liam

Delaney ’26) and Cogsworth’s (Garrett Molinari ’26) conversation invited the audience to laugh at what was being performed, and to enjoy the space being created. Even more, the moments of improvisation added an ever deeper level to the more informal space. I admire anyone who can pull from their surroundings and act o the top of their head, so seeing the actors on stage winging it in moments of uncertainty was not only impressive, but their choices of what to do were hilarious. I especially loved the “I don’t see her” scene between Mrs. Potts (Kennedi Bickam ’26) and Chip (LaRue Vigil ’26), Gaston’s (Greg Roitbourd ’26) mispronounciation of “rendezvous” (which honestly worked well for his character) and the Beast’s “You’ll come to dinner with me. at is not a request. Good night.” e story was still being carried out, but a new level was added to the characters. Secondly, each of the named characters’ actors poured life and energy into their roles, making the audience root for and laugh with them on stage. ere was the occasional break in character, peppered with laughter from both the

actor and the audience, but they would jump right back into the role and keep the story progressing. And that’s not even to say that said breaks were bad. If anything, the moment of mutual laughter just made the production and the experience more fun overall.

In addition, I also want to give a big hand to the ensemble. ey made sure to stay in character and act even if they weren’t in the spotlight (I distinctly remember someone yelling about their wife, and the sobbing animated objects during “Be Our Guest”). Everyone on stage did a great job, adding to the overall level of immersion into the story and helping make the show a delight to see!

On the more technical side, I admired how they were able to get certain elements and scenes across even with the time constraints on set development. Seeing the shop signs lowered from the ceiling was also a magical moment, and I’m sure the rest of the audience agreed, judging from their exclamations as the signs dropped into view. One of my favorite moments, in a combination of props and acting, was the display of the library, shown by a small tray of

books and the delivery of the line describing said books as an entire library. It was both humorous and e ective! Furthermore, the cast’s costumes came across clearly and were reminiscent of the Disney designs, and the stage crew running across the stage to place and remove set pieces was a hilarious addition to the show (which I picked up as an audience fan favorite). e crew did an awesome job creating a space for the actors to perform in and helping paint the image of “Beauty and the Beast” for the audience.

Ultimately, the cast and crew did a wonderful job providing a memorable experience. ere were a few hiccups, but they pushed through and delivered a successful show. So, with the 24Hour Musical wrapped up for the year, I am happy to say that it has only le me more excited for next year’s production, and con dent in our theater community here at Brandeis.