The Justice, March 7, 2023

STUDENT UNION

Union senator resigns

■ The Justice compiled a timeline of events leading to the resignation of the senator.

By RIVER SIMARD JUSTICE STAFF WRITER

Editor's note: Justice Union Correspondent Max Feigelson '23 contributed to the reporting in this article.

A Brandeis Student Union senator resigned last week amid calls from members of the Brandeis student body. A video surfaced last December of the senator while they were in high school, waving an Israel flag in New York’s Grand Central Station as he and the crowd chanted “Nakba.” “Nakba” is an Arabic word that translates to catastrophe and refers to the ethnic cleansing of Palestine in 1948.

Brandeis Student Union’s Judiciary first received the video from an alias named Jade Angelman on Dec. 8. The following day the committee responded to the email by explaining the requirements for filing a complaint. From Dec. 9 to Jan. 1, Angelman continued to email the Judiciary. On Jan. 4, the Judiciary explained that they were out of session and it may take some time for them to respond. On Jan. 27, the Judiciary re-sent a complaint template to Angelman and asked them to begin communicating through a Brandeis

NEW COURSE

email. In order for the Judiciary to begin a formal process, there would need to be an official complaint filed, and a specific Brandeis student would need to be attached to it — not a pseudonym. There was no response from Angelman.

A representative of the Judiciary met with a member of the Dean of Students office in order to discuss how to best handle the video. After their discussion, it was decided that the senator couldn’t be held accountable because the video was filmed before the senator was a Brandeis student and before he was a member of the Student Union.

On Feb. 8, the Brandeis Students Justice for Palestine jointly organized a protest with Brandeis Leftist Union in response to the killing of Palestinian people earlier this year. Several students waved Israel flags and held signs in opposition to the protestors. Among those protesting on behalf of the Israel-supporting students was the senator. According to the Student Union, there is nothing that prevents Student Union members from engaging in protests as long as, if asked, they make it clear that they are not representing the Student Union.

Five days later on Feb. 13, a letter was released on the Instagram of the Brandeis Leftist Union. In the letter they address the fact that the Student Union senator who was pres-

See SU, 5 ☛

New AP African American studies course sparks disagreement

■ The framework for the new course has been updated to reflect many of the demands made by DeSantis.

By ANNA MARTIN JUSTICE EDITOR

On the first day of Black History Month, College Board released the new framework for their Advanced Placement African American Studies course, revealing that they had altered the curriculum from what was previously released in the pilot course.

The original curriculum was disputed by Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) and other state representatives, who called for the removal of certain topics and readings. The new framework drops all studies of the Black Lives Matter Movement, limiting this topic to a singular visual project. Other units that were removed from the original curriculum include Black queer studies, Black feminist literary thought, and intersectionality and activism.

On Twitter, Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz Jr.

called the AP African American Studies course “woke indoctrination masquerading as education.”

This view and the ideas of the state government are being challenged by students and academics far and wide, as selective groups are removed from the material.

A group of three students in Florida threatened to sue the DeSantis administration over a ban of this course. These students have received a lot of media attention as well as the support of many influential people in the state. “He wants to say that I do not belong, he wants to say that you don’t belong and whose story does — and doesn’t — get to count. But we are here to tell him: We are America” said state Rep. Fentrice Driskell (D-FL), who is Black.

Over 800 college and university professors from across the country came together in support of the original curriculum by writing an open letter. This letter states “This is censorship and a frontal attack on academic freedom. We categorically reject DeSantis’s autocratic claim to knowing what college-level material

See COLLEGE BOARD, 5 ☛

Rhino Lounge

 Amid controversy, Waltham’s Rhino Lounge continues to put community at the center of its nightlife.

By CAYENN LANDAU, NOAH RISLEY, AND ARIELLA WEISS

FEATURES 6

Tuesday, March 7, 2023

EMPLOYMENT DIFFICULTIES

Students speculate on staff shortages across campus

■ Brandeis administration responded to questions regarding reports of understaffing.

By ANIKA JAIN JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Brandeis students may have noticed that there have been notable staffing shortages across campus since the start of the spring semester. Longer waits at dining halls and Dunkin’, professors hired midway through the semester, and earlier closing hours at the library are among some of the impacts affecting students around campus. The Justice interviewed Brandeis administration over email to gain clarification regarding reports of understaffing.

According to Vice President of Human Resources Robin Switzer in a Feb. 7 interview with the Justice, “During the height of the COVID pandemic, employees were less inclined to change jobs. As COVID began to subside, many employees reassessed their personal life and/or career goals and left the workforce entirely, retired early, or changed jobs.” Switzer noted that this trend is not unique to Brandeis, as other organizations in New England and across the country are experiencing similar patterns.

In an interview with Bloomberg

in 2021, Anthony Klotz, a professor at University College London’s School of Management, coined the term “Great Resignation” to refer to the economic trend that Switzer describes. Also labeled the “Big Quit,” the Great Resignation is an ongoing phenomenon that began in early 2021 when large masses of employees started voluntarily leaving their jobs. According to Statista, an estimated 46.6 million Americans resigned in 2022. The Pew Research Center identified the most popular reasons to be wage stagnation, increased cost of living, lack of career advancement, hostile work conditions, limited benefits, unaccommodating remote work policies, and job dissatisfaction. Workers in hospitality, healthcare, and education have been the most likely to quit, which is why schools and universities especially have experienced understaffing in the past year. Last March, The Boston Globe reported staffing shortages in dining halls at other institutions in the area, such as Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University, and Emerson College. In addition to pandemic-related difficulties, Switzer also attributed some staffing issues to natural annual turnover caused by “voluntary and involuntary staff transitions.”

Reports of staffing issues at Brandeis span across multiple different departments. At the fore -

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By ETHAN GERSTMAN

front of students’ attention is increased wait times in hospitality services such as dining halls and Upper Usdan. “Brandeis Dining currently has fewer than 10 vacancies, but we are looking to fill some key positions,” wrote Kory Laznick, resident district manager for Brandeis Hospitality, in an Feb. 7 email correspondence with the Justice. These numbers are less severe compared to those at schools like Michigan State University, which witnessed a decline from 4,000 employees working in their dining halls to a mere 400 during the fall semester of 2021. Until the 10 open positions in Brandeis Dining are filled, current employees can work overtime.

Olga Papaemmanouil, senior associate dean of Academic Affairs in the School of Arts & Sciences, explained in a Feb. 7 interview with the Justice that faculty who perform extra duties should speak with their chair or the senior associate dean for faculty affairs to be “compensated where appropriate and possible.”

Brandeis students have also observed staffing conflicts in their spring courses. Students enrolled in LGLS 132B, “Environmental Law and Policy” have reported that their professor was not hired until after the semester began. While this is not necessarily an indication of a major staffing shortage, students

Simon Sinek ’95 discusses optimism

By SOREN BIRNBAUM

Union needs to represent students

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD

Basketball says goodbye to seniors

By JACKSON WU

Senate elects new executive senator and votes on probationary status of multiple clubs

The Student Union Senate gave probationary status to two new clubs, denied probationary status to a third, elected a new executive senator, and heard a comment from a member of the public at its Feb. 26 meeting.

Jack Granahan ’23 and Parker Press ’26 from the Pickleball Club said that the group would provide a space and supplies for students interested in playing pickleball. The Senate voted by acclamation to give the Pickleball Club probationary status.

Ifigenia Oxyzolou ’26 presented on behalf of the Hellenic Students Association, which she said would give students an opportunity to participate in and learn about Greek culture. Oxyzolou said she wants her club to eventually be under the Intercultural Center’s umbrella. The Senate voted by acclamation to give the HSA probationary status.

Marco Qin ’24 and Shreya Ahuja ’25 presented the Blockchain Club, which Qin said is for educating students about blockchain and creating a welcoming space for those that are interested in the subject. According to the International Business Machines Corporation, blockchain is a type of digital ledger which businesses and individuals can use to securely keep track of transactions. Qin originally proposed the club last spring, but the Senate voted against it due to some senators’ concerns that it was not actively inclusive enough.

POLICE LOG

MEDICAL EMERGENCY

Feb. 12—A student requested medical assistance in Ridgewood Quad for a bloody nose. BEMCo and Brandeis Police were dispatched. A report was filed and the patient signed a refusal for further care.

Feb. 12—A staff member called to report a student had a bloody nose in Sherman Dining Hall. BEMCo and Brandeis Police responded. The party was treated on-scene by BEMCo staff and a report was filed.

Feb. 13—There was a report of a student with a hurt shoulder in the Shapiro Science Center. Armstrong Ambulance was requested by a Brandeis police officer. The patient was transported to a nearby hospital via ambulance.

Feb. 15—There was a report of an employee who tripped and injured their face in Rosenthal Quad. The party was treated on-scene by BEMCo staff and signed a refusal for further care.

Feb. 16—There was a medical emergency in the Usdan Student Center. The patient was evaluated by BEMCo and signed a refusal for further care.

Feb. 16—There was a medical emergency in the Mailman House. The party was treated on-scene by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Feb. 16—There was a medical emergency in Olin-Sang. The party was treated on-scene by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance.

Feb. 16—There was a medical emergency in North Quad. The party was treated on-scene by BEMCo staff and signed a refusal for further care.

Feb. 21—A student requested a bag of ice for an injury in East Quad.

March 1—A coach reported that a student fell and bumped their head at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center, and requested BEMCo and the Waltham Fire/Ambulance. The student was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

March 2—A student cut their finger in Ridgewood Quad and requested BEMCo. The party was treated on-scene by

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS

■ A news article used the wrong pronouns for a student. It was corrected to they/them (Feb. 14, pg. 5).

■ A forum article misattributed the credit for a photo. It was corrected to Canva (Feb. 14, pg. 12).

The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Send an email to editor@thejustice.org.

In their new presentation, Ahuja and Qin emphasized how they were attempting to recruit people other than men for their club. “[We are] actively using inclusive language in recruitment materials and reaching out to diverse groups on campus,” Qin said.

Sherry Tao ’25, chair of the Senate Club Support Committee, said that the Blockchain Club should focus more on longer-term projects rather than hosting only educational events. She also suggested that the club overemphasized food in its advertising for events. Tao said that this draws people in who are more interested in eating than blockchain. The Senate voted against giving probationary status to Blockchain Club.

Nicholas Kanan ’23, now the vice president after Lia Bergen’s ’25 resignation, gave a statement regarding a video that has been circulating around campus, which an anonymous student sent to the Justice. The video shows a former Student Union member, then a high schooler, waving an Israeli flag while repeatedly shouting “Nakba,” which refers to the 1948 ethnic cleansing of Palestinians.

The student in question resigned from their position as senator under pressure from the Union. Kanan said that the Union became aware of the video in December, but that administration discouraged the Union from taking action. “Though the actions

BEMCo staff and signed a refusal for further care.

March 3—A student sprained their ankle in Ridgewood Quad. The patient was treated on-scene by BEMCo staff and signed a refusal for further care.

March 4—BEMCo and Brandeis Police were called to Rosenthal Quad for an intoxicated student. The student was transported to a nearby hospital, and the area coordinator on-call was notified.

NOISE COMPLAINTS

Feb. 23—There was a report of loud music at the Charles River Apartments. The area coordinator on-call was notified and requested the presence of an officer. The sergeant reported that no loud music was found.

ACCIDENTS

Feb. 23—Damage to the gate in the Tower Lot was observed. An investigation is to follow.

Feb. 24—There was a report of a multi-vehicle hit-andrun accident with property damage in the South Residence Lot. An investigation is to follow.

SUSPICIOUS PERSONS

Feb. 15—There was a report of a suspicious person in the Village. The reporting party requested police assistance and the Brandeis police spoke with the reporting party. An investigation is to follow.

Feb. 15—There was a report of an unknown party knocking on the reporting party’s door off-campus. Brandeis police responded and checked the area, but the unknown party was gone on arrival.

Feb. 16—The same off-campus party called and stated that the suspicious person from earlier has returned. Brandeis police checked the surrounding area, including the woods. An investigation is to follow.

Feb. 16—There was a report of a suspicious person in the East Quad Lot. Brandeis police reported that the person was a Harvest Table employee waiting for his shift.

were reprehensible and we do condemn them, action could not be taken at that time,” Kanan said.

Four senators — Eamonn Golden ’24, Erica Hwang ’25, James Brosgol ’25, and Tyler Hupart ’26 — ran for the executive senator position, which is internally elected by the senators. Each candidate had two minutes to make a statement, and the other senators were able to ask questions afterward. Senators voted anonymously on Slack, and Golden emerged as the winner.

Jack Napoleone ’24 presented an open letter at the meeting, which addressed to the University and contained a variety of demands. Napoleon asked the Union to consider signing the letter. Napoleone said he was representing “a number of progressive groups on campus,” and later clarified that this included the Brandeis Leftist Union, Graduate Student Union, Students for Justice in Palestine, Qeer and Trans People of Color Alliance, Intersectional Feminist Coalition, and the Nordic Skiing Team.

The letter included requests to support the dining workers union, limit student acceptance to housing capacity, create a Diversity. Equity, and Inclusion board, and disarmament of the Brandeis Police. Napoleone shared the document with the Union for their consideration.

Max Feigelson

Feb. 17—There was a report of a suspicious party walking around outside Kutz Hall yelling and appearing to be upset. Officers were sent to investigate, and the situation was cleared.

March 1—There was a report of a suspicious person in the Bernstein-Marcus Building. It was then determined to be a misunderstanding.

MISCELLANEOUS

Feb. 15—There was a report of graffiti on the Spingold Theater. A report was filed, and an investigation is to follow.

Feb. 16—There was a report of a stolen table from the Usdan Student Center. An investigation is to follow.

Feb. 16—There was a report of a suspicious odor in Ziv Quad. An officer was sent to investigate, and maintenance was notified.

Feb. 17—A Waltham resident reported some trees at the back of his property near North Quad had tag graffiti. The party requested extra checks, and the situation was cleared.

Feb. 17—The Department of Community Living received an email about a student’s roommate feeling depressed. The area coordinator on call spoke to the student and said that the situation appears to be in order.

Feb. 21—There was a report of stolen headphones at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. The report was cleared.

Feb. 24—An area coordinator on call at Massell Quad requested assistance for a complaint regarding the presence of marijuana.

Feb. 26—A Boston College student visiting their friend at the Ridgewood Quad reported fraudulent/unauthorized credit card use. An investigation is to follow.

March 3—There was a report of larceny by phone in Massell Quad. An investigation is to follow.

— Compiled by Dalya Koller

Simon Sinek discusses optimism in business

most viewed speech for the platform ever.

The Justice is the independent student newspaper of Brandeis University. The Justice is published every Tuesday of the academic year with the exception of examination and vacation periods.

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By SOREN BIRNBAUM JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Brandeis recently hosted a Zoom discussion on Feb. 28 with class of ’95 alumnus and bestselling author Simon Sinek, which was moderated by Prof. Philippe Wells (IBS). Throughout the discussion, Sinek shared his thoughts about the nature of business management, as well as his personal experience of starting his career and attending Brandeis. He expressed his strong belief in optimism and his sensitivity to the mental health struggles which entrepreneurs go through.

Sinek showed enthusiasm for the opportunity to speak at his alma mater and welcomed the ability to speak to recent graduates and undergraduates on business management and optimism in the workplace, a topic which he has written and talked about a number of times in the last decade on platforms like TEDx.

Sinek’s TEDx talk rose to be the third

The discussion opened with Wells explaining the process through which he recieved questions for Sinek and how the questions’ general themes revolved around entrepreneurship and business management.

One of the first questions submitted was about what Sinek meant when he spoke about “focused optimism” in business and how to manage expectations when building a brand or enterprise. Sinek spoke on how there would always be a need for balance between realism and optimism, and he was quick to draw a distinction between optimism and blind positivity.

“Optimism is the undying belief that the future is bright, but it’s not a denial of the current state. Optimism is not blind, nor naive. It is not blind toxic positivity:

‘Everything is fine!’” He made the point that oftentimes it is this “toxic positivity” mindset which leads to distrust in the workplace, where employees cannot trust the attitudes of those in charge of them since they are forcing people to be positive all the time, alienating leaders from their workers. The next question asked what steps stu-

dents should take in order to build trust between their team members of a group project that accounts for a large percentage of their grade. Sinek started off by asserting that “just because you’re assigned in the same groups, it doesn’t mean you’re a team yet. A team is a group of people who trust each other.” The question Sinek then asked was, “Are you in service of your team, or in service of yourself?” He shared an anecdote, where he had split up students in his class between three groups: high performers, mid performers, and low performers. While the high performers did well they were held back from getting the highest scores due to their unwillingness to communicate with others in their group. Mid performers were almost always the highest scorers when it came to group projects, as they were cognizant of their own shortcomings and relied on the others in their group more.

The conversation then turned to Sinek’s time at Brandeis. He talked about how he majored in cultural anthropology as an undergraduate, and discussed the lessons he had learned while working for the Student Union. During his term on the Allocati-

AUTHOR TALK

January Board of Trustees meeting report

In a Feb. 27 email to the Brandeis community, University President Ron Liebowitz sent a report of the January Board of Trustees meeting, which took place virtually on Jan. 30 and 31.

Liebowitz wrote that he updated the Board on various topics during the meeting’s plenary session. These updates included plans for the University’s 75th Anniversary, which will take place from Oct. 13-15, and the University’s plans for a new format at Commencement this year, which includes separate ceremonies for undergraduate and graduate students. This new format, Liebowitz explained, will allow all students to be able to walk across the stage at Commencement. Liebowitz also updated the Board on the University’s mid-year orientation, which welcomed 129 new students to campus.

Karen Desmond (MUS) was promoted to the rank of professor with tenure in the Music department, Avital Rodal (BIOL) was promoted to the rank of professor with tenure in the Biology department, Gowri Vijayakumar (SOC) was promoted to the rank of associate professor with tenure in the Sociology department, and Derron Wallace (SOC, ED) was promoted to the rank of associate professor with tenure in the Sociology department and the Education program.

The Board also approved memorial resolutions for several Brandeis community members: fellow Judith Paull Aronson ’55 H’21, fellow Gerald S. Fineberg, fellow Laurel E. Friedman, and trustee emeritus and fellow Paul E. Levenson H’52, P’78, P’82, H’87.

Additionally, Liebowitz shared highlights from various Board Committees. The Academy Committee approved a proposal to discontinue the Master’s in Teaching and BA/MAT programs in the Brandeis Education Program. This change, according to the email, is based on the Education Program’s “new focus on undergraduate education, and the prioritization of the liberal-arts-oriented components of its curriculum.” The Academy Committee also looked at a review of the University’s Ph.D. programs, which showed that “doctoral students who complete their program from Brandeis have similar or better outcomes when compared to our peer institutions,” according to the report.

The Vice President of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee LeManuel “Lee” Bitsóí updated the Board on new initiatives and new staff, including three student interns. One new initiative is a DEI strategic plan which will incorporate the Black Action Plan and anti-racism plans, and the interns have been working on developing a DEI peer education program.

From the Institutional Advancement Committee, Interim Senior Vice President Hannah Peters and Associate Vice President of Development Stephen Rodriguez reviewed fiscal year 2023 fundraising progress as well as projections for the remainder of the year. Additionally, the Committee reviewed plans for the upcoming 75th anniversary weekend.

The Risk Management and Audit Committee discussed the impact of increased fundraising on the University’s finances, as well as education plans for phishing scam emails for the entire Brandeis community.

The Student Life Committee discussed two campus surveys that were conducted in the fall, an American College Health Association Survey, and a survey called the Higher Education Data Sharing Survey, which focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion on campus. Liebowitz wrote that the University plans to analyze and share Brandeis’ data from these surveys in the future.

Andrea Dine chosen as vice pesident of student affairs

In a Feb. 28 email, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Carol A. Fierke announced that Andrea Dine will become the University’s new vice president of student affairs.

Fierke included Dine’s history at Brandeis over the past 15 years, including executive director of the Hiatt Career Center and various roles in the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs for more than six years, where she served most recently as the division’s interim vice president of Student Affairs.

Before working at Brandeis, Dine held positions at Macalester College, the University of Minnesota, the University of Cincinnati, and Wesleyan University, working in career services, residential

life, student orientation, women’s centers, student activities, and the registrar’s office.

Fierke wrote that Dine is “deeply dedicated to Brandeis’ values of academic excellence and social justice,” and elaborated that she is “passionate about furthering the University’s strategic vision for diversity, equity, and inclusion, to which she was a key contributor.” Fierke also included that Dine was an “integral member of the University’s COVID-19 management team,” and added that most recently, Dine and the rest of her team spent “countless hours in the wake of the shuttle accident connecting students to family members and friends, while providing critical resources for grieving community members.”

Fierke also elaborated on Dine’s plans as vice president of student affairs, writing that Dine is “wholeheartedly committed to the division’s mission: to provide programs, services, and resources that contribute to the overall educational mission, build community, provide support, and create an inclusive, vibrant Brandeis experience for our graduate and undergraduate students.”

Fierke asked that the Brandeis community join her in offering Dine congratulations on her decision to take on this new role at Brandeis.

Disability Inclusion and Equity Month

In a March 1 email, Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion LeManuel Lee Bitsóí and Mel Ptacek, Communications Coordinator for the Lurie Institute for Disability Policy formally inaugurated Disability Inclusion and Equity Month at Brandeis.

The email noted a few events taking place over the month, including Phantom Limbs: Frida Kahlo, disability and art being held virtually on March 8, Neurodiversity Celebration Week taking place from March 13 to 17, and Advocacy & Action at the Intersection of Disability & Reproductive Justice, a conversation with Carrie Buck Distinguished Fellows Laurie Bertram Roberts and Rebecca Cokley, on March 29. The email suggested looking at the full campus calendar to hear about more upcoming events.

The email clarified that one in four adults is considered disabled, and more than 20% of Brandeis’ undergraduate population identify as disabled/having a disability, in addition to many graduate students, staff members, and faculty. The email explained that Disability Inclusion and Equity Month can aid the Brandeis community in working to ensure “full access and inclusion for all members of our community” and to “move us toward genuine and sustained action against the exclusion, marginalization, and invisibilization of disabled people.”

The email elaborated on the various struggles that disabled people face regarding employment, fair wages and benefits, access to higher education, and gaining workplace accommodations, as well as the “denial of rights in social, civic, and cultural life; rights to accessible and high-quality medical care; rights of autonomy and choice in sexuality, reproduction, and parenting; and rights to access the legal system.” The email mentioned that March 1 marks the Disability Day of Mourning, a time for members of the community to gather and remember the many people with disabilities murdered, as people with disabilities are often subjected to assault and murder at disproportionately high rates.

The email also emphasized that disability is “necessarily intersectional” with other modes of social disadvantage such as race, class, and gender, acknowledging that the disability rights movement was shaped by the civil rights movement. The email also highlighted that it is necessary for disabled people themselves to “form, participate in, and lead the actions and organizations for disability rights and justice, so it is necessary to ensure that the diverse membership of the community is active and involved in all that affects the community, whether this be organizational leadership, policymaking, research, or other efforts, in order that goals of social, economic, and racial justice are achieved.”

Antisemitism plans

In a March 2 email, University President Ron Liebowitz elaborated on a plan Brandeis has in the works to combat antisemitism, in collaboration with Kraft Group’s Foundation to Combat Antisemitism.

Liebowitz cited the Anti-Defamation League in saying that antisemitism reached an all-time high in the United States during 2021, and that solely in higher education, antisemitic events were up 21% from the previous year. The collaborative effort is a “comprehensive, multi-pronged strategy to equip students, higher ed leaders, and Jewish communal professionals with knowledge, resources, and tools to engage diverse communities in the critical work to address this rise in antisemitism and hate.”

Liebowitz explained that the plan is structured around three areas of action: a student fellowship program alongside the Samuels Center for Community Partnerships and Civic Transformation; a plan to equip leaders in higher education with knowledge and support in order to adequately address antisemitism on campus; and a low-residence master’s degree and graduate certificate program in antisemitism training, which will take place at Brandeis’ Hornstein Jewish Professional Leadership Program.

The email also said that FCAS will provide fellowships and post-graduate opportunities for Brandeis students and alumni, and that more information for each aspect of the program could be found in an article on BrandeisNow.

Women’s History Month

In a March 1 email, ChaeRan Y. Freeze, chair of the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies department, and LeManuel “Lee” Bitsóí, vice president of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, elaborated on the University’s plans for Women’s History Month.

Events include the 2023 Tillie K. Lubin Symposium titled Decolonizing Genders and Sexualities on March 29, an artist talk titled In Iran’s Streets and on the World Stage: Two Artists Talk About Women, State, and Politics on March 29, and a conversation with women’s rights attorney and activist Julie F. Kay on March 8 titled Conversations on Equity and Justice - Reproductive Freedom: Legal Rights, Political Context, and Opportunities for Action. More information can be found on the Women’s History Month webpage.

The email elaborated on the history of Women’s History Month, whose origins trace back to 1982, when Congress and the president proclaimed Women’s History Week beginning on March 7, and ultimately the designation of March 1987 as Women’s History Month. The email also elaborated the history of the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies department at Brandeis, which began to take form as a single course in 1975 but developed into a full department in 2020.

The email also noted Brandeis’ “long and storied feminist history and legacy,” elaborating that the University is “proud of the notable genealogy of canonical Black feminist thinkers who were students and faculty (including current professors) at the University: Pauli Murray, Angela Davis, Julieanne Richardson, Hortense Spillers, Patricia Hill Collins, Karen E. Fields, M Jacqui Alexander, Anita Hill, Aliyyah Abdur-Rahman, Jasmine Johnson and Faith Smith, among others.” The email highlighted current Black feminist scholar Prof. Shoniqua Roach (AAAS, WGS), who is “a pioneering academic and public intellectual in the fields of Black feminist theory, Black queer studies, and Black popular and quotidian performances studies.” The email also mentioned other prominent Brandeis alumni, such as literary critic Elaine Showalter, sociologist and psychoanalyst Nancy Chodorow, physicist Evelyn Fox Keller, historian Joan Wallach Scott, Ms. Magazine editor Letty Cottin Pogrebin, and many more.

Additionally, the email announced that the Women’s Studies Research Center and the Department of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies jointly applied for and received a Mellon Sawyers Seminar Grant for Imperiled Bodies: Slavery, Colonialism, Citizenship and the Logics of Gender-based Violence, and explained that the seminar, which will be led by Profs. Hill, Freeze, and Harleen Singh will host a number of panels and events in the 2023-24 academic year.

BUSINESS TALK : Simon Sinek ’95 reflects on his time at Brandeis, shares advice on integrity and mental ‘fitness’

CONTINUED FROM 2

ons Board, he wrote several research papers on the different leadership styles which were exhibited by the members of student government and used these for research projects while working toward his major. He also complimented Brandeis for its low teacher-student ratio, saying that the one of the most valuable things he had learned while attending this University was how to intelligently disagree with his professors, something which wouldn’t be possible at other larger universities.

The next question came from a student who had been wondering about his business and how to balance decisions made in the short-term versus his vision for the future of his company. Sinek immediately replied that these considerations “include things like integrity and compliance with values. If you need a short term infusion of something, like from a shoddy investor, then do it. Just don’t be under any illusions that this is the future.” He expanded further, urging entrepreneurs to make sure that they research to figure out whether an investor would be open-minded to their goals. Pressure from investors is unavoidable if you take the mon-

ey, but some might choose to punish you if you decline a client because they disagree with your end goal. He clarified that you might have to look past what some firms present themselves as and instead look at their history of action by talking to previous companies which they had chosen to invest in.

This led into the next section, which mainly dealt with maintaining healthy mental well-being while building your business.

Sinek reaffirmed his position as an ardent supporter of meditation as a way to build internal discipline and focus, stating how “meditation is not about clearing your mind, it is about learning how to focus on one thing. When you have the ability to focus on one thing, like focusing on someone talking to you, they will feel that and they will respond more positively.” Sinek went on to clarify how he differentiated the idea of mental “health” from what he calls mental “fitness.” Considering that there is no perfect ideal of health, he explained, all that we can do is work to form a more fit connection with our emotions.

He covered a few questions about what he has been working on recently. These mostly concerned his charity project, The Curve,

a project primarily dedicated to assisting police departments around the country with training, which is often far behind other innovations in healthcare and technology. The Curve’s primary goal is to help train better leaders in law enforcement so that all people can feel that justice is administered with dignity, equity and fairness.

The last question focused on how to impact the owner or leader of a company when they have shown time and time again not to change their worldview. Sinek’s response to this was simple: you cannot. You cannot force someone to share your worldview and act the way you would, he asserted. The question you should ask instead, according to Sinek: How do I become the leader that I wish I had? Leadership is the responsibility to help those around you rise, and you should take up the responsibility of leadership for those around you and build the workplace that you would like to see.

As the time for the discussion came to an end, Sinek thanked Wells for moderating and the Brandeis community for having him back to speak.

Compiled by Dalya Koller

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SU : Union senator resigns after video surfaces

CONTINUED FROM 1

ent at the protest was featured in this video. The post went on to state, “We call on the University administration and Student Union to investigate and hold accountable the individual of whom there is video evidence praising Nakba.” This was the first public mention of the video by any group that is either officially or unofficially affiliated with Brandeis.

The following day, Feb. 14, SJP released an Instagram post titled “Student Union Represents All of Us.” The post explained how the Student Union senator had been filmed chanting “Nakba.” Unlike the BLU statement, the post included the video of the senator. In the version of the video released by SJP a black bar is covering the face of the senator. The post states “[Brandeis] Student Union was aware of these hateful actions, but they have done nothing. Their silence on this matter speaks volumes.”

As the video of the Student Union senator became more heavily discussed and led to calls on Student Union to take action, Student Union President Peyton Gillespie ’25, Vice President Nicholas Kanan ’23, Secretary Carol Kornworcel ’26, and Chief Justice Noah Risley ’24 made a joint decision to ask the Senator to resign. When initially asked, the Senator refused.

Six days later on Feb. 20, Brandeis Student Union released a statement via Instagram titled

“In light of recent events.” The post explains that its goal was to provide more context to the situation after students called on Student Union to take action against the senator. “There was some back and forth over the next few days before we released our statement in an effort to respond to student concern and be transparent,” Gillespie said in a March 6 email to the Justice.

In the days following the Student Union statement, there were posts on Instagram and Sidechat criticizing the Student Union’s inability to remove the senator as well as some praising the Student Union for condemning the senator.

Five days after the Student Union’s initial post, their Instagram shared a flyer regarding an info session for upcoming Special Elections. Listed under “positions available” was the Senator’s position. During the info session, it was announced that the Senator had resigned. “I personally feel that it is never appropriate to use hateful language at any time or in any context. The student in question has made clear to senior members of the Student Union that they did not understand the meaning of the word at the time of the video and are working to educate themselves on this language,” Gillespie said.

The senator declined to comment.

— Editor’s note: Production Assistant Noah Risley ’24 is the chief justice of the Student Union. They did not contribute to or edit this article.

COLLEGE BOARD : Connections to AAAS major at Brandeis

CONTINUED FROM 1

should be available in an AP African American Studies course.”

The Afro and African American Studies department at Brandeis was established as a part of the Ford Hall Occupation of 1969, as one of the ten demands listed by the Brandeis Afro-American Organization. The first demand on the list was “an African Studies department with the power to hire and fire.”

In 2015, students on the Brandeis campus orchestrated a very similar sit-in. Their demands centered on a need for diversity, including increased funding for Black student organizations and programs on campus, as well as an “increase in the number of tenure tracks across all Brandeis faculty across ALL departments and schools” as stated

STAFFING : Vacancies in positions disrupt campus

CONTINUED FROM 1 were concerned when their course did not have an instructor’s name listed next to it on Workday.

Meanwhile, according to the University registrar site, a graduate student is leading an in-person lecture of 40 students for COSI 10A, “Introduction to Problem Solving in Python,” while a different professor leads a virtual section of 62 students.

A course requirement for anyone looking to major in Computer Science, COSI 10A typically hosts around 200 students. Last semester, 185 students were enrolled in the only section of the class, which was taught in-person. Because of limited spots this semester, seniors were given priority so that they can take the course before graduation. First years and sophomores who need to take the class to qualify for more advanced courses next semester have expressed dissatisfaction with being waitlisted or placed in the virtual class rather than the in-person lecture.

According to Papaemmanouil, this instance is not out of the ordinary. “Having graduate students teach some of our courses has been a long-standing practice across all disciplines,” she wrote. “There have been no significant changes in faculty but we did add new sections once the semester started to address waitlists in very popular courses.”

The next significant instance that drew students’ attention to potential staffing shortages occurred on the weekend of Jan. 20 when a poster signed by the Brandeis Library Administration was taped to the

front door of the Goldfarb Library. The flyer announced that the library would close at 8 p.m. on Friday and Saturday rather than the typical 10 p.m. “due to staffing issues.”

Matthew Sheehy, a Brandeis librarian, said that there is no “staff shortage” at the library, but the department manager and a second employee left for different opportunities. “We were able to offer an internal promotion but that still leaves two open positions,” Sheehy wrote in a Feb. 7 email to the Justice. Brandeis Library Administration is working to fill both positions as soon as possible so that the library can begin to close at 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays again.

Although the pandemic enabled people to leave their jobs en masse as they reevaluated their work and priorities, the high demand for workers has also allowed people to find new opportunities. In fact, labor force participation has recently surged, which suggests that people are not permanently leaving the workforce. While current economic conditions continue to cause employment shifts, universities such as Brandeis will likely continue to face staff fluctuations.

“Our staff are an integral and valued component of Brandeis,” wrote Switzer. “We are committed to attracting and retaining staff in support of the University’s mission, our students, the community and each other.”

— Editor’s note: Editor Jane Flautt ’23 is employed by the Brandeis Library. She did not contribute to or edit this article.

in the Ford Hall 2015 list of demands. Brandeis is gradually working toward a more diverse community, and this can be seen in some of the classes taught at Brandeis, such as “African Women’s and Gender Studies” (AAAS). These courses mirror elements of the AP African American Studies framework that were removed.

Prof. Yacob-Hilaso (AAAS) explained in a March 5 interview with the Justice that, “There really is a hunger among young people and college students in the United States to learn more about the history of African Americans in this country and to entertain critical perspectives that challenge what they already know. I think the political opposition to some elements of the new AP African American Studies course does not adequately take this fact into account.”

features

I tend to think that emotions are for ugly people.

ON THIS DAY…

In 2009, the Kepler space telescope, designed to discover other Earth-like planets, was launched.

FUN FACT

Allodoxaphobia is the fear of other people’s opinions.

Amid controversy, Waltham’s Rhino Lounge continues to thrive

The Rhino Lounge, located at 11 Cooper St., has been a staple to the Waltham nightlife scene since its opening in 2015. A multi-floor venue with a stocked bar, a dance floor, and faux-leather booths, the lounge also operates as a private event space, something members of Brandeis sorority Sigma Delta Tau laud as being “accommodating … you can tell they just want their patrons to have a good time in a safe environment.” The sorority has hosted events yearly at the space since 2016.

On a blustery, early-February evening, we visited the Rhino Lounge for the food, drinks, and energy we had heard so much about. We were greeted by a line dancing club: older women in matching outfits holding their once-monthly practice, moving in sync to upbeat tunes as other patrons watched over food and drinks. A young couple sipped drinks at the other end of the bar. The bartender, Harold, was up and about, talking to the women of the line-dancing group, those in the kitchen, and us. Harold told us he’d only been working at Rhino Lounge for five months but enjoyed it and said that he was very accustomed to Brandeis students and their events.

Upon request, Harold introduced us to the Rhino Lounge’s owner, James Serumaga. Serumaga recommended we try their in-house beef stew and agreed to a sit-down interview with the Justice later that week. In a Feb. 14 conversation, Serumaga said that he was deeply familiar with Brandeis students as patrons, particularly those involved in Greek life: “They come every year. They were looking for space to have a party, and we have

By CAYENN LANDAU, NOAH RISLEY AND ARIELLA WEISS JUSTICE EDITORS AND PRODUCTION ASSISTANT

why Rhino Lounge is starting to be more community based ... it gives you the energy to work the next day.”

Rhino Lounge in the spotlight

While providing a space for joy, dance, hot meals, and relaxation for those in Waltham, Serumaga acknowledged a rough last November — one that left the lounge, and himself, feeling unappreciated by the city government for the work they do as a community fixture. That month, an incident report filed by Waltham police directly involving the lounge culminated in a highly-controversial Nov. 16 meeting with the Waltham Board of License Commissioners. Clips from the video were cut from WCAC’s full-access community network taping of the meeting, and posted by user “macabeeI95” on Reddit’s r/Waltham on Nov. 21.

“Waltham to Rhino Lounge: ‘You people have been disrespectful since you got here,’” the caption of the Reddit post reads, referencing a line from Commissioner Kevin Ritcey toward Serumaga and AfroVoices co-president Robert Kayanja. The post lambasts the commissioners for their behavior, and calls them out for how they “talked down to the owner and manager or talked to them in the third person throughout the meeting.”

In the full tape, Serumaga and Kayanja sit next to each other before the Waltham Board of License Commissioners. This board, appointed by the Mayor of Waltham Jeannette McCarthy, is tasked with “[maintaining] the highest possible standards in regards to the sale and service of food and/or alcoholic beverages.” McCarthy has been mayor since 2004, and the Chairman of the Board Wayne Brasco has served in that position since 2000. The meeting followed a “request for attendance” by the commissioners for discussion of an incident that occurred involving an alleged gunshot outside of the Rhino Lounge — a gunshot that Serumaga, and others present at the scene, say never happened.

October incident report

On Oct. 23, 2022, at approximately 1:24 a.m., a 911 call was placed to the Waltham Police about a suspected gunshot outside of the Rhino Lounge. The report, written by Waltham Police Patrolman Daniel Aucoin, who was accompanied by six other officers, was read aloud at the Nov. 16 commission meeting.

to his hand. This appears to be the source of where the blood trail came from.”

“There was no gunshot,” said Serumaga, who was inside the lounge at the time of the incident. “One of my staff was outside, who said nothing like that had happened. But, there was some kind of confrontation outside. And then, they said somebody called the police… and the person [the caller] said there was a gunshot. But nobody heard a gunshot.” He further explained: “One of the guys [involved in the confrontation], as they were going out, hit the window … that’s where the blood came from.”

Corroborating Serumaga’s point, per the incident report, no gunshot was determined by the Waltham police to have taken place at or near the lounge that night. However, in the Nov. 16 meeting, the Commission members appeared insistent that it did. “It’s always a big story, and the story never comes together,” Brasco said. Furthermore, despite the report’s hypothesis that the blood trail was a result of the man who cut his hand or wrist, the commissioners also seemed convinced that it may have been a result of the gunshot. “I’m scared to death,” Brasco said. “Don’t try and convince me that there wasn’t a gunshot here last year…I don’t believe it.” Brasco was referring to an incident that occurred in May of 2021, when an outside group pulled up at an event taking place outside the Rhino Lounge and fired shots into the air. Serumaga clarified to the Justice that he had never denied that this had happened. “It was a panic,” he said of the 2021 incident. “We had a group lie to us. The group invited people from all over, around Boston … some people didn’t like these guys, they had rivals. So they wanted to cause havoc, and when they came, they brought a gun, and started shooting in the air. Since then … we’re strict. We ask, where are you from? What kind of group are you bringing? We are you from? What kind of group are you bringing? We process everyone who comes in. It was a very unfortunate incident.”

the space. That’s how we started, they’ve been going every year. We’ve never said no.”

In a March 6 follow-up interview, Serumaga, who is Ugandan, explained that he is the co-president of Afro Voices, the Rhino Lounge’s parent company. With extensive leadership experience in the business sector, as well as within the church and local Ugandan community, the creation of a restaurant was a natural step towards a goal of furthering community and community engagement within the greater Waltham area.

Along with original Afro Voices founder Robert Kayanja, Serumaga said that he found joy not solely in managing the restaurant, but working directly within it. Making good food, Serumaga said, was an integral part of this process. “People come to me, and when you host them you make food for them. Lots of stews and rice, fish stews, and Afro food. We serve it from Thursday to Sunday. I’m in the back in the kitchen making it. And that’s

According to the report, a resident in a nearby apartment building heard yelling coming from outside the lounge, and then “heard a loud bang coming from the back parking lot, which she described as a gunshot.”

When asked if she had seen anyone with a firearm, she stated that she “could not see much, but just heard the noise.”

Aucoin said a “large pool of fresh blood” was present outside the front of the lounge, approximately five to seven feet from the door, along with broken glass. The blood trailed away from the lounge and up Cooper Street. Aucoin then talked to a bartender who explained that the blood was from a customer who smashed his hand through a pane of glass inside the lobby of the lounge. The bartender also stated that she had noticed the customer had a cut on his hand or wrist, and that his friends were wrapping it with bandages.

Aucoin concluded that it “appeared that a male was escorted out of the bar and in the process suffered a cut

Courtesy of JAMES SERUMAGA/the Justice OWNER: James Serumaga is the owner of Rhino Lounge.

After a heated meeting with the Waltham Board of Licensing in November, the Rhino Lounge moves on as a beloved community space.

NOAH RISLEY/the Justice BROKEN GLASS: The glass in the lobby of the lounge, suspected to be the cause of the blood.

Photo courtesy of JAMES SERUMAGA COMMUNITY: Rhino Lounge is a staple in the Waltham nightlife scene.

Serumaga emphasized to the Justice that he had met with the Commission about the 2021 incident and discussed it in depth. However, Brasco spoke as if the issue hadn’t been resolved at a prior meeting. “I don’t know where you come from, James,” he continued. “I don’t know if gunshots are … okay. Not in this community. That will not happen.”

Legal contention & allegations of racism

Another point of contention at the meeting was the fact that a Rhino Lounge employee declined to give her name to the police. After telling Aucoin that she had seen someone experiencing car trouble and that she was a lounge employee, she told Aucoin that she “did not feel comfortable giving … her information,” and then walked away.

“What, is she funny?” Brasco asked Serumaga, rhetorically, at the Commission meeting. “‘I don’t feel comfortable giving you my name?’ I don’t feel comfortable with you having a license. How’s that sound?”

The Justice verified with a Boston-based lawyer that while “an entity that holds the [liquor] license is obligated to cooperate and assist with police” in the case of investigations or reports, an individual employee “doesn’t have to do anything.” However, the entity —in this case the Rhino Lounge — can be held legally responsible for a “failure to cooperate.” Because of this, Serumaga said he let the employee go, as well as the security detail that was present that night. Per the Commission’s order, he also installed security cameras outside, which he said are helpful, because their footage is indisputable.

“Maybe she [the employee] took it personally ... they [the commissioners] were mad about that,” Serumaga told the Justice. “She didn’t know then, but I had to train [my employees] … if anything, you have to answer the police.”

“Listen, you people have been disrespectful since you got here,” Ritcey said in response to Serumaga’s explanation of the employee’s actions.

Serumaga said that he felt hurt and disrespected by the comments. “It was uncalled for: calling us ‘you people,’ ‘you bring guns here,’” he said. “We don’t bring guns here. We bring people to have events here, and take care of them ... They should have investigated that before they [called] us to say those things to us.”

The University of Minnesota includes the phrase “you people” on a list of well-known microaggressions.

“While there have been these reports of gunshots at

the lounge, and that should be addressed, I’m ashamed to have city officials that act like that, especially when it’s an all-white board talking to two Black men. That video is not a good look for Waltham,” one person commented on the Reddit thread.

Brasco also threatened the Rhino Lounge management saying, “We’ll cripple you, financially,” if another incident was brought to their attention. At Serumaga, he said: “One more incident, and you’ll wish you never met me, I’ll tell you that ... I don’t trust you, Jimmy. I don’t trust you.”

By the time Rhino Lounge security escorted the party out of the lounge, the police had already been called by the resident. But Brasco was upset that Serumaga hadn’t called the police personally. “If you call the police, even if it’s a false alarm, you’re a good guy. You can always come to the police,” he said.

Ultimately, the Commission cut the lounge’s hours from 1 a.m to 11 p.m due to the alleged gunshot. “That was like a punishment to us. Like ‘OK, right now, we cut your hours to 11 p.m because we didn’t call the police. But there was no issue to call the police,” Serumaga said.

Serumaga also said that this was the first time they had encountered hostility from the Commission. “I was surprised, the way they behaved that day,” he said, and mentioned that his relationship with the Commission had previously been positive.

Darlene Wansiewicz, an administrative assistant for the Waltham Board of License Commissioners declined to provide comment or interview for this article on behalf of the entire Commission.

Backlash against the Commission

In the thread about the incident on the r/Waltham subreddit, community members honed in on the language used by the commissioners. One went so far as to call the Commission members “racist pieces of shit” and asked how they “even have positions like this.”

“What a bunch of entitled townie tough guy wannabe goons on this board. This clip is exactly what it looks like and I’m embarrassed as a resident,” one commenter wrote.

Serumaga said that after the tape of the Commission began to circulate online, the lounge and the mayor’s office received a large number of calls from people supporting the lounge and expressing concern with the way Serumaga and Kayanja were treated by the Commission.

Two days later, Commissioner Brasco showed up at the

lounge to lift the restrictions placed on the lounge at the council meeting. “He visited us, and we had a good talkabout how the business is. He called the other members, said he’s seen what it is, and said we should lift the restrictions.”

Although Serumaga said that Brasco didn’t apologize on behalf of the Commission’s behavior, he did say that he appreciated the Commissioner’s choice to come into the lounge. “Someone comes to your business and talks to you, that’s an understanding, it’s respect,” he said. He also relayed that he felt hopeful about creating a more positive relationship with the licensing Commission in the future. “Right now we do what we are supposed to do, and whenever there’s anything, I call them, I call the detective.”

Moving forward as a community space

Brasco said that he was “scared to death” by the alleged event of the gunshot, but those in the community don’t seem to share his feelings. Sara Shapiro, Vice President of Finance and of Academic Development for Sigma Delta Tau, said in a March 5 email correspondence with the Justice that she has “never been made to feel unsafe at the Rhino Lounge.” Shapiro said that SDT has hosted their semi-formal “Crush” there for several years, and has attended three of them. She said the events have “always gone well.” Shapiro also said there are always bouncers and fire marshalls present: “I know that if anything did go wrong or I did feel unsafe, there are people that I could go to for help.”

Alongside Brandeis events, Serumaga also said that the lounge was looking forward to a stacked rest of the year: holding birthday parties, wedding-related festivities, live bands, baby showers and an “oldies night” — the latter of which he said he personally loved for the number of familiar faces he expected to be present.

The Justice also asked Shapiro about her interactions with Serumaga. “He knows we always enjoy hosting our events there,” she said. Furthermore, after unforeseen issues with a sorority event involving lounge staff calling in sick and a limited menu, Serumaga gave the sorority a discount for this semester. “It’s a party. They enjoy it and we enjoy it too, and they are safe here,” he said. “Some are coming back in March.”

To this point, Serumaga emphasized that returning patrons were part of what made the lounge so special. “It’s great having people you know … you’re a part of the family,” he said of the lounge’s patrons.

Design: Hedy Yang and Eliza Bier/the Justice

Photo courtesy of JAMES SERUMAGA PARTYGOERS: Patrons talk, mingle, and enjoy the lounge.

Photo courtesy of JAMES SERUMAGA

LIVE MUSIC: Local artists often perform at the Rhino Lounge.

Jen Crystal, Editor in Chief

Jane Flautt, Managing Editor

Cameron Cushing and Sofia Gonzalez, Senior Editors

Lauryn Williams, Deputy Editor

Juliana Giacone, Samantha Goldman, Megan Liao, Natalie Kahn, Jack Yuanwei Cheng, and Ariella Weiss, Associate Editors

Dalya Koller, Leah Breakstone, News Editors

Cayenn Landau, Features Editor

Tibria Brown, Forum Editor

Aiden Guthro, Sports Editor

Smiley Huynh, Owen Chan, Photography Editors

Julia Hardy, Isabel Roseth, Copy Editor

Anna Martin, Layout Editor

Maddy Dulong, Ads Editor

Zachary Goldstein, Eden Osiason, Online Editors

EDITORIALS

The Student Union is intended to be a supportive organization to better students’ experiences while at Brandeis by representing and advocating for the interests and needs of the student body, and they provide a variety of programs and services that enhance the student experience. However, recent protests on campus have highlighted important shortcomings surrounding the Union’s response to student activism on campus. Even if protests are met with controversy and criticism, it is crucial that we continue to support student protestors and their right to express their opinions.

It is unfortunate that the Union’s response to the protest was unsupportive in some cases. There have been numerous protests on campus throughout this school year. Student protestors reported feeling unsafe on campus and some were even subjected to police intervention. This kind of response by University employees is unacceptable and goes against the principles of free speech and peaceful protest.

The Union recently responded to a protest led by Brandeis Students for Justice in Palestine and the Brandeis Leftist Union in a Feb. 13 email, calling for unity on campus while inviting the student body to share their views on the situation. The Union held a “short silent gathering” for community members on Feb. 14, where students were told to “not bring additional signs or flags of any kind” beyond the ones brought by the Union. This board criticizes

the hypocrisy of the Union’s assertion that they “strongly believe in and support every student’s right to free expression,” while simultaneously organizing an event that explicitly circumvents freedom of expression.

Over the past few weeks, a senator of the Student Union has been under heavy criticism for a comment that they made in high school. Some students have been calling for this senator to resign and for the union to take action to address the issue. It took the Union months to release a response to the issue, and the comment section of the Instagram post containing the statement was turned off. Why won’t the Student Union allow students to comment on the post? Also, the Student Union stated that they had been aware of the video since December; why did it take so long for the Union to publicly acknowledge the Senator’s behavior and to take action?

It is only fair that the Student Union should provide a space for students to speak their minds. In future cases such as this, this board hopes that the Union will create a more open dialogue with students instead of merely turning off comments on social media and leaving it at that. The silence toward the issue does not fix the problem. We urge the Student Union to listen to the voices of students more and take actions accordingly.

It is only through open communication and active engagement that we can move forward as a community.

Brandeis University as an institution is constantly encouraging students to think beyond their comfort zone and to speak their mind. The University is supposed to be a safe and comfortable space for students to share their experiences and thoughts on things they are passionate about. However, these alleged values held by the University are in direct opposition to its actions against student protesters.

During this semester alone, student protestors have faced hostility, such as those participating in the recent protest organized by Brandeis Students for Justice in Palestine in response to the killings of Palestinians by Israeli forces earlier this year.

This hostility not only comes from student counter-protestors’ insulting behavior toward the student protesters, such as laughing while speakers described family and friends being killed and discussed racism and police brutality, but also the biased response from the University’s administration following the protest and its negligence regarding protesters safety. This occurred in spite of the fact that after the protest students recieved negative attention that could have put their safety at risk.

This board is also concerned by the lack of response from the University regarding videos of protestors being sent to outside social media accounts with large followings. We understand that a number of Jewish students were made uncomfortable by the language used by the pro-Palestinian protestors. However, these accounts (@ stopantisemetism and @challahbackgirls) which frequently post pro-Israel content have tens of thousands of followers. Videos of students being posted on the Zionist accounts placed them at risk of online harassment or even direct harm from those outside of the Brandeis community. In fact, some comments under the videos used threatening language toward the student protestors.

This is not something that should be taken lightly and should not be allowed to become the standard when students choose to exercise their right to protest on campus.

We are disappointed that the administration did not make any public statement about videos being sent to these accounts as part of their response to the protest.

This is not an isolated incident. During the fall of 2022, a Harvest Table manager called the police on student protestors during a peaceful student-led rally as they attempted to deliver him a petition demanding fair treatment of Brandeis dining staff. It is concerning that contractors hired by the University responded with such hostility to a student protest, escalating a nonviolent situation and putting students,

BIPOC students in particular, in danger by attempting to get the police involved. Following the SJP protest, President Ron Liebowitz claimed that “the safety of our students is always our highest priority.” This must extend to student protestors, and Brandeis must ensure that any companies or individuals hired to work on this campus are aware of students’ right to protest and trained to respond in a way that does not escalate the situation and put students at risk.

Liebowitz’s response to the protest also contained instances of biased and misleading framing. He claimed that protestors “included members of nonBrandeis groups known to be antisemitic,” which makes it seem as if the protest was organized and attended by outsiders rather than Brandeis students.

However, the Justice learned that only two people present at the SJP protest were not Brandeis students and that neither of these individuals were affiliated with any specific group. We are also aware that at least one non-student affiliated with a Zionist organization was present at the pro-Israel counter protest. This individual works for the Israeli American Council of New England and, according to a student who was part of the counter protest, was involved in organizing it.

This organization also reposted a video of the student protestors on social media. We criticize that Liebowitz did not take more care to ensure his statement included accurate information about the SJP protest, and we criticize his choice to frame the protest as driven by outside groups, especially since he did not mention the presence of an outside organization at the counter protest.

The International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life’s mission is “to develop effective responses to conflict and injustice by offering innovative approaches to coexistence” on campus. In light of the University’s response to student protestors, it is also concerning to see the imminent termination of this organization

The University claims to care about social justice and educating the student population on differing political views. However, the hostility toward student protests and the termination of the ethics center directly contradicts this.

The University has a history of responding negatively to student protests, as seen in its initial responses to the Ford Hall occupation in 1969 and the #StillConcernedStudents protest in 2015, and we are disappointed to see that our institution continues to publicly criticize student protests and show little concern for the safety of student protestors.

Asking for a friend

If you are interested in submitting advice for the upcoming column, follow our Instagram: @thejusticenewspaper.

What are some tips and tricks students can use to be successful during midterms season? Q: A:

It’s always important to breathe; really take a moment at the start and end of the day to just take some deep breaths. Remind yourself that you’ve been through busy test seasons before and they have yet to overtake you. Consider jotting down one or two things at the end of the day that gave you life that day and let them anchor you in knowing that all will be well.

— Karl LaClair, Chaplain & Coordinator | Center for Spiritual Life

I would recommend that students take advantage of our free Headspace subscriptions!

As you head into midterms, do your best to practice self-compassion and maintain a growth mindset. Sleep is another incredibly helpful tool to prioritize during stressful times. Headspace, a scientificallybacked meditation app, is now free for Brandeis students. It has a library of stress management courses, meditations, and sleepcasts to help you keep balance.

— Leah Berkenwald, Director | Health Promotion & Wellness Initiatives

We need the Student Union to better support all students

To the Editors,

I’d like to take a moment to address some of the concerns raised in the recent Justice editorial about the implementation of academic accommodations and of extensions on assignments in particular.

I also want to share that, on a personal and professional level, it was disheartening to read that some students feel that Student Accessibility Support is not committed to accommodating students. I hope to communicate how earnestly and deeply committed we are to that mission.

As a person with an invisible disability myself, I am committed to access and I want to understand student feedback in order to improve our practices and students’ experiences on campus. When an accommodation is not being implemented appropriately, we hope students will tell us right away so we can help ensure their access.

In reference to the statement that SAS “instructed department heads that if they give an entire class an extension on assignments, students with accommodations should not expect any further extensions and would need to make a case as to why they should receive one,” no such communication was sent to department

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

heads. What students may be noticing is that some courses are implementing the possibility of extensions for all students, not just those with extensions as an accommodation, and students may be feeling like extensions as accommodations should automatically go beyond those that are made available to other students.

Building in the possibility of brief extensions for everyone is a feature of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) geared toward helping all students have some additional flexibility. This raises access for everyone, without negatively impacting students who already had extensions as an accommodation. UDL supports students who have disabilities but may not have connected to SAS yet. It also supports students who have to work to fund their education, students with family caretaking responsibilities, and students facing unexpected emergencies or hardships. This does not negate extensions as an accommodation, it just extends their benefit to others who need them but don’t have a formalized way of getting them. In classes where some extensions are already allowed for everyone, that often satisfies the implementation requirement and the intent of the extension accommodation, which is to give students flexibility when symptoms/impacts of a

disability interfere with their readiness to meet a deadline in a way that can’t be planned for in advance. However, in cases when medical emergencies, symptom flares, and other impacts necessitate additional accommodations, SAS is here to help navigate those conversations with instructors. Additional extensions are granted in many cases and not in others depending on the assignment and circumstances, but students do not need to be alone in opening that dialogue.

SAS also offers executive functioning and assignment planning support to help students minimize the need for extensions when ongoing disability symptoms/ impacts consistently make deadlines a challenge, not just in the case of emergencies. Students can set up regular meetings with their accessibility specialists by contacting them directly or emailing access@brandeis.edu and can also set up assignment support meetings with the SAS Fellows by using their booking calendar.

I want to encourage all students, including the editorial board, to please communicate to SAS if we can ever be helpful with making sure accommodations are implemented in classes. There are times when some accommodations will work in some classes but would fundamentally

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear President Liebowitz and Provost Fierke,

As members of the International Advisory Board of the Brandeis Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life (the Ethics Center), we are sending this open letter to reiterate our strong opposition to your decision to terminate the Ethics Center and redirect its endowment to establish a new initiative: the Center for Community Partnerships and Civic Transformation (COMPACT).

In our meetings and communications with you over the past year we have endorsed your commitment to connect the Brandeis academic community to extensive networks for positive social change through civic engagement. As we have pointed out, however, this is exactly what the Ethics Center does — and has done for the past quarter-century. We therefore strongly oppose your decision to close the Center at the end of this academic year.

The Ethics Center was founded in 1998 with a major gift from Abraham Feinberg. The first chair of the Ethics Center’s International Advisory Board was Ted Sorenson, a brilliant international lawyer, public servant and statesman. Since its founding the mission of the Ethics Center has been “to develop effective responses to conflict and injustice by offering innovative approaches to coexistence, strengthening the work of international courts, and encouraging ethical practice in civic and professional life.”

The Ethics Center is a major Brandeis platform for infusing real-life social justice concerns into the University’s academic offerings. The Center has gained an on-campus and a national and international reputation for preparing undergraduate students to foster and implement informed, ethical, and bipartisan policy work at the state legislative level; enriching the international justice system through engagements and publications that speak to the importance and complexity of justice institutions and the work they perform; and envisioning and employing the power of arts and culture to transform and resolve conflicts through its program on peacebuilding and the arts. The Ethics Center is an incubator for important campus initiatives, including the MA Program in Conflict Resolution and Coexistence, now at the Heller School; ’DEIS Impact Festival of Social Justice, now in the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; undergraduate student fellowships, initiated at the Ethics Center as Sorensen Fellows, now informing fellowships offered through the Hiatt Career Center; CAST, the

Interdisciplinary Minor in Creativity, the Arts and Social Transformation, now to be located in the office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences; the Richman Fellowship and Gittler Prize, hosted by the Ethics Center on behalf of the President; and A New Public Education, a three-year grant-funded project to imagine reinventing public education.

Over the past year, in order to perform its official advisory role for the Ethics Center and the University, the International Advisory Board has sought, with limited effect, information from the President and Provost about the rationale, planning and funding for COMPACT, and the impact of the new initiative on the legacy, programs, and staff of the Ethics Center. We have repeatedly expressed our opposition to abandoning or endangering well-established Ethics Center programs without a clear and compelling understanding of how those actions will impact the University and its stakeholders. As the June 2023 date set by the administration for the Ethics Center’s termination draws closer, it has become clear that the administration is determined to move forward with COMPACT, repurposing the Ethics Center’s funding to support the new initiative, regardless of the risks and likely consequences for Brandeis.

In light of the Ethics Center’s imminent closure, its staff is retiring or being reassigned. Aside from its program involved with state legislatures, it is uncertain whether or how the Ethics Center’s work will continue. The program on peacebuilding and the arts is insufficiently funded, and the Center’s previous focus on international justice will cease completely. At a time when democratic institutions and practices are in jeopardy, international human rights are under severe assault, and episodes of deadly conflict are proliferating, it is unwise and untimely to dismantle the mechanisms by which Brandeis has worked for a quarter-century to prepare its faculty and students to address these issues.

In a December 2022 meeting with the Provost the Advisory Board inquired about how the history, intellectual capital, and voluminous publications and work products of the Ethics Center will be preserved and made accessible to Brandeis students and faculty and to our local and global community partners. The administration has yet to develop a comprehensive plan for preserving this invaluable legacy for students, researchers, professional partners, and policy makers who have come to see the Ethics Center as an important model of and contributor to University engagement in public life. Center staff have been directed to

alter other classes and may need to be adjusted for a specific course. When this occurs, neither SAS nor faculty can simply disregard the accommodation. Instead, we need to work together to make sure students have equitable access to class and can still meet the required learning outcomes. We aren’t able to help with what we aren’t aware of, so as soon as someone has a question or concern about their accommodations, we encourage them to reach out to us. They are always welcome to contact a staff member they already know directly, contact our general email at access@brandeis.edu, reach out to Director Cara Streit at CaraStreit@ brandeis.edu, or call the front desk at 781736-3470. We also encourage students who want to anonymously report an accessibility issue to use the reporting form on our website so the issue can be addressed. Above all, I want to clearly communicate how important student access is to us at SAS and to me, personally, and I am always happy to engage in dialogue about the support our office offers.

Very best,

Cara Streit | Director of Student Accessibility Support

box up records for storage in the library, apparently with no plan or sufficient resources for cataloging and, as necessary, digitizing this important University resource.

If the administration is intent on sunsetting the Ethics Center, it should make concrete commitments to ensure that the Center’s work and legacy will continue within COMPACT. These commitments should include at least:

• Sustainable funding for peacebuilding and the arts;

• An annual event, commissioned research, and/or publications focused on international justice; and

Sufficient funding to make all aspects of the Ethics Center legacy, including videos, documents and publications, readily available and accessible online.

We now believe that our only recourse as members of the International Advisory Board is to make public this letter to inform others who value and have benefitted from the work of the Ethics Center about the Center’s impending closure.

We hope that the Brandeis community will be moved to ask and demand answers to questions about how the imminent dismantling of the Ethics Center and its work will serve the interest that we all share — that Brandeis contribute meaningfully to the support of peace, justice, and democracy in its local, national, and global communities.

Sincerely,

John

Shattuck | Chair, International Advisory Board, Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life

Jules Bernstein | Member, International Advisory Board

Germaine Ingram | Member, International Advisory Board

Jay R. Kaufman | Member, International Advisory Board

Jamie Metzl | Member, International Advisory Board

Angela Maria Perez Mejia | Member, International Advisory Board

Elaine Reuben | Member, International Advisory Board

BASEBALL: Tejada starts season strong

Tune

fans a taste of what is to come, and the team will hope to continue this early success later into the season.

PRIDE: Jankto creates new environment by speaking his truth

CONTINUED FROM 12

73% believe it is not safe for people to come out in youth sports, and this is especially prevalent on the male side. Critics often say they want to separate sports from politics. In 2018, following LeBron James’ and Kevin Durant’s criticisms of former U.S. president Donald Trump, Fox News anchor Laura Ingraham remarked “Shut up and Dribble” — using subtly racist, demeaning terminology and basically telling them to stay in their lane. Since 2016, ex-NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been the target of extreme scrutiny and hate ever since his decision to begin kneeling during the pregame national anthem. Kapernick reminded the public that it was a protest against the oppression of people of color in the United States, but many people saw it as “anti-American” and disrespectful to the flag and its troops. He chose what was more important to him — sacrificing his once very successful career for what he believed to be a greater cause. People try to separate sports and politics, but in reality the two have been intertwined since sports culture began. This isn’t about politics, it’s about fundamental human rights. This same rhetoric was used for the controversy of track and field star Jesse Owens competing at the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany, the exclusion of baseball phenom Jackie Robinson from the Major League Baseball in 1947, the outrage toward sprinters John Carlos and

Tommie Smith in their Black power protest in the 1968 Olympics, and the backlash against tennis legend Billie Jean King in her fight for gender and LGBTQIA+ equality in the 1970s.

Jankto’s announcement is not about himself, his image, or soccer as a game. It is about something greater: He has broken a major barrier by fighting for equality in an industry that may not accept him for it. He is willing to risk his personal and athletic reputation, as well as his very successful career in order to be his true self.

The 27-year-old is currently on loan at Czech side Sparta Prague, from Spanish La Liga side Getafe. He gained much of his success in Italy, notching 22 goals and 24 assists in six seasons between the Serie A and Serie B divisions. He was a key figure in Czech Republic’s surprising run to the quarterfinals of the Euro 2020 tournament, and he has five goals in 45 international caps to his name.

This is a moment that could ease tensions and create a more accepting culture in soccer, as well as a moment that could inspire many young male athletes to come out themselves. Many critics may argue that this should not be a topic of discussion because it doesn’t affect the performance on the field. However, given its stakes and its history in the realm of soccer and men’s sports in general, this could be a groundbreaking moment of progression.

SENIORS: Men’s and Women’s basketball bid farewell to seniors

CONTINUED FROM 12

UAA All-Academics honors as well.

Emma Reavis ’23 (Miami, Okla.), the third co-captain, was central to the Judges’ offense since coming to campus. Her ability to push the ball with pace, drive, and ambition often forced the opposing defenses to collapse on her, resulting in strong finishes or open shots for other teammates coming from a Reavis signature kick-out pass. Reavis started all 74 games in her threeyear Brandeis career, often taking a lead-by-example approach. Reavis had many near triple-doubles and consistently found ways to fill the stat sheet. In addition, she totaled 264 career assists, seventh in Judges history. In the last two seasons, Reavis received honorable mention for All-UAA.

Shannon Smally M.A. ’23 (Foxborough, Mass.), a master’s student of the International Business School, persisted throughout her Brandeis career despite battles with injuries. Her presence in the paint provided the Judges with some well-needed size, especially with absences of freshmen bigs due to injuries during this season. Smally also had the capability to shoot from long distances, being a 5-foot-11-inch forward/center, giving coach Simon more versatility in the Judges offense. Since these four seniors were all starters for the Judges, their graduation symbolizes a dramatic

change in the upcoming season for the team. Brandeis fans can look to sophomore star Caitlin Gresko ’25 who is also an All-UAA honorable mention selection this season to play an even bigger role and lead the young squad with nine rising-sophomore talents next winter.

Men: Terrell Brown, Darret Justice, and Dylan Lien Terrell Brown ’23 (Lowell, Mass.), the senior captain of the team, played his heart out every minute on the court. Transferring to Brandeis after playing as a walk-on for a Division I basketball program, he was known for his lockdown defense and drawing charges against whoever he matched up against. Brown was a vocal leader as he often gathered his teammates for discussions whenever possible. He also had a thirst for rebounds and loose balls and was always ready to sacrifice his body for extra possessions. Off the court, Brown is an African and African American Studies major with a minor in legal studies.

Darret Justice ’23 (Haymarket, Va.) was an impactful player beyond the stat sheet. His exceptional wingspan at his height, accompanied with his athleticism, made him a nightmare on the defensive end. Justice might not have been known for his shooting ability, but this did not make him any easier to guard as he often bodied his matchup with his size and strength.

His drive-and-kick action usually drew attentive help-defense and opened up for fluent ball movements and open shots for the team. Justice is a Sociology major.

Dylan Lien ’23 (Northborough, Mass.) was a shooter with skill sets to create his own shots. Lien shot a stellar 37.8 percentage from the downtown in his three seasons with the Judges and made 290 threepointers — passing his former teammate Chandler Jones ’22 by two and ranking 15th in school history. He was also a qualified ball-handler and helped share some pressure off his point guard counterparts. Lien made some of the biggest buckets in the close games that I attended. His ability to not only catch-and-release but also pull up from distance after dribbles posed serious problems for opposing defenses. Off the hardwood, Lien is a Business and Sociology double major.

Young stars had already entered the spotlight for Judges men’s basketball this season. Sophomore Toby Harris, averaging 19.2 points and 6.2 rebounds, was selected to the AllUAA first team. Ethan Edwards ’26 was huge off the bench as he provided almost 15 points per game before an injury ended his 2022-23 season. With other talents such as Waltham native Ryan Power ’24 and Quron Zene ’26, the future looks bright for the Judges Men’s Basketball program.

SHUTOUT: Brandeis Baseball started off their season with a strong performance against Wheaton College, winning 5-0.

FINAL RIDE: As the Brandeis basketball season comes to a close, the senior class played their final games in the blue and white.

Photo courtesy of SPORTSPIX.COM

Photo courtesy of

TRACK AND FIELD: Brandeis hosts indoor championships

■ Brandeis hosted and competed in the University Athletic Association indoor championships from Feb. 25-26 at Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. — Editor’s Note: Justice editor Smiley Huynh ’24 is a member of the track and field team and did not contribute to this story.

By AIDEN GUTHRO JUSTICE EDITOR

UP AND OVER: Dion Morris-Evans ’23 gets in the groove during the 60 meter hurdles.

GOOD HEAVE: Cam Peirce ’25 gives his full effort during his attempt.

ON THE MOVE: Alya Campbell ’24 floats on air during her 200 meter race. Campbell came in seventh for the 60 meter hurdles.

FLYING: Lin Lin Hutchinson ’25 takes flight competing in the triple jump.

ON A MISSION: Hannah Bohbot-Dridi ’25 locks in as she competes in the distance medley relay. The distance medley relay team placed seventh with a time of 12:44.79.

SPEED DEMON: Devin Hiltunen ’23 finds her stride as she approaches the straightaway.

Photos courtesy of BRANDEIS ATHLETICS

Sports just

Jankto makes game-changing announcement

■ Czech international player Jakub Jankto took to social media to let his followers and soccer fans from around the world know he is gay.

By JOSH GANS JUSTICE WRITER

“I am homosexual, and I no longer want to hide myself.” On Monday, Feb. 13, Jakub Jankto, a Czech soccer star for top European club Sparta Prague, proudly and bravely announced his homosexuality in a video he posted to his social media accounts. Jankto has become the first player in European men’s soccer history to make this step.

Though this may seem irrelevant to the soccer pitch, this is an incredibly significant moment in the world of soccer. Soccer is the most popular sport worldwide — this includes many developed and underdeveloped nations with different backgrounds.

In America, the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights is ongoing and far from where it needs to be, but in many areas around the globe the fight has not even begun. Homosexuality is illegal in 68 countries around the world, many of which prioritize soccer as their number one sport.

Many global soccer organizations

are starting to raise awareness, such as the Premier League with its Rainbow Laces campaign. However, these attempts are often met with extreme pushback from fans who believe this is intrusive and unnecessary for an organization to interject such beliefs. Some people go as far as to make homophobic comments or slurs. There was intense controversy from soccer’s highest governing body, the Federation Internationale de Football Association, at the 2022 World Cup. Ethics questions had already surrounded their decision to choose Qatar as the host country for the World Cup, but these were furthered when they chose to side with Qatar’s homophobic policies. Many fans supported this as well, stating that fans and players should “respect [Qatar’s] culture.”

Former National Football League player Ryan O’Callaghan speculated there is at least one gay or bisexual player on every professional football team and there is no reason to believe soccer is any different. So why have so few players come out as gay to this point? A survey of people in the European Union, United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand — nations that are much further ahead of most of the world in their fight for equality — found that an overwhelming majority of people, regardless of their sexuality, have experienced homophobia in sports.

Celebrating the careers of Judges Basketball seniors

■ Congratulations to the seniors on their successful Brandeis careers!

By JACKSON WU JUSTICE WRITER

As the 2022-23 basketball season comes to a close, seniors on both men’s and women’s Brandeis Judges basketball teams have played their final college basketball games. To pay tribute to these players and show gratitude to their contributions, this article will go through their amazing Brandeis careers with some of my personal insights.

Women: Francesca Marchese, Tathiana Pierre, Emma Reavis, and Shannon Smally Francesca Marchese ’23 (Staten Island, N.Y.) is one of the three captains, and is an outstanding shooter for the Judges. Her distinctive shooting form allowed her to be a fantastic catch-and-release

TRACK AND FIELD COMPETE AT UAA CHAMPIONSHIPS

Brandeis Track and Field competed in the indoor UAA Championships which were held at Gosman on Feb. 25, pg. 11.

starts season with commanding

style shooter. Easily one of the best perimeter powerhouses in school history, Marchese concluded her three seasons at Brandeis — the 202021 season was canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic — with 131 three-pointers made. This places her fourth in all-time career three-point field goals made in Judges history. Her ability to space the floor and sink clutch baskets made her a goto option for after-timeout plays for Head Coach Carol Simons. Outside of the gym, she is also a Business and Psychology double major with two University Athletic Association AllAcademics honor selections.

Tathiana Pierre ’23 (Jericho, N.Y.), a co-captain with Marchese, was the definition of hustle. She did a little bit of everything on the court, from making open threes and crashing the boards to finishing at the basket through contact. Her outstanding performance in this season’s Brandeis Invitational helped the Judges survive against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and placed her on the All-Tournament Team. Like Marchese, Pierre is a Business and Psychology double major and has two

■ After the weather delays, the Judges baseball team came out strong to hold Wheaton College scoreless for the first game of the new campaign.

By AKI YAMAGUCHI JUSTICE WRITER

The Brandeis Judges Baseball team opened the 2023 season with a game on March 5 hosted at the New England Baseball Complex in Northborough against Wheaton College. Pitchers Christian Tejada ’23 and Marc Maestri M.A. ’23 worked together to hold the Lyons to four hits and scoreless this past Sunday. Pitching was the main difference for the game’s scoreline.

Tejada opened the first five innings recording no runs and five strikes throughout his appearance. Tejada has dealt with injuries throughout his Brandeis career, but the team is happy to have him back in the rotation. At the bottom of the

fifth inning, Wheaton had its best opportunity to get ahead with bases loaded and only one out. However, the Judges’ defense held strong with third baseman Brian King ’23 and catcher Justin Keeler ’25 knocking out a 5-2-3 double play to finish out the inning. After Tejada’s third batter in the sixth inning, he was retired for Maestri who finished out the inning and kept the Wheaton scoreless. Tejada held the opposing offense down to three hits, five strikeouts, and four walks.

At the bottom of the 6th inning, designated hitter Alex Kim ’26 got a single off the Wheaton pitcher. After feeling the pressure, the Lyons decided to switch out their pitcher to face right fielder Steven Simon ’23, the only batter with a hit at the time. Down 0-2, Simon was able to hit a line drive down the middle to bring in Sam Nugent ’23, for an RBI. The scoring continued into the 7th inning when Keeler walked up to the plate with two Judges on base. Keeler waited until he found his pitch and sent the ball over the fence. Scoring his first career home run, Keeler gave the Judges a 4-0 lead with this three-run bomb. Between last season and this year, Keeler has gone three

hits for seven career at-bats. Fans should be on the lookout for Keeler, a potentially major player if he can keep his bat hot.

Kim was able to get his first RBI at the end of the inning, extending the lead to 5-0. The Judges would secure the game from there, staying strong despite the Lyons having runners on base in both the 8th and 9th inning. Maestri secured the win with only one hit, three strikeouts, and no runs in the last innings. This victory marks the Judges’ first win over the Lyons since 2007 and their first shutout over them. Even though it is early in the season, the team should be proud of this well-fought result. The Judges will travel to Endicott College to face off against the Gulls at 3:30 p.m. on March 7. Stay tuned as the Brandeis Baseball season gets underway. With a mixture of veterans and first-year players, this campaign is set to be an exciting one. The team has a good amount of upperclassman experience at the pitching position. A few graduate students and a large number of seniors makes up a majority of the pitching depth. This past weekend, Tejada and Maestri gave Judges’

LOUD AND PROUD: Jakub Jankto currently plays for top European club Sparta Prague, playing

Photo: Ceci Chen/the Justice. Design: Smiley Huynh/the Justice.

Waltham, Mass.

Comprehending your Humanities professors: Gatekeep like a pro

By MEGAN LIAO ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Five weeks into the semester, and your humanities professor still does not remember your name. If you have been constantly missing LATE deadlines, here are some more terms you should know to earn yourself some brownie points in discussions. The following list cannot fully explain these words your professor throws at you constantly, but it should be sufficient for you to blankly en -

Kafka was a Czech Jewish novelist born in Austro-Hungary. His works, inspired by his lifelong daddy issues, are characterized by the overwhelming overflow of anxiety, absurdity, and alienation experienced by individuals. Most people know his book “Metamorphosis,” where a hardworking man who dedicates his entire life to support his family wakes up and finds himself turned into a gigantic insect; eventually, his family starves him to death. Alienation, check. Anxiety, check. Absurdity, check. With these attributes, you can safely continue to conclude that this piece of work is “Kafkaesque.”

But here’s the catch — professors don’t talk about the insect story. They ask if you have read “The Trial” instead. If you want to stand out from your illiterate classmates, all you need to say is “like a dog,” even if you’re not sure what that means.

Decontextualization

or event. For instance, it would be decontextualizing to assert that Michael Jackson was a pedophile without acknowledging the unjust court proceedings he was put under. The way I like to use this word in a discussion is to point — yes, with my index finger — at the previous speaker and utter with slight frustration in my tone, “That’s decontextualization!” Don’t bother saying anything else afterwards, because you would have aroused a collective rage in the classroom that will lash out at the poor peer you just accused.

Structuralism

on one foot and puts all the weight on the other. In order to create this shift in weight, the sculptor needs to take into account how the entire body would therefore respond when weight is rested on one foot: The hips would shift, the torso could twist, feet pointed at the right directions, and the abs need to face sideways. Shortly, it’s just a fancy way of saying he’s tired from standing straight.

Sprezzatura

gage in the conversation.

Kafka

The fan favorite — requested by readers from philosophy courses to French literature seminars — of professors to bring up that is commonly abused in TikTok videos, Franz

AWARDS

There seems to be a misunderstanding about how the word “decontextualization” should be employed. I have heard this term misused frequently, and many do not seem to realize that it is indeed a very severe criticism, in a literary discussion at least. Literally, “decontextualization” denotes the act of picking out a phrase from a long discourse by someone and interpreting it with prejudice, neglecting the complete context. In a more general sense, “decontextualization” can also be employed to describe any presumptive judgment based on one single object or action, failing to recognize the complete situation

This 20th century philosophy asserts that everything human, activities, creations, thoughts, and consciousness, are all artificial. By analyzing the elementary human thoughts and subjective sensations, one can deduct critically the structure of conscious experience. This is not to be confused with “structural problem,” meaning that the issue is complicated by its deep roots in a rigid social structure. Contrapposto

In art history 101, “contrapposto” is probably taught on the first day of class. In any other humanities classes, your professor would simply show you an image of the statue of David and ask you what you’ve observed. Aside from the abs, the unproportionately gigantic hand, and umm, phallus, your peers may say “his stance.” To outshine them, you must, therefore, nod with excitement and say, “He’s in contrapposto.”

Contrapposto is the particular stance where the subject rests

You know that straight A person in your class who tells you before every exam that he didn’t study? Yeah, he’s probably pulling off a “sprezzatura” unsuccessfully. The literal translation today of the Italian word is “nonchalant,” but it is certainly much more than that. Originally suggested in Castiglione’s “Book of Courtier,” it is a fancy way of saying someone is trying to look cool without appearing like they tried, the classic “I woke up looking this way.” Think Timothee Chalamet in “Call Me by Your Name.” Noli Me Tangere

“Don’t touch me.” — Jesus Christ.

Carpe Diem

The famous Don-Juan phrase by Petrarch everyone knows by heart, “Seize the day.” Petrarch was an Italian Renaissance Poet who was most famous for his sonnets dedicated to a woman whom he calls “Laura.” Each sonnet follows pretty much the same trope: The Speaker, whom we presume to be Petrarch, professes his undying love for Laura, and she ghosts him. Don’t try to ref-

erence Pertrarchan sonnets in your Valentine’s Day Card, you will jinx yourself.

Confirmation Bias Recommended by my jornalism and anthropology friends, this word is used to point fingers at the action of cherrypicking information that fit our existing beliefs. For instance, if you have a pre-existing bias that the Kosher side always serves better food than the nonKosher side of Sherman Dining Hall, you put greater importance on this characteristic of Kosher side food and would be less likely to give the non-Kosher side a chance. If you take one step back to avoid confirmation bias, you would realize that both sides can contribute equally to frequent food-poisoning.

2023 Oscars predictions

Best Picture: “Everything Everywhere All at Once”

Runner Up: “Top Gun: Maverick”

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” (EEAAO) is a sure bet for Best Picture. It picked up Best Film at the American Film Institute Awards and Critics Choice Awards, as well as Best Ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild Awards (an important precursor award that has predicted 7 of the last 10 Best Picture winners).

The Academy has nominated EEAAO for 11 Oscars, most notably in all of the coveted acting/writing categories. None of the other nominated films have gained the momentum that “Everything Everywhere All At Once” has in the last few months, nor have they demonstrated a serious campaign for the top award, signaling that the other studios predict a win for this unconventional film. I listed Tom Cruise’s “Top Gun Maverick” as the runner-up for this award, but EEAAO’s win is all but guaranteed by this point.

“Top Gun Maverick’s” cinematography and stunt work put it a shade over EEAAO personally, but EEEAO was also tremendously well-acted and entertaining. Ultimately, I would prefer a Best Picture win for Top Gun, but I thoroughly enjoyed both films and will be satisfied with either result.

Best Actor: Colin Farrell

Runner Up: Austin Butler

respective categories at the Golden Globes and both have mounted serious campaigns for the Best Actor award. There are a few reasons I placed Farrell ahead of Butler. First, I must admit I liked Farrell’s performance much more than Butler’s, so there is a bit of bias there. But I have some pseudoobjective reasons for his place above Butler. The Academy tends not to give the Best Actor award to young actors — the average age of Best Actor winners is 44. The youngest ever to win the award was Adrien Brody at 29. Butler would be 13 years younger than the average winner. In addition, Farrell has been up for the award thrice before, whereas Butler has never been nominated in this category. I also find Farrell’s acting displays a unique sincerity that few other actors manage to replicate. It’s that sincerity that makes him very popular in the acting community and could contribute to him winning the award. Despite Butler’s enchanting Elvis-voiced Golden Globes speech, I think he will lose out on the award — though I would not be surprised if he does win in the end. There also remains the chance that Brendan Fraser might win the award at the last moment, having picked up the coveted SAG award for Best Actor in a leading role.

Best Actress: Michelle Yeoh

By ETHAN GERSTMAN STAFF WRITER

This category is perhaps the most contentious. Colin Farrell and the runner-up Austin Butler both won the top award for their

Runner Up: Cate Blanchett In 2022, there were two standout female performances in the leading role category. They were Cate Blanchett as famed yet

fictional composer Lydia Tar and Michelle Yeoh as reality-warping laundromat owner Evelyn Wang. This award is hard to predict for a couple of important reasons.

First, both performances have garnered a serious number of accolades at other award shows.

Second, Blanchett is an Academy favorite, having won the award twice before in 2005 and 2013. However, due to the events of the last few weeks, I can comfortably place Yeoh in a position to win the award on March 12.

Winning the SAG award for Best Actress indicates an increase in momentum behind Yeoh. There is also a sense, which I agree with, that Yeoh has been underappreciated in Hollywood overall, and that the Oscars is a chance to rectify that wrong.

Best Director: The Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert)

Runner Up: Steven Spielberg

There is certainly potential for a shakeup in the Best Director race. Spielberg has won two Oscars in this category thus far. His first was for “Schindler’s List” in 1993, and his second was in 1998 for “Saving Private Ryan.” He has been a Hollywood mainstay since the early 1970s. On the other hand, his primary competition, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, are young directors both relatively new to the industry. So far, all the leading indicators for the Best Director award are pointing to a win for the directing duo. They won Best Director at the Directors Guild of America Awards, as well as producing awards at the Producers Guild of America

Awards. Spielberg, on the other hand, only won for directing at the Golden Globes, which, while important, is not necessarily a solid indicator of Oscar chances. The Academy is as much a black box as any awards organization, but Best Directing appears to be relatively settled at this point in awards season.

Best Original Screenplay: “The Banshees of Inisherin”

Runner Up: “Everything Everywhere

All at Once”

Martin McDonagh’s “Banshees of Inisherin” has the best shot to win in this category. Above anything, this film is a movie that relies heavily on its writing. There are no special effects, stunts, or dramatic action scenes in this film. The dialogue, and the acting, of course, make this movie effective. To date, it has won the British Academy Film Awards honor for Best Original Screenplay, as well as the Golden Globe. McDonagh is also an Oscar darling. His films have won in the past. Namely, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbings Missouri” picked up awards for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor in 2017. Yet, the looming presence of EEAAO finds its way into this category as well. There is a significant chance EEAAO manages to sweep the Oscars, winning Directing, Picture, Actress, Supporting Actor, and Screenplay. If other categories start to fall, so will this one. I predict, and hope, “The Banshees of Inisherin” will win, but an EEAAO win would not be unexpected.

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS

OSCARS: The 2023 Academy Awards will be presented on March 12.

Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS KAFKA: Czech Jewsish novelist Kafka authored “Metamorphosis” and several other books.

Photo courtesey of CREATIVE COMMONS CASTIGLIONE: “The Book of the Courtier” is one of the first texts to mention sprezzatura.

‘APAHM’ OPENING BRANDEIS ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENT ASSOCIATION

By MINA ROWLAND JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

The Brandeis Asian American Student Association celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month through dance and music performances in their opening showcase titled Breaking the Cycle. Guest artists HoJean, Julian, and the Hush Dance Crew were invited to the March 4 performance.

PERFORMANCE: A student performs a solo for the APAHM celebration.

DANCE: Students celebrate the end of their dance performance.

Design: Mina Rowland/the Justice

DANCE: Students perform a Kpop dance on stage in the Levin Ballroom.

ELIZA BIER/the Justice

ELIZA BIER/the Justice

ELIZA BIER/the Justice

ELIZA BIER/the Justice

BLOOM: Brandeis Bloom was among the many student clubs invited to perform.

CECI CHEN/the Justice

STAFF’S Top Ten

STUDENT ART SPOTLIGHT

SMILEY HUYNH/the Justice

By CECI CHEN JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

Top 10 ice cream flavors

I really, really love ice cream — it’s honestly one of my absolute favorite things. I’m always down to try new strange flavors and fall in love with them. And get this: I couldn’t even resist having some on the first day it snowed! Here are my top 10 favorite ice cream flavors!!

CROSSWORD

Brandeis Lingo

Solutions will be published in the next print issue on March 14.

Down

1. Term used to describe a certain type of Brandeis student

2. The supreme form of dorm-housing

3. 7817363333

5. Ron’s favorite time of the year

6. The feeling of disgust after consuming a specific dining hall’s food

8. The athletic way of saying “common folk”

4. That feeling when you come back to campus from your hometown and see the people at Brandeis

7. This room was temporarily closed down

9. Housing for undergraduates to make them feel old

10. The family who tried getting Brandeis renamed but instead renamed 70% of the buildings on campus

1. Cilantro pineapple sorbet

2. Cotton candy

3. Charles River Crunch (a special from Lizzy’s ice cream)

4. Lemon sorbet

5. Pistachio gelto

6. London fog gelato (Earl grey + milk + vanilla)

7. Strawberry sorbet

8. Matcha

9. Salted caramel 10. Oreo MEGAN LIAO/the Justice

Puzzle courtesy of CAROL S. KORNWORCEL