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Justice www.thejustice.org
The Independent Student Newspaper Volume LXXV, Number 7
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B r a n d e is U n i v e r sit y S i n c e 1 9 4 9
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Waltham, Mass. Waltham, Mass.
FACILITIES
BRIEF
Student Union announces special election results A special Student Union election took place on Wednesday, Oct. 26. The nine winners of the open seats were announced, save for the election for the East Quad Senator, which resulted in a tie. Allocations Board Aaron Klein ’26 secured the open seat on the Allocations Board, which is responsible for establishing the budgets for Chartered and Secured Clubs from the Student Activities Fund. Klein wrote in his bio that if elected, he would “like to work for greater university backing for student clubs and organizations on campus.” Undergraduate Curriculum Committee Mar Manolioudaki ’26 and Tasha Epstein ’25 won the two open seats on the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. Manolioudaki, an international student from Greece, said in her bio that she plans to advocate for the student body “when it comes to reviewing academic rules and regulations,” and hopes to make study abroad opportunities more accessible for students. Epstein, who cited previous advocacy and leadership experience in her candidate bio, aims to “make the voices of undergraduate students heard in developing and evaluating academic regulations and curricular activities.” CEEF Representative Ariel Schultz ’25 secured the position of a representative on the Community Emergency and Enhancement Fund. Schultz is from Brooklyn, New York but currently lives in Bergenfield, New Jersey and is interested in pursuing a double major in American Studies and Theater Arts. Senator at Large Lyla Chereau ’25, Chloe Doonan ’26, and Tako Mikhelashvili ’26 will fill the three open Senator at Large positions. Chereau served as the president of her high school’s student council and in the first year of the pandemic, founded the organization Impacts in Isolation “to unite student led initiatives around the globe through a time
of isolation and despair.” As a senator, she hopes to promote “mental health, sustainability, multiculturalism, and women in STEM” at the University. Doonan is from Ipswich, Massachusetts, where she worked on local campaigns. She plans to increase awareness of mental health on campus and advocate for more resources. In her candidate bio, she wrote that she will work hard “to ensure there is representation for every student by voicing each and everyone of your concerns.” Mikhelashvili is an international student from Tbilisi, Georgia. Before attending Brandeis, she served as one of six prefects at her school and helped found a School Culture Committee. As a senator, she hopes to increase outdoor studying spaces and help make the BranVan more reliable. Class of 2023 Senator Jesse Wu ’23 secured the position of senator for the class of 2023. Originally from China, Wu has lived in the United States for 10 years. She plans to advocate for both international and domestic students on campus, particularly concerning improving the quality of food at the dining halls and class schedules. Wu also hopes to “create more opportunities for students to build connections with Brandeis Alumni.”
OWEN CHAN/the Justice
MAINTENANCE: Brandeis custodial services maintain the cleanliness of 100 academic and residential buildings.
‘We try to do the best we can’: Facilities custodians faced with impossible workloads ■ A shortage of employees combined with unreceptive management has made life difficult for Facilities staff. By LEAH BREAKSTONE AND DALYA KOLLER JUSTICE EDITORS
Class of 2024 Senator Zev Carlyle ’24 won the open seat for the Class of 2024 senator. In his home state of Washington, Carlyle served as a Senate page and helped write a “policy agenda for a coalition of chambers of commerce.” As Senator, he hopes to increase student access to Boston museums, conferences, and other events; create an index of campus resources; provide portable charging units; and institute a bike share system on campus.
On a typical morning, the alarm clock blares at 3:30 a.m., and Brandeis Facilities employees begin to get ready for the day long before the sun even peeks over the horizon. Blearyeyed and exhausted, they pull their light blue “Brandeis Facilities” tshirts over their heads and begin
■ The Justice spoke to journalists Josh Prager and Margaret Talbot to preview their in-person event on Nov. 16 JUSTICE EDITORS
On June 24, 2022, the United States Supreme Court overturned the ruling of Roe v. Wade, revoking the constitutional right to abortion. In the days, weeks, and months following, abortion has been at the
The memoir of Sunny Hostin, "I Am These Truths," recounts the difficulties faced by a woman of color in pursuit of a career in journalism.
Brandeis says 0% of students are in Greek Life, yet ongoing issues and controversies around it are ever-present on campus.
By MINA ROWLAND
By JESSIE GABEL
FEATURES 9 For tips or info email editor@thejustice.org
forefront of newsrooms across the country. But long before this decision, journalists have been digging deeper into the history and significance of Roe and reproductive rights. Pulitzer Prize finalist Josh Prager and New Yorker staff writer Margaret Talbot are two of the journalists at the forefront of this work, dedicated to seeking out the story beyond the surface level in regard to the abortion debate. In an interview with Prager and Talbot on Friday, Nov. 4 via Zoom, they shared insights about their career paths, specifically in covering reproductive
Sunny Hostin
Examining Greek life
Photo courtesy of FLICKR
last few years, the University has not yet hired replacements. Instead, they have been divvying up the extra workload to the rest of the maintenance department. And with over 1,000 members of the class of 2026 alone, there are more people making use of the dorms and the public spaces on campus than ever before — and thus even more people to clean up after. The employees are exhausted and unsure of what to do next, leading a few members of the Facilities department to approach the Justice and plead for help. The Justice interviewed six employees from the
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Covering Roe: journalists take on timely topic By JULIANA GIACONE AND LEAH BREAKSTONE
— Isabel Roseth
their commute to campus, preparing for another day of physically and mentally draining work. Maintenance employees work from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. and are allowed one half-hour lunch break from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., as well as the option to take two 15-minute breaks throughout the day. This year, however, many facilities employees have been opting to keep working through their breaks, anxious that they won’t have enough time to finish their work by the end of the day. The workload feels different this year than in previous years because although there have been multiple employees who have left over the
MINA ROWLAND/the Justice
See ABORTION, 5 ☛
Student Union impeaches senator By MAX FEIGELSON
NEWS 2
Board critiques admin. on student safety By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
FORUM 10
Young roster, new coach for Brandeis Men's Basketball
ARTS AND CULTURE 18
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rights, and what to expect at their upcoming in-person event at the University, “Abortion: Past, Present & Future” on Nov. 16. Prager and Talbot first fell for journalism in college where they began writing for their school newspapers — Prager at Columbia’s Spectator, and Talbot at the University of California, Berkeley’s, The Daily Californian. Prager’s journalism journey began with a bus accident in Israel right before college that resulted in a spinal injury, leading to paralysis
By JACKSON WU
COPYRIGHT 2022 FREE AT BRANDEIS.
SPORTS 15
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022
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NEWS SENATE LOG Student Union impeaches senator, revokes CSSA’s probationary status Executive Sen. Nicholas Kanan ’23 presented articles of impeachment against Sen. Zachary Moskovits ’26 at the Nov. 6 Student Union Senate meeting. The articles accused Moskovits of violating four subsections of Article XI, Section 1 of the Student Union Bylaws, which relates to Union member code of conduct. In Kanan’s 10-minute opening argument, he presented a complaint that three students submitted to the Union regarding an interaction they had with Moskovits outside of Sherman Dining Hall on the night of Oct. 26. The complaint alleged that Moskovits, Steven Gaughan ’26, and four others approached the complainants as they left the dining hall. According to the witness statement the three students submitted, the group of six approached them and asked if they had already voted. When two of the students said they had not, Moskovits, according to the witness statement, said he would “walk [them] through the process of who to vote for.” The complainants said in their statement that Moskovits directed them away from the candidate bios and directly to the ballot itself, even entering a vote on one of the students’ phones. Kanan said that Moskovits failed to respect his fellow students and “acted antithetically to the mission of the Student Union as a whole.” He also said that Moskovits “coerced the complainants to vote in that moment under his supervision, and for the candidates that he wanted them to vote for.” Toward the end of his opening statement, Kanan said he expected Moskovits to use the perceived bias of the complainants as a defense against the charges. “To expect them to be unbiased or even kind while describing their victimhood is unrealistic,” Kanan said. Kanan also said that Moskovits and Gaughan had attempted to dismiss the accusations as hearsay because the person who typed the complaint was not present at the incident. However, Kanan said that the complaint was typed “at the request of the complainants, in their presence, and under their supervision.” Moskovits opened his statement by asking the senators to enter the trial with an open mind. He then said the complaint showed a “lack of regard for the facts on the ground.”
Moskovits continued that “the entire report relies on hearsay from an unrelated author who admits deep conflict of interest.” In the beginning of the witness statement, the writer indicated that he “does not like the members of the New Frontiers Party,” which Moskovits and Gaughan were involved in creating. Moskovits said that the writer of the complaint was probably “elated” to take away the chance for NFP members to serve on the Union. Moskovits said that the complainants misinterpreted his actions and that he and the others were trying only to start a conversation on the elections that were taking place. He also said that he interpreted the complainants’ lack of response as interest. In their complaint, the complainants said that they wished “they had the tact to say ‘fuck off.’” Moscovits referenced this phrasing throughout his argument, emphasizing that at no point did he feel that the complainants were seeking to exit the conversation. “I made sure to give them several avenues to leave the conversation altogether,” Moskovits said. “[I gave] them full power to say ‘fuck off.’” Gaughan offered testimony on behalf of Moskovits and said that he did not witness the senator being pushy or rude to the complainants and that the senator gave them ample opportunities to back out. Moskovits also presented written testimony from two individuals present at the incident who shared the perspective that Moskovits was innocent. He also brought in live testimony from his Community Advisor, Marcus Hoskins ’24, who spoke to Moskovits’ character. Both Kanan and Moskovits gave brief closing arguments summarizing the themes of the arguments they had presented for the past hour. The Senate then went into a brief executive session before reopening the meeting to vote. The Senate voted to impeach Moskovits, with only Sen. Tako Mikhelashvili ’26 voting against impeachment. Sen. Tyler Hupart and Sen. Zev Carlyle ’26 both abstained. The Union constitution requires that the Student Union Judiciary hold a trial be-
tween five and 10 academic days from the impeachment. After the trial, Chief Justice Noah Risley ’24 read the Senate a communication from the Judiciary regarding procedures that, according to Risley, the Senate collectively violated in giving probationary status to the Chinese Students and Scholars Association. The communication said that CSSA is in clear violation of the “duality of purpose” rule of the Student Union Bylaws. This rule prevents multiple clubs from fulfilling the same purpose. However, Risley said that Brandeis Chinese Cultural Connection and Global China Connection already occupy the same purpose that CSSA would. Risley added that the Judiciary learned that CSSA may “act as a front for the Chinese government to spy on international students” and that the Judiciary has “deemed these concerns credible.” In a later correspondence with the Justice, Risley clarified that they and Sen. Koby Gottlieb ’26 came to this conclusion after reading articles from ProPublica and the United States Department of State. Both reports say that the Chinese government created CSSA as an international student organization to monitor the behavior of Chinese students abroad and prevent the spread of dissent. Risley said that the Judiciary recommended that the Senate reconsider CSSA’s status. The Senate then voted unanimously by roll call to revoke CSSA’s probationary status. Sen. Sherry Tao ’25, chair of the club support committee, urged senators to separate their concerns about CSSA’s potential connection to the Chinese government from the students involved in the club. “Please do not hold anything against any international students at Brandeis,” Tao said.
— Max Feigelson
CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS ■ A photo in the Arts and Culture section incorrectly attributed the photographer as Nora Webster. It was corrected to Nora HerndonLazerwith. (Nov 1, page 15). The Justice welcomes submissions for errors that warrant correction or clarification. Send an email to editor@ thejustice.org.
Image courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
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THE JUSTICE
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022
3
YEAR OF CLIMATE ACTION
Brandeis hosts second Climate Action Dinner of the year ■ The Nov. 1 dinner featured discussions on environmental justice challenges specific to Massachusetts. By HEDY YANG
JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
The Climate Action Dinner Series, which is a part of Brandeis’ Year of Climate Action and is organized in collaboration with the Samuels Center for Community Partnerships and Civic Transformation, is a series of four dinners that aim to teach students how to advocate for effective climate policy. The first dinner was held on Oct. 13, with the second and most recent dinner taking place on Nov. 1, and two more to follow on Nov. 15 and Nov. 30. Climate Organizer-in-Residence Eben Bein, who leads the dinners, is the field and education manager for the Massachusetts’ branch of Our Climate, a national organization that “empowers young people to advocate for the science-based, equitable, and intersectional climate justice policies that build a thriving world.” Bein also serves as an administrator for the Massachusetts Youth Climate Coalition, which is a collection of 30 youthrun organizations across Massachusetts advocating for climate justice. Lana Taffel ’25, a Massachusetts fellow for Our Climate, also facilitated the dinner. The focus of this dinner was Massachusetts-specific environmental justice challenges and intersectionalities. Bein opened the discussion with an examination of a graphic titled the “Wheel of Power/Privilege.” This activity aimed to help attendees reflect upon their own identities and the various privileges — or lack thereof — they hold and to consider how these components relate to their experiences of the climate crisis. Created by Canadian educator and artist Sylvia Duckworth, the wheel depicts various identities people hold and the degree of privilege it grants them. The closer a “category” to the center of the wheel, the more power someone holds; those on the outskirts of the wheel are considered marginalized.
The bulk of the rest of the dinner focused on specific environmental justice initiatives in Massachusetts. Bein reflected upon the role of Bill S.9, “An Act Creating a Next-Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy,” which was signed Mar. ch 26, 2021, in catalyzing many of these efforts. The bill defines what an “environmental justice” community is, which Bein considers highly important in identifying the communities most vulnerable to and overburdened by the effects of climate change. According to the official website for the Commonwealth, EJ communities must fulfill one or more of the following criteria regarding socioeconomic status, language isolation, and demographic makeup: 1. The annual median household income is 65% or less of the statewide annual median household income; minorities make up 40% or more of the population. 2. 25% or more of households identify as speaking English less than “very well.” 3. Minorities make up 25% or more of the population, and the annual median household income of the municipality in which the neighborhood is located does not exceed 150% of the statewide annual median household income. The Mass.gov website also features various interactive maps highlighting the location and spread of EJ communities throughout Massachusetts. Most EJ communities are concentrated in eastern Massachusetts, in the greater Boston area. In particular, Bein discussed the EJ community of Chelsea, where for decades, community members have advocated for environmental justice and a higher quality of life through community groups like Chelsea GreenRoots. According to an article by WBUR, most communities in Chelsea are situated among environmental hazards like trash incinerators and fuel storage tanks. Chelsea is also home to the New England Produce Center, which sees high levels of trucks passing through on a daily basis that emit a variety of pollutants. Geography also further complicates the situation, as Chelsea’s location along the coast makes it susceptible to sea level rise that may damage these industrial facilities. Earlier this semester, on Sept. 28, Associate Executive Director of GreenRoots Maria Belen Powers, who oversees GreenRoots’ environmental and climate justice campaigns, joined the
Heller School for a presentation and panel discussion about environmental and climate justice. A common theme Bein stressed throughout the dinner was the importance of leveraging the experiences and privileges Brandeis students hold to make a difference. They specifically cited the importance of developing liaisons with community groups like GreenRoots to ensure that students advocate for policies that actually help these communities. Maintaining these community links also decentralizes the movement and taps into the idea of group power. Bein compared this idea to the fact that murmurations, or large flocks of starlings, only pay attention to the seven birds closest to them, but by doing so, they are able to create immense rippling patterns and synchronicity that nonetheless have a significant impact. Bein also touched briefly on other actionable items, such as Our Climate’s Lobby Days, as situations in which students can leverage their educational privilege to make a difference. Lobby Days, as Bein describes, are days in which students attend the beginning of legislative sessions and advocate for certain policies to “make the point that young people are here and care about an issue.” According to Bein, students’ educational backgrounds allow them to analyze arguments and talk a “kind of lingo that not everyone is able to talk.” Although higher education provides individuals with the skills and abilities to advocate for policy change, Bein also expressed his desire to see an expansion of civic education in schools. “What if every young person had the time, resources, and professional support to engage in this work that is so meaningful to their future?” they asked. “[Current] curricula are designed specifically to parse student power from the political machine … the resulting curriculum is playing into fossil fuels companies’ agendas. Institutions are too scared, and we sit in that inertia.” The dinner concluded with attendees breaking out into smaller groups to network and discuss potential future actionable items. The themes of the final two dinners include how educational institutions need to change to be part of the solution, as well as how Brandeis holds its legislators accountable. For those interested in advocating for climate justice and policy, these dinners provide a casual and uplifting environment to get started.
BOOK TALK
MIT prof. speaks about 1968 Chicago protests and their aftermath ■ Dr. Heather Hendershot visited
Brandeis to discuss her new book, which details the protests and how they affected the public’s view of the media. By BRENNA PEARLSTEIN
JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Dr. Heather Hendershot, author and professor of film and media at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, visited Brandeis on Thursday, Nov. 3 to introduce her new book, “When the News Broke: Chicago 1968 and the Polarizing of America.” “When the News Broke” details the protests at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago and its effect on future media consumption and will be published by the University of Chicago Press in December. Prof. Thomas Doherty (AMST) introduced Dr. Hendershot at the event, describing a bit of Hendershot’s background: she is a media historian and has published over four books on American news and television history. Hendershot received a B.A. from Yale University and an MA and Ph.D. from the University of Rochester. Hendershot asked her audience to imagine themselves as journalists, arriving in Chicago in August of 1968. To do so, one must first understand the political climate in America at the time. President Lyndon B. Johnson had just announced that he would not be running for reelection, making the goal of that year’s Democratic National Convention to nominate a presidential candidate for the Democratic Party. The Vietnam War was at its peak, with over half a million troops deployed. Despite varying politicians’ promises, the war’s end was nowhere in sight. Following the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. just four months prior, race riots were rampant throughout the country, with a disproportionate amount of
Black people being killed by police. A few weeks before, the Republican National Committee in Miami was met with hundreds of anti-Vietnam War protesters, inciting pushback and violence from the police. The organizers of the convention and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley prepared for an influx of 10,000 anti-war protesters throughout the four-day event. As a result, and keeping the events of Miami in mind, Daley made restrictions to shut down the protesters, in addition to the over 100,000 security people present. In May, Chicago electrical workers for the Illinois Bell Telephone went on strike and stayed on strike until September. A lack of electrical workers meant new telephone lines could not be installed for the DNC, which reporters relied on to produce live TV coverage of the Convention for their network. It was no coincidence, said Hendershot, that Daley had not negotiated with workers to end their strike, and journalists suspected it was a clear punch from Daley to censor coverage. On August 28, 1968, 10,000 protesters gathered on Michigan Avenue in downtown Chicago. The number of police present was almost ten times larger than the group of protesters. Police attacked demonstrators and left many of them bloody and injured. Credentials didn’t matter here; being a member of the press would not save you from attack. Hendershot displayed pictures of the protest that had gone viral: beaten protestors, angry police, and crowds of demonstrators outside the convention. Photographer Paul Sequeira captured a photo just as a police officer sprayed a can of mace pointed directly at the camera, blocking his face. “What’s particularly disturbing about this photo … is this smile on [the officer’s] face,” commented Hendershot. In another photograph, New York Times photographer Barton Silverman is seen struggling to hold on to his camera as five police officers arrest him. These pictures have circulated the country; the news coverage of the convention and the protests on Michigan
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Avenue were the most-watched programs on TV in 1968. The tipping point for viewers watching on TV, however, was a picture taken on the third day of protests, showing a physical clash between protesters and police officers. This angered many people at home, as up until that point there was minimal coverage of the protests outside the convention, and led to thousands of telegrams, phone calls, and letters to be sent to local news stations. The coverage of the 1968 DNC was the turning point for the media and its neutrality. Before the events in Chicago, journalists were regarded as objective sources and deemed to be “good.” The public generally believed the media to be trustworthy, and this mindset shifted after the events of the convention. In an effort to remain neutral and not insult the city, reporters refrained from focusing too much on the protests outside. So, after a large eruption of violence, when viewers finally saw pictures of what was happening, it seemed “out of the blue,” Hendershot said. For 17 minutes on the convention’s third day, police beat protesters outside of the Hilton Hotel while cameras were rolling. The demonstrators chanted, “the whole world is watching,” which quickly became a catchphrase of the anti-Vietnam War protestors. Following the convention, the Chicago Study Team wrote the Walker Report, which found that police did, in fact, use unnecessary violence and attacked protesters who had done no harm. Despite these findings, a survey found that 32% of respondents believed that security forces used the right amount of force, 25% felt insufficient force was used, and only 18% thought the police used too much force. Many believed that the news overreported the protests or that demonstrations deserved violence in retribution for their rioting. Hendershot describes the public’s criticism as saying, “‘Okay, you had your camera here, but if you just panned this way, or panned this way, you
would have gotten more material. You wouldn’t have mistakenly only told the story of the center of the room. You might have told the story of what these people were doing on the other side and you would have told a better story.’” What the people needed was more context, the bigger picture. Hendershot believes this media criticism is fundamentally different from today’s criticism of the news. Following the convention, a major complaint was the lack of context, while today’s criticism uses “fake news” claims to delegitimize the media. Hendershot explained that the networks at the time did not fail by showing a “liberal bias,” as many believed. But, “[the book] is also critical,” Hendershot said. “I argue that there are ways that they failed viewers: by under-covering violence out of a sense of fairness, but also by avoiding decontextualization.” The convention was long, with lots of waiting periods, and reporters indeed had the time to provide more context about the violence. They just decided not to, which Hendershot believes was a big mistake. In the aftermath of the convention, Republican presidential candidate Richard Nixon weaponized the idea of the “liberal media bias” and used pictures of the protests in his campaign ads to villainize demonstrators. “Most importantly,” summarizes Hendershot, “the idea of liberal media bias becomes nationalized and normalized after the convention.” This idea used to be a fringe, mostly southern opinion but was now gaining speed around the country. Hendershot ended with an image from the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. In it, a journalist, wearing a press tag around her neck and holding her phone, is wearing a gas mask. Hendershot concluded: “Today we hold cameras in our pockets; gathering images of police brutality is certainly much easier than it was in 1968. The question is what difference does that make, or what difference should it make?” Image courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022
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FACILITIES: Univ. custodians discuss their frustrations regarding
upper managment, overwhelming schedules, and lack of time CONTINUED FROM 1 department about their situation, all of whom wished to remain anonymous. “Somebody has to listen to us because we’ve gone to many places and nobody can help us … we don’t know where to go now, but somebody has to listen,” the workers who approached the Justice said. A common sentiment among many of the staff was the abnormality of the situation. The employees who spoke to the Justice have been working at the University for a wide range of years, but most have been at Brandeis for well over a decade, some even over two decades. And yet all six of the workers stated that the situation the custodians are in right now is unprecedented. “I’ve worked here for almost 26 years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” one of the interviewees remarked. The department has been losing employees for a number of years due to resignations, retirements, and the like; however, they have yet to be replaced. For example, the custodians whose job was cleaning Ziv and Ridgewood Quads left around three or four years ago. Rather than hiring more people to take over those assignments, Facilities assigned one person to clean all seven buildings in both quads, according to the interviewees. The maintenance staff told the Justice that when they asked their superiors why replacements had yet to be hired, the reason they were given was that there is not enough room in the budget to hire any new employees. One employee explained that last year, they cleaned all of the bathrooms in one large building. The process of deep cleaning each bathroom on every floor would take just about the entirety of the eight-hour workday, with enough time to take their allotted breaks. This year, however, this employee has the same building to clean as well as an additional four academic buildings around campus — and they are still expected to finish their work within the same eight-hour timeframe. With this workload, the employees said they have about half an hour to clean each bathroom: just 30 minutes to scrub down each of the toilets, sinks, showers, and mirrors; sweep and mop; replace the toilet paper and paper towels; take out the trash; and wipe down all surfaces. “I do the best I can in my eight hours,” one of the workers said, but it’s not nearly enough time. It was evident that the custodians’ main concern is not about their lack of availability to take breaks, their physical exhaustion at the end of the day, or the mistreatment from their boss — their main concern is how the unrealistic expectations of what they can accomplish in a day will affect the students. With the number of assignments they are responsible for, the custodians have extremely limited time for each allotted building and are unable to be as thorough as they would like to be. “If we continue this way, we have to leave our buildings unattended for a few hours of the day. Imagine if we don’t clean one day, how it is going to be at the end of the day for the kids. After they come back to rest from classes at the end of the day, tired, and the building’s disgusting,” they said. The managers seem to be more concerned with quantity over
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quality — which is not a value shared by the employees — and in turn, the custodians are being forced to do less than adequate work. “They don’t care if we have to leave some things without being done, some bathrooms without being cleaned. The administration doesn't care.” As parents themselves, they are disappointed at the idea that their bosses are not prioritizing the students’ needs, especially considering the large amount of money students pay to live in the dorms. “Our kids are in university too. I wouldn't be happy if my daughter at university is being treated like this. I don't think it’s fair for the students,” one worker said. In previous years, workers were assigned to either dorms or academic buildings. Now, many are assigned to both. The custodians have been questioning why they are being asked to spend such a large bulk of their time cleaning offices or buildings that are only used for a few hours a day, five days a week, instead of devoting the necessary amount of time to cleaning the dorms that students inhabit 24/7. The interviewees explained that often, one of their assignments is to clean the glass on academic buildings, both windows and doors. They expressed their frustration with being given these seemingly unnecessary tasks when, in the back of their minds, they know that in the dorm bathrooms there is trash that still needs to be taken out or showers that still need to be cleaned. Though the quantity of work is the most significant source of these issues, there are also other factors at play that are making it difficult for the employees to do their jobs. There seems to be no strategy regarding who is assigned to which building around campus, and each employee is given randomly selected buildings, often none of them geographically close to one another. This means that employees end up with even less time to do their actual work; much of their time is eaten up by running between buildings from one side of campus to another. To make matters worse, employees are not provided with transportation to and from their varying buildings. The staff explained that they often find themselves hauling cleaning supplies across campus — some of the workers shared that they have been lugging their vacuums from one building to another throughout the day. For now, the staff has put up with the lack of transportation, but they expressed anxiety about what will happen come wintertime, when temperatures drop and there may be snow and sleet on Brandeis' hilly campus. When they expressed this concern to their manager, she reportedly replied, “If I can walk, you can walk.” Lori Kabel, director of facilities, is at the root of these issues, according to the employees. They have attempted to express their concerns to her on many occasions, but to no avail. The employees emphasized that Kabel has been unreceptive to the staff’s anxieties and complaints and has even been unwilling to meet with the concerned workers. The interviewees recounted a time when one employee had a meeting scheduled with Kabel to talk through the staff’s issues with the workload. The employee brought along a translator to assist with the language barrier, but when they walked into Kabel’s office, one of the employees explained that
Kabel immediately said, “I didn’t know you were going to bring someone else,” promptly canceled the meeting, and refused to reschedule. “I think that is unprofessional and unfair to everyone,” remarked one of the interviewees. Employees also shared an occasion when they voiced their concerns to Kabel, who then allegedly responded, “I don’t care.” Workers have expressed to Kabel their distress about how students will be the ones who are directly impacted by the unrealistic expectations for the workers, as they will end up living in unclean environments. According to an employee, Kabel said that even if students complained about the cleanliness of shared spaces in the dorms, she had no plans to budge. The Justice reached out to Kabel for comment on the issue. Julie Jette, assistant vice president of communications, responded on Kabel’s behalf on Nov. 7, writing that Kabel “is unavailable at the moment,” and that the following paragraph can be attributed to Kabel: “Brandeis deeply appreciates the hard work of our custodians, who provide a clean and pleasant environment for their fellow staff and for our students and faculty. We currently have 65X custodians on staff and we are in the process of hiring four more, hopefully within the month — as you know, all industries are facing staffing challenges at the moment. We monitor workloads and areas assigned to each custodial staff member, and we rebalance these areas when needs change and when staffing changes to ensure fairness to our staff while maintaining a clean environment.” Regardless of how difficult their jobs have been recently, the custodians have continued to work to the best of their ability. “We never refuse to do the work. We work hard every single day, we are happy to work hard,” one of the interviewees said. They show up to work despite how exhausted and stressed they are at the end of the day. “When we get home, we don’t even want to talk with our family because we’re so tired … it’s very stressful for us,” one staff member explained. They elaborated that often they can’t even relax when they get home at the end of the day because they are thinking about a bathroom they might have left slightly dirty or a trash can they had not been able to empty. A recurring theme throughout the conversations was the notion that the employees would never consider refusing to work, even when it feels impossible to add any more tasks to their already packed workloads. They consistently give their all and are happy to help whenever their work is needed — but they feel as if this dedication is taken for granted. “We try to do the best we can, but it’s very hard for us,” one of the workers said. “They don’t value or appreciate our hard work. They don’t listen to how we feel about it,” they added about how their managers are handling the situation. The workers stated that at the end of the day, “all we want is to stay in our buildings with the same amount of work we had last year … We don't want to leave our buildings without [cleaning]. We hope they can understand that.” But until that understanding happens, Brandeis custodians will continue to face this exhausting cycle of overwork and ill-treatment.
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ABORTION: Pulitzer Prize finalist and New Yorker staff writer preview their event CONTINUED FROM 1 which put him in a wheelchair, changing the trajectory of his college life and his career. “In my freshman year, the elevators on campus were constantly broken. I wrote letters, I had meetings, but basically, Columbia would pat me on the head and say, ‘Okay little man, we’ll deal with it.’ And I just kept missing classes,” Prager said. It was only when he wrote his first article for the Spectator that ended with the sentence, “Clearly they don’t care about their students, but maybe they will care about a lawsuit,” in reference to the recent passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, that the administration’s attention shifted. Instead of going to the University of Rochester, where he initially planned on attending, Prager went to Columbia to be closer to home; and rather than playing baseball, studying music, and setting himself on the pre-med track, Prager turned to journalism, successfully advocating and representing people with disabilities, and influencing accessibility rights on the Columbia campus. Prager’s accident and subsequent paralysis has also impacted his style of writing — he is often drawn to write stories about people whose lives have changed in an instant. Talbot also encountered meaningful issues with critical legal implications at the start of her journalism career. During her time as the editor-in-chief of the Daily Californian during her senior year, she was part of a large project that used the Freedom of Information Act to request files about spying and FBI infiltration on the free speech movement, which was an early student movement at Berkeley in 1964 that protested a ban on on-campus political activities. “We were committed to digging up truths that had been concealed, and I felt a kind of civic spiritedness and excitement of the chase and the investigation. I was hooked on journalism,” Talbot said. Since then, Prager and Talbot have not halted their impactful journalistic work. Both had different paths along the way, but their work met at the fork of abortion and the Roe v. Wade case. Prager started by writing many small articles for the Wall Street Journal but ultimately shifted to long-form, magazinestyle pieces. He did not end up writing about reproductive rights or abortion until 2021, when he published his book “The
Family Roe,” which highlights the life of Jane Roe, whose actual name is Norma McCorvey, and the story of abortion in America. The book was actually inspired by an aside in one of Talbot’s earlier articles, yet the interview with the Justice was the first time the two met. Likewise, Talbot also never really had a beat. She has written about a variety of different topics for the New Republic, the New York Times Magazine, and the New Yorker, where she has been since 2004. “I have a lot of interests, and I’ve worked for magazines that have allowed me to pursue a wide array of interests,” she explained. While Talbot covers anything from music to abortion, a common theme in her writing is that she mainly writes narrative and long-form pieces. In discussing what reportage would look like after the overturn of Roe v. Wade and what to expect in future coverage, Prager and Talbot noted that they intend to discuss this in depth during next week’s event and didn’t want to give away too many spoilers. However, they did preview that part of the storytelling around the topic involves placing an emphasis on humanizing people’s abortion stories. “We’re hearing a lot more stories about people’s abortions, why they made the decision, and what went into the decision of their personal experiences,” Talbot said. “And we’re hearing a little bit more from men … men are part of the story too, and a part of the decision making.” Prager agreed with Talbot adding that empathy for women’s positions and individual situations was an important element that is going to continue being incorporated into both sides of the conversation. “In the Roe opinion itself, Justice [Harry] Blackmun determined that what often determines a person’s view on abortion is exposure — exposure ‘to the raw edges of the human existence,’” Prager said. He added that certain “untruths” and truths would have to be reckoned with, one untruth being that post-abortion syndrome exists — that if a woman has an abortion, she will suffer from it emotionally. While some women may face regret or struggle about their decision to have an abortion, “the overwhelming majority of women’s studies show that women who have abortions express relief, not regret,” Prager said. Reporting on topics as personal and taboo as abortion is dif-
ficult, especially since journalists are not necessarily speaking to public figures or politicians who are used to being interviewed. “When you’re talking to ordinary people who are going to share their stories, one thing is that you have to find somebody who feels like they are going to be okay with that,” Talbot said. The difficulty is that there’s no way to know “what sort of experience of blowback they are going to have to live through sometimes for going public with something this intimate and personal,” she continued. Talbot does her best to make her subjects aware that they might face some negative experiences by sharing their stories with the public but also explains how the outcome of and reactions to the article cannot be predicted. Additionally, Talbot feels that people are generally happy for the opportunity to tell their story, “so if they feel that you told it in good faith and made an effort to get it right and you did get it right, then I think most people, even if they experience some discomfort of being in the spotlight or some pushback or some negative impacts, are pretty pleased to have an opportunity to tell their story to somebody who they feel they can trust,” she said. Similarly, Prager emphasized that “it’s very exciting when you’re onto a story, but you have to always remember you are writing about human beings.” It is critical, he explained, to be compassionate and ensure transparency with the subject about what is going to happen with their story. “If I didn’t feel that I was doing right by the people I wrote about, I would not be able to do my job,” he said. Prager also touched on how the characters of his work can be impacted by sharing their stories, explaining that it is not only important for the public to hear the truth about difficult topics, “but also it’s good for the human beings involved to be able to unburden themselves of those things they’ve been carrying.” Overall, Prager stressed the importance for writers to “take your time, [and] be fair” when writing about sensitive and personal topics. Prager and Talbot were just getting started with diving into the history and future of abortion during this interview. They will reveal much more on Nov. 16 during the panel “Abortion: Past, Present and Future,” sponsored by the Brandeis Journalism Program and co-sponsored by the Co-Curricular Fund of Arts and Sciences and the Women’s Studies Research Center.
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THE JUSTICE
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022
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POLICE LOG MEDICAL EMERGENCY Oct. 11—There was a medical emergency in North Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 11—There was a medical emergency on Loop Road. The party was treated by staff and refused further care. Oct. 11—There was a medical emergency in Ziv Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 12—There was a medical emergency in Ziv Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 12—There was a medical emergency in Massell Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 12—There was a medical emergency in the Usdan Student Center. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 12—There was a medical emergency in North Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 13—There was a medical emergency in Skyline Residence Hall. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 13—There was a medical emergency on Angleside Road. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 15—There was a medical emergency in East Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 16—There was a medical emergency in East Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 16—There was a medical emergency in East Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 17—There was a medical emergency in North Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 17—There was a medical emergency in Massell Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 18—There was a medical emergency in Kutz Hall. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 19—There was a medical emergency in Massell Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 20—There was a medical emergency in Goldsmith Building. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 20—There was a medical emergency in Skyline Residence Hall. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 21—There was a medical emergency in North Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 22—There was a medical emergency in Skyline Residence Hall. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 23—There was a medical emergency in Massell Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 23—There was a medical emergency in Massell Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 23—There was a medical emergency in Massell Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and was transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 23—There was a medical emergency in North Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 23—There was a medical emergency in North Quad.
The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 23—There was a medical emergency in Massell Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 24—There was a medical emergency in Massell Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 24—There was a medical emergency on Turner Street. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 24—There was a medical emergency in East Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 25—There was a medical emergency on Angleside Road. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 25—There was a medical emergency in the Shapiro Campus Center. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 26—There was a medical emergency in Goldsmith Building. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 26—There was a medical emergency on the athletic fields. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 26—There was a medical emergency in the Bassine Science Building. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 26—There was a medical emergency in Skyline Residence Hall. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 27—There was a medical emergency in Massell Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 27—There was a medical emergency in the Hassenfeld Conference Center. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 29—There was a medical emergency in North Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Oct. 29—There was a medical emergency in the Foster Mods. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 30—There was a medical emergency in Ridgewood Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 30—There was a medical emergency in East Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Oct. 30—There was a medical emergency in Ridgewood Quad. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Nov. 2—There was a medical emergency. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. The location was undisclosed. Nov. 4—There was a medical emergency in the Charles River Apartments. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Nov. 4—There was a medical emergency in the Usdan Student Center. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and refused further care. Nov. 6—There was a non-student-related medical emergency on Loop Road. The party was treated by BEMCo staff and transported to a local hospital via ambulance. NOISE COMPLAINTS Oct. 11—A noise complaint was made at the Charles River Apartments. Officers checked the area, and all was quiet and in order. Oct. 17—A noise complaint was made in Ziv Quad. Community Living was notified to respond. Oct. 22—A community member reported loud music in
JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice
House of Blues in Boston hosted a “Soccer Mommy” concert on Sunday, Nov. 6.
Massell Quad. Officers checked the area and all was quiet and in order. Oct. 23—A community member reported loud music in the Charles River Apartments. The area coordinator on call was notified. Oct. 23—A community member reported loud music in Rosenthal Quad. The area coordinator on call checked the area and all was quiet and in order. Nov. 2—There was a noise complaint in Massell Quad. The Department of Community Living was enlisted to handle. Nov. 4—There was a noise complaint in Ziv Quad. A message was left with the area coordinator on call to speak with the involved community members. Nov. 6—There was a noise complaint in Ziv Quad. Officers checked the area and all appeared quiet and in order. ACCIDENTS Oct. 9—A University vehicle was involved in a minor off campus accident. There were no injuries. A report was composed. Oct. 13—A community member reported her car was struck while it was parked in Hassenfeld Lot. A report was composed. Oct. 21—A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle on South Street. The individual was transported to a local hospital via ambulance. Waltham Police Department was enlisted to handle the accident investigation. Oct. 24—A community member reported that her vehicle was struck while parked at the Gosman Sports and Convocation Center. A report was composed. Oct. 24—A community member reported a minor multiple vehicle accident at Kutz Hall. There was no damage to either vehicle. Oct. 25—There was a minor multiple vehicle accident without injuries at the main entrance. A report was composed. Oct. 26—A community member reported that their vehicle was struck while parked at Rabb Graduate School. A report was composed. Oct. 31—There was a three car multiple vehicle accident without injuries. A report was composed. Nov. 2—A community member reported his vehicle was struck while parked in the Athletic staff lot. A report was composed with a video review to follow. Nov. 4—A caller reported a minor motor vehicle accident at the loading dock without injuries.
MISCELLANEOUS Oct. 12—Drug paraphernalia was confiscated in Ziv Quad. A report was composed. Oct. 19—A community member reported harassment by phone in the Heller School. A report was composed. An investigation followed. Oct. 21—A community member reported that their sweat pants were stolen from the laundry room in North Quad. Oct. 23—A community member reported a suspicious male in Shapiro Campus Center. A conversation was had, and it was determined that the man was a community member. Oct. 26—A staff member reported larceny of University property in the Shapiro Admissions Center. A report was composed. Oct. 27—A community member reported receiving a harassing phone call in the Hassenfeld Conference Center. A report was composed. Oct. 31—A community member reported that someone lost their Brandeis ID in the Hoot Market. A report was composed and an investigation will follow. Nov. 4—A reporting party in Ziv Quad would like to obtain a “No Contact Order” against an ex-boyfriend.
SMILEY HUYNH/the Justice
The Univ. hosted a Jazz Ensemble concert on Sunday, Nov. 6 in Slosberg music center.
8 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022 ● FEATURES ● THE JUSTICE
features
just
VERBATIM | ALANIS MORISSETTE
It’s a joke to think anyone is one thing. We’re all such complex creatures. But if I’m going to be a poster child for anything, anger’s a gorgeous emotion.
ON THIS DAY…
In 1960, Democratic Senator John F. Kennedy defeated incumbent Vice President Richard Nixon in the 44th presidential election.
FUN FACT Elephants are the only mammal that can’t jump.
Former State Treasurer and DNC Chair Steve Grossman speaks on his long career in politics, business, and listening How connection and collaboration led to Grossman’s professional fulfillment. By ZEV CARLYLE
JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
The year was 1997, and the Democratic National Committee was facing $15 million dollars of debt — and questions about their ability to compete in the upcoming midterms. Instead of giving a big speech outlining his ideas for solutions, new DNC chair Steve Grossman began holding brainstorming sessions with his team. “Tell me your opinion as to what we should be doing,” he asked them at these meetings, “What can we improve? What can I do on a daily and weekly basis to improve morale and turn this around?” Team members felt heard and saw their ideas reflected in the plan Grossman drafted, which went a long way in building trust and gaining buy-in when it came time to execute. The following year, the Democrats picked up seats in Congress for the first time in a president’s second term since 1882. “In many ways,” Grossman said, “the success in that election helped preserve Bill Clinton’s presidency.” It also wasn’t the only time listening had made a difference. Last spring, I sat down with Grossman. His extensive career in the public and private sectors includes running his family marketing company for 30 years, serving as chair of the DNC from 1997 to 1999 and Massachusetts State Treasurer from 2011 to 2015, and now working to tackle the racial wealth gap as CEO of the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City. He is also a former president of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and former board chair of Brandeis. Later on in our wide-ranging conversation, Grossman explained that the 1998 midterms weren’t the only time that listening had made a difference in his life. “I wanted to show everybody I was the smartest guy in the room,” he said, reflecting on his failed campaign for Massachusetts Governor in 2002, “but I wasn’t listening to people and hearing what their challenges were. I was telling them what I thought they wanted to hear.” In his successful bid for State Treasurer in 2009, Grossman took a different approach, prioritizing listening to the stories of voters and demonstrating genuine care for their concerns. Listening and being present, as well as being open to innovative ideas and being a great storyteller, Grossman explained, is a central part of his message when aspiring political candidates reach out
Design: Natalie Kahn/the Justice
to him for guidance. Grossman explained that being genuinely interested also helps create an electric arc with voters. Recalling his niece’s brief conversation with Bill Clinton at an event, it was clear Grossman felt he’d learned from the best: “[The President was] looking right into her eyes. It’s like she was the only person in the world at that moment … there’s an authenticity and genuineness about him that was compelling.” Grossman also recalled an emotional conversation in the back of the presidential limousine after he told Clinton he was stepping down as chair to take care of his ill father. “Your father is a good man … I’ll miss you, but you’re doing the right thing,” Clinton told him after they cried together while reflecting on their relationships with their fathers. “It spoke to his fundamental humanity,” Grossman added, “and his understanding of what really matters in life.” Grossman explained that civic engagement is central to his personal definition of success, in part due to his grandfather teaching him to always support those most vulnerable in the community. After a long, impactful career in business, government, and philanthropy, Grossman feels his current efforts to eliminate the racial wealth gap as chief executive officer of the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City is the most important work he’s ever done. The Boston-based non-profit works to drive economic prosperity and create wealth in America’s inner cities by supporting the growth of minority-owned small businesses. This includes providing resources such as one-on-one coaching and access to capital, informing governments on best practices, and calling on major organizations to purchase goods from qualified minority-owned businesses when possible. Grossman has witnessed a jump in his job performance and satisfaction working with an organization aligned with his mission, vision, and values. “I get up every morning of my life and I think about our mission and our vision, and it’s important that you feel that way. Going to work and not feeling passionate about your work, that’s a difficult thing to do,” he said, and added further advice in closing, “Be a good listener, be passionate about what you do, and don’t settle.”
Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
TREASURER: Steve Grossman served as Chair of the DNC from 1997 and 1999 and Massachusetts State Treasurer from 2011 to 2015.
Scan the QR code below to listen to the full episode of the Voyager Talks podcast (available on Spotify, iTunes, and @Voyager.Talks on Instagram) to hear Steve Grossman in his own words. Other guests include Amazon Web Services CEO Adam Selipsky and Puget Sound Energy CEO Mary Kipp.
Design: Anna Martin/the Justice
THE JUSTICE ● FEATURES ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022
9
Greek life at Brandeis: unaffiliated or unregulated? The Justice spoke to students within and outside of Brandeis’ Greek life in order to get a sense of how Greek Life impacts Brandeis student life. By JESSICA GABEL
JUSTICE CONTRUBUTING WRITER
Content warning: this article discusses instances of sexual assault. If pop culture and social media are to be believed, Greek life “makes” the social scene at big universities. “Bama Rush” videos on Tiktok show the ceremonial rituals and levels of prestige associated with rushing and securing a spot at one of the University of Alabama’s top sororities. Women spend hours planning their outfits and prepping their hair, and weeks putting together their sorority resumes to impress sorority sisters who did the same thing in previous years. Fraternities, on the other hand, are typically portrayed as the “promise of parties, living college life to the fullest … and alcohol-soaked adventures.” Also trending on Tiktok are videos about “Frat Guy Stereotypes,” which entail users mimicking frat boys by insulting women, chugging beers, and calling every person in their presence “bro.” Our small, beloved Brandeis University supposedly succumbs to no such culture. Brandeis does not officially have Greek life; frats and sororities are not affiliated with the University. In 1988, the Board of Trustees unanimously approved a resolution to ban “exclusive or secret societies” which stated, “social fraternities and sororities, in particular, are neither recognized nor permitted to hold activities on campus or use University facilities.” But this did not end Greek life’s presence at Brandeis. Have you seen the congregation of boys walking to class in suits and dress shoes on any given Wednesday? Known as pledges, these are the young men engaging in the initiation process of Brandeis’ Zeta Beta Tau, also known as ZBT. How about the gaggles of firstyears seen walking down South Street toward the residential area of Waltham every Friday and Saturday night, on their way to a frat party where they will receive a red solo cup half filled with jungle juice and a sweaty basement dance floor in exchange for a $5 entry fee? Or, early in each semester, you can find a table outside of Upper Usdan, with a sign asking students to donate money to philanthropy projects in exchange for the chance to “pie” a Sigma Alpha Mu, or “Sammy,” brother. There is no way to know how much of the campus is involved in Greek life based on official Brandeis data — the Student Life page in the Facts and Figures section of the University’s website has recorded its student involvement in fraternities and sororities as 0% for the past five school years — but the impact of Greek life on the Brandeis student life is hard to miss. Today, there are ten active Greek life organizations at Brandeis — five fraternities and five sororities. Each of these organizations has dozens of students involved, with potential new members rushing every semester. Members of Delta Phi Epsilon, also known as DPHIE, and Sigma Delta Tau, commonly known as SDT, confirmed their sororities each have at least 60 people involved this semester. Sororities and fraternities do not receive funding from Brandeis, are not recognized by the University, and are not able to consult the University on situations within their student organizations. Brandeis fraternities normally have one or more houses in residential areas of Waltham where multiple members, or “brothers,” live. Along with Greek lifespecific events, fraternities host large parties at these houses, open to anyone willing to pay the small entry fee. Many Brandeis students attend these parties, including those not involved with Greek life. Brandeis has no oversight or affiliation with these events because they are held off-campus, and organized by groups not recognized by the University. Student tour guides, who lead campus tours and information sessions about Brandeis to prospective students, are not specifically instructed to mention Greek life, as they are with other popular activities like club sports. Associate Director of Admissions Stephanie Squire explained that guides are “welcome” to talk about Greek life during tours, but said, “It’s not a required talking point.” She said many years ago her office was told that “around 10%” of the Brandeis student population is affiliated with Greek life, but she has not been given an updated statistic. This number conflicts with the 0% statistic found on the University’s website. Regardless of their reasoning for joining Greek life at Brandeis, most of the students who spoke to the Justice claimed that before college, they never imagined that they would enroll in these organizations. When they arrived at Brandeis, however, many found that joining a fraternity or sorority could be a way to meet people and be part of an active social scene. “I think a lot of the people who join sororities here kinda just want to find a group, because it can be hard sometimes to do that at Brandeis,” Molly Zimmerman ’25, a current member of Kappa Beta Gamma, commonly
known as KBG, said. Michael Jiang ’23 is a member of Sammy. He rushed as a first-year, before the start of the pandemic. “It was like two weeks in and I was still eagerly looking to expand my social circle … I just picked up one of [the] cards by chance and it ended up being Sammy’s. I went there, and I had a really good conversation with this guy … We found we had a lot in common, he had strict parents, and he was Asian and so am I. And we were talking about his past … and then I was like ‘Okay I’ll go to the next [event] too.’” Izzy Andrus ’24, former member of SDT, who recently disaffiliated from the sorority because of time commitment issues, said the sorority gave her the chance to meet and get close with a group of girls who she never would have had an opportunity to connect with otherwise. The 2019 Brandeis Campus Climate Survey found that 73% of the respondents who were members of fraternities or sororities agreed or strongly agreed with the statement, “I belong in this campus community,” compared to 65% of students who had no affiliation with Greek life or Greek life parties. Cameron Peirce ’25, who rushed ZBT as a first-year, said he was interested in joining because of how many people in the fraternity are student-athletes like himself, and because of this, he “kind of connected with them.” Jiang said, “philanthropy opportunities like feeding the homeless” also attracted him to Sammy. Additionally, he appreciates the camaraderie and support that his fraternity brings: “There’s a feeling of accountability and trying to actively bring out the best in people … you just have each other’s backs.” The number of students affiliating with Greek organizations only seemed to increase during COVID-19 according to Andrus, who rushed in 2020 and claimed her pledge class was unusually large due to the extenuating circumstances of the pandemic. Three-person room limits. Online classes. Masked gatherings. Two week quarantines. An ungodly number of emails updating COVID-19 restrictions. This is what the 2020-2021 school year consisted of on the Brandeis campus. What could students do to make some friends around here? There were very few in-person classes, events, and clubs. The dining halls were frequently take-out only; most students ate meals in their rooms. First-years did not have roommates. Campus was desolate, with only around a third of the normal number of students present. Many students found a loophole: Greek life. Greek life, completely outside of University jurisdiction, was still active and was perceived by some as an opportunity for normalcy in this abnormal and isolating year of college. Jolie Newman ’24, rushed Delta Phi Epsilon as a first-year: “My freshman year, I was feeling really isolated because of COVID, and for me, what sort of drew me to Greek life was the idea of being around other people and being a part of a community.” Others who joined Greek life said they wouldn’t have if not for the pandemic, but saw rushing as their only chance to meet people during this time of restriction and isolation. “Everybody was willing to put themselves out there a little more because they realized they were coming to college in a completely remote setting,” Andrus said.
Inclusivity controversy
Greek life systems have provoked controversy among American college students. At the start of the 2020 school year, a movement took place across the Vanderbilt University campus to ban Greek life. More “Abolish Greek life” campaigns followed at other major universities. This motion was provoked by racist incidents within Vanderbilt’s Greek life, including a video broadcasting a Greek life member using racist slurs. Many students who had previously participated in Greek organizations disaffiliated, claiming that “Greek life is exclusionary, racist and misogynist[ic], as well as resistant to reform because of the hierarchical nature,” the New York Times reported in 2020. The Brandeis Campus Climate Survey conducted in 2019 reported that for respondents who were members of a Greek organization, 62% had heard Brandeis community members make racist jokes or remarks in a social setting and 49% had witnessed this off-campus. These results were significantly lower — 37% and 15%, respectively — for respondents with no affiliation with Greek life. This survey, however, does not address where community members heard these racist comments specifically, so there is no definitive answer to whether these comments occurred at frat parties. Despite this, some of those involved with Greek life at Brandeis feel it is inclusive, racially and otherwise: “We don’t look at each other through any sort of barriers because those are so superficial and it’s really about the person under there. I think it’s reflected because [in Sammy] there’s a
good mix of people who are LGBTQ and people who are minorities, including myself,” Jiang said. Zimmerman, who was anti-Greek life prior to attending Brandeis, appreciated the diversity in her sorority: “At a predominantly white school, I was surprised to find that, at least when I joined, KBG was more diverse than most other Brandeis spaces I found myself in.” She also mentions that KBG makes a big effort to promote diversity with the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion elected position in the sorority. Not everyone spoke so positively about inclusivity within the Brandeis Greek life system. A Brandeis student in the class of 2024 who has engaged in both ends of the sorority rush process — including bids, when current members decide who will be given the chance to join their organization after completing the “pledge” process — said, “I think we’re brutal during bids … Subconsciously we are also looking for pretty girls, and I think appearance has a lot to do with it whether we’re aware of it or not.” “It’s such a popularity contest,” a student in the class of 2023 who was formerly involved with Brandeis Greek life told the Justice. The student asked to remain anonymous. He pledged a fraternity as a first-year but chose not to join. “Frats are so socially isolated from everyone else,” he said. “[Greek life] is so toxic,” he continued, “there’s some really creepy shit that goes on behind closed doors, especially with the fraternities.” “The pledge process is really fucked up, and the shit that you have to go through to become a brother,” he said. He recalled how when he was pledging, the fraternity brothers forced him and his fellow pledges to lie and say they weren’t being hazed. The brothers said any pledges who told the truth would be kicked out of the frat. The Fraternal Information and Programming Group defines hazing as “any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule.”
A “breeding ground” for assault
Students also commented on the misogyny present within the Greek system, which has been repeatedly criticized on a national scale. Leora Karoll ’24 is not affiliated with Greek life but has attended frat parties during her time at Brandeis. She said that she feels a constant discomfort with the Brandeis fraternities because of the tendency of feeling trapped under a critical male gaze: “It feels like at a frat party you go and you’re instantly being judged by every man on how much they would wanna fuck you,” Karoll exclaimed. She continued by saying that “the Brandeis vibe is just being good people, but frat parties seem like this space where that all goes out the window and people can be just trash to you.” Karoll believes that this toxicity is enabled by the male-dominated environment and is normalized because the fraternities host and oversee most Greek life parties. Despite all of the nuances that the Greek life culture brings to college campuses, one deeply concerning and damaging aspect of Greek life is the prevalence of sexual assault among members and students who attend Greek life events, namely frat parties. Nationally, women involved in Greek life are at a higher risk of sexual assault. A 2021 study found that “women in sororities are 74 percent more likely to experience rape than other college women.” Additionally, the same study determined that men in fraternities are three times more likely to rape someone in comparison to men that are not affiliated with fraternities. The Greek life culture at Brandeis University is not an exception when it comes to sexual assault incidents. The 2019 Campus Climate Survey found “participants who reported they were a member of a fraternity or a sorority indicated higher levels of sexual assault at 24% and rape at 9%. Another category of respondent were students not in Greek organizations but who had a “best friend affiliated with Greek life” — 37% of respondents in this category reported being sexually assaulted and 11% reported being raped during their time at Brandeis. Among students whose main connection with Greek life was attending parties hosted by Greek organizations, 22% had been sexually assaulted and 6% had been raped. “Students who had no contact with Greek life reported fewer instances of assault and rape: 18% and 5% respectively,” the survey stated. “While one cannot assume causation, there is a strong correlation between contact with different aspects of Greek life and increased sexual harassment, assault and violence,” it continued. A female student, who has asked to remain anonymous and is not affiliated with Greek life, discussed her experience of feeling sexually pressured and uncomfortable at a frat
party: she was kissing and dancing with a male student who was also not a member of a Greek organization. Both of them were “super drunk,” she said. The man then asked her to go upstairs, to which she hesitantly agreed. They entered a frat brother’s room, whom the man insisted he was close friends with. The man began to ask her to have sex and continued to insist after she repeatedly denied his request. She recalled how during this interaction, he took a condom out of his pocket, even though she’d made it clear she did not want to have sex: “I saw him holding the condom as if he was about to take it out of the wrapper and use it. I ended up being able to end it, and we left the room … looking back, it was really scary that even though I said that I did not want to have sex clearly multiple times, he still thought he would be able to persuade me by taking out a condom, and it made me think that he was planning to no matter what.” The senior who pledged a fraternity as a first-year, but is no longer involved in Greek life, called fraternities a “gross culture” and said he knows someone who was sexually assaulted at a frat party when he was a firstyear. “The brothers didn’t really do anything to stop it,” he said. He added that when he was pledging, “a lot of stuff came out about all the frats about how creepy they were being towards … women at their parties.” He went on to say that this culture was not something he wanted to be a part of or associated with. Karoll told the Justice that she has friends who have experienced assault and harassment at frat parties. But, she rejected the idea that drunkenness is an excuse for consistent assault incidents and referred back to her idea that frat parties serve as a “breeding ground” for toxic masculinity where the frat brothers are free to do as they please with themselves and the women surrounding them. She went on to say that “the culture that’s acceptable at these parties is not acceptable anywhere else on campus.” If sexual assault is such a common problem at events hosted by fraternities at Brandeis, what can the University do to address these ongoing violations of its students’ sexual autonomy? Andrus believes that the University “needs to affiliate with Greek life because it’s very hard to deal with big, traumatizing events without an adult.” Similarly, Zimmerman states that “the little oversight … leaves room for a lot of fucked up stuff to happen.” Moreover, she feels that the secrecy of Brandeis’ Greek life system in combination with the University’s non-affiliation “breeds an environment that lets [sexual assault] happen.” Newman explained that without university involvement, the highest form of punishment for an accused fraternity or sorority assaulter is being kicked out of their Greek organization and blacklisted from all Greek life events on campus — but they won’t necessarily be suspended or expelled by the University. She believes that University affiliation with Greek life would mean that accused assaulters would “face consequences not just through Greek life nationals, but also through the University.” Thus, there is the convenience of the blacklist that every Greek organization on campus has. Zimmerman explained that every event in her sorority follows the blacklist, which consists of individuals who have made some members or students feel uncomfortable and unsafe. Because of this, these individuals are barred from entering any sorority event. However, while this blacklist may provide a security measure for people in Greek life, Zimmerman believes that this precautionary procedure may be too much of a responsibility for just Greek organizations to oversee: “[This is a list] being regulated and enforced by college students … maybe [this] isn’t [something] that only we should be regulating.” So, while the blacklist certainly does its part to weed out some dangers, Zimmerman insinuated that more needs to be done. Proponents of universities affiliating with Greek organizations list other community benefits of Greek affiliation, including “the contribution to the diversity of the student body,” and the advantages of local philanthropy projects. The consequences of the lack of University oversight call into question Brandeis’ policy of non-affiliation. In its official policy, Brandeis states that they do not recognize Greek life because it is “inconsistent with the principles of openness to which the University is committed.” Though it would mean a change in Brandeis’s official policy, Andrus believes that University affiliation will help make Greek life safer. Without any institutional regulation, “a lot of [situations] are not properly tended to in the way that they should be.” Zimmerman asserted, “[Brandeis] not acknowledging Greek life means they’re not willing to acknowledge any of the potential issues that come with it.”
Design: Anna Martin/the Justice
10 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022 ● FORUM
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THE JUSTICE
Justice
the
Established 1949
Brandeis University
Jen Crystal, Editor in Chief Jane Flautt, Managing Editor Cameron Cushing and Sofia Gonzalez, Senior Editors Leeza Barstein, Juliana Giacone, Hannah Taylor, Jack Yuanwei Cheng, and Samantha Goldman, Associate Editors Dalya Koller, Leah Breakstone, News Editors Natalie Kahn, Features Editor Lauryn Williams, Forum Editor Aiden Guthro, Acting Sports Editor Megan liao, Arts & Culture Editor Smiley Huynh, Photography Editor Owen Chan, Acting Photography Editor Ariella Weiss, Isabel roseth, Copy Editors Devon Sandler, Online Editor Eden Osiason, Acting Online Editor
EDITORIAL
for these resources is in no way assigning blame to survivors. We want to remind administrators and community members to validate the experiences of survivors and take tangible action to prevent these experiences from happening. • Dean of Students Office: Students can request No Contact Orders by emailing the DOSO at deanofstudentsoffice@brandeis.edu or by phone, 781-736-3600. • Student Sexuality Information Services: SSIS is a student-run organization that promotes sexual health through peer counseling, outreach, products, referrals and a resource library. Their office is located on the third floor of the SCC, room 328. • Students Talking About Relationships: STAR is a completely student-run and -led support group that is trained in topics such as LGBTQIA+, sexual assault, food sensitivities, stress, as well as relationships and domestic violence. STAR offers in-person,
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confidential, one-on-one support in their office in the SCC, room 324, and has an anonymous and confidential text line offered during most nights of the week (see Brandeis 6TALK). Brandeis 6TALK: Brandeis 6TALK is an anonymous peer hotline run by dedicated peer listeners. You can reach them at 781-736-TALK (781736-8255) from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Sunday through Wednesday nights. National Domestic Violence Hotline: The Hotline provides 24/7 support via their hotline (1-800-7997233) and resources for prevention, crisis intervention and safety planning. REACH: REACH provides emergency shelter, education and prevention programming and a 24/7 confidential hotline. https:// reachma.org/get-support/directservices/ Brandeis Department of Public Safety: In case of emergency, students may choose to contact Public Safety at 781-736-3333.
The importance of student safety on and off campus Content warning: this editorial discusses instances of sexual assault. According to the Brandeis Department of Public Safety website, when there are issues that “constitute an ongoing or continuing threat to the campus community,” a “timely warning” will be issued to ensure the safety of students. However, this board has taken note of multiple dangerous situations in Waltham and Boston that Brandeis students should be made aware of and have not been. Waltham has been advertised to touring families as a safe community and Brandeis as a safe and welcoming campus, but this remains a myth unless administration takes action towards protecting students. This board would like to warn the Brandeis community and provide tips to avoid these potentially dangerous situations. Brandeis has routinely hidden behind the claim that the university is not affiliated with Greek life and has even advertised this on their websites, claiming that 0% of women joined sororities and 0% of men joined fraternities every year since 2016, which is untrue. Because of this, any Brandeis students assaulted or roofied by other Brandeis students off-campus have been routinely told this is somehow not a campus issue. It is extremely unsatisfactory that the University would refuse to take action against these issues and instead justify its silence with legality and liability claims. In addition to these fraternity issues offcampus, there is currently an investigation by the Waltham police department surrounding incidents of rape and assault along the Charles Riverwalk. There have been increased reports of harassment by men on this walk within the last two months, with one report being as recent as Oct. 20. Only 1.5 miles away and under a 20-minute walk from campus, this is a popular shortcut taken by Brandeis students. Furthermore, students have experienced threatening situations in this area of Waltham. A member of this editorial board and another Brandeis student were followed on the Charles Riverwalk in broad daylight. Another member of this editorial board was followed for multiple blocks on Prospect Street, which intersects with an entrance to the Riverwalk. In light of these experiences and the recent incidents of assault in October, it is utterly unacceptable for the University not to acknowledge or warn students about these recent events. Even if it is just in a format as simple as an email, Brandeis should help students be fully informed about potential safety risks and places and routes they may want to avoid. The rise in spiking and assault over the past months has not been confined to the Waltham area. As of Oct. 28, the Boston police had received 73 reports from people “who believe their drink was spiked, drugged, or in some way contaminated while out at one of the city’s restaurants or bars.” Local venues, including the MGM Music Hall at Fenway, have received similar reports and have issued warnings and safety precautions. Per the police, who
issued a community alert in October, drinks were being spiked with “scentless, colorless and tasteless substances such as Rohypnol (roofie), gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) and Ketamine.” Given how rapidly most of these drugs are metabolized and excreted, only a few cases can be prosecuted. Further, it may be hard to distinguish between the feeling of being drunk and the presence of a foreign substance, which makes it less likely for people to seek medical attention. This board is appalled that the University has not released any statement in regards to either the recent assault cases in Waltham or the spike in roofying in the broader Boston area. Considering that many students attend events and go to clubs in Boston, this board would like to emphasize caution. Practice common safety precautions: watch your drinks being poured, don’t accept drinks from others, don’t leave your drink unattended, throw out your drink if it tastes strange, and avoid going out alone. Early symptoms of intoxication include heavy or paralyzed limbs, memory loss, light-headedness, nausea, and vomiting. If these symptoms are inconsistent with the amount of alcohol you have consumed, call the police and seek medical attention. For members on campus, the Brandeis Police and Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps can provide this type of assistance. Unfortunately, the Golding Health Center does not perform urinalysis testing for common drugs, per the Prevention, Advocacy & Resource Center website. However, students can go to Quest Diagnostics Lab in Waltham or the NewtonWellesley emergency room for these analyses, albeit at personal cost. PARC and the Brandeis Counseling Center can support you in navigating the emotional aftermath of these experiences. Your safety is of the utmost importance, and this editorial board would like to recommend the University institute safety materials at the bookstore or Hoot Market for students to purchase. Products such as drink spiking tests and NightCap Scrunchie Drink Cover are inexpensive and proven successful in protecting people against roofies. In years past, the Student Union partnered with PARC to fund free SipChips, drug testing kits, through the Community Emergency and Enhancement Fund; however, that program ended due to the company discontinuing the SipChip product. There are currently new Union plans to reintroduce a different drink tester product and make that available for Brandeis students. That being said, while students can take measures to protect themselves, these problems are the result of systemic flaws and cultural tolerance for assault and violence that go beyond the University. And although providing self-defense options for purchase on campus can help, we also implore the University to take punitive action against the Brandeis students who perpetrate these offenses and stop using non-affiliation with Greek life as a cover for their inaction. Advocating
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Asking for a friend “Asking for a friend” is Forum’s advice column where each week we ask Brandeis students their thoughts and opinions, which range from an array of topics. This week we want to address how students hosting and attending parties can engage in community care by looking out for each other. If you are interested in submitting advice for the upcoming column, follow our instagram: @thejusticenewspaper.
Q:
What actions can hosts take to minimize the potential
harm for their guests at parties? How can students stay safe while partying? Who can students reach out to on campus for support or help if they expierence harm? What are some local resources students can utilize? See answer on page 11.
THE JUSTICE ● FORUM ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022 11
A: I want to share that PARC has a “Safe(r) Party & Events Toolkit” that
we developed and that is a great resource for any groups on campus who are hosting social events. Our team of violence prevention educators facilitates workshops in which we review this toolkit and help groups think through ways to promote safety before and during the events that they are hosting. This toolkit is aligned with our focus on bystander intervention and efforts to encourage the Brandeis community to think about safety as a community issue. There are certainly ways that individuals (both as hosts and party attendees) can work to reduce risk and harm, but we try to emphasize the ways we can engage in community care and look out for one another. Hopefully many students have engaged with PARC through one of our bystander trainings already, but as a reminder, very often we can utilize the “5Ds” of bystander intervention to prevent, interrupt or minimize harm: • Direct: Directly check in with the person or people involved or directly stop what is happening. • Distract: Create a distraction that could allow the person experiencing violence to escape the situation. • Distance: Similar to distract, distancing the parties involved in conflict could allow you to check in with the person being impacted and give them the opportunity to get away from a dangerous situation. • Delegate: You don’t have to do everything on your own, especially if you don’t feel safe. If someone else might be able to help you,
ask for help! Document: If none of the options above will seem to work, you could offer documentation to the person who experienced the violence such as a statement of what you saw or photos. They decide if they want to share it. Those who are hosting parties or other large social events have a responsibility to think about the ways they can minimize any potential for harm in advance of the event. We encourage party hosts to ask themselves the following questions and think about ways to answer that would foster a culture of care and safety: • Where will the party take place? • Who is allowed to come? • What are the norms/expectations of the space, party/event goers, and hosts? • Are there social dynamics or tensions that might lead to violence? • What would you do if there is an emergency? • What resources will be available? For those students who attend a party, we similarly encourage thoughtful reflection before attending. A harm reduction model reminds us that the people who experience harm or violence are not to blame, and there are ways we can care for ourselves and others that may increase our sense of safety and our connection to support when needed. Guests can consider asking themselves: • Who will be with me that I can trust to help me get out of a difficult situation? • Who will not be with me that I could call or contact for support? •
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What is an easily accessible business, organization, or public place that I could get to if I need to get away from the event? • What emergency resources could I utilize? As a reminder, environments in which alcohol and other substances are being used can increase the risk that harm may occur in two main ways: • Alcohol and substances can be used as a tool to facilitate harm. For example, a perpetrator may intentionally incapacitate someone to facilitate sexual violence • Alcohol and substances may also mask harm. For example, it may be more difficult to recognize harmful behavior or intervene if someone is impaired by drugs or alcohol. Being mindful of increased risk can help us take appropriate measures to plan safer events and support one another. For any student who has experienced sexual violence or related harm, you are not to blame, and support is available. Many students aren’t sure how to label what they experienced or aren’t sure if what they went through falls under the categories of sexual or relationship violence; you don’t need to label what you experienced in order to reach out for help and support. There are a number of confidential resources on campus, and PARC is one of those resources. Students can connect with PARC for advocacy support in a couple of ways: 1. Speak with a peer advocate Our peer advocates are current who students who have participated in extensive training and are available to support their peers through in-person
visits, phone/zoom calls, or through our online chatbox or texting line. Peer advocates are available every weekday that classes are in session 12p.m.-5p.m. No appointment is needed! Students can stop by our office in Usdan G-108 or message us through the chat (brandeis.edu/parcchat). 2. Speak with a professional staff advocate PARC’s director, Kate Richey, can meet with students one on one to provide support. Students can book appointments online at katerichey.youcanbook.me or email krichey@brandeis.edu All of PARC’s advocacy services are free and confidential. We operate from a student-centered and traumainformed perspective. We are happy to speak with students about options regarding reporting and will not pressure a student to make any specific decisions. The choice is always up to the student themself. Brandeis has some wonderful community resources that are also available to our students. Some students find it easier or more comfortable to speak with someone not affiliated with the University. Our local resources for those who have experienced sexual violence (BARCC) and/or relationship violence (REACH Beyond Domestic Violence) are wonderful partners. As with PARC, their services are entirely free and confidential. If a student is seeking a specific community resource or needs help identifying other options for support, we are happy to help them try to identify some other options. — Kate Richey, Director of the Prevention, Advocay & Resource Center
When it comes to media role models, Trevor Noah tops the list By MIRABELL ROWLAND JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
If you were to skim across the channels of late-night television shows, you’d only find older white men hosting shows, but that’s not the case for Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” and they have Trevor Noah to thank for that. Noah, the South African comedian and television personality, is anything but the norm. He is a young, biracial immigrant whose career in comedy and television is only just beginning. Born to parents that were never supposed to be together, a Xhosa African mother and a white father, Noah grew up in South Africa after the apartheid. Since his parents had an interracial relationship, Noah seldom saw his father and spent much of his childhood living with his mother and grandparents. The cities and neighborhoods in South Africa were divided by color, and the Black neighborhood he lived in was a dangerous one to be seen in. As Noah explained in an interview with Terri Gross on NPR, “My grandmother kept me locked in the house when I was staying with the family in Soweto ... if the police did show up ... it was a constant game of hide-and-seek.” In his recent memoir, “Born A Crime,” which immediately hit bookshelves and soon became a New York Times Best Seller, he discussed how his childhood shaped who he is and influenced the work he does today. He talked about always being ostracized when he was younger because he was light-skinned; being neither Black nor white, he did not belong. But, because of the multitude of languages he spoke, he learned how to become a chameleon and fit in with different groups of people through “code-switching” — He would
slightly change his accent or speak in a different language to show that he was not as different as people thought. His ability to mimic accents and voices on “The Daily Show” and to convey news stories from his perspective as an immigrant Black man is quite impressive. Humor played an important role in his life not only in overcoming obstacles but also in simply having fun. He and his mother’s relationship was full of witty comebacks and jokes. In an interview with the Harvard Business Review, Noah explained why he became a comedian. He says, “I always felt an innate joy making people laugh. I always loved performing. And then somebody paid me to do it — as a profession. But I loved it before I earned any money, so I think it was always going to be my natural course.” He also explained that he is able to connect with audiences through authenticity: “I think the most important thing is to instantly give them a sense of who you are ... If a speaker is nervous and tells the audience that, people immediately ...respond accordingly. If a performer is in a good mood..., the crowd will [match] that energy. So for me, the rapport is built by a genuineness conveyed.” Despite Noah’s unique position in the news landscape, he uses his comedic and journalistic qualities to engage with the audience. Since Noah became the host of “The Daily Show,” the producers have been more intentional about adding more diversity. In a Wall Street Journal panel, Jen Flanz, the executive producer of “The Daily Show,” explained, “When you came to show … we made a real effort to book women, people of color.” Noah emphasizes the importance of having true representation rather than tokenism and the importance of reaching diverse
audiences by keeping the show fresh and unique. Personally, the first time I really ever watched “The Daily Show” was when Noah started there. His comedy, sharp wit, and intelligence on a variety of topics were amazing to see. The past month, when he talked about the controversy over the Queen of England’s passing, he succinctly delivered his point of view in an understanding way. If you know anything about the controversy, there were mixed feelings about the death of the Queen. He explained why those who mourned her death should not expect everyone to react the same way. Not everyone had the same relationship with the Queen. While to some she was a grandmother or an important figure, to others she was a symbol of colonization. The very reason
why some people were glad she was no longer in power was due to imperialist and colonialist ideals. For example, Noah says, “I know some of these reactions seem extreme but when you consider what the British Empire did, these reactions are actually pretty reasonable. You can’t expect the oppressed to mourn the oppressor.” This is simply raw truth. He balances humor and heavy topics without minimizing the importance of the topics at hand. Additionally, “The Daily Show” creators successfully tailor content for Twitter, Instagram, Youtube Shorts, and more recently, TikTok based on the creators research on these social media platforms, Noah explained it best: “‘The Daily Show doesn’t live in one space because news doesn’t live in one space.”
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the Volume LXXI,
Number 12
BOARD OF TRU
Want to be more than just spectator?
Justice
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www.thejust
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Trustees make long-awaited divestment choice
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‘BABY STEPS’ TOWA
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■ The University will its investment stra change tegi decrease future inve es to fossil fuel business stment in es.
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principal busi ness is the mini coal for use in energy gene ng of ratio Investments that presently n.” ist in “foss exil fuel priva te limited partnerships (i.e., private partnership limited By JEN GELLER fund ments, the focu s that make investJUSTICE EDITO s R ing profit from of which is derivthe exploratio After months production of n fossil fuels such and Board of Trus of deliberation, the and natural as oil tees adopted gas) a set of policies rega cordance with … will run off in acrding fossil the funds’ typic fuel investments at cycles,” Chie al life their Novembe f Investment ing, updating r meetNicholas War Officer the 1973 guid ren that previous wrote in an elines to the Just email ly informed ice. Thes investment their e funds have an average decisions. life cycle of Brandeis students have 10 years. “The overall been pressing administratio portfolio is the ture, with n to divest maman from fossil fuels for the later stage y funds reaching several year s and s of their life continued to Therefore we cycle. do so in resp have expect it to the recent onse to wind down over slowly policy anno unce the ment. In a Nov. 28 next 5-7 year Warren wrot email to the s,” e. This is spec Brandeis community, private limit ific to University ed President Ron Liebowit that invest with partnership funds z outlined the new pola focus on gain icies that will profit from ing guide future exploiting and ment. From ing oil, natu producnow on, the Univ investral gas and endowment ersity’s othe sil fuel. As funds will of Oct. 30, 2018, r fosnot be invested direc fuel private tly in “public “fossil limited partn or private companies erships[’] [market valu or partnersh e] [was] $63.3 ips whose million,
See DIVESTMEN
T, 7 ☛
STUDENT UNION
Special election call to fill open position ed s
The Brandeis Mountain Clu b hung a ban Monday to pro ner in the Sha test the Board ANDREW BAXTER /the Justice piro Campus of Trustees’ decision on Center Atrium fossil fuel div on estment.
ADMINISTRATION
Report details c am shortcomings on d pus iversity
■ The report pres comprehensive ented a picture of how community members view the Univers ity's diversit y, reportin g policies
problems such as Meehan’s beha and what steps are being taken vior, vent such prob lems from arisi to prefuture. ng in the
athletes may fear being force team or not d off the being cording to Lieb allowed to play, acowitz. However, the course of over their interview s, the investigators foun y was foun d no evidence principles of ded on By NATALIA WIAT ation and deter of retali“anti-discrimi ER mined there nation, inclusiveness, JUSTICE EDITO was ply a perception R acad that it was occu simpendence, and emic freedom, indeTo rring comb University Pres . the highest at this perce standards ident Ron Lieb of academic qual ption, Lieb itz explained released the ■ owitz ity” in an era in an interview owCampus Clim chief of staff gation, discr of segrethe Justice and ate Report with last Thursday ,” he said, imination and The Brandeis adding, “I , which detai quotas, the don’t bear any investigators Monday that Hoot on led the “exceedingly high wrote. ill will towa the administr rd them. standards” and They’re both How ation needs to build the ever, some er shortcomings very passiona broadcommunity’s community very smart. te and bers brought memtrust in the system, whic … I’m really well as the steps of the University, as up controver h will take excited to see where thing the administr sies surrounding the time. Previous policies taking to addr ation is s go.” University’s were unclear, ess them. This identity, whic “I understan Jewish and made it he said, and final repo second d [Chang] has h many agree difficult to repo rt, authored given a pain d is important to Brandeis. been By CHAIEL SCHA rt issues. Liebowitz said ted target on by independent inve One FFEL he facul belie stiga his ty member and I don’t think ves the Univ explained that back, tors the Univ JUSTICE STAFF sity must ensu hired last sprin WRITER ersity any student identity-based re that the comm erg, follows up feel that way, should face additiona schools is aware of unity on the initial findings especially as l pressure to resources that The Student regarding the man,” he said. a freshmain their tain are repu able Unio complaints availtations, whic to them — such lodged again n announce that Vice Pres h discourages st former men’ d as the Reporting individuals Reynolds said ident Benedikt at Brandeis s basketball coach Bria from raising olds ’19 and web page — n Meehan. issues with successor deve he would help his the institutio Treasurer Jerry Reynand alternate chan n. Others ment For the secon lop contacts ’18 will resig nels for reporting create Miller the administ d half of the ioned confusion about with n at the end with educating , along investigaration, as well tion, the Boar whether or not of the semester. Thei them d as catch on why reporting them up on of Trustees taske Brandeis markets itself r seats will be is important projects relev investigators as d the filled in a . special elect ant to the — Walter Prin vice presidenc and noted that a Jewish institution, ion to be held In addition, colm Graham ce, Maly. He will also conversations on Dec. 10. investigators Vice President and Daniel his successor rael have beco about Isshow that instead learned Tarlow — Bene with examining how to help me “charged of reporting ,” which in Reynolds anno dikt Reynolds ’19 groups. student the systems, turn put “fun issues, many in the Brandeis and culture climate draisers on the community choo of University’s to resign durin unced his intent defensive with Jewish Looking back speak about proc se to for g the Nov. 20 dono edur hand on rs,” his e them among ling complaint according to time in the Senate meet Union Union, Reyn report. themselves s related to bias the — an exam ing. olds said he or discrimin ple of thou ation interview with He said in a Dec. 3 what they call work with envi ght and to recom Many stude “small town corrective actio the Justice a ronmental grou his mend nts spoke well mentality.” that his personal heath n accordingly. the Universit University’s ps at Administrators admitted was the reaso y stood out academic rigor of the Throughout to investigat n for his resignation. the most. the He latio also and repo nshi expr rt, reors they An incident the investips they essed concern that are “too quiet gators stressed in abou ber in whic the Senate their role as and faculty prais formed with faculty, ress in improvin ” about their progh two senators Novemweighs its cons t how “lawyers and investigat g the campus publicly criticized Reyn ors,” not expe tituents’ opinions. ture” that exist ed the “niceness culwhich further cultu rts in the olds for his educational re, s within the adds to the field, writing, involvement in a resol Others raise “Senators, and school. climate of poor communic “We will ution that woul not substitute d conc ation. purchased pian d have our judgement tions, are expe any elected posimembers’ cultu erns about faculty administration os for the firstDiversity, equi for cted to be ral sensitivity residence quad ’s].” They poin [the and communic liaisons ty and inclusion year Diversity, Equi . One s affected his the steps the ators for the ted to Brandeis has ty and Inclu admi decision to step down body,” he said. student historically pert said profe sion exbut taking, and decli nistration is already sues of race and faced is“Right now, ssors and staff factor, Reynolds was not the driving it seems as if we’re decis segregation, ned to give their equipped to respe are “illthe speci said in the inter tigators noted invesion makers own fic recommend ct cultural diffe , citing both Reynolds acce student body view. for the es,” according ations, sayin rencthe original . These [cam doing so woul 1969 Ford Hall pted the apolo g that to the report. pus] newsClass of 2022 d be “presump gies of protest, its 2015 papers probably This issue of culturally Senator Alex tuous.” part and Meeh coun To understan talk to our cons insensitive Chang and International an’s firing. From terencies [more] d the campus “bullying” was prominen tituStudent Sena investigators than we do.” climate, interviews with t in Meehan’s their tor Linfei Yang ’20 and inter beha toward his playe Reynolds stres the community vior said of faculty, staff, viewed a number investigators , the sed that bein rs. that they apolo he was “thankful” foun member of the admi d g The that a nistr investigators while ators, students and alum was “deep and gized. “The Union is a stren also described been open to y have ni to examine undertaking wide acceptance there “widespread uous communication concerns about the way for full-time importance anxiety abou of the of diversity, me as well as the Universit students and suggested with t lodging complaints” equit with the presi y comp inclu hand amon that y, laint and sion” amon les the Union shou g the Brandeis s. They then dent and munity due ld complaced their findings in a trators and dean g students, administo concerns large abou See UNION, 6 ☛ s, there was ation, confu Brandeis cultu r context of how the less consensu “notably sion surroundi t retalis” among the re has contr ng procedures and a faculty. ibuted to lack of belie Administrator f that things s tended to will change. focus on the “business For example, case” for incre student asing di-
.
Brandeis’ clim ate The Universit and culture
The Union's vice and treasurer will president step down and be replaced at the end of this semester.
Writ itee ffor or Spor Sports! ts! Con ontac tactt spor sports@thejustic ts@thejusticee.or .org g
Student Fashion
A Brandeis stud ent transforms his love of fashion into a busi ness
By SAMMY PARK Photo Courte sy of IRA BORNS TEIN
MELA
Scholar reflects on
The South Asia n Students Association cele brates Shared Connection.” “Our
.
By GILDA GEIST
School starting time
By ELLA RUSS ELL
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ARTS 19
Women’s basketball
By JEN GELLER
COPYRIGHT 2018 FREE AT BRAND EIS.
See CLIMATE,
U.S. curation of Chin s make no sense
plays hard
7☛
ese art
NEWS 5 FORUM 11 SPORTS 16
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THE JUSTICE ● SPORTS ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022 13
BRANDEIS: bon voyage, seniors
SOCCER SALUTES
CONTINUED FROM 16 this milestone. She will also finish ninth in the rankings with a career total of 71 points. Swan’s assist was the 17th of her career and ties her to sixth on Brandeis’s career list. Her goal also marked a career-high of three goals in a season. With the
loss, Brandeis ends their season 7-82 overall and 0-6-1 UAA. —Editor’s note: Editor Aiden Guthro is a member of the men’s soccer team. He did not contribute to or edit this article.
NFL: Star players find new homes around the league WORLD CUP: Soccer legends prepare for final World Cup
SMILEY HUYNH/the Justice
FINAL FAREWELL: Brandeis senior Khalil Winder '23 pushes the ball at the NYU defense in his final collegiate match.
CONTINUED FROM 16
payday at the end of the season, and instead of accepting the demands of their star linebacker, the Bears shipped him off to Baltimore. While the Bears took away from the defensive side of the ball, they gave their quarterback, Justin Fields, a little help by acquiring Chase Claypool from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The 6 feet 4 inches Notre Dame wide receiver will help Fields and a struggling Bears offense find their footing, only losing a 2023 second-round pick in exchange. One of the larger trades came on the day of the deadline when the Denver Broncos packaged Bradley Chubb and a 2025 fifthround pick, sending it to Miami for Chase Edmonds, a 2023 firstround pick, and a 2024 fourthround pick. The former fifth overall pick was a cornerstone for the Broncos’ defense. In his five seasons, Chubb recorded 26 sacks, 170 tackles, and six forced fumbles. South Beach
will be happy to have his talents on their roster as they push for a playoff berth in a competitive American Football Conference East division. Rounding out the notable trades are T.J. Hockenson and Calvin Ridley. Hockenson was traded from the Detroit Lions to the Minnesota Vikings; the Lions had not made an inner-division trade since 1998. The Vikings now have one of the most stacked offensive units after acquiring the Pro-Bowl tight end. Ridley, who is currently serving a yearlong suspension due to gambling, will join the Jaguars receiving core next season. With the Super Bowl just months away, each team is trying to put their best foot forward as they inch closer to the end of the regular season. For the organizations mentioned above, these trades may be the difference between watching the Super Bowl in their living room and actually playing in it.
CONTINUED FROM 16 unbeatable. Neymar, Alisson, Gabriel Jesus, and many others will headline Brazil’s squad. However, being in Group G will not help their chances, as many are predicting this group to be the hardest. With the three other countries being Switzerland, Cameroon, and Serbia, these other countries in Group G have star players of their own who have been performing incredibly well
in soccer leagues around the world. The U.S. is also back in the World Cup after failing to qualify in 2018. Even though the U.S. is not a heavily favored team to win the entire tournament, the accomplishment of making it to the tournament this year is certainly an improvement over their past performances. This showdown between all the countries in the World Cup will be one
for the ages with such great players on the brink of retirement. With so many star players from countries all around the world, there is no telling who will win the tournament. Fans should enjoy the opportunity to watch heroes of the sport compete in their final World Cup. The opening match will take place on Sunday, Nov. 20 with Qatar facing off against Ecuador in the first stages of group play.
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THE JUSTICE ● SPORTS ● TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022 15
ON THE HORIZON
JUDGES BY THE NUMBERS MEN’S SOCCER
FINAL UAA STANDINGS
Chicago Rochester Case WashU JUDGES Carnegie Emory NYU
UAA Conf. W L D 4 0 0 1 1 2 2 1 1 2 0 2 0 4 0 1 3 0 1 3 0 2 1 1
FINAL TEAM STATS Goals
Overall W L D Pct. 14 0 0 1.00 6 3 4 .615 7 3 3 .654 6 3 2 .636 5 6 2 .462 9 3 1 .731 5 6 4 .467 7 4 2 .615
Santo Moroto Tobias ’23 leads the team with seven goals. Player Goals Santo Moroto Tobias 7 Nico Beninda 2 Rainer Osselmann-Chai 2
Assists
Rainer Osselmann-Chai ’26 leads the team with five assists. Player Assists Rainer Osselmann-Chai 5 Max Horowitz 3 Toby Marwell 2 Andres Gonzalez 1
WOMEN’S SOCCER FINAL UAA STANDINGS
FINAL TEAM STATS Goals
Case WashU Chicago Rochester Emory JUDGES NYU Carnegie
UAA Conf. Overall W L D W L D Pct. 4 0 0 13 0 0 1.000 1 3 0 6 4 5 .567 0 3 1 7 7 1 .500 2 1 1 7 2 4 .692 4 0 0 11 2 0 .846 0 4 0 7 6 1 .536 0 3 1 5 3 5 .577 3 0 1 10 1 2 .846
Juliette Carreiro ’23 led the team with nine goals. Player Goals Juliette Carreiro 9 Bailey Cullen 5 Sydney Lenhart 5 Makenna Hunt 4
Assists Juliette Carreiro ’23 and Caroline Swan ’23 led the team with six assists. Player Juliette Carreiro Caroline Swan Makenna Hunt
Assists 6 6 4
VOLLEYBALL FINAL UAA STANDINGS
MEGAN LIAO/the Justice
FINAL TEAM STATS
NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: With seven first-year players on the team, the Judges will rely on younger talent to carry them.
Kills UAA Conf. W L Chicago 5 2 Emory 4 3 Carnegie 3 4 WashU 5 2 NYU 6 1 JUDGES 0 7 Rochester 1 6 Case 4 3
Overall W L 15 11 15 6 16 6 25 3 21 4 10
12
11 11
20 4
Pct. .577 .714 .727 .893 .857 .455 .500 .833
Lara Verstovsek ’25 led the team with 275 kills. Player Kills Lara Verstovsek 275 Sydney Bent 253 Anna Ertischek 167 Arianna Jackson 106
Digs Sydney Bent MA ’23 leads the team with 357 digs. Player Digs Sydney Bent 357 Stephanie Borr 259 Ines Grom-Mansenecal 254
Men’s Basketball seeks to prove themselves ahead of new season ■ Brandeis Men’s Basketball
set to go for 2022-23 season with young roster and new assistant coach.
CROSS COUNTRY By JACKSON WU
Results from the UAA Championship
JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
TOP FINISHERS (Men’s)
TOP FINISHERS (Women’s)
5-Mile Run RUNNER Mathew Dribben TJ Carleo Robert King
5-Kilometer Run RUNNER Juliette Intrieri Bridget Pickard Lizzy Reynolds
TIME 26:30.30 26:41.30 27:00.30
TIME 23:02.30 23:16.00
23:35.70
UPCOMING MEETS:
Sat., Nov. 12 at Bowdoin College
—Stats current as of Nov. 8.
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Brandeis Men’s Basketball finished their 2021-22 season with a 6-7 University Athletic Association record and a 15-9 record overall. They were on the bubble for the 2022 Division III National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament but just missed out on being selected. After the season, some of the Judges’ stars — including Collin Sawyer, Chandler Jones, Nolan Hagerty, Austin Clamage, Sam Nassar, and Tommy Eastman — graduated from Brandeis, marking the end of an era for the men’s basketball team. To gain insights on what the new season might look like in the Auerbach Arena, the Justice interviewed two members of the team about their approach to the new season. “We’re very new this year,” Ethan Edwards ’26, a promising young guard who was redshirted last season, commented. There are seven first-year players on the 16man team, who have been working together since the beginning of the semester. Edwards gave his thoughts on their preseason: “I feel like the first couple practices were just like adjustments and trying to figure out some things.” First-year forward Quron Zene shared that the team has been playing pickups as soon as they came back on
campus. “Everyone has a chip on their shoulder,” Zene talked about the team’s preseason atmosphere. “We have the opportunity to do something very special because of our chemistry.” Both Edwards and Zene had a meaningful summer before the season. Edwards stayed on campus to sharpen his skills while Zene recovered from a hamstring injury and got ready for college basketball, both physically and mentally. When asked about what adjustments need to be made, Edwards mentioned how Head Coach Jean Bain emphasized “patience” as the key to success during practices. “We have to keep attacking [every practice, every game, every film session] day by day,” Edwards said. At the same time, Zene forecasted a different style of Judges Men’s Basketball: “We are going to go up and down the court, press up on defense, get a lot of steals, and go on transitions, ‘cause we are more athletic than last year’s team.” With a large number of young players on the roster, fans can expect a very energetic playing style and all-out efforts from the Judges. A couple weeks ago, former Associate Head Coach Sean Tabb and Assistant Coach Sam Rubenstein left the University for other roles and opportunities. Edwards paid tribute to the coaches: “They taught us how to be the best version of ourselves on and off the basketball court… and what it truly means to be a Brandeis student athlete, how to play hard and be a professional.” For Zene, Coach Tabb was like a part of his family. “We talk mostly every day…When he would call my phone, it would not be about basketball. It is always about how I am doing, how is life going, how is my family…” Coach Tabb joined the basketball program in the 201314 season and was named a New England Basketball Hall Of-Famer
in 2015. Coach Rubinstein had helped the Judges Men’s Basketball in various aspects, while also serving as the director for the Judges Leadership Academy, the athletic department’s studentathlete development program. The Judges recently welcomed Coach David Feinstein, with previous experiences at Quinnipiac University and Boston University, as the new assistant coach of the team. In the interview, Edwards and Zene disclosed that the Judges Men’s Basketball is ranked seventh in the conference according to an UAA preseason poll, but this does not affect their fighting spirit. “The ultimate goal is always to win the championship,” Zene declared. Edwards chimed in and added, “We just want to prove ourselves. We have got nothing to lose.” In the face of doubts, the Judges could definitely use some support and home court advantage in the upcoming season. “We are going to every game being the underdog most of the time,” Edwards promised the Brandeis community that they will witness “a team that’s going to play hard with effort, put on a show, and bring appreciation to the Brandeis name.” Zene echoed, “We are going to play hard every night, and obviously we are going to win as many games as we can. You don’t want to miss out on that!” There are countless inspirational stories of underdogs leaving critics stunned in the basketball world. The Judges will strive to join the collection! The Judges Men’s Basketball will begin their season in the Auerbach Arena by hosting the Salem State Vikings on Wednesday, Nov. 9. The young squad led by captains Terell Brown ’23 and David Perez-Miralles ’24 looks forward to proving themselves against the odds in the upcoming 2022-23 basketball season.
just Sports Page 16
BRANDEIS BASKETBALL LOOKS AHEAD Brandeis Men's Basketball hopes to prove critics wrong showcasing a young roster and new assistant coach, pg. 15. Waltham, Mass.
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
NFL
NEW THREADS
NFL trade deadline moves big names around the league ■ Star players such as Bradley Chubb, Roquan Smith, Christian McCaffrey, and more have found new homes across the NFL after an exciting trade deadline. By AIDEN GUTHRO JUSTICE EDITOR
As the National Football League season approaches the halfway point, teams prepare their rosters for a spot in the playoffs. In this preparation, teams look across the league for players who might add that special ingredient that takes their talent to the next level. The trade deadline gives teams the opportunity to re-sign or trade players until Nov. 1 at 4 p.m. EST. This year the trade deadline was chalked full of highlevel talent and superstar names, making it one of the most notable trade periods in NFL history. On Oct. 21, news broke about a trade between the Carolina Panthers and the San Francisco 49ers for Pro-Bowl running back Christian McCaffrey, which stunned the NFL community. Drafted in 2017, McCaffrey quickly put the league on notice, showcasing his elite speed and balance. Initially, the Panthers were ecstatic to have drafted a generational talent at the running back position, but injuries began to plague the Stanford standout.
In 2020 and 2021, McCaffrey only suited up 10 times for the Panthers. With his value still high, the Panthers decided to trade the stud back to the 49ers for a slew of draft picks: 2023 second, third, and fourth-round pick as well as a 2024 fifth-round pick. In the 49ers most recent game, McCaffrey looked like the old version of himself, posting 94 rushing yards, 55 receiving yards, and three total touchdowns. Following this blockbuster move, the New York Jets acquired a running back of their own. Trading a conditional 2023 sixthround pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars for James Robinson. Robinson, similar to McCaffrey, has faced injuries throughout his NFL career but has impressed critics while on the turf. The Jets required more depth at the back position after their rookie sensation Breece Hall reported a season ending ACL injury. Robinson will pair nicely with Michael Carter in the backfield as the Jets have flown to an impressive 6-3 start. The trades didn’t stop there. Roquan Smith, one of the league's most formidable defensive players, was sent to the Baltimore Ravens from the Chicago Bears for A.J. Klein, a 2023 secondround pick and 2023 fifth-round pick. Smith was due for a large
See NFL, 13 ☛ Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
ON THE MOVE: After struggling to stay healthy in Carolina, Christian McCaffrey is restarting his career with the 49ers.
WORLD CUP
BRANDEIS
Qatar welcomes Men’s and women’s soccer 2022 World Cup fall short on Senior Day ■ As the Qatar 2022 World Cup is right around the corner, the matchups between many legendary players and teams are the main storyline heading into the tournament. By JOHN JUNG
JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
As mid-November approaches, the Qatar World Cup 2022 is going to be the first World Cup played during fall and winter. Due to the excessive heat during the summertime in the Middle East, the winter temperatures will provide fans and players a safer and more enjoyable experience. It is the first World Cup to be held in the Middle East and the second World Cup to be played in Asia. Additionally, the Qatar tournament is the most expensive World Cup with the country spending nearly $300 billion on infrastructure and construction, per Fox Sports. Lastly, this World Cup will be the final World Cup with only 32 countries participating since Fédération Internationale de
Football Association will be adding 16 more countries to the World Cup, creating 48 spots for the tournament in 2026 hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. The first game will showcase the host country, Qatar, taking on Ecuador. Ecuador looks to be the favorite to win the match-up. In addition, this World Cup will showcase some of the biggest names in the soccer world. Notable players include Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, neither of whom have ever won the tournament. Both Messi and Ronaldo may be facing international retirement following the conclusion of the tournament, as they have reached the final years of their competitive careers. Football fans around the world continuously debate which player should be named the greatest of all time, yet both Messi and Ronaldo are still looking to add the World Cup trophy to their list of accolades. Although Argentina is the third favorite to win the World Cup and Portugal is the ninth, Brazil ranks as the odds-on favorite to claim the hardware. With so much talent on their team, Brazil’s roster looks
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■ After honoring a combined 17 student athletes in their Senior Day celebrations, both Brandeis soccer teams lost their final matches of the season to NYU. By AKI YAMAGUCHI
JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
This past Friday, Nov. 5, the men’s and women’s varsity soccer teams faced off against New York University in their final games. As the last home match of the season, both teams honored their seniors and graduate students whose careers were coming to an end. The men’s team honored Max Blacker, Aiden Guthro, Isaac Mukula, Josh Gans, Forrest Shimazu, Khalil Winder, and Sammy Guttell. The women’s team honored Jessica Murawsky, Bailey Cullen, Juliette Carreiro, Makenna Hunt, Jess Herman, Morgan Clark, Meaghan McDonough, Sabrina Salov, Caroline Swan, and Ruby Siegel. Both teams fought to the end, but unfortunately, they fell short of securing a win to cap off the season.
Men’s Judges 0, Violets 3 After a hard-fought battle against the No. 1 University of Chicago, the Judges were in for a fight against NYU, who had just tied the undefeated team. They entered the match 1-5 UAA, and 6-7-2 overall with hopes to secure one more win. The first half was relatively equal, with both sides getting shots and opportunities off. However, the Violets were able to put a goal away right before halftime. In the last minutes of the half, they found the back of the net off a cross. In the second half, NYU put away the game when they made sure to put their second goal away early in the 50th minute. They would later secure their win in the 84th minute with a shot to the lower-right corner. NYU outshot Brandeis with a 1410 advantage, 7-1 shots on goal. The Judges did edge the Violets on corner kicks 3-1, but they were unable to capitalize on these opportunities. The Judges ended their season 1-6-0 UAA, and 6-8-2 overall. Women’s Judges 2, Violets 3 Looking to land their first UAA win, the Judges were unable to secure their lead ahead of the Violets and conceded two goals in the second half. Brandeis entered the match 7-7-
2 overall, 0-5-1 UAA conference. The Violets opened up the scoring in the 17th minute, taking the early lead. However, the Judges answered back in the 35th minute when Caroline Swan ’23 scored off a corner kick directly. They continued to fight hard and in the 59th minute, a penalty kick was called. Swan took the kick, and although there was an initial save, senior Juliette Carreiro was there to put the ball away. However, Brandeis couldn’t keep their lead and only seven minutes later, NYU found the back of the net. In the 74th minute, NYU secured their win with a goal off a free kick. The Judges were unable to clear the ball out of the book, and the Violets capitalized. NYU held the shooting advantage throughout the game 18-13, outshooting the Judges, especially in the second half 126. Although the Judges had the advantage in corner kicks 4-3, all four came in the first half. On the other hand, NYU had their three in the second half contributing to their offensive pressure when trying to regain the lead. With Carreiro scoring her ninth goal of the season and 25th career goal, she is one of 14 players to hit
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Vol. LXXV #7
Waltham, Mass.
November 7, 2022
Photo courtesy of Phoenix Yuan. Design: Smiley Huynh/the Justice.
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022 I ARTS & CULTURE JUSTICE THE JUSTICE | ARTS | TUESDAY, JANUARYI THE 31, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
‘Victoria’:
Knut Hamsun and Nordic modernism By MEGAN LIAO JUSTICE EDITOR
The 1898 “Victoria” may not be the first book that comes to the mind of most readers hearing the name “Knut Hamsun.” In fact, it may not even be the second. Nonetheless, it remains one of the most important novels in the study of Nordic modernism. Published at the turn of the century, “Victoria” is heavily characterized by the frequent use of inner monologues, its realist reflection of social gaps, and the light touch of the visual descriptions of the Norwegian countryside that highlights the interactions between characters. The Norwegian Nobel Literary Prize winner was born in 1859 in Gudbrandsdalen — commonly known as “the valley of valleys” — a rural district surrounded by the highest mountains of Scandinavia. Growing up in the Hamarøy countryside of Norway, Hamsun was greatly influenced by the rural landscape and the pastoral scenes. Nevertheless, rather than concentrating the subject of his writing on illustrating the countryside, Hamsun employs such imagery as a backdrop for the critical interactions between his characters. Through the implementation of interior monologues and stream of consciousness, Hamsun’s
novels pioneered Modernist elements in Norway. Much of Hamsun’s writing centers on social hierarchies, the solitude of outcasts in wilderness, and primitivism. His best known works are “Sult” — “Hunger” — published in 1890 and “Markens Grøde” — “Growth of the Soil” — published in 1917. In 1920, the awarding of the Nobel Literary Prize for “Markens Grøde” brought his international popularity to a peak. However, the 1940 Nazi invasion of Norway instantly changed the public view of Hamsun. An admirer of German writers Thomas Mann and Herman Hesse, Hamsun sympathized with the Nazis, and the public displayal of his sympathies turned Norway against him. In a fortnight, he went from a national hero to the enemy of the country. Libraries rid themselves of all his works, and households burned all Hamsun collections they possessed. Hamsun passed away antagonized, forgotten by his people. It wasn’t until the 1960s that people began to read Hamsun again. Why read “Victoria”? While it may not hold the same popularity as “Sult” or “Markens Grøde,” it is a love fiction enveloping the youthful love souring in the process of aging and barriers of social hierarchies. With the backdrop of Norwegian rural
sceneries, a young boy and young girl loved each other with the purest hearts, and their inability to let go of the passion led to fatal consequences. Johannes was born a miller’s son, and Victoria was the daughter of a castle owner. Evidently, there is not meant to be a happy ending. As the couple grow up, they become increasingly fond of each other in secret, but the cold reality of their social differences set them apart. When Victoria’s “castle” crumbles — her wealthy, landowning family begins to wane and her lieutenant fiancée dies — it seems like she is liberated to pursue her lover. Unfortunately, Johannes is engaged to another. The heartbroken Victoria begins to decline in health and dies. At first glance, “Victoria” seems like a melodramatic story lamenting the mishaps of unrequited love and jealousy; nonetheless, Hamsun describes romance in a burning-candle-like way, wavering in strength from time to time but never ceasing to burn. When Johannes’ affection burns ardently, Victoria coldly reclines against the chest of Lieutenant Otto; after the sudden death of Otto, Victoria rusheds to tell Johannes how ill she has always been for him, only to hear the cruel news that he is engaged. Although one seems to be cold while the other is burning in flames, barely perceivable is
the shadow of the candle also passionately burning on the ground, and that it is the embodiment of the concealed devastation each of the two suffers from pushing away each other. Under the pretense of the melodramatic setting of the horrible timing, the difficulty faced by the two is faulted in their silent affections and jealousies rather than fate itself. Of all Hamsun’s novels, “Victoria” has been adopted into films the most times, most likely due to its picturesque literary depiction of the Norwegian landscape — easily appearing photo-genic on screen — that it became a favorite for film producers. The 2013 version directed by Torun Lian was the first film adaptation in Norwegian. As expected, the film sheds a light on the prided Nordic sceneries, but Lian’s production creates more depth to just showcasing pretty mountains and valleys. She is known for disorienting the audience, creating a space within a location one is so familiar with and destroying immediately our knowledge of where it is. The most impressionable moment in the movie is the scene where fourteen-year-old Johannes carries eight-year-old Victoria through the woods. While this scene is original to the visual adaptation, it underscores the innocence of the two sharing
a loving moment without recognizing that it is romance. Without much discourse, the scene seizes the attention of spectators through the long shots of the children looking at each other smiling and the occasional giggles. While they walk through a field of snow white cow parsleys, the camera panned slowly into the children while birds chirped and Victoria hummed idly. Victoria wraps her arms around Johannes neck, and, carrying the girl in his arms, the young boy is also struggling a little to keep his balance. The moment of innocence juxtaposes the tragic consequences of their love in the end. Even the purest affections may derive from jealousy. The technique employed in “Victoria” lays a foundation for the Nordic modernist traditions, and the romantic sentiments inspire film makers frequently to recreate the romance in vivid Norwegian landscapes. While not a difficult read, “Victoria” presents a challenge for modern readers to dig deeper into a trivial, simple plotline. In search of the layered sentiments buried in the minds of the characters, either through direct or indirect discourse or stream of consciousness, one may find instead the dauntingness of love passionately burning ferociously, haunting each of us in our subconscious.
BOOK REVIEW
‘I Am These Truths’:
This is the journey of Sunny Hostin By MINA ROWLAND JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Sunny Hostin published her first memoir in Sept. 2020. Although I did not get a chance to read it until this fall, I am so happy I eventually did. There is a lack of representation in the book industry, especially in novels and memoirs. Hostin’s memoir “I Am These Truths: A Memoir of Justice, Identity and Living Between Worlds” reveals her experience growing up in the South Bronx projects and finding her voice. It is a 270-page piece exploring her time in school, her legal career, her motherhood and infertility, and her identity of being a biracial woman in America. Sunny Hostin, born Asunción Cummings in 1968, grew up in the Bronx. In her memoir, she talks about being born to teenage parents, Rosa Beza and William Cummings, who both had lofty goals, despite having a child young. Beza was an intellectual and activist who dreamed of starting her own social justice organization. William was introspective and studious. He wanted to be a track star in college, but he fell in love with Beza before he graduated high school. They married only 15 days before Beza gave birth. Once they officially became parents, they were determined to be mature and loving. Despite Hostin living in poverty during her childhood, she had a loving family where education
Design: Megan Liao/the Justice
came first. After attending public schools, her family converted to Catholicism in order to give her a better education at Catholic schools. This shifted her perspective on not only herself, but the world around her. Hostin attended State University of New York and eventually received her law degree from Notre Dame Law. She went on to become a federal prosecutor for the state of New York. She admits in her memoir that practicing law was not her true passion, but she went into the field to meet her parents’ expectations and was quite good at it. Her true passion, though initially deferred, lay within journalism. Nonetheless she felt that it might be too late. One of my favorite things about Hostin’s memoir is that she recounts how many failures she had in contrast to all the success people often see on television or her social media accounts. She talks about how difficult it was to break into the journalism industry. She faced difficulties being hired because she was overqualified or faced discrimination with being too light to be considered Black or too dark to be considered Latina. However, through her book, Hostin is able to make her voice heard, and she brilliantly balances her negative experiences with positive ones about allies and other journalists of color. Luckily Hostin was soon able to put her legal work to use at Court TV and Fox until transferring to CNN as a legal correspondent and
analyst. During her time there, she worked with Don Lemon, Anderson Cooper, and several other acclaimed journalists. Hostin expressed her views on being one of the few Afro-Latina journalists. In an interview with Essence, she admits, “I encountered similar obstruction when people found out that I was a kid of teenage parents from the South Bronx projects, so my journey has been a difficult one, and finding my voice has been a difficult one. But I found my voice Feb. 26, 2012, when Trayvon Martin was murdered.” The news and social media immediately lit up with images that claimed that Martin was a thug. One showed a shirtless young black boy “giving the finger” to the camera, yet to be verified as Martin, while the other is another demeaning photo used to justify Martin’s murder. Hostin wanted to tell the side of Martin that wasn’t seen in the media. She reached out to Martin’s parents and the community, on behalf of CNN, curating photographs of Martin to show him as the child he was without the metal grill that the media used to make him into a criminal. The latter half of her memoir dives deeper into her process being a journalist of color along with her conversations with Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, to tell Martin’s side of the story. Rather than painting Trayvon as a monster or a threatening Black man, Martin is presented in the interview on CNN as the young, tal-
ented boy he was. While Hostin was writing her memoir, one of her editors who also worked for the ABC News network “was [actively] attempting to edit out passages from her book that it deemed could put the company in an unfavorable light,” per an interview Hostin did with the Hollywood Reporter. Hostin was disappointed, confused, and angry, but that did not stop her. She did not make any changes to her memoir. She addresses ABC News’s attempt to silence her in the foreword. Her strong condemnation unfortunately proves just how much further we still have to go regarding race and representation in the field of journalism. Hostin simply tells the truth and related her personal experiences, as her memoir title suggests, but ABC only wanted to protect their company’s reputation rather than owning and apologizing for their behavior. Hostin is unapologetically herself now. She exudes confidence, consistency, and truth-telling with authenticity. Though both Latinx and Black Americans have questioned Hostin on her authenticity on claiming both communities, she shines bright as a cultured, multilingual, and mixed race woman. Her work has spanned various media outlets, including a large media presence on television through The View and several news outlets, such as CNN, Fox, and ABC. Hostin is also a freelance author, having published
her first novel “Summer on the Bluffs” in 2020. She is often seen in news headlines online or on her own social media sharing her personal and political perspectives. Hostin is an invaluable member of the journalism world, as seen through her time at The View and especially now as a current correspondent at ABC News. Although her brutal honesty was something ABC wanted to censor, Walt Disney, ABC’s parent organization, investigated and apologized on behalf of the reporters who asked Hostin to remove potentially damaging passages. Her work is unmatched as she has pushed boundaries as a biracial woman in the journalism world and proved her worth. She is an inspiration to many, including me, just for being herself.
MINA ROWLAND/the Justice
HOSTIN: The powerful story of Sunny Hostin has inspired many. journalists
THE JUSTICE | ARTS | TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2017
PHOTO STORY
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022 I ARTS & CULTURE I THE JUSTICE
I L A W I D By MEGAN LIAO JUSTICE EDITOR
ELIZA BIER/the Justice
DIWALI: Meaning “festival of lights” in Sanskrit, Diwali is a five-day long Hindu festival that celebrates the victory of light over darkness. The Brandeis Diwali celebration was organized by Namaskar, a Brandeis spiritual group promoting Hindu, Jain, and Sikh culture.
Design: Megan Liao and Mina Rowland/the Justice
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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2022 I ARTS & CULTURE I THE JUSTICE
STAFF’S Top Ten
TIBRIA BROWN/the Justice
By TIBRIA BROWN
JUSTICE EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Top 10 delightfully bizarre movies: These are 10 of my favorite surreal movies. Though the majority of this list comprises PG-13 action and adventure films, numbers 6-10 shift to horror/thriller. The criteria for the selections are films that transcend expectations of modern films. 1. “RRR” (2022) 2. “Everything, Everywhere All at Once” (2022) 3. “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014) 4. “Jojo Rabbit” (2019) 5. “Paranorman” (2012) 6. “Fight Club” (1999) 7. “Color Out of Space” (2019) 8. “The Lighthouse” (2019) 9. “The Descent” (2005) 10. “Sorry to Bother You” (2018)
Top 10 K-R&B tracks: This list is composed of my favorite Korean pop and R&B tracks. This list also functions as my personal recommendations for anyone trying to get into Korean music. 1. “NAN CHUN” by Se So Neon 2. “love” by DEAN, Syd 3. “Excuse Me Miss” by SHINee 4. “Drip Drop” by TAEMIN 5. “Ma City” by BTS 6. “Focus” by NCT 127 7. “Still Lonely” by SEVENTEEN 8. “HOME” by BTS 9. “Calling My Name” by GOT7 10. “Mmmh” by KAI JACK YUANWEI CHENG/the Justice
SUDOKU Puzzle courtesy of OPENSKY SUDOKU