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New
position created to improve student services
In
an effort to raise retention rates, a new vice president will be
hired to supervise student
services
By
Deborah Eisner
Justice
Editorial Board
A
new administrative position to deal specifically with student
needs and concerns is being created, President Jehuda Reinharz
announced last week.
Though
the duties of the new position, tentatively titled vice
president for student services, have not yet been fully defined,
Reinharz said it was designed as a response to Brandeis'
comparatively low retention rates.
Retention
rates at Brandeis, currently hovering at about 80 percent, are
an average of six to 12 percentage points below its competitor
schools, Reinharz said. The statistic measures the number of
students who leave the University each year.
In
a meeting with student leaders, Reinharz called the low rates of
retention "enormously disturbing on every possible
level."
Student
Union President Ellie Levine '01 said she supports the formation
of the new vice presidential position.
Vice
President of Public Affairs Michal Regunberg said she agrees
with Reinharz's plan. "It is good news that the University
is saying that there are issues that need to be addressed. The
administration should be applauded for recognizing that we need
to take action," she said. "Now, what is the answer? I
don't think we know that yet." Reinharz said that the
purpose of the new vice president is to give students an added
level of representation in the upper echelons of the
administration.
"We
are making a statement that these (student service) functions
are important at the highest level," Provost Irving Epstein
said.
Various
departments that currently function independently of one another
will report to the vice president, who will have the
responsibility to improve communication between the departments
and to make necessary changes, the president said.
"It
is likely that if you had a more coordinated approach to things
Š that you could use these resources more effectively,"
Epstein said.
The
University hired the Maguire Associates, Inc., a Bedford
consultant firm, to assess the issues involved in enrollment
management. The report suggested hiring a vice president to
coordinate activities of the various student services
organizations.
Affected
departments could include the Registrar's office, the Bursar's
office, the Financial Aid Office, the Office of the Dean of
Student Affairs and the Office of Campus Life. Because the
position has not been fully defined, its effects are not yet
clear. There will be no immediate changes in any of the
administrative positions affected by the reorganization.
Executive
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Peter French said the
implementation of the administrative change will cost the
University several hundred thousand dollars. "Our belief
and the experience of other universities is that the appointment
of this vice president Š more than pays for itself in terms of
the actual revenue that otherwise would be lost," he said.
According
to French, the University loses $200,000 for every 10 students
that leave Brandeis. That figure accounts for average financial
aid and scholarships given to those students.
A
committee of 11 people, to be chaired by Dean of Admissions and
Financial Aid David Gould, will facilitate the hiring search.
Levine, along with Class of 2001 Senator Owusu
Ananeh-Firempong '01, will sit on the committee. The rest of the
committee consists of faculty
and staff.
Reinharz
said he expects the position to be filled by mid-summer 2000 and
the new organizational structure will be implemented by the
beginning of the 2000-2001 school year.
"The
new vice president is going to coordinate the various services
that relate to students. It is an attempt to Š streamline all
of those offices," Reinharz said. "More important than
that, the role of the vice president is to look at student life
in its totality." The announcement of the new position
caused a flurry of activity on campus. Various groups affected
by the new position have held meetings, and Reinharz had a
meeting with the faculty Wednesday in addition to the meeting he
held with students.
Levine
said that she is pleased that the University is going to take
the time to look more carefully at student services at Brandeis.
"In
the end, (retention) will improve through more attention paid to
student's needs on campus," Levine said.
Other
students said they disagree with the administration's decision.
"My
main disagreement is that we have two high-level administrators
in Campus Life who know the students and do their jobs really
well," Ari Rabin-Havt '01, Grad senator, said, referring to
Dean of Student Affairs Rod Crafts and Director of Campus Life
Rick Sawyer. Rabin-Havt suggested that the money could be more
effectively used by the Office of Campus Life than by a new
administrative office.
Senator-at-large
Tobey Konecny '00 said he agrees with Rabin-Havt.
"There
is no reason to go off and look for a new vice President who is
going to take three years to get to know students," he
said.
Levine
said the new position is intended to do more than expand the
duties of the Office of Campus Life.
Faculty
Senate President Jerry Cohen (AMST) called a special meeting of
the faculty to discuss the findings of the Maguire report. Cohen
said he was disappointed that the Maguire report did not contain
more analytical data describing why Brandeis has historically
had a problem with retention.
"(There
was a) complete lack of any data of the causes of the
problem," he said in an interview. "(We need to) know
what we are doing right and then begin to see what we are doing
wrong."
Other
members of the faculty share some of Cohen's sentiments.
"The
president is trying to improve services to students. Whether or
not that position is going to solve the perceived problem Š I
think the jury is out," Professor Joyce Antler (AMST) said.
At
Wednesday's meeting with the president a number of professors
expressed concern with the apparent lack of Brandeis-specific
data in the report.
"(The
administration) won't tell us what the problem is. They won't
tell us who's leaving," Professor Donald Hindley (POL)
said. "Until you've defined what your issue is, how are you
going to solve it?"
However,
Professor Mary Davis (AMST) said she feels the new position may
be necessary. She stressed that the implementation of any plan
to increase student satisfaction needs to include the whole
community. "I don't think (the new position) can work
without grassroots organization and community consensus. We've
got to work from the ground up," she said.
Administrators
who will likely report to the new vice president said they feel
enhanced communication among the targeted service organizations
is necessary.
"I'm
enthusiastic about the additional coordination of student
services at Brandeis," Crafts said. "I'm looking
forward to the search and to meeting the candidates."
Director of Financial Aid Peter Giumette said he thinks the
shorter communication lines and the enhanced coordination
between the various organizations will help to make students'
lives easier.
"The
concept is a good one. Š It's hard to argue with the logic that
(the departments) all report to the same person," Giumette
said. "This is, I think, an excellent attempt at trying to
organize it in a better way."
Though
Giumette said that the reorganization of the administrative
hierarchy will not directly improve student services, he called
the formation of the new vice presidency "a dramatic and
good first step."
Registrar
Marc Hewitt said he is supportive of the initiative. "The
more I hear about it from the president, the more supportive I
am of the idea. We certainly need more coordination," he
said.
This
summer, Hewitt coordinated meetings between his office, the
Office of Financial Aid, the Bursar's Office, Information
Technology Services and the Office of Admissions. He said that
since the meetings began, he has seen increased cooperation and
communication among the departments.
Reinharz
is following the suggestion by the report that Gould chair the
search committee for the new vice president. "Specifically
because David Gould has a great deal of experience Š he is the
right person to head such a committee," Reinharz said.
Gould said he is pleased to head the search. "(This
position) is not something I aspire to," he said. "I
am honored to be appointed by the President to do it,"
Gould
said he is happy about the new vice president position. "I
think it's important that someone wakes up every morning
concerned with student life outside the classroom," he
said.
French
said that the low retention rates are indicative of a problem
that needs administrative attention and agrees with Gould and
Reinharz that this new position may be an answer. "Our job
is, to the best of our ability, to provide an excellent learning
environment and an excellent living environment. The fact that
students are leaving is to a great extent a reflection that we
are not doing as well as we could be doing," French said.
Epstein described the new position as a means through which to
find a solution to the retention issue at Brandeis.
"We're
providing a framework that will allow us to work more
effectively toward a solution," he said. "I don't
think just creating this position is a solution." Reinharz
stressed that he wanted students to be as involved in this
process as possible. Students will have the chance to interview
finalists before any employment offers are made, he said.
This
year an enrollment committee co-chaired by Provost Irving Epstein and Executive Vice
President French will convene to help smooth the transition.
Student
center, dormitory planned
The
construction of several new campus buildings is in the planning
stages, according to Brandeis administrators.
The
University is currently in final negotiations with a potential
donor to fund the building of a new student center on campus,
President Jehuda Reinharz said.
Simultaneously,
the administration is continuing to explore the construction of
a new residence hall, he added.
At
a meeting Sunday, Oct. 10, Reinharz told student leaders that these two projects, along
with the formation of a new Vice President for Student Services
(see related story), are the result of his desire to focus more
on student life and satisfaction.
"When
I came into office 5 years ago, I had a pretty long agenda of
things I wanted to do. . . I think we have made good progress in
most of these areas. (However), we have not made good
progress-clearly-on student life and community," he said.
Executive
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Peter French said
plans for the student center, which will be located where Ford
Hall currently stands, are still in the works.
"At
this early stage, we are focusing on a building that would
provide a focus for student activities and student community on
campus," he said.
There
will be places for students to study and socialize and for
student organizations to hold meetings and activities.
"It
is possible that we could see construction (on the student
center) begin as early as August or September," French
said.
The
University expects to receive a report from Biddison Hier, the
consultant group that was hired to review Brandeis' options,
within a month. At that time, French said the focus group formed
last year will reconvene to assess the University's options.
The
group will look into the potential sites for construction as
well as looking into the specific features of the new residence
hall.
French
said the university plans to finish the new residence halls in
time for some current students to live in them.
-Deborah
Eisner
Library
updates systems
By
Carina Canaan
Justice
Contributing Writer
The
library will undergo several changes in the next few months,
including a new computer system and different policies
concerning electronic reserves.
The
library expects to make a formal announcement by the end of the
month detailing its
plan to implement a new computer support system.
The ILS (Integrated Library System) will be able to
support all current computer-based library work, including
electronic records, cataloging, acquisitions and the circulation
system.
"Our
hope is to get everything up and running by June, and have all
of the bugs out by the start of the academic year in
September," Susan Wawrzaszek, librarian for personnel,
budget and technical support, said.
The
problem with the current system is a matter of computer
architecture. The current system, installed in 1984, uses
mainframe technology. The
new system will involve client/server technology.
This will enable it to handle the heavy traffic a
university system experiences, and make LOUIS melt-downs a thing
of the past.
"(The
current system) wasn't built for complex web graphics, or lots
of
users
coming in through a web-based interface," explained
Wawrzaszek.
The
ILS will also significantly assist student research, according
to Wawrzaszek. It will serve as a gateway to all available
sources, allowing a user to see both book and electronic
database references at once.
After
having reviewed bids, the library submitted its preference two
weeks ago to the university treasurer. He, along with legal counsel, is expected to approve the
library's selection by the end of this month.
The bids ranged from $250,000-$400,000, and will be
funded entirely by the Brandeis National Women's Committee.
Except
for the installation of a new UNIX server, changes made by ILS
will all involve software.
The library has over one million records which need to be
transferred to the new system.
These include LOUIS and acquisitions records, as well as
patron information. An in-house information systems team will extract the data
from the old system and turn it over to the vendor, who will
install it in the new system.
In
the first phase of the changeover about 50,000 records will be
moved as a test case. Adjustments
will then be made as needed before the second phase of
"major data migration" occurs.
Wawrzaszek estimated the system could only be down from a
day to one week in June for installation.
"It's an ambitious time line," she said of the
June goal. Library staff became concerned with the reliability
of the current system a year ago, which is when they began
seriously looking at available technology products.
Changes
in copyright law have also affected the library. The new laws
have prompted the administration to hire another staff member
and review Electronic Reserves (ERes) procedures.
Ann
Schaffner, associate librarian for research services,
instruction and planning, said she doesn't expect the changes to
affect students negatively.
"I'm
hoping that the effect on the students won't be much," she
said. "There may be the occasional case where we can't put
something on ERes, but in that case we would probably just buy
it."
The
Digital Millenium Copyright Act (DMCA) was passed last October,
protecting libraries and other on-line service providers from
liability. It establishes that libraries can't be held
responsible for minor copyright violations committed by people
using its systems. However, to enjoy such protection it needs to comply with several regulations.
One of these is to designate a "copyright
officer" to investigate possible violations. This
responsibility currently lies with Schaffner.
A
new staff member will be hired whose job it will be to process
copyright permission for ERes.
This should prove especially helpful for faculty, who
will now have someone specifically designated to help them with
reserving copyrighted information for their classes.
Sixty classes currently use ERes, with an average of
twenty documents per class. ERes was affected by the DMCA in
that the library must now obtain publisher permission to post
documents which comprise more than 10 percent of a book, or have
been on reserve for multiple semesters.
In
addition to hiring a copyright officer, the library must also
educate users about use of copyrighted material and respond to
complaints of violations. "I have no obligation to seek out
offenses, but if there's some kind of complaint I have to
investigate," said Schaffner.
Panel
discusses Jewish women
By
Adriana Nodar
Justice
Contributing Writer
Three
Brandeis professors addressed issues important to Jewish women
at a panel discussion held Tuesday, Oct. 12.
"Challenges
Facing Today's Young Jewish Women," was the year's kick-off
event for Nashim, the Hillel Jewish women's group on campus.
Professors
Sylvia Barack Fishman (NEJS), Shulamit Reinharz (SOC) and Jyl
Lynn Felman (WMNS) were chosen by Lisa Exler '01 and Eve Levavi
'02, coordinators of Nashim, as the panelists. "All three
are experts on feminism and Judaism, but their personalities and
approaches are all different," Exler said.
Each
panelist spoke individually and the forum ended with questions and comments.
Approximately 80 people attended.
"This is the most ambitious program that I've ever
seen for Nashim in all my years at Brandeis Hillel," Acting
Director of Hillel Ora Gladstone said.
The
three professors offered a variety of perspectives on Judaism.
But one theme resurfaced throughout the evening.
"You have to understand that women's issues are
society's issues," Felman said. "You have to embrace
the ambivalence."
Fishman
heads the program in Contemporary Jewry and American Jewish
sociology in the Near Eastern and Judaic studies department and
is an associate professor and co-director of the International
Research Institute of Jewish Women established at Brandeis.
In
her statement, Fishman presented four challenges.
She talked about the choices women have today, and she
spoke of "enabling ourselves to be in dialogue with Jewish
history, culture and heritage."
She
also introduced women's challenge to develop their own
potentials "while admitting to ourselves that what's good
for us is not necessarily what's good for those people that
we've made commitments to," Fishman said. Finally, she
stressed finding a passion that will give women's lives meaning
beyond their domestic circles.
Fishman
also spoke about the role of stereotypes on Jewish women.
"A
Jewish woman may hesitate to put on dangling earrings because
she doesn't want to look like Linda Richman on 'Coffee Talk,'
Fishman said. "It takes a certain confidence not to try to
fit into an anti-stereotype."
Reinharz
is a professor of Sociology, program director of the Women's
Studies Dept., founding director of the International Research
Institute on Jewish Women and chair of the National Commission
on American Jewish Women. "I didn't know Professor Reinharz
when I invited her, but I've heard she's a fun person and brings
real joy to the discussion," Exler said.
Reinharz
challenged young Jewish women to save the world.
"We've got so much energy, we give birth, we've
survived all these years, we are very smart, we are the most
highly educated group of women in the United States," she
said. "We do everything!
We can totally transform Judaism to make it women
friendly."
Reinharz
also spoke of the challenge to end negative stereotypes of
Jewish women. "We
are still called JAPS, we are still considered materialistic,
unattractive, whiny, loud, aggressive, unfriendly, cliquish and
all from Long Island. And yet if you want a job done, you give
it to us."
Students
also added their opinions to the discussion.
Becca
Rausch '01 said, "We can get rid of the stereotypes by
teaching the children. But
education is being compromised because we are not taught things
through different perspectives.
Ninety percent of American professors are old white
males." Reinharz addressed the challenge of not being
considered very valuable to Jewish men.
"Jewish men marry non-Jewish women.
We are not loved by Jewish guys because we are not
considered sexy enough," Reinharz said. "When Jewish
women take power in an organization that can have Jewish men or
Jewish women in charge, the Jewish men flee." "I think
there is a lot of ethnocentrism," Reinharz added.
She also proposed learning about Jews all over the world
and helping them retain Jewish women because they offer so much
to their communities.
Felman
posed questions relating to feminism within Judaism.
"Judaism taught me to think and to ask questions.
Feminism taught me my voice in that," Felman said.
"I relate to Professor Felman's way of making her life off
of Judaism, through her writing and acting.
She has helped me to explore and express my identity as a
Jewish woman and define my feminist voice," Exler said.
Felman
stressed Judaism's continuous evolution. "I have students
that do not ask men to dance Israeli folk dancing because that's
not traditional gender roles!
Our economy has changed.
Our roles have changed.
We can't assume anymore that it's a woman's job."
She spoke of the need for modern role models.
"How do you navigate the tensions between a private
life, a Jewish communal life and a public life?" she asked.
Steven Exler '03 offered his perspective on the discussion
issues. He said,
"I think it's important for guys to be aware of women's
issues. They can
use their advantage of a stronger influence in order to voice
women's concerns to help our friends and our community."
Nashim
has held an annual Shabbaton weekend and Rosh Chodesh
celebrations with a women's Magillah reading in past years.
This year, Exler and Levavi also plan to organize
e study/discussion groups, social action projects and a
women's prayer group.
Rosenthal
holds new elections
By
Emily Aronson
Justice
Staff
In
a controversial decision, the Union Judiciary (UJ) found last
week that the election for Rosenthal quad senator was not valid.
The primary election had been won by a write-in candidate. A new
vote will be held today in Usdan with both candidates
on the ballot. A unanimous decision in favor of Daniel
Schapira '02, the original declared candidate,
was reached last Tuesday by the Union Judiciary in the
case of Schapira vs. Union Secretary Joshua Peck.
The
UJ ruled that the write-in candidate, Phil Schreiber '02, had
not been duly elected as Rosenthal Quad Senator during the Sept.
22 primary elections for several
reasons. The UJ's verdict was based on the fact that the
election was not complete according to the constitution.
Schreiber could not be sworn in as Rosenthal Senator because
there was never a final election between the top two vote
getters of that race-Schreiber and Schapira. "Obviously,
this was the result I was hoping for," Schapira said.
Student
Union President Ellie Levine '01 had a different opinion about
the UJ's judgement. "I think Phil Schreiber should have
stayed as Rosenthal Quad Senator," she said. Even though
the UJ disagreed with the Senate's choice to swear in Phil
Schreiber, Levine felt their decision was the right one to make
at the time.
"I
think the way we did it made the most sense for the way we were
running the election then," Levine said.
The
Union Judiciary's ruling did not just affect the contest between
Schreiber and Schapira, it also set a precedent for future
elections.
From
now on, all write-in candidates who receive a majority in
primary elections will go on to the final elections, even if
there are only two candidates in the primaries.
Once the write-in candidate is a part of the final
election they will be subject to Senate rules.
"We
[members of the student government] all agreed that there was a
flaw in the write-in procedure, we just disagreed on how to fix
the problem," Student Union Secretary Joshua Peck '02 said.
Peck
went on to state that he is glad that guidelines for write-in
candidates have been established.
However, he would have rather seen
them apply to future elections instead of this one.
"I
think the decision took a person who was doing a good job out of
office," Peck '02 said. Although Schapira had originally
charged that his campaign had been negatively affected by the
failure of the Elections Commissioners to notify candidates of
dates and times of the elections, the UJ found that these
conditions would have impacted all candidates
equally and were therefore irrelevant.
Schreiber
won by six votes during the primaries even though he began his
campaign a few days before the election.
He disagreed
with his opponent's argument that write-ins had an unfair
advantage over other candidates
because they do not have to follow Senate rules.
"Just because the rules didn't apply to me doesn't mean I
took advantage of them," Schreiber said.
He
went on to argue that being a write-in candidate actually put
him at a disadvantage: "Not only did I get a late start,
but my name was not on the ballot."
Both
Schreiber and Schapira have moved past the previous election,
and are concentrating on today's re-match.
"I
always believe in a fair fight, but what's done is done.
I'll get back into the ring and fight another 10
rounds," said Schreiber.
His
opponent was also optimistic about the election.
"I'm looking forward to it because I know when the
date is and I can tell my supporters to come vote for me,"
said Schapira.
Seniors
enjoy Open House
By
Michaela May
Justice
Staff
Brandeis'
first open house of the 1999-2000 school year took place on
Monday, Oct. 11. The second was this past Saturday and the third
will be Monday, Oct. 25. These three open houses attract mostly
high school seniors and their parents as they consider applying
to the university.
Each
of the open houses begins with registration at 8:15 a.m.
Following registration are welcoming remarks by David Gould,
dean of Admissions. Other events include a college essay writing
workshop, an admissions and financial aid information session
and periodic campus tours. The day finishes with a closing
reception, including refreshments. "Parents constantly tell
us that they really like the feeling of [Brandeis]," David
Tabachnik, associate director of admissions, said.
According
to Tabachnik, about 400 students attended the first open house
on Columbus Day, when many high schools did not have class. He
said approximately 400 attended the second. Fewer are expected
at the third open house because it won't take place on a weekend
or holiday.
Many
Brandeis students volunteer for the open houses. Some hold signs
to direct drivers while others act as tour guides and
"chatters," students who talk to prospective students
and their parents about Brandeis.
"I
was very surprised by the pre-frosh that came at 8 a.m. and even
more impressed with the energy that volunteers had on an early
Saturday morning. It's just one more thing that makes Brandeis
so special," Moses Ong '03, a student volunteer, said.
Students
who attend either Monday open house are invited to attend
classes. They are given a list of those available for
observation, with corresponding times, professors and locations.
Saturday's
events differed from those of the other two days since there
were no classes to visit. Instead, special morning lectures were
presented by Professors John Bush Jones (THA), Steven Burg (POL)
and John Wardle (PHYS).
Edwin
Johnson, a high school senior from Roxbury, commented on
Saturday's events. "I think the open house was very
informative, but it was also very personal. There was a good mix
of facts and personal testimony," he said.
Gould
commented positively on Saturday's events. "We think a lot
of people found out a lot of positive things about
Brandeis," he said.
Students
who visited Saturday were also informed of many on-campus arts,
cultural and athletic events for that day and evening. Athletic
events included a men's soccer game against Manhattanville
College and a women's volleyball game against Wellesley College.
Other events included a play, "Burn This," and the
Latin Dance Party in Levin Ballroom. In reference to the wide
range of events available to prospective students and their
parents, Jen Weiner '00, coordinator of Admissions Assistants,
said, "[Visitors] got to hear from a student perspective
and an administrative perspective. "According to Tabachnik,
most students who come to Open House are from New England and
other nearby states. He added that students from distant places
usually visit during the summer.
Speaker
presents his views on death penalty
By
Bari Sittenreich
Justice
Contributing Writer
On
Thursday, Oct. 14, Brandeis Students against the Death Penalty
hosted Tom Lowenstein, who spoke about what he believes to be
the unfairness of capital punishment. Lowenstein serves as
Political Director of Massachusetts Citizens Against the Death
Penalty and is a member of Murder Victims' Families for
Reconciliation.
The
event took place in Conference Room C in Usdan Student Center,
and was well attended both by members of the Brandeis
organization and students who wished to learn more about this
issue.
Lowenstein's
speech was centered on the discrepancies of a criminal justice
system that is subject to human error and human biases.
He said he believes the institution of capital punishment
"is racist, classist, unfair and innocent people die"
as a result of it. The purpose of the event was to "educate
people at Brandeis about different points of view because a lot
of people don't know a lot about capitol punishment", Emily
Sessions '02, co-coordinator of Brandeis Students Against the
Death Penalty, said.
Lowenstein
cited misinformation as a main reason that 65 to 70 percent of
Americans are said
to favor capital punishment.
"People for the death penalty are by and large
misinformed," he
said.
Lowenstein
said that a common myth is that the death penalty is only used
for the most horrible criminals and that it protects us.
To dispel this myth, he said that capitol punishment
is "decided by how much money you have and not what
you did." According to Lowenstein, crimes committed by
African Americans against Caucasians are most likely to result
in death penalty sentences because African Americans are often
weeded out of juries. Therefore,
the extent to which a
crime is "horrible" is based upon socioeconomic
factors. He also
said that because the incidence of crime is not lowered by the
implementation of executions, the death penalty is an
ineffective means of protection against crime.
Lowenstein
lost his father, a politician, to murder when he was 10.
"I wanted to kill the guy who killed my father for a
long time. It
wasn't doing any good," he said. To Lowenstein, the
retribution and revenge that he said our criminal justice system
is centered upon is inhumane, and neither deters crime nor
negates a crime already committed. He noted that criminals under
the age of 18, mentally retarded persons and those without the
money to acquire "competent counsel" have all been
executed in the United States.
This can be viewed as hypocritical in a nation that
attempts to monitor international breeches of human rights, he
said.
The
majority of the audience was already against the death penalty
or undecided, and Lowenstein's speech served to reinforce these
views. Elizabeth Simms '02 said, "I was against the death
penalty before, but [Lowenstein's speech] gave me a more
concrete reason."
"He
gave a more personal spin to the issue and people could relate
to what he was saying on a personal level," Sessions said.
Community
Service Day is a 'success'
Brandeis
University held its fifth annual Community Service Day last
Thursday, Oct. 14, completing the day with a number of
successful activities and projects throughout the campus and
Waltham community.
"The
people were very enthusiastic and optimistic about
volunteering," Liz Pederson '01, one of the day's Core
committee members, said. "They
really wanted to connect with the Brandeis and Waltham community
as a whole."
Over
the past five years, Community Service day has extended into
more off-campus opportunities, and this year included a special
Saturday food depository for low-income families at the Greater
Boston food bank. Some
of the other projects completed included tree planting,
repainting of various buildings, cleaning Lemberg Children's
Center, and assisting community farms in Waltham and Lincoln for
low-income families. There were several projects which could not
be finished as a result of the weather and lack of volunteers.
"I
think it was a success," Pederson said.
"It's
a great project," stated Sophia Rackman '01, another
committee member "You really feel like you're doing
something productive and helpful, and encourages leadership and
a sense of obligation to society."
Wendy
Wright '03 agreed. "It was so much fun, I would definitely
do it again," she said. In addition to students, faculty
and staff members also participated in Community Service Day.
Elaine
Wong, associate dean of arts and science for undergraduates,
said, "It feels terrific to be working with students from
Brandeis and the Waltham community, to contribute
something."
Community
Service Day is an opportunity for students and faculty from
Brandeis to volunteer their free time for service commitments.
It was started by a group of students with the help of
the administration in 1994, and currently consists of a core
committee and a faculty advisor.
Nearly 300 students sign up each year to participate.
In
the future, the committee hopes to involve all of the Waltham
community, including elementary and middle schools, and will
look into changing the actual date so that it will not conflict
with midterms and/or papers, a factor which has affected turnout
in the past. -Michaela May
Coming
Out Week has low turnout
From
Monday through Friday of last week, Brandeis Triskelion
organized events in celebration of Coming Out Week, an annual
event which is observed by Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and
Transgendered (GLBT) organizations nationwide.
Triskelion's
Social Coordinator Miranda Moody '02, said that the week was
successful, but that "there is always an issue of turnout
with getting supporters there." Noah Branman '03, also
expressed disapointment with the turnout at the opening ceremony
on Monday. "I hear people saying they're tired of the
apathy on campus, and then people don't show up to stuff,"
he said.
Moody
also said that she was very pleased with the selection of
events, especially with Thursday's event, a performance art
piece called "Utopia Roaming," by Jess Dobson.
"She brought something kind of out there, and vocal,
and educational, but [also] something that Brandeis had not seen
a lot of,"said Moody.
Although
both Branman and Moody said that some events had less supporters
attend than they expected, some events did attract a large
crowd. The vigil for Matthew Shepard, Wednesday's discussion
with Professor Tom King, and the '80s dance on Friday were all
successful. They
also said that Coming Out Week is important for providing a safe
and supportive environment for the closeted community.
Its presence, they said, is just as important as the
events themselves in making the whole campus aware that GLBT
issues exist and are important. -Alex Fagin
Police
Log
Vandalism
Oct.
15- A sergeant observed that unknown vandals have driven over
the lawn, tearing it up, on Wing road.
Oct.
16- Several broken windows were reported in Usdan Student
Center.
Medical
Emergency
Oct.
13 - A call was received regarding a student who was vomiting in
the mail room. The student had given blood earlier and wasn't
feeling well.
Oct.
14- A student was transported to Deaconess Hospital after
complaining of not feeling well. The student had given blood
earlier in the day.
Oct.
14- A student reported that he was having an allergic reaction
to food he ate in Sherman Dining Hall.
Miscellaneous
Oct.
11- A caller reported a box outside of Spingold theatre that had
been there since the preceding Friday. The strange box was
marked Dr. Doom. The building was evacuated as a safety
precaution. A staff member responded from in the building that
the box contained rope for the stage rigging.
Oct.
12- A truck driver reported seeing a student stealing bagels
from the loading dock outside of Usdan Student Center. The
student replaced the items.
Traffic
Oct.
11- A car struck the pedestrian crossing sign in M-lot. The
concrete block was wedged under the vehicle. The driver engaged
the assistance of another coworker to remove the wedged sign.
Weapon
Oct.
15- An individual wearing a ski mask was reported in the bushes
between Goldfarb and Usdan. When spotted by patrons in the
store, he ducked out of sight. The suspect was possibly armed
with some sort of rifle.
Disturbance
Oct.
16- A call was received regarding
music in the Foster Apartments. Residents complied when
asked to turn down the music.
-compiled
by Dana V. Kaplan
Student
Senate
Club
chartered
The
Brandeis German Culture Club was chartered by unanimous consent.
Its aim is to expand understanding of German culture and
history through films, literature and discussion forums. Hazing
forms for all clubs are due to the Senate by this Sunday.
Communications
The
University Curriculum Committee has voted to eliminate the
swimming requirement, Jonathan Hanus '02 reported.
The decision requires Board of Trustee approval before it
becomes final. David Brooks '01, Ziv Quad senator, has been
named chair of the Senate Services Committee.
Floor
submissions rejected
The
Senate did not allow debate on two proposals organizers hoped to
submit from the floor. The
first, an amendment to Senate bylaws that would give Executive
Board members the right to make motions and vote, was rejected
16-2. The second, a
resolution commending organizers of Doing Justice weekend, was
rejected 10-5-2. To
succeed, a floor submission must receive 2/3 of the vote.
Both proposals can be debated at the next meeting if they
are turned in to the Senate by Wednesday.
Senator
reports
Student
Union President Ellie Levine '01 expressed optimism that plans
to allow for use of meal cards at the Expressway store in Usdan
and the return of meal points as cash at the end of the academic
year would succeed. Student Union Secretary Joshua Peck '02
reported that talks with dining services officials resulted in
commitments from Brandeis administrators to open three food
stations in Usdan and Sherman on Sundays.
-David
Dagan
Campus
Announcements
Workshop
for future grad students
Hiatt
Career Center will host a workshop on "Applying to grad
school" today at 6:30 p.m. in the Hiatt Career Center. It
will provide students the chance to learn about financial aid,
selecting recommenders, the application process and choosing the
right programs.
Premed
advisor sign-ups
All
students planning to matriculate to medical or dental school in
the fall of 2001 are required to sign up for a premedical
advisor. Please see Linda Casey in the Office of Academic
Affairs (Kutz 108) by Friday.
Second
meeting for 'Welcoming Environment' committee
The
second fall "Creating a Welcoming Campus Environment"
meeting will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 27 from noon to 1:30
p.m. in Conference Room C of Usdan Student Center. David Gould,
dean of admissions, and Cliff Hauptman, director/editor of the
Brandeis Review, will give brief presentations on the
"Admissions Perspectives of Brandeis." All people
interested in attending should RSVP to the Office of the Dean of
Arts and Sciences' reservation line at x63459 by Tuesday, Oct.
19.
Flu
shots available to students
The
Health Center will be offering the 1999-2000 Flu Vaccine to the
Brandeis community this week. The shots will be available
through Friday from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m.
'Ask
the expert' about computer science
David
Kuznick '88 will speak about his experiences after Brandeis. He
currently works for Gensym, an Artificial Intelligence company,
as a senior software engineer. He will be speaking in the Hiatt
Career Center from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday. Call x63618 to RSVP.
President's
office hours rescheduled
President
Jehuda Reinharz has rescheduled his November office hours. They
will now be Wednesday, November 3 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Please call x63001 to verify that there has been no further
change in these hours before journeying to the President's
Office.
Applications
for Arts grants due
Festival
of the Arts grant applications are now available. Brandeis'
annual celebration of art and creativity is scheduled for March
30 to April 9, 2000. Funding applications, available in the
Office of the Dean of Arts and Sciences and the Information
Booth in Usdan Student Center, are due by Monday, Oct. 25 in the
Dean's office, Irving 104. They can also be mailed to MS 120.
Please contact Allison Werntgen at x62103 or e-mail her at
werntgen@brandeis.edu for more information.
Hiatt
to hold career workshops
The
Hiatt Career Center will hold the second in a two-part series
entitled "Max Out Your B.A."The workshop will allow
you to learn how to use your degree to get you the career of
your dreams - even if you are not yet sure what that dream is.
The second part will be today from 5 to 6:30 p.m. in the
Feldberg Lounge of Hassenfeld Conference Center. Please call the
Hiatt Career Center at x63618 to sign up.
Religion,
Pluralism and Spirituality Committee to meet
The
Religion, Pluralism and Spirituality Committee will have its
next meeting Wednesday from 3:30-5 in Usdan Conference Room A.
All members of the Brandeis community are welcome to come
discuss issues such as religious diversity, spirituality,
religious studies and community building. For more information,
contact Ora Gladstone at x63581 or Marci McPhee at x62115.
World
of Imagination
The
office of Alumni Relations, the Brandeis University Student
Alumni Association and the Hiatt Career Center will co-sponsor a
roundtable discussion with Brandeis alumni who have chosen
creative and imaginative career paths. The program, called
"World of Imagination," will take place Tuesday, Nov.
2 at 7 p.m. in Sherman Function Hall. Students interested in
attending should call x64041.
Information
Session
A
representative from the Northeastern University Graduate school
of professional accounting will speak about the program and
answer questions Wednesday night in Conference room C in Usdan
Student Center.
-compiled
by Dana V. Kaplan
Hate
chalkings anger Colorado State U. students
Colorado
State University, Oct. 18, 1999-In wake of the one-year
anniversary of Matthew Shepard's murder and the on-campus
premier of "Journey to a Hate-Free Millennium," many
students said they were "appalled" to find hateful and
derogatory anti-gay chalkings scrawled on the Plaza and in front
of the Clark Building on Friday morning.
"I was really angry," said Veronica Garcia,
co-chair for the Student Organization for Gay, Lesbian and
Bisexuals (SOGLB). "The chalkings were all I could focus
on, but this is just a test to see if we'll follow through with
what we believe and what we stand for."
The chalkings contained derogatory messages directed at
gays, and Matthew Shepard. Some messages included: "AIDS --
nature's way of curing fags," "Proud to be white and
straight," and "We don't miss Matthew Shepard, go back
in the closet." Representatives
from SOGLB, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Student
Services (GLBTSS), Campus Woman's Alliance (CWA) and Hillel
Jewish Student Organization brainstormed Friday afternoon on how
to respond to the hatred. "People
say Fort Collins is the best place to raise your child or
whatever," Garcia said, "but this is happening. Until
we open our eyes to it, nothing will change. Hate is everywhere
and to all people. This is not just on campus or in the
community, it is all around the world."
"This is not just a gay issue or a student group
issue," said Meredith Parrish of SOGLB. "It is a human
issue, and you don't have to be politically involved to fight
against hate." The students hope to unite the campus organizations and
launch an educational campaign to show these actions won't be
tolerated. "For
the longest time we've been told 'the world is ours and the
future is in our hands,'" Garcia said. "As corny as it
sounds, it really is true." -Rocky Mountain Collegian
Male
candidate becomes princess at New Mexico State U.
New
Mexico State University, Oct. 13, 1999- As the New Mexico State
University Homecoming Court was driven around the field at
halftime during Saturday's game, confusion was apparent as some
in the audience tried to make sense of the presence of Aaron
Shubert, dressed in a shirt and tie and wearing the requisite
tiara. "I
wasn't sure why that young man was wearing a tiara," Susan
Keppler, a 1957 New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic
Arts (now NMSU) graduate, said.
The candidacy of Shubert, who placed third in the race
for Homecoming queen, not only led to confused looks in the
crowd, it also led to a bill presented at Thursday's Associated
Students of NMSU senate meeting that seeks to "remove the
misuse of Homecoming King and Queen positions as a political
platform." Shubert
said the intent of his candidacy was to address homophobia on
campus and to protest the Board of Regents' decision to deny
benefits to gay and straight domestic partners of NMSU
employees. If
passed, the bill would require king candidates to be male and
queen candidates to be female.
The bill states, "With equal positions available to
both men and women, there is no reason beyond political
motivations to have men taking positions that have traditionally
been held by women." The
bill also states that the goal of Homecoming is to promote
school spirit and should not be used to further personal beliefs
or political ideologies. Any use of the positions for political
reasons is contrary to the objective of Homecoming.
Currently, there are no regulations in the Homecoming
rules for candidates that specify gender as a qualification for
entry. Johnson said
the intent of the bill is to preserve the tradition and history
of Homecoming and is not meant as an anti-gay statement.
He said if two men hold both positions, it would not be
representative of half of the population of the student body. -The Round Up |
