Student Union must be more transparent

Sometimes it seems as if we, regular students, are treated as if we cannot handle the truth. There have been instances in the past where the administration did not let us know what was going on with their end of issues that concern us, but we could hope that those who represent our interests directly […]

B.SASV progress report demands further action

Brandeis Students Against Sexual Violence (B.SASV) issued its second progress report to the university on Monday, calling on the university to hire additional employees, lead a campaign against rape culture, improve the guides outlining resources for survivors and mandate more training for students, faculty and staff. They demand a response from the university by Monday, […]

Prof Timothy Hickey ‘77 brings innovation to computer science dep’t

Among all the esteemed professors at Brandeis, Professor Timothy Hickey ’77 (COSI) has one of the most interesting backgrounds. As a former Brandeisian he took interest in subjects such as Mathematics and Humanistic Psychology, as well as social justice. It is from these small beginnings that Professor Hickey has become one of the most respected […]

‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ mystifies audiences with aliens and suspense

There is nothing quite like seeing a movie in your college town. The Embassy Cinema, a cozy theater in Waltham with only six screens, provides the newest releases and is close to campus. Unfortunately it doesn’t have stadium seating, so someone tall sitting in front of you could block part of the screen. Gladly, this […]

Guy Raz ’96 reflects on career, Brandeis and NPR

Guy Raz—does that name sound familiar? If one listens to NPR, he can be recognized as the host and editorial director of TED Radio Hour. The TED Radio Hour is a program based on the ubiquitous TED conferences, summits that host and then digitally distribute often captivating presentations focused on “Ideas worth spreading.” At NPR, […]

Scholars discuss the relationship between climate change and social justice

In the Paris Climate Agreement, 196 countries agreed on preventative measures for combating climate change, a social justice issue that affects many around the world, according to three scholars who convened in Rapaporte Treasure Hall on Tuesday, March 15. The agreement is an effort to combat the “cavalier attitude with which we treat climate change […]

B.SASV Progress Report

In April of 2014, we the student coalition Brandeis Students Against Sexual Violence (B.SASV) released a petition outlining urgent measures that Brandeis University should take to improve and expand resources for survivors of sexual violence and combat rape culture. In November of 2014, we released our first progress report which aimed to update our community […]

Rutgers professor discusses new book on political spin

Political spinning plays a significant role in American politics, but that was not always the case. Since President Theodore Roosevelt, politicians have used “spin” in ways that both help and hinder our democracy, according to David Greenberg, associate professor of History and Journalism & Media Studies at Rutgers University, who came to speak at Brandeis […]

Fencing team falls short at NCAA Regionals

The men’s and women’s fencing teams competed in the NCAA Regional Championships this past weekend at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, NY. The Judges were confident going into the event after winning most of their competitions this season. However, for both the men’s and women’s teams the season came to end at the NCAA Northeast Regional […]

False assumptions in the political circus

Much like the Olympics, the presidential election season can be seen as a quadrennial contest of noble vigor in which representatives of different pockets of humanity are afforded a rare opportunity to aggressively show everyone how unambiguously better they are than everyone else. Unlike the Olympics, however, the election season lasts for well over a […]

A letter of support to campus dining workers

Dear Dining Workers of Unite Here Local 26 at Brandeis, We, the students of Brandeis University, so often running between midterms and exams, do not take enough time to appreciate all the work that goes into providing for our education. While we openly recognize and appreciate the work done by faculty and professors, none of […]

Don’t read this, go vote!

In the upcoming round of Student Union elections, Brandeis undergraduates will be presented with choices to make up and down the ballot. The offices up for election include President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Junior Representative to the Board of Trustees, Representative to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and Representative to the Sustainability fund. As students, we […]

Student Union Candidate Statements

The Hoot reached out to the students running for the Student Union. Below are statements from the candidates. This list will continue to be updated. David Herbstritt running for Student Union President My name is David Herbstritt, I’m a member of the class of 2017, and I am running for Student Union President. I have […]

Herbstritt ’17 and Nuñez ’18 run for Student Union President

Student Union elections for next year will be held next Thursday, and  undergraduates will elect a new president, vice president, secretary and treasurer of the Union, as well as representatives to the Board of Trustees, Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and the Brandeis Sustainability Fund. Student Union Vice President David Herbstritt ’17 and Ford Hall activist Christian Nuñez […]

‘Dog Sees God’ contemplates dark, but very relevant themes

The Brandeis Players delivered an astounding performance Thursday, March 10 with their premiere of the renowned play, “Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead.” Produced by Dahlia Kushinsky ’17 and directed by Carly Chernomorets ’16, this production was comprised of a widely talented cast and crew, bringing to life the story of troubled high […]

Revival: Open mic poetry night encourages informal creativity

On Thursday night Chum’s Coffee House marked the first open mic night of the semester, co-hosted, sponsored and run by two organizations, Revival and the Brandeis Pluralism Alliance. The event left every trace of rainy, cold weather outside, as performers and audience alike filled the venue with warmth. Per Chums usual style, students slowly filtered […]

‘House of Cards’ season four surprises with renewed greatness

Spoiler disclaimer: If you haven’t watched the fourth season of Netflix’s series “House of Cards” and are planning to, you probably shouldn’t read further. This review contains spoilers. This review comes from the perspective of two fans of the show who binge-watched all 13 episodes of the season in a row on the same day […]

University norms limit intellectual discourse and beneficial life experience

Many of the adults I’ve met in my life have discussed the rather unruly things they’ve done in college in frats, sororities and what have you that they jokingly refer to and never really reveal the details. Of course, there is a probably a decent amount of exaggeration in how controversial or daring our elders’ […]