Ethan Prior and Jason Njoroge
October 24, 2025
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell visited Brandeis University on Oct. 21, where she was named the 2025 Justice Brandeis Practitioner-in-Residence. The one-day residency, which includes a $10,000 honorarium, featured a packed audience of students, faculty, and staff, and was moderated by Professor Melissa Stimell of the Legal Studies Program. Students from several classes submitted questions in advance, and selected students were invited to engage directly with the Attorney General during the event. Also in attendance were State Representative Thomas M. Stanley, who represents Waltham; Waltham City Councilor Paul Katz; and former State Representative and Brandeis alumnus Jay Kaufman. Earlier that same day, Campbell officially announced her bid for re-election. “Massachusetts deserves an Attorney General who leads with empathy, compassion, urgency, and a deep belief that this job is about more than enforcing the law—it’s about making life better for people who far too often have felt left out and
Two million Americans and more than 2,700 locations around the nation took to the streets on Oct. 18 for a second round of coordinated protests against the Trump administration. These protests were organized by and bear the name of “No Kings,” a coalition of labor unions and civil rights organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and 50501. More than 100,000 people gathered on Boston Common for the “No Kings” rally, a massive demonstration against the Trump administration’s agenda and its broader approach to immigration, civil rights and executive power. The event—one of the largest in the city’s history—was peaceful, as organizers collaborated with local law enforcement, but charged with energy and determination. Protesters carried signs demanding accountability, immigrant justice and the protection of constitutional freedoms “I
During the last academic year, The Hoot covered Interim President Arthur Levine as he led Brandeis through a transitional period marked by shifting national politics and rising tensions around higher education’s role in advancing diversity. At several campus events, Levine
On Sept. 9, 2025, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) released its sixth annual college free speech rankings. The rankings are based on several factors, including the university’s written policies, any free-speech-related controversies that occurred on campus and
In the 2026 edition of the U.S. News and World Report Best National Colleges Ranking, Brandeis University was ranked as number 69. This ranking puts Brandeis in a four-way tie along with Tulane University of Louisiana, the University of Connecticut
“Macbeth” has been my favorite Shakespeare play for as long as I can remember. I didn’t truly fall in love with Shakespeare’s works until I read it, so when I had the opportunity to see Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s (ASP) production, directed by Christopher V. Edwards, on Friday, Oct. 17, I jumped at the chance. This wasn’t my first ASP show, either; I had seen their production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” earlier this year, and thoroughly enjoyed their take on one of the most famous of Shakespeare’s comedies. My expectations were high. Most importantly, spoilers ahead! When I got to the theater, the first thing I noticed was the set. The major pieces for the entirety of the show were four scrims—a curtain-esque piece of lighting technology used for various
Horror is one of the most underrated, yet widespread film genres. From classics “Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror” to the more recent “Weapons,” horror is a constant in mainstream media and pop culture. Nearly everyone has seen something in the
Want to play something spooky? Something to get you in the Halloween spirit … but what’s the vibe, y’know? Maybe you don’t want to be scared shitless, you just want to have some spooky vibes! Well, I’m here to help,
I scuttle backwards as fast as I can, fearing the pillars might collapse onto me. I stare upward, awaiting the blemished cylinder’s height to come crashing onto my body. Its height is like one of a hawk staring down at
For Brandeis students living on campus, obtaining parking has become a privilege reserved for the lucky winners of a controversial lottery. Recent parking restrictions introduced by the Office of Parking and Traffic have only fueled growing frustration among both students and parents. These restrictions include the elimination of 340 parking spots around campus, limiting permits to seniors and pushing remaining spots even farther from students’ residence halls. This clampdown stems from the construction of a new residence hall near T Lot, which the Brandeis Administration has described as “the first phase of a three-part housing initiative aimed at enhancing the quality of student life.” Yet, for current students, this construction—and the policies accompanying it—have brought more inconvenience than improvement. Since June, construction has severely obstructed the daily flow of students
Before we start, I know you, yes you, the reader, are itching to jump me about my opinion on candy corn. If it’s good, if it’s bad, doesn’t matter—it’s just that divisive. But, since it’s that time of year, and
Note: This article is for entertainment purposes only. The actions described are safe, if morally dubious, but we regardless suggest that they not be replicated. There is a popular colloquialism used to describe food that is generally frowned upon
Reading old literature is a common theme for any of us English majors, or those of you desperately trying to meet your humanities requirements, only to end up having to read nine massive novels in one semester. Often, conversations in
On Friday, Oct. 17, the Brandeis English Department held its annual Novel Symposium. This year’s event focused on the novel “The Bostonians” by Henry James, and it featured a series of three panels consisting of both graduate students and professors. “The Bostonians” is a novel written by Henry James in 1886. The novel is set in post-Civil War America and follows three main characters: Basil, a conservative southerner who lives in New York; Olive, his feminist Bostonian cousin; and Verena, Olive’s protege and Basil’s love interest. Throughout the story, Olive and Basil are constantly at war for Verena’s attention. Basil stands in opposition to both women’s morals and philosophy, believing that women should stay in the house. Olive sees Verena as the future of the feminist movement, and the women
By some twisted, freak accident of God, the weather in London was clear and sunny during the four days I was there. I’m well aware that because of this, I may have a more positive impression of the city than
Thank you for writing to SSIS! We want to start by reassuring you that this is a very common and completely valid concern. Despite the messaging we often hear that genitals should be “tasteless,” that’s not realistic—all body parts have
Brandeis’ Albertine French Film Festival first came to fruition in June 2025, when Professor Harder and Professor Niehaus of the French and Francophone Studies Department received a 2025-26 Albertine Cinémathèque Festival Grant. The grant program is part of Villa Albertine,
Brandeis doesn’t have a football team, gymnastics team or marching band. There are no massive Game Days where the entire student body gathers in a stadium to watch men jump on each other. Depending on your personal relationship with sports, this is a non-issue. However, as a former marching band member, I have to say that game days are fun because of everything that isn’t football. The cheerleaders put on displays of strength, flexibility and athletic ability that are equal to that of the football team. The marching band puts on a show that captures the audience and plays fun songs during the game. There is greasy food and rowdy fans. Brandeis will never have this for football; none of us could be bothered. But I have some suggestions for
On Sept. 28, seven college quadball teams from the New England region came to Brandeis for Openers, an unofficial tournament hosted by the Massachusetts Quadball Conference (MQC). The purpose of Openers is to give new players real-game experience without the
Recently, the Brandeis Baseball team has played in two University Athletic Association (UAA) Conference series. The first was an at-home four-game series against the Emory University Eagles, and the second was against the Washington University at St. Louis (WashU) in
Since the last publication of The Hoot, the Brandeis softball team has played seven games. The first three were a part of a home-series against the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) Tartans. The next three were away against the Washington University
