It is no secret that many facets of Brandeis University’s operations are in need of improvement, from student relations with the administration to the food currently served at Sherman. At this time of year, complaints are often geared at the Department of Community Living (DCL) due to the housing selection processes. This year, the DCL heard student complaints about the way the system works and responded with a few proposals. Although these proposals were rejected, they nonetheless showed a response to student opinion. We need to see more responsiveness to student views if we are to see student-guided change at Brandeis.
When it comes to responsiveness, Sodexo has of late been extremely receptive to opinion. In an opinion piece published to the Feb. 5 edition of The Brandeis Hoot, Editor Emily Sorkin Smith ’18 expressed a desire to have feta cheese installed in the dining halls. Shortly thereafter, Sodexo put feta cheese in the dining halls.
In a column published to the April 1 edition of The Justice, it was argued that gouda cheese should also be added to the dining halls. No word yet from Sodexo on the implementation of gouda.
If we are to see change at our university, it is important that the students here have a say in it. Sodexo and the DCL are opening up to student views. When we see student protests, it is important that the university swiftly recognize the goals of the students and quickly work to come to a mutual understanding. Unfortunately, this does not always happen.
When organs of the university do not hold themselves accountable to the student body, a mutual animosity grows. Students have the right for their voices be heard, not silenced by a distanced entity. It is in these situations—where student voices go unheard—complaints arise, and with good reason. Brandeis is not just where we go to school and take classes; it is our home. It is our community. When students feel that they have no say in what direction their home and community are heading toward, they should have a right to do something about it.
After all, any university’s goal is to prepare new members of an educated adult citizenry for the real world. As entities devoted to their students, universities like Brandeis should be accountable to them.
Student opinions can be found almost anywhere on campus, including in campus media. You’ll find a great number of students looking to voice their view for change in both The Hoot’s Opinion section and The Justice’s Forum. You’ll see it in other campus publications and in social media as well. Cases of swift change stemming from published opinions, however, are more rare. The feta cheese case was a pleasant surprise, but more an exception to an often noticeable rule. I have noticed that a great many of the changes that my peers and I have proposed over my two years writing for The Hoot have largely gone unnoticed by authorities with power to make those changes. This does not have to be the case.
If Brandeis administration and other campus services can remain responsive and accountable to students, there would be more constructive dialogue between authorities and students—something we badly need. I am aware that some of the changes that I have proposed in the past can border on infeasible, but that should not preclude any and all dialogue. What we need to see is an administration that is as responsive as Sodexo was to the feta cheese opinion.
Without someone to hear an opinion, the expression of views basically devolves into shouting into the void. We cannot have students feeling as if their opinions are going unheard and unappreciated. The Brandeis way is for everyone’s voice to be heard so that we can make real and substantial change at our home and community.
