Divestment campaign readies for an uphill climb
Sitting in a circle at their weekly meeting, the members of Brandeis Climate Justice (BCJ) had a lot to think about as they faced a new semester and another year fighting to have the university divest its endowment from fossil fuels. These investments represent between seven and 10 percent of the university’s current endowment. As […]
Many concerns brought up at town hall
Students brought up a number of concerns at a Sept. 9 town hall held by Brandeis University’s Interim President Lisa M. Lynch, Senior Vice President of Students and Enrollment Andrew Flagel and Vice President of Operations James W. Gray, but few were addressed in full. At the meeting, Lynch confirmed that she was not a […]
High on Fire smash expectations on new album
High on Fire is a unique band, particularly for the metal scene, in that they have released seven albums over the years, and somehow managed to make each better than the last. Evolving from always-shirtless singer/guitarist Matt Pike’s stoner rock background and influences ranging from Slayer to H.P. Lovecraft, the Oakland, California trio keeps improving. […]
Hackett appointed as vice provost for research
Brandeis has named Edward J. Hackett—a professor at the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University since 2005 and editor of the “Science, Technology & Human Values” journal—as the new vice provost for research. A career scholar of sociology and social change, Hackett earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Cornell. First […]
Students show solidarity at Take Back the Night
More than 200 members of the Brandeis community marched across campus on Tuesday, April 21 as part of Brandeis’ annual Take Back the Night event. Students, faculty and members of the administration walked in solidarity with survivors of sexual violence on campus, rhyming in anti-assault chants and holding lit candles. Stopping in each quad, the […]
Approach debate with sincere interest
Brandeis really cannot please anyone. Less than a month after Thomas Pickering was announced as this year’s commencement speaker, the Internet has pounced once again. Already, conservative website TruthRevolt published an article criticizing the school for hosting an “Israel hater” like Pickering after withdrawing an honorary degree from Ayaan Hirsi Ali last year. Despite the […]
‘It Follows’ fails to maintain tension
“It Follows,” the latest acclaimed feature in the independent horror resurgence, is a specific kind of horror film; it is much more disturbing than it is frightening. The cinematography, music and character arcs all play into a sense of an overbearing anxiety that I have not seen in a while. It is scary, don’t get […]
‘The Salvation’ is simple but fun
In “The Salvation,” a peaceful Danish immigrant (Mads Mikkelsen) turns out to be more dangerous than he seems, wreaking bloody revenge in the American West after being wronged. It is a cliche plot for an action movie (see “Death Wish,” “Taken,” “John Wick”), but not so much for a Western, particularly the spaghetti Westerns “The […]
’Deis Talks showcases learning experiences
Brandeis’ Education for Students by Students (ESS) hosted their annual ’Deis Talks events in the Admissions Atrium Thursday, March 26 a series of 10- to 15-minute presentations by members of the Brandeis community designed after TED Talks. As always, this year’s event featured a wide range of topics, though the theme of education and exploring […]
Faculty discuss adjunct unionization in meeting
Multiple Brandeis faculty members suggested caution at Professor Thomas Pochapsky’s (CHEM) announcement that the Faculty Senate will investigate complaints brought to the university by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), a union representing an increasing number of adjunct and contingent Brandeis professors. According to Pochapsky, the Faculty Senate is working with SEIU in order to […]
Students discuss ideal characteristics for future president
A small group of students agreed that candidates to replace Fred Lawrence as Brandeis’ President ought to envision themselves as a long-term member of the Brandeis community, in a Thursday, March 19 discussion sponsored by the Student Union. Attendees gathered in the International Lounge in Usdan for the event, led by Student Union President Sneha […]
‘Predestination’ fails to compel
It is very hard to find fun and original science fiction movies these days. Take for example, if you will, the year 2014. Last year, the three most financially successful sci-fi films were “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.” Of those three, two were big-budget […]
Friedman ’75 encourages balance in climate action
Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman ’75 discussed climate change’s effects on conflicts in the Middle East this Monday, March 2 in the second of two talks given to the Brandeis community. Friedman, an active proponent of clean energy and other environmental action, sat down with professor Sabine Von Mering (GRALL/WGS) […]
Rape Crisis Center opens in Usdan
Students, faculty and other members of the community celebrated the official opening of the Brandeis Rape Crisis Center (RCC) in Usdan on Wednesday, March 4. The RCC will now serve as a safe space and service for survivors of sexual violence on campus, as well as a hub for programs to combat it. The center, […]
‘Focus’ proves an uneven but fun experience
Will Smith is one of the most charismatic actors in the world, and one of the best movie stars of this generation. So why has he not been around more? We got the very entertaining “Men in Black 3” way back in 2012, but that was his first starring role in four years, after the […]
‘Focus’ proves an uneven but fun experience
Will Smith is one of the most charismatic actors in the world, and one of the best movie stars of this generation. So why has he not been around more? We got the very entertaining “Men in Black 3” way back in 2012, but that was his first starring role in four years, after the […]
‘for colored girls’ coffeehouse creates excitement
Brandeis Ensemble Theater and Brandeis Players organized a coffeehouse performance in Chum’s this Monday to create anticipation for their upcoming joint presentation of Ntozake Shange’s acclaimed play “for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf.” Hosted by co-producers Carly Chermonorets ’16 and Khadijah Lynch ’16, the event featured a series of performances […]
Campus renovation and student safety discussed in panel
Several Brandeis buildings, including unrenovated Ziv halls, various first-year residence halls, Einstein’s Bagels and the campus bookstore, will be renovated over the summer, according to Vice President for Operations Jim Gray. Gray informed students of the coming changes at a group panel discussion organized by the Student Union. The panel also featured Senior Vice President […]
ED Talks inspire education with social justice
Brandeis Professor Derron Wallace (AAAS/ED), Professor Emerita Jane Hale (AAAS/COML/ECS/ROMS) and Sujan Talukdar ’96 gave a series of miniature “TED talk-style presentations” on the role of social justice in the classroom Thursday, Feb. 5, as part of the ED Talks series. The event was organized as part of Brandeis’ ’DEIS Impact festival of social justice […]
John Carpenter tells musical story with ‘Lost Themes’
Despite being both a film nerd and a music nerd, I have never been a particular follower of movie soundtracks. I know the famous and great ones, but besides Prince’s “Purple Rain” album and Daft Punk’s “Tron: Legacy” score, I don’t own any, and I’m not really interested in buying more. It was for this […]
