Reforms and reframes in the Student Union
I wrote a piece earlier this academic year talking about what I called the “elite” of Brandeis, the exclusive group, made up mostly of Student Union members, that runs all campus activities and makes up the majority of the contact that the students have with the administration. The Senate is a dedicated, innovative group, but […]
Toward a more lighthearted college culture
I had certain expectations of college culture before I arrived at Brandeis, expectations that mostly consisted of what my parents had told me, stories from friends who went to bigger universities (Pitt, Penn State) and movies like “Animal House” and “The Social Network.” I had watched videos of people doing crazy things at MIT (turning […]
Brandeis students are stunted by technology
I attended an open forum with President Liebowitz about a month ago which gave interested members of the community the opportunity to voice their opinions about the aspects of Brandies they thought should change. One speaker expressed that students are not ever truly dedicated to their activities here at school. The speaker understood Brandeis students […]
Brandeis needs more nature
Recently I came across a large photo book, the photos depicting Brandeis through the decades until the late 2000s. It has fantastic images of this place pre-1948, when it was Middlesex University, a medical school primarily centered on the castle (as everyone learned if they took a tour with Admissions). Rows of metal tables with […]
The Disorganization Kid
The common perception of a “successful life” is nearly impossible to reach, and it is leading to cultural disconnects and unfulfilling outcomes for many young people. David Brooks wrote about this issue almost 20 years ago in The Atlantic in his article “The Organization Kid,” a critique of the culture of perfection and forced wholesomeness […]
Brandeis students should care more about sports
There has been a lot of talk among our campus’ student leadership over the past few months, mainly among the members of the Student Union and in some talks with administrators, concerning how to increase “school spirit.” There are ideas floating around about campus events, bigger discounts on Brandeis gear at the store, engagement with […]
The chaos of double-doors
With the school’s recent decision over “Buyer Beware,” discourse at Brandeis has turned to the very serious issues of censorship, art and speech. However, our attention needs to be directed elsewhere. There is something more pressing, more persistent and much more pertinent to our everyday lives at Brandeis—and no one is talking about it. It […]
Free speech requires responsibility
If we talk about free speech only in abstract terms, we will never make any progress and will remain divided as a community. I attended the last half hour of the free speech forum on Monday. The principles of free speech that the Task Force on Free Expression has devised were very reasonable and the […]
How our system of government makes us more partisan
For politicians, voting with their party is a decent career choice, though it can cause a lot of political problems. Voting on every bill according to a politician’s party line helps secure their political career, easily signal their values to constituents and market themselves to interest groups and activists. With so many bills passing through […]
Expanding the Brandeis bubble
The socio-cultural conditions at Brandeis create a community starkly different from the rest of the country, and we should be aware of that. I come from a town east of Pittsburgh, on the border of what some call “Pennsyltucky.” “Pennsyltucky” refers to the center and northwestern regions of Pennsylvania, the more rural portion of the […]
Brandeis’ new General Ed requirements will hurt future students
As the Class of 2018 Senator, I need to express my views concerning the new curriculum changes that the Senate will vote on this Sunday, which will be voted on by the Faculty Senate soon after. Last Sunday, a delegation from the Curriculum Committee came to answer the Senate’s questions concerning the new General Education […]
Party ideology hurts the American economy
A mindset based on economic development was once the cornerstone of American prominence, but is now ignored in the face of ideology. An economic policy that supports reasonable competition, promotes the growth of new markets and encourages investment is not unique to the left or right. A lack of focus on pragmatic economic policy, free […]
Brandeis is not a model democracy
Brandeis isn’t the model of inclusive and effective governance we think we want it to be. Our university claims to have social justice embedded in its doctrine. We want a united campus spirit celebrating differing opinions. Brandeis’ students should want to create a community that is truly inclusive, active and dangerous in a good way. […]
The downsides to a great study abroad experience
Studying abroad can reward you, but be aware of how much work you will have to do given what little support you receive from the Office of Study Abroad. Know why you are going. I spent the last year away from Brandeis on the London School of Economics (LSE) General Course program, and I would […]
What we’ve come to
When Mao Zedong was building his revolutionary army, he employed practices that gave his cause more legitimacy to average people, such as teaching new recruits how to read, employing severe punishments for those who would steal or mistreat civilians and a policy of only attacking the vanguard of the enemy regime. This way, he appeared […]
The election from abroad
I have been spending this year in London, and as a result I missed the election and its fallout, as well as the inauguration and its fallout. I had cricket practices the afternoon following the election in November, for which I had stayed awake until 6:30 a.m. and then had to fight through a 9 […]
The debates: a “Libertarian” perspective
At this stage in the election season, a ‘season’ that has lasted almost as long as a winter in Westeros, it is difficult for any original criticism, opinions or angles on the race to emerge. Other than the leak of some pages of The Donald’s tax returns a few days ago, nothing really interesting has […]
Helicopter parenting: doing more harm than good
If you have not yet, I suggest you take a look at the Brandeis Parents Facebook page. Proceed with caution: What you will find is both equally enlightening and disturbing about the parents of Brandeis students. It is not a fair sample, as not many parents are very active on social media and have no […]
God and man at Brandeis
What I aim to find abroad is a different academic culture, not to have the “finding oneself” experience that so many study abroad programs are sold to be. More than that, I want to be in an academic culture that’s more nurturing and enthusiastic, rather than hostile and divisive. What I aim to find during […]
Work to end the disconnect between students, admin.
Questioning free speech on college campuses is quite popular these days, with outlets like The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Huffington Post and others discussing whether college students are “coddled” or not. At least on our campus, I would not say that I see this notion manifesting itself in any ways other than fierce […]
