Take advantage of library resources
Of all the services that students learn about during Orientation, one of the most overlooked is the Brandeis library. Our library is home to a wealth of services that students can benefit from, but not just first-years are in the dark—many upperclassmen are also unaware of how the library can help them. Research librarians are […]
The Hoot’s hopes for the year
The editorial board of The Brandeis Hoot is looking forward to the upcoming year and keeping our expectations high for continuous positive change on campus. We are eager to see what the Student Union accomplishes this year. President Hannah Brown ’19 and Vice President Benedikt Reynolds ’19 ran with the platform of addressing Brandeis’ affordability, […]
Fix problems with summer dining on campus
Brandeis is always quiet over the summer, but aside from fewer students, campus is also lacking in another crucial aspect—food options. For students who are working and living on campus over the summer, dining options are few and far between. Sodexo adopts different hours for what’s open during the summer session and closes many of […]
Union must start new academic year strong
As the year closes, The Brandeis Hoot editorial board would like to reflect on the year, and to look to the future, especially with regard to student government. The Brandeis Undergraduate Student Union has had successes over the past academic year, and we would like to offer our appreciation, criticism and suggestions for the upcoming […]
Admin. must be proactive in responding to student concerns
Brandeis announced this week that it was firing its men’s basketball coach for racist remarks, inappropriate behavior and nepotism, and the university said it was undertaking an independent investigation of the policies and procedures used to investigate grievances. Members of the Brandeis community have discussed Meehan’s firing in the context of the larger, persistent issue […]
Support Hannah Brown for president
The Brandeis Hoot would like to voice our support for Hannah Brown ’19 for Student Union president. We believe her platform addresses issues that deserve attention from all parties on campus and provides practical solutions for these issues. Brown is running unopposed for the presidency. However, this does not mean we should treat the election […]
Run for Student Union positions
We at The Hoot frequently write editorials about student engagement at Brandeis—from encouraging voter turnout at student elections to attendance at open meetings hosted by administrators. When it comes to the voting process, we have time and time again encouraged students to vote as a way of being involved in their university. It is now […]
Support gun control and student protests
At 10 a.m. on March 14, Brandeis students will walk out of classes for 17 minutes in solidarity with the 17 students and faculty members killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and in support of the #NeverAgain movement. In the wake of the horrific tragedy in Parkland, FL, the many mass shootings that preceded […]
Appreciate the workers who keep the campus running
After the heavy snow on Wednesday, we would like to thank the facilities workers who worked relentlessly to make the campus safer for us. Despite complaints from students of slow responses to snow buildup or ice, behind the scenes, facilities staff members work tirelessly to keep walkways passable during times that students may be asleep […]
First-year class sizes increase, univ. must address issues that arise
At the faculty meeting on Jan. 26, Dean of Admissions Jennifer Walker presented statistics on the class of 2021. They announced that 858 students had matriculated. The size of the first-year class has been increasing in recent years, but Brandeis’ acceptance rate has hovered relatively steady around 33-35 percent. For the class of 2018, the […]
In sustainability efforts, consider initiatives to reduce plastic use
Brandeis’ recent installation of solar panels to the library roof is a commendable step in improving sustainability and decreasing our carbon footprint. The new panels generate 25 percent of the library’s electricity usage and have doubled the amount of solar power on campus, an important milestone in reaching our sustainability goals. As Brandeis is pushing […]
Meet admin. half way and engage with your university
In our final editorial of the fall 2017 semester, we asked President Liebowitz to take student schedules into account when hosting important meetings on Brandeis’ future. In the editorial titled, “Transparency cannot be in name only,” we expressed appreciation for Liebowitz’s efforts to expand transparency by sharing summaries of Board of Trustees meetings and hosting […]
Transparency cannot be in name only
President Liebowitz and the Brandeis administration have taken steps to improve transparency on campus. But transparency is only valuable if it is accessible. While the administration has been sharing information through a series of open forums, they could do more to encourage attendance and reach more students with this information. We appreciate Liebowitz’s efforts to […]
Lack of transparency surrounds ‘Buyer Beware’ decision
The Hoot is raising issue with how the Brandeis administration and theater department faculty handled the “Buyer Beware” situation and about Brandeis’ stance on important issues and academic policies. In The Hoot’s coverage of “Buyer Beware,” by Michael Weller ’65, and its developing situation, the faculty of the theater department failed to be transparent and […]
Explore Diversity classes for the experience, not the minor
Early registration for the Spring 2018 semester began this week and will continue until Nov. 6. As underclassmen think about declaring majors and upperclassmen add additional minors or think about classes that could make them more appealing to potential employers, students should take advantage of the diversity of classes Brandeis offers. The Diversity Course List […]
Enthusiasm for Crenshaw surpasses space in Rapaporte Treasure Hall
This past week marked Kimberlé Crenshaw’s residency on campus to receive the Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize. She attended various events throughout the week, all of which promoted the theme of intersectionality, a concept she coined and has produced pioneering work on. She attended the “Ebony Axis” launch event on Oct. 23 to celebrate […]
Don’t miss Kimberlé Crenshaw’s events this week
Kimberlé Crenshaw, the woman who coined the term “intersectionality,” will be on campus next week. Crenshaw will be at Brandeis to receive the Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize, an annual award that recognizes lasting scholarly contributions to racial, ethnic and/or religious issues. The prize includes $25,000 and a medal, which are presented at a […]
Take action to Save Ohno
Brandeis is taking part in the Save Ohno competition this October. SaveOhno, a national organization that holds competitions at many universities, encourages students to improve their sustainability efforts and raise their environmental awareness. By fostering healthy competition between students—and with the added bonus of Patagonia prizes for the top three teams—SaveOhno is a great way […]
New Gen. Ed. requirements go too far
The Task Force on General Education released new General Education Requirements in early September. The Brandeis Hoot sees value in certain changes to the system, but we are concerned the requirements will become too extensive or complicated. Among the several new requirements is the “Schools of Thought” requirement. This is the same as the current […]
Making progress but still a ways go for campus sustainability
While Brandeis is taking some steps to become greener, there is still a long way to go. At the most recent State of Sustainability, campus leaders made clear that even though Brandeis is doing more to reduce its environmental impact, it is still lagging behind in sustainability. Speakers argued that, at a university so strongly […]
