the
Justice www.thejustice.org
The Independent Student Newspaper Volume LXXV, Number 5
of
B r a n d e is U n i v e r sit y S i n c e 1 9 4 9
Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Waltham, Mass.
SCIENCE PROGRAM GROWS
VOTING REGISTRATION
Univ. announces science complex expansion ■ The project, set to begin
late 2023, will include expansions, renovations, and a sprawling outdoor space. By ANNA MARTIN
JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Brandeis has announced an expansion of the science complex scheduled to begin later this year, according to an article published in BrandeisNOW on Sept. 29. This expansion includes the addition and renovation of approximately 100,000 square feet that will be used for classrooms, wet labs, Maker Lab spaces, and core facilities. The physical expansion of the science complex will pair with the expansion of applied science programs, as it is a main part of the addition of the engineering science program at Brandeis. This new program is anticipated to launch during the 2026-27 academic year and was approved by the Board of Trustees in 2021. As the Brandeis science facilities are expanding, so are the
offered programs. This expansion has been titled Science 2A, as it is the second phase of the Brandeis science facility expansion and renovation project, following the construction of the Shapiro Science Center, which opened in 2009. This new building will be located next to the SSC and will connect to it through the main atrium. The Science 2A building will stand at five stories tall and will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to the BrandeisNOW article, meaning that this building will be accessible to every Brandeis community member. The article continues that 75% of the spaces in the new building will be flexible research labs while the remaining 25% will be used for learning spaces and other various facilities. There will also be Maker Lab spaces on the first floor, expanding on the current Maker Labs located in the Farber Library. In addition to the construction of a new building, the article explains that this expansion will
See SCIENCE, 5 ☛
SMILEY HUYNH/the Justice
Outdoor space dedicated VoteDeis pushes people to polls in memory of alumna in voter registration event
VOTING: Students gathered in Fellows Garden to register to vote and get absentee ballots for the upcoming election.
■ Fellow alumni, family,
■ Fellows Garden was packed
with students obtaining absentee ballots and registering to vote. By RIVER SIMARD
JUSTICE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The VoteDeis Campus Coalition, in collaboration with the Brandeis Student Union, held a voter registration and absentee ballot event in Fellows Garden on Oct. 7. The event had several booths set up for Brandeis students to receive assistance, resources, and be walked through the process of having their ballots mailed to them. Students also had the opportunity to register to vote for the first time prior to the upcoming Nov. 8 election. “There's so many different laws and rules for each state. So we're really here to make sure it’s simplified and students have all they need to request their absentee ballot and vote in this upcoming election,” explained VoteDeis volunteer and event co-organizer, Gabriella Lieberman ’23. In addition to Lieberman, the event was also organized by VoteDeis co-presidents Mandy Feuer-
Photo courtesy of STUDENT ACCESSIBILITY SUPPORT
man ’25 and Maia Lefferman ’25. Also present at the event were Brandeis Democrats, Brandeis Democrats subcommittee targeted towards gun violence prevention “Students Demand Action,” and the Educational Network for Active Civic Transformation. One of the ways in which VoteDeis primarily assisted students in requesting their absentee ballot was by providing the students with envelopes and the proper forms to be notarized on campus and physically mailed in, rather than requested online. While some states, such as Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, allow the request of an absentee ballot online, other states, such as California, do not. “I do know that I can choose not to vote, but that seems really stupid to me. Because, I mean, this country is supposed to be a democracy. It’s supposed to be representative of everyone’s voice. So why would I not put my voice in there?” explained Tori Lajous ’25, who requested an absentee ballot at the event. Many of the booths and tables had some sort of giveaway for students, including desserts, buttons, and small copies of the U.S. Constitution. At the table for Students Demand Action, students could write the reasons they are registering
to vote, and by the end of the afternoon the table had become covered in sticky notes including comments such as “to vote out antisemitism,” and “my vote matters,” as well as several more that said “hot girls vote.” In addition to the student activist groups present at the event, members of the Waltham city government were present, including the mayor of Waltham, Jeneatte A. McCarthy, and several members of the Waltham city council. “Brandeis students being who they are, need to get out there and vote. So this is very important. It's important we create these coalitions that include young folk and include us in the conversation because at the end of the day, we will be the next generation leading and taking on these bigger, bigger challenges,” Waltham City Councilmember of Ward 9 Jonathan Paz explained. In addition to advocating that students become registered to vote and request absentee ballots, Paz also discussed other issues with Brandeis students such as a lack of transportation as well as the rising cost of housing in the Waltham area. In order to learn more about how to register to vote or check existing voter registration, students should visit vote.gov.rally.
and friends of Barbra Barth Feldman '86 gathered for a dedication ceremony. By AMANDA CHEN
JUSTICE STAFF WRITER
On Oct. 7, during Homecoming Weekend, members from the Class of 1986 returned to Brandeis for the dedication of the Barbra Barth Feldman ’86 Circle in Ridgewood Quad. The Barbra Barth Feldman ’86 Circle is a new outdoor space for students, complete with new benches, a center platform, pathways, and greenery. Brandeis alumni built the space in memory of Feldman, their close friend. She passed away in August 2019, and in the wake of her passing, Stephen Weiss ’86, a friend of Feldman, was the first person to suggest doing something in her honor. Feldman’s friends originally proposed a fire pit on campus, but they were ultimately not allowed to have one. However, they knew they wanted to create a space on campus that would allow students to gather and have fun in the same way that Feldman brought people together throughout her life.
Navigating Neurodivergency
Remi Wolf
For neurodivergent students, understanding, support, and community on campus are vital.
Wolf performed on Oct. 9 in the new Bostonian venue, The Roadrunner.
By ANIKA JAIN
By ZOE POPOVIC
FEATURES 6
Photo courtesy of CREATIVE COMMONS
For tips or info email editor@thejustice.org
See FELDMAN, 5 ☛
Another year of success for Giving DEISday
ARTS AND CULTURE 14
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Daughter to Mrs. Janet Dubin Barth and Dr. Nathan “Nat” Barth, Feldman grew up in Lawrence, Long Island, with her older sister Rachele Barth Tinkelman. According to an interview with the Justice on Oct. 4, one of Feldman’s friends, Amy Bergner ’86, described the family as tight-knit and extremely devoted to each other. As adults, Feldman and Tinkelman lived six houses apart to raise their children. Feldman is survived by two children: Andrew Barth Feldman and Samantha Barth Feldman. Barbra loved the theater and passed on that same passion to her kids, the most salient example being Andrew, who performed in “Dear Evan Hansen” on Broadway. There were two main reasons for choosing Ridgewood Quad for the memorial. Feldman lived in Ridgewood Quad for two years as a firstyear and sophomore, and many friends recalled fond memories there. Moreover, according to the plans for the space, the University recognized the need for more outdoor spaces and had already been thinking about ways to improve Ridgewood Quad. Feldman’s friends wished to build a space that evoked the same qualities that her friends cherished in Feldman: inclusivity, generosity, warmth, and openness. Nothing about the architecture of
By MARIA ANTONIO
NEWS 3
The Editorial Board addresses Harvest Table and Univ. Admin. By EDITORIAL BOARD
FORUM 8
Hall of Fame honors iconic coaches By PRATEEK KANMADIKAR SPORTS 11
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