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Brandeis University is a private university in Waltham, Massachusetts, United States. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, nine miles west of Boston. As of 2005, the university had approximately 3,158 undergraduates, 1,872 graduate students and 460 faculty members.

Founded in 1948 as a coeducational institution on the site of the former Middlesex University, Brandeis is the only nonsectarian Jewish-sponsored college or university in the United States. Indeed, a Brandeis history professor notes that "Brandeis is not merely the only Jewish-sponsored and nonsectarian university in the United States (or for that matter in the world). We are the only such institution in history.", pp. 66-7Its founding was, in part, a response to the Jewish quotas then in place at elite institutions such as the Big Three, and its student body is, even today, about 50% Jewish.* Despite its relatively recent founding and small size, the university is highly regarded academically and has several first-rate research programs (particularly in the Life Sciences). In addition, the Heller School for Social Policy and Management, founded in 1959, is noteworthy for its graduate programs in social policy, social work, and international development.

The university is named for the first Jewish Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Louis Dembitz Brandeis (1856-1941).

About Brandeis

The schools of the University include:

The College of Arts and Sciences comprises 24 departments and 22 interdepartmental programs, which offer 38 majors and 42 minors. The Provost of the university, Marty Krauss, is an expert on disability policy and family-based caregiving. Brandeis is home to the Rose Art Museum, a museum of modern and contemporary art, widely renowned as the best modern art museum in New England.

The Brandeis University Press, a member of the University Press of New England, publishes books in a variety of scholarly and general interest fields.

Presidents

The presidents of Brandeis University have been:

Student life

The university boasts an active student government, the Brandeis Student Unionas well as more than 200 student organizations. [http://my.brandeis.edu

Only 9 miles west of Boston, students are able to take a free shuttle into the city Thursday through Sunday.

The Justice, an independent student newspaper, is the longest-running student publication at Brandeis.

WBRS at 100.1 FM is the school's radio station, and its television channel is called BTV65.

Brandeis emergency medical services are provided by the Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps (BEMCo).

Brandeis has a large number of a cappella groups, including VoiceMale, Starving Artists and Manginah.

Fraternities and sororities are officially prohibited by Brandeis University, as they are contrary to a central tenet of the university, namely, that student organizations be open to all students, with membership determined by competency or interest. "Exclusive or secret societies are inconsistent with the principles of openness to which the University is committed."*.

Athletics

The Brandeis University athletic teams ("The Judges") compete in the University Athletic Association (UAA) conference of the NCAA Division III. The school's colors are blue and white.

Brandeis has 10 varsity teams for both men and women, and 1 coed varsity team. The varsity teams are in:

  • Baseball
  • Basketball
  • Cross Country
  • Fencing
  • Golf
  • Indoor and Outdoor Track
  • Sailing
  • Soccer
  • Softball
  • Swimming and Diving
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball

Brandeis also has more than 18 club sports, such as alpine ski racing, crew and martial arts.

Brandeis has had an impressive list of coaches for its athletic teams, from Bud Collins and the men's tennis team in the late 1950s and early 1960s to K.C. Jones leading the men's basketball squad in the 1960s to the more recent tenure of Chris Ford.

History of Brandeis

Origins

Founders
Names associated with the conception of Brandeis include Israel Goldstein, George Alpert, C. Ruggles Smith, Albert Einstein, and Abram L. Sachar.

C. Ruggles Smith was the son of Dr. John Hall Smith, founder of Middlesex University, who had died in 1944. In 1946, the university was on the brink of collapse. It was in grave financial peril. At the time, it was one of the few medical schools in the U. S. that did not impose a Jewish quota; but it had never been able to secure AMA accreditation—in part, its founder believed, due to institutional antisemitism in the AMA, pp. 42-3: founder's son C. Ruggles Smith quoted: "From its inception, Middlesex was ruthlessly attacked by the American Medical Association, which at that time was dedicated to restricting the production of physicians, and to maintaining an inflexible policy of discrimination in the admission of medical students. Middlesex, alone among medical schools, selected its students on the basis of merit, and refused to establish any racial quotas"—and, as a result, Massachusetts had all but shut it down.

Israel Goldstein was a prominent rabbi in New York from 1918 until 1960 when he emigrated to Israel. He was an influential Zionist. Before 1946, he had headed the New York Board of Rabbis, the Jewish National Fund, and the Zionist Organization of America, and helped found the National Conference of Christians and Jews. On his eightieth birthday, in Israel, Yitzhak Rabin and other leaders of the government, the parliament, and the Zionist movement assembled at his house to pay him tribute."Israeli Officials Honor Longtime Zionist Leader," The New York Times, June 28, 1976, p. 14 But among all his accomplishments, the one chosen by the New York Times to headline his obituary was: "Rabbi Israel Goldstein, A Founder of Brandeis.""Rabbi Israel Goldstein, A Founder of Brandeis", The New York Times, April 13, 1986, p. 40"

C. Ruggles Smith, desperate for a way to save something of Middlesex University, learned of a New York committee headed by Goldstein that was seeking a campus to establish a Jewish-sponsored secular university, and approached Goldstein with a proposal to give the Middlesex campus and charter to Goldstein's committee, in the hope that his committee might "possess the apparent ability to reestablish the School of Medicine on an approved basis." Goldstein was concerned about being saddled with a failing medical school, but excited about the opportunity to secure "a 100-acre campus not far from New York, the premier Jewish community in the world, and only 10 miles from Boston, one of the important Jewish population centers."op. cit Goldstein agreed to accept Smith's offer.

Goldstein then proceeded to recruit George Alpert, a Boston lawyer with fund-raising experience as national vice president of the United Jewish Appeal.

George Alpert (1898-September 11, 1988) was a Boston lawyer who had worked his way through Boston University School of Law. He cofounded the firm of Alpert and Alpert. His firm had a long association with the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad, of which he was to become president from 1956 to 1961George Alpert, 90; was a Founder and First Chairman of Brandeis; The Boston Globe, September 13, 1988, p. 82Lyall, Sarah (1988): "George Alpert, 90, Ex-President Of New Haven Line and a Lawyer," The New York Times,'' September 13, 1988, pp. D26 (He is best known today as the father of Richard Alpert (Baba Ram Dass)*). He was influential in Boston's Jewish community. His Judaism "tended to be tended to be social rather than spiritual."p. 152 He was involved in assisting children displaced from Germany. p. 161. Alpert was to be chairman of Brandeis from 1946 to 1954, and a director from 1946 until his death.op. cit.

Goldstein also recruited Albert Einstein, whose involvement, while stormy and short-lived, was extremely important. It drew national attention to the nascent university. The founding organization was named "The Albert Einstein Foundation for Higher Learning, Inc." and early press accounts emphasized his involvement.

The Einstein incident
The origin of what was to become Brandeis was closely associated with the name of Albert Einstein from February 5th, 1946, Reis, Arthur H. Jr, , pp. 60-61: Source for Einstein agreeing to establishment of the foundation Feb. 5th, 1946, foundation incorporated Feb. 25; for Alpert quotation, "a man utterly alien to American principles of democracy, tarred with the Communist brush;" for Einstein's refusal to accept an honorary degree in 1953. when he agreed the establishment of the Albert Einstein Foundation for Higher Learning, Inc., until June 22, 1947, when he withdrew his support."Goldstein Quits Einstein Agency; Rabbi Resigns Presidency of Foundation that Plans to Build a University." The New York Times, September 26, 1946, p. 27. "Goldstein issued a statement to correct an erroneous item in a Jewish weekly newspaper printed on Boston. This said Dr. Einstein was withdrawing from the foundation." Goldstein cited "differences on matters of public relations and faculty selection." A foundation director is quoted as saying "Professor Einstein's devotion to and enthusiasm for our purposes are now and always have been strong and unswerving." A board member who "withheld use of his name" is reported as saying Goldstein and Einstein differed "over plans for a major fund-raising meeting for the new university to be held here in November. He indicated that differences over Zionism were also a factor." NYT characterized the university as "a Jewish-supported non-quota university."

The trustees offered to name the university after Einstein in the summer of 1946, but Einstein declined, and on July 16, 1946 the board decided the university would be named after Louis Brandeis.Reis, Arthur H., Jr. , pp. 66-7

On August 19th, the plans for the new university were announced by prominent rabbi and Zionist Israel Goldstein, president of the Albert Einstein Foundation. Goldstein said that the planned university was to be supported by contributions from Jewish organizations and individuals, and stressed the point that the institution was to be without quotas and open to all "regardless of race, color, or creed." The institution was to be "deeply conscious both of the Hebraic tradition of Torah looking upon culture as a birthright, and of the American ideal of an educated democracy.""New Jewish Unit Plans University," The New York Times, August 20, 1946, p. 10. In later stories the New York Times' capsule characterization of Brandeis was "a Jewish-supported non-quota university."op. cit

Einstein and Goldstein clashed almost immediately. Einstein objected to what he thought was excessively expansive promotion, and to Goldstein's sounding out Abram L. Sachar as a possible president without consulting Einstein. Einstein took great offense at Goldstein's having invited Cardinal Spellman to participate in a fundraising event. Einstein resigned on September 2, 1946. Believing the venture could not succeed without Einstein, Goldstein quickly agreed to resign himself, and Einstein returned; his brief departure was publicly denied. pp. 18-22: Einstein-Goldstein clashes, Einstein's objections to Cardinal Spellman; conflict over veterinary school; conflict over Harold Laski; Alpert quotation, "I can compromise on any subject but one: that one is Americanism."op. cit.

The Foundation acquired the campus of the Middlesex University in Waltham, which was almost defunct except for the Middlesex Veterinary and Medical College. The charter of this small and marginal operation was transferred to the Foundation along with the campus. The Foundation had pledged to continue operating it, but began to feel that it would never be more than third-rate, while its operating costs were burdensome at a time when the Foundation was trying to raise funds. Disputes arose whether to try to improve it—as Einstein wished"Dr. Einstein Quits University Plan; Withdraws Support of Brandeis and Bars Use of His Name By Einstein Foundation." The New York Times, June 22, 1947: "These disputes centered mainly on the operation of the veterinarian school of Middlesex University... S. Ralph Lazrus... withdrew as president of the foundation. Dr. Lazrus said he and his associates had been critical of both the manner in which the present limited facilities of the school have been operated and of the policies contemplated for the future."—or to terminate it.op. cit. Einstein also became alarmed by press announcements that exaggerated the school's success at fundraising, and on June 22, 1947 he made a final break with the enterprise. The veterinary school was closed, despite "indignant and well-publicized protests and demonstrations by the disappointed students and their parents"op. cit.. George Alpert, a lawyer responsible for much of the organizational effort, gave another reason for the break: Einstein's desire to offer the presidency of the school to left-wing scholar Harold J. Laski. Alpert characterized Laski as "a man utterly alien to American principles of democracy, tarred with the Communist brush."op. cit He said, "I can compromise on any subject but one: that one is Americanism."op. cit.

Six years later, Einstein would decline the offer of an honorary degree from Brandeis, writing to Brandeis president Abram L. Sachar that "what happened in the stage of preparation of Brandeis University was not at all caused by a misunderstanding and cannot be made good any more."op. cit

Historians Slater and Slater commented that "plagued by infighting, Brandeis in early 1948 seemed a project in serious trouble. Nonetheless, the school opened in the fall with 107 students." They list the opening of Brandeis as one of their "Great Moments in Jewish History." pp. 121-3, "Brandeis University Founded"

In 1954 Brandeis inaugurated a graduate program and became fully accredited.op. cit

Notable faculty and staff

All current faculty may be found in the Brandeis Faculty Guide.

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Brandeis University".

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