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LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Modfest was always tentative
Letters to the Editor | 9/19/06
Posted online at 12:43 AM EST on 9/19/06
To the Editor:
As Director of Social Affairs in the Student Union, I feel it is my duty to correct a gross error of miscommunication regarding the Justice's claims that the "Union jumped the gun on Modfest date" (Sept. 12 issue). At the senate meeting, when I was asked when the event would potentially occur, I mentioned the Oct. 21 date as a possibility, because that is the timeframe we are aiming for. Beth Wexelman '07, senior representative to the Alumni Association, brought it to my attention that on said weekend many alumni would be on campus, and perhaps it would not be a good weekend for the event. Assistant Dean of Student Life Alwina Bennett, who attended the Senate meeting, mentioned that she would possibly be out of town, at which point I tried to make it clear that nothing had been scheduled, and the date would certainly be played with as the planning process became more specific.
When later interviewed, I was asked what date I had mentioned in the meeting. I responded that I said Oct. 21, but I repeatedly stressed that the date was very tentative. I had the common decency to answer a reporter's question, which, I must reiterate, was not "When is Modfest scheduled for?" but rather, "What date did you say?" I said a date. Oct. 21 was simply the ballpark date we were using for planning purposes.
Blaming the Student Union for an approach to planning that leaves much to be desired-and for jumping the gun-is irresponsible and inaccurate journalism.
The Student Union has been meeting at least once a week with administrators about Modfest. Senators Joshua Karpoff '07 and Laura Covey '07 have met with me and each other regarding this party, and a few proposals are in the works. No date is set for the event. That does not mean that Modfest won't occur. Although the article, by way of juxtaposition, asks the reader to infer that there is tension between the Division of Student Life and the Student Union, the truth is that we are working closely with them to see that a Modfest (date yet unknown) occurs, and that the safety of Brandeis students is not at risk.
I sincerely hope that in the future, the Justice does not put its reliability and integrity at risk as it did in this article.
-Cindy Kaplan '08
As Director of Social Affairs in the Student Union, I feel it is my duty to correct a gross error of miscommunication regarding the Justice's claims that the "Union jumped the gun on Modfest date" (Sept. 12 issue). At the senate meeting, when I was asked when the event would potentially occur, I mentioned the Oct. 21 date as a possibility, because that is the timeframe we are aiming for. Beth Wexelman '07, senior representative to the Alumni Association, brought it to my attention that on said weekend many alumni would be on campus, and perhaps it would not be a good weekend for the event. Assistant Dean of Student Life Alwina Bennett, who attended the Senate meeting, mentioned that she would possibly be out of town, at which point I tried to make it clear that nothing had been scheduled, and the date would certainly be played with as the planning process became more specific.
When later interviewed, I was asked what date I had mentioned in the meeting. I responded that I said Oct. 21, but I repeatedly stressed that the date was very tentative. I had the common decency to answer a reporter's question, which, I must reiterate, was not "When is Modfest scheduled for?" but rather, "What date did you say?" I said a date. Oct. 21 was simply the ballpark date we were using for planning purposes.
Blaming the Student Union for an approach to planning that leaves much to be desired-and for jumping the gun-is irresponsible and inaccurate journalism.
The Student Union has been meeting at least once a week with administrators about Modfest. Senators Joshua Karpoff '07 and Laura Covey '07 have met with me and each other regarding this party, and a few proposals are in the works. No date is set for the event. That does not mean that Modfest won't occur. Although the article, by way of juxtaposition, asks the reader to infer that there is tension between the Division of Student Life and the Student Union, the truth is that we are working closely with them to see that a Modfest (date yet unknown) occurs, and that the safety of Brandeis students is not at risk.
I sincerely hope that in the future, the Justice does not put its reliability and integrity at risk as it did in this article.
-Cindy Kaplan '08
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Benjamin Freed
posted 9/20/06 @ 9:45 AM EST
Perhaps Modfest was, as Ms. Kaplan suggests, always tentative. But in blaming the Justice for miscommunications over the increasingly fictional university-sponsored party, she is only shirking her own responsibility in this unfortunate saga. (Continued…)
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