Relationship with other nearby colleges and universities?

Cross registration has opened up quite a lot. Some of the schools even have busses going between them (not sure Brandeis is one of these schools or if transportation is on the kid). The Brandeis-Wellesley Orchestra still exists.

http://www.boston-consortium.org/about/what_is_tbc.asp

https://www.brandeis.edu/registrar/registration/crossregistration.html