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Daily
By APArnA BAnSAL, KAt thornton And ELIZABEth cArr Senior Staff WriterS
the Brown
Herald
Since 1891
It was a day no one wanted to remember, but one the Brown community gathered to commemorate nonetheless. People gathered across campus to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks Sunday, sharing their experiences and paying their respects. They walked through a labyrinth on the Main Green. They acknowledged the day on the steps of Manning Chapel at a memorial service. Most current undergraduates were elementary or middle school students on the day of the attacks, and many recall interrupted recesses, canceled school days or watching television at breakfast as the twin towers collapsed into rubble. Ten years ago, after the towers fell, more than 1,000 members of the Brown community gathered at
Manning Chapel that afternoon. People lit candles on the steps of Faunce House and the chapel. Though no students on campus at the time lost an immediate relative on Sept. 11, six Brown alums died in the terrorist attacks. On the Main Green and at a ceremony at Manning Chapel, people remembered members of the community who died on Sept. 11. At 4 continued on page 4
Glenn Lutzky & Rachel Kaplan / Herald
Once a bustling jewelry factory, then an office complex, 222 Richmond St. now houses state-of-the-art anatomy classrooms and a bookless digital library. Its new role as Browns Medical Education Building has made it something of a celebrity in the city. Surrounding properties are slowly
being snatched up. Some see in this post-industrial area sandwiched between downtown, the Providence River and the hospital complex not only as the future of Brown but that of the city and state as well. Many hope it will become a hub of education and medicine, akin to those in Houston, Baltimore and Boston. Planners also stress the importance of housing and
retail to guarantee lively streets after the workday ends. Elements of the Medical Education Buildings design reflect high hopes for the districts future. Though travelers from College Hill would find a closer entrance on the east side of the building, a main door is found on Richmond Street to the west, opening it out to the neighborhood. The University made it a
priority to widen the sidewalk and plant trees to create a more pedestrian-friendly environment. And for the hungry passerby, one of the more popular eateries on College Hill has opened a sister shop inside the new building. Bagel Gourmet Cafe opens out to the street corner at Richmond and continued on page 5
There are a lot of wide receivers at Brown, said Jonah Fay 12. They dont tell you that when you come here.
football preview
At Wide Receiver U., as Alex Tounkara-Kone 11.5 calls it, the Brown offense returns in 2011 with a loaded depth chart at wide receiver and an All-Ivy quarterback back at the helm determined to atone for a 2010 season lost to injury. The offense is poised to produce a high-powered attack that aims to leave opposing defenses gasping for air. An Aug. 27 New York Times article dubbed the 2011 Ivy League
football season the Year of the Quarterback. Largely responsible for that notion is quarterback Kyle Newhall-Caballero 11.5. In 2009, Newhall-Caballero was a First Team All-Ivy member, but after breaking his wrist in the fourth quarter of the seasons third game, he was forced to watch the remainder of the 2010 campaign from the sidelines. After taking the spring semester off to intern at a private equity firm in New York and spending his summer working out in Providence, NewhallCaballero returns not only as the teams starting quarterback, but also as a two-year captain. Its never happened in Brown history that I know of that a guy was a two-year captain, and after continued on page 7
After failing to preregister for two newly capped advanced economics courses, Bradley Silverman 13, facing unexpected barriers to entry, decided to circumvent the regulations governing seats in those classes. Standing in Lecturer in Economics Maria Carkovics class ECON1540: International Trade, he displayed a sign reading Dropping this class? Ill pay $ for your spot! in an attempt to create a black market. International Trade is one of six upper-level economics courses that have been capped at 110 students, beginning this semester. The economics department, chaired by Professor Roberto Serrano, appealed to the College Curriculum Council last spring to cap these courses at 100 students, Dean of the College Katherine Bergeron wrote in an email to The Herald. But Thursday night, after two days of shopping period, the department decided to raise the cap to 110, Serrano wrote in an email to The Herald. The new spots were open exclusively to seniors concentrating in economics. With this measure, we hope to address the need of some our seniors, for whom it was the last opportunity to take the course, he wrote. While those larger courses several of which had enrolled over 200 students in past semesters have been reduced in size, three smaller capstone seminars have been introduced to give senior concentrators in the Department of Economics the opportunity to take small, discussion-based courses, Serrano said. The decision to change the curriculum was made after departing seniors were given a survey asking them about their experiences last spring, said Louis Putterman, professor of economics and director of undergraduate studies for the department. Most students indicated that the size of the large courses was a concern, but not a very big concern, he said. The survey indicated that concentrators valued the opportunity to take smaller courses. Putterman added that it is difficult to determine whether reducing courses from roughly continued on page 2
Kyle Newhall-Caballero 11.5 will have plenty of receiving options this year.
weather
inside
Still Solid
w. soccer continues undefeated season
spOrTs, 7
For Africa
OpiniOns, 11
t o d ay
tomorrow
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2 Campus news
C ALeNdAR
mONDAY 5:30 P.m. The Scale of Modernity, Pembroke Hall, Room 305 7 P.m. Mid-Autumn Festival, Main Green 7 P.m. Crispin Glover Screening, Granoff Center, Martinos Aud. SEPTEmbER 12 TUESDAY 12 P.m. Oil and the Arab Spring, Watson Institute, McKinney SEPTEmbER 13
MeNu
SHARPE REFECTORY Savory Chicken Stew, Broccoli Spears with Lemon, Vegan White Bean Casserole, Coconut Cookies VERNEY-WOOLLEY DINING HALL LUNCH Cavatini, Tomato Basil Pie, Spicy Fries, Coconut Cookies, Sauteed Zucchini and Onions
DINNER Stir Fried Beef and Pasta Medley, Vegan Garden Chili, Peas with Pearl Onions, Cappuccino Brownies Chicken Pot Pie, Vegan Ratatouille, Mashed Butternut Squash, Cappuccino Brownies
Daily
the Brown
SudOKu
Herald
Matthew Burrows, Treasurer Isha Gulati, Secretary
The Brown Daily Herald (USPS 067.740) is an independent newspaper serving the Brown University community daily since 1891. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, excluding vacations, once during Commencement, once during Orientation and once in July by The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. Single copy free for each member of the community. POSTMASTER please send corrections to P.O. Box 2538, Providence, RI 02906. Periodicals postage paid at Providence, R.I. Subscription prices: $280 one year daily, $140 one semester daily. Copyright 2011 by The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.
edItoRIAl
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CR OSSWORd
Campus news 3
By JAKE comEr Senior Staff Writer
The Office of Student Life has revised its sexual assault disciplinary process to allow both complainants and accused students to appeal decisions. The revision comes in response to a letter sent in April by the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Civil Rights. Previously, only accused students had the right to an appeal. The letter, sent to all educational institutes that receive federal money, provides specific guidelines for the handling and prevention of sexual assault and violence in accordance with Title IX, a law passed in 1972 prohibiting gender discrimination in federally funded institutions. The requirement that schools that provide an appeals process for grievance complaints of sexual assault or violence must do so for both the complainant and the accused was a new notion for the Office of Student Life, said Allen Ward, senior associate dean of student life. Over the summer, administrators worked to look at our code and look at our language, with regards to the appeals process, Ward said. The new code, available on the OSL website, now reflects that change. Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life and student services, said she plans to send an email regarding the changes to the student community sometime this week. The letter highlighted the requirement to designate senior Title IX coordinators to handle grievance procedures and systemic challenges, as well as the need to make their contact information easily available. Up until recently, Ward and Valerie Wilson, former associate provost and director of institutional diversity, acted as the Universitys coordinators. Wilson left the University at the end of the last academic year for a job in Washington, D.C. While Ward is still the acting coordinator for alleged harassment by students, Wilsons departure briefly left a gap in the Universitys Title IX compliance system. Though Wilsons name, as of Sunday night, remained on the Office of Student Lifes website as the designated Title IX coordinator for alleged harassment by faculty or staff, Lina Fruzzetti, professor of anthropology and interim institutional diversity officer, is now temporarily filling the role.
Klawunn said Fruzzetti is receiving all necessary training and that the contact information on the website will be updated shortly. Students looking to file sexual assault grievances have several entry points, ranging from student life liaisons to senior administrators, Ward said. A student would have the right to say, you know what, the entire system has failed me, and go straight to the top, he added. Ward said that in his six years as a senior coordinator, no student has pursued that option. Though Klawunn said she was confident in the Universitys current level of compliance with the new requirements, she added that administrators would continue to be vigilant. One of the things thats unusual about this letter is how specific it is, she said. I think we have to be really careful and we have been, to date about making sure we implement every piece of it. Klawunn said Office of Civil Rights officials have already begun to follow up with schools around the country to make sure they are in compliance with the new guidelines. The need for education about sexual assault and its prevention is one of the letters heavily emphasized topics. It is also an area in which administrators said the University is at its strongest. Sexual assault education begins with a guest speaker on the second day of Orientation and continues throughout a students four years, with access to workshops, literature and updated information, said Frances Mantak, director of health education. The University recently hired Bita Shooshani as the coordinator of the sexual assault response and prevention program. Though the search for a new coordinator took nearly a year to complete, Mantak, who headed the search for the new coordinator, said all of the services associated with the sexual assault response coordinator remained available last year. Shooshani, who comes to Brown from San Francisco State University, said she has already been impressed by both the Universitys quick response to the letter and the level of student engagement. Its really one of the most progressive campuses Ive seen in terms of the response and the care, she said. Where Im coming from, things move at a very, very slow pace.
Brown has formed a partnership with the University of Granada, adding a fourth option for students wishing to study in Spain. The University already has an existing program in Barcelona and two approved alternative programs in Madrid, and students will be able to study in Granada as early as the spring semester. Setting the Granada program apart from other programs in Spain is its intense focus on the Spanish language itself, said Kendall Brostuen, director of international programs and associate dean of the college. As opposed to Browns program in Barcelona, where students can take courses in a variety of subjects, the program in Granada will emphasize developing translation and interpretation skills, he said. Brostuen, who previously worked as the director of Central College in Iowas study abroad program in Granada and is familiar with the schools modern language and exchange programs, said the University of Granada prepares translators and interpreters at a professional level. Brostuen also pointed out that the University
With the new program, students are able to study abroad in Granada.
of Granada, founded in the 16th century by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, is one of the top universities in Spain. Forming a partnership with the University of Granada had been circulating for a couple of years, Brostuen said. According to the October 2010 update to the Plan for Academic Enrichment, the
University planned to negotiate a translation and interpretation pathway with the University of Granada, Spain, by the end of 2010, so that Brown students may begin study in fall 2011. The Office of International Programs, the Hispanic Studies department and the continued on page 5
Student and Employee Accessibility Services formerly Disability Support Services will ramp up its campaign to tag bikes this year in an effort to educate students on the dangers of locking their bikes to railings and benches. Benjamin Marcus 13, a member of SEAS Campus Access Advisory Committee which is comprised of students and University employees said bikes left attached to railings and benches have caused a lot of harm to people. Pedestrians who rely on railings cannot use them if bikes are in the way, which can pose a hazard, Marcus said. Last February, a blind student was injured by a bike attached to a
railing outside of J. Walter Wilson. A lot of students are just not aware of the consequences of not locking their bikes up properly, Marcus said. Its also just laziness. In order to increase student awareness, members of the Department of Public Safety and SEAS have started attaching pink tags to bikes locked in places where they might be hazardous. The tags, designed by SEAS, describe the dangers associated with locking up bikes to railings or benches, list contact information for DPS and SEAS and remind the rider to register his or her bike. We are hoping that if enough Brown community members put these on bikes it will encourage bicycle riders to take an extra moment to locate the nearest bike
rack, use it and help keep stairways and ramps safe for all pedestrians, Jonathan Corey, SEASs coordinator, wrote in an email to The Herald. In cases where a bike poses an immediate threat to safety for example, if it blocks a wheelchair ramp DPS may cut the locks and remove the bike, according to Catherine Axe 87, director of SEAS. In addition to the tags, SEAS has also been campaigning to increase the number of bike racks on campus, providing students with a greater number of safe places to lock their bikes. This summer, the University built several new racks, though Marcus said SEAS has yet to asses any difference in student behavior.
4 Campus news
U. recalls, reflects on terrorist attack
continued from page 1 p.m., more than 100 members of the Brown and Providence communities joined together on the steps of Manning Chapel to acknowledge the anniversary at a memorial service entitled A Rite of Remembrance. Today we stand exactly where we stood 10 years ago at Brown, said Janet Cooper Nelson, the University chaplain. Greeting those in attendance, she espoused the creation of a global realm of goodness and of mercy. The service was centered around a litany of reflection in which faith leaders spoke to darkness, terror, heroism, collective mourning, interfaith and multicultural community and hope. We do still have the humanity to be the nation we once promised to be, said President Ruth Simmons at the ceremony. Held by the Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life, another event, Celebrating the Work of Building Peace, allowed the community to reflect on peace as they walked through a labyrinth, folded origami cranes and made peace flags. I thought this was the most apropos way of celebrating, said Rita Holt, who was in attendance, after completing the labyrinth. Whats nice is youre alone but youre with people at the same time. The community also remembered the six alums who died in the attacks. Charles Margiotta, Sr. 79 P13, a firefighter from Staten Island, was lost in the flames at the World Trade Center. He was a larger than life character, said his brother Michael Margiotta. He was into everything I am yet to figure out when he slept. At Brown, Margiotta was a member of the Ivy League championship football team in 1976. Bruce Alterman 79, Margiottas roommate at Brown, checked his voicemail on Sept. 11 to find a 20-minute message accidentally left by Margiotta as his phone continued to trasmit from his pocket. I could hear him barking orders to the firefighters, he said. And then the phone went out. Margiotta was one of four former Delta Tau brothers at Brown who were killed in the attacks. Raymond Rocha 95, an analyst at Cantor Fitzgerald, and Paul Sloan 97, who worked at Keefe, Bruyette and Woods, were also killed at the World Trade Center. Dave Laychak 83 was working as a civilian budget analyst at the Pentagon when American Airlines Flight 77 hit. He was a kind, gentle soul one of those people that makes you feel like he was your best friend, said his wife Laurie Laychak. The two met at the Pentagon. His son Zachary wore the same number on his high school football jersey that his father did as a defensive back on the Brown football team. He beat his own drum he wasnt a
Faith leaders and President Ruth Simmons pose outside Manning Chapel after a memorial service Sunday.
conformist, said Grant Harshbarger 83. Joanne Weil 84 was an attorney working at the World Trade Center when the building was attacked. Donald Greene 71 was on United Airlines Flight 93 when it crashed in Shanksville, Pa. Greene was a wrestler at Brown and a certified pilot. The faculty understood that the world had changed and become a more frightening place for students, said Wendy Schiller, associate professor of political science. Schiller said she remembers that on Sept. 11, classes had just begun. It was hard for the University to deal with, she said. But time has changed the academic perspective on the events. You ask any faculty member who has taught since 9/11, she said. Its history now. It changes over time. It changes every year, the further we
changing history
get from 9/11. Mark Blyth, professor of political science, said until Sept. 11, Americans had been sheltered from a political technique that is very real in other countries, like Scotland, where he grew up. This is the dark side of globalization, Blyth added. The public memory of Sept. 11 today is the focus of AMCV 1700G: Public Memory: Narratives of 9/11, taught by Beverly Haviland, senior lecturer and visiting associate professor of American civilization. Haviland said she first taught the class in 2009 after she explored the issue while writing a column for Amerika Estudien, a European American studies journal. In the first year of the class, Haviland said she tried to keep the discussion focused on the texts we were reading, rather than bring up personal memories, she said. But at the end of the course, she said one of these
students produced a 12-page autobiographical piece about her experience on Sept. 11. Alnoor Dhanani, a visiting lecturer of religious studies, said Sept. 11 affected both his role as a teacher and his personal life. Dhanani is teaching RELS 0150: Islam: From Mohammed to 9/11 and Beyond. This is the 10th anniversary, so I started my class with talking about it, he said. It is important to notice, he said, that Muslims are frequently perceived by Americans through a religious lens and are seen as separate from secular society. Putting Muslim diversity in context has been the focus of his Islam classes since Sept. 11, Dhanani said. Dhanani said he has felt profiled for being a Muslim in places like airports since Sept. 11. Before and right after 9/11, Dhanani said, There was a feeling that you cant paint over all Muslims with the same brush. Now thats not so much.
Campus news 5
of Continuing Education will soon move to the area as well. Perhaps the showcase of the building is its central sky-lit atrium. Featuring monumental stairways connecting its floors, it unifies the buildings two sides, three floors and two entrances and provides a lounge and meeting space for students, Wing said. Its almost like a street. The lobby is also home to an art installation which will provide a centralizing theme for the building, he said. The mural, designed by artist Larry Kirkland, symbolizes the doctor-patient relationship and is part of a University program that dedicates 1 percent of construction costs to public art. Above the entrances are vertical glass panels bearing the schools name. Lit at night, the panels lend the building a palpable presence even when closed. The Alpert Medical School also aims to fully embrace the digital era. The building features a library of the future unlike the Rock, this has no books, Wing said. This year, the University required all incoming medical students to purchase iPads, which can hold lecture notes and electronic textbooks. Still, the building pays homage to its industrial past. The original
The renovated building, formerly a jewelry factory, will include a Bagel Gourmet Cafe at the street corner. It will have state-of-the-art classrooms, anatomy labs, clinical skills rooms and a digital library.
waffle-style ceilings are exposed in some places and the historic exterior has been restored. Its a great facility, said Arthur Salisbury, a neighborhood resident and president of the Jewelry District Association, a group of residents, businesses, universities and hospitals. Were very happy its here.
Sports Monday 7
W. SOCCER
The Bears will have a balanced, veteran-led attack this year that should take pressure off the defensive corps.
The Brown womens soccer team kept its undefeated start to the 2011 season alive with a doubleovertime 1-1 draw against the University of Vermont at Stevenson Field Saturday. The Bears (3-0-1) got off to a slow start, but multiple substitutions helped snatch the momentum from the Catamounts (2-3-2). Kiersten Berg 14 provided a spark off the bench, and responded quickly to a second-half Vermont goal to level the score. Stalwart defensive play from Brunos back four kept the Catamounts at bay through extra time, helping the team come away with the tie. I thought it was an ugly first half for both teams, said Head Coach Phil Pincince. But we made some adjustments that allowed us to carry a lot of the play where we wanted to. I thought we had a lot of opportunities. The Bears opened lethargically, as Vermont controlled possession by winning the majority of loose balls. The first 20 minutes of the match were busy for the back line, as seeking long-balls from the Catamounts midfield had to be repeatedly cleared. But the momentum began to shift midway through the half, as the Bears set a higher defensive
line to pressure Vermont upfield. I think we just realized how we had to adapt, said captain Sarah Hebert-Seropian 12. They were moving much faster than we were, continued on page 8
8 Sports Monday
continued from page 7
The mens soccer squad had plenty of reason to clap this weekend after grabbing the Brown Soccer Classic championship.
m. SOCCER
The mens soccer team earned the Brown Soccer Classic title this weekend, defeating George Mason University 2-1 and Temple University 2-0 in two hard-fought battles. With the Patriots (3-3-1) coming off of back-to-back wins 9-0 against Howard University and 3-0 against American University the Bears (3-1-0) were anticipating a battle in front of a booming home crowd Friday night. We knew it was not going to be an easy game, and it wasnt, said Head Coach Patrick Laughlin. When teams come here, theyre playing as hard as they can because they know we are a good program and that its going to be a physical challenge. Nonetheless, few could have predicted just how physical the game would get. As students hurled insults from the sidelines, the two teams traded blows on a field torn up by days of heavy rainfall. After 90 minutes, six yellow cards had been issued three apiece and the Patriots were whistled for 20 fouls, with Bruno racking up eight. We saw on film that they were going to be a rough team, so we knew we had to battle, said Sean Rosa 12.5. One of our strengths and something we pride ourselves in is battling and being strong, so we were ready for it.
brown 2, George mason 1
Rosa scored Brunos first home goal of the season off of an assist from T.J. Popolizio 12 in the 32nd minute, putting the team up 1-0. The Bears gave the Patriots little opportunity to recover, and three minutes later Popolizio headed in a goal of his own off of a corner kick. With a 2-0 lead at halftime, Laughlin said he warned his team about letting their emotions get the best of them. Not until the 84th minute did George Mason score its only goal. What we wanted to do was take the emotion out of the second half, Laughlin said. It may not be as exciting for the fans, but its better for us. At the end, of course, it got emotional because they got a goal, but we did a good job of keeping our heads and not getting any additional cards. The Bears faced Temple Sunday in the final game of the Brown Soccer Classic, and, in another physical match-up, Bruno again prevailed, 2-0. After defeating Holy Cross 4-1 in their first game of the weekend tournament, Temple (2-1-0) entered Sundays game looking to make its presence known. The match-up ended up being a slugfest, and the two sides were whistled for 10 fouls apiece. The Owls earned twice as many yellow cards as the Bears, who only received two. Thats typical college soccer at this point in the year, said Popolizio. Everyone has energy, and they are excited, but we were prepared for
brown 2, Temple 0
that. Were the type of team that plays hard in practice, so when we get into the game, we are not surprised when there are 20 fouls and six cards. Popolizio scored the Bears first goal of the game in dramatic fashion. After receiving a pass from Thomas McNamara 13 in the box, Popolizio put a shot on goal that was deflected by a defender before bouncing off of the cross bar. Still on the ground after taking the shot, Popolizio received his own rebound and was able to find the back of the net on his second attempt. I just kind of flailed at it and did a little overhead kick, and I was lucky enough to get it in there, he said. Brunos second tally of the game came from Jose Salama 14 on an assist from Dylan Remick 13. The game marked the first start of the season for goalkeeper Sam Kernan-Schloss 13, who earned a shutout in his first game back since breaking his leg in last years preseason. Laughlin said the decision to start Kernan-Schloss over Alex Carr 15, who was in goal for the Bears first three games, was made before the weekend began. The Bears return to action on Friday when they face South Carolina on the road. The Gamecocks have a chip on their shoulder after losing to Brown 1-0 last season at Stevenson Field. Its a real challenge for us down there, Laughlin said. But we want to play the best teams in the country, and hopefully that will help us to get through the Ivy League. Even after two hard-fought battles at home, the Bears know that there is still much more to come as they gear up for the Ivy League and compete for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Its only going to get tougher, Popolizio said. Winter is coming, and we know that Ivy League games and postseason games are battles. You need to be ready to get into a brawl with your teammates and win every ball and every slide tackle, because you never know what mistake is going to lead to a goal.
sticking through it
Kelley Harrison 13 motors up the sideline during the Bears 4-3 loss to Pacific Friday afternoon.
HIGHeR ed Ne WS R OuNduP
COMICS
Fraternity of Evil | eshan Mitra, Brendan Hainline and Hector Ramirez
edITORIAL COMIC
by sam rosenfeld
t h e b r ow n da i ly h e r a l d
Editors-in-chiEf Sydney Ember Ben Schreckinger editorial Kristina Fazzalaro rebecca Ballhaus claire Peracchio talia Kagan Amy rasmussen tony Bakshi Alex Bell Ethan mccoy Ashley mcdonnell Sam rubinroit Anita mathews tyler rosenbaum Sam carter hunter Fast arts & Culture editor City & state editor City & state editor Features editor assistant Features editor news editor news editor sports editor sports editor assistant sports editor editorial page editor editorial page editor opinions editor opinions editor ManaGinG Editors Brigitta Greene Anne Speyer sEnior Editors dan Alexander nicole Friedman Julien ouellet Business GEnEral ManaGErs matthew Burrows Isha Gulati Aditi Bhatia danielle marshak margot Grinberg Lisa Berlin officE ManaGEr Shawn reilly
Graphics & photos Abe Pressman Graphics editor Emily Gilbert photo editor rachel Kaplan photo editor Glenn Lutzky photo editor Jesse Schwimmer sports photo editor production dan towne Anna migliaccio Katie Wilson Leor Shtull-Leber neal Poole Copy desk Chief design editor design editor assistant design editor web producer
ManaGErs hao tran national sales Alec Kacew University department sales Siena deLisser University student Group sales Valery Scholem recruiter sales Jared davis sales and Communications Lauren Bosso Business operations Emily Zheng Business analytics nikita Khadloya alumni engagement rajiv Iyengar special projects Arjun Vaidya special projects Webber Xu special projects Post- maGazine editor-in-Chief Sam Knowles editor-in-Chief Amelia Stanton BloG dailY Herald david Winer editor-in-Chief matt Klimerman Managing editor
opinions 11
Unfortunately, in May, at least one person I pray only one managed to do just that. Allow me to introduce Arianna Huffington, CEO of the Huffington Post and, as of 2011, proud holder of an honorary degree from our august institution. For the five of you reading this who have never encountered the Huffington Post, the site is an amalgam of political news, celebrity nip-slips and lefty opinion a cross between tabloid journalism and MoveOn.org, masquerading as the next New York Times. To give you a feel for the tial for constructive debate. On the other hand, its a great way to sell ads and attract left-wing viewers, just like a list of the 10 Biggest Sarah Palin Conspiracies or an exclusive Huffington Post Report titled The GOPs Sin City. Fair and balanced this aint. Unfortunately, the type of news-opinion combination that the Huffington Post epitomizes so well foreshadows a political sphere where, more and more, we engage only with other people who share our worldview. One writer in the New Repubtonian clarity: Right is wrong, and I am right. While such a mindset might make for extremely confident ideologues, it leads also to a polarized, atomized society where any agreement on, and action towards, political change becomes more and more impossible. Its curious that a school whose mission proudly proclaims its commitment to discovering, communicating and preserving knowledge and understanding in a spirit of free inquiry would single out for high honor a woman whose website represents and is driving the evercheapening of our countrys political debate. And its too bad that Huffington got her Brown degree without ever taking a Brown class or spending time with Brown students. Disregarding a few regrettable pie-throwing incidents, people here have an admirable willingness to listen to John Yoo or read Ayn Rand and consider their ideas with the same open-mindedness and respect that we would accord their more left-leaning counterparts. By the time we graduate, our classes and our peers have given us intimate encounters with a broad spectrum of ideas, and weve forged our own opinions in the fire of a robust debate. These, not the Huffington Posts tabloid-y and partisan approach, are the values that Brown ought to celebrate and reward in the people to whom it grants degrees. Reuben Henriques 12 is a political science concentrator from Madison, Wis. He can be reached at reuben_henriques@brown.edu.
As the summer in Washington, D.C., revealed leaders acting ever more stubborn and childish, thank goodness, at least, that we at Brown know how to be adults. Even at a school where the student body is, admittedly, a bit one-sided in its political leanings, we spend our four years here buffeted by diverse opinions from all sides. Be it a speaker at an overflowing Janus Forum event, a professor or classmate in discussion section, or a friend (maybe one of those rare Republicans!) in the Sharpe Refectory, there is no shortage of people who both disagree with us and are willing to argue the point. Brown justly celebrates the debate and discourse that characterize our campus: In her welcome to the class of 2014, President Ruth Simmons encouraged students to practice open-mindedness, lauding the diversity of thought that we believe so vital to your education. By the time we graduate, we are ready to go off and be responsible, respectful citizens of our community, nation and world. It would be a shame, then, if someone managed to obtain a Brown degree with their ideological blinders intact, in the habit of caricaturing and dismissing anyone who disagreed with them, making superficial arguments with no sense of the importance of defending their opinions.
This tone alarmingly strident, superficial, devoid of nuance permeates Huffingtons site, if not her entire worldview.
sites frenetic, sensational tone, I offer an example headline: GOP candidates step into a minefield, accompanied by a giant, unflattering picture of Michele Bachmann superimposed onto a high voltage sign. This tone alarmingly strident, superficial, devoid of nuance permeates Huffingtons site, if not her entire worldview. One need only glance at the title of her most recent book, Right is Wrong, for an example of the type of attitude that has led to the gridlock and bickering that characterize contemporary politics. Dismissing 50 percent of the population as straight-up incorrect precludes any potenlic perhaps said it best in calling the site glitzy edification for the progressive congregation. The political slant of the site is unabashed, and the army of bloggers in Huffingtons employ disagree only over, for example, exactly how insane Republicans are. Over in the news section of the site, stories of Republican insanity are often featured prominently and disproportionately. When your news is filtered through an echo chamber of people with whom you already agree, you become less and less inclined to seek common ground with the variety of people with whom you dont. Instead, you think with Huffing-
I feel strongly that the African community at Brown could benefit from increased cohesion. As I argued in my final column of last semester (The African Students Burden, April 18), African students in higher education are generally subject to certain expectations regarding their ability to contribute to the futures of their respective countries. In light of many African countries continued political instability and economic, environmental and social challenges, students are expected to apply all opportunities for learning to the development of knowledge and skills pertinent to these issues. The underlying assumption that African students studying abroad may be influential figures at home is clearly based in reality. Consider the extent to which foreigneducated people continue to hold positions of power in much of Africa. Though the number of western-educated African leaders includes such despots as Laurent Gbagbo and Charles Taylor, one could list many more African graduates of non-African universities who are known for their positive contributions, from literature and the arts to civil service and political leadership. These expectations make sense. External actors are often criticized for the consequences of their approaches to development, such as non-governmental organi-
In this column, my intent is not to lay blame on a single party. The strength of a community comes from the commitment and energy of those who participate in it.
relations areas that probably suit President Simmons prescription of (upgrading) their knowledge of science and technology. What is missing is the support and access to resources that could exist and benefit these individuals. From the Violent Cities conference that was held at Brown last April to our annual Chinua Achebe colloquia, events highly relevant to the continent abound on Browns campus. The graduate school has drawn an inspiring handful of up-and-
was a visiting scholar at Brown last semester, the first thing he had to say was about how, on the eve of his departure, he was for the first time meeting the community of African undergraduates. How can African students at Brown get the most out of their education and then save the world if, as things are now, the African community is so fragmented? In this column, my intent is not to lay blame on a single party. The strength of a community comes from the commit-
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One stage is nearly bare, constructed of metal pipes and plywood. The lighting sharply illuminates the actors faces faces seemingly too fresh to dig into the hearts of the characters they portray. They are dressed in black, they wear the same sandals on their feet only the subtlest of details give them some recognizability. A worn leather jacket, a feathered boa, a video camera. The music soars, and voices rise to meet notes sometimes just beyond their grasp. And then suddenly you are lost in the simplicity of a story so well-known and loved that its okay if everything isnt perfect. Because isnt that part of the plays message anyway? The other stage, 200 miles away in New York City, is almost unrecognizable as an actual stage. You are in Mark and Rogers living room. You are on the streets of Manhattan. The actors walk you through a set of sparkling Christmas lights and snow-covered alleyways dressed head-to-toe in Alphabet City perfection. Their pitch is flawless, their hair is gelled just so and suddenly you find yourself as far removed from the story as possible. Sometimes, it turns out, less is a whole lot more. Last semester, Musical Forums production of Rent, Jonathan Larsons soulful beast of a musical, threw out everything but the kitchen sink in its beautiful retelling of the rock opera. This past August, New York Citys OffBroadway venue New World Stages produced a revival that packed quite a punch of glitz and a double dose of glamor, but not nearly as much heart as Forums. Thats not to say that OffBroadway, or Broadway for that matter, should be discredited.
Musical Forums production of Rent last semester revealed the gritty strenghts of student theater.
Every production is different. Every actor has a strength and every director, a vision. Sometimes everything comes together and sometimes it doesnt. The rub is that student theater is often overlooked or disregarded simply because it is student theater. For a musical like Rent, which has captured so many peoples adoration and become such a present entity in todays popular culture, it is easy to be critical. Finding flaws in casting, set design and execution is a quick and almost satisfying process. So was the case with New World Stages revival. While the talent of the actors is notable especially the vivacious Arianda Fernandez as Mimi and Broadway alum Annaleigh Ashford as Maureen the relationships between their characters seemed thin throughout the production. For example, the love between Collins and Angel generally
such a driving, pivotal part of the musical fails to entrance the viewer as it has in previous renditions. While some may blame this on the cast being rather young and inexperienced MJ Rodriguez, who plays Angel, is just 20 I would venture to say it has less to do with age and more to do with the distracting nature of the set. Visually stimulating it may be on first sight, but as emotional intensity builds between the characters, it is sometimes hard to focus ones attention on the dialogue with the abundance of props and overzealous use of lighting. There were also some questionable casting and styling calls. Matt Shingledecker is almost too pretty to play the gritty, rock-n-roll guitar player Roger. His perfectly spiked hair doesnt help paint the picture of a struggling, slightly dirty rogue of Alphabet City. Adam Chanler-Berat as Mark faces a similar struggle. He is too
nice, too cute, too clean. The production was enjoyable overall, with excellent vocals and new, fast-paced dance steps. But I could have easily listened to the soundtrack and been just as happy. Musical Forums production, directed by Chantel Whittle 12, featured a cast of incredibly strong young actors that did something their New York counterparts failed to do: ensnare the audience with grit rather than glitz. Perhaps it was the setup of the stage the audience surrounds the main stage in a horse shoe format with actors entering and exiting through the aisles that contributed to the feeling of inclusion. It feels as though you are right there, a fly on the wall as the action happens around you. There is an immediacy to the action that makes each event seem urgent, necessary and unforgettable a continued on page 9
In an introduction to his new exhibit in the David Winton Bell gallery, Nathaniel Walker GS described himself as a student of the word progress. The exhibit, entitled Building Expectation: Past and Present Visions of the Architectural Future, explores how architectural imagery has been used throughout history to reform, sell and market ideas of the future, often for political or commercial purposes. Progress, Walker said, has been used to build the expectations and imaginations of citizens all around the world for three centuries, causing them to believe that tomorrow will be better. Walker explained that he was inspired by a moment when he returned to Nashville, Tenn., from a trip to Europe. Walker said he was struck by how Nashville had become an automobile-dependent
wasteland designed more for cars than people, in stark contrast to the walkable cities of Europe. Nashville, he said, had been completely changed in the name of progress. The first portion of the exhibit focused on architecture that attempted to reform the future, often with a political agenda. This idea, in support of the industrial supremacy, was based on an imperfect reading of Darwins theory, Walker said, that resulted in the belief that man began in the jungle and should end in the factory. Many of the images, including prints and posters as well as memorabilia, showed colorful, complex structures in the sky, but also items like a one-hour labor bill which Robert Owen, a British industrialist, believed should replace our current monetary system. The next portion, Selling the Future, was about a time when the future was imagined, designed, packaged and sold as a commod-
ity. Items in this portion included magazines like Everyday Science and Mechanics as well as trading cards and post cards featuring futuristic visions of family life or the city of Boston. Walker called these artifacts both prophetic and comedic. There was a sense of false, forced optimism in these images one could almost tell that the creators of these objects were indeed trying to sell consumers something. Marketing the Future, the third portion of the exhibit, involved visions created by corporations to sell products and services that already existed, Walker explained. By using the idea of a better future, corporations like General Motors and Seagull whiskey could glamorize their goods and transform them into imported luxuries. These three parts made up the retrospective portion of the exhibit that is, they looked at past continued on page 9
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King Camp Gillettes Cityscape of Metropolis (1894) is featured in Building expectation, currently on display at the david Winton Bell Gallery.