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Daily
By morgan johnSon Senior Staff Writer
the Brown
Herald
Since 1891
The Herald sat down with the candidates for the Undergraduate Council of Students president and vice-president and the Undergraduate Finance Board chair and vice-chair. Voting begins Tuesday at 12 p.m. and will continue through Thursday at 12 p.m. The winners will be announced at 11:59 p.m. Thursday on the steps of Faunce House. The candidates for UCS president are Robert Bentlyewski 13, David Rattner 13 and Anthony White 13.
Emily Gilbert / Herald
The new facility includes the fastest pool in the Northeast, the countrys largest solar-thermal panel installation and state-of-the-art exercise equipment.
Big names Campus gets folksy at annual festival from big screen visit College Hill
By PhoEBE DraPEr Senior Staff Writer By michaEl WEinSTEin Contributing Writer
Last week, the 11th annual Ivy Film Festival temporarily brought Hollywood to campus. Every year, the Ivy Film Festival features a selection of student films, advanced screenings and Q&A sessions with visiting industry professionals at various venues around Browns campus.
Saturdays fourth annual Folk Festival brought together an eclectic mix of students, faculty, families and European politicians. I come here to have a siesta in the sun, said Romano Prodi, former prime minister of Italy and professor-at-large at the Watson Institute for International studies. Sponsored by the student group Folk Musicians of Brown, this years event featured a variety of local and on-campus bands that played 30-minute or hour-long sets. The festival kicked off with
John Conley, who played guitars made out of suitcases. The lineup consisted of 17 artists, ranging from rock-oriented folk to guitar folk to Appalachian folk, said Cat Wallace 15, who was responsible for contacting
and a Herald editorial cartoonist. The daytime portion of the festival emanated a laid-back vibe as the ever-changing audience gathered on Lincoln Field. Shirts and shoes were gradually peeled off under the bright blue sky. The sunshine was in stark contrast to last years festival, which was forced to relocate to Sayles Hall for the entire festival due to inclement weather. Nobody is a prima donna, Prodi said. We are just spending a nice part of the day. Adam Darlow GS also said he continued on page 2
I would like it so the average student is interested in what UCS is doing and also has confidence that UCS understands what they want, Bentlyewski said. Bentlyewski said he wants to bridge the gap he perceives between the council and its constituency by bringing an average students perspective to the table. I do my homework. I watch Conan. I go to sleep. I feel like Im pretty average, he said. What I want to do is give (the students) a reason to take interest again in the councils activities. Bentlyewski hopes to accomplish this task by restructuring the council to include 12 equal members from each class. Born in Dover, N.J., Bentlyewski said he was not prepared when he came to Brown to be an American continued on page 3
Bentlyewski
M. Lacrosse
Family affair
Sam Hurster 14 notched a hat trick in Brunos heartbreaking loss to Yale in 4 OT.
It took four periods of overtime for the mens lacrosse team and Yale to settle the score at Stevenson Field Friday night. But in a game with Ivy League playoff implications, the Bulldogs (6-4, 3-2 Ivy League) Deron Dempster finally found a breakthrough after 14 minutes of scoreless extra time to lift Yale to the 11-10 win. Brown goalie Will Round 14 turned in his strongest performance of the year, making 17 saves seven of which came in the overtime periods while a balanced offensive attack was paced by a hat trick from Sam Hurster 14.
The win for the Elis clinches them a spot in the Ivy League playoffs, while the Bears (4-7, 1-3) are now on the outside looking in. To claim the fourth and final spot in the postseason, Brown must do its part by winning its last two Ivy games against No. 5 Cornell (9-1, 4-0) and Dartmouth (2-8, 0-4), while also getting some help from Harvard (6-6, 2-2), who must lose its final two games against Princeton (8-3, 4-0) and Yale. After the game, the Bears faces looked forlorn, but Head Coach Lars Tiffany 90 said the drawn-out loss left him with a silver lining. These two teams the differ-
continued on page 9
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For Valentines Day, David Sedaris bought his boyfriend Hugh a box of chocolates but only because a taxidermied owl didnt seem like enough. Sedaris stories of lifes small peculiarities, as well as some of its larger ones, kept audiences laughing on Saturday night at the Providence Performing Arts Center. Sedaris, whose sardonic wit and playfully dark humor has earned him acclaim as an author and humorist, stopped in Providence on his nationwide tour to promote his latest book, Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary, which hit bookstores September 2010. But the majority of Saturday nights readings were from his more recent work, including an article published in the New Yorker and some in-progress pieces. Sedaris kicked off the evening with a reading of If I Ruled the World, a short, quippy piece that parodies religious fundamentalism. He followed with a humorously irreverent tale called Understanding Owls, in which Sedaris used tongue-in-cheek humor to explore the limits of human sympathy and his own fascination with all things grotesque.
In his pursuit of a stuffed owl, he recounted, an enthusiastic taxidermist proudly flaunted the skeleton of a pygmy murdered by a British colonist, a mummified arm that had been severed in a bar fight and the preserved head of a 14-year-old girl kept wrapped in a grocery bag. It wouldnt have been disturbing to see the skeleton of a slain pygmy in a museum, but finding it in a shop for sale raised certain questions, Sedaris remarked. Uncomfortable ones, like, How much is he? Among other things, Sedaris said juvenile morbidity is something he shares with his sisters Gretchen and Amy. Several of Sedaris stories though never without a mischievous humor highlighted the role of family in shaping individual identity. In a reading from a yet-to-betitled story about a trip to Amsterdam, Sedaris said he was told there is now a person alive who will live to be 200, a frightening idea especially if that person turns out to be Sedaris father. When Im 67, my father will be a mere 100 years old, he calculated. That would leave him a whole other century to call at odd hours and ask me if Ive gotten a colonoscopy.
Sedaris next piece, Dentists Without Borders, which appeared in the New Yorker April 2, drew laughs from anyone who has ever been asked a question while choking on a mouthful of dental equipment, but it also paid a sentimental tribute to the importance of appreciating the people who take care of you. Sedaris read a few whimsical poems, as well as excerpts from his diary, and happily shared some of the raunchier jokes hes collected from fans while on tour. Whats the worst thing you can hear when youre blowing Willie Nelson? he asked. Im not Willie Nelson. His last reading was from nature writer Gordon Grices Deadly Kingdom: The Book of Dangerous Animals. Reciting an excerpt about monkeys in India that throw rocks at cars, cyclists and pedestrians, Sedaris could barely muffle a chuckle for Sedaris, there is always humor in the unfortunate and absurd. After a brief question-and-answer session, Sedaris retired to the lobby for a book signing and welcomed fans to speak with him. But attendees should be careful about what they reveal their oddities might just be fodder for his next sarcastic glimpse at human nature.
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Danielle Marshak, Treasurer Siena DeLisser, 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 and once during Orientation 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.
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and is the communications chair of the Brown Democrats. As a member of the Brown Democrats, White organized an alumni dinner that raised over $1,000 for the student group and has worked to develop the groups image within the Brown community. If elected, White said he hopes to increase the councils presence on campus through a liaison program, in which council members involved in other activities will voice the opinions of these groups to UCS. White also plans to encourage more people to come to the councils community time. UCS, in its construction, is supposed to be a conduit between the administration and students, he said. Right now, it often feels like an isolated decision-making body. As a member of the council, White helped pass a resolution supporting Opportunity R.I. and helped develop a more efficient categorization program for student groups. Under the new system, the student activities committee only reviews categorization and recategorization requests once each semester. He said he has also worked to help student groups find alternative sources of funding outside of UFB. White said he is a very determined leader and is able to develop creative solutions to problems, such as having the Brown Band camp outside the provosts office in order to voice student demands. He added that his experience working both within UCS and with other student groups has allowed him to understand how student government works while also seeing its faults. Just being informed in this larger sense definitely, I think, makes me stand out as a candidate, he said. The candidates for UCS vicepresident are Brandon Tomasso 13 and Michael Schneider 13. Tomasso said UCS should not be considered any different from other student groups. When he heard about the councils proposed constitutional amendment which would have given the council the ability to allocate its own budget without the approval of UFB he decided to run for the position of vice president, he said. UCS has no more right than anybody else to have that money, he said. Thats what bothered me so much that I said, You know what? I need to step up and make some changes here. Tomasso, an anthropology and archaeology concentrator from Vineland, N.J., has served as Class Board president for the past three years and is also a member of the fencing team. Being Class Board president taught me how be more professional, how to work through the administration, to talk to people, how to make things happen on campus, he said. Tomasso was also a member of the council for two years but was unable to serve this past year due to scheduling conflicts. As a general body member, he co-sponsored a resolution supporting Opportunity R.I., a bill that would give Rhode IsTomasso
land college graduates a monetary incentive to work in the state. He said his year off from UCS has given him a fresh perspective on student government. He said he thinks he will be able to bring the council closer to the student body if elected president because he hasnt been ingrained and indoctrinated with the UCS train of thought. I havent seen the leadership of UCS, at least in my years, really exciting the others to do things, he said. I would be more like a guy on the floor, talking to people like crazy and telling them they can do it and encouraging them to follow their dreams. Schneider said the University needs to focus on financial aid, the student activities endowment and the undergraduate experience in general. He said the council must work to be the students voice on these issues and plans to increase student involvement in UCS through more student feedback events and consistent outreach to student leaders. This past semester, Schneider hosted an event that allowed students to taste and give the administration feedback on the food that will be offered in Poppys Cafe in the new athletic facility. He hopes to use similar events in the future to garner student opinions on issues facing the University. Schneider currently serves as the chair of campus life for the council,
Schneider
where he said he has learned how to be a good motivator. I know how to make people feel comfortable, he said, a characteristic he considers crucial to the role of UCS vice-president. The political science concentrator hails from Laguna Beach, California. In his freshman year, Schneider was a member of Brown Democrats and as a member of UCS helped pass the housing statement, which outlined student concerns with the Universitys housing program. The statement was a really good example of how UCS can push the administration to do something, Schneider said. If elected, Schneider would like to increase student voice in professor tenure decisions and increase student presence on the Undergraduate Resource Committee. He said he hopes increased student presence on the URC will help discourage the University from further raising tuition. Im approaching (the position) with an understanding of what UCS needs to improve upon, he said. Ive been on e-board. I know what it takes to be UCS vice-president. Zak Fischer 13 is running uncontested for chair of UFB. Fischer plans to revamp fundraising efforts for the Student Activities endowment by taking a more mathematical approach, he said. UFB and the council have been
Fischer
working to raise $20 million for a student activities endowment that may eventually replace the student activities fee as the main source of funding for student groups. Currently, to raise money we go and complain and give (alums) ideas and say, This is important, Fischer said. Fischer said he hopes to improve fundraising efforts by organizing the data about student group budgets in order to demonstrate to possible donors the gap between available and needed funding for student activities. Fischer, a Chicago native, has been a member of the finance board for the past two years, where he has helped to implement the use of surveys to gather student feedback about the budgeting process for student groups. These surveys have prompted Fischers decision to improve UFBs website if elected to chair. Fischer plans to implement a reserve tracker to allow finance board members to see the available funds left for student groups each year. The applied mathematics and economics concentrator has recently become a licensed actuary, an accomplishment that required passing seven tests and that has taken two and a half years to complete. Actuaries are financial risk experts who deal with probability, he said. The knowledge of financial math and probability he has gained from studying for these exams will allow him to be a stronger UFB chair if elected, he said.
and actor Barry Levinsons (Rain Man, Good Morning Vietnam) new documentary-style horror movie The Bay, which is still in post-production. The showing, which took place at Avon Cinema last Thursday, was a rare opportunity for about 100 students and Providence locals to view an unreleased film as an unfinished product. Levinson even apologized at the beginning of his Q&A following the movie screening for the messy sound dynamics, a subtlety that did not detract from the film. The Bay, originally conceived as an actual documentary and inspired by the statistic that 40 percent of Chesapeake Bay is a dead zone, is a found footage horror film about Isopods that literally eat the citizens of a quiet New England town from the inside out. Levinson teamed up with some of the producers of Paranormal Activity, one of the films that sparked the recent popularity of the found footage genre, which is shot to appear as if the footage were captured accidentally. Levinson said found footage allowed for more creative freedom, such as a police car camera filming several blocks of driving in one extended shot. The movie, which was captured with a miscellany of mostly consumer-grade video cameras, including iPhones, was
filmed in a mere 18 days. The screening the first time the film was shown publicly gave Levinson one of his first opportunities to gauge audience reaction to help him further polish the film. While the student film screening blocks are often severely under-attended, especially during the week, they can be the most overlooked aspect of the Ivy Film Festival, especially this year. Usually Im really excited for the big-name guests, because its always like, Oh my god, whoever is coming! Awesome! Bogosian said. But this year (the student films) were amazing. At first I was concerned that they werent made by students because they were so good. Student filmmakers submitted their work to a number of categories, including comedy, animation, documentary, drama, experimental, graduate-level and international. The festival winners were announced at an awards ceremony Saturday evening attended by staff, student filmmakers and their families. The results are now posted on the Ivy Film Festival website. For the first time, the festival hosted two showings of each student film selection, divided into three blocks of back-toback screenings. Each block was screened once during the week and once on the weekend. Bogosian and Forbes said they hoped this would allow more students a chance to see these films. The Programming staff, the branch of the Ivy Film Festival that screens and selects from hundreds of student films submitted, said there were three or four submissions this year that were at the same quality as last years winner, Bogosian said. Last year, a few films that were first screened at the Ivy Film Fesup-and-coming
tival even went on to be featured in other film festivals and venues, such as the prestigious Nantucket Film Festival. This is hopefully a first step for a lot of (students), Bogosian said. Its like, I made a film, its really good. Now people can start seeing it and I can get my first award, and that first award can maybe get other people into it. In addition to the many speakers and student films featured throughout the week, the Ivy Film Festival brought a few Sundance and South by Southwest selections to Brown for advanced screenings. Aside from Levinsons The Bay, feature film screenings included The Invisible War, a haunting and deeply disturbing documentary directed by Kirby Dick that investigated the discounted epidemic of sexual assault in the U.S. military. Sound of my Voice, a film by Zal Batmanglij, follows an investigation by a journalist and his girlfriend into a cult leader who claims to be from the future. The Atomic States of America, a documentary by Don Argott and Sheena Joyce about growing up in the nuclear-reactor community of Shirley, N.Y., was followed by a talk with the films producer, George Hornig P13. The last event of the film festival was Sundays screenplay luncheon in Faunce House with the Colin Stanfield and Bill Curran of the Nantucket Film Festival. The winner of the Feature-Length Screenplay category was Colors, by Cornells Wybren de Vries. Plop Plop Fizz Fizz, by Armando Vazquez of Emerson College, won best Undergraduate Short Screenplay, and Christina Hunts We Buried our Spirits, also from Emerson, won the category of Graduate Short Screenplay. The festival culminated in a party at Providence club Bravo downtown Saturday night.
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fully a show like this, if it does anything, can make people know that its a pretty universal time to struggle. Because I think the thing that makes periods like that hard is feeling like youre the only one. So if you understand that this is designed to be a confusing transitional period, youll weather it a lot better. In a show called Girls, about four girls, and youre a girl, do you have trouble writing the male point of view? Well, we dont always show the male point of view. We show a lot of lady thoughts. Men are often just seen through the eyes of the female characters. That being said, I really try to be real with myself about the guys not feeling like cartoons. And its great because I have these great male actors and a male producer who really tell me if somethings not feeling on point to them. Since you have your own show on HBo now, and youre more and more in the news and Hollywood conversation, are you finding celebrity culture to be intimidating at all? or are you still just kind of living your life? Im sure it would be (intimidating) if I were involved in it, but I still totally like to hang out with my family and my friends, and do the same, and go to spin class, and watch TV and do the same activities. I think its dangerous to start reading your own press and taking all that stuff really seriously because it can become a full-time job, and thats not what the job is. And also, obviously we all know that its a complete illusion that theres anything magical or specific about celebrities. So I think its really nice to get accolades for your work, and all of the rest of it is super stupid even if occasionally you get to like wear a pretty dress, which is an exciting thing to get to do as a woman. And I think your whole image goes along with everything you write, which is very real and relatable. Thats my hope. Im always trying to fight anyone who is encouraging me to wear too much hair or makeup. I still have my makeup on from a photo shoot yesterday. I literally just didnt wash my face. I put some cream on to kind of spread it around, but I didnt wash my face. I actually dont know how long is normal for a girl to keep makeup on. I would usually wash it off at night. Every night you should wash off your makeup. You shouldnt leave it on for multiple days. I was on an airplane overnight, I was on a redeye flight, so it felt slightly more acceptable. But like getting into bed with your makeup on? Bad. Bad for your skin. I got on an airplane, and then took a nap, and still have not washed my face. I wash my face twice a day. Thats one thing, like, I dont have very many girly obsessions, but because I have to get so much makeup put on my face all the time for shooting, I have to wash it every day or else I get really insane pimples and red face and everything. I wash my face every day. Do you wash your face every day? I bet, you look like a person who washes his face every day. Michael weinstein
basebaLL
From solutions for world problems to discussions of local issues like the responsible use of land opened up by the I-195 relocation, Sundays TEDx event provided intellectual stimulation for anyone willing to venture down the hill to listen to the almost 20 speakers. TED, a nonprofit organization, has become famous for hosting lecturers and sharing the videos online. It also lends its brand name and support to smaller, locally-organized events under the name TEDx. Jose Gomez-Marquez, the program director for the Innovations in International Health initiative at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, kicked off the event with a discussion of his work creating affordable health care products. Instead of only comparing the U.S. health care system to those of the United Kingdom or France, experts should look at the establishments in Cuba, Nicaragua or even Nigeria, Gomez-Marquez said at the beginning of his lecture. Some of the most innovative research on affordable health care technologies is happening in the most surprising places, GomezMarquez said. Around the world,
so-called MacGyver doctors and nurses make due with broken and insufficient medical supplies, which forces them to find non-traditional remedies, he said. At these clinics, you find a group of doctors and nurses who everyday are trained in health care and everyday have to hack their own instruments, he said. A toy gun used to help a nurse with an IV, bicycle pumps used as nebulizers for people with asthma and solar sterilizers are all examples of the do-it-yourself medical technologies Gomez-Marquez found in his travels. A device you can hold in your hand is also a device you can use to heal, he said before stepping off the stage. Katherine Lucey opened by apologizing to the audience for not being extraordinary but said she accepted her typical life because of the power of the ordinary. Her work with people who do not have access to electricity, one of the most takenfor-granted modern conveniences, has increased her appreciation of the ordinary, she said. To highlight her point, Lucey told the story of installing a light into a womans home. The woman chose to put one of the three lights into her chicken pen, because she knew chickens produce more eggs and are healthier when they have access
to light a decision her husband opposed. The light led to increased egg production, which provided her the capital to plant a garden. The garden, in turn, brought in enough money for her to buy a goat. The woman now has a separate house for the chickens and uses the vacated chicken coop to teach literacy classes to women in the village, Lucey said. Something as run-of-the-mill as a single light bulb empowered a woman to ultimately send all of her kids even the girls to school, Lucey said. Gomez-Marquez and Luceys lectures were part of the first of three portions. The first focused on world solutions, while the second highlighted urban renewal and the third examined entrepreneurship. Within the urban renewal section of the event, Laura Brown-Lavoie read her poetry describing her experience as an urban gardener. Her poem anthropomorphized the land underneath a city and implored its human inhabitants to let it speak. Christine West, a principal at KITE Architects, challenged Providence to honor Roger Williams appreciation for the physical space of the city when developing the open space freed by I-195s relocation. She continued on page 8
The Bears fell three games behind Dartmouth in the Red Rolfe division this weekend as Bruno (7-24, 4-8 Ivy) dropped three of four games in a home series against the Big Green (12-15, 7-5 Ivy). Theyre better, Head Coach Marek Drabinski said of the Big Green after Bruno lost both games of the doubleheader Sunday. They got more guys that step up. The Bears started off the weekend strong, jumping to a 3-0 lead in game one via RBIs from designated hitter Mike DiBiase 12 and third baseman Nick Fornaca 15 RBI in the second inning and first baseman Cody Slaughters 13 solo home run in the third. Starting pitcher Heath Mayo 13 went five strong innings, holding Dartmouth to two runs and striking out six. Despite his efforts and the Bears early outburst, the game was deadlocked at 3-3 at the end of the regulation seven innings. In the bottom of the eighth, the Bears rode an unusual rally to the win. With Slaughter on first and two outs, shortstop Graham Tyler 12 reached on an error, DiBiase was hit by a pitch, and Fornaca won it with a walk-off walk to a 4-3 extrainning victory. The Bears looked to be in control again most of the way through game two, putting together small rallies in the third, fifth and sixth innings to take a 5-2 lead into the seventh behind a strong start by Anthony Galan 14. But the Big Green lit up Galan and Kevin Carlow 13 for seven runs late and Bruno fell 9-5. Dartmouth was in command from the get-go in game three, scoring five runs (all unearned) in the top
of the first. By the time Slaughters third inning RBI single put the Bears on the board, the Big Green had scored 10 times. Dartmouth starter Kyle Hunter kept Brunos bats at bay for the rest of his complete game as the Bears fell 12-1. The Bears appeared to be on their way to a series split in game four as they opened up a 3-1 lead in the third on designated hitter Daniel Masseys 14 RBI single and catcher Wes Van Booms 14 two-run single. The team scored again in the fourth as center fielder Matt DeRenzis 14 sacrifice fly plated right fielder Will Marcal 15. The Big Green rallied to take a 5-4 lead. Marcal tied the game with a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth, but Dartmouth added four more in the top of the eighth. Down to their last out, the Bears had the tying run on deck in the ninth, but could not score and fell 9-5. They just outplayed us, Massey said. We had a lot of opportunities. We gave up a lot of leads. Drabinski blamed the losses on the Bears playing with less precision, specifically citing walks and hit by pitches Bruno pitchers walked or beaned 20 batters this weekend, compared to Dartmouths 10. Making mistakes against the Big Green is fatal, Drabinski said. Theyre never going to do us that favor. Bruno next hosts Holy Cross Wednesday for a doubleheader. Conference action continues this weekend when Bruno heads to Harvard (8-25, 4-8) for a four-game series. The Crimson are tied with the Bears for second place in the division. Bruno has eight Ivy games left to make up the three-game deficit in the division, but second baseman JJ Franco 14 still thinks the Bears can win it. You cant play like there isnt a chance, he said.
6 Fitness Center
By Tonya rilEy Staff Writer
The cupola ties together athletic history and a new age of university fitness.
Poppys Cafe offers both food specialized for the athletic experience and fare found in other campus eateries.
Inside the upscale lobby of the new fitness and aquatics center lies the newest campus eatery Poppys Cafe. A small room with light yellow walls encloses the cafe, which has a similar feel to the Friedman Cafe in the Sciences Library all items are grab-and-go. Administrative Dietician Gina Guiducci was part of the group that created the menu for Poppys, which is based on four sports-related concepts: recharge, replenish, rebuild and rejoice. Brown Dining Services met with the athletics department while creating the menu to receive input, Guiducci said. The menu has items based
around three times: pre-activity, during (the workout) and postworkout, she said. Recharge food items will be rich in carbohydrates, replenish items will mostly be fluids, rebuild foods will be rich in protein and rejoice foods are snack items, according to an online document about the menu on the Dining Services website. This will be something different from other units, Guiducci said. Healthier items include salads, oatmeal, granola, fruit and smoothies. Some items offered at Poppys, such as Chobani yogurts, bagels, Naked Juices and freshly baked muffins, are also found at other campus eateries. The target customer was thought of as a diverse population that in-
cludes athletes, gym-goers, visitors and staff who work in proximate campus locations, wrote Ann Hoffman, director of administration for Dining Services, in an email to The Herald. Poppys will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on the weekends. Customers will be able to pay with Flex Points, cash and Bear Bucks, and the lobby will have wifi access. Since there is no comparable eatery on campus, it is difficult to project expected traffic, Hoffman wrote, but she expects the Poppys concept to be well-received. I think its great that theyre focusing on healthy foods, said Elizabeth Garcia 15. But I think continued on page 8
Tonight, the fitness center will play host to the first event scheduled for this week. Students will have the chance to try out the brand new fitness equipment, with music played by a live DJ. The cost of all exercise equipment in the building is $1.15 million, according to Project Manager John Cooke. People will give it a look and probably be really impressed, said Tom Bold, associate athletic director for facilities, of the new fitness loft. I think people are excited to work out in a place that actually has windows, said Jocelyn West 13. The OMAC has no windows in its main exercise area. West said she is also excited for the buildings grab-and-go eatery, Poppys, part of the lobby located on the first floor. Its going to be really nice to have a campus eatery on that end of campus, she said. Tuesday night, students will have a chance to take a swim in the new million-gallon pool with a Dive In movie screening. Students who do not swim can watch the movie from bleachers that seat around 400 people. The pool will be able to accommodate approximately 2550 people depending on the availability of lifeguards, Tsimikas said, and priority will
Diving in
Fitness Center 7
partment of Facilities Management. The $800,000 panels combine photovoltaic technology with solarthermal technology, meaning they both heat water and create electricity. That combination was a perfect fit for the new aquatics center, which requires large amounts of hot water to maintain its Olympic-sized swimming pool and showers, said Chris Powell, director of sustainable energy and environmental initiatives at Facilities Management. It was a bit of a no-brainer, he said. The Energy and Environmental Advisory Committee, which Powell chairs, had originally planned a solar installation for the roof of the GeoChem Building. That project fell through because of GeoChems incompatible roof design, said Kurt Teichert, lecturer in environmental studies and manager of environmental stewardship initiatives. Robert A.M. Stern Architects, the firm that designed the aquatics center, needed to go back to the drawing board and incorporate (the panels) into their design, Powell said. Its outstanding that were doing a solar-thermal system, because its too often overlooked, Teichert said. The efficiency of a solar-thermal system is superior to that of a system that uses only photovoltaic or only thermal technology, he said. Its just that all the incentives and buy-downs tend to be oriented towards photovoltaic, and not solarthermal. The hybrid panels at the aquatics center barely eke out a return on investment, with a payback time of about 1520 years, Powell said. We realized that renewables werent the best economic choices, but their educational value makes them worth the cost, he said. The panels have already been used as an educational tool in two classes. Students in ENVS 0410: Environmental Stewardship viewed the installation in progress from the roof of the Olney-Margolies Athletic Center with a representative from SunDrum, the company that designed the hybrid technology. I think students were surprised by the energy intensity of that building, Morrell said. It takes a ton of energy to heat a pool and dehumidify that space and run all the showers and locker rooms. The fact that we have that many panels, and it only covers 10 percent of the buildings energy I think that really blew students minds. Three additional panels were donated to the School of Engineering, where they are being used in ENGN 1930U: Renewable Energy Technologies. Ka Ling Wu 14, a student in the class, was impressed by how much voltage could be created from one continued on page 8
Brown is now home to the largest installation of hybrid solar-thermal panels in the country. The 168 panels, which cover half the roof of the Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatics Center, will provide around 10 percent of the buildings energy needs equivalent to the number of panels it would take to power 10 homes, said Kai Morrell 11, energy and environmental outreach coordinator for the De-
Emily Gilbert / Herald The 168 solar panels adorning the aquatics center provide 10 percent of its energy.
the roof of the Pizzitola Center and the indoor track in the OMAC. Track replacement is long overdue, Bold said. The new track will remain the same size, but the floor will be refurbished with state-of-the-art Mondo track surface, Tsimikas said. The current cardio equipment around the perimeter of the track will be redistributed to campus satellite gyms to make way for additional storage space and sports medicine rehabilitation equipment. Before the end of the semester, the aquatics center will also host the Collegiate Water Polo Associations womens Eastern Championships April 2729, the buildings inaugural varsity competition event. This certainly will be a leader within the (Ivy) League, Tsimikas said of the facility, adding that it will serve as a great new destination for visiting athletic recruits. But Tsimikas stressed that above all else, the buildings primary purpose is to serve the entire community, not just varsity athletes. Its a perfect fusion of fitness, he said of the fitness center, pool and strength and conditioning center as a collective unit. We have everything in here to excel, to take care of body and mind.
The new pool is 56 meters long and nine meters deep, and it holds one million gallons of water.
The Katherine Moran Coleman Center opens to the public today, but the water sports teams have already made a splash in what is now the fastest aquatic center in the Ivy League and in the Northeast. Since the beginning of April, the men and womens water polo, swimming and diving teams have tested the waters in the state-of-theart million-gallon, 56-meter long and nine-meter deep pool. But what makes a pool fast? Mens and womens swimming head coach Peter Brown said a number of factors in the pools design influence the flow of water and waves and contribute to swimmers abilities to reach maximum speeds.
Fast pools have specific characteristics, and if you dont have those, youre going to have a slow pool, Peter Brown said. The first quality is the pools depth. In general, the deeper the water, the better, Peter Brown said. Mens swimming captain James Hunter 12 said the nine feet of depth reduce swimmers waves from bouncing off the bottom of the pool, which reduces turbulence in the water. Peter Brown said the way in which water flows into the pool is crucial for swimmers. In the new pool, the water will enter the pool in a way that does not create resistance that slows down athletes. You dont want (water) coming into the sides of the pool you want it coming in from the bot-
tom, Peter Brown said. If it comes in from the sides, it creates jets, it creates streams, it creates currents you dont want to have. The pool also has a special gutter system in place that allows water to flow over the edge of the pool, instead of bouncing back off the wall and creating waves and currents. How the water meets the edge of the pool is very important, Peter Brown said. When water comes to the edge of the pool, it just washes over the side and it doesnt bounce back into the pool. The pools two moveable bulkheads mean that during collegiate races, competitors will not be swimming from concrete to concrete, Peter Brown said. By swimming continued on page 8
8 Fitness Center
continued from page 7 continued from page 6 price tag a staggering amount at the time for the Marvel Gym, which was located across from the current Brown Stadium, Mackie said. The limestone and brick building reflected classic Brown architecture, Mackie said. Though uncertain of the origin of the idea for the letters spelling out the words Aldrich Field in place of numbers on the clock, Mackie said it was an intentional dedication to the two influential brothers. Everything was personal back then. Very personal, Mackie said. The football boom of the 1920s solidified Marvels importance, he added. In fact, in addition to a seatbuying campaign to raise money from alums for Marvel, men from other schools, such as Harvard, donated money so that their teams could actually play at Brown, where facilities had been inadequate for play. The cupola withstood the hurricane of 1938 and once had a trapdoor where you could sneak inside, Mackie said. Its a sentimental image particularly for football, Mackie said. You saw the shimmering gold leaf on top of the cupola sitting in the home stands ... I think, on some level, a lot of people really associate with that. Mackie remains skeptical that the new facilities will reinvigorate student love for Bruno sports, he said, citing the changes since the glory days of the varsity football squad, which was once the social center of a smaller, more homogenous school. Hype for the Nelson Fitness Center, though, seems just as high as it was for Marvel almost a century ago. Its going to be the best athletic facility on the east coast, said David Longo, coordinator of facilities and operations for athletics. Im really happy they were able to tie the past to the present. between the two bulkheads, the currents created by swimming in both directions will not be as harsh when swimmers make their turns. The water washes out through the bulkheads instead of entering back into the racecourse, Peter Brown said. While the speed of the pool has swimmers excited, this quality has less of an impact on the game for water polo. While in swimming the competitors are racing the clock, all players in a water polo game compete on a level playing field. Theres no timing in our game, mens and womens water polo Head Coach Felix Mercado said. So theres no influence at all. Mens water polo captain Toby Espinosa 12 said for water polo, the quality and convenience of the new facility, not the pools speed, will give Brown teams a competitive edge. How much faster it is its not as big of a deal, he said. Its that now every single guy wants to go to the pool, get in the facility and practice. Because we finally have locker rooms. We have our own shower area. Its a whole new atmosphere that Ive never had at Brown before. The pools Olympic size will also benefit the squads in both practices and meets. Three teams will be able to use the facility simultaneously, relieving the coaches of scheduling nightmares often encountered in the temporary Aquatics Bubble. The bulkheads allow for configuration of any course for 25-meter lanes, 50-meter lanes or a water polo field and will also allow for water polo games and swimming lanes to be positioned in the middle of the pool. The center positioning, combined with the ample first and second floor viewing galleries, will create an excellent spectator experience. Espinosa said the pools spec-
New fitness center ties Fast pool gives edge to U. water sports the past to the present
tator-friendliness has the teams excited for their competitions to again become fun social events for the University community. Water polo games used to be the craziest games on Browns campus, Espinosa said. They were the most fun people would come and watch and get rowdy. With this new facility, its really going to pick up. But for Peter Brown, the pools speed is one of the most exciting qualities of the new facility not just because of the performance of the swimmers, but because of its potential to put Brown on the map. If people know you have a fast pool, they want to swim in it, he said. It gives you a nice reputation. If you go across the country, you know where the fast pools are. You can have a beautiful pool, but if you have a fast one, it makes it extra special. with additional reporting by ethan McCoy and Sam rubinroit
By the numbers
1 million
gallons of water in the pool
168 solar panels on roof 400 seats overlooking pool 20 televisions in building 185 exercise machines $1.15 million
spent on exercise equipment
$52 million
spent on entire project
The state-of-the-art equipment in the new athletic center will help to make it a leader in the (Ivy) League, Assistant Director of Athletics Matthew Tsimkas said.
Blasted recounts violent Bears fall in devastating 4OT loss disintegration into chaos
By carolinE SainE Staff Writer
The directors note for Blasted reads, Please do not look away from me. Please take me with you when you go. These are words of warning, as the violent, visceral intensity of Blasted tempts the audience to shut their eyes anything to be spared the emotional assault. Blasted, by playwright Sarah Kane, runs April 13-16 at Production Workshop. At first glance, Blasted tells a story of combat and sexual violence in war-torn England, though more contentious themes run underneath. The play forces the audience to confront the truth about what it takes to love and accept human life, given what we try to deny about it, said director Sam Barasch 12. At the start of the play, Cate (Audrey Ellis Fox 12, Valerie Hsiung 12 and Lizzie Stanton 13) is seemingly alone in a hotel room. Littered throughout the hotel room are items familiar to the audience newspapers, cigarettes, flowers and alcohol on the table. But these are only scattered remnants of known society, because the world she inhabits is far darker than the audience may have first believed. Cate and Ian (Audrey Ellis Fox 12, Valerie Hsiung 12, Lizzie Stanton 13, David Lee Dallas 13 and the voice of Conor Kane 14) are at odds, and the audience quickly senses the nature of their relationship. Ians first lines are read out over a loudspeaker, and Ian is seen as both a literal and metaphorical figure of power as the play begins. The audience senses the constant force of the destruction of
COMICS
chester crabson | Tess Carroll
10 editorial
A critical review of course evaluations
With pre-registration coming up this week, students are honing in on classes for next semester. Everyone wants to know the good professors, which classes should be left to concentrators and whether or not the assigned reading will leave you time to hit the Whiskey Republic on Wednesdays. This is the kind of information that should theoretically be available through the student-run Critical Review course evaluations website. Unfortunately, Critical Review evaluations are rarely returned, a pattern made worse by their competition with the recently digitized official administration course evaluations. We believe this database of student knowledge is extremely important in making sure students get the most out of their courses, and we advocate a bigger role for the administration in ensuring the University-wide implementation of Critical Review surveys. The Critical Review provides information and advice to students that University evaluations do not. For one thing, the Critical Review publishes its results on an easily accessible website that is open to students, while administration-issued evaluations are for official use only. Furthermore, the Critical Review publicizes the answers to questions students constantly wonder about prospective courses such as lecture quality, amount of work and annoying professor habits while University evaluations focus more on whether expected course material was learned. Critical Review surveys are also not returned at a high-enough rate to be effective. According to Dingyi Sun 12, a Critical Review editor-inchief, less than 40 percent of course evaluations are returned, due to a mix of either the department secretaries not distributing the packets to the professors or the professor elect(ing) to not distribute the (evaluations) to their class. Because the Critical Review staff lacks the power to make sure their blank forms are distributed and their completed forms returned, its website is sadly lacking in both completeness and variety. The difference in content and diagnostics between the surveys, as well as logistical red tape involved, makes it difficult for the University to incorporate the Critical Review into its own evaluations, Sun said. However, the administration needs to make the universal submission of the Critical Review evaluations a higher priority. We advocate the institution of a mandatory procedure for every department to distribute the forms to its students. The Critical Review may be a student venture, but it is invaluable to the student course experience, and we believe it is the administrations responsibility to facilitate its successful and widespread implementation. For students to get the most value out of their Brown education, they need to make informed course decisions based on comprehensive information. We believe this is an extremely important point, and we advocate a concrete policy change. We would even advise making it obligatory for students to fill out the Critical Review in order to receive their grades the same policy that produces an 89 percent return rate for official course evaluations, according to a recent Herald article. The administration needs to take notice and critically review its current policy. editorials are written by The heralds editorial page board. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL CARTOON
by r ac h e l h a b e r s t r o h
t h e b r ow n da i ly h e r a l d
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opinions 11
lation was not enamored. In fact, we quickly mobilized a counter-rally to defend and proclaim our LGBTQ-friendly beliefs, which I happen to share wholeheartedly. But a number of us vandalized the groups signs, verbally abused their members and generally fulfilled the stereotypes youd associate with an angry mob. Moreover, judging from memory and the approving language of The Herald coverage (Students rally against antihave a lot of wonderful, open-thinking happening on this campus. Im proud of our frequent sex-positive events and LGBTQ-friendly atmosphere, for instance. But alarmingly often, both on the wide scale and in personal interactions, we exhibit the same intolerance as the oppressive groups we oppose, effectively defeating the purpose of calling ourselves progressive thinkers. I once made the mistake of joking about praying on the Lords Day to a new group of Brown acto be a real phenomenon on this campus. Admittedly, in the case of religion, I am not well-informed about most belief systems. Most of my friends arent either, and that may be part of the problem, but there are plenty of reasons to be wary of the effects religion especially in its extreme manifestations can have on society. But thats not the point. The point is that if were really to be open and accepting of everyone, weve kind of got to be accepting of everyone across religions or lack thereof races, classes, genders, insert demographic of your choosing and so on. Looking around at the student body, certain stereotypes about our liberal ideologies might appear to be the whole truth, but its still a campus, and a world, which hosts all kinds of people. Its not really tolerance if we all agree, is it? I challenge my fellow students and myself as incredibly fortunate human beings, to avoid fighting intolerance with more intolerance. We cannot congratulate ourselves on taking the moral high ground if this is not actually the case. If we believe ourselves to be right about, say, equal rights, then the force of our correct opinion and our excellent elaboration of it should be a forceful enough way of driving home the point and overcoming the things wed rather not see in the world. Camille Spencer-Salmon 14 enjoys being disagreeable almost as much as being agreeable.
I challenge my fellow students and myself as incredibly fortunate human beings, to avoid fighting intolerance with more intolerance. We cannot congratulate ourselves on taking the moral high ground if this is not actually the case.
gay marriage demonstrators, March 24, 2011), most of us shared the opinion that the demonstrators did not deserve to be heard on account of the hatefulness of their message. Tragically, this intolerant attitude ignorant of the fact that the group probably chose our campus precisely because of our predictable outrage is as oppressive as any hate-peddling group out there. This happened a year ago, and yes, we
quaintances. The whole group proceeded to look at once outraged and disgusted. Alarmed, I hurriedly assured them of my nonchalant collegiate agnosticism, which so many of us seem to ascribe to, thus righting the delicate order of the universe or at least one casual hangout situation. These are anecdotes, but Ive experienced these situations enough to consider this type of progressive intolerance
In its editorial column (Brown is not Goliath, March 21), The Heralds editorial page board argued that Brown should not significantly increase its payments to Providence because this would threaten Browns valuable educational mission, specifically by leading to tuition increases or cuts in financial aid. The column exemplified a worryingly dominant strain of thought in the Brown community which shies away from asking critical questions about the governance of this University. This goes far beyond the specifics of Browns payments to the city. It is far too rarely acknowledged by many on this campus that the priorities and motives of Browns governing authorities need not be aligned with those of any other members of the Brown community or wider society. The plutocratic financiers and assorted high-flyers of the Corporation utilize a professionalized corporate administration to govern this University without a shred of genuine accountability. The Undergraduate Council Students, Graduate Student Council and faculty governance are politically irrelevant, and the minutes of Corporation meetings are kept secret for 25 years. This University provides us all with a fantastic education and a supremely comfortable environment in which to work, learn and live. We should get everything out of this place that we reasonably can, but we should
It is far too rarely acknowledged by many on this campus that the priorities and motives of Browns governing authorities need not be aligned with those of any other members of the Brown community or wider society.
es may be normal here, but they embody a form of education very rare elsewhere in the world. While it has long been the custom to use education to cloister the children of the elite away from wider society and groom them for power, America is very unusual in continuing this ancient custom in such concrete form. It is a strange and disturbing feature of American life that many of its best and brightest young people spend four years of putative freedom before entering work living in a physical, social and educational environment where almost every aspect of life is designed and structured by a single paternalin coming here were this not the case your tuition buys access to power as much as it does a fantastic education. Despite all the advantages of attending Brown, however, the editorial page board was right to point out that many students struggle to pay for a Brown education and should be protected. This is obviously true. It is heinously unfair that only the stunningly wealthy truly enjoy the freedom and opportunity that a Brown education is supposed to give because only they are unconstrained by huge personal debt when they graduate. It is the Corporation, of course, that decides in secret
For the swimming and diving and water polo teams, the benefits of the new swimming facility go far beyond the water. The opening of the Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatics Center ushers in a new era for Brown athletics, offering stability to aquatic teams that have endured four years of uncertainty. Though it finally provides the teams with a permanent facility to train, host home meets and entice recruits, its unveiling comes too late for many of the outgoing athletes to experience. When the Smith Swim Center was demolished to make room for the Aquatics Center, Brown was faced with a choice put its aquatics programs on hiatus until the pools completion, or invest a significant amount of money to erect a temporary pool. The University chose the latter, and for the last four years, Browns water sports have practiced and trained in a $3.8 million temporary aquatics bubble located behind the Olney-Margolies Athletic Center. Not a lot of schools would do what Brown did, said Peter Brown, head coach of the mens and womens swimming teams. Five years ago, we were at a teetering point where we didnt know what they would do with the program. It was a huge financial commitment on President Simmonss part to keep our program alive. Despite the Universitys wellintentioned efforts, the temporary bubble failed to gain popularity among athletes. No one liked the bubble, said diver Jon Feldman 12. By the end of its stint on Browns campus, it was a toxic waste dump. Im excited its going away so no one ever has to
Farewell to the toxic waste dump
deal with it again. The athletes claim the bubble lacked a number of elements to be considered an adequate facility proper circulation, locker rooms, diving equipment and sufficient space. The bubble is terrible trainingwise, said James McNamara 14 of mens water polo. It was so small we couldnt have two practices going on at the same time. Getting out of the bubble to train will literally be a breath of fresh air for the Bears. All three teams were suffering from the health effects of the poor air circulation in the bubble, said former womens swimming captain Allyson Schumacher 12. The air quality was really bad, she said. There were times when it was hard to train for two hours. But the new facility has a stateof-the-art air circulation system and an atmosphere that mens water polo captain Toby Espinosa 12 said makes you feel like you are swimming outside. For the athletes who will spend countless hours practicing and lifting weights in the Aquatics Center, it will soon become somewhat of a second home. But for the four years during which the pool was under construction, none of the teams were able to host home meets or matches in the temporary bubble due to space confines and limited spectator accommodations. As a result, every match-up meant going on the road. We were traveling every single weekend during season, McNamara said. It makes it really hard for academics and to stay in the student life at Brown. Due to the temporary bubbles lack of adequate equipment, the diving team was forced to bus 45
From renting to owning
minutes to University of Massachusetts Dartmouth on a daily basis to take advantage of the schools diving boards. Weve been renting for four years, but now we have a home, Brown said. When we were in the temporary facility, we lost a part of our identity and what were about. When youre a football team without a football field, its hard to get motivated, Feldman said. Having this wonderful facility helps boost your morale, and you remember that youre swimming for something important. The pools opening comes after the conclusion of the swimming and diving season, but in the coming weeks the water polo program will host the Collegiate Water Polo Associations Eastern Championships and its Senior Games in the new facility. Home court advantage is huge for water polo, McNamara said. A pool is very engrossing, so when a visiting team is in your locker room and your pool, its a completely different ball game. With one of the finest pools in the Northeast located on campus, the process of wooing top recruits to campus has become a much easier task. Weve had a huge upswing, McNamara said. Were getting recruits weve never gotten before coming just to check out the pool. In prior years, with the Aquatics Center still under construction and the teams relegated to the temporary bubble, it was difficult to sell recruits on simply the promise of a new facility. There was no pool to show them, which is the centerpiece of a swimming and diving program, Feldman said.
upswing in recruiting
The new pool and fitness center will benefit teams in future seasons.
Being told you have to swim in a temporary pool for two years is likely going to decrease your interest, said swimmer Tommy Glenn 14, an AllAmerica honorable mention this past season. But if you know you have a pool that is going to produce faster times in practice and in meets, thats something else. Moving forward, water polo Head Coach Felix Mercado expressed concerns about potential recruits simply being attracted to the new facility instead of the other benefits Brown has to offer. How can you not be impressed by the scoreboard, the spectator seating or our impressive locker rooms? Mercado asked. Its a good added bonus, but I hope it doesnt become the deciding factor. Its important for me to remind these recruits that Brown is a very special place, and they need to be sure that they are choosing the school for the right reasons. For the outgoing seniors on the aquatic teams, the opening of the new facility comes after or at the tail end
Bittersweet emotions
of their Brown careers. The swimming and diving teams, as well as the mens water polo squad, have both concluded their seasons, so the outgoing seniors will never have the opportunity to experience a home meet on campus. The womens water polo team (19-14) will have the chance to have its annual senior game in the new pool April 22 against Hartwick, something captain Samantha Ryu 12 said has made her feel disbelief that its actually happening. I think the first thing that comes to mind is that Im very fortunate, Ryu said. Its been a long time coming and getting the chance to play in front of your friends and at a home pool is exciting. Many of the swimming and diving seniors were recruited to Brown believing that the pool would be completed prior to their final year, only to see the date of the projects opening pushed back due to economic and construction-related concerns. The expectation was obviously that it would be open by junior or senior year, Feldman said. That was the most disappointing part. It wasnt that they were lying it was just that they had no idea what the economic future would be like any more than we did. As the end of their careers drew closer, the seniors on the swimming and diving teams came to terms with the fact that they would never experience a home meet. We are going to be the generation of swimmers and divers shaped by having a temporary facility, Feldman said. No one else at Brown can say that they lived through the bubble like we did for four years. It shaped the athletes that we became. We knew a lot more about overcoming adverse conditions than other teams did, and I think that made us better varsity athletes in the end. Though the younger athletes understand the emotions of their outgoing teammates, they also know that the new Aquatics Center is going to benefit the programs for years to come. Bittersweet is definitely the main descriptor, Glenn said. Bitter because (the seniors) only get in after the season, but sweet because they can see that our program is on the upswing and things are getting better. with additional reporting by Madeleine wenstrup