Thursday, November 18, 2004 by The Brown Daily Herald

T H U R S D A Y NOVEMBER 18, 2004

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Volume CXXXIX, No. 113

An independent newspaper serving the Brown community since 1891

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Thayer Street improvements still in the works, but store owners express frustration BY ERIC BECK

Eighteen months after the creation of the Thayer Street Improvement District, University administrators and project leaders say the initiative is still on track, but some Thayer Street business owners say they have seen little improvement to the area. The Thayer Street Improvement District, established in May 2003, is a consortium charged with the task of revitalizing Thayer Street. The city of Providence, the University and Thayer Street property owners have contributed a total of $800,000 to the project. But 18 months into the project, only a few of its components have been implemented. Security enhancements and cosmetic improvements such as litter and graffiti removal have been ongoing since June 2003, said Melanie Coon ’78, assistant vice president for public affairs and University relations. But project leaders say capital improvements are still in the planning stages. “It takes time to get these plans drawn up. You have to understand that everyone on the board has to agree to a vision of what the street is going to look like. This is not a trivial investment, so you want to make sure you get your plan right,” Coon said. The pace of the capital improvements is not unusual, said Daniel Biederman, president of Biederman Redevelopment Ventures Corporation. Biederman is a consultant to the Thayer Street Improvement District. His previous revitalization projects, from conception to completion, have taken three to five years, he said, adding that city reviews, budget modifications and plan alterations can further lengthen the

Kori Schulman / Herald

The American String Quartet performed in Alumnae Hall Wednesday night to an audience of students and local classical music lovers.

Student groups’ photocopying expenses now eligible for Brown First exemption BY MARY-CATHERINE LADER

Student groups could save considerable time and funds now that photocopying purchases under $500 will be exempt from the Brown First policy, which had mandated that groups make those purchases at Graphic Services. The change was announced at Wednesday night’s Undergraduate Council of Students meeting. “This is a huge, huge step for us,” said UCS President Joel Payne ’05. “I can’t express enough how appreciative

see THAYER, page 4

we are of the administration for even being open to discuss this in the first place.” Payne included eliminating Brown First in his campaign platform last spring. He credited UCS Vice President Charley Cummings ’06 and Undergraduate Finance Board chair Adam Deitch ’05 with drafting the policy change proposal before UCS approached the administration.

Ten days after Professor of Biology Ken Miller appeared in a Georgia courtroom to explain why he included evolution in a textbook he wrote, residents of Cobb County, Ga., are awaiting the verdict in a trial over a sticker. Miller, who teaches BI 20: “The Foundation of Living Systems,” was called to testify for the plaintiffs in a case brought against the Cobb County School Board, which ordered teachers to attach a disclaimer about evolution to the textbook. The book is a ninth-grade text that provides a broad survey of biology, ranging from topics such as genetics and ecology to evolution. The Cobb County School Board ruled last year that a sticker that questions the theory of evolution must be put in the textbook. The ruling came in response to a petition signed by 2,400 people in the county protesting the book’s presentation of evolution as truth and the absence of

alternate ideas about the origin of life, such as creationism. The sticker reads, “This textbook contains material on evolution. Evolution is a theory, not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered.” In response, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit early this year on behalf of six parents who oppose the sticker. The parents claim that the sticker is unconstitutional, saying it violates separation of church and state. Miller, as one of the textbook’s authors, appeared as a witness for the plaintiffs. He was asked to explain how evolution was presented in the book and his rationale for including it. Miller said that if he “had to put (his) $20 down,” he would bet that the plaintiffs win the case; U.S. District Judge Clarence Cooper is expected to deliver the verdict Friday. Miller said the plaintiffs’ lawyers pre-

sented a very strong case, beginning by calling Marjorie Rogers, the parent who circulated the petition, to the witness stand. “She was a good Christian, and by that, I mean she told the truth,” Miller said. “She wants religion taught in the science classroom.” Miller said this proves that the original intent of the sticker was not in line with the Constitution. In fact, he said, Rogers testified that she thought the disclaimer on the textbook did not go far enough and that it was only a first step. As for his testimony, Miller said he explained his rationale for putting a section on evolution in the textbook by saying, “Most biologists see (evolution) as the core of biology.” He said he also explained that the word “theory” has a different meaning in science than it does in everyday use. In science, theory isn’t “a hunch or a guess” like a baseball fan’s theory about

see EVOLUTION, page 4

see EUSTIS, page 4

see UCS, page 6

W E AT H E R F O R E C A S T

I N S I D E T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 8 , 2 0 0 4 RISD begins overhaul of its museum system while it searches for a new museum director risd news, page 3

Jonathan Liu ’07 writes that by resorting to terrorism, Yasser Arafat only gave his enemies more ammunition column, page 11

President Bush’s choice for attorney general is more troubling than John Ashcroft, says Sarah Bowman ’05 column, page 11

BY ERIC BECK

Oskar Eustis, artistic director of the Trinity Repertory Company and professor of English at Brown, will leave his posts to become the artistic director of New York City’s Public Theater, one of the most prestigious non-profit theaters in the nation, the theater announced Wednesday. Eustis, who could not be reached for comment, will fulfill responsibilities at both the Public Theater and Trinity Rep starting in January; he will assume his full-time role at the Public Theater in the spring of 2005, according to a news release issued by the Public Theater. Much beloved and well-respected by his students, Eustis is currently teaching TA 128.4: “Introduction to Dramaturgy” and EL 200: “Theatrical Styles on Stage and Page.” He is not scheduled to teach any Brown courses next semester, according to the Brown Online Course Announcement. “He inspires his students every day and reminds them why theater is important for the world,” said Jed Resnick ’06, who is currently taking Eustis’ dramaturgy course and worked with him in an independent study program his freshman year. Adam Immerwahr ’05, also enrolled in the dramaturgy class, said, “Oskar is an unbelievable professor. One of the incredible things about having him as a teacher is that he is able to bring in a wealth of experience.” Eustis is able to share with his students

Bio professor defends evolution in Bible Belt BY ALLISON WHITNEY

Eustis tapped as artistic director of N.Y.’s acclaimed Public Theater

M. and w. squash teams prepare for successful seasons with new recruits and returning players sports, page 12

M. basketball co-captain Jason Forte ’05 discusses his recent suspension for a preseason altercation sports, page 12

THURSDAY

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FRIDAY

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

THIS MORNING THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2004 · PAGE 2 Coreacracy Eddie Ahn

TO D AY ’ S E V E N TS OXFAM FAST AND MEAL CREDIT DONATION 2 p.m. (Ratty and V-Dub) — Donate your meal credit for the day, or join in the 30-hour fast to protest against hunger. Sponsored by the Students for Hunger and Homelessness Coalition. UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH INFORMATION SESSION 7 p.m. (MacMillan Hall) — Information regarding Undergraduate Teaching and Research Assistantship will be discussed, as well as information regarding the Royce, Starr, Swearer and Liman fellowships.

INTERFAITH SUPPER 5 p.m. (58 Keene St.) — Sponsored by the Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life. Free. WiSE RESEARCH AND INTERNSHIP FAIR 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Barus and Holly lobby) — Representatives from various University departments, including the Fellowship Office and Health Careers Office, will be available to answer questions.

ONE RHODE ISLAND PLATFORM INFORMATION SESSION Noon (Hillel) — Sponsored by Students for Hunger and Homelessness Action Coalition, this session will provide information about the One Rhode Island Platform, poverty in the state, the state legislature and opportunities to get involved.

Hopeless Edwin Chang

Jero Matt Vascellaro

TOMORROW ’S EVENTS JUICE AND COOKIES AT WATERMYN CO-OP 5:30 p.m. (Watermyn Co-op, 166 Waterman St.) — Info session on co-op living.

MEZCLA FALL SEMESTER SHOW 6:15 p.m. (Salomon 101) — Tickets for the performance are on sale in the post office for $6.

UT Yu-Ting Liu

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39 Year in Yucatán 40 Wood delivery 41 Hammock holder 44 Print widths 45 Lead sharer 46 As a whole 47 Knock off track 49 Mexican moms 50 Kyrgyzstan’s __ Mountains

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RISD NEWS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2004 · PAGE 3

Task force overhauls Museum structure, searches for new director BY DANA GOLDSTEIN

Last month, Peter Weiss, chair of the RISD Museum’s Board of Governors, visited a Student Alliance meeting to discuss the relationship between the Museum and the college’s undergraduates, a relationship that has sometimes been strained due to a lack of communication and lingering questions about the Museum’s funding and its place in RISD’s academic mission. Weiss told the Alliance that the Museum, which will expand as part of the Chace Center construction project, would try to better publicize its events to the student body and provide student artists with limited gallery space, including the opportunity to sell their work to Museum visitors. Following Weiss’s meeting with the Student Alliance, Interim Museum Director Lora Urbanelli and RISD External Relations Director Ann Hudner spoke at length with The Herald about how major changes now being implemented at the Museum will affect RISD students. After a year of work, the RISD Museum Task Force, a special committee formed by the college’s Board of Trustees, is concluding its work. The creation of the task force coincided with the departure of Philip Johnson, the former Museum director. The task force’s work has resulted in an overhaul of the Museum’s governance, a redrafting of its mission statement and an investigation into its finances. The task force has also announced a search for a permanent Museum director, for which it has hired an outside executive search firm. Urbanelli is a candidate for the job. The RISD Board of Trustees had never before undertaken a comprehensive review of the Museum’s role within the school, Urbanelli told The Herald, adding that RISD’s founders had envisioned the Museum as a sister institution to the college, but that RISD and its

museum had not always grown at the same rate. “There were territorial issues, to be honest, about who does what, where do we get our money, things like that,” Urbanelli said. The task force began its work by creating a new mission and “vision” statement for the Museum that defined the institution as belonging to an internationally recognized art and design school, but having an independent identity as an innovative leader in its field. “We always used to say we had this dual mission,” as a department of the college and a public museum, Urbanelli said, “but we now really see it as an integrated mission.” To facilitate this mission, the task force created a new internal governance structure for the Museum. Under the old structure, the Museum was governed by a subcommittee of the college’s Board of Trustees. Under the new system, a Museum Board of Governors will be created. One-third of the members of this body must be members of the Board of Trustees, as must the chair of the Board of Governors, which will guarantee that the Museum “will always have a voice when it comes to the executive business of the institution,” Hudner said. According to Hudner, RISD will soon release a list of the incoming members of the Board of Governors, although it will take as long as three years to fully seat the board. The board will consist of local business leaders with an interest in the arts, outside artists and collectors, members of the RISD community and professionals in the art world, including James Wood, former director of the highly regarded Art Institute of Chicago. Initially, RISD is focusing on recruiting board members with business ties who can help the Museum in its push to raise its visibility and attract outside funding, Urbanelli said. The Museum’s funding has long been a contentious

issue on campus. Last month, Student Alliance President Suzannah Park RISD ’05 told The Herald that undergraduates did not get enough bang for their buck from the Museum, whose budget is partly drawn from students’ tuitions. Urbanelli said “myths” about the Museum’s funding had been “exploded” by the task force, which determined that approximately four cents of every tuition dollar are currently funneled directly to the Museum. With a $4.8 million operating budget, the Museum also relies on outside contributions from donors both affiliated and unaffiliated with the college and shares in the revenue from RISD’s overall endowment. “The library doesn’t have to raise money to open its doors, but we do,” Urbanelli said. “Why is it a problem for your tuition to help support this system that you hopefully take advantage of?” And in response to student complaints that the Museum makes it hard for undergraduates to take advantage of its resources, Urbanelli cited the ongoing work of the Museum Student Advisory Group, which helped coordinate a Museum open house in September during RISD’s first-year orientation. The Museum is also searching for a student graphic designer to fill a work-study job designing publicity for the Museum events directed at the student population, Hudner said. But the Chace Center will be the “purest manifestation” of the relationship between the Museum and RISD students, Urbanelli said. The new building will house a student gallery on the second floor and part of the Museum’s collection on its third floor. Herald staff writer Dana Goldstein ’06 edits the RISD News section. She can be reached at herald@browndailyherald.com.

PAGE 4 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2004

Evolution continued from page 1 why his team will win, Miller said. Instead, theories explain facts. It is a “higher level of understanding than fact,” and calling evolution a theory does not mean that its conclusions are uncertain. Despite the “tense” mood in the courtroom, Miller said he had some fun. During his testimony and cross-examination by the defense, he said he had spectators “in stitches” three times. Miller said the defense tried to show the sticker was “reasonable accommodation” of the religious beliefs of some community members. He said the typical example of reasonable accommodation is allowing students to wear headscarves or yarmulkes in schools, even when there is a no-hat rule. But Miller told the defense lawyer that this was not a reasonable accommodation, because each of the statements on the sticker weakened science educa-

Eustis continued from page 1 the experience he has gained by working with some of the greatest playwrights of his generation, Immerwahr said, adding that the class is improved by Eustis’ access to materials such as new manuscripts. Students were abuzz before a class in late October after the New York Times reported that Eustis was being eyed for the Public Theater’s top job, Resnick said, adding that Eustis immediately brushed the report aside when class began and continued with his lesson plan. Immerwahr said Eustis simply said “no comment” when he walked into class the day of the

Thayer continued from page 1 timetable. He said it is naïve to think the process of capital improvement can happen quickly. Biederman is known for his work in Manhattan’s Bryant Park and the area around Grand Central Station. Though Thayer Street is smaller than previous areas he has revitalized, he said it is still unrealistic to expect tangible capital improvements after 18 months. “It has moved forward at about the pace you can expect for a project of this size,” Coon said. She said the University’s unique role as both a Thayer Street property owner and a large part of the East Side community strengthens its commitment to improve Thayer Street — ultimately benefiting both Brown and the Providence community. Gates, Leighton and Associates, an East Providence landscape architecture firm, has been contracted by the board to create and revise plans for capital improvements, Coon said, adding that the district’s board approved the plans in July. But some Thayer Street business owners say the Thayer Street Improvement District has done little to help since its inception. Kartabar owner Philippe

tion by calling attention to evolution as something special or different from the rest of biology. The Cobb County case has received media attention as part of the wider controversy over teaching evolution in the classroom. The issue is particularly controversial throughout the “Bible Belt,” where petitions and protests against teaching evolution in the classroom have been brought before state and county school boards. Miller said parents from Texas put pressure on textbook publishers to “water down” their sections on evolution. He said his editors supported his decision not to do so and many teachers in Texas chose to use his book because he did not change anything. Creationism and intelligent design are nonscientific ideas about the origin of life. Miller said, “I think they’re both wrong ideas. … Young Earth creationism is pretty much a negation of all of modern science.” Young Earth creationism asserts that Earth is only 6,000 to

7,000 years old. As a result, proponents of this idea do not believe in cosmology, geology and other disciplines, because these fields stipulate that the universe is billions of years old. Miller also said intelligent design is a negation of modern science. The idea purports that evolutionary changes were created by an intelligent being. “This means every time there is any lack of evidence in evolution or paleontology, we should just give up and say intelligent design did it,” he said. “It makes no testable predictions and has zero adherence in the scientific community.” But as a teacher, Miller said he believes “education isn’t to compel belief but to promote understanding.” He said each year three or four students in BI 20 come to him concerned about learning about evolution in the course. He tells them that they don’t need to believe in evolution but that they should be able to understand the evidence for it and why the scientific community believes in it.

Times report. Eustis’ dramaturgy class is extremely popular, Resnick said. Of about 25 students, most are graduate students or seniors concentrating in theater arts, he said, adding that many more students who wanted to enroll in the course were turned away. Eustis’ students accepted the news reports today with mixed emotions — enthusiasm to see their beloved professor receive the honor and disappointment to see him leave Brown. “It is very sad for us but great for New York,” said Teddy Goldsmith ’05. Eustis, in addition to teaching at Brown, founded and directs the Brown/Trinity Rep Consortium, a graduate program that combines the resources of the University and Trinity Rep’s professional theater

program. The program graduates its first class this May. In his 10 years as head of Trinity Rep, Eustis oversaw the theater triple its attendance and operating budget, construct the new Pell Chafee Performance Center, revitalize its resident acting company and launch the Trinity Summer Shakespeare Project, according to a Trinity Rep news bulletin about his departure. In addition to his artistic and administrative leadership responsibilities at the Public Theater, Eustis will teach as a full-time professor at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, according to the Public Theater press release.

Maatouk said he has not seen any improvements on Thayer Street. Kathleen Schleimer, owner of Esta’s, said she has found the initiative disappointing. The consortium could have helped Thayer Street businesses the most by improving parking, she said, but the parking situation has only become worse since the start of the improvement effort. The construction of the University’s Life Sciences Building and new city regulations prohibiting parking within 20 feet of intersections have reduced the number of available parking spots for customers, she said, causing Thayer Street businesses to lose more customers to the convenience of the Providence Place Mall. Esta’s, which will be going out of business in December, and other Thayer Street stores compete directly with the Brown Bookstore, Schleimer said, creating an inherent conflict of interest between the University and private store owners. Brown’s participation in the project was spearheaded by Laura Freid, the University’s former executive vice president for public affairs and University relations. She left Brown in August 2003. Michael Chapman, vice president for public affairs and University relations, joined the University in July 2004 to fill the vacancy left by Freid. He said he is committed to advancing the

Herald staff writer Eric Beck ’08 can be reached at herald@browndailyherald.com.

progress of the Thayer Street Improvement District. “Since I’ve arrived here, I’ve become more recently involved in the project. Our plan is to work with the board and the property owners to try to move the process forward and begin a more formal timetable for making these capital improvements that have been in the planning stages for the last year and a half,” Chapman said. The Thayer Street Improvement District was established to fulfill four goals, according to a University news release reporting the creation of the project in May 2003: to improve security; to implement capital improvements, such as improved lighting, attractive paving and horticulture, better signage and removal of obsolete utility poles and street signs; to improve parking availability through a commercial parking provider; and to enhance the cosmetic appearance of the street. A budget of $800,000 was proposed for the capital improvements when the initiative was established; Brown provided $350,000, the city issued bonds for $400,000 and property owners contributed a fee based on the square footage of the property, according to the University news release. Herald staff writer Eric Beck ’08 can be reached at herald@browndailyherald.com.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

WORLD & NATION THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2004 · PAGE 5

Loyalty is benchmark for Bush’s second-term cabinet WASHINGTON (Los Angeles Times) — Despite promises to reach

out to adversaries in the wake of his election victory, President Bush is assembling a second-term Cabinet that so far seems to reflect the dictum: Only long-time loyalists need apply. The personnel changes he has announced right off the bat will install some of his closest confidantes from the White House, and even from his years as Texas governor, atop key Cabinet departments. That is a clear signal that Bush will continue — and perhaps intensify — a leadership style that emphasizes personal loyalty, secrecy and reliance on advisers with whom he has a long-time personal bond. Republicans close to the White House say that reflects the president’s determination to act aggressively on his second-term priorities and to reinforce the storied discipline of a White House where internal disputes have been kept largely from public view. His appointments also could consolidate the president’s power,

solidify his conservative agenda and reduce the possibility that cabinet agencies might undercut administration policy during his second term. “There is likely to be even more cohesion in effort and message than in the first four years — and there was considerable cohesion in the first four,” said Nicholas Calio, who was Bush’s first director of legislative affairs. “It strengthens his hand over the Cabinet departments, which can always spin out of control.” But some critics and nonpartisan analysts say that Bush risks exacerbating one of the perceived pitfalls of his first term: His apparently limited tolerance for dissent, which some critics say contributed to poor planning for the stabilization and reconstruction of Iraq. “He is not appointing anyone thus far who is noted for disagreeing with him — just the opposite,” said Lee Hamilton, a former Democratic House member and co-chairman of the com-

see BUSH, page 8

Powell: Iran may be interested in missile system SANTIAGO, Chile (Los Angeles Times) — As he prepares to meet with

Iranian officials at an international conference next week in Egypt, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday that he had seen information suggesting Iran had been studying ways to adapt nuclear weapons for use on missiles. Speaking to reporters en route to Chile, Powell said the information suggested the Iranians were “interested in nuclear weapons they could deliver ... not just something that sits there.” Powell said that although he could not verify the accuracy of the reports, they were consistent with claims of Iranian dissidents

and “should be of concern” to other nations. Powell, who will leave his government post soon, said the information suggested that the Iranians “were working actively on missile systems. You don’t have a weapon until you can put it in something that can deliver a weapon. ... We are talking about information that says they not only have missiles but information that suggests they are working hard about how to put the two together.” The Iranian government already has missiles, and U.S. officials believe it has been trying

see IRAN, page 6

Kmart to buy Sears in $11 billion deal (Washington Post) — Discounter

Kmart Holding Corp. Wednesday said it will buy department store rival Sears, Roebuck and Co., one of the most venerable names in U.S. retailing, in an $11 billion deal that would create the nation’s third-largest retail chain. The two chains will operate under their current names, but executives said the companies would swap major product lines, giving Kmart shoppers access to Sears’s higher-end merchandise and Sears’s shoppers the convenience of Kmart’s locations outside of the mall. The combined company will have $55 billion in annual revenue, 3,500 stores and a broad product lineup including Martha Stewart Everyday and Jaclyn Smith from Kmart and Craftsman and Lands’ End from Sears. In size, it will trail only Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Home Depot Inc. By combining Kmart and Sears, executives hope to challenge bigger rivals such as WalMart and Target Corp., which have battered the two chains with rapid growth, lower prices and technology-driven efficiencies. But analysts say the combined stores, whose sales growth has been lackluster, must dra-

matically change to succeed. Both Kmart and Sears have become casualties of a hypercompetitive retail landscape, dotted not just by discounters but niche stores, from home improvement giant Home Depot to electronics titan Best Buy, that have swallowed entire categories of goods and whittled away consumer loyalty to a single retailer. Sears and Kmart are pioneers of American retailing. Hoffman Estates, Ill.-based Sears, Roebuck and Co., founded by Richard Sears and Alvah Roebuck, opened in 1893 as the country’s first national catalog operation. Soon it launched stores, selling a wide range of consumer products. Troy, Mich.-based Kmart is a direct descendant of the S.S. Kresge Co., one of the first of what came to be known as the five-and-dime stores. When the first Kmart store opened in 1962, it was considered an innovative retail phenomenon with its bigbox stores, with vast rows of moderately priced merchandise on a single floor. Both chains’ fortunes have fallen since then. Kmart slipped into bankruptcy protection in 2002, recovering only after selling off hundreds of underper-

forming stores. The chain emerged from Chapter 11 in 2003. The new company will be called Sears Holding Corp. — a nod, retail industry analysts said, to the 111-year-old department store’s greater prestige. No immediate store closings are expected, but about 300 Kmart stores will convert into Sears stores as early as March 2005, when executives predict the merger will be complete. Shareholders for both retailers must still approve the deal. At the center of the merger is a single executive: Kmart Chairman Edward Lampert, the largest shareholder in both Kmart and Sears through his ESL Investments Inc., a hedge fund that holds more than half of Kmart’s stock and nearly 15 percent of Sears shares. Lampert’s firm purchased a controlling share of Kmart while it was in bankruptcy protection, and analysts credit him with salvaging the chain’s finances by selling off unprofitable stores — in some cases, to Sears — and reducing Kmart’s reliance on clearance sales. The company has about $2.6 billion in cash on

see KMART, page 6

PAGE 6 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2004

Iran continued from page 5 to enrich uranium for use in nuclear bombs. Once a country acquires nuclear technology, it faces a technical hurdle in finding a way to deliver the weapon, whether on the tip of a missile, from an aircraft or through some other means. Powell’s comments apparently marked the first time U.S. officials had suggested the Iranians might be developing a way to place nuclear weapons on their missiles. According to some estimates, Iran might be able to complete a nuclear weapon within two years. Its missiles are believed capable of reaching Europe. The secretary’s words were another sign that the Bush administration remained deeply concerned about Iran’s intentions even as major European nations believe they are closing in on a commitment from Iran to abandon its nuclear ambitions. Officials of Britain, France and Germany said this week that they had secured a commitment from Iran to freeze its uranium enrichment program. In addition, the U.N. nuclear watchdog agency said this week that inspectors had found no new evidence of concealed nuclear activities or an atomic weapons program in Iran, while cautioning that it could not rule out covert activities. The United States, however, is skeptical that Iran will live up

to its pledge of halting enrichment. Powell’s remarks Wednesday were more guarded than statements he made about Iraq’s weapons capabilities at the United Nations before the U.S.led invasion of Iraq last year. But the comments on Iran are likely to face skepticism from some quarters of the international community because the Iraq intelligence proved faulty. Powell did not specify whether the information he had seen was from government intelligence reports or the testimony of Iranian dissidents, who for years have been publicizing information about Iran’s nuclear activities. This week, Iranian dissidents came forward with new information claiming that Abdul Qadeer Khan, the father of Pakistan’s nuclear program, had provided the Iranians with nuclear material, warhead designs and a secret nuclear facility. Powell travels to Egypt on Tuesday for an international meeting with nations, including Iran, which is intended to win public commitments of support for the Iraqi interim government. Iraqi and U.S. officials want neighboring states to join in a public statement that they will not interfere in upcoming Iraqi elections and will prevent any cross-border flow of arms or militants that could undermine the Iraqi government. Powell said the Syrians recently have been “a little more cooperative” on requests

to seal the border. Regarding the Iranians, “it’s a little more unclear to me,” he said. Powell said that “it would not surprise” him if the Iranian government also was seeking to promote friendly candidates for the upcoming Iraqi elections, which will choose representatives to an interim legislature. In advance of a filing deadline next month, Iraqi political parties are negotiating frantically behind the scenes to decide which candidates will run, and whether diverse parties will unite in slates. U.S. officials have been concerned that pro-Tehran, anti-American Shiite candidates could win a large slice of the delegates. Powell said the outcome of that maneuvering seems to continue to change daily. Despite U.S. anxieties about these Iranian actions, Powell said U.S. and Iranian officials might also have an informal conversation on the sidelines of the conference, which will be held in Sharm el Sheik, Egypt. He said it had not been decided whether there would be such a direct meeting. Powell will meet Thursday, Friday and Saturday with officials of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Santiago. On Monday, he is to meet with Israeli officials in Jerusalem, then travel to the West Bank city of Ramallah to meet with Palestinian leaders on their efforts to form a new leadership in the aftermath of the death of Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat.

Kmart continued from page 5 hand. In a conference call with investors Wednesday, Lambert said that for the chain to succeed, it must try to match the size of its biggest competitors. “I think it’s pretty obvious that scale is very important to compete effectively,” he said. Lambert said that by putting Sears products inside Kmart, they will reach more consumers. Of Sears 2,300 stores, only 870 are full department stores. Kmart has 1,484 stores, and most are freestanding big-box stores, which are increasingly popular with consumers. He also said that by stocking some of Sears’s unique brands, Kmart can differentiate itself from competitors. Industry analysts expressed approval of the proposed merger, arguing the combined company can use its heightened buying power to negotiate lower product prices from manufacturers. “There is a lot of financial strength here,” said David Griffith, an analyst at Tradition Asiel Securities Inc., a brokerage house in New York. But analysts cautioned that a combined Kmart and Sears would not succeed unless both chains dramatically improve their merchandise and store appearance at the same pace as their competitors — retailers such as J.C. Penney Co. and Lowe’s Cos. Linda Bolton Weiser, a retail analyst at Oppenheimer & Co. said

UCS continued from page 1 “We gave (the administration) our insight on why Brown First was harming student groups,” Payne said. The policy requires that departments and student groups first use University services such as Brown University Dining Services or Graphic Services for any grouprelated purchases. Organizations can only use outside vendors if they are on an approved vendor list or after getting price quotes and verifying that the University service cannot match the competing price. The new exemption will encompass 96 percent of all student Graphic Services purchases. Cummings estimated that although thousands of dollars will be saved, increased convenience is equally beneficial. “The main thing is that stu-

the combined companies’ success hinges on how well the chains run their stores, “which neither Kmart nor Sears has been adept at doing.” At Goldman Sachs & Co., analyst George Strachan wrote in a research report that he did not believe that “combining two failed retailers will not make a viable challenger to Wal-Mart.” “These are two weak consumer franchises that are coming together for economic reasons and real estate reasons,” said Adam Hanft, chief executive of Hanft Unlimited, a branding and marketing firm. “The fundamental problem both chains have, image and consumer perception, aren’t going to go away.” Sears, which over the years had evolved into a massive conglomerate that included insurance, real estate, and financial services businesses, saw its retail operation wither as the growth of suburban regional malls slowed. And Kmart, rather than invest heavily in expanding its discount general merchandise stores in the 1980s, bought a slew of smaller, specialty retailers in the pursuit of diversification. Kmart lost $3.2 billion in its fiscal 2003, but reported its fourth consecutive profitable quarter Wednesday. Sears reported a 2003 profit of $3.4 billion, but a loss $867 million for the first nine months of this year. Wednesday, Sears stock jumped $7.79, up 17 percent, to $52.99. Kmart shares rose $7.78, or 8 percent, to $109.

dent groups don’t have to go back and forth searching for prices and coming back to Graphic Services to see if they can match it,” Cummings said. UCS now looks to ensure that campus groups are aware of the policy change and take advantage of it. The BuDS aspect of the Brown First policy, however, remains in place. “Dining Services is more difficult because Brown First and Dining Services and a lot of administrators are really interested in making sure that all the vendors on the Brown First have certain qualifications,” Cummings said. Food vendors are required to have $1 million in insurance and provide health insurance for all their workers. But Cummings added that UCS will continue to work on the issue. Herald staff writer Mary-Catherine Lader ’08 can be reached at herald@browndailyherald.com.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2004 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD PAGE 7

House GOP votes to protect DeLay’s job if he is indicted WASHINGTON (Baltimore Sun) —

House Republicans, moving to protect their powerful leader, Tom DeLay, voted Wednesday to change a decade-old party rule so the Texan could keep his post even if he is indicted by a Texas grand jury. DeLay, a 10-term congressman famous for his aggressive tactics and brash style, has not been indicted, but a Texas prosecutor indicted three of his aides earlier this year for allegedly soliciting illegal campaign contributions and funneling the money to House races in 2002. Holed up behind closed doors in a Capitol Hill office building, with just a handful dissenting, Republicans made the change after deliberating several hours on the 1993 rule, which forced any leader facing a felony indictment carrying a sentence of two years or more to relinquish his post. Under the revision, a group of senior Republicans would review any felony indictment and could recommend that a leader be allowed to retain his position. Democrats decried the rulechange as evidence that Republicans, who expanded their House majority on Election Day thanks in large part to a plan engineered by DeLay, had become drunk with power.

Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the Democratic leader, said Republicans had reached “a new low,” and that their action “demeans the work of all ethical, law-abiding public servants.” But DeLay said the action was necessary because of what he has called a politically motivated campaign by the prosecutor, Democrat Ronnie Earle. Earle “is trying to criminalize politics and using the criminal code to insert himself into politics. I think that is wrong,” DeLay said. Republicans “knew that now, at this particular time, our rules could be used against us. And so they fixed the rules so that Democrats cannot use our rules against us.” Wednesday’s rule change amounted to a resounding vote of GOP confidence in DeLay, an exterminator-turned-lawmaker whose popularity in his party is surpassed only by his notoriety among Democrats. A House ethics panel rebuked DeLay this year for three separate incidents, including trying to coerce a colleague to vote for the Medicare overhaul by offering to endorse his son; hosting a fund-raiser attended by executives interested in an energy measure on which he was a chief negotiator; and asking the Federal Aviation Administration to get involved in a Texas politi-

cal dispute. In 1999, the ethics panel privately scolded DeLay for threatening a trade association for hiring a Democrat instead of a Republican as its chief lobbyist. Two government ethics watchdog groups, Common Cause and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, issued a joint statement calling Wednesday’s vote “arrogant, hypocritical and in defiance of the most basic ethical guidelines to which elected officials should adhere.” Democrats have long accused Republicans of perpetrating the same breed of corruption they railed against during Democrats’ 40-year heyday in the House majority. Wednesday’s vote gave more ammunition to a minority still feeling the sting of their election losses. Rep. Steny Hoyer, the Democratic whip from Maryland, said Republicans had “sold their collective soul to maintain their grip on power.” But Republicans dismissed those accusations, noting that Democrats have no similar rule requiring indicted leaders to step aside. They do, however, have such a rule for committee chairmen and ranking members, and Pelosi said Wednesday that Democrats would extend it to their leaders.

PAGE 8 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2004

Bush continued from page 5 mission that investigated intelligence failures leading up to Sept. 11. “He is appointing people who built their career in support of his priorities and his views. At this point, you have to have some question as to how much he’s going to reach out.” “He’s assembling the Amen chorus,” said an aide to a senior Senate Democrat who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear that his boss would suffer retribution; the aide compared the cabinet selection process to the way the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign this year limited audiences at its rallies to dedicated Bush supporters. White House spokesman Scott McClellan, in his daily briefing with reporters Wednesday, rejected suggestions that Bush was choosing new cabinet secretaries

who would simply affirm his existing policy preferences instead of presenting him with new options. The president is selecting “strong-minded people with broad experience who will come in and tell him what he needs to know, whether it’s something that’s positive or something that’s negative,” McClellan said. “He wants to hear all sides of issues,” McClellan said. “That’s the best way to make decisions.” There have been reports that Bush might offer a cabinet post to a Democrat, such as moderate Sen. Ben Nelson of Nebraska. But he did not reach outside the White House inner circle to fill the three cabinet posts he has acted on so far, at the departments of State, Justice and Education. Bush’s announcement Wednesday that he wanted domestic policy adviser Margaret Spellings to take the place of Education Secretary Rod Paige was the just the latest example of

an inside choice. Spellings had a big role in drafting Bush’s signature firstterm school improvement initiative, the No Child Left Behind measure, but her relationship with the president goes back much further than that. She served as his political director when he ran for governor in 1994 and then became his education adviser. She helped him develop state legislation embodying many of the same principles as No Child Left Behind. For all those political qualifications, Spellings is not an established figure in the field of education, as was Paige, who served as Houston school superintendent. Democrats do not expect that she will use her political capital to address the need they see for more funding for education in a tight budget environment. “You are not looking at a cabinet member who is likely to stand up to the president,” said John Lawrence, Democratic staff director of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. “She will be very much involved in managing the programs the way the president wants.” In White House counsel Alberto Gonzales, Bush’s choice to succeed Attorney General John Ashcroft, the president also tapped someone with whom he has had a long history. Gonzales went to work for Bush in 1995 as his gubernatorial legal counsel in Austin. Bush named him Texas’ secretary of state in 1997 and a year later appointed him to a vacancy on the Texas Supreme Court. Bush reached deepest of all into his inner circle to tap national security adviser Condoleezza Rice to be his nominee for secre-

tary of State, replacing Colin L. Powell. Rice is so close to Bush — both personally and in her foreign policy views — that some consider her the president’s “alter ego.” Some Democrats worry that the change will deprive the Cabinet of a voice such as Powell’s, willing to challenge administration hawks in favor of diplomatic solutions. “My only question is whether or not she will be willing to disagree with the president and the core group of people who conduct foreign policy,” said Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn. White House insiders also head the list of likely replacements for other Cabinet officials who may depart. Medicare chief Mark McClellan is considered a potential replacement for Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. Homeland security adviser Frances Townsend is a possible successor to Homeland Security Secretary Thomas Ridge. And Bush economic adviser Stephen Friedman is said to be a potential replacement for U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick. It remains unclear whether Thompson, Ridge and Zoellick will remain in Bush’s Cabinet during his second term. Though he has named replacements for only three Cabinet officials, Bush already has relied more heavily on White House insiders than did the previous two presidents who had the opportunity to form second-term Cabinets, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Of the six Cabinet appointments made by Reagan at the start of his second term, two had been White House operatives. Chief of Staff James A. Baker III became Treasury secretary and domestic policy advisor Edwin Meese III was named attorney general. Clinton named seven Cabinet replacements at the beginning of his second term, of whom only one was a White House aide. Alexis Herman, who had directed Clinton’s office of public liaison, became his secretary of Labor. Bush’s new Cabinet is shaping up very differently from his first, for which he recruited people of independent stature taken from places other than his inner circle. They included Powell, a decorated general and former chairman of the joint chiefs of staff; Ashcroft, a former senator and governor; Thompson, also a former governor; and Paul O’Neill, chairman of Alcoa Inc., who became Bush’s blunt-speaking Treasury secretary. Former White House Chief of

Staff Leon Panetta, who managed the transition between Clinton’s first and second terms, said Bush’s choice of insiders for Cabinet vacancies appeared to reflect a deliberate strategy of consolidating power and limiting debate. “It obviously stresses loyalty more than it does new ideas and imagination,” said Panetta. “What he’s trying to do is ensure these appointees don’t make any waves, and stay on course with what they’ve done the first four years.” While Bush adversaries may bemoan the departure of maverick voices such as O’Neill and Powell, the choice of insiders gives Bush an advantage most presidents seek. “The ultimate goal of any administration is to have a welldisciplined cabinet that thinks they work for the president,” said Gary Andres, who served on the White House staff of Bush’s father. “This is a way of maximizing the chances of that happening. It’s a matter of trust, comfort.” The tightly controlled team approach also increases the administration’s ability to accomplish its objectives through unilateral administrative rule-making in addition to legislative action, analysts said. Presidential scholar Shirley Anne Warshaw, author of the book “The Keys to Power: Managing the Presidency,” cited as an example the creation of a program to promote abstinence by the Department of Health and Human Services. She predicted there would be more such initiatives during Bush’s second term. “He’ll have a very conservative, loyal cabinet and sub-cabinet that can govern administratively,” Warshaw said. “If you narrow the focus of the agenda and promulgate the appropriate rules and regulations, you don’t need to govern legislatively.” Not all Republicans are pleased with Bush’s approach to staffing his second-term Cabinet. Stephen Moore, president of the Club for Growth, a conservative group that strongly supports Bush’s plans to overhaul the tax code and Social Security, said Bush would have been better served by an infusion of “fresh blood.” “If you want to start anew and have a fresh start, personally I think it makes a lot more sense to bring in a whole new team,” said Moore. “This president has only about 18 months to do some big things, then he really does become a lame duck.”

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2004 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD PAGE 9

M. polo

Equestrian

continued from page 12

Brown again trailed for most of the game. A Brown goal early in the second period tied the match at two, but missed opportunities, including a four-meter penalty, prevented Brown from getting on the board again. “Particularly in the Bucknell game, we were missing shots we usually put away,” said Andy Weiner ’06. “If we had converted, we probably would have won the game by two or three.” Although the Bears were the fifth-place seed, they found themselves facing a familiar opponent, MIT, in the seventhplace match-up on Sunday morning. “It was hard to get excited for this game,” Weiner said. “We had higher expectations for the weekend. But it was nice to send the seniors out with a win.” The Bears graduate only two seniors — co-captains Paul D’Avino ’05 and Pat Sandys ’05. This was the fourth match-up between Brown and MIT, with Brown taking the last two decisions. “We would have preferred a new team,” Gall said. Brown was dominant in the first half, leading 7-4, but allowed the Engineers back in the game in the third and fourth quarters. “Despite close margins, I think we had control most of the game,” Gall said. “We were confident going in and throughout the entire game.” Leading scorers for Brown were Gerrit Adams ’08, Graeme Lee-Wingate ’06 and D’Avino with two each. Four other players netted goals. With the season coming to a close, the team will take the remainder of the semester off and will work on conditioning and skill instruction during the winter. “I am really excited to see how the freshmen improve,” Weiner said. “Some of them played pretty significant roles, and as they get more experience, stronger and faster, they will be even greater contributors.” It was Gall’s first season with the team, and his influence on the program is evident in the team’s improved record and appearance at Easterns. Last year’s team fell short with a loss at the Northern Championships. Princeton beat St. Francis College in sudden-death overtime 3-2 to take first place in the tournament. This was St. Francis’ first title-game appearance, and Princeton will now play in the NCAA Championship for the first time in the program’s history.

with a difficult horse, the result of a bad draw. Burke also said she thought Keefe, only a first-year, had an outstanding day. Keefe’s double win in her two classes qualified her for the high point ride-off competition, which she won. Intermediate flat was successful, with point rider Geoffroy showing well. Geoffroy secured second, giving Brown five more points. Meanwhile, Peloquin gained the runner-up position. Burke noted Peloquin’s efforts as key performances for Brown in Saturday’s show. “Peloquin only recently pointed into intermediate but proved that she was up to the challenge with (her high finishes),” Burke said. Burke earned first-place accolades for her performance in novice flat, which was impressive since she also had to work with a very difficult horse. This ride helped keep Brown in the hunt for the team title. Ariana Arcenas ’06 also man-

Herald staff writer Caroline Brandon ’07 covers men’s water polo. She can be reached at herald@browndailyherald.com.

aged a first-place finish. Bruno tried to close the gap in walk-trot-canter and did so with moderate success. Point rider Jenny John ’06 took second place in the beginner class, overcoming an interesting challenge. The six-foot-tall John drew a pony as her ride for the event. “I could practically touch the ground with my feet,” John said. Sarah Clark ’08 placed first in the beginner division of walktrot-canter, while a trio of

Squash continued from page 12 With a great deal of experience and some exciting recruits, the team is hoping to make the move into the national top ten this season. Last year, the team ended the season ranked No. 12, but LeGassick said he thinks this year’s squad can climb to as high as eighth in the nation, which would match its highest ranking ever. The Bears are led by co-

Bruno riders — Jenny Fauth ’05, Natalie Forbes ’05 and Kate Osborn ’05.5 — competed in the advanced division and finished third. Brown closed the show with point rider Kelly Qu ’08 and Aurora Tower ’05.5 securing runner-up positions in walktrot. The team looks to learn from this show and use the disappointing experience as motivation for next week’s competition. “UConn is a legitimate threat, and it’s clear that winning the

captains Bailey and Jay Beidler ’05. Bailey was the Most Valuable Player of the team last year, playing number one for Bruno. Also returning for the Bears are three additional seniors, three additional juniors and four sophomores. Included among the sophomores are Patrick Haynes ’07, last year’s Most Improved Player, and Dan Petrie ’07, who advanced to the finals last spring at the NISRA Individual Tournament. Like the women’s team, the men also welcome first-years

region will require avoiding elementary mistakes and generally stepping it up,” Burke said. “I think our team is cohesive and dedicated enough to tackle the challenge,” she said. The team hopes to finish on a strong note in the last show of the fall season next Saturday at Connecticut College. Herald staff writer Madeleine Marecki ’07 covers the equestrian team. She can be reached at herald@browndailyherald.com.

who are expected to make an immediate impact. Ed Cerullo is expected to play either second or third for the Bear’s this year. North Whipple ’08 is also expected to be a top player for the Bears. Both the men’s and women’s teams look to gain experience battling perennial heavyweights such as Harvard and be able to get their games back into gear, according to LeGassick. “(The players) will stretch themselves and run for every ball,” he said.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

EDITORIAL/LETTERS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2004 · PAGE 10 S T A F F

E D I T O R I A L

Bright light Leaders of the Thayer Street Improvement District — including representatives of Brown’s Office of Public Affairs and University Relations — have spent the last 18 months promising changes to Thayer Street. Since 2003, the University, the city and Thayer businesses have been making plans for $800,000 worth of improvements that will result in a safer, more pleasant environment. But other than the security guards who now patrol parts of the street, we have seen few of the promised changes. And while an increased police presence is now visible on Thayer Street and around College Hill, the change is only temporary. Administrators and planners say it is important to have patience and that it takes time to decide what needs to be done. We understand that change doesn’t happen overnight, and certainly, the more ambitious parts of the Thayer improvements will take years to plan and implement. But it has become increasingly clear that in the case of improved lighting, considering and debating the details is not as important as getting it done quickly. Keeping students safe is a top priority for Brown, and better lighting is a crucial and relatively simple way to do that. Just as an increased police presence can reassure students that they are safe, increased lighting and visibility can help deter criminals. Thayer Street remains poorly lit at night, and promising longterm improvements that do not materialize does nothing to make the street safer. By increasing the police presence around campus, the University and city of Providence have sent a clear message: They will not tolerate crime. But the additional police now on the street will not stay there permanently. New lighting will make a different in both the short and long term, and it will help prove that the improvement district’s board is committed to the project and able to work together to put ideas into action. In a recent campus-wide e-mail, administrators indicated that improving the lighting on Thayer Street is part of Brown’s plan to combat crime. The board of the improvement district has known this for a year and a half, and it is time for Brown’s representatives on that board to take the initiative in putting the plans into action. Getting new news boxes, eliminating redundant signage and fixing up storefronts can wait. Safety cannot.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD EDITORIAL Juliette Wallack, Editor-in-Chief Philissa Cramer, Executive Editor Julia Zuckerman, Executive Editor Jen Sopchockchai, Arts & Culture Editor Leslie Kaufmann, Assistant Arts & Culture Editor Danielle Cerny, Campus Watch Editor Jonathan Ellis, Metro Editor Sara Perkins, News Editor Dana Goldstein, RISD News Editor Alex Carnevale, Opinions Editor Ben Yaster, Opinions Editor Ian Cropp, Sports Editor Christopher Hatfield, Sports Editor Bernie Gordon, Assistant Sports Editor Chris Mahr, Assistant Sports Editor Eric Perlmutter, Assistant Sports Editor PRODUCTION Peter Henderson, Design Editor Amy Ruddle, Copy Desk Chief Melanie Wolfgang, Copy Desk Chief Eddie Ahn, Graphics Editor Judy He, Photo Editor Nick Neely, Photo Editor

BUSINESS Jack Carrere, General Manager Lawrence Hester, General Manager Anastasia Ali, Executive Manager Zoe Ripple, Executive Manager Daniel Goldberg, Senior Financial Officer Mark Goldberg, Senior Financial Officer Ian Halvorsen, Senior Financial Officer Lisa Poon, Marketing Manager Abigail Ronck, Senior Accounts Manager Kathleen Timmins, Senior Accounts Manager Laird Bennion, Senior Project Manager Elias Roman, Senior Project Manager Jungdo Yu, Senior Project Manager Laurie-Ann Paliotti, Sr. Advertising Rep. Susan Dansereau, Office Manager POST- MAGAZINE Ellen Wernecke, Editor-in-Chief Jason Ng, Executive Editor Micah Salkind, Executive Editor Abigail Newman, Theater Editor Josh Cohen, Design Editor Fritz Brantley, Features Editor Jeremy Beck, Film Editor Jonathan C. Liu, Music Editor

Deepa Galaiya, Night Editor Chessy Brady, Cristina Salvato, Jenna Young, Copy Editors Senior Staff Writers Stephanie Clark, Robbie Corey-Boulet, Justin Elliott, Ben Grin, Kira Lesley Staff Writers Marshall Agnew, Camden Avery, Kathy Babcock, Zaneta Balantac, Alexandra Barsk, Zachary Barter, Hannah Bascom, Eric Beck, Danielle Cerny, Christopher Chon, Lexi Costello, Ian Cropp, Stewart Dearing, Gabriella Doob, Jonathan Ellis, James Feldman, Amy Hall Goins, Dana Goldstein, Bernard Gordon, Kate Gorman, Krista Hachey, Chris Hatfield, Jonathan Herman, Leslie Kaufmann, Kate Klonick, Mary-Catherine Lader, Allison Lombardo, Chris Mahr, Lisa Mandle, Ben Miller, Sara Perkins, Eric Perlmutter, Meryl Rothstein, Marco Santini, Jen Sopchockchai, Lela Spielberg, Stefan Talman, Jessica Weisberg, Brooke Wolfe, Melanie Wolfgang, Stu Woo, Anne Wootton Accounts Managers Steven Butschi, Rob McCartney, John Nagler, David Ranken, Joel Rozen, Rukesh Samarasekera, Ryan Shewcraft Project Managers In Young Park, Libbie Fritz Pagination Staff Eric Demafeliz, Deepa Galaiya, Jason Lee Photo Staff Marissa Hauptman, Ashley Hess, Matthew Lent, Bill Pijewski, Kori Schulman, Sorleen Trevino, Juliana Wu Copy Editors Chessy Brady, Jonathan Corcoran, Eric Demafeliz, Leora Fridman, Allison Kwong, Katie Lamm, Suchi Mathur, Cristina Salvato, Sonia Saraiya, Lela Spielberg, Zachary Townsend, Jenna Young

DANIEL L AWLOR

LETTERS Shah clarifies his opinion on transfer aid To the Editor: To Ming Holden ’06.5 (“Prioritize this,” Nov. 17) and other transfer and Resumed Undergraduate Education students who are upset by Brown’s financial aid policy, I’m sorry that my letter (“Financial aid is not a zero-sum game,” Nov. 15) added to your feelings of marginilization on our campus. This was not my intention, and because The Herald edited my letter for length, my views were misconstrued. I would like to clarify: By saying we have to prioritize, I did not mean to insinuate that financial aid for transfer/RUE students should not be a priority. Because the current policy presents an ethical dilemma that is convincingly criticized on ideological grounds, my intention was to also demonstrate the pragmatic context in which this priority must be made. This way, there is an awareness of exactly what is being protested against.

I never said that transfers/RUEs were less deserving of aid because they are more likely to matriculate. I was merely pointing out the strategic reason why University resources are currently targeted toward students whose matriculation is less certain. Again, my intention was to inform, not to put down. I do not believe that transfers are anything besides the “best students.” In fact, I am aware that it is much more competitive for transfers to gain admission to Brown, and that transfer and RUE students are an invaluable asset to our campus. The University's current strategy maximizes our ability to attract the best students because transfer matriculation is independent of it. Neel Shah ’04, MD ‘08 Nov. 17

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

OPINIONS THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2004 · PAGE 11

JONATHAN LIU

The brutal logic of terrorism When Yasser Arafat finally succumbed to illness last week, members of a certain breed of tell-it-like-it-is commentators practically trampled over themselves to denigrate the old man in a way that made some two years of Israeli physical and psychological house arrest seem tame in comparison. Not only was Arafat a terrorist and undeserving of his Nobel Prize, according to these pundits, he was also evil. And this was from the so-called “liberal” press. The best the revisionists could muster was the oft-repeated cliché that Arafat, unlike Israel’s Menachem Begin or South Africa’s Nelson Mandela, could never make the transition from freedom fighter to statesman, and his people suffered for it. Which is all, on some level, true. Looking at the desperate plight of the Palestinian people, it is easy to blame things not on the illegal wall or the illegal settlements or the disgrace of American “even-handedness” but on the idea of a single incompetent leader, a single incompetent terrorist. And, of course, Arafat was, in many ways, the father of modern terrorism — the father of a certain from of spectacular political performance art that proved almost embarrassingly successful. Indeed, Palestinians as a people were largely formed in the international consciousness though terror. But the image of Arafat as the terrorist par excellence is misguided on at least two counts. First, and most obviously, the equations that render Arafat, Palestine and terrorism synonymous with each other perpetuates the pat baseline assumption that the Palestinians only operate through force and can only be dealt with through force. This is certainly a form of blatant Orientalism — remember, Edward Said's passing last fall may leave Arafat as only the second most influential Palestinian to die in the past 15 months — but it is also fundamentally dangerous to the “Occident.” That is, this rewriting of Arafat as a terrorist is dangerous for Israel and, increasingly, the United States. Treat people like savages and savagery is what you will get. This, of course, is the traditional mainstream Left response to terrorism: We must search for root cause of

violence, and we must not reject outright the idea of moral equivalency. But the events of the past four years — and the past three weeks — suggest that such a position is based on the same central, unproven assumption propagated as truth by the right: namely, that terrorism, for the terrorized power, is a bad thing. The second problem with the image of Arafat the Terrorist thus emerges: Arafat, for much of his life, misunderstood the reality of terrorism.

By relying on terror, Yasser Arafat only empowered his enemies. Arafat imagined terrorism as a rational act of politics when, in fact, it is a matter of catharsis, a matter, indeed, of pure emotion. He birthed terror as a means and watched it become transformed to an end, and transformed from a matter of politlical interests to one of godly furor. Among his own people, Arafat saw the appeal of his anti-colonial, secular Fatah movement — a practitioner of “rational” terrorism — become increasingly entangled with and indistinguishable from Hamas, Hezbollah and the rise of global radical Islam. But it wasn’t merely that his more radical compatriots, compatriots whose concrete political goals were overshadowed by the propulsive excitement of violence itself, outflanked Arafat on the terrorism front. Indeed, what Arafat failed to see until it was too late was that institutionalized terrorism becomes ultimately just that — appropriated by and for the institutional power in

place. Over the course of Arafat’s life, terrorism became increasingly irrational and predicated on pure spectacle, but so too did anti-terrorism. Just look at the ratios of deaths between Israelis and Palestinians — or American and Iraqis, now at about 1,000:100,000 — for proof. Thus, as much as PLO terrorism gave rise to the idea of Palestinian statehood, so too is it inextricably linked with the very basis of the modern state of Israel. As difficult as it is for the terrorist, intoxicated by decades of cathartic violence, to come to the negotiating table, it is perhaps more so for the terrorized state to give up the national organizing story of constant existential danger that those terrorists pose — an existential danger that certain nations like the United States, in situations far less precarious than Israel's, seem to be clamoring to get for themselves. Consider, for instance, the outcry after John Kerry declared in a New York Times Magazine piece that America’s aim should be to render terrorism a mere nuisance. A noble goal, obviously, but one that’s impossible; terrorism is precisely that which is not a simple nuisance, a common crime. George W. Bush would make no such mistake. Terrorism is not a crime, nor is it a war; it has, stripped of the discrete political aims once placed behind it by men such as the young Arafat, become the sign of an epoch, a sort of primordial scream that makes it appropriate for the other side to respond in kind. Living with terrorism, as Kerry suggested, may be rational but is far less exciting, far less cathartic, then living for terrorism. And with the good Senator defeated, the Israel-ification of America, and the world, can begin. Because when faced with complexity and nuance and legitimate grievances, the easiest thing to do is scream. Yasser Arafat, failed terrorist, understood this was true for the repressed, but tragically (mis)overestimated his enemies. Jonathan Liu ’07 is indecisive.

SARAH BOWMAN

Maintaining the status quo Last week, President George W. Bush nominated White House counsel Alberto Gonzales to replace John Ashcroft as Attorney General of the United States. Gonzales’ appointment has not yet raised the storm of opposition that Ashcroft’s did, but it should. Those of us who are glad that the man who presided over the Patriot Act is exiting the Cabinet might want to consider the record of the man who will succeed him. An examination of Gonzales’ record raises substantial doubts about the man’s commitment to the ideals of justice. As Bush’s legal counsel when the president was governor of Texas, and in his current position in the Bush administration, Gonzales has shown a stunning disregard for the principle of law-given rights. The heir apparent to the chair of the Department of Justice may not have as high a profile as Ashcroft did before he assumed that position in 2001, but his opinions and actions have also proved contrary to the spirit of liberty. Gonzales, after all, is the man who penned the now infamous opinion that the Geneva Convention does not apply in the war on terror. The Convention, adopted by the United Nations in 1949, and signed by the United States, is meant to ensure the humane treatment of prisoners of war. In a 2002 memo, Gonzales wrote that because the war against al-Qaeda and the Taliban constituted a new kind of war, it “renders obsolete Geneva’s strict limitations on questioning of enemy prisoners and renders quaint some of its provisions.” In other words, because this war is different, the United States does not have to hold to the old standard of refraining from harsh inter-

rogative tactics. Gonzales appears to believe that the nature of the present conflict negates the importance of fundamental human rights. I shudder to think what could happen when Gonzales has the opportunity, as he will in a few short months, to exercise this type of logic in the domestic judicial arena. Less recently, but no less important, Gonzales has evidenced a blatant disrespect for the rights of those on

Alberto Gonzales will only continue to restrict civil rights as attorney general. death row. As then-Gov. Bush’s legal counsel from 1995 to 1997, it was Gonzales’ obligation to advise the president on the clemency requests of those sentenced to death. According to an August 2003 article in The Atlantic Monthly, Gonzales’ briefings often failed to mention

the very mitigating factors — such as mental retardation, childhood abuse and trial irregularities — that Bush should have had at hand when deciding clemency, for both legal and human reasons. In other words, Gonzales doesn’t seem to have been concerned with giving these inmates full justice. These actions have far-reaching implications — more than demonstrating a lack of regard for the rights of those on death row, they indicate a willingness to dispense with the imperatives of evidence and examination that are at the core of our legal system. I, for one, am not eager to discover whether he will show these same tendencies as attorney general. And judging by his defense of Vice President Dick Cheney’s secretive energy meetings, I am not likely to find out, anyway. To be fair, many conservatives dislike Gonzales for his more liberal stances on abortion and affirmative action. To me, his positions on these issues in no way mitigate his past legal decisions. Though Ashcroft may soon be gone, our civil liberties will not necessarily be any safer than they were under his tenure as Attorney General. Should Gonzales become the next Attorney General, he will also likely favor policies that trample on individual rights in the name of national security objectives. It is not even heartening that Gonzales might not hold the post for long — if he resigns, it is likely to be because Bush might nominate him to the Supreme Court. A chilling thought, to say the least. Sarah Bowman ’05 keeps it classy.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

SPORTS THURSDAY NOVEMBER 18, 2004 · PAGE 12

Forte ’05 anxious to return as suspension continues from m. basketball squad BY SHAUN MCNAMARA

When the men’s basketball team traveled to the University of Missouri to open its season in the Guardians Classic earlier this week, All-American point guard and last season’s Ivy League Player of the Year Jason Forte ’05 stayed behind in Providence serving a suspension. The suspension stems from an altercation in a pre-season practice. “It’s an unfortunate situation,” Forte said. “It has definitely been a learning experience for me. I’ve gone through an introspective phase where I have thought about ways to prevent another situation like this.” Co-captain Luke Ruscoe ’06 took over Forte’s role as the team’s leading scorer during the first two games, scoring 14 points against Missouri and a careerhigh 25 against Sam Houston State University. “(Forte) is extremely competitive, but sometimes that same competitive nature can negatively affect the team,” Ruscoe said. Forte said he feels that he and his teammates are on the same page, as many of his teammates are close friends with him on and off the court. “The fact that I interact with my teammates off of the court makes me feel as if I haven’t alienated them during this situation,” he said. Without Forte, the Bears lost two games employing an inexperienced lineup. Still, the team

played competitively, losing 6860 to Missouri and 92-79 to Sam Houston State. In Forte’s stead, Marcus Becker ’07 started at point guard, and the Bears were forced to use a rotation in which Ruscoe, the only other upperclassman on the team, was the older player on the floor. Forte likely could have made a difference — last year he led the Ivy League in scoring with 21.4 points per game and assists with 5.79 per game. Forte is anxious to rejoin his teammates on the hardwood. “My competitive nature alone makes me want to get out there,” Forte said. Head Coach Glen Miller was unavailable for comment on the suspension, but Forte stressed that he and Miller have discussed the situation extensively. “In talking to (Miller) I got a chance to understand him better, and I’m sure he understands me better,” he said. While Forte’s return date is yet to be determined, his return will give the Bears a good gauge as to what type of team they will have for Ivy League play. “Considering how Coach Miller prepared them in Missouri and how my teammates performed in my absence, I would definitely say we have a legitimate chance at winning the Ivies,” Forte said.

At Easterns, m. water polo falls twice before finishing seventh BY CAROLINE BRANDON

The men’s water polo team (108, 6-4 Ivy League) suffered two crushing losses at the Eastern Championships this weekend, ending its season. Brown lost in the first round to the United States Naval Academy, 9-4, and then lost to host team Bucknell University, 5-2, before tallying a 10-9 victory over the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to secure the seventh-place spot. Brown, seeded fifth in the tournament, played its first match against No. 4 seed Navy. Although the Bears had not faced Navy earlier in the year, they were confident in their scouting. “Navy didn’t do anything that surprised us,” said Head Coach Jason Gall. “We had talked about their style of play, and they did exactly what we expected, although it would have been nice to have played them before.” Bruno didn’t give itself much of a chance, though, digging itself into a 5-1 hole in the first quarter. Brown nearly matched the Midshipmen goal for goal in the remaining three periods, but it was too little too late. “We threw some bad passes in the first, which led to quick Navy goals,” Gall said. “Navy was out-anticipating and outhustling us.” Although the Bears were able to slow Navy’s offense down, the 7-1 halftime deficit was too

Key returning players and formidable recruits look to pace w. and m. squash

Matt Lent / Herald

Paul D’Avino ’05, one of two seniors on the men’s water polo team, scored two goals in the seventh-place game against MIT. much to overcome. Only four players scored for Brown in the 9-4 loss, and no one scored more than once. The offense had its chances — it just could not capitalize. “We weren’t able to score,” Gall said. “We had plenty of opportunities and were taking

With some top recruits coming in to reinforce the experienced women’s and men’s squash teams, both teams hope to break into the top-10 rankings this year. The two teams competed in scrimmages at Yale this past weekend and will both open their seasons at Harvard on Friday. In last week’s scrimmage, both teams faced Dartmouth, an Ivy League foe that Coach Stuart LeGassick expects to provide one of Brown’s most important tests during the regular season. The men’s team defeated the Big Green, and the women lost, though LeGassick said neither result is an accurate indication of how the teams will stack up during the regular season. “We played without our number one because he was a little B ROW N S P O RTS RO U N D U P Awards Women’s Field Hockey: All-Northeast Region Second Team — Kristen Vincent ’06 Wednesday, November 17 Women’s Volleyball: Yale 3, Brown 2

banged up,” LeGassick said, noting the absence of men’s co-captain Breck Bailey ’06. LeGassick said that the most important factor for both teams will be “to steer clear of injuries.” If the two teams are able to do so, he believes it will be possible to achieve their goals. Last year, the women’s squash team finished the season ranked seventh in the country. Although the team graduated three seniors, experience will not be a problem. “Lillian (Rosenthal ’05) is back playing well, and Phoebe (Anderson ’05) and Julie (Flygare ’05) are strong, reliable players,” LeGassick said. The three seniors are the team’s co-captains. Rosenthal is expected to play her fourth year as Bruno’s number one, while Anderson has won the team’s Most Improved Player award in each of her three seasons. Five juniors and four sophomores also return for the women’s squad. Also adding to the women’s team’s optimism about the coming season are talented firstyears Megan Cerullo ’08 and Minoo Fadaifard ’08.

Cerullo’s twin brother Ed Cerullo ’08 is a top recruit for the men’s team. Megan Cerullo will likely be the number-two player for Brown. “We have two strong freshmen,” Rosenthal said. “Minoo is stronger than our coach expected her to be, and Megan will be a strong number two for us.” With the women’s team carrying fewer players than normal, Rosenthal, much like her coach, knows how important it will be to avoid injuries. “We have a tiny program this year,” Rosenthal said, noting that in her four years, this year’s squad of 12 will be the smallest. “You travel with a bare minimum of 10, so we are crossing our fingers we don’t run into any injuries.” Despite the smaller numbers, LeGassick is optimistic about the team’s ability. “It’s the strongest, player for player, the team has ever been,” LeGassick said. The men’s squad lost only two seniors to graduation last year, neither of whom played much due to injuries.

see SQUASH, page 9

see M. POLO, page 9

Equestrian falls short to UConn once again BY MADELEINE MARECKI

BY PHILIP BUFFUM

high percentage shots, but the ball was just not going in the cage.” During the Saturday afternoon match-up against Bucknell, another team the Bears had not faced before,

The equestrian team looked to pick up its first win in two weeks this weekend after back-to-back second-place finishes in its previous two competitions. But competitor University of Connecticut remained a step ahead again, extending Brown’s losing streak to three on Saturday at Wesleyan University. UConn brought home a close win, 42 to 39, in the 11team competition and also extended its lead over Brown in the regional standings to five points. Bruno opened the show in strong fashion with its performances in open fences. Alexis Gilbard ’08 and Whitney Keefe ’08 each won blue ribbons in their respective divisions, while co-captain Jamie Peddy ’06, the point rider, took home a yellow ribbon for her showing. However, the two fences classes were a mixed bag for Brown. Competitors in the intermediate fences performed well, while in novice fences the team was unable to maintain the momentum. Point rider Grace Peloquin ’07 headlined the effort in

intermediate fences by capturing first and earning the team seven valuable points. She was followed by Marissa Geoffroy ’07, who took second, and Gillian Heinecke ’07, who captured third. Novice fences did not see any Brown contenders finish in the top three. Without other Brown riders placing well and occupying available scoring positions, UConn and other schools were able to garner many of the available points. In the next stage of the show, Brown put forth a strong effort and placed four of its competitors in topthree positions in open flat. Keefe continued her impressive rookie season with a first-place finish. Gilbard took second while Heinecke and point rider Peddy contributed third-place finishes in their respective divisions. Co-captain Galyn Burke ’05 noted that two open flat riders in particular showed tremendous effort in their performances. Burke said Peddy’s showing was remarkable because she had to work

see EQUESTRIAN, page 9