Thursday, March 9, 2006 by The Brown Daily Herald

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2006

Volume CXLI, No. 30

www.browndailyherald.com

An independent newspaper serving the Brown community since 1891 NO SHRINKAGE HERE Miko Exoticwear expands to two ﬂoors, providing additional classroom space and an erotic art gallery METRO 3

7H3Y’R3 94M3 1F Y0U 4R3 post- whips out its video game knowledge to discover just how much acid it took to make Super Mario 2 INSIDE

WE ARE FAMILY Two sets of brother-sister siblings are turning the men’s and women’s squash teams into a family affair SPORTS 12

BY STEPHANIE BERNHARD SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Nationwide, universities and military ofﬁcials are on opposite sides of an argument that could potentially cost Brown $120 million in federal funds. Several law schools have refused to allow military recruiters onto their campuses, claiming that the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy — which bars openly gay soldiers from serving — violates their nondiscrimination policies. Brown’s non-discrimination policy states that the University does not discriminate on the basis of, among other things, sexual orientation in any school-administered programs. All on-campus recruiters must sign the policy. The Solomon Amendment, passed by Congress in 1996, grants the secretary of defense the authority to deny federal funding to institutions of higher learning that prohibit or prevent the Reserve Ofﬁcer Training Corps or other military recruitment on campus. Brown currently receives approximately $120 million a year from the federal

started the proposal four years ago, emphasized that the changes will make the MPC program more comprehensive and effective. “We don’t want the MPC program to be something you experience just in your first year, but in your sophomore year, junior year and senior year,” Ornelas said. The changes will also allow MPCs to focus on specialized issues rather than

StarF*ck, the spring counterpart of Sex Power God, has been cancelled this semester, Queer Alliance announced in an e-mail to its listserve last night. Josh Teitelbaum ’08, co-president of QA, cited the excessive alcohol use surrounding November’s SPG event, a dance hosted by QA that drew considerable attention in the fall, as the main reason for the cancellation. Teitelbaum, who is also chair of QA’s Dance Committee, said pressure from the University was not the deciding factor in the cancellation, though he said “it was clearly a consideration.” After SPG, QA was put on probation until December 2006. In the wake of SPG and the national media coverage surrounding the event, the University created the Ad Hoc Committee to Review Social Events Policy and Procedure, which released a set of recommendations yesterday. Also after SPG, at which numerous students required emergency medical attention for intoxication, the existing Campus Life Advisory Board Subcommittee on Alcohol and Other Drugs was charged with reviewing Brown’s alcohol policy. “We thought that the goal of (StarF*ck) was being clouded by its connection to substance abuse,” Teitelbaum said. “I was really pushing to cancel it this semester.” The goal of both StarF*ck and SPG, Teitelbaum said, is to “create a safe space for people to explore their sexuality.” But in the past few years, particularly at SPG, that goal has become distorted as students feel the need to drink to be comfortable, he said. Teitelbaum explained that QA needs to use the spring to brainstorm better ways to increase the student body’s awareness of

see MPCS, page 6

see STARF*CK, page 6

Jean Yves Chainon / Herald

For the first time, intramural flag football and five-on-five basketball have drawn SPORTS 12 several corporate sponsors.

see MILITARY, page 8

New proposal may remove MPCs from RPL system A proposal to remove Minority Peer Counselors from the Residential Peer Leaders system for the 2006-2007 academic year, written by the MPC Steering Committee, was unveiled Wednesday night at an open information session in Wilson 301. The proposal would place MPCs under the jurisdiction of the Third World Center and the Office of Campus Life and Student Services. Removing MPCs from the RPL system would diminish their first-year unit-related responsibilities. The MPC Steering Committee would instead implement a mentoring program for firstyear students of color. Though MPCs would still live in residence halls, their advising responsibilities would encompass a larger number of students. Under the new program, MPCs would advise students from all class years, whereas in the past they have focused only on first-year students. Additional responsibilities would also include organizing campus-wide outreach initiatives and addressing issues concerning communities of color on campus. The most controversial element of the proposal — an element not supported by the MPC Steering Committee — is the reduction in the number of MPCs. The total number of MPCs would fall from 25 this year to just 10 next year. Last year, there were 30 MPCs. The reason for the decrease in the number of counselors is budgetary: since MPCs would no longer be RPLs, the Office of Student Life would no longer provide funding for the MPC program. Funding would come solely from the Office

mostly sunny 40 / 26

Group still plans risqué posters to promote sexual health

BY CHLOE LUTTS SENIOR STAFF WRITER

BY SARA MOLINARO CONTRIBUTING WRITER

TOMORROW

Queer Alliance cancels StarF*ck, citing alcohol concerns

INTRAMURALS®

Brown, other schools navigate treacherous legal ground on military recruitment

TODAY

partly cloudy 40 / 22

of Campus Life and Student Services, which includes the Third World Center. MPC Coordinator Liliana Ornelas ’07 presented the proposal along with a team of past and present MPCs from the steering committee, including Darnell Fine ’08, Amita Manghnani ’06 and Cristina Thompson ’06. Karen McLaurin, associate dean of the college and director of the Third World Center, was also on hand to answer questions about the proposal. The MPC Steering Committee, which

Editorial: 401.351.3372 Business: 401.351.3260

Not your mother’s convent

An all-female hallway in West Andrews provides community for some students BY STEPHANIE LEE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Rosi Greenberg / Herald

Various pictures of nuns adorn the walls in “the nunnery,” the all-women’s hall in West Andrews.

Few students may realize there is a “nunnery” in West Andrews Hall. Hidden on the basement ﬂoor of this Pembroke residence, a handful of women hailing from as far as Zambia and as close as New Jersey share an exclusively female hall decked with comical pictures of nuns and a Residential Counselor they jokingly call “Mother Superior.” Though some of the women willingly requested all-female housing, others were arbitrarily assigned the location by the Ofﬁce of Residential Life. In both cases, the residents of the nunnery gave The Herald some insight into the realities of living in single-sex housing and what it means to be a “nun” in West Andrews. “We’re just making fun of the whole all-girl stereotype. We don’t take it seriously,” said Godhuli Bhattacharya ’09. “We have pictures of a nun with a gun and a pregnant nun. It’s just a joke.” Other pictures include images of nuns smoking cigarettes and riding bumper cars, with captions that read “for the sisters of St. Nicotine’s, everyday was Ash Wednesday” and “The Bumpin’ for Jesus race was always a highlight of the annual sister’s day out.” But the origin of “The Nunnery” nickname remains something of

195 Angell Street, Providence, Rhode Island

see NUNNERY, page 8 News tips: herald@browndailyherald.com

THIS MORNING THE BROWN DAILY HERALD · THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2006 · PAGE 2 Jero Matt Vascellaro

TO D AY ’ S E V E N TS “2046” 7:30 p.m. , (Salomon 001) — The Hong Kong Students Association presents a free screening of “2046,” a film by renowned Hong Kong director Wong Kar-wai. THE AGRONOMIST 7 p.m. , (Watson Institute) — The latest film from AcademyAward winning filmmaker Jonathan Demme, “The Agronomist” tells the story of Haitian national hero, journalist and freedom fighter Jean Dominique.

“DETAINMENT, TORTURE, AND DOMESTIC SURVEILLANCE: RESISTING THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION IN THE COURTS” 8 p.m. , (Smith-Buon. 106) — Rachel Meeropol, an attorney for the Center for Constitutional Rights, will speak about post-Sept. 11 civil liberty issues.

Chocolate Covered Cotton Mark Brinker

POETRY READING 8 p.m., (McCormack Family Theater) — Georgetown English professor Mark McMorris will read from his work.

MENU SHARPE REFECTORY

VERNEY-WOOLLEY DINING HALL

LUNCH — Chicken Nuggets, Baked Vegan Nuggets with Dipping Sauces, Hawaiian Pineapple Brown Rice, Zucchini Yianchi, Vegan Tofu Pups, Canadian Bacon, Wafﬂe Fries, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Washington Apple Cake, and Vegetarian Apple Curried Pumpkin Soup

LUNCH — Vegetarian Eggplant Vegetable Soup, Chicken Mulligatawny Soup, Hot Turkey Sandwich, Stuffed Shells with Sauce, Mashed Potatoes, Green Peas, and Chocolate Chip Cookies

DINNER — Chicken in the Rough, Cajun Potatoes, Sugar Snap Peas, Cauliﬂower in Dill Mustard Sauce, Five Grain Bread, Strawberry Jello, Chocolate Vanilla Pudding Cake, Vegetarian Tamale Pie, Ziti, and Tri-Colored Shells

DINNER — Vegetarian Eggplant, Vegetable Soup, Chicken Mulligatawny Soup, Pot Roast Jardiniere, Sweet Potato Soufﬂe, Oven Browned Potatoes, Cauliﬂower, Green Beans & Peppers, Brazilian Style Collard Greens, Five Grain Bread, and Washington Apple Cake

M for Massive Yifan Luo

Cappuccino Monday Christine Sunu

CROSSWORD

Homebodies Mirele Davis

Caroline & Friends Wesley Allsbrook

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METRO

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD · THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2006 · PAGE 3

OOP! is out, Spats status pending as changes on Thayer continue

Sex shop expands to two ﬂoors to get classy

Additional instruction, erotic art gallery to come

BY JENNIFER PARK CONTRIBUTING WRITER

BY ROBIN STEELE STAFF WRITER

For years, Thayer Street has experienced a series of openings and closings, and the trend has continued recently. Several businesses — OOP!, Adesso California Café and Asian Paradise — have shut their doors in the past weeks, two others have relocated and one is soon to open. OOP!, described by its Web site as a “contemporary gift gallery” that sells “an eclectic and whimsical collection of crafts, jewelry, furniture and toys by local and national artisans,” closed its doors in the last week of January. It had been open at 297 Thayer St. since July 1990. David Riordan, who co-owns OOP! with his wife, Jennifer Neuguth, said they made the decision to close the store because they were unable to purchase the building in which it was located. The couple wanted to expand the store to create office, shipping and receiving and recreation spaces, according to Riordan. The landlord of the building had told the couple since 1992 he would be putting the building up for sale, but it never happened, Riordan said. “When you hear ‘two to three years’ for 10 years, you get the hint that it might never happen,” Riordan said. “If we could have bought the building, we would have stayed there forever,” he added. OOP!’s other location on the third floor of the Providence Place Mall continues to be open for business. Riordan and Neuguth are currently looking for another location on the East Side of Providence that is big enough to accommodate retail and corporate offices. The former OOP! on Thayer will be replaced by Only

Ajello, others object to Rhode Island’s CAFTA commitment BY ELLEN WERNECKE STAFF WRITER

A free-trade accord signed by Gov. Donald Carcieri ’65 has Rhode Island lawmakers steamed over possible federal interference in state contract bids. The Rhode Island House of Representatives voted Feb. 16 to take the power to enter into international trade agreements away from the governor, after it was discovered Carcieri committed state support to the Central American Free Trade Agreement, a U.S.-ratified pact with six countries to phase out tariffs and institute common environmental and labor standards. The signatories of CAFTA, which is patterned after the 1994 North American Free Trade Agreement, are El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, representing a $15 billion see CAFTA, page 6

in Rhode Island, a store that sells “just about anything made locally of quality,” including gourmet food, photographs, artwork, jewelry and children’s toys, according to manager Beth Gudas. The business, which has another location at Long Wharf Mall in Newport, is tentatively scheduled to open its doors on May 1, she said. “All of our products are made locally by local people, and more than 100 local artisans and small business are represented by our store,” Gudas said. Only in Rhode Island decided to open a location on Thayer Street because of the success of its Web site. “We started looking for a location over the bridge so that we could reach more of our customers, and Providence seemed like the place to go,” Gudas said. Asian Paradise, located at 165 Angell St., which specialized in Cambodian, Thai, Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine, closed its doors recently, along with Adesso,

Feminist-run sex shop Miko Exoticwear has converted the second floor space over its North Main Street retail store into a sexual education center and art gallery dedicated to erotic art. This expansion has allowed the store to increase its class offerings from about once to three times per month. Previously, classes were held in the retail store after closing time on Sunday evenings, said Jeff Gellman, owner of Miko. The new permanent classroom space allows classes to be held more often, at a variety of times, thus reaching a larger clientele, he said. While the classroom space is currently set up and in use, the gallery will not open until early April, Gellman said, adding that Miko is currently soliciting artists for future shows in media such as short film, sculpture, painting and photography — all erotically themed. Gellman said he has wanted to create an art gallery to facilitate the exposure of erotic art for the last seven years, noting that it is often difficult for artists specializing in erotic work to find gallery space. The space at Miko will be available for gallery openings and includes a kitchen to enable catering, he said. The classroom space, which can hold 16 to 20 people comfortably, contains an array of sex toys, informative flyers and pamphlets, erotic books and videos — anything pro-female or pro-sex, Gellman said. Currently, all classes offered by Miko are taught

see THAYER, page 4

see MIKO, page 6

Kam Sripada / Herald

The corner of Waterman and Thayer streets is just one section of the district to undergo signiﬁcant changes, with one tenant moving upstairs and another set to open soon.

State plans grapple with health insurance gap BY SARA PERKINS STAFF WRITER

National concern about Americans without health insurance often comes down to numbers and caricatures: U.S. Census estimates place the number of uninsured people at 45 million, but politicians often paint members of that group as unemployed, earners of low wages or victims of large corporations that do not provide health insurance because of cutthroat business practices. But among the growing pool of the uninsured nationwide are workers employed by small businesses that do not have enough employees to negotiate bulk discounts on health insurance premiums. In Rhode Island, a state with only two major insurance companies, the price of health insurance has increased an esti-

mated 200 percent between 1997 and 2003. In response, small- and medium-sized businesses have been shedding employee health insurance plans or shifting more costs to employees. Two proposals introduced this year look to pool self-employed workers, uninsured individuals and small businesses into one group of buyers to negotiate for lower premiums from Blue Cross and Blue Shield and United Healthcare. But while plans from Gov. Donald Carcieri ’65 and others examine how to provide cheaper insurance and slow the growth of costs in the health care system as a whole, Carcieri’s budget proposal reﬂects concern about the state’s rising share of the costs of entitlement health care programs, cutting some middle-income parents and 3,000 illegal immigrant children from the state’s successful RIte Care children’s health care program.

“RIte Care spending has been increasing at an unsustainable rate,” said Carcieri spokesman Jeff Neal. “We are reversing the last major addition (to eligibility), so that we can preserve the core services.” One plan, announced in January by Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty and Sen. Elizabeth Roberts ’78 — who plan to run together for governor and lieutenant governor this November — would also establish a $3 million reinsurance fund to pay unusually high health care costs for people enrolled through the state program, reducing the risk for insurance companies and, hopefully, greatly reducing the premiums for the program. Although the program is primarily aimed at “modest income” workers, “we have to recognize see HEALTH, page 4

PAGE 4 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2006

Thayer continued from page 3 which was located at 161 Cushing St. Allegra Print and Imaging, formerly located at 212 Thayer St., has moved to the top floor of the same building with a new entrance and address at 102 Waterman St., according to a press release. Ted Stein, the owner of the business, said the primary reason for the move was to acquire more space. “The move enabled us to more than double our size in terms of square footage,” Stein said. The new location also allows Allegra to maintain its proximity to its biggest customer bases — namely, the Brown and Rhode Island School of Design communities, according to Stein. Allegra started out as Jo-Art Printing 40 years ago on the same floor of the building it now occupies, Stein said. Back then, however, the company occupied only a section of the floor. Jo-Art eventually moved to the first floor of the building as it expanded and changed its name to Allegra Print and Imaging when Stein purchased the business in 1995. The company, now back on the second floor, came “full circle,” Stein said. Allegra currently occupies 5,000 square feet of newly renovated space with brand new windows, a new interior and an elevator.

Health continued from page 3 that not everyone has an attachment to the workforce” in crafting future health care policy, said Maureen Maigret, Fogarty’s director of policy. “Our program will allow individuals who don’t have an attachment to the workforce to get a break on their premium.” A plan introduced by Carcieri in February as part of a larger proposal to address health care costs in the state would similarly negotiate for lower premiums by pooling small businesses and individuals and by offering a reinsurance fund for lower-income businesses and individuals. Carcieri’s fund, however, comes largely from a planned $110 million settlement from tobacco companies to states, intended to offset an-

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com.

Sovereign Bank, currently located on the lower level of 272 Thayer St., is moving to Allegra’s old location on the corner of Waterman and Thayer streets. The new Sovereign Bank will open its doors April 17. Don Heinold, assistant vice president and manager of Sovereign, said the main reason for the move was because the bank wanted to become more “visible and accessible” to its growing customer base in the college community. “We’re hoping to help students and businesses and employees of Brown and the community with our financial services to meet their needs and provide red carpet service,” Heinold said. Sovereign had been looking for a new location for about five years because its current location on the ground floor was not visible enough, Heinold added. “It’s going to be a terrific-looking branch.” The new location will have two doors and two ATMS — one on the sidewalk and one in a vestibule. The opening date of Spats Pub, to be located at 182 Angell St., is still uncertain, according to Armando Dias, general manager of Paragon/Viva. The pub’s owners encountered some difficulties that have delayed its opening. Spats was originally scheduled to open before Thanksgiving 2005 but was delayed due to complications involving the transfer of the li-

quor license held by the Korean restaurant Sura, which previously occupied Spats’ location, according to a December 2005 Herald article. “We need to have all our ducks in line before we can move forward,” Dias said. Spats will be a full-service restaurant with “a loungy feeling like Viva” but with a different design and a more publike atmosphere, Dias said. The menu will include pasta dishes, hamburgers and “fun appetizers” like chicken wings, calamari and mozzarella sticks, he added. Entrees will cost no more than $12.95, he said. In Dias’ opinion, Thayer Street has come a long way over the past 10 years. “Twelve years ago, when Paragon opened, Thayer Street was in really bad shape. There were a lot of empty storefronts and disjointed businesses,” Dias recalls. He feels there has to be a delicate balance among the different types of business on Thayer Street for it to be successful. Dias also revealed that Viva is going to be redesigned this summer. The restaurant designer is currently drawing up plans, he said. “It just needs refreshing, to be ﬁxed up again,” Dias said. The last time Viva was renovated was about eight years ago. “We’re going to install neat booths, and it’s going to be fun,” Dias said. But the red walls and ceiling, which he said “deﬁne the place,” are going to stay.

ticipated stresses on the health care system from smoking-related illnesses. Both plans also pull from an assessment on insurance companies’ proﬁts and administrative costs to create reinsurance funds. Neither plan will fully absorb the estimated 6,800 parents and 3,000 children the governor is proposing eliminating from RIte Care, according to Maigret and Neal. “Not everybody will ﬁt into that category,” Neal said. Carcieri’s plan also creates a state bond to transition to electronic recordkeeping for medical records. Although providers and hospitals are moving away from paper-based recordkeeping, state and federal support is necessary for those records to be available to patients and emergency care providers, according to Carcieri’s press release on the program. Meanwhile, a bill introduced

by District 3 State Sen. Rhoda Perry and District 2 State Rep. Paul Moura would provide discounts on prescription drugs for elderly uninsured patients through state negotiations directly with pharmaceutical companies. Similar plans have been adopted in two other states, Perry said, who worked with the AFL-CIO and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America in crafting the plan. “The discount plan is analogous to the discounted medicines that are currently available to the state employees of Rhode Island,” she said. Although some have raised concerns about the plan, called “Rhode Island’s Best Rx” plan by Perry, because it does not require an income test for program eligibility for any uninsured patients over the age of 60, she said the wide eligibility will help the people who need it. “Some people say, ‘Oh my God, Rhoda, they could be rich people.’ But you show me a rich person who does not have a rich insurance plan,” Perry said. States serve as an important laboratory to test out new approaches to national problems in health care, particularly rising costs and declining access to care. Health policy makers, however, have mixed opinions on Rhode Island’s use as a laboratory — its small size, Neal said, is a liability when trying to negotiate bulk deals with pharmaceutical companies and other national organizations. “The cost of prescription drugs is a larger issue than Rhode Island, and it needs a national solution,” Neal said. But, Maigret said, new ideas can be passed and implemented faster in Rhode Island, and the state can always join other states to negotiate for better prescription drug prices.

CAMPUS NEWS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD · THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2006 · PAGE 5

Faculty weigh in on plus/minus debate BY ILA TYAGI STAFF WRITER

Of the 181 members of the faculty who responded to a 2003 poll conducted by the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning, 82 percent were in favor of adding pluses and minuses to the University’s grading system. Though there has been no new survey, it is clear that, three years later, many faculty members still support pluses and minuses. Several professors interviewed by The Herald who support pluses and minuses offered disparate reasons for their positions. The change in the grading proposal has been met with opposition from undergraduates, with 70 percent of students expressing disapproval in a Herald poll released in February. Some students have argued that a changed grading system would fundamentally alter the spirit of the New Curriculum. Some professors agree that pluses and minuses would decrease collaboration within the student body and lead to a more competitive environment, which will harm education in the long run. Others, such as Luther Spoehr, lecturer in education and vice chair of the College Curriculum Council, assert that changing the grading system would not alter Brown’s academic atmosphere. “The grading system as a whole provides lots of opportunities for Brown students to invest themselves, take risks and try new things,” he said. “I have no problem with that at all.” He added that late deadlines for choosing to take a course S/NC, the option to drop a course up to the day of the ﬁnal exam, the fact that students can take any course they want S/NC and the fact that no grades below a C appear on transcripts all foster risk-taking. Dean of the Faculty Rajiv Vohra P’07, a professor of economics, agreed that the addition of pluses and minuses has no bearing on the freedom the S/NC option offers to students. “I think the faculty would be loathe to impose a system that might restrict students from taking courses that challenged them,” he said. Patricia Sobral, lecturer in Portuguese and Brazilian studies, also believes that the addition of pluses and minuses to the grading system is not as big of an issue as students seem to think it is. “If they were taking S/NC away altogether, it would be a different thing,” she said. Three letter grades give professors the opportunity to make only three broad distinctions when evaluating students. This system, Spoehr said, “almost mandates ambiguity.” Daniel Stupar, a technician in the Department of Visual Arts who currently teaches two sections of VA 10: “Studio Foundation,” agreed that having three letter grades almost “forces the hand of favoritism.” He said a student whose work is on the border between an A and a B but who has made a strong personal impression on the teacher is more likely to receive an A.

“It makes a lot of us feel very casual about the grading system at Brown,” he said. Currently an A on a transcript can mean anything between a Bplus and an A-plus. Spoehr argued that professors’ practice of using pluses and minuses to grade assignments during the course of the semester is an indication that they are able to make finer distinctions when evaluating students’ work. “It is important throughout the semester to have a nuanced idea of where you’re at in relation to the rest of the class,” Sobral said. Like many faculty members, she already uses pluses and minuses to grade assignments even though they do not show up on the final transcript. “An A-minus shows a student that they’re doing well, but still need to keep up their work,” she said, adding that rounding an A-minus up “would make them think they were in the A range entirely.” A majority of the faculty seemed to agree that greater precision in grading is a step in the right direction. Vohra cannot see any reason to prevent teachers from conveying the level of their students’ work with greater clarity. “In most cases instructors have better information about distinctions within their student group,” he said. Vohra added that though nearly 50 percent of grades at Brown are A’s, he doubted the addition of pluses and minuses would counteract grade inflation significantly. Many in the faculty feel that grade inflation is out of hand at Brown, arguing that the introduction of B-pluses and Aminuses will reduce the pressure to award A’s. However, both Spoehr and Jonathan Waage, professor of biology and a CCC member, echoed Vohra’s argument that the proposal will, at most, put only a small dent in grade inflation, as there is no evidence that the introduction of pluses and minuses would reduce the number of students receiving A’s. Spoehr objects to the way a three-letter grading system leaves room for dishonesty. If, for instance, a student is getting a B in one course, the current system allows him to let his work drop to a B-minus level and devote extra time to another B-level course to work toward an A. During his 10 years at Brown, Spoehr has heard upperclassmen advise first-years on how to “game the system” in this manner. “I think students here are very competitive about grades, but in an unacknowledged way,” he

said. “The new grading system would be not more competitive, but less manipulative.” Stupar said he has also found grades to be a highly motivating factor for students, even within the visual art department. Faculty within the department recommend taking classes S/NC to encourage students to focus on the creative aspect of the subject, but in the past students have not found an S grade to be sufﬁciently motivating and an unfair reward for the amount of effort they put into the class. Waage said the faculty should think long and hard before changing the system for everyone just because a few students abuse it. Sobral, for her part, expressed disappointment at the way the proposal has shown students to be excessively concerned with the outcome of the courses they take. “Students shouldn’t see themselves in terms of grades,” she said. Spoehr has heard from both students who support the change and oppose it, and he emphasized his belief that students are entitled to their own opinion. He believes the largely negative student response to the plus/minus proposal arose partly as a result of the inaccurate impression that the CCC was attempting to bring about the change on the sly. “We need to argue, talk, debate and discuss,” he said. “In many ways this is Brown at its best.” Spoehr stressed that the power to bring the new grading proposal into effect lies not with the CCC, but with the faculty as a whole. He believes that although students should have their say in the matter, the ﬁnal decision “belongs in the hands of people responsible for educating them over a long period of time.” He said his argument in support of the change is a distillation of conversations he has had with other members of the faculty. “I have heard almost no opposition (from the faculty),” he said. Stupar acknowledged that if he were a student, he might see the addition of pluses and minuses as a step backward as they make it more difficult for students to achieve stellar transcripts. “Though (the plus/minus grading proposal) may seem retrograde,” he said, “it will help students more than hurt them.” He added that in the event of pluses and minuses being introduced, the best thing professors can do for their students is to state clearly what their expectations are for a course. In this way, students can know exactly what their output should be in order to see PLUS/MINUS, page 8

UCS approves resolution opposing pluses and minuses Impeachment notices dropped BY STU WOO CAMPUS WATCH EDITOR

The Undergraduate Council of Students passed a resolution opposing the addition of pluses and minuses to the University’s grading system at its meeting Wednesday night. Dean of College and College Curriculum Council Chair Paul Armstrong attended the meeting and discussed his support for the new grading system, reiterating the points he made at the plus/minus forum on March 2, but the resolution still passed without objection. Associate Vice President of Campus Life and Dean for Student Life Margaret Klawunn also attended the meeting to discuss the ﬁnal report from the Ad Hoc Committee to Review Social Events Policy and Procedure. Several UCS members objected to the report’s suggestion that intoxicated students be banned from social events. Klawunn said the idea was to stop the prevalence of “pre-gaming.” “That’s the really dangerous behavior — that’s where your fellow students wind up on ventilators because they’re almost dying,” Klawunn said. “We’re saving people’s lives every weekend with (Emergency Medical Services), but we don’t want to be using that. We want students to understand how

dangerous that is and to stop drinking on that (high) level.” Klawunn also discussed the report’s recommendation that Sayles Hall be not used for future events. She said large events may be held at Andrews Dining Hall or a renovated Bear’s Lair in the future. Although nine UCS members were served notices of their potential removal at last week’s meeting, no one was impeached Wednesday night, and the topic was not addressed. UCS President Sarah Saxton-Frump ’07 told The Herald that the matter would be dropped because there was no action taken. UCS also categorized two student groups and uncategorized ﬁve student groups. Amaaz, a South Asian journal of arts, received category I status, while the Jabberwocks moved from category II to category III. Chaise, the Tikkun Club, Brown’s Disability Awareness Council, the International Association of Exchange of Students for Technical Experience and the Brown Animal Rights Coalition were uncategorized for various reasons. Representative Michael Glassman ’09 said UCS has $29,000 to spend on student summer storage and will institute a program similar to that of last year, when UCS handed out $50 storing vouchers to 700 students.

PAGE 6 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2006

Miko continued from page 3 by Megan Andelloux, a sexual health educator who has worked at Miko off and on for about ﬁve years, as well as at Planned Parenthood and her own consulting business. According to Andelloux, Miko offers 20 different classes, covering topics such as masturbation, oral and anal sex, sex toys, dirty talk and more, as well as the general topic of “How to Be a Better Lover.” The oral and anal sex classes are the most popular, although the class on female sexuality is becoming more popular, Andelloux said. “How to Please a Woman in Bed” is one of the least popular classes, largely because of the stigma that men face about knowing what they are supposed to do, she said. “Guys are very nervous signing up and actually showing up,” she said. Among Brown students, the most popular classes are Sex Toys 101, Oral Sex — ofﬁcially titled “Honey Pots and Popsicles: Oral Sex Tricks of the Trade” — and Bondage, Discipline, Sadomasochism, Andelloux said. She noted that the oral sex class attracts a lot of people because class members actually practice on dildos and mangos. Gellman estimated that between 10 and 15 percent of the classes are made up of Brown students, though Andelloux estimated the percentage to be closer to 20. “The great thing about Brown students is they ask a lot of questions,” Gellman said. Brown students are at an age where they are open to a lot of new ideas, he added. Gellman said he wants more Brown students to come to Miko for classes. “I think Brown and

Providence (are) really fortunate to have this resource,” he said. “A gynecologist doesn’t have these answers. They don’t teach you how to masturbate in medical school.” The education center space allows Miko to offer multiple sections of the most popular classes, potentially during store hours, he said. Gellman said they are considering holding half-hour classes at lunchtime to cater to those in the downtown area. Some of Miko’s classes are geared toward parents and cover issues such as how to talk to kids about sex, he said. One class in the works will teach students how to write erotica, he said. Gellman added that one of Miko’s employees is a published erotic writer. “It’s going to get really exciting,” he said. According to Gellman, classes cost about $15, and attendees get the added benefit of a 10 percent discount at the store, in case they want to purchase any of the sex toys they have learned to use. Andelloux said classes are open to all, but single men must come with a friend. Andelloux described the classes as having a very interactive and relaxed atmosphere, where people can talk about the various positive and negative sexual messages, such as abstinence-only curriculums in public schools. She added that the genital models “Fannie” and “Fred” always go over well. Andelloux said one of her hopes for the education center is to incorporate information about birth control, sexually transmitted diseases and health care into her classes. She is also planning to hold a movie night once a month, screening hard-to-find sexuality films and following each up with a discussion. In addition, Andelloux, who regularly speaks to

Brown’s Female Sexuality Workshop about such topics as STDs, anatomy and sex toys, said she would like to get more Brown students involved in the movie nights, classes, speakers and possibly even internship opportunities at Miko. Julie Flynn ’08, program coordinator for the Sarah Doyle Women’s Center, said she first found out about the classes offered at Miko after Andelloux came to campus to hold a workshop in the spring of 2005 for cast members of the Vagina Monologues. “I went downtown with friends and realized that Miko has tons of cool workshops … but they are small and hard to get into,” Flynn said. After having difficulty getting into some of the classes, Flynn said she and some friends scheduled Andelloux for a threehour independent workshop on campus. “Megan comes to Brown with a suitcase of dildos and just walks in and we’re like, ‘Alright!’” Flynn said. Since she started working for the Women’s Center this year, Flynn said she organized a co-ed workshop in December 2005 that focused on the female orgasm and got a very large turnout. Flynn noted that one of Andelloux’s greatest skills is making everybody feel comfortable. “I feel like she could talk to your grandmother about sex and it would be fine,” she said. She said she also appreciates that Miko is feminist-run and emphasizes education. “While the workshops are as racy as you might want them to be, they are very grounded. … There is a high emphasis on safety and health,” Flynn said. “I think that (the workshops are) something the Women’s Center is proud to be a part of,” she added. Flynn said she thinks Miko’s education center is a great idea. “I can understand how this would be a fabulous thing for their store — to have (the center) connected right there. I’m sure it’s in high demand,” she said. Flynn, a visual art concentrator, was also thrilled by the idea of an art gallery at Miko. “I bet it’s going to be crazy feminist art … vaginas all over the place,” she said.

CAFTA continued from page 3 market in U.S. exports every year, according to White House press statements. Under the agreement, companies located in CAFTA countries would have equal footing with domestic companies in procurement, or the process by which companies bid for state contracts. Signatory states that give preference to local companies could face trade sanctions or loss of funds from the federal government if a CAFTA panel finds them to be a “barrier to trade.” The states would not be allowed to appeal the panel’s decision without federal support. Global Trade Watch, an antiCAFTA nonprofit, reported that 19 state governors had signed the agreement, which bound their state to procurement rules as of Feb. 16. During deliberations, supporters of the bill said Carcieri ought to have discussed the letter with legislators first before signing on for the state, according to a Feb. 17 article in

MPC’s continued from page 1 dealing mainly with residential issues. “It’s commonly quoted that 85 percent of the work done by MPCs, (Women Peer Counselors) and (Residential Counselors) is identical, and only 15 percent of the work is speciﬁc to each position,” Fine said before the proposal was unveiled. The fact that MPCs report to the RPL system under the current arrangement creates a divided identity for the counselors. “You are first and foremost an MPC, and that has been lost this year and in previous years,” Ornelas said. “MPCs felt more like RCs, and now we can re-establish the original goals of the program.” After the proposal was presented, Ornelas and McLaurin opened up the discussion to questions and concerns from those in attendance. Many of the concerns touched on the reduc-

the Providence Journal. While all of the countries in CAFTA must sign the agreement in order for it to go into effect, states can request to voluntarily withdraw from the agreement in order to uphold laws which give preference to local or state vendors — which a recently passed bill sponsored by District 3. State Rep. Edith Ajello, a Democrat, intends. The bill also calls for the state to invalidate all other free trade agreements made by Carcieri and previous governors According to legislature records, Ajello’s bill has been referred to the state Senate Committee on Government Oversight, but a spokesperson for committee clerk Herbert Couper would not immediately comment on when the committee would begin deliberations on the bill. District 35 State Sen. J. Michael Lenihan MAT ’68, a Democrat who chairs the committee, said he had “no knowledge” of the bill as of yet. Paul DeRoche, vice president for government relationships of the Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, said he does not expect the Chamber of Commerce would take a position on the House bill.

tion in number of MPCs for next year, which the presenters acknowledged was not ideal. Presenters said this change was unknown to them when they originally drafted the proposal. When asked about the downsides of the new program aside from the reduction in counselors, Ornelas said that as with any new program, there will be a period of adjustment where “you try to find your footing.” McLaurin stressed that changes are still in the proposal stage and will be vetted to the community over the next few weeks. The MPC Steering Committee will then make some final changes, taking the community’s concerns into account, and will submit the proposal to David Greene, vice president for campus life and student services. The MPC Steering Committee remains confident that these changes are the best way to improve the MPC program at Brown. “With these changes, the campus becomes a safer, more educated and inclusive place,” Ornelas said.

StarF*ck continued from page 1 gender and sexuality issues to the student body. The group is “not doing anything speciﬁc” in terms of a replacement dance, Teitelbaum said. QA does, however, plan to create posters from a photo shoot featuring Brown students. The posters will be similar to those used to advertise SPG in the fall but will instead promote the importance of sexual health. The organization will also work to provide more HIV tests and hepatitis vaccinations on campus. QA remains uncertain about the future of StarF*ck and SPG. Teitelbaum could not say whether the group would hold SPG in the fall. Teitelbaum cited inadequate time to make necessary improvements as another reason for StarF*ck’s cancellation. “We just didn’t have that kind of time on our hands” between semesters, he said.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9 , 2006 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD PAGE 7

Baltimore port operator defends takeover by Dubai ﬁrm BY AMIT PALEY W ASHINGTON POST

BALTIMORE — The company embroiled in a seaport security controversy over its purchase by a Dubai-owned ﬁrm launched a campaign Wednesday to defend the deal, saying Arab ownership of the company won’t have any impact on the safety of ports where it operates. Standing in front of the bustling Seagirt Marine Terminal that they operate, officials from the company, P&O Ports, said they were beginning a public relations blitz to show that the takeover, by state-owned Dubai Ports World, would have no effect on its work force or its daily operations. “The same folks that work here today will be working here tomorrow,” said Mark Montgomery, senior vice president of East Coast operations. He pointed out that only four of the company’s 65 employees at the Port of Baltimore are not U.S. citizens. The event, which company officials described as the first in a series they plan in ports nationwide, came as lawmakers in Washington and Maryland increased their calls to kill the deal. Critics say the acquisition poses a threat to national security. The U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to vote on a measure next week that could thwart the purchase of P&O, which operates in ports in New York, New Jersey, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Miami and New Orleans. “This is not a smart move from the standpoint of security,” Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley, a Democratic gubernatorial candidate, said in an interview. “It’s foolish to turn over those vulnerable (port) operations to any foreign government.”

Officials from P&O, which traces its roots in Baltimore to 1921, said they have a small impact on overall port security. In Baltimore, the company is responsible for operating two terminals — by moving cargo on and off rail cars — and for stevedoring, which means overseeing the loading and unloading of ships. The company said it has no access to official security plans that are kept by the Coast Guard. And though it delivers containers to be X-rayed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, P&O never opens them. “We do not even know what’s in the containers,” Montgomery said. Robert Scavone, P&O’s executive vice president of security, said the company did not respond vigorously to some of the initial concerns about the deal because they seemed so off-base that officials doubted they would gain traction. “We were probably a little naive about the way American politics works,” Montgomery said. Also Wednesday, the O’Malley administration stepped up its efforts to block the deal. City Solicitor Ralph Tyler sent a letter to the Maryland Port Administration calling on it to prohibit “the assignment to Dubai World of any of the rights that MPA has granted to P&O under any effective contract, lease, or agreement.” The letter said such changes must be approved by the port administration and the state Board of Public Works. “Our country has failed miserably to deal with our ports,” O’Malley said, “and we are only compounding that problem by turning over the operations of our ports to a foreign government.”

Baby penguin, sibling to kidnapped Toga, a new celebrity in Britain BY KEVIN SULLIVAN WASHINGTON POST

NEWCHURCH, England — The blinking baby, covered with soft gray fuzz, weighs less than two pounds. Not yet a month old — too young to even determine its sex — it is already a mini-celebrity in Britain, an old hand at television appearances, with a London newspaper running a national competition to choose its name. That’s because the baby penguin is the little sibling of Toga, and everybody here remembers what happened to him. “It’s still a shock,” said Kath Bright, manager of Amazon World Zoo Park here on the Isle of Wight, just off England’s southern coast, where 18-inchtall Toga was stolen a week before Christmas. The theft became a national soap opera in Britain. Television news channels carried regular live updates from somber reporters at the scene and news anchors pleaded for the thief to return Toga. His plight generated calls and donations from as far away as Peru, India and New Zealand, partly, Bright said, because people’s interest in penguins was already high due to the popularity of “March of the Penguins,” which won the Oscar for Best Documentary at Sunday’s Academy Awards ceremony. But despite the efforts of police and even the Royal Navy, and nearly $50,000 in donations to offer as a reward for his safe return, the 9-pound South African jackass penguin was never found. An anonymous caller said he threw him into Portsmouth harbor, but since he was still too young to survive without his parents, Bright said, he never would have made it on his own. “We still don’t know what

happened to him, we probably never will,” Bright said. But the sadness at Amazon World lifted on Valentine’s Day, when Toga’s parents, Oscar and Kyala, produced another chick. The baby cracked its way out of its egg in the same nest where Toga was born, amid an array of plastic slabs painted to look like the shoreline rocks of South Africa. “After all the tears we had, this was like a breath of fresh air,” said Lisa Simpkins, the zoo’s penguin handler, stroking the new baby’s downy head. Simpkins discovered the new baby fresh from its shell, tucked under its father’s wing, when she checked the nest on Valentine’s morning. She said that for weeks after Toga disappeared, Oscar and Kyala kept searching the nesting areas in the penguin enclosure, looking for him. It has only been since the new baby’s birth that they seem settled again. “I’m just so glad that mum and dad are back to their old selves,” she said. The baby has barely ventured out of its dark nest since, and when it does it still has trouble standing up and walking on its new feet. Its parents are extremely protective and bray like donkeys — the sound that gives them their jackass name — when anyone comes too close. In a few weeks, as soon as the baby develops feathers, one will be plucked for DNA testing to determine its gender. The thief who stole Toga apparently climbed over a couple of easily scaled fences to enter the penguin enclosure, which is nestled between the ringtailed lemurs’ cage, the heated giant anteater house and a pen holding wild South American pigs. Now security has been tightened with new motion

Bush visits New Orleans’ 9th Ward, criticizing Congress for shortchanging repairs BY MICHAEL FLETCHER AND SPENCER HSU WASHINGTON POST

NEW ORLEANS — President Bush made his ﬁrst visit to New Orleans’ storm-shattered Lower 9th Ward on Wednesday and later inspected ongoing efforts to ﬁx a nearby le-

vee, where he accused Congress of underfunding the repairs. While promising that the ongoing work will result in levees “equal or better than what they were” before Hurricane Katrina, Bush also criticized Congress for redirecting $1.5 billion from his request to repair this region’s ﬂood protection

system to other projects. “Congress heard our message about improving the levees but they shortchanged the process by about $1.5 billion dollars,” Bush said as he called for the money to be restored. He also urged lawmakers to approve his latest storm-related budget request, which included $4.2 billion for grants to help residents rebuild their homes or relocate. “I fully understand — and I hope our country understands — the pain and agony that the people of New Orleans and Louisiana and the parishes surrounding New Orleans went through,” he said. “But I think people would be impressed by the desire for the people in this part of the country to pick up and move on and rebuild.” The president’s trip to the Gulf Coast, his tenth since Hurricane Katrina devastated the region in August, came as his administration’s response to the disaster continued to come under ﬁre by Democrats in Congress. In recent weeks, the federal government’s sluggish response to the disaster has been roundly criticized in reports produced both by House Republicans and the

White House itself. Also, independent experts have criticized the levee repair work as using substandard materials and designs — which the administration disputes. “How can the nation have any confidence that the administration is capable of getting the recovery right?” said Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. “Congress has an obligation to monitor the federal role with special vigilance, to be sure the rebuilding effort is as effective as possible as quickly as possible. The long-suffering people of New Orleans and other victims of Katrina deserve no less.” In Washington D.C., a Senate investigative panel held its final hearing into the government’s flawed response before releasing its report later this month. Chairman Susan Collins, R-Maine, said the Federal Emergency Management Agency should not be pulled out of the Department of Homeland Security and restored to independent, cabinet level status, but pushed for other changes. “If you still have poor leadership and inadequate resources, you’re going to have the same results,” Collins said.

sensors and a closed-circuit television surveillance system is in the works, Bright said. Bright said there are only about 150,000 jackass penguins in the world, mainly in South Africa, and about 150 in British zoos — including seven at Amazon World. She said the zoo takes part in a European conservation program that releases some penguins bred in captivity into the wild in South Africa. The habitat there is threatened by shipping, oil spills and over-fishing of the penguin’s favorite foods, so breeders hope that zoo penguins can help to increase the wild population. The new chick could ultimately be taken to South Africa and released, depending on how well it grows. But, she said, “We kind of hope he’ll stay.” In the meantime, news of the baby penguin’s birth has given a lift to people on the Isle of Wight, a roughly diamondshaped, 147-square mile island of hills and fields where Keats, Dickens, Longfellow and Tennyson visited and wrote. “It’s lovely; we’re quite pleased that it has all worked out,” said June Brown, 54, who sells coffee and snacks at the ferry terminal in the town of Ryde, the main gateway for visitors to the island. Brown said she was shocked at Toga’s theft. Most people on the island, which has a population of about 140,000, assume that the thief was not a local, she explained: “We honestly couldn’t think that somebody from here could have done something like that. I should imagine it would have been a visitor.” Brown hopes to take her grandchildren to see the new penguin.” This is a nice ending to something that was rather nasty,” she said.

Briefs continued from page 12 a team participating in that weekend’s Frozen Four. The competitions will include puck control relay, fastest skater, hardest shot, rapid ﬁre shooting and penalty shot. Ramsay said her best event will probably be the fastest skater competition, followed by the penalty shot and puck control. While her attention is focused on the team’s series with Princeton this weekend in the ECACHL semifinals, Ramsay is planning on practicing for the event once the Bears’ season ends. She pointed out that being able to practice against the team’s three outstanding goaltenders as an advantage. “You can’t expect to compete if you haven’t been skating,” Ramsay said. As a side note, also competing will be Providence College’s Karen Thatcher, who transferred from Brown after one season. She had 35 points (12 goals, 23 assists) in her one season before leaving for the Friars. — Chris Hatfield

PAGE 8 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, MARCH 9 , 2006

Plus/minus continued from page 5 achieve the grade they want. Waage is among the faculty who are not convinced by the arguments in support of the change in grading. He stressed that adding pluses and minuses to the current grading system would add a “false clarity” to it. Waage said he knows at least two other faculty members who do not support the CCC’s plus/ minus grading proposal. Even though faculty have guidelines as to how many students should be receiving what grades, the criteria for assigning those grades are left to individual professors’ discretion, he said. Thus, A’s awarded by two different professors can mean different things. Adding pluses and minuses would merely elaborate on a system that already leaves much room for subjectivity, rather than fundamentally altering its structure. “The grading system is not always very accurate, and making it seem more accurate than it is makes me uncomfortable,” Waage said.

According to Waage, pluses and minuses are not the kind of clarity the University ought to be striving for. Wishing to elaborate on his statement in the March 2 forum on grading that “our current system sucks (and) adding pluses and minuses is not going to make it less sucky,” he expressed a belief that letter grades are not rich in information and that more nuanced divisions between them will not increase the information they provide. Ideally, he would like to see a de-emphasizing of grades on transcripts. “I’ve seen (students who got B’s) a couple of semesters later, and they’re much better at understanding the use of the material than students I gave A’s,” he said, adding that a number of factors during the course of the semester and exams can come into play to prevent students from receiving grades that accurately reﬂect their ability. While he understands the value and need for grades, Waage said, he favors letters of recommendation, evaluations and portfolios as more effective ways in which to indicate a student’s level of academic accomplishment.

Military continued from page 1 government. Kimberly DelGizzo, director of the Career Development Center, said conflict between the non-discrimination policy and military policy “has not been an issue” because the military does “not actively participate in our recruiting program.” DelGizzo said though “they do come to our career fairs … they do not conduct on-campus interviews.” The CDC defines on-campus recruiters as only those who conduct on-campus interviews. Because military recruiters do not, they are not required to sign the non-discrimination statement. The United States Marine Corps recruits at Brown for its Platoon Leadership Course, a summer program for officer candidates that does not obligate participants to join the military. Captain Aaron Fielder, USMC officer selection officer, said he comes to Brown for career fairs and for interviews when students request it, but “that is about it.” He said he works “with the career services office … to get the word out about the program” and usually contacts eligible students through e-mail once a year. His main goal is “to get the information out,” he said, and he is careful to unsubscribe people who ask not to be contacted again. “I hate e-mailing people that do not want to be e-mailed by me,” he said, adding that he also removes the names of non-U.S. citizens, who are not eligible for the program. Fielder said he gets students’ email addresses from the CDC. But DelGizzo said the CDC does not provide students’ contact information to anyone. As for the non-discrimination policy, Fielder said he has had “no trouble at all.” He said in his conversations with Brown students, even those just interested in dialogue and not looking to join a program, he has “never had anybody be rude.”

Nunnery continued from page 1 a mystery. The hall’s “Mother Superior,” En-Ling Wu ’08, said she thinks the nickname for the longtime all-female hallway dates back to the 1980s or 1990s. “Or maybe it was due to the fact that we sing to ‘The Sound of Music,’” she said. Hallway resident Rosi Greenberg ’09 speculates that perhaps it is a reference to “Hamlet,” and Krishna Chokshi ’09 vaguely remembers discussing the term with her RC earlier this school year. No one is quite certain. Aside from sharing the mysteriously dubbed “Nunnery,” the girls of West Andrews also share a diverse range of backgrounds and interests. Joanna Abousleiman ’09 comes from Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Chokshi is an animal rights activist. Noor Najeeb ’09, a Wisconsin native and another resident of the Nunnery, said it is this diversity and culture that greatly contribute to the single-sex housing experience. Still, while some residents are content with all-female housing, others, such as Helena Anrather ’09, would have preferred a co-

Misleading mailings ROTC was forced off Brown’s campus in 1972 during the Vietnam War, but University students wishing to enroll can still do so through a program at Providence College. Dean of the College Paul Armstrong said his ofﬁce provides a link to PC’s ROTC program on his Web site to “make students aware of the opportunity.” Lt. Col. Paul Dulchinos, battalion commander of the PC ROTC program, said he recruits at Brown through “personalized letters.” One sent out earlier this year — on Brown stationary but without the name of any Brown ofﬁce —

caused “some confusion (because) some students thought the letter meant there was a Department of Military” Science at Brown. The University does not give students participating in ROTC at PC any academic credit for the classes, he said. Armstrong said the letter was “a mistake” because it had the heading “Department of Military Science” under the Brown letterhead and Dulchinos identified himself as an assistant professor, neither of which had been on the draft of the letter Armstrong approved. The letter “violated our understanding about cooperation,” Armstrong said, adding that he was “furious.” The understanding they “had agreed to” involves Armstrong’s office providing the ROTC program with the names and mailbox numbers of first-years. It “seems like a reasonable thing to do,” Armstrong said. Dulchinos said he has had “complete cooperation” from Brown, adding, “it’s not that intrusive” to be sent a piece of paper. “The Solomon Amendment pretty much allows us” to send campus-wide mailings, he added. Armstrong’s office and the ROTC program generally “trust each other and work together,” Armstrong said, and “sending out a misleading letter … does not serve our relationship well.” However, Brown’s relationship with the ROTC program has been positive in the past, and Armstrong characterized this as an “isolated mistake.” As for the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, Dulchinos said he “follow(s) the policy. … We don’t ask and they don’t tell.” When students sign the ROTC enrollment form, they must check off a box stating they understand the policy, he said. Recruiters are trained not to assume anything based on student group “affiliations,” he added. “Nobody is on a witch hunt,” he said. As for the policy itself, Dulchinos says it comes with “the nature of our business,” adding that the military is also exempt from the Americans with Disabilities Act.

ed living environment. “While single-sex education has its benefits, it can actually be pretty educational and important to live with the opposite sex, at the very least to demystify stereotypes and break down gender boundaries,” she said. Anrather was placed in single-sex housing by ResLife. Rosario Navarro, assistant director of housing, said this occasionally happens to first-years by default when a vacancy matches the gender. In addition to the West Andrews basement level, other single-sex housing for 2005-2006 includes all of Metcalf Hall (all female) and the first floor of Miller Hall, which is all male. Navarro said each year a significant number of students are interested in this type of special interest housing for several reasons. The most compelling allure of single-sex housing, according to pleased Nunnery residents, is the “greater degree of satisfaction and comfort in simple things like the bathroom,” Bhattacharya said. Navarro noted that while coed residences such as Hope College or Slater Hall have designated women’s and men’s restrooms, not everyone observes them, sometimes causing inconvenience and discomfort for certain individuals.

Navarro said this may be the biggest incentive to go single-sex. Najeeb said she prefers single-sex housing because she and the people that surround her are “bonded by a certain commonality of values.” Between private bathrooms and close relationships, some of the residents of the Nunnery are convinced that single-sex housing has been a great experience and would be worth trying again next year. Bhattacharya, Najeeb, Chokshi and Abousleiman all plan to live together in the fall in an all-girls section of New Pembroke. Their one jocular complaint was that while other special interest groups, such as substance-free and all-male housing, receive “better” dorms, all-female housing is allocated to the “worst” dorms on campus. “Is this is a reﬂection of a patriarchal society?” Chokshi asked. But future housing plans aside, most of the residents enjoy being a part of the Nunnery. “I love living in West Andrews because I love the people that I live with and the relationships I have with them. That’s not to say that if I had lived somewhere else I wouldn’t love that too … but this place will always be special to me,” Wu said.

The debate nationwide The constitutionality of the Solomon Amendment was challenged in the Supreme Court by the Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights, a coalition of law schools. The Court ruled in favor of the Solomon Amendment Monday, denying FAIR’s claim that the Solomon Amendment violates universities’ right to freedom of association. Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in his opinion on the case, “A military recruiter’s mere presence on campus does not violate a law school’s right to associate, regardless of how repugnant the law school considers the recruiter’s message.” Yale Law School barred military recruiters from its campus on Feb. 1 after a Connecticut District Court ruled in favor of 44 Yale Law faculty members who contended the Solomon Amendment is unconstitutional. Prior to the decision, Yale Law had temporarily suspended its non-discrimination policy in order to continue receiving approximately $350 million in federal funds. The Pentagon is currently withholding funding from three small law schools — New York Law School, Vermont Law School and William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul, Minn. — over non-compliance with the Solomon Amendment. DelGizzo said the University’s policies “absolutely will be reviewed” in light of the Court’s decision.

THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2006 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD PAGE 9

Siblings continued from page 12 matches. Competing for the same school also makes it easier for their parents. “They like watching both of us play,” Breck said. But Patrick clarified, “They like watching me more. They told me so.” Whether or not Patrick actually is the favorite child, squash is a family tradition. Out of five Haynes siblings, four have competed in squash at the collegiate level. Crosby, the eldest, played for Dartmouth’s women’s team before graduating in 2004. Schuyler plays for Bates College’s women’s team and will graduate in 2007. The youngest sibling, Player, is currently a freshman at Phillips Exeter. In fact, the Haynes family ties spread even deeper within the Brown squash teams, as Patrick’s and Breck’s cousin, Chester Hall ’08, is currently a member of the men’s team, and his sister, Letitia Hall ’02 played for the women’s team. “It’s a big family affair,” Patrick said. Big bro on campus The Hayneses say having a sibling on campus is great. They were each recruited by Brown and saw the University as a good fit, appreciating the way in which Brown students balance academics with their social lives. Despite the age difference the two spend plenty of time together. “We see each other a lot… enough… borderline too much,” Patrick said. For the Cerullos, their decisions to attend Brown came independently of one another. Edward had always liked the school, but Megan avoided considering Brown for that very reason. “I thought different schools would be good for us,” she said. “That way, we could have separate experiences.” But Megan was attracted by Brown’s open curriculum and the women’s squash program, run by Head Coach Stuart leGassick. “I

liked the coach and how the girls on the team took both their varsity and academic experiences seriously,” she said. Both Megan and Edward, who lived in France for a year and like to travel together, now live in Machado House. But unlike the Hayneses, the two see surprisingly little of each other. “He’s always really busy,” Megan said. The two do, however, check up on each other. “It’s nice to have someone you’re really close with, someone who knows you intimately and will be there for you,” Edward said. Megan cited scheduling conﬂicts as the only negative aspect of having a sibling at the same school. For example, “Sometimes when we’re going home, he wants to leave earlier,” Megan said. “But that’s just logistics.” The Hayneses and Cerullos share other loves besides squash. Breck horseback rides and skis, while Patrick plays all sports except basketball. Likewise, both Megan and Edward ski, snowboard, water-ski, golf and play soccer. But squash remains their main passion. Edward has great respect for his sister’s skills. “She is one of the most talented squash players,” he said. “Ever.” At times, Edward even ﬁnds himself envying his sister’s talent. “I don’t have as much natural ability,” he said. “It’s always been frustrating. I have to spend a lot of time training physically and a lot of hours on the court, but she doesn’t have to work as hard. I wish I had some of her talent.” However, both twins agree that Edward would probably win a match-up now. “I think I’ve got the upper hand,” Edward said. “Boys have a muscular advantage,” Megan explained. But at the end of the day, it does not matter who wins and who loses, which sibling has the advantage of natural talent and which has the advantage of power and size. Megan and Edward will never be ordinary rivals, just as squash for Breck and Patrick will never be just another sport. As Patrick said, it’s a family affair.

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Softball continued from page 12 ing at the Charleston Southern Tournament last weekend. Although they went 2-4 in the tournament, the Bears hit four home runs over the weekend, more than they hit in all of March last season. “Our power has definitely gotten better,” Wilson said. “We have several players with the ability to hit home runs.” On top of the offense playing well, Garrison got the first two wins of her collegiate career against Rutgers University and the University of Vermont. She had a particularly impressive showing against the Scarlet Knights, giving up only two runs on three hits while striking out five.

Intramurals continued from page 12 at the front desk of the OMAC. Last semester, the intramural department gave away samples from Old Spice and Philips. Several intramural “Athletes of the Week” were awarded $100 Philips Norelco razors, Clauss said. Despite the corporate nature of ACIS, Clauss said she has heard no complaints from Brown students, many of whom have been outspoken about their discontent with large corporations such as Wal-Mart.

Even though Brown has to compensate for three major losses, it still returns seven starters, including tri-captain Jaimie Wirkowski ’06, the team’s lone returning All-Ivy representative, who will be moving to second base. Also returning to the lineup are Fleitell in center field, Wilson in right field, shortstop Mary Seid ’06, third baseman Melissa Ota ’07, catcher Amy Baxter ’08 and left fielder Natalie Hewitt ’08. One key to improving on last year’s 14-18-1 record will be improving in close games, as the Bears lost nine contests by two runs or fewer. “We had a lot of tough games last year,” Fleitell said. “But we have used those games as experience and motivation for this season.” Bruno’s depth will be tested early because they will be with-

out leadoff hitter Fleitell, who broke her hand sliding into second base last weekend, and Wirkowski, who has a broken finger and hopes to be back after spring break. Fleitell had surgery Wednesday and will be out for at least four weeks. Without their leaders from a year ago, the captains this year are trying to guide the team in the right direction and keep a positive outlook. “We just try to lead by example,” Wilson said. “Everyone is really focused on winning. This is the best team I have been on in terms of skill in my four years here.” “Right now we are just trying to come together as a team and get ready for the Ivy season,” Fleitell said. “If there is steady improvement until the league season starts, we should be fine.”

Two students exercising at the OMAC Wednesday evening expressed guarded approval for the corporate sponsorship of intramural sports. Jorge Rodriguez ’08, who plays intramural soccer and softball, said he had not heard of the corporate sponsorship, but said that it is “not a terrible thing.” “As long as it sticks to intramurals and stays small-scale,” it is ﬁne, Rodriguez said. “When it gets to the point that University Hall is covered with Pontiac ads, then it gets bad.” But Rodriguez added that it was important that the com-

panies involved do not “have a shady past.” He mentioned Coca-Cola’s alleged intimidation of Columbian unions as an example. Natacha Meyer ’08 was also surprised to ﬁnd out about the corporate sponsorship of the intramural programs, but said it could be beneﬁcial to both sponsors and students. “Whether the (corporate sponsorship) is positive or negative depends on the organizations and their relationship to the school,” Meyer said. “It’s positive to get the extra funding and it could be a symbiotic relationship.”

EDITORIAL/LETTERS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD · THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2006 · PAGE 10

STAFF EDITORIAL

Salomon 101, 4 p.m. Between studying for mid-terms, selecting housing for next year and finalizing spring break plans, the beginning of March can be a busy, stressful time for the average Brown student. Indeed, it can be hard to justify attending many of the worthwhile events on campus when the prospects of failing a class or living in a converted lounge become more and more real. But, if too many students spend this afternoon holed up in the library, one of the most significant curricular debates in Brown’s recent history may take place without input from those who stand to be most affected by its outcome — undergraduates. When it comes to reform, the University has a long, storied history of active student participation. Just ask anyone with a passing familiarity with the New Curriculum’s adoption in 1969. One of the most enduring images of those historic days in May is that of hundreds of students cheering and booing outside Sayles Hall as they reacted to the proceedings going on inside. While it’s reasonable — if a little cynical — to assume some of those students were just happy classes were cancelled for the faculty vote, we believe many of those students sat through hours of faculty debate because, ultimately, they knew the final vote mattered just as much for them as for their professors. This afternoon, a University-wide forum will address another change that could alter significantly the academic environment on campus, according to many student leaders — the addition of pluses and minuses to the University’s grading system. The forum is an opportunity to clear up several misperceptions about student concerns, including the misguided notion that student interest in preserving the current grading system only reflects their desire to “game the system.” Students can also dispel the notion that their strong opposition stems from the initial impression that the College Curriculum Council attempted to inappropriately expedite the approval process back in December. We take issue with the idea that faculty members have a more vested interested in the proceedings simply because they will likely be at Brown for a longer period of time. After all, one’s college transcript will resurface for many years after students take their last exam on College Hill. But, more importantly, many students choose to attend Brown because of its unique academic environment, and any discussion dealing with the fundamental nature of that environment will suffer dearly if student voices aren’t heard. We urge students to attend the University-wide forum at 4 p.m. in Salomon 101, even if it means getting a B on a mid-term the next day. Because, at least for now, you won’t be getting a B-minus.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD EDITORIAL Robbie Corey-Boulet, Editor-in-Chief Justin Elliott, Executive Editor Ben Miller, Executive Editor Stephanie Clark, Senior Editor Katie Lamm, Senior Editor Jonathan Sidhu, Arts & Culture Editor Jane Tanimura, Arts & Culture Editor Stu Woo, Campus Watch Editor Mary-Catherine Lader, Features Editor Ben Leubsdorf, Metro Editor Anne Wootton, Metro Editor Eric Beck, News Editor Patrick Harrison, Opinions Editor Nicholas Swisher, Opinions Editor Stephen Colelli, Sports Editor Christopher Hatﬁeld, Sports Editor Justin Goldman, Asst. Sports Editor Jilane Rodgers, Asst. Sports Editor Charlie Vallely, Asst. Sports Editor PRODUCTION Allison Kwong, Design Editor Taryn Martinez, Copy Desk Chief Lela Spielberg, Copy Desk Chief Mark Brinker, Graphics Editor Joe Nagle, Graphics Editor

PHOTO Jean Yves Chainon, Photo Editor Jacob Melrose, Photo Editor Ashley Hess, Sports Photo Editor Kori Schulman, Sports Photo Editor BUSINESS Ryan Shewcraft, General Manager Lisa Poon, Executive Manager David Ranken, Executive Manager Mitch Schwartz, Executive Manager Laurie-Ann Paliotti, Sr. Advertising Manager Susan Dansereau, Ofﬁce Manager POST- MAGAZINE Sonia Saraiya, Editor-in-Chief Taryn Martinez, Associate Editor Ben Bernstein, Features Editor Matt Prewitt, Features Editor Elissa Barba, Design Editor Lindsay Harrison, Graphics Editor Constantine Haghighi, Film Editor Paul Levande, Film Editor Jesse Adams, Music Editor Katherine Chan, Music Editor Hillary Dixler, Off-the-Hill Editor Abigail Newman, Theater Editor

Allison Kwong, Night Editor Natalia Fisher, Chris Gang, Taryn Martinez, Lela Spielberg, Copy Editors Senior Staff Writers Simmi Aujla, Stephanie Bernhard, Melanie Duch, Ross Frazier, Jonathan Herman, Rebecca Jacobson, Chloe Lutts, Caroline Silverman Staff Writers Anna Abramson, Justin Amoah, Zach Barter, Allison Erich Bernstein, Brenna Carmody, Alissa Cerny, Ashley Chung, Stewart Dearing, Gabriella Doob, Phillip Gara, Hannah Levintova, Hannah Miller, Aidan Levy, Jill Luxenberg, Taryn Martinez, Ari Rockland-Miller, Jane Porter, Chelsea Rudman, Sonia Saraiya, Kam Sripada, Robin Steele, Kim Stickels, Nicole Summers, Laura Supkoff, Spencer Trice, Ila Tyagi, Sara Walter Sports Staff Writers Erin Frauenhofer, Kate Klonick, Madeleine Marecki, George Mesthos, Eric Perlmutter, Marco Santini, Tom Trudeau Account Administrators Alexandra Annuziato, Emilie Aries, Steven Butschi, Dee Gill, Rahul Keerthi, Kate Love, Ally Ouh, Nilay Patel, Ashfia Rahman, Rukesh Samarasekera, Jen Solin, Bonnie Wong Design Staff Ross Frazier, Adam Kroll, Andrew Kuo, Jason Lee, Gabriela Scarritt Photo Staff CJ Adams, Chris Bennett, Meg Boudreau, Tobias Cohen, Lindsay Harrison, Matthew Lent, Dan Petrie, Christopher Schmitt, Oliver Schulze, Juliana Wu, Min Wu, Copy Editors Chessy Brady, Amy Ehrhart, Natalia Fisher, Jacob Frank, Christopher Gang, Taryn Martinez, Katie McComas, Sara Molinaro, Heather Peterson, Sonia Saraiya, Lela Spielberg

JOSEPH NAGLE

LETTERS Denmark’s culture among richest in West To the Editor: As a longtime liberal arts professor at the Rhode Island School of Design, I interpret the Islamic boycott of Danish goods as an attack upon artistic freedom of expression. I recall that some years ago there were a series of attacks upon the charming and unpretentious sculpture of the little mermaid in Copenhagen harbor. Something is rotten in the states beyond the shores of Denmark. The land that birthed the tales of Hans Christian Anderson and manufactured my Scagen wristwatch certainly has done nothing to merit such outbursts of wrath. Chocolate and good beer, butter cookies and yarn are harmless articles — but the Danes have produced other marvels. Like the rescue in the 1940s of the helpless victims of hatred ﬂeeing the Nazis. Danish citizens hid refugees in the holds of ﬁshing vessels and stored their luggage in safekeeping until they returned to claim their property. The chronicle of the Danish resistance inspired me to make a personal pilgrimage to Denmark and to taste its pastries, its refreshing humor and wit.

Our RISD furniture design department was established by a distinguished professor, Tage Frid, who brought the native elegance of his Danish design to Providence at the site of the Aaron Roitman furniture store. Roitman’s proudly bore the insignia of the Danish consulate. We have a long local history of affection and loyal good will toward things Danish. Victor Borge, pianist and comic, sailed into Newport harbor with the Danish tall ships, bringing his irreverent jokes and remembering laughter. (“You’ll need it even in the blessed isles of Ever After,” wrote James Thurber.) So I urge whoever reads this letter to go out and buy and enjoy something Danish and thumb our noses at the rioters who have forgotten laughter. And admire the nobility of Danish traditions, the best in the West. Michael Fink Professor of English, RISD March 8

Biomedical ethics crucial to liberal education To the Editor: We at the Biomedical Engineering Society support the call to continue the Biomedical Ethics program by Matthew Kelly ’06, Marian Conaty ’06 and Francesco Forin ’06 (“Pulling the plug on biomedical ethics,” Feb. 28). We believe that biomedical ethics is essential to a 21st-century liberal education. We believe that the whole Brown student body, from students pursuing a science education to those focusing in the humanities, can benefit from the presence of such a program and peers who are fluent in biomedical ethics. One of the major themes dominating the news media in recent years is biotechnology-related. From the debate on stem cell research to the fuss over the Korean science scandal, the influence of biotechnology as a new force in human society is apparent. Not only is biotechnology a rising industry with increasing economic importance, it is also a technological movement that would fundamentally transform human life and the fabric of human society. It seems

irrational for Brown to terminate its undergraduate biomedical ethics program right when the effect of biotechnology on society is becoming signiﬁcant. It becomes apparent then that not only do we need people to study the ethical issues raised by the pursuit of biomedical research and engineering, but also students who are conscious of the issues arisen from advances in biotechnology and seek to understand them through their trainings in different disciplines spanning from economics to anthropology. As we pursue our respective careers after our time at Brown, a basic understanding of the issues underlying the biotechnological transformation on society will undoubtedly help us to serve the world better. Yu Kan Au ‘07 Jillian Harrison ‘06 Louis Tee ‘06 March 2

CORRECTIONS POLICY The Brown Daily Herald is committed to providing the Brown University community with the most accurate information possible. Corrections may be submitted up to seven calendar days after publication. C O M M E N TA R Y P O L I C Y The staff editorial is the majority opinion of the editorial board of The Brown Daily Herald. The editorial viewpoint does not necessarily reﬂect the views of The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. Columns, letters and comics reﬂect the opinions of their authors only. LET TERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY Send letters to letters@browndailyherald.com. Include a telephone number with all letters. The Herald reserves the right to edit all letters for length and cannot assure the publication of any letter. Please limit letters to 250 words. Under special circumstances writers may request anonymity, but no letter will be printed if the author’s identity is unknown to the editors. Announcements of events will not be printed. A DV E RT I S I N G P O L I C Y The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. reserves the right to accept or decline any advertisement at its discretion.

OPINIONS

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD · THURSDAY, MARCH 9, 2006 · PAGE 11

International dialogue — a pivotal possibility International dialogue is an elusive, yet possible goal; a responsible media holds the key to its establishment BY NATALIE SMOLENSKI OPINIONS COLUMNIST About a week after the beginning of the furor over the now-infamous Danish caricatures, I was walking through the streets of Cairo with an Egyptian friend. That particular day, between the dust and the cars and the groups of men remarking on my blonde hair, my friend noticed the wares of one of Cairo’s many makeshift newsstands. He pulled me over, asked the seller for permission and then picked up something resembling a tabloid. The front page displayed a large picture of the Prophet Moses; the headline criticized the practice of portraying prophets in artwork. My friend pointed to the picture and asked, “This, what is this?” He looked at me calmly as he waited for an answer. I replied that it was a picture of Moses. “But,” he said, “this is not okay.” I was at a loss. I wav-ered for a few moments, but then I remembered that the person talking to me was a trusted friend, and I could afford to probe the topic a little deeper. “Alright, I know that it’s not okay in Islam, but Christianity has a rich tradition of religious artwork. They’re just different beliefs — and that’s okay.”

He didn’t seem convinced. We put back the tabloid and kept walking. “But nobody knows what the Prophet looked like,” he continued. This time, I nodded my head in agreement. “It’s just imagination,” we both said at once. Our conversation continued amicably, though I knew my friend was being careful not to offend me, as I was careful

— involves such goodwill that it’s hard to imagine it materializing in our current volatile climate. Moreover, unequal power structures still ensure the marginalization of certain voices in favor of others; any truly “international” dialogue must naturally include all peoples, regardless of their political, cultural, or socioeconomic standing. Finally, because national governments are currently facing a crisis of authority in the form of social fragmentation and militant antiestablishment ideologies, getting politicians to relax and just let people talk it out is a monumental task. The second great obstacle to estab-lishing international dialogue involves the most influential manifestation of a free international forum: the media. I would describe the modern media as tribal; its factions incessantly compete with each other hoping to attract readership, a process which to a certain extent facilitates dialogue but also has the potential for stifling it in favor of sensationalism and, as Maha Atal ’08 (“Desperate for drama,” Feb. 22) recently wrote, the “fetishization of controversy.” Further, as the media is perennially both society’s mirror and its critic, it also has come to serve as a sort of antidote to globalization. Where migration and technology are forcing people into increasingly close contact with others whom they fear and distrust, the media

Serving as ideological safe havens, the media has come to serve as a sort of antidote to globalization. not to offend him. Our beliefs and shared interest in an open friendship had compelled us to wisely address an issue that might otherwise have silently built tension in the backs of our minds. Our encounter left me wondering how citizens of the world can help establish the open, respectful dialogue we had that day in an international forum. As I considered ways to approach this endeavor, however, I immediately hit a wall: the notorious difficulty of establishing a dialogue. Dialogue — a continuing, free exchange of ideas that builds to increasingly enlightened conclusions

offer ideological safe havens in which conversation can spiral around comfortable ideas and themes that reinforce an increasingly threatened sense of identity. The result is a lot of closed forums for people with similar voices and limited readership on the part of each forum. Nevertheless, great hope for reform lies with the media. Nowhere else do you find the same push for truth and honesty; even at times when those goals are obscured, as they often are, the so-called “journalistic ethic” remains. Journalists defy taboos, they defy cultural expectations and they defy governments. Moreover, all people are fundamentally curious so long as they can overcome their fear of one another. If we can harness the reflective capabilities of the media while using it to appeal to human curiosity and hope, we may be able to get people out of their intellectual and cultural comfort zones and into a productive dialogue. One day this goal may be realized. Perhaps, with a lot of exertion and faith in humanity’s capability to overcome its current malaise, over the next ten to twenty years we will have established enough of an international dialogue to begin understanding how many of our conflicts are irreconcilable and how many are, essentially, “just imagination.”

Natalie Smolenski ’07 doesn’t talk about three things: politics, religion and football.

Reject budget rhetoric that aims to divide us The right wing presents a false dilemma between funding health care and education; a fair budget provides for both BY FLÁVIO CASOY ’03 MS ’08, SOYUN KIM MS ’08, MICHELLE GLASGOW MS ’08, MARC CARREL ’07, KIRSTEN SPALDING ’04 MS ’09 GUEST COLUMNISTS As medical, undergraduate, and graduate students, we should work to promote funding for higher education, and indeed also to ensure a strong primary and secondary education that allows the next generation of students to get to college. But what we cannot do is fall for the right wing’s new strategy — forcing us to accept cuts in other vital public services, such as public health care programs, by playing education and health care off one another, dividing our communities through ideological constructs not based on facts. A perfect example of this strategy du jour is the rhetoric used by Rhode Island Governor Don Carcieri to attempt to justify the draconian cuts laid out in his new state budget proposal. In December, Carcieri told the Pawtucket Times that the lack of state funding increases in other areas could be blamed on the rising costs of Medicaid, the partially federally-funded health insurance program that provided crucial coverage to over 180,000 low income children, parents, and pregnant women, and disabled and elderly residents in Rhode Island last year. Medicaid, Carcieri said, was “sucking all the resources out of the rest of the budget. It is putting a strain on school spending and it is why higher education hasn’t gotten any money.” It was no surprise, then, when last month Carcieri proposed a state budget that would make severe cuts to state-run health care programs, including Medic-

aid and RIte Care, the nationally-recognized health insurance program for lowincome children and parents. Among the Governor’s most disturbing proposals are a cut in eligibility for RIte Care for 6,800 parents who currently receive the insurance, (all of whom make less than 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, or $30,710 for a family of three) and a proposal to cut 3,000 children from the program because their parents happen to have brought them here as undocumented immigrants. In the introduction to his budget, the Governor continued his strategy of pitting one group against the other in an attempt to justify his cuts. “Important and necessary programs,” he writes, “such as property tax relief, local education aid, assistance for higher education, asset protection and many other issues cannot be addressed when certain areas grow at rates that exceed general inﬂation and the rate of revenue growth.” What the Governor neglects to mention is that one major source of funding for the state — federal aid — is not keeping up with inﬂation at all. In fact, as a result of President Bush and Congress’ enactment of tax cuts for the rich and budget cuts for the rest, next year’s state budget assumes that federal aid to Rhode Island will go down by $122 million in real dollars. When you take into account wage

inflation, the state is receiving $195 million less in federal aid for fiscal year 2007 than it did in 2006, meaning that federal cuts account for fully 88 percent of Rhode Island’s budget hole -— and by the way, while they were at it, Bush and the Congress enacted major ($12.9 billion) cuts to student financial aid, too. But as much as our state’s woes can be traced directly to the right-wing political leadership in Washington, Rhode Island cannot simply throw up its hands and go along for the ride. The General Assembly cannot let the federal budget cuts “trick-

addition to cost, growing ranks of uninsured Rhode Islanders affects us all in other ways. Longer waits and higher bills at the emergency room are frustrating examples. And it’s not as if we have no other choice when it comes to getting revenue. Over the last five years, the Bush tax cuts showered an average of $152,206 onto the top one percent of Rhode Island earners, who make an average of $923,000 a year! Is it time for these folks, who have seen such great benefits from the Bush tax cuts at our state’s expense, to pay their fair share? The Governor is describing one path we can take, that will lead us to a two-tiered society. This vision is one where children are pitted against our elders for funding, where education is pitted against health care, and where our working people and poor pay a higher share of our social investments than do our state’s wealthiest individuals. Our legislators don’t have to follow Carcieri’s path. They can choose a different, better path, one that leads us towards a fairer, more secure Rhode Island. This vision is one where all Rhode Islanders contribute their fair share, where we all benefit from quality health care, education and housing and where children are provided the opportunities they need to flourish.

Rhode Island cannot simply throw up its hands and go along for the ride. The General Assembly cannot let the federal budget cuts “trickle down” to the state level. le down” to the state level, because it will only make everything worse. For example, because the federal government picks up more than half the Medicaid tab, the annual cost for Rhode Island to provide health care to one adult through Medicaid ($1,263 per year) is less than the cost of care if that same adult to be uninsured ($1,385 per year) according to a recent report by the research group Community Catalyst. Indeed, the cuts in health care funding proposed by the governor would force Rhode Island to forfeit another $16 million in federal Medicaid spending. In

The authors ask you to support the Emergency Campaign for Rhode Island’s Priorities.

SPORTS THURSDAY THE BROWN DAILY HERALD · MARCH 9, 2006 · PAGE 12

And now, a word from our intramural sponsors... Brown IM program goes corporate for goodies BY STU WOO CAMPUS WATCH EDITOR

The next time you step onto a basketball court at the OlneyMargolies Athletic Center, you could have a chance to win a brand new car. This year, for the first time, Brown’s intramural flag football and five-on-five basketball programs are being sponsored by American Collegiate Intramural Sports, a subsidiary of American College Marketing that sponsors collegiate intramural sports programs and promotes products from Pontiac, Gold Bond, Philips and Old Spice, as well as Microsoft’s XBox at college campuses. In exchange for the opportunity to market to intramural sport programs — “the number one extracurricular activity on (college) campuses,” according to ACIS Vice President John Meinke — ACIS provides member schools with free product samples from its corporate partners and even monetary grants for schools that complete necessary requirements. For fulfilling these requirements during the fall flag football season, Brown received $250 — which will go to improve the intramural program, said Dianna Clauss, intramural and facilities coordinator. ACIS also gives participating schools t-shirts for intramural referees and team champi-

ons. The shirts are emblazoned with the school’s logo on one side and corporate logos on the other. “It becomes a win for everybody,” Meinke said. “Sponsors win because they get exposure. … Students win because they get a lot of free giveaways … and schools win because they get more programs for their students and a chance to improve the programs they offer on a daily basis.” Participating schools must fulﬁll several stipulations to receive ACIS sponsorship, Meinke said. They must take photos of staff members distributing the products and putting up banners with the sponsor’s logos on them and give students product surveys. ACIS’s 250 member schools had a total student population of 2.7 million. The other Ivy League schools sponsored by ACIS are Columbia, Cornell and Princeton universities and Dartmouth College. At Brown, Clauss thinks the ACIS program is “a great deal.” “It’s a great opportunity for students and companies to sample free products,” she said. “People are more than happy to take a free sample.” Clauss said this semester the athletic department has been distributing free Gold Bond foot powder samples and entry forms to win a Pontiac car see INTRAMURALS, page 9

It’s all in the family: Squash siblings making a racket

All: dspics.com

The sibling Hayneses and twin Cerullos helped the women’s and men’s squash teams to seventh- and 11th-place national ﬁnishes, respectively, this season. Clockwise from top left: Breck Haynes ’09, Patrick Haynes ’07, Megan Cerullo ’08 and Edward Cerullo ’08. BY ERIN FRAUENHOFER SPORTS STAFF WRITER

Most athletes find that by participating in a sport, they gain a family — a close circle of teammates and coaches, people to lean on and maybe a shoulder to dry their tears. But for squashplaying siblings Patrick and Breck Haynes and twins Edward and Megan Cerullo, the family came first. The Hayneses may have inherited their squash skills from their father, who played squash in high school and college. But Patrick ’07, sixth player for the men, and Breck ’09, fifth on the women’s squad, who were originally serious about tennis, did not start playing squash until their boarding school years at Phillips Exeter Academy. Patrick joined the squash team his sophomore year, while Breck began as a freshman.

Graduation, departures and injuries give softball big shoes to ﬁll in 2006 BY JUSTIN GOLDMAN ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

The softball team has a lot of holes to fill this season. In order to succeed, the Bears will not only have to replace their two pitchers, but now they will have to make up for the loss of their top offensive player from 2005 as well. Courtney Jenkins ’07, the

Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2004, was the team’s top threat at the plate last season. She hit .320 with four home runs and 20 RBIs, leading the team in all three categories. Jenkins left the team before the season began, citing personal reasons. “Whenever you lose your top offensive producer it is going to be tough,” tri-cap-

Ashley Hess / Herald

Catcher Amy Baxter ’08 will be counted on for increased production as the softball team attempts to return to its 2004 Ivy Title form.

tain Rachel Fleitell ’06 said. “But we have worked extremely hard this off-season and have a lot of depth. She will be missed, but I think we will be fine.” Also gone from last year’s team are Uchenna Omokaro ’05 and Marissa Berkes ’05, the only two players to pitch last season. Omokaro anchored the pitching staff during her tenure. She was the Ivy League Pitcher of the Year in 2004 and was a two-time All-Ivy selection. “Uchi was incredible for us last year, and it is very difficult to lose her,” Fleitell said. “But our new pitchers have a lot of talent and they have a good work ethic.” If Brown is to return to its 2004 championship form, it will need major contributions from its two young hurlers, Heather Garrison ’09 and Michelle Moses ’09. “I think our pitchers have a lot of potential,” said tri-captain Sarah Wilson ’06. “They pitched really well this weekend even though it was their first games against collegiate competition.” Despite the loss of Jenkins, Brown had a solid power showsee SOFTBALL, page 9

The transition from tennis to squash was made easier by the fact that the siblings are “not at all” competitive with each other, according to Breck. They would drill together but would not compete against one another, instead choosing to play for fun. The Cerullos, meanwhile, would agree that squash is a fun sport. But unlike the Haynes siblings, sophomores Edward, the men’s third seed, and Megan, the top player for the women, are accustomed to competing against each other. The Cerullos grew up in Brooklyn Heights, N.Y., two minutes away from a tennis and squash club, and at ﬁrst, the siblings focused their energies on tennis. But when the twins were in fourth grade, they were introduced to squash — and everything changed. “It was easier to be really good at squash than tennis,” Megan said of the switch. “Because so many people play tennis.” The Cerullos took group lessons together, and “we were really competitive,” Edward said.

According to Megan, the pair was especially competitive between the ages of 14 and 16. “We would get in ﬁghts at the end,” she laughed. “We took it really seriously.” But the twins have not played against each other recently, having taken to rooting for each other instead. Since the women’s team usually plays right before the men, Edward is able to arrive at the courts early to see Megan play, and Megan stays after her match is ﬁnished to watch her brother. “I always try to watch his matches,” she said. “I think he doesn’t take my matches as seriously as I take his, but when he comes, he’ll sometimes coach me in between games. He’s very encouraging.” Likewise, the Haynes siblings watch most of each other’s see SIBLINGS, page 9

In brief: Bus to bring 55 to w. hoops playoff, Ramsay ’06 gets nod for skills challenge For fans disappointed that the women’s basketball team’s Friday playoff game against Dartmouth is not at the Pizzitola Center, fear not. The Brown athletic department is paying for a fan bus to bring 55 fans to Yale for the game. The bus will leave from the Olney-Margolies Athletic Center at 4 p.m. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. Ramsay ’06’s got skills Women’s ice hockey forward Margaret Ramsay ’06 will participate in the first-ever NCAA Frozen Four skills challenge April 7 in Milwaukee, Wis. Ramsay was one of six female skaters picked to play for the East squad by a group of representatives from the American College Hockey Coaches Association, the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee and the National Youth Sports Corporation. “I didn’t even know (I was being entered) until (Head Coach Digit Murphy) just handed me the papers and said I got

picked,” Ramsay said. “I didn’t even know they were having a skills competition.” Ramsay has nine goals and four assists for 13 points in 31 games, third-best on the team. She has 24 goals and 26 assists in her career, playing in 104 games. The East and West teams are each made up of six male skaters, six female skaters, two male goaltenders and two female goaltenders, all of whom must have exhausted their NCAA eligibility. There are also lists of alternates for each team in case players cannot play in the event for personal reasons, especially if any males are playing for see BRIEFS, page 7 BROWN SPORTS SCOREBOARD WEDNESDAY, MARCH 8 M. LACROSSE: Brown 13, Hartford 3 THURSDAY, MARCH 9 SKIING: USCSA National Championships (at Sugarloaf, Maine) M. & W. SWIMMING: NCAA Zone A Diving Championship (at Annapolis, Md.)