Friday, February 20, 2009

Daily Herald the Brown

vol. cxliv, no. 21 | Friday, February 20, 2009 | Serving the community daily since 1891

Economy on the docket for Corp.

Budget, long-term planning take center stage this weekend

By Chaz Kelsh and Jenna Stark News Editors

With an economic crisis throwing a wrench in the University’s ambitious spending plans, the Corporation will have some major decisions to make when it convenes for a meeting this weekend.

Chancellor Thomas T isch ’76, who arrived in Providence Wednesday evening, said the Corporation plans to “review an extraordinar y amount of information” this weekend. “It’s a pretty full schedule,” he said.

One month after the University revealed it has likely lost roughly 30 percent of its endowment in less than a year, sacrifice may have become the name of the game for the final years of President Ruth Simmons’ signature capital campaign. Though several major projects — including a new fitness center and a huge brain sciences building — remain on Brown’s

to-do list, administrators have acknowledged that, even if no new building is scrapped, timelines will need to be pushed back.

Some ambitious academic initiatives — with tighter budgets ahead — also appear likely to suffer from a decreased availability of funds, though the University has repeatedly expressed its commitment to the goals of the Plan for Academic Enrichment, Simmons’ wide-ranging blueprint to improve the school’s academic standing. The University’s desire to expand the Graduate School to keep up with the growing size of faculty, for example, is likely to go unmet.

The Corporation, which gathers three times annually — in Februar y, May and October — will use this meeting to approve a budget for the fiscal year that begins July 1. Simmons is expected to present a balanced budget to the

Qidong Chen / Herald

The Corporation may rule this weekend on the fate of a new swim center, among other things.

U.’s top officers to discuss capital projects

By Anne Simons Senior Staf f Writer

When members of the Corporation gather on College Hill this weekend, they will face the sticky reality of an economic recession that threatens to derail or delay a number of planned construc-

continued on page 2

SPOTLIGHT

tion projects on the University’s radar.

Brown’s top governing board is likely to have a “tougher standard” for evaluating whether or not to move forward with projects, said Richard Spies, executive vice president for planning and senior adviser to President Ruth Simmons. Given

Kim Perley / Herald

Trading ice skates for flippers, underwater hockey players swam for the goal at a practice last night.

They swim, they score

inside

Sure, it’s obscure, but underwater hockey is just like real hockey — well, sort of.

News.....1-4 Arts........5-6 Spor ts...7-8 Editorial..10 Opinion...11 Today........12

www.browndailyherald.com

“Underwater WHAT?” The Rhode Island Reds — a team of underwater hockey enthusiasts — often hear this when they tell friends what sport they play.

And on the surface, their unusual pastime merits the confused response they receive.

On Thursday, the club team’s flippered players lined up along the walls of the Care New England

continued on page 2

Advocate, former Bush admin. lawyer debate human rights

By Hannah Moser Senior Staff Writer

By Jyotsna Mullur Staff Writer

the economy, administrators will “almost certainly do less than we otherwise would have,” he said.

In recent years, construction has sometimes been given the go-ahead to begin even before all money pledged by donors for the

Wellness Center in Warwick. At a teammate’s signal, the players dove frantically toward the center of the rectangular swimming pool, splashing loudly.

Suddenly, the splashing stopped. The surface became deceptively calm while, underwater, eight fin- and snorkel-clad players swam and flicked small, one-foot sticks. They pushed a lead puck around on the pool floor. continued on page 2

Human rights are essential to a fair and just society — though war can complicate things, Larry Cox, the executive director of Amnesty International USA, and University of California, Berkeley Professor of Law John Yoo agreed in a debate at Salomon 101 Thursday afternoon.

But the two agreed about little else, with Cox — who has spent his career defending human rights — describing such rights as “self-evident” while Yoo, a former lawyer for George W. Bush’s administration, countered that such rights were sometimes, if not self-evident, self-defeating.

At the nearly full Janus Forum lecture, “One World, Many People: Are There Universal Human Rights?” the two speakers took the divergent positions their backgrounds suggested they would.

Cox used his initial 25 minutes on the floor to describe the impact of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted in 1948.

If governments generally do not like

limits on their power, Cox asked, then why did they agree to such a pact?

One reason, he said, was that human rights are hailed as the foundation of peace. But governments do not always follow through with such agreements because they do not believe they can be held to the accord, he said. This is why, Cox said, it is up to people to use “the power of moral pressure” to claim these rights.

“The past decade has been one of the most damaging” to human rights, Cox said. Citing detentions, disappearances and the use of torture, Cox said, “human rights violations are carried out in the name of security” everywhere.

Yoo, a contributor to the Patriot Act who is known for his advocacy of the legality of torture during wartime, said he did not think he and Cox disagreed about how an ideal world would look.

But he said that rights apply differently when a country’s security is threatened. It is generally accepted, for example, that killing does not count as murder during war, he said, adding that detainment keeps soldiers from continued on page 4

News, 7

Arts, 5

Opinions, 11

blue states New Haven, Conn. gets a taste of Brown-born Blue State Coffee.

shall we dance?

‘Waltz with Bashir’ art director David Polonsky spoke at the Avon Cinema

shop till you drop Kate Doyle ’12 offers her advice for a Lit Arts revamp.

195 Angell Street, Providence, Rhode Island

herald@browndailyherald.com

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Construction projects to get a second look continued from page 1 building is in hand. But one possible response from the Corporation this weekend, Spies said, is to withhold final approval on all projects until 100 percent of funds have been collected.

The Corporation also has authoritative input in choosing architects and approving design plans, said Steve Maiorisi, vice president for Facilities Management.

The current economic environment leaves the future of some high profile building projects in doubt. Some projects, like the Creative Arts Center, are ready to move forward, Associate Provost Pamela O’Neil said, because of success with fundraising for the building. With approval from the Corporation, the University hopes to break ground this summer, she said.

The renovation of Faunce House into an expanded campus center is also expected to go forward soon. But O’Neil said the Faunce changes may be split into two phases, with the renovation of the old mailroom area potentially moving forward sooner than the more extensive plans for the rest of the building.

Other projects, however, are less certain. Plans for a $70 million brain sciences building, provisionally dubbed the “Mind Brain Behavior Building,” will be reviewed, but fundraising has been slow, according to Spies.

The Nelson Fitness Center and a new swim center are currently on hold, Maiorisi said, but recent developments may change plans for the swim center. Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration Beppie Huidekoper revealed on Wednesday, speaking at a meeting of the Undergraduate Council of Students, that an alum has pledged a large proportion of the needed funds for a new pool.

In addition to the initial costs of construction, increased operating costs from new buildings are also an important consideration when planning new projects, Spies said. With any new facility, there are usually increases to operating budgets that must be accounted for in University spending, he said, adding that the budget is a “main constraint.”

In the meantime, the University may be looking to scale down projects or do renovations instead, O’Neil said. Classroom renovations have already taken place, and minor dorm upgrades will continue, with the pace of these projects determined by the economic situation, she said.

Despite the economic slowdown, Brown will still have access to debt markets that finance such renewal projects, Spies said.

The economic crisis does not mean that construction will stop, Maiorisi said, adding that potential donors can come in anytime, and that there is currently a very competitive market for construction.

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Daily Herald the Brown

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Friday, February 20, 2009

“You have got to come back up and breathe.”

— Gabriel Matthias, member of the Rhode Island Reds

Budget needs final approval Saturday continued from page 1

University’s highest governing body — a departure from the last several years, in which the Corporation has approved the spending of reser ve funds to finance the goals of the Plan for Academic Enrichment.

The proposed $551 million budget, which administrators discussed at a meeting of the Brown University Community Council earlier this month, would represent a $4.5 million decline from the current year’s budget, and a stark $21 million reduction from the figure the Corporation had sketched out for the year last May. The University has said it needs to cut $60 million in previously projected spending for the next five years, beginning with the next budget.

Given the tough choices facing it, the Corporation will focus on adjustments the University needs to make in the face of “market up-

heaval,” Tisch said.

Still, he said there was “a ver y clear sense of a plan and a sense of direction” to move certain objectives for ward, and that the Corporation hopes to support Simmons’ goals.

Dealing with the economic crisis will be the “over riding theme” of the meeting, said Russell Carey ’91 MA’06, senior vice president for Corporation affairs and University governance.

The Corporation, which formed an ad hoc committee at its last meeting in October to assess the economy’s impact, will be dealing with “ongoing uncer tainty” as it considers the next budget, he added.

Tisch said Brown was relatively well-positioned compared to some wealthier peer schools, and that the University has “great strengths” in times of economic decline. Brown is “lucky” that its revenue relies more on tuition, and less on endowment funds,

than schools like Har vard, Yale and Princeton, he said.

Tisch also said the University was fortunate to be able to postpone capital projects, and to have no major construction projects currently in progress.

“We have no big shovels in the ground,” he said.

Some programmatic cuts may also be on the table this weekend.

Reductions in student services can be expected, Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life and student ser vices, said earlier this week. Reductions in the budgets of academic depar tments might also be discussed.

Among other business matters, the Corporation is also expected to review the University’s policy regarding conflicts of interest in research. The policy is being revised to be more transparent and more in line with federal regulations, Vice President for Research Clyde Briant said during a faculty meeting in December.

Swimmers hooked on underwater hockey continued from page 1 Their goal? A rectangular hole at the end of one wall, similar to a giant air hockey goal.

But something else is just as important as shooting the puck in the hole — remembering to breathe.

Every few seconds, the underwater hockey players bobbed to the surface for air, disturbing the water’s surface and hinting at the frantic and competitive game that raged just a meter below.

“You go down, you push the puck a certain distance … but you have got to come back up and breathe,” said Gabriel Matthias, a University of Rhode Island sophomore who has been playing underwater hockey for nearly five years. “When you’re breathing, you’re kind of out of the game. It’s hard to look down and watch the other team take the puck.”

“But you have to learn that you just can’t go right back down and keep playing,” he added.

Joe Klinger, northeast regional director of USA Underwater Hockey, agreed.

“No one can hold their breath for an unlimited amount of time,” he said. “The hardest thing is coordinating with your teammates to take advantage of everyone’s individual skills.”

Many water lovers have splashed

eagerly into the little-known sport.

Matthias said underwater hockey keeps him in shape for the spearfishing season. Many spearfishers get hooked on the sport during the offseason as a way to train and stay in shape, he said.

“About 80 percent of the guys who play are spearfishermen, and they play in the winter when there’s no diving to be done,” Matthias said.

Klinger said many divers seeking entertainment in the winter months become involved with underwater hockey as well. In fact, the game was invented by a British diver in 1954.

But that’s not to say that it is a sport only for those with underwater experience.

“Water is a great equalizer,” Klinger said. “Anyone can play.”

According to Klinger, underwater hockey is even played in physical education classes elsewhere in the world and is gaining popularity in the United States. USA Underwater Hockey sends men’s and women’s teams every two years to the world tournament.

The Northeast Region boasts at least 10 underwater hockey clubs that meet weekly. They compete in several regional tournaments and an annual national tournament, Klinger said.

About two weeks ago, players

from the Turkish national underwater hockey team were on hand at a Connecticut tournament to provide expert assistance to local teams.

“We talked strategy. There’s not a lot of reference around here, since it’s not as popular,” Matthias said. “Getting taught things is a real treat.”

Recently, the Ocean State has been swept up in the current of under water hockey’s popularity.

According to Klinger, the number of Rhode Island underwater hockey players has surged, especially when compared to other Northeastern states.

URI recently recognized an underwater hockey team that Matthias founded on campus.

“There’s a lot of interest when you explain (the sport),” he said. “It took me less than a day to get the eight names required for a club. I now have 60 names of people interested in playing.”

Currently, the Rhode Island Reds play weekly in Warwick. Some members of the team travel throughout New England, competing in smaller regional tournaments.

The Reds’ weekly pickup games are largely informal. They call their own fouls and use weights to mark the goals on the swimming pool’s walls. New players learn right alongside the sport’s seasoned veterans.

The game moves quickly, as each side quickly racks up goals. If one team becomes more dominant, the group reorganizes the teams to ensure that they are evenly matched.

But the sport is constantly looking for new stars. Klinger said high school clubs are emerging across the nation, and he hopes that players will get involved at a younger age. He said he even sees a future for underwater hockey on College Hill.

“Brown needs to get something going!” he said.

Friday, February 20, 2009

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“We realized that Ruth would be a sick addition.”

— Brent Zajaczkowski ’12 on his first-pick competition video

Brown allies with top Spanish business school

By Alicia Dang Contributing Writer

The University has signed a “memorandum of understanding” with the Instituto de Empresa in Madrid, a Spanish university with top-ranked business programs, to facilitate cooperation between the institutions.

“The collaboration is driven by a combination of educational opportunities for students and programs that connect faculty,” said David Kennedy ’76, vice president for International Affairs and interim director of the Watson Institute for International Studies.

The memorandum, which was signed by Provost David Kertzer ’69 P’95 P’98 and Rector of the Instituto de Empresa Santiago Iniguez on Feb. 3, does not create any new programs or “formal institutional affiliations.” Instead, it strives to provide a foundation for increased interaction between the universities and discussion of joint seminars and other educational, cultural and research activities, according to a University statement.

Kennedy said the planning and actual implementation of the ex-

change programs are still under discussion.

He said the University hopes to explore “intellectually what we can do in management and entrepreneurship (programs) with IE” and to provide more opportunities for students concentrating in Commerce, Organizations and Entrepreneurship or pursuing a masters degree with the Program in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship.

The University also aspires to attract more students to Brown’s Summer and Continuing Studies programs and to find new internship and summer studies opportunities for Brown students in Spain, he said.

But there will probably not be another regular semester- or yearlong study abroad program established between the two schools, Kennedy said, adding that the administration is instead trying to “bring new things to the table.”

“It’s a long process. We have been talking with them for more than one year,” Kennedy said. “I will be back (in Spain) in a few weeks continued on page 4

In contest videos, Simmons cameos, lecture interrupted

By Dan Alexander Staf f Writer

Eight students sprinted down the aisles of Salomon 101 during an economics class, jumped on stage and broke into off-key song.

“Why do you build me up, build me up, buttercup baby?” they sang to Senior Lecturer Rachel Friedberg, who was in the middle of her ECON 0110: “Principles of Economics” lecture.

Students filmed from the seats as the singers snapped and danced like an a cappella group, belting out the Foundations’ classic hit. The video was turned in as an entry for the annual First-Pick Lottery Competition held by Residential Life.

It was one of nine videos shown to over 200 students on a big-screen projector last night in Sayles Hall in an event hosted by ResLife and Residential Council.

Students voted for their favorite videos after all nine were screened.

The group with the winning video will be given the first choice in the housing lottery this April.

“The goal of our video was to do something that no other group would have the balls to do,” said Alex Tin ’12, one of the “Build Me Up Buttercup” singers.

The videos’ stor ylines varied from a group of freshmen avoiding an attacking Bruno to one student’s pursuit of a Young Orchard dorm, told as a love story.

“This was a lot more about the movie for us than the competition,” said Anish Farma ’12, director of the

attacking Bruno film.

Farma’s video, “Ruthless,” featured a cameo from President Ruth Simmons as the conniving director behind the bear attacks.

“We realized that Ruth would be a sick addition,” said Brent Zajaczkowski ’12, another member of the “Ruthless” group, about involving the popular Simmons in the filming.

The group realized that Simmons had one open office hour ever y month and went in to ask for her help with the project.

“She was really nice about it.

We told her the story and she was completely willing to help,” Zajaczkowski said.

The videos will be posted online within a week, though ResCouncil Chairman James Reed ’09 said the Council is uncertain exactly when they will be posted. Students will have another week to vote for their favorite videos online.

The event also included information tables for program houses, Greek houses and special-interest housing.

“The point really is to raise interest about the lotter y, about special-interest housing, program and Greek houses,” Reed said.

Some students visited the information tables before and after the videos played, but most students enjoyed the food and drinks before the show and left right after the screenings ended.

“That was expected,” said ResCouncil Lotter y Subcommitcontinued on page 4

Qidong Chen / Herald

Blue State Coffee has a new location in the Brown Bookstore, and yet another near Yale’s campus.

Blue State opens New Haven location Shannon O’Brien Contributing Writer

Blue State Coffee is no longer exclusive to the Brown community.

Now Yale students, too, can enjoy a cup of coffee at the company’s New Haven, Conn., location, which opened Feb. 12.

The new store is in the heart of Yale’s campus, on the ground floor of an academic building right across from a residential hall. The company rents the space from Yale.

Alex Payson ’03.5, co-owner and manager of Blue State, said the company chose New Haven in part because co-owner and cofounder Drew Ruben is a sophomore at Yale. In addition, he said, one of the other four founders is a Yale alum.

“We know the area,” Payson said. “Our ideal demographic is the liberal New England college town,

and it works pretty well for us.”

The new location will be similar to the one on Thayer Street in “basic concepts and ideas,” Payson said, but it will work hard to “cater to the local community.”

Both shops “give away 5 percent (of profits to different charities), both are eco-friendly and both are local,” Ruben said. “But Yale focuses more on social justice causes, and the Providence-based one focuses more on educational and environmental causes. The differences reflect the surrounding environment.”

Both Payson and Ruben said the store has been well-received so far.

“Business has been fantastic — far better than we could have hoped,” Payson said.

Matthew George, a Yale sophomore, was enthusiastic about Blue State in New Haven.

“There’s a ton of coffee shops

here, so it was nice to have one that set itself apart. It has a purpose — the charity stuff influences everything,” George said. He added that despite the prevalence of coffee shops in the area, Blue State is “usually pretty darn packed.”

Payson said Blue State plans to expand further “in the next year or two.”

“We’re going to stick with New England for the next couple stores,” he said, mentioning Boston, New York City and another Rhode Island location as possibilities. “When we’ve really got the model perfect, we can open up in Ann Arbor, Wisconsin, San Fran, Berkeley, L.A.” Ruben said expansion would be relatively slow because the owners want to keep each store unique.

“It takes a lot of careful attention to make each store really reflect the local community and not just be a cookie-cutter hodgepodge of ideas,” he said.

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Friday, February 20, 2009

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Speakers debate human rights continued from page 1 returning to the battlefield.

Trade-offs between security and human rights are inherent in government policy, Yoo said, and we need to be “upfront” about the trade-offs we make based on a cost-benefit analysis. After the attacks of September 11, 2001, “the government had to respond,” he said.

Cox countered that while Yoo and similarly minded people “think they’re serving some higher purpose,” certain rights must never be compromised, even when dealing with an enemy.

“Once you adopt their values, you lose the fight,” he said.

After both guests spoke briefly, the floor was opened to questions — most

of which were for Yoo, who was asked to explain his viewpoint on several reported incidents of torture.

Despite at least one audience member’s contribution, which ended up being more of an attack than a question, eliciting murmurs from the audience, Yoo told The Herald after the event that he “actually thought it was very civil.”

Students “ought to hear from both sides,” he said.

Cox said he was glad to see that students in the audience did not seem to be “buying into” Yoo’s argument.

“These are arguments we’ve been fighting against for the past eight years,” he said.

Before the event, individuals and representatives from various

Madrid institute a new partner abroad continued from page 3 for one or two days to continue the conversation.”

“I certainly expect that we will start some programs in 2009 and more in 2010,” he added.

Students interviewed by The Herald said they were happy to have greater interaction with the international community.

“It sounds like a great opportunity,” said Vivienne Vicera ’11, a COE and International Relations concentrator. She said she would be interested in knowing more

about potential programs offered by the Instituto de Empresa.

Peter Drinan ’11, an IR and education concentrator, said that “since the economy is increasingly global, it’s good to have international relations and international opportunities ... to strengthen our relationship with the international community.”

The 2009 Financial Times MBA program ranking listed the Madrid-based business school as third in Europe and sixth worldwide, according to a recent Instituto de Empresa press release.

organizations such as the American Friends Service Committee and the International Socialist Organization held posters in front of Salomon in protest of Yoo’s involvement in the Bush administration’s treatment of detainees.

“I’m not thrilled he’s given a pedestal from which to spew hate,” said Simon Liebling ’12, a Herald Opinions Columnist.

Students and community members had mixed reactions to the lecture.

Shanoor Seervai ’11 said she was “pleasantly surprised by the level of questions students asked.”

Ben Howard ’11 praised Cox and echoed what he felt was the speaker’s crucial point: “When you abandon your morals, then you lose the fight.”

Kim Perley / Herald

Protestors demonstrated in front of the Salomon Center before a debate featuring John Yoo, a former lawyer in George W. Bush’s administration.

First-pick contest videos score big laughs continued from page 3 tee Chair Ben Lowell ’10. “I think information got across to people who wanted to ask questions and people who just wanted to watch got to.”

Reed said the event was also a time for the council to tell the student body, “It’s time to start thinking about where you’re going to be living this year.”

Some version of the first-pick competition has been around since at least the early 1990s, Reed said, but it has changed in form. In past years, students have sung karaoke, danced in talent shows and

even gone on scavenger hunts, he said.

Last year was the first year the competition was made into a public event. The event was a talent competition, featuring videos, live bands and dancers. This year, the competition was limited to videos only.

ResCouncil chose to limit the entries to only videos this year so it could combine the event with online voting, Lowell said.

“It gives it more cohesiveness because they’re all videos,” he said.

“It makes it easier to decide which was best.”

Reed said the winners will be announced at the end of next week, or

early the following week, once the online results are tallied. Though Reed was uncertain of the exact date the winners will be notified, he said they will know by “Super Deadline Day” on March 3.

The winners will preselect their room before the actual lottery nights, which will be held on Apr. 2 and Apr. 6 at 6 p.m. in Sayles Hall.

James Hunter ’12, one of the “Build Me Up Buttercup” singers said his group doesn’t know which room they would choose if they won.

“The point is to win,” he said.

“Then we’ll pick.”

Arts & Culture The Brown Daily Herald

Friday, February 20, 2009 | Page 5

‘Waltz with Bashir’ fills Avon

By Caroline Sedano Senior Staf f Writer

Frederic Lu / Herald

“Abraham Lincoln: The Man, The Myth, The Making of a President,” is currently on display at the John Hay Library.

For Lincoln bicentennial, Hay explores man, image

By Ben Hyman Arts & Culture Editor

Abraham Lincoln’s 200th birthday may have come and gone, but the festivities continue at the John Hay Library. “Abraham Lincoln: The Man, The Myth, The Making of a President,” an exhibition that draws entirely from the Hay’s impressive Lincoln Collection, will be open until March 6.

“Lincoln” traces not only the 16th president’s extraordinary life, but also his vibrant afterlife as a symbol whose meaning Americans have been constructing and reconstructing for almost 150 years. With the Obama presidency just reaching the end of its first month, it’s easy to see the legacy of Lincoln is still very much with us.

The Hay exhibit begins with Lin-

coln’s childhood and upbringing, featuring photographs of the two log cabins the Lincoln family called home. Though he had little formal education, Lincoln was a polymath and autodidact, training himself in a wide variety of areas and pursuing them with great ingenuity. One of the items on display is a copy of U.S. Patent No. 6,469, a device for improving the buoyancy of boats — Lincoln invented it, making him the first and only president to hold a patent.

As the exhibit progresses, Lincoln’s future as a public servant emerges, first in government journals and proceedings from conventions he attended, then in printed copies of his speeches, including his career-making “House Divided” speech at the 1858 Illinois continued on page 6

After waiting in a line that stretched from the Avon Cinema’s doors, around the corner and past Via Via IV, more than 400 people filled the theater beyond capacity to watch the Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe award-winning Israeli film, “Waltz with Bashir.” The Wednesday afternoon screening was followed by a question-and-answer session with the film’s art director and artist-in-residence at Brown, David Polonsky.

“Waltz with Bashir,” a contender for Best Foreign Film at the Oscars this Sunday, is the deeply personal story of Ari Folman, the film’s writer, director and producer, who lost all memory of his time as a soldier during the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre in Lebanon. Twenty years after the event that left hundreds dead, Folman attempted to reclaim his lost memories, reuniting with old army colleagues and investigating his identity as a soldier and Israeli citizen. “Bashir” is the artistic chronicle of his efforts.

The film, which combines documentary techniques with cuttingedge animation, is dark and haunting. It contends with psychological trauma, the repercussions of war and an entire country’s struggle with guilt.

Polonsky explained that, for Folman, animation provided the only viable medium for a film about the massacre. Folman and Polonsky — who has also written and illustrated several children’s books — had worked together on previous projects before collaborating on “Bashir.”

“The logic behind animation is the fact that we are dealing with memories, hallucinations and history where questions of truth and subjectivity are constantly being called into question,” Polonsky said after the screening.

He added that animation also provided another, purely practical benefit, as the story covers many different locations and time periods. Animation eased the budget on what would have otherwise been a very expensive

live-action film.

“What we were tr ying to do would not have been possible, unless you are Francis Ford Coppola,” Polonksy said with a laugh.

Despite the grim subject matter, Polonsky said, his work on “Bashir” did not differ that much from his children’s book illustrations.

“They are both a very slow and tedious process,” he said, explaining that distancing himself from the actual meaning of what he was drawing helped him stay sane as he worked on it.

“I was hit with the subject of the film in 2006 during the second Lebanon war and I saw the same images I was drawing coming up on TV,” Polonsky said. “I could no longer escape the work because it was showing up all around me on TV. It was then that I really started getting the intensity of what we had made.”

Polonsky’s innovative animation techniques, which combine real-life photography and film with Photoshop and Flash animation, have garnered the film much critical acclaim.

An audience member at the Q&A described the film as “one of the most visually stunning movies” he had ever seen.

While the actual animation remains consistent throughout the film, color, pacing, music and narrative changes keep the movie dynamic and intriguing. Colors shift from monochromatic to shockingly vivid, and the score includes aggressive rock, tranquil orchestral music and eerily haunting ambient noise. Characters move in slow motion or super-speed in real life and in dream sequences.

While the story the film conveys is highly personal, the political context is hard to ignore.

Polonsky explained that “the film was not made as a political statement,” but many questions

and observations posed to Polonsky during the session focused on the political message, response and ramifications.

Danya Chudacoff ’11, who organized the Israel Film Festival of College Hill, agreed that the film itself is not about taking a political stance, but said it inspired her to evaluate how she felt about political and cultural issues.

“As someone with an Israeli mom, I identify with Israeli culture,” Chudacoff said. “The first time I saw it, I was watching it in Israel as an Israeli and I was nauseous for weeks afterwards.”

Daniel Wolfberg ’09, executive director of the Ivy Film Festival, which co-sponsored the event, had not known much about the historical events explored in the film. He said he thought it was very important that this film could personalize and publicize an event that many people have forgotten.

“I feel like you hear about stuff like this in the news a lot and it’s just a regular thing,” he said. “But this film brought to light how we often forget about how so many of these things we see on the news have tremendous impacts on many individual people.”

“I think the film was just trying to be honest — not necessarily political.”

Honesty was a key issue for Polonsky during his work on the film, he said, as he struggled to create images, locations and emotions that were truthful and real.

“I was most concerned with what people in Beirut would think” of his depiction of the city, he said, given that he had never been there before making “Bashir.”

In the end, he said, his portrayal of Beirut passed the test, even if his representation of a snowy winter in the Netherlands did not. continued on page 6

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A rts & C ulture

‘Bashir’ discussion focuses on film’s political message continued from page 5 “Someone from Holland came along and told me it hadn’t snowed that much in Holland in 500 years,” he said.

Polonsky said “Bashir” has spoken to many viewers’ particular experiences despite the film’s focus on Folman’s own history.

“It’s an interesting phenom-

enon in Israel where soldiers are going to see the film as a kind of therapy and a course of treatment,” he said.

Polonsky, who arrived at Brown on Feb. 9, will stay on campus for three months. He will teach classes and workshops and give lectures to Brown and Rhode Island School of Design students and members of the Providence community.

Friday, February 20, 2009

“I think the film was just trying to be honest.”

— Daniel Wolfberg ’09, on “Waltz with Bashir”

Exhibit shows all sides of Lincoln continued from page 5 Republican Convention. The chaotic 1860 presidential election, which Lincoln won, is represented by party ballots, campaign pins and a dramatic photograph of the future president and a mass of supporters outside his Illinois home.

Some of the most moving and appealing items in the exhibit are the manuscripts — Lincoln’s telegraphs and drafts of documents, which should be comforting to anyone who thinks his bad handwriting is going to hold him back in life. More than any photograph, these objects bring Lincoln to life, revealing the personal struggles of the man behind the image.

One of these documents is the “Meditation on Divine Will,” a remarkable fragment preserved by John Hay himself, who served as one of Lincoln’s personal secretaries. On a piece of plain, lined paper, in 1862, Lincoln wrestled with the inscrutability of God, fate and human responsibility, all in about 150 words.

“I am almost ready to say that this is probably true,” Lincoln wrote, “that God wills this contest (the Civil War), and wills that it shall not end yet.”

The Hay owns a number of portraits of Lincoln, including six paintings done from life, which aren’t included in the main exhibition but

Frederic Lu / Herald

President Lincoln’s life and documents are on display at the John Hay Library in conjunction with his recent 200th birthday.

are on view by appointment in the library rooms devoted to the collection. They’re worth the extra effort it takes to see them. The portraits present six very different visions of Lincoln — some soft and pensive, others harsh and formidable. According to North American History Librarian Holly Snyder, who curated the current exhibition, the paintings reflect “the range you get in Lincoln iconography — a little bit of everything.”

Snyder highlighted the way the portraits represent, to varying degrees, “Lincoln the person” versus “Lincoln the icon,” a theme that is prevalent throughout the public exhibition.

Even those who can’t make it to the Hay can still get access to the Lincoln collection online. Through the Center for Digital Initiatives, all of “Lincolniana at Brown” is available on the Brown University Library Web site.

SportsWeekend The Brown Daily Herald

M. tennis smashes Penn, 6-0

By Erin Frauenhofer Sports Staff Writer

The men’s tennis team (8-2) clinched third place at the ECAC Championships over the weekend. The Bears defeated Yale, 5-2, on Saturday, then dropped a 4-1 semifinal match to Columbia the next day. On Monday, the Bears obliterated Penn in the third-place match by a score of 6-0, marking their first victory over the Quakers in three years.

The tournament was hosted by Harvard, who took first place, while Columbia finished second.

“It’s great to get a chance so early in the season to compete against other teams in the (Ivy) League,” Captain Chris Lee ’09 said. “It’s a good measuring stick for where we are and where we have to go.”

The Bears faced off against Yale Saturday morning, taking the doubles point with victories at first and second doubles. Captains Noah Gardner ’09 and Sam Garland ’09 overpowered their opponents by a score of 8-5, while at second doubles, Lee and Jonathan Pearlman ’11 earned an 8-6 win.

The same four Bears also dominated in singles play. At first singles, Pearlman outlasted Yale’s Jeff Dawson, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4.

Pearlman “picked up a huge win

over a guy who made the semis of the (Intercollegiate Tennis Association) Regionals,” Head Coach Jay Harris said. “That really says a lot about how well he’s been playing.”

At second singles, Lee split sets with his opponent before defeating him in the third set for a 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory.

“I thought I played pretty consistently all weekend,” Lee said. “Part of the reason I was able to do that was the between-court communication we had this weekend. Each guy was loud and could be heard from six courts away. That kind of energy and communication really helps when we are playing tough matches.”

Garland and Gardner had straightset wins at fourth and fifth singles, respectively. Garland won his match, 6-4, 6-4, and Gardner won, 6-4, 7-5.

“Yale kind of hammered us in the scrimmage a couple weeks ago, so I was proud of how the guys came out and really toughed out the match,” Harris said.

The next day, the Bears took on Columbia in the semifinals. The team started off strong, clinching the doubles point. Garland and Gardner led the way again at first doubles, where they had an 8-6 victory. At third doubles, Kendrick Au ’11 and Charlie Posner ’11 captured an 8-6 win to give Brown a 1-0 lead.

Track and field team has impressive showing Sports Staff Reports

Track and Field The men’s track and field team competed last Saturday at the Armor y Track in New York City, where many athletes earned personal bests. In addition to the strong individual performances, the Distance Medley Relay squad of Tom Elnick ’12, Mike Elnick ’12, Sean O’Brien ’09 and Duriel Hardy ’10 won in a time of 10:09.07.

Also competing at the Armor y, the women’s track and field team had an equally strong showing.

The women’s DMR earned a victor y of their own, as Roseanne Fleming ’12, Amanda Filiber to ’11, Samantha Adelberg ’11 and Kesley Ramsey ’11 finished first in 11:42.36.

Men • Hardy, mile: 4:12 (Personal Record), 1st place.

• Matt Jasmin ’09, 60-m hurdles: 8.13 (PR), 1st.

• Andrew Chapin ’10, triple jump: 14.63 m, 2nd.

Women • Grace Watson ’11, high jump: 1.65 m, 1st.

• Ari Garber ’12, 3000 run: 9:51.25 (PR), 2nd.

• Nicole Bur ns ’09, 400: 55.32, 2nd.

• Michaeline Nelson ’11, mile: 5:00.54, 2nd.

Women’s Water Polo The women’s water polo team

began its season at the Har vard Invitational last Sunday, going 1-1.

In their season opener against the New York Athletic Club, the Bears jumped out to an 11-5 lead in the first three quarters before sur viving a fourth-quarter comeback to pull out an 11-9 win. Goalie Stephanie Laing ’10 had 13 saves, while Lauren Presant ’10 led the offensive effort with five goals. In the second game of the day, Bruno faced No. 8 Michigan, but fell by a score of 8-4 despite 15 saves from Laing and two goals from Presant.

Bethany Kwoka ’12 and Sarah Glick ’10 also scored.

Swimming and Diving Both the women’s and men’s teams lost in a meet against Yale last Sunday. The women, in a 181-119 loss, were led by Allyson Schumacher ’12, who had two individual wins.

The men lost, 186-114, but captured six events.

Men • Ryan Kikuchi ’11, 1,000 freestyle: 9:36.89, 1st; 200 Individual Medley: 1:53.49, 1st.

• CJ Kambe ’10, 3-m dive: 309.22, 1st; 1-m dive: 278.10, 1st.

• Daniel Ricketts ’10, 50 free: 20.95, 1st; 100 free: 45.71, 2nd.

Women • Schumacher, 500 free: 4:57.10, 1st; 1,000 free: 10:11.59, 1st.

• Kristen Caldarella ’12, 200 free: 1:54.58, 1st; 100 free: 52.80, 2nd. continued on page 8

But the Bears dropped four singles matches to give the Lions the four points they needed to win.

At first singles, Pearlman fell to Jon Wong by a score of 6-3, 6-1. Skate Gorham ’10, Garland and Gardner also had straight-set losses at third, fourth and fifth singles, respectively.

Lee and Au did not finish their respective matches at second and sixth singles once Columbia had claimed the victory.

“Against Columbia, I thought we played some good doubles, but in the singles matches, we just didn’t win the key points,” Lee said. “Skate, Sam, Noah and I all lost very tight first sets, and that put us in a big hole.”

The Bears demolished the Quakers in Monday morning’s battle for third place, winning all six singles matches. The doubles matches were not played.

The loss to Columbia “was a little disappointing, but then we came back the next day and really hammered Penn, and that’s a team we haven’t beaten in three years,” Harris said.

“It was nice to kind of show our character.”

Garland kicked off the win with an easy 6-0, 6-2 victory at fourth singles.

“Sam was the spark from the continued on page 8

Friday, February 20, 2009 | Page 7

W. tennis takes third at ECAC championships

By Meghan Markowski Contributing writer

The women’s tennis team (5-2) placed third in the ECAC Indoor Championship this weekend. The team blew by Cornell in the first round on Friday, 7-0, then lost to Princeton by the same score before beating Dartmouth in the consolation match.

In the Cornell match, Bianca Aboubakare ’11, Cassandra Herzberg ’12, Sara Mansur ’09, Tanja Vucetic ’10, Julie Flanzer ’12 and Catherine Stewar t ’12 all won their singles matches in straight sets. The Bears also took the doubles point to make it a clean sweep.

But things quickly reversed, as the Bears dropped their semifinal match against Princeton by an identical 7-0 score. The second doubles tandem of Mansur and Herzberg recorded the only win for Brown, 8-6 — but the doubles point went the Tigers’ way.

Aboubakare said the loss to Princeton didn’t affect the players’ mindsets going into Sunday’s match.

“We were really disappointed after Saturday’s game, but we

knew there was still another match to play,” she said. “I guess we really made it a point to leave the match against Princeton behind us and to focus on our next match against Dartmouth.”

“We had a tough loss against Princeton, but most of the matches were really close,” Mansur wrote in an e-mail to The Herald, “and I think it was productive for us to see their playing style, especially because now we know what is to come.”

“We changed our attitudes,” Aboubakare said, “and you could tell on each court that we were all determined to fight hard to reach our goal.”

On Sunday, the final day of the tournament, Brown beat Dartmouth, 4-3. The team recorded one doubles win by Emily Ellis ’10 and Kathrin Sorokko ’10, 8-4, and four singles wins by Aboubakare (6-1, 7-5), Herzberg (6-2, 4-6, 6-2), Vucetic (6-2, 6-2) and Flanzer (61, 6-3) to secure third place.

“The team was confident going into Sunday’s match, even though we lost to Dar tmouth last year,” Mansur wrote in her continued on page 8

Page 8

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Friday, February 20, 2009

S ports W eekend

High hopes for weekend home games W. tennis trounces foes Sports Staff Reports

The campus will be buzzing this weekend with four teams hosting home games.

The women’s hockey team (6-201, 5-15-0 ECAC Hockey) will close out the season by hosting Princeton tonight at 7 p.m. and Quinnipiac on Saturday at 4 p.m. at Meehan Auditorium.

The Bears struggled to get their offense going over the long weekend, beating Union, 3-2, before losing to Rensselaer, 2-1, and Yale,

2-0. But this weekend, the team has the advantage of facing a pair of opponents it has already beaten. The Bears beat Quinnipiac’s Bobcats, 3-0, on Jan. 30 before pulling off a dramatic, 2-1 upset of the Tigers the following day. Bruno will look to duplicate that success this weekend to create a happy ending for the senior class that includes captain and goaltender Nicole Stock ’09, a Herald sports staff writer, and forwards Frances Male ’09 and Savannah Smith ’09.

The men’s basketball team (7-15,

1-7 Ivy League) will look to build on the momentum it secured in winning its first conference game last weekend when it hosts Columbia on Friday and first-place Cornell on Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Pizzitola Center. After falling to Penn, 73-52, last Friday, the Bears broke a sevengame losing streak with a 61-43 win over Princeton the following day, propelled by a 19-point effort from Matt Mullery ’10.

Coming off a 3-0 weekend, the wrestlers (6-9) will face Cornell on Friday at 3 p.m. and Columbia on Saturday at 2 p.m. The Bears will hope to pick up where they left off last weekend, when they beat Harvard, Wagner College and Boston University.

The women’s tennis team (5-2) will host a double-header on Saturday, facing Seton Hall at 9 a.m. and Quinnipiac at noon. Coming off a third-place finish at the inaugural ECAC Indoor Championship, the Bears will look to Bianca Aboubakare ’11, who plays first singles and partners with her sister Carissa Aboubakare ’12 at first doubles, for leadership.

continued from page 7 e-mail. “Dartmouth and Princeton have polar-opposite playing styles. Princeton is aggressive and Dartmouth is much more focused on consistency. What really helped us on Sunday was the team’s tenacity and the willing-

ness to keep fighting.”

“Our freshman did a great job of playing under pressure in singles,” Aboubakare said. “It’s a great indication of what’s to come in the next two months.”

This Saturday, the Bears will host Seton Hall at 9 a.m. and Quinnipiac at noon.

W. squash rounds out big wins for Bruno continued from page 7 • Kelley Wisinger ’11, 200 back: 2:06.17, 1st.

• Sage Erskine ’11, 100 back: 59.10, 1st.

Women’s Squash The women’s squash team had an outstanding showing at the Howe Cup National Championship over the weekend. On Friday, the Bears earned a con-

vincing 9-0 win over George Washington, and carried the momentum into Saturday, when the Bears routed Bowdoin by an 8-1 score. On Sunday, they defeated Dartmouth, 6-3, to win the Kurtz Division and finish ninth in the nation. Highlights included a dominant 9-0, 9-5, 9-2 win at No. 3 for Laura Pyne ’10 and a straight-set win for Nikoo Fadaifard ’12 at No. 5, 9-0, 9-0, 9-3.

M. tennis on the road for weekend games continued from page 7 start,” Lee said. “He was just calling out breaks every 10 or so minutes and getting all the other guys fired up.”

Au soundly defeated his foe, 6-3, 6-3 at sixth singles, and Gardner cruised to a 6-2, 6-4, win at fifth singles. Gorham clinched the victory for the Bears at third singles, overpowering his Penn opponent, 6-4, 6-1.

At second singles, Lee defeated his opponent by a score of 6-2, 7-6,

while Pearlman split sets at first singles, before his opponent retired.

“In my matches against Penn and Yale, I did a great job of hanging in the match even when things weren’t going well,” Pearlman said. “I relaxed a lot after losing the first set in both of the matches and was able to swing loosely afterwards.”

According to Pearlman, having the tournament in February instead of its normal fall date was beneficial “because it served as a marker of our

progress for the spring season.”

“We have a great shot at winning the Ivy League title this year, and finishing third at this tournament is a good sign that we are heading in the right direction,” he said.

The Bears will compete next against Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., on Saturday and then will take on Georgetown on Sunday in Washington.

This weekend “will be a big challenge for us, as we play two very good teams on the road,” Lee said. This weekend “more than ever, we will need great energy and between-court communication from each guy.”

According to Lee, the Bears’ experience at the Championships will help them in the weeks to come.

“This weekend, we really became closer as a team,” he said. “Each guy developed more trust in the other guys’ abilities to perform under pressure, and I think we can only get better from here.”

Commentary & Letters The Brown Daily Herald

Page 10 | Friday, February 20, 2009

PETE FALLON

opinions extra

Don’t get mad.

Get published!

The reality of the ‘Brown student’

letters@browndailyherald.com t h e b r o w n d a i ly h e r a l d Editor-in-Chief Steve DeLucia

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TYLER ROSENBAUM Opinions Columnist At this University, you frequently hear the prototypical “Brown student” invoked. The administration, the student government and many Herald columnists (myself included) frequently allude to such an individual when making their cases.

So I didn’t think much about it until Sean Quigley’s ’10 column on the subject (“The myth of the ‘Brown student,’” Feb. 11), which, though seemingly born of the frustration of an ideological minority, brought up an important question. Is the rhetorical “Brown student” a valid concept? Is Brown University merely a collection of buildings, an institution that leaves no trace on its inhabitants?

Let’s look at the United States. With its more than 300 million residents, it is nearly impossible to characterize.

Nevertheless, newspapers, politicians and Americans in general, Quigley included, regularly write and speak of the “American ethos” and the “American dream.”

Does it matter that some Americans reject democracy, tolerance and all things commonly understood as part of “what it means to be an American”? No, because the majority of Americans share certain traits and beliefs, and it is this that we refer to when speaking in broad terms like “average American.”

The same is applicable to denizens of our campus.

Not all Brown students need be liberal. Not all students need agree on everything. This should not preclude us from recognizing the broader ethos of the University as a whole, regardless of the fact that there may be some minority that does not share every aspect of that ethos.

Attempting to define exactly what “Brown-ness”

means is a treacherous endeavor, but I’ll take a stab at it. Brunonians as a whole stand behind the totality of the New Curriculum (if not every individual aspect of it). Not only is this a result of self-selection, as the New Curriculum is one of Brown’s primary draws, but it also is something that grows on those who arrived on campus relatively ambivalent about the whole thing.

Moreover, Brown students generally embrace tolerance and reject injustice. I recognize that these are incredibly broad terms, but I would venture to say that an acceptance of feminism falls under the umbrella of what it means to be a Brown student.

The Oxford English Dictionary defines feminism as: “Advocacy of the rights of women (based on the theory of equality of the sexes).” I hope this is not the definition that Quigley had in mind when he emphatically rejected feminism and railed against the “intolerance” of the left at Brown.

In an earlier column, Quigley wrote that homosexuals would “have to answer to a higher power and to their communities, through social ostracization” for their “behavior” (“Cultural tyranny and the calamity of gay marriage,” Apr. 3). I find it hard to accept that anyone who espouses such beliefs can self-righteously protest the “illiberal and intolerant” ideas of the dominant ideology on campus.

Brown is not a monolithic ideological dictatorship.

On our campus there are liberals, conservatives, libertarians, socialists and everything in between. Nonconformity is appreciated and even encouraged. But that does not mean that there is no prevailing spirit, some general idea of what it means to be a Brunonian.

Tyler Rosenbaum ’11 is an international relations concentrator from Seattle, Washington. He can be reached at tyler@brown.edu

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Opinions The Brown Daily Herald

Friday, February 20, 2009 | Page 11

Simplify my life: A how-to guide for Lit Arts Kate Doyle Opinions Columnist I spent shopping period as anyone does — harried, frazzled, in need of sleep. My days were an endless string of 10-minute crosscampus traverses, ill-advised attempts to visit three classes at once, and occasional stops to scarf down who knows what from a library food cart.

Shopping is how it’s done here at Brown, and, like all of us, I found solace in the knowledge that soon enough, things would calm down — and, moreover, that I’d have a schedule that was just right for me. That said, I don’t pretend I was much the happy camper as I reached my fourth or fifth day of hauling myself from one class to another — and another, and another, and another and another.

Particularly stressful, I couldn’t help noticing, was shopping the Literary Arts Department, where introductory level writing courses are extremely popular — and capped below 20. Many students pre-register on Banner for these coveted spots. The rest turn out in high numbers during shopping period to write their names on slips of paper, drop them in a hat and cross their fingers that the instructor will pull theirs for one of the few remaining spots or, at the very least, a place on the waiting list.

My particular course of choice was offered in four sections this semester, each taught by a different instructor; I visited three of them. In the first, the efficient and organized instructor knew the drill: Names from the hat filled both the remaining seats

and the 10 spots on the waiting list. These students were expected to continue to attend class if they wished retain a seat; the rest were asked to leave.

All in all, quite painless — but not so in the other sections I visited. A simple change of location in one was explained by a note on the door of the original classroom — or might have been, had the note not fallen off the door and onto the ground. Roughly 10 students, myself included, discovered the note too late, and after dashing up two flights of stairs, arrived at the new classroom to find that names had already been drawn — and

Perhaps the most obvious answer would be to offer more sections of these introductory classes — but it is by no means the simplest option. In an interview, Brian Evenson, director of the Literary Arts Program, expressed sympathy for students trying to gain entry to these courses in the midst of a busy shopping period, and explained that more sections are being offered this year than have been in the past. Still, he cited the economy among other factors that prevent the department from undertaking any major expansion of offerings at the current moment.

In the midst of shopping period, the last thing any of us needs is a little more stress, a little more confusion and a little more running around.

So I can’t help but wonder if there might be some way to simplify this hectic system. so lost our chance.

In the other section, the instructor seemed simply perplexed by the namesfrom-a-hat system, unsure of how the waiting list should be determined, how many seats there should be on the waiting list and whether those on the waiting list were expected to remain in class.

In the midst of shopping period, the last thing any of us needs is a little more stress, a little more confusion and a little more running around. So I can’t help but wonder if there might be some way to simplify this hectic system — after all, if every capped course used this method to fill its roster, shopping courses would be a pretty harrowing experience.

What, then, can be done? Personally, I’m all for scrapping pre-registration for these courses altogether. The department has done an admirable job of making things as fair as possible, reserving sections of each course for first-years and sophomores who might otherwise lose seats to upperclassmen. But I propose that the department have everyone throw names in the hat. It would put all students on equal footing — regardless of seniority.

The department should also ensure that instructors use a uniform set of standards, put the same number of students on class waiting lists and make class attendance a requirement for saving one’s spot. And if there are going to be classroom changes, perhaps

they could wait until the second time the class meets, when the roster is complete. (I have scary dreams at night of cutthroat “Poetry I” hopefuls ripping notes from doors to thwart the competition.)

With a writing sample, many students can gain entry into intermediate and advanced courses, but many are unclear about how to submit their writing, or aren’t aware that these courses are open to them. By rewriting descriptions on Banner to give students a clearer understanding of what options are available, the department might be able to reduce traffic flow in introductory courses.

Evenson noted that the current system is, in some ways, less useful today than it was in the days before Banner. He called this year a “transitional year” for the department and noted that “it may be time for us to reevaluate.”

Of course I don’t pretend to know the ins and outs and the minute details of running an entire department, but perhaps a student’s perspective couldn’t hurt. Were it up to me, I’d move the whole process — whether it involved pulling names out of a hat, a nice online lottery (as in Visual Arts) or, as my father jokingly suggests to me as I write this, a Sorting Hat — out of shopping period. Submitting writing samples and drawing names for each semester’s course lineup should take place at the end of the previous semester, so that we can all start our shopping knowing full well which rosters and waiting lists we’re on. Then, perhaps, our poor frazzled brains can have a rest — and a little less to fret about.

Kate Doyle ’12 is from Westport, Connecticut. She can be reached at Katherine_Doyle@brown.edu.

Opting out is fine by me

BY KATHARINE HERMANN Opinions Columnist A 2005 New York Times article by Louise Story sent shockwaves of disbelief throughout the Ivy League and the nation. In “Many Women at Elite Colleges Set Career Path to Motherhood” (Sept. 20, 2005), Story reported that roughly 60 percent of 138 freshman and senior females surveyed at Yale “said that when they had children, they planned to cut back on work or stop working entirely.”

The article made some Brown undergraduates afraid — afraid that the ideals of the Feminist Revolution had been lost and afraid that women were not receiving the support that they needed to maintain successful careers.

Brown students took measures to address both of these fears. Former Herald opinions columnist Dana Goldstein ’06 conducted inter views with two dozen female Brown undergraduates, summarizing her impressions in “Work and motherhood: a Brown study” (Oct. 18, 2005). Goldstein’s findings are completely opposed to Story’s, assuaging fears that women no longer value work and long for independence. Her column triumphantly proves that the feminist ideal of independence is alive and well, at least at Brown. Goldstein writes, “Not one young woman I spoke to on Brown’s campus sai she plans on giving up working after she has children — even if she does want to

have flexible hours or the option of working from home.”

Late in her column, Goldstein asks the question: “What is the world going to do to help us achieve our goals?” This question suggests that the feminist flame burns strong, with undergraduates desperately yearning for successful careers, but that certain factors hinder their pursuits. I suggest that “the world” will not and should not do anything to “help us.” Yes, working while being a mother

events for women.”

Nardone and Klonick identified lack of guidance and support as primar y reasons for women opting out of the workforce, but I am unconvinced of this truth. The women in Story’s article had career ambitions and most were confident that they would excel in their fields for at least a decade or so out of college. Something other than a deficit of opportunity seemed to be influencing their decisions.

I have a feeling that the “Opt-Out Revolution” is not quite the revolution that journalists make it out to be. is a challenge, but most of us have examples in our lives of women who have gracefully balanced working and motherhood.

Kate Klonick ’06 and Sunisa Nardone ’07 took a different approach from Goldstein, launching “Women in the World,” a lecture inspired by Story’s article, and developing a mentoring program of the same name.

In Herald Arts & Culture Editor Hannah Levintova’s ’09 article “Mentoring program to match female students with alums” (Sept.

5, 2006), Nardone is quoted as saying “Going into senior year, we thought more guidance was needed in the transition from academia to real life,” and continues “It seemed kind of surprising that there are no networking

Another New York Times article sheds more light on the phenomenon of women opting out of the workforce. In “The OptOut Revolution” (Oct. 26, 2003), Lisa Belkin chronicles the lives and career choices of several Ivy League graduates, each of whom belongs to a book group or a children’s playgroup of mothers with prestigious degrees who have chosen to stop working after becoming mothers.

Among those she writes about is a Brown graduate, Tracey Liao Van Hooser ’93, who says, “It was wonderful to find a group of women who had made the same decisions I had,” continuing, “I am not a housewife. Is there still any such thing? I am doing what is

right for me at the moment, not necessarily what is right for me forever.”

Several key points can be derived from her statements. First, she made a choice, and she is happy with it. Second, the choice remains for her to return to the workforce should she want to.

Both of the valiant efforts by Brown students mentioned earlier ignore the role of choice. They accept that some deep, dark, institutional factors push women out of the workforce, whether they are lack of support and access or the impossibility of balancing children and a career. But the women in the two New York Times articles are shouting from the rooftops the opposite message: “I am making a choice!”

I have a feeling that the “Opt-Out Revolution” is not quite the revolution that journalists make it out to be, but at the very least, these stories provide beautiful examples of choice — choice that we should not be threatened by but be happy to have. Whether we use that choice to stop working after having children, fine, so be it, as long as it is a reasoned, deliberate decision. If we use that choice to work into our eighties, balancing children and a career by any means possible, that’s wonderful as well. We need not be frightened by our accomplished colleagues who choose not to work. They are not victims, and neither are we.

Katharine Hermann is a COE and urban studies concentrator from Portland, Oregon. She can be reached at Katharine_hermann at brown.edu

Today The Brown Daily Herald

inside

5

Avon hosts ‘Waltz with Bashir’ event

7

to day

to m o r r o w

34 / 22

38 / 29

Tennis teams bust tourney opponents

Friday, February 20, 2009

Page 12

d i a m o n d s a n d c oa l A sympathetic diamond to Roba!Dolce. We’re sorry you got fore!closed on.

A cubic zirconium to the Brown Skydiving Club, which hopes to raise enough money to sponsor jumps for members. Given the current economic climate, some might say leaping out of a plane at 10,000 feet without one of those expensive parachutes doesn’t sound all that bad.

Coal to the Rhode Island colleges that are considering arming their campus police. Sure, guns are one answer, but take it from us: Nothing strikes fear in the heart of a criminal like neon jackets and a Segway tricycle.

2

A welcoming diamond to the Corporation, which begins meeting today to decide the fate of half a dozen major building projects and hash out a budget totaling half a billion dollars. If you’re still taking other suggestions, there was no tuna at the salad bar the other day, soooo...

A cubic zirconium to the regional director of USA Underwater Hockey, who described one of the challenges of the niche sport as the fact that “no one can hold their breath for an unlimited amount of time.” Quite true, but that’s precisely the discovery that led a ragtag band of Canadians 200 years ago to freeze the water before the game.

c a l e n da r today, february 20

Saturday, february 21

3:30 P.M. — Prof. Alvin Goldman, Rutgers University, “Toward a Synthesis of Reliabilism and Evidentialism,” 54 College Street

12 P.M. — “Active Bodies, Active Minds: Young People Making Change,” Wilson 102

9:30 P.M. — “Peindre ou faire l’amour,” Cable Car Cinema, 204 S. Main St.

2 P.m. — Wrestling vs. Columbia, Pizzitola Sports Center

menu Sharpe Refectory

Verney-Woolley Dining Hall

Lunch — BLT Sandwich, Creamy Cappellini with Broccoli, S’mores Bars

Lunch — Chicken Fingers, Baked Vegan Nuggets, Sugar Snap Peas

Dinner — Teriyaki Salmon, Italian Vegetable Saute, Portabello Mushroom Stuffed with Quinoa

Dinner — Fisherman’s Pie in Puff Pastry, Chicken Saute with Mustard Sauce, Cheese Raviolis with Sauce

RELEASE DATE– Friday, February 20, 2009

c r o sDaily s w oCrossword rd Los Angeles Times Puzzle

A diamond to Zipcar for changing its minimum age policy to allow Brown students who are 18, instead of 21, to rent from you. But since when did Fish Co. start managing Zipcar?

We’re using our stupid wooden token to vote a coal for Blue State Coffee, which brazenly opened another location in New Haven. We should have learned by now that when people say Brown is their one and only choice, that just means they’re on the waitlist at Yale. (Plus, we were still hoping for a third Thayer Street shop.)

We’ll gladly pass on two dozen shipments of diamonds and 300 tons of coal to the University, which administrator Beppie Huidekoper said was taking much of its endowment money out of hedge funds in favor of less risky investments. For the right price, that is. (We’re trying to get out of commodities.)

Coal to the modified unofficial transcript the University made available online this week, which includes more of students’ internal records than before. The formatting changes are welcome, but including our Brown application essays was a little embarrassing.

Finally, a coal to Providence Mayor David Cicilline ’83, who said in his State of the City address Tuesday that the city government must “mobilize, as if we’re in the economic equivalent of wartime.” Maybe you can start saving money by firing whoever’s in charge of coming up with original metaphors over there.

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Listening device 4 Run 11 Half of sei 14 “Ben-__” 15 Fearless Leader underling 16 Hyper toon pooch 17 Live and breathe 18 Uniform piece 19 Despot Amin 20 Grounation Day celebrant 22 Line crosser of a sort 23 Nano, e.g.

24 “Do the Right Thing” pizzeria 26 Eventually 28 Touch 30 Ancient cross shape 32 Albemarle Sound, for example 35 Lines in the desert?

37 Band on the road 38 Play for a sap 39 “The Eyes of __”: 2005 PBS science show 40 2008 biopic 41 Remote button 42 Citation 44 Wrapper’s pair 46 Make flush?

47 Md. hours 48 1986 PGA champ Bob 49 Like some promises 51 Pol’s forte 53 Plate between two boxes 55 Pother 57 Lover of Euridice, in a Monteverdi work 60 Priestly garb 61 “Captain Kangaroo” regular 63 Ltr. holder 64 “__ Beethoven”: 2002 Sparks album 65 Tybalt, for one 66 Look over 67 Shoe part

68 Washington WNBA team 69 Ecru relative DOWN 1 Salty adverb 2 Certain something 3 Can’t take the heat, literally 4 “Paper Moon” Oscar winner 5 Hogwash 6 Predicted touchdowns, for short 7 Like many a frat party 8 Narnia lion 9 Plays dirty, literally 10 Grab grub 11 Be clumsy, literally 12 Change considerably 13 Arthurian lady 21 “Toodle-oo” 23 “I hate the Moor” speaker 25 Avoid arguments, literally 27 Prank instigators

28 Sharp 29 Great __: arid Western region 31 “Wheel of Fortune” buy 33 Met tragedy, maybe?

34 Full of dirt?

36 Crew alternative 40 Keeps in the e-mail loop 43 Biblical cattle 44 Embarks

45 Disturbance 50 Lifts in a gym?

52 Pound and others 53 Discontinue 54 Hodgepodge 56 Bach’s cello suites, e.g.

58 “The Memory of Trees” album maker 59 Roast site 61 CIX years ago 62 Dry, as wine

comics Cabernet Voltaire | Abe Pressman

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

Enigma Twist | Dustin Foley

xwordeditor@aol.com

02/20/09

The One About Zombies | Kevin Grubb

By Robert A. Doll (c)2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

02/20/09