Thursday, February 13, 2014 by The Brown Daily Herald

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BROWN DAILY HERALD vol. cxlix, no. 17

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THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014

Taveras delivers annual State of the City address Continued improvement of education, public safety and economic progress receive top billing By EMMA JERZYK SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Mayor Angel Taveras reviewed the progress of his 20-point economic development action plan, ‘Putting Providence Back to Work,’ and other city-wide initiatives focused on education, health and public safety in his State of the City address yesterday, emphasizing his prognosis — that “the state of our city is improving.” Some components of Taveras’

METRO

EMILY GILBERT / HERALD

Taveras reflected on the progress of his economic plan and pressed for a 60 officer increase in Providence’s police force by the end of 2014.

plan include streamlining the building permit application process, revamping Kennedy Plaza and investing in construction across the city. Taveras also highlighted recent improvements to the city’s business environment, such as freezing Providence’s commercial tax rate, launching a regional center for EB-5 — a visa program to attract international investments — and providing low-interest loans to Providence businesses. Gun violence is a major public safety concern in Providence, Taveras said, adding that “it is far too easy for young people to get their hands on guns.” He cited the role of the Providence Police Department in keeping crime rates down despite reductions in the force’s size. The National Campaign for

Grade-Level Reading, an organization that focuses on boosting literacy and graduation rates, recognized Providence as a 2013 Community Pacesetter, Taveras said. The Carnegie Corporation selected Providence as one of the three cities invited to apply for a $3 million education grant, Taveras said. Taveras credited the city’s education accomplishments to its investments in adult education programs, and volunteers in elementary school classrooms as well as Providence Reads, a literacy program designed to “promote school readiness, improve school attendance and support summer learning,” he said. Investments in a city-wide recycling program, a new Healthy » See TAVERAS, page 4

Partnership New conductor orchestrates musical development passes baton to examines R.I. Orchestra David Wroe, temporary public safety replacement for Conductor Paul Phillips dispatch wants to match this standard while still helping orchestra members experience music in a new way.

By EMILY PASSARELLI

Taubman Center joins forces with R.I. commission, aiming for municipal cost reduction

STAFF WRITER

The Brown University Orchestra’s Conductor Paul Phillips’ sabbatical this semester marks the third time in the past 25 years the orchestra is under a temporary baton. Taking his place on stage as conductor this semester is David Wroe — current music director at both the New Jersey Westfield Symphony Orchestra and New York City Teatro Grattacielo and former assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. “Maestro Phillips has set a precedence of excellence which is hard to follow,” Wroe said, adding that he

By KATYA BARRETT CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The Joint Municipal Shared Services Study Commission announced a new partnership with the Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions Feb. 3. The goal of the partnership is to evaluate the current effectiveness of Rhode Island’s public safety dispatch, according to a General Assembly press release. The commission formed in 2012 to identify ways for towns and cities to save money by sharing certain services, such as public safety dispatch and tax collection, said Sen. Louis DiPalma, D-Little Compton, Middletown, Newport and Tiverton, co-chairman of the commission. Focusing on lower property taxes, the commission aims to design a shared services plan, he added “The objective of the partnership, therefore, is the analysis,” DiPalma said. The commission will share information about municipal expenditures on public safety dispatch with the Taubman Center, which will evaluate how the commission should proceed “to have a more cost efficient and cost effective approach in the future,” he said. This is the commission’s first partnership since beginning its » See PARTNERSHIP, page 4

Surprises and expectations Having only worked under the direction of Phillips, students in the orchestra were initially a little apprehensive that his replacement may not live up to him, said Hannah Mirman ’14, student president of the orchestra. “Paul is really inspired about what he does and connects well with the musicians,” she added. But when she and Rebecca Lichtin ’14, vice president of the group, met

with Wroe for coffee before this semester’s first rehearsal, her concerns vanished, she said. “It’s been so easy and so wonderful interacting with him.” Similarly, the caliber of the orchestra surprised Wroe, especially because its members are predominantly nonmusic majors. “I have been bulled over — and a number of other exclamatory phrases — by the high standards of Brown students and their high performance capabilities,” Wroe said. Brown students compare “very, very favorably,” to students of other groups he has conducted, he said. Nevertheless, a new baton “I am quite intense in the way I run rehearsal. My music-making is dramatic,” Wroe said. Conductors have the role of examining a piece of music and imparting their musical interpretations of it to the performers, » See ORCHESTRA, page 2

Panelists find concord during debate on national security Speakers address topics ranging from political divisions to Edward Snowden’s leaks By JOSEPH ZAPPA SENIOR STAFF WRITER

ALEXANDRA URBAN / HERALD

Panelists James Carafano and Timothy Edgar debated national security and the challenges of being an informed citizen during Wednesday’s event.

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“I’m not here to debate,” said James Carafano, vice president of foreign defense policy studies at the Heritage Foundation, at a debate on national security in the internet age Wednesday night. “Debates are like sporting events,” and if audience members wanted to watch opposing sides score points, they could “go watch the Olympics,” he said. His metaphor set the tone for a dialogue with Timothy Edgar, a visiting fellow at the Watson Institute for International Studies, who served as the national security and immigration counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union and

Commentary

Providence Talks uses device to reduce word gap between lowand high-income children

The Fish Ladder Project along Ten Mile River has met delays due to site-specific complications

Isman ’15: America is not as accepting of cultural diversity as it could be

Powers ’15: Americans should ground beliefs in logic and underlying ethical principles

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Right in choosing Wroe “It was left up to me to find someone to fill in for me,” said Phillips, senior lecturer in music and director of orchestra and chamber music. Phillips searched for a replacement whose musical background was strong enough to support the growth of his students, and a professional colleague suggested Wroe. “In the end, David had the strongest professional credentials,” Phillips said, adding that Wroe possesses the organizational skills required for conducting the orchestra — a self-managed group. “There is a depth of understanding that students and professors achieve under a piece of music,” Wroe said, explaining the appeal of conducting Brown’s orchestra. Wroe, who has

experience conducting and directing orchestras in both the United States and Europe, said the pace of the professional field does not usually allow for the rewarding experience of interacting with students. This satisfaction makes Wroe’s occasionally lengthy commute — from his commitments in the tri-state area to campus — worth it, he said. “It is a pleasure to make it happen.”

as the first director of privacy and civil liberties for the Obama administration . The panelists covered political divisions on national security, Edward Snowden, the former national security contractor accused of leaking a trove of classified government information, and the challenges of becoming an informed citizen. Though the debate, sponsored by the Alexander Hamilton Society, featured a lecturer from a liberal university and a political scholar from a conservative think-tank, the two agreed on most of the subject matter. Not a left-and-right issue Few would have expected that James Carafano would “agree with 95 percent” of what Edgar said in his opening statement. But national security in a digital age is not a traditional left-right political debate, both speakers said, adding that » See DEBATE, page 3 t o d ay

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2 university news

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014

DAVID BRAUN / HERALD

The Brown Orchestra’s Conductor Paul Phillips searched for a replacement with a musical background strong enough to support the growth of his students, and David Wroe, pictured above, was suggested by a colleague.

» ORCHESTRA, from page 1

DAVID BRAUN / HERALD

“He is open to connecting with us,” said Hannah Mirman ‘14 of David Wroe, who is taking the reigns as temporary conductor of the orchestra.

he added. “My goal is that students are moved by the beauty and craftsmanship of music.” Elizabeth Jean-Marie ’15 said Wroe has already made an impact. He asked the wind instruments to sit closer to the strings during rehearsal, she said, changing the dynamic of the ensemble. Now instead of focusing on only the conductor, we focus on playing with the people next us, she explained. “It’s nice for the group to be under

someone else’s baton for once,” Mirman said. Orchestra members can improve as musicians by working with more than one conductor, she added. Wroe’s rehearsal style is a little more rigorous than Phillips’, Akshaya Avril-Tucker ’15 said. “But he is encouraging while he drills us,” she added. “He’s always telling stories or explaining to us a British metaphor of how to understand a piece.” Luke Barker ’15 said that while Phillips ran through pieces during rehearsals, Wroe frequently gives

recommendations on specific musical techniques. But overall, the rehearsal atmosphere is not too serious, and Wroe doesn’t have unrealistic expectations, Barker said. “He made it clear that he was very impressed by our diverse interests and respected us for that.” “He is so open to connecting with us,” Mirman said, adding that after only four rehearsals, students have been able to establish trust in him — “already, we are sounding like a real ensemble.”

» FISH LADDER, from page 8

through volunteer efforts spearheaded by the Ten Mile River Watershed Council, McGinn said. “Fish ladders will put that operation out of business, and I think the volunteers will be happy to be put out of business. The ladders will be able to pass a lot more fish than the volunteers will be able to scoop over the dam,” McGinn said. The delays in the completion of the Omega Pond Dam fish ladder mean that the fish will not be able to independently cross the dam to spawn upstream for another season. McGinn said that though the fish population has benefited from the volunteer effort in the past two decades, he expects the ladder to be functioning for the next fish run and to see greater numbers of fish than this year.

in Rhode Island and New England,” Oliver said. “The motivation is to get more fish to the ocean basically … We’re restoring their population up the Narragansett Bay and they’ll eventually go out into the ocean.” The increased populations of herring and shad will be eaten by other species favored by fishermen, such as striped bass, allowing those populations to increase as a result, Oliver said. “Fishermen will benefit by the fact that these fish are fed on by fish that people fish for, like striped bass,” Oliver said. “We have more prey for the predator fish to feed on.” Until all the fish ladders are installed along the river, the only way for the fish to get over the dam is

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014

Distraction no more: Social media encourages discussion outside classroom Professors use social media platforms Twitter and Facebook to take lessons outside classroom By STEVEN MICHAEL SENIOR STAFF WRITER

For students enrolled in POLS 0010: “Introduction to the American Political Process” this semester, class began well before the syllabus was handed out and continues each week beyond the walls of their lecture hall. Wendy Schiller, associate professor of political science and public policy, communicates with students in her course via Twitter. “Attn: Brown students. Teaching POLS 0010 IntroAmerpolprocess nxt semester let’s start the conversation now using #introamerican,” Schiller tweeted Nov. 4, nearly three months before the course was slated to begin. Leading up to the course, Schiller connected students to articles on topics ranging from the Affordable Care Act rollout to the federal debt ceiling through Twitter, and she continued interacting on the online platform once the semester began. Schiller said Twitter enables her to communicate with students more effectively than either email or Canvas, the University’s online course management platform. All tweets related to the course are organized by the hashtag “introamerican.” “It’s a really great way of continuing the conversation outside of class,” Schiller said. “I feel that I have another way of communicating with and introducing them to other voices that don’t come from me.” Schiller has been active on Twitter since 2010 but only decided to bring the social media network to the classroom after a discussion with Catherine

» DEBATE, from page 1 they did not come to debate but rather to have a dialogue about why national security is important, and what can be done to ensure both privacy and safety. Criticisms of the National Security Agency, which has become the symbol of the U.S. intelligence agencies in the wake of the Edward Snowden leaks, have come from both sides of the aisle, said Justin Braga ’16, president of the Brown chapter of the AHS and host of the event. “Conservatives are all over the map on this issue,” Carafano said, adding that Democrats are in a similar situation. Sen. Rand Paul, R-K.Y., filed a classaction lawsuit against President Obama yesterday for the NSA’s collecting of Americans’ phone records without suspicion or judges’ warrants, but Democrats will remain relatively quiet about the issue, Carafano said, because they would not want to “cause trouble” for Obama. Snowden scandal In the question-and answer-session following the debate, a student asked the speakers if Snowden is a hero or a traitor. Though Snowden is not a hero or

Zabriskie, director of academic technology services. Schiller plans to continue using Twitter for future classes of POLS 0010 as well as POLS 1130: “The American Presidency” in the fall. Twitter is “great in large lectures to interact with the professor and interact with other students,” said Meghan Wilson GS, who is a teaching assistant for POLS 0010. During the president’s State of the Union address Jan. 28, students were asked to complete the thought, “the state of the union is” in the form of a tweet, Wilson said. Though students are encouraged to tweet their responses to topics raised in discussion, they are not graded on whether they participate on Twitter, Wilson said. “It allows for other students (who are not enrolled) to be involved in the discussions we’re having in class,” she added. Kota Mizutani ’17 said the use of Twitter in the POLS 0010 was a “quick and easy way to access material in the class,” but he has not participated in the online discussions. “I like how the (teaching assistants) are able to put up Twitter stuff. I think it links the course material to what is relevant to us now,” Mizutani said. POLS 0010 is not the only course at the University to incorporate social media into teaching. Assistant Professor of Anthropology Adia Benton created a Facebook page for students in ANTH 0110: “Anthropology and Global Social Problems: Health, Development and Security.” “I noticed that students would use

a traitor, Edgar said, he is “extremely reckless” for releasing highly classified documents to the media. Carafano agreed that Snowden’s actions were “completely irresponsible,” adding that he was “completely unqualified to evaluate the quality and efficacy of the information” he disclosed. Snowden could not possibly have known whether his action would be detrimental or beneficial to the public, he said. Carafano cited Snowden’s release of classified trade records between Australia and Indonesia, which hurt the two countries’ relationship, as an example of a negative consequence of Snowden’s actions that he probably could not have anticipated. The disclosures have had the positive effect of inciting a conversation about privacy and security, Edgar said, but there is “no need to lionize” Snowden for doing so. Snowden is not even a “whistleblower,” Carafano said, adding that a whistleblower would need to understand that a governmental agency was engaging in illicit activities. Edgar said current laws protecting whistleblowers would probably be

ASHLEY SO / HERALD

Students began engaging with course material through social media three months prior to the start of the semester for POLS 0010: “Introduction to the American Political Process.”

TWITTER.COM

Professors incorporate social media into their curricula as a way to encourage students to continue discussions and become more passionate about the material. the page to communicate with each other about class assignments or to think through how particular social issues are handled in the mainstream media,” Benton wrote in an email to The Herald.

Students were not graded on their participation in the Facebook group, but Benton wrote that it was an opportunity to hear the voices of students who do not speak in class.

“Students are already using Facebook, so it’s a helpful tool in the sense that it fosters communication amongst students in ways that might not otherwise be possible,” she wrote.

effective for someone like himself who works at a high level in the government and understands that a practice is illegal. But the laws do little to protect “people at a very low level ... who see a piece of what’s going on and are very troubled by what they’ve seen and want to blow the whistle.”

is a “nearly insurmountable challenge,” Carafano said. Edgar said Americans must have a lot of trust in whomever they go to for education on the subject, noting that the public should doubt the extent of the knowledge held by journalists, activists and politicians. “The media’s horrific on this issue,” Carafano said, a sentiment that Edgar echoed. A film put together by activists about the lack of privacy in contemporary American society, entitled “Terms and Conditions May Apply,” was screened on campus Tuesday. Edgar, who attended the screening, said the film got several facts wrong,

and activists are generally poorly educated about the topics they seek to teach others. Edgar and Carafano concluded the debate by lamenting the ineffectiveness of politicians, who Carafano grouped into four categories: “people who don’t know, know but can’t or don’t want to talk about it, know but want to exploit the issue for their advantage anyway and ... people who are trying to do sensible things.” But even politicians who do want to make change or educate the public face significant challenges, Edgar said. “It’s a very frustrating job to be on the inside and want to explain these things and be prevented from doing so,” he said.

Who can you trust? “The law is pretty clear on what the government can do,” Carafano said. “It’s not a legal question. It’s really a question for the American people,” Carafano added. “What do you want?” The obstacle in answering these questions is the difficulty involved in educating oneself about the issue, which

4 university news UCS confronts student gov. identity Council discusses whether it should reach out to student groups, takes stands on political issues By CAROLINE KELLY SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The Undergraduate Council of Students discussed its identity, role and responsibilities within the Brown community at its general body meeting Wednesday. Council members split up into five small groups for an open conversation dedicated to answering questions about the duties facing student government. The questions included “Why did you join UCS?”, “Should UCS be more politically active? If so, how?” and “What are our responsibilities to the student body?” Other questions touched on the scope of the Council’s influence and whether UCS members are more similar to “delegates” or “trustees.” In the group dedicated to discussing the Council’s responsibilities, UCS General Body Member John Brewer ’17 said he wondered if there is a disconnect between UCS and student groups. “Have they (sought) out UCS, and we haven’t helped them? Have they not looked into UCS?” he asked, adding that it is important for UCS to take an active interest in student groups.

Cameron Johnson ’17, a UCS general body member, urged fellow members to “be proactive” and schedule meetings with student group leaders to foster important connections. Asia Nelson ’15, a UCS general body member, also suggested engaging student leaders through polls or conversations. Though the Council may face “limited engagement,” there is “not much limit to what (it) can do” in terms of “mobilizing the student body,” said Abigail Braiman ’15, UCS Student Athlete Advisory Committee liaison. Many saw ties between this potential and the self-nomination process to be a member. “The open join policy is absolutely perfect,” said Ian Cossentino ’17, a UCS general body member. “You only go to something … if you’re really interested in it. It draws the people that are interested.” In the small group devoted to discussing the Council’s responsibilities to the student body, general body member Victoria Kidd ’16 said, “Of course we want to hear everyone’s voice, but how much time do we spend trying to hear those voices?” Kevin Carty ’15 said he saw UCS members’ roles as comparable to those of delegates and trustees, as well as other jobs, though he noted, “No representation system is perfect.” “I don’t think we necessarily represent student opinions or student

voices,” said Maahika Srinivasan ’15, chair of the UCS Academics and Administrative Affairs Committee. After UCS members reconvened from the small groups, the idea of UCS being more politically active drove much discussion. “UCS does a great job of doing the little things,” but it has not been as successful at addressing larger issues, such as the controversy surrounding coal divestment, said Justice Gaines ’16, who plans on joining the Council. Kiera Peltz ’16, chair of the UCS Communications Committee, responded that the Council has the intention of helping “as many folks as possible, but at the end of the day, it’s on a case by case basis” which items the Council ultimately pursues. Before the Council takes a political stance on an issue, it needs to “reach out to the student body and figure out how (it) can be more political for them,” Gaines said. Some Council members worried the body contains a limited range of voices, given its self-selecting nature. In response to this concern, Peltz said she saw an opportunity for less outspoken but equally capable members to get involved and share their ideas. UCS Vice President Sam Gilman ’15 said he saw the Council’s purpose as representing “student voices.” “This is the most active Council I’ve ever seen,” he added. “Keep it living and breathing.”

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014

» PARTNERSHIP, from page 1 operations in 2013, DiPalma said, adding the collaboration was initiated by himself and analysts in the Senate Fiscal Office who were familiar with the Taubman Center’s work. The team from the Taubman Center is composed of two faculty members, two graduate students and one undergraduate student, said Erik Godwin, lecturer of public policy at the Taubman Center and one of the professors involved in the partnership. The students have previously expressed interest in applied work opportunities of this kind, said Jonathan Wolinsky GS, one of the graduate students on the Taubman Center team. “The partnership between the Taubman Center and the state allows for the state to have access to high quality research in an area that is currently of interest to many people around Rhode Island,” Wolinsky said. “It also allows Taubman and Brown to continue a tradition of involvement with our surrounding communities.” The team has begun their research into current public safety dispatch systems across R.I. municipalities

» TAVERAS, from page 1 Communities Office, a municipal compost program and a new bicycle master plan have improved the “quality of life” for city residents, Taveras said. Taveras also discussed pension reform, saying “This was a crisis over 20 years in the making. It didn’t happen overnight, and it’s not going to be solved overnight.” Taveras said he wants to increase investments in public safety, including hiring 60 new police officers before the end of 2014, acquiring national accreditation for the Providence Police Department and implementing the Neighborhood Response Team, which will work to eliminate illegal firearms in the city. Other public

while also looking at models from other states, said Jamie Rosen ’17, who works on the project. The Taubman Center will produce a report — expected to be completed Mar. 7 — and will present its findings to the Shared Services Commission and the State Legislature, Rosen added. The team must analyze the available information quickly given the approaching deadline, Godwin said. “We are in the process now of speaking to dispatch centers and call centers around the state and finding out how they operate and what sorts of conditions they are facing.” The benefits of the partnership extend beyond the actual analysis of data. “We are providing an opportunity for students to work on real world problems, and that is important as well, ” DiPalma said. And Godwin said, “The biggest benefit for me is the opportunity to work with the students on policy issues that have pretty significant implications for the state. For them to learn on the job like this, on an issue that has a lot of moving parts and that a lot of people care about, is incredibly handy for their training.”

safety initiatives include “one-strike” legislation for the adult entertainment industry, which would require the Licensing Board to revoke the permit of any establishment promoting prostitution or the employment of minors, and would ban private booths in strip clubs, Taveras said. Providence has made fiscal progress over the past three years, including overcoming a $110 million structural deficit in 2011 and creating a $1.6 million budget surplus for fiscal year 2013, he said. “Make no mistake … A negative fund balance created through several years of budget deficits will probably take several years to eliminate,” Taveras said. “We are responsibly managing our finances while stepping up investments in our future.”

today 5

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014

menu SHARPE REFECTORY

dancing fever VERNEY-WOOLLEY

LUNCH Grilled Caribbean Jerk Chicken, Baked Ham on a Bulkie Roll, Savory Chicken Stew, Rice Krispie Treats

Beef Vegetable Soup, BBQ Chicken Sandwich, Eggplant Parmesan Grinder, Grilled Santa Fe Chicken

DINNER Butternut Squash Formato, Bourbon BBQ Chicken Quarters, Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Curried Shrimp Stirfry, Vegan Stuffed Red Pepper with Brown Rice, Mediterranean Couscous

JOSIAH’S

THREE BURNERS

QUESADILLA OR GRILLED CHEESE

French Toast

Make-your-own quesadillas

BLUE ROOM

SOUPS

DINNER ENTREES

Corn Chowder, Hearty Country Vegetable, Turkey Chili

Chicken Tikka Masala, Vegetable Korma Egplant

sudoku

ASHLEY SO / HERALD

The Fusion Dance Company started selling tickets for their 31st Annual Spring Show next weekend. Students and Fusion alums choreograph the show, which features contemporary, hip hop, jazz, ballet and more.

comics Bacterial Culture | Dana Schwartz

RELEASE DATE– Thursday, February 13, 2014

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich c rNorris o s sandwJoyce o rNichols d Lewis

ACROSS 1 Asian noodles 6 Quick looks 11 “The __” 14 Poke __ in 15 Game console button 16 __ polloi 17 “Sommersby” actress 19 1992 figure skating silver medalist 20 What “will be” will be? 21 Actress Dolores __ Rio 22 Post-blizzard creation 24 “The Federalist Papers” cowriter 27 Part of UNLV 28 Shortcut, perhaps 33 Kobe’s home 36 Energy 37 Environmental sci. 38 Hosp. areas 39 Freaked out 43 Org. for analysts 44 Dickens clerk 46 __ Aviv 47 Plant circulatory tissue 49 Measure used by navigators 53 Some govt. lawyers 54 Kind of memory 58 Golfer and his buddy, say 62 Barbecue item 63 Never, in Nuremberg 64 Trash holder 65 Packaged produce buy, and a literal description of the ends of 17-, 28-, 39- and 49Across 68 Word before or after blue 69 Paris pupil 70 Picture 71 “Mr. __ Passes By”: Milne play 72 A.J. Foyt, e.g. 73 Flies alone

DOWN 1 Hindi for “king” 2 Now, in Nicaragua 3 Surfing equipment 4 Ransom __ Olds 5 Locker room exchange 6 Opening words 7 Some RPI grads 8 Body shop figs. 9 Sharp 10 Easy pace 11 Playfully kooky 12 Minute amount 13 Utah national park 18 Crumbly cheese 23 Corduroy ridge 25 Biographer Tarbell 26 Extended short story 29 Singer/actress Peeples 30 Energize, with “up” 31 “Not a chance” 32 Character actor Jack 33 Doe in many films 34 Specialty 35 Lewis Carroll, for one

40 Non-Rx 41 Museum funding org. 42 Bookplate words 45 Educ. collaborators 48 As of now 50 Glucose, to fructose 51 Geese : gaggle : crows : __ 52 Beatnik’s “Gotcha”

55 “Barry Lyndon” actor 56 Musical nickname related to jewelry 57 Survey answers 58 Cook’s meas. 59 Collaborative Web project 60 Kunis of “Black Swan” 61 Corporate VIP 66 Holiday starter 67 Rock genre

Eric & Eliot | Willa Tracy

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calendar TODAY xwordeditor@aol.com

02/13/14

FEBRUARY 13

5:00 P.M. SOPHOMORE SLUMP: SPEED DATING

Don’t have plans for Valentine’s Day? Join the 2016 Class Board for Speed Dating (or “Friending”). Go mingle with fellow sophomores, and enjoy free desserts. Alumnae Hall, Crystal Room Lobby 7:00 P.M. WATTS HISTORY AND CULTURE OF THE BOOK MOVIE NIGHT - “ROBOTS AND FRANK”

The Watts History and Culture of the Book Program is starting its semester’s event series “The Future of Books — Past and Present” with a casual movie night. A discussion will follow the screening of the 2012 film, “Robot and Frank.” Pizza will be provided. Modern Culture and Media, Room 101

TOMORROW

FEBRUARY 14

9:00 A.M. PRIORITIZE

Overwhelmed by your schedule and don’t know where to start? Join the Center for Learning and Professional Development to discuss effective methods for setting and sticking to your priorities. Sharpe Refectory, The Annex 1:00 P.M. FRESH TO YOU MARKET

02/13/14

The Fresh to You Market provides discount fruit and vegetables around Rhode Island to promote healthy lifestyles. In the case of inclement weather, the location will move to the second floor of 121 South Main Street building. 121 South Main Street

6 commentary

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014

EDITORIAL

OIP should not charge Brown tuition The Office of International Programs requires that students pay Brown tuition when they spend a semester abroad, regardless of whether the program is Brown-sponsored or not. While we can imagine justifications for such a policy, it still should not cost as much to study abroad as it currently does. Student experiences through the OIP vary widely. Among the more expensive programs that Brown offers are those in Italy, the United Kingdom and France, simply because these nations have higher standards of living. The cost of housing, food and other day-to-day expenses will inevitably be greater than for students on a program in, say, India. Similarly, the cost of tuition at universities in any of these nations will vary, though not necessarily according to that nation’s standard of living. No Brown-sponsored or Brown-approved program’s tuition even comes close to that of Brown, yet all students studying abroad are required to pay a semester of Brown tuition for their program. There are no exceptions. We are not so naïve as to believe that when paying a semester of Brown’s tuition, the money is only paying for tuition at the institution abroad. The OIP must pay employees to organize programs, run the office and take care of the logistics in the program abroad and such. Still, it seems highly unlikely that a student studying abroad is receiving the same financial returns as a student on campus at Brown. Certainly, students have reasons to study abroad beyond making a sound financial investment, including experiencing another culture, traveling while young and free of many adult responsibilities and researching in a way that is impossible to do from a library in Providence. But there is an opportunity cost to studying abroad, which is missing a semester’s worth of resources available only at Brown, and this opportunity cost ought to be taken into account at the OIP. If a semester’s worth of tuition at a university in Delhi is less than $1,000, then it is fundamentally unreasonable to ask that a student pay full Brown tuition to attend. The OIP might justify the expense by stating that students will earn Brown credit for the courses taken, and that this is largely what we’re paying for at Brown — the name. But this argument does not stand, because students are not required to pay full tuition when studying away in the United States, and also because transfer students receive credit for courses taken at less expensive academic institutions. Another point is that we cannot reasonably expect that all students will receive a return on their payment to Brown. Students who consistently take lab courses or exceptionally small classes will be using more of the University’s resources than students who consistently take large lecture courses in the social sciences, but few would demand that the latter students receive a discount on their education. The difference here lies in the extent to which study abroad programs are less expensive. In some programs, it would be extremely difficult for a student to use over $22,000 worth of resources provided by Brown or the host institution. This needs to be addressed. Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board: its editors, Matt Brundage ’15 and Rachel Occhiogrosso ’14, and its members, Hannah Loewentheil ’14 and Thomas Nath ’16. Send comments to editorials@ browndailyherald.com.

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K I M B E R LY S A LT Z

Q U O T E O F T H E D AY

“Fishermen will benefit by the fact that these fish are fed on by fish that people fish for, like striped bass.” — Lawrence Oliver

See fish ladder on page 8. EDITORS’ NOTE The Herald is excited to announce the launch of a new website for the post-Magazine. Long in the works and officially unveiled yesterday, the new site is sleek and user-friendly. For the first time, it will also feature web-only content in addition to the magazine’s regular articles. Be sure to take a look and check back for regular updates.

Editors’ notes are written by the 124th editorial board: Eli Okun ’15, Adam Toobin ’15, Mathias Heller ’15, Sona Mkrttchian ’15, Maddie Berg ’15 and Kate Nussenbaum ’15.

CORRECTION Due to an editing error, an article in Wednesday’s paper (“Prof. views for Congressional seat,” Feb. 12) stated that John Chapman has raised $105,802, significantly more than Mark Alliegro. Though Chapman’s campaign has that amount of cash available, the majority of it comes from his personal savings and the campaign has raised slightly under $6,000 — a figure less than Alliegro’s campaign efforts. The Herald regrets the error.

Editorial Leadership

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Editor-in-Chief Eli Okun

Arts & Culture Editors Katherine Cusumano Andrew Smyth

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014

Land of the free, home of the multicultural SAMANTHA ISMAN opinions columnist

I am not a big sports fan, but I appreciate the hype built around popular sporting events. Events like the World Cup and the Super Bowl unite people of different ages, races and socioeconomic backgrounds under one common goal — winning. For a brief moment, Americans can almost pretend that we are all the same. I didn’t watch the Super Bowl this year, but I did watch the commercials. Companies invest millions of dollars in their advertisements each year, which are as much a part of the event as the game itself. In particular, Coca-Cola’s ad stood out to me. In the commercial, Americans of various ethnicities sing “America the Beautiful” in their own languages. The jumping frames and diverse languages showcase a country that is culturally and ethnically diverse. I found this beautiful, but not all Americans agreed with me. The ad brought out one of the most beautiful things about the United States — multiculturalism — but also the ugliest — racism. Because the United States is a

country with a history of racism, I was surprised to find that it is still prevalent. As a foreigner myself, I have never felt attacked by anyone, but the outrage caused by the Coca-Cola commercial scared me. The United States is constantly becoming more multicultural. At the same time, it seems xenophobia and intolerance are also growing. President Obama’s promise — published on the White House web-

Facebook blew up with posts like: “Today we are throwing away all our Coca-Cola products and replacing them with Faygo. Faygo represents Christian Values and follows the Constitution. Mexicans singing the National Anthem is an abomination,” and the hashtag “SpeakAmerican” appeared on Twitter. These claims are not only offensive to a great number of people who live in the United States, but they are also ignorant. The song featured

official language, which means that the people in the ad were in fact “speaking American.” University of California at Los Angeles Professor Carlos Alberto Torres writes that diversity “defines the … social fabric of cities around the globe, and most certainly characterizes the population of the United States.” American society was built upon diverse cultures. Thus, it is wrong to believe that there is only one type of American. In spite

Though the racism that exists today may not be as visible as it used to be, it is definitely there. It is in the allegedly meaningless jokes that people make, and even in the so-called ‘ethnic quotas’ that must be filled by American universities and companies. site — to implement “a smart, effective immigration system that continues efforts to secure our borders” reflects the desires of the American public. Many Americans do not welcome immigrants, even though this country was built by them. However, the Coca-Cola advertisement showed that public opinion has gone a step further than simply not wanting to allow new immigrants into the United States.

in the ad was “America the Beautiful,” not the National Anthem. To me, public outrage against the advertisement shows an American population that is closed off and unwilling to learn. It paints America as a country that doesn’t want to accept other cultures or languages, even though a large percentage of the population speaks a language other than English. Furthermore, the United States does not have an

of some Americans’ desire to retain a homogeneous society, this is not and never was possible. Though the racism that exists today may not be as visible as it used to be, it is definitely there. It is in the allegedly meaningless jokes that people make, and even in the so-called “ethnic quotas” American universities and companies must fill. Americans should be evaluated by their merits, not their ethnicities.

I understand the need to protect the jobs and livelihood of current citizens of the United States through immigration laws. However, active discrimination against immigrants does not serve the same purpose and will never be effective. America is a self-proclaimed country of equal opportunity. As such, we should provide opportunities equally rather than hide behind a motto that we refuse to follow. Granted, it’s not the entire population of the United States that feels this way. More and more people are beginning to understand the value of protecting multiculturalism. Many people were touched by Coca-Cola’s ad and its representation of a united but diverse America. Even though racism is not as overt and widespread as it used to be, it will still make its presence known as long as an ad like Coca-Cola’s — which was supposed to get “people thinking about what it means to be proud to be American ” — causes the kind of outrage it did.

Sami Isman ‘15 believes that multiculturalism has only helped her grow. She can be reached at samantha_isman@brown.edu.

Principles of American ethics ANDREW POWERS opinions columnist

A few weeks ago, President Obama delivered his annual State of the Union address, in which he urged Congress to raise the national minimum wage to $10.10. This proposal was quickly derided by the American right as another socialist attempt to redistribute wealth. Practically speaking, I understand the liberal desire to shy away from the use of unAmerican phrases such as “wealth redistribution.” But despite the rhetorical drawback of this characterization, this position is easily morally defensible. One hundred dollars in the hands of a homeless man certainly generates more happiness than it would in the hands of Bill Gates. If we believe a happier society to be a “better” society, then it’s an empirical matter to determine the optimal amount of wealth redistribution. Contrastingly, politically conservative individuals claim the non-negotiable right to the fruits of one’s labor. The current controversy surrounding President Obama’s proposal has merely highlighted an underlying ongoing problem. In the context of American politics, nearly all arguments are grounded in two attractive but often conflicting, moral systems: the preservation of rights and the maximization of the social good. It shouldn’t surprise us when we encounter intractable political disagreement. We can justify our views through these two contradictory principles, and nearly all individuals will invoke each of them at least once in the justification of their political positions. This country was founded on primarily libertarian principles in line with John Locke’s

work on the voluntary nature of social contract theory. In Locke’s work, government existed only through the continual consent of the governed, and laws were passed with the express purpose of preserving minimalist natural rights. Apart from the massively unequal distribution of rights away from minorities and women, late eighteenth-century America is probably the closest any society has ever come to the idealized society mentioned in Robert Nozick’s book, “Anarchy, State and

the wealth of others. Of course, politicians attempt to phrase their position in terms of both principles in order to attract more voters. The purported social benefits of trickledown economics as well as the right of the poor to a certain standard of living are both relevant examples. Rarely do these secondary arguments contribute to the motivating force of the position. Their sole purpose is to make it more palatable to the opposition. Americans disagree not only on the means

We shouldn’t simply ask, ‘which policies are moral?’ so much as, ‘what principles make a policy moral?’ Obtaining a satisfactory answer to the former won’t be possible without first coming to terms with the latter. Utopia.” The philosopher and political theorist antithetically paralleled the Marxist theory of justice, writing, “From each as they choose, to each as they are chosen.” For better or for worse, this is not the America of today. What were once considered to be unalienable personal liberties have been eroded in the name of the social good. This utilitarian principle of maximizing the welfare of our society is used to justify countless government invasions of personal liberty, from NSA spying to stop-and-frisk to socialized medicine. Political parties appeal to each principle when it suits them. Republicans defend the right to one’s own money while allowing torture in the name of national security. Democrats defend a woman’s right to choose while arguing that the poor would benefit if given

by which their government should achieve its ends but also on the ends themselves. Unless they’ve thought seriously about ethics and philosophy, most individuals’ intuitions regarding morality are at this superficial level. This is natural, as our emotions regarding issues like gun rights, drug prohibition, and same-sex marriage are much more tangible than those regarding abstract ethical principles. It’s not possible to resolve a conflict of principles by debating the specific issues to which they apply. These debates will always be unproductive, because they will not address the underlying conflict of principles that is responsible for the apparent political disagreement. This is a common case of individuals unintentionally — and unknowingly — talking past one another rather than engag-

ing with the actual issue. Most people have no system for determining when each principle applies, and in what way. If an individual attempted to retroactively create a system using these two principles that would fit all of his intuitions regarding specific issues, he would certainly run into logical inconsistency. Further, this process would be entirely ad hoc. When we solve math problems we don’t find intuitive answers and then make up arbitrary steps to justify them. Rather, we make an intuitive set of simple rules first and examine the consequences that follow. Our treatment of ethics should work similarly. We shouldn’t simply ask, “which policies are moral?” so much as, “what principles make a policy moral?” Obtaining a satisfactory answer to the former won’t be possible without first coming to terms with the latter. Americans should consider these fundamental principles when deciding their stances on political issues. For instance, under what circumstances should government restrict individuals’ autonomy over their own actions? Do people have control over and bear responsibility for their own well-being? What about the well-being of the other conscious entities around them or the potentially conscious entities within them? If the history of the study of ethics is at all indicative of future progress, then these disagreements of principle will likely be just as stubborn as those of specific policies. But if we’re going to rely solely on our intuitions to try to effectuate important social, political and economic decisions, let’s at least do it in a logical manner.

Andrew Powers ’15 can be reached at andrew_powers@brown.edu.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014

THE

BROWN DAILY HERALD metro thursday SPOTLIGHT ON THE STATEHOUSE BY KATE KIERNAN, METRO EDITOR The General Assembly had money on its mind this week, reviewing legislation to change funding for toll roads in the state, reform the tax code and require Political Action Committees to disclose more information.

Program takes on learning gap among R.I. children Providence Talks’ members use device to expose and build children’s vocabularies By JASON NADBOY STAFF WRITER

Act on PACs A proposed bill, introduced by Rep. John Edwards, D-Tiverton and Portsmouth, to reform PACs was heard before the House Judiciary Committee Feb. 11, according to a press release from the General Assembly. The legislation stipulates PACs must report any donations or expenses exceeding $100 paid on behalf of “the nomination, election or defeat” of a political candidate, according to the text of the bill.

Revenue restoration Rep. Scott Guthrie, D-Coventry, introduced a bill to increase the state tax rate for residents making over $250,000 in annual income to approximately 8 percent, according to a press release from the General Assembly. Increasing the rate by two percentage points would bring in an additional $60 million each year, according to the release. “I applaud the state’s efforts over the past few years to make Rhode Island more attractive to business, but we have moved to a tax policy that ensures the super-rich get the benefits of government, while the rest of us pay a higher and higher bill,” Guthrie said. “We need a shift back to a more fair tax policy.”

Retiring retirees’ income tax Legislation introduced by Rep. Joseph Trillo, R-Warwick, would abolish the personal income tax for retired Rhode Islanders in order to create an incentive for retirees to stay in Rhode Island, according to a General Assembly news release. Rhode Island ranked among the top 10 states with unfavorable tax codes, according to an assessment by business magazine Kiplinger. The state has a particularly high income tax rate in addition to its unusually stringent polices of taxing Social Security benefits and not offering income tax breaks for the retired.

Taking on the tolls Sen. Louis DiPalma, D-Middletown, Newport, Little Compton,Tiverton, introduced legislation Feb. 11 to replace the toll booths on the Sakonnet River Bridge. Revenue from the booths would be replaced by capital from a new Infrastructure Trust Fund, according to a General Assembly press release. The new fund would draw revenue through 2020 from “a temporary 5 percent surcharge in Division of Motor Vehicle fees,” according to the press release. In subsequent years funding would come from the gas tax as well as savings from other areas of the budget, according to the press release. The bill would also create a department within the Department of Transportation specifically for the Bridge Authority and limit tolling to the Claiborne Pell Bridge. Rep. John Edwards, D-Tiverton, Portsmouth, introduced companion legislation in the House.

The pilot phase of Providence Talks, the city’s program designed to measure and reduce the word gap between children from low- and high-income families, was launched Feb. 3. In the program, a recording device called a LENA Pro is attached to a child’s clothing to record conversations and measure the number of words that the child is exposed to, said Kenneth Wong, professor of education and research team leader. “Parents only need to push two buttons and it reads for 16 hours straight.” The purpose is to count the “sheer number” of words the child encounters, said Toby Shepherd, deputy director of policy for Mayor Angel Taveras. Members of the Providence Talks team will visit homes in which families are employing the LENA Pro device to discuss the number of words their children were exposed to and subsequently coach parents in vocabulary-building strategies, Shepherd said. “Home visitors (will also) work with parents on different talking tips,” Shepherd said. “It’s about the relationship between the visitor and parent.” Participating families get a year’s worth of service through Providence Talks, he said. The home visitor will make biweekly visits for the first four months and then monthly visits for the next eight months, Shepherd added. The data from the devices will be sent to Colorado for processing and will then be returned to Providence as anonymous

data for the research team at Brown to analyze, Wong said. “We’re hopeful that Providence Talks will have both short-term and long-term outcomes,” Shepherd said. In the short term, children will be exposed to more words, he said. In the long term, the initiative could raise the percentage of kindergarteners ready for class, he added. “We have data that shows two-thirds of our kindergarteners are already behind on their first day of class,” Shepherd said. By working with University researchers, the city can also assess the long-term impact of the Providence Talks program on academic performance measures like high school graduation rates, he added. Funding for the initiative comes from the city’s $5 million grant it won from the Mayors Challenge, a competition sponsored by former New York City Mayor Bloomberg last March. The challenge was “for cities that have innovative ideas … that can be done in other places,” Shepherd said. Providence Talks is now in the pilot stage, during which 70-80 families are expected to participate, Wong said. Current participants comprise parents who volunteered early to help ensure their kids are ready for the first day of kindergarten, Shepherd said. His family was among the first families to test out the LENA Pro, Shepherd added. Mayor Angel Taveras also volunteered to try out the “word-pedometer” with his two-year-old daughter, Farah Rose, Wong said. The next step is to “size up,” Wong said, adding that after the pilot phase, the city intends to open the program to families in high-need areas starting in September. The initiative will hopefully reach all Providence families with young children, Shepherd said.

Fish ladder project hits delays due to site complications Project aims to provide fish populations passage along historic migratory route now blocked by dams By MARINA RENTON CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A project involving the construction of three fish ladders along the Ten Mile River has met delays due to site-specific complications at the Omega Pond Dam in East Providence. The project, which is expected to add 200,000 river herring and 25,000 American shad to the existing fish population, is now scheduled for completion in summer 2015. The fish ladder project is meant to provide anadromous fish — a species of fish that spawn in freshwater but live much of their lives in saltwater — access to an additional 340 acres of spawning habitat, said Lawrence Oliver, project manager with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “The fish ladder is the way the fish make it over the dam,” he said. Two of the three fish ladders, at Hunt’s Mill Dam and Turner Reservoir Dam, are already built. Fish have been blocked from entering the Ten Mile River since the

construction of the Omega Pond dam in the 1800s, but the completion of the final fish ladder would “introduce fish into the system,” said James McGinn, supervising civil engineer for the R.I. Department of Environmental Management, which is helping sponsor the project. Under Section 206 of the Water Resources Development Act of 1996, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers can undertake a project “to restore aquatic ecosystems for fish and wildlife” if a non-Federal sponsor requests assistance and contributes to the funding. Omega Pond Dam is “a pretty tight spot” for a fish ladder, Oliver said. Complications include a railroad bridge running in front of the dam, a gas line through the site that must be moved and an overhead power line. “We built a cofferdam, which is a dam that creates a dry area to do the work and we had to stop there … we were unable to work with the gas line during the winter,” Oliver said. Work on the gas line is scheduled to begin in April. The Omega Pond fish ladder project has an estimated cost of $2.5 million, Oliver said. “As with all projects, we’ve (had) modifications, things which we didn’t realize … so there’s definitely more cost than we

Fish ladders in Eastern Providence Though completion of the Omega Pond fish ladder has been delayed, the three locations will eventually be able to support 200,000 herring and 25,000 shad.

Omega Pond Dam

Ten M

ile R

iver

Turner Reservoir Dam

Hunt’s Mill Dam

JILLIAN LANNEY / HERALD

originally anticipated,” he added. Funding for the three fish ladders comes from a mix of federal, state and private sources, McGinn said. In accordance with the regulations of Section 206, the R.I. Department of Environmental Management is “responsible for 35 percent of the total

project costs” and will operate the fish ladders, he said. Federal sources provided 65 percent of the funding and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration contributed federal stimulus dollars, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The FishAmerica Foundation and

Save the Bay are outside funding partners, that helped pay for the feasibility study conducted before the project began. The Ten Mile River fish ladder project is “one of a number of ecosystem restoration projects we’re doing » See FISH LADDER, page 2