THE
BROWN DAILY HERALD vol. cxlix, no. 53
Forest ecologist Nalini Nadkarni ’76 tapped to deliver Baccalaureate address next month By JILLIAN LANNEY SENIOR STAFF WRITER
inside
In honor of Brown’s 250th anniversary celebration, all nine honorary degree recipients at the May 25 Commencement ceremony will be alums, the University announced Thursday. The honorees come from a diverse range of fields and include authors, scientists and educators. Nalini Nadkarni ’76, a forest ecologist who has advocated for increased accessibility of science to the general public, will deliver the Baccalaureate address, according to a University press release. “Oh my gosh, they’ve addressed this letter to the wrong person,” Nadkarni recalled thinking upon receiving a letter from the University about four months ago informing her that she had been selected to receive an honorary doctorate of science. Later, when she was selected to give the Baccalaureate address, she was “shocked” and considered it a “big responsibility,” she said. Her talk will emphasize that graduating seniors can take a wide variety of unexpected paths. “Life isn’t a straight pathway,” she said. “Although we do have dreams and we think that we know where we want to go, it is important to be open to all the possibilities that our lives provide.” Nadkarni also serves as a professor of biology and the director of the Center for Science and Mathematics Education at the University of Utah. Lee Berk ’64, Arthur Horwich ’72 MD’65, Lois Lowry, a former member of the class of 1958, Debra Lee ’76, Mary Lou Jepsen ’87 PhD’97 and Jeffrey Eugenides ’83 will also receive honorary degrees and speak at Commencement forums May 24. U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez ’83, who has worked as a civil rights lawyer and headed the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, will receive a doctorate of laws. Perez came to College Hill last month to deliver an address focusing on issues like the minimum wage and workforce development during the opening weekend of the University’s 250th anniversary. Beatrice Coleman ’25 will be posthumously awarded a doctorate of humane letters. Coleman was one of only three black women in the class of » See HONOREES, page 3
M. HOCKEY
Former Bears take NHL ice Robertson ’14, Hathaway ’15 set to join minor league teams in pursuit of NHL careers By ANDREW FLAX
Three men’s hockey alums, Ryan Garbutt ’09, Aaron Volpatti ’10 and Harry Zolnierczyk ’11, have broken into the highest level of hockey thanks to a combination of hard work, natural talent and guidance from their Brunonian coaches. This year, defenseman Dennis Robertson ’14 will attempt to follow in their footsteps. Though Brown hockey hasn’t claimed a winning season in nearly a decade, its best and brightest have drawn on their strengths and attitudes to carve out careers playing hockey against the world’s premier competition. Whether the players reached the NHL through alternate pro leagues or entered directly, all four have drawn on similar qualities to achieve success.
FEATURE
By WING SZE HO SENIOR STAFF WRITER
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
Garbutt Garbutt, a native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, was a relatively sought-after recruit in 2005, choosing Brown over other notable programs at the University of Alaska at Anchorage, Rensselaer, Princeton and St. Lawrence. “I really enjoyed the city of Providence and the campus of Brown, and all the players on the team seemed like
Student evaluations seen as beneficial Departments use varied methods to ensure fair assessment of teaching quality and tenure review
SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Aaron Volpatti ’10 stands on the ice before the start of a Washington Capitals game. He is one of three recent alums skating in NHL rinks. great guys,” Garbutt said. “I was really impressed with the quality of people in the Brown hockey program.” Garbutt was never a prolific scorer during his time with the Bears, posting a career-high 23 points in his junior year and scoring just six goals as a senior. His tenure came at a dark time during the
program’s history, as Bruno went just 27-79-22 during his four years, a .211 winning percentage. After Garbutt’s senior year, Head Coach Roger Grillo resigned and was replaced by Brendan Whittet ’94. Garbutt has since been impressed by Whittet’s success during » See NHL, page S3
Amid the rising tide of grade inflation, some faculty members have voiced concerns that student course evaluations may incentivize professors in the tenure and promotion process to award higher grades. But others dispute that the grade a student receives affects his or her evaluation of a faculty member and cite the variety of other ways teaching quality is assessed as barriers against biases in performance evaluation. Student course evaluations partly factor into determining faculty members’ salary and their credentials for tenure and promotion, said Dean of the Faculty Kevin McLaughlin P’12. A junior faculty member may “be an easy grader, shorten class meetings and give easier coursework” to earn favorable student course evaluations and better the odds of receiving tenure, said Stephen Nelson, a higher education expert and senior scholar in the » See EVALUATIONS, page 2
Wes Anderson Q&A draws fans, cinephiles Director of ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ skypes into IFF screening from dinner party By EMMAJEAN HOLLEY SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The tinny ring of an outgoing Skype call was just about the only noticeable sound Wednesday evening in a silent but densely packed Metcalf Auditorium. But when the face of famed film director Wes Anderson materialized on screen, the audience suddenly burst into thunderous applause. The interview, hosted by the Ivy Film Festival, followed a free screening of Anderson’s most recent film, “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” at Avon Cinema. There were a few hiccups — audio glitches made Anderson’s responses difficult to understand at times, and the interview length, initially scheduled for one hour, was cut in half because
ARTS & CULTURE
CAMILLA BRANDFIELD-HARVEY / HERALD
Film director Wes Anderson participates in a Skype Q&A with students as part of the Ivy Film Festival following a screening of his new film “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” Anderson was at a dinner party. Still, the crowd loved him. Before answering each question, Anderson paused and cocked his head to the side, gathering his thoughts while the audience waited with bated breath for his
Sports
response. Various remarks sent the audience into peals of laughter, applause or snaps. “All of us were so starstruck,” said Pia Brar ’15, an IFF programming staff member who attended the event. “He’d
Commentary
Cohan ’17: As revenue generators, student athletes deserve to be paid in college
Blasberg ’16: Boston Bruins are Stanley Cup-bound given strong goalie play and weak conference
Mills ’15: Students should use UCS to amplify their voices on University issues
Sundlee ’16: The conflict between the Baloch people and Pakistan deserves international attention
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Nine alums to receive honorary degrees
since 1891
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
say the simplest thing, and everyone would just start giggling like silly schoolgirls.” Oakley Friedberg ’17, an IFF industry staff member, reached out to » See ANDERSON, page 4 t o d ay
tomorrow
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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
SAT to introduce new sections, remove penalties
College Board reevaluates classic test to counteract increasing popularity of ACT rival By ZACH FREDERICKS SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The College Board announced major changes to the SAT that will take effect in the spring of 2016, with the hopes of appealing to a broader base of students amid increased competition from the ACT for standardized test-takers. The changes, which follow the College Board’s announcement last month that the test would undergo a revamp, are intended to make the test a better gauge of what high school students learn in the classroom. College Board officials announced the SAT will revert back to two sections by combining the reading and writing sections into one “evidence-based reading and writing” section that will be accompanied by a revised math section. While each part will continue to be graded out of 800
points, the maximum score will fall from 2400 to 1600. “The changes to the SAT will distinguish it from any current admission exam,” wrote David Coleman, president and CEO of the College Board, and Cynthia Schmeiser, the organization’s chief of assessment, in a letter outlining the test’s restructuring. The SAT will no longer have a penalty for guessing, and the new test will feature an optional essay that will be based on a reading passage rather than the generic prompt format, according to the College Board’s announcement. The change stems from concerns that the former grading rubric for the essay allowed students to ground their points on fictional premises, said John Oh, co-founder and senior tutor at A-List Tutoring, a standardized testing preparatory company based in New York City.
SAM KASE / HERALD
The College Board announced major changes to the SAT last month, including combining the reading and writing sections.
» EVALUATIONS, from page 1 Leadership Alliance at Brown. A student who is performing poorly in the course will “automatically blame the faculty member,” Nelson said. But some faculty members and administrators disagreed, saying that grades do not necessarily affect course evaluations. “I don’t think that you can get better evaluations by just giving out good grades,” said Rashid Zia, assistant professor of engineering. “Students mainly care about what they get out of the class.” McLaughlin also said his experience does not bear out these claims. “Students by and large do not give better evaluations just because they get better grades,” McLaughlin said. The University uses a range of
methods to assess teacher performance, reducing the danger that negative student course evaluations motivated by poor grades will affect a faculty member’s candidacy for tenure or promotion, administrators and faculty members said. “Course evaluations are just one measure of a professor’s effectiveness in teaching,” wrote Assistant Professor of History Linford Fisher in an email to The Herald. “The University is increasingly relying upon peer classroom observations, which, when combined with student evaluations, can provide a more robust sense of teaching effectiveness.” McLaughlin said individual departments also have their own systems for evaluating teaching, which must be approved by the Tenure, Promotion and Appointments Committee and
Vocabulary and math questions on the test should better reflect a high school curriculum by removing arcane words and adding more function-based mathematical questions, the College Board announced. “Some of the words you see on the SAT are just plain silly,” Oh said. “It now seems to be coalescing with the ACT, which has never had a penalty for guessing, nor a mandatory essay.” Revisions to the SAT were partly driven by heightened competition from the ACT, which has seen a surge in the number of high school test-takers in recent years. About 1.8 million students took the ACT last year, the New York Times reported March 5. Only 1.7 million took the SAT last year, making 2013 the first year the ACT has overtaken the SAT, said Maritza Rodriguez, director of professional development, materials and support at A-List Tutoring. “Since the changes were announced, we’ve had a lot more client inquiry about the ACT,” she said. “In its broadest form, the SAT was designed as an aptitude test,” said Steven Goodman, an educational consultant and admission strategist. “The ACT is better at mirroring the courses students are taking in high school.” As a result, a greater number of students on the East and West Coasts are better prepared for the ACT and are more likely to take it, Goodman said. The ACT is already a more popular exam for high school students in some Southern states and much of the Midwest and Mountain West, the New York Times
reported last year. The SAT’s main weakness comes from its inability to connect with students’ classroom experiences, Goodman said. Changes to the exam will allow “students to concentrate on fewer topics that are most essential for college and career success,” Coleman and Schmeiser wrote. Parts of the new SAT will include documents from fields such as the life, physical and social sciences, an attempt to reflect science section on the ACT, according to the College Board’s announcement. While College Board officials aim to increase the SAT’s ability to indicate academic achievement, some students and admission experts continue to question its legitimacy and the value of standardized testing in the admission process. “I’m not a fan of the changes because it seems like they will make the test easier,” said high school sophomore Luciano Marchio from New York City. “I’m more interested in the ACT because it’s more competitive and it will be more competitive in the future.” International students have also started to gravitate more toward the ACT, Rodriguez said. In another effort to make the SAT more accessible, College Board officials announced that the testing organization will allow low-income students to submit SAT scores for free to a maximum of four universities, multiple news outlets reported. The College Board and the nonprofit educational service Khan Academy plan to collaborate to offer free online tutoring for the exam, the
New York Times reported. Some students were divided on the announced changes to the exam. “The whole SAT expects you to have preparation that not everyone has for educational and monetary reasons,” said Julianna Bradley ’17. “I think the new SAT gives everyone who approaches it a better chance to prove their readiness for college.” “I think it’s a lot of changes to make all at one time and that they should’ve targeted specific areas for improvement,” said Isabel Diawara ’17. College Board officials wrote that these changes are still in draft form and will “systematically evolve over time.”
the dean of the faculty. “We want departments to have multiple methods of evaluations, such as peer review, evaluations of syllabi (and) textbook selections,” McLaughlin said. The Department of Comparative Literature has “an independent process of peer evaluation by tenured faculty of junior faculty that has been in place for at least 30 years,” said Karen Newman, professor of comparative literature and chair of the department. “After visiting the class, the senior faculty member writes a review, meets with the junior faculty member to discuss it, and it then goes into his or her file,” Newman added. In recent years, the Department of History has begun to emphasize qualitative answers rather than numerical ratings, Fisher wrote. Several administrators and faculty
members said moving the student course evaluation system online has increased its effectiveness. The shift to an online evaluation system has provided “more standardization because now there is a baseline of overall assessment of an instructor or class,” McLaughlin said, adding that administrators can now compare evaluations across departments. Zia said the online evaluation system is “definitely better than the paper system,” adding that it encourages a higher participation rate, which allows for more feedback. “Some people don’t go to class, and we cannot get their feedback” through course evaluations distributed in class, Zia said. “But why they don’t go to class would actually be good feedback.” In the student evaluations for ENGN 0510: “Electricity and Magnetism” in fall 2013, which is a requirement for engineering concentrators, one student indicated that he attended fewer than half of the classes because lectures were recorded and available online, Zia said. Though student course evaluations may help motivate teachers to improve, McLaughlin said he does not know how much attention full professors pay to student course evaluations. “I guess eventually everyone reads their
evaluations,” McLaughlin said. Despite concerns among some faculty members about the accuracy of student course evaluations, McLaughlin said “students provide valuable information” that should be considered in reaching tenure and promotions decisions. Student feedback may be an “imperfect” form of evaluation, Zia said, but it should be part of tenure review and “can be balanced with other assessments such as peer reviews.” “I read (my evaluations) carefully at the end of each semester, trying to find ways to make improvements and tweaks for the next time I offer the course,” Fisher wrote. In addition to the University’s official course evaluations, the Critical Review, a student organization, also distributes paper course evaluation forms to gather student opinion at the end of each semester. The Department of English abandoned the Critical Review in 2010 when McLaughlin was the chair of the department. “I didn’t want instructors to use class time to have students fill out two sets of forms” since the University already has an evaluation system, McLaughlin said. “Class time should be used for instruction.”
University test submissions A higher percentage of applicants submit ACT scores than in the past.
96% SAT
79%
38% 23%
ACT
2004
2013
Note: Numbers represent percentage of first-years enrolled in fall 2004 and fall 2013 who submitted scores for each test. Source: Common Data Set MONICA MENDOZA / HERALD
restaurant week 3
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
The Herald’s picks for drinks BY KATHERINE CUSUMANO AND ANDREW SMYTH, ARTS & CULTURE EDITORS
The Dorrance
CAMILLA BRANDFIELD-HARVEY / HERALD
New Harvest is a hidden Arcade gem for Providence students, local coffee aficionados and new and seasoned whiskey enthusiasts alike.
New Harvest crafts expert sweets and sours Westminster cafe-bar offers a fine selection of both spirits and classic coffee drinks
By CAMILLA BRANDFIELD-HARVEY SENIOR STAFF WRITER
New Harvest Coffee and Spirits’ low-key location inside the Arcade off Westminster Street belies its sophisticated menu and expert service. Peaceful and sparsely populated at 6 p.m. on a recent Wednesday, New Harvest is a gem for the working student and a hidden treasure chest of superior liquor for the early-evening drinker. A few people take to the bar, while a couple of students sit with laptops and scattered books at one of many petite, round tables. The wall beside the bar holds an extensive display of bourbons, ryes and
REVIEW
»HONOREES, from page 1 1925 and was an active member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. She was an accomplished pianist and had a passion for teaching before dying at age 109 earlier this month. Lowry and Eugenides will both receive honorary doctorates of letters. Lowry, an award-winning author of novels for children and young adults, is perhaps most well-known for her 1993 dystopian novel “The Giver.” She is a two-time winner of the Newberry Medal for “the most distinguished contribution to children’s literature by an American author,” according to the press release. Eugenides is the author of several acclaimed books such as “The Virgin Suicides,” and “Middlesex,” which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction among other notable awards. Doctorates of humane letters will be conferred upon Berk and Lee. Berk, the president emeritus of Berklee College of Music, helped keep Berklee at the forefront of musical education when he led the college. He has
scotches, rare and common alike. The selection runs the gamut from popular appellations like Booker’s and Bulleit bourbon and rye whiskeys to the more refined E.H. Taylor and Redemption. But for visitors looking “for relaxing times” a la Bill Murray in “Lost in Translation,” there’s also Suntory’s Hakushu single malt. The bar also carries topshelf gin and tequila, a handful of beers, including Revival and Grey Sail as well as a small supply of wines by the glass. Though the soy cappuccino is suitably frothy and imbued with intense espresso, the Redemption whiskey sour is the better choice. The bartender, who is also the manager, crafts his drinks meticulously. The whiskey is balanced and dominates the drink’s taste, not undercut by the lemon juice and syrup, and topped with house-made brandied cherries. Such grace and expertise behind the counter increase expectations for latte art, but the milk foam is rather simple. New Harvest teaches a “Milk
Science and Latte Art” class every first Saturday of the month at its Pawtucket shop and training center — further raising hopes for milk hearts drawn into the foam. But the lack of milk design is a minor disappointment in the wake of bartending mastery. The chocolate and hazelnut biscotti, chosen from a limited counter of pastries and pretzels from Seven Stars and Foremost bakeries, enhance both cappuccino and whiskey. The biscotti are perfectly dense, crunchy and crammed with whole hazelnuts and chocolate chunks. New Harvest’s Arcade spot could hinder normal traffic, but a barista says locals find it easily. The spot treats the morning rush of coffee drinkers and tends to draw large crowds on Friday nights. New Harvest would do well as a standalone shop outside the Arcade, but for its first venture beyond Pawtucket — and its first bar — New Harvest is a success.
also been active in widening access to musical instruction, particularly for “underserved urban students,” according to the press release. Lee is the chairman and CEO of Black Entertainment Television Networks, which she has expanded into a powerful multimedia organization. She served two terms on the Board of Trustees for the Corporation, the University’s governing body. She endowed the Debra L. Lee Lecture on Slavery and Justice to bring experts on slavery to College Hill. Horwich will receive an honorary doctorate of medical science. He has received numerous honors for his scientific research into protein folding, which has shone light on many degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Jepson, who has founded or cofounded four computer display startups, will receive a doctorate of science. A computer scientist, entrepreneur and engineer, Jepson has made major contributions to computer technology. Her innovations have also been used to spread technology to children worldwide through the nonprofit she
co-founded, One Laptop Per Child. Nadkarni said she felt “privileged” to be part of a group of individuals who have made such diverse and valuable impacts on the world. “I think what Brown is trying to transmit in honoring these different people is that they are proud of people who have tried to make some contributions to the world,” she added. This will be the University’s 246th Commencement celebration.
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Housed in an elegant, majestic space that evokes images of early-20thcentury hobnobbing and dining, the Dorrance offers up an extensive cocktail menu replete with aged liqueurs, intriguing sweet-and-savory combinations and citrus to spare. The atmosphere is convivial, but the restaurant tends to be frequented primarily by the nine-to-five crowd, so college students should come with a friend. The bar inside the restaurant can be the prelude to a delectable dinner in the New American style (the Dorrance offers locally sourced, clean plates a la New Rivers or Gracie’s) or the main event itself. The cocktail menu alone is certainly full enough to entertain for hours, not to mention the extensive list of international wines by the glass or bottle. Tuesday-Thursday 5 p.m. to 12 a.m., Friday-Saturday, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. | 60 Dorrance St.
White Electric Coffee
Serving Federal Hill for close to 15 years, this offbeat cafe is a warm and welcoming retreat from the twee postures of its boutique peers. A standard selection of light pastries, yogurt, bagels and oatmeal are available in the morning, and sandwiches and salads are served for lunch. But the main draw here is the coffee, which is strong, dark and readily available. Monday-Friday 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Saturday 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | 711 Westminster St.
What Cheer Tavern
Microbrew enthusiasts would do well to visit this downtown bar, where the beer menu is something of a New England tour de force. Rhode Island brews Narragansett, Proclamation and Grey Sail are available on tap. Berkshire from Massachusetts, Allagash from Maine, City Steam from Connecticut, Smuttynose from New Hampshire and Otter Creek from Vermont come by the bottle. The vibe is casual, but the drinks are quality and sustainable. The same goes for the bar food, which includes surprises like Thai chili chicken wings, vegetarian samosas and fresh crab rangoons all prepared with local ingredients. Tuesday-Thursday 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., Friday 3 p.m. to 1 a.m., Saturday 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. | 228 New York Ave.
Small Point Cafe
For an artisanal caffeine experience, look no further than Westminster’s Small Point Cafe. What it lacks in a somewhat spare lunch and pastry selection it more than makes up for with a whole host of single-origin brews prepared however the connoisseur desires: cold-brew, drip, French press, vacuum-pressed — the list goes on. Knowledgeable baristas explain the brewing process with flair as they prepare drinks by hand. The espresso is locally roasted and the atmosphere is home-grown: It’s populated by students and old-timers alike, giving college-age customers a brief respite from the College Hill bubble. Monday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday-Friday 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Saturday-Sunday 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. | 230 Westminster St.
4 arts & culture
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
Ra ra brew-nonia: Students survey Providence’s coffee culture Patrons frequent coffee shops from Thayer to Wickenden, seeking calm and caffeine By GRACE YOON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
As campus libraries become increasingly congested, the visit to the corner coffee shop acquires a special urgency. Like most college towns, Providence is home to a lively network of coffee purveyors and consumers. Their fluctuating tastes reflect the tensions between efficiency and quality, authentiticity and availability. What keeps the coffee culture brewing in Providence, according to Nathan Hann, coffee director for Blue State Coffee, is the “friendly environment” it promotes. Hann, who managed both of the shops in Providence for eight months, explained, “If you have a question, anyone in the coffee shop can help you and is more than willing to help, and that is something that is rampant across the coffee culture.” Luke Johnston, a Starbucks barista on Thayer Street, cited New England as an especially active community of coffee drinkers. But he admitted that Starbucks is a lot more popular in Providence than in Massachusetts, where he used to live. According to Hann, all the coffee shops work collaboratively and “basically build the coffee culture in
Providence together. The more coffee shops we open up, the better.” He said that he has experienced nothing but friendly competition with other coffee shops. Johnston, on the other hand, admitted that “perhaps our competition is with Coffee Exchange because a lot of local people are loyal to that shop.” But students interviewed consistently identified Starbucks and Blue State as their go-to coffee spots. As much as Manuel Contreras ’16 enjoys going to Coffee Exchange on Wickenden Street for the “romantic idea of going off-campus” — and he maintains these bi-weekly “man walks” with a friend to contemplate life — he often resorts to Blue State or Starbucks “out of necessity when I really need to stay up,” he said. “Who wants to walk all the way to Wickenden?” asked Mathew Kelley ’14, though he admitted to occasionally patronizing Coffee Exchange. While students generally agree that coffee culture exists, some do not agree on its definition and its benefits. A selfproclaimed Starbucks regular, Kelley prefers coming in by himself, sitting down and doing work. “I really like the cafe atmosphere — I can’t work in a library. I really like the ambience of the cafe. I really like the baristas, too. They’re really nice to me and tend to know my order.” Ellen Taylor ’17, who hails from Seattle, regretted that while she frequents small coffee shops back home,
CAMILLA BRANDFIELD-HARVEY / HERALD
While students often seek the ideal space to enjoy a latte, when it comes to finals, many find themselves sacrificing comfort for convenience. she now goes to Starbucks almost exclusively. “I can sit for a while and do work, because I really do like that culture of sitting at a coffee shop and working,” she said. Rachel Ossip ’15 offered a slightly different perspective. Though she started drinking coffee at a young age and enjoys having coffee to the point of “definitely relying on it too much,” she admits that she does not feel part of coffee culture. “Coffee shop culture contains a lot of people who work well in a public or social space,” she said. “But work is usually difficult for me ... in a hustle and bustle situation. … I tend to like bringing coffee with me
as I go back to the studio or library.” Quality matters, which is all the more reason that students go to coffee shops and strengthen coffee culture. Kelley admitted that, though he qualifies for free coffee as a worker for Brown University Dining Services, he prefers buying coffee from coffee shops. “Ratty coffee sucks — Blue Room, libraries … they’re all the same,” Contreras said. “They’re like lies to my body. I’m telling my body, ‘It’s going to keep you up,’ but it really doesn’t.” Though Anthony Stott ’15 also often purchases specialty drinks like cappuccinos or caramel mochas from
Blue State, he conceded, “Coffee actually really bothers my stomach, so I only drink it when I desperately need the caffeine.” Instead, he identified his “tea addiction” as the real problem, and he often goes to Tealuxe to buy matcha, a green tea. Taylor also agreed that Tealuxe serves as an alternative from Starbucks for her. For those who dislike campus coffee but do not want to spend too much money on drinks at coffee shops, Contreras said he highly recommends heading to the Rhode Island School of Design. “RISD coffee is the best by far — there’s … I don’t know, cocaine or speed or something in there.”
» ANDERSON, from page 1
a world that has life in it and a group of characters that can be interesting. I like to have something abstract about it.” Anderson encouraged aspiring filmmakers to “follow their instincts” and not to cave into commercial pressures. “Sometimes it’s better to make something in a simpler, more economical, smaller way than (raising) more money, because this can interfere with it,” he said. “Just make what want you want to make one way or another, and that will lead you somewhere.” A particularly memorable moment occurred when Friedberg asked about the origins of his films’ storylines. In response, Anderson beckoned a fellow dinner guest into the conversation: Hugo Guinness, his co-writer for “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” The two filmmakers demonstrated a playful, familial camaraderie as they toyed with the laptop angle and volume settings. Stories begin with characters, Guinness said. The characters “came from our
friends,” Anderson added. “We decided we’d like to write a story based on a real person.” But Guinness disagreed. When asked to elaborate, he stated, “the subconscious” is the origin of character development. Following this, he wagged his fingers in goodbye and stepped off screen, his exit accompanied by raucous applause. “Wes was clearly very excited about talking to us. It wasn’t at all awkwardly formal, and I knew it would be like that, but I was still relieved,” Friedberg said, adding that Anderson’s engagement with the audience served to humanize his legendary status. Tathya Abe ’16, who attended the event, echoed this sentiment. “It was nice to demystify the idea of ‘the’ Wes Anderson because his characters are so avant-garde and different and unique, and he’s just a really relatable guy,” Abe said. “It’s nice to see that such an ordinary human can make something like that.”
Anderson and coordinated the event. Friedberg had met Anderson on several occasions because his parents, both in the film industry, have worked with him in the past, he said. The interview was mostly composed of prepared questions, which IFF members drew from responses to a student questionnaire. Because many of the questions were similar, IFF members categorized and rephrased them “so that they would encompass the range of what people were asking,” Friedberg said. Many questions focused on Anderson’s creative process. Anderson said he stresses the importance of planning to “pre-visualize” his films but added that his approach is neither deliberate nor self-analytical. “I never think about themes, but I like to hear what other people suggest are the themes,” he said. “What I want to do is make an experience, a story and
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
SPORTS BULLETIN
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
M. LACROSSE
Bears travel to Ithaca with playoff hopes on the line Deflated Big Red offers Bruno avenue toward playoffs, though long road lies ahead By ALEX WAINGER SENIOR STAFF WRITER
A year’s worth of preparation, dedication and perspiration culminates Friday when the men’s lacrosse team faces off against No. 12 Cornell in a decisive Ivy League contest. A loss in Ithaca to the Big Red knocks the Bears out of tournament contention, while a win keeps Bruno’s playoff aspirations alive. The Bears (6-5, 1-3 Ivy) fell in overtime to Yale (7-3, 3-2) last weekend. Despite an overall winning percentage above .500, Bruno is a single loss away from being mathematically eliminated from competing in the conference tournament, due to its poor record against other Ivy teams. “Everyone is obviously still upset about the loss since it was such a close game,” said Bailey Tills ’16 about the Yale game. “But now we’re just trying to stay focused on what we can control and trying to look forward to Cornell. Morale isn’t necessarily high, but we are still proud of what we’ve accomplished so far this season.” While the Big Red (9-3, 3-1) currently head the Ancient Eight standings, the team has struggled as of late. Over its past three games, Cornell has fallen 10 spots in the national rankings, with losses to Harvard (7-5, 3-1), No.
4 Syracuse University (8-3, 2-3 ACC) and No. 11 Hofstra University (9-3, 3-0 CAA), who leapfrogged the Big Red in the rankings. Despite its recent slide, Cornell is still the strongest team in the conference on paper. Three of the league’s top seven scorers play for the Big Red, including Dan Lintner, the conference’s leader with 38 goals. Lintner leads the next closest attacker by an eight-goal margin and will be the biggest threat for to the Bears’ defense. Connor Buczek and Matt Donovan round-out a frontline that scores nearly 14 goals per game. “They’re still a dangerous team,” Tills said. “There’s no doubt they are going to come out fired up, especially because it’s their Senior Night. But we feel confident in our schemes and game plan, and we think we can win this game.” Cornell’s high-octane offense is complemented by a solid defense that allows just 9.58 goals per game, the third lowest total in the Ivy League. The goalkeeper Christian Knight stops 53.6 percent of attempts on goal, also good for third best in the conference. Against such a daunting opponent, Bruno will need to be firing on all cylinders both offensively and defensively. Dylan Molloy ’17, winner of three Ivy Rookie of the Week awards, hit the ground running in his first season of collegiate lacrosse. But after he scored hat tricks in three of his first four games, opponents began to key in on him, often marking him with their best defender. In conference play, the first-year has
just two goals and has been shut out in three of four contests. Molloy and Sam Hurster ’14, the team’s leading goal scorer with 21 goals this season, will need to break through the Big Red defense and put points on the board. Bruno’s midfield orchestrator Stephen Chmil ’14 has also struggled against conference opponents, posting just one assist and two goals against Ivy foes. Tills cited “controlling the ball and limiting turnovers on the offensive end” as the two keys for a win on the team’s trip to Ithaca. Bruno has given the ball up 180 times this season, the secondhighest number in the league. The Bears cannot afford to give the Big Red extra possessions in a game that will likely see Cornell jump out to an early lead in its Senior Night. Bruno will need to control the tempo of the game, and move the ball quickly and effectively in the attacking third to break down the Cornell back line. Defensively, the Bears have been shaky at times, often forcing goalie Jack Kelly ’16 to bail them out. Fortunately for the squad, Kelly leads the league in both saves and save percentage and has consistently made game-saving stops. Bruno’s defenders will need to lock down Lintner and keep Cornell off the scoreboard for as long as possible, a feat Tills said he thinks is possible. “I think our defense is going to do their job,” Tills said. “It’s going to be up to the offense to keep the ball in our sticks. If we can score 10 goals, we feel confident that we will win.”
KATIE LIEBOWITZ / HERALD
Attackman and co-captain Sam Hurster ’14 looks for a crack in the defense. Hurster leads the team with 21 goals, the eighth-highest tally in the Ivies.
TAEKWONDO
Taekwondo four-peats at Nationals with novice dominance
In addition to consistent national success, club provides members with camaraderie and support By LAINIE ROWLAND SPORTS STAFF WRITER
Seniors in the Brown Taekwondo Club have never lost the overall title at Collegiate Nationals. The 35 students who journeyed to the national tournament at the University of California at Berkeley last weekend, defending three consecutive overall championships, returned to College Hill with another gold to add to their collection. BTKD’s sixth straight victory in the novice — color belt — division combined with its fourth place finish in the championship — black belt — division to earn the team its fourth straight tournament crown. Primarily Brown students, the team includes a few athletes from Rhode Island School of Design and Johnson and Wales. In tournaments, the scoring is broken up into belt color divisions within the two major categories of poomse and sparring. Poomse is “choreographed patterns of movement” and each belt level focuses on different forms, while sparring is split up by gender, belt level and weight to ensure fairness and safety as the matches entail actual combat, said
Samantha Reback ’16, an assistant instructor on the team. Each division earns points, so a win from a rookie is worth just as much as a win from a black belt, making talented newcomers a valuable asset. “We typically train both groups together and focus on the basic techniques that win most matches. Things like footwork and timing can catapult our lower color belt members to the top of their divisions,” said Erica Thieleman ’15, the club president. The Bears put on a show of strength at nationals this year, as the team amassed four gold medals, five silver medals and eleven bronze medals. Each of the gold medals was won in a different belt division, a testament to the team’s depth. Hassan Sufi ’17, Mamadou Alpha Diallo ’15, Geoffrey Trousdale ’15 and Danielle Harrison, a senior at Johnson and Wales, all earned the top spot in their respective sparring divisions. In the white/yellow belt division, composed of the athletes who have the least experience, Bruno picked up six sparring medals and two poomse medals. Both the men’s and women’s black belt poomse teams, with three members each, earned bronze medals. The club trains under the guidance of sixth degree black belt Master Sung Park ’96, who also owns his own taekwondo school in East Providence. Park coaches alongside a team
of student instructors who make up the club’s Instructor Board. Most of the student instructors are black belts — many of whom had taekwondo experience before coming to Brown, though a large portion also began as first years. The team encourages any interested undergrads to join, including those without any experience in the sport. “It’s really nice to learn from your peers,” Reback said. “It leads to a really collaborative team environment.” The team keeps a high profile on campus, putting on demonstrations and showcasing its talent for the student body, as well as running weekly bake sales on Fridays in J. Walter Wilson. “Taekwondo as a martial art is really powerful and beautiful, but it’s also a really great group of people. We’re always looking for people to join the family,” said Reback. “Being in Brown taekwondo has been a great experience as a first-year,” wrote Hayley Siegel ’17 in an email to The Herald. “We all train together as a team, and they are some of the nicest and most welcoming people I have ever met. They go the extra mile to make sure the first years feel comfortable in BTKD and Brown in general.” The club maintains both competitive and traditional training in mind. In a club of more than 120, not everyone chooses the competitive track. “Both types of people are equally part
COURTESY OF EMMA CORCORAN
Head instructor Aamir Imam ’14 and student instructor Jake Shields ’16 stand atop the podium with the overall first-place trophy. of the team,” Reback said. “It’s important to recognize the achievements of everyone.” The team is fueled by a mentality of “let’s accomplish this together,” Reback said, adding that its members are supportive of each other in competition and are friends outside
of the club. “It’s a really lively social club as well.” “Taekwondo is a unique blend of an individual sport and a team sport,” Thieleman said. “Our emphasis on self-growth in a welcoming team environment is what makes most people stay.”
S2 sports commentary
SPORTS BULLETIN THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
NCAA student-athletes There’s a championship a-Bruin deserve compensation BY JACK BLASBERG BY JAMES COHAN sports columnist
I was stunned by the results of a recent Washington Post/ABC News poll. Apparently, 64 percent of people oppose paying college athletes. Only 33 percent support it. I’m guessing those 64 percent buy into one of the two arguments repeated ad nauseam for why college athletes shouldn’t get paid. I disagree with both. The first is that college athletes already get paid. They receive full scholarships to attend college. This adds up to around $200,000 over four years at most private universities. When so many kids are forced to take on student loans that take decades to pay off, why do college athletes need to be paid more than they already are? I get why people feel that way. A $200,000 sum is a lot of money. But if a star athlete generates millions of dollars for his school, he’s worth more than $50,000 a year. If capitalism is the best system we have to work with, and I think it is, why not allow a player to be paid what he’s worth? (I took Principles of Economics last semester, so when it comes to the economy, I know everything.) In effect, the NCAA has set a maximum salary of zero dollars on anything above the athlete’s scholarship. A player can’t receive more than this amount, whether it’s from the school, an endorsement deal or an expensive dinner. In any other industry this would seem strange. We don’t set maximum salaries for lawyers or doctors or construction workers. Athletes in some professional sports have maximum salaries, but players are allowed to earn as much as they can off the court. In general, when someone produces something of a certain value, we say it’s okay for him to be paid whatever that value is. (The exception being the former Soviet Union. They tried something else.) In 2013, the University of Kansas received $174 million in alumni donations. The athletic department’s revenue totaled $93.7 million. Men’s
basketball games averaged around 16,000 fans per game. The university signed head coach Bill Self to a 10year, $50 million contract extension in 2012. A lot of money flew around. It seems to me that if Andrew Wiggins helps get KU on national television, sell thousands of jerseys, generate alumni contributions and put thousands of people in the stands, he should be paid more than the cost of tuition. I find the second argument a little more offensive. It goes something like this: Student athletes should be students first. They’re amateurs. They’re kids. They’re better off not being paid. I’m not a fan of this argument. It boils down to: We’re not paying you a ton of money for your own good. I think that’s both paternalistic and disingenuous. It’s paternalistic for the NCAA to tell legal adults they can’t earn the money they’re worth because the NCAA knows what’s best for them. It’s disingenuous for the NCAA to pretend it’s motivated by concern for the athletes’ well-being, and so it has to, you know, keep all the money. The recent ruling by the National Labor Relations Board granting Northwestern University football players the right to unionize summed up the hypocrisy nicely: “It cannot be said the employer’s scholarship players are ‘primarily students.’ The players spend 50 to 60 hours per week on their football duties during a one-month training camp prior to the start of the academic year and an additional 40 to 50 hours per week on those duties during the three- or four-month football season. Not only is this more hours than many undisputed full-time employees work at their jobs, it is also many more hours than the players spend on their studies.” I’m not sure what exactly the ideal system would be. I’ll let the lawyers draw that up. But the way things are being done right now isn’t fair. Count me in the 33 percent.
James Cohan ’17 got a C in econ. Send him your financial portfolios at james_cohan@brown.edu.
sports columnist
This week, the Boston Bruins joined 15 other teams in the nearly two-monthlong quest to claim Lord Stanley’s hallowed cup as champions of the National Hockey League. After winning the President’s Cup with the league’s best record, the black and gold are cruising into the playoffs rested, relatively healthy and set to enjoy home ice for the duration of the campaign. In order for the team to advance to its third championship series in four years and win its second title in that stretch, it must stay focused on the qualities that got it this far. That and a fortuitous playoff landscape should be enough to allow Zdeno Chara and company to raise another banner on Causeway Street. The Bruins’ greatest strength come this time of year can be found between the pipes. Tuukka Rask, who won a ring as Tim Thomas’ backup in 2011 and was stellar during the postseason run last year, is a finalist and the oddson favorite to win the 2013-14 Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s best goaltender. After signing an eight-year, $56 million contract during the offseason, the 26-year-old Finn earned every penny of his annual salary by posting a 3615-6 record, 2.04 goals allowed average and .930 save percentage. These numbers are almost identical to those Rask put up in last year’s lockoutshortened season. Following that effort, he upped his game for the playoff run last season, increasing his save percentage to .940, lowering his goals allowed to 1.88 and recording three shutouts. Even without a similar uptick in play, Rask’s ability to provide a consistently stellar back line of defense is the first reason the Bruins are favored to take home some hardware. While at certain times during previous postseasons Rask has seemed superhuman, depth on the blue line means that the job of stymieing opposing offenses will not be entirely his. The team will be without the veteran presence of Dennis Seidenberg, who will miss the playoffs after having
surgery to repair both his ACL and MCL. But the Bruins nonetheless feature an enviable mix of youth and experience. Anchored by the captain, Chara, the group has combined with its goaltender to make the Bruins the second-highest-rated defense in goals allowed and the eighth-ranked penalty-killing unit. Torey Krug, who made headlines with big plays in last year’s series against the New York Rangers, is joined this year by another dynamic rookie, Dougie Hamilton, the two of them serving as complements to mainstays Adam McQuaid and Johnny Boychuk. The addition of Andrej Meszaros at the trade deadline has helped mitigate the damage from the Seidenberg injury, and the Bruins enter the playoffs with one of the deepest defensive units in hockey. This past offseason, after trading away their mercurial former second overall draft pick, Tyler Seguin, and neglecting to re-sign Jaromir Jagr or Nathan Horton, the Bruins found themselves exceptionally thin at the wing position. The problem was quickly remedied, however, and the position is now one of the team’s areas of strength. This conversation necessarily begins with Jarome Iginla. Last year, the future Hall of Famer spurned Beantown at the trade deadline, instead opting to join the Pittsburgh Penguins. After being unceremoniously swept out of the playoffs by the B’s, Iginla took a mulligan on his decision and came on board for this year’s campaign. He lived up to the superstar billing he earned in 15-plus seasons in Calgary, amassing a total of 61 points for his new team. Additionally, he has contributed immensely to the emotional culture of the team, as winning Iggy his first Cup has become a stated goal of his teammates. Loui Eriksson and Reilly Smith, imported from Dallas as part of the Seguin trade, have also played big roles in shoring up the wings. Though slowed by injury this season, Eriksson is healthy again and is the best third-line wing in this tournament. Smith, an afterthought at the time of the trade, has been a revelation this season. The 23-year-old scored 21 goals and added 30 assists in his first
full season in the NHL. He’s a rising star for the franchise — look for him to have a coming out party in these playoffs similar to the display Brad Marchand put on in 2011. Perhaps the best thing the Bruins have going for them is their conference affiliation. Compared to a stacked Western Conference featuring cup contenders in the L.A. Kings, Chicago Blackhawks, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks, the Bruins’ only real challenger in the East at this point is the Penguins. A perennial powerhouse led by phenom Sidney Crosby, this iteration of the Penguins is somewhat less formidable given the staggering 500-plus mangames their players have missed due to injury. While any Western contender will have to run the gauntlet of teams built for the second season, Boston will face a young Detroit Red Wings team that nearly missed the playoffs in the first round and, should it advance, would not face a team without major flaws until Pittsburgh in the conference finals. Though the playoffs are a highly unpredictable time where anything can happen, the Bruins certainly face a friendlier road to the cup than the league’s other elite teams. Elite goaltending, depth at both forward and defender and a favorable playoff landscape will all work in the Bruins’ favor over the course of the next few weeks. The x factor will be the fact that many of the players on this roster have been in just this position in years past and as a result know what it takes to win it all. Emblematic of this team’s grit and willingness to do whatever is necessary for the team, assistant captain Patrice Bergeron played through broken ribs and a punctured lung in order to finish the final game of last season. The Bruins have the talent that made them the top-tier regular season team. Combine that with all their other pieces and you have a Stanley Cup champion.
Jack Blasberg ’16 may not have written this column with broken ribs or a punctured lung, but he’s pretty confident in his prediction. You can reach him at john_blasberg@brown.edu.
Follow Sports on Twitter! @bdh_sports
schedule S3
SPORTS BULLETIN THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
SCHEDULE Home
Away Ithaca, N.Y. - Saturday 12 p.m.
Philadelphia - Saturday 1 p.m.
Brown Softball Field - Saturday 12:30 p.m.
Murray Stadium - Saturday 12 p.m.
Men’s Lacrosse @ Cornell
Women’s Lacrosse @ Penn
Softball vs. Dartmouth (DH)
Baseball vs. Dartmouth (DH)
Last meeting Cornell 13, Brown 7 (2013)
Last meeting Penn 10, Brown 7 - OT (2013)
Last game Holy Cross 8, Brown 0
Last game Holy Cross 9, Brown 0
(6-5, 1-3 Ivy) || (9-3, 3-1)
Princeton, N.J. - Saturday 11:30 a.m.
(9-4, 2-3 Ivy) || (7-4, 3-1)
(2-28, 0-12 Ivy) || (23-13, 12-0)
(8-18, 2-10 Ivy) || (10-17, 5-7)
Track and Field @ Larry Ellis Invitational
Charles River - Saturday 8 a.m.
Brown Softball Field - Sunday 12:30 p.m.
Murray Stadium - Sunday 12 p.m.
Men’s Crew @ Northeastern
Softball vs. Dartmouth (DH)
Baseball vs. Dartmouth (DH)
Last meet George Mason Invitational
Last race Lost to Harvard
Last meeting Dartmouth 9, Brown 1 (2013)
Last meeting Dartmouth 7, Brown 2 (2013)
New Haven, Conn. - Saturday 7 p.m.
Men’s Golf @ Yale Spring Opener Last competition 15th at Princeton Invitational
» NHL, from page 1 the first few years of his tenure. “I wish I would’ve gotten to play under Whittet for one year,” Garbutt said. After graduation, Garbutt took a somewhat circuitous route to the NHL, playing a season with the Corpus Christi Ice Rays of the Central Hockey League and the beginning of another with the Gwinnett Gladiators of the East Coast Hockey League before gathering any mainstream attention. “I didn’t receive any (NHL) interest until after my second year pro,” Garbutt said. He joined the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves on loan during the 2010-11 season and then signed an entry-level contract with the Dallas Stars to join the minor league Texas Stars the next year. He was called up to the NHL midway through the year and never looked back. He has since thrived with the Stars, who signed him to a three-year, $5.4 million contract extension this past January. The path to the NHL is difficult even for highly regarded prospects, so Garbutt’s tale is extraordinary by any standard. He credits his success to his work ethic, preparation and focus. “You need to prepare yourself each and every day and focus on hockey,” he said. Moving from college through three minor leagues on his way to the NHL, Garbutt had to continually adjust for more talented competition, but said he “enjoyed the challenge.” “You definitely notice a step up,” he said. “It’s a pretty unique challenge to be able to play up to your competition at each level, and that was something I really relished.” Volpatti Volpatti was a top target of the Bears’ when he came out of junior hockey in Revelstoke, British Columbia, before the 2006-07 season. “They recruited me pretty hard, and I actually flew out to Brown, which obviously (was) a pretty big factor in coming there,” he said. “I really enjoyed it.” He struggled under Grillo, recording 30 points in 86 games over his first three seasons. But he bloomed with Whittet, scoring 17 goals and 15 assists
(2-28, 0-12 Ivy) || (23-13, 12-0)
Cambridge, Mass. - Friday 2 p.m.
(8-18, 2-10 Ivy) || (10-17, 5-7)
Women’s Tennis @ Harvard
Pizzitola - Friday 2 p.m.
Seekonk River - Saturday 10:30 a.m.
Men’s Tennis vs. Harvard
Last match Brown 5, Cornell 2
Last match Cornell 4, Brown 3
Women’s Crew vs. Boston University
in his senior year to be named Third Team All-ECAC. Although the coaching change greatly benefited him, Volpatti did not sense a significant cause for it when it happened. “It’s not necessarily always about the coach, but unfortunately sometimes there’s just a change needed,” he said. “I really liked playing for Roger, and Coach Whittet was just kind of a new voice. … Sometimes change is good.” Whittet allowed Volpatti to play to his strengths, contributing to his breakout year. “Aaron was a guy, when I came in, … that played the game really hard, played it really, really tough, and sometimes that toughness, that physicality put him in the box, and so be it,” Whittet said. Despite his struggles on the scoresheet, Volpatti started garnering professional attention after his junior year, propelling the Bears to a successful 2009-10 season that saw them make the semifinals of the ECAC tournament. In the end, he chose to sign with his hometown team, the Vancouver Canucks. Shortly after signing, Volpatti went to the Canucks’ AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. The increase in the quality of his opponents was surprising, but what he least expected was how much bigger his peers would be. “It was a pretty big wake-up call getting to professional where … I was kind of more average-sized,” he said. While he did not score often during his time in Manitoba, with just 13 points in 61 games over two seasons, he made enough of an impact to earn a short stint with Manitoba’s parent club late in the 2010-11 season and a permanent spot with the team for the next two seasons. But an injury cut his 2012-13 season short, and he was put on waivers to be sent to the AHL again. Instead, he was claimed by the Washington Capitals. “I had a lot of emotions going through waivers just because there’s a lot of uncertainty,” he said. “Could you go back to the minors? Are you going to get picked up? Things can go a lot of different ways.” Since the Capitals acquired him Feb. 28, 2013, Volpatti has been a full-time player, despite a recent shoulder injury
sidelining him for two months of this past season. Volpatti believes the key to his postBrown success has been parallel to his experiences at Brown — playing to his strengths and adhering to the style of play he knows best. “I think it’s just not changing who you are,” he said. “My game’s never going to change, so it’s just about getting better every day.” Zolnierczyk Unlike Garbutt, Zolnierczyk was somewhat unheralded coming out of the junior hockey ranks from Toronto in 2007. “I didn’t have a ton of options out of juniors to pick out of colleges,” he said. “I just wasn’t sure how far or how long I’d keep playing hockey.” With doubt about his hockey future, Zolnierczyk opted for the best education he could find — Brown was the only Ivy to offer him a spot. “To have the opportunity to go to an Ivy League school and get a degree from one of the best institutions in the world was key,” he said, adding that he was glad to have “something to fall back on if hockey didn’t pan out.” His first two seasons at Brown were challenging. Playing on the lowest lines, Zolnierczyk tallied just five total points over 47 games. But everything changed after the 2008-09 season. Zolnierczyk exploded onto the scene, tallying 33 points in his junior year and 31 the next, on his way to the Ivy League Player of the Year award his senior season. It was no coincidence that his breakout came in Whittet’s first season, just like Volpatti’s. Zolnierczyk fully credited his new coach with the turnaround. “I was really given a great opportunity to play big-time minutes and fill a big-time role,” he said. “My career just really turned around with Coach Whittet.” Whittet said the key to making Zolnierczyk a star was allowing him to play his own style of hockey. “When I came in, what we needed to do was allow Harry to play to his strengths,” he said. “Harry’s strengths are he plays with an unbelievable pace and an unbelievable aggressiveness, yet he plays a little bit on the edge. And
Last race 2nd Place @ Lake Natoma Classic
some coaches, they stifle that. They say, ‘You know what, we want you to be more in control.’ … I wanted him to play that style that would allow him to succeed.” With success came attention, and by the end of Zolnierczyk’s senior season, nearly half the NHL had expressed interest in signing him. He ultimately chose to join the Philadelphia Flyers. “We thought Philadelphia was the best fit for me in order to get a chance to play in the NHL right away, and I was fortunate enough to get that opportunity … in my first year with them,” he said. “It was a good spot for me to start my pro career.” Zolnierczyk split the 2011-12 season between Philadelphia and its AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Phantoms. In 37 NHL games, he accumulated six points. He was later traded both during and after the season, ending up on the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played 13 games with the Penguins this season, scoring just two goals. Much like how his coaches at Brown molded him into the Ivy League’s best player, maximizing his capabilities on the ice has allowed Zolnierczyk to achieve professional success. “The biggest thing for myself is my speed and my grit and my determination,” he said. “Speed is something that all teams look for and I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to carry that attribute. … I think that’s something that a lot of coaches find valuable.” Robertson With three highly successful role models paving the way, Robertson is Brown’s next player with a great NHL shot. He just completed his senior season with the Bears, culminating one of the most decorated years for a Brown athlete. He was named First Team All-Ivy and Third Team All-ECAC and co-won the Best Defensive Defenseman award. The two-time captain was a true leader for the Bears, finishing fourth on the team in points. As the 176th overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, Robertson was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs after his first-year season. The Maple Leafs traded his rights to the Carolina Hurricanes on New Year’s Day this year,
so signing an entry-level contract was simple for him upon the conclusion of the Bears’ 2013-14 season. He was assigned to the team’s AHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers. Robertson’s teammate Garnet Hathaway ’14 is also turning pro as an undrafted free agent, having signed with the Abbotsford Heat of the AHL, a Calgary Flames affiliate. He had 15 points in 31 games for Bruno this season. Before Robertson went to Charlotte, he spoke to The Herald about his expectations. “It’s going to be a little different, for sure, it’s going to be much faster and bigger, stronger guys out there, so it’s going to be a challenge,” he said. “But I have to rise to that challenge, and hopefully I can have some success here early and continue that down the road.” The players who have already trodden a similar path had a few insights about what Robertson will experience. Zolnierczyk, when discussing the challenges of being an undrafted free agent, mentioned the privilege a drafted player like Robertson will have. “Your draft picks are always going to get a fair shot and a good look,” he said, adding that he also agreed with Robertson’s assessment that professional players are more physically imposing, describing them as “a lot faster, a lot stronger.” “Now it’s your job,” Volpatti said of the difference Robertson will experience between college and professional hockey. “There’s obviously a lot more pressure now than in college. … Obviously I still enjoy it and still love it, but it’s a career and there’s a lot of pressure, and you worry about it a little more.” Whittet is optimistic about the chances of his departing stars making an NFL roster. Robertson and Hathaway “have that same trait that (Volpatti and Zolnierczyk) did. They’re just driven individuals who just play the game really hard,” Whittet said. “They’re competitive people, so those are the kind of people that ultimately succeed.” Signed contract in hand, Robertson is prepared to chase his dream. “I feel ready,” he said. If he can follow the examples of his fellow former Bears, he just might be.
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
SPORTS BULLETIN
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
BASEBALL
ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
St. Lawrence ’15 throws seven-inning gem, holds off Crimson
Junior pitcher delivers third complete game of season, gives up just four hits in stellar performance By JESSICA ZAMBRANO CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The baseball team took down the Harvard Crimson Sunday to earn just its second conference win this season, with an outstanding performance from Dave St. Lawrence ’15. The hurler threw all seven innings of the game, allowing no walks and just four hits — no more than one per inning. The junior was not given much margin of error by his offense, which put only one run on the board. But St. Lawrence’s shut out of Harvard nine was enough for the 1-0 victory. Following in the footsteps of fellow teammate Christian Taugner ’17, St. Lawrence was named Ivy League Pitcher of the Week. This is the first time since 2012 that Brown has had two players receive this honor in the same season. For this feat and his victory against Harvard, Dave St. Lawrence is The Herald’s Athlete of the Week. Herald: Why did you first start playing baseball? St. Lawrence: Probably because of my dad. He got me into it when I was
little and taught me all the basics and whatnot. I was into a bunch of sports, but I guess growing up, baseball was just my favorite to play. What made you want to pitch, specifically? Was it always something you wanted to do? Not really. When I was growing up, all the kids learned to play all the different positions, but I definitely liked pitching a lot. When I came here, I actually played infield and pitched a little bit — I did both. Then toward the end of my freshman year, me and my coach thought it would be a good idea to just pitch, and I sort of stuck with it. I like it a lot. Were there any points where you considered quitting baseball? Growing up, not really. It’s a tough sport, and there’s a lot of ups and downs. There are times I feel like it, but I never actually wanted to quit. I mean, everyone has that. So not really; I always liked playing. I didn’t really know if I was going to play in college or not, but once I decided to do that, I was in it for
the long run.
What made you want to come play baseball at Brown? Well my sister is a senior here. My mom went here, and her parents went here. It’s sort of been a family thing. I always thought it’d be cool, when I would visit when I was younger, to go here. So I guess I always sort of had my eye on it. And then I met the players and some of the coaches I really liked. What would you say is your biggest accomplishment so far? Probably just being able to play here. We’re getting better, I think, as a team. And individually just being able to play and compete at this level, I think, has been a big accomplishment for me. What was the game against Harvard like for you? It was fun. It was just good to win. We haven’t had many wins in the league yet, so to get a win was probably the best part. Anytime you can pitch deep into a game, too, is fun. Were you nervous? What kind of mindset did you have going into the game? I always feel a little bit of nerves
before, but usually once I get out there, I tell myself that I’m going to be fine. I’ve done this a thousand times, so that’s basically the mindset I have. I don’t really change anything from start to start. I just sort of try to relax, and once I get out there, I just do it. There’s no real mental preparation. What about after the game: How did the team feel about the victory? We were pumped. We had split the day before, so we really wanted to come out and get the first one to make sure we had at least a split of the series. I think the whole team played really well that day. I was striking a ton of guys out, defense was really good behind me and we had some good at-bats at the end of the game. So it was a good team win. What can we look forward to seeing during the rest of the season? Hopefully some more wins. You never know, but I think we’re starting to turn the corner, start a new page a little bit with a new, fresh, confident mentality that we can carry on into the remainder of the year and next year. What’s your favorite kind of pitch to throw? Probably just the fastball. I just like
COURTESY OF BROWNBEARS.COM
Dave St. Lawrence ’15 pitched for the first time in high school. throwing it hard. Obviously you can’t do it all the time, but probably the fastball. Do you have a favorite MLB team? Yeah, the Boston Red Sox. I grew up in Connecticut, close to Massachusetts. I always grew up with my parents liking them, so I always liked them too. Who is your favorite cartoon character and why? I always liked SpongeBob growing up, probably the most. It was just a funny show, for no real reason. But I like him the best, if I had to choose just one.
Bears seek more Ivy success against streaking Big Green After losing in blowout to Holy Cross Wednesday, Bears to host Dartmouth for four-game series By ANDREW FLAX SENIOR STAFF WRITER
The baseball team fell to the College of the Holy Cross 9-0 Wednesday, but as Dartmouth comes to College Hill for a four-game series this weekend, the Bears will aim to improve upon last weekend’s road split against
Harvard. Bruno (8-18, 2-10 Ivy) broke its conference winless skid last weekend in its first games since former coach Marek Drabinski’s abrupt resignation April 11, winning two and losing two against Harvard in Cambridge. The wins were encouraging for a team that lost four of its first eight Ivy League
games by just one run. But the Bears’ momentum hit a speed bump Wednesday as the squad traveled to face Holy Cross (11-23) and got thumped in a lopsided shutout. The teams had originally been scheduled to play a doubleheader at Murray Stadium, but weather conditions rendered the field unplayable, forcing the teams to reschedule and instead play one game on the Crusaders’ campus in Worcester, Mass. In the early goings, things looked good for Bruno. With the starters resting for weekend games, the Bears turned the entire game over to their bullpen, and Max Ritchie ’17 and Taylor Wright ’15 made this strategy appear to be a good move in the first two innings. Neither allowed a hit in an inning of work. With the bats, the Bears loaded the bases with one out in the third inning, but a strikeout and a fly out kept them off the board. “The first couple of innings were good,” said assistant coach Grant Achilles, who has assumed part of the duties of the head coach position in the wake of Drabinski’s resignation. But in the home half of the frame, things started to go south. Jake Spezial ’17 (L, 0-1) gave up two runs on three singles, two stolen bases and a walk, putting Bruno in a hole. Austin French ’16 struggled in the fourth, spotting the Crusaders another run via a bases-loaded balk. Holy Cross started distancing itself in the fifth, adding three more runs off of Nathan Mann ’15 to open up a 6-0 lead. The Bruno offense could not respond despite its
consistent ability to get on base. The Bears had exactly one hit in each of the second through eighth innings, but their inability to bunch them kept the Crusaders with a sheet clean. But Holy Cross kept piling on, scoring again in the seventh and eighth to bring the game to its final score of 9-0. The Bears’ loss was not for lack of effort, but Achilles said he felt that “lapses in execution” plagued the team throughout. The team also seemed to suffer from bad luck. “We call that one of Murphy’s Law’s days,” Achilles said. After the poor outcome, Achilles called for his team to refocus their attention to the Big Green’s trip to town Saturday and Sunday. “The biggest thing for them is just moving forward,” he said. Dartmouth (10-17, 5-7) will serve well as a litmus test for whether the Bears’ wins against the Crimson were a sign of things to come, or simply a fleeting mirage in a season that has been more like a desert than anyone had hoped. Defeating Yale in three of four games last weekend, the Big Green are coming into Providence on a hot streak. Junior second baseman Thomas Roulis is the reigning Ivy League Player of the Week, having hit 10-for-26 with five runs batted in and five runs scored over his team’s past six games. As a team, Dartmouth is hitting .263/.335/.373 and has a cumulative ERA of 5.53. With the exception of their games against Yale, a team Bruno has yet to play, the Big Green’s
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results look surprisingly similar to the Bears’ against the same opponents. Their first two conference wins were both in extra innings, and over eight games against Cornell, Princeton, Columbia and Penn, their run differential is -11. In those same eight games, Bruno’s differential is slightly worse at -19. If that serves as any indication, the Bears are much closer to Dartmouth than their disparate Ivy records indicate. For Achilles, the weekend’s focus is not specifically on defeating Dartmouth, but instead on the game’s mental aspect. He said he hopes that he can have the Bears playing as well as they know they can, with the possibility that wins will follow from such drive. “Win or lose, I know they’re gonna play hard,” he said. But he added that he wants to ensure his players are “not trying to do too much.” “We’ve talked a lot about excellency and consistency and holding ourselves to a higher standard,” he said. The Bears’ new approach may be geared toward limiting simpler but nonetheless damaging mistakes, like committing errors. A key aspect of their strategy is confidence, according to Achilles, who said he aims to get the team “believing in each other and believing in ourselves.” Achilles’ strategy showed positive early returns against Harvard. With a full week of practice, he may be able to ensure that this weekend’s games have good things in store for the Bears. The first game against Dartmouth is Saturday at noon.
today 5
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
menu SHARPE REFECTORY
movie magic VERNEY-WOOLLEY
LUNCH Vegan Quinoa Stuffed Portobello, Vegan Malibu Grilled Patty, Hot Pastrami Sandwich, Onion Rings
New England Clam Chowder, Roasted Yukon Potatoes with Shallots, Vegan Corn and Tomato Soup
DINNER Tilapia with Provencale, Red Potato Frittata, Sauteed Greens with Garlic, Slow-Roast Pork Loin with Herbs
Filet of Sole with Spinach, Cajun Vegetable Rice Bowl, Garlicky Green Beans, Quinoto, Stir Fried Tofu
JOSIAH’S
THREE BURNERS
QUESADILLA OR GRILLED CHEESE
Crepes
Made-to-Order Quesadillas
BLUE ROOM
SOUPS
DINNER ENTREES
Clam Chowder, Minestrone, Beef with Bean Chili
Naked Burritos
DAVID BRAUN / HERALD
sudoku
Leah Meyerhoff ’01 returned to campus Thursday to answer questions after an advance screening of her film “I Believe in Unicorns,” part of the Ivy Film Festival.
comics A & B | MJ Esquivel ’16
Bacterial Culture | Dana Schwartz ’15 RELEASE DATE– Friday, April 18, 2014
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle c rNorris o s sandwJoyce o rNichols d Lewis Edited by Rich ACROSS 1 Famiglia nickname 6 Celtic language 11 Base enforcers, briefly 14 Menu listings 15 Muse with a lyre 16 Bugler in a forest 17 Fish-derived supplement 19 Behold 20 Diners Club competitor 21 Binding promise 22 Tool that’s not for crosscuts 24 Prince Charles’ closetful 27 Title stuffed bear in a 2012 film 28 Valley where Hercules slew a lion 29 Site of the Alaska Purchase transfer ceremony 33 Blues home: Abbr. 34 Cellular messengers 37 Leaving the jurisdiction, perhaps 41 Brest pals 42 Of Mice and __ 43 Hall of Fame umpire Conlan 44 App writer 46 “... against a __ of troubles”: Hamlet 48 1982 Joan Jett & the Blackhearts hit 54 Luxury watch 55 Bailed-out insurance co. 56 Mislead 58 “The Prague Cemetery” novelist 59 Literary orphan ... and what 17-, 24-, 37- and 48Across each contains? 62 It may be fresh or stale 63 Milk source 64 Sculled 65 House and Howser 66 Bygone monarchs 67 Winemaking tool
DOWN 1 Mineral found in sheets 2 Basic matter 3 Vengeful sorceress of myth 4 Appomattox bicentennial year 5 Faulkner’s “__ Lay Dying” 6 Did lawn work 7 Proofer’s find 8 Thai native 9 Last words in a drink recipe, perhaps 10 “Total patient” treatment 11 Like one expected to deliver? 12 Fabric fold 13 Slants 18 Revolting 23 __ Rico 25 Angled ltrs. 26 Not misled by 29 Where to get wraps and scrubs 30 “Are you going?” response 31 French and Italian flags 32 Disputed Balkan republic
33 Vice principle 35 Hunky-dory 36 __-cone 38 Taurus birthstones, perhaps 39 Florida’s __ Beach 40 Out of a jamb? 45 Pious 46 They’re often on a slippery slope 47 MIT grad, often
48 Construction girder 49 Understandable 50 Underground worker 51 Sun Tzu’s “The Art __” 52 Longest river in France 53 Gets knocked off 57 Old Fords 60 Gilbert and Sullivan princess 61 Part of an inning
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
calendar TODAY
APRIL 18
5:30 P.M. “PARADISE NOW” SCREENING
“Paradise Now,” winner of the 2005 Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, follows the last days of two Palestinian childhood friends who participated in suicide attacks in Tel Aviv. Watson Institute, Joukowsky Forum 7 P.M. GENDO TAIKO SPRING SHOW: GRAVITY
The Brown/RISD Gendo Taiko annual show is a fusion of traditional Japanese drumming, elements of martial arts and modern jazz. Sayles Hall
TOMORROW xwordeditor@aol.com
04/18/14
APRIL 19
2 P.M. IVY FILM FESTIVAL PRESENTS: WOMEN IN ENTERTAINMENT PANEL
The Ivy Film Festival panel features talent agent Nancy Josephson, set decorator Karen O’Hara, casting director Samantha Stiglitz and television executive Lauren Zalaznick. Granoff Center, Martinos Auditorium 9 P.M. IMPROVIDENCE SPILLED MILK SHOW
imProvidence, the Brown-Rhode Island School of Design comedy troupe, will be joined by Emerson College’s Jimmy’s Traveling All-Stars for a sketch comedy show themed around “spilled milk.” MacMillan 117
SUNDAY
APRIL 20
2 P.M. BUGS PRESENTS: CAMELOT
Brown University Gilbert and Sullivan celebrates its 10th anniversary with a production of Lerner and Loewe’s Camelot, an opera following the rise and fall of King Arthur in England. Alumnae Hall 4 P.M. HISPANIC CINEMA SCREENING SERIES: “LA MUJER SIN PIANO (WOMAN WITHOUT PIANO)” By Peter Koetters (c)2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
04/18/14
Written and directed by Javier Rebollo, the Spanish comedy-drama “La mujer sin piano (Woman without piano)” follows the life of a woman attempting to break away from her past in Madrid. Smith-Buonanno 106
6 diamonds & coal
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
DIAMONDS & COAL Cubic zirconia to Angelo’s owner Bob Antignano, who said, “I made sausage with peppers and onions one Sunday, and I came out of the kitchen to see how everyone was doing and there was a young woman who looked like she was sobbing.” We have the same react00ion whenever the Sharpe Refectory tries to serve international food. Cubic zirconia to Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life and student services and interim dean of the College, who said of students being EMSed over Spring Weekend, “We’re always concerned when there is risky behavior.” As she said that, Tom Cruise slid by in his tidy whities, shaking his thang. Coal to Baseball Head Coach Marek Drabinski for resigning last Friday with the team in last place in the Ivies. When things get hard, quit. Except during sex. Coal to Professor of Medicine Joan Teno, who said that when transitioning elderly patients between caregivers, “you have to have a handoff.” Hope they have a good quarterback. A diamond to the restaurant Succotash for serving “Jungle Juice,” a blend of apple, ginger, spinach, beet and pineapple juices. As long as you’re not drinking it in a frat basement, you’ll probably be okay.
A N G E L IA WA N G
A diamond to the sophomore who said coffee from the Rhode Island School of Design’s cafes is “the best by far — there’s … I don’t know, cocaine or speed or something in there.” That explains why RISD kids are always raving. Coal to Wes Anderson, who was scheduled for a one-hour Skype session for Ivy Film Festival, but chatted for only half an hour because he was at a dinner party. We hear the guests included Owen Wilson, Tilda Swinton and Fantastic Mr. Fox. Cubic zirconia to the senior who said, “The sun still shines tomorrow if you don’t go to class today.” Betcha bottom dollar that girl’s starring in the “Annie” revival. Cubic zirconia to the baseball pitcher who said SpongeBob Squarepants was his favorite cartoon character. He’s just trying to absorb some wins for his 8-18 Bears. Coal to Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who warned, “With longer summers and shorter winters, we’ll face more exposure to these pests and the diseases they carry.” Don’t be too hard on the Summer@Brown kids, Senator.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
On train strikes and skipping class To the Editor: In response to the April 17 article “Busy schedules, boring lectures drive students to skip classes”: As a student commuting to school in London many years ago, I was dependent on train service. When there was a train strike, I rode my bike more than 20 miles each way through rough traffic until I ran into a fellow villager whose dad was giving her a car ride
to her college — he worked nearby — and could squeeze in one more. I couldn’t think of missing classes: It was close to finals, there were no make-ups and I was on scholarship. With all that, I felt I had a responsibility to get there. The strike went on long enough that the rails went rusty. Peter Richardson Professor of Engineering and Physiology
CORRECTION A photo caption accompanying an article in Thursday’s Herald (“Latin American leaders discuss climate change progress,” April 17) misidentified one of the speakers at a climate change conference. It was former Chilean President and Professorat-Large Ricardo Lagos, not Peruvian Minister of the Environment Manuel Pulgar-Vidal. The Herald regrets the error.
Q U O T E O F T H E D AY
“He’d say the simplest thing and everyone would just start giggling like silly schoolgirls.” — Pia Brar ’16
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commentary 7
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
You should care about UCS WALKER MILLS opinions columnist
I became involved with student government this fall. I had been going to Brown for two years and had accrued a laundry list of gripes and grievances against the University. Paying over $200 a semester for books, getting stuck with summer assignment and living in a quad, paying the fee for missing the preregistration deadline, a cost you can’t appeal if you don’t fill out a room condition report, and the pearl onions they can’t ever seem to keep out of the peas at the Sharpe Refectory all made my list. Some things were trivial enough that you might be able to laugh them off, but others issues — like the $60,000 tuition burden — had me clenching my jaw. I wanted my voice to be heard. I’m not looking for anyone to pat me on the back for getting involved with student government, and I’m not going to tell you to join the Undergraduate Council of Students or run for an elected office. But I’m go-
ing to tell you how my involvement changed my perception of student power at Brown. I was initially optimistic about UCS — I didn’t think I could change everything, but if I could address a few issues and maybe better understand why certain things operated they way they did, I would be happy. But a few weeks in, I was disappointed. It became clear to me that many UCS members joined because they wanted to be part of the UCS com-
rassed too. I also realized many students don’t care about UCS or even know what it is. A surprising number of students are unfamiliar with what UCS does or can do. When talking about UCS, I’ve been asked more times than I care to admit, “What is UCS?” At first, I was somewhat indignant. But when I reflected on my own view of UCS, I realized I could understand where they were coming from.
like I was finally in a position where staff members and administrators valued student input and concerns. My opinion of UCS and student government started to change. I started to see that there was actually a large role for student voice here at Brown. At one of our meetings, Senior Lecturer in Education Luther Spoehr claimed that students don’t really have any power, they just have influence. I think that absolutely characterizes our situation.
We can do things that matter. munity or make friends. I thought maybe other students felt this way about our motive too and held it against UCS. I welcome any and all involvement in UCS and all other facets of student government — but this was a low point for me. Imagine if that’s what our senators and representatives said in Washington — “I ran for office so I could make friends in D.C.,” or “because it sounded like fun,” or “because I wanted to pad my resume.” I would be pretty embar-
I always wanted to know why the food in the Ratty wasn’t very good and what the rationale was for forcing students to live on campus. Through my questioning, I eventually received a tour from Joe Barboza, facilities manager for Dining Services, through the bowels of the Ratty, and I met with Senior Associate Dean of Residential and Dining Services Richard Bova to talk about housing issues. My questions were starting to be answered, and it felt
But I also think we are lucky to go to a school where the administration cares deeply about what we have to say on many — though not all — issues. If students don’t take student government seriously, fail to get involved or take the opinion that UCS doesn’t matter, though, then the influence we have as a student body will dwindle. We can do things that matter. If we speak up, the University will often listen. Recently, UCS passed two resolutions — one urg-
ing for greater diversity in the faculty of science, technology, engineering and mathematics departments and the other urging the University to divest from major coal companies. The Residential Council moved the housing lottery online this year. UCS got bigger bowls in the Ratty. If you want the University to divest from coal, if you want to ban controversial speakers from campus, if you want to live off campus as a junior or even if you are just tired of using only one-ply toilet paper, you should pay attention to UCS. We are the student voice in those decisions, and you can and should be a part of that. UCS can be your conduit to the ears of the administration. To voice your opinion every once and a while is all I ask — make sure to take the fall poll when it comes around and make sure to vote in the elections or come speak during community time in a UCS general body meeting.
Walker Mills ’15 was recently elected chair of Campus Life and welcomes any and all input related to issues of University dining, housing or safety.
The forgotten people of Balochistan ROBYN SUNDLEE opinions columnist
Three months ago, a mass grave was discovered in Pakistan. More than 100 bodies were found in three different pits, decomposed beyond recognition. These casualties were not products of the war on terror or religious strife, as many might be quick to assume. Rather, they were victims of pure persecution. This is just the latest in a gruesome saga of conflict that has been taking place for a decade in Pakistan with little to no acknowledgment from the global community. In spite of all the carnage, there has been next to no coverage of the recent tragedy by major media news outlets. An occasional article in Al Jazeera or the Huffington Post was the highest attention the discovery garnered. It is hard to believe that such an event went almost unrecognized by Western media, given the location of the mass graves. The bodies were unearthed in the province of Balochistan — a region that spans parts of Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is at once one of the most desolate, conflict-ridden, resourcerich and poverty-stricken areas of the Middle East. Because of the strategic interest of the land, the Baloch people have long been subject to harsh discrimination by the governments of Iran and Pakistan. In 2005, Baloch nationalists launched a separatist movement, citing persecution and theft of resources as their motivations for independence. Some of these nationalist groups are militant and have resorted to attacking civilians in an effort to destabilize Pakistan’s hold over the region. It is true that these particular groups are not innocent. They have claimed responsibility for several public bombings over the last decade and are recognized by the United Kingdom and the United States as terrorist organizations. Attacks on citizens are nev-
er permissible, but we must take into account the situations that led to these extremes. Since the beginning of the separatist movement, the government of Pakistan has empowered the Frontier Corps, a shady paramilitary organization, to suppress Baloch nationalism. For years now they have been disappearing advocates for Baloch independence with impunity because of a dearth of media coverage and oversight. Baloch advocacy organizations have estimated that the number of individuals who have vanished at the hands of Pakistani paramilitary and intelligence organizations is somewhere in the thousands. The
tims are overwhelmingly of Baloch heritage. The truth is that there is something of a media black hole in this critical area of the world. Due to the number of conflicts in the region, it is especially dangerous for foreign journalists to enter. Those who dare to venture in risk expulsion from Pakistan at best and abduction and torture at worst. Reporting on these atrocities is even more perilous for local journalists, who have families in the area. While it is difficult to acquire clear information about the events in Balochistan, this problem is compounded by the blatant lack of interest from the international media. Per-
The entire oil-using population has a huge stake in the security of Balochistan, and the media has an obligation to avoid oversimplifying or ignoring this conflict. victims encompass Balochis from all walks of life, not just the perpetrators of violence. They include student activists, journalists and seemingly innocent men and women. Those who have chosen not to employ violence are persecuted anyway. The Baloch Student Organization, a group based out of the University of Balochistan in Quetta, has been especially victimized. “When a student raises his voice or his pen (in support of our rights), he is imprisoned or killed,” Javed Baloch, the secretary-general of the BSO told Al Jazeera. He went on to explain the militant reaction as stemming from desperation. “We have tried all democratic routes — they have not worked. Our weapons are now our only defense.” Violence is inexcusable, but when family members are vanishing without a trace with no higher authority to turn to, it’s easy to see the motivations of the Baloch militants. Why has there been so little outcry? These actions border on ethnic purging, for the vic-
haps this apathy from the international community can be attributed to a sort of fatigue regarding Middle East conflicts. Reports of violence in the region are expected and no longer make for attention-grabbing headlines. This is unacceptable. The entire oil-using population has a huge stake in the security of Balochistan, and the media has an obligation to avoid oversimplifying or ignoring this conflict. The lack of coverage has been a massive hindrance toward achieving justice for the Baloch people. International bodies such as the United Nations have declared that the dearth of information from the area has tied their hands. They will not intervene until they have more intelligence. What has resulted is a cruel catch-22 that reflects an abject failure by the international community to combat human rights violations. There is not enough credible reporting on Balochistan because of either the danger or lack of interest. Until it is
reported on, international bodies will not get involved. Without the intervention of international groups, violence will not be quelled. Malik Siraj Akbar, editor of the online newspaper the Baloch Hal, underscored the importance of intervention from international bodies such as the United Nations or the European Union in a Huffington Post interview last month. The distrust between the Pakistani military and the Baloch people is so severe that only an outside mediator will have any hope of coaxing the two sides away from their hard-and-fast stances. “Unless there are international guarantors, talks between the Baloch and the Pakistani state to bring peace and justice in Balochistan will not succeed,” Akbar said. But until the bloodshed slows, journalists cannot enter. There have been a choice few who have been bold enough to report on Balochistan. Publications like the Baloch Hal, Crisis Balochistan and the Dawn all publish quality content on the ongoing strife within Balochistan and employ courageous journalists who routinely risk their safety to inform the world of the separatist movement. I urge readers to look up these publications and pass on articles to spread awareness of these events. This vicious cycle cannot be broken until the rest of the world decides to care about the conflict between the Baloch people and the states of Iran and Pakistan. We must fight the temptation to dismiss violence and human rights abuses as normal in the Middle East and seek to understand the complexities of the region. We are profoundly invested in the ongoing events in the region of Balochistan, and the conflict between the Baloch people and the state of Pakistan is contributing to the region’s instability, allowing groups like the Taliban to flourish. We ignore the Baloch people’s plight at our own peril.
Robyn Sundlee ’16 can be reached at robyn_sundlee@brown.edu.
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2014
THE
BROWN DAILY HERALD arts & culture Film probes anxiety, crisis from the driver’s seat Tom Hardy plays title character Locke, whose stable life erupts over one night-long car ride By EBEN BLAKE CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The success of Steven Knight’s “Locke,” much like that of its eponymous character, hangs in the precarious balance between good intentions and a difficult execution. An 85-minute film of one man driving and answering personal and professional calls seems like hardly more than a clever conceit. The film, which screened on campus as part of the Ivy Film Festival Tuesday, would appear to indulge in conceptual campiness, the kind of art-house exercise that would prove far less stimulating on the screen than on paper. But “Locke” turns a potential trap of contrived minimalism into a brilliant, provoking and enthralling film. Tom Hardy plays Ivan Locke, a construction foreman driving from Birmingham, England, to London on the eve of an important concrete pour. As his BMW moves through the blurred lights of empty spaces and urban landscapes,
REVIEW
his life slowly collapses. More than anything else, Knight depicts a level of quiet desperation in Ivan, which manifests as a desire to preserve the world he has worked so hard to create. A personal crisis throws the rest of Ivan’s life into tumult. There’s nowhere he would rather be than at home watching a soccer match with his wife and two sons, but instead he must drive alone through the night, with no companions except for each call. Yet Locke doesn’t see himself as alone. Instead, the protagonist imagines a series of conversations with his dead father, a pathetic deadbeat whom Locke sees as having abandoned his family. In contrast, Locke himself is a man who holds firm control over his life; as both foreman and father, he has remained level-headed, in charge of all operations, adeptly maneuvering through problems with an uncommon strength and sturdiness. Hardy brings a convincing emotionality to the role — Locke is an ethical and honest man who still feels the immense weight of the consequences of his actions. Hardy portrays someone not only enduring the common tribulations of bourgeois domesticity, but also struggling for them. It is quite a feat to make this task seem thrilling and suspenseful, as well as worthwhile and sympathetic.
COURTESY OF A24 FILMS
Steven Knight’s film “Locke” examines human vulnerability and the desire to maintain a normal life in the face of obstacles. The film was screened Tuesday as part of the Ivy Film Festival. Knight, too, does a brilliant job of depicting Locke’s vulnerability as he drives. Locke seems to be almost in physical danger, as though the thin barrier of the car could break down at any time, letting him fall prey to the oncoming traffic. While Knight wrote the film in one week and filmed it in two, the end result seems as well-constructed as Ivan’s
build site, a place where the difference between concrete types C6 and C5 challenges the possibility of Ivan’s dream to “steal a piece of sky … with our building.” So rarely can a filmmaker adequately translate the meaningful moments of the human experience into narrative, much less into cinema. Real experiences often
become lost in the retelling, making them seem mundane and commonplace. But Knight has created a masterful film based on the struggle to maintain an ordinary life, romanticizing Locke’s endurance as he faces the breakdown of his world. Knight finds a way to make beautiful the strength and consistency of concrete.
‘Cutie’ and ‘Boxer’ face off on stage, in film and on canvas Director Zach Heinzerling offers a lens into the marriage, art and lives of the Shinoharas By KATHERINE CUSUMANO ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR
She braids her hair. Brushes her teeth. Gently reminds her husband that it is his birthday. She hands him a pair of enormous, fuzzy slippers in the shape of ducks, which he slides on his feet, quacking. He pulls on a pair of gloves — boxing gloves, to be precise — and sets to work. These are the opening moments of “Cutie and the Boxer,” the Oscar-nominated documentary that follows the careers of Ushio Shinohara, a Japanese neo-dadaist artist, and his wife, Noriko, who also pursues her own art throughout the film. The film, which screened Thursday night as part of the Ivy Film Festival, traces their 40-year marriage, which developed alongside their art. Director Zach Heinzerling offers a sensitive, intimate portrait of the artists, infiltrating their most private moments without approaching voyeurism. It is compiled from a series of in-the-moment shots recounting the Shinoharas’ daily lives, forgoing the formal interviews that are so often the preferred fare of documentary filmmakers. The film occasionally resorts to found footage, showing a spiky-haired, pugnacious Ushio at the height of his ego. There is a dark parallel between this man who flies into hysterics at the uncertainty of his art and the present-day man who tears up at a failed canvas he can’t determine “good or bad or finished or unfinished.” “Art is messy and dirty when it pours out of you,” Ushio howls in one such vintage clip, summing up his complicated relationship with both his wife and his
work. “Cutie and the Boxer” derives its name from the affectionate appellations for each of its main characters. Ushio earned the mantle of “the boxer” due to his unique painting style, a sort of spontaneous, Pollock-like attack of the canvas with boxing gloves smothered in paint. During a question-and-answer session that followed the film screening, Ushio, whose remarks were translated by Yukiko Watanabe ’16, described how he came to paint through boxing: In the 1960s, “action painting” was very popular. It was “quick, beautiful, rhythmical” — the three traits Ushio said he admired most. “I wouldn’t do it if it weren’t for an audience,” he added. Noriko paints a cartoon character named “Cutie,” whose exploits mirror her own story of love and heartbreak as she migrates from Japan to the United States in search of artistic recognition and a brighter future. The Shinoharas confront roadblocks as they struggle to make a living in the crowded, competitive New York City art scene with curators, artists and dealers all competing for a claim on the canon. This is never more evident than when a curator from the Guggenheim comes to examine Ushio’s work, declaring a search for a piece with “history.” Unfortunately, the only piece that fits the bill was already drunkenly promised to a friend of Ushio’s — just another missed opportunity in a string of disappointments fostered by personality and circumstance. While Ushio’s career flounders — he is acclaimed for his avant-garde work but fails to make sufficient sales to support the family — Noriko begins to find her own voice. At the outset, Cutie seems to be a mechanism for Noriko to come to terms with her shattered dreams: She marries Ushio because she has become pregnant, and he promises to love her
COURTESY OF ZACHARY HEINZERLING
Noriko Shinohara develops “Cutie,” a cartoon character who follows the love story between Noriko and her husband, in the film “Cutie and the Boxer.” and support her career. At one point in the film, Noriko proclaims she has lost her joy in painting. And during the Q&A following the film, one audience member asked how she regained her inspiration. “Time,” she responded. “Everything was so missing, so ruined, so devastating, so the only thing I could have was art,” she said. But her animation eventually serves to bring Noriko her own recognition. One gallery owner requests to exhibit her work in tandem with Ushio’s, and she paints a sparse mural of “big Cuties.” “I feel so free when you’re not around,” Noriko confesses to Ushio in one scene, shortly after she has begun work on her mural. This is a quintessential manifestation of their relationship: On the one hand, theirs is a marriage of partnership, of symbiosis, but on the other hand, Ushio’s career often takes priority, and his outsized personality
tends to smother his more reserved wife. It is only when she absorbs herself in her own art — independent of Ushio’s domineering hand — that she can truly express herself. The question-and-answer session featuring the Shinoharas and Heinzerling — moderated by Nathan Lee GS, a PhD student in Modern Culture and Media and former critic for the New York Times and the Village Voice — took place in MacMillan 117. While Ushio’s responses were translated, Noriko spoke in English throughout. The three spoke about the dynamics of the filmmaking process, in terms both of the technical production and their constantly evolving relationship. “The fact that Zach is an American and he couldn’t speak Japanese is why we could be so open about our personal lives,” Ushio said as Watanabe translated. “A lot of the scenes, I would just shoot and not have any idea what they were
saying,” Heinzerling added. Ushio said he was initially disappointed by the final product that was the film. “My art was being praised, but gradually the focus shifted to Noriko’s artworks,” he said. “And in the end, I get beaten up by her with the boxing gloves.” But eventually he realized Noriko loves him, he said. “It took the film,” Noriko added playfully. The audience broke into laughter. Throughout the discussion, Ushio and Noriko would grab the microphone out of each other’s hands, each vying for the audience’s attention. In response to a question about how their relationship evolved over the lifetime of the film, Ushio recounted a Missouri screening for an audience of 1,500 where the film received a standing ovation. “I felt like I was Matsui in Yankees,” he said. “That’s when I felt the power of films.”