Friday, September 26, 2014 by The Brown Daily Herald

THE

BROWN DAILY HERALD vol. cxlix, no. 76

since 1891

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014

Ivy rank does not faze admins, students ‘Sweeney Lowest University’s endowment, Comparing Ivy ratings to which lags behind those Todd’ endowments and enrollments of its peers, hurts its occupies rankings in national lists Wall Street

REVIEW

By JOSEPH ZAPPA

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Sock and Buskin’s take on the classic play evokes frustrations of living in poverty amidst wealth By EBEN BLAKE STAFF WRITER

Students

(IN BILLIONS)

(IN THOUSANDS)

Penn

Dartmouth

Cornell

16 Brown

Columbia

RANK:

Yale

Money talks Financial weaknesses encumber the University. In the financial

Endowment

Harvard

ARTS & CULTURE

Princeton, which ranked first in the U.S. News and World Report’s 2015 National Universities Rankings, has the highest endowment-to-student ratio in the Ivy League. Brown ranked last at 16, with a ratio of $280,000 per student.

Princeton

Modern-day reinventions frequently come across as gimmicky in theater and film. Too often, they serve as better marketing than art — or, perhaps more dangerously, they can come from the monomaniacal will of a rogue director, so concerned with his or her creative impulses that the reinvention ends up a gutted version of the original work. But in the rare circumstances that it does work — and Sock and Buskin’s rendition of “Sweeney Todd” is one of the few — it manages to introduce a dimension ignored in the first reading or » See SWEENEY, page 4

University rankings hit the Internet every September, commanding the attention of administrators, prospective students and their parents. Though rankings often inspire confusion and frustration, they have left an indelible mark on the college search process, setting the framework in which many applicants imagine their place among the United States’ thousands of higher education institutions. The U.S. News and World Report, which produces the list widely considered the benchmark for American institutions, released its 30th annual national universities rankings Sept. 9. Brown fell to 16th place, last in the Ivy League, prompting questions about what factors into the rankings, how much weight they should be assigned and who is taking them into consideration.

resources category, which accounts for 10 percent of the overall U.S. News ranking, the University places 24th, significantly trailing this year’s second-lowest Ivy, Cornell, which comes in at 17th. The category includes per-student spending on instruction, research and student services, but the ramifications of a less-than-robust portfolio reach beyond this measure, most notably impacting faculty resources, the second area in which the University’s comparative disadvantage is most pronounced. Faculty resources make up onefifth of a university’s total ranking and are determined by salary, class size, the proportion of faculty members with the highest degree in their field, the student-faculty ratio and the percentage of full-time faculty members. By this standard, the University is 17th in the nation and seventh in the Ivy League, far behind Harvard, Princeton, Columbia and Yale, all of which are ranked in the top eight. Neither low salaries nor a lack of funds to hire more professors accounts for this discrepancy between the University and its Ivy peers, administrators said. “I’ve never been in a position where we weren’t able to offer the salary to recruit somebody,” said Dean of the Faculty Kevin McLaughlin P’12.

Source: U.S. News and World Report AVERY CRITS-CHRISTOPH / HERALD

Rather, the University suffers from an “infrastructure deficit,” McLaughlin said, adding that this makes expanding the faculty in the physical and life sciences particularly hard. Not only does Brown lack the physical

space — offices and laboratories — to accommodate more physical and life science scholars, but its equipment also may not meet the technological standards set by wealthier schools, » See RANKINGS, page 3

In need of wins, Bears return home Hispanic studies sees

M. SOCCER

By ALEX WAINGER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

It will be a true homecoming weekend for men’s soccer, as the team returns from a Florida road trip for two non-

conference challengers at Stevenson Field. A high-scoring offense from the University of Vermont and a defense-minded squad from Fairfield University will test the Bears in their last tune-up before Ivy League play begins next week. The Florida trip, which saw the team fall to the University of South Florida 3-1 before battling to a scoreless draw against Florida Gulf Coast University, was a ruthless one for

Bruno. But competing against highcaliber teams in the heat and humidity taught the team a lot, said defender Alex Markes ’15. “We only tied (FCGU), but the team learned how hard we need to work to get a shutout, which is really important for us,” said defender Tim Whalen ’16. No small credit for the defense’s stout performance goes to the return » See M. SOCCER, page 7

DAVID DECKEY / HERALD

inside

Midfielder Tariq Akeel ’16 takes the ball up the field. As the team’s leading goal-scorer, Akeel’s offensive presence will be key if Bruno is to have a successful home weekend against the Catamounts and Stags.

Sports

declining enrollments University aims to boost interest with study abroad programs, more flexible requirements By FRANCES CHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Undergraduate enrollment in Hispanic studies courses has declined almost every year for the last decade, dropping from 1,024 students in the 2003-04 academic year to 682 students in the 2012-13 academic year, the most recent year for which official data is available, according to the Office of Institutional Research. Enrollments in Hispanic studies saw the most severe drop in the 2009-10 school year, when enrollments declined to 819 from 934 the previous year. Over the same 10-year period, most other language departments saw declines in course enrollments as well, though few as sharp as Hispanic studies. Only the East Asian studies and Portuguese and Brazilian studies departments had course enrollments rise from 2003-04 to 2012-13. News of the decline in Hispanic studies course enrollments came as

Commentary

After a disappointing showing at Georgetown, football needs to execute against Harvard

Undefeated after two convincing wins, rugby takes on 2013 Ivy runner-up Dartmouth

Paxson: In celebrating Brown’s 250th, we must learn from U.’s past

Rotenberg ’17: Constructed “safe spaces” challenge the integrity of open discourse in the classroom

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weather

Florida trip yields no success for Bruno, returning to R.I. for final weekend before Ivy play

a surprise to some. “Spanish is a very useful language, and I thought the number of students learning Spanish would be growing,” said Nikko Pasanen ’17, a student in HISP 0600: “Advanced Spanish II,” Brown’s most advanced Spanish language class. Department administrators and professors said they generally knew about the drop, though they did not know the details. “I was aware that there was a decline, but I hadn’t seen the numbers” going back the full decade, said Associate Professor of Hispanic Studies Laura Bass, the department’s chair. Assistant Professor of Hispanic Studies Julia Chang also said she was vaguely aware of the trend. Several professor and administrators cited the recession of 2008-09 as one possible reason for the decline: The worsening economy pushed students to choose subjects they thought would increase their chances of landing a job. “From 2008 on, there was a lot of pressure on students to choose practical courses,” said Deputy Dean of the College Chris Dennis. “Sometimes the pressure is more from the families » See HISPANIC, page 5 t o d ay

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014

» RANKINGS, from page 1 he said. The University’s infrastructural and financial deficits have forced administrators to “be very careful and very purposeful about where we make investments,” said President Christina Paxson, noting that peer schools may not have to be as deliberate about the projects to which they commit a great deal of money. Comparably weak financial resources in the humanities and social sciences may be a result of Brown’s relatively small graduate programs, McLaughlin said, adding that some professors looking for new posts later in their careers may choose universities where they can collaborate with more grad students. Given these weaknesses, it follows logically that key elements of Paxson’s strategic plan center on building up graduate programs and academic facilities. Plans to construct a new engineering building by 2018 have already been announced. But Paxson and other administrators insisted that the key to boosting the University’s ranking lies in improving the quality of education at Brown rather than pointed efforts to drive up rankings. “I don’t see wanting to build the grad programs as a response to the rankings,” Paxson said, though she added that she values the role grad students play in attracting better faculty members and bolstering the quality of research conducted by all members of the University community.

Scoring selectivity Brown also lags slightly behind some of its peers in selectivity, particularly in terms of SAT and ACT scores, which compose 65 percent of the metric used by U.S. News. Brown’s SAT range, which measures enrolled students’ scores from the 25th to 75th percentiles, stretches from 1330 to 1540 combined on the math and critical reading sections. While comparable to those of Cornell, Dartmouth, and Penn, these scores lag behind those of the top four Ivies, whose ranges each span from about 1400 to perfect marks. Brown students may have relatively low SAT scores because the University values test scores less than its peers in selecting students, said Jim Miller ’73, dean of admission. The fact that the University loses some of its highest-scoring admitted students to schools with higher SAT ranges may also explain the discrepancy, he added. Like Paxson, Miller says he has no interest in tinkering with policies in order to bump up the U.S. News ranking. “We’re really trying to put together a class that reflects Brown, not one that fits into whatever rubric U.S. News and World Report puts together,” Miller said. Despite one of the lowest acceptance rates in the country and very competitive SAT scores, the University placed 39th in overall selectivity among national universities due to an administrative error, Paxson said. The form the University submitted to U.S. News did not indicate that it

requires either SAT or ACT scores from all applicants, which resulted in a penalty that reduced Brown’s selectivity score, she added. The University has previously been ranked in the top 10 in selectivity every year since 2002, except last year, when it ranked twelfth. The error likely cost the University at least

“We’re really trying to put together a class that reflects Brown, not one that fits into whatever U.S. News and World Report puts together.” Jim Miller ’73

DEAN OF ADMISSION 20 spots in the selectivity criterion and played a role in the slip from last year’s overall rank of 14 to this year’s 16. The University tied with Penn for sixth among Ivies in peer assessment score, a measure calculated by surveying university administrators across the country about the quality of academics at an institution. A lower peer assessment score may be attributed in part to weight assigned to graduate programs and the misconception that “open means easy,” Paxson said, referring to the University’s distinctive open

curriculum. The University is competitive with its peers in the proportion of alums who donate and freshman retention and graduation rates, coming in fifth in the nation in each of these criteria. Dividing tiers, not the top Students downplay the usefulness of the rankings, and administrators are skeptical about how much they affect admission. But most agree rankings play an important role in a broad sense, grouping universities into fairly clear tiers. This is especially helpful for applicants unfamiliar with the collegiate hierarchy. The U.S. News rankings “validate” the elite status of top schools, solidifying their position in the marketplace, said Bob Morse, director of data research at U.S. News. “I think we want to be considered in a group of peer schools that are considered among the best in the country,” Miller said, adding that “the difference between being 16th and 100th is significant but I think the difference between 16 and 12 is not that important.” Paxson said she also doubted that jumping a few spots in the rankings would have a tangible impact on the admission process but noted that such an improvement would probably reflect meaningful advances in finances that would allow the University to offer more generous financial aid packages to middle-class students. “The people who get most distressed about this are in the institutions and their leadership themselves,” said Stephen Nelson, associate

professor of educational leadership at Bridgewater State University and senior scholar at the Leadership Alliance at Brown. Incremental differences in ranking are unlikely to impact students choosing among top universities, who will probably pay more attention to the many other factors that go into the process, Nelson added. Students echoed the idea that differences in rankings among Ivies are not important factor when choosing among them. “The difference between number one and number 16 is so small,” said Haley Lee ’18, adding that Brown’s culture influences the decision process of propsective students more than its relatively low ranking. Differences among Ivies are especially irrelevant in circles where prospective students have access to college counselors, peers and parents who have attended the nation’s most renowned institutions of higher education. “At the private schools in New York, where there’s intensive college counseling, the hierarchy within the Ivy League is well known,” said Lucas Philips, a senior at Ethical Culture Fieldston School in New York. If rankings hold any significance for Fieldston students, it is their impact on “the wow factor” of a university, Philips said. Those who highly value prestige may care that a “Harvard hoodie is going to have much more of a wow factor than the Cornell hoodie,” he said. “I’m basing the schools I think I’m » See RANKINGS, page 4

4 arts and culture » SWEENEY, from page 1 an interpretation that becomes relevant only years after the work’s publication. “Sweeney Todd,” directed by Curt Columbus, artistic director at the Trinity Repertory Company, falls into both of these categories. It wittily and eerily recreates the gory melodrama, originally set in Victorian London, in a tale of greed and class division on a gritty, OccupyWall-Street-esque set. With the wonderfully bizarre backdrop of a McDonald’s billboard covered in graffiti, the set is filled with pitchedup tents, cardboard signs and sleeping bags. Lizzy Callas ’15 directs the score with a punk tinge, using a live rock band instead of full orchestration. And the modern costume design establishes the connection between contemporary wealth inequality and the original Victorian setting. It’s a story that should be familiar. A barber (played by Patrick Madden ’15) returns to London after years of exile, wrongfully sentenced by the corrupt Judge Turpin (Skylar Fox ’15). Arriving home under the name Sweeney Todd, he learns from Mrs. Lovett (Natalie McDonald ’15), his downstairs neighbor and a failing vendor of meat pies, that his wife committed suicide after Turpin raped her and took Todd’s daughter Johanna (Katherine Doherty ’16) as his ward. Planning his revenge on the Judge and his Beadle (Elias Spector-Zabusky ’15), who helped

Turpin execute the deed, Todd restarts his barber business at the behest of Mrs. Lovett. But this quickly takes on a morbid twist: Todd murders his customers and delivers them to be baked into Mrs. Lovett’s pies. Dark, twisted humor ensues. A side-story, far less fun than the murder plot, involves Todd’s young sailor friend Anthony Hope (Jesse Weil ’15) falling in love and trying to rescue Johanna from the tyrannical and lascivious Turpin. Madden does a fine job in the titular role. He has a strong voice and the occasional glimmer of well-practiced malice, but he lacks some of the true madness that the role normally requires. Madden plays Todd as a broken and melancholic man, not one driven to insanity. Frankly, Madden seems all too sane. Part of this may be a conscious choice: In a recasting of the musical along modern political terms, Sweeney Todd becomes the everyman pushed to brutality by an unjust system, not the madman he traditionally has been. Columbus has transformed Sweeney Todd from a vengeful antihero into a counter-hegemonic revolutionary. It makes sense that Madden’s portrayal would follow suit. The real glimpses of morbidity come from McDonald as Mrs. Lovett. She plays a far less conflicted role, and she fully embraces her character’s strange mixture of the macabre and the comic, the grotesque and the ribald. It’s a brilliant portrayal

that captures a true, gleeful delight in all things illicit. A clever second-act stage adjustment, shifting the McDonald’s logo for that of Mrs. Lovett’s Meat Pies, furthers her whole-hearted affirmation of her world’s brutal social system, as well as raises some interesting, if heavy-handed, metaphors of corporate cannibalism. Fox as Judge Turpin and SpectorZabusky as his Beadle are two other standouts in a superb cast. In a musical about murder and cannibalism, Fox manages to make Turpin seem like the only one who is truly sinister. And Spector-Zabusky is perfectly unctuous in his role and despicably servile throughout his time onstage. Stephen Sondheim premiered “Sweeney Todd” in 1979 in New York, just four years after the city hovered on the verge of bankruptcy and two years after the massive looting that accompanied a citywide blackout. He carried this spirit of grittiness and poverty to “Sweeney Todd,” which, while caught up in the gothic pageantry of 19th-century London, is ultimately about the cruel paradoxes of living on the margins of a vast and wealthy empire. In bringing the musical to the world of Occupy Wall Street, Columbus reinstates some of that original feeling. “Sweeney Todd” runs Thursday through Sunday until Oct. 5 in Leeds Theater. Thursday through Saturday performances start at 8 p.m., and Sunday matinees begin at 3 p.m.

» RANKINGS, from page 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014

though the U.S. News list is the most influential, Vaidya said. going to look at on what I’ve heard Lacking intimate knowledge of about them and who I know that’s the American colleges to which they gone there,” said Ali Rosenthal, a ju- apply, Indian applicants often make nior at The Trinity School, another poor decisions informed by one list New York prep school. of rankings or another, Guha said. He stressed the importance of taking ‘A blind date’ personal fit into account but acknowlNot every applicant can phone a edged that this is difficult for some. friend or rely on a college counselor Many international applicants do not who went to an Ivy. have the privilege of “I’m basing the schools visiting campuses, Talented applicants from places where which can be a deI think I’m going to Ivy League gradufining moment in look at on what I’ve ates are far from heard about them and a student’s college common often research, he added. who I know that’s gone sort to online rankBut not all interthere.” ings to figure out national students where to apply. lack the requisite “India is very resources to become Ali Rosenthal r a n k - o b s e s s e d ,” closely acquainted JUNIOR, THE TRINITY SCHOOL said Ria Vaidya ’16, with top American adding that there is an established colleges. Many students who attended hierarchy of prestige for universities top international schools outside the in her home country. U.S. share the advantages that apIn contrast, “there is no magic plicants from top prep schools enjoy. number” for American schools, said Students at international schools Advik Iyer Guha ’16, who related the in Hong Kong look at rankings as college search to “a blind date” for much as Americans might but usuinternational students. ally make final decisions based on Applicants from countries where personal factors, said Richard Yue ’16 universities are clearly ranked face a and Trevor Lam ’17, both of whom atformidable challenge in making sense tended international schools in Hong of American universities, which are Kong and have family members who ranked not only by a variety of crite- attended American and British uniria but also by different institutions, versities.

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014

U. seeks replacement for John Hay Library director Previous director, Tom Horrocks, resigned weeks before reopening with major renovations By BAYLOR KNOBLOCH CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Just weeks after a renovated John Hay Library reopened to the public, senior library staff members are commencing a search for a new library director. Previous Director of Special Collections and the John Hay Library Tom Horrocks officially resigned Aug. 1 after giving two weeks’ notice, said University Librarian Harriette Hemmasi. A committee of four senior library staff members is in place to select a candidate for the position. The group began reviewing applications this week and will continue to do so until a candidate has been hired, said Associate University Librarian for Access Services and Collection Management David Banush, the committee’s chair. Horrocks did not provide a formal reason for his resignation, Hemmasi said. Since Horrocks left, library staff members have been collectively sharing the duties of John Hay director. Hemassi is working with Banush, Library Planning and Assessment Director Dan O’Mahony and Associate University Librarian for Research and Outreach Services Ned Quist in

» HISPANIC, from page 1 than the kids.” Dennis attributed part of the broader decline in humanities enrollments to increased interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Since many of these concentrations have up to 22 requirements, it is much harder to double concentrate, Dennis said. Language classes also take up significant time, as many meet every day. The University has added two new study abroad programs in Havana and at the University of Cantabria in Spain. Dennis said he sees the new programs as a way to combine the humanities and STEM fields. “These new programs will allow students to take engineering classes while also learning the language,” Dennis said. More students have taken language classes before coming to Brown, Bass said, which may explain declining enrollment in the introductory Spanish classes. “More and more students are coming in with more language experience in Spanish,” she said, adding

ARJUN NARAYEN / HERALD

After a year of renovations, the John Hay Library reopened on Sept. 2, revealing upgraded facilities that will present wider opportunities for the new director to create a more pleasant workspace and showcase the special collection. overseeing the Hay’s exhibits and facilities for the time being. “No one person would have time to do all of it, and that’s the best that we could do, given the situation,” Hemmasi said. The national search’s posting on the library website states, “The that the department nearly had to add a section of HISP 0500: “Advanced Spanish I.” Fluctuations in Hispanic studies enrollment numbers in the past few years may have also been caused by faculty turnover and some faculty members going on leave, Dennis said. But several new faculty members have joined in the past year, allowing the department to offer a wider variety of courses, and the department’s leaders said they feel optimistic about its future. Dennis and Bass said enrollment in the 2013-14 school year increased to over 730, though official numbers have not been finalized or released. Recent changes that make the concentration more flexible in an effort to meet student interests may partially explain the higher number, Bass said. “We are now seeing science concentrators come in and choosing to do Hispanic studies as a second concentration. They will take a neuroscience class to meet requirements but then take a Hispanic Studies class on the side as their fun class,” Chang said.

Director of Special Collections and the John Hay Library will articulate a revitalized vision for one of the nation’s great academic library’s special collections and its recently renovated building.” The John Hay, boasting a mix of archives, exhibits and workspaces,

reopened to the public Sept. 2 after a year of remodeling. The University expects the newly renovated facilities to enhance potential for the position of new library director. “The job might be easier to do now because the space is much more conducive to the goals of the job,

which are to make the collections known and to create an inviting and pleasant place to be,” Hemassi said. “The possibilities are enormous, and I think it will really be up to the new director of the John Hay and special collections to maximize those possibilities.”

6 arts & culture Program explores culture through language Brown Student Language Exchange highlights cultures underrepresented at colleges and universities By GABRIELLE DEE SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Voices of Bengali, Amharic, Macedonian and Tagalog have gained new resonance on campus this week as the Brown Student Language Exchange kicked off this semester’s courses. BSLE’s five student fellows will share each of these languages with groups of 16 students during weekly 80-minute sessions throughout the fall semester. This structure of low-commitment, infrequent meetings caters to students with busy schedules, said Emily Davis ’15, language sharing specialist at BSLE. “You don’t have to commit a lot but still get to learn.” As a Uruguayan, SLE Founder and Executive Director Amelia Friedman ’14 said she saw the need to start the Student Language Exchange because she was frustrated with the lack of access to lesser-known Spanish dialects. Since SLE ran its first pilot at Brown in 2011, the organization has expanded to other partner institutions, including Columbia, Brandeis University and Tufts University, according to Lizzie Pollock, assistant director for social entrepreneurship at the Swearer Center for Public Service.

The program exposes students to languages other than the Romance languages typically offered in higher education institutions, Pollock said. Some of the most widely spoken languages in the world are absent in college curriculums, leaving students ill-prepared to be “global citizens,” she added. BSLE’s focus on the cultures of international students aims to celebrate the insights these perspectives can offer, Pollock said. Coming from an international school, Chiara Prodani ’14, who taught Albanian with BSLE in spring 2012, said she enjoyed getting to know people and cultures from all over the world. Because the University’s student population is primarily American, she aims to teach others about languages and cultures they were never aware of before, she said. BSLE aims to “leverage the diversity on campus,” said SLE Director of Expansion Fiora MacPherson ’16, adding that her home country of Scotland remains underrepresented at the University. Filip Simieski ’17, a BSLE fellow in Macedonian, said sharing his language with people who are unfamiliar with it allows him to view his own culture in a new light. One day last spring, when the sun was shining through a drizzle of rain, Simieski discovered that he and his friends from Croatia and India each describe this weather phenomenon with the same idiom: “The bear is getting married when it rains.” Rather than focusing on linguistic mastery, BSLE helps students gain

cultural awareness through access to a fellow who has been immersed in that culture, Pollock said. “We’re not trying to compete with existing programs or fix the Brown curriculum,” Friedman said. Prodani said that because programs start afresh every semester, there is little opportunity for students to progress to a more advanced stage in the language. “I want to teach people some Macedonian, but it’s more important to learn about my culture and my country,” Simieski said. He added that rather than making the members of his course fluent in Macedonian, he aims to teach practicalities such as asking for directions and introducing themselves. Katherine Hsu ’17, who took Dutch with BSLE, said she enjoyed the structure of the program’s short, weekly courses, adding that the aspects of culture incorporated into the lessons proved easier to retain than grammar rules. The program piqued her interest in Dutch culture and Germanic languages, and Hsu plans to travel to the Netherlands and study intensive German as a result of her experience. Students have also continued with the languages they encountered at BSLE by enrolling in formal and online classes, MacPherson said. Aside from sparking interest in new cultures, the SLE program emphasizes how students can continue to engage with the cultures they learn about after the semester ends, she said.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014

The punch line: this month in local comedy BY EMMAJEAN HOLLEY, ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

Les Velda: BEER Party Candidate for President | Courthouse Center for the Arts | Oct. 4 If Providence’s mayoral elections have brought you down, a taste of BEER — Bio-Engineered Experimental Reindeer — might be just what you need. Comedian Les Vilda launched a satirical presidential campaign in the name of the BEER party in 2008. Though he was not elected by the American people, he continues to lampoon political incompetence with his one-man, game show-like debates and his vice presidential candidate, Doug the Monkey Puppet.

The Daily Show Writers Standup Tour | Columbus Theatre | Oct. 11 The brains behind The Daily Show with Jon Stewart will bring the show’s political banter to Providence as part of a nationwide tour. The lineup of writers and producers, including Emmy-nominated actor Travon Free, brings to the stage a comedic background alongside other television fixtures like The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien, The Late Show with David Letterman and Comedy Central. A question and answer session with performers will take place after the show.

Paul D’Angelo | Greenwich Odeum | Oct. 11 Paul D’Angelo built a successful career as a lawyer, but once he started moonlighting at comedy clubs, he gained even larger appeal. Since switching paths, he has placed in the national finals during the 1999 San Francisco International Comedy Competition and was dubbed “Boston’s Best Comedian” by Boston Magazine in 1994 and 1995. He will deliver his signature blend of observational humor and fast-paced improvisation as part of the Odeum Comedy Series.

Laughter is the Best Medicine | Weaver Memorial Library | Oct. 21 Though storyteller and comedian Carolyn Martino is first noticeable for the birthmark that covers nearly half her face, it’s her sharp wit and inspiring narratives that make her memorable. Hailed by the Providence Phoenix as “one of Rhode Island’s most influential artists,” Martino’s creativity and spunk has endeared her to audiences of all ages and backgrounds.

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014

FOOTBALL

EMILY GILBERT / HERALD

Quarterback Marcus Fuller ’15 runs the ball against Georgetown University. The Bears managed just three points against the Hoyas, thanks to four turnovers in opposing territory. Fuller was responsible for three, and the team will likely need to be more careful with the ball if Bruno expects to beat the Crimson.

Ready for prime time: Bears to battle Crimson under lights Bruno must avoid fatal mistakes as team hosts 2013 Ivy League champion Harvard Saturday night By ANDREW FLAX SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Fresh off a season-opening loss at Georgetown University, the football team will be thrown into the fire this weekend as 2013 Ivy League champion Harvard comes to College Hill for a game under the lights. The Bears’ season began with a thud as they fell 17-3 last weekend to the Hoyas, a team they had crushed 45-7 the prior season. Four turnovers in opposing territory spelled doom for the offense, which moved the ball better than its three points reflected. With that dud behind it, Bruno (01) needs to shape up quickly in preparation for what may be its toughest

» M. SOCCER, from page 1 of two key upperclassmen on the back line: Markes and Jameson Lochhead ’16. Injuries sidelined both players at the beginning of the year, but Lochhead worked his way back into the starting lineup Sept. 14, and Markes expects to start this weekend after seeing his first minutes of the year against South Florida. Both players bring experience and physicality to the Bruno defense, the team’s strength in recent years. “It’s great to have Markes back on the field,” Whalen said. “He makes great tackles, and he’s a leader out there.” Lochhead “is a big body,” said Markes. “It’s hard to beat him in the air.” Bruno has beefed up its defensive third just in time because Vermont will bring a talented offense into Friday night’s matchup. The Catamounts will continue to count on striker Brian Wright to power the effort; the sophomore has answered the call thus far with five

game of the season Saturday. “That was not the kind of team we are,” said captain Dan Giovacchini ’15, who added that the Bears needed to improve “a lot of things.” “The main thing is coming out with a much better focus and to really be ready to play,” he said. Head Coach Phil Estes P’18 said he felt similarly, emphasizing that the team had to cut down on mistakes. “Stop the turnovers, stop the penalties, execute the play, do your job,” he said. “Simple as that.” Giovacchini remarked that the Bears have been working on the smaller, more technical parts of their game in practice, and said the team has “more confidence” in that area

of its play. The Bears cited execution as a key to victory before the Georgetown game as well, but they failed to accomplish that objective. The loss was marked by sloppy play, as the Bears were called for four turnovers in addition to their multitude of penalities. Bruno will have to shape up in a big way if it hopes to begin its conference schedule with a win against the defending champions. The Crimson (1-0) was the class of the Ivy League last season, posting a 9-1 overall record, including a 6-1 conference mark. It returns many key contributors, including quarterback Conner Hempel and All-American linebacker Zach Hodges. But Harvard is not without weak spots. It is missing three of its four starting defensive backs from last

goals in the team’s first seven games. Vermont’s 1.86 goals per game far exceeds Brown’s 1.0, but if the Bears can keep up the momentum from their shutout of FGCU, they have one of the best defenses the Catamounts will see. Markes said that as long as the defense remains prepared to drop and protect their runs in the back, they can contain Vermont. While Vermont relies on offense, Fairfield will present a challenge on the other end of the field. Four of the Stags’ first six opponents were unable to penetrate their defense. But the Bears were unfazed by their opponents’ impressive 0.5 goals against average. Markes called the offense a “good success” this season — pointing out that the FGCU game was the only time Bruno has been shut out — and was quick to credit team captains Ben Maurey ’15.5 and Daniel Taylor ’15. The offense “comes from Ben Maurey coming back from injury and Daniel Taylor, who has stepped up and played an attacking role in

the midfield,” he said. Sunday afternoon games often draw smaller crowds with less energy, and Whalen said overcoming this would be the real test for the offense. “We need to focus on keeping our energy and focus high,” he said. “We need to be committed to the attack.” As dominant as Fairfield’s defense has been, its offense has been ineffective most of the season. The Stags are still looking for their first multigoal game, have been shut out twice and haven’t even attempted a corner kick in the second half of any game this season. Conversely, the Bears and freekick specialist Jack Gorab ’16 owe many of their goals to set pieces. Bruno can expect a big advantage in corner kicks, and a wide margin could translate into a victory for the home team. Whalen called the FGCU draw a good “bounce-back performance” but stressed the team’s need to keep momentum through the Vermont and Fairfield games to continue into conference play next weekend.

season, a vulnerability that a strong Brown wide receiving corps may be able to take advantage of. In its first game of the year, the Crimson showed a glimpse of mortality, falling behind the College of the Holy Cross shortly after halftime. Despite this, Harvard would score the game’s final 27 points to pull away with a victory. But a weakened Harvard secondary did allow 233 passing yards. Speculation aside, all indications are that the current Crimson is still as dangerous as the squad that beat Bruno 41-23 last year, when the Bears blew an early 13-0 lead. Winless thus far, the Bears are fully aware how significant this game is, especially against the team considered by some to be Brown’s biggest rival. “It’s huge,” Giovacchini said.

“When it comes to Harvard, it’s a special game for us. … We’ll be as fired up as we’ve ever been.” Estes agreed, but noted how important the game was, regardless of opponent. “It’s not even facing the Ivy champions — it’s because it’s an Ivy League game that makes it big,” he said. “Because we’re 0-1, that makes it big. It wouldn’t matter who we were playing next, we want to get ourselves back on track.” Despite its daunting opponent, Bruno is looking forward to the challenge Saturday night will bring. “Frankly, we’re very excited to get out there,” Giovacchini said. “We feel good,” Estes said. “We feel good and we’re ready.” Kickoff for Saturday’s game is scheduled for 6 p.m.

8 sports

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014

VOLLEYBALL

RUGBY

Undefeated Bruno preps for Big Green rematch Rolling through Ivy League, Bears aim to beat Dartmouth after falling narrowly in last meeting By LAINIE ROWLAND SPORTS STAFF WRITER

ARJUN NARAYEN / HERALD

Payton Smith ’17 and McKenna Webster ’16 prepare for the Bears to serve. The Bears lost seven of their 11 matches before the start of Ivy play, and will be tested by the defending conference champions in their opener.

Bears open Ivy slate against Elis After career-ending injury to Kellogg ’17, Bears aim to beat defending champs in first conference match By CHRISTINE RUSH SPORTS STAFF WRITER

The women’s volleyball team (4-7) will take a shot at their first Ivy League match-up Friday against Yale with the Pizzitola as the backdrop. The Bulldogs come into this conference season game as the defending Ivy League champions. But this season, they have an overall losing record,

going 4-5 in non-conference matchups, while Yale has been undefeated on the road. Maryl Vanden Bos ’15 said the team has been preparing for this week’s Ivy League opener by watching film. In addition to this preparation, several team members have played against or with Yale opponents in their high school years as part of the robust California volleyball community. “We know how they play,” Vanden Bos said. “They commit very few errors” and excel because they “keep the ball in play,” Vanden Bos said. A win for the Bears will just be a question of consistency.

The Bears came out of last weekend’s invitational with a split, going 1-2. They proved themselves as a state powerhouse, defeating the University of Rhode Island in a tight 3-1 win. Shannon Frost ’16 helped secure the victory with a double-double, completing 11 kills and 13 digs against the Rams. Last weekend’s competition was not marked solely by wins and losses, but also with the end of a career. Stephanie Kellogg ’17 suffered her fourth concussion and was told by doctors that she could no longer play. But she said she will still be with her teammates in spirit at their upcoming games.

Rugby will be seeking revenge at its home opener Saturday, taking the pitch against a team that slipped away with a win over the Bears in one of their most hard-fought games of 2013. Dartmouth (1-0) has always been a formidable opponent, but this year Bruno (2-0) will be hoping to prove that it deserves to come out on top in the contest. Last year’s 26-29 loss was a tough break for the Bears. “It was a pretty evenly contested game,” said Head Coach Kathleen Flores. “We tend to play the same style of hard-hitting, running rugby, as evidenced by the final score.” Dartmouth went on to face Harvard in the Ivy Championships last year, while Brown settled for third place. Having already defeated the Crimson and with the ultimate goal of grabbing the Ivy title, the Bears’ next natural opponent is the Big Green. Longtime rivals Dartmouth and Brown both host historically strong women’s rugby teams, though Bruno’s new varsity status will provide a newfound advantage. Because of its trimester system, Dartmouth has only played one game so far this season, crushing Princeton in its season opener. The Big Green showed off its athleticism,

trouncing the Tigers 53-3. Standing out for Dartmouth was outside Center Audrey Perez ’17, who scored three tries in the game. The Big Green, according to Flores, did not graduate any seniors, while Brown “lost 6 to 8 very experienced and committed athletes.” This does not seem to have slowed down the Bears so far this season, as younger members have stepped up and have not failed to impress. Dartmouth also faces external pressure from campus events this week. As the team’s website notes, “The Big Green has its work cut out for it … as sorority rush takes a big bite out of players’ schedules during the lead up to next weekend’s important match against Brown.” The Bears have been focusing on their “contact work and decision-making” in preparation for this game, Flores said. Brown and Dartmouth have been very similar in terms of their relative strength and competitiveness in the past, so playing a solid 80 minutes of good rugby will be key for Bruno. The game is Brown’s home opener, so the team encourages high turnout and energy from the crowd. Hoping to extend their conference reign to a 3-0 record, the Bears will be looking for consistency and performance. Constant improvement is a priority. “Every game we play is just as important as the last,” Flores said. “We are working hard not to have expectations as to the outcome as much as to our own development of our performance.”

Too big for his britches MIKE FIRN sports columnist It all seems so silly sometimes. In the simplest terms, football involves grown men in tight pants chasing a strangely shaped ball. That’s what I watch for nine hours every Sunday. That’s what Jay Cutler does for $18.5 million per year. That’s what produced the loudest human-generated sound in history. When you think about it, the lofty status of the NFL in our society seems pretty ridiculous. But even if it makes no sense, the NFL’s spot in the cultural hierarchy is fairly entrenched. Football may be just a game, but the NFL is no longer just a league. Like it or not, the NFL has become a cultural platform, the reach of which extends well beyond the world of sports. At its best, it serves as a tool for positive community involvement. At its worst, well, pick up a newspaper. It’s pretty tough to be an NFL fan right about now. The league has a lot on its plate, and each issue is worthy of its own discussion. But this is not a column about Ray Rice, Greg Hardy or Josh Gordon. Maybe it’s naive to expect model citizenship from a sport that rewards and encourages physical punishment of adversaries. But it’s not unreasonable to expect the figurehead of one of America’s most prominent and influential organizations to be forthright and consistent. It’s time for Roger Goodell to go. Most critiques of Goodell have centered on his failure to uphold certain moral values in the mishandling of the Ray Rice domestic

violence scandal but mine won’t. As Charles Barkley put it, “just because I can dunk a basketball doesn’t mean I should raise your kid.” But at the very least, the league needs to send consistent messages about its tolerance of certain actions. Throughout his tenure, Goodell has publicly committed to bolstering safety protocols, yet quietly lobbied for an expanded schedule. He asserted that ignorance of the Saints’ bounty program did not absolve coach Sean Payton of blame, yet pled his own ignorance in defense of mishandling Rice’s discipline. Goodell’s hypocritical administration evidently cares far more about appearances than any guiding principles.

ten it wrong. Does this sudden contrition fix anything? Are we okay with the NFL commissioner repeating mistakes and making up rules as he goes? Goodell’s history of inconsistency has dried up any reserve of trust he once held with the public. As Seahawks’ former wide receiver Sidney Rice (no relation) noted on Twitter, “You gain 0 yards on an (incomplete) pass.” The Rice scandal seems to have exposed Goodell as overmatched and incompetent, but further examination paints a far more sinister picture of his administration. According to a recent ESPN “Outside the Lines” report, Goodell’s administration purposefully buried evidence it claimed to have never seen. For

Come on, Roger, don’t insult us. It’s plain to see that these are the desperate actions of a man with something to hide. As was always inevitable, the chickens are finally coming home to roost. In the wake of Goodell’s twisted procedural justice in the Rice case, it has never been clearer that the commissioner is in over his head. Let’s look at the facts: First, the NFL took five months to levy an embarrassingly lenient punishment on Rice. In response to harsh criticism of the decision, the league hastily created a new domestic violence policy to demonstrate its commitment to the cause. Finally, when gruesome footage of the incident was released, Goodell hit rewind on the whole verdict and suspended Rice indefinitely. In defense, the commissioner issued a bumbling apology and admitted that he’d got-

now, these allegations are unsubstantiated, but it’s pretty difficult to imagine that TMZ has more investigative clout than the most powerful man in sports. Whether the league suppressed the truth or simply didn’t want to uncover it, Goodell is guilty of manipulating public opinion to avoid a potentially damaging situation. In response to public scrutiny, Goodell commissioned what he called an independent investigation into the league’s treatment of evidence in the Rice case. The probe will be led by Robert Mueller III, whose law firm recently helped negotiate a ten-figure deal between the NFL and DirecTV. Oh, and by the way, Ravens’

president Dick Cass spent 30 years working for the same firm. Come on, Roger, don’t insult us. It’s plain to see that these are the desperate actions of a man with something to hide. Is he so stubborn as to consider himself indestructible? Is he that drunk with power? The NFL is a business, and ultimately, the job of the commissioner is to generate revenue. On this front, Roger Goodell is very good at his job — franchise values are soaring, teams are making record profits and the league has set its eyes on $25 billion in revenue by 2027. But beyond the bottom line, the commissioner’s job is also to represent the league and the values it espouses. A good commissioner should be transparent, accountable and decisive. Goodell, the man who made $44 million last year, has proven time and time again that he embodies none of these traits. The Rice debacle was far from Goodell’s first controversy in office, but it’s easily his most memorable. Is this the figurehead we want representing football? Is his legacy one that football fans are proud to be associated with? As an NFL die-hard, I hope this scandal isn’t the beginning of the end of football’s reign atop the sports world. But Goodell’s gaffes have given me enough reason to fear. If Ray Rice is to be banished from football, so too should Goodell. If players are held to certain moral standards, so too should executives. For years, Goodell’s administration has been marked by hypocrisy and abuse of power. It’s time to hit the reset button.

Mike Firn ’16 is ready to take over as NFL commissioner. Contact him at michael_firn@brown.edu.

today 9

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014

cookies for a cause

SATELLITE DINING JOSIAH’S Steamed Dumplings with Dipping Sauces

BLUE ROOM Clam Chowder, Minestrone, Beef with Bean Chili, Naked Burritos

ANDREWS COMMONS Asian Tacos, Sweet and Sour Chicken

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Apricot Beef with Sesame Noodles, Vegan Oven-Roasted Tofu, Sunny Sprouts

Vegetable Strudel, Italian Chicken Parmesan, Macaroni & Cheese, Vegan Tofu Hot Dogs

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

Breaded Chicken Fingers, Fresh Vegetable Melange, Roasted Yukon Potatoes

Red Fish Provencal, Feta and Tomato Quiche, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

sudoku

ZEIN KHLEIF / HERALD

Andrew Osgood ’17 mans the bake sale table in J. Walter Wilson for the Brown University Alzheimer’s Activists to raise money for the annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sunday, Sept. 28.

comics Bacterial Culture | Dana Schwartz ’15

Bear With It | Dolan Bortner ’17

crossword

calendar TODAY

SEPTEMBER 26

12 P.M. FEEL GOOD FRIDAY FREE BURP BACK RUBS

Free massages for students by the Brown University Relaxation Project. Faunce Fishbowl Lounge 8:30 P.M. BROWN/RISD STAND UP COMICS SHOW

Share some laughs with Brown/RISD Stand Up Comics at their first show of the year. MacMillan 117

TOMORROW

SEPTEMBER 27

11 A.M. 250TH ANNIVERSARY FALL CELEBRATION FORUM: ROLE OF MEDIA IN SHAPING - AND REFLECTING - CULTURE AND SOCIETY

Brown alumni who work for NPR, Fox News and the Wall Street Journal will discuss the role of the media in today’s culture at this one of the Fall Celebration Forums. Salomon 001 3 P.M. DEDICATION OF A SLAVERY MEMORIAL

President Christina Paxson, the Public Art Committee and the Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice, along with sculptor Martin Puryear, will speak and officially dedicate Brown’s newest memorial. Quiet Green

DAY AFTER

SEPTEMBER 28

11:30 A.M. SUNDAY ON THE GREEN

The Main Green will play host to many musical acts — performers include a cappella groups and Dave Binder — as well as a farmers market selling local baked produce and goods. Main Green 5 P.M. MAKING SENSE OF GAZA ON YOUR NEWSFEED

J Street U Brown will discuss the current events in Gaza and unpack how to interpret them on social media. J. Walter Wilson 303

10 commentary

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014

DIAMONDS & COAL Coal to Newport Councilor At-Large Jeanne Napolitano, who said, “I believe that people have a right to choose what they want for the future.” We tried to explain this to the recruiters at the Career Fair last week, but they used our own reasoning against us. A diamond to Assistant Vice President of Planning, Design and Construction Mike McCormick who said of deeming buildings “historic”: “There needs to be other historic significance to them other than they’re just old in the neighborhood and kind of nice.” Let’s start applying this rule to tenure decisions, too. Cubic zirconia to Dean of Admission Jim Miller ’73 who said of Brown’s U.S. News and World Report ranking, “I think the difference between 16 and 12 is not that important.” Students, take note: Logic about college rankings does not transfer to the dating scene. A diamond to Democratic mayoral candidate Jorge Elorza, who said he went from not being accepted to any college to studying at Harvard Law School. He’s even more of a success story than Elle Woods. Coal to the Rhode Island General Assembly, which “historically meets Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in the afternoons through dinner,” according to Democratic candidate for secretary of state Nellie Gorbea. These working hours definitely explain the productivity level of the state government. A diamond to the student who said of Brown Student Language Exchange, “You don’t have to commit a lot but still get to learn.” We tried to propose open relationships to our significant others with this reasoning, but they didn’t buy it. Cubic zirconia to Professor of Computer Science Andy van Dam, who said of the goal to fundraise for the Department of Computer Science, “Now the question is what, when, how, who.” Sounds like you’ve made a lot of progress! A good-luck diamond to the soon-to-be-named director of special collections and the John Hay Library. We hope you fare better than we did as kids when we gave ourselves that same title in order to justify the hundreds of dollars we spent on Beanie Babies and Polly Pockets. Coal to Dean of the Faculty Kevin McLaughlin P’12 for saying, “We were trying to dispel the public perception that a sabbatical is sort of like a vacation.” Our professors’ Disney World selfies say otherwise.

K I M B E R LY S A LT Z

CORRECTION An article in Thursday’s Herald (“CS dept. seeks additional funds amid enrollment surge,” Sept. 25) misstated the number of computer science Meta TAs this year. There are two, not three. The Herald regrets the error. An article in Thursday’s Herald (“Paxson responds to Kelly reports,” Sept. 25) incorrectly stated that Anthony Bogues, professor of Africana studies and chair of the Committee on the Events of October 29, expressed dismay that President Christina Paxson did not specify which of the committee’s recommendations she would send to the Faculty Executive Committee. In fact, Bogues noted that the president was following standard protocol. The Herald regrets the error.

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

“A Harvard hoodie is going to have much more of a wow factor than the Cornell hoodie.” — Lucas Philips, student at the Ethical Culture Fieldston School

See rankings on page 1.

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commentary 11

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2014

Brown at 250: Linking generations through liberal education CHRISTINA PAXSON guest columnist

This weekend, we will continue the “Imagine 250+” celebration that began last March and will run through Commencement in May 2015. I look forward to joining students, faculty members, staff members and 1,500 visiting alums at faculty and alum panels, the football game where we will play — and beat! — Harvard, post-game fireworks, a student production of “Sweeney Todd” directed by Trinity Rep’s artistic director Curt Columbus and a festival on Thayer Street. These events, together with the campus tours, lab demonstrations and gallery exhibits, will recognize the accomplishments of Brunonians over a span of two and a half centuries. During this weekend and beyond, we will celebrate our aspiration to continue making a positive difference in the world through innovative scholarship and outstanding liberal education that prepares students to “discharge the offices of life with usefulness and reputation.” The weekend also allows us to consider challenging aspects of our past. On Saturday at 3 p.m., we will dedicate Brown’s Slavery Memorial

on the Quiet Green. This work, by artist Martin Puryear, followed from a recommendation included in Brown’s 2006 Report on Slavery and Justice for the University to create “a slave trade memorial to recognize its relationship to the transatlantic trade and the importance of this traffic in the history of Rhode Island.” This recommendation is one of many that Brown has acted on since the report was published, including instituting a Center for the Study of Slavery and Justice — which will be dedicated next month — sup-

campus, the very work of building University Hall, only steps from the memorial, was performed in part by enslaved African-Americans. Brown’s financial well-being was intimately tied to slavery in all of its aspects. Southern slave owners contributed to the new college in its early days, and Northern merchants and investors who supported the college profited both directly and indirectly from slavery and the slave trade. Though it is important to recollect Brown’s roots, it is equally important

Island as a transfer student from Howard University and became one of the first two known African-Americans to graduate from Brown. He was also was chosen by his peers to give the Commencement oration. Page dedicated his life to the education of blacks and over the course of his career served in Oklahoma, Missouri and Tennessee as president of three different colleges and the head of a high school. Page’s story has a modern twist that demonstrates the ripple effects that come from a life of usefulness

Though it is important to recollect Brown’s roots, it is equally important to recognize the fact that blindness to injustice need not be permanent — and that, in fact, we have a shared responsibility to see and address injustice. porting the educational ambitions of students in the Providence public schools, expanding the diversity of our student body and renewing our commitment to enhance the diversity of our faculty and staff. The sculpture, with its simple iron chain of bondage that seems to extend from beneath the Green, reminds us that the high ideals of Brown’s founders were marred by blindness to the great injustice of slavery that was woven into the fabric of New England life in the 18th century. Here on this

to recognize the fact that blindness to injustice need not be permanent — and that, in fact, we have a shared responsibility to see and address injustice. The lives and actions of men and women who have graduated from Brown demonstrate how our emphasis on tolerance, open inquiry and service to society has helped move this country in a positive direction. Of the countless stories of remarkable Brown alums, that of Inman Page, class of 1877, stands out. Page was born into slavery. He came to Rhode

and reputation. It happens that one of Page’s students in Oklahoma was a very young Ralph Ellison, who went on to write “The Invisible Man,” a classic American novel that explored racism and identity in the 20th century. I have vivid recollections of reading this book as a first-year college student and being struck by Ellison’s ability to use irony and wit to portray the insidious effects of prejudice and stereotyping on the human spirit. Almost exactly 35 years ago, a 65-year-old Ellison was invited to

Brown for a festival honoring his life’s work. During the festival, he gave a tribute to Page that was later published in a 1986 collection of essays titled “Going to the Territory.” It is a remarkable speech. At one point, Ellison wonders out loud about how he came to find himself speaking to students about the impact Page had on his life, at the very college that had such a large impact on Page as a young man. His answer: “Such occasions are made possible because ideas and ideals retain their vitality by being communicated from concerned individuals to other (and sometimes resistant) individuals. And when these ideas and ideals succeed in finding embodiment in receptive personalities they become linkages which have the power to shape obscure destinies in unexpected ways.” Ellison’s words remind us of the potential for a liberal education to link humans together by transmitting ideas and ideals from generation to generation. As we welcome alums back to our campus this weekend for Brown’s 250th, and consider Brown’s past and future, this idea is well worth celebrating.

Christina Paxson is president of the University and can be reached at president@brown.edu.

Ordinary conversations in disguise GRAHAM ROTENBERG opinions columnist

Brown has recently started an initiative called “Transformative Conversations.” The program aims to “provide opportunities and spaces to engage respectfully and thoughtfully across our differences” (“Admins urge ‘transformative conversations’ across campus,” Sept. 16). These conversations, however, will have a minimal effect on campus discourse at Brown, contradict the notion of an education and imply that Brown is not a place where freedom of speech and thought are respected in other venues. The idea of providing a space for these conversations, which University Chaplain Janet Cooper Nelson describes as “a big wooden spoon in the pot of (Brown),” implies that there is a fundamental divergence in the ideas between Brown students and faculty members. This divergence at the University is essentially two-fold, though views are between left-wing and even more left-wing. Currently, at Brown and across the United States, there is a problem of intellectual homogeneity, with a nearconsensus in thought among academics. Of all the campaign donations made by Ivy League faculty members in the 2012 presidential campaign, 96 percent went to President Obama’s re-election campaign. The problem runs much deeper at Brown, however, and is reflective of a fundamental problem occurring in the classroom. What is the purpose of the classroom if there cannot be transformational conversations within its walls? The entire goal of seeking an education is to learn, gain exposure to the marketplace of ideas, become a better hu-

man and apply that in some way of your own choosing in a free society. The implication of entitling the venue for these conversations as a “safe space” for ideas to be challenged, presented and argued implies that this doesn’t exist elsewhere on campus. In essence, everywhere should be safe for rigorous debate. Just to be clear, I am not opposed to the notion of having discussions with community involvement, seminars or any other forum of conversation. Part of the reason why Brown is such a great school is that we have phenomenal external guest speakers and seminars. In fact,

of ideas, education ceases to serve its primary purpose. Even if this is not entirely true, the creation of these “transformative conversations” means the administration does not think the classes they provide are doing their job in full. In the Herald article, one administrator describes “Transformative Conversations” as a place where “people come from all kinds of backgrounds” and try to “truly understand another’s perspective and learn from that perspective.” This is a startling admission. The need to create a space where people

What is the purpose of the classroom if there cannot be transformational conversations within its walls? The entire goal of seeking an education is to learn, gain exposure to the marketplace of ideas, become a better human and apply that in some way of your own choosing in a free society. I have had some of the most fascinating discussions in these type of forums. Yet the fact that the administration feels compelled to host a series of conversations it proclaims are transformational is an admission that the classroom may not be fulfilling its purpose. Getting an education means examining different ideas, exploring the inner workings of your values and trying to uncover who you are, what you believe and what you ultimately stand for. While it is almost impossible to fulfill this ideal, the classroom is meant to at least achieve the first part of the definition — exploring and questioning your values. Therefore, if class is no longer a place where education serves as one’s entry into the marketplace

can feel safe to “truly understand another’s perspective” means that this wasn’t happening previously. It implies that the administration feels students are incapable of having adult debates in many of the forums that exist on campus for conversation or that the “transformative conversations” require the administration’s definition of a “safe space.” The creation of “transformative conversations” suggests that there isn’t a safe space where freedom of speech on issues is respected. This is a sentiment felt by many people considered outside of normal political thought at the University. For instance, on Wednesday, I attended a meeting of the Brown Spectator — a small group of individuals who ac-

tually proclaim in writing that they are rightwing. One first-year, after only a few weeks at Brown, articulated her frustration that in many arguments she was told to “check her privilege” because she did not share the majoritarian attitude. Though her comment may have conformed to the notion of privilege, to ignore someone’s argument with three words is unacceptable. We owe it to each other to address arguments directly and respectfully. We shouldn’t have to create “safe spaces” as a place where that type of discourse is the only one in existence. This opportunity for more political discussion on campus should be an eternal quest of the University. Consequently, I believe that the program will be beneficial in some ways vis-avis the content that will be disseminated. The implications of the title “Transformative Conversations” and the comments by administrators in the Herald article, however, are scary. They subvert the notion of education, admit a lack of freedom of speech that may exist on campus and underscore the underlying problem of minimal ideological diversity that plagues elite institutions nationwide. Hopefully, students’ incentives for entering the marketplace of ideas will not require the “transformative conversations” that the administration is selling. Perhaps ensuring that our classrooms and campus are a “safe space” would lead to the “transformative conversations” the administration hopes to create. The education we pay so much for should grant us the will to say what we think without the need for a defined “safe space” and allow us to feel welcome to do so anywhere.

Call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me: graham_rotenberg@brown.edu.