Friday, November 14, 2014

THE

BROWN DAILY HERALD vol. cxlix, no. 110

since 1891

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

U. launches initiative to assist internship hunt OMAC BrownConnect compiles dispersed resources to fire causes connect students with alums, parents damage, injury

By EMMA HARRIS

SENIOR STAFF WRITER

BrownConnect, the University’s new initiative for students to find summer internships and research opportunities through Brown alums and parents, launched Thursday morning, President Christina Paxson announced in a community-wide email.

The initiative is part of a goal in Paxson’s strategic plan to provide every undergraduate receiving financial aid with at least one funded internship or research opportunity. Though the University cannot guarantee that students graduate with secured jobs, it can help guarantee that they complete internships, Paxson told The Herald.

BrownConnect is a joint effort between the CareerLAB, Alumni Relations and the Presidential Advisory Council on Internships, said Aixa Kidd, director of BrownConnect. These three groups hope BrownConnect serves as a “one-stop shop” for employment opportunities that will bring together the alum, parent and student communities, she said.

The initiative will allow first-years,

Melting fluorescent light causes locker room fire as smoke detectors fail to trigger alarms, sprinklers

By ANDREW FLAX SENIOR STAFF WRITER

COURTESY OF BROWNCONNECT WEBSITE

BrownConnect was developed to promote the University’s goal of guaranteeing every undergraduate at least one internship experience. Funding will be available for students who qualify for financial aid. sophomores and juniors to access internships, alum connections and funding, Kidd said.

While these resources were accessible to students before, they were all housed on different websites, such as the Job and Internship Board, the alumni directory BRUNet and the University’s website displaying fellowship opportunities, Kidd said. “Now all of the information is in

one place, not five,” she said.

The access to the larger Brown community — including alums and parents — is intended to let students gain mentoring and career advice, Kidd said. The team that developed BrownConnect aimed to assemble alums from various industries to meet the interests of students from all concentrations, she added.

BrownConnect is meant to “bridge

the gap” between the Brown setting and the workplace environment, said Michael Baker ’87, president and CEO of the technology company DataXu. Baker has hired several Brown undergrads to work for his company. As a frequent employer of Brown students, Baker said he thinks BrownConnect will give employers access to “talented students,” help students » See CONNECT, page 2

An electrical fire broke out in the men’s track and field locker room at the OlneyMargolies Athletic Center Thursday morning, destroying runners’ personal belongings and injuring one student.

Just after 7 a.m., several runners were preparing for a morning run when they noticed a “weird smell” in the room, said Dan McDonald Meteer ’17. Drops of burning plastic then began to drip from the ceiling as a fluorescent light fixture began to burn.

“We looked up and the ceiling light was melting,” said Luke Muzikowski ’17.

Ben Halpin ’15, who walked in » See OMAC FIRE, page 2

W. RUGBY

Bruno earns top regional seed with spotless record time, Bruno anticipated facing a tougher physical threat from Navy than from Ivy foes, but the Bears capitalized on offensive momentum to overcome the Midshipmen’s extra athleticism and aggression in order to notch a blowout. Still, the 46-12 victory was Bruno’s third-closest game of the season, and Navy will undoubtedly seek to avenge this loss Saturday.

In the teams’ last bout, the Bears relied on a diverse group of scorers to break through Navy’s solid defense.

Seven different players got points on the board against the Midshipmen, illustrating Brown’s depth and vexing Navy to no end. Kiki Morgan ’16 has proved to be one of these formidable threats to opposing defenses this season, scoring at least one try in every game. But facing a stronger-than-usual defense in Navy, the Bears had to use offensive weapons other than Morgan, who scored only two tries in the contest. These included cocaptains Oksana Goretaya ’17 and Tiara Mack ’16, as well as an accomplished Sofia Rudin ’17, who has consistently converted extra points this season.

If Brown triumphs over Navy, it will face the winner of the Army-Quinnipiac matchup. Quinnipiac beat Army 50-17 » See RUGBY, page S3

By LAINIE ROWLAND SPORTS STAFF WRITER

inside

Capturing the Ivy title was just the first step in the women’s rugby team’s journey through postseason play.

The squad will travel to Poughkeepsie, New York, this weekend to compete as the number one seed at American Collegiate Rugby Association Regionals, vying for a spot in December’s Final Four tournament in Florida. Regionals include four brackets with four teams in each to form the Round of 16. Teams from the Naval Academy, Military Academy and Quinnipiac University will join Bruno as it jousts for the top regional spot.

Brown and Dartmouth are the only Ivy teams represented in the various ACRA regional tournaments, so the Bears should expect to face tougher opponents in the Regionals than they did in Ivy play. The team will open the weekend against Navy, a competitor it downed just three weeks ago. At the

COURTESY OF MARCO SANTINI

INCLUSION, a contemporary take on table tennis, employs two clear Plexiglas walls to keep the ball in play, as well as allow spectators to enjoy a 360-degree view of the game.

Alum puts spin on classic sport Marco Santini’s ’07 new take on table tennis sparks interest of players and tech companies

SPORTS FEATURE

By ALEXANDRA CONWAY STAFF WRITER

The game of table tennis may just be changing forever.

Two years ago, Marco Santini ’07 created INCLUSION, a game that provides an innovative twist on traditional table tennis — it consists of patented Plexiglas side walls that attach to existing table tennis tables. It

Sports

has since evolved into a product that aims to enhance the playing experience, bringing new strategies, new dimensions and new angles to the game, and it has captured the attention of expert and novice table tennis players alike.

Santini always had a love for table tennis growing up and frequently played in his parents’ basement. After graduating from Brown, he worked with NBC at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and saw firsthand the art and beauty of table tennis as a professional sport. But at the same time, he said,

Commentary

Maia ’15, Kuakumensah ’16 and Blackmon ’17 lead men’s basketball against St. Peter’s

Football heads up to Hanover for a meeting with the Big Green that has Ivy title implications

Bai ’16: Large companies must account for the lowerincome population

Corvese ’15: Brown community benefits from rapidly changing Thayer, despite seniors’ gripes

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weather

Bears, needing two wins to qualify for national championships, draw Navy in first round

he realized how stagnant the game had been since its beginnings in the late 1800s.

Santini can pinpoint when the idea for side walls came to him. One day he and a friend were trying to get to 100 rallies, keeping the ball in play as it bounced off the walls, ceiling and furniture. His father was none too pleased that the ball was striking all around the room, Santini explained, so Santini used four chairs to put up two giant pieces of plywood around the table.

“I suddenly realized it was more exciting to intentionally hit the ball » See INCLUSION, page S2 t o d ay

tomorrow

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2 university news

Snow removal budget set at $350,000

Facilities expands areas to be cleared, hoping for a milder season than in previous two years

By SUSANNAH HOWE CONTRIBUTING WRITER

After last year’s polar vortex left Providence and much of the country feeling the effects of extreme winter weather, the Department of Facilities Management is hoping for milder weather this year. And it seems, at least in terms of temperature, the department may be in luck.

Unlike last year, when many areas experienced record-breaking cold, Rhode Island is forecasted to have a relatively warm winter with above-average temperatures, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website. However, like last year, predictions foresee a wet winter with above-average rates of precipitation.

Dealing with even a normal New England winter is a big job. Facilities is responsible for clearing 11.5 miles of sidewalks and walkways, 105 parking lots, 40 loading docks and the synthetic turf fields, said Pat Vetere, grounds superintendent. In a typical year, this job takes about 75 tons of salt, and during last year’s polar vortex, they used 180 tons, he added.

The snow removal plan has expanded this year to include the recently acquired property at the corner of Brook and Cushing Streets and the walkway between Waterman and Angell streets, said Stephen Maiorisi, vice president for facilities management.

“Since the last two years were pretty bad, we’re hoping that this year will be more of an average winter,” he said.

Still, nothing can be guaranteed.

“There’s so many variables” that affect how difficult it is to deal with snow, he added. “The amount of snow in terms of inches that we get doesn’t necessarily translate to cost or whether it’s a bad winter or not for us. It’s more about the number of events that happen.”

Another factor determining the difficulty of cleanup is a storm’s timing, Vetere said. Snow that falls all day or in the morning when people are driving to work is harder to deal with than snowfall during the evening or on a weekend, he added.

This year’s snow removal budget is $350,000, though in the past two years the University went over budget, spending $440,000 and $600,000 in the 2013-14 and 2012-13 academic years, respectively, Maiorisi said.

The past two years were “abnormal,” said Maiorisi. Snow removal spending was $112,000 in the 20112012 season, $246,000 in the 20102011 season and $203,000 in the 2009- 2010 season, according to previous Herald coverage.

About two-thirds of the budget

HERALD FILE PHOTO

“It’s all about being prepared” for winter temperatures, snow and ice, said Stephen Maiorisi, vice president for facilities management. is dedicated to labor, including the small percentage spent on outside contractors, said Maiorisi, adding that supplies, primarily salt, make up the remaining third.

“Regardless of an inch or a foot, we have to provide safe passage” for everyone on campus, said Donna Butler, director of custodial services. This includes clearing snow during winter vacation, since some students and staff members may still be on campus.

Since the University does not hire new workers during the winter — apart from independent contractors who do a small amount of work — facilities workers may put in “a lot of overtime,” Maiorisi said.

When the weather gets bad, “we eat with the students throughout the storm, we’ve slept in the dormitories, we’ve slept in auxiliary housing,” said Vetere.

Workers can go to the Sharpe Refectory to eat or warm up, Butler said, adding that they are also provided with gloves, hats, boots, rain gear and other protective clothing.

During winter break when the Ratty is closed, “I’m right up there with Domino’s as far as pizza delivery,” she said. “We want people to take breaks and work safely.”

Organization is key when preparing for a storm. Facilities begins planning as many as 72 hours in advance if it knows a storm is coming, Maiorisi said.

Workers are told when they will

most likely have to come in, which may even be before the snow starts falling, Vetere said.

And with years of experience — Vetere has been at Brown for 21 winters, Maiorisi for 18 and Butler for 14 — the team of snow veterans knows how to act once called upon.

Students reported varying degrees of satisfaction with snow removal at Brown. “I think they definitely do” a good job, said Shannon Sotomayor ’17. “I remember coming home late, and there would already be people plowing the paths for us for the next morning, and I thought that that was really great.”

But several students said that ice is a major concern. “I think as you go south the ice sometimes gets a little bit worse,” said Kat Boorstein ’16. “I have fallen a bunch of times outside of the MCM building because they don’t really salt that as well, but I think in center campus it’s good.”

“I don’t think they do a good job at cleaning up and picking up and making sure that the streets or the pathways are safe for students to walk on,” said Emmy Cantos ’17, who had a friend break his leg falling on ice last year. “I don’t think I feel comfortable” walking on campus during the winter, she added.

Maiorisi recognizes this problem: Even after salting, ice can be difficult to manage due to the freezing of melted snow, he said. Ultimately, he added, “it’s all about being prepared.”

www.browndailyherald.com

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

» CONNECT, from page 1 transition between the college and work worlds more smoothly and help students make more professional connections before graduating.

Compared to the recruiting capabilities of large investment banking, consulting and finance companies, students’ roads to nonprofits, startups and smaller companies can be more like “dirt paths,” Baker said. The BrownConnect “benefit for students is an expanded horizon of pathways that are well-lit and smoother.”

The initiative originated in Paxson’s strategic plan, in which she set the goal for “expanded access to summer internships and research experiences.” This goal was a result of an internal report she received, which stated that the number of internships students were obtaining through University resources was very low. “We were actually doing much better than we gave ourselves credit for, but the internship programs were not progressing, and they were very decentralized,” Paxson said.

A recent Herald poll conducted Oct. 22 to 23 found that only 14.1 percent of undergraduates acquired their most recent summer internship through a Brown-sponsored career service, including CareerLAB, BruNet, the Job and Internship Board and the Industrial Partners Program. Nearly half of respondents — 47.5 percent — indicated that they found their most recent internships by independently contacting or applying to positions directly.

Paxson said she also learned that more students were applying for financial support from the University — in the forms

» OMAC FIRE, from page 1 shortly after the light ignited, described seeing “a flame coming out of it.”

One droplet landed on Muzikowski, who said it was “still aflame” when it fell on him. He suffered a minor burn and brought it to Health Services.

“Luckily it wasn’t serious,” he said.

“It could have very easily been much worse.”

As the light continued to burn, drops fell at a greater rate onto the carpet, which then caught fire. Muzikowski said the runners could not find a fire extinguisher, and he was forced to use a water bottle in an attempt to put out the growing flames. But the fire spread to the bags of laundry hanging on the closely packed lockers, and it jumped quickly from bag to bag.

Flames spread across multiple lockers, but no smoke alarms or sprinklers were activated. McDonald Meteer said he could not find a manual fire alarm to pull in the locker room and went to search outside the room to find one.

“The room was essentially ablaze by the time that I went outside of the locker room and had to pull the fire alarm out there,” McDonald Meteer said. Even when he pulled the manual alarm, the system only triggered an auditory alarm and did not turn on the sprinklers.

Muzikowski said flames were “engulfing” the room, but the smoke alarm did not go off. “Everything was burning,” he said. “I feel like that should have triggered it.”

After McDonald Meteer pulled the manual alarm, the building was evacuated. In the meantime, one of the athletes alerted the front desk about the fire, and they called the fire department, which arrived shortly thereafter, he said.

of Linking Internships and Knowledge awards, Undergraduate Teaching and Research Awards and summer earnings waivers — than were receiving it. Though the University strives to be financially accessible for the entire student body, “students need experiences to leverage their Brown education as well,” she said.

After learning these facts, Paxson said, she created the Presidential Advisory Council on Internships, which began exploring different methods of increasing internship opportunities for students, and BrownConnect was born.

The BrownConnect website will include a symbol denoting internships that are available exclusively for Brown students — a feature that has never before been offered, Paxson said.

While peer institutions had advanced career centers and online employment offerings before Brown, “the revolution here will be making use of very intense connections with Brown alumni,” Paxson said. Other schools do not have the same “intensive purpose” with their online internship systems that the University now does, she added.

The BrownConnect launch is just the beginning, Kidd said. “This is just version 1.0,” she said. “We still have to build this up.”

BrownConnect “will become stronger and better over time,” Paxson said, adding that once the initiative gains publicity, alum connections will build and become more accessible.

Looking ahead, multiple workshops and alum panels will be held next academic year to help students prepare for the opportunities found on the online BrownConnect search engine, Kidd said.

The blaze affected roughly 20 lockers, said track captain Henry Tufnell ’15. About 10 were unsalvageable, including that of Muzikowski, who said the contents of his locker were “incinerated.”

Tufnell called the locker room “an accident waiting to happen.” The team has over 60 members who all share one room, and a lack of space forced runners to keep equipment on top of their lockers. Muzikowski said the closeness of the lockers contributed to the spread of the flames.

Tufnell also expressed concern that there was no fire extinguisher in the room and that the smoke detectors and sprinklers failed to function. “If a fire breaks out, the least they could do is put it out before it destroys lockers and clothes,” he said.

“If we weren’t in there, that would have completely destroyed” the entire team’s equipment, Muzikowski said.

“The fire safety needs to be improved.”

Halpin said those whose belongings were lost in the fire are assembling a list of the possessions lost in the hope that the University will provide compensation. Administrators could not be reached for comment Thursday evening.

OMAC equipment room staff members helped wash all clothes that smelled of smoke and replaced schoolissued clothing that had been lost in the fire, while track coaches helped move the team into an upstairs visitors’ locker room.

The runners are now packed two to a locker in their temporary space, and many are still unclear on the status of their belongings, Muzikowski said.

“A lot of stuff is still chaotic,” Muzikowski said, adding that the athletes are uncertain what action the University will take in the coming weeks.

university news 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Local students share views on education Panel emphasizes importance of personal interactions with teachers, mentors for learning

By CLARISSA CLEMM CONTRIBUTING WRITER

In an effort to shift the discussion on education away from the “ivory tower of academics and policymakers,” Brown student organizations — Brown Refugee Youth Tutoring and Enrichment, Generation Citizen, Rhode Island Urban Debate League and the Providence Student Union — handed the discussion over to the real experts on education in Providence, the students themselves, said Rachel Black ’16, a member of Generation Citizen.

In a panel discussion entitled “In their own words: Providence Public Schools from a Student Perspective,” nine current and former middle school and high school students from Providence public schools addressed an audience of about 150 community members in Salomon 001, discussing a wide range of topics such as their opinions on what makes a great teacher and what they believe is the real impact of organizations that volunteer time with Providence public schools.

The ideal teacher, panelists said, finds out what the students are interested in and applies that in the classroom to get students excited about coursework.

“My history teacher figured out that I liked reading, so we read the autobiography of Malcolm X. It changed my life,” said Garrem Jansezian, E-Cubed Academy High School graduate and current student at the University of Rhode Island.

“You actually have to encourage (the students) and understand their real personal goals and what their dream(s) (are). It makes them more inspired and makes them want to work harder to get to that point,” said middle school student Nduwumwami Francois.

Panelists also stressed the importance of one-on-one relationships between students and teachers, as well as with Brown volunteers. They emphasized that the best teachers are the ones who get to know their students and take the time to ask them about their day or how their lives are shaping up.

METRO

LILY CRUZ / HERALD

Ebola is “a disease of health care systems,” said Adam Levine, assistant professor of emergency medicine and a member of Thursday’s panel.

Faculty members discuss Ebola’s effects Professors from life, social sciences discuss the virus’ reach in R.I. as well as in West Africa

By JOE DIEHL CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Ebola and its epidemiological, political and cultural consequences took the stage during a multi-disciplinary panel of four Brown faculty members in Salomon 101 Thursday evening.

The discussion took place a day after the World Health Organization announced that the death toll in the current Ebola epidemic had reached 5,000.

The panel, which was moderated by Patricia Agupusi, a postdoctorate fellow at the Watson Institute for International Studies, touched on both international and local issues surrounding Ebola, including how Ebola is being handled in West Africa, how the WHO has responded to Ebola, how Ebola is tied to U.S. politics and how Rhode Island is taking measures to ensure an Ebola outbreak does not occur in the state.

Adam Levine, assistant professor of emergency medicine, Nitsan Chorev, professor of sociology and international relations, James Morone, director of the Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions, and Nicole Alexander, assistant professor of pediatrics and medicine, all participated in the panel.

In August, Levine deployed to work at the first Ebola treatment facility in Liberia, just under five months after the first case in the country was detected in March. During the initial detection, many of the health care facilities in West Africa were not prepared to treat Ebola, which has many symptoms that are similar to the more common malaria. The start of the outbreak resulted in a scare during which many staff members at health care facilities fled their posts until there were “almost no operational health facilities in the whole country,” Levine said.

The spread of the disease was exacerbated by the weak health care system in Liberia, he said. “(Ebola) is not just a disease of individuals; it’s a disease of

health care systems.”

Levine explained that an outbreak response structure was implemented to slow the spread, aiming to protect both staff members and patients. Though treatment facilities have been established, the operation costs reach about $1 million per month, and West Africa still needs more facilities than it currently has, he said.

The WHO and the international community as a whole took longer than desired to respond to the outbreaks, Chorev said. Budget cuts, priorities in funding and organizational fragmentation all prevented the WHO from responding as effectively as possible, she added.

The WHO “needs authority to stop relying on voluntary donations,” Chorev said.

The result was a “reflection of policies and changes that … undermined the capacity of WHO to deal with outbreaks like Ebola,” Chorev said. “We need to fix it and let it do its job.”

Though there have been only nine cases of Ebola and one death in the United States, Morone said the disease has affected American politics as well.

Because of U.S. citizens’ great fear of contagion — he cited opinion polls showing that almost 50 percent of respondents were afraid of contracting the disease by mid-October — politicians were able to use Ebola as a factor in the November midterms, Morone said.

The “constant narrative that the government can’t do anything right didn’t allow the government to mobilize the necessary resources” to deal with Ebola, he added.

But Alexander said Rhode Island has taken steps to ensure Ebola will not become a problem locally.

“Public health management is the key” to preventing an outbreak, Alexander said. Rhode Island has looked to Nigeria — now Ebola-free after a small outbreak — as an example of how to deal with the disease. Nigeria had only 20 cases of Ebola, with eight deaths, before eradicating the disease.

Communication between government and health organizations was the primary factor in Nigeria’s effectiveness, Alexander said.

The state government recently approved a plan drawn up by the Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency and hospitals around the state for procedures to prevent an Ebola outbreak, Alexander said.

“I have colleagues who have given blood, sweat and tears to make sure hospitals are prepared,” she added.

The local West African community in Providence has played a role in raising awareness as well, Alexander said.

The community has organized rallies, vigils, relief funds and the “Ebola Be Gone” campaign with the goal of generating awareness.

The panel also touched on how health care workers were affected by societal fears of contracting the disease. Levine described how hospital staffers in West Africa faced prejudice from their communities for working to combat the disease, and Morone said in America there is widespread fear of contracting Ebola.

Tiana Acosto ’17 told The Herald afterward, “I didn’t realize there was a stigma surrounding the Ebola operation — how a lack of American interest played into that.”

Agupusi noted that Ebola is an international problem and said all communities — from the United States to the WHO to the governments in West Africa — have a responsibility to help stop the outbreak.

“Ebola has no ethnicity,” she said.

“From a student’s point of view, I want to know that the person teaching me is not only my teacher but is also there to support me,” said Sidi Wen of Classical High School.

The panelists also spoke of the role other aspects of their lives play in forming their long-term goals, including their extracurricular activities and Providence itself.

Raycily Castillo of Paul Cuffee High School said, “RIUDL and debate have opened my eyes to countless new ideas and topics. It’s one of the big reasons why I want to go to college.”

“You see decrepit houses and houses with foreclosure signs around Providence, and it makes you want to elevate your family out of that. I’m going to keep doing what I need to do to get my family out of that situation,” Jansezian said.

Panelists expressed that the University’s volunteer organizations have had a large impact on them, adding that their involvement with the organizations brought them a sense of community, extra help with homework and a greater understanding of the resources available to them.

“I feel like I’m a part of something bigger where I get to meet more people, have more resources and get bigger opportunities like being on this panel,” said Yanine Castedo of the Metropolitan Regional Career and Technical Center.

This is the first time that the volunteer organizations BRYTE, Generation Citizen, Providence Student Union and RIUDL have come together to create an event. Members of the organizations said they hope that the panel will provide a good foundation on which to support each other in their respective endeavors to better the lives of students in the greater Providence community.

“We tend to not work together and instead have more of a competitive mentality,” said RIUDL coordinator Olivia Veira ’17. “It would be good for volunteers to have a community of people who all believe in social justice and who are all doing this emotionally taxing work. This is a good way to start building that community.”

Tia Heywood ’17, who attended the panel, said, “I’d encourage anyone in the Brown community who is interested in making a difference in the world to volunteer. Just a couple of hours a week can mean the world to a student.”

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4 university news

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

SPORTS BULLETIN

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

M. HOCKEY

KATIE LIEBOWITZ / HERALD

Zack Pryzbek ’17 battles a defender for the puck. The forward has seen action in two of the team’s four games this season, but has yet to log a goal or an assist. Pryzbek and the rest of the team’s offensive players will take on an expanded role against Harvard and Dartmouth with forward Nick Lappin ’16 serving a two-game suspension for two game misconducts.

Bears head north in search of first conference victory Bruno to square off against Ivy rivals Harvard, Dartmouth without star forward Nick Lappin ’16

By MATTHEW BROWNSWORD SPORTS STAFF WRITER

After the men’s hockey team fell in its opening conference games last weekend against St. Lawrence and Clarkson — who were playing their ninth and 10th games, respectively, while Brown was playing its second and third — the Bears

might relish the opportunity to play two Eastern College Athletic Conference opponents that have played a similar number of games.

Unfortunately for Bruno (1-2, 0-2 ECAC), this weekend’s away slate consists of games against Harvard (2-0-2, 1-0-2) and Dartmouth (1-1-1, 1-1-1) — the two highest-ranked Ivy teams

in the ECAC. “It’s very important to get our first conference win,” said forward Mark Naclerio ’16. “Unfortunately we were unable to get our first win at home, but we prepared well this week and are looking forward to the challenge this weekend.”

A huge obstacle for the Bears in their quest for a first conference win will be the suspension of forward Nick Lappin ’16, whose two game

misconducts in two games over the weekend resulted in a two-game suspension from the ECAC. Lappin was not reprimanded by the conference after his game misconduct against St. Lawrence for a hit to the head but was issued his two-game ban after he was ejected against Clarkson for hitting from behind. Lappin has yet to get on the scoresheet this season but was Brown’s second-leading goal scorer last year.

“Obviously Nick is a large part of our offense, but we can’t focus on that,” Naclerio said. “We need to play hard with whoever is in the lineup, and everyone who is playing this weekend needs to be focused and ready to play.”

Up first for Brown is Harvard, who tied Dartmouth, beat Rensselaer convincingly and tied defending national champion Union to kick off its season in the ECAC. But Harvard’s » See M. HOCKEY, page S3

M. BASKETBALL

M. SOCCER

Team prepares for life after McGonagill ’14, kicks off new campaign Friday against St. Peter’s

rival Big Green’s season

Veteran bigs lead Bears to battle Bruno attempts to spoil Markes ’15, Kupstas ’14.5 to take pitch for final time in tough road test against potent Dartmouth offense

By ALEX WAINGER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

With a veteran presence in the locker room and an on-court gravity that bent defenses toward him without fail, Sean McGonagill ’14 wreaked havoc on defenders around the Ivy League. For four years, McGonagill helped Head Coach Mike Martin ’04 instill a winning culture in what had been a floundering program.

This season, the men’s basketball team has been tasked with replacing McGonagill’s intangibles — not to mention his 37.4 minutes, 17.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 1.3 steals per game last year — following the graduation of the team’s former captain and third-most prolific scorer in the history of Brown men’s basketball.

“There’s not going to be any one guy who replaces Sean,” Martin said. » See BASKETBALL, page S4

By ALEX WAINGER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

KATIE LIEBOWITZ / HERALD

Co-captain Rafael Maia ’15 dribbles at the top of the arc. Last season, the conference-leading rebounder missed seven games due to injury.

The men’s soccer team has plenty of motivation this week, traveling to New Hampshire to take on Dartmouth in a game with immense implications for the Ivy League standings — just not for the Bears.

The Big Green (10-4-2, 4-1-1 Ivy) sit in a tie with Princeton (10-3-3, 4-1-1) atop the conference table. The Tigers square off with Yale (1-12-3, 0-5-1) this weekend — a win for Princeton would force Dartmouth to take all three points from the Bears, something that few teams have been able to accomplish this season.

If spoiling an Ivy foe’s season was not enough motivation for the Bears, Bruno’s rivalry with the Big Green — which has developed over the past few

years —should push the team to bring its best game to Hanover.

Two seasons ago, the Bears were on the verge of winning the Ivy League crown entering the last game of the season, but Dartmouth scored a controversial extra-time buzzer beater to ruin Bruno’s undefeated conference record and give the automatic NCAA tournament berth to Cornell. Then, last year, the Big Green came to Stevenson Field and dismantled the Bears 3-1 on Bruno’s Senior Day. “Taking one from Dartmouth would be absolutely huge,” said Tim Whalen ’16. “This is a massive game for Dartmouth, so they’re going to have a lot of fans. They’ve been a rival of ours for the past couple of years, so to be able to go to their home field and steal one from them would be awesome.”

The matchup to watch in the third installment of the Brown-Dartmouth rivalry will be the Bruno defense against the Big Green offense.

The Dartmouth offense has posted » See M. SOCCER, page S3

S2 football

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD SPORTS BULLETIN FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

» INCLUSION, from page 1

ARJUN NARAYEN / HERALD

Running back Robert Grebenc ’15 dodges tackles as he races upfield. After posting -7 yards against Princeton nearly a month ago, Brown’s ground game is back on track, having gained over 100 in each of its last three games.

Bears prep for their ‘Super Bowl’ Bruno’s offense looks to continue hot streak and knock Big Green from title contention with win

By ANDREW FLAX SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The football team was eliminated from Ivy title contention last weekend with a loss to Yale and a win by Harvard.

For many teams in this position, it might be tough to stay motivated, but the Bears (4-4, 2-3 Ivy) have plenty left to play for.

“It’s a little bit of a bummer,” admitted co-captain Dan Giovacchini ’15.

But quarterback Marcus Fuller ’15, Giovacchini’s fellow captain, said the elimination does “not at all” influence the team’s intensity going into a game.

“I wouldn’t say it’s harder to get up,” he added.

Bruno still has two games left on its schedule, and Saturday’s will present a challenge: The Bears head north to face Dartmouth.

The Big Green (6-2, 4-1) is tied for second in the Ivy League and will surely have its sights set on its matchup with Princeton in two weeks. If the Tigers (7-1, 4-1) and Big Green win this weekend, the winner of the Dartmouth/Princeton bout will be guaranteed a share of the conference title if Harvard (8-0, 5-0) drops either of its

next two games.

Giovacchini said the Bears “expected to be looked past,” which makes the team “feel a little disrespected.”

Given Bruno’s opportunity to spoil Dartmouth’s title hopes with a road win, the linebacker described this week’s game as “kind of our Super Bowl,” dispelling any doubts that the Bears would not be be pumped up for their trip to Hanover.

On the surface, Dartmouth may look like a middling team. The Big Green ranks fourth in the Ivy League in both total offense and total defense, but it managed to do what Bruno could not in winning a shootout over Yale, 38-31.

The key to Dartmouth’s success lies in turnovers and special teams. The team’s returners rank at the top of the conference in yards per kickoff return and punt return and place second in kickoff coverage. Couple that with an Ivy-leading 11 interceptions, and it’s clear how Dartmouth’s solid offense and defense put the team in a prime position to succeed.

Game-planning for a team with no glaring weaknesses can be difficult.

“You can’t focus in on one thing,” Fuller said, adding that the team is just “continuing to do what we’ve been doing.”

What the team has been doing has worked better and better recently, and the offense’s performance peaked with a 42-point outburst against Yale.

Though it came in a losing effort, Fuller

was encouraged.

“It just builds our confidence,” he said. After going toe-to-toe with what ranks statistically as the best offense in Division 1-FCS, the Bears know they “can match up with anybody,” he added.

The defense also drew some lessons from last weekend’s game. After giving up 45 points, the unit focused on what it can improve on.

“We didn’t perform like we hoped,” Giovacchini said, noting that the Bears need to work on stopping the run and pass.

“We’ve got to be tougher between tackles,” he said. “We’ve got to be perfect on the back end.”

Against the Big Green, Bruno will attempt to do what it could not last weekend: control the game.

“We can set the pace and dictate what kind of plays they have to run,” Giovacchini said. He described grabbing that upper hand as the “biggest thing” the defense can do.

Giovacchini and Fuller, both seniors, also spoke about trying not to get too nostalgic as they enter the final two games of their careers. “I appreciate every day I get to go out on the field with those guys,” Giovacchini said.

Derailing Dartmouth’s championship dream would be quite a way to make the most out of the pair’s final road game. Saturday’s matchup kicks off at noon.

off the plywood to create these new dimensions and angles,” he said.

Santini received positive feedback from friends, except that spectators complained they could not see what was happening during play.

“They had to stand behind either of the players to see the action,” he said.

“That’s when I had the ‘aha!’ moment to make the walls out of a clear material, … making it an all-encompassing sport for players and their fans.”

In early 2012, Santini met an industrial designer, Sergio Gedanke. Gedanke recommended him to designer John Utley, whose prototyping facility created the first Plexiglass model.

Though the process for acquiring a patent began in 2012, it was just approved in September, Santini said.

The first few units were made in New York, and in summer 2012, Santini began to showcase the game at spaces, such as an art gallery in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood. He said the sound of balls in play brought many curious viewers —about 100 people later signed up on an email list for INCLUSION. “Seeing the reactions of players who try INCLUSION Table Tennis for the first time gave me faith that I was onto something special,” Santini said.

There are about 23 million table tennis tables owned in the U.S. “Those 23 million tables are an opportunity to try my product,” Santini said. In an attempt to make a more accessible design, he created an adjustable piece that attaches the Plexiglass side walls on any table tennis table. This is the model he currently sells, but in the long term, he hopes to make his own tables.

“I liked the idea of a word that appeals to novices and experts alike so I kept coming back to the word ‘include’ — I want it to be universal,” said Santini.

Shortly after his first event, Google — a company with many employees who play table tennis — approached Santini. This was a huge catalyst for his operation, he said, adding that the office manager at Google’s global headquarters in New York City set up a day-long INCLUSION event.

“Once I told everyone that I showcased at Google, more companies wanted me to showcase at their events,” Santini said. “I ended up showing at events at Chelsea Piers, Bryant Park and some tech companies.”

Because the company is entirely self-financed, Santini said that it has been very difficult to balance financial concerns and the pressure of working as a one-person team.

But Santini sold his first INCLUSION unit to the U.S. Open this past summer during his regional roll-out.

He tried to reach out to the tournament in 2013 with little response, so he said this year, he took matters into his own hands.

“I decided to just show up one day at the tennis center and see what happens,” he said, adding that when he arrived, a children’s tennis camp was underway.

“Children and novices really enjoyed it because the walls served as bumpers to keep the ball in play, essentially keeping the athletes more entertained,” said Santini.

He set up INCLUSION unit for an entire day and the children loved it. Santini took videos of the action and sent them to administrators at

the U.S. Open, including the director of tennis, he said.

“The best way to understand my product is to physically interact with it,” Santini said. “And if you can’t physically interact with it, the best way to understand it is through video.”

Shortly after the U.S. Open purchased his product, he was invited to speak at the Harvard Undergraduate Women in Business Conference, but he decided he could not appear at Harvard before coming back and showcasing at his alma mater. On Oct. 17, he came to the Kaspar Multipurpose Room to share his invention with the Brown Table Tennis Club.

“Before playing, I thought it would be similar to table tennis, so it wouldn’t be that hard, but actually it was so hard,” said Masahiro Nakanishi ’17, the club’s co-president. “Whenever the ball would hit the wall I would expect it to hit one way but it wouldn’t — the randomness made it more challenging.”

“I liked how it was a completely new and exciting spin on a sport that I’ve played for quite a few years,” said co-president Nancy Zhou ’17.

Zhou and Nakanishi both agreed that INLCUSION introduces an element of randomness and requires more technique and practice than traditional table tennis.

Santini said he hopes one day INCLUSION will be introduced as an Olympic sport, though he recognizes this is a far-out goal. “I realize that sounds ridiculous when sports are getting cut, but I believe that the skill level and the enhanced angles and strategies needed would be something fun to watch visually and fun to play,” he said.

Santini has also established more achievable goals — he sold a unit to the North Bay Table Tennis center in Santa Rosa, California, to help develop INCLUSION on the West Coast.

He was also recently approached by a London-based group that aims to mediate the effects of Alzheimer’s through table tennis, he said. They believe his product could serve as a rehabilitative tool in increasing handeye coordination due to the added vertical dimension of the INCLUSION wall. He added that he is currently discussing the possibility of carrying out a study with universities and labs to support its benefits.

He also aims to create a digitally responsive wall that would light up and provide feedback upon impact.

Santini said he wants to push “underground players” — casual fans and players — to become more interactive with this new table tennis variant. To do this, he set up a meeting with the owner of SPiN Table Tennis Bars — popular venues that combine table tennis with entertainment and socializing — and as a result was introduced to the actress Susan Sarandon, who has been hailed as the “queen of ping pong” by the New York Post. He learned that her daughter also graduated from Brown in 2007.

Santini’s ultimate goal is to bring more attention to table tennis as a sport. “I’ve come to realize that new inventions are, more often than not, met with trepidation,” Santini said.

“But once I convince conservative table tennis players to enhance the strategic thinking with INCLUSION while using the same paddle, ball and table, they start to believe.”

“I like to think I am making table tennis a little sexier.”

sports S3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD SPORTS BULLETIN FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

ARJUN NARAYEN / HERALD

Jack Gorab ’16 launches a pass beyond a lunging defender. The midfielder has amassed two goals and six assists this season and will look to increase his totals this weekend against Dartmouth.

» M. SOCCER, from page S1 30 goals this season, which is tied for the second most in the league. The goals come from a variety of sources, with senior forward Alex Adelabu leading the team with seven and four other players contributing three apiece.

“They’ll be attacking a lot, especially if the game is not going their way early on,” Whalen said. “If it’s still tied towards the end of the game, I wouldn’t be surprised if they throw everything they have at us.”

Whalen said he expects the defense will be challenged by the Big Green, but also remarked that the back line has performed well under all types of pressure so far this season.

The Bears’ defense may be without stalwart center back Gabe Welp ’18 for the second game in a row. Welp injured his shoulder against Penn (6-8-2, 2-2-2) two weeks ago, and after the win over Yale, Head Coach Patrick Laughlin said

» M. HOCKEY, from page S1 most impressive win came this week as it knocked off No. 8 Boston College, marking the Crimson’s first win against the Eagles since 2006.

“Harvard is a very tough opponent,” Naclerio said. “They are a veteran side with a lot of skill.”

The Crimson are led by promising sophomore forward Alexander Kerfoot — who already has eight points, including a five-point outburst against Boston College — and junior forwards Kyle Criscuolo and Jimmy Vesey. Senior Goalie Steve Michalek is a standout on the other end of the ice, ranking third in the ECAC in goals against average (1.92 per game) and fourth in save percentage (.931).

After a faceoff with the Crimson, Brown will travel north to visit

Welp’s status for the meeting with Dartmouth was still unclear.

Luckily for Bruno, Whalen spent half of last season and the majority of his high school career as a center back, which should make his transition from the left side to the middle a smooth one.

“I’m really flexible with it,” Whalen said of playing center back. “One thing I like about playing left back is you get to go up and attack a little more, but I like both positions, and switching between them is something I’m very comfortable with.”

Saturday will also be the last opportunity for right back Alex Markes ’15 and goalkeeper Mitch Kupstas ’14.5 to earn a shutout as members of a very successful Brown backline.

Kupstas has amassed six shutouts so far this season behind the strength of his .789 save percentage. Markes has played shutdown defense all year from his right back position, making tackles and winning headers with his superior Dartmouth, who might have had the most impressive results in the first weekend of ECAC play. Down 3-0 to the defending national champion Union, the Big Green battled back to tie the game with less than a minute left in regulation, continuing on to steal the win with a goal three minutes and 22 seconds into overtime.

Dartmouth’s offensive output has been highlighted by its veterans thus far, as four of the five leading point contributors are seniors. Forwards Eric Robinson, Tyler Sikura and Jesse Beamish have all registered at least one goal and two assists in what has been a balanced attack for the Big Green.

“Dartmouth always plays hard,” Naclerio said. “But if we play our systems right and limit (Harvard and Dartmouth’s) time and space, we will have a successful weekend.”

athleticism.

Markes “has played a huge role on the team since I’ve been a part of the program,” Whalen said. “He’s one of the toughest guys I know. Same goes for (Kupstas). He’s worked really hard this year to earn his spot. Their experience will definitely be missed, and they’ll be tough to replace next season.”

While the team is playing primarily for pride and development at this point, Whalen said a win over Dartmouth would be a sweet ending to a season in which the Bears have “come close to success, but often lost it at the last second.”

“I wish we could be vying for the title when we play them,” Markes said. “But it’s an Ivy League championship game in our mind, since we know that’s how they are going to come out playing. They’ve ruined our season in the past, now it’s time to return the favor.”

Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. on what will be a chilly afternoon in Hanover.

ORLANDO LUIS PARDO LAZO / HERALD

After coasting through their regular season schedule, the Bears have a chance to prove themselves on a larger scale in the regional tournament.

» RUGBY, from page 1 at the start of its season, though that is by no means an accurate predictor of this weekend’s game. The Bobcats pounded Navy just two weeks ago, coming away with a commanding 80-point margin on the victory and proving just how competitive they can be. Additionally, two-time All-American Natalie Kosko, a clear standout for Quinnipiac, poses a dangerous offensive threat.

Army also defeated Navy this year, downing the team 61-20. This means every squad in the tournament has beat the Midshipmen this season, seeming to

make them the obvious underdog. But nothing is that clear in rugby, as just last year Navy reached the Final Four.

Army also made it to the championship tournament, losing in the finals after a tantalizingly close match up. This will only serve as extra incentive to stay focused on that cherished top spot this time around.

But the Bears, too, have been eyeing that title all season and see this weekend as another stepping stone on their quest for perfection. Brown got this far last year, but did not advance beyond the Round of 16. This year, they hope, will be a different story.

S4 sports commentary

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD SPORTS BULLETIN FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

Halfway home: the NFL’s key second-half storylines MIKE FIRN sports columnist

Rather predictably, the past 10 weeks of the 2014 NFL season have made us all look like fools. Seattle and San Francisco challenging for NFC supremacy? Please. The Jets’ sneaky resurgence? Yikes. But unpredictability is perhaps sports’ biggest draw. Forget the odds, we’ll take the possibilities.

The NFL is a week-to-week league — remember when San Diego and Cincinnati looked like Super Bowl contenders? But 10 weeks in, the competitive landscape is starting to shape up. By now we have a pretty good idea of who’s fighting for a playoff position and who’s fighting for draft position (sorry, Oakland). Still, if we knew the answers already, we wouldn’t be watching. With 18 teams currently at .500 or better, the final seven weeks should provide plenty of compelling drama to distract us from finals. And there are six storylines on

»BASKETBALL, from page S1 “But we hope that we’ve recruited well enough and developed guys that collectively will step up and fill that void.”

Beyond the hole at shooting guard, Bruno’s roster boasts a core of returning starters, a couple of offensive dynamos coming off the bench, a talented rookie class and two key players that will dictate the success of the team’s season.

The nucleus In the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, the Bears’ frontcourt was ranked first overall in the Ivy League, largely due to the team’s two veteran leaders. For the second season in a row, reigning two-time Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year Cedric Kuakumensah ’16 and conference-leading rebounder Rafael Maia ’15 were named team captains.

The forwards provide the team with a dominating interior presence on both the offensive and defensive ends of the floor.

Brown’s frontcourt tandem is the most physically commanding duo in the Ivy League. Both players put on 10 pounds over the summer, and Kuakumensah grew an inch. The “Twin Towers” are both listed at 6-foot-9 and 245 pounds, so the Bears should match up physically with any opponent they face this season.

“We’re going to count on those guys for a lot,” Martin said of his frontcourt players. “We’re going to do all we can to maximize their playing time and their efficiency while they’re on the floor.”

Kuakumensah and Maia’s defensive styles complement each other well. Kuakumensah challenges every shot near the hoop and boxes out well, while Maia grabs boards, outlets and consistently runs the floor with the guards. Kuakumensah set an Ivy League record last season with 93 blocked shots, and Maia averaged over eight rebounds per game.

The two can step on each others’ feet at times on the offensive end, but Kuakumensah’s range seems to

which NFL fans should keep a close eye as the action unfolds.

1. Will DeMarco Murray break the single-season rushing record?

For the third time in five years, Eric Dickerson is getting a bit antsy.

On pace for a blistering 1,973 rushing yards, DeMarco Murray has a realistic chance to surpass Dickerson’s mark of 2,105. Even if he falls short, Murray has already turned in a historic season that began with a record eight consecutive 100+ yard games. Running behind a dominant offensive line for a team that should have plenty of leads to protect, Murray could wind up with video game numbers. But don’t forget about his durability concerns. Having missed 11 games in his first three seasons due to injury, it’s fair to wonder if Murray’s body can handle the absurd workload Dallas is shoving down his throat.

2. Can Arizona survive the loss of Carson Palmer?

At 8-1, the Arizona Cardinals have been the league’s biggest sur-

increase each season, allowing Maia to occupy the space closest to the hoop.

The junior even took a few threes in a preseason scrimmage, indicating that he has once again expanded his offensive comfort zone.

Feeding the ball to Kuakumensah and Maia on offense is returning starting point guard Tavon Blackmon ’17. Last season, the then-first-year dished out 3.5 assists per game — the second highest number on the team behind McGonagill’s 3.8, who started his career as a point guard.

Blackmon is a scrappy defender with quick feet and the ability to strip an opponent in the open court. Offensively, he directs traffic and moves the ball quickly and effectively.

The young point guard’s biggest weakness last season was his hesitance to shoot — a weakness that Blackmon has worked on during offseason, Martin said.

“He realized that he has to be a threat every time he catches the ball,” Martin said. “Otherwise teams won’t guard him. He improved his shooting, his strength and he’s more confident out there. We’re excited about what he can do.”

With McGonagill gone, the team will need Blackmon to slash to the basket more often and either finish in traffic or kick the ball out to a shooter — a trait he demonstrated at times last year.

The spark plugs While McGonagill was undoubtedly the team’s most proficient scorer last season, Leland King ’17 gave him a run for his money. King had a mercurial first season as a Bear, but put together an impressive resume when he was given significant minutes. In the final three games of the year, King averaged 21 points and shot nearly 50 percent from beyond the arc.

Due to his scoring abilities and star potential, Sports Illustrated named King to its list of five sophomores to watch for a breakout season and suggested that the forward could emerge as a top scorer in the Ivy League if he continued scoring at last season’s pace.

prise and best team to date. Their dream season has been, as Head Coach Bruce Arians called it, “a bumpy-ass road” — ­ the Cardinals have been hit with a flurry of injuries all season long. The latest blow — a season-ending knee injury to QB Carson Palmer — might prove insurmountable. Yes, Arizona went 2-1 with backup Drew Stanton at the helm earlier this season, but a brutal remaining schedule in a stout division could mean trouble on the horizon for the Cards. And then again, this team has been proving everyone wrong from day one.

3. Who will win the AFC North dogfight?

Entering the season, not many pundits pegged the AFC North as a particularly exciting division. Oops.

All four members currently boast winning records and are within a half game of the division lead. The group’s biggest surprise is Cleveland, which sits atop the standings at 6-3. The Browns have undoubtedly benefited from a soft early-season schedule, but their passing offense figures will

The only obstacles in King’s way are Maia and Kuakumensah. Ideally, King would play power forward, as he has the size and physicality to guard a larger player in the post but would easily elude a slower defender on the other end of the court.

But with the two captains cemented in the starting lineup, King will likely either start in the small forward role or be used off the bench as the sixth-man, providing instant scoring against opponents’ second units.

While King may not start, Martin said he will use a lineup that features King, Kuakumensah and Maia all sharing the court.

“We’ve thought about it, practiced it and I think you’ll see that lineup on the floor together,” Martin said.

Dockery Walker ’15 — another big man who deserves a healthy amount of minutes off the bench — will make Martin’s rotation decisions that much tougher.

Martin called Walker a player with “a ton of experience” and said the senior will figure into the crowded front court rotation.

After being sidelined for the entirety of the 2012-2013 season, Walker made his return to the court last year and contributed on both sides of the ball. The forward boasts a crafty post game, which allowed him to lead the team with a 51.8 shooting percentage last season. He also contributed on the boards, snatching over four rebounds per game.

Walker and King will both get significant playing time on a team that will always have two proficient post scorers on the floor at once.

The rookies After last year’s crop of first-years produced two regular starters and one key rotation player, Martin’s second recruiting class is an intriguing group of players.

“Last season’s freshmen made it look easier than it is,” Martin said of the transition between high school and college basketball. “But (the class of 2018) is a good group. There have been days when they have all stood

likely see a massive boost when wide receiver Josh Gordon returns from suspension. With four intra-division games over the final four weeks, the AFC North is completely up for grabs, and this race figures to be ultra-competitive down the stretch.

4. Can Andrew Luck crash the BradyManning party in the AFC? After a rocky start, the Patriots have re-established themselves firmly in the ranks of the AFC elite, and yet again, we seem destined for a classic Brady-Manning playoff clash in the championship game. But Andrew Luck and the Colts are making a serious case to disrupt that narrative. A victory this week over the white-hot Patriots would solidify the Colts’ position as a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Luck is starting to feel like the once-in-a-generation quarterback he was billed to be.

rality police? Are we willing to grant disciplinary powers back to Roger Goodell after the original Rice debacle? From a procedural justice standpoint, it certainly seems that the league has no leg to stand on if it wants to keep AP suspended in the wake of his legal resolution. But at the end of the day, the NFL is trying to score PR points and Goodell wants to make sure that little Johnny’s mother lets him watch football.

In a volatile year surrounding offfield incidents, the Peterson case could set a lasting precedent for how player conduct is regulated going forward.

6. Will I win my fantasy football championships?

Actually, this one is pretty certain. Yes, yes I will. (*Knocks on wood*)

5. Will Adrian Peterson be reinstated?

This one is touchy. Does Peterson deserve another chance? Should the NFL operate as the extralegal mo-

Mike Firn ’16 is declaring for the 2015 draft. Oakland and Jacksonville reps, contact him at michael_firn@brown.edu.

out and showed flashes of really good play.”

Jason Massey ’18, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound guard, showed impressive athleticism throughout high school and is a skilled finisher on fast breaks.

He has the body type to become a solid wing defender — the Bears need more depth at small forward, and Massey could help defend the athletic guards that many conference foes have on their rosters.

Tyler Williams ’18 and Patrick Triplett ’18 are also fighting for spots in Bruno’s backcourt. Williams handles the ball well and could fill in for Blackmon at point guard when the sophomore ball handler needs a rest.

Triplett is a little bigger than Williams and could earn minutes at shooting guard if he proves he can score and defend at a high level.

There are only so many minutes at the power forward and center positions, and Miki Ljuboja ’18 may be on the short end of the stick. Sitting behind Maia, Kuakumensah, Walker and King, playing time will be scarce for Ljuboja, but the 6-foot-8, 230-pound first-year showed a deft jump shot, strong post moves and a willingness to bang bodies in the paint during a preseason scrimmage.

Kyle Haber ’18 rounds out this season’s crop of fresh talent. Haber has a knack for scoring — both inside and outside — and could provide Bruno with instant offense off the bench.

But the lanky 6-foot-7, 180-pound forward will struggle to defend his position, especially against powerful shooting guards and small forwards.

down the paint, Speith and Madigan matched up with an opponent’s two strongest wing players last year. With Madigan gone, Speith will absorb extra defensive responsibilities. For the Bears to have success, Speith must take his defense to an elite level to lock down oponents like Harvard’s Wesley Saunders, the reigning Ivy Player of the Year.

Hobbie’s primary role on the team last season was floor spacing — the shooting guard demonstrated a consistent ability to hit contested, on-themove jump shots from outside the arc and finished fifth in the conference in three-point percentage.

Without McGonagill, the Bears need Hobbie to bend defenses toward him and away from Kuakumensah and Maia in the post. If Hobbie can shoot over 40 percent from threepoint territory — as he did last season — Bruno will enjoy the extra spacing he provides on the wings.

Speith also flashed an ability to shoot the three, though he took only 38 shots from beyond the arc last year.

Both players will have to take a higher volume of long range attempts to keep opposing defenses on their toes.

The x-factors Despite the plethora of the talent in the frontcourt, the bench and the rookie class, two sophomores — J.R. Hobbie ’17 and Steven Speith ’17 — will make or break the Bears’ season.

The importance of Speith and Hobbie is tied to the loss of McGonagill and Matty Madigan ’17. Madigan, who was Bruno’s defensive stopper last season, decided not to return to the team this season, Martin said.

While Kuakumensah locked

The outlook Most preseason polls have the Bears projected to finish between fourth and fifth place in the Ivy League — behind Harvard, Yale, Princeton and sometimes Columbia.

Martin said it is too early for him to rank the teams in the conference without first seeing what the other squads have done with their off-seasons, but the head coach did promise his team would compete on a nightly basis.

“We’ll be competitive with anyone we play,” Martin said. “If we grow and mature as a team, I don’t see why we can’t compete for an Ivy League championship. That’s our goal, we realize it’s a huge challenge, but we’re working hard to make it a reality.”

Life after McGonagill begins for the Bears Friday night, when they host Saint Peter’s University at 8 p.m. in the Pizzitola Center.

today 5

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

menu

s t y l e s av v y

SATELLITE DINING JOSIAH’S Steamed Dumplings with Dipping Sauces BLUE ROOM Naked Burritos Soups: Clam Chowder, Minestrone, Beef with Bean Chili ANDREWS COMMONS Pizzas: Pepper Jack Chicken Club, Harvest, Buffalo Chicken

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Vegan Fajita with Pico de Gallo, Nacho Bar, Cajun Spiced Chicken Sandwich, Cookies

Bourbon BBQ Chicken, Ravioli Gorgonzola, Pineapple Upside Down Cake

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

Breaded Chicken Fingers, Potato Skins Bar, Zucchini, Carrot and Garlic Medley, Cookies

Tilapia Provencale, Whole Beets, Orange Beef Pad Thai, Pineapple Upside Down Cake

sudoku

RELEASE DATE– Friday, November 14, 2014

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle c rNorris o s and s wJoyce o rNichols d Lewis Edited by Rich ACROSS 1 Arguing 5 Colored part of the iris 11 Fold call 14 Ho Chi __ 15 Caribbean stopover 16 Munic. official 17 Making flush 19 Army E-5, e.g.

20 You can usually see right through them 21 Country named for its location 23 Picnic contest gear 24 Pushy 26 Signs 27 Son, to Sartre 28 London gallery 29 Obit bit 30 Exiled Amin 31 Test area 32 Feature of some jellyfish 37 Things to consider 38 Golf club part 39 Thanksgiving staple 42 Instant 44 Suffix indicating absence 45 Blend 46 Administration 48 Selling points 49 Seasoned seaman 50 Willies-causing 51 Broadcast 52 This puzzle’s five longest answers are common ones 56 Island loop 57 Pre-WWII pope 58 Adopted greatnephew of Claudius 59 Initials seen at Indy 60 Drinks daintily 61 Expected 2015 MLB returnee DOWN 1 __ Zion Church 2 Symphonic set

3 Behind 4 Response to a helper 5 Literary collections 6 Dorm minders, for short 7 Sicilian capital?

8 Willows for wickerwork 9 Camelot weapon 10 Like the works of Virgil and Horace 11 Crook 12 Nook 13 Worship 18 Attorney’s thing 22 Easy __ 23 Jacob, to Esau, for short 24 Hill helper 25 What icicles do in the sun 27 Douglas and others 31 Sediment 33 “__ Little Ironies”: Thomas Hardy collection

34 35 36 40

Some exits Run to Goth makeup Score direction 41 HMO group 42 City SW of Chicago 43 ICU hookup 44 Eases 45 Place with berth rights

46 Shootout successes 47 Mid-11thcentury year 48 Harris of “thirtysomething” 50 Tiger’s ex 53 Ltr. afterthoughts 54 Outside: Pref.

55 Astrodome field’s lack

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

TIMOTHY MUELLER-HARDER / HERALD

Fashion illustrator Jarno Kettunen visits campus to capture student style through painting as a part of a larger project that will showcase student fashion across Ivy League institutions.

calendar FRIDAY

OCTOBER 14

12:30 P.M. MINI SYMPOSIUM: ‘BACK TO IRAQ?’

Alum and student Iraq War veterans, Iraqi poet Dunya Mikhait, Neta Crawford of the “Cost of War” project and Naval War College Professor of Strategy Peter Dombrowski will present on the United States’ history with Iraq and the countries’ potential future relationship. Salomon 001 7 P.M. OPEN MIC NIGHT ON DISABILITY AND ABLEISM

Members of the Brown and Providence communities will convene for conversation and presentations focused on the topic of ableism. The discussion is hosted by students in PHP1670I: “Pathology to Power.” Smith-Buonanno 106

xwordeditor@aol.com

11/14/14

SATURDAY

OCTOBER 15

11 A.M. GLOBAL BRIGADES/KAPLAN SUTURE CLINIC

The Brown University Global Brigades will host a Kaplan Suture Clinic, in which the presenting surgeon will teach how to suture and discuss topics related to medical school admissions. Building for Environmental Research and Teaching 010 4 P.M. THE FREEDOM PROJECT SHOWING

The Everett Company will present a multi-disciplinary documentary theater piece that explores the criminal justice system and its marginalizing effects on individual Americans across races and socioeconomic statuses. Granoff Center Studio 1

SUNDAY

OCTOBER 16

2 P.M. BROWN BRAIN BEE QUIZ BOWL

Teams of up to three people can participate in this neuroscience-themed quiz bowl hosted by the Neuroscience DUG. Winners will be awarded a $25 Starbucks gift card. Wilson 102 8 P.M. ‘YOU’RE THE EXPERT’ LIVE TAPING

By Steve Salmon (c)2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

11/14/14

Professional comedians Myq Kaplan, Jo Firestone and Zhubin Parang will record an episode of “You’re the Expert,” a comedy podcast hosted by Chris Duffy ’09. Salomon 101

6 diamonds & coal

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

DIAMONDS & COAL A diamond to baritone Andrew Garland, who said, “You’re just in a dark room by yourself, playing in the air.” Cue Frank Ocean, and you’ve got every Saturday night we tell our friends we’ve decided to “stay in.”

A diamond to Ryka Aoki, the keynote speaker for Trans Week, who said, “There are always a few people who are badass and do everything.” But like, all of the reading? Really? All of it?

A diamond to Napoleon Brito, general manager of Summit Medical Compassion Center, Rhode Island’s medical marijuana dispensary that will open soon, who discussed the dispensary’s “growing pains.” Don’t worry. Once you finally open you’ll have plenty to soothe that ache with — it always works for our hangovers.

Coal to Tealuxe manager Amie Kesson, who said of the new restaurant slated to open in the vacant space adjacent to Tealuxe “that (the new restaurant’s) food is going to make our place smell.” Yes, you have to deal with its smell, but they have to deal with your attitude.

A diamond to the seven audience members from the Brown community who went to the Task Force on Sexual Assault’s public forum Tuesday and coal to everyone else who cares about the issue on Facebook but decided not to show up.

I VA N A L C A N TA R A

Cubic zirconia to Charles Cobb, civil rights scholar and visiting associate professor of Africana studies, who said, “This country is very bad with history.”

Have you seen the international rankings? We’re not too great at math, science or reading, either.

Coal to Paul Shanley, deputy chief of police for the Department of Public Safety, who called DPS “a Disney operation.” We feel great about leaving our safety in the hands of Sleeping Beauty and Pinocchio.

A diamond to the football team captain who said, “I wouldn’t say it’s harder to get up.” Congrats. For the rest of us, there is medicine for that.

A diamond to Akilah Dulin-Keita, assistant professor of behavioral and social sciences at the School of Public Health, who said of community infrastructure meetings, “We get to leave, but they have to stay.” Seniors, take note. This is how you frame graduation to sound like you’re the ones coming out on top.

Coal to Paul Dion, chief of the Office of Revenue Analysis for Rhode Island, who said of the projected revenue for state casinos in the next five years, “Keep in mind, when I say the best scenario, we’re still losing money.”

Are we at a University budget meeting?

CORRECTIONS An article in Thursday’s Herald (“U. health insurance costs rise, in line with most recent years,” Nov. 13) incorrectly stated that the University requires those on its health insurance to pay a deductible. In fact, it does not. The article also misstated the University’s former policy for insuring dependents: Before the Affordable Care Act, it insured employees’ dependent children who were students under 25, not just those of faculty members. The Herald regrets the errors.

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

“Ebola has no ethnicity.”

— Patricia Agupusi, postdoctorate fellow at the Watson Institute

See ebola on page 2.

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commentary 7

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

A tale of two Thayers GABRIELLA CORVESE opinions editor

Our freshman eyes were gleeful and wide when we first set foot upon Thayer Street. Its collection of diverse eateries, gaudy trinket shops and secondhand clothing stores solidified our image of Brown as the hip and trendy Ivy. Though we lacked a picturesque rural campus spanning hills and valleys, we had a few city blocks that welcomed us not only to the Brown community but to Providence’s thriving food and business scene.

But four years later, seniors’ views of Thayer are not quite as rosy. Beloved shops of the past are shutting down, foot traffic moves at a glacial pace and cars zoom down cross streets as if the freshly painted crosswalks were invisible. Though new food trucks on Thayer’s lower half keep culinary offerings exciting, many of us concede defeat to Chipotle on a weekly basis. In a recent opinions column on the construction of 257 Thayer, Sam Hillestad ’15 longed for “the real Thayer Street” he experienced as a freshman (“257 Thayer — elitist enclave,” Oct. 21) .

Our unwritten history of the softly sloped street leaves us with Old Thayer and New Thayer, one a lost relic of youth and the other an apparently nightmarish future. Many have already retreated south to Wickenden Street, the land of hipper coffee shops and BYOB sushi joints, while others regularly venture downtown for authentic metropolitan flair.

And while the loss of businesses like Shades Plus may cost Thayer some charm, our conversation about the street should expand beyond our bitterness at aesthetics to include

the implications of these changes for the rest of Providence.

Thayer has always been a dynamic part of Providence, with restaurants moving in and out of buildings over the years and smaller business owners expressing concern about “the decline of Thayer as a shopping destination,” as The Herald reported last fall (“Thayer through the ages: Restaurants reign supreme,” Nov. 15, 2013). The street’s relationship with Brown and the greater Providence community is constantly being cultivated to ensure harmony among all who traverse its sidewalks. In fact, this fall’s transformation was mobilized

parking space — a Thayer rarity as elusive as the mythical unicorn — the Bookstore parklet will apparently be removed once winter hits to ease snow plowing.

The age of New Thayer also gave us the splendid Thayer Street Art Festival organized

by Festival Fete in late September. I challenge anyone who saw the countless talented vendors at this event to find anything amiss besides a few hours of rerouted traffic and the brief absence of your precious outdoor seating at Blue State.

Nevertheless, the construction behemoth that is 257 Thayer is a mood dampener — and

As Thayer changes, we should not scorn changing aesthetics that don’t mesh with nostalgia — rather, we must remain mindful of Thayer as a pivotal part of the relationship between Providence and Brown.

after collaboration between President Christina Paxson and Mayor Angel Taveras to give Thayer “a facelift,” according to a May article in the Providence Journal.

Some of the cosmetic changes are already visible, like the expanded sidewalk in front of City Sports and the “parklet” adorned with shrubbery and benches in front of the Brown Bookstore. For jaded upperclassmen like me, the only admissible struggle with these changes was retraining my feet to step onto the curb a few steps earlier than before. Though a sidewalk addition takes away from a potential

if not that, then the surrounding fences consuming perfectly good sidewalks for the past few months. As Hillestad points out in his column, there is a strong chance that 257 Thayer’s high rents and excessive amenities will render it a bastion of class privilege. But while 257 Thayer will not be universally adored, it still meets a demand present somewhere in the Brown community — and a demand that can affect those outside of Brunonia.

Neighborhood change is not always for the better. Accounts of gentrification and displacement from locales that now act as

magnets for young professionals are becoming prominent, and for good reasons. In May 2011, the New York Times reported about residents’ anger toward boisterous newcomers in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Williamsburg, an area whose name is now synonymous with gentrification. A year later, another Times article featured San Francisco locals struggling to pay rising rents amidst the tech boom.

It’s difficult to measure Providence and its businesses against these enormous hubs, but their tales of development and unintended consequences should always be heeded. My years at Brown have made me aware of even my smallest impacts on the surrounding city.

I apologize eternally for blocking street traffic while leaving class at 50 minutes past every hour. As Thayer changes, we should not scorn changing aesthetics that don’t mesh with nostalgia. Rather, we must remain mindful of the pivotal role Thayer plays in the relationship between Providence and Brown. Thayer Street is an ecosystem in constant flux, radiating its cultural changes onto our campus and into the city we call home.

As Donna Personeus, executive director for Thayer Street District Management, told The Herald last week, “Business is a cycle — it comes and goes” (“New storefronts set to bring change to Thayer landscape,” Nov. 11).

It’s time for seniors like me to ditch our “back in my day” attitude and adapt to New Thayer while being mindful of our presence in this wonderful place. The streets, they are a-changin’.

Gabriella Corvese ’15 is still upset about Tedeschi being gone and can be reached at gabriella_corvese@brown.edu.

Another reason to discredit trickle-down DIANA BAI opinions columnist

What happens when people in lower income brackets find themselves aggressively courted by the corporate elite while simultaneously being dismissed by that very elite’s political representation? The nation’s poor finds itself in a dichotomous predicament as both a target consumer and the target of restrictive political policies. The following is an empirically based framework to demonstrate the imprudence of conservative lawmakers, who view social welfare programs as inhibitors of economic growth. Students, many of whom will enter the corporate sector or politics, may want to keep the inconsistencies in conservative economic beliefs in mind as they eventually move into the job market.

The nation’s most prominent corporations are developing increasingly lower-end production models by replacing costly parts with cheaper surrogates. It’s the dogma of profit: Cut costs and preach to a larger audience. The ideal result is an initial increase in revenue through cheaper production and increased demand across a broader audience.

Unfortunately, business success

is neither guaranteed nor straightforward in a society with endless competition and human error. As Vikram Damodrana, director of health care innovations at Wipro GE Healthcare told the New York Times, “You can’t take a product and simply strip it down and replace expensive parts with cheaper ones. …

It has to come from the ground up, with a lot of input from the people who might actually use it.”

After a failed first attempt at engineering a more affordable baby

in manufacturing a safe product and in distributing goods to tiny, isolated shops in India. Furthermore, an entirely new problem arises once the goods are distributed, as the technology available in these shops is often outdated or absent.

The inspiration to court lowerincome consumers may not have a morally grounded framework, but it holds merit if evaluated on the basis of its consequences.

This disparity between corporate action and intent leads to an inter-

ic growth? If the trend that multinational companies have begun to adopt continues to burgeon, libertarians and conservative economics may no longer be able to victimize the lower-income population as a growth inhibitor.

In a recent op-ed in the New York Times, Paul Krugman defended a “trickle-up” theorem, where he concedes that some inequality may be necessary for market economics to function. The “up” aspect of this theorem emphasizes how Ameri-

If the trend multinational companies have begun to adopt continues to burgeon, libertarians and conservative economics may no longer be able to victimize the lower income population as a growth inhibitor. warmer for India’s smaller, private hospitals, General Electric may want to ruminate on Damodrana’s seemingly obvious insight.

While multinational companies used to hold little interest in the lower-end consumer markets in less affluent nations, they have realized that “99” is far greater than “1.” Though macroeconomics favors these companies’ efforts, at the micro-level, these firms face challenges. General Electric, for example, has experienced difficulty both

esting discussion about economic theory. Tensions between libertarian economics and left-leaning politicians can be generalized as a difference in priorities. Should we fight to reduce inequality at the bottom or promote growth at the top? The push-pull arguments in this policy debate have created a partisan impasse.

So what happens when the lower-income population simultaneously becomes both the ideal consumer and a detractor of econom-

can inequality has become so extreme that wealth redistribution to help the poor may very well increase, instead of inhibit, our economy’s growth rate. Krugman considers food stamp distribution an issue “perennially targeted by conservatives who claim they reduce the incentive to work.” While increasing food stamp distribution has historically undercut work effort, access to food stamps has long-term positive implications. These implications are centralized on children, who have

a greater opportunity to become healthy, productive adults due to food stamp access. Extending and increasing food stamp distribution may induce short-term lethargy, but it has the promise to inspire a generation of children.

Krugman believes “incentives aren’t the only thing that matters for economic growth. Opportunity is also crucial.” As empirical support, Krugman includes a report from Standard and Poor’s that finds the current status of American inequality to be an impediment to growth.

This report held that income imbalances tend to dampen social mobility and result in a less motivated and less educated workforce, thus diminishing future income prospects.

The complete report, “How Increasing Income Inequality is Dampening U.S. Economic Growth, And Possible Ways To Change the Tide,” is on the S&P Global Credit Portal webpage.

While “action” is ordinarily second in chronology to “thought,” the American economic situation may find it fiscally responsible to conversely translate the actions of multinational companies into ideology.

Diana Bai ’16 may be reached at Diana_Bai@brown.edu

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2014

THE

BROWN DAILY HERALD arts & culture At the table with Brandt Heckert Pastiche pastry chef pledges support to local food sourcing, defends love of dark chocolate

By DREW WILLIAMS SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The word “Pastiche” belies a mix — a hodgepodge of sorts — and makes an appropriate appellation for the Federal Hill bakery specializing in cake, cookies, tarts, truffles and more. Yet the combination at the heart of this 30-year Providence powerhouse is not one of textures, flavors or colors — though those are all notable elements of the shop’s success — but rather the bilateral union of baker and chef.

“There’s a lot of science behind baking — you have to be precise. You have to be consistent,” said baker Brandt Heckert, who owns Pastiche with his wife, chef Eileen Collins. “With cooking, you have a lot more leewayIf something is not coming out right you can adjust it as you go.”

As co-owners of a successful bakery, the couple is well-matched — each contributes the skills of his or her respective craft to the business. “I can replicate recipes over and over in the same way and people really appreciate that,” Brandt said. “My wife is a better cook. She’s the creative side.”

The serendipitous duo worked their way up through service industry jobs at local restaurants until an opportunity arose to provide retail desserts to Eileen’s employer at the time.

“Necessity is the mother of invention,” Brandt said. “We both didn’t have career paths, so to speak, so we started getting into the dessert business on a casual basis, and we realized there was something to it.”

With no business plan in mind, the couple incorporated food mania, the coffee craze and the local food movement into their synergetic conclusion — a part-retail, part-cafe space that has drawn sweet-toothed swarms to the heart of Rhode Island’s food mecca, Federal Hill, since 1983.

Brandt sat down with The Herald to discuss baking, eating local and his penchant for both vegetables and chocolate in the latest installment of “At the Table.”

What’s your earliest memory in the kitchen?

My mother was a pretty good cook, and she baked a little bit, so I certainly remember being around her in the kitchen.

Speaking for (Eileen), she used to bake with her grandmother who was Irish, and she remembers her mother making rolls everyday.

What was your go-to college food or meal?

I don’t know because I didn’t go to college. I always ate pretty well; I wasn’t a junk-food junkie. When I was very young out of high school I moved out west to Oregon. There was a sort of hippie craze going on there, so I used to eat a lot of brown rice and vegetables.

What’s your favorite thing to cook and why?

My favorite thing to cook is simple vegetables. I love in-season vegetables cooked in a natural way.

What’s (your) spirit food?

I do appreciate locally raised meats. I don’t eat a lot of meat, but I do appreciate meat, especially the naturally-raised stuff.

What do you think makes Providence a good food city?

I think it’s a combination of its size and proximity to major cities, as well as the college scene. Certainly having Brown, RISD and Johnson and Wales all within the city has been a major influence on the food scene. The students, the faculty and the people associated with the facilities create a market.

How would you describe your food philosophy?

From the beginning, we decided that we would make real desserts. At the time, people were mixing things out of a supermarket bakery or a local bakery that would use mixers for its cake.

They wouldn’t even use real chocolate.

We had trouble convincing people that dark chocolate was at least as good, if not preferable, to milk chocolate.

How does food fit into a larger conversation about culture?

I think now with the conversation about “know your food maker” and local sourcing, people think more about where their food comes from and how important it is to support local growers.

The issue is much more important than 20 years ago, and definitely more than 50 years ago, when things were coming out of cans.

What’s your favorite midnight snack?

A really fantastic piece of dark chocolate.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

Oven-Roasted Vegetables About the recipe: Other vegetables (and herbs) can be substituted or added depending on what type you enjoy or what’s in season. It’s interesting to change the combinations — just use the time and temperature as guidelines.

Ingredients • 1 small butternut squash, cubed • 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed • • • • • • • • •

2 large carrots sliced thick 2 bell peppers (red or green), seeded and diced 3 potatoes, cubed 1 onion, quartered 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 1/4 cup olive oil 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions Preheat oven to 475 degrees F (245 degrees C).

In a large bowl, combine the squash, red bell peppers, sweet potato, and Yukon Gold potatoes. Separate the red onion quarters into pieces, and add them to the mixture.

In a small bowl, stir together thyme, rosemary, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss with vegetables until they are coated. Spread evenly on a large roasting pan.

Roast for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, stirring every 10 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked through and browned.

New & Noteworthy Reads

BY EMMAJEAN HOLLEY, ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR

‘Lila’ | Marilynne Robinson ’66 On an average day, Robinson teaches at the nation’s best writing program, the University of Iowa’s Writer’s Workshop. On her good days, she wins awards like the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and the National Humanities Medal. Robinson’s third novel — a finalist for this year’s National Book Award — returns to the same scruffy, midwestern town where its predecessors, “Housekeeping” and “Gilead,” unfolded. “Lila,” which explores the years around the Dust Bowl in a non-linear manner, tells the fragmentary tale of its eponymous protagonist that partially explains her brief and enigmatic appearances in Robinson’s previous novels. Grounding abstract, theological themes in the gritty realities of poverty and starvation, Robinson follows Lila’s inauspicious beginnings through to a conclusion of redemption, wonder and grace.

‘Being Mortal’ | Atul Gawande As the generation of baby boomers faces the certain inevitabilities of old age, medicine must also confront increasingly salient issues of palliative care, death with dignity and the specter of mortality that looms in the interim. At least, this is the argument espoused by Atul Gawande, a surgeon, MacArthur Fellow and New Yorker staff writer whose widely published works have dissected hot-button health care issues like Ebola, obesity and medical costs.

Through personal anecdotes, case studies and data-driven cultural critique, he calls for health care’s realignment back to more human priorities. Rather than sacrificing the sick and the aged, he raises a more chilling question: “What if the sick and aged are already being sacrificed — victims of our refusal to accept the inexorability of our life cycle?”

Urging patients and doctors alike to come to terms with the frailty and finitude of the body, he outlines why the medical profession should not solely seek to prolong life, but to also enrich it.

‘A Map of Betrayal’ | Ha Jin Jin won the National Book Award and the PEN/Faulkner Award for his 1999 debut novel, “Waiting” — an especially impressive feat as a non-native English speaker. His new book explores these cultural tensions through protagonist Gary Shang, whose upbringing within the framework of Chinese communism now sits uneasily with him in his position as a mole in the American C.I.A. The narrative shifts between Shang, whose loyalties become complicated as he builds a family and home in America, and his daughter, Lilian, as she struggles to piece together her father’s personal and political past. Through layers of deception and doubt, Jin explores what it means to be a liminal figure torn between the tradition from which he is slowly detaching and the new life he is tasked to betray.

‘Not That Kind of Girl’ | Lena Dunham Dunham established herself as a fierce young talent when she wrote, directed and starred in the 2010 film “Tiny Furniture,” — she then went on to create, write and act in the successful HBO series “Girls.” Concurrent with her rise to cultural significance, she has become a polarizing conversation topic. Her supporters praise the spunk and intellectual brazenness with which she addresses issues like gender, relationships and mental illness; her detractors often question the implications of her privileged upbringing on the value of her work; still others declare her the embodiment of today’s solipsistic twenty-something. But, seemingly unfazed by the eight Emmy Award nominations and two Golden Globe Awards by the time she was 28 or the $3.7 million advance Random House reportedly paid her to write her book, Dunham continues to express in her writing the thoughtful confidence that has defined her public persona. Her essays, interspersed among lists, imaginary emails, open letters and open wounds, offer a lighthearted meditation on what it means, for better or for worse, to be unapologetic about oneself. She’s not that kind of girl.