Friday, November 8, 2002

Page 1

F R I D A Y NOVEMBER 8, 2002

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Volume CXXXVII, No. 109

An independent newspaper serving the Brown community since 1891

www.browndailyherald.com

Simmons: U. will build Life Sciences building BY JOANNE PARK

Nick Mark / Herald

Thursday night’s panel discussion in List 120 focused on the results of Tuesday’s national midterm elections. All hope is not lost for the Democratic Party, the panelists said.The event was moderated by Michael Kaufman ’03, left, and Dylan Brown ’03.

Deciphering Election Day 2002 At a Thursday night forum, Professors of Political Science Marion Orr, Wendy Schiller and Darrell West discussed the implications of Tuesday’s GOP sweep in the midterm elections BY PHILISSA CRAMER

The state of politics in the United States isn’t as dire as students think, three political science professors told about 80 students Thursday night in a panel discussion and question-and-answer session. Professors Marion Orr, Wendy Schiller and Darrell West discussed Tuesday’s midterm election results and their implications during an event sponsored by the Brown Political Science Society. The discussion, which was moderated by Michael Kaufman ’03 and Dylan Brown ’03, touched on several of the major races and issues that captivated the nation’s political attention during this election cycle, including the close balance between the Democratic and Republican parties. “If one-half of one percent of votes had shifted, Democrats would control the House and Senate,” said West, director of the A. Alfred Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions. Though the Republican Party gained

Nick Mark / Herald

Professor of Political Science Marion Orr was a panelist at Thursday’s discussion of this week’s congressional elections. control Tuesday of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the panelists agreed the party will still face challenges to its agenda. “There was no Bush mandate in this election according to public opinion,” West said, adding that he expects Bush to try to move quickly to push through policies that were not approved during the recent period of Democratic control. Panelists emphasized the importance of voter turnout in close races like the

ones that defined this election cycle. “If you combine close elections with limited turnout, any swing votes will clear an election,” said Schiller, an associate professor of political science. Providence politics took center stage as panelists discussed the historic election of David Cicilline ’83 as mayor and the success of Green Party member David Segal in his campaign to secure the 1st Ward seat on City Council. West said he does not think age will be a problem for Segal, who at 22 will be the youngest member of the council. “It’s really how you conduct yourself,” he said. Schiller said the moderate stance of the Democratic Party on many issues has positioned the Green Party to make significant inroads in the rest of the country if it sharpens its message. “At least regionally, they have a shot at being a viable second party,” she said. West said he expects Cicilline to become a national figure, pointing out that Providence is now the largest U.S. city with an openly gay mayor. “With (former Mayor) Buddy Cianci being convicted on racketeering charges … people were looking for something completely different,” he said about Providence voters. Orr, a professor of political science, said his favorite memory of this election cycle was attending Cicilline’s victory

The Brown Medical School raised close to $73.2 million in its most recent capital campaign and earmarked more than 20 percent of those funds for construction of the controversial Life Sciences building despite neighborhood opposition. The fundraising drive, chaired by Chancellor Emeritus Artemis Joukowsky ’55, began five years ago in an effort to allocate more resources toward professorships, scholarships, a Life Sciences building and facilities, according to the Brown News Service. “Lots of people stepped up in very significant ways,” said Richard Spies, executive vice president. Joukowsky elicited donations from more than 90 percent of medical students, along with $2.2 million from the faculty, according to the news service. Of the $73.2 million raised, $9.2 million is designated for financial aid and scholarship funds, $16 million will be used for a new Life Sciences building and $1 million see MED SCHOOL, page 4

Student debaters take on Watson faculty, argue U.S. foreign policy BY MONIQUE MENESES

Former members of the Brown Debate Union took on Watson Institute faculty in a Thursday night debate about the United States’ relationship with the International Criminal Court. A blackboard with the words “Students vs. Watson” welcomed audience members to Salomon, where Sean Yom ’03 and Omar Askari ’03, both former presidents of the Brown Debate Union, argued that the United States should be permitted to seek exemption agreements at the International Criminal Court. Watson faculty members Peter Romaniuk GS and Research Associate Jarat Chopra opposed the resolution, to the approval of the audience, which awarded the faculty an informal victory at the debate’s end. Exemption agreements are documents that protect the citizens of a state involved in peacekeeping efforts in another state from being falsely charged with war crimes and being sent to the ICC. In his opening argument, Askari said the United States needs exemption agreements as insurance for its peacekeeping troops and questioned the likelihood that U.S. troops would commit war crimes. He said the “embedded checks and bal-

see ELECTION, page 4 see DEBATE, page 6

I N S I D E F R I D AY, N O V E M B E R 8 , 2 0 0 2 Now playing at Leeds Theatre, ‘The Green Bird’ dazzles with song and dance review,page 3

New student brass quintet gives life to a new lively sound at University page 5

Medical School Senate passes resolutions on future restructuring of the school page 5

TO D AY ’ S F O R E C A S T Jaideep Singh ’03 says Bush gives new levels of support to corporate America column, page11

Football looks to pick up its first win of the season, playing host this Saturday to Yale column, page 15

partly cloudy high 58 low 44


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.