T U E S D A Y FEBRUARY 1, 2005
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD Volume CXL, No. 5
WINTER SEASON SPECIAL
SPORTS EXTRA
8 - PA G E P U L L - O U T INSIDE
DON’T MONKEY AROUND Michal Zapendowski ’07: Who’s dumber? Bush or the Radical-Left Bush-bashers? OPINIONS
7
TODAY
TOMORROW
mostly sunny 36 / 17
mostly sunny 37 / 21
Some Class F parties move back to lounges BY STEPHANIE CLARK FEATURES EDITOR
After the nearly complete removal of Class F parties from fraternity houses at the beginning of last semester, more fraternities are taking steps to enforce University policy and state law more diligently in order to bring their parties back to Wriston Quadrangle. The stricter enforcement of fire codes, which began last semester, caused many Class F parties that were formerly held in fraternity house lounges to be moved to campus spaces such as Sayles Hall or Leung Gallery. Better preparation and more diligent party management have enabled some Class F parties to move back into lounge spaces. A Class F party is one that serves alcohol and charges admission. These events generally attract more attendees than other types of parties. While the University’s policy has not changed significantly since the beginning of the fall semester, fraternities are finding ways to follow the strict occupancy rules in their smaller lounge spaces. Phi Kappa Psi threw a successful Class F party in Sears House Friday night, according to former president and current social chair Xander Boutelle ’05. By preparing thoroughly, increasing security and keeping a strict head count during the party, the fraternity was able to throw an in-house Class F party in accordance with all Rhode Island law as well as University policy, Boutelle said. The Department of Public Safety was a big help in managing the crowd and keeping things under control, he said. In the past, DPS only came to fraternity parties in problem situations, whereas officers are now available as a source of support to the fraternity if needed, according to Boutelle. The primary reason Class F parties were moved to other campus buildings was a laxity in enforcing occupancy limits. Party attendance cannot legally exceed the post-
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ed occupancy limit at any given time, which is around 125 in most fraternity houses. When throwing any type of party, “It’s every house’s responsibility to make sure the party is kept at capacity,” said Chris Guhin ’05, Greek Council Chair and a member of Alpha Delta Phi. The brothers of Phi Kappa Psi did not make as much money on Friday night as they have with previous Class F parties, because they had to turn away a large number of people at the door, Boutelle said. “But it was by far worth it to have (the party) in the house,” even with the lower revenue, he said. According to Boutelle, as long as students adopt an “energetic and professional” attitude towards throwing parties, they will continue to thrive. Friday’s party made use of a coatroom so partygoers would not have to stand outside in the cold while waiting to enter. It is this sort of “innovative approach” that will enable Class F parties to remain in
fraternity houses, Boutelle said. Many fraternity and sorority parties are small and invitation-only. Alpha Epsilon Pi organizers usually prefer these to larger Class F parties, said AEPi president Rob Lazerow. “It’s more fun for us to throw smaller parties with our friends,” he said. “They’re easier to manage.” AEPi held its annual Class F party “Body Chemistry” earlier this year in Sayles Hall for the first time, a change that necessitated some extra planning, Lazerow said. The fraternity is planning on having the party according to schedule next year as well. “If we’re able to throw it in our building, that’s our preference,” Lazerow said, but if they are unable to do so, they will refine planning strategies from this year and hold it in a campus building again. In the meantime, the fraternity will continue to hold invitational parties that don’t see CLASS F, page 5
Juliana Wu / Herald
Fraternities such as Alpha Epsilon Pi continue to throw invitational cocktail parties in their lounge.
City councilman wants Hope High split into charter schools BY ROBBIE COREY-BOULET METRO EDITOR
As Rhode Island Education Commissioner Peter McWalters prepares to rule Friday on whether to approve state intervention at Providence’s troubled Hope High School, one local politician says he wants city leaders to “think METRO like visionaries” as they try to turn conditions at the school around. Ward 7 City Councilman John Igliozzi forwarded a proposal to local community and educational leaders in December, calling for the city to demolish Hope’s current building and sell its 18 acres of surrounding property. The state could then use the profits to construct three small, independent charter schools, he said. This plan entails the formation of public-private partnerships with Brown, Johnson and Wales University and the Rhode Island School of Design. These private institutions — which Igliozzi called “the cream of the crop” in their respective disciplines — would each design a curriculum and operate one of the charter schools, overseeing approximately 400 to 500 students, Igliozzi said. Brown would manage a general education high school, RISD would develop an Editorial: 401.351.3372 Business: 401.351.3269
arts program and Johnson and Wales would control a school to specialize in vocational training. Both RISD and Johnson and Wales contacted Igliozzi after receiving his proposal, and he said he hopes to meet with these schools in the coming weeks. Administrators at Johnson and Wales have been “very receptive,” he said, while RISD President Roger Mandle has been “willing to listen.” Igliozzi said he is hoping Brown will contact him to schedule a meeting, though the University has yet to do so. So far, Brown has been “a little reluctant to engage,” Igliozzi said. Mark Nickel, director of the Brown News Service, said the University has not taken a position on Igliozzi’s proposal. Brown “should be more than happy to participate,” Igliozzi said. Such an effort would underscore a larger commitment to improving educational conditions in Providence as well as bolstering the city’s economic growth, he said. Mandle told The Herald that RISD has been actively involved in education efforts at Hope for “a number of years” and has met with McWalters to discuss ways to “ramp up our investment of people to help solve the Hope situation.” But, he said, RISD will probably not
choose to oversee a charter school. “We just are not in a position to take over the management of Hope High School in any respect,” Mandle said. “We can be allies, we can be supporters, but we cannot manage any or all of Hope High School.” Mandle added that he has been in touch with administrators at Brown and at Johnson and Wales concerning Igliozzi’s plan. He said he believes they share RISD’s position regarding the proposal. “I know that Brown is already actively involved with Hope in a number of ways,” he said. “We’re all trying to do what we can.” Public-private partnerships would greatly benefit the Providence school district, which currently serves approximately 28,000 students, Igliozzi said. “It is imperative … that these children see proper education in order to continue the financial and economic health of the whole state of Rhode Island,” he said. Igliozzi said he agrees with many community leaders who contend that the Providence School Department’s attempts to address Hope’s problems internally have not produced satisfactory results.
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see HOPE, page 4
Rush extended to six weeks Houses want more time to meet prospective members BY ALEX BARSK SENIOR STAFF WRITER
Rush period for fraternities and co-ed houses has been extended from five to six weeks this year to allow prospective members greater flexibility in choosing housing. Rush began Friday with the first fraternity party of the semester, at Phi Kappa Psi, and will last until March 8, when bids and signed room contracts for fraternity, sorority and program houses are due to the Office of Residential Life. “We wanted to give people more time so that they don’t feel pressured about having to decide so quickly,” said Daniela Amores ’05, Greek Council vice chair and member of Kappa Alpha Theta. “Now they have more flexibility in choosing whether to join a house or to enter the housing lottery with their friends.” During the rush period each house is allowed to hold five formal events, which are registered with Greek Council — three on weekdays, which are mandatory nonalcoholic, and two on weekends. Greek Council regulates the dates and times of these events so they don’t overlap and so rushes have the opportunity to attend open houses and parties held by several different houses, Amores said. “I think the extra week’s going to have a beneficial effect because it allows us to spread out rush a bit more. It’s usually a hectic month. This takes a lot of pressure off of everybody,” said Maxine Jackson ’05, president of Zeta Delta Xi, a co-ed fraternity. “It gives us another week to have more unofficial events at the house, to get to know the people who’ve been by quite a bit. It’ll become more about getting to know them better, rather than getting people in the door, so that we can make a good decision,” she said. Jamie Sholem ’06, president of Sigma see RUSH, page 5
Ivy Room closed until Wednesday The Ivy Room, Brown’s popular vegetarian dining option, will be closed until Wednesday. A maintenance problem that requires workers to drill into the establishment’s walls is the cause of the temporary closure, according to an e-mail forwarded to The Herald by Annie Hatch ’06, a supervisor at the Ivy Room. Until Wednesday, many students — vegetarians included — are willing to hold their breaths and perhaps even venture to the Gate or Josiah’s. “The Ivy Room is a critical part of my life,” said Whitney Snyder ’08, a vegetarian. “But I guess I’ll have to find different options for now.” Representatives of Brown Dining Services were unwilling to comment on specific reasons for the closure. -Stephen Narain News tips: herald@browndailyherald.com