Tuesday, February 7, 2006

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2006

Volume CXLI, No. 10

www.browndailyherald.com

An independent newspaper serving the Brown community since 1891

EMILY LISTS ELIZABETH In quest to become R.I.’s first female lt. governor, Elizabeth Roberts ’78 secures key pro-choice endorsement METRO 3

RANKING ENVY Rajiv Jayadevan ’09 challenges Brown’s national ranking and turns to President Simmons for answers OPINIONS 7

FROZEN ROAD W. icers slip from first in ECACHL, keep Ivy lead with two road ties over the weekend SPORTS 8

TODAY

TOMORROW

sunny 39 / 20

mostly sunny 34 / 19

Students like Simmons and arming, oppose pluses/minuses

BY BEN LEUBSDORF METRO EDITOR

Students largely oppose the recent proposal to include pluses and minuses in the University’s grading system, according to a poll conducted last week by The Herald.

Only 24.6 percent of respondents said they liked the idea of adding pluses and minuses to the curriculum immediately, versus 70 percent who disapproved.

47.8 percent of respondents strongly disapproved of the proposal, versus only 7.5 percent who strongly approved of it.

Those responses shifted only slightly when students were asked if they liked the idea of adding pluses and minuses only for future classes to enter Brown: 27.4 percent approved of that idea, while 63.6 percent disapproved.

Sixty percent of Brown undergraduates support the recent arming of Department of Public Safety police officers, which took place Jan. 11 after a two-year process of preparation and training. Arming met with strong approval from 18.9 percent of students, and another 41.1 said they somewhat approved of it. Only 30.7 percent of respondents disapproved of the move.

Students’ opinions on arming seem to have undergone a dramatic shift since April 2003, when 56.1 percent of students opposed the idea, according to a Herald poll conducted at the time. 34.1 percent of students supported arming in that poll, which was conducted using a different method than the current poll and had a 7 percent margin of error.

Of the 38 percent of respondents who said they receive financial aid from Brown, 62 percent said they were very or somewhat

satisfied with their aid packages, while 36.9 percent said they were very or somewhat dissatisfied.

Students overwhelmingly approved of President Ruth Simmons — 86.7 percent of respondents said they approved of the way she is doing her job, while only 4.9 percent disapproved.

Brown students were also enthusiastic about Providence: 19.8 percent of respondents said they loved the city, and another 54.4 percent said they liked it. 19.2 percent said they had mixed feelings about the Renaissance City, while 3 percent said they disliked it and 2.3 percent said they hated it.

Student support for the Undergraduate Council of Students was more modest. Last week UCS reshuffled its executive board in the wake of the departure of three senior members, including former President Brian Bidadi ’06, who is on medical leave.

53.5 percent of respondents said they approve of the job UCS has done this academic year, but 34.5 percent said they did not have an opinion about UCS, a much higher percentage of null responses than found on any other question on the poll. 12 percent of respondents said they disapprove of UCS’ performance.

The poll also provided a snapshot of the political makeup of Brown’s left-leaning campus. 62.8 percent of respondents said they consider themselves Democrats, versus only 5 percent who said they are Republicans. 4.8 percent identified with the Green Party and 20.3 percent identified as Independents or as members of another party.

The poll, conducted from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3, has a 4.6 percent margin of error.

POLL RESULTS Regardless of how you may vote, what do you usually consider yourself – a Republican, a Democrat, a Green, an Independent or some other party?

Republican: 5.0% Democrat: 62.8% Green: 4.8% Independent and Other: 20.3% NA: 7.1% In general, how do you feel about the city of Providence?

Love it: 19.8% Like it: 54.4% Mixed feelings about it: 19.2% Dislike it: 3.0% Hate it: 2.3% NA: 1.3% Do you approve or disapprove of the way Ruth Simmons is handling her job as president?

Strongly Approve: 51.4% Somewhat Approve: 35.3% Somewhat Disapprove: 4.5% Strongly Disapprove: 0.4% NA: 8.3% Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Undergraduate Council of Students (UCS) has handled its job so far this academic year (2005-06)?

Strongly Approve: 9.4% Somewhat Approve: 44.1% Somewhat Disapprove: 9.4% Strongly Disapprove: 2.6% NA: 34.5% Do you approve or disapprove of the University’s decision to arm Brown police officers?

Strongly Approve: 18.9% Somewhat Approve: 41.1% Somewhat Disapprove: 18.7% Strongly Disapprove: 12.0% NA: 9.3% If it went into effect this semester, would you approve or disapprove of a proposal to include pluses and minuses in grading?

Strongly Approve: 7.5% Somewhat Approve: 17.1% Somewhat Disapprove: 22.2% Strongly Disapprove: 47.8% NA: 5.5% If it went into effect only for future classes to enter Brown, would you approve or disapprove of a proposal to include pluses and minuses in grading?

Strongly Approve: 8.9% Somewhat Approve: 18.5% Somewhat Disapprove: 24.7% Strongly Disapprove: 38.9% NA: 8.9% Do you receive financial aid from Brown?

Yes: 38.0% No: 60.3%

NA: 1.7%

If yes, how would you rate your satisfaction with your aid package?

Very Satisfied: 31.3% Somewhat Satisfied: 30.7% Somewhat Dissatisfied: 19.3% Very Dissatisfied: 17.6% NA: 1.1% Editorial: 401.351.3372 Business: 401.351.3260

Jean Yves Chainon / Herald

Michael Lomax, president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund, spoke last night for Brown’s 10th Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture in Salomon 101.

Lomax pushes for student activism to remedy social inequality

BY JEAN YVES CHAINON STAFF WRITER

In last night’s 10th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Lecture, Michael Lomax expressed his hope that “the real development that comes with education” will disrupt a “cycle of poverty” that exists in contemporary American society.

Lomax, who delivered a talk titled “Coming of Age With King” in Salomon 101, touched on gains blacks have experienced as a result of the civil rights movement as well as continuing evidence of social inequality.

Since 2004, Lomax has been the president and CEO of the United Negro College Fund, the country’s most successful black higher education assistance organization.

Though he never met King, Lomax was able to pay his respects to the civil rights leader when he visited King’s coffin after his assassination in 1968. Lomax’s speech

emphasized the importance of figures like King in creating substantial improvements for black Americans, underscoring “how profoundly they changed America for black people for the better.”

Lomax recalled seeing “colored waiting rooms and lunch counters in the bus terminals” during his first visit to Texas before the civil rights movement generated significant social gains for blacks. “We were brutalized and intimidated by the police … whose mere appearance on the scene was cause for alarm,” Lomax said. “We could not vote, we could not hold public office.”

Texas and other southern states would become the focal points of anti-segregation protests in the 1960s, he said.

Fundamental freedoms that some might take for granted “all stand today as testament to the success of Dr. King,” Lomax said. see LOMAX, page 4

Off-campus permissions to decrease for next year

Will return to normal level after large senior class graduates

BY KYLE MCGOURTY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The number of students permitted to live off campus next year will decrease from this year’s total, according to Senior Associate Dean of Residential Life Richard Bova. Thus far, the Office of Residential Life has received 1,027 applications and expects to receive 300 more, but will only accept around 1,075 applications.

For the 2005-2006 school year, 1,227 students are living off campus. According

to ResLife, the downturn in the number of students who are permitted to live off campus is not abnormal. The class of 2006 is the biggest class currently at Brown, which explains the large off-campus population. The number of students living off campus next year, Bova said, will return to what has been standard for the past six years.

Still, David Greene, vice president for campus life and student services, said he see HOUSING, page 5

ABOUT THE POLL Written questionnaires were administered to 461 undergraduates in the Registrar’s Office in University Hall during the first full week of shopping period, from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3. The poll has a margin of error of 4.6 percent with 95 percent confidence, with the exception of question nine — satisfaction with financial aid — which has a margin of error of 7.3 percent with 95 percent confidence.

The sample population closely matched the undergraduate population on campus as a whole. The poll’s sample was 50.5 percent male and 49.2 percent female. 28.3 percent of respondents were firstyears, 27.7 percent were sophomores, 18.9 percent were juniors and 25.1 percent were seniors. The lower percentage of juniors in the poll is likely due to the relatively high number of juniors studying away from campus. 38 percent of respondents said they were on financial aid, while 60.3 percent said they were not. The racial/ethnic breakdown was as follows: 70.3 percent white, 8.2 percent black, 8.7 percent Hispanic, 19.1 percent Asian, 1.1 percent American Indian and 0.9 percent Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Respondents could choose to select more than one race or ethnicity.

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THIS MORNING THE BROWN DAILY HERALD · TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2006 · PAGE 2 Jero Matt Vascellaro

TO D AY ’ S E V E N TS BLOOD DRIVE 11 a.m., (Sayles Hall) — Health Services and Rhode Island Blood Center are sponsoring a blood drive.

INTRO TO PHOTOSHOP 6:30 p.m., (CIT 269) — PASS is sponsoring a workshop to teach students how to use Photoshop.

NATIONAL BLACK HIV/AIDS AWARENESS DAY 6 p.m., (Columbus Theatre) — In honor of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, Miriam Hospital and the Brown University AIDS Program are sponsoring two short films titled “Women Like You” and “Hope for the Future.”

FAST FOOD FACTS INFO SESSION 8 p.m., (Blue Room) — Students participating in Fast Food Facts, a Swearer Center program, teach local kids about the importance of healthy eating habits.

MENU SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH — Fried Fish Sandwich with Tartar Sauce, Parslied Rice, Marinated Artichoke Veggie Melange, Pancakes, French Toast, Paprika Potatoes, Grilled Sausage Patties, Hard Boiled Eggs, Chocolate Cake with White Frosting, Cherry Tarts with Bavarian Cream DINNER — Beef Stir Fry, Sticky Rice, Ginger Sugar Snap Peas and Carrots, Whole Beets, Honey Batter Bread, Ice Cream Sundae Bar

Chocolate Covered Cotton Mark Brinker

Deo Daniel Perez

VERNEY-WOOLLEY DINING HALL LUNCH — Vegetarian Spinach and Mushroom Soup, Chicken and Rice Soup, Beef Stew, Tomato Quiche, Italian Vegetable Saute, Cherry Tarts with Bavarian Cream

DINNER — Vegetarian Spinach and Mushroom Soup, Chicken and Rice Soup, Baked Parmesan Chicken, Vegan BBQ Tempeh, Rice Pilaf with Zucchini, Broccoli Cuts, Roasted Spaghetti Squash, Honey Batter Bread, Chocolate Cake with White Frosting

Cappuccino Monday Christine Sunu

RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, February 7, 2006

CR O S Daily SWO RD Los Angeles Times Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis ACROSS 1 Madison Ave. figure 6 Like something that could go either way 10 Matured 14 Pee Wee of the Dodgers 15 Geometry calculation 16 Italia’s capital 17 __ nothing 18 Target 19 Field goal attempt 20 Tanning beams 23 “I’ll take that as __” 24 Pencil game loser 25 Get really hot 27 Throat tissue 29 Kind of lily 32 “Sprechen __ Deutsch?”

33 Ugandan tyrant 35 Table tennis word 36 Cause an implosion, perhaps 39 Singer Winans 40 Plasterlike canvas coatings 41 ASAP kin 42 Allot, with “out” 43 Necklace fasteners 47 Type of angle 49 Manage moguls 50 First-aid paraphernalia 51 Speak not so softly 56 Choice cut 57 Chicken cordon __ 58 Violinist Mischa 59 “Well, __ that special!”

60 Proclivity 61 Copy, for short 62 Body shop calcs.

63 Soaks (up) 64 Toys on strings DOWN 1 Ark’s landing point

2 Part of FDR 3 Trust 4 Those, in Tijuana 5 Blonde aid?

6 “No you’re not!” retort 7 Herr’s mate 8 Spore-producing plant 9 Shaggy Tibetans 10 Alan of “Catch22” 11 Happenings 12 Hosting the show 13 U.S. territory divided in 1889 21 New England fall spectacle 22 Virginia meat 26 Gas pump spec.

28 Small, medium or large 29 Get a smile out of 30 Reformer Jacob 31 Opens with a combination 34 Provide a fake alibi for, e.g.

35 Tower town 36 Blood drive organizer 37 Familiarize (with) 38 Labor day event?

39 Tax prep. expert 42 Enero or julio 44 Like a revealing bathing suit 45 Rogue

46 Shorthand pros 48 Hues 49 “There’s a Wocket in My Pocket!” author 52 Falls back 53 Mixed bag 54 Twice-monthly tide 55 Topping in a tub 56 Tell it like it isn’t

Goldfish Dreams Allison Moore

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

Homebodies Mirele Davis

xwordeditor@aol.com

2/7/06

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2/7/06

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CAMPUS NEWS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD · TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2006 · PAGE 3

Roberts ’78 seeks to become R.I.’s first female lt. governor

BY ROBIN STEELE STAFF WRITER

Five-time State Sen. Elizabeth Roberts ’78, who plans to run for the office of lieutenant governor in November, secured an endorsement METRO in December 2005 from the political network EMILY’s List, an organization that supports pro-choice Democratic women running for office.

Though she has not formally announced her candidacy, Roberts has filed papers to fundraise for her lieutenant governor campaign. Roberts has chosen to wait to announce her candidacy publicly in late spring, when her legislative responsibilities wind down, she said.

She will be the running mate of current Lt. Gov. Charles Fogarty, who will challenge Republican incumbent Gov. Donald Carcieri ’65.

However, Rhode Island is one of 18 states in which the governor and lieutenant governor run separately, so one might lose even if the other wins. Roberts faces no serious opposition in the Democratic primary and will face Republican businessman Kernan King in the fall.

From Virginia to College Hill Roberts, 48, grew up in McLean, Va., about eight miles from CIA headquarters in neighboring Langley, where she went to high school.

Roberts said watching the Watergate hearings in high

school government class and taking field trips to attend the hearings on Capitol Hill gave her an opportunity to see how government works. In spite of her early interest in government, Roberts did not really consider becoming a politician while growing up, in part because there were very few women in office at the time, she said.

Roberts, who was a human biology concentrator at Brown, was not involved in student government, instead choosing to focus on her schoolwork. She cited two classes as particularly influential during her time at Brown: a huge introductory biology lecture and a colonial American history class taught by Professor of History Gordon Wood.

“One reason I love government is you are always analyzing and tackling new problems and trying to find solutions. I think a lot of my enjoyment and skill at those things I learned at Brown,” Roberts said.

After Brown, Roberts went to work at Pawtucket Memorial Hospital and commuted to Boston at night to work toward her MBA from Boston University.

At 39, Roberts ran in her first election, and was elected to the state Senate. She cited Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., who was at one point the state senator from her district, as a significant influence.

“I really respect and admire (Reed’s) willingness to work very hard to do two things: understand issues and propose solutions, and work hard to … bring people see ROBERTS, page 4

Off-campus housing permission a complex process for students returning in spring

BY JENNIFER PARK CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Though many students complain about Brown’s housing application process at some point during their undergraduate career, the process can be particularly complicated for students who have left the University for the fall semester and apply for off-campus permission in the spring.

Students who try to get offcampus housing mid-year tend to have a “fairly unique experience,” said Brendan Hargreaves ’06, chair of Residential Council, a student advisory group to the Office of Residential Life.

The off-campus housing application states that “offcampus permission is granted for one academic year at a time.”

However, some exceptions are made for students with unique circumstances, including financial hardships or medical issues, according to Richard Bova, senior associate dean of Residential Life.

ResLife “can’t effectively plan the residence hall population if permission is offered two times a year,” Bova said. In an attempt to attain “100 percent occupancy,” Bova said ResLife tries to make use of all housing that becomes available in the spring.

Edward McCarthy ’07, who studied abroad in Copenhagen last semester, applied for offcampus permission for the spring but did not receive it. After he had a friend submit his application in early November, he e-mailed ResLife several times about his chances of getting off-campus housing in the spring. McCarthy claimed he received no response to his first e-mail and only a vague response to his second.

Finally, on Dec. 5, McCarthy received an e-mail from Housing Officer Chad Mank, granting him off-campus permission for Fall 2006 but saying nothing about his request for the spring semester.

In another e-mail exchange, McCarthy learned from Mank that he would probably not get off-campus permission for Spring 2006.

One of McCarthy’s major qualms about the situation was that he did not receive a concrete answer regarding his chances of getting off-campus permission for the spring soon enough. A friend of McCarthy’s had offered to sublet a room to him, but he could not commit to taking the room because his chances of being granted off-campus permission were unclear.

McCarthy also took issue with ResLife’s policy of only emailing students who receive off-

campus permission and not emailing those whose requests are denied. The off-campus housing application states, “Students will only be contacted if their applications are approved.”

Bova said the policy is in place to prevent complicated scenarios, such as ResLife notifying students that they were not granted off-campus permission and later reversing the decision.

If students “don’t hear from us, they have to assume that they don’t have off-campus permission,” Bova said. “If students have questions, they can write to us.”

Kate Whalen ’07 spent her fall semester studying in Barcelona.

She had applied for and received off-campus permission for her junior year, but her permission was revoked when she decided to study abroad during the fall.

The off-campus housing application states, “Students who take a leave of absence or study abroad for the Fall 2006 semester, after receiving off campus permission, will have their permission cancelled. Students who re-enroll for Spring 2007 must reapply for off-campus permission during the Fall 2006 semester.

Note: We cannot guarantee that off-campus permission will be see OFF-CAMPUS, page 5

PAGE 4 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2006

Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the digits 1 through 9.

Solution, tips and computer program at www.sudoku.com.

Lomax

Roberts

continued from page 1

continued from page 3

Though the civil rights movement “removed the legal barriers and opened doors” in many areas, Lomax said contemporary America often neglects lower middle-class blacks, including the unemployed, low-income workers, single parents and elders.

The ramifications of this social inequality can “only (be) seen when we take off our blinders or when a strong wind blows through, like Hurricane Katrina,” he said.

Lomax briefly touched upon messages targeted particularly at black communities, such as in hiphop music, that apparently “don’t encourage social activism or formal education,” though he admitted he was relatively ignorant of this area of culture.

He lamented that the educational gap between white and non-white students is widening. Lomax encouraged Brown students to “reflect” and “think about what we can do in our own individual lives” to spark collective social gains. He refrained from advocating a specific type of activism, instead reiterating that “there is an imperative to be engaged.”

“I hope you all are the salvation, and we’re counting on you,” he said.

together around the solution,” she said.

Roberts said she is excited for the chance to become lieutenant governor of her adopted state.

“I’m looking forward to being able to look at my (daughters) and say, ‘You know, you can do this too,’” she said. “We’ve never had a lieutenant governor (or governor) before who was a woman.”

A woman in politics Since announcing its endorsement of Roberts, EMILY’S List has her with candidate training, covering everything from field organization to dealing with the media. EMILY’s List also sent a staffer to the Rhode Island Democratic Party to assist Roberts as she got her campaign started, she said.

While EMILY’s List does not fundraise directly for lieutenant governor candidates, the endorsement is a vote of confidence in Roberts.

“Getting the endorsement so early in the campaign cycle is a big boost to my campaign, in terms of their recognition that I’m ready to go and I’m organized,” she said.

Roberts said she has not felt

daunted in the male-dominated state Senate, but said she dislikes how the Senate works largely in the evenings, preventing her from spending time at home with her children. But being a female politician can work to her advantage on the campaign trail.

“People are very open and when a woman knocks on their door — there isn’t a hesitation to open the door and talk to you,” Roberts said.

Roberts said most of the money she has raised so far has come from individual donors rather than political action committees. According to reports filed with the Rhode Island Board of Elections, as of the fourth quarter of 2005, Roberts has a cash balance of $216,636.16 in her state Senate campaign fund. Her potential opponent in the lieutenant governor race, King, has a balance of $59,219.19.

King pointed out that he is off to a very good start, having only started fundraising in November 2005. “(Roberts) has been at it a lot longer than I have,” he said.

Impetus for running Much of Roberts’ attention in the Senate has been focused on health care issues, such as affordable health insurance, youth obesity and smoking.

She led the charge to reform Blue Cross and Blue Shield two years ago and has worked on reforming the nursing home industry in Rhode Island.

“I think figuring out how we stay as healthy as we can is a huge part of dealing with the health issues that we face,” Roberts said.

Roberts said her decision to run for lieutenant governor was based on two things: the desire to address issues on a statewide platform and the greater independence the position has to offer, as the lieutenant governor does not need to deal with fellow legislators in the Senate.

“I sometimes think about it as being almost like a think tank where you can be an advocate for Rhode Islanders and the problems that they face and the problems that politicians often don’t want to take on, because they’re complicated,” Roberts said.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2006 THE BROWN DAILY HERALD PAGE 5

Off-campus continued from page 3 available for the spring semester.”

Whalen also applied for offcampus permission for the spring semester and was eventually granted permission after a great deal of persistence. She went through the entire application process and, like McCarthy, did not receive a concrete answer regarding whether she would be granted off-campus permission after e-mailing ResLife in December.

Whalen received an e-mail from ResLife in late January assigning her to a room in Minden Hall. She was troubled to receive this e-mail because she knew of others who had been granted off-campus housing for the spring semester.

According to Whalen, some of her peers were calling family friends who had connections with ResLife. “Strings were being pulled,” she said.

Whalen eventually received off-campus permission after

Housing continued from page 1 would like to see more students choose to remain in on-campus housing for all four years. As of right now, about 80 percent of undergraduates live in on-campus housing. Greene cited on-campus housing percentages well above Brown’s at Yale, Princeton and Harvard universities. Harvard, for example, keeps 97 percent of its students on campus.

Greene mentioned several benefits of living on campus that he believes many students do not recognize. Foremost, according to Greene, is a student’s safety, which Brown can only effectively monitor if the student lives on campus. Greene also believes students in on-campus housing are more likely to take advantage of campus-wide events. One result of upperclassmen living off campus is a paucity of leadership positions filled by upperclassmen.

As a result, Greene continued, more sophomores are filling positions traditionally reserved for experienced upperclassmen.

Many students see this issue in a different light.

“Some students who went to boarding school for high school are eager to move off campus,” said Chair of Residential Council

her mother called ResLife and explained her daughter’s situation to the staff.

Whalen echoed McCarthy’s sentiments regarding ResLife’s policies for contacting students and also complained about the vagueness surrounding her application’s status. However, she did have some sympathy for ResLife.

“I did regain faith in the system after my experience because I saw that ResLife was willing to listen,” Whalen said.

Bova said ResLife has thought about banning students from applying for off-campus permission mid-year, but acknowledged that different situations arise in students’ lives that can justify a move off campus.

Students who have returned from studying abroad and are living on campus in the spring have also experienced hardships.

Whalen said friends who were in this situation did not receive their on-campus housing assignments until a few days before they had to move back on campus.

Brendan Hargreaves ’06. Students have different motivations for moving off campus, but a primary one is the desire for more freedom, he said. “It’s difficult to police people who live off campus,” Hargreaves said.

But this can lead to other complications. “With freedom comes new responsibilities, such as paying your utilities bill,” said Daniel Beswick ’06. A car was stolen from Beswick’s off-campus house over winter break. In the process, the thief left the door to the house open, “so our pipes froze,” he added.

For the most part, Beswick and his housemates have had good relations with their neighbors. In a video that is required viewing for all students moving off campus, a local resident is quoted saying, “I can hear at night everything anyone says in the street.” The video emphasizes community respect and responsibility. Providence Mayor David Cicilline ’83 reminds students that they represent the University in “our community.”

In 2005, the University initiated a Housing Task Force to explore expanding on-campus housing opportunities, such as apartments and suites, Greene said. As of now, there are 4,650 beds on campus, but Greene hopes to increase that number to keep students on campus.

Bova said, “By waiting until the last possible minute, we can give the best match for students who are returning to campus in the spring. Sometimes, you can get a better room by waiting. … It may appear that we are slow, but we’re actually pretty methodical.”

Bova said about 15 off-campus spaces opened up within a 14-day span in January.

“Students keep dropping out of housing continually. They change their mind all the time. It is a very difficult process to manage at times,” he said.

M. track continued from page 8 Tabib ’07, Luke Renick ’08 and Dallas Dissmore ’06 finished in 3:20.16, winning its heat and finishing 10th overall. “(Pruzinsky) would have been a great leg,” Lake said.

“But it was good to see … other men step it up.”

The Bears also sent athletes to the University of Rhode Island’s Mega Meet on Saturday. The Bears’s reduced squad eked out 64 points, good for fourth place.

Steve Chaloner ’09 took second in the 3,000-meter run with a personal best 8:35. Matt Jasmin ’09 claimed runner-up honors with his 7.92 in the 55meter hurdles.

EDITORIAL/LETTERS THE BROWN DAILY HERALD · TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2006 · PAGE 6

STAFF EDITORIAL

Gimme shelter In describing Brown to prospective applicants, the University’s Web site portrays a community that functions best when its students live on campus. Indeed, this “broad and varied oncampus, residential experience affords the best opportunity to introduce undergraduate students” to political activism, artistic expression and community service. The Office of Residential Life makes a similar case for the benefits of student interaction, yet several of its current policies and practices seem to detract from the very sense of community it strives to establish.

The decision to commit to four years of life in University residence halls carries with it a certain element of uncertainty — one that makes off-campus housing a logical alternative.

Brown guarantees housing to undergraduates despite the fact only 4,650 on-campus beds are available, according to David Greene, vice president of campus life and student services. The undergraduate student body totals more than 5,500.

Granted, students study abroad, take leaves of absence or simply prefer to live on their own, reducing the actual number of students on campus at any given time. Still, we believe the University should re-double efforts to make the on-campus housing option a more appealing one for upperclassmen.

Several factors compel juniors and seniors to leave the residence halls. Though they are guaranteed housing and have seniority in the lottery, getting the room they want is by no means certain. Beyond simply trying to avoid stress associated with the lottery process, students seek housing elsewhere because it is simply cheaper. Living in many of the more desirable locations on campus — those that include furnished common space or possibly a kitchen — requires coughing up a $1,000 fee. This additional charge hinders the University from competing with off-campus housing options, particularly for the large portion of students already squeezed by high tuition rates.

We couldn’t agree more with Greene’s assertion that an increase in students living on campus could deepen the diversity of perspectives undergraduates bring to extracurricular activities and campus-wide events. When students move off campus, they often become disconnected from vital elements of campus life.

Upperclassmen should take leadership positions in student organizations, allowing them to draw on their years of experience at the University and give back to a community that has surely enriched their own lives.

We can’t expect the University to substantially increase the volume of appealing housing for upperclassmen at the drop of a hat. But if ResLife intends to fulfill its mission, it must encourage students to stay on campus by eliminating or at least diminishing the barriers to living comfortably at Brown.

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD EDITORIAL Robbie Corey-Boulet, Editor-in-Chief Justin Elliott, Executive Editor Ben Miller, Executive Editor Stephanie Clark, Senior Editor Katie Lamm, Senior Editor Jonathan Sidhu, Arts & Culture Editor Jane Tanimura, Arts & Culture Editor Stu Woo, Campus Watch Editor Mary-Catherine Lader, Features Editor Ben Leubsdorf, Metro Editor Anne Wootton, Metro Editor Eric Beck, News Editor Patrick Harrison, Opinions Editor Nicholas Swisher, Opinions Editor Stephen Colelli, Sports Editor Christopher Hatfield, Sports Editor Justin Goldman, Asst. Sports Editor Jilane Rodgers, Asst. Sports Editor Charlie Vallely, Asst. Sports Editor PRODUCTION Allison Kwong, Design Editor Taryn Martinez, Copy Desk Chief Lela Spielberg, Copy Desk Chief Mark Brinker, Graphics Editor Joe Nagle, Graphics Editor

Jean Yves Chainon, Photo Editor Jacob Melrose, Photo Editor Ashley Hess, Sports Photo Editor Kori Schulman, Sports Photo Editor BUSINESS Ryan Shewcraft, General Manager Lisa Poon, Executive Manager David Ranken, Executive Manager Mitch Schwartz, Executive Manager Laurie-Ann Paliotti, Sr. Advertising Manager Susan Dansereau, Office Manager POST- MAGAZINE Sonia Saraiya, Editor-in-Chief Taryn Martinez, Associate Editor Ben Bernstein, Features Editor Matt Prewitt, Features Editor Elissa Barba, Design Editor Lindsay Harrison, Graphics Editor Constantine Haghighi, Film Editor Paul Levande, Film Editor Jesse Adams, Music Editor Katherine Chan, Music Editor Hillary Dixler, Off-the-Hill Editor Abigail Newman, Theater Editor

Adam Kroll, Allison Kwong, Night Editors Lela Spielberg, Katie McComas, Copy Editors Senior Staff Writers Simmi Aujla, Stephanie Bernhard, Melanie Duch, Ross Frazier, Jonathan Herman, Rebecca Jacobson, Chloe Lutts, Caroline Silverman Staff Writers Anna Abramson, Justin Amoah, Zach Barter, Allison Erich Bernstein, Alissa Cerny, Stewart Dearing, Gabriella Doob, Phillip Gara, Hannah Miller, Aidan Levy, Jill Luxenberg, Taryn Martinez, Ari Rockland-Miller, Jane Porter, Chelsea Rudman, Sonia Saraiya, Kam Sripada, Robin Steele, Kim Stickels, Nicole Summers, Laura Supkoff, Spencer Trice, Ila Tyagi, Sara Walter Sports Staff Writers Erin Frauenhofer, Kate Klonick, Madeleine Marecki, George Mesthos, Eric Perlmutter, Marco Santini, Tom Trudeau Account Administrators Alexandra Annuziato, Emilie Aries, Steven Butschi, Dee Gill, Rahul Keerthi, Kate Love, Ally Ouh, Nilay Patel, Ashfia Rahman, Rukesh Samarasekera, Jen Solin, Bonnie Wong Design Staff Ross Frazier, Adam Kroll, Andrew Kuo, Gabriela Scarritt Photo Staff CJ Adams, Chris Bennett, Meg Boudreau, Tobias Cohen, Lindsay Harrison, Matthew Lent, Christopher Schmitt, Oliver Schulze, Juliana Wu, Min Wu Copy Editors Anastasia Aguiar, Simmi Aujla, Aubry Bracco, Jacob Frank, Christopher Gang, Elizabeth Inglese, Taryn Martinez, Sonia Saraiya, Lela Speilberg

ROX A N N E PA L M E R

LETTERS Former UCS president weighs in To the Editor: Last year, I had an up-close seat at the UCS table as UCS president, so I think I provide a unique perspective. I agree with the editors’ claim in the Feb. 2 editorial that “the work of UCS is not trivial.” But I have to take issue with the remainder of the editors’ comments. Indeed, UCS does very important work. The administration counts on UCS to provide a fair reflection of student opinion.

However, as with any organization, UCS faces hardships and, unfortunately, many of those hardships are unforeseen.

No one could predict UCS would lose its duly elected president and a distinguished committee chair due to medical reasons. You can’t hold an organization accountable for things beyond its control. Students are more than entitled to demand production from their student government. In fact, it is crucial that they apply that pressure to UCS. However, I would argue that UCS has produced over the years. See the strides made in communications between students and UCS in the first semester of this year. Consider the recommendations that the University adopted from UCS about short- and long-

term planning initiatives (i.e. new fitness center, new student center, satellite fitness facilities) two years ago. It is very hard to question UCS as a relevant, effective legislative body.

One thing that I have always cautioned my fellow Brunonians about is the effect (both intended and unintended) of their words. The Herald is such an important medium for our University, and it is without doubt the main vehicle of information for students at Brown. But let’s please remember that with that influence comes a tremendous responsibility. For the sake of newer members of the Brown community who are still learning about UCS, I encourage The Herald to report the news and not create it.

Sarah Saxton-Frump is going to make an excellent president; no one is more knowledgeable about UCS than she is, and she has shown the ability to lead from day one. I have tremendous faith in her and a very capable, experienced executive board.

Joel Payne ’05 Feb. 3

UCS in-house elections alienate students To the Editor: We are deeply disturbed by the recent Undergraduate Council of Students special elections — elections which lacked transparency and failed to include the viewpoints of many Brown students. The recent actions of UCS make the body look more like a bureaucratic organization governed by nepotism and insider trading than a democratic body that truly seeks student input.

Wednesday’s internal elections were totally out of line with recent efforts by UCS to increase student input and participation. UCS leaders seem to be suggesting that they want student input, but only on their own terms.

Some may argue that logistical difficulties and time constraints would have made an open election impossible. We find it hard to believe that a campuswide WebCT election with a range of candidates was not a viable option. How can UCS claim to be a representative student governing council when its leaders do not have the mandate of the students?

Chris Hu ’06 Michael Smallberg ’06 Kartik Venkatesh ’06 Feb. 2

CO R R E C T I O N An article in yesterday’s Herald (“Gay Shame posters prompt public release of updated harassment policy”) incorrectly identified Josh Teitelbaum, president of the Queer Alliance, as a member of the class of 2007. Teitelbaum is a member of the class of 2008.

CORRECTIONS POLICY The Brown Daily Herald is committed to providing the Brown University community with the most accurate information possible.

Corrections may be submitted up to seven calendar days after publication.

C O M M E N TA R Y P O L I C Y The staff editorial is the majority opinion of the editorial board of The Brown Daily Herald. The editorial viewpoint does not necessarily reflect the views of The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. Columns, letters and comics reflect the opinions of their authors only.

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OPINIONS

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD · TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 2006 · PAGE 7

Rankings with Ruth Brown’s U.S. News & World Report ranking has fallen; a worried first-year interviews President Simmons

BY RAJIV JAYADEVAN GUEST COLUMNIST

Well, we are all in college now. No more searching through The Princeton Review’s top 361 schools to find those first-tier colleges to apply to. We are here, we are settled and we are satisfied. But let’s face it — when U.S. News & World Report publishes its notorious college rankings every August, we cannot help but coolly scan the pages for Brown’s name. As a freshman, this was the first year I got to look through the magazine with that slight air of content, knowing that I would find the school that I had chosen near the top of the list. But wait!

Brown had fallen from 13 to 15? Oh, what a shot through the heart! I needed to get to the bottom of this, and quick.

The dreadful news was confirmed on the first day of school in a Herald article in which administrators unworriedly dismissed our plunge. As I overheard conversations across campus, most agreed, “Yeah, man, the ranking is flawed anyway.” I didn’t know much about the ranking system, and I didn’t know whether I should be worried about it.

Should Brown students place emphasis on a ranking that is widely seen as the standard for students across our country?

To get to the bottom of this, I needed to get to the top. It took a few months of hounding a very polite assistant, but I finally scored my interview on a Thursday afternoon just before the start of winter break. I took a deep breath, walked into the plush office and shook hands with President Ruth Simmons.

Sitting across from her in a plush chair, it struck me that Simmons’ hearty voice had a grandmotherly ring to it. She urged me with her eyes to trust what she was saying. I listened, and what was meant to be a quick 10-minute interview unfurled

into an hour-long discussion.

Simmons showed skepticism of the rankings: “If you’re at a university where what you value is not a part of their system of values, then, of course, there is no particular advantage given to your institution.” Sure, that’s a given, I thought, as President Simmons commented on the fact that U.S. News uses ten wide categories comprised of fifteen ‘subfactor’ categories to create a supposedly just ranking.

I asked Simmons if she thought our fall of eight spots in the past decade was a problem. Is Brown not as desirable as it used to be? Our recent dip hasn’t fazed the seasoned scholar: “For somebody like me who has been around for a long time and who has seen the fluctuations in the rankings, it doesn’t matter very much.”

According to Simmons, who has actually met with the producers of U.S. News, “U.S. News and World Report is a commercial thing... it’s intended to focus on rankings in a way that will sell magazines.” As for Brown being undesirable? Pish-posh.

“In the survey that matters the most — the survey of college-going students — everything tells us that the demand for Brown is only increasing every year,” she said with poise and confidence.

Okay, so we know that tons of kids still want to come here. Does the 15-spot difference between Brown and Harvard University signify a difference in quality of education? Simmons thinks not: “We’re looking at Harvard — an entirely different kind of place with an entirely different history, and we’re saying, ‘Why aren’t we

where they are?’ Instead, we should be saying, ‘Of the 3,000-plus universities and colleges in the country, how could it possibly be that, with our resources and our size, people see us in the top 20?’

That’s an amazing thing.”

Speaking of “our resources,” it turns out that Brown’s endowment is the smallest of the Ivy League (something around one-fourteenth of Harvard’s)

answer was directly connected to our finances. We would need to raise funds and have a much bigger endowment.

Obviously, money plays a great deal in being at the most desirable spot.

It’s clear to me now that the U.S. News rankings are in need of revision.

For instance, instead of categorizing the number of professors with PhDs that grace an institution, maybe U.S. News should consider something more important: the quality of teaching these professors offer. Should the category of ‘peer assessment’ — how a school is regarded by the presidents, provosts and deans of admissions in peer schools — count for 25 percent of a school’s rank? U.S. News needs to re-think certain aspects of its ranking system.

I walked away from University Hall realizing that Brown’s most influential person neither frowns nor smiles when U.S. News publishes its ranking each year. To President Simmons, our rank, whether high or low, is nothing to be concerned about. From the perspective of students, however, we all know that graduate schools and companies look at a college’s rank and name when accepting candidates.

Despite all the controversy about our rank, I strongly agree with Simmons about one thing: Brown University is not solely about the numbers. Perhaps she puts it best: “Brown is not a perfect place by any means, but by and large, it’s a place where people find their groove.”

Does the 15-spot difference between Brown and Harvard University signify a difference in quality of education?

Simmons thinks not. and this is directly related to our rank.

‘Alumni giving’ has a 5 percent weight on the total rank, and Brown falls far behind the other Ivies in this category, even behind Lehigh University and the University of Notre Dame into spot 11. U.S. News counts the categories of ‘financial resources’ and ‘alumni giving’ for a total of 15 percent when creating the rank. With such a small endowment compared to other Ivies, Brown naturally falls behind. As Simmons stated, “Ranking very heavily favors strong finances and significant revenue.” When I asked Simmons what Brown could do, if we so desired, to raise our rank, her

Rajiv Jayadevan ’09 has befriended Ruth Simmons on The Facebook.

You really can’t go home again Why the hardest part of leaving Brown to study abroad is actually coming back

BY ADRIAN MUNIZ OPINIONS COLUMNIST

LONDON... I mean, PROVIDENCE — Sad, isn’t it? You wake up one morning and you can no longer see the river Thames flowing outside the windows of your flat; instead you see Grad Center outside of the dorm room in which you now live, a room that is not so much unlike a jail cell.

For many of us coming back from abroad, the trauma of realizing that your days will no longer be spent gallivanting across the ChampsElysee, perusing the markets of Dar Es Salaam or hopping a flight or two over to Vietnam for the weekend, can be nothing less than a bit disconcerting. Let’s face it — we all love Brown.

For some of us, however, that love is a little bit harder to reclaim once you’ve seen what life outside the bubble is really like.

Although I was hesitant to write it at first, I could not help but notice that no one within the student body has really addressed to me just how odd returning

could be. Sure, the Office of International Programs sent me e-mails telling me to be prepared and even offered an orientation program to help me deal with life back at Brown, but none of that has helped me with what feels like an unending desire to hop the first flight back across the

countries or vice-versa — and all have felt the same way. For all of us, the returning process is bittersweet: we missed our friends terribly, but talking to them about all of our experiences, the people we met and the food we ate obviously becomes boring. Unless they’ve shared the experience of being abroad since September, no one really wants to hear over and over again about what the food you had in Berlin was like or about that great guy you met while tanning on the shores off of Sydney.

For juniors, who make up the majority of studyabroad students, the transition back is made even weirder by the fact that a number of their friends have already embarked on their magical journey overseas. As someone coming back from abroad, this leaves you not only lamenting your friends’ absence on campus, but also stewing in the same pool of jealousy that they probably felt when you were the one updating your Facebook.com photo albums with pictures of yourself in a number of exotic locales. Like I’ve said before, coming

In the end, no one really wants to hear over and over again about what the food you had in Berlin was like or about that great guy you met while tanning on the shores off of Sydney.

Atlantic just so I can assure myself that it wasn’t all a dream.

I’ve talked to other students who were abroad — a few of whom shared my dread of coming back when we saw each other on my occasional visits to their respective

back is tough. But coming back and not seeing the people you missed while you were away? That’s just cruel.

As it’s already the third week of school, I imagine that the majority of you who stayed in Providence last semester probably think that us returnees have adjusted to being back. Maybe you’re right, to some degree. As I write this, I know that I no longer forget to bring permission slips for professors to sign.

I’ve re-learned to avoid the noon rush at the Ratty. And I’m even beginning to really appreciate this whole TV on my computer thing that I just discovered I had! But I still miss London, as I’m sure many of you whom I know have just come back miss Rome, Paris, South Africa, Delhi, Amsterdam and all of the other amazing places we were fortunate enough to have had the chance to study in.

Let this be a reminder to all of you that you’re not alone. Studying abroad was great, but Brown is great too. If it were otherwise, we never would have returned. And, hey, if you ever feel really desperate because you miss being in a totally international environment, there’s always Viva.

Adrian Muniz ’07 can’t admit that he pined for Jo’s while he was abroad. He just can’t.

SPORTS TUESDAY THE BROWN DAILY HERALD · FEBRUARY 7, 2006 · PAGE 8

W. icers nab two points after scoreless tie, exciting comeback

Track splits squads to take on Armory and URI

BY TOM TRUDEAU SPORTS STAFF WRITER

BY JILANE RODGERS ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

As the new leader in the ECACHL standings, the women’s ice hockey team headed into two tough Ivy League road games this weekend with a bullseye on its back. After riding outstanding goaltending to a scoreless tie at Harvard, the Bears played an inspired third period against Dartmouth to erase a 3-0 deficit en route to their most impressive comeback of the season, tying 3-3.

At 9-3-3 (11-9-4 overall), Brown now trails St. Lawrence University in the conference standings by one point, but sits atop the Ivy League standings, leading Princeton by one point.

“We picked up two points against two really tough opponents, so it’s not the best-case scenario, but it’s certainly not the worst either,” said Head Coach Digit Murphy.

At Friday’s game at Harvard, goaltenders O’Hara Shipe ’08 and the Crimson’s Brittany Martin put on a show in net with 45 and 32 saves, respectively.

Early on, Brown was on the wrong side of a lopsided shot discrepancy. The Bears were outshot 21-11 in the first period and 15-8 in the second. But the game was still a see-saw battle.

“It was an up-and-down game, both teams worked incredibly hard and it would have been hard for either team to lose,” Murphy said.

Forward Hayley Moore ’08, Brown’s leading goal scorer and perhaps most gifted shooter, was denied eight times by Martin.

Shipe was a thorn in the side of Harvard’s Sarah Wilson, turning away 11 shots.

The Bears began overtime on the power play and put pressure

KINGSTON, R.I. — The men’s track and field team split its squad this past weekend, testing its athletes against national-caliber and local competition.

Elite members of the program traveled to the highly competitive, two-day Collegiate Invitational at the Armory in New York City, while other Brown competitors traveled to Kingston for the University of Rhode Island Mega Meet.

“It was a humbling experience to have such a high level of competition,” said co-captain Jake Golenor ’06 of the Armory meet.

“Those that were able to capitalize, however, posted huge results.”

Nick Neely ’07 highlighted the Armory meet, winning his heat of the 5,000-meter run in 14:21, the fastest time of the day. The time was a personal best for Neely and ranks him seventh all-time for Brown. The performance also moves him into the top five of the Ivy League for this season. He also notched 10 points in the team standings, the Bears’ only points of the meet.

“I was obviously pleased,” said Director of Track and Field Craig Lake. “He started off in the very back and worked his way up.

But with that said, it was also an expectation for him to run to the

Dan Petrie / Herald

Goaltender O’Hara Shipe ’08, shown here against Cornell, stopped 45 shots against Harvard in a scoreless tie Friday night. on Harvard, taking five shots on goal in the final five minutes, including a top-shelf attempt

by Ashlee Drover ’06 gloved by Martin. Neither team broke through, and each collected a well-deserved point for the tie.

Brown took the ice at 4 p.m. the next day against Dartmouth looking to jumpstart its offense for a victory.

Surprisingly, it was Shipe who struggled early on, giving up three goals in the first 12:08 of the game. Perhaps fatigued from playing 65 minutes on Friday, she was pulled in favor of Stock.

The move proved to be the right one. Stock, the team’s leader in goals-against average and save percentage, stopped all 24 shots she faced.

Down 3-0 at the end of two periods, the Bears began their biggest comeback of the season.

Keaton Zucker ’06 started the rally, sneaking a puck in the back of the net for a power-play goal at 5:49.

The Bears struck again at 12:49, when Margaret Ramsay ’06 took control of Lindsey Glennon’s ’06 re-directed shot and sent it

behind Clemis to get within one goal.

Brown was still down a goal with under one minute to play when the team was able to earn a face-off in Dartmouth’s zone and pull Stock in favor of an extra attacker. Drover won the faceoff, and after a failed attempt at running a set play, the puck was fired toward the net. With 19 seconds remaining, the light lit up. Moore was credited with the goal in what was described as a “team goal,” as all six players on the ice charged the net trying to hammer the equalizer home.

“I don’t even think I saw the puck go over the goal line. I just saw my teammates going crazy.

I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited,” Moore said.

The Bears finished shy of a victory but happy to come back from being down three.

“To score three goals in one period is an incredible feat, especially in the third period,” Murphy said. “I was really proud of the way they responded.”

The Bears take on Yale at home next Tuesday, looking to retake first in the ECACHL.

M. swimming and diving happy with falling times in close loss to Columbia

BY HUGH MURPHY SPORTS STAFF WRITER

The men’s swimming and diving team battled a tough Columbia squad down to the wire on Saturday but came up short, dropping the match 127-116.

The loss cuts the Bears’ record down to 2-4 overall and 2-3 in the Ivy League, while the Lions improved to 7-2 and 5-1.

The team could not be happier despite the loss, as its members continue to improve their times with the Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League Championships only a few weeks away.

“Everyone swam really well,” said Eric Brumberg ’06. “I think we surprised Columbia with how fast we went.”

Bruno picked up wins in seven of the 13 events. Six of the victories came from three swimmers — Brumberg, Brian Sharkey ’06 and Peter Volosin ’08 — who notched two wins apiece.

A solid core of top finishers may enable the Bears to upset larger, deeper teams during the

championship season, in which teams race fewer swimmers.

Brumberg’s two wins came in the 200-yard individual medley and the 200-yard backstroke.

The co-captain began the day by leading the 400-yard medley relay team, which also included Grant Garcia ’08, Richard Alexander ’09 and Brian Kelly ’08, to a second-place finish in the first event of the day.

Sharkey set a blistering pace in the 50-yard freestyle to pick up his first win in 21.33 seconds, while Kevin Hug ’08 swam to third place with a time of 21.89.

Three events later, Sharkey sprinted to victory in the 100yard freestyle in 46.95. Kelly’s 47.56 was good for third place in that event as well.

Volosin cleaned house in the distance events, winning the 1,000-yard freestyle in 9:32.29 and the 500-yard freestyle in 4:41.18. His time in the 1,000yard freestyle was two seconds better than that of the secondplace finisher, Columbia’s Henning Fog. On the boards, rookie

standout William Kai Robinson ’09 took second in both the 1- and 3-meter events with scores of 280.27 and 290.85, respectively.

Bruno won the 200-yard freestyle relay in the final event of the day. The team of Rob Reinhardt ’08, Hug, Kelly and Sharkey posted a time of 1:24.20 to secure the win, 0.18 seconds ahead of Columbia.

Brumberg attributes the team’s fast times to a combination of coaching, preparation and unity within the squad. The formula, he hopes, will carry the Bears through a tough two-week stretch. Bruno will face Cornell on the road next weekend and Yale at home the following week.

“We’ve never had this many meets this late in the season, so it’s hard to know what to expect,” Brumberg said. “But, we’ve been swimming really well as a team, so I think we’ve got a good shot at beating (Cornell).”

Brown will meet the Big Red in Ithaca, N.Y. at noon on Saturday.

level he did.”

Also in the race was Chris Burke ’07, who, coming off All-Region honors in cross country, set a personal best in the event at 14:32.

Grant Bowen ’07 and Brian Zubradt ’08 both cleared 15 feet, 3 inches in the pole vault, moving into the conference top 10. After the vaulters’ misses were tallied, Bowen took runner-up honors while Zubradt claimed fourth.

Ikenna Achilihu ’08 went to the runway twice at the invite, and was close to a season best in his specialty, the triple jump, with a mark of 49-1. He also hit 22-5 in the long jump. Golenor threw 53-6 in the shot put to remain a top seed in the league, and Kent Walls ’06 hit 51-1 3/4 in the weight throw.

Back on the track, sprinter Michael Pruzinsky ’07 blazed the single lap event, crossing in a prelims time of 22.20 in the 200meter dash. His performance ranks in the top three of the Ivies this season.

Pruzinsky was slated to run the 4x400-meter relay but suffered a minor hamstring strain in the 200meter finals. Jamil McClintock ’08 filled his spot. McClintock, who had posted a time of 8.23 in the 60-meter hurdles Friday night, made the transition seamlessly.

The team of McClintock, Christian see M. TRACK, page 5

Women’s 4x400, Willard ’06 excel at Armory

BY GEORGE MESTHOS SPORTS STAFF WRITER

Top athletes from the women’s track and field team got their first taste of national competition this year at the Armory Collegiate Invitational in New York City this weekend. While the team’s best managed six points against the nation’s elite programs, the rest of the team stayed in Rhode Island, competing at the URI Invitational in Kingston.

Long distance runner Anna Willard ’06 finished second in the 3,000-meter run for Brown’s first point of the weekend. While her time was a personal best 9:44.94, she finished under one second behind the winner.

Willard lost confidence with 800 meters remaining, Director of Track and Field Craig Lake said. “She got passed … thinking she didn’t have enough to match the move,” Lake said. “Then she put on a monster kick in the last lap, but she didn’t have enough time to catch the leader.”

Sprinter Nicole Burns ’09 also had a bittersweet performance on Friday. Burns won her heat in the 400-meters by one second with a time of 58.09 but fell short of a new personal record.

“I was disappointed, but … I have other opportunities,” she said.

Brown’s pole vaulters provided the day’s other highlight.

Tiffany Chang ’08 placed third when she cleared a height of 11 feet, 3.75 inches, and Junea Russ ’06.5 was part of a five-way tie for seventh at 10-10.

Burns and the relay team

earned some redemption on Saturday in the mile relay. Going into the competition, the team knew all four members of the relay squad were going to have to run a sub-58-second split in order to contend. Burns started the relay, followed by Kelly Powell ’06, Naja Ferjan ’07 and anchor Akilah King ’08. King ran a blazing 56-second split to secure a time of 3:50.68.

“We’ve been training nonstop for indoor season,” Burns said. “We’ve put in a lot of intense sweat. It’s refreshing to see some sort of results out there.”

Ferjan put in arguably more sweat than any other Bear this weekend. After taking part in the team’s strong relay performance, she ran in the women’s championship mile.

Ferjan finished 10th overall and second in her heat with a time of 4:55.3.

In the 5,000-meter run, long distance runner Anya Davidson ’06 set a new personal record with 17:14.59.

Co-captain and jumper Brittany Grovey ’06 also scored, leaping 41-11.25 to finish third overall in the championship triple jump.

Grovey was not satisfied with her performance but remains confident in her season outlook.

“I think I’ll put the pieces together for Heps,” she said.

With the Heptagonal Championships in three weeks, Grovey and her teammates have time to put those pieces together.

The Bears aim to keep rolling next weekend at Boston University’s St. Valentine’s Invitational.