Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Page 1

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD T UESDAY

Volume CXLII, No. 23

27, 2007 200 7

Since 1866, Daily Since 1891

S&J response directs millions to Providence schools BY MICHAEL SKOCPOL SENIOR STAFF WRITER

A $10-million endowment for public education in Providence is the centerpiece of the University’s official response to the University Steering Committee on Slavery and Justice’s report,

issued last year. The response, crafted by President Ruth Simmons, was released Saturday following approval by the Corporation, the University’s highest governing body. The response also calls for up to 10 students a year to receive free tuition towards a master’s

degree in exchange for serving Providence-area public schools after graduating. In addition, the University will undertake a teaching and research initiative related to slavery and justice, investigate the creation of a memorial to commemorate the slave trade and further publicize the

committee’s findings. Originally appointed by President Ruth Simmons in 2003 to examine the University’s historic ties to slavery and the slave trade, the committee completed its charge and released a report continued on page 7

S N O W Y S AY L E S

Simmons: Fund could have lasting impact BY SIMMI AUJLA METRO EDITOR

President Ruth Simmons and Providence education officials expect the University’s $10-million endowment to support local public schools will provide a much-needed boost to the city’s struggling schools and serve as a model for other institutions’ engagement with their communities. Yet the city awaits further details on how and when the funds will be used. The Corporation also approved

METRO on Saturday an initiative to waive tuition, beginning in the 2008-2009 academic year, for ten fellows in the Urban Education Policy and Master of Arts in Teaching programs who commit to serving area public schools for a minimum of three years. The proposals come in response to the University Steering Committee on Slavery and Justice’s report, released last November, which recommended Brown enhance its outreach to Providence public schools by, for example, providing more professional support for teachers, further funding the Urban Education Policy Program and coordinating efforts with other universities in Rhode Island. Simmons, who crafted the University’s response after discussing the report with several academic departments and committees, Chris Bennett / Herald

continued on page 4

College Hill received several inches of snow on Tuesday, which was the 290th anniversary of the beginning of the Great Snow of 1717.

New doctorate paves way for public health school BY MATT VARLEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

A doctoral program in health services research — which would expand the Department of Community Health and bring the University one step closer to establishing a full-fledged school of public health — has been approved by the faculty. The program was approved by a unanimous faculty vote Feb. 6 following a presentation by Associate Professor of Community Health Kate Lapane PhD’95, who largely designed the curriculum. The program must be approved by the Corporation before it can admit doctoral candidates. There are currently two doctoral programs in the Department of Community Health — biostatistics and epidemiology. Health services research was selected as the next doctoral program “because we already

INSIDE:

3 METRO

BY TSVETINA KAMENOVA STAFF WRITER

have a critical mass of faculty in place,” said Vincent Mor, professor of medical science and chair of the Department of Community Health. “The Department of Community Health has had a strong group of researchers doing work that is generally thought of as health services research coming from multiple disciplines,” he said. Mor emphasized that such interdisciplinary work will be an integral component of the new doctoral program and said he anticipates doctoral candidates will collaborate with different University departments, including economics and sociology. Adding a third doctoral program in the department satisfies a key criterion for the establishment of an accredited school of public health at the University. Both Mor and Terrie “Fox”

Eighty-one percent of students approve of President Ruth Simmons, a recent Herald poll found. This year Simmons has maintained her overwhelming popularity, with a small decrease from her 87 percent approval rating in a similar poll last year. The poll, conducted from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2, has a margin of error of 4.7 percent with 95 percent confidence.

THE HERALD POLL Though most of the 30 students interviewed by The Herald were not familiar with all of Simmons’ duties, they pointed to her genuinely welcoming demeanor and her success in fundraising as reasons for their approval of her presidency. “She is an empathetic leader — she makes people feel empowered,” said David Beckoff ’08.

continued on page 7

MORE BUCKS FOR BEER? A proposed bill would hike up the current Rhode Island tax on beer in order to finance substance abuse treatment programs

www.browndailyherald.com

Simmons’ fundraising, empathy win over students

continued on page 8

5 CAMPUS NEWS

THE BANNER DEMO Students tudents and faculty were briefed with demonstration of Banner’s online registration in anticipation of an upcoming debugging

Chris Bennett / Herald File Photo

Students indicate strong support for President Ruth Simmons, pictured here at the dedication of the Sidney Frank Hall for Life Sciences.

11 OPINIONS

195 Angell Street, Providence, Rhode Island

IVY LEAGUE SNOBBERY Sean Quigley ’10 sharply criticizes Ivy-League smugness — especially the Brown pretensions demonstrated at the Nonie Darwish lecture Feb. 1

12 SPORTS

M. TENNIS DOMINATES The men’s tennis team overwhelmed both the U.S. Naval Academy and SUNY-Buffalo with scores of 7-0 and 6-1, respectively

News tips: herald@browndailyherald.com


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