Thursday, January 22, 2009

Daily Herald the Brown

vol. cxliv, no. 2 | Thursday, January 22, 2009 | Serving the community daily since 1891

Bookstore cafe to open this week Former Austrian chancellor earns Watson appointment

By Anne Simons Senior Staff Writer

Students returning to College Hill this week may have already noticed changes to the Brown Bookstore, where renovations, including construction of a new cafe and seating area, are reaching their final stages.

Manuel Cunard, the bookstore’s director, said he thought students would be “quite surprised” by the changes that have occurred over winter break.

The textbook section has moved to the bottom floor, while the technology department now occupies the upper floor. The upper floor also houses the Your Space section, which is geared toward marketing dorm products and features a mock-up of a dorm room, Cunard said.

The southern part of the store, overlooking Angell Street — which will house a seating area, the general books section and the new College Hill Cafe, run by Blue State Coffee — was just in the preliminary stages of demolition when students left in December.

Construction on the cafe is about a week behind schedule, but it should begin serving customers by the end of the week, possibly as early as today, Cunard said earlier this week.

The cafe is expected to be environmentally friendly, featuring locally grown food like soups and

By Sarah Husk Senior Staf f Writer

Eunice Hong / Herald

The new College Hill Cafe should open by the end of the week.

sandwiches. Students will be able to use their declining balance accounts at the cafe, but not Flex Points, as bookstore managers had originally hoped, Cunard said. It will stay open later than the main part of the bookstore, and there are plans to bring in nighttime entertainment like musical performances and poetry readings.

In the rear of the store, there will be a children’s area and a community meeting room which can house 40 to 45 people and will be available for use by Brown groups and community members, Cunard said. These additions, the last to be completed, should be finished by continued on page 2

Ponzi scheme wipes out foundation that gave to U.

By Ben Schreckinger Senior Staff Writer

inside

A philanthropic organization that has awarded the University hundreds of thousands of dollars — including a $355,937 grant currently in use — has folded due to substantial ties to Bernard Madoff’s alleged hedge fund scam.

The JEHT Foundation, a New York City non-profit that has awarded Brown’s Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies over $500,000 in grants since 2004, will shut down at the end of January as a result of Madoff’s alleged Ponzi scheme. JEHT’s current grant, which is funding a project at the center until this May, has not been affected, according to Director of University Communications Mark Nickel.

“The grant has been received and the work will be completed,” Nickel said. The University received all funds from the grant before Dec. 15 of last year, when the JEHT Foundation’s

News.....1-4 Metro....5-6 Spor ts...7-8 Editorial..10 Opinion...11 Today........12

www.browndailyherald.com

Web site announced the cessation of all grants, four days after Madoff’s arrest for fraud. Madoff managed the money of Kenneth and Jeanne LevyChurch, the foundation’s founders.

The latest grant to the addiction studies center, awarded by JEHT’s Criminal Justice Program, is funding the development of a guide for lawyers and judges dealing with drug addicts in the criminal justice system, Nickel said. The project is scheduled to be completed by May of this year, he said.

In addition to the current $355,937 grant, JEHT — which derives its name from its “core values,” justice, equality, human dignity and tolerance — awarded the center $166,500 in 2004.

According to JEHT’s Web site, that grant funded “a collaboration between doctors and lawyers to conduct research and disseminate information on public policies and practices recontinued on page 2

Former Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer has recently been appointed as a visiting professor at the Watson Institute for International Studies.

Gusenbauer served as the Chancellor of Austria from January 2007 to this past December. His relatively brief tenure as Chancellor — the second shortest in Austrian history — was preceded by an eight-year stint as chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Austria, a political party with firm socialist roots.

Interim Director of the Watson Institute and Vice President for International Affairs David Kennedy ’76 said President Ruth Simmons has been instrumental in orchestrating Gusenbauer’s appointment.

“It’s a question of seizing opportunities,” Kennedy said, adding that Simmons has long been invested in bringing influential leaders and thinkers to campus.

As far as Gusenbauer’s day-today presence on campus, Kennedy said he expects that Gusenbauer will “spend some time on campus.”

While at Brown, Kennedy said, Gusenbauer will take part in conferences and workshops held by the Watson Institute, participate in ongoing classes and conduct research.

“We expect him to contribute in a

variety of ways,” Kennedy said, adding that even though Gusenbauer will only spend several weeks per semester on campus, the hope is that as many students as possible will be able to meet and learn from Gusenbauer during his time at Brown.

“It’s long been part of our philosophy that we find out the most about pressing international issues by bringing practitioners and academics together in conversation,” Kennedy said. “Through that dialogue we think the answers to the most pressing problems will emerge.”

Gusenbauer, 48, was active in the socialist youth movement in his earlier years earned his doctorate from the University of Vienna in 1987.

After assuming leadership of the Social Democratic Party in 2000, he led them to a plurality of Parliament seats in 2006 and became chancellor a year later.

The Watson Institute hosts various politicians, leaders and diplomats, including former president of Chile Ricardo Lagos, former United States Senator Lincoln Chafee ‘75 and former United States ambassador to the United Nations Richard Holbrooke ’62.

Gusenbauer will serve as a visiting professor beginning this month and through December.

After protest, punishment, SDS appeals

By Joanna Wohlmuth Metro Editor

As last semester drew to a close and students packed their bags, members of Students for a Democratic Society finally got the news they — and others in the Brown community — had been anticipating for months.

Seven of the eight students charged for their roles in SDS’s heated protest of the October meeting of the Corporation received minor punishments from a University Disciplinary Council panel. One student was cleared of all charges.

The convicted students have been placed on probation for three semesters — except those who will graduate earlier — and will each be required to perform 50 hours of community service this semester.

Their parents were notified of the charges and punishments, according to SDS members.

Four of the students must write a 10- to 15-page research paper on university governance, and one will write an additional paper about

privacy. Each student will have the disciplinary action recorded on his or her internal University file, but the entry will be removed upon graduation.

The group members consider the punishments to be slight — they had been told that suspension or expulsion were possible — and remain far from apologetic. “We still maintain that we didn’t do anything that deserved sanctions,” said SDS member Sophia Lambertsen ’11, one of the seven convicted students. “The folks that are responsible for us being sanctioned should be ashamed of themselves.”

The convicted students have appealed the panel’s decision to the Office of the Provost.

The eight SDS members faced disciplinary action after members of the group tried to enter University Hall while it was closed during the Corporation meeting. They met resistance from Department of Public Safety officers and others, three of whom, administrators said, sustained minor injuries during the

Consequences Punishments handed down to SDS members sanctioned for their actions during an Oct. 18 protest outside a Corporation meeting: • Up to three semesters of probation • 50 hours of community service • Parental notification • Four students must write research papers on university governance • One must write an additional paper on privacy

encounter.

Partway through the Saturday morning meeting in October, protesters charged the building with an extension ladder, while others rushed the door. Eight made it inside University Hall and up the stairs to just outside the room where the meeting was being held but were not permitted to enter. Chancellor Thomas Tisch ’76 stepped out of the meeting and accepted a petition continued on page 2

Metro, 5

Sports, 7

Opinions, 11

wind power coming?

Deepwater Wind has plans to build a wind farm off of R.I.’s coast by 2012.

WINTER SPORTS recap The swimming and diving and track and field teams have kicked off their seasons.

Show Me the Money Anish Mitra ’10 thinks the econ department should add a finance focus.

195 Angell Street, Providence, Rhode Island

herald@browndailyherald.com

Page 2

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

C ampus N EWS

U. grant unaffected as foundation goes under continued from page 1

lated to addiction.”

In addition to the JEHT Foundation’s grant, Brown received a $150,000 donation from the Hollywood Director Stephen Spielberg’s P’12 Wunderkinder Foundation in 2007, according to a Dec. 27 article in the Providence Journal. Spielberg and his foundation are widely reported to have suffered losses due to the Madoff scandal.

Vice President for Development Kristin Davitt ’88 wrote in an e-mail to The Herald that she could not comment on the specifics of any donation.

While the Madoff scandal has affected other American universities, Brown appears to have escaped any direct consequences. “We believe the Madoff scandal will have no direct effect on philanthropy to Brown,” Davitt wrote in the e-mail. The Herald reported Jan. 21 that the University had not invested any funds with Madoff’s hedge fund.

The Madoff scandal has impacted the Jewish philanthropic community in particular, but Brown/RISD Hillel has not been affected, Executive Director Megan Nesbitt said. She said Hillel has a small endowment invested in money market accounts and has no financial ties to Madoff.

She added that she believes Hillel’s donors also had no ties to Madoff, and that the scandal will not affect future donations.

“We were very fortunate,” Nesbitt said.

“With any changes, there is confusion.”

— Eileen Chece, bookstore employee

Revamped over break, bookstore to encourage browsing continued from page 1 the second week of February.

Over winter break, workers also created a new checkout area. Customers will now pay for purchases at a new desk between the main entrance and the children’s area.

The goal for the renovation was to make the bookstore more useful and welcoming to Brown and the community at large, Cunard said. Windows that used to display merchandise have been cleared to make the store feel more open. New flat-screen TVs located throughout the store will show Brown-related announcements, except for one in the Your Space section, which will show television programming, perhaps Turner Classic Movies, Cunard said. He said he hopes new seating areas and the cafe encourage shoppers to see the bookstore as a place to browse, linger and relax, he added.

Renovations started in August and have kept to a “pretty aggressive” schedule, Cunard said. He added that construction took place at night so the bookstore could operate with relative normalcy during business hours. This semester, work

is proceeding on the cafe and rear of the store during the daytime.

On Tuesday afternoon, the construction didn’t seem to cause many problems for students crowding the store to buy their textbooks before the first day of classes. Temporary signage and bookstore workers helped shoppers navigate the new layout.

Ed Weiss, manager of the textbook department, said that “rush is going good.” There hasn’t been an appreciable increase in confusion from students, he said, adding that relocating the textbook department hasn’t changed how it functions.

While students may need to adapt to the new layout, said Eileen Chece, a bookstore employee, it should be more accessible in the end. “With any changes, there is confusion,” she said.

Students expressed mixed feelings about the relocated textbook department. Drew Janes ’09 said the textbook section is basically the same as it used to be and its navigation is self-explanatory. But Teresa Slifer ’11 said she found it cramped and “too cluttered.”

Students also said they looked forward to the opening of the Col-

Jessie Calihan / Herald

Blue State Coffee will operate a new cafe in the Brown Bookstore.

lege Hill Cafe. Though it was the first time she’d heard about it, Slifer said she liked the idea of adding a cafe and said the space could become a “nice little haven.” Riaz Gillani ’09 praised the renovation efforts, saying the bookstore looks

“less depressing.” The store will now feel more like Barnes & Noble or Borders, he said.

Cunard said the new-look bookstore will have its official grand opening Feb. 25. There will be tours, food, raffles and sales.

Disciplined Brown SDS members looking to move forward continued from page 1 from the students enumerating their concerns about the Corporation’s exclusive decision-making procedures and lack of transparency.

All seven of the students were found guilty of Offense IX of the Standards of Student Conduct, which proscribes a “violation of operational rules governing various offices, departments and facilities of the Uni-

sudoku

Daily Herald the Brown

Editorial Phone: 401.351.3372 | Business Phone: 401.351.3260 Steve DeLucia, President Michael Bechek, Vice President

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Jonathan Spector, Treasurer Alexander Hughes, Secretary

The Brown Daily Herald (USPS 067.740) is an independent newspaper serving the Brown University community daily since 1891. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, excluding vacations, once during Commencement, once during Orientation and once in July by The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. POSTMASTER please send corrections to P.O. Box 2538, Providence, RI 02906. Periodicals postage paid at Providence, R.I. Offices are located at 195 Angell St., Providence, R.I. E-mail herald@browndailyherald.com.

World Wide Web: http://www.browndailyherald.com.

Subscription prices: $319 one year daily, $139 one semester daily.

Copyright 2009 by The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.

versity.” Six were also found guilty of Offense II.a, which prohibits “actions that result in or can be reasonably expected to result in physical harm.”

The students had also been charged with other violations, including failing to present identification and interfering with the rights of others and educational functions of the University, but they were cleared of those charges by the disciplinary panel that heard their case.

One student, James Stefano ’11, was found not guilty on all counts after he was able to produce witnesses

who verified that he had been on the Main Green while students were inside and had not attempted to enter University Hall.

The case was heard by a UDC panel, consisting of students, faculty and administrators. The panel was scheduled to hear the case from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Dec. 9, but ended up continuing proceedings late into the night and reconvening the next morning. The UDC panel then deliberated, and the students received its verdicts Dec. 17.

According to University policy,

students may appeal any disciplinary action if they believe there has been a procedural error in the handling of the case or if there is new information pertaining to the case that was not available at the time of the hearing. Appeals are handled by the Office of the Provost.

The SDS members have submitted a five-page motion to appeal in which they present a “laundry list of issues” they claim affected their ability to defend themselves in the manner guaranteed by University code, according to the document.

Among the claims made in the appeal are that the Office of Student Life did not meet specific deadlines in handling the case and that an attempt to bar a UDC member, who the students believed would not be impartial, was improperly rejected.

Provost David Kertzer ’69 P’95 P’98 declined to comment on the appeal because it is currently under review.

Now that the disciplinary proceedings have concluded, SDS members said they look forward to refocusing their efforts after months of preparing for the hearing. Though they said the University and Corporation seem to be taking questions about governance more seriously, SDS members plan on “making sure the Corporation and administration doesn’t take token gestures” and expect them to be enough, said SDS member Vale Cofer-Shabica ’09, who was among those sanctioned.

The Corporation will meet again in February, when it will set the University budget for the next fiscal year.

SDS members are working on a campaign to stress that “the financial crisis is hitting students and families really hard, probably a lot harder than it’s hitting Brown,” said Mike da Cruz ’09, another of the seven sanctioned students.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

C ampus N EWS

Page 3

“What matters is the history of the people who live in a country.”

— Professors of Econimics Louis Putterman and David Weil

‘Migration matrix’ finds link between ancestry and income Unikora Yang Contributing Writer

Professors of Economics Louis Putterman and David Weil have shown a correlation between current income inequalities among and within countries and the migration patterns of their populations hundreds of years ago.

The “World Migration Matrix,” created by Putterman, Weil and a team of research assistants, tracks the population movements of 165 countries going as far back as the 1500s. After compiling data on population composition, ethnic origins and immigration histor y, the economists observed that analyzing migration patterns and the presence of various ethnic groups improves one’s understanding of current income differences among countries.

Putterman said recognizing the presence of different ethnic groups within a country and their historical migrations turn out to be better predictors of that country’s gross domestic product than simply using the traditional measures such as state policies, early transition to agriculture and early technological advancement.

In an e-mail to The Herald, Putterman wrote that when a growth determinant is adjusted

for migration, the strength of the variable as an indicator of current per capita GDP increases.

“For example, Fijians whose ancestors came from the Indian subcontinent, with that area’s history of literate, urbanized, densely populated civilization, have higher socio-economic status than ones of indigenous Fijian ancestr y, on average,” Putterman wrote.

“What matters is the history of the people who live in a countr y today, more than the history of the country itself,” Putterman and Weil said in a statement.

The study indicates that if a population 500 years ago exhibited a high level of development, its descendants tend to be richer as well, Weil said.

Many studies on economic growth and development make ad hoc adjustments like assuming a country’s population originate from one land, Weil said, adding that he and Putterman decided to “bite the bullet” and build a data set accounting for the various constituents of a countr y’s population and their histories.

The essence of growth economics is to understand the degree to which a factor affects development, said Ishani Tewari GS, who worked on the project.

“The study helps identify factors

you can and cannot change — how much is an outcome of the past and how much is determined by more proximate history,” she said.

But Joshua Wilde GS, who modified the original matrix based on geographical distances to one studying migrations across linguistic distances, said that correlation did not necessarily mean causation.

“This study … establishes a correlation between income levels and early development, and if there is something in the correlation that can be causal, then (economists) would be able to address issues of income inequality,” Wilde said, adding that a potential causal relationship between migration patterns and current income levels needs to be researched further.

Weil also said the study is at an early stage. “I think we are very, very far from the stage of making policy on it. One way to see the matrix is as a lens for looking at the data,” he said. “How does the early development of Malaysia 500 years ago predict how it is today?”

Though the matrix shows that certain ethnic groups have a historical advantage, the results do not imply that income levels will remain static forever. Putterman wrote that the most basic implication of the study is that long term forces have contributed to devel-

Sheathed sword found, cash taken from room

by Colin Chazen Senior Staff Writer

The following summary includes all major incidents reported to the Department of Public Safety between Dec. 17 and Jan. 24. It does not include general service and alarm calls.

The Providence Police Department also responds to incidents occurring off campus. DPS does not divulge information on open cases that are currently under investigation by the department, the PPD or the Office of Student Life. DPS maintains a daily log of all shift activity and general service calls which can be viewed during business hours at its headquarters, located at 75 Charlesfield St. Thursday, Dec. 18 3:02 p.m. Student reported that at approximately 2:30 p.m. she went to use the shower in Woolley Hall. At approximately 2:40 p.m. she returned

back to her room, which she had left unlocked, and her laptop and iPod were missing.

3:03 p.m. Student reported that he had left to go to lunch at approximately 1:45 p.m. Upon returning to his room in Keeney Quadrangle at approximately 2:45 p.m., he ob-

CRIME LOG served that his room door was open and the lights were out in the room.

He stated that he was unsure if he had locked his room when he left for lunch. He walked into the room, turned the light on and observed that his laptop was missing from the desk where he had left it.

3:57 p.m. Complainant stated his laptop was taken from his desk in the Barus and Holley Building. He said he last saw the laptop when he

left the building at around 12:30 p.m.

When he returned at 2:30 p.m., he noticed the laptop missing. He also stated he shares the space with a lab-mate who was in the room but did not notice anyone or anything out of the ordinary.

4:12 p.m. The photo editor for the yearbook committee reported that on Nov. 19, a staff member went to sign out a camera from the Metcalf Copy Center, and it was discovered that two cameras and their cases were missing.

Sunday, Dec. 21 1:40 a.m. A student reported that three laptops, an iPhone and a television were stolen from his dorm room in Keeney Quadrangle. One laptop was his; the other belonged to a roommate and the third laptop continued on page 4

Eunice Hong / Herald

Professor Louis Putterman (left) and Professor David Weil have shown a correlation between income inequalities and historic migration patterns.

opmental inequalities around the world today.

“A larger implication … is that these results show that human outlooks and capabilities, which is what I believe is being transmitted by the ethnic, linguistic and cultural groups that our data tracks, are more central to economic outcomes than practically any other

factor, and that they can be ver y persistent,” he wrote.

“Therefore,” he added, “if one wants to attack problems of underdevelopment and poverty, finding ways to help poor countries and disadvantaged groups build outlooks and capabilities that are more promising of economic well-being should be a central focus.”

Page 4

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Thursday, January 22, 2009

C ampus N EWS

Cash taken from Life Sciences exam room continued from page 3 belonged to a friend of his roommate.

He stated that he left his room for 10 minutes. When he returned he discovered the items missing. The door was left unlocked.

Monday, Dec. 22 1:37 p.m. While on detail doing dorm checks in Vartan Gregorian Quadrangle, an officer found in plain view on a desk a sword in a sheath.

It was confiscated, brought to department headquarters and tagged as evidence. The matter has been turned over to Student Life.

Friday, Jan. 2 10:26 p.m. A Brown University professor reported to the Providence and Brown Police that he left his residence on Hope Street on Dec. 31 at 4 p.m., and when he returned

on Jan. 2 at 5:20 p.m. he found the front door wide open. Upon checking the residence several items were found missing: two laptop computers, jewelry and a camera. There are no suspects at this time.

Tuesday, Jan. 6 8:06 p.m. An employee reported that he left his office in the Sharpe Refectory at approximately 4 p.m., locking the door behind him as he exited. Upon his arrival back to his office an hour later, he unlocked the door and found that the personal keys to his vehicle and home, along with his cell phone, cell phone charger and black leather gloves were stolen from his office desk area. A search of the immediate area met with negative results in locating his belongings. The case is under investigation.

Friday, Jan. 9 4:26 p.m. An employee reported that he left his wallet containing $145 in another room under a jacket while he and a co-worker set up for a medical exam of a patient in the Life Sciences Building. A short time later he discovered the cash missing. The patient was left alone in the same room as the wallet. The case is under investigation.

Tuesday, Jan. 13 10:15 a.m. An employee reported a computer monitor missing from the Center for Information Technology. The last time he saw it was on Jan. 6.

10:47 a.m. Employee reported that there were three printer cartridges, a handheld scanner and a canvas tote bag missing from a cubicle area in Barus and Holley.

Metro The Brown Daily Herald

“What we do have is wind, and a lot of it.”

— Amy Kempe, spokesperson for Governor Donald Carcieri ’65 Thursday, January 22, 2009 | Page 5

Gov. Carcieri ’65 plans Condo developers resort to rent offshore wind farm

By George Miller Metro Editor

BY Emma Berry Staf f Writer

Rhode Islanders could be using energy from an offshore wind farm as early as 2012, according to a statement from Governor Donald Carcieri ’65.

The gover nor’s of fice announced Jan. 8 that it has selected the company Deepwater Wind to develop two offshore wind projects for the state. Those projects, it said, would put the state significantly closer to Carcieri’s goal of getting 20 percent of Rhode Island’s energy from renewable sources.

The wind farm will be developed in two phases, according to Chris Wissemann ’83, the company’s chief operating of ficer.

Construction on the first phase, a 20-megawatt project off Block Island, will begin in 2010 and be completed in June 2012. The farm will produce enough power to fully power Block Island and also send some power to the mainland.

The second phase, a 400-megawatt project in federal waters, could be completed by 2013, Wissemann said. When completed, the project will provide 15 percent of Rhode Island’s energy, he said.

According to Amy Kempe, a spokesperson for Carcieri’s of-

fice, the plans could make Rhode Island the first state to develop an of fshore wind farm. (Other states, including New Jersey and Delaware, have similar projects in the works.) Rhode Island doesn’t have oil or coal resources like some other states, but “what we do have is wind,” she said, “and a lot of it.”

The plan, which includes a stipulation that Deepwater Wind will locate its northeastern manufacturing headquarters in Quonset, could make Rhode Island “a center for the renewable energy industr y,” Kempe said.

Other proposed coastal wind farms have met with resistance.

The Cape Wind project, which would be located in Nantucket Sound, has encountered opposition from residents of Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Nantucket over the past decade. The opponents, who include Senator Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., argue that the project will have negative environmental and aesthetic consequences for the sound.

Wissemann said Deepwater Wind’s business plan “is direct counterpoint to the Cape Wind project.” Rather than attempt to convince coast-dwellers to accept continued on page 6

metro in brief

Former Sen. Pell passes away at 90 Former Democratic Sen. Claiborne Pell, Rhode Island’s longest serving senator, died Jan. 1 at age 90. Remembered as a champion of education, the former Brown Corporation member suffered from Parkinson’s disease in his later years.

Pell, a Newport native, was first elected to the Senate in 1960 and served until retiring in 1997. His seat was filled by current Sen. Jack Reed, also a Democrat, in that year’s election.

Pell is best remembered for the Pell Grants, a need-based federal program that provides financial aid to low-income American students at approximately 5,400 institutions of higher education.

Pell served as a Trustee of the Corporation from 1974 to 1979, and the University awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1972.

In a Jan. 2 statement, President Ruth Simmons called Pell “a great man whose legacy as a devoted public servant will affect the lives of citizens for generations to come.” She noted that the faculty granted him its highest honor, the Susan Colver Rosenberger Medal, in 2006 to recognize his work for education.

Pell is survived by his wife Nuala, a son and daughter, five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

— George Miller

Facing an especially tough market, some developers of downtown Providence’s luxury condominiums are making changes to their business plans, including renting units they had planned to sell.

One such developer, the Procaccianti Group, originally planned to sell the 103 units in the Residences at the Westin Providence. But “as market conditions have changed, we’ve gone to a mix” of leasing, lease-to-own arrangements and purchasing, said Ralph Izzi, marketing communications director for the company.

The 32-story project, located on West Exchange Street, includes retail and restaurant space on the ground floor and 200 hotel rooms, which opened in August 2007.

The residential component, which opened in November of the same year, is now 60 percent occupied, Izzi said.

Developers of other recent condominium projects have also opted to rent rooms they originally planned to sell, including Intercontinental Real Estate Corp., which owns Waterplace Luxury Residences, and the Athena Group, owner of 903 Residences, a building named for

Kim Perley / Herald

The Waterplace complex in Downcity Providence is one of many condominum complexes in the state struggling to fill its vacanct units.

the last digits of its ZIP code, behind Providence Place, the Providence Journal reported Jan. 11.

One developer, whose project is yet to be completed, is holding fast to his plans to sell, not rent, his condominiums.

The Capitol Cove project, located downtown near the Amtrak station, will not finish construction until February or March, according to its Massachusetts-based developer, Robert Roth.

The first tower, with 96 units, has started pre-sales, and so far has only four solid reservations and maybe

six other seriously interested parties, Roth said. Meanwhile, the project’s second tower, with 153 units, has been put on hold due to the economy, he said.

But Roth said he is not planning to rent out units.

“We’re on course for condos,” he said, adding that “down the road we can rethink it” if conditions warrant renting. Though Roth said he had hoped sales would pick up sooner, he understands that current construction and the winter dampen interest.

“We’re going to be optimistic,” he said.

Page 6

M etro

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Thursday, January 22, 2009

420 Megawatts: The amount of energy Rhode Island hopes to generate from offshore wind farms by 2013.

In alternative energy push, R.I. turns to offshore wind continued from page 5 the view of wind turbines, he said, the company focused on developing a “technology solution, figuring out how to put turbines into deeper water,” allowing wind farms to be constructed farther offshore.

To that end, Deepwater Wind has licensed a “jacket” technology, which Wissemann describes as “a four-legged barstool” similar to those used in the oil and gas industries, from a Nor wegian company.

To a person standing on the coast, wind turbines 15 miles away appear “the size of a quar ter of your thumbnail,” Wissemann said.

The turbines for the 400-megawatt Rhode Island project would be located 20 miles of fshore. “The vast majority of days, you won’t see them at all,” Wissemann said.

The turbines for the Block Island project, which are located three miles of fshore, would be significantly more visible. But Wissemann said he had not encountered opposition like Cape Wind faced.

Kempe said the smaller initial project would help demonstrate that offshore wind farms are “viable” on the East Coast. It can also begin more quickly than the larger project because the turbines will be in state waters and thus subject to less federal regulation, she said.

Though Congress asked the

www.browndailyherald.com

Department of the Interior to establish rules for of fshore wind farms in 2005, it has not yet done so. “The last administration did not prioritize alternative energy,” Wissemann said. He praised Rhode Island for developing its own guidelines for offshore wind farms. “It’s really right at the cutting edge,” he said.

The Special Area Management Plan — a collaboration between the Coastal Resources Management Council, which Kempe called a “quasi-public agency,” and the University of Rhode Island — will perform an “independent, comprehensive analysis” to help determine the best location for the wind farm.

The studies will include analysis of bird and whale migration patterns, according to Wissemann, who said his company was looking for “the most benign possible location that also has wind.”

Though wind power remains somewhat more expensive than energy from fossil fuels, “our goal is to have the cost be financially insignificant” for the average consumer, Wissemann said. But as oil becomes more scarce, he said, wind energy will become the most economical option.

“We can build the infrastructure the U.S. needs to be selfsuf ficient,” he said. “It’s really within our means to achieve in the next 15 to 20 years. All it takes is leadership.”

SportsThursday The Brown Daily Herald

Thursday, January 22, 2009 | Page 7

M. icers struggle over break By dan alexander Sports Staff Writer

The men’s hockey team (1-12-4, 1-7-3 ECAC Hockey) had a rough winter break. Over December and January, the Bears went 1-6-2 and are currently in the midst of an eightgame winless streak that dates back to their 5-4 home victory over Union on Dec. 5. The rough stretch landed Brown in last place in the ECAC, with only five points.

Assistant Captain Matt Vokes ’09 has remained one of the few bright spots on the team through the break. Vokes has scored six goals and added three assists in the nine games since the start of December.

Captain Devin Timberlake ’10 showed promise despite battling injuries for much of the last two months. Jeff Buvinow ’12, the second leader in points behind Vokes, continued a strong freshman campaign with two goals and five assists over the break.

Defenseman Mike Stuart ’09 added some offense by recording two assists and netting a goal, bringing his season totals to two goals and three assists.

Dan Rosen ’10, the starting goaltender who had been one of the only consistencies on the team before December, played brilliantly at times and struggled at others. He

let in four goals in the first period against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and five goals in the game against Minnesota. He then came back with a career performance against Harvard, stopping all but one of the 51 shots he faced in a 1-1 tie.

Rosen’s ups and downs caused Head Coach Roger Grillo to experiment with different personnel in goal. Fellow goalies Mark Sibbald ’09 and Mike Clemente ’12 both got starts in place of Rosen during the break.

The team’s troubles, though, extend outside of the net, as the Bears have been out-shot in all but one of their games this season.

Ironically, the only game in which Brown held a shot advantage was its Dec. 6 match-up against RPI, which resulted in a 7-2 loss.

“We’re definitely frustrated,” Rosen said. “But I think everyone is just trying to find a way to stay positive and just keep working so that we can turn it around.”

Though the team didn’t go all-out to celebrate the New Year together, Rosen does have some resolutions for the rest of the season. “It’s important to get back to basics and remember that we’re here because we were recruited to be here so we can obviously all play. I think we just need to start playing with more confidence.”

Runners take winter in stride

By Benjy Asher Spor ts Editor

Several winter sports teams kicked off their competition seasons over winter break. Here’s a look at how they fared:

Ashley Hess / Herald File Photo

Assistant Captain Matt Vokes ’09 has scored six goals and three assists in the nine games since the start of December.

Brown 5, Union 4 On Dec. 5 at Meehan Auditorium, Timberlake made Union look like a junior varsity team in his first game back after being sidelined for

three contests with a back injury.

Timberlake had an assist and his first two goals of the season to lead Brown past Union for the Bears’ continued on page 8

Strong effort, disappointing results for w. hockey

By Andrew Braca Sports Editor

Despite a 1-4 Winter Break record, women’s hockey Head Coach Digit Murphy said that her Bears have grown since December.

“I think in true Brown fashion we always get better over the break,” she said. “It’s a nice opportunity to just play hockey without going to school. We’re getting better.”

“We’re benefiting by having double (practice) sessions every day,” Murphy added. “The players seem to like each other; they seem to be blending and gelling a little more, (and) the lines are a little (sturdier).”

Bruno began January with a win over Northeastern before running into a roadblock in the form of four of the top five ECAC Hockey teams.

The Bears played well enough to fall to Harvard, No. 5 St. Lawrence and Clarkson by a total of just four goals, but, those results and a loss to Dartmouth, left Brown (3-14-1, 2-9-0) near the bottom of the conference standings.

“It’s just frustrating that you… don’t get any points from playing well in the game,” said Jenna Dancewicz ’11, who tied for the team lead over break with two goals and an assist. “You have to win the game.”

The Bears did just that against the Northeastern Huskies on Jan. 3 at Meehan Auditorium, surviving a 28-13 deficit in shots to post a 2-1 victory that Murphy said reflected

the strides the team has taken as a result of intensive practice.

“I think we’re better skaters, we’re better passers, we’re better puck handlers and we’re just better prepared right now,” she said.

Brown jumped out to a 2-0 lead just 2:38 into the third period on two goals from Erica Kromm ’11, a feat that earned her ECAC Hockey Player of the Week honors.

Although Northeastern notched a shorthanded goal less than three minutes later, the Bears never allowed the Huskies to tie the game.

Captain Nicole Stock ’09, a Herald sports staff writer, slammed the door in goal with 27 saves to open the second half of the season in fine form.

“We knew we could beat that team — we had in previous years — and so coming out of the break we wanted to get our legs under us,” Stock said. “That win was huge for us as a confidence builder.”

The team needed that confidence heading into a weekend in which they faced the two top teams in the conference.

“We knew that Harvard-Dartmouth was a big weekend, so we all knew that we had to come into that weekend with our best games,” Dancewicz said.

The Crimson (8-7-3, 8-4-2) were too much for the Bears over the first two periods. Although Vika Mykolenko ’12 scored the first goal of her career, Harvard held a 3-1 lead heading into the third period before Bruno turned it on.

Dancewicz cut the lead in half just 2:36 into the frame. When Nicole Brown ’10 notched a power-play goal three minutes later to tie the game, the Meehan crowd erupted.

Stock said there was a similar surge of emotion on the ice.

“I think a little bit was, we haven’t beaten Harvard in, I think, eight years, so a little bit of shock, because we were able to come back on them, and that’s something that we haven’t been able to do any of the previous years we’ve played them,” said Stock, who notched 31 saves. “I think it showed a lot of courage and a lot of confidence in our system.”

The Crimson broke the tie with a power-play goal 54 seconds later and pulled away with another in the game’s final minute to escape with a 5-3 victory, but the Bears gained the confidence to challenge them when the teams meet again on Feb. 7.

“When we play them next time we’re definitely going to turn it up a notch and hopefully win it,” Dancewicz said.

The high level of play did not carry over into the following day against Dartmouth (12-6-2, 9-3-2), leaving the Bears to limp away from a 9-1 loss. Sasha Van Muyen ’10 scored the lone goal for Brown, while Stock made 30 saves and Joy Joung ’11 chipped in with 13 saves in her second appearance of the season.

But Bruno bounced back in a big way on Friday against a St.

Lawrence team (14-5-3, 8-1-1) they have historically matched up well against, taking the No. 5 team in the country down to the wire in a 3-2 loss.

Leah Crabtree ’12 scored 3:57 into the second period to tie the game, 1-1, for the first point of her collegiate career. Katelyn Landry ’12 also earned her first collegiate point with an assist on the play.

St. Lawrence retook the lead less than five minutes later, but assistant captain Andrea Hunter ’10 tallied her fourth goal of the season just 40 seconds into the third period to again even the score. The Saints ultimately slipped away with a power-play goal midway through the period, and, despite pulling Stock, who made 38 saves, with 1:50 to go for an extra skater, the Bears could not notch the equalizer.

“After what happened against Dartmouth, it was good for our team to just bounce back and get back to playing our game and not letting that affect us, knowing that we’re better than how we played against Dartmouth,” Stock said. “I think that showed this past weekend, especially at St. Lawrence, a very good team, and then again at Clarkson.”

The Bears continued their upstate New York road trip the following day with another one-goal loss, this time to Clarkson (12-6-4, 6-2-2).

The Bears held the Golden Knights at bay for the first 37 minutes of the continued on page 8

Men’s Track and Field Competing for the first time since Dec. 6, the men’s track and field team saw strong individual performances at the URI Sorlein Invitational on Jan. 17, where they finished seventh out of 13 competing teams.

With the top eight finishers in each event earning points for the team, Matt Jasmin ’09 was the top scorer, as he blazed to a first-place finish in a time of 7.69 seconds in the 55-meter hurdles. Marc Howland ’11 ran a time of 6.52 for a fourth-place finish in the 55-meter dash, just a tenth of a second behind the winner.

In the 1,000-meter run, Anthony Schurz ’12 and Sean O’Brien ’09 finished in scoring position, in seventh and eighth place respectively, with Schurz running 2:33.93 and O’Brien clocking in at 2:34.27.

The throwers contributed as well, as Tyler Prince ’09 earned sixth place in the weight throw with a toss of 47 feet, 10 inches, and Bryan Powlen ’10 launched a throw of 50 feet, 11 inches for second place in the shot put. Jordan Maddocks ’11 finished seventh in the high jump, with a jump of 6 feet, 6.25 inches.

Women’s Track and Field The Sorlein Invitational saw three members of the women’s track and field team take first-place, with several other high finishers on the squad. Nicole Burns ’09 won the 500-meter run with a time of 1:15.28, and Lucy Higgins ’11 wasn’t far behind, running a time of 1:18.24 to finish third.

Caroline Scanlan ’11 finished eighth in 1:20.53. Samantha Adelberg ’11 cruised to a victory in the 1,000-meter run in 2:56.06, winning by a margin of over three seconds, while Emily Mepham ’12, Kesley Ramsey ’11 and Galia Deitz ’12 finished in third, fifth and sixth, respectively.

Susan Scavone ’12 also had a strong day on the track, finishing fourth in both the 55-meter hurdles and the 200-meter dash. Thelma Breezeatl ’10 ran a 59.72 to earn second place in the 400-meter dash.

Equally impressive for Brown were the field athletes. Rachel Biblo ’11 jumped 17 feet, 3.5 inches to finish second in the long jump, and followed up with a second-place finish in the triple jump, with a distance of 36 feet, 8.5 inches. In the shot put, Brynn Smith ’11 and Danielle Grunloh ’10 turned in a one-two finish, with throws of 44-08.25 and continued on page 8

Page 8

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

S ports T hursday W. icers learn from losses continued from page 7

game, finally taking a 1-0 lead midway through the second period on a power-play goal by Dancewicz.

“We controlled the puck, we matched their energy, our forecheck was aggressive, and I don’t think they were really ready for that,” Murphy said.

But Clarkson recovered to tie the game with a power-play goal just 2:36 before intermission and beat Stock, who finished with 32 saves, for the go-ahead goal only 1:55 into the third period to secure the 2-1 win.

“I was disappointed (that) we played really hard but we didn’t play hard enough to steal a point in either game,” Murphy said. “That tells me that we’re still not there yet and we can’t be satisfied with just coming close to a top team. We have to knock off one of those teams to really say we’ve arrived.”

To do that, the Bears will have to take advantage of their special teams. Over the five games in January, Brown scored four goals in 20 power plays, while their opponents scored 11 times in 27 chances. But Murphy said that one key to the team’s success in the St. Lawrence and Clarkson games was that fewer penalties were called, resulting in their opponents only notching two goals on seven power plays. To beat top teams, she said, the Bears will need to have both their power play and penalty kill working.

This weekend, Bruno will face less intimidating opponents when Colgate (12-9-2, 6-4-2) and Cornell (9-8-2, 5-5-2) come to Meehan on Friday at 7 p.m. and Saturday at 4 p.m.

In November the team played them tough, coming within 10 seconds of a tie in a 3-2 overtime loss to the Big Red before beating the Red Raiders, 4-3. The Bears hope this will be the weekend when the results finally match the effort.

“We just (have to) keep playing our game and keep climbing up the hill that we’re climbing and hopefully win some hockey games, because it’s about time,” Dancewicz said.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Men and Women’s Track head to Boston University this Friday for the all-day Terrier Classic.

Blowouts, nail-biters among m. hockey losses continued from page 7

only win so far this year.

Union got out to an early lead in a shootout of a first period that ended with Union ahead 3-2. With the Bears ahead 4-3 in the middle period, Buvinow sent a pass from the point to Ryan Garbutt ’09, who was waiting for the one-timer at the right face-off circle. Garbutt’s goal gave Brown a two-goal cushion at 5-3, and the Bears held on to the lead for the remainder of the contest.

RPI 7, Brown 2 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute embarrassed Brown on the Bears’ home ice the night after the Union victory. The game was all but over after the first period, when RPI had a 4-1 advantage.

Rosen stopped only six of the 10 shots he saw in the opening period, so Sibbald replaced him in goal before the second period. Sibbald stopped 16 shots in the next two periods, but was still rung up for three goals.

Providence 4, Brown 3 Sibbald started in net for the first time this season on Dec. 9, but he couldn’t chalk up a win in the 23rd annual Mayor’s Cup at Meehan Auditorium. Brown came back in the third period, but it wasn’t enough to

overcome the Friars’ 2-0 lead.

Stuart fired a shot with under a minute and a half left in the game and Brown down 4-2. Assistant Captain Aaron Volpatti ’10 took the rebound at the bottom of the left face-off circle and put the puck in the back of the net to make it a one-goal game. But Brown couldn’t make up the last goal, despite lastminute attempts to pull Sibbald in favor of an extra attacker.

the scoreboard first. But Clemente shut down the goal for the remainder of the game, tallying 43 saves.

Clemente’s goaltending gave Brown a chance, and the Bears capitalized on it 11:02 into the final period. Eric Slais ’09 passed to Sean McMonagle ’10, who fed Stuart for a one-timer. Stuart’s goal proved to be the game-tying goal as neither team could score in the rest of the third period or in overtime.

No. 4 Minnesota 6, Brown 2 The Bears opened up the fourteam Dodge Holiday Classic on Jan. 2 in Minneapolis against one of the nation’s best. The Golden Gophers dominated the first two periods, outshooting Brown 35-2 to gain a 4-0 advantage heading into the final frame.

A goal from Assistant Captain Jordan Pietrus ’10 and another from Timberlake gave the Bears a respectable two-goal deficit in the third period, but the Golden Gophers regained their four-goal lead before the final buzzer sounded.

Brown 1, Harvard 1 In what players and coaches called the oldest rivalry in college hockey, Brown and Harvard tied for the second time this season, this time in Cambridge on Jan. 9. Rosen returned to goal and had a careerhigh 50 saves.

Harvard took a 1-0 lead early in the second period and held on until 5:05 remained in the contest, when Buvinow fired the game-tying goal from the left point.

Brown 1, Western Michigan 1 A strong performance in goal

by Clemente in his first career start helped the Bears earn a tie in the consolation game of the Dodge Holiday Classic the night after they lost to Minnesota. With 1:45 left in the second period, the Broncos got on

Dartmouth 5, Brown 1 After Bobby Farnham ’12 scored the Bears’ lone goal to even the score 1-1 minutes into the second period, Dartmouth ran away with the game on its home ice, scoring four goals in the second period alone. The Big Green finished the Jan. 10 game with a 5-1 advantage.

Rosen was perfect in goal in the third period, stopping all 18 shots

he faced. But his effort was too little too late, as Brown’s offense couldn’t come up with a goal.

St. Lawrence 6, Brown 1 The Bears opened up the game with an even first period on their home ice. Both teams scored once on nine chances. But, like the Dartmouth game, the Bears let this one get out of control in the final two frames.

With 7:10 left in the middle period, Rosen let the third goal slip by him, giving St. Lawrence a two-goal advantage. Grillo pulled Rosen after the goal in favor of Clemente, who finished the period without giving up a goal.

St. Lawrence made the game look like a bigger blowout than it was by scoring a pair of goals in the last two minutes.

Clarkson 4, Brown 3 (OT) In a gutsy move, Clarkson pulled its goalie with 1:11 left in overtime with the score tied, 3-3. Golden Knight Shea Guthrie fired a shot and Matt Beca put in the rebound to win the game for Clarkson.

Vokes scored two goals and Buvinow added another for the Bears.

Clemente had 36 saves in goal.

The Bears will get a chance to knock off Colgate, the team tied with Brown for last in ECAC Hockey, on Friday at 7 p.m.

Wrestlers take down opponents over break continued from page 7 44-05.5, respectively. In addition, Smith finished second in the weight throw, while Molly Hawksley ’09 finished sixth, and Grace Watson ’11 jumped 5 feet, 1.75 inches for third place in the high jump.

Men’s Swimming and Diving On Jan. 3, the men’s swimming and diving team competed at the Florida Atlantic University Invitational, where Brown finished third out of four teams. Ryan Kikuchi ’11 had an outstanding day, with a first-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke in a time of 51.90, a

second-place finish in the 200-yard backstroke in 1:52.26 and another second-place finish in the 200-yard individual medley, with a time of 1:55.19. Kikuchi was also a part of the 200-yard medley relay team — along with Conor Carlucci ’11, Rich Alexander ’09 and Ben Zlotoff ’09 — which earned a third-place finish.

Carlucci had a strong day in the pool for Brown, finishing fourth in the 100 breast, third in the 200 breast, and seventh in the 200 IM. Also performing well for Brown were J.D. Pinto ’10, who turned in fifth-place finishes in the 100 back and 100 fly, and Tucker Wetmore

’10, who finished seventh in the 200 free and fourth in the 100 free.

In the one-meter diving event, C.J. Kambe ’10 finished second, and Jonathan Feldman ’12 finished fourth.

The meet also functioned as a dual meet with Penn, which was the top overall finisher at the invitational and winner of the meet.

Women’s Swimming and Diving The women’s effort at the FAU Invitational was led by Allyson Schumacher ’12, who took home two individual titles. Schumacher won both the 500 free and the 1,000 free, while Ainsley McFadgen ’09 took second place in both events.

Schumacher also finished second in the 200 free, just .15 seconds out of first place, and finished third in the 100 free.

Natascha Mangan ’11 swam to a first-place finish in the 200 fly and a second-place finish in the 100 fly, and Kelley Wisinger ’11 contributed as well, earning third place in the 200 back and fifth in the 200 IM. Bailey Langner ’10 took second

in the 200 IM, adding to her sixth place finish in the 200 breast.

The team finished in third place out of six teams overall while earning the victory over Penn.

Wrestling In early January, the wrestling team traveled to Arlington, Tex., for a series of dual meets. Brown went 2-1, notching wins over Air Force and Appalachian State, while falling to Virginia Tech. The Bears were unable to keep the momentum going, dropping two consecutive dual meets at home, 21-12 to Rutgers on Jan. 9 and 20-12 to Bucknell on Jan. 17.

The loss to Rutgers included individual wins for Greg Einfrank ’10, wrestling at 125 pounds, Eli Harris ’09, at 133, Matt Gevelinger ’09, at 184 and Zach Zdrada ’09, at 285.

Against Bucknell, Steve DeLorenzo ’10 wrestled to a convincing 11-4 win at 141, followed by an 8-7 victory for Bryan Tracy ’10 at 157.

Branden Stearns ’09 won his match, 4-2, at 197, while Zdrada had another solid day on the mat, with a 10-3 victory at 285.

Editorial & Letters The Brown Daily Herald

Page 10 | Thursday, January 22, 2009

e d i to r i a l

Inaugurating new activists Barack Obama’s inauguration is a unique moment in American history.

In a country whose historical development was and still is shaped by racial strife and oppression, the significance of an African-American’s ascension to the nation’s highest office cannot be overstated. Obama inspired many to act on behalf of his campaign over the past year, and as students we must take up his inaugural challenge and continue to strive for political and social progress.

The historical significance of Obama’s candidacy and his promise of a new brand of politics inspired Brown students to volunteer in extraordinary numbers for the Obama campaign. Most of us remember the spontaneous celebrations that erupted on the Main Green and the streets of Providence on the night of Obama’s victory.

This enthusiasm was on full display on Tuesday, and not only among those who made pilgrimages to Washington to witness President Obama’s inauguration ceremony in person. The explosion of applause in Salomon 101 after Obama was officially sworn in attests to the passion that Obama continues to inspire among Brown students.

This is a welcome development. Although Brown has a reputation for political activism, student political groups have long struggled with apathy and low attendance. This election seems to have galvanized students in a way that previous elections and political events have not, a consequence of the national campaign itself and the dedicated student organizers who poured their time and energy into both the Obama and McCain campaigns.

Returning to complacency shouldn’t be an option. There are too many pressing issues, both locally and nationally, for Brown students of all political orientations to retreat back into courses and kegs. Our efforts during the campaign show that we have a lot to contribute to contemporary American politics as activists, organizers and thinkers, roles that continue to be of critical importance well after the last vote has been counted.

Students like VyVy Trinh ’11 and Crystal Vance ’11 have already taken this to heart. The protest for immigration reform they participated in outside of one of the inaugural balls — a peaceful and thoughtful demonstration — is a model for precisely the kind of activism we hope students engage in as Obama’s term begins. Brown needs a student body consistently engaged in political life, and Obama’s election has given us novel opportunity to become one. Let’s not pass it up.

C hris jesu lee

Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.

t h e b r o w n d a i ly h e r a l d Editor-in-Chief Steve DeLucia

Managing Editors Michael Bechek Chaz Firestone

editorial Arts & Culture Ben Hyman Hannah Levintova Arts & Culture Features Sophia Li Features Emmy Liss Higher Ed Gaurie Tilak Higher Ed Matthew Varley Metro George Miller Metro Joanna Wohlmuth News Chaz Kelsh News Jenna Stark Sports Benjy Asher Sports Andrew Braca Asst. Sports Alex Mazerov Asst. Sports Katie Wood

Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor Editor

Graphics & Photos Graphics Editor Chris Jesu Lee Graphics Editor Stephen Lichenstein Eunice Hong Photo Editor Kim Perley Photo Editor Justin Coleman Sports Photo Editor production Kathryn Delaney Copy Desk Chief Seth Motel Copy Desk Chief Marlee Bruning Design Editor Jessica Calihan Design Editor Anna Migliaccio Asst. Design Editor Julien Ouellet Asst. Design Editor Neal Poole Web Editor

Associate Editors Nandini Jayakrishna Franklin Kanin Michael Skocpol

Senior Editors Rachel Arndt Catherine Cullen Scott Lowenstein

Business General Managers Office Manager Shawn Reilly Alexander Hughes Jonathan Spector Directors Ellen DaSilva Sales Director Claire Kiely, Sales Director Phil Maynard Sales Director Katie Koh Finance Director Managers Local Sales Kelly Weiss National Sales Kathy Bui University Sales Alex Carrere Recruiter Sales Christiana Stephenson Opinions Sarah Rosenthal

Opinions Editor

Editorial Page Board James Shapiro Nick Bakshi Zack Beauchamp Sara Molinaro Meha Verghese

Editorial Page Editor Board member Board member Board member Board member

Post- magazine Arthur Matuszewski Kelly McKowen

Editor-in-Chief Editor-in-Chief

Jessie Calihan, Julien Ouellet, Designer Anna Jouravleva, Simon Liebling, Rachel Starr, Copy Editors Mitra Anoushiravani, Colin Chazen, Chaz Kelsh, Melissa Shube, Night Editors Senior Staff Writers Mitra Anoushiravani, Colin Chazen, Ellen Cushing, Sydney Ember, Lauren Fedor, Nicole Friedman, Britta Greene, Sarah Husk, Brian Mastroianni, Hannah Moser, Ben Schreckinger, Caroline Sedano, Melissa Shube, Anne Simons, Sara Sunshine, Staff Writers Zunaira Choudhary, Leslie Primack, Christian Martell, Alexandra Ulmer, Lauren Pischel, Samuel Byker, Anne Deggelman, Nicole Dungca, Cameron Lee, Seth Motel, Kyla Wilkes, Juliana Friend, Kelly Mallahan, Jyotsna Mullur, Chris Duffy Sports Staff Writers Peter Cipparone, Nicole Stock Business Staff Maximilian Barrows, Thanases Plestis, Allen McGonagill, Ben Xiong, Bonnie Kim, Cathy Li, Corey Schwartz, Evan Sumortin, Haydar Taygun, Jackie Goldman, Jilyn Chao, Kenneth So, Lyndse Yess, Margaret Watson, Matthew Burrows, Maura Lynch, Misha Desai, Stassia Chyzhykova, Webber Xu, William Schweitzer Design Staff Jessica Kirschner, Joanna Lee, Maxwell Rosero Photo Staff Alex DePaoli, Quinn Savit, Meara Sharma, Min Wu Copy Editors Rafael Chaiken, Ellen Cushing, Younhun Kim, Frederic Lu, Lauren Fedor, Madeleine Rosenberg, Kelly Mallahan, Jennifer Kim, Tarah Knaresboro, Jordan Mainzer, Janine Lopez, Luis Solis, Ayelet Brinn, Rachel Starr, Riva Shah, Jason Yum, Simon Liebling, Geoffrey Kyi, Anna Jouravleva Web Developers Jihan Chao, Greg Edmiston

C O R R E C T I O N S P olicy 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 ommentary P O L I C Y The editorial is the majority opinion of the editorial page 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.

L etters to the E ditor P olicy Send letters to letters@browndailyherald.com. Include a telephone number with all letters. The Herald reserves the right to edit all letters for length and clarity and cannot assure the publication of any letter. Please limit letters to 250 words. Under special circumstances writers may request anonymity, but no letter will be printed if the author’s identity is unknown to the editors. Announcements of events will not be printed. advertising P olicy The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. reserves the right to accept or decline any advertisement at its discretion.

Opinions The Brown Daily Herald

Thursday, January 22, 2009 | Page 11

A financial curriculum at Brown

BY ANISH MITRA Opinions Columnist When I tell my friends at home I am concentrating in economics, they assume a general understanding of what I am studying. It’s not until I talk to another economics concentrator that I run into trouble explaining my course of study. My friends from state schools, or other schools that have a student population that resembles the distribution of those at a state school, have more specialized economics curricula. For instance, students at Northeastern can study finance or insurance.

Thus, as I explain my studies to these friends, I assume the tone of a government bureaucrat, creatively assuring my friends that while my work seems ambiguous and impractical, one day it will produce great fruits.

Regardless, I understand that most financial employers hire Brown students for their natural abilities as opposed to what they actually learn in class. At all of the banking information sessions I have been to, many alums have told me point-blank that they knew little to nothing about corporate finance before venturing into the analyst program. After a few weeks of training however, they adjusted immediately and gained boatloads of knowledge thereafter.

While Brown students are certainly capable of learning on the spot, wouldn’t it be great if they knew what they were getting into before they actually showed up to work?

Economics at Brown is a general, ambiguous

concentration, and Brown should institute a “Financial Economics” program or simply a “Finance” sub-concentration.

I am extremely passionate about finance and investment banking, and I believe that many students stand to benefit from a concentration track that focuses on finance. Creating a distinction within the economics de-

id groundwork for administrators looking to develop a finance curriculum.

In addition to the standard concentration requirements for economics, Welch recommends taking a range of financial classes depending on the individual’s interests.

For instance, students interested in corporate finance would enroll, unsurprisingly,

Many alums have told me pointblank that they knew little to nothing about corporate finance before venturing into the analyst program. partment may be a reasonably easy process given the classes already offered.

Professor of Economics Ivo Welch, who specializes in financial economics, has listed a sample curriculum on his Web site for Brown students interested in pursuing banking, consulting and other sector-related jobs.

[1] I have already taken many of the classes that he has listed, and given that first-hand knowledge, I believe he has laid some sol-

in ECON1720 (Corporate Finance), while students interested in specialized investments would take ECON1770 (Fixed Income Securities) and Welch’s own course, ECON1759 (Data, Statistics, and Finance), among others.

Personally, I would also add ECON1650 (Financial Econometrics) and ECON1550 (International Finance) to the list. The topics covered in ECON1650, namely analyzing

asset returns and interest rates, would be extremely useful to any future finance professional. As for ECON1550, not only did 2008’s Economics Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman write the textbook, but students can gain a precise understanding of interest rate effects on currency exchange rates, and the inner workings of monetary policy. Such tools could prove important for a future hedge fund manager.

All in all, Professor Welch has provided an excellent foundation for an official finance curriculum at Brown, and with the correct adjustments, this makeshift idea should become a reality. Having a designated finance concentration would not only give Brown students interested in banking and related fields a definite direction, but would make them more attractive to employers.

Currently, only a handful of major bulge bracket investment banks recruit at our University. Citigroup ceased recruiting this year, while J.P. Morgan, Bank of America, Credit Suisse, United Bank of Switzerland, Lazard and plenty of other reputable financial institutions continue to look past Brown.

Why do these banks avoid us? Could it be because they see a pool of uncontrolled, rampant liberalism permeating every inch of the campus (except my suite)? Or could it be that Brown has yet to acknowledge the importance of a financial curriculum? Let’s make the easiest correction first.

Anish Mitra ’10 is an economics concentrator from New York City.

Resolutions for 2009 (or at least January)

BY ANTHONY STAEHELIN Opinions Columnist Ahhh, New Year’s! The transition to a new year seems, as it always does, like the perfect opportunity to kick the bad habits we’ve been meaning to shed for some time. The first of January is that liberating day when we just start afresh, kind of like the reboot button on a computer.

We all know that feeling of returning to our computer after an all-nighter and seeing the 18 Mozilla Firefox tabs we’ve left open, the nine Word documents we’re too tired to care whether we saved and the mess of open folders and documents that litter our desktop… and then the joy and liberation that comes from hitting the reboot button and magically getting rid of that whole mess.

Well, that’s a good metaphor for New Year’s!

An intrinsic part of this ‘reboot’ process is coming up with a list of resolutions for the new year. We’ve all done it: study more, curse less, stop smoking, etc. Although most of these endeavors fail before February, a ‘list of resolutions’ has become a staple of New Year’s. In keeping with this tradition, and with campus life in mind, I came up with three personal resolutions for 2009 that other students might find relevant as well. So here goes: 1) Sleep more… in bed and less in class.

Until college, I had never witnessed mass public sleeping before. In classrooms, lectures, screenings and even at the Ratty, it seems like everyone is snooZzzzing. It’s as though a widespread ‘fatigue’ pandemic has hit Brown with full force. If you think I am exaggerating, I invite you to sit at the front of

the auditorium at your next mundane afternoon lecture. Turn around halfway through the lecture and you will witness a substantial number of students either staring straight up at the ceiling or focusing intently on their belly buttons. Although I also occasionally enjoy an afternoon nap to the soothing voice of Professor XYZ, in the interest of actually learning something in class, I will try to kick this habit in 2009.

2) Stop wearing those boxers with the holes in them (i.e. do laundry more often!)

trary, it is harder to wash many consecutive loads in one go, as the competition over laundry machines is fierce (and growing fiercer by the day)!

Unfortunately, not doing laundry leads many Brown students to wear clothes that should only see daylight in the direst of times and otherwise be confined to the darkest corner of their closet. You know what I’m talking about. That faded yellow sweater, that worn out white T-shirt with the armpit stains or that old unflattering turtleneck. But

The first of January is that liberating day when we just start afresh, kind of like the reboot button on a computer.

The only significant lifestyle change I made from freshman to sophomore year was buying a bigger hamper. In the first few weeks of school, I quickly realized my twofoot hamper would not suffice — I could never actually find it because it was always hidden under a mountain of clothes. There is no sensible explanation for why we all put off doing our laundry… aside from general laziness. There is no ‘bulk discount’ for waiting until we have six loads to do! On the con-

with a new year comes new hope! In 2009 therefore, let us no longer inflict these types of clothing on our fellow classmates and let us commit to doing our laundry more often.

3) Inform Chef Boyardee that his services will no longer be needed I’m not sure what it was that inspired this last one. Perhaps it was all the homecooked meals over break, or the traumatizing memory of that time I lay in bed at 5 a.m. unable to sleep because I was thirsty and the

only beverage in my fridge was Red Bull, or perhaps my mother’s incessant phone calls starting with “Are you eating? You sound too thin!” are finally paying off. Whatever the reason, my third resolution is to eat healthier in 2009.

Don’t get me wrong, I was no different from any other college kid in 2008: I would start my day with a microwaved pop tart, later I’d snack on a Pizza Pocket and my idea of a quick, late-night dinner amounted to a delicious, three day-old serving of Pad Thai noodles. (For increased speed, eat cold and straight from the fridge. Don’t be dissuaded by the fact that they have taken the cubic shape of the container!) Although I still have my doubts about whether the Ratty food is preferable to those coagulated noodles, our parents are probably right to suggest that we should at least try to eat healthier in 2009!

So there you have it. Although this list could hardly be more arbitrary, I’m quite certain it applies to many of us. Admittedly, staying awake through afternoon lectures, doing laundry once a week and not succumbing to the temptation of microwave ravioli will prove a daunting challenge. You might find some relief, however, in knowing that many New Year’s resolutions don’t actually make it past January. With that in mind, Happy New Year and good luck. (Only nine days to go!)

PS: I briefly considered including “stop watching mind-numbing VH1 programs” in the list, but quickly decided I should only include resolutions that have at least some chance of succeeding.

Anthony Staehelin ’10 is a political science concentrator from Geneva, Switzerland.

Today

3

Crime log: petty thefts sweep campus

The Brown Daily Herald

5

to day

to m o r r o w

37 / 24

41 / 29

Offshore wind energy may come to R.I.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Page 12

the news in images

1

5

Eunice Hong / Herald

Kim Perley/ Herald

u p c o m i n g s p o r t s m at c h - u p

c a l e n da r Friday, January 23

Thursday, January 22

5:00 PM — “Job Search in a Tough Economy,” Career Development Center Library

Yale at Brown, Fri. 7 p.m.

5:30 PM — Gallery talk and opening reception for Annabel Daou’s “Knots,” List Art Center

Yale to look for revenge on Friday

7:00 PM — Women’s Ice Hockey v.

Colgate, Meehan Auditorium

The women’s basketball team (3-12, 1-0 Ivy) eked out a last-minute 64-62 win on the road against Yale in their first Ivy League contest of the season last Friday.

menu Sharpe Refectory

Verney-Woolley Dining Hall

Lunch — Chicken Fingers, Baked Vegan Nuggets, Gyro Sandwich, Cheddar Mashed Potatoes.

Lunch — Honey Mustard Chicken Sandwich, Vegetarian Pot Pie, Chocolate Flake Cookies

Dinner — Seafood Jambalaya, Vegetarian Tamale Pie, Spinach Strudel, Red Potatoes with Chive Sauce

Dinner — Pork Medallions in Portabello Sauce, Vegan Paella, Potatoes Au Gratin with Fresh Herbs

Tomorrow night they plan to build on the momentum of their last two games (victories against Yale and Bryant University) when they host the Bulldogs from New Haven on their home turf.

The rematch will take place at 7 p.m. this Friday at the Pizzitola Sports Center.

RELEASE DATE– Thursday, January 22, 2009

c r o sDaily s w oCrossword rd Los Angeles Times Puzzle

Justin Coleman / Herald File Photo

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 City near TV’s Southfork, familiarly 5 Some lifts 10 Spice Girl married to Beckham 14 Cor anglais cousin 15 Put the bite on 16 Donald, to his nephews 17 Opinion sampling 18 Mikhail’s wife 19 Actress Polo 20 Prequel about a cost-cutting family of undertakers?

23 Jazz fan 25 Attention 26 Linguist’s concerns 27 Prequel about Alan and Jake Harper before they moved in with Charlie?

31 McCarthy mate 32 Orenburg’s river 33 Trial 34 Company cars, perhaps 36 Like plains 40 __ Alto 41 New Zealand native 42 Prequel about skit writers hoping to move to more prestigious digs?

47 Begin’s successor 48 Rouen refusal 49 Upsilon follower 50 Prequel about the Bradfords’ family planning efforts?

54 Rock’s Stefani 55 Kalahari refuge 56 Scrubbed, so to speak 59 __ Beaumont, hero of King’s “The Dark Half” 60 Macduff, vis-à-vis Fife 61 “When I was __ ...”: Gilbert & Sullivan song lyric

62 Tosspots 63 Socks 64 Actress Tuesday

35 Cambridgeshire 43 Greet from a cathedral distance town 44 Corrects 36 Distant 45 Diamond unit DOWN 37 Out 46 Rodeo loops 47 Air Force E-5’s 1 Hit on the head 38 Crafty 51 Humorist Mort 2 Nigerian people 39 Polynesian idol 52 Birthright-for3 Pro’s pocketful 40 Nabokov’s title professor pottage trader 4 Lunch spot 41 It might be pulled 53 Chew 5 Group of online down 57 Kind of pal posts 58 Like all but one 6 1967-’70 home of 42 “Quadrophenia” band prime number many 2-Down 7 End in __ 8 Stratagem ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: 9 Diner supply 10 Big name in publishing 11 Nervous 12 Show in theaters 13 They might be split in a spat 21 Peddle 22 ’80s org. that included the N.J. Generals 23 Sell for 24 Author Tyler 28 Gallery display 29 Second largest Great Lake 30 Torah container 34 Super Bowl XLII runners-up 01/22/09 xwordeditor@aol.com

comics Dunkel | Joe Larios

Alien Weather Forecast | Stephen Lichenstein and Adam Wagner

Classic How To Get Down | Nate Saunders

By Donna S. Levin (c)2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

01/22/09