Friday, October 9, 2009

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vol. cxliv, no. 82 | Friday, October 9, 2009 | Serving the community daily since 1891

For a select squad, an anti-gang vigil By George Miller Metro Editor

After school Wednesday, three students are hanging out outside Gilbert Stuart Middle School in Providence. It’s been an hour or so since classes let out for the day, but they’re standing around talking to a grown man — a streetworker with the Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence, which aims to combat youth violence in the city. Two other streetworkers, Tony Kim and Ali Amoure, pull up to the curb in Kim’s car. “Why aren’t you home yet?” Amoure asks one of them, whom he recognizes as a student at Bridgham, another middle school nearby that he watches over daily. He gets no definitive answer. Tuesday, a student was arrested at Bridgham after trying to attack another student with a broken bottle, Amoure says. Four streetworkers were called to the

scene. The streetworkers and the students talk about who’s in what gang. The Bridgham student denies being in one — he says they just think he is because he hangs out with them sometimes — but the streetworkers remain convinced he’s a member. The gangs recruit at a young age, Amoure says. The students tell him about another fight and another arrest today at Bridgham. Amoure is understandably upset. He asks when it happened. It was lunchtime — he was in a meeting then. Even though they work at it every day, the Institute’s streetworkers can’t stop every fight.

SPOTLIGHT

Claire Huang / Herald

Students demonstrated Wednesday to support Dining Services workers in contract negotiations with the University. Representatives from the University and the workers’ union will meet over the weekend. The contract expires Monday.

Rallies continue, BDS deadline looms By Alexandra Ulmer Senior Staf f Writer

With Dining Services workers’ contract with the University set to expire Monday and negotiations on a new deal ongoing, public demonstrations in support of the workers intensified this week.

On Wednesday, students opposing changes to workers’ required contributions to their health-care plans presented a petition to President Ruth Simmons. On Thursday, protesters marched from outside the Sharpe Refectory to put on a show outside J. Walter Wilson, with the University depicted as a giant

man-puppet clutching dollar bills in its fists and roaring about the importance of its chief investment officer. A short time later, administrators presented information about the University’s recent endowment continued on page 5

inside

The government’s role in the pharmaceutical industry — either highly regulative or uninvolved, leaving the industry to police itself through competition — was the subject of a Janus Forumsponsored debate Thursday night before a half-full Salomon 001. The event, “Doing Good or Doing Well: Responsibility in the Pharmaceutical Industr y,” featured two medical professionals with opposing views on regulation. Marcia Angell, a senior lecturer in the department of social medicine at Harvard and the first female editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine, argued that drug companies primarily ser ve their own interests of profit-making with little regard to fulfilling “social responsibility.” The other panelist, Mar y Ruwart, who ser ved as a research scientist for 19 years with Upjohn Pharmaceuticals, suggested government regulations force companies to raise drug prices in order to sustain the costs of research and development.

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Angell spoke first, basing the majority of her argument on the claim that the industry’s “aim is almost always to make sales,” so it is not responsive to community health needs. In response to the industry’s argument that high prices result from the heavy cost of research and development, Angell cited statistics showing that the major pharmaceutical companies spend much more on marketing than on they do on research. She also refuted the argument that high prices are necessar y for innovation. She referred to a study between 2000 and 2007 showing that drugs that were both innovative and reflected improvement over a placebo in trials constituted only 11 percent of total Food and Drug Administration approvals. Because the FDA approves drugs by comparing their effect to a placebo, she said, a new drug simply “has to be better than nothing” to be released. As a result, “me-too drugs,” which are “trivial variations” on existcontinued on page 2

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Lakes key to climate change study, scientist says

Industry leaders debate pros, cons of Rx drug regulation By Nicole Boucher Contributing Writer

Struggling for peace The Institute traces its roots back to 2000, when the South Side murder of Jennifer Rivera moved members of St. Michael’s Church

By Kristina Klara Contributing Writer

also a staf f writer for the New Yorker and author of the 2007 bestseller “The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Cour t.” He told the audience that he wrote his latest book because he thought the high court should be an “institution for all of us” despite its largely private workings.

Climate change is difficult to predict. But trying to deduce historical precipitation patterns may help us build a model for the weather patterns of the future, geologist Wallace Broecker told a full MacMillan 115 audience Thursday afternoon. Broecker, a renowned scientist often credited with coining the phrase “global warming,” discussed his recent examinations of lakes and cave stalagmites to measure ancient climate cycles in a colloquium sponsored by the Department of Geology. A professor of geology at Columbia, Broecker is working with a team of scientists to gather data about the past climate patterns of various isolated “closed-basin” lakes‚ from which water can exit only by evaporation and enter only

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Nick Sinnott-Armstrong / Herald

Author Jeffrey Toobin headlined a 25th anniversary celebration for the Taubman Center for Public Policy Thursday in Salomon 101.

Toobin: Conservative justices hold sway By Seth Motel News Editor

Americans can expect conser vative Supreme Court justices to practice their brand of “judicial activism” in the coming years, CNN senior analyst and author Jeffrey Toobin told a Salomon 101 audience Thursday night. Toobin, a CNN commentator on American legal issues, is

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PasSing fancy Football expects to rack up passing yards against Holy Cross this weekend

Art History A new book chronicles 125 years of RISD’s history in words and photos

CHe Sera, SERA Will Wray ’10 questions Brown students’ love for a famous revolutionary

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Friday, October 9, 2009

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Scientist studies lakes for climate continued from page 1 by precipitation. The growth and shrinkage of these lakes, such as Utah’s Great Salt Lake, may provide a good indication of the hydrologic cycles of the past. Lakes, Broecker said, are some of the most “unexploited archives on the planet.” By studying these hydrologic cycles, Broecker and his team have tried to piece together the histor y of climate change. They plan to plug their historical data into existing computer models of climate change, and in doing so will test the accuracy of the models in extrapolating historical patterns. If the models can make sense of the ancient data, they

may allow researchers to make predictions about the effects of global warming on future climate change. “This study may turn out to be useless in the future,” Broecker said. “But perhaps we’ll learn something.” Broecker and his team have been researching lakes in relation to climate patterns for only two years. Thus, although results may be in the offing, “there is an awful lot more to do,” he said. Broecker began his talk by recalling his initial exposure to geology decades ago. After Broecker gave a lecture in Los Angeles, a man with cowboy boots, a cowboy hat and a “big fat pipe” approached him. “Kid, I can see you know a lot about math and physics,” the

sudoku

man said. “But you don’t know much about the ear th. Come with me for three weeks, and I’ll change your life.” So, on a whim, Broecker went. He collected his first geological sample on the trip — to Pyramid Lake in Nevada — and has been in the field ever since. Broecker, a scientist at Columbia’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Obser vator y, said he was excited to be spending his days researching climate change with energetic young people and “all their new tools.” But he said he still felt able to keep up with the up-and-comers, even though he has been a professor for more than 50 years. “I still have enough wit to be more than a fossil on its shelf,” he said.

Nick Sinnott-Armstrong / Herald

Geologist Wallace Broecker spoke Thursday about his work on lakes and caves.

Forum looks at FDA role in drug industry continued from page 1

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ing marketable drugs, arise. Many of these variations are created for “vague, chronic” conditions — like erectile dysfunction, acid reflux or shyness. For those drugs that are innovative, she said the majority of breakthroughs come from labs funded by the National Institutes of Health. Drug companies then develop the drugs and “expect to be rewarded as if they were the source of the innovation.” Ruwart countered Angell’s depiction of drug companies as solely profit-driven, saying that both the “stockholders and society” must be accommodated. She said FDA regulations drive up prices of development and force rapid increases in drug expenses. “There is a direct correlation between what we pay in the pharmacy and what the pharmacy pays in research and development,” she said. Without FDA regulations, projections show, pharmacy prices would be 85 percent lower. “When we look at social responsibility,” Ruwart said, “we also need to look at the environment in which it works.” Owing to government regulation and long development periods, she said, “some people literally die waiting” for FDA ap-

James Sedgwick / Herald

Marcia Angell, former editor-in-chief of the New England Journal of Medicine, argued for more regulation of drug companies in a debate Thursday.

proval of drugs. By suggesting Congress legislate regulations “requiring companies to compare” new drugs with existing drugs, Angell said more resources would then be diverted to new drug research for approval.

Ruwart disagreed, saying that government regulation must be limited before prices can be lowered. “Competition is a better regulator than Congress or the FDA,” she said.

Friday, October 9, 2009

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C ampus N EWS CIS helps improve Brown’s cyber smarts By Ana Alvarez Contributing Writer

In recognition of National Cyber Security Awareness Month this October, Computing and Information Services will be hosting several events to promote cyber safety in the Brown community. Presented by the Information Security Group, the events are organized to educate and help protect students from cyber crimes like online scams and identity theft. CIS kicked off Cyber Security Awareness Month on Oct. 1 with a booth in the “Be Safe at Brown” event run by the Department of Public Safety. Students were able to play “Cy Bear Street Smarts” and win a variety of prizes. Other events include online tutorials, games, tools, videos and online contest quizzes offered weekly on different cyber safety topics, all available on ISG’s Cyber Security Awareness Month Web site. If students complete the quiz correctly, they are entered into a raffle to win a free iPod at the end of the month. Classes, called “Safe Computing Brown Bags,” are also offered above Cafe Paragon on Thayer Street. Students are welcome to bring their lunch and learn about different cyber topics — with cookies provide by ISG. Topics covered during the month include laptop safety, virtual street smarts and securing wireless networks. “The phrase ‘It’s not secure without U’ isn’t just catchy, it’s true” said Patricia Falcon, IT security policy and communication coordinator. Falcon added that each student has an “obligation to protect shared resources” and that while CIS can

protect Brown’s network “everyone must do their part as well.” David Sherry, chief information security officer, said that participating in Cyber Security Awareness Month will promote secure thinking among students. “If we have people thinking safely that is our best defense,” he said. Some students have experienced on-campus network security problems recently. A hacking incident occurred in Perkins Hall last weekend, Craig Chan ’13 said, adding “just a few days ago other computers were being attacked in our dorm.” But student awareness of Cyber Security Awareness Month is low. Rahul Banerjee ’10, a student manager of the help desk consulting program, said, “I don’t know any more about Cyber Awareness Month than any other student would.” Students inter viewed by The Herald have responded positively to the online quizzes ISG offers, saying that the opportunity of a free iPod is a good incentive to get involved. Falcon said that ISG hopes to raise student awareness through “ads in (The Herald), slides in the dining halls, Morning Mail messages and word-of-mouth.” Created in 2001 in response to a growing terrorist threat, the Department of Homeland Security along with the National Cyber Security Alliance began Cyber Security Awareness Month in order to encourage citizens to protect their identity and the nation’s delicate cyber infrastructure, according to an e-mail Falcon wrote to The Herald. It has been extended to universities, businesses and home users.

“The phrase ‘It’s not secure without U’ is not just catchy, it’s true. — Patricia Falcon, IT security coordinator

where the free thin g s are

Alex Bell / Herald On the Main Green yesterday, Brown Film distributed free tickets for an 8 p.m. showing Monday night at Providence Place of “Where the Wild Things Are.” Those who missed out can wait in a stand-by line outside the theater at 7 p.m. Monday.

Hillel group explores sexuality, Judaism By Julia Kim Contributing Writer

Queer Hillel, a new group for LGBTQ Jewish students, gathered for the first time on Tuesday. According to Sarah Wolk ’10.5, a co-coordinator of the group, Queer Hillel had “been around in the past,” but had disappeared for one or two years. Personal motivations, Wolk said, were a big factor in her and co-coordinator Anna Schnur-Fishman’s ’09.5 decision to reconstitute the group, which is a subgroup of Brown/RISD Hillel. “We kind of just wanted to see if there was interest because we were interested,” Wolk said. The pair wanted to make it clearly known that “there is a wel-

Pre-Law rebuilding presence on campus Society aims to fill void for students interested in careers in law By Parker McClellan Contributing Writer

If you don’t know much about Brown’s Pre-Law Society, chances are you are not alone. Over the past few years, the society has had a relatively weak presence on campus, but that may change soon. The Society has two roles, said Billy O’Neil ’10, co-president of the society’s executive board. First, it works with the Office of the Dean of the College to host activities and provide information about the application process, LSATs and other parts of the law school admissions process. Secondly, because Brown has no law school, the society tries to “fill that void” by building awareness of and fostering an interest for law and legal issues on campus, O’Neil said. Pre-law advising received mixed reviews after adviser Perry Ashley was replaced by Andrew Simmons,

associate dean of the College for health careers and pre-law, and Linda Dunleavy, associate dean of the College for fellowships and pre-law, neither of whom had experience with pre-law upon taking the position. But O’Neil says the problem has never been with the quality of advising but rather with the group’s publicity — or lack thereof. The Society just has not been “a force on campus,” said O’Neil. A bit unorganized, the group had to discover what was effective and go through a “trial and error” process, he added. When asked about the society’s past presence on campus, its other co-president, Ben Bastomski ’10, said, “There was sor t of a void there.” Brown has enough students interested in pre-law that there needs to be a ser vice provided, he added. Although the Society is still in a “rebuilding process,” it is definitely “gaining steam,” Bastomski said. O’Neil, who learned of the society as a sophomore when he saw it

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advertised on a table slip, said the group is tr ying to become more accessible. For example, this year was the first time the society had a booth at the Activities Fair. Society executive board member Christie Louie ’12 said participation has increased from last semester. Aside from a monthly newsletter, the society also holds various events, such as question-and-answer panels with deans and lecture series to “foster legal discussion” on campus, O’Neil said. Last semester, the society hosted a forum on gay rights and the Constitution. Louie said the society is tr ying to get a better sense of the needs of the students with pre-law interests by asking for more student feedback on the advising process. The society is tr ying to expand its membership to include people who aren’t necessarily interested in law school but merely have a passion for law or a particular legal cause, Louie said. The Pre-Law Society will be holding its first general body meeting on Oct. 19.

coming space for queer students in the Jewish community,” Fishman said. “Queer people have been scared off from religion.” With only one official meeting on the books, Queer Hillel is still determining what its focuses and activities will be. In an informal poll taken during the first meeting, which Wolk and Fishman said was attended by about 20 students, group members expressed interest in hosting guest speakers, holding discussion groups and studying how gender and sexuality are represented in religious texts.. Older gay Jewish couples from Providence might also come to talk about different topics including same-sex Jewish marriage and raising children, Fishman said. Queer Hillel is not the only stu-

dent group on campus to address issues of religion and sexuality. Queer Alliance, for example, has a religion subgroup, Queer Faith, and the Third World Center has its own peer group, the Next Thing, focused on race, religion and culture. Queer Faith is “less focused on one particular dogma,” said Aida Manduley ’11, QA’s head chair. Fishman said she considers Judaism her “first language,” and that her “queerness ... definitely came later.” But other members of the group emphasize their sexuality more, she said. Queer Hillel is “definitely open to anybody,” Wolk said. It’s “great to have lots of different perspectives.”

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Friday, October 9, 2009

“It’s a battle for them, all day, every day” — Tony Kim, Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence streetworker

On former turf, streetworkers combat gang violence continued from page 1 to try to stop the violence in their neighborhood. By September of the next year, they had raised enough money to hire Teny Gross, now the Institute’s executive director, parttime. The streetworker program, one of five run by the Institute, started in 2003. Now there are 17 streetworkers in the city, and Gross says they’re hiring three more soon. As the Institute continues to grow, it plans to move to a new location in South Providence, a convent the Institute purchased from the city for $1. The new building will give the organization more space for the services it offers to kids: tutoring, performance space, yoga and access to computers. Some of the streetworkers are former gang members, and some have been involved in murders. Kim fits both categories. He spent seven years of his life behind bars, convicted of manslaughter. The streetworkers’ goal is to be proactive, Kim says. Once a fight or a shooting actually happens, the work is that much harder. So they tr y their best to stop fights before they break out, whether they hear about it ahead of time or physically step in to break things up.

But they also visit victims in the hospital, or talk to those involved in a fight afterward to calm things down. They stop by schools during the day to mediate conflicts between students referred by the principal or a counselor, and they go at dismissal time to watch out for any spontaneous trouble. Today, Kim expects some. “Today is a nice day, so most likely something will pop off,” he says. Still, he says, it’s important to remember that not all the kids are bad — not even all the kids in gangs. Many of them feel that violence is the only way for them to survive, he says. “It’s a battle for them, all day, every day,” Kim says. First, they have to plan a route to school that won’t get them jumped — and once they’re at school, they have a new set of dangers to watch out for. They’re distracted by the threat of violence, he says — not to mention whatever situations they may face at home — and the teachers come down on them for acting unfocused. But Kim has one advantage in talking to these troubled teens and pre-teens: He was once in their position himself, both as a Providence student and a gang member. “They can never tell me that I don’t know what they’re going

Kim Perley / Herald

The Institute for the Study and Practice of Nonviolence will soon have a new center for after-school programs.

through,” he says. Born into violence Kim has been surrounded by violence since he was in the womb. His mother fled violence in Cambodia in the 1970s, and he was born in a refugee camp. After he came to the United States in 1979, he was “robbed, abused, jumped, beat” by people of all races, he says. “That’s when I started thinking I have to be violent,” he says.

He was recruited to PSB, the Providence Street Boys, as a middle schooler at Bridgham. It’s an age and an environment when students are susceptible to the idea of joining a gang, he says — when kids are “lost” and trying to decide what group they want to run with. “That’s when you feel like you always have to prove yourself,” he says. He got a reputation as “a bully’s bully,” he says, turning the bullied into gangsters who could fight back. But in the end, it wasn’t gangrelated violence that landed Kim in prison. At 17, he shot the man who raped his sister and was sentenced to prison for 30 years, 20 of which were suspended. In prison, Kim says, “I found myself.” Though he found out about the Institute after getting out of prison, it took a while before he signed up. Gross, the Institute’s director, says he visited him at his auto parts shop to recruit him. The Institute was having trouble reaching Asian gangs, and Gross had heard of Kim. He found an “introverted” man but a “strategic thinker,” he said, the kind he could use on the streets. And he was a hard worker. “He takes his work very, very seriously, almost to the risk of his own health,” Gross says. In fact, Kim was hospitalized last year after he was stabbed and beaten when he tried to break up a fight at a nightclub, not during his work hours, according to the Providence Journal. Kim says he can now turn his past experience into a positive thing. Gross calls it a “human capital environmental movement” — recycling people. “I don’t want anybody else to go through what I went through,” Kim says. Against the odds Now, on a daily basis, Kim finds himself coming into a war. One in which, he notes with understanding, it’s always the other side’s fault. The streetworkers aren’t just fighting against gangs, Amoure says — they’re also fighting against a culture of violence in movies, on

TV, in the newspapers. Two years ago, Kim was working with three students to help them get their GEDs and find jobs. He was following up with them, working to get them something to hold on to so they didn’t need to resort to violence. Then one day he was called to the hospital. The three students had killed somebody, beaten him with a pipe, after they were jumped by cars full of gang members. Kim has more stories. On the way to Gilbert Stuart Middle School, he points out the spot where his friend was murdered, walking from his house to a corner store on the same block. “You know these kids — now they’re doing life,” he says. “You know these kids — now they’re dead.” Still, Kim says he thinks he can make an impact, even if it’s hard to notice a lack of violence. “We don’t know what we’ve prevented,” he says. But there are success stories. One involves a student from Kim’s alma mater, Bridgham. Kim convinced him to leave the gang he was in. But when the student was “jumped out” by the other gang members, a fight that is part of the process of leaving, he was reported by a teacher. Kim was able to explain the situation to the teacher and principal, and now the student is studying at the University of Rhode Island. Kim is on call 24/7 and works at least five days a week to stay in the loop with Providence’s youth. He drives slowly past Classical High School, nearby Central High and the new Career and Technical Institute. Crowds of students are talking, joking, waiting for buses. A police officer is parked nearby, and though Kim recognizes her, he says he won’t call out. He would lose the trust, the reputation he has worked to create with the students. If the students thought the streetworkers were working with police, “we might as well shut the program down,” he says. There are no signs of disturbances as Amoure jumps out of the car to check up with a student he knows. Kim’s prediction that the nice weather would lead to fights has, at least so far, not come true.

Friday, October 9, 2009

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“I think we’ll get a contract done.” — Valter Soares, member of the Dining Service bargaining committee

As contract expiration looms, talks continue continued from page 1 losses — nearly $800 million since summer 2008 — to union negotiators and Brown Dining Ser vices workers as part of ongoing negotiations for a new contract. The increased activity comes as negotiations head into a crucial phase ­— the current contract’s expiration looms at the end of the long weekend. Bargaining sessions are scheduled for Friday, Sunday and Monday in the hopes of reaching an agreement, union officials told The Herald. It remains unclear whether an agreement can be reached by Monday — and what might happen if the deadline passes without a new pact. Union officials this week did not rule out the possibility of a strike if weekend negotiations fail to produce an accord, but workers could also work without a contract or agree to temporarily extend the current one to allow bargaining to continue into next week. Under their current contract, all BDS workers pay 6 percent of their health care premiums. The University has proposed changing this flat rate to a “sliding scale” under which contributions would be contingent on an employee’s salary. The proposed system would mean a minimum contribution of 5 percent for the lowest-paid workers and a maximum contribution of 16.5 percent for those near the top of the salary ladder. Also on the table, according to officials on both sides, is a proposal from the University to adjust retirement benefits for all future hires. Wages may be still another point of contention, according to Roxana Rivera, the chief negotiator for the Service Employees International Union, Local 615, which represents all of the nearly 200 workers. The union has asked for a 4 percent annual wage increase, she said, but the University, which has yet to respond to the proposal, has not yet ruled out a wage freeze, she added. Mark Nickel, the University’s director of media relations, confirmed to The Herald last week that health care and retirement changes were under discussion, but said he did not know the status of wages in the negotiation. Focus on the endowment Led by the Student Labor Alliance, Thursday’s protest outside J. Walter Wilson lampooned the University’s use of a damaged endowment as an excuse to justify changing BDS workers’ health-care plans. “Why do you want to take away employees’ health benefits?” SLA members yelled at the giant puppet, manned by five students. “Why are you still building while you want to take away your employees’ health care?” Demonstrators — some of whom brandished posters reading “We can only rise together” and drawings of

Faunce House with a $22 million price tag attached — congregated an hour before the University’s presentation about the endowment losses. The theatrical protest was intended as a “comedic parody” of the University’s position, SLA member Will Lambek ’10 said Wednesday. It was also meant as a counterpoint to what Lambek said would be a “patronizing” presentation to BDS workers. Standing among the mass of chanting students were five of the BDS employees on the union’s bargaining committee, who were taking a break from negotiations, which all five described as “tough.” Rivera, who was also present, said the endowment’s condition was frequently mentioned by the University during the talks. “Management still is holding on to its take-away proposals,” Rivera said. “But just because the economy is bad doesn’t mean values go out the door.” Beppie Huidekoper, executive vice president for finance and administration, led Thursday’s presentation, which drew primarily on information available on a Web site University officials have set up about the financial crisis. “It went well, and I think there is a greater understanding among all,” Huidekoper wrote in an e-mail to The Herald. “I will leave it at that.” During the presentation, Rivera told the Herald, she asked how much the University projected it would save if all its proposals — on health care contributions, retirement benefits and wages — were implemented. Initially, Rivera said, Huidekoper and the management committee said they hadn’t calculated an estimate yet. After further questions, Rivera said they described the projected savings as “minimal.” Huidekoper, contacted Thursday evening, declined to comment on Rivera’s characterization of the meeting. “Standards (for) labor negotiations are clear,” she wrote in an email to The Herald. “The details are to be addressed between the two parties.” The parties are aiming for a “fair and equitable agreement,” Director of Labor Relations Joseph Sarno ’91, the lead negotiator for Brown, wrote in an e-mail to The Herald. He also declined to comment on specific issues being discussed in the negotiations. “It is our sincere hope and belief that a successor bargaining agreement will be resolved at the bargaining table in a fair and equitable manner,” he wrote. If an agreement is not reached by Monday, Rivera said, the union’s options include extending the current contract temporarily or calling for BDS workers to vote on a possible strike. But union negotiators said they hope to avoid any of those outcomes.

Claire Huang / Herald

Dining Services workers’ current contracts will expire at the end of the long weekend. Students demonstrated in support of the workers in front of J. Walter Wilson on Wednesday (above).

“I think we’ll get a contract done,” said Valter Soares, a worker at The Gate who is on the bargaining committee. “It’s what we want as a union.” Despite their optimism, however, the five workers from the bargaining committee present at Thursday’s protest expressed dissatisfaction with the University’s proposals, and several said they failed to see the link between the endowment and the proposed changes in health care contributions. “Food services itself does not depend on the endowment,” said Steve Derderian, a cook at the VerneyWoolley Dining Hall. “I’ve been here 20 years. It’s the first time I’ve felt threatened that I won’t be able to afford medical coverage.” A hike in Claudia Rojas’ contribution to health care would affect her daughter, who is asthmatic, said Rojas, a worker at the Faculty Club and member of the bargaining committee. “I need to buy medication,” she said. “Being a single mother, it’s a big, big issue.”

Petitioning the president The SLA and other students have seized on the health-care issue, which was the focus of a rally last week that drew nearly 200 participants. The organization deposited 1,155 signatures opposing the proposed health-care changes to Simmons outside her University Hall office on Wednesday. The SLA representatives — who all wore SEIU badges that read “Stronger Together” — said they expected to present the large pile of signatures to Simmons’ assistant. But Simmons herself entered the first-floor lobby to accept the petition from the hands of Jesse Strecker ’10. “I heard you were here so I came out,” she said. “We’re going to continue fighting to make sure everyone at Brown has affordable health care,” Strecker told her. “People should have health care, I agree with you,” Simmons answered, nodding. She then prom-

ised to read the petition and thanked the SLA for their efforts. After the group exited, Simmons told The Herald that employee satisfaction was her primary concern. “Brown is always trying to provide the best care,” she said. “I’m concerned about all employees.” While Strecker called Simmons’ attitude “respectful,” he said he was disappointed with what he described as a lack of response. Conversely, Strecker said, student response has been strong — the 1,000-plus signatures in support of the BDS employees were collected over just four days, he said. “Pretty much ever ybody immediately signed,” he said. “I don’t think it’s fair for people not to be able to afford health care because our endowment isn’t doing as well as it should.” The debate will continue at the negotiating table this weekend, with both parties aiming for a satisfactory resolution. “We’ll go as late as we need on Monday night to get a contract,” Rivera said.

Friday, October 9, 2009

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“He believes change comes from politics.” — Political commentator Jeffrey Toobin on Obama’s judicial philosophy

Pass to come in handy against Crusaders By Dan Alexander Senior Staf f writer

Quarterback Kyle Newhall ’11 will likely have a sore shoulder Sunday morning. And wide receivers Bobby Sewall ’10 and Buddy Farnham ’10 will probably be sore all over. The Brown passing attack should be in full force for the Bears’ match-up against Football Championship Subdivision No. 19 Holy Cross (4-0) in Brown Stadium on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. In last year’s Bears-Crusaders matchup, the teams’ quarterbacks combined for a total of 956 passing yards. Only one of those quarterbacks will be in Saturday’s game — Crusader Dominic Randolph. Randolph, a two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, has already amassed 1,286 yards and 11 touchdowns in four games this season. Brown Head Coach Phil Estes thought he was done dealing with Randolph after last year. But the senior was granted a medical redshirt, allowing him to return for another senior year. “I was hoping that Dominic Randolph would have graduated last year, but he’s back,” Estes said. “He has really been tough for us — just an outstanding quarterback that can really pick a defense apart.” With Randolph under center once more, the Crusaders have aired it out all season. Their lead-

ing running back has only 37 carries through four games. “They’re not going to hide it — they’re passing like 80 percent of the time,” said Brown co-Captain Jimmy Develin ’10. “They have a few run plays they put in just to keep you honest.” After losing his top two receiving targets from last season, Randolph will likely spread out his attack to a number of receivers. Although Randolph has completed 98 passes this season, only one player has over 20 receptions. Sixteen players have at least one reception.

SPORTS The Bears’ Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Secondar y Coach Abbott Burrell said the defense is going to keep their game plan simple against Holy Cross’s high-powered offense. “We’re not trying to develop any new schemes or any new blitzes or anything like that,” he said. “We’re just going to play our stuff.” Burrell said his defensive backs know they are going to be tested. But “they like the challenge.” In last year’s match-up, Brown quarterback Michael Dougherty ’09 passed for 526 yards, more than any Ivy League quarterback has passed for in histor y. The two biggest questions for the Brown offense on Saturday will be: How often will Newhall have to pass? And how well will he do it?

Estes said he is going into the game with a set number of rushes he hopes the Bears can run against Holy Cross. “Last year, we went to the pass because we got down 21 points at one point and just felt like we were playing catch up,” he said. Estes said that, no matter how often he has to turn to Newhall, he is confident in the first-year starter, who leads the Ivy League in passing yards with 662. “No matter what we do, I think Kyle can handle that,” Estes said. “There’s something ver y special about Kyle Newhall.” “He doesn’t get rattled. He’s ver y calm, cool, and collected — always keeping his eyes downfield.” Newhall will have one of the most highly-touted receiving corps in the nation downfield. Farnham was named Offensive Ivy League Player of the Week last week after he had five catches for 100 yards and two touchdowns against URI. He also won the Sports Network National Special Teams Player of the Week for his punt and kickoff returns. Sewall is also among the top receivers in the Ivy League, with 18 receptions for 164 yards and two touchdowns on the season. Newhall will tr y to have a similar performance as Dougherty’s last year, but he’ll be hoping for a dif ferent final score. Despite Brown’s 562 yards of total offense a year ago, the Bears fell to Holy

Jesse Morgan / Herald File Photo

Kyle Newhall ’11 leads the Ivy League in passing yards, which will help him Saturday in what is expected to be a pass-heavy game.

Cross, 41-34. This year’s senior class has never beaten Holy Cross. Develin said that gives the game extra sig-

nificance for the seniors. “I have a good feeling about this week,” Develin said. “We have a ver y good game plan.”

Toobin predicts ‘judicial activism’ from Court’s conservatives continued from page 1 Toobin said he expects the Court to be evenly divided in Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s first term — consisting of four conservatives, four liberals and frequent swingvote Justice Anthony Kennedy. But Toobin said the Court’s June 2008 decision in D.C. v. Heller, upholding a lower cour t’s decision to strike down gun-control laws in the nation’s capital, showed that conser vatives on the Court were willing to practice judicial activism and step into state and federal matters. Toobin also said President Obama’s biography provides hints about his judicial philosophy. Even though Obama was president of the Har vard Law Review, Toobin said, he did not even apply for a Supreme Court clerkship. “He is not someone who believes that change comes from the courts,” Toobin said. “He believes change comes from politics.” For the first time in histor y, Toobin noted, all nine of the justices are former federal appellate cour t justices. But even though Obama chose Sotomayor, a judge on the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, to replace the retiring David Souter, Toobin said the president might look to a different source if he has a chance to appoint another justice.

“Obama is someone who believes that you need diversity in all things,” Toobin said. He said Director of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, a former U.S. attorney and Arizona governor who was on Obama’s short list to replace Souter, would be a likely option if another vacancy was created during Obama’s tenure. Toobin’s speech on the Supreme Cour t ranged primarily from the 1960s to the present. He pointed to the mid-centur y Warren Court as the last example of a “unified ideological force” on the bench. President Nixon appointed four new justices, but they did not move the Cour t ver y far to the right, Toobin said. That these “Goldwater Republicans” differed from today’s conser vative appointees “illustrates a theme in American histor y that goes well beyond the cour ts,” Toobin said — “and that is the evolution of the Republican Party.” In the 1980s, Toobin said, President Reagan brought in a group of young conser vative lawyers — including future Justice Samuel Alito and Chief Justice John Rober ts — who argued for a “conser vative agenda” to dismantle issues such as abortion rights and civil rights. But Reagan’s controversial nominee for an open seat in 1987,

Robert Bork, caused a significant debate about the ideologies of the Supreme Court members. “Really, for the only time in our lifetime, the nation had a conversation — a national conversation — about what the Constitution meant, because Robert Bork was brilliant, he was pro-life, he was ethical and he was ver y, ver y conser vative,” Toobin said. Bork did not gain confirmation in the Senate, leading to Reagan’s nomination of the more moderate Kennedy. The Cour t was fairly evenly divided through the duration of 1990s, with Justice Sandra Day O’Connor often providing the swing vote in 5-4 decisions, Toobin said. But the landmark 2000 case of Bush v. Gore was a turning point. “What’s the most interesting thing about Bush v. Gore was the effect it had on the Court,” Toobin said. “From 2000 to 2005, the Court moved to the left.” On issues ranging from the death penalty to gay rights to prisoners at Guantanamo Bay, the Court in the first part of the decade narrowly sided with the liberals, due in part to O’Connor’s new voting patterns, Toobin said. O’Connor was alienated by many of the policies instituted by President George W. Bush and Attorney General John Ashcroft,

Toobin said, but one case had a par ticular impact on her: Terri Schiavo. O’Connor was unhappy in 2003 when Congress suddenly became involved in the issue of who determined the rights regarding the woman, who was in a persistent vegetative state. O’Connor thought Congress’ move challenged judicial independence, and was also affected personally because her husband was suf fering from Alzheimer’s disease, Toobin said. In 2005, O’Connor retired because of her husband’s failing health and Chief Justice William Rehnquist died, leaving two seats for Bush to fill with justices “in the mold of” Justices Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas — Roberts and Alito. In response to an audience member’s question about personal dynamics on the current Court, Toobin said Roberts wanted to set precedents on race and affirmative action, as with the landmark 2007 case of Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle, striking down race-conscious re-balancing plans in public schools. “He is determined to put his mark on the Court, which is the socalled ‘color-blind Constitution,’” Toobin said. When the questioner asked how Rober ts’ philosophy would play out next to the first black

presidency, Toobin said he has not seen Obama interested in defending affirmative action. “One of the paradoxes of the Obama presidency is that his election as president of the United States is making racial preferences harder to defend politically,” Toobin said. In an inter view with The Herald after the lecture, Toobin said the Court’s biggest case this term will be McDonald v. Chicago, another gun-control case. If the Court decides to apply the Second Amendment to the states, Toobin said, we may see “the end of gun control.” Toobin’s lecture capped off the day’s events celebrating the 25th anniversar y of the Taubman Center for Public Policy. Earlier Thursday, the center hosted a panel with faculty members discussing public policy research, and another discussion featuring alums from the depar tment talking about their experiences in the field. A. Alfred Taubman, the namesake of the center who sat next to President Ruth Simmons and Chancellor Thomas Tisch ’76 during Toobin’s speech, said the anniversar y events were “terrific.” When asked his thoughts on how the center had turned out 25 years after its founding, Taubman told The Herald, “It’s been a ver y successful trip.”

Arts & Culture The Brown Daily Herald

RISD puts its history on display By Alex Bell Contributing Writer

Students at the Rhode Island School of Design’s Fleet Library may have noticed nostalgic displays around the building of yellowing newspaper articles from the turn of the century, tattered yearbooks and even a copy of the school’s Act of Incorporation. And what is that photograph of the RISD Designers, the all-male RISD football team that certainly is no longer around today? After 125 years of fine arts and design education, RISD decided it was time to take a look at its roots. The product of that endeavor is “Infinite Radius: Founding Rhode Island School of Design,” the school’s first historical anthology, parts of which are on display in the library. “The book spun out of our 125th Anniversary Celebration in the 2002-2003 academic year,” said Andrew Martinez, RISD’s archivist and curator for the exhibit, who co-edited the book with Dean of the Division of Architecture and Design Dawn Barrett. The idea for the anthology came about when Martinez and Barrett hosted a Founder’s Day Forum for the anniversary celebration in which eight speakers presented research on various aspects of RISD’s founding and early years. “After the symposium, we thought this material deser ved a wider audience,” Martinez said. The book also includes material from the archives, much of which has never before been published, including course catalogues from the 1890s and hundred-year-old class photographs. Like the many successive 19th century groups that tried to found a school of design in Rhode Island, previous committees formed to compile RISD’s histor y have also suffered their share of false starts. “Once the committees started ... they realized (the projects) were more involved than they thought,” said Mar tinez, who wrote the book’s first chapter, titled “A History of RISD’s Histories.” “Infinite Radius” takes its title from a RISD founder, the 19th centur y educator and activist — and founder of Pembroke College — Sarah Doyle, who, according to the book’s preface, was often asked to address what the appro-

priate “sphere for women” should be. On such occasions, the book’s preface says, “Doyle was known to remark that the sphere of socalled women’s work could only be understood as a sphere were it one with an ‘infinite radius.’” RISD’s founders succeeded where others had failed, Martinez said, because “RISD was backed by women, who seemed a little more devoted to the cause.” “I think (RISD’s founders) set their goals a little lower, and had more realistic ambitions and dayto-day, hands-on management,” he added. The book describes how the school’s plans came together on a whim — RISD was founded when a group of women raised extra funds for the 1876 World’s Fair, then known as the Centennial Exposition. “On that cold Thursday morning, almost four dozen members of the R.I. Women’s Centennial Commission gathered to decide what to do with the $1500 remaining in their treasury,” wrote design historian Nancy Austin in her contribution to the anthology. With the World’s Fair over, the commission was looking for a memorial to commemorate its fundraising success. The decision was down to either investing the money or building a drinking fountain in Roger Williams Park, but neither option could win a majority of members’ votes. Then Helen Metcalf, whose son donated Brown’s Metcalf Research Laborator y, offered the winning proposition: The group eventually voted to use the relatively modest sum of money to plant the seeds for a school of design, banking on community support to follow the modest donation. Austin quotes the group’s secretary, Eliza Manchester, writing in a front-page newspaper article defending the group’s controversial decision: “We all know what a beginning is worth — that a nucleus soon draws to itself what is necessar y to its successful growth. Our $1500 shall be that nucleus. Will not the lovers of art in Providence supply the material which shall make its completeness?” A public launch celebration for “Infinite Radius” will take place Saturday as part of the RISD by Design weekend event for alumni and parents.

Friday, October 9, 2009 | Page 7

One decade later, a dramatic return to ‘Laramie’ By Luisa Robledo Staf f Writer

In 1998, playwright Moises Kaufman traveled to Laramie, Wyo. — where gay 21-year-old Matthew Shepard had died after being brutally attacked because of his sexuality — to talk to the town’s residents in the wake of the crime. The interviews he collected became the backbone of “The Laramie Project,” a play that emerged as one of the most important dramatic works of the last decade. Eleven years later, Shepard’s death still resonates. As an intern at the Matthew Shepard Foundation last summer, Lauren Neal ’11 paged through article after article on the event, preparing them for digitization. While reading the stories and seeing the faces of people who had known Shepard, Neal said, “I kept trying to imagine how I would feel if something like this happened to someone I knew. I just couldn’t.” While she was at the foundation, Neal heard about a new effort spearheaded by Kaufman and his group, the Tectonic Theater Project. To commemorate Shepard’s death, Tectonic went back to Laramie to conduct more inter views and created a 70-minute epilogue to Kaufman’s original play. The piece, “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later” will premiere simultaneously in more than 100 regional theaters across the countr y on Monday. “It’s a unique opportunity to see the impact of this single event,” Neal said. “It’s a huge interactive event.” Over the summer, together with James Flynn ’11 and Chris Tyler ’10, Neal started planning a reading at Brown. “The three of us thought, ‘It’s realistic to make this happen at Brown,’” Flynn said. “It’s an interesting play for people our age to be doing.” Along with 20 other Brown students, Neal, Flynn and Tyler

will be putting on what they think is one of the few undergraduatedriven readings of the play. Neal directed what she calls a “still performance of the text” — a staged reading — that will take place in Leeds Theatre at 8 p.m. on Monday. The free performance will begin with an introduction by actress Glenn Close and Judy Shepard, Matthew’s mother, transmitted by webcast from Tectonic’s production at Lincoln Center in New York City to performances all over the country. At the end, actors from the original production will answer questions via Twitter. Proceeds from audience donations will go to the Matthew Shepard Foundation and Brown’s LGBTQ Resource Center. Neal’s won’t be the only reading of “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later” being presented in Providence on Monday evening. Shana Gozansky GS, a student in the Brown/Trinity Repertory Consortium, is directing a performance that will take place at the Pell Chafee Performance Center at 7 p.m. the same night. Gozansky brought together 16 first-year MFA acting students to put on a

“simple reading of the text to allow people to focus on the story,” she said. “We feel really fortunate and excited to participate in an event that connects us and communicates across the country,” Gozansky said. She added that bringing “The Laramie Project” back into the national conversation would help people see that “this can happen anywhere.” According to Tyler, who saw the play when he was in sixth grade, ever yone has been marginalized in one way or another, so Shepard’s stor y is “linked to everyone else’s story.” “It’s the simple fact that being who you are could cause people to hate you,” he said. “Matthew Shepard was denied understanding, acceptance — he was denied life.” “It’s incredible that one isolated incident could enact such change or spark conversation that causes change to happen,” he added. Gozansky echoed Tyler, saying, “If we want to bring about change, we need to demand it. We are all part of this.”

World & Nation The Brown Daily Herald

Friday, October 9, 2009 | Page 8

September retail sales rise slightly, but doubts remain By Andrea Chang and Don Lee Los Angeles Times

Retailers last month posted their first uptick in sales in more than a year, providing a hopeful sign for the industry and the broader economy as the crucial holiday shopping season draws near. Although nagging concerns remain about consumers’ willingness to spend, retail sales in September turned out better than expected: Major department stores J.C. Penney, Macy’s and Nordstrom beat analysts’ expectations, while some chains including Kohl’s, TJX and Ross posted healthy increases. The news helped push the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 61.29 points, or 0.6 percent, to 9,786.87. Although the outlook remains uncertain, some economists say that if stocks hold up and the housing and job markets don’t worsen, Christmas holiday sales could surprise on

the upside. And that might prove to be critical for the economy. If consumers are beginning to spend again, companies might start to hire, which could help speed a recovery. “Most companies are very worried about consumers, and they’ve been reluctant to hire and invest because they believe consumers will trounce the economic recovery,” said Lynn Reaser, chief economist at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. “If they see signs that consumers are coming out of their holes, they’ll be more encouraged.” Whether September’s sales will be part of a trend is not clear. The increase over 2008 was just 0.6 percent -- and last year was a terrible year, when sales plunged amid the shock of a financial meltdown. In addition, Labor Day fell further into September this year, pushing more back-to-school spending into the month. Nationally, consumer confidence has ticked higher in recent weeks, but rising unemployment and

tight credit have kept many potential spenders on the sidelines. “We don’t think retailers are out of the woods by any stretch,” said Ken Perkins, president of research company Retail Metrics Inc. Largely because of the later Labor Day and delayed start dates for schools around the country, September numbers were inflated by about 3 to 4 percent, he said. “There’s no clear-cut sign yet that consumers are opening up their purse strings.” After last year’s dismal performance, another grim Christmas would be devastating for retailers, leading to business bankruptcies, higher mall vacancy rates and store closures. But it would have even greater implications for the broader financial picture: With consumer spending accounting for about 70 percent of economic activity, a turnaround hinges on shoppers’ willingness to turn out and spend freely. So as merchants put away the back-

packs and school supplies and bring out the holiday merchandise, they are expected to offer deep discounts to attract wary consumers. They’re also bracing themselves by hiring fewer seasonal workers and cutting back on inventory. “We’ve seen so many stores close, so many stores move out; it’s just kind of make or break,” said Ashley Heaton, a sales associate at accessories boutique Jennifer Kaufman in Los Angeles’ Beverly Center. “We feel a lot of pressure.” Industry experts carefully look at results from the back-to-school selling period as an indicator of how the holiday season will perform. Many of the strongest performers in September were sellers of mid- or low-priced goods, according to Thomson Reuters’ tally of 30 major chain stores. Twenty-one of those stores did better than analysts expected, and four did worse. Teen retailer Aeropostale saw year-over-year sales rise 19 percent, and off-priced chains Ross and

TJX posted increases of 8 and 7 percent, respectively. Sales at mid-level department store chain Kohl’s rose 5.5 percent. All four retailers raised the projections for how much they would earn. Abercrombie & Fitch continued to struggle, posting an 18 percent decline, although that was better than the 21 percent drop analysts had predicted. American Apparel saw sales fall 15 percent, and luxury retailer Saks said sales fell 11.6 percent. The National Retail Federation projected this week that sales during the November-December period would fall 1 percent, to $437.6 billion, compared with a year ago. That’s significantly worse than the 10-year average of 3.4 percent holiday season growth. “We know that a lot of Americans will be pulling back on the holiday season because they have to,” Ellen Davis, the retail trade group’s vice president, said in a conference call with reporters. “This will be the holiday season of the blue jean instead of the Blu-ray.”

Obama seeks $40 billion boost to Pell Grant funding By Nick Anderson and Daniel de Vise The Washington Post

WASHINGTON — After three years of major increases in federal Pell grants for needy college students, President Obama aims to boost the aid further with $40 billion in funding over the next decade. But even that influx might not ensure that the grants will recover and sustain the purchasing power they once held. Experts agree on the reason: soaring college costs. In the late 1970s, the maximum

Pell award covered more than twothirds of tuition and fees for a public four-year university. In the 1980s, it covered roughly half of such expenses. In the last school year, it covered about a third. “There is an increasing gap that students have to cover on their own,” said Sandy Baum, a senior policy analyst for the College Board, in New York. “It’s obviously a problem for students. They’re working more; they’re borrowing more.” Through grant increases, lawmakers have sought to ease the burden for millions of students such as Linda

Abdulle. She faces higher tuition in her fourth year at Trinity Washington University than when she first enrolled. The bill is up 9 percent, to $19,360. But Abdulle’s Pell grant has risen 32 percent in that time, to $5,350. The larger Pell grants have helped Abdulle, 20, and her mother, a manager at a fast-food restaurant, who rely on an assortment of scholarships and loans to pay for the private Washington school. Abdulle’s contribution has dwindled from about $400 a semester to $200. “Every little penny that you get really counts,” she said. U.S. Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., chairman of the Education and Labor Committee, said that a student aid bill the House passed last month would strengthen the Pell program with $40 billion in additional funding, indexing it for the first time to inflation, but that it would not erase questions about spiraling tuition and fees. “This is a very important round of resources to be made available to students and families,” Miller said. “But clearly, for a host of reasons, the costs continue to rise faster than families and the federal government can keep up with them. ... We’ve arrived at a point where we have to, in a most serious vein, ask about what’s the future for financing higher education in this country.” The grants, launched in 1973 and named for Claiborne Pell, a longtime Democratic senator from Rhode Island, have become the bedrock of undergraduate aid. Coupled with state and school awards, Pell grants determine how much needy students must work or borrow to pay bills. This school year, according to the Obama administration, about 7 million students from low- and moderateincome households will qualify for the grants through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The average award will be $3,611, and the maximum, $5,350. The total federal outlay:

$25 billion. The maximum Pell award has jumped since 2006 after it was frozen for several years at $4,050. Skeptics say the grants give schools an excuse to raise tuition and fees, often at a rate well beyond inflation, at a time when state revenue shortages and endowment losses are squeezing universities. “When you look at the overall trend, it is very clear that colleges and universities eat up all of this money, eventually,” said Neal McCluskey of the Cato Institute, a public policy research foundation. “It sort of gives them a constantly increasing budget.” But proponents say the program’s aim is to help poor and low-income students who otherwise would be unable to attend college. “The person that we’re trying to help here is the person who’s on the brink,” said Chris Lindstrom of U.S. PIRG, a public interest advocacy group. “Folks who are one car breakdown away from not being able to go to school.” Two-thirds of Pell recipients have family incomes of $30,000 or less, according to a College Board analysis. Two-fifths are surpassing their parents by entering college, and onetenth are single parents, according to federal statistics. Sarah Pollard, 20, raised by a single mother in Silver Spring, Md., is the first in her family to go to college. She works part time at a Nordstrom, studies full time at Montgomery College and draws the maximum Pell grant. The aid “enabled me to do everything that I’m doing today,” Pollard said. Dylan Winslow, 24, transferred to the University of Maryland this fall from Temple University. To cover $8,000 a year in tuition and fees, he holds two part-time jobs, earning $8.50 an hour as a lab assistant in the geography department and $25 an hour as a bouncer at a bar. He also has a student loan and the maximum

Pell grant. “Any extra dollar will help,” Winslow said. Under the House bill, the grants would rise with the consumer price index, plus one percentage point, starting in 2011. The estimated maximum award in 2019 would be $6,900. To fund the increase, the bill would end subsidies to private student loan providers and establish the government as the direct lender for the entire federal student loan market as of July 1. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projects that the lending overhaul would save $80 billion over a decade. About half of that would be channeled into Pell grants. The House passed the bill Sept. 17 on a largely party-line vote, 253 to 171. Republicans criticized what they called a government takeover of lending and said the bill would cost more than advertised. The Democratled Senate is expected to take up a similar bill soon. Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, said his proposal for Pell funding would mirror the House bill’s. “This is one that goes directly to students based on need,” Harkin said. “After all these years, we’ve got good data to show that increasing the Pell awards encourages low-income students to go to college.” Despite partisan divisions over the student aid bill, many Republicans also back the Pell program. “It helps people, no question,” said Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon, R-Calif., a senior member of the Education and Labor Committee. “There are people having a hard time who can benefit from it. It’s more money in their pockets.” But McKeon said the government should prod colleges to contain costs, perhaps through the threat of withholding funds from those that jack up tuition the most. That, he said, would “address the root problem.”

Page 9

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Friday, October 9, 2009

World & Nation

In patient’s suit against insurer, a glimpse into health care challenges By Lisa Girion Los Angeles T imes

Ephram Nehme was gravely ill when Anthem Blue Cross of California agreed to pay for a liver transplant his physician said he needed to survive. Then, his condition went downhill fast. The news from his doctor was bad. The word from his insurer was worse. Nehme’s doctor told him he could die waiting for an organ in California and urged him to go to Indiana, where the waiting list was shorter. But Anthem Blue Cross said no. It would not pay for a transplant in Indiana. Nehme, a Lebanese immigrant with a rags-to-riches story, could afford to buy himself a new lease on life and did -- going to Indiana and paying $205,000 for a liver transplant there. But he remains angr y with Anthem and sued the company, accusing it of putting its bottom line ahead of his medical needs. “I hope I can change it for other people,” said Nehme, 61, who runs produce markets in Southern California’s San Fernando and Simi valleys. “If somebody doesn’t have a nickel in his pocket, what happens? He’s dead.” The case offers a rare glimpse into the life-and-death decisions insurers make behind closed doors and illustrates one of the most emotional questions in health care: Who should decide what is best for a patient -- doctors or insurers? “This is a tremendously important issue because most people aren’t savvy enough about how to work this system, and it is totally stacked against them,” said Bryan Liang, director of the Institute of Health Law Studies at California Western Law School in San Diego. “The insurers make sure they get the results they want. They hold all the cards.” Insurers say their pre-authorization reviews of big-ticket procedures, such as transplants, perform important services: ensuring that patients get the care they need, when they need it, and keeping a lid on costs. In Nehme’s case, Anthem says it did nothing wrong. It contends that his policy made it clear that transplants were covered only at certain contracted hospitals, and that he was not sick enough to qualify for an exception. “Mr. Nehme was placed on a waiting list by his treating physicians for organ donation at UCLA but sought approval for transplant services at a different facility that was not within our transplant network,” WellPoint Inc., Anthem’s Indianapolis-based parent company, said in a statement. “Upon additional third-party review,” the company said, “it was determined that Mr. Nehme’s condition did not present medical urgency to require an emergency

(out of network) transplant.” Nehme begs to differ. When he needed a liver, the median wait time at the University of California, Los Angeles, was more than two years. At the Clarian Transplant Center in Indianapolis where he had his operation, it was about six weeks. Waiting for a liver at UCLA, Nehme believes, would have been a virtual death sentence. “I shook my head and said I better do what I have to do now, and I’ll fight (the insurance company) later,” he recalled. Born in Beirut on Christmas Day 1947, Nehme grew up in a two-bedroom house with seven sisters, two brothers, a grandmother and his parents. He moved to New York City after high school, paying his way through accounting school by pumping gas and selling umbrellas. He worked for several companies but yearned to be his own boss. He also missed the markets in Beirut where he remembered his mother fighting with other women for the best piece of fruit. So, in 1992, after working for others for 20 years, Nehme and his wife, a pharmacist, scraped together $90,000 in savings and opened Valley Produce Market, now located in Reseda in the San Fernando Valley. He opened a second market four years ago in Simi Valley. He employs more than 170 people. In the 1970s, Nehme contracted hepatitis from a blood transfusion. He managed the condition for years with medications. But by the fall of 2006, Nehme had run out of options. His longtime physician, Sammy Saab, a boardcertified liver disease specialist at UCLA, told him it was time for a transplant. In an effort to ensure that organs go to the neediest patients, U.S. transplant centers rank patients waiting for livers on a scale, and the harvesting region gets first dibs, according to United Network for Organ Sharing guidelines. Both sets of rules worked against Nehme. His condition included problems that aren’t factored into the ranking system. To make matters worse, California has a higher ratio of needy patients to organs than other parts of the country. As a result, in California waits are longer and more people die waiting than in other parts of the country. There are no rules against relocating for transplants and patients often do. Notably, Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs traveled to Tennessee this year for a liver transplant. Joseph Tector, an Indiana University surgeon and medical director of the Clarian center in Indianapolis, testified that Nehme “was extremely unlikely to receive a liver transplant in sufficient time back in California at UCLA.” Nehme contends that Anthem

considered none of this. His lawsuit accuses the insurer of reflexively denying his request for an Indiana transplant, then rubber-stamping that decision in a series of hasty and inadequate reviews conducted by physicianemployees without training in transplant specialties. A nurse in Anthem’s transplant department who reviewed the request made an internal recommendation that Anthem authorize it, court documents show. “Due to the increased wait time in California, and the rapid progression of his disease I am recommending for this member approval for going ‘oon’ (out of network) for his liver transplant,” wrote Pamela Adelman, the nurse. The next day, however, Anthem denied the request. Anthem physician-employees involved in the decision acknowledged in depositions that they neither physically examined Nehme nor discussed his condition with his treating physicians at UCLA or Indiana University. One of the employees, a family practitioner by training, testified that she reviewed 25 to 40 treatment denial appeals a day for Anthem. “They went out of their way to find a way to not pay for the transplant,” said Nehme’s lawyer, Scott Glovsky. Anthem defended its process, saying in a statement that its policy is to review all transplant requests “on a case by case basis by a medical expert. If determined that a transplant is required on an immediate, emergency basis, Anthem care managers assist members in finding the most appropriate (network) facility for treatment. If no in-network facility is identified to provide these necessary services, out of network transplants are approved and coordinated.” The company declined to discuss Nehme’s accusations in detail. The case is set for trial Oct. 14 in Los Angeles. In 2006, Nehme was too sick to fight, so his wife called and begged Anthem to reconsider. While the appeal was pending, Nehme’s doctor convinced him that waiting too long could be disastrous. “I waited and waited and waited,” Nehme recalled, “until Dr. Saab said, ‘How are your finances? What are you waiting for?’ ” Then Anthem called his wife to say it was upholding its earlier decision. “They never saw me, and they are making a decision over the phone that it’s not necessary for me to have the surgery,” Nehme said. He moved to Indianapolis and wired more than $200,000 from his bank to the hospital there. Two months later, on Jan. 13, 2007, Nehme under went a successful liver transplant. “If I hadn’t,” he said, “I’d be gone.”

House OKs measure to make anti-gay violence a hate crime By Richard Simon Los Angeles T imes

WASHINGTON -- A long-debated bill to strengthen the federal hate-crime law to cover violence against gays was approved by the Democraticcontrolled House on Thursday, the first major expansion of the law in more than 40 years. The measure, which is expected to go before the Senate within days, had faced a veto threat from President George W. Bush but has President Barack Obama’s support. White House spokesman Tommy Vietor said that the president looked forward to signing the bill. “As the president said back in April, the hate-crimes bill takes on an important civil rights issue to protect all of our citizens from violent acts of intolerance, while also protecting our freedom of speech and association,” he said. “It’s a very exciting day for us here in the Capitol,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., noting that she has pushed for strengthening the law since her arrival in Congress 22 years ago. “What makes these crimes so bad is they are not just crimes against individuals; they are crimes against entire communities,” openly gay Rep. Jared Polis, D-Colo., said during the debate. Passage of the measure, however, drew objections from a number of Republicans and other opponents, who have argued that existing laws cover hate crimes. “Violent attacks on people are already illegal regardless of the motive behind them,” said Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., warning that the legislation would “put us on a slippery slope of deeming particular groups as more important than others under our system of justice.” Republican legislators also objected that the hate-crimes measure was attached to a $680 billion defense policy bill, which included a 3.4 percent pay increase for the military and authorization for the development of a new engine for the next-generation jet fighter, among other items. The measure passed by a vote of 281-146, with Republicans complaining that they had been put in the politically awkward position of voting against a defense bill. “We should not be doing social engineering on this bill,” Rep. Dan Burton, R-Ind., objected. To the Democrats, he added: “Shame on you.” In July, the Senate overcame a Republican-led filibuster on a version of the hate-crime legislation by a 6328 vote, virtually ensuring its passage when it returns to the chamber. Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., accused Democrats of hijacking the bill to “push their partisan agenda.” “It sends a terrible message to our military that this provision has been shoved into this bill when it does nothing for our military families or our national defense,” he said.

“Democrats should stop using our troops and their families as a vehicle for their political games.” The hate-crime legislation would expand the law to cover acts of violence motivated by a victim’s sexual orientation, gender, disability or gender identity. Existing federal law defines hate crimes as those motivated by bias based on religion, race, national origin or color. The measure would also give federal authorities more leeway to aid state and local law enforcement in investigating and prosecuting hate crimes. It also makes grants available to state and local communities to combat hate crimes committed by juveniles and to train law enforcement officers in investigating, prosecuting and preventing hate crimes. The bill also creates a new federal crime for attacking members of the military because of their service. House approval of the measure, long championed by the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., comes as Obama prepares to address the Human Rights Campaign on Saturday. The gay rights group will present an award to Judy and Dennis Shepard, whose gay son, Matthew, was brutally beaten, tied to a fence, and left to die 11 years ago in Wyoming. The legislation is named after him and James Byrd, a black man who was dragged to death behind a truck in the east Texas town of Jasper, also in 1998. The president’s address will be followed on Sunday with a major march on Washington by gay rights supporters. A number of Republicans assailed the measure as “thought crimes” legislation, contending it could lead to a prosecution of a pastor delivering sermons against homosexuality if one of his church members committed a hate crime. They have hinted at a constitutional challenge. “Congress should protect all Americans equally and not provide special protections to a few politically favored groups,” Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, said in a statement. “It violates the principle of equal justice under the law and also threatens to infringe on the free speech rights of the American people.” The bill’s supporters, however, say that they added language to the measure to protect freedom of religious expression. “There are ample safeguards in the bill for constitutionally protected speech,” said Brian Moulton, chief legislative counsel of the Human Rights Campaign. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., said: “It is remarkable that, at this late date, hate crimes legislation should remain a controversial idea. The idea that someone could be singled out for a crime of violence due to his or her actual or perceived race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability is simply repugnant.”

Editorial & Letters The Brown Daily Herald

Page 10 | Friday, October 9, 2009

e d i to r i a l

Scaling back

There is no question that Brown could use more money. Over the past several weeks, The Herald has reported huge losses in the endowment, suspension of scholarships and the removal of academic support programs. But regardless of the financial state of the University, the chance to save money is no excuse to make health care less accessible to the workers who make our campus run. The contract for Brown Dining Services workers expires next week, and the University has proposed changes in the insurance system to achieve “flexibility” in structuring costs. Under the current contract, BDS employees pay 6 percent of their health insurance premiums. If the University gets its way, that system will move to a “sliding scale,” with higher-paid workers paying a higher share of their insurance costs. A sliding scale system is already in place for non-union employees, and the University maintains that the proposed changes to the BDS contract are a matter of consistency and fairness. A spokesperson for the University also told The Herald that such a system eases the burden on the lowest-paid workers and protects them against rising national health care costs. But BDS workers are not so sure. At a protest this week, union members declared that BDS employees “have affordable health care, and Brown wants to change that.” Food service workers at the rally expressed worries that they would have to cut back and make difficult choices in order to pay for medication. They condemned the University for making them pay for

losses in the endowment. The University says the measure has nothing to do with the endowment, and that similar changes had been proposed before the economy collapsed. There are misunderstandings on both sides of the bargaining table, and it is up to Brown to straighten them out. If the sliding scale will really benefit BDS workers, the University must make those benefits more transparent, outlining the effects for employees at each end of the pay spectrum. If it is really a matter of fairness, the University should renegotiate contracts with library and facilities management employees as well. Whatever the case, the University must realize that its endowment is not the only fund feeling the effects of the economic crisis. Dining services workers and all the other employees who keep our campus running have surely taken a hit as well. As the University negotiates a new contract with BDS, we hope they will remember that these are hard times. Workers are especially vulnerable right now, and the University must take extra measures to ensure that changes to the insurance system do not leave employees digging into their savings. Given the economy, the University could certainly use some more flexibility in structuring costs. But BDS workers probably need that flexibility more than Brown does. We hope officials keep this in mind when they sit down at the bargaining table next week. Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board.

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

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alex yuly

l e tt e r to th e e d i to r

Nothing to fear from marijuana dispensaries To the Editor: Regarding last Thursday’s editorial (“The cannabis question,” Oct. 1): I am disappointed to see that you have been swayed by law enforcement’s talking points on the issue of medical marijuana dispensaries (“compassion centers“ in the bill’s language) in Rhode Island. Apparently, you share the concern that “the bill makes no provision for protecting the dispensary from robbery and preventing sales to casual users” and (ironically) fear that compassion centers might “endanger patients’ supplies.” These worries are completely unfounded. As provided by the bill, the Department of Health is currently drafting regulations to govern the compassion centers. The law was set up this way so that public health professionals, with input from patients and the public, could deliberate and decide how compassion centers should be run. To satisfy the requirements set forth by the bill, these regulations must include minimum oversight, security and record-keeping requirements. Additionally, after releasing those regulations, the Department of Health will consider dozens, possibly hundreds, of applications for compassion center licenses. Initially, only one will be successful; applications for the second center will be accepted beginning in mid-2011. To have a chance, applicants must include “proposed security and safety measures which shall include at least one security alarm system for each location, planned measures to deter and prevent the unauthorized entrance into areas containing marijuana and the theft of marijuana, as well as a draft employee instruction manual ... “An applicant that hasn’t given due consideration to these important issues will not be awarded a compassion center license, according to the bill.

Due to the rigor and competition of the application process, Rhode Islanders are very likely to end up with a compassion center to be proud of, and a model for other states. If legislators were to rescind and re-draft the bill, it would delay patients’ safe access to their medicine. Such measures are not necessary, because contrary to law enforcement’s talking points, issues such as security have been carefully considered, are provided for by the bill and will be given an indepth treatment in both the Department of Health’s regulations and the ultimately successful application for a compassion center license. Not only that, but robbery will remain illegal; if law enforcement is worried about thefts to compassion centers, they should oppose the opening of new pharmacies as well. It will also remain illegal for non-cardholders to buy marijuana. The intense scrutiny that compassion centers will undoubtedly face should keep them in line; if not, their license will be revoked. Again, an analogy can be made: Law enforcement doesn’t oppose the existence of liquor stores on the grounds that they might sell to minors. It seems that the opponents of medical marijuana in Rhode Island are hoping that their audience will take their statements at face value instead of checking the bill itself or thinking critically about the ways we usually prevent crime at other highinventory businesses and health service locations. It is unfortunate that you have helped make this strategy viable. Henry Harrison ’09 Executive Director, Rhode Island Campaign for Informed Marijuana Policy Oct. 8

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Opinions The Brown Daily Herald

Friday, October 9, 2009 | Page 11

Not a funny column

ADRIENNE LANGLOIS Opinions Columnist It’s hard to go anywhere without encountering some sort of celebrity gossip. Most of it is pretty frivolous; the sun will still rise and set, regardless of whether Brangelina and Jennifer Aniston get into another spat tomorrow. Yet every once in a while, the gossip tidbit of the day is a little more sobering — something with real relevance that crosses over into the mainstream media. On Sept. 28, the celebrated Polish film director Roman Polanski was extradited in Switzerland for fleeing the United States in 1971 on the eve of a sentencing hearing. The crime? Unlawful sex with a 13-year-old girl, who repeatedly said “no” as Polanski violated her. The facts of the case are clear-cut; Polanski himself does not deny them. But many people, celebrities and pundits alike, took it upon themselves to exonerate the director. They used arguments that varied from stating that as a Holocaust survivor, Polanski had already suffered enough (Anne Applebaum of the Washington Post) to describing the crime as not “rape-rape,” but “something else” (Whoopie Goldberg on the View). I’m not going to use this column to dissect the issue of whether Polanski should be retried and imprisoned; countless others have written about and debated this issue in a much more eloquent manner than I possibly could. What I will say is that the passage of

time does not and should not change the facts involved in any legal case, and that this issue should be discussed much more seriously than it has been. At Brown, we’re lucky enough to be in an environment with many forums to talk openly about sex and relationships. We have MSex and FemSex; every RPL has condoms available on his or her door. Every year, Alexis Saccoman ’04 gives his famous talk about the seven stages of sexual desire. And of course, we have SexPowerGod, the party that’s made

factor. Both men and women, whether they identify as straight, gay, bisexual or pansexual, can be abusers and abusees. Abuse isn’t just physical. If you or someone you know is in a relationship with someone who says things that make you feel worthless, threatens to hurt you physically or tries to prevent you from spending time with other friends, seek help. No one deserves to be abused or assaulted. It doesn’t matter how suggestive someone’s outfit or dance moves are, or if he or she has

Sexual assault and relationship abuse are much more common than we think, whether we want to think about it or not. us the object of Bill O’Reilly’s ire. Unfortunately, all of these things a utopia do not make. While Brown students are educated and talented, that doesn’t mean that relationship abuse and sexual assault don’t happen here. It’s important that we acknowledge that fact and take active steps to prevent it. Therefore, in the wake of what seems to be international amnesia regarding the basic facts of sexual assault, I’d like to posit some reminders about the nature of this crime, as well as that of relationship abuse. Abuse or assault can happen to anyone, regardless of age, size, gender, sexual orientation, class, education level, race or any other

a reputation of being a slut; nobody deserves the physical, psychological and emotional repercussions of abuse. False accusations of rape happen. But that doesn’t mean every report of assault or abuse should be treated as if it were false; rather, each instance should be investigated as carefully and confidentially as possible. There’s still a very strong cultural stigma against rape, abuse and assault —hearing an official or friend not take a claim seriously could make a victim feel that the abuse was his or her fault. Abuse, assault and rape are not just “feminist issues” — they’re issues that concern

everyone. Chances are you know someone who has survived one of these situations. In one survey, 20 percent of college women and 4 percent of college men answered yes to the question, “In your lifetime, have you been forced to submit to sexual intercourse against your will?” These are just the statistics for sexual assault reports; they don’t include reports of verbal or non-sexual physical abuse in intimate relationships, and most importantly, they don’t recount non-recorded instances of these tragedies. Sexual assault and relationship abuse are much more common than we think, whether we want to think about it or not. The people you saw running a condom water balloon toss on the Main Green on Sept. 24 are right: Consensual sex IS hot. A physical encounter in which the participants are comfortable and communicative is more likely to be enjoyable for all involved. Whether you’re in a long-term relationship or just having a one-time fling, make sure you trust your partner. Not only will you be safe, but you’ll have more fun! That’s all. Look out for yourself and your friends, and if you need help, get help. Just because US Magazine doesn’t know how to talk about these sticky issues doesn’t mean that it’s okay for us Brown students to avoid them. We’re too smart not to do this the right way.

Adrienne Langlois ’10 is a History and Latin American Studies concentrator from Asheville, NC.

A simple kind of man WILL WRAY Opinions Columnist You may know him from Robert Redford’s hagiography “Motorcycle Diaries.” You may have inherited a little secondhand respect from Johnny Depp’s medallion, Angelina Jolie’s tattoo or Rage Against the Machine’s deeply confused, anti-authoritarian lyrics. Jean-Paul Sartre called him our era’s perfect man; Carlos Santana considers him a paragon of love and compassion. Failing all of this, you have seen his face bobbing around on the torsos of ingenuous Brown students, with a poet’s beard, a revolutionary’s locks and an idealist’s gaze. I write, of course, of Che Guevara, one of the most baffling figures “peace-loving” Brown students have chosen to embrace. WalterDuranty-esque biographers have touted Guevara as a compassionate liberator; however, Che more closely resembles his own notion of a revolutionary as a “cold killing machine motivated by pure hate.” Che is romanticized as a scholar-turnedwarrior-by-dire-need, a real-life Atticus Finch. His medical degree is enough to earn respect from any Brown student who has heard of or experienced first-hand the terrors of organic chemistry. That he was not only a fierce warrior and an idealist, but an intellectual, is basis for at least a grudging respect, right? Strangely, there exists to this day no record

of Che’s medical degree. Before jumping to conclusions, we should consider that records, especially in such turbulent times, could be lost, destroyed or stolen. After all, in January of 1959 after entering Havana, Guevara himself ordered the mass burning of over 3000 books. Luckily, in this case, we can go right to the source: Che himself admitted on the record that he was not a doctor. Upon returning from Africa, famously egalitarian Che wrote that “blacks are indolent and fanciful.” Time Magazine heralded that Rolex-

imprisoned by three of Che’s armed guards, brought to the island resort and threatened with execution by Che himself. After his first kill — a point blank shot into the skull of a fellow Castro rebel, an unarmed prisoner ­— Che wrote to his father that “I’d like to confess ... at that moment I discovered that I really like killing.” During a five-month tenure in charge of the regime’s political prison, La Cabana, Che ordered at least 700, though by Che’s own estimate, several thousand executions. How

That Che Guevara was not only a fierce warrior and an idealist, but an intellectual, is basis for at least a grudging respect, right?

wearing Guevara had “disdain for material comfort and everyday desires.” Che fixed his residence in a beach-side mansion complete with yacht harbor, a huge swimming pool, seven bathrooms, a sauna, a massage salon and five television sets, one of which had a screen ten feet wide. After Cuban journalist Llano Montes wrote in the state newspaper that “Comandante Che Guevara has fixed his residence in one of the most luxurious houses on Tarara beach,” he was

can Brown students respect a man who said, “I don’t need proof to execute a man — I only need proof that it’s necessary to execute him”? How can they even grudgingly admire a man that famously said, “Judicial evidence is an archaic bourgeois detail.”? At least some of his prisoners were only barely conscious while facing the firing squad — it was established practice in La Cabana to drain five pints of blood (about half of what the average person has) from the unmedi-

cated prisoners prior to their death. Their lifeblood was sold for 50 dollars a pint to North Vietnam. Is it possible to concede all else — his cruelty, his lack of scholarship, his materialism — and remain in awe of his skill in battle? The stubborn facts: The casualties of Che and Castro’s two-year war amounted to 182. Che’s famous December 1958 “Battle of Santa Clara,” about which the New York Times claimed he “turned the tide ... and whipped a Batista Force of 3,000 men” leaving “1000 dead,” was greatly exaggerated. Every account of the battle, including Che’s own — other than those gleaned from Castro’s press briefings — puts the casualties at no more than five. To his credit, Che did receive a serious wound during the Bay of Pigs invasion. After being decoyed 300 miles from the actual invasion site by a single, unmanned rowboat filled with fireworks, smoke, mirrors and a tape recording of battle, Che somehow shot himself in the face with his own pistol. The above facts show in stark relief the portrait of a vicious, megalomaniacal brute: the Beria of the Cuban regime. Yet he was praised again and again by the New York Times, the Washington Post, Time and several other (allegedly) reliable news sources. His iconic visage is plastered on dorm room walls, vodka bottles and t-shirts. Why?

Will Wray ’10 loves archaic, bourgeois details.

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The real, other Che Guevara

Friday, October 9, 2009

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d i a mo n d s a n d c o a l A diamond to the hardy souls at both sides of the negotiating table who will be working all the way through the long weekend haggling over a new contract for Brown Dining Services workers, and to the various students who have gotten worked up over the process. We’re looking forward to the warring factions, charges of paternalism and cries of exploitation. And you thought we weren’t going to celebrate Columbus Day. Coal to the local “innovation council” for its plan to award $100,000 in grants to stimulate the “knowledge-based economy” in Providence. Thanks, guys, but when it comes to the economic outlook in Providence, ignorance is bliss.

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A diamond to the big thinkers who conceived of building a multimillion-dollar streetcar system to connect College Hill to downtown. It’s retro, environmentally friendly, deceptively pricey and will frequently be found on the RISD campus. Give it an ironic paint job, fixed gears and an ashtray and you’ll have your first million hipster riders in a week.

c a l e n da r

Coal to the faculty, which shrank this year for the first time since 2003. (Our bio professor can’t see over the lectern anymore.)

Today, OCtober 9

tomorrow, October 10

8 PM — The Jabberwocks First Annual Leif Erikson Day Concert, MacMillan 117

10 AM— Dash for Diabetes, Prospect St. and Barnes St. 8 PM — Brown New Music Presents: Atonal Responsibility, Grant Recital Hall

8 PM — 4x4: 4 New Plays by 4 MFA Playwrights, Rites and Reason Theater

menu Sharpe Refectory

Verney-Woolley Dining Hall

Lunch — Hot Turkey Sandwich with Gravy, Broccoli Au Gratin, Zucchini Burgers

Lunch — Chicken Fingers, Vegan Nuggets, Corn Cobbets

Dinner — Saturday Night Jambalaya, Red Potato Frittata, Pound Cake with Peaches and Whipped Cream

Dinner — Plum Good Pork Chops, Baked Macaroni and Cheese, Spinach Stuffed Tomatoes

RELEASE DATE– Friday, October 9, 2009

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

A diamond to the fact that Brown ships off 200 gallons of used frying oil each week from the VDub to be converted to biodiesel. We’ll sleep easy knowing that people somewhere in California are commuting to work on buses that run on Cuban Stir Fry. Coal to the International Scholars Program, which offered twice as many grants for its second summer, only to find declining interest from students. As anyone who has been to a Buxton party knows, Brown’s internationally minded students prefer that you play hard to get. (Preferably while smoking aloofly with your friends Didier and Sven outside Viva on a Thursday night.) A diamond to the professor teaching 261 enrolled students in a room with 140 seats, who noted that his students are more involved and engaged. Very true — it’s hard to fall asleep at your laptop when there’s an 86 percent chance someone is sitting on your lap. A diamond to the Brown football team, which brought home the Governor’s Cup by beating in-state rival URI last weekend. But unless you want to see the University taxed off College Hill, you better bring us the governor’s veto pen, too. Finally, a cubic zirconium to the administration for coming up with the idea to pinch pennies by combining a new gym and a new pool into one building. We like your creativity, but why stop there? We’d like to introduce you to our brainchild: The MindBrainBehavior Pool-Gym and Campus Center for the Creative Arts, complete with luxury suites, could be grafted onto the side of Grad Center by early 2011.

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 Heartless 5 Run in a traffic jam? 9 “__ fan tutte”: Mozart opera 13 Hodgepodge 14 Aquarium clapper 15 Be silent, in music 16 Tropical fruit that grows underground? 18 Autobahn autos 19 Exceeded, as a budget 20 Ankle-swelling cause 21 Church game played with cans and bottles? 24 Workout unit 27 More cunning 28 Not away 32 Michigan college town 37 Italian cheese from the Florida Keys? 39 Snobs 40 Fictional author of “The World According to Bensenhaver” 41 Spot to get off 43 Grant opponent 44 Fled what was once Zaire? 51 Body shop offering 52 SWAT team supply 56 Jet trail 57 Jargon of ancient Yucatán? 59 Nanos and minis 60 Drive the getaway car for, say 61 Prefix with dollar 62 Last word sung with champagne in hand 63 Presidential power 64 Future J.D.’s hurdle DOWN 1 Designer Chanel 2 Patron saint of Norway

3 Like glowing coals 4 Hall of Fame second baseman Bobby 5 Stern with a bow 6 Chain that serves the Grand Slam breakfast 7 Fall behind 8 “Strange Magic” band 9 Bay of Naples isle 10 Continental divide? 11 Baseball commissioner since the ’90s 12 “__ big deal” 15 Military higher-ups 17 G.I. ration 20 Witnessed visiting 22 Enduring opus 23 Navel buildup 24 Bailiff’s request 25 Compound containing a hydroxl group 26 Spitting sound 29 Giant great who wore #4

30 Library volumes? 31 Avian homemaker 33 Hook (up) 34 False god 35 Brute 36 Weapon in Clue 38 Hardly at all 42 “When I’m ready” 44 The King 45 Lathered up 46 Food fowl 47 Battery terminal

48 “Peachy keen!” 49 “For Me and My __” 50 Bay window 53 Wildebeests 54 Indian mausoleum city 55 Flue coat 57 Dallas cager, briefly 58 He’s next to Teddy on Mount Rushmore

c om i c s Cabernet Voltaire | Abe Pressman

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

Dot Comic | Eshan Mitra and Brendan Hainline

xwordeditor@aol.com

10/09/09

Hippomaniac | Mat Becker

By Dan Naddor (c)2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

10/09/09