Daily Herald the Brown
vol. cxlv, no. 69 | Tuesday, September 14, 2010 | Serving the community daily since 1891
Primary day marks crucial test in R.I. By Claire Peracchio Senior Staff Writer
For months, the candidates vying to replace retiring Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I., have plied Rhode Island’s first district with campaign advertisements, get-out-the-vote operations and policy proposals to get Rhode Island’s economy back on its feet. But a bruising battle among
METRO leading Democrats threatens to upend the race just as voters get ready to choose among the contenders — Democrats David Cicilline ’83, Anthony Gemma, Bill Lynch and David Segal and Republicans John Loughlin and Kara Russo — in today’s decisive primary. As voters go to the polls here and across the country, they will pick party nominees for a midterm election that will determine whether President Obama’s party can hold on to the sweeping gains made in 2008. Voter turnout will be key for candidates in R.I., where the Sept. 14 primary will mark the end for many and, due to the state’s Democratic leaning, a presumptive general election win for others. A bloody primary battle Providence Mayor Cicilline has led the contest for the first district’s congressional seat in fundraising and poll numbers, but a recent continued on page 3
Recent national events spur Muslim action By Sydney Ember News Editor
Addressing the widespread unrest spurred by a Florida pastor’s plan to burn copies of the Koran on the nine-year anniversary of Sept. 11, Muslim Chaplain David Coolidge ’01 denounced extremist actions and urged the community to honor religious differences at a press conference hosted by the Rhode Island Council of Churches Sept. 10. The cautious remarks reflected the reactions generated by recent anti-Islam media coverage, contrasting the Muslim community’s celebrations marking Ramadan’s end that occurred the same day. “There seem to be a fair amount of people these days who consider themselves heroes of an even greater generation,” Coolidge said in his statement. “They have
capitalized on the suffering of a nation, turning attention from burning issues to burning books.” In his statement, Coolidge expressed concern that the pastor’s anti-Islamic actions recalled nationalistic sentiment in Nazi Germany during World War II. Those who want to burn copies of the Koran “consider Muslims a monolithic threat,” he said. “Without the slightest awareness of the irony of their actions, they have adopted many of the same tactics that characterized fascism at its height.” The pastor’s threat sent a message to Muslims that they were “no longer human in the eyes of the book burners,” Coolidge said. But despite his condemnation, Coolidge shared a message of continued on page 2
George Miller / Herald
In a press conference, Muslim Chaplain David Coolidge compared a Florida pastor’s idea to burn copies of the Koran to the general sentiment in Nazi Germany during World War II.
What’s in a name: behind the building R.I. to get By Nicole Boucher Senior Staff Writer
name of the building? What, exactly, is in a name?
When students walked through Faunce Arch for the first time this semester, they noticed a remarkable transformation. In place of brick siding, glass doors marked the opening to the new Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center. Signs of construction dominated campus last year, the work going into the renovation project quite visible. But what about the less conspicuous addition — the
A drive for donations “There are a lot of buildings we are willing to name if you are willing to give X,” said Beppie Huidekoper, executive vice president for finance and administration. When people want a structure named after them or for their family, they can provide donations in exchange for naming rights. Putting a family name on a build-
ing at Brown is a compelling reason to donate, Huidekoper said, but it is not the only reason. Others are focused on a mission to improve the University, and the name is merely a byproduct of this devotion. But some donors have a vested interest in the outcome of a development, making a “project-driven” rather than recognition-driven donation, Huidekoper said. The Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center is such continued on page 2
Thayer’s ‘Affair’ no longer foreign to Brook Street By Margaret Yi Contributing Writer
Hilary Rosenthal / Herald
inside
Foreign Affair has gained more space for less rent at its new location.
News......1–2 Metro.....3–5 Editorial......6 Opinion.......7 Today.........8
www.browndailyherald.com
Just a few days before the start of the semester, Thayer Street said goodbye to another familiar face. But this time it’s a change for the better for Marsha Taylor, owner of vintage clothing store Foreign Affair. About two weeks ago, while much of the student body was packing for Brown, Foreign Affair was making a swift and almost silent move from the lively Thayer Street to the much more serene Brook Street. Foreign Affair now finds itself closer to Wickenden Street, but just far enough that it offers shoppers a quiet haven from the noise and the hubbub. The newly renovated space was a much welcomed change for Taylor. Not only was the rent on Thayer
state educ. grant By Caitlin Trujillo Senior Staff Writer
State Education Commissioner Deborah Gist will be traveling to Washington this Thursday to finalize the level of funding Rhode Island will receive as a winner of the federal Race to the Top competition. On Aug. 24, the state was named a winner, joining nine other states and the District of Columbia
METRO
Street becoming expensive, Taylor said, but the environment did not suit the store either. She referred specifically to the addition of the Better Burger Company. “It’s not a pleasing combination to have clothing next to food, due to the food smells,” Taylor said. Taylor now has more space for less rent. As a result, the new location features huge display windows, two fitting rooms and a bigger inventory, which allows for more diversification, Taylor said. The store now carries a myriad of items — ranging from women’s floral tops to men’s dress jackets — that put much of today’s department store bargains to shame. What’s more, there is no need to deal with the daily traffic and parking dif-
as recipients of the funds. The precise grant amount destined for Rhode Island has not yet been finalized, but the state applied for $75 million — the maximum amount it could receive based on student enrollment figures — according to a press release from the R.I. Department of Education. The national fund’s total amount is $4.35 billion. Gist will be meeting with representatives from the U.S. Department of Education to finalize Rhode Island’s reward, though she said she expects the state will receive close to the full $75 million that it applied for, she said. During the application process, states were evaluated on criteria
continued on page 5
continued on page 5
Metro, 4
Editorial, 6
Opinions, 7
candidates face off M ayo ra l c a n d i d a t e s discuss their positions on a variety of issues.
Use your vote wisely What to keep in mind as you head to the Rhode Island polls today
it could be you Stephen Wicken GS reminds students that TAs were once undergrads, too.
195 Angell Street, Providence, Rhode Island
herald@browndailyherald.com
Page 2
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
C ampus N EWS
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
“Our culture has become so oversimplified.” — Nancy Khalek, assistant professor of religious studies
Brown honors big spenders Recent events reveal continued from page 1
an example. The former chancellor’s contribution was driven by the goal, rather than the naming, Huidekoper said, adding that “Stephen Robert really wanted to create a campus center.” Because Robert had been an advocate and lead contributor to the center, the Corporation voted to establish it under his name. In general, there are university guidelines for naming, and each individual naming must be approved by the Corporation, said Steven King ’91, senior vice president for university advancement. Currently, the Campaign for Academic Enrichment has many naming options in exchange for large donations. With a $10 to $35 million contribution, a donor can name a new building such as the Medical Education Building, according to the Campaign’s website. For a lesser sum of only $3 million, an existing building such as the East Asian Studies building can be named. “To name a building would be typically 50 percent of the cost of the renovation,” King said. The money donated may be used to create an endowment or finish necessary restoration, he said. The condition, stature of the building and the foot traffic in the area also factor into the price tag, Huidekoper said. The donations may be specifically designated for naming rights, but there are also times when the Corporation may vote to direct funds to the process, King said. The newly named Ittleson Quadrangle went through the latter process. Though the Corporation originally called for a $5 million donation to name the future athlet-
ics quadrangle, the Ittleson Foundation gave $1.5 million for “green and sustainable initiatives campus-wide,” according to the Corporation’s May press release. Corporation trustee Antony Ittleson ’60 has also given money in the past. The Corporation voted to use this money as a contribution to name the quadrangle. “It is a nice space for someone who has done a lot for the University,” King said. “Naming is just one way the University honors generous offers from donors.”
Honorable mention Honorific naming voted in by the Corporation can also lead to naming rights. J. Walter Wilson is an example of a building named for honorary reasons, Huidekoper said. The building was a laboratory at the time it was named after Professor of Biology J. Walter Wilson. Though Huidekoper said they could now rename it given its changed purpose, its original naming was in recognition of Wilson’s service to the University. Many building names actually reflect a combination of financial generosity and intangible service contributions to the community. While Robert was the lead financial contributor to the campus center, his service to the Brown community was also considered in the naming of the campus center within Faunce. “Brown is proud to honor the achievements and extraordinary leadership of Stephen Robert,” President Ruth Simmons said in a release following a 2007 Corporation meeting. “It is especially fitting that the Center, which will be so central to our campus activities and students’ experiences, will bear this chancellor’s name.”
sudoku
Daily Herald the Brown
Editorial Phone: 401.351.3372 | Business Phone: 401.351.3260 George Miller, President Claire Kiely, Vice President
Katie Koh, Treasurer Chaz Kelsh, Secretary
The Brown Daily Herald (USPS 067.740) is an independent newspaper serving the Brown University community daily since 1891. It is published Monday through Friday during the academic year, excluding vacations, once during Commencement, once during Orientation and once in July by The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. Single copy free for each member of the community. POSTMASTER please send corrections to P.O. Box 2538, Providence, RI 02906. Periodicals postage paid at Providence, R.I. Offices are located at 195 Angell St., Providence, R.I. E-mail herald@browndailyherald.com. World Wide Web: http://www.browndailyherald.com. Subscription prices: $319 one year daily, $139 one semester daily. Copyright 2010 by The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. All rights reserved.
This combination of large donations and a lifetime of service to Brown is also exemplified by Sidney Frank ’42, King said. After Frank gave the largest single gift in Brown’s history, Frank’s name was formally applied to the life sciences building soon after his death in 2006. This naming was intended to recognize his contributions throughout life, Huidekoper said. “His family was very happy,” she added. In recognition of donations over a lifetime, the Corporation may decide to honor a person by using his name even if they did not specifically seek naming rights, Huidekoper said. And the reason donors contribute is also often tied to the recognition of the service Brown did for them, rather than pleasure derived from seeing their name on campus. Frank, who attended Brown for only one year before entering the war, explained his contributions as an acknowledgement of what Brown gave him. “I find I have a little money to spare, and with that, I’d like to thank Brown for all it did for me and gave to me,” Frank said, according to a Corporation press release from 2003.
rise in Islamophobia continued from page 1 peace. “On this day,” he said, “we stand up to declare our humanity, and to affirm the humanity of all of our sisters and our brothers who do not share our faith.” Coolidge’s statements provide a backdrop for the Muslim community’s reaction to publicized anti-Islam sentiment. “It’s been very interesting to see the responses,” said Rahil Rojiani ’13, who is on the board of the Muslim Students’ Association. “It’s just interesting to see that there is a wide variety of opinions.” Rojiani said any event that involves the Muslim community increases dialogue between Muslims and non-Muslims. “We are seeing a lot more positive opinions” toward members of the Muslim community, he said. “I’m responsive more to the issues” than to the media coverage, he said. Last week’s events have called into question the media’s role in shaping public perceptions, said Nancy Khalek, assistant profes-
sor of religious studies. She said the fact that coverage of the pastor’s demonstration snowballed so quickly is a testament to fragmentation of the media. The most recent coverage followed months of controversial reporting sparked by plans to build an Islamic community center near Ground Zero. “There does seem to be a rise in Islamophobia,” Khalek said. “It really is generating a lot of instability and social insecurity.” The fragmentation of the media and the increased influence of bloggers has led to a disproportionately large impact on the public’s perception of controversial news, Khalek said, adding that the media tends to incite extremism “on either end” of a conflict. But whether the anti-Islam sentiment is merely reported by news outlets or harnessed by the media to generate ratings is an important distinction, Khalek said. “Our culture has become so oversimplified,” she said. “I think the way to get rid of any sort of prejudice is education.”
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
M etro
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Page 3
“He’s been a leader on really every issue.” — Sam Adler-Bell, campaign field organizer for David Segal
Democratic legacy in R.I. threatened in mayoral race continued from page 1 rough-and-tumble turn to the race could threaten his frontrunner status. Cicilline, the endorsed Democrat in the race, admitted last Wednesday to receiving mistaken pay raises that increased his compensation to $132,652, thousands of dollars more than the $125,000 mayoral salary to which he is entitled. The mayor, who alleges the extra compensation only came to his attention after a review by the city’s internal auditor, has returned the city nearly $20,000 as well as a $5,300 longevity payment, according to a Sept. 11 article in the Providence Journal. The pay error has made conversations about the race for Kennedy’s seat “a little more complicated,” according to Victor Profughi, Rhode Island College professor emeritus of political science and head of the polling firm Quest Research. The compensation issue and the initiation of negative campaign advertisements targeting Cicilline’s record as mayor by businessman Anthony Gemma could hurt Cicilline, though it is unclear how severe the damage will be, Profughi said. While Cicilline has led the pack in fundraising with $171,410 raised since July 1 according to the most recent campaign filing, Gemma has contributed over $200,000 of his own
money to finance his candidacy. Gemma’s message has gone negative in recent days, bashing Cicilline for the pay raise and calling Cicilline “quite possibly the most ineffective mayor in the city’s history” in a hardhitting 60-second radio spot. “I think what’s most interesting about the race is that at this very late stage in the game, the outsider, the non-politician, seems to be making the strongest charge against the frontrunner,” said Wendy Schiller, Brown professor of political science. Last Thursday, Gemma sent a letter to Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Chris Van Hollen, D-M.D., asking him to request Cicilline’s exit from the race due to “patterns of deception, misconduct and dereliction of duty” that Gemma argues could confer an advantage to a Republican opponent. But Gemma’s own financial dealings have not been entirely free of controversy. While Gemma served as president of his family’s company, Gem Plumbing & Heating, the business was cited for 32 labor violations, many stemming from employing unlicensed plumbers. Still, Gemma continues to tout his achievements as a businessman and argues that he is “the only candidate in the race who’s created hundreds of sustainable jobs,” according to Dan Mercer, his campaign manager.
Legacy of an election When Patrick Kennedy first gained office in 1994 — an election year resembling the current one — voters were angry. Spurred by anti-incumbent fervor and dissatisfaction with a president whose approval ratings hovered below 50 percent, voters overwhelmingly picked Republicans in races across the country, catapulting the G.O.P. to majorities in both the House and Senate. While Rhode Island’s Democratic roots may insulate it from the more full-throated two-party competition convulsing the nation’s heartland, the first district candidates must contend with the legacy of an heir to a storied political family and look to craft their own narratives as voters go to the ballot box to pick Kennedy’s successor. Chances of a Republican resurgence in the first district may hinge on the margin by which Cicilline wins the Democratic primary, according to Schiller. “If it’s very close and he shows any kind of weakness, then the Republicans might say to themselves ‘I think we have a shot to pick up this seat, let’s put some more money into the race,’” Schiller said. But a Republican win would still be difficult due to the district’s demographics, which heavily favor Democrats, according to Schiller.
As for Kennedy’s legacy, it might also play a role in the race, but mostly due to voters seeking a candidate with the experience to advocate effectively for the Ocean State, a preference that could benefit Cicilline, Schiller said. This midterm election, however, may be notable not just for the legacies that shape it, but also for those it leaves behind, especially for the Brown students who volunteered for candidates in the race. Segal campaign field organizer Sam Adler-Bell met the state legislator while organizing for Brown’s Student Labor Alliance, a student organization for which Segal has been a consistent advocate, he said. “I think he’s been a leader on really every issue that progressives and students care about,” Adler-Bell said. “I think the reason a lot of Brown students have been excited about getting involved in his campaign is because his values are really in line with ours and because he’s been such an accessible and helpful ally to so many student groups at Brown.” Adler-Bell also drew a parallel between the candidacies of Segal and Democratic mayoral contender Angel Taveras, who are “the very obvious progressive candidates” and whose races have generated significant excitement among Brown students.
bil l ly n c h
Lynch — former chairman of the state Democratic Party — emphasizes reforming Washington’s culture of corruption through campaign finance reform and term limits for members of Congress. “Every candidate’s for change, but nothing in Washington seems to change,” said Lynch campaign spokesman Bill Fischer. “We need to get the big money out of these campaigns, and we need to impose term limits or we’re not going to turn Washington around.” Lynch supports the Fair Elections Act, which would rely on “getting small contributions into elections to help ensure that not only millionaires can run for elective office,” Fischer said.
See page 4 for more candidates in profile
Page 4
M etro DAVID SEGAL David Segal, a current state legislator and former Providence city councilman, joins Lynch, Cicilline and Gemma in the contest for the Democratic nomination. Segal, a self-styled progressive, has staked out the race’s left flank by pledging to vote against funding the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq unless the money goes to ending the conflicts, refusing to take campaign contributions from corporations and promising to make clean energy legislation a top priority. Segal is the candidate who will “stand up and fight against corporate and special interests that have too much power in Washington,” according to Daniel Bass, political director of the Segal campaign. The state representative’s first act if elected would be to sign on as a co-sponsor to the TRADE Act, legislation that would establish prerequisites for future trade deals, Bass said. He added that Segal believes “trade agreements like NAFTA have cost over a million jobs in America and allowed corporations to move production abroad where they can pay workers sub-poverty wages and wreak havoc on the environment.”
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Today’s primaries will determine Republican and Democratic candidates for Rhode Island’s D-1 congressional seat Democrat David Cicilline ’83 has proposed two major economic initiatives — the first authorizing Made in America block grants to help retool existing small manufacturers in R.I. and retrain the state’s workforce for clean energy jobs, and the second a national infrastructure bank to “support investments in local infrastructure projects,” according to Cicilline campaign Communications Director Rich Luchette. He added that Cicilline would support President Obama’s recently announced $50 billion infrastructure investment plan. Cicilline contends that his tenure as Providence’s mayor has given him the experience to represent Rhode Islanders in Congress. “A mayor wakes up and sees how their policies impact their constituents, whether you’re talking about potholes or whether you’re talking about balancing budgets,” Luchette said. anthony gemma
David Cicilline
For Anthony Gemma, the “number one priority would be putting people back to work,” his spokesman Dan Mercer said, adding that Gemma is the only candidate in the race to offer a detailed jobs plan. Gemma would also focus on getting cost-ofliving adjustments for seniors and boosting the state’s stake in the rapidly expanding health and wellness industry, which is projected to grow by $125 billion over the next five years, according to Mercer. “Gemma is the only candidate who has created jobs in the private sector,” Mercer said. “He knows what it’s been like to take a business from a small business and grow it.” Mercer also said that Gemma’s self-financing has freed him from having to take donations from lobbyists, special interests and PACs.
Republican John Loughlin, the likely winner of the party’s primary, is betting on a conservative alternative to the proposals of the battling Democrats. “Regardless of which Democrat wins the primary, they are all on the wrong side of what voters today are looking for — fiscal responsibility and some discipline when it comes to government spending,” said Loughlin Campaign Manager Cara Cromwell. Loughlin credits his six years as a Republican state legislator for giving him the experience necessary to change Washington and promote business growth in R.I. “John believes that we need to cut spending — no more bailouts, no more stimulus packages,” Cromwell said, adding that Loughlin would focus on measures to rein in the deficit, spur economic growth through tax cuts and create a favorable climate for business.
john loughlin
By Claire Peracchio. Photos courtesy of the candidates’ campaigns. Photo of David Cicilline from the Herald’s file.
Metro The Brown Daily Herald
Educ. grant to improve statewide curriculum continued from page 1 including, but not limited to, plans for reform, sustainability of those reforms and assessment quality. Elliot Krieger, Gist’s spokesperson, said teachers’ unions also played a role in drafting the application. Though the funds will be critical to the state, they do not represent a total “bonanza,” Krieger said. The reward must be allocated according to the Race to the Top program’s goals. With the broad goals to increase graduation rates and halve the achievement gap, the grant will be used more specifically to develop statewide curriculum and assessments for classrooms, Gist said.
Though the grant is a one-time opportunity, it will be disbursed over the course of four years instead of all at once. Of the possible $75 million, Rhode Island budgeted for half of that amount to go directly to the school districts, Krieger said. Providence schools get the biggest cut at $18.4 million, followed by other urban districts including Pawtucket, Warwick and Cranston. But these values are likely to change once the final amount of the reward is decided upon, he said. The state will use the rest of the money to fund other projects, including contractual and personnel budgets, according to the state’s initial application.
“If Rhode Islanders watch (the show), they’ll definitely see local spots in R.I.” —Matthew Gross, executive producer of “Body of Proof” Tuesday, September 14, 2010 | Page 5
Foreign Affair travels to Brook St. continued from page 1 ficulties around Thayer, added store manager Xavier Valentine. Business has been wonderful since the move, Taylor said. Though she was initially hesitant about moving away from populous Thayer Street, Taylor said that the store has been attracting a regular clientele despite few publicity efforts. This was perhaps partly due to the loyal customer base Foreign Affair began to establish when it first opened, she added. Though she did not publicize the move, Taylor believes that word of
mouth helped inform shoppers of the new location. The Brook Street location has also led to a change in the percentage of student customers. While students made up almost 95 percent of clients on Thayer Street, the percentage is now more balanced between Brown students and other residents in the area, estimates Valentine. Taylor developed the idea for Foreign Affair while working at a vintage store she opened with her sister in Boston. One day, a group of people from the Netherlands approached Taylor. “There was a number of them, and they wanted to
bring European fashion — vintage — to the United States. They asked if I would be interested in selling, and I said ‘Oh, absolutely,’ ” said Taylor. That event led to the 1986 opening of Foreign Affair in Newport, R.I. The store’s name refers to the fact that the store sold mostly European vintage clothing imported from Amsterdam. In 1991, Taylor expanded her store to a 10,000-square-foot warehouse in the Federal Hill area. Then, in 1994, she settled on 219 Thayer Street, where the store stood until just two weeks ago. “I wonder why I didn’t do it sooner,” Taylor said of the move.
Join the most influential leadership network in the world
Got tips? herald@browndailyherald.com
Achieving impact McKinsey & Company Class of 2011 Business Analyst Presentation Tuesday, September 14, 5 to 6:30 p.m. Career Development Center Library, 167 Angell St. RSVP to Hi-Jung_Kwak@McKinsey.com For more information and to apply, please visit www.mckinsey.com/careers/us_schools
www.mckinsey.com/careers
Editorial & Letters The Brown Daily Herald
Page 6 | Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Interested in drawing our editorial cartoon? Get in touch: herald@browndailyherald.com A lex Y uly
e d i to r i a l
Elections have consequences
t h e b r o w n d a i ly h e r a l d Editor-in-Chief
Managing Editor Chaz Kelsh
George Miller
Deputy Managing Editors Emmy Liss Joanna Wohlmuth
editorial Anne Speyer Suzannah Weiss Sara Luxenberg Brian Mastroianni Brigitta Greene Ben Schreckinger Sydney Ember Zack Bahr Tony Bakshi Ashley McDonnell Erika Mueller
Arts & Culture Editor Arts & Culture Editor Features Editor Features Editor Metro Editor Metro Editor News Editor Sports Editor Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor Asst. Sports Editor
Graphics & Photos Graphics Editor Stephen Lichenstein Graphics Editor Alex Yuly Photo Editor Stephanie London Photo Editor Max Monn Photo Editor Hilary Rosenthal Sports Photo Editor Jonathan Bateman Asst. Sports Photo Editor Jesse Morgan Production Copy Desk Chief Kelly Mallahan Design Editor Julien Ouellet Asst. Design Editor Gili Kliger Asst. Design Editor Katie Wilson Web Editor Neal Poole Post- magazine Editor-in-Chief Sam Carter Editor-in-Chief Kate Doyle Editor-in-Chief Marshall Katheder
Senior Editors Ben Hyman Seth Motel
Business General Managers Office Manager Shawn Reilly Claire Kiely Katie Koh Directors Sales Kelly Wess Finance Matthew Burrows Client Relations Margaret Watson Alumni Relations Christiana Stephenson Managers Local Sales Isha Gulati Local Sales Arjun Vaidya National Sales Rajiv Iyengar University Sales Aditi Bhatia University Sales Jared Davis Recruiter Sales Trenten Nelson-Rivers Maximilian Barrows Business Operations Business Analytics Jilyn Chao Credit and Collections Danielle Marshak Special Projects Alexander Carrere Staff Kathy Bui Opinions Opinions Editor Michael Fitzpatrick Opinions Editor Alyssa Ratledge Editorial Page Board Matt Aks Editorial Page Editor Anita Mathews Board member Tyler Rosenbaum Board member Melissa Shube Board member Gaurie Tilak Board member
Gili Kliger, Leor Shtull-Leber, Katie Wilson, Designers Claire, Luchette, Joe Milner, Copy Editors Rebecca Ballhaus, Kristina Fazzalaro, Brigitta Greene, Sarah Mancone, Night Editor Senior Staff Writers Ana Alvarez, Ashley Aydin, Rebecca Ballhaus, Alexander Bell, Nicole Boucher, Fei Cai, Alicia Chen, Kristina Fazzalaro, Sarah Mancone, Claire Peracchio, Lindor Qunaj, Mark Raymond, Luisa Robledo, Caitlin Trujillo, Alexandra Ulmer Staff Writers Anna Andreeva, Anne Artley, Shara Azad, Casey Bleho, Sofia Castello, Amy Chen, Sarah Forman, Miriam Furst, Max Godnick, Thomas Jarus, Sarah Julian, Julia Kim, Emily Rosen, Bradley Silverman, Anne Simons, Qian Yin Senior Sales Executives Katie Galvin, Liana Nisimova, Isha Gulati, Samantha Wong Sales Associates Roshni Assomull, Brady Caspar, Anna Cook, Siena deLisser, Begum Ersan, Tommy Fink, Ryan Fleming, Evan Gill, Debbie Lai, Jason Lee, Katie Lynch, Sean Maroongroge, Zahra Merchant, Edjola Ruci, Webber Xu Senior Finance Associates Jason Beckman, Lauren Bosso, Mae Cadao, Margot Grinberg, Adam Fern Finance Associates Lisa Berlin, Mahima Chawla, Mark Hu, Jason Lee, Nicholas Robbins, Daniel Slutsky, Emily Zheng Design Staff Caleigh Forbes, Jessica Kirschner, Leor Shtull-Leber Web Staff Andrew Chen, Warren Jin, Claire Kwong, Ethan Richman, Adam Zethraeus Photo Staff Qidong Chen, Janine Cheng, Alex DePaoli, Frederic Lu, Quinn Savit Copy Editors Nicole Boucher, Zoe Chaves, Greg Conyers, Claire Gianotti, Aida Haile-Mariam, Victoria Hartman, Tiffany Hsu, Christine Joyce, Mrinal Kapoor, Abby Kerson, Juhee Kwon, Matthew Lim, Sara Luxenberg, Alexandra McFarlane, Joe Milner, Rajan Mittal, Lindor Qunaj, Kate-Lyn Scott, Carmen Shulman, Rebecca Specking, Dan Towne, Carolina Veltri
Brown students’ involvement in local politics varies widely — while some were out canvassing in advance of today’s primary election, others might not have even known an election was happening. As Rhode Islanders and at least some students go to the polls today to choose their party’s candidates for local, state and federal offices, we wanted to highlight several issues of great importance to Brown this election cycle. For many of the issues that grab students’ attention and motivate political action, the campus and the city of Providence is just one small part of a broader picture. But as last year’s proposed tax on students demonstrated, we must be aware of the policy decisions that impact our immediate lives. In an e-mail to the editorial page board, Vice President for Public Affairs and University Relations Marisa Quinn highlighted some of the items on the University’s agenda this year. Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the most important issues is the continued availability of federal funds in the form of grants to support research. Quinn reported that Brown “competed well” for the money provided in the stimulus act passed last year, but noted there is a “worry about the implication of those funds going away.” While some are quick to criticize government spending, we think the federal government’s continued support for research on campuses like ours crucially promotes innovation and long-term economic growth. As we wrote last semester, government grants have also allowed undergraduates work as research assistants on cutting-edge projects. In addition, Quinn said Brown benefits significantly from government support for financial aid, and she mentioned Pell grants as “a strong and vital tool for ensuring access to higher education.” As part
of the health care reform law enacted earlier this year, Congress allocated money to increase both the amount and number of Pell grants, which provide about $5,000 per year to help students to pay for college. The bill also contained other changes to the student loan system, and we think it will be important to monitor how these changes are implemented. On the local level, Quinn noted that the issue of taxing nonprofits, and specifically colleges and universities, comes up frequently. Students should be vigilant to ensure that our leaders and candidates know that we will not accept this treatment. As we have previously argued, Brown and its students already make a very large contribution to the local economy, and nonprofits generally should not be treated as a primary source of tax revenue. Regarding Brown’s relationship with the local economy, the next several years promise to be crucial in the development of the “knowledge district” — the area downtown in the Jewelry District surrounding the new Medical Education Building targeted for a major revitalization effort. Quinn highlighted the importance of cooperation between the University and city government, as local officials will make important decisions regarding zoning and infrastructure in the area. If the University and the city can work collaboratively, we know both will reap major benefits in the long-term. Although some Brown students might be tuning in to the elections just now, it should be clear that there’s a lot at stake. We encourage students who are registered voters to make time to get to the polls today, and we hope everyone pays attention as the Nov. 2 general election approaches. Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.
C O R R E C T I O N S P olicy The Brown Daily Herald is committed to providing the Brown University community with the most accurate information possible. Corrections may be submitted up to seven calendar days after publication. C ommentary P O L I C Y The editorial is the majority opinion of the editorial page board of The Brown Daily Herald. The editorial viewpoint does not necessarily reflect the views of The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. Columns, letters and comics reflect the opinions of their authors only. L etters to the E ditor P olicy Send letters to letters@browndailyherald.com. Include a telephone number with all letters. The Herald reserves the right to edit all letters for length and clarity and cannot assure the publication of any letter. Please limit letters to 250 words. Under special circumstances writers may request anonymity, but no letter will be printed if the author’s identity is unknown to the editors. Announcements of events will not be printed. advertising P olicy The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. reserves the right to accept or decline any advertisement at its discretion.
Opinions The Brown Daily Herald
TUESDay, SEPTEMBER 14, 2010 | Page 7
IR is the University’s cash cow MICHELLE UHRICK Opinions Columnist It’s common knowledge that the international relations department is a flagship institution at Brown. The department peaked as the single most popular concentration among graduating Brown students in 2005, and since then has hovered around third place. However, this common knowledge is mistaken. As Mark Blyth, the new director of the international academic programs, described in a letter to the international relations and development studies concentrators last Thursday, the international relations that you naively thought was a “department” (or at least was given the same rights) is not — it is a program. In the refreshingly honest words of the letter, that means that “we have fewer resources, no permanent faculty, and an overworked advising structure. We are critically under-resourced.” And possibly about to become more so, as the University is merging the already-giant IR program (300 students) with the development studies program (100 students), creating what will likely be the largest department, er, “program,” at Brown. Anyone paying close attention to the IR department-program at Brown would not be surprised by the director’s statement. Or anyone not paying close attention who has ever tried to obtain guidance, get into a seminar or write a thesis in this critically over-crowded program, for that matter. All 300-plus students in the IR program have a single undergraduate advisor capable of signing off on paperwork and offering guid-
ance. The English and Engineering departments, both of which have half the students that IR does, have six and twelve advisors, respectively. The huge, new, beautiful Watson Institute building is an empty palace, with its single advisor and handful of staff and faculty occupying one niche. After all, labeling IR a program means that the University can avoid hiring permanent faculty. According to the new joint-program description, IR and development studies together have over 400 students and three faculty
of Brown students, and they are increasingly being packed into the most competitive and cutthroat registration process at Brown. Overflow from the IR program has resulted in the swamping of political science’s and history’s also-limited seminars, and leads to resentment and in-fighting among the concentrations. Regardless, even interdisciplinary concentrations benefit from a support system and facultystudent interaction. The IR program’s unusually difficult thesis requirements also bear the marks of funding
The huge, new, beautiful Watson building is an empty palace, with its single advisor and handful of staff and faculty occupying one niche
members. Not only does this make the chance of one-on-one mentoring by an IR professor minuscule, it makes small classes a distant dream for most concentrators until they reach senior year. Even then, chances are still low. IR offered a single seminar to over 100 seniors this fall; American civilization, with its similar but geographically different content and a fraction of the students, offered four. However, IR is interdisciplinary; students could just take their courses in other departments. IR can substitute political science and history courses for IR courses quite easily in terms of content, but not in practice. Political science, history and international relations concentrators combined make up nearly a quarter
suffocation. An IR thesis at Brown is usually required to be around 120 - 150 pages; Georgetown only requires about 50 - 80 pages. Even the most writing-intensive concentrations at Brown, such as comparative literature and English, also only expect 50 - 80 pages. Why are the thesis requirements nearly double that of other departments? Maybe the IR program wants to be academically rigorous. Or maybe since the IR program does not have the staff to handle more than one twentystudent senior seminar, it has decided to resort to desperate measures to weed out applicants, including raising requirements to the point that writing a senior thesis requires dropping just about everything else.
All of this is by design, not by accident. In the words of the new director, “Deans like programs because unlike departments, they cost about one-tenth of a department to run. This is because they have no permanent faculty and they live off the offerings of faculty in other departments. We are cheap.” I believe it. After all, the program is a windfall for Brown. For every student who majors in IR instead of an “expensive” concentration, the University saves money on training advisors and hiring faculty. Lack of funding forces the IR program to separate students from the resources they deserve — advising, faculty, seminars, theses — and the University is making money by doing so. As IR becomes more and more relevant in a globalizing world and continues to attract more students, the University will continue to save thousands in unhired faculty, advisors, and staff. And now that the recession has wiped out millions of Brown’s endowment dollars, the administration’s first instinct, apparently, has been to choke more money out of the program. While I believe the new director has the best of intentions and several good ideas, the overly convenient timing and lack of genuine duplication between the programs reeks of spending cuts. The sad aspect of all of this is that, regardless of how hard the administration of the IR program works, and has worked, they have also been doomed to fail by a university that seems to have no interest in funding their success.
Michelle Uhrick ’11 is an international relations and economics concentrator from Connecticut. She can be contacted at michelle_uhrick@brown.edu
Be kind to your TAs, for once they were like you STEPHEN WICKEN Opinions Columnist September is here again, and with it comes the usual russet leaf pile of beginning-of-the-year questions. Which concentration should you pick? Is your synchronized figure-biking team finally going to take Cornell down this year? What was the name of that guy you met at that thing last semester, and why is he suddenly everywhere you go? And as if life weren’t hard enough (was it Chris? It must be Chris. Definitely Chris. Unless it was Will...), there’s the stress of classshopping. That professor in the acrylic cardigan seemed to expect you to do some work before October! Even once you pick the right class, with the right acrylic-cardigan-to-work-beforeOctober ratio, there’s the issue of sections. Some of them start in the morning! On a Friday! (And Will might be in one. Or was it Matt?) Even with the hard-won wisdom accrued from a decade at university — not all at this university, thank you very much — I cannot help you with the above questions. But those creatures at the front of the lecture hall? The ones who look a bit like you but more haggard, more jaded, desperately trying to hold together both their professional demeanor and their threadbare trousers? They’re called TAs, and them I can help you with. Heed these words, and perhaps — just perhaps — they won’t post the spelling mistakes from your midterm on the interwebs.
The first thing to remember is that TAs are, broadly speaking, like you. They may make bad life decisions and mention “The Simpsons” entirely too much for comfort, but they get their nutrients the same way you do — although they don’t have to deal with the intellectual and spiritual chess game that must be required to convince oneself to eat at a place called ‘The Ratty.’ But they probably had to do something similar in the not-too-distant past, for TAs are
and subsequently return from the grave, only to die again in an equally unlikely manner just before exams. They have had to balance the demands of their water-rugby coach with those of their teachers. They have e-mailed assignments to instructors in bizarre file formats that produce lines of unconnected characters almost as unintelligible as Snooki Polizzi. Appreciate that, in this area at least, they aren’t completely stupid, and they may grow to
Before the big life mistake, before the hemorrhage of self-esteem, before the debilitating Spaghetti-Os addiction, they were undergrads too.
most often graduate students, and graduate students get this name (the most polite that can be applied to them) by graduating from somewhere. Before the big life mistake, before the hemorrhage of self-esteem, before the debilitating Spaghetti-Os addiction, they were undergrads. They were happy. They were carefree. Frequently, they were drunk. And chances are that they forgot, skipped or spilled Franzia all over at least one assignment and had to come up with an excuse. So too did their friends and classmates. They have had distant-but-sentimentallyun-get-over-able members of their extended family die in freak bog-snorkeling accidents
like and even to respect you — which is a useful thing when your final assignment falls on that fine and peculiarly Brunonian line between a B+++ and an A---. In other ways, however, TAs are unlike you. They avoid skinny jeans — and those who don’t, should. They have, on average, between six and eight friends. They remember 1992. More importantly, the more grown-up among them have lives and houses and families, and some of them made the audacious decision not to live in Providence. They don’t, as a rule, have Blackberries or iPhones or Androids or computers that aren’t held together with duct tape. Thus, an Important Note: They do not have
e-mail wired directly into their spines. If you e-mail to ask for an extension because your hand is feeling, like, really weird right now, and they don’t respond within the hour, it may be for a number of reasons. They might be driving back to Boston. They might be giving the kids a bath. They might be weeping silently and snottily into a can of Narragansett. In all likelihood, they aren’t ignoring your email because they’re playing table tennis and sampling fine cheeses with Jay-Z. Don’t send them six follow-up e-mails asking if they got your previous e-mail about the e-mail you sent them. In their minds, doing this will make you A Problem. You will be added to a laundry list of Problems Great and Small — and, remember, these other problems don’t require grading at the end of a long, Spaghetti-O-fuelled semester. Be nice to your TAs. Don’t snigger as you ask what they did over the weekend. Pretend a thirty-second description of their dissertation doesn’t make you want to give up on life altogether. Give them Rice Krispie treats. Treat them as you would want to be treated if you had taken a huge detour on the road to Earning A Living. I’m not promising that it’ll improve your grades, but perhaps it will imbue them with the self-respect to shower more often. And then everyone’s a winner.
Stephen Wicken GS is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in the History department. He can be reached at stephen_wicken@brown.edu after he’s finished schooling Beyonce at ping pong.
Today The Brown Daily Herald
1
R.I. officials angle for education funds
7
comics
1 tomorrow, september 15
2:30-4 P.M. — A Reading by Poet/ Translator Sawako Nakayasu, McCormack Family Theater
4-5 P.M. — Law School Admission Information Session, Salomon Center, Room 001
7:30-9:30 P.M. — Human Rights and the Kurds in Turkey: An Eyewitness Account, List Art Building, Room 110
7-9 P.M. — Community Service Opportunities Fair, Sayles Hall
menu Sharpe Refectory
Verney-Woolley Dining Hall
Lunch — French Fusion Taco Sandwich, Linguini with Tomato and Basil, Swiss Fudge Cookies
Lunch — Buffalo Wings with Bleu Cheese Dressing, Zucchini Parmesan Sandwich, Swiss Fudge Cookies
Dinner — Carne Gizado, Artichoke and Red Pepper Frittata, White and Wild Rice Pilaf, Magic Bars
Dinner — Chicken Helene, Curried Couscous, Noodles Alfredo, Magic Bars
74/ 51
71 /49
TUESDay, September 14, 2010
Bat & Gaz | Sofia Ortiz
Today, september 14
to m o r r o w
Is Brown skimping on the I.R. program?
t h e n e w s i n i m ag e s
c a l e n da r
to day
Cabernet Voltaire | Abe Pressman
Dr. Bear| Mat Becker
crossword Dot Comic | Eshan Mitra and Brendan Hainline
Fruitopia | Andy Kim
The Adventures of Team Vag | Wendy Kwartin
Page 8