Daily Herald the Brown
vol. cxlv, no. 93 | Tuesday, October 19, 2010 | Serving the community daily since 1891
In debate, a McCormick claims witness intimidation in case Dream Act critique By Ben Schreckinger Metro Editor
By Katherine Long Contributing Writer
A collegial atmosphere prevailed at Janus Political Union’s latest debate, “Should the U.S. Pass the Dream Act?” At one point, Alejo Stark ’12 sincerely congratulated his opponent, Susannah Kroeber ’11, on her argument in favor of a guest-worker program for immigrants. “She’s made my point better than I could have — bravo,” he said. Roughly 40 students, faculty and community members attended the event, the union’s second this year, in Macmillan 117 Monday night. Most of the attendees were affiliated with the Brown Immigrant Rights Coalition, lending an even greater communal air to the proceedings. Stark, an active coalition member, was asked by the union’s organizer, Brian Judge ’11, to argue in support of the passage of the Dream Act after Judge saw Stark protesting during the on-campus rally for immigration reform Sept. 20. The Dream Act, which on Sept. 21 failed to pass through Congress for the eighth time since its inception in 2001, would provide routes to citizenship for illegal immigrants who arrived in the U.S. before age 16. Potential beneficiaries of the Dream Act would have to graduate from high school, be “of good moral character,” and either serve continued on page 3
William McCormick III’s lawyer filed papers in court Monday claiming witness intimidation in his lawsuit against the University, a female member of the class of 2010 and her father. McCormick’s attorney also filed a motion to default against the University for failure to produce documents “promptly” in accord with a Sept. 24 court order compelling it to do so. The motion against the female alum and her father alleges a similar failure to comply with the court order, in addition to the allegation of witness intimidation. If the motions carry, McCormick will automatically be awarded judgment in the case. The motion alleges that the female alum’s father instructed Brosnan Risk Consultants, a pri-
vate security firm, to harass former assistant wrestling coach Michael Burch — a witness in the case and advisor to McCormick in the University disciplinary process — and send him the message that he is being followed. “The University has provided and will continue to provide relevant information in a timely manner,” wrote University spokeswoman Marisa Quinn in an e-mail to The Herald late Monday. The female alum’s father did not respond to The Herald’s request for comment. McCormick’s lawsuit stems from a 2006 accusation of rape made against him by the female alum during their first days at Brown. It alleges that the accusation was made falsely and that the University treated him unfairly in part because the female alum’s
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From court filings
This note was allegedly sent to former assistant wrestling coach Michael Burch because of his role as adviser to William McCormick III.
For student-parents, it’s hardly child’s play By Lindor Qunaj Senior Staff Writer
It’s that time of the year again: midterms, thousands of pages of reading and a six-hour presentation all due in the next few days. Though the workload seems impossible no matter how many times we face it, everything generally gets done with a little bit of sacrifice — think sleep and free time. Imagine adding the responsibilities of caring for a crying newborn, who needs to be fed at 4 a.m. For student-parents at Brown and
schools across the country, finding an effective and manageable balance between work and family time is a real concern. A tough balancing act Debra Ballentine GS, a seventh-year doctoral student in the
FEATURE Department of Religious Studies and mother of a two-year-old boy, described the experience as “definitely challenging.” As a parent, “you tend to be more tired, especially when kids
are very young,” she said. “It is more difficult to get work done, or feel that your work is as good as it can be.” In some cases, other considerations can make the balance even trickier. Matthew Duperon GS, a fifth-year doctoral student also in the Department of Religious Studies, became a father about five months ago. As a Providence resident, he said that his situation is particularly difficult because his wife needs to commute to Boston every day for work. continued on page 2
Beds lacking in shelter system across Rhode Island By Thomas Jarus Staff Writer
At least 282 members of Rhode Island’s homeless community may not have beds in state shelters this winter, according to statistics released by two homeless advocacy groups. This represents a more than three-fold increase from last year.
METRO The Rhode Island Coalition for the Homeless, an advocacy agency that focuses on issues of public policy related to homelessness, and the Rhode Island Homeless Advocacy Project, a communitybased organization that seeks to involve members of the homeless
inside
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News.......1–3 Arts............4 Metro..........5 Editorial......6 Opinion.......7 Today..........8
www.browndailyherald.com
Stephanie London / Herald
At a press conference, John Joyce released data about the members of Rhode Island’s homeless community.
DUI deaths prompt crackdown By Caitlin Trujillo Senior Staff Writer
Rhode Island is cracking down on drunk driving this fall. State officials will look to reduce accidents in the wake of an almost 50 percent increase in alcohol-related fatalities last year. Rhode Island saw the third greatest jump in the countr y despite an overall decline in fatalities nationwide, according to statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The state will receive a federal grant of $972,000 to combat drunk driving, Sen. Jack Reed, DR.I., announced in September. The grant may be used to fund special programs and more patrol routes in the state, according to a press release. The State Police Department, Fire Marshal and Business Regulation offices also implemented a task force this month to prevent underage drinking. Though the Underage Drinking and Nightclub Safety Task Force does not aim specifically to curtail drunk driving, troopers and other members expect it will play a role in cases where underage drinkers are provided alcohol at clubs and bars, said Darren Delaney, a captain and continued on page 3
Lacking TV
Social music
Top dollar
Put it off
Some TVs at Brown have yet to receive IPTV boxes
New website connects musical students
R.I. awarded full amount in Race to the Top contest
Elizabeth Perez ’13 argues in favor of procrastination
news, 2
arts, 4
metro, 5
Opinions, 7
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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
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Tuesday, October 19, 2010
“Because it’s such a small state, it’s also easy to make connections.” — Matthew Duperon GS
Some TVs still waiting Student-parents face unique challenges for IPTV boxes continued from page 1
By Claire Gianotti Contributing Writer
Some televisions in public spaces were left behind this semester after the campus converted from cable to the Internet-based IPTV system over the summer. Among other problems caused by the switch, the televisions in satellite gyms, lounges, the Sharpe Refectory and the Third World Center are not functioning because they have not yet had the necessary converter boxes installed. Thomas Forsberg, associate director of housing and residential life, said the problem lies in the fact that “each location is a unique issue.” The new IPTV system requires both an IPTV box and an Internet data port. While each dorm room is already equipped with a data port, many of the locations where cable televisions once stood are not. Offices are responsible for placing the work orders to get their televisions up and running under the new IPTV system. Brown Dining Services has sent in a request to install a box for the TV in the main room of the Ratty, as have the Department of Physical Education and Campus Recreation for satellite gyms, the Third World Center for its own spaces and the Office of Residential Life for residence hall lounges. The orders go to the Telecommunications Office, which is in charge of installing the IPTV boxes
and has a list of the locations that need them, Forsberg said. ResLife will pay for all installations, he added. Matthew Tsimikas, assistant director of athletics and physical education, wrote in an e-mail to The Herald that his department has requested nine IPTV box installations for the Bigelow Gym in Keeney Quadrangle, the Bears Lair in Graduate Center and the Emery gym. Currently, one of five TVs in the Emery gym is functioning. ResLife has put in requests for 25 lounge TVs. The Caswell Hall lounge has received a converter box but the Keeney Quad and Pembroke Campus lounges are still without working televisions, Forsberg said. Forsberg said the shortage of converter boxes in the beginning of the semester delayed the installations. In September, The Herald reported that many students were put on a waiting list for the boxes. “There was a higher demand than I think we expected for students who wanted IPTV,” Forsberg said. ResLife rented out about 300 boxes after placing three different orders, he added. Now that student demand has been filled, boxes have become available for TVs around campus. Forsberg said that additional delays could be a result of issues
Addressing unique needs The University does offer eight weeks of paid parental leave to graduate students, as well a subsidized day care program. But interested parents are put on a waiting list for childcare services, and the prices are still prohibitive when living on a grad student’s salary, according to Mazaris. As for health care, students do have the option of adding their newborn children onto existing plans. But Brown does not cover any of this cost, which Mazaris said comes out to several thousand dollars a year. One group that has addressed the various problems student-parents face is the Sarah Doyle Women’s Center. Jennifer Eyl GS, a sixth-year graduate student, is in charge of programming for graduate and medical students at the Center. This year, she plans to organize social events for students with children, something that Mazaris also did in her time as the center’s graduate programmer. Later this month, the center will hold a panel discussion for female graduate students interested in go-
ing into academia. It will discuss how to balance being successful in their academic work and having a rich family life. Eyl said the panel was particularly relevant since “females in academia are at a disadvantage from the getgo.” Other potential programs feature topics relating to health and nutrition, such as a course in CPR and first aid. Still, there is room for more initiatives, Eyl said. “Personally, I think there should be an office dedicated to these students because they have a separate set of needs,” she said. “Brown is an undergradfocused school, so a lot of resources go to them, but the grad student community is really not as cohesive.” Mazaris pointed to a lack of family support policies as a problem that plagues universities in general. “Corporate America has moved much further than universities in this regard,” Mazaris said. “If Brown wants to commit itself to cultivating the next generation of work force talent, it has the opportunity to be on the cutting edge of developing policies to address the work/family life balance.” The culture of academia may play a role in this trend. According to Duperon, having children during graduate school is “not too common because, especially at a prestigious institution like Brown, a lot of people are of the attitude that you shouldn’t have kids until you’re wellestablished in your career.” “A lot of professors got married later into life, and that culture kind of rubs off,” he said.
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Fortunately, “in terms of actually getting work done, it hasn’t been too bad,” Duperon said. By the time his son was born, Duperon already knew people in the area and could more easily become part of the community of graduate students who have kids, he said. These connections made the transition into parenthood less challenging than it might be for those “who are uprooting themselves and moving to Rhode Island out of the blue,” he said. Given the wide range of resources available for students at Brown, one might assume the University would provide support for the unique needs of student-parents. But according to parent Angela Mazaris PhD’10, Brown is “absolutely lacking a centralized information point” for all parenting-related needs, such as childcare and health insurance, and could be doing a lot more to help. Duperon, who is in the early stages of organizing a group for fathers at Brown, said he was unaware of any efforts by the administration to address student-parent problems. “As far as I can tell, it’s not even an issue in the administration,” he said. “They don’t engage in it at all.” Ballentine expressed a similar sentiment, saying that, aside from a listserv for parents, she was not aware of any relevant programming.
The Herald attempted to locate a central information source addressing common needs such as child care, health insurance and support groups, but could find no one office or Web page that provided a comprehensive picture of the options available to student-parents.
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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.
‘All of the cheesy things’ Regardless, Ballentine said, “Beyond any official programming the University has or doesn’t have, each individual grad student-parent’s experience is more determined by their relationship with their advisor and core faculty.” The extent to which professors are understanding of their advisee’s family responsibilities and the amount of schedule flexibility they allow are very critical factors, she said. Despite all of these challenges, it is important not to lose track of the positives. Duperon explained that Providence has proven to be an “extremely family-friendly city” with frequent events such as farmers’ markets and storytime. “There are tons of playgrounds and parks in good condition,” Ballentine said. And according to Duperon, Rhode Island is unique in that it has a large childbirth and early childhood network. “Because it’s such a small state, it’s also easy to make connections,” he said. Ultimately, Ballentine said, she loves being a parent. “Watching a kid grow up is very rewarding and all of the cheesy things that you hear people say,” she explained. “Comparing life now to what it was before, all grad students go through time when they’re not being productive with silly things like checking Facebook all day. Hanging out with my son is a distraction and a break from work, but it’s more productive.”
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
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“I think now most of my friends just try to make a smart judgment call.” — Katie Morison ’11
Police crack down on McCormick adviser received note drunk driving continued from page 1
continued from page 1 district commander with the State Police. The task force will focus first on areas that receive the most complaints, with patrols then extending to other areas, Delaney said. It does not aim to patrol college campuses for underage intoxicated drivers. But troopers might follow intoxicated students back to campus if they see them leave a bar or nightclub, Delaney said. Both state initiatives come in the context of alcohol-related deaths in 2009. Of the 83 automobile deaths in the state last year, 34 were alcohol-related, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. This represents a 48 percent increase from 2008. The causes of such an increase are not known, though certain factors like road design and infrastructure might play a part, Delaney said. Katie Morison ’11 said she and her friends were more hesitant to drive after drinking when they were under the age of 21, primarily out of fear of getting pulled over. Now that she and her friends are of legal drinking age, she said safety was her primar y concern. She said she would consider herself fit for driving only if she had consumed two or fewer drinks in an hour. “I think now most of my friends just try to make a smart judgment call,” she said. But she said that most students prefer not to drive to parties, remaining on campus or within walking distance. Deepali Gupta ’12 has a car on campus. She said most of her driv-
ing is for practical reasons, such as buying groceries or going home. “Especially at Brown, drinking and driving really don’t intersect,” Gupta said. Though most of her friends do not have cars, she said she knows people who sometimes drive south of campus to attend parties. She said tolerance level varies from person to person. Though Gupta — about five feet five inches tall — would not consider driving after a glass of wine, someone of a larger build might, she said. If a friend had been drinking but felt fit to drive, Gupta said she would trust their judgment. She herself, however, would only ride with them as a last resort. But some students said they have witnessed late-night erratic driving, possibly by intoxicated drivers, on campus. Morison said she sometimes sees cars speed down campus streets, especially Wednesday nights. Wednesday is the traditional Brown night at the Fish Company. The Brown Depar tment of Public Safety coordinates with the Providence Police Department on cases of drunk driving around campus, said Paul Shanley, deputy chief of Brown’s police force. There have been 16 arrests for drunk driving since Jan. 1, said Lieutenant John Ryan, District 9 commander for the Providence Police Department. He said that figure is about average. “I have a few drinking establishments in my district,” he said, referring to Fish Co. and the bars on Thayer Street. The most recent alcohol-related accident occurred on Oct. 3 at College and Benefit streets.
Kroeber ’11: Dream Act ‘fundamentally mediocre’ continued from page 1 in the military for at least two years or complete at least two years of higher education. Kroeber, a Herald opinions columnist, acknowledged immediately that she was facing stiff opposition to her argument that the Dream Act should not be passed. “I know I’m in the minority here,” she said at the beginning of her opening statement. Bringing both her experience in gaining U.S. citizenship and her knowledge of gay rights legislation to bear, Kroeber said the act was “fundamentally mediocre” and supported “institutionalized inequality.” “This act expects a much higher level of commitment on the part of people who hope to receive its benefits than average citizens,” most of whom never attend college or serve in the armed forces, she said. She
added that the act, in conjunction with the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, could deny citizenship to gays and lesbians. Stark emphasized the act’s economic benefits and normative arguments. “What sort of country would we be if we punish these children who didn’t choose to come here in the first place?” he asked. Though at this debate, in a departure from the union’s normal debate format, the audience did not choose a winner, audience members said they found argument against the act more compelling than they had anticipated. “I was very impressed with the anti-Dream Act argument,” said Antonio Albizures-Lopez, a BIRC member who came to the event to support Stark. “The perspective of a liberal in opposition to this act was unique.”
father is a major donor and fundraiser for the University. The Herald is withholding the name of the female alum because she may have been the victim of a sex crime. McCormick forewent the University judicial process and signed a release stipulating that he withdraw from Brown. McCormick’s lawyer at the time, Walter Stone, represented him while his law firm Adler, Pollack & Sheehan was representing the University in another matter, and did not disclose this fact to McCormick. The University has denied wrongdoing in the matter. Joseph Cavanagh, a lawyer for the female alum and her father, maintains that his client was in fact raped. Cavanagh did not return The Herald’s request for comment. According to an affidavit signed by Burch and submitted in support of the motion to default, a package was hand-delivered Sept. 27 to his girlfriend’s house with an envelope addressed to “Mr. Burch.” According to the affidavit, none of Burch’s friends know the address of his girlfriend’s house. The envelope contained an invitation for Burch and a guest to enjoy a free meal at the Downcity Diner — located across the street from the offices of McCormick’s attorney — in order “to show our appreciation for ever ything you do.” The invitation did not say who sent it, according to the affidavit. The affidavit states that Burch observed two women inside the restaurant who appeared to be looking for someone, and that his ser ver later confirmed that the women had given the restaurant cash to pay for the meal and described Burch’s physical appearance so that the restaurant’s employees would recognize him. The following day a woman purporting to be from a company that hand-delivers anonymous gifts called Burch on his cell phone to solicit feedback, and he informed her he considered the gift “a possible threat,” the affidavit states. Later that day he received a voicemail from the woman assuring him that she was looking into the matter and would get back to him shortly. The woman did not return several phone calls from Burch over the following days, according to the affidavit. The affidavit states that the phone number used to call Burch was traced to Bronxville, N.Y. Bronxville is the hometown of the female alum’s father, according to court papers. According to a declaration signed by an attorney at Chisholm, Chisholm & Kilpatrick, which represents McCormick, the ownership of the number was traced through a series of companies to a phone service called “Vumber.” The ser vice bills itself as “your regular phone number’s secret identity” and “offers total anonymity,” according to its website.
Attached to the declaration is an e-mail from a Vumber employee in response to a subpoena identifying the number’s owner as Patrick Brosnan, the founder of the private security firm Brosnan Risk Consultants. A prominent former New York City Police Department Detective, Brosnan is described by former New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani as “the most aggressive Detective in New York,” on his company’s website.
The website also includes a testimonial from the father of the female alum, which states, “I have retained Brosnan Risk Consultants for both business and personal matters.” Filed along with the motions are e-mails produced during discover y that show the female alum’s father communicating with Brosnan about the rape accusation in 2006. Brosnan did not respond to an e-mail and a voicemail from The Herald requesting comment.
Arts & Culture The Brown Daily Herald
Tuesday, October 19, 2010 | Page 4
Festival explores women filmmakers Student musicians By Emma Wohl Contributing Writer
The films in the Providence Women’s Film Festival may speak for themselves, but in the Women’s Film Festival Symposium on Friday, a panel of filmmakers and academics discussed the questions these films raised. “The question of ‘what is a women’s film’ is implicitly explored by the juxtaposition of films,” said Matt Noble-Olson GS, one of the organizers of the festival. With the symposium, he said, “we wanted to make that explicit.” The discussion began with a look at each woman’s work. Filmmaker and choreographer Yvonne Rainer waxed nostalgic about feminist activism in the ’60s and ’70s. Yvonne Welbon, a documentary filmmaker and department chair and assistant professor of journalism and media studies at Bennett College in Greensboro, N.C., presented a pragmatic comparison of black women filmmakers’ budgets, exposure and opportunities to those of black men and the industry as a whole. “Women are not having the op-
portunities that men are having across the board,” Welbon said. “Women are 51 percent of the population, but we are directing 7 percent of the movies.” Though women have worked on documentaries, multimedia projects and television, Welbon focused on the lack of female directors in feature films “because you don’t know the names of documentary filmmakers or who directed the last episode of ‘Glee’. ” Patricia White, a professor of English literature and film studies at Swarthmore College, focused on women’s historical and current roles in film festivals around the world. She noted the prevalence of women directors at these festivals, facilitated by the fact that new directors, often women, made many of the breakout films. But she also said there were no films by women at the Cannes Film Festival this year, and pointed to the lack of academic analysis of women’s film. “If it isn’t written about, if it isn’t historicized, it disappears,” she said. During the question and answer session, the audience had the opportunity to hear where the
panelists differed. Their disagreement was most evident when talking about what exactly defines a women’s film. White and Associate Professor of Modern Culture and Media Lynne Joyrich agreed that there is no clear distinction between men’s and women’s films, but the term “women’s film” is simply “a lens through which we analyze” the film’s themes, Joyrich said. Welbon, on the other hand, said men’s and women’s experiences are different and therefore men and women make different types of films. Still, there are “many different types” of women’s films, she added. Rainer presented a third position. Though “men’s experience in society is very different from women’s,” she said, representations of experiences in film cross gender boundaries, making the distinction between men and women less clear. This variety of opinions is just one example of the festival’s diversity. The festival, which ended Sunday night, exhibited over 40 films, spanning 115 years and 15 different countries, according to co-organizer Maggie Hennefeld GS.
form social network By Amy Chen Staff Writer
Organizing an oppor tunity for student musicians to practice, showcase their talents or share their interests is not always easy. To make it easier for musicians to find one another and get together, Sam Rosenfeld ’12, Lee Saper ’12 and Andrew Antar ’12 created Musicians@Brown, a social networking website for music lovers on campus. The three founders said Musicians@Brown’s primar y goal is to provide a broad and interconnective platform for anyone who is musically inclined and interested in collaborating with other Brown musicians. “We are addressing a need and a problem in a community like us. We have so many talented musicians from all around, all over the world. Yet nothing was happening around me,” Antar said, describing his inspiration for starting Musicians@Brown. Rosenfeld said the University doesn’t always succeed in uniting everyone on the same stage when it comes to music. “I want to have a centralized page where you can find all the musicians at Brown,” he said. The idea for a network of Brown musicians first took shape as a shared Google Doc, which consisted of a simple list of names and other brief facts about members’ music. Saper said that, while people signed up quickly, most didn’t actually use the website to get together. “Google was very impersonal,” he said. From the initial website, the founders were able to ask people what did and didn’t work for them in order to obtain ideas for improvement. Now, the new website allows registered users to post comments on others’ pages, start discussions in forums, upload their music and pictures and personalize their profiles with information about their interests and musical backgrounds. “It’s only growing,” said Rosenfeld. This website connects to numerous social media websites, in-
cluding Facebook, to encourage people to use pre-existing social networking structures. “You can take the music you have and organize it at Musicians@Brown,” said Rosenfeld. Musicians@Brown is a resource that “expands outside of the Brown bubble,” Rosenfeld said. Students can even use this tool while abroad to collaborate and connect musically with people around the world, he added. The three founding members consulted with Maximilian Barrows ’11, also Manager of Business Operations at The Herald, on web development. The website launched late this past summer and now has over 90 members. “Ever y time I come, I see a lot of new faces,” said Aaron Zick ’11, director of the Coalition of Bands at Brown. An active user of Musicians@Brown, he collaborated with the website’s founders at the beginning of the year by promoting it via newsletters and Brown Morning Mail. “It’s a great resource,” Zick said, adding that he utilized the system himself to find a percussionist to play one of his recent compositions. Establishing a successful website or network is not without its challenges. “How can we bring people to the website? It’s the difficulty we are facing,” Saper said. “The more ideas generated, the more contacts you are likely to add.” Saper said user participation is crucial to establishing a reason for people to come back to the website. “The only way to do that is to get the word out,” Antar added. While Musicians@Brown is still in what Antar termed the “nascent phase,” during which there is still much to change and develop, more ambitious plans are nevertheless on the minds of all three co-founders. “We need to expand into RISD and other Providence schools. We do have plans to make it more regional and network based. If we can show the proof here at our campus, we can expand it to other schools,” said Saper.
Not all televisions working in campus common spaces continued from page 2 with coordination between departments and confusion about where to submit work orders. Depending on what is needed at each location, both Facilities Management and the Telecommunications Office may need to be involved. Though Sarah Rubin ’14 never experienced Bigelow with a functioning television, she said she would “much rather watch TV” while working out. “But I’m still here,” she added.
Kelly Lougheed ’13, who also works out in Bigelow, said she “didn’t even realize the TVs weren’t working.” Responses were similar in the Ratty, where the large monitor in the main room remains lifeless. Aaron Ruffin ’12, who used to watch ESPN’s SportsCenter or CNN, said he “ate on this side (of the Ratty) a lot more when the TV worked.” Bojan Grozdanic ’13 said he was less concerned because when it was working he usually “couldn’t hear it anyway.”
Metro The Brown Daily Herald
“We believe housing should be a human right.” — John Joyce, one of the founders of RIHAP Tuesday, October 19, 2010 | Page 5
Homeless sleep on floor at Providence shelter R.I. schools continued from page 1
community in peer-to-peer advocacy, released current data at a press conference downtown Oct. 14. Over 4,300 people are expected to access the homeless shelter system in 2010. This marks a significant increase over previous years. Of these individuals, 53 percent are homeless for the first time, according to a press release from the event. Housing in R.I. has become “a commodity instead of a necessity,” said John Joyce, one of the founders of RIHAP. “We believe housing should be a human right,” he added. The state’s emergency shelter system can accommodate an additional 67 people by placing them in four different shelters across the state. But there is not enough funding to maintain these openings throughout the winter, according to data from RICH. “It’s really not an adequate response yet,” said Jim Ryczek, executive director of RICH. The emergency shelter issue is one of the main issues that RIHAP has encountered since it was founded in Februar y, said Megan Smith ’10, co-founder of the organization. “We really want to take the lead on making sure that there are adequate resources to house everyone this winter,” she said. Crossroads Shelter in Providence has
seen dramatic increases in the homeless population since last year, said Karen Santilli, vice president of marketing and development at the shelter. According to Santilli, Crossroads saw more families come through its doors by the end of July than it had served over the course of the last calendar year. “We were being inundated with families, particularly families that were new to homelessness,” she said. The women’s shelter at Crossroads has seen tremendous influxes as well. Santilli said the women’s shelter is currently housing 61 women in a building meant for 41 people. She added that eight to 10 women sleep on the floor of the conference room on an average night. Though the number of people expected to access the shelter system has increased, the shortage of shelter space is a recurring problem. “It is a state-wide, year-round issue,” Santilli said. If the projected number of homeless people in Rhode Island proves true for 2010, “that’s about 1000 more than we saw in 2009,” said Eric Hirsch, a sociology professor at Providence College and the government relations chair for RICH. Hirsch put the state homeless figures in perspective, pointing to the housing burden — the gap between wages and the cost of housing. Rhode Island’s housing burden is the second highest in the nation, placing only after Hawaii.
He attributed the recent increase in homelessness to the nation’s economic downturn and high unemployment rate. There is a lag between when people lose their jobs and when they end up on the street, he said. People often double up with friends and family and end up homeless when that resource runs out. “That’s what I think is happening now,” he said, “We’re seeing the lag effect of the recession.” But Hirsch added that increasing the amount of available shelter space is just a short-term solution to the state’s homelessness problem. “We’re very short-sighted in continuing to operate shelters, and we’re neglecting permanent housing. That’s one thing that Rhode Island needs to put more resources into,” he said. “Housing is one of the most fundamental stabilizing forces in someone’s life,” said Beth Caldwell ’12, the student coordinator of Housing Opportunities for People Everywhere. “Once you don’t have a place to live, it’s incredibly hard to find employment after that.” The student-run organization works closely with advocacy groups like RICH and RIHAP. Caldwell said the solution is not building additional shelters but creating more affordable housing. “That’s an ongoing challenge for people who are working on this issue,” she added.
to receive $75 million prize By Caitlin Trujillo Senior Staff Writer
The Rhode Island Department of Education is halfway through the planning stage for finalizing school districts’ reform strategies under the Race to the Top grant award competition. The Ocean State was officially named a winner on Aug. 24. Though officials applied for the maximum possible award — $75 million — Commissioner Deborah Gist traveled to Washington last month to settle the exact amount. Rhode Island will receive $75 million, “the full amount we applied for,” wrote Elliot Krieger, a spokesman for Gist, in an e-mail to The Herald. Competition guidelines give the state education officials 90 days to finalize plans for the funds. Officials used the first 30 days, beginning Aug. 24, to draft a calendar outline and the scope of work template, which districts will use to explain their methods for improving schools, according to the department’s website. Individual school districts will submit their plans to the state Friday and will receive feedback a week later. After finalization in November, Rhode Island will submit completed plans to the federal Department of Education, Krieger wrote in an e-mail to The Herald.
Editorial & Letters The Brown Daily Herald
Page 6 | Tuesday, October 19, 2010
A le x Y uly
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t h e b r o w n d a i ly h e r a l d Editor-in-Chief
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Like many other debates this election season, the debate between the four Rhode Island gubernatorial candidates that took place at Brown last Thursday was at times enlightening, at times entertaining and occasionally a little disconcerting. But amid the fray, one idea stood out as particularly fresh and exciting. Moderate Party Candidate Ken Block has proposed using 1 percent of the state’s pension fund — approximately $70 million — to invest in Rhode Island businesses. Under Block’s plan, the state would hire a prominent venture capital firm to manage the money and would require that firm to match the state’s investment at a minimum ratio of one-to-one. The plan would target the high-tech, medical and clean energy sectors in Rhode Island, attracting new businesses to the state and supporting the growth of those already here. By drawing on money from the pension fund, the proposal avoids adding to the state’s budget deficit. But because the plan calls for only 1 percent of the state’s pension fund to be used, it wouldn’t significantly jeopardize retirees’ financial security. In an interview with the editorial page board, Block emphasized that investment decisions would not be made by elected officials, but rather by expert venture capitalists whose own money was also at stake. There’s always a risk that politicians will try to meddle, but that’s no reason not to move forward. Indeed, we’re hopeful that the plan can be implemented in a way that balances the need for oversight with the need for insulation from political influence.
Other states have already begun to implement similar initiatives. According to a report issued in April 2009 by the New York state comptroller’s office, New York has made nearly $1 billion in state pension money available to private equity firms for in-state investments, and the 17 firms managing the money are all “performing well.” Last November, North Carolina’s state treasurer announced she would be requesting proposals from private equity firms to invest up to $250 million from the state’s pension fund, the Triangle Business Journal reported. To be eligible to bid, firms must demonstrate prior experience with similar regional programs or have worked with at least 25 companies with “significant operations” in North Carolina, the article noted. If Block’s plan does move forward, similar requirements should be adopted here. With a nearly 12 percent unemployment rate that ranks among the highest in the nation, Rhode Island can’t afford to fall behind other states. It also can’t afford to continue trying stale ideas. In the weeks leading up to the election, we don’t expect that the other candidates will be showing much enthusiasm for Block’s plan. Still, we hope that whoever is elected will give this idea serious consideration in the months ahead.
Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.
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Opinions The Brown Daily Herald
Tuesday, October 19, 2010 | Page 7
A product of procrastination Elizabeth Perez Opinions Columnist I think we can all agree that our physical presence at Brown completely distorts our perception of time. Deadlines seem like a distant reality, and in the midst of writing that eight-page paper for that one class you rarely attend, you find yourself endlessly watching videos on YouTube and falsifying your identity on Facebook while simultaneously distracting yourself with the sound of Hulu commercials in the background. This might be an exaggeration; the majority of Brown students are what I like to call productive procrastinators, who don’t indulge in wasteful pleasures but postpone schoolwork to do more “enjoyable” work. As my roommate says, constructive procrastination is a much friendlier way of describing the hours spent vacuuming the dust from the dark corners of your room to those spent organizing next week’s school activities on iCal. Procrastination has developed a negative reputation of being a senseless form of selfdestruction, but honestly, procrastination doesn’t get the appreciation it rightfully deserves. I experience a heightened sense of creativity in these “shameful” periods of procrastination; my mind rolls elsewhere, but eventually it does successfully reach its destination. We need this carefree period to develop our ideas and to summon the courage and energy needed to dive into the stressful tasks ahead of us. Barry White, who characterizes procrastination as the “Thief of Time,” suggests
that to eliminate this “habit” one should restructure their environment by removing all forms of distraction. Obliging to this physical restructuring would entail becoming an almost robotic and mechanical student; the absence of all distractions is basically reducing oneself to solitary confinement. I’m not the type to imprison myself in the concrete, sterilely-lit rooms of the Rock. For once, that gray period of procrastination should be put in the spotlight as the “gift of time,” away from the dark shadows to which we have
Our inability to decide and start a task can stem from our obsession with perfectionism, which grows exponentially as our options grow (a phenomenon described in Barry Schwartz’s “The Paradox of Choice” TED talk). So do Brown students and college students across the country procrastinate and willingly choose to do nothing to avoid making the wrong choice? Is it truly perfectionism at its worst? This cannot be the case, as I can’t recall any of my fellow classmates refusing to take a midterm or
Procrastination has developed a negative reputation of being a senseless form of selfdestruction, but honestly, procrastination doesn’t get the appreciation it rightfully deserves. chained it. I would like to think of myself as a productive procrastinator, but I can’t deny that I once spent two hours reading a New Yorker article, “What Does Procrastination Tell Us About Ourselves?” Nonetheless, there’s nothing more comically senseless: procrastinating while educating myself about procrastination. I was still able to learn a valuable lesson. Why did I spend those hours procrastinating when I could have been outlining my five-page literature paper? Not only did I have 20 prompts, but also I had the option of watching a movie, passively listening to music, writing a silly story or going out to a Buxton party.
write an essay. Instead, most transform this momentary delay from work to idle contemplation while they stumble upon other creative or productive activities — because that’s truly the Brown way. Procrastination isn’t necessarily what White describes as “a moral failing,” but it truly is an indirect means of discovering oneself and momentarily escaping the insanity of a constant work structure. Everyone is fixated on the negative consequences of procrastination, but they always seem to neglect what one has gained through that hazy period of pleasant diversion. The time I have spent delaying my essays and prolonging the completion of my tedious readings, I
have discovered my most treasured movies and songs that trigger the right inspirational nerve (while simultaneously outlining my academic ideas in my head). Let’s face it; procrastination is vital to our sanity and our identity. Game theorists suggest that procrastination is a product of “the divided self, ” where the long-term self and short-term self compete for control. I see this as a necessary balance between our desires for long-term accomplishment and short-term instant gratification. If our shortterm self did not interrupt our productivity, where would we find time for spontaneity and inspiration? In some way, these selves are interdependent — our long-term accomplishments exist because of the relief from our short-term indulgences and impulses. I am not a habitual procrastinator, so I personally don’t hold any regrets, which may seem like an exaggeration considering my self-induced anxiety attacks and constant sleep deprivation. If you, however, are really concerned with your procrastination habits, feel free to “restructure” your environment by breaking your phone, joining the 75,000 users of Freedom who have willingly shut off their own access to the Internet, or permanently deleting your Facebook profile. For now, you can actually thank procrastination for preserving your sanity. Let go of the expression “work before play,” and remember that work can be play, too.
Elizabeth Perez ’13 is an Economics and International Relations concentrator from Hollywood, Calif. She can be contacted at elizabeth_perez@brown.edu.
Omens and prognostications BY MIKE JOHNSON Opinions Columnist As September turns into October, and October meekly limps away into November, the nation prepares for its glimpse into the ugliest part of American politics — midterm elections. Historically a time of mudslinging and the bludgeoning of the majority political party, the midterm elections are a time when candidates can take advantage of diminished voter turnout to rally zealous bases and actually win a race. In major election seasons — those that take place every four years — voter turnout surges because a majority of Americans care more about who runs for president than about who runs for state attorney general. But in midterm elections, what is already “bad” turnout dips even further, and candidates can get away with what normally wouldn’t fly in years multiple of four. Take Christine O’Donnell, for example, the semi-professional dabbler who has stated her clear position that abortion should be illegal in all cases, including those of rape or incest. She asserts that homosexuality is a choice, and that the “afflicted” are suffering from an “identity disorder.” The Tea Party darling of Delaware trails her Democratic opponent by nearly 20 points yet remains in the race because, in American politics, angry voters will vote for anyone. If you prefer a Western rodeo, look no
further than the Nevada Senate race, where the option of “none of the above” may garner up to a third of the vote because of a unique provision in the state constitution which allows voters to vote for no candidate. At this point, either Harry Reid or Sharron Angle could win the election with approximately 40 percent of the vote, and we as a nation sit back and watch, as if that’s perfectly okay. The implications of the Nevada race should echo throughout the nation. Reid, the Senate Majority Leader, may be reelected to office despite 60 percent of voters —
she’s a Republican is distasteful. Social issues and political wrangling are beginning to show the cracks in the once-perfect veneer of our constitutional code. The ever-widening gap between stances on policy issues is worsened by an oversaturation of media exposure. Like meth addicts, the American people decry their reliance on television media for their news, yet tune in every weeknight for Bill O’Reilly or Jon Stewart to tell them who is right and who is wrong. The simple truth that so many voters turn to a comedian for news updates should
More people should vote for “none of the above.”
not to mention those who don’t bother to vote — not wanting him in Washington. This isn’t an argument that senators should no longer be directly elected nor a suggestion that perhaps presidents should be. That is not what I argue. Rather, I argue that more people should vote for “none of the above.” The lesser of two evils has far too long plagued this nation. The sense that people will vote for Christine O’Donnell despite disagreeing with her policies simply because
explain the dire situation we inhabit. There will always be disagreement in politics — that’s the point. But the vitriol on both sides needs to end or this nation will slip into a spiral, eating itself alive. When each voice just shouts louder than its opponent, no one will be heard. There are a lot of valid issues that we as a people should be discussing, but not at the expense of our humanity toward each other. Democrats are not all socialists. Not all
socialists want to destroy democracy as we know it — one ideology is economic, the other political, and neither is necessarily anathema to the other. Republicans are not all warmongering morons. They don’t all think that evolution is an adorable story told by a guy with a sweet beard. They don’t all believe that white people are the best. This is a conservative nation. It takes a long time for things to get done. We’re a lot like the Ents in “Lord of the Rings.” Since it takes such a long time to do things, we shouldn’t do things unless it’s worth taking such a long time to do them. But, just like with the Ents, once we set our minds to it, we can do some pretty incredible things. Reread that sentence, and emphasize “we.” Brown is not insulated from the trend toward vitriolic discourse. On campus, you either think that the University is a nefarious corporate entity or you support fascism. You either support Palestine or you support apartheid. One former student is even suing Brown because he felt oppressed on our liberal campus due to his conservative beliefs. This situation cannot remain unchanged. There are a myriad of groups on campus trying to change the climate at Brown. Go to one of their meetings. Shut your mouth for couple of minutes, and open your eyes and your ears. It’s amazing what one can learn that way.
Mike Johnson ’11 is looking for the Entwives.
Today The Brown Daily Herald
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Many TVs still lacking IPTV boxes
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comics
2 october 19
5:30 p.m.
ToMORROW
Cabernet Voltaire | Abe Pressman octoBER 20
10:00 a.m.
The 30th William F. Church Memorial
Love Your Body Day, Main Green
Lecture, Smith-Buonanno 106 8:00 p.m.
7:30 p.m.
Meet and Greet with Edie Ajello, R.I.
Green Corps Information Session,
State Representative, Wilson 309
Career Development Center Library
menu SHARPE REFECTORY
VERNEy-WOOLLEY DINING HALL
The Adventures of Team Vag | Wendy Kwartin
LUNCH Green Chili Chicken Enchilada, Vegan Taco, Red Rice, Cranberry and White Chip Cookies
Chinese Chicken Wings, Linguini with Tomatoes and Basil, Sticky Rice, Cranberry Scones
DINNER Orange Citrus Glazed Turkey, Acorn Squash with Curried Rice and Chickpeas, Raspberry Bars
60 / 43
63 / 47
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Dot Comic | Eshan Mitra and Brendan Hainline
Today
to m o r r o w
Social network made for musicians
t h e n e w s i n i m ag e s
c a l e n da r
to day
Meat Tortellini with Sauce, Artichoke and Red Pepper Frittata, Parsley Potatoes, Raspberry Bars
crossword Dr. Bear | Mat Becker
Bat & Gaz | Sofia Ortiz
Classic Homefries | Yifan Luo
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