Daily Herald the Brown
vol. cxlv, no. 102 | Monday, November 1, 2010 | Serving the community daily since 1891
R.I. HIV Comp. sci. tops in academic violations last year cases see Concentrations with the most academic Department uses violations in 2009–10 academic year sudden rise software to detect U. to host free testing, presentation By Nicole Boucher Senior Staff Writer
Three students in Rhode Island colleges and universities have tested positive for acute HIV in the last six months, according to Timothy Flanigan, director of infectious diseases at Miriam Hospital and professor of medicine at Alpert Medical School. Doctors diagnose acute HIV in recently infected patients whose symptoms appear very soon after infection. Its incidence worries health professionals in Rhode Island because it “means there is ongoing transmission in our community,” Flanigan said. Flanigan said the names of the schools that the infected students attend are not being released at this time. These recent infections come in a year when there is a reported 20 percent rise in Rhode Island in overall HIV infections among men who have sex with men, said Edward Wheeler, director of Health Services. While gay and bisexual men are not the only group affected, growing HIV incidence in Rhode Island currently falls mainly in this demographic, said Kelly continued on page 4
cheating
By Tony Bakshi Sports Editor
Forty-two students were cited with potential violations of the Academic Code last academic year — with nearly 70 percent of the cases coming from the Department of Computer Science, according to a faculty committee’s report released last month. Of the cases referred to the committee, with possible outcomes ranging from “no action taken” to “directed no credit with transcript notation,” 29 of them came from computer
science classes. Half of the total cases heard by the committee last year resulted in the latter, which was the most severe punishment given out. Thomas Doeppner, co-chair of the Standing Committee on the Academic Code and associate professor of computer science, said computer science’s high number of cases is partly due to the department’s systematic oversight procedures. Foremost among those is the Measure of Software Similarity, or MOSS, which is a free tool developed by a computer science professor currently at Stanford University. “It’s a resource that’s available to anyone, and it is used by many computer science departments across the country,” Doeppner said. continued on page 6
Computer Science 29
4 Chemistry 3 Psychology 2 History of Art and Architecture 1 Education 1 Engineering 1 French 1 Graduate School Julien Ouellet / Herald; Source: Academic Code Committee Report for 2009–2010
The three concentrations catching the most cheaters were all sciences.
Cornell Greeks face new regulations Dean’s office By Greg Jordan-Detamore Contributing Writer
With over 60 Greek houses on Cornell’s campus, administrators have proposed new regulations that will affect alcohol use and condemn hazing. Students, concerned about how Cornell’s social life might change, have spoken out against the proposed changes to alcohol policy. Fraternities and sororities at Cornell would be expected to engage in alcohol-free recruitment, new member education and initiation, according to the university proposal. Freshmen would be prohibited from attending fraternity and sorority parties where alcohol is served.
The university also plans to take a strong stand against hazing and make changes to the initiation timeline so that activities conclude by spring break. These proposed changes are part of a revision to the university’s “recognition policy” for fraternities
HIGHER ED and sororities, a policy which makes rules by which Greek houses must abide if they wish to be recognized by the university. Some of these changes have generated controversy at Cornell this fall, particularly those relating to alcohol, students and administrators said. Through a number of chan-
nels, students have communicated a strong dislike for the proposal. Others, though, have praised it. Toward the end of the spring semester, Travis Apgar, associate dean of students for fraternity and sorority affairs, and Kent Hubbell, dean of students, communicated the university’s intentions to revise the recognition policy to the presidents of Cornell’s three fraternity and sorority councils. Senior Allen Miller, president of the Interfraternity Council, senior Nora Allen, president of the Panhellenic Council and senior Evelyn Ambriz, president of the Multicultural Greek Letter Council, were tasked continued on page 7
Library contract extended for third time to Nov. 8 By Alex Bell Senior Staff Writer
inside
The contract between the University and the libraries union was extended for the third time Friday evening when negotiators once again failed to reach an agreement. This extension will run out Monday, Nov. 8. The contract was originally set to expire Sept. 30. Karen McAninch ’74, the union’s business agent, did not want to get into specifics of why negotiations failed to conclude Friday before union members meet today at 11 a.m. to review and formally accept or reject the University’s offer. But McAninch said the union’s bargaining committee is not recommending acceptance. “We were really hopeful that
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we could come to an agreement, but it just didn’t happen,” she said. If the members reject the offer, McAninch said, the union and Brown will probably try to schedule more negotiations for later in the day. At the union members’ meeting Friday morning, workers voted to authorize the bargaining committee to call a strike, though McAninch said she has no plans yet to act on that authorization. “The members wanted the University to understand how concerned they were,” McAninch said. Vice President for Public Affairs and University Relations Marisa Quinn wrote in an e-mail to The Herald that Brown’s negotiators “hope for a speedy resolution to the remaining issues.”
Freddy Lu / Herald
Library employees and students protested on the Main Green last week as contract negotiations with the University continue.
releases tool on majors By Alex Bell Senior Staff Writer
The Office of the Dean of the College will announce Monday the latest Internet tool to support the liberal learning curriculum, called Focal Point. The application points users to the most important information about concentrations in a standardized format, and lets users filter the nearly 100 concentrations Brown offers to find the perfect match. The page, accessible to the public through Brown’s homepage, shows an icon representing each undergraduate concentration. Holding the cursor over an icon provides a brief description of that concentration. Clicking an icon brings up more detailed information about the concentration, including information about honors and capstones, links to e-mail advisers and a sampling of alums’ career tracks. The tool also links to the registrar’s page for concentration requirements, gives the names of Departmental Undergraduate Group leaders, and shows statistics on the number of concentrators in the graduating class. One of the primary innovations of Focal Point is its system of filters, which lets users narrow down the list of concentrations shown based on academic divisions, related interests and general career paths. continued on page 6
Over there
Ivy streak ends
Q’s at the poll
The University makes efforts to attract more internationals
Bears fall to Penn’s Quakers in first league loss of the year
Dan Davidson ’11.5 urges voters to answer ballot questions
news, 5
SPORTS, 8
Opinions, 11
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“I’m very conscious of the problems.” — Vivian Healy GS, on the inaccessibility of some buildings at Brown
Improvements in accessibility still needed
By Emily Rosen Staff Writer
How would you get from your dorm room to a class on the third floor of Wilson Hall? This might sound like an easy question — but now imagine trying it in a wheelchair. Given that Wilson Hall is one of the most inaccessible buildings on campus, this task could be essentially impossible. Brown community members may not give campus accessibility much thought on a daily basis, but the University has made efforts to improve accessibility over the years by offering services for those with access needs and taking accessibility into account during construction projects. Senior Director for Student Engagement Ricky Gresh, who also served as the chair of the Planning Committee for the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center renovation project, said the committee members tried to “make sure the community’s needs were represented” and incorporated into the new campus center. Gresh said the Undergraduate Council of Students provided the planning committee with a list of recommendations for the campus center renovation, one of which dealt with accessibility issues. There was “support from the campus community that the campus center should be accessible to the entire community,” Gresh said. When designing the building, the planners took legal requirements into account, as well as the University’s priorities regarding accessibility, Gresh said. Ultimately, the plan for the building was presented to the Campus Access Advisory Committee, a sub-committee of the Diversity Advisory Board.
Stephanie London / Herald
Without any ramps or elevators, Wilson Hall is among the University’s least accessible buildings.
The Campus Access Advisory Committee, which works closely with the Department of Facilities Management and solicits input from across the University, deals with accessibility issues on campus. “The goal is to have all plans run by this committee,” Disability Support Services Director Catherine Axe said. But the new campus center is still characterized as “partially” accessible, Gresh said, adding that the historic nature of Faunce House, along with many other buildings on Brown’s campus, makes it difficult to renovate the building to make it fully accessible, since building regulations were different at the time of original construction. Despite the age of Faunce, the planning committee did make an effort to “remedy the structural barriers” in the building, Gresh said. He added that “two significant interventions” were made in the building during the renovation, both of which improved overall accessibility. The first major addition was the arch entrance, which serves as the main entrance to the building. Gresh
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said that one of the UCS recommendations for the renovation project was that “all students should be able to use the same entrances to the building.” Gresh noted that while some of the entrances still require stairs, the main entrance is fully accessible to everyone. Before the renovation, the primary way to enter Faunce in a wheelchair was via the lower level. The second structural change to the building was the construction of the mezzanine in Leung Gallery, which expands accessibility of the third floor. Gresh said this is especially beneficial because many student groups are located on the third floor of the campus center. Jennifer Stone ’11, a student in PHP 1680I: “Pathology to Power: Disability, Health and Community,” is working with four other students to redesign and update the campus accessibility map. Stone said she thinks campus accessibility is an important issue and should be a University priority. “I think it will contribute to the diversity Brown talks about,” she said. The campus accessibility map, which is updated regularly and is currently available on the Facilities Management website, depicts accessibility details of buildings, parking, pathways and other routes on Brown’s campus. Stone said that she and her group members are trying to “make it a more comprehensive map.” According to Stone, the updated version of the map will include changes such as new pathways that have been put in because of construction, among other revisions to ensure as much accuracy as possible. Axe added that a fold-out version of the accessibility map will soon be available. It will be distributed at the information desk in the campus center. “I’ve been really impressed with how they handle things,” said Vivian Healey GS, who has a systemic arthritis condition that is completely debilitating when it flares up. Though she has not had a problem since she came to Brown this year, Healey said she is grateful for the services DSS offers, in case there comes a time when she needs them. “I’m very conscious of the problem,” Healey said, adding that the Mathematics Department, where she spends most of her time, is notably inaccessible. She said the building has a lot of stairs, no elevator and no ramps. “Professors have been really supportive and understanding,” she said.
news in brief
New grant to fund alcohol and HIV research A $7.5 million grant to Brown will fund a new Alcohol Research Center on HIV to study the effect of alcohol consumption in people with the virus. According to a University press release, the study will investigate the “physiological and behavioral” issues that arise from consumption of alcohol by individuals with HIV. The researchers hope to be able to advise patients on the risks of consuming alcohol in addition to their medication. The center, financed by a five-year National Institutes of Health grant, will be directed by Peter Monti, professor of alcohol and addiction studies. The research will be broken down into a number of smaller studies. One study, led by Ronald Cohen, professor of psychiatry and human behavior, will study the effects of alcohol use on the structure and function of the brains of HIV patients, according to the press release. The other major study, led by Christopher Kahler, professor of community health and scientific director of the new research center, will assess whether drinking makes patients less likely to follow their medication regimens and how “alcohol use impacts the course of the disease.” According to Kahler, the hypothesis is that reducing drinking will have “broad effects and better health longterm with HIV.” The disease and the antiviral therapies directly affect the brain and weaken the liver. Alcohol also directly weakens these areas, so researchers predict that drinking could put a further strain on the patient’s body, according to the press release. It is also believed that excessive alcohol use makes patients less likely to keep up with their medication. — Margaret Farris
AT&T media fellowships offered through Watson By Aparna Bansal Contributing Writer
AT&T and the AT&T Foundation are offering new media fellowships of up to $1,500 through the Watson Institute for International Studies for students wishing to “pursue innovative international projects” over winter break. The fellowships will fund programs that address global policy issues or critical needs in society. Students will be required to document their experiences on the Global Conversations blog run through the Watson Institute and to create a final video project. A committee made up of members from the Watson Institute will choose the recipients of the fellowships through a selective process. “We wanted to create a new media platform for the Brown community, a way for the students to capture their experiences,” said Geoffrey Kirkman ’91, deputy director at the Watson Institute. “We get ver y excited about the energy and creativity of the students and their projects, which have a lot of funding potential, but no predetermined outcome.” Watson first partnered with the AT&T Foundation in 2009. The foundation provided funds to suppor t the projects of 11
students this summer. These students traveled around the world and blogged about their experiences with photographs and video podcasts. The Watson Institute had a series of workshops to train the winners and lent them high-definition video cameras. The funding helped to cover the students’ costs of airfare, food and lodging. “It’s nice to have a fellowship that is specifically targeted to media. It’s the only one of its kind,” said Quyen Ngo ’12, who won a fellowship last summer. She traveled to various regions of Vietnam to examine the education system around the nation. “There’s also a lot of flexibility because we design our own projects,” she said. The program will continue as long as funding is available, Kirkman said. “We hope other organizations choose to fund us as well,” he said. The Watson Institute is also offering to lend video cameras to students who already have winter plans set up to document their experiences on the Global Conversations blog. The number of cameras available will depend on the demand for them. The deadline for the winter fellowships is Nov. 8. The six-part application is available online.
Monday, November 1, 2010
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“The faculty really knows the students really well.” — Amy Remensnyder, program director of Medieval Studies
Small size a strength, say medieval students Parking office hires firm to collect unpaid parking tix
By Elizabeth Carr Contributing Writer
Students in large concentrations often relish the opportunity to trade big lecture halls for the intimacy of the seminar room. For students in small concentrations, tight-knit seminars and personal attention are the rule, not the exception. Currently only 10 students are concentrating in Medieval Studies at Brown, pursuing either the medieval cultures or late antique cultures track. According to Amy Remensnyder, an associate professor of histor y and the program’s director, this is an example of “growing interest among students” in the program. This spring the seven seniors graduating with a Medieval Studies concentration will represent the largest group the program has produced thus far, according to Remensnyder. Students and faculty affiliated with the program see the small size as one of the department’s strengths. Medieval Cultures concentrator Maya Bretzius ’12 noted that the personal attention she receives from the faculty is one of the best parts of being in the program. “The faculty really knows the students really well,” Remensnyder noted. Professors “engage with them in a way that should be one of the hallmarks of a Brown education.” She added that the small class sizes encourage students to “get to know fellow concentrators very
well,” adding to students’ learning experiences. “Size is probably less important than the quality of the faculty and the students,” said Associate Professor of Classics and Comparative Literature Joseph Pucci, former director of the program. Medieval Studies is also different from many concentrations in that it is completely composed of faculty from other departments. This means that the 14 faculty members — representing the Departments of Art History, Classics, History and Neuroscience, among others — are voluntary participants in the program and show a passion for Medieval Studies, Bretzius said. This passion, concentrator Anna Waymack ’11 said, is exemplified by MDVL 0360: “Medieval Perspectives,” an interdisciplinar y course taught in collaboration by eight to 10 professors in the program. The course is an overload, meaning that the professors are teaching an extra course without compensation. Pucci described this as a “testament to the collegiality of medievalists at Brown.” The course is of fered each spring, and according to Remensnyder, students this year can anticipate a “completely new, revamped version of Medieval Perspectives.” Titled “Blood, Bones and Bodies: Medieval Perspectives,” the spring version of the course was designed around a particular theme — exploring the “ver y different sensibilities” between the Middle Ages and the
modern day in terms of “attitudes toward the body” and “the sense of the boundar y between death and life.” Medieval Perspectives is a “wonder ful way to get into the department,” Waymack said. Describing her own decision to concentrate in medieval cultures as “purely accident,” Waymack said she believes that “more people would do it if they knew about it.” Students appreciate the interdisciplinar y nature of the course and the passionate and active faculty. The result, Pucci noted, is “enjoyable experiences on both sides of the desk.” According to Remensnyder, there are several reasons the program attracts relatively few concentrators. Because the number of students is small, the program is less well-known and therefore less popular. In addition, Remensnyder said, many who do know about the program may consider it “cool but irrelevant.” Remensnyder said she also believes that in this weak economic climate, many students are looking for a concentration that is more “practical.” But, she added, many potential employers have told her they prefer students with a traditional liberal arts background who can think critically and write well, with the understanding that the economics required for a job in the business world can be easily taught to employees. “Medieval Studies stands out on a resume,” she said.
At home, no Gmail for Chinese students By Margaret Yi Staff Writer
Some students check their Brown e-mail every day. Some do it every hour. But imagine not being able to access it for three months — that’s what some international students from China were dealing with this past summer. “It’s not a new issue,” said Stephanie Obodda, assistant manager of communications and computer education. Even before Google announced it would lift censorship of its services in China, “China was already blocking Google in some places,” Obodda said. In addition, access to other sites such as Yahoo was inconsistent as well. “It really comes down to where you are in China at any given time,” said Christopher Grossi ’92, assistant director of desktop support services. “You may be in China and be on the equivalent of Cox in one location and on the equivalent of Comcast in another. You can’t tell which network you’re on, but they’re configured differently,” Grossi explained. Renee Qiaohan Li ’13 was hit with an unpleasant surprise when she returned to Beijing for the summer: She could not access her Brown email account. “I was really surprised that Brown e-mail didn’t work,” she said, adding that she expected the government to restrict web sites
with controversial material, but not a resource from an educational institution. Li finally managed to access her account by downloading FreeGate, a tunneling proxy server, to bypass restrictions. She said that it would have been helpful if the University had notified students regarding this issue. “I would see it as a problem for students who don’t know about the software (FreeGate),” Li said. Kening Tan ’12, who traveled throughout different Chinese cities this past summer, did not have such issues with her Brown Gmail account. “All the University website features were functioning very well (for me),” she said. But some of her friends did have trouble with their e-mail accounts, she said, and so it is very popular to use software to unblock websites in China. “I don’t think that censorship is being enforced really well in terms of this,” she said. Computing and Information Services has developed several ways of dealing with this problem. Students can tr y accessing blocked websites through Brown’s virtual private network, which funnels Internet traffic through the Brown network. Students have the option of either downloading the VPN through CIS’s software web site, or going to Brown’s WebVPN site and entering their user infor-
mation. “We’ve had a lot of success having people log in through that method,” Obodda said of WebVPN, adding that it is also fast and simple to use. Students also have the option of using tunneling proxy servers to access blocked websites. In addition, students can forward their e-mails to another e-mail account that is accessible, but this technique is not always reliable. “Yahoo and Hotmail are blocked just as often as Google,” Obodda said. If all else fails, students can always contact the CIS Help Desk, said its manager, Christine Brown. Furthermore, CIS is working to ensure that the University community is aware of these resources. When the University first converted to using Gmail as its primary e-mail server, CIS worked with the Office of International Programs to advise students who planned on studying abroad on potential problems and solutions of using the Internet in other countries, Obodda said. But CIS is limited in what it can do. “We can’t really use the bulk mail system. It’s almost impossible to get permission to send an e-mail directly to students,” Obodda said. “Anytime that we can proactively get information out to people so they have a better user experience, we’ll do it,” Brown said.
By Sahil Luthra Contributing Writer
The Transportation Office now uses a third-party company to collect fines for unpaid parking tickets issued on campus. Over the last year, the office has started outsourcing the collection of unpaid parking violations to a Massachusetts company called Municipal Management, according to Elizabeth Gentry, assistant vice president of financial and administrative services. If a driver does not pay the fine within 21 days of the violation, Municipal Management sends additional notifications before ultimately reporting the driver to a credit bureau. “People don’t like for that kind of thing to happen” to their credit reports, Gentry said. “For a $30 or $60 ticket, that’s really not wise.” Gentry said the process is meant to get drivers to pay their fines. She said drivers should not consider a ticket something that “doesn’t really matter” just because it comes from the University instead of the city. Parking officers have also recently started to take photographs of cars that are illegally parked, making it easier to verify a violation if the driver disputes it, Gentry said. When unpaid violations are outsourced, the Massachusetts vendor can use the plate information to look up the owner of the car and his or her address in a national database. The fine payment system also moved online, a change Gentry said makes it easier to “negotiate the parking system.” The money from parking fines goes into the Transportation Office’s operating budget, which helps to cover, among other things, the
costs of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority UPass program — which allows free rides with a Brown ID — shuttles and Zipcar, Gentry said. Despite recent budget tightening and a loss of parking space revenue due to construction, Gentry said, there has been no need to actively increase ticketing. The number of tickets issued has been constant in recent years, with officers issuing between 4,500 and 5,000 tickets annually. The application for a student parking permit gives the University the authorization to bill a student’s account for any fines “owing as a result of unpaid parking tickets issued … for violations of University parking rules.” “We have continued to manage the enforcement of the parking much as we always have,” Gentry said. “We don’t go out there searching (for people to ticket)… We’re trying to make sure that the spaces that people are paying for are available for them to park in.” Gentry said the Transportation Office has never had a problem with drivers repeatedly parking without permits. She added that people who do pay for parking are in general “not inclined to do things that would jeopardize their parking ability.” According to the Transportation Office website, drivers are fined $30 for a first parking violation, after which the fine increases. Gentry said a driver’s violation record never resets because the fines are punitive and meant to deter future violations. Increasing fines also reduces the likelihood that people would be willing to get tickets as a way to pay less than the cost of a permit, Gentry added.
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Monday, November 1, 2010
“Brown students think they’re in a bubble.” — Edward Wheeler, Director of Health Services
Health Services to offer free HIV tests
news in brief
Simmons receives award from NAACP
continued from page 1
President Ruth Simmons received the Thurgood Marshall Award for “community and civil rights contributions” Friday from the Providence branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, according to an NAACP press release. She received the award at the annual NAACP-Providence Freedom Fund Dinner, where she was also a featured speaker. Professor of Anthropology William Simmons, who sits on the NAACP-Providence board, presented the award. Other awards went to Col. Brendan Doherty, superintendent of the Rhode Island state police, and Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-R.I. According to its website, NAACP-Providence was established to ensure “the political, educational, social and economic equality of minority groups.” It states as its mission “the goal of eliminating race prejudice and removing all barriers of racial discrimination through advocacy, the electoral process, lobbying, litigation, organization, and protest.” The “One Nation, One Dream” dinner and reception is one of the group’s major fundraisers of the year, according to the website. — Fei Cai
Garrett, coordinator of the LGBTQ Resource Center. To address the risks of HIV and available support services for students in the University community, Health Services and the Brown University AIDS Program are hosting a joint presentation Monday at 7 p.m. in Petteruti Lounge. “We’ve seen an upswing (of HIV) in the gay and bisexual community, which is really scary,” Flanigan said. “We want the message out: This is urgent.” The high risk from engaging in unprotected sex can be greatly lessened through the use of condoms, he added. “Years ago, people were dying, and people saw their friends were dying,” Wheeler said. But now, because HIV is more treatable, a sense of false security has emerged, he said, creating a level of “casualness.” Many incorrectly think HIV is confined to drug users and the poor, said Professor of Medicine and Community Health Kenneth Mayer, who directs the AIDS program. “Brown students think they’re in a bubble,” Wheeler said. “I really hope
students hear the message that this is important.” In light of the growing concern, Health Services will also host free HIV testing clinics by appointment on Fridays for the rest of the semester. A letter to students from Flanigan, Garrett, Mayer and Wheeler with details on the infection trend and testing has been posted on the Health Services website. Wheeler said Health Services had already been working to bring a free and confidential HIV testing clinic to campus next semester, but decided to move it up to this semester following these concerns. Health Services will also hold free testing on World AIDS Day, Dec. 1, as it has done in the past, Wheeler said. Health Services also provides regular testing for other sexually transmitted infections, but fees vary by insurance. For students who wish to leave campus to get tested for HIV, many options exist, including testing at the Miriam Hospital Immunology Center and clinics hosted by AIDS advocacy groups across the state, Mayer said. Anyone who engages in high-risk behavior should be tested, Flanigan said.
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The testing for acute HIV is different from the standard HIV test and a student must ask for it, Mayer said. In the days and weeks following a highrisk encounter, a student may develop symptoms similar to mononucleosis, including fever, sore throat and swollen lymph nodes, Flanigan said. “By providing history, people can potentially be diagnosed early and have access to treatment,” Mayer said, adding that “treatment is much less toxic than in the early days” of HIV, now often requiring only one pill a day. Still, even with easier and more effective treatment, Flanigan said, the community should not be complacent and should remember that HIV is an incurable virus that requires lifelong treatment. If a student does become infected, several Rhode Island hospitals — including Miriam Hospital — offer treatment regardless of insurance, Flanigan said. Following high-risk exposure, students can also receive post-exposure prophylaxis treatment within 72 hours at Health Services, which may potentially prevent the HIV infection from developing, Wheeler said.
Monday, November 1, 2010
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U. wants more international scholarships Former Citi executive By Christina Sun Contributing Writer
The University is working to make more scholarship funds available for international students, mainly through the work of a student group and fundraisers, as part of its overall goals to internationalize and increase cultural and socioeconomic diversity on campus. “We’re need-aware with international students. We need to raise more money to support a greater cross-section of international students,” said Matthew Gutmann P’14, vice president for international affairs. Need-aware admission takes a student’s ability to pay into account. To make Brown more appealing to international students from families who may not be able to afford the full cost of college, the university is increasing the amount of scholarship funds that international students are to receive, largely through the efforts of fundraising and the Brown International Organization Scholarship Committee, BRIOSCH. “We are constantly raising money for scholarships, for students anywhere,” Gutmann said, adding that international funding is “a major part of fundraising” for Brown. Some funds are targeted for specific parts of the world, he said. While the number of international students who apply and are accepted to U.S. universities has increased in the past five years, funding for them remains relatively dependent on private donations, typically from friends, family members and alums, said Anne FrancoisPoncet ’10.5, senior adviser to the BRIOSCH committee. The more than 50 international scholarships Brown offers yearly are not full, and only 174 out of 535
international students currently receive funding, she said. Scholarships typically cover only tuition, room and board, but can also be used toward personal use, depending on need. The Brown International Organization is a student-run group that shares the University’s goal of a more diverse student population through scholarship fundraising, as well as its Ambassadorship Program, which allows Brown students studying abroad to give presentations in various high schools around the world, said Angela Wu ’11, president of the committee. BRIOSCH has raised enough money in the past 13 years for four endowed scholarships, with restrictions. Through the Ambassadorship Program, a volunteer initiative started approximately two years ago, currently enrolled students are trained and given resources to speak at high schools abroad in order to increase awareness about Brown. International admission officers have given presentations at high schools around the world for years, and every year they actively attempt to visit new schools, said Gutmann. Brown faculty will also go into schools and meet with prospective parents, while alums meet with prospective students at receptions and other Brown events in a “multipronged approach” that involves the admission office, faculty, students, alums and parents. Officials hope reaching out to a larger audience will increase the diversity of potential applicants. “The University has identified that we need as many international students as possible,” Gutmann said. “Our numbers of international students are among the highest in
the Ivy League. A lot of schools have increased their numbers — as has Brown,” he said. “I think one of the most important things to understand about international students is that they’re looking for the same things that U.S. students are looking for — a creative and independent role in figuring out their studies, opportunities to do research with faculty.” One BRIOSCH committee goal is the formation of an international network of students, alums and friends of Brown. “There’s a new initiative to connect local alums associations to Brown in the long term … and bring them together to increase awareness, to help students who are international learn more about the University,” said Mohammad Saigol ’12, vice president of the committee. He emphasized the importance of personal experiences in the Ambassadorship Program. BRIO may create an advisory board including former international students and young alums to increase the diversity of the Brown population. “There are University initiatives, a wide variety of internationalization advancement initiatives that are part of Brown,” said Francois-Poncet, who is proposing the advisor y board. “But there’s not anything similar to this at any other university. Not student-led, anyway.” Wu said, “We’re all willing to do so much for people we don’t even know. I think that speaks a lot for who we are.”
named Watson prof. By Jeffrey Handler Contributing Writer
William Rhodes ’57, former senior vice chairman of Citigroup and Citibank, has accepted an appointment to a five-year term as professor-at-large at the Watson Institute for International Studies. Rhodes spent 53 years working at Citi, where he was a leader in restructuring debt in several foreign countries. His donation to the University led to the 2007 creation of the William R. Rhodes Center for International Economics and Finance at the Watson Institute. Rhodes said he looks forward to spending a few weeks on campus each semester, working with both undergraduate and graduate students “on areas of economics, finance (and) diplomacy.” “I have a lot on my plate right now, but Brown is very important to me, and I know I will enjoy the work out there, and I certainly look forward to it,” he said. Rhodes said he recently discussed the logistics of his plan with Vice President for International Affairs Matthew Gutmann P’14 and Vice President for International Advancement Ronald Margolin. Since he retired from Citi Apr. 1, Rhodes has been serving as a part-time senior adviser to the company. “For me, this will be a ver y
interesting experience,” Rhodes said. “I’ve done a couple of lectures at Brown over the years, but it’s always been bigger groups.” While Rhodes hopes to give more lectures, he also looks forward to working with smaller groups, he said. According to the Handbook of Academic Administration, “The professor-at-large title is reserved for scholars of exceptional distinction who are invited to teach at Brown as visiting faculty to enhance the existing strengths of particular programs or meet special needs.” The institute currently has three other professors-at-large: former Chilean President Ricardo Lagos Escobar; Richard Holbrooke ’62, U.S. special envoy to Pakistan and Afghanistan and former Herald editor-in-chief; and former Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi. “Bringing scholars and distinguished practitioners together in the address of pressing global issues is the Watson mission,” said Watson Director Michael Kennedy in a press release. Rhodes’ “long career in international finance and his leadership role in the development of the Rhodes Center and the Watson Institute will make him an invaluable resource for undergraduates, graduate students and faculty colleagues,” said President Ruth Simmons in a press release.
Monday, November 1, 2010
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
C ampus N EWS
Page 6
“It was a double whammy.” — JWU’s Briana Sevigny, on students who pay for plagiarized essays
Technology makes cheating easier for students, detection harder for profs continued from page 1 But without a clear-cut mechanism like MOSS, some officials say it is difficult to catch plagiarizers in other academic departments. “It’s not that there is more cheating in computer science,” said Deputy Dean of the College Stephen Lassonde. “From what I know, the computer science department is the only one that checks systematically — they check if students are copying code. In all other cases, professors are reliant on seeing the cheating during exams, or, in terms of essays, they see phrases that seem to not be the student’s.” The departmental breakdown of cases heard by the standing committee weighs heavily towards the sciences. After the 29 cases in computer science, the next-highest number of cases referred was four from the Department of Chemistry and three from the Department of Psychology. But Lassonde said he believes the most prominent form of cheating on campus is actually seen in humanities classes. “From what I’ve seen, it’s plagiarism performed on the Internet,” either intentionally or unintentionally, he said. “Students make the mistake these days of copying directly from an article into an essay.” One possible prevention measure against plagiarized essays is use of a paid service such as Turnitin, a program that evaluates Internetsubmitted student essays. Like MOSS, Turnitin checks student assignments for similarities — though Turnitin compares essays, not coded programs. Doeppner said he sees the value in using Turnitin. “If Brown was to use something like this, I think we would see col-
laboration cases in the rest of the University at the same level we see in computer science,” he said. “But without a tool like that, it’s really hard to find such cases.” About 800,000 instructors at 9,500 schools worldwide use Turnitin, according to its website, but Lassonde said Brown faculty are not among the consumers. “The program isn’t used by anyone on campus,” Lassonde said. “The University would have to pay thousands of dollars in order to use it.” Just four miles away from campus, at Johnson and Wales University, administrators encounter a majority of their plagiarism cases in a different form. “It’s been cheating on quizzes and tests,” said JWU Assistant Director of Student Conduct Briana Sevigny. “Students are sharing answers during exams, or they’re bringing in cheat sheets.” Sevigny said the university, which uses Turnitin, has seen students move away from cheating on essays. “I think what a lot of students are finding is that if they purchased a paper, that paper was plagiarized by the person who wrote it,” she said. “So it was a double whammy — not only did they pay for it, but they also paid for a plagiarized paper.” While improvements in technology have led to the creation of plagiarism-detection tools like MOSS and Turnitin, both Sevigny and Lassonde noted the role of the Internet in making it simpler for students to cheat. “It’s required less creativity to cheat in the past 10 years or so,” Sevigny said. “It’s easier to cheat,” Lassonde said. “A lot of people are sloppy in terms of how they compose papers.” At Brown, the lack of a computerized detection service outside of
computer science lays the brunt of plagiarism detection on those departments’ professors. “We rely on the expertise of their department members to discern when students are cheating,” Lassonde said. But Doeppner noted that this is an imperfect way of identifying plagiarizers. “Unless it’s something that the grader or professor is really familiar with, it’s really difficult to catch,” he said. “Collaboration that is caught, it’s usually because it’s a dramatically different style than the student has been using in the past. It’s just something that catches the professor’s eye.” Sevigny said she sees the same problems among instructors at JWU detecting cheating despite the tools they can access. “Right now, most professors either don’t have the time or the wherewithal to use all the resources available to them,” she said. Before Brown’s computer science professors and teaching assistants began using MOSS, Doeppner said, his department encountered the same detection problems that the rest of the University faces. “The TAs, or whoever was grading the assignment, would notice similarities, but this probably would only happen if the same person was grading both papers,” Doeppner said. “It was more hit-and-miss, and it was tougher to really put together convincing evidence for the academic code committee.” The clarity of instructor policies can lead to confusion about when it is appropriate to work together. Joint efforts on homework may be encouraged in one class, but absolutely forbidden in another. Lassonde said the Department of Computer Science excels in specifying its rules.
Outcomes of the 30 cases heard by the Academic Code committee, 2009–10
Warning 2
7
No Action Taken
Directed No Action 15 Warning No Credit with Taken Transcript Notation
Reprimand
15
3 Loss of Credit in Exercise
2
1 Directed No Credit
Julien Ouellet / Herald; Source: Academic Code Committee Report for 2009–2010
Data does not include cases pending at the time of the report.
“Professors encourage students to collaborate to a certain degree, but they’re extremely clear when you cannot collaborate,” Lassonde said. “That helps students recognize the difference between shared work and collaborative work.” A student currently enrolled in CSCI 0150: “Introduction to ObjectOriented Programming and Computer Science” said the department does a good job in making the distinction understandable. “In CS 15, you’re supposed to do everything yourself,” said Cyril Gary ’12, a chemistry concentrator. “They made it clear that they were very strict about it.” Gary added that he has not encountered much academic dishon-
esty at Brown. “I haven’t really seen that much cheating, definitely much less than my old school,” said Gar y, who transferred from the University of California at San Diego. “When you have a collaboration policy that encourages you to study with other people, there’s obviously going to be exploitation with people just copying the homework. But I haven’t seen any cheating on exams or anything like that.” A Herald poll conducted Nov. 2–4, 2009, reported that 12.4 percent of students had copied homework answers, 4.2 percent had not properly cited outside resources and 2.3 percent had copied on an exam that semester.
Concentration advising tool debuts continued from page 1
Chris Keith GS, director of information technology for the Dean of the College’s office and a master’s student in computer science, said the project has been in the works since early last fall when he started creating the underlying data system. “I think this tool in particular speaks to a number of different communities,” Keith said. He said he intends Focal Point to be used not just by current students and their parents, but also by prospective students and their families trying to understand Brown’s curriculum. A number of University administrators did the initial work of writing information for concentrations and linking concentrations to various filter criteria, Keith said, but department chairs and concentration advisers were given opportunities to weigh in through a soft launch to selected individuals prior to Monday. Keith said the information on career paths stemming from concentrations is based on data gathered by Associate Dean of the College
for Undergraduate Research Besenia Rodriguez through the Brown Alumni Association. The team of administrators designing the program included Rodriguez, Deputy Dean of the College Stephen Lassonde, Career Development Center Director Andrew Simmons and Associate Dean of the College Kathleen McSharr y, Keith said. He said the icons themselves were designed by music student Peter Bussigel GS and most contain photos from departmental sites’ banner images. Currently, Keith updates Focal Point’s information through an administrative interface when asked to by departments and concentration advisers who are also updating their own sites. But he said he is looking to find a way to give Focal Point the ability to push its content directly to departments’ websites, provided the other sites use a standardized content management system. Brown’s homepage currently uses Drupal, a popular content management system. “One of the cool things about the project is aggregating the data
in a way that’s useful,” Keith said. There are still a few tweaks to be made with the way users scroll through filters, but Keith said the site is fairly versatile in terms of cross-browser compatibility. “I’d imagine, once students start to play with it, we’ll get some very good ideas on how to improve it,” Keith said. There have been no focus groups for the application because administrators wanted to release the site as soon as possible, Keith said. In her speech to sophomores and their parents for Family Weekend Oct. 23, Dean of the College Katherine Bergeron gave a demo of Focal Point to overwhelmingly positive reactions. Parents demanded that it be made public — and soon. “This is for you, Mom and Dad,” Bergeron said. “If your son wants to do ethnic studies, let him.” Sophomores and parents breathed a sigh of relief. “The concentration does not limit future opportunities,” she said. “I’m really pleased that there is some empirical data lodged in this tool that can help prove that point again and again.”
Monday, November 1, 2010
H igher E d
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
Page 7
“I think a lot of times, people get carried away.” — Cornell President of Panhellenic Council Nora Allen, on hazing
Cornell admins, students looking into Greek hazing and alcohol continued from page 1 with getting their respective councils to create plans for the implementation of the changes. Over the summer, the three council presidents worked with several people from each of their groups to draft implementation plans for recognition policy changes. In the fall, the general student body was made aware of the proposals. “We’ve invited the membership of the fraternities and sororities on campus to respond,” Hubbell said. The university held an open forum on the policy in September, which hundreds of students attended, Apgar said. This past weekend, the Cornell Board of Trustees met to discuss the proposed changes to the recognition policy. News has not yet been released about any decisions. Minimizing alcohol’s impact The first and most controversial part of the proposed change in the recognition policy is a stricter position on alcohol. Apgar said “alcohol and other drugs should not be used, provided or present” during recruitment, education or initiation of new members of Cornell’s fraternities and sororities. Additionally, it has been proposed that freshmen be barred from attending parties where alcohol is served. Hubbell added that “social events
that take place for first-year students need to be alcohol-free.” “We’re very concerned about excessive alcohol use on campus,” Hubbell said. He also said the university is trying to be more proactive in identifying excessive alcohol consumption, and in particular, students who may develop dependencies. The reaction among Greek students was less than positive. Miller said there were many concerns raised among students he works with. “I think a lot of the campus has been up in arms about the issue,” Ambriz said. “People are nervous that the social scene is going to change.” Allen said she thinks “a lot of chapters use alcohol in a really healthy way,” noting that many members are at least 21 years old. Non-Greek students have also expressed some concerns, administrators said. The chief worry seemed to be that pushing freshmen away from alcoholic events with the fraternities and sororities would simply push problems elsewhere, such as off campus. Cornell’s student government is also currently reviewing the policy. But not all student reaction has been negative. “There are some who have reached out to us as well to support what we’re doing,” Apgar said. Administrators stressed that they are not trying to create an alcohol-
free campus. “We have no intention of making them dry organizations,” Apgar said. Both Apgar and Hubbell cited legal compliance as a major motivation for the revision of the recognition policy. “I think that what we’re trying to accomplish is something that helps the activities of our students align with state law,” Apgar said. The policy also speaks to altering the focus of initiation and education. “I think it makes a lot of sense to move towards a more values-based new member education process,” Allen said. To further change the focus of the education process, the proposed change to the recognition policy includes a revised timeline for the initiation of new members. Cornell’s initiation process happens in the spring, though under the new policy, Hubbell explained, initiation and new member activities would be expected to conclude before spring break. Miller expressed positive views about this point, saying new members should be able to focus on academics, as well as integrate with their fraternities. Changing a culture of hazing The second major point of the proposed change in the recognition policy is a strong zero-tolerance stand on hazing. “We will have no tolerance for
any form of hazing at any point of a student’s experience in a fraternity or sorority,” Apgar said. This point seemed to stir little controversy. “I don’t think there should ever be hazing,” Allen said. “I feel very strongly about that.” “I just don’t believe that hazing has any purpose,” Ambriz said. “Why would I harm anybody who was going to become my brother or sister? It just doesn’t make any sense.” Miller said the Interfraternity Council has been working independently of the university to eliminate hazing, noting resolutions it has passed. “A lot of things that used to happen 10, 20 years ago thankfully don’t occur anymore,” he said. “We’re against it.” Unfortunately, “there are occasions where hazing comes to our attention,” Hubbell said. He noted that hazing is not unique to fraternities and sororities, and that it can also be found in sports teams and other organizations. Addressing the existence of hazing requires looking at the motivations behind it. “I think it’s deeply rooted in our culture,” Hubbell said. “I think a lot of times, it has to do with tradition,” Miller said. He said that it might also be intended to make new members feel part of an organization. “People get carried away,” Al-
len said, saying that activities that constitute hazing may start off wellintentioned, in the minds of some, but later get out of hand. Allen said one motivation behind hazing might be the mentality that what was done to older members must be done to successive new members. She also said it may be used to promote a shared experience that bonds new members. But she noted that hazing is not the best way to accomplish this. Cornell has a website — hazing. cornell.edu — which describes itself as “a resource for students, staff, faculty, alumni, parents and others interested in learning about hazing within student groups at Cornell University.” “Although hazing is not unique to Cornell, we believe that it is important to examine these practices explicitly in an attempt to overcome the secrecy that perpetuates them,” the website states. The site gives details of certain hazing incidents that have occurred at Cornell and says the elimination of hazing requires open discussion. “I think that Cornell does a really great job at transparency with hazing,” Allen said, noting the existence of the website. Others echoed her sentiments, all referencing the site. “I think that if we want our culture to change, we need to educate our members,” Ambriz said. “It’s not a magical thing that will just go away.”
SportsMonday The Brown Daily Herald
SCOREBOARD
Monday, November 1, 2010 | Page 8
W. Hockey
M. Soccer
M. Hockey
CROSS COUNTRY
volleyball
Brown 2 Dartmouth 4
Brown 0 Penn 1
Brown 4 Yale 7
Men’s – eighth place Women’s – third place
Penn 3 Brown 0
Brown 2 Harvard 4
W. Soccer
Princeton 1 Brown 2
Princeton 3 Brown 0
Brown 2 Penn 3 (OT)
football
Bears drop battle of Ivy unbeatens
By Ethan McCoy Sports Staff Writer
The football team (4-3, 3-1 Ivy League) was unable to contain No. 21 Penn (6-1, 4-0) Saturday, as the Quakers’ offense rushed for 321 yards to lead the defending Ivy champions to a 24-7 victor y. The teams entered the game tied for first place in the Ivy League, and the win puts Penn alone atop the table. Brown now sits tied for second with Harvard and Yale, whom Bruno will take on next week at Brown Stadium. For the second time this season, the Bears lost their starting quarterback to injury. Joe Springer ’11, who had been starting in place of injured tri-captain Kyle NewhallCaballero ’11, left the game late in the second quarter. Springer did not return, and he was relieved by Patrick Donnelly ’13, who led the Brown offense in both passing and rushing for the game. Penn struck first in the second quarter when quarterback Billy Ragone took a keeper right up the middle 54 yards for the touchdown. The sophomore quarterback eluded the first wave of Brown defenders, then outran everyone else to the end zone. Ragone ran for a team-high 151 yards in the game,
in addition to his 92 yards through the air. Brown’s only score of the day came on the ensuing kickoff. Mark Kachmer ’13 took it back 85 yards for the touchdown, evening the score at 7-7 and taking the momentum out of the Quakers’ hands. The run back was Kachmer’s second kickoff return for a touchdown of the season, giving him seven scores on the year. Penn reclaimed the lead on a one-yard touchdown run by fullback Luke DeLuca on its next drive. The short-yardage plunge capped off an efficient nine-play, 80-yard drive in which Ragone threw for 52 of his 92 yards. The Quakers added another score right before halftime, shifting all momentum in their direction as the teams headed into the locker rooms. Starting at midfield with 1:50 remaining in the half, Penn moved the ball to the one-yard line after a 35-yard rush and 14-yard pass by Ragone. From a yard out, running back Brandon Colavita capitalized on another goal-line touchdown rush, extending Penn’s lead to 21-7 at halftime. Penn added a quick field goal in the third quarter, but the insurance proved unnecessary, as Brown was unable to put any points on the
board in the second half. Kicker Alex Norocea ’14 had a 32-yard field goal attempt blocked, and the Bears twice turned the ball over on downs. Penn’s defense held Bruno in check all game. The normally dangerous rushing attack of Kachmer and Zach Tronti ’11 amassed only 32 yards on the ground, and Brown’s leading receiver Alex Tounkara ’11 was held to a season-low four catches for 33 yards. On the other side of the ball, Penn — and Ragone in particular — could not be stopped. Brown had no answer for the Quaker running attack, which averaged seven yards per rush, and the front seven was unable to get after the quarterback and disrupt the opposing offense’s rhythm as they have done so often this season. The win puts Penn in the driver’s seat in the Ivy League with only three games remaining on the schedule, including matchups against bottom dwellers Cornell (2-5, 1-3) and Princeton (1-6, 0-4). Brown, now in a three-way tie for second, in all likelihood will have to win out — and get some help — if the team is to gain a share of the league title. Bruno will face Yale (5-2, 3-1), Dartmouth (4-3, 1-3) and Columbia (3-4, 1-3) in its remaining three games.
Jonathan Bateman / Herald file photo
Running back Mark Kachmer ‘13 scored the Bears’ only touchdown in the team’s first Ivy League loss this Saturday at Penn.
winter sports preview
Unpredictable season ahead for m. bball By Sam Rubinroit Sports Staff Writer
The men’s basketball team faces a number of variables as it enters the 2010-2011 season. The squad is one of the youngest in the country, comprising nine underclassmen and four seniors. Forward and co-captain Peter Sullivan ’11 is one of four players in Brown history to reach 1,000 points before his senior year, but he has missed the team’s opening practices with a bruised shoulder. These factors make Bruno’s success this year highly unpredictable. But with a run-and-gun team and a wide-open league, the season is sure to be interesting. Bruno’s four seniors will be complemented by five sophomores and four freshmen. With such a young squad, there is always a steep learning curve. Though the returning sophomores bring experience from last season, the team includes six newcomers: forward Tyler Ponticelli ’13, who missed all of his freshman continued on page 9
Herald file photo
Brothers Peter Sullivan ’11 (left) and Matt Sullivan ’13 will be among the more experienced players on the Bears’ otherwise young team this year.
Page 9
THE BROWN DAILY HERALD
S ports M onday
Monday, November 1, 2010
“We’re calling it the rebirth, the Renaissance year.” — Chelsea Binkley ’11, gymnastics co-captain
Despite young team, Gymnastics m. hoops optimistic vaults into WINTER PREVIEW
continued from page 8
season with an injury; guard Stephen Albrecht ’13, a sophomore transfer from Toledo; and four freshmen — guard-forward Josh Biber ’14, guards Hakeem Harris ’14 and Sean McGonagill ’14 and forward Dockery Walker ’14. For a player stepping onto a college court for the first time, it can be a rude awakening. “It’s an adjustment,” Sullivan said. “Everyone is bigger. Everyone is stronger. Everyone is faster. It’s a longer season. Practices are longer. You are going to get banged up in practice. So it’s a tough adjustment, but you try to take it a day at a time and don’t get down on yourself for making mistakes or when the coaches get mad. It’s not easy being a freshman.” With so many newcomers on one team, there can also often be problems with team dynamics and the balance of power. But even though the squad may be fresh-faced, Head Coach Jesse Agel has faith in his seniors to guide the team. “Our leadership has been the best it’s been in my three years,” he said. “My seniors have been absolutely tremendous. Our young guys couldn’t be in a better program in terms of leadership right now.” At the forefront of Bruno’s senior class is Sullivan, an All-Ivy forward who has already solidified his place in the record books. He set a school record last year for games started with 31 and averaged 12.3 points (10th in the Ivy League) and 4.5 rebounds per game. A multi-faceted player, Sullivan’s 125 career three-pointers rank him 10th all-time in Brown history. He enters the new season with 1,034 points (21st all-time) and is one of only four players in team history (Earl Hunt ’03, Arnie Berman ’72 and Jason Forte ’05 are the others) to score 1,000 points before his senior year. “So far in my Brown career I’ve been extremely blessed,” Sullivan said. “I’ve never missed a game, I haven’t had too many injuries and I’ve been extremely fortunate. I just want to be out there on the court. I know I can be successful and just keep climbing up the scoring ladder and see where I end up.” The Bears’ frontcourt also returns Tucker Halpern ’13 and Andrew McCarthy ’13. Halpern was Bruno’s third-highest scorer with 8.1 points per game last year and ranked second on the team with 66 assists. McCarthy’s 33 blocks last season were the
most ever for a first-year player at Brown, and he contributed 6.7 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. Chris Taylor ’11, who played in 29 games last season, adds a veteran presence to the frontcourt. One of the Bears’ greatest strengths this year will be shooting, beginning with a sharpshooting backcourt. Co-captain Adrian Williams ’11 has led the team in three-pointers two years in a row, knocking down 42 treys last year and 58 the year before. Garrett Leffelman ’11 shot 55 percent from the field last year, contributing 12 points per game in Ivy League matchups. Matt Sullivan ’13, Peter’s brother, had a strong first year, adding 6.2 points per game and hitting 38 percent from beyond the arc while starting 29 of 31 games. “I think we’re really deep,” Williams said. “We have 12 guys that can all play and get up and down, and everyone brings different things to the court. We have a lot of shooters, so I think we are going to be very strong running the floor.” The Ivy League is more uncertain than it has been in years. After a Sweet 16 appearance last year in the NCAA Tournament, three-time defending conference champion Cornell begins the season with a depleted roster headed by first-year head coach Bill Courtney, after former coach Steve Donahue accepted the head coaching position at Boston College. The Princeton Tigers appear to be an early favorite to win the Ivy crown. They earned 12 of 17 firstplace votes in a preseason media poll, finishing ahead of Harvard, which came in second with four first-place votes. Brown came in sixth place, also trailing Cornell, Penn and Yale and coming ahead of only Columbia and Dartmouth. But Agel said he thinks there is plenty of room to climb in the standings as the year progresses. “Anything could happen,” Agel said. “We beat teams last year picked at the top, and we return a lot of guys that played a lot of minutes. It’s whoever plays basketball come January, so I’ve got a lot of time between now and then before I make any predictions.” In his final year, the elder Sullivan said the league is more balanced than it has been in the past. “I think it is wide open,” he said. “I think a number of teams, including us, have a chance at winning. … I think we are in the top-couple teams in the league, so if we can take care of business and execute, we definitely have a legitimate shot.”
Want to get in on the action? Join the sports staff of The Brown Daily Herald Info session, Weds. Nov. 3 at 8:30 p.m. 195 Angell St. (between Brook and Thayer) E-mail sports@browndailyherald.com with any questions.
new season By Sam Sheehan Sports Staff Writer
Former member of the Brown gymnastics team Alicia Sacramone stood in front of her old team just two weeks before she traveled to the World Championships. The USA team member and former Bruno standout was returning from a twoyear hiatus from gymnastics, and spoke to the team about their upcoming season. “She’s very optimistic,” said cocaptain Victoria Zanelli ’11 of Sacramone. “Just seeing her take off all of that time when she didn’t do gymnastics and then exercise and come back and have all of those skills even better than they were before the Olympics is just really impressive.” Just a few days later, Sacramone earned the world vault title, defeating Russia’s Aliya Mustafina by .134 points, in a fantastic return to gymnastics. Brown Head Coach Sara Carver-Milne said this year’s talent is no different. “This is one of the most talented teams Brown has had in several years,” said Carver-Milne. “We’re very young.”
Herald file photo
The gymnastics team is hoping to qualify for nationals for the first time.
The developing team only graduated two seniors last year in Izzy Kirkham-Lewitt ’10 and Helen Segal ’10. In contrast, the team boasts six new freshman additions. Runners-up in the Ivy League last year, the team will now look for contributions from that young talent in order to make a run at the title and reach other team aspirations. “Our biggest goal is qualify for Nationals,” said co-captain Chelsey Binkley ’11. “We’ve never done that and this is the first team that has had the talent to do it. We’re calling it the rebirth, the Renaissance year, holding ourselves to a new standard of how we should perform and performing better than we have in the past.” But talent will only get a team so far, and Carver-Milne was quick to highlight the team’s effort to improve in the off-season. “I’m really impressed with the work the girls put in this summer,” she said. “They all look in shape and
ready to compete.” College gymnastics has a very different dynamic than other levels of the sport, which is often individualized. The team focus is much more prevalent in college competitions, and gymnasts tend to attempt riskier, more difficult routines for the benefit of the team. “Katie Goddard (’12) learned a completely new vault to increase our scoring potential,” Carver-Milne said. Team-first efforts like Goddard’s will be pivotal for the Bears’ chances to surpass 190 points during competitions. Top returners include Binkley in the vault, Julia Meyer ’13 in the uneven bars and Emily Lutfey ’13 in the all-around. “(Lutfey) is getting her skills through and she’s already doing routines,” Zanelli said. “We should see a lot from her this year.” The team will open its season Jan. 16 at home against Towson University and the University of Bridgeport.
Editorial & Letters The Brown Daily Herald
Page 10 | Monday, November 1, 2010
l e t t e r to t h e e d i to r
Brown Dems denounce Caprio’s comment To the Editor: We, the Brown Democrats, as an organization, believe in fighting to place Democrats in office and assisting them in the promotion of good, progressive policy. The most effective way to do this is to support Barack Obama both as the President of the United States and as the Leader of the Democratic Party. For these reasons, we are disappointed with Frank Caprio’s recent statement that President Obama “shove it” for failing to endorse him in the Rhode Island governor’s race
(“Obama visits R.I. factory, thanks local workers,” Oct. 26). To disrespect a President, especially from the same party, is unproductive and only serves to foster animosity in our political system. This action is against our fundamental beliefs and goals and is therefore not one we condone.
Katerina Wright ’11 Raphaela Lipinsky Degette ’11 Anthony White ’13 Jesse Towsen ’12 Taylor Daily ’13
J ulia S treuli
e d i to r i a l
A tax on renters
t h e b r o w n d a i ly h e r a l d Editor-in-Chief
Managing Editor
Deputy Managing Editors
Senior Editors
George Miller
Chaz Kelsh
Emmy Liss Joanna Wohlmuth
Ben Hyman Seth Motel
editorial
Business
Arts & Culture Editor Anne Speyer Arts & Culture Editor Suzannah Weiss Features Editor Sara Luxenberg Features Editor Brian Mastroianni Metro Editor Brigitta Greene Metro Editor Ben Schreckinger News Editor Sydney Ember Sports Editor Zack Bahr Sports Editor Tony Bakshi Asst. Sports Editor Ashley McDonnell Graphics & Photos Graphics Editor Stephen Lichenstein Graphics Editor Alex Yuly Photo Editor Stephanie London Photo Editor Max Monn Photo Editor Hilary Rosenthal Jonathan Bateman Sports Photo Editor Jesse Morgan Asst. Sports Photo Editor Production Copy Desk Chief Kelly Mallahan Asst. Copy Desk Chief Joe Milner Asst. Copy Desk Chief Dan Towne Design Editor Julien Ouellet Asst. Design Editor Gili Kliger Asst. Design Editor Leor Shtull-Leber Asst. Design Editor Katie Wilson Web Editor Neal Poole
General Managers Office Manager Claire Kiely Shawn Reilly Katie Koh Directors Sales Kelly Wess Finance Matthew Burrows Asst. Finance Danielle Marshak Client Relations Margaret Watson Christiana Stephenson Alumni Relations 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 Business Operations Lauren Bosso Business Analytics Jilyn Chao Margot Grinberg Credit and Collections Special Projects Alexander Carrere Staff Kathy Bui Opinions Opinions Editor Michael Fitzpatrick Opinions Editor Alyssa Ratledge Editorial Page Editor Matt Aks Tyler Rosenbaum Editorial Page Editor
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Earlier this year, the Providence City Council eliminated a provision for rental homes in the city’s budget that allowed owners to exempt the first 33 percent of the homes’ value from the city’s property tax. The change is expected to raise approximately $20 million from the roughly 12,000 rental properties in Providence, according to the Providence Journal. The Council approved the tax increase in a contentious 8-7 vote. Mayor David Cicilline ’83, who is running for Congress in Tuesday’s election, had threatened to veto any bill increasing taxes on rental property but ultimately allowed it to become law without his signature. The editorial page board spoke with several Providence landlords who told the board that the elimination of the exemption alone will result in an increase in property taxes for rental homes of approximately 50 percent over what they currently pay. Ed Kazarian, an East Side landlord, told the editorial page board that the elimination of the exemption, combined with the overall increase in property taxes for all residential properties, has resulted in a 70 to 90 percent increase to his tax bill. According to Kazarian, this “tremendous tax burden” makes it difficult to maintain off-campus housing as a viable alternative to residence halls for students. The landlords we spoke with hoped the council would reconsider its decision to eliminate the entire exemption, and estimated they would be forced to increase students’ rent by 5 to 10 percent if the council stood by its decision. Councilman Seth Yurdin, who voted against repeal of the exemption, told the editorial page board that the council’s Finance Committee is considering a proposal to reinstate the exemption at a lowered 15 percent level, though he was not sure what the proposal’s chances are. Yurdin, who represents Ward 1, which covers most of Brown’s off-campus housing, said such a change would decrease the city’s revenues
by about $10 million, which would have to be found somewhere else in the budget. Yurdin laid much of the blame for the increased taxes on the state, which has cut more than $50 million in funding to Providence over the last several years, but he also faulted the council for failing to undertake a thorough “discussion about the appropriate tax balance between owner-occupied and not owner-occupied” housing. We understand that the city is going through tough times. Students living off campus should expect to contribute to solving the budget problems like any other citizens of Providence. But this new burden shouldn’t be imposed all at once. By abruptly increasing the property tax on off-campus housing by more than 50 percent, the city leaves students and other renters little time to reevaluate their options. We urge the City Council to reinstate at least half of the exemption. Reasonable tax increases should not be off the table in these times, but it’s unfair to balance the city’s budget on the backs of students and other renters. Students who rent homes aren’t the rich aristocrats many residents of Providence might envision when thinking of the East Side. And we imagine that other renters throughout the city aren’t either. By compromising at a 15-percent tax exemption for the upcoming year, this new burden can at least be eased in over time. The city should also get together with Brown and the community to discuss sensible ways to spread the burden of making up for the state’s budget cuts. The solution is not to rush a steep tax increase through a sharply divided council. Voters should keep the council’s actions and their harsh effects on students and renters in mind when going to the polls on Tuesday.
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
Monday, November 1, 2010 | Page 11
Obama’s roasting BY Michelle Uhrick Opinions Columnist Obama is in trouble. Our very own Rhode Island candidate for Governor, Frank Caprio, has made national headlines by telling the once wildly popular president to take his endorsement and “shove it.” The independents who once voted for Obama are now backing Republicans by a 14-point margin, according to a recent Politico/George Washington University poll. For those of my generation, it’s a shocking revelation of just how quickly the tide can turn in the politics of our country. The Democratic base seems to have come to terms with the fact that essentially every poll is predicting a devastating defeat come Nov. 2. And while the get-out-the-vote effort has continued, the closer Election Day comes, the more effort the Democrats have instead devoted to introspection and figuring out what went wrong. The easy option is to blame the impending Democratic losses on the inevitable midterm slump, the intractable economy or Glenn Beck. Jon Stewart’s “Rally to Restore Sanity,” cleverly held the weekend directly before Election Day, seems to imply exactly that, despite his claims of non-partisanship. But while I do support Jon Stewart and his (expressed) cause, the fact of the matter is that the Obama administration may deserve the losses that are coming in November for
not listening to the electorate that put him in office. There are two directions that this argument could go from here: either Obama went against the wishes of the majority of the American people with the implementation of his “socialist agenda,” or Obama has neglected the liberal base that brought him into office. The truth is that Obama has somehow managed to do both at the same time. How is this possible? By passing essentially hollow legislation (e.g. universal health care or banking regulation) — the very con-
that Obama does not care about the electorate. Even if what the left wants to believe about him is true — that his only crime is being too cerebral, being too much of a policymaker and not enough of a politician — the fact of the matter is that he could have compensated for this weakness by altering the circle around him. Obama could easily have made up for the lack of populist and downto-earth appeal by placing people in his administration who would sound the rallying cry for Main Street — someone like Howard Dean, who could match the soapbox populist
The fact of the matter is that the Obama administration may deserve the losses that are coming in November for not listening to the electorate that put him in office. cept of which offends some, and lacks elements that are crucial for others (the public option and serious restrictions, respectively) — and then not convincing anyone that the bill was in their best interest. Obama failed to convince mainstream Americans why they should subsidize the health insurance for those without, and failed to convince his base that the bill was the best that the Democrat-controlled Congress could produce. The main perception now seems to be
fury now coming from the right. Instead, upon taking office in the middle of an economic recession caused by Wall Street and the federal mortgage companies, he surrounded himself with people like Rahm Emanuel, the White House Chief of Staff who made $16 million through investment banking and later joined the board of directors of Freddie Mac, the governmentowned company at the root of the current crisis. His new National Security Advisor is
none other than Thomas Donilon, who formerly worked for Goldman Sachs and Citigroup, and who lobbied for Fannie Mae during the time when lack of government oversight was allowing it to make millions while the crisis grew. In interviews, Obama has tried to pass off his actions as getting “the policy right [rather] than trying to get the politics right.” In his own words, “there is probably a perverse pride in my administration — and I take responsibility for this; this was blowing from the top — that we were going to do the right thing, even if short-term it was unpopular.” Obama, in his typical well-spoken fashion, makes the “history will prove me right” approach sound noble. But the fact of the matter is the policy is the politics. Voters like to feel that the President’s decisions represent their desires, rather than having legislation handed down to them from on high. And contrary to what the President seems to think, the opinion of the voters does matter. As a result of his own arrogance, Obama is now going to have a Republican Congress to deal with for at least the next two years, who will try to blockade any and all of his present and past initiatives, starting with healthcare reform and going onward.
Michelle Uhrick ’11 is an international relations and economics concentrator from Connecticut. She can be contacted at michelle_uhrick@brown.edu.
Ballot questions shouldn’t be overlooked BY Dan Davidson Opinions Columnist On Tuesday, Rhode Islanders will go to the polls and make some important decisions regarding the state’s future. A new governor will be elected, along with General Assembly members and other statewide officials. But further down the ballot there will be a set of questions also under consideration. I’m referring to Rhode Island’s four ballot questions, three of which ask voters to endorse or reject bonds and one that proposes changing the state’s official name. Naturally these issues haven’t gotten as much attention as the races for office, and only the proposal to scrap “Providence Plantations” from the state’s name has received much media coverage. In a political environment where the concept of government debt has become toxic, I’m concerned many voters may reflexively reject these bonds. An examination of the issues, however, demonstrates that approving the bonds will help move our state forward. Question 3 asks voters to approve or reject an $84.7 million transportation bond, and offers the most straightforward choice. $4.7 million would go toward the purchase and rehabilitation of RIPTA buses, while the rest would be used to maintain and improve roads and bridges. Michael Lewis, director of the Rhode Island Department of Transportation, makes a convincing case for approving the bond. In an op-ed that appeared in several Rhode Island newspapers, Lewis explains that putting
up $80 million will result in a federal investment of over $400 million in Rhode Island’s infrastructure. If the bond is rejected, Lewis says, “projects would come to a virtual halt as there would not be enough dollars to pay the cost of construction. There is no other immediate source of funding for our transportation initiatives.” TRIP, a transportation think-tank, says the state needs $4.5 billion over ten years to keep roads and bridges in good shape. While it’s important to note that TRIP is sponsored by stakeholders that would benefit from construction, like labor unions, the group’s finding is in line with what a governor’s commis-
are good investments for the state. Pastore Hall, the URI chemistry building that would be replaced, dates back to the 1950s, when about 800 students used it each year. Today more than 6,000 students frequent the building. The state’s flagship university needs bigger and better facilities, especially since chemistry is an integral part of many of URI’s strongest disciplines, like marine biology. Furthermore, as the South County Independent noted in an editorial, “The threeyear project is expected to create or save 950 jobs, from architectural and engineering positions to construction work.” As for the new
In a political environment where the concept of borrowing has become toxic, I’m concerned many voters may reflexively reject these bonds.
sion suggested two years ago. Investment in our roads and bridges is necessary and will stimulate the economy — the Federal Highway Administration estimates that approving the bond will produce over 5,000 jobs. Question 2 puts a $78 million higher education bond up for vote. $17 million would go toward revamping Rhode Island College’s arts center, and the remaining $61 million would be used to build a new chemistry complex at the University of Rhode Island. Some might jump to conclude that this spending is wasteful, but these two projects
arts center at RIC, the Providence Journal editorial board pointed out that “the current building is 52 years old, a terrible eyesore and violates some fire-code rules — a particularly troubling problem for the sort of cultural functions that draw many members of the general public.” The “Save Our Shore” signs you may have seen around the East Side are expressing support for ballot Question 4. Approving this bond would let the state borrow $14.7 million for three purposes: purchasing land at Rocky Point in Warwick and at the site of a former
night club adjacent to India Point Park here in Providence, and renovating Fort Adams in Newport. The city of Warwick already owns much of Rocky Point, where an amusement park used to sit. If the bond is approved, the state will purchase the remaining area from the federal Small Business Administration, which took over the land when the park went bankrupt. Many older Rhode Islanders fondly remember this destination, and opening it up would give the public valuable waterfront access. Expanding India Point Park would do the same for Providence. The park is a beautiful open space, and as State Representative David Segal wrote on the blog RIFuture, “it’s absurd that there’s such limited public access to the water in the capital city of the Ocean State.” Both locations are excellent fishing spots, and, as Segal notes, “with the market at bottom, it’s the fiscally prudent time” to act. Fort Adams is an important part of the state’s historic and cultural fabric, and plays host to big money-making events like the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals. Keeping this landmark in good shape is crucial. The three bond questions offer simple, common sense propositions that, if approved, would create jobs, maintain the state’s infrastructure, strengthen its higher education system and preserve valuable open space along the water. If you’re going to the polls on Nov. 2, I encourage you to vote yes on Questions 2, 3 and 4.
Dan Davidson ’11.5 is a political science concentrator from Atlanta, Georgia. He can be reached at daniel_davidson@brown.edu.
Today The Brown Daily Herald
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International aid for students
“Renaissance” year for gymnasts
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1 c a l e n da r november 1
comics
ToMORROW
november 2
2:30 P.M.
5:30 P.M.
Marriage of Brown Investment Office
Writing about Memory and Trauma,
& Corporate Greed, Main Green
Maddock Alumni Center
7 P.M.
Bat & Gaz | Sofia Ortiz
7 P.M.
Sexual Energy 101, Wilson 103
“What is Asian?”, Salomon 001
menu SHARPE REFECTORY
VERNEy-WOOLLEY DINING HALL LUNCH
Beef Tacos, Mexican Infused Rice, Lo Mein Noodles, Vegetable Egg Rolls, Corn & Sweet Pepper Saute
Beef and Vegetarian Tacos, Mexican Corn, Peanut Butter and Jelly Bar, Coconut Cookies
Cabernet Voltaire | Abe Pressman
DINNER Beef Pot Pie, Baked Potatoes, Vegan Chinese Stir Fry, Grilled Cheese, Cappuccino Brownies
to m o r r o w
50 / 31
50 / 32
Monday, November 1, 2010
t h e n e w s i n i m ag e s
Today
to day
Chicken Pot Pie, Vegan Ratatouille, Cranberry Wild and White Rice Pilaf, Mediterranean Stir Fry
crossword Dot Comic | Eshan Mitra and Brendan Hainline
The Adventures of Team Vag | Wendy Kwartin
Classic Freeze-Dried Puppies | Cara FitzGibbon
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