Thursday, January 27, 2011

Daily

the Brown

vol. cxlvi, no. 2

Herald

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Senior announces mayoral run

Daily since 1891

U. axes first pick video contest

By Aparna Bansal Senior Staff Writer

inside

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news...................2-4 CITY & State......6-7 editorial.............10 Opinions.............11 SPORTS..................12

By Shefali Luthra Senior Staff Writer

anywhere near this sum of money before, but that is the consequence of many factors,” Simmons said. “It was a much bigger campaign because we have much bigger needs today than we’ve had previously.” The University will remain committed to carrying out elements of the plan — first introduced in 2002 — despite the conclusion of

No longer will students be going to great lengths — donning Speedo bathing suits, fleeing bears on the main green, performing naked birthday a capella — in pursuit of the first pick in the housing lottery. The first pick video competition will be replaced by a drawing this year, to take place tonight at the Housing Fair. The Residential Council and the Office of Residential Life chose to eliminate the video competition after deciding that the old competition “just didn’t really work,” said ResCouncil Chair Andrew Tran ’11. Associate Director of Residential Life Natalie Basil emphasized ResCouncil’s role in deciding to change the competition. “It is a student-run competition and process,” Basil wrote in an e-mail to The Herald. “We will work to support the Council in implementing a first pick competition that they believe best serves the campus commu-

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Caption credit

A SWEET FINISH – Students celebrated the third anniversary of the Campaign for Academic Enrichment with cake and candy in 2008. The fundraising effort drew to an official close Dec. 31, having exceded its $1.4 billion goal.

Fundraising campaign complete $1.61 billion committed, U. surpasses goal By Mark Raymond Senior Staff Writer

The Campaign for Academic Enrichment — the largest fundraising initiative in University history — officially came to a close Dec. 31, surpassing its goal by over $200 million. President Ruth Simmons officially established the campaign in October 2005 to fund the priorities

set forth in the Plan for Academic Enrichment, which include the hiring of new faculty, expansion of financial aid and improvement and construction of campus facilities. The campaign raised a total of $1.61 billion, more than any previous University fundraising initiative, though Simmons said previous campaigns were not lacking in ambition but rather perceived need. “We certainly haven’t raised

FBI takes down local mobsters in major bust By katherine long Contributing Writer

Luigi “Baby Shacks” Manocchio, 83, former longtime boss of the New England-based Patriarca crime family, was arrested Jan. 20 along with 126 other members of the mob and known La Cosa Nostra associates during what officials call the biggest mob take-down in Federal Bureau of Investigation history. The roundup, which began before dawn, involved over 800 FBI agents and local police officers throughout the Northeast, according to the Rhode Island District Attorney’s office. Manocchio — also known as “The Professor” — and partner Thomas Iafrate were indicted on counts of extortion and conspiracy to extort. The two took thousands of dollars in protection money from Providence strip clubs The Satin Doll and The Cadillac Lounge over the past 18 years, according to the indictment. Iafrate, 63, of John-

Buried!

Snow stalls University operations over break City & state, 7

Lo o k b e f o r e yo u b o o k

ston, RI, worked as a bookkeeper at the two clubs. Manocchio, who was arrested at the Fort Lauderdale airport, will be arraigned in U.S. District Court in Providence on a date to be determined. Iafrate plead not guilty in his arraignment last Thursday. In addition to Manocchio and Iafrate, 34 official members and dozens of associates of New York’s five mob families — Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese and Luchese — were arrested on various counts of murder, racketeering, extortion, loan-sharking, money laundering and gambling. The charges, announced at a press conference in Brooklyn by Attorney General Eric Holder, Jr., were included in 16 indictments handed up in federal courts over four jurisdictions. Holder noted the “unprecedented scope and coordination” of the operation in the continued on page 7

Nick Sinnott-Armstrong / Herald

A new policy at the Bookstore limits returns to a three-day window after purchase. See full coverage on page 5.

Rebel Ivy?

We’re less progressive than we think

opinions, 11

weather

While his peers were wrapping up their winter breaks and returning to campus, Alex Morse ’11 was kicking off his political career. The urban studies concentrator announced his candidacy for mayor of his hometown, Holyoke, Mass., on Tuesday. If elected, Morse will be the youngest mayor in Holyoke history and the city’s first openly gay mayor. He will be running against incumbent Elaine Pluta and Daniel Boyle, who ran for mayor in 2009. Morse said he first became interested in public service at the age of 11 and since then has regularly thought about “how best to give back to the community.” Morse has worked as a youth career counselor for CareerPoint, which prepares young people to look for employment opportunities. He also founded the city’s first LGBTQ non-profit organization which works to make the city more LGBTQ-friendly and organizes a yearly youth pride prom. He has been involved in local campaigns such as that of Governor Deval Patrick of Massachusetts and has been mentored by David Cicilline, former Providence mayor and current congressman. “Holyoke is missing a bold leader — ­­ someone that can solve the problems that face us and start thinking directly,” he said. “We’ve had the same people involved for 10 to 20 years talking about the same ideas and nothing’s going to change.” Morse added that Holyoke has become a struggling urban community and needs a “cheerleader” to restore “pride and hope” in its citizens. He hired a campaign manager last year and has been working on a grassroots campaign. His focus is on bringing new voices to his campaign, in particular those of Holyoke’s Latino community — more than 40 percent of the city’s 40,000 residents. According to Morse’s website, his campaign will focus on the issues of education, economic development and jobs, public safety and creating community pride. “I’m hoping to change the conversation in Holyoke politics,” he

t o d ay

tomorrow

34 / 16

34 / 18

2 Campus News calendar Today

January 27

4 P.m.

ToMORROW

January 28

4 p.m. Queer Faith Discussion Group,

Friday Chemistry Colloquium,

J. Walter Wilson 411

MacMillan 115

7 p.m.

6:30 p.m.

Housing Options Fair and First Pick

West House Open Dinner,

Drawing, Kasper Multipurpose Room

West House (91 Brown Street)

menu SHARPE REFECTORY

VERNEy-WOOLLEY DINING HALL LUNCH

Chicken Pot Pie, Falafel in Pita, Fried Tortillas, Grilled Caribbean Jerk Chicken, Rice Krispie Treats

Cavatini, Falafel in Pita, Enchilada Bar, Marinated Cucumbers, Grilled Montreal Chicken, Rice Krispie Treats

DINNER Spice Rubbed Pork Chops, Grilled Caribbean Jerk Chicken, Cajun Corn and Tomatoes, Chocolate Cake

BBQ Chicken, Cheese Souffle, Corn Cobbetts, Cajun Pasta Chicken, Chocolate Cake

Sudoku

The Brown Daily Herald Thursday, January 27, 2011

Bookstore shortens return times By Caitlin Trujillo Senior Staff Writer

Students rushing to buy course materials for their first days of classes will have a shorter time to return textbooks to the Brown Bookstore. Under the new policy, students must return textbooks within three days of purchase during the first two weeks of classes, which end Feb. 8. If students are not enrolled in the course for which a returned book is assigned, they must present either an official course schedule, transcript or drop slip for the course. The bookstore has also instated a new textbook rental system. For the third and fourth week of the semester, the bookstore will only accept textbook returns for dropped courses. Students must present a drop slip as verification and make the returns within three days of dropping a course. The bookstore will not accept textbook returns after Feb. 23. Previously, students were able to return textbooks at any point during the first two weeks of classes. The bookstore made

Daily

the Brown

the policy change in an effort to limit student use of the bookstore as a “lending library,” Director of Bookstore Administration Steven Souza said. In the past, some students have bought textbooks and then returned them at the end of the two-week period despite remaining enrolled in the course, having extracted the necessary information from the books. Others would buy and return textbooks repeatedly during the period, which was allowed under the old policy, he said. “It’s not like they were doing any chicanery,” Souza said. “That’s the way it was written.” The bookstore usually sees over $100,000 returned to students at the end of shopping period. Often, returned books have to be marked as used when put back on the shelves even if they are in new condition, which Souza called “a real burden.” Furthermore, some book publishers have no-return policies of their own, leaving the bookstore with the task of selling any textbooks that remain on the shelves after shopping period ends. Other publishers will charge restocking

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Ben Schreckinger, President Sydney Ember, Vice President

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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. Subscription prices: $280 one year daily, $140 one semester daily. Copyright 2011 by The Brown Daily Herald, Inc. All rights reserved. editorial

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fees or only buy back a certain number of books the store cannot sell, Souza said. The advantages of the new policy include a quicker return for textbooks to the shelves during shopping period, alleviating the problem of sold-out books, Souza said. Lines at the end of shopping period will also be more manageable if students are not all returning textbooks at the same time, he said. Souza said he was wary of surprising students with the new policy, so the store is covered in signs outlining the specific rules for returns. Though many students have approached him and bookstore workers with questions about the changes, expressing some apprehension and confusion, many seem reassured after further explanation, Souza added. “We’re asking for a little give and take with the students,” he said, while also “trying not to penalize any student for trying to get the book they need.” Amy Traver ’12 said the change “sounds more confusing than the previous policy,” though she added that the new rules seem “understandable” in light of the administration’s reasoning. Students also seem receptive to the new textbook rental policy, the demand for which the store underestimated, Souza said. Certain textbooks are available for rent, and students can highlight in the books as long as they return them in saleable condition, he said. Souza expects fewer sales at the beginning of shopping period because of the newer policy but also fewer returns once the two weeks are up, he said. The store will monitor how well the policy works, as well as overall response to it, to determine if any other changes need to be made.

The Brown Daily Herald Thursday, January 27, 2011

Campus News 3

Drawing will determine first pick Morse ’11 mentored

by Cicilline ’83

continued from page 1 nity and Council goals in whatever form it takes.” Videos from previous years have been removed from the ResCouncil’s housing lottery website. “The important thing is: What’s the purpose of the first pick competition?” Tran said. “It’s not simply to hand out a free first pick. It’s to generate awareness of the lottery and the lottery process several months before.” In past years, students would submit group-made videos that were meant to explain why they deserved the best room on campus. The student body would then vote on the top videos to determine the competition winner. But Tran said that people viewed submitted videos online and then did not go to ResCouncil’s housing lottery website after watching. Additionally, not many students voted in the video competition. Tran added that ResCouncil first decided to revise the competition due to controversy last year, when the group that ultimately won the competition campaigned for its video by distributing candy outside public locations on campus. “Last year’s competition ended up having an overall negative vibe in it,” Tran said. “I guess it generated interest in the wrong way in the lottery.” Competition rules last year prohibited disturbing classes, endangering students, promoting substance abuse or underage drinking and violence toward the Brown community. Tran said that since campaigning was not mentioned in the rules, Res-

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Courtesy of Ruthless

Students disguised as bears roamed campus in a past entry to the video contest.

Council and ResLife could not “really do anything about it.” Ben Farber ’12, who won the video competition two years ago, said he believed the video competition could have been maintained with revisions to the rules, such as a statement regarding the spirit of the competition, a blanket ban on campaigning or allowing any group to campaign. “Regardless of the winning or losing, I think every group that submitted a video grew closer,” Farber said. “It was a really great experience overall, regardless of the competition. The fact that that opportunity to bond is no longer there is really unfortunate.” But Tran said though last year’s incident may have caused ResCouncil to reexamine the competition, it was changed in order to better promote the Housing Fair.

“The point of the competition isn’t to say whoever puts in the most work gets the first pick,” Tran said. “You’re going to have to show up at this event where there’s a ton of information about the lottery. I think that serves the purpose a lot better.” Tran also differentiated tonight’s drawing from the overall housing lottery, noting that the drawing more specifically caters to rising sophomores, who get last priority in the housing lottery. “People who know the least about the lottery are the rising sophomores,” Tran said. “The rising sophomores are also going to be the most motivated to enter the competition. We’re really catering this to the underclassmen.” The Housing Fair begins at 7 p.m. tonight in the Kasper Multipurpose Room. Students can enter the drawing until 8:15 p.m.

Campaign largest in University history continued from page 1 the campaign. Over 69,000 people committed to the campaign, said Senior Vice President for University Advancement Steven King ’91, adding that this number was “a big testament to the leadership of the institution and the amazing things that go on on campus.” King replaced Ronald Vanden Dorpel MA’71, who spearheaded the campaign as the previous head of advancement until he retired July 1. Under Vanden Dorpel’s leadership, the campaign reached its goal of $1.4 billion in May 2009, 19 months before it was slated to end. Simmons said she was pleased with the number of donors that contributed to the campaign, adding that their support validates the administration’s efforts. “The ideas behind the campaign were far more important than the actual fundraising,” Simmons said. “The test of the campaign was to

see whether or not our supporters would understand and endorse the things we’re trying to do for Brown.” Although the campaign is over, both Simmons and King said that the University is now better positioned to raise funds in the future. “When I came to Brown, none of this structure was in place,” Simmons said. “We didn’t have a planning process or the infrastructure for advanced fundraising.” “All of those issues have been resolved, and we are entering a normal phase where every year we will continue to raise money at a significant level,” she added. The Corporation recently established a committee to develop new fundraising strategies for the University, King said. The committee on development will oversee policy-making and reflect on what worked during the campaign to ensure continued fundraising success, he said. Simmons said that beyond

supporting the Plan for Academic Enrichment, the campaign also allowed for a “broader spectrum of engagement with alumni.” “One of our goals was to establish relationships with alumni and others,” Simmons said. “After a campaign, you know your donors better, you know where they are, and you know what they think.” King also said that the campaign was about more than simply raising funds for the University. “The campaign was really about engagement and getting more people involved and connected,” he said. The Annual Fund, which supports the annual operating budget, also saw its fundraising haul increase during the campaign. The fund raised $573 million throughout the course of the campaign, including a record $36 million raised in the fiscal year that ended in June. The Annual Fund’s goal for the current fiscal year is $36.5 million, King said.

said. “It’s really a tale of two cities ­— there is the city of people who get opportunities, go to college and get decent jobs, and then there’s the city where there is poverty and people don’t get educated. I want to bridge that gap, make it a place where everyone has equal opportunities.” Morse made Tuesday’s announcement on the steps of Holyoke City Hall. “We had some snow overnight and weren’t sure how many people would make it, but we had a good crowd,” said Morse. “It was very well-attended. There were six to 10 local media services, 50 supporters and Alex’s entire family present. There’s a lot of excitement and passion for new leadership,” said Nelson Roman, Morse’s campaign manager. The campaign has raised $10,937 in two months, Roman said. “Three elected officials have firmly announced their support, and we have gotten 150 volunteers although our website only went up in January.” “There are people that question my age and experience, but I aim to stick to the campaign plan and the issues that matter instead of the

things that distract us,” Morse said. While he works on his campaign, he will continue to take classes to complete his bachelor’s degree. Morse said he is taking three seminars, which all meet on Tuesdays so that he can spend time in Holyoke working on his campaign. He described it as a “complementary experience,” as he can bring the real life experience of living in an urban community to the classroom, while bringing an academic perspective on urban issues back to Holyoke. Studying urban studies has “provided the education and set of skills to allow me to be a more effective leader in the community,” he said. “Alex is very well-informed about urban affairs and has a lot of practical experience for someone his age,” said Hilary Silver, associate professor of sociology, who has taught Morse. “It’s a gamble on his part to go for executive office at such a young age, but if he gets elected, he’ll do a fine job and I wish him the best of luck.” The preliminary elections will be held Sept. 20 and the top two candidates will then run against each other for the general election Nov. 8.

4 Campus News

The Brown Daily Herald Thursday, January 27, 2011

Advisory committee: Don’t reinvest in HEI By Abby Kerson Staff Writer

Brown’s Advisory Committee on Corporate Responsibility in Investment Policies recommended at its Dec. 6 meeting that the University not reinvest in HEI Hotels and Resorts. ACCRIP cited “a persistent pattern of allegations involving the company’s treatment of workers and interference with their efforts to unionize, combined with repeated settlements” as the reason for its recommendation in a Dec. 7 letter to the Student Labor Alliance, which SLA has made available to the public. Two years ago, students expressed concern to the committee about alleged mistreatment of workers at certain HEI hotels. Since then, SLA has held a number of protests, including a mock wedding ceremony between HEI and the University’s Investment Office. In March, President Ruth Simmons sent a letter to HEI stating that if the allegations were true, it would “be a matter of deep concern and contrary to our standards for investing.” Brown has a 10-year investment in HEI that began in 2006, according to ACCRIP’s December 2008 minutes. The recommendation does not include any plans to divest from the current investment, only to refrain from reinvesting in the future.

This is still a victory, said Haley Kossek ’13, because the recommendation makes Brown “the first university to take this stance, that management interference in workers’ rights to organize is a reason not to invest.” Kossek is one of the two undergraduate representatives to ACCRIP, but she said she was speaking to The Herald solely in her capacity as a member of SLA. ACCRIP, whose members include faculty, staff, alumni and undergraduate and graduate students, has made recommendations in the past to divest from tobacco companies and companies that profit from the genocide in Darfur, according to its website. The committee’s primary concern is “with the ethics of Brown’s investments,” said ACCRIP Chair Luiz Valente, associate professor of Portuguese and Brazilian studies and comparative literature. The accusations against HEI include “discriminatory retaliation” against workers who attempt to organize to form a union, Kossek said. In an Oct. 27 guest column for The Herald, Kossek cited multiple instances of mistreatment at two HEI-owned hotels — Embassy Suites Irvine in Irvine, Calif., and Sheraton Crystal City in Arlington, Va. The Sheraton Crystal City Hotel signed a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board in June, agree-

Katie Green / Herald

Student protesters represent HEI Hotels and Resorts and the Brown Investment Office in a mock wedding on the Main Green Nov. 1, 2010.

ing to hire back an employee who was allegedly fired for his involvement in a protest and to pay him $24,800 in back wages. The agreement also required the hotel to post notices acknowledging their employees’ rights, including the right to organize or support a union without threats or disciplinary action. The settlement included a nonadmittance clause, stating that “by entering into this settlement agreement the charged party does not admit that it has violated the National Labor Relations Act.”

“We are not accusing HEI of doing anything illegal,” Valente said. He said there was “sufficient evidence” to justify not reinvesting, but declined to comment further. He added there is no clear line in determining what is ethical and what is unethical. The Yale Advisory Committee on Investment Responsibility also looked into the issue, but found there was “not sufficient evidence of violation of our ethical investment norms,” said Jonathan Macey, chair of the committee and a professor at Yale Law School. Yale’s ACIR, similar to ACCRIP, is made up of staff, students, faculty and alumni whose role is to advise Yale’s Corporation Committee on Investment Responsibility, according to Macey. The standards used by ACIR are contained in “The Ethical Investor,” a guide written by Yale professors. Macey emphasized the need for “facts and evidence” before taking action. Yale would only revisit the issue if ACCRIP’s recommendation was based on “any new facts or any new evidence,” Macey said, but Brown’s recommendation “appears to be based on the existence of complaints or allegations.” HEI released a Jan. 7 statement “in response to inaccurate reports in the media regarding an investor in HEI Hotels and Resorts.” No investor has contacted HEI to change

its investments, according to the statement. An HEI representative declined to comment further on the statement. “Multiple false accusations are being made by certain union organizers as part of a larger publicity campaign to unionize our employees,” HEI said in the statement. The company also emphasized a commitment to workers’ rights and claimed “an employee satisfaction rating of 90 percent.” ACCRIP’s recommendation states that the University should not reinvest “until the Corporation is confident that HEI adheres to our high standards regarding respectful and humane treatment of workers, and that workers at HEI-operated hotels are able to seek union representation without fear of intimidation.” Valente declined to comment on what specifically HEI would have to do differently. “To me, a change in a positive direction would be HEI responding to those workers’ demands,” Kossek said. The recommendation will be discussed at the next meeting of the Corporation’s Investment Committee, Simmons wrote in an e-mail to The Herald. She added that she is “hopeful that they will be favorably disposed to following ACCRIP’s recommendation and that we review HEI compliance” with the University’s standards on ethical investments before reinvesting.

The Brown Daily Herald Thursday, January 27, 2011

World & Nation 5

U.S. urges Egypt to heed calls for reform amid protests By Paul Richter and Jeffrey Fleishman Tribune Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration urged key Mideast ally Egypt to heed calls for political reform even as security forces tightened their grip on pockets of rebellion in the capital that persisted a day after unprecedented nationwide protests. The Egyptian Interior Ministry — stunned by the size and passion of the demonstrations against the three-decade-old government — announced Wednesday that it would not tolerate further protests. Activists in parts of Cairo defied the ministry’s threats of “immediate arrest.” But the crackdown appeared to keep thousands of demonstrators, angered by unemployment and repression, from venturing back into the streets. The stiff challenge to the government of President Hosni Mubarak, a longtime American ally, has left the White House in a delicate position, less than two weeks after another longtime autocratic North African ally, President Zine el Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia, was toppled in a popular uprising. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who on Tuesday had urged restraint by “all parties” in Egypt, sought Wednesday to walk a fine line between sympathy for the political opposition and longtime support for Mubarak. Speaking to reporters at the State Department, Clinton urged the Egyptian government to allow a greater voice for the opposition and to not respond harshly to the street protesters, who have said they have been inspired by the Tunisian revolt. “We are particularly hopeful that the Egyptian government will take this opportunity to implement political, economic and social reforms that will answer the legitimate interests of the Egyptian people,” Clinton said, urging Egyptian authorities not to halt the protests nor to shut down social media networks the protesters are using. The April 6 youth movement, which hopes to force Mubarak from office, said Wednesday that it was not deterred by a police presence that grew throughout the day. The group, which has organized protests through Facebook, said it was planning a large demonstration after Friday prayers, a provocation that would probably trigger unrest not seen since Egypt’s deadly bread riots of 1977. The day was marked by police firing live ammunition into the air to chase protesters away as they attempted to gather. More than 2,000 demonstrators arrived at the courthouse near the National Museum. Minutes later, police closed in, scattering the dissidents, some of whom threw rocks and set tires on fire as they fled. Protesters were often out of communication with one another, as Twitter and other social networking accounts were blocked. Authorities said a protester and a policeman were killed when security forces and demonstrators threw stones at one another, according to

Arab news reports quoting unidentified security sources. That brought to six the number of people killed in two days of unrest. A witness in the city of Suez, where three protesters have died, said a government building was set on fire Wednesday night. At least 500 people reportedly have been arrested this week, scores of them before dawn on Wednesday, when police using water cannons and tear gas dispersed a crowd of several thousand hunkered in Cairo’s Tahrir Square. “The harshness and brutality of the police has scared a lot of people,” Fathi Abdul Latif, a member of the opposition National Front for Change, said as police swung bamboo canes and hauled off five protesters near the Journalists’ Union. “Activists and organizers are regrouping. A revolution needs time. What happened on Tuesday has given us confidence.” Like their counterparts in Tunisia, many Egyptians are angry over three decades of a government that offers little hope to the young, who blame the ruling party for corruption, unemployment and stagnation. It is the effects of these failings in ordinary lives, not ideology or the urgings of political opposition groups, that Egyptians say are driving their resentment against a president many regard as a dictator. The 82-year-old Mubarak, who may seek re-election this year, has watched his popularity steadily tumble as Egyptians, who rarely ridiculed him in the past, openly yell epithets against him. It is a turn of fate many find hard to comprehend, after years of mass arrests, especially against the officially banned Muslim Brotherhood, and the silencing of many political opponents. “I’ve been a political analyst for 30 years, and I didn’t expect this,” said Diaa Rashwan, a researcher on Islamic movements at the Al Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies. “This has opened a new political history in Egypt. It’s the first time people are deciding for themselves to protest and demand. Everybody had expected the lower classes to one day revolt, but these protesters are the educated, the middle class and even women.” Just as it remains to be seen whether the protests will swell or wither, it is also unclear what effect the Obama administration’s calls for reform may have on Mubarak, the protesters or the larger Middle East region. The White House is in a difficult position because it relies heavily on the Mubarak government but does not want to lose influence if anti-government groups take control. Egypt is the fourth-largest recipient of U.S. aid in the greater Middle East region, receiving $1.3 billion in military support annually. Its help has been important on Israeli-Palestinian issues, on Iran, and in fighting terrorism. If the government were to fall — a development still considered unlikely — the opposition could include deeply anti-American groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood. In her remarks, Clinton sought to emphasize the long-standing American support for democratic

aspirations in Egypt. U.S. governments, she said, “have consistently raised with the Egyptian government, over many years, as well as other governments in the region, the need for reform and greater openness and participation in order to provide a better life, a better future, for the people.” At the same time, a White House spokesman emphasized that the administration was not now siding against the Egyptian government. “This is not a choice between Mubarak and the Egyptian people,”

said spokesman Tommy Vietor. “Egypt is a close partner of the United States, and we have consistently advocated for greater political, economic and social reform with President Mubarak and the Egyptian government.” The Obama administration came to office playing down the demands for reform advocated aggressively by President George W. Bush, aware that his advocacy had been unpopular in the region. In recent months, the administration has stepped up its calls for

reform, in part because of an awareness of growing public anger in the Arab world over economic issues and corruption. Two weeks ago, Clinton, at a conference in Doha, Qatar, lambasted Arab leaders for failing to address the needs for reform. Sounding much like Bush, she described the need for political reform as an existential threat to Arab governments. Her comments came even as the protests that eventually toppled the Tunisian government were beginning to intensify.

6 City & State

The Brown Daily Herald Thursday, January 27, 2011

NSF funds RISD workshop on science Dorm room startup gives $100,000 in loans By hannah abelow Contributing Writer

In its latest effort to integrate the sciences and the arts, the Rhode Island School of Design hosted a collaborative workshop Jan. 20 and 21. A “groundbreaking” achievement for an art school, the workshop was funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, said Christopher Rose, a visiting professor at RISD and co-principal investigator for the NSF project. Its 60 participants discussed the concept of connecting STEM — which stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Medicine — to the arts, creating the acronym STEAM, an idea that has been gaining popularity both on RISD’s campus and in many other institutions in recent years, Rose said. It is one of a series of initiatives underway at RISD to promote this movement. “This workshop was about sharing working models of collaboration,” Rose said. “It will inform education at different age levels.”

He also stressed the importance of “trying to combine different kinds of intelligences to take the research process forward and engage with the public more actively by working together.” Rose added that attempts to implement “collaborative ways for working” — which he said students on campuses increasingly expect — is far “easier to talk about than actually do properly.” The workshop’s 60 participants roamed the campus and examined different kinds of learning spaces. They attended short presentations in addition to 20-minute “minikeynote” sessions. Speakers included Richard Wurman, the creator of TED Talks, Einstein Fellow Fred Belmont and representatives from museums and scientific societies, according to Rose. “There were a lot of people there who were passionate,” said workshop participant Joy Ko, professor of architecture at RISD and a former assistant professor of mathematics at Brown. She added that many of the workshop participants “have had to carve out their own

paths” in order to embrace both STEM and the arts. Ko said she was trained as a mathematician but later “found inspiration in the mathematical applications of architecture” and decided to blend the two interests. Ko said she felt the conference was a success because it resulted in a “very good dialogue,” but she added that “no one would say this is the end of the conversation.” The conference “fit within RISD’s broader ambition to put on other events and classes in this area,” Rose said. Other initiatives at RISD include an organization started by freshman Harrison Telyan called RISD STEAM, which shares the workshop’s goals to revolutionize education. The BrownRISD dual degree program also exemplifies the kinds of connections between different kinds of intelligence and knowledge that the workshop focused on, Rose said. “This workshop allowed us to have conversations about what the commonalities are between our fields,” Ko said.

Got something to say? Leave a comment online! Visit www.browndailyherald.com to comment on opinion and editorial content.

By Claire Gianotti Contributing Writer

When Brunonians exit through the Van Wickle Gates during commencement, they take with them ideas cultivated in classrooms and steeped in academic rhetoric. With some fresh air, those ideas can grow to be bigger than their originators. The Capital Good Fund, a microfinance organization that began as a proposal by co-founder Andy Posner MA ’09 in a social entrepreneurship class, has given out over $100,000 in the form of 70 loans to entrepreneurs in the Providence community since its start in 2008. The project, first run out of a Brown dorm room, is a full-fledged nonprofit with full-time employees. Now, the fund is refining the curriculum of its business workshops and adding one-on-one financial coaching to its list of services for low-income Providence residents. Alan Harlam, the director of social entrepreneurship at the Swearer Center, said the fund has “made it over the hurdle that very few projects do.” He lauded the organization for creating jobs as well as increasing economic activity and civic engagement in Providence. The founders and employees of the Capital Good Fund said they were drawn to the project by an interest in microfinance and a belief in the large impact small loans can have on whole communities. The workforce of Providence, once a manufacturing city, has suffered from the exportation of factory jobs abroad, according to Posner. As a result, “we have an unskilled, uneducated workforce and only skilled jobs coming to the city,” Posner said. The Capital Good Fund targets the jobless, providing the opportunity of entrepreneurship to create local businesses that will in turn “create jobs for other people,” he said. The Capital Good Fund’s offers business, “digital equity” and citizenship loans. Its business loan, which candidates qualify for upon completion of a five-class business workshop, provides capital to en-

trepreneurs. The “digital equity loan” or more simply, a loan to buy a computer, is the organization’s most popular service, Posner said. The recipients are granted access to education and have the ability to search for jobs using the Internet, he said. The fund also provides citizenship loans to help defray the costs of becoming a U.S. citizen. Students with previous experience in microfinance have been attracted to the organization. Gabi Lewis ’13, the workshop instructor at the Capital Good Fund, said he observed the positive impact of microfinance in the Ecuadorian Amazon, where he spent a year before coming to Brown. This experience led him to search for opportunities for similar work. “I’ve learned more doing this than in any other class at Brown,” Lewis said. After teaching a full workshop, Lewis said he could “see a real difference” in his students’ understanding of basic business concepts. Innovative thinking has allowed the fund to collaborate with Amos House, a prominent South Providence social services agency. The joint effort gives the fund access to its target community as well as to a trained staff of philanthropists, Harlam said. The organization’s response to the recession is its one-on-one financial coaching, Posner said. He added that rather than give loans to help pay off bills, the fund teaches people how to get “out of the cycle of debt,” build credit and lower interest rates. The cost of the coaching, which is conducted by Brown students, is $150 in a series of 10 payments reported to credit bureaus as loans. The exchange in turn improves the trainees’ credit scores, allowing them to apply for more loans in the future, Posner said. The Capital Good Fund remains close to its roots, with half of its staff consisting of student volunteers. “We hope this experience will shape the kind of decisions they make when choosing careers,” Posner said of the Brown volunteers.

The Brown Daily Herald Thursday, January 27, 2011

City & State 7

Snow blankets R.I., won’t let up In sweep, FBI takes

down R.I. mob

By Jeffrey handler Staff Writer

Rhode Island was overwhelmed with nearly 20 inchess of now over winter break, and it shows no signs of slowing down. The first snowstorm, Dec. 26, was significant, resulting in 16 to 18 inches of snow, but because it took place while the University was closed, it did little to disturb the University’s operation, said Carlos Fernandez, assistant vice president for facilities, operations and engineering. “We (had) to call in and get out grounds people and our custodial staff to come to work and clear the snow, which we are used to” doing. The University opened Jan. 3, but University officials chose to shut it down when a second snowstorm arrived Jan. 12. The blizzard coated Rhode Island with between 14 and 20 inches of snow, depending on the area, Fernandez said. “It was kind of weird seeing all the buildings locked up,” said Jonathan Hilgart ’14, who arrived at Brown Jan. 10 for track. “Brown looks really good in the wintertime,” he said. “Snow is fine for the first couple days, but then you kind of get tired of it.” “The intensity and timing of that (second) storm — with very heavy snow and high winds predicted for the early hours — was particularly acute,” Russell Carey, senior vice president for corporation affairs and governance, wrote in an e-mail to The Herald. While snow conditions impeded traveling in Rhode Island, there was no widespread outrage in Providence, Donna Butler, director of custodial services said. In New York City and Boston city officials received much criticism for their handling of the blizzard. Both Butler and Fernandez said good preparation and communication helped them weather the storm efficiently. “The decision was made ahead of time,” Fernandez said. “Every organization is about how prepared

continued from page 1

Nick Sinnott-Armstrong / Herald

Students returned for the semester to find the Main Green covered in snow.

you are.” “Communication is a key factor, and I believe we have good communication here at Brown,” he added. “We communicate with everyone internally as well as externally.” Snow was expected to start falling at 4 or 5 a.m. and drop three inches per hour until noon, Fernandez said. “It was a heavy accumulation of snow when everyone was going to be traveling to Brown.” Around 4 p.m. on Jan. 11, state officials called for all state businesses to close and recommended that people stay off the roads “unless absolutely necessary,” Elizabeth Gentry, assistant vice president for financial and administrative services, wrote in an e-mail to The Herald. “Brown and most other businesses followed the recommendations and closed so that the Department of Public Works could do their job and get

the streets cleaned up.” Members of the Brown community received an e-mail that night announcing the closure of University offices and operations. “Our recommendation to close for the day was consistent with that advice and the forecast for that particular storm,” Carey said. “The snow came on Wednesday. We made the decision on Tuesday afternoon to close because of the information that we (had) available to us at the time that we were able to make the right decisions,” Fernandez said. Schools were closed in all of Providence and most of Rhode Island, and parking bans were imposed in most Rhode Island cities, Gentry said. “Getting cars off the street and free of access … was a huge help,” said Butler. “It made it safer and we were able to access places better.”

New York Times. The “arrests and charges mark an important step forward in disrupting La Cosa Nostra’s illegal activities,” Holder said in a statement. “This largest single day operation against La Cosa Nostra sends the message that our fight against traditional organized crime is strong, and our commitment is unwavering.” Rhode Island Deputy Attorney General Gerald Coyne told The Herald prison time may in fact serve as an incubator for new mob activity. “If you look back at the early 1990s, a lot of people who were put away for a significant amount of time are getting out and have re-emerged,” Coyne, a veteran mob prosecutor, said. “They have received the rehabilitation that prison has to offer, which is basically an expanded Rolodex.” Despite the mob’s endurance, it exists only as a shadow of what it once was, especially in Rhode Island. In 1963, Col.Walter Stone, then superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police, appeared before a Senate subcommittee and called Providence crime boss Raymond L.S. Patriarca “one of the 12 top heads of organized crime in the United States.” Patriarca was treated like a celebrity by ordinary Rhode Islanders, said Providence Police Captain Thomas Verdi, commanding officer of the organized crime and narcotics unit. At the peak of the family’s power in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s, people would stop and stare when the mobster walked down Atwells Avenue, he said. According to Col. Brendan Doherty, the current superintendent of the Rhode Island State Po-

lice, most of New England’s organized crime today is based out of Boston. Manocchio abdicated as head of La Cosa Nostra in 2009, but even before that time, Providence was waning as a center of mob activity. Many prominent La Cosa Nostra members have retired. Some are behind bars, while others — like Raymond J. Patriarca, son of Raymond L.S. Patriarca, who began a successful career as a real estate agent after his release from prison in the mid-’90s — have turned to other professions. Some things, though, haven’t changed. Patriarca ran his crime family from the Coin-O-Matic on Federal Hill. Manocchio directed the family’s operations from Addie’s Laundromat on Federal Hill and lives in an apartment above the business. Rhode Island is still home to powerful mob members who have been released from prison, including Edward Lato, Frank Marrapese and Robert DeLuca. State Police Major Steven O’Donnell, a longtime mob investigator, said Manocchio reaped the financial benefits of being mob boss, but seldom involved himself “in the daily disputes that go with that territory.” Manocchio is perhaps best-remembered for posing as a woman after he was indicted for his role in the murder of two bookmakers in 1968, eluding police in New York and Europe for eleven years. His renown only grew after he was condemned to two life terms plus ten years for planning the murders of Rudolph Marfeo and Anthony Melei in 1983. The sentence was overturned by the Rhode Island Supreme Court two years later and Manocchio was released. “In his world, he’s a legend,” Verdi said. “He’s like the last of the old school Mafia dons.”

New momentum for gay marriage at the State House By Kathryn Thornton Senior Staff Writer

Bolstered by support from newly elected Governor Lincoln Chafee ’75 P’14, legislation to legalize gay marriage in Rhode Island has a better chance of passage than in years past. Gay marriage has long been debated in Rhode Island politics, but the departure of former Governor Donald Carcieri ’65, a gay marriage opponent, has renewed supporters’ efforts to legalize it. Openly gay state House Speaker Gordon Fox has voiced his support for legalization. But state Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, who is opposed to legalizing gay marriage, has the power to prevent a vote on the Senate version of the bill. The “fantastically positive difference is that the governor has pledged not to veto the bill,” said Sen. Rhoda Perry P’91, D-Providence, who introduced the Senate

bill. The legislature would need a supermajority to override the governor’s veto, but “we don’t have to worry about that now” because Chafee is a gay marriage supporter, she said. “I truly think that it’s not so much a matter of allowing a vote as much as being an astute politician,” Perry said. Paiva Weed “knows how to count,” Perry said. “She knows who is for, who is against,” she added. If there are votes for this bill, even one more than a majority, Paiva Weed would allow the vote, Perry said. A marriage license does not come from a church and is similar to picking up any other permit or license from the State House, Perry said. Identical bills in both houses of the General Assembly state that any religious institution would have “exclusive control over its own religious doctrine, policy and teachings regarding who may marry within

their faith and on what terms” and stipulate that the government cannot interfere “in any way” with religious institutions’ decisions. Executive Director for the Rhode Island chapter of the National Organization for Marriage Christopher Plante said he does not think the bills will pass. According to Plante, the vast majority of people in Rhode Island do not want same-sex marriage legalized. “Homosexual marriage is not a separate thing,” Plante said. “Samesex marriage is a re-definition of marriage.” Plante said there should be a public referendum on the issue rather than having it decided in the state legislature. “We propose to put it to the people,” Plante said. He added that if the state allows a public vote on other issues — like the state’s name and rules governing casinos — then it should allow one on marriage equality. Gay marriage supporters argue

that since marriage equality is an issue of civil rights, putting the bill through the state legislature is the only fair route. “Civil rights issues should not be decided by referendum,” said Seth Magaziner ’06, a volunteer for Marriage Equality Rhode Island. “Our government exists to protect the rights of minority groups.” Rhode Island pollster Victor Profughi also said that whether to put the issue to a referendum “boils down to whether one sees it as a civil rights issue or not.” Quest Research, Profughi’s polling firm, conducted a survey for the National Organization for Marriage in July 2009. The poll found that the vast majority — 74 percent of Rhode Islanders — wanted a public referendum on this issue. Fifty-two percent supported the statement, “Only a marriage between a man and a woman will be valid or recognized in Rhode Island,” while 38 percent did not. But many people are apathet-

ic about the gay marriage issue, Profughi added. “It’s not on the agenda for most Rhode Islanders,” he said. Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, a Washington, D.C.-based survey group, polled Rhode Island voters on gay marriage for Marriage Equality Rhode Island. In 2006, 2008 and 2010 overall support for same-sex marriage has been higher than opposition, the poll found. In 2010, support for marriage equality rose by 10 percent from 2008, with an 11 percent increase in those who strongly support it. Opposition has steadily decreased over the years, with a 6 percent drop overall from 2008, according to the poll. Kathy Kushnir, executive director of Marriage Equality Rhode Island, said legalization advocacy groups in Rhode Island outnumber the opposition. “Rhode Island is ready for marriage equality,” she said. “The people are demanding that everyone be treated equally.”

8 Sports Thursday

The Brown Daily Herald Thursday, January 27, 2011

A not-so-fond farewell to the 2010 NFL season continued from page 12 great game, given the awful positions they were put in time and time again. The offensive line was giving Tom Brady all day in the pocket to throw the ball. Then what was the issue? Tom Brady, the football messiah in New England, had one of the worst games he has ever played. As I listened to Phil Simms chirp about how fantastic the Jets pass coverage was, I couldn’t help but notice the 6-foot-6-inch Rob Gronkowski being covered by the 5-foot-9-inch Drew Coleman. I’m not saying that the Jets had bad pass coverage, but if you are one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and the likely NFL MVP of that season, I don’t think it’s asking too much of you

to get the ball to a guy nine inches taller than the man covering him. Toss in Brady’s hurry-up offense, where the game plan was “hand the ball to Danny Woodhead and hope for the best,” and we got to see what it’s like to have Derek Anderson running your offense. Sorry, Cardinals fans. Buck up, though, fellow Pats supporters. With three first-round draft picks and one of the youngest teams in the NFL, I like our chances for next year. What’s that? There might not be football next year because the owners and players are locked in a greedy game of chicken? Totally. Drew Brees is the Lorax

I’m not going to be shocked in a couple of weeks when reports

surface that Drew Brees actually disappeared from the earth in the offseason following the Saints’ Super Bowl victory. You shouldn’t be either. After all, the Saints were literally the same team from a year ago, yet were disgracefully dispatched from the playoffs by the 7-9 Seahawks. The biggest reason for this drop-off was the number of turnovers by the player wearing number nine. The player claiming to be Drew Brees threw 22 interceptions, the second-worst number in the NFL. Meanwhile, the Saints had one of the easier schedules in the league, with the combined records of their opponents being 95-113, yet still lost games to cellar dwellers such as the Cardinals. Sorry, Cardinals fans. The only thing that makes sense? Drew Brees is the Lorax. He got upset during the offseason when the BP oil spill happened and decided that he could no longer tolerate humanity’s treatment of nature. After he departed, the Saints were forced to bring Vinny Testaverde out of retirement and have him undergo massive plastic surgery to resemble Drew Brees. This puzzling Saints season will finally make sense when Head Coach Sean Payton goes in front of the cameras and explains what happened to Brees that night. “Drew said nothing. Just gave me a glance... Just gave me a very sad, sad backward glance... As he

lifted himself by the seat of his pants. And I’ll never forget the grim look on his face when he hoisted himself up and took leave of this place, through a hole in the smog, without leaving a trace.” This is a joke. Drew Brees is not actually the Lorax. He was just really bad this season for absolutely no reason at all. While false, the above claims make more sense than what actually happened. The ‘courage’ of Ben Roethlisberger

As Roethlisberger prepares to square off against his first non-NFC West Super Bowl opponent, we are bombarded by sports stories about how he has overcome controversy, truly focused on his play and carried the Steelers to the Super Bowl. Don’t get me wrong. Roethlisberger’s play has been sensational. Given the decrepit and depleted offensive line in front of him, it’s amazing that Roethlisberger has his team going to Dallas. No, it’s not the quality of Roethlisberger’s play that I question, but whether he should be playing at all. In a time when Michael Vick went to jail and went bankrupt for the atrocities he committed against animals — which was a horrible crime and just punishment — the six-game suspension that Roethlisberger served for sexually assaulting another human being is offensive. We are talking about forcing your-

self on a 20-year-old woman in a night club bathroom while your entourage stops her friends from rescuing her. That’s not just disgusting and wrong — that’s evil. But Commissioner Roger Goodell couldn’t have one of his best quarterbacks out for the year — that would hurt revenue. Instead, he gave him a slap on the wrist and a six-game suspension. Now, Roethlisberger is being painted as a hero of sorts who persevered when Steelers fans turned on him. Really, they were just recoiling in horror like any moral fanbase would’ve done. Instead of discussing Troy Polamalu’s return from injury or Aaron Rodgers’ stepping out of Brett Favre’s shadow, we are instead left examining the social inconsistencies granted to professional athletes. Do you hire a suspected rapist as an employee at your company? I bet you don’t tell him, “Just miss the first six days of work and we’ll call it even.” That’s the real reason why, even as a Patriots fan, I rooted for the Jets last week. As tough as it would be to see a loud-mouthed buffoon like Rex Ryan hold the trophy, even that trumps a sex offender in my book. Sam Sheehan ’12 thinks that if the people of New Orleans plant a Truffula tree, Drew Brees might come back. Talk sports with him at sam_sheehan@brown.edu.

The Brown Daily Herald Thursday, January 27, 2011

Women’s basketball loses twice to Yale continued from page 12 the Pizzitola Center. In their last game before the Ivy schedule began, the Bears squandered a lead against the New Jersey Institute of Technology in the second half and were defeated, 63-61. Despite the disappointing results, Burr said she has faith in her team’s ability to bounce back for the rest of the season. “We have had pretty solid leadership from our captains, Aileen (Daniels ’12) and Hannah (Passafuime ’12), and we have done a good job at spreading the wealth offensively,” she said. Both Daniels and Passafuime have recently posted career-high

numbers. Passafuime recorded her first double–double, scoring 13 points and collecting 12 rebounds in the game against Buffalo. Daniels scored a careerhigh 20 points against the NJIT Highlanders. Dixon also proved to be an offensive threat in recent games, leading the Bears with 21 points in the first Yale game. “Sheila Dixon is explosive, fun to watch and unpredictable,” Burr said. “She does a good job dishing out assists.” The Bears will continue to rely on this leadership in upcoming Ivy challenges. This weekend, the Bears will host Princeton on Friday and Penn on Saturday at the Pizzitola Center.

Impressive showings from indoor track continued from page 12 was a really good meet for us,” said Eisenreich, who works specifically with the team’s throwers. The sprinters also had some impressive performances. John Spooney ’14 won the men’s 200-meter dash in 20.12 seconds, and Colby Lubman ’14 took the top spot in the women’s 60-meter dash. For the women, Susan Scavone ’12 also brought back a title in the 60-meter hurdles. Rachel Biblo’s ’11 triple jump of 39-8 was long enough to propel her into first place as well. “We saw good performances at

each meet,” Eisenreich said. “They will sharpen over the next couple weeks.” With winter break left behind, Bruno will now have the opportunity to get in some more cohesive training, Brynn Smith said. “People are in really good places right now,” she said. “I’m excited to see what happens with everyone back.” The next challenge awaiting the team is the Reebok Boston Indoor Games, hosted by Northeastern University. The event will take place Friday at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Boston.

Sports Thursday 9 comics BB & Z | Cole Pruitt, Andrew Seiden and Valerie Hsiung

Dot Comic | Eshan Mitra and Brendan Hainline

Bat & Gaz | Sofia Ortiz

Cabernet Voltaire | Abe Pressman

10 Editorial & Letter Editorial

The Brown Daily Herald Thursday, January 27, 2011

Editorial comic b y a l e x y u ly

Welcome back, and don’t mind the snow! The world rang in the new year nearly a month ago, and now we ring in a new semester. For some of us it will be our last at Brown, a bittersweet moment at the intersection of reflection on the past and anticipation for the future. To them we say welcome back, and take some time to enjoy your last weeks with us. For some transfer students, this will be their very first semester at Brown, and the beginning of an undoubtedly exciting and challenging time. We welcome them into the Brown family and are eager for their contributions to the community. But we dedicate this editorial primarily to the returning freshmen, and particularly those from warmer places. You know who we’re talking about — the Angelinos who layer on the parkas when the temperature drops below 60 degrees for the first time, the Arizonans who have no idea what earmuffs are and the Floridians who have never seen snow. For the first time in our experience at Brown, no snow fell in Providence last semester, so students from warmer climes weren’t able to acclimate themselves to the devastatingly cold — and icy — winters in Providence. So far, it seems that Rhode Island is trying to make up for lost time: Nearly three times as much snow has already fallen this month as falls in the average January. Given that the sidewalks are even icier — and the snow even deeper — than usual, we thought we would give a few tips to those students less familiar with our city’s vicious winters. • Get some boots. Though flip-flops are common most of the year, this is clearly not the time for them. Even well-built tennis shoes don’t really do the job in thick snow, slippery ice and treacherously deep puddles. Without boots, one wrong step could be disastrous. • Use your hoodies. Several days ago, the temperature dropped below zero, and it could easily do so again. It’s projected to be in the single digits again this weekend. No matter how many layers you wear, your ears will freeze painfully unless they are covered. So, you could buy earmuffs — or you could just wear your hoodie, which would have the added benefit of keeping your hair from freezing. • Take SafeRide or the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority trolleys. Normally, it’s pretty easy to get around campus and even to downtown Providence on foot. In this weather, however, walking can be difficult and even dangerous. Take advantage of the SafeRide vans that circulate around campus. If you are going to Kennedy Plaza, the Providence Place Mall or simply elsewhere on the East Side, hop on the RIPTA trolleys. They are easy to use and free with any Brown ID, and it sure beats trekking up the hill in this weather. Winters in New England can be a little shocking for the uninitiated. But they’re not so bad (except that professors usually expect you to still go to class!), and it makes spring all the better. We hope new and returning students alike aren’t daunted by the inhospitable weather as they get situated for the semester to come.

quote of the day

“Rhode Island is ready for marriage equality.” — Kathy Kushnir, executive director of Marriage Equality Rhode Island

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

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Opinions 11

The Brown Daily Herald Thursday, January 27, 2011

Be bold DAVID SHEFFIELD Opinions Columnist BROWN. Do you recognize it? The Herald changed its typeface to Minion Pro this semester. It should be familiar to everyone as the comforting “BROWN” next to the University’s coat of arms in the University’s logo. In past semesters, I could have still typed “BROWN,” but it would not have been the same, because each typeface has small but important differences. These subtle discrepancies make some typefaces easy to read and others a pain. The casual reader may oftentimes overlook those differences. Helvetica looks pretty much like Arial — which is a Helvetica knockoff — until you compare them. Suddenly the differences in the shapes of the letters pop out. On the other hand, the differences could be drastic. Take, for example, Comic Sans and any respectable typeface. Comic Sans is clearly Comic Sans — you will not mistake it for any other. I urge you to take The Herald as an example. Consider changing your typeface. There are myriad typefaces available in word processors, but few people ever bother to use them. Stop using whatever default font your word processor gives you without taking the time to look at it. Times New Roman is a perfectly good font, even if it is overused.

The Times of London, the font’s namesake, commissioned it to allow the newspaper to cram more text into less space. It would be a nice typeface for The Herald, but not the best choice for writing an academic paper. If you are struggling to reach a certain number of pages, it may even be counterproductive. Microsoft Word holds some of the responsibility for Times New Roman’s dominance. However, even Microsoft has now changed Word’s default typeface. It is nice

system and it is Turing-complete!) usually rely on the standard Computer Modern. As a TeX user, I finally abandoned Computer Modern at the beginning of the year. I copied a page from an old lab report and printed it out in several different typefaces. Then I looked to see which one I liked the best. Garamond looked too much like a page from an old book. Utopia did not produce good-looking equations. I finally settled on Palatino. It has its problems, but it is nonetheless a definite improve-

Look through your library of typefaces and see how they change the look of what you write.

to see alternatives to Times New Roman being used more often, but it has not inspired much diversity. Times New Roman is just being replaced with a small number of fonts like Calibri and Cambria. The dearth of font diversity outside of graphic design is not just the fault of those sad Microsoft Office users. How many people using OpenOffice or Word Perfect care about their typefaces? Even people using TeX (aside: it is a wonderful typesetting

ment. Switching has made reading text on a screen easier and looking at it on a printed page more pleasant. Look through your library of typefaces and see how they change the look of what you write. The appropriateness of a typeface is determined by the situation in which it is used. Again, The Herald stands as a fine example — the print edition is in Minion Pro, but the online edition uses Georgia, a nice, standard Internet font. Sans-serif typefaces

— those without little strokes at the ends of letters — look very nice on a computer and have a clean modern look. Serif typefaces are popular just about everywhere. They are used for most books and many, like Georgia, are designed to be easy to read on screens. Programmers choose monospaced typefaces, where a thin letter such as an “i” would take up the same amount of horizontal space as an “m,” because equal spacing makes code easier to read. Changing your typeface will not improve the content of what you have written. No amount of Garamond will make your writing any more distinguished than it would be otherwise. It can, however, make it a little more or less pleasant to read. A typeface like Minion Pro is pleasant to see, while the notoriously overused Comic Sans makes most people want to punch someone (followed, of course, by the requisite caption of “WHACK!” or “BAM!”). Try giving your reader a little diversity. If you are handing in a paper, be kind to the grader. Pages upon pages of similarlooking text will get boring. Making what you write look a little distinct and more appropriate for the topic by avoiding generic typefaces can make all the difference.

David Sheffield ’11 is a math-physics concentrator from New Jersey, who wrote this in Minion and submitted it to his editor in Comic Sans. He can be contacted in Helvetica at david_sheffield@brown.edu.

The myth of Brunonian progressivism BY OLIVER DOREN Opinions Columnist Brown is universally known as the rebel Ivy — standing apart from the entrenched educational elite by embracing progress and challenging the prevailing norms of our time. This reputation has served us well — if not always in the U.S. News and World Report rankings, then certainly in the spirit of our iconoclastic roots, which predate the nation itself. This reputation is what brings a distinctively eclectic collection of young people from around the world to study and work together on College Hill. We like to pride ourselves on the belief that, unlike the corporate-driven ethos of Harvard or Princeton, Brown is an enclave of academic purity and raw intellectual curiosity. Unlike Columbia and Cornell, where the undergraduate colleges are merely engines of revenue for the more lucrative research programs, Brown is overwhelmingly focused on the undergraduate experience, and we like it that way. Despite Brown’s undeniable worth in these areas, a little self-evaluation would do us some good. As pronounced as some of our differences may be, we are, like the rest of our Ivy League cohorts, little more than a bastion of privilege through which the American professional class extends it socioeconomic dominance. As winners of the ovarian lottery (as Warren Buffet would say), most of us have been gifted with ability, privilege, circum-

stance or some combination of the three. By whatever instrument of fate, the torch has been passed to us to serve as the leaders of our generation. Idealistic, capable and determined, we accepted this challenge. We swore we were different than the preceding generations of hedonistic aristocrats, who used their education and status to serve the interests of themselves and their kin. But what has become of it? Where is the change that has been promised by the progress of the past century?

Assortative mating, once confined to the annals of evolutionary biology, now seems to describe the incredible matchmaking function of academic society, wherein members of the educated elite almost exclusively marry one another and raise the next generation of the upper class. Perhaps I’m drifting into Marxist territory here, but it seems as if the educated elite has plainly surmounted — and consumed — the bourgeoisie as the primary classical “oppressor class” — except

While the vast majority of us do not contribute to the corruption of the educated class in this capacity, the reality is that we are the unknowing, passive perpetuators of its continued dominance.

Case in point: the global economic crisis — the existential crisis of our time. This was a phenomenon of greed and excess, orchestrated almost entirely by the legions of Ivy League graduates who populate Wall Street corner offices. If you think Brunonians are exempt from this pernicious cycle, just take a look at the job listings over at the Career Development Center. While the vast majority of us do not contribute to the corruption of the educated class in this capacity, the reality is that we are the unknowing, passive perpetuators of its continued dominance.

that this new wave of class warfare is infinitely more subtle, and perhaps considerably more cruel. It is one in which we openly sympathize with the oppressed and the marginalized, though in reality, either through ignorance or conscious action, we do nothing more than perpetuate the dominant pattern of “bourgeoisie” control that has prevailed since the inception of modern industrial society. It’s the reason BrownFML and Spotted@ Brown are inundated with frivolous anecdotes of upper-middle class decadence. It’s the reason you can go an entire semester

without meeting two people who would fall in the nation’s lowest-fifth income bracket, despite our generous financial aid policy. It’s the reason President Obama still holds a 75 percent approval rating on campus and the reason our own president remains on the board of directors of two major corporations. All the while, we pat ourselves on the back for being the only Ivy that truly sticks it to the man. We support local produce by taking our bourgeois appetites to the farmers’ market, or sign petitions about the latest pet cause of the environmental movement, or post an offhand Facebook status about some Third World problem so that we appear casually sympathetic and astute. As David Brooks once succinctly described, “The more (the educated classes) objectively serve the right, the more they articulate the views of the left.” Now, I know I’m probably being a bit harsh. If the student bodies — and presidents — of other elite universities could be even slightly more like ours, it would be a step in the right direction for society. But let’s not kid ourselves here. Our university, and so many others like it, exists because the ranks of the upper and upper-middle classes need to be replenished from time to time with the will of young meritocrats. The only slim hope is that we can be the one generation to do it right in a very, very long time.

Oliver Doren ’14 is a developmental studies and mathematical economics concentrator.

12 Sports Thursday

The Brown Daily Herald Thursday, January 27, 2011

Bears lose home-and-home series to Yale A not-

so-fond farewell to the 2010 NFL season

By madeleine wenstrup Sports Staff Writer

After struggling through a tough non-conference schedule, the women’s basketball team has finally started Ivy League play. The Bears (4-12, 0-2 Ivy) started the season with two tough losses to Yale (6-10, 2-0), and continue their conference tour this weekend with a matchup against Princeton (123, 1-0), the returning Ivy League champions. It has been a rough January for the Bears. The team has yet to net a win this calendar year and is struggling to readjust after losing point guard Lauren Clarke ’14 to a shoulder injury. Though only a first-year, Clarke has already made significant contributions to the team. She quickly worked her way into the starting five and is the third-highest scorer on the team this season, averaging 9.9 points per game. But in the second game against Yale last week, Clarke sprained a ligament in her shoulder diving after a loose ball. The temporary loss is substantial, and according to Head Coach Jean Marie Burr, the team looks forward to her recovery. “The loss of Lauren Clarke as point guard will require a lot of changes, and the team is still dealing with the adjustments,” she said. The game against Yale was the second of a home-and-home series. The games took place a week apart, and the Bears suffered losses at both New Haven and the Pizzitola Center. In the Ivy opener at Yale, the Bears were able to se-

By Sam Sheehan Sports Columnist

Sam Rubinroit / Herald

The women’s basketball team (4-12, 0-2 Ivy) will play Princeton in a home game Friday at 7 p.m.

cure an early lead with the help of guard Sheila Dixon ’13, who scored 13 points in the first half. Brown held onto a slight threepoint advantage at the half, 25-22. After halftime, Yale forward Janna Graf helped Yale take the lead away, scoring 15 points in the first 12 minutes. The Bears regained the lead briefly with seven minutes remaining, but Yale fought back to take the game, 66-54. Despite the losses, Burr said that the team was evenly matched with Yale in the second game at home.

“We were on the same playing level as Yale, but we lost to them in the second half — adjusting to the loss of Lauren as point guard was difficult,” she said. The second half of the next game was slow for the Bears, but they showed signs of life and cut their deficit to only four points with 7:37 remaining. The Bulldogs responded, erupting for 23 points in the final minutes to take the game and the season series. Guard Lindsey Nickel ’13 led the Bears with 17 points and six rebounds. Before they took on Yale, the team wrapped up its non-confer-

ence schedule. The Bears traveled to Monmouth University (13-6) for the Hawk Holiday Classic and defeated the Hawks, but failed to clinch the tournament title in the championship game against American University (14-5), falling 56-47. The Bears hosted the final two games of the non-conference season, but came away with disappointing results. In Bruno’s first game of 2011, the squad suffered a defeat to the Buffalo University Bulls, 58-53, in a tight contest at continued on page 9

Squad posts pair of Bears see mixed results last-place finishes over winter break By sam sheehan Sports Staff Writer

The gymnastics team tumbled into the new season over winter break, placing third in its home opener against Towson University and the University of Bridgeport. The Bears also traveled to Rutgers University, where they notched 184.725 points in a fourth-place finish against the host Scarlet Knights, Penn and the University of North Carolina. In the first meet, Emily Lutfey ’13 scored 9.800 in floor exercises, and co-captain Victoria Zanelli ’11 scored 9.600 in the beam, but the team still fell three points short of victory. The Bears also saw strong performances from Lauren Hall ’13, who scored 9.500 in the uneven bars, and Katie Goddard ’12, who scored 9.750 in floor. On the vault, Lutfey and Goddard led the team in scoring with 9.450 and 9.400, respectively. Lutfey also represented the Bears in the all-around competition, in which the scores of the four routines are added together. Her tally of 38.300 was good enough for second

overall. “Lutfey has just been an incredible asset to the team,” said Head Coach Sara Carver-Milne. “She’s a really great competitor.” Carver-Milne also said she was impressed with the improvement of the young team, especially Madeline Benz ’14, who placed third for the team in the beam during the first meet. “Benz really surprised everyone,” said Carver-Milne. “To see her come out for the team and really nail all of her events was impressive.” At Rutgers, Lutfey again led the team’s scoring, posting a 9.700 in the floor exercises. Despite her strong performance, the Bears again finished last. Lutfey and Carli Wiesenfeld ’12 competed in the allaround, finishing third and ninth, respectively. Though positive about the young team’s work ethic coming into the season, Carver-Milne said the team needs to stay focused for its next meet at Arizona State this weekend. “We had a rough competition at Rutgers,” she said. “Our goal is to hit our season high” at Arizona State.

By james blum Sports Staff Writer

Undaunted by the heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures, the men and women of the indoor track team continued to compete during the winter recess. Although many members of the team trained away from Brown, those remaining competed at the Sorlien Invitational hosted by the University of Rhode Island Jan. 15 and the Harvard Challenge at Harvard Jan. 22. “The meets were just chances to see where everyone was at,” said Director of Men’s and Women’s Track and Field Michelle Eisenreich. At the Sorlien Invitational, the men finished last in the six-team field. In the 17 events that were scored, the men earned a total of 44 points compared to the 276.5 points accumulated by first-place finishers URI. The women did not have enough athletes present in order to score their performance. For the men, newcomer Matt Bevil ’14 posted a time of two minutes, 32.48 seconds in the 1,000-meter run to earn a first-

place finish. Daniel Smith ’13 also earned gold for Brown in the shot put, with a throw of 44 feet, 6.25 inches. On the women’s side, co-captain Brynn Smith ’11 won the shot put, throwing 47-8.5 — a distance less than four feet behind her personal record. “I always want to throw farther, so I’m not 100 percent fully satisfied with the distances,” she said. “At this point in the season, I’m where I need to be.” At the Harvard Challenge, Brown teamed up with the Crimson to compete against the Patriot League’s Army and Colgate University. The men did not succeed in their efforts, while the women came out victorious. Once again, Daniel Smith won the men’s shot put with a heave of 53-7, almost two feet farther than the next-best throw. The throwers came through again, when Brynn Smith claimed titles in both the shot put, 47-5, and the weight throw, 57-2.25. “I’m really excited — Harvard continued on page 9

Hello, Brown Daily Herald reader in the Ratty. Yes, you with the bagel and the Special K. And greetings to you, guy in the Blue Room who just spilled the mustard all over the bottom of this page. Thank you all for being here today, whether you are a regular reader of the column or you found a copy left open to this page in the Gate in one of my desperate attempts for readership. We are gathered today in this corner of the sports section to remember the 2010 National Football League season, for all of its . . . individuality. The 2010 NFL season was not like other football seasons. This much was apparent from its formative toddler years, when we saw the Chiefs upset the Chargers in the very first week. It was then we all knew that this little season, which had just taken its first baby steps, would blossom into a full-fledged fantasy football nightmare. It would be the kind of year where a team in a “rebuilding” phase can finish as a top seed. The kind of year where fans throw remote controls at televisions after the stricter pass interference rules, which are slowly undermining the mechanics of our beloved game, just cost their team pivotal fourth quarter field position. The kind of year where you can lose more games than you win, but still play in a divisional match-up for home-field advantage in the NFC championship. Nope. I can’t do this. I can’t mourn the loss of this NFL season. I’m sorry, 2010, but it’s not me — it’s you. When Super Bowl Sunday finally rolls around, I will be celebrating and watching. Not with an interest in the game, but rather with the grim satisfaction often worn by the audience outside of the gallows as they come to watch a serial killer be hanged. As this season enters its death throes and begins to slip into the great beyond, let’s take a look at some of the lowlights from this forgettable season. Tom Brady’s ‘hilarious’ Derek Anderson impression

One would think that, as a Patriots fan, I have soured on this season because of their shocking upset at the hands of our bitter in-conference rivals — the Jets. That would be absolutely true. I stomped about my house furious and heartbroken for reasons I couldn’t possibly have fathomed before the game. Our young defense — a source of great anxiety for me — actually played a continued on page 8