Thursday, September 22, 2011

Page 1

Daily

the Brown

vol. cxlvi, no. 71

Herald

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Since 1891

UCS elects eight to new posts

Tax filings show 2009 salaries for top officials

By Katrina Phillips Senior Staff Writer

The walls of the Petteruti Lounge echoed with the deliberations of Undergraduate Council of Students members late into last night and this morning as they determined the path of this year’s council in their first general body meeting of the semester. UCS President Ralanda Nelson ’12 led the group in electing eight new internal positions and appointing three representatives in a recordlong meeting that had passed the five-hour mark as of press time and showed no signs of ending. Among the positions elected were council secretary, five new University Finance Board at-large representatives, the appointments

By Mark Raymond Senior Staff Writer

ruptcy filing,” he said. “We’re listening to what they have to say about various cost-cutting proposals,” Flanders said. For example, instead of outsourcing rescue services, the fire department could

President Ruth Simmons received $656,683 in total compensation during the 2009 calendar year, down from $884,771 in 2008. Compensation figures for top officials in 2009, including salaries, bonuses, benefits and deferred compensation, are listed on the Internal Revenue Service’s Form 990, which all nonprofits must file each year. The 2009 form reflects some of the effects of the 2008 economic downturn for the first time, including Simmons’ salary reduction. After the financial downturn in 2008, Simmons voluntarily requested a pay cut. But because there is a lag period between the tax filings and the year the report is made available to the public, the cut has not been reflected until this year’s report. “During the crash, many of us voluntarily took salary cuts,” said Beppie Huidekoper, executive vice president for finance and administration. Aside from the significant decrease in Simmons’ compensation, the most recent tax filing largely mirrors the previous year’s. Though compensation is reported for the 2009 calendar year, the Form 990 contains financial information for the 2010

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Rachel Kaplan / Herald

Last night’s Undergraduate Council of Students meeting broke the group’s record for latest end time.

chair and a communications chair. The competitions ranged in intensity from Bonnie Kim’s ’12 unopposed bid for Ivy Council policy chair to the 10-candidate battle to fill the five open UFB spots.

Newly elected UFB representatives Spencer Jaffe ’14, David Chanin ’12, Abeba Cherinet ’15, Oye Odewunmi ’14 and Stephanie Hennings ’15 promised great reforms to UFB. Chanin, who has served on the board the past two

years, said he wants to see online budgets fully launched in the coming year. Though Alex Quoyeser ’15 was unopposed in his run for appointcontinued on page 4

New institute Central Falls struggles through bankruptcy By Elizabeth carr of the things we’d like to do in the convinced the teachers union, the merges study, S S W bankruptcy plan,” said Robert Flan- fire department and the police deders Jr. ’71, the city’s appointed re- partment that it would be better to practice of Since filing for bankruptcy Aug. 1, ceiver. Flanders, a former assistant try “to negotiate a resolution rather Central Falls has been engaged in adjunct professor of public policy, than going through a long, drawnbrain science an arduous negotiation process as was appointed in February to help out litigation contesting the bankenior taff

It has no building yet, but with a $15 million endowment and hundreds of soon-to-be affiliated researchers, the Norman Prince Neurosciences Institute promises to make its presence felt in the world of medical research. The institute does not have a mission statement, but it seeks to “build a strong clinical institute around the neurosciences that has a strong academic and research base,” according to John Robson, the newly hired administrative director for the institute. He was hired jointly by the University and Rhode Island Hospital, and his paycheck is split between the two institutions. Development of the new institute began just over a year ago with a $15 million grant from the Frederick Henry Prince 1932 Trust, which was the largest grant Rhode Island Hospital has ever received, according to a hospital press release. Though the grant was given to Rhode Island Hospital, it “stipulates that Brown is to be involved in the overall planning and strat-

inside

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news....................2-4 editorial.............6 Opinions..............7 CITY & State...........8

city & state

city employees fight to protect the benefits included in their current contracts. “We’re making progress towards reaching an agreement about some

handle the city’s impending bankruptcy. The city’s determination to avoid defaulting on its loans has put its employees’ pensions and benefits in jeopardy. When it filed for bankruptcy in August, the city feared employees would sue, Flanders said. The city

High profile, high prestige: U. courts celebrity profs By Shefali Luthra Senior Staff Writer

One comes from an American political dynasty. One won the Pulitzer Prize — twice. Another is the most translated African author of all time. And as of this spring, all of them will teach at Brown.

FEATURE The three — former congressman Patrick Kennedy, journalist David Rohde ’90 and author Chinua Achebe — are part of the University’s recent string of highprofile appointments. But John Donoghue, who is the director of the Brown Institute for Brain Science, where Kennedy is a visit-

Post-

ing fellow, said he does not like to use the term “famous professor” to describe Kennedy. The phrase conjures up images of movie stars and musicians — celebrities whose connection to academics is tenuous at best, he said. Indeed, hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean, who was named a visiting fellow to the University last year, did not teach or interact much with students, said Corey Walker, associate professor of Africana studies and chair of the department. Jean’s impact on campus might be best remembered by his surprise appearance at last year’s Spring Weekend. “It was a one-year appointment for him to spend time here

Alex Bell / Herald

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Former Rep. Patrick Kennedy is one of several high-profile figures who have added Brown to their resumes.

Face the music

Says good-bye (twice), goes to Canada

Post-, inside

Carter ’12: Criticism of BCA is justified Opinions, 7

weather

By Kat Thornton Senior Staff Writer

riter

t o d ay

tomorrow

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