Daily
the Brown
vol. cxxii, no. 3
Both seasoned and new start afresh
Herald
Friday, January 27, 2012
Spring Weekend lineup in question By izzy Rattner Senior Staff Writer
By Hannah loewentheil Staff Writer
The Main Green bustled with activity the first days of classes, as scenes of students hurrying to class, throwing frisbees in the uncharacteristically warm weather and catching up with friends signalled a return to the familiar rhythms of University life. But for mid-year transfers beginning their Brown careers and seniors returning for the last time, the beginning of the semester took on added importance. When transfer student Katie Yates ’14 arrived on campus early for squash pre-season, campus was much calmer. “It was nice getting to know campus when it was quiet,” she said. The lull did not last. As a new student at Brown, the sudden arrival of students was a bit overwhelming, Yates said. For most students, Wednesday marked the beginning of yet another semester, complete with shopping period, long lines at the Sharpe Refectory and trips down Thayer Street. But transfers are taking it in for the first time. “I can’t believe I’m actually here,” Yates said. Yates took a semester off in continued on page 2
Since 1891
Emily Gilbert / Herald
It was the combination best of times,worst of times when Das Racist performed last year.
The lineup for the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which will overlap with Spring Weekend for the second year running, eliminated two of students’ favorite Spring Weekend contenders. The favorites were determined by a poll jointly conducted by the Undergraduate Council of Students and Brown Concert Agency. Coachella’s lineup was announced earlier this month. UCS received 900 surveys, and BCA’s website received 468 responses. The poll yielded seven unique acts. Of these seven — Childish Gambino, Mumford and Sons, Foster the People, Kid Cudi, Passion Pit, Lady Gaga and Avicii — only Childish Gambino and Avicii are scheduled to perform at Coachella.
Year of China looks to broaden scope By Alison Silver Senior Staff Writer
The Chinese New Year, which began Jan. 23, marked the beginning of another phase in the University’s celebration of the Year of China. The Chinese Student and Scholar Association is combining with the Chinese Students Association to host its annual new year’s celebration. Previously, each student group held its own event. This year’s collabora-
tion will allow a more elaborate celebration with more people involved, said Shumin Yao GS, president of the Chinese Student and Scholar Association and a member of the committee for the Year of China. The celebration, scheduled for Feb. 5, will also include students from Harvard, Dartmouth and Princeton. The Chinese Student and Scholar Association “has a very close connection with the Ivy League schools,” Yao said. “I hope that many American
students and Western students can come to our show,” she said. Yao said she expects 600 students to attend, given that the initiative’s mooncake festival last semester drew over 800 students. “We want to draw Brown students’ attention to China and draw the world’s attention to Brown,” she said. Through a series of lectures, art exhibitions, dance performances and multi-day festivals, continued on page 2
Designers plant SEED of innovation Paris. Milan. New York. Providence? With StyleWeek Providence, setting up runways for the fourth time Jan. 22–28, it may not be long before this college town becomes a fashion destination.
Arts & Culture
inside
StyleWeek came together with the mission of designing “a successful model of a Northeast fashion event that directly and economically impacts (its) designers, sponsors, partners and vendors,” according to the project’s website. Events included designer and accessory showcases, cocktail parties with industry insiders and the SEED fashion show. The SEED show, a competition at the Biltmore hotel on Tuesday, featured pieces created by students
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at local colleges and universities. This format allowed “multiple creative minds to come together for one show,” said Jennifer Showstead, director of designer management and acquisition for StyleWeek Providence. The show hoped to reign in and support emerging talent, emphasizing the future of design by having students consider innovation in either their materials or designs. “We told the students to think outside the box. You can use traditional fabrics, but try something new with it,” Showstead said. After receiving hundreds of design submissions in the form of sketches, Showstead and her assistant Cassandra Duguay chose 16 pieces to showcase, including two designs from Brown students — one each from Austin Snyder ’13 continued on page 3
The Order Professor of Hispanic Studies receives award
news, 3
continued on page 3
News in brief
Kennedy to teach seminar Former Democratic Rhode Island Congressman Patrick Kennedy will begin co-teaching a seminar on policy and research funding for mental health and neuroscience Monday, the University announced yesterday. The course is a collaboration between the Program in Public Health and the Brown Institute for Brain Science, where Kennedy is a visiting fellow. The course, PHP 1680J: “The Race to Inner Space: Conflating Science, Politics and Economics to Promote Brain Health,” is open to 24 juniors, seniors and graduate students. After eight terms in Congress, Kennedy founded One Mind for Research, which aims to streamline funding and information for brain research. Kennedy’s father, the late Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, died of brain cancer in 2009. “Just as Patrick’s uncle, former President John F. Kennedy, said he wanted to conquer space, Patrick really wants to conquer the brain,” said Judy Bentkover, adjunct professor of health services, policy and practice and an instructor of the course. As of Thursday night, no students had registered for the course on Banner. — Jordan Hendricks
Glenn Lutzky / Herald
A model struts the runway in student-made fashion at StyleWeek.
D&C
Banner gets coal — find out why. diamonds & coal, 6
weather
By maddie Berg Staff Writer
The overlap in Coachella and Spring Weekend could prevent other acts from performing at Brown. Sandy Ryza ’12, who cochairs BCA with Gillian Brassil ’12, said Coachella complicated Spring Weekend’s planning before the lineup was even announced. Some artists rejected Spring Weekend bids, hinting that they were performing at Coachella. “They say stuff like, ‘we’re playing shows in California’ or ‘we’ll be in Southern California that day.’ It seems pretty clear,” Ryza said. “There are definitely acts that we would have gone for that are playing Coachella,” Ryza said. Spring Weekend conflicted with Coachella last year as well. Ryza said BCA does not schedule Spring Weekend, but he understands the University Scheduling
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