Wednesday, October 3, 2012

daily herald the Brown

vol. cxxii, no. 79

INSIDE

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Hope Street

Over Fall Weekend, visit these Hope Street hangouts

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Artifact online New U. blog showcases libraries’ unique treasures Page 6

Voter I.D. Corvese ’15 argues voter ID stipulations resemble Jim Crow today

62 / 71

tomorrow

56 / 72

wednesday, october 3, 2012

since 1891

Health Services adds hours, LGBTQ support

By Katie Lamb Contributing Writer

Following an evaluation in 2010, Health Services has implemented a number of changes this semester including additional hours, advancement in online accessibility and improved support for transgender students.

The changes are part of a “constant quality improvement process as well as a commitment and dedication to better serving the Brown community,” said Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life and student services. The work on new initiatives began after an evaluation two years ago in which the Health Services team assessed the range of services they provided and looked closely at what was being accessed, what was in line with other colleges and universities and what students really seemed to need, Klawunn said.

Health Services was able to reallocate some of its funds after closing the infirmary in 2010 and ending overnight services because of infrequent use, said

Lynn Dupont, associate director of Health Services.

After the closure, Health Services implemented a 24/7 phone triage system called Nurse Response that connects students to non-University affiliated nurses.

Health Services, which also expanded to offer full service in the evenings in 2010, increased hours for all clinical staff, a medical assistant and the University nutritionist this semester and added the equivalent of a half-time nurse, Dupont said.

“It serves students much better,” said Edward Wheeler, director of Health Services. “We can actually see them, and we’re also more accessible for medical and graduate students.”

With their new hours, Health Services will be able to lower the number of emergency room visits students make each semester, Wheeler said.

University nutritionist Anne Buffington will also provide full-time nutrition education counseling for the / / Health page 2 10 months

TOM Sullivan / Herald

Health Services has increased its online accessibility, added support for transgender students and extended open hours.

Cicilline urges defense of liberal platform U. sets path for Paxson’s first years By sona mkrttchian Senior Staff writer

With the November elections rapidly approaching, Rep. David Cicilline ’83, D-R.I., visited campus Tuesday night to speak at a meeting of the Brown Democrats, the organization he cofounded while an undergraduate at the University. In his talk, Cicilline emphasized the stark differences between the Republican and Democratic parties on critical issues such as health care, access to education, maintenance of social programs and LGBTQ rights.

Cicilline faces Republican challenger Brendan Doherty, a local businessman and the former superintendent of the Rhode Island state police, in the first congressional district race.

Cicilline garnered 60 percent of the vote in last month’s Democratic pri-

mary to defeat opponents Anthony Gemma and Chris Young. Results from WPRI’s most recent poll — announced Oct. 1 — put Cicilline six points ahead of Doherty.

“Most of us who are Democrats are Democrats because we think the party shares our values,” Cicilline said at the meeting. During his first term in Congress, Cicilline said he focused on five specific areas: bolstering domestic manufacturing, improving infrastructure, increasing access to higher education, ending American presence in Afghanistan and protecting social programs. He cited the work he has already accomplished within these areas as the largest difference between him and Doherty.

Cicilline told The Herald that voters in Rhode Island have the choice / / Cicilline page 3 between a

By Kate DeSimone STAFF WRITER

Corrine Szczesny / Herald

Cicilline ’83 is facing a tough reelection bid from challenger Brendan Doherty, though a Oct. 1 WPRI poll gave the incumbent a slight lead.

Coal campaign presses U. to divest fossil fuel investments

By Elizabeth Koh Senior Staff Writer

Courtesy of brown divest coal

The Brown Divest Coal Campaign urged the University to divest from some of its fossil fuel investments Tuesday afternoon.

About 25 students with the newly formed Brown Divest Coal Campaign group walked into University Hall Tuesday afternoon to ask the University to divest from some of its coal and fossil fuel investments. Students delivered a letter addressed to President Christina Paxson and handed out flyers to students walking through the Main Green.

The letter, which introduced the group, asked the University to divest from what the letter called the “filthy fifteen,” the 15 highest-polluting coal companies in the nation. The list of companies includes American Electric Power, Ameren and Edison International.

The University’s financial records are closed to the public, so Brown Divest Coal members do not know how much money is currently invested in coal and fossil fuel burning compa-

nies, said member Emily Kirkland ’13.

Beppie Huidekoper, vice president for finance and administration, said she was uncertain if the University held investments in any of the companies from which Brown Divest Coal is seeking divestment.

“This injustice is at our doorstep,” the letter read, citing coal’s role as the largest carbon dioxide pollutant and its impact on human health. “We want to be proud of every aspect of Brown, including our investments,” it stated.

The Brown Divest Coal Campaign, founded this fall, is part of the national Coal Divestment Campaign run by the Energy Action Coalition, a collection of “youth-led environmental and social justice groups,” according to the coalition’s website. The Coal Divestment Campaign encourages students to lobby their universities to divest from the group of 15 coal companies. Similar campaigns have been launched at / / Coal page 2 other institu-

The University is looking to identify and support several “signature areas” in shaping Brown’s academic strengths under new President Christina Paxson.

Potential areas of emphasis could include “environment and society” and “digital society,” said Provost Mark Schlissel P’15 at Tuesday’s faculty meeting.

Further discussions within the Academic Priorities Committee will identify three or four target areas to support.

Schlissel said the University is looking to expand support and resources across the faculty but will devote significant resources to identifying and strengthening interdisciplinary areas where Brown may already have an advantage.

Faculty members also heard an update on the proposed school for public health, which was unanimously endorsed by both the biomedical faculty council and the APC. In addition to her new strategic planning process, Paxson outlined eight priorities, including financial aid, that the University had already identified before her administration began. Addressing these priorities should cost $500 million, Paxson said.

As part of those eight priorities, the University will continue to prioritize growth in brain science, the Humanities Initiative and the schools of engineering and public health. The Faculty Executive Committee is expected to vote later this month on the proposal to create a school of public health, said Mary Louise Gill, FEC chair and / / Faculty page 2

2 campus news c alendar Today

Oct. 3

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/ / Health page 1

ToMORROW

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Michael S. Goodman Lecture Series

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VERNEy-WOOLLEY DINING HALL

LUNCH Mild Buffalo Wings, BBQ Chicken Sandwich, Sundried Tomato Calzone, Green Beans w/ Tomatoes, Rice Pilaf

Bacon Ranch Chicken Sandwich, Macaroni and Cheese, Vegan Spanish Lentils, Green Beans, M&M Cookies

DINNER Swiss Broccoli Pasta, Polynesian Chicken Wings, Grilled Boneless Pork Chop w/ Applesauce, Roasted Beets

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Country Wedding Soup, Grilled Chicken Cilantro, Stirfry Vegetable Medley, Breadsticks, Key Lime Pie

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that students are on campus, a step up from her previous hours as a 9-month employee.

Buffington was board certified this summer as a specialist in sports nutrition. Buffington said she hopes this additional certification will help her better support athletes.

“Nutrition is an integral component of peak performance for any college athlete,” Buffington said, “but there is so much misinformation out there. I am happy to be a credible resource for students to receive accurate information based on current science and research.”

She said she will continue to offer free and confidential individual appointments, educational programming and awareness events.

Increasing online presence Health Services has also been working to increase student use of its online resources, which include the Brown Online Student Health website and its email advice service.

The nursing@brown.edu option was implemented two years ago for general inquiries and guarantees a same-day response even on weekends, Dupont said. It offers a straightforward way for students to get in contact with Health Services and has been easily integrated into the work of the nursing staff.

“It’s the same services we’re giving, but we’re trying to have it be easier for students to access them,” said Monica Kunkel, nursing and inpatient services coordinator.

The email service has also been helpful to nursing staffers when following up with patients because they can get back in contact with students without having to call and leave voice

/ / Faculty page 1 professor of philosophy. Pending that approval, the proposal will come for a full faculty vote.

Paxson said the University must support research funding and professorships in brain science, the Humanities Initiative, engineering and public health.

She added that the school of engineering has no space to expand and, as a result, has difficulty recruiting and retaining faculty.

Schlissel discussed the recently announced committees for the Paxson administration’s strategic planning process and stressed the importance

/ / Coal page 1 tions including Swarthmore College and Earlham College.

But Brown students are hoping the University will be the first to publicly

Expanded services Free HIV testing is also being offered through Health Services for the second full year.

“A large group of people find out late (that they have HIV) who would have never suspected they might have it,” Wheeler said.

The Health Services team aimed to make HIV testing more accessible to students for this reason, and it seemed that the best way to make access better was to make it free, he said.

The LGBTQ center will coordinate with Health Services to plan special awareness days addressing the importance of HIV testing, said Kelly Garrett, coordinator of the center.

The center and Health Services have also been coordinating efforts to better support transgender students. Brown health insurance providers will now offer coverage for hormone treatments for transgender students as a result of efforts on the part of the center, Gar-

rett said.

Student groups were the driving force behind many of the other changes that were needed to more extensively support transgender students at Health Services, Garrett said. In a joint effort between GenderAction and the LGBTQ Center, students noticed and pointed out particular changes that would be beneficial.

The changes included posting welcoming signs and altering health forms so that they “don’t make assumptions about sexual identity,” Wheeler said.

Students can also include an alternate name from their birth name through the University’s online medical system.

In response to student input, Health Services hired a consultant in 2010 to review the University’s services and held an intensive education workshop for medical providers.

“Health care can be a real sticking point for transgender students,” said Maddy Jennewein ’14, former leader of GenderAction. GenderAction, a subgroup of the QueerAlliance, collaborated with Health Services administrators to suggest changes and found that administrators were willing to consider their concerns “in a heartbeat,” Jennewein said.

Health Services is “incredibly receptive and even proactive, really wanting to work with students,” Garrett said.

Garrett said the center will continue to advocate for sex reassignment surgery coverage options which some other Ivy League insurance policies already cover. Expanding coverage may pose some difficulties because Brown is smaller than some of the peer institutions that cover this surgery and has a smaller insurance plan, she said.

“It’s not apples and apples, but we’re working towards it,” Garrett said.

of faculty input on these committees.

Jack Hermance, professor of geological sciences, expressed concern that the planning initiatives evolved over the summer with very little input from the faculty. In response, Schlissel noted that each committee has a faculty majority and will solicit faculty input with the idea that the faculty is important to committee discussions.

Schlissel described the goals central to the strategic planning committees, which included financial support for a diverse student body and increasing the University’s local and global impact. In particular, Schlissel described collaboration with other institutions as a way to

“leverage Brown’s strengths.”

Paxson also discussed ongoing residential renovations, the first phase of which was completed this summer.

The second phase is expected to be completed next summer, but it will not commence until the University pays for all of last summer’s renovations.

Paxson called athletics a continuing priority, highlighting efforts to improve fields and locker rooms, as well as to create endowments for teams and coaching chairs.

Gill also announced a faculty forum to discuss the state and availability of faculty resources. The forum will likely be held sometime in December, she said.

divest from coal companies. More than 60 volunteers have already registered with the group.

The trend of divestment due to student activism is not new for the University. Brown has previously divested

from companies for reasons of social justice, including companies whose business supported the Sudanese government’s actions in the Darfur genocide in 2006.

“These other divestments have worked, and it’s something that has been effective. It’s a way for the University to show that it stands in solidarity with the communities that are being affected by the burning of coal,” member Ryan Greene ’16 said.

To formally request a divestment, Paxson would need to refer the request to the Advisory Committee on Corporate Responsibility in Investment Policies, Huidekoper wrote in an email to The Herald. The committee would then make a recommendation to the president and Corporation on whether the University should divest its investments.

Members are hopeful the issue will gain traction on campus, Greene said. “I think that’s an issue that a lot of people are going to care about,” he added.

messages. It allows for “better continuity in care,” Dupont said.

Online Student Health now allows students to sign in and see their own records, Dupont said. They can also ask more specific questions to a nurse or provider through a secure messaging system that is recorded as part of the students’ medical records. Since the system is relatively new, many students are not aware of what they can fill out online and what appointments they are able to make, but Health Services is hoping to continue informing students and expand online offerings to include more health forms for easy access, Dupont said.

“Our appointments are full, so they’re using us, which is great,” Dupont said.

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science & research 3

Library blog highlights unique collections

By Joanna Kramer Contributing Writer

Hot-air balloons that delivered newspapers, hurricane destruction on Brown’s campus and portraits of President Abraham Lincoln are among the topics covered on Curio, the new weekly blog launched last Wednesday by Digital Production Services, the University library department tasked with digitizing materials in library collections.

The blog features objects from the library’s special collections that are “rare, unusual and intriguing,” according to the blog’s tagline. This can refer to either the objects’ content or to the process used to make them available online.

The first entry titled “Setting up shop in the Lincoln room!” was published Sept. 17. In the post, Digital Production Services photographer Lindsay Elgin recounted her experience documenting a portrait of President Lincoln in the John Hay Library’s Lincoln Room. She describes difficulties she encountered during the shoot, such as the location and angle of the painting and how she overcame these obstacles using advanced technology and a little creativity.

One method involved placing her tripod on a table to better reach the painting. “Climbing up on tables is not something I do everyday,” Elgin told The Herald. That kind of rarity is exactly what the blog seeks to showcase.

About 10,000 objects are digitized

by Digital Production Services every year, said Ann Caldwell, who heads the department. But only objects that particularly stand out to the department’s staff — either for their content or for how they have been digitized

— are posted.

The department has prioritized promoting a balance between posts pertaining to the digitization process as opposed to those examining particular objects.

These two considerations are reflected in the three posts that have been uploaded so far. Readers can find entries focusing on unusual digitization processes, historically significant documents and timely materials.

In the most recent blog entry, Digital Imaging Specialist Ben Tyler uploaded an image of “Le Ballon Poste: Journal du Siege de Paris,” a newspaper that began during the 1870 siege of Paris to keep the flow of news going across siege lines. Tyler discusses the background of the newspaper and the process he used to digitize the fragile paper in his post.

“I was intrigued to find myself digitizing an original edition,” he wrote on the blog.

The University has been digitizing items from its collections for about 10 years now, said Robin Ness, the digital production specialist in the department, but Curio aims to bring these items into the spotlight. With the help of its own Twitter account, @BrownCurio, and publicity on Digital Production Services’ Facebook page, Curio can display rare items in the library’s collections to anyone in the world.

As a Master of Fine Arts student at the Rhode Island School of Design, Elgin said she was unaware of all the items the University owned. Some items the department digitizes are even kept in a vault at the Hay. Now, Curio introduces students and the public to items that “people don’t even know exist,” Elgin said.

/ / Cicilline page 1 candidate who has worked in Washington and knows the environment and a candidate who stands for conservative values and will defend the Republican party if elected.

Cicilline told the Brown Democrats that he dedicated much of his first term to facilitating the resurgence of manufacturing on both the national and state levels through legislation that would balance the international playing field for products made domestically. Such policies could bolster economic growth by 500,000 to 2 million jobs if implemented, he added.

“The most important issue in this campaign is figuring out the right

strategies to get our economy moving again,” Cicilline told The Herald.

“How do we strengthen the middle class of this state and country and make the American dream a reality?”

In his speech, Cicilline also addressed the importance of investing in infrastructure, maintaining strong education policies in order to expand access to higher education, working to “quickly” and “responsibly” end U.S. military measures in Afghanistan and protecting Medicare and Social Security from Republican measures that would limit access to the programs.

He said conservative forces incorrectly view earned benefits from the government as entitlement measures.

Cicilline called the Affordable

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Care Act “historic” but not “perfect” in addressing a “basic necessity of life.”

Helping the middle class should be the priority in Washington, Cicilline said. He added that the differences between the two parties’ ideologies stem from the Republican devotion to trickle-down economic theory, which he said supports their decisions to cut taxes for the wealthiest Americans while ignoring the middle class.

Cicilline told students to be “very proud of the values that we have as Democrats,” because they represent “American values.”

“We’re fighting for the heart and soul of our country in very fundamental ways,” he said.

4 hope street / / Shops page 8 Island superimposed on the monstrous state of Texas. A local artist designed the shirt.

The other shirts and postcards that the shop holds all come with quirky and pithy sayings about each of the cities in Rhode Island like “You can go to Hell, I’m going to Pawtucket” and “Cranston 4 Life.”

The one that says “Foster Glocester” is the favorite of Lisa Bolt, a customer from Maryland. She explained that one has to be from Rhode Island, or have lived here long enough, to understand the meaning of the shirts.

The Foster Glocester shirt, which shows a big snow plow among lots of snow, is a tongue-in-cheek reference to school closures due to heavy snowfall many decades ago. “It was always the (Foster Glocester) schools that were shut down and never us,” she said.

Jewels of the world Dan Goldman strolls down the street to pick up his lunch on his own schedule. With two buttons undone on his shirt, he gives the air of a relaxed man of refined taste. Goldman, along with his older brother John, are the owners of the Green River Silver Company.

The company is a “direct importer of sterling jewelry,” cutting out the middleman and making these glistening pieces affordable, Dan said. The store contains highly polished glass enclosures that carry the stories of jewelry from around the world.

The jewelry is organized by loca-

tion of origin. John notes as he walks through his shop the different sections that come from Bali, Bangkok and Israel. John purchases all of the handcrafted jewelry from local designers while traveling around the world.

The company was started 14 years ago when John was attending nearly 90 craft shows per year purchasing jewelry and selling it as a side job.

Dan Goldman, on the other hand, was wearing a suit and tie as a loan officer and selling life insurance. But the two brothers mulled it over, and Dan quit his job to become the manager of the store while his brother John continues to travel around the world on the hunt for precious jewelry to bring to Hope Street.

The store opened in April 1999 and has since expanded to two locations in Bristol and Wickford, Rhode Island. Goldman said he loves the community of Hope Street, and the idea of small businesses opposed to large corporations.

“I love the idea that my brother and I can talk about issues about the store over a beer (as) opposed to waiting for decisions to come down from a large corporation,” Dan said.

The European touch Entering the spunky shop of Kreatelier, customers are greeted by myriad colors and patterns and the smell of sweet perfume. The owners, Pernilla Frazier and Line Daems, appear to wear their vibrant fabrics, with Frazier donning a lively yellow sundress.

The store has been in business

for four years and specializes in “everything fabric,” Daems said. They carry their own line of fabrics, in what Daems describes as a “clean, European style.”

The European style is a function of the owners’ origins — Frazier hails from Sweden, and Daems is from Belgium. They speak with great enthusiasm about their fabrics, their speech laced with traces of their European background. The store also offers sewing classes, a way to teach young generations a skill that should be taught, Daems said.

“The possibilities are endless with what you can make with fabrics,” Daems said.

In evidence of this fact, the store carries many products made of fabrics from local designers, such as pillows, children’s aprons, lunch boxes and even an EpiPen organizer. The patterns can be described as stylistically geometric — the shapes are crisp and clean but they’re infused with vibrant colors, polka dots and stripes. Floral patterns cover headbands and purses.

The fabric designs come from various sources of imagination. Daems said that some of the designs were created by herself and Frazier, while others were created by local artists.

In the corner of a store is a workbench that is covered with a grid used for measuring and cutting. The shelf next to it is piled high with fabric samples and sewing materials. Alexis Cormier worked diligently on cutting a custom pillow set to size, rolling a fabric cutter along the neat lines of the work table. Cormier’s interest in fabrics grew out of rag dolls

the brown daily herald wednesday, october 3, 2012

hope street highlights

Greg Jordan-Detamore / Herald (Data: RIGIS)

that she created. After being hired at Kreatelier, she began teaching sewing classes, doing what she loves.

“It’s the best job in the world,” Cormier said as she placed the loud patterned fabric on a stack ready for stitching.

Extra virginities Olive del Mundo opened three and a half months ago and is the newest store on Hope Street, specializing in olive oils and vinaigrettes. The ambiance is Italian, with sonatas playing in the background and vines painted on the walls. Large silver, stainless steel canisters hold the products that owners Salvadore and Jennifer Fuccillo pride themselves on.

At the moment, the store carries oils and vinaigrettes from the southern hemisphere because they receive their shipments based on what olives are being harvested in a particular season. The next few months will see more products from the northern hemisphere, California and the Mediterranean, Fuccillo said.

The concept of the store, he said, is one that is “really taking off,” even on a larger, national level. After visiting Salvador’s family in Italy and reading Tom Mueller’s “Extra Virginity: the Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil,” the Fuccillos realized they wanted to open the shop to introduce this trend to the Providence area.

Salvador lists the flavor of each oil with ease and fluency as a large crowd enters the store on a weekday morning. The holy blanca is “mild, and not so fruity” while another oil is “rich and buttery, but still mild.”

One of the more bizarre and unique flavors is a dark chocolate balsamic vinaigrette which is labeled as a “guilt-free” treat to drizzle on ice cream or salad. While the store is highly specialized compared to others such as the Frog and Toad, customers do find uses for the products that they carry.

“What are you going to do with (the oils)?” an older customer asked her companion. “Cook, of course!” she responded.

hope street 5

the brown daily herald wednesday, october 3, 2012

/ / Dance page 8 flit from the building as classes let out — tutus bobbing, clasped hand-inhand with parents — to secure a wellearned treat at Seven Stars Bakery.

Black and white headshots pop boldly off the school’s dusky rose walls, and strains of classical music drift out toward the reception area.

A small sign dissuades would-be helicopter parents from crowding into the studios and entering their child’s world of dance.

Trixie, a petite dog with a big role to play in the company’s annual production of The Nutcracker , pads freely down the halls, pink leash dragging behind.

Waiting dancers scatter through the building, contorting their limbs effortlessly. Leg warmers and thick sweaters are peeled off, and untamed hair is swirled neatly into buns. Transformed, company members float through the studios, caught up in the music and movement.

The Company’s productions range widely, including black box theater performances, schools visits and annual holiday productions.

“We love to bring the arts to people,” Santow said.

Fittingly, one of the most important parts of Festival Ballet’s mission is community outreach.

Last year, funding from Festival Ballet allowed students at Nathan Bishop Middle School in Providence to spend six weeks fully immersed in a curriculum guided by Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake,” culminating in a trip to view the live performance. Santow said she is already applying for a similar grant — the new crop of seventh graders can hardly wait for their turn to come.

“For many of the students, this is the only opportunity they may have to see something of this caliber,” Santow said. The school also offers scholarships to students in need.

In an effort to bring the arts to even more Rhode Islanders, the school took advantage of a viral hit that has captured the U.S. Olympic swimming team and President Obama, among others. Festival Ballet was the driving force behind the “Call Me Maybe” flash mob that hit Kennedy Plaza Saturday evening.

Caster’s, the friendly bicycle shop Steps away from Hope’s main street bustle, a string of twinkle lights dangles from the silhouette of an elegant white bicycle. Caster’s Bicycle and Fitness shop has been a Rhode Island institution since 1919 — the business has seen three generations of family owners and thousands of happy cyclists.

Wide open doors, free tire inflation and a big bowl of water for thirsty pups underscore the store’s friendly

atmosphere. Community members regularly stop by with their bikes for repair, staff-led riding groups and just to say hello.

Just through the entry, the scent of fresh rubber greets customers’ noses.

Caster’s offers all manners of equipment, accessories and bike-savvy staffers. Several vintage bicycles, complete with huge wheels, sway gently from the ceiling, and gleaming new bikes of all shapes and sizes line the walls.

Though the shop is slightly off the beaten track for most Brown students, a rising number of faculty members are riding to work, said store employee Stephanie Farrar.

Despite the potholes, Providence is a very bikeable city because it is small and accessible, Farrar said. Rhode Island also has plans to become part of the East Coast Greenway, a proposed bicycle highway that will eventually run the length of the entire coast, she added.

And when winter rolls through New England and Providence’s steep hills turn slick, the store offers spin classes — customers fit their own bikes into fixed spinning apparatuses, similar to exercise bikes, Farrar said.

“It’s a way to ride in a group but not be out in the cold.”

Providence loves its farmers Autumn weekend mornings find many College Hill residents still in the throes of deep slumber. But at the grassy intersection between Hope Street and Blackstone Boulevard, a thriving farmer’s market springs to life each Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Families meander through the stalls, clutching children, coffee and brilliantly colored bouquets.

More than 30 vendors from around the state come to sell their wares at the market, not including the row of local artists proffering scarves, jewelry and paintings. The field, lined with white tents and crowded with hundreds of shoppers, causes its Wriston Quadrangle counterpart to pale dramatically in comparison.

The Hope Street market is perhaps the state’s best showcase of the season’s local flavors. Fresh greens are heaped high on tables, and squashes and gourds tumble onto the ground.

Farmers reach into coolers to bring out dozens of fresh eggs and pounds of glistening scallops.

For late risers, a smaller version of the market is also open on Wednesdays from 3 to 6 p.m. Come November, the farmers, and the local foodies who love them, will move shop to their winter location, an old mill in Pawtucket.

But despite varying locations and seasonal offerings, one factor remains steadfastly constant — the line at the Seven Stars tent never gets any shorter.

comic Cashew Apples | Will Ruehle

Annabel ruddle / Herald

Mohammed Islam, chef and owner of Not Just Snacks, has a hand in crafting each dish his restaurant offers.

/ / Food page 8 at Seven Stars will first be struck by the quaint French decor of the cafe — a large sign reads “boulangerie,” and the menu is spread across several large blackboards, giving it a rustic feel.

The softly playing radio features modern folk tunes such as those by the band Tallest Man on Earth, and the air is ripe with scents of coffee and butter.

The bakery has earned a 92 percent rating on Urban Spoon and 4.5 stars out of five on Yelp, two user reviewbased websites.

“Good food and good coffee, what else is there?” said Lynn Williams, one half of the husband-wife team that owns Seven Stars.

Though students are not their main clientele, Seven Stars does cater to visitors from the many colleges and universities in the city, Williams said.

Their products are also available at the weekly Wriston farmer’s market on campus.

Lynn and her husband Jim Williams, who continues to hand-bake products for the cafe, had similar experiences that drew them to baking.

Williams enjoyed a job at a local bakery in college. While there, she had the epiphany that she could continue baking for a living.

The “buy local” movement was not as prevalent as it is now when Seven Stars first moved to their Hope Street location in January 2001.

Since their establishment, Williams said they have seen the evolution of the idea that people can “impact the community by supporting these unique local businesses.”

The Hope Street bakery location was the first one they established, according to their website. Since then it has expanded to the west side of Providence and Rumford in East Providence.

Spices and snacks A building contractor by trade, Mohammed Islam said he “had no idea about the retail business” when

he bought Not Just Spices, an already existing grocery storefront.

Islam said he worked in New York City designing buildings early in his life. With the outbreak of the Gulf War, he moved to Kuwait. When he got married and his wife became pregnant, he moved back to the United States, where he bought Not Just Spices in 1999 as a business for his wife to manage.

Two years later, he expanded to the restaurant business with the purchase of Not Just Snacks, a French bakery at the time.

Since then, he described his work in both businesses as “a day and night job.”

Islam said he enjoys his work as a chef far more than the construction business. He continues to prepare every dish himself, from marinating chicken to combining spices.

“You get to meet with a lot of good people, talk to them, satisfy them,” he said.

Not Just Snacks is a simple establishment. The dominant sound is the clang of kitchen implements and quiet traditional music. The walls are covered in child-like mural paintings, and the floor tile and the furniture are mismatched.

All this contributes to a casual,

“homely environment,” one that is not too fancy, Islam said. The style of food is “as traditional as possible,” he added.

Dishes are served on steel plates — for example, the nava rattan korma, a vegetable curry served over basmati rice, is presented in a shiny silver bowl, which the customer then pours over a large metal tray of rice.

Not Just Snacks is set apart from other Indian restaurants by its “hometype cooking,” Islam said. The bases for its dishes are primarily cardamom, garlic and ginger.

Many students and locals alike patronize Not Just Snacks. The affordable, high-quality and unique offerings lure in students looking to escape campus, Islam said.

It’s quality food at a decent price, said Nihaal Mehta ’14.

The restaurant is suitable for a variety of dietary concerns — all options are kosher, there is an explicit vegetarian menu, and the staff is highly sensitive to allergies.

For the curious customer, Islam said he also offers instruction in how each dish is prepared. Not Just Spices, the sister grocery across the street, stocks most of the ingredients and serves as a sort of supply for the restaurant — “99.9 percent Indian,” he said.

6 editorial Editorial

A matter of life and death More than two years have passed since Jason Pleau allegedly shot and killed David Main in Woonsocket, R.I. Rhode Islanders remain divided as Pleau’s case appears to drag on indefinitely. While many are now tired of reading about him in the papers, Pleau’s case is an important and unique scenario that puts the issue of civil rights to the test. We believe Pleau’s case remains important because it pertains to matters of moral sensitivity, as well as states’ rights.

Pleau has been back and forth between state and federal custody. By being in state custody, Pleau would effectively escape the death penalty, while presumably serving a life sentence. Meanwhile, if he were subject to federal jurisdiction, as he is now, he would most likely be sentenced to the death penalty.

Gov. Lincoln Chafee ’75 P’14 P’16, a fierce opponent of the death penalty, made the controversial decision to petition the U.S. Supreme Court for Pleau’s return to state custody. While we certainly understand the frustration many Rhode Islanders may have with the entire ordeal, we also commend Chafee for his attempts to position Rhode Island as a state that has the jurisdiction to exercise its distinct rights and values.

There are plenty of reasons to be unhappy with Rhode Island government. During these two years, Rhode Island officials have been in the limelight for their fiscal mismanagement and unpopular policy decisions, including the voter identification law, cost-of-living adjustment freezes, Providence’s near-bankruptcy and pink slips. Things do seem to be on the turnaround — Central Falls, the only Rhode Island city to file for bankruptcy, appears to be set on the path to recovery, and the state ended the fiscal year with a pleasant surplus of $115 million. But the state government is not even close to gaining widespread public approval.

We believe Chafee’s appeal to the Supreme Court to bring back Jason Pleau to state custody is necessary and significant. Yes, Pleau has already admitted his guilt. But this is not a case of whether Pleau deserves conviction, be it through execution or life sentence. There is really no question that he is a criminal who cannot in good conscience be allowed to escape severe consequences.

The heart of the matter is that Chafee is doing what he truly believes is in the best interest of Rhode Island. He is not letting the federal government interfere with what states have the right to control. Chafee is taking responsibility for the fact that Pleau is a Rhode Island citizen, and Rhode Islanders do not and will not have capital punishment enforced by federal jurisdiction.

We are not suggesting that Rhode Island’s stance against the death penalty is either wrong or right. We also realize that the governor could be engaged in more pragmatic and concrete matters that could affect thousands of Rhode Islanders rather than one guilty one. But we judge the legacy and attributes of politicians based not only on their achievements in office, but also on whether these achievements aligned with their duties of representing their constituents.

Chafee, through his action of appealing to the Supreme Court, made a controversial but ultimately correct call. Regardless of what happens to Jason Pleau, Chafee’s unwavering dedication to his state should set the precedent for all current and future politicians.

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opinions 7

the brown daily herald wednesday, october 3, 2012

When I say ‘fiscal responsibility,’ you think what?

Matt Brundage Opinions Columnist

Lately, every time I hear the phrase “fiscal responsibility” my stomach turns over, and I picture things like Ann Coulter, a balanced budget amendment and Paul Ryan’s smug grin. This previously apolitical phrase has become entirely associated with economic conservatism and the GOP in my brain, even though I am both a liberal and an enthusiastic supporter of fiscal responsibility.

It could just be my perception of the political vocabulary, but I am fairly confident that conservatives are winning the battle for the term “fiscal responsibility.” President Obama tried to win the words, but we all know that attempt was a joke, and the Tea Party said it louder anyway. Setting aside my frustration that neither mainstream party candidate on this November’s ballot has a true commitment to fiscal responsibility backed by a shred of evidence from past performance, it is completely unfair for either Republicans or Democrats to claim to be the party of fiscal responsibility. Both have different ideas of the best means to the same end — a balanced budget — with liberals tending to endorse higher taxes on the wealthy and conservatives tending to support lower government expenditures. Neither approach is inherently more fiscally responsible than the other if both balance rev-

enue and outlays.

I understand that because President Obama is the sitting president and has made unimpressive changes to the size of the yearly budget deficit, the opposition has some justification in running on a platform of fiscal responsibility. The underlying implication of such a platform, though, is that the opposition is not just President Obama, but all liberals and Democrats.

Conservatives have already been fairly successful at painting a picture of liberals as

representation of reality that brought the nation into such a fiscal mess in the first place.

Both parties want to appeal to the widest audience, so they are constantly scrambling for factions of the populace. Who gets to be seen as pro-education, pro-job creation or the party of new taxes? It is a childish game of winning an election without regard for the consequences on our national debt.

It’s why Paul Ryan won’t tell the AARP that he wants to cut spending where it will hurt them, and it’s why Barack Obama wants to

My fear is that conservatives and the Republican Party will successfully claim fiscal responsibility the way they claimed morality, personal responsibility and God.

wasteful spenders of our tax dollars and the ones to blame for the rising national debt, which is a dishonest accusation if we look to the past.

My fear is that conservatives and the Republican Party will successfully claim fiscal responsibility the way they claimed morality, personal responsibility and God. Callings dibs on “fiscal responsibility” is, I imagine, a reaction to liberals’ hefty and costly promises to students, the poor, the elderly and such, unmatched by the taxes required to balance the federal budget. Still, using “fiscal responsibility” as an appealing term to sway voters is exactly the sort of mis-

talk about all the benefits you’ll miss if Romney is president, instead of the reality of the tax hikes necessary to avoid trillion dollar yearly deficits.

Americans seem to get this now more than ever, but we still aren’t responding. We still want to make our political choices without recognizing that our collective economic decision-making based on colorful political advertisements amounts to a national deficit the way our eating habits based on shiny McDonald’s advertisements amount to a body fat increaase.

Thinking about this election in terms of fiscal responsibility versus implied fiscal ir-

responsibility is exactly how we would have done it if we were voting the way we have been for the past decade. We are deciding our future on the basis of seven-second media sound bites, out-of-context candidate slips and yes, attractive slogans like “fiscal responsibility,” which creates an unfair dichotomy between Republicans and Democrats — responsible versus irresponsible.

Republicans correctly recognize that shiny promises and meaningless words are a problem with politics today, yet their attempt to call themselves the party of fiscal responsibility is a solution that perpetuates the fundamental problem with such horrific irony that Shakespeare himself couldn’t have written it better.

Still, the party of personal responsibility and morality is accepting this behavior and vocabulary as something of an inevitability of our political culture, instead of accepting personal responsibility for their actions and recognizing the complete lack of morality in claiming this term for themselves. It is a gross oversimplification of the ideological debate our nation now faces, thus making it all the more difficult to arrive at a conclusion that the majority of Americans can support. That, my fellow voters, is anything but responsible. It is our duty to discuss these issues with more integrity.

Matt Brundage ’15 suggests that the Democrats claim “monetary responsibility” in case inflation becomes an issue again. He can be reached at matthew_brundage@brown.edu.

Afraid of fraud Gabriella corvese Opinions Columnist In April, Rhode Island held its presidential primary, in which new laws required voters to bring photo identification to polling booths. At the beginning of September, Democratic congressional nominee Anthony Gemma accused opponent Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., of committing voter fraud. And just a few days later, Rhode Island held its state primary, when once again, voters had to arrive with valid identification in hand.

All of this falls against the national backdrop of newly legislated voter identification laws, intended to prevent alleged “voter fraud” and ensure that all votes are from actual American citizens.

But is voter fraud the problem that many politicians think it is? The statistics say otherwise. Allegedly 2,068 incidents of voter fraud have occurred since the year 2000 — out of millions of votes that have been cast in the past decade. And out of these 2,068, 10 cases of voter impersonation were recorded. The most recent voter fraud scandal seen in Florida is not an issue of any sort of impersonation or voter deceit, but of fraudulent activity performed by a voter registration contractor rather than the voters themselves. Despite this low incidence of voter fraud, some legislators are still pushing for laws that require voters to prove their identities.

The argument for voter identification laws is inherently well-intentioned. Votes should only be cast by American citizens.

But deliberately disenfranchising entire groups of people is an act of discrimination that in no way justifies this legislation.

These laws are comparable to Jim Crow laws in preventing many Americans from practicing one of this nation’s most fundamental rights: the right to elect those in office.

Explicitly preventing specific Americans from voting is illegal under federal law. That is why these state voter identification laws exist — to give a more legitimate sounding name to discrimination. The laws do not single out certain groups, they simply impose regulations that just so happen to cause disenfranchisement of disadvantaged groups. And due to this lack of specificity, the federal government cannot punish a state for its regulations. We should not

These laws are comparable to Jim Crow laws in preventing many Americans from practicing one of this nation’s most fundamental rights: the right to elect those in office.

Who is restricted by these laws? Those who have difficulty obtaining these documents of identification, which can cost upwards of $100 in some states. Plus, some may not have adequate transportation to get to places that offer them. In fact, 11 percent of eligible American voters do not have valid forms of identification. This 11 percent largely contains minorities, the elderly and the economically disadvantaged.

What if a young black man who just so happens to be a member of this 11 percent wants to vote but cannot? And why should someone working a minimum-wage job who can afford little more than rent and food be restricted from voting?

stand for these manipulative regulations.

They are not protective, but restrictive.

They do not uphold federal law. Rather, they tiptoe around it.

The state of Rhode Island did make an effort to provide free voter IDs to those who did not have state identification.

Rhode Island’s Secretary of State predicted that 15,000 people would pick up their IDs at sites such as senior centers and heritage fairs. But only 688 were issued. Rhode Island’s effort on this part was fair: It attempted to accommodate groups that may have had difficulty getting photo identification by other means. But accommodation should not mean making an effort to get

those in need their identification. It should mean providing citizens the right to vote without needless discrimination. The issuing of 688 out of 15,000 predicted IDs — a miniscule five percent — demonstrates that voting is turning into a burden rather than an accessible right.

Gemma’s claim that Cicilline committed voter fraud was ultimately found to be baseless. He refused to reveal his sources, instead resorting to outrageous attacks at Cicilline — who ended up winning the Sept. 11 primary. Rather than showing the public Cicilline’s alleged villainy, Gemma spread McCarthy-esque fear of this virtually non-existent “voter fraud.” Attitudes like Gemma’s will unfortunately only go on to further promote the unnecessary hysteria over voter fraud, and worries about voter fraud will only fuel legislators that support the ridiculous voter identification laws.

In this coming presidential election, many of us will cast absentee ballots to vote in our home state. Many Rhode Island residents will vote here. But just because we are able to vote does not mean we should stand for discrimination elsewhere. The American voting system should remain credible but not through means of discrimination.

Over the course of our nation’s history, many have fought valiantly for suffrage for previously disenfranchised groups. Supporting these discriminatory voter ID laws is a step backward into a much uglier time.

Gabriella Corvese ’15 wishes she had a better picture of herself on her ID. She can be reached at gabriella_corvese@brown.edu.

daily herald hope street the Brown

wednesday, october 3, 2012

Independent businesses liven up Hope Street Merchants By aparna bansal Features Editor

You can think of Hope Street as Thayer’s little sister — a quieter, more wholesome sibling with her own special spark. The northern end of Hope Street, about a mile and a half from campus, has long been known for its small family-owned businesses and flurry of community activities.

The heart of Hope, where most of its merchants are located, is sandwiched between residential neighborhoods. In the space of about four blocks, you’ll find food from Italy, Cambodia, France and India, as well as a variety of goods, from gourmet olive oils to Balinese silver jewelry. Providence bicyclists brush shoulders with Festival Ballet ballerinas as they walk past the several blink-and-you’ll-miss-them entrances along the street. It is a happy mismatch of jazz and local folk music, and blue brick cottages with old-fashioned countryside

See hope street on 4-5

AnNaBel Ruddle / Herald

Hope Street, a quieter equivalent to Thayer, offers a variety of venues for young and old alike to eat, shop and play.

Ballet, bikes foster sense of community

By AMY RASMUSSEN City & State Editor

Dancing in the street Sandwiched between shops offering Indian food and olive oil, a worldclass dance company is thriving on Hope Street.

Festival Ballet Providence, now in its 35th season, holds court over the Rhode Island dance scene. It is home to over 270 students and 25 Company members from across the world, said Development Manager Shana Santow. Beyond ballet, the school offers modern dance and jazz classes and caters to almost every age and ability — from babies eight months old to senior citizens.

In conjunction with Meeting Street

School, which enrolls children with severe challenges, the ballet school provides three levels of Adaptive Classes catered to the needs and strengths of children with Down’s syndrome, Santow said. The program, now in its fourth year, was modeled after a similar collaboration between Boston Ballet and Boston Children’s Hospital, she said.

The school’s three main studios are housed at its Hope Street location. In a tribute to any little girl who has dreamt of becoming a ballerina, gleaming satin slippers and Angelina Ballerina books hold places of honor in the front display case.

On certain afternoons, Hope Street seems to run pink. The school’s small/ / Dance page 5 est ballerinas

awnings sit next to modern, glass-walled buildings.

Last week, it was also the site of the annual Miriam Hospital Fall Festival, featuring food trucks, live music and a “Call Me Maybe” flash mob workshop.

The Hope Street Merchants Association holds three such events each year, to “bring the community out and show them what Hope Street is all about,” said Dixie Carroll, vice president of the Association and owner of J. Marcel Shoes.

She cited Hope’s independent ownership and neighborhood-oriented culture as its trademarks. It’s the kind of area where “50 percent of the time, you’ll have the owner helping you with your purchase,” she added.

In this spread and in time for the long weekend, we explore some of the best of what Hope Street has to offer, from its food and shopping to hobbies and recreation.

See www.blogdailyherald.com for more photos.

Annabel Ruddle / Herald

Festival Ballet Providence, offers ballet, jazz and modern dance as well as special classes for children with Down’s syndrome.

Bread and burger lovers feed off Hope

By Katie Cusumano Senior Staff Writer

Annabel Ruddle / herald

A brief bus ride away from campus, Hope Street is home to eateries offering flaky pastries, cheap burgers and Indian cuisine.

Pub crawl It’s still early on a Saturday night, but Ivy Tavern is already bustling with an eclectic mix of young and old. The bar is full, the tap flowing, and the Ryder Cup is on the television in the corner — the restaurant seems like a typical social hangout. A waiter warns me not to trip in the entryway before rushing off to serve the next table. The sound of sizzling oil and the smell of frying hang in the air. The menu offers culinary choices with a touch of humor: Au Cajunal Jerk Duck, Accidental Purist and Feta Attraction.

“It’s very cozy,” said Chloe Zimmerman ’15, a patron of the Tavern.

Though “underwhelmed” when she first entered the restaurant, Molly Nickerson ’15 said she was taken aback by the quality of the food.

“It did look like a tavern,” she said, noting the bar setup, sports games on the television and relaxed ambiance.

Hanging pots of ivy line the entrance-

way and quiet Van Morrison plays over the stereo.

Ivy Tavern opened nearly a decade ago on Hope Street, with a hole-in-thewall entrance located next to Pizzico Ristorante.

Waitress and bartender Megan Radka, who has worked at the restaurant for five years, said some students and many faculty frequent the Tavern.

“Everyone is laid back and easy to please,” she said.

The “cheap burger” and the fish and chips are among the biggest draws for students, she said.

But there are many vegetarianfriendly options, such as a garden burger topped with apple, caramelized onions, brie, mesclun and tomato marmalade, an option aptly named the “Accidental Purist.”

Cafe, croissant, chocolat “If the pastry is not flaking all over your lap, we either did something wrong, or it’s a humid day!” advertises the website for Seven Stars Bakery. / / Food page 5 Customers

offer trinkets from Peru to Providence

By Mark Valdez Senior Staff Writer

Mom and pop shop Large animal figures made out of Mexican steel oil barrels welcome visitors to the Frog and Toad store. In the main window hangs a sign on a steel rooster adorned with a black boa that says “Please Direct All Complaints to the Giant Rooster.” The door to the shop is always propped open facing the street, beckoning customers to discover eccentric and unpredictable knick knacks.

Asher Schofield opened the shop with his wife, Erin, in March 2001.

They met while students at Providence College. He was a graphic designer, and she was a reporter. But they realized after a while that they “had been disillusioned” by the paths that their lives had taken and quit their jobs to set up shop “on a shoe string.”

Customers need to carve out a substantial amount of time to fully rifle through the wide array of products that Schofield offers at his shop.

He describes the concept behind his shop what you would get if “a person with attention deficit disorder is buying things.”

Gnome lamps, laptop sleeves and a book about “the wrong way to teach the ABC’s” are among the store’s more commercial offerings, but what really make the shop such a unique adventure are the items created by local artists and those from different parts of the world.

On a side wall of the shop is a section dedicated to Latin American products. As an album by the Pawtucket band Built to Spill plays, the intricacies of a piece of Peruvian woodwork create an extremely detailed three-dimensional image of a bakery with bright oranges and yellows.

Within the glass counter are many ornate handcrafted jewelry pieces created by local artists. Schofield explains with pride that he knows the origin and creator of each.

Schofield seems to have a deep love for his surrounding community.

As president of the Hope Street Merchants Association, Schofield not only concerns himself with his shop but with every store down the lane. He is enthusiastic about the upkeep of the neighborhood, stepping out onto the street to point out the new bumper guards that the city is installing.

One of Schofield’s most vivid memories comes in the aftermath of 9/11. When the community heard about the terrorist attack, the shop was packed with people coming together in search of comfort.

“It was therapeutic in a way, neighbor helping neighbor,” he said.

Schofield is also eager to help out other small businesses. One of Frog and Toad’s most popular shirts reads, “Don’t Mess With Rhode Island Either” with a picture of the miniature / / Shops page 4 state of Rhode