Friday, October 19, 2012

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daily herald the Brown

vol. cxxii, no. 89

INSIDE

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Febrile flies

Researchers use fruit flies to study epileptic seizures

U.’s endowment sees lowest return since ’09 By Alexa Pugh Senior Staff Writer

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Playing politics

“Richard III” woos audiences with political drama

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Fueling theories Grant helps energy researchers study CO2 today

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tomorrow

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The University’s endowment posted a 1 percent return on investment for the last fiscal year, the lowest annual return since 2009. Experts attribute the low return rate to volatile markets, which left the endowment with a market value of $2.52 billion. “In general, these have been really difficult capital markets in which to manage through,” said Beppie Huidekoper, executive vice president for finance and administration. “We have a very sophisticated investment committee, and experienced, and they’re all scratching their heads.” The endowment was at its peak value of $2.79 billion in 2008 before it suffered a 23.1 percent loss during the financial crisis and the subsequent national dive into economic recession. That period lowered the endowment’s

market value to $2.038 billion in June 2009. A 10.2 percent return on investments in 2010 and an 18.5 percent jump in 2011 helped the endowment’s market value climb back above $2.5 billion. Brown’s peer institutions have experienced similar patterns, as this year’s investment returns have been low across the board. Dartmouth led the Ivy League with a 5.8 percent return in the 2012 fiscal year, followed by Yale at 4.7 percent. Penn and Columbia posted 1.6 percent and 2.3 percent returns, respectively, while Harvard announced a return of negative 0.5 percent. Princeton and Cornell have yet to release figures for this year. “I think all institutions would have loved to have a better year, but it’s certainly not as bad as it was when … they tanked, and endowments really lost a lot / / Money page 2

fenced in

Tom sullivan / herald

An installation on the Main Green recognized Immigration Week, sponsored by the Third World Center. See page 3.

UFB releases student group spring budget totals

By Katherine Cusumano Senior Staff Writer

The Undergraduate Finance Board released a compilation of student group spring budget totals for the past six years in an email to students today. The board distributes about 45 percent of its total spring budget

between Brown Concert Agency, Lecture Board and the Special Events Committee, which are the top three funded student groups. The top 30 groups receive about 80 percent of UFB’s total funding. The records, which show the funding trends for the top 30 UFB-funded groups from 2007 to 2012, are part

of ongoing efforts to increase transparency, said Daniel Pipkin ’14, vice chair of UFB. Jug humor magazine — the 30th group listed on the budget report — received $6,150 this spring, compared to $204,100 for BCA. The variation in funding totals is determined in part by group event visibility and attendance as well as expected cost of activities, Pipkin said. Since Spring Weekend is essential to the student experience at Brown, and BCA requires substantial funds to attract headliners, they receive the highest total. The overall UFB spring budget for student groups is allocated based on a particular “total budget target” that varies based on inflation, newly recognized groups and increases in facilities costs. Student groups submit their budget requests, and UFB must “whittle it down to that number,” UFB

chair Zak Fischer said. For example, BCA received $15,000 less in funding between 2010 and 2011. Funding for all student groups went down partly after then-Student Activities Chair Ralanda Nelson ’12 declined to propose a Student Activities Fee increase due to concerns over financial aid and tuition, Pipkin said. The change in budget impacted the group’s booking abilities. The cost of bringing artists to colleges also inflates even as the budget stays the same, said Emma Ramadan ’13, BCA booking chair. Other budget fluctuations result from unforeseen circumstances. Greek Council has historically received funds for its annual Spring Weekend Rage on Wriston, an alcohol-free event. But last spring, it decided to put on Fratty in the Ratty in place of the tradition/ / UFB page 2 al party. The

Theater company has dance on the brain By Phoebe Draper Senior Staff Writer

Brains of both audience members and performers were rapidly firing Thursday night during the high-energy dress rehearsal of BRAIN STORM, a dance production inspired by neuroscience that creates movement and imagery based on the brain. The performance, held tonight and tomorrow night at 8 p.m. in the Perry and Marty Granoff Center for the Creative Arts, is the culmination of Everett Dance Theater’s five-day residency at the University, exploring the intersection of art and science by combining neuroscience and dance. Other events included a panel discussion between scientists and artists, a Brain Cafe on Locked-In Syndrome and a dance-improvisation workshop. The company will host a

since 1891

friday, october 19, 2012

hip-hop workshop in Granoff at 1 p.m Saturday. “The brain and the body — you can’t have one without the other,” said Sokeo Ros, a company member performing in Friday night’s show. Get on your feet Self-described as “cross-disciplinary, cross-generational and cross-cultural,” Everett Dance Company is all about breaking through barriers. “It’s all about learning through action,” said Aaron Jungels, artist and co-founder of Everett. On Thursday, Everett hosted “OnYour-Feet Conversations about the Brain,” a workshop with a stimulating mix of improvisation, dance and / / Brain page 4 spoken word

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Rachel kaplan / herald

The Everett Dance Company will conclude its five-day residency with BRAIN STORM, a production whose movements are inspired by neuroscience.

Modernized ‘Winter’s Tale’ triumphs at Trinity Rep By sabrina imbler contributing writer

Rarely does one have the opportunity to see a dozen Shakespearean actors — all clad in bear masks — launch into a synchronized dance mob around a baby onstage to the tune of “Outta Your Mind” by Lil Jon. Yet director Taibi Magar MFA’14 grants the audience this zany opportunity and many more in her youthful adaptation of William Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale,” which opens tonight at the Trinity Repertory Company. “I think it’s Shakespeare’s most playful text,” Magar said. “Magic and surprise are written into the text.” The quintessential tragicomedy propounds both psychological tragedy and bawdy humor. The first three acts recount the story of how the misplaced jealousy of King Leontes of Sicilia tears his family apart, and the final two acts track his redemption. The contemporary adaptation opens on a crude wooden stage framed by gossamer curtains, keeping the focus on Leontes and his internal crisis. Behind him, supporting actors intensify his monologues by their rhythmic drumming on overturned orange buckets. As the lights go up, a winged girl in green harem pants — the Oracle of Delphi — shoots out from beneath the table onstage and assumes her post on a lighted scaffolding beside the stage, where she remains and observes for much of the play. While the unfinished stage seems raw at the beginning, all props and / / Winter page 7 curtains are

arts & culture


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