Friday, October 26, 2012

daily herald the Brown

vol. cxxii, no. 93

INSIDE

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Burn out

Teach-in talks environmental and ethical impacts of coal

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Corp. convenes The Corporation will meet for first time under Paxson Page 6

Digging in Archaeology class excavates Quiet Green

today

tomorrow

67 / 48

67 / 50

since 1891

friday, october 26, 2012

Report details challenges to tenure review process

By Mathias Heller Senior Staff Writer

Evaluating faculty members’ teaching during tenure review continues to be a challenge for several departments, according to the 2012 report from the Teaching, Promotions and Appointments Committee, a faculty governance committee. Some departments pay less attention to “challenging teaching issues” or do not provide “a candid assessment” of each tenure candidate’s strengths and weaknesses as a teacher, according to the report.

The committee, in conjunction with the Dean of the Faculty’s office, has worked for several years to improve teaching assessment by requesting that departments provide both numerical assessments of teaching performance and students’ comments on their instructors’ teaching, the report said. But while some departments have responded by providing more

data, others have failed to provide enough information, the report said.

The report comes in the wake of changes to the tenure review process that became effective last year. The changes prompted concerns from some faculty members that the University would prioritize research over teaching in granting tenure.

“Sometimes departments gloss over some of the issues (in assessing teaching), and the committee needs to delve into these in a little more detail,” said Kenneth Breuer, professor of engineering and former chair of TPAC, who oversaw this year’s report.

Breuer and Steven Reiss, professor of computer science and the new chair of TPAC, both declined to name specific departments that have neglected to provide a candid assessment of teaching, citing the confidentiality of TPAC internal discussions.

“The main challenge is that we’d like depart/ / Tenure page 3

Tom sullivan / herald

“Company,” a musical about a middle-aged man searching for commitment, will open tonight in the PW Downspace. See page 5.

Sophomore’s exhibition puts human body on display Study

By Andrew smyth contributing writer

There’s nothing quite like nude portraiture to start your morning off right.

Students and faculty wandering to lecture this week got their full dose in “What I Found in the Desert,” a solo exhibition by Maya Diablo Mason ’15, on display Oct. 19-26 in the First Floor Gallery of the List Art Center.

The collection includes a series of striking, intimate paintings of the human form, in addition to seven stainless steel and bronze sculptures.

Working in both two- and three-dimensional space, the artist creates a

arts & culture

panoramic environment of color and energy, uniting two media that at first glance seem disconnected.

Many of the paintings feature a spiraling, polychromatic background, echoes of which can be found in the sculptural silhouettes. According to an artist statement by Mason posted in the gallery, despite differences in subject and dimensionality, “the objective is the same: to examine the world through my own weird eyes.”

Mason, a double concentrator in visual art and English, won the chance to use the gallery in a lottery held by the visual art department last spring.

“There are three student galleries in List, and the space is assigned to students in week-long slots a semester in advance,” said Sheila Haggarty,

department manager for the visual art department. In an effort to give students “some professional experience,” the faculty imposes few curatorial restrictions on student exhibits other than a few basic guidelines, she said.

The sculptures were funded in part by a Charles Royce ’62 Fellowship, which provides up to 20 students each year with a grant “to explore their developing interests and passions and to extend the ideals of Brown’s open curriculum beyond the walls of the university,” according to the University website. Mason used her grant to experiment with metalwork at the Crucible, a sculpture facility in Oakland, Calif., according to the artist statement.

All the sculptures were created in

the span of a month, and this strong sense of time and place is implied by the inclusion of local flora and fauna, with abstract forms welded together fluidly.

The studio location informed the work in other ways as well, Mason said. “West Oakland’s not actually a place with a highly developed cultural center, because there are so many problems with poverty and education,” she said. “When I used the word ‘desert,’ it was to refer to the lack of a real fine arts presence.”

The pieces lend themselves well to the idea of generating something from nothing. Titles like “Mrs. God,” for a powerful female nude, and “The Birth of a New God,” for a contorted sculpture, re/ / Exhibit page 5

Paxson inauguration to continue legacy of celebration

By Aparna Bansal Features Editor

As President Christina Paxson steps onto the inaugural stage Saturday donning the presidential gown and chain, she will play the lead role in a University tradition that stretches back nearly 250 years.

The University will host a community event celebrating Paxson tonight at the Veterans Memorial Auditorium, with actress Kate Burton ’79 serving as the master of ceremonies. The formal inaugural ceremony will occur Saturday afternoon on the Main Green and will include a faculty procession, the president’s inaugural address and a reception.

“We’ve been much more proactive than in past inaugurations in terms of inviting the public,” said Russell Carey ’91, executive vice president for planning and policy, adding that the University advertised the events in publi-

feature

cations such as the East Side Monthly to reach out to the larger Rhode Island community.

“Every inauguration is a moment for celebration — an opportunity to engage faculty, students and members of the community,” said Marisa Quinn, vice president of public affairs and University relations. “We sought to have a forward-looking, optimistic, celebratory, welcoming theme.”

Though Paxson was sworn in her first day of office in July, the Saturday ceremony will introduce her to the community and incorporate several inauguration traditions, such as the presentation of a tin box containing a photocopy of the Brown charter.

“It’s an opportunity to … participate in something that doesn’t happen that often,” Carey said. “It’s an almost 250-year-old institution, and this is only the 19th person to be in that office.” emily gilbert / herald

Inauguration through the ages The Uni/ / Paxson page 2

The Manning Chair was donated to the University in the 1780s. Paxson will occupy the chair at her inauguration ceremony Saturday.

investigates alcohol intervention

By Kate nussenbaum Senior staff Writer

Though computer-delivered alcohol interventions can have short-term benefits, they are not as effective as face-to-face interventions in reducing college students’ alcohol consumption in the long term, according to a recent study led by Kate Carey, professor of behavioral and social sciences at Brown. The study highlights important components of interventions that these computer programs, which have grown increasingly popular on college campuses, could integrate to be more effective.

Carey’s study, which will be published in the December issue of the journal Clinical Psychology Review, analyzed the results of 48 previous studies. In most of the studies, heavy drinkers at public universities participated in at least one intervention session, either on the computer or in person. Most of the sessions provided them with information about alcohol and alcohol-related problems, feedback about their own level of consumption and comparisons of their alcohol consumption to other students. In many cases, students also participated in one or two follow-up assessments to test the effectiveness of the initial intervention.

“We have been immersed in this literature for a while and wondered what the big picture was … what studies in lots of different labs across different universities were revealing about the efficacy of these interventions,” Carey said. / / Alcohol page 6

science & research

2 campus news / / Paxson page 1

c alendar Today

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the brown daily herald friday, october 26, 2012

versity’s inauguration celebrations developed “from a simple rite to an elegant celebration,” according to Encyclopedia Brunoniana, a book detailing University history. No formal ceremony was held for the first four presidents, and subsequent presidents were inducted into their positions at a ceremony in a Baptist Church.

But the inauguration became a more elaborate affair with the appointment of William Faunce in 1899, when Harvard, Princeton and the University of Chicago presidents traveled to Brown to give speeches to commemorate the occasion.

In 1929, classes were canceled the Friday of Clarence Barbour’s inauguration weekend so that students and professors could attend festivities.

But these events were not universally popular. “The purpose of an inaugural ceremony is to give the heads of academic and scholarly institutions an opportunity to assemble and give each other reassurance that they are important. The colorful robes, the stately music, the assemblage of dignitaries, are all carefully planned to impress,” wrote Jean Braucher ’72 P’14 in a column in The Herald in 1970. “But the fact that no more than 200 students bothered to attend the inauguration of Donald F. Hornig shows that all the pomp doesn’t appeal to them.”

In 1977, the University faced budgetary problems, and incoming president Howard Swearer opted for a lowkey inauguration. Still, Russian cellist Mstislav Rostropovich performed at the event and celebrations continued over three days.

The biggest and most star-studded inauguration to date was that of Vartan Gregorian in 1989, said Jane Lancaster MA’93 PhD’98, University historian.

The event featured an address by Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Arthur Schlesinger and a performance of Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” by violinist Pinchas Zukerman. Huge parties were held to incorporate people from the New York Public Library, Gregorian’s former employer, into “Brown’s fundraising orbit,” Lancaster said.

Gregorian also made efforts to reach out the Rhode Island community, inviting the presidents of each of the state’s colleges and universities to sit in the front row.

“He made sure those guys all looked good and had a great place to sit, and he went out of his way to say, ‘I want to particularly express my thanks to my fellow presidents for showing up,’” said Robert Emlen, University curator.

“And I thought Vartan — he’s hot. He’s going to be great at this job.”

Brown’s last inauguration took place in 2001 with the induction of

Emily Gilbert / HErald

Though the original University charter was destroyed in a hurricane, this tin box, which will be presented to Paxson, contains a photocopy.

Ruth Simmons. The weekend festivities included faculty panels and an inaugural concert with performances by revered artists including author Toni Morrison. The celebration coincided with Brown’s homecoming football game against Princeton that year.

Tonight’s inaugural celebration event will feature student groups — the Brown University Jazz Band, Word!, Ghanian Drumming and Dance Ensemble, Badmaash Dance Company and Brown University/Trinity Repertory Company MFA students — as well as the What Cheer? Brigade and Providence poet Christopher Johnson.

Providence Mayor Angel Taveras, Gov. Lincoln Chafee ’75 P’14, U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., and Princeton President Shirley Tilghman will be speaking at the ceremony. Representatives from other universities, including the presidents of Rhode Island colleges and universities will be in attendance.

Former Brown presidents have also been invited.

Ceremony symbols In 1966, Ray Heffner became the first president to wear the presidential chain, which consists of 10 scallop shells that signify goodness and wisdom, according to the University’s inauguration website.

Heffner also wore the presidential gown, designed by the wife of Corporation fellow John Nicholas Brown in 1964 to have adjustable helms so it could be customized for each president, according to Encyclopedia Brunonia.

These traditions carry into today’s ceremonies. Along with the chain and gown, the chancellor will present the president with a mace, tin box and the Manning Chair.

The tin box, approximately 9 by 11 inches, has been in the University’s possession since the 1800s and originally held a ceremonial copy of the University’s charter printed on vellum, Lan-

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caster said. In 1937, at the inauguration of Henry Wriston, the box and charter appeared to have been misplaced.

Ben Brown, the marshal of ceremony that year, “leapt off the platform as the last bars of the processional march were sounding to look for the document,” The Herald reported April 6, 1989. Luckily, “an usher found it at the last instant under the arm of an alumnus sleeping in the back of the hall.”

Though it was initially stored in University Hall, at some point in the 20th century it was moved to a vault downtown at the Rhode Island Hospital Trust National Bank for greater security, Lancaster said.

In 1938, a hurricane struck Providence, and the box and the charter inside were both submerged in water.

“They opened the tin, and there was nothing,” Lancaster said. “The vellum was still there, but the vegetable ink had washed off.”

The vellum also no longer fit in the tin, as it had expanded due to its contact with water. Only the residue of the wax seal — the Rhode Island state motto “hope” — remained.

Today, the box contains a photocopy of the charter taken before the hurricane. Former Chancellor Stephen Robert ’62 P’91 alluded to this littleknown fact at Simmons’ inauguration when he said to her, “you know there’s nothing in there” — not realizing his microphone was still on, Lancaster said.

Despite its damaged state, the charter’s symbolic passing remains a key element of the ceremony.

The president will be seated on the Manning Chair for the inauguration ceremony Saturday. Made in Spain more than 300 years ago, the chair was donated to the University by its first chancellor, Stephen Hopkins, in the 1780s, when James Manning was president, Emlen said.

“The old schools all have a chair,” he said. “By sitting in this chair, the president assumes both literally and figuratively the authority to lead the University.”

Paxson will also be handed a historical mace or war club created by the Gorham Silver Company in the 1920s.

“It’s a great big heavy thing you have to carry with two hands,” Emlen said, adding that the names of the former Brown presidents are inscribed on the mace.

There seems to be a theme of “invented traditions” that have been incorporated into the ceremony over time, Lancaster said. But she added that they help trace back an institution’s history.

“This is just a public version of the private swearing in … (but) if you ig-

campus news 3

the brown daily herald friday, october 26, 2012

/ / Tenure page 1 ments to evaluate teaching in multiple ways and not simply rely on students’ evaluation forms,” said Kevin McLaughlin P’12, dean of the faculty.

McLaughlin listed peer evaluations by more senior colleagues as one viable alternative to student reviews, which are distributed to students in a class at the end of each semester.

But there is no uniform method for evaluating teaching, McLaughlin said. “There are different challenges in different kinds of classes,” he said, noting that having a faculty member sit in on a smaller class to observe the junior professor’s teaching might simply be too disruptive. “You have to try to figure out the teaching in each one of them.”

“TPAC doesn’t make any demands on a department, but we do ask for comprehensive discussion,” Breuer said. He criticized student evaluations as often not presented in an easily readable or comprehensible manner, saying that departments should be open to peer evaluations as a valuable complementary form of assessing teaching.

McLaughlin said his office continues to monitor reports of ineffective teaching and is working to ensure all departments have submitted documents clearly showing how they assess teaching. TPAC also takes into account any written observations from colleagues when assessing faculty members’ teaching, McLaughlin said.

But TPAC was generally pleased with the “quality and candid nature” of the teaching assessment reports presented by departments, according to the report.

“This is not an endemic problem,” Breuer said. “I think departments are always doing the best they can to ensure quality.”

As administrators have implemented the tenure reforms, they have faced the issue of how to weigh both teaching and research in tenure decisions. Tenure is based on three core components: teaching, research and “service,” which is measured in multiple ways, including organizing conferences, contributing to departmental committee work or reviewing academic papers.

But any perception that the new tenure rules have emphasized research at the expense of teaching is inaccurate, McLaughlin said. “In no way has that been an effect of the policy, and it is not the intention,” McLaughlin said, adding that he has dealt with cases where faculty members with significant research experience have been turned down for tenure because of inadequate teaching abilities.

Many department chairs stressed that teaching remains an integral part of the tenure process, and many expressed support for using peer evaluations alongside student comments to assess faculty teaching.

“We don’t consider it acceptable that someone may be a stellar researcher but a mediocre teacher,” said Roberto Tamassia, professor of computer science and chair of the department. Tamassia said his department considers numerous criteria for assessing teaching, including peer evaluations in which senior professors observe their colleagues deliver multiple lectures to judge their progress over time.

Tamassia said the computer science department also examines faculty

members’ impact beyond the University when reviewing tenure cases.

Professors can demonstrate strong teaching by having written influential textbooks or by creating educational websites for their courses, Tamassia said.

But others diverge on the weight given to instruction against research.

“I think we should say that while important, teaching is not the most important part of receiving tenure at Brown,” said Roberto Serrano, professor of economics and chair of the department. “Brown is a leading university in the world, and what is really important is the research component.”

Serrano said that while faculty members who are mediocre researchers will never get tenure in his department, he still values teaching. The economics department looks at the difficulty level of an assistant professor’s course, the quality of syllabi and the comments from student reviews as criteria for assessing teaching effectiveness, Serrano said.

“There’s a completely global evaluation of the teaching of each faculty member,” Serrano said. “With teaching, it would be dangerous to rely on just one statistic like students’ evaluations.”

Serrano added that while he attended a seminar at the Sheridan Center for Teaching and Learning on how to evaluate peers’ teaching skills, senior faculty members do not frequently sit in on junior colleagues’ classes. “We’ll leave that as a voluntary resource that a faculty member could use if he or she wants,” he said.

Echoing Serrano, Kenneth Chay, professor of economics, said teaching was not usually decisive in the outcome of tenure cases but definitely was taken into more serious consideration at Brown than at other national research universities.

“Relative to a liberal arts college, we put more emphasis on a worldclass researcher, but we don’t want people who are not educating the undergraduates and graduates at a world-class level,” Chay said. “If they were really bad, it could be a dealbreaker.”

Laura Bass, professor of Hispanic studies and chair of the department, said students’ feedback can be constructive in evaluating their professors’ teaching styles.

“If we see improvement in teaching in the first couple of years, we’re obviously going to take that into consideration,” Bass said, adding that professors who give different types of assignments in addition to a final paper or exam also demonstrate effective teaching.

The size of departments can also influence the effectiveness of assessing teaching. Evelyn Lincoln, associate professor of history of art and architecture and of Italian studies, said she felt her department was able to examine teaching well because of its small size.

Several junior faculty members agreed that, while research was central to tenure, teaching should not be overlooked.

Stephen Bush, assistant professor of religious studies, said teaching assessment was part of the annual review of all non-tenured faculty members who are on track to receive tenure.

“Research and scholarships are the priority,” he said, “but teaching is an important and essential aspect.”

Corp. to meet for first time under Paxson

By SHefali Luthra News Editor

In its first gathering under President Christina Paxson, the Corporation will meet this weekend to hear updates about Paxson’s recently formed strategic planning committees. The weekend will also include the official inauguration of Paxson as the University’s 19th president.

The six planning committees — focusing on areas including faculty retention, financial aid, online education, doctoral education, curricular innovations and University infrastructure — were convened at the start of the month to research topics that could influence Paxson’s academic agenda.

Because the committees were only recently formed, the meeting will serve mainly as an update on what the committees have discussed thus far and what the Corporation can “expect as the year unfolds,” said Russell Carey ’91 MA’06, executive vice president for planning and policy.

Though Paxson has already met most Corporation members, the occasion is “momentous” in a presidency, Carey said.

The Corporation may hear updates on the proposal to create a school for public health, Carey said. The proposal is slated to be voted on at the next faculty meeting. If passed, it would require approval from the provost, president and Corporation to be enacted. But, there is “nothing concrete” for the Corporation to act upon until the faculty vote, Carey said.

Members of the Corporation’s Cam-

herald file photo

The Corporation will meet for the first time under President Christina Paxson this weekend to discuss her six strategic planning committees. pus Life Committee will also review plans to implement gender-neutral housing for first-years. Though the gender-neutral plan does not require Corporation approval, members’ “input and perspective” can still prove valuable, said Margaret Klawunn, vice president for campus life and student services.

The University currently plans to implement gender-neutral housing for first-years by fall 2013, she added.

The weekend will also serve as a chance to honor the start of Paxson’s term. An inauguration celebration will take place tonight at the Veterans Memo-

rial Auditorium, and the official inauguration convocation will be held Saturday afternoon on the Main Green.

Administrators also expect the University to receive monetary gifts over the weekend, said Marisa Quinn, vice president for public affairs and University relations. Last February, the Corporation approved $28.6 million in gifts, and last October it approved over $30 million.

The meeting will be the first for three new Corporation members: Craig Barton ’77, William Twaddell ’63 and Alison Cohen ’09. Cohen is one of the Corporation’s two young alumni trustees.

4 arts & culture

the brown daily herald friday, october 26, 2012

Udacity co-founder talks online learning Bollywood offers unfair Muslim portrayal, prof says

By Kate Kiernan

Contributing Writer

The ongoing discussion about online learning and its evolving role within higher education continued Thursday afternoon at a talk given by Sebastian Thrun, co-founder and chief executive officer of Udacity, an online education program. Thrun’s lecture, hosted

by Professor of Computer Science Michael Littman, focused on the origins of Udacity, the structure of its classes and his vision of providing educational opportunities to millions of people across the world.

Thrun, also a research professor at Stanford University and a Google Fellow, said that he was “giving a lecture about why I hate lectures,” an aversion that is part of Udacity’s philosophy. Udacity, which currently offers 18 courses, aims “to bring accessible engaging, effective higher education to the world,” according to its mission statement.

In developing the model for Udacity, Thrun said he wanted to employ other kinds of learning, besides lectures, that allow students to become more engaged with the material. Students who take a Udacity class watch short lectures, take quizzes on the material and are given homework assignments to complete at their own speed rather than “on a timetable” like at major universities, Thrun said.

Thrun sees “self-paced learning” as the key to mastering material. There are more than 800,000 students enrolled in Udacity classes teaching subjects that include artificial intelligence and building a web browser. Upon

campus news

completing a course, students have the option to get certified at a small cost and become connected with job opportunities, according to Udacity.

Udacity offers massive open online courses — or MOOCs — for free, a stark contrast with the prohibitive costs of universities. Udacity courses reach millions of people who are unable to be a part of the American university system for socioeconomic reasons, which Thrun said is a step toward “democraticizing higher education” and a “more transparent” form of education. That transparency, he said, makes it possible to more effectively address student concerns as compared to a typical university course.

Brown is now among many schools across the country that offer online courses in formats like Udacity’s. As The Herald reported in September, the University recently announced a partnership with another online education company, Coursera. Through this partnership, the University will offer courses both for student credit and for public use beginning in June 2013. Littman said he believes that the University will benefit from this new collaboration. It will enhance the University’s image across the country and provide an opportunity for students to become “active participants” in their education, he said.

Littman, who taught an algorithms course to 16,000 students through Udacity last year, also acknowledged that there are drawbacks to the online classes. Since he was not an employee of the company, he was unable to access data about the class, including students’ grades and their demographics. He could only work with students through a discussion board by answering posted questions. Littman also said

it was difficult telling jokes without the instant response from a live audience, so he had to keep reminding himself to keep up his energy level to make the lectures appealing for the students listening.

Despite the generally positive feedback Thrun has received from students, he added that part of the benefit of online courses is being able to more clearly see strengths and weaknesses of the classes. The organization is focused on improving current course offerings, which are mostly science-based, before expanding into the humanities, he said. Once these courses are improved, Udacity can ensure its students are getting a high-quality education at an affordable cost, Thrun added.

Despite some of the obstacles Littman faced when teaching his first online class, he said he implemented some online materials to supplement his traditional graduate level classes.

He said that using an online learning program has enhanced his class, allowing it to be more of an exploration that challenges students to think for themselves rather than solely focusing on the “technical” details that can be dry in lecture. Online courses do not replace the classroom setting or teachers, he said. But, like textbooks, they can be an additional source of guidance to students.

Students said they appreciated Thrun’s vision for a reformed educational system and the current structure of Udacity. Liz Neu ’14 said the recent growth of MOOCs has made her more curious about how they will develop in the future. Jonathan Schear ’15 found it “inspiring” and said he had been pleased to learn that there were a broad range of students taking the classes. Both agreed that they would be open to taking online courses.

Thrun said he hopes that Udacity and other online educational programs can help students from different professional, educational and socioeconomic backgrounds succeed. He said he wants to restructure the way that people think about education into a “lifetime deal” rather than a process that ends upon college graduation.

He said he hopes Udacity can be a platform to help society become better educated and reach people who might have otherwise missed out on a chance to fulfill their academic potential.

By Ria Mirchandani contributing writer

Devoted fans of the Bollywood movie industry packed the Watson Institute for International Studies Tuesday to listen to Rachel Dwyer, professor of Indian cultures at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, give a talk entitled “Islamicate or Islamophobic?: Muslims in Hindi Cinema.”

Dwyer was invited by the Brown India-Initiative, in collaboration with other departments including the Office of International Programs and the Department of Religious Studies, to speak on one of her many research interests in her field of expertise: Hindi cinema.

Lina Fruzzetti, professor of anthropology, said she invited Dwyer to speak because Dwyer was concerned over the lack of a “good Indian Muslim citizen” in Bollywood cinema. Dwyer is an expert in the field of Hindi cinema with a bachelor’s degree in Sanskrit at SOAS. She has written books on the subject for the British Film Institute and is currently completing another book entitled “Bollywood’s India: Hindi Cinema as a Guide to Modern India.”

Most of the audience consisted of students from Fruzzetti’s undergraduate and graduate classes and were well versed in Bollywood terminology and Indian history. As a result, Dwyer was able to delve straight into the topic at hand — the representation of Islam not only as a religion, but as “Islamicate” — “a socio-cultural complex, found amongst Muslims and non-Muslims.” This abounds in the music, architecture, clothing, dialogues and the very essence of Hindi cinema.

Dwyer charted the changes in portrayals of Muslims in Indian cinema through its almost 100 year history. She began by acknowledging that though India is home to one of the largest Islamic populations — 17 percent of India’s total population — Muslims are still a minority community. Even though a large proportion of this minority community has been influential in shaping the Hindi film industry, today the role

of Hindi movie hero is still occupied by the North Indian male.

The real influence of Muslims in Hindi cinema became apparent when films began to incorporate sound in 1931. Urdu, a language spoken primarily by Muslims had an effect on the language of the films and their dialogue and songs, Dwyer said.

Urdu was the language of the Islamic court at a time when Muslim rulers controlled a large part of India, Dwyer said. It was romantic and elegant, and, as a result, made the “image of Muslims bouncing poetry at every opportunity part of popular imagination in India cinema,” Dwyer said. This was one of the many manifestations of Islamicate in Indian cinema, in addition to the melodic Bollywood songs that drew from Sufi influences — though the video clips accompanying these songs often included wine and other images that do not match traditional Islamic beliefs.

As directors sought to reach a broader audience with their films, they replaced the Urdu with the more colloquial Hindi language, but retained those Islamicate components, such as themes from the Arabian Nights, which were “exotic even within India.” Around the time of 1947 when India was rife with communal violence, movies used the Islamicate to promote national unity.

Some historical movies highlighted the Hindu-Muslim relationships of the subcontinent, to prove that “India’s past doesn’t belong to any one community.”

Dwyer focused the latter part of her talk on how the portrayal of Muslims in Hindi cinema had changed in the 2000s after 9/11. She pointed out that a film would not gain popularity if it showed Muslims in India as terrorists — as a result, several movies told stories of Indian Muslims who became terrorists outside of India. Movies in this time frame portrayed Muslims as either evil or meeting their demise. She concluded her talk by noting that Muslims in Hindi cinema today are not properly represented — they are only shown to fit a stereotype.

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arts & culture 5

the brown daily herald friday, october 26, 2012

Self-exiled Syrian author PW production blends comedy, philosophy voices criticisms of regime

By Emily Boney

Contributing Writer

By emmajean holley contributing writer

Chairs were closely clustered around a table of tea and homemade baklava in the Chelovich Family Lounge of the literary arts building this Thursday.

In the intimate and informal environment, Nihad Sirees read from his novel, “Silence and the Roar,” the text marked with crossed-out lines and marginal notes.

The Syrian writer is the latest recipient of Brown’s International Writers Program fellowship, which was developed just under 10 years ago to provide an opportunity for oppressed or threatened writers and artists from around the world to come to Brown and express themselves without fear of censorship or political backlash.

Much of Sirees’ artistic inspiration is drawn from the social backdrop of his native city, Aleppo. “It is a special city,” he told The Herald. “It was one of the first independent cities in the world, and its culture reflects these deep roots.”

As a boy, he sequestered himself in his father’s extensive library, he said. “I read anything. Anything. My favorites were the tales from ‘Arab Nights.’”

He was also inspired by stories told to him by his grandmother in his youth, he said. “(She) told me strange stories of strange worlds, of brave heroes making impossibilities into possibilities.”

Years later, when his grandmother was dying, he retold to her the stories that she had ingrained in him at a young age. “She laughed and asked me where I’d gotten these stories from — she didn’t remember. But I did,” he said.

Sirees channeled this interest in literature into a politically-charged career. “Silence and the Roar” depicts the personal and political implications of a cruel dictatorship.

The selection Sirees read portrayed a conversation between the polemic narrator and his aging mother, who tries to hide her concern over her son’s safety in an increasingly unstable environment. The read also depicted a corrupted leader and the rippling impact of his twisted policies through a symbolic anecdote of him physically falling and being caught by the narrator.

“The reading gave a sense not only of the personal nature of the work, but also of the book’s larger social project,” said Cole Swensen, chair of Brown’s literary arts program.

“The novel is not only elegantly written, but also historically and socially intense,” said Gale Nelson, Brown’s literary arts academic program director. “It focuses the reader on the political context of the piece as well as its emotional registration.”

A significant aspect of the novel is its intentional ambiguity. The corrupted leader is not named, nor is the country, but the parallels between the novel and Syrian dictatorship speak for themselves. The vague language was a necessary safety measure by Sirees — a self-protecting strategy against government wrath.

“I thought it was really compelling that he framed his story in such general terms,” said Ben Luton, a first-year student in Brown’s literary arts graduate program for poetry. “As an outsider to these political upheavals, it was interesting to consider the intellectual responses to the regime.”

The book was written in 2004, but due to censorship it was sent to Lebanon for publication, Sirees said.

From there it was smuggled back into Syria, distributed and later exported.

After being targeted by the government for the critical undertones in his work, Sirees said he left the country to live in self-imposed exile in Egypt.

“It was impossible to live there anymore as a writer,” he told The Herald. “It is not just about eating and drinking. Writers — we need peaceful and calm circumstances in order to think and create.”

“I think (IWP is) one of the most important things Brown does,” Swensen said. “It’s not just an idea but something that concretely aids individuals. The freedom to write is essential to freedom in general. You cannot have a free society without freedom of expression. The fact that Brown concretely supports this change in the world is, in my opinion, a feather in its cap.”

A committee member of IWP, Nelson said Sirees was selected by the IWP based on his living situation and the quality of his work. “It was really a marriage of factors, namely his unfortunate circumstances and his literary talents,” he said.

For those that enjoy musical theater, shiver-worthy harmonies, a dazzling cast and upbeat dance numbers, Production Workshop’s “Company” will be sure to delight. In contrast, anyone more philosophically-minded will appreciate the nuanced, soul-searching plot brought to life by the depth and clarity of the characters. And those just looking for a laugh will certainly get it — though the themes are heavy, witty dialogue keeps the show light and fun to watch.

Opening tonight in the Downspace, “Company” is the story of single and thirty-something Bobby, a perpetual good friend and complicit third wheel, played by Jesse Weiss ’16. Though he’s surrounded by good friends and has the freedom to pursue any girl he chooses, deep down, Bobby wishes for something more: a meaningful relationship, a wife and a family. The musical delves into his innermost thoughts and desires, touching on themes of aging in the modern world and self-definition.

Director Rachel Borders ’13 said she has always loved everything about “Company” — the music, the plot and how each scene can stand on its own. Borders said she chose the musical because it was “colorful and interesting.” Her overarching vision for the show was to get the audience

/ / Exhibit page 1 inforce this sense of cosmic energy.

“It’s kind of a proclamation that I’m the creator,” Mason said.

In “Lothario,” an androgynouslooking figure sits cross-legged in a psychedelic web of color, smooth, elegant legs juxtaposed with broad shoulders and heavy hands. The amalgamation of body parts provides a subtle dialogue between the masculine and the feminine throughout the exhibit.

“It’s fun to play with the differences and similarities between the genders in the brushwork and colors,” Mason said, acknowledging the influence of Jenny Saville, a painter known for her large-scale, sexually ambiguous nudes.

“I invented this character that’s partly my family members and partly my imagination.”

@the_herald

to understand what it felt like to be Bobby, and she wanted a feeling of “claustrophobia” in both the set and Weiss’ portrayal, she said.

“Bobby is a chameleon trapped by friends and relationships,” she said.

“He lets them change him … he isn’t assertive until the end of the show.”

Borders said she wanted audience members to examine their own relationships after watching the show.

The essential question of “Company,” she said, is “Do you define your relationships, or do they define you?”

Borders said that though she has never directed or been a part of a Production Workshop show, she loved the process. “Everyone involved seems just as happy with the production as I am,” Borders said.

She said her crew was integral to the success of the production, and the technical aspects of the show attest to that statement. Particularly impressive are the lighting and sound crews and the live orchestra accompaniment.

The set is ethereal but stark — the color scheme is black and gold, evoking the feeling of a subway station. Borders said she wanted the set to have a sense of motion due to its setting in New York City. The lighting adapts to the atmosphere of each scene. During one of Bobby’s many epiphanies, he is lit solely from behind, creating a dramatic silhouette.

Weiss said he was most able to

connect to Bobby through their shared personality traits, as they’re both “a little sarcastic, but genuine and friendly.”

“He wears his heart on his sleeve,” Weiss said. He said both he and his character care about the people around them but at times too much.

Weiss said he found the themes of adulthood and marriage difficult to portray due to his inexperience. “I’m only 18,” he said.

The rest of the cast is also extraordinarily talented, and each character brings their distinct flavor to the show. Bobby’s friends are an eclectic group of couples, a representation of the diversity of the cast itself — Borders said she sought to cast actors from any and all class years.

The other main characters consist of Bobby’s Rolodex of lovers, from the fiery Christina Ames ’15 to the more tame Hannah Magolin ’16 and Ellen Zahniser ’14.

Standout songs from the show include the opening number “Company,” “You Could Drive a Person Crazy”— sung by Bobby’s trifecta of women — and “Getting Married Today.”

Weiss said he hopes that audience members enjoy the play for its divergence from the typical musical in that it has a subtly happy ending. “Love is worth it, but it can hurt,” Weiss said.

“Company” is playing Oct. 26-29 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 28 at 2 p.m.

The paintings also treat the viewer to a host of chromatic surprises — a breast painted blue, yellow armpits, a green nose. This playful color palette was informed in part by a vision problem Mason has had since childhood, she said.

“When I look at anything, there’s this kind of veil of translucent colors that vibrates over the surface. In my work I really exacerbate that to show

what it’s like to see through my eyes,” she said.

The synthesis of highly personal interpretations with an improvised flair for the fantastic makes for a highly original body of work. The gallery space may be accessible to the passerby, but this collection of thoughtful, engaging art invites the viewer to linger for perhaps quite a bit longer.

6 science & research Archaeology class excavates Quiet Green

By Phoebe Draper Senior Staff Writer

A quick scan of the Quiet Green displays all of the usual fixtures: lounging students, sunny steps, stately trees, long shadows and wait — an archaeological excavation?

Shovels, geophysical surveying tripods, sieves and buckets of dirt are a change of pace on the oldest part of the University’s campus. Ten students, enrolled in a course called ARCH 1900: “The Archaeology of College Hill,” crouch around a series of exposed excavation sites near Hope College.

The class offers students a “hands-on introduction to archaeological excavation,” said Alex Knoddel GS, instructor of the course. A five-week dig serves as the focal point of the course, supplemented with readings and discussions that generate a comprehensive understanding of archaeological dig methodologies and techniques.

“This is a cool opportunity to get down and dirty with my childhood aspirations,” said Christopher Thompson ’15, who is taking the course.

The class consists of students with a wide range of concentrations, including anthropology, Egyptology, history and biology.

This is the first year since the course was launched in 2006 that the excavation has been conducted on the University’s campus. Previous dig sites include the First Baptist Church and the John Brown House, said Susan Alcock, director of the Joukowsky Institute for Archaeology.

The on-campus dig is “more exciting” because it offers a unique opportunity to learn about early student life, Knoddel said.

Prior to breaking ground near Hope College, each member of the class researched Brown’s history and wrote a five-page paper proposing a campus dig site.

“A lot of narrowing had to be done,” said Caity Mylchreest ’14. After contemplating digs on Pembroke, near the Faculty Club and even the Admission Office, “we came to a consensus” to perform the excavation on the Quiet Green, Mylchreest said.

The team selected the Quiet Green because it is “the earliest part of campus,” Knoddel said. “The Quiet Green used to be the Main Green of the University,” he added, citing Hope College, University Hall and the original Presi-

Courtesy of linda gosner

Students in ARCH 1900: “The Archaeology of College Hill” took to the Quiet Green first for an excavation project of sites around Hope College. dent’s House as the University’s original structures.

Of particular interest to the group is the President’s House, a structure that once stood on the Quiet Green but has since been replaced by lawn. The class conducted a geophysical survey of the Quiet Green using ground-penetrating radar to determine the location of the house’s foundation. The radar signal is shot into the ground and, depending on how quickly the signal bounces back, subterranean material — such as foundation, brick or soil — can be distinguished.

“We’ve determined that the structure exists, and that it is about oneand-a-half meters below the ground,” Knoddel said.

But the excavation of the President’s House has been postponed due to President Christina Paxson’s inauguration festivities, Knoddel said.

“We all keep wanting to gravitate over there,” Mylchreest said. In the meantime, the group has broken ground at the base of Hope College.

“We have found beer bottles and garbage that people have been throwing out of dorm windows since 1800,” Knodell said.

The team has also uncovered three bullet casings dated between 1860 and 1912, broken glass, ceramic, nails and some bones — “probably bird,” said Eddie Cleofe ’15.

Additionally, three pennies, dated

1975, 1980 and 1982 were found within a small area.

“It’s neat to think, ‘Whose pocket did those fall out of?,’” Thompson said.

The students got a chance to highlight their work to parents and peers last Saturday at the Joukowsky Institute’s National Archaeology Day festival. Visitors assisted with the soil sieving process and observed a taped outline that marked the foundation of the original President’s House determined by the class’s geophysical survey.

In four weeks the dig will wrap up and the team will take their findings to the lab to analyze the material. They will then publish their conclusions online.

The Archaeology of College Hill course is “an entire archaeological project in one semester,” Alcock said.

“This is really modern-day application,” Mylchreest said.

Despite the fact that students are digging up sections of the Quiet Green lawn, “the president, provost and facilities have been immensely supportive,” according to Alcock.

Combined with the class’ previous projects, “we’re building up glimpses into the past of Providence,” Alcock said.

And with the 250th anniversary of the University approaching, investigating the University’s past is a relevant and worthwhile endeavor. “Archaeology surrounds us every day of our lives, we just aren’t aware of it,” Alcock said.

/ / Alcohol page 1 Carey’s team found that at shortterm follow-ups within 13 weeks of the intervention, both students who received the CDIs and the FTFIs showed decreased alcohol consumption when compared to the control group, which received an alcohol assessment but no education or feedback.

But in the intermediate and longterm follow-ups, only the FTFI group differed significantly from the control group.

Neither the number of interventions nor their duration impacted their effectiveness, a result Carey described as “counterintuitive.”

Face-to-face interventions are done by trained counselors and educators, which ensures some level of quality standardization, Carey said. “The data did suggest the effects of the CDI are more heterogeneous,” Carey said. “It’s entirely possible that some of them were just not thoughtfully designed.”

In addition to examining the interventions’ overall effectiveness, Carey’s team examined which components improved their performance. For example, the CDIs that identified high-risk situations actually performed poorer than those that did not. Carey’s team also found that the effectiveness of the CDIs was lower for females compared to males.

Designing a better CDI is definitely possible, Carey said. Many of the components that made the FTFI interventions successful, like personalized feedback “can be translated to computer delivery,” Carey said.

Brenda Curtis, a health communication research scientist at the Treatment Research Institute in Philadelphia, was not affiliated with Carey’s study but has developed web-based intervention programs to help treat people addicted to smoking. She said she was not surprised by the results of the study. The current CDIs on the market are not living up to their full potential, she said.

“The study points out, ‘Guys, get on your game,’” Curtis said. “It’s time for us to up the ante, do some more rigorous work and figure out what works and what we need to do.”

When she examined interventions in her own research, she found that certain kinds of personal tailoring improved their efficacy, she said.

When a person enters information about their drinking behavior

/ / Soccer page 12 tried to bring that strong play to their midweek non-conference game at Harvard but could not manage another successful result.

The two squads faced off two weeks ago in a matchup that ended with a 4 - 1 C r i ms on victory in Provi- Harvard 1 dence. But while Brown 0 the first game was very much dominated by Harvard, this week saw a more even contest.

Both teams had a similar number of opportunities, with Bruno taking 14 shots and Harvard managing 13.

Each side’s goalie registered five saves.

The game-winning goal eluded both teams until overtime. In the 92nd minute, Harvard sent a corner kick high and to the far post. The ball found Brooke Dickens, who headed it downwards into the middle of the box.

the brown daily herald friday, october 26, 2012

and views on alcohol, “computer programs now just say, ‘Oh, you drink four drinks. Well, that’s more than the college norms,’” Curtis said. “That’s basic level stuff, as opposed to getting down to things theoretically and clinically to things that change behavior,” Curtis said. CDIs have great potential to deliver personalized and engaging feedback, she said.

A weakness of Carey’s study was that it did not examine any comprehensive approaches to alcohol education, Curtis said. She added that the CDIs should have been held to a higher standard by being tested against an active control, rather than against a group that did not receive any type of alcohol education. But, she said, many of the programs may not have fared well in such a comparison.

“We’re hoping people can use these findings to work towards even better interventions,” Carey said.

At Brown, any student who has been treated by Brown Emergency Medical Services or encounters disciplinary difficulties due to alcohol must set up an appointment with a counselor, said Frances Mantak, director of health education.

Counselors will talk to students about the specific time they ran into trouble and give them feedback about how their drinking compares to their peers, Mantak said. Such interventions are usually only one session, though people in high-risk situations may have follow-up appointments.

Last year, 183 students were referred for appointments from Brown EMS, and 40 were referred from Providence Rescue, Mantak said, adding that 11 were referred from the deans. Fortyeight percent of students who came in for appointments were first-years and about 15 percent were returning for at least a second visit.

CDIs could potentially help free up time so that health educators may focus on other aspects of alcohol education, like prevention, Mantak said. But there are some personal conversations that would be difficult for a computer to replicate. If someone is using marijuana to manage anxiety, for example, or is a low-risk drinker who grew up with an alcoholic, a computer program may not be able to zone in on the important topics to discuss.

“Lots of times, I’m helping them not be too hard on themselves that they got EMS-ed, and it’s hard for a computer to do that,” Mantak said.

In the middle of a tight scrum, with six players from each squad inside the 6-yard box, Elizabeth Weisman managed to kick the ball into the corner of the goal, winning the match for the Crimson. The victory marked the 250th career win for Harvard’s Head Coach Ray Leone, who is in his sixth season with the Crimson.

Going into the last three games of the season, Pitney said she hopes the Bears will “finish off strong, win the rest of our games so we can get a winning season.”

Pincince agreed with Pitney’s aims for the final weeks and recalled the team’s strong start to the season.

“Hopefully, we can continue how we started,” he said. “That would be awesome for this group.”

The Bears will return to Ivy League play this Saturday when they travel to face Penn (8-5-1, 4-1), currently third in the conference.

8 campus news

the brown daily herald friday, october 26, 2012

Teach-in highlights effects of dirty coal Panels address municipal pension crisis, reform By alexa pugh

senior staff writer

A panel of environmental experts and activists addressed students at Brown Divest Coal’s teach-in last night to discuss the environmental, social and political effects of the world’s dependence on coal.

The teach-in is part of Brown Divest Coal’s campaign to convince the University not to invest in the coal industry. Earlier this month, the group presented a letter to President Christina Paxson, asking the University to divest specifically from what the letter called the “filthy fifteen,” the 15 highestpolluting coal companies in the nation.

The list of companies includes American Electric Power, Ameren and Edison International.

“Climate change is the issue of our generation, and it trickles down to every aspect of human life,” said Kristy Choi ’15, a member of the group.

Timothy Herbert, professor of geological sciences and chair of the department, began the event by offering a scientific perspective, discussing how both computer models and geological history show a long precedent of natural fluctuations in the earth’s climate. He debunked the myth that the climate has remained stable over the last hundreds of thousands of years but stressed that humans have contributed greatly to the rising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

“The consequences of what we do

today and what our parents did before us cannot be turned off like a switch,” Herbert said. There is no “silver bullet” technology that will reduce coal dependence, but “to make the choice to base our economy on the dirtiest and cheapest source of fuel is a very bad way to go,” he said.

Reducing dependence on coal also must take into account international factors, said Dawn King, visiting assistant professor in environmental studies.

Divesting from dirty coal companies will not cause them to stop production, but rather to sell to countries other than the United States. Sixty-nine percent of China’s electric energy comes from coal, and China recently surpassed the U.S. in the amount of green gases produced.

Stephanie Malin, a postdoctoral fellow in environmental studies, addressed the social and environmental justice issues of coal production. Coal extraction methods like mountain topping and longwall mining can destroy homes or place unfair burdens on natural resource dependent communities that often lack sovereignty, she said.

People who live near coal mining areas and coal-fire power plants experience high rates of cancer, respiratory problems and asthma from particulate matter and even premature spine deterioration due to methylmercury exposure, she said.

Activist Dustin Steele, who is the grandson of a West Virginia coal miner and a member of the group Radical

Action for Mountain Peoples’ Survival, added a personal perspective on the detrimental effects of coal production on the health and livelihoods of Appalachian coal-mining communities. He emphasized that the issue is one that disproportionately affects the poor, adding that Brown has the moral responsibility to take ownership of its actions as a privileged institution.

“This is a human issue, this is an ethics issue, this is a human rights issue, and that can’t be stressed enough,” he said.

Members of Brown Divest Coal closed the event with a brief question and answer session and a discussion of past successes in persuading the University to divest from companies that practiced unethical behavior.

Divest Coal has received 1,500 signatures on a petition the group drafted at the beginning of the semester urging the University to revoke its investments in the coal industry.

The University’s financial records are closed to the public, so Divest Coal members do not know how much money is currently invested in coal and fossil fuel burning companies, group member Emily Kirkland ’13 told The Herald in early October.

Beppie Huidekoper, vice president for finance and administration, also told The Herald in early October that she was uncertain if the University invests in any of the companies from which Brown Divest Coal is seeking divestment.

By Sona Mkrttchian Senior Staff Writer

Though Rhode Island’s current unfunded municipal pension liability stands at $2.1 billion, it only amounts to a fraction of the $7 trillion liability problem plaguing cities and towns across the country.

Two panels of policy experts, local politicians and state officials analyzed the origins and repercussions of this widespread issue Thursday night during the Taubman Center for Public Policy and American Institutions’ annual Anton/Lippitt Conference on Urban Affairs entitled “Pensions in Peril: How Municipalities are Defusing this Fiscal Time Bomb.”

“This is an issue that not only confronts us here in Rhode Island, but the whole nation,” said Marion Orr, director of the Taubman Center.

The center was drawn to the topic when they saw “calls from around the country for pension reform,” and the local controversy that arose when the state legislature passed pension reform last November, he said.

The state legislation was unpopular among active workers and retirees due to restrictive provisions to the state pension plan, which they argued breached earlier promises.

Robert Clark, a professor from North Carolina State University, began the dialogue by presenting a short history of the development of public sector pension plans. Clark traced their origin back to disability plans first utilized by national militaries in the 19th century.

Clark pointed to multiple problems with the funding of current systems — such as low retirement eligibility rates and lack of regular pension contributions — and suggested changes need to be made to current regulations in order to create a more sustainable system.

Joshua Rauh, a professor of finance at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, followed Clark with a presentation on his research that exposes the hidden budget shortfalls with which most municipalities grapple. Rauh used quantitative examples to show that federal Governmental Accounting Standards Board regulations allow municipalities to incorporate expected returns on investments into budget calculations.

This practice enables these cities and towns to operate on underfunded budgets, despite state laws requiring them to report and operate from annually balanced budgets. Because municipalities traditionally invest pension plans in stocks and bonds, the current economic recession has only exacerbated the deficits within these plans, he said.

“The real problem is that our pension promises are guarantees but the returns on these investments are not guaranteed,” Rauh said.

Eileen Norcross, senior research fellow at the Mercatus Center at

city & state

George Mason University, rounded off the first panel by praising General Treasurer Gina Raimondo for working with policymakers to institute last year’s R.I. Retirement Security Act of 2011, the controversial plan that reduced the state unfunded pension liability by almost $3 billion. In this respect, Rhode Island stands as an example for other states, like Pennsylvania and California, which need to make even more drastic cuts, she said.

“Rhode Island got some principles right but when you look at the numbers, they need to go farther,” Norcross said.

The next panel discussed how the state and municipalities are working together to manage the pension problem.

Both Warwick Mayor Scott Avedisan and Pawtucket Mayor Donald Grebien said they were working with their respective city councils to resurrect critically underfunded pension plans within their municipalities. But they agreed that local politics was getting in the way of the larger reform they envision.

“It’s very difficult to get people to think about 10 years down the line when they have to worry about elections next year,” Avedisan said, referencing the difficulty of working alongside a city council that operates on short terms. “When you have a political process that doesn’t want to move, that doesn’t want to change, that’s one of the biggest problems you have.”

Gayle Corrigan, chief of staff to the Central Falls receiver, presented on the city’s bankruptcy, explaining the motivation behind drastic cuts made to retiree pension plans — cutting some benefits by over 50 percent.

Bankruptcy, though largely viewed as a last-resort option for municipalities, has been utilized by at least 26 cities and towns across the country since 2010.

“Pensions were a big reason why Central Falls filed for bankruptcy,” Corrigan said. “We’ve heard a lot today about how pensions are a math problem, but I also want to point out that it’s also a cultural problem.”

Very early in the proceedings, the state realized that the pension system in Central Falls had been abused for years as workers opted to retire on disability plans instead of the standard option, because a larger portion of the disability plan was tax-exempt, Corrigan said. And while she said the workers should not be blamed for acting rationally and wanting to maximize their retirement benefits, decades of this type of practice take a huge toll on pension funding.

Educating active workers on the figures and feasibility of different plans was integral to redefining a more stable system, she said. And once workers understood fiscal constraints, Corrigan said, “they wanted to make sure they did everything so that (bankruptcy) would not happen again.”

Thanks for reading!

sports friday 9

the brown daily herald friday, october 26, 2012

Football

Bears expect aggressive battle with Quakers

By Jake Comer Sports Editor

The football team’s hopes of an Ivy League championship rely heavily on their Saturday matchup at Penn, against a team Head Coach Phil Estes said may be hungry for revenge on the Bears.

“The whole thing about Penn is that we shut them out last year,” Estes said. That victory snapped the Quakers’ 18-game Ivy winning streak, which landed them league titles for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. The Penn squad (2-4, 2-1 Ivy) has struggled this year and is coming into the battle against the Bears (4-2, 1-2) after a 27-13 loss to Yale.

“We’re playing them at home — I’m sure they’ve got a chip on their shoulder,” Estes added. “And plus, the way they look at things, if they beat us, they keep themselves in the Ivy race.”

The Bears are still in the running after taking down Cornell last weekend, 21-14, with some of their best playing of the season. Bruno raked in a season-high 452 yards on offense and bullied Big Red quarterback Jeff Mathews, 2011’s Ivy League Player of the Year, with three interceptions and three sacks.

Tailback Jordan Reisner ’14, Bruno’s fifth-stringer only two weeks ago, made a quick mark with 193 rushing yards and two touchdowns. With Spiro Theodhosi ’13, Cody Taulbee ’14 and Mark Kachmer ’13 all sitting out with injuries, Reisner took his first real chance at collegiate play and cashed it in for extraordinary success, earning the New England Football Writers’ Gold Helmet Award as New England’s Player of the Week.

“I wasn’t even sure what it was when I got it, but (Coach Estes) explained it to me,” Reisner said. “It’s very rewarding.”

Theodhosi won the same award for his 120-yard performance against Holy Cross Sept. 15.

Without their top three running backs, the Bears prepared themselves to reorganize their offense and fill the holes where their formidable ball carriers had once been. But Reisner’s impressive performance has made the adjustments easier.

“As a team, we know what we’re capable of doing,” Reisner said. “We feel like we’re in stride.”

If the Quakers can slow that pace, Estes said, they will do it with a daunting defense that is “as good on the run as they are on the pass.”

“They play in a really aggressive style. Once that ball is thrown, or that ball is handed off, there are 11 guys that are attacking it,” he added.

Penn’s formidable defensive line, led by First Team All-Ivy Brandon Copeland, may be tough to handle, and Reisner said the Penn defense can

Picks from Ivy League Sports Writers The Brown Daily Herald

The Daily Princetonian

The Dartmouth

The Harvard Crimson

Yale.

“Was last week a turning point for Yale? We’ll see.”

Columbia.

“Maybe the ugliest game of the year?

When in doubt, pick the home team.”

Columbia.

“Yale has been struggling and Columbia has played well in their last two games. In a season of parody, the Lions finally get a W.”

Yale.

“After looking flat for much of the year, Yale showed some life last week in a 27-13 upset over Penn. The Bulldogs should keep that streak going against a Columbia squad that has one league win in the past two seasons.”

Princeton.

“Cornell is really struggling to execute and Princeton is fresh off a huge upset with the Ivy title in sight.”

Princeton.

“Cornell ran for 0 yards last week.

Da waaaaat?

Statistically Princeton is not great, but if they can find a way to beat Harvard, the Tigers can get one past Cornell as well.”

Princeton.

“Jeff Mathews will score points, but Princeton will pull out another whatwas-that? victory late in the game.”

Cornell.

“Cornell’s offense generates more than enough points over a weak Princeton Defense.”

Princeton.

“After completing a shocking comeback last week against Harvard, Princeton has emerged as the favorite to take the Ivy title. A stingy Tigers defense gives the team the edge here, but this one could go down to the wire if Jeff Mathews regains his early-season form.”

Harvard.

“Blowout alert here—Harvard will be angry, and Dartmouth will be its victim.

The Big Green played a sloppy game to beat Columbia last week, and will need a much better effort to compete with the Crimson. “

Harvard.

“Harvard will be angry after losing their first game since August of last year.”

Harvard.

“I can’t see Harvard losing again this season.”

Harvard.

“Everything needed to break right for the Crimson to lose last week; it won’t happen again this year.”

Dartmouth.

“Yes, we know that Harvard is favored.

Yes, we know that Harvard has better player personnel.

But you know what?

We don’t care.

It’s Dartmouth Homecoming, which means anything in possible.

Dartmouth 21Harvard 20.

Harvard.

“Even after its 14-game winning streak ended in stunning fashion last week, Harvard is still the class of the league.

With added motivation following that loss and an offense that no team has had an answer for all season, the Crimson should have no problem knocking off a middleof-the-pack Dartmouth squad.”

Brown.

“Penn just hasn’t had it all click at once yet this season. It’ll probably be close, but I think Brown wins.”

Brown.

“Brown is back on track.”

Penn.

“I guess I’m a homer considering how poorly Penn has played this season. But it’s homecoming for the Quakers, who will be playing with an even greater sense of urgency.”

Brown.

“Save for Week 5, Brown’s been really good this year.

Penn...has not.”

Penn.

“Penn gets back on track after last week’s loss.”

Brown.

“Picked to finish second in the Ivy League, Penn has looked increasingly fallible throughout the season, culminating in an ugly loss to Yale last week.

Even back at the friendly confines of Franklin Field, the Quakers don’t have enough to fend off a tough Brown attack.”

Editors/Writers Jake Comer and Lindor

Myles Simmons

Quintin Schwab

Megan Soisson

Kevin Whitaker

Brett Drucker and Noah Reichblum

Bobby Samuels

Pick Accuracy

58% (7/12)

58% (7/12)

50% (5/10)

58% (7/12)

42% (5/12)

58% (7/12)

Columbia vs.

Yale Total Votes Columbia: 3 Yale: 4

Cornell vs.

Princeton Total Votes Cornell: 1 Princeton: 6

Dartmouth vs.

Harvard Total Votes Dartmouth: 1 Harvard: 6

Brown vs.

Penn Total Votes Brown: 5 Penn: 2

Columbia Daily Spectator

The Cornell Daily Sun

The Daily Pennsylvanian

Yale.

“Yale’s defense hasn’t shown itself to be particularly strong this season, but the Lions still don’t really have an offense (though they’re finally averaging double digit points per game!)”

Columbia.

“Light Blue has got to win this one, right?

Might be the best chance for a W Columbia has the rest of the season.”

Yale.

“Yale will be fired up after win over Penn.”

Princeton.

“As last week’s matchup against Brown showed, Jeff Mathews can’t consistently win a game on his own (even though he comes close); his arm will keep it competitive, but the Tigers will come out on top by a small margin.”

Princeton.

“Princeton has to be riding high after its incredible comeback last week, but beware of the letdown. Jeff Mathews could make it tough.”

Harvard.

“Last week’s results were weird, but not weird enough to warrant choosing a weak Big Green over a dominant Harvard team. The Crimson will come out on top by at least two TDs.“

Brown.

“Some might say Bruno’s rush success against Cornell was lucky, but you don’t run the ball 193 yards on luck alone.

Breakout running back Jordan Reisner will help lead the Bears to another victory against a mediocre Penn defense.”

Qunaj

50% (6/12)

be exceptionally hard to read.

“Penn does a little bit more disguising, so I think the biggest challenge will be recognizing what defense they’re in,” he said.

The Quakers’ previous opponent handled that defense effectively last week. The Bulldogs registered 376 offensive yards on their way to the victory, and Penn did not manage any sacks or force any turnovers. The Quakers are seventh in the Ivy League in points allowed ranked third from the bottom in yards allowed per game.

The Bears’ defensive squad proved themselves by completely shutting down the Big Red’s running game last week, yielding zero net yards.

Defensive lineman Ross Walthall ’13 said the Bears’ rush defense will be key against the Quakers and their quarterback, Billy Ragone, who tucked it away and ran 45 yards against Yale.

“Their quarterback is a very different player” from Mathews, Walthall said. “He’s a lot faster.”

Ragone can be a threat in the air, Estes said, but the Bears’ defensive success Saturday will hang on the run game. “They’re a running offense that lives off a little bit of the play action,” he said.

“It comes down to toughness,” Walthall said. “And we need to stop the run.”

With a conference record one game worse than the Quakers’, Don-

nelly said this weekend’s contest is “a must-win” for Bruno, whose championship chances would fade with a loss.

“It’s like us against the world right now,” Donnelly said.

And for some of the older Bears, part of the motivation is personal, he added. “We don’t forget two years ago when we went down there … pretty much with the championship on the line, and we got beat,” he said.

“Still leaves us with a bad taste in our mouths.”

Both teams will be looking to avenge losses this week, but Walthall said the Penn-Brown battle is always exceptional.

“We always have a really exciting game with Penn,” he said. “Every single year both teams bring their best, and it’s just a game that means a lot to all of us.”

/ / TV page 12 McCarver’s lengthy explanation of why he accidentally called Pablo Sandoval “Pandoval.”

I suppose what most infuriates the Internet community is the fact that these people get paid huge sums of money for a job they don’t do particularly well. Personally, I can’t enjoy a game properly without decent commentary. But what gets my goat is the “studio” analysis. You can see that it fulfills a need for a sport like soccer, where there are more complicated tactics and styles of play. Personnel changes in the game require pre-game explanations.

Baseball has no such strategies, and the only explanation you ever hear about a lineup change is “righty-lefty matchup” or “he has good numbers against this

comic Join the Club | Simon Henriques

guy.” Does that warrant an entire preand post-game charade?

Frankly, the Internet does a better job at all of this. The analysis is more in-depth and the stats more relevant.

The whole concept of stat-quoting in baseball, in my opinion, is absolute absurdity. Where else can you get away with saying something like “a .000 winning percentage in their last two games”? Only in baseball, folks, only in baseball.

I can’t seem to pinpoint whether this disdain for expert opinion stems from my getting bored of it or something else. All I know is that if it takes an overpaid ex-player in a studio to tell me that I should watch out for Miguel Cabrera if I am a Giants pitcher, then goddammit, I don’t want to live on this planet anymore.

10 diamonds & coal

the brown daily herald friday, october 26, 2012

Diamonds & Coal Editorial cartoon b y m e l a n i e f r i e d r i c h s Cubic zirconia to Linda Goldstein Knowlton ’87, director of the documentary “Somewhere Between,” who said, “adolescence is tricky for everyone — a time when all you want to do is fit in, and all you want to do is stand out.”

She overestimates our ambition — all we want to do is sleep.

Coal to “Modern Family” star Julie Bowen ’91, who said of studying at the Rockefeller library, “Why would you go anywhere else? You were a flask away from an academic party.” That explains why she spent her entire junior year in Italy — we’re sure there was a lot of “academic” partying there.

A diamond to the sophomore whose series of striking nudes — one entitled “Mrs. God” — is currently on display at the List Art Center. The artist said her work showcases a character that’s “partly my family members and partly my imagination.” We can’t say we’d be thrilled if we came home for Thanksgiving to find a series of nude sculptures partially based on us. But we will answer to “Mrs. God.” Cubic zirconia to the junior who said in response to a lecture about infants learning gender norms before language, “Gender norms are really limiting, and so the fact that something is learned so early that is so limiting to gender identity in general is troubling to me.” It’s a good thing babies aren’t allowed at SexPowerGod then.

Coal to Director of Health Education Frances Mantak who said, “Lots of times I’m helping (students) not be too hard on themselves that they got EMS-ed, and it’s hard for a computer to do that.” She underestimates the power of AOL instant messenger robot, SmarterChild, our guide through the perils of middle school.

A diamond to University Curator Robert Emlen, who said of former University President Vartan Gregorian’s inauguration ceremony, “Vartan — he’s hot. He’s going to be great at this job.” Because everyone knows you can’t be a good University president unless you’re really, really, really ridiculously good-looking.

Cubic zirconia to the founder of Queen of Hearts, a shoe store on Westminster Street, who said, “We’re kind of known for having statement shoes and not always functional shoes.” We’ll let Lady Gaga know for the next time she visits.

Coal to the sophomore who said of the archeology dig on the Quiet Green, “This is a cool opportunity to get down and dirty with my childhood aspirations.” We, too, dreamed of being the first groundhogs to attend Brown University.

A diamond to former President Ruth Simmons, who told The Herald before stepping down, “Maybe that’s the way to make decisions — in the dark.”

And with those sage words of wisdom, we wish you a happy Halloweekend.

Have an idea for D&C?

le t ter Reaction column makes classist assumptions To the Editor: Ethan Currens ’10 MA’11 and Bradley Silverman ’13 are pissed off at Daniel Moraff ’14 (“Moraff ’s ’14 entitlement is showing,” Oct. 24). In their screed against his recent column on the Brown Corporation (“The horrifying makeup of the Brown Corporation,” Oct. 17), they claim that Moraff ’s statement that “when the Corporation seems to embody the worst of the corporate world … it shouldn’t surprise us” isn’t just way off-base, but it also

“unmistakably indicates that the author is upper-middle class and white.”

Ostensibly, only upper-middle-class white people are capable of demanding more student self-government, while the rest of us are just grateful to be here and happy to stay in line. Currens and Silverman are going to hate this, but we might as well call their ad hominem what it is: classist and a little bit racist.

Jonathan Storch ’14

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taking sides 11

the brown daily herald friday, october 26, 2012

Should the University ban smoking near buildings? yes Estimates predict that secondhand smoke causes around 50,000 deaths per Cara newlon year, and side effects include lung cancer, infections, asthma and an inOpinions Columnist respiratory creased risk of heart disease. “Even breathing in low doses of cigarette smoke can increase one’s risk of heart attack,” David When I walk outside the Rockefeller Li- Meyers, professor of cardiology and prebrary or my dorm room, I feel vaguely like ventive medicine at the University of KanI’ve stepped into a 1960s bar on an episode sas School of Medicine, told Science Daily. of “Mad Men.” “Public smoking bans seem to be tremenIt’s not because of Brown students’ im- dously effective in reducing heart attack peccable vintage fashion or our brooding, and, theoretically, might also help to prewomanizing ways. It’s the layer of smoke vent lung cancer and emphysema, diseases that clouds the entrances of doorways as that develop much more slowly than heart students smoke their hourly cigarettes and attacks.” feed their growing addictions.

When fellow students smoke outside In July, USA Today published a con- our dorm rooms and common spaces, they servative estimate that 774 college cam- subject us to carcinogens and future health puses in the United problems — not to States have banned mention unpleasant When fellow students smoking. This is an and disgusting air. increase from 131 smoke outside our dorm We’re on a campus campuses in 2008. that doesn’t allow us rooms and common And I strongly beto carry open conlieve Brown should spaces, they subject us to tainers of alcohol. But follow suit and also the cigarette, a more carcinogens and future dangerous vice, is ban smoking on its campus altogether. permissihealth problems — not to completely Smoking inble. It doesn’t add up. doors on college mention unpleasant and A ban on smoking campuses has been would not only prodisgusting air. largely banned tect non-smokers, it since the 1970s. would prevent future While this ban helped eliminate the lev- smokers from becoming addicted by reels of dangerous secondhand smoke stu- ducing the convenience and accessibility of dents inhaled, smokers have migrated to tobacco. While some college smokers dub the entrances of buildings to light up. In an themselves solely “social smokers,” studies era where even New York City has banned show that at least 10 percent of them smoke outdoor smoking in public places, it seems at least every other day. Brown shouldn’t incongruous that Brown has not done the dictate student’s actions — nor should it fasame. cilitate destructive behaviors.

I recognize that Brown has a significant I don’t judge or condemn smokers. But population of smokers who feel that such it’s not 1960. It’s 2012, and it’s time to take a ban would infringe on their rights. But the smoking off campus. it’s important to recognize that on-campus smoking violates the rights of non-smokers — their rights to clean air and general good Cara Newlon ’14.5 can be reached at health. cara_newlon@brown.edu.

Carty’s Rebuttal Among the many arguments that Cara Newlon ’14.5 makes in her plea for Brown to “ban smoking altogether,” she seems to focus on two in particular.

First, she writes that such a ban would “protect” the “rights of non-smokers (namely) their rights to clean air and good health.” But, does a right to free speech mean a right to speak anywhere and everywhere? Does a right to clean air mean that every swath of air must be unsullied? And, due to the fact that standing or walking two feet away from a smoker gives one access to clean normal air, and that the average Brown student must only pass by smokers, at most, for a few seconds a day, it does not logically follow to contend that non-smokers’ right to good health is being violated at this university.

In addition, she holds that a campuswide smoking ban would “prevent future smokers from becoming addicted.” I understand this goal, but using a prohibition against smoking to achieve it would necessitate a level of intrusiveness currently unseen at Brown. If the ban were to

hold any real power, Department of Public Safety officers would have to prowl the entranceways and quads of the campus, scrutinizing each group of students for wafts of cigarette smoke.

Is this the kind of campus we want to live on? Through everything from the University’s open curriculum to the administration’s laissez-faire attitude toward other unhealthy student behaviors, Brown is dedicated to the importance and the power of individual free will. The rewards are great and the consequences are tough, but we Brown students can do what we wish. To some, many of whom don’t even apply here, this focus on freedom seems dangerous and undesirable.

To others, it is beautiful and empowering. But, regardless of how anyone feels about it, this focus is what makes Brown unique. If we choose to enact a campuswide smoking ban, a ban that endeavors to dictate the lives of individual students, we’re going to have to forget that focus.

And, is that really worth a little bit of cigarette smoke?

no from continuing their unhealthy habit.

That is, to a certain extent, a noble goal.

Kevin Carty But I seriously doubt that many smokers will be dissuaded from their ways by Opinions Columnist a policy that requires them to move just a few feet away. And these students, who would maintain their habit in the face of Banning smoking near Brown campus such a ban, will only go on to fill Brown’s buildings is ill-advised because such a greens, quads and courtyards after they ban does not advance public health or are pushed from the steps of Faunce change personal incentives in any mean- House, the porches of Wriston Quadraningful way. gle and the patio of the Sciences Library.

Using current data on the issue, it Lastly, I suspect that most Brown stuis almost impossible to authoritative- dents would like tobacco use to be lowly prove that secer at Brown than it ondhand smoke is today. Some of in open, outdoor them probably wish environments is so because of a wellseriously harmfounded concern ful. Studies on for their friends and outdoor tobacco those around them. smoke have shown I seriously doubt that many But some of them, that particle expoI believe, oppose sure due to smok- smokers will be dissuaded smoking for more ing is incredibly reafrom their ways by a policy self-centered localized and can sons. To these stuonly match in- that requires them to move dents, smoking is door smoking levdistasteful and unjust a few feet away. els if an individupleasant to see or al stands two feet smell, and they adaway from a smokvocate the aboveer. And once one mentioned ban bemoves more than cause it would altwo meters from low them to further a smoker, one exdivorce their lives periences levels from such a dirty of particle exposure that are incredibly habit. To these anti-smokers, I have this close to clean, normal air. Due to these to say: Smelling something disagreeable figures, and the fact that most students for a few short seconds, or seeing somewill only ever pass by smokers near cam- thing disagreeable a few times a day is pus buildings for a few short seconds not cause enough for a campus-wide of their day anyway, I find it irrational policy that orders people to live their to contend that a ban on smoking near lives as you wish. public buildings would seriously advance Brown’s public health.

Furthermore, perhaps advocates of Kevin Carty ’15 is from Washington, banning smoking near University buildD.C. He would love to hear any ings want to do so because they hope responses and can be reached at that tobacco users will be discouraged kevin_carty@brown.edu.

Newlon’s Rebuttal Kevin Carty ’15 believes that a desire to avoid clouds of cigarette smoke is self-indulgent. And yeah, in a way, it is. But there is also something inherently selfish in refusing to move 20 feet to protect others from a dangerous habit.

We have a plethora of on-campus rules designed to protect students from the actions of a few. Is it self-centered to request that partiers be quiet on the street at 3 a.m.? No, of course not — the consensus is that night is a time for sleep, and we have a noise curfew. The protection of our lungs and health is no less important.

Carty can argue that secondhand smoke isn’t that dangerous, but there’s a reason that 60 major cities in the United States have strict smoking bans in the workplace, restaurants and bars. The world is responding to a mounting pile of scientific evidence that no level of secondhand smoke is riskfree.

Note that smoking within 25 feet of entrances is not the same as smoking in an open park. Smoke often drifts indoors due to poor ventilation, and occupants must

walk through the smoke in order to exit the building. In college, students cannot “selfishly” avoid this smoke — we often have to walk through it to get out of our dorm rooms.

Carty dismisses the argument that many non-smokers find smoke unpleasant.

I do find it unpleasant, in the same way that I would find my neighbor playing loud music at 3 a.m. unpleasant.

Many non-smokers find the smell of smoke nauseating, and it tends to linger on our clothes and in our hair. Is it “selfish” to request that smokers move so we are not forced to smell it?

My fellow opinions columnist also doubts that an on-campus smoking ban could prevent nicotine addictions. Maybe so. But by permitting on-campus smoking, the University is condoning a dangerous habit at the expense of its non-smoking students.

Smokers may feel ostracized by my request for such a ban. I apologize. But when it comes to my health, I will always be selfish.

daily herald sports friday the Brown

friday, october 26, 2012

athlete of the week

Shockley ’14 leads water polo team to victory

By Sam Rubinroit Assistant Sports Editor

For Brunonians hailing from California, the transition to college means trading Rainbow sandals for rain boots and year-round sunshine for snow and four seasons. For the 11 of 17 players on the men’s water polo team from the Golden State, it was a homecoming of sorts when the squad traveled cross-country to compete in the Rodeo, a water polo tournament held in Santa Clara, Calif.

The Bears disproved the notion that the West Coast is the best coast when it comes to college aquatics by clinching a 5-0 record in the tournament with wins over California Baptist University, Air Force Academy, Fresno Pacific University, University of California at Davis, and Santa Clara University. Walker Shockley ’14 and his teammates return to action at home for the squad’s Senior Night Friday against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Leading the squad was goalkeeper Shockley, a native of Diamond Bar, Calif., who racked up 52 saves, four assists and seven steals in tournament. For the lock-down performance in his home state, Shockley has been named The Herald’s Athlete of the Week.

Herald: How did you first get involved in water polo?

Shockley: I had a whole bunch of family friends who played water polo, and I was already on the swim team, so I decided I would try water polo when I was in fourth grade, and it just kind of stuck.

What was the transition like from swimming to water polo?

For me, it was pretty easy. I had some experience with soccer when I was younger, so I had the field vision to begin with.

By Daniyal Khan Contributing Writer

Emily Gilbert / Herald

Goalkeeper Walker Shockley ‘14 saved 52 goals in the Rodeo water polo tournament in Santa Clara, Calif., helping the team emerge from the tournament with a 5-0 record.

What’s the biggest misconception about water polo?

I don’t think people understand how aggressive it is. It can be frustrating at times when people dismiss it compared to other contact sports like football.

Are you excluded from a lot of that physicality as the goalie?

I do stay removed from some of the more physical aspects of the game because, as a goalie, my game is a lot more mental. But there are still tussles, and a lot is going on right in front of me.

What is your role as the goalie beyond just blocking shots?

From my perspective, I feel like I help orchestrate the defensive side of the game. I take on a leadership role in the pool because I have a bigger view

of everything going on. Whereas my role may not be as physical, I feel like it is more meaningful.

When you do allow a goal, where does the blame fall? Is it something you have to accept or is it a team breakdown?

Sometimes I do accept it, but I have to internalize it and move past it. It’s different because, as the goalie, you feel like your mistakes show up on the scoreboard while your teammates’ don’t necessarily.

What was it like getting the opportunity to travel back to California for the weekend?

It was actually really great. All of us saw our family, and we got some Vitamin D in. It’s also just being back in that California culture we all grew up around … so I think that helped

with all of our morale in the long run.

How is the West Coast style of play different than the East Coast?

West Coast water polo, across the board, is more traditional. It’s more comparable to international water polo and higher-level water polo than some East Coast schools. One of the things that I really like about Brown’s program is that we do adopt a much more traditional aspect of the game.

What do you have to say to the seniors on the team as they go into their Senior Day? I would say that playing with them for three full seasons has been the highlight of my career, and I am going to terribly miss all of them. They set a precedent, and they are leaving behind a huge legacy for future generations of Brown water polo to aspire to achieve.

W. Soccer

Bruno ends five-game losing streak, then falls to Harvard

By Bruno Zuccolo Contributing Writer

The women’s soccer team ended a five-game losing streak with its first Ivy League victory of the season last Sunday over Cornell but fell to Harvard Wednesday outside of league play.

With their 1-0 win over Cornell (1-12-1, 0-4-1 Ivy), the Bears (7-7, 1-4) rose to sixth in the league standings and pushed Cornell to the bottom. Cornell 0 We d n e s d a y ’s Brown 1 non-conference game against Harvard ended in a 1-0 overtime victory for the Crimson (84-3, 2-2-1 Ivy).

Sunday’s shutout over Cornell was Bruno’s seventh of the season, which Head Coach Phil Pincince said gives reason to be positive about the team.

“When you talk about seven shutouts and a relatively new backfield, (it’s) pretty promising,” Pincince said. “I’m pretty excited about that.”

The Bears put relentless offensive pressure on the Big Red early in the game, and that led to the game’s only goal in the 10th minute of play. Eliza

A case against expert TV analysis in baseball

Marshall ’13 dribbled past her defender on the left flank and hit Siegelman in the middle of the box. With the Big Red’s defense caught on the other side of the field, Mika Siegelman ’14 quickly passed to the right, setting up Louisa Pitney ’14 to send the ball into the back of the net.

Just before that, Allie Reilly ’15 created the first scoring chance of the game in the seventh minute. Reilly caught a low clearance from the Big Red defense and passed to Pitney on the right flank. Pitney was free, but a Cornell defender just managed to slide in and block the shot.

One minute later, Siegelman managed to dribble past her marker towards the goal line. She sent a ground cross through the 6-yard box, but no one managed to put it in.

Cornell’s only significant shot of the first half came from Maneesha Chitanvis in the 15th minute. She received the ball off a corner kick and sent it just above the goal.

The rest of the first half did not provide many opportunities. Both sides struggled to link long series of passes, and the ball spent much of the

time bouncing from one defense to the other.

The Big Red hardly threatened goalkeeper Amber Bledsoe ’14. Even on a set piece after a foul in the 34th minute, Cornell passed the ball poorly and lost possession before getting a shot off.

The Bears appeared relatively at ease getting past the Cornell defenders. This was especially true of Marshall, a forward, who often managed to outrun Cornell’s right back on her attacks down the flank.

At the end of the first half, the Bears found themselves ahead for the first time in a month.

The Bears began to have difficulty connecting their passes in the second half. Both teams had many mishits and inaccurate passes, resulting in a half with many throw-ins, turnovers and clearances, and few scoring opportunities.

Cornell’s best chance of the match came in the 65th minute. Chitanvis darted past her marker to send a low cross into the area. Caroline Growney one-timed it but sent it wide.

Toward the end of the match, Chloe Cross ’15 had three successive oppor-

tunities. The first came from a free kick about 30 yards out in the 79th minute.

Goalkeeper Tori Christ stretched her whole 5’4” frame to fly across the goal and get her fingertips on it, and the ball ricocheted off the post.

Less than a minute later, Cross had another chance at a free kick and sent it bouncing off the crossbar.

In the 82nd minute, Cross received a through ball between two defenders and sprinted after it into the box. She cut the defender and sent a strong shot towards the goal, which Christ managed to defend.

In the last two minutes of play, the Bears trapped the ball by the corner flag, waiting for time to run out. Cornell did not manage any more shots, and the Bears secured their first Ivy League victory of the season.

“I know that we had a major bump to deal with, the losing streak, but I was glad about what took place today,” Pincince said. “I’m real happy for my players for what they accomplished.”

Pitney also said it felt good to finally get an Ivy win. “We were playing strong, and I had confidence,” she said.

The Bears / / Soccer page 6

Last week, I ended on a bit of a sour note, expressing discontent toward the sad truth that the remainder of the MLB postseason would be broadcast on FOX. It’s not as if I have anything against FOX and its style of coverage (lie). Or that TBS, the other postseason broadcaster, has a dozen Vin Scullys in its booth — though that Ron Darling sure can talk the hell out of that microphone. So why do I find FOX’s coverage god-awful?

Why do I find myself unable to bear the Joe Buck/Tim McCarver commentary pairing? Do I finally see through the empty words and meaningless statquoting of TV “experts”?

I had a very peculiar baseball upbringing, essentially teaching myself everything off the Internet. As I associate myself with the online baseball community, I find it hard to shake off feelings that are commonplace on the web. In this case, the popular outcry is the rant against big sports broadcasters, namely FOX and ESPN. When I was still finding my feet as an Internet baseball nerd, I didn’t understand this displeasure at national broadcasting.

Surely it was a privilege to have your team on the Sunday Night ESPN game.

Why wouldn’t you want your club getting national attention? What about the pride you should feel when the national experts, presumably the best in the business, speak of your favorite players?

After a couple of years, I got it.

Whereas the focused attacks on FOX are just an example of classic Internet trolling, there is an underlying message to all this commotion. Expert analysis has become monotonous. It’s effortless, repetitive, vague and repetitive. And above all, needless. What saves your team’s local day-to-day broadcaster from these accusations is the devil in the details. The privilege of following the same group of ballplayers for over half a year allows the NESNs and SNYs of this world to avoid putting out the same generic jargon week in, week out. Of course, I’m not absolving the big broadcasters of any blame, as they are the ones who continue to dish this stuff out.

What does Joe Buck mean when he says things like, “Barry Zito’s start in Game 5, I believe, really launched the Giants into coming back from 3-1 down to win the NLCS”? I get that it’s a tough job to talk for three and a half hours on national television, but it’s your ONLY job, and you’re supposed to be good at it, so surely you should put some more thought into what you’re saying. When stripped to the bone, that Buck quote is a nothing statement; it’s like saying “the rain really contributed to the wet weather today.” And please don’t get me started on / / TV page 9