Daily
the Brown
vol. cxlviii, no. 18
INSIDE
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Asbestos
U. removing substance in Barus and Holley Page 4
Grab a brush
Brown-RISD Hillel sponsors community mural in Faunce
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Funky fellows Royce Fellows explore inventive research projects today
tomorrow
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Herald
since 1891
Friday, February 15, 2013
Corporation raises tuition by 4 percent Delayed by Nemo, the Corporation voted to approve the budget and expand financial aid By Eli Okun University news Editor
The Corporation approved a 4 percent hike in undergraduate tuition and fees — the largest increase in three years — and an accompanying 5.6 percent increase in financial aid, President Christina Paxson announced in a campus-wide email Thursday morning. The operating budget for fiscal year 2014 includes an expected $902 million in expenditures but only $897.6 million in revenue, running a $4.4 million deficit the University will cover by drawing from its reserves. The deficit is less than half the size of that of last year, when the Corporation voted to withdraw $9 million from its reserves.
The expanded operating budget, which was approved based on recommendations from the annual University Resources Committee report, is likely the largest in University history, said Beppie Huidekoper, executive vice president for finance and administration. But its 3.5 percent increase over last year’s budget actually constitutes one of the smaller rises in recent years, she added. The Corporation, the University’s highest governing body, also gave the final stamp of approval for the proposed School of Public Health, which faculty members unanimously voted to approve in November, The Herald previously reported. Beginning in July, the school will undergo a twoyear accreditation process before a targeted opening date of 2015. The Corporation’s meetings last weekend were truncated by Winter Storm Nemo, which blanketed much of New England with about two feet of snow. The Corporation cut short / / Tuition page 2 its Friday
emily gilbert / herald
The Corporation voted to increase the University’s annual operating budget and approved renovations of the John Hay Library.
History grad student passes away after months in ICU A professor deemed the Ph.D. candidate in history the “brightest graduate student” of his career By mark valdez senior staff writer
Adam Ringguth GS died under hospice care early Wednesday morning. Ringguth, 32, had been transitioning in and out of consciousness since late November, when he was found unconscious on the floor of his apartment, said Tim Harris P’03, professor of history and Ringguth’s dissertation adviser. Harris said doctors found a blood clot in Ringguth’s brain but added that it was not determined whether a head injury had led to the clot or if the clot had caused him to collapse. Ringguth had been in the intensive care unit at Rhode Island Hospital following his November injury until Mon-
day, when he was put under hospice care at the Home and Hospice Care of Rhode Island. “It is my understanding Adam was conscious, and he made the decision to be moved into hospice care,” Harris said. Ringguth remained under hospice care until he passed away Wednesday morning. President Christina Paxson notified the Brown community of his death in an email Thursday afternoon. Ringguth was born in Saskatchewan, Canada. He graduated in 2002 from the University of Saskatchewan with a bachelor of arts in history and a minor in economics. Ringguth received the Charles W. Lightbody Convocation Prize in History for his work throughout his undergraduate career. From 2002 to 2005, Ringguth was a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History. He studied early modern British history and received a masters of arts in history in 2003.
In 2005, Ringgmuth met with Harris, sharing the news that he had applied to Harvard Law School. “I knew he was going to get in,” Harris said. “Given the background he came from, he was very humble. He told me, ‘I can’t turn it down.’” Ringgmuth received a juris doctorate degree from Harvard Law School in 2008. He then moved on to work as a litigation associate at the law firm Jenner and Block LLP in Chicago. “I never thought he would come back,” Harris said. But Ringgmuth returned to Brown in January 2012 to finish his Ph.D. in history. He anticipated completing his dissertation by the spring semester of next year, according to a research proposal he wrote. Before his injury, he had planned to research and study in England during the current academic year. Harris and Ringgmuth worked closely over the years, building a friendship outside of the department.
“After a lecture, we would go have a drink and discuss it,” Harris said. “He house-sat for me one summer when I was away. He loved my dogs.” Harris said the entire department was shocked and saddened by Ringgmuth’s passing. “He always had a smile on his face. He was keen and talked with great passion about his interests,” Hariss said. “He was such a sweet man. … He just had a chirpy face.” Harris said Ringgmuth’s family decided to donate his “big book collection” to the graduate students in the department. Members of Ringgmuth’s family could not be reached for comment. Harris noted though it is too early to decide on details, the history department is planning an event to honor Ringgmuth. “He was probably the brightest graduate student I’ve ever worked with in my 27 years at Brown,” Harris said.
Global campaign fights violence against women One Billion Rising encourages dance and dialogue to end violence against women By caleb miller senior staff writer
Valentine’s Day doubled as a day of awareness as students around campus participated in the One Billion Rising campaign’s events intended to “Strike. Dance. Rise!” against violence directed at women around the world. The campus group represents one chapter of the global campaign, which includes activists from 203 countries around the world, according to a press release from V-Day, the movement that launched the campaign. The V-Day movement aims to combat harm to-
ward women, and the One Billion Rising campaign was “the biggest global action in the history of humankind for women . . . to end the violence and bring about a time when women are cherished,” said V-Day founder Eve Ensler in a video on V-Day’s Facebook page. The campus campaign kicked off with a dance party Wednesday night and continued with events Thursday on the Main Green. A “yarnbombing” of the Green featured pink and red woven artwork hanging from the trees. At noon, a flash mob broke out in front of Sayles Hall. While a large crowd of students looked on, the act grew from a couple of dancers to almost 30 pink- and red-clad performers. Fabio DiSanto, a visiting research fellow in international affairs and one of the initial performers in the flash mob, said the “en/ / Violence page 5
Courtesy of brown university
A flash mob of dancing students took charge of the main green yesterday at noon to raise awareness about violence waged against females.
School of Public Health approved The Corporation moved to expand the program in part to elevate its prominence and visibility By Alexandra Macfarlane University News Editor
The Corporation approved the creation of a School of Public Health in a conference call Wednesday, President Christina Paxson wrote in a community-wide email Thursday. The current Program in Public Health will become a separate school in July, at which point its leaders will begin working to get it nationally accredited, according to a University press release. The Corporation was originally scheduled to vote on establishing the school at its meeting last weekend. But due to the impending Winter Storm Nemo, the Corporation’s meeting was curtailed and the vote pushed back. Moving from a program to an accredited school will make studies in the field more visible on campus and throughout the nation, said Terrie Wetle, associate dean of medicine for public health and public policy. Having a public health school will also bolster natural partnerships with other University departments and public health facilities throughout the state, she said. Wetle will become dean of the school in July, according to the release. / / School page 2