Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Daily

Herald

THE BROWN

vol. cxlviii, no. 80

since 1891

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013

SLA calls on U. to sign worker protection accord UCS works After a Bangladeshi to improve factory collapsed, SLA asked Paxson to add to advising the vendor conduct code

By ELIZABETH KOH FEATURES EDITOR

Nine students from the Student Labor Alliance gathered on the Main Green Monday afternoon to deliver a letter to President Christina Paxson advocating stronger worker protections in the University’s contracts with businesses.

Dawn Silvia, executive assistant to the president’s office, told SLA members that Paxson was out of the office for the day but that she would be happy to pass the message along.

The letter, sparked by a Bangladeshi building collapse this April that killed and injured thousands, asks the University to add the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh to its Code of

Conduct for vendors. Written by a group of international union federations and non-governmental organizations this May, the accord legally requires signees to enforce workers’ rights to safe and secure working conditions for at least five years, according to the International Labor Rights Forum website.

Students delivered the letter with a concrete brick to convey “the heft and gravity of the situation,” said Stoni Tomson ’15. “It’s a symbol that this is a foundational right,” she added.

SLA members want to make sure the Bangladeshi building collapse is “not just seen as another tragedy,” Stephanie Medina ’14 told The Herald. Because “no U.S. collegiate brand has signed” the accord, SLA members hope that adding it to the University’s Code of Conduct will force vendors to comply with its rules, she added.

U.S. companies, including Gap and Walmart, have proposed the Bangladesh » See SLA, page 2

The Council looks to add advising to the strategic plan and create a list of ‘best advising practices’

By MAXINE JOSELOW SENIOR STAFF WRITER

ELIZABETH KOH / HERALD

Nine SLA members delivered a letter and a brick, meant to symbolize the weight of workers’ safety, to President Christina Paxson Monday.

State leaders continue battle over grad requirement Forty percent of R.I. seniors may not graduate on time due to their NECAP performances

By KATHERINE LAMB SENIOR STAFF WRITER

State Education Commisioner Deborah Gist’s requirement that all high school students in Rhode Island obtain a score of “partial proficiency” on the NECAP examination or demonstrate improvement on their second or third attempts to graduate continues to spark debate across the state.

The Rhode Island branch of the American Civil Liberties Union filed a

CITY & STATE

lawsuit last month protesting the lack of transparency in the state Board of Education’s decision to support the requirement. The decision was made at an exclusive retreat without the opportunity for public hearings or discourse. This is the third lawsuit the ACLU has filed against the Board of Education in the past few years regarding the NECAP requirement, said Steve Brown, executive director of Rhode Island ACLU. “This is a matter of critical public interest, and it requires public debate,” Brown said. “We were really surprised that the board felt it could discuss this issue in a private session when numerous organizations have been specifically pushing them to do just the opposite,” he said.

Under the mandate, 40 percent, or

approximately 4,000 of Rhode Island’s seniors are in danger of not graduating at the end of the current school year based on the first set of examinations administered at the end of their junior years, according to a WPRI review of Rhode Island Department of Education data.

“This is affecting literally thousands of families,” Brown said. “Students who have disabilities, students who are English language learners and a variety of other vulnerable student populations are bearing the brunt of this NECAP requirement, but it is also something that is affecting wealthy communities throughout the state,” he added.

After the ACLU and more than 12 other organizations signed a petition requesting that the Board of

Education reconsider using the NECAP test as a graduation requirement in June, Chairwoman Eva-Marie Mancuso said the board planned to make the decision at a private retreat in August, WPRI reported at the time.

The board assented to the requirement after a six-to-five vote — demonstrating “a lot of dissent within the board itself about the utility or the legitimacy of using the NECAP as a graduation requirement,” Brown said.

“Every high school in Rhode Island offered students additional instruction and support during the school year and over the summer, in a commitment to improve mathematics achievement,” Mancuso wrote in an opinion article for the Providence Journal published Sept. 19. » See STATE TEST, page 2

MEN’S SOCCER

Bears bounce back for lopsided victory

By ALEXANDRA CONWAY SPORTS STAFF WRITER

JESSE SCHWIMMER / HERALD

inside

Nate Pomeroy ’17 was named Ivy League Rookie of the week after scoring his first collegiate goal in the blowout against Marist College.

The men’s soccer team charged past Marist College 5-0 Friday night at Stevenson Field. Scoring four goals in the first half, Bruno shut down the Red Foxes early in the game. A final goal late in the second half sealed the Bears’ shutout and marked the first time since 2009 that Bruno posted five goals in a game. The Bears improved to 2-4-1 with the win, while

Marist fell to 1-7-0 overall.

Coming off a string of four losses, the Bears were focused on “putting together a complete performance,” said midfielder Tommy Arns ’15.

“I believe we maintained a constant tempo and intensity the whole game,” Arns said. “Overall, I was proud of the team and the way we approached the game, especially after struggling on the road.”

The Bears were up 1-0 early into the game after capitalizing on a pair of Marist fouls. Following a trip in the box, Pepe Salama ’14 took the penalty kick, burying it in the far right of the net as goalkeeper Anthony Sokalski dove to the left. After » See M. SOCCER , page 2

PRIME time

Gov. gals

Weak strategy

PRIME master’s program encourages students to start their own businesses

A new super PAC aims to increase the number of female governors

Professor Harold Roth argues the strategic plan has a “head” but lacks a “heart”

FEATURES, 3

CITY & STATE, 4

COMMENTARY, 7

weather

Akeel ’16 and Salama ’14 sparked a first-half outburst to break the team’s losing streak

After its leaders named advising a key priority for this year, the Undergraduate Council of Students is moving forward with plans intended to improve the undergraduate advising experience.

UCS President Todd Harris ’14.5 said advising will be one of the Council’s top concerns this year, The Herald reported earlier this semester. Undergraduate advising was a mainstay of Harris’ presidential platform last spring, The Herald reported at the time.

The draft of President Christina Paxson’s strategic plan — a document released Sept. 18 that is expected to shape her agenda over the next decade — did not mention advising. But Paxson said at a strategic planning forum Sept. 24 that advising was such an obvious priority that it seemed unnecessary to include in the plan, The Herald reported at the time.

“It doesn’t even need to be there because we know we need to do it,” Paxson said at the forum.

The Council’s push to ensure that advising is included in the strategic plan represents one of its key advising initiatives so far, said Sam Gilman ’15, UCS vice president.

Gilman said he and Harris had an extended discussion with Paxson and Provost Mark Schlissel P’15 last week about the “undergraduate desire to make sure (advising) is incorporated in the strategic vision for the University.” He added that he hopes to continue this discussion when Paxson and Schlissel attend the UCS general body meeting Wednesday.

The UCS Academic and Administrative Affairs Committee has also spearheaded several advising projects, said Maahika Srinivasan ’15, chair of the committee.

Srinivasan said she worked with the Meiklejohn Leadership Committee over the summer to improve the initial email Meiklejohn leaders send first-years.

The revised email featured a section about what students should expect from their first meetings with their advisers, Srinivasan said.

“We emphasized that if your first advising encounter didn’t go well, that’s all right,” she said. “It happens.”

The email also contained a list of “other advising hubs on campus,” such as the Curricular Resource Center, the Brown Advisers Facebook page and » See ADVISING, page 2 t o d ay

tomorrow

76 / 57

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2 university news calendar TODAY

OCTOBER 1

5:30 P.M.

TOMORROW

OCTOBER 2

11:30 A.M. “Thinking Collaboratively”

Colleges and Coal

Salomon 001 7 P.M.

Sayles Auditorium 7 P.M.

Nudity in the Upspace: Nude Yoga

Open Drawing

TF Green Hall

List Art 225

Weekend crime update: Sept. 27-29 There have been 13 laptop thefts from residence halls since the beginning of the semester

when three laptops were reported stolen from two unlocked rooms in Wayland House.

The first theft occurred between approximately 12:10 a.m. and 10 a.m.

Friday. It is unclear whether either of the two students living in the room were present at the time of the theft.

In the second reported case, which occurred between 3 a.m. and 10 a.m., a student also had money taken from his wallet. He was sleeping in the room during the period in which the theft allegedly occurred.

DPS has not identified suspects in either case.

Laptop thefts from unlocked rooms have been common this

semester, especially in dorms on Wriston Quadrangle and Patriots Court.

the Dean of the College’s open hours, Srinivasan said.

“We really wanted to make sure that students realize there are a lot of resources on campus that help with advising,” said Kayla Rosen ’14, a member of the Meiklejohn Leadership Committee. “So if they’re feeling a little lost, there are places to go.”

Nidia Schuhmacher, senior lecturer in Hispanic studies and a faculty advising fellow, said she supports publicizing alternative academic resources to students.

“We need to create a conscious awareness” that these resources exist for students, she said.

But email may not be an effective way of communicating because many students may skim or not read officiallooking emails, Schuhmacher said.

Monika Sobieszek ’17 said she read the initial Meiklejohn email and found it helpful, though she did not remember if the message included a list of alternative academic resources.

The committee is also working to compile a list of “best advising practices” for both advisers and advisees, Srinivasan said. She added that committee members will produce the list in collaboration with Maitrayee Bhattacharyya, associate dean of the College for diversity programs, as well as with Team Enhanced Advising and Mentoring, which is a group of around 45 faculty advisers that meets monthly to discuss advising.

The list will ideally include advice about navigating the first advising meeting and tips for students about writing emails to professors and setting up meetings with professors during office hours,

Srinivasan said.

Lisa Lee ’17, a pre-med student with an adviser in the Department of East Asian Studies, said she thinks a list of best advising practices would be helpful for advisers whose advisees are interested in fields outside their expertise.

“Some advisers are nice, and they’re trying their best, but they’re not necessarily equipped to deal with all of the challenges students face,” she added.

Thomas Lewis ’90, associate professor of religious studies and a faculty advising fellow, said he doubts a list of best advising practices would benefit all advisees.

“The advice one student needs might be very different from what another student needs,” Lewis said. “Advising is about individuals. It’s not simply a formula.”

» M. SOCCER, from page 1

» STATE TEST, from page 1

another foul three minutes later, midfielder Tariq Akeel ’16 knocked in his first goal of the season off a free kick from Jack Gorab ’16, putting the Bears up 2-0.

Bruno continued its aggressive front and solid defense, allowing Marist few shots on goal. Akeel soon tallied his second goal, following a series of shots and rebounds in the box: After a deflected shot off the crossbar, forward Voltaire Escalona ’14 redirected the ball back to the goal, only to be rejected by the crossbar as well.

Akeel finally found the back of the net, giving the Bears a 3-0 advantage.

The Bears continued their offensive push and tacked on a fourth goal with two minutes remaining in the first half. Jason Pesek ’17 sent a cross to the far post, where fellow first-year Nate Pomeroy ’17 sent it past Sokalski for his first career goal.

With a 4-0 lead going into the second half, the Bears continued to press the Red Foxes, allowing Marist only two shots on goal. Bruno sealed the victory with a fifth and final goal

by Arns, who was assisted by Daniel Taylor ’15.

Every player on the roster experienced game action, which “helped add some experience for our younger players,” Akeel said.

“As a team, it was our best attacking performance so far,” Akeel said. “Our defense was able to hold a shutout, and they showed they are getting better and better each game.”

The Bears return to Stevenson Field today for a game against Boston University, followed by their first game of Ivy League play Oct. 5 at Columbia.

Jim Vincent, president of the Providence branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, said the NAACP does not agree with the Board of Education’s decision to mandate the NECAP as a graduation requirement, though the NAACP is not involved in the current ACLU lawsuit.

The “astronomical numbers of people failing the test indicate a problem with the system, not necessarily the students themselves,” Vincent said.

“I just question the whole validity of having a test like that as a requirement,” he said.

Instead, the board should focus on supporting students earlier in their educations and devote funds to building a solid foundation in elementary school, Vincent said. “This is a lazy way to do it,” he added.

“I’m not saying you shouldn’t use the NECAP,” Vincent said, adding that the test can be a useful tool to “take the temperature” of a classroom or a school district to see what areas need improvement. “But to penalize

students who are ‘victims’ — I just don’t see any benefits,” he said. “If it doesn’t significantly help our students’ chances in terms of life and college, then why are we doing it?” he added.

“We are very aware of the issues before us regarding equity and access, and we will closely monitor the implementation of every aspect of our diploma system, including the requirement that students must score partially proficient or better on the grade 11 state assessments — or else show modest improvement when they retake the tests in their senior year,” Mancuso wrote in her piece for the Journal.

The court will schedule a hearing for the Board of Education to respond to the ACLU’s complaint, Brown said.

If the court rules in favor of the ACLU, he added, the organization will push for public hearings in the next month.

“The lack of public discussion by the board should be of concern to everybody,” Brown said. If the court requires the Board of Education to hold public hearings, “the board would receive a tremendous amount of information from people who have been following this issue,” he added.

By JILLIAN LANNEY SENIOR STAFF WRITER

menu SHARPE REFECTORY

VERNEY-WOOLLEY

LUNCH Hot Roast Beef on French Bread, Baked Potato Bar, Tater Tots, Blondie Cranberry Chocolate Bar

Bacon Ranch Chicken Sandwich, Zucchini Frittata, Onion Rings, Blondie Cranberry Chocolate Bar

DINNER Mushroom Macaroni and Cheese, Meatloaf with Mushroom Sauce, Eggplant Rollatini, Cajun Apple Cake

Pork Roast Jour Ouvert, Macaroni and Cheese, Stir Fry Tofu, General Tso Chicken Stir Fry, Cajun Apple Cake

sudoku

RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Los Angeles Times Puzzle c r o sDaily s w oCrossword rd Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

ACROSS 1 2012 Ben Affleck political thriller 5 Organizes by date, say 10 Is able to 13 Former Defense secretary Panetta 14 Came into play 15 “Mission: Impossible” theme composer Schifrin 16 Novelist Tyler 17 Most populous city in South Dakota 19 Second-incommand in the kitchen 21 Demean 22 Baby goat 23 Legged it 24 Mercedes rival 26 Bus. get-together 27 Sharp ridge 29 Adman’s connection 31 Digital camera battery, often 32 Legal thing 34 Hoops gp.

35 Superficially cultured 36 Michigan or Ontario city on the same border river 40 Unit of cotton 41 Carry a balance 42 Yeats’ land: Abbr.

43 Land parcel 44 Continental border range 46 Last Supper query 50 Unbarred, to a bard 51 Fall mo.

52 Marlins’ div.

54 ISP option 55 Indian dresses 57 Canal passage connecting Lake Superior and the lower Great Lakes 59 “W is for Wasted” mystery author 62 Margin jotting 63 Gymnast Korbut 64 Part of BYOB 65 Price 66 Low in the lea

67 Betsy Ross, famously 68 Lodge group

33 Mall unit 35 “Iliad” war god 36 Home to millions of Brazilians 37 Half a superhero’s identity 38 Switch 39 Animated mermaid 40 Open, as a bud 44 KGB country 45 Take a nap

47 “No worries, man” 48 “Shame, shame!”

49 Detailed map windows 53 Recluse 56 Franchised supermarket brand 57 Put away 58 Almost never 60 Sit-up targets 61 Opponent

DOWN 1 “North to the Future” state 2 Pierre-Auguste of impressionism 3 Take it all off 4 Small bills 5 Barack’s younger daughter 6 “Murder on the __ Express” ANSWER TO PREVIOUS 7 Ski rack site 8 Lone Star State sch.

9 Gender 10 Ristorante squid 11 “Good Hands” company 12 Bouquet of flowers 15 Chem class requirement 18 Baby deer 20 Fishing basket 24 Neuwirth of “Cheers” 25 Home of baseball’s Marlins 28 “You’re right” 30 Very big maker of xwordeditor@aol.com very little chips

By C.C. Burnikel and D. Scott Nichols (c)2013 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

PUZZLE:

10/01/13

10/01/13

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013

The following is an account of crime events that took place this weekend, reported to The Herald by Deputy Chief of Police for the Department of Public Safety Paul Shanley: Early Friday morning The semester’s high incidence of laptop theft continued this weekend

» ADVISING, from page 1

» SLA, from page 1 Worker Safety Initiative as an alternative code, but “that is not legally binding,” Medina said.

Last year, SLA pushed for the University to cut its contract with Adidas unless the athletic company gave severance pay to workers at the PT Kizone factory in Indonesia, which it agreed to do April 24.

That same day, the Rana Plaza building in Bangladesh, which housed clothing factories and other businesses, collapsed, Tomson said. Though the Adidas

Friday evening DPS and the Providence Police Department responded to a report of indecent exposure in the area of Angell and Ives streets just past midnight. A male wearing only shoes and “a shirt or scarf ” on his head allegedly exposed himself to two female students while running by them. The students told DPS officers the man was between 35 and 40 years old, approximately 5-foot-8 and around 200 pounds.

DPS officers do not currently have any leads on the suspect’s identity.

announcement was cause for celebration that day, news of the disaster “was also really horrific and evidence that this is a systemic problem that we have to keep fighting,” she said.

Students said the Bangladesh campaign builds on the group’s commitment to ensuring that the University encourages fair labor practices. The Adidas campaign was meant “to enforce our University’s Code of Conduct,” said Mariela Martinez ’14, while the Bangladesh campaign is meant “to strengthen our University’s Code of Conduct.”

feature 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013

PRIME tailors business education to science graduates The fifth-year master’s program aims to equip science students with entrepreneurial skills

By EMILY BONEY CITY & STATE STAFF WRITER

Sayles Hall and Barus and Holley may be mere blocks from one another, but the buildings’ departments — business and engineering, respectively — can seem worlds apart.

The Program in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship, a fifth-year master’s degree program on campus is intended to bridging the gap between the two.

In the PRIME time The program is meant to provide students with “a hands-on experience in developing a technology-based business,” Professor of Engineering Eric Suuberg wrote in an email to The Herald.

It began in 2005 when Professor of Engineering Greg Crawford created a graduate student course — ENGN 1930: “Entrepreneurship” — that mirrored a similar undergraduate course in the Department of Business, Entrepreneurship and Organization, Suuberg wrote. The demand for the class made it clear that expansion was necessary, he wrote, and an entirely new graduate program was created.

A focus on new technologies and companies influenced PRIME from the beginning, Suuberg wrote. “There was a significant change in career path followed by many students, and we felt that there was a need for a new program for those pursuing opportunities with small startup firms.”

PRIME is composed of eight core classes, an international component and a final project. The program’s courses cover technological commercialization, international business, engineering and management, according to the program’s website.

Students also have the opportunity to learn outside the classroom, visiting international startups and technological companies on mandatory, two-week-long trips during winter break. PRIME puts “strong emphasis on globalization of startup businesses,” Suuberg wrote. In this setting, “students can compare what they learn in the classroom to what is practiced outside the (United States).”

Students have visited nine countries so far, including the Netherlands, India and Spain.

This international experience lets PRIME students apply knowledge they have gained at Brown to real-world business environments, Suuberg wrote.

An Son Leong ’09 SCMIM ’10 opted to visit Estonia and Latvia with a group of classmates to see what differences exist between business in the United States and in other countries.

During the trip, “we met with two or three companies a day,” he said.

Before meeting company leaders, the group would “do some research on them, then ask them questions,” he added.

In addition to visiting other countries, the program’s participants often hail from far-flung regions, students said.

“I had never been immersed in

a more diverse group of people and probably never will again,” said Laurence Wattrus SCMIM ’13, who is from South Africa.

One of the most valuable lessons was learning “how to manage a very diverse group of people,” wrote Sarah Huebscher ’10 SCMIM ’11 in an email to The Herald.

“PRIME is unique in many ways,” Suuberg wrote, adding that the curriculum is specially tailored to serve those with science backgrounds, something many business programs do not take into account. He wrote that students are, upon graduation, “exceptionally well prepared” to enter the world of technological business as entrepreneurs, consultants or investors.

Bringing in the business PRIME graduates have gone on to participate in the business end of companies as well as launch their own.

Huebscher wrote that the PRIME program helped her navigate the business and management end of a technologically focused company. She currently works as the senior design engineer for a diesel engine design and manufacturing company and wrote that her education helped her transition more easily into a business role than did many of her peers’ purely engineering or technological schoolings.

“The lessons I learned from my graduate work have helped me understand the finance, marketing, sales and management areas of my company,” she wrote.

Others have embraced the more entrepreneurial components of the program.

Wattrus said the curriculum helped him “understand the challenges of launching a company,” something his undergraduate experience in engineering had not covered. After graduating from the University of Cape Town, Wattrus said he wanted to gain business knowledge and applied to PRIME because it was a “business-focused program for engineers and scientists,” he said.

Wattrus was drawn to the small class sizes and unique program design that Brown offers as opposed to more traditional master’s degree programs at other schools, he said. After graduating from Brown, he helped found Hammerhead, a bike navigation software startup, with his friends Pieter Morgan and Raveen Beemsingh last year.

The navigation system’s design eliminates text, small icons and auditory signals, according to the Hammerhead website. To help bikers avoid using their mobile phones, the Hammerhead system uses rows of LED lights to inform the rider of upcoming turns, distance traveled, distance to destination and speed.

Wattrus said he and his team took “a very good look at the market” to “figure out what markets want and who your clients are,” a tactic PRIME emphasized.

PRIME gave him the skills to connect with backers and interested markets, Wattrus said.

Triumphs and tribulations For other students, PRIME is a launching point for further learning in the outside world.

Leong chose to supplement his undergraduate engineering degree

from Brown with PRIME because he knew he “didn’t want to go into an engineering-focused job, but was too stubborn to switch,” he said. PRIME focused on preparing those with a science background for the business world by teaching skills like presenting to a group effectively and running interviews and meetings, he said.

But Leong said that his most valuable learning experience came after he left the classroom.

“I learned a lot more in the years after PRIME” when he and four of his fellow PRIME classmates started a company, Leong said. Launched after Leong’s graduation, Axena Technologies, Inc., marketed an antibacterial coating made of nanoscale selenium, used to treat medical and scientific equipment. But after winning a National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance grant, negotiating with potential partners and further developing their product, the Axena team started to lose funding.

Though “we came close to raising enough money,” a combination of poor timing and lack of finances was their undoing, Leong said.

Leong, who now works in the marketing department of pharmaceutical giant EMD Millipore, credits the experience of founding and running a company for helping him get the job he has now.

His experience at PRIME “turned out to be far more useful than I thought it would,” he said.

COURTESY OF HAMMERHEAD

Laurence Wattrus SCMIM ’13 co-founded Hammerhead, a bike navigation software start-up, after graduating from the PRIME program.

Lifelong lessons Graduates said the PRIME program, in addition to teaching business skills and literacy, provided them with the confidence and resources to pursue their own goals.

Though a “young program,” PRIME provided students with assistance like business contacts once they graduated, Leong said.

“Everyone was always super available to us,” he added.

Wattrus said he didn’t expect “the

ability and confidence to approach people and put yourself out there” to be as important to his startup as it was and credited PRIME for building those skills.

But one of the unifying lessons of the PRIME program has been its emphasis on creating something new.

Many of Wattrus’ colleagues graduated with “similar aspirations” to start their own company, he said. Because of their experiences at PRIME, “they want to go out there and find their own things,” he added.

4 city & state

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013

Super PAC intended to support Democratic female gubernatorial candidates The new super PAC, LeadHERship, could play a crucial role in the state’s upcoming race

By EMILY BONEY CITY & STATE STAFF WRITER

Rhode Island-based Kate CoyneMcCoy, a long-time advocate for female participation in politics, said her newly-created super Political Action Committee called American LeadHERship is committed to supporting “progressive, pro-choice, Democratic women” who wish to run for governor across the country.

The PAC’s birth coincides with Gov. Lincoln Chafee’s ’75 P’14 P’17 announcement that he will not run for reelection in 2014. Chafee’s absence opens the door for the state’s female General Treasurer Gina Raimondo, who will likely face Mayor Angel Taveras in the Democratic primary next year.

If elected, Raimondo would be Rhode Island’s first female governor.

Though Raimondo has not officially announced an intent to run, analysts from the Providence Journal, the Rhode Island National Public Radio and WPRI have all predicted on multiple occasions that she will run.

Raimondo has hosted several fundraisers over the past year, including one Sept. 26 called “Women Changing R.I.” geared toward rallying female

supporters. At the event, Raimondo said she greatly admires the work of other Democratic women in government, specifically pointing to Texas state senator and likely gubernatorial candidate Wendy Davis.

Meanwhile, Taveras has gathered supporters of his own and hired a campaign consultant, the Journal reported. Taveras released a poll Sept. 18 that showed a substantial lead over Raimondo in a potential primary race.

The Garin Hart Yang survey of 400 likely voters showed 49 percent favored Taveras, while only 30 percent said they preferred Raimondo.

Raimondo and Taveras will decide whether they will run for governor by the end of the year, WPRI has reported. Several analysts expressed skepticism over the poll’s validity since the full results were not released.

When asked if she thought Raimondo would run for governor, Coyne-McCoy said she “sure hope(s) she does.”

Though the LeadHERship super PAC was created at a crucial time in Raimondo’s career, Coyne-McCoy said she does not believe the support from the PAC will impact her decision to run. “I think her decision making will be thorough and insightful,” Coyne-McCoy said, noting that Raimondo is the kind of woman LeadHERship would support.

Electing women to positions of power has always been and will

continue to be important, CoyneMcCoy said.

“Women bring a different perspective and a different skill set to office,” especially on issues of women’s rights, she added. Women’s input is “sorely needed.”

Rhode Island is not the only state suffering from a government dominated by men, Coyne-McCoy said, adding that she hopes to remedy “the deplorable representation in the leadership world and in government” all over the United States by advocating for female candidates.

Coyne-McCoy created the super PAC after working for EMILY’s list, a PAC with similar goals to LeadHERship that backed Raimondo’s campaign for Treasurer in 2010.

American LeadHERship is “another venue” and does not differ in any ideological way from EMILY’s list, Coyne-McCoy said. “I have tremendous and deep respect for EMILY’s list.”

“There’s plenty of work to go around,” Coyne-McCoy said.

According to the American LeadHERship website, women in government are “seen as equally or more capable than a male officeholder” and hold important positions in business and local government. “The country’s governors’ mansions have become a last line of defense,” reads the website, which also urges visitors to join in the effort to get “more women at the table.”

COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Many expect that General Treasurer Gina Raimondo to join the gubernatorial race, with the chance to become R.I.’s first female governor.

city & state 5

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013

Grant supports shelter for victims of domestic abuse Sojourner House will use the U.S. Department of Justice grant to improve transitional housing

By MICHELLE MEHRTENS CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Sojourner House, a nonprofit shelter for victims of domestic abuse, received a $300,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women earlier this month. Sojourner will use the three-year grant to improve transitional housing for victims of domestic abuse and their children.

U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., who worked on the recently reauthorized Violence Against Women Act, said he hopes the grant “will help continue these essential services” that the organization provides to the state, according to a Sojourner press release.

Many families enter emergency shelters when first seeking assistance from the center, said Vanessa Volz, executive director of Sojourner House. But transitional housing, one of the organization’s largest programs, offers longer-term help, with individual apartments accommodating those in need for 18 to 24 months.

Families enrolled in the program are also involved in the center’s supportive services, which include an advocacy program and support groups.

Sojourner House was founded by a group of female Brown students in 1976, according to the center’s website. The students

were inspired to organize and concentrate their efforts on violence against women when they realized its prevalence and the lack of measures in existence to protect victims of domestic abuse. The center was named after Sojourner Truth, a former slave who later became a prominent abolitionist and fought for the rights of both slaves and other women.

Volz said she remains in contact with Cathy Lewis, the original executive director of Sojourner House, who remains active in Sojourner’s fundraising initiatives. Other than state and federal funding, the organization supports its programs through private fundraising programs such as its annual masquerade ball.

“Sojourner House is one of Rhode Island’s strongest advocates for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence and stalking,” said U.S. Rep. David Cicilline ’83, D-R.I., who co-sponsored the Violence Against Women Act, in a press release for the group.

Since its founding, Sojourner House has helped more than 50,000 people through its services, which include programs for LGTBQ individuals that were the first of their kind in Rhode Island. In 1999, Sojourner House founded WomenCARES, the first and only program to offer domestic violence support along with HIV/AIDS prevention.

The center, which is open to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week, also provides referrals to more than 50 different community affiliates for further support and services.

EMILY GILBERT / HERALD

After trouncing MIT, the Bears dropped a close game to Harvard, splitting the team’s divisional matchups. Henry Fox ’15 poured in six goals to accompany dazzling play by goalie Walker Shockley ’14, who recorded 22 saves.

» WATER POLO, from page 8 put forth an impressive defensive effort to close the game with a 15-9 score for a Bruno victory. Will Klein ’16 scored a noteworthy three goals during the game, and goalie Walker Shockley ’14 accumulated a total 22 saves for the day, helping the Bears stay competitive in both matches.

The second match of the day featured a close score in a 6-5 loss to the Crimson. After an offensive surge in

the second quarter — featuring three Bruno goals — the score was tied 4-4 at the half. But Harvard shut out the Bears in the third quarter while putting up two goals of its own. The squad answered with a strong defensive effort in the fourth quarter, keeping Harvard from scoring more goals. Bruno only put up one goal in the fourth quarter, unable to surmount the two-goal deficit. Henry Fox ’15 tallied six goals over the weekend’s games, helping the Bears reach a 4-2 divisional record.

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“(Harvard) came out with a different type of gameplay — they pressured us hard,” Mercado said. “We were unable to run our offense effectively.”

Bruno’s efforts continue at home this weekend as the team faces rematches against the Connecticut College Camels (1-10, 0-3), the Terriers (8-4, 3-1) and the MIT Engineers.

“We are excited to be home without a tournament setting,” Mercado said. “I’m curious to see how our guys play.”

6 commentary

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013

EDITORIAL

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

First-year advising system must be strengthened

Column misrepresents state history

Building relationships between students and faculty members is crucial to maximizing the college experience. Indeed, most universities can proudly boast of their deep advising programs, many of which consist of some form of an established network between a first-year, a faculty adviser and possibly an appointed upperclassman. Theoretically, Brown features such a model, reflected by its own first-year Advising and Meiklejohn programs. As the University stakes its claim to fame on its liberal curriculum, deep and well-functioning advising programs are one of the paramount conditions to unlock all of the benefits of such an open academic environment. This is most important for our first-years, who are the major recipients of the Brown advising effort. Despite this, we question whether the entire first-year advising program is in fact among the weakest and most inefficient programs the University has to offer.

Though the freedom afforded by the Open Curriculum necessitates continuous feedback and guidance from other students, faculty members and administrators, the first-year advising program boasts at best a hit-or-miss success rate. Though exceptions exist, it is incredibly difficult for first-year students to get to know their advisers, especially if they do not share academic interests. And though Brown’s laissez-faire nature may mean students should assume the responsibility to build relationships with their advisers, a well-run advising program should reconcile academic freedom with solid guidance.

Currently, we do not believe that the program is at such an equilibrium.

It is no secret that some first-year advisers do not put forth full effort to fulfill their part in the advising relationship. When first-year advising is at its very worst, the “continuous feedback” prescribed by the University’s official advising description translates only into the periodic exchange of PIN numbers needed to register for classes, while “engagement with many kinds of teachers on campus” turns into a series of superficial relationships. We cannot cast blame on any one party. After all, advising relationships need a strong effort on all sides. But a first-year advising experience can set the tone for subsequent advising relationships at Brown. Consequently, first-years should not finish their spring semesters disillusioned about their opportunities to build relationships with faculty members.

Brown’s efforts to remedy first-year advising have also been unsubstantial.

Programs like the Curricular Advising Program seem effective only when the class itself is relevant to the advisee’s academic interests: It seems unrealistic that students would select a CAP for the sole purpose of getting to better know their adviser. The sporadic intensity of first-year advising — with several events at the beginning and few at the end — is also ineffective. Instead, the University should focus on hosting more concrete advising events throughout the year.

We believe Brown’s system of academic freedom and experimentation can only be effective if supplemented by strong advising. Though we want a much more engaged effort from any faculty members who also serve as advisers, we also acknowledge that clearly delineated values and appropriate incentives must be established to build the most effective advising system. If this current advising system continues to be the norm, we worry that the general apathy regarding first-year advising will only continue to grow.

To the Editor: Daniel Carrigg GS, in his opinion article, “History matters for Rhode Island education” (Sept. 23), gave a misleading interpretation of colonial Rhode Island’s aversion to public education.

Far from being “laggards,” Roger Williams and the various groups of Baptists, Quakers, Huguenots and a host of other heretics and non-believers who were forcibly driven from Puritan Massachusetts were bold and highly educated idealists. Until the early 1700s, Rhode Island was a wilderness outpost and a territory hotly disputed by Massachusetts, Connecticut and the local warring Indian tribes, so establishing and maintaining schools of any kind was difficult at best.

Moreover, they actively resisted public schools because, at the time, education was focused on religious indoctrination.

According to Elisha Reynolds Potter (1811-1882), educator, congressman, judge and historian, the original settlers

“viewed everything which they had left behind them with hostility.”

“In Massachusetts, as in most settlements, the clergy, being the only class of leisure, were the depositories of the learning of the infant commonwealth. The clergy also always exercised an active control in their government,” Potter wrote in an address. “Hence, in a great measure, has arisen the feeling against a settled and salaried clergy. …We have lost the influence which such a body of men would always have exercised in favor of education.”

Let us not forget that the College of Rhode Island — later Brown University — was founded in 1763 as a private institution on donations from the citizens of this state. It was the first Ivy League school to accept students from all religious affiliations, a clear break from the past.

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013

Shortcomings of the strategic plan the paragraph on doctoral education promises increased support for graduate students — or at least “the most promising apGuest Columnist plicants” — I worry about the proposal to use new “metrics to “Building on Distinction: A New track the quality of doctoral proPlan for Brown” is without a grams and, over time, to tie redoubt a well-crafted document sources for doctoral education that presents a vision for taking to demonstrated success.” That’s Brown in a certain direction — a vague and potentially chilling one that is, at first glance, difficult phrase: How is success defined? to criticize. Who could find fault In job placement? But doesn’t the with such important goals as “Ac- availability of jobs in most fields ademic Excellence,” “Educational vary greatly decade to decade?

Leadership,” “Integrative Schol- Would low placement rates cause arship,” diversity among faculty, a graduate program to lose its staff and student body and need- funding, punished not because blind admission, among others? of its inferiority but because of its But when I look a little closer and field? I saw something like this ask for more specifics, I find my- happen in England in the midself thinking of that old saying: 1980s when the government un“The devil is in the details.” Or der Margaret Thatcher found a lack thereof, in some cases. way to “make redundant” dozens I look at this document as of faculty and their “irrelevant” a humanist interested in inte- positions in London Universigrating my work in the classical ty’s School of Oriental and Afriviews of human can Studies only nature and huto have a com“Despite a man potential in mission a decade paragraph bowing or so later advise Asia with the creative arts and the to the humanities the government relevant brain sciwas in the naand another to the ittional ences, and I see interest to a strategic plan arts, this document re-establish these dominated by the is dominated by the positions. sciences. In this But perhaps, sciences.” plan, the arts and in the last analyhumanities do sis, the biggest not stand on an equal footing reason I find fault with this wellwith the more lucrative scienc- articulated vision of Brown’s fues. Despite a paragraph bowing ture is that while it clearly has a to the humanities and another to well-defined “head,” it is very difthe arts, this document is domi- ficult to perceive its “heart,” denated by the sciences. For every spite stating, “Overall, our plans idea proffered about the arts or reflect Brown’s deep committhe humanities there are three ment to the principles and goals for the sciences: improving sci- of a liberal education. The need ence, technology, engineering for a global citizenry well-versed and mathematics education, pre- in the breadth of disciplinary medical education, data fluency approaches to societal issues and analysis, digital technology and grounded in skills of critiand so on. cal thinking, communication, There are other areas of con- data analysis and cultural undercern in this document. While standing will become increasing-

HAROLD ROTH

ly acute in the years ahead. The is essential to liberal learning in education our students receive the 21st century, in large part will equip them to be leaders in because doing so gives students their respective fields as well as the tools necessary to cope with outstanding global citizens.” the stressful personal and ethical There are no plans in this doc- challenges they will face in bringument for giving students the ing to a cynical world their ratioethical, moral and nal knowledge c o n t e m p l a t i v e “There are no plans and commitment tools to become to improving the in this document lives of others. healthier human beings and betRecognizing for giving students ter global citiand providing the ethical, moral the opportunity zens. These canand contemplative to cultivate these not be found in “critical thinking, human skills is tools to become communication grounded in an healthier human appreciation of and data analysis” alone, which are beings and better the fundamental rational and techinterrelatedness global citizens.” nical skills. Those of all life on this skills are imporplanet, a fundatant, to be sure, but certainly mental tenet of the worldviews of not sufficient preparation for the the great civilizations of Asia and challenges our students are go- Africa. So while I also see in this ing to face. Where is the place document the correct mention in Brown’s future for the essen- of diversity and cultural undertial human skills of being able to standing, what I don’t see reflectbring ethical context to one’s sci- ed therein is a genuine appreciaentific research or clinical treat- tion of the insights of these great ments? To bring tranquility to civilizations that clearly place huan agitated and distracted mind? man values on a par with technoTo develop a keenly felt sense of logical innovation. compassion for the suffering of It is also disappointing to see others — not just a rational un- absolutely no mention in this derstanding? Where is the focus new plan of any of the relevant on cultivating the mindful ability recommendations made by the to put this compassion into ac- Joint Committee on Employee tion?

Benefits, which was unanimously These human skills, so well approved by the faculty at its Febconceptualized in the humani- ruary meeting earlier this year. ties, can be even more effective- There is no mention of the value ly taught through combining of emeritus faculty members and traditional humanistic, artistic the importance of continuing to and scientific third-person stud- develop ways to give them meanies with the critical first-person ingful roles in our community pedagogies pioneered by Brown’s as they move into new phases of Contemplative Studies Initia- their careers. There is no mentive. Our initiative is now being tion of the ethical responsibility copied at Stanford University, of the University for the health the University of California at care in retirement of the very Berkeley, the University of Wis- people who built the university consin, the University of Virgin- to its place of excellence in the ia, Emory University and others. world of higher education. Nor Developing these human skills is there the slightest mention of

raising funds to help ensure that all Brown employees have the opportunity to send their children who merit admission to the very university they have helped raise to the level of distinction this plan wishes to build upon. As our report shows, Brown ranks close to last in tuition assistance compared to 19 peer institutions, many with endowments similar to ours.

In the end, as a community, we need to model for our students the values we teach them to bring to the world. We can’t just talk about them — we have to live them. We need to treat the University’s employees as compassionately as we encourage our students to act. And we need to help them realize that the values we wish to bring to the world at large must start within the hearts — as well as minds — of each and every one of us.

While this new plan is rich in commitments to develop the sciences, it falls short in ideas for how to develop a perspective concerned with value, meaning and ethics in the academy in the face of the onslaught of science in the 21st century. Despite its promising rhetoric, I regret to say that this new strategic plan falls far short of the meaning and purpose of Brown’s traditional emphasis on liberal learning, articulated so well by Brown philosopher, educator and dean of a century ago, Alexander Meiklejohn: “To acquire the diverse range of perspectives necessary not to make a living, but to have a life worth living.”

Harold Roth is a professor of religious studies, director of the contemplative Studies Initiative and co-founder of the Alpert Medical School’s scholarly concentration in contemplative studies.

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daily herald sports tuesday THE BROWN

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2013

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Berg leads Bears past Dartmouth in Ivy League opener Despite facing early pressure from the Big Green offense, stingy goalie play led to victory

By LLOYD SY SPORTS STAFF WRITER

DAVE SILVERMAN / HERALD

Kiersten Berg ’14 brought a win this weekend, scoring the sole goal in a game that catapulted Bruno to its first conference win of the season.

The women’s soccer team (5-2-0, Ivy 1-0) began Ivy League play Sunday afternoon, defeating Dartmouth 1-0 The goal was scored by Kiersten Berg ’14 in the second half.

Dartmouth (3-4-1, 0-1), which finished second in the conference last season, entered Sunday’s game on the heels of three shutouts, with goalie Tatiana Saunders reigning as Ivy League player of the week.

The game started off with quick strikes by both sides. A minute into the game, Dartmouth’s leading goal scorer, Emma Brush, shot inside the goal box into the hands of goalie Amber Bledsoe ’14.

Just 30 seconds later, Chloe Cross ’15 shot toward the opposing goal, but Saunders stopped the shot.

The Big Green continued to challenge Bledsoe throughout the first half, winning six corner kicks and taking nine shots. Bledsoe made eight saves and allowed no goals.

On the other end, Saunders faced five shots from Bruno but also successfully held the team to no goals.

The scoreboard remained 0-0 for most of the second half. In the 63rd minute, Head Coach Phil Pincince pulled out his front line, replacing Berg, Cross and captain Mika Siegelman ’14 with Sydney Calas ’17, Louisa Pitney ’14 and Maddie Wiener ’14.

“We’ve utilized our team’s frontrunners a lot this year,” Pincince said.

“We do a lot of running, so having fresh legs when you need them has paid dividends for us.”

The new frontline came out with energy but saw many offensive maneuvers broken by Dartmouth back Jill Dayneka. The Big Green back ended many Bruno runs by stepping in front of the forwards and turning around, slowing play and prompting several fouls.

Brown finally overcame Dayneka two minutes after the rested starting forwards reentered the game. In the 77th minute, Berg brought the ball upfield, outran Dayneka by a step and chipped her first goal of the season over Saunders’ sliding body. “(Dayneka) is a great defender in the air, so we have to beat her on the ground,” Berg said. “Going on the flanks had been pretty successful

for us, so we just kept trying to do it until it worked.”

The Bears went on the defensive for the final 10 minutes of the game, pulling their numbers back to assist second half goalie Mary Catherine Barrett ’14.

Dartmouth’s final attacks were successfully repelled by Bruno’s defense, giving Brown the 1-0 victory.

“When you only have seven games to win (the conference), intensity comes on its own,” Berg said. “Our seniors bring a lot of motivational speeches, and we get pumped up for the game.”

Pincince credited his two goalies, saying they had “been that duo since freshman year.”

“We saw something special in both of them,” Pincince said. “We had them mature together, they’ve gotten it done and it’s worked for us.”

Bruno only won one Ivy game last year. Berg said that opening the conference with a win “sets a tone.”

“We’re on top now,” Berg said.

“Only four teams won this weekend, and we’re one of them.”

The Bears will play Wednesday evening, when they host Bryant University. The squad’s next conference tilt is Saturday, when it travels to Columbia.

MEN’S TENNIS

MEN’S WATER POLO

Brown took two of three matches against stiff competition prior to this weekend’s tournament

sweep weekend play

Garcia and To dominate at Penn Invitational Bears nearly

By ALEX WAINGER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

The men’s tennis team made an impressive showing last weekend at the Penn Invitational, with records of 12-5 in singles and 7-2 in doubles and two players going undefeated.

Brown played a doubleheader Friday against Lehigh University and the University at Buffalo before facing host Penn Saturday. Justin To ’15.5 and Eli Whittle ’17 both went undefeated in the tournament, while Will Spector ’15, Ivan Kravtchenko ’16 and co-captains Soufiane Azargui ’14 and David Neff ’14 all picked up multiple wins to help carry Bruno to a strong finish.

The team started off the tournament with a convincing win over the Mountain Hawks Friday morning.

Bruno swept all nine matches — singles and doubles — and only lost two of 17 sets. Greg Garcia ’17 had a particularly notable performance for the day, winning his doubles match with partner To before battling back from a one set deficit to win his singles match in three sets.

“After falling behind in the first set, I started mixing things up in the second. I took some advice from my coach and managed to take the second set,” Garcia said. “Then in the third set (opponent Jeremy Kochman) picked his game up a lot, but I managed to hold him off for the win.”

Coming off their victory over Lehigh, the Bears stumbled against

Bruno looks forward to a St. Francis College rematch this Saturday on College Hill

By GEORGE SANCHEZ SPORTS STAFF WRITER

COURTESY OF BROWN ATHLETICS

William Spector ’15 picked up one of two singles victories against the University of Buffalo last Friday, after Brown swept Lehigh University. The Bears also notched a victory over Penn to close out the weekend. the Bulls later Friday. Bruno lost two of the three doubles matchups, with Garcia and To the only pair to salvage a win. Buffalo then took four of the six singles matches. Spector and Whittle both managed to pick up wins for Bruno.

“Guys seemed a little bit worn out after the Lehigh match, but we definitely took something from it,” Azargui said.

“We tried to focus on the positives

from our game against Buffalo and looked to build on them,” To said.

Saturday morning, Brown had an opportunity to rebound from its loss with a match against Ivy League rival Penn.

“We were all super tired, but we knew we had to rally for our matchup with Penn,” To said.

The team won eight of nine matches against the Quakers, including all three of the doubles matches.

“I can already see that the level of play will be intense when league play starts in the spring,” Garcia said.

“We came out with a lot more energy — guys were cheering for one another — and we really got into the match,” Azargui said.

The team will play at home for the first time in almost a month when it hosts the Brown Invitational in Memory of Margaux Powers next weekend.

The No. 17 men’s water polo team finished weekend play with an even record after winning its first match against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Engineers and losing its second contest against the Harvard Crimson.

The Bears (9-6, CWPA 4-2) competed in two CWPA Northern Division games over the weekend. Both games will factor into seed placement for the CWPA Northern Divisional Championships, which will take place at Harvard Nov. 9-10. Last year, the Bears almost took home the first place win at the CWPA Northern Divisional Championships, coming up just short against the then-ranked No. 15 St. Francis Brooklyn Terriers with an 8-7 loss in the deciding game.

“Of course, we want a first-round bye,” said Head Coach Felix Mercado.

“It’s tough because every team has improved and brought in high-impact freshmen. Ultimately, our goal is to get better every game.”

Bruno’s first match came against the Engineers (4-9, 4-5), as the squad » See WATER POLO, page 5