Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Daily

Herald

THE BROWN

vol. cxlviii, no. 89

since 1891

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2013

Poll results reveal student apathy toward strategic plan, UCS Students responded to questions about divestment from coal, gender-neutral bathrooms and masturbation

By MADDIE BERG AND MATHIAS HELLER ARTS & CULTURE EDITOR AND UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

About two-thirds of undergraduates either did not have an opinion on President Christina Paxson’s strategic plan or had not heard of it, according to a Herald poll conducted Sept. 30-Oct. 1.

More than half of the student body supported divesting the University’s endowment from large U.S. coal companies, the poll showed, while students’ approval of Paxson’s performance as president remained mostly steady from last semester.

A majority of students had no opinion of the Undergraduate Council of

Students’ performance, while about 29 percent approved of the body’s handling of its job. Around 9 percent disapproved.

Students were split over whether to make all multi-user restrooms in residence halls gender-neutral: Roughly three-quarters supported converting at least some restrooms, but only about 28 percent endorsed converting all. Close to 15 percent did not support converting any restrooms, and about 10 percent said they had no opinion on the issue.

Roughly three-quarters of students reported drawing from their parents’ income and savings to help finance their education at Brown, while about 40 percent of students reported relying on their own incomes and savings to do so.

University politics About 52 percent of students supported divestment of University endowment funds from large U.S. coal companies, as the student group Brown Divest Coal has advocated. Close to 30 percent responded they somewhat agreed with divestment, and about 22 percent strongly agreed. Around 20 percent of students reported having no opinion on the issue, while about 14 percent were opposed to divesting, with about 8 percent somewhat disagreeing and about 6 percent strongly disagreeing with divestment. About 13 percent said they were not familiar enough with the topic to provide an opinion.

Though the strategic plan Paxson released last month has generated some debate and discussion about the University’s priorities over the next decade, the percentage of students expressing

Student opinions on strategic plan “What is your opinion of President Christina Paxson’s strategic plan?”

I have not heard of the strategic plan: 16% Strongly disapprove: 2%

I am aware of the plan but do not know enough to have an opinion: 49%

Somewhat disapprove: 7%

Somewhat approve: 21% Strongly approve: 5%

GREG JORDAN-DETAMORE / HERALD

no opinion of Paxson’s handling of her presidency remains unchanged from last semester, and her approval rating has changed only slightly. About 43 percent reported approving of Paxson — a close to 2 percent dip from The Herald’s spring

2013 poll results — while about 48 percent of students had no opinion of her job performance and around 9 percent disapproved.

Almost half of students — about 49 » See POLL, page 3

FOOTBALL

Bears trounce Bryant Bulldogs in first-ever meeting Donnelly passed for a career-high 339 yards and four touchdowns in the win against Bryant

By CALEB MILLER SENIOR STAFF WRITER

EMILY GILBERT / HERALD

In a career-best passing performance, Patrick Donnelly ’13.5 continued to facilitate the offense. He has averaged over 260 total yards per game.

The football team put on a 505-yard offensive display in its 41-14 win Saturday against Bryant University.

The thumping secured a third consecutive undefeated non-conference season for the Bears (3-1, 0-1 Ivy) and puts the squad on good footing as it re-enters conference play next week.

Quarterback and co-captain Patrick Donnelly ’13.5 was the center of the offensive onslaught, passing for career highs of 339 yards and four touchdowns.

Jordan Evans ’14 was on the receiving end of five Donnelly passes, amassing 108 yards and two touchdowns.

“After our first series on offense, I felt really good about what our offense had against their defense,” Donnelly said. “They had some trouble dealing with our tempo, our no-huddle. They lost some guys in coverage, and we took advantage of it.”

Bryant (3-3) took a 14-7 lead seven minutes into the game, but afterward it was all Bears. Bruno rattled off 34 unanswered points, scoring on all six of its first-half possessions and dominating all facets of the game.

Riding the momentum of a homecoming crowd, the Bulldogs jumped ahead early. The home team stripped Brown returner Reiley Higgins ’15 on the opening kickoff and needed only

three plays to find the end zone to grab a 7-0 advantage.

The Bears countered with a quick drive of their own, using five plays, including a 34-yard touchdown pass from Donnelly to Evans, to earn their first score of the afternoon.

After the Bryant offense marched down the field for another touchdown on its second drive, the quick-strike Bruno attack was at it again. Donnelly found receiver Tellef Lundevall ’13.5 five yards to open the drive, and running back John Spooney ’14 followed it up, racing for a 27-yard gain. What looked like a short pass from Donnelly to Lundevall turned into a 55-yard touchdown when Lundevall broke a tackle and rumbled down the sideline for the long score.

Spooney — the Bears’ leading scorer » See FOOTBALL, page 8

Hoping to fulfill graduation requirement, thousands take NECAP retest

By MARIYA BASHKATOVA SENIOR STAFF WRITER

inside

As some of Rhode Island’s high school seniors embark on the college application process, over 4,000 of their A B peers are still unsure whether they will graduD ate from high school this Testing success? spring.

An evaluation of Rhode Island’s high stakes When these assessment policy First in a four-part series students first took the New England Common Assessment Program as juniors, over 40 percent of the class of 2014 failed either the math or

reading portion of the test.

The NECAP, first introduced in Rhode Island in 2005 for elementary and middle schools and extended to the state’s high schools in 2007, is a standardized test produced by New England-based Measured Progress, which aims to evaluate student proficiency in math, reading, writing and science.

Beginning with the current senior class, the Rhode Island Diploma System requires students to pass the state’s standardized testing requirement by either performing at least at a “partially proficient” level or showing improvement between test administration cycles in order to receive their diplomas.

The test is graded on a four-point scale — one is substantially below

proficient, two is partially proficient, three is proficient and four is proficient with distinction.

In Providence, which offers a choice between eight public high schools differentiated by academic focus, approximately 65 percent of students failed the math portion of the NECAP last year and 20 percent failed the reading portion, according to Measured Progress statistics.

At Hope High School, only 19 percent of students passed the math portion of the test. Approximately 80 percent of the Hope student body is retesting this month to try to qualify for graduation.

In contrast, only 6 percent of current seniors at Classical High School, the district’s highest performing school, are retaking the exam this year.

Given the poor performance of students during the previous testing cycle, » See TESTING, page 2

SAM KASE / HERALD

The NECAP is designed to measure student achievement using a fourpoint scale, with a rating of two designating “partial proficiency.”

Kick it

Polo power

Tech-books?

Women’s soccer has earned twice as many Ivy victories as last year after conference

Men’s water polo ended its regular season with two wins this weekend

Lecturer Richard Bungiro argues technology can’t replace in-person education

SPORTS, 5

SPORTS, 5

COMMENTARY, 7

weather

Rhode Island high school students must improve on junior year scores in order to earn diplomas in 2014

t o d ay

tomorrow

69 / 50

66 / 56

2 city & state » TESTING, from page 1

calendar TODAY

OCTOBER 15

12 P.M.

TOMORROW

OCTOBER 16

10 A.M. BURP Massage Session

Love Your Body Day

TWC Formal Lounge 2 3 P.M.

Main Green 2 P.M.

Ada Lovelace Day Edit-a-Thon

Town Hall Online Course Meeting

Pembroke Hall 302

Sheridan Center

menu SHARPE REFECTORY

VERNEY-WOOLLEY

LUNCH Cavatelli Primavera, Baked Potato Bar, Grilled Turkey Burger, Fresh Corn on the Cob, Frosted Brownies

Buffalo Wings, Zucchini Parmesan Sandwich, Beets in Orange Sauce, Nacho Bar, Frosted Brownies

DINNER Eggplant Parmesan, Orange Crusted Turkey with Orange Sauce, Baked Sweet Potatoes, Winter Vegetables

Baked Chicken, Thai Basil Pork Stirfry, Thai Basil Tempeh Stirfry, Rice and Orzo Pilaf, Peach Cobbler

sudoku

RELEASE DATE– Tuesday, October 15, 2013

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

ACROSS 1 Medicine-testing org.

4 Brief chat 8 Destructive insect 12 Tolkien henchmen 14 Astrological Ram 16 Days of old 17 Frequent prank caller to Moe’s Tavern 18 Snicker 19 Ostrich cousin 20 Put on trial, in the military 23 Forrest Gump’s Army friend 24 “Nifty!”

25 Chowed down 26 One of the Gulf States: Abbr.

27 Springsteen’s “__ to Run” 30 One who hems but doesn’t haw?

32 Fruity loaf 35 Séance sounds 36 Even-steven 37 Indian prince 40 “Nerts!”

43 Caption under a monkey covering its eyes 48 Casual comment 51 __ helmet: safari wear 52 “__ Yankee Doodle ...”

53 Sleeve filler 54 Broadcasts 56 Parachute fabric 58 End dramatically 62 Catches some rays 63 Freeze over 64 Committed perjury 66 “Miss __ Regrets”: Porter song 67 Perform brilliantly 68 Long-tailed 8Across 69 Approach 70 Sinusitis docs 71 Darn or baste DOWN 1 Watch chain 2 Bram Stoker’s count

3 Nimble circus performer 4 Light bulb unit 5 Utah city 6 One-named Barbadian singer 7 Brand that “Nothing runs like” 8 British pianist Hess 9 “C’est magnifique!”

10 “Rock-a-bye baby” spot 11 Painful-looking soccer shots 13 Puny pencil 15 Tuned to, as a radio dial 21 Synagogue leader 22 Call __ day 23 Defective 28 Miner’s discovery 29 Wine shop section 31 “Dies __”: hymn 33 Jones of jazz 34 Half of sechs 38 Colony crawler 39 Sloop in a Beach Boys hit

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2013

40 Seems to last forever 41 Require to detour 42 Strong-smelling cleaner 44 Oscar-winning “Casablanca” coscreenwriter Julius or Philip 45 Lithuania’s capital 46 Comic Coca who worked with Sid Caesar

47 PC-to-PC system 49 Wharf rodent 50 Fuzzy green fruits 55 Wealthy, in France 57 Southern pronoun 59 U.S. ally in WWII 60 Follow the game?

61 “Planet of the __” 65 Margery of nursery rhymes

ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:

xwordeditor@aol.com

10/15/13

the Rhode Island Department of Education has been forced to defend the new Diploma System as both student and teacher communities have protested the graduation requirement.

Federal assistance Since former president George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act in January 2002, states have been required to administer standardized tests in math and reading to students in third through eighth grades and high school juniors to continue to receive federal funding for their school systems.

Rhode Island implemented the NECAP to meet this testing requirement, said Elliot Krieger, public information officer at the state education department.

Prior to the passage of NCLB, the state had been testing students but not at every grade level now required by the act, he added.

The state had two options — buy a test from a testing company or create its own standardized test, Krieger said.

Because of Rhode Island’s small size, the education department decided to team up with New Hampshire and Vermont and form a consortium to create a test, Krieger said.

The states originally “had their own programs that all included a large portion of open-ended items where students had to provide their own response, and they didn’t want to give up that type of test,” said Harold Stephens, NECAP program director at Measured Progress.To avoid switching to a completely multiple-choice format, the states pooled monetary and personnel resources to create a set of grade-level standards, which the states collectively adopted in 2003, Stephens added. The consortium then came to Measured Progress to design the test itself, he said.

The current test includes multiple choice, short answer and constructive response questions and is designed to test critical thinking as well as knowledge, Stephens said.

“The goal of the NECAP was and always has been to measure (whether) students have met the standard at their grade level,” Krieger said.

Rhode Island is the only state that uses NECAP scores as a graduation requirement, Stephens said.

Making the grade In 2008, the Board of Regents for Elementary and Secondary Education ruled that NECAP scores would be used as part of the state’s graduation requirements starting with the class of 2012, Krieger said.

According to Measured Progress, students who score below “proficient” on the exam have not met grade-level expectations. Prior to the state’s decision to institute the exam as a graduation requirement, about 80 percent of students statewide were not meeting the proficiency benchmark on the math portion and almost 40 percent were below

A

B D

Testing success?

An evaluation of Rhode Island’s high stakes assessment policy

By Gareth Bain (c)2013 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

10/15/13

A four-part series

“proficient” in reading.

But the administration took into account students’ historical scores on the NECAP when creating the standard, said Deborah Gist, state education commissioner.“We all know that students should be at least proficient before they graduate from our high schools. That’s what they need in order to be successful,” she said.

But based on the low percentage of students earning proficient scores in previous years, the Board decided it would be unrealistic to use as a graduation requirement right away and set the bar at “partially proficient,” she said. The Board of Regents revised the graduation requirements in 2011 to include the possibility of fulfilling the NECAP requirement by demonstrating improvement on the test between students’ junior and senior years, Gist added.

The Board also delayed the graduation requirement to first apply to the class of 2014, Krieger said.

Under the current policy, Rhode Island students must pass the NECAP assessment, successfully complete 20 courses and complete two “performance assessments,” such as “exhibitions, portfolios … or comprehensive course assessments” to earn high school diplomas, according to the education department website.

A common misconception about the NECAP requirement is that students must score “partially proficient” their junior years to graduate, Gist said. In fact, students may retake the test in the fall of their senior years and again in the spring. If they neither score “partially proficient” nor show improvement from a previous test, they can apply for a test waiver, show proficiency in math and reading in another way or submit an appropriate score on one of 10 possible alternative tests — such as the PSAT, SAT or ACT, Gist said.

Students can also appeal their graduation decisions, Gist added.

Reevaluation Despite the education department’s measures, over 40 percent of the class of 2014 is currently ineligible to graduate this spring.

The NECAP’s opponents have criticized the test as an unfair measure of graduation readiness. “We think there is significant evidence that this testing requirement simply was not designed and is not valid for determining whether or not a student should be getting a diploma,” said Steven Brown, executive director of the Rhode Island ACLU. The graduation requirement has spurred controversy across Rhode Island, with many saying it unfairly targets racial minorities, students with disabilities, economically disadvantaged students and English language learners. Opponents also question the suitability of the test for measuring graduation readiness.

“This obsession with high stakes testing is misguided. It benefits nobody but the testmakers. The impact is substantial, because without a diploma the ability of

these young people to get jobs or take certain paths in life are simply closed,” Brown said.

In June, 17 organizations, including the Providence Student Union — a student activism group — the Rhode Island ACLU and the Providence chapter of the NAACP formally filed a petition asking the Board of Education to reconsider the use of NECAP scores as a graduation requirement.

Despite public outcry, the Board of Education voted 6-5 to keep the NECAP as a graduation requirement during a private session of a Sept. 9 meeting. The R.I. ACLU filed a lawsuit against the Board of Education, following the decision, for voting on the petition behind closed doors.

At the end of this year’s legislative session, the Rhode Island House and Senate passed a joint resolution calling on the state education department to end the use of NECAP results as a graduation requirement. Providence Mayor Angel Taveras has also asked the school board to reconsider the conditions of the Diploma System.

Race to the top Though the debate over the NECAP continues, Rhode Island will adopt the new Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for Colleges and Careers test in public schools for the 2014-2015 school year. The state is phasing out the NECAP exam because it is not designed to test student proficiency under the new Common Core Standards, a set of federal grade-level expectations in mathematics and English, Krieger said. Under this new system, the state will implement new grade-level standards, and the new test will more accurately measure student success according to these standards, he added. Rhode Island was one of the 19 governing states involved in the creation of PARCC in accordance with the Common Core, he added.

But the science NECAP will be administered until its contract runs out in 2017, Stephens said.

Rhode Island is one of 46 states to adopt the Common Core standards, a policy incentivized by President Obama’s 2010 Race to the Top initiative by linking federal funding to adherence with the Core.

The Common Core Standards have already been criticized from both the right and left of the political spectrum for creating a one-size-fits-all approach to education, decreasing state autonomy and setting unrealistic standards for students and educators.

But supporters have said the standards create necessary benchmarks for student proficiency and set high goals for student learning, preparing students for success in college and keeping Americans competitive on the global scale.

Tomorrow’s story will explore the pressure on Rhode Island teachers to improve student performance on standardized testing, despite continuing concerns over their efficacy in measuring student success.

This series will explore the debate over Rhode Island’s implementation of a standardized testing requirement for high school graduation, with a focus on history, policy and implementation since the creation of the NECAP. Read it online at: thebdh.org/testing.

Today: Following the passage of No Child Left Behind in 2002, standardized testing benchmarks have gained increasing importance in Rhode Island’s public schools.

In 2012, the Rhode Island Department of Education tied performance on the state’s NECAP exam to graduation eligibility.

Tomorrow: Increasing pressure for high performance on standardized tests has shifted classroom dynamics and forced some teachers to alter curricula.

Thursday: Tying testing performance to graduation eligibility has had a range of effects on students at Providence’s highly differentiated high schools.

Friday: As Rhode Island moves toward implementing the Common Core Standards through the new PARCC exam, policymakers and politicians are reevaluating the graduation requirement.

university news 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2013

» POLL, from page 1 percent — had heard of the strategic plan but said they were not familiar enough with its details to have an opinion. Most of those who had an opinion approved of the plan, “Building on Distinction” — about 7 percent of students strongly approved, and about 21 percent somewhat approved. About 7 percent of students somewhat disapproved of the plan, and about 2 percent strongly disapproved.

About 16 percent of students said they had not heard of the plan.

The majority of students, close to 56 percent, expressed no opinion of the Undergraduate Council of Students’ handling of its job, and about 6 percent of respondents had not heard of the group.

Close to 8 percent disapproved of the group.

Since fall 2011 — the last time the student body was polled on UCS’ performance — overall approval of the group decreased from about 38 to about 29 percent. About 7 percent of students strongly approved of the organization’s performance, and about 22 percent somewhat approved.

Personal lives About 48 percent of students responded they expected to get married between the ages of 25 and 29, and about 28 percent of students expected to marry between the ages of 30 and 34. About 2 percent reported they intended to marry between 35 and 39 and about 3 percent between 18 and 24. About 3 percent of respondents did not intend to marry at all, while about 15 percent were unsure at what age they intended to marry.

Females were likelier to say they expected to marry younger, with about 59 percent anticipating marriage before age 29. Males showed greater variety, with about 39 percent expecting to marry between ages 25 and 29 and about 34 percent choosing the 30 to 34 range.

About 87 percent of students said they had not been prescribed medication for mental health conditions within the past five years. About 8 percent reported having been prescribed medication for depression during this time period, while about 8 percent had been prescribed medication for anxiety, about 3 percent for attention deficit disorder and about 1 percent for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. One percent of students had also been prescribed medication for obsessive-compulsive disorder, about 1 percent for bipolar disorder, 0.1 percent for schizophrenia and about 1 percent for another mental health condition.

About 26 percent of students reported masturbating once or twice a week, with about 17 percent reporting they masturbated 3 to 5 times a week and about 15 percent reporting once or twice a month.

About 8 percent of students said they masturbate once a day, while about 1 percent reported masturbating more than once a day. About 14 percent reported that they masturbate less than once a month, and about 19 percent reported never having masturbated.

These percentages varied with gender. About 30 percent of females and about 6 percent of males responded that they had never masturbated. About 17 percent of males said they masturbated daily, compared to only about 3 percent of females. Class year also correlated with masturbation frequency, with about 27 percent of first-years reporting never having masturbated, compared to about 13 percent of both juniors and seniors.

Roughly 10 percent of poll respondents did not answer the masturbation question.

Other issues Just under half the student body — about 47 percent — supported converting some, but not all, multi-user restrooms in residence halls to gender-neutral status, while about 28 percent favored turning all such restrooms gender-neutral. About 15 percent opposed converting any multiuser dorm restrooms to gender-neutral, while about 10 percent said they did not know.

Of multiple financing options that poll respondents could report, parents’ income and savings were the most common way students reported they helped finance their Brown education, with about 75 percent of students reporting relying on parental assistance. About 40 percent reported using their own income and savings to help finance their education, and about 28 percent indicated they receive federal loans. About 52 percent reported receiving University grants and scholarships, though Brown’s 2012-2013 Common Data Set reported that 42 percent of full-time undergraduates fell into that category, excluding students whose aid was only in a self-help form.

About 24 percent of students said they accessed non-University grants and scholarships, and about 13 percent received financial contributions from non-parental relatives and friends. About 6 percent said their parents borrowed money from outside sources, about 3 percent of students said they themselves borrowed from outside sources and about 8 percent said they did not rely on any of these options to help finance their Brown education.

About two-thirds of students said they felt their previous academic experience effectively prepared them to concentrate in a science, technology, engineering or math field — also known as STEM — though not all of these students said they were pursuing or were planning to pursue one of these concentrations.

About 34 percent responded that they felt prepared to concentrate in one of these fields and were either planning to concentrate or had already declared in a STEM concentration. About 24 percent responded that they felt prepared but were not concentrating in or planning to concentrate in one of these fields, and about 9 percent said they felt prepared but were unsure of their concentration.

About 12 percent of students indicated they felt insufficiently prepared but still were concentrating or planned on concentrating in a STEM field. About 6 percent of respondents were not concentrating in a STEM field because they felt unprepared to do so, while about 10 percent said they felt unprepared but would not have concentrated in one of these fields even if they had felt more prepared. About 5 percent of students felt unprepared and were unsure of their concentration.

Financial aid status correlated with students’ perceived preparedness. About 47 percent of those with all their tuition covered by grants said they felt unprepared to major in a STEM concentration, compared to only about 25 percent of those receiving no financial aid from the University.

Students were divided over how significant a role standardized tests should play in public high school graduation requirements, with about 41 percent responding that standardized tests should play a moderate role and about 40 percent favoring a small role for such tests. About 12 percent of students said standardized tests should play no role in public high schools’ graduation requirements, and about 2 percent expressed no opinion on the issue.

RESULTS AND ME THODOLOGY Full poll results 1. Do you believe the University should divest any of its endowment assets currently in large U.S. coal companies, as requested by the student group Brown Divest Coal?

22.0% Strongly agree 30.2% Somewhat agree 20.5% No opinion 8.5% Somewhat disagree 5.5% Strongly disagree 13.5% Not familiar enough to answer 2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christina Paxson is handling her job as president of the University?

11.0% Strongly approve 32.1% Somewhat approve 48.1% No opinion 7.5% Somewhat disapprove 1.3% Strongly disapprove 3. How much of a role should standardized test scores play in public high school graduation requirements?

4.8% A significant role 41.1% A moderate role 40.1% A small role 12.1% No role 1.9% No opinion 4. For which of the following conditions have you been prescribed medication in the past five years? (Circle all that apply.)

7.7% Depression 7.6% Anxiety 2.5% Attention deficit disorder 1.4% Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder 0.7% Obsessive-compulsive disorder 0.6% Bipolar disorder 0.1% Schizophrenia 1.4% Another mental health condition 86.8% None of the above 5. Do you use any of the following to finance all or part of your Brown tuition and associated costs? (Circle all that apply.)

52.4% University grants and scholarships 28.2% Federal loans 23.8% Non-University grants and scholarships 74.9% My parents’ income and savings 40.3% My own income and savings 12.8% Non-parental relatives’ and friends’ contributions 3.1% I borrow money from outside sources 5.6% My parents borrow money from outside sources 0.4% I do not know if I use any of the above 7.5% None of the above

6. Do you support the conversion of multiuser bathrooms in residence halls to genderneutral status?

27.8% Yes, I support converting all bathrooms 46.8% Yes, I support converting some bathrooms 15.2% No, I do not support converting any bathrooms 10.2% Don’t know 7. At what age do you expect to get married?

2.9% 18-24 47.5% 25-29 27.9% 30-34 2.4% 35-39 0.2% 40 or older 3.4% I don’t intend to get married 0.2% I am already married 15.4% Not sure 8. How often do you masturbate?

1.4% More than once a day 8.4% Once a day 16.9% Three to five times a week 25.9% Once or twice a week 14.9% Once or twice a month 13.7% Less than once a month 18.7% I have never masturbated 9. Did you feel your previous academic experiences effectively prepared you to concentrate in a science, technology, engineering or math field when you entered Brown?

34.2% Yes, and I am or plan to 23.7% Yes, but I am not or do not plan to 8.5% Yes, but I am not sure if I will 5.1% No, and I am not sure if I will 12.0% No, but I am or plan to 6.3% No, and for that reason, I am not or do not plan to 10.1% No, and I would not have wanted to even if I felt more prepared 10. What is your opinion of President Christina Paxson’s strategic plan?

5.0% Strongly approve 20.7% Somewhat approve 7.3% Somewhat disapprove 1.8% Strongly disapprove 49.4% I am aware of the plan but do not know enough to have an opinion 15.9% I have not heard of the strategic plan 11. Do you approve or disapprove of the way the Undergraduate Council of Students (UCS) is handling its job?

6.5% Strongly approve 22.5% Somewhat approve 56.4% No opinion 6.4% Somewhat disapprove 2.1% Strongly disapprove 6.2% I do not know what UCS is

Methodology Written questionnaires were administered to 1,024 undergraduates Sept. 30 - Oct. 1 in the lobby of J. Walter Wilson and the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center during the day and the Sciences Library at night. The poll has a 2.8 percent margin of error with 95 percent confidence. The margin of error is 3.9 percent for the subset of males, 3.4 percent for the subset of females, 5.2 percent for first-years, 5.4 percent for sophomores, 5.8 percent for juniors, 6.2 percent for seniors, 3.9 percent for students receiving financial aid and 4 percent for students not receiving financial aid. All reported cross-tabulations are statistically significant.

The sample polled was demographically similar to the Brown undergraduate population as a whole. The sample was 53 percent female and 46 percent male. First-years made up 28 percent of the sample, sophomores accounted for 27 percent of the sample, juniors were 24 percent and seniors were 21 percent. Varsity athletes made up 12 percent of the sample. Of those polled, 50 percent receive financial aid from Brown. Students reported all races with which they identify, with about 61 percent identifying as white, about 26 percent as Asian, about 11 percent as black, about 9 percent as Hispanic, about 2 percent as American Indian/Alaska Native, 0.3 percent as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander and about 5 percent as other.

University News Editor Mathias Heller ’15, Arts & Culture Editor Maddie Berg ’15, Strategic Director Greg Jordan-Detamore ’14, Data Science Editor Andersen Chen ’14, City & State Editor Adam Toobin ’15, Features Editor Elizabeth Koh ’15, Senior Staff Writers Kiki Barnes ’16, Mariya Bashkatova ’15 and Michael Dubin ’16 and Staff Writer Sarah Sachs ’16 coordinated the poll. Herald section editors, senior staff writers and other staff members conducted the poll.

Over the next several weeks, The Herald will publish a series of articles on individual poll questions. Find results of previous polls at thebdh.org/poll.

4 sports tuesday

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2013

MEN’S SOCCER

FIELD HOCKEY

Bruno falls to Bobcats, upsets Cardinals Bears unbeaten in Ivies after The Bears’ triumph stalemate against Princeton over No. 14 Louisville represents a momentous victory for the program

By CORMAC CUMMISKEY CONTRIBUTING WRITER

For the women’s field hockey team, a sweet victory against then-No. 14 University of Louisville Sunday erased the lingering sting of defeat from last week’s fall to Quinnipiac University.

The Bears (5-6, Ivy 1-2) failed to defend their turf against the Bobcats (8-5) Wednesday, losing 2-1. But Sunday brought a far better result as Bruno clinched a 2-1 overtime win over Louisville (10-4). The victory was arguably the Bears’ most significant in recent years.

Quinnipiac 2, Brown 1 Coming off a victory against Harvard, captain Avery Burns ’14 described the contest against Quinnipiac as a “winnable game.” But the outcome fell short of those expectations, as the Bobcats proved scrappier foes than anticipated.

As soon as the match began, Bruno’s rivals pounced. Quinnipiac’s Jess Rusin drew first blood, netting a goal only three minutes into the half.

The Bears retaliated by stepping up offensive pressure. Their efforts

bore fruit in the eighth minute of play when star forward Meghan O’Donnell ’15 scored off an assist from Clayton Christus ’15. The two sides finished the period tied 1-1.

With neither team seizing an advantage, they remained deadlocked through the second half.

But in the end, the Bobcats eked out the win: Quinnipiac’s Jennalise Taylor capitalized on a penalty corner to score the game-winning goal in the 50th minute. Despite a lastminute surge by the Bears, the score remained 2-1 when time expired.

Brown 2, Louisville 1 (OT) Between Wednesday and Sunday, Bruno shook off the disappointing loss. When it came time to host Louisville — the highest-ranked opponent the team has played this season — the team was focused and ready to go.

From the start, Louisville lived up to its formidable reputation. In only seven minutes, the Cardinals fired three shots, the last of which resulted in a goal.

“They really put us under a ton of pressure,” said Head Coach Jill Reeve.

“Tons of shots, tons of corners.”

Brown cranked up the intensity from that point forward, grinding it out against the highly-touted visitors. Swings in momentum defined much of the first half, as the teams took turns pummelling the opposing

keepers with shots.

At last, the Bears got a chance to show off their penalty corner unit.

In the 30th minute, Torie Stearns ’14 launched a penalty corner to Alexis Miller ’16, who returned the ball in time for Stearns to score. At halftime, Bruno and Louisville were tied 1-1.

The second period proved an exercise in persistence for the Bears.

Louisville pulled no punches, and it took a mighty effort on Bruno’s part to hold the line. Goalkeeper Shannon McSweeney ’15 defended the net masterfully, saving 11 of Louisville’s 12 total shots on goal. Reeve later described McSweeney’s performance as “world-class.”

By stymieing Louisville’s offense, the Bears forced the match into sudden-death overtime. Bruno soon received another penalty corner opportunity, as Anna Masini ’16 passed in to Katarina Angus ’17, who clubbed the ball over the Cardinals’ keeper to seal the win.

Reeve was very pleased with the outcome of the game. “It’s huge,” she said. “I honestly don’t remember the last time Brown beat a ranked team.”

“Our team’s been in a slow build for the last couple of years,” Reeve continued. “I think that a win like this showcases all the work we’ve done.”

The Bears will next host Princeton, the 2012 Ivy League champions, Saturday.

The team continues its hunt for an Ivy title as Yale leads the table with only two victories

By ALEXANDRA CONWAY SPORTS STAFF WRITER

The men’s soccer team battled for a hard-fought point in its scoreless tie against conference foe Princeton (4-5-1, Ivy 1-0-1) Saturday night at Stevenson Field. Goalkeeper Josh Weiner ’14 kept a blank sheet for the game, recording eight saves in net, to help preserve Brown’s (3-5-3, 0-0-2) unbeaten record in Ivy play.

Though Princeton had the upper hand offensively in the first half, Bruno was able to fend off any scoring chances with stingy defense and timely goalkeeping.

“Saturday was a hard-fought game,” said forward Voltaire Escalona ’14.

“Our defense really played well, especially our keeper Weiner, who came through with some strong saves late in the game.”

The Tigers offense reignited in the second half with two shots on goal soon after the start of play.

The Bears seized on one of their best scoring opportunities when David Taylor ’15 put a ball into the box — but a header by Tariq Akeel ’16 could not

sneak past the Tigers’ keeper and left the game scoreless.

“The game was pretty much even throughout,” Weiner said. “We would control, then they would take over, so it was back and forth the whole time.” “(The) midfield had good scoring opportunities that maybe on another night might’ve gone in,” Weiner added.

With no successful shots in the first 90 minutes, the game went into two overtime periods. Princeton controlled the first set of extra time, but the Bears dominated the second, taking three shots in the final minutes.

“The game was pretty even so I think a tie was a fair result,” Escalona said. “Princeton is a good passing team and they battled us until the final whistle.”

“We obviously wanted to win,” Weiner said. “But a tie is better than a loss in terms of points.”

Bruno currently sits in fifth place in Ivy League standings, tied with Columbia. The conference is “really even, and it’s everyone’s ball game right now,” Weiner said. Yale leads the conference with two wins.

“We need to start turning ties into wins,” Escalona said. “We are in a good position in the league and we are going to train hard this week and prepare for a quality Harvard team.”

The Bears return to action Saturday at Harvard.

sports tuesday 5

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2013

WOMEN’S SOCCER

Bruno defeats defending Ivy champs to keep second place The squad has shut out five straight opponents, outscoring them 6 to 0 during this stretch

By LLOYD SY SPORTS STAFF WRITER

Women’s soccer remained undefeated in conference play after beating Princeton 2-0 Saturday afternoon at Stevenson Field.

The team (7-2-1, 2-0-1 Ivy) earned its sixth straight shutout in its victory over the Tigers. Princeton (4-4-3, 0-3-0) won the Ivy League last year but has failed to win a conference game so far this season.

Captain Mika Siegelman ’14 scored Bruno’s first goal — a penalty kick conversion — in the 65th minute, after she was tripped up in the goal box.

“I chased after a cross that was overhit,” Siegelman said. “(Princeton’s) center back was on me, but there wasn’t a lot of space — so I nutmegged the first defender and then the second one just came sliding into my legs.”

Chloe Cross ’15 tacked onto the lead 13 minutes later when the forward took a pass from Annie Gillen ’14 and outran the defender before knocking the ball

past Princeton goalie Cecilia Di Caprio.

Defensively, the Bears were aided by the combined shutout of goalies Amber Bledsoe ’14 and Mary Catherine Barrett ’14. Bledsoe made three saves in the first half, and Barrett stopped four in the second.

“With (Bledsoe) and (Barrett), you have two really strong goalies and don’t miss a beat with either of them,” Siegelman said. “When one comes in, it’s sort of like the start of a fresh half, and you just get even more psyched to play with them.”

Cross credited the team’s offensive breakthroughs to its new offensive formations that include three forwards, rather than two.

“Having more people in the final third really helps get numbers forward,” Cross said.

With their second conference win, the Bears have doubled their number of Ivy victories from last year, when they finished second-to-last in the league.

Head Coach Phil Pincince said the team’s biggest improvement from last year has been one in “maturity.”

“We’ve had composure from game to game — dealing with all the momentum swings and adversities far better than last

KATIE LIEBOWITZ / HERALD

Captain Mika Siegelman ’14 capitalized on a defensive miscue by Princeton to put Brown on the board against last year’s Ivy League champs. Brown’s revamped offense has vaulted the team to the top of the conference. season,” he said.

Bruno remains in second place with its win, with only Harvard — the team’s next opponent — ahead in the standings.

The Bears will face the Crimson Saturday in Cambridge.

MEN’S WATER POLO

Bears finish strong in regular season play The team will travel to Philadelphia this weekend to compete in the Ivy League Championships

By GEORGE SANCHEZ SPORTS STAFF WRITER

Men’s water polo nearly swept weekend play, finishing the weekend with two wins after losing its opening match against the Harvard Crimson by a close margin of 12-10. The Bears (12-9, CWPA 7-5) won their final two contests of the weekend against the Fordham Rams and Iona College Gaels with final scores of 14-13 and 16-5, respectively.

Bruno faced off against Harvard (9-8, 7-1) Friday night. The game’s first half finished at an even 3-3 before the Crimson took control of the game in the third frame. Harvard tallied five goals in the third quarter, while Bruno was only able to muster three.

Both sides scored four goals in the fourth quarter, ending the match in a Harvard victory.

The loss — in what was the teams’ final regular season matchup — translated to a 1-2 record for the Bears in the season series against the Crimson.

James McNamara ’14 led the team with three goals, while Walker Shockley ’14 accumulated nine saves as goalie. “(McNamara) was putting in 110 percent into every pass, drive and shot,” said Nick Deaver ’15. “He gave us the leadership we were looking for — he was an animal.”

“The Harvard game came down to mental mistakes on defense,” said Matty Gallas ’16. “We can’t afford to give up 12 goals in a game, and ultimately it was the little things that allowed Harvard to win.”

Bruno’s first match on Saturday came up against the Fordham Rams (11-8, 3-3) and featured a five goal performance by McNamara. At the end

of the first half, the score was 4-3 in favor of the Bears. In the third quarter, the squad tallied six goals — including three goals by McNamara — to take a 10-7 lead. The Rams responded in the fourth quarter, scoring three unanswered goals and coming up a goal short of the tie at 11-10. But the Bears held off the Rams with help from Grant Villeneuve ’14 and McNamara, as the pair combined for a total of nine steals in the fourth quarter to prevent a Fordham victory.

Later that day, the Bears faced the Iona College Gaels (3-17, 2-4) for the second time this season. In their first meeting, the Bears beat the Gaels by a close margin of 15-13, but this second game proved to be very different.

Bruno got off to an early lead, as the squad tallied five uninterrupted goals in the first quarter and added another four scores in the second quarter. The squad limited the Gaels to just two goals in the second quarter, finishing off the first half with a 9-2 lead.

Bruno accumulated its third-highest scoring total of the season, reaching a total of 16 goals while limiting the Gaels to just five goals. Will Klein ’16 led the team with five goals, while Warren Smith ’17 and McNamara each added three of their own. McNamara finished with a total of 11 goals over the weekend’s three games. “(McNamara) is an unbelievable all-around player, and his energy in the pool is contagious,” Gallas said.

“When he plays the way he did this weekend, the whole team seems to pick up the intensity.”

After the game against Iona College, the team celebrated Senior Night — McNamara, Shockley, Villeneuve, Chris Culin ’14 and Eric Robb ’14 were all honored as the team’s senior players.

“It’s going to be tough not playing with them after this season for reasons in the pool and out of the pool,” Gallas said. “But we all know the season is far

from over even though we already had Senior Night, so we get to hang onto them for a little longer.”

Bruno’s efforts continue this weekend at the Ivy League Championships hosted by Penn Oct. 19-20, where the Bears will be facing the Princeton Tigers for the first time this season.

“We are going into this weekend feeling confident but hungry — we put together a good team win on Saturday night against Iona, but it was really the first time we felt like we played to our potential,” Gallas said. “Playing a good team like Princeton will give us a good idea of where we need to improve further moving forward.”

“We’re excited — everything fell together against Iona on Saturday, and we’re finally getting the ball rolling,” Deaver said. “The game against Princeton won’t be easy, but I think we have a good shot.”

Pincince said the key to defeating Harvard will be shutting down its offense, which has been “excellent” this year. The Crimson recently scored seven goals against Cornell.

Siegelman said winning will depend

Weekend crime update: Oct. 11-13

By JILLIAN LANNEY SENIOR STAFF WRITER

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:

UNIVERSITY NEWS

Friday night In the first of two reported residence hall thefts that occurred this

School Daze | Christina Tapiero

weekend, a MacBook Pro laptop was stolen from an unlocked room in Chapin House. The theft allegedly occurred at some point between 9:30 p.m. and 12:15 a.m.

Saturday night The second laptop stolen, another MacBook Pro, was reportedly taken from a room in Harkness House between 11:45 p.m. and 12:15 a.m.

DPS officers are unsure if the room was locked at the time of the theft.

@the_herald comics

Class Notes | Philip Trammell

on the Bears “playing their own game.”

“This year, we’re not as concerned with what Harvard’s going to come out doing,” Siegelman said. “We’re just going to play our game, which we know we can play and take it to them.”

6 commentary

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2013

EDITORIAL

Undergraduates benefit from studying computer science Enrollment in computer science classes at Brown has doubled in the past eight years, a recent Herald article reported. Not only are 12 percent of all undergrads enrolled in computer science classes this semester alone, but the number of concentrators has also increased by 35 and 22 percent in the past two years, respectively. Given the growing influence technology and computers hold in our lives, we view this trend as a positive sign and hope enrollment in computer science continues to rise.

Innovations in the computer industry have led to sweeping changes in the way people educate themselves, communicate with others and coordinate projects and resources. It is therefore imperative that students, before entering the professional market or pursuing graduate education, gain some fluency in working with computers. We encourage students to take a computer science course or two during their time at Brown, even if they are not planning to seek jobs in the field.

Computer science classes at Brown — particularly the introductory courses — are known for their heavy and demanding workloads. The most recent Critical Reviews for the introductory classes — CSCI 0150: “Introduction to Object-Oriented Programming and Computer Science,” CSCI 0170: “Computer Science: An Integrated Introduction” and CSCI 0190: “Accelerated Introduction to Computer Science” — report average weekly time commitments of 11.6, 9.3 and 17.6 hours, respectively. But we urge students not to be daunted by these large time commitments. The language of computers and technology is one that will be spoken by an increasing number of people around the globe, and those who can boast fluency will surely have a leg up in whatever arena they choose. Additionally, Brown’s S/NC grading option is perfect for a field like computer science, as it allows non-concentrators to focus on the subject material without worrying about the grade they might receive.

Even arts and humanities concentrators can benefit from taking a computer science course. It may be difficult to see how computers can influence certain fields of study at Brown, but that does not mean studying them lacks value. We don’t know how computers will continue to change our lives — but we know that they will.

The Department of Computer Science has even anticipated the possibility that computer science can seem esoteric or irrelevant: Certain classes are tailored for non-concentrators, such as CSCI0931: “Introduction for Computation in the Social Sciences and Humanities” and CSCI 1950C: “Advanced Programming for Digital Art and Literature.” With these options available and tailored specifically for arts and humanities studies, students in these disciplines have little excuse to avoid computer science.

Computer science can seem irrelevant to many and intimidating as a field. But the discipline doesn’t merit this reputation. It’s a practical and important science rewarding enough to justify the effort it can require.

For these and many other reasons listed, Brown students—regardless of goals, concentration or background in computers—should properly consider exploring the computer science department.

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Editorials are written by The Herald’s editorial page board: its editor, Rachel Occhiogrosso, and its members, Daniel Jeon, Hannah Loewentheil and Thomas Nath. Send comments to editorials@browndailyherald.com.

Q U O T E O F T H E D AY

“He was an animal.” ­— Nick Deaver ’15

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See water polo, page 5.

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commentary 7

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2013

Lonergan ’72 just doesn’t get it RICHARD BUNGIRO guest columnist

John Lonergan ’72 writes of higher education as many in the business world do, as just another “product” that needs to be packaged for consumption (“What’s the future for professors at Brown?” Oct. 7). But education, like health care, doesn’t always fit neatly into the capitalist equation.

That’s a good thing, because otherwise the dedicated researchers, educators and administrators whom I am privileged to call my colleagues probably wouldn’t put in the long hours and hard work that they do for yearly salaries that are often less than what a corporate executive makes in a day. It’s also fashionable to malign the “protected” faculty, but those of us in academia know tenure is seldom a ticket to a worry-free existence.

Those who have endured the years-long process to achieve it still are expected to conduct research, obtain grants, publish, teach and perform service to the University. As for those of

us not on the tenure track, we work to further the educational missions of our departments and the University at large, typically by gladly assuming heavy teaching and advising responsibilities while supporting our students with recommendations for graduate programs that allow them to take the next step in their careers.

I agree with Lonergan that technology has the potential to change certain models of teaching in ways both frightening and beneficial, but in his column he makes certain assertions that seem hard to support. For example, he suggests that students enrolled in an introductory-level biology course — which I happen to teach — could skip my lectures in favor of those taught online by my “competitors” at other institutions, yet still pass my tests. Leaving aside the logical question of just how many students would actually want to trade in-person learning at their own school for distance learning at another, there is the logistical issue. My peers at other schools may teach broadly similar courses, but there will always be differences in style, schedule, and emphasis on particular top-

ics. To put it a different way, even improve on. It needs no software when you’re comparing apples updates or power source, never to apples, there are a lot of dif- expires, can be annotated in any ferent types of apples. Lonergan way desired and, most imporalso definitively writes, “Text- tantly, can be loaned, given or books are gone. They will disap- sold to someone else. E-textpear this year or next.” Excuse books almost never allow any me? Has he actusort of ownership ally talked with transfer, and even “Despite the the people who students who coordinate text- assurances of those “buy” them ofbook ordering ten get access for who proclaim here at Brown? a fixed amount of the death of I have, and I can time. This is not physical textbooks especially helptell you that despite the assurful if they want — tellingly, the ances of those to use the book loudest voices who proclaim the a year later when death of physical they’re taking the are not usually textbooks — telladvanced course coming from ingly, the loudthat builds on those who actually the introductory est voices are not usually coming course for which use them — this from those who they originally impending demise bought the book. actually use them — this impendLonergan goes has been greatly ing demise has on to suggest that exaggerated.” been greatly exfaculty members aggerated. should concenUndergraduates, as well con- trate on “packaging” their best nected as they are, do not as a lectures and preserving them group prefer electronic text- online, presumably for use from books. Online resources can be year to year. I’m not sure what a great supplement — I use them field is amenable to such a static myself — but a physical book re- model of content delivery, but it mains a technology that’s hard to certainly isn’t mine; immunol-

ogy lectures not continuously updated will go stale faster than packaged dollar-store cookies.

He also mentions that online platforms such as Coursera allow some faculty members to “boast” of teaching well over 100,000 students. But this figure is not necessarily worth boasting about. Of that 100,000, often less than 5 percent actually go on to complete a course. Many students do sign up for reasons other than completing an entire course. One might call it “e-vagabonding.” As wonderful as it is to be able to deliver knowledge to millions, one should not confuse volume with quality. There are times when a professor’s efforts are best spent focused, in person, on one student who needs it the most. Call me oldschool — or “elitist” if your favorite political color is red — but I’ll take the satisfaction that comes when I see a challenging concept “click” for that one student over a thousand impersonal interactions in the cloud.

Richard Bungiro PhD ’99 is a lecturer in the department of molecular microbiology and immunology.

No size fits all ARMANI MADISON opinions columnist

As an African-American man, I have long been surrounded by the images and ideas of the ideal — albeit subjectively determined — black man.

This man should be confident and prepared at all times, in a world in which many will try to strip him of his self-worth. He should be articulate, and, as a professional, clean-cut. He must be able to take failures and rejections well, as he will be scrutinized more harshly and extended less ample opportunity than most of his non-minority peers. He should be able to handle himself well in physical conflicts, work challenges and academic tests as needed. He should be independent and able to support others. He should be tall and well-built, with a deep voice and cool, confident and collected demeanor. He should be versatile and adaptable — able to suit up and to get down, depending on the situation. He should be able to handle stress and pain without visible discomfort.

None of these characteristics or attributes are bad. In fact, in many cases, they are certainly desirable and even necessary for

success. posed to be a certain way and But the issue comes when women another? Are we tamperthese desirable traits become ing with the very fabric of what expectations to the point that nature has predetermined our young men are looked down gender roles to be? In short — are upon or ostracized because they gender roles social constructs, or do not meet that norm. Though are they universal and biologicertain attributes and features cally assigned? Do we create the are exaggerated for men’s ex- rules of society and of identity, pectations depending on their or are they predetermined by a backgrounds, we are all familiar higher power? with the one-size-fits-all image I believe it is a bit of both. and societal exSurely, biological pectation of what differences and “One of society’s a man — a “real” historical trends greatest flaws is man, at least — exist — tracing should be. back since the bethat too often Many men ginnings of hupressures people struggle with feelman existence — to seek identities that account for ings of insecurity, of not being “fillthe roles men are other than their i n - t h e - bl an k” expected to astrue ones.” enough.

Many sume and the reworry about not lationships they being tall, accomplished, asser- are expected to create with womtive or good-looking enough. en. But I would also say that as Many of the expectations of the a society, we perpetuate these exsociety of yesteryear are just as pectations and roles past their present today. The pressure for historical points of relevance and men to embody the stereotypical place people in categories based masculine ideal closely relates to not on their characters, but inthe pressure for women to be rel- stead on their genders. As a sociegated to certain positions, pro- ety, we greatly exaggerate the exfessions and ambitions. Society isting biological and natural difhas a tendency to push the indi- ferences between men and womvidual to conform to understood en in order to create two non-nenorms. gotiable extremes. But the reality Who is to blame for this pres- of the situation is that identity sure? Is it the media? Is it one is not like a question where the another? Are men actually sup- choices are “A” for masculine and

“B” for feminine. Identity and gender are spectrums. At Brown, a campus famed for its relative progressiveness, this topic is discussed quite often. The Third World Transition Program first made me realize that “masculinity” is not a required condition of manhood and that gender is a spectrum.

What, then, is manhood?

What does a “real” man do? To this question, I do not believe a “real” man must be physically imposing or must have an assertive and completely confident demeanor or must be the one earning the highest income in the household. In my opinion, a real man only has to be comfortable in his own skin. He does not have to receive confirmation or acceptance from others to recognize his own value, and he does not feel the need to bow to negative pressure. He is mannerable. He takes note of his weaknesses and does not try to overcompensate or hide them or to point out flaws in others. He works to improve himself constantly. He stays true to himself and is brave and sure enough of himself to never compromise his morals and to leave a situation that does.

When is the line that separates the qualities needed for success and survival and the attitudes that favor violence and the suppression of other groups crossed?

When does masculinity become hyper-masculinity? What separates confidence and comfortability from overcompensation and insecurity? Why do we continue to convince ourselves that dangerous, risky and excessive rites of passage are needed to prove to ourselves and to others that we are “men”?

People are not made only in one design or the other — we are not factory-manufactured items.

We are not prepackaged with exactly the same characteristics, strengths, weaknesses or ideologies or with one of exactly two specifications. One of society’s greatest flaws is that it too often pressures people to seek identities other than their true ones.

“Masculinity” is a construct and is fluid. “Femininity” is a construct and is fluid. All that you must do to be a “real” person of any chosen gender identity is to be true to yourself and to act accordingly.

Armani Madison ’16 realizes he is unequipped to satisfactorily reflect on the pressures that women face in this society to be “feminine”, and would love for someone to contribute a column from a female perspective. He can be reached at armani_madis on@brown. edu.

daily herald sports tuesday THE BROWN

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2013

FOOTBALL

Brown 3-1, 0-1 Ivy

41

Bryant vs.

14

3-3, 1-0 NEC

Bruno defeats both in-state rivals » FOOTBALL, from page 1

— played very little after the first quarter to rest injuries he suffered in last week’s game. But the speedy back made his mark early, running for 60 yards and helping the passing attack by drawing defenders to the line with his threat to run, Head Coach Phil Estes said.

“As long as he’s in the game, people are going to try to stop Spooney,” Estes said. “We took advantage with some of the play action. … That made a big difference.”

The first quarter ended soon after another long Bruno drive culminated in a 23-yard field goal by Alexander Norocea ’14. The back-and-forth game became a one-sided affair after the Bears ramped up the offense in the second quarter, outscoring Bryant 17-0.

Early in the quarter, Donnelly and company made their fourth trip deep into Bulldogs territory. To cap the drive, Donnelly fired a pass over the middle and connected with Evans, who bounced off defenders on his way to his second score of the day and a 10-point Bruno lead.

Running back Jordan Reisner ’14 — filling in for Spooney — led the team on a 58-yard drive to its fourth touchdown.

He punched in a fourth and goal play from the 1-yard line to extend the lead to seventeen. Norocea booted a 38-yard field goal in the final seconds of the half, and Bruno went into halftime up 31-14 and in full command.

The second half was much the same for the Bears, but it was defense that took the spotlight as the offense milked the clock with a run-heavy attack. The Bulldogs managed only 32 third-quarter yards and were unable to convert on three third-down attempts in the quarter. Safety Eric Armagost ’15 led the defensive charge, flying around the field on his way to a game-high 10 tackles.

“He came in with a mission,” Estes said of Armagost’s defensive performance. “This is the kind of game where he could get downhill and be physical because they run the ball. … He handled it like a real pro.”

Late in the third quarter, Donnelly floated a 22-yard touchdown pass to Higgins to cap an incredible day for the

quarterback, who did not take a snap in the fourth quarter of the drubbing.

Second-teamers played the entire fourth quarter for Brown and mustered a goal-line stand in the last minutes to keep the Bulldogs from scoring any second-half points. Estes called the stop “enormous” for the backups’ confidence and overall team momentum going into next week.

The Bears continue their pursuit of an Ivy League title next week at Brown Stadium where Bruno has a date with Princeton under the lights. With a loss in its first conference game to Harvard three weeks ago, the team needs a winning streak if it hopes to bring home a trophy, and Estes and Donnelly said beating Bryant has set them up to do just that.

“A loss (to Bryant) would have been devastating,” Estes said. “We’re going in with a little momentum and feeling good.

There’s a lot we need to fix, but we can do that.”

“Princeton is going to be a better football team than we played today,” Donnelly said. “Getting a good clean win is always a confidence booster.”

EMILY GILBERT / HERALD

Jordan Evans ’14, above, and Tellef Lundevall ’13.5 put up impressive statistics in Bruno’s victory over in-state opponent Bryant. Herald file photo.

A NA LYS I S

Breaking down the Bears: the aerial attack, front lines A high-flying passing game and consistency in the ‘trenches’ have been the team’s strengths

By DANTE O’CONNELL SENIOR STAFF WRITER

The football team wrecked an in-state rival for the second consecutive week Saturday afternoon, defeating Bryant University (3-3, NEC 1-0) by a convincing 27-point margin, 41-14. Despite early struggles on both sides of the ball, the Bears (3-1, Ivy 0-1) finished with more than 500 yards of total offense and held the Bulldogs scoreless after the first seven minutes of the game. Here is a breakdown of Bruno’s dominant effort.

What’s strong The short passing game, a staple of the Bears’ offensive attack, picked up right where it left off last week. Tellef Lundevall ’13.5 and Jordan Evans ’14

IVY FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

led the receiving corps with 112 and 108 yards, respectively.

After subtracting one big play from each receiver, Lundevall averaged 9.5 yards per catch, Evans averaged 16.5 and tight end Andrew Marks ’14 averaged 7.5 yards. The quick hits, usually in the form of screen passes and out routes along the sidelines, allowed Bruno to move the ball down the field efficiently, eat time off the clock and gain first downs.

Solid offensive line play provided the impetus for this success. The front five have had their ups and downs this season — they gave up two sacks at Harvard and handicapped the running game last weekend against the University of Rhode Island.

Today, the unit allowed no sacks and gave quarterback and co-captain Patrick Donnelly ’13.5 time in the pocket to find open receivers. It also helped the three-headed rushing attack of John Spooney ’14, Andrew Coke ’16 and Jordan Reisner ’14 combined for 153

total rushing yards.

On the other side of the ball, the front seven played their best game of the season, as six different players each chipped in a sack. In addition to his first-quarter sack, Ade Oyalowo ’14 stopped wide receiver Jordan Harris on a reverse for a loss of six yards to force a punt on the next drive. Safety Eric Armagost ’15 was in effect part of the front seven for most of the game and led the team with ten tackles.

What’s wrong For the third week in a row, the return game has been underwhelming. Inexplicably, Alex Jette ’17 — who earned honors as Ivy League Rookie of the Week against Georgetown for his big gains on punt returns — has not returned a punt since the first week of the season.

Reiley Higgins ’15 has performed much better on kickoffs than punts, but he has taken all punt returns since week two, averaging just 5.6 yards per

attempt. Giving punt return duties back to Jette will give the Bears better field position after big defensive stops.

Penalties plagued the Bears early in the game. In the first quarter, the Bears committed four penalties — two clips, one for offsides and one for unsportsmanlike conduct. Combined with a lost fumble, Bruno’s miscues could have given Bryant all of the early momentum.

Luckily for Bruno, the Bulldogs made the same mistakes. Bryant squandered its own drives early on by committing costly penalties and finished the game with eight.

Brown’s pass defense was suspect early on and allowed Harris to reel in some big gains in the first quarter. The Bulldogs strayed away from the passing game as time went on, either because of adjustments by the Bruno defense or misguided play-calling.

Harvard 34 Cornell 24

Princeton 42 Lafayette 26

Lehigh 24 Columbia 10

W&M 27 Penn 14

Dartmouth 20 Yale 13

Brown 41 Bryant 14

What’s new In addition to the short passing

game, Evans added big plays of 34 and 42 yards. If he can keep using his speed and athleticism to make big plays, he will complement Lundevall’s physical style and make it difficult for opponents to create an effective game plan to stop the passing attack.

Armagost turned in perhaps Bruno’s best individual defensive effort of the season against Bryant. The official record credited the defensive back with ten tackles, but it appeared that he had even more.

On more than one Bryant thirdquarter drive, Armagost seemed to be involved in every play, either by standing up a running back or laying a big hit on a receiver. If not in on the action, Armagost was only a few strides away.

“The defense was getting pretty hyped,” Armagost said. “You could feel the energy when you were out there.”

This kind of energy is just what the Bears will need when they dive back into Ivy League play against Princeton (3-1, 1-0) next weekend.

NEXT WEEKEND’S GAMES: Princeton @ Brown Lafayette @ Harvard Penn @ Columbia Fordham @ Yale Bucknell @ Dartmouth Cornell @ Monmouth