Wednesday, February 25, 2015

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THE BROWN DAILY HERALD WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

VOLUME CL, ISSUE 24

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Food trucks report harsher enforcement Mercy for Animals fellow fights for animal rights

BRITTANY COMUNALE / HERALD

A student buys food from City Gyro. Owners of several other food trucks complained that police hostility has prevented them from operating.

Food truck Plouf Plouf starts petition in wake of jump in disputed parking violations

By KHIN SU STAFF WRITER

The owners of the food trucks Mama Kim’s, Lotus Pepper and Buddha Belly said a sudden surge in police enforcement of parking laws has restricted their operations on Thayer Street and in the

downtown area.

Food trucks were previously allowed to park and operate freely as long as they had proper licenses, did not violate any parking laws and relocated every two hours. But police are now limiting food trucks to one hour instead of two and barring them from parking in spots designated with white lines — even when they are parked in legal spaces during legal hours, said Thang Huynh, owner of Lotus Pepper.

“Police are kicking us out for old laws that they just all of a sudden started to

enforce,” Huynh said. “To be honest, we feel like we are being bullied.”

The heightened police enforcement comes after a complaint by the Hope Street Merchants Association. Huynh speculated that restaurants have complained because food trucks were cutting into their revenues.

Though food trucks are not required to maintain a certain distance from restaurants, many food trucks park at least 100 feet away from restaurants out of courtesy, said Eric Weiner, founder and president of Food Trucks In, a Providence-based company that connects food trucks and customers in more than 885 cities across the country, according to its website.

Approximately 49 food trucks are licensed to operate in Rhode Island, and 15 food trucks have licenses to operate around campus, Weiner added.

The parking spots that are now off-limits to the trucks are located in places with the most foot traffic, such as downtown, Thayer Street and other areas on campus.

Paul Gervais, owner of Buddha Belly and a newcomer to Providence’s food truck scene, said police have been “hostile and intimidating.” While parked near Thayer in December, Gervais was approached by a police officer, asked to show his permits and forced to leave » See TRUCKS, page 3

Pierce ’15 advocates Meatless Mondays, better farming techniques as one of 10 fellows nationwide

By KATE TALERICO SENIOR STAFF WRITER

If Lauren Pierce ’15 gets her way, daily hamburgers at the Sharpe Refectory will soon be a thing of the past. Pierce’s passion for animal rights led her to apply for a fellowship with Mercy for Animals, a nonprofit that advocates just treatment of farm animals and promotes vegetarianism and veganism. As one of 10 fellows nationally, Pierce hopes to influence her peers to join the fight for animal rights and make dietary choices that will better the lives of farm animals.

Pierce is joined by one fellow each from Stanford University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and all eight Ivy League schools, MFA created the fellowship “to spread awareness about the many negative impacts of factory farming on the animals, the environment and on our health, and to compel people to make more compassionate, healthy food choices by choosing vegetarian food,” said Alan Darer, education project coordinator at MFA.

MFA targeted undergraduate and graduate students at highly selective institutions because it “wanted to choose people who have influence,” Darer said.

“Those people are able to influence others to make similar choices.”

Pierce heard about the fellowship through a colleague at the Humane Society of the United States, where she interned last summer, specializing in farm animal protection, she said.

While Pierce is currently Brown’s only MFA fellow, Darer said he is interested in hiring a second fellow at each school. Though the number of fellows may increase at each school, the number of institutions in the fellowship will not expand beyond the original 10.

Fellows are required to work for 40 hours over the course of the semester — averaging about three hours per week — and are provided a $500 stipend, Darer said.

The 10 fellows collaborate online using a private Facebook page, where they can post images of successful campaigns, ask questions and give advice, Darer said. Once a week, fellows can call in to a conference line to collaborate in real time on their ongoing projects, he added. » See ANIMALS, page 2

Magic Lantern Cinema Almandrez urges dialogue on social justice showcases experimental films Associate dean discusses Supported by Forbes Center for Culture and Media, Providence program provides venue for progressive films

By ZACK BU SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Poetry, discourse, commentaries and analysis: Literature often takes forms that deviate from a traditional narrative to explore arcane and obscure notions.

For cinema, these ideas seem less approachable, but experimental films aim to break such barriers. Originating with the avant-garde movement in Europe in the 1920s, these films drop linear narratives to employ abstract techniques that challenge traditional cinema.

A Providence-based project, Magic Lantern Cinema, strives to provide such a platform for local audiences. The cinema provides programs such as curated short films, experimental features and multimedia performances. The cinema’s newest feature “Masses and Swarms” exhibited at the Cable Car Cinema last week, and Magic Lantern plans to roll out three more shows this spring.

INSIDE

Artists Ben Russell and Carrie Collier founded Magic Lantern in 2004.

Russell served as an adjunct professor at Brown and borrowed facilities from the Department of Modern Culture and Media to present the early screenings, which predominantly featured donated works from local artists. Collier, a print artist, started making posters to reimburse those who had offered their works for free. The tradition was preserved and has blossomed into the program’s beloved poster series — now used mainly for marketing — accentuating the themes of each screening.

The film series is run by a revolving group of students, artists and local residents in Providence, and is currently organized by Seth Watter, Beth Capper and Faith Holland.

Extra funding gradually flowed in as Magic Lantern grew. The Malcolm S. Forbes Center for Culture and Media Studies started to help the program financially, and the event was also selected as a grantee of the Robert Rauschenberg Foundation. Watter, who is one of the program’s main organizers, said the funding mainly goes into the screening » See CINEMA, page 4

her accomplishments and goals as woman of color in higher education

By GRACE YOON SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Mary Grace Almandrez, director of the Brown Center for Students of Color and assistant dean of the College, has engaged with multicultural affairs and issues of social justice since her days as an undergraduate. Since then, she has dedicated many years to overseeing issues surrounding life and culture on college campuses, striving to provide a place of solidarity and empowerment for people of color at institutions of higher education.

Almandrez began her own higher education at the University of San Diego, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology, going on to receive her doctorate in organization and leadership from the University of San Francisco. After years of teaching and serving as director for multicultural affairs at various institutions on the West Coast, Almandrez brought her passion for social justice to the

COURTESY OF SHANE LLOYD

Mary Grace Almandrez has served as director of the Brown Center for Students of Color and associate dean of the College since July 2011.

East, arriving at Brown in July 2011.

Almandrez sat down with The Herald to discuss her experiences prior to and at Brown, her desire to inspire and be inspired by students and her responsibilities as a woman

of color in higher education.

Herald: How did you first start getting into education and issues of social justice? » See ALMANDREZ, page 3

WEATHER

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

ARTS & CULTURE Award-winning director speaks on intersections among gender, sexuality, racial identities

UNIVERSITY NEWS Two Med School professors named in the top 10 percent of reviewers for OB-GYN journal

COMMENTARY Sweren ’15: Fox News and Phi Kappa Psi use power and publicity to shut out others’ voices

COMMENTARY Mills ’15: Customers should choose CVS to support its decision to stop selling cigarettes

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UNIVERSITY NEWS PAGE 2 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

This Week in Higher Ed

BY EMMA HARRIS, UNIVERSITY NEWS EDITOR

Drug overdoses at Wesleyan put 12 in hospital

KATE TALERICO / HERALD

A surge of apparent overdoses on the drug Molly swept across Wesleyan University’s campus Sunday, with ten students and two guests being hospitalized, the Wesleyan Argus reported. Five students were still being treated at Hartford Hospital and Middlesex Hospital Monday evening, the New York Times reported.

Overdoses on the drug, also known as MDMA or Ecstasy, were reported from three locations: two dormitories and a program house, the Argus reported.

The university notified students of the hospitalizations in a wave of emails, the Times reported. To prevent more overdoses, Vice President for Student Affairs at Wesleyan Michael Whaley urged students to “check in” with friends, the Times reported.

Middletown Chief of Police William McKenna told the Times the students likely obtained a “bad batch” of the drug.

As a fellow for the nonprofit Mercy for Animals, Lauren Pierce ’15 promotes environmental, ethical and dietary reasons to support animal rights. She is currently campaigning for Brown to adopt a meat-free menu on Mondays.

» ANIMALS, from page 1 The fellowship officially began with the start of the spring semester, but a test of the program ran last semester at all participating schools except Princeton and Cornell. Last fall, fellows reached more than 15,000 students with MFA’s message, Darer added.

Pierce handed out nearly 3,000 booklets last fall with information about factory farming — enough for almost half of the undergraduate population, she said. “Studies show that about half of students who see these booklets make a change to their diets,” Pierce said. “I feel like that actually made an impact.”

Pierce also placed a few hundred stacks of MFA literature around campus and screened an animal rights documentary that attracted a large audience, she said.

MFA’s work stretches beyond the boundaries of animal rights, as the organization also supports efforts to curb global warming as well, Pierce said.

“In the larger context, I think animal rights is extremely important, because

factory farming is a large contributor to greenhouse gases and deforestation,” Pierce said, adding that “meat consumption is a large contributor to global starvation and malnutrition.”

“Animal rights has a large opportunity for solving global problems,” she said.

Brown students are open-minded and receptive to the ideas of MFA, Pierce said, adding that there are already a lot of vegetarians and vegans on campus.

The Brown Vegetarian Society is partnering with Pierce to create a guide to becoming vegetarian or vegan at Brown, said Adam Horowitz ’16, president of the Brown Vegetarian Society.

The guide will ideally include the best vegetarian and vegan options at oncampus eateries and local restaurants, he said.

The causes that Brown Vegetarian Society and MFA advocate are “pretty much the same: that we should not be eating animals from an ethical, environmental and health perspective,” Horowitz added.

On March 3, Pierce will screen the

film “Forks Over Knives,” which argues that there is a direct link between many modern diseases and diet, she said.

This semester, Pierce will focus less on leafleting and more on asking students to pledge to observe Meatless Mondays, she said. By the end of the Mid-Year Activities Fair, she had gathered about 100 pledges.

Pierce hopes to see the dining halls adopt Meatless Mondays. “Just cutting out meat options one day a week isn’t that hard,” she said, adding that the University could save money by substituting cheaper options such as rice and pasta for meat, which is relatively expensive.

“This would be a great way for (Brown Dining Services) to get more involved with the campus initiative of being more environmentally and socially conscious,” she added.

Many other universities have taken the pledge to serve entirely meatless options one day a week. One hundred forty-nine colleges across the country, including Columbia, have implemented the day on campus, according to Meatless Monday, a nonprofit that aims to reduce the nation’s meat consumption and promote public health.

Pierce recognizes the difficulty of instituting structural change at Brown, which is why she is focusing on changes at an individual level. “Me being one person, I have more of an impact reaching out to individual people,” she said.

She plans to station a table at the Ratty every Monday where she can gather student pledges.

Many underclassmen with similar passions have approached Pierce with the desire to get involved in her project. Pierce has also encouraged student activists she has worked with to apply for the fellowship.

“Applying for the MFA fellowship next year is something I’m definitely considering,” said Christian Suarez ’18, who has been involved with Pierce’s initiatives since he attended her screening of “Cowspiracy” last semester. “I’d be able to take on a bigger role in terms of on-campus activism and gaining important experience relevant to animal rights.”

By choosing to eat vegetarian or vegan, students can significantly ameliorate the lives of animals, Darer said, adding that each vegetarian saves the lives of 30 land animals per year.

The movement to reduce meat consumption is surging forward, Darer said, adding that “the ones leading this movement are students.”

U. of Illinois student charged with movie-inspired sexual assault Mohammad Hossain, a 19-year-old student-athlete and leader at the University of Illinois at Chicago, was charged with sexually assaulting a 19-yearold female student, the Chicago Tribune reported Tuesday. He allegedly told authorities that he was role-playing scenes from the recent blockbuster “Fifty Shades of Grey,” the Tribune reported.

Prosecutors said Hossain and the student were in his dorm room Saturday night when he undressed, bound, blindfolded and beat the female student with a belt, the Tribune reported.

Assistant State’s Attorney Sarah Karr said the female student told Hossain to stop and was crying, the Tribune reported. After she managed to free her arms, he allegedly continued to sexually assault her, the Tribune reported.

Cook County Public Defender Sandra Bennewitz testified in court that Hossain said the act was “consensual,” the Tribune reported.

The Cook County judge set Hossain’s bail at $500,000.

Three injured in Bethune-Cookman shooting Three students were injured Monday evening when two gunmen fired three shots near a music building at Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Florida, Click Orlando reported Monday.

None of the injuries were fatal, Click Orlando reported. All three injuries were grazing wounds, with bullets brushing the victims’ shoulder, knee and ear, respectively. One student required stitches, the second did not need treatment and the third refused treatment, Click Orlando reported.

Police released a video of the shooting Tuesday evening showing one suspect in a black SUV. The victims seemed to be innocent bystanders, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

No suspects have been charged, and the University offered a $1,000 reward for providing information on the shooters, Click Orlando reported.

UNIVERSITY NEWS

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 • PAGE 3

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Med School professors ranked top reviewers for medical journal Two professors recognized for knowledge, analytical skill in work for Obstetrics and Gynecology journal

By ANDREW JONES SCIENCE & RESEARCH EDITOR

Two professors at the Alpert Medical School were ranked in the top 10 percent of reviewers for the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, according to a Feb. 24 press release from Women and Infants Hospital. Rebecca Allen and Brenna Hughes, professors of obstetrics and gynecology, were recognized for their excellence in providing feedback about research articles submitted to the journal.

It is a “significant honor” to be recognized as a highly capable reviewer, Hughes said. Though she has received the honor in the past, this journal is central to her field, and she has published articles in it several times, she said.

“It’s essentially the big journal in the field,” Hughes said, adding that it is the official journal of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Reviewers are considered for the accolade based on knowledge of research in the field, skill in performing

» ALMANDREZ, from page 1 Almandrez: My first moment was actually when I was a freshman in college. It was a square dance — that was the moment when I realized I wanted to work with social justice.

Because in that sea of thousands of students, I did not see anyone who looked like me. Then, I just happened to glance at the far right corner, and I saw this group of students with brown skin and black hair, so I wove my way through the parking lot and found other Filipino students. I was with people who I felt I had a lot in common with. There was this moment of relief and believing that I could belong at the University of San Diego.

What are some of your experiences at Brown that are similar to and different from your previous experiences?

When I meet with students during my open hours, the fact that I can hear my own story in theirs is a sad reality — that there are students who also feel like Brown isn’t a place for them, that they feel so alone or question if Brown made a mistake in choosing them. The fact that this still rings true for students today makes me wonder: Where have we failed our students? Being here, it is sometimes isolating. There are very few times and there are very few colleagues I feel like I can count on to actually speak up against injustice, people whom I would call allies. People at Brown think that we do so well, we recruit such a diverse group of students. But I just don’t think there are enough people talking about this issue as something that needs to be addressed right away.

What is the most exciting part about your work?

Firstly, working with students. I am always impressed with the caliber of students that we bring to Brown, not necessarily in their academic

COURTESY OF WOMEN AND INFANTS HOSPITAL

COURTESY OF WOMEN AND INFANTS HOSPITAL

Brenna Hughes and Rebecca Allen, professors of obstetrics and gynecology, were included in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology’s ranking of its top 10 percent of reviewers. The honor is based on the quality of feedback the professors offered on articles submitted to the publication. statistical analysis and ability to effectively communicate criticism of an article, Nancy Chescheir, editor-in-chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology, said in the press release.

Hughes said she sees reviewing articles as a service for the field of obstetrics

and gynecology. Researchers strive to publish high-quality articles, and supplying constructive criticism is a way to give back to the scientific community, she said.

Allen could not be reached for comment by press time.

accolades, but also in their commitment to social justice. I actually look up to a lot of students because they inspire me to continue my work around social justice.

The second part is I get to work in a space where the majority of the staff is people of color. There are very few opportunities where I actually get that privilege. So I can come and talk to colleagues about issues that matter to communities of color without worrying about self-censorship.

The third is working with alumni who care about and love Brown so deeply. One of the things I admire about the center is the intergenerational conversations that happen.

We have alumni who we know have walked out in 1968 and those who were involved in protests from the 70s, 80s, up until now. To be able to have that connection to people whose legacy we continue to aspire to and be inspired by is something that I haven’t seen in a lot of places. When President Jim Yong Kim was here, for example, he requested specifically to speak to our staffers at the center before his speech.

in serving all parts of the population, from the teens to the elders and the aging. She’s worked on President Obama’s commission on Asian Americans. She provides this sense of promise and optimism that’s sometimes hard when you do social justice work.

What social activists or leaders inspire you and your work?

Fred Cordova. He founded the Filipino American National Historical Society. He was someone who was very active in the Filipino-American community and also built a coalition across different racial and ethnic lines. He created national archives for Filipino Americans and produced bodies of work in print and film that captured the Filipino-American experience. He provided narratives to social justice work where my face, my voice and my community were at the center.

Another person who inspires me is a Hmong woman, Doua Thor. Before she was 30, she was an executive director of a national organization focused on Southeast Asian advocacy and policy work. She is interested

Could you speak to your experience as a minority and a woman with a position in an educational institution?

So I’ve been an assistant dean since I was 28, so over 10 years now.

What strikes me is it’s difficult to see other Asian women achieve senior level positions because I believe there are still a lot of institutional barriers.

So it’s hard for me because I want to see other role models who look like me. The first time that I had an AsianAmerican woman as my supervisor, I cherished her deeply. I don’t know when that’s going to happen again in my lifetime, and that’s a sad reality.

It’s important for me to see others who have similar experiences achieve senior level positions because it creates for me an optimistic outlook on my own future trajectory.

What work would you say is left to be done, as a minority woman in higher education institutions?

I think that there’s a lot of work to be done in bringing Asian Americans and Asian-American women in particular at the forefront. I found that a lot of times it’s hard for people to identify as leaders, because there’s this reluctance to even claim a leadership title. This notion that leadership is gendered, and that Asian women — or even broadly people of color — are rarely considered when we look at who great leaders are, is problematic.

We are reluctant to claim that because of the ways in which we currently articulate leadership today.

— This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

» TRUCKS, from page 1 because the truck was parked on white lines, even though it was Sunday and there was no meter, he said. “The cop had a really bad attitude.”

“They threatened my staff and my company in December,” wrote Don Fecher, CEO of Mama Kim’s, in an email to The Herald.

Mama Kim’s has not broken any laws and has all necessary documents and licenses, Fecher wrote, adding, “After nearly four years of business, all of a sudden now we’re ‘breaking the law’?

It’s laughable.”

Several food truck owners noted miscommunication and confusion about the legal boundaries of operation and parking.

“They should have a formal letter or notice instead of just coming at us,” Huynh said. “Don’t treat me like a criminal. I’m selling food.”

The miscommunication stems from the fact that different city departments have been forced to interpret how the old city ordinances on parking for small businesses apply to food trucks, Weiner said.

Plouf Plouf, a food truck offering French cuisine, has started a petition demanding that Mayor Jorge Elorza reform “outdated laws (that) protect traditional brick-and-mortar restaurants from the competition of mobile restaurants.” The petition currently has less than 10 percent of the total number of desired signatories.

Mama Kim’s is not involved in Plouf Plouf’s petition and “hopes to gain nothing from (its) efforts in any way,” Fecher wrote, adding that Plouf Plouf ’s “practices are a pox on the community as a whole.”

Some trucks such as Plouf Plouf “have been a continual problem, blocking loading zones, parking in a no-parking area, obstructing the pedestrian crossing at Soldier’s Arch,” wrote Al Dahlberg, director of state and community relations, in an email obtained

by The Herald. “The vast majority are fine, and we see (them) as assets for the community,” he added.

Gervais said he spent a substantial amount of money on obtaining health permits and licenses to operate. He added that he has only operated Buddha Belly two days since Dec. 20, missing out on potential revenue.

“I can’t wait a year or two for the laws to change,” Gervais said. “We all have families. I don’t know how long I can wait before I’m out of the food business.”

Without any formal association or alliance, food trucks have difficultly asking for a change in police policy, Weiner said. Food Trucks In is currently helping to “mold the conversation” between the trucks, the city, merchants associations and restaurants “until they have the strength and money to start their own organization,” he said.

A meeting about potential changes between food truck owners and city officials is scheduled to take place the first week of March, Weiner added.

Food truck owners suggested various solutions to the issue. Some said the University could mediate the problem, since many food truck customers are Brown community members.

Another possible fix is for food trucks to pay a monthly fee to secure a space on campus, Gervais said.

Fecher wrote that he hopes Mama Kim’s is brought back to campus as a contracted food service.

Huynh said a number of students, faculty members and staff members have called Lotus Pepper to inquire about the lack of food trucks nearby and have even offered their private parking spaces to the trucks.

Students — both regular customers and those who have never purchased food from the trucks — expressed desire for the trucks to remain in close proximity to campus.

“I’d feel very sad if they were to disappear from Thayer,” said Sha Sha ’15.

“It’s a really fun alternative to places like the Ratty.”

Misha Stone ’16 echoed this sentiment. “It’s always the same food that’s available on campus. … The eateries close really early, and where the food trucks might have been there, they’re not there anymore,” Stone said.

Many students said they miss the food trucks’ familiar presence as much as the flavors they offered.

“I’d walk out of the (Sciences Library), and I’d smell Mama Kim’s, and that would make me really happy and feel really warm,” said Daniel Larson ’15. “That was one thing I remember from my freshman year at Brown: people saying, ‘Oh, you need to do that. You need to go there. It’s such a Brown experience.’”

ARTS & CULTURE PAGE 4 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

» WAGES, from page 8 to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The majority of minimum wage workers are also unmarried, according to the bureau.

Studies have shown that when the minimum wage rises, some high school students choose to drop out and immediately enter the labor force. Several countries, including England, have instated a minimum wage restricted to individuals 21 and older.

Alternative ideas Weil highlighted alternative programs to the minimum wage that would target growing inequality in the U.S. One such alternative is the Earned Income Tax Credit — a government program that supplements the incomes of low-wage workers. A worker’s EITC grows with each additional dollar of income until reaching the maximum value, creating an incentive for workers to leave welfare and for low-wage workers in particular to increase their work hours.

Weil also mentioned progressive taxation and government spending on education as alternatives that reduce inequality.

“If I were a dictator, I would use the EITC rather than the minimum wage as a means of reducing income inequality,” Weil said, noting that while all consumers pay for the minimum wage through higher prices, progressive taxation could finance the EITC. “I would also focus on providing education and skills, rather than providing handouts,” he added.

But given today’s challenging political climate, Weil said he supports modest increases in the minimum wage as a means of reducing income inequality.

Subminimum adjustments While the bill introduced by Regunberg and Goldin stipulates that the hourly wage of tipped workers increase, subminimum wage workers would still be able to receive tips, as is the case in seven states in which the subminimum wage is equal to the minimum wage.

“We have the lowest subminimum wage in New England,” Regunberg said, adding that tipped workers are twice as likely to live in poverty as non-tipped workers in the Ocean State.

“There is a misconception that tipped workers are younger people, but the reality is that a strong majority of tipped workers in Rhode Island are adults,” he said, adding that the median wage for tipped workers is 28, and a quarter of these workers are older than 45.

Approximately 70 percent of subminimum wage workers are women.

Reducing the subminimum wage could help close the gender wage gap and reduce poverty, he said, noting that states without a subminimum wage have a lower gender wage gap and lower poverty rates. Research has also shown that in states that have phased out the minimum wage, menu prices have remained relatively constant and restaurant profits have remained stable, he added.

The bill has garnered the support of the majority of members of Congress and state representatives, with 32 cosponsors in the House and 23 in the Senate, Regunberg said.

“When they banned indoor smoking in restaurants 10 years ago, people said restaurants would pick up and move,” he added. “People and businesses adjusted.”

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

» CINEMA, from page 1 process. The operation includes multiple steps: purchasing the experimental works distributed by major traders — such as The Film-Makers’ Cooperative — renting screening venues and giving commissions for poster designs. The program also pays curators for their works.

“Curating a program is a lot of work,” Watter said. “Every program has an individual and personal stamp on it. That contribution should be acknowledged as much as the fees for the films themselves.”

In these experimental films, the curator connects and juxtaposes the pieces, giving the works more layers and dimensions.

“The way you are putting these things together gives a new context to the selection of materials. In a way, it is a creative act,” Watter said.

“We are interested in seeing how these works can circulate and speak to each other across different generations, different countries and different national contexts,” he added. “By curating you can show the works in their new light.”

In addition to members affiliated with the program, Magic Lantern Cinema also invites students from other departments and local artists to curate, keeping the series diverse and compelling. Magic Lantern has recruited works of distinctive themes, including the history of feminism and contemporary digital videos. But it has also branched out into experimental media: pieces interacting with projection techniques or exploring the spiritual connotation of films using antiquated three-dimensional technologies.

Watter curated the most recent program “Swarms and Masses.” The series boasts many characteristic experimental films. One second viewers see scribbled words dancing and bouncing inside the frame of the screen, and the next moment they are confronted with swarms of dots erupting and swimming aimlessly.

It is quite difficult to detect the coherence between various clips without knowing the context.

Watter said this is one of his favorite works, and he was inspired by the book “Crowds and Powers” by Nobel Prizewinning author Elias Canetti. Consisting of both digital and celluloid works, the project centers on various senses of crowds. From human cells to animal herds, the program is a contemplation of forms of groups, especially those seen frequently in traditional cinemas.

The upcoming shows will continue to live up to Magic Lantern’s innovative spirit. The next show, entitled “Since You’ve Been Gone,” will be played March 12 at the Black Box Theater at AS220.

Curated by former grad student Nathan Lee MA’10, the show will concentrate on bringing together contemporary art and Internet culture from 2005, which is when YouTube became more popular.

Chris Lee ’05 GS, who is studying English, also plans on making a custom zine to accompany the program. Ensuing shows will feature Chicago artist Fern Silva’s experimental works and the newest Magic Lantern member, Thomas Pringle, whose work sheds light on media and ecology.

Though Magic Lantern Cinema has existed for more than a decade, it continues to operate at a rather small scaleand

currently has no intention of expanding in other areas. Watter said this is due to both limited resources and the type of works it envisions doing.

Magic Lantern aims to keep making an impact on the University community. Capper said involvement with the program will bring a lot to the MCM department in terms of professional development for both undergraduates and grad students, as it is an accessible and open forum for curatorial work that is well-respected in the national film circuit.

Involvement in the group “will teach anyone interested in curation and programming a lot about what it means to do that kind of work, as well as the day to day operations of an organization that runs on grant funding,” Capper said.

“You have to be able to manage a budget, and write grant proposals. This kind of experience is so valuable for anyone working in arts or culture.”

Magic Lantern also strives to have its works more deeply ingrained within Providence’s artistic communities and to expand within the city’s general population.

“I want to promote and program shows that have a pull or traction with people here, as well as open up the series to the community in terms of programming,” Capper said. “Successful curatorial work is partly about having a good sense of the community around you and really collaborating.”

The program has served as a community for many participants. “I am particularly inspired by my peers, who are routinely breaking new ground conceptually and technologically,” Holland said.

TODAY

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 • PAGE 5

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

menu

care for cupcakes

SATELLITE DINING JOSIAH’S Gnocchi, Gourmet Grilled Cheese BLUE ROOM Mediterranean Pocket Soups: Hearty Country Vegetable, Tomato Florentine, Baked Potato ANDREWS COMMONS Pizza: Honey Boo Boo, Mushroom Madness, Thai BBQ Chicken

DINING HALLS SHARPE REFECTORY LUNCH

DINNER

Popcorn Chicken, Vegetarian Gnocchi, Broccoli in Cheese Sauce, Sauteed Greens

Macaroni and Cheese, Southern Fried Chicken, Collard Greens, Candied Sweet Potatoes

VERNEY-WOOLLEY LUNCH

DINNER

Saturday Night Jambalaya, Stuffed Red Peppers with Brown Rice, BBQ Navy Beans

Roast Beef Au Jus, Vegan Lentils with Vegetables, Whole Green Beans, Chicken Soup

sudoku

SADIE HOPE-GUND / HERALD

Students were provided with cupcakes and a coloring station at the “Self Care, Coping and Cupcakes” event, hosted at the Sarah Doyle Women’s Center as part of Eating Disorder Awareness Week.

comics P-Branes and Bosons | Ricky Oliver ‘17 RELEASE DATE– Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle c rNorris o s sandwJoyce o rNichols d Lewis Edited by Rich ACROSS 1 Mutinous Kubrick computer 4 High-end violin 9 Sextet for Henry VIII 14 British verb suffix 15 “Some glory in __ birth ...”: Shak.

16 Ginsburg associate 17 Sprightly dance 18 Shepherdess’ movie role?

20 Sharp-wittedness 22 Gore, once 23 Jeweler’s movie role?

29 Met previously 30 “I’m listening ...”

31 Delta deposit 32 False flattery 34 Robbins’ ice cream partner 36 ER personnel 39 Horse trainer’s movie role?

41 Org. concerned with the AQI 42 Crankcase component 44 Sends out 46 Boyfriend 47 Bearing 48 Meat pkg. letters 52 Weightlifter’s movie role?

56 Chamber group often including a piano 57 Under control 58 What 18-, 23-, 39and 52-Across exemplify?

63 Loafer front 64 Madison Square Garden, e.g.

65 Cookbook verb 66 Decorative vase 67 H.S. hurdles 68 Heavy metal cover 69 Del. clock setting DOWN 1 Take by force 2 “... based on my abilities” 3 Peanut, for one 4 Fifth cen. pope called “The Great”

51 Zealous 5 “Come to think of 38 Response to 53 Black-and-white freshness? it ...” sea predators 40 “You got that 6 Stephen of 54 Narrow inlet right!”

“Breakfast on 55 __ management 43 Campsite sight Pluto” 58 Bug on the line 45 Very 7 Succor 59 Timeline parts: 47 Peak near 8 Hungry for Abbr.

Olympus success, say 60 Shooter 9 Track transaction 49 Lincoln lead-in Memorial 10 “No thanks” 61 Sealing goo feature 11 Google Maps 62 Periodic table 50 Bloodmobile directions word suffix visitors 12 Sea-Tac approx.

13 Protein-rich bean 19 Org. that funds ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE: cultural exhibitions 21 Litter peeps 24 Cruise stop 25 Italian archaeological attraction 26 Puma competitor 27 Paper holder 28 Italian tourist attraction 33 CFO’s degree 34 Invite as a member of 35 Verizon competitor 36 Unruly groups 37 The Lord, in Lourdes 02/25/15 xwordeditor@aol.com

calendar TODAY

TOMORROW

9:00 A.M. “THE COUNTDOWN TO THE 2015 UN

12:00 P.M. ACADEMIC WORKSHOP FOR STUDENTS

CLIMATE SUMMIT IN PARIS”

WITH ADD AND ADHD

The discussion will concentrate on the role Latin America plays in global climate endeavors. Watson Institute

Learning consultant Pat Dickson will lead a workshop aimed at helping students with ADD and ADHD tackle exams using strategic outlines. J. Walter Wilson 310

4:00 P.M. “A VIEW FROM TWO SIDES OF THE CAMERA: USING THE MEDIA TO PROMOTE HEALTH”

Novelist Martín Solares, author of the novel “The Black Minutes,” will read from his work as part of the Writers On Writing Reading Series. McCormack Family Theater

5:30 P.M. JAUNE QUICK-TO-SEE SMITH: A SURVEY OF

4:00 P.M. “A PUBLIC MATTER: WATER, STATE, BIOPOLITICAL INTIMACY”

CONTEMPORARY NATIVE AMERICAN ART

By Jeffrey Wechsler ©2015 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

02/25/15

2:30 P.M. READING BY NOVELIST MARTIN SOLARES

Richard Besser, chief health and medical editor for ABC News, will discuss the use of media in promoting health.

Alpert Medical Building

Smith, a member of the Flathead Nation and contemorary artist, will present on Native-American art and new media.

List Art Center 120

Nikhi Anand, professor of geography, environment and society at the University of Minnesota, will discuss biopolitics and the intersections between water networks, the public and the state. Barus and Holley 168

COMMENTARY PAGE 6 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

EDITORIAL

Reevaluation of interim alcohol policy The University’s new alcohol policy is abruptly running into its first hurdle. According to a recent Herald article (“Alcohol policy, student body growth may alter College Hill dynamics,” Feb. 24) , some private residents on College Hill have seen an uptick in noisy and disruptive off-campus parties as a result of the crackdown on campus drinking. The issue of off-campus parties, which are less policed and more disruptive to the community, further testifies to a short-sightedness in the University’s approach to reforming the undergraduate culture.

The University’s interim alcohol policy — outlined in a Jan. 19 community-wide email from Vice President of Campus Life and Student Services Margaret Klawunn and Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy Russell Carey ’91 MA’06 and clarified in a subsequent Jan. 30 email — prohibited alcohol service at large-scale events in residence halls. Formerly, these parties occurred in fraternities and program houses on Wriston Quadrangle. Ironically, this marks a portion of the campus developed in 1950 for the purpose of facilitating greater administrative oversight of Greek organizations.

These interim policies — which are unlikely to be altered dramatically following the formal review — force students to socialize off campus in far less regulated environments. Beyond the inherent concerns of sexual assault and over-consumption of alcohol in these venues, the increase in off-campus parties strains the University’s relationship with the permanent residents of College Hill. This budding tension is further promulgated by what one resident described as a history of drafting policies without considering the neighborhood.

The apparent, yet surprisingly ignored, ripple effects of the interim alcohol policy are a significant point of concern, particularly in light of the administration’s handling of the Phi Kappa Psi case. Again, these administrative decisions appear to be reactive rather than proactive. There does not seem to exist a cohesive plan to address the issue of sexual assault on campus, and the interim alcohol policy annoys neighbors but does not clearly make students safer. Students are not upset with the severity of these alcohol strictures, but more so with the manner and logic with which the administration has arrived at its decisions.

The amalgamation of an already strained housing system with no foreseeable expansion of on-campus residences and the slated annual 1 percent expansion of the undergraduate student body over the next decade — as outlined in President Christina Paxson’s P’19 strategic plan — craft a situation in which an improperly implemented alcohol policy could detrimentally alter student life at Brown, both on and off campus.

Though we certainly acknowledge the impermanence of the interim alcohol policy, these initial parameters are foreboding and, regardless of intention, suggest a strategy that could perpetuate and perhaps worsen the issue at stake.

M I R A N DA F R I E L

CORRECTION An article in Tuesday’s Herald (“International med school applicants face challenges,” Feb. 24) stated an incorrect acronym for the Association of American Medical Colleges. It is AAMC, not AAMA. The Herald regrets the error.

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

“To be honest, we feel like we are being bullied.”

— Thang Huynh, owner of Lotus Pepper

See trucks on page 1.

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COMMENTARY WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015 • PAGE 7

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

Talking in turn EVAN SWEREN opinions editor

There have been a number of headlining slips of tongue in recent months, from Brian Williams’ mismemory turned into a flat-out lie to Justine Sacco’s AIDS joke morphed into a career-ending punch line.

And then there have been more deliberate utterances made with the intent to remove the speech of others.

Fox News recently picked up an article by a Herald columnist and kept it on the front burner for 10 days straight. I watched as a friend and colleague entered the limelight, pushed by a fellow peer, with his words and screen glaring up at him, burning down on him pinpoint.

News anchors referred to him as a “leftist activist wannabe” and as a “stupid jerk.”

And then there’s Phi Kappa Psi — a fraternity accused of and found responsible for “creating an environment that facilitated sexual misconduct,” according to University findings. Its public service announcement can be read in Tuesday’s Providence Journal. It’s an instance of airing dirty laundry, and in the machismo, jersey-waving,

post-victory sort of way.

Institutions with a certain degree of power and respectability — news organizations, fraternities — often act with force. But by targeting and drowning out the individual voice, these conglomerates are using strategic chastisement for the purpose of self-aggrandizement.

And while the two aforementioned events are worlds apart, both Fox’s actions and Phi Psi’s address ultimately serve the same purpose: to

gaging with these thoughts, and they attempted to deter the author and society as a whole from voicing this opinion.

When a fraternity is penalized by a school for creating an unhealthy and unsafe environment, and when that fraternity then writes to the city paper and addresses “members of the Brown community” to clarify its situation, it causes unnecessary harm to itself, to discourse and to the actual victims of sexual assault.

report instances of sexual misconduct. They used a city paper to target specific people and created an additional deterrent and more fear as a result of their “clarification.”

Free speech is important; our nation depends upon its protection. We watch with horror as cartoonists are slain. We cringe when liberty is siphoned and journalists are forced to testify by law. Speech is important. Freedom of speech is more important. And I, like others,

By targeting and drowning out the individual voice, these conglomerates are using strategic chastisement for the purpose of self-aggrandizement.

scare and deter.

When national television anchors repeatedly insult and berate an undergraduate columnist, they first target an individual; they then target other voices. Fox failed to address particular arguments that the columnist made and, rather, attempted to shame those who support an ideology into submission and subservience. They attempted to deter their viewership from en-

Phi Psi’s letter seems geared not toward the community but toward the University and those that accused the fraternity of wrongdoing. In this regard, the fraternity used its position of power and authority — male power and authority — to vocalize an “I told you so” on an inappropriate media platform and created an environment more hostile, more uncomfortable and more stifling for future victims to come forward and

am indebted to those alive and dead who forged and preserved the right to talk in turn. It’s the talking out of turn that begins to look frightening.

It’s the abuse of a soapbox to silence the voices of those less powerful.

Many will cringe at this analysis, confuse it and bark mad. Some will deny that a news outlet can harass an individual or a society — “we just report the news” — and others will side with the fraternity, assert

that the University’s proceedings were targeted and hail Phi Psi’s vindication.

But it’s concerning when a news organization begins to conflate its role in society and disregards the comfortable niche of satire. And it’s equally concerning when a fraternity that has a presence on many campuses across the country continues to shame those already experiencing pain, hurt and trauma instead of taking its vindication in stride.

When Fox reached out to the columnist on multiple occasions, contacting him directly, contacting University administrators and contacting peers — all to no avail — perhaps it wanted to remind him that his freedom of speech wasn’t free or were looking to recruit more “wannabes” and “jerks” for one of its shows. When Phi Psi addressed the Providence community as a whole, perhaps it was genuinely looking to clear its name — redundant given the University’s email about the new findings a day prior — and let us know that it was the real victim in this kerfuffle. Or perhaps it was doing what we all know but don’t verbalize: sometimes we too can terrorize.

Evan Sweren ’15 is a Herald opinions editor.

A bold step forward WALKER MILLS opinions columnist

Last year, CVS underwent some changes. In addition to changing its name to CVS Health, it stopped selling cigarettes in all of its nearly 8,000 stores nationwide. The company paired this with programming in its pharmacies and MinuteClinics designed to help customers actually quit. According to its website, CVS is confident that “this is the right thing to do.”

This type of corporate responsibility is powerful, and hopefully other companies will follow suit.

The move was supported by President Obama, who lauded CVS in his 2015 State of the Union address. Obama even went so far as to invite the president of CVS, Larry Merlo, to the speech as one of the White House’s special guests.

CVS didn’t have to stop selling cigarettes.

It made what could have been an unpopular and fiscally damaging decision because its corporate leadership had the guts to do what it thought was right, a decision that students against smoking should actively support. In fact, CVS estimated it would lose up to $2 billion — 3 percent of total annual revenue — from the decision to stop selling cigarettes.

And no one was pressuring the company to take tobacco off its shelves.

Smoking among adults in the U.S. is on the decline, according to the Centers for Disease Control. And I bet that almost all of the smokers left understand the risks.

It’s hard to find places to smoke in Rhode Island. The state has a ban on smoking in any

enclosed workplace, and as of March 11, smoking will be banned in all of Providence’s parks.

It would have been easy for CVS to watch the decline of smoking in America from the sidelines.

I don’t want to demonize smoking. Individuals have a right to use tobacco if they so choose. They should be aware of the health risks, and their ability to threaten the health of others through secondhand smoke should be limited.

But longterm smoking costs our nation in terms of lives cut short: The CDC states

Over the last several years, CVS has tried to market itself as more of a one-stop health care provider, rather than simply a convenience store with a pharmacy attached. There is obviously market incentive here, but with its now roughly 900 MinuteClinic locations and army of pharmacists and nurse practitioners, CVS is able to offer basic health care cheaper and faster to many people who might not ordinarily get it.

Large companies like CVS play a huge role in the lives of many Americans. Decisions that they make have a huge impact on what we do

It’s inspiring to see a corporate giant like CVS shift its policy and put potential revenue on the line in an attempt to promote healthy living and better serve customers.

that cigarette smoking is the cause of one in five deaths in the U.S. And in terms of dollars spent on our health care systems, the government should take a role in discouraging the use of tobacco.

But there are limits to the government’s power to sway consumers away from tobacco.

Government discouragement is usually a combination of education about the risks and bans on smoking in public places — plus that omnipresent Surgeon General’s warning. CVS has the freedom to do far more, and the money to do it.

by regulating what we buy and at what cost.

It’s inspiring to see a corporate giant like CVS shift its policy and put potential revenue on the line in an attempt to promote healthy living and better serve customers. It didn’t have to; It wanted to.

Cynics will claim that in the end, the company’s removal of cigarettes was all part of a bigger rebranding to help pivot toward the health care market, and that any corporate dogooding is a farce or facade. I disagree. I don’t care if CVS was motivated by potential profits or a facelift for its image. The company is tak-

ing loud, visible steps to promote better health among customers. It isn’t just selling the nicotine gum next to Marlboro reds; It’s only selling nicotine gum.

Other critics might argue that smokers will be undeterred and just buy elsewhere. They would be wrong. CVS reported that since it changed its policy and adopted its “Let’s quit together” programs, it has seen a more than 60 percent increase in visits to its clinics for counseling and medication for smoking cessation.

Demonstrations of corporate responsibility like this are so powerful because they combine rhetoric with action. I urge other students to take note of which companies they buy from: What are those companies doing to make a difference?

CVS is not just offering to help you quit.

It also won’t help you keep smoking. It’s not hiding behind its profit projections; it’s taken a stand. And you know what? Its profits increased by almost 10 percent between November 2013 and November 2014.

If you believe, as I do, that Brown students are for a smoke-free Brown, as Kate Kiernan ’16 asserted in her Herald column (“Ban Smoking at Brown,” Feb. 20), then support CVS. The company is doing more to promote a smoke-free campus than anyone else on College Hill.

For CVS, it pays to be the good guy. I don’t use a lot of groceries, but the next time I need some toilet paper or laundry detergent, I’m going to go to the CVS on Thayer Street instead of the other guy, because I support what it’s done.

Walker Mills ’15 can be contacted at walker_mills@brown.edu.

ARTS & CULTURE THE BROWN DAILY HERALD

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2015

Filmmaker discusses personal history, identity as queer black woman Eliaichi Kimaro encourages reflection on intersectionality as part of Black Heritage Series

By TANEIL RUFFIN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

“I felt like I had an understanding politically of what it meant . . . to be a queer black woman, but I was grappling with what it meant to me to be black,” said Eliaichi Kimaro, who directed, produced and wrote the award-winning documentary “A Lot Like You.” The film focuses on the parallels between Kimaro — who is half-Tanzanian and half-Korean — and her family in Tanzania, despite the generational and cultural differences between them.

Kimaro did not screen her film but spoke about the varied dimensions of black identity in a lecture sponsored by the Black Heritage Series and the Brown Center for Students of Color Tuesday evening in Salomon 001.

Jacinta Lomba ’17 and Jo’Nella Queen Ellerbe ’15, who helped coordinate the event, “were looking for speakers that could talk about black identity, blackness or identity in general,” Lomba said. “We found a poster promoting Eli Kimaro and her film and thought it sounded really interesting,” she said.

“The content of her film and her life’s work is really important and relevant to the type of conversation we wanted to bring to Brown,” she added.

Kimaro began the lecture by discussing her experience working with a diverse array of sexual assault victims, including refugees, people of color and individuals who identify

ASHLEY SO / HERALD

Award-winning director Eliaichi Kimaro talked about race and identity in relation to her documentray “A Lot Like You” in a lecture sponsored by Black Heritage Series and the Brown Center for Students of Color. as gay or lesbian. Kimaro said she is also a survivor of sexual assault.

Kimaro delineated ways in which race, culture and gender can impact identity. She said she believes it is an individual’s duty to find a “creative way to contribute (one’s) own story to human experience.”

Because of the small size of the audience, Kimaro also questioned the students in attendance about their own creative processes and ways in which they would tell the stories of their families. Though students were initially hesitant to speak, encouragement from Kimaro eventually

facilitated conversations about students who said they write poetry, listen to music, scrapbook or create websites as means of expression.

Kimaro closed the lecture by showing several clips from “A Lot Like You” and stressing the significance of the film as a repository for unheard voices.

Kimaro’s aunt — who is included in the film — had never shared her personal account of marital abuse prior to her interview with Kimaro.

Kimaro, who used her cousin as a translator on her trip, said the language barrier and lack of resources

in Tanzania kept her from supporting her aunt as she would have hoped. But ultimately, the safe space that Kimaro created for her aunt to tell her story was enough, Kimaro said, adding that her aunt passed away with a burden lifted from her shoulders.

When an audience member lamented Kimaro’s not screening the film at the event, Kimaro said she may offer a copy to the Brown Center for Students of Color for a screening at a later date and hold a questionand-answer session Skype following that screening.

“I think more than anything, our

goal is to encourage Brown students to think more deeply and also to just expand their knowledge and experience i­ ntellectually and emotionally,” Lomba said. “That’s what I was hoping that tonight’s lecture would be for a lot of people, and I know for me personally it was.”

“Eli Kimaro did a tremendous job of making me think about what it means to be this person with intersecting identities and my family and the world around me,” she added.

“That kind of conversation is always enriching and inspiring, and it is part of the goal of the Heritage Series.”

Two bills aim to raise minimum, subminimum wages Under proposed legislation, minimum wage would rise to $10.10, where subminimum would meet it in 2020

By ALON GALOR STAFF WRITER

Two bills introduced this month in the state legislature call for substantial changes to wage minimums. One bill would raise the state minimum wage from $9.00 to $10.10, while another would gradually increase the subminimum wage for tipped workers to equal the regular minimum wage by 2020.

If passed, the first bill — introduced Feb. 5 by Rep. David Bennett, D-Warwick — would mark the state’s fourth increase in the baseline pay rate in four years. The minimum wage climbed from $7.40 to $7.75 in 2013, rose to $8 in 2014 and jumped to $9 just last month.

Between 5 and 8 percent of the state’s labor force, or about 30,000 to 45,000 workers, would be affected by the bill, according to estimates by the Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training and the Economic Policy Institute, a Washington-based think tank.

The average minimum wage in New England stands at about $8.70, though Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont all plan to boost their minimum wages by $1 or $2 over the next two years.

The federal minimum wage rests at $7.25.

METRO

The second bill — introduced Feb. 12

by Rep. Aaron Regunberg, D-Providence and Sen. Gayle Goldin, D-Providence — would cause the subminimum wage for tipped workers to jump from its current level at $2.89 to equal the regular minimum wage by 2020. This would mark the rate’s first increase in the last 20 years.

The legislation calls for incremental increases of $1.50 per year, starting next year, Regunberg said.

Inflating expectations Though legislation that raised Rhode Island’s minimum wage from $8 to $9 last month originally called for the rate to increase to $10 in 2016 — accounting for subsequent indexing to inflation — those additional provisions were removed from the bill.

This year’s bill does not include inflation indexing, which would increase opposition to the bill, Bennett said, citing problems that could arise from indexing in instances of an economic downturn.

Eleven states currently index their minimum wages to inflation, the Washington Post reported.

The bill was presented to the House Committee on Labor Feb. 5 and was held for further study, Bennett said.

Gov. Gina Raimondo has said she would approve the bill were it to pass in

both houses, Regunberg said.

A national debate As the widespread debate about income inequality takes center stage in the United States, many Americans look to the minimum wage as a means to narrow a widening fissure.

The majority of Americans are in favor of a minimum wage increase, according to polls by several major news outlets and research institutions, including CBS News, the New York Times and the Pew Research Center.

In his State of the Union address last month, President Obama once again urged Congress to raise the national minimum wage to $10.10. But his call for federal involvement in the setting of a base rate has been futile. Minimum wage legislation has only been introduced at the state level since the last federal hike in 2009.

While the majority of Americans support a minimum wage increase, economists have long been divided on the issue, with 47 percent of economists with PhDs supporting the elimination of the minimum wage, 14 percent in favor of maintaining it at its current level and 38 percent in favor of raising it, according to a 2006 survey by Robert Whaples, professor of economics at Wake Forest University.

While a number of empirical studies, including the work of renowned labor economists David Card and Alan

EMMA JERZYK / HERALD

Krueger, have demonstrated that modest increases in the minimum wage may not adversely affect employment, others suggest that the classical theoretical economic framework that says minimum wage hikes lead to unemployment is correct.

Professors of Economics Nathaniel Baum-Snow and David Weil agreed that disparities in minimum wages across state borders raise a number of issues.

A minimum wage hike causes the cost of labor of firms selling tradable goods to increase, and therefore may

incentivize firms to move to where labor costs are cheaper. In addition, firms selling non-tradable goods and services, such as restaurants or barber shops, may be driven to increase prices, Baum-Snow said.

The minimum wage also targets a unique demographic of workers. Approximately 25 percent of those paid minimum wage are teenagers and 50 percent are under 25 years old, according » See WAGES, page 4