Friday, April 10, 2015

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SINCE 1891

THE BROWN DAILY HERALD FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015

VOLUME CL, ISSUE 51

WWW.BROWNDAILYHERALD.COM

Gourley ’16 captures UCS presidency In election with 49 percent voter turnout, Bhatla ’16 claims UCS vice presidency By NATALIE FONDRIEST SENIOR STAFF WRITER

RYAN WALSH / HERALD

Damage to the secondary supports that attach to the roof trusses have forced the Department of Facilities Management to close the non-demoninational Manning Chapel for the next few weeks.

Manning Chapel under repair Due to structural damage, student groups forced to relocate to alternative campus location By AGNES CHAN STAFF WRITER

Following the closure of Manning Hall over spring break due to unstable supports, several student groups have been forced to relocate their activities from the non-denominational chapel on the second floor. Engineers with

the Department of Facilities Management found the unstable secondary supports during a structural inspection of Manning Chapel, wrote Stephen Maiorisi, vice president for Facilities Management, in an email to The Herald. The inspection was performed in preparation for a roof replacement project scheduled to take place this summer. During the inspection, engineers discovered that “some of the secondary supports that are attached to the roof trusses to support the ceiling have failed,” Maiorisi wrote,

‘Comedy Tonight’: Musical transports crowds to Rome Courtesans, slaves, plebeians sing, dance to Sondheim in night of sexual debauchery By ASHNA MUKHI STAFF WRITER

Light, punny and packed with satire, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum,” presented by Brown University Gilbert and Sullivan, is sure to send audience members home chuckling. Directed by Paul Martino ’17, the musical features a comically absurd plot, a lively set and talented actors. Set in ancient Rome, the musical displays distinct aspects of contemporary humor, as well as a number of pop culture references. The director’s inspiration for the adapted play — with the music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

ARTS & CULTURE

INSIDE

and the script by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart — came from a form of theater known as “commedia dell’arte,” which loosely translates to “the comedy of craft,” Martino said. The improvisation of this form of theater “allows for such a huge diversity of ideas, which let the characters evolve both verbally and physically,” said Assistant Director Ani Mack ’17. The play opens with a lively song, “Comedy Tonight,” performed by the entire cast. The audience is welcomed by the cacophonous, yet strangely appealing, clash of bright and gaudy costumes and set pieces, made to depict a threehouse neighborhood in ancient Rome. The rampant use of slapstick humor throughout the opening immediately makes it clear that the audience is in for two hours of vaudeville-reminiscent comedy. The musical tells the story of Pseudolus, a slave plotting to gain her freedom » See FORUM, page 3

adding that he believes the damage was “in part due to snow loading on the roof.” Manning Chapel will be closed for the next few weeks as the ceiling is repaired, Maiorisi wrote. The short-term fixes made to the 181-yearold building involve “using modern techniques and materials (screws and metal strapping) to reconnect the ceiling framing to the roof framing,” he wrote. The renovations planned for this summer will still occur, beginning in early June and ending by the » See MANNING, page 2

Sazzy Gourley ’16 won the Undergraduate Council of Students presidency, while Alana Bhatla ’16 claimed the vice presidency, announced UCS Elections Board Chair Heather Sabel ’17 just after midnight Friday on the steps of the Stephen Robert ’62 Campus Center. With 50.5 percent of the vote, Gourley defeated Justice Gaines ’16 and Zachary Nelkin ’17. Gaines garnered 45.2 percent of the vote, and Nelkin earned 2.5 percent. Bhatla, UCS media director and former UCS treasurer, triumphed over Ryan Lessing ’17, chair of the UCS Admissions and Student Services committee, with 75 percent of the vote. Approximately 49 percent of the undergraduate student body — 3,152 students — voted in the election, up from the 2,991 students who hit the polls last year. “This campaign comes as the result of a lot of hard work and a really dedicated team,” said Gourley,

currently UCS vice president and chair of the UCS Outreach and Advocacy committee. “Our goal was to be as inclusive and positive as possible, and I plan to continue that tone throughout my presidency.” UCS needs to focus on “the cultural shift necessary for upcoming policy changes to have their intended effects,” Gourley added. “I’m really proud of the campaign we ran,” said Gaines, a UCS general body member and member of the Task Force on Sexual Assault. “Congrats to Sazzy — he’ll be a great president.” “I’m really just excited for what we can do on this campus and to make sure student voices are heard and student needs are met,” Gaines said, adding, “I will continue with UCS. … I will be taking on whatever role is needed.” Nelkin, a former member of UCS, said he intends to join the UCS general body in the hopes of making the council “more democratic.” Gourley “ran a great campaign,” Nelkin said. “He’ll do a great job.” “I’ve been really excited by how invested everyone has been in UCS during this election, and I hope to continue a lot of the conversations next year on UCS that I’ve been having with students during the » See ELECTIONS, page 3

TAEKWONDO

MARISA VANG / HERALD

“We usually only bring home two trophies, but this time we got all three,” said student instructor Jake Shields ’16. “It was a big deal for us and a strong showing for us as a club.”

Brown wins fifth straight national title

Bears exceed lofty expectations, place second in color belt division, third in black belt division By TANEIL RUFFIN SENIOR STAFF WRITER

Last weekend, about 30 students from the defending national champion Brown Taekwondo Club traveled to the University of Delaware to compete

in the 40th National Collegiate Taekwondo Association Championships. The team defended its title, tying Cornell for first place overall after finishing second in the color belt division and third in the black belt division. This year’s victories marked BTKD’s fifth consecutive national championship. “We usually only bring home two trophies, but this time we got all three,” said Jake Shields ’16, one of BTKD’s student instructors. “It was a big deal for us and a strong showing for us as

a club.” The national tournament consists of two events: poomsae and sparring. Both categories have color and black belt divisions. In the sparring events, participants are further divided based on gender and weight class, as the competition features a “big emphasis on safety,” said Julia Stevens ’15, another one of the team’s instructors. Brown triumphed over colleges from across the country at the » See TAEKWONDO, page 2

WEATHER

FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2015

UNIVERSITY NEWS Two students win Embark Fellowship for juice startup that uses Vietnamese fruit

ARTS & CULTURE David Foster Wallace biopic depicting author’s reclusive life screens at Ivy Film Festival

COMMENTARY Mitra ’18: Energize R.I. Act could help state make strides in reversing effects of climate change

COMMENTARY Brown Students for Chafee: Lincoln Chafee’s record makes him strong choice for president

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